Activists have charged Abu Dhabi and called for the release of a young Emirati arrested for expressing sympathy for Qatar amid the diplomatic row between the tiny gas-rich country and the Saudi-led bloc including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt.

Ghanem Abdullah Mattar, a young Emirati was reportedly arrested last week for posting a video on social media praising Qatar and calling for ending blockades enforced against it by the Saudi-led bloc.

Qatar has proven to us that it cannot be led It leads its people, but it cannot be led, he commented.

The Saudi-led bloc early June severed ties with Qatar and imposed sea, air and land blockades against Doha for its alleged sponsoring of terrorism.

UAE has criminalized any communication or content that may express support to Qatar. Offenders could face a fine of $13,500 and a prison sentence of 15 years.

A video purportedly showing Mattars arrest went viral on social network. Hashtag #FreedomfForEmirati AbdullahMattar trended rapidly on Twitter.

Amnesty International also took to Twitter to thank activists who whistle-blew Mattars case.

We thank all those who have alerted us to the issue of Ghanem Abdullah. The issue is now followed by our team, the organization said.

In a separate report, former chief of Dubai police, Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan, on Twitter last week praised the Qatari ruler Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports.

Tamim leads the front, which rejects yielding to the wicked Muslim Brotherhood and the terrorist groups. Salute to Tamim and those who stand with him, be they men, women or youth, he was quoted as saying.

Salute to Sheikh Tamim from my heart over his stance which was brought to my attention a while ago.
Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank.
International tourist arrivals up 28.5 percent in June

Georgia hosted 666,493 international travellers in June 2017, which was 28.5 percent increase compared to the same month of 2016, show data from the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA).Last month 328,314 tourists* spent time in the country, making for a 43 percent year-over-year (y/y) increase.Meanwhile, during the first six months of 2017 Georgia hosted 2,996,170 international travellers (13.4 percent increase), including 1,309,982 tourists (29.1 percent increase).The highest number of visitors who came to Georgia in January-June 2017 were from Azerbaijan (7.4 percent increase), Armenia (16.2 percent increase), Turkey (-15.9 percent decrease), Russia (27.5 percent increase), and Iran (223.4 percent increase).A positive trend was also maintained by visitors from the European Union: Austria  54 percent increase Netherlands - 36 percent increase Germany  32 percent increase United Kingdom  28 percent increase France  23 percent increase Lithuania  17 percent increaseExceptional growth in visitor numbers was recorded from the following countries: Iran  223 percent increase Uzbekistan  163 percent increase Saudi Arabia  159 percent increase India - 133 percent increase Israel - 48 percent increase China  41 percent increaseHow did Georgia benefit from more visitors?So far this year, $434.6 million was generated from international tourism in Georgia, which was $82 million more compared to the same period of 2016.In the first six months of 2017 international travellers spent 786,282 GEL (about $327,348/287,690**) on their foreign bank cards, which was an annual increase of more than 33 percent.International tourism revenue reached $2.2 billion in 2016, which was $230 million or 11.9 percent more than in 2015.
The News in Brief

Parliament Approves Amendments to Election Code



On June 30, the Parliament of Georgia approved with its third reading a package of amendments involving the election code and four related laws.



The Georgian Dream-initiated legislative amendments provide a new rule of composition of election administrations and specify various election procedures, including the issues related to the 2017 municipal elections.



According to the proposed legislative amendments, the number of political parties eligible to appoint representatives to the Central Election Commission (CEC) will be significantly narrowed: only those parties will be eligible to have representatives in election administration, which manage to clear the 5% threshold and set up a faction in the Parliament.



Moreover, political parties will no longer have equal representation in the Central Election Commission (one member from each party): instead, the parties will appoint their representatives proportionally to the votes garnered in the elections.



According to current legislation, CEC consists of 13 members including its chairperson. Five CEC members are appointed by the Parliament upon the nomination of the President and seven members are appointed by those political parties, who garnered 3% or more votes in the last parliamentary or municipal elections and obtained relevant funding from the state budget.



Opposition Parties, CSOs



The new rule of CEC composition sparked criticism among opposition parties and civil society organizations, who claim that the new rule will give undue advantage to the ruling Georgian Dream  Democratic Georgia party, since considering the results of the last parliamentary elections, the ruling party will be able to appoint several members to CEC through the political party quota.



Speaking at a news briefing on June 20, Tinatin Bokuchava of the opposition United National Movement said: The government knows that the upcoming elections will be very difficult and therefore, they try to usurp the election administration in order to manipulate election process and its results.



Irakli Abesadze of the Movement for Liberty - European Georgia said on June 13 that the Georgian Dream tries to tailor the election administration and the entire election process to its desires.



Three civil society organizations  the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, the Georgian Young Lawyers Association and the Transparency International Georgia  released a joint opinion on June 26. Noting positive amendments, the three CSOs also focused on disputable norms, saying that the new rule of CEC composition clearly aims at strengthening the ruling partys positions in the election administration.



In response to their criticism, the ruling party introduced changes to the initial version of the bill, which enabled the ruling party to appoint four out of seven members of CEC, and submitted them to the Parliament.

(Civil.ge)







Georgian citizen traveling to Greece via Turkey goes missing



A citizen of Georgia who was traveling to Greece via Turkey has been missing for 3 days.



Georgian citizens appealed to the Georgian Migration Information Center in Athens with regard to the above-mentioned this morning.



19-year-old Givi Mchedlishvili went missing after he was not allowed to cross the EU border. The young man was travelling to Greece to visit his mother there.



The Georgian Migration Information Center appeals to the General Consulates of Georgia to Thessaloniki and Istanbul to help the family to quickly establish the whereabouts of the missing man

(IPN)




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.
@amysherman1

Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera, a former Doral city council member and Republican, said she is seriously considering a bid for U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's seat in 2018.

Rodriguez Aguilera was a council member from 2012 to 2014 when she lost to former councilman Pete Cabrera. She previously worked as the city's economic development director.

Rodriguez Aguilera owns Bettinara Enterprises, a company that assists people in understanding how government works. She also created a women's leadership certificate program which she teaches at Miami Dade College.

Democrats view Ros-Lehtinen's retirement as a chance to pick up a left leaning seat. Ros-Lehtinen, who did not vote for President Donald Trump, has often disagreed with her own party including her vote against the GOP health care plan.

Rodriguez Aguilera said she voted for Trump.

"I am a Republican -- I had to look at the choices," she said. "I voted for who I believed at that point was the person that I needed to vote for but I would like to consider the issues and problems that the community has. Money and economic development do not have a Republican or Democratic stamp on it."

Asked about the GOP health care plan that narrowly passed the House in May, Rodriguez Aguilera said she is still "studying the different options."

Other Republicans who have said they are running including former School Board Member Raquel Regalado and Miami Dade County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro. Maria Peiro, who ran against Ros-Lehtinen in the 2016 primary, is also running.

On the Democratic side, the candidates include state Rep. David Richardson of Miami Beach, state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, Miami Beach commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, University of Miami academic adviser Michael Hepburn and Mark Anthony Person.
Officials have bumped up fire danger in Missoula County from high to very high in the midst of a string of hot days.

Interagency wildland fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association raised the rating at their weekly Monday meeting.

Recent weeks have seen record-setting high temperatures and grasses continuing to cure, Jordan Koppen, fire information officer for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, said in a press release.

This fine, dead fuel is the primary carrier of fire in the wildland, and when fires get established in this fuel type they spread out of control rapidly, Koppen said. Multiple grass fires, caused by human behavior (cigarette butts thrown into dry grass, unattended campfires, fireworks, debris burning, and vehicle fires) have escaped initial attack in the last week across the Northern Rockies, some transitioning into the forest with rapid rates of spread.

Koppen said after a wet spring, dead fuels have dried to the point that fires will quickly spread out of control. Lightning and extreme fire danger are in the forecast, and firefighters are busy with recent starts.

Outdoor debris burning by permit has been closed in Missoula County since July 4. Outdoor burning in Ravalli County will close Thursday at 12:01 a.m.

Residents need to know that our wildland firefighters face a long, arduous fire season even without having to respond to human-caused fires, the release said. Everyone needs to take special care when engaged in activities that could ignite a wildfire. Remember: one less spark, one less wildfire. 

Wildfire agencies have not implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions at this time, but everyone is encouraged to bookmark www.firerestrictions.us for the most up-to-date information regarding restrictions and burn bans. Folks can also "like" the Missoula County Fire Protection Association on Facebook, and get information at www.mcfpa.org.
The colorful, controversial life of Thomas Francis Meagher will be front and center Tuesday night at Fort Missoula when Polson actor, musician and storyteller Neal Lewing presents the Montana Conversations program Meagher of the Sword: Montanas First Acting Governor.

The 7 p.m. program is free and open to the public. It will be held in host Northern Rockies Heritage Centers Heritage Hall.

The Irish-born Meagher was Montana Territorys first secretary and filled in twice when governors Sidney Edgerton and Green Clay Smith went east.

Before that he led Irish rebels, escaped exile in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), toured the United States on a lecture circuit, designed the Irish tricolor flag, and distinguished himself as a Civil War general. Meagher disappeared mysteriously at Fort Benton on July 1, 1867.

Lewing presents the story in folklore, music and Meaghers own words. Hes the managing director of the Port Polson Players and secretary of the Thomas Francis Meagher Association, which last weekend staged the first Meagherfest in Helena. The festival included a coroners inquest in the Old Supreme Court Chambers at the state Capitol. A citizen jury deemed Meaghers death murder and pinned it on Montana pioneer and vigilante Wilbur Fisk Sanders, a known Meagher antagonist.

Light refreshments will be served at Tuesdays program. Heritage Hall is ADA Accessible.

Funding for the Montana Conversations program is provided by Humanities Montana through grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Montanas Cultural Trust and private donations.
SUPERIOR  Two weeks short of his 80th birthday, Jim Cyr still looks like the youngest guy in the hiking party.

Somebody told me once, if you dont let the grass grow under your feet, it wont grow over your head, Cyr said while checking his pulse on his wristwatch. His doctor recommended keeping his heartrate around 110 beats a minute, but he prefers staying below 120.

The restriction makes for a relaxed saunter up the 710-vertical-foot-rise along the 1.5-mile Copper Lake trail, which leaves Cyr plenty of time to recount bits of history and trivia along the way. With a lifetime spent rambling the mountains around Mineral County while building many of its highways, hiking with Cyr is like taking a two-footed historical society into the woods.

Jim  hes got that engineering in his blood, said frequent hiking partner Tom Castles. Hes got to document it, write it down. Hes got notebooks full of all this.

Several times this summer, Cyr will select from among his bookshelves of notebooks the appropriate collections to illustrate trips with the Mineral County Hospital Hikers. That volunteer exercise group started last year with the dual intention of improving local physical fitness and rejuvenating local knowledge of the dozens of trails, lakes and wonders in the surrounding Great Burn landscape.

On a recent Thursday-morning trip, Cyr pulled out photos of old railroad trestles that once spanned the canyons where Interstate 90 trucks now rumble. He stopped the shuttle bus next to a shuttered building to point out where John Mullan established Cantonment Jordan to wait out the winter of 1859 while building the first military road between Washington and Montana.

They thought this would be more protected from the weather, Cyr said of the hollow in the hillside. But they about starved to death. The temperatures were down to minus 20 and the snows got deep. The highway didnt make it here until 1947.

Cyr retired 30 years ago from the Montana Department of Transportation. He recalled his first days on the job working on the still-troublesome set of curves above the St. Regis River near mile marker 27. During right-of-way clearing near the Taft exit, he stumbled upon a hand-set stone oven rendered nearly invisible by moss and brush.

It was likely built by Chinese railroad workers to bake bread toward the end of the 19th century and coincidentally remained undamaged when a steam engine caboose derailed and scattered debris all over the hillside. Bits of bottles, an old stove and hunks of coal still surround the oven, but few other than Cyr can find it in the thick forest thats grown up since.

Cyrs family was woven into much of that forest. His grandfather came to Montana in 1873 and homesteaded in the Fish Creek drainage south of Alberton. The family came from the French-speaking Arcadian regions of Canada, part of the community that helped establish Frenchtown. Their property title was finalized in 1902, signed by President Theodore Roosevelt.

While he was working, Cyr typically saved two days a week to hike a trail. Routes usually went 10 or 15 miles, although hed occasionally put together a 20-mile stretch and run it with his brother.

My passion is the Stateline Trail, Cyr said. I love Bonanza Lake and Cascade Pass, going to Illinois Peak which is better from the Cascade side than from the Hoodoo Pass side. But its hard to pull yourself away from anyplace up here.
HELENA  The state will start testing previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits this month.

The Department of Justice has finished inventorying 1,140 kits from around the state that were not previously tested.

In 2015 Attorney General Tim Fox created a Sexual Assault Evidence Task Force to look into the number of unsubmitted evidence kits, understand why they weren't being tested and develop a plan to address the issue.

Since then the state has received a $2 million grant to pay for testing and another $284,500 grant to develop a way to inventory, track and report on kits as they are tested.

So far the state found that many kits were not submitted because the incident did not not meet the requirements to be considered a rape or law enforcement found the claim unfounded, said Joan Eliel, the departments Sexual Assault Kit Initiative coordinator.

The kits will go to Sorenson Lab in Salt Lake City for testing. Marshall University in West Virginia will perform technical review of the results. That must be done before a DNA profile can be entered into the FBIs Combined DNA Index System.

The department expects to receive results as early as September.

Joan Eliel, who is coordinating the testing of the kits, said the department will hire a victim advocate soon. That advocate will implement victim notification procedures being developed by a task force. The advocate will also connect survivors to resources in their communities.

The department is also bringing on a cold case investigator and law enforcement training coordinator to develop a sexual assault investigation curriculum and field guide for the Montana Law Enforcement Academy.
Secretary of State Corey Stapleton appears to be launching a baseless quest to root out Missoulas non-existent voter fraud.

A loyal Republican to the core, Stapleton is Montanas version of a mini-Trump  convinced of his own mental superiority, his alternative facts, and prone to harsh and unsubstantiated claims when those facts dont line up with reality. In the case of Missoulas citizens and election officials, its definitely time for Stapleton to give it a break.

For those who remember Stapletons time as a legislator, these strange personality traits do not come as a surprise.

A few years before Stapleton became a state senator, Montanas Republican-controlled legislature stuffed through a massive bill to deregulate utilities without considering the potential consequences of their actions. Chanting in unison the Republican mantra that competition will automatically spur lower prices for consumers, they ignored the fact that Montanans already had the lowest electricity prices in the region.

But in Corey Stapletons world, rigid ideology trumps (so to speak) logic and facts. The fact is there was no outpouring of utilities willing to offer energy to Montanas minimal, far-flung population. Instead, the Montana Power Company, by far the dominant utility company in the state, decided to sell its consumer-financed hydroelectric dams to an out-of-state corporation. Then, while trying to turn itself into a telecommunications company, MPC went bankrupt, thousands of employees lost their pensions and tens of thousands watched the stock they owned in our power company plummet from over $60 a share to mere pennies, wiping out their retirement investments.

In the meantime, our power costs did the opposite of MPCs stock prices  they skyrocketed. When Montanas electricity jumped to the highest rates in the region some Montanans suggested buying back the MPC dams and providing lower-cost, publicly owned, power to customers.

A bill to buy back the dams was introduced while Stapleton was in the Senate and presented to a committee on which he sat. A number of citizens testified in favor of the measure but Stapleton wasnt going to have it. Refusing to admit that deregulation had been a horrific policy blunder  called one of the worst in Montana history  he castigated citizen witnesses and actually derided them for thinking they could come up with better policies than he and his fellow legislators, which he referred to as (dont laugh) the best minds in the state.

As it turned out, a decade and a half later, buying back the dams is exactly what happened when NorthWestern Energy purchased them from the out-of-state corporation for nearly a billion bucks. So much for the best minds in the state.

Stapleton appears to have not learned much in the way of humility from his previous blunders, however. Instead, he decided to harangue Missoulas election officials because there were 91 contested ballots out of 47,000 cast. While Stapleton insists those ballots were set aside on the shelf of indifference, the fact is that Missoulas election officials actually found the one mis-signed ballot had likely been delivered to the wrong apartment, signed by mistake, and issued a new ballot to the voter to whom it was intended.

Given that Billings, which he represented in the legislature, had some 528 rejected ballots, one might well wonder why hes so hot about beating on Missoula. Unfortunately, our mini-Trump seems as obsessed with non-existent voter fraud as our wacky president. But given the facts so far, it would be far better for Montana and the nation if Stapleton and Trump just gave their voter fraud goose chases a good long rest.
President Trump claims to be a dealmaker, but pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement is a decision even one of his contestants on "The Apprentice" knows isnt good for business.

Today in the U.S., clean energy jobs vastly outnumber fossil fuels jobs. The solar industry alone employs 30 percent more workers in the U.S. than the coal industry and is responsible for 1 in 50 new U.S. jobs. Businesses from Microsoft to Google to Walmart to Exxon support the U.S. staying in the Paris climate agreement.

Trump clearly isnt listening, doesnt understand the clean energy economy, and apparently is happy to cede leadership of the booming renewables industry to China.

John Leggitt,

Missoula
A coroners inquest into the death of Zachary Williams, who authorities said died of suicide Jan. 8 in the Anaconda jail, will be held Thursday, July 20, in the Anaconda courthouse.

A detention officer found Williams in his cell at around 10 p.m. kneeling with a bed sheet wound into a rope and tied around his neck. Williams had tied the other end of the sheet to a 3-foot-high handicap railing, according to police.

Anaconda Police Chief Tim Barkell previously told The Montana Standard that police believe Williams leaned forward until he passed out and then asphyxiated.

Williams, 24, was facing six counts of felony assault charges on a minor and facing 95 years in jail and $300,000 in fines if convicted on all counts. Williams pleaded not guilty in October 2016 to those charges, which stemmed from severe injuries to a 20-month-old baby reportedly left in Williamss care.

Williams and his girlfriend, Hollie Weist, the mother of the child, took the baby to Community Hospital of Anaconda on Sept. 27. The baby had sustained head and body trauma so severe he had to be airlifted to Sacred Heart in Spokane and put into a medically induced coma.

Testimony by witnesses and Weists other children led to Williamss arrest.

While housed in the Anaconda jail, Williams had seen the jail's crisis response team about 10 times, complaining of various problems, including anxiety, fear, and pain. He was reportedly given Tylenol and cleared to stay in the cell block, according to previous stories.

When the detention center officer found Williams, both police and paramedics were immediately called. The detention officers attempt to resuscitate Williams and an automated external defibrillator attempt to revive him failed. An ambulance took Williams to the Community Hospital of Anaconda, where he was pronounced dead.

Williamss family, based near Albany, New York, contends Williams didnt receive help for a mental disability.

Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Coroner Jessie Billquist-Jette recused herself from conducting the inquest due to the potential for conflict of interest since Williamss reported suicide happened at the county jail. Billquist-Jette called it standard practice in inquests that involve law enforcement.

Butte-Silver Bow Coroner Lee LaBreche will preside over Williamss inquest, to be held at 9 a.m. at the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Courthouse in the third floor district courtroom.
Police reports

AGGRAVATED DUI

Max McCarter, 41, of Missoula was booked at 1:20 a.m. Monday for aggravated DUI and careless driving, both misdemeanors. McCarter reportedly went off the road at Centennial and Excelsior in his SUV while towing a trailer. Police said when they arrived, the driver was still in his vehicle, where he planned to spend the night. Police smelled alcohol and gave McCarter a sobriety test. He was reportedly found to be three times over the legal limit.

DODGING DRUNK DRIVER

Courtney Cunningham, 22, of Butte was booked for criminal endangerment, a felony, and aggravated DUI, a misdemeanor, at 3 a.m. Sunday. Cunningham allegedly struck two parked vehicles, a 1995 Ford truck and a 2012 Jeep, on the 1800 block of Grand Avenue. The owner of one of the struck vehicles heard the crash, ran outside, and put a hand on Cunninghams hood to stop her. According to police, she drove away, and the male had to step out of the way to avoid being hit. The victim followed her in his car and called police. Police report that Cunningham blew three times over the legal limit. She was also booked for careless driving and hit-and-run on an unattended vehicle, both misdemeanors, and failure to give immediate notification of an accident.

FAMILY MEMBER ASSAULT

Police are issuing a warrant for a male who assaulted a family member at about 3 a.m. Saturday on the first block of Oneil Street in Walkerville. The victim called police from the Blaine School, where the victim fled to after the male came home inebriated. The male reportedly threw the victim to the ground and choked the victim. When police visited the residence, the male was no longer at the home.

THEFT FROM RESTAURANT

Police booked Laci Henderson, 46, of Butte at 1:30 a.m. Saturday for probation violation and for three misdemeanors: theft, theft of services, and forgery. Henderson allegedly tried to pay for an $8 meal at the M&M Bar and Cafe with a counterfeit check. When the cashier asked Henderson for identification, she reportedly left the restaurant without paying for her food. According to police, when they arrested her, they found a box of checks belonging to another person in her purse.

NO HEADLIGHTS RESULT IN DUI

Robert Kaario, 39, of Butte was booked for aggravated DUI, a misdemeanor, at about 1:45 a.m. Saturday. Police spotted Kaario driving without his headlights on at Granite and Montana. According to police, they pulled him over at Galena and Main and he blew twice the legal limit for alcohol.

TOO MUCH SCREAMING

Cory Dunning, 33, of Billings was booked on failure to disburse, a misdemeanor, at Fairmont Hot Springs, west of Butte, at about 1:45 a.m. Saturday. According to police, Dunning was belligerent in the front lobby, screaming at both the desk clerk and at his girlfriend. When police arrived, he allegedly refused to leave the lobby.

ANGRY OVER A TRUCK

David Bourell, 60, of Butte was booked on criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, at 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Bourell allegedly wanted to question someone about buying a truck, got angry, and kicked the door in of the home on the 200 block of Curtis Street.
MISSOULA  Its not often that politicians from both sides of the political aisle sit down and have a beer together, but thats exactly what happened on Monday afternoon at Bayern Brewing in Missoula.

Governor Steve Bullock and state Rep. Ellie Hill-Smith (D-Missoula) were joined by Rep. Adam Hertz (R-Missoula) and many local brewery owners for a ceremonial signing of House Bill 541 that will raise the production cap on Montanas microbreweries from 10,000 barrels annually to 60,000 barrels while still allowing them to sell beer in on-premise taprooms.

Hill-Smith and Hertz worked together to co-sponsor the bill, which was supported by the Montana Brewers Association, the Montana Farmers Union and the Montana Beer and Wine Distributors Association, among others.

Economic growth and innovation are unlimited when we allow free markets to thrive, said Hertz, primary sponsor of HB 541. Im thrilled to be a part of this bi-partisan regulatory reform that will position Montanas craft brewing industry to be a bigger player in the regional market and create hundreds of new jobs.

Montana is beer country and Missoula is the heart of beer country, said Hill-Smith. Rep. Hertz and I may come from different political parties but we both saw the need to do this for our community and the state as a whole. Im pleased that Democrats and Republicans came together during the session to do whats right for Montana craft brewers, barley farmers and craft beer lovers.

According to a 2016 report by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana, the craft brewing industry in the state contributed $103.2 million to the economy in 2015 while employing 702 people and creating a total of 1,044 jobs. There are now 68 breweries in the state.

The longstanding production cap of 10,000 barrels was part of a tenuous compromise with the Montana Tavern Association. Breweries were able to surpass that cap, but if they did, they were then penalized with the loss of taproom sales, as Matt Leow, the executive director of the Montana Brewers Association, termed it.

There are several breweries in Missoula that were significantly hampered by the production limit. Big Sky Brewing, the largest brewery in the state, long ago surpassed the limit and has had to give away nearly $4 million worth of free beer over the past 10 years in its taproom since they arent allowed to sell pints on site.

Kettlehouse Brewing Co., which recently built a new facility in Bonner that will produce 20,000 barrels a year, will now be able to build a tasting room on site if the owner chooses to do so. And because Bayern Brewery depends on taproom sales at its popular location on Montana Street, they had to throttle back their production every year to make sure they didnt produce more than 10,000 barrels, even though customers were demanding it.

This bill removes a barrier that has hindered our growth and limited our ability to meet demand for our beer in Montana and beyond, said Jurgen Knoller, owner of Bayern Brewing. After waiting for this legislation for nearly two decades, were excited that this day has finally arrived.

Knoller said that Bayerns production grew steadily for 27 years but plateaued around 9,900 barrels for the past three years. He had to turn down lucrative contracts in Colorado and Washington because of the old law. As the owner of the oldest brewery in the state, Knoller was all smiles on Monday.

It took 19 years to get that bill to this point, he said. I started to have my doubts whether I would see it happening before I retire someday and yes, it did and so we are excited about it.

Erik Somerfield, a representative from the Montana Farmers Union, said the bill would boost demand and therefore production of agricultural products like barley and malt. A representative from the Montana Beer and Wine Distributors Association said it would boost economic production and put more Montana beer on store shelves in the region.

Even more than taps and great beers, our breweries employ our fellow Montanans, buy products from our farmers, and help grow Main Street Montana, said Gov. Steve Bullock. This legislation is a good thing for the industry and for our economy, as well as for Montana craft beer lovers like myself.

Hill-Smith said the bill will also help small businesses in rural communities, such as Philipsburg Brewing Co., which recently built a new canning facility.

The new law will take effect on Oct. 1. According to the MBA, Montana breweries are expected to produce over 200,000 barrels this year, more than double the amount brewed in 2010.
Chicken-killing grizzly bear is relocated

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife officials captured a young male grizzly bear last week that was chasing and killing free-ranging chickens in Kleinschmidt Flats, east of Ovando.

The bear did not have a prior history of interactions with livestock or humans and was collared and relocated to a remote area in the southern Mission Mountains.

Wildlife officials are now working to help the landowner evaluate how an electric fence could help to keep bears away from the chickens.

FWP bear management specialist James Jonkel says that electric fences can be very effective in deterring bears from chickens and other small livestock, garbage, beehives, fruit trees, and other sources of enticing odors. Find out more at fwp.mt.gov or call 406-542-5500.

Toastmaster of the Year named

Nikole Evankovich of Butte has been named Area 16 Toastmaster of the Year. Area 16 includes clubs in Helena and Butte.

Evankovich was chosen by her club for her dedication to club excellence, passion for helping new members, and consistency in club meeting attendance. Her dedication to Uptown Toasters helped her club reach the honored level of Distinguished Toastmasters Club for 2016-17.

She will be presented with her award at the noon meeting Tuesday, July 11, at the Butte Archives, 17 W. Quartz. The public is invited to attend.

Classic Westerns to play at Rialto

DEER LODGE  A free four-week series of classic Western movies will start Wednesday, July 12, at the Rialto Community Theatre in Deer Lodge.

"Wednesday Westerns" is sponsored by the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site. At 7 p.m. each evening, a National Park Service ranger will give a brief introduction to the film, explaining where it was accurate historically and pointing out parts where it was less true to western history. The movie begins at 7:30 p.m.

The series kicks off with the 1952 classic "High Noon" with Grace Kelly and Montana's own Gary Cooper. Other shows:

July 19  "The Cowboys" (1972) featuring John Wayne and Bruce Dern.

July 26  "City Slickers" (1991) This comedic western stars Billy Crystal and Jack Palance.

Aug. 2  "Colorado Sunset" (1939) with Gene Autry and June Storey.

Details: 406-846-7900.

Deer Lodge hosts bluegrass concert

DEER LODGE  The bluegrass/country duo NEW RELM will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at the historic Rialto Theatre in Deer Lodge. This toe-tapping duo, based in Maine, entertains with a diverse yet dynamic blend of music, vocal styles, and instrumentation. The show also includes some country-rock, blues, honky-tonk, and catchy originals with a western or rural theme.

Partners of ten years, Harold Olmstead III and Elise Sproul are known for their evocative lead vocals, tight harmonies, and entertaining performances that may include humorous and animated antics. Olmstead plays guitar, harmonica, or fiddle while Sproul plays banjo, guitar, dobro, or bass with an occasional recorder or fiddle.

Tickets are $10 and are available before the show at Valley Foods, Keystone Drug, and Steele's in Deer Lodge and at the door. Details: www.deerlodgerialto.com, 406-846-7900, and Facebook.

Logging resumes near Butte, Deer Lodge

Harvest operations have resumed on the Boulder Lowlands Salvage timber sale.

The sale is located north of Butte and west of Interstate 15 (Elk Park #138 exit) along forest road Trask Lowland (#442), approximately 2 miles north of the Konda Ranch trailhead. R-Y Timber is harvesting 352 acres of dead and dying lodgepole pine trees. Logging traffic will occur on the following roads: Spring Emery (1504), Boulder River (82), and Sugarloaf Mountain (705).

Logging has also resumed southeast of Deer Lodge on the Girard Perkins Timber Sale and the East Deer Lodge Valley timber sale. Logging traffic will occur on the following roads: Dry Cottonwood (85) and Girard Gulch (5165).

Logging and hauling will occur during weekdays only. Forest visitors can expect 10 log truck loads a day will be traveling these roads. "Log Trucks" and "Logging Operations" signs are posted near the entrance to the sale area and in the vicinity of harvest units. Firewood cutting is not allowed in any of the timber sale units.

Travelers to this area are advised to drive cautiously because of heavy truck traffic and machinery and to expect short delays along these roads.

Details: Butte-Jefferson Ranger District Office, 406-494-2147.

Superfund focus of Thursday meeting

The Citizens Technical Environmental Committee meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at Quarry Brewing, 124 W. Broadway St.

CTEC, comprised of volunteers, works with the Environmental Protection Agency, the state of Montana, responsible parties, and others to make the Superfund process and cleanup decisions in the Butte area understandable to everyone.

Featured speaker is Joe Griffin, who will talk about "Stormwater, Superfund  Who Will Pay?"
TUESDAY, JULY 11

STRAWBERRY DISCUSSION

A discussion on the results of a collaboration between NCAT's SIFT farm and Missoula County Horticulture Extension Agent Seth Swanson to determine whether using high tunnels to produce annual strawberry crops in Montana is a viable production strategy will be held at NCAT's SIFT farm, 3040 Continental Dr., from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Details: Tammy Howard, 406-494-8683 or tammyh@ncat.org.

NIGHT OF CRUISIN'

The Pioneer Street Rod Association will host its July cruise-in from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Harrison Avenue Dairy Queen. All street rods, custom cars, bikes, and special-interest autos are invited to join the club for the evening. A club meeting will follow at 8.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 12

LIGHT FEST LECTURE

The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives will continue its Brown Bag Lunch series at noon with a presentation by Dolores Cooney and Jeanette Kopf on the upcoming Butte Light and Color Festival. The festival is a collaboration between science, art, and education, where artists and scientists will join for a day of playful investigations and hands-on learning.

THURSDAY, JULY 13

MUSIC ON MAIN

It's NorthWestern Family Night. The fun begins at 5 p.m. at Park and Main with music by Tom and Jerry and F.O.G.

SATURDAY, JULY 15

FARMERS MARKETS

 The Butte farmers market is 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays on West Park Street. Bedding plants, eggs, fruits and vegetables, baked goods, flowers, and arts and crafts are sold. Call 406-565-2249 or visit www.mainstreetbutte.org/fmarket.htm.

 The Whitehall farmers market is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday in Legion Park.

DEMOLITION DERBY

Dillon's demolition derby begins at 5:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds. Adult tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the gate; children 6 through 12, $5 in advance, $7 at the gate.

GEOLOGY SERIES

EarthBook Montana  a weekly series of classes on area geology  concludes in the Wise River Community Building. Details: www.earthresourcesmt.org.

ENNIS AIR FAIR

The 2017 Ennis Air Fair is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ennis Big Sky Airport. The fair is a fun, family-friendly event filled with static aircraft, cars, and inflatables for the kids. There will also be some aircraft/helicopter contests for those who are looking for a challenge or a little bit of competition. A free lunch will be provided by Choice Aviation.

BANNACK DAYS

Bannack Days will be celebrated Saturday and Sunday at Bannack State Park, 4200 Bannack Rd. Saturday's hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Return to the early days of Montana's history with a celebration of mining and life in Montana's first territorial capital. Details: 406-834-3413.

SPEAKER SERIES

The Big Hole National Battlefield Summer Speaker Series continues Saturday and Sunday with William G. Timentwa, an enrolled member of the Colville Confederated Tribes located in Nespelem, Washington. Scheduled programs will take place at the Big Hole National Battlefield visitor center at noon and 3 p.m. both days. Admission is free. Timentwa's presentation will focus on the Chief Joseph band perspective and cultural experiences including hunting, fishing, and gathering.

SUNDAY, JULY 16

BANNACK DAYS

Bannack Days concludes at Bannack State Park, 4200 Bannack Rd., from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Return to the early days of Montana's history with a celebration of mining and life in Montana's first territorial capital. Details: 406-834-3413.

SPEAKER SERIES

The Big Hole National Battlefield Summer Speaker Series continues with William G. Timentwa, an enrolled member of the Colville Confederated Tribes located in Nespelem, Washington. Scheduled programs will take place at the Big Hole National Battlefield visitor center at noon and 3 p.m. Admission is free. Timentwa's presentation will focus on the Chief Joseph band perspective and cultural experiences including hunting, fishing, and gathering.

CLUBS AND MEETINGS

BUTTE

Butte Central Class of 1967 will hold its final meeting before the 50th class reunion at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 10, at Hops. Please plan to attend. Details: Penny McElroy, 406-490-1946.

Uptown Toasters, Toastmaster Club #9765 will meet at noon on Tuesday, July 11, at the Butte Archives, 17 W. Quartz St. The public is always welcome to attend. Details: 406-782-3280.

Butte Sunrise Kiwanis Club meets at 7 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, at Perkins. Guest speaker will be Paul Babb, community relations manager for NorthWestern Energy.

Warped Weavers meet 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays at the Butte-Silver Bow Public Library, third floor, 226 W. Broadway St. Curious about weaving? Come watch, ask questions; there may be a loom for you to try. Details: 406-782-5784.

United Veterans Council meeting takes place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, at the American Legion Building, 1750 Motor View ROAD.

VFW meets at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at the Marine Corps Building, 525 Garden Ave.

Butte duplicate bridge game starts at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Hawthorne Community Center, 3500 Whiteway.

Rotary Club of Butte meets at noon Thursday at the Butte Country Club.

Retired Mine Workers will have a luncheon at 12:30 p.m. Friday, July 14, at the Legion Oasis. A meeting will follow.

A suicide loss support group meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays in the Butte public library, 226 W. Broadway St. Call before attending for the first time. Details: Beth at 406-490-1279 or Mary Alice at 406-533-9899.

Open AA meetings start at 7 p.m. Tuesdays at the United Congregational Church, 2945 Bayard St. Details: 406-560-7330.

Overeaters Anonymous meets at 6:15 p.m. Wednesdays at the Gold Hill Lutheran Church, 934 Placer St. Details: 406-533-5454.

Al-Anon meetings: 7:30 p.m. Mondays, Congregational Church; 7 p.m. first Tuesday, business meeting, Comfort Inn; 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Gold Hill Lutheran Church; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Sharing and Caring, 2100 Farragut (rear entrance).

Summer cribbage. Everyone welcome. Every Thursday, 7 p.m., seven games, East Side Athletic Club. Sponsored by Big Butte Mile High Cribbers. Details: Phil at 406-494-2618.

An anxiety and depression support group meets at 1:30 p.m. every Saturday at 721 S. Utah St.

Adult Children of Alcoholics meets at 10 a.m. Saturdays in the Atherton Apartments community center room, 4500 Continental Dr. Details: 406-396-4112.

ANACONDA

The Anaconda AOH and LAOH will have their July steak fry at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, at the Washoe Park pavilion.

Anaconda Central High School class of 1965 will meet for lunch at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, at Peppermint Patty's.
A community meeting is being planned Aug. 7 to discuss strategies for curbing homelessness in Butte, a problem that gained heightened attention after the Butte Rescue Mission shut down four months ago.

Dave Palmer, Butte-Silver Bows chief executive, said the meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Copper King Hotel, 4655 Harrison Ave.

Janet Cornish, a longtime consultant and community planner in Montana, will facilitate the meeting, he said.

I think it will be a panel discussion and we should have all the key players on the panel, Palmer said. They are looking at a new type of philosophy using smaller locations (for the homeless) throughout the community  maybe one family or one person in a place, in neighborhoods hopefully.

That is what a lot of the country is going to instead of one large facility, he said. I think that way you can work better with the individual people and make sure they get help and know the resources that are available.

Cornish, who helped create and manage the tax-increment financing district in Uptown Butte, said the Butte Continuum of Care Coalition has been working on the newer methods and strategies for some time now and will discuss them at the meeting.

She said she wasnt speaking for the coalition but has learned about newer methods such as rapid rehousing that have been employed with some success in places such as Salt Lake City and Nashville, Tennessee.

There are strategies of preventing homelessness in the first place, she said, and newer ways of addressing it when it does occur.

There are always going to be gaps, and you will always have someone in need of emergency housing, and there are different ways to accommodate that, Cornish said.

They include tiny houses  one-room structures usually small enough to be hauled on a mid-size trailer  and very short-term housing, Cornish said. Large shelters tend to stigmatize those staying in them, and they often result in poor outcomes, she said.

The Butte Rescue Mission, built originally as a single-family house at 1204 E. Second St., was forced to shut down in April because of numerous fire hazards and code violations. It provided beds for more than 40 people on some nights.

Mission officials tried to relocate the shelter to a vacant building Uptown and then an empty elementary school on the Flat, but both efforts were met with strong and vocal opposition by residents and businesses in those areas and did not pan out.

Cornish wrote about the Continuum of Care groups efforts in an op-ed piece printed in The Montana Standard in March, and Butte-Silver Bow Health Director Karen Sullivan did the same in a column published last month.

Under the new system, Sullivan wrote, the professionals outreaching to homeless individuals and those at risk for homelessness  confidentially share information, matching resources to individual needs, with each individual given a 'vulnerability score' and with special populations (those with mental or physical health issues, families, children, and veterans) prioritized for rapid rehousing and permanent housing."

The newer approach, Palmer said, could help stave off the kind of strong neighborhood opposition that surfaced when the mission tried to find a new shelter location.

Although billed as a panel discussion, Palmer hopes the meeting draws a big audience.
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Portions of 181st St. will be closed for a concrete pipe culvert replacement and grading project.

The closure will begin at house number 3561 and will end at house number 3585.

Construction is anticipated to take about three weeks, depending on the weather.

Beginning June 16, 215th St. was closed for a concrete box culvert extension and grading project.

The closure began at house number 2159 and ends at house number 2132.

Construction is anticipated to take about three weeks.
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 []
Last week, Veteran Ugandan reggae/ragga crooner Bebe Cool sensationally claimed that Kenyan musicians are lazy.

The hitmaker, who is in Kenya for Coke Studio Africa 5, made the claims in an interview with Insyder, noting that Sauti Sol is the only music act to make a name for itself outside the Kenyan borders.

Asked to mention top three Kenyan artists, Bebe Cool respo0nded: To tell the truth there is Sauti Sol. I would definitely tell you I dont think I can rate anybody else. Apart from the old legendary its only Sauti Sol that has made sure they have made a name in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Africa.

Bebe Cool went on to blast Kenyan musicians as lazy, and mentioned Dela with whom he collaborated with in a mash up song that also features Tanzanias Rayvanny and American rnb sensation Jason Derulo .

I just met Dela recently and I havent even listened to her music (before). So that means Kenyan artistes are a little bit lazy. I usually say that and Im never shy about it. Because I havent heard of Dela before Coke Studio, if Dela has management she has to think twice and move (market themselves internationally). Because that is how I will know you. I wont know when you are there, however good your music is. Success also comes with business and marketing.

Responding to the claims, Taurus Muziks Dela told Nation.co.ke: Bebe is a nice guy and we have actually been talking of a collaboration since the time we met and did a song together with Jason Derulo and Rayvanny for the Coke Studio. However if at all thats what he said, I would say its relative and just an opinion, she said.

Pressed if Kenyans artistes are lazy, Dela, whose Swahili cover to Adeles mega hit Hello gained her international recognition, said: I am not concerned with such issues to be honest, because everyone knows Dela is one of the most hardworking artiste in Kenya releasing single after single. I have done media tours in Uganda and Tanzania as well. Currently, I am preparing my albums and I have featured a few Ugandan musicians. And we are not lazy. However, I wouldnt want to drop a disparaging remark, but anyway how many Ugandan artiste get played here? Yet they are big in their own way back in Uganda.
A Memphis restaurant is taking some heat after leaving combative messages against a customer who complained about seeing the owners naked child running around the cafe. The bizarre incident is a true contender for the bad customer review hall of fameand the competition is steep, given how many weird customer-restaurant owner Yelp clashes there have been lately.

Heres what happened: A woman named Chelsea Bartley left a two-star Google review of the Imagine Vegan Cafe, saying that even though she eat[s] here all the time and still probably will bc . . . there are few options, was disturbed by a recent incident in which the restaurant owners bare butt naked baby was running around, stood up on a table with its black theyre [sic] so dirty feet, and bent over to show me its... (This is a family newspaper! But she wrote that the baby showed the customer its, erm, bottom.) She said the staff just stood there and laughed.

On their now-deleted Facebook page, the restaurant owner shot back: I am about to start calling out names and pictures of people who leave us bad reviews, especially when it deals with our children. You will no longer be allowed to come and dine at Imagine. Especially when you lie about our babies. In a later comment, the Facebook page posted, If a one-year-old baby was upside down on a table showing everyone there [sic] [bottom] I dont think thats the biggest problem, and chastised the bystanders of this theoretical scene for not grabb[ing] the baby before they fell. In other subsequent posts, the owners said they couldnt even begin to care about losing business over the incident, which is good news for them, because they almost certainly will.

Unsurprisingly, the restaurants Yelp page has been flooded with, um, bottom-inspired reviews (Sample: I was looking for microwaved vegan cuisine and baby [bottom] and I got it!). Some longtime vegan fans of the cafe have also come to its defense.

And thats the most times Ive ever used the word bottom in a story about restaurants.

In addition to the gross violations of allegedly putting dirty feet on tables and the gratuitous displays of bottoms, there are two other etiquette breaches here. When a customer has a problem in a restaurant, its considered better to raise it with a manager during the meal, rather than suffering in silence and posting on social media later. This gives a restaurant owner a chance to make it rightalthough it sounds like that may not have helped in this particular situation. The other is that restaurant owners who are in the business of hospitality should probably try to make it up to a customer who has had a truly bad experience and win their business back.

But there are also times when restaurateurs clearly think they have been unfairly maligned by customers, and they cant suffer in silence. Remember these?

Here in the District, the Washington City Paper reported that Emma C. complained about being overcharged for a drink by Nicks Riverside Grill. The manager shot back, saying that Emma C. lost control of [her] bowels, and our poor manager working that night was left to clean up your feces. The original poster wrote back to defend herself, saying she was not the same party pooper.

In England, a Berkshire pub owner got mad after a customer left a one-star review saying that the food was inedible. Owner Kiren Puri wrote: You claim to be foodies. I have never met a self professed foodie start his meal with a bowl of chips. Puri alleged that the customers were trying to get free food.

In New Hampshire, a customer urged others to boycott a restaurant because her party was asked to stop singing Bohemian Rhapsody so loudly. I sincerely apologize that you mistakenly thought my restaurant was a karaoke bar, said the owner.

And there are other times when a restaurant owner goes totally crazy after seemingly justified criticism, as in these incidents:

When a customer of a Bondi Beach, Australia, restaurant described a cafe as Dirty. Ants. Burnt food. Extortionate prices, the owner posted a lengthy, over-the-top screed that ended, you just [expletive] on my art, in public.

And then theres the unforgettable meltdown that was the Arizona cafe Amys Baking Company, subject of an infamous episode of Gordon Ramsays Kitchen Nightmares. Owners Samy and Amy Bouzaglo posted a series of unhinged rants, such as: You are all just little punks. We will be pursuing action against you legaly [sic]. My wife is a jewel in the desert. You are just trash. I AM NOT STUPID ALL OF YOU ARE. YOU JUST DO NOT KNOW GOOD FOOD. and YOU ARE DISGUSTING PIG PEOPLE, MADE FROM THE SLIME OF YOUR OWN HATRED. They later claimed they had been hacked. The restaurant is no longer in business.

The reviews have become so bombastic that they inspired a segment on The Tonight Show, with host Jimmy Fallon and guest Aziz Ansari playing the roles of patron and owner.

As for Imagine Vegan cafe? It has deleted its social media accounts.
Theres a farm opening soon in Laurel, Maryland, that can grow strawberries in January. It could grow rare tropical fruits from Asia and Central America on our native soil. It could produce custom-designed lettuce, more peppery or sweet. Its a hydroponic farm in a shipping container, and its owners hope it could eventually put an end to food deserts, including our biggest one: outer space.

Local Roots, a California company, has created an indoor farm that can turn any produce into local produce, anywhere. They grow fruits and vegetables in shipping containers that are stacked in old warehouses or parking lots, which can either be connected to the grid or, eventually, powered by solar energy. Local Roots has designed the custom growing technology and hardware, and it owns and operates the farms, selling its produce to restaurants and food distributors under its own brand. The fact that the company is vertically integrated differentiates it from other container farming systems, like Freight Farm, which sells their containers to others, including novice farmers.

You can start to bring that farm into communities that historically had to import their food due to geography, climate, weather, soil or light. chief executive Eric Ellestad said.

Every 40-foot shipping container can yield the annual equivalent of three to five acres of farmland. Ellestad says his company can grow plants twice as fast as a conventional farm while using 97 percent less water.

Heres how they do it: Every farm is hydroponic, meaning the plants are grown in nutrient-rich water instead of soil. Leftover water is recirculated, so each container only uses between 5 to 20 gallons each day. They also use sensors to keep tabs on how the plants are growing, and can give them exactly the nutrients they need at that phase in the growing cycle, speeding it up. Its almost a growing algorithm in some ways, Ellestad said. You can use that software platform to drive that farm as efficiently as possible.

Included in that are LED lamps that give the plants exactly the right wavelengths of light they need to grow and which can bring out certain qualities in their appearance and flavor. Chlorophyll, the molecule that causes photosynthesis in plants, absorbs red and blue light, so the farms usually look pink or purple. With its rows of lights and repetition, a container farm that was on display at the South by Southwest conference in March felt a bit like stepping into a Yayoi Kusama infinity room.

When they tool around with different growing conditions, they can bring out certain qualities in their producethe same way that terroir gives grapes grown in California a different taste than ones grown in France.

You can sit down and say, What do you want your lettuce to taste like? Do you want it to be more peppery?  Ellestad said. Especially with basil, you can really accentuate some of those flavors. You can really sit down and co-design a product with a chef.

All of the produce is grown organically, and theres little risk of the types of E. coli scares that pop-up in conventional farming. Occasionally a fly will get in, and thats as serious as it gets, Ellestad said.

Another key fact: Local Roots has figured out how to make the farm efficient enough that it can sell produce at a comparable cost to conventionally-grown fruits and veggies.

If you can only sell produce to affluent customers in the Northeast, then thats a fantastic business but youre not really going to change how the food system functions for most Americans, Ellestad said.

They already have a farm of several dozen containers up and running in Los Angeles, and later this year, theyre bringing one to D.C. It will be located in Laurel because its adjacent to Coastal Sunbelt Produce, a major food distributor in the area that has partnered with Local Roots. Co-locating the farms means that they wont have to worry about transportation time or costswhich also means the produce will be selected for its flavor, rather than its hardiness, as many vegetables that must travel long distances are.

Were pretty excited about the freshness, just having it grown about as local as it can get, said Jason Lambros, vice president of purchasing for Coastal Sunbelt. We can be a neat place for them to experiment and grow anything we can dream of, because we have the customers for it.

The flexibility and scalability of the farms has huge implications for food deserts, a term for communities that have many fast food restaurants, but few places to purchase fresh, nutritious food. Once Local Roots has scouted a location and set up a farm, its first harvest can take place only four weeks later. The company could drop a farm in the middle of Alaska, where a bag of lettuce can cost nearly $6, or in famine-stricken South Sudan.

So why dont they? Its about having the infrastructure to distribute the food properly, Ellestad said.

I think simply helicoptering a farm into a food desert could be part of the solution, Ellestad said. We would want to partner with the groups that are already working in that community  we cant operate in isolation. The food system is far too complex and localized.

For example, they could put a container farm in a neighborhood with few amenities and sell their produce to corner stores, but if the corner stores dont have refrigerated cases for produce, it would rot. They are currently seeking partners that work in food deserts, as well as literal onesIn the Middle East, theres obviously huge food-supply-chain issues in those areas, he said. Container farms could be a solution for disaster relief after earthquakes, floods or humanitarian crises.

But theyre also looking a bit further. The company is talking to aerospace manufacturer Space X because these types of growing systems could one day be used to feed astronauts on long-term missions to other planets. The opportunities are global and intergalactic at the same time, said Ellestad.

For now, theyre going to begin growing lettuce, herbs and microgreens in the area, while expanding to other cities in the United States. And as efficient as indoor growing is, Ellestad doesnt think it will replace good, old-fashioned rain, sun and soil.

You cant eliminate any source of production,  he said. You need everyone growing more, and doing it better.
When Margaret Cruise, fondly known as Sister Peggy to the St. Apollinaris Catholic Church community, boards a plane for her native Ireland on Saturday, she will leave behind many friends in Napa, a place she has called home for 35 years.

The weeks leading up to Sister Peggys departure have been filled with goodbyes, luncheons and tributes from parishioners, Angel Bazaar volunteers and others whose lives she touched. During a farewell tribute at the church last month, it was announced that an anonymous donor had given a $50,000 donation in Sister Peggys honor dedicated to the congregations religious education program and youth ministry.

Im so very thankful for the years Ive been here, Sister Peggy said afterward. They are the most wonderful years of my life. I hate to leave. It is emotional.

I love the people here. Ill miss everyone at St. As. The people are so loving, so supportive, she said. Theyve become family as well as friends.

Though she retired as director of Religious Education of St. As in 2015, those who know her best say she never retired. She has stayed involved in parish ministry with various programs whenever and wherever she was needed.

Leaving Napa to spend her retirement in the land of her birth is bittersweet, but you have to let go of one experience in order to allow something new to evolve and grow, Sister Peggy said.

She said she looks forward to being around family, friends and the close-knit religious community she left. She has missed the people, the countryside, and the friendliness and warmth of those she knew while growing up.

Sister Peggy was born in Roscommon, Ireland near Galway as the youngest of four children, with two sisters and a brother. She attended local all-girls Catholic schools throughout elementary and high school.

In high school, I went to a boarding school. You build a nice community with other girls in boarding school. It was strict  no doubt about itbut those were fun years, she said.

Sister Peggy said that her desire to join a religious order did not come suddenly. It was a gradual awareness, a deeply interior experience.

I had an aunt who was a nun. Id go see her about twice a year. I suppose the sisters who taught me influenced me as teachers as well as their prayer life and their care of the poor, she said. What drives you is a deep longing  a passion for this type of life.

When anyone joins a religious order, it is a process of discernment, reflection and conversation with a spiritual guide until an individual feels ready to make a final commitment, she said.

Sister Peggy took her first vows in 1963 and took her final vows of poverty, chastity and obedience three years later.

She belongs to the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy. The order was founded by Sister Catherine McAuley, who used her inheritance to serve the poor, and teach the children of Ireland to help get them and their parents out of poverty.

In 1963, Sister Peggy went to San Francisco with other Sisters of Mercy from Loughrea County where she taught firstfifth grade at a parish school.

When Sister Peggy came to St. As to teach fourth grade in 1982, she worked with Sister Philomena, Sister Olive Murphy, Sister Agnes, and Sister Mary Corcoran. She said that she loved teaching and getting children to know Jesus as their best friend.

During that time, parish families came to appreciate her gentle manner with students.

I first met Sister Peggy while she was teaching at St. As school over 35 years ago, JoAnn Dunn recalled. My daughter, Catherine, was in sisters fourth grade class and that is when I really got to know her. She was so soft- spoken and kind to all the children and their parents.

I truly am going to miss my special friend, Dunn said. We all love Sister Peggy and hate to see her leave, but we all wish her the very best on her new lifes journey.

After teaching four years at St. Apollinaris, Sister Peggy was asked to head up the religious education program. She continued as director until she retired.

Sister Peggy is the kindest person that anyone would like to know and never forgets a name, said Sara DeCrevel, chairwoman of the Angel Bazaar, an annual fundraiser that helps fund the religious education program. She has a wonderful sense of humor and is very self-deprecating and humble. She has a way of making each person feel special.

Most people who meet her are touched by her, DeCrevel said. She does not forget a face, she remembers details that are amazing, and she has good things to say about anyone she knows.

Alene Townsend said she could write a large book listing all the things she remembers about Sister Peggy during a 28-year friendship.

She is the humblest, most loving, giving, person I have ever known. She is always available anywhere she is needed by anyone, Townsend said.

You probably know, she never forgets anyones nameor anything else about them or their family, Townsend said. Her memory must be a gift from God because no one could keep all of that information and pull it out when needed.

Before retiring in 2015, Sr. Cruise recommended Laura Schalfe, a woman she hand-picked.

She has been my inspiration and mentor since I came to Napa 20 years ago. I started working alongside Sister Peggy as a catechist in the St. Apollinaris Religious Education group working with junior high students, said Laura Schafle, who became director of Religious Education following Sister Peggy.

Sister Peggy has an incredible capacity to make things happen. She has created a Religious Education program at St. Apollinaris that is lasting and enduring, Schafle said.

It has been 54 years since Sister Peggy left her childhood home to come to America. but she has taken many short trips back.

Ireland has really changed. Now you can stand in the streets of Dublin and it is like standing in the streets of San Francisco, she said. You hear all the languages spoken. It is multicultural now.

She wants those she is leaving behind in Napa to know they can stay in touch with hershe was given an iPhone and she has learned how to text.

In addition, she reminds people that they are not alone.

We have Gods presence all the time, she said.

Most people who meet her are touched by her. She does not forget a face, she remembers details that are amazing, and she has good things to say about anyone she knows. Sara DeCrevel
The Napa County Sheriff's Office reported a carjacking early Saturday morning in Angwin that resulted in the arrest later that day of two suspects in Vallejo.

The Vallejo arrests became involved in controversy when a bystander said one of the officers used a racial slur during the traffic stop.

Vallejo police said the officer used profanity, but not a racial slur. The officer was put on leave while the incident is further investigated.

On Monday afternoon, Vallejo Police asked KPIX CBS 5 for a retraction for its reporting of the incident.

Police said they obtained an original copy of the video in which the officer says "Hey David" instead of the "N-word" that was reported by the TV station.

The series of events began just before 4 a.m. Saturday on the 1000 block of Bell Canyon Road outside Angwin when a Napa man drove Victor Hurtado, a Sureno gang member, to a party, Napa County Sheriff's Capt. Keith Behlmer said.

According to deputies, David Plancarte, also a Suereno gang member, came out of the house, pointed a handgun at the driver and demanded that he empty his pockets, Behlmer said.

Plancarte pistol-whipped him, causing him to lose consciousness, then stole his car, Behlmer said.

The driver sustained a concussion and one of his eyes was swollen shut, Behlmer said.

Reacting to a Napa County Sheriff's crime bulletin, two Valleo police officers conducted a traffic stop on potential suspects at 4 p.m. near Louisiana and Marin streets, Vallejo police said.

According to the Vallejo Times-Herald, Hurtado ran from officers and pulled out a gun, prompting a Vallejo officer to fire at him.

Hurtado, who was not hit, hid in a shed. He was later arrested when a Vallejo SWAT team fired tear gas into the area, the newspaper said.

Plancarte and Hurtado, both from Napa, were booked into the Solano County jail.

Police said a resident in the area recorded the encounter with his mobile phone and reported one of the officers used a racial epithet during the initial contact with the potential suspects.

The officer involved in the incident has been identified and has been placed on leave pending the completion of an investigation into the incident, police said.

Bay City News Service contributed to this story.
They wanted him to run for governor in 2018, contending that with Democrats drifting leftward in reaction to President Donald Trump, a centrist Republican would have a chance to win.

And even if he couldnt win in a blue state, it was thought, if he could make it to the November ballot he would spur Republican voter turnout and help some embattled GOP congressional members keep their seats.

But Faulconer, who had consistently denied interest in running, wouldnt change his mind and last week buried any hopes that he would.

Im honored that so many across our state are strongly encouraging me to run for governor, he said in a statement on Friday. However, my first commitment is to San Diego.

Faulconers opt-out makes even more likely the scenario of a Democrat vs. Democrat runoff next year, thanks to the states top-two primary system.

With Faulconer out, as many as three weak Republicans will be running, dividing the already scant GOP voter pool and making it likely that Democrats will finish one-two in June and face each other in November.

San Diego County businessman John Cox and Travis Allen, a very conservative assemblyman from Huntington Beach, have declared their candidacies, and Faulconers refusal means that David Hadley, a moderate former assemblyman from Manhattan Beach, will jump in as well.

Weve seen this rodeo before, just a year ago, when three little-known Republicans ran for the U.S. Senate, thus allowing two Democrats, Kamala Harris and Loretta Sanchez, to top the primary field and face off in a general election that Harris won handily.

Without a Republican on the 2016 Senate ballot and with a very unpopular Trump as the GOP presidential candidate, Democrats gained legislative seats.

The stakes will be higher for Republicans next year. Democrat Hillary Clinton defeated Trump in seven of the states 14 Republican-held congressional districts, and several of their incumbents have been targeted as Democrats make a nationwide push to claw back control of the House.

Democratic leaders have said that their hopes of netting the 24 seats required for control are rooted in an assumption that they can win several in California by wrapping Trump and GOP votes to repeal Obamacare around the necks of vulnerable Republicans.

Not having a Republican running in November for governor, the most important office to be filled next year, will depress GOP voter turnout, and that could be critical in close congressional elections.

Faulconers decision not to run also benefits one of the would-be Democratic governors  although which one is still uncertain  by making a second-place finish in the June primary more possible.

Finally and indirectly, it also benefits Republican voters, although they may not know it. If, indeed, two Democrats are vying for the governorship in November 2018, GOP voters could be decisive in which one claims the office and, perhaps, a rung on the presidential ladder.
SANTA ROSA -- A Georgia man pleaded guilty Monday morning to stealing more than $100,000 of Star Wars collectible items from a private museum near Petaluma in 2015 and 2016.

Carl Edward Cunningham, 45 of Marietta, Georgia, pleaded guilty in Sonoma County Superior Court to one count of felony grand theft. He faces four years in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 7, Deputy District Attorney Emily Malfatti said.

More than 100 valuable Star Wars items were stolen from the Rancho Obi-Wan museum located in a private residence in unincorporated Sonoma County west of Petaluma. Malfatti said the exact value of the items has not been determined.

On the museum's website, founder Steve Sansweet said most of the items were vintage U.S. and foreign carded action figures.

The theft was discovered after major Star Wars collector Phillip Wise posted news of the theft of his rare prototype rocket-firing Boba Fett action figure from his Texas warehouse.

Southern California toy dealer and collector Zach Tann told Wise he had purchased the Boba Fett figure and others from Cunningham.

Sansweet said he has known Cunningham for many years and invited him to his home.
VALLEJO -- The Vallejo Police Department has opened an internal affairs investigation to determine whether an officer used a racial epithet during an encounter with a citizen Saturday.

On Saturday around 4 p.m., two officers with the police department conducted a traffic stop on potential suspects related to a car jacking from a nearby jurisdiction, according to police.

Police said a resident in the area recorded the encounter with his mobile phone and reported one of the officers used a racial epithet during the initial contact with the potential suspects.

The officer involved in the incident has been identified and has been placed on leave pending the completion of an investigation into the incident, police said.
Archaeologists at Thomas Jefferson's Virginia plantation, Monticello, are unearthing the room where Sally Hemings is believed to have lived, allowing for a new way to tell the story of the enslaved people who served our third president. The excavation has once again reminded us that 241 years after the United States was founded, many Americans still don't know how to reconcile one of our nation's original sins with the story of its Founding Fathers.

Just before the Fourth of July, NBC News ran a feature on the room, setting off a spate of coverage about the dig. And many stories described Hemings, the mother of six children with Jefferson, as the former president's "mistress." The Inquisitr, the Daily Mail, AOL and Cox Media Group all described her that way (though Cox later updated its wording). So did an NBC News tweet that drew scathing criticism, though its story accurately called her "the enslaved woman who, historians believe, gave birth to six of Jefferson's children." The Washington Post also used "mistress" in an article about Hemings's room in February.

Language like that elides the true nature of their relationship, which is believed to have begun when Hemings, then 14 years old, accompanied Jefferson's daughter to live with Jefferson, then 44, in Paris. She wasn't Jefferson's mistress; she was his property. And he raped her.

Such revisionist history about slavery is, unfortunately, still quite common. In 2015, Texas rolled out what many saw as a "whitewashed" version of its social studies curriculum that referred to enslaved Africans as "immigrants" and "workers" and minimized slavery's impact on the Civil War. One concerned parent spoke out, forcing a textbook publisher to revise some of the teaching materials.

In a speech at the Democratic National Convention last year, Michelle Obama reminded Americans that no less a symbol of our government than the White House was built by those in bondage. In response, then-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly offered a softer, gentler take: Those enslaved workers were "well fed and had decent lodgings provided by the government," he said. That they had no choice in their food, lodging or whether they even wanted to do the backbreaking work of building Washington by hand was nowhere to be found in O'Reilly's version.

That same sanitization of history happened again with the Hemings news. On Twitter, some users defended the "mistress" label, suggesting, essentially, that Jefferson and his slave may have truly loved each other. One person even went so far as to wonder whether "Hemings's exalted wisdom and beauty compelled Jefferson's love" and whether "she was perhaps not a victim but an agent of change?"

Jefferson could have forced Hemings into a sexual relationship no matter what she wanted, though. And it's impossible to know what Hemings thought of Jefferson. As with many enslaved people, her thoughts, feelings and emotions were not documented. According to Monticello.org, there are only four known descriptions of the woman who first came to Jefferson's plantation as an baby on the hip of her mother, Elizabeth Hemings, whom Jefferson also owned.

Jefferson, an avid writer, never mentioned Hemings in his work. He did, however, grapple with issues of emancipation throughout his life. In his "Notes on the State of Virginia," Jefferson spent a substantial section attempting to answer the question, "Why not retain and incorporate the blacks into the state, and thus save the expence [sic] of supplying, by importation of white settlers, the vacancies they will leave?" Despite fathering Hemings's children, Jefferson argued against race mixing because black people were "inferior to the whites in the endowments both of body and mind."

Other slave-owning founders rose above the times to change their minds about the dreadful institution - includingBen Franklin, who became an outspoken abolitionist later in life, and George Washington, who freed his enslaved servants in his will. But Jefferson did no such thing. He owned 607 men, women and children at Monticello, and though some argue that he "loved" Hemings, he granted freedom to only two people while he was alive and five people in his will - and never to her.

Romanticizing Hemings and Jefferson's so-called relationship minimizes the deadly imbalance of power that black people suffered under before the Civil War. It also obscures our collective history as a nation that moved from being built on the blood, bones and backs of enslaved African Americans and indigenous people, to being the imperfect, hopeful and yet still unequal country we are today.
Donald Trump's Warsaw speech set off alarm bells in the foreign policy community. Former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski called it "Huntingtonian," a reference to scholar Samuel Huntington's "clash of civilizations" hypothesis. Trump, he implies, has put down a civilizational marker. Peter Beinart, writing for the Atlantic, called it shockingly tribal. What they miss is that it's pointless to analyze the content of a Trump speech without taking into account the setting and the audience.

Trump said things like "The people of Poland, the people of America, and the people of Europe still cry out 'We want God!'" and "The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive." He used the word "civilization" 10 times, mostly in the context of defending it against enemies who aren't named but linked with the terrorist threat, and through it with radical Islam.

On the surface, it was a white nationalist's speech. But as someone who has heard Trump speak live at least a dozen times during the 2016 election campaign, I don't take it at face value because Trump speaks for effect; he knows the way to do it is to flatter the audience and play to its biases. He speaks like a rock star plays old hits: The words have long lost their meaning, but the audience sings along.

The official transcript, embarrassingly, misspells the first name of former Polish President Lech Walesa and the last name of current Prime Minister Beata Szydlo. But Trump will be forgiven those errors because he knows how to please a crowd.

And boy, did the Polish audience lap it up! The White House transcript says the less than 40-minute speech was interrupted by applause 50 times, not counting the ovation at the end. Six times, the audience picked up a chant of "Donald Trump! Donald Trump! Donald Trump!"

Seemingly paradigm-shifting utterances are a by-product of the crowd-pleaser's craft, not some grand design. Trump the Bible-thumper? This was the man who was caught being less than truthful about which church he supposedly attended in Manhattan? But it works in staunchly Catholic Poland.

Inconsistency is not a bug with him. Trump dramatically omitted a reference to NATO's Article 5 guarantee in a speech at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's headquarters just six weeks ago. Now he's an Article 5 defender ("We stand firmly behind" it, he said). There's no puzzle here: His NATO speech was intended to irk European allies who don't spend as much on defense as he'd like them to. Thursday's speech, by contrast, was a performance before a mass audience, and Poland does stick to NATO's commitment to spend 2 percent of economic output on its military. The message suits the audience.

Trump has suddenly become a vocal critic of Russia's "destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere, and its support for hostile regimes, including Syria and Iran." That's after months of saying he wanted a better relationship with the Kremlin and perhaps a situational alliance in Syria. In fact, Trump may still want these things as he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time on Friday. But in Warsaw the ruling nationalists and the opposition liberals are equally anti-Russian, so this is a reliable applause line.

Compare Trump's oration with Barack Obama's speech in Warsaw in 2014. Obama was applauded 29 times in 18 minutes, a few times for the same references that Trump made three years later, but there were longer passages that Obama delivered without getting a hand (Trump cannot stand that) and the audience didn't chant his name, something Trump would have considered a sign of failure. That's because Obama didn't ladle on the Polish patriotism as thickly as Trump, whose speech was full of references to Polish heroism, the Polish soul, Polish faith and the Polish contribution to U.S. history. Such fawning would be uncomfortable to anyone who doesn't share the heritage -- except The Donald.

Huntington's notion of a civilizational conflict emerged, in part, in response to Francis Fukuyama's heart-warming idea of "the end of history," a final victory of the liberal order. Trump doesn't represent any civilization except the television one. His six months in power have demonstrated that he holds no firm beliefs, but that words only matter to him as tools: to vacuum energy out of a crowd, to humiliate an opponent or put down an ambitious associate, to get what he wants. He discards deeper meanings.

In that way, Trump represents a different "end of history" than the one Fukuyama envisioned. He's a post-historic president who will never make a historic speech because his public appearances are meaningless without the context, the look, feel and sound of the crowd, the strained faces of the dignitaries in the audience, the agony and despair of commentators trying to discern an ideology behind the words that fly out of Trump's mouth. They live only in the moment.

That's why Trump enjoys the reviews of his speeches, even those coming from "haters." He finds out after the fact how deep they were. The Warsaw speech was no exception.
AMERICAN CANYON  IKEA may be coming to town  not a store, more likely a distribution warehouse, according to recent testimony at a Napa County Planning Commission hearing.

The same hearing in June had an interesting discussion about the future of vineyards just outside of American Canyons northern city limits  a future that may not include the signature crop of the Napa Valley in one particular location.

To be clear, the two subjects  IKEA and vineyards  are not connected or directly related. But the discussion of possibly one coming and another going offered a glimpse of American Canyons future northern frontier as well as south Napa Countys eastern landscape.

As for IKEA, the famous ready-to-assemble furniture retailer is reportedly talking with the developer of a new warehouse thats been sitting empty and waiting for a tenant for sometime now, according to William Kampton, a longtime Napa Valley commercial real estate broker.

Kampton didnt name the developer. But it wasnt difficult to figure out that he was talking about Orchard Partners and their Napa Logistics Park, which sits at the northern edge of American Canyon.

Referring to a 646,000 square foot warehouse that was started two years ago, Kampton told the commissioners: Theyre currently talking to IKEA about signing a distribution use in that building.

There is only one building that size in American Canyon thats looking for someone to lease it, and that is Napa Logistics Park Phase I, which began construction in 2015 and finished last year.

Kampton, who works for Colliers International, also showed exactly which structure he was talking about by pointing to a Google Earth image of American Canyon on the Planning Commissions TV monitor. He zeroed in on a large rectangular shaped building that sits just off Devlin Road.

That is the only vacancy in the American Canyon market, said Kampton, who is under contract with Napa County to help with commercial real estate. You take that building out, theres nothing else available in the city.

His namedropping of IKEA would seem to confirm the rumors that surfaced at City Hall last month that Orchard Partners was talking to someone about leasing Napa Logistics Parks first building. The rest of the project, consisting of several more large warehouse structures, is still in the planning phase.

Ernie Knodel, Orchard Partners lead man on Napa Logistics Park, declined last week to comment when asked if he was in talks with IKEA representatives, or if there was an announcement coming soon.

Knodel has been looking for a tenant since Orchard Partners finished pouring the concrete foundation for its 646,000 square foot building in June two years ago. At that time, he promised the building would be leased in no time at all, even before it was completed.

We absolutely anticipate having it pre-leased before its finished, he told the American Canyon Eagle in June 2015. He also expected the building to be done by September that year.

Instead, the warehouse was officially declared done in November 2016.

Earlier in 2016, Knodel told a meeting of Green Island business leaders that he was negotiating with someone to move into the Phase I building. He said the announcement would come that summer.

Rumors swirled in June 2016 among officials and development executives that an Amazon-like company was involved in talks with Orchard Partners. But nothing materialized then.

If IKEA does lease the building, it would represent the kind of business Knodel has been eyeing. He said from the very beginning that Napa Logistics Park would seek e-commerce or similar businesses for all of its buildings.

Were not focused on supporting the wine industry because theres a lot of support for that here, said Knodel two summers ago. Were really trying to attract a different kind of tenant and user to American Canyon and Napa County.

Kampton said it is not surprising that IKEA would consider Napa Logistics Park, given the state of Bay Area land availability and the importance of having a facility within driving distance of the Port of Oakland.

Businesses prefer proximity to the port, Kampton said, but space is so limited these days that the demand is working its way out from Oakland and has even reached American Canyon.

That ripple has finally hit Napa County, said Kampton of the growing demand for warehouse space for companies that want to ship through the Port of Oakland.

Why would IKEA want to be here? he said rhetorically. Because they cant find what they want on (Interstate) 80.

Kampton also talked about the lack of available industrial or commercial space in south Napa County. He said demand is high, and, We are in desperate need to have more buildings built.

Although there are some undeveloped parcels, the owners for a variety of reasons arent selling or building at this time, he said.

At that point in the June 21 Planning Commission meeting, John McDowell, principal planner for the county, chimed in with an interesting observation. He told the commissioners about some land just east of Highway 29 and south of South Kelly Road  land in the unincorporated area currently being used to grow grapes just outside American Canyon.

The property is zoned for agriculture, said McDowell, but it is designated in the countys General Plan for industrial reserve.

It begs the question, said McDowell, if no land is available in the industrial park, at what point do we contemplate enabling the reserve?

In other words, change it so it becomes available for industrial park use.

McDowells remark prompted Michelle Benvenuto, head of the Winegrowers of Napa County, to get up out of her seat in the audience and comment.

She said if the land were rezoned to industrial or commercial use, that would probably mean an end to growing grapes there because the land may be more valuable for non-agriculture purposes.

So we would end up losing that ag land, said Benvenuto. As valuable as ag land is, it still would be more valuable zoned as something else, which is why it is so important to figure out a way to protect our ag land.

McDowell noted that the property has been zoned industrial in the past, and, in fact, has bounced back and forth over the years between agricultural and industrial zoning.

He also said the land may not be producing a bountiful harvest compared to other vineyards.

The value of the crop plays heavily into the value of the land as well, said McDowell, and from my understanding the south county grapes might not be as expensive as the north county grapes.

Planning Director David Morrison concurred, saying his conversations with owners of the vineyards have revealed neither the yield or the quality of the grapes is very high on that site. People who farm nearby have made the same comment.

If the vineyards were to someday be replaced by an industrial park, the change could alter the landscape of South County just east of the highway.

This new visual would be coupled with a similar sight just to the west of Highway 29, where new warehouse developments, including part of Napa Logistics Park, are slated to rise up in northern American Canyon.

Together the new developments might sandwich Highway 29, and leave little in the way of open space along this part of the corridor bringing people into the Napa Valley.
"In all, no less than five years will pass from the beginning of the R&D work to the delivery of the ship to the Navy," Pepelyayev said.



According to him, the requirements specification for the development of the amphibious assault ship has not been received yet.



"If a decision to build the ship is taken soon, the Krylov State Research Center will be able to complete the work on the conceptual design in cooperation with the Nevskoye Design Bureau before the yearend and then the design bureau will be able to start developing the amphibious assault ship," Pepelyayev said.



As Russian Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief for Armament Vice-Admiral Viktor Bursuk said earlier, the Navy is planning to receive at least two Priboy-class amphibious assault ships by 2025.



According to him, the Navy needs such ships and the new 2018-2025 state armament program envisages their development and construction.



 Copyright 2017 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-06 21:59:00|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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VILNIUS, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite informed U.S. President Donald Trump about "specific threats to Lithuania" at the meeting between the leaders of the region and the U.S. president in Warsaw, announced the President's office in Lithuania on Thursday.

On Thursday, the U.S. president met the leaders of 12 Eastern and Central European countries, including Lithuania, at the capital of neighboring Poland.

According to the announcement from the President's office, Grybauskaite presented to Trump "specific security situation in the region and Lithuania's defense needs."

"The president highlighted that the current geopolitical and military tensions haven't been abated," said the President's office in the announcement, citing "active militarization" in the neighboring Kaliningrad exclave, the upcoming military exercise Zapad 2017, "continuous cyber attacks aimed at paralyzing strategic sectors at NATO member countries" as the main threats.

"According to the president, active role of the U.S. is keystone for pan-European security," said the President's office.

Grybauskaite also stressed the need for the alliance to renew itself.

"According to the President, Lithuania and other members need even more rapid and more efficient NATO," said the President's office.

The head of the Baltic state called for efforts to reform and speed up the process of decision making at the alliance and redeploy its military forces and command to the Eastern flank of NATO, as well as find the ways to "prevent possible military isolation of the Baltic States," according to the announcement.

Lithuania, the Baltic State with a population of less than 3 million, has cited increased security tensions in the Eastern Europe following conflicts in the Eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Since then, the country has stepped up its defense capabilities and asked for an increased allied military presence on its territory.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-07 22:05:37|Editor: Zhou Xin

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SOFIA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said here Friday that the European Union (EU) should become a collective member of NATO so the defense budgets can be used more efficiently.

If this happens, the EU could allocate two percent of its budget for defense, and together with NATO, set priorities for developing the armed forces of countries depending on the threats to each country, Borissov said.

This is pragmatic because military equipment is "godlessly expensive," military exercises were also very expensive, and maintenance was "even more expensive," Borissov said.

In this way, EU countries would feel safe, and no single country would have to spend a lot of money on everything, he added.

In 2014, NATO members decided to move towards spending two percent of their countries' gross domestic product (GDP) on defense.

However, Bulgaria, a NATO and EU member since 2004 and 2007 respectively, has been suffering from lack of sufficient funds for its armed forces.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 01:42:01|Editor: ZD

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Aerial photo taken on May 12, 2017 shows the Mombasa passenger depot of the Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway in Kenya. (Xinhua file photo/Chen Cheng)

NAIROBI, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's major public broadcaster KBC presented on Sunday evening the last part of a Xinhua documentary on the east African nation's new railway.

"My Railway, My Story" tells the stories behind the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) linking Nairobi to the port city of Mombasa.

Titled "Roads," the final episode recounts the stories of four people related to the project, documenting the transition from construction to operation of the railway.

The Kenyan broadcaster showed the prior two parts, "Bridges," and "Stations," which focus on the 79 bridges and 33 stations along the railway respectively, with stories of people dedicated to its construction, during its prime time at the end of May.

KBC statistics showed that the initial two parts had attracted an estimated 30 million local viewers, demonstrating its popularity in the country with a population of about 45 million.

The documentary is also available for viewing at Xinhuanet.com, the website of the agency, and its Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts under the unified name "New China."

The Chinese, French and Swahili versions of the documentary, which lasts about 90 minutes in total, are scheduled to be released later in the month.

The 480 km line, which kicked off passenger service on June 1, is currently operating with scheduled passenger trains from Nairobi and Mombasa running on a daily basis.

The railway, a flagship project of China-Kenya practical cooperation, is Kenya's single largest infrastructure project since independence. Construction of the 3.8-billion-U.S.-dollar project, with the bulk of financing provided by China, commenced in 2014.

Related:

(My Railway, My Story) Part 1: Bridges
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 02:07:09|Editor: MJ

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DUBLIN, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Ireland is considering a change in the status of its naval operations in the Mediterranean, according to public broadcaster RTE on Sunday.

Currently, Irish navy operations in the Mediterranean are based on a bilateral arrangement with Italy. In the last two years, Irish naval forces have saved about 16,000 migrants in southern Mediterranean on a humanitarian search and rescue basis.

RTE reported that Irish Minister of State for Defense Paul Kehoe will bring proposals to cabinet on Tuesday, seeking approval for the country to join the UN mandated Operation Sophia.

Operation Sophia, set up in 2015, involves naval vessels from several member states of the European Union (EU).

The cabinet will then on Wednesday propose a motion to the Dail Eireann, lower house of parliament, following Tuesday's cabinet meeting.

Changing the status of current Irish Naval operations must have the approvals of both the cabinet and the parliament.

If approved, Ireland would maintain its current level of deployment but its naval personnel would operate under a broader mandate to take action against mainly Libyan-based human traffickers, according to RTE.

RTE said ships operating under Operation Sophia have been targeting, seizing and destroying some boats used by smugglers, once they are empty.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 02:22:14|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ROME, July 9 (Xinhua) -- UNESCO has added another Italian site to its list of unique and irreplaceable cultural and natural heritage, the Italian culture minister announced Sunday.

The new World Heritage site is called the Venetian Works of Defence, a complex enclave of fortifications designed and built by the ancient seafaring Republic of Venice between the 15th-17th centuries to control its territories and the commercial routes leading to the East, according to the UNESCO website.

On Friday, the UNESCO committee also added a stretch of 600-year-old beech forests in a national park in Italy's central Apennines mountain range to its list of irreplaceable natural heritage.

"Ancient beech forests and Venetian Defense Works added to UNESCO heritage. Italy consolidates its primacy with 53 sites," Culture Minister Dario Franceschini tweeted Sunday.

The Venetian Defense Works site is trasnational because it extends for more than 1,000 kms from northeastern Italy to the neighboring countries of Croatia and Montenegro on the Adriatic Sea.

"This unique and ancient enclave bears...important testimony to the interaction among peoples and, more in general, to the culture expressed by Venice in the world," according to UNESCO.

The Venice Defense Works site was submitted to UNESCO for consideration by Croatia in 2013, with the endorsement of Italy and Montenegro.

Sunday's decision was taken by the 41st World Heritage Committee, which is meeting in the Polish city of Krakow from July 2-12 to examine proposals to inscribe 33 new sites.

The World Heritage list currently includes 1,070 sites around the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 02:27:21|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan main opposition leader Raila Odinga was on Sunday admitted to hospital in Mombasa city shortly after addressing political rallies in the coastal region.

Odinga's spokesman Dennis Onyango said the former prime minister is on a stable condition, adding that they suspect food poisoning.

"We suspect food poisoning but doctors are on his case and he is stable. We strongly suspect food poisoning," Onyango said in a brief statement released on Sunday evening.

He said Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Jono has released doctors to attend to him and "in a short time we will update the country on what is going on."

The latest incident comes a day after Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery died after collapse at his house in Nairobi. Nkaissery reportedly complained about his chest pains. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 02:27:23|Editor: MJ

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DUBLIN, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Ireland on Sunday marked the annual National Day of Commemoration to honor all Irish people who died in past wars or on service with the United Nations.

The ceremonies were held at Dublin's Royal Hospital Kilmainham and six other locations across the country.

At Royal Hospital Kilmainham, the principal ceremony was attended by Irish President Michael D. Higgins, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and other government members.

The next-of-kin of those who died in past wars or on UN service and a wide cross-section of the community including ex-servicemen's organizations, as well as relatives of leaders of the 1916 Rising, were also invited.

The principal ceremony commenced with a multi-faith service of prayer, after which President Higgins laid a wreath on behalf of the Irish people. As part of the ceremony, full military honors were rendered by the Tri-Service Guard of Honor.

Over 3,000 people attended the principal ceremony in Dublin, which was also open to the public. At the conclusion of the ceremony, there was an Air Corps flyover.

In Ireland, the National Day of Commemoration commemorates all Irish people who died in past wars or UN peacekeeping missions. It occurs on the Sunday nearest July 11, the anniversary of the date in 1921 that a truce was signed ending the Irish war of independence.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 02:32:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEHRAN, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Iranian military and security officials on Sunday congratulated Iraq on the victory in the battles to liberate Mosul from the rule of the Islamic State (IS).

"I am confident that defeat and vanishing of terrorism would be possible through real determination of the governments to fight against terrorism in a united front," Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan said on Sunday.

"This victory in Mosul will hopefully result in the complete defeat of proxy wars in the region," Dehqan said in a message to his Iraqi counterpart.

Besides, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said Sunday that liberation of Mosul is attributed to the leadership of religious figures, wisdom of Iraqi government and courage of Iraqi army and volunteer forces.

Shamkhani said that the victory of Iraqi forces against the IS also was a defeat for some cross-regional and regional states who were seeking proxy war in the Arab state.

He expressed the hope that the IS defeat would be the beginning of restoration of peace and stability to Iraq and development of the country at international arena.

The Islamic republic is prepared to help the Iraqi government and people in reconstruction of the liberated city and to send humanitarian aid to the displaced people, Shamkhani said in a message to the Iraqi government.

Mosul, the major city in northern Iraq, was totally liberated from the control of the IS on Sunday after 266 days of fierce battles which ended its three-year rule.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 02:37:26|Editor: MJ

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WASHINGTON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- While Senate Republican leaders have vowed to repeal and replace the Obama administration's highly controversial healthcare revamp, known as Obamacare, divisions remain between moderate and conservative senators over the provisions of the healthcare bill.

Conservatives are insisting on a provision that would let insurers sell cheaper, less-comprehensive plans, but centrists have signaled they would oppose such a measure, fearing it would erode protections for people with pre-existing health conditions, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

"Negotiations over changes to the bill to bring more Republicans on board have reached an apparent standoff," the report said, adding the intraparty divide presents a tough obstacle for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to pass the bill.

John McCain, Chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee, also said on Sunday he didn't have confidence that the Republican healthcare bill would pass the upper chamber.

"My view is that it's probably going to dead," McCain said on the CBC's program "Face the Nation". "I fear that it's going to fail."

In a letter to Senate leaders last month, a group of over 40 U.S. economists, including six Nobel Prize winners, had expressed strong opposition to the Senate healthcare bill.

"The Senate bill would narrow coverage, and by driving relatively healthy people from the market, raise premiums for those who remain," the economists said, warning the bill would reduce assistance for the millions of people who buy coverage through the state and federal marketplaces.

Republicans initially aimed to get healthcare legislation to President Donald Trump's desk by early April, but was forced to postpone it because of deep divisions among Senate Republicans, according to the Wall Street Journal.

As the entire Democratic Party is expected to stand against the bill, the Republicans can only lose support of two lawmakers in the Senate to pass the bill.

"Now a vote, if one occurs, would likely come in mid-to-late July, with Congress's August recess serving as the next deadline. If that fails, the legislative calendar would only get more difficult," the report said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 02:57:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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AMMAN, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The electronic devices ban has been lifted Sunday for Royal Jordanian (RJ)'s flights from Amman's Queen Alia International Airport to the United States.

"Enhanced security measures are now implemented to meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's new security guidelines for all U.S. bound flights," RJ President/CEO Stefan Pichler said in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by Xinhua.

He added: "We are glad that our guests can now fly onboard RJ and use their electronic devices. We highly appreciate our passengers' patience and understanding during the time of the ban."

On March 24, passengers flying from Amman directly to the United States were banned from carrying electronic and electrical devices in the aircraft cabin.

The United States imposed the ban on direct flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries: Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey.

Royal Jordanian operates 16 weekly non-stop flights to three U.S. cities: daily flights to Chicago and New York, and two weekly flights to Detroit.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 03:28:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Hummam Sheikh Ali

DAMASCUS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Since the Syrian war entered its seventh year, the main talk about a solution to the Syrian crisis was the need for the superpowers, namely Russia and the United States, to reach a consensus on ways to resolve this conflict.

Both powers have had ups and downs in their relations during the Syrian war over ways to deal with the crisis, as both agreed to previous cease-fires that briefly held up and quickly collapsed due to the lack of suitable environment on the ground.

Since early this year, tension has been on the rise between both powers, particularly in April when the United States accused the Syrian government forces of using chemical weapons in an attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun in northern Idlib province.

The accusation was unfounded, as claimed by the Syrian government, and was quickly adopted as a way to justify a U.S. strike on a Syrian air base in the days that ensued.

Russia then condemned the strikes which were based on unsubstantiated allegations.

The United States accused the Syrian government forces last month of preparing to launch another chemical attack, promising tough retaliation against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

However, analysts and observers said the accusations aim to send a message to both Russia and the Syrian government that the progress being made by the Syrian army in some areas is unacceptable and that the United States could use the chemical weapons allegations as a pretext to strike the Syrian army again.

Amid all that tension, Israel entered the line of the conflict in the southern Syrian province of Qunaitera recently over claims that stray mortar shells are falling from the Syrian side of the borders on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Also, the Israeli strikes on Syrian military positions in Qunaitera were meant to send a message to the Syrian government and its allies of the Lebanese Hezbollah group that any progress by the Shiite groups in that area is unacceptable.

With this heightened tension, there were two options for the U.S. and Russia: the first is a direct confrontation between both powers on Syrian soil, or a deal to defuse the tension and avoid further escalation, Hmaidi Abdullah, a Syrian political writer, told Xinhua.

Obviously, both powers favored pacification over escalation and agreed on Friday to a cease-fire deal in southern Syrian provinces.

The cease-fire went into force on Sunday noon, with sources in all concerned provinces of Daraa, Qunaitera and Sweida, telling Xinhua that the cease-fire is so far holding up well.

"This cease-fire agreement, which seemed as surprising, wouldn't have been reached if it wasn't for two main factors: the first is the risk of a direct confrontation between the U.S. and Russia, and the second is the U.S. concerns over the safety of Israel," Abdullah said.

He noted that Israel was feeling the pinch due to the recent military campaign of the Syrian army as well as Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed fighters near its borders.

"The U.S. was facing the possibility of a war that could drag Israel and Jordan into play and that's not in their interest, or to halt the progress of the Syrian army throughout a cease-fire deal with Russia," Abdullah said.

Still, the analyst considered the deal as an important point that could lead to a political process in Syria if the agreement was developed by both powers to include more hot zones.

Abdullah's opinion was shared by Sharif Shehadeh, a former Syrian parliamentarian, who said that if the agreement was well-implemented, it will be conducive to reaching a political settlement to Syria's war.

"This deal is good in principle, but should be built on later to help in a political dialogue with the armed factions which are willing to talk, except for the Islamic State and al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front," he told Xinhua.

He also pointed out that big part of the U.S. approval of this agreement is the Israeli tension toward the progress of the Syria army in southern Syria.

The Syrian government has yet to comment on the cease-fire, with its official mouthpieces remain tight-lipped.

For its part, the UN welcomed the agreement.

A day earlier, Deputy UN Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy said in Damascus that the cease-fire is a "step in the right direction."

"The agreement to create de-escalation zones in southern Syria ... is an important development. The UN always aim to de-escalate tension and this is a step in the right direction," he said.

He added that other areas to be included in the de-escalation zones deal should also reach a similar agreement in support of the political process.

The de-escalation zones deal was established in Syria last May, with Russia, Iran, and Turkey signing the deal.

The U.S. had no apparent role in the initial agreement, which included four zones namely Homs, Idlib, Daraa and Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus.

The de-escalation zones deal held up relatively well in Idlib, but in Daraa and other southern areas, the situation got tense since May with renewed battles between the Syrian army and the rebels, before the U.S., Russian-backed cease-fire went into force Sunday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 04:08:10|Editor: MJ

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CHICAGO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains futures most likely to trade higher next week on record heat in Midwest U.S and not enough rain in central U.S. Plains, analysts said.

Soybeans futures are 7-12 cents higher, corn 4-7 cents higher with wheat called 3-6 cents higher next Monday, investment company AgResource wrote in its pre-opening market calls report.

Analysts said opening week CBOT calls are sharply higher as the central US weather forecast is warmer and drier than what was offered last Friday.

Moreover, the extended forecast maintains a warm and dry flow for the central Plains and Midwest well into late July. The market will more aggressively add weather premium into CBOT prices as yield potential declines.

The United States Department of Agriculture's Friday commitment of traders report reflected that managed funds were long 18,000 contracts of wheat futures, short 46,700 contracts of corn and short 70,200 contracts of soybeans .

Analysts said, the yield reducing central U.S. weather forecast is likely to force funds to a flat or net long position by mid July. There just is not enough rain in the forecast into July 24th with heat in the Plains and Midwest with the drought in the Dakotas continuing to spread south and east.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 04:28:14|Editor: MJ

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WASHINGTON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin forming a cyber security unit in their first meeting amid speculation about his acceptance of Putin's denial of Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe," Trump tweeted on Sunday.

"...Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!" Trump wrote on another tweet.

The first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Putin came on Friday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

After the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Friday that Trump had accepted Putin's denial of Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

Putin himself also said on Saturday that he left the meeting with the impression that Trump had accepted his denial.

"He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers," Putin told reporters on Saturday.

During his visit to Ukraine on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the only other U.S. official in the Trump-Putin meeting, did not answer directly when asked whether Trump had accepted Putin's denial.

On another tweeter on Sunday, Trump said that he "strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election."

"...He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion..." Trump said.

The idea of forming a cyber security unit with Russia was soon met with criticism within Trump's own Republican Party.

Speaking at a TV interview aired on Sunday, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called the idea "pretty close" to the dumbest idea he'd ever heard.

"He (Trump) is literally the only person I know of who doesn't believe Russia attacked our election in 2016," said Graham.

"This whole idea about moving forward without punishing Russia is undermining his entire presidency," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 05:29:40|Editor: Song Lifang

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) shakes hands with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Istanbul, Turkey, July 9, 2017. Mevlut Cavusoglu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had separate meetings on Sunday in Istanbul with Rex Tillerson, as the two NATO allies are sharply divided over Syria. (Xinhua/Zeynep Cermen)

ISTANBUL, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had separate meetings on Sunday in Istanbul with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, as the two NATO allies are sharply divided over Syria.

The top Turkish and U.S. officials did not make any statement to the press prior to their meeting, but the state-run Anadolu Agency said the latest developments in Syria, counter-terrorism efforts and the Qatar row dominated their discussions.

Turkey, annoyed at U.S. continued arming of the Syrian Kurdish militia and involving them in the battle for Raqqa, the stronghold of the Islamic State group in Syria, has been reportedly making preparations for a military offensive against Afrin, a Kurdish-held canton in northwestern Syria.

Erdogan had a closed-door meeting with Tillerson in the evening, Turkish media said.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President VladimirPutin hold a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7, 2017. (AFP PHOTO/SAUL LOEB)

WASHINGTON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin forming a cyber security unit in their first meeting amid speculation about his acceptance of Putin's denial of Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe," Trump tweeted on Sunday.

"...Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!" Trump wrote on another tweet.

The first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Putin came on Friday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

After the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Friday that Trump had accepted Putin's denial of Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

Putin himself also said on Saturday that he left the meeting with the impression that Trump had accepted his denial.

"He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers," Putin told reporters on Saturday.

During his visit to Ukraine on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the only other U.S. official in the Trump-Putin meeting, did not answer directly when asked whether Trump had accepted Putin's denial.

On another tweeter on Sunday, Trump said that he "strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election."

"...He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion..." Trump said.

The idea of forming a cyber security unit with Russia was soon met with criticism within Trump's own Republican Party.

Speaking at a TV interview aired on Sunday, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called the idea "pretty close" to the dumbest idea he'd ever heard.

"He (Trump) is literally the only person I know of who doesn't believe Russia attacked our election in 2016," said Graham.

"This whole idea about moving forward without punishing Russia is undermining his entire presidency," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 07:15:05|Editor: MJ

Venezuelan First Lady Cilia Flores (C) delivers a speech during the campaigns for candidates to the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 9, 2017. Venezuela on Sunday kicked off the campaigns for candidates to the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), which will be charged with rewriting the 1999 constitution. Venezuelans will go to the polls on July 30 to elect the 545 members of the ANC. (Xinhua/Ricardo Herdenez/AVN)

CARACAS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela on Sunday kicked off the campaigns for candidates to the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), which will be charged with rewriting the 1999 constitution.

Venezuelans will go to the polls on July 30 to elect the 545 members of the ANC.

Leaders of the ruling socialist PSUV party took part in a ceremony in the capital Caracas, marking the start of the campaign period.

The country's right-wing opposition groups, meanwhile, continued to protest the government and the constitutional initiative, which they believe is an effort by President Nicolas Maduro to consolidate power.

Maduro has said the initiative aims to promote national dialogue and civic participation in a bid to overcome the political crisis that has brought government to a virtual standstill, with the opposition-controlled congress refusing to cooperate with the PSUV-led executive.

Former foreign affairs minister Delcy Rodriguez, who quit her post to run as a candidate, said she was certain the initiative could serve to break the political deadlock.

"I am deeply convinced (the ACN) is the only immediate means we Venezuelans have to overcome the violence, the hate, the intolerance," Rodriguez said in an interview with Televen TV.

However, not everyone is so sure.

Luisa Ortega, Venezuela's attorney general, unsuccessfully called on the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) to annul the process.

Maduro has said that once drafted, the new constitution will be submitted to a referendum vote, so citizens can decide "whether they approve or not the new perfected, expanded, improved constitution."

The right-wing coalition, known by its Spanish acronym MUD, plans to hold an unofficial referendum of its own on July 16 to gauge whether the initiative has popular support.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 08:15:22|Editor: MJ

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SAN FRANCISCO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- While there is growing interest in developing offshore wind and wave energy in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, researchers are trying to know more about the sediment and animal life along the sea floor, as needed for companies to consider environmental implications before constructing facilities in the ocean.

In a paper published in the journal Continental Shelf Research, the researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) outline their work that found relationships between sediment characteristics and animal life (mostly pencil eraser-sized clams and worms) were consistent across the sites they sampled.

The research, led by Sarah Henkel, a marine biologist at OSU's Hatfield Marine Science Center, involved collecting sediment from 137 spots ranging in depth from about 160 to 360 feet, or 76 to 110 meters, depths currently targeted for wave energy development.

In the Pacific Northwest, there has been recent interest in energy development off the coast of the several coastal Oregon areas.

Offshore renewable energy development is in its infancy in the United States, with the first off-shore wind project recently completed in Rhode Island, a U.S. state in New England, known for sandy shores and seaside Colonial towns. European countries have a longer history of offshore renewable energy development.

The work by Henkel and her colleagues is significant because it could allow renewable energy companies to reduce collections of marine animal life to characterize a potential development site, according to a news release from OSU. That type of analysis is costly and time intensive because it involves identification work by humans.

Instead, companies could primarily conduct sediment analysis, most of which can be automated. Once the sediment analysis is done it could be cross-referenced with the findings of the OSU team to predict the marine animals likely to be found at a site and potentially determine impacts.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 11:42:15|Editor: Yamei

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NEW DELHI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 23 people were killed and over a dozen injured in lightning and thunderstorm across India's eastern state of Bihar, officials said Monday.

The casualties were reported from Vaishali, Saran and Patna city, the capital city of Bihar.

"Maximum seven casualties are from Vaishali followed by four each from Patna and Saran districts," a local official said. "The remaining eight deaths were reported from Gaya, Sasaram, Araria and Nalanda districts of the state."

The meteorological department in the state has issued an alert in next 48 hours in view of heavy rains and thunderstorms.

According to state-run broadcaster, the local government has announced an ex gratia relief to every family that has lost their member in the natural calamity.

As per India's National Crime Records Bureau, at least 2,000 people have died in lightning strikes in India every year since 2005.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 12:27:28|Editor: Yamei

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YANGON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The historical office of the Students' Union of Myanmar has been reopened at the Yangon University after several decades out of operation, the Myanmar News Agency reported Monday.

However, the building of the students' union, which was located on the university campus and blown up by the then military government in 1962 amid students' political protest, is yet to be rebuilt under a future plan, said the rector of the university.

With portraits of former chairman Ko Aung San, who became national hero General Aung San, hung on the wall, the students' union office was reopened with a ceremony Sunday attended by Education Minister Myo Thein Gyi and Chief Minister of Yangon Region U Phyo Min Thein.

U Phyo Min Thein hailed the opening of the office as a sign of the nation on a further path of reform.

The Students' Union is now chaired by Ma Ei Swe Myat.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 13:42:54|Editor: An

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Rescuers search for eight people missing after a fishing boat sank early Monday morning in the waters off east China's Zhejiang Province, July 10, 2017, according to local maritime police. The boat, with 24 people onboard, sank around 2 a.m. at sea near the city of Zhoushan, said police, who received a report of the accident at 4:30 a.m.(Xinhua)

NINGBO, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers are searching for eight people missing after a fishing boat sank early Monday morning in the waters off east China's Zhejiang Province, according to local maritime police.

The boat, with 24 people onboard, sank around 2 a.m. at sea near the city of Zhoushan, said police, who received a report of the accident at 4:30 a.m.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 14:18:24|Editor: MJ

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BANGKOK, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Thailand should be more determined to build high-speed rails to link the kingdom with neighboring countries and China, which will generate huge economic benefits, former governor of State Railway of Thailand Prapat Chongsanguan has said.

"High-speed rails can really change a country and bring prosperity as what we have witnessed in China," he told Xinhua recently. "I have been to China when high speed rail was not developed. I can tell how much people's lives were changed by the expanding high speed rail network there."

"I want Thailand to enjoy the same prosperity in China brought by high speed rail," Prapat added.

Thailand plans to build a 252-km railway with a maximum speed of 250km/h from the capital Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima in the northeastern region, which is the first phase of Thailand-China railway project, and Chinese technology will be introduced to build it.

The first ever high-speed rail in Thailand is set to be approved by Thai cabinet soon and the construction of the first 3.5 km section is set to start this year, according to Thai officials.

"Once the high-speed rail starts operation, it would take some 1.5 hours to travel from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima while we usually have to spend more than 2 hours stuck in the traffic jam here in Bangkok, especially in rainy days, the change is tremendous," Prapat said in a seminar held by Thai-Chinese Journalists Association last Thursday.

He emphasized such a high-speed rail project will bring investment to the northeastern part of Thailand to ease the wide disparity between the capital and regional cities.

According to the master plan, the 252-km route will be further extended some 355 km to Nong Khai on Thai-Lao border to link with China-Laos railway in Lao capital Vientiane.

Prapat emphasized high-speed rail should be long enough to link Thailand with other countries to play a bigger role in changing the region.

Regarding the time and cost of the project, Prapat, who used to be the governor of Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand from 1997 to 2008, said Thais should not be afraid of huge investment projects, as being too cautious will stop Thailand from further development.

"Building metro lines in Bangkok was first put forward in 1975, and the blue line started operation in 2004 when I was in office, if we had built metro lines earlier, the traffic problem of Bangkok would be much smaller," He said, adding that "newly graduated men and women would not take buying cars as their priority."

Prapat said that if Thailand does not build high-speed train now, the kingdom has to build it in the future, maybe 10 years later and such projects may be more expensive than now.

Besides the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima route, the Thai government also plans to build high speed rail linking Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Bangkok-Rayong and Bangkok-Hua Hin.

The former state railway governor called for using the same kind of technology in building high speed railways in the country.

"Using two kinds of technology which are incompatible may cause problem in the future, we have to know which kind of technology is introduced in our neighboring countries as these high-speed rails are to link us with other countries," Prapat said.

"I think the Chinese technology is safe and efficient, so I ask the government to make wise decisions on this issue, or we have to invest more to build more rails and get less as they are incompatible," He added.

China has the world's longest high-speed rail network, 22,000 km at the end of last year, about 60 percent of the world's total.

"Our life is short," Prapat said, "but high-speed rails have longer life, at least 100 years. We must make the right decision; otherwise, future generation may blame us for introducing incompatible high-speed train systems."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 14:28:29|Editor: MJ

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NEW DELHI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people were killed and over a dozen sickened due to consumption of spurious liquor in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, local media reported on Monday.

The bootleg liquor was consumed by people on Thursday evening in Azamgarh district, about 266 km east of Lucknow city, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

"The death toll in the liquor tragedy in Azamgarh district has rose to 18," a local media report quoted an official as saying. "Initially 12 deaths took place, however later on six more deaths were reported."

Local authorities have ordered a probe into the tragedy.

Meanwhile, the police have launched an operation against illicit liquor producers in the district.

Last year 31 people were killed under similar circumstances in Etah district of the state.

In Indian states of Bihar and Gujarat, alcohol is totally prohibited by law.

Spurious alcohol deaths are often reported in India, where people often drink cheap home-made bootleg liquor.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 14:38:35|Editor: Yamei

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders attending the 12th Summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies pose for a group photo in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The consensus reached at the just-concluded Group of 20 (G20) major economies on support for globalization highlights multilateral cooperation as a major trend in global governance that meets people's needs.

Meanwhile, experts said China is playing an increasingly important role in global governance, bringing up new ideas and initiatives.

Leaders at the G20 summit themed "Shaping an Interconnected World" held on July 7-8 in the German city of Hamburg pledged support for continued globalization with a call for opening markets and opposing protectionism. They also agreed to work towards a stable international trading system and more cross-border investments.

The G20 summit consensus conforms to the new circumstances of the global economy, which is now marked by both interdependence and instability, according to experts.

Dennis J. Snower, co-chairman of Think 20, a think tank for the G20, believes such a global economy calls for multilateral solutions.

The global economy is "basically and completely integrated," so the problems generated are also interdependent, such as climate change, the financial crisis, cyber security and terrorism, he said.

"These problems cross national boundaries and can only be solved multilaterally," said Snower, who is also president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

Dirk Messner, co-chairman of Think 20, noticed the dramatic changes over the last three years are posing new challenges to the G20 group.

Messner, also director of the German Development Institute, cited Britain's exit from the European Union and U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionist "America First" policies and withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement as being among the major events to put globalization and multilateralism at risk.

He said the year 2016 was "a shock" and "very difficult for multilateralism" due to Trump, after the Paris climate deal was reached and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030 signed in 2015.

However, the political and economic instabilities indicate the changing needs of the people, he added.

Global governance "should above all answer to men's needs," which go beyond material prosperity to social ones such as the need for life satisfaction and security, he noted.

Messner believes that as a premier forum on international cooperation and global governance, the G20 group should address more major concerns of people in global development, such as climate change and the widening gap between rich and poor, helping shape a peaceful and hopeful future for the world.

Regarding global governance to meet the new changes, the importance of China is increasing in many aspects, Messner said.

China was regarded as a powerful spokesman for global multilateralism at the Hamburg summit, said Shada Islam, policy director of Friends of Europe, a leading Brussels-based think tank.

At the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech with proposals made urging efforts to continue opening-up and inclusiveness as well as to push for interconnectivity and growth.

Shi Shiwei, professor with the Free University of Berlin, said, "Xi's speech represents the stance of developing countries," and "shows China is a firm advocate for globalization and multilateralism, and it is braving more responsibilities in global governance."

Xi's speech, Shi said, stresses implementation of the UN 2030 agenda, insistence on sustainable and inclusive growth, integration of economic and social policies and support for further globalization while containing its ills.

Snower deems Xi's proposals on G20 cooperation in the digital economy and new industrial revolution as being "of great importance," which requires the joint action of developed and developing countries under the multilateral framework.

Thomas Heberer, a well-known China watcher from Duisburg-Essen University, said Xi has assumed "the major role" of promoting a cooperative and open world economy.

Helga Zepp-LaRouche, chief of the Schiller Institute think tank in Germany, said Xi's speech made it clear that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is "highly compatible" with the G20 goal, and was making the initiative's core values such as win-win cooperation and a community of shared destiny for mankind into new principles of global governance. "This is working," she said.

The Belt and Road Initiative aims to build infrastructure and trade networks connecting Asia with Africa and Europe along the ancient Silk Road trade routes in order to seek common development and prosperity.

The initiative, being the embodiment of China's proposals, carries cooperation plans for infrastructure construction, unimpeded trade and capital flows, among others, Messner said.

This shows that as an economic power, China is shouldering its leadership role, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 14:43:40|Editor: MJ

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by Will Koulouris

SYDNEY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- An Australian special forces officer has lashed out at the culture within the Australian Special Operations Command (SOCOMD) on Monday, with claims of an insidious and infectious culture leading to the death of innocent civilians in wartime.

The officer, who remains anonymous but claims to have been deployed to the Middle East on multiple occasions, made the shocking allegations in a statement published by local media. He said there has been an "emergence of an insidious, infectious, and influential minority that indulges in self-glorification" within the special operations outfits deployed across the world.

"These individuals have participated in questionable combat behavior which often involves the 'flexible' application of Rules of Engagement (ROE), where what was being reported was not consistent with what was actually occurring on the battlefield, which led to the killing of noncombatants," the anonymous soldier said.

The soldier pointed to an incident that occurred back in 2009, where a group of commandos who had killed civilians with grenades, allegedly inadvertently, but then being subsequently charged with manslaughter which led to a culture of silence relating to the death of noncombatants.

This case, the soldier said, opened the door to those within the units to operate with "impunity" and a "lack of accountability," which he alleges created a situation whereby soldiers in these units began to operate with the intent to boost their "body count," while feeling safe from the possibility of prosecution.

The anonymous source said that this led to videos being created of the actions of the day, including killings, that would be played at the end of the rotation, which only further led to the glorification of those who were behaving in this manner.

When asked by Xinhua for comment, a spokesperson was adamant that the ADF operates under "strict rules of engagement," has a strong ethical, and lawful guidelines and "does not condone its people operating outside of these rules and norms, and it takes allegations of misconduct seriously."

"It is a matter of public record that the Inspector General Australian Defence Force (IGADF) is currently conducting a scoping inquiry to determine whether there is any substance to rumors relating to the Special Operations Task Group during deployments in Afghanistan over the period 2005 to 2016," the spokesperson said.

"The Scoping Inquiry commenced in May 2016 as the result of a referral from the Chief of Army," he said.

"While the IGADF scoping inquiry is in progress, it is inappropriate to comment on the status of any rumors or allegations," the spokesperson added.

This is not the first time that Australia has faced criticism of its reporting policy regarding the actions of its armed services, when a report emerged that Australia does not maintain accurate data on civilian casualties in the Middle East, according to Kellie Tranter, an Australian lawyer who lodged a Freedom of Information Request (FOI) with the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

"I was, to put it mildly, in shock," Tranter said at the time.

"How do we refute allegations that we've killed civilians if we are not tracking and holding that information?"

A UN Special Rapporteur on Counter Terrorism and Human Rights, Ben Emmerson, said at the time that if these claims were indeed true, that Australia is at risk of not fulfilling its international law obligations.

"I find that extremely surprising that there is no central index kept of the number of combatants killed or civilian casualties," Emmerson said in March.

"A blanket refusal to release data on civilian casualties, regardless of the circumstances and regardless of any operational risk which there may or may not be, would not be consistent with any view of a state's responsibilities in international law."

The anonymous soldier called for drastic changes to the current operating methods, and said courage was required to put an end to what he alleges is a "damning culture" within the special operations command of the ADF.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 14:48:41|Editor: MJ

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ISTANBUL, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said Sunday that the member states of the bloc support the stance of the G20 leaders who have pledged to fully implement the Paris Agreement.

Despite U.S. withdrawal, the other 19 members of the G20 unanimously said the climate change deal is "irreversible" and OPEC supports this position, Barkindo said on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress.

All OPEC member countries have signed the agreement, he said.

The 22nd World Petroleum Congress, the largest gathering for the oil and gas industry, kicked off Sunday in Istanbul with a view to addressing the challenges facing the sector.

"The challenges in the petroleum sector have been growing as the world population has been increasing," Jozsef Laszlo Toth, president of the World Petroleum Council, said at the opening ceremony.

In a declaration issued after the conclusion of the G20 summit in Hamburg, world leaders said that they remain "collectively committed" to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions but "take note of" the decision of the United States to withdraw from the agreement.

The Paris Agreement aims to tackle climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and sets a global target of keeping the rise in the average temperature no higher than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 14:53:47|Editor: MJ

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by Xinhua writers Yu Fei and Xu Haitao

HEFEI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- More than 20 years have passed since Pan Jianwei was first astonished by the quantum world. Pondering the strange micro world has carved deep lines in the quantum physicist's forehead.

People still don't fully understand such phenomena as quantum superposition and quantum entanglement, but Pan is shining some light in the field, manipulating microscopic particles and applying the magical quantum characters to develop quantum cryptography and quantum computing.

The world's first quantum satellite, Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS), launched by China in 2016, has realized the distribution of entangled photon pairs over 1,200 kilometers. It has proved that quantum entanglement, described by Albert Einstein as a "spooky action," still exists at such a distance.

As the satellite's lead scientist, Pan has a greater goal: to test quantum entanglement between Earth and the moon at a distance over 300,000 km, which may help research on gravity and the structure of spacetime.

Pan is a science legend. When his co-authored article about the first quantum teleportation was selected by academic journal Nature as one of the 21 classic papers for physics over the past century, he was only 29 years old. When he was appointed a professor of the University of Science and Technology of China, he was 31. When he was elected an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he was 41, the youngest academician at that time. When he won the first prize of National Natural Science, China's highest science award, he was 45.

The star scientist and media celebrity says science should be in the spotlight rather than scientists.

BEWILDERING START

Born on March 11, 1970 in Dongyang City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Pan was an excellent student and a playful boy. He went to study in the University of Science and Technology of China in 1987, where academic competition was fierce.

Wu Jian, Pan's classmate in university and now a scientist in China's Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) Satellite project, recalls that he once gave Pan an ugly haircut, but he was not angry. Pan was happy go lucky.

In 1990, Pan first came into contact with quantum mechanics, which totally confused him: "How can there be such a phenomenon as quantum superposition? It's like a person being in Shanghai and Beijing at the same time."

Pan almost failed in the midterm exam on quantum mechanics.

Desperately trying to figure it out, Pan chose quantum mechanics as his research direction -- and he's still entangled with it.

He realized all the theories about quantum physics had to be tested in experiments. However, China lacked the conditions to do such experiments in the 1990s.

After graduation in 1996, Pan went to Austria to do his PhD at the University of Innsbruck, studying with Anton Zeilinger, a world-renowned quantum physicist.

"When Pan came to me as a young student, he was a theoretical physicist. He had not done any experiments before. But I very soon realized he had the gift for doing experiments," Zeilinger says in an interview with Xinhua.

"I assigned him to do the experiment on teleportation with a group, a very complicated experiment. He accepted it and immediately got started."

He was full of enthusiasm. Soon he was the leading person in the experiment. When there was a problem, he was never discouraged. He always saw it as motivation to do something that had not been done before, Zeilinger says.

He was optimistic, always found solutions to problems, and always wanted to work to find something new, says Zeilinger.

He always got along with his colleagues. Now he is a global leader in the field of quantum physics. "I'm very proud of him," says Zeilinger. "I encouraged him to go back to China. Because I could see there was a big opportunity for him in China."

A GOOD MEAL

After mastering advanced quantum technology, Pan returned to the University of Science and Technology of China in 2001 to establish a quantum physics and quantum information laboratory, hoping China could quickly catch up with the pace of development in the emerging field of quantum technology.

A good cook, Pan knows the best ingredients are vital for a good meal. ( In order to make breakthroughs in quantum information research, the lab needed scientists with different academic backgrounds.

Pan sent his students to study in Germany, Britain, the United States, Switzerland and Austria to obtain the most advanced knowledge in specialties such as cold atoms, precision measurement and multiphoton entanglement manipulation.

So far, Pan and his team have published about 200 articles in authoritative academic journals including Science, Nature and Physical Review Letters, indicating that China is at the global forefront of quantum communication.

PEACE OF MIND

In experiments, there is inevitably frustration. But Pan says they need patience and the key is to have fun in the process.

"Pursuing the secrets of the quantum physics brings me calm and peace. It's like walking on the lawn in the spring sunshine."

A fan of classical music, Pan says music and science both give him tranquility and happiness.

In college, he read the collected essays of Einstein. "For me, Einstein's essays are the most profound and beautiful sound of nature," he says.

"The research of quantum physics has an impact on my personality and thoughts. Quantum mechanics tells me it's very hard to define right and wrong, good and bad. It makes me tolerant," Pan says.

He also takes part in many activities to promote science in China.

Development driven by innovation is one of China's core strategies. "Building an innovation-oriented country requires nurturing the public's interest in science," Pan says.

He believes China can catch up with Japan in about two decades in the field of science and technology, as long as the research funds are allocated and used by the best Chinese scientists properly.

JEWEL IN THE CROWN

"The experiments on the QUESS satellite are the most important scientific research in my life," says Pan.

However, the quantum world remains mysterious. Will the "spooky action" that confused even Einstein extend in space without limit?

"In theory, this bizarre connection can exist over any distance, but we think quantum entanglement might be affected by gravity. The different models need to be tested at a longer distance, and the boundary between quantum physics and the theory of relativity and study the structure of spacetime and gravity should be explored," Pan says.

"We hope to send a photon source to the Lagrange point of the Earth-moon system to distribute entanglement between Earth and the moon at a distance of some 300,000 km in future to test relevant physical theories," Pan says.

He says it is the "jewel in the crown" of quantum physics. "I'm 47 now. I hope we can accomplish that experiment before I retire at around 60."

Pan regards developing quantum communication and quantum computing as his responsibility, while exploring the fundamental secrets of the quantum world as his inner motivation.

"I never forget questions at the deepest level. I want to continue to experiment. Maybe in future, we can know why there are weird phenomena like quantum entanglement," Pan says.

At the same time, he says research on scientific theory should not be separated from developing technologies of practical use.

"In addition to quantum communication and quantum computing, quantum physics can improve our lives, such as in developing the atomic clock, precision measurement and the early diagnosis of cancer."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 14:53:49|Editor: MJ

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SEOUL, July 10 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in saw his approval rating increase last week on positive assessment over his overseas trips to the United States and Germany, a weekly survey showed Monday.

According to a Realmeter poll, Moon's support rate was 76.6 percent last week, up 1.3 percentage points from the previous week.

The result was based on a survey of 2,518 voters conducted from last Monday to Friday. It has 2 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level.

Moon's higher popularity followed his visit to Washington in late June where he held his first summit meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to the joint statement released after the bilateral summit, Trump supported South Korea's leading role in fostering an environment for a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

Moon, who took office on May 10, returned home Monday after attending the summit of Group of 20 (G20) leading economies.

On the sidelines of the G20 summit, Moon met with leaders of China, Russia and Japan as well as Germany and France.

Moon's ruling Democratic Party maintained top post with 53.4 percent in approval scores. It was followed by the main opposition Liberty Korea Party that gained 16.2 percent of support.

The minor conservative Righteous Party earned 6.6 percent in support scores. The minor progressive Justice Party won 6.2 percent, and the centrist People's Party garnered 5.1 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 15:18:59|Editor: Mengjie

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ANKARA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Two police officers were killed late Sunday in an attack launched by Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Turkey's southern Hatay province near the Syrian border, Anadolu Agency reported on Monday.

The incident took place Sunday night at a checkpoint near Mustafa Kemal University, where police were carrying out regular checks on vehicles passing by.

PKK terrorists opened fire during the checks and fled the scene after police responded to the fire, the report said.

Three injured officers received emergency treatment at hospital, but two of them succumbed to their wounds, while the other one remains in critical condition, a statement by local government said.

Authorities have launched a wide-scale operation to capture the escaping criminals.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, resumed its 30-year armed campaign against Ankara in July 2015 after a brief reconciliation period.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 15:44:16|Editor: An

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Communist Party of China (CPC) senior official Liu Yunshan will head a CPC delegation and pay official good-will visits to Romania and the Czech Republic from July 12 to 19, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee said Monday.

Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, has been invited by Chairman of Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea, also speaker of the Chamber of Deputies; and Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Czech Republic Jan Hamacek, also speaker of the lower house of the Czech parliament.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 16:09:32|Editor: Mengjie

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LOS ANGELES, July 9 (Xinhua) -- It is supposed to be a big week for Tesla as its long-awaited, first Model 3 electric car came off the assembly line. However, a series of negative news reports have brought the U.S. automaker new challenges.

For about three months, the California-based company reigned as the most valuable automaker in the United States, ahead of both General Motors and Ford Motor.

But the automobile company's high-flying stock took a nosedive after the July 4 holiday and it closed at 308.83 U.S. dollars on Thursday, down nearly 20 percent from the historic high two weeks ago.

That reduced the electric-car maker's market capitalization to 50.7 billion U.S. dollars, according to Bloomberg, and put General Motors ahead once again, at 52.6 billion U.S. dollars.

Auto sales are slowing overall from April to June. Sales figures showed this week Tesla delivered 22,000 electric cars globally in the second quarter, about 3,000 cars less than the previous quarter.

But now the biggest concerns of many are related to the Model 3, which is considered a major step for the company.

On Saturday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared the first pictures of the actual Model 3 electric car for the public after it was finally rolling off the assembly line pending a "final checkout."

The new sedan, which will be priced around 35,000 U.S. dollars each, "achieves 215 miles (346 km) of range per charge" and is "designed to attain the highest safety ratings in every category," according to Tesla.

In several Twitter posts on Monday, Musk said the company will deliver 30 Model 3 cars on July 28 and will produce 100 cars in August, more than 1,500 in September and 20,000 cars per month by December.

But the planned production levels of the new sedan are still lower than many investors had hoped.

Most critical to Tesla's troubles was a new, slower timetable for the Model 3 introduction, and a separate acknowledgment of problems in manufacturing battery packs, a critical component of its cars, in the second quarter, David Whiston, an analyst at Morningstar, said to the New York Times.

Adding to Tesla's headaches this week, in the latest series of crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Tesla's Model S earn only an acceptable rating in the small overlap front test.

"Tesla made changes to the safety belt in vehicles built after January with the intent of reducing the dummy's forward movement. However, when IIHS tested the modified Model S, the same problem occurred, and the rating didn't change," the safety group said in a statement on Thursday.

Can Tesla pull off a mass-market success? There is no doubt the company is facing more and more serious competition as other electric vehicle players introduce their new rides.

This week, Volvo Cars, acquired by Chinese automaker Geely in 2010, stole some of Tesla's thunder by saying that all its models would be hybrid or fully electric vehicles by 2019.

Tesla also sells cars in China, the world's largest auto market, but is not yet a significant player. In March, Jon Mcneil, Tesla's head of global sales, said in Beijing that the company's Chinese market will continue to expand.

There is other good news for Tesla as well. The company announced this week that it plans to install the world's largest lithium-ion battery storage project in South Australia by the end of the year.

Some analysts and investors believe the latest news doesn't change Tesla's long-term prospects, the Los Angeles Times reported. Stock analyst Efraim Levy of CFRA Research said, "I don't see a whole lot of change (in fundamentals) between a week ago and today...The stock has been ahead of itself for a long time."
Pan Yulian and her students. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Walking around her neighborhood, Pan Yulian, 75, is always recognized. Vendors, tailors, bakers... Everyone greets her and calls her "Pan Lao Shi," or Teacher Pan, although she is not a professional school teacher.

For 25 years, Granny Pan, as she is affectionately known, has run a free after-school class in her home for children in Shule County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. More than 2,000 students have passed through her small mud brick house, hidden in a narrow lane.

Pan teaches in her house. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Xinjiang is home to 47 ethnic groups. Although educational facilities in the region have been developing quickly with increasing government funding, schools are still short of teachers who can fluently speak both Mandarin, China's official tongue, and one of the local ethnic minority languages.

In 2015, regional education authorities said Xinjiang had a shortage of more than 30,000 teachers proficient in both Mandarin and one local language.

In Pan's community, more than 4,600 km away from the capital Beijing, around two thirds of the families speak Uygur.

Pan grew up bilingual, with a Han father and Uygur mother. She has also taught herself English.

Pan prepares lessons in her room. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

In 1992, when she returned to Shule County after working in Tibet Autonomous Region, she saw local children fooling around in the streets after school.

"Most of the kids are from low-income families. Their parents are busy working. Many of the parents don't speak Mandarin. They don't have the time or ability to help their children study. I wanted to help," she said.

At first, she taught Mandarin to two of her neighbors' children. Then more parents started to send their children to her.

Pan turned the two-room mud brick house she inherited from her parents into a classroom to accommodate the increasing numbers of students. The bigger room, its walls plastered with children's paintings and certificates of merit, is where she teaches. The smaller room, about 10 square meters, is where she lives.

Every afternoon when they get out of school, the children rush to Granny Pan's house. She helps them study Mandarin, Math, English, and other subjects based on their textbooks.

Pan keeps a poker face during class. With only a high school education, she has never received any teacher training, but she has developed her own techniques over the years. She instructs the children to read and write Chinese and English words over and over until they have total mastery.

Pan helps with students' homework one by one. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Roxingul, whose nine-year-old son attends Pan's classes, said the elderly teacher has been a great help to her family. Roxingul's husband is a taxi driver and works from morning till night. Roxingul stays at home looking after their four children, the youngest just an infant.

"Granny Pan teaches Mandarin and English really well. I hope my son can study hard to become a good and capable person in the future," said Roxingul.

Students do exercises on the blackboard. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Pan's classes are free of charge. She refuses to accept any money from her students' families, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet.

"Whoever comes into my classroom is welcomed," she said.

Pan lives on a monthly government pension of 300 yuan. To make her money stretch further, she eats simple food, mainly naan, an oven-baked flat bread and doesn't buy new clothes.

As frugally as she lives, Pan treats the children generously. She repairs their torn books and buys them stationery. She treats them to dried apricots and tea while they study.

She walks around her neighborhood every morning carrying a big bag, and picks up plastic bottles littered on the streets. Every 220 bottles she collects can be exchanged for the equivalent of 1 U.S. dollar to buy stationary for her students.

Pan collects waste plastic bottles on the street. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Pan said teaching the children has given her life new meaning. "Were it not for the children, I don't know what I would do to pass time," she said.

Hebibulla Hoshur, 23, is one of the dozens of Pan's former students who have gone on to attend college. He is studying clinical medicine at University of South China in Hunan Province, about 3,500 kilometers from home.

"Granny Pan had a huge impact on my life. She taught me not only knowledge but also perseverance, kindness, and sincerity. It's thanks to her teaching and help, that I have gone this far," Hoshur said.

Hoshur returns to Shule during university vacations and helps Pan with her classes. He said he enjoys sharing stories about his college life with Pan and the children.

In a wooden box, Pan keeps a flower, dried but well preserved. It was a gift from her students on Mother's Day seven years ago.

"It is the most precious gift I have ever received," she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 16:55:04|Editor: Mengjie

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RIYADH, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A policeman and 2 civilians were injured in multiple shootings in Saudi Arabia's disturbed Eastern Province, Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

Three shootings happened on Sunday in the region of Qatif. The two civilians were wounded near their homes in Al-Awamiyah, while the policeman was attacked when driving his private car near a farm.

The injured are in stable condition after receiving medical treatment at local hospitals, a police source was quoted as saying.

Shootings and attacks are common in Qatif by Shiite youth who demand more rights for their minority community in the Sunni-dominated country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 17:00:07|Editor: Mengjie

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KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia, the world's second largest palm oil producer, saw its palm oil stocks in June fall 1.93 percent month-on-month to 1.53 million tonnes, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) statistics showed on Monday.

According to the industry regulator, the fall is in line with the 8.48 percent month-on-month decline of output in June, to 1.51 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, the export decreased by 8.39 percent to 1.38 million tonnes when compared with 1.51 million tonnes in May.

Ta Research analyst Angeline Chin told Xinhua that the monthly production fall of palm oil is more than market expectations, which may due to the shorter working days in June.

She is expecting the total production this year to be 19.5 million tonnes, but as June production dropped more than expected, she is cautious on the production trend going forward.

On palm oil prices, she expected it to trend down to between 2,400 to 2,600 ringgit (558 U.S dollars to 605 U.S. dollars) per tonne in the second half, as soy production is expected to go up in the third quarter.

The palm oil statistics, however, is within Kenanga Research's analyst Voon Yee Ping's expectation.

Voon, who sees the production fall a temporarily trend, maintains her forecasts on palm oil production of 19.95 million tonnes and crude palm oil prices of 2,550 ringgit per tonne this year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 17:20:18|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated Mosul Sunday, hailing the high spirit of both Iraqi forces and the Mosul people for their significant victory in driving out terrorists of the Islamic State (IS).

Mosul, the capital city of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh and the second largest Iraqi city, located some 400 km north of Iraq's capital city of Baghdad, came under IS control after June 2014.

It was in Mosul that IS leader Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the establishment of the IS, a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Mosul's population and urban size far exceeded that of al-Raqqah, the de facto capital of the IS group.

Mosul is well equipped both in agriculture and industry. Its high oil production and tax revenue once provided the IS group with enormous source of income.

Located near the Syria-Turkey border, Mosul enjoys an exceptional geographical advantage. Connected with the IS-controlled section in northern Syria, its expansive western deserts offered the extremists a wide range of space to operate throughout the two countries.

Mosul also has a symbolic value, as it was the place where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the cross-border "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria in his sole public appearance in July 2014.

After two years of anti-terror war, large stretches of Saladdin and Anbar provinces were successively recaptured by Iraqi forces. After the fight to retake Anbar's heartland Fallujah from the IS, Iraqi forces spearheaded the next attack on Mosul -- the IS group's last base in Iraq.

After months of preparation, Al-Abadi, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi armed forces, announced on Oct. 17 a wide-scale military offensive to recapture Mosul and the surrounding areas.

Backed by airstrikes of the international coalition, the Iraqi military, Kurdish groups, as well as paramilitary forces such as Shiite and Sunni militia, all took part in the multi-directional offensive against Mosul's eastern suburban areas, which made rapid progress.

The city's eastern half was declared liberated on Jan. 24, and after nearly a month of rest and reorganization, the armed forces on Feb. 19 announced a new operation to drive IS militants out of the western part of Mosul.

Then after four months of fierce battles, in early May, Al-Abadi said Iraqi forces had entered the last stages of defeating IS militants in western Mosul, as the reinforcement had opened western and northern fronts in the city and had recaptured numbers of blocks.

Iraqi forces launched their final push from multiple directions on June 18 to drive out IS militants from the old city of Mosul, leading off an attack on their last base area.

On June 21, the IS bombed its landmark al-Nuri mosque as Iraqi forces were pushing closer. "Blowing up the al-Nuri mosque and the al-Hadba minaret is an official declaration of defeat by the Islamic State," Al-Abadi said in a statement issued by his office.

On June 29, the capture of the historic al-Nuri mosque in the old city of Mosul actually marked the end of the IS in Iraq.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 17:50:37|Editor: Mengjie

Afghan security force members embrace each other after a military operation in Chimtal district of northern Balkh province, Afghanistan, July 9, 2017. At least 69 armed militants were killed and 39 others injured amid operations launched by Afghan security forces within the last 24 hours, said the Defense Ministry on Monday.(Xinhua/Yaqoub Azorda)



KABUL, July 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 69 armed militants were killed and 39 others injured amid operations launched by Afghan security forces within the last 24 hours, said the Defense Ministry on Monday.

"Afghan National Defense and Security Forces launched offensives in different provinces, killing 69 armed insurgents, including nine Islamic State (IS) fighters, and injured 39 others," the ministry said in a statement.

Four militants were captured during the raids, which were launched in Nangarhar, Kapisa, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Logar, Kandahar, Zabul, Farah, Badghis, Kunduz, Faryab, Balkh, Takhar and Helmand provinces, the statement added.

The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants recently as war-weary Afghans have been witnessing a surge in attacks by Taliban fighters and Islamic State (IS) affiliates across the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:00:42|Editor: Mengjie

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NAIROBI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga was discharged from hospital in the coastal city of Mombasa on Sunday night, his adviser confirmed on Monday.

Salim Lone said the former prime minister who leads the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition would be subjected to more medical tests in Nairobi after spending a few hours undergoing treatment in Mombasa.

"Odinga is doing very well this morning," Lone said. The opposition leader was rushed to the hospital after addressing several political rallies in the coastal region.

Speaking to journalists and hundred of supporters after he was discharged in Mombasa, Odinga who is seeking to stop President Uhuru Kenyatta from securing a second term in office at August elections, said he had been cleared on a clean bill of health.

"All my other indicators are very good. I have been discharged to go back to Nairobi and to campaign. I am as fit as a fiddle," he said, noting that he would resume his political rallies.

Odinga is expected to attend a meeting alongside other presidential candidates and the election commission IEBC after the High Court cancelled the presidential ballot papers printing tender

Odinga's spokesman Dennis Onyango had first suspected a food poisoning case.

But Odinga's adviser quickly dispatched a statement to newsrooms with re-assurances that the NASA leader was in a stable condition and had only sought medical attention as a precaution.

"The doctor feels that there is absolutely no cause for alarm. There is absolutely no reason for anyone to worry about Odinga's health," Lone said on Sunday night.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:05:50|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China has strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Egypt's North Sinai province, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday.

Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked an army check point in North Sinai's Rafah city last Friday, killing 23 soldiers and wounded 33 others.

The attack was one of the bloodiest assaults on Egyptian security forces in years. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a counter-attack immediately afterwards, the Egyptian military killed 40 militants suspected of involvement.

China opposes terrorism in any form, Geng said, pointing out that China will firmly support Egypt's efforts to fight terrorism and maintain national security and stability.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:10:52|Editor: Mengjie

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KABUL, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Eleven Taliban militants were killed and five others wounded after Afghan Special Police Forces struck their hideout in eastern Logar province on Sunday, the country's Interior Ministry said Monday.

"General Command of Police Special Units launched a security operation in Mohammad Agha district, Logar province on Sunday, killing 11 Taliban insurgents and injuring five other militants," it said in a statement.

The special police force also found and destroyed 10 motorcycles, eight drums full of explosives and two rockets during the raid in the province, 60 km south of Kabul.

"Four police officers were also wounded but no civilian was harmed during the fighting." the statement noted.

Taliban militants have yet to make comments.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:10:54|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday congratulated Iraq on the liberation of Mosul, saying it was a significant victory in the country's war against terrorism.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks at a daily press briefing.

According to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister's office, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul on Sunday and congratulated the armed forces for their victory and liberation of Mosul.

China will, as always, support the Iraqi government in safeguarding the country's stability and pushing forward economic reconstruction, said Geng.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:21:09|Editor: Song Lifang

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- All-girl Afghan robotics team will not attend an international robotics competition in the United States this month because their visa applications were denied not once, but twice.

The robotics competition, taking place on July 16-18 in Washington D.C., is an "Olympic"-style competition in which one team from every nation is invited to participate.

The Afghan team applied to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul for a second time after their applications were denied at first on July 4. However, this time they were barred again.

"When we heard that we were rejected we lost hope," said 14-year-old Sumaya Farooqi.

Afghanistan is not one of the six Muslim-majority countries from which travel is temporarily banned according to President Donald Trump's order. Syria, Iran and Sudan are on that list, but teams from these three countries were granted visas to attend the competition. In addition, members of the team from Gambia were allowed to enter the United States after initially being barred.

Team Afghanistan's robot has been granted entry into the U.S. for competition while its creators will have to watch the competition via a live Skype video link.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:26:14|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday congratulated Khaltmaa Battulga on his election as Mongolia's new president, but expressed concern over "irresponsible" remarks of some Mongolian politician during the election.

Battulga won Mongolia's presidential run-off election on Friday, and was inaugurated on Monday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said during the presidential election, some Mongolian politicians made irresponsible remarks on China-Mongolia relations and bilateral cooperation, which did not accord with facts.

"China is very concerned about that," he told a routine press briefing.

China will continue to adopt the diplomacy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness towards its neighbors, Geng said.

"We expect and believe the Mongolian side will make constructive efforts as well," he said.

Battulga, a former martial arts star and businessman, defeated his opponent, parliament speaker Mieygombo Enkhbold of the Mongolian People's Party. Battulga comes from Mongolia's opposition Democratic Party.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:36:20|Editor: Song Lifang

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Eight people have been killed and two remain missing after heavy rain hit nine Chinese provinces since July 7, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Monday.

From late Friday till Monday 9 a.m., storms have forced the evacuation of over 11,000 residents in Chongqing Municipality and provinces of Jiangxi, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, the ministry said.

Some 1,100 houses have collapsed and 11,000 have been damaged due to the heavy rain. Direct economic losses are estimated at 820 million yuan (121 million U.S. dollars).

The ministry has urged local governments to take care of residents affected by the rainfall by providing food, clean water, temporary residences, and medical care.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:36:25|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese have been inspired by recent landmark achievements in science and technology that have increased convenience in everyday life and boosted the national economy.

Lian Yawen, 22, is excited about a new high speed railway linking the city of Baoji in northwest China's Shaanxi Province with Lanzhou, capital of neighboring Gansu Province, which began operating Sunday.

As a Lanzhou native, Lian travels to Beijing for college, and the new high-speed train has reduced her journey from 20 hours to just nine.

"The new high-speed railway really makes a difference to my life," said Lian.

The 401-kilometer Baoji-Lanzhou high-speed railway has operating speed of 250 km per hour.

Construction began in 2012 on the route that opens up northwest China's Gansu and Qinghai provinces as well as Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which are now connected to the national high-speed rail network.

The new railway line is also part of China's efforts to boost connectivity along the Belt and Road, where transportation demand is surging as regional ties and cooperation continue to strengthen.

Over the weekend, Chinese also expressed expectation online for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which will open at the end of the year. The bridge will slash travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to just 30 minutes, further integrating cities in the Pearl River Delta.

The main structure of the bridge was completed on July 7, and electric vehicle charging stations will be built on an artificial island off the bridge, according to local authorities.

In an effort to connect Beijing and Xiongan New Area, which was established in April, high-speed trains started running between Beijing and the city of Baoding, near the proposed area, on July 6. A one-way 190-km trip takes 80 minutes.

"In the past when I returned home to Baoding from Beijing, I had to transfer in Tianjin," said Wei Xian, a passenger who travels between the two cities weekly. "Now with direct trains, it will be much easier."

Located some 100 km southwest of downtown Beijing, Xiongan will cover Hebei's Xiongxian, Rongcheng, and Anxin counties.

China Global Television Network (CGTN) Monday triggered discussion online with reports of Beijing-based biotech company Sinogene's announcement that they had created a genetically-engineered cloned dog.

On CGTN's account on WeChat, the country's leading social network, one commenter wrote "This is naturally seen as progress in biological science, but we must be cautious as we still know very little about what we are playing with."

China has always prided itself on innovation and the best is yet to come.

The completion of a 60-day trial in mining gas hydrates, commonly known as combustible ice, in the South China Sea, marked breakthroughs in the search for alternative clean energy sources.

"Combustible ice is considered a strategic alternative to oil and natural gas," China Geological Survey Bureau's deputy director Li Jinfa said. "Not just China, but the whole world is looking towards it."

The ARJ21, China's first domestic regional jet, began commercial operations in June 2016 and has just won approval to be mass produced.

A project to create 50,000 tonnes of high purity silicon and its supporting new energy began in southwest China's Sichuan Province recently. It is expected to relieve China's heavy dependance on imported polycrystalline silicon, which is used primarily in producing products for the photovoltaic industry including silicon chips and battery pieces and packs.

China has set innovation as the core of it's 13th five-year plan (2016-2020), with the aims to become an "innovation nation" by 2020, an international leader in innovation by 2030, and a world powerhouse in scientific and technological innovation by 2050.

Such efforts will help the country improve the convenience of transport, raise the standard of living, resolve a shortage in energy resources, and boost economic development.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:51:33|Editor: Song Lifang

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ADDIS ABABA, June 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 95 Ethiopian rebels surrendered to Ethiopian authorities over the weekend, Ethiopia's state owned broadcaster Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported on Monday.

The 95 rebels are members of an ethnic rebel group Benishangul Gumuz Liberation Movement (BGLM) operating in Ethiopia's border regions adjoining Eritrea and Sudan.

Ethiopia alleges BGLM and other rebel groups are supported by arch rival Eritrea.

Eritrea in turn accuses Ethiopia of supporting Eritrean rebel groups and running an international campaign to isolate the Red Sea nation.

Eritrea had been a province of Ethiopia from 1952 to 1993, until a bitter 30-year armed struggle and a referendum in 1993 gave the Red Sea nation independence from Ethiopia.

The two nations fought a border war between 1998 and 2000 that left an estimated 70,000 people dead from both sides.

Since then the common border between Eritrea and Ethiopia has had an uneasy calm punctuated by sporadic armed flare ups.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:51:36|Editor: An

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China welcomed the Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-in's peace initiative on the Korean Peninsula, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

It is reported that Moon put forward the "Korean Peninsula Peace Initiative" last Thursday in Germany, and explained his government's desire to establish permanent peace on the peninsula, saying he will make the peninsula free from threats of nuclear weapons and war through acknowledgement and respect.

China has consistently supported dialogue to improve ties between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the ROK, spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

China hopes the DPRK and the ROK will demonstrate good faith, commit themselves to reconciliation and cooperation, play a positive role in alleviating tensions and maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, Geng said.

"We also hopes the international community will understand and support the constructive efforts made by the ROK," Geng said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 18:56:39|Editor: Song Lifang

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PARIS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- France planned to close up to 17 nuclear reactors by 2025 as part of its energy transition, to trim nuclear power to 50 percent of the country's electricity generation, ecology minister Nicolas Hulot said on Monday.

"From the moment it has been confirmed to reduce nuclear energy of electricity production to 50 percent, everyone can understand that in order to achieve this objective, we will close some reactors, and not only one reactor," Hulot told RTL radio.

"It could be up to 17 reactors; we'll have to see," he added.

France operates 58 reactors and has been a leading international proponent of nuclear energy.

However, closing nuclear plants has been a controversial issue in the country as France is the most nuclear-energy relying country in the world, with more than three quarters of its power coming from nuclear.

Last Thursday, Hulot raised the curtain on the government's "Climate Plan" in order "to make France leader of green economy". With it, the environmentalist activist aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Furthermore, he pledged "the end of the sale of petrol or diesel vehicles between now and 2040". The French government, instead, will offer financial incentives to scrap their polluting vehicles including diesel car dating before 1997 or petrol from before 2001, for clean units, the minister added.

In 2015, France held the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in which 195 member economies agreed an accord to cut greenhouse gas emissions in a way to keep the rise in the average temperature no higher than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 19:01:42|Editor: Song Lifang

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Qatari government, in efforts to deal with the diplomatic row triggered by severance of relations by four Arab states, announced Sunday that it is taking steps to set up a committee to pursue compensation for damages therefrom.

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson arrived in the Middle East over the weekend to mediate the disputes. He said on Saturday that the diplomatic rift cannot be healed in short time.

PURSUING COMPENSATION

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain last month cut off diplomatic relations, severed air, land and sea links with Qatar and ordered Qatari citizens to leave their countries within two weeks, accusing it of backing terrorism and extremism. Qatar has denied the allegations.

Qatari Public Prosecutor Ali Al-Marri told reporters Sunday in Doha, Qatar's capital, that the committee to be established will deal with claims made by private companies, public institutions and individuals.

The body would use both domestic and international mechanisms to pursue compensation, and will hire overseas law firms to handle its claims, he added.

"Some businessmen and banks have sustained damages due to the blockade. Those who caused these damages must pay compensation for them," he said.

According to Doha's National Human Rights Committee, the sanctions imposed as a result of the blockade have violated the rights of about 140 Qatari pupils currently studying in the UAE, Saudi and Bahrain.

The Qatari justice minister and foreign minister will be members of the committee.

CONTINUING DISPUTES

The Arab quartet, led by Saudi Arabia, said in a joint statement Friday that "the Qatari government has thwarted all efforts including diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis," Emirates state news agency WAM reported.

Doha denies accusations of links to extremist groups.

There have been speculation that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain would try to expel Qatar from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, or even jeopardize Qatar's membership in the Arab League.

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson arrived in the Middle East on Friday to meet representatives from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait in order to heal a rift between Qatar and other Arab states.

"My impression is progress can be made and there is a way forward," Johnson said Saturday in a televised interview released to media after meeting senior government officials in Kuwait.

"But I'm not going to pretend to you now that it is necessarily overnight or this is going to be done in the next couple of days," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is scheduled to arrive in regional mediator Kuwait Monday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 19:01:44|Editor: Song Lifang

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (R) attends a meeting with Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations and head of the government delegation Bashar Jaafari (not pictured) during the intra-Syrian negotiations at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, July 10, 2017. A new round of intra-Syrian talks aiming at ending the war in the country started here on Monday as planned. (Xinhua/POOL/Salvatore Di Nolfi)

GENEVA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A new round of intra-Syrian talks aiming at ending the seven years of war in the country started here on Monday.

The UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Monday met with the Syrian government delegation headed by Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari for bilateral talks.

De Mistura is expected to meet Syrian opposition representatives later in the day.

A UN source said this new peace effort, the seventh of its kind, is scheduled to go on until July 14.

"In addition to the formal sessions of the intra-Syrian talks, expert meetings of the consultative process on constitutional and legal issues established during the last round will continue," the UN said in a statement.

Further rounds of talks have been scheduled in August and September.

Monday talks came after a cease-fire in southern Syria brokered last Friday by the United States and Russia, which provides a relatively better atmosphere for negotiations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 19:11:55|Editor: An

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GUIYANG, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged efforts to unswervingly advance reform of the country's judicial system and follow the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in a written instruction conveyed to a national conference on judicial system reform, which was held Monday in the city of Guiyang in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

Noting that judicial system reform is important to the cause of comprehensively deepening reform, effectively implementing the rule of law, and to the country's governance system, Xi called on judicial and law enforcement authorities to follow the requirements of the CPC Central Committee in advancing the reform.

In the instruction, Xi praised the efforts of authorities in cracking difficult issues and making achievements in the reform, noting that the progress has promoted public trust in the judiciary and safeguarded social fairness and justice.

Xi also stressed that rules in the judicial sector should be respected and modern technology should be introduced in judicial reform.

He called for further efforts to advance the trial-centered reform of criminal procedures as well as reforms in the fields of public security, state security, and judicial administration.

Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, conveyed Xi's instruction and made a speech at the conference.

Participants agreed to make use of the big data and AI technology in advancing the reform.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 19:11:57|Editor: Song Lifang

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RABAT, July 9 (Xinhua) -- A criminal court in the Moroccan city of Casablanca will start later on Monday the trial of Nasser Zefzafi, leader of the protest that swept across the northeastern area.

Zefzafi has been in custody since May after he interrupted an imam's Friday sermon in a mosque in the northeastern city of Al-Hoceima, calling for more demonstrations, local media reported.

According to the Moroccan daily L'Economiste, Zefzafi faces a series of charges including obstruction of worship and undermining national security.

The trial was delayed in June at the request of Zefzafi's lawyers.

Moroccan government said on Thursday that 176 people have been detained over protests shaking the northeastern region since last October.

In mid June, a court in the city of Al Hoceima sentenced 25 demonstrators to 18 months in jail.

Protesters and rights groups call for the immediate release of the arrested, while the government insists on the judicial independence.

The situation in Al Hoceima has been tense since October 2016, when fish vendor Mouhcine Fikri was crushed to death after climbing into a rubbish lorry to retrieve his swordfish confiscated by police.

The demand for justice for Fikri in the northeastern region has evolved into a major grassroots movement to request greater government investment to create more jobs.

Morocco has not witnessed any protests of this size since the pro-democracy demonstrations during the Arab spring in 2011.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 19:32:10|Editor: Song Lifang

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SOFIA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian President Rumen Radev here on Monday called the European Union (EU) members to cooperate in the research, development and acquisition of military equipment.

"The lack of cooperation between EU member states in the area of security and defense causes losses estimated at 25 billion to 100 billion euros per year," said Radev while addressing a defense industry conference.

The EU shows a "fragmented approach" to the development and acquisition of basic combat systems, Radev said.

As a result, the basic combat systems in the EU numbered 178 types, while in the United States they were only 30, said Radev, who until last August was commander of the Bulgarian Air Force.

There were 17 main types of battle tanks in the EU, and only one type in the United States, he added.

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev, who also attended the event, echoed that it was a historical irony that the EU had very strong common policies in fields such as agriculture and environmental protection, and allocated a lot of funds there, but did not have similar actions and policies in defense and security.

Despite the specifics of the military industry, the EU needed a pan-European logic in the organization of defense capabilities and supply management, Donchev said.

"This would allow us to have better weapons at an undoubtedly more competitive price," Donchev said. (1 euro = 1.14 U.S. dollars)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 20:02:22|Editor: Mengjie

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WELLINGTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand has made a further 1.4 million-NZ dollar (1.02 million-U.S. dollar) contribution to the United Nations Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilization, said Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee on Monday.

"In the short to medium term, the Fund will continue to play a key role in stabilization efforts, filling the gap between liberation and long-term rebuilding efforts (in Iraq)," said Brownlee in a statement, adding that New Zealand made a similar contribution to the Fund last year.

New Zealand has congratulated the Iraqi government on the successful liberation of Mosul from ISIS after a long and hard-fought campaign.

Restoration of essential services and the rebuilding of physical infrastructure will now be a focus of the Iraqi government, he said.

"New Zealand remains committed to coalition efforts. Now is the time to demonstrate to ISIS, through our ongoing commitment, that Iraq and the global coalition are dedicated to defeating the terrorist threat," Brownlee said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 20:02:23|Editor: Mengjie

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JAKARTA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia and Japan will carry out joint research on earthquake to improve capability of producing accurate earthquake prediction, an Indonesian official said here on Monday.

The cooperation will create an early warning system that would eventually minimize impacts of earthquakes in both countries, Head of Indonesia's Meteorology, Climate and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Andi Eka Sakya said.

"We will send our staffs there. They have the super computer technology (to predict earthquake)," he said.

The joint research will be carried out by BMKG and Japan's Earthquake Prediction Research Center (EPRC), and BMKG's research was based on precursor mechanism with several censors have been set in locations in the country prone from earthquakes, Andi said.

Indonesia requires high speed analytical technology in doing so, he said, adding that Japan has offered its super computer technology to Indonesia including the training program for Indonesian resources.

Through the joint research with Japan, we expect the precursor mechanism would be able to provide information on earthquake symptoms 4 to 25 days beforehand, he said.

"If it can be integrated with early warning system, people can have ample time to safety," he said.

Indonesia, which sits in world's ring of fire vault lines, has seen frequent earthquakes in various scales which sometimes incited tsunamis that claimed huge number of casualties in its western region.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 20:22:27|Editor: Mengjie

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BUJUMBURA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Burundian police on Monday said unidentified people Sunday evening blasted a grenade in Kayanza Province, northern Burundi, killing eight people and injuring over 50 others.

Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said on Twitter that the "terrorist attack" happened around 6:30 p.m.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 20:22:29|Editor: Mengjie

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ROME, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Wildfires kept spreading in Italy on Monday, and especially in the southern Sicily region, following dozens of emergency requests to firefighters on Sunday, authorities and local media reported.

Extremely dry conditions, due to a heat wave and a long lack of rainfall in many areas, were contributing to the outbreak of the fires.

Up to mid-Monday, thirteen requests of intervention from five different regions were sent to the national Civil Protection Dept. overseeing the units of inter-force emergency air support, a spokesperson for the agency told Xinhua.

They added to hundreds of firefighters deployed by the various regional governments in the critical areas. Sicily was currently thought to be in the worst situation in terms of number of blazes, with wildfires spreading in five different provinces -- Catania, Palermo, Messina, Agrigento, and Trapani, according to the press officer.

The other requests of help on Monday were sent by the Calabria and Campania regions in the south, and by Tuscany and Umbria in central Italy.

On Sunday, the Civil Protection Dept. had received 26 calls of intervention, and sent 16 Canadair water-dropping planes and 4 helicopters across the country, the agency also said in a statement.

Raging since Sunday, wildfires would have destroyed entire woodlands around Messina in eastern Sicily, La Repubblica daily reported citing a local official. However, the city authorities assessed the situation in residential areas near the fires was under control by firefighters, and did not issue any evacuation order.

"We have no reason so far to think residents are in danger," the newspaper quoted Messina councillor for Civil Protection Sebastiano Pino as saying.

A critical blaze in the mountainous area around Siena, Tuscany, was put out on Monday morning, the civil protection also told Xinhua.

The wildfire had raged there since Sunday afternoon, destroying at least 15 hectares of woodlands, and threatening some small farms and the local power plant.

Some families had to be evacuated from the areas during the emergency.
BUJUMBURA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Burundian police on Monday said unidentified people Sunday evening blasted a grenade in Kayanza Province, northern Burundi, killing eight people and injuring over 50 others.

Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said on Twitter that the "terrorist attack" happened around 6:30 p.m.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 20:47:46|Editor: Mengjie

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BERLIN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Mayor of Hamburg Olaf Scholz has rejected calls for his resignation after the German city was rocked by a series of violent protests surrounding the G20 summit over the weekend.

Speaking on a German television show Sunday night, Scholz told viewers that he had no intention of stepping down.

On Monday, Hamburg residents were still clearing the debris of the most violent demonstrations which Germany has experienced in decades.

Hundreds were injured in a series of escalating clashes between protestors and police which lasted from Thursday until Sunday. Masked demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails, set dozens of cars ablaze and ransacked local shops.

Residents, many of whom were already skeptical of the city's original intentions to host the event, reacted with fury at the inability of more than 20,000 deployed police officers to prevent protests from spinning out of control.

At a G20 demonstration with the title "welcome to hell" on Thursday night, violent protestors had been left free to roam and loot in Hamburg's Schanze district for three hours until police finally intervened.

Appearing on the television show "Anne Will" Sunday night, Jan Reinicke, chairman of the Hamburg police union, conceded that ensuring the safety of international dignitaries at the summit had taken priority over the protection of local residents.

Reinecke blamed politicians, including Scholz, for the many injured police officers and widespread destruction across the city. Police staff "feared for their lives", he added.

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in Hamburg, which acts as the municipal opposition, demanded that Scholz resign as a consequence of his failure to assess the security situation correctly.

Reacting to such criticism, Scholz admitted that he too was "frightened" and "depressed" by the excessive violence and looting witnessed over the course of the G20 summit. He admitted that authorities had failed to ensure everyone's safety as expected by residents.

The mayor defended the police's role in the protests as "heroic" and called for those who had engaged in looting and street fights to be punished severely.

The demonstrations marked a "brutalization" of society which was "unacceptable", Scholz went on. He demanded explanations from the left-wing extremist scene in Hamburg which had "invited" violent protestors to the city.

Scholz received cross-bench support from the Chief of Staff of the German Chancellery Peter Altmeier. Speaking to NDR on Monday, Altmeier said that he "could not see a reason why he should step down".

While German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the G20 had achieved "good results" in "some areas", she joined in the criticism of escalating violence at demonstrations which was "intolerable".

Merkel promised that her government would assist those residents affected and promised to discuss the provision of financial compensation with Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 20:57:49|Editor: An

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PHNOM PENH, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The second batch of 10 Cambodian university students will undergo a two-week training course in information and communication technology (ICT) sector in China under the Chinese telecom giant Huawei-sponsored Seeds for the Future program.

The group will fly to China for the course from July 29 to August 12.

Speaking at an award ceremony for them, Tan Qingsheng, charge d'affairs of the Chinese Embassy to Cambodia, said the program had actively contributed to the development of human resources in the ICT area in Cambodia.

"I believe that the Seeds for the Future program will not only build capacity for the participants, but also contribute to deepening the relationship between China and Cambodia," he said.

Cambodian lawmaker Hun Many, president of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia, commended Huawei for sponsoring Cambodian youths for the course in China.

"The program is very useful for Cambodian university students to get new knowledge in ICT sector. Moreover, it gives an opportunity for them to explore the richness of Chinese culture and tradition," he said.

He encouraged the participants to pay attention to their study so as to bring their knowledge to help develop the ICT area in Cambodia.

Leam Malin, one of the participants in the upcoming training course, said the program gave an opportunity to Cambodian youths to learn the Huawei's latest technology development.

"This will also be a good chance for Cambodian and Chinese youths to share knowledge and experience in the ICT area," she said.

Huawei signed a cooperation agreement with the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia in November 2016 to carry out the program in Cambodia. Under the agreement, Huawei is responsible for organizing training in ICT area and experience sharing visits for Cambodian youths in China.

The first batch of 11 Cambodian university students got a two-week training course in China in late 2016.

Initiated by Huawei in 2008, the Seeds for the Future program aims at developing local ICT talent, enhancing knowledge transfer, and promoting a greater understanding of the telecommunications sector, said Li Xiongwei, chief executive officer of Huawei Technologies (Cambodia).

He said, by 2016, the program had been implemented in 96 countries, giving opportunities to over 30,000 students from 280 universities to make study trips to the Huawei's headquarters in China.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 20:57:50|Editor: Mengjie

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TEHRAN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry said Monday that Iraq's integrity and sovereignty is the principled policy of the Islamic republic and will never be negotiated.

"Our position over (Kurds' independence referendum in Iraq) is principled and unchangeable. We emphasize integrity and sovereignty of Iraq and this is non-negotiable," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, said in his weekly press briefing.

"We are in contact with the Iraqi government, ethnic groups, nomads and tribes, and we have good relations with the Kurds, which will be maintained," Qasemi said.

However, any attempt to endanger the integrity of Iraq might turn into chaos, he said, stressing that Iran disapproves of these kinds of attempts.

Qasemi was talking with reference to a plan of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region to hold an independence referendum in September.

Iran already said that autonomous Kurdish region plan was inconsistent with the Iraqi constitution.

"The Kurdistan Region is part of the Republic of Iraq," and such unilateral decisions would only aggravate the situation in the Arab country, Qasemi said in June.

On June 7, Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region announced that it had planned to hold a referendum on independence on Sept. 25 to decide whether to secede from Iraq.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 21:02:53|Editor: Mengjie

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DAMASCUS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army and allied fighters started on Monday the second stage of the "Great Dawn" offensive against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syrian desert, a military source told Xinhua.

The second wave of the attack has started in the eastern countryside of the capital Damascus and the countryside of the central province of Homs, where the army captured several areas on Monday, the source said, on condition of anonymity.

The Syrian troops captured the Sees mountain, south of the Seen airbase, as well as Makhoul oil field, in eastern Damascus among other areas in that part of the country.

In the eastern countryside of Homs, the army captured the Hel gas field and advanced toward oil fields in that area, following battles with IS.

The army forces also captured several hilltops and villages after battles with IS in the northeastern countryside of the southern province of Sweida.

Late last May, the army launched the "Great Dawn" offensive against IS, the biggest operation against IS in the Syrian desert.

The first wave of the attack enabled the Syrian army to capture large swathes of the eastern countryside of Homs, achieving the initial goal of reaching the Iraqi borders.

The second stage of the operation is to rid the eastern countryside of Damascus, also desert areas, from IS.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 21:02:55|Editor: An

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HANGZHOU, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A man suspected of involvement in a fatal stabbing has been brought back to east China's Zhejiang province, 10 years after he fled abroad, said local police on Monday.

The man, surnamed Xu, is suspected of being involved in a gang fight on February 17, 2007 in the Ouhai district of Wenzhou city, when a man was stabbed to death.

Xu slipped abroad and obtained a passport in Indonesia, where he failed in an attempt to set up a business. To avoid his creditors, he then fled to Cambodia and Vietnam.

On April 26, police in Cambodia found a man using fake ID, with a passport in the name of Ady Winata. With the cooperation of Zhejiang police, Cambodia confirmed that the man was Xu.

Both China and Indonesia asked for his repatriation. Xu signed a document, admitting that he was Chinese and would like to go back to China for his trial.

He was brought back to Wenzhou on June 24.

More than ten other suspects were arrested in connection with the fight in 2007, including one who has been executed.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 21:02:56|Editor: Mengjie

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TEHRAN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran welcomes recent U.S.-Russia ceasefire agreement in Syria "provided that it would be a comprehensive plan for the Arab state," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, said here on Monday.

"If the U.S.-Russia ceasefire agreement in Syria could be extended to whole Syria ..., for sure, it can be helpful," Qasemi told reporters in his weekly press conference.

To implement the agreement, the United States should stop targeting the Syria government forces, he said, adding that Washington is better not to overlook the facts on the ground in Syria.

For any agreement, taking notice of the sovereignty and integrity of Syria is of primary importance, he stressed.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States and Russia had reached ceasefire agreement to quell fighting in southwest Syria, covering the provinces of Sweida, Daraa, and Qunaitera. The agreement went into effect on Sunday.

Besides, a new round of intra-Syrian talks aiming at ending the seven years of war in the country started in the Swiss Geneva on Monday.
A man carries a big fish to the fish market in the Xamar Weyne district of Mogadishu, Somalia, March 23, 2017. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

MOGADISHU, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's poll body is holding a three-day international conference on electoral matters as the country prepares for one-person, one-vote elections.

The July 10-12 conference held in Nairobi is organized by the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) and the Organization of Arab Electoral Management Bodies (Arab EMBs) with support from the UN Integrated Electoral Support Group (IESG).

A statement from the UNDP Somalia said the delegates will discuss political parties' registration process, monitoring and follow-up mechanisms, and share experiences of African and Arab countries with similar processes.

"The conference aims to assist the Somali electoral commission to expedite the process of political party registration in preparation for one-person, one-vote elections in 2020/2021," UNEP said in a statement issued on Friday evening.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 21:13:02|Editor: Mengjie

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CANBERRA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- German retail giant Aldi on Monday announced it was investigating claims that 12,000 water taps sold in Australia have been contaminating water with lead 15 times the maximum allowable limit.

Local media reported that the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) undertook testing of the taps, and found they were emitting up to 15 times the allowable level of lead into the water.

In a statement, the Australian-based arm of the German retailer said that it was "liaising with the responsible authorities" with an "utmost urgency" to determine the extent of the problem.

"If at any stage test results confirm that chemical parameters do not meet regulatory requirements, Aldi will take appropriate action," Aldi Australia said on Monday.

"Aldi will always remove any product from sale if it is identified as a risk to our customers."

Later on Monday, Australia's consumer watchdog warned Australians against using the taps until a conclusion had been reached, calling for a recall of all of the taps sold across the nation.

"If there is a risk that consumer goods may cause injury the (watchdog) expects suppliers and manufacturers to put voluntary recalls in place to protect consumers," a spokesperson from the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) said.

"Consumers should avoid drinking water or using them for cooking until more is known about the health risks that may be posed."

Meanwhile Dr Ian Musgrave, pharmacology expert from the University of Adelaide, said the revelations were "extremely concerning," explaining that lead poisoning can cause kidney damage and negatively affect red blood cell production if untreated.

"While the levels involved are low and not likely to cause acute lead poisoning, lead is a cumulative toxin," Musgrave said in a statement.

"Continued consumption of low levels of lead can have adverse effects especially in young children and unborn babies. Effects include disruption of red blood cell, production, kidney damage, behavioral disturbances and other nervous system effects."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 21:23:07|Editor: Mengjie

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MANILA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Philippine authorities are planning to pitch tents in the war-torn Marawi City in the southern Philippines to temporality house the thousands of residents displaced by the 49-day conflict, a military spokesman said on Monday.

Brig. Gen, Restitution Padilla said the government will proceed with its initial plan to set up tents as temporary shelters for the 471,224 residents who were forced to flee to avoid the fighting between government troops and militants linked to the Islamic State (IS).

"This week we might have already broken the ground for the resettlement areas in Marawi for the setting up of the initial tent city, which will be converted to a temporary resettlement," Padilla told a news conference at the Malacanang presidential palace.

At the request of the local government as well as the evacuees, he said, the government will provide not jut tents but also "elevated habitation that could provide a more decent housing for the Muslim families."

As of Monday morning, he said "we were informed that based on the plans, there will be about 3,000 of these units that will be set up to act as the temporary shelter for our evacuees whose houses have been damaged during the conflict."

The ongoing battle, which broke out on May 23, to retake the city has damaged many houses and buildings and has so far killed 507, including 379 terrorists, 39 civilians and 89 soldiers and policemen.

Padilla said the government is ready to start the early stage of rehabilitation of the besieged city.

In fact, he said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is finalizing the preparation for the deployment of "well-experienced" engineers for its Engineering Units to help in the rehabilitation process particularly in the restoration of public infrastructures such as school building, mosques, multi-purpose centers, farm-to-market roads and health centers, among others.
File photo taken on April 25, 2016 shows a cooling tower and two reactors (L) of the nuclear power plant of Civaux, seen behind a colza field, in Civaux, central France. (AFP PHOTO/ GUILLAUME SOUVANT)

PARIS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- France planned to close up to 17 nuclear reactors by 2025 as part of its energy transition, to trim nuclear power to 50 percent of the country's electricity generation, ecology minister Nicolas Hulot said on Monday.

"From the moment it has been confirmed to reduce nuclear energy of electricity production to 50 percent, everyone can understand that in order to achieve this objective, we will close some reactors, and not only one reactor," Hulot told RTL radio.

"It could be up to 17 reactors; we'll have to see," he added.

France operates 58 reactors and has been a leading international proponent of nuclear energy.

However, closing nuclear plants has been a controversial issue in the country as France is the most nuclear-energy relying country in the world, with more than three quarters of its power coming from nuclear.

Last Thursday, Hulot raised the curtain on the government's "Climate Plan" in order "to make France leader of green economy". With it, the environmentalist activist aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Furthermore, he pledged "the end of the sale of petrol or diesel vehicles between now and 2040". The French government, instead, will offer financial incentives to scrap their polluting vehicles including diesel car dating before 1997 or petrol from before 2001, for clean units, the minister added.

In 2015, France held the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in which 195 member economies agreed an accord to cut greenhouse gas emissions in a way to keep the rise in the average temperature no higher than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 22:03:24|Editor: Mengjie

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by Ronald Njoroge, Chrispinus Omar

NAIROBI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Monday launched a National Trade Policy that aims to boost the country's foreign exchange earnings, a senior official said Monday.

The new policy adds impetus to the robust trade policy reforms that the country has pursued under regional and multilateral trade arrangements.

"The new trade policy articulates provisions that are geared toward promoting efficiency in the growth of domestic trade through transformational measures that address the constraints impeding against the development of the wholesale, retail and informal sectors," said National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich.

Speaking during the opening of the Kenya Trade Week, Rotich said currently most of foreign exchange earnings are from foreign direct investments.

"The national trade policy will help to increase volume of exports so that we increase foreign exchange earnings," he said.

He said the policy will provide a coordinated approach on how the government addresses trade issues in order to improve the business climate for Kenyan manufacturers.

Rotich said that the policy will help reverse the recent trend where the pace of growth of imports is growing faster than the growth of exports.

"This is putting a lot of pressure on the Kenyan shilling as importers need foreign currency to buy imports," he said.

Industry and Trade Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohammed said this will contribute to strengthening of regional integration and will in turn anchor Kenya as a dependable and predictable trading partner.

Mohammed said trade policy was launched at a time when the global trade landscape is facing emerging challenges. Over 70 percent of global trade is made up of manufactured goods.

"Intra-Africa trade averages about 12 percent whilst Kenya's share of both the global pie as well as in Africa has been facing serious bottlenecks leading to a huge balance of trade deficit with most of our trading partner," said Mohammed.

The East African nation's trade imbalance has been increasing in the past decade largely driven by demand for manufactured goods that are imported.

Rotich said that trade imbalance is a serious issue that the government wants to address. He noted that the manufacturing sector presents the best hope for Kenya to increase its exports.

The government data indicates that the manufacturing sector contributes about 10 percent of Kenya's gross domestic product (GDP).

"We plans to double the figure to 20 percent in the next five years by implementing a number of measures," Rotich said.

Besides the policy, the Kenyan government also launched the Buy Kenya Build Kenya Strategy; Guidelines for Kenya's Trade and Investment Missions; the National Export Development and Promotion Strategy for Kenya 2017-2022; the National E-Trade portal; The National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC); and The State Department for Trade Website.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 22:08:27|Editor: Mengjie

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DAMASCUS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and 15 others wounded on Monday when an improvised rocket slammed an area in Aleppo city in northern Syria, an official source told Xinhua.

The rocket slammed the New Aleppo neighborhood in Aleppo city, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The rocket was fired by the rebels in the countryside of Aleppo, the source added.

This comes as the Syrian army captured large areas in the southern countryside of Aleppo, following battles with the Islamic State group.

Last December, the Syrian army and allied fighters fully wrested control over Aleppo city, after dislodging the rebels from the eastern part of Aleppo.

Since then, sporadic rockets slammed several neighborhoods in the city, leaving many people either killed or wounded.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 22:08:34|Editor: Mengjie

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PYONGYANG, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Monday slammed a Japanese diplomat for insulting sexual slaves forcibly recruited by the Japanese army during World War II.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that Takashi Shinozuka, the Japanese consul general to the southern U.S. city of Atlanta, "hurled mud at the victims of the sexual slavery for the Imperial Japanese Army."

In a media interview weeks ago, Takashi Shinozuka said there is no evidence proving that the Japanese army forced foreign women including those from Korea into sexual slavery, while terming the victims of the slavery "prostitutes," according to media reports.

"This is just a typical impudent act of the hooligans in Japan adding insult to injury of the victims of the sexual slavery, far from making an apology for the hideous crime against humanity," said the KCNA.

The news agency also said "a string of invective terming the history of 'comfort women' toilet history and the slavery a 'voluntary act for making money' is being loudly heard from the right-wing reactionaries of Japan" over the past several years.

"The above-said remarks let out by the Japanese consul general against this backdrop clearly shows once again the true colors of Japan as a morally depraved country, which can never change," it said.

"Comfort women" were women and girls forced into sex slavery by the Japanese army during World War II.

Experts estimated that some 400,000 women in Asia and from the Netherlands and Australia were forced to serve as "comfort women" during World War II, nearly half of whom were Chinese.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 22:13:37|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIRUT, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Air force jets targeted at dawn Monday positions of the al-Qaeda linked al-Nusra Front militant group in the northeastern border town of Arsal, the National News Agency reported.

The raids come one day after similar strikes carried out on Sunday where Syrian fighter jets bombed the al-Kassarat area.

Similar raids had targeted the area in recent days.

The development comes amid reports that Hezbollah is preparing to launch a military campaign aimed at ousting the Islamic State militants and the al-Fateh al-Sham Front jihadist group from the area.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 22:23:45|Editor: Mengjie

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CAIRO, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian security agencies killed six terrorists in a shootout in the southern province of Assiut, said the Interior Ministry on Monday, state news agency MENA reported.

The ministry said the extremists were preparing for terrorist acts in the Upper Egyptian governorates, in southern Egypt, according to its statement.

The security forces raided the hideout of the criminals, with a tip-off, and found weapons in their possession.

The ministry stressed that it will continue defending the homeland from the terrorists who seek destabilizing the country.

Egypt has been facing a rising wave of terrorist activities following the military removal of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Terror attacks had been centered in restive North Sinai before they prevailed nationwide, killing hundreds of policemen and soldiers over the past few years.

Security raids in Egypt killed hundreds of militants and arrested a similar number of suspects as part of the country's anti-terror war declared by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 22:49:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIRUT, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri warned Monday of attempts to "sow discord and tensions" between the army and the Syrian refugees in Lebanon while voicing "unconditional" support for the military institution.

"The army is keen on citizens and civilians more than any other side," said Hariri after talks with Defense Minister Yacoub Sarraf and Army Chief General Joseph Aoun, a statement by the PM media office said.

The statement pointed that Hariri was referring to controversy over the army's treatment of refugees and detainees in the wake of major security sweep at refugee encampments near the border town of Arsal.

"There is a transparent probe into the deaths of the four Syrian detainees and political support for the army is totally unconditional," the PM added.

He also cautioned that "there is a political group or side that wants to sow discord and tensions between the army and the refugees," while lauding the military for "fighting terror and preventing suicide attacks inside Lebanon."

"These attempts will not succeed," he reassured.

State Minister for Human Rights Ayman Choucair had on Thursday called on the army and the judiciary to probe the recent deaths of at least four Syrian detainees in army custody, so did a Syrian opposition group and international and local human rights organizations who have called for a quick investigation into the death of the four detainees.

The four were detained in a June 30 sweeping security raid in refugee settlements in and around Arsal that netted 355 Syrians. Troops were met with a string of suicide attacks and grenades that left seven of them wounded and a Syrian child dead.

The army's announcement that four detainees died due to "chronic health problems aggravated by weather conditions" sparked swift allegations that the four Syrian men were tortured to death, particularly after images emerged depicting dead bodies with bruises.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 23:09:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BUJUMBURA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Burundian police on Monday said unidentified people Sunday evening blasted a grenade in Kayanza Province, northern Burundi, killing eight people and injuring over 50 others.

"The grenade attack by an unidentified terrorist happened yesterday (Sunday) around 18:30 against a crowd of people in a bar. Four persons died on the spot and some 54 others were injured, many of them seriously. The four injured died this morning," Burundian Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said.

According to him, the injured people were evacuated to three hospitals close to where the explosion happened.

The grenade blast targeted Claude Nzambimana, the director of Kayanza's coffee washing stations of a state-owned company, he said, adding that Nzambimana was unharmed but his car was damaged.

The investigation is going on to identify the attacker.

This is one of the biggest attacks in recent months in the east African nation.

There were a series of attacks in Burundi in recent months, causing casualities. Perpetrators of those grenade attacks have not yet been identified or arrested.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 23:19:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ISTANBUL, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed on Monday that Iraq should stay united and refrain from having a referendum on independence by its Kurds.

"Every step that potentially introduces a new problem in Iraq would serve nothing other than causing instability," Erdogan said in remarks delivered at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul.

The Turkish leader said he welcomed news about the fight against the Islamic State in Mosul finally coming to an end.

"But Mosul has currently been left in ruins," he added. "I am wondering who is going to meet the cost of the reconstruction of the city."

Ankara has voiced its opposition to a vote on independence set by Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government for Sept. 25, out of concern that an actual separation could deepen regional chaos and conflict.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 23:24:33|Editor: MJ

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By Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Greek Foreign Ministry spokesperson Stratos Efthymiou responded on Monday to Turkey's criticism on Athens' stance on the Cyprus issue, following the latest inconclusive round of UN-mediated reunification talks in Switzerland.

In a written statement to Xinhua on Monday, Efthymiou clarified that Greece was not the one to begin exercising criticism against Turkey, but "it was actually the other way around".

"It was the Turkish Foreign Ministry that decided to launch an attack against the Greek Foreign Minister by releasing a statement on the morning of Saturday, July 8. Following that, Greece could not but restore the facts," Efthymiou said in the statement.

Greece and Turkey have been involved in a blame game, after a series of UN-backed Cyprus reunification talks failed.

On Friday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced that the UN-mediated diplomatic efforts of the past two weeks in the Swiss resort town of Crans-Montana for the island's reunification ended inconclusively.

In a written statement issued on Saturday morning, Turkish Foreign Ministry's spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu said that the uncompromising and non-constructive attitude that underlied Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias' remarks "was displayed throughout the entire Conference by the Greek Cypriot and Greek sides".

In response, Greece's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Saturday evening under the title "Hard truths".

"Greece attended the Conference in Crans-Montana determined to contribute in every possible way to resolving the Cyprus problem, and in the hope that everyone would act in such a direction," according to the "Hard truths" statement.

"But, Turkey's conduct dashed any hopes anyone had that there would be a change in its stance. Just as Turkey abandoned the first Conference, it torpedoed the second," the statement said.

"We reiterate that Greece will continue to work relentlessly, with all means at its disposal, for a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, in close cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus, the UN and the European Union. And it calls on all of the parties to the Conference to show responsibility, respect for international law, and self-restraint," the Greek Foreign Ministry's statement concluded.

In his statement to Xinhua on Monday, Greek Foreign Ministry spokesperson Efthymiou also stressed that "Greece did not in fact blame Turkey for having intervention 'rights' over Cyprus".

"What the Greek Foreign Minister actually stated was that Turkey deliberately misled the UN Secretary-General Mr. Guterres into believing that it was ready to compromise and forgo of these intervention 'rights' in order to reach a settlement of the Cyprus problem," Efthymiou said.

"This became evident when at the final hours of the conference, the Turkish delegation was asked to express its position clearly: instead of confirming what he had earlier suggested, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mr. Cavusoglu firmly refused to abolish Turkey's intervention 'rights' over Cyprus," he explained.

"Turkey's fixation in maintaining its geopolitical interests in Cyprus, in spite of being in violation of international law and UN resolutions for over 40 years is indicative of Turkey's true intentions," Efthymiou added.

The Greek Foreign Ministry spokesperson made the statement "in order to avoid any sort of misinterpretations of Greece's principled and clear positions, as they were expressed during the recent Conference on Cyprus, which took place in Crans Montana".

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 and the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU as a divided country in 2004. Leaders of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have been talking with each other for two years on how to reunite Cyprus.

Turkey occupied part of the territory of Cyprus in 1974 in reaction to a coup by the military rulers of Greece at the time, leading to one of the most intractable international problems and one of the longest issues on the UN agenda.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 23:29:40|Editor: MJ

Foreign ministers of the Visegrad Four countries (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia) attend a meeting in Budapest, Hungary, on July 10, 2017. Everything must be done for the European integration of the Western Balkans for the safety of Europe, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said here Monday. He made the statement after a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Visegrad Four (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia) countries, joined by the representatives of Austria, Croatia and Slovenia. (Xinhua/Attila Volgyi)

BUDAPEST, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Everything must be done for the European integration of the Western Balkans for the safety of Europe, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said here Monday.

He made the statement after a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Visegrad Four (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia) countries, joined by the representatives of Austria, Croatia and Slovenia.

"There are critical tensions within the Western Balkans, and if we cannot show a credible integration scenario for the countries of this region, these tensions might become uncontainable," he said.

He also explained that if the migration road through the Western Balkans were to reopen again, then "extraordinary" migration pressure would appear at the southern borders of Hungary and on the Schengen area.

"The resolution of the migration crisis must start with the defense of the external borders, and it must be made very clear that only those can come to Europe, who is eligible to do so according to the applicable laws," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia Marija Pejcinovic Buric said the situation in Ukraine was "very complex", as the country has to deal with integrating the European frames and maintain its territorial integrity at the same time.

She added that Croatia had useful experiences in the same subject and her country would be happy to share them with Ukraine.

Regarding the Western Balkans, she argued it was very important countries do not stop their support halfway. "Peace must be kept in the region and the countries have to prepare themselves for the EU membership," she explained.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 23:34:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEHRAN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran will continue its military advisory mission to Syria in its fight against terrorism, the chairman of Iran parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency on Monday.

Unlike some countries, the Islamic republic does not categorize terrorists as "good and bad" and is "serious and determined" to combat terrorism in Syria, Alaeddin Boroujerdi told Tasnim.

"We reserve our right to support the Syrian people and government in the fight against terrorists, and we will side with the Syrian nation in its campaign against Daesh (IS militants) and other terrorist groups," he was quoted as saying.

In May, Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Ground Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour said that Iran would dispatch more military advisors to Syria to support the Syrian army and government in their fight against terrorist groups.

Iran has emerged as a staunch regional ally of Syria in the country's long-lasting conflict.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 23:45:05|Editor: MJ

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NEW DELHI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- India on Monday said that Iraq has assured its cooperation in locating 39 Indian nationals who were kidnapped by Islamic State militants in Mosul in 2014, a day after Baghdad reclaimed the city from the dreaded terrorists.

The Indian External Affairs Ministry said that as soon as the announcement of liberation of Mosul was made by Iraqi government, the Indian government activated various channels to locate the kidnapped Indians.

"Iraqi authorities have conveyed that all cooperation would be extended in this regard," the ministry said.

In June, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said during a meeting with families of the kidnapped Indians that a source in Iraq provided information about a group of Indian men holed up in a church in Mosul.

"They are alive and everything possible was being done to ensure their safe return," she had reportedly reassured the family members.

After a nine-month battle that caused the displacement of an estimated 920,000 people, Iraq on Sunday announced that its army had retaken the city of Mosul from the Islamic State. Some militants reportedly threw themselves into Tigris as they tried to flee the battlefield.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 23:45:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GENEVA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, opened a new round of indirect talks on Monday between representatives of the Syrian government and opposition leaders, which he said was aimed at simplifying peace negotiations to wind down the seven-year civil war.

"We are not expecting a breakthrough, but some incremental development," de Mistura told journalists after he met with the Syrian government delegation headed by Syrian Ambassador to the UN, Bashar Jaafari, for bilateral talks.

Later in the day, he said he also met opposition leaders and representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- China, France, Russia, the United States and Britain -- saying he received "strong support".

The meeting with opponents of the Syrian government was a "working luncheon at which the oppositions were all together", and in which de Mistura said the aim was to arrive at "an opposition common position".

The start of the talks in Geneva, the seventh so far, came on the first full day of a ceasefire for southern Syria brokered last week by the United States, Russia, and Jordan which could provide a better atmosphere for peace negotiations.

The UN envoy said he considered the ceasefire, fleshed out at the G20 meeting in Hamburg on July 7 and 8, to be a significant step forward in the conflict.

"The devil is in the details, but we believe it has a strong chance of being implemented, after long and intense preparations," said de Mistura.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-10 23:45:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (5th L rear) speaks at a national conference on medical education reform in Beijing, capital of China, July 10, 2017. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has instructed education and health authorities to push forward the country's medical education reform and improve professional training to build a "healthy China."

In a written instruction consigned to a national conference on medical education reform held in Beijing Monday, Li urged the Ministry of Education, the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine to step up innovation and further coordinate medical practice with education.

They should take into account China's conditions while learning from other countries, put traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine on equal footing, and train a large number of qualified medical professionals to provide better health services, Li said.

Vice Premier Liu Yandong, who was present at Monday's conference, also urged medical and education authorities to meet the needs of the people, improve the structure of medical education, improve its quality, in order to train the talent needed for the "healthy China" scheme.
| 2017-07-11 06:19:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TIRANA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) will be totally committed to provide assistance in the transformation of Albania's public administration as it sees such reform as an absolute priority for the opening of EU accession talks, EU Ambassador to Albania Romana Vlahutin Monday told reporters.

According to the EU ambassador, Albanian public administration must be ready when the talks with the EU are launched.

A country cannot be modernized without a public administration and Albania is no different to other countries. The reform in the public administration is one of the five key priorities that Albania has to meet in order to open accession talks, Vlahutin highlighted at a press conference.

Ambassador also said that the civil service reform was one of the significant reforms that served not only to capacity building of human resources or improvement of the service to the citizens, but even to the fight against corruption and nepotism.

In this regard, EU top official noted that fighting corruption in the judicial system, administration and education would contribute to a stronger economy.

Further on, Vlahutin voiced the EU commitment to support of reforms in Albania, highlighting that EU had already given 32 million euros (36.5 million U.S. dollars) for capacity building in Albanian administration.

On her part, Albanian Minister of Public Administration Milena Harito informed that administration reform would be a priority of the Albanian government in its second mandate.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 00:00:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KHARTOUM, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) on Monday acknowledged improvement of the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur, but warned that the situation remains fragile.

UNAMID Joint Special Representative, Jeremiah Mamabolo said at a press conference that the armed conflict in Darfur has become localized to the presence of the holdout movement, Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid in western Jebel Marra.

However, there are still some 2.7 million displaced people living in camps. Militia groups are still active and inter-communal violence still occurs across the region, he added.

Mamabolo confirmed the "relative stability" in Darfur, while stressed the need to be cautious and make sure to put measures that will ensure sustainability.

The mission, he said, is "withdrawing," according to the recently adopted UN Security Council Resolution 2363 on 29 June on reduction of the mission component.

The reconfiguration process will be conducted in two phases, and will reduce military personnel to 8,735 from the current 13,627 and police personnel to 2,500 from 2,994 by 30 June, 2018.

The UNAMID is also composed of 748 international civilian personnel, 2,151 local civilian personnel and 120 volunteers.

The UNAMID chief further reiterated that the mission would continue its task to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access, while ensuring the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, and to mediate between the government and armed movements.

He urged all the conflicting parties in Darfur to reach a peaceful settlement through negotiation and to reach an agreement on cessation of hostilities.

The UNAMID was deployed early 2008 in Darfur region, witnessing military clashes between the Sudanese army and the rebels since 2003, which left 300,000 people dead and displaced around 2.5 million others according to UN statistics.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 00:15:27|Editor: Liangyu

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HANGZHOU, July 10 (Xinhua) -- In one Chinese province, artificial intelligence (AI) appears to be creating abundant jobs for humans, instead of stealing them, but only for those in the know.

A senior official in Zhejiang Province, home to Alibaba, said Monday that the province aims to hire more than 110,000 AI professionals in the next five years.

Among them will be 50 world-leading AI experts, 500 scientific entrepreneurs, and 1,000 development and research talent, said Yao Zhiwen, deputy head of the organization department of the Communist Party of China, Zhejiang provincial committee.

He said the provincial government would provide financial support to entrepreneurs in AI and encourage universities to enroll more graduate students on the subjects.

Zhejiang will set up a 1-billion-yuan (147 million U.S. dollars) development fund and a 50-million-yuan investment fund to support AI professionals and startups, Yao said.

China is in the midst of an AI boom with governments, research institutes, tech firms, and entrepreneurs racing to be involved, betting on the discipline to take the lead in economic growth and social development.

Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu -- the top three Chinese tech firms -- are all investing heavily in AI research.

AI professionals are sought after across the country, but no other local government has set such ambitious goals and offered such lucrative incentives.

The province plans to build an AI industry worth 50 billion yuan in three years. The industry clusters will be based in the provincial capital of Hangzhou and economic powerhouse of Ningbo.

The official was speaking at a global AI forum, themed "the future is now," in Hangzhou Monday.

The conference was attended by both Chinese and foreign participants including Turing Award Winner Cornell University Computer Science Professor John Hopcroft and Yuval Noah Harari, author of the 2015 book Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow.

Harari told the forum audience that robots would outperform humans in many jobs and that we might no longer need taxis drivers or truck drivers, among others, in the future.

Many jobs will be lost that we have to keep learning new things to adapt to a changing world, he said. After 2040, the thing that remains unchanged is change itself.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 00:50:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BRUSSELS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Eurostat on Monday said in a press release that the population of the European Union (EU) was estimated at 511.8 million on January 1, 2017 due to net migration.

According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, during the year of 2016, 18 EU members witnessed population increases, while 10 members witnessed population decreases.

The largest increase was recorded in Luxembourg which was 19.8 per 1,000 residents, according to the data. Sweden's 14.5 per 1,000 residents and Malta's 13.8 per 1,000 residents ranked the second and the third.

Malta's population grew by 5,600 throughout 2016, and the country's total population now stands at around 440,400.

On the contrary, Lithuania saw the sharpest decreases of 14.2 per 1,000 residents, the data showed. It was followed by Latvia's 9.6 per 1,000 residents and Croatia's 8.7 per 1,000 residents.

According to Eurostat, the population of EU on January 1, 2017 was 1.5 million more than that of January 1, 2016.

However, during the year of 2016, there were as many births as deaths, said Eurostat, meaning that the increase was due to net migration.

The data showed that Germany was the most populated in the EU with 82.8 million residents on January 1, 2017. It was followed by France's 67.0 million and Britain's 65.8 million.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 01:20:59|Editor: MJ

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KHARTOUM, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations said it was looking forward to a positive decision of lifting the U.S. economic sanctions on Sudan on Monday, adding that the move would enhance the humanitarian work there.

"The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Sudan acknowledges that there has been a marked improvement in humanitarian access over the past six months, since Executive Order 13761 was signed on 13 January 2017, as a result of improved engagement between the Government of Sudan and humanitarian actors," said the UNCT in a statement.

"The UNCT looks forward to the decision that will shortly be taken on the sanctions, and is committed to continue its engagement in order to further improve humanitarian access," the statement said.

It further reiterated improvement of engagement between humanitarian actors and the government of Sudan, saying that the UNCT has also observed increased acceptance for national NGOs working in the field, as well as increased engagement of civil society and the private sector on humanitarian issues.

The U.S. administration is expected to issue a decision on Wednesday, July 12, on either fully lift the sanctions, keep them or extend the date for lifting them.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 01:46:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ISTANBUL, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Monday demanded Greek Cypriots avoid taking unilateral steps to explore energy reserves in Cyprus' offshore, citing that they belong to both sides.

"International law requires that hydrocarbon sources belong to all parties on the island," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the 22nd World Petroleum Congress being held in Istanbul.

"Our expectation from those who are part of the development in Cyprus is to avoid steps that might lead to new strains in the region," Erdogan said.

He also warned foreign energy companies against participating in Greek Cypriots' projects to explore energy resources around the island, saying "they could lose a friend like Turkey."

Turkish Cypriots have been accusing the Cypriot administration run by Greek Cypriots of unilaterally opening new tenders for hydrocarbon explorations without any collaboration.

Four days of talks between the Greek and Turkish leaders over the reunification of Cyprus broke down on Sunday in Switzerland.

"Unfortunately, a great opportunity was missed in the Eastern Mediterranean last week," Erdogan spoke of the failed talks.

In a speech to the petroleum congress, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also said that the Greek Cypriot leadership should avoid taking unilateral measures in the Eastern Mediterranean after the talks failed.

"Turkey will protect its own ipso facto rights and the rights of Turkish Cypriots till the end," Yildirim said.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 and the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU as a divided country in 2004.

The UN is seeking a peace deal to unite Cyprus under a federal umbrella that could also define the future of Europe's relations with Turkey.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 01:46:22|Editor: MJ

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JOHANNESBURG, July 10 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) has concluded its policy conference with recommendations to refine policy in education, health, science and technology and governance to improve performance, said an ANC official on Monday.

At a media briefing in Johannesburg, Naledi Pandor, Chairperson of the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) Subcommittee on Education said, "The conference recommended that the ANC should increase its policy, monitoring and evaluation capacities.

"The ANC must ensure coordination between departments and harmonization of policies and incentives to encourage and support innovation and ensure the take up of locally produced goods and technologies," said the official.

The ruling party also recommended intensifying public engagement on and promotion of science, technology and innovation, ensuring that public educational institutions training professions in science and technology are better resourced and those from poor backgrounds are helped to enrol in them.

"The ANC must lead society to think more positively about ourselves and our innovation capabilities. We want to create free Wi-Fi spots and greater attention should be given to rural areas and townships," said Pandor.

The ANC would like to see provision of quality of teaching and learning outcomes, enhancing the skills and competencies of educators, especially the school management team.

"The ANC takes full responsibility of leading society in protecting public facilities such as schools, libraries, colleges, universities, hospitals and clinics. The ANC and its alliance partners maintain and sustain labour relations within the basic education sector in order to minimize conflicts which may lead to labour unrest, loss of teaching and learning time, and potential damage to property and educational resources," she added.

The Member of the ANC NEC Subcommittee on Legislature and Governance, Obed Bapela, said the party want to be a modern one while maintaining its historical tag as a former liberation movement.

The party recommended that a Presidential Commission be established to review the provinces, their functions and see if there could be any changes. The Commission should finish its work before the ANC elective congress in December 2017, he said.

"We agreed that ANC should lead in moral regeneration of society. We should mobilize communities on issue of corruption and develop a culture of exposing corruption and reward the whistleblowers. The party is concerned about corruption and would like to fight it head on," said Bapela.

Some of the recommendations include the strengthening of the policies of the State Owned Enterprises and their monitoring. The recommendations would be discussed at branch levels in the country and decided at the 54th ANC National Conference in December 2017.

The 4th ANC National Policy Conference took place from June 30 to July 5, 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 02:41:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAIRO, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Qatar threatens Monday to withdraw from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) by setting conditions for the Saudi-led bloc, state news agency MENA reported.

Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani on Monday sent a letter to Secretary General of the GCC Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani, setting his country's conditions so as not to withdraw from the GCC.

Al Thani said Qatar is committed to international laws and conventions, especially with regard to fighting terrorism and its financing, adding that Qatar will not negotiate on its sovereignty.

He added that his country would give a three-day notice to the Gulf countries to lift the "siege" imposed on Qatar and compensate it for the political and economic losses.

Following the deadline, Qatar will officially announce its withdrawal from the GCC, according to the letter.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt issued a list of 13 demands to Qatar later last month, including closing Al-Jazeera TV station, stopping financing and supporting terrorism, and downgrading its ties with Iran, as major preconditions for ending their boycott.

The four countries vowed to take further political, economic and legal steps to tighten the screws on Doha after the latter refused to accept demands.

They are scheduled to hold another foreign ministers' meeting, after the one held in Cairo, Egypt on July 5, in Bahrain soon to discuss the next steps.

In response, Qatar has dismissed as "baseless" the Saudi-led bloc's accusations that it supports terrorism and interferes in their internal affairs.

There has been speculation that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain would try to expel Qatar from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, or even jeopardize Qatar's membership in the Arab League.
Smoke rises as firefighters and rescuers intervene at the Rio shopping mall in Moscow on July 10, 2017. (AFP PHOTO)

MOSCOW, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Up to 14 people, including a child, were injured in a fire at a shopping mall in Moscow's northern outskirt late Monday, Russian media reported, citing sources from the Russian Emergencies Ministry.

The accident took place at the Rio shopping mall on Dmitrovskoe Highway in the northeast of Russian capital. The fire started on the second floor of the building and then turned into a giant blaze.

"There's thick black smoke as textile products are burning, the smoke exhaust system might have malfunctioned in the building," Tass news agency cited a source as saying.

More than 2,000 people were evacuated from the building after the fire broke out, and rescuers say that there might be more people stuck inside.

Forty-eight firefighting units with over 150 personnel were sent to the site in search for people who were unable to leave the building, the Emergencies Ministry said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 03:53:10|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's economic hub Lagos is taking immediate steps to find a holistic solution to the problem of flooding in the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, the governor of Lagos said Monday.

Speaking at the Water Technology and Environmental Control (WATEC) sensitization program in Lagos, the governor said there was even more urgent need to embark upon a review and re-engineering of the canals and drainage systems in the state.

He said this must be pursued hand in hand with a clear and crystal re-envisioning of the water management system.

The governor told his audience that the government would be stronger in enforcing physical planning laws, especially those building illegally on canals and blocking the free-flow of water across the state.

The governor said his administration would reinvigorate its campaign against the dumping of refuse by citizens into canals.

Ambode said that access to and management of water resources, as well as environmental control, remained one of the greatest challenges facing most parts of the developing world.

The governor said the incidence of flooding was not circumscribed to Nigeria alone, nor was it a peculiarity of the Third World.

Ambode recalled that the UK was heavily flooded this year and, indeed, witnessed some of its worst flooding since records started in 1901.

He added that Japan, a country that was equally technologically savvy, had also not been spared heavy flooding this year.

He said the aforementioned examples enjoined government to put the experience and pains into perspective and learn from all them to better prepare for the future.

Lagos, Nigeria's commercial nerve center has been battling with flooding which hit several parts of the city in the last few days as a result of torrential rainfall.

Areas worst hit include the highbrow Lekki-Victoria Island axis, where motorists, on Saturday, spent up to six hours to escape the water-logged roads and expressway.

Heavy floods took over the entire Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island, Lagos, forcing some residents and commercial offices to unceremoniously vacate their premises. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 04:03:15|Editor: MJ

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ADDIS ABABA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The visit to Eritrea's capital Asmara by an African Union (AU) High Level delegation has been postponed, according to a statement from the pan-African bloc on Monday.

The chairperson of the AU Commission announced on July 3 during the 29th AU summit that the high-level delegation led by the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui, would travel to the Horn of African nation.

The delegation is to discuss with the Eritrean authorities the developments in the region, and also exchange views on the AU's initiative to develop a Horn of Africa Strategy, said the chairperson.

At the request of the Eritrean authorities and due to a conflicting calendar, new dates will be agreed upon through consultations with the Eritrean government, said the statement.

The chairperson of the AU Commission has reiterated his determination to spare no effort in promoting dialogue, peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the statement added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 04:18:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ADDIS ABABA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has called on local professionals who are working at the country's mega projects to give great emphasis on knowledge transfer endeavors.

The premier made the remarks during his visit to the under-construction Awash-Woldia/Hara Gebeya railway project in eastern part of Ethiopia on Monday.

Flagship projects in the east African country, mainly railway construction projects, can help Ethiopian professionals to acquire better skills and abilities so as to undertake similar other projects by employing domestic workforce, local media FBC quoted Desalegn as saying on Monday.

The Awash-Woldia/Hara Gebeya railway project is part of Ethiopia's ambition to have a network of over 5,000 km of railway lines by the end of the second five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II) period, due effective from 2015/16 to 2019/20.

The project, which involves the construction of 390 km railway line by the Turkish-based company, Yapi Merkezi, at a cost of 1.7 billion U.S. dollars, is being built between Awash and Woldia towns and has now reached its 57 percent of completion.

The east African country, through its National Railway Network of Ethiopia (NRNE) initiative, has embarked on the construction of railway infrastructure to be constructed in two phases.

Phase one is composed of five railway projects, which include Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway Project, while the second phase intends to build six projects across the country.

Desalegn said that effective knowledge transfer activities can help the east African country to realize its plans by qualifying locals to effectively undertake similar other projects.

Ethiopia's flagship Chinese-built railway project, which links the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and the port of Djibouti in Djibouti, had been praised by Ethiopian officials for its knowledge transfer endeavors to locals.

Built by CREC and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, the 752.7 km Ethio-Djibouti railway, is Africa's first modern electrified railway linking the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and port Djibouti in Djibouti.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 04:23:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Olatunji Saliu

ABUJA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A somber mood enveloped Suleja town located in a busy suburb in Nigeria's central state of Niger on Monday, following a devastating flood which wreaked havoc in the area on Sunday.

Sorrowful tears and gnashing of teeth freely expressed the feeling of the local residents as they rued the loss of lives and property to the disaster.

"I've lost it all, everything that I labored for," thundered a 61-year-old retired civil servant.

The embittered sexagenarian told Xinhua the house he built after retirement last year, using his life savings, had collapsed as the flood swept through the area.

"I cannot find my grandchild, too," he said amid tears.

Four lifeless bodies had been recovered since Sunday, according to eyewitnesses. But a local official said only one has been confirmed dead by the local district's emergency office.

More than 10 bodies were still missing as of the time of filing this report, while an injured victim was receiving treatment at a local health facility.

Over 100 houses were engulfed by the flood and a dozen houses were washed away with household effects floating in the water.

The flood affected mostly people who built their houses along the riverbank in the area.

The flood, occasioned by torrential rainfall for many hours on Sunday, also swept away a family of eight - including two wives and six children of a local trader, local residents said.

Many residents and traders fled their homes and shops for safety as the flood sacked the entire area.

In an interface with local district officials on Monday, the residents, with streams of tears flowing down their cheeks, rued the tragedy that had befallen them. The flood had swallowed up most of their houses.

Ironically, those who counted themselves as "lucky ones" could only gather the remnants of their property.

For most of the victims, there's no hope in sight about where next to go.

Simon Ogbu, a 73-year-old victim of the flood, said his only hope was in the government.

"My entire house and many around me here are totally collapsed. There is nothing we can do.

"We are still awaiting assistance from the government," the septuagenarian said.

Head of Suleja local district Abdullahi Maje told Xinhua the government was still assessing the extent of the damage so far caused by the flood.

"As the head of the local government, I will go back and sit down with my council members to see where we can render assistance to the community," Maje added.

An official of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency told Xinhua the flooding was caused by the release of water from a nearby dam.

According to the source, this was done to avert a more severe tragedy.

Flooding is a common environmental problem in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country.

Six weeks ago, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had issued a flood alert in Lagos, other coastal cities and some states across the West African country.

Lagos, the nation's economic hub, has been battling with flooding since last week as a result of torrential rainfall.

Last Saturday, motorists spent up to six hours to escape the water-logged roads and expressway in the highbrow Victoria Island axis of the city.

The heavy floods took over some homes and offices, forcing some residents and workers to unceremoniously vacate their premises.

Local police had temporarily closed some of the roads to human and vehicular movement, due to the threat of flood.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday said the government was taking immediate steps to find a holistic solution to the problem of flooding in the city.

In 2012, more than 363 people were killed and over 2.1 million others were displaced by floods across Nigeria.

A total of 30 out of the country's 36 states experienced heavy flooding and an estimated 7 million people were, in total, affected that year, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.

The 2012 floods were termed as the worst in the country in more than 40 years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 05:19:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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JERUSALEM, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Labor Party on Monday elected a political newcomer to head the opposition party, hoping he could defeat long-time incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the elections expected in 2019.

Avi Gabbay, 50, won a runoff vote against Amir Peretz, a former party leader and Israel's former minister of defense.

Gabbay, a businessman, had surprised observers last week when he gained the second place in the first round of vote, beating Labor Party Chairman Isaac Herzog.

Gabbay, a former member of the center-right party of Kulanu, joined the Labor Party in December 2016, months after quitting Netanyahu's government, where he served as Minister of Environmental Protection.

Gabbay is the former chief executive officer of Bezeq, Israel's largest telecom company. In his campaign, he stressed his humble background as the seventh of eight children born to a Jewish immigrant family from Morocco.

The Labor Party had been for decades Israel's ruling party, with leaders such as David Ben-Gurion and Yitzhak Rabin. It first lost its lead to the Likud in 1977 and has been sitting in the opposition since 2001.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 06:04:46|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

Iraqi soldiers make victory gestures during a celebration for liberation of Mosul in Mosul, Iraq, July 10, 2017. Haider al-Abadi on Monday formally declared Mosul liberated from Islamic State (IS) militant group after nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Iraqis gathered Monday in Baghdad to celebrate the historic victory over the extremist Islamic State (IS) militants in the city of Mosul.

Long lines of civilian cars decorated with roses, honked their horns and roamed the main streets in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, while hundreds of people in groups were raising Iraqi flags, dancing and chanting victory songs and congratulating each other in many areas across the city, including Tahrir Square Mansour and Baghdad al-Jadida districts.

"I congratulate all Iraqis on the great victory over the terrorist Daesh (IS) which was achieved by the blood of the martyrs of our security forces and the unity of all Iraqis under the leadership of Prime Minister Abadi," Ismail Hameed, 23, told Xinhua.

"This is the celebration of all Iraqis no matter to their sects or ethnic groups, because Daesh is enemy of all of us, and this is a U-turn in our life," said Hameed who was dancing at a gathering of young men at Tahrir Square in downtown Baghdad.

"I have mixed feelings of happiness for defeating IS in Mosul and sadness for my colleagues who martyred in the previous battles with Daesh. Nevertheless I want to congratulate all Iraqis for this great victory," Saad Aziz, a soldier in Mansour district in western Baghdad, told Xinhua.

Iraqi security forces intensified security measures and blocked some streets to protect the celebrations, as dozens of soldiers and police forces were deployed in the main streets and crowded commercial areas.

Earlier in the day, Abadi formally declared Mosul liberated from IS after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.

"I declare to the whole world the end, failure and collapse of Daesh state, the state of IS group terrorism, which they announced it here in Mosul three years ago," Abadi said in a speech in Mosul.

"We have other missions; reconstruction and clearing Daesh cells, which will need intelligence effort," Abadi said.

Iraq also "needs unity and close ranks, just like we have been unified in eliminating Daesh, we have to be unified to restore stability these areas and the return of displaced people and rebuilding the areas that we liberated," Abadi added in his speech.

On October 17, Abadi announced the start of a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country's second largest city.

Mosul, 400 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, came under IS control since June 2014, when government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 06:14:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DUBLIN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Ireland said on Monday it plans to raise up to 750 million euros (855 million U.S. dollars) this week in its fifth dual bond auction of this year.

In a statement, the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) said it will auction treasury bonds on Thursday through a dual auction of debt that matures in 2022 and 2045.

The auction will be conducted on the Bloomberg auction system and will be confined to recognised primary dealers

The NTMA returned to dual auctions in February this year for the first time since 2010.

The agency says it will issue between 9 and 13 billion euros of long-term bonds this year.

In Ireland, the NTMA is responsible for borrowing on behalf of the government and managing the national debt.

Last year, the agency raised 8.25 billion euros in funding. (1 Euro = 1.14 U.S. dollars)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 06:30:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Justice Lee Adoboe & Seth Tei Gafah

ACCRA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Experts at the three-day West Africa Fertilizer and Agri-Business Conference which began here on Monday identified depletion of soil nutrients as one of the key challenges to food security on the African continent.

Eugine Rurangwa, Land and Water Officer at the UN-Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) African Regional Office noted there is the need for increasing current food production levels significantly to meet growing demands.

He observed that globally populations will approach nine billion, and the increasing demand for health and nutrition food will continue to increase and push humanity to try to meet the demand.

"To meet the demand for nutritious and healthy food, agriculture production has to increase globally by 60 percent and in our Developing Countries almost by 100 percent. And this has to be done without increasing the surface area. So this is really a very serious challenge that we have," Rurangwa noted.

While globally, 30 percent of the soil is moderately or highly degraded through erosion, salinization, compaction, acidification, chemical pollution and nutrient depletion, he said the situation in Africa is worse.

"In sub-Saharan Africa 83 percent of rural people depend on the land for livelihood and we know that almost 80 percent of African soil are currently degraded. So it is really a huge challenge to be able to produce the almost 100 percent that we are saying with this situation," he added.

The FAO official therefore urged national level actions including putting soil management into policies and governance structures in African countries, which are sometimes lacking; "The second one is to invest into soil research. The third one is also to invest again in education and extension programs in soil management area."

The conference is organized by the West African Fertilizer Association (WAFA) and Argus to discuss issues on soil fertility and the need for soil conservation and fertilizer use for maximum crop yield for food security.

Victor Chude, National President of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria who is also a panelist on some of the Plenary sessions told Xinhua that indeed the soil infertility is hampering food production in Africa.

"A lot of our soils are losing their fertility because a lot of nutrient mining is going on. What it means is the farmers are not using enough fertilizers. Most parts of Africa still use up to 10 kgs of nutrients per hectare as opposed to the 50 kgs per hectare recommended by African Heads of State in 2006 to be attained in 2015," he stressed.

Since fertilizers are usually expensive, Chude urged African governments to support farmers to purchase the right type of fertilizers to be applied in the right volumes for maximum food production.

"Impact on food security is adverse if farmers don't use fertilizer because the nutrient levels in the soil are too low to meet the demands of the crops and the yields will be low." he said.
Iraqi soldiers hold national flags during a celebration for liberation of Mosul in Mosul, Iraq, July 10, 2017. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

UNITED NATIONS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday hailed the recovery of Iraq's northern city of Mosul as a significant step in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

In a statement, Guterres paid tribute to the people and government of Iraq for their courage, determination and perseverance.

"The United Nations will stand by the government of Iraq in the tasks ahead of creating the necessary conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of displaced communities, restoring the rule of law in freed up areas, preventing a return to violence and fostering accountability for all violations committed," said the statement.

Earlier on Monday, Iraq formally announced that Mosul has been freed from the Islamic State (IS) after nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.

Mosul, 400 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, came under IS control since June 2014 when government forces fled. The capture of Mosul enabled IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 06:40:05|Editor: MJ

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QUITO, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Rafael Correa, the former president of Ecuador (2007-2017), bid a fond farewell to the country on Twitter before leaving for Belgium, where he is moving with his family.

"The day has come, my dear Nation. I must go. We leave behind a transformed country which is still progressing," Correa wrote on Twitter, where he has over 3 million followers.

Correa, whose tenure was marked by his socialist project, "Citizen's Revolution," added "that which has been sown is so deep that...nothing mediocre or disloyal will remain. The country has a collective memory and intelligence. Always toward victory."

The former leader is moving to Belgium, the country of origin of his wife, Anne Malherbe. He left Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport on a commercial flight, where hundreds of supporters bid him farewell.

Correa, who saw advances in education, healthcare, and fighting poverty, was the longest ruling president in Ecuador since it returned to democracy in 1979.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-11 06:45:05|Editor: MJ

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RIO DE JANEIRO, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian construction engineering company, UTC Engenharia S.A., one of the country's largest, will pay 574 million reais (175 million U.S. dollars) as a fine for its role in the Petrobras corruption ring.

Brazil's comptroller general announced on Monday that UTC had signed a leniency agreement in which it admitted the damages it had caused through its corrupt acts and committed to repairing these damages.

The money will be used to pay back damages caused to Petrobras, electrical utility Eletrobras, and the federal rail company, Valec.

In exchange for the fine, UTC will be allowed to compete in Brazil's public tenders again.

UTC will have 22 years to pay the fine, but should it exceed this time period, it will be fined 3 billion reais (910 million U.S. dollars).

In January, UTC admitted its participation in the Petrobras corruption ring, which saw government officials and business executives artificially inflate the value of public contracts and split the difference between themselves.

The case has since been a major contributor to Brazil's economic woes and has seen dozens of officials and executives arrested and jailed, including a number of government ministers.
 

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Woman to face court for $2M cheque

Police said that on that day, she went to the Mayaro branch of Republic Bank and attempted to deposit the cheque and was arrested by Mayaro police after the fraud was detected by bank officials.

A team of officers including Cpls Badree and Bachew, coordinated by Snr Supt Totaram Dookhie and supervised by ASP Ghisiyawan, carried out investigations and discovered the woman recently deposited a cheque in the sum of $90,000 at the Independence Square branch of Republic Bank.

In an unrelated case, a 29-yearold Laventille man will appear before a Port of Spain magistrate today to answer charges for the kidnapping of San Fernando businessman Gregory Laing. He was charged on Saturday after being arrested along with nine other men following intense investigations by officers of the Anti Kidnapping Unit.

Since the arrest, two men have been released after Justice Ricky Rahim ordered them freed as no charges were brought against them and their attorneys filed writs of Habeas Corpus.

Laing, 53, was taken from the San Fernando branch of his business, Puff n Stuff bakery. Relatives were contacted and dropped off $30,000 in the Beetham Estate and $240,000 in Barataria. He was released unharmed along the Beetham Highway.
Womans body in East Dry River

According to police, at about 4.40 pm, passers-by spotted the body and contacted police. Officers from Besson Street Police station and Port of Spain CID responded.

Sources said that the woman, known only as Emma, was seen at 3 pm in the company of a man and they were walking along Duncan Street.

Emmas last known address was said to be in Siparia. Police believe the woman was sexually assaulted, beaten to death and her body thrown into the dry river.

The body was removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James for autopsy.

Police confirmed that visible marks of violence were found on the womans body. Several people were interviewed by police although no arrest has been made.

Port of Spain CID officers and detectives from the Homicide Investigations Bureau (Region I) are continuing investigations.
Hands chopped off

According to reports, Nigel Bhola, 32, was at his Bagatelle Road home at about 1.30 pm when he had an altercation with the man who lives within the neighbourhood.

It was alleged that one of the men, during the argument, armed himself with a cutlass and hit the other with the flat side of the blade. As the fight continued, the cutlass is said to have fallen to the ground.

Bhola was chased by the man who used the cutlass to chop him on the head.

Police said that as Bhola raised his arms to defend himself from the blows, the man chopped off both of Bholas hands, at the wrist. While Bhola lay on the ground screaming for help, the man dropped the bloodstained cutlass and ran off.

Bhola, who was barely conscious from major blood loss, was taken to hospital. His severed hands were retrieved and placed in a container filled with ice. Up to press time, Bhola remained warded at hospital and it was not known if surgeons attempts to reattach his severed hands were successful.

Police said they have been given the name and address of the suspect who up to news time, remained at large. The cutlass has been seized by police and investigations are continuing.
Death and destruction right next door

And as anti-government protests in Venezuela  located 6.8 nautical miles off Trinidads eastern side  hit the symbolic mark of 100 days yesterday, with a grim record of at least 92 dead and more than 1,500 injured, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and the rest of Caricom have expressed deep concern over what is taking place in this counrys closest neighbour.

In fact, Dr Rowley recently asked Caricom leaders for Venezuela to be included on the agenda for discussion at the recent Heads of Government meeting.

Rowley, via a press release indicated that given the ongoing developments in that country, it is necessary for Caricom to reiterate its position on Venezuela.

The region listened to Rowleys call as at the end of the threeday meeting, Caricom leaders reached consensus on Venezuela.

Chairman of the 15-nation grouping, Grenadas Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, confirmed that leaders will formally offer their help to Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro to help mediate the long-running, bitter impasse with Opposition forces.

Dr Mitchell told the closing news conference that leaders have settled on a sending mission to Caracas. Dominicas Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit had proposed a mission to include some leaders which he said could help clarify Caricoms understanding of the issues.

Caricom heads of government call for all parties to commit to engage in a renewed dialogue and negotiation leading to comprehensive political agreement with established timetables, concrete actions and guarantees to ensure its implementation. Caricom heads of government offer their good offices to facilitate this dialogue, Mitchell said.

A DECISION on Saturday to release Venezuelas Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez from prison and place him under house arrest has once again stirred hopes that socialist President Maduro and his opponents could sit down for talks aimed at ending the bloodshed. Heres a look at how one of Latin Americas richest nations descended into chaos and the prospects for resolution.

HOW UNREST BEGAN

The opposition gained control of the National Assembly in 2015 by a landslide amid mounting frustration with Maduros handling of the economy, spiraling crime and food shortages. After a year of intense feuding, in late March the government-stacked Supreme Court issued a ruling stripping the legislature of its last powers. The decision was later reversed amid a storm of international criticism but it had already touched off anger among the governments opponents and triggered street protests that still occur almost daily.

Then Maduro did something to anger his opponents even more: He called on May 1 for rewriting Venezuelas constitution. A vote to elect delegates to the special assembly to rewrite the charter is scheduled for July 30.

Maduro insists rewriting the constitution is the only way to restore peace, but the opposition views it as a ruse to install a Cuba-like dictatorship. They have called for a symbolic vote of their own on July 16 to reject Maduros plans.

CHANCES FOR DIALOGUE?

One reason that mistrust between the government and opposition is running so high is because negotiations last year ended with little to show for them.

Those talks were sponsored by the Vatican and a group of former leaders of other nations led by ex-Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain, who helped broker Lopezs release.

To sit down again, the opposition is demanding Maduro honor commitments that it says he made during the previous round of talks, including freedom for political prisoners and a schedule for gubernatorial elections that were postponed last year.

Its less clear what the government would bargain for besides an end to the unrest and political cover for some tough measures to get the economy back on its feet.

Many also suspect that as Maduros grip on power weakens he and his inner circle will seek assurances that they wont face prosecution in the event of a transition.

MILITARY INTERVENTION?

Last month, a police inspector stole a police helicopter and strafed the Supreme Court and another government building with gunfire and grenades.

The surprise attack prompted concerns about a possible uprising by the military, which has traditionally been the arbiter of political disputes in Venezuela.

Since the protests began, more than 100 members of the military are believed to have been jailed for crimes ranging from theft of weapons to rebellion and treason  a high number that suggests the militarys support for the government may be wavering.

But while Maduro has repeatedly warned about attempts by what he says are US-backed agents to sow dissent within the military, there so far is little to suggest a mass revolt is underway.

The late President Hugo Chavez and Maduro spent years winning over top military brass with bonuses in sought-after dollars, powerful government jobs and patronage.
Prisons head: Pass laws to protect officers

In an interview on the weekend, Richards said that on Friday night the officer was in Trincity when he was attacked because of, the role he played in the prison service. Richards said the officer received cuts and bruises but did not provide any further information.

He said officers are very angry about the incident which comes on the heels of another officer being shot at on Charlotte Street, Port of Spain last month.

Richards said there was a pattern of officers being attacked outside the prison while, Government implements nothing. He said other countries have enacted laws to protect prison officers and other law enforcement officials but locally, while a number of prison officers and other members of the protective services have been killed, we have not seen a response from a Parliamentary perspective. Richards said in the coming weeks his association will be responding even stronger regarding Governments response to the Prison Service and the safety and security of its officers.

He said the State has been neglecting officers over the years and they will bring their safety and security concerns into the limelight
Social Development consultations continue

In the latest round of consultations, Minister Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn addressed participants last Friday at the Kampo Vibes Restaurant in Chaguanas.

Crichlow-Cockburn stated that her ministry remains committed to engaging the national community, with particular emphasis on persons with disabilities, in a conversation which would lead to a comprehensive and an all-inclusive National Policy on Persons with Disabilities for Trinidad and Tobago.

The minister added that feedback from the consultation would be critical to developing an action plan for the implementation of the National Policy. She assured that issues raised would be given due consideration and urged participants to prioritise their recommendations given the limited resources now available.

Main topics for discussion were the need for greater awareness through education; a more preventative approach with respect to acquired disability; a more collaborative and participative approach among State agencies and civil society; the improvement of the Differently Abled Mobile Service (ELDAMO) bus service; and greater support for caregivers in both the private and public health care systems.

Through the ministrys Disability Affairs Unit, sustained efforts are continuing, and the required structures and strategies were in place to meet the stipulations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was ratified in 2015, as well as the 2030 Development Agenda. The National Policy for Persons with Disabilities will serve as a blueprint for advocating the cause and meeting the specific needs of the growing population of persons with disabilities.
EPA workshop on increasing exports to Europe

Delivering the opening remarks, Minister Gopee-Scoon indicated that the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is the most comprehensive agreement negotiated by the CARIFORUM countries and creates the best opportunity for export expansion and economic development to aid the regions trade and investment thrust with the European Union.

building the relationship with the EU, new partnerships will be developed which would allow the private sector to better understand the process in entering the European Union Market. Minister Gopee-Scoon stressed that a more aggressive approach is required in the utilisation of the EPA. She encouraged the private sector to use the opportunities negotiated under the Agreement to discover new customers, form new partnerships and constantly pursue new growth prospects to diversify exports and build competitiveness.

Arend Biesebroek, Head of Delegation of the European Union to TT, stated that we must reinforce the public private dialogue and the private-private dialogue to promote a more effective enabling business environment for Caribbean countries. The EU Ambassador underscored the importance of creating a business link with Europe. He expressed the willingness of the EU Delegation to assist the private sector in getting their products into Europe.

Robertha Reid, Senior Adviser at CEDA, indicated that the intention of the workshop was to help the private sector understand the opportunities under the EPA and increase the number of companies exporting to the EU. She explained the initiatives being undertaken by Caribbean Export to provide trade and business intelligence and build capacity to conduct market research to optimize the EPA.

The workshop consisted of two very informative presentations.

The first presentation delivered by Mr. Adam Wisniewski from the European Union provided participants with a comprehensive overview of the details of the EPA.

This was followed by Dr. Noel Watsons presentation on the ways in which exporters can utilize the EPA to increase their market presence in the European Union.
The death toll from the record rainfall in northern Kyushu has reached 25, with dozens still unaccounted for.

Weather officials warn severe thunderstorm may again hit parts of the affected areas Monday evening. They call for caution against more mudslides.

The land and transport ministry said that, as of Monday, landslides were reported at 44 locations, and flooding and overflowing of rivers at 38 locations.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Monday the government will quickly estimate the extent of damage with the cooperation of local governments.

He said the government will make a prompt decision after he was asked whether the government will designate the torrential rain as a severe disaster eligible for state subsidies for reconstruction.

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A man in his 50s, who was detained at a koban (police box) in Ota Ward, Tokyo, suddenly collapsed and died, police said Sunday.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 6 a.m. Saturday at the koban at the west exit of Kamata Station. Fuji TV reported that the man was apparently drunk and lay down to sleep on the street when three police officers picked him up and took him to the koban.

The man started yelling at the police not to touch him and resisted, but the officers forced him down on his knees, and held him by the shoulders and arms to restrain him. About 10 minutes later, he collapsed and became unconscious.
The 32-year-old chief executive of defunct MtGox pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges relating to the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of bitcoins and cash from what was once the world's biggest bitcoin exchange.

French national Mark Karpeles filed the plea in response to charges of embezzlement and data manipulation at the Tokyo District Court, according to a pool report for foreign journalists.

MtGox once handled 80 percent of the world's bitcoin trades but filed for bankruptcy in 2014 after losing some 850,000 bitcoins - then worth around half a billion U.S. dollars and $28 million in cash from its Japanese bank accounts.

In its bankruptcy filing, Tokyo-based MtGox blamed hackers for the lost bitcoins, pointing to a software security flaw.

MtGox subsequently said it had found 200,000 of the missing bitcoins.

Prosecutors said Karpeles transferred around 340 million yen($3 million) from an account containing customer funds to an external account during September to December 2013, and increased the balance of the account via "improper operation" of Mt. Gox's trading system, the Nikkei business daily reported on Tuesday, citing Karpeles' indictment.

Karpeles' defence told a pre-trial consultation that the remittance was within the scope of the firm's revenue and not the embezzlement of customer funds, the Nikkei reported. They added the increased balance was part of the administrative process of exchanging cash and bitcoins and therefore not illegal, the Nikkei said.

Karpeles told the court he was an information technology engineer.

Jul 10 (ANNnewsCH) - aeseaaaaaaaaaaeaaaaYaaaaaaae aaaY3aaaaSae aaYcaaaaaaaaaaaaceacaaaaaccaaaaaaaYa
Police in Shizuoka have arrested an unemployed 43-year-old woman for committing an indecent act after she stripped down to her underwear outside JR Shizuoka Station on Saturday.

According to police, the incident occurred in the plaza in front of the station's north exit at around 1:40 p.m. Fuji TV reported that the woman, Junko Miyagawa, took off her shoes, her pink short-sleeved polo short and her long black pants, leaving her clad only in her bra and panties.

Police at a nearby koban were notified and arrested Miyagawa, a resident of Numazu, as she was about to go up the station escalator. Miyagawa was quoted by police as saying she was hot and wanted to cool off for a little while.
Japanese companies have never been in better financial shape. Their sky-high ratio of capital to assets testifies to that fact, with the average figure topping 40% for the first time last fiscal year. There's a catch, however: They are inveterate hoarders, which critics say points to a corporate governance problem.

Saving money itself is not a bad thing, of course. Diligently socking away profits helped Japan Inc. absorb the collapse of the economic bubble at end of the 1980s and the global financial crisis that erupted in 2008. But companies have done a poor job of putting that money back into the economy by funneling it into investment or returning it to shareholders.

Dizzy heights

After the collapse of Lehman Brothers sent the global economy reeling some nine years ago, Mazda Motor booked a net loss of over 70 billion yen ($623 million at current rates), with its capital ratio tumbling to the lower 20% range. But the crisis stirred the automaker into action. Determined to get its earnings back on track, Mazda began developing its Skyactiv environmental technologies and initiating innovative design projects. The moves have paid off, with the company logging record global unit sales in fiscal 2016. Its capital ratio, meanwhile, has surged to 41%.

Major chemical maker Tosoh also resuscitated its finances after the crisis, which sent the company's capital ratio plunging to 20%. But it paid off its debt with money saved by forgoing investment, sending its capital ratio past 50% at the end of last fiscal year. "We would like to further strengthen our financial foundation," said Tosoh President Toshinori Yamamoto.

Statistics collected by The Nikkei show that the average capital ratio for listed Japanese businesses, excluding financial companies, for 2016 rose 0.8 percentage point on the year to 40.4%. That is the highest since fiscal 1982, the first year for which data is available, and far higher than the 32% for the top 500 U.S. companies.

Investors are not applauding, however. Although the Nikkei Stock Average has improved to around 20,000, that is still well below the all-time high of 38,915 recorded in 1989. By contrast, markets in the U.S. and many Asian economies have been hitting new highs.
Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has fallen to the lowest level of his premiership, opinion polls showed Monday, after scandals and a historic defeat of his ruling party in Tokyo elections.

Abe took power in December 2012 on the back of widespread frustration with the previous administration's handling of the March 2011 nuclear disaster and a faltering economy which he vowed to revive.

But his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suffered a drubbing in a July 2 vote for Tokyo's municipal assembly that media and analysts chalked up to a growing perception of "arrogance" on the part of his government.

The party lost more than half of its seats, with the result seen as a bellwether for national political sentiment.

For months Abe has been dogged by scandals, most recently claims he showed favouritism to a friend in a business deal, an accusation he denies.

Voter support for Abe's cabinet dropped five percentage points in just a week to 33 percent according to the latest poll of more than 2,000 voters by the liberal Asahi Shimbun, marking the lowest level since he took office more than four years ago.

Among those who disapproved of Abe, 95 percent were critical of how he addressed the favoritism scandal.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Monday kicked off a campaign to encourage residents to replace their incandescent lightbulbs with energy-efficient LED lighting for free.

Later the same day, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike held a launch ceremony at City Hall with comedian Pikotaro to explain the procedure for exchanging the bulbs.

The campaign allows residents 18 or older to bring two or more incandescent lamps to any of the roughly 800 electronics stores in Tokyo to be exchanged for one free light-emitting diode bulb.

Koike urged residents to check their homes to see if they are still using incandescent lamps.

Jul 10 (ANNnewsCH) - aaaacaaaZeaaaYaaaeaaaaaaaaaccec2aaLEDec1aacaYaaaaaaaaaaaYaaa cYaiaaaeZisacsacaaLEDacsacaaaea
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Few days after the launch of a migrant regularization campaign in Algeria, a new Algerian political leader and former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia expressed heinous statements verging on racism and hate speech against Sub-Saharan migrants in the country.

Speaking to Ennahar TV station, Ouyahya, Secretary General of RND political party, described Sub-Saharan migrants as a source of crime, drugs and other calamities. His racist statements show fierce opposition to the governments attempt to save its face by giving sub-Saharans an opportunity to obtain residency status in Algeria.

The Algerian politician went on to refuse to consider migration from a human rights perspective saying with a hostile tone that the issue is part of state sovereignty.

In saying so, Ouyahya is attempting to surf on the tide of populism ahead of the 2019 elections. These people are on Algerian territories illegally, he said, adding that the law does not allow the state to resort to foreign workers.

He continued to indulge in racist comments saying that the state should protect Algerians from anarchy by imposing strict rules on these people (migrants).

His openly condoned anti-refugee sentiment going as far as praising Trump without naming him, citing notably the need for a wall to protect the country from foreigners similar to the one the US wants to build on its southern borders with Mexico.

This is not the first time Algerian politicians utter racist remarks against migrants in an attempt to ignite nationalistic fervor at times of financial crisis. Last year, Advisor to President Bouteflika and surprisingly head of Algerias human rights commission Farouk Ksentini made scandalous statements, bluntly accusing sub-Saharans of spreading HIV and diseases in Algeria.

It is no wonder then that a large segment of Algerian society is following suit, spreading hate on social media bearing the hallmarks of racism in its abhorrent forms. Recenty, a hashtag cleaning Africans off Algerian cities was launched by Algerian anti-migrant activists on Twitter.

Embarrassed by the proliferation of racism against migrants and in need of workers in farming and construction, Algeria rushed to save its face with the launch of an operation to grant residency rights and job permits to illegal African migrants. Yet, the measure is unlikely to produce the sought results in the absence of a change of rhetoric and mentalities in line with human rights principles.

Last December, Algerian authorities rounded up more than 1400 sub-Saharan migrants in Algiers and deported them 1900 km southwards to the desert city of Tamanrasset, from which they were deported to Niger.

Algerias ill treatment of refugees and asylum seekers continued with the expulsion of 41 Syrian refugees to the Moroccan borders near the town of Figuig last April 17.

Several international watchdogs have lashed out at Algeria calling it to decriminalize immigration. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the UNHCR have all called repeatedly on Algeria to guarantee protection to migrants on its soil and halt its discriminatory policies towards them.
Four days after Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar announced that the Libyan National Army (LNA) has liberated the city of Benghazi from terrorism, clashes continued till Sunday in the Sidi Akribesh neighborhood of the Sabri district with at least 20 soldiers killed by terrorists according to Colonel Miloud Zwei, LNA spokesman.

Army sources claimed on Sunday evening that dozens of militants have been captured or killed and they are now combing the area.

The LNA was aware that its last week total liberation declaration was incomplete on the ground as it warned jubilant crowds in the city to refrain from going to the liberated areas because they are not yet cleared of mines and other possible threats.

Haftar in his declaration warned that despite the city entering a new era of peace, security, reconciliationand reconstruction dangers still persist.

The Arab League through its Secretary General Ahmad Abul Gheit on Sunday described the liberation of Libyas second biggest city as an important development in the war against terrorism in Libya. He also urged for revival of negotiations between various Libyan factions to end the war.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE armed forces, congratulated Haftar during a meeting in Abu Dhabi Saturday.

During the meeting with the LNA chief that covered joint cooperation in combating extremism and terrorist organizations, Sheikh Mohamed expressed hope that the Libyan different authorities will be able to reach national unity as part of political efforts for a return to stability, reported the UAE news agency WAM.

The UAE, one of Haftars strong backers, has reportedly supplied him with weapons and personnel despite the arms embargo imposed on Libya.

The LNA is one of the most powerful forces in Libya and its commander is loyal to the Tobruk-based House of Representatives and does not recognize the UN-backed Government of National Accord, led by Faiez Serraj.
Donald Trump and Sarah Palin. Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

During the Republican presidential primary, the traditional conservative Republican counterattack on Donald Trump defined him as an ideologically alien figure. Trump, conservatives insisted, was a liberal Republican, or sounds like a liberal Democrat, or was a rich, New York liberal, or possibly even a Democratic Party double agent.

This was not merely a matter of campaign messaging. Anti-Trump conservatives genuinely wanted to believe that his authoritarian demagoguery was inimical to standard Republicanism or, at the very least, that the two had little relation to one another. That distinction has grown harder to sustain as Trump has governed as a doctrinaire conservative movement ideologue. But not all anti-Trump conservatives have given it up entirely. Matt Latimer, a former George W. Bush speechwriter, supplies a lurid example of the persistence of the fantasy. In a Politico essay, Latimer suggests that Trump could well have won the presidency running as a Democrat.

It is true that Trump has advocated an incoherent and frequently shifting mix of public positions that, at times, could have identified him in the Democratic Party as comfortably as the Republican Party. Latimer argues that the qualities that failed to disqualify Trump as a Republican nominee would also have failed to disqualify him as a Democratic one. His comments on women and minorities would have exposed him to withering scrutiny among the lefts army of advocacy groups, he argues. Liberal donors would likely have banded together to strangle his candidacy in its cradle  if they werent laughing him off. But Republican elites tried both of these strategies in 2015, as well, and it manifestly didnt work.

Except the Democratic Party, unlike the Republican Party, is a multiracial coalition. The Democratic Party might not be free of racism, but it has a fairly low tolerance for it. The GOP elite failed to make Trumps racism a disqualification because it endeared Trump to the most racially resentful portions of the nearly all-white party. Indeed, Trump became a Republican because he identified growing racial resentment as the most powerful impulse in conservative grassroots politics and capitalized on it. Conservative elites failed to counteract his appeal because they had been fooling themselves into believing that tea party protesters cared about balanced budgets and low marginal tax rates.

Latimer likewise argues that Trumps buffoonish reality-television persona might have played just as well in blue America as red America. Think the Democrats wouldnt tolerate misogynist rhetoric and boorish behavior from their leaders? he writes. Well, then youve forgotten about Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy and LBJ and Bill Clinton.

It is true that Democrats were willing to accept Bill Clintons adultery. (Though they didnt extend the same forgiveness to John Edwards.) But it is a far cry from the long tradition of male politicians sleeping around to Trumps gross public misogyny. If Latimer has an example of a modern Democratic politician who won an election after being accused of assault by multiple women and then being recorded boasting of grabbing women by their genitals, it has slipped my mind.

Of course boorishness hardly encompasses Trumps disqualifying characteristics. Democrats tolerated Clintons adultery because he was a competent public servant who could cogently discuss public policy  like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Kerry, Al Gore, Michael Dukakis, and Walter Mondale. Trump is a flamboyantly ignorant demagogue who delighted Republicans by swatting away all opposition with crude insults that dont even pretend to address substantive objections.

The closest I can come to imagining a Democratic version of Trump is two recent figures. Alan Grayson, a bloviating populist from Florida, was crushed (by a deeply underwhelming opponent) in a primary last year. In 1998, Geoffrey Fieger, a demagogic trial attorney with a vague resemblance to Bob Odenkirks character on Better Call Saul, captured the Democratic nomination for governor of Michigan. Fieger had certain Trumplike qualities. He gobbled up press coverage with a constant stream of attention-grabbing insults. He called the Republican governor dumber than Dan Quayle and twice as ugly and the result of miscegenation between humans and barnyard animals, and accused him of stealing billions of dollars from the state budget because he failed to grasp basic facts of how the budget works. Fieger embarrassed state Democratic officials, who treated him like a leper, and he wound up pulling less than 38 percent of the vote in a Democratic-leaning state.

Trump is a product of a decades-long evolution in the Republican Party. What Richard Hofstadter accurately diagnosed as the paranoid style in American politics  angry, conspiratorial, distrustful of expertise  has over time assumed the dominant place in the GOP. One can draw a straight line from George W. Bushs good ol boy anti-intellectualism to Sarah Palins curdled resentment to Trump. Republican leaders tiptoed around birther conspiracy theories because they couldnt risk alienating the large segment of their base that thrilled to them.

The same process has not taken hold in the Democratic Party. A recent poll finds that 54 percent of Democrats, but only 13 percent of Republicans, have a lot of trust that what scientists say is accurate and reliable. That is an indication of two party bases that now have very different relationships with empiricism and expertise. Whatever the shortcomings of the New York Times editorial page, it has no equivalent to The Wall Street Journal editorial pages lurid trafficking in bizarre accusations of murder against the Clintons during the 1990s.

Trump is an historical outlier. But he is also the product of the political culture of a Republican Party that is fertile soil for his brand of authoritarian ethno-nationalism. The desire to regard him as a fluke who could just as easily have wound up in the other party is the kind of evasion that has prevented many Republican elites from squaring up to the forces that enabled Trumps rise.
An Iraqi man takes a selfie with federal police members as they celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on July 9, 2017, after the governments announcement of the liberation of the embattled city. Photo: AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images

The Iraqi Army has wrested back control of Mosul, with Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi officially declaring victory after a nearly nine-month-long offensive against the Islamic State. I announce from here the end and the failure and the collapse of the terrorist state of falsehood and terrorism, Abadi said.

Iraq's PM Abadi has announced victory from the CTS ops room in #Mosul. pic.twitter.com/qmexoqKC8Z      (@IraqiPMO) July 10, 2017

ISIS took control of Iraqs second-largest city in the June of 2014, and it was one of  if not the most  significant of its territorial gains in Iraq. Three years later, Iraqi troops backed by the U.S.-led coalition forces have reclaimed it after a brutal battle that began in October and has left parts of Mosul in ruins and thousands dead and displaced.

Pockets of fighting still raged between some Iraqi troops and the last of the ISIS fighters holed up in the city. The skirmishes are the vestiges of an utterly devastating urban battle in Mosuls Old City, where government forces and the terrorists struggled over every inch of turf. Leaders with the Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition forces have described it as some of the most intense urban warfare since World War II. I have been with the Iraqi Army for 40 years, Major General Sami al-Aradi, a commander of Iraqs special forces, told the New York Times. I have participated in all of the battles of Iraq, but Ive never seen anything like the battle for the old city.

A picture taken on July 9, 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosuls Old City. Photo: AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images

The celebratory mood is also tempered by the political and military realities still facing Iraq. ISIS may have lost its most coveted real estate, but it is not totally defeated in Iraq, and still controls chunks of territory in northern Iraq and other towns scattered throughout the country. Military officials also predict that as the terror group gets squeezed territorially, it will resort to insurgent tactics to wreak havoc, especially if young fighters return to their hometowns and try to blend back in with the civilian population. And the sectarian divide between Iraqs Sunni and Shia populations that fostered ISISs rise remain unresolved, a situation complicated by the Kurds call for an independence referendum this fall.

MOSUL, IRAQ - JULY 9: Iraqi Special Operation Forces (ISOF) soldiers bring two captured Islamic State militants to a screening center in the Old City district where the final operation to finish the battle with Islamic State militants continues on July 9, 2017, in Mosul, Iraq. Photo: Martyn Aim/Corbis via Getty Images

A depleted Mosul must also be rebuilt. Parts of eastern Mosul, liberated early on in the offensive, have sprung back to some semblance of normalcy, but the western part of the city  which had been more heavily populated  has been decimated by months of ground fighting and air strikes. Early United Nations estimates put the cost of reconstruction at close to $1 billion. Some of the nearly one million civilians who were displaced have returned, but hundreds of thousands more remain remain in humanitarian camps without homes to return to in Mosul.

The victory in Mosul comes as Syrian Kurds and Arabs, allied with the United States, are pushing to retake the capital of ISISs so-called caliphate, in Raqqa, Syria. A victory there, coupled with the defeat of ISIS in Mosul, will effectively crush ISISs territorial claims to a caliphate  but the terror group, and its ideology, will likely remain a potent force in the region and beyond. This is a collapse there is no returning from, Hisham al-Hashemi, an Iraqi insurgency analyst, told the Financial Times. I expect an end to the battle by middle or end-2018. Then, this will go from a military battle to a societal war.
On May 22, just as a strange photo of President Trump, Saudi king Salman, and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi touching a glowing orb reached the apex of its memehood, Steve Bannon, who was lurking somewhere beyond the orbs glow, got on a plane in Riyadh and flew back to his book-stuffed apartment in a glass high-rise in Arlington, Virginia.

For Bannon, the presidents chief strategist, the months leading up to the trip had been difficult ones. When Trump became president, Bannon quickly entered the popular imagination as both the dark mastermind of Trumps upset victory and an ethno-nationalist ideologue who, with Trump, would lay siege to the administrative state and remake American government in Trumps image. That agenda brought an early flurry of activity followed by a series of embarrassing upsets: Federal courts blocked Trumps travel ban from seven Muslim countries, his national-security adviser Michael Flynn left under a cloud of suspicion, and the White House quickly descended into knife-fighting disarray.

Worse for Bannon was that his portrayal as Trumps puppet-master  as #PresidentBannon  on Saturday Night Live and elsewhere infuriated a boss sharply attuned to his media image and allergic to sharing the stage, especially with someone thought to be controlling him. The killer blow was a February 13 Time cover featuring Bannons menacing visage above the headline The Great Manipulator.

Soon after the Time cover, encouraged by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, Trump humiliated Bannon by stripping him of his position on the National Security Council, cutting him out of key meetings, and declining to voice his faith in Bannon, who he pointedly told The Wall Street Journal was just a guy who works for me. He later added that he was his own strategist. Even Bannons old friend Matt Drudge turned on him, fanning stories on the Drudge Report that highlighted his fall from power. Drudge and Bannon have been close forever, says one outside Bannon ally. That was a big stab in the back for Steve. Meanwhile, rumors spread that Kushner was trying to force Bannon out, a claim longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone amplified on Alex Joness radio show. Bannon griped to a White House colleague that Kushner was trying to shiv him and push him out the door, according to the Daily Beast.

Even as he was bottoming out, Bannon spied the next upturn. On April 6, the New York Times published a story revealing that Kushner had omitted meetings with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak and Sergey Gorkov, the head of Vnesheconombank, the state-owned (and Putin-aligned) Russian development bank, when he applied for top-secret security clearance. Those meetings, Bannon told White House allies at the time, were certain to become a problem. News accounts of White House battles between nationalists like Bannon and globalists like Kushner began popping up everywhere. When friends from his old life as chairman of Breitbart News warned Bannon about taking on the presidents son-in-law, Bannon scoffed. Watch, he replied, Trump wont hesitate to sideline Kushner if he has to.

By May, Kushners situation had worsened considerably. After months of Trump fuming over the Russia probe, the president was considering firing FBI director James Comey, a move Kushner backed. Kushner and Bannon disagreed about the wisdom of the move. You cant fire the FBI, Bannon told Trump, according to a White House official. Kushner thought you could and argued that Democrats couldnt criticize the decision, since theyd already attacked Comey for his investigation into Hillary Clintons emails. But when Trump went ahead and ousted his FBI director, the move backfired, drawing angry condemnation from Democrats and almost everyone else. Trump looked as if he was trying to shut down a Justice Department investigation  and soon admitted as much to NBCs Lester Holt  all but compelling Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to appoint Robert Mueller special counsel for the Russia probe.

By the time he left for Saudi Arabia on May 19, Trump had awakened to the danger the Russia investigation poses to his presidency. So he brought Bannon out of the doghouse and gave him a familiar mission: to organize a defense, go after his enemies, and head off the latest threat to Trumps political career. Bannons first task was to create an outside war room to put a prophylactic around the Oval Office, as a White House official put it, one that would shield Trump from the encroaching crisis.

That agenda took on even greater urgency when a Washington Post report on intelligence intercepts of Kislyaks conversations revealed that Kushner had discussed setting up a secret communications channel with Moscow inside Russian diplomatic facilities. Soon after, the Post reported that Mueller was investigating Kushners financial dealings and scrutinizing the meetings he omitted from his security-clearance application.

(Kushner hasnt been charged with any wrongdoing and his lawyers say he is eager to cooperate with investigators.) According to advisers inside and outside the White House, Trump grew frustrated with his son-in-law, not just over the Russia stories but over reports that members of Kushners family, in an effort to entice Chinese investors seeking EB-5 visas to back a New Jersey real-estate project, hinted at their Trump connection. Both issues hastened Bannons resurrection.

If the whole White House is backed up against the wall facing a firing squad, Steve will stay there.

His former position largely restored, Bannon is now back in his natural element, at the center of the chaos. He modeled Trumps war room after the one set up by Bill Clinton to handle Ken Starrs Whitewater probe. Bannon was convinced that Trump needed his own Lanny Davis  Clintons pit-bull lawyer and TV surrogate  to go against Mueller, according to a source familiar with his thinking. (Bannon even called Davis to consult him.) Trumps new rapid-response team is thus heavier on lawyers than flacks, including Trumps personal attorney, Marc Kasowitz, with whom Bannon worked closely during the campaign to investigate the women who came forward to accuse Trump of inappropriate sexual advances. But following the Clinton model could be hard for the Trump White House because it would require less obfuscation from the podium and a halt to the unhinged attacks on the press. Bannon is right that Trump needs a team like Clinton had, says Davis. But his boss might kill him if he followed my advice: The way you deal with the media is answer all their goddamn questions and get it over with. The model only works if the person whos being shoveled all the nasty questions has something to say.

Recruiting talent has also been a challenge. Several top Washington law firms passed, and Bannons first choice for the Lanny Davis role, conservative attorney and radio host Laura Ingraham, ultimately rebuffed him after several in-person meetings. Defending against Russia is the worst duty you can pull in the Trump White House, an impossible job where you cant make the boss happy, says GOP strategist Liam Donovan.

Leading the fight while everyone else is frantically lawyering up is exactly the type of loyalty Trump demands, though, and Bannon is especially poised to deliver. Despite his portrayal as Trumps Rasputin, Bannons return was prompted less by his own influence than by the presidents needs. Nobody has ever really had the power to control Trump for long  a fact beleaguered White House officials can agree on. Bannon is less The Great Manipulator than Trumps indispensable henchman, the man he turns to when everythings going to hell. Bannon is astute enough to discern Trumps desires and heedless enough to carry it out. If the whole White House is backed up against the wall facing a firing squad, Steve will stay there, says Ken Cuccinelli, president of the Senate Conservatives Fund. Reince [Priebus] and the other guys will run.

Its not that Bannon cant be a shrewd tactician  he often is  but his tactics are usually directed at tearing down his enemies, something hes done on Trumps behalf since the earliest days of the presidents political rise. Mueller looms as the greatest threat to Trumps presidency, and is therefore the object of his chief strategists latest machinations. Bannon told an associate that one reason he set up the war room outside the White House, rather than inside, was so that his team would have more freedom to throw some fucking haymakers.

Bannon at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February. Photo: Mark Peterson

Bannon became a vital figure in Trumps orbit during the early days of his political rise. The two met late in 2010, when David Bossie, the veteran conservative activist, brought Bannon along on a trip to Trump Tower to offer advice about how Trump might prepare for a presidential run. Like Trump, Bannon was a businessman and born deal-maker. With experience on Wall Street and in Hollywood, he was nothing if not high energy, a mile-a-minute talker with a volcanic temper who rarely slept and possessed a media metabolism to rival Trumps own. And Bannon, too, had a healthy self-regard. On his office wall hung an oil painting of Bannon dressed as Napoleon in his study at the Tuileries, done in the style of Jacques-Louis Davids famous neoclassical painting  a gift from Nigel Farage.

Perhaps because of this background, Trump, whose habit was to surround himself with obsequious lackeys, took Bannons counsel more seriously than he did that of other advisers. Steve was the only alpha male in his universe, says one Trump associate. Trump was thus highly receptive to Bannons nationalist politics, particularly his hostility to illegal immigration, which flowered after Bannon took over Breitbart News in 2012. Long before Trump declared his candidacy, the billionaire was reading Breitbart articles flagged by Bannon and then printed out on paper (Trumps preferred medium for reading) and delivered to him in manila folders by his staff.

Bannon also shared Trumps love of spectacle. According to a former Trump adviser, Bannon was behind a needling stunt Trump pulled two weeks before the 2012 election. Having successfully badgered President Obama into releasing his birth certificate the year before, Trump started insinuating that his passport and college transcripts may also have been forged or missing. I have a deal for the president, a deal that I dont believe he can refuse, Trump said in a blurry video he posted to YouTube. If Barack Obama opens up and gives his college records and applications, and if he gives his passport applications and records, I will give, to a charity of his choice  a check, immediately, for $5 million. Bannon told an associate he had lined up a donor, the conservative hedge-fund tycoon Robert Mercer, willing to supply half the sum (Trump would supply the rest). The media, chastened by the birther episode, didnt bite. But the Trump-Bannon connection was cemented.

When Trump began visiting conservative political conferences, such as Bossies annual South Carolina Freedom Summit, hed make a point of seeking out Bannon. I remember Trump at the Freedom Summit going, Wheres my Steve? Wheres my Steve?  says Sam Nunberg, a former Trump adviser. He loved the guy. It was clear the connection was genuine, says Roger Stone, because Steve is a slob, and Trump hates slobs.

By the time Trump entered the presidential race in June 2015, Breitbarts fixation on race, crime, immigration, radical Islam, and the excesses of political correctness  as well as the websites dark and inflammatory style  had done much to inform Trumps populist inclinations and his political vocabulary. (A BuzzFeed analysis of Trumps campaign tweets showed that Breitbart was far and away his primary source of news.)

Trumps announcement speech was pilloried for his charge that Mexican immigrants were rapists who were bringing drugs into the country. (Extraordinarily ugly, Jeb Bush called it; House Speaker Paul Ryan said he was sickened.) Bannon helped organize Trumps response, defending him in Breitbart but also urging him to amplify  rather than apologize for  his anti-immigrant message. This involved another outrageous stunt: arranging for Trump to visit Local 2455, the Border Patrol union in Laredo, Texas, to deliver his message right to Mexicos face, as it were. (The unions Laredo spokesman had been a guest on Bannons radio show.) Under pressure from the national union, Local 2455 was forced at the last minute to rescind the invitation. But Trump came anyway, trailing a massive press contingent  and was clearly welcomed by the local border agents.

Trump loved the dropped-jaw reaction Bannons ideas produced on cable news. Throughout the campaign  long before Steve actually joined the campaign  he was active through Breitbart, but also by providing very important and unsolicited advice, says thencampaign manager Corey Lewandowski. He would call Mr. Trump, or he would call me, and say, Hey, heres a recommendation. We talked to Steve a lot.

For Trump, Bannons distinctive vocabulary was another point of his appeal. Bannon gloried in the slights and scorn directed at Trump supporters, proudly insisting that elitist Clintonites looked down on them as hobbits, Grundoons, and  co-opting Clintons own ill-advised term  deplorables. Anyone who thought otherwise was a mook or a schmendrick. And Clinton herself was the subject of a steady stream of derision, carefully pitched to Trumps own biases and insecurities and delivered with the passion of a cornerman firing up a boxer for one last grueling round in the ring. Clinton, Bannon would insist, was a resume, a total phony, terrible on the stage, a grinder, but not smart, a joke who hides behind a complacent media, an apple-polisher who couldnt pass the D.C. bar exam, thinks its her turn but has never accomplished anything in her life  and, for good measure, was a fucking bull dyke.

Although Trump didnt dwell on policy details, Bannon pitched in there, too. When Trump came under fire because his campaign hadnt produced a single policy paper, Bannon arranged for Nunberg and Ann Coulter, the conservative pundit, to quickly write a white paper on Trumps immigration policies. When the campaign released it, Coulter, without disclosing her role, tweeted that it was the greatest political document since the Magna Carta.

Bannon and Breitbart also operated as shock troops for Trumps on-and-off war with Fox News. Trumps fixation with the cable network was a powerful force throughout the campaign. Although he had appeared regularly on Fox for years and had staunch backers at the network, Sean Hannity chief among them, Fox wasnt always friendly. And Trump was stung by a humiliation hed suffered from Rupert Murdoch. He often told intimates how, as he was preparing to launch his campaign, his daughter Ivanka had arranged a lunch with Murdoch to share the news. Soon after the three of them were seated and the waiter brought their soup, Ivanka spoke up: My father has something to tell you.

Whats that? Murdoch said.

Hes going to run for president.

Hes not running for president, Murdoch replied without looking up from his soup.

No, he is! she insisted.

Murdoch changed the subject.

Trump nursed the slight for months. He didnt even look up from his soup! hed complain. Nowhere was Trumps clash with the network more pronounced than in the aftermath of the first GOP debate  sponsored by Fox News and co-moderated by Megyn Kelly  on August 6 in Cleveland. Trump was particularly worried about Kelly, whose show he had backed out of three days earlier, complaining to a friend that she was out to get him. (Bannon had a special loathing for Kelly, just as some Fox hosts did for him. Bannon is human garbage, one of them told me.)

When the lights went up in Cleveland, Kelly went right after Trump, confronting him with his history of sexist statements. Youve called women you dont like fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals,  she said. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?

Within minutes of the debates end, even as Trump was still nursing his grievances on live television, reporters started to realize that the revelations of his past behavior, so bluntly excavated by Kelly, had caused an intense reaction among Republican voters  not against Trump but against Fox News. Bannon and the Breitbart editors had the same reaction and immediately turned on Kelly with a fusillade of negative articles slamming her as a backstabbing, self-promoting betrayer of the cause. Breitbart soon became the locus of pro-Trump, anti-Fox conservative anger. Between Thursday night, when the debate took place, and Sunday evening, Breitbart published 25 stories mentioning Kelly, and the sites editor-in-chief, Alex Marlow, went on CNN to accuse Fox News of trying to take out Donald Trump and staging a gotcha debate.

The intensity of Republican anger stunned Fox News executives. The debate had drawn a record 24 million viewers. Now many of them were apoplectic at the networks top talent. In a panic, Ailes called Bannon and begged him to call off the attacks. Steve, this isnt fair, and its killing us, Ailes said. You have to stop it.

Fuck that, that was outrageous what she did! Bannon retorted. She pulled every trick out of the leftist playbook.

The call ended without resolution. Bannon and Ailes would not speak again for almost a year. Even after Ailes and Trump patched up their relationship, Bannon refused to relent. In fact, Breitbarts attacks on Kelly grew uglier. Flashback: Megyn Kelly Discusses Her Husbands Penis and Her Breasts on Howard Stern, read a Breitbart headline a week after the debate. Ailes eventually dispatched his personal lawyer, Peter Johnson Jr., to the Breitbart embassy in D.C. to deliver a message to Bannon to end the war on Kelly. When he arrived, Johnson got straight to the point: If Bannon didnt stop immediately, he would never again appear on Fox News. Bannon was incensed at the threat.

Shes pure evil, he told Johnson. And she will turn on [Ailes] one day. Were going full-bore. Were not going to stop. Im gonna unchain the dogs. The conversation was brief and unpleasant, and it ended with a cinematic flourish. I want you to go back to New York and quote me to Roger, Bannon said.  Go fuck yourself. 

Bannon remained a loyal outsider for most of the campaign. Then in August 2016, as Trump looked to be spiraling toward a blowout loss, Rebekah Mercer, whose family put millions of dollars into both Breitbart and Trumps presidential run, helped arrange for Bannon to take over. One weakness of Trumps campaign was that it was guided almost entirely by the candidates impulses. Bannon kept Trump focused on a clear target at which to direct his ample talent for invective: Crooked Hillary. And he brought an encyclopedic knowledge of damaging material with which to attack her, gleaned from having masterminded Peter Schweizers best-selling 2015 book, Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich (another Mercer-backed effort). The book gave Trump an overarching theme in which to fit his attacks, one that the media, thanks partly to Schweizers and Bannons efforts, was already predisposed to accept: that Clinton was corrupt. And because Bannons convulsive extremism was now setting the tone, no one would hold him back. Its not going to be a traditional campaign, he said shortly after his hiring.

It wasnt. The great test arrived on October 7, when David Fahrenthold, a reporter at the Washington Post, was leaked outtake footage from a 2005 Trump appearance on the NBC show Access Hollywood. When youre a star, they let you do it, Trump told host Billy Bush. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy.

It looked like Trump had finally said something that even he couldnt rebound from, and Republican officials quickly began abandoning the campaign. I am not going to defend Donald Trump  not now, not in the future, Paul Ryan told his House colleagues in a private call. As New York reported, Reince Priebus urged Trump to quit or go down with a worse election loss than Barry Goldwaters. Bannon stood firm, although even he feared Trump might be finished. Still, he told an associate, it wouldnt be a total loss. Our backup strategy, he said of Clinton, is to fuck her up so bad that she cant govern. If she gets 43 percent of the vote, she cant claim a mandate. Psyching himself up, he added, My goal is that by November 8, when you hear her name, youre gonna throw up.

Trump, who never apologized for any offense, took the unprecedented step of expressing remorse about the comments on the Access Hollywood tape in a hastily produced web video. I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize, he said to the camera. But at Bannons urging, his apology quickly morphed into an attack on the Clintons that made it clear he would not be dropping out. Ive said some foolish things, he said, but Bill Clinton has actually abused women, and Hillary has bullied, attacked, shamed, and intimidated his victims. We will discuss this more in the coming days. See you at the debate on Sunday. With Bannon by his side, Trump would navigate the greatest crisis of his campaign by putting his foot on the gas. When I reached Bannon to ask about the strategy for the upcoming debate, he didnt miss a beat: Attack, attack, attack, attack.

Bannon had long believed that Bill Clintons sexual history and Hillarys alleged complicity in covering it up was something that has to be concentrated and brought up, as hed once put it. His original thought was that relitigating the scandals would demoralize a younger generation of feminist women unfamiliar with the tawdry details. But with the Access Hollywood tape, Bannon saw that injecting Clintons accusers into the race would force the media to devote attention to more than just Trumps damaging tape. The trick was to do it in a way that couldnt be ignored. Watching Bill Cosbys public evisceration by his accusers the year before, Bannon had noticed that their on-camera testimony was especially powerful because most of the victims had been assaulted decades earlier and were now elderly women and thus inherently sympathetic. Bannon thought a similar dynamic would apply to the Clinton accusers.

On Sunday afternoon, 90 minutes before the start of the debate at Washington University in St. Louis, word spread in the press corps that Trump was about to hold an event. As reporters squeezed into a conference room, Trump was seated at the center of a makeshift dais flanked by four women well known to veteran political reporters: Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broaddrick, Kathy Shelton, and Paula Jones. Willey, Broaddrick, and Jones had all accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault or harassment; in 1975, a judge had appointed Hillary Clinton, then a young lawyer, to defend a man accused of raping Shelton, who was then 12 years old.

After brief remarks from Trump, the women took turns defending him and assailing the Clintons. The shock of what was unfolding prompted frenzied live coverage on cable news. As cameras panned the room, they captured Bannon standing in the back, grinning wickedly. The brazenness of Bannons gambit, and the visual of Trump seated among Clintons accusers, ensured that the primary imagery on TV would cease to be the Access Hollywood footage.

A plan to seat the women at the front of the debate audience to rattle Clinton and assure them a steady presence in the camera shot had to be scuttled. In the end, it didnt matter. Bannon had always believed that Trump was his own greatest weapon. As 67 million people tuned in to the debate, Trump waited for the inevitable Access Hollywood question and sprung his counterattack. If you look at Bill Clinton, far worse, he said. Mine are words, and his was action. His was  what hes done to women, theres never been anybody in the history of politics in this nation thats been so abusive to women  Hillary Clinton attacked those same women and attacked them viciously. Four of them are here tonight.

Outside the campaign, the Clinton-accuser gambit was seen as a transparently cynical ploy to change the subject. But Trumps brain trust was seeing numbers that said attacking Clinton was succeeding. A smattering of public polls indicated the same thing: More respondents improved their opinion of Trump than of Clinton after watching the debate.

Then, within days of the debate, multiple women came forward to accuse Trump of having groped or kissed them without their consent. The wave of new accusers put the campaign on a war footing. The distinction they needed to draw, Bannon told staffers, was between Trumps locker room behavior and what he alleged was Bill Clintons sexually violent behavior. This has nothing to do with consensual sexual affairs and infidelities, Bannon said in a strategy meeting that week. Were going to turn him into Bill Cosby. Hes a violent sexual predator who physically abuses women who he assaults. And she takes the lead on the intimidation of the victims.

Trump seemed to relish the prospect of ramping up his attacks on Hillary. And then, with just over a week to go until Election Day, he got an unexpected boost when FBI director James Comey announced he was reopening the investigation into Clintons private email server. Trumps internal polls, which showed him already ascending before the Comey letter, now had him turning sharply upward in every battleground state. Out on the stump, he ratcheted up his criticism of Clinton. In speeches and ads, he channeled Bannons conspiratorial worldview, accusing Clinton of plotting the destruction of U.S. sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers, her special-interest friends. When Trump won the election, the lesson the 45th president took away from the campaign seemed to be that if he fought hard enough, he could survive anything.

Just six months into his presidency, Trumps faith in that proposition is being tested. His brief tenure has been shot through with turmoil, his legislative agenda is teetering on the cusp of collapse, and Robert Muellers special-counsel investigation is an ever-present source of frustration. The Associated Press revealed that Trumps anger has reached a point where he is yelling at television sets in the White House, upset by the tenor of his coverage.

For Bannon, though, things are looking up. Trumps decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord was a sign that nationalism still holds sway, as was his July speech in Poland warning of the decline of the West. The Supreme Courts decision in late June to allow the administrations travel ban to take partial effect was another victory for Bannon, its principal architect. The House just passed two immigration bills, and, White House officials say privately, Congress will soon act on four more. Bannons feud with Kushner has quieted down. And so far, while at least ten White House officials and former aides, including Kushner, have retained lawyers in the special counsels probe, distancing themselves from Trump, Bannon is not among them.

Instead, hes back in the bunker alongside a boss who is often angry, always under fire, and, on the matter of Russia, increasingly isolated from all but a handful of advisers and family members. Early on, Bannons war room displayed characteristic aggression, with Kasowitz holding a press conference to slam Comey in response to the former FBI directors June 8 testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee. [It] is overwhelmingly clear that there have been and continue to be those in government who are actively attempting to undermine this administration with selective and illegal leaks of classified information and privileged communications, Kasowitz said. Mr. Comey has now admitted that he is one of these leakers.

Many of Trumps current and former aides cheered this lunge for the jugular. Kasowitz is a junkyard dog, exactly the guy Trump needs in his corner right now, says Barry Bennett, a former campaign adviser. In TV appearances, war-room attorney Jay Sekulow  Trumps Lanny Davis  suggested that Mueller is biased, a charge Trump amplified on Twitter by calling the investigation a witch hunt and telling Fox News that he finds Muellers long-standing relationship with Comey bothersome.

But those personal attacks diminished in late June, after John Dowd, a prominent Washington attorney and veteran of the Justice Department, joined Trumps defense. References to a war room have also been dropped for the more tempered presidents outside legal team. And on June 28, Trumps lawyers decided to postpone filing a Justice Department complaint against Comey for having helped leak memos about his conversations with Trump to reporters  a move Bloomberg News attributed to a new attitude of professional courtesy toward Mueller. It could become an adversarial relationship, but at present the legal team decided it was best to hold off and not file those complaints, says Mark Corallo, the spokesman for the legal team. Which is not to say that Bannons bare-knuckled instincts have vanished, but rather that hes come to understand that going after Mueller personally isnt the best move  at least right now.

Davis himself says this was a necessary course correction. There is huge danger in attacking Mueller directly, says Davis. [White House counsel] Don McGahn, Bannon, and the political side of the White House ought to be listening. For now, they seem to be. And at least for the time being, Trump, too, has shifted his target from Mueller and Comey to Mika Brzezinski and CNN.

One critical element of the Lanny Davis model, says Davis, is having a president who has a firm enough grasp of the legal and political stakes that hes willing to focus on his day job and let his lawyers do the talking for him. But even some of Trumps defenders admit that not only is the president unlikely to show such deference, he is never more than a bad news cycle away from firing Mueller.

Bannons a smart guy  he knows the difference between success and political suicide, says Davis. But could he even stop him? When it came to Comey, the answer was no. As Mueller expands his team of investigators, the question now is how long Trumps advisers will be able to dissuade him from going after the special counsel. One thing thats always dangerous is telling Donald Trump that he cant do something, says Roger Stone. Because then he wants to do it.

If Trump were to fire Mueller, numerous Republicans say privately that they would break with the president. It would be a repeat of the Saturday Night Massacre when Nixon fired Archibald Cox, the Watergate special prosecutor, says Davis.

Theres no question, though, who would lead the attack on Trumps critics if such a scenario were to unfold. At the end of the day, says Sam Nunberg, the question is, are we going to stand with Trump when he fires Mueller? Steve will do it.

Adapted from Devils Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Storming of the Presidency, by Joshua Green (July 18; Penguin Press). Copyright  2017 by Joshua Green.

*This article appears in the July 10, 2017, issue of New York Magazine.
Its a terrible idea, but lets see what Twitter thinks. Photo: Mikhail Klimentyev/Mikhail Klimentyev/TASS

Rather than holding a press conference before leaving Hamburg, President Trump opted to update the American people about his meetings at the G20 summit with a Sunday-morning tweetstorm. None of his terse and oddly punctuated tweets were very reassuring, but people found one point particularly alarming:

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

...and safe. Questions were asked about why the CIA & FBI had to ask the DNC 13 times for their SERVER, and were rejected, still don't....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

...have it. Fake News said 17 intel agencies when actually 4 (had to apologize). Why did Obama do NOTHING when he had info before election?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

As Politico notes, there were efforts during the last two administrations to communicate with Russia about fighting cybercrime, but they all failed. And even Republicans had to admit that if you think Russia might have hacked your election, working with Russia to stop cyberthreats isnt a great plan.

Its not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but its pretty close, Senator Lindsey Graham said on Meet the Press. Fellow Republican senators John McCain and Marco Rubio agreed:

.@SenJohnMcCain says he's sure Putin could be of assistance in Trump's effort to prevent election hacking "since he's doing the hacking." pic.twitter.com/faTQEsm3Lq  Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) July 9, 2017

Partnering with Putin on a "Cyber Security Unit" is akin to partnering with Assad on a "Chemical Weapons Unit". 2/3  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 9, 2017

Republican representative Adam Kinzinger rejected the idea with a cute GIF:

Working with #Putin to combat cyber hacking & letting him take the lead in #Syria is letting the fox guard the henhouse... pic.twitter.com/zQHHOJGUZz  Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) July 9, 2017

And Democratic representative Brendan Boyle said he would introduce legislation this week that would make sure, in absolutely no shape or form, we spend taxpayer money on this crazy and dangerous idea.

But that wont be necessary. On Sunday night, Trump explained that just because he and Putin talked about forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit doesnt mean he thinks theyre capable of doing it.

The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't-but a ceasefire can,& did!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

So why did Trump announce that he and Putin wasted time talking about a dumb and controversial plan that even his thinks is impossible? Hey, look over there  its a cease-fire in Syria!
Hey, who among us hasnt taken a sketchy meeting under the assumption that wed be receiving damaging Clinton information? Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

The meeting that President Trumps son Donald Trump Jr. and two other Trump campaign officials had with a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer last year was set up because Trump Jr. had been promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton, according to three White House advisers who spoke with the New York Times.

On Saturday, the Times revealed that on June 9, 2016, Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and thenTrump campaign chair Paul Manafort had a meeting in Trump Tower with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who has been working to repeal a Putin-despised U.S. law that imposes sanctions on Russian nationals implicated in human-rights abuses.

Trump Jr. said on Saturday that that he was asked to attend the meeting by an acquaintance, and he had Manafort and Kushner tag along, though he didnt know the name of the person he was meeting. Trump Jr.s statement said the primary topic was a Russian adoption program, and gave no indication that Clinton or the campaign were discussed.

In a new statement to the Times on Sunday, Trump Jr. admitted that there was more to the story:

After pleasantries were exchanged, [Trump Jr.] said, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

He said she then turned the conversation to adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act, an American law that blacklists suspected Russian human rights abusers. The law so enraged President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia that he retaliated by halting American adoptions of Russian children.

It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting, he added.

Trump Jr. said the acquaintance who set up the meeting was someone he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which was held in Moscow. The Washington Post identified that acquaintance as a music publicist named Rob Goldstone. He told the paper that he arranged the meeting at the request of one of his clients  though he refused to say who.

Goldstone manages Russian pop star Emin Agalarov, the son of billionaire Moscow developer Aras Agalarov. The Agalarovs have publicly discussed their relationship with the Trumps on many occasions, as ThinkProgress notes. Aras sponsored the 2013 Miss Universe pageant, and when Donald Trump visited Moscow he held a dinner to introduce him to more than a dozen of Russias top businessmen. In March, Emin told Forbes that he and his father had plans to build a Trump Tower in Russia that would now likely be under construction had Trump not run for office.

Goldstone told the Post he attended the Trump Tower meeting, but did not describe any discussion of Clinton, or say he indicated that it might yield information useful to the campaign. He said Veselnitskaya just wanted to discuss how Trump could be helpful on the Magnitsky Act, if he was elected. Once she presented what she had to say, it was like, Can you keep an eye on it? Should [Trump] be in power, maybe thats a conversation that he may have in the future?  Goldstone said.

Donald Trump Jr. says he shot Veselnitskaya down:

I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office. The meeting lasted approximately 20 to 30 minutes. As it ended, my acquaintance apologized for taking up our time. This was the end of it and there was no further contact or follow up of any kind. My father knew nothing of the meeting or these events.

After the first Times story was published on Saturday, President Trumps outside legal team put out a statement suggesting the whole episode had been some kind of Democratic opposition-research setup, and that Trump Jr. had been misled since the people he was meeting misrepresented who they were and who they worked for. The legal teams spokesperson, Mark Corallo, said that President Trump did not attend the meeting and was not aware of it. White House chief of staff Reince Priebus also promoted the oppo-research trap theory during his appearance on Fox News Sunday, calling the whole story a big nothingburger.

As a point of context, the leaking of emails allegedly stolen from the Democratic Party by Russia-linked hackers began one month after the Trump Tower meeting.

This post was updated to include more information on Goldstone and the Agalarovs.
A shipwreck in the Namib desert on the Skeleton Coast of Namibia. Photo: Wolfgang Steiner/Getty Images/iStockphoto

This week, to accompany our cover story on worst-case climate scenarios, were publishing a series of extended interviews with climatologists on the subject  most of them from the godfather generation of scientists who first raised the alarm about global warming several decades ago.

Peter Ward is one of the paleontologists responsible for overturning our understanding of most of the Earths mass extinctions, which, long thought to be caused by asteroid impacts, turned out to have been the result of climate change produced by greenhouse gases (all but the one that killed the dinosaurs, anyway). We spoke the day after Donald Trump announced the United States withdrawal from the Paris climate accords.

Peter Ward: I wrote an op-ed for the Post, I dont know if theyll publish it. Probably calling Trump a war criminal was a bit much. Anyway how can I help you?

Honestly, what Id love from you, and what would be most helpful, is if you could first walk me through the analogy you made in that op-ed  exactly how our current situation could lead to the end-Permian Extinction.

My own sense in the short run  strangely enough, the most dangerous thing facing us isnt the extinction scenario, since thats centuries in the future. What scares me more is the economic effect of simple sea-level rise. CNN did a very interesting article some years ago about how much it would cost to retrofit ports around the world for a six-foot sea-level rise. Its literally trillions of dollars. Not only docks, but every airport facing the oceanSydney, China, San Francisco especially.

Secondly theres the effect on human food. If theres a six-foot sea-level rise, its astonishing how much food will be wiped out  most rice is in low-lying areas, for instance.

Thats in the short term  what about the long term?

The long term is these greenhouse extinctions are devastating. The most recent one was the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, and that was caused almost entirely by methane. So the scariest thing were seeing today is the liberation of methane from higher latitudes, and its happening far faster than anybody ever predicted.

Did you see the news about the Larsen ice shelf? Its starting to break off. I spent four expeditions down there, just to the north of that, and the amount of retreat is huge. The reason this is important is Antarctica has always been used by the naysayers to say, At least in Antarctica were not seeing retreating glaciers. Well, now we are  we really are.

And it seems as though the IPCC predictions have been relatively on-target on emissions and warming, that the predictions on ice loss have been far too conservative, and things are happening much faster than anybody expected.

Absolutely. One thing about IPCC is that the modelers have yet to figure out how to deal with cloud cover. Its very difficult to predict. As youre going to get more water vapor in the atmosphere, youre obviously going to get more cloud cover. Thats where the models are still breaking down. It will take an enormous amount of mathematical work.

And if anything the sea-level estimates have been underestimates. More than anything else, the ice sheets really control our fates  and Greenland, of course. If we melt all the ice, we get at least 140 meters and probably more  Greenland is 15 meters by itself.

But one of the scariest places on Earth is right off Namibia. When I give a slideshow on global warming and past extinctions, the killer were seeing is hydrogen sulfide. And right now there is something called the Skeleton Coast off Namibia, and the reason is that were seeing hydrogen sulfide coming right out of the ocean. The final part of a greenhouse extinction is when that happens worldwide.

But the worst place on Earth has to be Bangladesh. They are doomed.

And its such a densely populated place.

Absolutely. As you know, as the sea level rises, its like a diving board for storm surge. Youre causing storm surge to jump ever farther inland, and that in itself means huge inundation from storm surge  it doesnt have to be the rise to destroy the crops. Its just a bad, bad situation.

Well, walk me through some of the other things youre worrying about. Food seems like one part of the doomsday picture, but what else are you concerned about?

Well, heat.

I believe that there are going to be some places that become uninhabitable for humans.

How big a portion of the worlds surface do you think that kind of effect will hit?

Certainly Australia. Australia will be deemed uninhabitable. Already Australia  the outback produces not much in the way of crops. But there are kangaroos. I lived in Adelaide, and Ive lived through some heat before, but we had 40 degrees centigrade, and 42 and 43 for weeks on end. It really has an effect. You get depressed, you dont want to go procreate because its too damn hot. You just cant escape it.

Everywhere you go on the equator, there is some sort of drug  for the human population to try to get through the day. How do you get through living on the equator? Its so damn miserable. So I think the equator will become uninhabitable. We dont do well in heat.

In your mind, what is our likely warming ceiling  where do you think were heading, and where do you think the range of uncertainty around that is?

Im not a modeler, so Im not the most prescient to do this, but we certainly could hit 5 degrees centigrade in the next century if we consider the status quo path. Coal is still amazingly cheap. Australia still exports coal. Coal continues to be a major problem. The simple fact is, you have 9 billion people, and the standard of living is increasing, so theyre all going to want automobiles, theyre all going to want steel and iron. And in order to produce that, you need to have sources of energy  huge sources of energy. I dont see wind turbines powering great steel mills. And as India and China become ever greater consumers of consumer goods, this is whats going to drive it, I think.

To me, its been striking how much the green energy sources are growing and how much the prices are falling  much faster than most prognosticators were predicting a few years ago.

But its also the case that there are all these warming feedback loops that are already in motion. And if some of them get sped up quickly then theres almost nothing we can do to counteract those effects.

Youre absolutely right. Ive seen something, maybe as much as 10 percent, maybe as much as 15 percent of carbon may be coming from sources we dont even know about. These methane clathrates may be having a huge significance. They are not being modeled. And we really are going to have unintended consequences and much more rapid heating than even the models say  for the simple reason that the models are highly conservative, too conservative.

Weve talked about food, weve talked about flooding and sea-level rise, weve talked about direct heat effects. Are there other sorts of broad categories of things youre worried about?

Disease  one of the great killers that people are not recognizing is dengue fever. Malaria gets all the press, HIV of course. But dengue is increasing. The mosquitoes themselves are obviously speciating and becoming ever more immune to pesticides, because weve had these jumping genes.

Jumping genes?

What people are not really understanding is that genes can jump from species to species very easily. My 19th book, actually, is called Lamarcks Revenge, the story of epigenetics. My unique new take is epigenetics in the history of life. The reason we get these outpourings of new body types in the aftermath of mass extinctions is not Darwinian  its too slow. Epigenetics occur when there is environmental change. It works for microbes all the way up.

And so we can expect much more rapid changes in microbial genetics. I think the mode of evolution is going to switch from this random slow Darwinian to a much more rapid form.

And you mentioned a few minutes ago the runaway effects. Can you walk me through exactly what we should be looking out for, most worried about, on that possible track? How does a runaway greenhouse effect get started on this planet?

Lets say we have a deep ocean basin off California and its not getting its cold-water oxygen because the surface water isnt water  warm water holds less oxygen than cold water. So any ocean that is warmer is going to be less oxygenated.

And once you switch over to zero oxygen, the microbes that were down there, and the anaerobic microbes start taking over. And as these things take over, you get this black sea effect, and it begins spreading out, and more and more of these microbes start producing hydrogen sulfide. So as it starts spreading, it grows  like cancer. Cancer of the deep ocean. They start spilling over the deep basin and start moving up  thats called a chemocline. And were seeing the first part of this in the Pacific.

Are these effects confined to the ocean?

Well, hydrogen sulfide does come out of ocean. This is why Namibia is so scary.

What else?

One of my Ph.D.s just finished his study on sea-grass die-out. Were losing sea grass globally, and its a huge economic blow. And its definitely caused by global warming. Why is it important? Because most seafood spends some time, as juveniles, dining on sea grass. An article on sea grass die-out itself would be huge.

Tell me about your background and how you came to study mass extinctions generally, but also when you came to think of them in terms of our present day.

I was really just a classically trained paleontologist. To me, the mass extinctions were really interesting in terms of what happens after them  we have this dead period, and the recovery fauna is totally different. And that leads to the idea of, Gee, how much longer will the recovery be if we have an extinction now?

Impact was key, and king, for the 1980s and 1990s  every one of the big extinctions was attributed to impact. But it became clear that, in fact, no, these were not impact extinctions. We had to invent a new term. I dont know who came up with it first, but I was in there pretty early calling them greenhouse extinctions.

And this new paradigm started coming into play. Were even starting to see that KT also has a greenhouse component  because there was warming right at the impact.

Tell me more about the Permian Extinction, because thats the most dramatic. I wonder what makes it so exceptional and in what ways we can watch out for our heading down that same path.

People always think the intensity of a mass extinction should be related to the extinction  what percentage of creatures were extinct. Increasingly, were thinking thats a metric, but a more important metric that tells you something about the nature of the devastation is how different is the fauna that comes afterward.

I think people really dont appreciate how much, over the coming decades, nature will be at war with the way that we live.

Absolutely. Absolutely. Look at the storms that are taking place now. You talk about habitability. Ive been talking about heat. At what point do hurricanes in the tropics make living there just not worth it? Youre being mowed down by these huge number of tornadoes. Sooner or later people are going to get the hell out of Dodge. But this is the sort of storm ferocity thats coming.

And were sort of used to the idea that parts of the world are more prone to things like hurricanes, as part of the cost of living in the Caribbean or whatever. But it seems like those events are going to become much more common still in those areas, but there are also events that are going to become much more common in all the areas where one might flee to from there. So theres a risk of our running out of safe spaces  nothing is going to be protected from extreme weather.

The best case to look at is in the Philippines. That last couple of typhoons theyve had  the ferocity and the increase in those things thats been happening. Thats the model for whats coming. It isnt anything [like that] in the Caribbean; as brutal as those hurricanes can be, they have nothing on these typhoons.

Looking at recent weather history, are there things that stand out as harbingers?

Well, with the warming you get less and less snowfall in the winter. And one of the areas thats really being hit hardest right now are the low countries of Europe. Because the Alps used to get all this snow. People think the Dutch worry most about the dikes and the floods. But no longer. The Alps are having ever lower snowfall, and you get these enormous storms, so were getting an increasing rainfall, and that in itself is a gigantic human problem. Obviously floods  the increased flooding caused by ever more water in the atmosphere is going to be really as bad as storms. Well get these floods all over the planet. And the problem is twofold: They kill people, but they also wash away the soil.

One thing we havent really talked about is fresh water and the coming threat there  the water scarcity threat.

Absolutely. I really do think were going to see  The flash points appear, to me, to be China, India, and Pakistan fighting over the water coming from the Himalayas. Water will be the great fight. Water and food will be the two things that the 21st century will fight over.

How do you see those fights playing out?

Its going to be the haves versus the have-nots, as is always the case. But the places that have the highest rates of human population growth are those where water might be most crucial. Nigeria has a huge growth rate, but its Tunisia and Egypt and Algeria that give Africa its enormous population growth. These are countries in which waters are being reduced. This is where we have this ever-increasing jihad that is going to be driven not so much by being mad at religion but just trying to get along, and cranky angry people in huge numbers are filling up 

Tunisia used to be the granary of Rome  Carthage kept Rome going! Ive been to Tunisia, and boy you dont see much wheat there anymore. You see the Sahara moving ever farther north, and reducing crop yields, just as human population is increasing there.

Its all pretty bleak.

Yeah, it is. We need to slow human population growth. But our White House is doing everything it can to make sure climate change happens. Its strange I have a longing for the Bush years  I thought nothing could be worse, but now those are the good old days!

The places that are going to be hit hardest by climate change are the places where his voters are  the Midwest, the Dust Bowl states. Which means the anger that elected him is going to continue.

Big-picture question: A while ago, Stephen Hawking made some headlines by saying that in order for humanity to survive we had to figure out a way to colonize at least one planet within 100 years. How reasonable do you find that kind of warning, or how insanely alarmist?

Well, he may be the smartest guy on the planet, but boy, I just think this is inane. My sense of it is, with our technology, were just too good, we can engineer and keep some part of us alive on Earth. The only way out of it would be a wholesale nuclear exchange. But barring that, a greenhouse world wont kill us all off. If worse comes to worst, well have gas masks. But what I would advocate is  just like that seed vault, in Norway, that there should be hundreds of thousands of frozen eggs, human eggs, that are taken off-planet. This could just be an orbiting facility carrying seed stock itself. But colonizing Mars? Why? Theres lots of areas that would be easier to put a dome over on Earth than it would be on Mars, because at least you can breathe the air. That alone!

Humans will never be able to send off a colony, a breeding colony, to another star system. The only way you could do this is to send fertilized eggs.

But one possibility is we are stuck here. And if you look at the Fermi paradox, it could be that lots of organisms are stuck on their planets because the galaxy has not been colonized.

Ive been doing these web talks with NASA people. One of the really interesting concepts around the Fermi paradox is the Great Filter  that civilizations rise, but theres an environmental filter that causes them to die off again, and disappear fairly quickly. If you look at planet Earth, the filtering weve had has been in these mass extinctions.

I think thats about it from me. Thank you.

Its been a fun talk. Go get em, man. We need people out there like you. I mean it. Though youre not going to get thanked for it, you know.
Mo Brooks, Roy Moore, and Luther Strange are mixing it up for the GOP nomination to succeed Jeff Sessions. All are hardcore Trump supporters now, but the president might choose to play favorites. Photo: Official Portraits

While Donald Trump has weighed in (sometimes late, and sometimes only via Twitter or robocalls) on behalf of Republican candidates in this years special congressional elections, he has yet to test his strength within the party electoral base in a contested GOP primary. There will certainly be two candidates in next months U.S. Senate special primary in Alabama (on August 15, with a runoff on September 26 if no one wins a majority) who hope to draw the president into their campaigns  or at a minimum keep him from endorsing the other.

You have to figure that Mitch McConnell has directly or indirectly asked the president and his political advisers to show favor to appointed incumbent senator Luther Strange, who is the candidate of the GOP Establishment both in Washington and back home. Indeed, it seems McConnell may have had to overcome some initial reluctance from the White House in okaying Republican National Committee backing for Strange. The appointed senator and former Alabama attorney general needs the help, owing to widespread suspicions that he might have cut a deal with embattled Governor Robert Bentley, who put Strange in the Senate shortly before his own resignation after a lengthy and complicated sex scandal.

Behind the scenes, McConnell allies wondered whether the holdup was the result of bureaucratic disorganization  or whether the administration was choosing to stay out of the primary, which would have provided a window into how it planned to handle future GOP skirmishes.

As it happens, a number of national figures (e.g., Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Mark Levin) considered close to Trump have jumped on the bandwagon of a second candidate, Representative Mo Brooks. That fiery conservative is enjoying a surge in popularity for his presence  and presence of mind  during last months shooting in Alexandria. He might be a favorite to be Trumps favorite if he had not called the mogul a serial adulterer with gutter-mouth tendencies during an appearance in support of Ted Cruz early in the 2016 primary season.

Ultimately Brooks had to abandon his pledge never to publicly support, or endorse with my reputation, someone who I know to have such huge character flaws and who is dishonest, and he is now a big self-proclaimed ally of the president. But Trump famously has a long memory for disrespect. He also has a potentially big stick in the race; he trounced Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio in last years 2016 GOP primary, and won 62 percent of the vote in the general election. The contest, moreover, is to supply a replacement for Trumps first congressional supporter, Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

If Trump is tempted to play in Alabama, theres a third ring in the political circus of this Senate primary, occupied by Alabamas twice-suspended Supreme Court chief justice, Roy Moore, perhaps Americas best-known theocrat. Moore became famous for defying a federal court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument in his courtroom, and then renewed his notoriety years later by trying to stop recognition of same-sex marriages in his state after the Supreme Court legalized them. Moore has universal name ID and a hardcore conservative evangelical following. He actually leads the field, according to an internal poll from the Brooks campaign. But while Moore has been repeatedly elected statewide as a judge, his two forays into regular elected office have not gone well: He was dispatched by Governor Bob Riley in a 2006 primary by a two-to-one margin, and finished fourth with 19 percent four years later in the primary that eventually led to Bentleys election as governor. The judge is not a very robust fundraiser.

The general feeling is that both Strange and Brooks hope to get into a runoff (scheduled for September 26) with Moore, figuring that money and a lingering sense of embarrassment over the judges religious-political antics will make him easy pickings. No one in the GOP is worried at this point about the December 12 general election (former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones is the Democratic favorite in this heavily Republican state).

More than likely, Sessionss replacement in the Senate will be someone the Trump White House can get along with just fine. The question now is whether the president will use this contest to send messages for 2018 to his enemies or his friends.
I looked quick and thought the title meant RDJ and I was just like what?

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Omg me too.

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Same

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Me too! I was really confused for a second

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lol me too

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do you love america? because I love America I love America more than anyone! wow this coke is great! pic.twitter.com/TRIhRbGPwL  jordan  (@JordanUhl) July 10, 2017

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if i was a trump, i'd be coked out of my mind as well

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He on that Sophie Turner good shit.

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He's like a Will Arnett adaptation of himself



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the slow zoom out + dramatic zoom in combo is so funny

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chill son

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Holy shit, haha.





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Omg lol take breath sis.

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I saw him in public once and he's so greasy and sweaty looking IRL. Wouldn't be surprised if he had a coke habit.

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I can't believe he told people he was just talking about the adoption of Russian orphans like...in what universe lol

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Rob Goldstone, the Donald Trump Jr. acquaintance who brokered the meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer, the day after the 2016 US election: pic.twitter.com/20bMLUvDiH  Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) July 9, 2017

I am still fucking screaming @ how obvious Trump and his ugly sons and associates are.

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They're so fucking dumb that they can't even collude properly LMAO

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Oh come on!

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You didn't even try a little

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FLASHBACK: Mike Pence January 2017.



Q: Did any Trump campaign member have contact with the Russians?



Pence: "Of course not." pic.twitter.com/uSgQMkpydv  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 9, 2017

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So do you think they'll put him in gen pop?

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I have the hugest journalist crush on John Dickerson. I love him so much. He is so chill but fair.

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pence is such a huge liar. its crazy that press is like "oh no, pence was lied to!" lmfao he's the one whos lying. i hope mueller gets him

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Edited at 2017-07-10 02:19 am (UTC)

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Yeah ok but who HASN'T colluded with Russians? They're fine people!*



*This comment distributed by SUP Media and rambler-co.ru

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That Arrested Development line is so iconic in this current administration.

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Like Arrested Development is very much about the Dubya administration, but so MUCH about the Bluths feels very relevant to the Trumps.

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that's a horrible lie lmao

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one of my favorite gifs



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This iconic moment

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ICONIC

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What is this from?

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OMG QUEENIE FROM THE DOGVILLE COMEDIES!

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Sources: WH is in total turmoil tonight! For first time, top Trump staffers fear Don Jr is in real legal trouble. https://t.co/Ntai8fbx5K  Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) July 10, 2017



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Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up!1!

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Sources close to Trump are discussing which "advisers to the White House" might want revenge against Don Jr.  pic.twitter.com/U84zX22QVW  Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) July 10, 2017

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One can only hope!

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Lock him up! And throw away the key.

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I can't wait to see this whole family frogmarched away from the White House

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I want the entire family behind bars.



And then I'll get huge posters of their mugshots and decorate my home with them.

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LOCK HIM UP

LOCK HIM UP

LOCK HIM UP

LOCK HIM UP

LOCK HIM UP

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Lol yeah right, with all the shit they've gotten away with at this point, this don jr crap is nothing

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LOL

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He's so fucking ugly. This face should be under a spoiler cut.

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And he's the less creepy-looking brother. This family is some inbred-lookin' motherfuckers.

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I can't stand to look at their mouths, any of them. Whether they're moving or not, it's just... ugh.

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I love the Daily News

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Doesn't this treasonous motherfucker have enough money to buy himself a chin?

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lmaoooo they knew what they were doing when they chose that pic

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he really is ugly and evil omg



the other one is just ugly as sin and dumb, it's not as bad

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Eric and Donny look like the villains in an '80s movie, the ones who are total bitches when they get caught.

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can you imagine if you belonged to a family where the big shared trait isn't something like oh everyone has big ears or oh everyone's a ginger, it's oh, everyone has a mouth that looks like a butthole, we're so proud

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Donald Trump Jr. basically told the NY Times that he tried colluding with the Russians but he was too stupid to do so successfully  Lib Crusher (@lib_crusher) July 9, 2017

Dude is so dumb that he'd fall for one of those email money scams

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I'm laughing but I'm also crying

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At this point, who didn't collude with Russia at Drumpf's camp?



I still can't believe there are people defending him.



Edited at 2017-07-10 03:03 am (UTC)

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"Meddling"-an adorable choice of words! Makes it seem like nosy neighbor on a sitcom! UR opinion(s):1)NO 2)CHINA 3)NO ONE KNOWS 4)400 lb guy https://t.co/dvqeRdMM5C  Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) July 9, 2017



Now it is time to move forward & continue working"constructively"with Russia to hack the midterms-then on to my reelection! #WinningWithVlad https://t.co/hbl0ENPugg  Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) July 9, 2017

Mark has been dragging tramp the last few days, it's great.

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Did anyone else catch this?





VERY weird. And very scary if Rachel is right.

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Yes I saw this. Journalists are already alert about this.

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the website is giving me geocities flashbacks tbh

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lmaooo i love ur icon sfm. that pic is downright iconic tbh

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Do we think this season will be the end of the series? I'm doubting it now.



OT, but I got a message this site just completely copied my ONTD original lmao SUCH a good episode, it's almost fully Twin Peaks again! I guess this was the "give Kyle a break" episode lolDo we think this season will be the end of the series? I'm doubting it now.OT, but I got a message this site just completely copied my ONTD original lmao https://businessmonkeynews.com/en/6-parejas-famosas-que-admitieron-tener-sexo-en-publico-chrissy-teigen-no-tiene-pudor-alguno/?tpedit=1&lang=en

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I really hope there is another season, but I am trying to not get my hopes up.



It was just like an old episode with the comical music background and Lucy and Andy. I loved all of it.

Last episode will still be a favorite, but I enjoyed this one.

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yeah well he also said twin peaks was "dead as a doornail" before changing his mind.

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Kyle's been on a break for two episodes in a row lol all he did in ep 8 was get shot and ressurected by hobos

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the irony. the whole reason we even have ontd originals is to prevent publications and journalists from accusing us of plagiarism and now publications and journalists are plagiarizing us...!



do you think it was a fellow ontder?

have you sent an angry email?

are you going to submit a passive aggressive/meta rebuttal to ontd? omg!the irony. the whole reason we even have ontd originals is to prevent publications and journalists from accusing us of plagiarism and now publications and journalists are plagiarizing us...!do you think it was a fellow ontder?have you sent an angry email?are you going to submit a passive aggressive/meta rebuttal to ontd?

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There's GOTTA be another season come on...

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This episode was so satisfying. I enjoy Constance as a minor character. I love Tim Roth and I fucking cheered when he came on screen. Chantal comes through with the junk food. Garland and Bobby's relationship is so touching even when Garland isn't alive. Ben has nothing but R-E-S-P-E-C-T for women. Everyone fucking hates Chad and his lunch stunk up the conference room. Matthew Lillard as Bill Hastings is so incredible. Fuck you, Tammy, why does all of her movement come from her hips? It's so distracting.

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Her posing on the stairs with Cole and Diane was ridiculous. Funny, but ridiculous.

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I love Tammy she always looks so fab and those hips don't lie!

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Tammy gets so much hate for everything she does and how she apparently sucks at acting but I think she's just fine \_()_/ I like her and can't wait to see her do even more

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ugly laughed when they had to open the window in the conference room before going on about the weird stuff.

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for some reason i couldn't stop laughing when i saw the cheetos sticking out of chantal's back pocket while she was kissing evilcoop.

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don't hate tammy! tammy's a smart, strong, sensual woman and you will deal with her hippy sway.



if you should hate anyone you should hate chad; that annoying, miserable, useless loser.

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I didn't even realize it was Matthew Lillard until the end credits of this episode. I can't picture him as anyone but Shaggy or in Scream.

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So is Diane working with Booper?

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(This is not my manip btw )







Edited at 2017-07-10 04:47 am (UTC) It looked like they were texting(This is not my manip btw )

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I was pretty surprised Ike went down without much of a fight. I guess he had bent his preferred murder weapon earlier though.



My favorite part was Albert on the plane: "Yeah, yeah, I know, 'fuck you Albert.'"

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Sky Ferreira and that rash tho

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i was disgusted omg

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And ugh, we were eating dinner while watching and Sky Ferriera getting at that rash made me lose my appetite. She shouldn't be serving burgers in that condition tbh.

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Blech, I hope not. I'm a wuss about that kind of shit

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I think so and I'd bet money on Jerry chopping off his foot like Mike did his not-arm tbh.

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It better not!! The one kind i can't deal with. ESPESH skin stuff bleh noTY

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I am gonna be the odd one out and say HFT

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ugh! as far as i'm concerned her appearance counts. her teeth alone usurped some of my lovecraft based nightmares.

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honestly, same? we're at the halfway point and don't even have cooper back yet

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It really sucks that we have more episodes without cooper than we'll have with him. also sucks that audrey still isn't in.

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Same, but Kyle MacLachlan said in an interview that everything will make sense at the end, so I'm still hopeful.

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i was initially, but look at how much plot development happened in the last two episodes alone.



i have faith we will have a mind destroying, soul enriching, heart wrenching finale that we'll be talking about for the next 25 years.

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I never cared much for Bobby but he's becoming one of my favorite characters in the new series.

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i didn't realize this until recently but bobby actually cared about laura and shelly? like yeah he was a teenage douche and actually killed a guy in fire walk with me but he wasn't as much of a dickbag as he could have been

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Yeah, you're right. I feel like it's sort of easy to forget, especially if your focus isn't really on him so much when you watch and haven't rewatched in awhile. That scene in the new series where he just lost it when he saw Laura's photo is what reminded me, tbh.

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I love bobby and i didn't see it coming

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Right? Same. Who knew he just had to age lol

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I hope it's Audrey that wakes him up (not gonna happen) but I think the red shoes were reminding him of the red room again

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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

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not to be that person but where the FUCK is miss audrey

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Maybe she'll show up next week for her brother's funeral

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Seriously. If she's only in for an a tiny amount of episodes I will be so sad. :(

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The 5 million shots of Sky's pit, I can't



Does anyone have the tea on Garland and how he's clairvoyant?

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I think he was in the white lodge when he was hibernating and unlike in the black lodge, you don't age there (hence why his body was 40some) and you can "see everything" there, which was vaguely established in s2 during Garland and Bobby's diner talk.

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i really wasn't expecting garland to be central in tying these plots together (given the actor is deceased) but i like it!



maybe a dumb question: is johnny dead or just injured?



Edited at 2017-07-10 04:22 am (UTC)

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I knew the name Johnny sounded familiar but I didn't connect the dots until the end of the scene. Yeah, if he's dead, I'm thinking it'll prompt Audrey's return as well.

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what scene was he running around in? I honestly don't remember that

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Budgetary pressure, falling revenues, cost-cutting measures and general ambiguity  just a few of the characteristic traits that have marked the latest oil price recession period. State-owned companies, commonly executing the double task of carrying out energy-related activities and cross-subsidizing the government budget, find themselves increasingly vulnerable. Privatization represents an expedient variant of raising cash for state coffers and rendering oil companies more efficient by means of bringing in new ideas and adhering to free-market discipline  a multitude of national oil companies (NOCs) might be privatized in the coming years. Saudi Arabia has long been nourishing the idea of orchestrating its first-ever oil IPO, as does Kuwait, whilst Mexico and Russia have lately carried out privatizations with varying degrees of success.

Since NOCs control more than 70 percent of global oil reserves, they have been historically reluctant to open up equity access. NOC privatization, in itself, is a quite recent phenomenon  the first notable deal was BPs 1977 partial privatization  and it has manifested itself unevenly around the globe. For instance, Latin America witnessed a powerful wave of privatizations in the 1990s (most distinctly in Argentina and Bolivia, later to be followed by Brazil and Colombia), yet Middle Eastern NOCs have largely stayed out of it. Until very recently. For the edification of companies designated to be privatized, here are some basic, yet as the fulfillment of some privatization schemes has proved, quite essential hints to be followed.

1. Dont self-privatize

The most effective and meaningful way of carrying out NOC privatization is by offering shares to a third party, not to oneself. History provides quite a few examples of governments intending to sell privatized assets to another state-owned entity. For instance, it was assumed by many that during last years Rosneft privatization, the state-controlled company would privatize itself, buying the 19.5 percent share in question from a state-owned energy assets fund (Rosneftegaz). This has not happened. However, Glencore and Qatar Investment Authoritys eleventh-hour offer proved to be more favorable for all intents and purposes. Yet the story may repeat itself, especially in countries where national oil & gas assets are managed by means of asset funds. Related: Saudi Reshuffle Could Completely Shake Up Oil Markets

India offers another insight into how the prevalence of state interests can lead to self-privatization. Facing a hefty budget deficit, the government in 1999 instructed Indias leading state-owned companies  Indian Oil, Gas Authority of India, Oil & Natural Gas Company - to buy each others shares worth $1.2bn from state-owned holdings. Technically, the states equity share has dropped, however, since the abovementioned companies are majority owned by the federal government. The act was merely moving money from one pocket to another. Although the idea of the state oil sectors gradual privatization has been flaunted since at least the early 1990s, till the present day it remained essentially stuck at the self-privatization level. Thus, long-term efficiency might not be that convincing if the given government is focused on settling short-term challenges.

2. Dont roll back

NOC privatizations are most likely to turn out fruitful if given the time and space to flourish. In this aspect, Latin American privatization efforts are of special interest. Argentina had its national oil company, YPF, fully privatized by 1999, yet due to economic mismanagement and the subsequent largest-ever sovereign debt default, the nation never really assured itself of privatizations purposefulness. Therefore, when in 2012 the Fernandez Kirchner government stepped in to renationalize YPF-Repsol, the measure did not really encounter any widespread popular hostility. The same logic, among others, also applies to Evo Morales Bolivia mid-2000s and Venezuela prior to Hugo Chavez. Yet there need not be such an oscillation from one extreme (nationalization of everything) to another (predatory, if not comprador, capitalism). There are plentiful variants of maintaining government control whilst opening the market up to leading energy companies.

If a government is in straitened circumstances and needs additional cash, tweaks in the tax code might prove to be the optimal way out. If a government yearns to cover its bases and make sure that the new majority owner will not commit itself to an unfavourable development course; it can follow the Spanish example of implementing a golden share and stipulate that the Government can reject certain transactions if they adversely affect any state-owned entitys business. Also, in order to avoid any potential privatization roll-backs, it is important to privatize in due time. The current Venezuelan constitution bars the privatization of PDVSA altogether  yet if a new government, having amended the Constitution, would launch a privatization effort straightaway, the desirable effects would fail to materialize as PDVSA is currently at its low point. Such a privatization would garner less money than expedient and anger wide swaths of the population (as their national property would be given away for a trifling sum). Related: Underperforming Energy Sector May Soon See M&A Wave

3. Dont privatize the corrupt

Russias renationalization of assets in the early-2000s is a fitting example of how corruption can skew the optics of privatization. In the wake of Yukos shutting off in 2003, Rosneft acquired its first asset, Severnaya Neft, from a Federation Council senator for $600 million, doubly overpaying the market value of the company. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that Severnaya Nefts most lucrative assets were acquired in a highly contestable auction, during which other companies offered 15 times as much for the Val Gamburtseva field. Its equity dealings had been murky, too  although LUKOIL owned 50 percent of the company, when it was time for renationalization, it was completely diluted from the ownership structure by means of share sales (by all appearances illegal). In the end, the whole privatization-asset buildup-renationalization chain was just a gradual enrichment scheme.

All in all, most contemporary oil & gas companies bear in mind the abovementioned guidelines, partly because times have changed for the better, partly because others mistakes serve as good ground rules. The most lucrative and talked-about upcoming privatization, Saudi Aramcos 5 percent IPO in 2018 which is expected to raise $1 trillion, has so far been managed neatly. Postponed from 2016 to 2017, then to 2018, so as to carry out the IPO at the optimal moment, the Saudis have even managed to downplay their future commitments vis-a-vis the state, which might be a major matter of concern for potential strategic buyers. We will see how it all turns out in the end.

By Viktor Katona for Oilprice.com

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The oil market is suffering from whip lash. After plunging close to $42 per barrel in late June, and officially entering a bear market, WTI has gained nearly 10 percent in two weeks. By the end of this past week, however, prices were down again.

The latest EIA report offered a lot for oil bulls to like. Not only did crude oil inventories drop by a rather large 6.3 million barrels  one of the largest declines in 2017  but gasoline storage also declined significantly. In the past, it seemed that every crude draw was largely the result of much higher refining runs, and absent a sharp uptick in demand, that extra oil was spun into gasoline. The end result tended to be an uptick in gasoline storage, offsetting the bullish effect of the crude draw.

But this time, there was no such mitigating data point  the drawdowns in both crude and gasoline storage was met with a warm welcome in the oil market. Oil prices surged more than 1 percent during intraday trading on Thursday, although some of the gains diminished by the days close.

Oil storage now stands not all that far above the upper end of the five-year average range, a crucial threshold that OPEC is targeting with its production cuts. Even though everyone was deeply pessimistic about oil prices just two weeks ago, investors were buoyed by the EIA figures last week.

After all, a long list of oil analysts have argued that oil prices wont start to rally until we start seeing real, tangible declines in inventories. The latest report would suggest that we could be on the verge of just that. The recent price gains are the beginning of a sustainable rally, according to recent research note from Ed Morse of Citigroup.

But despite the pop in oil prices on Thursday after the EIA data release, the rally quickly fizzled. By Friday, prices sank further.

There are still a lot of bearish factors out there that could prevent a sharper rise above $50 in the near-term. Although the EIA reported drawdowns in inventories, it also reported a rebound in production figures, dashing hopes that output was on the decline.

And the sharp price gains over the past two weeks could very likely be the result of a huge wave short-covering by hedge funds and other money managers, who had built up a massive pile of bearish bets by mid-June. Forthcoming data will reveal what has transpired at the beginning of July, but it seems reasonable that many investors closed out short bets as WTI approached the low-$40s, forcing crude back up in short order. Related: Saudi Reshuffle Could Completely Shake Up Oil Markets

As a result, any further price gains will need to come from the underlying fundamentals. The latest EIA report is a good start, but the drawdowns will have to continue in the weeks ahead.

For now, there are still obstacles preventing that from happening. The market is starting to realize that despite the headline figures regarding the amount of oil that OPEC is taking off of the market, the cartel is still exporting at high levels, minimizing the impact that the cuts were supposed to have. In fact, OPEC exports jumped sharply in June, by a whopping 450,000 bpd. Of course, much of that came from Libya and Nigeria, two countries exempted from the cuts, so the other participants are still mostly complying with their commitments to pare back production. But the market doesnt particularly care where a barrel of oil comes from  more volume on the market adds to global supply woes.

According to Daniel Yergin, oil historian and vice chairman of market research firm IHS Markit, the lower breakeven prices of U.S. shale on the one hand, and restored output of Libya and Nigeria on the other, will prevent a near-term rebound in prices. "Forget that world of $100  that was not the new normal; that was an aberration," Yergin said on CNBC, referring to triple-digit prices in 2014 and the years before. Yergin sees shale production growing even with prices where they are, preventing a rally from occurring for the foreseeable future.

A rally can still only occur, the consensus seems to be, if OPEC makes deeper cuts. As mentioned before, that is probably unlikely, at least unless something more dramatic happens to prices.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

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No further oil output cuts are on the agenda for the July meeting of the ministerial committee set up to monitor compliance with the OPEC-non-OPEC deal, the cartels secretary general Mohammed Barkindo told media at a news conference in Istanbul ahead of the World Petroleum Forum. According to Barkindo, any discussion of further cuts would be premature.

The comments follow an exciting week in terms of OPEC news. First, Russia said it sees no need for deeper cuts. Then, on Friday, Alexander Novak said Moscow is ready to take part in a revision of the deal if necessary, sparking hopes that deeper cuts may indeed be an option to consider.

The monitoring committee will meet on July 24 in Russia to discuss the progress of the deal. Last Friday, Novak noted that the committee can make any recommendation it wishes to the participants in the agreement. A recommendation, however, does not automatically mean a change in the deal.

Meanwhile, it seems that OPEC is thinking of putting a ceiling on the crude oil outputs of Libya and Nigeria, as rising production from these two OPEC producers exempt from the cuts is further complicating the cartels efforts to draw down oversupply and boost oil prices, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing OPEC delegates. Related: The Other Culprits Of The Oil Price Crash

Nigeria is definitely becoming a worry for us, a delegate to OPEC from a Persian Gulf Arab country told The Journal, while OPEC delegates from a few other nations have expressed similar concerns.

On Sunday, Bloomberg reported that Nigeria and Libya have been invited to the committee meeting in Moscow, citing Kuwaits Oil Minister Issam Almarzooq as saying the two exempt OPEC members may be asked to join the production-cutting effort.

If they are able to stabilize their production at current levels, we will ask them to cap as soon as possible. We dont need to wait until the November meeting to do that.

OPEC is hard pressed to find a way to make its deal work in the face of growing U.S. production and growing OPEC production, too. Asking Nigeria and Libya to join the cut is one obvious way to go, yet it remains uncertain how willing these two would be to stop expanding their output given their dependence on the commodity.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Since they struck the production cut deal in late November, OPEC and the non-OPEC partners that are part of the agreement have seen U.S. shale ramping up crude production more than anyone has expected, undoing the cartels efforts to bolster oil prices. But over the past three months, OPEC has also seen its very own Libya and Nigeriaexempt from the output cuts on the grounds that militancy had crippled their productionboost their respective production to the point of further unnerving the oil market and complicating even more the cartels not-so-successful efforts to reduce global oversupply and prop up oil prices.

Although Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih tried to (again) talk up prices and said in mid-June that the market was headed in the right direction and that Libya and Nigeria shouldnt be considered a threat to the initiative, OPEC is thinking of putting a ceiling on the crude oil outputs of Libya and Nigeria, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing OPEC delegates.

Capping Libya and Nigerias production is probably the only supply-side control mechanism that OPEC has left. Still, according to analysts, the cartel made a mistake while drafting the initial agreement, because it had not set specific conditionsoutput figures, for exampleunder which Libya and Nigeria would be asked to join the cuts, or asked not to pump more than a given ceiling.

According to the latest S&P Global Platts OPEC survey published last week, Libyas output averaged 810,000 bpd in June, up by 80,000 bpd from May. Last months average output was the highest since October 2014.

Libya is right on track to reach its goal to raise crude output to 1 million bpd by the end of July. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) plans to further raise production to 1.32 million bpd by the end of 2017.

In Nigeria, production increased to 1.78 million bpd in June, up by 50,000 bpd from May, according to the Platts survey.

The combined production of Nigeria and Libya is currently 380,000 bpd above their total output in October 2016, the month that OPEC used as a benchmark to base its collective 1.2 million bpd cut.

Relative stability in both African countries point to further crude output increases in the coming months. According to analysts, if Libya and Nigeria prove their production recovery is sustainable, they should be asked to join the pact.

The Joint OPEC-Non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC)which is meeting on July 24 in St. Petersburg, Russiahas invited Libya and Nigeria to discuss their production, Kuwaits Oil Minister Issam Almarzooq told Bloomberg on the sidelines of an energy conference on Sunday.

If they are able to stabilize their production at current levels, we will ask them to cap as soon as possible. We dont need to wait until the November meeting to do that, Almarzooq said.

Related: Corpus Christi Set To Become The Next Oil Export Hotspot

Nigerian Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said at the end of May that his country was not opposed to joining the pact, but it would need more time to see if the output is sustainable.

Ten days ago, a new militant group in the oil-rich Niger Delta said it was calling off the war that it had threatened to start on June 30, and has decided to give peace a chance.

Although attacks have subsided, the security situation in Nigeria is still fragile, as is the one in Libya. Nevertheless, the two African producers exempt from the cuts are raising output and pressuring oil prices down.

With the return of Nigeria and Libya, OPECs production is currently very close to the average of 2016, The Journal quoted Olivier Jakob, head of Swiss energy consultancy Petromatrix, as saying in a note last week.

The recovery of those two countries outputalong with output from the United Statesis offsetting more and more of OPECs cuts.

But while OPEC cant influence supply from the U.S., it could ask its producers Libya and Nigeria to cap output, although it should have probably set strict parameters for the exempt producers to join the deal.

The increase in output of both these countries has exceeded expectations amongst the vast majority. For OPEC not to devise a strategy for this has damaged market sentiment, Richard Mallinson, a geopolitical analyst at Energy Aspects, told Platts last month, referring to the cartels failure to include a clause for when Libya and Nigeria could be asked to join the pact.

If OPEC asks the two counties to cap at current levels, and they agree, they would still be producing 380,000 bpd more than what they did in October, as per Platts figures. The cartel is pinning its hopes on the summer seasonal demand to draw down oversupply, but it may have damaged irreparably the market sentiment surrounding the effectiveness of the OPEC deal.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Crude oil prices could jump to US$60 a barrel by this years end thanks to growing demand and lower OPEC supply, according to Citigroups senior energy analyst Eric Lee, as quoted by Barrons.

Lee believes that global crude oil demand will reach 97.3 million bpd, up from an average of 96 million bpd last year. At the same time, he sees OPEC producing an average of 700,000 bpd less than its average for 2016 throughout the current year.

Authorities such as the IEA and the EIA in the US also forecast a rise in oil demand this year. The IEA believes it will grow by an average 1.3 million bpd, accelerating from the 900,000 bpd in the first quarter. However, the IEA also saw global oil demand at 97.89 million bpd at the end of 2016a figure thats half a million barrels higher than Lees forecast for 2017 and bound to increase this year. Production, the IEA estimated, was lagging behind demand at 96.69 million bpd in May.

The EIA, in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, also forecast a gap between supply and demand that favors higher prices. According to the authority, total global production this year will be 98.3 million bpd, while consumption would be a bit higher, at 98.46 million barrels. Related: Qatar Spat Worsens As Saudi-Led Arab States Vow New Measures

These reports suggest at least partial consensus that global oil demand is growing faster than production  a trend helped by OPEC and its partners, according to Lee, despite growing pessimism about the effectiveness of the deal.

The energy analyst noted, however, that expectations were too high. OPEC and its partners agreed to start cutting production at the beginning of 2017 and in the last two months of 2016 they could boost their production as much as they liked. We recall that OPEC, Russia, and the rest of the participants in the deal took as basis for the cuts the month of October, however, so any further ramp-up in the last two months of 2016 would have only made it harder to comply with the deal, as has been evident in, say, the case of Iraq.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The lower-for-longer oil prices are leading to the fastest drop in crude output of mature conventional fields in 25 years as companies cut spending on older fields, Bloomberg reports, citing figures by energy consultancy Rystad Energy.

Last year, mature fields across the worldwhich account for around one-third of global oil supplysaw their total output drop by 5.7 percent, the steepest decline since 1992. This year, the projected decline is around 6 percent, if the price of oil remains at current levels, according to Rystad Energy.

According to Bloombergs calculations, this years anticipated decline at mature fields would equate to 1.8 million bpd off the marketthe same production volume that OPEC and partners have agreed to cut in their deal to draw down the glut.

A lot of the focus is on OPEC and shale and not on the decline at these mature fields, where supply is struggling, Espen Erlingsen, a partner at Rystad, told Bloomberg. Were starting to see the long-term impact of lower oil prices, he noted.

The projected pace of decline at mature fields is making OPECs life a little easier, Erlingsen said, as quoted by Bloomberg.

Production from mature conventional fields in China dropped by 9.5 percent in 2016, triple the decline rate of 2015, according to Rystad. In the U.S., conventional fields production slumped by 8.3 percent last year, and 11 percent in 2015, compared to an average 4.1-percent decline in the five years before that, according to Rystad data. Related: Qatar Spat Worsens As Saudi-Led Arab States Vow New Measures

This shows that the low oil prices are having an impact on production from mature fields, and that we see the non-OPEC, non-shale supply coming down, Erlingsen told Bloomberg.

Not only is mature field production falling due to low investment in older assets, but the low oil prices have also led to drastic cuts in investments in exploration.

Earlier this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said that the volume of new oil discoveries hit a record low in 2016. The number of new conventional drilling projects also dropped to the lowest level in 70 years, potentially signaling a tighter oil market after 2020.

As if the rapid decline of legacy oil production in mature fields wasnt bad enough, recent research of Rystad indicates that the world could run out of oil in either 13 years (proved reserves) or 22 years (proved and probable reserves) if no new oil was found.

(Click to enlarge)

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Dispensing his usual dose of optimistic crude oil buzzkill, Bloomberg energy strategist Julian Lee points out something troubling to both OPEC and those who are hoping that the latest dip in oil will finally lead to a sharp rally. He writes that while at first glance, this years diminishing U.S. oil stockpiles appear to support the notion OPEC is finally getting the global crude glut under control. Surging exports mean that the market should treat that idea with caution.

The problem is that, as has been the case over the past year, stockpiles aren't coming down because the oil is being used, it's just being moved overseas. And nowhere is this more visible than in the record amount of oil exported overseas.

First, the good news.

In the last week of June, the EIA reported the biggest drop in combined crude and refined-product stocks (including SPR stocks) in four years. In the four months through June - when OPEC crude delivery cuts to the U.S. was expected to show up in lower import numbers - the oil stockpile tumbled by almost 21 million barrels (indicatively, at that rate, it would take two-and-a-half years to get total inventories back to their five-year average level). Regardless, on the surface the drop is even more impressive when one considers that this is the first year since at least 2000 that total U.S. oil inventories have fallen between the end of February and June 30. The average increase in stockpiles over that period has been 53.9 million barrels.

(Click to enlarge)

But here a question emerges: what has happened to all that oil?

U.S. demand did hit a record in the last week of June, but more than half of the week-on-week increase came from the volatile "other oil products" category, not core fuels like gasoline, diesel or jet fuel. In fact, Lee writes that gasoline demand has lagged last year's level all year and still shows little sign of exceeding it. Over the weekend, we presented BofA's amazement at the failure of gasoline demand to rise during the peak of driving season, prompting the bank's energy analyst to ask "Where Is Driving Season?", more specifically, "is this year's driving season over before it began?"

Related: Will Oil Inventories Continue To Fall Over The Summer?

(Click to enlarge)

A chart from Julian Lee confirms that US drivers are certainly not the cause behind the decline in oil stocks.

(Click to enlarge)

So if the oil is not being used up domestically, where is it going? The answer: "the oil has been sent elsewhere."

As Lee explains, while the U.S. remains a big net importer of oil (as dreams of energy independence have years to go before being realized) the excess of imports over exports has slipped after the ban on overseas sales was lifted last year.

And here's the punchline: the U.S. exported 149 million more barrels of crude and refined products in the four months through June than it did in the same period of 2016. This was the biggest growth in U.S. crude exports in barrel terms in living memory, some 1.255mb/d year over year.

Indeed, as the EIA reported recently, US crude oil and petroleum product gross exports have more than doubled over the past six years, increasing from 2.4 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2010 to 5.2 million b/d in 2016. Exports of distillate, gasoline, propane, and crude oil have all increased, but at different paces and for different reasons.

(Click to enlarge)

Some additional detail: Restrictions on exporting domestically produced crude oil were lifted in December 2015, and in 2016, the United States exported an average of 520,000 b/d. U.S. crude oil exports reached 1.1 million b/d in February 2017, the highest monthly level on record. While Canada remains the largest destination for U.S. crude oil exports, Canadas share of total U.S. crude oil exports has declined, dropping from 92% in 2015 (427,000 b/d) to 58% in 2016 (301,000 b/d). Other leading destinations for U.S. crude oil exports in 2016 included the Netherlands, Curacao, China, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

(Click to enlarge)

Why does this matter? For two main reasons:

First, had those barrels not been exported, U.S. inventories would have risen by 128.6m bbl, hitting never before seen levels.

Related: The Other Culprits Of The Oil Price Crash

Second, the surge in U.S. exports is contributing to growing inventory levels elsewhere. According to Lee, stocks in the key European storage hub of ARA, or Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp region, are up 5.5 million barrels since the end of February, Genscape data show. Separately, while Chinese government data, notoriously unreliable when it comes to oil flow data, show commercial stockpiles almost unchanged between the end of February and the end of May, oil exports to Asia's biggest economy have soared. In the first four months of 2017, 55 million barrels of crude and products flowed from the U.S. to China - more than the first nine months of 2016. Here the 2 billion barrel question is just how much crude is truly stored in China's SPR...

According to London-based consultancy Facts Global Energy, global oil inventories on land are "no lower now than when the output cutback deal was implemented in January." Which means that when one nets out total inventories around the globe, OPEC has failed to make even a dent in net stocks. Worse, the recent reduction in the volume of oil stored on tankers has been entirely offset by an increase in the volume in transit.

Lee's conclusion: "Oil bulls will probably welcome the big drop in U.S. inventories. But it's too early to send the bears into hibernation." As for the alternative, it may be too late for some oil bulls: as we reported over the weekend, one of the world's most famous oil cheerleaders, Astenbeck's Andy Hall, just threw in the towel last week, warning that any bounce in oil will likely be capped for years to come.

By Zerohedge

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Frances major Total SA and state-held Qatar Petroleum are getting ready to formally launch this week a 25-year joint venture to develop the Al Shaheen oil field in Qatar, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported on Monday, at a time when Qatar is engulfed in one of the worst diplomatic crises with its Arab Gulf neighbors.

Total and Qatar Petroleum will launch this week the North Oil Company, in which the Qatari company will hold 70 percent, and Total will own 30 percent.

Total signed back in in June 2016 the agreement with Qatar Petroleum that gives the French group 30 percent in the 25-year concession of the Al-Shaheen field, which produces 300,000 bpd  around about half of Qatars total crude oil production. Back then, Total said that the concession deal begins on July 14, 2017.

This agreement is in line with Totals strategy to reinforce its presence in the Middle East, in particular by accessing giant fields and by complementing its portfolio with low-technical cost oil assets, Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and CEO of Total, said back then.

But the launch of the joint venture company coincides with the crisis in the Middle East in the dispute between Qatar and several of its neighboring countries led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The start of Totals concession at Al Shaheen also comes just a week after another contract in the increasingly unstable Middle East, when the French energy group signed on to develop Phase 11 of the South Pars gas field in Iranthe worlds biggest gas fieldmarking the first Iranian Petroleum Contract (IPC) with a Western major since most sanctions on Iran were lifted.

Despite the Qatar-Saudi rift, Pouyanne confirmed to Abu Dhabi-based The National that he would travel to Doha this week for the start of the concession.

Tensions have risen a notchand of course, we take into account the sensitivities of our hosts, The National quoted Pouyanne as saying. But this is exactly the type of situation where Total can serve as a bridge between the countries; we have experience dealing with geopolitical uncertainty.

According to Valentina Kretzschmar, director of corporate research at Wood Mackenzie, as quoted by The National:

Total seems to be able to transcend the politics of the region because they have this really firm focus on the economics.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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By Steve Buckstein

To hear some teachers talk, you would think before smartphones became ubiquitous in their classrooms that every student sat politely and paid attention every minute of the day. Of course, anyone who was ever a student knows the messy truth about this assertion. So, a little perspective may be in order, both about the evolution of the telephone and what should be the evolution of our educational system.

It wasnt too long ago that if our parents or grandparents wanted to make a phone call from home, they would pick up the receiver and ask the monopoly phone company operator to place their calls. Later, how glorious it was that we could use our rotary phones to spin out our own calls, even long-distance ones if we could afford the high per-minute costs. Then came digital phones, and finally cell phones became affordable to the masses. But even the early cell phones had limited uses.

You may not remember, but none of us had any cell phone apps before 2008, because there werent any. None. Imagine: All you could do on your cell phone before 2008 was make calls, maybe text, and maybe connect to the World Wide Web on a slow Internet connection.

Just nine years later, more than two billion people worldwide use apps on their smartphones. You may have dozens of apps on your phone today and, even if you only use a handful of them regularly, thats a world away from what it was like before 2008. Lots of things are a world away from what they were like before 2008except for public education.

Consider the children in our schools today. Many of them have never known a world without smartphones and their apps. Rotary telephones, even landlines, are likely just historical oddities to them. Much of their world is new, except the way we adults try to educate them. First, we assign them to a school based on their ZIP code; then we sit them down in rows, in a classroom with kids their same age, all in front of one teacher lecturing about some subject they may or may not find interesting and relevant to their lives.

We say that we want our kids to learn how to take advantage of technology, take STEM courses, and be prepared for the new careers awaiting them. So why do we see their use of that technology every day in school as a problem? Theyre not paying attention to the teacher! Theyre watching their screens instead of sitting politely in rows listening to the math lesson at 10 am, or the history lesson at 2 pm. The very technology that we want them to be able to use in their careers is enabling them to tune out the lessons we think they need to learn now before entering those careers.

We know that theyll likely find value in many of these subjects later in life; but if they cant learn those lessons in ways that are relevant to them now, they may never learn them at all; or they may learn them too late to avoid painful life experiences between now and then.

As the nations largest teachers union recently documented, taxpayers pay nearly $15,000 every year for all the costs associated with each student attending Oregon public schoolsmore than in 33 other states. Rather than let a smartphone costing a few hundred dollars get in the way of any students $15,000 education, we need to find ways to let it supplement or enhance their learning experience.

As one high school teacher put it in an Atlantic magazine article on this subject last year,

If educators do not find ways to leverage mobile technology in all learning environments, for all students, then we are failing our kids by not adequately preparing them to make the connection between their world outside of school and their world inside school.

One systemic way to think about how smartphone technology can enhance learning is through Education Savings Accounts. Unlike school vouchers that act more like the rotary telephones of the school choice world, ESAs act more like the smartphones of that world, complete with countless apps that can help students learn virtually any subject, often at a fraction of the cost associated with traditional brick and mortar schools.*

While vouchers only let parents pay for private school tuition, ESA funds may also be used for other approved educational expenses, such as online learning programs, private tutoring, community college costs, and other customized learning services and materials.

Also, while voucher funds all go to private school tuition or are lost to the families, funds remaining in ESA accounts each year may be rolled over for use in subsequent years, even into college. This creates incentives for families to shop for the best educational experiences at the lowest cost, as well as incentives for schools and educational programs to price their services as low as possible, not as high as possible as might be done under a voucher program.

The bottom line is that, while smartphones in school can be a distraction, they can also pave the way to better, more efficient use of educational resources. It is up to us as adults to harness their power for good instead of just bemoaning their power to distract.

* To see how Oregons former State Treasurer sees smartphones undercutting the entire economic model of higher education (and by inference K-12 education), watch this 59-second video.

Steve Buckstein is Senior Policy Analyst and Founder of Cascade Policy Institute, Oregons free market public policy research organization. This Commentary is adapted from a portion of the authors written and oral testimony at the Oregon State Senate Education Committees Informational Hearing on Education Savings Account bill SB 437 on June 13, 2017.
PPP Saeed Ghani won by-election

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Senator Saeed Ghani won the by-election on a provincial assembly seat, PS-114, in Karachis Mehmoodabad area on Sunday.



According to unconfirmed and unofficial results, the PPP candidate secured 23,840 votes against his closest rival Kamran Tessori of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, who got 18,106 votes.



Pakistan Muslim League-Nawazs Ali Akbar Gujjar became third as he got 5,353 votes; followed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insafs Engineer Najeeb Haroon (5,098 votes) and Jamaat-i-Islamis Zahoor Jadoon bagged 1,661 votes.



A total of 27 candidates were in the run, but the actual contest was between the candidates of the PPP, MQM, PTI, PML-N and JI.

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The seat fell vacant after Irfanullah Marwat  who won the seat in the 2013 general elections on the PML-N ticket by defeating MQM candidate Rauf Siddiqui  was unseated as the election result was declared void by an election tribunal.



This time Mr Marwat was not in the field as he supported the PTI candidate.



Although it was a by-election, the constituency witnessed a great hustle and bustle which was not even seen in general elections. From Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to Dr Farooq Sattar and central leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf to JI chief Siraj-ul-Haq, all came to the provincial assembly constituency to campaign for their respective candidates.



The total number of votes in the constituency was 193,892  112,203 male and 81,689 female. A total of 92 polling stations were set up and 15 of them were declared extremely sensitive; 33 sensitive and 44 normal. Around 879 people, including 92 presiding officers and 368 assistant presiding officers, performed election duties.



Polling started at 8am and continued till 5pm without any break. Except one incident at Chanesar Goth, the polling remained peaceful in the presence of police and Rangers.



Strict security measures were taken inside the polling stations, where personnel of Rangers were deployed in and outside the polling booths.



The contesting parties established their election camps at a distance from polling stations where voters were given assistance.



The PPP and MQM also set up separate camps for female voters to acquaint them with the voting procedure.



During the polling, contesting parties traded allegations of vote rigging against each other.



At one spot in Chanesar Goth, tension gripped the locality when news of manhandling of a polling agent by PPP workers reached. Supporter of rival candidates started shouting slogans against each other and forcibly tried to enter the polling station. However, Rangers arrived at the scene and prevented the situation from deteriorating.



Later, Rangers director general Maj Gen Mohammad Said and senior police officials and the provincial election commissioner visited the polling station at Chanesar Goth.



PPP leaders Waqar Mehdi, candidate Saeed Ghani, Nabil Gabol, MQM-P chief Dr Farooq Sattar, Aamir Khan, candidate Kamran Tessori, PTIs Asad Omar, Imran Ismail, Arif Alvi, Haleem Adil Shaikh and other leaders of the contesting parties also reached the scene and spent most of the time at their respective camps in Chanesar Goth.



Acting Sindh Election Commissioner Rana Pervez Anwar told reporters that the ECP did not receive any written complaint of rigging.



PPPs Saeed Ghani said that a large number of Rangers personnel were deployed in Chanesar Goth to harass PPP voters. Terming it a calculated move, he alleged that their voters were stopped from casting votes at a number of polling stations.



MQM leader Dr Sattar accused the election staff of partiality at the behest of the PPP at polling stations in Chanesar Goth, where PPP activists maltreated his partys chief polling agent.



PTI candidate Haroon also accused the PPP of using government machinery and organised rigging. He also accused the MQM of rigging.



JI candidate Jadoon claimed that the PPP and MQM had hijacked the election process.
USA launched joint naval exercises with India-Japan

WASHINGTON: The United States hailed India as a natural partner as it launched joint naval exercises with India and Japan in the Indian Ocean a few days ago.



The at-sea portions of the weeklong naval exercises will begin on Monday (today) and are seen in Washington as the demonstration of a joint will to counter Chinas growing influence in the Indian Ocean.



As members of Indo-Asia-Pacific nations, our maritime forces are natural partners, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen our bonds and personal relationships, the US Navy said in a statement issued in Washington.



The US Navy noted that Indian, Japanese and US maritime forces had a common understanding and knowledge of a shared working environment at sea. Each iteration of this exercise helps to advance the level of understanding between our sailors, and we hope to be able to continue this process over time.



The Indian media reported that Chinese warships would also be present in the Indian Ocean during the exercises, which feature both onshore and at-sea training.



A US military newspaper, Stars and Stripes, said that China had been critical of the annual exercise. The government-affiliated Global Times published an editorial in December saying Malabars purpose is to target Chinas submarine activities in the East and South China seas.



The editorial noted that the US and Indian navies operated variations of the P-8 Poseidon, a military aircraft that conducted antisubmarine and antisurface warfare and shipping interdiction.



The Chinese government has also questioned the purpose of deploying the Izumo, which spent time in the South China Sea before heading to India, implying Japan is using the vessel to provoke China, the report added. Izumo carries up to nine helicopters and conducts some flight operations similar to an amphibious assault ship.



The drill is divided into onshore and at-sea segments.



The ground segment began in Chennai on July 7 and included professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and antisubmarine warfare, damage control, explosive ordnance disposal and helicopter operations, the US Navy reported.



The at-sea portions will begin on Monday in the Bay of Bengal and are designed to advance participating nations military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment, the US Navy added.



The at-sea portions include submarine familiarisation; high-value unit defence; air defence exercises; medical evacuation drills; surface warfare exercises; communications exercises; search and rescue exercises; helicopter cross-deck evolutions; underway replenishments; gunnery exercises; and antisubmarine warfare.



The US navy has sent the worlds largest aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, to the drill. The Indian Navys solitary aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is also among the 20-odd warships taking part in the exercise. Japan has sent an Izumo-class helicopter carrier.



Other Indian warships taking part in the exercises include two Shivalik-class stealth frigates, two Ranvir-class destroyers, a Kamorta-class antisubmarine warfare corvette, a tanker and a submarine.



The US contingent includes about 6,500 sailors and 700 sailors from Japans Maritime Self-Defence Force are also participating. India has not disclosed the number of sailors participating in these exercises but they outnumber both the United States and Japan.
GREENWICH  The state Department of Health is telling all village water customers to boil their water until further notice because of a chlorinator malfunction.

Residents are being told to use bottled water or boil and cool their water before using it for drinking or cooking. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least a minute.

The notice will be lifted after two consecutive days of satisfactory sample results are submitted to and acknowledged by the DoH. For more information, call 793-3893.
LAKE GEORGE  Public works crews located a broken sewer line near Million Dollar Beach late last week during the continuing effort to find out what caused pollution issues at the beach in recent months.

The line was located near The Garrison restaurant by a village public works crew that was using a camera to inspect wastewater lines. A natural gas line that was installed in the past two years apparently had punctured the sewer line, and repairs were made to it on Friday.

It had not been determined whether the break was playing a part in the E. coli contamination of the lakes southeast corner, which closed Million Dollar Beach several times since last August, but officials pointed out that the area where the broken line was located was uphill of the beach and located near a storm drain that fed the East Brook area.

I think that was definitely a contributing factor, Lake George Supervisor Dennis Dickinson said. That was a pretty significant find.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation acknowledged the broken pipe discovery, and the repairs were made.

Ongoing daily sampling continues to show bacteria levels in the swimming area are well below safe standards, DEC spokesman Kevin Frazier said.

Dickinson said the town may seek restitution from the contractor that caused the break.

Water test results since the last beach closure in mid-June have found no elevated bacteria levels, and the beach has been open. That is significant, in that rainy periods seemed to correlate with bacteria spikes, and the end of June and early July were extraordinarily rainy.

Other beaches in the area and across the lake have not had any bad test results during the period, as the issue has been localized to Million Dollar Beach.

The test results we have gotten have been good, Lake George Mayor Robert Blais said.

Even with the discovery of the broken pipe, the effort to check for possible causes was continuing this week.

Blais said crews are working to determine whether seasonal home septic systems in that area of the lake could be contributing to the problems.

In particular, the local, state and environmental group personnel will check on whether there is a correlation between the use of certain homes on Cedar Lane and Beatty Road, which run along East Brook, and the contamination.

We are going to work until we are sure the problem is solved, Blais said.
FORT EDWARD  A Fort Edward man who was arrested three times in less than a year on criminal contempt counts is headed to state prison after pleading guilty to a felony.

Dustin A. Mingo, 21, pleaded guilty to felony criminal contempt in connection with two arrests in Fort Edward earlier this year.

He was charged in February with first-degree criminal contempt for allegedly having contact with a person who has an order of protection against him, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

He was arrested on the same charge Jan. 16, police said. He had a misdemeanor criminal contempt conviction last August, which elevated the charges filed earlier this year to felonies.

Mingo faces 1 to 3 years in state prison when sentenced July 28 by Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan.
QUEENSBURY  A Vermont man is headed to prison for up to 3 years for possessing crack cocaine with intent to sell in Queensbury.

Michael S. Jackson, 35, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony, for having more than an ounce of crack during a traffic stop March 11 on Route 149.

Police said he was en route to Vermont with drugs after picking them up in an unspecified city, and State Police found the drugs after a vehicle he was in was stopped for a traffic violation.

Warren County Judge John Hall sentenced him to 3 years in state prison to be followed by 2 years on parole.
SALEM  Residents of the Salem Central School District are invited to tour the school building and hear a review of its building conditions survey as school officials assess the need for a potential capital project.

The event will take place at 6 p.m. July 20 beginning at the auditorium.

School districts are required to complete a building conditions survey every five years. Salems most recent report was completed two years ago.

That report told us that many of our systems, such as our heating, security, and fire alarms systems are beyond the end of their useful lives. These are all vitally important to the health, welfare, and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and everyone who visits our campus, said Superintendent of Schools David Glover in a news release.

The report also identified other problems as the masonry, an unsafe playground, outdated locker rooms and updates required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
QUEENSBURY  SUNY Adirondack has received a $50,000 grant to research where ticks are most prevalent and the pathogens they carry as part of a partnership with Paul Smiths College.

Holly Ahern, associate professor of biology and microbiology at SUNY Adirondack, said the grant from the New York State Senate task force on tick-borne diseases will allow for a two-pronged study.

Paul Smiths College faculty member Lee Ann Sporn will be doing tick surveillance all throughout the Adirondacks, according to Ahern.

Shes the lucky one going off into the wilderness, doing tick drags and finding ticks and characterizing them, Ahern said.

Sporn will be working with the New York State Department of Health to find out what kinds of pathogens are in the ticks. They are analyzing for the presence of DNA from certain pathogens.

If they find the DNA, theyll know that that particular microbe is in the tick, Ahern said.

The second component is studying blood of people who may suspect they have a tick-borne illness. SUNY Adirondack is looking for volunteers.

Were going to use several different pathways to characterize if people have been exposed to tick-borne diseases or also if they have current infections, she said.

Were such a highly endemic region for tick-borne disease, she added.

The samples are also going to be used to help validate diagnostic and clinical laboratory tests, according to Ahern.

SUNY Adirondack is going to evaluate a new genomic testing tool called LymeSeq that is being developed by the Translation Genomics Institute.

Ahern said this test is different because it looks for the pathogens themselves, rather than the antibodies that are produced to fight those pathogens, which is what the other tests detect.

Ahern is looking for people who are healthy and have no symptoms of illness, but are not feeling great, do not know why and suspect they may have a tick-borne illness. They are also looking for people who have been diagnosed with a tick-borne illness and have been previously treated and are now healthy.

Blood samples will be analyzed by a laboratory using the standard tests for Lyme disease and a LymeSeq. These tests will take several months and the results will not be applicable to treatment of tick-borne illnesses.

The Lyme Action Network is having a blood donation session on July 27 at 90 Adams Place in Delmar. Ahern said a session may be scheduled for September at the campus.

To arrange an appointment, call 689-2244, ext. 108. For more information, contact the Stram Center at lymelab@stramcenter.com.

The money will help fund this project this season and into next season, according to Ahern.
HUDSON FALLS  After 30 years as a teacher, Matt Rozell is getting off to a quick start on his second career.

Rozell, who taught at Hudson Falls High School for three decades, walked with the senior class last month, then headed for a family vacation in Ireland and will be pursuing his career as an author of history when he returns.

I am really excited to see what he can do now that he has more time, Hudson Falls Principal James Bennefield said late last week. I am very happy for him. Now I need to catch on my reading. I have his first two books, and I need to read them now.

Rozells third book is The Things Our Fathers Saw  The Untold Stories of the World War II Generation-Volume II: War in the Air  From the Great Depression to Combat. It will release as an e-book in August and as a paperback in September. The second War in the Air Over Europe book will be released first on e-book in mid-September.

Rozell, who self-publishes his books, has also put two of the World War II interviews out as separate e-books. One was A Tuskegee Airman Over Europe: An Extended Conversation, which focuses on the late Clarence Dart of Saratoga Springs.

The other is A World War II B-17 Crew Prisoner of War Reunion: An Extended Conversation, which grew out of an interview done in 2001. The conversation included Rozell, Earl Morrow of Hartford and two other men who spent part of World War II in a POW camp after their planes were shot down during a bombing raid.

That way people can get a taste of what I am doing, and I hope the short e-books can hook them in, said Rozell, whose classes interviewed veterans and others for many years.

Rozell started his series with The Things Our Fathers Saw  The Untold Stories of the World War II Generation From Hometown, USA Volume I: Voices of the Pacific Theater.

His second book grew out of his interview project as well, but at times it seemed to take on a life of its own.

A Train Near Magdeburg was about Jewish prisoners from Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and the U.S. soldiers who saved them.

Rozell was honored last month by two Glens Falls synagogues as a Righteous Gentile and was honored by both the Glens Falls Common Council and the Hudson Falls Village Board for his work in preserving the memories of World War II.

A production company is working on a video that focuses on the rescue of the prisoners on the train.

Rozell said he has interviews that will allow him to do several more books.

I have collected so much over the years, he said last month. Now it is time to go back and put the interviews together and tell the stories.
















Hezbollah building at least two subterranean facilities to manufacture medium-range rockets, sources tell Intelligence Online magazine









The Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group is constructing at least two underground facilities in Lebanon for manufacturing missiles and other weaponry, according to a report by the French Intelligence Online magazine. While reports of these subterranean weapons facilities have been published in Arab media outlets before, the Intelligence Online article included two previously unknown pieces of information: the type of weaponry being produced and the approximate locations of two factories.

Sources told the French industry magazine that one of the factories is being built in northern Lebanon, near the town of Hermel in the eastern Bekaa Valley. The second facility is reportedly being constructed along the southern coast, between the towns of Sidon and Tyre.





According to Intelligence Online, the Hermel facility is being used to produce the Fateh 110, a medium-range missile. The southern facility, meanwhile, will be used to make smaller munitions.





The Fateh 110 has a range of approximately 190 miles (300 kilometers)  enough to cover most of the State of Israel  and can carry a half-ton warhead. It is considered fairly accurate, though to what extent is a matter of debate, according to a US Congressional Research Service report .





Israels Davids Sling missile defense battery, which went operational in April , is meant to protect the Jewish state against medium-range rockets like the Fateh 110.





The Iranian general was quoted by al-Jarida as saying that the decision to produce rockets indigenously in Lebanon came after Israel bombed weapons factories in Sudan and supply routes for Iranian rockets via Syria.





The latest developments highlight the depth of Irans involvement in Syria and Lebanon, something that both Israel and some Arab states have warned against in recent months.





IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot said last week that Israel is in the midst of a major campaign to thwart attempts by Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah to arm themselves with increasingly accurate missiles.









Addressing the Knessets Foreign Affairs and Defense committee, Eisenkot said that the primary concern for Israel was what he called the accuracy project  efforts by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah to equip themselves with accurate missiles.





Regarding the efforts by Hezbollah to obtain advanced rockets through Syria, Eisenkot said, We are working all the time against the project with a wide variety of tools that it is best to keep quiet about, and with the aim of not causing a deterioration [in the situation].

































This was a week of startling contrasts. The President reasserted (against a decades-long leftist attack on it) the significant achievements of Western civilization and the need to vigorously defend it. His speech prefaced the G20 meeting in Hamburg, where leftists rioted , burned, and looted while the G20 leaders ponced about and wined and dined in style, apparently oblivious to the havoc which their open border policies and multiculturalist mindset had birthed. As Trump worked successfully on trade and defense issues in Europe, his administration was quietly plugging security leaks and maladministration in our own bureaucratic underground.





Western Europe has been blinded by ideological nonsense. On the one hand it has worked assiduously to separate religion and politics. On the other hand, it has welcomed in hordes of Islamists. In contrast, to quote Zoltan Balog , Hungarys Minister for Human Resources in the case of Islam it is religion that determines politics.





Eastern Europe, in particular Poland, was the right place to defend Western culture and values. And Trump did so brilliantly to the great delight of the thousands who flocked to hear him.





Eastern Europe not only shows a greater understanding of Western culture than Western Europe does; these Eastern countries have also been far more generous to NATO, the bulwark of their independence and security. Culture and security go hand-in-hand: if you take your own culture and civilization seriously, you will be ready to defend them.





Add this to news that we are selling Patriot Missiles to Poland to allow them to avoid Russian encroachment , and its clear Poland must be breathing a sigh of relief that Obama is finally out of the White House.









The first meeting of Trump and Russian President Putin apparently went well and extended considerably beyond the allotted time set for it. At the end of which a new agreement was reached that promises to reduce civilian bloodshed and the threat of wider war in the Middle East. It is set to take effect today. Details of the agreement are being worked out and as of this time I have not found anything more definitive than that the parties are working on a plan to deescalate the fighting in Southwest Syria, along the border with Jordan and Israel. How this will be monitored remains to be worked out. For obvious reasons Israel has indicated it will not allow Russian troops to monitor in its area.

The agency targeted by Trump as fake news proved it in a series of undercover reports from Project Veritas, the ravings of CNNs Jim Acosta, and last but not least, its blackmailing of someone whod produced a gif of Trump flaying CNN in a professional wrestling satire.





That attack by CNNs sinister enforcer Andrew Kaczynski on Reddit user HanAssholeSolo was an outrageous act of overreach by the increasingly aggressive and hectoring left. It was the liberal media deciding that among its new roles is to police societys behavior and mores in the manner of the NKVD. Definitely one good thing to have come out of #CNNBlackmail is that the enemy has shown its true colors. But the far, far better news is that the good guys have fought back.





























A major crime wave is ravaging your neighborhood  not only frequent break-ins and burglaries, but armed robberies, assaults and even murders. What do you do? Do you arm yourself and make sure your doors are locked at night and add a security system? Or  do you intentionally leave your doors unlocked and post a large, brightly lit sign saying, Welcome criminals and psychopaths, theres a lot of money in here, the doors are unlocked and we are unarmed? In todays America, one of the two major political parties favors the latter option. Case in point: High-profile Democrat Rahm Emanuel is currently mayor of Chicago, where more than 4,000 people were shot last year, 762 of them murdered. The former Obama White House chief of staff is proud that Chicago has some of the nations most stringent gun-control laws, even though decades of research proves more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens reliably results in less crime. Worse, the mayor defiantly boasts of his determination to keep Chicago a sanctuary city  meaning the citys police are prohibited from cooperating with federal law enforcement in getting criminal illegal aliens off the citys streets by deporting them. Indeed, the sanctuary city designation serves as a Welcome sign to violent criminal illegals, assuring them that Chicago, like hundreds of other sanctuary cities, is a safe space for them. Unfortunately, its not just with regard to immigration and gun control that the left piously champions policies that utterly defy common sense. Its the same in virtually every area of life. This is the focus of the unusual and insightful July issue of WNDs monthly Whistleblower magazine, titled THE LEFTS WAR ON COMMON SENSE.





Issue highlights include: The lefts war on common sense by David Kupelian. From men in dresses to welcome signs for criminals, the meltdown continues

7 examples of mainstream leftism devoid of common sense by David Limbaugh. Not attracted to transgenders? Youre deeply transphobic. Oh, and Trump labeling ISIS losers will increase terrorism. Any questions?

Why no one shouts Jesus is great when they kill by Joseph Farah, on how many defenders of Islam live in the realm of make-believe, denial and non-acceptance of reality

If a Trump supporter had shot a Democratic congressman by Dennis Prager, who explains, Hysteria is to the left as oxygen is to biological life

Female athletes crushed by women who were once men' by Chelsea Schilling. An astonishing, in-depth look at how transgenders today dominate in weightlifting, track, wrestling, football, basketball, mixed martial arts and other womens sports

Trigger warning! Schools go ballistic over non-existent guns by Bob Unruh. From pens to Pop-Tarts, 15 cases of administrators going nuts over harmless words or images

Sanctuary cities violate common sense'

Magic words: Political correctness is an insidious frontal attack on common sense and freedom through language manipulation' by David Kupelian

Of chimps, persons and human-ness by Rita Dunaway, who explains why Todays judiciary often invents complex, counterintuitive answers to such fundamental questions as who is a person?

Is todays far left possessed? by John Zmirak. Were not just dealing with bad ideas, but evil spirits. This fascinating issue of Whistleblower, says WND Managing Editor David Kupelian, explores how what we cryptically call the left is at war with all that America once most cherished  freedom, the Christian faith, morality, law and order, equality under the law, limited government and unlimited opportunity  and that the primary battle in that war is its ongoing frontal attack on common sense. For common sense is truly the gateway to the rest of our nations virtues.

























Americans will be holding silent vigils across the nation July 10 , marking the one-year anniversary of the murder of Seth Rich, the Democratic National Committee voter-expansion data director whom some suspect handed over thousands of DNC emails to WikiLeaks during the 2016 election.





All Americans should be concerned about the investigation of Richs murder, a woman who has been at the forefront of organizing the vigil in Washington, D.C., told WND, because Seth Rich is Russia.









The Russia-Trump [election] rigging story was a complete lie and fabricated  probably to deflect in part from the murder of Seth Rich, she said, insisting Rich was the DNC email leaker, not Russia.









The whole Russian narrative was created to deflect, she said. Any time any of the Democratic Partys crimes are uncovered, within 15 minutes a story pops up in the media to deflect from it.





Candlelight vigils are planned for Monday in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, St. Louis, Miami, Louisville, Detroit, San Diego, Cleveland and Washington, D.C. Organizers are asking attendees to dress in patriotic colors in memory of Rich. We believe its going to be a nice event for the spirit of justice in Washington, D.C., Kelly said. We are seeking the support and feedback of the general population. We are not having speakers, so this isnt about people grandstanding. There is no political agenda. Its about a young man whose life was taken.





As WND has reported , Rich, 27, had accepted a position with Hillary Clintons campaign just before his death. He was murdered in Washington, D.C., near his apartment in an affluent neighborhood. Rich was shot twice in the back with a handgun, and his wallet, credit cards, watch and phone were left in his possession. The Metropolitan Police Department has described the murder as a botched robbery. Private investigators have claimed there is evidence Rich was the source WikiLeaks used to obtain thousands of DNC emails released on the eve of the partys presidential nominating convention last July. The emails, indicating the party was manipulating the primary race in favor of Hillary Clinton, led to the resignation of former DNC Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. On July 22, just 12 days after Richs death and days before the Democratic Party Convention in Philadelphia, WikiLeaks released 20,000 DNC emails.

The case of Seth Rich crosses party lines. Its about a young man who by all accounts was a great patriot who loved America, she said. The vigil is a gathering of people to stand for this young man, this patriot, who appears to have uncovered some pretty serious information about crime that was being committed. He did what was the right thing to bring that forth, and now hes gone. Truth should never cost anything. It especially should not cost your life.




















































































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Two girls, both juveniles, were taken into custody about 2 a.m. Sunday in connection with the discovery of a Morrison, Illinois, woman's body.

Formal charges are pending, according to Morrison police, in connection with the body that was found during a house fire Saturday in Morrison.

Morrison Police, along with the Whiteside County Sheriffs Office and Morrison firefighters, responded about 1:06 p.m. June 8 to a house fire at 805 W. Park St. While firefighters entered the home, they discovered the body of Peggy S. Schroeder, 53. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Whiteside County Coroners Office.

The incident remains under investigation by Morrison police and Whiteside County Sheriffs Office, with the assistance of other agencies.
One person is dead after a vehicle struck a bridge support and burst into flames on Interstate 80 in Cedar County.

The incident occurred 9:16 p.m. Sunday at mile marker 256.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2012 Dodge Journey was traveling westbound on I-80 when it entered the median and struck a bridge support. The vehicle then became engulfed in flames. The driver was ejected from the vehicle.

The name of the victim is not being released at this time.

The accident remains under investigation.

The Iowa State Patrol was assisted by Cedar County Sheriff's Office, West Branch Police Department and West Branch Fire Department.
MetroLINK, the Illinois Quad-City public transit provider, has made changes to Metro routes east of Centre Station in Moline serving East Moline, Silvis, Carbon Cliff and Colona. Routes that are affected include 30 (green), 50 (olive), 55 (sky blue), and 59 (maroon).

Riders can find out more in a video tutorial at www.MetroQC.com/improvedroutes.

Major highlights include:

 Routes 50, 55, and 59 hours have been extended to 9:45 p.m. (previously 6 p.m.) on week days.

 Route 30 now provides Colona riders with streamlined access to Avenue of the Cities and serves new retail and residential along 22nd Avenue in Silvis.

 Route 50 now serves John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline and new retail and residential along 22nd Avenue in Silvis.

 Route 55 now provides riders with consistent hourly service serving Silvis and Carbon Cliff.

 The new Route 59 now offers connections between Moline and East Moline at Kennedy Square.

Complete maps and schedules are available at www.MetroQC.com/improvedroutes.
ABERDEEN | In September 2015, the limp body of Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, 3, washed up on a Turkish beach off the Mediterranean Sea.

The image captured by photographers and shared by several media outlets shocked people around the world.

And it had a lasting effect on one Aberdeen resident who is now using her business  Kozy Kittos  to make a social impact.

Amber "Kitto" Beckham enlisted in the Air Force six months before graduating from Central High School in 2005. While stationed in Turkey, she saw people fleeing Lebanon.

"At that point in time, I didn't understand what was happening. I was so fresh into the military, and I guess the world," she said.

Years later, the image of Alan hit home. Beckham's air force base in Turkey was where she met her husband, Tim. The shore on which Alan was found shared the sea in which they swam.

Then, earlier this year, dozens of people were killed and hundreds were injured when warplanes with sarin attacked a residential area in Syria, which shares a border with Turkey.

It was then that Beckham, through tears, started reflecting on her own experience in the military and finally came to understand what she had witnessed.

"To hear the stories of these children and these stories of being bombed, how is this even possible in this day and age? And why is this happening?" she said.

Beckham was raised with a do-what-you-can, serve-when-you-can mentality, she said.

She had been out of the military since 2009. Even so, she knew there was a way to help. And that was to stop doing business as usual and instead work to make a difference in the lives of refugees.

Beckham started Kozy Kittos  incorporating her maiden name  in 2014. Since, she's sold her blankets in local stores and at events such as Arts in Park, as well as through an Etsy store.

This year, however, there was no booth in the park and the Etsy store went dark.

But the sewing machine is still threaded, and sewing blankets is still Beckham's respite. She started her business to make a profit but decided making a difference is more important.

Since May, she has made at least 30 blankets that she plans on shipping to refugees through the organization Carry the Future. The blankets  made for what Beckham now refers to as Operation Kozy Kittos  will be packaged in a box with other necessities. For some on the receiving end, the box will serve as a baby's crib, she said.

Carry the Future was started by one woman who saw mothers fleeing war-torn countries struggling to carry their children.

Beckham attributes much of her success to her mother-in-law who died from cancer in March. Not only did she teach Beckham how to sew, but she also bought Beckham her first sewing machine.

She also watched a few online videos and remembered a lesson or two from her 10th-grade sewing class with Natalie Geffre.

Her own parents were influential, too. They made a point to give back when possible, she said, ultimately instilling a desire to help others.

She's hoping receiving a blanket will offer a ray of sunshine on the otherwise often-dim conditions of refugees.

"The world is a hard place. They see that (blanket) and they have someone across the world in South Dakota that cares about their child. I think that speaks volumes," she said.

Kids remember their blankets, she said.

Beckham's blanket traveled with her all around the world, through deployments, and has since been made into two quilts for her daughters, Emmy, 3, and Kloey, 15 months.

"You want that sense of home, and a small blanket can make a big impact," she said.

Beckham hopes to have 100 blankets shipped by the end of the summer. She plans to ship the first batch this week.
Those dog days of summer are certainly upon us as we move through the month of July. Temperatures rose to 102 on Sunday with warm weather preceding it for a couple of days. The prairie is taking on a look that is more typical of August. It is drying out fast with the warmer temperatures this week.

Reggie Rhoden and Jenifer Bruch were married on July 1 in the yard of Albert and Holly Bruch. It was a comfortable day in the shade and the evening was very comfortable for guests who attended the wedding reception.

The couple each had six attendants and the main color was blue. The reception was held in Albert's newer shop that was completely transformed from a work environment filled with metal and welding projects, to white lights, food, tables, and backdrops satin material, as well as a dance floor.

Burgers were cooked on a grill made from a forge that was made by Jenny's great grandfather and they were served with other sides. A slide show of the couple was presented as well. A good time was had by those in attendance who were there to wish the couple many years of happiness.

Larry, Sandy and Tristen Rhoden spent time at a cabin near Hill City last Sunday and Monday nights with friends. On Tuesday, they attended the 4th of July parade in Belle Fourche along with other legislators and several candidates vying for statewide races. It was a warm day, which made for a lot of exercise and sweat for those who walked. They continued on to Spearfish, Deadwood & Lead parades. On Wednesday, Larry was asked to moderate a Town Hall meeting with Kristi Noem in Rapid City. She answered many questions about the latest topics being discussed in Washington, DC. It was a great learning experience to see and hear the facts and find out what was really going on with legislation in DC.

On Saturday, July 8, Callen and Sandrine Brink were married at the Community Baptist Church of Union Center. Sandrine is from Switzerland and had 14 family members attend the wedding ceremonies. They were hosted by Wes and Sue Labrier and Gary and Amy Cammack. Most of them only spoke French, so it was fun to communicate with them, or at least try. The couple rode in a horse drawn wagon from the church to the community center. The reception was adorned with peach, burgundy and gold decor and candle lit tables. The food table was beautifully adorned with colorful fruits, vegetables, wonderful salads and pulled pork sandwiches. The bridal party table was on the stage with a backdrop of satin curtains. The bride and groom each had five attendants and all were introduced by Larry Rhoden. Caden Smiley provided the music for the dance. There was a nice crowd to enjoy the celebration for Callen and Sandrine. We wish them all the best.
Their numbers may have been small, but the spirit of attendees was enormous at the first Light Up The Hills Rally in Sturgis last week.

The event was the brainchild of Q.D. Hix who envisioned a gathering of Christian motorcyclists while riding in the Black Hills about 10 years ago.

Although numbers of attendees were not what organizers had hoped for, Hix believes those who did attend will return to their hometowns and share about the event which will translate to bigger numbers in the future.

"For the first year, we're pleased with the turnout," Hix said. "Certainly it is not in the thousands, but everyone who is here is having a great time and that's the way we are judging the success of the first year's event."

Hix estimated the crowd somewhere between 300 and 400.

"We have people here from 12 to 15 different states. We've got East Coast, West Coast, Texas, Minnesota - that means they will take the word back about how good a time they had and bring folks back with them next year," he said.

Tony Maiefski of Council Bluffs, Iowa head about the gathering from his local chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association.

"I was on fire to go," he said.

Maiefski is no stranger to Sturgis. He has come for the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally in August three times, but said coming for the Light Up The Hills Rally was quite special.

"It's about sharing the love of Jesus and glorify God. This is a great rally and it's going to get really, really big," he said.

He and fellow motorcyclists took advantage of being in the Black Hills during a time when throngs of motorcyclists were not clogging area scenic roadways.

"We went through Spearfish Canyon. That's one of the best rides out there," he said.

Quinn Peterson of the Fellowship of Motorcycle Ministries said initially the group wanted to hold the event around the first week in June, but said Sturgis city officials encouraged them to choose a later date to draw it closer to the annual rally.

"Certainly there are only a certain number of weekends available during the riding season here. I understand June may be a little rainy," he said.

But last week presented a conflict for the Light Up The Hills Rally organizers because the South Dakota Christian Motorcyclists Association rally was running at the same time in Rapid City.

"Many of the Christian riders from here are over in Rapid City," Peterson said while attending a Christian concert at the Harley-Davidson Rally Point in downtown Sturgis Saturday.

He, too, believes that those who did attend the rally will return and share about their experience with others.
Refusal to seize Federal Guard Service Generals apartment upheld

MOSCOW, July 10 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov)  The Moscow City Court on Monday upheld refusal to seize apartment belonging to Gennady Lopyrev charged with taking a grand bribe, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.

Therefore, a prosecutors appeal against the May 10 ruling of the Basmanny District Court of Moscow was dismissed. The court forfeited 6.7 million rubles ($111,000) owned by the General but refused to seize his apartment in St. Petersburg.

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.
State Duma committee backs Convention on confiscation of proceeds from crime

MOSCOW, July 10 (RAPSI)  The State Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs has recommended that MPs ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism.

On June 26, President Vladimir Putin submitted the Convention to the lower house of Russian parliament for ratification.

The Convention was signed on behalf of the Russian Federation on January 26, 2009, in Strasbourg.

Ratification of the Convention will enhance the efficiency of Russias cooperation with other countries in anti-money laundering and combating the financing of international terrorism and provide additional features for development of international cooperation of competent authorities in laundering, search, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds from crime, an explanatory note to the document reads.
Stalker is my Ulysses. It is a totemic work in my understanding of its respective art form, but one that I "get" only in glimpses and echoes.

This will be my third time seeing the film, and I am heartily glad to find it on the Criterion Collection this month after a few teases in that direction in the past -- few films I've ever seen have seemed more specifically connected to Criterion's overall mission -- but I don't find myself any closer to professing any kind of unified understanding of Tarkovsky's greatest work. I got lost in it again. I'll get lost in it next time too, I'm sure. I'm beginning to think getting lost in Stalker is nearer and nearer the fulcrum of its point.

Part of my perplexity is surely self-manifested. When I was in film school there was a 12-student seminar class run by one of the senior professors called "Four Thinkers: Tarkovsky, Dryer, Ozu and Bresson." It was one of those things where you had to request permission to attend personally. I didn't have the courage to ask to be let in, and I've had it in my head ever since that Tarkovsky (among the others) is a heavy filmmaker to deal with and Stalker a difficult film. Per the manifestation of the Zone within the film itself, it's appropriate that I have put up my own blocks and traps around the piece -- and yet keep trying to reach its centre.

Stalker is hugely influential, of anything from the recent HBO version of Westworld to the first-person shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow Of Chernobyl, to how we discuss and describe the Chernobyl disaster itself. (In one of Stalker's uncanny real-world echoes, of which more below, Chernobyl would seem to be one of the film's direct influences - except that the disaster occurred seven years after Tarkovsky completed the film.)

The film concerns three men -- Stalker, Professor, and Writer -- who undertake a journey into a restricted space within totalitarian Russia (actually filmed near Tallinn, Estonia), the centre of which purports to be able to grant its visitors their deepest wish. The eponymous Stalker, a criminal man of faith whose services can be procured as a guide to this unusual landscape, employs an understanding of unspoken and ill-defined rules by which one can safely navigate the Zone. Played by Alexander Kaidanovsky with a beseeching certainty in his understanding of the Zone and a kind of existential panic about rubbing the Zone the wrong way, Stalker leads Writer (Anatoly Solonitsyn) and Professor (Nikolai Grinko) through what is essentially an overgrown, swampy field, but which may or may not be a sentient being itself.

Time begins to become confusing. Tarkovsky, no slouch in the "slow cinema" realm -- the backmatter essay included with the Blu-ray notes that there are only 142 shots in this 161 minute film -- lays cinematic traps of his own, shifting through perspective and exegesis and into moments of pure, perfect stillness. Conversations run long. Space seems to warp around the characters, turning workaday environs like rivers and drainpipes into threatening trials.

We are invited to contemplate Stalker through a variety of lenses: the rules of the Zone (and their potential application to what we, or an artist living in Soviet Russia in the 1970s, might describe as one's human purpose); the faith of Stalker himself (and how, in the absence of any concrete extrapolation of meaning, faith can possibly exist); and the magnificent power of cinema itself, to beguile, transfix, transform and transcend.

Stalker is one of the most beautifully photographed films I've ever seen, an irony, given that it is one of a handful of productions (Apocalypse Now; Fitzcarraldo) whose off-camera dramas, particularly around cinematography, are inextricably connected to its myth, and provide another of Stalker's uncanny real-world echoes. Fully half of the film was shot by cinematographer Georgy Rerberg, but that footage was either damaged in processing, incompetently exposed, or intentionally destroyed (accounts differ), causing Tarkovsky to fire Rerberg and start over with Aleksandr Knyazhinsky. Most people connected with the film proclaim that Tarkovsky completely reconceived the movie during the downtime, and that the Knyazhinsky version (i.e. the final version of the film) differs wildly from whatever product Tarkovsky had shot with Rerberg.

Some, however, claim that the final version ended up being nearly identical to the original, and that Tarkovsky had ventured into the Zone -- twice -- to find that it was himself, not the work, that had transformed.

The Criterion disc, which I had hoped would illuminate many of these crosshatched narratives both within and outside of Stalker, is disappointingly light on insight. The most glaring omission is the absence of Igor Mayboroda's documentary, Rerberg and Tarkovsky: The Reverse Side of "Stalker," which detailed the Rerberg conflict from the cinematographer's side (a useful corrective, given that much of the film's history has been written by Tarkovsky-faithfuls).

Instead, we get only one newly-produced work: a thirty-minute conversation with film critic Geoff Dyer about his lifelong relationship with Stalker. Dyer, who has written a book about Stalker called A Book About A Film About A Journey To A Room, is a compelling and intelligent commentator (one wishes, in fact, that he had supplied a feature-length audio commentary for the disc, a practice that Criterion seems to be moving away from). He underlines one of the most disconcerting truths at the heart of Stalker -- that if the Room offers its visitors their deepest, most internal wish, it would be offering access to a level of one's identity that is deeper and more disturbing than anything we would ever want to know -- and otherwise gamely highlights some of the film's finest visuals.

Part of the film's visual strategy is its pivoting back and forth between deep-sepia monochrome and, upon arriving in the Zone, rich, natural colour of the sort that only Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki is achieving today. (Seriously, Tree of Life wishes it were Stalker.) The presentation on Criterion's Blu-ray is drawn from the 2017 2K remaster conducted by Mosfilm, and is so stunning to behold that it will become a reference disc in your collection immediately. Having only seen beaten-up prints of the film before now, the transition to full colour upon the trio's arrival in the Zone drew a full gasp from me, adding The Wizard of Oz to the list of films that wish they were Stalker -- but the fragile moments with Stalker's daughter Monkey, late in the film (and also in colour), are so lovely to watch in this presentation that you may find yourself holding your breath.

Rounding out the disc are a handful of archival extras. Composer Eduard Artemyev, interviewed in 2000, recalls his work with Tarkovsky on Solaris, The Mirror and Stalker. Production designer Rashit Safiullin, also interviewed in 2000, describes making Stalker a whole second time at half the budget.

And (second) director of photography Knyazhinsky, interviewed just before his death in 1996, offers a glimpse into yet another Stalker's eerie echoes into the real world: perhaps by dint of the toxic surroundings in which they filmed in Tallinn, several of the key members of the crew -- including Tarkovsky -- were dead within a decade of their trip to the Zone. Marvellous and dreadful, Stalker is an enthralling watch, and seems to reach beyond its own boundaries -- for good and ill -- as a mere piece of filmmaking.
 "Death Row Dogs, Hard Time Prisoners, and Creative Rehabilitation Strategies: Prisoner-Dog Training Programs" | Main | Drug Policy Alliance issues big new report calling for drug decriminalization 

July 9, 2017

DPIC provides mid-year review of of 2017 death penalty developments

I just noticed that the Death Penalty Information Center recently provided this effective review of 2017 death penalty developments to date. Here are the details with links from the original:

July 9, 2017 at 10:29 PM | Permalink

Comments

Go full European.

1) Kill violent offenders by murder and by massive suicide in prison. Loosen security, and bring the opiate overdose crisis to inside prison walls.

2) Fire the entire death penalty appellate racket, especially the vile, dirty, filthy appellate court judges. These are not even human beings.

3) Go expensive Philadelphia suburbs. Only 5 miles from Fallujah like war zones, there is virtually no crime. Shop lifting makes the papers. Three squad cars arrive to every crime scene within 3 minutes, blasting. No perp makes it out alive. Where the crybaby, criminal enabling Philadelphia lawyer lives, the death penalty is at the scene. Some skank, single mother, boohooing her thug son's getting blasted at the scene, tried suing for excessive force. She was laughed out of court in Montgomery County. Blacks in recent BMW's are OK. Blacks at a bus stop, not OK. My lawyer had to complain to the township. His black employees refused do any overtime after dark. They would be interrogated every time.

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 10, 2017 2:47:43 AM

In 2015 in Italy we had 475 homicides, and you 16.000.

Posted by: Claudio Giusti | Jul 10, 2017 7:36:20 AM

Claudio. You prison suicide rate is 10 times than expected. In the US, prison suicide is close to nil.

You have a lively death penalty. You Italians kill more vicious, violent predators than the US executes a year. You Euro trash hypocrites call it, "suicide." I think that is so cool. I have urged that the US adopt the Italian Method to kill its vicious predators.

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 10, 2017 8:18:50 AM

Doug, certainly you can comment on the misleading nature of the DPIC's name . . . . not all the readers of your blog know that it is an anti-DP organization.

Posted by: federalist | Jul 10, 2017 9:01:28 AM

Federalist, you say that the DPIC's name is misleading. But I don't see you taking issue with any of the information in the article. Do you? If so, please specify.

Posted by: anon1 | Jul 10, 2017 9:25:10 AM

"exonerations" is BS. A lot of those who have gotten off the row are stone-cold guilty and got away with it. DPIC knows it, yet pushes out that propaganda, and you repeat it.

Posted by: federalist | Jul 10, 2017 9:32:03 AM

"A Personal Remembrance of Robert Ferguson"

http://www.dorfonlaw.org/2017/07/a-personal-remembrance-of-robert.html

This has relevancy to this blog's subjects as seen by this reference:

"Inferno" [book] grew out of the confusion Ferguson witnessed among his first-year law students as they grappled with the question of what would be an appropriate punishment for a particular crime. He was perturbed by societys strong preference for retribution over rehabilitation.

People think of punishment as a length of time, Ferguson explained. They dont ever think about what happens to people while theyre in prison. We need a new definition of punishment that recognizes the worth of the person being punished, regardless of whether that person will ever be released from prison.

One reviewer of Inferno wrote in The Atlantic: If I won the $400 million Powerball lottery last week, I swear I would have ordered a copy for every member of Congress, every judge in America, every prosecutor, and every state prison official and lawmaker who controls the life of even one of the millions of inmates who exist today . . . in our nations prisons. Ferguson received hundreds of letters from people in prison, and he responded to every one of them. He once explained that the letters are proving unusually useful. I begin to think that the only people thinking hard about the nature of legal punishment are behind bars. The response to Inferno compelled him to begin work on a second book on punishment, Metamorphosis: How to Transform Punishment in America, a response, in part, to readers who have agreed with Inferno but have been fatalistic in thinking about change.

http://www.law.columbia.edu/news/2017/07/professor-robert-ferguson-pioneer-modern-law-and-literature-movement-dies-75

Posted by: Joe | Jul 10, 2017 9:49:50 AM

"... We need a new definition of punishment that recognizes the worth of the person being punished, regardless of whether that person will ever be released from prison.

The worth is highly negative. Each is like a natural disaster, causing millions in damages, dozens of injuries, marked drops in real estate values. As a result, they generate millions of government make work jobs. That is why they are so valuable to rent seekers, and members of the big government party. The latter has somehow scammed otherwise street wise black people to vote for them, to their great detriment.

Joe, you need to tell the class the fraction of your income or that of your employer that comes from government.

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 10, 2017 11:25:16 AM

The government in this country is "We the People."

Posted by: Joe | Jul 10, 2017 11:34:27 AM

Joe, you need to tell the class the fraction of your income or that of your employer that comes from "We, the People."

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 10, 2017 2:30:09 PM

Not really.

Posted by: Joe | Jul 10, 2017 3:26:24 PM

Joe. That means, 100%. That means you are a pro-criminal advocate for rent seeking purposes, and not for intellectual or even partisan political purposes.

Your credibility is inversely proportional to your economic interest in a high crime rate, and equals, zero. You are just running your rent seeking scam on behalf of your customers, the criminals. All that pseudo-intellectual, weasel bullshit is to protect a paycheck.

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 10, 2017 4:16:01 PM

Federalist, the article mentions three recent exonerations: McCoy, Crawford, and Wright (see below). You say stone cold guilty. I dont think even you would vote to execute any of them, or would you? The case descriptions follow. Do you take issue with any of the facts? Stone cold guilty?

1. Isaiah McCoy, a former Delaware death row inmate, was exonerated on January 19, 2017, when a judge acquitted him at a retrial. He is the 157th person exonerated from death row in the United States, the first in 2017, and the first in Delaware. McCoy was convicted and sentenced to death in 2012, but the Delaware Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 2015 as a result of prosecutorial misconduct and ordered a new trial. The Court suspended Deputy Attorney General R. David Favata from practice because of his misconduct at McCoy's trial, which included belittling McCoy for choosing to represent himself, making intimidating comments during a break in proceedings, then lying to the judge about making the comments. McCoy waived his right to a jury for his retrial, leaving the decision in the hands of Kent County Superior Court Judge Robert B. Young. In acquitting McCoy, Judge Young noted that there was no physical evidence against him and that two alleged accomplices had given contradictory testimony. One of the accomplices, Deshaun White, received a sentence reduction for testifying against McCoy. Upon his release, McCoy said, "I just want to say to all those out there going through the same thing I'm going through 'keep faith, keep fighting. Two years ago, I was on death row. At 25, I was given a death sentence  and I am today alive and well and kicking and a free man." McCoy was the second former death row prisoner in a year to be released in Delaware after obtaining a new trial for prosecutorial misconduct. In May 2014, Jermaine Wright won a new trial after 21 years on death row when prosecutors and police withheld exculpatory evidence about possible alternate suspects in a case in which no forensic or eyewitness evidence had linked Wright to the crime. Wright was released in September 2016 after pleading no contest to lesser charges and being resentenced to time already served.



2. Caddo Parish, Louisiana prosecutors formally dropped charges against Rodricus Crawford on April 17, exonerating him in a controversial death penalty case that had attracted national attention amid evidence of race discrimination, prosecutorial excess, and actual innocence. He is the 158th person exonerated from death row in the United States since 1973. Crawford was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to death on charges he had murdered his one-year-old son. Crawford's appellate counsel, Cecilia Kappel, argued that the testimony underlying his convictionthe opinion of a local doctor who claimed the infant had been suffocatedwas contradicted by autopsy results that showed pervasive bronchopneumonia in the baby's lungs and sepsis in his blood. After the trial, Kappel presented additional evidence from experts in the fields of pediatric pathology, pediatric neuropathology, and pediatric infectious disease that the child had died of natural causes. In a statement announcing that it was dropping the charges against Crawford, the Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office said, "New evidence presented after the trial raised questions about the degree of pneumonia together with bacteria in the child's blood indicative of sepsis are possibilities that require consideration. ...The death of a child is a tragedy under any circumstance for the victim, the family and the community as a whole, but this office is charged with the task to consider all of the evidence in a case and to bring a charge when the evidence can support it. For these reasons, the State has elected not to retry Rodricus Crawford." In November 2016, the Louisiana Supreme Court had ordered a new trial for Crawford because prosecutor Dale Cox had improperly removed jurors on the basis of race. Caddo has a documented pattern of racially biased jury selection, with a 2015 study finding that prosecutors struck black jurors at more than triple the rate of other jurors. Data from 22 felony trials prosecuted by Cox showed he had struck black jurors at a rate 2.7 times higher than other jurors. Cox attracted national criticism for questionable comments and practices and his perceived overzealous pursuit of the death penalty. He personally prosecuted 1/3 of all the cases in which Louisiana juries returned death sentences between 2010-2015, and wrote an internal memo on the Crawford case in 2014 stating that Crawford "deserves as much physical suffering as it is humanly possible to endure before he dies." In 2015, he told The Shreveport Times that he believed the state needs to "kill more people." Caddo Parish is among the 2% of U.S. counties responsible for a majority of death-row inmates, and had a death sentencing rate per homicide eight times higher than the rest of the state of Louisiana from 2006 to 2015. Ben Cohen, an attorney for Crawford, said, "This case has always been about injustice and the disproportionate use of the death penalty in Caddo Parish. In deciding not to retry Rodricus Crawford, the Caddo Parish District Attorneys office is righting this injustice, restoring integrity to their office."

3. The Florida Supreme Court has directed that Ralph Daniel Wright, Jr. be acquitted of the murder charges for which he was sentenced to death in 2014, making him the 159th person exonerated from death row in the United States since 1973. On May 11, 2017, the court unanimously vacated Wright's convictions for the murders of his ex-girlfriend and their son, ruling that the "purely circumstantial" evidence against him was insufficient to convict. A majority of the court joined a concurring opinion by Justice Charles Canady holding that "no rational trier of fact could have found ... beyond a reasonable doubt" that Wright was the killer. Prosecutors accused Wright of murdering Paula O'Connera white woman with whom he had an affairand their 15-month-old son Alijah supposedly to "avoid a child support obligation and ... maintain a 'bachelor lifestyle.'" The court noted that "none of the evidence presented at trial directly tied Wright to the murders" and that the victim's young-adult daughter, who had a volatile relationship with the victim, also had a financial motive, having received more than $500,000 in life insurance benefits as a result of her mother's and half-brother's deaths. Much of the state's case relied on the presence of a black military glove in the home of the murder victims. While Wright, a member of the Air Force, had access to that type of glove, "the State could not prove that Wright ever wore the glove, that he left it on Paulas couch, that it came from MacDill [the base where Wright was stationed], or that it was even used in the murders." DNA tests by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported the results as inconclusive, but independent analysis by the DNA Diagnostic Center and Bode, the private labs hired by the defense and prosecution, respectively, excluded Wright as a contributor of the DNA found on the glove. The DNA analysis did not test for the presence of the victim's daughter, whom police did not investigate. Wright was convicted of the murders, and the trial court sentenced him to death after a bare 7-5 majority of the jury voted to recommend the death penalty. The Florida Supreme Court later declared death sentences based upon non-unanimous jury recommendations to be unconstitutional. Wright is the 27th person to be exonerated from death row in Florida. Nineteen of the 21 exoneration cases from Florida in which the jury vote is known have involved a non-unanimous jury recommendation of a death sentence or a judicial override of a jury recommendation of life.



Posted by: Sarah | Jul 10, 2017 4:47:52 PM

Federalist, "stone cold guilty"?

1. Isaiah McCoy, a former Delaware death row inmate, was exonerated on January 19, 2017, when a judge acquitted him at a retrial.

Federalist, are you saying that someone acquitted at trial is nevertheless stone cold guilty? I note that "The Court suspended Deputy Attorney General R. David Favata from practice because of his misconduct at McCoy's [first] trial," How many other folks are convicted because of rat-dog prosecutors? Do you have anything to say about that?

2. Prosecutors formally dropped charges against Rodricus Crawford on April 17. Crawford was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to death on charges he had murdered his one-year-old son. Federalist, do you really think this man "murdered his one year old son"? Please. Stone cold guilty?

In November 2016, the Louisiana Supreme Court had ordered a new trial for Crawford because prosecutor Dale Cox had improperly removed jurors on the basis of race. I'm shocked, shocked I say that prosecutors in Louisians improrly removed black jurors. Federalist, what do you say about rat-dog, white prosecutors stacking the deck against black defendants?

'

Do you share this prosecutors view that "state needs to kill more people." ?



3. The Florida Supreme Court has directed that Ralph Daniel Wright, Jr. be acquitted of the murder charges for which he was sentenced to death in 2014. On May 11, 2017, the court unanimously vacated Wright's convictions for the murders of his ex-girlfriend and their son.

Federalist, are you saying that notwithstanding this court's decision, the defendant is "stone cold guilty?"

4. Federalist, Do you think that Michael Morton in Texas was "stone cold guilty" too?

Posted by: Sarah | Jul 10, 2017 5:00:37 PM

In these cases, you will find some cases where the act simply was not done

[not murder, but a major case here is the infamous Central Park rape attack, which turns out not to have been done by the five originally assumed to have done it]

and others that for various reasons does not meet the standards necessary to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. These people, if rightly tried, would be innocent. Some have done the crime. But, a person is innocent until proven guilty.

This is particularly true when the issue is the level of aggravation required for the death penalty. In his book on the death penalty, Scott Turow cited one particular case like that. It is fairly clear the person was guilty but not guilty enough. When such a tiny number of people who kill are executed, this matters.

Posted by: Joe | Jul 10, 2017 5:20:10 PM

Fed. I agree with Sarah. The lawyer profession is the stupidest, most failed group of people in our country. Life Skills students, learning to eat with a spoon could do a better job. When they have a guy, 20% of the time, it is the wrong guy. Worse. They make that wrong guy confess and accept a plea deal, while the right guy is out there.

What Sarah does not mention is the total lack of punishment in this country. Commit a major crime, there is a 95% chance of never being inconvenienced by the criminal law. That means, her boohooing about a few low lifes is only because she and Joe make a living off criminals and make nothing off victims. She is saying nothing about the 15000 murder victims and the 100,000 still missing people. She is saying nothing about the 5 million victims of violent crime. She is saying nothing about the 10 million victims of non-violent crimes. She is saying nothing about the 15 million victims of computer crime. She has no soul, and cares only about her lousy rent seeking, worthless government job.

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 10, 2017 6:05:47 PM

Fed. I no longer support the death penalty. I wanted ended officially, by statute, and the entire death penalty appellate racket fired on the spot. I do not even support the hunting and lashing of appellate judges. Just get rid of them by firing them. It does not matter, anymore. I hope you and Bill come around to this view.

Technology always solves our social problems. Criminals will be reduced by the opiate overdose epidemic. Genetic fixes will eliminate antisocial personality disorder.

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 10, 2017 6:09:48 PM

Sarah--it is beyond reasonable dispute that the DPIC's "exonerated" list contains those who actually committed the crime. That makes it propaganda.

As for specific instances you mention, I never ever defend prosecutors' misconduct, and I support criminal penalties for certain kinds of it.

Posted by: federalist | Jul 10, 2017 6:17:49 PM

"Technology always solves our social problems. Genetic fixes will eliminate antisocial personality disorder."

I take it from this remark that Supremacy Clause is volunteering to be the first test case.

Posted by: Daniel | Jul 10, 2017 8:54:06 PM

Daniel. Personal remarks show frustration in the traverse.

My views may be cruel to the criminals, but they are kind to the victims of crime.

The morally reprehensible lawyers here are the mortal enemies of crime victims. They are reptiles, especially sickening appellate court judges. Perhaps, serial rapists and murderers of children have lower morals. I view them as mass murderers, and criminals against humanity.

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 11, 2017 1:14:47 AM

Sarah, I can match your unseemly boohooing for criminals with 20 stories about victims per boohoo.

You should identify yourself as a lawyer, so I can really come after you.

If you are going to boohoo this way, you must support a statute ending all prosecutorial immunities. Let them carry professional liability insurance to compensate the victims of their carelessness or misconduct.

This statute would be for the welfare of the appallingly stupid and lazy prosecutors here. Immunity is a justification for violence against them, in formal logic. Formal logic has greater certainty than the laws of physics, with no exceptions.

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 11, 2017 1:20:15 AM

Scemenze

American prisons suicide

https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/mljsp0013st.pdf



Posted by: Claudio Giusti | Jul 11, 2017 9:09:33 AM

Interesting that no one can defend the DPIC on its exonerations list--by the by, I doubt there is anyone in here, seriously, who despises the imprisonment of the innocent more than I. I am just mature enough to understand that one cannot impugn the entire justice system because of really bad outcomes. Also, I am mature enough to understand that scorched earth litigation tactics with respect to the death penalty for the unquestionably guilty sap resources that could be better used to address innocent prisoners. I would posit, and no one here has ever challenged me on this--the guilt/innocence question is far more weighty for just about any felony charge than the death/life decision for a convicted murderer.

I will put all of this out for all you Dems here--Obama supported Martha Coakley for Senator. Given her record (and by the by, Gerald Amirault still lives in chains), where were all of you on that? Hypocrites all. Answer that.

Posted by: federalist | Jul 11, 2017 9:45:50 AM

So Federalist, you say "no one can defend the DPIC on its exoneration list"? Well, lots and lots of people do, including me. So here's the list of 159: have at it.

1. David Keaton Florida Conviction: 1971, Charges Dismissed: 1973

On the basis of mistaken identification and coerced confessions, Keaton was sentenced to death for murdering an off duty deputy sheriff during a robbery. The State Supreme Court reversed the conviction and granted Keaton a new trial because of newly discovered evidence. Charges were dropped and he was released after the actual killer was identified and convicted. (Keaton v. State, 273 So.2d 385 (1973)).

2. Samuel A. Poole North Carolina Conviction: 1973, Charges Dismissed: 1974

After being convicted of first degree burglary and given a mandatory death sentence, Poole had his conviction overturned by the N.C. Supreme Court because the case lacked substantial evidence that Poole was the person who broke into the home. (State v. Poole, 203 S.E.2d 786 (N.C. 1974)).

3. Wilbert Lee Florida Conviction: 1963, Pardoned: 1975 (left)

4. Freddie Pitts Florida Conviction: 1963, Pardoned: 1975 (right)

Although no physical evidence linked them to the deaths of two white men, Lee and Pitts' guilty pleas, the testimony of an alleged eyewitness, and incompetent defense counsel led to their convictions. The men were sentenced to death but maintained their innocence. After their convictions, another man confessed to the crime, the eyewitness recanted her accusations, and the state Attorney General admitted that the state had unlawfully suppressed evidence. The men were granted a new trial (Pitts v. State 247 So.2d 53 (Fla. 1971)) but were again convicted and sentenced to death. They were released in 1975 when they received a full pardon from Governor Askew, who stated he was "sufficiently convinced that they were innocent." (Florida Times-Union, 4/23/98).



5. James Creamer Georgia Conviction: 1973, Charges Dismissed: 1975

Creamer was sentenced to death for a murder allegedly committed with six other individuals who were sentenced to life. (Cobb Superior Court, Cobb County, Georgia, Certified record) After an investigation by the Atlanta Constitution, a federal judge declared that the prosecution had withheld and destroyed evidence, a witness admitted she had lied in court, and another man confessed to the crimes (Emmett v. Ricketts, 397 F. Supp 1025 (N.D. Ga. 1975)). The convictions against all seven men were overturned, and charges were later dropped. An appellate judge in a related case stated that all seven individuals in this case were sentenced to life. The Clerk of the Cobb Superior Court has certified that Creamer alone was originally sentenced to death. Creamer was resentenced to life in prison in September 1973.

6. Christopher Spicer North Carolina Conviction: 1973, Acquitted: 1975

In 1975, a North Carolina jury acquitted Christopher Spicer of the murder of Donnie P. Christian. Spicer was convicted of the crime in September 1973, but the conviction was overturned the following year by the North Carolina Supreme Court. (State v. Spicer, 204 SE 2d 641 (1974)). At Spicer's trial, the State offered the testimony of Charles Pennington, a jailhouse snitch. Although the defense introduced two witnesses who testified that Pennington and Spicer were never cell mates, Pennington testified that Spicer admitted to the crime while he and Spicer shared a cell. After sharing this "confession" with police, Pennington's bond was reduced from $5,000 to $400 and he was released from jail. In overturning Spicer's conviction, the North Carolina Supreme Court held that the trial judge committed reversible error by not allowing defense counsel to cross examine Pennington "to discover whom the witness was indebted for such favors and to ascertain to what extent the favors colored his testimony against Spicer." Id. at 646. Defense counsel was unable to question Pennington as to who was paying the living expenses of Pennington and his wife, neither of whom was working at the time. The court also found that the trial court committed reversible error when it "succeeded in pressuring the defendant and his counsel into withdrawing the request for an appropriate instruction" with regard to how the jury should scrutinize the testimony of another witness for the State, Bertie Brailford. (Id. at 648). At Spicer's retrial, the jury took only 15 minutes to unanimously acquit him. (Wilmington Morning Star, February 21, 1975).

1976

7. Thomas Gladish New Mexico Conviction: 1974, Charges Dismissed: 1976

8. Richard Greer New Mexico Conviction: 1974, Charges Dismissed: 1976

9. Ronald Keine New Mexico Conviction: 1974, Charges Dismissed: 1976 (left)

10. Clarence Smith New Mexico Conviction: 1974, Charges Dismissed: 1976

The four were convicted of murder, kidnapping, sodomy, and rape and were sentenced to death. A subsequent investigation by the Detroit News uncovered lies by the prosecution's star witness, perjured identification given under police pressure, and the use of poorly administered lie detector tests. A state district judge dismissed the original indictments and the men were released after the murder weapon was traced to a drifter from South Carolina who admitted to the killing. (Detroit News Magazine, 1/11/76 and Detroit News, 12/16/75).

11. Delbert Tibbs Florida Conviction: 1974, Charges Dismissed: 1977

Tibbs was sentenced to death for the rape of a sixteen-year-old white girl and the murder of her companion. Tibbs, a black theological student, was convicted by an all-white jury on the testimony of the female victim whose testimony was uncorroborated and inconsistent with her first description of her assailant. The conviction was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court because the verdict was not supported by the weight of the evidence, and the state decided not to retry the case. Tibbs' former prosecutor said that the original investigation had been tainted from the beginning and that if there was a retrial, he would appear as a witness for Tibbs. (Tibbs v. State, 337 So.2d 788 (Fla. 1976)).

12. Earl Charles Georgia Conviction: 1975, Charges Dismissed: 1978

Charles was convicted on two counts of murder and sentenced to death. He was released when evidence was found that substantiated his alibi. (State v. Charles, No. 23,392 (Ga. Super. Ct., 7/5/78)). After an investigation, the district attorney announced that he would not retry the case. Charles won a substantial settlement from city officials for misconduct in the original investigation.

13. Jonathan Treadaway Arizona Conviction: 1975, Acquitted: 1978

Treadaway was convicted of sodomy and first degree murder of a six-year-old and sentenced to death. The conviction was overturned, and he was acquitted of all charges at retrial by the jury after 5 pathologists testified that the victim probably died of natural causes and that there was no evidence of sodomy. Members of the jury reported noted that prosecutors had failed to prove that Treadaway was even inside the victims' home. (State v. Treadaway, 568 P.2d 1061 (1977))

14. Gary Beeman Ohio Conviction: 1976, Acquitted: 1979

Beeman was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to death. He maintained that he was innocent and that Claire Liuzzo, an escaped prisoner who testified as the main prosecution witness at Beeman's first trial, was the actual killer. In 1978 the District Court of Appeals granted Beeman a new trial, finding that Beeman's right to cross-examine Liuzzo had been unfairly restricted at his first trial. On retrial five witnesses testified that they heard Liuzzo confess to the murder and Beeman was acquitted. (Ashtabula Star Beacon, Oct. 5, 1979, p.1; Sept. 29, 1979, p.14).

15. Jerry Banks Georgia Conviction: 1975, Charges Dismissed: 1980

Sentenced to death for two counts of murder. Banks' conviction was overturned on the basis of newly discovered evidence which was allegedly known to the state. (Banks v. State, 218 S.E.2d 851 (Ga. 1975)). Banks committed suicide after his wife divorced him. His estate won a settlement from the county for the benefit of his children.

16. Larry Hicks Indiana Conviction: 1978, Acquitted: 1980

Hicks was convicted on two counts of murder and was sentenced to death. Two weeks prior to his scheduled execution, with the help of a volunteer attorney, Hicks received a stay. The Playboy Foundation became interested in this claim of innocence and supplied funds for a reinvestigation after he passed lie detector tests. At retrial, Hicks was acquitted and released after evidence established Hicks's alibi and showed that eyewitness testimony against him at his original trial was perjured.

17. Charles Ray Giddens Oklahoma Conviction: 1978, Charges Dismissed: 1981

Giddens, an 18-year-old black man, was convicted for the murder of a grocery store cashier primarily on the testimony of Johnnie Gray, who claimed he accompanied Giddens to the murder scene. Although Gray was never indicted, Giddens was sentenced to death after an all white jury deliberated for only 15 minutes. Giddens conviction and death sentence reversed by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, which found Gray's testimony was unreliable and the evidence against Giddens insufficient. (Giddens v. State, No. F-78-164 (Ct. of Crim. App., 11/17/81)) The charges against Giddens were dropped.

18. Michael Linder South Carolina Conviction: 1979, Acquitted: 1981

Linder was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a highway patrol officer. The prosecution maintained that Linder shot the officer without provocation but Linder insisted that he shot the officer in self-defense after the officer fired six shots at him. At re-trial, previously undisclosed ballistics evidence from a state crime lab confirmed Linder's self-defense theory and Linder was acquitted. (State v. Linder, 278 S.E.2d 335 (S.C. 1981)).

19. Johnny Ross Louisiana Conviction: 1975, Charges Dismissed: 1981

Ross, a black 16-year old, was convicted and sentenced to death for the rape of a white woman. Ross confessed after being beaten by the police, and his trial lasted only a few hours. Investigations by the Southern Poverty Law Center sought a new trial for Ross and presented evidence that the Ross' blood type was not the same as the type in the semen found in the victim. When presented with this evidence the New Orleans District Attorney's office released Ross. (State v. Ross, 343 So.2d 722 (La. 1977)).

20. Ernest (Shujaa) Graham California Conviction: 1976, Acquitted: 1981

In November 1973, while incarcerated in a state prison facility, Ernest Graham and co-defendant Eugene Allen were charged with killing a state correctional officer. Graham's first trial resulted in a mistrial when the jury could not agree on a verdict. Graham was sentenced to death in 1976 after his second trial. The Supreme Court of California reversed the conviction because prosecutors improperly used their peremptory challenges to exclude prospective jurors who were black. Graham and Allen, who are both black, "belonged to the group whose members the district attorney had excluded whereas the alleged victim was a member of the group to which [all] of the remaining jurors belong." (People v. Allen, 590 P.2d 30, 34 (Cal.1979) (internal citations omitted)). Graham's third trial ended in another hung jury, and he was acquitted by the jury in his fourth trial. (Phone conversation with now Magistrate-Judge James Larson, October 6, 2003, who represented Graham).

21. Anibal Jarramillo Florida Conviction: 1981, Charges Dismissed: 1982

Jarramillo was sentenced to death for two counts of first degree murder, despite the jury's unanimous recommendation of life imprisonment. On appeal, his conviction was reversed when the Florida Supreme Court ruled the evidence used against him was not legally sufficient to support the conviction. (Jarramillo v. State, 417 So.2d 257 (Fla. 1982)). Evidence suggests that the murderer may have been the victims' roommate.

22. Lawyer Johnson Massachusetts Conviction: 1971, Charges Dismissed: 1982

Johnson, a black man, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury for the murder of a white victim. In 1974, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts granted Johnson a new trial because the trial judge had improperly limited the defense's opportunity to cross-examine Kenneth Myers, the state's chief witness, about other persons who were present at the murder scene. The court noted that Myers had "chang[ed] his story in material respects at least three times" and that a newly discovered witness, who knew both Myers and Johnson, had seen three individualsone of whom was Myers and none of whom was Johnsonfleeing the murder scene. Johnson was retried and, despite the testimony of this second witness, was convicted of second-degree murder. After the conviction, a previously silent eyewitness who had been 10 years old at the time of the murder, came forward and identified Myers as the actual killer. Based on this new evidence, the trial court, affirmed by the Massachusetts supreme court, overturned the second conviction. (Commonwealth v. Johnson, 429 N.E.2d 726 (1982)). The prosecution then dropped all charges against Johnson. In 1983, a bill was filed to obtain compensation for Johnson's wrongful conviction.

23. Larry Fisher Mississippi Conviction: 1984, Acquitted: 1985

Larry Fisher was charged with the rape and murder of an 18-year-old high school student in Meridian Mississippi in 1983. A series of similar crimes had occurred in the same area and the pre-trial media coverage of the case was extensive. Fisher asked for a change of venue but was denied. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1984. The Mississippi Supreme Court reversed his conviction and sentence because the saturation media coverage required a change of venue: "In a very real sense Fisher's guilt was announced by the news media of Meridian, Mississippi, loudly and long before a Lauderdale County jury was ever impaneled to hear the case. By this he was denied his right to a fair trial before the trial began." (Fisher v. Mississippi, 481 So.2d 203, 206 (1985)). Fisher was re-tried two months later in a different county and was acquitted of all charges. (See Fisher v. Mississippi, 532 So.2d 992, 994 (1988) (upholding his conviction in a different case)). Fisher remained incarcerated because of a separate rape conviction.

24. Anthony Brown Florida Conviction: 1983, Acquitted: 1986

Brown was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death despite a jury recommendation of life imprisonment. At trial, the only evidence against Brown was a co-defendant who was sentenced to life for his part in the crime. At retrial, the co-defendant admitted that his testimony at the first trial had been perjured, and Brown was acquitted. (Brown v. State, 471 So.2d 6 (Fla. 1985)).

25. Neil Ferber Pennsylvania Conviction: 1982, Charges Dismissed: 1986

Ferber was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. Upon urging by the district attorney, the trial judge ordered a new trial. The charges against Ferber were dropped prior to the retrial when evidence surfaced that the conviction was based on the perjured testimony of a jail-house informant, exculpatory evidence was not disclosed to the defense, and an eyewitness to the crime was positive that Ferber was not the man she saw. Several other prosecutors and a homicide detective were convinced of Ferber's innocence. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/18/96).

26. Clifford Henry Bowen Oklahoma Conviction: 1981, Charges Dismissed: 1986

Bowen was incarcerated in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary under three death sentences for over five years when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit finally overturned his conviction in 1986. The Court held that prosecutors in the case failed to disclose information about another suspect, Lee Crowe, and that had the defense known of the Crowe materials, the result of the trial would probably have been different. Crowe resembled Bowen, had greater motive, no alibi, and habitually carried the same gun and unusual ammunition as the murder weapon. Bowen, on the other hand, maintained his innocence, provided twelve alibi witnesses to confirm that he was 300 miles from the crime scene just one hour prior to the crime, and could not be linked by any physical evidence to the crime. (Bowen v. Maynard, 799 F.2d 593 (10th Cir. 1986) and Oklahoma Publishing Co., 7/31/87).

27. Joseph Green BrownFlorida Conviction: 1974, Charges Dismissed: 1987

Charges were dropped after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the prosecution had knowingly allowed false testimony to be introduced at trial. Brown was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death on the testimony of Ronald Floyd, a co-conspirator who claimed he heard Brown confess to the murder. Floyd later retracted and admitted his testimony was lie. Brown came within 13 hours of execution when a new trial was ordered. Brown was released a year later when the state decided not to retry the case. (Brown v. Wainwright, 785 F.2d 1457 (11th Cir. 1986); Los Angeles Times, 5/10/87; and Charlotte Observer, 3/8/87).

28. Perry Cobb (l.) Illinois Conviction: 1979, Acquitted: 1987

29. Darby (Jesse) Tillis (r.) Illinois Conviction: 1979, Acquitted: 1987

After two mistrials because of hung juries, Cobb and Williams were convicted and sentenced to death for the first degree robbery and murder of two white men in 1977. In 1983, the State Supreme Court reversed the convictions, and after several retrials where an assistant state attorney testified that the government's key witness, Phyllis Santini, had told him that her boyfriend actually committed the murders, Cobb and Williams were acquitted and released. (People v. Cobb, 455 N.E.2d 31 (Ill. 1983) and Chicago Tribune, 1/21/87).

30. Vernon McManus Texas Conviction: 1977, Charges Dismissed: 1987

After a new trial was ordered, the prosecution dropped the charges when a key prosecution witness refused to testify.

31. Anthony Ray Peek Florida Conviction: 1978, Acquitted: 1987

Peek was convicted of murder and sentenced to death, despite witnesses who supported his alibi. His conviction was overturned when expert testimony concerning hair identification evidence was shown to be false. He was acquitted at his third retrial. (Peek v. State, 488 So.2d 52 (Fla. 1986)).

32. Juan Ramos Florida Conviction: 1983, Acquitted: 1987

Despite a jury recommendation of life in prison, Juan Ramos was sentenced to death for rape and murder. No physical evidence linked Ramos to the victim or the scene of the crime. The Florida Supreme Court granted Ramos a new trial because of the prosecution's improper use of evidence. At retrial, Ramos was acquitted. (Ramos v. State, 496 So.2d 121 (Fla. 1986) and St. Petersburg Times, 7/9/99).

33. Robert Wallace Georgia Conviction: 1980, Acquitted: 1987

Wallace was convicted and sentenced to death for the slaying of a police officer, despite his claim that the shooting was accidental and that he was acting in self-defense because he was beaten by the officers. The 11th Circuit ordered a retrial because Wallace had not been competent to stand trial. He was acquitted at the retrial because it was found that the shooting was accidental. (Wallace v. Kemp, 757 F.2d 1102 (1985) and Associated Press, 6/18/87).

34. Richard Neal Jones Oklahoma Convicted: 1983, Acquitted: 1988

Jones was sentenced to death in Oklahoma in 1983. Jones maintains that he was passed out while his three co-defendants murdered Charles Keene. On appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma remanded the case for retrial. The Court held the jury was prejudiced by the improper admission of hearsay testimony and inflammatory photographs. The Court also agreed with Jones' assertion that the case should be remanded on the basis of prosecutorial misconduct. Moreover, the Court held, the case was not one in which Jones' guilt was "overwhelming" and that Jones' involvement was disputed by the evidence. (Jones v. State, 738 P.2d 525 (Okla. crim. app. 1987) and Oklahoma Publishing Co., 1/18/88).

35. Willie Brown Florida Conviction: 1983, Charges Dismissed: 1988

36. Larry Troy Florida Conviction: 1983, Charges Dismissed: 1988

Brown and Troy were sentenced to death after being accused of fatally stabbing a fellow prisoner. The main witness against them was Frank Wise, whose original statements exonerated the men. Pending retrial, the charges against the men were dropped when Wise admitted that he had perjured himself. (Brown v. State, 515 So.2d 211 (Fla. 1987).

37. Randall Dale Adams Texas Conviction: 1977, Charges Dismissed: 1989

Adams was convicted of killing a Dallas Police officer and sentenced to death. After the murder David Harris was arrested for the murder when it was learned that he was bragging about it. Harris, however, claimed that Adams was the killer. Adams trial lawyer was a real estate attorney and the key government witnesses against Adams were Harris and other witnesses who were never subject to cross examination because they disappeared the next day. On appeal, Adams was ordered to be released pending a new trial by the Texas Court of Appeals. The prosecutors did not seek a new trial due to substantial evidence of Adam's innocence. Adams case is the subject of the movie, The Thin Blue Line. (Ex Parte Adams, 768 S.W.2d 281 (Tex. Crim App. 1989), Time, 4/3/89, and ABA Journal, 7/89).

38. Robert Cox Florida Conviction: 1988, Charges Dismissed: 1989

Cox was convicted and sentenced to death, despite evidence that Cox did not know the victim and no one testified that they had been seen together. In 1989, Cox was released by a unanimous decision of the Florida Supreme Court that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction. (Cox v. State, 555 So.2d 352 (Fla. 1989)).

39. James Richardson Florida Conviction: 1968, Charges Dismissed:1989

Richardson was convicted and sentenced to death for the poisoning of one of his children. The prosecution argued that Richardson committed the crime to obtain insurance money, despite the fact that no such policy existed. The primary witnesses against Richardson were two jail-house snitches whom Richardson was said to have confessed to. Post-conviction investigation found that the neighbor who was caring for Richardson's children had a prior homicide conviction, and the defense provided affidavits from people to whom he had confessed. Richardson's conviction was thrown into further doubt when the governor appointed then-Dade County District Attorney Janet Reno to conduct a special investigation. She concluded Richardson's conviction should be vacated. At a subsequent court hearing, the court overturned his conviction, and no further charges were raised in the case. See Richardson v. State, 546 So.2d 1037 (1989).

40. Clarence Brandley Texas Conviction: 1981, Charges Dismissed: 1990

Brandley was awarded a new trial when evidence showed prosecutorial suppression of exculpatory evidence and perjury by prosecution witnesses. An investigation by the Department of Justice and the FBI uncovered more misconduct, and in 1989 a new trial was granted. Prior to the new trial, all of the charges against Brandley were dropped. Brandley is the subject of the book White Lies by Nick Davies. (Ex Parte Brandley, 781 S.W.2d 886 (Tex. Crim App. 1989),The Dallas Times Herald, 10/2/90, and Washington Post, 2/1/95).

41. John C. Skelton Texas Conviction: 1983, Acquitted: 1990

Despite several witnesses who testified that he was 800 miles from the scene of the murder, Skelton was convicted and sentenced to death for killing a man by exploding dynamite in his pickup truck. The evidence against him was purely circumstantial and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals found that it was insufficient to support a guilty verdict. The Court reversed the conviction and entered a directed verdict of acquittal. (Skelton v. State, 795 S.W.2d 162 (Tex. Crim. App. 1989) and The Dallas Morning News, 10/25/90).

42. Dale Johnston Ohio Conviction: 1984, Charges Dismissed: 1990

Johnston was sentenced to death in 1984 by a 3-judge panel for the murder of his stepdaughter and her fiancee. His conviction was overturned in 1988 by the Ohio Supreme Court because the prosecution withheld exculpatory evidence from the defense, and because one witness, who had been hypnotized, was deemed unreliable. The state later dropped charges against Johnston in 1990 and he was freed. (State v. Johnson, 529 N.E.2d 898 (Ohio 1988)). Chester McKnight later pleaded guilty to the crime in 2008 and received 2 life terms. A second man, Kenny Linscott, who had been seen near the scene of the crime the day the bodies of the victims were discovered, pleaded guilty to abuse of a corpse connected to the crime. As of 2011, Johnston was seeking remuneration from the state. (Additional research from Maurice Possley.)

43. Jimmy Lee Mathers Arizona Convicted: 1987, Acquitted: 1990

Jimmy Lee Mathers was convicted of first degree murder in 1987 and sentenced to death along with two co-defendants. At trial, Mathers moved for a judgment of acquittal at the close of the prosecution's case, maintaining that the state had not presented evidence sufficient to support a conviction. The motion was denied, and all three men were found guilty and sentenced to death. Mathers' case was reviewed by the Arizona Supreme Court in 1990, and viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, the Court found that there was a complete absence of probative facts to support Mathers' conviction. The Court stated that most of the evidence presented at trial had "nothing to do with Mathers" and noted that even the trial judge expressed doubt as to whether Mathers was involved in the crime. The Court set aside Mathers' conviction and sentence and entered a judgment of acquittal. (State v. Mathers, 796 P.2d 866 (Ariz. 1990)) One of Mathers' co-defendants, Theodore Washington, has raised a similar claim about the insufficiency of the evidence against him, but remains on death row.

44. Gary Nelson Georgia Conviction: 1980, Charges Dismissed: 1991

Nelson was released after a review of the prosecutor's files revealed that material information had been improperly withheld from the defense. The county district attorney acknowledged: "There is no material element of the state's case in the original trial which has not subsequently been determined to be impeached or contradicted." (Nelson v. Zant, 405 S.E.2d 250 (Ga. 1991) and The Atlanta Journal, 11/7/91).

45. Bradley P. Scott Florida Conviction: 1988, Acquitted: 1991

Scott was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. His arrest came ten years after the crime, when the evidence corroborating his alibi had been lost. Scott was convicted on the testimony of witnesses whose identifications had been plagued with inconsistencies. On appeal, he was released by the Florida Supreme Court, which found that the evidence used to convict Scott was not sufficient to support a finding of guilt. (Scott v. State, 581 So.2d 887 (Fla. 1991)).

46. Charles Smith Indiana Conviction: 1983, Acquitted: 1991

Smith was sentenced to death for a street robbery and murder of a woman. The man who claimed to be the getaway driver had his charges dropped in exchange for testifying against Smith. The Indiana Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 1989 because of ineffective assistance of counsel. (Smith v. State, 547 N.E.2d 817 (Ind. 1989). He was acquitted at his re-trial and released in 1991 after presenting evidence that witnesses against him had lied under oath. (information not available at time of DPIC's innocence report) (The Journal-Gazette (Indiana), 5/10/91 and Capitol Report, May/June 1991).

47. Jay C. Smith Pennsylvania Conviction: 1986, Acquitted: 1992

Smith, a former high school principal, was convicted of the 1979 murder of 3 people, though his death sentence was later reduced to life. He was freed on Sept. 18, 1992 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the prosecution had withheld crucial evidence, calling the state's action "egregious" misconduct. (Commonwealth v. Smith, 615 A.2d 321 (Pa. 1992) and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 9/17/93).



48. Kirk Bloodsworth Maryland Conviction: 1984, Charges Dismissed: 1993

Bloodswoth was convicted and sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a young girl. Despite alibi witnesses, he was convicted primarily on the basis of faulty eyewitness identification. When it was discovered that the state failed to disclose exculpatory evidence, Bloodsworth received a new trial, at which he was convicted and given a life sentence. He was released after subsequent DNA testing confirmed his innocence. (The Washington Post, 6/29/93).

49. Federico M. Macias Texas Conviction: 1984, Charges Dismissed: 1993

Macias was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a man during a burglary. Macias was implicated by a co-worker, who in exchange for his testimony was not prosecuted for the murders, and from jail-house informants. Post-conviction investigation by pro bono attorneys discovered substantial evidence of inadequate counsel. A federal district court ordered a new hearing finding that "[t]he errors that occurred in this case are inherent in a system which pays attorneys such a meager amount." Macias's conviction was overturned and a grand jury refused to reindict because of lack of evidence. (Marinez-Macias v. Collins, 810 F Supp. 782 (W.D. Tex. 1991), National Law Journal, 5/20/96, and University of Massachusetts Alumni Magazine, Spring 1994).

50. Walter (Johnny D) McMillian Alabama Conviction: 1988, Charges Dismissed: 1993

McMillian, a black man, was convicted for the murder of a white female after a trial that lasted only a day and a half. At trial, three witnesses testified against McMillian and the jury ignored multiple alibi witnesses that testified McMillian was at a picnic. Although the jury recommended a life sentence, the judge imposed a sentence of death. Post-conviction investigation by the television show 60 Minutes revealed prosecutorial suppression of exculpatory information and perjury by the state's three witnesses. McMillian's conviction was overturned by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals and prosecutors agreed case had been mishandled. (McMillian v. State, 616 So.2d 933 (Ala. Crim. App. 1993), New York Times, 3/3/93, and ABA Journal 6/93).

51. Gregory R. Wilhoit Oklahoma Conviction: 1987, Acquitted: 1993

Convicted of killing his estranged wife while she slept. His conviction was overturned and he was released in 1991 when 11 forensic experts testified that a bite mark found on his dead wife did not belong to him. The appeals court also found ineffective assistance of counsel. He was acquitted at a retrial in April, 1993. (Wilhoit v. State, 816 P.2d 545 (Okla. Crim. App. 1991) and The Daily Oklahoman, 4/1/93).UPDATE: Greg Wilhoit died in February 2014.

52. James Robison Arizona Conviction: 1977, Acquitted: 1993

Robison was convicted of murder and conspiracy in 1977 in the death of a reporter, Don Bolles. His conviction was overturned in 1980, but he was recharged with the offense in 1990. He was acquitted at retrial in December, 1993. (State v. Robison, 608 P.2d 44 (Ariz. 1980) and The Dallas Morning News, 12/18/93).

53. Muneer Deeb Texas Conviction: 1985, Acquitted: 1993

Deeb was originally sentenced to death for allegedly contracting with three hitmen to kill his ex-girlfriend. The hitmen were also convicted and one was sentenced to death. Deeb consistently claimed no involvement in the crime. Deeb's conviction was overturned by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1991 because improper evidence had been admitted at his first trial. With an experienced defense attorney, Deeb was retried and acquitted in 1993. (Deeb v. State, 815 S.W.2d 692 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991) and The Dallas Morning News, 11/4/93).

54. Andrew Golden Florida Conviction: 1991, Charges Dismissed: 1994

Andrew Golden spent 26 months on Floridas death row, convicted in 1991 for the murder of his wife in 1989. According to Golden, his wife, Ardelle, died after accidentally driving down an unmarked, unlit boat ramp into the water. Prosecutors argued that Golden, heavily in debt, had killed Ardelle to collect on the life insurance. Police investigators and the medical examiner testified at the trial that the evidence did not suggest foul play (Life Magazine, October 1994). Nonetheless, the jury opted for the prosecutors version of the story and sentenced Golden to die in the electric chair.



Golden, a high school teacher in Florida before the death of his wife, had his conviction was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court in 1993. The Court held that the state had failed to prove that the victim's death was anything but an accident. Golden was released into the waiting arms of his sons on January 6, 1994. (Golden v. State, 629 So.2d 109 (Fla. 1993)).

UPDATE: Andrew Golden died in Texas from a heart attack in May 2015.



Read "The Other 13 Survivors..." by Sydney Freedberg in The St. Petersburg Times

1995

55. Adolph Munson Oklahoma Conviction: 1985, Acquitted: 1995

Adolph Abe Munson, was convicted in 1985 for the murder of Alma Hall, who was abducted during her all-night shift at a local convenience store. Munson became a suspect once police realized that, at the time of the crime, he was on a work release program run by an Oklahoma prison where he was serving time for a barroom murder.



Oklahomas highest criminal appeals court unanimously upheld a lower court ruling granting Munson a new trial. The ruling by the Criminal Court of Appeals cited a significant amount of exculpatory evidence that was kept from Munson at the original trial. (Oklahoma v. Munson, 886 P.2d 999 (Okla. Crim. App. 1994)). The exculpatory evidence, according to Judge Charles S. Chapel, who wrote the courts opinion, revealed photographs of the crime scene at odds with the States theory of the case, reports on the other suspects and impeachment evidence. (Oklahoma v. Munson, 886 P.2d 999 (Okla. Crim. App. 1994)). Furthermore, Dr. Ralph Erdmann, the paleontologist who presented the forensic evidence at trial, was convicted of seven felony counts including the misrepresentation of facts in other cases and stripped of his license.



Munson was acquitted at a re-trial in April 1995.



(ABA Journal December 1993 , ABA Journal February 1995, and The Oklahoma Observer April 25, 1995).

56. Robert Charles Cruz Arizona Conviction: 1981, Acquitted: 1995

Robert Charles Cruz, a former Tempe businessman, won instant freedom after more than 14 years behind bars as jurors returned verdicts acquitting him of murder and other charges. This was the fifth trial for the former death-row inmate accused in the 1980 contract killing of a Phoenix print-shop owner and his mother-in-law. His previous five trials included two convictions and two mistrials, before his acquittal on June 1, 1995.



Prosecutors claimed that Cruz hired and paid three men to kill Patrick Redmond and Helen Phelps, co-owners of Graphic Dimensions, in a plot to take over the business. Jurors said the overriding reason for acquitting Cruz was the lack of credibility of some witnesses (The Arizona Republic, June 2, 1995). The chief prosecution witness, Arnie Merrill, was a convicted burglar and former drug dealer who was given immunity for his testimony. The absence of motive and the lack of a physical evidence connecting Cruz to the murders weighed heavily on jurors as they voted to acquit.



This is justice, said Kevin McNally, one of Cruzs lawyers. This is the right decision.



(State v. Cruz, 857 P.2d 1249 (Ariz. 1993), and The Arizona Republic, June 2, 1995).

57. Rolando Cruz Illinois Conviction: 1985, Acquitted: 1995

Cruz was sentenced to death for the murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico. Another man, Brian Dugan, who had already pled guilty to two rapes and murders, including that of an 8-year-old girl, authorized his lawyer to tell the prosecutors that he killed Nicarico. Cruz was convicted at a second trial in 1990, at which Dugan did not testify. In July, 1994, the state Supreme Court overturned Cruz's second conviction. (People v. Cruz, 643 N.E.2d 636 (1994). An assistant state attorney general resigned because she thought the evidence showed Cruz was innocent and thought it wrong to pursue the prosecution. Other law enforcement officials also protested the continued efforts to prosecute Cruz. Cruz was finally acquitted at his retrial in November, 1995. The judge did not even wait for the defense to put on its case before entering a directed verdict of not guilty. (People v. Cruz, 88 CF 2230). Three prosecutors and four law enforcement officers involved with the prosecution of Cruz and his co-defendant (see below) have been indicted for obstruction of justice in this case. (The American Lawyer, 3/98 and National Law Journal 11/20/95).

Read "Life After Death Row" by Sara Rimer in The New York Times Magazine

Read "The Snitch System" by Northwestern University School of Law Center on Wrongful Conviction

Read "A Broken System: Rolando Cruz and Alejandro Hernandez" by The Justice Project

58. Alejandro Hernandez Illinois Conviction: 1985, Charges Dismissed: 1995

Hernandez was sentenced to death along with Rolando Cruz for the murder of Jeanine Nicarico in 1983. Hernandez was re-tried in 1990, but the trial ended in a hung jury. A third trial in 1991 resulted in a conviction and an 80 year prison sentence. The conviction was overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court in January, 1995. Only his own indirect statements, not any direct physical evidence, linked Hernandez, who is borderline retarded, to the killing. He was released on bond, and charges were subsequently dropped on Dec. 8, 1995. The man who has confessed to the murder of Jeanine Nicarico, and whose DNA has been linked to the crime, has not been charged in the case. The U.S. Dept. of Justice is considering an investigation into civil rights violations in this case. (People v. Hernandez, 521 N.E.2d 25 (Ill. 1988), Associated Press, 12/8/95, and The National Law Journal, 1/1/96).

Read "A Broken System: Rolando Cruz and Alejandro Hernandez" by The Justice Project

59. Sabrina Butler Mississippi Conviction: 1990, Acquitted: 1995

Sabrina Butler was 17 years old when her 9-month old son, who had a heart murmur, stopped breathing. After attempts to resuscitate her son, Butler rushed to the hospital, where the young child was pronounced dead. The following day Butler was arrested for child abuse due to the bruises left by her resuscitation attempts. She was interrogated by the police and then prosecuted. Then, in 1990, she was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death.



Her conviction was overturned by the Mississippi Supreme Court in 1992. (Butler v. State, 608 So.2d 314 (Miss. 1992)). The court said that the prosecution had failed to prove that the incident was anything more than an accident. At re-trial, she was acquitted on Dec. 17, 1995 after a very brief jury deliberation. It is now believed that the baby may have died either of cystic kidney disease or from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

1996

60. Joseph Burrows Illinois Conviction: 1989, Charges Dismissed: 1996

Joseph Burrows was sentenced to death in 1989 for the 1988 murder of an 88-year-old man, William Dulin. Burrows spent five years on death row before a judge in Kankakee, Illinois, ordered a new trial for Burrows after key witnesses recanted their testimony. Considering that no physical evidence linked Burrows to the crime, the testimony of the eyewitnesses was crucial. He was convicted largely on the testimony of Gayle Potter and Ralph Frye, who received lighter sentences in exchange for testifying. Ms. Potter confessed in July of 1994 that she alone had committed the murder. Mr. Frye recanted his testimony as well, claiming that prosecutors and police officers had coerced him into providing testimony (New York Times, September 11, 1994).



Judge John F. Michela released Burrows in September of 1994, while Burrows was awaiting his new trial. The Prosecutor in the case, Charles Zalar, acknowledged that the only evidence against Mr. Burrows was the eyewitness accounts, we dont have much without them. (New York Times, September 25, 1994). The Illinois Supreme Court upheld the overturning of his conviction on April 11, 1996. (People v. Burrows, 665 N.E.2d 1319 (Ill. 1996)).

Read "Back to Family from Life on Death Row" by Dirk Johnson in The New York Times

Read "The Snitch System" by Northwestern University School of Law Center on Wrongful Conviction

61. Verneal Jimerson Illinois Conviction: 1985, Charges Dismissed: 1996

Jimerson was sentenced to death in 1985 for a murder which occurred in 1978. The chief witness against him was Paula Gray, who has an IQ of 57. In her original story to the police, she did not mention Jimerson. Then she added his name to her account, along with three other names, including Dennis Williams (see #67). She later recanted her entire testimony, saying the police had forced her to lie. The original charges against Jimerson were dismissed, but they were resurrected seven years later when the police offered to drop some charges against Gray if she would implicate Jimerson. Gray's 50 year sentence was converted to 2 years probation. In 1995, the Illinois Supreme Court unanimously reversed Jimerson's conviction, because Gray had been allowed to testify falsely about her bargain. (People v. Jimerson, 652 N.E.2d 278 (Ill. 1995)). Jimerson was released on bond in early 1996, and charges against him were subsequently dropped. (New York Times, 7/3/96)

Read "DNA Tests and a Confession Set Three on the Path to Freedom in 1978 Murders" by Don Terry in The New York Times

Read "The Snitch System" by Northwestern University School of Law Center on Wrongful Conviction

62. Dennis Williams Illinois Conviction: 1979, Charges Dismissed: 1996

Williams was convicted, along with three others (including Verneal Jimerson, above), for the murder of a young couple in 1978. After spending 18 years in prison, Williams was released on June 14, 1996 because new evidence pointed to the fact that all four men were wrongly convicted. Much of the investigative work which led to the defendants' release was done by three journalism students. Recent DNA tests indicate that none of the four men were involved in the crime, and another man has confessed to the murder. Charges against Williams, and two others who received lesser sentences in the same case, were dropped on July 2, 1996. Cook County State's Attorney Jack O'Malley apologized to the four wrongly convicted defendants, including Verneal Jimerson, who had also been on death row. (David Protess and Rob Warden, A Promise of Justice (Hyperion 1998) and New York Times, 7/3/96).

Read "DNA Tests and a Confession Set Three on the Path to Freedom in 1978 Murders" by Don Terry in The New York Times

63. Roberto Miranda Nevada Conviction: 1982, Charges Dismissed: 1996

Miranda was released in September 1996 after the prosecution declined to retry him following the reversal of his conviction. Miranda had maintained his innocence through his 14 years on death row. He originally came to the U.S. from Cuba during the Mariel boatlift. Prosecutors originally offered him a plea bargain whereby he would serve as little as 10 years in prison, but he refused because he was innocent. One day after being released from death row with only the clothes on his back and a few belongings, he was incarcerated by the Immigration Service. He was subsequently released pending a deportation hearing. At trial, Miranda had been represented by an attorney with one year's experience who had inherited the case when his colleague died. In overturning his conviction, Clark County Senior District Judge Norman Robison wrote: "The lack of pretrial preparation by trial counsel . . . cannot be justified." (Las Vegas Review-Journal, 9/6/01 and Dallas Morning News 4/23/97)

Read "Free at Last" by People Magazine

Read "Former Inmate's Lawsuit..." by Jace Radke in The Las Vegas Sun



64. Gary Gauger Illinois Conviction: 1993, Charges Dismissed: 1996

Gauger was convicted of killing his parents in April, 1993. In September 1994, the trial court judge reduced Gauger's sentence to life imprisonment. In March, 1996, the U.S. District Court overturned his conviction, ruling that authorities never had probable cause to even arrest Gauger or to subject him to 21 hours of intensive questioning. He was released in October, 1996 by the same judge that had sentenced him to die by lethal injection. The prosecution did not challenge his release. (US News and World Report, 11/9/98).

Read "Free at Last" by People Magazine

Read "The Snitch System" by Northwestern University School of Law Center on Wrongful Conviction

Read "A Broken System: Gary Gauger" by The Justice Project

See "Gary Gauger" by Journey of Hope

65. Troy Lee Jones California Conviction: 1982, Charges Dismissed: 1996

The California Supreme Court ruled in June, 1996 that Jones should have a new trial because he was not adequately defended at his original trial for the murder of Carolyn Grayson in 1981 (In re Troy Lee Jones on Habeas Corpus, 917 P.2d 1175 (1996)). The Court found that the defense attorney failed to conduct an adequate pretrial investigation, speak with possible witnesses, obtain a relevant police report, or seek pretrial investigative funds. Moreover, the attorney elicited damaging testimony against his own client during cross examination of a witness. The prosecution announced that it was dropping all charges against Jones in November, 1996, after he had been on death row for 14 years. (Associated Press, 11/19/96).

Read "California Death Sentence..." by Dan Goodin in The Recorder

66. Carl Lawson Illinois Conviction: 1990, Acquitted: 1996

Lawson was convicted of killing Terrence Jones in a family dispute. He was tried three times. The first trial resulted in a conviction and death sentence, but that conviction was overturned in part because Lawson's public defender had been an assistant State's Attorney when Lawson was arrested. (Illinois v. Lawson, 644 N.E.2d 1172 (1994). The second trial resulted in a hung jury, reportedly 11-1 for acquittal. Nevertheless, the prosecutors tried Lawson again and again sought the death penalty. This last trial produced an acquittal and Lawson was freed on December 12, 1996. On August 1, 2002, Illinois Governor George Ryan issued a pardon to Lawson based on innocence. (St. Louis Dispatch, 4/12/98 and Chicago Tribune, 8/1/02).

67. David Wayne Grannis Arizona Convicted: 1991, Charges Dismissed: 1996

On November 6, 1996, Pima County, Arizona, Superior Court Judge Bernardo Valesco dismissed the murder charges against David Wayne Grannis, and he was freed. (Arizona Daily Star, Nov. 7, 1996). Grannis was sentenced to death in 1991 for first degree murder, but his conviction was overturned and remanded for a new trial in July 1995 by the Supreme Court of Arizona. (State v. Grannis, 900 P.2d 1 (Az. 1995)). At trial, Grannis testified that he and his co-defendant, Daniel Webster were hitchhiking and were picked up by the victim, Richard Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe offered the men a place to stay. Although the state argued that Grannis and Webster killed Sutcliffe in the course of robbing him or burglarizing his home, Grannis testified that he did not know Sutcliffe was dead until he was arrested. Grannis testified that he was sexually propositioned by Sutcliffe, who became aggressive. Grannis stated that his screams awakened Webster, who killed Sutcliffe after Grannis ran out of the house. At trial, Webster's friend, Eva Marie Lopez, stated that she "overheard Webster bragging to [her cousin] Baker about committing a murder. In addition, she testified that she heard Webster tell Baker that he (Webster) killed someone and that he liked the feeling it gave him." (Id. at 4). At trial, the state offered into evidence photos depicting homosexual activity that were found in Grannis' room at the time of his arrest. In overturning the conviction, the Arizona Supreme Court held that the photos were "marginally relevant" and that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting them. The Court stated that the probative value of the photos was substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. "The jurors' verdict may well have been improperly influenced by their revulsion and not entirely based on a belief that the state proved the elements of the crime." (Id. at 6). Although Webster was again convicted for Sutcliffe's murder, the charges against Grannis were dismissed at retrial because of insufficient evidence.

1997

68. Ricardo Aldape Guerra Texas Conviction: 1982, Charges Dismissed: 1997

Guerra was sentenced to death for the murder of a police officer in Houston. Federal District Judge Kenneth Hoyt ruled on Nov. 15, 1994 that Guerra should either be retried in 30 days or released, stating that the actions of the police and prosecutors in this case were "outrageous," "intentional" and "done in bad faith." He further said that their misconduct "was designed and calculated to obtain . . . another 'notch in their guns.'" (Guerra v. Collins, 916 F. Supp. 620 (S.D. Texas, 1995)). Judge Hoyt's ruling was unanimously upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals. (Guerra v. Johnson, 90 F.3d 1075 (5th Cir. Tex. 1996)). Although Guerra was granted a new trial, Houston District Attorney Johnny Holmes dropped charges on April 16, 1997 instead. Guerra returned to his native Mexico. (New York Times, 4/17/97).

Read "Mexican Long Held..." in The New York Times

69. Benjamin Harris Washington Conviction: 1985, Charges Dismissed: 1997

On March 2, 1994, U.S. District Judge Robert Bryan overturned Harris' conviction and vacated his sentence of death for the 1984 murder of Jimmy Turner on the basis that his original trial lawyer had been incompetent. Harris's attorney interviewed only 3 of the 32 witnesses listed in police reports and spent less than 2 hours consulting with Harris before trial. Harris's co-defendant was acquitted. Bryan ordered Harris released from custody if not brought to a speedy retrial. (Harris by & Through Ramseyer v. Blodgett, 853 F. Supp. 1239 (W.D. Wash. 1994)). The decision was upheld by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on September 12, 1995. (Harris by & Through Ramseyer v. Wood, 64 F.3d 1432 (9th Cir. Wash. 1995)). The prosecution decided not to retry Harris but tried to have him confined as insane. (They had previously argued that he was competent to stand trial.) On July 16, 1997, a jury decided that Harris should not be imprisoned at Western State Hospital. Harris maintains his innocence and says he was framed. (The Seattle Times, 8/19/97).

Read "Exonerated but Never Set Free" by Maureen O'Hagan in The Seattle Times

70. Robert Hayes Florida Conviction: 1991, Acquitted: 1997

Hayes was convicted of the rape and murder of a co-worker based partly on faulty DNA evidence. The Florida Supreme Court threw out Hayes's conviction and the DNA evidence in 1995 (Hayes v. Florida, 660 So. 2d 257 (1995)). The victim had been found clutching hairs probably from her assailant. The hairs were from a white man, whereas Hayes is black. Hayes was acquitted at a retrial in July, 1997. (Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, 7/17/97).

Read "The Other 13 Survivors..." by Sydney Freedberg in The St. Petersburg Times

71. Christopher McCrimmon Arizona Conviction: 1993, Acquitted: 1997

Christopher McCrimmon was convicted and sentenced to death for a triple murder that occurred in Tucson's El Grande Market in 1992. Two other co-defendants, Andre Minnitt and Martin Soto-Fong, were also sentenced to death for the same crime. At McCrimmon's trial, one juror hesitated about his vote for conviction. The trial judge met with the jury, which then shortly returned a unanimous guilty verdict. The Arizona Supreme Court overturned McCrimmons conviction in 1996 because of the judge's undue pressure on the jury. (Arizona v. McCrimmon/Minnitt, 927 P.2d 1298 (1996)). Subsequently, it was discovered that the lead prosecutor against all 3 co-defendants, Kenneth Peasley, presented false evidence in the original case. With this knowledge, McCrimmon was quickly acquitted at his re-trial in 1997. (See Arizona v. Minnitt, 55 P.3d 774, 779 (2002) (vacating co-defendant Minnitt's conviction and sentence and barring re-trial because of deliberate prosecutorial misconduct)). In commenting on the prosecutor's deceit, the Arizona Supreme Court wrote: "The record is replete with evidence of Peasley's full awareness that [evidence he presented] was utterly false. Peasley's misdeeds were not isolated events but became a consistent pattern of prosecutorial misconduct that began in 1993 and continued through re-trial in 1997." (See J. Toobin, "Killer Instincts," The New Yorker, Jan. 17, 2005). In 2004, the Court unanimously voted to disbar Peasley, stating that his behavior "could not have been more harmful to the justice system." (Ibid.). Peasley had twice been selected as the state prosecutor of the year.

Both McCrimmon and Minnitt remained incarcerated on other unrelated charges. Soto-Fong, whose conviction has not been overturned, was removed from death row because he was a juvenile at the time of the crime. (See also, J. Barrios, "Case Discarded: Tucson Convict Off Death Row," Arizona Daily Star, Oct. 12, 2002).

72. Randall Padgett Alabama Conviction: 1992, Acquitted: 1997

Padgett was convicted of murdering his estranged wife in 1990 and was sentenced to death. The conviction was overturned by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in 1995 (Padgett v. Alabama, 668 So. 2d 78 (1995)). In October, 1997, Padgett was acquitted of all charges at a retrial. There was some evidence presented that another woman had committed the crime. Padgett's brothers, children and other relatives burst into tears when the foreman read the not guilty verdict. (The Gadsden Times, 10/3/97).





1998

73. Robert Lee Miller, Jr. Oklahoma Conviction: 1988, Charges Dismissed: 1998

Robert Lee Miller was convicted of the rape and murder of two elderly women in 1988 and subsequently sentenced to death. In 1995, Oklahoma County prosecutors agreed to a new trial for Miller after DNA testing proved it was not Millers semen found on bedclothes at both crime scenes. During the original trials, prosecutors argued that this semen was Millers because it matched his blood type. Despite the DNA results, prosecutors still claimed Miller was involved in the crimes.



In February 1997, Oklahoma County Special Judge Larry Jones dismissed the charges against Miller, saying that there was not enough evidence to justify his continued imprisonment. One month later, Oklahoma County District Judge Karl Gray reinstated the charges in response to an appeal by the District Attorney's office; however, the prosecution ultimately decided to drop all charges and Miller was released.



Read "When the Evidence Lies" by Belinda Luscombe in Time Magazine

74. Curtis Kyles Louisiana Conviction: 1984, Charges Dismissed: 1998

Kyles was first tried in November 1984, but the ended with a hung jury and a mistrial. In his second trial, in December 1984, Kyles was convicted and sentenced to death. On April 19, 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Kyles' conviction citing prosecutorial misconduct in suppressing exculpatory evidence: The state had withheld considerable information about a paid informant who may have been the actual murderer. (Kyles v. Whitley, 514 U.S. 419 (1995)). Kyles's successful appeal was in the form of a federal habeas corpus petition, since he had lost all of his appeals in state court. Kyles's third trial ended in October 1996 when the jury deadlocked. In two additional trials, one in September 1997 and another in February 1998, each ended with a jury deadlock. After the fifth mistrial, prosecutors decided to drop charges and Kyles was released. (The Times-Picayune, 2/18/98).

1999

75. Shareef Cousin Louisiana Conviction: 1996, Charges Dismissed: 1999



Shareef Cousin was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Alred Michael Gerardi in a holdup outside a French Quarter restaurant. Cousin was 16 at the time of the crime and 17 when he was sentenced to death, making him the youngest person ever sent to death row in Louisiana.



The Louisiana Supreme Court overturned his conviction because of improperly withheld evidence (Louisiana v. Cousin, 710 So. 2d 1065 (1998)). District Attorney Harry Cornick Sr. decided on January 8, 1999 not to pursue the case further. Cornick Sr. said prosecutors did not have enough evidence to pursue the case. (Associated Press, January 8, 1999). Cousin had maintained that he was at a city recreation department basketball game at the time of the crime and his coach testified that he dropped him off at home just 20 minutes after the slaying. (New York Times, January 10, 1999).



76. Anthony Porter Illinois Conviction: 1983, Charges Dismissed: 1999

Porter was released in February, 1999 on the motion of the State's Attorney after another man confessed on videotape to the double 1982 murder that sent Porter to death row. Charges were filed against the other man, who claimed he killed in self-defense. The case was broken by investigator Paul Ciolino working with Prof. David Protess and journalism students from Northwestern University. Their investigation also found that another witness had been pressured by police to testify against Porter. Porter came within 2 days of execution in 1998 and was only spared because the Court wanted to look into his mental competency. Porter has an IQ of 51. His conviction was officially reversed on March 11, 1999. (New York Times, 2/6/99 and 3/12/99).

UPDATE: The man who confessed to the murders, Alstory Simon, eventually pled guilty and was serving a 37-year sentence. However, in 2014 Illinois moved to dismiss charges against him, and he was ordered to be released. (Chicago Sun-Times, Oct. 30, 2014).

77. Steven Smith Illinois Conviction: 1985, Acquitted: 1999

Steven Smith was convicted of the murder of Virdeen Willis Jr., an off-duty assistant warden at the Illinois penitentiary in Pontiac, in 1985. In 1990, the state Supreme Court reversed Smiths first conviction and cast doubt on the prosecutions theory. Smith was retired again in 1996, mainly due to the testimony of Debrah Caraway, who claimed to have witnessed the murder. Caraway proved to be an unreliable witness and she provided the prosecution with contradicting accounts of the crime.



The Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smiths conviction in 1999 because of this unreliable evidence. As a result, Smith was immediately released and is not subject to re-trial. Justice James Heiple, writing for the court said, "When the state cannot meet its burden of proof, the defendant must go free." (Illinois v. Smith, 708 N.E.2d 365 (1999)). On August 1, 2002, Illinois Governor George Ryan issued a pardon to Smith based on innocence. Smith is the 11th death row inmate to be freed in Illinois since the death penalty was reinstated and the 9th since 1994. (Chicago Sun-Times, February 20, 1999 and August 2, 2002).

Read "The Snitch System" by Northwestern University School of Law Center on Wrongful Conviction

78. Ronald Keith Williamson Oklahoma Conviction: 1988, Charges Dismissed: 1999

Ronald Williamson and Dennis Fritz were charged with the murder and rape of Deborah Sue Carter, which occurred in Ada, Oklahoma in 1982. They were arrested four years after the crime. Both were convicted and Williamson received the death penalty. In 1997, a federal appeals court overturned Williamson's conviction on the basis of ineffectiveness of counsel (Williamson v. Ward, 110 F.3d 1508 (10th Cir. 1997) aff'g 904 F. Supp. 1529 (E. D. OK 1995)). The Court noted that the lawyer had failed to investigate and present to the jury the fact that another man had confessed to the crime. The lawyer had been paid a total of $3,200 for the defense. Recently, DNA tests from the crime scene did not match either Williamson or Fritz, but did implicate Glen Gore, a former suspect in the case. All charges against the two defendants were dismissed on April 15, 1999 and they were released. Williamson suffers from bipolar depression and has been hospitalized for treatment. (Daily Oklahoman, 3/18/99 and New York Times 4/16/99).

Read "Life After Death Row" by Sara Rimer in The New York Times Magazine

Read "The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town" by John Grisham (Doubleday, 2006)

See Frontline: Burden of Innocence by PBS

Watch an interview with Ronald Williamson



79. Ronald Jones Illinois Conviction: 1989, Charges Dismissed: 1999

Ronald Jones, 49, was freed after more than eight years on Illinois death row after prosecutors dropped all charges against him. Jones was charged with the 1985 rape and murder of Debra Smith on Chicagos South Side (Chicago Tribune, May 18, 1999). Jones, who was convicted partially on the basis of his confession, testified at trial that the police had beaten the confession out of him. Jones was a homeless man with an IQ around 80 when he was convicted of the rape and murder. Prosecutors at his conviction described him as a "cold brutal rapist" who "should never see the light of day." (NY Times, May 19, 1999).



Recent DNA testing revealed that Jones was not the rapist and there was no evidence of any accomplice to the murder. The Cook County state's attorney filed a motion asking the Illinois Supreme Court to vacate Jones's conviction in 1997. In May 1999, the state dropped all charges against Jones. He is being temporarily detained pending another matter in a different state (Associated Press, May 18, 1999).

80. Clarence Richard Dexter Missouri Conviction: 1991, Charges Dismissed: 1999

Dexter was accused in 1990 of murdering his wife of 22 years. Police overlooked significant evidence that the murder occurred in the course of a botched robbery and quickly decided that Dexter must have committed the crime. Dexter's trial lawyer was in poor health and under federal investigation for tax fraud and failed to challenge blood evidence presented at trial. The conviction was overturned in 1997 because of prosecutorial misconduct. (Missouri v. Dexter, 954 S.W.2d 332 (1997)) The defense then had the blood evidence carefully examined and showed that the conclusions presented at trial were completely wrong. The state's blood expert admitted that his previous findings overstated the case against Dexter. On the eve of Dexter's retrial in June, 1999, the prosecution dismissed the charges and Dexter was freed. (Missouri State Public Defender System Memo, 6/7/99 and Kansas City Star, 6/9/99)

81. Warren Douglas Manning South Carolina Conviction: 1989, Acquitted: 1999

Manning was convicted in 1989 for the slaying of a South Carolina police officer in 1988. The conviction was overturned in 1991 (State v. Manning, 409 S.E.2d 372 (SC 1991)). Manning was retried in 1993, but the case ended in a mistrial. Manning's third trial in 1995 resulted in another conviction, but it was overturned on December 29, 1997, when the South Carolina Supreme Court held that the trial court abused its discretion by granting the State's motion to change venue for the selection of the jury. The Court ordered a new trial. (State v. Manning, 495 S.E.2d 191 (SC 1997)). The subsequent trial was declared a mistrial, and prosecutors pursued the case a fifth time. In 1999, at his last trial, Manning was represented by expert death penalty attorney, David Bruck. Manning maintained that although he had been arrested by the officer for driving under license suspension, Manning escaped when the officer stopped another car. The state's case was entirely circumstantial, and the jury acquitted Manning after less than 3 hours of deliberation. (Morning News (South Carolina), 10/1/00).

82. Alfred Rivera North Carolina Conviction: 1997, Charges Dismissed 1999

Alfred Rivera, 28, was sentenced to death in the shooting deaths of Michael A. Nicholson and James E. Smith. Nicholson and Smith were shot in the head at close range inside Nicholsons apartment in 1996. After two years on death row, the North Carolina Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Rivera ruling that the trial judge should have allowed jurors to hear testimony that Rivera may have been framed. (North Carolina v. Rivera, 514 S.E.2d 720 (1999)).



Riveras defense was bolstered when a witness came forward to testify that he had heard Antonio T. Bryant claim that he planned to blame the shootings on Rivera. Bryant was one of three men with Rivera at Nicholsons apartment, according to some testimony. Conflicting eyewitness testimony as to whether Rivera was actually at the scene of the crime, or whether he was visiting his girlfriend, was sufficient to cast doubts in the minds of the jurors, who acquitted Rivera of two counts of first-degree murder. (Winston-Salem Journal, November 23, 1999).



Following the verdict, three jurors identified that they voted for acquittal because the prosecution was unable to prove that Rivera was at the scene of the shootings. Leaving the courthouse, Rivera hugged his three-year-old son, stating that he was elated and felt vindicated. (Winston-Salem Journal, November 23, 1999).

83. Steve Manning Illinois Conviction: 1993, Charges Dismissed: 2000

Steve Manning became the 13th inmate exonerated in Illinois, when prosecutors announced that they are dropping charges and no longer plan to retry Manning for the 1990 slaying of trucking company owner Jimmy Pellegrino. Manning was convicted and sentenced to death on the word of informant Tommy Dye, who testified that Manning twice confessed to him when they shared a jail cell. However, secret tape recordings of the two men's conversations, made at the request of the FBI, revealed no such confession, and Manning vehemently denied confessing. In exchange for his testimony, Dye received an 8-year reduction on his prison sentence on theft and firearms charges. Manning remains in prison on unrelated charges. (Illinois v. Manning (695 N.E.2d 423 (1998) and Chicago Tribune, 1/19/00).

UPDATE: Despite being exonerated in Illinois, Manning was being held in Missouri on a kidnapping conviction. On February 26, 2004, Manning was also cleared of those charges and walked out of prison a free man. New investigations revealed that the informant who testified against Manning had received special treatment while in prison. A federal appeals court had ordered a new trial on the kidnapping charges in November of 2002, but prosecutors decided instead to drop all charges. Manning was the 13th person exonerated in Illinois and this led Governor George Ryan to declare a moratorium on executions as exonerations exceeded excutions. (Chicago Tribune, February 27, 2004)



84. Eric Clemmons Missouri Conviction: 1987, Acquitted: 2000

In 1983, Eric Clemmons started a 50-year prison sentence for killing a man in St. Louis during a fight. In 1987, he was accused of stabbing Henry Johnson, a fellow inmate, to death. At trial, one guard testified that he had seen Clemmons stab Henry Johnson. Three other inmates testified that Fred Bagby was the man who had stabbed Johnson. However, the prosecutor claimed that the inmates blamed Bagby because he was conveniently killed before the trial began. A jury convicted Clemmons of the murder and a Judge sentenced him to die.



After losing all his appeals in state court and his initial appeal in federal court, Clemmons received papers from another inmate, including a memo written from Captain A.M. Cross, who had testified against Johnson at trial. The memo stated that an inmate had told Gross immediately after the attack that Bagby killed Johnson. Armed with new evidence, and a new attorney, Clemmons filed a federal appeal with the same federal court that had previously rejected his appeal. The three-judge panel reversed their opinion and ordered a new trial. (Clemmons v. Delo, 124 F.3d 944 (8th Cir. 1997)).



At trial, Clemmons presented a letter from Johnson to a prison official in which Johnson described an altercation with Fred Bagby. Furthermore, an expert testified that the blood found on Clemmons sweatshirt and hat was not splatter from a stab wound, but was instead consistent with a bloody man running into him. When all the new evidence was presented at re-trial, a circuit court jury acquitted Clemmons in 3 hours on February 18, 2000. Clemmons remains incarcerated on other charges, which he is also challenging. (Kansas City Star, February 27, 2000).

85. Joseph Nahume Green Florida Conviction: 1993, Charges Dismissed: 2000

Joseph Nahume Green was convicted of the 1992 killing of the society page editor of the weekly Bradford County Telegraph, Judith Miscally, and was subsequently sentenced to death. Prosecutors dismissed charges on March 16, 2000 of the murder. (St. Petersburg Times March 17, 2000).



Green, who has always maintained his innocence, was convicted largely upon the testimony of the state's only eyewitness, Lonnie Thompson. In appeals process, the Florida Supreme Court questioned Thompsons fitness in ordering a new trial Green, citing that Thompson's testimony was often inconsistent and contradictory. (Nahume Green v. Florida, 688 So. 2d 301 (1996)). Considering the importance of Thompsons testimony to the prosecutions case, the Florida Supreme Court overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial in Alachua County.



During the re-trial, Greens attorneys challenged Thompsons competency. The court found that Thompson was mildly retarded and had suffered head traumas that caused memory problems. Based on these facts, the trial judge found Thompson incompetent to testify, and the 1st District Court of Appeal affirmed the decision. This dismissal of testimony, coupled with the fact that the prosecution could not present any physical evidence linking Green to the crime, led Circuit Judge Robert P. Cates, who had originally sentenced Green to die, to dismiss all charges, saying that there was no evidence tying Green to the murder (St. Petersburg Times, November 28, 2001).

86. Earl Washington Virginia Conviction: 1984, Commuted to life: 1994, Absolute Pardon: 2000

Earl Washington suffers from mental retardation. After he was arrested on another charge in 1983, police convinced him to make a statement concerning the rape and murder of a woman in Culpeper in 1982. He later recanted that statement. Subsequent DNA tests confirmed that Washington did not rape the victim, who had lived long enough to state that there was only one perpetrator of the crime. The DNA results combined with the victim's statement all but exonerated Washington. Shortly before leaving office in 1994, Governor Wilder commuted Washington's sentence to life with the possibility of parole. In 2000, additional DNA tests were ordered and the results again excluded Washington as the rapist. In October 2000, Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore granted Earl Washington an absolute pardon. (Statement of Governor Jim Gilmore Regarding the Pardon of Earl Washington, 10/2/00; New York Times, 10/3/00; and Washington Post, 9/24/00, 10/4/00, and 2/15/01).

87. William Nieves Pennsylvania Conviction: 1994, Acquitted: 2000

On October 20, 2000, William Nieves was freed from death row when a Philadelphia jury acquitted him of the 1992 murder of Eric McAiley. Nieves was convicted of the murder in 1994, but maintained his innocence. In 1997, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that Nieves was inadequately represented at his first trial and granted him a new trial (Commonwealth v. Nieves, 746 A.2d 1102 (2000)). Nieves' lawyer on his retrial, former Philadelphia homicide prosecutor Jack McMahon, said "The prosecutions main eyewitness told the police two black males did it. Four hours later, she said the same thing. Within the same 24-hour period, she got interviewed by homicide and said a Hispanic male did it." McMahon said "William Nieves' first trial was not presented in the way it should have been presented, and that's wrong when someone is being sentenced to death." At the re-trial, McMahon pointed out the inconsistencies in the key witness's identification of the killer and Nieves was acquitted (Associated Press, 10/21/00). Read Jenn Carbin, "A Matter of Life and Death" (Parts I and II), Philadelphia CIty Paper (Nov. 1-8, 2001).

Update: Nieves died on Oct. 8, 2005 from liver problems that he claimed were not properly treated while he was in prison. (Associated Press, Oct. 13, 2005).

88. Frank Lee Smith Florida Conviction: 1985, Charges Dismissed: 2000

Frank Lee Smith, who had been convicted of a 1985 rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl, and who died of cancer in January 2000 while still on death row, was cleared of these charges by DNA testing, according to an aide to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. After the trial, the chief eyewitness recanted her testimony. Nevertheless, Smith was scheduled for execution in 1990, but received a stay. Prosecutor Carolyn McCann was told by the FBI lab which conducted the DNA tests that: "He has been excluded. He didn't do it." Another man, who is currently in a psychiatric facility, is now the main suspect. (Washington Post, 12/15/00 (AP) and St. Petersburg Times (Florida) 12/15/00).

89. Michael Graham Louisiana Conviction: 1987, Charges Dismissed: 2000

90. Albert Burrell Louisiana Conviction: 1987, Charges Dismissed: 2000

After spending 13 years on death row, Michael Graham was released from the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola on December 28, 2000 after the Louisiana Attorney General dismissed charges against him and his co-defendant Albert Burrell. Burrell was released on January 3, 2001. Graham and Burrell were sentenced to death in 1987 for the murder of an elderly couple. Earlier this year, a judge threw out their convictions because of a lack of physical evidence and suspect witness testimony used at trial. Prosecutor Dan Grady acknowledged that the case was weak and "should never have been brought to [the] grand jury." During the trial, prosecutors withheld key information from the defense, failed to produce any physical evidence, and relied only on witness testimony, which has since been discredited. Dismissing the charges, the Attorney General's office cited a "total lack of credible evidence" and stated "prosecutors would deem it a breach of ethics to proceed to trial." Recent DNA tests proved that blood found at the victims' home did not belong to Burrell or Graham. The trial attorneys appointed to defend Burrell were later disbarred for other reasons. (Associated Press 12/28/00 and The Advocate Online, 3/19/01).

91. Oscar Lee Morris California Conviction: 1983, Charges Dismissed: 2000

Morris was convicted in 1983 and sentenced to death. His death sentence was vacated by the California Supreme Court in 1988. Although the court did not overturn his conviction, it later ordered an evidentiary hearing when the state's chief witness against Morris issued a deathbed recantation. After the evidentiary hearing, the Los Angeles County Superior Court granted Morris a new trial. Prosecutors decided not to retry the case and Morris was freed in 2000. (L.A. Daily Journal, October 29, 2002). At his initial trial, Morris was represented by Ronald Slick, who was criticized in 2001 for giving prosecutors confidential documents to help them keep a former client on death row. (Id.). Morris's chief accuser was Joe West. West implicated Morris after being arrested while on parole. "Joe West testified on direct examination by the prosecutor that his motive for cooperating with the prosecution was a quarrel with defendant which resulted in his attempt on defendant's life..." (People v. Morris, 756 P.2d 843, 857 (CA 1988)). According to the California Supreme Court, "no motive or explanation for the murder was disclosed at trial other than the statement attributed to defendant by Joe West" that Morris wanted to kill someone. (Id. at 854). The prosecutor in the case, Arthur Jean, Jr., now a L.A. Country Superior Court Judge, withheld from the defense that West was given special treatment in light of his testimony. The California Supreme Court noted that Jean had written two pretrial letters on West's behalf, asking a fellow prosecutor and the parole board to grant West leniency for other crimes to reward his testimony against Morris. The California Supreme Court held that the prosecutor's failure to disclose these actions violated Morris's due process rights. The court added, "The nondisclosure was compounded, moreover, by the district attorney's affirmative representation to the jury that West had not received any benefits in return for his testimony.O (Id. at 863). Jean told jurors in the case that "[There] is no evidence, not a shred, and you would have it if it existed, if Mr. West got any benefit from this, that is, in the handling of his criminal case." (Id.). West later confessed that he fabricated the entire case against Morris. "The testimony I gave against Oscar Morris...in 1978 was a lie," said West in a 1997 sworn declaration a few weeks before his death. (L.A. Daily Journal, October 29, 2002). (Note: Morris was originally charged with robbery and murder. The robbery charge was reversed by the California Supreme Court in its 1988 ruling when the court overturned his sentence.)



92. Peter Limone Massachusetts Conviction: 1968, Charges Dismissed: 2001

Thirty -three years after being convicted and sentenced to death for a 1965 murder, Peter Limone's conviction has been overturned (Commonwealth v. Limone, 2001 Mass. Super. LEXIS 7 (2001)) and the case against him officially dropped. The move came as a result of a Justice Department task force's discovery of compelling new evidence that Limone and his co-defendants Joseph Salvati, Henry Tamelo, and Louis Greco were actually innocent of the murder of Edward Deegan. In 1968, all four were convicted and Limone was sentenced to die in Massachusetts' electric chair, but was spared in 1974 when Massachusetts abolished the death penalty and his sentence was commuted to life in prison. Salvati, who was released from prison in 1997 when the governor commuted his sentence, received word from prosecutors that they were dropping the case against him as well. Tamelo and Greco both died in prison. At trial, the main witness against the four men was Joseph Barboza, a hit man cooperating with prosecutors, who later admitted that he had fabri


Based on his salary from last year, San Francisco mayor Ed Lee is the best paid mayor in California, beating out Los Angeles, Oakland, and every other town in our state. But it wouldn't necessarily have been so, if it weren't for a ballot measure approved by SF residents over a decade ago.

The Chron reports that Lee's salary last year was $297,387, based on information found on the State Controller's Government Compensation in California website. LA mayor Eric Garcetti comes in second, at $246,303, and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf is third in CA at $212,000.

In terms of San Francisco's employees, Lee barely begins to chart, however: The position of SF Mayor isn't even well-paid enough to make in on the first page of the government compensation's ranking of SF staffers. Instead, he comes in at #41, after a SFFD Battalion Chief position ($298,907, with $182,945 of that as regular pay and $76,255 in overtime) and just ahead of a Senior Deputy Sheriff who last year made $296,721 ($113,676 regular pay, $167,037 in overtime).

The mayor, it's worth noting, claimed no overtime in 2016. His pay is also miles beneath SF's best paid employee, the chief investment officer SF's retirement system. As reported in September of last year, William J. Coaker Jr. had a base pay of $507,831.60 in 2015, compensation that rose to $527,343 in 2016.

Of course, Lee could have been even lower on the salary rankings if it weren't for Proposition C, a November 2006 ballot measure that allowed SF to set the salaries of its top seven elected officials based on the salaries paid to their counterparts in other Bay Area counties. In the May after voters approved Prop C, the city's Civil Service Commission, which sets SF's elected officials' salaries, was then able to increase then-mayor Gavin Newsom's salary by $57K: from $188,816 to $245,749, the Ex reported at the time.

As part of Prop C's amendment to SF's charter, those top elected officials' pay would "be re-evaluated every five years to ensure they remain on pace with five other Bay Area counties," the Ex reported in 2007.

Here's something that will blow your mind just a bit: That 2007 Ex piece was likely edited by Deirdre Hussey, who was then the managing editor of that publication, before becoming the Ex's executive editor in 2010. (I'm social with Hussey, but she had no hand in this report.) She left the paper in 2012 and (after a series of other gigs) became Lee's spokesperson in 2016.

So it was Hussey who responded to the Chron report noting Lee's top salary ranking last week, telling the paper that as of May 2012, the Civil Service Commission had certified the base salary for elected officials, including Lee, for a five-year salary cycle for the period of July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2017. Which means we're due for another round of salary certifications shortly. Daniel Lurie, take note!

Related: SF's Best-Paid City Workers Hit New Income Highs
Don't even pretend that you don't remember Jeremy Meeks. The 33-year-old was arrested on a gun charge in Stockton in 2014 and shot to fame because his mugshot was HELLA HOT. He was sentenced to 27 months in jail, as we previously told you about here.

Once he discovered that being a super hot guy with serious street cred pays better than a life of crime, Meeks pursued a modeling career and jet-set lifestyle. Basically, this is exactly the way the American judicial system was designed to work.

Meeks, a Stockton native, was a member of the North Side Crips and had numerous runs-ins with the law. According to the LA Times, that teardrop tattoo on his cheek was for "doing some [other] things in his past he is not proud of."

His mugshot was so mind-bindingly gorgeous that he still uses it as his Instagram profile picture and posts it with the hashtag #blessed. GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Now that he's famous, however, Meeks is under a far bigger microscope than that of local law enforcement. The Daily Mail reports that the married father of two was caught on camera canoodling on a yacht with Chloe Green, the 26-year-old heiress of the Topshop clothing empire and recently the star of British reality show Made in Chelsea. Trivia sidebar: Green's 24-year-old brother Brandon once was famously treated to a performance by Beyonce at his bar mitzvah.

All things are possible !!! #bodrum #turkey #boatlife A post shared by JEREMY MEEKS (@jmeeksofficial) on Jun 28, 2017 at 8:34am PDT

Meeks and his family reside in Manteca, California (of all weird places) and he was supposedly on a modeling assignment in Turkey when he and Green were caught in flagrante delicto.

Meeks's wife Melissa explained to the Daily Mail how fame ruined their marriage, saying "Jeremy was being pitched as the 'hot felon', the sexy new star. His image didn't fit with a man who had a wife and kids. Fame changed him. His head was turned. Sex sells. He's a sexy guy and he didn't want his wife there. He started hanging out with celebrities. I wanted to be part of his world. We argued about it. He spent increasing amounts of time away from home and when he came home we rowed."

'Rowed' is British-speak for 'fought' which has us thinking that perhaps this interview was not verbatim.

Just another day in the life of... A post shared by JEREMY MEEKS (@jmeeksofficial) on May 1, 2017 at 10:40am PDT

Anyway, according to People, the Meeks now plan to get a divorce and obviously Melissa Meeks is pissed. Lucky for her, her soon-to-be ex has a lot more money now than he did while she was sending him money in prison. #Blessed.

Related: Hot Felon Jeremy Meeks Modeled At Cannes, Partied With Nicki Minaj
You may remember how earlier this year, piling on top of the many troubles facing the sinking and tilting Millennium Tower, several residents were complaining of odors drifting into their units from elsewhere in the building, including cooking smells, dirty diapers, and the like. One of the first residents to report on the problem and bring it to the attention of the Homeowners' Association and the news media, Paula Pretlow, is back talking to NBC Bay Area now that a report from an outside consultant has concluded that gaps along the building's curtain wall and other spaces within the walls of at least some units were not properly sealed, and could present risks in the event of a fire.

The report was prepared at the behest of the HOA by the firm Allana, Buick and Bers, and they specifically focused on Pretlow's unit, conducting smoke tests from areas below that illustrated how smoke and other fumes are able to spread to Pretlow's condo from elsewhere. Gaps surrounding various pipes and ducts, which should have been sealed with fire-retardant caulk, were left unsealed within the walls of Pretlow's unit, and likely others as well.

Retired San Francisco fire captain John Damanin calls it a "failure" on the part of the builder if it happened even in one unit, though reports from other residents indicate that the lack of proper caulking is not isolated to Pretlow's unit alone. Such porousness between units could cause smoke damage from even a small fire to effect units around it, and could help a fire spread more easily to units above it.

City inspectors would have been responsible for checking some of these seals, but Damanin says it's ultimately up to the developer and contractor to make sure the work is consistent on all 58 floors. Referring to the contractor responsible for sealing these gaps around Pretlow's unit, he tells NBC, "Did someone have a bad day that day? Lets hope But if there are other units that are complaining of odors, and no one is investigating because they are afraid of what they might find out? I have a real problem with that if Im a tenant or if Im in the fire department."

Lawsuits continue to pile up against both the developer and the city, with high-profile Millennium resident Joe Montana being one of the most recent to file suit.

In addition to the open question of how to keep the tower from sinking any further and how to shore up its foundation  and whose insurance company will bear the brunt of that cost  we further learned in March via a structural engineer's review that the building's earthquake fitness models may not be entirely reliable, adding one more item to the growing list of fixes in store for this high-rise.

Previously: Millennium Tower Residents Complain That Building Not Only Sinks, It Stinks
BREAKING: Man shot and killed at 24th & Mission. Details on @kron4news pic.twitter.com/pBy7zNRCjh  Lydia Pantazes (@LydiaPantazes) July 10, 2017

An early-morning investigation into a fatal Mission District shooting took a bizarre turn Monday, when a sink was thrown through the window of a police car.

According to San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Sergeant Michael Andraychak, officers were called to the intersection of 24th and Mission Streets on reports of a shooting at 2:30 Monday morning.

Homicide investigation underway at 24th St. and Mission in SF. One vict shot at approx 2:30am. @SFPDMission investigating. pic.twitter.com/lPnw1aUkOf  Christien Kafton (@CKaftonKTVU) July 10, 2017

When they arrived, they discovered a male victim who had "died of an apparent gun shot wound," Andraychak says. According to the SFPD, the victim was 35 years of age at the time of his death.

According to KTVU, investigators were seen "taking photographs in what appeared to be a doorway near El Farolito Bar," just steps from the 24th Street Mission BART Station

As multiple officers investigated the slaying, NBC Bay Area reports that a sink was thrown through the back window of an SFPD patrol car.

Someone threw a sink at a patrol car in #SanFrancisco as police investigate a homicide at 24th & Mission @kron4news pic.twitter.com/WDCikjIgi1  Lydia Pantazes (@LydiaPantazes) July 10, 2017

"Footage from the scene showed a white sink popping out of the back window with shattered glass spewed across the cruiser's trunk and street," they report.

"Police want to know who did it," KTVU reports, "but at this time, it does not appear to be related to the homicide."

Andraychak says that "no further information is available at this time," regarding the crime. Citing notification issues, the San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office has yet to publicly identify the victim.

The SFPD was unable to immediately confirm the number of homicides San Francisco has suffered in 2017. The city's last high-profile slaying was was an early-morning Tenderloin shooting on June 23, which at the time was reported as SF's 34th for the year.

As of publication time, no arrests have been made in the case. Andraychak asks that "anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 415-575-4444 [or] to Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD." Tipsters "may remain anonymous," he says.
It is generally not considered newsworthy here at SFist when some Pacific Heights socialites throw an exceedingly fancy-ass cocktail party attended by Willie Brown and his sometimes "lady friend" Sonya Molodetskaya, Dede Wilseys son Todd Traina and his wife Katie, Robin Williams son Zak, renowned industrial designer Yves Behar, and a score of other stratospherically well-off venture capitalists and social entrepreneurs. But when the guests are huffing marijuana vape pens and throwing down THC edibles because its a cannabis brand launch party, that tends to capture our interest a little more.

We see in Sundays Chronicle that luxury, high-end cannabis brand Beboe threw a fancy Pacific Heights launch party, apparently celebrating the introduction of their product line to San Francisco dispensaries. Beboe, who produce $60 vape pens and $25 edible pastilles, has already been dubbed the Hermes of Marijuana by the New York Times and their LA launch party earlier this year counted Orlando Bloom and Sharon Stone as attendees.



Shorty after the publication of Sundays Chronicle writeup, the SFist Tip Line started receiving rumors that the event actually took place at Todd and Katie Trainas mansion. Personally, I have never been inside the place, but we can surmise that this rumor is probably true.

The Chronicles article comes with a 16-photo slideshow, and many of the images show a pretty distinctive painting of a tiger swimming in water in the background. This 2016 Mansion Global profile of the Traina residence shows the exact same tiger painting (Image 4 in the slideshow) as well as matching sofas and furniture, indicating with pretty strong certainty that this pot party was indeed thrown at the Trainas Pac Heights home.

Not that theres anything wrong with that! The passage of Prop. 64 makes consumption of marijuana products legal for anyone in California over the age of 21. (You only need the Medical ID card to buy cannabis at retail dispensaries.) The event was thrown at a private residence, so hooking up guests with a little free smoke is also completely legal, as long as the guests are 21 or older. While the Chronicle article describes Zak Williams as the host, Williams is reportedly an investor in Beboe, but the event seems to have also been hosted in the Trainas' mansion. Frankly, that just makes me like those two more.

Despite the recurrence of scandal in the House of Wilsey, it would be good for the fledgling cannabis industry to have the Trainas as friends. Todd Trainas brother Trevor threw a $2,700-minimum donation fundraiser for Jeb Bush during the last election cycle, so the family surely has powerful Republican friends. With attorney general Jeff Sessions on a warpath to eliminate legal marijuana, the recreational marijuana racket might need some powerful Republican allies to help the industry avoid the weed whackers of the current GOP power players who don't want California to be so free with the weed.

Related: Socialites Trevor And Alexis Traina Sued By Former Maid Over Fall
The visit made at an invitation of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands - Mark Rutte.



Defense Minister of the Netherlands Ms. Jeanine Hennis, Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Nienke Trooster, leaders of Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Netherlands, Vietnamese Ambassador in Netherlands Ngo Thi Hoa, staffs and officials of Vietnamese Embassy in the Netherlands attended in Schiphol Amsterdam airport to welcome the Vietnamese delegation.



As plan, the leaders will witness a signing ceremony of cooperation agreements between the two countries governments and enterprises.



After that, the Vietnamese leader will have another meeting with leaders of International Court of Justice and the International Court of Arbitration.



In parallel, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc will participate in Dutch and Vietnamese enterprises forum; a meeting and dialogue with leading enterprises and investors of the country.



The visit is a context of development of Vietnam- Netherlands comprehensive relationships.



In previous years, the Kingdom of Netherlands always gives a priority policies for Vietnam, aiming to promote the friendly and cooperative ties between the two sides.



Particularly, Vietnam and Netherlands have established a strategic partnership relation about responding to climate change and state administration, stable agriculture and food security.



Both sides defined five fields of the priority cooperation as responding to climate change, state and agricultural administration, energy, maritime economy and logistics service.

Currently, the Kingdom of Netherlands is one of the biggest European investors of Vietnam with 287 projects, an estimate of US$ 7.7 billion.



Both sides actively collaborated at the regional and international organizations and forums, and held high level meetings in the margin of the major conferences.



The leader of Kingdom of Netherlands stressed that the relevant sides need to solve conflicts in the East sea via measures of peace and cooperation, respect of international law; especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982.





BY DO CAO- Translated by Huyen Huong
OMAHA | Two men have pleaded not guilty to a new set of charges filed in connection with the robbery of a Bancroft, Nebraska, bank.

A federal grand jury last month filed a superseding indictment against Jeffrey Bonneau and Lenn Zuhlke, charging each with one count of bank robbery, the same charge each had faced under the previous indictment. The superseding document includes a new charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person filed against Bonneau.

Both men entered their pleas Monday in U.S. District Court in Omaha.

Bonneau, 38, of Bancroft, is accused of walking into First Bank of Bancroft on April 20 while wearing a dark motorcycle helmet and demanding money from the tellers, who recognized his voice. Bonneau fled on an ATV after taking $6,745 from the bank. Officers tracked Bonneau to a grove of trees and encountered Bonneau, who brandished a handgun. After taking cover and waiting for 15 minutes, officers heard Bonneau fire a shot before fleeing on the ATV, court documents said.

Bonneau rolled the ATV and was hospitalized for several days because of his injuries.

Authorities recovered approximately $1,020 in cash from Bonneau's hiding spot and another $4,205 that had been placed in a tree. Bonneau admitted to robbing the bank and directed officers to the money, court documents said.

The new charge accuses Bonneau of using a controlled substance while in possession of the handgun.

Zuhlke, 55, of Bancroft, is accused of aiding and abetting in the robbery, though his role is not defined in court documents.
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Before Judge Duane Hoffmeyer

John Wayne Desart, 42, Sioux City, felon in possession of a firearm; sentenced July 6, five years prison suspended, three years probation.

Alfredo Garcia, 26, Sioux City, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; sentenced July 6, deferred judgment, three years probation.

Chrystian David Townsley, 29, Sioux City, domestic abuse assault, failure to appear; sentenced July 3, 60 days jail on assault charge, deferred judgment for failure to appear.

Brilee Paige Steilow, 18, Sioux City, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; sentenced July 5, deferred judgment, two years probation.

Desree Jean Gonzales Hinman, 26, Sioux City, identity theft, operating while intoxicated -- second offense; sentenced July 5, deferred judgment, two years probation for identity theft, seven days jail for OWI.

Adrian Reyes, 30, Sioux City, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; sentenced July 6, deferred judgment, two years probation.

Martez Langston, 24, Sioux City, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; sentenced July 5, five years prison.

Antwaun Damon Lucas, 24, Sioux City, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; sentenced July 3, deferred judgment, two years probation.

Tyson Taylor Trobaugh, 21, Sioux City, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; sentenced July 5, deferred judgment, two years probation.

Johnny Ahman Madison, 37, Sioux City, child endangerment; sentenced July 6, two years prison.
SIOUX CITY | In his first day of extended campaigning since launching his 2018 governor campaign, John Norris had multiple events on Monday in Northwest Iowa to cite big needs on health care, water quality and education funding.

In the first Sioux City stop at the Siouxland Center for Active Generations, the Des Moines Democrat threw out a pun that combined a key issue with lingo about being fully ready to become a candidate, "I've tested the waters. I've found them high in nitrates."

Norris, who served as chief of staff for former Gov. Tom Vilsack, held two Sioux City events, plus others in Storm Lake, Sioux Center, Spencer and Emmetsburg. He began a campaign kickoff Saturday in Red Oak, where he had been raised and graduated from high school, and his 22 events will run through a conclusion in Dubuque on Thursday.

Norris said he is the party's best candidate to tap into rural Iowa to win back the governorship now held by Republican Kim Reynolds and the Legislature, where both chambers are also held by Republicans.

"If we don't reconnect with rural Iowans, we can't win," Norris said.

Norris said Iowans may look at issues based on political affiliation, but some key principles combine them all. He said state residents want sound education, good health care and clean water, and contended that some young Iowa children have a "double whammy" because they lack health care access and educational opportunity, due to insufficient funding set for K-12 schools by majority party Republicans.

Norris spent time in both stops to discuss water quality.

He told people that Iowa won't add to its population, since possible new residents may hear they need extra filtration devices to drink water and warnings that they can't swim in some lakes. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources shows seven lakes where swimming is not recommended, based on sampling of bacteria.

He said some farming practices ultimately should be changed, to improve water quality and to prevent loss of soil.

He agreed with Linda Smoley, a retired Sioux City educator attending both city events, who said that trickle down economics don't work.

Norris said too many "tax credits and tax loopholes" have been given to too many businesses that don't create enough jobs. He pledged to push for initiatives that would create high-paying jobs.

He is among many Democrats in a governor field that includes state Sen. Nate Boulton of Des Moines, former Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Andy McGuire, former Des Moines School Board President Jon Neiderbach, state Rep. Todd Prichard of Charles City, Davenport Alderman Mike Matson, Coralville nurse and union president Cathy Glasson, Des Moines businessman Fred Hubbell, and former Iowa City Mayor Ross Wilburn.

Republicans Reynolds and Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett are seeking the Republican nomination.

Norris, who was chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party in the late 1990, said experience is what will separate him from other Democrats. After a stint as gubernatorial chief of staff for Vilsack, Norris worked in the U.S. Department of Agriculture for seven years under Vilsack, a former Agriculture Secretary. Norris moved back to Iowa and in fall 2016 to join a Des Moines consulting firm.
Sioux City

Dennis Eugene Johnson Sr., 70, of Sioux City, passed away on Friday, July 7, 2017, in Sioux City.

Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel, located at 6200 Morningside Avenue in Sioux City. The Salvation Army Retired Major Richard Trimmel from Council Bluffs, Iowa, will officiate the service. Visitation with the family present will be 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Dennis was born March 1, 1947, in Sioux City. He was the son of Wayne and Myerl (Roberts) Johnson. Dennis grew up in Sioux City and attended Sioux City schools. He served 17 years, including three tours, in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Conflict and then worked for several years at Bingo King in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Dennis enjoyed the outdoors; he loved to go camping and boating. He also enjoyed woodworking and doing carpenter work.

Survivors include his son, Dennis E. Johnson Jr. and his wife, Jill of Bellevue, Neb.; four sisters, Alice Moore of Cherokee, Iowa, Deanna Gordon of Sioux City, Janice Stoddard and her husband, Skip of Sioux City, and Lori Walters of Sioux City. Dennis is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Dennis was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Wayne Johnson and Diane Johnson.
The US Navy has turned to the defense industry in a request for information (RFI) that could signal the death knell for the LCS (littoral combat ship) program that never quite got legs.



The service can't seem to make up its mind on whether to commission littoral combat ships, frigates, or modified littoral combat ships. The last frigates were decommissioned in 2015. But the program to replace them has been a major dud.



The Navy once planned to field 52 LCS-baseline ships to retire its time tested Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates. Former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter ordered the Navy to cut the number of ships down to 40 in December of 2015. The program has failed to achieve lofty ambitions.



The Congressional Research Service released a report in April of this year declaring 26 close-shore attack ships had been funded. But contractors Lockheed Martin and Austal USA completed less than 30 percent of the number of ships they were paid to produce.



"As of October 19, 2016, seven LCSs (LCS1 through 6 and LCS 8) were in service. LCS 7 is scheduled to be commissioned into service on October 22, 2016. LCSs 9 through 26 are in various stages of construction," the federal think tank reported.



"Whereas the program expected to deliver all 55 ships in the class by fiscal year 2018, today that expectation has been reduced to 17 ships," the watchdog noted.



"The LCS program poses several issues for [the US] Congress," CRS wrote.

The independent watchdog agency within the federal government, the Government Accountability Office, reported in December of 2016, "our recent work has shown that the LCS business case continues to weaken."



Notably, the LCS ships being developed right now "have exceeded contract cost targets, with the government responsible for paying a portion of the cost growth." In nominal terms the Navy has asked for taxpayers to throw another $246 million to cover cost growth for twelve of the apparently troubled ships, GAO added.



Pentagon leaders finally got a clue that it may no longer be prudent to throw good money at bad. Taxpayers have clearly gotten the short end of the stick on the LCS program. Nevertheless, Lockheed Martin claims "affordability" to be a major selling point of the ships they've struggled to construct.



The LCS program was supposed to be the next generation of warships to escort aircraft carriers, track submarines, and drown enemy combat vessels. Oliver Hazard Perry-class sunk into the history books in 2015 when the last Perry-class ship was retired. It may have been a mistake financially, but it also opens up the larger question of improper predictions of what the future of warfare would look like.



Military analysts foresaw a battle space in which combat would occur closer to shores. This is where LCS vessels were supposed to thrive. The willingness, finally, to examine scrapping the program indicates that vision may have been little more than an effective ideology to support an expensive new program.



The Turkish navy, for one, never bought into the LCS program. Instead, Ankara's navy devoted resources to fortifying its G-class frigates with 32 long-range SM-2 Missiles and 32 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles, Sputnik reported in April.



The government's request to map out a new small surface ship is "an effort to get the design right up front," Read Adm. Ronald Boxall told Defense News on Monday.



"We're looking to have a dialogue with industry to get the most capability for the best price."
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.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




We can't seem to find the page you are looking for.

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In July of 2016, Crains Chicago Business reported on Phil Tadros, owner of Chicagos Bow Truss Coffee and other ventures. Now in July of 2017, the business journal is now being sued by Tadros for at least $38 million, according to NBC Chicago.

As per the Chicago NBC affiliate, the suit claims defamation and infliction of emotion distress on the part of Crains. The basis of the suit is an article posted last year:

The article, titled One of Chicagos most connected entrepreneurs has made more than a few enemies caused Tadros to lose accounts and investors for his businesses, including coffee contracts with Hilton Hotels, Merchandise Mart, Whole Foods and University of Chicago, the suit claims. Another business, Doejo, lost a contract with Luries Childrens Hospital. As a result of the article, landlords attempted to terminate his leases, his relation with his partner in Budlong  a Nashville-style hot chicken restaurant  deteriorated, the suit says. Additionally, his personal relationships, including his marriage, suffered as a result of the article.

The suit alleges that business journal failed to investigate anyone or anything that would conceivably portray Mr. Tadros in a positive light. It also includes a statement Shaye Robeson, one of Tadros ex-business partners quoted in the Cranes articles:

When Crains interviewed me about Philip Tadros I shared many positive things about him  I regret being interviewed and feel misled.

On top of the $38 million in damages, the suit is seeking to retract the story and prevent [Crains] from publishing or disseminating the article.

For more information on the dispute, check out NBC Chicagos coverage. The filed lawsuit can be viewed here.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network.

*top image via Chicago Cultural Mile
As a child growing up in Communist Rousse, Bulgaria, Denitza Petrova loved horses. Their town had what could best be described as a milkman, who delivered milk to everyone in town with his wagon drawn by draft horses. Denitza fell in love with those draft horses.

Petrova said her parents were always worried she could get hurt, as all she wanted to do when she was six years old was be around those horses, to pet them, brush them, she just wanted to be with them. And at age eight, when Denitza came home from school, she would always draw in her book what she called her dream farm with lots of horses, and she would tell her parents she would have that farm one day.

Well, dreams do come true, and Denitza Petrova is living her dream.

The family left Bulgaria in 1989 and moved to Belgium for three years, where Denitza was able to take a few riding lessons. Her love for horses and farm life never left her dreams.

Then the family moved to Quebec in 1992 and her dreams became reality. Denitza still loved horses and continued with equestrian riding and learning.

When I was around 22, while still taking riding lessons, Petrova recalled, I started to learn about harness racing from Andre Dagenais in Mirabel. I had no experience with racehorses, but I had such passion for anything to do with horses. I wanted to do something special with horses and I started to work for him part time.

Soon enough I was able to do some paddocks at the Hippodrome de Montreal, Petrova said. I really, really loved it and after a few months, he gave me a little trotting mare when he could not pay me anymore as his stable was reduced.

I got that little mare to the races all by myself, Petrova said with pride. I did not know anything about training and racing, but the people I was around would help me with advice and I learned pretty fast.

As time went by, Denitza learned the harness racing sport and got her trainers license. And along the way she met a young horseman by the name of Justin Filion, and they have been together now for five years.

And how did Denitza get involved with Justin Filion?

The truth is, Petrova said, All these years in racing and I never knew him. Saw him here and there in the race paddocks, but we never spoke until I congratulated him on Facebook about a mare he had. We met after that interaction.

The two of them then made a big leap and that was when Denitzas childhood dream came true.

Together, Denitza explained, we purchased Dustin Jones farm in Melbourne, Quebec a few months ago and my dream when I was a child, drawing all those pictures of my beautiful farm with horses became true.

It is a 52-acre farm with a beautiful half-mile track on it, Denitza said. Dustin Jones kept the place very clean, like brand new. Its just amazing that we have this place.

And along the away, Petrova learned more and more about the Standardbred industry, reading and studying pedigrees, getting broodmares and matching them to the right stallion.

I owe a lot to Jean Guy Pepin, Yves Filion, Gary Lemaister and Guy Corbeil, Petrova explained. These people let me ask them questions all the time about learning to train and breed horses. I was so 'green' as they say, that I did not know early on which way on the track you would jog or train a horse.

During the early years learning to train horses, Denitza explained that she held a number of different part-time jobs until she was able to train full time.

I should have listened to my mom, Denitza said. She wanted me to go to college and learn to be a veterinarian. But I didnt and I had other jobs to help pay for the horses. I worked as a barmaid, worked on planes and other different jobs along the way.

I was then able to purchase Majestic Joy, Petrova explained, who had crazy speed but hurt herself after just a few starts and was finished racing. I had owned her with Jean Guy Pepin but he did not want to get into breeding so I got the mare for myself for free.

It was late June, Petrova said, I did not want to get rid of her, I wanted a baby from her. It was so late that I knew we had just one shot to get her in foal. I wanted to breed her to Justice Hall, we did and then she was not in foal and I was very disappointed.

I had such confidence in this mare, Petrova added, I had to have a foal from her, so Justin told me that his father, Yves Filion, had Northern Escort on the farm and that he has bred a couple of mares between his racing career. He was not a champion but a very classy racehorse.

So, I looked at the horse and then called Yves and he said OK, Petrova said. We bred her naturally and sure enough he got her in foal. And one year later on June 15, Kinnder Dangerous was born.



Denitza Petrova with Kinnder Dangerous (Photo courtesy Laurie-Anne Gendron)

Its a real coincidence that this foal came about, Petrova added. It was not supposed to happen this way. He (Northern Escort) is by Kadabra, nobody really ever thought of him as a stallion for breeding. But thats how it happened.

I actually was able to buy Northern Escort from his recent owners in Buffalo Raceway, Petrova explained. I got him in November and bred my mares, but then I got a good offer for him and sold him. He actually now breeds draft horse mares in Indiana and Michigan.

All of the horses bred by Denitza Petrova have the first name of Kinnder. It is not taken from the German word Kinder, meaning child, it actually came from the chocolate candy Kinder Surprise.

This kind of candy never existed in Bulgaria or Belgium, Denitza said. It is a chocolate egg with a toy surprise inside. I loved them, every time I saw them in the store after we moved to Quebec, I begged my mother and had to have one. I think I had the biggest collection ever of Kinder Surprise toys.

So, when I started to breed my own horses, Denitza explained, I wanted them to have a name that was something from me. So, every horse has the first name of Kinnder.

After a decent start at age two where he won a division of the Future Stars Series and was also second and third, Petrovas Kinnder Dangerous has returned for the 2017 season with an impressive first outing that saw him lead from start to finish in 1:59.3, just a second off the track record.

He was a very nice, big strong colt when he was born, Petrova said of Kinnder Dangerous. And I was amazed that he actually made it to the races last year. I was not expecting that at all. When he was just nine months old he had a very bad case of phenomena and it lasted nearly six months. We thought we might lose him and at the time we knew he would not race at age two.

We did not put any pressure on him to race at age two, Petrova said. He was just getting over it when we started training him. But he came around and raced very well last year for a horse we thought would never come back from being so sick.

Petrova and Filion then gave Kinnder Dangerous a full four months in the field this past winter. Looking big and strong and healthy, they brought him back slowly. Then, because they were doing construction on the farm, Kinnder Dangerous stepped on a three-inch nail and that put him back another month in training.

We just got him back racing in time for last weeks opening of the Breeders Cup Series, Petrova said. It was tremendous mile he went last week. He is feeling good, always playing with the other horses in the paddock and he is eating good.

Denitza is also looking forward to racing her two two-year-olds this season in the upcoming $220,000 Future Stars Series at H3R.

I have a filly that just qualified, Petrova said. Her name is Kinnder Prediction and she is also by Northern Escort and she was second in her first race. I also have an Allamerican Native colt, Kinnder Jackson, and he was third in his first baby race at Trois-Riveres.

In the past two years, Denitza has trained five young horses and four of them have now made the races, which is a superb percentage.

I am hopeful that now with my horses racing well, Denitza explained. That people will start to send me their mares to breed. We have a beautiful farm, a super training track, good help and now are able to take outside horses on the farm. I do all the breeding myself, handle all the foaling. I do everything myself except for doing ultra sound testing and now we have the perfect farm to do it all.

Starting out with cheap racehorses, Denitza had no background with horses and learned everything herself to become a professional trainer and breeder. She read a lot and learned the trade very well and loves what she does.

And, she will always remember her drawings as a child of her beautiful farm with horses and look back with pride that her dreams have come true.

On Tuesday evening at the Hippodrome 3R, Kinnder Dangerous is the 5-2 morning line favourite in second race, one of three Breeders Cup divisions for colt and filly trotters.

His main rivals will again be Sometimes When (Post 7) and Capteur De Reve (Post 6) who were second and third, respectively, against Kinnder Dangerous last week.

The fifth and sixth races are both filly divisions and headlining the field is the early sensation HP Run Like Mom, who is on a three-race winning streak, having won those three races by a total of nearly 30 lengths. She will start from Post 5 in the fifth race for driver Stephane Brosseau.

Post time Tuesday is 7:00 p.m.

For more information, visit quebecjockeyclub.com.

To view the harness racing entries for Tuesday at H3R, click the following link: Tuesday Entries  Hippodrome 3R.

(Quebec Jockey Club)
The first leg of the Mark Austin Pacing Series was contested on Sunday afternoon (July 9) at Dresden Raceway.

Step In My Groove and Nick Steward went wire-to-wire to capture the first $5,000 division of the series for non-winners of one race or $5,000 lifetime (fillies and mares $6,000). The four-year-old Rambaran gelding stepped off fractions of :29.1, 1:00 and 1:30.2 on the way to a 2:00.4 clocking for trainer William Kirkpatrick and owner/breeder Pamela Loomis of Grosse Point, Michigan. My Greek Princess finished second for Tyler Borth while You Said It and Lorne House finished third.

The second division of the series resulted in Big Bad Carly and Tyler Borth making it to the winners circle after chasing down CRJ Hottie and Donnie Rankin Jr. in 2:03. Big Bad Carly is a three-year-old Big Bad John filly, owned and trained by Tom Bain and co-owned by Nathan Bain of Woodslee, Ont. House guided GMC Trooper to a third-place finish.

Action Town, a three-year-old Mister Big gelding, and trainer/driver Rankin went to the front and never looked back in the third division to win in 2:02.4 for owner/breeder Ken Sommer of Sheffield, Ohio. Mark Williams guided Got It Made to a second-place finish while Thriller Night and Garrett Rooney paid on the show ticket.

Rooney and Pull The Shade took top prize in the fourth division of the Mark Austin Series after cutting the mile and holding on for the win by a half-length over Abitofalright and Williams. The three-year-old Dragon Again filly paced the mile in 2:00.4 for trainer Steve Roberts and owner Sherri Abbott of Windsor, Ont. Alyssa Marie and Alex Lilley were third.

Pull The Shade (1) and driver Garrett Rooney winning a division of the Mark Austin Pacing Series on July 9 at Dresden Raceway.

The second leg of the series goes next week with the $10,000 final set for July 23.

The handle at Dresden was $26,225.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Dresden Raceway.

(With files from Dresden Raceway)
Pacing filly Percy Bluechip's career debut was a smashing success as she established a new track and Canadian record during Sunday evening's Ontario Sires Stakes at Georgian Downs for driver Trevor Henry and trainer Dr. Ian Moore.

Percy Bluechip blazed to victory in 1:51.2, smashing the two-year-old pacing filly track record of 1:53.2 held by Idyllic (2010), Thisorthat Hanover (2015) and L A Delight (2015). It was also a full second faster than the overall freshman track mark set by gelding Seaforth (2014) and one-fifth of a second better than the longstanding Canadian record for a five-eighths mile track held by Falcons Future (1993) and Voelz Hanover (2007).

Leaving from post two in the first $96,400 Gold division of the night, Percy Bluechip and Henry cleared insider Campassion (Bob McClure) before post five leaver Kendall Seelster (Randy Waples) swept by through a :27.2 first quarter. However, 'Percy' retook the lead in front of the grandstand and reached the half in :56. Down the backstretch, Sudden Passing (Doug McNair) moved first-up and loomed outside through three-quarters in 1:23.2, but Percy Bluechip drew away down the stretch to win by four and three-quarter lengths. Kendall Seelster finished second ahead of Sudden Passing.

Beginning her career after two qualifying wins, including a 1:54.3 mile on June 26 at Mohawk Racetrack, Percy Bluechip was the odds-on favourite and paid $2.30 to win.

Its kind of fast for this time of year, but she did it all on her own, according to Trevor, said Moore. Trevor calls her a natural, says she just sprung the gate on her own and he didnt have to ask her very much, if any really.

Bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc., the Shadow Play-Advantest filly was the 2016 Forest City Yearling Sale topper, purchased for $110,000 by Shadow Two Stable of Puslinch, Ont., James & Wilma Mackenzie of Ennismore, Ont., and Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. of Hudson, Que. She is a full-sister to the Moore-campaigned O'Brien Award winner Arthur Blue Chip ($552,759 - 1:50.1) and also a half-sibling to the Bettors Delight son Kenneth J ($1,592,755 - 1:49.3).

So many things she does remind me of him [Arthur Blue Chip], and the most particular is the gait," said Moore comparing the siblings. "Shes got a kind of a real, long lope-y, very light-footed gait to her and he did too. He was a big horse, but he didnt hit the ground very hard. It just seemed like while I was training him, and she was the same, that they cover so much ground you dont think youre going as fast as you go, you look at your watch at the quarter and say, oh did I go that fast?

Big Thong earned her first career victory in the second Gold division for the fillies, winning in 1:54.2 with James MacDonald mapping out the winning trip.

Even-money favourite Lady Ella (Rick Zeron) left from post two to claim the leading role ahead of insider Machnhope (Randy Waples) while Just Her Luck (Sylvain Filion) broke stride in an early attempt to make front. Lady Ella led the field in single-file alignment through opening panels of :28.1 and :58 before Mrs Bailey (Doug McNair) confronted her down the backstretch to three-quarters in 1:26. However, Big Thong swung out three-wide turning for home and powered past them all to score by two lengths. Lady Ella was the runner-up and Machnhope finished third ahead of Mrs Bailey.

Big Thong turned the tables on Lady Ella, who had prevailed in their first match-up at Mohawk Racetrack on June 22. She paid $10.80 to win.

Scott McEneny of Waterdown, Ont. trains the Big Jim-Thong Song filly, who was purchased for $20,000 as a yearling at the Harrisburg Sale. Big Thong is owned by McEneny's wife Michelle and partners Teresa Davidson of Milton, Ont., Martwest Racing Stable of Mississauga, Ont., and Cora Marshall of Jarvis, Ont.

She wasnt a flashy filly, she kind of had a little bit of her winter hair on her already at the sale and, you know, she was just a plain Jane, recalled McEneny. But she was put together well, and I liked her.

Fordham Road won the lone $124,200 Gold division for two-year-old trotting colts in fine fashion, coming within three-fifths of a second of Murmur Hanover's 1:56.3 divisional track record.

Richard Beinhauer drives, trains and co-owns the Holiday Roady-Half Ours colt with Regina Beinhauer of Venetia, Pennsylvania and breeder T L P Stable of Kearny, New Jersey.

Insider Fordham Road was out-sprinted off the gate by Torches Pirate (Paul Reid) and Levitation (Doug McNair), who established the lead through a :29.4 opening panel. However, Beinhauer made his move with Fordham Road approaching the half in :59.4 and the favourite matched strides with Levitation down the backstretch to three-quarters in 1:28.1. Fordham Road trotted out in front down the lane and took a new career mark of 1:57.1 in the process. Winning American (Trevor Henry) chased the winner home and finished one and a quarter lengths behind in second while Levitation settled for third and Torches Pirate finished back in fourth.

Fordham Road is now two-for-two to start his career, following up on a 1:59.1 winning debut at Mohawk Racetrack on June 29. Sent to post as the favourite, he paid $2.90 to win.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Georgian Downs.

(With quotes from OSS)
Three-year-old pacing geldings Mateo and Senga Nitro turned in matching 1:54.1 miles to win their respective $7,500 eliminations for the Alberta Sires Stakes Marksman leg on Sunday afternoon (July 9) at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino.

Alberta Plainsman champion Mateo ($2.50) prevailed in the first elimination for driver and co-owner Jim Marino as the 1-5 favourite.

Mateo retook the lead past the :27.3 quarter pole and was never headed the rest of the way. He carved out middle splits of :56.4 and 1:25.1 with Ima Dude applying first-over pressure into the stretch and Wabash Cannonball charging out wide to make it a three-way finish. However, Mateo held on for the half-length victory, with Ima Dude edging out Wabash Cannonball in a photo finish for second. Outlaw Blue Ice (Mike Hennessy) finished six lengths back in fourth.

Marino shares ownership of the Blue Burner-Mater Deo gelding with Christine Cutting of Airdrie, Alta., while Justin Currie handles the training duties. Mateo has finished no worse than third in his nine outings this year while banking $77,575. Among his four seasonal scores is a 1:52.2 divisional track record victory in the June 4 Plainsman final.

In the second elimination, Senga Nitro ($3.40) established a new lifetime mark with his 1:54.1 victory for trainer/driver Ryan Grundy.

Kenneth Gunn's homebred son of Blue Burner and Nells Sweet Future established a three-length lead during the first quarter in :28.1 and remained clear of the field past the half in :57.4. The 3-5 favourite then rebuffed first-over challenger Getup Gideon (Philip Giesbrecht) past three-quarters 1:25.3 en route to the one and a half length victory. Getup Gideon settled for second-place while his stablemate, Retros Mystery (Keith Clark), and Cold Case (Kelly Hoerdt) finished third and fourth, respectively.

The $65,000 (added) final of the Alberta Marksman will be contested next Sunday, July 16 at Century.

Earlier on the card, the Mike Hennessy-driven Nighttraintovegas ($8.60) earned her first victory of the year in the $9,500 Fillies & Mares Open Pace after wearing down even-money pacesetter Phone Terror (Serge Masse) in 1:54.3. The six-year-old Camystic-Midnight In Vegas mare is trained by Richard Schneider for Alberta owners Dick Schneider of Sherwood Park and David Halmosi of Edmonton. Lydi Lula Belle (Bill Tainsh Jr.) took third over Skade (Brandon Campbell).

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Century Downs.
The President of India Presents Dr. Thomas R. Snyder with the GSA Global Spiritual Icon Award

Contact: Lorraine Rauch, Lamb of God Christian Center , 813-622-8800TAMPA, Fla., July 10, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- Lamb of God Christian Center is announcing the return of their senior pastor, Dr. Tom Snyder, from a fourteen day mission in the nation of India. Anchored by the "GSA  World Divine Congress" on June 23rd and 24th, 2017, Dr. Snyder and thirteen of India's religious leaders met to "Engage, Enhance, and Enlighten" in order to "Unite for World Peace and Harmony." Dr. Snyder believes that no matter the religion, faith is a key to bringing peace to the World. In his opening remarks to the Congress, Dr. Snyder stated "Much like there are good and bad children, everyone needs to feel love and be nurtured." The next GSA World Divine Congress is scheduled for December 2017 in Tampa, FloridaDr. Snyder's mission also included visits to the Children's Home of Hope in honor of their Founder's Day. Children's Home of Hope is an orphanage in Maduraval, Chennai serving 100 children some as young as five. The home is founded by Mrs. Lilly Prabhakar . Rev. Linda Snyder, associate pastor at Lamb of God who accompanied Dr. Snyder, said of the experience "it is surprising how much love these children have considering the circumstances they live in; we all have something to learn from such caring hearts."The pair also toured Sri Ramachandra University and their groundbreaking Telemedicine Centre as well as a culinary institute offering a three-year professional course. This was Dr. Snyder's second mission to India. He had meet with Mother Theresa on his previous excursion.During the final portion of their trip, Dr. and Rev. Snyder were blessed with the opportunity to represent Christianity with the honorable Shri Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Perhaps the most humbling experience of the mission was Dr. Snyder's audience with the honourable Shri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India. On July 1st, Dr. Snyder presented President Mukherjee with a Holy Bible; President Mukherjee presented Dr. Snyder with the GSA Global Spiritual Icon Award. Of the experience, Dr. Snyder expressed "If our service can touch just one heart, the World will be a better place."About Lamb of God Christian Center:Lamb of God Christian Center was established in Tampa, Florida by Dr. Tom and Rev. Linda Snyder. Our family-oriented church, full of God's love, enjoys uplifting spirit-filled worship, and biblical teaching through divine revelation. The Gifts of the Holy Ghost are made manifest through the power of God. Our mission is to share God's love to the world, comfort the brokenhearted, give hope to the hopeless, pray for the sick, and preach the salvation of Jesus Christ.About Dr. Tom Snyder:Dr. Tom Snyder is founder and senior pastor of Lamb of God Christian Center in Tampa Florida and author of Tribulation and Raptured: The Choice is Yours. He is a man of great compassion with a special anointing. He received an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Divinity, D.D. from the Institute of International Education, Madras, India in 1994. A chosen vessel of God making manifest the gifts of the Holy Ghost to all people, he has received many accolades for his services: the First Winnebago Health Care Center (1989), South Asian Family Services, Dwight L. Moody Ecumenical Leadership Award (1994), Christians of North America Leadership Award (2000). Dr. Snyder has a great love for all people. This love has taken him around the world, ministering to thousands in need of Jesus' divine touch. He has met with leaders of several religions including Mother Teresa.About the Golden Strategic Associates (GSA)  World Divine Congress:Golden Strategic Associates (GSA)  World Divine Congress was held in Hyderabad, Telangana, India on June 23rd and 24th, 2017. It is chaired by Dr. Vjay Prabhakar working with the Nri Seva Foundation Headquartered in Schaumberg, Illinois. The mission of the GSA  World Divine Congress is to bring religious and political leaders together to address Worldwide concerns and the work to be done both religiously and secularly to bring Peace to the World.
World Focus Can Help Awaken Stagnant Churches, Says Missions Agency

Contact: Ty Mays 770-256-8710NORCROSS, Ga., July 10, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- A wake-up call to sleepy churches has gone out from missions agency TMS Global, which wants to help revive inward-focused congregations through revitalized faith.The interdenominational organization offers a roadmap to renewal in the latest issue of its "Unfinished" magazine ( www.tms-global.org/unfinished-magazine ), promoting greater involvement in world evangelization as the key to more vibrant churches. The summer 2017 issue is devoted to creating what President and CEO the Rev. Max Wilkins calls "a mission culture in the local church."A church that is not on mission "is often just a vaguely spiritual Rotary Club," he says in his opening editorial. "It may do some nice things, but it is not really a church." Many congregations are like the disciples after Jesus' ascension, he adds, left looking to heaven. But when angels appeared and asked them why they were still standing there, "the implication was clear: stop staring at the clouds and get on with it."Sadly, the vast majority of North American churches today "are not on mission in any meaningful way," Wilkins writes. Rather, the lack of involvement "reflects a lack of clarity surrounding the call to mission, and a concurrent lack of understanding of how a church can mobilize for that mission."Responding to that need, TMS Global's Activate weekend is an interactive event for key leaders emphasizing God's call to mission, and outlining how to develop a proven mission action plan for the church. That is followed by the Global Impact Celebration, during which church members get to connect with missionaries and mission partners to learn more firsthand about their ministries.In one article in the magazine, the Rev. Rudy Guess tells how the TMS Global initiative has helped revolutionize three churches he has pastored. After participating recently, members of First United Methodist Church in Tuscumbia, Ala., pledged more than $80,000 to missions, while general and capital fund giving has also increased."These events help the church begin to see missions in a new light," said Guess. "If you want your church to join Jesus in his mission, as opposed to simply having missions as one committee of the church, this is the best way I know to make it happen."The pastor's involvement is also crucial, according to another article. Writing about the Activate program for which he led the development, former TMS Global president, the Rev. Dick McClain, says, "Spearheading missions efforts is one job that the pastor should not subcontract to anyone else in the church. In fact, I've come to believe that if the pastor doesn't take the lead, the church probably won't get to first base when it comes to mission."Among the Activate participants who tell of their experiences is Jan Gilbert, a missions leader in Aiken, S.C. "I can't explain what happens during an Activate Conference," she says, "but somewhere in the process God grabs your heart, and you discover your purpose in the world."Jorge Acevedo, the pastor of Grace Church in Cape Coral, Fla., tells how God showed him he had been "seduced into a Jerusalem-only ministry. In my zeal to reach the lost of Cape Coral and the surrounding area, I had forgotten about the world."More than 400 churches across a number of denominations in the United States have participated in the program."It is a joy to celebrate the things the Lord is doing as churches become mobilized to join Jesus in His mission," says Wilkins, who, as a pastor himself, used the TMS Global resources to develop the missions focus of the church he was leading, before joining the Norcross, Ga.-based organization.Founded in 1984 as The Mission Society for United Methodists, TMS Global has developed into an interdenominational agency that honors its Wesleyan heritage and beliefs, with staff and cross-cultural workers who now represent more than a dozen different denominations.TMS Global ( www.tms-global.org ) mobilizes and equips the body of Christ to share the good news of the gospel, with an emphasis on reaching to the least-reached peoples of the world. Workers are engaged in a wide range of dynamic, culturally sensitive ministries, from training and leadership development to literacy, medical care and relief aid.To schedule an interview with a representative of TMS Global, contact Ty Mays at (770) 256-8710 or tmays@inchristcommunications.com
The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie...
By Olivia Rose

REGIONAL security, trade relations with the UK and tourism expansion were the focal point of CARICOMs Heads of Government meeting this week in Grenada.





The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) flagship meeting in St George`s provided the platform for regional leaders to engage in high level discussions on the challenges and successes of Caribbean countries.





Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson who was accompanied by Ronlee James, Executive Director in the Office of the Premier, and protocol officer Elizabeth Wilson joined other Caribbean leaders for the 38th regular meeting between July 4 and 6.





The meeting saw Grenadas prime minister Keith Mitchell assuming chairmanship, in keeping with CARICOMs six-month rotation.





Mitchell succeeded the president of Guyana, David Granger.





Leaders discussed regional security, future trade relations with the United Kingdom, post Brexit, tourism in the region, building a Caribbean tourism development and marketing initiative, human resource development in the region and a regional plan for statistics development among other topics.





Cartwright Robinson, in a press release, expressed her delight to join with her regional counterparts and address issues affecting both the Turks and Caicos Islands and the region.





She said: "This is my first meeting, as persons will recall that the Deputy Premier attended earlier this year as ambassador for the Turks and Caicos Islands.





"I am sure that there is much to gain from our time together and I look forward to this experience.





Outgoing chairman and president of Guyana, David Granger, who addressed leaders at the opening ceremony said: "The community, challenged by the constantly changing international situation, must redouble its efforts to ensure a safer society for its citizens, more stable economies for its countries, deeper solidarity and a more secure hemisphere.





He added: "The community might be an association of small states but it is larger and stronger when it is united.





"It must not underestimate the value of its solidarity or its strength when it speaks with a single voice as a community. Solidarity is a source of strength.





"Foreign policy coordination is the sharp instrument, the cutting edge, of our diplomacy, to gain our great advantage. We should not damage it.




Once the calls began, they did not stop. Swiping to decline a call just led to the phone ringing again. Blocked number after blocked number filled up the voice mail.

Deleting one message just created space for another to take its place.

Then came the tweets and the email messages.

The volume was overwhelming. The content: vile and terrifying.

Gunshots rang out from voice mails. Emails and texts read: "I hope you die," "Kill yourself," "We will take pleasure in your pain."

Tanya Gersh found herself buried in an avalanche of hate, one she had not seen coming and one that focused on one fact: She's Jewish.

Gersh was called a "bitch," "a worthless c**t," and told countless times she was nothing more than a filthy "k**e." The vile and ugly words were spelled out in full when sent to Gersh.

The messages began late at night and continued into the early hours, keeping her family awake. Or there was a night of silence, broken by an onslaught at 4 a.m., jolting the family from sleep.

One voice mail -- "You are surprisingly easy to find on the Internet. And in real life" -- ended Gersh's lifelong practice of leaving her home and car unlocked in her little Montana town, nestled by a lake in the Rocky Mountains.

It became unbearable, Gersh said. She described panic attacks, vomiting, shaking and sweating. And then the times she could not even catch her breath.

Now, she was in fear of almost anyone she met. Her old way of life had been washed away. She was now in an America full of hate. It was an America where racism and bigotry have powerful online platforms.

Gersh learned that one blog post could lead to an anonymous online assault by a group of hateful people hell bent on destroying her life. All it took was a few keystrokes, amplified by a social media megaphone, to send the deluge of repulsive messages her way and heighten tensions in this quaint ski resort town.

All because of what started, Gersh says, as a "mother-to-mother" chat.

Gersh appears to have become a target for hate after contacting the mother of known white supremacist Richard Spencer. Gersh says she warned Sherry Spencer about looming protests at a building owned by Spencer in Whitefish, a Montana town of 7,300 where both women live.

Gersh says she advised Spencer to disavow the views of her son, including that the United States is a country for white people. She says she offered to sell Spencer's property as of a way of defusing tensions in town. Gersh suggested Spencer donate money to a human rights group.

Sherry Spencer refused to speak to CNN when we reached her on the phone. Earlier, she wrote in a blog post that Gersh, a Realtor, had threatened her, saying protesters and media would turn up and drive down the building's value if she didn't sell.

Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial said Sherry Spencer did not file a complaint with police, though her son Richard Spencer accused Gersh of extortion in interviews and a video diary. No law enforcement agency has filed any charges relating to the dispute.

There was comment aplenty, though, on DailyStormer.com, which spews neo-Nazi propaganda.

Andrew Anglin, the site's founder, accused Gersh of extortion in a blog post. And he exhorted readers to send Gersh -- whom he also identified as Jewish -- enough messages to make a point.

"Let's hit 'em up," he posted. "Are y'all ready for an old-fashioned Troll Storm?"

He then told them: "(I)t's that time."

'These are not trolls. They are terrorists'

For three months, packed luggage sat on the floor of Gersh's home.

She debated fleeing, to escape what felt like an army of online hate coming after her.

"We were scared that they were going to show up," Gersh says. "It got worse and worse and worse and worse. They just kept perpetuating it."

Anyone who read Daily Stormer had access to all Gersh's information after Anglin posted it time and again. He put up photos and personal details: phone number, address, workplace and social media profiles -- including one used by her 12-year-old son. Each contained instructions to tell Gersh how they felt.

"Listen here you fucking Jew. You had better back off and leave Richard Spencer's mom alone, you dirty scumbag," one caller said on Gersh's voice mail. "You fucking Jew. You had better back off of Richard Spencer's mom. Everybody is watching you."

The Daily Stormer published more about Gersh and her "Jew agenda," once with a doctored photo showing her and her tween son on the gates of the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz.

A tweet was sent to Gersh showing her surrounded by gas, with the message: "Hickory dickory dock, the kike ran up the clock. The clock struck three and Internet Nazis trolls gassed the rest of them."

More messages referenced crematoriums and said she should have died in the Holocaust.

A tweet to her 12-year-old son had an image of an oven with the message: "PSsst kid there is a free X-box inside this oven."

Gersh thinks she will always be haunted by those images, and by the family talks she was forced to have. They had known the horrors of the Holocaust, but to them it had been something foreign and distant. No longer.

She hangs her head, remembering the conversation.

"I never imagined that I would have to teach my children that they might be hated because they are Jewish," she says.

For Gersh, these threats were personal and real, not to be confused with generic if vile ramblings on an online comments board.

"These are not trolls. They are terrorists," Gersh says. "They are very harmful, they are very malicious and they are dangerous."

And Gersh decided to take a stand. She didn't know who had threatened her -- they hid behind withheld numbers and untraceable email addresses -- but knew who she believed had sent them into her life.

"Andrew Anglin has done this to so many people. I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen to anybody else," Gersh says defiantly.

Encouraged by the Southern Poverty Law Center, an Alabama-based organization that monitors hate crimes across the country, she decided to sue Anglin, accusing him of intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and violation of Montana's anti-intimidation statue.

Protected speech ... or hate?

On DailyStormer.com Anglin wrote he has hired a First Amendment lawyer to fight the lawsuit; he says he was simply "blogging." A prominent fundraising post declares: "The Daily Stormer is being sued by Jewish terrorists. In order to survive, we need shekels." It is paired with another doctored photo of Tanya Gersh, her head on a dragon's body being slain by a knight on a white horse with the face of Anglin. So far there have been around 2,000 donations, totaling in excess of $150,000.

Still, Anglin did ask readers to leave the Gersh family alone, allow the case to proceed and be simply about protected speech.

"(T)hough this is going to get a lot of publicity, I am asking all of you, genuinely, that you don't attempt to contact the Gershes during this process," Anglin wrote on the site. "This has escalated from jokes on the Internet to something which could potentially lead to a big step towards the hellish, Orwellian world that the enemies of freedom wish to bring down on this country."

Lawyers for Gersh say it is ironic that they cannot find Anglin -- a man apparently proud of what he's done -- to serve him to compel him to appear in court. But they expect the case to proceed.

"I hope the result is that we get fair compensation for the Gersh family, that we punish Andrew Anglin and the people who are associated with him in this circle of terror," SPLC co-counsel John Morrison says. "And beyond that, my hope is that we wind up convincing him to stop."

Morrison says they have a strong case.

"This is not free speech, this is nothing protected by the First Amendment, this is not the expression of political opinion," he says. "The purpose of this is to damage these people, the purpose of this is to cause them fear and emotional harm, and that's illegal."

CNN reached out to Anglin, who told us he now lives in Lagos, Nigeria, where he says his rights to say what he wants are not limited. He declined to comment to us on the Gersh case.

Morrison and Gersh believe Anglin is not the whole problem, as he has followers ready to be encouraged to act. Morrison describes them as an "army" that carries out "vicious attacks that are done in a concerted way at the beck and call of a commander who puts out the orders on this website."

Robert Ray, who writes features for The Daily Stormer under the name "Azzmador," told CNN he was "absolutely" OK with what was written on the site about Gersh. He called her a "Jewish terrorist" for allegedly threatening Richard Spencer's mother.

"I want anyone who thinks that they can exert this terroristic activist style political pressure on family members of people whose political views they don't like, I want them all terrified to do that," Ray says.

But he adds that messages to Gersh were not threats, but expressions of opinion.

"There's no evidence that anyone from, who was influenced by Daily Stormer, made any death threats or anything," he says.

Gersh says she does not expect to change the beliefs of Anglin or his followers. But she does have a message for them.

"You are allowed to believe whatever you want to believe but you absolutely cannot take your beliefs and use it to terrorize," Gersh says.

Words do matter, she and her legal team argue. The SPLC tracks instances of hatred from all groups. It says the unapologetic hatred on the Daily Stormer -- which also takes aim at African-Americans and opponents of President Donald Trump, for example -- is a catalyst for division. Among its readers were Charleston, South Carolina, church mass killer Dylann Roof and the murderer of Jo Cox, a British legislator.

For Gersh, this is a new reality. She had never never heard jokes about Jews or been subject to anything anti-Semitic before this. Now she is consumed by fighting a battle she had thought was over. She talks about the Nazis -- with their swastikas, concentration camps and genocide -- being defeated decades ago. And how the world stood up then to say "Never again."

But now she finds it is her turn to stand up to another group of people who are adamant in their hatred of Jews. She says she must take on the people who told her she should have died long ago and those who told her they hope she kills herself now.

So Gersh hopes her voice is clear when she echoes those words of warning again to those who have threatened her.

"What we are saying is never again."

Illustrations by Will Mullery, CNN
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Russia is causing cyberspace mayhem and should face retaliation if it continues to undermine democratic institutions in the West, the former head of Britain's GCHQ spy agency said on 10 July, 2017.

Russia denies allegations from governments and intelligence services that it is behind a growing number of cyber attacks on commercial and political targets around the world, including the hackings of recent US and French presidential election campaigns.

Asked if the Russian authorities were a threat to the democratic process, Robert Hannigan, who stepped down as head of the UK's intelligence service in March, said: "Yes ... There is a disproportionate amount of mayhem in cyberspace coming from Russia from state activity."

In his first interview since leaving GCHQ, Hannigan told BBC radio that it was positive that French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had publicly "called this out recently".

Standing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin in May, Macron said state-funded Russian news outlets had sought to destabilize his campaign while the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency said last week it was expecting Russia to try to influence the German election in September.

"Ultimately people will have to push back against Russian state activity and show that it's unacceptable," he said.

"It doesn't have to be by cyber retaliation, but it may be that is necessary at some time in the future. It may be sanctions and other measures, just to put down some red lines and say that this behavior is unacceptable."

Hannigan also said it would be a mistake to force social media companies to allow intelligence agencies to access services protected by encryption through so-called "back door" access.

"The best you can do with end-to-end encryption is work with companies in a cooperative way to find ways around it frankly," he said. He said such "back doors" would weaken systems.

Hannigan also said governments should wait to see how a global working group on tackling online extremism established by Facebook, Google's YouTube, Twitter and Microsoft performed before seeking new laws.

"Legislation is a blunt last resort because frankly extremism is very difficult to define in law and you could spend all your time in court arguing about whether a particular video crosses the line or not," he said.

Last month, Germany approved a plan to fine social media networks up to 50 million euros ($57 million) if they failed to remove hateful postings promptly. Britain has also mooted bringing in possible sanctions for tech firms that failed to remove extremist content.

Reuters
If rumours are to be believed then Windows might be looking to revamp their mobile phones. Making a comeback in the iOS and Android running smartphone race is its new Windows 10 phone.

According to Sam Brads from Thurrott.com, a new 'mobile-like device is floating' around the Microsoft campus. Calling it the new prototype device, this device runs on ARM 64 bit and could be a Snapdragon 835. Moreover, the new 'mobile-like device'is working on a compostable shell UI (CShell), however, he did mention, that as per his sources the new shell is 'buggy' and needs some working on it. There is information that it is not being made in the Surface division, which clearly means it is not one of the surface phones but oscillates somewhere between a tablet and a phone.

Also, as per his latest findings, Alex Kipman who is currently looking on the Hololens, Windows Mixed Reality division, is also looking after the new 'mobile-like device'. He also noted that since they are investing on an ARM and a new UI it could be an expensive device.

Despite various rumours, the details are not too clear. Windows seems to be betting big on their new phone which could be a game changer for them in the smartphone race.
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Consumer electronics company Jawbone had more than enough money to take on Fitbit and other health-tracking devices in the "wearables" market.

That may have ended up being its biggest problem. Top-tier venture capital firms Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Khosla Ventures, and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and then a sovereign wealth fund, invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Jawbone, lifting its valuation to $3.2 billion in 2014. Ultimately, all that money couldn't save San Francisco-based Jawbone, which began liquidating proceedings in June after its fitness-tracker product failed to take off. It now ranks as the second largest failure among venture-backed companies, based on total funding raised, according to the research firm CB Insights.

Jawbone's fall after raising more than $900 million provides a stark example of how the flood of cash pouring into Silicon Valley can have the perverse effect of sustaining companies that have no future, technology executives and financiers say. The irony is Jawbone could have been a suitable acquisition target some years ago, these people say, had it just kept its valuation lower by raising less money from venture capital and sovereign wealth funds.

"They are basically force-feeding capital into these companies," said Sramana Mitra, a tech entrepreneur and consultant, and founder and CEO of startup accelerator One Million by One Million. "I expect there will be a lot more deaths by overfunding." The Jawbone case also underscores the risks that non-traditional startup investors such as sovereign wealth funds face as they ramp up investments in Silicon Valley. The Kuwait Investment Authority led a $165 million investment in Jawbone just last year when its prospects had already dimmed to the point that most of its original investors were unwilling to put up new funding.

These funds, which manage funds of hundreds of billions of dollars, invested $12.7 billion in private tech companies last year, up from $2.2 billion the year before, according to CB Insights. Startup failures are not uncommon, but a billion-dollar company that has raised huge pools of money going belly up remains a rarity. Jawbone ranks behind the solar technology company Solyndra, which became the largest failure among venture-backed companies when it filed for bankruptcy in 2011.

Other recent big-dollar failures include used car marketplace Beepi, which closed after raising about $150 million. Some investors say failures like Jawbone won't seriously dent startup funding in the near term. Venture capitalists last year raised $41 billion, a record.

"Everyone is trying to find a way to play in the tech economy," said Rich Wong, a partner with Accel venture firm. "It's inevitable" that there will be big-ticket failures. But the Jawbone situation could give pause to investors considering nine-figure investments in unproven firms, say venture capitalists. Since Jawbones downround last year, a number of other startups, including human resources software firm Zenefits, food subscription company HelloFresh and ride service Ola, have had their valuations slashed because of poor performance and waning investor enthusiasm, contributing to heightened caution in the startup industry over the last several months.

The quarterly number of startup financing deals continues to drop from its high in 2015, although with so much cash, investors arent shy to write large checks for the select companies they believe will succeed. Ride-services firm Lyft, for instance, raised $600 million in April. Jawbone's liquidation was first reported last week by technology news site The Information and independently confirmed by Reuters. A spokesman for Jawbone declined to comment. Co-founder and chief executive Hosain Rahman did not respond to the email from Reuters, and its VC investors declined to comment.

Alex Asseily, Jawbone's co-founder who resigned as board chairman and director in January 2015, told Reuters, "It's saddening to see Jawbone end this way."

Loans from BlackRock

Jawbone launched in 1999 under the name AliphCom. It cycled through several products, including Bluetooth headsets and speakers, and in 2011 landed on stylish wearable devices to track exercise, sleep, and other health data.

Along the way, Jawbone burned through more than $500 million in equity and raised more than $400 million in debt, the lion's share from BlackRock, according to data provider PitchBook Inc. But the company barely made a dent in the wearables market, with well below five percent market share, and was vastly outperformed by Fitbit, Samsung, and others, according to analyst Jitesh Ubrani of International Data Corp.

Still, Jawbone raised $147 million in September 2014, bumping its valuation $3.2 billion, according to Pitchbook. In November of the following year, Jawbone laid off 15 percent of its staff amid financial troubles. By December 2015, BlackRock had marked down the company's shares by 69 percent, according to Pitchbook. Then, in 2016, the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) invested in Jawbone for the first time, leading a $165 million round that halved Jawbone's valuation to $1.5 billion. The KIA did not respond to requests for comment.

Sovereign wealth funds from the Middle East and Asia have in recent years become far more active in investing directly in start-ups, rather than simply investing in venture capital funds. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and the Qatar Investment Authority, for instance, both have big stakes in Uber.

Because they have so much more money than traditional venture firms and are less experienced as tech investors, sovereign wealth funds are often called upon to co-invest or lead a risky funding round, say people who invest alongside these foreign funds. Such large fundraising rounds can "create this artificially bloated valuation that doesn't compute with the revenue," Mitra said.

They can also be a false signal to investors, who often look at how much money a company has raised as a signal of its success, when "in fact, it's the opposite," said Rebecca Lynn, a partner at Canvas Ventures. Jawbone tried to sell itself in 2016 but was unable to find a buyer, according to investors with knowledge of the matter. It has been sued by vendors who allege the company owes them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Reuters
tech2 News Staff

Xiaomi is reported to launch a new smartphone with massive 6 GB RAM on 11 July in China. According to a report on Gizmochina the official website of Xiaomi in China has released a new poster and a video teaser of the device.

Xiaomi has already launched smartphones with 6 GB RAM variants in China. The Mi 5s Plus, Mi Note 2, Mi MIX and Mi 6 come with 6 GB of RAM in China.

The video teaser shows the phone with Snapdragon 800 series, UFS storage and 6 Gb DDR4 RAM. It also suggests a large display with 3D galss body as previously seen on Mi 5. The phone is expected to come with a large 4000mAh battery and a 22 MP camera capable of recording 4k videos. Camera also features a smart beauty mode as mentioned in the video.

Teaser on the website also shows a USB Type-C charging port with a support for quick charging on the phone. The new phone also includes an IR blaster and NFC.

Xiaomi on 7 July announced a 70 percent increase in the second quarter of 2017. The company shipped 23.26 million smartphones in the second quarter of 2017. Xiaomi also signed an agreement for business collaboration and patent licensing with Nokia. Under the new agreement Nokia will provide key patents assets to Xiaomi.
Texas Guitar Summit (2010)

1. Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones - Fast Woman 2. U.P. Wilson - That's Your Woman But She Comes to See Me Sometime 3. U.P. Wilson - Chankery Chank 4. Bobby Gilmore - I Just Can't Help It 5. Bobby Gilmore - I Can't Be This Way No More 6. Bobby Gilmore - Strange Bed 7. Henry Qualls - Party Tonight 8. Henry Qualls - Rosie Mae 9. J.B. Wynne - Are You Sticking With Me Baby 10. J.B. Wynne - All Alone Blues 11. J.B. Wynne - Dynamite 12. Bob Kirkpatrick - Blues Bars 13. Bob Kirkpatrick - Nothing in My House 14. Bob Kirkpatrick - In the Evening 15. Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones - Stinky Dink

The Dallas/Fort Worth Blues scene has a wealth of talent - even more so in the mid 1990's when this album was originally recorded. This album was set up as a showcase for a great hotbed of blues talent. Some of the guys were already breaking out, others used this chance to move ahead and some remained in undeserved obscurity.

ANDREW 'Jr BOY' JONES: At the time famous as Charlie Musselwhite's bandleader. Andrew had already cut his 'I Need Time' album for JSP. Currently he's active on the international and festival circuit. His brand of slinky Texas guitar and great songwriting make him a fabulous talent.

U.P. WILSON: U.P. became famous in Europe and in fact died in Paris during a late career renaissance. He was about the rawest bluesmen of all but also full of musical surprises. A lovely character who was a superb entertainer he cut a series of very strong albums for JSP in a variety of settings.

BOBBY GILMORE: He came in seemingly from nowhere, cut these masterly tracks and then disappeared... How careless of their talent some of these guys are...He was born in 1952 and had worked with soul-blues guys like Johnnie Taylor and O.V. Wright.

Is he out there still'HENRY QUALLS: Surely two of the most haunting blues sides ever - here's a sound that's emerged from beyond the bluest of horizons. Henry was an uncompromising old fashioned electric country bluesman - rough and ready but with an indefinable 'something'. The Blues ain't dead - but for sure artists like Henry are not coming back...

J.B. WYNNE: Another local act who appeared from nowhere but couldn't or didn't take it further. Good stuff. Where did he go' If he's still around (and C.B. Scott who plays the fabulous lead guitar) there must be opportunities to be had.

BOB KIRKPATRICK: These tracks weren't on the original release because we decided to make an album and thought they might be needed for that. Bob came to Europe and did some touring, played on the BBC and got out into the world. A success story. --- Editorial Reviews, amazon.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

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Outrage as teenager jailed for 30 years after giving birth to her rapist's 'stillborn baby'

Prosecutors claimed Evelyn Beatriz Hernandez Cruz, 19, did not want the baby and had thrown the boy into a septic tank at a farmhouse north of El Salvador\'s capital.

Daily Mail :

A teenage rape victim has been jailed for 30 years after the baby she had by her attacker failed to survive, it has emerged.

Prosecutors claimed Evelyn Beatriz Hernandez Cruz, 19, did not want the baby and had thrown the boy into a septic tank at a farmhouse north of El Salvador's capital.

When she was admitted to hospital after the birth on April 6 last year, staff alerted police who questioned the teenager and later found the body, a court heard.

A judge has since convicted Cruz of aggravated homicide - despite her lawyers claiming that she had she had infact suffered a stillbirth due to pregnancy complications.

Abortion has been criminalised in all circumstances in El Salvador since 1998.

Campaigners, who claim the teenager had been raped by a gang member before falling pregnant, have been left outraged by the sentence, which is due to be appealed.

According to local reports, the baby was born prematurely at 32 weeks and lawyers representing Cruz say she only gave birth out of hospital because she did not know she was pregnant.

In court, they claimed that medical experts had found meconium, the baby's first stool, in the child's airways which may have been fatal.

However, a judge ruled in favour of the prosecution and Cruz has been jailed for 30 years.

Amnesty said the teenager was admitted to a health centre in Cojutepeque, 25 miles north of the capital San Salvador, on April 6 last year after she fainted at home.

Amnesty claim she was in labour but unaware she was pregnant. Local organisations claimed she had been raped months earlier but that she had been too afraid to report it to the police.

ElSalvador.com reported that the high school student claimed to have given birth in a toilet having thought she was suffering stomach pains.

Amnesty said of the sentencing: 'El Salvador's anti-abortion law is causing nothing but pain and suffering to countless women and girls and their families. It goes against human rights and it has no place in the country or anywhere.

'The total ban on abortion in El Salvador violates women's rights to life, health, privacy, due process and freedom from discrimination, violence and torture and other ill-treatment.

'All women and girls imprisoned for having had an abortion or experiencing obstetric emergencies should be immediately and unconditionally released, and the law must be repealed without delay.'
Goons rule Korail slum

A LEADING daily reported that politically blessed goons are making fortunes by providing gas, power and water illegally to the people of the city's biggest slum Korail Bosti. At least 20 syndicates in League with a section of policemen, utility service staffs, and local influentials realize Tk 1.5 crore per month from around one lakh slum dwellers. Year after year, the syndicates in broadest daylight run illegal businesses by supplying utilities through poorly installed pipelines which put life under threat at the congested slum. The slum which is spreads over 90 acres of government land along the Banani and Gulshan lake is the hub of many criminal activities, including drug and arms deals and a safe haven for the criminals as well as shelter of low income generating people. The syndicates control the slum according to their influence and strength of musclemen where the state apparatus is virtually non-existent.



The syndicates provide basic utilities to the slum dwellers through at least 10,000 illegal gas connections, and 15,000 water and as many electricity connections. Under the arrangements made by the syndicates, each gas connection costs at least Tk 500 for households and Tk 1,500 for commercial users. A family has to pay Tk 170 each for using a light bulb and an electric fan while a shop owner pays Tk 900 a month for a light bulb and Tk 600 for a refrigerator. To get tap water the syndicates charge Tk 600 for 20 minutes supply a day. Every syndicate has its own staff, including lineman, rent collector and manager and the number of staff depends on the number of homes under their illegal services cover. It is alleged that to set up the connections and run the unauthorized services, the syndicates get technical support from some employees of local water, power and gas supply offices in exchange for bribes. A syndicate kingpin said she has to pay Tk 1 lakh to local policemen, Tk 50,000 to the local Power Office, Tk 10,000 to local WASA Office and Tk 1 lakh to staff, all of which deprives the state coffers.



The illegal business had earlier led to bloodshed on several occasions over internal feuds aimed at establishing supremacy. Local councilors said all gas connections and fifty percent of water and electricity connections are illegal and the lines pose a very high risk of danger. WASA has installed 1,000 meters with connections to provide water to the slum but could not supply water to the entire population which gives opportunities to the syndicates. Dhaka Electric Supply Company have set up 35 large-size "pole meters" that covers only 4,000 to 5,000 houses, but 30,000 houses illegally use the Power and Gas Supply Authority has not provide any gas connection but every household has gas connection. Simply it is a state of lawlessness.



The mayhem has been running for years after years as those who are responsible for snapping the illegal connections and book them under laws are highly bribed. The national coffer is remained largely deprived while gas, water and electricity are being stolen from the grid. The lawlessness should be stopped now to establish rules of law.
Copyright  2021 New Nation. All Rights Reserved by thedailynewnation.com
OPEC members support Paris Agreement

Xinhua, Istanbul :

Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said Sunday that the member states of the bloc support the stance of the G20 leaders who have pledged to fully implement the Paris Agreement.

Despite U.S. withdrawal, the other 19 members of the G20 unanimously said the climate change deal is "irreversible" and OPEC supports this position, Barkindo said on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress.

All OPEC member countries have signed the agreement, he said.

The 22nd World Petroleum Congress, the largest gathering for the oil and gas industry, kicked off Sunday in Istanbul with a view to addressing the challenges facing the sector.

"The challenges in the petroleum sector have been growing as the world population has been increasing," Jozsef Laszlo Toth, president of the World Petroleum Council, said at the opening ceremony.

In a declaration issued after the conclusion of the G20 summit in Hamburg, world leaders said that they remain "collectively committed" to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions but "take note of" the decision of the United States to withdraw from the agreement.

The Paris Agreement aims to tackle climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and sets a global target of keeping the rise in the average temperature no higher than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Lowest rice price offered to import

Staff Reporter :

Bangladesh received a lowest offer of $430 per tonne CIF in a tender that opened on Sunday to import 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice, officials at the state grains buyer said.

Bangladesh is stepping up imports due to depleted stocks and record high prices of rice in local market following flash floods.

Six traders competed for Sunday's tender, the fourth issued since May by the Directorate General of Food.

Growing demand from Bangladesh should stoke Asian prices that have already hit multi-year highs in recent months. The rice is to be shipped within 40 days of contract signing.

Last week, a Bangladeshi delegation visited Thailand to finalise imports of rice in a government-to-government deal basis, officials said.

Bangladesh is buying 200,000 tonnes of Vietnamese white rice at $430 a tonne and 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice at $470 a tonne in a state-to-state deal - at rates much higher than in the tenders.

"We don't have any other option but to speed up imports," said a senior food ministry official. "This time we won't be able to achieve our local procurement target. We are going for state-to-state deals even if it is costlier, as importing via tenders is a lengthy process."

The state grains buyer bought 50,000 tonnes of white rice at $406.48 a tonne and 100,000 tonnes of parboiled rice at $427.85 and $445.11 a tonne in three previous tenders.

It is also in talks with India, and private traders have started importing rice from the neighbouring countries after the government cut import duties late last month.
2000 tonnes of adulterated imported salt seized

Staff Reporter :

The Customs Intelligence has seized some 2000 tonnes adulterated salt worth Tk 1.68 crore, imported from China, at Chittagong port.

Action on a tip-off the Customs seized those on June 20 and the samples were sent to the chemical laboratory of Chittagong where after primary test the presence of sodium chloride was confirmed. For further investigation, samples were also sent to the Applied Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Department of Dhaka University. The department released its report on Monday.

It revealed that the salt filled with 91.5 per cent sodium chloride is not safe for human consumption, said a press release.

According to experts, sodium chloride, mainly used as industrial drying agent and for manufacturing detergent, can cause serious harm to human body like kidney failure and other complexities.

The import of sodium chloride is prohibited.

But some traders are now importing such chemicals in the name of sodium sulphate.

The Customs Intelligence has filed case against the importer of this banned item.


MPs slam SC verdict declaring 16th Amendment illegal

Members of both the treasury and opposition benches on Sunday harshly criticised the Supreme Court (SC) verdict that upheld the High Court judgment declaring the 16th Amendment to the Constitution illegal.

They also came down heavily on amici curiae, including Dr Kamal Hossain and Barrister M Amir-ul Islam, appointed by the apex court, for placing 'untrue statements' before the court over the issue.

The MPs alleged that an attempt is on to create division between the judiciary and the government, saying the verdict came as part of the conspiracy.

They also hoped that the apex court will reconsider its judgment when the review petition is filed in this regard.

Jasod MP Moin Uddin Khan Badal initiated the debate taking floor in the House chaired by Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury after the Maghrib recess. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Party MP Ziauddin Ahmed (Bablu), Awami League MP Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Prof Ali Ashraf, Independent MP Rustum Ali Faraji and BNF MP SM Abul Kamal Azad joined the debate.

Tofail Ahmed said people are sources of all power and this Parliament is formed with their mandate. "The Cabinet is liable to Parliament. We even can impeach the President, but can't do so in the case of a particular area (judiciary)."

Mentioning that the court had annulled the 5th amendment to the Constitution, he questioned how the Supreme Judicial Council, which was introduced by military ruler Ziaur Rahman, can prevail?

Tofail harshly criticised the amici curiae, saying they placed untrue statement before the court over the issue. "There is no single shred of truth in their statements," he said mentioning the names of Dr Kamal Hossain and Barrister Amir-ul Islam.

"We've no word to condemn those who advocated for scrapping the 16th Amendment. Their remarks don't match with what they had said in 1972. They are now very opportunists," he added.

Terming the SC verdict 'a premature judgment', Inu said the court could have passed the verdict after enactment of a law for the removal of justices in line of the 16th Amendment.

"The honorable court reviewed the 16th Amendment to the Constitution in motivated way," he said.

Inu hoped that the court will reconsider its judgment during the review, saying justices should be liable to Parliament like MPs and ministers.

Menon said an attempt is on to create division between the judiciary and the government.

Selim said the court itself violated the Constitution passing the judgment over the 16th Amendment to the Constitution. "The judgment will never be implemented if Parliament doesn't implement it," he added.

He said the justices have no right to do politics, but they are making remarks in different programme beyond their limits.

Bablu said Parliament had just restored the article 96 of the 1972 Constitution. "Parliament can impeach the President but not the persons who are appointed by the President. Does it go logically? Please restore the article 96 in the Constitution and respect the democracy," he added.

Badal said the court will have to prove how the 16th Amendment challenged the basic structures of the Constitution.

He also criticised the court for its 'disrespectful remarks' about MPs. "You hurled disrespectful words to Parliament."

On July 3 last, the Supreme Court (SC) passed the verdict upholding the High Court judgment that declared the 16th amendment to the Constitution illegal.
72000 untrained teachers at high schools

M M Jasim :

About 72 thousand secondary level untrained teachers are taking classes in the county's educational institutions although it is impossible to make the students accustomed to creative system without teachers' training.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics, there are 2,53,553 teachers at secondary level educational institutions in the country. Of them, at least 30 per cent have no training.

As a result, thousands of secondary students are denied quality education.

Top officials at the Education Ministry are worried about the fate of the secondary education after revealing research of the BANBEIS.

A ministry official wishing anonymity told The New Nation: "The ministry is thinking to overcome the situation."

The educationists are also deeply concerned in this regard and urged the government to take immediate measures to save the secondary education.

Syed Anwar Hussain, supernumerary teacher of History Department at Dhaka University, said the overall education level in the country is not satisfactory.

"Quality education is far from expectation at all levels. We also do not see any fruitful attempt to ensure quality education. If one-third teachers at secondary level are untrained, how quality education will be ensured," he said.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Admin) of Dhaka University Professor Akhtaruzzaman said, "Education is the basis of sustainable development. Teachers' training is a must at all level of our education system. At least-six-month training should be mandatory for a teacher soon after his or her appointment."

"Teachers must play an important role in creative system education. How will they deliver, if they are not trained," the pro-VC asked.

According to a report prepared by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) in 2015, about 41 per cent teachers do not have knowledge to prepare creative question paper for examination. About 23 per cent educational institutions take help from the teachers of their near institutions for preparing 1st term and 2nd term examinations. And 16 per cent teachers buy question papers from different agencies.

DSHE Director General Professor SM Wahiduzzaman admitted the matter and said that the government has been trying to overcome all the obstacles to improving quality secondary education.


Trump backtracks on cyber unit with Russia after harsh criticism

Reuters, Washington :

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday backtracked on his push for a cyber security unit with Russia, tweeting that he did not think it could happen, hours after his proposal was harshly criticized by Republicans who said Moscow could not be trusted.

Trump said on Twitter early on Sunday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed on Friday forming "an impenetrable Cyber Security unit" to address issues like the risk of cyber meddling in elections.

The idea appeared to be a political non-starter. It was immediately scorned by several of Trump's fellow Republicans, who questioned why the United States would work with Russia after Moscow's alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. "It's not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but it's pretty close," Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told NBC's "Meet the Press" program.

Ash Carter, who was U.S. defense secretary until the end of former Democratic

President Barack Obama's administration in January, told CNN flatly: "This is like the guy who robbed your house proposing a working group on burglary." Trump's advisers, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, had recently sought to explain Trump's cyber push. Mnuchin said on Saturday that Trump and Putin had agreed to create "a cyber unit to make sure that there was absolutely no interference whatsoever, that they would work on cyber security together."

But Trump returned to Twitter on Sunday to play down the idea, which arose at his talks with Putin at a summit of the Group of 20 nations in Hamburg, Germany.
Former SC judge gets anticipatory bail

Staff Reporter :

The High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to former Supreme Court judge Justice Joynul Abedin for six weeks in connection with a notice issued by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2010 seeking his bank statements.

The Bench of Justice Md Miftah Uddin Choudhury and Justice ANM Bashir Ullah came up with the order and rule after hearing a petition filed by Joynul seeking anticipatory bail fearing that he might be arrested when he will go to submit the bank statements. The HC also issued a rule asking the government and ACC to explain in four weeks why Justice Joynul, a retired judge of the Appellate Division of the SC, should not be granted regular bail in connection with the ACC notice.

Justice Joynul headed the one-man judicial enquiry into the grenade attack on an Awami League rally at Dhaka's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004. His probe report found "foreign enemy link" with the attack.

Deputy Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman

Kabir said that the government will move an appeal before the Appellate Division challenging the HC order of bail.

Barrister Mainul Hosein moved the bail petition on behalf of the former justice. He said, for the last seven years the ACC has been harassing his client under the guise of investigation and on the basis of newspaper reports he has reason to anticipate arrest although no FIR has been filed against him. As no FIR has been filed so there is no case of corruption against him, merely investigation, so he is entitled to get anticipatory bail by way of protection against arbitrary arrest.

Anti-Corruption Commission lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan appeared before the court on behalf of the ACC.

However, he said that there is no specific case against Joynul Abedin.
As each one of us at The Independent plans for a new chapter in our respective lives, we have to admit that this is a damn fine way to go out.

From left: Christiaan Mader, Leslie Turk, Robin May, Wynce Nolley and Walter Pierce

Photo by Travis Gauthier

As each one of us at The Independent (and ABiz) plans for a new chapter in our respective lives, we have to admit that this is a damn fine way to go out.

This weekend in Biloxi, Miss., the Louisiana Press Association bestowed its highest honor, the Freedom of Information Award, on The Independent for its investigative work into the shenanigans of Lafayette City Marshal Brian Pope, who is scheduled to go to trial Sept. 25 on seven felony counts of malfeasance in office and perjury and is facing an effort to recall him in a special election. Read the latest on the never-ending saga of his administration here.

IND Staff Writer Christiaan Mader was the lead reporter on the Pope investigative series, with IND editors Leslie Turk and Walter Pierce contributing to the reporting and editing of the body of work. IND Photo Editor Robin May and contributing photographer Wynce Nolley captured the story through powerful images of Pope, from his bizarre 2015 press conference to his numerous trips to the parish courthouse and multiple bookings into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center.

Heres what the LPA had to say at the convention about this year's Freedom of Information Award, which The IND also won a decade ago for its investigative reporting on the Horse Farm:

For its fight on behalf of the publics right to know, please congratulate The Independent for earning this years Freedom of Information Award. Lafayette City Marshal Brian Pope has been in a lot of trouble with the law, and much of it is the result of dogged investigative reporting and use of public records by The Independent. The newspaper sought the records, including scores of invoices and emails, after Pope staged a news conference criticizing the local sheriff over immigration enforcement and other issues. As the Independents investigation revealed, Pope had used the resources of his office to aid the campaign of [a candidate for sheriff.] For more than a year, the Independent waged a court battle to obtain the records that ultimately resulted in Popes indictment on criminal charges. A judge ultimately held Pope in contempt for his blatant refusal to comply with the Independents public records request. The judge ordered Pope to serve seven days under house arrest and perform more than 100 hours of community service for allegedly lying under oath when he was questioned during the public records litigation. He was also charged with malfeasance for alleged misuse of public resources for political purposes. Heres what one judge said about The Independents work: This entry involved an important controversy involving political corruption and other sins. The paper used the public records law to assist in this coverage and also let its readers know the significance of the public records investigation. In addition, for the first time a records custodian was held in criminal contempt. This consequence by itself is highly significant and should serve as a warning for other custodians who consider resisting public records requests.

The paper also won first place for investigative reporting in its division for the Pope series and took home another first for Maders food writing in the Lifestyle category.
The searchers were looking for David E. Trotten, 50, and Paul Johnson, 13, both of Du Quoin, who reportedly were swimming in the Mississippi River near Grand Tower around 2:30 p.m. Sunday when they were caught in the current and pulled under, according to a news release from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. They were swimming near the beach area of Devil's Backbone Park in Grand Tower; they failed to resurface, according to the report.
CHARLESTON  Orangeburg County teacher Claire Goldmintz was among 50 educators from across the South Carolina who recently learned how to bring agriculture into their classrooms.

The South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation hosted its annual Ag in the Classroom Summer Teacher Institute June 5-9 in Charleston, where teachers of grades pre-K through eighth grade in public and private schools learned the importance of family farms and farmers and how to teach agricultural lessons to their students.

The Ag in the Classroom program has many benefits because we can educate teachers about the importance of agriculture, and those teachers are then going to take that back to their own classrooms of sometimes thirty students. The overall outreach of the program is unmatched, SCFB President Harry Ott said.

In addition to instruction about their learning and teaching styles, institute participants heard from agriculture and education experts from Clemson Universitys College Relations/Ag Careers Department, Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, the S.C. Ag Statistics Department, and the S.C. Department of Agriculture. Participants also experienced two days of farm tours in the Lowcountry, including a USDA Research and Education Center, the Charleston Tea Plantation, Dantzler Farms in Santee and Terry Thomas Dairy Farm in Bowman.

It is so important that students learn where their food and resources come from, said Vonne Knight, SCFB director of ag literacy. Providing teachers with not only the information and lesson plans they need, but also the confidence to teach agriculture makes it easy for them to do just that.

I never cease to be amazed at the positive agricultural impact this course makes in the lives of teachers from across the state during this one week, Knight said. Teachers leave with a greater understanding of and appreciation for agriculture. I have never been part of a more rewarding higher education experience.

Ag in the Classroom Institute participants received lesson plans aligned to the state curriculum standards to use in their own classroom this fall. They also left with resources they can use to teach students about agriculture and the benefits farmers add to the economy, the environment and the community.

Participants earned three hours of graduate credit for recertification from Winthrop University, courtesy of SCFBs Ag in the Classroom Fund. Along with a modest registration fee, which many County Farm Bureau chapters reimburse to participants, sponsorships raised through the SCFBs Ag in the Classroom Fund cover the cost of tuition, room and board, resource speakers and tours, and materials for the week-long Institute.

If agriculture is to maintain its status as South Carolinas largest business sector  providing more than 212,000 jobs and more than a $42 billion impact on South Carolinas economy  weve got to help people understand the link between their food and fiber and the farm, Ott said. Farm Bureaus Ag in the Classroom program is a tool to help us accomplish that goal through our states teachers, and in turn to our states children.

The 2017 SCFB Ag in the Classroom Summer Teacher Institute was funded through support from the S.C. Ag in the Classroom Fund, S.C. Farm Bureau Federation, S.C. Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., S.C. Beef Council Plus Program, S.C. Soybean Board, the S.C. Peanut Board, Newberry Electric Cooperative, Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Edisto Electric Cooperative, S.C. Cattlemens Foundation, S.C. Advocates for Agriculture and S.C. Greenhouse Growers Association.

SCFBs Ag in the Classroom program also offers year-round no-cost in-service workshops to South Carolina prekindergarten through middle school teachers, schools and school districts. To make a tax-deductible contribution to the 501(c)(3) Ag in the Classroom program, for more information, or to schedule an in-service workshop, contact SCFB Ag Literacy Program Director Vonne Knight at 803-936-4409 or vknight@scfb.org.
COLUMBIA -- The State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee is beginning its screening process for Seats 2, 4 and 6 on the South Carolina Public Service Commission. The committee will be accepting applications for the seats beginning Monday, July 24, until noon Friday, Aug. 11.

The Public Service Commission has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to investor-owned electric and gas utilities, water and wastewater companies, telecommunications companies, carriers of household goods and hazardous waste for disposal, taxicabs and other motor vehicle passenger carriers.

A commissioner must have at least a baccalaureate degree. It is preferred that a commissioner have a background of substantial duration in one of the following areas: (a) energy; (b) telecommunications; (c) consumer protection and advocacy; (d) water and wastewater; (e) finance, economics and statistics; (f) accounting; (g) engineering; or (h) law.

The Public Service Commission is composed of seven commissioners, one from each of the seven Congressional districts. The commissioner for the Second Public Service Commission District represents Aiken, Barnwell and Lexington counties, as well as parts of Orangeburg and Richland counties. The commissioner for the Fourth District represents parts of Greenville and Spartanburg counties. The commissioner for the Sixth District represents Allendale, Bamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Hampton, Jasper and Williamsburg counties, as well as parts of Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Orangeburg, Richland and Sumter counties.

The salary for these positions is approximately $107,822 annually.

Each candidate is required to submit a completed application form no later than the Aug. 11 deadline. Applications will not be accepted after noon on Friday, Aug. 11. Following the filing deadline, the Review Committee will begin its background investigation of candidates. The first public hearing to review each candidate's qualifications is tentatively scheduled to begin the week of Nov. 6. Candidates and potential candidates are subject to certain restrictions with respect to contacting members of the General Assembly.

Application forms may be obtained from the State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee, 102 Gressette Building, P.O. Box 142, Columbia, SC 29202, by contacting Heather Anderson, 803-212-6208 or heatheranderson@scsenate.gov, or by contacting Sharon Scholl, 803-212-6627 or sharonscholl@scsenate.gov.

For further information, contact Ms. Anderson or Ms. Scholl, or visit the Public Utilities Review Committees website at: www.scstatehouse.gov/CommitteeInfo/PublicUtilitiesReviewComm/2018PublicServiceCommissionScreeningInfo.php.
SANDY RUN  State regulators will hold a public meeting about a companys plans to mine sand in the Sandy Run area.

Culclasure Farm Tract LLC is seeking a permit to mine sand on a 70-acre tract about a half-mile east of the intersection of Horsefeathers Lane and U.S. Highway 21 near the Town of Swansea.

The public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 20 at the Sandy Run School gymnasium. The school is located at 450 Old Swamp Road in Swansea.

The informal meeting is being held for S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control staff to share information and respond to the concerns of the local community.

A public hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A 30-day notice will be provided prior to the public hearing.

DHEC has assured Calhoun County Council that the water quality of personal wells on Horsefeathers Lane will not be affected by the mining project.

The company first announced its sand-mining plans in 2015.

According to the company's permit application, about 35 acres will be affected by the mining operation. The company is seeking a 10-year permit.

Area residents and Calhoun County Council members have raised concerns about the mines potential impact on roads, water, health and the quality of life.

American Timberlands Co., which owns Culclasure Farm Tract LLC, has said the concerns are unwarranted. The company said it will provide adequate buffers, protect wetlands and implement a reclamation plan to protect the environment.

County Council has consistently stated that Horsefeathers Lane is a county-maintained dirt road that was not built to handle the large trucks the proposed mining project would use. Council has requested that the company pave the road to the level needed to handle the increased traffic.

According to DHEC filings, S.C. Department of Natural Resources personnel concluded there are no records of threatened and endangered species in the immediate project area.

There are two S.C. Wildlife Action Plan conservation priority fish species, the seagreen darter and sawcheek darter, within Big Beaver Creek, according to S.C. DNR.

The agency provided several recommendations for reducing the impact on wildlife, including requiring erosion and runoff controls.

The comment period for the project has been extended a few times as S.C. DHEC has sought more information from the applicant, such as updated maps of the affected areas and a reclamation map to more clearly show final contours.

The mine permit application and related documents are available for review at www.scdhec.gov/publicnotices.

For additional information or to submit written comments, contact Ed Haigler, DHEC project manager, at 803-898-1375, or by e-mail at haiglewe@dhec.sc.gov.

Individuals with disabilities who would like to participate in the public meeting should contact Brittani Cook at 803-898-1359 at least one week in advance to discuss any special services required.
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History is receiving a grant of $128,470 to restore the Eutaw Springs Battlefield in Eutawville.

The funding comes as part of $7.2 million in grants for the American Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants program, which works to preserve battlefield land.

Nearly 1,200 acres of battlefields will be preserved as part of the Battlefield Land Acquisition grants in Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Doug Bostick, executive director/CEO of the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust, said the Eutaw Springs Battlefield is the site of one of the most important battles to have taken place during The Revolution.

It, unfortunately, has gotten lost to history, he added. People that live in Eutawville are not even aware that there was a battle of Eutaw Springs.

The Battle of Eutaw Springs in September of 1781 was the last major engagement of the Revolutionary War in the Carolinas.

Although some argue the British won the battle, Bostick said they lost here strategically against Major Gen. Nathanael Greene of the Continental Army.

The inability of the British to stop Greene's continuing operations forced them to abandon most of their conquests in the South, leaving them in control of a small number of isolated enclaves at Wilmington, Charleston and Savannah.

For his leadership in the Battle of Eutaw Springs, Greene was presented a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the United States Congress.

Bostick added that the Eutaw Springs battle is the only one directly referenced in the state song.

Restoration of the grounds is part of the Battleground Preservation Trusts Liberty Trail project.

Heritage tourism is a big deal in South Carolina, Bostick said. That project revolves around the identification and acquiring of Revolutionary War battlefields in South Carolina.

Plans are being made to divide the states battlefields into four driving trails accessible to the public.

A mobile app is in development to provide driving directions, battle maps and descriptions of the battles held at those sites.

This grant that weve received is the first of a series of grants that weve applied for to purchase and interpret the Eutaw Springs Battlefield, Bostick said.

The grant will fund half the cost of acquiring the first property. For the second half, they will work with Campaign 1776.

Bostick said 600 acres in Eutaw Springs have been identified to be included in the trails.

He wants people to experience the same feeling of national pride they get on the Fourth of July, like a shiver up their spine when the flag goes by.

Thats what people are going to feel when they see these battlefields, he added.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump said Sunday that "it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia" after his lengthy meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Germany. But he is still avoiding the question of whether he accepts Putin's denial that Russia was responsible for meddling in the 2016 election.

Speaking in a series of tweets the morning after returning from a world leaders' summit in Germany, Trump said he "strongly pressed" Putin twice over Russian meddling during their meeting Friday.

Trump said that Putin "vehemently denied" the conclusions of American intelligence agencies that Russian hackers and propagandists tried to sway the election in Trump's favor. But Trump would not say whether he believed Putin, tweeting only that he's "already given my opinion."

Trump has said he thinks Russia probably hacked the emails of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton staffers, but that "other people and/or countries" were likely involved as well. He said ahead of the meeting that, "Nobody knows for sure."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov first told reporters in Germany on Friday that Trump had accepted Putin's assurances that Russia hadn't meddled  an assertion Putin repeated Saturday after the Group of 20 summit. Putin said he left the meeting thinking that Trump had believed his in-person denials.

"He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers," Putin said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did not answer directly when asked Sunday if Trump had accepted Putin's denial, but told reporters in Ukraine that Trump's conversation with Putin on election interference went "about the way we expected." Tillerson was the only other American official in the room.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also declined to say whether Trump accepted Putin's denial. "Why would President Trump broadcast exactly what he said in the meeting? Strategically that makes no sense," Mnuchin said. "He's made it very clear how he feels. He's made it very clear that he addressed it straight on."

But White House chief of staff Reince Priebus took issue with Putin's characterization.

"The president absolutely didn't believe the denial of President Putin," Priebus said. He said Trump had spent a "large part of the meeting on the subject," but wanted to move onto other subjects.

He and other administration officials said Trump did not want Russian interference in last year's election to prevent him from working with Putin's government on other issues, including the civil war in Syria.

"You know, the past, I don't know if we will ever come to an agreement, obviously with our Russian counterparts on that. I think the important thing is how do we assure that this doesn't happen again," Tillerson said.

Tillerson said that, "In all candidness, we did not expect an answer other than the one we received" from Russia.

"Everybody knows that Russia meddled in our elections," added Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. "This is Russia trying to save face."

But in a show of U.S.-Russian cooperation, officials announced during the trip that the two sides had brokered a cease-fire in southern Syria that went into effect Sunday. Trump tweeted that the deal "will save lives."

The two sides also agreed to create what Trump described in a tweet as "an impenetrable Cyber Security unit" to ensure that "election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded."

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was among critics of the task force on Twitter and Sunday morning news shows.

"It's not the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but it's pretty close," Graham said, adding that, when it comes to Russia, the president has "a blind spot."

"And to forgive and forget when it comes to Putin regarding cyberattacks is to empower Putin and that's exactly what he's doing," he added.

Another Senate Republican, Marco Rubio of Florida, said on Twitter that "partnering with Putin on a 'Cyber Security Unit' is akin to partnering with Assad on a 'Chemical Weapons Unit.'" Rubio was referring to Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime's use of chemical weapons against its own citizens."

Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter equated the move to "like the guy who robbed your house proposing a working group on burglary."

And Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said that expecting Russia to be a credible partner in any cybersecurity initiative "would be dangerously naive for this country."

"If that's our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow," he said.

Haley, however, defended the move, arguing that working with Russia on cybersecurity "doesn't mean we ever trust Russia. We can't trust Russia and we won't ever trust Russia. But you keep those that you don't trust closer so that you can always keep an eye on 'em and keep them in check."

Trump also tweeted Sunday that sanctions against Russia were not discussed at his meeting with Putin, seemingly contradicting comments made by Tillerson in Germany. Tillerson told reporters that the president had taken "note of actions that have been discussed by the Congress" in the meeting. Congress has been pushing to increase sanctions on Russia and make them harder for Trump to lift.
The Ten Commandments are in the news.

Recently, a man in Little Rock crashed his vehicle into Arkansas' new Ten Commandments monument. He is the same man arrested three years ago in the destruction of Oklahoma's monument at its state capitol, according to reports by The Associated Press.

The privately funded Arkansas monument had been in place outside the capitol for less than 24 hours before it was knocked from its plinth and smashed to pieces.

Arkansas' monument is a replica of a display at the Texas Capitol that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005. After Oklahoma's monument was destroyed in 2014, a replacement was erected but then ordered removed by that state's Supreme Court, which determined its location on state property violated a constitutional prohibition on the use of state funds to support a religion.

So the battle continues.

The U.S. Supreme Court's standard is: As long as displays are not intended to be government sanctioning of one religion over another, they are OK. There is no outright prohibition of religious displays on government land.

The Ten Commandments are the laws of life. Under whatever name, the very same tenets are part of the teachings of all great religions, from Buddhism to Islam and Hinduism.

That is why today's character education initiatives in schools are not embroiled in debate about the Commandments. They are incorporating the principles as integral to the education process and to solving societal problems.

For example, the national Character Counts Coalition identifies "Six Pillars of Character": trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

And there are ironically 10 basic rules that can form the foundation of character development.

1. Be honest: tell the truth, be sincere; don't betray a trust, deceive, mislead, be devious or tricky, or withhold important information in relationships of trust; don't steal, cheat, or defraud.

2. Demonstrate integrity: stand up for your beliefs about right and wrong; be your best self; resist social pressures to do things you think are wrong; walk your talk; show commitment, courage and self-discipline.

3. Keep promises: keep your word and honor your commitments  pay your debts, return what you borrow.

4. Be loyal: stand by, support and protect your family, friends, employers, community and country; don't talk behind people's backs, spread rumors or engage in harmful gossip; don't violate other ethical principles to keep or win a friendship or gain approval; don't ask a friend to do something wrong.

5. Be responsible: think before you act  consider the possible consequences on all people affected by your actions ("stakeholders"); be accountable, "take your medicine," accept responsibility for the consequences of your choices; be reliable; set a good example; don't blame others for your mistakes or take credit for others' achievements; exercise self-control, be disciplined.

6. Pursue excellence: do your best with what you have; keep trying, don't quit or give up easily; be diligent and industrious.

7. Be kind and caring: show that you care about others through kindness, caring, generosity, sharing and compassion; live by the Golden Rule; don't be selfish, mean, cruel or insensitive to the feelings of others.

8. Treat all people with respect: be courteous and polite; judge all people on their merits; be tolerant, appreciative and accepting of individual differences; don't intentionally injure anyone; don't abuse, demean, or mistreat anyone; don't use, manipulate, exploit or take advantage of others; respect the right of individuals to make decisions about their own lives.

9. Be fair: treat all people fairly; be open-minded; listen to others and try to understand what they are saying and feeling; make decisions only on appropriate considerations; don't take unfair advantage of others' mistakes; don't take more than your fair share.

10. Be a good citizen: play by the rules, obey laws; do your share; respect authority; stay informed, vote, protect your family and community, report crimes; be charitable and altruistic; assist your community, school, or organizations you are interested in by volunteering service; protect the environment; conserve natural resources.

We're less concerned about whether the Ten Commandments as posted in a courthouse or public building are called the Ten Commandments or by a name such as the "Laws of life." Whether they are verbatim from the Christian Bible or adaptations such as for character programs, the broader point is to see that mankind learns the rules and lives by them.
Imagine someone murdering little children and then joking about how they did it. Well that is exactly what attendees of the 2014 and 2015 National Abortion Federation conventions did in an alleged video that has recently surfaced. The content of their conversations is shocking, disgusting and repellent to me and millions of Americans.

In this video, a Planned Parenthood employee says that an unborn child is a tough little object and very difficult to dismember. An ACLU lawyer complained about the difficulty of breaking a tiny skull - -and the audience laughed. And a Planned Parenthood official discussed the sale of the tissue of these murdered children by saying, the truth is that some might want to do it  to increase their revenues. And we cant stop them.

I hate what these people do to children, and their vocabulary reflects their total desensitization to the miracle of human life. I pray that someday God will touch their hearts and children will be saved, but until then, I will fight them at every turn.

The most immediate fight that I believe I can win is to ensure that none of the money that belongs to you, the South Carolina taxpayer, reaches abortion facilities that murder our most defenseless citizens.

The truth is that abortion facilities in our state, including Planned Parenthood, receive your money. Planned Parenthood alone received almost $360,000 from the taxpayer between 2011 and 2016. That money, your money, enhanced their ability to take innocent, young lives. My number one priority is to take that number to ZERO.

In South Carolina, abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood, have potential access to three sources of taxpayer funds.

The first is Medicaid Title X subgrants. President Donald Trump, in a reversal of the Obama-era position, recently signed legislation to allow states to prohibit Planned Parenthood and other abortion factories from eligibility for these funds. I will fight to ensure that prohibition in South Carolina, and I will support eligibility requirements that disqualify Planned Parenthood from ever receiving these funds.

South Carolina taxpayers also fund Medicaid reimbursements for health services supplied by abortion providers. From 2011-15 South Carolina Medicaid paid for 29 abortions; this number should have been zero. Missouri has successfully ensured that Medicaid never supports abortion providers with taxpayer dollars, and we should follow its example.

South Carolina must refuse federal funds for family-planning services and replace them with our own funding in the state budget. This would be approximately $40 million, or about 0.5 percent of our $8 billion budget. We absolutely can find the proverbial pocket change to save young lives.

The state employee health plan also reimburses abortion providers, and since 2011 has reimbursed providers for 11 abortions. These abortions, like those funded by Medicaid, are permitted under one of the three legal exceptions of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother.

I would never ask that life-saving measures be banned, but the prevailing goal of these measures should be the preservation of both the mother and child. However, where the criminal act of the father is used to justify the murder of an innocent life, I encourage lawmakers to consider who is truly innocent and who is truly guilty.

I will always support women accessing important health services, but I cannot tolerate your taxpayer dollars facilitating the murder of children. A single penny for any service is a penny too much to fund an abortion provider because regardless of the service, funding to these providers supports abortion. We can stop it in South Carolina, and that should be the priority for all of us.
The Third Estate Sunday Review focuses on politics and culture. We're an online magazine. We don't play nice and we don't kiss butt. In the words of Tuesday Weld: "I do not ever want to be a huge star. Do you think I want a success? I refused "Bonnie and Clyde" because I was nursing at the time but also because deep down I knew that it was going to be a huge success. The same was true of "Bob and Carol and Fred and Sue" or whatever it was called. It reeked of success."
The Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) has signed a Global Co-operation Agreement with the partners of the United Nations Environment Programme, District Energy in Cities, at a summit in Scottsdale, US.



The 108th Annual Conference & Tradeshow of International District Energy Association (Idea) was held from June 26 to 29, reported Wam, the Emirates official news agency.



The memorandum of understanding (MoU) aims to enhance the conservational impact and development of district cooling in the UAE.



Earlier this year, Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, was chosen by the United Nations Environment Programme to become the special advisor on district cooling within its "Global District Energy in Cities" initiative.



The agreement defines common objectives and a collaborative framework intended to increase deployment of district energy in respective countries around the globe. The goal is to increase energy efficiency, reduce emissions, strengthen local and regional economies, and deliver the social and environmental benefits of efficient district energy systems, Bin Shafar said.



"At Empower, weve always been committed to accelerating the deployment of district energy. The signing of the Global Co-operation Agreement is a testament to support Dubais Integrated Energy Strategy directed by Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to build a green economy in the UAE and transform Dubai into a global centre for clean energy and green economy.



"While the agreement will facilitate international collaboration and cross-border exchange, it will also help us increase energy efficiency, enhance energy security, strengthen the local economy and reduce harmful emissions. In addition, it will also help educate and inform governments and citizens on the economic, environmental and energy-efficiency advantages of district energy systems in order to foster adoption of policies and regulations favourable for expansion and deployment," he added.



In effect, until 60 months from the date of execution, the Global Co-operation Agreement brings together countries such as Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and the US to jointly share efforts to advance the district energy industry and promote sustainable and resilient technologies.



In addition, the MoU will significantly enhance the pre-existing mutual co-operation between several countries and allow for the achievement of sustainability and resiliency goals at a larger scale than previously possible. Furthermore, the countries will jointly develop, promote and disseminate operational best practices and standardised technical guidelines to support continued industry growth while ensuring reliable, efficient and sustainable operations.



Empower is a member of the board of directors of Idea.
A fire broke out on Thursday at the Avenues Mall located in the Al-Rai district of Kuwait, where construction work is under way to expand the shopping complex, said a report.



The blaze which engulfed the building under construction did not result in any casualties, but left seven firemen suffering from thermal stress due to the scorching heat, reorted state news agency Kuna on Thursday.



The fire first broke out at a warehouse where stocks of electrical and wooden products are stored, before spreading to the building, stated the report citing a senior official.



"The flames quicly spread to more than 200 sq m while columns of thick black smoke were seen billowing from the site," said Civil Defence deputy director general for firefighting Major General Jamal Al-Balahis.



The Avenues Mall, the largest shopping centre in Kuwait, is located in the Al-Rai area extending from the Fifth Ring Road from the south and Al-Ghazali Highway from the east. It was inaugurated April 2007.
Campbell Gray Hotels, a leading developer of luxury hotels around the world, has unveiled the latest additions to its MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) facilities at Le Gray, Beirut, and business offerings following a major refurbishment at its flagship luxury property in the Lebanese capital.



The new facilities aim to cement the property as the citys ultimate destination, not just for leisure but also for business and conferences, said the luxury hotel developer.



The new spaces were designed in the same contemporary-classic aesthetic that defines Le Gray, Beirut and the project was overlooked by interior designer, Galal Mahmoud.



This was done in close collaboration with Gordon Campbell Gray himself who is known for his unique style and touch evident throughout the hotels choice of interiors and art which he handpicked himself.



The jewel in the crown of the new business facilities is The Grand Salon, a 400-sq-m space that can accommodate up to 500 guests with a unique colour-adjustable LED light ceiling. The space is perfect for a grand Gala dinner or even a dream wedding, said a statement from Campbell Gray Hotels.



The Boardroom is a dramatic business meeting venue that can accommodate up to 20 guests complete with drop-down wall screen, projector and coffee making facilities, it stated.



The Meeting Room is another space that is ideal for smaller business meetings and presentations of up to ten participants that comes with lookout balconies to take in the stunning Beirut views. Another great addition is The Muse Room, a multi-function 150 sqm venue that can accommodate up to 165 guests with oak-laminated backlit glass wall panels, projectors and two drop-down screens.



The hotel which is known for its connection to the Beirut art scene has also kept that in mind with The Atrium. This is an open exhibition and art venue at the heart of the central atrium bathed in natural light; the hotels very own gallery space.



Another standout addition is the very unique The Screening Room, a private 53-seat cinema. Complete with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and sound system, The Screening Room, is sure to leave an impression for an unforgettable presentation or even a very intimate movie night with friends, said the developer.



Centrally located in Beiruts Downtown, Le Gray Beirut offers business guests the opportunity to not only conduct their meetings in the citys most stylish venue but also be within close distance to Beiruts most popular attractions.

The hotels concierge will help guests put together a personalized itinerary to ensure they make the most of the city outside of business hours, it stated.



The hotel will also feature new guestrooms and a stylish new extended lobby area and lounge where guests can relax and work whilst enjoying light bites and their favourite drinks, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based international aluminium smelter, today (July 10) launched a new safety awareness campaign My Health ... My Responsibility targeting Line 6 contractors.



Organised by Alba and in partnership with the Ministry of Health, this two-day event was held under the patronage of the undersecretary of Bahrains Ministry of Labour and Social Development, Subah bin Salem Al Doseri, said a statement from the company.



The campaign was inaugurated by Albas chief executive officer Tim Murray in the presence of the companys executives, directors, and managers as well as Line 6 contractors officials, in addition to representatives from both ministries, it said.



This tailored campaign aims to improve the contractors awareness towards safety and health during the summer months especially heat stress and dehydration, it added.



This event features a number of presentations delivered by speakers from Alba, Ministry of Health as well as Ministry of Labour and Social Development, said a statement.



Tim Murray said: We are pleased to team-up with the Ministry of Labour and Social Development along with the Ministry of Health to safeguard the Safety of our employees and contractors especially as Line 6 construction is underway.



We also believe that safety is woven in our business as we aim to provide the best safety practices to maintain a safe working environment especially in the hot summer months, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has won three awards in the third .GOV Awards, organised by ITP in Dubai, which recognise the use of IT by government organisations.



The awards add to Dewas list of achievements in smart government and smart transformation.



Dewa won the Smart City Initiative of the Year Award for a pilot project that combines autonomous robots with Virtual Reality (VR) and Internet of Things (IoT) to remotely inspect high-voltage cables. This saves time and effort in the maintenance of high-voltage cables compared to conventional methods.



Dewa also won the Public-Private Partnership of the Year Award for Tayseer service, a smart payment platform, in collaboration with Emirates NBD bank. It enables customers to pay their bills instantly by depositing cheques issued by any bank in over 200 Emirates NBD Cash Deposit Machines (CDM), for all customers who have individual or multiple accounts.



Fatima Al Marzooqi, senior officer - Smart Technologies and Business Intelligence at Dewa, won the Young Government IT Professional Award for her active contribution with the Rammas service development team. Rammas is a virtual employee that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to answer customers queries. The service is characterised by its capability to analyse and evaluate questions, understand customer needs, and then make the necessary decision to answer accurately.



Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa, said: We are happy to win these awards, which underline Dewas pioneering role in supporting the Smart Dubai initiative, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the smartest and happiest city in the world.



This is achieved by adopting creativity and innovation and the optimal use and appropriate use of modern technologies. Our efforts support the Dubai Plan 2021, which aims to make Dubai a smart, integrated, and connected city, and Dewas vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility.



Al Tayer noted that Dewa uses the latest technologies and solutions to improve customers' experience and contribute to making Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world. Dewa has made significant progress in the smart transformation using VR, which enhances the efficiency of its operations and supports innovation.  TradeArabia News Service
Damen Shiprepair & Conversion (DSC), a part of Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards Group, said it has acquired a major shipyard from Singapore-based Keppel Offshore & Marine.



DSCs acquisition of the yard follows an initial agreement made between the two parties in April of this year, said a statement from the company.



With this takeover, the Keppel Verolme shipyard, including its 250 staff members, will continue operations under the Damen flag starting from this month.



With three dry docks, the largest of which measures 405 x 90 m, and almost 2 km of quay capacity, the Verolme yard, located in Rotterdams Botlek harbour, will significantly expand DSCs portfolio, it added.



DSC already operates eight repair and conversion yards in the Netherlands and another eight abroad.



On the acquisition, Durk-Jan Nederlof, managing director of DSC, said: We look forward to joining forces with the Verolme yard and its people.



The facilities and personnel are complementary to our existing organisation. This acquisition will enable us to serve our existing clients even better while opening up new opportunities, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
The role of oil as a vital source of energy to the world is expected to continue for the long term despite the growth of alternatives, said Amin H Nasser, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco.



At the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul today, Nasser reiterated in a keynote to heads of state, government ministers, and executives that new investments are necessary and crucial to ensuring global energy security.



Nasser offered insights on the future of energy and how Saudi Aramco is transforming to meet new economic realities and industry demands.



Noting historic trends which saw a rise in absolute demand for legacy fuels despite a drop in market share, Nasser predicted in the next 25 years a doubling of the world economy, plus an additional two billion energy consumers, resulting in a lengthy energy transition that alternative sources such as renewables cannot adequately support.



Theres a growing belief that the world can prematurely disengage from proven, reliable energy sources like oil and gas, on the assumption that alternatives will rapidly deploy, Nasser said. About $1 trillion in investments has been lost in the current downturn, concurrent to growing oil demand and the natural decline of developed fields. Conservative estimates suggest we need about 20 million (additional) barrels per day over the next five years to counter these effects.



The volume of conventional oil discovered around the world halved over the past four years, compared to the previous four, according to Nasser, leading to an investment shortfall and the start of a cycle that may inhibit a future energy transition.



Nasser identified three areas that can build resilience and discipline for the transition: available supplies; cost structure and portfolio integration; and emissions reduction.



Addressing supplies, Nasser noted: Saudi Aramco plans to invest more than $300 billion over the coming decade to reinforce our preeminent position in oil, maintain our spare oil production capacity and pursue a large exploration and production program centered on conventional and unconventional gas resources.



Portfolio integration is also important, as Saudi Aramco emerges as the worlds largest and most integrated energy producer. The company has identified refining and chemicals, among other areas, as key drivers of long-term value and growth.



Leveraging innovation and technology to make the use of oil and gas ultra-clean relates to Saudi Aramcos commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.



We aim to double our natural gas production to 23 billion standard cubic feet per day (scf/d) over the coming decade, and raise the share of gas in the Kingdoms utilities to about 70 percent, the highest of any G20 nation, Nasser said. We have collaborated with many oil and gas companies to promote low-emission solutions, to include our commitment to the Oil and Gas Climate Initiatives $1 billion investment fund to develop and rapidly deploy those technologies.



Nasser also noted that Saudi Aramco is prioritising the direct conversion of oil to petrochemicals as a major part of its long-term strategic focus. The company is also investing in solar energy, having launched a phased program to build an initial renewable capacity of 9.5 GW by 2023.



Nasser concluded that while the industry can take pride in a history of significant economic contributions, it must adopt a future strategy calculated for the energy transformation.



Industry leaders and policy makers must develop an aligned and compelling narrative to attract the level of investments we need, he said. Part of that effort will be transforming our own business model to ensure that oil and gas are not just proven, reliable energy sources, but are as clean and affordable as possible, without compromising the worlds energy security, he said. - TradeArabia News Service
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) has approved new funds worth more than $320 million for setting up key projects in developing countries across the world, said a report.



The loans underline the international organisation's commitment to the energy-water-food nexus as well as the transportation sector, reported state news agency Wam, citing a top official of the Opec Fund for International Development (Ofid).



"Ofid has made clear its readiness to mobilise all available means to support these sectors across the globe," remarked Suleiman Jasser Al Herbish, the director general of Ofid, which has the UAE and Saudi Arabia along with 11 other nations as members.



"The latest round of development funding was approved in line with our Corporate Plan 2016-2025, which has the energy-water-food nexus at its heart," stated Al Herbish while speaking at the 159th session of the organisation's governing board held in Vienna recently.



Under the public sector facility, which represents the backbone of Ofid's financing operations, one third of the new development funding, i.e. $111 million, has been allocated to consolidate essential enterprises in areas of energy, water, agriculture, irrigation, and transport in seven low-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, said the Wam report.



All public sectors funding facilities are being conducted in collaboration with the governments of low-income nations and other development institutions to ensure synergy and maximise results to the best possible levels in order ensure sustainable development with the ultimate objective of eliminating poverty in these parts of the world, it added.
Travelex has partnered with Heathrow to launch VAT Refund by Appointment, a new service for customers reclaiming their tax when leaving the UK.



Customers flying from Heathrow Terminal 5 can now book private refund appointments for a fast, efficient service at a time convenient to them.



John Rayment, UK commercial director, Travelex said: Tax-free shopping is one of the great benefits of coming to the UK. But we recognise that our customers time is precious. This new, exclusive experience will ensure customers can complete their VAT Refund in a relaxed environment, safe in the knowledge that their refund will be completed in a timely fashion.



The appointment service offers:

 Private, one-to-one consultations at a screened desk within VAT

 No waiting time  all appointments at a fixed time arranged in advance

 Meet-and-greet welcome at the door

 Help with form filling, if needed

 English, Arabic and Chinese-speaking hosts (subject to availability)

 Personal reminder by phone 24 hours before your appointment (where possible).



An appointment can be made at any time. Bookings are made online in advance at www.travelex.co.uk/vat-refund-by-appointment.



Chris Annetts, Heathrows retail and service proposition director said: We are pleased to partner with Travelex to bring passengers this enhanced facility, the first of its kind in the UK. This private service will provide our customers with greater choice and personalised support with their VAT returns, giving them more time to enjoy their journey.



In the UK, VAT is charged on many goods and services. The Retail Export Scheme allows non-EU residents, who are leaving the European Union, to claim a VAT refund on most goods that they have purchased in the UK.



Tax refunds are paid in cash in pounds sterling or the customers currency of choice. Customers are required to provide:

 The tax-free goods they purchased

 Original store receipts

 VAT refund forms

 Passport and boarding pass as proof that they are taking the goods out of the EU.



VAT Refund by Appointment costs 120 ($154.2), charged at the time of the appointment. - TradeArabia News Service


Avani Hotels & Resorts, the vibrant upscale brand from Thai hospitality group Minor Hotels, has announced plans to develop its first hotel in Mauritius along a stretch of the islands unspoilt south coast.



When it opens in 2021, the 150-key beachfront Avani Bel-Ombre Mauritius Resort & Spa will offer the best of both worlds  stylish accommodation coupled with an untouched beach paradise, said a statement from Avani Hotels.



Only 30-minutes from the international airport, Avani Mauritius Bel-Ombre Resort & Spa will comprise 150 guest rooms, including 134 standard rooms and 16 Avani suites. In addition twelve, offer for purchase, residential Four-Bedroom Pool Villas will also be included in the development.



The new upscale resort will offer a specialty restaurant, an all-day dining restaurant, large multi-functional meeting space catering for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) and weddings besides a spa and gym, pantry, Kids Club, a beach activities centre and two swimming pools.



Alejandro Bernabe, the group director for Avani Hotels & Resorts, said: "Mauritius is one of the most vibrant beach destinations in the world and Avani is the ideal brand to offer honeymooners, adventurers and incentive houses an alternative dynamic hospitality offering."



"Avani is rapidly expanding, not only in urban destinations such as Dubai, Busan and Auckland, but also our current resort portfolio in Vietnam, the Seychelles, Sri Lanka and now Mauritius," noted Bernabe.



"Avani, a true lifestyle brand, appealing to millennial-minded travellers and focused on the details that matter, combines the personal and unique guest experiences that developers, KPMM Mauritius, were looking for when considering the management appointment for their new build Bel Ombre resort," he noted.



Coupled with the operational expertise and global reach of Minor Hotels, Avanis stylish and straightforward approach to hospitality management firmly persuaded KPMM to award Avani the management contract, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Most major hotel markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reported performance declines during Ramadan 2017 compared with Ramadan 2016, according to preliminary data from STR, a leading analyst.



STR compared the 2017 dates of May 26 through June 25 with the 2016 period of June 6 through July 6.



Muscat, Oman, was the only market that reported an increase in revenue per available room (+8.7 per cent). The markets 19.4 per cent increase in occupancy outweighed a 9 per cent drop in average daily rate (ADR).



Dubai, UAE, was the only other market that did not report a significant decline in RevPAR, although performance was nearly flat as a decline in ADR (-1.5 per cent) countered an uplift in occupancy (+1.2 per cent).



According to STR analysts, growing hotel supply and geopolitical issues are affecting the regions performance. School terms also factored into performance resultsSaudi Arabias school term finished earlier, while school in some countries continued through the Ramadan period.



Makkah, Saudi Arabia, reported an 8.8 per cent decline in RevPAR, which was primarily the result of a 7.9 per cent drop in occupancy to 74.3 per cent. STR analysts note that key religious tourism source markets, including Egypt and Indonesia, are currently facing currency devaluations against the Saudi Arabian Riyal, making it less affordable for potential visitors from those nations to embark on pilgrimages.



Also of note, Qatar reported an occupancy decrease of 7.2 per cent and a drop in ADR of 8.3 per cent.



STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. - TradeArabia News Service


Kuwait Airways has announced that its passengers will be able to carry personal electronic items on board all US-bound flights, departing from Kuwait International Airport.



The US Transportation Security Administration lifted the ban on electronic devices onboard Kuwait Airways flights after US officials inspected the security measures on Kuwait Airways flights. Passengers onboard Kuwait Airways flights from Kuwait International Airport to JFK Airport in New York will now be able to enjoy uninterrupted use of all of their personal electronic devices, the airline said.



Sami Fahd Al-Rushaid, Kuwait Airways chairman, said: Safety, security and compliance with international safety regulations are always our top priorities at Kuwait Airways and we are delighted to announce to our passengers that the electronics ban has been lifted on all Kuwait Airways flights departing Kuwait International Airport to the United States.

He added: The security measures in place at Kuwait International Airport which are applied on Kuwait Airways flights are fully complaint with international standards. This allows us to continue to provide services to our passengers flying to the United States or any of our 38-destination international network with our revamped fleet that includes the arrival of the remaining two from our order of ten ultra-long-haul aircraft Boeing 777-300ER, which will be in commercial service by Q3 2017, in addition to 25 new Airbus aircrafts including 15 A320neo and 10 from the A350 family of aircraft which are set to be delivered from 2019.  TradeArabia News Service
A federal agency is wading into the fray over a bankrupt companys attempt to sell its wells in northern Wyoming. But the recent pushback from the feds is not the only voice opposing the sale, as landowners want the wells plugged and county officials seek unpaid taxes.

Storm Cat, a coal bed methane company that went bankrupt in 2008 and again in 2016, is seeking to sell its viable wells to Summit Gas Resources. The transfer of property has staggered through bankruptcy court over the last year.

The company is also short about $10 million in idle well bonding. Wyoming requires that companies post additional bonds when production ceases to ensure cleanup will be completed, but Storm Cat has failed to do so.

In June, state regulators wanted to pull Storm Cats bonds and begin reclaiming the wells and associated disposal pits scattered across Campbell and Sheridan counties. Instead the companies lawyer and the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission made a deal, allowing Storm Cat and Summit one final chance to close on the sale of nearly 700 wells that can still produce gas.

Contingent on the sale, the remaining 1,736 wells would be taken over by the state to be plugged and reclaimed. Summit would be able to give about $2 million in additional bonds to Wyoming and gradually bring the idle wells back to production.

Though the $2 million in bonds is far short of the $10 million Storm Cat owed to the state, the unconventional compromise would put Wyoming in a better position and keep gas flowing, commissioners agreed in the June hearing.

However, in a filing with the bankruptcy court on July 3, the Bureau of Land Management objected to the sale unless assurances were made that Summit would pick up the unpaid royalties and penalties Storm Cat was leaving behind.

Campbell County, where many of the wells are located, made a similar case in its opposition letter to the court. The county is owed $7.6 million in unpaid taxes and has liens on the companys assets in the county, according to court documents. The proposed sale would unlawfully free Summit of those obligations, the county argued.

Local landowners, weary of unreclaimed wells and disposal pits on their property, want state regulators to pull the bonds. Lawyers for Padlock Ranch Company, Bow and Arrow Ranch and PeeGee Ranch say they want the state to start the task of plugging wells and reclaiming disposal pits. Though Storm Cat is short on bonding for its CBM wells, the company is up to date with its pit bonds.

In a June 6 letter to commission supervisor Mark Watson, the ranchers council called the pits an eyesore.

The wells have not been maintained or pumped in over two years and their condition is deteriorating. Fences around the off-channel pits have not been maintained, except by our clients, and as a result the pits constitute a hazard to livestock. Some of the pits leak.

Storm Cat is one of a number of Wyoming companies with a similar history. Falling gas prices pushed companies out of the Powder River Basin as the coal bed methane boom turned into a bust. Those firms often sold their assets to smaller companies at a bargain price. Many of those companies then fell into bankruptcy as prices continued to fall.

Thousands of wells were orphaned in the state on state, private and federal land. The work to reclaim those wells, by the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, is ongoing.

Storm Cat and Summit are due in a Denver bankruptcy court Thursday and are likely to come before state commissioners again in its August hearing.

A spokesman for the commission said though staff is not involved in the bankruptcy proceedings, they are following the case.
Tacos at the Elks

Wednesday Night Special at the Casper Elks Lodge is taco bar with all the fixings. All you can eat for $7. Children 5 to 12 are $3, serving from 6 to 7 p.m. or until gone. Also enjoy a dessert for $1. Member, significant other and guest accompanied by a member. For more information, call 234-4839. The menu is subject to change. All proceeds go to any of the Elks Charities.

Auto club meets Wednesday

The regular monthly meeting of the Oil Capitol Auto Club will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Zs Classics on East Yellowstone. All members are asked to attend as there are numerous events planned for the rest of the month, including a trip to Fort Fetterman, Red Lodge, and Cruise Nights. Contact any of the officers with questions or call Jerry at 577-7119.

Muni ladies

golf pairings

July 13, two-person best ball, Highlands and Links, 8 a.m. start. $5 entry fee. For changes or additions, please call pro shop at 233-6620.

Highlands #1, Marsh-Warren, Balas-Neuberger; Links #9A, Meyer-Pfiefer, Fancher-Watters; Links #9B, Santoni-N. Clark, Bain-Farmer; Links #8A, Stolte-Schneider, Sanford-Boyle; Links #8B, McCarrel-Hill, Hansen-Orr; Links #7A, Benardis-Ellis, Wheatley-Haydel; Links #6A, Chadwick-Marquez, Pingel-TBA.

Diaper Day Sunday

The monthly distribution of free diapers to families in need will be held from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on Sunday at St. Marks Episcopal Church, Seventh and Wolcott. For further information, call the church office, 234-0831.

Learn about Google Earth & Sky

The Natrona County Library will offer a Google Earth and Sky class from 2 to 4 p.m. July 17. Learn the common functions of Google Earth from customizing layers using placemarks, path and polygons to exporting your maps as an image file. In addition, using Google Sky, learn how to identify stars, constellations, planets, moons, galaxies, and nebulae just in time for the upcoming solar eclipse. Call 577.READ x2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Tween Monday: night sky painting

The Natrona County Library will host a craft program for students in grades 4-6 at 2 p.m. July 17. Library staff will guide students through the stages of completing a night sky painting. All supplies provided. All supplies provided. Call 577.READ x5 for more information.

Doctor Noize

High-energy musical performer Doctor Noize will present a series of shows for kids at the Natrona County Public Library at 1 p.m., on Tuesday, July 18; 1 and 3 p.m., on Wednesday, July 19, and 1 and 3 p.m., on Thursday, July 20. He will also perform at the Mills Branch at 3 p.m., on Tuesday, July 18. Seating is limited, so plan to arrive early. Tickets will be handed out starting one hour prior to each performance. Call 577.READ x5 for more information.

Never Too Old

Book Club

A book discussion of young adult novel, Every Exquisite Thing, by Matthew Quick will be held at 6:30 p.m., on Tuesday, July 18, at Metro Coffee Co. The Never Too Old Book Club, sponsored by the Natrona County Library, discusses young adult literature with adult appeal. The group is open to both teens and adults, with parent-teen pairs especially encouraged. Pick up your free copy of Every Exquisite Thing at the librarys second floor service desk. Call 577.READ x101 for more information.

Needle Guild

meets July 18

The Casper Needle Guild will meet at 7:15 p.m., on Tuesday, July 18, at the Central Wyoming Senior Center, 1831 E. Fourth Street. We will continue to stitch on our drawn thread samplers, and there will be time for general embroidery as well. Anyone interested in the needle arts is welcome to attend. For further information, please call Ann Hudson at 265-5510.

Total solar

eclipse lecture

The upcoming total solar eclipse will be the topic of a lecture by Dr. Andrew Young, physics instructor at Casper College, at 6:30 p.m. July 19, at the Natrona County Library. Dr. Young will discuss the total solar eclipse happening over the United States on Aug. 21. He will explore various aspects of historical significance for this astronomical phenomenon. In addition, he will look at several science outreach programs in progress on a state and national level. Finally, he will examine the basic features of safely viewing this solar event. The lecture is open to the public and free of charge. Call 577-READ x2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Learn about Airbnb

The Natrona County Library will offer an Airbnb class from 3 to 5 p.m., on Monday, July 20. Learn how to navigate the site and create a listing. Feel free to bring your own laptop and digital photos of the space you would like to list along with any other information about your listing, and well help you with your first post. Call 577.READ x2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

4teens @ 4:

Galaxy Canvas Art

The Natrona County Library will host a galaxy canvas art program for teens entering grades 7-12 at 4 p.m., on Thursday, July 20, in the Crawford Room. All supplies provided. Call 577.READ x101 for more information.

Skunk Hollow Sneaker Chase

Have you registered for the Skunk Hollow Sneaker Chase trail run yet? Choose from an 8- or 16-mile jaunt along the Natrona County Parks trail system atop Casper Mountain on July 22. All finishers will receive a pint glass for their efforts. Stay after the race and enjoy mountain tunes sung by local boy Zack Schommer and brews provided by Black Tooth Brewing. Cost is $40 prior to July 21; $50 on July 21 and NO day of race registration. Be sure to register before the price increase on July 21. Head over to www.307Running.weebly.com to confirm your place on the start line July 22.

Programming

in Python

The Natrona County Library will offer a Python Programming class from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 21. In this three-hour class, participants learn all about Python, including how to get started, what advantages and disadvantages Python provides as a programming language, the essentials of programming in Python, and what tools are available to build applications in Python. No prior Python experience necessary. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Family crafternoon: Suncatchers

The Natrona County Library will host a family crafting program for all ages from 1 to 3 p.m. July 22. Families are invited to come and create suncatchers that once hung in a window will add a rainbow of color to their homes. All supplies provided. Call 577.READ x5 for more information.

Mended Hearts

July 24

The July meeting of the local Mended Hearts chapter will be held on the usual fourth Monday evening, at 7 p.m. on July 24. The meeting takes place in the board room of Wyoming Medical Center, located in the support services building, accessible either from the parking garage, or valet parking in front. It is right off the upper lobby floor. Meetings last about an hour, and refreshments are served. We urge those with heart issues to come visit us, and join the group. Each month features a guest speaker, and this time we will hear from Mark Bower, an EMT with the ski patrol, and formerly with both the fire department and the hospital. He will cover the difference between an emergency that requires 911 and one that can be cared for at home. We hope to see you there.

Red Hatters bus

to Riverton

All Red Hatters are invited to take a day trip to Riverton by bus on July 27. Meet at Beverly Plaza at 8 a.m. Please call Ardith Holmes, 265-2195; Ellen Jevne, 259-2535, or Naoda Adams, 234-0591, to make your reservation and for more information.

Relay for Life

July 28-29

Its not too late to join a Relay for Life team and become part of the annual walk to fight cancer on Friday and Saturday, July 28-29, at Natrona County High School track in Casper.

The CEPI Team, which has walked at Relay since the earliest walk in 1989, is looking for more new members and would welcome people of any age to join the group. The team walks together during opening ceremonies Friday about 6 p.m., and then has a team member on the track throughout the night until closing ceremonies the following morning.

Contact team captain Clark Jones by calling 234-8625 to become a part of this major fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society. Walkers solicit support from family, friends and co-workers to help raise funds to fight cancer.

Call Clark at 234-8625 for more information about the Relay and how to become a team member.

Back to School

Bash Aug. 5

The Back to School Bash, hosted by Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Boys and Girls Club, 1701 E. K St. Join us for a fun morning and get to know youth organizations in our community. Looking for an after school activity? Maybe homework help and resources? This is the place for you. For questions, please call Andrea Percy at 800-736-5243, ex. 2200, or email andreap@gsmw.org.
Honoring Vietnam veterans

Join 90 Vietnam veterans from 1 to 3 p.m. July 15, at a free public book signing and recognition event on the upper concourse at the Casper/Natrona County International Airport. The room is handicapped-accessible. and valet parking is available. Refreshments will be provided.

The veterans to be honored are featured in the hardcover book, They Served with Honor: Vietnam, a collection of 104 Wyoming Vietnam veterans profiles. The book will be available for purchase at the event or you may bring your own to be signed.

The event  and the book  are a partnership of Star-Tribune Communications and the Wyoming Veterans Commission.

Larson celebrates 90th birthday

Join the family of Mary Larson to wish her a happy 90th birthday at an open house from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. July 15, at the Eagles Hall, 306 N. Durbin. Cake and punch will be served. Mary is a longtime Casper resident currently residing at Life Care. All who know her are welcome.

Temporary river art starts with tours

Platte River Trails and Art 321 are collaborating to encourage local individuals, groups and businesses to construct temporary art installations along the river and rail trails from the Tate Pumphouse, past ART 321 and ending at the Nicolaysen Art Museum. To help people refine ideas and select possible locations for their projects, a river trail tour will be at 8 a.m. on Tuesday starting at the Tate Pumphouse and a rails trail will be at 8 a.m. Wednesday starting at Art 321. People are encouraged to use natural materials in creating these temporary installations, which will be on display during August and September. Full information will be available soon online from both Platte River Trails and Art 321.

Downtown ghost

tour set

Casper Theater Company will host the Casper Ghost Tour on July 21-22 and 28-29 at 7:30 p.m. The tour is about an hour-plus; please bring a camera and wear comfortable shoes for the six-block walk. Please call 267-7243 or email for a reservation, for starting point and tickets or for more information. Visit caspertheatercompany.net or email at caspertheatercompany@gmail.com. Your reservation must be in by 2 p.m. the day of the tour.

Adult Coloring Club

Stop by the Natrona County Library between 2 and 5 p.m. July 14 for Adult Coloring Club. Coloring books and pages will be available. Colored pencils, crayons, and markers also will be provided. Call 577.READ x2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Cinema Club/Art 321 collaborate

Art 321 is partnering with the Cinema Club at Adbay while Ron Campbell, noted cartoonist, is in Casper displaying his artwork and demonstrating cartooning techniques at Art 321 on July 11 and 12. At its regular Monday night screening, on July 10, the Beatles Yellow Submarine feature-length film will be shown. The movie starts at 7:30 p.m. and may be repeated on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings if they cannot seat everyone in one showing. Campbell is planning to arrive in Casper on July 10 in time to come by Adbay, meet local fans and answer a few questions before the film.

Call for space and eclipse art

As part of its extended Summer of the Eclipse celebration, Art 321 invites all artists to submit up to three works of art inspired by outer space, the sky or the eclipse, in an open call for Space and Eclipse Art. Deadline for submission is July 27. Pieces should be brought to Art 321 ready to hang or display in the August show.

Art 321 partner in Photo Fest

Art 321 is pleased to again partner with Wyoming Camera Outfitters as they launch the eighth annual Wyoming Photo Fest. As in the past, the top 100 submissions will be printed and this years Night Photography category winner will be awarded a gallery show at Art 321 in 2018. The 2016 winner in the Landscapes category, Shaun Peterson, will have his gallery show at Art 321 in September. The deadline for entries is Aug. 9, and all rules are available at Wyomingcameraoutfitters.com or at art321.org or at either location.

Old pharmacy equipment on display

Wyoming Medical Center pharmacist Patti Nelson has her own private collection of antique pharmacy equipment. She has also collected large (empty) bottles of raw drug material that was used to create drugs that are now commercially available. The days of compounding medications are nearing their end. But the people of Casper have seen a rich history of private independent pharmacies over the years. Though their stories are gone, a brief glimpse into the past is on display at the Casper Senior Center from now through July 31.

Senior Stompers meet Mondays

Join Joyces Senior Stompers at 10:50 a.m. Mondays and exercise your mind and body. Its free for seniors 60-plus. Call Joyce for more information: 237-4908.

July events at Mountain Plaza

Mountain Plaza Assisted Living, 4154 Talon Dr., invites interested public to the following events in July:

July 13, 2 p.m., Almeda Bradshaw, western Americana roots and gospel music, www.almedam2bmusic.com.

House concerts set

Sunday, July 23: 3 p.m., Cory McDaniel Duo/Mitguards, Linda & Bruce English, 3761 Carmel Dr.; Saturday, August 26: Tom Catmull, Sue & Gary Berchenbriter, 925 S. Lincoln; Saturday, September 16: Papa Juke, Wendy & Rick Shumway, 4634 Glen Dr.

All concerts start with a potluck at 5:30 followed by the concert at 6:30 unless another time is listed. Bring chair/blanket and potluck dish to share. Suggested donation $10-$15 per person. All money goes to the band. Feel free to invite your friends. No pets please.

Barefoot modern dance for OLLI

A class designed to bring out participants creative nature while exploring the fun side of modern dancing is being offered through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Casper College.

Free Your Feet, Free Your Mind (OLLI 2011) will take place July 13, 20 and 27 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Taught by Lucia Hill, the class will feature the history of modern dance, warm-up stretches and creative dance moves.

For more information or to register, contact lifelong learning specialists Vicki Pollock at 268-2097 or vpollock@caspercollege.edu or Jeaneece Schmidt at 268-2099 or jeaneece.schmidt@caspercollege.edu.

Floral cocktail workshop

Stir up some fun at a Floral Cocktail Workshop from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on July 14 at Keefes Flowers, 1745 CY Ave. Cost is $40 and space is limited.

A sweet mix of roses, carnations and more will get the party started. This oversized margarita glass will come in handy for celebrations to come.

Learn the basics of using floral foam.

Call 237-2577 to reserve a spot.

Casper theater offers two walking tours

Join Casper Theater Company for its two tours this summer. Call 267-7243 for reservations before 2 p.m. the day of the tour and you will be told where to meet. Bring a camera and wear comfortable walking shoes. Cost is $25 per person.

July 21-22, 28-29: Hauntings tour of downtown, 7:30 p.m. Downtown Casper is filled with stories of hauntings. Walk with the tour guide, about five blocks total, on Friday and Saturday nights to learn about sightings, creepy sounds and things moving on their own.

Aug. 11-12, 18-19, 25-26: Sand Bar Murder Tour, 8 p.m. Experience life on the Sand Bar in the roaring 20s. Meet real citizens of Caspers past, ask question and decide who killed poor old Shorty and why.

VAVOOM Aug. 18

VAVOOM, Vendors Avenue Venue of Organized Marketing, takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Ramada Plaza, 300 W. F St. No cover charge and no one under 21. All who attend will be registered for a grand prize. Each vendor offers a door prize for anyone buying, booking or seeking more information about the business opportunity. DJ provided by Machelle Holloway. Vendors are welcome while space lasts. Please contact Ann McDaniel at 258-2533 (please leave a message), or email anzfunkytown@bresnan.net.

Sand Bar walking tour in August

Casper Theater Company will host the Sand Bar Murder Mystery walking tour on Aug. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26, at 8 p.m. The tour will find you back in history in the 1920s, wanting to find the killer of Shorty through interviews with people willing to chat, and engage in a conversation with you on the Sand Bar. The tour encompasses six blocks, is easy walking with stops along the way and is about an hour plus. Please call or email for a reservation, 267-7243, caspertheatercompany@gmail.com, to find out the starting point and for ticket purchase. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring your camera.
WORLAND  For the past couple of weeks, people have been seen doing something strange on the edge of the Big Horn River in Worlands Riverside Rotary Park.

Those people are a crew of graduate and post doctorate students from the University of Florida, University of Minnesota, Duke University and the Florida Museum of Natural History, andwhat they are doing is washing dirt taken from an area east of Worland in search of small animal fossils.

The crew is led by Johnathan Bloch, a researcher at the Florida Museum of Natural History, who has been coming to Worland for over 20 years in search of fossils.

Crew members Natasha Vitek and Paul Morse explained that the dirt that they are washing comes from the badlands about 10 miles east of Worland, about half way between Worland and Ten Sleep on Bureau of Land Management lands. The dirt is about 56 million years old and contains small animal fossils that are important in learning what was going on at that time.

The environment was going crazy back then. All kinds of things were happening, Vitek said. The climate was changing, the plants were changing and so we are trying to figure out what the animals were doing in all of this chaos.

The badlands in the Big Horn Basin preserves one of the best records in the world of land animals, according to Vitek. Thats what the researchers are searching for, and Vitek said they are finding the little stuff is particularly interesting.

The big medium-sized mammals that would have been (3 feet) in life, you can see their bits and pieces on the ground as you are walking around, she said. But the little things, the little things that would fit in your hand, mouse-size, shrew-size, even small cat-size, if youre just walking around the badlands youre not going to see a little tooth, its just too tiny.

The only way to really find those animals and really document all of the animals is to find a site that looks promising, put your shovel into the dirt, bag it up and wash it through screens. Once you get rid of the bentonite and clays and stuff what you have left are fossils, Vitek said.

Based on what researchers know about small animals today, they tend to be more responsive to changes in temperature or seasonality, added Morse. And the team is also interested in documenting what was happening at that time.

Some people are under the assumption that the crew is searching for fossils at the rivers edge, but Morse said that is a common misconception.

The river is carrying sediment from the entire course of the river, Morse said. There could possibly be bones in it but if we were to find them we would have no idea where or when it was from. When we are out there in the badlands we can use those nice colorful soil horizons and get a very accurate estimation of when were sampling from. Thats important to us; to try to be as accurate as possible about the timing of these different fossils.

The crew had been camping at the dig site for about two weeks using only man power and handheld tools to collect the dirt. Morse stated that about half the crew moved on to Bridger Basin while the remaining crew finishes up passing the remaining collected dirt through the screens and will join the team when they are done.

It takes a big crew as it turns out, he said. You need people out there all the time putting shovels in the ground and you need people here all the time passing that dirt through the screens. Its a big operation.

Many of the fossils are quite small but once in while the crew discovers a larger small fossil such as the tiny jaw bone they found in June, is an invaluable discovery.

It sounds very small but whats incredibly impressive for us would be say a whole half of a lower jaw of an animal and all eight teeth or something like that. We get a lot of information out of something like that and because all these fossils are usually coming out of ancient river deposits and stuff if you think about the animals, like if you are ever walking out in the badlands and you see just like a dead rabbit you dont normally see like the whole rabbit skeleton laying out. You will see like a little rabbit toe, a little chunk of the skull and it just breaks up more and more the further its out. Those are the kinds of remains that we are getting out of these fossil deposits, little bits of and pieces of things. So to have one piece all together like that, thats the kind of stuff that we are getting out of the screen wash and its really incredible for us, Vitek said.

Vitek explained that the crew takes the fossils that they find back to the Florida Museum of Natural History where the fossils are given a second wash using even finer screens and given to herself, Morse and Bloch in small vials to be identified and cataloged. We sit at microscopes and go through the fossils tooth by tooth and bone by bone, she said.

The whole process could take almost a year.

Usually we will finish this up right around next June and then we will come back out here and do it again, Morse said.

Last year, the team moved about 7,000 pound of dirt, and Morse believes they exceed that amount this year. Out of all that dirt, Morse said they typically find about 2,500 fossils.

Its tremendously useful information, he explained. Many of these animals that we are finding are discussed in the display at the Washakie Museum here in town. They have interviews with a couple of other great paleontologists out here like Kenneth Rose and Scott Wing.
Two of the largest marinas in central Wyoming have new ownership and management and have big changes in store for boaters, fishermen and those interested in the good life, even if only for a day or a weekend.

The marina at Alcova is rebranding itself as Alcova Resort. Casper surgeon Razi Saydjari took sole ownership of the 5-acre property in July 2016, and general manager Patrick Munsell has overseen day-to-day operations there since May 2016.

With Razi buying out the other partners last July, that gave me the winter to find people who are strong, and we have done that, Munsell said. We have an older team, a seasoned team.

In Platte County, Casperites Rick and Dawn Bodily, along with business partners Gooch and Tammy Klassen of Lafayette, Colorado, purchased the Glendo marina in March and have rebranded everything there as Roochs Marina, a combination of the mens first names.

Alcova

With the closure of the Wonder Bar in Casper in January, Munsell brought the trio of chef Corey Boettcher, front of house manager Jimmy Beck and wait staff manager Kelsey Yeaman from the Wonder Bar to the lake.

One huge change for Alcova is that it is now in the boat-selling business. It offers live demonstrations on boats that are for sale, and boat rental fees go toward the down payment of a boat purchase.

Alcovas theme is now Family. Friends. Fun, and Munsell said, if were going to sell beer, why not sell Kool-Aid too? There is a game area set up for kids just off the bar, so they have something to do while their parents enjoy a beverage within sight.

The old, crumbling deck structure off the restaurant has been replaced with grass and picnic tables and stand-up bistro tables made from the salvageable, repurposed decking.

The restaurant features separate menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner and will bring back the popular Mexican food nights about once a month, Yeaman said. On a recent visit for lunch, diners ordered the green chili burger and Cuban sandwich, both with French fries. Both sandwiches were rated above average and very plentiful. The bill for two lunches with non-alcoholic beverages was $27.

Sandwiched between the Casper Boat Club and the Casper Water Ski Club on a thin strip of reservoir shoreline, the marina/resort is the only public facility of the three.

In addition to the marina building itself, which houses the restaurant, bar and convenience store, the property also includes cabin and RV rentals, as well as 29 RV spots and 190 boat docks, all of which are full.

We havent seen them full in years, Munsell said.

Munsell must work with three levels of oversight  the Bureau of Reclamation, Natrona County and the Natrona County Parks Department.

We are the only one in the state that has all three, Munsell said.

Summer events planned for the resort at Alcova are a paddleboard festival and a retooled Jimmy Buffet Days celebration, both this month.

A film crew from New Zealand will be at the resort in August, filming Wyomings adventure race for Japanese television.

We get people from all over the world out here, Munsell said. Its been unbelievable who comes out here.

Asked how he liked working at the marina instead of the Wonder Bar, Beck pointed to the wall of windows facing the reservoir and said, I didnt have this looking out of the Wonder Bar.

Glendo

Inside Glendo State Park at the beginning of a holiday weekend, Dawn Bodily wondered how she was running a marina after a lifetime in the construction business.

Pointing to her husband, she said, He tells me this is retirement. I think he hates me.

Bodilys own the successful Ramshorn Construction Company in Casper, which their son is now managing. They have permanently moved to Glendo, along with their partners, to learn as they go in the marina business.

He has wanted to own a marina forever, and last fall it happened very quickly, Dawn said.

The couple spent 41 straight 18-hour days cleaning and preparing the marina for its late April opening. A formal grand opening and party will be coupled with the annual Glendo EMT Auction from 6 to 10 p.m. July 29.

With a population of 205, Glendo does not have a huge work force from which to draw, so Dawn has relied on connections in Glenrock, Douglas and Casper, as well as Glendo, to find her primarily teenaged work force.

The hardest obstacles are definitely the employee part of it, she said. But weve had friends of friends with full-time jobs come down just to lend a hand on the weekends.

In the cafe, chef Diane Collins offers a down-home menu that changes nearly every day, with three or four items on the menu at a time. For breakfast recently, visitors chose a frittata with bacon, shredded hash browns, mushrooms and cheese, and a breakfast burrito with spicy green chili, eggs, hash browns, sausage and bacon. Both were rated as delicious and the two meals, with unending coffee refills, were $21.

The marina and convenience store are open seven days a week, but the cafe is closed Tuesday and Wednesday as the owners figure out staffing flow and demand.

On a recent morning, the convenience store sold an air pump that Bodily said had probably been on the shelves for 15 years, seven bags of charcoal and every package of hot dogs in the convenience store.

Even when the cafe is closed, Bodily has a supply of hot dogs on a roller and other quick foods in the convenience store.

While all of the duties overlap as needed, Bodily said the four have found niches. Gooch and Tammy come from the corporate field, so Tammy has taken on the computer work, Gooch spends his time in the shop and boat area, Rick is a floater and loves the cafe, and Dawn has been hiring, merchandising the convenience store and working as cashier.

The new owners have immersed themselves in the town, and Dawn has been attending meetings in preparation for the solar eclipse in August.

Bodily admits to being nervous about how many people it may bring.

Glendo is the closest town on the path of totality to Denver, and shes heard some startling figures from folks in town.

I cant have 300 people in my store at one time, she said of the tiny area. So we are worried.

One welcome visitor recently was Gov. Matt Mead, who purchased two brown and gold Wyoming coolers while he was there.

He was very gracious and congratulated us on all of the changes, Dawn said.

And as for Rick and his retirement plan?

Much like Beck at Alcova, he said to his wife, Look out your window, honey. My God, we love it.
Fire managers say good weather has helped them make progress fighting a wildfire in southern Wyoming burning in beetle-killed trees.

The Keystone Fire has burned 3 square miles in the Medicine Bow National Forest near the Rob Roy Reservoir, which supplies water to Cheyenne.

Operations Section Chief Brian Achziger said Sunday that firefighters have been cutting large down large amounts of trees without any injuries. He said they'll be able to build containment lines more quickly as they get more logging skidders and dozers.

The fire has evacuated the communities of Keystone, Rambler, Lake Creek and Moores Gulch and closed nearby camping areas in the forest.
JERUSALEM  Israels Chief Rabbinate has compiled a list of overseas rabbis whose authority they refused to recognize when it comes to certifying the Jewishness of someone who wants to get married in Israel.

The list, obtained by The Associated Press, includes a number of prominent Orthodox rabbis in North America. Among them are a New York social activist who has advocated for greater rights for women, a Canadian rabbi who is friendly with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a colleague of the rabbi who converted Ivanka Trump.

The rabbinate, which oversees religious rituals for Israeli Jews, such as weddings, births and burials, would not say why it had rejected the overseas rabbis credentials or provide the criteria for securing their recognition. But it insisted its decision would not prevent them from re-applying in the future.

The list, which includes 160 rabbis from 24 countries, threatened to deepen a rift between overseas Jewish communities and Israeli religious authorities.

One of Israels chief rabbis, David Lau, reacted angrily to the publication of the list, saying it had been compiled by a low-ranking bureaucrat without his knowledge.

How can it happen that a list is publicized without notifying the rabbi, not about the list or about its publication? a top aide to Lau wrote in a letter to the rabbinates director general.

He said it cannot be that a clerk decides which rabbis are authorized. He also said the list would cause severe ramifications and harm to certain rabbis, and mainly to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

The letter said Lau would deal with the issue with utmost severity and expected an explanation this week.

Tensions have already been mounting between the worlds two largest Jewish communities since the Israeli government last month froze plans to create an expanded egalitarian prayer section at Jerusalems Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray.

The rollback of a deal reached last year to open up the holy site to liberal streams of Judaism was seen as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus capitulation to pressure by his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners.
Your kids gateway to imagination at the Joel D. Valdez main library is about to get a serious upgrade.

A $57,800 grant for the librarys childrens room will provide an early literacy space, imagination station, tween hangout zone and greater access to technology.

The library, 101 N. Stone Ave. downtown, received the grant through Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. Its federal money coming from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

An in-kind donation from Pima County will fund some additional sprucing up with paint, installation of new flooring and other cosmetic details, says Caitlin Burns, a librarian and the childrens services manager at the main library.

Since the main library opened at its current location in 1990, the childrens area has never received any sort of substantial upgrade, says Holly Schaffer, the community relations manager for the Pima County Public Library System.

We are creating a space that inspires creativity and makes them lifelong library learners, Shaffer says. We can show a child what is possible at the library.

When you enter the childrens area on the left side of the librarys main floor, a tunnel ferries you into a sunny room with minifurniture, bookshelves topped with giant stuffed animals and a rainbow of books wedged together. The childrens collection at the main library boasts 25,169 books.

The plan for the renovation is still in the works, but Burns has some ideas about how she would like to see the space transformed. Library staff estimates the childrens room is about 9,000 square feet.

The childrens nonfiction section on the left will likely move across the room, leaving an open space that will become an early literacy center with age-appropriate materials and a fun space with imagination-sparking play sets and tactile toys.

The tween-friendly part of the upgrade will create a hangout spot for kids not yet old enough for the main librarys teen 101Space. Mostly, Burns hopes to bring in some bigger-kid furniture that will create an area for tweens to lounge and attend library activities geared toward them.

Both the early literacy and tween zones will get technology boosts from the grant. In addition to the computers the library already has in the childrens area, the grant allows it to purchase additional tablets and AWE Learning stations  computers with interactive software promoting literacy, especially for young kids.

And then theres the touch table that will be donated by Cox Communications. Think table-sized tablet.

Its a way for kids to learn and play and problem-solve together, Burns says.

The library has until August 2018 to use the grant money, so changes will begin soon. The plan is to do as much as possible without ever needing to close the area for renovation.

Libraries are the great equalizer and they can provide access to equal resources for families Burns says.

All they have to do is get down here.
An arrest has been made in connection with a multi-vehicle collision in midtown that ended with one man dead and one woman critically injured Saturday.

Officers and Tucson Fire Department responded to a report of a collision with serious injuries just after 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of East Pima Street and North Craycroft Road, according to a news release from Tucson Police.

Upon arrival, they found four vehicles involved: A 2015 Ford Fusion, a gold 2006 Hyundai, a 2011 Jeep Wrangler and a 1998 Honda Civic.

The male driver of the Hyundai and the female driver of the Honda Civic were transported to Banner University Medical Center.

The Hyundai driver succumbed to his injuries. He has been identified as 43-year-old Jonathan Breault.

The Honda Civic driver is listed in critical condition.

The driver of the Jeep Wrangler was not injured and the driver of the Ford Fusion, 26-year-old Nicholas Calhoun, who detectives believe caused the collision, sustained only minor injuries.

Detectives determined Calhoun had been traveling eastbound on Pima Street in the curb lane when he ran the red light at the Craycroft Road intersection, striking the 2006 Hyundai which was heading northbound.

The impact pushed the Hyundai into the Jeep Wrangler ahead of it, also heading northbound.

Calhouns Ford Fusion continued on and struck the Honda Civic, which was facing westbound in the median lane, stopped at the red light.

Calhoun left the scene on foot before officers arrived, according to the news release, and was detained inside a business at 5502 E. Pima St.

He was taken into custody on suspicion of second degree murder, aggravated assault with serious physical injury, endangerment, possession of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Detectives discovered that Calhoun had earlier flagged down an officer from his car at the intersection of North Alvernon Way and East Grant Road, to report that someone was following him.

The officer requested that Calhoun pull over, but Calhoun instead made a U-turn and headed south on Alvernon, exceeding the speed limit and driving in opposing lanes, according to the news release.

The collision occurred shortly after.

Detectives have determined that speed and impairments were factors in the collision. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be added at a later date, the release said.
Cindy Valdez had just moved to Tucson when the 42-day Sun Tran bus strike started in the summer of 2015.

Like many riders, she had depended on the bus to get to her job and had to turn to cabs and other means during the shutdown. She said the experience left a bad taste in her mouth, and she only recently started using the bus regularly again.

I know I cant afford taking cabs anymore, she said.

Monthly ridership data analyzed by the Road Runner show that Valdez was far from alone in abandoning buses in the wake of the strike. From an average monthly ridership of 1.63 million for the first five months of 2015, average ridership for the same period in 2017 has fallen over 17 percent to 1.34 million.

Because fares went up at the start of the year, revenues actually increased over the five-month period last year and average per-passenger revenues are at their highest over the nearly three-year period.

The distrust cited by Valdez is widespread among Sun Tran customers, according to the Tucson Bus Riders Unions Brian Flagg.

He said the way the system is funded  largely with city general fund dollars  makes it difficult to adequately support the bus system and avoid labor conflicts. Thats why he and others have advocated for a so-called metropolitan public transit authority, which would have the ability to levy property taxes to fund the local transit system.

City officials have raised concerns about that alternative model, saying it would require significant legislative changes to be viable and would compete for scarce tax dollars with other local jurisdictions.

But the strike is only a part of the picture. Another key trend over the last two years has been consistently low gas prices, which research shows impact transit usage.

In the months leading up to the strike, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the region of which Arizona is a part was around $3.09, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Since the strike through June, that average was $2.66, though prices have been inching up in recent months.

One of the things we dont have any control over is the cost of gas, said Margot Garcia, chair of the citys Transit Task Force. If the cost of gasoline goes down, people tend to drive cars again.

If were losing ridership to vehicles, were not going to get that back in a period of low gas prices, the Pima Association of Governments Jim DeGrood said.

Art Guzzetti, vice president for policy with the American Public Transportation Association, said Tucson is not alone in seeing flat or declining ridership, which has been a national trend in recent years, and agreed that gas prices are a key factor. Nationwide, public transit usage reached a modern peak in 2014, he said.

Transit systems are also having to compete with rising expectations of quick, push-of-a-button service, as provided by Lyft and other app-mediated transportation services.

Its an on-demand world, and theres a trend for providing more frequent service, he said, adding that voters across the country have recently backed billions of dollars in additional transit funding.

Pat Richter, Sun Trans marketing director, acknowledged the 2015 strike had an impact, but said that  when stacked up against similar cities  Sun Trans ridership figures compare pretty favorably.

Beyond gas prices, Richter said modest economic gains in recent years have brought car ownership within reach of more people.

Richter also touted recent improvements in the Sun Tran system that could counter the downward trend over the long term. Those include adding to the systems frequent transit network, which features buses that arrive every 15 minutes in major corridors, and a number of new bus stop shelters put in by the city and county.

But if theres another strike after the newly approved contract expires in three years, passengers who have been won back, like Vasquez, may look for alternatives again.

Im already starting to consider it, she said of the possibility of trying to buy a car.
KIEV, Ukraine  U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Russia on Sunday that it must take the first steps to reduce tensions in eastern Ukraine and that American and European sanctions would remain in place until Moscow reversed course in the region.

In surprisingly blunt language just two days after presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Germany, Tillerson said Russia should use its influence with separatists in Ukraines east to fully restore an oft-violated truce, end harassment and attacks on international monitors and pull back heavy weaponry to lines agreed upon under a two-year-old accord known as the Minsk Agreement. He said a primary goal of the United States is to restore Ukraines territorial integrity and sovereignty and that would be required in order for the U.S. and Russia to improve our relationship.

It is necessary for Russia to take the first steps to de-escalate the situation in the eastern part of Ukraine, Tillerson told reporters at a joint news conference in Kiev with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. This is necessary for us to make any movement.

We do call on Russia to honor its commitments that were made under the Minsk accords and to exercise influence over the separatists in the region that they have complete control over, he said, adding later: The U.S. and E.U. sanctions on Russia will remain in place until Moscow reverses the actions that triggered these particular sanctions.

Tillersons tough talk clearly pleased Poroshenko, who has long complained about Russian interference in his countrys east and has watched nervously as the Trump administration has sought to improve ties with Moscow. He thanked Tillerson for the continued U.S. commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Poroshenko was especially complimentary of Tillersons decision last week to appoint a special envoy for Ukraine negotiations, former U.S. ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker, who is widely considered to be a hawk on Russia.

Volker will oversee U.S. efforts to press Ukraine and Russia to fully comply with the Minsk Agreement, which lays out a roadmap for reducing the conflict that has claimed some 10,000 lives over the past three years. The accord was reached in early 2015 by the leaders of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia but has yet to be implemented. Under the Obama administration, the U.S. was hands-off, allowing the Europeans to take the lead.

We are disappointed by the lack of progress under the Minsk process and thats why we are appointing a special representative, Tillerson said.
The founder of a popular neo-Nazi website says a "troll storm" he encouraged against a Jewish woman in Montana should be considered protected speech and a lawsuit against him should be dismissed.

Lawyers for Andrew Anglin, the founder and publisher of the Daily Stormer, responded November 30 to a lawsuit filed by realtor Tanya Gersh, saying the dispute between him and Gersh boils down to the First Amendment.

Well-known First Amendment attorney Marc Randazza, who is representing Anglin, told CNN, "The only thing he (Anglin) did was call for people to speak, but people want to draw the line for speech they don't like."

Gersh, with the help of the Southern Poverty Law Center, is suing Anglin for "invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violations of Montana's Anti-Intimidation act." That suit was filed in April in the US District Court for Montana.

She told CNN earlier this year that her family endured weeks of harassment leading to her physical and emotional deterioration because of Anglin's actions.

Gersh says Anglin used his website as a platform to encourage his thousands of readers to contact her through email messages, social media, letters and phone calls. They all centered on two facts: She was Jewish. And Anglin accused her of extortion.

She says there is one man to blame for what happened to her and her family: Andrew Anglin.

Free speech or harassment?

Most of the messages from his readers came in the form of anti-Semitic slurs. There were edited images of her face on the gates of the Nazi Auschwitz death camp. A voicemail with the sound of gunshots. There were letters sent to the home she shared with her husband and young son, who also received messages on social media.

Gersh earlier this year told CNN she was haunted by the images, and feared for her and her family's life so much that they debated fleeing the state because the threats felt so real.

Anglin's lawyers say those messages are considered "generally recognized anti-Semitic tropes," but they intend no true or actual harm, despite how Gersh may have felt about them.

Gersh told CNN earlier this year she believed reducing the Daily Stormer readers to simply "trolls" minimizes the impact they had on her life.

"These are not trolls. They are terrorists," she told CNN. "They are very harmful, they are very malicious and they are dangerous."

That is not how the law sees it, Anglin's lawyers argue in their motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

"Even Nazi expression, no matter the psychic harm on Jewish residents, is nonetheless protected speech," Anglin's lawyers wrote.

Speech that may be abhorrent to some still constitutes free speech, his lawyers maintain.

"Every word uttered by Mr. Anglin in this public dispute is protected by the First Amendment, no matter how many people find those views intolerable," Anglin's lawyers argue.

The argument that Anglin's words and postings are protected as free speech is no surprise. Even Gersh's attorneys spoke to CNN about it as an expected defense. SPLC co-counsel John Morrison called it a flawed defense.

"This is not free speech, this is nothing protected by the First Amendment, this is not the expression of political opinion," he told CNN earlier this year. "The purpose of this is to damage these people, the purpose of this is to cause them fear and emotional harm, and that's illegal."

A small-town dispute

It could have a major impact on the Daily Stormer website, which has since been kicked offline in various countries and confined to the dark web -- a layer of the internet accessible only through anonymizing networks -- since the deadly protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.

On his website, Anglin said losing the case could shut down his website. He used that to encourage people to donate to his defense fund. Anglin said he was able to raise more than $150,000.

While the case could have wide-reaching implications, it started out modestly, after an interaction between two mothers in the small town of Whitefish, Montana.

The troll storm began after a dispute between Gersh and fellow Whitefish resident Sherry Spencer. Spencer is the mother of white nationalist Richard Spencer.

Gersh became a target for hate after contacting tenants of a building owned by Sherry Spencer, warning them about possible protests by a group over her son's views.

When Sherry Spencer called to ask her advice, Gersh says, she advised her to sell the building and donate money to a human rights group as a way to defuse tensions. Gersh says she offered to help Spencer sell the property.

Sherry Spencer eventually accused Gersh in a public blog post of threatening her livelihood.

She wrote that Gersh told her protesters and media would turn up and drive down the building's value if she didn't sell.

A troll storm and major court case

That is where Anglin comes in. He began writing about the case on the Daily Stormer, calling what Gersh did "extortion." He encouraged his troll army to tell Gersh what they thought of her and posted her personal information and ways to reach her on his website. They did so by the hundreds.

But Anglin's attorneys argue that he "specifically disclaims calling for threats or harassment," but rather that he called for "campaign of making our voices heard."

Anglin's attorneys also argue he was doing something Gersh had already done to Sherry Spencer.

"Ms. Gersh was involved with planning a boycott and protest of Mrs. Spencer's business. Thus, Ms. Gersh condones collective action to express a political opinion -- so long as that political opinion is one that she favors," Anglin's attorneys wrote in the case for dismissal.

"In the face of that, there is no reason to foresee Ms. Gersh would not similarly condone others engaged in collective expression," they added.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, on behalf of Gersh, told CNN its attorneys are reviewing the filing and will file a response.

Anglin has long argued that all he is doing with his website is exercising his right to free speech.

Court documents reveal he has still not been served because he couldn't be found. His attorneys said he may not even live in the United States and the case should be thrown out because of that, too.

Ultimately, a judge in Montana will decide whether the case proceeds.

But Randazza, the attorney for Anglin, told CNN that if the case does move forward, it will likely be in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals because it speaks to the very tenets of free speech.
CARSON CITY, Nev.  The pressure is on Republican senators  from congressional leaders, conservative groups and impatient GOP voters  to fulfill a seven-year-old promise to scrap much of Democrat Barack Obamas health-care law. But back home, Republican governors who have experienced some of the upside of the law are warning their GOP senators to first, do no harm.

For these governors, the issue is less about delivering a triumph to President Trump and more about not blowing a hole in state budgets and maintaining health-care coverage for constituents. In the critical next few weeks, some governors are uniquely positioned to press home-state Republican senators who could deny Majority Leader Mitch McConnell the votes he needs to pass a Republican health-care bill.

We are the voice of reality, Nevada GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval told The Associated Press.

Sandoval said he has been in regular contact with Nevada Republican Sen. Dean Heller to discuss the ramifications of the evolving GOP plan.

Heller, who faces a tough re-election next year, has joined Sandoval in opposing the current measure.

For wary Republicans, the main concerns about the GOP plan are rolling back premium subsidies that help people buy private insurance policies and phasing out the expansion of Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for the poor, disabled and many nursing-home patients. In Nevada, more than 220,000 residents have gained coverage through Medicaid expansion, 13,000 of them children.

They set policy, but were the ones who have to develop the budgets, develop the care, develop the plans, work directly with the people, Sandoval said. He said if money is reduced, governors will be left to decide among unpopular choices: Raise a tax or limit coverage or change eligibility requirements for coverage.

Heller is listening.

I cannot support a piece of legislation that takes insurance away from tens of millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Nevadans, he said recently.

Ohios John Kasich has been one of the most outspoken GOP governors in criticizing GOP proposals. That has increased pressure on Ohio GOP Sen. Rob Portman, who announced his opposition to the bill after McConnell abruptly postponed a vote.

My concern all along has been, could low-income Ohioans get access to the health care they need and more specifically, the treatment for the opioid epidemic? he told reporters this past week.

Portman said he has discussed with Kasich various financing options that would ease any changes to Medicaid while not gutting drug-treatment programs.

One McConnell proposal would be to provide an additional $45 billion over a decade for states drug-abuse programs.

In Arizona, GOP Gov. Doug Ducey has called Obamas law a disaster and stopped short of outright opposition to McConnells version. But he has urged Republican Sens. Jeff Flake and John McCain to shield states from extensive Medicaid cuts. The program covers 1.9 million Arizonans, nearly 28 percent of all residents. The expansion alone covers 400,000.

Both senators have yet to indicate how theyd vote on a GOP bill.

Alaskas Bill Walker, an independent who identifies as a conservative, has had regular contacts with the states two Republican senators  Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan  over what the Republican health-care overhaul will mean for his state. Alaska has some of the highest health-care costs and greatest medical needs in the country.

Traditional Medicaid covers about a quarter of Alaskas 740,000 residents, while the expansion benefits 34,000 more.

Murkowski has said she doesnt have enough information to vote for the GOP plan. She has opposed the elimination of federal money for Planned Parenthood, a provision of the bill.

McConnell has little wiggle room. With 52 Republican senators, just three defections leave him short of a majority. Democrats are unified in opposition.

The Republican leader has said he plans to introduce yet another version of the bill after Congress returns on Monday.
WASHINGTON  President Trump said Sunday that it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia after his lengthy meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Germany. But he is still avoiding the question of whether he accepts Putins denial that Russia was responsible for meddling in the 2016 election.

Speaking in a series of tweets the morning after returning from a world leaders summit in Germany, Trump said he strongly pressed Putin twice over Russian meddling during their meeting Friday.

Trump said that Putin vehemently denied the conclusions of American intelligence agencies that Russian hackers and propagandists tried to sway the election in Trumps favor. But Trump would not say whether he believed Putin, tweeting only that hes already given my opinion.

Trump has said he thinks Russia probably hacked the emails of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton staffers, but that other people and/or countries were likely involved as well. He said ahead of the meeting that, Nobody knows for sure.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov first told reporters in Germany on Friday that Trump had accepted Putins assurances that Russia hadnt meddled  an assertion Putin repeated Saturday after the Group of 20 summit. Putin said he left the meeting thinking that Trump had believed his in-person denials.

He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers, Putin said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did not answer directly when asked Sunday if Trump had accepted Putins denial, but told reporters in Ukraine that Trumps conversation with Putin on election interference went about the way we expected. Tillerson was the only other American official in the room.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also declined to say whether Trump accepted Putins denial. Why would President Trump broadcast exactly what he said in the meeting? Strategically that makes no sense, Mnuchin said. Hes made it very clear how he feels. Hes made it very clear that he addressed it straight on.

But White House chief of staff Reince Priebus took issue with Putins characterization.

The president absolutely didnt believe the denial of President Putin, Priebus said. He said Trump had spent a large part of the meeting on the subject, but wanted to move onto other subjects.

He and other administration officials said Trump did not want Russian interference in last years election to prevent him from working with Putins government on other issues, including the civil war in Syria.

You know, the past, I dont know if we will ever come to an agreement, obviously with our Russian counterparts on that. I think the important thing is how do we assure that this doesnt happen again, Tillerson said.
PHOENIX  Three Republican congressmen have signed a letter asking the Trump administration to eliminate four Arizona national monuments.

The letter signed by Rep. Trent Franks, Rep. Andy Biggs and Rep. Paul Gosar targets the Grand Canyon-Parashant, Ironwood Forest, Sonoran Desert and Vermilion Cliffs national monuments, the Arizona Republic reports. It was sent to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke June 30.

Former President Bill Clinton created the four national monuments under the 1906 Antiquities Act. The letter states that the act later became a "tyrannical tool that presidents have manipulated to exercise unfettered land grabs to the detriment of state and local interests."

It also claims that the monuments have disrupted collaborative fish and wildlife management, prevented multiple-use on State Trust lands and puts national security at risk.
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

Three films that talked about the implication of youths in false terror cases were screened under the banner of Framing Innocents in Kolkata on Sunday.

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The films screened were Farooq Versus the State directed by KP Jayasankar and Anjali Monteiro, The Suspect directed by Nitin Neera Chandra and Fabricated directed by KP Sasi. The Suspect, a short feature film in which TwoCircles.net also holds a position as one of the producers, was screened as the premiere.

Screening has held at Jogesh Mime Academy situated in Kalighat by Peoples Film Collective. Around 300 people attended the screening; attendees included people from Maithili community as film The Suspect was shot in Maithili and Hindi languages.

Farooq versus the State deals with the controversial case of Farooq Mhapkar, one of the key persons who were wrongly accused in the Hari Masjid case, one of the most serious episodes of the Mumbai riots of 1992-93. Hari Masjid, Wadala, Mumbai, was the scene of a brutal police attack on January 10, 1993. Though Farooq Mhapkar was one of the casualties of indiscriminate police firing, he was charged as a rioter. Farooq versus The State is the story of Farooqs protracted legal battle against an unyielding State in pursuit of justice. Through this case, the film seeks to explore how justice was delayed and denied to the victims and survivors of the 1992-93 communal violence.

Film Fabricated is a story of the post-Independence India. Every year when this country celebrates freedom, there are thousands of innocent prisoners in Indian jails, waiting for justice without even a trial. Abdul Nasar Maudani is one such victim. As a Muslim spiritual leader, he reacted strongly against the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992. His house was attacked and he spent nine and a half years in jail. All the charges against him were proven false and even the judgement makes it clear that the case was fabricated. He was released without any compensation. No trial on those who were responsible for such fabrication was conducted. But soon, Maudani was framed for another series of charges and he is still waiting for justice in Bangalore Parappana Agrahara jail.

Dwaipayan Banerjee of Peoples Film Collective told TwoCircles.net that why they chose to screen films which were talking about such terror cases.

He said, In May, Gulzar Ahmad Wani was released after spending over a decade in jail. He too was implicated in terror cases falsely. There are much more such cases, through which we were going at the time.

At the same time, we came across M Reyaz who told us about the films which were being made on the same topics. Thats where we got the idea of screening such films, said Banerjee.

The film screening was followed by a talk between the film director of The Suspect, Nitin Neera Chandra and the audience present in the auditorium. The audience raised questions to director Chandra on how and from where he got the inspiration for making this film.

In his reply, Chandra mentioned various cases he read as news stories. During his research for the film, Chandra came across TwoCircles.net after which he collaborated with the website to make The Suspect.

One audience member asked Chandra why he was passing a judgement on the abducted youth, as to whether they were innocent or not, Chandra said, I did not decide on my own. I only talk about those cases where people have been acquitted by Supreme Court, High Courts and lower courts of the country.

After director Chandra, academic and journalist M Reyaz faced the audience with the idea of the real and reel world differences in such cases. Reyaz counted many such cases where young Muslim men spent a considerable amount of their lives in Jails after Police and security agencies implicated them falsely.

Talking about the major causes behind such cases, Reyaz counted Islamophobia as the prime one.

Some audience members tried to corner M Reyaz by asking questions of Yakub Memon, to which Reyaz replied that no Muslim organisation came forward to defend Memon, thus Muslims cannot be questioned on this basis. Moreover, Indias Counsel in International Court of Justice Harish Salve did represent Yakub and his brother Yusuf Memon once, who later on became one of the counsels sent to save Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The Suspect marked its second premiere screening in India. Prior to its Kolkata screening, The Suspect was screened in Mumbai, and in Boston, US.

The Suspect is the story of a 26-year-old Abdul Rahim Ansari, who arrives in Mumbai from Darbhanga (Bihar) to work as Production Assistant trainee in one of the film Units of Mumbai. Sanjay, one the village natives has done well for himself in film line, he has got this job for Abdul. As part of the job, Mumbai has to hunt down location. As the luck would have, Mumbai is under terrorist attack on very first day Abdul started his job and out of the blue, every news channel is flashing Abdul as the main culprit.

(Images courtesy: Peoples Film Collective)
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

An Indian overseas employee, Mukesh Kumar working at Al-Lewaa Security Service of Farwaniya in Kuwait was suspended from his job with immediate effect for his allegedly provocative post on Facebook. The company confirmed his suspension over mail.

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Kumar wrote on his timeline that Indian Hindus should boycott the essential commodities like cosmetics, clothes, garage from the local Muslim shops and urged Hindus to campaign for this boycott as Muslims work predominantly in these profession in every colony. He requested the Bengali Hindus that West Bengal government is not their government; it is the government of the Muslim clerics. He added that once our government came to power, they could do they another riot like Godhra but until then boycott was the way to go.

The post was circulated heavily on social media once it came in notice and Irony of India first shared it followed by the Milli Gazzette. The former has more than thousands shares and the later around seven hundred. It has steered the sentiments of many Muslims and Hindus, both Indian and overseas and many have exhorted their agony in the comments section of Facebook.

Sekh Younus, from Kolkata got confirmation of Kumars suspension by the Security Company. Mukeshs Facebook account is deactivated now when the post was severely criticised from all sections of the society.
Help India!

Lucknow, (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday detained the mother and sister-in-law of Sandeep Sharma, alleged to be a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative, who was arrested from Jammu earlier in the day.

Police raided his Ankit Nagar locality house in Muzaffarnagar and detained the two. Praveen, the elder brother of Sandeep aka Aadil, said if his brother was a terrorist, he should be sent to the gallows.

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Sandeep is alleged to be a close associate of LeT operative Basheer Lashkari, and is said to have been used by the LeT to rob ATMs and to influence villagers into helping terror groups.

He was allegedly also involved in the killing of SHO Firoz Dar as well, an official said.

It is perhaps for the first time in 28 years that a person from outside Jammu and Kashmir was found involved in terrorist activities in the Valley.

Both the mother and sister-in-law of Sandeep are being interrogated by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (UP ATS) to find more about his connections in the state.

ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said there was no criminal record of Sandeep. He had gone to Kashmir for welding-related work in 2012.
Britain should be proud of its Commonwealth history. Since the UK joined the original Common Market in 1973, this nation's ability to trade with its former colonies has been hindered. Since the European Economic Community evolved into the European Union, this trading bloc has proved incapable of organising trade deals with the world's thriving economies. It took them seven years to agree on a trade deal with Canada, and they have still failed to secure one with Australia. Is it any wonder our closest allies have felt distant from Britain for a considerable period?

'Foreign Office's priority post-Brexit should be to reforge trading links with Commonwealth countries.'

The Foreign Office's priority post-Brexit should be to reforge trading ties with Commonwealth countries. It is evident the International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, shares this belief. He has been promoting British trade with the Prime Minister since he was appointed to his position. And both of them have done a sterling job so far.

But credit also belongs to Her Majesty The Queen for preserving the Commonwealth's existence all these years. By doing so, she has helped secure the foundations for these proposed trade agreements. Brexit could restore the rest of the Commonwealth's confidence in the UK and reforge links that have been damaged since joining the Common Market.

As one Daily Telegraph article said, Britain never needed to join the EEC and the UK would be much wealthier as a result. It was never this nation's declining position in the world that caused our economy to shrink in the 1970s; it was the Keynesian consensus that made Britain poorer. This nation thrived when post-war economic policies were abandoned by Margaret Thatcher during the 1980s. Imagine how much better the UK could do beyond Brexit in a post-Thatcher age.
It is no secret Theresa May has had a tough time recently. She has been forced to arrange a supply-in-confidence agreement with the DUP after a humiliating election result. And she faces calls from both sides of the House of Commons and members of her own Cabinet to retain Britain's Single Market membership.

She did the UK proud and humiliated EU leaders

But at the G20 summit last weekend, she did the UK proud and embarrassed EU politicians during her discussions with global leaders about a post-Brexit trade. Numerous nations have expressed their confidence in Britain's ability to thrive outside the EU, and Mrs May did a credible job in winning over their optimism.

She has proven that the UK does not need the EU to survive, like so many MPs at home believe.

If she can secure trade deals with growing economies like India and China, as well as the United States, she would have managed to secure business with some of the world's most powerful nations. It remains a mystery as to why so many Europhiles want Britain to remain tied to trading with countries whose economies are shrinking, like Greece and Belgium, when there are thriving economies beyond Europe that would generate more wealth for Britain than the EU's Single Market.

Of course, this foreign policy trip should not distract from her domestic difficulties and complications during her EU negotiations so far. But the Prime Minister can travel home feeling proud that she has sold post-Brexit Britain to the rest of the globe.
Jeremy Corbyn speaking about the G20 summit that featured Theresa May and Donald Trump getting together said if he were Prime Minister things would have been different. The British Prime Minister and American President met in front of the cameras for approximately 50 minutes discussing various issues with Trump saying after the UK and US would have a significant trade deal.

Although Theresa May said she encouraged Donald Trump to rejoin the Paris climate control deal, Jeremy Corbyn said she did not discuss the planet's future with him. That future was regarding fossil fuels that Trump promised would power America's economy again and create jobs in the rust belt.

Recently Stephen Hawking attacked Trump saying his policy on allowing fossil fuels to be the primary drivers of American industry would push the planet over the edge.

Corbyn said had he been Prime Minister he would have raised the subject of climate change caused by fossil fuels with the President. Corbyn said he would have engaged with Trump and got him to understand that fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal were dangerous to our planet's weather system.

Trump's dilemma

Hate Trump or love him the man it seems unlike many politicians nowadays has stuck to his word about excluding Muslims from certain countries and he said would walk away from the Paris climate accord, and he has. He wished the Paris climate accord to be re-negotiated, but other nations were having none of it.

Trump often cut a lonely figure at the summit as it appears German Chancellor Angela Merkel snubbed him as did other leaders.

When Trump's plane flew out, Trump seemed to be the first American President to be going it alone when it came to climate change compared to other nations at G20. In his election speeches, Trump promised he would make the coal industry live again thus bringing back jobs and prosperity to the rust belt.

Trump, it seemed had to choose between climate change because of fossil fuels or jobs in the coal industry and he chose jobs for the former miners of this industry. Trump has said he believes in climate change but then contradicts himself by what he says and does like on many things.

Trump said would use clean coal for the industry but how non-polluting clean coal is could be questioned.

Trump and Corbyn: Two peas in a pod

There has been much speculation what our relationship would be like with the US if Corbyn did become Prime Minister. Well, for one thing, we would be friends of the US but we would not get involved in military adventurism like the UK along with the US has done in the past.

Corbyn on meeting Trump would tell him what he thought and would not hold back but Corbyn, as is his manner, would be respectful and polite. Trump for his part would also tell Corbyn what he thought and would be the perfect gentleman but for all their differences, politically Trump and Corbyn are very similar.

Both are outsiders and mavericks as can be seen from their past and present performances not caring what others thought.

The one is a left-wing politician who has stuck to be his beliefs for 30 years and the other a businessman and reality tv star not afraid to speak his mind however controversial.

Both Trump and Corbyn although holding diametrically opposing views are really just two sides of the same coin.
Bainbridge Island, Wash., was the scene of an Active Shooting that resulted in residents being warned to stay inside. The Washington State Ferries suspended service on the Bainbridge Island - Seattle route until further notice. In an update by Komo News, at around 11 PM WSF ferries spokesperson Brian Mannion told KOMO News there were no known injuries to any ferries employees and everyone at Eagle Harbor was accounted for.

The shooting incident at Bainbridge was reported by Komo News around 10 PM Saturday Night.

Initial reports were sketchy and consisted of the Police warning that there was an active shooter "situation at Eagle Harbor."

Bainbridge Eagle Harbor shooting details sketchy

The Seattle Times cited Komo as reporting that the incident involved a shooter at the Washington State Ferries repair yard. In a statement, a police spokesman said that a man was "just firing randomly.

The Bainbridge Review quoted city spokeswoman Kellie Stickney as saying that "there is an individual on a boat in Eagle Harbor who is actively shooting at the shoreline and at law enforcement officers,

Although there has been no official confirmation as yet, people on Twitter have been posting that the incident may have occurred on "a liveaboard sailboat adjacent to WSF Eagle Harbor facility."

Just heard SWAT team is there at a liveaboard sailboat moored away from the marina in Eagle Harbor.  Donna Tegnell (@Donnarific) July 9, 2017

Police warn people to stay inside as active shooting situation continues

The coastguard, police and the fire department responded to the shooting.

Warnings were issued to people in the area to shelter where they were and to avoid the shorefront.

Other unconfirmed reports indicate that the police had snipers and spotters on shore waiting for more shots to be fired. In another tweet, it was mentioned that SWAT had arrived to cover the active shooting situation in Eagle Harbor and that the Bainbridge PD had their guns drawn.

RT joshdcaplan: DEVELOPING: Active shooter at State Ferry repair yard on Bainbridge Island, WA; .BainbridgePD have guns drawn.   HAYDN R. SNAPE (@HAYDNRSNAPE) July 9, 2017

Eagle Harbor police - these are not 'fireworks'

There have been numerous reports of gunshots across the USA but many of them turned out to be fireworks left over from the July 4 celebrations.

In the case of Bainbridge, though, the police said that the gunshots were real and not fireworks so residents were urged to take their warnings seriously and stay away from the scene.

.@BainbridgePD have guns drawn at Eagle Harbor Marina after someone fired gun shots in area. Heard police say "Those are not fireworks." pic.twitter.com/g8214jIcQV  Kristen Drew (@KDrewKOMO) July 9, 2017

Just after 11 PM reports came in that the ferry had resumed service.

Seattle/Bainbridge operations cleared to resume. Next sailing from Seattle is the 11:15 departure.  WA State Ferries (@wsferries) July 9, 2017

Ferry services resumed just after 11 PM

Despite the resumption of ferry services, there still appeared to be an active situation and the warnings to continue to avoid the shoreline were in place.

According to the Facebook page of the City of Bainbridge Island, Washington, "Ferry service has been cleared to resume, but there is still an active situation. Continue to avoid the shoreline and continue to shelter in place if you live along the shoreline."

The situation called for text alerts. Although there were no casualties reported, because of the ongoing status of the active shooting, K5 encouraged their readers to register for emergency notification by texting 98100 to 888777.
It was Friday, July 7, when wildfires erupted across British Columbia, Canada. Though most of the fires were the result of lightning strikes, CBC News has said that some of the blazes were caused by people. After only a couple of days, more than 180 fires have been counted across the province. With no rain in sight, relief from the intensity of the situation is nowhere in sight.

Province in a State of Emergency

The BC Wildfire Service is typically able to contain outbreaks within 24 hours, but this time it has taken three times longer and the fires are not yet under control.

The province is in a state of emergency and on their websites interactive wildfire map, the province is smothered by fire symbols. Their emergency notifications consist solely of evacuation alerts and orders from the past several days. With enough help, it is hoped that the flames will be contained but time will only tell.

Thousands displaced as fires spread

More than 7500 people have been displaced since Friday, according to CBC News and that number is rising. 12, 000 hectares have been lost to the fire disaster that is sweeping the Western coast.

Help on the way

Fortunately, the British Colombian government has jumped in to help, providing $100 million to be used for resources that will help rebuild the lives and land that have been affected by this tragic event.

Over 300 Canadian firefighters are arriving Monday or Tuesday and Saskatchewan is sending three aircraft as well.

A new method may soon be available that will revolutionize how humanitarian organizations help victims of natural disasters: Disaster Maps. This is an initiative that is currently being tested by International Red Cross and UNICEF that helps locate displaced people when tragedy strikes.

Instead of using important resources to look for where people might be located, they instead rely on the use of an app that provide crucial and potentially life-saving information about what is occurring on the ground during a crisis.

International cooperation is key

After the horrors of last years Fort MacMurray fires in Alberta and Saskatchewan, this is a painful reminder that we are at the mercy of our environment.

Working together is crucial in times of dire need. When tragedy struck last summer, firefighters from across the world were sent in; without their help, it is difficult to imagine just how different the situation may have become. There is currently very little in the way of international awareness and support for this ongoing crisis.

The province is now accepting donations as they continue to try and contain the fires. As the Internet can be an incredibly powerful tool, Canadian news channels and citizens have been sharing posts to spread awareness and ask for help in this devastating situation. Without the help of rain, firefighters must face this disaster with brave determination.
A new Study that was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the official scientific journal of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed how Frogs flourished around the world when the Dinosaurs went extinct. The research was done by scientists in China and the United States, who worked together to assemble the biggest set of genetic data on frogs ever analyzed.

Surviving the asteroid and surprising scientists

The study revealed that up to ten different types of frogs are thought to have survived the asteroid strike that caused a massive extinction, which wiped out the dinosaurs and about 75% of life on Earth around 66 million years ago.

Only three of these frog species would go on to spread and diversify the Earth, which today has about 6,700 known frog species. From their set of genetic data, scientists found that 88% of modern-day frogs can trace their ancestry back to one of those three frog species.

Study co-author David Blackburn summed up the study best by saying, "This finding was totally unexpected." Prior to this scientists believed that the vast majority of modern frog species appeared at a constant pace between 66 million and 150 million years ago. Now, this research has completely changed that by showing that frog diversity burst onto the scene in a surge as they rushed into habitats left vacant after the mass extinction.

Compiling the largest frog database

For the largest set of frog genetic data ever assembled the team of Chinese and American researchers took genetic samples from 156 species. This was combined with data that had been previously published on 145 frog species to create the genetic database for the study. The study also examined 95 gene variations in frogs, whereas past studies only looked at 5 to 12.

This gave scientists a much greater look at how individual frog species relate to each other. Fossil records were also used to help determine when different species diverged from each other.

More on the frog explosion

Out of the three surviving frog species, Natatanura and Microhylidae came out of Africa, while Hyloidea spread throughout South America.

This gave researchers evidence of three different outbreaks of new frog species following the extinction of the dinosaurs. Frogs are now on the same path birds took, where only a few species survived the mass extinction, but they went on to become a dominant group.
Earlier in March, the U.S. banned passengers from boarding aboard a U.S. bound flight with a laptop from eight Muslim-majority countries. The Middle-Eastern airlines on whose flights the ban was in effect included Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Turkish Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Kuwait Airways, Saudia, and Royal Air Maroc.

Out of these, four of the airlines were exempted from the laptop ban last week. These included Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad, and Turkish Airlines. This week the United States has cleared two more carriers, including Kuwait Airways and Royal Jordanian, from the ban.

Saudi Arabia's Saudia, Royal Air Moroc of Morocco, and EgyptAir still have the laptop ban in effect for all U.S. bound flights.

Laptop ban lifted

Royal Jordanian operates flights from the Jordanian capital city of Amman to three U.S. cities and was able to lift the laptop band after new security measures were put in place to ensure that all of the electronic devices are checked properly and thoroughly, so that explosive materials of any sort cannot make their way into the flight.

Kuwait Airways ban was lifted after the carrier, which operates flights from Kuwait to New York via Ireland, had their security measures tested personally by United States officials. These officials deemed the measures satisfactory and, hence, lifted the ban placed on carrying laptops aboard their flights.

Other airlines whose flights the ban affects

In June, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that 105 countries in the world would need to install specialized security measures and equipment, along with additional time to screen each passenger before clearing that person aboard a U.S. bound flight. Airlines that were already facing the electronics ban hoped that following the orders of the U.S.

Department of Homeland Security would help in lifting the ban.

As of now, three nations' airways are still under the electronics ban, including Morocco, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Saudia has assured its passengers that they would be able to carry personal electronic devices aboard the flight from July 19. However, it is uncertain how Saudia officials can state this so certainly.

Perhaps the changes are already underway and will be completed prior to the said date.

Royal Air Moroc also feels that it will be able to have the ban lifted by July 19, same as Saudia. After the ban is removed all passengers of U.S. bound flights will be able to carry laptops and other electronics. No word on EgyptAirs status in the ban and when it would be able to finally lift it for all U.S. bound flights.
Russia rolled back their legislation around the so-called "slapping law," legitimizing domestic abuse of women earlier this year. What is it about the male Russian psyche that makes this kind of behavior acceptable in any form? The Russian law that decriminalized domestic violence was signed into law in February 2017, and the Washington Post reported that it took effect on July 1.

Russia condemned by Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch researcher Hillary Margolis wrote that the bill signed into law by Putin was only opposed by three members of Parliament, and none of those expressing opposition were granted permission to openly debate the proposed bill.

Even more shocking are some of the public statements made by parliamentarians about this shameful piece of legislation, such as the comment cited by Margolis from MP Vitaly Milonov who views laws protecting women as lying in bed with your wife, and a lawyer, and some human rights organization.

Such archaic thinking spells disaster for Russia's women and has set back their human rights by 100 years.

Russia's women sparked the 1917 revolution

One of the initial acts of the Russian Revolution in 1917 was the International Women's Day March which seeded the overthrow of the Russian Czar, yet women are still largely excluded from leadership roles and have minuscule representation at the government level.

It is disgraceful that 2017 has reduced the plight of women to the extent that legal avenues for protection from their partners have been virtually shut down.

Abuse grows exponentially. Google almost any article on domestic abuse and the commonality in each piece reveals that abuse starts with a shove or a slap. Under the new Russian laws, abuse has to be much more severe than a slap before a woman can report it to the authorities.

This is despite an annual estimation of 14,000 deaths related to abuse.

How will Russian women work to break the gridlock

As children, the mantra endlessly reiterated by our parents was "boys don't hit girls." It was an integral part of our upbringing, along with an insistence on mutual respect between the sexes. Protect, respect, and cherish each other, first as siblings, then as cousins and finally as adults was part of our education.

How has Russia lost that?

Some of the characteristics of domestic abusers listed by UK-based Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System include an overarching sense of self-entitlement, selfishness, and self-centeredness to name but a few. Other characteristics include denial, lack of responsibility, and blaming the victim.

Is the Russian male psyche so fragile that everything wrong in their relationships are the women's fault? What does that portend for the country's future, and how will Russian women work to break the gridlock? How will they teach their sons to respect women when their fathers don't?

Is this the result of a regime beating the male psyche into blind obedience to the state for decades, leaving their women as their only point of retaliation?

Perhaps so. It seems the next revolution will once again be sparked by Russia's women. Clearly, there is a long, uphill battle facing them. The women will have to change current perceptions and legislation, as there was no noticeable outcry from Russian men against this shameful, archaic and despicable law. Indeed there has been nothing but deafening silence from them.
The Islamic State Group (ISIS) is undeniably synonymous with violence and terror, but the tragic event that recently shook the whole world proves another atrocious fact  terrorism is bent on deploying a new tactic, this time involving women.

On Monday morning, two female suicide bombers targeted Iraqi forces in Mosul, killing one soldier. Several others were injured, with the Associated Press reporting the women were camouflaged among a group of civilians, while Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led coalition unleashed punishing airstrikes and artillery fire that set dozens of buildings ablaze.

Although consistent in their efforts of wreaking havoc, ISIS had lost major of control of their territories. Iraqi troops have reclaimed most of the ISIS-laden areas and this fact has caused the terrorist group to use a tactic thats actually been reported before.

In an interview with AP, Sgt. Ali Abdullah Hussein said female suicide bombers are the latest approach to causing terror. They appeared from the basement (of a building) and they blew themselves up, Hussein commented on ISIS Monday attack.

Female Jihadists and their motivations

Before Mondays terror attack, female suicide bombers were relatively uncommon, although they have been existing for years now. Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University, said in February that he had been surprised to discover that the perpetrator of an explosion in the bus in which he was traveling was a woman.

Kedar, who has been with the IDF Military Intelligence for more than two decades, shared his observations during the launch of the book titled Women and Jihad by Rachel Avraham at the Begin Heritage Center. In one of his talks, his raises the point in which women blowing themselves up goes against the grain Islamic society.

Women could cause even greater evil

So whats pushing women into the waters once exclusively waded by men? Its actually no different from the extreme beliefs male suicide bombers hold  that they would meet Allah along with other martyrs in their paradise. Except, when the act is committed by a woman, it somehow shames Palestinian men, resulting to men committing even greater violence.

In Avrahams book, she wrote that female suicide bombers get more media attention than their male counterparts. She pointed out that each terroristic act is not random and that they are all planned, and that one of its aims is to attract publicity. Without attention from the media, its as if the vile attack never happened.

According to Time, approximately 600 Western women have been recruited by ISIS, but the amount is far greater with non-Western women. In Tunisia alone, over 700 female Jihadists have joined the Islamic State group. It's now feared that more civilian women are being brainwashed, forced or cajoled into killing themselves for IS.
The news recently came out that Audrey and Jeremy Roloff were moving back to Portland, Oregon to be near family. They have a baby on the way and wanted to be near them. Now, Daily Mail is sharing the details about their new house. This couple is doing really well and got an amazing house near their family, but they aren't living on the Roloff farm.

All about their house, cost and more

This new house is in an area of Rock Creek. This is supposed to be a good area to raise a family. They actually ended up getting in a bidding war to get this house, and you will get to see it all go down on "Little People, Big World." Jeremy did not want to lose this house.

It turns out that they paid $465,000 for a 2,700 square foot two-story home with four bedrooms and 2.5 baths.

This house was not perfect, though. Even after spending $465,000 on the house, the Roloffs were immediately doing renovations to it. Aubrey shared that she had been living on junk food because they were fixing the kitchen. This house was built back in 1968, so it does need some work on it. The yard looks like it is perfect in the pictures. An insider shared that they plan to have it all done before the baby gets here. They do love projects like this so hopefully, they will have the time to pull it off.

Matt Roloff has always said that he wants them to all live on the farm with each other, so he might be a bit disappointed that Audrey and Jeremy aren't living there.

The thing is now they are back in Portland, Oregon and close the family, so that has to be a blessing. Matt and Amy are both really excited about being grandparents so you know having their granddaughter close is a bonus.

Their new baby on the way

Audrey and Jeremy Roloff already revealed that they are having a little girl. You will get to see all about it on the show, but she will not be a little person.

The way that this works they don't have the genes where it should happen. Now his brother's son Jackson is going to be a little person, and these two babies will be very close to the same age and grow up near each other in Portland. The fans are really excited about seeing them on the show.

Are you surprised to hear about the house that Audrey and Jeremy Roloff bought in Portland?

Do you feel like they made the right choice by moving back? Sound off in the comments section below on your thoughts, and don't miss new episodes of "Little People, Big World" when they air on TLC. This season on the show, you will get to see the move back to Portland and hopefully the new babies.
Everything Music and Theatre makes good on its promise to bring you exclusive interviews with stand-up comedy stars and actors, like Amadeo Fusca. He spoke to Blasting News from his New York home about his appearances nationwide with the one-man show Men Are from Mars, Women Are from VenusLIVE! But his latest project occupied most of his attention. Taking on a new role, Amadeo Fusca is now a producer. Thursday, July 13, he presents various colleagues in The Comedy Blender, a variety show, at New York Citys Triad Theater. The multitasking actor explains just how an actor goes from stage to payroll master, becoming a producer of his own show.

Actor to producer

So just how does he do it? In part, with a little help from friends. First, you need friends willing for said actor to pay their appearance. Amadeo Fusca explains, Various colleagues have come from Upright Citizens Brigade, which is a New York acting institution that offers lots of classes and has produced some of the countrys greatest comedians. Then you need a friend willing to loan you a venue. Rick Newman  hes a great guy, says the actor/producer. He was with Catch a Rising Star, back in the 80s, and discovered comedians all the time: Drew Carey, Jerry Seinfeld, all of them.

Rick owns Triad Theater, and he wants The Comedy Blender to be a monthly show there.

The venue

Triad Theater is an intimate performing space, says Amadeo Fusca. Its a cabaret with tables below seating just 100, and above, on a small balcony, 30 more. Its so small that all acts enter from the audience. Theres no way to the backstage except through the audience.

So all who are backstage when the performance begins are kind of stuck there till their act goes on. Audience members pay a minimal entry fee and have a three-drink minimum. That requirement will surely put any members of the press in the best possible mood when it comes time to write their reviews.

The lineup

Amadeo Fusca says, Standup comics do lifestyle sketches and original sketch character monologs.

Everyone in the show is tried-and-true. These include, according to Amadeo Fusca:

Mark Normand, a standup comic who just did a one-hour Comedy Central special. Thank god it's hard to achieve your dreams. If everyone did, we'd have no infrastructure.  mark normand (@marknorm) 28 June 2017

Sarah Tollemache, who just appeared on the Stephen Colbert show and went to Montreals huge Just for Laughs comedy festival.

Black Men Cant Jump, a three-man troupe who are big on improv.

The rest: Bronson Gilmore, Other Sketch For Uplifting Gormandizers, David Ebert, Mark Evans and Samantha Strelitz.

The variety show someday may include musical acts.

Mars/Venus everywhere

Ive performed Mars/Venus, I wanna say, 165 times, says Amadeo Fusca.

Its taken me everywhere: Anchorage, Alaska; Mesa, Arizona; Texas; Florida; North Carolina; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Indianapolis; Chicago. Im going to Denver for three weeks in August. Thanks to Rick Newman, Amadeo Fusca will have the opportunity to perform Mars/Venus at the Triad Theater also, July 28.

All in the family

The youngest of three boys, Amadeo Fusca, now age 31, grew up in a lively Pittsburgh household. My whole family background is Italian, Italian, Italian. I have all these Italian cousins everywhere, but I really dont speak the language very well. Family connections came in handy when the actor recently traveled to the Old Country with long-term girlfriend Samantha, from Los Angeles, who resides in Greenwich Village.

But language wasnt really a problem, because, says Amadeo Fusca, everywhere you go it seems everyone speaks English.

Actors have mothers

To say shes a fan would be to sell her short. Cathy Costa Fusca, a Pittsburgh resident, traveled to Miami to see Amadeo Fusca in Mars/Venus, then to San Antonio, where she attended five performances. In her own exclusive interview, she confided to Blasting News, I cried at two standing ovations. She says her son is a natural comic, a fierce and loyal friend and family member who believes in over-preparing and over-practicing. Stay tuned for future coverage, as she recommends asking him about an early embarrassmenthis first kissing scene, as Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie. Ought to be interesting.

What to expect

Laughter guaranteed, promises Amadeo Fusca regarding The Comedy Blender. How can he be so sure? I collaborate with some of the best comedic minds around New York. Im also going to perform a couple bits that are proven, but I tell my girlfriend that Im probably the worst part of the show. If you miss the inaugural show, you can try again when the monthly show continues either Sept. 1 or Sept. 8 (to be determined).

The Comedy Blender, produced by Amadeo Fusca, Thursday, July 13, 2017, at Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St., New York, N.Y.
Ashton Kutcher was recently mired in a cheating controversy when a tabloid published a story about him and his alleged "other" woman. The article, titled "Hey, Ashton! Who's the girl?" was supported by photos of the actor alongside a brunette woman. According to the story published by Star Magazine, the photos were taken at a Los Angeles airport on June 26. It further claimed that the "Love Actually" alum boarded his private jet with his mystery woman.

Allegations of cheating on Demi, Mila

The gossip tabloid went on and mentioned Ashton Kutcher's previous cheating rumors.

Star Magazine also cited their previous report claiming that the actor and his wife, Mila Kunis, are reportedly going through a rough patch in their marriage. "Not to mention reports that Ashton allegedly cheated on ex-wife Demi Moore with two girls in a hot tub at the San Diego Hard Rock Hotel on their sixth anniversary," the publication wrote.

The "Just Married" actor and "Rough Night" actress announced they were filing for divorce in the same year the rumors were brought to life. The former celebrity couple has formalized their separation two years on. Despite the turnabout in their marriage, Ashton Kutcher has always been consistent in denying that he cheated on his then-wife.

"Character comes out when those magazines tear you apart for something you may or may not have done and you gotta go out and perform tomorrow, with everyone looking at you like you might be an adulterer," the actor said in a speech.

Ashton shuts down cheating allegations

In the wake of his rocky marriage with Demi Moore, the Hollywood actor fired back at Star Magazine for trying to defame his character. Seven years later, the father of two is still sparring with the same gossip tabloid over the same issue -- cheating. But this time, Ashton Kutcher fired back to shut down the publication and their false claims.

I think Star magazine calling me a "cheater" qualifies as defamation of character. I hope my lawyer agrees.  ashton kutcher (@aplusk) September 1, 2010

You should have heard how upset Mila was that I spent the day with our cousin. Sorry, Aunt Jodie, these magazines lack integrity," he said on social media. "If we're going to fight battles they might as well be the ones to change the world."

You should have heard how upset Mila was that I spent the day with our cousin. Sorry aunt Jodie these magazines lack integrity. pic.twitter.com/tvKdGoqRnx  ashton kutcher (@aplusk) July 9, 2017

Aside from allegations of cheating on Mila Kunis, the 39-year-old actor was recently criticized for his post about gender equality in the workplace.

On Wednesday, Ashton Kutcher announced his plan to hold a live broadcast to talk about the issue. The male celebrity drew flak after sharing his set of questions for the Q&A session.

After receiving a surge of hate comments from his Twitter followers, the actor apologized and acknowledged that he has offended some people "by asking the wrong questions" for his live dialogue.

Hope we can find space to be wrong in the pursuit of getting it right.  ashton kutcher (@aplusk) July 7, 2017
Samsung Electronics will invest some $ 17.7 billion in its memory chip business, seeking to expand its market leadership in the global telephony market.

Samsung: the largest chip producer

The Pyeongtaek site, some 70 km from Seoul in South Korea, is the largest of its kind in the world in which Samsung has already invested $ 14 billion over the past two years to build it. Production has recently started.

The South Korean group is also planning to expand the NAND chip production plant in China in Xian City to meet the high demand for chips with tremendous storage capacity.

However, it did not provide any details on the timing and result of this Investment. In the phone sector, Samsung is both challenged by Chinese manufacturers on entry and mid-range products, and by the iPhone of its primary rival Apple in the high-end.

The reliability of the South Korean group was also shaken by the fiasco of the Galaxy Note 7 whose generation was stopped in October after a call-back operation, as some units had caught fire. However, Samsung Electronics managed to record its largest quarterly net profit for more than three years. In the first three months of the year, net profit was $ 6.65 billion, with the very high demand for chips compensating for the failure of the Galaxy Note 7.

The South Korean tech giant, which held more than 40 percent of the global memory chip market in the first quarter, sells its chips to other companies, including Apple.

Growing demand for high-tech gadgets

Samsung customers are struggling to secure enough semiconductor chips due to the growing demand for high-tech gadgets. Samsung plans to actively respond to these requirements by making reactive investments on their production lines in Korea and abroad.

According to analysts, the shortage of chips is expected to continue throughout this year, causing a rise in prices, beneficial to large producers in the sector, including Samsung or its national competitor SK Hynix. The average price for DRAM chips, used in servers and computers, could rise by 53 percent in 2017, and NAND Flash chips in mobile phones by 28 percent.

The Samsung announcement comes as South Korea's new president Moon Jae-In has recently made the fight against rising unemployment in the country its top priority. The group has estimated that its investments will help create some 440,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2021.

The image of Samsung Electronics had also suffered at the beginning of the year from the imprisonment of its vice-president Lee Jae-Yong, the beneficiary of the group, and several executives for their involvement in the thunderous scandal of corruption that accelerated the dismissal of South Korean ex-president Park Geun-Hye.
The leaders of 18 nations closed this year's G20 Summit with the assurance that they all remained committed to the Paris Climate Agreement, minus the United States under President Trump. The G20 Summit took place over the weekend where many of the world's nations held talks in Hamburg, Germany over the issues their countries faced.

The nations committed to the agreement also included the European Union, but they also recognized that the U.S. was not with them in recognition of the climate agreement. On June 1, President Trump shocked the international community when he said that he would be pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement, claiming that it restrains the U.S.

and is a job killer.

Protecting U.S. role in climate agreement

The Paris Climate Agreement was initially led by the Obama administration with 196 other nations. It was a non-binding agreement to curb carbon emissions and to solve the issues of climate change. The agreement was criticized by skeptical Republicans who refused to support it and fearing that America's stance in the accord could be threatened, President Obama reinforced the commitment ahead of time. It's been reported that not even President Trump could get the U.S. out of the agreement during his first term. Trump's abrasive attacks against World Leaders forced those same leaders to consider going ahead without the U.S., and this came across as quite obvious during the summit.

No renegotiation

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made it clear in her closing statements for the G20 Summit that she did not like President Trump's position but was happy to see that the other nations stood firm against the U.S. request to renegotiate the deal. During President Trump's announcement that he wanted to take the U.S.

out of the accord, he said that he would like to renegotiate a better deal but world leaders said this was not possible. Trump was also prepared for this said that if he couldn't, then he would be fine with it.

With nations like the U.S. taking part in the climate accord, other countries would naturally follow suit but, it was also reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's commitment was now in doubt.

He claimed that the reason for this was because, with the U.S. withdrawing, it puts compensation for other developing countries in jeopardy. Turkey claimed that when they signed the accord, they were promised by France that Turkey would be eligible for compensation they would need in order to be in compliance. President Trump tweeted out that the G20 Summit was a great success as he was reportedly able to win a concession on trade.
President Xi Jinping with US President Donald Trump on Saturday in Hamburg, Germany YAO DAWEI / XINHUA

Second meeting of presidents promotes trade, military plans

The latest meeting between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, was productive and reassuring to the world, experts said, as it confirmed ongoing discussions about an ambitious economic cooperation plan and a sequence of meetings involving senior military officers.

The two presidents' second meeting this year, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, took place amid widespread concern about tensions on the Korean Peninsula and a US warship's recent intrusion into Chinese waters in the South China Sea.

Both leaders agreed to maintain close high-level contact and to reinforce strategic mutual trust, a news release from the Foreign Ministry said.

The first round of a comprehensive economic dialogue was set for July 19, and Beijing and Washington will launch at an early date their first law enforcement and cybersecurity dialogue, as well as their first social and cultural dialogue, it said.

During his meeting with Trump, Xi noted that the two sides are discussing a one-year cooperation plan, and that the 100-day economic cooperation action plan initiated after the meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Largo in April has made new progress.

On military-to-military relations, Xi proposed that the two countries' defense ministers exchange visits as soon as possible. He called for concerted efforts on such matters as the visit to China in August by the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first dialogue between the joint staffs of the two countries' militaries in November and the Chinese Navy's participation in the United States-led 2018 Pacific Rim military drill.

Trump hailed his "wonderful relationship" with Xi and expressed confidence in "success" in addressing common problems, together with China, according to the White House.

Xi said both sides should respect the core interests and major concerns of each other and appropriately tackle their differences and sensitive issues.

The two sides should have mutual respect, seek win-win results, expand pragmatic cooperation in all fields and reinforce coordination with respect to global and regional issues, Xi said.

The two leaders agreed to further communication and coordination on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Xi said the international community should increase efforts in promoting dialogue and controlling the situation when responding to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's violations of UN Security Council resolutions.

Also, Xi reiterated China's objection to the deployment of the US Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in the Republic of Korea.

Teng Jianqun, director of the Department for American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said the personal ties between Xi and Trump are adding to people's hope for upcoming meetings, including Trump's state visit to China later this year.

Chen Fengying, a senior researcher on the world economy at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the way the two countries work with each other on economics and trade "directly influences the improving process of the world economy".

Two-way trade is increasingly reciprocal, meeting the needs of both sides and the world, and any bilateral trade imbalance should be viewed with a cool head, Chen said.
President Xi Jinping's weeklong trip to Russia and Germany, which wrapped up on Sunday, made a positive contribution to world economic growth and improving global economic governance, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters on Sunday.

In particular, the president's proposals, with both macro and micro perspectives for economic globalization, won wide recognition and praise at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Wang said, adding that Xi's solutions showed long-term vision and feasibly opened more spaces for global economic growth.

Thomas Heberer, a well-known China watcher at Germany's Duisburg-Essen Uni-ver-sity, said Xi took up "the major role" of promoting a cooperative and open world economy, as the United States adopts a more inward-looking protectionism under its president, Donald Trump.

Speaking at the summit in Hamburg on Friday, Xi said "the global economy is still plagued by deep-seated problems and faces many uncertainties and destabilizing factors". He offered China's solution to the problem: building a more open world economy and seeking more inclusive global economic growth.

"We must remain committed to openness and mutual benefits for all so as to increase the size of the global economic pie," Xi said.

He called on all sides to foster new sources of growth, adding that he believes promoting innovation and addressing development are part of the answer.

At the summit, Xi also stressed the need to improve global economic governance. He urged the G20 members to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination and forestall risks in financial markets.

"Those who work alone add; those who work together multiply," Xi said, quoting a German proverb.

During his state visit to Russia, Xi described China's relationship with Russia as "the best ever in history". He also agreed with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on further aligning the China-led Belt and Road Initiative with the Eurasian Economic Union, and building bilateral ties into a "ballast stone" for world peace and stability.

Visiting Germany, Xi told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the development of China-Germany ties over the decades is a "story of success" that has delivered real benefits to the two peoples. The two leaders agreed to step up bilateral cooperation within the Belt and Road framework.

Dennis Snower, president of Germany's Kiel Institute for the World Economy, said Xi's proposals regarding G20 members' cooperation in the digital economy and the new industrial revolution are "of great importance" and require the joint action of developed and developing countries under a multilateral framework.

Xinhua contributed to this story.
Like many in China, I have long felt the US news media bias in covering China. Much of this, in my view, is due to an individual writer's lack of knowledge about China, his political bias, the agenda of his news organization or political correctness in the United States.

Don't get me wrong. As a journalist, I understand the watchdog role of the press. Yet that is totally different from sheer biased reporting.

More Americans might see such a problem when they look at the news media treatment of US President Donald Trump. A Pew Center survey in March shows that 83 percent of Americans say current tensions have made the relationship between the administration and the news media unhealthy.

That includes 88 percent of Democrats and 78 percent of Republicans. Meanwhile, 73 percent say these tensions are getting in the way of access to important national political news and information.

It is true that Trump has made plenty of controversial or outrageous comments since he started his presidential race on June 16, 2015, but the US news media's extreme bias against Trump is obvious.

A report in May by the Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy analyzed news coverage of Trump's first 100 days in office. It found that 80 percent of the coverage was negative, while only 20 percent was positive.

This compared with the 41 percent negative coverage Barack Obama received; and the 57 percent of George W. Bush and 60 percent of Bill Clinton.

Fox News was the best place for Trump, where 48 percent of the coverage was positive, and 52 percent negative. The negative coverage at CNN and NBC was both 93 percent; CBS 91 percent; New York Times, 87 percent; Washington Post, 83 percent; and The Wall Street Journal 70 percent.

Trump might be the first US president who took the news media head on, calling them fake news and dishonest, something that a shrewd US president and politician would rarely do given the outsize power of news media today in influencing votes and public opinion.

On the other hand, US news media were not almighty because Trump won the 2016 election despite a hostile media environment and a predicted landslide for Hillary Clinton, with most major polls concluding a Clinton victory was a foregone conclusion.

A report by senior media writer Jack Shafter and data reporter Tucker Doherty of Politico in May is telling. Some 72 percent of all internet publishing or newspaper employees work in a county that Clinton won.

"By this measure, of course, Clinton was the national media's candidate," they wrote, adding that "the national media really does work in a bubble" and "don't get the 'real America' of southern Ohio or rural Kansas".

It is no secret that high ratings in covering Trump is also one of the drivers for the enthusiasm displayed by many US news outlets, especially the cable networks.

Conservative Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan believes the bias of the national media is due to news executives and producers having determined that it is more profitable to actively oppose Trump than attempt to cover him objectively.

Watching and reading news about China in US news media gives many Chinese the same feeling why the coverage is so biased. China rarely gets any credit for anything, especially when it comes to relations with the US. The narrative: China is always wrong, and China is evil.

I cannot stop laughing when watching the superficial and one-sided analysis by some talking heads on US TV networks, especially by someone who has predicted China's collapse multiple times.

I wonder why some respected China experts, both in China and the US, are never or rarely invited to talk on TV. Is that because they are too rational and not sensational enough to help TV ratings?

Daniel Griffiths, a senior journalist with BBC World Service and a former China correspondent, carried out a detailed content analysis in 2013 of how China was represented in the online sites of The New York Times, BBC News and The Economist back then. His conclusion was that the international media coverage of China had too narrow an agenda.

The BBC actually deserves a lot of credit for its recent series titled Tales from Modern China. Such programs about today's China are seriously lacking on US TV networks and newspapers.

It is not hard to understand why those talking heads and journalists make such horrible mistakes. As a Chinese national, I feel the need to go back home from time to time to catch up with the fast changes there. That is also the thinking of many China hands in the US I talked to.

It is forgivable that those who have not lived in China or even visited China keep pretending they know all the problems and solutions in China.

The US news media are facing a crisis of low public confidence. A Gallup poll in June revealed that only 27 percent say they have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in newspapers, while 24 percent have high confidence in TV news;16 percent have high confidence in news on the internet.

If news media are all about public trust, then US news media have failed miserably.

Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
The subterranean dwelling houses were once common in Pinglu, where there is a lack of stone and the terrain is rich in solid loess. [Photo by Liu Wenli and Sun Ruisheng/China Daily]

Subterranean dwellings in China date back more than 4,000 years, and are unique to the region south of Shanxi province, where there is a lack of stone. Sun Ruisheng and Li Yang report from Pinglu.

When asked how long his family had been living in the subterranean dwelling in Pinglu, in North China's Shanxi province, the 70-year-old veterinarian Wang Shouxian gave an answer rarely heard in China, where the average lifespan of buildings is 30 years: "more than 300 years".

Not only was Wang was born in the cave dwelling, but so was his father, grandfather and great grandfather.

As the genealogy book of his family was burned during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) as a symbolic farewell to the "outdated" past, Wang relies on memory to retell the story of his family.

"There used to be an important road near here. So, my forefathers built the underground dwelling as a lodge for passers-by. Most old people in the county know about the Wang Family Hotel," says Wang.

The wall facing his bed, which is covered with dozens of discolored photos dating back decades, reminds him of his big family. But none of his three sons or the grandchildren, who work and study in the county's downtown, is willing to stay in the underground cave dwelling.

Since his wife died several years ago at the aged of 67, Wang is the only resident of the subterranean dwelling. There were hundreds of such dwellings before the 1980s, but most have collapsed after young people left and the old people died.

The dwellings date back more than 4,000 years, and are unique to the region south of Shanxi, where there is a lack of stone and the soil is rich in solid loess brought in by the Yellow River from the Gobi desert.
WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin forming a cyber security unit in their first meeting amid speculation about his acceptance of Putin's denial of Russian meddling in the US election.

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe," Trump tweeted on Sunday.

"...Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!" Trump wrote on another tweet.

The first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Putin came on Friday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

After the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Friday that Trump had accepted Putin's denial of Russian meddling in the US election.

Putin himself also said on Saturday that he left the meeting with the impression that Trump had accepted his denial.

"He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers," Putin told reporters on Saturday.

During his visit to Ukraine on Sunday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the only other US official in the Trump-Putin meeting, did not answer directly when asked whether Trump had accepted Putin's denial.

On another tweeter on Sunday, Trump said that he "strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election."

"...He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion..." Trump said.

The idea of forming a cyber security unit with Russia was soon met with criticism within Trump's own Republican Party.

Speaking at a TV interview aired on Sunday, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called the idea "pretty close" to the dumbest idea he'd ever heard.

"He (Trump) is literally the only person I know of who doesn't believe Russia attacked our election in 2016," said Graham.

"This whole idea about moving forward without punishing Russia is undermining his entire presidency," he added.
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Smoke is illuminated by the Whittier wildfire near Santa Ynez, California, US, July 8, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

LOS ANGELES - Californian Governor Jerry Brown issued a state of emergency for Butte County Sunday afternoon as a wildfire coded "Wall fire" threatened 5,400 homes.

Roughly 1,100 personnel are battling the fire, which began last Friday afternoon and scorched rapidly 2,000 acres (8.09 square km) by Saturday afternoon.

Since it is burning near a community of Oroville, the county seat of Butte, 780 km north from Los Angeles, more than 4,000 people have been ordered to evacuate from the area and an additional 7,400 were also placed under evacuation warnings as of 2 pm Sunday (2100 GMT).

The blaze is one of 14 wildfires across California being battled by approximately 5,000 firefighters Sunday, according to an update report about California fire incidents Sunday afternoon.

The largest of the fires currently raging in California is the Alamo fire in San Luis Obispo County, which grew to cover almost 24,000 acres (97.12 square km) from more than 19,000 acres (76.89 Square km) Saturday afternoon.

In the southern neighboring Santa Barbara County, the Whittier Fire jumped across State Route 154 and grew to about 7,800 acres (31.56 square km) Sunday, with only 5 percent contained.

According to the report of NBC, about 80 people at Circle V Ranch Camp in Santa Barbara County, most of them children, were evacuated and reunited with their families later in a "rescue operation" Sunday, who were forced to stay put and take shelter Saturday night as acres of forest burned.

The fires in southern California burned amid record-setting heat. Highs were expected to remain above 90 Fahrenheit degrees (32.2 Celsius) throughout the week.
The world produces enough food for everyone to eat, but because of distribution challenges and waste, nearly 800 million people are hungry and there will be an additional 2 billion mouths to feed by 2050, according to Dr Patrick Ho, deputy chairman and secretary-general of the China Energy Fund Committee in Hong Kong.

These challenges should motivate China and the US to bring agricultural advances to the developing world where most of the hungry reside, Ho said at the Food for Peace & Thought: China-US Agricultural Cooperation event in New York on Friday. In addition to the China Energy Fund Committee, the conference was sponsored by the Schiller Institute and the Foundation for the Revival of Classical Culture.

Noting that President Xi Jinping's early career was in China's agricultural sector, Ho said Xi has often discussed how important farming is to the nation, which has to feed 1.3 billion people. "If China wants to be strong, agriculture must be strong," Ho said of the president's observations.

Ho said that despite the spending of billions of dollars and a coordinated global effort, deaths and instances of terrorism have increased dramatically since 2001. Ho said agriculture could provide a foundation for economic development in the Middle East, especially in a war-torn country like Syria.

Agricultural projects that are part of China's Belt and Road Initiative could be used as a starting point for a regional reconstruction strategy, he explained.

"This could employ many of the region's young people," said Ho and bring them an appreciation for the soil, air and water that are used to produce the food they will eat.

Wei Zhenglin, the agricultural attach of China's embassy in the US, said agriculture is an important area for improving China-US relations and deepening cooperation.

As part of the US-China 100-Day Action plan announced in May, agriculture has become a breakthrough factor as the Chinese market has been reopened to US beef products for the first time since 2003.

China is the second-largest importer of US agricultural products, accounting for 20 percent of US agricultural product exports. Approximately a quarter of soybeans and two fifths of the cotton in the US are sold to China, according to Wei.

"The agricultural cooperation between two sides should be based on mutual understanding respect, mutual tolerance, pioneering and innovation. For innovation, I mean mechanism innovation and innovation of ideas," Wei said.

Hong Xiao contributed to this story.

paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
By Zhang Yunbi in Beijing and An Baijie in Hamburg | China Daily USA | Updated: 2017-07-10 07:11

Second meeting of presidents promotes trade, military plans

President Xi Jinping with US President Donald Trump on Saturday in Hamburg, Germany Yao Dawei / Xinhua

The latest meeting between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, was productive and reassuring to the world, experts said, as it confirmed ongoing discussions about an ambitious economic cooperation plan and a sequence of meetings involving senior military officers.

The two presidents' second meeting this year, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, took place amid widespread concern about tensions on the Korean Peninsula and a US warship's recent intrusion into Chinese waters in the South China Sea.

Both leaders agreed to maintain close high-level contact and to reinforce strategic mutual trust, a news release from the Foreign Ministry said.

The first round of a comprehensive economic dialogue was set for July 19, and Beijing and Washington will launch at an early date their first law enforcement and cybersecurity dialogue, as well as their first social and cultural dialogue, it said.

During his meeting with Trump, Xi noted that the two sides are discussing a one-year cooperation plan, and that the 100-day economic cooperation action plan initiated after the meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Largo in April has made new progress.

On military-to-military relations, Xi proposed that the two countries' defense ministers exchange visits as soon as possible. He called for concerted efforts on such matters as the visit to China in August by the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first dialogue between the joint staffs of the two countries' militaries in November and the Chinese Navy's participation in the United States-led 2018 Pacific Rimmilitary drill.

Trump hailed his "wonderful relationship" with Xi and expressed confidence in "success" in addressing common problems, together with China, according to the White House.

Xi said both sides should respect the core interests and major concerns of each other and appropriately tackle their differences and sensitive issues.

The two sides should have mutual respect, seek win-win results, expand pragmatic cooperation in all fields and reinforce coordination with respect to global and regional issues, Xi said.

The two leaders agreed to further communication and coordination on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Xi said the international community should increase efforts in promoting dialogue and controlling the situation when responding to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's violations of UN Security Council resolutions.

Also, Xi reiterated China's objection to the deployment of the US Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in the Republic of Korea.

Teng Jianqun, director of the Department for American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said the personal ties between Xi and Trump are adding to people's hope for upcoming meetings, including Trump's state visit to China later this year.

Chen Fengying, a senior researcher on the world economy at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the way the two countries work with each other on economics and trade "directly influences the improving process of the world economy".

Two-way trade is increasingly reciprocal, meeting the needs of both sides and the world, and any bilateral trade imbalance should be viewed with a cool head, Chen said.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn
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Having engaged in animal husbandry for 30 years, DTK Group has eight affiliates which specialise in feed production, breeding farms, import-export and distribution. DTK ranks 200th in the Top 500 largest private enterprises in Vietnam and won the Golden Rice Award and the Farmers Businesses and the Golden award by the Vietnam Poultry Association.va Doanh nghiep vi nha nong, Bang vang luu danh do Hiep Hoi chan nuoi gia cam Viet Nam trao tang.
















Tran Kim Hoas works of women impress the audience.









Works by Hoang Nam Viet.

The space for displaying Hoang Nam Viets works.

A work by Xuan Ha.



The installation work of Xuan Ha.

The space for displaying works by Xuan Ha.

Do Nguyen Lap Xuans works.

The space for displaying Do Nguyen Lap Xuans works. Tran Kim Hoas works give different nuances for characters.Tran Kim Hoas works of women impress the audience.Works by Hoang Nam Viet.The space for displaying Hoang Nam Viets works.A work by Xuan Ha.The installation work of Xuan Ha.The space for displaying works by Xuan Ha.Do Nguyen Lap Xuans works.The space for displaying Do Nguyen Lap Xuans works.
WPVI-TV(PHILADELPHIA) -- Authorities in Pennsylvania said they suspect foul play in the disappearance last week of four young men who may all know each other, and that leads in the investigation are hot as they comb the area near where they vanished.



Tom Meo, 21, of Plumstead, Mark Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg, Deam Finocchiaro, 19, of Middletown, and Jimi Tar Patrick, 19, of Newtown Township were all reported missing last week, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said at a press conference on Monday.



When asked if foul play was suspected in the case, Weintraub said, "it sure would seem so," but declined to share further information.



The leads are incredibly hot, theyre very fruitful. Were making great progress, but theres so much more work to do, he said.



"We have information that the four men know each other, but we are not sure if this information is accurate," Weintraub told reporters.



Newtown Township, Plumstead Township, Middletown Township Police and state police are all involved in the joint investigation, Bucks County Assistant District Attorney Gregg Shore told ABC affiliate WPVI-TV.



Sturgis' father said that Meo and his son went missing last week after being seen in the Solebury area, according to WPVI-TV. Mark Sturgis vehicle was found in the Peddler's Village shopping complex, according to the station. The wooded area being searched is also near Peddler's Village, the station reports.



A missing person's report was filed with the Newtown Township Police Department for Patrick on July 6.



Finocchiaro was last seen around 6:30 p.m. on Friday getting into a car at Hampton Drive in Middletown Township, according to WPVI-TV.



Weintraub said it is "all hands on deck" to find the four men.



"At this point, I ask for your patience and your prayers for these four young men and let us do our jobs," Weintraub said.



An arrest was made at a home on Monday near the property that was being searched. Cosmo DiNardo, 20, was arrested and charged with a firearms possession offense from February. It is unclear if DiNardo is a suspect in the disappearance of the men. He is being held on a $1 million bail for the gun charge.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
HA NOI  Construction of VTV Tower, which was expected to be the worlds highest, will likely be put on hold.

The move comes in the wake of two major investors --Vietnam Television (VTV) and State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) -- withdrawing investment from the project.

In a document sent to the Government Office reporting on the VTV tower project and method to restructure investment capital at VTV Tower Joint Stock Company, as reported by online newspaper vneconomy.vn, the Ministry of Finance said VTV had been asked to divest its whole or majority of capital from the project because it needed to focus on investing in producing TV programmes and developing its television business.

VTV said SCIC was also planning to withdraw its capital from the company because the project was not included in the list of projects that need to be controlled by or capital contribution from the State.

Additionally, the project was not yet approved by the Prime Minister.

The finance ministry asked VTV and SCIC to hold VTV Tower Joint Stock Companys shareholders meeting to identify the necessity and objectives of the project before informing PM Phuc for consideration and decision.

In case VTV and SCIC did not take part in the project, it meant the State would not invest in this project.

Earlier, former prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung had agreed the plan of research and investment co-operation of VTV and SCIC in 2015, according to which the VTV tower would be constructed on 14ha in the new urban centre of West Lake in Ha Noi.

The project is evaluated as an international standard project, therefore it needs a special policy on capital, construction site and selection of contractors, which should be decided by the Prime Minister.

At that time, BRG Group become an investor of the project after the Prime Minister allowed VTV to select its partner.

The tower was designed to be 636m in height, two metres higher than Asias highest tower  Sky Tree in Tokyo, Japan, and 36m higher than Chinas Guangzhou television tower. It was expected to be the highest tower in the world.

VTV Tower Joint Stock Company received the business registration certificate at the end of 2015, with registered capital of VN600 billion (US$26.3 million). According to the VTV report, three investors have contributed VN150 billion.  VNS
HA NOI  Northern Power Corporation under Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN NPC), signed a syndicated loan agreement worth VN515 billion (US$22.7 million) last week for the period of seven years.

Viet Nam International Commercial Joint Stock Bank (VIB) is the focal point for arranging this loan, in collaboration with Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank (Ha Noi branch) and First Commercial Bank (HCM City branch).

EVN NPC is one of the five electricity distribution corporations of the Viet Nam Electricity Group, with management area of 27 provinces in the North and North Central regions (excluding Ha Noi).

The corporation aims to further develop the grid to meet annual growth rate of 13-15 per cent from now until 2020.

The successful signing will help EVN NPC carry out investment activities to upgrade and expand distribution network in the future.

Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank and First Commercial Bank, two of Taiwans leading banks, have pledged to provide financial support to companies and corporations, supporting the development of Viet Nams economy.

This agreement is also one of the first syndicated loans arranged by local banks with full co-financing from foreign bank branches in Viet Nam.  VNS
HCM CITY  A derivatives market, which will start operations in August, is expected to draw more capital to the Vietnamese securities market for the rest of this year, experts told a seminar in HCM City last Saturday.

A derivative is a financial tool with a price and value that is dependent upon other another financial tool or underlying asset.

Derivatives can either be traded over-the-counter (OTC) or exchange-traded with four popular kinds of contracts: futures, options, swaps and forwards.

Nguyen Duy Linh, director of Saigon Securities Incorporations individual customers brokerage division, told a conference on derivatives and scenarios for the stock market in the later half said the first derivatives product to be traded in August would be the futures contract for the VN30 Index  a sub-index on the HCM Stock Exchange that captures the performance of the 30 largest companies by market capitalisation.

Using derivative products could help investors predict the future movement of securities and lock in profits expected from their invested assets, he said.

"In the derivatives market, people can make huge transactions with small amounts of money and therefore it provides the benefit of leverage," he said, adding that it is a great risk management tool and if applied judiciously, it can produce good results and benefit to investors.

"In addition, investors can buy and sell the same futures contracts in a day to get the benefit of liquidity or stop loss to avoid price fluctuations overnight. This advantage is also a popular investment strategy (intraday trading)," he said.

"The products offer opportunities but also risks as well," he said, adding that investors should understand their personality to choose a suitable trading strategy, as well as understand the products and follow trading discipline.

According to experts, although MSCI, a US investment research firm, declined to place Viet Nam on its watch list for emerging market status which would be up from Viet Nams current frontier market status, the market performed well in the first half of the year, with the VN-Index and HNX-Index both increasing strongly.

For example, VN-Index surged 16.8 per cent in the first half of the year, reaching 776.47 points, and the HXN-Index gained 23 per cent to 99.14 points. Trading liquidity also improved.

More noticeably, foreign investors trading also grew during this period. Last year, there was a very strong net withdrawal of up to VN6.76 trillion. But in the first six months of 2017, foreign investors poured into the Viet Nams stock market over VN9.04 trillion, said Nguyen uc Hung Linh, director of SSIs division of analysis and investment advisory for individual customers.

The Governments economic initiatives to shore up investor confidence, such as increasing the foreign ownership limit in companies, equitisation of State firms and restructuring banks, would continue to push the stock markets up for the rest of this year, he said.  VNS
The Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) has decided to form teams to handle its loss-making projects since the snail-pace progress of the process has displeased the Government.  Photo vneconomy.vn

HA NOI  The Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) has decided to form teams to handle its loss-making projects since the snail-pace progress of the process has displeased the Government.

The decision was announced on Friday at a meeting between the corporations heads and representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

The taskforce teams will be responsible for drawing up concrete plans to handle each project, which include detailed roadmaps, needed mechanisms and policies, and submit them to the corporations heads for further steps.

The move came just a few days after Deputy Prime Minister Vuong inh Hue openly criticised PVN for the ineffective handling of unprofitable projects at a meeting with the MoIT and some State-owned enterprises to seek measures for dealing with 12 loss-making projects, five of them at PVN.

They include three biofuel factories in Phu Tho, Quang Ngai and Binh Phuoc provinces, the PVTex inh Vu Yarn Plant and Dung Quat ship-building plant.

Of the five projects, the MoIT decided to declare bankruptcy for the Phu Tho Ethanol Biofuel Plant and Dung Quat Ship Building Industry Company.

The MoIT asked PVN to work with its partners to restart the Dung Quat ethanol biofuel project in Quang Ngai Province and the inh Vu yarn plant in Hai Phong, then offload the State capital in the two projects.

For the Binh Phuoc ethanol biofuel project, the MoIT asked PVN to work with foreign investors to resume the project because it is involved in the replacement of RON92 petrol with E5 biofuel starting January 1, 2018.

At the Friday meeting, PetroVietnam General Director Nguyen Vu Truong Son admitted that the handling of these projects yielded no progress over the past year. All activities just stopped at holding debates and discussion. Almost no work has been implemented, he said. He attributed the problem to hurdles in financial mechanisms, particularly the shortage of money.

For example, restarting the inh Vu plant required a big sum of money, which the company could not secure. The finalisation of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreements for the biofuel factories in Phu Tho and Quang Ngai also required additional bank loans, and this required guidances from MoIT and the Government, he said.

PetroVietnam Deputy Director General Nguyen Huu Dung said the corporation had prepared various plans, such as asset auctioning and divestment, but was unable to implement them because it did not get funds from the State.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong, however, reaffirmed that the Government was resolute about not spending more money on these projects. He told the companies in charge of the projects to carry out measures like establishing financial reserve funds, filing for bankruptcy or selling projects to other investors to raise the neded money.

But top priority should be given to restarting the projects before divestment. So those which are joint stock companies must call shareholders meeting to finalise solutions for capital increase and report to the Government before July 15. In case the Government does not approve the capital increase solutions, then the companies should switch to Plan B of selling the projects to other investors, he said.  VNS
HA NOI  The Business Startup Support Centre (BSSC) in HCM City jointly held a conference on startup culture with Hoa Sen University (HSU) and the International Vietnamese Academics Network (iVANet), aiming to facilitate sustainable entrepreneurship within universities and advocate favourable policies for startup creativity.

Speakers from Viet Nam and abroad attended the July 7-8 conference to share their experience in building a national startup ecosystem and encourage Vietnamese startup businesses to develop. They also advocated for favourable Government policies to support the ideas of entrepreneurs and university students.

Troy DAmbrosio, Assistant Dean at the School of Business, University of Utah, and Marko Seppa, Entrepreneur in Residence of the Vietnam-Finland Innovation Partnership Program, explained the importance of developing a university entrepreneurial ecosystem and enabling business creation at universities.

The two experts agreed that an ecosystem should be built within universities to ensure the best growing environment for businesses. They said schools should play an important role in orientation and idea formation for its students from the very beginning.

Truong Nguyen Thanh, HSUs Deputy Director, said his institution had always supported students startup ideas through a network connecting students to business demands and requirements. He suggested this as an efficient way to guarantee a true-to-life curriculum and inspire students in their study.

Chris Freund, founder and partner at Mekong Capital Investments, said at the conference that Vietnamese startups should focus on sustainable growth through effective use of human resources, ideas, funding, business models and timing.

However, startup ideas are prone to failure since their beginner stage is heavily dependent on technology, and the risks are usually great. "This means government intervention is also much needed to encourage startup success," said Nguyen Viet Dung, Director of the Ho Chi Minh Science and Technology Department.

"The Governments role in the ecosystem is one of the key elements to ensure sustainable growth for Vietnamese startups, as well as helping entrepreneurs carry out their startup ideas," Dung added. He also noted that since 2016, Viet Nam had branded itself as a startup nation and as such, the Government was expected to create more extensive and constructive policies for the development of an ecosystem and the growth of future startup businesses.

The conference concluded with a panel discussion on approaches to building a startup ecosystem and the HSUs introduction of an upcoming creative space on campus for students and lecturers to work together in a professional environment.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is consulting and seeking comments from relevant ministries and local authorities on the borrowing plan to expand Dung Quat Oil Refinery, online newspaper vneconomy.vn reported.

The expansion of Dung Quat Oil Refinery is critical to ensure stable and efficient operation and meet the market demand, according to the ministry.

According to the proposal by Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited, Dung Quat Oil Refinerys owner, the expansion project will cost more than US$1.8 billion.

The company plans to borrow some $1.26 billion and the rest will be funded from its parent company - Viet Nam Oil and Gas Group.

The MoIT said a council was founded to evaluate the master design and construction estimates of the project.

Previously, Nguyen Hoai Giang, director of Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited, said that the expansion project would help improve operational efficiency of Dung Quat Oil Refinery and increase output by 30 per cent while cutting production costs.

When completed in 2021, the expanded plant is expected to meet half of the fuel demand of Viet Nam, Giang said, adding that the plants current production capacity is 148,000 barrels per day, meeting one third of the local demand.

Construction of Dung Quat Oil Refinery, located in central Quang Ngai Provinces Dung Quat Economic Zone, began in 2005. The refinery, which was put into operation in 2009 with investment of $3 billion, is the first oil refinery in Viet Nam.  VNS
WARSAR  Britains Lake District, an area of wild beauty that beguiled poets and artists from William Wordsworth to Beatrix Potter, was named Sunday as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

The UNs cultural body meeting last weekend in Krakow praised the regions "picturesque aesthetic" as well as its links with Romantic art and literature.

"The special significance of the Lake District lies in the interaction between social, economic, cultural and environmental influences," it said in a statement.

Considered the cradle of the British Romanticism movement pioneered by Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey, the region becomes Britains 31st World Heritage site.

John Glen, minister for arts, heritage and tourism, said the new status would boost the Lake Districts international reputation and benefit locals.

"It is a unique part of the world that combines a vibrant farming community with thousands of archaeological sites and structures that give us an amazing glimpse into our past," he said in a statement.

UNESCOs heritage committee considered 33 sites for the prestigious status at its annual gathering in Poland.

On Sunday it also accepted Taputapuatea, a portion of the "Polynesian Triangle" in the South Pacific thought to be the last part of the globe settled by humans, to the list.  AFP
P resident Tran ai Quang delivers speech at a ceremony celebrating Lao Cais 110th founding anniversary in the provincial city.  Photo VGP

LAO CAI  President Tran ai Quang yesterday asked authorities in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai to improve the quality of growth and promote economic development in a more rapid and sustainable manner.

Speaking at a ceremony celebrating Lao Cais 110th founding anniversary in the provincial city, the State leader stressed the need to focus on economic restructuring in connection with labour restructuring, increase the proportion of service and industry and the productivity of forestry production, and promote the rural economy and new rural development.

He urged the province to develop the town of Sa Pa into a national tourist site.

President Quang said Lao Cai Province should pay more attention to human resources development, health care, and education for ethnic minorities, preservation and promotion of ethnic cultures, sustainable poverty reduction, while managing the border line with China, and defending national sovereignty.

The President presented the Independence Order, first class, to Lao Cai, and gave gifts to 30 wounded and sick soldiers and representatives of martyrs families and welfare beneficiaries.  VNS
AMSTERDAM  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was to inaugurate a new Vietnamese embassy in the Netherlands yesterday during his official visit to the country.

Phuc, his wife and entourage arrived in Amsterdam on Saturday and were greeted at Schiphol Airport by Dutch Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and diplomats from Viet Nam and the Netherlands.

During his three-day visit, Prime Minister Phuc will meet with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. The two leaders will witness the signing of documents on co-operation between the two governments and businesses from the two countries.

He is also scheduled to meet with leaders of the Dutch parliament and senior government and local officials, as well as representatives of the International Court of Justice and International Court of Arbitration. He will attend a Viet Nam-Netherlands business forum and a round-table with major enterprises and investors.

The visit takes place at a time when Viet Nam and the Netherlands are enjoying comprehensive development in their relations, setting a model for dynamic and effective co-operation.

The Netherlands is among the largest European investors in Viet Nam, ranking 11th out of the 119 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam. VNS
NGHE AN  Wrongdoings in budget estimation, settlement, collection and expenditure worth some VN100 billion (US$4.4 million) have been discovered in the central province of Nghe An during the first half of this year.

The provinces tax sector has conducted inspections at 529 enterprises, from which it proposed to return VN42.3 billion ($1.9 million) of ill-gotten gains to the State budget, as well as imposing fines of VN13.9 billion ($611,000) on miscreant enterprises.

A number of enterprises in the province have failed in the fields of asset disclosure and transparency. Several officials were not aware of the importance of anti-corruption measures and did not take the lead on the matter.

To improve the situation, the provinces authorities said they would consider anti-corruption effort of localities to be one of the major evaluation criteria at the end of the year.

The province has requested the National Assembly to adjust the 2005 Law on Anti-Corruption with clarifications on feasible, practical and constructive anti-corruption regulations such as investigating responsibilities of corrupted leaders, developing asset disclosure mechanisms, and only requiring those with high positions and authority on essential matters to disclose their assets.

The province will continue eliminating favourable conditions for corruption, coordinating with localities to handle financial misconduct and raising awareness on anti-corruption.  VNS
HA NOI  Investors in Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contracts are delaying installation of electronic toll collection (ETC) equipment at their toll gates on highways, officials say.

Apparently, they do not welcome the financial transparency that this would promote, the officials add.

The ETC technology collects toll by scanning cards installed in vehicles passing through toll gates, providing exact numbers of vehicles and fees collected while saving a lot of time for drivers.

In March this year, the Prime Minister had approved a national project to have ETC equipment installed at all toll stations nationwide by 2020.

In the first phase of the project, the ETC equipment is to be installed at 28 toll stations on National Highway No 1 and the section that runs through the Central Highlands region of the Ho Chi Minh Highway by the end of April, 2017.

However, as of early this week, 13 investors on these routes were yet to install the ETC equipment at their toll stations, the Transport Ministry reported.

Nguyen Viet Huy, deputy head of the ministrys Public-Private Partnership Department, said that the ministry had organised several meetings between the investors and the ETC technology providers to speed up the installation.

During the talks, investors say they agree with the Government on ETC installation and that they would work with ETC technology providers to address problems.

However, the investors were not strictly following their commitments, Huy said.

He said several road investors had also installed toll collecting equipment that were not compatible with Transport Ministrys systems.

Vu Quang Lam, general manager of the Viet Nam Electronic Toll Collection (VETC) Company  an investor and operator of ETC systems, said that some BOT road investors were not willing to negotiate.

They are delaying negotiations and signing of contracts, slowing down the ETC installation plan, Lam said.

Nguyen Van Huyen, General director of the Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam said that the investors did not want transparency in toll collection.

I dont think the toll data that BOT investors provide to the ministry is accurate. This should be detected with unannounced inspections, Huyen said, calling for stronger actions against the investors.

However, Transport Minister Truong Quang Nghia said relevant government bodies lacked oversight responsibility, urging investors to implement their commitments. He also said he would directly oversee and speed up the investors.

Nghia said road users had called for a more transparent toll collecting system and installing ETC technology would help meet this demand.

If investors did not change their mind, they would face opposition from road users.

He asked investors to complete installations and begin using the ETC equipment by the middle of next month.  VNS
HA NOI  Medical experts are warning against what they see as an anti-vaccine campaign that is being waged on social media.

A social media group with some 9,500 members, mostly parents of infants, has been debating whether or not to get children vaccinated.

Many parents have expressed concerns about cases in which children have suffered abnormalities and complications after getting vaccinated, with some on them proving fatal.

On March 25 last year, a five-year-old in northern Ninh Binh Provinces Yen Thang Commune died after experiencing high fever, convulsions and panic attacks five days after getting the meningococcal (against meningitis) vaccine from a local clinic.

On March 6 the same year, a four-month-old in southern ong Nai Provinces Thanh Phu Commune died four hours after getting the Quinvaxem vaccine (a combination vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B) at a local clinic.

Several parents have posted their belief that it is better to let childrens immune system develop normally rather than having through vaccinations, the Tien Phong (Vanguard) online newspaper reports.

The concerns about vaccine safety have been reinforced by some severe cases of Japanese encephalitis over the last month.

These cases have seen children having epileptic attacks and even dying after being vaccinated, the report says.

Groundless fears?

However, pediatricians say such concerns and views are groundless, and likely to harm children far more than any real or imagined negative effects of vaccines.

Some 80 per cent of children being treated at Childrens Hospital Number 1 in HCM City have not been vaccinated, noted Doctor Truong Huu Khanh, head of the hospitals Department of Infection and Neurology.

Abandoning vaccines will cause a disaster of diseases, Khanh said, referring to the 2014 measles epidemic in Viet Nam, believed to be triggered by parents who did not get their children vaccinated.

Side effects of vaccines occur in some children because each child has a different mechanism that reacts differently to vaccines, he added. It is better to minimise the side effects than abandon vaccines."

Without vaccines, child mortality would increase and those who survive diseases would have to live with disabilities for the rest of their lives, he warned.

Dr Phan Trong Lan, director of the Pasteur Institute in HCM City, said that based on national reports on the effectiveness of vaccines, authorities would not continue using vaccines that are harmful to citizens, especially children.

Lan said he understood mothers concerns on seeing abnormal physical symptoms appear in vaccinated infants, as well as their eagerness to find the cause of those symptoms.

They have doubts, they seek information from everywhere. And before they can conclude what is right and what is wrong, they stop believing in the importance of vaccines for young children, he said.

However, this is most dangerous, robbing children of their most important opportunity to prevent diseases, he said.

For example, some 84 per cent of children under six are at risk of dying from pertussis (whooping cough) without vaccines."  VNS
New report reveals that widespread fraud by both healthcare institutions and patients have cost health insurance funds some VN3 trillion ($132 million) in the first four months of the year. Photo vietnamnet.vn

HA NOI - New report reveals that widespread fraud by both healthcare institutions and patients have cost health insurance funds some VN3 trillion ($132 million) in the first four months of the year.

The report, released by Viet Nam Social Security (VSS), lists some of the main tricks used by both healthcare institutions and patients to siphon money from national and local health insurance funds.

Duong Tuan uc, director of the Northern Centre for Health Insurance Review and Assessment, said that in the first four months of 2017, around 2,800 patients had more than 50 health examinations, with quite a few of these people having checks more than 120 times.

In particular, 195 patients who had health checks in four different health facilities piled up a whopping VN 7.7 billion ($338,600) tab, uc said.

Healthcare institutions were making up patients names for dispensing drugs and over-prescribing the use of hi-tech equipment like CT scanners, he added.

Nguyen Thi Yen, deputy director of the Department of Pharmacology and Medical Equipment under the VSS, said that a rapid survey of 31 provinces and cities had detected a big discrepancy of VN121 billion ($5.32 million) in drug procurement thorough bids and purchases in the open market.

Several senior officials have spoken about this issue.

Pham Le Tuan, Deputy Minister of Health, said the abuse of health insurance increased recently, negatively impacting the people, Health Insurance Fund and the Social Security Fund.

I should say that nefarious practices have been resorted to by both people with health insurance and the healthcare institutions.

Many people have cheated by using other peoples health insurance cards. Some of them have even reused expired health insurance cards by erasing the date and others have had health checks in many facilities during a short period of time to get drugs and other medical necessities, he said.

In several healthcare institutions, medical practitioners have forged false medical records to claim financial settlements from health insurance agencies.

To deter such practices, the Ministry of Health has asked all healthcare facilities to improve transparency and accountability in providing their services.

We have also introduced IT applications in our insurance reviews and assessments. The applications have helped us detect malpractices," he said.

According to the VSS, as of March 2017, the percentage of health facilities nation-wide having their data connected with the VSS was just about 74 percent, making it hard to verify the accuracy of claims.

Bui Sy Loi, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Social Affairs, said health insurance was a good way for all people to access healthcare.

It is undeniable that health insurance has brought about a lot of benefits for the people, he said.

He also said that since the introduction of IT in all healthcare facilities nation-wide, concerned authorities have been able to track the flow of patients as well as drugs described.

However, it is also true that many patients and healthcare facilities have taken advantages of the imperfect present system to make profits for themselves, Loi said.

The MoF should take a close look at what has happened in the financial settlement for patients using health insurance cards to see if there are any loopholes or abnormalities in doctors prescriptions. Meanwhile, the VSS has to closely watch and monitor the process to ensure that funds are used properly.

Pham Khanh Phong Lan, National Assembly deputy from Ho Chi Minh City, said the Ministry of Health had not done well as a bridge between the VSS and the hospitals.

She said a major part of the problem was that people participating in health insurance schemes made modest contributions, but wanted to extract much higher benefits.

In addition, the health insurance management mechanism between centrally-managed cities and provinces was quite different. For example, Ho Chi Minh City, a centre for hi-tech applications and a place where serious cases from other localities are referred to, had an annual health insurance fund that always enjoyed surplus. This was attributed to efficient performance of the municipal health insurance fund. In most localities, however, health insurance funds were always in deficit.

Another point I want to mention is the doctors drug descriptions. Though under the Circular 11, the Ministry of Health, prohibit doctors from prescribing brand name drugs for their patients, many doctors still do so. This is one of the reasons costing the insurance fund. Only in special cases should doctors prescribe brand name drugs for their patients."  VNS
The news that reputed public schools in the city will increase their tuition fees further in the next academic year has many parents worried. Photo vietnamnet.vn

HA NOI  The news that reputed public schools in the city will increase their tuition fees further in the next academic year has many parents worried.

Some reports say the hike in fees would take tuition fees to up to 100 times that of normal public schools in September, when the 2017-2018 begins.

The latest surge in fees has come after the Ha Noi Peoples Council approved a resolution late last year that empowers high-quality public schools at all levels to raise their tuition fees.

As planned, in the new school year, the maximum tuition fees will be VN4.3 million (US$190) for a student per month in high-quality kindergarten and primary schools; and VN4.5 million ($198) in high-quality secondary and high schools.

In the previous academic year, 2016-17, the maximum tuition fees were VN3.9 million ($171) for a student per month in kindergarten and primary schools; and VN4.1 million ($180) per month per student in secondary and high schools, the Phu nu Viet Nam (Vietnamese Women) newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, it would cost just VN55,000- 110,000 ($2.5-5) per student per month at all levels to study in a normal public school in Ha Noi for the 2017-1018 academic year. Fees for the previous year were VN 45,000-70,000 ($2-3) for a student per month.

Nguyen Hoang Quan, a resident of the My inh Residential Area in Nam Tu Liem District, said his son was going to the 6th grade in the coming school year.

He was confused and had to deliberate a bit before deciding to register his son with the Nam Tu Liem Secondary School, the high-quality public school near his house.

[Normally, children are encouraged to study at public schools near their houses as per the policy of the municipal Education and Training Department, if not parents had to do complicated procedures to register their children to other schools. Additionally, public schools would also give priority to children living near their locations first then other children. The policy aims to reduce overloading situation at public schools in the city.]

Therefore, Quan said although he already decided to let his son learn at Nam Tu Liem Secondary School but he still worried about the quality education of the school.

I dont know if the schools quality matches the money I pay, he said.

Another father of two children studying in two high-quality schools in Ha ong District said he and his wife had lived very economically to save more money for covering their childrens tuition fees this year.

The latest increase in tuition fees makes it even tougher for us, he added.

Hoang Thu Hang, of ong a District, a mother of a high-quality kindergarten schools student said she was already informed that the tuition fee of his son would be raised by about VN200,000 ($9) each month for the new school year.

Although she knew the school her son studied in was already quite good, she wanted further improvement in the quality of education, commensurate with the additional money being taken from parents, Hang said.

Too high

Former deputy minister of Education and Training Tran Xuan Nhi said the new tuition fees were too high, especially for high schools.

Nhi said the model of high-quality public schools should be designed to fit with the actual situation.

I think the income of most local residents cannot match the new tuition fees, he said.

The average income of a Hanoian is about $3,800 per year.

Nhi said the local department of education and training should make its calculations with greater care so that it can improve the quality of education for reasonable tuition fees.

It should let each school to decide its maximum tuition fees depending on their infrastructure and the quality of teachers instead of setting a maximum level of tuition fees for all schools, he said.

Ha Noi now has 18 high-quality public schools at all levels. Under criteria of the local department of education and training, a school is defined as a high-quality one if it meets a range of standards on the quality of teachers, infrastructure and teaching methods.

For example, the school is required to have at least 70 per cent of teachers with a certificate of English fluency issued by the Ministry of Educational and Training, equal to level A2 under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It should have modern facilities in the classroom, labs, and kitchen as well as proper fire-fighting equipment. It should conduct more outdoor activities to improve students life skills and adopt teaching methods that encourage children to actively think for themselves.

The department said the establishment of high-quality school was aimed to serve residents demand for high-quality education.

It plans to construct an additional of 20 high-quality public schools by 2020 to raise education quality in the city to regional levels.

The increase in tuition fees would continue in the coming years.

For the 2018-2019 school year, the maximum tuition fee will be VN4.7 million ($206) for a student per month in kindergarten and primary schools and VN4.9 million ($215) per month per student in secondary and high schools. Corresponding figures for 2019-2020 would be VN5.1 million ($224) and VN5.3 million ($233).  VNS
HA NOI  The National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) expects to collect at least 45,000 blood units during Hanh trinh o (Red Journey) 2017.

Red Journey 2017 is a blood donation communication campaign that kicked off today in Ha Noi.

During the one-month campaign, 140 outstanding volunteers, divided into two groups, will travel through 28 provinces and cities nationwide to collect blood and spread the message about the importance of donating blood.

The group started its journey from southern Ca Mau Province on July 1 and will travel through 18 southern and central provinces and cities. It has collected more than 5,600 blood units over blood donation camps in six provinces and cities of Kien Giang, Can Tho, Long An and HCM City, as well as ong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

The other group left from Ha Noi today for Phu Tho and nine other northern provinces. The two groups will meet in Ha Noi on July 27 to participate in a series of activities that are part of Red Journey 2017, including a blood donation festival.

They will also call upon the public to donate blood in a bid to ease the current blood shortage at hospitals and raise community awareness about thalassemia  a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems.

Blood shortage situation has occurred in many countries, including Viet Nam. Campaigns such as Red Journey will contribute to providing enough blood to meet emergency and treatment needs of hospitals as well as to strengthen community awareness on the humanitarian blood donation movement, NIHBT director Nguyen Anh Tri said.

Tri said Red Journey has dramatically changed the image of the humanitarian blood donation movement in Viet Nam in terms of the scale of organisation, communication and professional activities.

Red Journey is an important milestone in the development of the countrys voluntarily blood donation movement, contributing to attaining the goal that all blood will be donated by voluntary donors by 2020, Tri said.

Since the first Red Journey in 2013, thousands of patients lives have been saved due to nearly 75,000 blood units collected during the past four years. The campaign has contributed to easing blood shortage during the summer when voluntary donors, mainly students, go home for the summer vacation, according to NIHBT.

Red Journey 2017 is organised by NIHBT in collaboration with Viet Nam Red Cross and the National Assemblys TV Channel with support from BIDV, VietinBank, CP Viet Nam Corporation and IDP International Diary JSC.  VNS
CEDAR FALLS  Members of the Cedar River Festival Group, which sponsors the annual Cedar River cleanup, have announced this years 30th anniversary cleanup route and subsequent music, arts and crafts festival which will be July 29-30.

The festival is marking its 30th anniversary by going back to a two-day event.

This year the group will host its cleanup July 29 and the festival July 30 at Island Park.

The cleanup will launch near the Cedar-Wapsi bridge in Cedar Falls, at Washington-Union access. Volunteers will meet at 8 a.m. at Island Park in Cedar Falls to be bused to the launch point.

There will be a midway point with lunch near Black Hawk Park. Volunteers will empty their trash and canoes at Island Park.

On Sunday, July 30, the organization will host a music festival at Island Park Shelter No. 1. Solar panels will be used to operate the stage.

Festivities will kick off at noon, including music by the Rush Cleveland Trio, Raldo and Friends, Uncle Chuck, Q&A, Free Range Medicine, Checker and the Bluetones and Zoot and Newt.

Food and craft vendors will be available, including La Calle and Heres Whats Poppin. Kids activities will take place from 1 to 4 p.m.

More information maybe obtained on the organizations Facebook page or at www.crfgroup.org.
Riverview plans womens lunch

CEDAR FALLS  The Riverview Womens Ministry will host a womens luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in Fellowship Hall.

There will be music and an inspiring message with recording artist Lindsay Huggins.

A luncheon will be served by Riverview Guest Services.

Tickets are $20 and available at the center at 439 N. Division St. by calling 268-0787 or by emailing riverviewcc@gmail.com.

UICCU to hold food drive

WATERLOO  The University of Iowa Community Credit Union will sponsor a food drive for area food pantries this month, including the Northeast Iowa Food Bank.

UICCU is accepting both food and monetary donations at all branches in Johnson, Linn, Black Hawk, Polk, Poweshiek and Scott counties. UICCU will match cash donations up to $5,000 and deliver the food items collected to Iowa food pantries.

The top 10 items needed are canned meat, peanut butter, hearty soups and stews, canned vegetables, canned fruit, pasta and rice, baby formula, diapers and toilet paper.

Blood drive set for Thursday

TRAER  An American Red Cross community blood drive is set for 12:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Traer Memorial Building.

Schedule an appointment at redcrossblood.org or (800) 733-2767.

West High can drive planned

WATERLOO  The West High School vocal music department will have its monthly redeemable can drive from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Baltimore Street entrance of the West parking lot.

Students will be outside to remove five-cent refundable glass, plastic and aluminum beverage containers from vehicles. Funds raised each month support the West vocal music department.

AMVETS to host steak supper

EVANSDALE  The Evansdale AMVETS will serve a steak supper from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday.

There will be Under the Boardwalk karaoke from 7 to 11 p.m.

Chorus to sing

at Wilder Park

ALLISON  The Cedar Harmony Chorus will perform in Wilder Park at 7 p.m. July 19 as part of the summer concert series.

The group has performed extensively in the Cedar Falls and Waterloo areas, including at Sturgis Falls and the Cedar Falls Municipal Band concerts. Members perform a variety of a cappella music including Broadway, jazz, blues and barbershop standards.

There is no admission charge; people should bring lawn chairs.
WATERLOO  Jurors have sided with an Evansdale man in his lawsuit against a Waterloo casino where he was attacked by another patron in January 2021.
WATERLOO  The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is preparing for its annual personal care drive. Local businesses, churches and organizations will be collecting personal care items to be distributed to more than 200 nonprofit agencies in 16 Northeast Iowa counties, assisting more than 48,000 people.

Starting immediately and running until Aug. 17, volunteers will collect soap, shampoo, diapers, toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other personal care items. The effort will conclude at local stores, where volunteers will hand out flyers including a list of personal care items in need and encourage shoppers to donate. The closing events will occur Aug. 5 at the Waterloo Walmart, Aug. 12 at remaining Cedar Valley Walmart stores and all Cedar Valley Fareway stores, and Aug. 19 at Cedar Falls Natural Grocers.

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank and its partner agencies are one of the only resources available to Northeast Iowans in need of personal care items. If your church, business or organization is interested in participating, contact Sheri Huber-Otting at 235-0507.

For more information, visit www.northeastiowafoodbank.org
If youre planning a trip to Europe this summer, be forewarned: You may spend a lot of time explaining Donald Trump to the natives.

In our case, it started immediately, with the British immigration officer at Londons Heathrow Airport.

Are you from the Southern states? he asked. What he meant was: Are you Trump voters?

What has gotten into you people? he demanded. You used to be a model other countries wanted to follow. Now we watch you and shake our heads.

That was one of dozens of unsought conversations in three countries about the state of American politics. Europeans familiarity with the details of our national melodrama was sometimes startling.

Whats the real story about Melania? our British friend Naomi asked. Is she moving into the White House or not?

What about the famous son-in-law? asked Lala, our Italian neighbor, amused to catch Americans practicing the kind of clan-based politics Italians know. Is he the brains of the family?

If Trump is impeached, then Pence becomes president, right? asked Liliane, a German lawyer. Would he be worse?

Brits, Italians and Germans all asked whether Trumps presidency would be over by the end of the year. I described the complexities of impeachment, and how unlikely it was that a Republican-controlled Congress would go there. I reminded them of Italys Silvio Berlusconi, who won three elections and governed for nine years despite prosecutors efforts to bring him down.

Our European friends absorption in all things Trump goes beyond mere gossip, of course. They have gnawing concerns about an increasingly disorderly world  one in which the president of the United States, instead of bolstering stability, often seems to be a disruptor.

It wasnt a scientific sample by any stretch. But our conversations mirrored a Pew global survey released last week that found Trump is unpopular across much of the world, and his unpredictability has shaken confidence in the United States.

For half a century, Europeans got used to thinking of the United States as a stable cornerstone of world politics  not always sophisticated in their eyes, not always right, but reliably there. Now that were less reliable, theyre more nervous. They know all too well Europe  politically divided, militarily weak and economically listless  cant fill the empty role of the missing superpower.

Europe could be strong if countries knew how to work together, but they dont, said Peter, a German yoga instructor. Nationalism gets in the way.

Trump may have had one positive effect on continental politics, as Europes wave of nationalist populism appears to have ebbed. Trump-style anti-immigrant populists lost ground in three major elections this year: the Netherlands in March, France in May and Britain in June. In France, Trump virtually endorsed populist candidate Marine LePen; she was trounced by the Obama-style Emmanuel Macron.

We have learned from your example, Liliane joked.

There may be a silver lining for Americans too. Europeans who once resented our superpower status now express sympathy for our troubles  even nostalgia for American leadership.

Many Europeans condemned George W. Bush for invading Iraq. Then they pouted when Barack Obama, whom they liked better, made it clear he was more interested in Asia. Now they see a president who thinks alliances are a scam and doesnt put much stock in the U.S. treaty commitment to defend Europe.

Europeans have plenty of reasons to worry about their future. Islamist terrorism has accelerated with attacks in England, France and Belgium. The European Union is in danger of falling apart. Russia is meddling in their elections and corrupting some of their governments. They still havent solved their massive unemployment problem.

In earlier times of trouble, American presidents stepped in with reassurances the United States wanted a Europe that was prosperous, strong and united. Trump says, instead, he sees Europe as a competitor, not an ally, and that he prefers his competitors to be weak, poor and disunited.

Italian columnist Beppe Severgnini recently compared Trumps America to a straying husband, but suggested that hed come home.

Go ahead, have your affairs, he wrote. But dont forget: Youre married to us.

Perhaps he had forgotten that Trump is already on marriage No. 3.
Q: Is it true Donald Trump owned the Dakota pipeline until after the election in 2016?

A: President Trump had stock in Energy Transfer Partners, the owner of the $3.7 billion Dakota Access pipeline, but sold his shares in the summer of 2016. Trumps share, which in a May 2015 disclosure was listed at between $500,000 and $1 million, had fallen to less than $50,000 by the time he sold it, according to a 2016 disclosure. Another of Trumps holdings, Phillips 66, owns a 25 percent share in the pipeline project. It is unclear if the president has also sold his stock in Phillips 66, as his last financial disclosure was in May 2016. But in December, the Trump transition team stated Trump sold all his stock holdings last summer.

Q: I see the University of Iowa Hospitals wont accept cash for payment anymore. Is that legal?

A: Yes. The UI Hospitals said, Patients who do not use credit cards, dont have a bank account, or prefer to pay in cash, can make arrangements with Patient Financial Services to make payment with cash on a case-by-case basis.

Patients who do not use a credit/debit card, but have a bank account, will receive a billing statement in the mail for the clinical service received.

People can still use cash at the hospital pharmacies, cafeterias and gift shops.

Q: How do they take caffeine out of coffee to make it decaffeinated?

A: The coffee beans are moistened and heated to make the caffeine soluble, according to a Scientific American report. One method then uses water and charcoal to remove the caffeine; other processes use direct solvents or supercritical carbon dioxide.

Q: What are the evacuation procedures if there is a nuclear accident at the plant in Palo?

A: There are long and detailed plans available at www.beready.iowa.gov.

Q: How can airlines overbook flights when they know how many seats are available?

A: According to a recent Washington Post article, Most airlines, the U.S. Department of Transportation notes, overbook scheduled flights to compensate for no-shows.

In such a situation, the DOT requires the airline to ask for volunteers. And those who do volunteer  with a few exceptions  are entitled to compensation.

Q: Does the state spray wild parsley in the ditches?

A: The Iowa Department of Transportation does spray for wild parsnip in roadside ditches.

Q: A recipe in the June 28 paper for rhubarb crisp asked for raw sugar. What kind of sugar is that? Also, what is Grand Marnier?

A: White sugar has the molasses (a byproduct of refining) removed during processing, but raw sugar is processed so that a little of the molasses residue remains.

This colors the sugar and gives it a slightly different flavor. You might also see it called turbinado sugar. Grand Marnier is a liqueur made from a blend of cognac brandy, essence of bitter orange and sugar.

Q: What year was Gregory Peck born and what year did he die? Also, how old is Carroll Baker? Both were stars on Big Country.

A: Peck lived from 1916-2003. Baker is now 86.

Questions are taken on a special Courier phone line at 234-3566. Questions are answered by Courier staff and staff at the Waterloo Public Library.
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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.

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Jul 10, 2017 | By Benedict

AML Technologies (Additive Metal Layering Technologies), a metal 3D printing startup based in Adelaide, Australia, has been awarded a 500,000 AUD ($380,000) grant from the Australian government to develop its Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAM) process.

As one of 24 businesses benefiting from a recent 11.2 million AUD of commercialization grants from the Australian governments Entrepreneurs Programme, Adelaide-based AML Technologies now finds itself in a strong position to develop its Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing metal 3D printing process, a technology for disrupting the traditional methods of casting, forging and machining.

AML Technologies has been awarded this money from the Turnbull Government to help establish a contract bureau for large-scale 3D metal printing, said the Hon Christopher Pyne, the Australian government representative for Sturt, AMLs constituency. Its great that they will be supported to undertake commercialization activities to prove the viability of this great idea.

According to AML, WAM is a metal 3D printing metal process for creating medium to large metal parts. It is suitable for the production of large-scale engineering structures of high integrity at low cost, combining an electric arc as a heat source with wire as feedstock to produce free-form parts.

The company says that the wire arc technique, which is more like welding than other metal 3D printing processes, is integrated with a specifically programmed welding robot to manufacture large metal parts from digital 3D designs to a near-net shape, which are then machine finished. Use of robotics purportedly removes traditional 3D printer size restrictions.

AML describes the WAM process as a major disruption to the current methods of metal part manufacturing, which can be time-consuming, costly, and produce immense scrap material. By using the WAM process instead, this wastage of material can purportedly be reduced by up to 80 percent, with manufacturing times reduced by 75 percent.

"This technology has the opportunity to save immense lead times, commented AMLs Andy Sales. It means the product won't take months, but days if not hours. The 3D printing expert also added that, with a robot and table big enough, you can build something as big as a car.

If the process of Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing sounds familiar to you, but you dont think youve heard of AML, thats where things get a little complicated.

The reason for the confusion is likely because (unhyphenated) Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing, a seemingly similar additive welding process, has been used by other organizations, usually under the name WAAM. The Netherlands brand-new RAMLAB at the Port of Rotterdam contains one notable example of a large WAAM 3D printer.

AML Technologies, which has trademarked the term WAM, offers 3D printing services to clients interested in receiving medium to large metal 3D printed parts. It does not currently sell its 3D printing technology.

Posted in 3D Printing Technology

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Chief Executive Officer Appointment

Sydney, July 10, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - EnviroSuite Limited ( ASX:EVS ) (EnviroSuite or the Company) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Peter White as an Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company.



Mr White formerly held the role of CEO from April 2012 to May 2016. In this time Mr White consolidated the consulting group and increased its scale through organic growth and several successful acquisitions as well as leading the successful development and transition to a cloud-based SaaS offering of the Company's world-class EnviroSuite platform.



Mr White has deep experience in technology sales and operational management. Over the past 30 years he has held executive and sales management positions in global technology companies including Hewlett Packard, Motorola, Siemens, Computer Associates, and Tandem Computers. He has extensive global experience gained through international business development roles in Asia, Europe and the USA.



Mr White has a particular skillset and experience in selling innovative, large, technology deals that have accelerated growth for his previous employers. This has included individual deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as well as application software deals to several governments, as well as some of the world's biggest banks and telecommunication carriers.



Mr. Peter White said that:

"I am delighted to return to the Company at what is certainly the most exciting time in its history. My major focus will be driving the international success through major sales and distribution of EnviroSuite, as well as the operational management of the Company."



Managing Director and Founder, Mr Robin Ormerod commented, "Both the board and staff are delighted that Peter has returned to the CEO role. It comes at a very opportune time, given the exciting momentum we are seeing from both direct clients and partners. Peter's deep knowledge of EnviroSuite and his skills in technology sales will help us capitalise on these significant opportunities facing EnviroSuite today. I look forward very much to his working with us at EnviroSuite and on our Board".



The company advises the following key terms of Mr White's remuneration package:



- Term: From commencement (10 July 2017) until terminated in accordance with the agreement



- Base salary: $300,000 inclusive of superannuation



- Incentive: During the initial 24 months from commencement of his employment, Mr White will receive 5% of the value of the first year of license fee revenues from new EnviroSuite sales, with clawback provisions should the licensee default.



- The nature and payment of incentives from year 3 and beyond will be at the discretion of the Company.



- Termination payment: 6 months of gross salary in the event of a change in control



- Notice: 3 months unless terminated for cause in which case the company may terminate without notice



Mr White's employment contract contains terms typical to similar agreements including provisions regarding confidentiality, privacy, and post-employment restraints.



All payments to Mr White in accordance with the above terms are to be made in cash in Australian dollars.



No additional remuneration will be paid to Mr White in relation to his directorship of EnviroSuite Limited or it's subsidiaries.



Mr White also holds 7,050,000 unlisted options and 1,988,399 ordinary shares which were issued during this previous tenure with the Company, further details of which will be set out in the Initial Directors' interest notice.





About EnviroSuite Limited





EnviroSuite Limited (ASX:EVS) (FRA:57P) is an environmental management technology company that has developed a leading Software-as-Service platform which translates data into action in real-time.

Using proprietary algorithms built on more than 30 years of environmental consulting experience, Envirosuite's platform provides a range of environmental monitoring, management and investigative capabilities.

Envirosuite's platform is used worldwide by a range of clients in the mining, oil refining, transportation and water management industries and by governments looking to regulate industry in accordance with community well-being.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.envirosuite.com
Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile Africa/Global: Following the Money AfricaFocus Bulletin

July 10, 2017 (170710)

(Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note "As an important tool in our fight against corruption, tax evasion, terrorist financing and money laundering, we will advance the effective implementation of the international standards on transparency and beneficial ownership of legal persons and legal arrangements, including the availability of information in the domestic and crossborder context." - G20 Summit Communique, Hamburg, July 8, 2017 The issue was not high profile in Hamburg, the wording was generic, and implementation, as always with such communications, remains highly dependent on interpretation and political will. But, unlike contentious issues on climate change and trade, the global consensus on the need to rein in illicit financial flows now seems well-established. The rapid acceleration of global finance has increased both global and national inequalities, and gravely imperilled the capacity of states in both rich and poor countries to provide for public needs. And there is growing recognition of the need to act. In practice, of course, financial transparency seems most conspicuous by the absence of effective mechanisms to deter tax evasion (legal) and tax avoidance (ostensibly legal but often illegitimate). But, a little more than one year after the Panama Papers' revelations, which won the International Consortium of Investigative Reports the Pulitzer Prize, the imperative to follow the money is a guiding thread not only by a host of investigative journalists but also for activist groups, international agencies, and legislative bodies. Most prominent are the scandals surrounding the current presidents of the United States and South Africa. But the campaign to stop illicit financial flows is continuing at many different levels less widely covered in global media. This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains recent short articles or excerpts from articles on five such cases. Lobbying by multinational corporations at the United Nations to have "tax avoidance" schemes removed from the category of "illicit financial flows" seen to be a central obstacle to the "Sustainable Development Goals."

The report of the Osoro Committee in Tanzania Committee in Tanzania on government charges that a gold-mining companies is falsifying the quantities and values of gold exports.

The ongoing search for the Qaddafi family's wealth stashed around Africa after the 2011 fall of the Qaddafi dictatorship in Libya.

The introduction of legislation in the U.S. Senate and House targeting anonymous shell companies, which make the United States one of the easiest countries in the world to hid illicitly acquired wealth, through concealing the real owners.

A study based on data from recent leaks, including the Panama Papers and HSBC papers, using tax records in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden to show that "the ultra-rich [top 0.01% of households], who own more than $40m in net wealth each - are 250 times more likely than average to hide assets." This finding, almost certainly even more extreme in countries less committed to equality than these three countries, means that even the current high estimates of global wealth inequality are significantly underestimated. For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on tax evasion, inequality, and related issues, visit

http://www.africafocus.org/intro-iff.php ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Corporations secretly lobbying UN to allow tax avoidance in its anti-poverty agenda Humanosphere, 23 June 2017 by Tom Murphy http://tinyurl.com/y7j7rodu Multinational corporations are lobbying the U.N. behind closed doors to keep tax avoidance off the list of targets in the Sustainable Development Goals, say advocates of global tax reform. Many experts cite tax avoidance by corporations and wealthy individuals as a major driver of inequality and poverty worldwide. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established by international consensus as a series of goals for reducing poverty and inequity, includes reducing improper tax avoidance and evasion. Now, say advocates of transparency and global tax reforms, it appears that many large corporations, with the backing of the International Monetary Fund, are pushing the U.N. to alter its definition of "illicit flows" to only limit illegal activities and ignore legal means corporations avoid paying taxes. Legal tax avoidance is cited by many as a major global problem that especially impacts developing countries. Corporations, such as Microsoft, often use legal means to shift profits out of countries and into tax havens or other countries to reduce their tax burden. Tax evasion is the term used for illegal means to avoid paying taxes; many say there's often a blurry line separating legal 'avoidance' from 'evasion,' but the impact on poor countries in lost revenue is significant. By some estimates, governments lose out on anywhere from an estimated $200 billion (if the definition is limited to avoidance) to more than $1 trillion each year (if you include evasion) in tax revenues. Corporations successfully lobbied in the past to prevent attempts to reign in tax avoidance. Those who advocate for fairer taxation and a reduction in corporate tax avoidance and evasion say, in a pair of letters addressed to the U.N. SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres, that this new lobbying push to 're-interpret' the SDGs must be rejected. "For the U.N. to allow this global agreement to be subverted now would be a damning betrayal of that leadership and all who signed up to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," Dereje Alemayehu of the Global Alliance for Tax Justice said in a statement. The SDGs are a series of targets meant to reduce poverty and inequity by 2030. Goals include increasing access to clean water, universal secondary education and eliminating extreme poverty. Goal number 16 calls for the reduction of illicit financial flows worldwide. Reports prepared in the run-up to the finalization of the SDGs in 2015 listed tax avoidance as an illicit flow, but it was not named specifically in the final targets. Corporations are taking advantage of the language. The issue of tax avoidance gained some popular attention when a series of documents revealed how wealthy individuals kept money in Panama to avoid paying taxes. Tax reform advocates say the system is rigged in favor of corporations. The average citizen in a country subjected to forms of tax avoidance is hurt because the money could be used to pay for schools, roads and hospitals. "The research and policy analysis on illicit financial flows are unanimous in including multinational tax abuses in the definition - and we also have the most robust estimates of the scale of the problem in this area," Alex Cobham of the Tax Justice Network said to Humanosphere. "So it makes no sense, in either political or technical terms, to subvert the SDG target in this way." The Tax Justice Network, The Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation (ICRICT), and the Global Alliance for Tax Justice are concerned by the fact that the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime is in charge of determining the definition for the illicit flows target. They say that the body does not work on taxes and appears to be vulnerable to lobby efforts by companies trying to change the rules. The group of advocates say they have a strong case for including tax avoidance in the definition for illicit financial flows. Two major documents that informed the formation of the SDGs specifically mention the issue of tax avoidance. The Report of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, chaired by then U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, set up the framework for the SDGs. It names tax avoidance as an issue that must be addressed in order to realize a world free of extreme poverty. A second report concerning illicit financial flows was used as the basis for establishing SDG 14. It too names tax avoidance and uses it in the context of the phrase 'illicit financial flows.' "It is clear the two documents that underpin the U.N. agreement have explicit statement that avoidance is a part of illicit flows," explained Cobham. "I don't think anybody can argue that what everyone agreed to is about multinational corporate tax avoidance." The hope is that a direct appeal to Gutteres will ensure the definition is not changed. "We urge Secretary-General Guterres to stand up for lower-income countries against the lobbying of special interests in what we consider is a critical element of the global commitment towards eradicating poverty and transforming economies through sustainable development," Jose Antonio Ocampo, Chair of ICRICT said. Illicit Financial Flows in the Extractives Sector in Africa - Reflections on the Osoro Report in Tanzania Maendeleo Group Blog, June 21, 2017 by Selemani Kinyunyu http://www.maendeleogroup.net/index.php/blog North Mara open pit gold mine in Tarime, Tanzania On 12 June 2017, President John Magufuli of Tanzania received a report from the Osoro Committee which was commissioned to examine the economic and legal implications of the country's export of gold and mineral concentrates. The establishment of the Osoro Committee follows a visit made in March by President Magufuli to the port of Dar es Salaam where he barred the export of 277 containers of gold and mineral concentrate belonging to Acacia Mining PLC, pending government verification of the amount and value of the minerals. A probe team was established to carry out the chemical analysis and a report released in early April 2017. The chemical analysis pointed to significant variances in the amount of gold concentrate in the containers, suggesting that Acacia had under declared the export value and amount of mineral concentrate by as much as three times. The probe team also found that at least 10 other minerals were not declared by Acacia including zinc, nickel and lithium. Based on the findings on the chemical analysis, the Osoro Committee estimates that Tanzania lost up to $ 84 billion between 1998 and 2017. Given that Tanzania's proposed 2017/2018 budget is approximately $ 15 billion, the losses would be sufficient to run the country for at least 5 years. The Commission's findings suggest that Acacia engaged in a number of dubious practices that contributed to Illicit Financial Flows including; Base erosion and profit shifting - Acacia would include illegible costs in the computation of its costs of production with the aim of eroding its tax base in Tanzania. Then through a network of subsidiaries, Acacia would export the gold concentrate from Tanzania (which now has a lower book value due) and sell it to third parties through its treasury department in South Africa at a much higher value. Trade misinvoicing - Acacia would misreport the nature, amount and value of mineral ore being exported. Transfer pricing - Acacia would collude with companies to sell gold and mineral ore at prices that were not reflective of the actual market value. The manipulation of the sale price was done for the purpose of avoiding or reducing its tax obligation. Following these findings, the Osoro Committee made 21 recommendations related to legal, policy and institutional reforms. It noted that there were significant internal deficiencies in the countries tax, mining, business registration, judicial and freight management authorities. The Osoro Committee also recommended public disclosure of mining contracts and for appropriate criminal and administrative sanctions be taken against individuals who had occasioned losses or engaged in corruption and mismanagement. Acacia which operates 3 mines in Tanzania is a subsidiary of Barrick Gold, the largest gold mining company in the world. Acacia strongly disputes findings of the chemical analysis and of the Osoro Committee. It has called for an independent audit of the findings. Following considerable pressure on its cash flows and a share price that nose-dived by 30%], executive vice chairman of Barrick Gold John L Thornton met with president Magufuli in Dar es Salaam on 14 June 2017. A statement issued by the presidency after the meeting suggested that Barrick would pay Tanzania any money it owes and that Barrick would help Tanzania build a smelter. Thornton's brief statement after the meeting was coy, instead insisting that further discussions would be held by a joint team of experts to resolve the impasse. What way forward for Tanzania? The Osoro report is not the first time there has been a detailed scrutiny of the country's mining industry. There have been at least 5 other inquiries into the matter namely the 2002 General Mboma Committee, the 2004 Dr. Jonas Kipokola Committee, the 2005 Enos Bukuku Committee, the 2006 Lau Masha Committee and the 2008 Judge Bomani Committee. The real challenge therefore appears to be implementation deficit. Commendably, president Magufuli announced that all the recommendations of the Osoro Committee shall be implemented. ... Muammar Qaddafi's lost treasure may be stashed in boxes hidden around Africa by Lynsey Chutel https://qz.com/1009354/ The violent fall and bloody death of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 triggered an international treasure hunt for the riches of the wealthy and flamboyant Libyan dictator. Now, a United Nations report reveals that much of Gaddafi's loot was hidden in plain sight across Africa. For years, rumors have swirled that billions of dollars, at least six million carats of diamonds, and an unknown number of solid gold bars were hidden in South Africa. About $20 billion was believed to be held across four banks, while the rest was allegedly hidden in warehouses and bunkers around Pretoria and Johannesburg. In 2013, South Africa agreed to return Libyan funds worth 10 billion rand (nearly $780 million at today's rate) to the new government, in line with the UN's rules, with no mention of the rumored cash, diamonds, and gold hidden in storage lock-ups. Now, the panel's investigation reveals that even more money than was previously reported may have moved through South Africa's financial institutions. Information that only came to light in 2016 showed that another $8 billion was moved from a Standard Bank of South Africa account to a Stanbic account in Kenya. ... The Kenya transfer was allegedly authorized by Bashir Saleh al-Shrkawi, Gaddafi's former banker and ex-head of the Libya Africa Investment Portfolio. The portfolio, a subsidiary of the Libyan Investment Authority, is believed to be a source of funding for the Gaddafi family, which has since been "reformed". A panel of experts appointed by the United Nations Security Council released a 299- page report to the council earlier this month on the continued chaos of post-Gaddafi Libya. In it are documents, photographs, and interviews detailing how the dictator's assets, frozen under the UN's resolutions, flow freely around the continent. [Report available at http://tinyurl.com/ybgbzt64] ... Accra, the capital of Ghana, holds another part of Gaddafi's legendary hoard. There, the money was was stored in boxes marked with the seemingly innocuous stamp of a humanitarian organization, Le Comite International pour la Protection des Droits de l'Homme. The security council panel contacted the Ghanaian police and the rights organizations' headquarters in France, with no response. Last seen in February 2016, the money has allegedly been moved to another country. ... The UN investigation follows an expose in the Panama Papers, published by the German newspaper, the Suddeautsche Zeitung. The papers documented how the Libya Africa Investment Portfolio invested in oil in other African states to move money around. [See http://tinyurl.com/yd56gjv5] The investment company also held shares in a front company, the Vision Oil Services Limited, run by the controversial Panamian law firm Mossack Fonseca. The company was founded in 2007 but lay dormant until March 2011, the twilight of the Gaddafi regime. Former Gaddafi banker Bashir, who has since been spotted in Niger, South Africa, and Swaziland, dismissed the treasure hunt as "mirages." Bipartisan Bill Targets Criminal Money Laundering, Terror Financing FACT Coalition, June 28, 2017 http://www.thefactcoalition.org - direct UTL: http://tinyurl.com/y92kgp2l Transparency measures have broad support from financial institutions, law enforcement, and anti-corruption advocates Washington, D.C. -- Bipartisan legislation introduced on June 28, 2017 aims to crack down on one of the prime enablers of criminal money laundering and terrorist financing  the abuse of anonymous shell companies. The senate bill is sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) along with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The house bill is sponsored by Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Pete King (R-NY). The measures enjoy widespread support from law enforcement groups, financial institutions, and anticorruption advocates, such as those in the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency Coalition (FACT Coalition), a non-partisan alliance of more than 100 state, national, and international organizations promoting policies to combat the harmful impacts of corrupt financial practices. The Senate bill is called the "True Incorporation Transparency for Law Enforcement (TITLE) Act." The House bill is called the Corporate Transparency Act. Both are being introduced shortly after journalists behind the groundbreaking Panama Papers investigation received the Pulitzer Prize at an award ceremony at Columbia University. Gary Kalman, the executive director of the FACT Coalition, issued the following statement: "Just over a year ago, journalists worldwide began publishing the Panama Papers  exposing global webs of anonymous shell companies used to facilitate all forms of corruption and criminal activity. "While Panama received all the unwelcome attention, U.S. laws are no better. In many ways, it is easier to hide behind an anonymous company in this country than Panama or any other in the world. "Terror financing. Sanctions evasion. Human trafficking. Just about any financial crime you can conjure up has an anonymous company behind it. It is the vehicle of choice for bad guys to hide and launder money. Police and prosecutors cannot follow the money trail because at some point it disappears behind a wall of secrecy. Cases fall apart, and criminals walk away. "The bipartisan bills introduced today offer a relatively simple yet effective remedy to the problems caused by anonymous companies. "The measures enjoy widespread support from financial institutions, law enforcement groups, and anti-corruption advocates. Political momentum for transparency continues to grow, and we look forward to working with Sens. Grassley, Feinstein, and Whitehouse and Reps. Maloney and King to close the U.S. financial system to those who would abuse it." FACT Sheet: Anonymous Shell Companires FACT Coalition, April 2017 Key points Creating a U.S. shell company takes less information than acquiring a driver's license, or in some states, even a library card. When a person sets up a company, they aren't required to disclose the real people who profit from its existence or control its activities, known as "beneficial owners."

Individuals can conceal their identity by using front people, or "nominees," to represent the company. For instance, the real owner's attorney can file paperwork under their name even though they have no control or economic stake in the company. Finding nominees is incredibly easy--here are corporations whose entire business is to file paperwork and stand in for company owners.

An academic study found that the U.S. is the easiest country in the world for terrorists and criminals to open anonymous shell companies to launder their money with impunity. More details (2 page summary) at http://tinyurl.com/y92kgp2l Tax evaders exposed: why the super-rich are even richer than we thought Analysis of a massive trove of data - much of it leaked from tax havens - suggests that inequality levels across the world should be revised upwards dramatically by Annette Alstadster, Niels Johannesen and Gabriel Zucman The Guardian, June 14, 2017 http://tinyurl.com/yae2utph The statistics on inequality - those used, for instance, in Thomas Piketty's bestseller, Capital in the Twenty-First Century - only include the income and wealth the taxman sees. So how high is inequality when also accounting for what he doesn't see? Recent leaks from tax havens suggest the gap between the rich and the rest is even wider than we think. Tax records are invaluable for the study of economic inequality. They contain detailed information about the income (and, in some countries, wealth) of taxpayers. Much of this information comes directly from employers and banks, and is therefore reliable. And because tax records exist as far back as the early 20th century, they can be used to shed light on the long-term evolution of inequality. The graphs published on the World Wealth and Income Database, for example, show just how powerfully this information can inform the public debate. The top 1% income share is now closely scrutinised by journalists and policymakers in the US, where the rise of inequality has been particularly extreme; it even gave the Occupy movement its motto: "We are the 99%." But for all their merits, tax data raise an obvious issue: by their very nature, they entirely miss tax evasion. Is this a serious problem? That depends: if tax evasion is equally prevalent among rich and poor, measured inequality will be unaffected. But if the rich dodge taxes more than others, tax records will underestimate inequality. Before now, there hadn't been any attempts to address the measurement of global tax evasion systematically. The reason is simple: the lack of comprehensive information about who skirts taxes. The key data source used in rich countries to study tax evasion is random tax audits - but these audits do not capture tax evasion by the very wealthy, because few of them are audited, and because random audits fail to detect sophisticated forms of evasion involving shell companies and hidden accounts. In our recent study, however, we exploited a massive trove of data leaked from HSBC Switzerland, the so-called HSBC files, to fill this gap. In 2007 a systems engineer, Herve Falciani, extracted the internal records of HSBC Private Bank, the Swiss subsidiary of HSBC. In 2008, Falciani turned the data over to the French government, who shared it with foreign tax administrations. The documents leaked by Falciani included the complete internal records of more than 30,000 clients of this Swiss bank in 2006-07. At the time of the leak, HSBC Switzerland was a major actor in the offshore wealth management industry. It managed US$118.4bn - about 4% of all the foreign wealth managed by Swiss banks. This is a unique source of information through which to study tax evasion, because the leak can be seen as a random event, and it comes from a large (and, the available evidence suggests, representative) offshore bank. We also made use of the Panama Papers, which last year revealed the identity of the shareholders of shell companies created by the Panamanian firm Mossack Fonseca. Just as with HSBC, this leak is valuable as it can be seen as a random event and involves a prominent provider of offshore financial services. The Panama Papers, however, have one drawback: they do not allow us to estimate how much tax was evaded (if any) by the owners of the Mossack Fonseca shell companies. It is not illegal per se to own shell corporations in Panama or elsewhere. We combined random audits with these new sources of information to shed light on who really evades taxes in Denmark, Norway and Sweden - and the results are striking. The higher one moves up the wealth distribution, the higher the probability of hiding assets. Scandinavian households in the top 0.01% of the wealth pyramid - the ultrarich, who own more than $40m in net wealth each - are 250 times more likely than average to hide assets. Furthermore, the ultra-rich HSBC customers had considerably more wealth in their accounts than other customers - so although they were very few in number, they owned around half of all the wealth hidden at HSBC. This pattern is not specific to HSBC or the Panama Papers. Over the last few years, thousands of Norwegians and Swedes have voluntarily declared previously hidden assets under a tax amnesty. Here again, the super-rich are found to own half of the total amount of offshore wealth. what are the consequences for inequality? At the very top of the pyramid, it is much greater than previously estimated. In Norway, where the available wealth data is particularly detailed, the super-wealthy appear to be 30% wealthier than previously thought, when all the wealth hidden in tax havens is taken into account. The share of wealth owned by the top 0.1% increases from 8% to 10%. Since Scandinavians generally pay their taxes and hide little wealth in total, our results are likely to be even stronger in Great Britain and elsewhere. A more accurate measurement of tax evasion would likely increase inequality levels even more than in Scandinavia. These results underscore a basic truth: in a world where wealth is globalised and where a big industry has specialised in helping the ultra-rich avoid and sometimes evade their taxes, our ability to track great fortunes - and to tax them appropriately - faces considerable challenges. But does this mean nothing can be done? Not at all. It is possible to collect much better information on wealth and its distribution. Progress has already started in this area, as a number of tax havens have agreed to automatically exchange bank information with foreign countries' tax authorities - a major evolution since the time of the HSBC leak. But this policy faces an obvious issue: what are the incentives for offshore bankers to provide truthful information? After all, these are the same people who for decades have been hiding their clients behind shell companies, and sometimes even smuggling diamonds in toothpaste tubes or handing out bank statements concealed in sports magazines - all of this in violation of the law and the banks' stated policies. Yet it still should be possible to secure their cooperation, if they face stiff enough sanctions for non-compliance. More broadly, the key to successfully fighting tax evasion is to change the incentives for the providers of wealth concealment services. Over the last few years, a number of banks have pleaded guilty in the US to criminal conspiracies to defraud the Internal Revenue Service - yet they were able to keep their banking licences, and the fines they had to pay paled in comparison to their profits. A more ambitious approach would put criminal organisations out of business. If tax evasion ceases to pay, it will disappear. AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.org
American Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said that everybody knows Russia meddled in the 2016 elections and now they were trying to save face, despite US President Donald Trump refusing to say they did. Defending Mr Trump, Ms Haley said the US President confronted Russian President Vladimir Putin on the election meddling at their first face-to-face encounter at the G20 Summit on Friday.

What I understand is that President Trump let them know that, look, we know you did this (meddled in US elections), and cut it out. And President Putin is never going to admit that they did it. And so they have to come back and they have to defend themselves, Ms Haley, an Indian-American, told CNN.

This is Russia trying to save face. And they cant. They cant. Everybody knows that Russia meddled in our elections. Everybody knows that theyre not just meddling in the United States election. Theyre doing this across multiple continents, and theyre doing this in a way that theyre trying to cause chaos within the countries, she said.

Ms Haleys position appeared in contrast to what Mr Trump said after meeting Putin. The US president has tweeted that Mr Putin vehemently denied interfering in the presidential election. And the US President has appeared hesitant to blame Russia, saying other countries could have been involved, nobody really knows for sure.

But Ms Haley said Mr Trump raised the issue for a reason. One, he wanted him to basically look him in the eye, let him know that, yes, we know you meddled in our elections. Yes, we know you did it. Cut it out Theyre going to always have two different stories on this, she said.

At the end of the day, what was most important was for President Putin to hear from President Trump, we know you did this, we didnt like it, dont do it again, Ms Haley said.

We have to now see where it goes from here, she said. Defending Mr Trumps decision to have a joint working group with Russia on cyber security, Ms Haley said there is a need to work together with Russia.

You are always going to see the Democrats are repeatedly criticising the president. Thats unfortunate. Republicans are going to criticise Democrats. Thats unfortunate.

But lets just look at the situation. You now have a Russian whos in charge of counter-terrorism in the United Nations. That was a position that the secretary-general gave Russia. Then you also see that from a cyber standpoint, we need to get together with Russia, she said.

This, however, does not mean the US will trust Russia, she said.

We cant trust Russia, and we wont ever trust Russia, she said.
The United Nations is requesting emergency funding to address the humanitarian crisis as nearly 1 million Iraqis have been displaced and the damage to their homes remains a barrier to return.

Many of the people who have fled have lost everything. They need shelter, food, health care, water, sanitation and emergency kits. The levels of trauma we are seeing are some of the highest anywhere. What people have experienced is nearly unimaginable, said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Lise Grande.

Of 54 total residential neighborhoods in west Mosul, 15 are heavily damaged and at least 23 are moderately damaged.

Its a relief to know that the military campaign in Mosul is ending. The fighting may be over, but the humanitarian crisis is not, Grande stated in UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report.

Additionally, there are still civilians trapped in areas such as Tal Afar, Hawija and western Anbar, who are at extreme risk as fighting, is likely to occur in these areas.

Theres a lot of work to do in the weeks and months ahead, Grande stated.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited western and eastern Mosul on Sunday.

The Prime Minister Dr. Haider al-Abadi arrives in the liberated Mosul, and congratulates the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people for achieving the great victory, his media office said in a short statement.

Abadi in a statement after meeting with military officials issued directives on the continuation of victories and the elimination of Daesh remnants calling for the necessity of establishing security and stability in the liberated city and clearing it of mines and explosives [which] the enemy lift behind ensuring the protection of civilians and IDPs.
UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya, who two month ago was held guilty of contempt of court and was told to appear before the Supreme Court, did not turn up on Monday. A bench comprising Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit fixed the matter for hearing on July 14, and sought the Solicitor Generals assistance in the case.

The top court on May 9 held Mr. Mallya, who is living in Britain, guilty of contempt on a plea by a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India. The banks have alleged the liquor baron has refused to give details of all his domestic and foreign assets. The court had directed Mr. Mallya to appear before it today to argue on the quantum of punishment.

Contempt of court provides a maximum imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs. 2,000 or both.

Mr. Mallya is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs. 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

According to the plea by the consortium of banks, Mr. Mallya allegedly transferred $40 million, which he got from British alcoholic beverages firm Diageo Plc, to his children in flagrant violation of various judicial orders.

The banks argued before the top court that Mr. Mallya disobeyed the orders and made vague disclosure about his assets.

The top court on March 9 asked the liquor baron about the truthfulness of the disclosure of assets by him and the alleged transfer of money to his children. The bench had reserved its order on two pleas of the banks  seeking contempt action, and a direction to Mr. Mallya to deposit $40 million he received from Diageo.

The banks have alleged that Mr. Mallya concealed facts and diverted money to his son Siddharth Mallya, and daughters Leanna Mallya and Tanya Mallya in flagrant violation of the orders passed by the Karnataka High Court.
No one is ever worried or demands to know what's happening. BUT, the cost are rising big time. These kids are costing individual school districts in the millions.

And of course the reporter doesn't ask pertinent questions.

Read Christensen's explanation for all the sped kids. She's got all the talking points down...greater awareness, better communication, early recognition............and the numbers keep going up and up.

Tracy Christensen is a director of special education in North Dakota, but she's like everyone everywhere when it comes to the explosion in special needs kids. She's dealing with more and more disabled kids, but she's not alarmed. And why should she be? No official anywhere is in the least concerned about the explosion in disabled kids in every school district in America.

For years now I've felt that IT'S GOING TO BE THE COST OF AUTISM THAT MAKES US HONESTLY ADDRESS THE CAUSE OF AUTISM and all the other disabilities now taking away our children's normal development.

Seriously, the money that all these disabled students (and future dependent adults) will require from the taxpayers will wake everyone up to the scope of the damage. Despite all the evidence:

skyrocketing autism rate, explosion in special needs kids, government vaccine injury settlements, movies like "Vaxxed" and "Greater Good,"---nothing is going to matter like the impact of the sheer numbers of disabled.

I say, put all the numbers together. Look at what's happening in every school district in America and in other countries. Unfortunately, these are local stories, no big deal in the big picture.

BUT something is seriously wrong with our children.

July 8, 2017 Mitchell SD, Daily Republic: Mitchell, state see increase in special education students

There are more students than ever requiring special education in the Mitchell School District.

This year, the Mitchell School District had 449 special education students enrolled, which is an increase of 39 students from 2015-16. The district had 377 in the 2014-15 school year.

With growth comes the need for additional funding and finding resources for students with special needs, hurdles the Mitchell School District is already looking to overcome. 

"That's when we can no longer meet that student's individual needs. It might be a student with significant behavior challenges, or students that reach 18," Christensen said.

Students who are 18 years old and advance beyond high school can go into an adult service placement, such as Mitchell-based LifeQuest, which is also considered out-of-district, she said. The district is required to pay tuition to those agencies. 

The highest number of students had a specific learning disability at 6,846, while the second highest was a speech and language disorder with 4,293 students. The district with the most students requiring special needs was Sioux Falls with 3,788 students.

And Culhane said there won't be enough money to fund all requests from school districts in South Dakota,

But as to why needs are greater, Christensen said she's not sure, but added it's reflective of communities.

"It's kind of a community," she said. "Community needs are greater, student needs are greater."

Christensen also attributes the increase in more early intervention programs, adding that more preschool educators are recognizing students who may be struggling. There's also more physician referrals.

"I would say there's an overall awareness that there's support out there for kids that appear to have a deficit in specific areas. There's more communication," Christensen said.

Christensen said she didn't have any parents calling 10 years ago wondering if their child has autism. But now, more parents are comparing their children to others, noticing differences in how their child is developing.

"Early intervention is key," Christensen said. "The earlier that we are able to add something to a child's development and to increase their developmental skills is great."

June 30, 2017, The Almanac (Pittsburgh) Watson Institute in South Fayette to expand

The Watson Institute recently announced its plans to expand its school in South Fayette Township.

The special education school will build a four-classroom addition to the southern wing of the building as well as open six classrooms on the second floor, for a total of 24 classrooms.

The school, which currently instructs 87 students and can hold up to 112, will increase its possible capacity by about 80 students.

The Watson Institute opened the South Fayette campus, its fourth school in the Pittsburgh area, in January to increase total enrollment, which now sits at approximately 500 students. Previously, students in the South Hills and in Washington County had to drive to one of its other locations in Sewickley, Pittsburgh or Sharpsburg. 

The Watson Institute serves students, ages 3-21, with a wide range of mental and physical needs, such as autism, neurological impairments, Down syndrome and serious emotional challenges. The schools also run on a similar schedule as local school districts.



Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.










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Witnesses claim to have seen a shocking series of an event near a US Air Force Base. A gigantic UFO disappeared into a portal to another dimension claimed one of the witnesses.

Accounts of the witnesses are being examined by the US-based Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) the worlds biggest organization dedicated to UFO and alien research.

The unnamed witness, from Mesquite, Nevada, has filed a report to MUFON, in which he suggests to have seen a cylinder-shaped UFO that disappeared into a wormhole a theoretical portal to another world or dimension. Whose existent could neither be confirmed or denied by science?

He said that it happened after there was a fighter jet activity near the Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This is a base where US military secretly carries out tests on UFO technology recovered from visiting aliens, according to alien conspiracy theorists.

Scott C Waring, of ufosightingsdaily.com, even claimed to have known a certain species of aliens called the Tall Whites being based out of Nellis Air Force Base. Helping the USAF develop their technologies in exchange of mineral resources they require for their planet.

No evidence could be found for Scotts claims as such neither has there been any provided by him to support his claims. But this conspiracy theory is supported on various sites.

The alleged witness was inside the house watching television at 8:17 pm local time on March 19 while his daughter as playing outside with her friends. When the alleged strange incident happened.

He recalls,  I heard a loud roar outside, I went out my second-floor sliding door onto the porch. There were a lot of kids playing below when suddenly a fighter jet flew low over my apartment building.

 I could see the afterburner burning in a flame it was so close.

He said he watched for 45 minutes and there were two fighter jets involved. It was so loud that people came outside from 50 apartments, he said. Then the Jets went towards the air base and just then he saw the most shocking incident of his life.

He said, he looked up and just above the three-storey block opposite him 100 feet in the sky was a long tube.

He added,  A bright yellow, maybe 60 feet long tube came towards me.

It was round like a snake and big enough to drive a three-storey house through.

As it came towards me, it made a sharp U-turn, like a plumbing pipe then slowly dissipated.

My guess, a large wormhole opened in the sky, then closed. It was now dark, the Jets were gone.

MUFON is investigating the case to see if there where other witnesses who will come forward to speak about the incident.

But readers of initial report are skeptical.

One person, calling himself "Dr. Moebius" posted on MUFON website: Witness speculates UFO moved through wormholewow, now thats science. Not.

I speculate the vehicles moves so fast that the witness cannot discern the acceleration, I speculate the vehicles artificial gravity drive creates as the Alcubierre-Puthoff bubble which provides invisibility for the disk, as light bends around the active bubble.

I could speculate more but then that wouldnt be very scientific now, would it?








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At least 2000 refugees and migrants were rounded up off the streets in Paris, by the police, where they had been sleeping for weeks in squalid and unsanitary conditions.

Riot officers watched as the refugees were being bused to temporary shelters in school gymnasiums.

Refugees and migrants had arrived in hundreds in the Port de la Chapelle area of northern Paris, sleeping under the road bridges and on the side of the road with almost no access to drinking water, sanitation or food in the vicinity of Pariss new Aid Center for Asylum seekers that were opened in November.

To move them from the area, the operation which took place calmly had begun early at dawn. Groups of men and women and children from the war-torn and allied occupied countries - some only with rucksacks or plastic bags of belongings - were sent to buses and driven out of Paris.

This was the 34th removal of refugees and migrants in large numbers from the French capital by the police since 2015.

Aid workers warned that France needed to establish an effective long-term strategy for processing and housing asylum seekers in decent conditions rather than constantly taking emergency action at the last minute.

Guillaume Schers, who runs the emergency program for Terre dAsile, a French NGO working with asylum seekers, said: The number of people arriving in France is not likely to drop this summer. He said there had to be a permanent, stable and strategic plan for taking care of asylum seekers in France rather than the current multi-layered and complex system focused on crisis management.

Many of those sleeping roughs had queued each day for access to the aid center only to find it was full. Hundreds had bedded down on the pavement outside the gates, alongside traffic-choked roads. In recent weeks, more than 1,000 people had been sleeping here, with aid associations saying 200 more arrived each week.

Corinne Torre, the head of French operations for the doctors charity Medecins Sans Frontieres,warned that the major issue was refugees and migrants mental health after trauma. Most of these people have come through Libya. Many have faced violence, torture, inhumane treatment, traffickers or sexual violence. We dont talk enough about that, and there should be better structures in place to deal with it.

This sudden influx of refugees and migrants sleeping rough in Paris had grown after the closure of the Calais migrant camp last October.

A 25-year-old veterinary student from Somalia said he had been sleeping on the street in Paris for one week, with little water or food and no blankets to lie on. He had come to Paris from Calais after several weeks in squalid conditions there. Im exhausted from living on the street, he said, Im not sure where they are taking us today. I just want to be somewhere fit for humans. Im so tired and hungry, but you just have to be patient.

On Friday the 8th, French authorities organized buses to take people to temporary locations in the Paris region, mainly school gymnasiums that had become available during the holiday season.

Some local politicians in Paris have warned against a continuing cycle of removals and the return of rough sleepers, with a lack of long-term strategy on asylum. The last such police operation in Porte de la Chapelle was only two months ago when 1,610 migrants were moved.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

A shower is possible early. Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low near 60F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A shower is possible early. Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low near 60F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Turkey's Proxies Attack America's Allies in Syria

A slither of land sandwiched between the the Kurdish controlled enclaves of Kobane and Afrin in northern Syria is fast becoming the country's most volatile tinderbox. The small area between the Kurdish cantons is home to a multi-ethnic group of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen and is, in a sense, a microcosm of the Syrian war. There U.S., Russian, jihadi, Kurdish and Turkish forces all vie for power and influence. In early July 2017, a wave of clashes displaced Syrians in both rebel- and Kurdish-controlled areas. The Kurds described strikes by Turkish-backed rebels as an occupation. Turkish officials claimed the attacks were legitimate security operations. "Every step Turkish forces make is an occupation," Sipan Hemo, a commander from the Kurdish People's Protection Units -- the YPG -- told War Is Boring. "The fact that their goal is to defeat the Rojava revolution doesn't change that." The YPG called the pro-Turkish rebels' actions in the city of Afrin and surrounding villages a declaration of war, but Turkish deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said the attacks were a "legitimate measure" and that Turkey "cannot remain silent against those sending missiles from Afrin." Turkey has made no secret of its territorial plans for Afrin. In early July 2017, Turkish soldiers hoisted the Turkish flag near the Afrin border -- a direct act of provocation targeting the YPG barely a kilometer away. The clashes were the object of social-media furry. Pro-Kurdish accounts blasted the attacks under the hashtag #handsoffafrin. Footage of wounded civilians and YPG soldiers circulated on both Turkish and Kurdish accounts. Turkish forces entered northern Syria as part of Operation Euphrates Shield in August 2016 and, despite officially winding down the campaign in March 2017, Turkish troops have remained in the region. During the launch of Euphrates Shield, Turkey said it would take both Manbij and Raqqa, thus blocking Kurdish territorial ambitions. Turkey feared YPG involvement in Raqqa would elevate the militia's status and hand the group a powerful bargaining chip. Turkey's plans for Manbij and Raqqa never materialized. To add to the insult, coalition forces threw support behind the Kurds, who are now fighting on the ground in Raqqa under U.S. air cover. The explosive situation has become a headache for the United States, which has been keen to placate the YPG while also de-escalating the conflict with its NATO ally Turkey. Add to this the proximity of Russian troops -- also supporters of the YPG -- and it's a veritable strategic chessboard. U.S. Army lieutenant general Steven Townsend acknowledged in 2016 that Russia and the United States "have converged literally within hand-grenade range of one another" in a small enclave near Al Bab. This isn't the first time the United States has been caught between Turkey and the YPG. In early 2016, the Kurds -- who share an 800-kilometer border with Turkey -- clashed with Turkish forces after what Turkey alleged was an attack by regime and Kurdish forces on a Turkish military outpost on the border. It's becoming increasingly difficult for the United States to appease Turkey. Especially as Washington continues to arm and train the Syrian Democratic Forces, an umbrella anti-Islamic State organization that includes the YPG. The SDF mainly consists of YPG fighters and local Arab tribal fighters. The rebels Turkey backs are more difficult to pin down. They include:

The Sham Legion, a group with roots in the Muslim Brotherhood. It includes a branch of the Nour Al Din Al Zenki Movement, a group that's notorious for beheading people and throwing them off of buildings as well as torturing and executing journalists. The Sham Legion received TOW anti-tank missiles from the United States.

The Sultan Murad Division. Named after an Ottoman Sultan who fought against the Christians in the Balkans, this hardline Turkish nationalist group also received TOW missiles from Washington.

Ahrar Al Sham, a group that seeks to impose sharia law and once fought alongside Islamic State. Assyrian sources accused the group of executing Christians in 2015.

Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror Brigade, pictured at top. This Turkmen brigade is named for the Ottoman sultan who conquered Constantinople.

The Samarkand Brigade, part of the U.S.-backed Hamza Division.

The Descendants of Saladin Brigade, a Kurdish Islamic group named after Saladin, a Kurd who founded the Ayyubid Dynasty in the 12th century.

Mahmud Khallo, the chief commander of the Descendants of Saladin Brigade -- the only Kurdish anti-YPG group fighting near Afrin, recently complained that Turkish forces mistreated and disarmed his fighters, potentially highlighting cracks in Turkey's fragile rebel alliance. Pro-Turkish Arab fighters have also griped about the Turks' preferential treatment of Turkmen fighters. What effect this might have on Turkey's anti-Kurdish strategy is unclear. In any event, it remains to be seen whether the world will once again act to limit Turkey in its own attempts to thwart the Kurds' territorial ambitions.
April 30, 2017

On April 28, Iranians tuned into state televisions Channel 1 to watch the first round of presidential debates  a forum that greatly shapes voter sentiments.

Incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and Mostafa Hashemi-Taba, a former minister of industries and mines, are the candidates of the Reformist-moderate camp. On the other side of the political spectrum, the conservatives are represented by Ebrahim Raisi, the custodian of the holy shrine of the eighth Shiite imam, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Mostafa Mirsalim, a former minister of culture and Islamic guidance.

The first televised debate was supposed to be about social issues, but quickly turned into a highly political battle over the economy. The clash began when Rouhani was to make his address, and Ghalibaf  who was defeated by Rouhani in the 2013 presidential elections  claimed that the incumbent had previously promised that he would create 4 million jobs. Rouhani quickly denied this and interrupted Ghalibaf by saying, I do not want this lie to continue and do not want Mr. Ghalibafs sins to increase.

During the debate, Iranian news sites and channels on the popular smartphone app Telegram were highly active, and engaging in real-time fact-checking. As such, the moment Ghalibaf spoke of Rouhanis alleged promise, the statement in question was quickly circulated, showing that Rouhani had before the 2013 elections said that 4 million jobs could be created  if the countrys tourism industry boomed and 10 million tourists could be attracted to Iran.

This wasnt the only time in which Rouhani and Ghalibaf tensely traded barbs during the debate. Another important showdown was when Ghalibaf accused Rouhani of deceiving people through the candidacy of Jahangiri, who is widely assumed to have signed up to run to aid Rouhani during the debates and then withdraw in favor of the incumbent.

Ghalibaf seemingly did not expect Jahangiri to counter him seriously. Instead, the Tehran mayor found himself coming under fire by the vice president, with Jahangiri saying that the man behind the attack on the Saudi Embassy in January 2016, which led to the severing of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, is seemingly working for Ghalibaf.

Which people were behind the attack on Saudi Arabias Embassy?  We [Rouhani administration] did not attack the embassy and put peoples interests at risk. For which candidate are those who attacked the embassy working for? Who gave the money [for the embassy attack] and supported them? Jahangiri unexpectedly thundered during the debate.

Jahangiris charge did not stop Ghalibaf from launching further attacks on the Rouhani administration. In the last minutes of the debate, the Tehran mayor curiously appeared to both imitate former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-13) and the latters Reformist rival in the 2009 elections, Mir Hossein Mousavi, who has been under house arrest since 2011.

During the controversial presidential debates in 2009, Ahmadinejad famously brought up a document on the air, claiming that Mousavis wife, academic Zahra Rahnavard, held two illegal degrees  a claim that was later denied by the Inspection Organization. In direct response to Ahmadinejad, Mousavi minutes later addressed the Iranian people on TV, saying, We are facing a phenomenon who stares in your eyes and lies.

Eight years later, in the April 28 presidential debate, Ghalibaf seemingly imitated Ahmadinejads tactic to discredit Rouhani by showing a printed screenshot of the presidents remarks published on his website about creating 4 million jobs, and seemingly repeated Mousavis aforementioned famous statement to attract some of the Reformists supporters. However, this does not appear to have worked out very well as many slammed Ghalibaf for repeating Ahmadinejads behavior. Indeed, soon after the end of the debate, many users on social media uploaded pictures of Ghalibaf and Ahmadinejad next to each other, each holding up a printed document at respective debates, and accusing the Tehran mayor of hypocrisy for stealing Mousavis statement.

Following the debate, four of the candidates  Rouhani, Ghalibaf, Mirsalim and Raisi  lodged protests with the Election Campaign Monitoring Committee. Rouhani's cultural adviser, Hesamoddin Ashna, said the president filed a complaint with the committee over Ghalibafs accusations and because state TV did not give him the opportunity to respond the Tehran mayors claims.

Another significant aspect of the debate was Raisis apparent decision not to get entangled in Ghalibafs clash with Rouhani and Jahangiri. Some hinted that Raisi feared a direct clash with Rouhani, who is a skilled speaker.

The big highlight seemed to be that Jahangiri's allegations about the embassy attack helped him gain traction with voters, according to online surveys after the debate.

Ghalibafs harsh attacks had not been expected. Some believe the Tehran mayors real aim was to portray himself as the only conservative candidate. Indeed, following the debate, his supporters slammed Raisi for his inabilities, lack of courage and inaction in the face of the heated battle between Ghalibaf and Rouhani and Jahangiri.

On the other hand, Ghalibafs actions were criticized by Raisis supporters, who surmised that the Tehran mayors direct clash with Rouhani was planned in order to portray Ghalibaf as effective and get him the upper hand vis-a-vis Raisi in opinion polls.

By accusing Rouhani and the people behind him as belonging to the 4%  an apparent adaptation of the Occupy Wall Street movements reference to the 1%  who are violating the rights of the 96%, Ghalibaf apparently imitated US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and was seeking to attract the votes of the middle class.

Saeed Leylaz, a prominent Reformist analyst, said April 29, Mr. Ghalibaf definitely cannot portray himself as the representative of the poor classes, or as he himself said, the 96%. Leylaz added, This gesture doesnt match with Ghalibafs background, referring to the various corruption scandals rocking the Tehran municipality in recent years.

Candidates are scheduled to take part in two more televised debates ahead of the May 19 vote.
July 7, 2017

Egypt is taking action against the spread of jellyfish on its Mediterranean shores as vacationers to the country's north coast have complained about the growing phenomenon. The Egyptian Ministry of Environment has formed a marine science working group to study the phenomenon and come up with ways of dealing with it.

In recent weeks, vacationers and social media activists have raised concerns and questions about the increase of jellyfish along the north coast, with photos featuring the jellyfish on shores emerging on social network sites.

An Environment Ministry statement said the species causing the phenomenon is Rhopilema nomadica, or nomad jellyfish, native to East Africa and the Red Sea and which has been recorded as existing in the Mediterranean Sea for decades. The ministry said nomad jellyfish blooms seem to have spread further this year in the Mediterranean along Lebanon, Israel and Cyprus.

The blooms are not only hitting el-Arish, Port Said and Damietta in eastern Egypt but also Egypt's western coast, the ministry added.

The ministry also attributed the spread of jellyfish in seas and oceans of the world to climate change, pollution, illegal fishing and the decrease in numbers of sea turtles.

Some social media activists have cited the digging of the new Suez Canal, which was inaugurated in 2015, as a reason for the greater spread of jellyfish along the Mediterranean Sea. Water and environmental experts have expressed mixed viewpoints on this issue.

In 2014, Egypt began building the new Suez Canal alongside the existing historic 1869 waterway as part of a giant, multibillion dollar project that aims at expanding trade along the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia.

Environmentalist Sara Refaat said several factors have caused the spread of jellyfish in the Mediterranean. One of the factors is pollution. People throw plastics in the Mediterranean Sea and sea turtles that feed on jellyfish eat those plastics instead. That has caused a dramatic decrease in their numbers and consequently an increase in the number of jellyfish, she told Al-Monitor.

The young environmental expert also said the original Suez Canal is among the factors behind the migration of the jellyfish from the Red Sea to the Meditterean Sea. When the Suez Canal was dug in the 1800s, a migration of marine species through the Suez Canal, usually from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, took place. The migration is called lessepsian migration, being named after Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French diplomat in charge of the canals construction. The nomad jellyfish invasion is generally attributed to have taken place in the 1970s.

The digging of the original Suez Canal has had a significant impact on the environment and the species living in the canal and the Red Sea. And so is the new Suez Canal. Any giant project definitely has an effect on the environment. But the Egyptian government should have openly clarified to the public the environmental consequences of building a new Suez Canal along the original one, Refaat said.

The Egyptian Ministry of Environment has denied that the digging of the new Suez Canal is a reason for the spread of the phenomenon, citing pollution, high temperature and hunting of sea turtles as being behind the increase.

Refaat said global warming is also a factor behind the spread of jellyfish. Jellyfish prefer to reproduce amid high temperature conditions. That is why their numbers increase during the summer season, Refaat said.

With rising rates of global warming, the world has been taking a raft of measures to curb the phenomenon.

The G-20, which met this week in Hamburg, Germany, endorsed new action to fight climate change. As chair of this years summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had asserted that she seeks to push forward the goals of the Paris climate agreement. We need the climate-protection agreement, open markets and improved trade agreements in which consumer protection, social and environmental standards are upheld, Merkel said.

According to the Paris accord, which was adopted Dec. 12, 2015, each country is to determine its plans and regularly report its contributions to limit global warming.

In an interview with the privately owned newspaper Al-Watan, Environment Minister Khaled Fahmy said the government would support and protect species that feed on jellyfish, foremost among them sea turtles. We have managed to save sea turtles from vanishing in a number of areas in the Red Sea. That has a positive effect on keeping jellyfish from bothering vacationers there, Fahmy said.

The minister expected that the big blooms of jellyfish along the coast would end for the time being in August, adding that wave movements would help relocate jellyfish toward the north away from Egyptian coasts.

Refaat suggested that the Egyptian government cooperate with fishermen and start hunting jellyfish to reduce their numbers. That can be an innovative way of dealing with this phenomenon, especially as some countries import jellyfish and their people eat them, she added.
July 10, 2017

Iranian officials congratulated the Iraqi government, the senior clergy, military officials and the Iraqi people for the liberation of the city of Mosul, which was occupied by the Islamic State (IS) three years ago.

Quds Force commander Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who had traveled to the front lines a number of times among Iraqi forces, said the victory over IS in Mosul is not only for the people of Iraq but for the world and all of humanity. Soleimani said that Irans Defense Ministry provided weapons to Iraq around the clock.

Soleimani gave special credit to Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraqs most senior Shiite cleric, who he said is respected by all sects in Iraq. Soleimani said that Sistanis fatwa calling on all Iraqis to defend themselves against IS, which eventually led to the formation of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), known as Hashid Shaabi, was instrumental in the battle against IS and brought together a unity in the history of Iraq that is rare. Soleimani said that in the meetings between Iraqi and Iranian officials, it was stressed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sent the message that Iran would fully support the Iraqi government and clergy and that Khamenei views Sistani as a treasure whose importance should be known by all Iraqis.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted July 9, Congratulations to brave people & government of Iraq upon liberation of Mosul. When Iraqis join hands, no limits to what they can achieve. The Twitter account associated with Khamenei tweeted an older quote on July 9 by Khamenei: Youths of the Islamic world must know that if they stand firm & resist, their victory over all equipment of arrogance is absolute. The tweet contained the hashtag "Mosul" and was accompanied by a picture of Iraqi soldiers celebrating. As Iraqi soldiers were encircling IS on the last days, President Hassan Rouhani tweeted June 30 that the defeat of IS promises better and brighter days for Iraqi people, as for all the region.

Given the strong links between Iran and Iraq, especially militarily and with the PMU, some Iranian officials also congratulated specific commanders, particularly those close to Tehran. Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan wrote two separate letters, one addressed to Iraqi Defense Minister Erfan al-Hiyali and the other to Hadi al-Amiri, a commander within the PMU, congratulating them on the victory. Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri wrote four separate letters congratulating Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Amiri, Hiyali and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the PMU.

The secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, congratulated both Abadi and Sistani. Shamkhani viewed the victory as a joint effort between the Iraqi administration under Abadi, the senior clergy, the Iraqi army and the PMU. He said despite some regional governments hopes that IS would entangle Iraq in the long term, Iraqi forces were able to rely on their own forces and take back Mosul.

Iranian media widely covered the liberation of Mosul. The Iraqi prime ministers statement after the liberation was the top story on a number of news agencies in the Iranian press. A number of articles also focused on the day after the fight against IS. A number of websites published an article by a Lebanese journalist warning that the ideology behind IS will remain strong and that the group will likely regroup in northern Africa. The article stressed that the key for Iraq and Syria now is to close the gap between the two countrys borders.

The territorial defeat of IS is a big relief to Iran. Given the shared 900-mile border, Iranian officials were very concerned in July 2014 when the group suddenly took large parts of Iraq. At the time, Irans Interior Ministry said that if IS came within 25 miles of Irans borders, they would engage militarily. Iran was one of the first countries to offer weapons and assistance to both Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government. Iraq is also home to a number of religious sites that are important to Iranian Shiite Muslims.
July 10, 2017

Three years ago, in July 2014, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge. Both Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza were drawn into an armed conflict against their will. The campaign turned into the largest round of warfare in the rancorous history of the Gaza Strip and the State of Israel, lasting 51 days, and ended in what Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amos Yadlin called an asymmetric strategic tie.

Although Hamas took a severe beating, it succeeded in inflicting significant damage on Israel with rockets throughout the campaign. It even made Tel Aviv residents nervous, despite the Iron Dome missile defense system providing the city absolute protection. Hamas lost most of its tunnel system but was not defeated. It succeeded in surviving, at war's end still standing on its feet, having gone up against the strongest, most well-equipped and well-trained army in the Middle East. It had even forced the closure of Tel Aviv Ben Gurion international airport for 48 hours.

Today, with the perspective of time, it seems that the declaration of a tie had been somewhat too generous in Hamas' favor. According to the stats and condition of the contenders three years on, Israel came out way ahead. The three years that have passed have been the quietest since the Palestinians started launching Qassam rockets at Israel in 2001.

According to an Israeli intelligence source who spoke on condition of anonymity, Hamas is at its lowest point in its entire evolution. An Israeli diplomatic source who requested anonymity characterized Hamas' position as a real existential struggle. The conditions in the Gaza Strip did not improve at all. To the contrary, the rebuilding of the Strip is moving along at a snail's pace; electricity scarcely exists; Gaza's water is getting more and more polluted; unemployment is at a record high; and the sewage flows into the ocean.

A highly placed Israeli military source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Once upon a time, [Gazans] could console themselves by going to the beach in the summer. Now even the seaside isnt safe, because its polluted with sewage. [Gaza] is one of the most crowded places on the globe, during one of the hottest summers you can think of, almost without air conditioners, without hope and no way out.

Meanwhile in Israel, the opposite has developed. Gaza envelope localities, which had been routinely bombarded during emergencies, are now thriving. They enjoy calm and serenity and are experiencing large positive in-migration of young families. The Israeli economy continues to boom. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi just completed a historic July 5-7 visit to Israel. Prestigious and expensive Tel Aviv now seems a million light years from Gaza, although they are only 40 miles apart.

Despite such good news, however, many people in Israel are worried. Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, head of Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, sounded the alarm during the previous round of fighting that deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Gaza could push Hamas against the wall. From such a position, Hamas could then only extricate itself with a big explosion. The outlet for Hamas distress when the blockade around it tightened in the summer of 2014 was to fight its way out.

Today, Hamas can only dream about such a summer. Even Qatar, its last and only benefactor, is suffering a different type of siege. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, sitting in Ramallah, is responsible for Gaza's electricity crisis, having slashed payments to the Israel Electric Corporation, which provides Gaza power. Given this situation, Hamas has been forced to grovel to the Egyptians, who are willing to talk about easing the blockade in exchange for the movement taking actions in return: accepting that former Fatah senior member Mohammed Dahlans people will be the ones managing the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing and for real cooperation in Cairo's struggle against the Islamic States Sinai affiliate, which continues to kill Egyptian soldiers on a daily basis.

Thus, Israel is in the throes of a dilemma, torn between Abbas, who is trying to bring down Hamas, and Egypt, which is now trying to outmaneuver the Hamas leadership. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government views Hamas as a precious strategic asset that allows Israel to continue to argue that there is no real diplomatic partner on the Palestinian side. Should Hamas fall and Abbas retake Gaza, it could prove to be a catastrophe for Netanyahus strategy. Netanyahu prefers a divided Palestinian antagonist over a clear partner. The Israeli government is thus interested in preserving the Hamas regime in Gaza, but keeping it on a low flame and keeping the intensity low as well. This is a dangerous game. Israel can lose control over its toys, as transpired in 2014.

On July 9, Mordechai embarked on a scathing attack against Hamas when he revealed on his Facebook page how the organization inflates the price on the diesel fuel it buys to provide Gaza residents with the little electricity they receive. Abbas was supposed to have also paid a visit to Cairo to try to subdue Cairos enthusiasm over its new love affair with Gaza under Dahlans patronage. To this mixture, one must add the Islamic States murderous attack on Egyptian soldiers in Rafah on July 7 and Mordechai's statement that followed, asserting that Hamas is not really helping Egypt fight terror in Sinai because it allows free passage of extremists between Sinai and Gaza. This is the typical Middle Eastern salad containing all the raw ingredients from which another war could ultimately emerge, a war that none of the sides really wants or needs, but is liable to erupt exactly as it did in the past.

Above all this hovers the issue of Hamas' holding the bodies of two IDF fighters killed in Protective Edge: Lt. Hadar Goldin (nephew of former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon) and Sgt. Oron Shaul. In addition, Hamas evidently holds three Israeli civilians who crossed the border on their own initiative.

In the first two years after Operation Protective Edge, Netanyahu enjoyed relative quiet from the bereaved Goldin and Shaul families and did not devote much energy to the issue. The more time passes, however, the more pressure the families and the public will put on the government for the return of the soldiers' bodies to their final resting place in Israel. The Goldin family is not demanding that the government free terrorists in a prisoner exchange deal, but does insist on putting heavy pressure on Hamas to turn its possession of the soldiers' bodies into a burden.

Netanyahu would like to do that, but he is in a Catch-22 given the current alignment of the constellations. Increasing pressure on Hamas will worsen the situation and perhaps lead to another war. The only thing left for Israel to do is to continue to maneuver along the narrow, dangerous turf on which all the players stand. The summer is just beginning.
July 10, 2017

MOSUL, Iraq  Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul July 9 to congratulate Iraqi forces on wresting control of the countrys second-largest city from the Islamic State (IS).

Saad al-Hadithi, the spokesman for Abadi, said the formal declaration of victory over IS in what was formerly the terrorist groups capital would not be announced before the full cleansing of the Old City of Mosul, where fighting continues. In the week leading up to the visit, Al-Monitor spent several days with Iraqi forces on the front lines.

In one part of the Old City, on July 5, a barefoot sniper in uniform sweated profusely in a sweltering tiny lookout room. Covering fire had just been provided below to allow a federal police officer carrying a block of ice in a sling across his back to run across the street, bringing much-needed water to the fighters who were on the verge of dehydration.

Other soldiers nearby dozed off on cardboard in the soporific heat, while about 20 men from the Rapid Response Division, which answers to the Interior Ministry, waited nervously in an alleyway.

The men gestured angrily when Al-Monitor tried to take a photo: It was crucial that IS not know they were there, at this exact spot in the warren of narrow alleyways of the Old City of Mosul. More soldiers arrived shortly afterward carrying RPGs. They were told to walk along one side of the alleyway because an improvised explosive device that had yet to be defused lay on the other side, covered with a heavy, bright floral-patterned blanket.

A major counterattack by IS fighters two days later reportedly forced the Iraqi army's 16th Division, tasked with the northwestern front line in Mosul's Old City, back some 75 meters (246 feet).

Federal police officers told Al-Monitor that IS held onto only a few hundred meters both north-to-south and east-to-west in the Old City as of the first week of July, along the western coast of the Tigris River.

The city that has been the Iraqi "capital" of IS for over 1,000 days is now very close to being retaken entirely, after an operation that began in mid-October 2016. A final push to retake the remaining sectors of the Old City began in mid-June.

Victory has repeatedly been "pre-announced" in recent weeks, only to have the official victory announcement postponed when regaining the remaining sliver of territory proved more difficult than expected.

A federal police celebration initially meant to mark the end to their mission in Mosul was held July 2 near the police headquarters in the southern Tayyaran district, retaken several months ago from IS. The "victory march" ended, however, with the band playing and officers sporting their best attire  but no announcement made.

Since the last week of June, Al-Monitor has repeatedly been told by many officers that IS' defeat would take "a day or two at the most and then it will be all over."

In October, some estimates said that the entire operation might only take a few weeks. Over eight months later, less than 1 square kilometer of territory is left in the city under IS control, but sleeper cell attacks continue in liberated areas.

Col. Hisham Khalifa Kazem, the commander of the 20th Brigade of the federal polices 5th Division, told Al-Monitor in an interview July 4 near the front in Mosuls Old City that "the enemy forces were focused in this area, and they use rooftops and tunnels" to move quickly and to hide men and ammunition from aircraft.

He noted that whenever they found a tunnel, his men would simply use a torch to see whether any IS fighters were hiding inside before covering them for the time being, because "they are all booby-trapped" and engineering units were more urgently required elsewhere.

Col. Nizar al-Jabouri, a bomb expert from the federal police, told Al-Monitor when interviewed in Bab al-Jadid, "Most of the civilians are killed by bombs planted outside their homes when they try to flee at night to avoid being killed by snipers. Many more people have been killed by bombs than by gunshots in the city."

Over several days spent at the front in the first week of July, Al-Monitor's reporter climbed through holes made in walls and over rooftops to get to sniper positions and was guided through alleyways with wires marking the doors of homes where explosives had not yet been cleared by members of the federal police.

The bodies of three large IS fighters, still wearing well-stocked ammo vests, were sprawled close together in one street and Al-Monitor was warned not to get too close, as they, too, might be booby-trapped.

Rubble was ubiquitous throughout the area, making many of the small alleyways impassable.

At one sniper position on the front line, civilians were stuck in a building less than 50 meters (164 feet) away and enemy snipers were preventing them from leaving. The Iraqi federal police marksman spoke to an officer holding a tablet computer, plotting coordinates to call in airstrikes.

The use of airstrikes was stepped up significantly after IS blew up the Al-Nuri Grand Mosque, where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had made a rare public appearance on July 4, 2014, to announce his acceptance of the title of "commander of the faithful."

The IS caliphate had been announced a few days prior, after taking control of the city in early June 2014.

Following the destruction of the famous mosque on June 21, there seems to be somewhat less compunction about destroying the citys historical heritage if this will result in victory against the transnational terrorist group.

Some of the officers who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity  and all of whom were from the southern, predominantly Shiite part of the country  said they believed it was better that the historic mosque of the mainly Sunni city was no longer there, since it was seen as a symbol of IS power.

Most Mosul residents instead saw it as a symbol of their city itself, alongside the nearby leaning al-Hadba minaret that was also destroyed.

Meanwhile, female suicide bombers have been used against the Iraqi Special Operations Forces in recent days, blowing themselves up amid civilians exiting former IS-held territory.

The fear lingers that some of those fleeing the massive rubble-strewn wastelands that much of Mosul has become under the guise of civilians may instead have been heavily involved with IS activities.

The thousands of gaunt bodies with ill-treated wounds climbing over the rubble and braving sniper fire in order to leave after months under siege are seen as potential threats to the security forces, who sometimes help carry the elderly and injured for short distances but sometimes just watch warily.

Iraqi forces rely heavily on locals tipping them off to who was involved and who wasnt. But security and terrorism expert Hisham al-Hashimi told Al-Monitor in an interview in late June that "the wives and families" of IS fighters often had no idea.

And while the morale of troops has risen significantly as the operation makes progress after several months of almost no movement at all in some areas, the Iraqi summer heat is taking its toll. Temperatures of above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) make water as crucial as ammunition in the fight to liberate Mosul.
July 10, 2017

Turkeys Justice March, led by the main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, crescendoed on its 25th day in the Istanbul suburb of Maltepe with a mass rally that drew well over a million people protesting authoritarian rule in the country.

In his address to the crowds assembled at the Sea of Marmara, where his nemesis, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has stumped many times, Kilicdaroglu called his grueling 432-kilometer march from the capital, Ankara, our first step and a rebirth.

Though the 69-year-old leader of the secular Republican Peoples Party (CHP) lacks Erdogans oratory skills and charisma, he drew wild cheers as he took aim at Erdogan and the climate of repression that has sharply intensified since last summers coup attempt. Kilicdaroglu read out a 10-point manifesto demanding, among other things, that the state of emergency declared after the coup be lifted, that judicial independence be restored and that some 150 journalists and over a dozen members of parliament be freed.

How lovely it is to stand shoulder to shoulder again  to say enough. wrote Aydin Selcen, a former Turkish diplomat in his column for the independent online news portal Duvar. "Kilicdaroglu  reminded us that we are not guests in this country but its owners."

Aykan Erdemir, a former CHP lawmaker and now senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Al-Monitor, Erdogans single-man rule birthed the Justice March. He went on, This was a learning process for the CHP. It has discovered that by tapping into the nations thirst for justice it can bring together different constituents.

Even the Western media, which habitually treats Kilicdaroglu with a mix of scorn and indifference, was jolted into action with a flurry of articles appearing in The New York Times and other prominent outlets during the last days of his trek. It seems like the secular opposition has now gotten the full backing that the Western media gives to whoever they identify as the democratic underdog, observed Nicholas Danforth, a Turkey scholar at the Bipartisan Policy Center, in an interview.

But amid all the euphoria, many are already asking what will come next. Can Kilicdaroglu leverage the march into a coalition broad enough to pose a meaningful challenge to Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party? The question is gaining urgency as presidential and parliamentary elections due to be held concurrently in November 2019 edge nearer. Danforth cautioned, If this [march] focuses Western attention on the fact that the battle for democracy in Turkey isnt over, it distracts from the more frightening possibility that if the battle is lost, it could easily end in chaos and violence.

The executive presidential system that was narrowly approved in a controversy-tainted referendum in April will kick in after that election, effectively leaving the country with single-man rule. Between now and then, the opposition needs to come up with a strategy to prevent Erdogan from further cementing his grip. The plan would necessarily entail agreeing on a presidential candidate who can draw enough votes to force a second round of balloting and go on to defeat Erdogan. Many question whether Kilicdaroglu, who insists that he wont run, is up to the task.

And Erdogan himself, who predictably dismissed the marchers as allies of the coup plotters, could easily burst the balloon.

In an analyis shared with clients, Wolfang Piccoli of the risk consultancy Teneo Intelligence, noted, 'The first anniversary of last years coup attempt [on July 15] provides Erdogan with a great opportunity to 'bury' the March for Justice, as the country will soon embark on a week-long commemoration that will feature multiple events across the country." The commemoration will run July 11-16.

From the outset, Kilicdaroglu kept his march determinedly above party politics, framing it as a national quest for justice as the government continues to prosecute and jail tens of thousands of civil servants, academics, politicians and others accused of links to Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, the alleged mastermind of the coup, or to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is fighting for Kurdish self-rule inside Turkey and beyond.

Last week, the government provoked a further outcry when it detained eight prominent human rights defenders, among them Amnesty Internationals Turkey director Idil Eser and two international trainers as they were conducting a workshop in Istanbuls Princes Islands. Today, police detained 72 people including prominent academics in separate raids on the prestigious Bosporus and Medeniyet universities.

While Kilicdaroglus nonpartisan approach, shedding his partys firm secularism and reaching out to pious Muslims, is proving successful in the short term, it may not be sustainable. The Kurds, who are Turkeys fastest growing demographic, felt affronted that he did not utter the word Kurd a single time or mention their imprisoned leader, Selahattin Demirtas, by name. Many recall that Kilicdaroglu gave his party free rein to vote in favor of an amendment that lifted parliamentary immunity for deputies facing prosecution, thus clearing the path for Demirtas incarceration and that of 11 other lawmakers from his Peoples Democratic Party (HDP).

Meanwhile, from pulling down signposts in the Kurdish language, removing statues of Kurdish notables and shuttering Kurdish-language newspapers to proposing to criminalize the word Kurdistan, the governments assault on the Kurdish identity is unremitting. Kilicdaroglu has not made a peep. The result, said Ramazan Tunc, an adviser to the Democratic Regions Party, an HDP affiliate, is that many Kurds, especially younger ones, couldnt care less about Kilicdaroglus march. Tunc told Al-Monitor, Nobody dares say so but the truth is that the Kurds, especially the younger generation, are emotionally divorced from Turkey.

Tunc argued that such feelings have been sharpened by the success of the Syrian Kurds, who in partnership with the United States have steadily expanded their control over a broad swath of territory along the Turkish border. There are many Kurds from the north [Turkey] who are helping run their administration. While an independent Kurdistan in Iraq would be viewed by [Turkeys] Kurds as a gain, Kurdish autonomy or federalism in Syria would be celebrated with joy and excitement, he said.

HDP lawmaker Hishyar Ozsoy agrees that Kilicdaroglu ought to have mustered the courage to speak up for the Kurds. Leaders need to take risks, he told Al-Monitor. Ozsoy nonetheless acknowledged the difficulties of reaching out to the Kurds without alienating the CHPs traditional base and assorted nationalists whose support is key to forging an effective alternative to Erdogan. Thats been the CHP leaders conundrum all along. And the resumption of the war between the army and the PKK in 2015 has hardened public opinion with plenty of encouragement from Erdogan.

Even so, many Kurds believe that Kilicdaroglus background should make him more empathetic to their suffering. He is an Alevi and hails from Dersim, where with the apparent blessings of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey and the CHP, the Turkish air force rained bombs on local civilians during their 1938 rebellion against central rule. Kilicdaroglu lost 80 relatives in the massacres and though he says he is descended of Turkmen stock, he may well be partly Kurdish. His engagingly frank wife Sevim, who is also from Dersim, freely admits that her mother tongue is the Zaza dialect of Kurdish and that she learned Turkish later.

Kilicdaroglu could have spent much of his career as a civil servant, rising to become the head of the countrys social security service, downplaying his Alevi identity. Yet, even as he appeared to be the model Turkish bureaucrat, Kilicdaroglu was collecting an impressive archive on the Dersim massacres on the side. This other, quietly defiant persona may well have propelled Kilicdaroglu into action, giving millions of Turkish citizens hope, if only fleetingly. That sentiment was poignantly summed up by a woman called Tulin Aydin in a tweet: Dear foreign Turkey observers, stop discussing what will come next after #justice meeting & give us a minute of joy and freedom. Thanks.
July 8, 2017

Sultan Mahmud II is known for one of the most ferocious anti-military acts in all of Turkish history. On June 15, 1826, he abolished the Janissaries, the Ottoman Empires omnipotent military forces with a long record of revolts against sultans they did not like. In one bold move, some 6,000 Janissaries were killed by new troops loyal to Mahmud, and the rest were exiled. When Mahmud exiled the dogs in Istanbul to one of the Prince Islands, however, the residents of the Ottoman capital rose up in a rare act of civil disobedience, forcing the sultan to bring the dogs back home.

Today, Istanbul is known as a cat city. This image was reinforced earlier this year with the installment of a statue memorializing Tombili, the town cat and feline symbol of the city, in his customary state of repose, as did the documentary Kedi (Turkish for cat). This summer, however, the dogs struck back with The Four-Legged Municipality, an exhibition at the Istanbul Research Institute.

Images and writings from the 19th century show us that dogs were a very strong presence in the daily life of Istanbul, Gulru Tanman, project manager for the exhibition, told Al-Monitor. We have been preparing for this exhibition for one whole year, for which we supplemented the considerable documents and images in the Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation with Pierre de Gigords archives. De Gigord, a French businessman, assembled an impressive collection of photographs taken during the Ottoman era.

The 136-piece exhibition features photographs, travel journals, postcards, magazines, engravings and other media from the 19th and early 20th centuries that shed light on street dogs in Istanbul. Their presence in the daily lives of Istanbul residents was such that Cornucopia magazine headlined news of the exhibition Citizen Canine.

Islam forbade practicing Muslims from keeping dogs as household pets in the konaks, the large houses with courtyards in the Ottoman Empire, but a canine's presence on the streets was acceptable and even welcomed. In the eyes of European travelers, Istanbul streets were no different from a zoo. In Journey from Paris to Jerusalem, the French writer Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand wrote that the city had three basic features: deserted streets, an absence of wheeled carts and a sizeable dog population.

Dogs sometimes featured in Ottoman literature, in particular in satirical writing. Nefi, one of the greatest classical Ottoman poets of the 16th century, wrote the following, which every Turkish pupil knows, about the sultans visier (minister), Tahir, whose name means clean in Arabic:

Mr. Clean called me a dog His compliment is so kind; As I am of the Maliki sect; Dogs are clean, never mind.

The stray dogs' reign came to an end during the second half of the 19th century with moves toward Westernization. European-educated intellectuals were determined to transform Istanbul's oriental mystique into Western urbanism. The Ottoman ruling class of the reform period, who had had firsthand experience of Europe, saw the street dogs as a sign of Orientalism and a symbol of poverty, Tanman said. "Consequently, they tried hard to eradicate their presence.

In the exhibition, an 1845 engraving by James Virtue shows a scrivener writing a letter for two illiterate women as a dog peacefully sleeps under his feet, suggesting the intimate relationship between man and beast. On the other hand, however, are disturbing drawings and pictures of equipment used to catch or kill dogs, among them a rod with a noose-like end and devices for gassing or electrocuting them. The exhibition also has photographs of the dogs put on a boat for one of the Prince Islands, in the Sea of Marmara, and several photos and drawings of them on the barren territory.

At the beginning of the 20th century, rumors about the dogs began circulating in Istanbul, the city of seven hills and 7,000 gossips. According to Jason Goodwin's 2003 book Lords of the Horizons, rumor had it that the palace, whose vaults were now empty, had reached an agreement with a French company that wanted to use the dogs skin to make gloves. At the time, others proffered that dogs were sacred, because they had entered Istanbul alongside the armies of Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453, and that their ban from the city would trigger the end of the Ottoman Empire.

The iron-fisted mayor of Istanbul, Suphi Pasha, cracked down on dogs in 1910, sending 80,000 of them to the Prince Island of Sivriada, this time never to return. For days and weeks, howls from the island and the smell of dead dogs killed by others for food wafted to Istanbul, keeping the citys residents awake. The situation led them to nickname the island Hayirsizada, literally scapegrace island in Turkish. Every year, a group of animal rights activists visits the island to commemorate the episode known as the Istanbul Dog Massacre.

Todays Turkey, despite paying lip service to animal rights, is hardly better, Ahmet Kemal Senpolat, author of Animal Rights in 99 Questions and chairman of Haytap, Turkeys first animal rights federation, told Al-Monitor, Just like the exile to Hayirsizada, the municipalities today collect dogs and other stray animals to take them either to shelters, which are few and primitive, or to the peripheral neighborhoods of Istanbul, he said. Some of them are taken to Silivri, Catalca or Zekeriyakoy. Some are simply left near the autoroute around Istanbul, and we read about them in traffic statistics under domestic animals [killed] by a car or truck. Last year, 400 dogs were killed or injured in traffic accidents in Istanbul.

We think there are 200,000 stray dogs and cats in Istanbul alone, Senpolat said. Some of them are animals who have been bought in a pet shop or even an expensive St. Bernard or some other rare species smuggled into Turkey on someones short-lived whim. Haytap, like other animal rights groups, wants pet shops to stop selling animals.

Tanman told Al-Monitor, One of the reasons for our project was to cast light on todays animal rights by looking at the past and creating [more] awareness of animal rights today. We have received very positive reactions from animal rights groups, and we started a campaign with the hashtag 'comewithyourdog' so people can visit the exhibition with their pets.

The government maintains that despite what critics say, upcoming new regulations will advance animal rights in the country. Necessary legal procedures will be carried out against those who kill or torture animals. There is a fine for that now. When the new regulations are introduced, it will be punishable with a prison sentence, Forestry and Water Minister Veysel Eroglu told Hurriyet June 23, adding that the law will make it impossible for pet shops to sell anything other than fish and some bird species.

In a dogs life, there is sometimes a chance for the perfect moment between man and his best friend. In Turkey, it happened on June 21, when a stray dog walked into the ancient theater of Ephesus while the Vienna Chamber Orchestra played Mendelssohn and laid next to the feet of the first violinist. Cutest moment in classical music, Turkish classical pianist Fazil Say, a thoughtful and hard-to-please artist, tweeted.
Alabama's rising entrepreneurs can apply through Sept. 14 for the retooled Alabama Launchpad startup competition, organizers said.

Now in its 11th year, Alabama Launchpad allows early-stage companies to pitch their concepts to judges, compete for funding and receive mentoring while staying in-state.

How will it be different? Organizers said Alabama Launchpad will move from a five-month to a two-month schedule. In addition, entrants will be judged along two tracks - concept stage entrepreneurs launching businesses and seed stage businesses accelerating growth.

Only the best concept business and seed stage business will win cash prizes. Every entrant will receive feedback and networking opportunities with capital providers.

Alabama Launchpad is a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. Will Wright, a Birmingham entrepreneur, is assisting EDPA in the retooling of Alabama Launchpad.

He said the upgrades are still in keeping with the goals of the program - to build more high-growth companies in Alabama which will create jobs.

"High-growth companies are the engine of job growth and wealth creation in the world," Wright said. "There is no reason why Alabama cannot create wealth at the same rate as states like New York and California. We believe that embracing a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship is the path to these goals."

EDPA President Steve Spencer said there was room for improvement in the program, and changes were based on feedback.

"This step change should make the competition more aligned with the goals and needs of entrepreneurs and produce more fundable companies for the capital providers in the state," he said.

Since its launch in 2006, Alabama Launchpad has invested $4 million in companies that have created more than 500 jobs and gone on to raise $50 million in follow-on funding.

To learn more or apply, visit the website.
Three men are being held in the Birmingham City Jail following a Sunday afternoon shooting in Kingston, including the father of a 4-year-old who was shot in the head.

All three men are being held pending formal charges, which could come as early as Tuesday, said Birmingham police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards. The two victims - the little girl and a grandmother who was caught in the crossfire - remain hospitalized.

Both victims were stable on Monday, but the 4-year-old remained critical and on a ventilator.

"I hope the courts hold that father accountable for something as stupid as taking your child to a gunfight,'' said Eldridge Knighton, resident council president at Kingston's Morton Simpson public housing community. "Many of our residents are upset that man took that baby around there."

Birmingham police said a shootout happened about 3:30 p.m. Officers on the scene reported they believe an argument erupted between a group of people following a dispute over a dice game.

The shooting happened in an area known as Baby Kingston.

The father of the 4-year-old girl was one of the men involved in the dispute. He returned to the scene, bringing his daughter with him. He and another man got out of their vehicle, leaving the little girl inside. One of the men pulled a gun on another man and aimed to shoot, but it jammed. The other man pulled his gun and fired shots.

The little girl in the vehicle was shot in the head. She was driven by private vehicle to St. Vincent's Hospital. She was then transferred to Children's of Alabama in critical condition.

A woman and her 11-year-old granddaughter were driving through the area when at least one bullet entered their car, striking the grandmother in the neck. She drove herself to a nearby fire station and ultimately transferred to UAB Hospital.

"We're going to get everybody that's involved and we're going to hold them accountable,'' Edwards said.

Officials at the Housing Authority of Birmingham District have said they are closely monitoring developments in the case. "All of us at HABD are incensed by this inexcusable violence. This should never happen, especially to an innocent child,'' said Joseph Bryant, spokesman for HABD. "We are following this situation and will work with Birmingham police investigators and officials in every way possible to make sure that those responsible for this are found and are made to answer for their actions."

"We also pray for the lives of the injured family," Bryant said, "and ask the entire Birmingham area community to do the same."

Knighton said parents must be held responsible. "I don't respect anyone who endangers their children, man or woman,'' he said.
Police are searching for a 60-year-old man who wandered off from a Birmingham boarding home four days ago.

Walter Richardson suffers from dementia, high blood pressure and diabetes, said Birmingham police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards. He left the Steps and Traditions boarding home at 1945 Warrior Road Thursday night.

He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a long sleeve flannel shirt. Richardson has also been placed on the ALEA website as a missing person. He is originally from Baldwyn, Mississippi and could be headed that way.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham police at 205-297-8413, 205-908-6828 and 205-328-9311.
An Irondale man who delivered an anti-police rant on Facebook live was arrested by Birmingham police over the weekend.

Maurice Nathaniel Herrod, 29, was taken into custody Saturday, said Birmingham police and Jefferson County sheriff's officials. He is charged with making a terrorist threat, which is a felony.

Sheriff's Chief Deputy Randy Christian said Herrod last week posted a video to social media where he expressed hatred toward law enforcement. During the video Herrod threatened to shoot any member of law enforcement that approached him. He specifically stated he would shoot them "right in they forehead." He stated that he is always armed and would shoot officers before they could even make it to his front porch, Christian said.

Herrod named several agencies in his threats including the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and Birmingham Police Department.

In that video, Herrod said, "This is my mother (expletive) message to y'all. I promise you, I'm going to shoot at your (expletive)."

He also said, "I'm going to pop your (expletive) straight in the forehead and I'll do my time later."

The video, which has since been removed from Facebook, immediately got the attention of law enforcement and concerned citizens. Detectives from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office reviewed it and presented it to the District Attorney's Office, which issued the warrant against Herrod.

Shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday, Herrod was arrested by the Birmingham police. Birmingham Lt. Sean Edwards said officers saw his truck in one of their districts. Birmingham police also charged Herrod with unlawful possession of marijuana.

He has previous misdemeanor convictions for theft and marijuana possession.

Under Alabama law, making a terrorist threat is a Class C felony. A person commits such a crime if he or she threatens violence or damage to any property by: Intentionally or recklessly terrorizing another person, causing the disruption of school activities, causing the evacuation of a building, place of assembly, or facility of public transportation, or other serious public inconvenience.

Herrod was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 3:02 a.m. Saturday, and released at 1:47 a.m. Sunday after posting $2,500 bond.

"This is what happens when you cannot keep your comments to yourself,'' Edwards said. "Using Facebook to publicly threaten law enforcement officers is not the brightest idea."
Just days before Danetria Rice-Johnson, a 29-year-old pregnant Huntsville woman, was killed by an alleged drunk driver on Jordan Lane, she was spending time with her younger sister.

Dentria Rice-Johnson is pictured with her 2-year-old daughter. Rice-Johnson, who was eight-months pregnant with a second child, was killed in a crash Saturday.

"But now she's gone -- like a flame on a candle that just went out," said Rice-Johnson's 17-year-old sister Tatayana Rice. "Now, we'll never be able to make future memories. She'll never be able to see her newborn's face or spend Christmas with us. She'll never see her daughter go to kindergarten."

Rice-Johnson, who was eight months pregnant, died Saturday afternoon in a head-on collision in Huntsville. Her unborn child survived the crash and was taken to Huntsville Hospital in critical condition.

The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. at Jordan and Sportsman lanes. Dennis Hammond, a 57-year-old Huntsville man has been charged with murder, as police suspect he was driving under the influence at the time of the crash.

Hammond's southbound vehicle crossed the center turning lane on Jordan and collided with a northbound car that was Johnson was riding in, Lt. Stacy Bates, a Huntsville police spokesman said.

Rice-Johnson was riding with her husband and 2-year-old daughter at the time of the crash. She died at Huntsville Hospital, where her unborn child was saved.

"For someone's careless mistake, my sister paid with her life," Rice said. "No one should go through this.

"If you are unable to make out numbers to call a friend, a family member, an Uber or a taxi, then you're not safe enough to drive," Rice continued. "One stupid mistake can not only cost you your life, but it can cost someone else' life. It's not worth it."

Rice said she feels not only like she lost a sister, but also a mother-figure. The sisters' mother died in 2010 after a battle with cancer. Rice-Johnson completed basic training in the U.S. Army, according to her sister, but had to return home after their mother became ill.

Danetria Rice was killed in a crash Saturday on Jordan Lane in Huntsville. She is pictured here with her 2-year-old daughter.

"Danetria was always putting others first," Rice said. "She was always working, just trying to make the best life for her kids. She was the closest thing to what's left of my mom. I just still can't believe she's gone. My sister was probably one of the nicest people you could ever meet."

A gofundme account has been set up to collect money for Rice-Johnson's funeral arrangements and to help her family.
As perpetrators of the genocide seek forgiveness from survivors, those born in its aftermath seek to learn the truth.

Muganza, Rwanda  Felix Kanamugire was a killer during the Rwandan genocide, when between 800,000 and one million people, primarily Tutsis, were killed over the course of three months in 1994.

For his crimes, he was among the 120,000 men and women imprisoned in the aftermath of the slaughter. Once released in 2011, he returned to his village in southern Rwanda, near the border with Burundi, and tried to keep a low profile.

When I came out of jail and I reached home, I knew there were relatives of a lot of people I killed and property I looted. It was too much fear. How could I approach these people?

Kanamugire, who is now 57, was worried about running into one neighbour, in particular, Irene Mukaruziga, because he had killed her husband and destroyed her house.

I would hide or take a longer route so as not to see her, says Kanamugire.

WATCH: Rwanda  Sweet Dreams (23:45)

From truth to reconciliation

One day, his friend told him that he could discuss these things in a group, known as a Peace Club, that met once a week near the village of Muganza, close to his home, where perpetrators could discuss their guilt and move forward.

I have uprooted that hatred that was inside of me ... We don't pretend to think it is done. This has to be a continuous process. by Felix Kanamugire, a perpetrator during the Rwandan genocide

There was good teachings in how to ask for forgiveness, he says.

Initially, we sat in separate groups, but we have to take a step. They told us, Dont fear them [the survivors], you know what you did.

Eventually, he says, he went to seek forgiveness from Mukaruziga, who had sought monetary compensation for her destroyed property during a community trial known as gacaca.

I decided one morning to go to her. I went to her neighbour and asked him to escort me. I looked for 10,000 Rwandan Francs [about $12]. She gave us a place to sit. It was like coming from heaven. I said, Im here to ask for forgiveness. My heart was pounding. They said, give me 10,000 Francs. I felt someone was removing my burden when she said OK.'

Mukaruziga says forgiveness was a hard path for her.

I lost almost everyone in the genocide, she says. My neighbour did a lot of bad things  destroyed my house, took everything. He went to jail, but his wife stayed at their house. All the time, I couldnt bear to see his wife and kids.

Slowly, she says, after sitting together in the same discussion group, she started to feel ready to forgive Kanamugire.

Before, I would never step into his house. Even if it were raining, I would never dare, says Mukaruziga. We only started to speak because of the club. Because of those teachings, things came into my heart. Now, we have a lot in common. The teaching and the counselling has been helpful. They teach us how to identify hate and indicators of when things are going wrong.

Kanamugire says that through these meetings, I have uprooted that hatred that was inside of me.

But, despite his transformation, he says the Monday unity exercises remain one of the most important parts of his week.

We dont pretend to think it is done. This has to be a continuous process.

READ: Q&A: Rwandas controversial history

Fractured classrooms

The Peace Club attended by Kanamugire and Mukaruziga is supported by the London-based NGO International Alert. Hundreds of such clubs have sprung up across the country to bring together survivors and perpetrators of the genocide  with a special focus on those who were born in its aftermath.

There are all kinds of narratives we get from our parents, some true and some not true. And this is the source of conflict between us. As we continued we became aware how parents are poisoning their children. by Evariste Shumbushuya, club leader

In Rwanda, which today has a population of 11.6 million, more than 60 percent of the population is under 24 years old, too young to personally remember the genocide.

Since the end of the genocide, the government, led for 17 years by Paul Kagame, has pursued an official policy of unity and reconciliation, which emphasises Rwandan-ness rather than an affiliation as Hutu or Tutsi  categories imposed by Belgian colonial rulers that were arbitrarily based on a combination of factors including an individuals wealth, skin tone, and nose size.

The Belgian colonisers had favoured Tutsis, and when they left in 1962, the Hutu-led government began persecuting the Tutsi minority. In seeking to close the circle, the government has made nationwide de-ethnicisation a priority and imposed strong restrictions on how the genocide can be discussed.

However, bullying based on a pupils family background is present in schools, where learning is especially difficult for orphans, the children of survivors, and those who have a parent in prison.

While survivors and the children of survivors often receive material support, sometimes the children of parents who are or were incarcerated do not receive assistance, which causes rifts between pupils, explains Evariste Shumbushuya, 24, whose father was in prison while he was in high school.

Often, when you feel bad, you blame the kids [of survivors] for putting your parents in jail, he says. But this changed when he joined a Peace Club in his second year of high school.

Before I joined the club, there are a lot of things I had no idea about, he recalls. I realised they were getting this assistance because they had no parents. Most conflict you could see at school, it was because of these kinds of differences. It was tension that was not very open, but it was there. Some kids fought in the classrooms; there were bitter exchanges, like Your parents killed my parents.

Lack of critical thinking

Shumbushuya now runs the club, called Urumuri Amahoro, which means Light of Peace. Its 71 members, who are between the ages of 15 and 25, assemble every Friday afternoon and share poems or act out plays that explore the themes of conflict and reconciliation.

There are all kinds of narratives we get from our parents, some true and some not true. And this is the source of conflict between us. As we continued, we became aware how parents are poisoning their children, Shumbushuya says.

He hopes to further bind his clubs members to one another through small cooperative projects, like pooling money to buy a goat that produces milk and cheese and will eventually bear offspring that they can share.

They also do farming and community service for the parents of impoverished members of their group.

Perpetrators say they committed crimes because 'the government told us to kill'. But someone with critical thinking skills can ask themselves, 'Why?' by Jean Nepo Ndahimana, Aegis Trust

When we can change a child, their parents will also change.

Silas Sebatware, who teaches history and geography at the village school, runs another Peace Club. In his club, like in so many others, they use scenarios, cartoons, and plays to discuss discrimination, prejudice, stereotypes and domestic violence.

As a group, we interpret images which are not always straightforward to understand, he says.

This is important because it builds critical thinking.

Sebatware says they also pay special attention to those who broke the mould of violence in genocide and rescued people, to teach students not to be bystanders.

The clubs are also designed to provide information to younger generations who do not know the history of colonialism and the genocide, says Jean Nepo Ndahimana, a former teacher who runs a training programme for educators with Aegis Trust, the organisation that runs the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

However, building societal change is tremendously difficult after generations of colonial rule and governments who privileged the majority Hutus over the Tutsis.

Our parents were educated about violence by the government since the colonial period, he says. From 1962 until the genocide, the government emphasised discrimination and our curricula were designed to divide us. The government was doing what Trump is doing now in America  I mean, who is not an immigrant in America today?

He says discrimination and hatred were incorporated into every subject. An instructor in mathematics once put a question on a test: If you have five Tutsis and you kill two, how many are left?'

Now, he says, efforts are being made in Rwanda to make people believe we do not have a different culture. We are trying to dig deep and find our roots.

Before his organisation started training teachers in peace education in 2009, some teachers were apprehensive about discussing the genocide in the classroom, which left students reliant on their parents for information, which can be transmitted with bias.

In an assessment developed in 2012, some teachers are scared to discuss the genocide, so sometimes they just skip it, he says. As a result, when he would organise workshops for young people, he says, students were not aware of what had happened.

Since then, he and his colleagues have trained more than 940 teachers, each of whom has started a Peace Club in their schools. Moreover, in 2015, the Rwandan government overhauled its curriculum to include peace education in every subject, including mathematics and language classes.

One of the factors that made the genocide possible was a lack of critical thinking skills, explains Ndahimana.

Perpetrators say they committed crimes because the government told us to kill. But someone with critical thinking skills can ask themselves, Why?

The reporting of this story was made possible by a fellowship from the International Womens Media Foundation (IWMF).
A confluence of interests between Egypt, the UAE and Hamas are paving the way for the exiled strongmans return.

Amid an escalating conflict between Hamas and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, rumours are flying that exiled Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan is set to make a comeback.

Once considered persona non grata by Hamas, the Abu Dhabi-based power broker has for years been rumoured to be plotting his return.

But analysts say a series of secretive meetings between Hamas officials and Egyptian authorities in Cairo, coupled with the Gaza Strips growing isolation and Abbas increasing unpopularity, could now prove the rumours true.





Speculation peaked last month following Egypts decision to send one million litres of fuel into Gaza after Israel, at the request of the PA, further reduced its supply of electricity to the besieged territory by at least 40 percent.

The fuel arrived just in time for the Eid al-Fitr holiday that ends the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and provided temporary relief for an energy crisis in the coastal enclave that put Gaza on the brink of total collapse, according to the United Nations.

The shipments, brought in through Gazas Rafah crossing with Egypt, reportedly came at the initiative of Dahlan, a sworn enemy of Abbas, who pushed the deal through with help from the United Arab Emirates, his home in exile.

Gaza is in desperate need of basic humanitarian aid. That is the gate through which Dahlan will return to Gaza, Nagy Shurab, a Gaza-based political analyst, told Al Jazeera.

Egypt, in turn, is interested in restoring stability to the Sinai, he said, referring to the Sinai Peninsula bordering Gaza and Israel, where Egyptian forces are battling hardline fighters, some of whom Cairo has accused Hamas of sheltering.

By allowing Dahlan to return and take control of the security efforts at Rafah, Cairo would have a partner it trusts.

Hamas is facing a multidimensional set of problems, but it is pragmatic enough to make a deal, even with a man it considers an enemy  as long as Dahlan can open Rafah and new doors of aid from the UAE, Shurab added.

READ MORE: Its okay to be racist in Israel

Days after the initial fuel shipments, an unconfirmed plan leaked to the Bethlehem-based Maan News Agency highlighted what many across Gaza and the region have whispered about for months.

The document provides details of an alleged agreement between Hamas second-in-command, Yahya Sinwar, and Dahlan. Under the deal, allegedly made during Egyptian-led talks last month, Dahlan would return to Gaza to lead the government and Hamas would run the territorys interior ministry.

Many believe that Dahlan brokered talks in Cairo between Hamas and senior Egyptian officials in an attempt to strengthen relations between Hamas and Cairo and pave the way for his return.

Living in self-imposed exile in Abu Dhabi since Abbas expelled him from Fatah in May 2011 over corruption allegations, Dahlan has cultivated a close relationship with the Emirati elite  he serves as an adviser to UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed  and has strong ties with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi.

A native of Gazas Khan Younis refugee camp, Dahlan served as Gazas first security chief under former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the 1990s. His notoriously brutal rule, including alleged torture of Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists, led some at the time to dub Gaza Dahlanistan.

While in charge of Gazas security forces, Dahlan dealt regularly with US and Israeli intelligence officials. After Hamas trumped Fatah in Gazas parliamentary elections in January 2006, then US President George W Bush  who, in private conversations with Israeli and US officials, famously referred to Dahlan as our guy  pushed the Fatah strongman to attempt a coup, touching off a brief but bloody civil war.

But while Hamas and Dahlan have certainly had a rocky relationship, according to the Carnegie Endowments Sarah Yerkes, they are united in their opposition to Abbas.

Hamas politburo deputy chairman Khalil al-Hayya last month confirmed the movements collaboration with Dahlan, calling for the establishment of a national rescue front to challenge the PA amid a growing rift between the two main Palestinian factions.

We wont stand idly by as these practices lead to deprivation of medicine, Hayya said in a statement. This policy unites us all in Gaza and consolidates our belief that our plight is being hijacked by Mahmoud Abbas.

Weeks later, in his first public speech since taking office, newly elected Hamas leader Ismail Haniya spoke at length about his movements warming relations with Egypt.

We have launched a new chapter with Egypt and the relations have witnessed a big move, Haniya said, indicating that significant gaps had been closed over the past month.





For much of the past decade, Egypt has helped Israel enforce a land, sea and air blockade of the Gaza Strip, a move designed to punish Hamas after it took complete control of the territory in 2007.

Analysts say the about-turn in Hamas relationship with Dahlan and Egypt is a direct result of measures imposed on Gaza by Abbas, aimed at pressuring Hamas to relinquish control and join a unity government.

Its really a story of Abbas shooting himself in the foot, Nathan Thrall, the International Crisis Groups senior analyst covering Israel and Palestine, told Al Jazeera.

If [Abbas] hadnt put this extraordinary pressure on Hamas and on Gaza by cutting salaries and then pushing for a reduction in electricity, he wouldnt have driven Hamas into Dahlans arms.

Maybe this is a way for the Israelis to get somebody to get Hamas under control, because the PA isn't willing to do it. by Hady Amr, former US deputy special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations

The PAs demand in June that Israel cut Gazas electricity by 40 percent left the territorys two million residents with three intermittent hours of electricity a day as summer temperatures peaked, deepening Gazas ongoing humanitarian crisis.

A decade of siege, three sustained Israeli military offensives and an ongoing power crisis have left Gaza on the brink of systemic collapse, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Nearly 95 percent of the water pumped in Gaza is unfit for human consumption. Kitchen faucets and bathroom sinks run salty. Unemployment is at 42 percent, the highest rate in the world.

Hospitals across Gaza are operating on generators, and the UN has predicted that Gazas fuel reserves could run out this month.

The dire humanitarian situation, coupled with Hamas growing political isolation, has backed the movement into a corner, pushing it towards a potential partnership with a man accused of appalling crimes during his reign in Gaza.

The first step Dahlan would likely take, said Thrall, would be to distribute blood money  a rumoured $50m in UAE funds to be paid to the families of those killed in Gazas 2006-2007 mini-civil war.

READ MORE: Gazas Game of Thrones

Meanwhile, Egypt has been at odds with Hamas since Sisi overthrew former President Mohamed Morsi in a 2013 military coup and outlawed his Freedom and Justice Party, strongly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.

But the once-frosty relations are steadily thawing. In a guiding political document announced in May, Hamas dropped its long-time association with Muslim Brotherhood and accepted a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Last week, in an apparent concession to Egypt, Hamas announced the creation of a buffer zone along its side of the border with Egypt, complete with watchtowers and barbed-wire fences.

Closer ties between Hamas and Egypt, backed by Dahlan and his UAE sponsors, come as a push by Cairo, Abu Dhabi, Manama and Riyadh against Qatar  a major financial contributor to Gaza  enters its second month.

The Saudi-led group accuses Doha of supporting terrorist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood  charges Qatar denies.





Yet although Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir had initially included Hamas in a list of extremist groups supported by Qatar, the group was conspicuously absent from a formal list of demands presented to Doha around the time that Dahlan, Hamas and Egyptian officials met in Cairo in June.

The Qatar crisis means that theres extra pressure on Hamas, Thrall said. It feels extra isolated by Saudi, the UAE and the rest of the Arabs, and they, in turn, see an opportunity to step in and attempt to pull the group away from Iran and Doha.

Israel  which signed a 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, works closely with Cairo on security and has secretive ties with the UAE  would also look favourably at a Dahlan return.



Israels main goal in Gaza is containment, said Hady Amr, a former US deputy special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Maybe this is a way for the Israelis to get somebody to get Hamas under control, because the PA isnt willing to do it.

Dahlans rumoured return is a genuine cause for concern for Abbas. Twelve years into a four-year term as PA president, the 82-year-olds popularity has never been lower. A poll conducted last year by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research in Gaza and the occupied West Bank revealed that 65 percent of Palestinians want him to resign.

Abbas was set to meet Sisi in Cairo on Monday in an attempt to head off what looks to be the inevitable return of his enemy number one  a homecoming, Amr said, facilitated by a disparate group of players pulled together under the mantra of the enemy of my enemy, if not my friend, is my short term ally.

Follow Dylan Collins on Twitter: @collinsdyl
Jerusalem  Driving northbound from Jerusalem on Route 60, one cannot miss the abundance of olive groves on both sides of the road.

Turning east after the Palestinian town of Turmus Aya will take visitors to the occupied West Bank villages of Qaryut and Jalud, where the groves are even richer. On a recent afternoon in Jalud, from a hilltop amid the olive trees, yellow construction vehicles can be spotted in the distance, breaking ground on a road leading to the new Israeli settlement of Amichai.

The jurisdiction of Amichai encircles private land, and that will prevent the owners from reaching it, Gilad Grossman, spokesman for the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, told Al Jazeera.

For Palestinians, new settlements usually mean a loss of their land or restrictions on access. Settlements, which are considered illegal under international law, also come with threats of settler attacks on Palestinian lives and property.

In conjunction with Jaluds village council, last month Yesh Din filed a petition to Israels Supreme Court to challenge the settlements jurisdiction, with an ultimate goal to halt construction at Amichai, which translates to My People Live. The state has until September to respond.

OPINION: Israel wants settlements, not peace

When construction began late last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proudly tweeted: After decades, I have the privilege to be the prime minister who is building a new community in Judea and Samaria, referring to the Israeli name for the occupied Palestinian territory. Amichai will be the first new Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank in 25 years.

Construction on Amichai, which is intended to house several dozen Jewish families, began less than five months after the eviction of settlers from the Amona outpost northeast of Ramallah. It is intended to house the evicted settlers and will neighbour several other Jewish settlements and outposts in the area.

Abdel Allah Haj Mohammad, who heads the village council in Jalud, noted that most of his villages land has become inaccessible to Palestinians due to army orders and the presence of other Jewish settlements.

The settlement [construction] started in 1978, but it intensified during the Second Intifada, when Area C was closed off and the settlers were allowed to build, Mohammad told Al Jazeera.





In nearby Qaryut, Muhammad Ahmad Mekbel, 76, said that while his farmland has not been officially confiscated by the Israeli army, it is no longer reachable, as the area where it is located has been closed to Palestinians. He can reach his land only a few days a year, during a short window given by the Israeli army for Palestinian farmers to plough their fields. But he does not plant anything, for fear of settler attacks on the crops.

It is useless, he said. He nevertheless spends around $600 annually to plough the land, in an effort to prove that it has not been abandoned, which could be grounds for Israeli confiscation.

In June of 2007, they [Jewish settlers] came and uprooted the olive trees  all of them, 300 trees  I used to make 100 barrels of oil each year; today I only make one, Mekbel added.

There are also fears of future escalation as more settlers converge on the region. Two weeks ago, two dozen olive trees in Qaryut belonging to four farmers were set ablaze, allegedly by Jewish settlers, said Bashar el-Qaryoti, a local activist and village council member. Police have opened an investigation into the incident.

East of Jalud, there is a settlement that is home to the price-tag gangs, who attack residents, Qaryoti told Al Jazeera. They shoot at farmers  It is the same settlement [from where] the killers of the Dawabsheh family came.

At the site of the recent blaze, nearly two weeks after the fire, one olive tree continued to smoulder, smoke puffing from its trunk in the midday heat.

The launch of construction at Amichai coincided with last months visit to Ramallah by US officials, aimed at restarting peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). The efforts have been criticised by Palestinian legislative council member Hatem Abdel Qader.

In practice, now that a new settlement is being built, the Palestinian demand of a settlement halt as a condition to resume negotiations has been dropped, Abdel Qader said, noting that PA President Mahmoud Abbas likely elected to ignore the settlement issue in return for US involvement in the peace process.

This bet on Trump carries a risk, because if the US administration finds a big gap  and there is one, of course, between the Palestinian and Israeli positions  it will pull out of the peace process  and Israel will have in the meantime secured more settlements, he added.
In an editorial addressing the Qatar-Saudi bloc diplomatic crisis on June 19, 2017, The New York Times observed: Aiming to play a regional mediating role, Qatar has also angered the Saudis by fostering ties with other hostile groups, including the Afghan Taliban, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, giving the leaders of some of them airtime on its freewheeling TV network, Al Jazeera.

In another editorial dated June 21, The New York Times went on to denounce the Saudi et al demand for the closing down of Al Jazeera, stating clearly: By attacking Al Jazeera, the Saudis and their neighbours are trying to eliminate a voice that could lead citizens to question their rulers. Al Jazeera was the prime source of news as the Arab Spring rocked the Middle East in 2011.





But even in this support for Al Jazeera, the editorial board of The New York Times felt obliged to reiterate: Al Jazeera is hardly a perfect news organization: Critical reporting on Qatar or members of Qatars royal family is not tolerated. But much of the rest of its reporting hews to international journalistic standards, provides a unique view on events in the Middle East and serves as a vital news source for millions who live under antidemocratic rule.

So not only is Al Jazeera, in the esteemed opinion of The New York Times editorial board, a freewheeling outlet at best, but even when under pernicious attack for its very existence by the Saudis and their fraternity club it must be reprimanded for being hardly a perfect news organization.

Who judges the judge?

The New York Times editorial board, like the Saudis and Emiratis, are, of course, entitled to their opinion. But the question that the world at large, outside The New York Times editorial board, would be interested to know is not whether Al Jazeera is a specimen of freewheeling journalism or if it comes short of being a perfect news organization, but far more urgently and simply: Who died and made The New York Times the judge on freewheeling journalism or being a perfect news organisation?

Let me state right here that I have complete sympathy and even solidarity for The New York Times and all other US media as they go through this nasty alternative fact era when US journalists are as much at the mercy of President Trumps incitement to violence against them as Al Jazeera is to Saudis censorial swords. But freewheeling? and not perfect? Really? Prick yourself with a needle, as we say in Persian, before you stab others with a dagger.

READ MORE: New York Times slams misguided attack on Al Jazeera

The question is not which brand of journalism closely approximates to the truth. None do completely: They all come close to truth with their specific fusion of blindness and insights. The question for the world at large is how The New York Times and its Israeli shadow, Haaretz, have lost their monopoly of telling the truth in a manner that best safeguards their common interests in normalising the interests of US/Israeli military domination of the globe  for that is their paramount function.

What troubles The New York Times (and that anxiety shows itself when it accuses Al Jazeera of freewheeling) is the mere possibility of positing an alternative narrative of world events. The New York Times today makes a blissful recovery of its declining reputation by acting holier than thou against the antics of Trump and his propaganda stormtroopers such as Kellyanne Conway and her insidious idea of alternative facts. All my nasty ulcers and shingles caused by New York Times coverage of the Arab and Muslim world notwithstanding, today I will take my hometowns paper of record over Kellyanne Conways rank charlatanism every day of the week and twice on any given Sunday, when the Times offers those magnificent magazines and art sections. But, dear members of the jury, The New York Times may today have successfully repressed the memory of its own alternative facts, but the world has not.

Remember Judith Miller?

Al Jazeera just adds one lens, a very modest lens, like all other lenses predicated on both its blindness and insights, limitations and abilities, and precisely in the fact of that modesty has exposed all other news venues, chief among them 'the papers of record', for what they are: a vested interest in telling us how to think. by

If the fake news of Trumps campaign won him the US presidential election, the fake news of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that The New York Times gave space and editorial endorsement to its fraudulent journalist Judith Miller to propagate resulted in the destruction of an entire country and the murder of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. The New York Times coverage of the non-existent Iraqi WMD was and remains the mother of all fake news.

Today next to Kellyanne Conway, The New York Times may legitimately feel like Gods gift to journalism. But history will remember the paper of record differently. The New York Times must entertain a measure of modesty and humility when accusing other media of freewheeling.

It is not just this one calamitous incident in which, through its institutional endorsement of a deceitful journalist, The New York Times helped George W Bushs administration to fabricate alternative facts to invade, occupy, and destroy an entire country  and with it alter the course of the regional history to culminate in the creation of the murderous Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The fundamental task of The New York Times has always been narratively to normalise the liberal imperialism of US global and Israeli regional warmongering.

In their impeccable study, The Record of the Paper: How the New York Times Misreports US Foreign Policy, Howard Friel and Richard Falk have thoroughly documented the calamitous editorial policies of The New York Times in facilitating US imperialism. Even before them, in their now classic Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media, Edward S Herman and Noam Chomsky exposed the blatant role of The New York Times in serving the ruling elite in the US. Is The New York Times really in a position to call any other news outlet freewheeling? It has a long history of being the mother of all freewheeling journalism when it comes to serving the nefarious expansionist warmongering of the US and Israel.

Slightly to the left of The New York Times, to give the Israeli settler colony a more liberal facelift and a more democratic outfit to camouflage the systematic theft of Palestine, Haaretz corroborates the centrality of The New York Times narrative and extends it into the colonial interests of Israel. Al Jazeera has pulled the rug from under both their feet not because it has any claim on a more solid grip on truth but, far more dangerously for them, because it dismantles that normalising narrative of both The New York Times and its Israeli sidekick.

The great equaliser

Al Jazeera does not serve any empire. Qatar is no empire. Qatar is not Russia or China. Qatar is a tiny rentier state that had to give the big US bully in the neighbourhood the military bases it needs to map out the entirety of the globe under its military thumb but then used that protection to help create an environment that enables a different vision for Arabs and Muslims of themselves.

READ MORE: Double standards  Do all journalist lives matter?

While serving the very logic of an abusive militaristic empire, The New York Times points a finger at Al Jazeera for no critical reporting on Qatar or members of Qatars royal family. Yes, Qatar is not a democracy. Qatars not being a democracy is integral to the fact that it is also the site of a US military base. You cannot, as The New York Times does, normalise US imperialism and then point a finger at the silly truism that Qatar is not a democracy.

Of course Qatar is not a democracy. The only democracy in its neighbourhood is a European settler colony built on the stolen land and the broken (but defiant) back of Palestinians, aided and abetted by another great democracy that has just endangered the globe by electing a racist thug as its president. Indeed, Qatar has a long way to go before it produces a democratically elected Qatari version of a European settler colonialist such as Benjamin Netanyahu or xenophobic white supremacist such as Donald Trump  the finest specimen that Western democracy has gifted our world.





Meanwhile, the very undemocratic Qatar is the home of Al Jazeera, and it was precisely during the US warmongering in the Arab and Muslim world and the most recent phases of the Israeli slaughter of Palestinians, both of which were ideologically sustained and narratively normalised by The New York Times and Haaretz, that Al Jazeera became Al Jazeera.

The significance of Al Jazeera has absolutely nothing to do with it being a better or a worse version of the truth  or even that it has offered an alternative site for critical reflections on our daily history. Its solitary (and modest) achievement is that it is a great equaliser. It has challenged The New York Times, Haaretz and the BBC and their ilk on entertaining the delusion of telling the truth to the world when it is in fact on behalf of US, UK, and Israeli military and ideological domination of the globe and the region where they are busy manufacturing consent by pretending to be the paper of record.

Al Jazeera just adds one lens, a very modest lens, like all other lenses predicated on both its blindness and insights, limitations and abilities, and it is precisely that modesty which has exposed all other news venues, chief among them the papers of record, for what they are: a vested interest in telling us how to think. Al Jazeera does not replace or supplant The New York Times or Haaretz or the BBC. It just puts them in their rightful place: just one quick freewheeling click away from Al Jazeera, and then let the chips fall where they may!

Hamid Dabashi is Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Why are eight Basques facing a total of 375 years in jail on terrorism charges for a bar fight?

Altsasu, a sleepy Basque town in Spains northernmost province of Navarre, was shocked on July 4, when a prosecutors office announced (PDF) that eight of its residents will be facing a total of 375 years in prison on terrorism charges. The eight young Basques had a fight with two civil guards and their girlfriends in a local bar in the early hours of October 15, 2016. Three of the defendants have been under arrest since November 2016.

The eight young men and a woman are facing charges of terrorist injury and terrorist threat for being involved in what many activists consider a simple bar brawl, possibly motivated by historical tensions between Basque nationalists and the Civil Guard.





The Civil Guard is a Spanish military force charged with police duties under the authority of both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence. The force is believed to be responsible for torturing Basque nationalists  and many others  during and even after the Franco dictatorship.

Altsasu is a small, Basque-speaking town with a little more than 7,500 inhabitants. Basque nationalist groups have an absolute majority in the citys government. The presence of the Civil Guard in the city has long been a subject of tensions and conflicts. For example, in 2015, Civil Guard agents banned three floats from participating at Ospa Eguna, a local parade that calls for the Civil Guard to leave the city. The banned floats were depicting civil guards as monsters and torturers, in an attempt to ridicule the powerful organisation.

Assault cases involving Basque youths and members of the Civil Guard are also not uncommon in Altsasu; however, these cases have never been treated as terrorism before. What is more, the prosecutions decision to request such a severe punishment came just three months after the Basque Separatist Group ETA (Basque Homeland and Liberty) announced that it intended to disarm.

So why the severity of the punishment requested?

Everything is ETA

According to the Civil Guard and a considerable number of conservative Spanish newspapers, anyone who demands the withdrawal of the guards from Altsasu, including the eight young Basques involved in last years bar brawl, are part of the ETA environment.

According to human rights activists, however, such accusations are nothing more than an extension of the Spanish judiciary and governments controversial theory dubbed everything is ETA.

OPINION: Spain  Searching for Garcia Lorca

Spanish authorities have long been inclined to associate every Basque nationalist movement  or any criticism of the governments treatment of the Basque community  with the armed separatist group ETA. They have long been branding journalists, human rights activists and anyone who is supporting the Basque Country independence movement as ETA members or supporters.

ETA is blamed for the deaths of 829 people in a five-decade campaign of shootings and bombings for an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southwestern France. However, the armed group, which is classified as a terrorist organisation by both Spain and France, has been inactive for over six years and it has officially laid down arms earlier in April. Yet, the Spanish and French governments still refuse to negotiate with ETA, even though an international group of political leaders and Nobel laureates are trying to convince these governments to open talks with the group and officially end the conflict.

A bar fight or a terror incident

It is important to note that none of the accused in Altsasu deny that the fight took place. What is in dispute here is whether a simple bar fight can be considered terrorism.

According to the official version of the events, at least 50 people participated in the violent action against the Civil Guard  something local residents deny  and the fight was motivated by the poison of ETA. Locals, on the other hand, accuse the Civil Guard of provoking the incident. They say guards are constantly seeking confrontation and provoking the local youth.

According to Spanish news outlets, the prosecutor in the case maintains that the fight was part of a historical ETA campaign against agents of the Civil Guard deployed in Navarre province, called Alde Hemendik (Get out of here). But some question the claim that Alde Hemendik  the slogan and the protest movement that utilises it  has ties to ETA.

A politician from the Basque nationalist coalition EH Bildu, Jonathan Martinez, in a series of tweets, sought to remind the public of the actual story behind the expression Get out of here.

He explained that this slogan was used for the first time in the Basque city of Errenteria by people protesting the death of Joseba Barandiaran in the late 1970s. Police officers shot and killed Barandiaran, a young Basque nationalist, during a demonstration provoked by another police killing. Over the years the slogan Alde Hemendik was used frequently in other Basque cities, including Atlsasu, to protest police presence and oppression.

The prosecutors office is trying to link this decades-old expression of defiance and what appears to be a simple bar fight  in which the worst injury was a broken ankle  with a terrorist group/movement that already laid down arms and is seeking to become a legal political party.





Both the regional government of Navarre and the city council of Altsasu have already rejected the terrorism charges eight young Basques are facing. The provincial court also decided that the bar fight between the defendants and the members of the Civil Guard did not amount to terrorism and insisted that the case should be conducted locally. But the Spanish National Court chose to override the decisions of local authorities and charged the defendants with offences related to terrorism anyway.

The defendants parents recently addressed local crowds at a crowded plaza in Altsasu to reiterate that their children are not terrorists. They argued that a petition for 375 years in prison for eight young people, seven under 23, for a bar brawl in which the biggest injury was a broken ankle was disproportionate and that such disproportion produces terror.

Parents of the accused also travelled to Brussels to make their childrens plight heard in the EU and they immediately received support from 51 MEPs from 15 countries who called for proportionality, justice and equity for the defendants.

By accusing these young people of participating in terrorist activities, the Spanish government is refuelling a decade-old conflict that in recent years had started to quiet down. The memories of the Civil Guards historic crimes against the Basque people  and their collaboration with a dictatorship that killed and tortured Basque nationalists  are still fresh in the minds of Altsasu residents.

If the Spanish government is interested in bringing peace and harmony to the Basque Country, it needs to understand the new Basque generation and stir away from branding its sentiments as terrorism.

Raphael Tsavkko Garcia is a journalist and a PhD candidate in human rights at the University of Deusto in Spain.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says there has been only sporadic violence since truce took effect midday on Sunday.

Frontlines across three provinces in southwest Syria have remained mostly quiet nearly 24 hours after an internationally brokered ceasefire took effect, according to a UK-based monitor.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said there has been only sporadic activity in the provinces of Deraa, Suweida and Quneitra since the truce began at noon local time (09:00 GMT) on Sunday.

The United States, Russia and Jordan announced the agreement of the ceasefire earlier this week after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his counterpart Donald Trump.

SOHR said the ceasefire appeared to be largely holding but reported sporadic incidents of violence.

READ MORE: US would consider no-fly zone in Syria if Russia agrees

There are minor violations that do not affect the ceasefire, SOHR director Rami Abdel Rahman said.

In general there is quiet in the three provinces.

The monitor said two shells fired by Syrian government forces had landed on the town of Suweida in eastern Daraa overnight, while rebels and government forces had exchanged fire in the village of Al-Naeema in the same province.

Another two shells were fired by government forces into the Al-Balad area in the Daraa province and brief clashes erupted in the provincial capital Daraa city overnight but quickly stopped, SOHR added.

In Quneitra province, there were also reports of sporadic exchanges of fire, though there were no casualties in any of the incidents, the monitor said.

READ MORE: Syrias de-escalation zones explained

Syrias government had already declared its own unilateral ceasefire in the area last week, but fighting had continued.

Sundays ceasefire went into effect just ahead of new peace talks in Geneva, which begin later on Monday.

Similar agreements have been brokered in Syria in the past with the aim of getting the countrys peace process back on track following a prolonged civil war that began in 2011.

All have failed to halt the fighting for very long.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011.
Gunmen spray bullets on passenger bus bringing Hindu pilgrims from a cave shrine, killing seven and wounding 14 others.

At least seven Hindu pilgrims, most of them women, have been killed in a gun battle that erupted in Indian-administrated Kashmir after suspected rebel fighters attacked a police vehicle, officials said.

The bus, carrying more than 50 pilgrims, came under attack on Monday evening as they were returning from a cave shrine in the Himalayas, police said.

Fourteen others were wounded when the vehicle got caught up in the crossfire near the southern Anantnag town, police officers said, speaking to news agencies on condition of anonymity.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The gunmen first attacked an armoured police vehicle, and the officers in the vehicle returned fire, a police statement said.

READ MORE: Can cricket cool India-Pakistan political hostility?

Thereafter, the militants again fired at a police patrol in which a passenger bus was hit by bullets, the statement said.

Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack and tweeted that India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and the evil designs of hate.

He also said his thoughts were with all those who lost loved ones in the attack.

My prayers with the injured, he tweeted.

Three top separatist leaders, who challenge Indias sovereignty over Kashmir, strongly condemned the attack and expressed deep sorrow and grief over the killings.





This incident goes against the very grain of Kashmiri ethos, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammed Yasin Malik said in a joint statement in Srinagar, the main city of the Indian portion of Kashmir.

The pilgrims were returning after paying obeisance at the shrine nestled in the Himalayas at a height of 4,115 metres when the attack occurred.

About 100,000 pilgrims have already completed the journey to the Amarnath shrine which began late last month and is due to end in late August under tight security.

In the past, the pilgrimage has been targeted by Muslim rebels who have been fighting for Kashmirs independence from India or its merger with neighbouring Pakistan since 1989.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the fighters, a charge Islamabad denies.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by a ceasefire line, and the two countries have fought two wars over its control since they won independence from British colonialists in 1947.
Level of destruction in Mosuls Old City is almost total, as Iraq PM celebrates gains in final push against ISIL.

Aid agencies have voiced concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Mosul, as Iraqs Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulated his troops for driving ISIL out of most of the city.

Iraqs leader arrived in Mosul on Sunday to join Iraqi troops and civilians in celebrating victories and the eradication of ISIL, which he said they were close to achieving after a nearly nine-month battle.

As the operation nears its end, the intense fighting in the Old City neighbourhood near the Tigris River has taken a heavy toll on the thousands of civilians still trapped in the area.

IN PICTURES: The final push  Retaking Mosul from ISIL

The humanitarian situation is absolutely dire, said Al Jazeeras Charles Stratford, reporting from Erbil in northern Iraq.

The level of destruction in the Old City is almost total, he said. Virtually every single building is either completely or partially reduced to rubble.

According to the Iraqi military, about 15,000 civilians are still in the area of the Old City, with many of them being used as human shields by ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS).

The Iraqi military forces are having to check everyone for suicide vests as they leave.

Massive crisis

The Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration said that 750,000 have been displaced since the offensive on western Mosul began in February.

Michael Boyce, humanitarian policy adviser from Oxfam in Iraq, said the battle for Mosul has already been a massive crisis, displacing about a million people, and that it will take a long time before life can resume to normal in the city.





He said that the last pocket of the city that has been under attack for the past few weeks is extremely dense to move around in, with a high risk of civilians being killed.

A lot of people are stuck inside the city with very little access to food, water and medical care, Boyce told Al Jazeera from Erbil. They have literally been through hell.

Amira Abd El-Khalek, public information officer for UNHCR, told Al Jazeera that while victory against ISIL may be near, the humanitarian situation is not ending any time soon.

As the Iraqi forces make their final push, approximately half of the population of the city is still displaced, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said.

Tens of thousands of people are likely to return to the city in the near future, placing pressure on the Iraqi government and the international community to begin rebuilding immediately.

It is thought that it will cost more than a billion dollars to repair Mosuls basic infrastructure  more than twice the initial estimate.

Long-term reconstruction will cost several billions as all parts of the city have been damaged in some way.

People from every ethnic, religious and socioeconomic group in Iraq have suffered as a result of this conflict, said Heidi Diedrich, the NRCs country director.

It is the responsibility of the international community now to help them rebuild their country and repair the divisions that helped to create the conflict in the first place.
Haider al-Abadi announces collapse of ISIL caliphate as US-led coalition says Iraqi troops have firm control of Mosul.

Iraqs Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has formally declared victory over the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Mosul.

I announce from here the end and the failure and the collapse of the terrorist state of falsehood and terrorism which the terrorist Daesh announced from Mosul, Abadi said on Monday evening, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

Abadi, wearing a black military uniform and flanked by commanders from the security forces, thanked troops and the US-led coalition that backed the offensive. But he warned that more challenges lay ahead.

We have another mission ahead of us, to create stability, to build and clear Daesh cells, and that requires an intelligence and security effort, and the unity which enabled us to fight Daesh, he said before raising an Iraqi flag.





A 100,000-strong coalition of Iraqi government units, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shia armed groups launched the offensive to recapture the city from the militants in October, with key air and ground support from an international coalition.

The commander of the US-led coalition said Iraqi troops have firm control of the city, but some areas still must be cleared of explosive devices and possible ISIL fighters.

This victory alone does not eliminate [ISIL] and there is still a tough fight ahead. But the loss of one of its twin capitals and a jewel of their so-called caliphate is a decisive blow, Lieutenant-General Stephen Townsend said in a statement.

Lost everything

There were huge celebrations in cities across Iraq on Monday evening after Abadis declaration of victory.

People gathered in the capital Baghdads Tahrir Square and in Basra, dancing and waving flags as others took to the streets in convoys of motorcycles and cars.

Ali Mohsen, a Baghdad resident, praised Iraqi troops and said: We hope to uproot Daesh so the displaced can return to their homes.

A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday the recovery of Mosul was a significant step in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

It was in Mosul three years ago that ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the caliphate and himself the leader of the worlds Muslims.

The cost of the nearly nine-month battle to retake the city has been enormous: much of Mosul in ruins, thousands dead and wounded and nearly a million people forced from their homes.

OPINION: Whats next after Mosul?

Civilians who have fled fighting in Mosul face a dire humanitarian crisis. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) say displaced civilians are living in incredible hardship in temporary camps.

Temperatures in this part of Iraq are topping 45 degrees. People are living in camps. They need a lot of water, and the threat of disease looms in this kind of weather, the NRCs Melany Markham told Al Jazeera from Erbil.

The UN says 920,000 civilians have fled their homes since the military campaign began in October. Close to 700,000 people are still displaced.





The UN refugee agency said on Monday it could be many months before civilians are able to return to their homes because of extensive damage caused during the conflict.

Its a relief to know that the military campaign in Mosul is ending. The fighting may be over, but the humanitarian crisis is not, Lise Grande, the UNs humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, said in a statement.

Many of the people who have fled have lost everything. They need shelter, food, healthcare, water, sanitation and emergency kits. The levels of trauma we are seeing are some of the highest anywhere. What people have experienced is nearly unimaginable.

While defeat in Iraqs second-largest city deals a heavy blow to ISIL, the group controls several cities and towns south and west of Mosul.

ISIL is also under heavy pressure in its operational headquarters in the Syrian city of Raqqa and its self-proclaimed caliphate that once straddled the two countries is crumbling.
Nabeel Rajab, 52, was sentenced in absentia as he has been in hospital since April.

A court in Bahrain has sentenced prominent human rights activist Nabeel Rajab to two years in jail after finding him guilty of spreading fake news, a judicial source said.

The source, quoted by the official BNA news agency, said on Monday that Rajab was convicted of disseminating false news, statements and rumours about the internal situation of the kingdom that would undermine its prestige and status.

The verdict, which the source said can be appealed, was immediately condemned by Bahraini and international human rights watchdogs.

WATCH: The battle for Bahrain

Rajab, 52, was sentenced in absentia as he has been hospitalised since April, said the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.

It denounced the verdict, saying Rajab had been sentenced for speaking to journalists and that he had spent over a year in pre-trial detention, largely in solitary confinement.

His lawyers state he was denied basic fair trial guarantees, the group said in a statement.

The judicial source said, however, that all legal guarantees were provided to Rajab and that his lawyer was present for the proceedings.

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei of the Bahrain Institute strongly condemned the ruling.

This outrageous sentence against someone speaking the truth exhibits the brutality of the Bahraini government and its heinous crimes and that of its kangaroo court, he said.

Chokehold on freedom of expression

Amnesty International also denounced the decision, saying it exposes a relentless campaign by authorities in Bahrain to wipe out dissent.

Imprisoning Nabeel Rajab simply for sharing his opinion is a flagrant violation of human rights, and an alarming sign that the Bahraini authorities will go to any length to silence criticism, said Amnestys Secretary-General Salil Shetty.

Bahrains government and judiciary have once again tightened their chokehold on freedom of expression and branded him a criminal, Shetty was quoted as saying in a statement.





The US state department has expressed concern over Rajabs arrest and curbs on freedom of expression in Bahrain.

We believe societies are strengthened, not threatened, by expressions of opinion and dissent, and that opposition voices can play a vital role helping societies become more tolerant and inclusive, read a statement released by the US state department on Monday.

The US statement called for Rajabs immediate release.

We have repeatedly expressed our concern about Nabeel Rajabs case, and we continue to strongly urge the government of Bahrain to abide by its international obligations and commitments to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression, added the statement.

Bahrain, however, is also a close ally of the United States and hosts the Navys 5th Fleet. President Donald Trump has previously touted Washingtons wonderful relationship with Bahrain.

Rajab had been arrested multiple times in recent years over protests that the government said were unauthorised.

The activist was pardoned for health reasons in 2015 before being rearrested in June 2016.

He also faces trial for a series of tweets criticising a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, with a hearing due on August 7, according to the Bahrain Institute.

It said he faces up to 15 years if convicted in that trial.

Bahrain has been the scene of frequent protests and clashes with police since security forces quelled nationwide protests that called for political reforms in 2011.
Qatars ambassador to Gaza has pledged continued support to the besieged coastal enclave on his first visit since the start of the Gulf crisis early last month.

Mohammed al-Emadi arrived in Gaza along with his deputy head Khaled al-Hardan on Friday.

Despite the crisis in Qatar, we will continue to support you, al-Emadi said on Sunday. We will open a new Qatari project and continue the projects which are already under way.

Over the past five years, Qatar has already pledged $1.4bn worth of reconstruction money which has been going to hospitals, upgrading roads to housing projects.

READ MORE: Babies die in Gaza as Hamas, Fatah trade blame

Al-Emadi is also the head of the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza.

Hamas official Musheer al-Masri told Al Jazeera that the Qatari envoys visit indicates the genuineness with which Qatar deals with the Palestinian cause.

The visit indicates Qatars full  and not just seasonal  support of Palestine, both on an official and popular level, he said, even with the difficult times they are currently facing.

Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett, reporting from Gaza, said that the Qatari envoys visit was seen as welcome news for the Hamas government, which finds itself under a huge amount of pressure, not just from the Israeli blockade but also from the rival Palestinian Authority government in the West Bank.

The PA has recently undertaken a series of measures aimed at applying pressure on Hamas to relinquish control, such as slashing the salaries of its own government employees in Gaza and asking Israel to reduce the supply of electricity to the besieged strip.

Hamas is looking for more friends and itll certainly be glad that Qatar, for now at least, is pledging to maintain its support, Fawcett said.

Some two million people live in the Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli blockade for 10 years. The UN has warned that the dire humanitarian crises afflicting Gaza would render the territory uninhabitable by the year 2020.
Staffan de Mistura says he is not expecting breakthroughs in Geneva talks but incremental developments.

The UNs special envoy for Syria has said that a US and Russia-brokered ceasefire in the countrys southwest was generally holding despite some teething problems, adding he hoped it would contribute positively to talks between the government and opposition.

Staffan de Mistura, speaking at a news conference in Geneva, said he was not expecting any breakthroughs but rather some incremental developments.

A new round of indirect talks that began on Monday is the seventh so far between Syrian government representatives and opposition leaders to try to wind down the countrys six-year-old civil war.

The start of the talks in Geneva coincided with the first full day of the ceasefire for southern Syria that was brokered last week by the United States, Russia and Jordan.

READ MORE: Syrias de-escalation zones explained

On the ground, opposition activist Ahmad al-Masalmeh told the Associated Press news agency that it was quiet in the city of Deraa, near the Jordan border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported light shelling and bombardment in the city overnight.

The agreed-on ceasefire covers three provinces in southern Syria.

It is the first tangible outcome following months of strategy and diplomacy between the new US administration and Russia.

We believe that de-escalation will be contributing to not only the talks in Geneva and in Astana, of course, but will also reassure the Syrian people that while we are talking the people are not going to die because of bombs, de Mistura said.

He cautioned against de-escalation deals leading to eventual partition, saying they should be an interim measure only until an overall ceasefire and peace settlement can be found.

Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed in May to set up four de-escalation zones in Syria, although they have so far failed to agree details necessary to implement the plan.

Transitional period

In principle, the new round of Geneva negotiations will focus on four so-called baskets: a new constitution, governance, elections and combating terrorism.

Al Jazeeras Sue Turton, reporting from Geneva, said one of the key areas the opposition is focused on is the transitional period, what Syrian governance will look like after the war. But the two sides are deadlocked on matters such as what will happen to the Syrian president.

The spectre that is hanging over all of that is the fate of Bashar al-Assad. I think it is fair to say that this is one area where the two sides are still diametrically opposed  whether Assad should be allowed to stay or whether he should go, she said.

The Geneva talks began in 2014, and have continued intermittently despite a dearth of results.

Since January, they have been increasingly overshadowed by the separate process organised by Russia, Iran and Turkey in the Kazakh capital Astana.

The Geneva talks are expected to last through the week.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillersons trip marks a new level of involvement in US efforts to help end the Gulf dispute.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is holding talks in Kuwait to help seek a resolution to the ongoing Gulf crisis.

The US state department said Tillerson would also visit Qatar and Saudi Arabia during his four-day trip to the Gulf.





On Monday evening, the US top diplomat met with the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah and other senior Kuwaiti officials to discuss the ongoing efforts to resolve the Gulf dispute.

We are trying to resolve an issue that concerns not just us but the whole world, Sheikh Sabah told Tillerson.

US officials said Tillerson does not expect an immediate breakthrough, which they warned could be months away.

Rather, they said, he wants to explore possibilities for sparking negotiations.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar on June 5 and imposed a land, air and sea blockade on the country.

The quartet accuse Qatar of funding terrorism, an accusation Qatar rejects as baseless.

On June 22, they issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of Al Jazeera, limiting ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country, as a prerequisite to lift the sanctions.

Doha rejected the demands and the countries now consider the list null and void.

Kuwait is still trying to mediate the dispute.

READ MORE: All the latest updates about the Gulf crisis

The US has been supporting Kuwaits mediation efforts, but Tillersons trip marks a new level of US involvement.

Al Jazeeras Rosiland Jordan, reporting from Kuwait City, said Tillerson was basically visiting each side to take the temperature in this dispute.

After some initial missteps from the White House, in which the president seemed to take sides with the Saudis and their allegations, the US position now is to try to shore up the Kuwait efforts to mediate the crisis and to try to bring some presure from Washington, if its appropiate, she said.

Senior Tillerson adviser R.C. Hammond said the package of demands, as issued by Qatars neighbours, was not viable, but said there were individual items on the list that could work.

Hammond would not elaborate on which demands Qatar could meet, but said concessions from the others would be required.

This is a two-way street, he said of a dispute among parties who each have been accused of funding extremists in some way. There are no clean hands.

On Thursday, the state department warned that the crisis could potentially drag on for weeks or even months and possibly even intensify.

Weve become increasingly concerned that that dispute is at an impasse at this point. We believe that this could potentially drag on for weeks; it could drag on for months; it could possibly even intensify, state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

She did not specify what type of escalation the US fears. But she said Tillerson has been in close contact with the countries involved.

READ MORE  Latest Gulf Twitter war conjures up genies

Last month, Tillerson urged the Saudi-led group to ease their blockade on Qatar, saying it is causing unintended humanitarian consequences and affecting the US-led fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group.

Our expectation is that these countries will immediately take steps to de-escalate the situation and put forth a good faith effort to resolve the grievances they have with each other, Tillerson said.

More than 11,000 US and coalition forces are stationed at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, from which more than 100 aircraft operate.
New York Times claims US presidents son attended meeting after he was promised damaging information about Clinton.

The son of US President Donald Trump agreed to meet a Kremlin-linked lawyer during the 2016 election campaign after being promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton, The New York Times reported.

Trumps then campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also attended the meeting at Trump Tower on June 9, 2016, two weeks after Trump won the Republican nomination, the Times reported on Sunday, citing three advisers to the White House.

In a statement quoted by the Times and later made available to media outlets, Donald Trump Jr acknowledged meeting Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.





After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms Clinton, the statement said.

Clinton was the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.

Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

Trump Jr said Veselnitskaya then turned the conversation to the adoption of Russian children and a US law blackisting Russians linked to alleged human rights abuses.

President Trump was not aware of and did not attend the meeting, Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trumps legal team, said in an emailed statement.

Trump Jr said he was asked to attend the meeting with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign at the request of an acquaintance from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

I asked Jared and Paul to attend, but told them nothing of the substance, he said.

The meeting lasted approximately 20 to 30 minutes, he said.

As it ended, my acquaintance apologised for taking up our time. That was the end of it and there was no further contact or follow-up of any kind. My father knew nothing of the meeting or these events.

The Kremlin said on Monday that it was unaware that the meeting took place.

Promised damaging information

The New York Times report said Trump Jr was promised damaging information about Clinton before agreeing to meet with the lawyer.

Allegations of the Trump campaigns ties to Russia have cast a shadow over the presidents first five months in office.

The revelations come after President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the allegations of election meddling during the summit of leaders from the Group of 20 major economies in Hamburg, Germany.

The Kremlin has denied US intelligence agencies conclusion that Moscow tried to tilt the election in Trumps favour, using such means as hacking into the emails of senior Democrats.
London court dismisses case that tried to stop Britains multibillion-pound arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Londons High Court has ruled that Britains multibillion-pound arms sales to its ally Saudi Arabia is lawful.

The Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) had sought an order to block the export licences for British-made bombs, fighter jets and other munitions.

The campaigners argued they were being used by the Saudi-led Arab coalition in Yemen in violation of international humanitarian law.

But on Monday, the High Court said the claimants claim for judicial review is dismissed.

The court ruled that there had been extensive political and military engagement with Saudi Arabia regarding the conduct of operations in Yemen and the Saudis had sought positively to address concerns about international humanitarian law.

Some of the evidence in the case was presented in secret on national security grounds.

READ MORE: UK activists demand end to Saudi Arabia, UAE arms sales

CAAT said it would appeal against the decision, calling the ruling very disappointing.

If this verdict is upheld then it will be seen as a green light for government to continue arming and supporting brutal dictatorships and human rights abusers like Saudi Arabia that have shown a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law, CAATs Andrew Smith said in a statement.

An annual report by UN experts who monitor sanctions and the conflict in Yemen, seen by Reuters news agency in January, said the Saudi-led coalition had carried out attacks in Yemen that may amount to war crimes, accusations that Riyadh has rejected.

CAAT had been seeking a judicial review over the governments decision to allow arms exports to continue to Saudi Arabia, a major customer for British defence companies and an important British ally in countering terrorism.

READ MORE: Questions raised over $110bn arms deal to Saudi Arabia

Al Jazeeras Paul Brennan, reporting from London, said the judges involved said their job was not to look at the exports themselves, but  at the decision-making process.

The court said that Saudi Arabia has been, and remains, genuinely committed to compliance with International humanitarian law; and there was no real risk that there might be serious violations of International humanitarian law [in its various manifestations] such that UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia should be suspended or cancelled.

In 2015, Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an air campaign aimed at reversing Houthi military gains and backing Yemens UN-recognised government.





Since then, the UK has licensed more than $4.2bn worth of arms exports to Saudi Arabia. In addition, the government has signed off another half a million dollars for armoured vehicles and tanks.

Two years of conflict have killed more than 10,000 people, wounded tens of thousands and displaced millions.

Amnesty International said the ruling was a deadly blow to Yemeni civilians.

This is a deeply disappointing outcome which gives a green light to the UK authorities  and potentially Saudi Arabias other arms suppliers  to continue authorising arms transfers to the Kingdom despite the clear risk they will be used to commit violations, James Lynch, Amnestys head of arms control and human rights, said in a statement.

George Graham of Save the Children said there was clear evidence that the Saudi-led coalition is killing children in repeated violations of international humanitarian law.

This is not a point of contention  the evidence is overwhelming. It has been documented by UN reports, by aid groups on the ground and by credible human rights organisations, Graham said. We can be proud of the difference the UK is making in Yemen  British aid is keeping children alive, he said.

But at the same time, our weapons are helping to fuel a war that is killing children and destroying their schools and hospitals.
President Kabilas refusal to stand down after end of his second term last December sparked deadly protests.

A vote to replace President Joseph Kabila will probably not be possible this year, the president of Democratic Republic of Congos electoral commission said in a move that will violate a deal that let Kabila stay on past the end of his mandate.

Kabilas refusal to step down at the end of his second elected term in December last year sparked protests that killed dozens of people.





The parameters at our disposal give us, more or less, reason to think that, in December, it will probably not be possible to stick to that date, commission president Corneille Nangaa said in an interview on Frances TV5Monde, referring to the year-end deadline.

Under the accord struck on December 31 between Kabilas representatives and opposition leaders, Kabila, in power since 2001, is also barred from trying to change the constitution to stand for a third term.

However, Kabila has said only the electoral commission can schedule the vote once it finishes enrolling millions of voters.

In an interview last month with German newspaper Der Spiegel, he also said that he had promised nothing in the December deal.

The opposition quickly denounced Nangaas announcement on Sunday as a declaration of war.

READ MORE: Civilians bear the brunt of fresh fighting in DRC

Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi wrote on Twitter that the commission president had declared war on the Congolese people and promised a full response by the countrys main opposition bloc on Monday.

Twenty-three years of armed conflict and inter-communal violence has taken a toll on this mineral-rich nation. People have been displaced by clashes, sometimes between the military and armed groups or between the rebels themselves.

DRC has about 3.7 million internally displaced people. Some 992,000 were newly displaced in 2016, according to a report by the Norwegian Refugee Councils Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. This is the highest number in the world of internally displaced people registered in 2016.

An additional 1.3 million Congolese have fled the most recent violence in Kasai Province at the border with Angola.
The United Nations should deploy sanctions in the fight against people smuggling and trafficking via Libya, thinks foreign minister Bert Koenders. Placing the leaders of the criminal organisations involved in people smuggling on a sanctions list would make it possible to freeze their financial assets and to prohibit any economic support for these organisations. Sanctions []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...










English News USA should tell ally India not to be afraid of Chines threat of liberating Kashmir

Alwihda Info | Par Hem Raj Jain - 10 Juillet 2017





Bengaluru, India Sub:- (i)- USA should wake up at-least after getting open military challenge from Pak-China alliance (ii)- Protectorate is nothing new, the USA also has been keeping Japan as protectorate (iii)- USA should ask India to take martial responsibilities seriously (iv)- USA should nudge India to become super power in order to militarily take-on China and Pakistan combined (v)- If $ ~ 4 Trillion reserve money can make China super power, $ ~ 16 Trillion can make India doubly so (vi)- USA should tell ally India not to be afraid of Chines threat of liberating Kashmir (vii)- Rather USA should ask India to retrieve PoK and to endeavor to get all Indian territories from China back (viii)- USA should ensure that Pakistan does not use US aid & supply against India in a war for Kashmir (ix)- After threat by China of instigating independence for Sikkim, the independence of Tibet should be supported by India



--- China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Doklam area near the Bhutan tri-junction for the past three weeks after a Chinese armys construction party attempted to build a road in this territory which is under dispute between China and Indias protectorate Bhutan. As per media reports in the article in Chinese government media the Global Times Long Xingchun, Director at the Centre for Indian Studies at China West Normal University, said  [A third countrys (read Chinese) army could enter Kashmir at Pakistans request, using the same logic the Indian Army used to stop the Chinese military from constructing a road in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan. Even if India were requested to defend Bhutans territory, this could only be limited to its established territory, not the disputed area]. This is an absurd argument given by China because Bhutan is protectorate of India and Bhutans territory (established or disputed where status quo is legally expected) is the martial responsibility of India to defend. China should know that protectorate is nothing new. The USA also has been keeping Japan as protectorate.



Therefore USA should wake up at-least after getting open military challenge from Pak-China alliance. Pakistan (its NSA Sartaj Aziz) has said on TV Channel that [in view of military alliance of USA and India (as reflected in joint statement during PM Modis visit to USA) against Paks friend China] a military alliance of China, Russia, Pakistan etc has been formed. To what extent power of USA has reduced (due to betrayal of Americanism) is evident from the fact that since the end of cold war for the first time militarily some countries have dared to openly challenge USA, the leader of free world. Hence it is imperative that Prez Trump should persuade ally India to become military (and economic) super power by recovering Rs ~ 1,000 Trillion ($ ~ 16 Trillion) State-capital through Income Tax as mentioned below (this will benefit USA immensely because in the process of spending this $ ~ 16 Trillion, India will purchase immensely from USA including war material which will boost US economy immensely and will generate huge employment in USA).



http://www.alwihdainfo.com/China-should-know-in-1962-it-got-away-due-to-treachery-of-govt-military-but-will-not-be-so-in-2017_a55696.html



The martial spirit of India which got severe beating in 1962 Indo-China war needs to be restored by showing China its proper place by constraining China [through UN as China is a veto wielding permanent member of UN hence is under legal obligation (otherwise chinas veto power should be challenged by India) to go extra mile for resolving martial disputes between UN members] to handover all the Indian territory which is with China [by constituting UN Judicial Commission (UN JC, which China is avoiding because presently India is weak) for boundary settlement which can easily be settled by UNJC as dispute with China (unlike political dispute with Pakistan) is a legal dispute].



Prez Trump will have to persuade (rather pressurize in the interest of their military alliance) India to recover this $ ~ 16 Trillion State-capital because:-



(A)- ~ 1 million Indians (Tax-defaulters / evaders) from whom this Tax money is to be recovered are politically well-connected & powerful therefore even PM Modi (with a clean image and self-projected macho image with 56 inch chest) is also finding it difficult to act



(B)- The self-respect, honor, sovereignty, martial commitments are not important for government of India as is evident from the fact that PM Modi is not demanding (with time bound ultimatum) the removal of Chinese army from India's protectorate Bhutan's territory (which is the martial responsibility of India to defend)



( C)- India is not trying to become military super power because India is not taking Chinese threat (which is real) seriously and is not realizing that the substantial part of surplus Indian military is bogged down in Kashmir doing civilian duty of maintaining law & order. These security forces and even their families are encircled on three sides by the military of China and Pakistan and which can be trapped by cutting approach road from rest of India (Pathankot  Jammu / Banihal road) to Kashmir valley [India should not forget that Pakistan is itching to take Indian military as Prisoners of War (POW) as a revenge to what India did in Bangladesh when India in 1971 took 93 Thousand from Pakistani Army as POW).



Here it is needless to say that USA should also ensure that:-



(a)- Pakistan does not use US aid & supply (of money and war material) given to Pakistan, against India in a war for Kashmir



(b)- After threat by China of instigating independence for Sikkim, The USA should ask India to work for the independence of Tibet..



Regards



Hem Raj Jain



(Author of Betrayal of Americanism)



Bengaluru, India



Dans la meme rubrique : < > China, Germany should keep to overall direction of bilateral ties from strategic height: Xi CIIE turns more exhibitors into investors China is ready to work with all countries to practice true multilateralism, build more consensus for openness Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
The United States is the only nation in the annals of mankind to be established on the basis of a political and social philosophy centered on natural, or God-given, rights. Yet, within 230 years of our founding, America has been essentially transformed into another secular socialist democracy. This metamorphosis is the end-product of a subtle but determined assault on that philosophical underpinning.

Property rights are the bedrock of the American political system; without that foundation, there is no freedom. The Founders held that property rights encompass not just physical property but also ones life, labor and livelihood, as individuals own their own lives; therefore, they must own the products of that life that can be traded in free exchange with others. They further believed that the primary role of government is to guarantee and protect these property rights, and further, that these property rights are natural, or God given rights. Thus, the Declaration of Independence proclaims that Men are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable RightsThat to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men

Signing of the Declaration of Independence, as painted by John Trumbull (1817-18)

However, over the past 150 years, the statists, including the current iteration of the American Left, have marched in lock step to what Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels espoused in their Communist Manifesto The Theory of Communism may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property. They contended that ones labor or livelihood (and by extension ones life) is not private property and is thus subordinate to the common good as determined by the state.

Opposing views regarding the purpose of the state and individual property rights have been bandied about for 2,500 years. The Greek philosopher Plato (427 BC-347 BC) called for a communist social order in which property is held in common (the state) and that human nature can and should be molded and transformed to benefit the state. On the other hand, Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC) argued that if property is held in common then there exists the potential for animosity and anger; further, man possess a human nature that cannot be molded or transformed to some ideal of a perfect state. The laws of nature and the rule of law demand that government should govern for the good of the people, not for the good of those in power. In Rome, Cicero (106 BC-43 BC) asserted that the right of ownership is inalienable His reasoning was rooted in natural law and the laws of human society.

While the conflict between communism and democracy has been the centerpiece of the history of the past 100 years, the underlying philosophical battle over the role of property rights was waged in 17th Century Britain between Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) and John Locke (1632-1704).

Thomas Hobbes published his seminal work Leviathan in 1651. In it he described mans essential nature as one of aggression, avarice, destruction and near constant war. Therefore, an all-powerful sovereign (or government) was a necessity in order to protect against and repel this base human nature. Hobbes believed this sovereign would by necessity have near limitless power to take and use any and all property (including ones labor and livelihood) for the good of society. Individual rights did not exist and whatever rights an individual had were merely at the whim of the government and could be revoked at any time.

John Locke published his Second Treatise of Government in 1690. In contrast to Hobbes, Locke wrote:

though the things of nature are given in common, yet man, by being master of himself and proprietor of his own person, and the actions or labour of it, had still in himself the great foundation of property; and that which made up the great part of what he applied to the support or comfort of his beingwas perfectly his own and did not belong in common to others. Thus labour, in the beginning gave a right of property. Sincepreservation and the means of subsistence, are discovered by natural reason, they are ipso facto derived from natural law. [The origin of government is therefore] to secure property and the translation into a constitutional right of a fully validated right based on natural law.

The Founders of the United States were profoundly influenced by the writings of Aristotle, Cicero and Locke when they wrote both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It is the natural right of property as a constitutional right that has enabled the United States to evolve into the most prosperous and successful nation in the history of mankind.

Nonetheless, since the 1930s the Progressives have been extraordinarily successful in gradually transforming the country into what the Founders feared: a nation dominated by an all-powerful central government running roughshod over mans inalienable rights.

Throughout the past century and around the world, the disciples of Plato, Hobbes, Marx and Engels have achieved political hegemony in many nations due to their callous manipulation of human nature.

The most dominant trait of mankind, as of all living creatures, is an innate desire to survive and prosper. While many may willingly choose to pursue subsistence on their own terms, to the majority of the human race, the path of least resistance is the most desired. Thus, mankind is susceptible to financial scams, gambling, crime, and resentment towards those who may have more. But above all, far too many people are open to the concept of a central authority providing them with the means of survival.

A secondary characteristic of the human race, also shared by other species, is the need by some within the group to conquer or maintain control over their fellow man. In the post-Industrial Revolution era, the easiest course to assume this power was to promise, in exchange for the votes of the people, that the state, through a new ruling class, would provide the citizenry cradle-to-grave security. Thus, a Faustian bargain encompassing the desire by the majority for ease of survival and others for the need to rule through the vehicle of an authoritarian central government whose primary purpose would be control of virtually all economic, political and societal activity.

As the history of the 20th Century affirms, this goal is relatively easy to achieve in those nations built solely on a foundation of ethnicity and national identity (e.g. Germany, Russia, China, Japan). To do so in the United States required more cunning and deviousness.

The Progressives, beginning in the 1890s, seized upon the concept of fairness and redefining fundamental rights as the basis of rejecting the Founders concept of a natural moral order. Rather than accept the theory that the purpose of government is to protect mans natural rights, the Progressives put forward the notion that governments primary purpose is to ensure fairness and economic equality. Therefore, fundamental rights, as prominent Progressive thinker Charles Merriam (1874-1953) wrote, ...are considered to have their source not in nature, but in law. John Dewey (1859-1952), often considered the father of American Progressivism, also wrote: Natural rights and natural liberties exist only in the kingdom of mythological social zoology.

While the early Progressives achieved a few prominent successes (the 16th Amendment -- Income Taxes and the 17th Amendment -- direct election of senators), the seeds they planted took root in the 1930s with Franklin Roosevelt and the Great Depression. The basis of the nations founding was forever altered as the coercive taking of ones labor or livelihood to give to another, for whatever purpose the state may determine, became accepted as a fundamental role of government. This role was further expanded in the 1960s with the passage of a panoply of government-sponsored and -funded social and health care programs.

Also in the 1960s, a more radicalized Progressive movement, motivated by Vladimir Lenins assertion Give us a child for 8 years and it will be a Bolshevik for life, began to aggressively infiltrate the education establishment. The fairness strategy of the early Progressives was reinforced by the incessant propagandizing in academia that the United States as a civilization was responsible for all manner of evil throughout its history. A majority of two generations have been indoctrinated into believing the nation must, therefore, discard the basis of its founding in order to make up for its past sins. This can only be accomplished by guaranteeing the new fundamental rights of equal societal and economic outcomes.

Today the nation finds itself facing a calamitous $222 Trillion in unfunded liabilities due entirely to government sponsored social programs and debt service -- the funding of which is totally dependent upon the confiscation of the labor and livelihood from one American to give to another. The ongoing debate regarding health care is centered on the degree to which the government will ultimately appropriate the labor of those in the medical profession, the management of hospitals and the products of pharmaceutical companies.

As ones life, labor and livelihood are no longer considered God-given rights but subject to the whims of the state, the state can determine what is life. Thus, abortion is no longer illegal or immoral, as it is sanctioned by the state. Since 1970, 175 million babies in Europe (115 million) and the United States (60 million) have been exterminated. Additionally, euthanasia is increasingly being accepted and decriminalized. The most recent example of the end-product of this mindset is the callous ultimatum by the English government and the European Union directed at the parents of 10-month-old Charlie Gard. As my good friend and colleague Daren Jonescu recently wrote:

Under socialism, you dont own yourself. Parents do not have the final say in the fates of their children. The state owns all, and decides all, for everyone.

On the 17th of September, 1787, the last day of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Ben Franklin wrote what has turned out to be, perhaps, a very prescient speech:

Sir, I agree to this Constitutionand there is no form of government but may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other. [Emphasis added]

The Republic the founders bequeathed to future generations is no more. There will never be another nation founded on the principles of natural, or God given rights.

The United States will continue to exist. However, as it has embarked on the same downward trajectory as the nations of Europe, America also faces the same ultimate destiny of collapse and turmoil. In what may well be the last chance to avoid this fate, the electorate, for altogether different reasons, chose Donald Trump as President and placed the Republicans in charge of Congress.

However, Donald Trump refuses to address entitlement spending, chooses to be oblivious to societal degradation and is, in fact, proposing new government funded social programs. And a majority of the Republican members of Congress are sympathetic to much of the Progressive agenda. Thus, the march, albeit slowed, toward a full-scale socialist democracy continues apace.

If, in the 2018 primaries, supposed conservative Americans do not cast out the establishment Republican members of Congress sympathetic to the Progressive agenda, then the die will be cast as the last line of defense will have disintegrated.
After eight years of Barack Obamas strategy of patience towards Iran, the Trump administration on Iran is basically inverting Obamas foreign policy.

On June 30, 2017, several prominent figures gave their opinions on the current situation during a panel discussion reviewng U.S. policy on Iran.

Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield, former Assistant Secretary of State for Military Affairs, moderated the discussion and was joined by John Baird, former Foreign Minister of Canada, Joseph Lieberman, former U.S. Senator and vice-presidential candidate, Ambassador Robert Joseph, United States Special Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation and the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security until 2007, Rtd. General Jack Keane, former Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, and Bruno Tertrais, Deputy Director of the Fondation pour la Recherche Strategique of France.

John Baird kicked off the discussion saying that he completely rejects the Obama administrations appeasement of Iran and his claims that President Rouhani is a moderate. He said that there is no moderation in the Iranian government and it was very naive of Obama to make such claims. He also pointed to the recent presidential elections in Iran, which were anything but democratic. He questioned how an election can be considered democratic when a panel exists to approve and reject candidates. There is nothing democratic about an election in which presidential candidates are only candidates because of their strong allegiance to the Supreme Leader and his vision.

Joseph Lieberman emphasized that nothing has changed in the Islamic Republic of Iran since the nuclear deal came into effect. He said that Iran continues to support terrorism, it continues to fuel warfare and still causes horrible human suffering in the Middle East, all to further its own agenda.

He too criticized the Obamas administrations treatment of Iran saying his policies were Iran-centered. Lieberman said that the Trump administrations review of foreign policy toward Iran, which is currently in progress, will hopefully take into account that the people of Iran can be considered allies of the U.S. and so can the Iranian Resistance. He said that the opposition and resistance to the regime are looking for the same as the U.S. -- peace.

Pointing to changes in Iran, Lieberman also mentioned that President Hassan Rouhani is starting to make independent comments that are angering officials of the regime and that the countrys Supreme Leader has publicly threatened that he will be sent into exile like previous presidents.

Robert Joseph agreed that nothing has changed in Iran since the nuclear deal was signed and emphasized that Iran continues to pursue nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. He also pointed out that the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the main opposition, very recently revealed new information about Irans ballistic missile program.

He called on officials to put the Iran proliferation threat into context, in other words, to recognize that the threat lies with the regime. He said it is essential to find a path to getting rid of the regime. They reiterated that this is the bottom line as far as he is concerned.

Joseph said that the nuclear deal is highly ineffective because it rewards the regime for pretending it is not pursuing nuclear weapons. He said: Cheating is in the DNA of the regime.

Regarding claims that there is moderation in the Iranian government, as said by many leaders in the West, Joseph said that it is a misplaced hope. He said that this will never happen and the Iranian regime is at the center of the threat. There must be regime change from within and this can be done via the opposition. He said that we need to support the opposition that wants a non-nuclear Iran that is ruled by a secular government.

Jack Keane said that the Iranian regimes goal is to dominate the region and to impose its will across the Middle East, but the Trump administration is acting to put an end to this. Although he agreed that President Trump does not have much experience with foreign policy, he said that he has chosen a very strong, knowledgeable and experienced foreign policy team.



Speaking about the differences between the Trump administration and that of his predecessor, Keane drew attention to the fact that Trump, at the very beginning of his time in office, sent his top officials around the world to reassure them that the U.S. would be by their side and that it would not be taking a wait and see approach to Obamas administration.

Keane placed a lot of importance on Trumps first official visit, saying that it was very significant that it was to the Middle East. He made it clear that the U.S. would stand with its Middle Eastern allies, saying that the biggest threat to all of them was Iran. He vowed that they would curb the threat of Iran together  showing that his administration was taking a 100 percent reversal of Obamas policy.

Secondly, during his Middle Eastern trip, Trump told the Muslim leaders that they need to get extremism out of their mosques and they have to stop their citizens from funding terrorism. He said that they need to ensure that young people have an alternative but emphasized that the U.S. would be standing behind them the whole way and is ready to use force, if or when it is necessary. Keane said that this visit was proof of Trumps commitment to countering the Iranian threat.

Another action that showed Trumps commitment was the fact that he acted immediately when Iran fired a ballistic missile in the early days of his term.

Bruno Tertrais spoke about the European attitude to the Iranian crisis, saying that many in Europe confuse moderation and pragmatism. Referring to claims that the regime is moderate, Tertrais slammed this idea saying that it may be pragmatic but it can in no way be described as moderate. He called Iran the arsonist to the fireman and said that it is hugely responsible for the rise in terrorism that we have seen in recent years.

Being French, Tertrais felt he had to mention Frances stance on the situation. However, French President Emmanuel Macron is so new to the office and has not said anything yet to indicate that he is naive about the Middle East crisis. He strongly believes that Macron will have the correct policies in place to act in the way he should.



President Obama and many EU leaders thought that trade would bring moderation to Iran, but this is completely false. Furthermore, it has been historically proven that it doesnt work. So rapprochement in that respect is a mistake.

Tertrais emphasized that Iran and its militias are propping up the Assad regime. ISIS is the best friend of Assad, therefore Iran, by supporting Syria, is reinforcing ISIS and its terrorist activities. And finally, he said that Iran is not showing the behavior of a country that is giving up for good the nuclear option.

Hassan.mahmoudi: MSc California State University, Sacramento: A human rights advocate, admin member of the international human right organization, Up to date on all current affairs including political and economic issues on Iran and the Middle East. He tweets @hassan_mahmou1
Once upon a time, there was a shepherdess who was charged with keeping her sheep in the pasture and away from the clutch of the terrible wolves. Over the years, the shepherdess worked long and hard at this duty. Despite all her efforts, some sheep occasionally fell victim to the wolves.

One day, however, the shepherdess thought it better to come to an agreement with the wolves. The hard work of keeping the wolves and sheep separate was simply too much for her. It would be much better and easier for all concerned if the wolves could mix peaceably and coexist with the sheep. Mind you, she would keep a careful watch on the wolves to ensure that no sheep was attacked. However, as long as the wolves did not attack the sheep, they would be left free to wander about the pasture mingling with the flock. She would even tie up the sheepdog to avoid misunderstandings.

The wolves thought the arrangement superb and for a while, everything seemed to work out fine with only a few minor incidents here and there. However, the first wolves soon invited other more hostile wolves to join them, and these started to take over the pasture and harass the sheep. The shepherdess redoubled her watch upon the growing number of wolves in the hopes of avoiding a crisis.

One day when the defenseless sheep were resting, a wolf, who had never hurt any of the sheep before, rushed to the scene and brutally killed some of them. The shepherdess let loose the sheepdog who killed the offending wolf. The whole pasture was shocked. Many had seen the wolf in past days acting completely normal. They could not understand what had caused the wolf to act in such a manner. The sheep upbraided the shepherdess for failing to read the signs of crisis inside the soul of the dead wolf. Others searched for evidence that the wolf had been mistreated by the sheep, causing it to become bitter and resentful. Still others claimed this incident was merely the action of a lone wolf and hardly represented the sentiments of the others.

In the end, the shepherdess visited the site of the incident and urged all, wolves and sheep alike, to unite together to denounce such random acts of violence. She promised to be more careful in the future when allowing new wolves in. She said she would redouble her watch on the wolves to avoid this terrible tragedy from ever reoccurring.

The story does not end happily ever after. The sequence of events repeated itself continually until life for the sheep became unbearable and the wolves had installed a reign of savagery and terror.

One cannot help but feel a similarity between the story above and the recent spate of terrorist attacks in London and other places. Healthy societies take measures to keep out bad elements who subvert the general peace and endanger the safety of their citizens.

But the West has abandoned this policy of exclusion for one of inclusion, that welcomes those that have declared their intent to destroy the remnants of Judeo-Christian order. It takes no mysterious process to identify these rogue elements. Radical Islamists mock the West by openly admitting their hatred in publications, websites and social media. In addition, they invite even more radical elements to come from outside the country to swell their ranks.

The preferred government policy is to monitor the behavior of the radicals. Indeed, many of the attackers are known by the police to be security threats before they attack innocent civilians in the streets. There are many more known suspects that even now live undisturbed in many cities, and their number is growing. As this is allowed to develop, it must inevitably reach a point where no police force in the world will have the resources to monitor all the dangerous individuals. At this point, they will strike and kill.

Something must be done to denounce and stop this policy of appeasement. It must be based on the premise that there are sheep and there are wolves. Wolves can always be counted upon to act like wolves if given the opportunity to strike.

Those in government who are remiss in their duty to eradicate the wolves and content themselves with just monitoring them become partially responsible for their crimes. Their complicit hands become stained with the blood of the sheep. They should at least be honest and admit that they have now become shepherdesses of wolves, not sheep.

John Horvat II is a scholar, researcher, educator, international speaker, and author of the book Return to Order, as well as the author of hundreds of published articles. He lives in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania where he is the vice president of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property.
I recently engaged in a back-and-forth discussion on another website, concerning the issue of GID (Gender Identity Disorder) with a person who supports transgender issues. More precisely, he (I will presume its a he) advocates societal changes and surgical methods to transition gender-confused boys into being girls (and vice versa).

My aim was not to persuade the other person, because he seems emotionally invested at a very deep level. At most, I hoped to soberly present a side of the story that social liberals seem never to encounter, and perhaps to plant the seed of reflection that may take years to mature.

One of the primary arguments that I made, and one to which the other person could not adequately reply, was the comparison of GID, Gender Identity Disorder (he calls it Dysphoria) to a disorder called BIID (Body Integrity Identity Disorder). They are related, probably very closely. Those who suffer from BIID have an overwhelming perception that a specific part of their body, say an arm or leg, does not belong there, somewhat the feeling you and I might get if a large, abnormal growth appeared on our face. We would wish it to be removed. The BIID sufferer urgently wishes to remove the arm or leg, even though it is fully functional and healthy.

The point of this comparison, as I stated it, is that the problem for the BIID patient is not the arm. It is something in the brain.

I then pointed out that we do not celebrate BIID. We do not advocate the amputation of healthy limbs, even though this may relieve the suffering of the BIID patient. Instead, we do research to find other possible remedies. We should take the same approach to helping sufferers of GID.

My correspondent in this back-and-forth, seemed to carry into the debate the usual liberal assumption that we conservatives are heartless, cruel, and insensitive ideologues who wish to impose our beliefs on others. I made it clear that I, for one, have great sympathy for sufferers of GID. It must be just awful to sincerely believe that you are a man trapped in a womans body, or vice versa. It must be terrible for the parents to discover that their son wishes to be surgically altered to become a woman. I have tried to imagine myself in their place, both the son and the parents. I cannot, of course, but just trying to do it demonstrates some of the great difficulty that they must experience.

This, then, is the single-minded focus of the liberal advocate. He adequately senses the suffering of the patient, but fails to see any issue beyond that. His attitude seems to be, and I speak metaphorically here, just cut off the offending part, and everything else will be okay -- well, that is, it will be okay, after we reeducate society to accept the liberal position.

But reeducation would be at the expense of the First Amendment, and other basic rights. If GID is a correctly understood condition, and if the recommended alterations to the body are medically proper, then anyone who opposes the agenda, including laws with civil and criminal penalties for dissidents -- is a bigot, and should be neutralized. That is the liberal position.

One problem with all that, is that GID is poorly understood, and the supposed remedies are not only superficial, they risk grave harm to the patients, especially to little boys and girls who oftentimes pass through a temporary phase of what we might call, gender experimentation, such as for example, cross dressing for play. Giving these children hormone injections and other drugs, could cause irreparable damage.

At present, there seems to be no cure for GID, but that does not mean that we should embark on harmful therapies, not even if they make the patient more comfortable. There is great harm in accepting the liberal position, not only harm for some of the patients, but harm for society at large.

For example, there are now laws on the books, in some jurisdictions, which give men a right to walk into gymnasium showers for women, including showers for high school girls. In California, when parents objected to this rule, they were horrified to be told, by the government, that their daughter should become comfortable showering with boys. There was no mention of the transgender student becoming comfortable showering with members of his own biological sex. They have rights, and you do not.

There are also other complications that arise. Murders have been committed when a man discovered that his girlfriend was born as a boy. Would liberals ever countenance a law requiring full disclosure about ones transgenderism? Or would that be a privacy right that outweighs those of high school girls?

Its not so simple as amputating the offending part. At present, many liberals even denounce referring to GID as a disorder. They demand that it be accepted as simply an uncomfortable feeling, one which can be remedied with surgery, and with draconian laws to punish dissidents.

Therefore, at the risk of sounding brutal and cruel, here is my message to transgender people, as if I were speaking to my son.

Im sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but you are not a girl. It pains me to say so, but you are a boy who thinks you are a girl. Its not your fault, no more so than it is the fault of sufferers of BIID or other uncured disorders. But you have never been /a girl, and will never become one, no matter how extreme is the pretense. Not even surgery will change that fact.

If simple surgery would solve the issue, without creating a greater harm, then perhaps I might reconsider. But that is not the case. What good is the surgery if society does not accept you as a woman? Or is it that, you think you can force society to accept your pretense -- and it would be just that, a pretense.

There are already laws that punish people for refusing to accept as normal, abnormal gender roles. You already know that courts have ruled against bakers, photographers and others who decline to participate in same-sex wedding ceremonies. They did not discriminate against gays, but they do discriminate against a celebration of something that violates their deeply held moral beliefs.

If you would reorder society according to your desires, then why not advocate for research that would heal the brain? That, after all, is where the disorder is.

Your suffering is my suffering. I am inadequate to cure that. All I can do is to steadfastly love you, and to refrain from doing more harm to you on top of the malady you already have.
A lot of (electronic) ink is being used regarding anonymous leaks from the Trump White House, some of which have disclosed classified information, and, in at least one case, undermined a critical intelligence relationship with a key ally. There appears to be little question that the Trump White House is far leakier than any in recent history. This is due in large part no doubt to the number of Obama administration holdovers waging an ideological guerrilla war against their new boss. These are the "anonymous sources" that the Washington Post, the New York Times, and CNN cite as they conduct their ongoing agitprop campaign against the President.

This has led to an interesting situation. First of all, the Trump team has decided to actually do something about these leaks -- many of which are federal felonies. More on this later. Second, many of these leaks have been inaccurate, misleading, or flat out wrong. The most recent, promulgated by CNN and based on a single anonymous source, predicted that President Trump would not address Russian meddling in our election, with President Putin. It turns out that according to Secretary of State Tillerson, who was in the room, that was the first thing Trump brought up with Putin. This, just another in a long series of mainstream media self-inflicted wounds damaging their credibility with the American public. These leaks, meant to undermine President Trump and his agenda, have instead showcased his seemingly effortless ability to quickly turn the tables on the media at will.

However, Trump expertly playing the media is not the only thing going on here. Which brings me back to my first (and main) issue, White House leaks and leakers. As I mentioned above, the Trump administration has decided to go hard after leakers, especially those leaking classified information, some of which has already compromised sources and methods.

Trumps leaks crackdown send chills through security world appeared in Politico on July 7, 2017:

One U.S. official voiced concern over even talking to superiors about a benign call from a reporter. The agency this official works for had started limiting staff access to information, they said, and it would make it far easier to figure out who was talking to people in the media. There was suspicion, the official said, that the agency was even tracking what they printed, to keep tabs on what information they were accessing.

Any "official" who has been leaking should be concerned, and here's why. One method the Trump administration is likely using to identify these leakers is called "the canary trap," a term coined by Tom Clancy in his novel Patriot Games. The canary trap is a method for organizations (including many intelligence agencies and private businesses) to determine who is improperly providing information to those not eligible to receive it. They do this by "leaking" certain information, often false, and then following it to see who ends up with it and how they did so.

The method cited in Patriot Games applies to documents. Each copy of a sensitive document is printed with slightly different punctuation, word usage, etc. to make it unique. If a reporter quoted certain parts of the document, that uniqueness would identify the document and the one person who had given it to the reporter. This process can be partly automated now by use of computer synonym generators.

Although coined by Tom Clancy, the technique has a long history in intelligence circles. When U.S. forces were attempting to determine when and where the next Japanese attack would take place in the Pacific, a group of Navy codebreakers under Captain James Rochefort who in turn worked for Admiral Chester Nimitz used a different version of the technique to determine that the Japanese Navy's next target was Midway.

Rochefort's team had broken a significant part of the Japanese Naval Code leading them to believe the Japanese had an upcoming operation against "AF." However, the team wasn't sure what "AF" stood for. Hoping the Japanese would intercept it and react, Rochefort got permission to have the U.S. forces on Midway Island send a false message over an unencrypted administrative channel, that Midway's water purification plant was broken. Later, the U.S. crypto element intercepted a Japanese encrypted message stating that the water purifier on AF was broken, thus identifying "AF" as Midway.

President Donald Trump has recruited some serious and accomplished professionals to be part of his team. Tillerson at State, Mattis at Defense, Pompeo at CIA, and Sessions at Justice -- this team is going to do more, much, much more than embarrass some press organizations and show them for the inept, corrupt organizations they are. Trump's team will (likely already has) use techniques like the canary trap to identify the leakers -- and do so in a manner that will stand up in criminal court. There will be arrests. Look for the Trump team to identify several felony violators. Once they have rock-solid cases, there will be multiple arrests in a single day, in multiple organizations, and there will be perp walks. The ones who committed felonies are going do time -- serious time. And they should.

Mike Ford is a former Infantry Colonel. He has served in Europe, Central America and in Southwest Asia, Commanding at the Detachment, Company, Battalion and Brigade Levels.
On Saturday. as the commander-in-chief was boarding Marine One, rotor turbulence blew off the headgear of an attending Marine. President Trump stooped, grabbed the hat, and replaced it on the stunned young Marine's head, patting the embarrassed, young serviceman on the arm. The hat immediately blew off again, and Trump went after it a second time, while the Marine correctly maintained his post, standing rigidly at attention. Trump this time handed off the hat to the Air Force colonel attending him and boarded the helicopter.

Contrast that with this:

'Nuff said...
If you ever wanted to remember why Clintons don't belong in higher office, get a load of the brief history Steve Hanke has written in a Forbes column describing their disgusting shenanigans in Indonesia, home of some of Bill Clinton's top campaign donors.

Hanke found himself in the maelstrom of it all back in early 1998, when the Great Asian Financial Crisis was taking down the Pacific Rim's finest tiger economies, all American allies, one by one. One of them was Indonesia, which held special significance for Clinton due to all that campaign cash.

To get what he wanted, Clinton got in with a group of neo-cons who had regime change on their minds and the press and multilateral muscle to back them up. Their aim was control of the greater Middle East. Clinton went along with it, and suddenly, the International Monetary Fund found itself hating currency boards (they liked them before that), and Hanke found himself branded some evil speculator with cash on his mind instead of an economic adviser  a real sliming from the press that has never been backed up with facts. The IMF saw itself as the instrument of regime change itself, too, making the argument right there against one-world government.

Look how disgusting and dishonest the proposed Clinton regime change plan was:

Why all the fuss over a currency board for Indonesia? Merton Miller understood the great game immediately. As he said when Mrs. Hanke and I were in residence at the Shangri-La Hotel in Jakarta, the Clinton administration's objection to the currency board was "not that it wouldn't work, but that it would, and if it worked, they would be stuck with Suharto." Much the same argument was articulated by Australia's former Prime Minister Paul Keating: "The United States Treasury quite deliberately used the economic collapse as a means of bringing about the ouster of Suharto." Former U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger weighed in with a similar diagnosis: "We were fairly clever in that we supported the IMF as it overthrew (Suharto). Whether that was a wise way to proceed is another question. I'm not saying Mr. Suharto should have stayed, but I kind of wish he had left on terms other than because the IMF pushed him out." Even Michel Camdessus could not find fault with these assessments. On the occasion of his retirement, he proudly proclaimed: "We created the conditions that obliged President Suharto to leave his job."

The bad thing is that Clinton got away with it, Suharto was thrown out, and the regime change pattern was extended to Iraq and Libya, much to America's despair.

Now Trump's got the mess to clean up. Hanke's compelling account tells us a lot about why it happened in the first place.
Iran is currently one of the youngest countries in the world. Seventy percent of the current population of 80,957,894 are under 35.

Despite having rich oil and gas fields, culture, and civilization, the youth and especially children in Iran are still deprived of basic human rights.

Today in Iran, the common belief is that child labor is "normal." Parents regard their children as additional sources of income. Some families attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.

At a very early age, children often separate from their families to earn a few cents per hour and are consequently exposed to serious hazards and illnesses. You may find them on the streets of large cities like Tehran, Esfahan, and Tabriz in large numbers. They simply do not have enough time to go to school and improve their future prospects.

Recently, Iranian media published reports on seven million child laborers, as well as a significant number of children abused in the drug trade.

The state-run ISNA news agency quoted three officials of the Iranian regime on June 2, 2017.

Sarah Rezaie, a member of the so-called Imam Ali population, reduced the dimension of this social problem by claiming that there are two million working children in Iran, but unofficial statistics show the number of child laborers at seven million.

She announced that these children are between 10 and 15 years old and added: "There are some pieces of evidence that show even 5-years-old children and babies are also caught in forced labor."

She described the situation of children working in some of the metropolitan areas of Iran as "disastrous ... and this has become a kind of norm."

Rezaei pointed to the existence of shops where adolescents, often addicted themselves, sell addictive substances such as nas, pan, glass, and crack, adding that "these children are used in other cities of Sistan and Baluchestan province."

These children swallow these drugs, and after they crossed the border, they expel them. Many have died in the process.

Sousan Maziarfar speaks of the children who search in garbage dumps for food and said the average age of these children is 12 years. "Forty-one percent of these children are illiterate and 37% of them have dropped out of the school in order to work," she added.

Maziarfar revealed that many of these children face not only disease, but also having their faces, fingers, and toes chewed and wounded by rats.

Soraya Azizpanah, a member of the association for the protection of the rights of the children, also quoted the Iranian regime parliament's research center, which, according to ISNA, indicates that 3.2 million children have dropped out of school to work.

In Iran, child victims of exploitation have the right to protection from all forms of ill treatment, abuse, neglect, and violence. Every child has the right to live, learn, and play, to be happy, safe, and free. But under the tyrannical rule of the mullahs, children in Iran are deprived of basic human rights. By spending its treasure and time on foreign adventures in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon, the Iranian regime paved the way for the sale and trafficking of children and forced or compulsory labor, including use in war. In the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, Iran used child soldiers extensively, with estimates of up to 100,000 killed. They sent the children into battle with a plastic "key to paradise" around their necks, issued personally by the ayatollah. That's childhood in the theocracy of the mullahs.

Hassan Mahmoudi is a human rights advocate, specializing in political and economic issues relating to Iran and the Middle East. @hassan_mahmou1
After 15 Republicans joined Democrats in overriding Governor Bruce Rauner's veto of the state's first budget deal in three years, it was assumed by uninformed observers that the worst of the state's fiscal crisis was behind it.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In fact, the budget deal did not address the more than $15 billion in unpaid bills that have accrued over the last several years, nor did the agreement deal with the massive unfunded pension liability that "officially" stands at $130 billion.

The state's bond rating could still fall to junk status. Even if it doesn't, Illinois cannot beg, borrow, or steal enough cash to even begin to cover those obligations.

Reuters:

The $36 billion spending plan relies on a $5 billion tax increase that permanently hikes the flat personal income tax rate to 4.95 percent, up 32 percent from its prior 3.75 percent rate. To address the state's nearly $15 billion in unpaid bills, Illinois depends heavily on borrowing. Lawmakers approved $6 billion of 12-year bonds to raise money for repayments. But State Representative Greg Harris, the House Democrats' point person on the budget, has acknowledged there is only enough revenue to support half of that borrowing amount. Illinois will also borrow up to $1.2 billion from various state accounts that have accumulated cash for specific purposes, while "sweeping" cash from other accounts  a government version of looking under couch cushions that is expected to yield $300 million. Illinois' $130 billion pension liability is one of the largest in the nation, and the new budget takes only small steps to address the structural underfunding of Illinois' five retirement systems. The new law gives the state five years to phase in changes retroactive to fiscal 2014 in actuarial or investment return assumptions made by the pension systems for an estimated savings of $892.1 million. Seemingly small changes in projected investment results can have significant impact on a pension fund's actuarial calculations. Last year, when the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System reduced its earnings assumption to 7 percent from 7.5 percent, the change caused a $660 million spike in the state's fiscal 2018 contribution. The new budget attributes $500 million in savings to the creation of a new tier of pension beneficiaries. But that tier applies largely to newly hired employees, raising questions about how the state expects to book that savings in the current fiscal year. That estimate was lifted straight from the proposed budget presented by Rauner earlier this year. The projection has not been independently verified by legislative leaders, and Rauner's office has not responded to requests for an explanation of how the estimate was calculated.

The state is talking about savings of a few hundred million dollars while the pension system needs tens of billions of dollars to return to fiscal health. There is an air of unreality surrounding the entire debate, as if moving a few decimal points around will address the problem. Politicians won't face the facts, because if they did, it would open a chasm beneath their feet that could be filled only by massively increasing taxes.

The Illinois constitution guarantees those pension payments regardless of how much money the state has. Rauner tried changing the pension system, but the courts  and the unions  shot him down. So, during the next economic downturn, those revenue projections will fall dramatically, forcing the state to pay a lot more into the system. Since the prospect of borrowing to make up the pension deficit isn't realistic, the only way the state can meet its constitutional obligation is raise the state income tax to unprecedented levels. This is the ticking pension bomb that looms over everything the legislature does. And no one has any idea what to do about it.

Few Democrats or Republicans in the state are talking out loud about a federal bailout. They are still pretending they can solve their fiscal problems without going hat in hand to Washington. But, if anything, the idea of a federal bailout of the state's finances is even more unrealistic than the idea they can borrow their way to solvency.

This leaves the prospect of the biggest, the messiest, the most painful bankruptcy in U.S. history. The politicians will play out the string, kicking the can down the road as far as they can to avoid facing the unthinkable. But this is only going to make things worse in the long run.

Eventually, they're going to run out of road.
For quite some time, I've debated U.S.-Cuba relations. It goes sort of like this:

The people who wanted an opening argued that Cubans would demand freedoms once they see and talk to U.S. tourists. It will infect Cuba with a desire for freedom, and the regime won't be able to stop it, or something like that. It's the "flood Cuba with Americans and things will change" meme.

I would usually reply reminding the other side that the Castro regime would never allow these freedoms to flourish. They can't. Their survival is tied to this repressive state. It's beyond ideology, but rather to protect Castro Inc., or the family enterprise that has turned two socialist brothers into a couple of very rich capitalist barons. Batista would be jealous, as my late father used to say!

Well, it turns out that my hunch was right. President Obama's opening brought dollars, but the freedom index is not moving.

This is from the Havana Times, an underground newspaper in Cuba that operates under constant harassment. Repression is up these days:

A brief review of the current Cuban climate reveals a sudden increase in repression against Cuban opposition and dissidents over the past few weeks since Trump made a speech in Miami announcing the changes he plans to implement in US policy towards Cuba. Beatings, bans on foreign travel for many opponents to the regime and dissidents, arrests of some of these in their provinces, blocking independent journalists by seizing their equipment and arresting them, worsening conditions for political prisoners and TV ads trying to defame opponents, have all become daily occurrences recently.

So what's going on? The answer is nothing new, or certainly nothing we have not seen before. The Fidel and Raul Castro regime have always turned on the repression machine whenever they fear that Cubans are thinking too much for themselves.

We saw this in the early 1980s right after Mariel embarrassed the regime, or when 100,000 Cubans left in a very short time.

We saw it in the 1996, when the Cuban Air Force shot down a plane flown by "Brothers to the rescue" looking for people in rafts. It was a message for Cubans leaving and for their relatives in Miami trying to help.

We saw it before Pope John Paul went to Cuba, as well as Pope Benedict and Pope Francis. In other words, the regime would always "clean up" the streets of dissidents to avoid contact with foreign journalists covering the visits.

We are seeing it again now after President Trump changed course.

Let me add another point. It's very likely that Raul Castro was invested in the predictions that Mrs. Clinton would win the election. Castro probably figured that a Clinton presidency would continue much of what President Obama had started.

So here we are. More tourists, more hotels, and more visits by friendly New York Times reporters do not add up to freedom. We will have to wait for regime change, which is what we've been saying for years.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) (YouTube) and follow me on Twitter.
Are they nuts?

After the legal trouble the New York Times has bought itself for its alleged libel against Sarah Palin, claiming in a recent editorial that she was the one who enticed a leftist pothead into shooting Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the Washington Post has followed that lemming right off the cliff, trying to pin the blame for Bernie Sanders campaign worker James Hodgkinson's attempted murder of a Republican congressman on...a pro-Trump populist radio host.

It's amazing.

It shows the ends to which the left  in particular its media branch  is determined to wriggle out of its own record on violence, which is abundantly clear just by its left evidence  in the trashed buildings in Berkeley, in the violent protests in Hamburg, in the thuggery of the Obama-devoted SEIU, in the burning garbage piles of the first anti-Trump protests and in the latest attempted gun assassination against Congressman Steve Scalise and several others. The left is violent. It endorses violence. Its leaders do nothing beyond pallid lip service to condemn the violence. And not a one of them is ever sorry.

What's more, none takes responsibility. This would explain why the Washington Post, in a piece written by Peter Holley, expended nearly 2,000 words on an article attempting to pin the blame for Hodgkinson's violence on some shock jock it identifies as "conservative."

First things first: Can anyone name a single Bernie Sanders supporter who listens to conservative news outlets? Right there, we have a credibility problem. Such people would be worth their own news stories in themselves if the Washington Post didn't have an agenda.

Did the reporter explicitly claim that the would-be killer listened to the shock jock's station? No, he covered himself from lawsuits as best as he could by saying there is no proof that James Hodgkinson ever listened to shock jock Bob Romanik, whose radio station Holley claims Hodgkinson could have listened to.

Was Romanik really as "conservative" as implicitly claimed by Holley? Over and over again, he describes Romanik (whose history includes bank fraud and strip club building) as a "registered Republican" and "Trump supporter." Yet to hear Romanik describe himself, claiming himself a mercenary of principles or something like it, he doesn't sound all that conservative. Romanik, to read the interview, is some sort of populist, which might buttress Holley's case that Hodgkinson listened to him, but this is not nearly as important to Holley as pinning the conservative label on him and saying it was the radio, not the Sanders culture of rage against Republicans, that fueled the lunatic's shooting spree.

This brings us to the most important omission in the piece: any evidence that Hodgkinson listened to the drivel. Did he? Did Holley go interview the family and ask them what he listened to? Not according to the story. Did he find anything from the evidence the cops had? Not according to the story. He got some speculation from Romanik that he might have, but explain to us how Romanik would actually know.

What it all goes to show is that the left will do anything  lawsuit from Palin or no lawsuit  to pin the blame for any violence perpetrated by the left on the right, particularly those aligned with Donald Trump. Journalistic standards are out the window on this one. No wonder people are outraged.
George Osborne: me and useless Theresa May by Andrew Mitchell

In the Evening Standard, the London freesheet, news has moved on from a cat stuck up a tree in Neasden and bar openings to matters of national importance. Theres no time for investigations into local councils, social housing and iffy money  not when a former top Tory is talking to another former top Tory and about a current top Tory:

The pressure on Theresa Mays fragile leadership grew last night after she was reportedly described as dead in the water by a former Tory Cabinet minister. Former chief whip Andrew Mitchell is claimed to have said at a private dinner that the Prime Minister couldnt go on, adding she had lost her authority and was weak.

Careful. Mitchells been in bother with quotes before. His words have even been put into song.

The serving MP is alleged to have made the comments on June 26, the day Mrs May struck a deal with the DUP to prop up her minority administration in Parliament.

You can read all about that in the newspaper edited by one George Osborne, who Theresa May sacked as Chancellor. Osbornes the man who had he stuck around might have been in with a shout of being Prime Minister.

Spotter: Standard

Anorak

Posted: 10th, July 2017 | In: News, Politicians Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
(ANSA) -Rome, July 10 - Italy is the global leader for the number of properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list following the addition of its primeval beech forests and 15th-17th century Venetian works of defence.

The latest additions, decided at the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee that closed in Krakow on Sunday, take the number of inscribed Italian properties to 53.

China ranks a close second with 52 properties, and has the resources and motivation to present a serious threat to Italy's global cultural leadership in future. In Europe Italy comes well ahead of the pack, trailed by Spain, France and Germany respectively with 46, 43 and 41 inscribed sites.

India follows with 36 sites, then Mexico with 34, Russia with 27, the United States with 23, Japan and Brazil with 20 and Greece with 18.

Currently the UNESCO World Heritage List contains a total of 1,072 properties in 167 countries. The properties are divided into cultural sites (831), natural sites (206), mixed sites (35), cross-border sites (37) and endangered sites (55). Germany's Dresden Elbe Valley and the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman were deleted from the list respectively in 2009 and 2007. The last Italian properties to be inscribed on the World Heritage list were Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalu and Monreale and the vineyard landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato in the northern Piedmont region. Next year the committee is set to consider the candidature of two more Italian properties, the 20th-century industrial town of Ivrea in Piedmont and the Prosecco hills. In 2019 the rules will change to allow countries to present only one candidate site each to a total of 35 worldwide. Due to the high number of properties already inscribed on the list in the event of 'oversubscription' Italy would see its proposals examined last. photo: fortifications at Palmanova, part of the Venetian works of defence
Fresh Syria peace talks open in Geneva UN envoy De Mistura to meet govt and opposition delegations

(ANSAmed) - Geneva, July 10 - A new round of peace talks on Syria got underway on Monday under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva.



UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, was set to meet with government and opposition delegations in a new attempt to find an end to the conflict that started in 2011 and has produced biggest humanitarian crisis since the second world war.



The talks, which are scheduled to run until Saturday, opened just a few hours after a ceasefire agreement between the United States, Russia and Jordan entered into force in southwestern Syria. In a recent briefing of the UN Security Council in New York, De Mistura said he had encouraged the Syrian delegations "to prepare themselves actively" for the peace talks. Negotiations are expected to centre on four major areas: gvernance, constitution, elections and the fight aganst terrorism. (ANSAmed)
Italian delegation to meet Sisi in Cairo Mission to assess bilateral relations in light of Regeni case

(ANSAmed) - Cairo, July 10 - An Italian delegation led by the Senate Defence Committee President Nicola La Torre is due to arrive in the Egyptian capital on Monday afternoon for a three-day mission that will also include a meeting with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, Egyptian media and Italian official sources have said. The delegation is due to "meet with a series of top officials and VIPs to survey the state of Egypt-Italy relations and examine" the possibility of "returning the Italian ambassador to Egypt as well as cooperation on security  in the face of terrorism and irregular migration".



The agenda for talks will also include greater cooperation in the case of tortured and slain Italian researcher Giulio Regeni, Cairo airport sources said. (ANSAmed)


remaining of

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The aircraft began flying for AlMasria on June 25 and will remain as such until June 24, 2018.
The move follows the successful introduction of Etihad Airways holiday division in the UAE, UK, Germany, India and North America.



Launched in 2004, Etihad Holidays offers dynamically packaged holidays at exceptional rates at many of the worlds leading hotel brands. Guests can now book their flights with Etihad Airways and its partner airlines together with their hotel, rental car, transfers, tours and activities, with real time availability, at the best available prices



From family, beach and luxury holidays to sporting breaks, fly drives and city stays, the choices to destinations across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia, Africa and across the Middle East are endless. Guests can design their dream holiday from the comfort of their own home on the Etihad Holidays website at -sa.holidays.etihad.com - to tailor-make packages to suit their individual needs. A team of travel professionals is only a phone call away for assistance and provides a Concierge Service for the discerning traveller.



Darren Peisley, managing director of Etihad Holidays parent Hala Group, said: We continue our growth across the region, ensuring a new wave of customers have access to the great range of packages and hotels on offer through Etihad Holidays. We are excited to bring to residents of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain access to great rates for over 150 destinations around the world.
We have been big advocates of the MPL at Alpha Aviation Academy and have found it to be a hit with both cadets and airlines alike.

Since we started using it as one of our training methods of choice in 2010, we have placed more than 200 pilots with leading low-cost airline Air Arabia.

The main criticism aimed at the MPL since its inception is that it represents a reduction in practical flight time compared to the traditional training methods. There is an argument that MPL cadets do not gain enough practical flying experience and are, subsequently, lacking in the skill, experience and decision-making that are invaluable when problems arise in the cockpit.

But, in reality, the MPL is offering the sort of innovation that the wider industry should be striving to promote. By taking advantage of technological advancements to train fully capable pilots in less time, the MPL offers a path for continued adaptation and optimisation of pilot training processes  while still ensuring pilots are fully equipped with the specific skills they need.

Simulators and training technology are growing more sophisticated and opening up ever-increasing possibilities. Utilising this technology to improve the training experience is a necessary step for sustained improvement.

Technology is constantly changing the world around us, and is something the industry should embrace, rather than shy away from.

Other arguments against the MPL stem from its shorter length (it can take as little as 18 months to learn to fly via the MPL route), something that seems to unsettle some aviation professionals, particularly the old guard. Yet safety will always be the highest priority in air travel, and the MPL actually prioritises specific safety measures to mitigate the risk of human factor errors in a flight, including threat and error management (TEM) and crew resource management (CRM) at every phase of training.

The reality is that, if we are overly cautious in developing new training methods, then we risk stunting the opportunity for industry progress.

The increased specialisation the MPL allows for has, doubtless, played a part in its success. As cadets are trained according to the requirements of specific airlines, they are ready to hit the ground running when they graduate. The whole transition from cadet to pilot is more seamless.

Some in the industry have raised doubts over the value of teaching pilots to work in a multi-crew environment, rather than focussing on building their experience from a more singular perspective. This is something of a straw man. Airlines need first and second officers in the cockpit and, if the MPL is supplying them, then it is doing what it is supposed to do. The license exists to create capable pilots for commercial airlines, and if it is achieving this, then clearly it is serving its purpose.

One of the biggest success stories for Alpha Aviation Group has been a young female Emirati pilot, Ghada Al Rousi.

Ghada trained at our Sharjah facility on the MPL programme and, upon completing it, was placed with Air Arabia as a second officer. She has now achieved the rank of first officer, is breaking down boundaries, challenging perceptions, and is a passionate advocate of encouraging more women to pursue a career in the cockpit.

Someone like Ghada is having a tangible impact on the industry. By showing talented young women that they can have a career in aviation, she is inspiring the next generation of female pilots  something that everyone in the industry would like to see.

That is not to say that the MPL is without fault. It has evolved and improved over the last decade, and as with anything, we must continue to look for ways to keep fine-tuning it so that we give pilots the best possible start to their careers.

Pilot training will be more crucial than ever over the decades to come, with demand for airline pilots on an upward trajectory, and licenses like the MPL could have a central role to play in finding a sustainable long-term answer.


The award was presented at a ceremony held at the recent Paris Air Show. It recognises the commitment of Oman Airs staff to providing their guests with quality, comfort and a seamless passenger experience.

Paul Gregorowitsch, chief executive officer, Oman Air, said: We are delighted that Oman Air has been recognised by the World Airline Awards for our outstanding staff service. The awards are the most prestigious accolades available within the air travel industry and offer an unparalleled benchmark of quality for the services airlines offer. To have won this award four times is a testament to the extraordinarily high standards of hospitality that our colleagues provide to all our guests. That hospitality is an extension of Omani culture, so this award is recognition not only of Oman Airs service, but also of the warm welcome offered to every visitor to Oman.
Pichler stressed that Royal Jordanian stays constantly in touch with our customers and listens to their suggestions, keen to accommodate their needs. In this regard, RJ has recently substituted the hot meals with sandwiches and snacks meals on short- and medium-haul flights of up to three-hour duration.

The move follows the industry trend of regional and international full-service air carriers, which offer snacks on such flights while most low cost airlines are charging for food and beverages.

Pichler said: Following our guests remarks and suggestions, RJ is currently coordinating with its catering partner, Dnata Company, to review the food and beverages offered.

"Dnata is recognised for its offer of high-quality meals to different international carriers operating at Queen Alia International Airport. Royal Jordanian cares to accommodate our guests expectations and extends every effort to continuously improve our services.

The RJ President said that RJ, the National Carrier of Jordan and a public shareholding company, is running its business on commercial basis to achieve profitability and sustainability, and meet the aspirations of the shareholders. Cost containment and revenue enhancement are key pillars to develop and execute a robust turnaround program and boost its competitiveness in the market.
RJ President/CEO Stefan Pichler said: Enhanced security measures are now implemented to meet the requirements of the US Department of Homeland Securitys new security guidelines for all US bound flights.

He added: We are glad that our guests can now fly onboard RJ and use their electronic devices. We highly appreciate our passengers patience and understanding during the time of the ban.

On March 24 this year, passengers flying from Amman directly to the US were banned from carrying electronic and electrical devices in the aircraft cabin. The United States imposed the ban on direct flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries: Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey.

Royal Jordanian operates 16 weekly non-stop flights to three U.S cities: daily flights to each of Chicago and New York, and two weekly flights to Detroit.

Saudia is hopinng to have the ban on its flights lifted within the next 10 days






The improved takeoff performance has been successfully confirmed during the certification as a result of a series of actions aimed at SSJ100 improvements for certain customers tasks. The aircraft within the customers fleet were upgraded by the B100 option  the increased thrust engine with maximum takeoff weight, avionics software optimization as well as the lift devices control system improvements  all that allowed to reduce the necessary takeoff and landing distance.



Moreover, one of the main demands of Bromma authorities was completely met up with: the noise level reduction for the environment due to the houses situated close to the runway. The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, the SSJ100 manufacturer, put into practice the environment noise level not more than 89 Db if measured in three points, in full compliance with ICAO Annex16
Says Shruti Haasan, as she talks about her choice of films, working with her dad, and going under the knife.

Shruti Haasan, the actress who is always vocal about many issues, talks to us in a freewheeling interview on how she has no qualms with her body, how she wants to be connected artistically with her audience, her appas stint in Bigg Boss and much more.

You seemed to have no qualms with your dare-bare attitude when it comes to photo shoots and magazine covers...

Google any other actress in Bollywood, they all have done the same thing. If my body looks a little more spectacular, I cant help it! (laughs) I am proud of my body. Some days it is perfect; some other days its not. To me, sensuality is just another aspect of the human personality.

I am not secretive, not frustrated or imbalanced. I believe in owning my body and not going by other peoples perception of it.

People still talk about your facial features and allegedly going under the knife...

What I do with my life and my body is my choice. If people are commenting about me, I feel they are missing something in their life  that is why they are interested in others lives!

What is your criteria when choosing scripts?

For me, I have to connect to the character. It also largely depends on good directors and producers who make films. I do it myself and never discuss it with my dad.

What is it like to work with your dad in Sabaash Naidu?

Having been an actor himself, when he directs, he brings something unique to the table. He lets people act, finds what they are good at and brings that out. He has a big vision and lets everyones individuality come through. My character in Sabaash Naidu is young, rebellious, funky and funny as well. I can, in no way, relate to her because I never had to be that rebellious. My father has given me a lot of freedom  and with that, comes responsibility.

Does working in many industries hamper the chance to be numero uno in one language?

Maybe thats your perception! I am in my tenth year in the film industry and I feel I am successful. I am blessed doing films in different languages and why would I not make use of it?

Who is your role model?

Everybody I know will have a good quality  which I will pick up. I make it a point to try and see the good in people and learn from it. In films, who else other than my dad?

Your dad Kamal is hosting Bigg Boss in Tamil.

He is connecting to people in a different way.

The TRPs have been crazy! But, if you ask me if Id be interested in taking part in the show, I would say a big no. Because, I cant stay in one place for 100 days!

You have a huge following on social media.

I dont talk about anything political. I love to connect with my fans through my Twitter handle and want to share many things they cant see otherwise. I know many celebs who have media companies that manage their Twitter accounts, but I manage mine myself and I believe in that. Because, how can somebody else tell you how to connect with people?

Is it a boon or a bane?

Social media is a new form of communication in human history. With new things like this, there is always both good and bad. That holds true for all types of new technology  there is always a plus and minus.

One trait picked up from your dad?

Being straight forward.

Does being bold and vocal about many things land you in trouble?

I dont say anything without thinking. I choose what I want to say. So I havent faced any problems as such.

Are you in a relationship now?

I never want to answer that question!
The actress initially contemplated quitting the film as she was unable to memorise her dialogues in Tamil.

Chennai: Kajol will soon be seen in Tamil action-comedy drama 'Velai Illa Pattadhari 2' and the actress said she initially contemplated quitting the film as she was unable to memorise her dialogues in the Dravidian language. Kajol made her debut in Tamil films with Rajiv Menon's 'Minsaara Kanavu' in 1997, which saw her in the role of an aspiring nun, Priya, opposite Arvind Swamy and Prabhu Deva.

The actress, however, had an incredible experience working in 'VIP 2' alongside Dhanush and director Soundarya Rajinikanth, finding the process of learning her lines in Tamil quite difficult.

"Acting is a little more difficult in a language that you don't understand, like Tamil. It was a process for the first two days. I saw my scene on paper, and I was like, 'Okay. You could take somebody else for the film now.'

"But Soundarya and Dhanush were very sweet and kind and decided to work on me a little more. By the third day, I was willing to finish the rest of the film. It was an entirely different experience," Kajol told reporters here.

The actress said it's been an amazing journey working in a Tamil film after so long.

"'VIP 2' was a fantastic team. I had a great time and made some great friends. I thank Soundarya and Dhanush for taking the time and trouble to help me and make me look good on screen."

Kajol noted cinema has changed a lot in the past two decades including the way people work and she believes that the change is important as it helps one grow as an artiste.

"Today we have given a 'Baahubali' which has crossed everybody's imagination and enthralled people from all over the world. Change is essential to growth, and we have developed as an industry.

"And we are not talking about only one particular state in the country now. So, I think that in itself shows how much we have changed and the kind of exposure we have had."

The actress also denied reports that her role Vasundhara Parameshwar in 'VIP 2' was initially written for superstar Rajinikanth.

"Vasundhara Parameshwar was always a female character. It was always written with a 'woman' in mind," she said.

'VIP 2' is a sequel to the 2014 Tamil blockbuster 'VIP' ('Velai Illa Pattathari') and is co-produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu's V Creations and Dhanush's Wunderbar Films.

Directed by Soundarya, the movie is slated to release on July 28 in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi to coincide with Dhanush's birthday.

The Hindi version of the film, which also features Amala Paul, Samuthirakani and Vivek in important roles, is titled 'VIP 2: Lalkar.'
The police on Monday sought a local courts permission to attach Kulkarnis properties.

Mumbai: The Thane police has started the process seeking issuance of a red corner notice against former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni, who, along with her co-conspirator and alleged narcotics trafficker Vicky Goswami, is wanted in the case related to seizure of Rs 2000 crore worth of banned drug ephedrine (a precursor chemical used in the manufacture of synthetic drugs) from a Solapur pharmaceutical firm last April.

The police on Monday sought a local courts permission to attach Kulkarnis properties. After she did not present herself for questioning despite a court notice to do so by July 10, the police took action against her.

The police has written to CBI, which is Interpols nodal agency in India, for its RCN request. The RCN warrants detention or arrest of a subject globally. The police on Monday said that despite giving Kulkarni sufficient time to present herself for questioning, the actress did not respond and so, the procedure for Interpols issuance of a red corner notice has been started.

The police had stuck notices on three Versova flats belonging to the actress and one Ahmedabad flat of her partner-in-crime, Goswami. According to the notices, both Kulkarni and Goswami had been asked to present themselves before the special court by July 10, failing which, the police would seize their properties. ACP Bharat Shelke said that they had started the procedure to issue a red corner notice. They had asked the sessions court whether they could seize the said properties as no one had come forward from the accuseds side to revert to the notices.

Both Kulkani and Goswami have been declared proclaimed offenders in the `2,000 crore drug bust case by the Sessions Court on Tuesday, following which, the Thane police stuck notices on Wednesday.
The pilgrims were on their way back after visiting the Amarnath shrine.

Security increased at Jammu base camp following terror attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in Anantnag, checks being conducted. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Srinagar: Seven Amarnath pilgrims, including six women, were killed and at least 12 others wounded when a bus they were travelling in was caught in crossfire between militants and the Jammu and Kashmir police in southern Anantnag district on Monday evening.

This is the worst attack on the Amarnath Yatra since 2000.

Jammu and Kashmir Police tweeted a list of 19 people who have been injured, with details of their injury.

"The bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat was attacked at around 8.20 pm near Khanabal. The bus was not a part of the official yatra convoy, which was provided heavy security," police said.

Officials said the militants first attacked a police bunker at Botengo in Anantnag, about 56 km south of Srinagar, at 8.15 pm.

The fire was retaliated and there was no report of injuries, they added.

The militants then targeted a police naka party at nearby Khanabal, to which the policemen retaliated and a tourist bus was caught in the crossfire.

A statement by the J&K police in Srinagar corroborated it, saying that soon after the unsuccessful attack on the policemen at Botengo, the terrorists fired on a police naka near Khanabal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was personally monitoring the situation, strongly condemned the dastardly attack and said India would never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks. He said he had spoken to governor NN Vohra and chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and promised all possible help from the Centre.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also spoke to Vohra and Mufti.

Pained beyond words at the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath yatris in J&K. The attack deserves the strongest condemnation from everyone, Modi tweeted.

Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured, he added.

My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

In yet another tweet, the PM said: India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate.

India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

Defence minister Arun Jaitley termed the attack the most reprehensible act, and said, This incident should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism.

Terrorist attack on #AmarnathYatra is the most reprehensible act. My condolences to the bereaved families.(1/2)  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) July 10, 2017

This incident should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism. (2/2)  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) July 10, 2017

As part of the tight security arrangements for this years yatra, the authorities had said no vehicle carrying pilgrims would be allowed to move after nightfall. Also, it was said no yatri vehicle would be allowed to cross the Jawahar Tunnle beneath the Pir Panjal range that connects the states Jammu region with the Kashmir Valley, after 3:30 pm.

This has been done so that the yatris reach the Baltal base camp within seven hours from the tunnel. They dont have to make a night halt midway, the officials had said.

While a tight security umbrella was put up for the yatra, the Jammu and Kashmir government made foolproof arrangements for the smooth conduct of the event, involving almost all its departments and agencies, the officials added.

They had said in view of the security situation in the Valley, a multi-layered security arrangement manned by the Army, CRPF, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Jammu and Kashmir police was provided for the safe passage of pilgrims right from their entry into the state at Lakhanpur.

The CRPF personnel, apart from performing route duties, were deployed for area-domination during the pilgrimage, the officials said.
Earlier on Monday, Congress denied the meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui.

Rahul Gandhi and Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui, the Congress did a major flip-flop and said that not only did the party vice-president meet the latter, but the Bhutanese envoy as well. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Six hours after an assertive denial of meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui, the Congress did a major flip-flop and said that not only did the party vice-president meet the latter, but the Bhutanese envoy as well.

"Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting the Congress president and the vice-president from time to time on a courtesy basis, particularly those of G5 nations and also of the neighbouring countries - be it the Chinese Ambassador, or the Bhutanese Ambassador or the former national security advisor Shiv Shankar Menon," Congress spokerperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

Read: Sikkim standoff: No compromise with India, situation grave, says China

"Rahul Gandhi met all of them. So, nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls or term them as events, like the sources from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) are trying to do. Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders are fully aware of or national interests and other concerns about the grave situation on the Indo-Chinese Border and Bhutan, including Sikkim," he added.

Surjewala also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, "Despite having sour relations with the China, our Prime Minister met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Germany."

Read: China accuses India of misleading public about Sikkim standoff

Earlier on Monday, the Chinese Embassy in Delhi first posted and later removed a statement on its website saying that the two met after the Congress denied it as "fake news".

Surjewala, in a series of tweets, said some news channels were running "fake news" on Rahul's alleged meeting with the Chinese Ambassador.

"A wanting to be 'Bhakt' channel will not question 3 Union Ministers visiting China or PM's bonhomie & praise at G20 yet run fake news!

A wanting to be 'Bhakt' channel will not question 3 Union Ministers visiting China or PM's bonhomie & praise at G20 yet run fake news!  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 10, 2017

Before MEA & IB sources plant news with 'Bhakts', they should reverify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours.2/n" he tweeted.

Before MEA & IB sources plant news with 'Bhakts', they should reverify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours.2/n  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 10, 2017

"Ohh! And 'Bhakts' are precluded from questioning this doublespeak too. We forget-two BJP mouthpieces & sundry wannabe's get a script! Ohh! And 'Bhakts' are precluded from questioning this doublespeak too."

Ohh! And 'Bhakts' are precluded from questioning this doublespeak too.

We forget-two BJP mouthpieces & sundry wannabe's get a script! pic.twitter.com/KfrofnNh6Z  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 10, 2017

Earlier on Friday, Rahul had asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been "silent" on China, in a tweet.

This comes amid a lengthy standoff between the Armies of the two countries on Line of Actual Control adjoining Sikkim on India's eastern border.

New Delhi has expressed its serious apprehensions over Beijing constructing a road in the Sikkim sector of the LAC.

India claims Sikkim border as part of its territory, while China has said that the area falls on their side as per the 1890 treaty signed between British and China.

Consequently, China suspended the annual Kailash Manasarovar yatra and conceded that the decision to suspend the pilgrimage was due to the border scuffle.

It also alleged that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim sector of the Indo-China border. Beijing has accused New Delhi of violating a convention signed in 1890 between Britain and China relating to Sikkim and Tibet.
The problem started with the appointment of the chief ministers son Khriehu Liezietsu as his adviser with Cabinet status and pay.

Guwahati: Former Nagaland chief minister T.R. Zeliang and senior leaders of the Nagaland Peoples Front are likely to meet state governor P.B. Acharya on Monday in Guwahati. Saying Mr Acharya will be here on Monday, sources in the rebel camp told this newspaper that most of the NPF MLAs who were at a resort near the Kaziranga National Park and Kohima, were also arriving in Guwahati. Pointing out that Mr Zeliang had sought an appointment with the governor, sources said at least 41 NPF MLAs out of 47 had given their consent for the ouster of chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu.

Nagaland chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Sunday also sent a recommendation to Raj Bhavan for the dismissal of four ministers and 10 parliamentary secretaries, but the decision was pending as Mr Acharya was in Guwahati on Sunday.

The chief minister sought the removal of home minister Yanthungo Patton, power minister Kipili Sangtam, national highway and political affairs minister G. Kaito Aye, and forest-environment and climate change minister Imkong L. Imchen from the Cabinet. Earlier, in a letter to the governor, former chief minister T.R. Zeliang, who was forced to quit due to an agitation by civil society groups four months back, staked claim to forming the government again. He told the governor that he had the support of 41 legislators.

The legislators also urged the present chief minister, Shurhozelie Liezietsu, who is a non-legislator, to resign and pave the way for me (Zeliang) to take over as chief minister, he said in his letter.

Claiming the support of 34 (including himself) out of the 47 NPF legislators, he informed the governor that seven Independents had also affirmed their support to him. In the letter, Mr Zeliang said the legislators wanted him to continue as leader of the NPF legislature party and also authorised him to stake claim to form a new NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government. He said a meeting of the NPF legislature party was held on July 4 at his residence.

Meanwhile, chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu in an official notification terminated the appointment of Mr Zeliang as adviser (finance) to the state government. Mr Zeliang said, however, that he had already resigned from that post.

The problem started with the appointment of the chief ministers son Khriehu Liezietsu as his adviser with Cabinet status and pay. The legislators accused the chief minister of indulging in nepotism. Mr Khriehu had quit his Northern Angami-I Assembly seat last month to enable his father to contest and become an Assembly member in order to continue as chief minister.

Mr Liezietsu, who is also the NPF president, was sworn in as chief minister on February 22 this year after Mr Zeliang resigned after violent protests by tribal groups who were opposed to his move to hold civic polls with 33 per cent reservations for women.
Swaraj also denied that a medical visa was rejected to a Pakistani cancer patient on the basis of 'deteriorating ties'.

Sushma Swaraj had claimed that Aziz did not have the courtesy to respond to her personal letter. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj lashed out at her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz for "not showing the courtesy to acknowledge" her letter about a visa for Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother.

Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage.

Swaraj also denied that a medical visa was rejected to a Pakistani cancer patient on the basis of deteriorating ties between the two countries.

According to an NDTV report, Fahida Tanveer (25), suffering from a vigorous tumour in her mouth, claimed that she had applied for a medical visa which was rejected. According to her family, her application was rejected due to deteriorating ties.

She then tweeted Swaraj asking her to 'save her life', as she had already made half of the payment, but was unable to get a medical visa.

However, Swaraj denied the charge, tweeting that Aziz had not given a recommendation letter as required.

"I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country. All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals," she tweeted.
The Indian government has been dismissing claims from some quarters that the ISIS had executed most of these Indians.

New Delhi: The Indian government said on Monday that Iraq had assured it of full cooperation in locating 39 Indian nationals believed to be in captivity in Mosul after the Iraqi government declared victory over the Islamic State forces there on Sunday.

The minister of state for external affairs, Gen. V.K. Singh (Retd), will travel to Erbil in northern Iraq later on Monday and India has activated all diplomatic channels for information on the 39 Indians abducted by the ISIS in 2014. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj assured Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh the MEA was making all-out efforts to trace and facilitate the return of the 39 Indians, most of them from Punjab, who have reportedly been held hostage in Mosul since 2014. Capt. Amarinder Singh had called up Ms Swaraj seeking her intervention, saying the families of the hostages were keenly awaiting the return of their kin after ISIS defeat and needed the Centres support to bring them back.

The Indian government has been dismissing claims from some quarters that the ISIS had executed most of these Indians, with has consistently maintained that it has not got confirmation from any of its sources in West Asia that these Indians were not alive. The MEA said in a statement: In response to a query (on) the fate of 39 Indians missing in Iraq and reportedly kept in Mosul, the official spokesperson said that the liberation of Mosul from ISIS is an important milestone in the global war on terror, and India welcomes it.

The MEA added: The official spokesperson also said as soon as the announcement of the liberation of Mosul was made by the Prime Minister of Iraq, the government activated various channels for locating those Indians. Minister of state for external affairs V.K. Singh is to travel to Erbil later today. The ambassador of India to Iraq and our consul-general in Erbil have been instructed to continue the efforts to locate them on priority. The Iraqi authorities have conveyed that all cooperation would be extended in this regard and instructions have been issued by them to all relevant Iraqi agencies.
The Congress Party initially did not disclose that there had been such a meeting.

New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi landed in a major political controversy on Monday when it turned out that he had quietly met Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui last Saturday (July 9), a day after Mr Gandhi had criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence on China amid the faceoff between the armies of the two nations in the Doklam area of Bhutan, which China covets. The Congress Party initially did not disclose that there had been such a meeting. The cat was let out of the bag unwittingly by the Chinese embassy, which posted a message on its website briefly that a meeting had taken place on July 8, only to remove it subsequently. But it was too late by then, as journalists had already taken screenshots of the embassy website. As political pressure mounted, an embarrassed Congress, which obviously did not want to publicise the meeting for some reason, had to finally acknowledge that it had taken place. The party then chose to downplay it, terming it a courtesy call, and pointed out that Mr Gandhi had met the Bhutanese ambassador as well. Mr Gandhi then took to Twitter to launch a frontal attack on the government, saying it was his job to be informed on critical issues, and also asking the government why three ministers had visited China recently, and questioning Mr Modis move to sit on a swing with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Ahmedabad in 2014 during the latters visit to India.

It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese ambassador, ex-NSA (Shiv Shankar Menon), Congress leaders from the Northeast & the Bhutanese ambassador. If the government is so concerned about me meeting an ambassador, they should explain why three ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on. And for the record, I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India, Mr Gandhi hit out, referring to a picture of Mr Modi sitting with the Chinese President on a swing in Ahmedabad while a transgression by Chinese troops had taken place. Why is our Prime Minister silent on China? Mr Gandhi had tweeted July 7, reportedly a day before meeting the Chinese envoy.

Ambassador Luo Zhaohui met with Rahul Gandhi, vice-chairman (vice-president) of the Congress Party, the Chinese embassy stated on its website, before reportedly removing it hastily. But there was no word on what was exactly discussed at the meeting.

Downplaying the meetings, Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala called them courtesy calls and said the envoys of neighbouring countries met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi from time to time. The spokesman said the party vice-president and other Opposition leaders were fully aware of national interests and were concerned about the grave situation on the India-China border as well as the situation arising in Bhutan and Sikkim.

Mr Gandhi had met Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui, Bhutanese ambassador Vetsop Namgyel and former national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, he said. But nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls to term them an event like the sources of the ministry of external affairs are attempting to do, the Congress spokesman said. Mr Surjewala had earlier tweeted that the news about Mr Gandhi meeting the Chinese envoy was planted by government agencies through bhakt channels.
Sushma said a visa application was pending for Indian national Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan.

New Delhi: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj lambasted Pakistan PMs advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz on Monday, saying Mr Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter on the request for granting a visa to former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother Avantika

In a series of tweets, Ms Swaraj said, I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. I am sure Mr Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country. All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals.I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country. We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national Ms Avantika Jadhav, who wants to meet her son in Pakistan against whom they have pronounced a death sentence.

I wrote a personal letter to Mr Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Mr Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter, she tweeted.

She said a visa application was pending for Indian national Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan. A few months ago, India had tightened its visa norms for Pakistanis wanting medical visas following a Pakistani military court sentencing Jadhav to death on charges of espionage and sabotage.

Mr Jadhavs parents had submitted an application to the Pakistan high commission a few months ago for grant of visa as they wanted to see their son who has been jailed in Pakistan. But there has been no response so far from Islamabad which has also repeatedly refused New Delhi consular access to Mr Jadhav.

But Ms Swarajs outburst shows the hurt at not even receiving an acknowledgement from Mr Aziz of her letter. The civilian government in Pakistan was always seen as softer on India compared to the Pakistani military. But Ms Swarajs attack shows the deep deterioration in ties between the two neighbours.

Mr Jadhav, 46, was allegedly arrested by Pakistan in the restive Balochistan province last year. He has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism.
Lashkar militants took help of Sandeep to loot the ATMs and indulge in immoral activities in the villages as well.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday claimed busting a module involved in a series of sensational crimes including terror acts in southern parts of the Kashmir Valley. Implausibly, one of the two accused arrested by it is a Hindu from Uttar Pradesh.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Munir Ahmed Khan at a press conference in Srinagar called it a major breakthrough and said that module was busted after strenuous efforts put in by the police in Anantnag district of the Valley. He identified the duo involved in a series of terror acts and crime including sneak attacks on security forces convoys, camps and installations and weapon snatching incidents as Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of UP, and Muneeb Shah of Kulgam district of the Valley.

He said that complicity of Sharma has been found in the June 3, 2017 attack on an Army convoy at Lower Munda, Qazigund along the Srinagar-Jammu Highway, weapon snatching incident at the guard-post at the residence of a J&K High Court judge at Anchidoora in Anantnag on June 13 and the ambush on a police vehicle in the districts Acchabal area on June 16 in which six cops including Station House Officer Feroz Ahmed Dar were killed.

Besides these terror acts, he along with his associates has been involved in a number of cash looting incidents at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in south Kashmir, the IGP said.

He alleged that the module is part of Lashkar-e-Taiba militant outfit.

In pursuance of the said criminal conspiracy which started sometime in January 2017, Sharma and some of his Valley-based associates came to Kashmir from Patiala (Punjab) for carrying out criminal activities, Khan said.

He added, Consequently, the group stayed at Wanpoh (Anantnag) and soon got involved in different kind of robberies including ATM looting in South Kashmir. In these crimes, they worked in conjunction with LeT in South Kashmir.

He also said that Sharma along with some of his associates was arrested by the police in a robbery case in March 2017 and remained in judicial custody till he obtained bail from a court. Later he joined the LeT group led by Bashir Ahmed Wani alias Bashir Lashkari and worked as his key aide.

Lashkari was along with a Pakistani militant killed in a fire fight with the security forces at Brenti-Batapora in Dialgam area of Anantnag on July 1. The IGP said that Sharma was present in the house where militants were trapped at Brenti-Batapora.

He used his old acquaintances and came in touch with a family at Brenti Batapora. With the active pursuance of his associates, he became part of the over-ground group of the LeT. During the encounter, he was rescued along with other members of the family by the police, he said.

During investigations, it was revealed that Sharma along with some other persons hatched a criminal conspiracy leading to providing shelter, ferrying of terrorists from one place to other for terror strikes and actively participating in terrorist activities.

He said, On the directions of LeT, Sharma along with his associates received LeT terrorists and dropped them at different sites for the terror action in South Kashmir . He also concealed weapons looted from the police guards in a vehicle and shifted them to different locations on the directions of LeT.

The IGP said that the investigations are still underway.

Investigation is going on for ascertaining the roles of his others associates in the crimes. The investigation, so far, conducted has revealed that LeT in league with criminal network is raising money by looting banks especially ATMs in South Kashmir Range, besides using these networks to further terrorist activities, the police officer said.

Meanwhile, the Army on Monday said that two militants were killed by it in the Nowgam sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district on Sunday night.

The Pakistani troops resorted to the indiscriminate firing along the LoC on Sunday night. The own troops retaliated befittingly. Two terrorists who were attempting to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir from PoK under the firing cover from the Pakistani troops were killed, said a defence spokesman in Srinagar. He added that the search operation was still underway to track any infiltration when reports last came in.
On the issue of cow protection, Mr Madhav said for Indians everything was sacred.

Bengaluru: BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday hit out at West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee saying the current unrest in her state was a home-grown project of the ruling Trinamul Congress for political advantage.

He also said cow protection was a sacred mission but people must understand that they cannot lynch anybody under the pretext of protecting it as life was more sacred. Delivering a speech on Integral Humanism - eternal and ever contemporary, organised by a group  Awareness in Action  here, Mr Madhav said, Today, if you see the unrest in Bengal, it is actually a home-grown project of Mamata Banerjee, because in unrest lies her political advantage. Does it really pain you (Banerjee) that in your state on one hand Gorkha people are agitating, you dont listen to them and on the other hand there are communal riots? he asked.

You only blame others, you have no answer to it, Mr Madhav said. Ms Banerjee had on Saturday accused the Modi government and the BJP of trying to disturb peace and deliberate and total non-cooperation. She had alleged that the Centres refusal to send CRPF personnel, as demanded by the state government, had led to the current situation in the Darjeeling, where the indefinite shutdown entered its 25th day on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Mr Madhav said the Trinamul Congress was squarely responsible for the grave law-and-order situation in West Bengal. On the issue of cow protection, Mr Madhav said for Indians everything was sacred. We are a worship-centric society, but the country has to understand this sacredness properly... Cow is sacred, cow protection is sacred, but remember life is the most sacred thing, he said, adding the sacredness of cow was to be protected, but one cannot spoil the sacredness of life.

You cannot lynch anybody in the name of protecting something, the BJP leader said. To a question about China reportedly denying VISAs for a scheduled trip of the India Foundation, a think tank with links to the BJP, Mr Madhav said it had been settled and the delegation was going there as scheduled. On China issuing advisory to its people visiting to India, he said, Those issues will be handled at a diplomatic level by our government. Everything will be sorted out.

Amid bilateral tensions over the Sikkim standoff, China had on Saturday issued an advisory for its citizens travelling to India, asking them to take necessary precautions for their personal safety.
Political experts feel Nitish wants to avoid having to answer questions on Lalu; or share space with his son.

Patna: The political buzz in Bihar intensified on Sunday as chief minister Nitish Kumar, on his return to Patna after staying away from the state capital for several days, immediately cancelled all important meetings, including his weekly Lok Samvad programme, that were scheduled for Monday.

The political heat is also likely to rise further in Patna on Monday as RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has called a meeting of his party legislators to discuss the future course of action.

While the Congress has extended its full support to the RJD, a long studied silence from the Nitish Kumar camp has given rise to murmurs and uncertainty in the Grand Secular Alliance. The RJD leaders are likely to raise this issue during the meeting on Monday.

Mr Kumar has been staying away from Patna, where the political temperature had gone up considerably in the past one week after the CBI raided the property of Lalu Yadav. his wife Rabri Devi and his family members, including his son Tejashwi, who is Bihars deputy chief minister.

The chief ministers office issued a statement Sunday citing Mr Nitish Kumars ill-health as the reason for the cancellation of the Lok Samvad programme. But in political circles, the move is being regarded as his attempt to avoid uncomfortable questions on his ties with the RJD in the wake of these development.

Insiders said Mr Kumar also wanted to avoid sharing space with deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, against whom the CBI has registered an FIR.

Pressure has been mounting on Nitish Kumar to remove Tejashwi Yadav, but so far he has not given any signals about his plans  on whether he intends to drop Tejashwi Yadav from his Cabinet immediately or wait for the CBI to file a chargesheet against him. He has, however, called a meeting of his party leaders on Tuesday to discuss the future course of action after the CBI raids on Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family.

On Sunday, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said Mr Kumars silence on the issue has damaged the tag of good governance.

He said that earlier on many occasions thet the chief minister sought the resignation of many Cabinet ministers after their names figured in corruption cases... Nitish Kumar must show courage and force deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav to resign as he had done when Jitan Ram Manjhis name had surfaced in a corruption case and (he) was asked to resign within four hours of taking the oath.
Often considered to be the first option in breast cancer patients, new study claims that it can lead to Stage 4 cancer.

Chemotherapy is often regarded as the first option for breast cancer patients to shrink tumors and even blitz the disease altogether. (Photo: Pixabay)

A new research claims that chemotherapy could cause cancer to spread and not curb it. The study also claims that the new cancer could be more deadly.

Chemotherapy is often considered to be the first option in breast cancer patients which see a shrinking in the tumor and even curb the disease altogether.

However, scientists at New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine have found evidence that this is only a short-term solution, suggesting that while shrinking the tumors, chemotherapy simultaneously opens a gateway for tumors to spread into the blood system enabling them to be back stronger.

Cancer at this point becomes impossible to treat as it often gets into Stage 4.

According to lead author Dr George Karagiannis, the findings, however, should not deter patients from seeking treatment but there could be a better way to monitor tumor movements in patients undergoing the treatment.

The treatment is often regarded as the first option for breast cancer patients to shrink tumors and even blitz the disease altogether.

However, scientists at New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine have found evidence that this is only a short-term solution.

Their research suggests that, while shrinking the tumors, chemotherapy simultaneously opens a gateway for tumors to spread into the blood system, making it easier to grow back stronger.

Cancer becomes incredibly difficult to treat - often fatal - once it spreads to other organs; it is then classified as Stage 4.

Chemotherapy can be administered as a pill or through an intra-venous drip.

The drugs travel throughout the body in the bloodstream.

It is tipped as an effective way to reach cancer cells that may have spread away from the tumor, as is common with breast cancer.

Senior author Peter Nelson, a human biology professor, said that in theory chemotherapy is perfect for killing cancer cells - mix a toxic dose of the drug with a tumor in a lab dish, and the tumor will not be able to survive or spread.

However, he said, the dose required to kill tumors is lethal for patients.

As such, doctors have to administer a lower dose, and it seems that has two key downsides. First, it facilitates dangerous spreading. Second, it allows some tumor cells to survive, become resistant to chemotherapy, and spread to other organs.

Secondary cancer is also referred to as metastatic cancer. It means the cancer has spread from the original site to another organ, via the lymph nodes.
The accused was a widower, who lived in the victim's neighbourhood with his two daughters.

New Delhi: A 36-year-old man has been arrested from the Kamla Market area in central Delhi for allegedly raping an 8-year-old girl in front of his teenage daughter, the police said on Sunday.

The incident was reported to the police Saturday.

The accused was a widower, who lived in the victim's neighbourhood with his two daughters, the police said.

On July 7, the accused had gone to a park in the locality with one of his daughters, where he saw the victim playing, they added.

He lured the girl on the pretext of giving her sweets, took her and his daughter to an isolated place and sexually assaulted the girl in front of the teenager, the police said.

The accused had warned the victim of dire consequences if she informed anyone about the incident.

The girl narrated her ordeal to her mother on Saturday and the police were informed.

A case was registered and the accused arrested, the police said.

The victim and the teenage daughter of the accused were being counselled, they added.
The protesters also set on fire the subdivisional office in Kurseong, leading to the building getting partially burnt, the state police said.

Army jawans on patrol in Darjeeling town on Sunday before the funeral procession of two people who had died in the police firing. (Photo: PTI)

Kolkata: Violence and arson continued to rock Darjeeling even on Sunday with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) allegedly setting fire to the police station at Sonada and ransacking government establishments. The all-party meet called by the coordination committee of agitating parties that was due to be held on July 18 was advanced to Monday. Three people were allegedly killed in police firing in the Hills on Saturday and the Army has been deployed to bring the situation under control.

The protesters also set on fire the subdivisional office in Kurseong, leading to the building getting partially burnt, the state police said.

Pro-Gorkhaland activists also torched the Pokhribing panchayat office and vandalised a police outpost in Darjeelings Pokhari on Sunday. However, the worst attack was in setting fire to the Sonada police station in the afternoon. Many important files and documents were destroyed by the fire and four police personnel were injured as they ran for cover. Mirik also erupted later, with GJM activists setting fire to a police vehicle.

As GJM supporters held rally across Chowkbazar with two dead bodies on Sunday, there were no police or CRPF personnel present. The Army jawans kept watch as they marched along. It was a tactical move as we believed that the peaceful rally may turn violent with the Morcha supporters seeing the police and CRPF as they had alleged their role in the killing of the two, a senior police official posted in the Hills said.

Trinamul Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee alleged that there was involvement of foreign forces in triggering the violence in the Hills, and added: We are ready to shed blood and sacrifice our lives but will not allow the division of Bengal. People of Darjeeling are suffering, and the zoo animals are not getting food.

He also attacked Darjeelings BJP MP S.S. Ahluwalia for remaining mum over the recent violence. In the beginning he made a lot of comments about Darjeeling. But where is he now? Mr Chatterjee asked.

The violence in the Hills has spread to the Dooars as well, with miscreants setting fire to the Neora Forest Range office at Gorubathan.on Saturday night. Three vehicles, including one belonging to the police that was stationed adjacent to the forest range office, was torched.

Jalpaiguri district TMC chief Sourav Chakraborty said: We will not allow unrest in the Dooars. The people here will thwart all attempts at violence here.
The CISF commandant reached the spot at around 11pm and apologized. He also asked his two juniors to do the same.

Mumbai: A Central Industrial Security (CISF) personnel has been suspended after a member of the BJP IT cell, Mr Vinit Goenka, complained about the mans offensive behaviour. The incident occurred on Saturday night, when Mr Goenka and his wife questioned the CISF officers on duty about a group of passengers offering namaaz in the gangway at Mumbai International Airports Terminal 2. When the CISF personnel told him that even he was free to do so, and allegedly badmouthed his religion, the BJP functionary tried to stage a dharna on the spot. He argued that there was an assigned place at the airport for offering prayers and passengers should not have been allowed to do so on the gangway.

Mr Goenka was headed to Delhi by Air Indias flight number 101 and had checked in at around 7.30pm when he spotted four passengers offering prayers in the gangway and protested against this. When my wife started video recording the incident, one of the CISF men tried to snatch her phone. He also made some unpleasant remarks and seemed very confident that we would leave for our flight and forget the matter. It was then that I decided to sit on dharna and demanded an apology from their commandant, he said.

The CISF commandant reached the spot at around 11pm and apologized. He also asked his two juniors to do the same. Had he been as sober and reasonable as his senior, the issue wouldnt have escalated to this level. I will however write to the ministry of civil aviation as well as the home ministry about the same for necessary action to be taken, said Mr Goenka.

According to sources from the airport, passengers offering namaz in any open space is not an uncommon scenario.

A senior airport official said, The airport has a prayer room that can have people of any religion to pray in it.
Tainted cop seeks criminal action against her for backing six arrested Byculla prison staffers.

Jadhav moved for an anticipatory bail in the case and was granted relief by the court.

Mumbai: A day after DIG (prisons) Swati Sathe quit from the Byculla jails internal investigation into the murder of inmate Manju Shetye (45), a written complaint has now been submitted, seeking criminal action against her. Last week, allegations had surfaced that she had exhorted fellow jail officials on a WhatsApp group to support six arrested prison staffers.

The complaint was submitted on Saturday to the Mumbai police commissioner, Mumbai crime branch and Nagpada police station by Hiralal Jadhav, a former superintendent of Thane prison, who is currently placed under suspension.

The copy of Jadhavs application with The Asian Age stated, Sathe sent the messages and also sought money to save prison officials and staffers. The details of messages exchanged on the prisons WhatsApp group between June 23 and July 7 should be accessed. Her role since the day one of heading the internal probe has been suspicious, and a case under various sections (for tampering with evidence, having biased approach towards accused, collection of monetary contribution for them, etc) of the Indian Penal Code should be registered against Sathe based on my complaint, stated the application.

Jadhav had earlier submitted a written complaint to the state chief minister, principle secretary and additional director general (prisons) B.K. Upadhyay along with a copy of Ms Sathes text messages. Ms Sathe had allegedly posted the messages on the jails internal WhatsApp group named Maharashtra Prison, following the arrest of Byculla jail staffers Manisha Pokharkar, Bindu Naikade, Waseema Shaikh, Sheetal Shegaonkar, Surekha Gulve and Aarti Shigane.

Ms Sathes messages said: Feeling sad and upset. All our six colleague sisters have been arrested today in the evening. They will be in police custody till July 7. Will this at least pacify the media? Ms Sathe added, Dhamne Sir, Desai Sir, all the prison officials and personnel should stand with our sisters.

Who is Hiralal Jadhav

The superintendent of Thane central prison, Hiralal Jadhav, was suspended in September 2016 following allegations of sexual harassment by a woman constable, who claimed he molested her. An inquiry was ordered against Jadhav, and it was headed by Swati Sathe. Jadhav was also being probed for corruption by Ms Sathe. The allegations of corruption were levelled against Jadhav before the alleged harassment charges came to the fore. Jadhav moved for an anticipatory bail in the case and was granted relief by the court.

CASE TIMELINE
The 23-year old model's decomposed body was found under mysterious circumstances at her room in Four Bungalows area in Amboli on June 12.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police on Monday arrested two persons in connection with the killing of 27-year-old struggling actress and model Kritika Chaudhary.

Chaudhary's decomposed body was found in her rented apartment in suburban Andheri on June 12.

"We have arrested two persons in this case. They will be produced in a court," a senior police officer said on Monday.

With the arrest of the two persons, the police claimed to have cracked the case.

Initially, the police had registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR). But, after the postmortem report revealed that Chaudhary died due to serious head injury, a case under IPC section 302, for punishment of murder, was registered, the officer said.

Chaudhary, who hailed from Haridwar in Uttarakhand, had appeared in a small role in the Kangana Ranaut-starrer film "Rajjo", which released in 2013. She had also worked in some TV serials, police said.

During the investigation in the case, the Amboli police had questioned Chaudhary's family members, friends, relatives as well as her acquaintances.

The police claimed that the watchman of the housing society, where Chaudhary lived, told them that he saw two men entering the premises with Chaudhary a few days before her body was found.

The police then launched a search for the two men.

According to police sources, Chaudhary was married, but had separated from her husband.
Fliers have mixed reaction to move to serve only veg food on domestic flights.

Mumbai: There have been mixed reactions to Air Indias decision to serve only vegetarian food on all its domestic flights. The national carrier has put out a circular asking that non-vegetarian food not be served on domestic flights, citing that the move would reduce costs and improve catering services.

The airline had, in 2015, taken a decision not to serve non-vegetarian food on flights with travel time of less than 1.10 hours.

A few fliers told The Asian Age they were disappointed with the decision. Gautam Ruparel, who frequently flies with the airline, said, Air India is known for its variety of quality food. I am a person who flies with Air India when I go backpacking, and I am assured that I dont have to look for extra food after my journey. The decision to stop serving non-vegetarian food is really depressing.

Sputhi Gowda, a Santa Cruz resident, said, If the reason behind the move is to reduce costs, it makes no sense. Today one kilogram of chicken costs less than a kilogram of paneer. Also, how could an airline have better catering services when it is not providing the food demanded and loved by the people?

However, Nivedita Oak, another frequent flier, said, If Air India has taken this decision, it might have thought of something relevant that we are not able to understand. There are anyway just two airlines that offer you food unlike low-cost carriers.

Insiders have said that non-vegetarians account for a small part of the passenger load in domestic sectors. Sources also said that sticking to vegetarian food would avoid any confusion.

Meanwhile, a controversy was kicked off hours news of Air India discontinuing non-vegetarian food in all its domestic flights went viral when rival airlines Vistara tweeted a picture of a vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, stating, Vistara serves two vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal choices each in Business Class and options between vegetarian and non-vegetarian in Economy and Premium Economy class. We serve a combination of everyday favourites, regional and international specials in six meal cycles at a time.

Vistaras spokesperson, however, said, The ad is simply a part of Vistaras regular promotions and has nothing to do with Air India.
The G-20 was also hit by the biggest protests ever seen, reflecting public anger against governments and leaders.

Indias principled stand on terrorism is one of righteous indignation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed this again at the Hamburg G-20 summit, reiterating the need for collective action by world powers. Mr Modi urged collective and comprehensive action, going to the extent of saying officials of nations that support terror shouldnt be allowed near G-20. The problem is that if the United States and China are present  both prop up Pakistan despite its propensity to sponsor terror in India and Afghanistan  there can never be a consensus and it all tails off into tokenism. India may well feel shortchanged on this critical global priority.

The US may oppose the Haqqani Network and act against a terror outfit like Al Qaeda that has the capacity to reach and hurt America. But when it comes to Pakistan-based networks conducting cross-border attacks on India, the US will only be sympathetic, or sometimes proactive as in declaring Hizbul Mujahideens Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist. None of the groups in Pakistan attacking India were named, though many in West Asia have been. India is on its own in preventing attacks on its soil. This was made crystal clear by the formal response to the PMs entreaties at G-20.

The G-20 was also hit by the biggest protests ever seen, reflecting public anger against governments and leaders. How seriously it is regarded was perhaps shown by the way Ivanka Trump sat in her dads seat a few times the US President left the room! Issues like climate change, free trade and protectionism showed up deep divisions.
The Chinese Chengdu J-10 is a derivative of the Israeli Lavi, whose designs and technology were sold to China for a reported $500 million.

The India-Israel $40 million fund for research and development in innovation got banner headlines while Nandan Nilekanis $100 million fund for innovative startups only gets a few lines. This is quite reflective of the hype surrounding our Prime Ministers first visit to Israel. Mr Nilekanis fund, which is called Fundamentum, aims to invest in consumer technology-focused businesses, mainly ventures that are trying to solve problems unique to India. The focus would be on scaling up startups, an area which India lacks. Fundamentum will start off with a $100-million corpus and the founders hope to scale it up to $200 million in a few years, a statement spelt out. Clearly, there is a huge excitement coming out of a huge spin.

But lets get a little realism into this Israel fund. First, the fund is for only $4 million (around `26 crores) a year, and after five years it will only total $20 million, or half what the spin suggests. The joint statement states quite unambiguously: The two nations agreed to put $4 million a year for five years into the Israel-India Innovation Initiative Fund, or I4F. Narendra Modi, with his typical flair for sloganeering, coined I4I  or India for Israel  for the Benjamin Netanyahu slogan: Indian talent with Israeli technology equals India-Israel ties for tomorrow. The I4I fund has now materialised as the I4F. The MoU between Indias department of science and technology and the National Authority for Technological Innovation of Israel expects will play a seminal role in enabling Indian and Israeli enterprises to undertake joint R&D projects leading to development of innovative technologies and products that have potential for commercial application. But it seems neither country is putting money where their mouths are?

The Israel-US Bi-national Industrial Research and Development Fund (BIRD) is the model for I4F. BIRD was set up in 1977 and has spawned several successful ventures in several sectors, notably in life sciences, energy conservation and IT. BIRD obviously factored the involvement of Israelis and American Jews in the high-tech startup space, notably in California. Just the kind of role Indians play in it in the US. But to think that 14F will do what BIRD did for America and Israel is a bit imaginative. Lets hope it works.

A television anchor last week extolled Israel for giving us arms whenever needed, and therefore it was a very special relationship. I had to tell him that we paid for everything in hard cash and that nothing was given away. Israel sells arms and technology to whoever can pay. It had collaborated with China on fighter and Awacs (Phalcon) aircraft development. The Chinese Chengdu J-10 is a derivative of the Israeli Lavi, whose designs and technology were sold to China for a reported $500 million.

The Phalcon deal, begun in 1994, was finalised during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus Beijing visit in 1998. It was in some ways meant to be the capstone of the economic and military relationship between the two countries. In return, Israel would have received a major defence contract worth $1-2 billion for providing the planes. The Phalcon sale was dropped after the US objected to certain proprietary technologies being transferred to China. Mr Modis visit comes 17 years after then Chinese President Jiang Zemin undertook a six-day visit in April 2000.

At a press conference during Mr Zemins visit, then Prime Minister Ehud Barak proclaimed: We attach a great deal of importance to our relations with China and our credibility. Yet the following year Israel terminated the Phalcon deal with China. China was incensed but has since been somewhat mollified with other military deals.

Incidentally, one of the drone models we buy from Israel Aircraft Industries is sourced by it from a small company in Israel owned by a blacklisted NRI arms dealer. Another NRI arms dealer is being investigated by the CBI for kickbacks in the Barak deal. There is also a big Russia connection. Many of the Israeli arms technologies are of Russian origin and from companies set up by Russian military R&D people who now live in Israel. Many large Russian companies like to subcontract from them, as it is a reliable conduit for kickbacks. We must wonder why Indias MiG-21 modernisation was pointed towards Israel by MiG-MAPO? I have often described the India-Israel military relationship as one strongly cemented by kickbacks. Last year, India imported $5.7 billion worth of arms from Israel.

The really big Israel-India business, I should really say Israel-Gujarat business, is the diamond cutting trade. We import about $1 billion of diamond roughs from Israel and export about $1.05 billion of polished diamonds to it. This represents a value addition of a mere $50 million but the business directly and indirectly employs almost a million people. In contrast, Indian IT services have a value addition of over $100 billion but employ only about four million.

Low labour costs are the big attraction. It costs about $10 per carat on polishing and cutting of diamonds in India, against Chinas $17 and South Africas $40-$60. One hallmark of the trade in gem-quality diamonds is its remarkable concentration: wholesale trade and diamond cutting is limited to just a few locations, mostly in Antwerp, New York and Surat. In 2003, 92 per cent of the worlds diamonds were cut and polished in Surat, India. Over 80 per cent of the sales of Israels Sarin Technologies-made diamond cutting machines are to India. Rightly so, Jews and Gujaratis dominate the global diamond business and they make for good partners.

I have been to Israel several times and have some very good friends there. Its a beautiful country. They are a great people and who have successfully transplanted a piece of Europe into Asia. They have really high standards of technical and medical education. Their dairy and horticultural industries are top class. But little is replicable here. But farmers like Sharad Pawar and Parkash Singh Badal can get high, hence tax-free, yields with Israeli farming technologies.

Of course, there is much to learn and get from Israel. But they dont do us or anybody else any favours. Its all hard cash and the rest is Israeli guile. Lets never forget the import of the Jewish prayer  If I ever forget thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand lose its cunning. Its the right hand that plays the harp and its the right hand that holds up the merchants scales. We too must learn some cunning while making music.
Trump said that Putin 'vehemently denied' the conclusions of American intelligence agencies that Russian hackers.

Washington: President Donald Trump appears to be backing away from the idea of working with Russia to create a "cyber security unit" to guard against election hacking.

Trump tweeted on Sunday morning about discussing such a unit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Yet it's Russia that US intelligence officials blame for meddling in last year's election.

I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

Widespread ridicule greeted Trump's tweet. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina calls it "pretty close" to the dumbest idea he's ever heard.

A Democratic congressman, Adam Schiff of California, says expecting Russia to be a credible partner in any cybersecurity initiative "would be dangerously naive."

By Sunday evening, Trump was tweeting a different tune. He wrote that just because he and Putin discussed the idea "doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't." Another Senate Republican, Marco Rubio of Florida, said on Twitter that "partnering with Putin on a 'Cyber Security Unit' is akin to partnering with Assad on a 'Chemical Weapons Unit.'" Rubio was referring to Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime's use of chemical weapons against its own citizens."

The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't-but a ceasefire can,& did!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter equated the move to "like the guy who robbed your house proposing a working group on burglary." And Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said that expecting Russia to be a credible partner in any cybersecurity initiative "would be dangerously naive for this country." "If that's our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow," he said.

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, however, defended the move, arguing that working with Russia on cybersecurity "doesn't mean we ever trust Russia. We can't trust Russia and we won't ever trust Russia. But you keep those that you don't trust closer so that you can always keep an eye on 'em and keep them in check."

Trump said that "it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia" after his lengthy meeting with Putin. But he is still avoiding the question of whether he accepts Putin's denial that Russia was responsible for meddling in the 2016 election.

Speaking in a series of tweets Sunday, the morning after returning from a world leaders' summit in Germany, Trump said he "strongly pressed" Putin twice over Russian meddling during their meeting Friday.

Trump said that Putin "vehemently denied" the conclusions of American intelligence agencies that Russian hackers and propagandists tried to sway the election in Trump's favor. But Trump would not say whether he believed Putin, tweeting only that he's "already given my opinion."

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

Trump has said he thinks Russia probably hacked the emails of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton staffers, but that "other people and/or countries" were likely involved as well. He said ahead of the meeting that, "Nobody knows for sure."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov first told reporters in Germany on Friday that Trump had accepted Putin's assurances that Russia hadn't meddled - an assertion Putin repeated Saturday after the Group of 20 summit. Putin said he left the meeting thinking that Trump had believed his in-person denials. "He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers," Putin said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did not answer directly when asked Sunday if Trump had accepted Putin's denial, but told reporters in Ukraine that Trump's conversation with Putin on election interference went "about the way we expected." Tillerson was the only other American official in the room.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also declined to say whether Trump accepted Putin's denial. "Why would President Trump broadcast exactly what he said in the meeting Strategically that makes no sense," Mnuchin said. "He's made it very clear how he feels. He's made it very clear that he addressed it straight on." But White House chief of staff Reince Priebus took issue with Putin's characterization.

"The president absolutely didn't believe the denial of President Putin," Priebus said. He said Trump had spent a "large part of the meeting on the subject," but wanted to move onto other subjects.

He and other administration officials said Trump did not want Russian interference in last year's election to prevent him from working with Putin's government on other issues, including the civil war in Syria.

"You know, the past, I don't know if we will ever come to an agreement, obviously with our Russian counterparts on that. I think the important thing is how do we assure that this doesn't happen again," Tillerson said. Tillerson said that, "In all candidness, we did not expect an answer other than the one we received" from Russia.

"Everybody knows that Russia meddled in our elections," Haley said. "This is Russia trying to save face." But in a show of US-Russian cooperation, officials announced during the trip that the two sides had brokered a cease-fire in southern Syria that went into effect Sunday. Trump tweeted that the deal "will save lives."

Trump also tweeted Sunday that sanctions against Russia were not discussed at his meeting with Putin, seemingly contradicting comments made by Tillerson in Germany. Tillerson said that the president had taken "note of actions that have been discussed by the Congress" in the meeting. Congress has been pushing to increase sanctions on Russia and make them harder for Trump to lift.

Haley and Schiff spoke on CNN's "State of the Union," Mnuchin on ABC's "The Week," Priebus on "Fox News Sunday," and Graham on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Trump has made repealing and replacing the health care law known as Obamacare a centrepiece of his agenda.

Washington: President Donald Trump prodded US lawmakers on Monday to pass an unpopular health care reform bill before Congress goes on its summer recess next month.

Mr Trump chided lawmakers as the Senate reconvened after a week off for the July 4 independence holiday and with the House of Representatives scheduled back in session on Tuesday. Both chambers are scheduled to be in recess for the entire month of August.

I cannot imagine that Congress would dare to leave Washington without a beautiful new HealthCare bill fully approved and ready to go! Trump wrote in a morning tweet.

The tweets included criticism of fired FBI director William Comey for allegedly leaking classified information in personal memos and a defence of Mr Trumps eldest daughter Ivankas sitting in for him at a meeting at the G-20 summit last week in Germany.

Mr Trump has made repealing and replacing the health care law known as Obamacare a centrepiece of his agenda.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell had sought to bring up a vote on a Senate plan to do so, before the July 4 break.

But late last month dissent in his own party forced him to delay the vote. Polls also show the Senate plan to be very unpopular among the American public.

Mr McConnell had drafted the plan in secret with a coterie of aides, leaving out a number of key senators who later expressed concern that the bill could leave millions uninsured.

Conservative senators like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul said they cannot support the proposal unless it repeals the 2010 Affordable Care Act. , the signature legislation of Barack Obama.
Glaring disparities in Sharifs known sources of income.

Islamabad: The Joint Investigation Team (JI)  probing the Panama leaks scandal  on Monday asked the Supreme Court to file a reference against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his sons  Hussain Nawaz and Hasan Nawaz.

The JIT found disparities between the wealth and known source of income of the respondents, the report submitted in the top court said.

The JIT submitted its 256-page report to the Supreme Court of Pakistan two months after it was formed in the light of the courts order in Panama Papers case.

The three-member SC implementation bench, constituted as a consequence of a judgment of the Larger Bench, is headed by justice Ejaz Afzal.

The Bench said that the parties can take copies of the report from the Registrar Office.

However, on the request of the head of the JIT, it was directed that volume ten of the report should not be declassified.

The Bench said that the process of mudslinging must also stop. The implementation bench disposed of a petition filed by Hussain Nawaz regarding leak of his picture during appearance before the JIT.

The Bench said it empowered the federal government to make public name of the person responsible for photo leak and form Commission, if needed. The court said it cannot constitute a Commission on the issue.

The court also ordered registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against chairman securities and exchange commission of Pakistan Zafar Hijazi.

The three-member implementation bench later adjourned the hearing till Monday next.

The JIT team held numerous sessions at Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad during which Hussain Nawaz, elder son of the Prime Minister, appeared before it for six times; Prime Ministers younger son Hassan Nawaz three times and his daughter Maryam Nawaz on July 5.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif himself appeared before the JIT on June 15 and Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif appeared on the June 17.

Among others who appeared before the Commission to record their statements and respond to queries included Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Qamar Zaman Chaudhry and Muhammad Safdar - son-in-law of the Prime Minister.

Apart from its final report, the JIT also submitted before the implementation bench of the Supreme Court fortnightly reports.
Trump said a deal between the US and Britain, which is leaving the European Union, would be great for both countries and can be achieved quickly.

Hamburg: British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Saturday that shes looking forward to welcoming US President Donald Trump to London, but both sides still are working to find a suitable date.

Ms May also said she was optimistic about hoped-for future trade pacts with the US and other countries after meeting Mr Trump at the Group of 20 summit.

Mr Trump said a deal between the US and Britain, which is leaving the European Union, would be great for both countries and can be achieved quickly.

Mr Trump also squashed speculation that he would not be visiting London after all, saying that well work that out and he will be making the trip.

Ms May was the first world leader to visit Mr Trump at the White House earlier this year, bringing an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II for Mr Trump to come to London this year on a state visit.

But opposition to the idea mounted quickly. Some Britons called the invitation premature given the divisiveness of the US presidential race and Trumps political inexperience. Last month, Londons mayor called for the invitation to be rescinded after Mr Trump criticised the mayors response to a deadly extremist attack.

Ms May said Mr Trump made clear that he was very keen to come to London. She looked forward to welcoming him and we are working on what a suitable date would be for such a visit.

Britains government is keen to secure new trade deals with the US and other global partners after its departure from the EU, expected in 2019.
Some 24,000 hectares (59,305 acres) were ravaged by wildfires as of midday Sunday, according to official tallies.

River Billy, front, celebrating her fifth birthday, sits with her parents Krista Billy, right, and Kris Billy, left, as her sister Remmi, 1, plays behind them after being evacuated from their home in Hat Creek due to a wildfire burning near Cache Creek, while waiting to register at an evacuation centre in Kamloops, British Columbia. (Photo: AP)

Kamloops: As Western Canada's British Columbia battled 220 wildfires scattered across the province on Sunday, officials warned that they expect greater devastation with forecasts of more hot, dry weather over the coming week.

"Looking at the medley of forecasts out there, it's certainly not optimistic," British Columbia's chief fire spokesman Kevin Skrepnek said at a press briefing. "We are going to be at the mercy of the weather."

The blazes took off on Friday when 138 fires started as electrical storms and brisk winds passed through the interior of the bone-dry province, which has not seen significant rains for weeks.

British Columbia declared its first state of emergency since 2003, evacuated an estimated 7,000 residents from the path of the wildfires and deployed some 1,600 personnel to respond to the fires.

Some 24,000 hectares (59,305 acres) were ravaged by wildfires as of midday Sunday, according to official tallies. Skrepnek said he believed the extent of the devastation was significantly higher.

"We pray for rain, but our prayers aren't always answered," British Columbia Premier Christy Clark said while touring regional evacuation facilities in Kamloops, a town some 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of Vancouver.

She announced a C$100 million ($78 million) fund for victims that the Canadian Red Cross will administer.

It is modeled after one set up after last year's Fort McMurray fire in the neighboring province of Alberta, one the worst natural disasters in Canadian history.

It provides stipends of C$600 to help victims displaced by the fires as well as money to help rebuild after the blaze is extinguished, Clark said. Other assistance poured in from across Canada.

Canada's military agreed to supply airplanes and helicopters. Other jurisdictions agreed to send some 260 personnel to help.

Survivors of the May 2016 Fort McMurray blaze, which displaced 88,000 people and burned 590,000 hectares, organized a drive to send water, fuel and other supplies to British Columbia.

"We've been through it. We know what it's like," Marty Frost, a former Fort McMurray firefighter, told broadcaster CBC News Network.
'This is the credibility of our system, we have enough cash to preserve any..kind of shock,' Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saoud al-Thani said.

Dubai: Qatar has $340 billion in reserves including holdings of its sovereign wealth fund that could help the Gulf country to weather the isolation by its powerful Arab neighbours, central bank governor Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saoud al-Thani told CNBC.

This is the credibility of our system, we have enough cash to preserve any..kind of shock, he told the news channel in an interview published early on Monday on its website.

Read: Gulf crisis: Financing terror allegations 'baseless', says Qatar to Arab states

Al-Thani said the central bank has $40 billion in reserves plus gold, while the Qatar Investment Authority has $300 billion in reserves that it could liquidate.

Qatari stocks have weakened and the riyal has been volatile in the spot market since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of backing terrorism. Dona has denied these allegations.

Read: Gulf crisis: Arab nations slam Qatar's non-compliance as threat to security

Qatar has already had a good and unique system. We have laws established against all these kinds of terrorists , al Thani told CNBC.We work with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and other institutions to establish our laws and audits and reviews.
Iraqi forces were earlier on Monday still fighting to eliminate the last pockets of IS resistance in Mosul.

Iraqis celebrate as they wait for the announcement of the defeat of ISIS in Tahrir square. (Photo: AP)

Mosul: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared a victory over "brutality and terrorism" in Mosul on Monday after his forces ended the Islamic State group's rule over the country's second city.

Flanked by soldiers, Abadi hailed the retaking of Mosul  where ISIS dealt Iraqi forces a devastating defeat three years ago  as a historic moment in the battle against the jihadists.

"Our victory today is a victory over darkness, a victory over brutality and terrorism, and I announce to the whole world today the end and failure and collapse of the mythical terrorist state," Abadi said in a televised address from west Mosul.

The US-led coalition that backed the Mosul offensive and is supporting another assault on ISIS's Syrian bastion Raqa hailed the victory, but warned it did not mark the end of the war against the jihadists.

"This victory alone does not eliminate (IS) and there is still a tough fight ahead. But the loss of one of its twin capitals and a jewel of their so-called caliphate is a decisive blow," Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the commander of the operation, said in a statement.

Iraqi forces were earlier on Monday still fighting to eliminate the last pockets of IS resistance in Mosul, with jihadist fighters surrounded in a sliver of territory in Mosul's Old City.

Attention was also turning to the huge task of rebuilding and helping civilians, with aid groups warning that Iraq's humanitarian crisis was far from over.
by NAT da Polis

The march, which ended yesterday in Istanbul with a million participants, set out from Ankara with only a few activists 25 days ago. The accession of the Kurdish party and the presence of some gray wolves. But the opposition party must promote a sense of democracy.

Istanbul (AsiaNews) - The long march by CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, which began in Ankara 25 days ago, ended yesterday in front of the prison in the Meltepe district of Istanbul, on the Eastern outskirts of Istanbul. The event was aimed at protesting against Turkish President Tayip Erdogan, for having incarcerated CHP deputy Ennis Berberoglu. The parliamentarian was sentenced to 25 years in prison for revealing state secrets concerning Turkey's involvement in "dirty war" in Syria.

The march started out without fanfare from Ankara but along the 425km has grown slowly in number, and also involved the pro-Kurdish HDP party, which certainly does not enjoy friendly relations with the CHP party, founded by Kemal Ataturk, Father of republican turkey and always hostile to the Kurdish question.

In the end it counted hundreds of thousands of people, with an estimated one million people gathering at Maltepe.

The event that takes place one year after the coup last July 16, 2016 and is the first major demonstration after the events of Gezi Park (Taksim Square), which took place in the same period of 2013.

The march was led by party president Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who many are calling the new Gandhi, waving Turkish flags and signs with the word Adalet (justice), while the presence of banners of the infamous Turkish ultra-nationalists gray wolves did not go unnoticed. The presence of the latter is a consequence of the division within the ultra-nationalist MHP party because of the policy of leader, Devlet Bahceli, accused of being an empty vessel for President Erdogan.

The demonstrators were welcomed by 15,000 police officers.

It should be noted that the march was carried out despite the current state of emergency in Turkey after the failed coup last year, under which thousands of people from various political and professional fields have been persecuted, sentenced and imprisoned accused of supporting the attempted coup, attributed by Erdogan to Imam Fetullah Gulen.

Erdogan himself slammed the march and its organizers, accusing Kilicdaroglu of not respecting justice and supporting terrorism, also insinuating his complicity with Gullen, who had been forced into exile in the United States by the same Kemalists.

Beyond the controversy between Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu, interestingly the marches did not only include the deputy of CHP Ennis Berberoglu, but also thousands of others persecuted by the Erdogan regime. And Kemal Kilicdaroglu has been told that if the CHP party wants to break through the 25 percent wall that has been blocked for decades, it must look ahead and cultivate a sense of democracy in society, which has always been missing in this country. Only then will it make sense to speak and claim justice in Turkey.
Two doctors visited the dissident. According to Beijing authorities, Liu was too ill to be transported. For the Chinese hospital "he does not have better options abroad".

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Liu Xiaobo could travel without posing a risk to his health to be treated abroad if Beijing allows it. These are the conclusions reached by two doctors, one American and one German who yesterday visited the Chinese Nobel Laureate.

In a joint statement, Joseph M. Herman of the University of Texas, Anderson Cancer Center and Markus Buchler of the University of Heidelberg write that they have visited Liu and that the dissident and his family have asked to continue their care in Germany or the United States.

In this regard, the two doctors say that " "While a degree of risk always exists in the movement of any patient, both physicians believe Mr. Liu can be safely transported with appropriate medical evacuation care and support. However, the medical evacuation would have to take place as quickly as possible."

Liu Xiaobo, one of the most important icons of democracy in China, has liver cancer in a terminal phase and has been allowed to leave the prison for treatment. When he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 he was in jail, accused of encouraging subversion to state power.

In the face of growing international concerns about the dissident's health, a Chinese deputy minister for justice told the US and European diplomatic representatives that Liu was too ill to be transported. A few days later, however, he was given permission for foreign doctors to visit him.

In the absence of a reaction from the Chinese government, a statement by the Shenyang Hospital, which is treating the dissident, notes that "US and German experts say that Liu has no better options abroad."
The seventh round of UN-mediated meetings opens today in the Swiss city. Pessimism prevails among delegations. Opposition Leader: "modest expectations". Washington and Moscow mediate a ceasefire in three southwestern provinces, allowing aid delivery.

Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The seventh round of UN-mediated peace talks on Syria, between the government of Damascus and the opposition, opens today in Geneva, Switzerland. Diplomatic efforts promoted by international diplomacy continue while on the ground the cease the fire announced at the G20 summit in Hamburg (Germany) at the weekend between President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin seems to hold.

Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi, assistant to the UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, points out that the ceasefire has provided a "positive momentum" on the eve of the meeting and the benefits will be seen "from today" in Switzerland.

There are four key points in the Geneva negotiations, which see the United Nations working in parallel to the Astana talks sponsored by Russia, Iran and Turkey. First, the drafting of a new constitution; Governance, understood as a political transition; Regular elections; The fight against terrorism.

However, the differences between the forces on the ground and the powers - regional and international - that support them are still evident. This is why a feeling of caution, if not of outright mistrust prevails. Interviewed on the outcome of this new round of meetings Yehia al-Aridi, spokesperson for the HNC, the umbrella group bringing together anti-Assad movements, speaks of "modest expectations".

The Syrian conflict, sparked in March 2011 as a protest movement against President Bashar al-Assad, has caused more than 320,000 casualties and at least 11 million refugees, internally displaced and migrants. In recent months, international diplomacy has achieved some (partial) successes, including the national truce that has been in place since last December and the creation of "de-escalation" areas of the conflict.

The last of these is the agreement between Washington and Moscow for a truce in the fighting in the southwest of the country, achieved in recent days. It covers three provinces: Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida. Government and opposition fighters have respected the ceasefire, with some sporadic and isolated exceptions. The agreement also includes the withdrawal of Iranian operational militias on the ground in support of Assad and Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah guerrillas.

It has also provided free access for the distribution of humanitarian aid and first-aid supplies in the areas concerned. Added to this is the beginning of the process of gradual repatriation of refugees from neighboring Jordan.
"The US, with its dangerous military provocation, is pushing the risk of a nuclear war on the peninsula to a tipping point, wrote North Koreas Rodong Sinmun newspaper in an editorial. The US saying it will regularly deploy strategic bombers to the Korean Peninsula is the same as a crazy act of playing fire on top of an ammunitions locker. A small misjudgement or error can immediately lead to the beginning of a nuclear war, which will inevitably lead to another world war, the paper added. Meanwhile, South Korean President Moon Jae-In tries to keep the door open to dialogue.

Pyongyang (AsiaNews/Agencies)  On Sunday, the North's state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper published an editorial titled Don't play with fire on a powder keg after two US bombers flew through the Korean Peninsula in a show of force in response to North Koreas launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on 4 July.

The article expressed the irritation of Kim Jong-Un's regime over the joint exercises in which two long-range US B-1B Lancer bombers flew close to the heavily-fortified intra-Korean border and dropped 2,000-pound bombs," The Nord Korea Times reported.

Kim Jong-Un promptly reacted accusing US President Donald Trump of pushing North Korea and the Korean peninsula as a whole to the brink of a nuclear war.

Japan also took part in the last phase of the joint drill. The US bombers flew with Japanese F-2 fighter jets over the East China Sea on their way back to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The mission lasted ten hours.

The US, with its dangerous military provocation, is pushing the risk of a nuclear war on the peninsula to a tipping point, the Rodong Sinmun editorial said.

It added, The US saying it will regularly deploy strategic bombers to the Korean Peninsula is the same as a crazy act of playing fire on top of an ammunitions locker. A small misjudgement or error can immediately lead to the beginning of a nuclear war, which will inevitably lead to another world war.

The editorial further justified North Korea's weapons' tests as "legitimate and justified measures" amid increasing "threats of nuclear war" against Pyongyang by Washington.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump met the leaders of South Korea and Japan during the G20 summit in Germany and the three leaders issued a joint statement condemning North Koreas launch.

For his part, South Korean President Moon Jae-in remains in favour of dialogue and aid for the people of North Korea. He has also clashed with his military chiefs over the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).

The United States has tried to involve as many countries as possible in its diplomatic action against North Korea.

During the meeting between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two discussed the issue.

However, the US has had great difficulty in getting China and Russia to agree on totally isolating Kim's regime.
Consuming too much sugar whilst pregnant could cause allergies in child





Consuming too much sugar whilst pregnant could increase the risk of allergies and allergic asthma a UK study has found.

Until now, there has only been reported links between children eating high amounts of sugar and the development of asthma.

According to the research, out of the mothers studied, when comparing the 20 per cent with the highest sugar intake against the 20 per cent with the lowest, there was a 38 per cent increased risk that the children whose mothers consumed the higher amounts of sugar would have an allergy. There was also 101 per cent increased risk for allergic asthma in these children.

Lead researcher, Sief Shaheen, said it currently cannot be concluded with certainty that mothers who consume lots of sugar could increase their childs risk of developing allergies or allergic asthma, but that it is something which needs further investigation.

The first step is to see whether we can replicate these findings in a different cohort of mothers and children, Professor Shaheen said.

If we can, then we will design a trial to test whether we can prevent childhood allergy and allergic asthma by reducing the consumption of sugar by mothers during pregnancy, he stated.

Professor Shaheen said in the meantime he recommends those who are pregnant follow current guidelines to avoid excessive sugar consumption.

The study is published in volume 50, issue one of the European Respiratory Journal.

Related articles
The state of Australian farming today  ABS releases new snapshot on agriculture industry





Australian farmers are growing more fruit and nuts tells the latest data released from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Findings from the ABS 2015-16 Agricultural Census found that production has increased in most fruit and nut commodities grown in Australia.

Queensland and Victoria were major contributors to the increase with fruit production jumping in both states.

Key statistics

Key statistics from the study included:

85, 681 farming businesses operating in Australia

The gross value of Australias agriculture production for 2015-16 was AUD $56 billion

Australias top three crops for the year were wheat, fruit, nuts & grapes and vegetables

Farmers used 9.2 million mega litres of water on their properties

Mad for mandarins

Australian farmers are growing more mandarins with production increasing by 24 per cent for 2015-16, or 24, 100 tonnes. This was driven by production in all states, but production in Queensland jumped by 23 per cent largely to an increase in the number of trees that can bear fruit.

Queensland accounts for 59 per cent of all of Australias mandarins.

Answering the demand for avocadoes

Australians can rest easy knowing avocado production reached record numbers in 2015-16, an increase of 39 per cent to 67, 000 tonnes.

Production levels jumped in all states, but particularly in Western Australia which increased its production by 53 per cent and Queensland which grew its production by 24 per cent. Both states now produce more than three quarters of Australias avocadoes.

Weather affects apples and pears

Apple production increased 5 per cent to 308, 3000 tonnes with increased production in all states except for in New South Wales and Victoria.

Victoria, which is the largest apple growing state in Australia, accounting for 43 per cent of all apples, experienced a production fall by 1 per cent due to poor weather in the Goulburn Valley.

Hail damage also affected pear production in Victoria which produces 90 per cent of all of Australias pears. Despite the bad weather conditions, Victoria produced 93, 500 tonnes of pears in late 2015 and early 2016.

Record high almond production

Almond production boomed, increasing by 30 per cent for 2015-16 to a record 73, 000 tonnes with production increasing in Victoria to 56, 0000 tonnes and in South Australia to 14, 000 tonnes.

Drop in dairy cows in 2015

There is now 2 per cent less dairy cattle in Australia, with numbers dropping to 2.7 million in 2015-16. The drop came from Victoria, which accounts for approximately two-thirds of Australias dairy cows, but its farmers reported owning 6 per cent less cows.

Meat cattle numbers also fell in 2015

There is also one per cent less meat cattle in Australia, with 302, 000 head reported. Western Australia was largely the cause for the drop with a 12 per cent fall in reported cattle.

Sheep, lambs and pigs steady

The number of sheep and lambs remained fairly steady in 2015-16 except for in Victoria where numbers fell by 5 per cent.

The number of pigs increased by one per cent.

Wheat production falls by 5 per cent

Australias wheat production fell by 5 per cent in 2015-16 to 22 million.

Warm and dry weather conditions were the cause for the fall, with this weather p[particularly hitting the southern part of the country. Victoria experienced a 28 per cent fall in wheat production and South Australia an 18 per cent fall.

The total area planted with crops nationally fell by 8 per cent to 11 million hectares.

Investment in oats

Australias oat production increased by 14 per cent in 2015-16 to 1.3 million tonnes. The ABS reported that the briefer growing period for oats was appealing to farmers experiencing a lack of rain.

Sorghum plummets

Sorghum production fell by 16 per cent to 1.8 million tonnes in 2015-16.

In Queensland, grain sorghum production fell by 25 per cent to 1.2 million tonnes due to dry and hot weather.

New South Wales performed better with a 7 per cent increase to 604,000 tonnes produced despite a 12 per cent decrease in the area planted.

Barley bump

Barley production increased by 6 per cent to 9 million tonnes over 2015-16. The increase was attributed to timely rainfall, good weather conditions and a 3 per cent increase in planted area. New South Wales increase its production by 39 per cent.

Average farmer age now 56

The nations farmers are getting older with the average age of farmers now 56. The typical farmer now has 35 years experience under their belt.

Approximately 78 per cent of farmers are male whilst 22 per cent are female.

Farmers reported that 84 per cent of their farm income is from agricultural production holding, 12 per cent from off farm employment and business and 4 per cent from other sources such as relief funding.

Related articles
Screenshot via TSA

The Transportation Security Administration will be providing a hands-on workshop focusing on transportation security at the upcoming Fleet Safety Conference.

The workshop will include a presentation on security threats against transportation fleets and an additional hands-on training session for attendees to improve their companys security posture as part of the TSA Intermodal Security Training and Exercise Program (I-STEP).

TSA Subject Matter Experts in Improvised Explosive Devices David Cooper and Daryn Frank will administer the session. Frank currently oversees a team of compliance inspectors at TSAs Chicago Field Office focused on surface and cargo. He has held an array of positions, inlcuding director of security of the John Hancock Building in Chicago, public safety director of the Illinois Institute of Technology, and director of internal affairs for Levy Security. Additionally, Frank served with distinction as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps.

The Fleet Safety Conference will take place from July 24-26 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill. It is an industry event hosted by Bobit Business Media publications Heavy Duty Trucking, Automotive Fleet, and Work Truck and is designed specifically for fleet, risk, safety, sales, human resources and EHS professionals.

The Fleet Safety Conference will offer current and expert insights and practical education on a wide range of topics focused on improving fleet safety.

For register or find more information on the upcoming Fleet Safety Conference, including the schedule, sponsors, hotel, and travel info, click here.
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Maggie Taylor constructs photomontages to create a dreamlike world inhabited by everyday objects. Runs through 9/9.

Opening & Artist Reception

Friday July 7, 57pm

On View: July 7  September 9, 2017

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

photo-eye Gallery is thrilled to announce Maggie Taylor: A tale begun in other days an exhibition of color photomontages from our newest represented artist Maggie Taylor opening Friday July 7th and continuing through September 2nd, 2017. An Opening and Artist Reception will take place on Friday, July 7th from 5  7 PM.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Maggie Taylor constructs what she terms dreamlike worlds inhabited by everyday objects. An early adopter, Maggie Taylor has been utilizing digital technology to build her evocative and elaborate photomontages for more than 20 years. These whimsical narratives often begin as pastel background drawings with additional components such as 19th Century photographs, drawings, vintage toys, seashells, feathers, and taxidermy scanned and meticulously arranged over time to complete the scene. Working instinctively, Taylor crafts a surreal alternate reality rife with curious peculiarities and rich in symbolism.

"I work very spontaneously and intuitively, trying to come up with images that have a resonance and a somewhat mysterious narrative content. There is no one meaning for any of the images, rather they exist as a kind of visual riddle or open-ended poem, meant to be both playful and provocative. "  Maggie Taylor

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Maggie Taylor is an artist who lives amid the Spanish moss and live oaks at the edge of a small swamp on the outskirts of Gainesville, Florida. Taylors photomontages have been widely exhibited and have been collected by many museums including the following: The Center for Creative Photography, Tucson; The George Eastman House, Rochester; Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans; The Art Museum, Princeton University; The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland; and The Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University among others. Maggie Taylor's work is also featured in the following publications: Adobe Photoshop Master Class: Maggie Taylor's Landscape of Dreams, Peachpit Press; Solutions Beginning with A, Modernbook Editions; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Modernbook Editions; Album, Edizioni Si; and No Ordinary Days, University Press of Florida.

For more information please contact Anne Kelly - anne@photoeye.com | 505-988-5152 x202
Deep Inside Oregon Coast's Yachats State Recreational Area: Fun, Facts, Features

Published 07/10/2017 at 2:24 AM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Yachats, Oregon)  Right behind downtown Yachats sits one of the Oregon coast's greatest treasures: Yachats State Recreational Area. Picnicking, fishing and viewpoints are the big attraction here, and it's a decent spot to see whales as well.

Hence this complete guide to the state park's attractions, features, hiking, and fun facts.

There's essentially three main parts to Yachats State Recreational Area: the parking lot and its viewing spots, the rocky slabs with the raging ocean, and the sights and sands along the mouth of Yachats Bay. Not all of this is always accessible, but what makes it dangerous is also what makes the park engaging to watch.

The borders of this state park run from W 3rd St. to just around the bend of the bay  approximately a half mile of scenic walks and bulky boulders. The centerpiece is the grassy patch and parking area with restrooms and the viewing platform, and from there you can usually walk down a set of steps to the wild and woolly shoreline that's full of surprises.





One of the highlights is the crushed concrete stairway you'll find, which was destroyed sometime in the '90s by a major storm. It was still fairly new in 1993, when Oregon Coast Beach Connection founders first started visiting the area. Then one day it was no more. It took a few years for the next stairway to be built in the early 2000's, and in between, getting up and down that stretch was perilous at times.

From here, the rocky shelves start and stop as you head north, and the sands here are a thick, rather ouchy brand of grain that can be a bit rough once inside your shoes or on bare feet. These tiny pocket beaches (really just spots of sand between two giant slabs) are a kick.

Other highlights include looking for agates and the big, weirdly shaped holes in the basalt  only traversable at lower tides however.

After this entrance, there is not an easily accessed one for another good mile. Keep that in mind if tides are rough: you may get hurt if you stray into a stretch that's small. However, Oceanview Dr. continues on for awhile above the cliffs and offers some awesome little spots to watch the waves from a bench or two. It then loops back up onto Highway 101, where the next public access is almost a mile north at the start of the 804 Trail.





Insider's Tip: hang out here at night. The lights on the bay are magical.

Hiking. There's no hiking trail at the Yachats State Recreational Area, per se (see the paragraph above). There are some nearby. In the 1998 edition of his book 100 Hikes / Travel Guide, Oregon Coast & Coast Range, William L. Sullivan is writing about what is still called Yachats State Park at the time.

Hollywood has filmed Yachats' wave-pounded coast often enough that even big-name stars have discovered this little town's funky coffeeshops, romantic bed & breakfast inns and surprisingly suave restaurants, he wrote sometime before 1995.

Sullivan notes the fant-abulous hiking spots around the area, including the miles of sandy beach just north of town, various trails on Cape Perpetua, Cummins Ridge, and Gynn Creek. Yachats Hotels - Lodging in this area - Where to eat - Maps and Virtual Tours

History. For awhile it was called Yachats Park, and then as recently as the early 2000's it was still called Yachats State Park. Sometime since then its name was changed to Yachats State Recreational Area. It came came from various land gifts and purchases, including from Lincoln County and a citizen named L.P. Gill, all happening between 1928 to 1986.

Before that, the area around Yachats was occupied by a tribe actually called Wooshea, according to Lincoln County historical records, which was somehow transmuted by white conquerors into the "Alsea" tribe. All remnants of their semi-earthen homes were destroyed in the paving over of the area, although some archaeological digs have discovered their presence goes back as far as 1500 years ago.

A Freaky Fact: they weren't treated very nicely in life  or in death. More on the history of Yachats.

Geologically, this part of the central Oregon coast is fascinating. It's a mishmash of basalt eruptions from as far east as near Idaho and some local volcanoes about 50 million years ago. (Cape Perpetua is one of these volcanoes.)

Important Travel Facts:

GPS coordinates are: 44.3105 N, 124.1074 W. It is close to milepost 164 on Highway 101.

Yachats State Recreational Area has flushable toilets which are ADA compliant. Most of its concrete walkways are also wheelchair-accessible.

There's a drinking fountain at the restrooms.

Feeding seagulls is tempting here, but it's a big no-no (although you won't see signs saying so). Seagulls can get sick on human food, and it causes them to interact with humans in negative ways. This includes contaminating local water.





Beach Safety: Safety is a huge issue along this part of the central Oregon coast because the rocky shelves sit right up against the waters. It's important to keep back from the waves, especially in late fall, winter and spring when waters are wilder.

You need only look at the large chunks of driftwood farther up the embankment to see how powerful the breakers are here.

More at the Yachats Virtual Tour. State Parks info: (800) 551-6949.

More About Yachats Lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

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A parent of a Beaumont ISD student injured when a school bus crashed while returning from a field trip in April is suing the district, claiming the bus driver and BISD were negligent.

Shanya Portley was one of more than 40 fourth-graders traveling on U.S. 69 from the Big Thicket back to Charlton-Pollard Elementary School on April 5 when the driver, Michelle Lewis, 53, veered into oncoming traffic and crashed into a culvert.

Two dozen students were taken to area hospitals, including one who was airlifted to Houston's Hermann Memorial Hospital with a head injury.

Ashley Portley's suit, filed last week in Jefferson County, alleges that Shanya was injured because of Lewis' negligence, including failure to control the vehicle's speed and operate it safely. Additionally, the suit alleges Beaumont ISD "negligently entrusted a motor vehicle to an incompetent driver" and negligently hired and supervised employees.

Attorney Blake Watson wrote in the suit that BISD is

responsible for the actions of Lewis as an employee of the district.

Portley is seeking between $100,000 and $200,000, according to the petition, for past and future medical expenses, pain, impairment, disfigurement and future loss of earning capacity.

While school districts are exempt from most legal claims under governmental immunity, personal injury claims resulting from the use of a motor vehicle are an exception, and the district can legally be found liable under state law.

Lewis was given a citation for failure to control speed from the Lumberton Police Department, according to Chief Danny Sullins.

"That's standard when a vehicle hits another from behind," Sullins said.

No criminal charges were filed.

A camera on the bus, which might have recorded the crash, had not worked correctly since 2015, Sullins said. Efforts by the manufacturer to retrieve footage were unsuccessful.

In addition to financial damages, Portley is asking the district to provide copies of documents responding to 82 requests, including Lewis' road and written tests, her cell phone bill for a month leading up to and including the day of the crash, including dates and times of all calls, and all of her time cards and work records from the last year.

Beaumont ISD, which is closed this week, has not filed a response to the petition or discovery requests.

In April, the district told The Enterprise that parents should use their own insurance for healthcare needs, and spokeswoman Nakisha Burns said the district planned to talk to parents who were asking for financial help with claims.

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A Jefferson County constable recently made history with a "trifecta of different firsts," becoming the youngest person, the first African-American and the first official from Jefferson County to win the state's Constable of the Year award.

Precinct 2 Constable Christopher Bates received the honor last week during the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association's

73rd annual conference in Austin.

"This award is very near and dear to my heart," Bates, 32, said on Friday.

"It is representative of both Southeast Texas and Jefferson County and it brings to light all of the great people doing great things in this region. It feels good to bring it back home."

The award, presented on June 29, is given to constables who interact well with their community and are members of the JPCA, the largest association of elected officials in Texas.

"The award might have my name on it, but it's really for the people in my community that trusted me enough to let me serve," said Bates, whose precinct covers Port Arthur.

JCPA President Constable Carlos Lopez of Austin said it was obvious to him that Bates was deserving of the honor.

"He is definitely up and coming, I can tell you that," Lopez said.

Constables are elected to fill a variety of law enforcement functions, including issuing traffic citations, serving warrants and civil papers and acting as the bailiff for the justice of the peace courts, according to the Texas Association of Counties.

Bates was born in Port Arthur and graduated from Memorial High School and Lamar University.

He joined the Port Arthur Police Department in May 2008 as a patrol officer.

Bates was elected a Jefferson County constable in 2012 at the age of 27, which made him the second-youngest constable in Texas history.

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The Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems' lobbying efforts contributed to officials killing House Bill 2664 in the Senate. according to The Lund Report.

Here are five key notes:

1. The bill would have allowed Oregon ASCs to expand their hours, which sparked opposition from the hospital association.

2. In addition to House Bill 2664, officials eliminated House Bill 2115 that would have mandated hospitals to better account for their charity care to maintain their nonprofit status and avoid paying taxes on profits.

3. The association's efforts did little to eliminate a cost containment bill. The bill fixes non-primary care hospital reimbursements to 200 percent of Medicare for Public Employee Benefit Board and the Oregon Educators Benefit Board health plans.

4. The Lund Report states the cost containment bill will help states lower costs by $190 million by disallowing hospitals from price gouging state workers and teachers' heath plans.

5. Since 2015, the Oregon Hospital Political Action Committee has spent $336,000 financing legislative campaigns for lobbying efforts.
Gerry Silverstein, a Vermont resident and educator with an interest in health, penned an article in VT Digger citing recent literature showing how independent practices and competition strengthen the healthcare system.

The article pertains to Green Mountain Care Board's decision on whether to approve Green Mountain Surgery Center, a proposal starkly opposed by the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. The hospital association says the independent ASC in Colchester, Va., would be unregulated and therefore could not provide the highest quality care at a reduced cost.

Mr. Silverstein cited an article JAMA published in April titled "Making Healthcare Markets Work  Competition Policy for Health Care." The study authors say despite competition improving patient choice, bolstering quality of care and lowering costs, there is a dearth of actionable policy recommendations despite ones that the Federal Trade Commission issued.

Independent practices also may improve quality and generate major savings. In a 2016 Wall Street Journal article, Bob Kocher, MD, a former adviser to the Obama administration on healthcare policy, said "Over the past five years, published research  has indicated that savings and quality improvement are generated much more often by independent primary-care doctors than by large hospital-centric health systems."

Additionally, JAMA published a 2016 study finding primary care group-led ACOs had more savings than ACOs associated with hospitals.

Based on the wealth of research affirming the benefits on independent practice, Mr. Silverstein said officials should assess the literature and see if the proposal for the independent ASC would benefit the region.
Massachusetts plans to use trust fund money earmarked for distressed hospitals to help balance the state budget for the fiscal year that ended June 30, according to a State House News Service report.

Overall, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker's administration plans to raid more than 24 trust funds as part of the budget-balancing efforts, according to the report. Those sweeps are projected to collect nearly $140 million. The sweeps include collecting funds earmarked for distressed hospitals and water supply protection, as well as pivoting funds earmarked "for special purposes" to the Massachusetts general fund, the report states.

The State News Service obtained a letter Massachusetts Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore wrote to state lawmakers, detailing some specifics as far as funds Mr. Baker's administration plans to raid. In the letter, state officials said they plan to raid close to $24 million from the trust fund for distressed hospitals, $3 million from the Regional Tourism Councils Trust, and nearly $321,000 out of the Racing Stabilization Trust Fund.

The sweeps would be executed mid-August at the earliest.
The Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems openly criticized the state senate bill that caps hospital reimbursement rates, which will cost hospitals an estimated $190 million, according to the Portland Business Journal.

The bill, passed in the Oregon Senate on Thursday and House on Friday, caps rates for the Public Employees' Benefit Board and Oregon Educators Benefit Board for the state's 26 largest hospitals at 185 percent of Medicare rates for out-of-network care and 200 percent of Medicare rates for in-network services.

Oregon hospitals are objecting to the bill because the decrease in reimbursements comes alongside a hospital tax increase that will cost $120 million and termination of a federal-state quality and patient safety program that generated $180 million.

"When you add on the $190 million estimated impact from this very niche 'cost control' measure, we can't do anything but be clear: It's going to have an impact on services, on staffing and the shift of costs to other commercially insured patients," Andy Davidson, president and CEO of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, told the Portland Business Journal.

The bill's supporters say the it will reduce state spending to help fix the budget gap.

The legislation is headed to Oregon Gov. Kate Brown's desk.
Grand Coulee, Wash.-based Coulee Medical Center CEO Jonathan Owens resigned, according to a report by The Star.

Here are five notes:

1. Mr. Owens chose to resign before his first annual performance evaluation. He served as CEO since July 2016.

2. A hospital district commission committee interviewed employees in the month leading up to the evaluation.

3. During the interviews, hospital employees voiced concerns over the management structure, which they said was "changing in a way that had everyone reporting directly to the chief executive officer," according to the report.

4. Ramona Hicks has taken over as interim CEO.

5. Ms. Hicks worked at the hospital since 1993, serving in numerous roles, such as operating room supervisor, infection control nurse and quality director.
Morris County Hospital in Council Grove, Kan., announced the resignation of CEO Jim Reagan, effective Aug. 31, according to a report by The Emporia Gazette.

Here are three things to know:

1. Mr. Reagan is leaving to pursue opportunities in medical consulting.

2. He served as the critical access hospital's leader for the more than 20 years.

3. During his tenure, the hospital grew significantly, adding a rehabilitation facility with a therapy pool as well as a state-of-the-art MRI.
Minneapolis-based Children's Minnesota and Eagan-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota reached a deal Friday, saving 66,000 patients from paying out-of-network rates.

Children's Minnesota went out-of-network with BCBS of Minnesota July 5 after the parties failed to negotiate a new contract before their existing agreement expired. However, the hospital and insurer reached a new deal July 7. Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson intervened to help the two parties reach an agreement after policyholders expressed concern over losing access to in-network care at Children's Minnesota, according to the St. Cloud Times.

"I really want to commend the two CEOs of Children's and Blue Cross for coming together and doing this in the Minnesota way," Ms. Swanson said during a news conference Friday, according to the SC Times. "They were just incredibly productive in their conversations."

The new contract is a three-year deal; however, the specific terms of the agreement and how the deal could affect prices for BCBS policyholders have not been disclosed.

"Blue Cross is very pleased that our members now have clarity on the network status of Children's and can continue to see their doctors," said Michael Guyette, president and CEO at Blue Cross. "Children's is an essential partner in this work, specifically our commitment to children's health and access to quality care in the region."

Children's Minnesota CEO Bob Bonar said the new contract is "fair and equitable," according to the report.
As Congressional Republicans push forward with ACA repeal and replacement efforts, a spotlight has fallen on the health law's section 1332 innovation waivers, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation brief.

The waivers allow states to opt out of specific requirements of the ACA to implement different health coverage models, as long the models have similarly comprehensive benefits and are as affordable, comparable in terms of number of state residents covered and do not increase the federal deficit. The Senate GOP's healthcare bill only preserves the requirement alternative models do not increase the federal deficit.

Here are seven things to know about the current status of section 1332 waivers.



1. States have used section 1332 waivers limitedly. So far, six states  Alaska, California, Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota and Vermont  have filed waiver applications.



2. Hawaii is the only state with an approved waiver. Vermont's waiver is under review. Both states submitted section 1332 waivers with relatively narrow requests, including continuing existing coverage requirements and enrollment procedures for small group health plans, KFF reports.



3. California withdrew its section 1332 waiver application after the November 2016 election. The state sought to allow undocumented immigrants to purchase health insurance through California's ACA exchange without premium subsidies.



4. The federal government is currently reviewing Alaska's waiver application, which requests federal pass-through funding to finance its reinsurance program, KFF states.

5. Minnesota filed a section 1332 waiver application at the end of May seeking similar market stabilization assistance as Alaska, in addition to broader requests to change its individual market.

6. Iowa submitted a request similar to Alaska's reinsurance program, but like Minnesota is looking for broader changes to its individual market. The state proposed eliminating its ACA exchange and providing federal assistance to eligible individuals buying health coverage off the exchange. Iowa and Minnesota asked the Trump administration to expedite the waivers.

7. HHS Secretary Tom Price, MD, sent a letter in March to all state governors encouraging them to apply for 1332 waivers. Only seven states said they would consider pursuing a waiver.
Lack of transportation is a major barrier to providing access to care, especially among vulnerable patient populations. That's why RideAustin, Community Care Collaborative and Dell Medical School in Austin, Texas, are partnering to offer free rides to low-income and uninsured residents of Travis County, according to Spectrum News.

The nonprofit ride sharing app, nonprofit healthcare company and medical school are teaming up with the hope that patients without cars of their own or easy access to public transportation will use the free rides to attain needed healthcare services with more consistency.

The program is expected to launch in August and will serve 50 patients, who have been identified as having the greatest need for medical care and transportation, according to the report.
A new study published in Spine examines workers compensation patients with degenerative spinal stenosis.

The 364 patients included in the study from the Ohio Workers Compensation database either underwent primary decompression or primary decompression and fusion between 1993 and 2013. The study authors found:

1. The decompression only patients reported a higher return to work rate  36 percent, compared with 25 percent in the fusion group.

2. Fusion was a negative predictor of return to work status, as demonstrated by a logistic regression model.

3. The rate of postoperative instability and subsequent fusion among the decompression-only patients was 8 percent.

4. The cost for patients undergoing fusions was $46,115 through three years after surgery when compared with the patients who only underwent decompressions.

5. The study authors concluded fusion had a "significantly negative impact" on the outcomes for workers compensation patients. "The results demonstrate the high risk of postoperative morbidity associated with fusion procedures and underscore the need to strongly reevaluate the use of fusion for DLS without instability in the WC population."

More articles on spine surgery:



5 key points on spine surgeon variation in single-level fusion



7 trends in spine surgery malpractice cases



4 spine surgeons & neurosurgeons on the move in June 2017




Pakistan on Sunday released 78 Indian fishermen from Karachi's Landhi jail, held for trespassing into its water territory. "The fishermen were released from Karachi's Landhi jail. 298 Indian fishermen are still imprisoned and will be released on completion of the verification of their nationalities by India," officials said.
Insurer Legal & General said in May that it plans to relocate parts of its business to Dublin

Frankfurt and Dublin have emerged as top destinations for financial services looking to shift operations out of the UK after Brexit, beating rival hubs such as Luxembourg and Paris.

EY's Brexit Tracker shows that 59 of the 222 companies monitored are either reviewing their primary locations or have started moving parts of their business out of the UK, up from 23 companies in March.

W hile "several" companies have cited more than one possible hub for those operations, the survey found that most firms have chosen Germany or Ireland as their new EU home.

The survey highlighted that 19 firms have already publicly stated that they will be moving staff or operations to Dublin or other parts of Ireland, while 18 have mentioned Frankfurt or Germany in their post-Brexit contingency plans.

Insurer Legal & General said in May that it plans to relocate parts of its business to Dublin and Barclays is reportedly planning to bulk up its Irish offices.

Japanese banks including Daiwa and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) have announced plans for subsidiaries in Frankfurt, while Standard Chartered confirmed in May that it had contacted the local regulator about setting up its own subsidiary in the German city, where it already has a presence.

The report said that 11 firms have turned to Luxembourg - which has already attracted a number of insurers including RSA, AIG and Hiscox - including six wealth and asset management firms.

In total, 23 major banks, asset managers and insurers have now established or bolstered their EU subsidiaries in reaction to Brexit, up from 18 back in March.

Commenting on the findings, Omar Ali, EY's UK financial services leader, said: "The difference three months on from the triggering of Article 50 is that we are seeing major financial brands put their contingency plans into action - over a quarter of the companies we track have suggested there will be potential changes to their London base as a result of Brexit.

"This process will only accelerate as firms finalise their submissions to the regulators on their Brexit plans."

Frankfurt and Dublin tie for first place among investment banks intending to move as a result of Brexit, followed by Paris.

France has so far attracted HSBC, which already has a full service universal bank in the country, and is now on course to move 1,000 jobs from its London office.

The report noted that 22 investment banks in total have indicated plans to shift operations.

JP Morgan has chosen multiple destinations for its post-Brexit operations, having announced plans to move up to 1,000 London jobs to offices in Frankfurt, Luxembourg and Dublin in the coming months.

EY said 15 of the firms it tracked have yet to reveal a location despite suggesting plans to move staff or shift operations, while 68% of companies monitored have remained tight lipped about the impact that Brexit could have on its European operations.

But Mr Ali warned that the dispersion of financial services across the EU would ultimately harm the industry.

"The variety of locations being announced highlights that no one European centre is emerging as a compelling alternative to London.

"However, these operational changes also highlight a real risk to European businesses and the wider economy, as the fragmentation of European financial services could increase costs and limit the breadth and depth of finance options for European corporates."
Shares in BAE Systems powered ahead on Monday after the firm escaped a potential earnings blow when the High Court ruled the UK could continue selling arms to Saudi Arabia.

Two judges in London decided the Secretary of State for International Trade had not acted unlawfully or irrationally in refusing to block export licences for the multi-billion sale and transfer of arms and military equipment.

The British defence giant, which generates more than 3 billion of its revenues from business with the Arab nation, rose 12.5p to 630p. The wider FTSE 100 Index climbed 19.11 points to 7,370.03.

Across Europe, Germany's Dax and the Cac 40 in France both closed 0.5% higher.

On the currency markets, the pound was marginally lower against the US dollar at 1.288 and flat versus the euro 1.130.

The greenback continued to strengthen following better-than-expected US non-farm payrolls data on Friday, which showed that 222,000 new positions were created in June.

The oil price endured another choppy session, falling in early trading before swinging to a 1% rise at 47.19 US dollars a barrel.

David Madden, market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said traders have "less faith" in Opec's ability to curb oil production and support prices despite pledging to tackle the global supply glut.

In UK stocks, Carillion's stock price crashed after it warned over its performance and said that the board is to carry out a "comprehensive review" of the business, with the firm's chief executive to step down.

The construction and infrastructure giant downgraded its annual revenue guidance in a half-year trading update, with sales now expected to be between 4.8 billion and 5 billion and its overall performance forecast to be "below management's previous expectations".

To compound matters, chief executive Richard Howson is to step down and be replaced by Keith Cochrane on an interim basis while a search is undertaken for a permanent boss.

Following a review carried out by KPMG, the FTSE 250 firm said it will book an 854 million provision linked to certain UK and overseas contracts.

A total of 375 million relates to the UK and 470 million to overseas markets in the Middle East and Canada.

Nicholas Hyett, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Carillion looks like it's trying to bail out a supertanker with a soup spoon.

"Despite the group's best efforts, debt is continuing to climb, and at an increasing rate, while the construction business seems to be hitting one hurdle after another.

"Judging by this announcement, the board are prepared to do everything it takes in order to save the ship. But talk of a review of capital structure, and the ongoing debt problem, will leave investors worried that a significant rights issue could be on the horizon."

Shares in the firm fell 39%, or 75p to 117.1p.

The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 Index were Schroders up 68p to 3,225p, BAE Systems up 12.5p to 630p, BHP Billiton up 21p to 1,263.5p, Anglo American up 17p to 1,068p.

The biggest fallers were Shire down 138p to 4,186.5p, Next down 73p to 3,693p, Provident Financial down 42p to 2,330p, Marks & Spencer down 5.5p to 339p.
A year after the horrendous terrorist attack at Nice, on the French Riviera last year, maybe everyone should mark France's national holiday this Friday, on July 14, as a show of solidarity. But then, according to a sensational, best-selling, new history of France, July 14 qualifies as a globalised holiday anyway, because the whole concept of a national holiday is French.

The Histoire Mondiale de la France (global history of France) is controversial because it takes a completely different approach to the national narrative, which traditionally began with the story of "our ancestors, the Gauls". This new version, written by a series of scholars and edited by Patrick Boucheron, emphasises not the national identity, but the cosmopolitan one. That's why some critics hate it - the leading French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut called the authors "the gravediggers of the great French heritage".

This new way of looking at French history has more emphasis on 'soft power' - rather than military power: it is more feminised; and it is seeking to show that there is no such thing as a pure French race. It does claim that European civilisation began in France, with Cro-Magnon man in the Dordogne, 34,000 years BC. This was the first humanised settlement and these prehistoric folk displayed their humanity by painting on the walls.

But the story goes on with the interplay of non-French influences which made France what it is: it was the Lebanese (the Phoenicians) who forged the port of Marseilles, 600 years BC, just as the last of the Celts in France were dying out. Russians, Tartars, Catalans, Turks, Venetians, Muslims and Jews contributed to the composition of the country, and slaves were traded through Marseilles, Perpignan and Nice. There were Persians at the court of the French king.

The Koran was first translated into French by a French priest in 1143. The University of Paris was already an international campus in 1215. It's claimed that the French invented, and then launched, universal monasticism at Cluny, in 910. Surely the Irish monks had been scribing away in their monastic cells long before that?

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France invented the idea of the universal museum: Napoleon didn't just go off and conquer other lands - he always brought cultural loot back to France.

The quirky elements of history are given an emphasis. If France hadn't grabbed colonial cocoa fields from Spain we mightn't have the pleasures of chocolate - the first chocolate shop was opened in 1659 in the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, near the Louvre. The international concept of the novel was really started by Balzac in 1842, with La Comedie Humaine. And surprisingly, for a culture which emphasises its secularism, the apparition at Lourdes is singled out as a significant step towards globalisation - the story of a peasant girl's vision in a poor village in the Pyrenees became a world event, communicated by a burgeoning international press, railways and photography.

The French launched the metre as a universal measure in 1875, just as they had pioneered the Suez Canal, opened in 1869, as another step in globalisation.

An experiment by Coco Chanel in a perfume laboratory in 1921 produced what became the most famous fragrance in the world - Chanel No 5 - a signature scent for Marilyn Monroe (and Andy Warhol). Chanel mixed business acumen with inspirational genius. She needed to diversify her brand, and she sought the floral freshness of the countryside to define "the scent of a woman".

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Three times in history, there have been suggestions that France and Britain should be united as one country. First in 1420 after Agincourt, secondly in 1940 and thirdly in 1956, during the (disastrous) Suez crisis. Actually, when Winston Churchill suggested that France should be united to Britain, the French premier Paul Reynaud replied: "To be united with England would be like being married to a corpse." Brexit may revive such thoughts - though the corpse came through 1940.

The critics of this globalised approach to history feel that it is downplaying the tradition of a French national identity. The more extreme critics suspect that it's propaganda for the idea that France was always composed of immigrants.

And yet, French national pride runs deep, for although the narrative seems to stress 'globalisation' ('mondialisation'), it all adds up to a paean of praise to France's influence on the world, and how many modern movements France started. France launched the coastal holiday resort, France started the celebration of the movie industry in Cannes in 1946, the UN Rights of Man of 1948 were really French. A French priest, Abbe Pierre, began the modern humanitarian movement in 1954, France was the inspiration for contemporary progressive thinking about race relations through the writings of Franz Fanon. France is the mother of all revolutions and also, it is admitted, of the terrorism that followed revolution.

Modern art began with Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon in France in 1907 (intended to be called The Bordello of Avignon). Picasso was a Spanish communist who could only have painted in France. As prehistoric civilisation started with painting, so do our modern visual concepts. We may well say 'Vive la France!' for July 14.
The annual Drumcree parade was again prevented from walking down the Garvaghy Road yesterday

Garvaghy Road residents have demanded an apology from Drumcree Orangemen over a parading dispute which has lasted almost 20 years.

Portadown District Master Darryl Hewitt revealed the demand came via the Parades Commission and claimed the residents have rejected their talks proposal as he addressed brethren at their weekly protest on Sunday.

Although the Orange Order has not been permitted to complete its parade following an annual church service back to Carleton Street since July 1998, it stages a protest walk to the barrier every Sunday.

Mr Hewitt said district officers have been seeking to achieve a resolution over the past years, but without success. He vowed they will continue to press to be allowed to stage the parade.

"We will not be walking away from this place and I can assure you that we will continue to work hard to achieve what we desire," he said.

The senior Orangeman said nationalist residents from the Garvaghy Road met with the Parades Commission last December and told the officials they wanted an apology.

"They have also in the determination stated that the residents want an apology - what for I'm not sure. Did they contact us to ask if we would issue an apology? No," he said.

"They have also stated there are 45 parades from a unionist/loyalist origin in Portadown every year, many of which include the Orange Order. We have looked at this statement and cannot work out where they get that number from - they must also be including youth parades in this total!

"Have the Parades Commission made any contact with us on any of these issues? No."

Mr Hewitt insisted that Portadown District has offered the residents talks with a neutral chairman and neutral venue and with no preconditions - but he added that this had not received a "favourable response".

"Why have the residents been rewarded for this? Where is the threat of violence coming from? It's certainly not us," he said.

"We were often told 'no talk, no walk', what about 'we've tried to talk, it's time to walk'. We are only looking to complete a traditional parade and remember those who paid the supreme sacrifice for all in this community - the 36th Ulster and 16th Irish Divisions fought alongside each other."

DUP MLA Carla Lockhart was among those who turned out to support the Portadown brethren yesterday.

"Another year has passed and still an unelected quango is deciding the outcome," she told the Belfast Telegraph. "It is frustrating and I would commend those who have faithfully carried on their stand.

"I would call on the Parades Commission to take a common sense approach to this and recognise the rights of the brethren to complete their return parade."

The Drumcree dispute made headlines around the world from 1995 to 2000, with protests against the parade by nationalist residents leading to it being stopped in 1995 and 1996.

This led to a stand-off between the security forces and loyalists. It was allowed again in 1997, before being banned every year since.

Efforts have been ongoing since then to bring about talks between the Orangemen and residents.

Last month, Portadown District LOL took to Twitter to urge that its case be considered by the Prime Minister Theresa May and the DUP in their talks to form a pact at Westminster.
The Church of England has "turned a corner" after its ruling body voted overwhelming in favour of welcoming transgender people, the vicar who brought the motion said

The Church of England has "turned a corner" after its ruling body voted overwhelming in favour of welcoming transgender people, the vicar who brought the motion said.

The General Synod backed Rev Chris Newlands' motion, which said transgender people should be "welcomed and affirmed in their parish church" as part of the "long and often complex process" of transition.

Mr Newlands had also called for the Church to provide guidance to help clergy provide services for transgender people to mark their transition.

Bishops voted 30 to two in favour, while 127 lay members voted for and 48 against, and clergy backed the motion 127 to 28.

The vote came after bishops overwhelmingly backed a motion calling for a ban on "unethical" conversion therapy for gay Christians.

Opening the debate, Mr Newlands said: "I hope that we can make a powerful statement to say that we believe that trans people are cherished and loved by God, who created them, and is present through all the twists and turns of their lives."

Speaking afterwards, he told the Press Association: "I'm euphoric and exhausted.

"I think it was a good debate with some excellent contributions. I did think there were some comments which reflect some of the extreme views which we would wish to counter.

"I'm getting so many messages from trans friends around the world. Synod has changed - we have turned a corner.

"Since the February decision on sexuality, bishops have realised they cannot continue to do what they have always done."

He was referring to an amendment to his motion that asked for the Church to determine the theological arguments before any liturgy - or Church customs - are adopted.

Lay member Tim Hind said the amendment would make the Church look "foolish".
DUP and PUP leaders at Belfast City Council have issued a joint statement on the injunction on bonfires in the city, accusing Sinn Fein of trying to dictate how the Twelfth should be celebrated.

They also called for a "cultural convention" to look at how Orange events should be marked.

Until Monday lunchtime no unionist representatives from any of the parties on the council had spoken publicly on the matter. Sources told the Belfast Telegraph all parties on the council supported the move to obtain the injunction.

Jamie Bryson sent a letter containing an ultimatum to all 24 unionist councillors giving them until 5pm on Monday to condemn the council's injunction and distance themselves from it.

The Belfast Telegraph also asked the DUP, UUP and PUP for their position on the injunction, on if they supported the council's going to court, or supported the injunction after it was granted.

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Unionist representatives from the DUP and PUP, in a joint statement, called for a "cultural convention" to be held in the autumn in order to address how Twelfth celebrations should be held.

They blamed Sinn Fein for a "cultural war" and attempting to "rewrite" the narrative around Twelfth celebrations and also of trying to dictate how loyalists should celebrate their tradition.

While there was no mention of the injunction on the bonfires or if they supported the move - a DUP party spokesman confirmed the statement was in response to calls for a comment on the issue.

We must not let our unity of purpose be disrupted or harmed by the actions of those who want to devalue and demean us. DUP and PUP statement

The DUP's Lee Reynolds and PUP's Billy Hutchinson said: "We call upon everyone who identifies with the Twelfth Celebrations to ensure that they are as big a success as previous years. The parades and bonfires are about celebrating a momentous victory and a key part of the narrative around our contribution to our national history.

"In recent weeks there has been a clear strategy to rewrite this narrative and to discredit the celebrations surrounding it. Republicans wish to undo all positive progress such as the growth of Orangefest and the successes of the Bonfire programme. We must not let our unity of purpose be disrupted or harmed by the actions of those who want to devalue and demean us.

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"It is our belief that this continued aggression by Sinn Fein and their continuation of a cultural war, is a vain attempt to give their ageing leadership a legacy and to restore their credibility within their own ranks. This has also lead to their walking away from the institutions and in doing so, holding all of the citizens or Northern Ireland to ransom and hurting those most in need from all sections of our society. In short, when Sinn Fein finds itself in a predicament it opts for street agitation and this occurs with parades, bonfires and other cultural issues.

Republicans wish to undo all positive progress such as the growth of Orangefest. DUP and PUP statement

"In Belfast City Council in particular, Jim McVeigh is being used as the glorified message boy for Storey and Murray as they to hide the strategic failures of Gerry Adams whether for their own communities or wider society. It is no surprise that Belfast has become their focus once again, following the huge success of three unionist MPs returned in Belfast."

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The statement continued: "We believe that the best answer to this street agitation, is to deliver our best during this years celebrations. This attempt at cultural dictation must not be accepted. Instead, we must work together for a cultural renewal that includes input from the parading organisations, bands, community organisations and bonfire groups.

"Therefore, going forward, we invite those who want the Twelfth celebrations to succeed to come together this Autumn for a Cultural Convention. The aim of this will be to ensure that the unionist community can go forward with one voice in promoting our culture, heritage and tradition, as well as to ensure that our celebrations continue to be bigger, better and more successful than ever before.

This injunction was supported by all political parties on Belfast City Council including the DUP, UUP and PUP. Sinn Fein response

Responding, a Sinn Fein spokesperson said: It is clear from this statement that both the DUP and PUP have provided no answer to the public for their support for the court injunction on four council sites.

What is needed now is leadership from unionist parties instead of attempting to divert from their support for these injunctions with a baseless and inflammatory attack on Sinn Fein."
Mrs Justice Keegan refused to grant the application on the grounds that Walls would not adhere to any conditions she imposed.

A Belfast man who "simply won't behave himself" was refused bail on Monday after it emerged he has a history of breaching conditions imposed.

Ruairi Padraig Walls is currently in custody on charges arising from a burglary and robbery at a house in south Belfast in August 2015.

The 27-year-old, from Donegall Street, is accused of breaking into a house at Newforge Grange, stealing designer sunglasses, clothes and jewellery and of assaulting the 18-year-old occupant, as well as threatening to burn the house down with a 16-year-old girl inside.

During a bail application made on behalf of Walls at the High Court, Mrs Justice Keegan was told that the request was being objected to over concerns Walls would re-offend.

Crown barrister Kate McKay also told the Judge that as Walls has breached conditions imposed the last time he was granted bail "multiple times", there were also concerns he would do the same again.

She said the "plethora of breaches" included drinking alcohol, not observing a curfew and failing to reside at the bail address.

Walls is also alleged to have broken a non-molestation order whilst on bail following a domestic matter in Lisburn on July 1. During his arrest, Walls is accused of being aggressive to police and of telling officers he had swallowed 27 wraps of heroin.

As a result, he was taken to hospital, where medical tests confirmed he had not ingested any drugs, but had been drinking - which the Crown say was yet another breach of bail.

Mrs McKay said: "He could be enjoying bail if he could behave himself while on bail, but he simply won't do that."

The prosecutor confirmed PE papers were being prepared for the burglary and robbery at Newforge Grange.

A barrister acting on behalf of Walls asked that his client be granted bail. Pointing out that "some of the alleged breaches were not brought to the attention of the court", the barrister said that should bail be granted, a job as a casual labourer was available.

Regarding the offences arising from the burglary and robbery in August 2015, the barrister said Walls was entitled to "a presumption of innocence."

After listening to submissions from both the Crown and defence, Mrs Justice Keegan refused to grant the application on the grounds that Walls would not adhere to any conditions she imposed.
The recently launched Norwegian Airlines service from Belfast to Boston suffered a glitch on Saturday after a flight to Providence, Rhode Island was cancelled.

One passenger who was affected wrote on Facebook that the flight was cancelled 15 minutes after she had checked in.

The passenger claimed there was a lack of information and that she had to sit on the floor at the airport for three hours.

In response to a query from the Belfast Telegraph, a spokesperson confirmed the cancellation, and stated that it was "due to staff sickness".

The airline notified the 146 passengers booked on the Belfast to Providence flight of the cancellation by a text message. The SMS included a hotline number for arranging alternative flights or a full refund.

In addition, the spokesperson explained, some passengers were put onto an alternative flight from Belfast to Stewart International on Saturday evening.

"The additional passengers meant that an additional fuel stop en-route was required," he added. "This was planned and arranged before the flight took off, adding approximately one hour to the flight time. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience caused.

Other passengers were booked on the Dublin to Providence flight on Sunday, with additional transport and hotel accommodation provided by the airlines.

Norwegian Airlines routes to the USA came into service at the start of this month, six months after United Airlines withdrew its service from Belfast.
File photo of the wreckage left at the Mulberry Bush pub in Birmingham after a bomb exploded. PA Wire

One of the main suspects in the IRA's 1974 bombing of two pubs in Birmingham has issued an apology for one of the worst terrorist atrocities in British history.

Michael Christopher Hayes - a self-confessed IRA bomb maker who describes himself as "active in the West Midlands" at the time of the attack - told the BBC that he takes "collective responsibility" for the attack, and says that he is ashamed of the loss of life.

"My apologies and my heartfelt sympathy to all of you for a terrible, tragic loss that you've been put through. And for all these years that you've been trying to find closure - I hope at last God will be merciful and bring you closure," the 69-year-old said.

"And I apologise, not only for myself, I apologise for all active republicans who had no intention of hurting anybody and sympathise with you."

The double bombing in 1974 was the worst ever terrorist attack in Britain until the London 7/7 bombings in 2005. In total, 21 people died in the blast and almost 200 were injured.

Two bombs exploded on November 21 1974 in The Mulberry Bush and Tavern In The Town pubs in the city.

A third, unexploded bomb was found in the doorway of Barclays Bank on Hagley Road.

I take full collective responsibility for all operations carried out in the West Midlands. I take collective responsibility for every IRA operation carried out in England, let alone Birmingham. Michael Christopher Hayes

The youngest victims were Neil Marsh and Jane Davis, who were both 17 at the time.

Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine was killed in the attack, has said that an apology from the IRA would be offensive, and the perpetrators should be brought to justice.

The botched police investigation into the attacks led to the wrongful convictions of the Birmingham Six - one of the most infamous miscarriages of justice in British legal history. No-one else has been convicted of the attacks.

In 1990, 16 years after the attack and the year that the six men wrongly convicted of the attack were freed, Mr Hayes was named by Granada television in a dramatic production as one of the bombers in the attack.

In a new documentary, the BBC's Kevin Magee asks Mr Hayes directly if he was involved in planting the bombs.

Mr Hayes responds by saying: "No comment. No comment. I've been accused of a lot of things, without one shred of forensic evidence, without one statement made, without one witness coming out against me."

The former IRA man, who lives in south Dublin, said two men planted the bombs, but he refused to name them or say if he was one of them.

He also repeated a claim that he defused the third bomb that had been planted in the city once he heard of the carnage the first two explosions had caused.

An inquest into the bombings is set to reopen this Autumn but Mr Hayes said he will not give evidence.

The IRA has never officially claimed responsibility for what happened.

BBC News NI Special 'Who Bombed Birmingham?' will be broadcast at 10.40pm July 10 on BBC One Northern Ireland.
Power committed the offences inside and outside the woman's home in the Abercorn Road area of Derry on May 23 of this year, just weeks after he'd moved in with her.

A Dublin man who assaulted a Derry woman whom he met and entered a relationship with through an internet dating website, was jailed for three months at the Magistrate's Court in Derry on Monday.

Dylan Power, 28, from Kiltawn Drive in Tallaght, admitted assaulting the woman, stealing her two Samsung Galaxy mobile phones valued at 1,140, causing criminal damage to her Xbox 360 and possessing a knife in a public place.

He committed the offences inside and outside the woman's home in the Abercorn Road area of Derry on May 23 of this year, just weeks after he'd moved in with her.

A solicitor for the Public Prosecution Service told District Judge Oonagh Mullan that Power, in a fit of temper, verbally abused the woman's 9-year-old daughter when she asked if she could use the Xbox 360 Power was playing with.

When the girl's mother challenged Power about the language he had used to her daughter, Power damaged the Xbox, damaged the screen on one of the woman's mobile phones, grabbed her by the hair, and punched her several times to the face. He then ran into the kitchen and armed himself with a 30 cm long knife and continued to verbally abuse the woman.

The victim's daughter ran onto the street screaming for help. Power then left the house taking the woman's two mobile phones with him as well as the knife.

"He shouted that he would stab anyone who came near him", the prosecutor said.

The police were alerted to the incident and they found Power inside the grounds of the nearby Lumen Christi College in Bishop Street where they arrested him after he'd sent several text messages to the 9-year-old girl.

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said Power "saw red and cracked up" in the woman's house.

"He took the knife with the intent of self harming and he threw the knife away and then phoned the police and told them where he was.

"He has no criminal record in Northern Ireland and he has been in custody since he was arrested for the offences on May 23. He has served the equivalent of a three-month jail sentence in custody and his only bail application was refused by the High Court on May 30", Mr. MacDermott said.

The District Judge said the fact that the offences took place in front of a 9-year-old girl in a domestic setting were aggravating features in the case. However she said she took into consideration the fact that Power, by his guilty pleas, had not forced his victim and her daughter to come to court to give evidence against him.

Ms. Mullan said she also accepted that Power had spent the equivalent of a three-month jail sentence while in custody. She imposed concurrent three-month jail sentences on each of the four charges Power had pleaded guilty to meaning Power will be released from prison within the next twenty-four hours.
DUP MLA Gary Middleton has accused Sinn Fein of attempting to "raise tensions" with its criticism of flags being placed on a prominent Londonderry roundabout.

In recent weeks there have been question raised after flags appeared on poles at the Caw Roundabout near to the Foyle Bridge on the city's Waterside.

The roundabout sits on one of the main thoroughfares into Derry, with it facilitating traffic from the city's airport and the north coast.

Union flags and the Ulster Banner have been erected on lampposts around the roundabout.

In a statement last week, local Sinn Fein councillor Christopher Jackson said that the flags sent a "negative message" to people visiting the city.

"Claiming the right to celebrate any cultural tradition in our society should be totally conditional upon that being done with respect to the rights of others and without causing offence or giving disrespect," he said, adding that what was happening at the Caw Roundabout was "causing offence".

Responding to the criticism, Middleton said that the criticism of the flags were an attempt "to raise tensions in the Waterside and Newbuildings areas".

"They have been trying their best to create problems where there are none."

"There is no credibility in asserting your need to have your culture respected if you blatantly disrespect that of others," he added.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Sinn Fein's Christopher Jackson said that Mr Middleton's statement was "disappointing" and that his aim was to "relieve the tensions and avoid situation like the one that we saw last year".

Mr Jackson explained that last year a number of "highly offensive flags" were erected in mixed-religion areas.

"It created flash points in areas that would have been relatively peaceful in the past," he said.

In previous flag-related incidents, the PSNI have stated that they do not have a role in removing banners or flags perceived to be offenseive.

In a statement, it said that it had received reports from members of the public about the flags on Caw roundabout.

Superintendent Gordon McCalmont said: The flying of flags in public places is an issue that provokes a range of strong responses and very different viewpoints. The type of flags flown, how, where and when they are flown are all important considerations.

The reality is that while we understand the publics frustration in this matter, Police will only act to remove flags where there are substantial risks to public safety. Until the 'Joint Protocol in Relation to the Display of Flags in Public Areas' is updated, we will continue to work with communities and respond to any issue where there is a concern for public safety or where it is believed a criminal offence has occurred."

Superintendent McCalmont also various stakeholders "all need to work together" to help preserve "public safety and prevention of disorder".
The husband of a mother-of-three who was killed by a scrambler motorcycle has hit out at the authorities after it emerged her killer will be released on the first anniversary of her death.

Gary Lewis (18) crashed into Valerie Armstrong as she walked her dog in Colin Glen Forest Park last summer.

It has been revealed that Lewis will be released from prison one year to the day she died.

Mrs Armstrong's husband Seamus said it was "another slap in the face to his family".

He has reached out to the probation service in a bid to have the release date changed to prevent further pain for the family.

The Poleglass teenager will have served four months of his 18-month sentence for the mother's death.

Speaking to the Sunday World, Mrs Armstrong's widower said: "Clearly, nobody has taken into consideration that it's exactly one year to the day that he caused the accident.

"According to what police told me, the probation service is just going along the lines of what the judge had given in his sentencing.

"It's another slap in the face basically - to myself and to the family. It's very inconsiderate that no one sat and looked at the paperwork and put two and two together and said: 'This is exactly one year to the day that we are letting this fella out.'"

Lewis was handed an 18-month prison sentence in March of this year. Mrs Armstrong was mother to Dylan (10), seven-year-old Lucy and five-year-old Sophie-Bell.

Her husband added: "While our family will be mourning the first year anniversary, his friends will be out partying and celebrating that he's out.

"It's sickening.

"So I am waiting on word from the probation service to hear if they are going to do anything, but to be honest, I am not holding out much hope about it."

Earlier this year Belfast Youth Court heard Lewis admitted drinking three beers before the collision on a motorbike later found to have had defective brakes.

Witnesses said Lewis, aged 17 at the time, held 35-year-old Mrs Armstrong's hand and cried uncontrollably as she lay bleeding from fatal injuries.

He wrote a personal letter to her family, which was handed into court during the proceedings.

Lewis, of Colinvale in the Dunmurry area of Belfast, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and using a motor vehicle without insurance.

He was also told to serve another three months of a previously suspended sentence for unrelated matters.

Mrs Armstrong died in hospital following the collision on July 19.

Lewis swerved into her on a friend's scrambler as he tried to avoid hitting her dog in a pedestrian area of the park, the court heard.

The prosecution contended that he had been travelling at between 35-40 mph, while defence lawyers argued that the bike was only doing 20mph.
Loyalist Jamie Bryson has thrown down the gauntlet to unionist councillors in Belfast over a High Court injunction preventing more material being brought to four bonfires

Loyalist Jamie Bryson has thrown down the gauntlet to unionist councillors in Belfast over a High Court injunction preventing more material being brought to four bonfires.

Mr Bryson has sent a letter containing an ultimatum to all 24 unionist councillors giving them until 5pm today to condemn the council's injunction and distance themselves from it.

In the letter, which has been seen by the Belfast Telegraph, he demands that they voice their opposition to the "draconian and inflammatory injunction" and call for it to be revoked.

The DUP, Ulster Unionist, PUP and independent unionist councillors are asked to publicly condemn senior City Hall officers for bringing an "anti-unionist" application before the courts.

The four bonfires at the centre of the injunction are at Bloomfield Walkway, Avoniel Leisure Centre car park, Inverary playing fields and Cregagh Park East.

The Belfast Telegraph can today reveal that council officers didn't seek the High Court injunction unilaterally but did so with the support of all parties in City Hall, including unionist ones.

Sources disclosed that council officers invited Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance, UUP, SDLP and PUP group leaders, along with east Belfast councillors, to a meeting to discuss the injunction last Wednesday before court action was taken on Thursday.

An insider said that the injunction was supported by all the parties.

"There were no dissenting voices," he added. "The idea that this was just an action by unelected council officers isn't true. They were backed by every party in City Hall."

The injunction is intended to prevent the existing bonfires becoming any larger before they are lit on July 11, and prevents anyone from staying on the sites.

It states: "If you disobey this order you may be found guilty of contempt of court and may be sent to prison, fined or your assets may be seized."

Unionist sources last night accused Mr Bryson of "trying to make bonfires the new flags' protest".

They said they had never before heard of the East Belfast Community Initiative, the group he says he is representing in the letter. They noted that it was based in Newtownards and not in east Belfast.

The organisation shares the same address in Newtownards as JWB Consultancy which Companies House lists Mr Bryson as the director.

Veteran UUP councillor Jim Rodgers last night declined to address Mr Bryson's letter.

"I have absolutely no comment to make," he said.

DUP group leader Lee Reynolds could not be contacted. The Belfast Telegraph understands that the DUP has told its councillors not to speak to the media about the bonfire issue.

Sources told the Belfast Telegraph they expected that "the vast majority" of unionist councillors would ignore Mr Bryson and not respond to his ultimatum.

Mr Bryson said his organisation represented "community groups across east Belfast, Newtownards and North Down".

Criticising those who had contacted the Belfast Telegraph about his letter, he said: "The only people to have raised the political temperature are those who have joined with the 'progressive' pan-nationalist coalition in the targeting of unionist areas of cultural expression.

"They can spin, deflect and duck and dive.

"But we will find out who knew, when they knew and whether they supported the injunction or not."

In his letter, Mr Bryson refers to the bonfire sites as "cultural expression areas".

He says that the "loyalist community came out in large numbers" to support unionist politicians in last month's Westminster election and now expect them to "provide a strong proactive and robust response" to the injunction.

He asks each councillor to confirm that they had no advance knowledge of it.

They are asked to pledge their "support to the position of East Belfast Community Initiative that this anti-unionist, draconian and inflammatory injunction should be revoked forthwith".

Mr Bryson urges them to "condemn the actions of Belfast City Council officers" in applying for the injunction.

In a statement supporting the injunction, Alliance councillor Sian O'Neill disclosed that it had cross-party backing.

"The application for this injunction was supported by all parties and is intended to prevent further materials being placed at a number of sites which pose a significant and immediate risk to public safety and property," she said.
A row over a "kamikaze" proposal to stop public money from going to plane and missile maker Bombardier has rocked Belfast City Hall.

Details of the previously unreported motion, tabled at the last city council meeting before the summer recess, only emerged over the weekend.

Tabled by the Green Party, it called for an end to funding from Invest NI and Stormont to Ulster firms involved in the production of "deadly weapons".

And the motion which - if followed up - could have jeopardised thousands of jobs here, was defeated by just one vote.

The final tally at the council meeting was 19 votes for the motion, and 20 against.

Yesterday, East Belfast councillor Chris McGimpsey slated the attempt to strangle grants to defence contract companies here.

He stated: "This was a kamikaze motion. There are five-and-a-half thousand people employed in Bombardier, and another 500 in another firm specialising in manufacturing armaments in Belfast alone.

"If followed through, it would have led to a political and economic propaganda process which could have caused Bombardier to pull out of here and have thrown 6,000 people on to the dole, and made thousands more who work in ancillary industries and services redundant, too. This was an ill-conceived and wrong-headed motion, the aim of which was to force certain firms into liquidation, or, in the case of Bombardier, force them into pulling the plug on their plants in this province.

"This motion could have led to major firms involved in the defence industry here crashing and burning."

The motion tabled by Green Party East Belfast councillor Georgina Milne - where Bombardier's main plant is based - urged the council to write to both Invest NI and the Department for the Economy "requesting that support for the weapons industry be withdrawn and redirected towards building a sustainable economy".

Firms based here which manufacture arms receive millions of pounds in development and research grants, which also boosts jobs.

Ms Milne, many of whose constituents work in Bombardier, said she wasn't trying to take the pay packets out of people's pockets.

She insisted: "I simply cannot condone the sale of weapons to oppressive regimes."

She asked if people would rather have members of their family work to produce missiles, or turbines for wind farms.

Sinn Fein backed the motion, arguing that weapons made here "rain down death in other parts of the world".

But Mr McGimpsey warned: "If this motion had gone through, this council's lodestone would be that we started a process that put thousands of our own people out of work.

"And that makes nonsense of any ill-conceived notions of a so-called 'sustainable economy' as outlined in that farcical, but potentially hugely damaging, Green Party motion.

"Some people need to wise up and realise that we have to live in the real world."
Judicial proceedings have been issued against the government over their 1 billion deal with the DUP to support its minority government.

Judicial proceedings have been issued against the government over their 1 billion deal with the DUP to support its minority government.

This comes as part of a legal challenge being taken by Ciaran McClean, who stood unsuccessfully in the Westminster elections as a candidate for the Green Party.

By Sunday evening, the Co Tyrone mental health worker managed to reach his crowdfunding target of 20,000, and is now aiming to reach 100,000.

An application was issued on Monday by Mr McClean's solicitors Edwin Coe LLP.

The London-based firm previously represented Deir Dos Santos, a hairdresser who holds UK and European citizenship, who was part of the successful challenge that the UK government could not trigger withdrawal from the EU without an Act from the UK Parliament.

The basis for the claim being brought forward by McClean is that an agreement between the DUP and the Conservative government would breach the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, and its commitment to "rigorous impartiality on behalf of all the people in the diversity of their identities and traditions".

Mr McClean is also contending that the agreement breaches the Bribery Act 2010.

In a statement, he said: "Following the success of the crowdfunding I today instructed my lawyers to issue the application for judicial review of the decision by Theresa May to enter into the agreement with the DUP. That agreement is, in my view, no more and no less than the purchase by the Government of votes in Parliament using public money."

He added that his lawyers had corresponded with the government, but that this had "offered nothing to dissuade us from pursuing this application".
A man was injured after a pellet gun was discharged as he fought with intruders.

Police in Tyrone are questioning a man in relation to an attempted child abduction.

A 30-year-old man was arrested Sunday, July 9 in the Shandon Park area of Omagh.

In a statement, a PSNI spokesperson said: "On Sunday July 9, police arrested a 30-year-old male in the Shandon Park area of Omagh in relation to an attempted child abduction."

"The male suspect remains in police custody at this time and is assisting police with their enquiries."
Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 East Belfast Bonfire at Inverary playing fields that has an injunction by Belfast City Council in place to stop wood from being dumped at the site and added to the bonfire.

Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 East Belfast Bonfire at Inverary playing fields that has an injunction by Belfast City Council in place to stop wood from being dumped at the site and added to the bonfire.

Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 East Belfast Bonfire at Inverary playing fields that has an injunction by Belfast City Council in place to stop wood from being dumped at the site and added to the bonfire.

Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 Ravenscroft Avenue car park/Bloomfield walkway East Belfast Bonfire ath Ravenscroft Avenue car park/Bloomfield walkway has had an injunction by Belfast City Council in place to stop wood from being dumped at the bonfire site and added to the bonfire.

Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 Ravenscroft Avenue car park/Bloomfield walkway East Belfast Bonfire ath Ravenscroft Avenue car park/Bloomfield walkway has had an injunction by Belfast City Council in place to stop wood from being dumped at the bonfire site and added to the bonfire.

Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 Ravenscroft Avenue car park/Bloomfield walkway East Belfast Bonfire ath Ravenscroft Avenue car park/Bloomfield walkway has had an injunction by Belfast City Council in place to stop wood from being dumped at the bonfire site and added to the bonfire.

East Belfast Bonfire at Avoniel Leisure Centre car park that has had an injunction by Belfast City Council in place to stop wood from being dumped at the site and added to the bonfire.

Belfast Telegraph 09-07-2017 East Belfast Bonfire at Avoniel Leisure Centre car park that has had an injunction by Belfast City Council in place to stop wood from being dumped at the site and added to the bonfire.

Bonfire builder Ryan Preston poses for a photograph on the Doonbeg bonfire in Rathcoole on July 10, 2017, ahead of the traditional 11th night bonfires. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

Bonfire builder Ryan Preston poses for a photograph on the Doonbeg bonfire in Rathcoole on July 10, 2017, ahead of the traditional 11th night bonfires. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

Bonfire builder Ryan Preston poses for a photograph on the Doonbeg bonfire in Rathcoole in north Belfast on July 10, 2017 ahead of the traditional 11th night bonfires. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

Former Bonfire builder Colin Tweedie (R), inspects a bonfire in the village area of Belfast on July 10, 2017, ahead of the traditional 11th night bonfires. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

Former Bonfire builder Colin Tweedie, poses for a photograph beside a bonfire in the village area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 10, 2017, ahead of the traditional 11th night bonfires. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

A Union flag flutters in the breeze in front of a bonfire in the village area of Belfast. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

Children play on a bonfire in the village area of Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 10, 2017, ahead of the traditional 11th night bonfires The Eleventh Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the famous battle were Protestant King William III of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the battle of the Boyne on July 12, 1690. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images

A bonfire towers over the housing in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

A bonfire is pictured in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

Posters of Sinn Fein politicians are seen placed on a bonfire in Shankill. [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

Bonfire builders Dean Neeson and Graeme Stewart carry wooden pallets to a bonfire in the Ballymacash area of Lisburn on July 10, 2017, ahead of the traditional 11th night bonfires. [Photo: Paul Faith /AFP/Getty Images]

A wooden pallet is carried to a bonfire in the Shankill area of west Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 10, 2017, ahead of the traditional 11th night bonfires [Photo: Paul Faith /AFP/Getty Images]

Posters of Sinn Fein politicians are seen placed on a bonfire in the Shankill area of west Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 10, 2017, ahead of the traditional 11th night bonfires [Photo: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images]

The Conway Street bonfire in West Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The Conway Street bonfire in West Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The Conway Street bonfire in West Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Pastor Lucas Parks at his church in east Belfast close to the walkway bonfire on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

General views of the square shaped bonfire on Milner Street in South Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

General views of the square shaped bonfire on Milner Street in South Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

General views of the square shaped bonfire on Milner Street in South Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

General views of the square shaped bonfire on Milner Street in South Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

General views of the square shaped bonfire on Milner Street in South Belfast on July 10th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

LARNE, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: 'Hurka' the chief architect and builder of the Craigyhill bonfire takes a break from stacking pallets to pose with his creation whilst balancing on a ladder on July 10, 2017 in Larne, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: Loyalists sit on the Sandy Row bonfire being built in preparation for the 11th night bonfire on July 10, 2017 in Belfast. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: Loyalists sit on the Sandy Row bonfire being built in preparation for the 11th night bonfire on July 10, 2017 in Belfast. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: Loyalists sit on the Sandy Row bonfire being built in preparation for the 11th night bonfire on July 10, 2017 in Belfast. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: The bonfires also mark the beginning of the annual 12th of July Orange parades. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: Loyalists climb The Village bonfire being built in preparation for the 11th night bonfire on July 10, 2017 in Belfast. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: Loyalists climb The Village bonfire being built in preparation for the 11th night bonfire on July 10, 2017 in Belfast. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: Loyalists climb The Village bonfire being built in preparation for the 11th night bonfire on July 10, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Tradition holds that the bonfires commemorate the lighting of fires on the hills to help Williamite ships navigate through Belfast Lough at night when Protestant King William III and his forces landed at Carrickfergus to fight the Catholic Jacobites, supporters of the exiled Catholic King James II. The bonfires also mark the beginning of the annual 12th of July Orange parades. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Loyalists sit on the Sandy Row bonfire being built in preparation for the 11th night bonfire on July 10, 2017 in Belfast. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Masked men continue to build a bonfire at Inverary Playing Fields in Belfast. Police in Northern Ireland have warned their resources could be stretched amid growing fears of tension around the burning of Eleventh night bonfires. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday July 10, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: PA Wire

Workmen board up windows of property beside a bonfire at the end of the Comber Greenway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

Workmen board up windows of property beside a bonfire at the end of the Comber Greenway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

Workmen board up windows of property beside a bonfire at the end of the Comber Greenway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

Workmen board up windows of property beside a bonfire at the end of the Comber Greenway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

Workmen board up windows of property beside a bonfire at the end of the Comber Greenway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

Workmen board up windows of property beside a bonfire at the end of the Comber Greenway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

Workmen board up windows of property beside a bonfire at the end of the Comber Greenway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: A Loyalist climbs the Conway street bonfire built in preparation for the 11th night bonfire on July 10, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Tradition holds that the bonfires commemorate the lighting of fires on the hills to help Williamite ships navigate through Belfast Lough at night when Protestant King William III and his forces landed at Carrickfergus to fight the Catholic Jacobites, supporters of the exiled Catholic King James II. The bonfires also mark the beginning of the annual 12th of July Orange parades. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) ***BESTPIX***

LISBURN, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 10: Having finished school for the summer 13 year old Tyler Reid helps guard the Lisburn bonfire on July 10, 2017 in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. The bonfires, which are lit on the stroke of midnight on the 11th night, mark the beginning of the annual 12th of July Orange parades in Northern Ireland. The annual Orange marches celebrate the protestant King William of Orange's victory over the catholic English King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: Loyalists finish a bonfire in East Belfast in preparation for the 11th night celebrations on July 11, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Tradition holds that the bonfires commemorate the lighting of fires on the hills to help Williamite ships navigate through Belfast Lough at night when Protestant King William III and his forces landed at Carrickfergus to fight the Catholic Jacobites, supporters of the exiled Catholic King James II. The bonfires also mark the beginning of the annual 12th of July Orange parades. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: Loyalists finish a bonfire in East Belfast in preparation for the 11th night celebrations on July 11, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Tradition holds that the bonfires commemorate the lighting of fires on the hills to help Williamite ships navigate through Belfast Lough at night when Protestant King William III and his forces landed at Carrickfergus to fight the Catholic Jacobites, supporters of the exiled Catholic King James II. The bonfires also mark the beginning of the annual 12th of July Orange parades. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 11: Loyalists finish a bonfire in East Belfast in preparation for the 11th night celebrations on July 11, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Tradition holds that the bonfires commemorate the lighting of fires on the hills to help Williamite ships navigate through Belfast Lough at night when Protestant King William III and his forces landed at Carrickfergus to fight the Catholic Jacobites, supporters of the exiled Catholic King James II. The bonfires also mark the beginning of the annual 12th of July Orange parades. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Loyalists finish a bonfire in East Belfast in preparation for the 11th night celebrations on July 11, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Onlookers watch as firefighters douse nearby buildings as a bonfire is lit in Albertbridge Road, Belfast ahead of the key date in the protestant loyal order marching season - the Twelfth of July. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday July 11, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: PA Wire

Firefighters douse nearby buildings as a bonfire is lit in Albertbridge Road, Belfast ahead of the key date in the protestant loyal order marching season - the Twelfth of July. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday July 11, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: PA Wire

Firefighters douse nearby buildings as a bonfire is lit in Albertbridge Road, Belfast ahead of the key date in the protestant loyal order marching season - the Twelfth of July. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday July 11, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: PA Wire

Firefighters douse nearby buildings as a bonfire is lit in Albertbridge Road, Belfast ahead of the key date in the protestant loyal order marching season - the Twelfth of July. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday July 11, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: PA Wire

Firefighters douse nearby buildings as a bonfire is lit in Albertbridge Road, Belfast ahead of the key date in the protestant loyal order marching season - the Twelfth of July. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday July 11, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: PA Wire

Firefighters douse nearby buildings as a bonfire is lit in Albertbridge Road, Belfast ahead of the key date in the protestant loyal order marching season - the Twelfth of July. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday July 11, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Twelfth. Photo credit should read: PA Wire

A quiet moment as the Sandy Row bonfire in south Belfast starts to die down. [Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye]

Firefighters near a lit bonfire on Albertbridge Road, Belfast ahead of the key date in the protestant loyal order marching season - the Twelfth of July. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday July 11, 2017.

The 'eleventh nightO bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh nightO bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The 'eleventh night bonfire is lit at the Milner Street area of the Village in South Belfast as celebrations of William of Orange's victory commence on July 11th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Masked loyalists appear to have broken a court order banning them from extending an Eleventh night bonfire in Belfast.

The loyalists, wearing balaclavas and scarves over their faces, could be seen on Monday afternoon using a cherry picker to add wooden pallets onto the top of the bonfire at a site in the east of the city that is at the centre of a controversial court ruling.

Belfast City Council secured a High Court injunction on Friday preventing more materials being added to four loyalist bonfires in Belfast amid health and safety concerns.

However, on Monday at Inverary playing fields - one of the sites covered by the injunction - pallets were being added to the bonfire. Video and photographs taken by the Press Association shows piles of wooden pallets being lifted onto the bonfire and then stacked on top by two masked men.

Loyalists in east Belfast have been left angry by the court injunction.

The Northern Ireland Police Federation - the body that represents rank and file police officers in the region - warned that police resources could be stretched amid growing fears of tension around the burning of the Eleventh night bonfires.

Federation chairman Mark Lindsay said he hoped "those involved are able to sort out outstanding issues."

He warned: "What we don't want is a drain on already stretched resources."

Sinn Fein said they believe that all dangerous materials should be removed from the sites in the east of the city by police and the council.

However, unionists have accused the republican party of waging a "cultural war" on loyalists.

A joint statement the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) said there has been an attempt to "discredit" the Twelfth celebrations, and called for calm.

A prominent loyalist - former flag protester Jamie Bryson - warned that it could prove difficult "to control young people" if action is taken to remove their bonfires.

Bonfires are traditionally lit in loyalist areas of Northern Ireland on the eve of the annual July 12 celebrations marking King William III's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

In recent years there has been concern over the size of the bonfires, many of which are built close to homes and businesses.

In Carrickfergus, a towering bonfire, which has been built in close proximity to a petrol station and along a main road, looks close to toppling over.

In Belfast the City Council said they applied for an injunction amid concern about the size of the bonfires at Ravenscroft Avenue car park/Bloomfield walkway, Avoniel Leisure Centre car park, Inverary playing fields and Cregagh Park East.

Alliance and Sinn Fein councillors have claimed that the application for the injunction was supported by all the political parties.

The Democratic Unionist Party, Ulster Unionists and Progressive Unionist Party have not responded to the claim.

Sinn Fein councillor Jim McVeigh sparked anger within the unionist and loyalist community on Monday when he said that his interpretation of the injunction was that the bonfires should not be lit and the material removed from the site.

"They are already too high, too dangerous and too close to public amenities," he said.

Mr McVeigh claimed that the council has a contractor to go onto the sites and remove bonfire material.

However, Belfast City Council would not confirm the claim.

In a statement a spokesman for the council said: "We have a contractor who carries out work at numerous sites but we cannot comment any further due to a confidentiality clause."

The spokesman also said the injunction does not make any specific reference to the lighting of the bonfire.

"The Council will review any information received - either directly or via the police - relating to any persons allegedly breaching the injunction, and will consider what further action is appropriate," the spokesman added.

The DUP and PUP have called for a Cultural Convention to be held in the Autumn. In their statement they said this was "to ensure that the Unionist Community can go forward with one voice in promoting our culture, heritage and tradition, as well as to ensure that our celebrations continue to be bigger, better and more successful than ever before".

They added: "We must not let our unity of purpose be disrupted or harmed by the actions of those who want to devalue and demean us.

"It is our belief that this continued aggression by Sinn Fein and their continuation of a cultural war, is a vain attempt to give their ageing leadership a legacy and to restore their credibility within their own ranks."
Brave Castlederg boy Billy Caldwell who has severe epilepsy has enjoyed more than 250 days without a seizure after using a "miraculous" medical marijuana product that his family claim saved his life.

Billy began taking cannabis oil for his seizures after seeing a childhood epilepsy expert in California, where medical marijuana is legal, last year.

When the 11-year-old returned home, he became the first person to receive an NHS prescription for medical marijuana in the UK.

Now the medicine, which contains a compound found in cannabis plants known as CBD, has been named Billy's Bud after the youngster.

Charlotte Caldwell, Billy's mother, said his family was "crying happy tears" over his "incredible" progress.

"I just feel absolutely over the moon that at last we can announce some good news, it's been a real struggle for us," she said.

"This is massive. This little bottle of oil has actually done this for my little boy, so the company said they wanted to name the oil after Billy - we're just absolutely honoured and privileged, these people saved Billy's life.

"It's incredible."

Billy suffers from status epilepsy, a severe form which means he is unable to come out of seizures by himself.

In June 2016, Ms Caldwell took Billy to a specialist epilepsy centre in Los Angeles where they found a lesion on the left temporal lobe of his brain.

Due to its positioning, doctors were unable to operate without causing catastrophic damage to his speech and memory. Instead, he was referred to a medical cannabis specialist.

"Billy tried it for eight months, supervised by a medical doctor, it took a while but it worked," Ms Caldwell said.

"Before, Billy could have had up to 100 seizures per day, he was dying. Billy is now 250 days seizure free - it's just incredible."

Billy also suffers from autism, which Ms Caldwell said has also improved with use of the oil.

"His eye contact has got really good, he used to have to wear special needs boots to support his ankles, but now he is wearing trainers," she said. "For some parents this wouldn't be a big deal but for us it was massive.

"His balance and his walking is so much better, he can now go up and down steps whereas before he couldn't do that, his concentration has got much better, before he couldn't concentrate for long."

Scientists have called for further research into the medical use of marijuana, but they have also warned stories such as Billy's do not prove the efficacy of cannabis as a medicine until properly controlled clinical trials have taken place, as there could be a number of reasons for a patient's recovery.

The oil was supplied by Dublin-based pharmaceutical start-up GreenLight Medicines, which develops cannabis-based medicine.

Cannabis is a Class B drug in the UK, but the cannabidiol CBD, which does not create the 'high' associated with recreational use, is legal and has been reclassified as a medicine by the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Billy currently takes two types of cannabis oil - one containing CBD and the other made from the compound tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), which is illegal in the UK due to its association with the psychoactive effects of cannabis.

Billy's Bud will be legal in the UK, but currently there is one licensed cannabis-based medicine in Britain, designed to reduce muscle spasms in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Police have hailed the "life saving actions" of a woman who helped prevent a multi-vehicle crash and lives being lost on Saturday night.

An off-duty officer came across the scene on the M2 motorway just outside Ballymena and posting on the PSNI Craigavon page, praised the woman's actions.

The officer was on his way back from watching the fireworks after the Irish Open on Saturday in Portstewart when he spotted a woman at the side of the road who was "frantically" signalling for cars to slow down.

When the officer slowed down and turned the corner he saw a vehicle stopped in the middle of the outside lane with its hazard lights on at the end of the motorway. The officer said he saw someone "hunched over a motionless body" on the grass verge and more than 50 meters down the road there was a motorbike on its side.

The officer said: "As I pulled in and ran over to the biker, it became clear how fortunate he was. A Red Cross ambulance was travelling just seconds behind him and he was already being treated. It got better still, as an off duty NIAS paramedic arrived.

"Being 4th in the list of trained bods on scene when NIAS and uniformed police haven't even arrived yet is quite a relief so I was able to look at what else needed to be done."

It was when the officer began speaking to their control room that he took stock of the what the girl had been doing.

He said: "She was now saving all of our lives. As I ran down to help her, she continued doing her thing, alerting drivers, slowing cars down, saving lives.

"I was in the inside lane (the driving lane) when I came round the corner, not only opening up my view, but meaning I wasn't in the blocked lane.

"There were cars coming off that corner in the overtaking lane in excess of 80mph and if it weren't for that girl doing her bit, that crash would have ended up being a multi-vehicle pile up. Without doubt, lives would have been lost or at very least - changed forever."

He added: "While many drove by in the seconds after the crash, she stepped up. She did her bit. She may not have been a trauma Doctor or a uniformed police officer, but she knew something needed to be done, and she did it.

"If you're reading this, broad accented country girl (hi), then well done you. While others set about doing their medical work, you had their back until our uniformed guys got there. We need more people like you - thank you."
Daniel on his graduation day with his grandad Michael McCrossan and gran Maisie Wray

The most personal and probing interviews: Daniel McCrossan, West Tyrone SDLP MLA, on his strained relationship with his dad... and that Twitter row

Q. Tell me about yourself.

A. Im 28, from Strabane and currently single. I went to Strabane Primary School and then Strabane High School (now Strabane Academy).

I was head boy in my final year and left in 2005 to do A-levels at Holy Cross College.

I have two brothers in Galway  Richard (26), who works in the building industry, and Dylan (23), whos into music, and two sisters  Leonia (32) and Bonnie (21).

My older sister works in insurance in London and has two boys, Ashton (2), my godson, and six-month-old Creed. Shop worker Bonnie is expecting her first child.

Q. What do you remember about your childhood?

A. When things were good they were very good and our parents gave us everything we couldve possibly wanted.

We never missed a family holiday  in caravans in Portrush, Bundoran, Downings. We had a very strong relationship with our grandparents, the McCrossans and the Wrays.

Granny Kathleen McCrossan (59) died from cancer in 1992. At the time my granda Michael, an electrician, was working all over England. There were no mobile phones then, so he found out in a phone box that his wife had died.

The news came during a call that was made at a designated time.

I practically went to live with him after that. His house was across the road from ours. We were very close. I graduated in 2011; six weeks later he dropped dead.

Q. How did you cope with that?

A. I found his body. It was the worst day of my life. Id called at his house and the blinds were closed, but the car was in the driveway. I didnt have my key and there was no answer when I knocked on the door and I realised something was badly wrong.

I got a ladder and climbed up into the house through a back bedroom window that was wide open. I found him on the floor beside the bed.

It was September 17, 2011. Hed had a massive heart attack and collapsed. He was 76.

Id just started with the SDLP that week. I still cant go to the grave. It was so sudden.

I still blame myself for not visiting him the night he died.

Q. Is that your only experience of death?

A. My other grandfather Hugh Wray (75), a businessman, died in May from a heart attack. We were very close, Hed had a serious car accident 10 years ago; he was dead on the operating table but they managed to bring him round. He recovered over the years, but wasnt the same.

Him and my granny Maisie were together 60 years and had 13 children and 62 grandchildren (there were five children and 12 grandchildren on the McCrossan side).

Q. Does death frighten you?

A. It has made me realise how fragile things can be. My grandfathers were the father figures in my life and they died very suddenly. I was devastated by both their deaths; the first time because I didnt understand it, the second because of how painful it was.

Q Tell us about your parents.

A. My parents Caroline (53) and Chris (50), a painter and decorator, separated in 2005 and divorced a year later.

My mum worked as a cook/cleaner in various schools for years until she had a terrible accident with a floor polisher in 2001. She was badly injured and couldnt work after that.

Now she may have to go for an operation on her spine or shell end up in a wheelchair.

My parents had a difficult break-up. As one of the older children, I was tangled in the middle of it.

I was going through my GSCEs, which was quite difficult anyway, and because of the separation I didnt have that support at home.

Its probably why I havent had a great relationship with my dad over the years. I have seen him twice in a decade.

He lives in Newcastle in England. It makes you realise how tough it is for single parent families, but mum did a wonderful job.

Q. You went to Liverpool John Moores University to study law. What made you go into politics?

A. Things were still messy at home, so I went to Liverpool in 2007 and stayed until 2011. I did various placements at law firms there. I loved the fight and the challenge of law and the courts, but I didnt enjoy sitting behind mountains of paperwork and the endless hours.

I went home for a weeks break and I ended up helping local SDLP politician Joe Byrne.

Id never thought about Northern Irish politics, but I was a member of the Labour Party in England.

When Joe got elected to the Assembly in early 2011 I agreed to help him for three months  but I never left.

My grandfathers werent happy about me passing up a lucrative career in law to go into politics here.

Q. Briefly, talk us through your career to date.

A. In 2011 I graduated in law and started an MPhil/PhD in September, which is a work in progress.

I came home and worked as a constituency rep with Joe at Stormont and in the Omagh and Strabane offices. I stood at the Westminster election in 2015; I wasnt successful but doubled the vote from 2010.

In January 2016 I was co-opted into the Assembly; then I was elected in May 2016, and again in March.

Q. You were co-opted as Joes replacement in January 2016, but your selection caused huge internal party controversy. Was that a difficult time for you?

A. It was stressful. If I hadnt gone through the 2015 election I probably wouldnt have been able to cope with it.

The 2015 election sent a message to the party that people wanted the SDLP renewed and they wanted a fresh face in West Tyrone. There was so much dead wood there. When it came to the selection in 2016 there were a very small number of people who caused havoc, because they wanted the position but didnt want to face the democratic procedures of the party.

Q. There were complaints from a number of people. What was the problem?

A. They wanted it for themselves. They felt it was about passing the baton to those who were there the longest.

Q. Around that time (January 2016) there was some suggestion that you bought Twitter followers. Is it true?

A. I didnt put those followers on my account. It was complete craft from another party, who bought the followers and then tipped off the media. I had to contact Twitter to get them removed. Around the same time my Facebook account and my personal emails were also hacked.

Q. You spoke out in support of former UUP MLA Ross Hussey in July 2016 after he sent naked pictures of himself to a reporter. But former SDLP colleague Jimmy Carr, who resigned in 2014, hit out at you, saying you didnt support him when he was caught doing the same thing. Why didn't you defend him?

A. I wasnt an MLA at the time. I was on the party executive and there was an internal investigation, so I couldnt do anything.

Q. Youve previously spoken out about intimidation and people being abusive to you. Tell us about that.

A. My car has been followed. People have swung at me, cursed at me and called me names. Ive been told Ill be got.

When my grandfather died I got a threatening letter in the post that really rattled me. There is a lot of intimidation in politics; thats the frightening thing for my family. I went through a terrible time in the last Assembly election.

Q. You have previously referred to Theresa May as a ridiculous PM after she attended the Balmoral Show, but not the cross-party talks. Dont you think shes up to the job?

A. She has failed absolutely as one of the guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement. She has put the institutions here in jeopardy, not because of the recent deal made with the DUP, but because of her failure to act, to get more involved and get her hands dirty and to actually help reach some form of consensus here, and work with the Irish Government to do that.

Q. Whats the most important piece of advice someone has ever given you?

A. Its not about how hard life hits you; its about how much you can keep moving forward while ensuring that you use your privileged position to help others.

Q. Whats the biggest mistake youve ever made?

A. The relationship between my father and me. The onus wasnt on me to fix it then, because I was young.

As I get older, I appreciate theres fault on all sides. Disagreements happen and people grow apart; thats just a fact of life and maybe I was too quick to cut him out of my life.

The onus is probably on me to help fix it now.

Q. Do you believe in God? Do you have a strong faith?

A. Yes, I have very strong faith, which comes from my grandparents.

We were taken to Mass on a Sunday. There were times I did try to sneak out. But its the one space that I can switch off and be content.

Im at Mass at some point every week. I pray quite a lot. I found it has helped. I believe in the power of prayer.

Q. How do you relax outside politics?

A. I find it very difficult to switch off from politics. I have a fantastic group of friends; we go out for a bite to eat and a few drinks. I also go walking to clear my head.

Q. Are you one of the MLAs whos tasked with standing behind the party leader looking serious at Press conferences? Do you practise that look?

A. I dont practise, but I can look quite serious sometimes. Im normally standing next to the leader, in agreement, like the nodding dog in the car, showing a stern eye that says hes right in what he is saying.

Q. Who is your best Protestant friend?

A. Ive many Protestant friends. Ive grown up with people from mixed backgrounds. Ive actually focused on bringing in Protestant and Catholic members to the SDLP; it has been very successful.

Q. Tell us about the best day of your life so far.

A. When I won the two elections so close together and strengthened my majority. I enjoy what Im doing. Im very lucky.

Q. Whats your favourite place in the world?

A. Along the river in Sion Mills. Its a beautiful, natural spot and its very quiet.

Q. Do you have a nickname?

A. Everyone calls me Dan. At one time they called me Father Dan, which I didnt like too much, because they thought I was going to be a priest. It was a loose joke at a time, because Ive always had faith.
Spectators including DUP leader Arlene Foster enjoy the sunshine at the annual pre-Twelfth of July parade held in Rossnowlagh in Co Donegal

Spectators including DUP leader Arlene Foster enjoy the sunshine at the annual pre-Twelfth of July parade held in Rossnowlagh in Co Donegal

Members of the Orange Order cool off with a paddle in the sea

It was a case of sun, sand, sea and sashes in Rossnowlagh on Saturday as thousands of Orangemen and women descended on the quiet seaside village to take part in a traditional Donegal Twelfth parade.

It was a case of sun, sand, sea and sashes in Rossnowlagh on Saturday as thousands of Orangemen and women descended on the quiet seaside village to take part in a traditional Donegal Twelfth parade.

The rolling hills of Donegal provided the most scenic of backdrops as members representing some 50 lodges from across Ireland made their way down the narrow country road from St Johns Parish Church to the demonstration field on the edge of the Atlantic.

A handful of Garda officers in shirt sleeves kept a discreet and distant presence at the parade, directing traffic to the car parks and chatting with spectators. A relaxed DUP leader Arlene Foster perched up on a railing with friends to watch the parade pass by.

Supporters reclining on camp chairs six rows deep clapped politely as the brethren marched two miles down the hill, past unconcerned cows and reams of holiday homes into the village through the gathered stalls selling Union flags and novelty drums.

They filed past what looked like every ice cream van in the land towards the field. There, paraders came to a standstill as they were met with a metal barrier, not of the police variety, but an agriculture gate that someone had simply forgotten to unlatch.

In the field, a sermon and speeches celebrating King Billys victory at the Boyne was delivered to a natural backing track of rolling breakers on the shore just over the sand dunes.

After the sermon, delivered by Robert Campbell, County Antrim Deputy Grand Chaplin, the main speaker, Assistant Grand Master Stuart Brooker told the gathered brethren that if the Orange Order is to maintain its rightful place in society, it has to be promoted as good, positive, relevant and worthwhile to the wider community.

With the speeches made, many of the brethren cooled off in the sea. Small neat piles of bowler hats, suit jackets, socks and shoes lined the shore as they rolled up their trouser legs and took a dip in the ocean.

Many others nestled into the soft sand dune heath with cups of tea to soak up the atmosphere, take in the fresh Donegal sea air or have a snooze before the return march.

In the blistering sun, northern Orangemen and women conversed with their southern counterparts in the winding queues for the ice cream vans and the Portaloos respectively. For many present, the border was no barrier in the Orange family.

Joe Morton (70) from the Leitrim Orange Order said southern Orangemen were hard working family men who saw the order as an extension of their faith.

"Leitrim Orangemen are generally small farmers," he said. "They are industrious, they work away, they get on with their neighbours, they come out to the Twelfth in Enniskillen and other places. They enjoy it. It is an extension of their reformed religion.

"But you have got to feel like a minority in the south, especially when you are demonised by the media. After Drumcree, it gave a lot of people ammunition to attack the Orange Order.

"But the men in Leitrim, they have never been to Drumcree. They are just normal small farmers, normal family men, they go about their about their business and they wouldnt want to annoy anybody."

"They are in the Orange Order because members of their family have been or because they want to be just in it, a religious grouping."

Ivan Walker (84) from the Killaghtee Temperance lodge says his entire family have been involved in the Orange Order for generations and that he has passed the tradition down to his own children. He says his Orange Hall has been standing since 1869 and is a hub of the community.

"My father, my brothers and my entire family are all in the Orange Order," he said. "We would be a minority, but we do not get any hassle. We kind of keep quiet down here. I would never have been at the Twelfth in Belfast, although I would have went to the one in Fermanagh.

"I am happy to be an Orangeman in the south. Its an extension of my religion. I am in the Orange Order because it is a family tradition and I felt that I wanted to join it myself. I believe in the values and what it stands for. It feels like a family, like a community."

David Ramsey, a member of the Burt Faith Defenders in Donegal and a DUP councillor on Derry City and Strabane District Council, said that he loved the Donegal Twelfth "because of the relaxed atmosphere".

"I dont think that there is much difference from being an Orangeman in the south and one in the north," he said. "But its more relaxed here. This is a really nice day out. We march down here, we go for a walk on the beach and we go for a meal in the hotel and then march back. Donegal is definitely different."

David Canning, from the same lodge, said that its important to celebrate Orangeism in Donegal to bolster a strong tradition that was being eroded.

"It is important to me that the Orange culture is celebrated here, because back 100 years ago the Orange Order was exceptionally prevalent here. There were lodges all over the county. The lodge in Bridgend was burned down in 1972 and moved into the Apprentice Boys Hall where we are now.

"There are not as many lodges in the south as there once was, but Donegal is getting much stronger here with a lot more young men joining. The Orange Order in Donegal is going from strength to strength."

Chris Pierce, originally from Georgia in the US, is a Church of Ireland clergyman based near Dunfanaghy and a member of the Raphoe Orange Lodge in Donegal. He says the order "feels like family".

"I joined the Orange Order when I came here to Donegal with my family," he said. "I find it fine. I got a very warm welcome. It feels like a family, that is the remarkable thing about it.

"Its a mens organisation that gather together, who are looking to hold on to parts of the past, from the standpoint of expressing their faith in a, here at least, very non-sectarian way. I dont abide that sort of thing.

"As a matter of fact, I explained when people were talking to me about becoming a member that they needed to know that if I get a whiff of sectarianism I will not have anything to do with it.

"Its been an enjoyable time, it is an extension of my faith. I have really embraced this culture. Christian culture is Christian culture."

But Stewart McClean who is a fifth generation Orangeman from the Newtowncunningham Orange Lodge in Donegal said that, at times, he has felt like an outsider in his own country.

"I feel that as an Orangeman in the south, you are merely tolerated, not fully accepted into society," he said.

"We are in the Orange family, but in the wider community we are not accepted.

"For example last week we laid a foundation stone for a new Orange Hall in Newtowncunningham after the previous one was burnt to the ground in an arson attack three years ago.

"Some of the comments on social media were very abusive and are now subject to a Garda investigation.

"As an Orangeman in Donegal I feel that the wider community does not fully embrace my culture.

"It seems to be still on the outside, even though the Proclamation of the Irish Republic says that all children of the state are equal. Still that has not come to be."

Andrew Deane (52), District Master Donegal District No 2, said he felt that southern Orangemen are a "different breed" to the brethren in the north.

"It means a lot to me to be an Orangeman," he said. "Its just generation after generation of who we are in our family. Its our tradition and our culture. Its in our DNA at this stage and we are very proud of it.

"I think its a totally different thing from being an Orangeman in the north. Down here we are in the minority. We are undervalued as a tradition.

"I think the situation with Drumcree was very badly handled and the whole Orange Order suffered as a result. That representation of Orangemen and fighting and police is not what we are about.

"All the southern Orangemen are a totally different breed. I suppose the northern Orangemen are used to getting their own way up there and things have changed and the population has changed, they didnt really change with it and they are having to meet with residents and talk. We never cause any offence to anyone here. This is our day."

Many of the Donegal brethren will join their northern counterparts to mark the 327th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne on Wednesday in parades taking place across Northern Ireland.
Former Northern Ireland Secretary of State Peter Hain has claimed the province is heading towards a return to direct rule - and blamed Prime Minister Theresa May for taking her eye off the ball.

Lord Hain served as Secretary of State from 2005 to 2007.

He said the current talks impasse had been created because no one was driving them forward and called for the Prime Minister to step up.

He claimed there had been a shocking dereliction of responsibility by London and Dublin, and said there should have been a high-level summit led by Mrs May and the Taoiseach months ago in order to prevent the current stalemate developing.

Stormont collapsed in January when former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness resigned over questions surrounding the Renewable Heat Incentive, forcing an Assembly election.

Politicians have since failed to agree a deal to get the institutions up and running again.

Now Lord Hain said he can't see where else Northern Ireland is heading but direct rule.

He said: "That would be a tragedy. I thought I would be the last direct rule Secretary of State in 2007 when we got self-governing up and running."

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics Show, Lord Hain added that "everybody is in the same place and that is the problem".

"The truth is there has been a shocking dereliction of responsibility by both governments, both the British Government and the Irish Government," he said.

"There is nobody at the helm, no one is taking any initiatives to really drive this forward.

Lord Hain said if he was still Secretary of State that he would take away MLAs' expenses if there was no visible progress at the talks, and also the party funding from Stormont.

"Clearly the deadlines mean nothing and that means you don't have any credibility as a British Government if you set deadlines which are not then met," he added.

"The buck should stop at Number 10 and in Dublin. They have not taken charge. That's where the main problem lies."

But UUP MLA Doug Beattie said the crisis flowed from decisions taken following the St Andrews Agreement, when Lord Hain was Secretary of State.

"Suspected terrorists have been given letters of comfort and the royal prerogative of mercy has been extended to an unknown number to terrorists," he said.

"This has destroyed public confidence in the judicial process with people believing rightly that more was done for IRA sympathisers while members of the security forces come under particular focus.

"Peter Hain needs to look at his own role in all of this before issuing condemnations of the current governments."
The Department of Communities has continued funding into next year

Community groups across Northern Ireland have had their financial future guaranteed into 2018.

In the past week charities and other organisations that provide vital local services have received letters from the Department of Communities extending their funding up to March of next year.

With Northern Ireland's executive collapsed, the department had been guaranteeing funding on a rolling three-month basis - which came with the stipulation that because funding was being given at that time, this was not a guarantee that it would continue.

In a statement to the Belfast Telegraph, the Department of Communities has confirmed that the 76 organisations that it supports have been sent contracts to extend funding through to September 30, 2017, along with confirmation that funding will be extended until the end of March next year.

The Strabane Ethnic Communities Association, which provides support to migrants and people from black and minority ethnic communities, is one of the groups now able to plan for the medium-term.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, the group's project coordinator Kamini Rao said: "You have to plan for these things to last quite a while."

"It was just luck that the funding came in last week. That covers running costs and salaries and the more central things, so it allows us to continue our operation."

She said that there had been some panic as they were uncertain where the money would come from for a forthcoming summer scheme and projects planned for the autumn.

Another group that is set to benefit is the Londonderry-based Irish Street Communities Association.

Speaking prior to funding being restored, the groups projects coordinator said that they had experienced difficulty in finding someone to perform maternity cover.

We are trying to employ short term staff and we cant employ anyone through the summer, she said, people dont want three-month contracts.

Despite groups receiving reassurance that their core funding will be continued into next year, there is still a lockdown on new projects being funded.

In a statement, the Department of Communities said: "The department receives new potential project proposals for funding from a wide range of groups and partner organisations on an ongoing basis. Due to current financial circumstances no new projects are being funded at the present time."

Difficulties being faced by groups that depend on central funding has been highlighted over the past two weeks due to the plight of South Belfast Sure Start, which is part of a network that looks after around 1,600 infants and young children up to the age of four.

The organisation - which is funded through the Department of Education - was required to issue protective redundancy notices to its 50 employees, as its funding had not been guaranteed beyond July 31.

It was confirmed at the end of last week that the group would have their current level of funding guaranteed for another year - but with a 4 per cent cut on what they currently receive.
Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has praised the emergency services who responded to the London Bridge terror attack, saying thank you so much for everything you have done.

Joined by his British counterpart Theresa May as part of his UK visit, they spoke to those who dealt with the aftermath and were affected by last months terrorist outrage, in which three knife-wielding attackers went on an eight-minute murderous rampage.

They were met outside Southwark Cathedral by Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick and Commander Dean Haydon before being introduced to a number of first responders.

Speaking to those from the Met, British Transport Police and London Ambulance Service, Mr Turnbull could be heard asking one female paramedic about her time in London.

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After a brief chat, he added: Thank you so much for everything you have done.

Eight people, including two Australians, were killed and scores of others injured in the atrocity on Saturday June 3 which saw three knifemen mow down pedestrians on London Bridge with a van, before stabbing people in Borough Market with 12-inch knives.

Wearing fake suicide vests, all three attackers, Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot and killed by police in a hail of bullets at the scene.

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Mrs May, Mr Turnbull, Ms Dick and Commander Haydon visited the renowned London food market to speak to some of the businesses affected by the attack, where they were swamped by a crowd of tourists eager to get close.

Outside Paul Wheeler Fresh Supplies, the stand by which the attackers were shot, owner Paul Wheeler spoke to both prime ministers about how it has been since the incident and the support they have had.

The 51-year-old told the Press Association: The Australian PM seems all right, I told him he had brought the Australian weather with him, and I thanked the Commissioner, just to say about the boys who were here on the night and after.

Federico Fugazza of Argentinian food stand Portena told them how his staff barricaded themselves in behind a metal shutter, and watched the attack unfold.

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The 41-year-old said: They were really exposed but somehow they stayed safe, and there was a customer inside  we were lucky. The prime ministers were thankful of that, and in a way proud of how most people reacted and how everyone tried to stay safe and together.

Mr Turnbull, whose first official visit to the UK as prime minister will also include an audience with the Queen, insisted that terror would be defeated.

We say to these killers, to these terrorists that seek to change the way we live, we will not be cowed. We wont change the way we live. We will defy you and defeat you.
Firms in the gig economy are being let off the hook by a government-ordered review into the employment rights of workers, unions are warning.

The review, headed by Matthew Taylor, a former adviser to Tony Blair, is set to recommend a new category of worker called a dependent contractor, who should receive benefits including sick pay and holiday leave.

The report will be published on Tuesday by Mr Taylor, the head of the Royal Society of Arts, and is expected to call for an overhaul of employment law and new guarantees on the minimum wage for the growing number of workers in delivery and taxi firms such as Deliveroo and Uber.

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Union leaders said the review was merely tinkering around the edges and attacked the idea of a new category of worker.

TUC general secretary Frances OGrady said: If these proposals are true, gig economy employers are being let off the hook.

Creating a new dependent worker category would be caving in to special pleading from platform companies who pretend that they cannot pay the minimum wage like any other employer.

We already know from union wins in the courts that Deliveroo and Uber should be paying their workforce the minimum wage now, and guaranteeing them basic rights like paid holiday and breaks.

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GMB general secretary Tim Roache said: If the Taylor review does indeed call for a radical overhaul of employment law, the recommendations that are leaking out seem to miss the point.

What weve seen so far is tinkering around the edges and creating more loopholes employers will inevitably exploit.

Current employment laws and our tax and National Insurance structures are sufficient  the issue has been one of enforcement, or lack of it.

Unscrupulous employers are ignoring the rights which workers already have and are not paying their fair share of taxes.

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Whatsapp Matthew Taylor was asked by Theresa May to carry out a review of employment practices (Ian West/PA)

Any report worth its salt on the modern world of work absolutely has to tackle the use of agency and precarious work as a business model. Thousands of people work in perpetual insecurity while vastly profitable companies can make even more in profit while refusing to pay the taxes they owe all of us.

Anything short of a wholesale crackdown on exploitation of working people, and avoiding tax, in the name of creating a modern world of work is unacceptable and will be seen by working people as a smokescreen for the status quo while bosses carry on as normal.

A spokesman for the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain said: Gig economy workers already have a right to the minimum wage and these proposals seem to want to erode those rights, particularly by preventing workers from pursuing employers that pay below the minimum wage. The point of this review should be to figure out how to make things better for these workers, not worse.
Liu Xiaobo is now in a critical condition, doctors say (AP)

Chinese doctors are working urgently to save critically ill Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, as the government hardened its position against growing pleas to allow China's best-known political prisoner to leave for treatment overseas.

A stark update issued by Mr Liu's hospital said he was suffering from poor kidney function and bleeding in the liver from metastasising tumours.

It heightened pressure on Beijing, which has resisted appeals from several nations to let Mr Liu and his family go.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang asked other countries at a daily news briefing "to respect China's national sovereignty and refrain from interfering in its domestic affairs due to an individual case".

On Monday the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel asked Beijing for a "signal of humanity for Liu Xiaobo and his family".

Mr Liu's health has been the subject of international attention after news emerged in late June that the dissident had been transferred to a Chinese hospital because of late-stage liver cancer.

Supporters and Western governments urged China to allow him to choose where he wanted to be treated and to release him.

Beijing has so far resisted, citing Mr Liu's fragile health and arguing that he is receiving the best possible care in China.

Mr Liu was convicted in 2009 of inciting subversion for his role in the "Charter 08" movement calling for political reform.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize a year later while in prison.

Two foreign doctors who were permitted to visit Mr Liu last weekend said on Sunday that they deemed him strong enough to be evacuated, apparently contradicting Chinese expert opinion.

Chinese leaders face two unpalatable choices, analysts say.

If China sends Mr Liu abroad, he could speak out against Beijing in his remaining days and become a worldwide media icon.

If Beijing maintains the status quo - keeping him under close guard in China - his death in custody would tarnish the Communist Party's image and draw unwanted comparisons with Nazi Germany.

Mr Liu's supporters have drawn parallels with the story of Carl von Ossietzky, an activist who received the 1935 Nobel Peace Prize while he was held in a German prison camp and ultimately died from tuberculosis under the watch of secret police.

However, even they say it is unlikely that China will let Mr Liu go, which would seem like backtracking.

"If a Nobel Peace Prize laureate dies in detention, it would batter China's image but only be a short-term political hit," said Mo Zhixu, a dissident writer who is friends with Mr Liu.

"If he leaves and makes political statements, it would be a unifying force for the world and rejuvenate a political reform movement in China that's reached a low in China - maybe even start a new wave."

Mr Mo said China has not let a political prisoner leave on medical grounds for more than a decade, when Tiananmen Square protest leader Wang Youcai left in 2004.

Other prominent pro-democracy campaigners who left China on medical grounds, including Tiananmen student leader Wang Dan and veteran activist Wei Jingsheng, did so when China was still seeking membership in the World Trade Organisation and made human rights concessions.

"The economy is strong, the military is rising - does China still care about international political opinion?" said Zhang Lifan, a liberal political commentator in Beijing.

"I'm pessimistic they'll let Liu go, if only because of the Communist Party's track record of making the wrong choice."

The Chinese facility treating Mr Liu says it is providing him with the best possible care and that he is too ill to be moved.

It issued an update on Monday that appeared to highlight his deteriorating condition.

The First Hospital of China Medical University said Liu is also suffering from low blood pressure and that an MRI scan revealed growing cancer lesions.

"The national experts group's view is that the patient is in critical condition," the statement said.

Doctors treating Mr Liu were in an "active rescue" mode, it added, saying they were trying to fight infections, correct his blood pressure and purify his blood.

If China were to release him, Jared Genser, a lawyer representing Mr Liu internationally, said he was ready to evacuate him.

"The primary thing we need is approval of the Chinese government to let them go and the issuance of passports for them," he told The Associated Press.

"From learning of the approval for the Lius to travel, we could have the medevac there in 48 hours."

A video clip leaked on Monday appeared to show one of the foreign experts who visited Mr Liu, Markus W Buechler of Heidelberg University, addressing Mr Liu's wife Liu Xia to tell her that Chinese doctors were doing their utmost to help him and were "very committed to his treatment".

The German Embassy in Beijing expressed "deep concern" that the recording was leaked to Chinese state media outlets against the wishes of the German side.

"It seems that security organs are steering the process, not medical experts," the embassy said.

AP
Donald Trump wants Congress to have dealt with healthcare before leaving for its long August recess (AP)

US President Donald Trump is pressurising divided Senate Republicans to pass their stalled health care bill in the next few weeks.

But the bill has come under renewed attack from within the party, with a moderate senator calling for a bipartisan approach and a conservative saying Republicans were "at impasse" and that leaders were trying to "buy off" votes.

Senators were returning to Washington after a week-long July 4 recess that saw Republican support erode for a bill fashioned by Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell.

The measure would erase much of former president Barack Obama's healthcare law and scale back its coverage requirements, end its penalty on people not buying coverage, cut payments for medical services for low-income citizens and eliminate tax boosts on wealthier people.

"I cannot imagine that Congress would dare to leave Washington without a beautiful new HealthCare bill fully approved and ready to go!" Mr Trump tweeted.

Mr McConnell was studying changes aimed at gaining Republican support for the bill, which has encountered opposition from both ends of the party's spectrum. Republican leaders hoped they could push it through the Senate before Congress departs again for an August recess.

Proposed revisions include rolling back some of its Medicaid cuts, adding additional money to combat abuse of opioids and other drugs, beefing up healthcare subsidies for lower earners and allowing insurers to sell low-cost policies offering meagre coverage.

Moderate senator Susan Collins of Maine told reporters she hoped Mr McConnell's changes "are more than tweaks and they're an overhaul of the approach, or else I won't be able to support it".

She said politicians of both parties "should work together to fix" flaws in Mr Obama's law - an approach that would contradict Republican doctrine, which has long called for repealing the 2010 statute.

Ms Collins has criticised the bill for causing millions of people to lose healthcare coverage and blocking federal payments to Planned Parenthood.

Conservative senator Rand Paul, who has repeatedly said the Republican bill does not go far enough in dismantling Mr Obama's statute, said it will "have to look more like repeal" for him to support it.

"I think we're still at impasse," Mr Paul told reporters on Monday. "Some people think that they can add enough goodies, federal spending on there, to buy off the votes of Republicans."

Mr Paul said he spoke with Mr Trump over the weekend. He said he thinks Mr Trump wants "what I want, which is a conservative vision of healthcare which involves repealing Obamacare".

At least a dozen Republican senators have expressed opposition to Mr McConnell's initial bill or criticised it. Republicans hold a 52-48 majority and Democrats stand united against the bill, meaning that just three Republican defections will defeat it.

Mr McConnell has acknowledged that if the broader effort fails, he would want the Senate to turn to a smaller bill aimed at shoring up insurance marketplaces where companies have stopped selling policies and premiums are soaring.

But Mr Trump and some conservatives - including Mr Paul - have said if Mr McConnell's wide-ranging bill fails, they would favour an initial bill repealing Mr Obama's law, followed by a second measure somehow replacing it.

That sequence - Mr Trump and party leaders favoured it early this year but then abandoned it - would face all but certain defeat. Many Republicans remain unwilling to scuttle Mr Obama's statute without enactment of a replacement.

Conservative senator Ted Cruz has proposed letting insurers sell any policies they would like, as long as they also sell one that covers a list of services like maternity care that Mr Obama's law requires. Its fate was uncertain.

The plan has drawn support from the White House and some congressional conservatives. But it has limited appeal to Republican moderates who worry it would lead to unaffordable prices for people with pre-existing medical conditions. That's because younger, healthy customers would be unlikely to buy extensive policies, leaving mainly those with costly medical problems purchasing them.

Meanwhile, a study found that the number of uninsured adults has grown by two million this year, underscoring that recent coverage gains have begun to erode.

The Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index, published on Monday, found that the uninsured rate among adults was 11.7% in the second three months of this year, compared with a record low of 10.9% at the end of last year.

The losses were concentrated among younger adults and people buying their own health insurance policies, the survey found.

The reduction could reflect rising premiums and dwindling choices in the insurance markets created under Mr Obama. It could also flow from Trump administration actions and comments about withholding support for the law, which some insurers have said are making them reluctant to offer coverage in some areas.

AP
A Massachusetts man charged with killing two engaged doctors in their luxury Boston condominium in May has been held without bail.

Bampumim Teixeira pleaded not guilty in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday to charges including two counts of murder.

Prosecutor John Pappas said the 30-year-old Teixeira bound and stabbed 49-year-old Dr Richard Field, who was born in Britain, and 38-year-old Dr Lina Bolanos in their home on May 5.

Teixeira was shot by police at the scene.

His district court arraignment was held in the hospital, but he had recovered enough to appear in court on Monday.

His lawyer Steven Sack did not address the charges, but did reserve the right to request bail at a future date.

Teixeira had once worked as a concierge at the condominium building.

He is due back in court on September 12.

AP
Damaged cars along the road to the airport in south-east Damascus, Syria (SANA via AP)

The UN envoy for Syria has opened a new round of indirect talks, the seventh so far, between Syrian government representatives and opposition leaders to try to wind down the battered country's civil war.

The start of the talks in Geneva coincided with the first full day of a ceasefire for southern Syria that was brokered last week by the United States, Russia and Jordan.

Opposition activist Ahmad al-Masalmeh said it was quiet in the city of Daraa, near the Jordanian border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported light shelling and bombardment in the city overnight.

The agreed-on ceasefire covers three war-torn provinces in southern Syria.

It is the first tangible outcome following months of strategy and diplomacy between the new Trump administration and Russian President Vladimir Putin's Moscow.

The Geneva talks are expected to last through the week.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura declined to comment on his expectations but was due to hold a news conference later in the day.

He will be shuttling between the two sides, which have so far only faced each other in ceremonial meetings that have been short on substance.

The UN envoy was first to meet with representatives from Syrian President Bashar Assad's government on Monday, before a meeting later with opposition representatives.

The UN-led diplomatic efforts seek partly to ensure humanitarian aid deliveries to Syria and plan for the day after the war is over.

The Syrian opposition is determined to achieve a political transition in Damascus, while Mr Assad's government insists the talks should prioritise "the war on terror".

Deputy Special Envoy Ramzy Ramzy said in Damascus on Saturday the talks would address both matters in parallel.

Meanwhile, Syrian government forces retook the al-Hail gas field in central Syria from Islamic State militants, the army reported.

The government and its Iranian backers have been advancing through the country's Homs province to secure vital resources they lost early in the war.

Their declared aim is to relieve Syrian soldiers who have been under IS siege in the city of Deir El-Zour, a regional hub for resource commerce.

Oil and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Ghanem said Syria was producing 10 million cubic metres of gas a day - roughly half of its pre-war output of 21 million cubic metres a day.

In northern Syria, at least one person was killed and several others wounded in a barrage of rocket fire and shelling on areas under the control of a US-backed Syrian Kurdish militia.

The People's Protection Units blamed the attack on Turkey.

Ankara says the militia is an extension of an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group operating inside its own borders.

At least three civilians were killed in shelling on Kurdish villages last week.

Five people were killed in shelling on the nearby city of Aleppo, Syrian state media reported.

The government blamed it on rebels encamped outside the city.

Separately, the al Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee group said on social media it detained 123 IS fighters in north-west Idlib province, a rebel-held corner of the country where the group is largely in control.

The Observatory also reported the detentions on Sunday.

Mr Assad's government has refused to entertain talk of the president's departure.

He inherited power from his father, the late Hafez Assad, in 2000 and has held on despite the devastating civil war.

Half of the country's population has been displaced, and some 400,000 people have been killed in the violence since 2011.

AP
Martin McGuinness funeral...John Hume and wife Pat arriving for the funeral of Northern Ireland's former deputy first minister and ex-IRA commander Martin McGuinness, at St Columba's Church Long Tower, in Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday March 23, 2017. See PA story FUNERAL McGuinness. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire...A

Poles apart: Gerry Adams (pictured) is a late convert to the peaceful nationalism espoused by John Hume

I was in combat last week in Glenarm with Danny Morrison, Sinn Feins legendary propagandist, at Summer Madness, a Christian youth festival.

The referees were David Blevins of Sky News and Peter Lynas of the Evangelical Alliance.

The subject was Fake news, does the truth matter? and though Mr Morrison and I think it does, we have very different views on what is the truth about Northern Irelands recent history.

Although he is one of the very few senior republicans I like and we get on well outside the public arena, we have little common ground on this subject.

From his perspective, I am wilfully blind to the sufferings of Catholics in the past that caused them to rise up in self-defence.

From mine, although I can understand how young people got caught up in violence early on, there is not a shred of justification for the murder campaigns carried out by paramilitaries of any stripe and his selective list of sins committed by them uns is a travesty.

I also consider the lies being deliberately told to whitewash a bloodstained history make Sinn Fein  the party he supports even though he is no longer a member  consistently despicable.

It has also made them impossible to work with, because lies destroy trust.

In my few days in Northern Ireland I asked a wide range of people if a new DUP/Sinn Fein deal was possible.

Pessimism was rampant, and common themes were that power-sharing by people who loathe each other ultimately cannot work, that direct rule is preferable for now and that everyone should get back to the drawing board and devise a new political settlement that does not reward tribalism.

There was deep revulsion about the way in which Sinn Fein has morphed into a cult built on lies.

Shane Paul ODoherty, who served 15 years in jail for the crimes he committed as an IRA child soldier (of which he is deeply ashamed), wrote last week that it would be a boon to the islands of Ireland and Britain if in addition to promoting and preserving the Irish language, Sinn Fein/IRA were also dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the truths of the IRAs sectarian gun and bomb campaign and promotion of those truths to victims of its murders.

He recommends an Irish Truth Act for victims.

As he put it starkly, There is a deep moral evil abroad in Northern Ireland and it lies in Sinn Feins project to finally kill truth and replace it with lies.

Last week too, there was a telling contribution on the same subject from veteran left-winger Eamonn McCann who appears in a new documentary about John Hume.

He had listened to a guide giving schoolchildren from the Republic an account of a history of the Bogside in which Mr Hume didnt feature until the Hume-Adams talks.

(For the benefit of those with an uncertain grasp of history, Derryman John Hume was involved with the civil rights movement from the 1960s, and as a founder and then leader of the SDLP was a spokesman for constitutional nationalism who enraged the IRA by securing a global audience for his eloquent opposition to violence.

With David Trimble, he would win a Nobel Peace Prize for bringing about the Good Friday Agreement.)

Mr Hume is 80 now, but since the late 1990s, the onset of dementia has taken him off the public stage and enabled republicans cynically to airbrush him out of the nationalist narrative to help with the destruction of his party.

As Mr McCann put it a propos the Bogside fakery: Thats the level of the distortion of history which supporters of the IRA are involved with.

They have to. They cant kill the truth.

Well, under the leadership of their party president of 34 years, Gerry I-was-never-in-the-IRA Adams, theyve put as much energy into killing truth as their paramilitaries put into killing people.

Quite a lot of them have come to believe their own lies because they cant bear to see a light shone on a squalid, vicious murder campaign in pursuit of a united Ireland which sowed only hatred and division.

We must all keep challenging the deep moral evil that is their fake news.
Mairtin O Muilleoir may describe the proposal that 10% of new entrants to Civil Service jobs must be Irish-speaking as "bunkum", but the fact is it was contained in a document from Conradh na Gaeilge, which Sinn Fein was actively promoting.

Furthermore, Sinn Fein's 2015 draft Irish Language Bill included the line, "Provision for affirmative action in favour of Irish speakers in recruitment to the Civil Service and other public bodies". In other words, Sinn Fein do support positive discrimination.

I have the utmost respect for the Irish language, but it has been used and abused by Sinn Fein. I have experience of this in my council area.

If anything, it is Sinn Fein who have shown massive disrespect to the language, using it as a battering-ram to try and advance their political agenda.

Just as the proposal for 10% of new entrants to the Civil Service being Irish-speaking is unacceptable, so, too, are the proposals for the creation of an Irish language commissioner with the powers of a High Court judge.

In Sinn Fein's 2015 draft Irish Language Bill, they proposed that the Irish language commissioner would have the power to "initiate prosecutions for a new... summary offence of refusing, or failing, to co-operate with the work of an Irish language commissioner".

Is this the type of society we want to create, where non-Irish speakers will live in fear of being hauled before the court, because they choose to conduct their everyday lives using English? I dread to think where this could end up.

cllr david taylor

Ulster Unionist Party group leader

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
On Wednesday this week, tens of thousands of Orangemen and women will parade at many venues across Northern Ireland to pay tribute to their hero, the 17th-century King William III "of glorious, pious and immortal memory".

To them, he remains a vibrant figure who secured the "Glorious Revolution" and consolidated the Protestant succession to the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Scores of Orange banners will depict William astride a white charger as the victor at the Battle of the Boyne and the modern figurehead of those who want to protect Protestantism from its enemies, real or imaginary, on a Green island and in a secular world where religion itself is under threat.

How far does this vision of King William match the reality of a Dutch warrior nobleman from the House of Orange, who became entangled with the tortuous politics and military alliances of late-17th-century Europe?

William was undoubtedly a military hero, who secured his kingdom in the hardest way possible by going into battle directly with King James, who was intent on imposing and solidifying Roman Catholicism on Britain and Ireland.

This was a pivotal period in the struggle for the kingdom, though the Protestant succession was finally secured in the bloody battle of Aughrim, where the Jacobites were slaughtered and routed by an army led by William's generals. He was not there in person.

Today, there is a comprehensive account of that dreadful battle in the Aughrim Museum, just off the main road from Dublin to Galway, and it is well worth seeing.

William was a good soldier and undoubtedly a military hero, though whether or not he rode a white horse is open to question. It might have been a black, brown, or grey, horse, but historical heroes were usually painted astride a white charger.

For most Orangemen, the charger will be eternally white and in the world summarised (wrongly) by Donald Trump as swamped by "fake news", why let the facts spoil a good story?

King William had personal as well as military considerations on his mind during his Irish campaign at the Boyne and elsewhere.

There was the delicate matter that King James was his father-in-law and going into battle with your wife's father was hardly in the best interests of maintaining good family relations.

As a Stadholder of Holland, William was a leading European Protestant and his marriage to Mary in 1677 consolidated an alliance between two of the great powers which had been at war.

James's accession to the throne was a severe threat and the increasing concessions to Catholicism alarmed leading English Protestants, who invited William and Mary to take the throne. The rest, as they say, is history.

The marriage between William and Mary, who were cousins, was a political alliance, rather than a love match. Initially Mary, who was 12 years younger than William, disliked him, but she grew to love him deeply.

This was clear from the letters she wrote to him during his Irish campaign, which were literally "love" letters.

She wrote to him from London on June 17, 1690, shortly after he had landed with his troops in Carrickfergus.

"I cannot thank God enough for your being so well past the dangers of the sea. I beseech Him in His mercy still to preserve you so, and send us once more a happy meeting on earth.

"I long to hear from you how the air of Ireland agrees with you, for I must own, I am not without my fears for that, loving you so entirely as I do, and shall till death."

These letters are contained in a book entitled Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland by Sir John Dalrymple and published nearly a century later, in 1773.

In another letter, dated July 16, 1690, some days after the Battle of the Boyne, Queen Mary wrote in alarm to William, after she had heard that he had been struck by a stray musket ball during the fighting.

"I can never give God thanks enough as I live, for your preservation. I hope in His mercy that this is a sign He preserves you to finish the work He has begun by you, but I hope it may be a warning to you, to let you see you are exposed to as many accidents as others."

Queen Mary's letters reveal her deep Christian faith and her total support for the Protestant cause, as well as her devotion to her husband.

Unfortunately, King William, like many of his contemporary monarchs and presidents, was not faithful to his marriage vows and his long-term mistress, Elizabeth Villiers, was one of Mary's ladies-in-waiting.

There had been earlier and somewhat vicious accusations from his political opponents that William may have been gay, because of his close associations with a large number of male advisers, but these rumours were discounted by his later biographers.

William and Mary had a child who died in infancy. It is said that William remained somewhat aloof from Mary, but he also depended on her greatly for support. After her death in 1694 from smallpox, he grieved for her deeply.

William was obviously a complex human being and not just the uncomplicated warrior-hero of countless Orange banners and murals.

He was quite small in stature and asthmatic, but the pathetic little statue in Carrickfergus does him less than justice.

His Kingly bearing is captured much better in the statue outside Kensington Palace in London. There is no doubt that he was a leading figure in British and European affairs and deserves his major place in late-17th century history.

He was a man of many tastes and he was passionately fond of horses.

No doubt he would have attended the horse-racing at Newmarket, where the meetings at the local heath had also been attended by King Charles II and his brother, James II, William's father-in-law.

King William died in 1702, following complications after a riding incident.

One other of William and Mary's achievements in Ireland was to grant a new Royal Charter to the "King and Queen's College of Physicians in Ireland" in 1692.

This was the forerunner of the present Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, which is based in Dublin and which remains a pillar of Irish medicine.

Alf McCreary is the author of Healing Touch, the official history of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
Asatru: Faith of the Vikings

Asatru is a modern revival of the beliefs in the ancient Gods of the Germanic and Nordic peoples: Freya, Thor, Odin and others. For many Asatruar, embracing this faith feels like being called home to the way of their ancestors. Although a small number of white supremacists have claimed to follow Asatru, generating controversy in the news, they are not representative of Asatru at large. Following a moral code, Asatruar believe that life is good and should be lived with boldness and enthusiasm, and value courage, honor, industriousness, and personal responsibility. Gathering by "hearths" and "kindreds" they honor the Gods, ancestors, and tribal connections to family and kin.



"Asatru fits like a comfortable pair of jeans. It's intrinsic and natural. The honor code appeals to me as well; chief among these the concept of personal responsibility. I also like the rootedness of it. That being how it connects me to my European and Northern Isles ancestors." --Beliefnet member



"I was always very fascinated with mythology, especially Norse. I kept on reading and also began to notice my thoughts start to change from 'what a load of...' to 'well that's interesting' and then finally to 'well that's just plain awesome.' I started to get more and more interested in Asatru and eventually found I was calling myself one." --Beliefnet member Jonny



"I will face my challenges with a grin, accept nothing less than victory until death, and face my gods and ancestors secure in the knowledge that I made the most of the life they gave to me, and that my children and neighbors will face less danger and strife for my efforts." --Beliefnet member John_T_Mainer



Visit Beliefnet's Asatru community



Next: Sant Mat: Heaven Within


Supporters of Malaysian opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim shout slogans as they arrive at the Federal Court in Putrajaya for a verdict on Anwars appeal of a sodomy conviction, Feb. 10, 2015.

Malaysias prime minister has prolonged the appointments of the nations top two judges, a move that lawmakers, legal experts and others are criticizing as unconstitutional and is aimed, they say, at undermining the judiciarys independence.

Prime Minister Najib Razaks office announced Friday night that the tenures of Malaysian Chief Justice Md Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal President Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin were being extended by three and two years, respectively. Both men were also being appointed as additional judges to the Federal Court  the nations highest court, according to a statement issued by the office.

The decisions are in line with the provisions of the current Federal Constitution, the statement said.

It said the appointments and extensions were carried out in accordance with Article 122 of the constitution and that the Malaysian king, acting on the advice of the prime minister and after consulting the Conference of Rulers  a body made up of sultans and governors who represent the 13 states that comprise the Malaysian federation  had approved these moves.

Raus was scheduled to retire on Aug. 3 and Zulkefli on Sept 27, after attaining the age of 66 years and six months, the maximum retirement age for judges who sit on the federal bench. However, an additional judge is not bound by the same age limit.

The move has provoked a backlash from rights advocates, Malaysias political opposition and legal experts.

What are the special circumstances for the [Chief Justice and the Court of Appeal President] to be appointed in such controversial manner? Eric Paulsen, executive director of local NGO Lawyers for Liberty, said in a statement Monday.

We are indeed shocked and appalled by these appointments which can only be described as a desperate attempt by Prime Minister Najib Razak to further undermine the independence of the judiciary, he added.

Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysias jailed de facto opposition leader, weighed in on the matter in a statement issued from his cell on Monday.

Ive been made to understand that lawyer Shafee Abdullah was involved in providing legal advice and the foundation view to decide on the extensions of Raus and Zulkefli, Anwar said of the lead prosecutor in the case in which Anwar is appealing his conviction in 2014 to a five-year prison term on sodomy charges.

Last month, Anwar filed a lawsuit to overturn his conviction and regain his freedom, claiming that the appointment of Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, a lawyer in private practice, as the public prosecutor in his appeal went against the attorney generals usual practice and was unethical.

Muhammad Shafee on Saturday defended extensions of the tenures of the top two judges, saying nothing in the constitution forbade this.

Why not utilize the best legal brains for the top job? Shafee said in a statement on Saturday.

Bar: Blatantly unconstitutional

In a blog posting in May, former Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad raised concerns about the possibility that Najib could extend the tenure of the current top judge by appointing him as an additional judge. But such a tactic would be unconstitutional, Abdul Hamid argued, because the nations charter does not allow an additional judge to be picked as head of the judiciary, he said.

The words an additional judge of the Federal Court can only mean what they say, i.e. an additional judge of the Federal Court to do the work of a Federal Court judge, not to be the Chief Justice, the head of the Judiciary, the ex-chief justice wrote.

Abdul Hamid also advised Md Raus to put aside his personal interest, rise to the occasion and decline the appointment.

Malaysian Bar President George Varughese echoed this, calling on both Raus and Zulkefli to turn down their extensions.

The Malaysian Bar is of the considered view that these appointments are blatantly unconstitutional, Varughese said in a statement issued on Sunday.

Article 122 of the constitution clearly states that the chief justice and any additional judge must be two distinct persons, and not the same person, and that the same principle applies to the president of the Court of Appeal, Varughese added.

Last bastion of justice

Meanwhile, the lawyer for former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said the latest judicial appointments were another attempt by the countrys leader to curtail the powers of the institution that is the last bastion of justice.

Mahathir, Najibs bitter foe and former boss, has led calls for the prime minister to resign over corruption allegations linked to a financial mismanagement scandal surrounding state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The judicial moves were carried out, Mahathir attorney Haniff Khatri Abdulla told BenarNews, ... in order for him [Najib] to remain in power, despite the long outstanding and unresolved mother of all scandals, 1MDB.

Hata Wahari contributed to the report.
Civilians flee as Islamic State-linked militants and government forces battle one another in Marawi, a predominantly Muslim city in the southern Philippines, May 27, 2017.

A measure being proposed in a northern Philippine province that would require minority Muslims to apply for identification cards is discriminatory and dangerous, local rights activists and legislators said Monday.

Police officials and local leaders last week discussed the possibility of implementing this policy in Tarlac province, amid fears that fighting between government forces and Islamic State-inspired militants in the southern city of Marawi could spread to other parts of the predominantly Catholic Philippines.

Officials said that a mandatory identification card system, which could help them track the movements of militants, was implemented in Paniqui city in the northern Philippines about three weeks ago. Police there want the measure widened to include other parts of the region, where about 25,000 Muslims live.

That is locally initiated. That is not mandated by the (police) leadership, Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, the nations police chief, told reporters, adding that he did not see anything illegal there. Its like police are just recording the people coming into your village.

The fighting in Marawi, which began on May 23, has emptied the city on Mindanao island of its 200,000 residents. Thousands of those who left are either in various evacuation camps, or have joined relatives staying in the northern Philippines or other parts of the country.

Carlos Conde, a Philippine researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch, said the move being considered in Tarlac reflected the governments shortsightedness and lack of appreciation of Muslim cultural sensitivities.

Muslims in the Philippines have suffered not just from state and rebel violence but also from discrimination for far too long, Conde told BenarNews. This proposal needs to be rejected in the strongest terms.

He said Muslims in the northern provinces do not speak for their brothers affected by the fighting in the south, and the government appears to be using this supposed initiative to violate the rights of Muslims in other areas.

The Muslims-only ID system is blatantly discriminatory because it singles out a particular group, he said, adding it could also lead to violations of a persons basic rights, including equal protection of the law and freedom of movement.

About 6 percent of the countrys more than 100 million population are Muslims, most of them living in the southern Philippines, according to official statistics.

Religious profiling

The proposal for ID cards is a violation of a persons basic constitutional rights, Sen. Win Gatchalian said Monday.

It should be scrapped immediately, he said.

An ID system would encourage hostility against Muslims in affected communities, and make them susceptible to religious profiling by the police, he said.

Terrorism is an unholy crime against humanity that has been denounced by every religion in the world, including Islam, Gatchalian said. Our law-abiding Muslim brothers and sisters are not the enemy, and I will oppose any policy which implies that they should be treated with suspicion merely because of their religious beliefs.

Mujiv Hataman, the governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that includes Marawi, expressed alarm at the proposed ID system, which, he said, has apparently been implemented in Paniqui.

He warned that it set a dangerous precedent and served to alienate disaffected Muslims, and drive them into the hands of militant Islamic groups such as the Abu Sayyaf and the Maute gang.

It could ignite anger among young Muslims who are primary targets for recruitment of extremist groups, he said as he called for an urgent dialogue between local government, national law enforcement and security officials.

We appreciate efforts outside Mindanao to fight terrorism, but, please, not through measures that could further worsen the current situation, Hataman added.

Militants: A clear and present threat

Fighting erupted in Marawi when troops and police moved in May to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, the acknowledged IS leader in the Philippines. But they were met by a huge force of local and foreign militants from Southeast Asia and the Middle East, who took over the city in what has become the biggest challenge yet to the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.

Despite almost daily aerial bombing runs and intelligence help from the United States and Australia, Philippine troops have failed to dislodge the fighters from Marawi, which now resembles a scarred ghost town.

The fighting has left 89 government forces, 379 gunmen and 39 civilians dead, with no immediate end in sight, the military said on Monday.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said that about 80-100 militants were still believed to be holding out in Marawi, even as their firepower appeared to have diminished.

There are others who may have made their way out of the city because initially during the first week, we did not have a foolproof containment of the area and many of these [fighters] have escaped, Padilla said.

Those who remain in Marawi still pose a threat, he said.

They are not groups anymore, he said. They are just individuals or small groups, but still the threat that they pose is clear and present.

Mark Navales in Cotabato City and Jeoffrey Maitem in Marawi City contributed to this report.
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Bowling Green State University faculty and students are working to improve the lives of people across the lifespan, through teaching, research and engagement. To help expand our understanding of the needs of the older generation, the Universitys Optimal Aging Institute is supporting research projects related to the health and well-being of older adults. The institute is funding four internal BGSU grants this year that look at a range of timely issues, from LGBTQ individuals in senior living facilities to people who had planned to retire but who for financial reasons cannot.

Were seeing dramatic cultural and societal changes, said Paula Davis, director of the institute. New needs are being revealed, along with the appropriate ways of addressing them.

This is nowhere more apparent in nursing homes and other senior-living facilities, she said. One of the OAI grants is focused on helping these facilities better serve LGBTQ individuals, a population not previously acknowledged. Moving into such a facility is a dramatic change for all people, and LGBTQ individuals may face additional challenges and stress.

For many LGBTQ seniors who have lived openly, moving into a nursing home or assisted living facility may mean going back into the closet, said Dr. Laura Landry-Meyer, an associate professor of family and consumer sciences. She and Dr. Elizabeth Holman, an assistant professor of human development and family studies, are examining how best to provide diversity training for employees of senior living centers so that they can understand and be sensitive to non-heterosexual residents. Holman and Landry-Meyer are partnering with Brookdale Bowling Green to pilot an educational program and then to test its effectiveness, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Their project, Creating Contextual Support: Barriers to Implementing LGBTQ Diversity Training in Senior Living Facilities, will implement face-to-face training adapted from existing models.

The training is out there, unique to the needs, its just that nobody is using it, Holman said. Except for in a few states, nobody markets their facilities as LGBTQ-friendly. They may fear its too political to take a public stance, or there may be other fears that create hesitation on their part.

We want to know what types of support these facilities need to implement this training, and what we need to do to help get people over that hump of acceptance, she said. We also want the staff to feel more secure in knowing how to relate to people. Being silent about LGBTQ issues doesnt enhance the support and feelings of being in a safe space that promotes healthy aging for this population.

When an LGBTQ person moves into a senior living facility, they may face discrimination or experience a fear of discrimination. All that stress unique to LGBTQ people can make them more vulnerable. They worry about how their neighbors and the staff will react if they have or had a same-sex partner. Can they feel comfortable negotiating conversations with staff, or in the dining room? Also, from a family perspective, does someone feel comfortable coming out as the parent or grandparent of an LGBTQ relative? Theres a large range of attitudes toward LGBTQ populations, and we want to figure out how to best train senor living facilities to become more supportive of all their residents.

Ohio is a good place to test the training, said Landry-Meyer. It is second only to Florida in the number of senior living facilities. And Brookdale is very pro-education. They host monthly webinars and invite gerontologists from all over the area. Were very excited to be working with them.

Another kind of stress affects those who would like to retire but find they cannot manage it. Yisheng Peng, a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology is specializing in both developmental psychology, which looks at people across the lifespan, and organizational/industrial psychology, which looks at the psychology of work. He is partnering with Drs. Steven Jex and Yiwei Chen, also in the department, on a study of Risk and Protective Factors for Psychological Well-Being of Older Workers Who Cannot Afford Retirement. Jex specializes in and organizational/industrial psychology, and Chen is a specialist in developmental psychology.

Peng and his co-investigators plan to collaborate with organizations such as a nonprofit senior employment center that deals with people over age 50 who are still in the job market to conduct an online survey. They will look at such factors as work-life conflict/balance and family dynamics, perceived workload in the current job, social support from coworkers and interpersonal relations, physical health and psychological well-being and, importantly, job insecurity.

They hope the results of their study can provide guidance for policy makers and organizations. The situation for those approaching retirement became more acute following the 2008 financial crisis, which wreaked havoc with the plans of many workers, Peng said. Even though the economic situation has improved, we still see older workers who continue to work after retirement. We cannot just ignore them.

Survey questions on physical health will ask respondents to what extent they feel they cannot sleep well, and whether they feel such things as shoulder and neck pain, which become more common with age, Peng said. In the psychological well-being area, questions will be asked about life satisfaction, happiness, and job satisfaction.

Total family income can be an important factor in whether an individual feels he or she can retire, Peng said. In addition, earlier studies show that when an older parent requires caregiving, women are more likely to either retire or cut down to part-time work.

For people in jobs that require physical capability, like nurses, worry about their continued ability to do their jobs becomes a stress factor. You may want to work more hours but it can be dangerous for your health, Peng said.

We also want to measure job insecurity, where people need their job but fear they might lose it at any moment. Part-time jobs are especially vulnerable, and short-time jobs can be very unstable.

Protective factors include job crafting, in which employees initiate changes in the task or relational boundaries of their work by changing with whom they interact, moving from a line job in a factory, for instance, to a desk job with less physical stress. Older employees also benefit from generativity opportunities to transfer knowledge and serve as formal or informal mentors and thus maintain their pride in their job.

Some companies may offer phased retirement, in which employees may shorten their work hours or work part time, which allows companies to retain their valuable job skills. This can be a protective factor if the employee is involved in the decision, Peng said, or a risk factor if they find themselves scheduled for fewer hours than they need to make ends meet.

If they do not have a say in the process, they have no autonomy. They feel Someone is taking my job, and I need my salary.

Age-related job discrimination is a sensitive issue and hard to measure, he said. It can be difficult to prove since job performance can sometimes be based on both subjective or objective criteria, especially in positions where it is hard to quantify. Companies are often wary of speaking about it since older workers are a protected class  and older workers are surprisingly defined as those over 40 by the Age Discrimination Act.

The project is an extension of a topic Peng explored in his doctoral dissertation, in which he focused on nurses in Ohio older than 50, the age at which most people begin to think about retirement, he said. He found that even though the salary for nurses of that age is fairly high, they still worried about their standard of living after retirement, and many planned to continue working, either part time or in another related field.

If people can derive meaningfulness from their current jobs, they would prefer to continue working after retirement, he found.

Some retirees choose to enter an entirely different field than their previous job. They may provide valuable service as shuttle bus drivers or retail employees, where the salary may be less but still supplements their income and the work is less demanding.

Peng hopes to continue the study after the initial survey to provide more in-depth answers and to expand the results.

The other two grants funded by the OAI are for a study of osteoporosis in Erie County, Ohio, by Sylvia Hermo-Fedro, a lecturer in applied sciences at BGSU Firelands, and for the analysis of qualitative data collected by Dr. Kate Magsamen-Conrad, an associate professor in the Department of Communication, over the last several years of ongoing research about older adults technology/media skills acquisition, health and interactions between college students and middle-aged and older adults.
For Immediate Release, July 10, 2017 Contact: Leigh Moyer, (520) 623-5252 x 313, lmoyer@biologicaldiversity.org U.S. Senate Gets 600 Endangered Species Condoms for World Population Day Condom Care Packages Urge Senators to Protect Reproductive Rights, Address Population Growth WASHINGTON  U.S. senators returning from their holiday break today received a package of Endangered Species Condoms to mark World Population Day, July 11, and to urge them to protect reproductive rights and family planning programs. The delivery is part of the Center for Biological Diversity's project to raise awareness about human population growth and its effects on wildlife. In all, 600 condoms were sent to the Senate. Every senator received a package of the brightly colored condom boxes featuring images of species threatened by human population growth and slogans like Wrap with care, save the polar bear and Fumbling in the dark? Think of the monarch. The senators also received a letter with the condoms either thanking them for their support of reproductive healthcare and access to contraception or criticizing them for prioritizing tax cuts for the rich over women's rights and the environment. Access to reproductive healthcare is a right all women should have. It's also an essential tool in curbing human population growth so we can save room for the wildlife who share the planet with us, said Leigh Moyer, the Center's population organizer. We need to draw the connection between human population growth and the wildlife extinction crisis, but that's not enough. We also need to protect straightforward solutions like universal access to contraception for everyone on Earth, starting right here in the United States. Human population continues to grow at a rate of about 227,000 people per day, driving habitat loss and forcing competition for natural resources. Wild plants and animals are going extinct at rates 1,000 to 10,000 times the natural background rate due to habitat loss, pollution, climate change and other human-caused problems. The UN recently updated population projections to 9.8 billion people by 2050, an increase of 100 million from the prediction made two years ago. We're at a pivotal moment in history. As Congress works to address American healthcare, we have the opportunity to put the pieces of the puzzle together, said Moyer. We can't afford for our senators to miss this opportunity and vote against the American people and against the environment. World Population Day was designated by the United Nations in 1989 to raise awareness about global population issues. There are more than 7.5 billion people on the planet, with the United States ranked as the third-most populous country. And with 45 percent of all pregnancies unplanned, the United States also boasts the highest rate of unintended pregnancies of any developed nation. The Center's Population and Sustainability program advocates for rights-based, common-sense solutions, including universal access to contraception, reproductive healthcare and family planning services, education and equality for women and girls, and reducing our environmental footprint.
For Immediate Release, June 10, 2017 Contact: Randi Spivak, (310) 779-4894, rspivak@biologicaldiversity.org 2.5 Million People Want National Monuments to Remain Protected Trump Administration's Privatization Proposal Blasted as Comment Period Closes WASHINGTON As the Trump administration's review of 27 national monuments draws to a close, more than 2.5 million people have flooded the government comment website saying that they want national monuments to remain protected. Millions of Americans have urged the Trump administration not to sell off our beautiful national monuments, said Randi Spivak, public lands program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. These are public lands, and the public wants them protected. A survey of dozens of organizations reveals that more than 2.5 million public comments have been submitted to the Interior Department in support of the 27 monuments at risk under review by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. The regulations.gov website displays each bundle of comments submitted from concerned groups as a single comment, significantly understating the number of comments received. It's disturbing that Zinke has already shown he's willing to ignore the pleas of the public, while bowing to Trump's political supporters like Senator Orrin Hatch, Spivak said. Zinke's interim recommendation on Bears Ears National Monument called for slashing protections, a slap in the face to the tribes and public who have worked so hard to protect it. President Trump launched an attack on national monuments in April, targeting more than 1 billion acres of natural and cultural wonders from coast to coast that have been protected by presidents of both political parties. In June Zinke recommended significant reductions to Bears Ears, which oil and gas companies are eyeing for drilling and fracking operations. Zinke's final recommendations on the monuments under review are due Aug. 24. The oil industry can already drill on 90 percent of the land managed by the BLM  how much more do they want? Spivak said. It's time for Zinke to stop pretending he's a Teddy Roosevelt kind of a guy. President Roosevelt would be ashamed of him. Background

Signed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 out of 19 presidents  eight Republicans and eight Democrats  to protect America's most iconic natural, cultural and historic places by designating them as national monuments. The public overwhelmingly supports public lands and oceans. A 2014 Hart Research poll showed that 90 percent of voters supported presidential proposals to protect some public lands and waters as parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness. In the 2017 Conservation in the West poll, 80 percent supported keeping monument protections in place. Many studies have shown that communities located near monuments and other protected public lands have stronger economies. Studies also show that the outdoor and recreational opportunities in these monuments increase local residents' quality of life, making areas near them more attractive to new residents, entrepreneurs, small businesses and investors. Outdoor recreation alone drives an $887 billion economy and supports 7.6 million jobs. A recent Headwaters Economics report reflects these trends with updated data from 17 areas across the West.
For Immediate Release, July 7, 2017 Contact: Jamie Pang, (858) 699-4153, jpang@biologicaldiversity.org Reward Increased to $12,500 for Information on Endangered Red Wolf Killing RALEIGH, N.C. The Center for Biological Diversity today added $10,000 to the reward for information leading to a conviction or fine in the latest illegal killing of an endangered red wolf, bringing the total reward offered to $12,500. The wolf was poisoned and found dead Jan. 27 in Tyrell County, N.C.; on Thursday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked for the public's help in solving this crime and offered a $2,500 reward in the case. It's a terrible injustice that someone would poison this extremely rare and precious red wolf, said Jamie Pang, a policy specialist with the Center. The science shows that red wolves can be saved but, with fewer than 50 left in the wild, this deplorable killing cannot be tolerated. Although once abundant along the entire coastal plain of the Southeast, red wolves were pushed to the brink of extinction after decades of relentless persecution. After the species was declared endangered in 1973, 17 wild red wolves were captured for captive breeding. Wolf releases began in North Carolina's Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in the mid-1980s, but recovery efforts have repeatedly been thwarted by illegal killings. Populations peaked at 130 in 2001, but currently there are less than 45 of the animals left in the wild. We're adding to this reward because red wolves are a critical part of America's heritage, and we shouldn't let a few killers deny future generations their opportunity to see these creatures in the wild, said Pang. With this killing and so many others, we could lose this species forever unless the federal government steps up and increases its efforts to recover these extremely endangered wolves. The best available science demonstrates that red wolves can be recovered if illegal killings end, additional populations are established in the wild, and additional resources invested into red wolf recovery. The Center submitted an emergency petition in May 2016 to strengthen rules protecting red wolves from illegal shootings and identify additional reintroduction sites where red wolves can thrive. In December the Center and allies filed a second petition with the Fish and Wildlife Service asking for an updated recovery plan. The agency has since pledged to develop a new recovery plan by January 2018 for the rapidly dwindling population of wild red wolves. Anyone with information on the death of this or any other red wolf is urged to contact Resident Agent in Charge John Elofson at (404) 763-7959 x 222; Special Agent Jason Keith at (919) 856-4520 x 34; North Carolina Zone Wildlife Officer Frank Simms at (252) 796-3004 x 223; or North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Officer Robert Wayne at (252) 269-6734.
Starting your day with a cup of mushroom coffee can give a much-needed twist to your daily regimen. Many speak of its benefits, and some even prefer it to regular coffee. But given its unique
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Mukherjee visited IISc at its annual convocation recently during which 625 students were given degrees and 52 awarded medals for their academic performance.

President Pranab Mukherjee lauded the alumni and faculty of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for advancing research in science and technology.

Mukherjee visited IISc at its annual convocation recently during which 625 students were given degrees and 52 awarded medals for their academic performance.

He stated that alumni and faculty of IISc have played and continue to play a strong role in leading national science and technology institutions and in various advisory or administrative roles in the government.

Noting that IISc maintained its reputation of being a premier institute of higher education and research, he said its academic stature as the country's best university was confirmed by the National Institutional Rankings Framework.

In a rather personal speech to graduating students and faculty of IISc, President said he was deeply satisfied that his last visit was to the institute that has made India proud.
Veteran cabinet minsters Pravin Gordhan, Nhlanhla Nene and Derek Hanekom, speaking at the recently concluded Agribusiness Africa Conference, agreed that the agricultural sector can be a major driving force for new economic growth. The trio called on the industry to pave the way for transformation, diversification and innovation.

Former minister of finance Pravin Gordhan made a strong call to business owners to adopt the CEO Initiative that saved South Africa from a ratings downgrade in the aftermath of a 2015 cabinet reshuffle that saw Gordhan replace Nene. He reminded delegates of robust policy frameworks such as the Nine Point Plan and Operation Phakisa that demonstrated exponential inclusive growth potential, if supported by the private sector.

Government has provided farming subsidies and incentives for emerging farmers and considerable relief to farmers affected by drought, but none of these are sustainable without investment in new technology and capacity building from the private sector, expressed Gordhan.

Outlook remains positive

Addressing guests at the Standard Bank Gala Dinner, Nico Groenewald, head of Agribusiness in South Africa said, While South Africas confidence index suggests business owners are delaying decision-making and expansion plans as a result of the recent ratings downgrades, the agricultural outlook remains positive, also echoed through the topics and discussion at this conference.

Guests at the dinner were also treated to remarks from former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene who spoke about the emotional connection to land and the need to support aspirational farmers on small plots.

The Agribusiness Africa Conference tackled topics such as drought resilience, cross-border trade, value chain development, land reform, capacity building for emerging farmers and Africas role in food production. Former minister Derek Hanekom who held the agricultural portfolio between 1994 and 1999 and pioneered the land reform policies under former President Nelson Mandela was well placed to reflect on the state of agriculture in the country 23 years later.

Agriculture the most promising sector

Hanekom explained that whilst agriculture currently only contributed 2.2% to national GDP, the GDP figure for all of sub-Saharan Africa was 15% and likely double that if the entire value chain was considered. Not only does Africa have the greatest potential arable land to feed the world, but agriculture is also the most promising sector for growing the economy and rapidly absorbing unemployment.

According to Hanekom, the transfer of large productive farms to emerging farmers who do not yet have sufficient skill to maintain commercial outputs was setting them up for failure and recommended that smaller plots be made available to incrementally build capacity.

Hanekom challenged the sector to invest more heavily in technology and innovation and said the only way to manage scarce resources, such as land and water, more efficiently was to embrace sustainable intensification of agriculture.
WASHINGTON, US: Firms operating nuclear power plants and other energy facilities in the US have been hacked in recent months, the New York Times reported Thursday, 6 July.

It quoted what it called an urgent report issued in late June by the Department of Homeland Security.

The intrusions happened in May and June and hit companies including Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation, which operates a nuclear power plant in Kansas, the Times said.

It did not say how many firms were targeted, and added the origin of the hack was unknown.

But the Times said an "advanced persistent threat" actor was responsible. The paper said this is the language hacking experts often use to describe government-backed hackers.

The DHS report carried an urgent "amber warning", the second highest rating for threat severity, the newspaper said.

The Times quoted Wolf Creek officials as saying no operations systems had been affected.

The corporate network and the internet were separate from the network that runs the plant, these officials were quoted as saying.

The report did not specify if the attacks were aimed at industrial espionage or causing damage.

But the report said the hackers "appeared determined to map out computer networks for future attacks".

Source: AFP
A new joint International Labour Organisation (ILO)-Eurofound report released, earlier this year, Working anytime, anywhere: The effects on the world of work' focuses on employees who use new technology to work outside of the employer's premises and often outside of regular working hours.

The data for the report are drawn from 15 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, India, Japan and the US, as well as ten EU countries. The report showed that Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden and the US have the highest incidence of employees working off their employers premises. Overall, at least 40% of employees were found to do some form of work outside their employers premises and after hours. This was mainly related to telephone calls and email communications. Managers and professionals are most inclined to do this sort of work, but it is also prevalent among sales staff and clerical workers. The majority of such workers are male.

Positive effects

The report highlights a number of positive effects of this type of work. For example, greater working time autonomy leads to more flexibility in terms of the organisation of working time, which is particularly advantageous for employees with duties to care for children or the elderly. Reduced commuting time can also be a significant benefit. Together, this can result in an improved work-life balance and higher productivity. In addition, business continuity can be maintained in times of natural disaster and office expenses can be reduced.

Problems with off-site work

However, the report also identified some problems with the encroachment of work into spaces and times normally reserved for personal life. These include a tendency to work longer hours, at a higher intensity and an overlap between paid work and personal life, which can lead to psychosocial problems such as family conflict, high levels of stress and burnout.

The report identifies three different types of workers who fall into the category of workers being discussed.

There are home-based workers, who seem to enjoy better work-life balance overall. This category comprises mostly women.

There are also high-mobile workers who are more at risk of negative health and well-being outcomes. High mobile workers are those who constantly work in different locations.

There are those who divide their time between their primary office and another site.



All three of those groups reported higher stress levels and more incidents of insomnia than those who always work at their employers premises. The high mobile workers were the most prone to stress and insomnia, at levels way in excess of their office-bound counterparts.

This report shows that the use of modern communication technologies facilitates a better overall work-life balance but, at the same time, also blurs the boundaries between work and personal life, depending on the place of work and the characteristics of different occupations, said the ILOs Jon Messenger, co-author of the report.

Oscar Vargas, from Eurofound, commented, It is particularly important to address the issue of supplemental work performed through modern communications technology, for example additional working from home, which could be viewed as unpaid overtime, and also to ensure that minimum rest periods are respected, in order to avoid negative effects on workers health and well-being.

Best case is 2-3 days at home

There is evidence that people need some face-to-face contact with colleagues but there are times when physical isolation and autonomy offers the best scenario for successfully completing a task. There may be fewer interruptions and more continuity of work.

Obviously individual characteristics like motivation and skill also play a role in determining whether flexible working arrangements enhance productivity. Two to three days working from home seems to be that sweet spot, Jon Messenger told reporters in Geneva.

Right to be disconnected

The ILO encouraged governments to develop policies for governing the technological revolution in the workplace, referring to a new French labour code provision that enshrines the right to be disconnected and a growing practice among some companies to shut down servers to stop emails during designated rest times and holidays. They suggest that this could ensure that the benefits of the technological revolution in the workplace could be harnessed without any negative effects on employees health and well-being. A key issue is whether work outside the workplace substitutes for it, or merely supplements it. The latter is more problematic.

South African annual Labour Law Conference

This year is the 30th anniversary of the Annual Labour Law Conference (formerly organised under the auspices of Lexis Nexis South Africa, now under the mantle of the Conference Company partnered with UKZN, Wits and UCT). With the theme of Past Lessons, Future Challenges: 30 years on, delegates can expect to hear presentations on a wide range of labour related topics including workplace trends and technology.

The conference takes place 2-3 August 2017 at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park. It is the largest gathering of its kind in Southern Africa attracting some 800 professionals from around the country annually. For more information, go to www.annuallabourlawconference.co.za.
At the rate Cape Town's winter rainfall is going, another hot, dry summer will make this year's drought look like a Sunday School picnic.

Fortunately, 500 of the world's leading experts on water loss from municipal systems will be in the city next May for the 2018 International Water Association's Water Loss Conference to share ideas and expertise - and to learn from Cape Town's suffering.

"Many successful case studies will be showcased from South Africa, which is highly regarded worldwide in the field of water losses and is considered to be one of the leaders in advanced pressure control," the chairman of the International Water Association's specialist group on water loss Ronnie McKenzie said.

"Three of the largest advanced pressure control installations in the world have been successfully commissioned in South Africa, two of which are in Cape Town."

Tim Harris, the head of Wesgro - whose Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau secured the conference - said it came at a critical time.

"It will provide attendees with an unparalleled opportunity to share insights and potentially collaborate to find sustainable, long-term solutions," he said.

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille said the conference was the sort of event the city wanted to host as the "ideas capital" of Africa.

"We look forward to learning as much as we can in our goal to build a water-resilient city to ensure that our residents and our economy can adapt, survive and grow," she said.

Source: Herald
The humble honeybee and other pollinating bees and butterflies are all vital parts of the global food chain. Without them honey, strawberries, apples, pears or even a cold pint of cider just would not exist.

But the burning question that I and other ecologists are asking is whether these insects  the majority of which are not pests  can coexist with our pesticides. In particular, scientists are worried about a class of pesticides known as neonicotinoids, which are more targeted in their application by being coated to the seed rather than being sprayed directly onto the crop. The farmers who use these chemicals arent beekeepers, after all, and their main concern is to ensure fruitful crops of oilseed rape and the like.

The jury is still out on whether the current EU ban on the use of neonicotinoids should be lifted, with a verdict due in the autumn. Clearly, legislators need to assess all the evidence first, yet previous research has been inconclusive. Some studies have shown clear evidence of harm to bees, while others raise more questions than answers.

Colleagues and I at the UKs Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, along with international collaborators, have added to the evidence base with the first pan-European experiment to assess neonicotinoid impacts on honeybees and wild bees in a field-realistic way. Our work shows that under certain conditions and in certain countries neonicotinoids do harm bees.

Lucy Hulmes / CEH, Author provided

In our experiment, undertaken at sites in the UK, Germany and Hungary, we exposed honeybees to oilseed rape treated with one of two neonicotinoids (clothanidin, from Bayer CropScience, or thiamethoxam, manufactured by Syngenta) or nothing at all. We repeated the experiment for two other species of wild bee, the buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and the red mason bee (Osmia bicornis).

Our findings, published in Science, showed that exposure to treated crops reduced survival rates in honeybee colonies over the winter  a key measure of year-to-year viability  in two of the three countries. In Hungary, colony numbers fell by 24% in the following spring. In the UK, honeybee colony survival was generally very low, but lowest where bees fed on clothianidin-treated oilseed rape in the previous year. Perhaps surprisingly, no harmful effects on overwintering honeybees were found in Germany.

Neonicotinoids were linked to lower reproductive success in both bumblebees and red mason bees, across all three countries.

We believe the between country differences in the response of honeybees may be explained by factors including the availability of alternative flowers for bees to feed on, as well as general colony health. While the Hungarian and UK honeybees we looked at tended to be more diseased, the hives in Germany happened to be larger, showed little evidence of disease and had access to a wider range of wild flowers to feed on. Differences in the honeybee colonies between countries were not part of the experimental design, but were rather a product of where we locally sourced them. Ultimately the study was designed just to test for between-country differences in how bees respond to neonicotinoid treated oilseed rape.

CEH, Author provided

The effect of neonicotinoids is subtle and simply being exposed to treated crops does not mean a colony will die. But our research suggests that bees are most vulnerable to these pesticides when they are stressed and already not doing so well.

Dont give up on neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoids do have a vital role to play in food production. As they can target particular insects they can be used in low dosages, reducing the need for broad spectrum insecticide sprays. They are also useful in controlling pests which have already developed some resistance to other pesticides.

The question then is could we learn to live with neonicotinoids? How can they on the one hand benefit the farmer  whose primary crops are not necessarily bee-dependent  while on the other hand not adversely affect pollinators?

There may be ways to mitigate the negative impacts of neonicotinoids on bees through improved honeybee husbandry or making more flowering plants available for bees to feed on across non-cropped areas. But this needs further research.

Although poor health is likely to make honeybees more susceptible to neonicotinoids, its unlikely to be as simple as asking people to ensure their hives are healthy. No bee keeper deliberately has unhealthy hives, although there is arguably always scope for new approaches.

It may be easier to achieve the creation of new habitats rich in flowering plants, in agricultural landscapes often stripped of these key resources. Certainly, UK agri-environment schemes can and do provide a mechanisms to achieve this. For wild bees, nesting habitats are also often absent, and creating such areas in agricultural land may also help. Healthy populations of honeybees and wild bees are far more likely to be able to cope with exposure to neonicotinoids, as well as other pesticides that they may be exposed to in these systems.

The challenge for the EU, farmers, conservationists and consumers  and perhaps significantly the UK post-Brexit  is how to navigate the evidence and agree on solutions. Its a challenge that will reap benefits not only in farmers fields but also on dinner menus  and perhaps most crucially on the very existence of global biodiversity.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are sophisticated technologies that have the potential to change the way we do many things, especially in the field of marketing. This is because of their ability to - as their names imply - alter our realities, either through adding to, or augmenting, them (AR), or by re-creating alternative, new ones (VR).

Feeling curious about how these tools could be used, exhibition, events and retail display specialist, Scan Display, decided to test them out at Madex 2017, the marketing, advertising and design expo associated with Markex. BizAR Reality, an interactive software development company, was consulted and provided two different products.

For a playful, interactive experience, an AR photo booth was set up for visitors to place themselves into different scenes on a large screen. This technology operates much like a green screen, only it doesnt require an actual green screen or any background, so is more flexible in how and where it can be used.

A second device was the Markit AR app, which was used to showcase one of the companys best-selling retail products, the Modular Retail Kiosk (MRK). The MRK is large, and therefore not easy to exhibit within a limited space. But by using the Markit AR app on an iPad, stand visitors could scan an image of the MRK and then explore it in 3D and from different angles, with both an AR and VR setting.

Justin Hawes, the companys MD, believes that these tools were an asset to the Scan Display stand, as they became a point of interest and something to talk about beyond the expo. However, the key to using these technologies is to use them well. So, based on Scan Displays experience, here is Justins advice for your next event.

Its still new

A surprising discovery for us was that, even though a lot of this tech has been around for a long time and has been in the media spotlight, people seemed to know very little about it. We expected show visitors to be more aware, says Justin. Therefore you need to be prepared to educate your visitors.

Push it

Perhaps because of the novelty of this technology, people did not readily engage with it. People were reluctant to take hold of the iPad to view the MRK. They seemed to prefer that one of our Account Executives do it for them, explains Justin. So, it is important that you as a brand motivate your audience to get involved, and drive the engagement. Dont simply provide the products and anticipate your audience will automatically want to, or know how to, use them.

Keep it simple

Based on the previous points, it therefore helps to keep things very simple. If you keep it simple, it is less intimidating and easier for people to use AR and VR tools, says Justin. This helps to create a seamless experience.

Undoubtedly, as AR and VR become more mainstream, people will naturally become more comfortable and savvy with using them in more complicated ways. But for now, less is more.

Adapt as you need to

Once you have built an exhibition stand, there is not much you can do to change it, says Justin. You cannot raise walls, or move them around. However, digital devices have the advantage of being designed to be modified, so you can adjust the settings and features during an event, to make them more suitable and effective.

Justin was able to improve the AR photo booth once he realised certain functions werent working as well as he would have liked. This was done by increasing the size of some buttons, and removing others altogether, to streamline the user experience.

This real-time flexibility is a great asset for improving your event outcomes.

Keep testing

Of course, tech can let you down sometimes. Although we did a lot of in-studio testing, we found that when we used the AR photo booth on site there were a few unexpected challenges, says Justin. Probably because the studio was a controlled environment, and the live event setting was not, the camera had a tendency to pick up a lot of interference from other people.

You need to be aware that there could be a problem, and be prepared to run thorough testing on site before the event and make adjustments during the event, adds Justin.

To find out more about Scan Display, visit www.scandisplay.co.za. If youd like to learn more about BizAR Reality or Madex, you can visit www.bizarreality.co.za or www.madex.co.za respectively.




The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (Afex), a network of African freedom of expression groups, has expressed serious concerns about the increased incidents of attacks against journalists, media practitioners and free expression advocates on the continent, and urged governments in the region to step up efforts to safeguard free speech online and offline.

Members of Afex lamented the deteriorating freedom of expression situation in Africa at the network's 5th annual general meeting which was held in Montreal, Canada, in June, on the sidelines of the IFEX strategy conference and general meeting.

Afex deplored the increasing incidents of killings, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests and detentions, threats and harassment of journalists, media professionals and activists in Africa as a threat towards the enjoyment of free expression and the ultimate development of the continent. In particular, it condemned the abuse of public power and legal provisions by highly connected state and non-state actors to muzzle freedom of expression and stifle critical journalism for narrow personal and political gains.

Violations

The network noted that sadly, most of these violations perpetrated against journalists and activists are left unpunished due to the deep-seated culture of impunity and entitlement in the continent. In the past three years, several journalists have been killed with total impunity, a development which has had a chilling effect on the enjoyment of freedom of expression rights by African citizens. The killing of journalists is the surest way of silencing dissent or even intimidating journalists into self-censorship, thus further emboldening perpetrators of these heinous crimes to recommit such violent acts.

It re-stated its "strong condemnation of all acts of violence meted to journalists and freedom of expression advocates in the region" and called on "governments in Africa to commit to ensuring that journalists carry out their legitimate duties freely without any intimidation whatsoever".

Afex also condemned the use of "spurious charges" against journalists by state or non-state actors to counter dissent, which undermines and weakens democracy. The network therefore called for the abolition of all criminal defamation laws and the decriminalisation of press offenses by African countries that are yet to do so.

It also expressed alarm over the increasing threats to freedom of expression online, including the practice of content filtering, restrictive cybercrime laws and even internet shutdowns. Accordingly, Afex called on governments in Africa to respect their citizens' right to share and access information through the internet.

On efforts being made at both the regional and international level to promote freedom of expression rights both offline and online, Afex welcomed the joint commitment by the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU), at the 12th African Union (AU) - European Union (EU) Human Rights Dialogue that took place on January 10, 2017, to promote and protect freedom of expression and the right of access to information in the digital age.

It also applauded the fact that both EU and AU have welcomed the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR's) Resolution on the Right to Freedom of Information and Expression on the Internet in Africa, while emphasising that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online.

Democracy

Afex urged governments in countries that are heading to the polls in 2017 and beyond, to ensure that journalists are free to cover the electoral process freely, adding that "attacks on journalists and suppression of freedom of expression rights during elections undermine the democratic tenets of any country".

It gave its full support to the ongoing efforts by the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, Advocate Pansy Tlakula, to develop Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa, under the auspices of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, with a view to guaranteeing free and fair elections on the continent and the overall strengthening of democratic governance in Africa.

At the end of their meeting, Afex members paid tribute to media personnel, civil society activists and human rights defenders who have been put behind bars unjustly or even killed for standing for cherished democratic values and fundamental human rights.

Regarding the growth of the network, Afex welcomed the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) based in South Africa as a new member, increasing Afex membership from 12 to 13.

The meeting congratulated a member of the Afex Steering Committee, Gilbert Sendwugwa, executive director of the African Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC), on his election to serve on the Ifex Council for the next two years during the Ifex General Meeting.

*This statement was originally published on africafex.org on 5 July 2017.




FRANKFURT, Germany: EasyJet has officially become a member of the Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (Barig). The international airline association based in Frankfurt represents the interests of around 100 national and international airlines.

The European airline will actively get involved in the Barig work and contribute to strategic optimisation measures revolving around air traffic infrastructure and the focus on costs and charges.

Michael Hoppe, Barig chairman and secretary general, says: With EasyJet we welcome an expanding European carrier as a new member in our association. The airline industry currently faces a drastically changing market environment and an ongoing establishment of new business models. For this reason, we are happy that another leading carrier now strengthens this segment in Barig and adds to our international expertise. EasyJet stands for valuable impulses and new ideas that will further enrich the work in the Barig committees.

Says Thomas Haagensen, EasyJets country director for Germany and Switzerland: We look forward to working with Barig on advancing a competitive aviation policy framework for Germany. EasyJet has been flying to and from Germany for many years and will transport more than seven million passengers to and from seven German airports in 2017.
After its absence from major fresh pineapple consumer markets in recent years, Guinea looks to reclaim its leading position in pineapple exports to the European Union. The Delivery Unit, under the Office of the Prime Minister of Guinea (DU), the Ministry of Agriculture and main actors in the sector have set a target of 100 tonnes of fresh pineapple exports, targeting international markets, by the end of January 2018.

In order to achieve this objective and to remove key bottlenecks in the value chain, a partnership was signed among the government, pineapple producers in the Basse-Guinee region and French importer VB International. The DU contributed to lifting a key bottleneck by providing fertilisers that are specific to the cultivation of pineapples and by developing payment facilities for farmers. VB International has committed to purchasing 100 tonnes of pineapple from Guinean producers that meet European market standards, between October 2017 and January 2018.

This partnership marks a key step in initiating the return of Guinean pineapples into international markets, said Mamady Youla, prime minister of the Republic of Guinea.

Technical support

A leading exporter up until the 1970s and recognised for the quality and variety of its pineapples, including the Cayenne Lisse, Baroness of Rothschild and Queen Victoria, Guinea has been absent from major fresh pineapple consumer markets in recent years. This partnership will allow some 20 producers from the Maferenyah and Kindia areas to receive technical support from the Burquiah Cooperative, which brings considerable experience in exporting pineapples to the European Union, as well as the Cooperative of the Federation of Fruit Planters of the Basse-Guinee region, which will provide technical support and monitoring to the target producers.

A pineapple producer from the Basse-Guinee region taking part in the initiative said: Through this partnership, we receive technical support that allows us to produce quality fruits that meet the criteria of the European market.

The DU aims to accelerate the implementation of government flagship initiatives through the development and incubation of effective, sustainable, and results-oriented implementation and governance approaches. The DUs pilot projects are focused on agriculture, mining and leadership development. In the agriculture sector, the DUs interventions, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Commerce, focus on revitalising the pineapple industry and on supporting Guinea in reclaiming its leadership position in international markets.

Three priority interventions are:
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Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat and Commander-in-chief of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing exchanging mementos in Gaya on Friday. A PTI Photo.

AHMEDABAD (PTI): Commander-in-chief of Myanmar Defence Forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, arrived here on a two-day visit, accompanied by a sixteen-member delegation.



General Hlaing was received by Major General Anil Puri, the General Officer Commanding of Golden Katar Division upon his arrival, a Defence release said on Sunday.



"Commander-in-Chief, Myanmar Defence Forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is on a two-day visit to Ahmedabad starting today," it said.



On the first day of his visit, he went to the Sabarmati Ashram and Riverfront, accompanied by his wife, the release said.



"They were spiritually very touched by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. They were enthralled to visit the focal point of non-violence conceptualised by Mahatma Gandhi. The delegation was particularly impressed by the scenic beauty of the Sabarmati River Front," it said.



Tomorrow, General Hlaing and other members of the delegation will visit Amul Dairy plant at Anand, TATA NANO plant at Sanand as well as Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI) in Gandhinagar, said the release.




A representational photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Defence Ministry has cleared a Rs 2,400 crore proposal for upgrading the Army's armoured fighting vehicles to make them capable of undertaking night operations.



The decision to give a go-ahead to the project was taken at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the ministry's highest decision-making body on procurement, defence ministry sources said.



The modernisation of the armoured vehicles will enhance their overall performance besides enabling them to fully operate at night.



The DAC, chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, also approved procurement of 'carrier command post vehicles' for the Army at a total cost of Rs 406 crore, they said.



Command post vehicles act as centralised command facilities, equipped with electronic command and control systems to ensure precision firing.



The modernisation of the armoured fighting vehicles will be carried out by the state-run Ordnance Factory at Medak in Telangana. The army has nearly 2,500 such vehicles.



The carrier command post vehicles will also be supplied to the Army by the Medak Ordnance Factory.



The sources said the DAC also deliberated on a number of other procurement cases and issued directions to ensure smooth progress in the acquisition process.




An internet imagery.

CHENNAI (PTI): The US, Japanese and Indian navies on Monday began the Malabar Naval Exercise-2017 aimed at achieving deeper military ties between the three nations.



Taking part in the trilateral naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal

would be US Ship Nimitz (CVN68), guided missile cruise USS Princeton (CG59), guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a Poseidon P-8A aircraft as well as a Los Angeles fast-attack submarine.



Besides, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ships JS Izumo (DDH 183), JS Sazanami (DD1 13) along with Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa and INS Vikramaditya would participate in the joint Naval exercise, an official press release said.



The 21st edition of the exercise, conducted ashore and at-sea, would include professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare.



Medical operations, damage control, explosive ordinance disposal, helicopter operations and anti-submarine warfare would also take place.



The at-sea exercise includes events such as submarine familiarisation, air defence exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface ware fare exercises, communication exercise and search and rescue operations.



Indian, Japanese and US maritime forces have an understanding and knowledge of shared working environment at sea. As members of Indo-Asia Pacific operations, the three maritime forces would look forward to continuing to strengthen the bonds and personal relationships, the press release said.



The Malabar exercise is taking place amid the military standoff between armies of the India and China in the Sikkim section and Beijing ramping up its Baval presence in South China sea.


Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/07/2017 (1952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

To celebrate our militarys killing power, no matter how many records it breaks, shows a crude and simplistic view of Canadas role overseas  and of the value of human life.

So opined the editorial page of The Toronto Star last week in response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus boast about the Canadian sniper in Iraq who killed an ISIS terrorist at a record distance of more than 3.5 kilometres. Castigating Trudeau, The Star then went on to state that ISIS terrorists  are human beings. They have homes and families and histories.

Further, The Star wrote we revile terrorists largely because they seem to have so little regards for human life. They measure their success by the amount of carnage they cause, and appear to find genuine joy in killing people. That, supposedly, is what sets us apart from them.

Is this why we revile terrorists? Is this all that sets us apart from them?

The thrust of the editorial, which is the position of The Toronto Star, is that we Canadians should not celebrate the actions of the sniper who killed the ISIS terrorist, regardless of the record-breaking aspect of the shot. In essence, we Canadians should be more evolved rather than support the sniper who, in killing the terrorist,  saved Iraqi and Kurdish soldiers lives 

This columnist speaks only for himself, not for The Brandon Sun. Be that as it may, it strikes me as contradictory and a tad too smart by half to suggest Canada should somehow fulfil its military obligations while shying away from the achievements of those who act on our behalf.

I fail to grasp the role of a Canadian Armed Forces that would, in The Stars world, not perform such heinous acts. What is their rationale behind our military? Should it be dismantled and replaced with a Coast Guard, flood-and-forest-fire combatants, and unarmed peacekeepers?

For that reason did The Star think Canada sent both fighter jets and snipers to Iraq?

The bigger question: Should Canada be serving as part of a coalition in Iraq fighting against ISIS?

Consecutive Canadian governments have decided so. Once we determined this role was in our national interest, and committed to participate, we shouldnt tie soldiers hands as long as they obey the rules of combat.

After all, if performing their current job is so abhorrent in our evolved society, then we certainly shouldnt be putting our young men and women in places where they would be reasonably expected to act militarily.

This is not to suggest that I advocate violence as a solution to all things. I dont. However, I equally disagree with unilateral disarmament. In other words, if we have committed to a military role, then that it what we are doing. Half measures rarely work, particularly on a battlefield.

If the government of Canada deems it in the best interests of our nation to send our well-trained soldiers into harms way, and has trained them to perform certain tasks, no matter how unsavoury, then we should support these young people who have been placed in these unenviable roles.

According to military officials, the snipers action saved lives.

War is ugly, brutal and hellish. Asymmetrical warfare is especially challenging as it presents very different sets of rules. Canadians are serving in an advisory/support role, and not necessarily as combatants, but they must act on occasion  as outlined in the rules of engagement as determined by the Allies in this struggle.

Again, our government signed on for this role  we should not dismiss our soldiers for acting as we have instructed them.

This is a conflict in which our primary opponent, ISIS, beheads prisoners, rapes women and children, engages in slave-trading and shows no quarter in its actions. This is the environment to which we have sent young Canadians. We have agreed to rules of engagement. Having done so, we should not shirk from our responsibilities to our partners and our soldiers.

It is sad that we live in such an ugly world. However, given that we do, and with ISIS causing such mayhem, our world is well-served by the young soldier in a far-off land doing what he was trained to do and, in fact, ordered to do.

 Kerry Auriat is a lifelong Brandon resident.
Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has said his country wants to seal a free trade agreement with the UK "as soon as possible" after Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.

Mr Turnbull's comments came after he held talks at 10 Downing Street with Theresa May, who revealed that International Trade Secretary Liam Fox will visit Australia in the "coming months" as part of ongoing talks on an agreement.

The two prime ministers visited the scene of last month's London Bridge terror attack to thank emergency workers who went to the aid of victims, who included two Australian nationals.

Mr Turnbull's first official visit to the UK as prime minister will also include an audience with the Queen.

Speaking alongside Mrs May in Downing Street, the Australian PM said: "As Britain moves to completing its exit from the EU, we stand ready to enter into a free trade agreement with the UK as soon as the UK is able to do so.

"Once Brexit is achieved, we look forward to speedily concluding a free trade agreement. At the same time, we are looking forward to the early conclusion of a free trade agreement with the EU."

Mr Turnbull said he hoped the EU deal could be finalised before the expected date of Brexit in March 2019.

And asked how quickly a UK agreement could follow, he said: "As soon as possible. We move quickly. Australians are fleet of foot, we don't muck around, we are very simple. So we will move as quickly as the UK is able to move."
Chartered accountants on both sides of the border are concerned about the future of a smooth post-Brexit customs regime between the EU and UK.

Some 87% of respondents to a survey carried out by the Chartered Accountants of Ireland said that the Republic of Ireland's trade relationship with the UK would be badly affected.

Even if the outcome of Brexit talks between the UK and the EU results in free trade, there will still be customs controls applied.

Customs duties will typically add anything between 2-50% to the cost of imports and exports between Ireland and the UK.

Brian Keegan, director of Public Policy for Chartered Accountants Ireland, said that sensible and practical solutions can be found to minimise disruption to business.

"The arrangements will be between the UK and the EU rather than specifically between the UK and Ireland," he said.

"The best we can hope for is a series of arrangements between the UK and the EU which will defer the disruption of these customs arrangements, or mitigate them as much as possible.

"It may be possible, for instance, to extend the two-year Brexit negotiation deadline from the point of view of Customs, to have transition arrangements which might go a further five years."
Traders in Dublin's south inner city are praising Gardai for making 5,000 public order arrests in three years.

Operation Pier was set up at Pearse Street Garda Station to combat drug use and other forms of anti-social behaviour south of the Liffey.
By Cormac OKeeffe and Niall Murray

The circumstances in which a three-year-old boy was stabbed and died in south Dublin are being investigated by gardai tonight.

The boy is understood to have suffered multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at an apartment in the Poddle Park area of Kimmage after gardai arrived there at around 7pm.

It is reported that he was found in an upstairs bedroom.

His mother, in her early 40s, was found injured downstairs and was taken to St Jamess Hospital, where she is thought to be undergoing surgery. She is said to have received knife injuries and gardai have described her condition as serious.

Both are said to be Iranian and it is believed she works in a Dublin hospital.

The nature of the inquiry is unclear, but the Garda press office described it as a homicide investigation.

It is not known if gardai will be looking for anyone else in connection with the boys death.

Gardai say they have a good idea of what happened from the circumstances of the scene and the injuries of the child and the mother.

It is understood that gardai had to force entry to the unit at the Riverside apartments when they arrived.

The scene has been preserved for a forensic examination to be carried out by the Garda Technical Bureau. The office of the State Pathologist has been notified, and an autopsy is likely to take place tomorrow.

Scene in Kimmage where a child was discovered deceased with suspected stab wounds. Number of #garda present at scene pic.twitter.com/1hDAYenEIq  Robin Schiller (@11SchillRob) July 10, 2017

The results of both these examinations are likely to influence the nature and direction of the investigation.

An incident room has been established at Crumlin Garda Station and door-to-door inquiries are underway in the area.

The Sinn Fein Councillor for the area, Ray McHugh, said the community was shocked at the news.

He told the Irish Times: "Its a terrible tragedy to strike the area, its a shock to the community. The innocence of a three-year-old little boy to have his life taken in such a shocking manner is unspeakable.

"Its a well-known area and you would see a lot of children around playing now that its summer time so to think that one of them met such a tragic end is utterly devastating for this close knit community."
Efforts are underway to raise funds for a young Cork woman who has temporarily lost her sight following a freak quad bike accident in Thailand, writes Olivia Kelleher.

Ciara Twomey from Bantry is a nursing student at the Tralee Institute of Technology.

She was on holiday with friends in Thailand last week when she was involved in a accident on a quad bike.

She was rushed to hospital where she underwent eye surgery.

Her brother Nick told Cork's 96FM that Ciara has lost her sight in her left eye.

"Her sight is lost for now in her left eye," he said.

"The left eye has damage done. We have no idea for sure if it will come back or if it is gone.

"Hopefully the next operation will take place in Ireland. I spoke to Ciara yesterday and she sounded in a lot of pain and she said it is so hard for her to understand what they are trying to do because they don't speak English.

"They are also not giving her enough painkillers."

Nick said they are currently fundraising for Ciara's care. At the time of writing, almost 11,000 has been raised, out of target of 150,000.

"There is a Go Fund Me page for donations," he said.

"It depends on money as to when she can travel and how Ciara is to travel.

"It is very scary. The phone call we got was awful.

"She was on holidays. It was her third day there and she was with a group of seventeen and it was the worst call anyone could get.

"My mum and my brother flew over. They should be arriving soon."

The Department of Foreign Affairs is set to liaise with the Twomey family to provide consular support.

"This is a difficult, expensive and challenging road ahead for Ciara," a friend posted on GoFundMe.

"We urgently need to raise funds to assist in Ciara's care, travel and recovery.

"Ciara is a beautiful, kind young girl with her whole life ahead of her - she is loved dearly by all and we are devastated that this has happened to our girl."

Donations can be made to the fund here.
Update 10.33am: The road to Terminal 2 car park at Dublin Airport has now reopened and "is fully operational" after an accident involving an unmanned bus this morning.

Earlier:

An empty bus has crashed into traffic lights outside Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport this morning.

The runaway Bus Eireann bus rolled down a ramp and hit the lights at around 7.30am this morning.

No one was injured in the incident.

Road traffic accident near T2 @DublinAirport, no injuries, traffic being redirected.  Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) July 10, 2017

The double decker was not in service and was parked up, waiting to operate its next run on the 133 Wicklow route, and it is understood the driver was not on board.

Dublin Airport officials confirmed it rolled down a ramp across the entrance to the T2 carpark before coming to a halt on a grass embankment.

The bus is believed to have crashed into lights and signs and trolleys before crossing two lanes of traffic on the approach road to the terminal and coming to a stop on a grass embankment.

Bus Eireann is investigating.

Please follow directions from @DublinAirport Police & @GardaTraffic while road to T2 car park is closed for next 20 mins. @aaroadwatch  Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) July 10, 2017

The road into the Terminal 2 Carpark was closed for a short time and traffic has been managed by Airport Police and gardai.

Emergency services are at the scene and diversions are in place.
Update 5.15pm: Two men who drowned on a weekend fishing trip have been named as friends originally from Lithuania.

Rimantas Barauskas, aged in his 50s, was found dead on the shore at Malinbeg, near Carrick, Co Donegal at around 10.30am on Sunday morning.

A local farmer had spotted his body on an inaccessible stretch of shoreline and called in the emergency services.

A short while later, Raimundas Jezdauskas, understood to be aged in his 30s, was found in the water by a Coast Guard crew searching the sea close to Malinbeg.

Mr Barauskas had been living in Oldcastle, Co Meath while Mr Jezdauskas had been living in Ballymahon, Co Longford and they are believed to have travelled to Donegal for a fishing trip.

Only one of the men was wearing a life jacket, Coast Guard chiefs have said.

Their deaths will be investigated by the Marine Casualty Investigations Board and a file is being prepared for the local coroner's office.

The men are understood to have left in a 5m rigid inflatable boat from Teelin pier after lunchtime on Saturday.

A car understood to have been used by the two men was still parked at the pier side later that night.

Update 2pm: Coastal communities in Donegal say they are shocked following the deaths of two fishermen.

The men - believed to be Lithuanian - were fishing off the north west coast when they tragically lost their lives.

One of the men was not wearing a life jacket and there was no emergency radio in their boat.

Local councillor Niamh Kennedy said it is hard for the community to deal with tragedies like this.

"It cuts everybody up, because it's so local to us all. Everybody has had a tragedy at sea within the family," she said.

"Local fishermen may not go to the area these visitors do - (the visitors) don't understand the dangers that are there."

Update 7.33am: It has emerged that one of men found dead off the Donegal coast yesterday was not wearing a life jacket at the time he was found.

It also emerged later that the boat they were on did not have a radio to contact emergency services.

Post mortems on two men - believed to be Lithuanian nationals - are due to be carried out today.

"There's quite a lot of cliff area in that region," said John Draper, divisional controller with the Irish Coast Guard.

"Conditions at the time when they went out fishing at 1pm - they weren't too bad, they were quite good, so we're not too sure what actually occurred in the meantime as to how they ended up in the water, obviously some sort of an incident occurred."

Earlier:

Post mortem examinations on the bodies of two men found off the Donegal coast are due to be to be carried out today.

They were reported missing after they went on a fishing trip off Teelin pier near Killibegs on Saturday night.

Their remains were located yesterday.

The body of one man, in his 50s, was found on the shore at Malinbeg, near Carrick, at around 10.30am on Sunday. He was discovered by a farmer whose land runs down to the coast.

Local gardai contacted the coastguard to help recover the body.

Around the same time a member of the public in Teelin reported that a car understood to belong to the two men was still parked at the pier side.

This prompted a search for the second man. It involved coastguard helicopter 118 from Sligo, Arranmore and Bundoran lifeboats and Killybegs and Bunbeg coastguard teams.

After a short search, the body of the second man, believed to have been in his 40s, was found in the water by coastguard officers close to Malinbeg.

The Irish Coast Guard says it did not receive any distress calls, but that divers in the area had reported difficult conditions.

A boat was recovered washed up on a rocky stretch of coastline.
A 34-year-old Dublin man has been convicted of being the murderer in drag who gunned a man down with a sub-machine gun in a busy car park.

Christopher McDonald, from the East Wall area of Dublin, was found guilty of murder by unanimous jury verdict following a little over two hours of deliberation at the Central Criminal Court.

He had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Keith Walker (aged 36) at the Blanchardstown Pigeon Racing Club car park on Shelerin Road, Clonsilla, Dublin on June 12, 2015.

Christopher McDonald pictured arriving at the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ) on Parkgate Street in Dublin for a special sitting of the court where he was charged with the murder of Keith Walker. Pic: Paddy Cummins/PCPhoto.ie

The verdict was met with shouts and a number of people burst into tears. One man shouted: "Scumbag junkie bastard, I hope you rot."

Before Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced McDonald to life imprisonment, the deceaseds wife Lorraine Walker and sister Michelle Walker told the court of the devastating impact the murder had on them and their family.

Lorraine described her husband as her soulmate and best friend.

They had been childhood sweethearts, together for 17 years. Her family, she said, was normal and happy until the day she received a phone call to say that her husband and the father of her two boys had been "brutally murdered".

She said one of the hardest things she has ever done was telling her children that their father was gone and would not be coming back.

"The look on their faces will never leave me," she said.

Michelle said her brother was the eldest of three siblings and his strength and love had helped the family cope with the loss of their mother in 2014.

She described him as a man of simplicity and humour, who could convert a room of strangers into a room of friends. He was a proud father and loving son who would not get to see his sons grow up.

Following those statements Justice McCarthy asked the convicted man to stand and told him: "I now sentence you to be imprisoned for life, as is required by law."

Justice McCarthy also thanked the jury for their service and exempted them from further service for 10 years.

Keith Walker was shot dead in the car park of the Blanchardstown Pigeon Racing Club as he stood chatting with fellow pigeon enthusiasts. He had arrived at the club at 5.31pm in a car belonging to his friend Jason OConnor.

He was carrying pigeons belonging to OConnor and the pair planned to travel to Manchester that night ahead of a weekend of racing.

OConnor made a statement to Gardai and was due to give evidence on day two of the trial but when he was called he lunged at the accused and was held back by prison officers and a garda.

After the jury was asked to leave the court prosecuting counsel Denis Vaughan Buckley said that McDonald had called OConnor a "rat" and this was what sparked the spat.

As the trial continued, the jury was shown CCTV footage of a person hanging around the pigeon club car park from about 4.20pm, 40 minutes before Mr Walker arrived.

This individual was not identified in court but the prosecution case was that it was McDonald, dressed in drag, waiting to carry out the hit.

Several witnesses said they saw a man dressed in womens gym clothes in the area, carrying a handbag and wearing a long black wig.

One witness reported him to Gardai after she saw him hanging around a creche beside the pigeon club.

At 6pm CCTV showed Mr Walker talking to club member Mark Kelly and at 6.01pm the hit-man entered through the main gate, pulled a gun from his handbag and opened fire before escaping the way he came.

A post mortem would reveal that the victim was hit 18 times and died from bullet wounds to his head and body.

Four days after the shooting Gardai found the gun used to kill Keith Walker in a laneway at Sheepmoor Grove, about one kilometre from the pigeon club.

The 9mm calibre Makarov sub-machine gun was inside a brown, furry River Island handbag and alongside it were a black wig and a transparent latex glove. Forensic testing showed that McDonalds DNA was on the wig and glove, both of which also contained traces of firearms residue. This formed the primary evidence linking McDonald to the murder.

None of the witnesses who saw the shooter on the day were asked to identify McDonald and CCTV showing the shooting was not clear enough for identification.

But the prosecution relied on the evidence of two teenage boys who met the gunman on his way to the pigeon club.

The boys said they met a man dressed in womens clothes, with long hair and carrying a handbag. They both noted that he had a cut over his right eye and was wearing make-up.

He asked them for directions to the pigeon club and then walked away quickly, as though in a hurry.

When Gardai arrested McDonald in the early hours of the following morning, he had a visible cut over his right eye, matching what the boys described.

Gardai also said they saw what they believed to be make-up on his face.

In his closing speech to the jury defence counsel Bernard Condon told the six men and six women they must ask themselves what they truly know about the killing and whether the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that McDonald was the gunman in drag.

Following just over two hours of deliberation the jury reached their verdict.
A Meath man who decided to buy a Lotto ticket to cheer himself up after being turned down for a job ended up winning 415,000.

The man, in his early thirties, revealed today he felt deflated after failing to clinch the job after coming through two gruelling rounds of interview.

However, his luck turned full-circle when he matched five numbers plus the bonus number on the Lotto draw on Saturday.

The man went to the National Lottery headquarters in Dublin today along with his partner to collect his prize.

He said: "I am still pinching myself after finding out. I couldnt wait to get into National Lottery HQ with my ticket as I was afraid I was going to lose it.

"Yes, I was fairly disappointed at not getting the job, as I thought the two stages of the interview, although tough, went really well. But you can rest assured, its a distant memory now."

The winning ticket was sold in Tara News, Main Street in Dunshaughlin, Co Meath.

He said that he will take his time to decide on how to spend his winnings.

He said: "I dont really know yet. Im going to take a few days and let it all sink in. Well definitely get the ball rolling on buying a house now and Im going to give a bit of it to a couple of charities that are close to my heart.

"Im also going to look after my parents and obviously my partner. We have our holiday booked for September so we will be sure to upgrade our hotel and well be able to watch the purse strings less while away."
The Union of Students in Ireland are calling on the Government to reduce third-level fees by at least 250 in Budget 2018.

Third-level fees have risen substantialy in the last decade.
Update 7.44am: Around 70 firefighters have tackled a huge blaze that tore through a building in London's famous Camden Lock Market.

Emergency services were called to the popular tourist attraction shortly before midnight on Sunday after fire took hold in a property near the Camden Stables.

Onlookers described the fire "moving very fast", raising fears of explosions if it reached nearby restaurants.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said it sent 10 fire engines, including an aerial appliance, to the incident, while witnesses described seeing "lots of ambulances" racing to the scene.

Crews from across central and north London fought to contain the blaze, which was "highly visible across the area", for around three hours.

Station manager David Reid, who was at the scene, said: "Crews worked hard to get the fire under control and to stop it from spreading to neighbouring buildings."

It is understood around 30% of the first, second, and third floors, and a third of the roof of the 30 by 40 metre building, was damaged by the fire, which was brought under control by around 2.50am.

It is the second time in recent years that the north London market has been hit by a serious blaze.

Earlier:

Sixty firefighters are tackling a blaze at the famous Camden Lock Market in north London.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said on Monday morning that eight fire engines had been dispatched to reports of a fire at the popular tourist spot.

Footage posted on social media showed firefighters dousing a significant fire.

The LFB tweeted: "Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters have been called to reports of a fire in #Camden Lock Market."

One witness tweeted: "On a night bus I just passed the start of a big fire in Camden, now at Euston Ive seen lots of ambulances head north."

Another said: "Just drove past Camden market and theres a huge fire on top a building, close to the Loch Bridge! Crazy crazy scenes."

A major blaze ravaged the area in 2008, shutting the attraction for several months.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: "Police were called on Monday at 12.10am to Camden Lock Market to reports of a fire. London Fire Brigade were already at the scene when officers arrived. It is unknown at this stage if any persons are injured, we await update."

Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters have been called to reports of a fire in #Camden Lock Market. More when we have it. pic.twitter.com/O21OLbIyLb  London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) July 9, 2017

LFB urged people to avoid the area, adding that it had raised the number of fire engines at the scene to 10, with 70 firefighters tackling the blaze.
A new report by Amnesty International uncovers the horrifying scale of death, injury and suffering of civilians trapped in the battle for west Mosul.

The report documents how the Islamic State moved civilians from neighbouring villages into the battle zones in west Mosul, trapped them in their homes and used them as human shields.

Meanwhile, Iraqi and coalition forces failed to take adequate measures to protect civilians, instead subjecting them to a terrifying barrage of fire from weapons that should never be used in densely populated civilian areas.

Colm OGorman, executive director of Amnesty International Ireland, said the scale and gravity of the loss of civilian lives during the military operation to retake Mosul must immediately be publicly acknowledged at the highest levels of government in Iraq and states that are part of the US-led coalition.

"The horrors that the people of Mosul have witnessed and the disregard for human life by all parties to this conflict must not go unpunished," he said.

"Entire families have been wiped out, many of whom are still buried under the rubble today. The people of Mosul deserve to know, from their government, that there will be justice and reparation so that the harrowing impact of this operation is duly addressed," he added.

He called for an independent commission to be established to ensure that any instances are investigated where there is credible evidence that violations of international law took place.

The civilian catastrophe in West Mosul covers hostilities there from January to mid-May 2017.

Amnesty researchers interviewed 151 west Mosul residents, experts and analysts, and documented 45 attacks in total, which killed at least 426 civilians and injured more than 100, providing analysis for nine specific attacks by Iraqi forces and the US-led coalition.

Since October 2016, IS has carried out a systematic campaign of forced displacement, moving thousands of civilians from neighbouring villages into areas that were still under IS control. IS then used these civilians as human shields.

Abu Haidar a man from the village of Tel Arbeed who was forced to move into west Mosul by IS, told Amnesty International: [IS] said you must leave, or you will be killed. We were brought as human shields. They brought us to stand between them and the missiles.

"All of this happened just before the operation for west Mosul started When the Iraqi forces went forward, IS fell back, and they took most of the civilians with them."

To prevent civilians from evacuating to safety, IS trapped people inside their homes by welding their doors shut, rigging booby traps at exits, and summarily killing hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people attempting to escape.

Mosul resident Mohsen told Amnesty International: They came to us in a pick-up truck, with a generator in the back, and then they welded shut the gap between the two doors They did this to our door, and even worse, they did it to another house in our neighbourhood where hundreds of people were staying.

Another man, Hasan, witnessed how IS hanged the bodies of civilians trying to flee from electricity pylons.

We did not have any options. If you stayed, you would die in your house from the fighting. If you tried to run away, they would catch you and kill you, and hang your body from the electricity pylon as a warning," he said.

"Four of my neighbours were caught trying to escape, and I saw them hanging from the electricity pylon. They were left for days, just hanging there. They would hang between 15 and 50 people from the pylons, he added.

The fear of being killed by IS while escaping meant that many civilians had to wait until the clashes reached their peak. Once IS fighters were busy fighting, civilians would run directly through the front lines to reach Iraqi forces.

Because IS was forcing civilians to move into the fighting and preventing them from escaping, IS-controlled areas in west Mosul became more and more crowded with civilians as the battle raged on.

Iraqi forces and the US-led coalition failed to adapt their tactics to this reality and continued to use "imprecise, explosive weapons" with wide-area effects in densely populated urban environments.

ISs use of people as human shields does not lessen the legal obligation of pro-government forces to protect civilians. Military planners should have taken extra care in the manner in which they used their weapons to ensure that these attacks were not unlawful, said Mr OGorman.

Amnesty International documented a pattern of attacks in which US-led coalition and Iraqi forces appear not to have struck their intended military targets, instead killing and injuring civilians and destroying or damaging civilian objects.

In some cases, the group noted that civilian deaths and injuries appear to have resulted from a choice of weapons that was inappropriate for the circumstances or failure to take necessary precautions to verify the target was a military objective.

Even in attacks that seem to have struck their intended military target, the use of what seem to be unnecessarily powerful weapons or failure to take necessary precautions resulted in needless loss of civilian lives.

For example, on March 17, 2017, a US airstrike on the Mosul al-Jadida neighbourhood killed at least 105 civilians to neutralise two IS snipers.

Regardless of whether, as the US Department of Defense has maintained, secondary explosions occurred, it should have been clear to those responsible that the risk posed to civilians by using a 500lb bomb was clearly excessive in relation to anticipated military advantage.

Mohamed from al-Tenak neighbourhood, west Mosul, told Amnesty International: The strikes targeted the IS snipers. A strike would destroy an entire house of two storeys. They shelled during night and day. They hit so many houses. Theyd hit one house and also destroy the two houses on either side. They killed a huge number of people."

You can read the full report here.
A British man is being questioned by police in Dubai following the death of his wife.

Francis Matthew, editor-at-large of Gulf News, was arrested after the death of Jane Matthew, 62, last week, it was reported.

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed a British national died in Dubai on July 4 and said support is being provided to the family.

"We are also providing support to a British national detained in Dubai," the spokesman added.

Abdul Hamid Ahmad, editor-in-chief of Gulf News, said in a statement that he would not speculate on the death.

"We are shocked and saddened at this tragedy," he added.

"Francis is in police custody and we have no comments to offer. Neither police nor the prosecution has made a statement. The authorities are investigating her death.

"Francis was editor of the paper from 1995 to 2005. He is a well-respected journalist, known for his keen insight into the Middle East.

"Both Francis and Jane have played a very active role in the British expatriate community over the past 30 years.

"We pray to the Almighty that her soul rests in peace and that the family is given the strength and patience to overcome this very difficult situation.

"Gulf News's thoughts and prayers are with the family. We request that the family be given the privacy they need to cope with their grief."
The parents of terminally-ill baby Charlie Gard have been told to spell out fresh evidence which might persuade a judge to let them take their child abroad for treatment.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates, who are in their 30s and come from Bedfont, west London, want 11-month-old Charlie, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, to undergo a therapy trial in America.
More than 50 firefighters are tackling a blaze which has broken out next to a historic pier.

Crews have been scrambled to Hythe pier, near Southampton, Hampshire, after the blaze started in a nearby building at 6am on Monday.
Four male lions have escaped from South Africa's main national park, prompting a warning to locals.

Villagers have been urged to "exercise extra caution" after the big cats sneaked out of Kruger Park last night.
A British Brexit-backing Tory MP who described the prospect of leaving the European Union with no deal as "the real n***** in the woodpile" has apologised.

Anne Marie Morris said her comment, which has been described as racism, was "entirely unintentional", adding: "I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused".

The Tories are facing calls to remove the whip from Ms Morris and a party spokesman said in a statement: "We are aware of these reports, this kind of language is completely unacceptable, and we are urgently investigating."

MPs have called on the Tories to cut the partys ties with Ms Morris.

Outgoing Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "This disgusting comment belongs in the era of the Jim Crow laws and has no place in our Parliament.

"The Conservative Party should withdraw the whip from Anne Marie Morris and they should do it today.

"Every hour they leave her in place, is a stain on them and the so called compassionate conservatism they supposedly espouse.

"I am utterly shocked that this person represents the good people of Newton Abbot.

"Even if she misspoke this is the nastiest thing Ive heard an MP utter since Lord Dixon Smith uttered the same awful phrase a few years ago."

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas tweeted: "Appalling. Should have the whip removed immediately.

"No place in our politics for racism, full stop."

Appalling. Should have the whip removed immediately. No place in our politics for racism, full stop. https://t.co/khnbjFUVGi  Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) July 10, 2017

Ms Morris made the remarks at a meeting of Eurosceptics at the East India Club in St James Square in central London, which was organised by the Politeia group.

In an audio clip obtained by the Huffington Post, she is heard saying: "And then we get to the real n***** in the woodpile which is in two years what happens if there is no deal?"

According to the website she made the remark while discussing what financial services deal Britain could strike with the EU after Brexit.
Good morning, Canberra!

It's time to turn up the heater and put on an extra jumper. Today's forecast has been revised downwards to a low of minus 5, while Wednesday will get to minus 4, and Thursday minus 5 again. If you think that's bad, Sunday's expected to reach minus 7. Those scorching summer days don't seem so bad in hindsight.

What's making the top headlines in today's news? Make yourself a hot drink and find out.

Clubs rift widens
The parent company of XXXX beverages in Queensland has denied union claims its iconic Brisbane brewery will be shut down.

United Voice coordinator Damien Davie said management from Japanese controlled parent-company Lion notified staff in June the Castlemaine Perkins brewery in Milton would be shut down.

The famous flashing XXXX sign's days could be numbered, according to the United Voice union. Credit:Gabi Harris

But a spokesman for Lion, the food and beverage giant that owned Castlemaine Perkins, said the brewery would not close and was in fact looking to hire more staff.

"In fact, there will be pay offers on the table - on top of the best pay and work conditions in brewing in Queensland," the spokesman said.
The former lover of Seven West Media boss Tim Worner said she wanted to "kill" him and waged a "vindictive" and "arrogant" media campaign to humiliate him, lawyers for Seven have told the Supreme Court as they pursue her for legal costs.

Amber Harrison, a former executive assistant at Seven, has been at the centre of a bitter legal battle with the media company since she went public in December last year with embarrassing details of her affair with Mr Worner.

Seven CEO Tim Worner and former lover Amber Harrison, who says the AFL is unrealistic.

The parties were due to fight it out at a three-day hearing in the Supreme Court from Monday as Seven sought a permanent order restraining her from speaking publicly about the company or her affair with Mr Worner.

In a surprise move on Friday, Ms Harrison walked away from the legal battle and said she would agree to the gag order but would not appear in court.
A looming court battle involving Airservices Australia is set to expand to cover allegations of "sham contracting" and the use of outlawed "zombie agreements".

In June The Canberra Times revealed almost 80 employees had registered for a class action against the government entity, centred around a controversial redundancy process that slashed more than 500 jobs last year.

Former staff of Airservices Australia are launching a class action against the government entity. Credit:James Morgan

At the time lawyers alleged that a number of staff members had been made redundant while employed on unlawful contracts, and could therefore be eligible to claim up to $130,000 in additional payouts.

Rory Markham, the employment litigation director at the Canberra-based Chamberlains law firm, said the class action was now likely to expand to cover additional concerns.
Blac Chyna has accused her ex-fiance Rob Kardashian of domestic violence. This comes after Kardashian released revenge porn of Chyna on social media last week.

On Monday (US time), Lisa Bloom, a well known women's rights and celebrity lawyer, will file a restraining order for the former rap video model against Kardashian, 30, after he posted sexually explicit images of Chyna, 29, the mother of his eight-month-old daughter, Dream, on Instagram and Twitter.

TMZ has obtained her declaration to the court in which Chyna, real name Angela Renee White, claims Kardashian, who is the younger brother of the famous siblings, Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe, "aggressively" shoved and hit her.

In it, Chyna alleged Kardashian became angry at her during an incident in April and began speaking poorly of her in front of her four-year-old son from a previous relationship, King. She asked him to stop and, according to her declaration, Kardashian screamed, "I can say whatever the f--- I want!" He then grabbed her phone, pushed her to the ground.
Ever since The Secret spilled the magic beans on "manifesting", vision boards have been popping up on personal altars like Pulp Fiction posters in a share house.

Manifesting, for the uninitiated, is the art of imagining what you want to bring into your life and then acting as if it's already there.

Manifesting: the art of imagining what you want in your life and then acting as if it's already there. Credit:Stocksy

It's an energetic thing. Instead of focusing on the lack of a Russell Brand lookalike in your life, you act as if he's already there. This cosmically shifts your energy to the point where the Universe plants Rusty 2.0 in your local coffee shop, after which point you write a gratitude list and tell all your friends.

There is something inherently reassuring about manifesting, particularly for women. The patriarchy may be conspiring to keep us enslaved to our ovaries while excluding us from economic power, but at least #theUniverseHasMyBack.
Wanted: top quality office space for a government department moving to the country. Must be close to everything, with stacks of car parking and plenty of natural light.

Progress on the forced move of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority from Canberra to Armidale is continuing with the federal government seeking office space for up to 25 years.

Location, location: Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. Credit:Andrew Meares

In an approach to market released this week the government is seeking between 2000 and 3200 square metres of A Grade quality leased office space in a new or existing building, located in central Armidale and close to a commercial or retail precinct, with public transport links and public car parking.

The building must be within 10 kilometres' radius from the University of New England campus, part of the justification for the controversial move.
A man has been charged over the alleged torture and assault of a young woman in inner-city Brisbane earlier this month.

A 21-year-old woman is fighting for her life after an anonymous frantic-sounding man called emergency services to a Bulimba townhouse on July 2.

Police have charged a man with a number of offences over the alleged assault. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Police said the woman had suffered "horrific" life-threatening injuries all over her body, including burns, and was taken to Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital where she remained in a critical condition.

A Bald Hills man, believed to be the woman's partner, kicked off a police chase on Monday afternoon after officers approached him outside a Stafford residence over the assault.
The Queensland government has defended its state-owned power generators after the federal energy minister accused them of "gaming the system".

Josh Frydenberg says consumers paid 30 per cent more for their average wholesale electricity prices in the first five months of 2017 than other parts of the country.

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg questioned why Queenslanders were charged so much, given utilities were state-owned. Credit:Andrew Meares

"Since 2014 in Queensland, the price of wholesale electricity has gone above $5000 per megawatt hour some 30 times," Mr Frydenberg told ABC Radio on Monday.

"Why in Queensland when you've got state-owned utilities and generators, why are you paying so much for your electricity?"
Street Swags founder Jean Madden has had her matter adjourned in a Brisbane court on Monday to allow prosecution more time to gather evidence over several fraud-related charges.

The Former Young Australian of the Year has maintained her innocence since she was charged in July last year with dishonestly causing detriment after allegedly taking over the homeless welfare charity's bank accounts.

Jean Madden is accused of misappropriating $441,000 from the Street Swags charity organisation she had set up in 2010. Credit:Paul Harris

In January, the 37-year-old was charged with new offences relating to the existing case against her, including six counts of fraud, one count of falsifying a record and one count of attempted fraud.

She was not required to appear on Monday, when the Director of Public Prosecutions sought a four-week adjournment to gather "outstanding material".
Washington: The parents of Charlie Gard, the 11-month-old British infant whose rare genetic condition has captured the world's attention, said they want to move their son to a hospital in the United States, where he would receive experimental treatment.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates on Sunday delivered a petition to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where Charlie has remained on life support for months. The petition, which has more than 350,000 signatures, calls for Charlie to be transferred.

"He's our son. He's our flesh and blood. We feel it should be our right as parents to decide to give him a chance at life," Yates told reporters. "There is nothing to lose. He deserves a chance."

The petition comes as two US congressmen have promised to introduce a bill that would give the baby and his parents lawful permanent residency status in the US, so the boy can undergo treatment in the country.
Fleeing Iraqi civilians walk past the ruins of al-Nuri mosque in the Old City of Mosul. Credit:AP "Iraqi security forces need to be on the top of their game, and we need to be over their shoulder helping them as they move through this transition to consolidate gains and really sink their hold in on the west side [of Mosul]," he said as he rolled through the streets of the city in an armoured vehicle. "[Islamic State] will challenge this." Iraqis were denied the symbolism of hanging the national flag from the Grand al-Nuri Mosque and its distinctive leaning minaret, which was wiped from the skyline in recent weeks as a final act of barbarity by IS militants who packed it with explosives. 'The humanitarian crisis continues': Iraqi children amid the rubble of Mosul. Credit:AP It was at that mosque in June 2014 that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi strode to the top of a pulpit and declared himself the leader of a caliphate straddling the borders of Iraq and Syria, a vast territory where for three years extremists have held women as sex slaves, carried out public beheadings and plotted terrorist attacks against the West.

This past week, as fighting raged nearby, Iraqi soldiers took selfies in front of the stump of the minaret and posed at the spot where Baghdadi made his speech. Destruction surrounded them, as did the stench of decaying bodies of IS fighters, left to rot in the blazing sun. Fleeing Iraqi civilians sit inside a house as they wait to be taken out of the Old City. Credit:AP The battle for Mosul began in October and some Obama administration officials had hoped it would conclude before they left office. Instead, it was far more brutal than many expected, with dense house-to-house fighting and a ceaseless barrage of snipers and suicide bombers. Iraqi officers, whose lives have been defined by ceaseless war, said the fighting was among the worst they had seen. Smoke rises from the Old City of Raqqa following heavy bombing as US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces advance towards the centre. Credit:AP

"I have been with the Iraqi army for 40 years," said Major-General Sami al-Aradi, a commander of Iraq's special forces. "I have participated in all of the battles of Iraq, but I've never seen anything like the battle for the old city." He added: "We have been fighting for each metre. And when I say we have been fighting for each metre, I mean it literally." This frame grab from video released by Hawar News Agency, a Syrian Kurdish activist-run media group, shows US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighters in Raqqa, Syria, on Thursday. Credit:Hawar News Agency via AP Even as Abadi arrived in the black uniform of Iraq's elite Counter-terrorism Service, Iraqi forces were pressing to erase a pocket of IS resistance by the Tigris River. Speaking from his base in the old city, Lieutenant-General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, a senior commander in that service, said the militants' enclave was about 200 metres long and 50 metres wide and that he expected it to be taken later in the day or on Monday. Sensitive to the mounting casualties, the Iraqi government does not disclose how many of its troops have been killed. But deaths among Iraqi security forces in the Mosul battle had reached 774 by the end of March, according to US officers, which suggests the toll is more than 1000 now. Even more civilians are estimated to have been killed, many at the hands of IS and some as the result of US airstrikes. At least seven journalists were killed, including two French correspondents and their fixer, an Iraqi Kurdish journalist, in a mine explosion in recent weeks.

Iraqis celebrate in the capital, Baghdad, on Sunday as they wait for the final announcement of victory in Mosul. Credit:AP The Iraqis and their international partners will be confronted by the immense challenge of restoring essential services like electricity and rebuilding destroyed hospitals, schools, homes and bridges, which were wrecked in the ground combat or by the airstrikes, artillery fire and HIMARS rocket attacks carried out by the US-led coalition to help Iraqi troops advance. "When the fighting stops, the humanitarian crisis continues," said Lise Grande, deputy special representative for Iraq for the United Nations secretary-general. Western Mosul, especially its old city, where IS made its last stand, was hit particularly hard, becoming a grey and decimated landscape. As the combat has drawn to a close, thousands of civilians have begun to return. But 676,000 of those who left the western half of the city have yet to come back, according to UN data. It is not hard to see why. Of the 54 neighbourhoods in western Mosul, 15 that include 32,000 houses were heavily damaged, according to data provided by Grande. An additional 23 neighbourhoods are considered to be moderately damaged. The cost of the near-term repairs and the more substantial reconstruction that is needed in Mosul has been estimated by UN experts at more than $US700 million ($919 million), she said.

In the heart of the old city, craters littered intersections and roadways, marking the places where bombs from coalition warplanes pummeled the ground. Street after street was covered in piles of rubble, with rebar poking out of shattered masonry. In a church used as a weapons-making factory by IS, mortars were lying on the ground next to a pink backpack decorated with a picture of a kitten. When troops unzipped the backpack, they found plastic sachets of a white explosive powder, which they identified as C4. The military victory in Mosul has come without any political agreement between Iraq's two largest communities, Sunni and Shiite Arabs, whose stark sectarian divisions led to the rise of IS. For many members of Iraq's Sunni Arab minority, IS was initially seen as a protector against abuses they had suffered under Iraq's Shiite-led government, especially under the former prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki. After IS seized Mosul in 2014, Maliki was removed from office, replaced by Abadi, a leader viewed as less sectarian but also as weak. There has been no meaningful reconciliation on his watch. "I will leave Mosul because it has become a destroyed city," said Aisha Abdullah, a teacher who endured life under IS. "In every corner of it there is memory and blood."

And while IS, with its harsh rule, alienated many of the Sunni residents it sought to represent, residents said its ideology caught on among some of the population, particularly young men. "There is no use in reconstructing the city if the people of Mosul don't change," Abdullah said. "There are still many people who assist [IS], and the acts of violence will never end." Marwan Saeed, another Mosul resident, who lives in the city's east side, which was liberated in January and where life has largely been restored to normal, with schools and shops reopening and most civilians returning home, said he feared for the future. "Frankly, I'm desperate over the future," he said. "IS destroyed the people's mentality, and the wars destroyed the infrastructure, and we paid the price. There is no such thing as the phase 'after IS'. IS is a mentality, and this mentality will not end with guns alone." Iraqi forces still have to retake several IS strongholds: Hawija and Tal Afar in northern Iraq and a series of towns in Iraq's Euphrates River valley.

While this is happening, Syrian fighters backed by US firepower are to complete the taking of Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS, before moving to surround and kill the militants in Euphrates River towns on the Syrian side of the border. "Mosul and Raqqa is not the end of it by any stretch of the imagination," said Brigadier-General Andrew Croft, a senior US Air Force officer. There is also the fear that many IS fighters who were not captured or killed had simply put down their guns and blended in with the civilian population, to live to fight another day. The wives of IS fighters also pose a risk. In the past week, a woman holding a baby and wearing a long-sleeved robe that disguised a hand-held detonator tried to blow herself up as she approached an Iraqi soldier, said 2nd Lieutenant Muntather Laft, a media officer with the Counterterrorism Service. "Do you know that most of the IS fighters have shaved their beards and took off their clothes, and now they are free?" said Zuhair Hazim al-Jibouri, a member of Mosul's local council.
Before Donald Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin at the G20, media speculation approached hysterical levels. Would it be like the Reagan-Gorbachev get-together at Reykjavik in 1986, or Chamberlain meeting Hitler in Munich in 1938?

Of course, it was like neither. Instead, the encounter was primarily for the leaders to take each other's measure. This was especially important for Trump, given his opponents' charges, with no evidence to date, that his campaign colluded with Russia to rig the 2016 election.

Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state, reported afterwards that Trump opened the meeting by expressing "the concerns of Americans" about Russian election interference. Tillerson emphasised that the discussion was "robust and lengthy", with Trump returning several times to Russia's meddling.

Although we do not have Trump's exact words, US critics immediately attacked him for not referring to his concerns about the intrusions. If Trump did speak broadly about Americans' worries, he struck the right note. The US is essentially unanimous that no foreign intervention in our constitutional process is acceptable.
London: Five months into Donald Trump's tumultuous presidency, the rest of the world is getting the hang of how to deal with him.

Don't react to his tweets, play down areas of conflict where you can, and stand your ground when you need to. Most of those tactics were deployed during last week's Group of 20 summit and while there were some tense moments, everyone left Hamburg agreeing to disagree, at least for now.

"There is a sense they are figuring this out," said Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations research institute. With German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in particular emboldening each other to take Trump on, "they have also understood it is politically helpful for them to be seen to be standing up to Trump."

Merkel acknowledged the divisions in a closing press conference as G20 host. When asked what to do about a US president who could impose trade barriers as soon as he gets back home, she said: "I can only take things as they come".
Poor decisions by the regulators are having adverse effects on competition within the banking sector, says one major industry association.In a statement to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Competition in the Financial System, Mark Degotardi, CEO of the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) said the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority s (APRAs) macro-prudential crackdown on investment lending was one example of the regulator creating an uneven playing field.APRAs 10% cap on investor lending growth entrenched the major banks share of this market and undermined competition. Investor lending made up 40% of major banks home loan portfolios, almost double the proportion of our sector.This decision entrenched already problematic issues with competition in the banking sector, Degotardi said.APRAs blanket investor lending intervention has harmed our sectors competitive position and enabled the major banks to reprice their investor loan portfolios without fear of losing market share  increasing their profits and further entrenching their dominance.These problems could be avoided or reduced if APRAs mandate included an explicit secondary competition objective, he said.This would mean the regulator is forced to consider the impact of its primary objectives on competition. It would also enhance accountability by requiring APRA to report annually against this secondary objective.To add to the industrys woes, increasing compliance costs are more difficult to mitigate for the smaller banks which, unlike the majors, cannot spread these expenses over a large asset base, Degotardi said.Increasing the focus of regulators and policy-makers on the impact of regulatory compliance costs, and minimising those costs where possible, will promote competition.
A new fintech Tic:Toc has emerged offering instant home loans through a digital real-time loan processing system that connects customers directly to the lender.CEO Anthony Baum told Australian Broker that in 2015 emerging digital lending capabilities inspired him to formulate and create an instant loan process.Forming a partnership with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank last year, Tic:Toc will launch today (11 July) with the firm spending the last two years validating the idea and developing the platform.As for the name, its about time, Baum said.What we saw was an opportunity for a customer to complete a home loan application and be fully approved  and in the case of a refinance even receive their full mortgage documentation  in the same timeframe it would take them to complete an application normally.This speed is acheived by decision-making and validation processes that work in real-time with document generation for refinancing done in close to real-time, he said.It will take approximately 22 minutes to complete the application online. The actual processing of that application is instant and will create a fully approved home loan.The system build ensures Tic:Toc remains compliant with legislative requirements such as Know Your Client and responsible lending while following the underwriting parameters agreed to with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank , Baum said.What weve done is digitalised all of those aspects through the customer application journey and our digital decisioning and validation platforms. At the end of the process, we are in the position to fully assess you and give you an on-the-spot answer.Customers will access the platform directly through Tic:Tocs website which combines property eligibility algorithms, serviceability requirements, responsible lending processes and digital ID and financial validation.At the end of that process, you will get a response whether youve been approved, declined or referred. If the customer is approved and its a refinance, we will send through the documentation in as little as a few minutes. Sometimes it can take a bit longer depending on which state the client lives in.If the customer is referred, this means there are factors about the loan that need to be double checked, he added. This will take around 15 minutes to process, after which the application will get either approved or declined.The service is targeted at eligible customers who meet Tic:Tocs platform requirements: primarily borrowers in major cities and regional centres with over 20% equity in the property at launch.For those customers, its all direct. There is no broker access. Customers have a choice  they go to a broker, they can go to a bank branch, or they can get their home loan approved or refinanced online in 22 minutes.Tic:Toc also has plans to partner with more banks in the future.Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has been a fantastic partner but our intention is to partner with other banks to offer the same experience to their customers as well.Baum said that once the fintech branches out to other banks, assessing customer suitability will depend on the model chosen.If we offer a choice of brand and product at the front-end, that would be done through a product selection algorithm weve got in place. Alternatively if it is just under the same model as we run with Bendigo, it would effectively be the same process that any mortgage manager would run today, whereby they allocate the customer based on the same set of credit parameters. The only thing that would be different is the lender of record because it would be assessed under the same process.Baum concluded, saying it was about time home loans came up to speed in terms of process.I think the reality is that a lot of the processes and business practices in home loans are very outdated. They create a lot of time and cost wastage that todays existing technology can eliminate. Were looking forwards to passing the benefits of that onto customers in the Australian public.
Over 1,200 mail-in votes added to Montco totals; Bucks still in limbo

Two of Montgomery County's three commissioners said they did not support disenfranchising more than 1,200 voters because of a handful of rule breakers
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 day to keep our community safe, said Sen. Santarsiero. Dating back to when I was a Lower Makefield Township Supervisor more than...
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Powerful new photodetector can enable optoelectronics advances

The image shows the different layers of the nanoscale photodetector, including germanium (red) in between layers of gold or aluminum (yellow) and aluminum oxide (purple). The bottom layer is a silver substrate. Credit: University at Buffalo.

The device could improve solar panels, cameras, data sharing and more

The potential applications are exciting because it could be used to produce everything from more efficient solar panels to more powerful optical fibers. 

BUFFALO, N.Y.  In today's increasingly powerful electronics, tiny materials are a must as manufacturers seek to increase performance without adding bulk.

Smaller also is better for optoelectronic devices  like camera sensors or solar cells which collect light and convert it to electrical energy. Think, for example, about reducing the size and weight of a series of solar panels, producing a higher-quality photo in low lighting conditions, or even transmitting data more quickly.

However, two major challenges have stood in the way: First, shrinking the size of conventionally used amorphous thin-film materials also reduces their quality. And second, when ultrathin materials become too thin, they are almost transparent  and actually lose some ability to gather or absorb light.

Now, in a nanoscale photodetector that combines both a unique fabrication method and light-trapping structures, a team of engineers from the University at Buffalo and the University of Wisconsin-Madison has overcome both of those obstacles.

The researchers  electrical engineers Qiaoqiang Gan at UB, and Zhenqiang (Jack) Ma and Zongfu Yu at UW-Madison  described their device, a single-crystalline germanium nanomembrane photodetector on a nanocavity substrate, in the July 7, 2017, issue of the journal Science Advances.

Weve created an exceptionally small and extraordinarily powerful device that converts light into energy, says Gan, associate professor of electrical engineering in UBs School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and one of the papers lead authors. The potential applications are exciting because it could be used to produce everything from more efficient solar panels to more powerful optical fibers.

The idea, basically, is you want to use a very thin material to realize the same function of devices in which you need to use a very thick material, says Ma, the Lynn H. Matthias Professor and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor in electrical and computer engineering at UW-Madison, also a lead author.

Nanocavities are made up of an orderly series of tiny, interconnected molecules that essentially reflect, or circulate, light.

The new device is an advancement of Gans work developing nanocavities that increase the amount of light that thin semiconducting materials like germanium can absorb. It consists of nanocavities sandwiched between a top layer of ultrathin single-crystal germanium and a bottom, reflecting layer of silver.

Gan is a member of UB's New York State Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics, and UB RENEW (Research and Education in eNergy, Environment and Water) Institute.



Because of the nanocavities, the photons are recycled so light absorption is substantially increased  even in very thin layers of material, says Ma.

However, most germanium thin films begin as germanium in its amorphous form meaning that the materials atomic arrangement lacks the regular, repeating order of a crystal. That also means that its quality isn't sufficient for increasingly smaller optoelectronics applications.

That's where Ma's expertise comes into play. A world expert in semiconductor nanomembrane devices, Ma used a revolutionary membrane-transfer technology that allows him to easily integrate single crystalline semiconducting materials onto a substrate.

The result is a very thin, yet very effective light-absorbing photodetector  a building block for the future of optoelectronics. It is an enabling technology that allows you to look at a wide variety of optoelectronics that can go to even smaller footprints, smaller sizes, says Yu, who conducted its computational analysis.

While the researchers demonstrated their advance using a germanium semiconductor, they also can apply their method to other semiconductors. And importantly, by tuning the nanocavity, we can control what wavelength we actually absorb, says Gan. This will open the way to develop lots of different optoelectronic devices.

The researchers are applying jointly for a patent on the technology through the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. Other authors on the paper include Haomin Song of UB; Zhenyang Xia, Munho Kim, Ming Zhou, Tzu-Hsuan Chang, Dong Liu, Xin Yin, Kanglin Xiong, Hongyi Mi and Xudong Wang of UW-Madison; and Fengnian Xia of Yale University.

This research was partially supported by the National Science Foundation.
NJ man pushing shopping cart across America to help homeless vets

Morris County native Tommy Pasquale said he wanted to do something impossible. So he set off on a 3,000-mile journey from the Jersey Shore.
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In a move that is expected to attract top dollar, the government on Monday allowed Seattle-headquartered online giant Amazon to open fully-owned brick-and-mortar stores to sell food products in India. This is the first foreign direct investment (FDI) proposal for setting up food-only retail outlets that the government has permitted. It also happens to be the first FDI case to get an in-principle clearance after the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) was shut down recently.
Just a day after the Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to allow the sale of government stake in Air India, Chief Executive Aditya Ghosh wrote to the aviation ministry expressing his airlines interest in Air India, primarily its international business.

However, the market did not take it well. After the piece of pummelled the stock prices of InterGlobe Aviation, the company that owns IndiGo, the promoters were last week forced to organise an investors call.

In the hour-long call co-founder Rakesh Gangwal explained that the airline was planning to enter the long-haul international market on a low-cost model, with or without . Surely, however, buying out  provided it is viable  would help grow the business faster.

There are many reasons why should want to split the airline into two parts, or even more as Gangwal suggested. But aviation leaders and analysts are divided on the merit of such a move; many believe a spin-off would reduce the number of suitors for and not fetch the government the best value for its stake.

What are the key arguments? For one, Air Indias international business has tremendous value; if it sold off separately, there might not be much incentive for suitors to go for just the domestic business.

According to some estimates, its international business accounts for 60 per cent of Air Indias revenues, and about 63 per cent of the available seat kilometres (ASKM), or seats multiplied by the number of kilometres a plane flies while deployed in international skies.

Also, unlike Alliance Air, the domestic airline that flies to smaller cities and is losing money, Air India Express, flying mainly on international routes is highly profitable. And, it is this business that IndiGo has shown its interest in.

In 2015-16, Air India Express had a net profit of Rs 361 crore on a turnover of Rs 2,909 crore, and an attractive operating margin of 24 per cent.

It is true that an internal data analysed by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) shows that Air Indias international business is losing more money than domestic. But that is because of inefficiencies in running the business  poor utilisation of aircraft, for instance  which can be fixed by a new operator.

The deficit on international routes over the total cost (fixed and variable) in 2015-16 was Rs 3,755 crore, compared with Rs 1,759 crore for the domestic market.

Another inherent advantage that analysts point out is that the utilisation of aircraft on international flights is much higher than that on domestic flights. That, of course, has a bearing on cost and margins. Based on Air Indias own internal targets on wide-bodied international routes, the targeted flying time is between 13 hours and 15 hours on international routes, while it is an average 12 hours for flights in domestic skies. These targets for 2015-16, according to CAG, were not met by the airlines.

There is also a huge value in international slots, which are either very expensive  a slot was sold at $75 million at Heathrow  or just not available, like in London and New York. Air India has slots at 18 level-three airports (cities where there is a huge shortage of infrastructure and availability). That is one point that even Gangwal acknowledges when he says IndiGos growth will be much slower if its goes there alone.

Experts also say that bilateral agreements, unlike domestic skies, ensure that the number of flights or competitors on the route are limited by government permissions. So, there is limited competition. By comparison, there is no such restriction on domestic routes, except in the case of shortage of slots in some metros.

Air India, despite all odds, still remains the largest international airline in the country, with a combined market share (including Air India Express) of 16.9 per cent. The closest competitor is Jet airways, which controls 14.5 per cent of the market.

According to experts, the government cannot get the full value by selling Air India in parts. Captain G R Gopinath, the promoter of the erstwhile Air Deccan who is credit with bringing the low-cost carrier (LCC) model to India, says: You cannot separate the lungs from the heart and run the business. You will get value when you sell it in one piece.

The reason is simple: Both domestic and international businesses feed on each other. For an international business to grow, there needs to be a strong domestic network in many cities and towns to bring passengers to international flights. The opposite, similarly, is also true, as passengers travelling internationally need a well spread out domestic network to take them to smaller cities and towns beyond the few metros.

For IndiGo, with over 40 per cent share of the domestic aviation market and nearly one new fleet to be delivered every week from next year, there is no need to acquire a domestic business. It can increase its market share on its own through its planned capacity increase. It certainly does not make much sense for it to pick up a domestic business with all its inherent problems  all for less than a 13 per cent market share.

However, for the Tatas, on the other hand, it may be logical to pick up the entire business, say experts. Through Vistara, its joint venture with Singapore Airlines, the group clearly wants to be in the global market, and at the same time be a substantial player domestically. But it has only about 3 per cent share of the domestic market at present, and its international foray is expected only next year.

So, Vistara for one needs both the domestic and international business to support each other. And if SIA is roped in, it could leverage the international business even better on the back of a substantial domestic passenger and network base.

If a west Asian airline was interested, it would have paid a bigger value for both of Air Indias businesses auctioned together. It could use Air Indias bilateral rights to put in more flights, from more Indian cities to its hub  that is limited currently because the government limits flights, passengers and cities from where such carriers can fly. But such a player will also need a strong domestic business to feed the extra flights. At the moment, there is a dependence on code sharing with others.

There also, meanwhile, are others like Jitender Bhargava, former executive director of Air India, who say the standalone domestic business of the airline could be attractive to some like SpiceJet, which could double its market share and become the second-largest player in one go.

Bhargava agrees that some substantial restructuring will be needed because SpiceJet runs on the LCC model and will need to completely overhaul the confliguration of seats in the planes of Air India, which runs as a full-service carrier. Considering the Indian market has dramatically shifted to LCC, no bidder would like to continue running it separately as full-service carrier.

As far as IndiGo is concerned, it is not difficult to understand its interest in international skies. With a 3.9 per cent share of the international market, it has been a very cautious player, especially after its aggressive move in Singapore led to a price war with Singapore Airlines. As a result, IndiGo had to reduce its flights to the city.

Air Indias international business can catapult IndiGo in the top league, with a market share of around 21 per cent  more than Jet Airways. Also, it will make its entry into long-haul flights quite smooth, with all the valuable routes and slots already available across markets. Of course, for the LCC model, it will still need to make some investments in tweaking the seat configuration.
Emami Group, the diversified conglomerate based from this city, has decided to consolidate its realty arm into a single listed entity, to unlock value and raise funds from the market to fund its ongoing projects.
Kuwait Airways has said that a ban on laptops and tablets in the cabins of its US-bound flights has been lifted by Washington.

"Now our passengers flying from Kuwait International Airport to in #NY will be able to use all of their personal electronic devices," the emirate's flag carrier said on Twitter yesterday.

The United States in March barred all electronic devices larger than a mobile phone in the cabins of direct flights to the US from 10 airports in Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa, only allowing them in hold luggage.

The ban was brought in after intelligence officials learned of efforts by jihadists from the Islamic State group to produce a bomb that could be hidden inside such devices.

For the same reason, Britain also banned similar-sized electronics from the cabins of direct flights from six countries.

Etihad Airways yesterday became the first airline to benefit from the lifting of the ban, with flights from the airline's base in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi no longer affected.

Dubai-based Emirates, Turkish Airways, Qatar Airways and Saudi Arabia's national airline have all said their passengers are now allowed to bring personal electronics on board direct flights to the US.

(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.)
Flying to and from is set to get cheaper, as the Supreme Court has ordered the government to slash fees for flyers and parking charges for airlines.



The apex court has asked Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) to implement the tariff of the second control period (2014-2019) with immediate effect.



Under the second control period AERA has cut the User Development Fee (UDF) levied on domestic and international passengers at to Rs 10 and Rs 45, respectively. Also, arriving passengers will no longer be charged any fees.



At present, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) levies Rs 275-550 as UDF on each departing passenger and Rs 233-466 on each arriving one, on domestic flights.



International passengers departing are charged Rs 635-1,270 and arriving passengers pay Rs 518-1,048 as UDF. This includes service tax component.



AERA's order for Delhi formally covers the 2014-19 period. However, the implementation was delayed as Delhi International Airport was locked in a legal battle with the airlines regarding this. State-owned carrier Air India challenged this in the Supreme Court, which on 3 July vacated a stay granted by the Delhi HC, allowing the revised tariffs to kick in.



GMR Infra which holds the majority stake in the consortium that runs said in an exchange filing that it will pursue the matter with an appellate tribunal. "DIAL would engage constructively with the regulator to endeavour a balanced implementation and will work expeditiously with the appellate tribunal to reach a fair and positive outcome in the two months directed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court", GMR Infra said.



Overall, the charges on passengers and airlines have been reduced by 89.4 per cent. These include levies on landing and parking of aircraft, common use of terminal equipment charges, UDF and fuel throughout charges.



DIAL had sought a 42 per cent increase in rates and over and above the 346 per cent rise granted to it by the regulator for the first control period (2009-14).



AERA rejected the plea and initially ordered a 96 per cent reduction. DIAL pleaded these would make airport operations unviable and lead to a downgrade in credit ratings and default on loan payments. AERA then modified its decision.
has offered to issue two five-year bonds of $500 million each its bondholders in exchange of outstanding debt of around $1 billion, which it struggles to pay owning to slowing enterprise business and sunken investments in a major Indian defence project.
With Indian and Chinese troops locked in confrontation in disputed territory along their border, the Indian Navy is turning out in unprecedented strength in the India-US-Japan naval exercise, Malabar, in the Bay of Bengal on July 10-17.
A Division bench of the Bombay High Court at Goa on Monday issued notices to the Secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation, Chief Secretary of Goa Director General of Police, the Airport Director and the Deputy Commandant of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on a petition filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues seeking a thorough probe into BJP President Amit Shah's public meeting held on July 1 at Goa's Dabolim Airport.

A political meeting was held in the high security limits of the Goa' Dabolim Airport on July 1 when the state BJP organised a welcome reception for Shah.

Reportedly, a carpeted podium, a dozen chairs for the dignitaries and a sound system were set up at the entrance of the airport terminal before the party president"s arrival.

(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.)
The Reliance Aerostructure proposal for the development of the with related infrastructure facilities and services at Mihan SEZ (Nagpur) has been cleared by the Board of Approval (BoA) for special economic zone (SEZ) under the Ministry of Commerce, according to an official source.

"With the BoA nod, the (DAAP) at Mihan, spread over 289 acres, will become the largest greenfield aerospace park in the country. In the first phase, development will be spread over 104 acres and the second phase will cover an additional area of 185 acres," the source said.

Business at the aerospace park is expected to exceed Rs 200,000 crore over the next 30 years.

"The aerospace park will also be home to the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited joint venture, which is presently creating the state-of-the-art integrated eco structure to execute the Rs 30,000 crore offset program linked to the sale of 36 Rafale Fighter Jets."

The construction at the aerospace park is expected to start by end of the month with production starting in the first quarter of 2018, the source said.

The aerospace park with a proposed investment by Reliance of Rs 6,500 crore is expected to generate more than 10,000 skilled jobs, p'omoting 'Make in In'ia' and 'Skill India' initiatives of the government.

Dassault Reliance JV has already shortlisted more than 200 vendors, mostly small and medium size enterprise to be part of the supply chain at DAAP.

Apart from the Dassault Reliance offset facility, the park will also be home to proposed facilities with Thales, DAHER and Strata amongst others.

The proposed projects in the first phase include production of aircraft, electronic warfare systems, radars, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), maintenance repair and overhaul for commercial aircraft and complete eco-system of tiered suppliers to support these large projects.

Reliance will co-develop DAAP with the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) which is the nodal agency for developing the Mihan SEZ.

(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.)
The US, Japanese and Indian navies today began the Malabar Naval Exercise-2017 aimed at achieving deeper military ties between the three nations.

Taking part in the trilateral naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal would be US Ship Nimitz (CVN68), guided missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG59), guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a Poseidon P-8A aircraft as well as a Los Angeles class fast-attack submarine.

Besides, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ships JS Izumo (DDH 183), JS Sazanami (DD1 13) along with Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa and INS Vikramaditya would participate in the joint naval exercise, an official press release said. The 21st edition of the exercise, conducted ashore and at-sea, would include professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare.

Medical operations, damage control, explosive ordinance disposal, helicopter operations and anti-submarine warfare would also take place.

The at-sea exercise includes events such as submarine familiarisation, air defence exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface ware fare exercises, communication exercise and search and rescue operations. Indian, Japanese and US maritime forces have an understanding and knowledge of shared working environment at sea. As members of Indo-Asia Pacific operations, the three maritime forces would look forward to continuing to strengthen the bonds and personal relationships, a press release said. The is taking place amid the military standoff between armies of the India and China in the Sikkim section and Beijing ramping up its naval presence in South China sea.

Watch INS Vikramaditya preparing for Malabar:





(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.)
Shivshankar Menon, Indias former security advisor, asserted that the current stand-off at Doklam was serious due to Chinas attempt to change the status quo at the tri-junction with Bhutan and its unwillingness to return to the status quo.
Six hours after an assertive denial of meeting between and Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui, the Congress did a major flip-flop and said that not only did the party vice-president meet the latter, but the Bhutanese envoy as well.
India is making news again on the Intellectual Property (IP) front. After the successful trademark registration last month by The Indian Hotels Co Ltd (vide application no. 715972) of the architectural design of the famous Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai, the famous blue lined white saree of has been recognized as an Intellectual Property of the Missionaries of Charity based out of Kolkata.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
Ahmedabad on Sunday became the first Indian city to earn the World Heritage City tag from UNESCO, beating New Delhi and Mumbai for the title in the process.
police said on Monday it has busted a module of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit in the valley and arrested a Hindu militant who is an active member of the terror group.

Giving details to the media here, Munir Khan, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir zone, said: "We have arrested a militant identified as Sandeep Kumar belonging to Uttar Pradesh. He was part of the militant group that ambushed the Station House Officer (SHO) Achabal and five policemen in Anantnag district in June."

Kumar hails from Muzaffarnagar, Khan said.

"When Bashir Lashkari was killed, Kumar was apprehended in the same house where Lashkari had also taken shelter," Khan added.

Kumar was also involved in looting banks and other terrorist activities in the south Kashmir region.

SHO Feroze Dar and five policemen were killed by the LeT on June 17 in Achabal area, and their bodies disfigured.

On July 1, Bashir Lashkari, who was behind the killing, was killed after a major shootout in Anantnag.

(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.)
Qatar's exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan, India, South Korea and China have not been affected by a boycott of Doha by four Arab states, Energy Minister Mohammed al-Sada said in a statement on Monday.

He said Qatar's exports to the four Asian countries accounted for nearly three-quarters of the country's total exports.

Exports to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain accounted for less than eight percent, the statement said, citing comments made by the minister at an energy conference in Istanbul.

Qatar remains "committed to all its agreements with its partners and is determined to maintain this status despite the illegal and unjust embargo imposed on it," the statement said, referring to LNG exports.

(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.)
Amid a string of attacks on members of the minority community allegedly by cow vigilantes, a Muslim man in Gujarat has announced to sit on a 48-hour fast from July 20 to "spread the message of and communal harmony".

Twenty-seven-year-old Jabar Jat, a cattle rearer from Ludbaay village of Nakhatrana taluka in Kutch district, would launch the fast outside the collector's office in Bhuj, over 300 kms from here.

In a letter sent to the collector recently, he demanded that the government provide 'gauchar' (grazing land) in each taluka of Kutch district, so that cows don't have to eat plastic and garbage.

Jat, who himself owns 16 cows, also demanded that the government provide subsidy on the purchase of bullocks. He also want the government to provide 50 per cent subsidy to all the cow shelters (gau-shala).

"Though we are Muslims, we respect cows as much as Hindus do. We are pained to see a stray cow eating garbage. In Kutch, a large number of Muslims have been rearing cows for livelihood since centuries. However, attempts are being made in recent times to portray Muslims in a bad light in the name of cow protection," Jat told PTI.

"Hence, to spread the message of communal harmony as well as that of cow protection, I have announced to sit on a two-day fast from July 20.

"I want the government to do something concrete for the conservation of stray cows. The government should buy cow dung and urine from farmers to encourage them in keeping even non-milching cows," he said.

On the recent incidents of lynching allegedly carried out by cow protectors in some parts of the country, Jat advised them to rear cows if they were concerned about the animal.

"I wonder why gau-rakshaks (cow protectors) never say or do anything for cows, which are dying due to consumption of plastic and garbage. Instead of just attacking innocent people, these gau-rakshaks should rear at least one cow each, if they are at all concerned over their protection," he added.

(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.)
A high-level defence officials delegation from Myanmar visited the Sanand facility of on Monday. The company is counted among one of the few Indian automotive firms to have an entire range of wheeled-defence mobility solutions across segments.
The Pakistan Rangers today handed over 78 Indian prisoners, mostly fishermen, to the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Wagah Border after they were released from a jail in Karachi.

A Rangers' official told PTI that 77 Indian fishermen and one other Indian prisoner were handed over to the BSF after verification of their immigration papers.

Indian prisoners were handed over after a parade that concluded at dawn, the official said.

The Indian fishermen, who were released from Karachi's Landhi jail, yesterday were brought here by a train this afternoon.

"We received the fishermen at the Lahore railways station and brought them to Edhi Foundation and served them food. We have also presented them with a pair of shalwar kameez and Rs 5,000 as gift," Edhi Foundation spokesman Younis Bhatti said. He said the fishermen were later transported to the Wagah border by bus.

Most of the fishermen handed over to the BSF had completed their sentences at the Landhi jail. They had been held for crossing into Pakistani waters inadvertently.

About 298 Indian fishermen are still languishing in the Sindh province of Pakistan, media reports said.

Indian fishermen often languish in jail in Sindh even after serving their terms because of bureaucratic hurdles.

(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.)
Mango growers of Uttar Pradesh have suffered losses this year due to poor production owing to adverse weather conditions.

"This year mango production will be between 10 lakh tonnes to 15 lakh tonnes only. There is 70 per cent drop in mango production as compared to previous year. The exports from UP are also negligible as due to low production, mango growers are not able to export it", President All India Mango Growers Association (AIMGA) Insram Ali told PTI.

"Some mango growers are exporting, but the total export will be very less", he said.

"Last year there was bumper production of about 44 lakh tonnes mangoes. But this year production has gone down by one-third," Ali said.

Last year, due to bumper produce, the juicy mangoes were in the reach of common man and the rates hovered between just Rs 20-40 a kg but this year it is over Rs 50 per kg.

The mango belts in Uttar Pradesh, which include Lucknow (Lucknow, Malihabad, Bakshi-ka-Talaab), Saharanpur and Sambhal-Amroha-Muzaffarnagar districts had registered poor flowering this season due to which mango lovers abroad had to be disappointed, he said.

In Uttar Pradesh, mango is produced in 2.5 lakh hectare.

Popular varieties like chausa, dashehari, fazli, gulab khas, langra, mallika and amrapali are produced in the state.

Renowned mango grower Haji Kalimullaha Khan, a Padamshri awardee and known for developing a rare technique for growing more than 300 varieties of mangoes of different shapes, sizes and hues on one tree, said there was a decline in mango production this year.

The Lucknow belt, which produces world famous Dussehri mangoes besides langda and chausa, alone comprises 30-40 per cent of the state's annual mango production.

During 2010, the total arrival of mango in the market from Lucknow region was roughly 87,000 tonnes. The corresponding figures for 2008 and 2009 stood at 52,000 tonnes and 34,000 tonnes, respectively, official sources said.

Delhi is the biggest market for Uttar Pradesh mangoes, followed by Punjab.

About the state government's 3-day mango festival which ended yesterday, Ali said, "The event was just a show off and hardly benefited mango growers".

A three-day mango festival was organised by the UP tourism department to promote mango growers and mango product manufacturers.

The mouth-watering biryani synonymous with the City of Nawabs acquired a fruity flavour with a dash of mango during the festival.

Aam biryani, murg-aam and aam-murg korma were among the many other dishes prepared from mango, the king of fruits.

A number of other dishes prepared from mango like aam malai tikka, aam shahi paneer and aam kaleji were also displayed on the table at the event.

(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 looked firm and defiant as he faced television cameras and reporters on the sidelines of his weekly Lok Samvad programme on May 15. He had been ducking questions on allegations of shady land deals levelled against his ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad for more than a month now. However, on that particular day, he finally broke his silence and dared the central government to take action if there is any substance in the allegations.

The very next day, the income tax (I-T) department conducted searches at 22 premises in Delhi, Gurugram and Rewari in connection with the allegation. Seething with anger, Prasad took to Twitter to hit back. BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) ko nayaalliance partner mubarak ho. Lalu Prasad jhukneaurdarnewalanahihai (Congratulations to the new alliance partner of the BJP. Lalu Prasad will neither bow nor bend), he tweeted. Within seconds, leaders were wondering whether the new alliance partner barb was meant for Kumar.

However, minutes later the RJD chief clarified that by new alliance partner, he meant the triumvirate of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the I-T department and the Enforcement Directorate. Still, it was enough to spark speculation and perhaps a sign of things to come. Less than a month later, the speculations turned into reality, as Kumar decided to back the BJP-led Democratic Alliances (NDAs) presidential nominee, Ram Nath Kovind. It sparked a war of words between the alliance partners in the ruling Grand Alliance  a conglomeration of Kumars Janata Dal (United), the RJD and the Congress. With Kumar on one side and Prasad and the Congress on another, the Grand Alliance seems to be in tatters.

The Congress has termed Kumars decision to break ranks a sign of flirting with the rivals, inviting ridicule from the Bihar CM, though privately.

Earlier the week, he publicly dared the Congress to gather Opposition parties and set an alternative agenda for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Is the presidential election the only reason for the infighting within the alliance? Insiders say no. According to the JD (U), a majority of the problems rest with the way the Congress lords it over the Opposition. They are yet to understand that they have to treat us on an equal basis, said a JD (U) senior leader.

The seeds of this dispute were sown in April, when Kumar met Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Hed urged that Opposition parties jointly field a candidate for the presidential polls. And, even asked that the Congress form an alliance at the level to take on a resurgent BJP. It was we who first proposed that the Opposition put up a united candidate to take on the NDA. But, the Congress didnt heed our demands. Now, its trying force its choice on us. This is not how a coalition works, a JD (U) leader told Business Standard.

Kumar himself blamed the Congress for lack of unity in the anti-BJP Opposition. Reacting to senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azads some people believe in many ideologies barb, the Bihar CM said the JD (U) wouldnt toe anyones line but its own. I have never compromised with my ideology; it is the Congress which doesnt believe in one ideology, Kumar told party leaders during a state working committee meeting last week. Adding: Its because of the Congress that we could not have an alliance in UP; its because of the Congress that we couldnt have an alliance in Assam. They didnt take us into confidence on the presidential polls as well. Forget Opposition unity; with its current behaviour and attitude, the Congress is right now the most valued ally of (Prime Minister) Modi.

Nitishji is a politician with a difference. He has made it categorically clear that he doesnt have prime ministerial ambitions. More, we have made it very clear that we wouldnt harm the alliance. But, that doesnt mean we will tolerate criticism of our leader. They cant lord over us, JD (U) legislator Neeraj Kumar told Business Standard. Being a party, its the responsibility of the Congress to cobble an alliance of opposition parties and set an alternative agenda. Most importantly, it has to be an equitable alliance.

Officially, the Congress has imposed a gag order but leaders say Kumars criticism of them shows all is not well within the alliance. Who would like to get a rap on their knuckles? Do you think we, a national party, will take such preaching from a regional leader? For us, however, everything is decided by the high command. We may be down at the moment but we have a rich history, we will survive, said a senior Congress leader.

The general election is now due in less than two years and the Congress is still toying with different formulas and equations. Kumar, whose party could win only 2 of 40 Lok Sabha seats (from Bihar) in the past election, wants to improve its performance. He fears that with the current Congress leadership, his partys future will also be irretrievably sullied. He might give the alliance a few months but it is bound to be scrapped before the election, said a senior politician.

According to Congress insiders, the high command has reserved its decision on the alliance until the presidential election. Its a matter of numbers now. No party can issue whips in the presidential election. This means the voter  MP, MLA  is free to vote for anyone he or she wants. If a majority of JD (U) legislators vote for Meira Kumar, the high command might force Kumar to his knees, hoped a party insider. The Congress believes many of Kumars MLAs would jump ship. However, reality betrays the Congress hopes. At an interaction of Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar with RJD and Congress MLAs in Patna, as many as 27 MLAs from both parties skipped the meet. Many feel the grand alliance wont last. If so, the question is what RJD chief Prasad would do. Many say he would try his best to make the alliance work, for the sake of his minister-sons. But, what if he is jailed or his sons targeted? A CBI FIR and subsequent raids at Prasads home in Patna showed the central investigation agency has hit the RJD chief where it hurt the most: His attempt to pass on his political legacy to his younger son Tejaswi Yadav.

The Congress termed it as a political vendetta against opposition parties. Kumar, on the other hand, is yet to speak his mind. This is troubling the RJD leaders the most. Most RJD leaders think Kumar left Prasad hanging. Their silence is deafening. For the past seven years, Prasad has worked tirelessly to establish Tejaswi as his scion, both in party and in state politics. He had to face opposition from inside the party and also the family (his wife Rabri wanted Tej Pratap as the partys future). Its because of Laluji that Kumar is the CM. But when Laluji needed him the most by his side in Patna, he was recuperating in Rajgir, said a RJD MLA. The veteran gave a hint about the future last week. The stars keep changing their position. If I could be jailed, they might try to break us apart. We have to remain strong, he told partymen at the RJDs 21st foundation day on Wednesday.
Retired Supreme Court judge V Gopala Gowda, who ruled in favour of farmers in the Singur land acquisition case last year, is among the names being considered by the Opposition as its joint candidate for the vice-presidential election.
Terrorists on Monday killed seven Amarnath pilgrims, including six women, and injured 19 others as they struck at a bus in Kashmir's Anantnag district, in the worst attack on the annual pilgrimage since the year 2001.

The bus bearing the registration number GJ09Z 9976 was attacked around 08.20 pm near Khanabal when it was on its way to from Srinagar Jammu, police said.

Five of those killed were from Gujarat and two from Maharashtra.

The deceased from Gujarat were identified as Hasuben Ratila Patal, Surakha Ben and Lakshimiben S Patal from Valsad, Ratan Zeena Bhai Patal of Daman and Prajapati Champaben of Navsari, a Jammu and Kashmir police spokesperson said.

Those from Maharashtra were Nirmala Ben Thakor, a resident of Palghar, and Usha Mohanla Sonkar of Danu. Police said 19 pilgrims were injured in the attack and their condition is stable.

A security official said the victims had performed the yatra two days ago and had subsequently moved to Srinagar.

On Monday, they were going from Srinagar to Jammu when they became the target of the terrorist attack. Police said the bus was not a part of the yatra convoy which is being provided elaborate security.

Photo: ANI Twitter handle he terrorists first attacked a bullet-proof bunker of the police at Botengoo, a police official said, adding it was retaliated. There were no injuries in this attack.

Thereafter the terrorists fired on a police picket near Khannabal, the police added.

When the police retaliated, the militants fled, firing indiscriminately in which the bus carrying the yatris got it.

The police and top government sources said the bus driver had violated rules for the pilgrimage, which state that no yatra vehicle should be on the highway after 7:00 pm as the security cover is withdrawn after that.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was personally monitoring the situation, strongly condemned the dastardly attack and asserted that India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and evil designs of hate.

He said he spoke to Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and assured all possible assistance required.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh also spoke to Vohra and Mehbooba.

"Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone," Modi tweeted.

"My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured," he added.

In yet another tweet, the prime minister said, "India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate."

The Home Minister, in his telephonic call to Vohra and Mehbooba, sought details of the attack. He told them to ensure that the injured people are given adequate medical treatment.

He also directed officials to ensure foolproof security in future.

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley termed the attack as the "most reprehensible act" and said "This incident should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism."

The attack was condemned by other leaders as well.

The last time the Amarnath yatra was targeted was in 2001 when terrorists had struck in the Sheshnag area close to the holy cave of Amarnath, killing 13 people.

Prior to that, terrorists had attack Amarnath pilgrims on August 1, 2000 in Pahalgam area, killing 30 people, who also included porters.

Internet services suspended in Jammu

Internet services were suspended in the Jammu region after the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims, official said.

Internet and broadband services in the region have been suspended as a precautionary measure following the killing of Amarnath pilgrims in a terrorist attack in the Kashmir Valley, the SSP control room said.

Terrorists tonight killed seven pilgrims from Gujarat, including six women, and injured 32 others as they struck at a bus in the district, in the worst attack on the annual pilgrimage since the year 2000.

Victims to be airlifted to Delhi

Photo: ANI Twitter handle Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said the Amarnath pilgrims injured in a terror attack at Anantnag district will be airlifted to Delhi on Tuesday.

"The dead and the injured pilgrims will be shifted to Srinagar tonight. They will then be airlifted to New Delhi in a special BSF aircraft at 7:30 am tomorrow," he said.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner Mandeep Bhandari said the Amarnath yatra will continue from Jammu on Tuesday.

"The yatra will not be disrupted and it will continue as per the plans tomorrow," he told PTI.

Terror attack on pilgrims 'blot on Kashmiris', says Mehbooba Mufti

Photo: ANI Twitter handle Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti strongly condemned the terrorist attack and said that the incident has left Kashmiris' heads hanging in shame.

"The incident has left Kashmiris' heads hanging in shame. The attack is a blot on the name of Muslims and the people of Kashmir," said Mehbooba.

"I have no words to condemn this. I hope those involved will be arrested and punished soon," she added.

Attack on Amarnath yatris crime against humanity, says Sonia Gandhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today termed the attack on Amarnath pilgrims as "a crime against humanity" and called for decisive action against its perpetrators.

Gandhi said the government should order a thorough probe into any security lapses.

"The attack on the devotees of Lord Shiva is a crime against humanity. The entire nation is in shock," she said in a statement. The government should ensure the safety of the pilgrims, she said.

Attack on Amarnath yatris most reprehensible act, says Arun Jaitley

Terming the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Kashmir as the most reprehensible act, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the incident should add to India's determination to eliminate terrorism.

The defence minister also conveyed his condolences to the families of those killed in the attack in Anantnag.

"Terrorist attack on #AmarnathYatra is the most reprehensible act. My condolences to the bereaved families," he tweeted.

"This incident should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism," the defence minister said in another tweet.

Mamata Banerjee condemns attack

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the terrorist attack on Amarnath yatris and said terrorism is unacceptable anywhere in the world.

"Strongly condemn the attack on Amarnath yatris and the police. Terrorism unacceptable anywhere in the world," Banerjee said in a statement.

. I have spoken to the Governor and Chief Minister of J&K and assured all possible assistance required.

 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017
China on Monday said that President and Prime Minister had "no bilateral meeting" on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, after India had claimed the two leaders discussed "a range of issues".

"According to my information, the two said leaders did not hold any bilateral meeting," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said when asked about the issue discussed between the two.

Geng said Xi chaired an informal meet of BRICS leaders during which Modi was present.

He said the withdrawal of troops from Doklam was the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between both sides.

On Saturday, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson refused to elaborate on the "range of issues" discussed by Modi and Xi during their informal conversation in Hamburg.

"We have tweeted that the two leaders discussed a range of issues. A range of issues means a range of issues. I don't want to add anything further...I leave it to you to draw your conclusion," Baglay said.

(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.)
Tea auctions in Coimbatore and Coonoor have been impacted following the implementation of GST on July 1, due to a great deal of confusion about the new tax regime.
Calling underemployment as probably the biggest economic challenge faced by the country, Niti Aayog vice-chairman called for devising strategies to make small enterprises larger and to shift labour from agriculture to industry.
There is a chart on the Indian Ocean that shows its three stress points along with the number of vessels which ply on those, that Vijay Sakhuja - director, National Maritime Foundation - displays.
I am a service provider having offices in multiple states. Under the service tax regime, I had a centralised billing system. Under the GST regime, should I change my billing system and start raising invoices from the local branch?
As India tries to improve its ranking in the ease of doing business report of the World Bank from low of 130,
Leading optical retail chain said it will go slow on expansion due to concerns on higher GST rates. From the lower VAT rate of five per cent, optical products including prescription eyewear and lenses now attract up to 28 per cent tax under GST.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India has strong views on economics. Speaking to a big crowd of tycoons, investors and journalists in New Delhi, Mr. Modi once admitted that he is not a big economist. Yet he promptly set out an economic vision for India to be a global manufacturing power. Investors should rush to make in India, he said. He claimed that his strong leadership would usher in economic revival and 100 million new manufacturing jobs by 2022.
In the coming monsoon session of Parliament, the Opposition is set to question the Narendra Modi government on the hastily implemented goods and services tax (GST) regime, its impact on traders and particularly the toll the roll-out has taken on small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Customers will have to pay more for banking services such as debit card, home loan processing fee, locker rentals, issuing of cheque books, cash handling charges and SMS alerts would attract higher tax rates under GST.
This article first appeared on Business Standard on July 10, 2017

Recent events on the Doklam plateau near the tri-junction of India, Bhutan, and China have resulted in plenty of discussion among Indian analysts. The better among these have pointed out Doklams limited tactical value to China and the latters clear contravention of prior agreements to preserve the territorial status quo with Bhutan. Why then have PLA troops and their political masters risked a potential conflict on such weak grounds? As Ajai Shukla notes , Beijings wish to extend the Chumbi Valley southwards is incomprehensible. Understanding how this episode fits with Chinas rise and broader strategy in Asia can shed light on this question, as well as on the most effective Indian response.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
The Centre will offer certificate courses in Goods and Services Tax (GST) accounting, programming and other related subjects through its 'Garib Nawaz' skill development centres.

The announcement was made by Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi after inaugurating the first such centre here. The centres are being set up to offer employment-oriented training to youths of minority communities.

The indirect tax regime of came into force on July 1.

"The demand for professionals with knowledge of accounting/programming will increase significantly in the coming days. The courses will be offered with assistance of experts," an official statement quoting Naqvi said.

The minister said on completion of the three-month course, the youths will be able to help small and medium size businessmen.

They, he added, also stand to benefit immensely at individual levels as the course will open vast job opportunities in related areas.

The Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs said the government plans to launch the centres at 99 more places.

The centres will provide certificate courses in health services, mobile and laptop repairing, computer hardware and networking, retail management programme, motor driving training, security guard training, courses in housekeeping and others.

(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.)
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is set to organize a National Achievement Survey in September 2017. The Survey to be conducted aims to check the learning levels of students of Class III, Class V and Class VIII. All the students to be assessed with their learning levels have been kept under these three categories. After the Survey reaches its conclusions, the results (identified gaps) will be communicated to the students and the schools. It will help the schools to improve the learning level of their students.
PM's interaction with Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today interacted with Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories. This interaction was part of the National Conference of Chief Secretaries on the theme of "States as Drivers for Transforming India." This is the first time, that the Prime Minister has addressed such a gathering, at such an event.

Chief Secretaries spoke briefly on one best practice each, of their respective States.

The best practices presented by the Chief Secretaries included themes such as rural development, skill development, crop insurance, health insurance, tertiary healthcare, welfare of divyang children, reducing infant mortality, tribal welfare, solid waste management, sanitation, drinking water, river conservation, water management, e-governance, pension reform, emergency services, development of mineral-rich areas, PDS reform, Direct Benefit Transfer of subsidy; solar energy, cluster development, good governance and ease of doing business.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said priority and approach, matter a lot in governance. He said we have a lot to learn from the experiences of States, which could provide the best solutions to problems and challenges. He said top government officials have the collective vision and capabilities to overcome challenges. In this regard, experience sharing is very important, he added.

The Prime Minister said a team of young officers from across States should now deliberate and learn from these best practices, by visiting each State. These will help in efficient adoption of best practices across States.

The Prime Minister asked officers to remain ever mindful of the credo of competitive cooperative federalism. He said districts and cities must also be part of a virtuous competitive environment of development and good governance. He said the successes of small States and Union Territories, could be replicated by large states in one district to begin with. In this regard he mentioned Haryana and Chandigarh becoming kerosene-free.

The Prime Minister gave the example of monthly PRAGATI meetings, which had given a decisive push to many long-pending projects. He urged States to come out of the silos, and work cohesively with the Centre and which each other.

The Prime Minister said the whole world today has trust in India, has expectations from India, and wants to partner with India. He said this is a golden opportunity for us. He said "ease of doing business" should be accorded top priority, and would greatly help States in attracting investment. The Prime Minister said improvement in ease of doing business would bring in greater investment in the States. He said States have enormous untapped development potential.

The Prime Minister recalled his initial days as Chief Minister of Gujarat, and the work of post-earthquake reconstruction in Kutch.

He praised the work of officers who worked as a team and put in a dedicated effort in those days. In this context, he also mentioned the importance of removing archaic laws and rules.
Residential real estate prices increase in half of the cities and declined in other half of cities surveyed .

The revamped and expanded official online user friendly NHB RESIDEX that captures movements in the prices of residential real estate prices released today revealed that prices during January-March, 2017 have increased over that of October-December, 2016, in about half of the cities covered under the survey while the other half have either registered a decline or remained the same. .

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Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu today released the new version of NHB RESIDEX on the occasion of the National Housing Bank entering its 30th year. .

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Speaking on the RESIDEX, Shri Naidu said the price indices for the last quarter of last financial year i.e 2016-17 proved wrong the critics of demonetization who said that economy will take a hit. He also said that the National Housing Bank also collected data on land prices which showed that a correction in land prices is taking place which again reflects the declining trend in transactions of unaccounted money. .

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NHB RESIDEX for January-March,2017 revealed that price indices for residential properties based on actual market prices for ongoing construction prices have increased over the previous quarter in 24 of the 47 cities covered in the Index including in Jaipur, Chennai, Lucknow, Guwahati, Howrah, Hyderabad, Bidhannagar etc. In Delhi, Faridabad, Chandigarh, Patna and Nashik etc, prices have come down. This component of RESIDEX, called Housing Price Index@Market Prices is based on actual market information. .

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The other component of RESIDEX called as HPI@Assessment Prices based on the information furnished by banks and other lending agencies showed that prices have increased in 27 of the 50 cities surveyed. These include; Gurgaon, Mumbai, Vadodara, Raipur, Kanpur, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam and Coimbattore. Prices, however, have declined in Ranchi, Gandhinagar, Surat, Ludhiana, Kolkata etc. .

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The RESIDEX has been computed for three categories of houses with carpet of below 60 sq.mtre, 61-110 sq.mtres and 111 sq.mtres and above. .

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RESIDEX, the countrys first official housing price index (HPI) was launched in 2007 covering 26 cities and was published till March, 2015 on a quarterly basis. The revamped RESIDEX has been expanded to 50 cities spread over 18 States and UTs. These include 38 smart cities, of which 18 are state capitals. .

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Base year for the new RESIDEX has been moved from 2007 to 2012-13 to capture the changing structure of the economy besides capturing the latest information to accurately reflect the current economic situation, as per the internationally accepted practices. .

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Shri Shriram Kalyanaraman, CMD of National Housing Bank informed that RESIDEX will soon cover 100 cities and also will be further widened to include Land Price Indices, Building Materials Price Indices and Housing Rental Index. .

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NHB RESIDEX helps buyers and sellers to check and compare prices before entering a transaction. They can also analyse the price trends across different cities both at composite level and product category level. It helps lenders in credit evaluation. It provides promoters with a standardized tool to assess the housing demand. Government agencies can monitor trends in macro and micro markets and predict future behavior of the housing market. .

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AAR/KM
1. The Unified Commanders Conference for the year 2017 commenced on 10 July 2017 at New Delhi. The Conference provides a platform for discussions at the apex level on all Joint issues amongst the three Services. .

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2. The Conference was attended by the RM, RRM, NSA, the Service Chiefs and other senior military and civil officials of the Ministry of Defence and Tri-Service Organisations/Institutions. .

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3. RM, in his address to the Conference stated that there is a deep sense of appreciation in every citizen of the country and the Govt for the exemplary manner in which the Services have been conducting themselves. He expressed his satisfaction in the way the Armed Forces have been handling the multiple challenges to security. He also appreciated the strong thread of Synergy in the interactions during the Conference. He stated that there is a clear realisation in the Govt that issues relating to the Services cannot be kept pending for long and the Govt will be decisive in its approach. .

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4. He also assured the Armed Forces that with resource availability increasing within the Indian economy, Capital expenditure will be a priority area. .

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5. Chairman COSC & CNS, Admiral Sunil Lanba welcomed the gathering & addressed the audience. Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, Chief of Army Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat, Defence Secretary, Shri Sanjay Mitra & Chief of Integrated Staff, Lt Gen Satish Dua also addressed the conference. .

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Col Aman Anand.

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PRO (Army)
Elon Musk has just tweeted pictures of the first production unit of the which rolled out from its Fremont, USA, factory. Its a landmark because the $35,000 long-range electric car is the first from Tesla aimed at the mainstream market  the Tesla Model X and Model S are priced three times higher.
He also will spotlight one of his key domestic successes the Democrats' massive health care and climate change bill known as the Inflation ...
The People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday has warned of imminent nuclear war following the US live-fire bombing run near its border.

In a Sunday editorial of the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the DPRK accused Washington of engaging in "military provocations," designed to commence nuclear conflict in the region.

"The Korean peninsula is the largest gunpowder area in the world with the highest risk of nuclear war, and is the largest hot spot in the world where there is always a risk of nuclear war," reads the DPRK editorial, cited by RT.

"[Washington] is surely spreading into a new world war," the Rodong Sinmun editorial asserted, adding that American military moves in the region were merely an attempt to distract from US President Donald Trump's "serious crisis of power" on Capitol Hill.

Pyongyang's launch of what it claimed to be its first ICBM, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held an emergency meeting and the US deployed two B-18 strategic bombers to the region, Sputnik reported.

While the B-18 bombing runs were escorted by US, South Korean and Japanese fighter jets.

The Pentagon, through its Pacific Command, tweeted that the runs "demonstrated America's ironclad commitment to the defence of our allies," according to RT.

Moscow has already provided evidence to the United Nations (UN) that the missile Pyongyang launched on Tuesday was a mid-range, not a global ballistic missile.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, Pyongyang has detonated five underground nuclear bombs - one each in 2006, 2009, and 2013 and two in 2016.

(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.)
A joint investigation team probing the Panamagate graft case against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family today submitted its final report to the Supreme Court.

Members of the JIT arrived at the apex court amid tight security provided by the Islamabad Capital Territory Police and large cardboard boxes labelled 'Evidence' were carted into the court.

Besides other evidence, the report consists of the statements of Prime Minister Sharif, his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif; his children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Sharif and son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar.

A three-judge bench comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ejaz Afzal is hearing the JIT.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

The JIT has also probed several serving and former officials in connection with the case.

Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis.

(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.)
Qatar has $340 billion in reserves including holdings of its sovereign wealth fund that could help the Gulf country to weather the isolation by its powerful Arab neighbours, central bank governor Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saoud al-Thani told CNBC.

"This is the credibility of our system, we have enough cash to preserve any kind of shock," he told the news channel in an interview published early on Monday on its website.

Al-Thani said the central bank has $40 billion in reserves plus gold, while the Qatar Investment Authority has $300 billion in reserves that it could liquidate.

Qatari stocks have weakened and the riyal has been volatile in the spot market since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of backing terrorism. Dona has denied these allegations.

"Qatar has already had a good and unique system. We have laws established against all these kinds of terrorists ," al Thani told CNBC. "We work with the IMF ( Monetary Fund) and other institutions to establish our laws and audits and reviews."

"We have no challenges, we welcome those to review all our books, they are open," he added.

Al-Thani said while the central bank has noticed fund outflows from some non-residents, the amounts weren't particularly significant.

"There is more [money] coming in," he said, confirming that inflows are exceeding outflows.

He said long-term contracts in the gas and oil sectors were not seeing any disruptions.

Rating agency Moody's Investors Service earlier this month changed the outlook on Qatar's credit rating to negative from stable, citing economic and financial risks arising from the ongoing dispute between Qatar and the Saudi-led alliance.

Despite the market ructions, economists say Qatar, the world's top liquefied natural gas exporter, has taken a number of measures such as a planned boost in gas output and new transport routes to weather the crisis.

(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.)
The theme of this years G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, is  Shaping an Interconnected World . The gathering of 20 world leaders is set to focus on building resilient economies, improving sustainability and assuming responsibility for the prosperity of all countries. But discussions take place in a much more uncertain and potentially divisive environment than previous years.
The liberation of Mosul  the Islamic States de facto capital in Iraq  marks a turning point in the war against the worlds most dangerous terrorist group. Daesh, as the Islamic State is known throughout the Middle East, no longer controls significant territory in Iraq where it can harbor foreign fighters or exploit resources, like oil.
In all the explanations of voter behavior that have been floated over the past few months, the one that I cant quite get out of my mind is a recent comment from Tony Travers, a professor of government at the London School of Economics, who told The New York Times that people are switching loyalties, not tribally, but like consumers.
As 19-year-old Francisco Duarte watched his parents handcuffed and driven away by immigration officials in late May outside their San Diego, California, home, all he could do was console his hysterical 12-year-old twin sisters.
Divis Laboratories surged 20% to Rs 816 on BSE in intra-day trade after the company said it has been informed by the United State Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA) that it will lift the import alert 99-32 imposed on the company's Unit-II at Visakhapatnam.
Investors have pulled an estimated $26.7 billion from Asset Management's mutual funds so far in 2017, according to Morningstar data, the Financial Times reported Sunday, making Goldman the world's worst-selling fund manager globally.

The nearly $27 billion of outflows from GSAM represent more than half of the asset manager's strategies globally, FT said. Goldman's outflows were almost twice the level of withdrawals experienced by Federated Investors, the second-worst selling fund house.

Revenues at GSAM dropped nearly 7 percent in 2016 and profits fell close to 17 percent.

Revenues were down 7 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous three-month period.

(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.)
Two major regulators of the corporate sector -- the Union ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) -- have embarked on an ambitious process of cleaning their respective jurisdictions.
A Delhi High Court Judge on Monday recused himself from hearing senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's bail cancellation plea in connection with the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots, as the appearing advocate was his relative.

Earlier in April, the Delhi High Court had reopened five cases in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that were closed in 1986.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also filed appeals against the acquittal of Kumar and light sentence to ex-councillor Balwan Khokar.

The High Court had taken suo motu cognizance as during course of the arguments Kumar's lawyers mentioned these matters as precedents since co-accused Mahender Yadav, Balwan Khokar and Kishan Khokar had been acquitted in them.

The court noted that eyewitnesses had not been examined in those cases and there was a "travesty" since investigation was not done properly.

The court took suo motu cognizance of the "errors" in the 1986 trial judgment, adding that key eyewitnesses were not examined and cases were closed "very rapidly" seemingly without proper investigation and trial.

The bench passed this order after taking note of the trial court judgments passed in 1986 in the five cases.

The apex court had also directed the Centre to deposit more than 190 files in connection with this case.

Expressing serious concern over the closure of more than 190 cases, out of a total of the 293 cases referred to the (Special Investigation Team) SIT on 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases, the court asked the Union of India to produce on record on April 25 all the files related to closure of these cases by SIT.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the apex court that the SIT in as many as 263 cases had no case files and there was no trace of any victim or witness.

On February 20, the Centre filed a status report in the top court on the investigation conducted by the SIT into anti-Sikh riots cases.

The court had asked the government to brief it within four weeks on the steps taken in the matter, after the Centre had said that the SIT's work was "in progress".

Earlier, the apex court directed petitioner Gurlad Singh Kahlon to file his suggestions in connection with the riot cases.

Kahlon had sought the court's direction for setting up of the SIT to ensure speedy justice to the riot victims.

Anti-Sikh riots that broke out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi had claimed 2,433 lives in Delhi alone.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the wake of the killings of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Monday said, the "communal goons" need to be strictly watched.

While addressing a press conference, after a review meeting with the state police department in Bengaluru, Siddaramaih said, "For the past two-three months some criminal incidents have taken place in Mangaluru. We have to keep a watch on the communal goondas. Some organisations have been involved."

The Karnataka CM said that the region is communally tensed.

"The people who disrupt communal harmony have not yet been arrested and I have suggested this to be done", he added.

He further said that perpetuators are being granted bail for serious offences and the police needs to be careful about it.

The Congress leader urged the police to be citizen friendly and incite fear of law inside the offenders.

Earlier on Saturday, RSS demanded an impartial probe on the death of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Sharath.

RSS spokesperson Rajesh Parmar said Sharath's murder was the 12th such killing in Karnataka in the last four years.

"This increasing number of murders in Karnataka and other southern states are shocking and we want the Karnataka Government to take a strict and immediate action, so that the culprit is punished, law and order is maintained and a peaceful environment is provided for the social activists in Karnataka," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Six hours after an assertive denial of meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui, the Congress did a major flip-flop and said that not only did the party vice-president meet the latter, but the Bhutanese envoy as well.

"Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting the Congress president and the vice-president from time to time on a courtesy basis, particularly those of G5 nations and also of the neighbouring countries - be it the Chinese Ambassador, or the Bhutanese Ambassador or the former security advisor Shiv Shankar Menon," Congress spokerperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told ANI.

"Rahul Gandhi met all of them. So, nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls or term them as events, like the sources from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) are trying to do. Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders are fully aware of or interests and other concerns about the grave situation on the Indo-Chinese Border and Bhutan, including Sikkim," he added.

Surjewala also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, "Despite having sour relations with the China, our Prime Minister met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Germany."

Earlier in the day, the Chinese Embassy in Delhi first posted and later removed a statement on its website saying that the two met after the Congress denied it as "fake news".

Surjewala, in a series of tweets, said some news channels were running "fake news" on Rahul's alleged meeting with the Chinese Ambassador.

"A wanting to be 'Bhakt' channel will not question 3 Union Ministers visiting China or PM's bonhomie & praise at G20 yet run fake news! Before MEA & IB sources plant news with 'Bhakts', they should reverify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours.2/n" he tweeted.

"Ohh! And 'Bhakts' are precluded from questioning this doublespeak too. We forget-two BJP mouthpieces & sundry wannabe's get a script!"

Earlier on Friday, Rahul had asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been "silent" on China, in a tweet.

"Why is our Prime Minister silent on China?" he had posted.

This comes amid a lengthy standoff between the Armies of the two countries on Line of Actual Control adjoining Sikkim on India's eastern border.

New Delhi has expressed its serious apprehensions over Beijing constructing a road in the Sikkim sector of the LAC.

India claims Sikkim border as part of its territory, while China has said that the area falls on their side as per the 1890 treaty signed between British and China.

Consequently, China suspended the annual Kailash Manasarovar yatra and conceded that the decision to suspend the pilgrimage was due to the border scuffle.

It also alleged that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim sector of the Indo-China border. Beijing has accused New Delhi of violating a convention signed in 1890 between Britain and China relating to Sikkim and Tibet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ahead of the ongoing political turmoil in the state with the demand of resignation by Bihar deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav building up, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is to hold a meeting on Monday.

Earlier yesterday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday urged the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United) to muster courage and compel Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav to step down from his post.

BJP leader Sushil Modi said that both leaders of RJD and JD(U) for the respect of Bihar must mount pressure on the alliance top rung seeking Tejaswi's resignation.

"If Tejaswi Yadav does not resign, my appeal to JD (U) leaders is to mount pressure on Nitish Yadav and get the work done. I will appeal the leader of RJD and JD (U) to show courage and ask Tejaswi Yadav to step down from the post of Deputy Chief Minister," said Modi.

Earlier on Friday, the CBI registered a corruption case against Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejaswi Yadav; former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Managing Director P.K. Goyal; and the wife of Lalu's confidante Prem Chand Gupta, Sujata on allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

The CBI later questioned Rabri Devi and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav.

The case was registered on the allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of Hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a Private Company dealing with Hotels in the year 2006.

The investigative agency also conducted searches at 12 locations across Patna, Delhi, Gurugram and other places.

The RJD supremo, however, refuted the allegations against him and called it a political conspiracy hatched by the BJP.

While conducting raids at Lalu Yadav's daughter Misa Bharti's premises yesterday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered and seized various incriminating documents, electronic devices including mobile phones.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Chinese foreign ministry reiterated on Monday that meaningful talks with India can only take place after New Delhi withdraws its soldiers from what it referred to as the Chinese side of the Doklam region.

This trilateral border area that separates China, Bhutan and India is currently under dispute.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Geng Shuang told media in the Blue Room of the International Press Center of the Chinese foreign ministry here that President Xi Jinping's interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, recently, was not a "bilateral meeting"

"According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meetings. On the border issue, we reaffirm that the Indian side should withdraw their border personnel to the Indian side. This is a precondition for meaningful dialogue."

When asked to respond to a report that Indian troops were preparing for a long stay in Doklam at the particular area where the standoff is taking place and also to reports that suggested that both sides were working diplomatic channels for a solution to facilitate talks at an appropriate time, Shuang said, "I don't know if these reports you mentioned are true. If they are true, then, that can only prove that the illegal trespass by the Indian side is organised and deliberate. They are intended to destroy and damage the status-quo at the boundary area of China and India. So, how can the diplomatic solution happen under such circumstances?"

"We stress many times that we urge the Indian side to withdraw back to the Indian side of the boundary, and this is the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between the two sides. The diplomatic channel remains unimpeded and we hope the Indian side can take concrete measures. Now, the Indian side is violating the international conventions and norms, and we demand the Indian side to bring back their troops as soon as possible," he added.

Referring to the road construction by Chinese troops, the spokesperson said, "China's road construction in the Doklam area is just a normal construction on our own territory which is legitimate, reasonable and lawful. So, under the pretext (not mentioned what pretext) the Indian side infringed on China's territorial sovereignty, and we urge the Indian side to bring back their troops as soon as possible."

Shuang said that the Chinese president chaired the informal BRICS leaders meeting during which Prime Minister Modi was also present.

(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.)
Union Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday condemned the Amarnath terror attack in which seven pilgrims were killed and 15 others injured in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, and also called for 'elimination of terrorism'.

"This incident should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism. Terrorist attack on #AmarnathYatra is the most reprehensible act. My condolences to the bereaved families," he said on Twitter.

The incident was also condemned by other political leaders including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Digvijaya Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and others.

Rahul Gandhi held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for the 'grave unacceptable security lapse.'

"This is a grave unacceptable security lapse. The PM needs to accept responsibility and never allow it to happen again," he tweeted.

He further said that India will never be intimidated by these terrorist cowards.

Meanwhile, senior party leader Digvijaya Singh said that the incident was evidence of the deteriorating condition of Kashmir.

"The Jammu and Kashmir government should accept responsibility and take strict action against the guilty," he said in a tweet.

BJP chief Amit Shah also expressed grief over the incident and dubbed it as heinous act.

"Cowards responsible for this barbaric act will not be spared. I have spoken to the BJP District President and MLC from Anantnag and asked our karyakartas in Kashmir to help the pilgrims in need," he added.

Condemning the incident, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said his government is in contact with the Jammu and Kashmir Government and military to ensure proper treatment and medical attention for the injured.

"I condemn this cowardly attack. India will never get bogged down by such acts. Six people from Gujarat's Valsad have lost their lives in Anantnag terror attack," Rupani said

Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also condemned the incident and said the pilgrims have and will always be respected guests.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi also took to Twitter to condemn the attack.

The Prime Minister said, "India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate."

"Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone," he tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi further said that he spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and has assured all possible assistance.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi also expressed deep condolences over the killing pilgrims by terrorists.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also spoke Governor Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba and assured full assistance to help the injured.

At least seven Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were killed and 15 others injured on Monday evening when terrorists attacked a bus carrying the pilgrims in Batingoo, near Anantnag district of the state.

According to sources, the pilgrims were from Gujarat, and struck by terrorists in Anantnag at around 8:20 p.m.

The injured pilgrims have been rushed to the hospital in Anantnag for medical treatment.

Chief Minister Mehbooba also visited the hospital to meet the injured pilgrims.

(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.)
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday launched the taxpayers service module and mobile app 'Aaykar Setu', which is an initiative by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to provide better taxpayer services and reduce taxpayer grievances.

"This is an important step forward by the CBDT for several reasons, out of which the principle reason being technology. This app is designed to help discharge any queries of the citizens without any external help," said Arun Jaitley while addressing the reporters at the launch in New Delhi.

Adding to this he said that the app reduces the interface between the department, which is the assessing officer and the assessee in terms of the physical interface.

Available in android version and desktop version, the new app is a new step by the Income Tax Department (ITD) to directly communicate with the taxpayers, on a range of multiple informative and useful tax services aimed at providing tax information at their fingertips.

"it will help to improve the image of the department," added Jaitley while saying that the app will have many positive consequences.

The module compiles various tax tools, live chat facility, dynamic updates, and important links to various processes within the Income Tax Department in a single module. The tax payers will also be able to receive regular updates regarding important tax dates, forms and notifications on mobile numbers registered with the ITD.

All taxpayers who wish to receive such SMS alerts are advised to register their mobile numbers in the Aaykar Setu module.

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The 21st edition of the 'MALABAR-2017' naval exercise began in the Bay of Bengal on Monday and will last till July 17.

The primary aim of this exercise is to increase interoperability amongst the three navies of India, U.S. and Japan and to reiterate the strong and resilient relationship between them in many areas, including maritime security operations.

The scope of MALABAR-2017 includes wide-ranging professional interactions during the Harbour Phase at Chennai from 10 to 13 July 2017 and a diverse range of operational activities at sea during the Sea Phase from 14 to 17 July 17.

The thrust of exercises at sea this year would be on Aircraft Carrier operations, Air Defence, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Surface Warfare, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), Search and Rescue, Joint Manoeuvres and Tactical procedures.

In addition, officials from the three countries will be flown onboard the ships at sea on 15 July.

The Indian Navy will be represented by the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya with its air wing, guided missile destroyer Ranvir, indigenous stealth frigates Shivalik and Sahyadri, indigenous ASW corvette Kamorta, missile corvettes Kora and Kirpan, one Sindhughosh class submarine, fleet tanker INS Jyoti and Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8I.

The U.S. Navy will be represented by the ships from the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and other units from the U.S. 7th Fleet.

The U.S. Navy forces will include the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Nimitz with its air wing, Ticonderoga-class cruiser Princeton, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Kidd, Howard and Shoup along with integral helicopters, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine and one Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8A.

"Around 75 aircrafts have embarked. Hope all maritime nations are watching what we are doing. Coming together is important in order to learn how to inter-operate with each other in peacetime and crises," U.S. Rear Admiral W.D. Byrne Jr. told ANI.

The exercise will also witness a separate interaction between IN and USN Special Forces and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams at the IN MARCOS training base INS Karna at Visakhapatnam.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) will be represented by JS Izumo, a helicopter carrier with SH 60K helicopters and JS Sazanami, a missile destroyer with SH 60K integral helicopter.

MALABAR-2017 will be another milestone with participation of 16 ships, two submarines and more than 95 aircraft, towards strengthening mutual confidence and inter-operability as well as sharing of best practices between the Indian, Japanese and the U.S. Navies.

The exercise is a demonstration of the joint commitment of all three nations to address common maritime challenges across the spectrum of operations and will go a long way in enhancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, for the benefit of the global maritime community.

The MALABAR series of exercises, initiated in 1992 between the Indian and US Navies, have steadily grown in scope, complexity and participation into a multifaceted exercise with the participation of the JMSDF.

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England all-rounder Moeen Ali has received a major boost in the ICC Test Player Rankings following a man of the match performance during his side's huge 211-run win over South Africa in the first Test of the four-match series at the Lord's on Sunday.

Ali contributed 87 and seven with the bat and bagged four for 59 and six for 53 with the bowl as England romped to victory with more than a day to spare.

For his heroics with both the bat and the ball, Ali has been rewarded with improvements in all three categories, which, in turn, have given him career-best batting, bowling and all-rounder rankings.

In the batting chart, Ali has gained three places and is now just outside the top 20 in 21st place; in the bowling table, he has broken into the top 20 in 19th position by rising nine places; while in the all-rounders list, Ali has moved ahead of team-mate Ben Stokes in fourth position for the first time in his career.

The latest gains mean Ali is now England's fourth highest-ranked batsman, third highest-ranked bowler and best all-rounder.

Joe Root, who celebrated his first Test as England captain by stroking 190 in the first innings and then inspiring his side to victory, has another reason to smile as he has jumped ahead of his New Zealand opposite number Kane Williamson in second place.

Root had entered the Lord's Test trailing Williamson by 32 points, but now leads the New Zealander by eight points. Number-one ranked Steve Smith will be Root's next target as the Australian captain is sitting on 941 points - 53 points ahead of the Englishman. If Root can continue performing like at Lord's, he can potentially go top of the table.

Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, former captain Alistair Cook and one-down batsman Gary Ballance are the other England batsman to have gained in the latest rankings, while Temba Bavuma and Vernon Philander are the two South Africa batsmen to head in the right direction.

Bairstow is now 10th after rising one place, Cook has moved up two places to claim 11th position and Ballance is 59th after earning three places, while Bavuma is 41st (up by four places) and Philander is 66th (up by eight places).

In the bowling table and apart from Moeen Ali's improvement, Philander and Morne Morkel have gained one place each to sit 10th and 13th, respectively. The table is headed by India's Ravindra Jadeja, with Ravichandran Ashwin second and Rangana Herath third.

Shakib Al Hasan is the number-one ranked all-rounder, followed by Jadeja, Ashwin, Ali and Stokes.

England and Bangladesh will now play the second Test of the four-match series, beginning at Trent Bridge on Friday.

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Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced that the war-torn city of Mosul has been completely liberated from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group.

"From here, from the heart of the liberated and free Mosul, by the sacrifices of the Iraqis from all the provinces, we declare the great victory for all of Iraq and Iraqis," CNN quoted al-Abadi as saying.

The Iraqi Prime Minister lauded the security forces by terming the victory over ISIS as a great celebration that crowned the victories of the fighters and the Iraqis over the last three years.

He said Mosul was retaken after more than three years of ISIS rule by the national forces backed by a US-led coalition.

Iraq's national flag was planted on the banks of the Tigris River in Mosul's Old City by the security forces forces to declare their victory.

Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister al-Abadi arrived in Mosul to declare victory over the ISIS.

According to reports, about 1,000 ISIS terrorists were killed in more than two months of fighting in Mosul's Old City.

The ISIS had captured Mosul in 2014 along vast swathes of territory in northern and western Iraq.

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Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Narada Sting case.

The mayor's counsel stated that Chatterjee would not be able to appear before the ED officers as he has prior commitments and thus has asked for time.

On June 28, Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Kolkata in connection with the case.

The sting operation pertains to the secret filming of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer while they were allegedly accepting money from representatives of a fictitious company in return for extending favours to it.

The 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.

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The People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) has warned the United States of nuclear war, after it carried out live-fire bombing run near North Korea border.

As per the Sputnik, in a North Korean Sunday, the DPRK accused the U.S. of engaging in military provocations which intend to initiate nuclear conflict in the region.

"The Korean peninsula is the largest gunpowder area in the with the highest risk of nuclear war, and is the largest hot spot in the where there is always a risk of nuclear war," reads the DPRK editorial.

"[Washington] is surely spreading into a new war," the editorial further stated.

It further said that Washington's move was just an attempt to distract from US President Donald Trump's serious crisis of power on Capitol Hill.

After North Korea demonstrated a of what it claimed to be its first ICBM on July 4, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting and deployed two B-18 strategic bombers to the region.

The strategic bomber carrying out live-fire bombing runs at a South Korean training range, which was escorted by US, South Korean and Japanese fighter jets.

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In a horrific round of firing that was opened at a gender reveal party near Cincinnati, Ohio, late Saturday, the police confirmed that one woman was killed, while eight others were injured.

The deceased, identified as 22-year old Autum Garrett, a native of Indiana, was declared dead on the spot, reports CNN.

Among those injured were three children of ages two, six and eight, who were rushed to a children's hospital in the vicinity and the others were also tendered to immediately, confirmed Colerain Township Police Chief Mark Denney.

"A group of people had gathered in the living room for the party to learn the gender of a pregnant woman's expected child, when two gunmen came through the front door and opened fire. The shooting lasted maybe a minute or two, and the suspects got away on foot. All those injured are suffering non-life threatening injuries," he said.

While the suspects are yet to be nabbed, Denney said the authorities are still investigating, since there are many details that remain unknown at this point, including whether the suspects, who used handguns, targeted their victims.

There is also no clarity on the number of people, who attended the party, or the relationship between the suspect and the victims, if any, Denney added.

"We don't know who the suspects are and why they did this," he said.

According to a report by Fox News, officials said two men wearing all black opened fire at the gender reveal party.

Officers responded to a home in Colerain Township, located outside Cincinnati, around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, police spokesman Jim Love told FOX 19.

The pregnant woman was shot in the leg and suffered a miscarriage.

A witness to the shooting called 911 and said she was sitting outside the house in her car when she saw two men in hoods enter the home, open fire and run off, according to a recording of the call released early Sunday.

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Showing their double speak again in regards to relations with India, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's advisor Sartaj Aziz has again reiterated that Islamabad would continue to support Kashmiris politically, morally and diplomatically until and unless Kashmiris achieve freedom from India and at the same time expressed his willingness to resume dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir dispute.

"Pakistan wants to resume dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir dispute so that the peace could be restored in the region. Pakistan would continue to support Kashmiris politically, morally and diplomatically until and unless Kashmiris achieve freedom from India," The News International quoted Aziz as saying in an interview with Pakistan's official TV channel.

Accusing India of increasing the tension on the Line of Control to divert attention from the human rights violations in occupied Kashmir, Aziz said, "During the last one year, India had committed 450 LoC violations and many innocent people had been martyred in these violations".

Pakistan military and ISI in connivance with various terror groups have been indulging in covert activities to create unrest in Kashmir and Aziz's statement on Kashmir provides ample proof that Pakistan will continue to disrupt peace in Kashmir.

"India could not suppress the vigour of Kashmiris for freedom. At last India would have to give freedom to Kashmiris. If India was a democratic country, then it should give chance to people of Kashmir for deciding their future course," Aziz stated.

In a bid to glorify the killing of terrorist Burhan Muzaffar Wani, by calling him martyr, Aziz said, "The Indian atrocities on Kashmiris had reached at their peak and vigour of Kashmiris had also reached at the peak".

Aziz even raised the issue of plebiscite saying, if referendum could be held in Italy and Britain, then why not in Kashmir, adding "if plebiscite was held in Kashmir hardly any Muslim would decide to live with India".

He said that United Nations resolutions are still present regarding Kashmir dispute. The issue is still alive on the agenda of the UNO. He further said, "India could not succeed in bringing demographic changes".

He also said that Pakistan will be attending the meeting of the foreign ministers which will be held in Ivory Coast next week and Islamabad will highlight the Indian atrocities on Kashmiris and will give important message regarding Kashmir issue.

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The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the offshore assets of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in connection with the Panamagate case, will submit its fourth and final report to the Supreme Court on Monday.

The PML-N government has said the investigation report will not be accepted by it, as a statement of former Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani, a key defence witness, is still expected.

Along with the evidence, the report will consist of the statements of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif; the PM's children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz Sharif; son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar; Prime Minister's cousin Tariq Shafi; friend Javed Kayani and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is the father-in-law of the Prime Minister's younger daughter.

In the April 20 verdict, the Supreme Court gave JIT two months to find out answers to 13 questions related to the money trail of Sharif properties in London. The apex court fixed July 10 as the day for receiving the report from the JIT.

The JIT report may not be as damaging for the ruling family as they are anticipating. "Though it won't be pleasant, it is not the worst for the Sharif family as such," the Dawn quoted a source, as saying.

During the period of over two months , the JIT interrogated some seven members of the Sharif family :Nawaz's elder son Hussain appeared before the panel six times,his younger brother appeared thrice including Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, premier's daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Capt (retd) Safdar, and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Qatari Prince Hamad Bin Jassim bin Jaber al Thani is the prime defence of PM Nawaz Sharif in the case as the Prince has supported the Sharifs money trail through two separate letters.

Qatari Prince declined to appear before the JIT team in Pakistan rather the prince instead asked the JIT to record his statement at his palace in Qatar.

The case hinges on two parallel money trails for the Park Lane apartments: one based on the Rehman Malik investigation, and the other provided by Hussain Nawaz to the apex court.

The 'forced confession' of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is also being used to establish a case against the Sharif family.The JIT summoned almost all important persons named in both the Rehman Malik report and Mr Dar's 'confession'.A British-Pakistani Kashif Mehmood Qazi, was also summoned. According to Rehman Malik's account, four bank accounts in the Qazi family's name were used to allegedly launder the Sharifs' money.

The JIT also summoned National Bank of Pakistan CEO Saeed Ahmed, and some officials from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), among others.

The investigation team had managed to include the Qazi statement.

A five-member SECP team headed by the head of Companies Registration Office (CRO) based in Lahore on Friday submitted additional record related to the companies of the Sharif family including Hudaibya Paper Mills, Chaudhry Sugar Mills and Ittefaq Foundries to the JIT.

Prime Minister's Special Assistant Asif Kirmani had already stressed again that the JIT report will have "no credibility" if does not include the statement of Qatari prince Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabar Al-Thani.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet the chief secretaries of all the states over in a conference over 'transforming India' on Monday.

NITI Aayog tweeted about the same, informing that the Prime Minister will attend the conference of the chief secretaries of all States/Union Territories (UTs).

The theme of the Conference is 'States as Drivers for Transforming India.'

#NewsfromNITI: National Conference of Chief Secretaries of all States/UTs, today! PM @narendramodi to be part of the conference. pic.twitter.com/e2EgYU2E9a  NITI Aayog (@NITIAayog) 10 July 2017

The states are expected to list out their ways of handling the state and how they have handled various issues so far.

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Rajasthan State Minister Rajkumar Rinwa has been making the headlines for his controversial statement, demanding a law to chop off all those politicians, who make demeaning remarks on the Indian Army.

"There should be a law to chop those politicians within five minutes who make demeaning statements on the Army. These soldiers serve the nation in every condition be it bad weather conditions or any such situation," Rinwa told media here.

He said that this provision should also be made in the Constitution.

Last month, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit stirred a controversy when he labelled Army Chief General Rawat to be a 'sadak ka gunda' (a road-side goon).

He said, "It feels our Army chief speaks like a

roadside thug. While this is expected from Pakistan who are like the mafia, why does our own chief make such pronouncements?"

Dikshit's comment drew flak from all the quarters.

In an interaction with ANI, General Rawat had earlier said that the Indian Army is well prepared to face external as well as internal threats of the country.

"Indian Army is fully ready for a two and a half front war", General Rawat had said.

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Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) contractor Raymond Davis who was at the centre of a diplomatic stand-off in Pakistan, has accused Pakistani politicians of lying to the nation regarding his release.

Davis hit news headlines in 2011 after he killed two men in Lahore who he says were trying to rob him. A third man was killed by a car driven by Americans apparently on their way to rescue Davis.

Later, a court in Lahore freed him after acquitting him of two counts of murder at a hearing held at a prison. The acquittal came when relatives of the dead men pardoned him in court.

"Many people in Pakistan do not believe in my story while in fact their own leaders have told lies and they should be questioned for it," Davis was quoted by the Express Tribune, as telling the BBC.

"But, after all it is my story and the people should also try to see the whole matter from my point of view and question leaders of their country about their ever-changing statements."

He said the people he mentioned in the book were now telling the people that I was a liar. "I am very sad to know that they can go to this extent to paint me as a liar and defame me."

The CIA contractor said he was not aware as to who were the persons he shot and killed as the Pakistani media ran stories stating that both the deceased were agents of a secret agency while according to documents submitted in the court the two had been arrested 67 times on charges of theft.

Davis said he was investigated about this incident on his return to the United States.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday dubbed the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) meeting in Patna as drama.

Questioning Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's silence on the entire episode, Bihar BJP state chief Nityanad Rai said the RJD's decision on Tejaswi Yadav shows that they don't care about the state and that they are only bothered about the stability of the government.

"This meeting was totally drama from RJD. All decisions were taken by Lalu Yadav ji. They took the decision that tejashwi will not resign, it shows that they took the rights of poor and took all the money and made property worth crore of rupees. Why Nitish ji is silent, shows that there are problems between the two parties," said Rai.

Following a crucial meet, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) earlier today said Bihar Tejaswi Yadav will not resign.

It was announced that no discussion took place regarding Tejaswi's resignation. In fact, his work was appreciated.

"Tejaswi Yadav has been a good leader and will always remain one," the party said.

Targetting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the RJD said, "There has been an attempt to fade us, but it will not happen. We will emerge like we have always in the past as well."

It also categorically said there were no differences between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. The party said the former had called the latter yesterday and had asked about his well-being.

"There is a conspiracy to break the grand alliance, but the state government is very much in place and stable," it said.

On Friday, the CBI had registered a corruption case against Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejaswi Yadav, former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Managing Director P.K. Goyal; and the wife of Lalu's confidante Prem Chand Gupta, Sujata on allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

The CBI later questioned Rabri Devi and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav.

The case was registered on the allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of Hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a Private Company dealing with Hotels in the year 2006.The investigative agency also conducted searches at 12 locations across Patna, Delhi, Gurugram and other places.

The RJD supremo, however, refuted the allegations against him and called it a political conspiracy hatched by the BJP.

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The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the Uttarakhand disqualified MLAs case for final disposal on October 25.

The disqualified MLAs contended that Speaker cannot convene assembly or disqualify them after Presidential proclamation in the state.

Appearing for former chief minister Harish Rawat and other Congress MLAs, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted that both cases are in fructuous due to a new government in the state.

Last year, the rebel MLAs, led by Vijay Bahuguna, had questioned the constitutional validity of their disqualification after Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal disqualified them, saying they violated the defection law and deserved to be punished.

Eight of the nine rebel Congress legislators had moved the Uttarakhand High Court on two grounds - that they were not given enough time by the Speaker to respond to the charges and that they were not provided 'proof' of their alleged anti-party activities.

The conflict between the Congress and their legislators arose during a debate over the Finance Bill during Budget Session of the Uttarakhand Assembly.

The Speaker had on March 27, 2017 disqualified the nine Congress MLAs, including Bahuguna, who spearheaded the rebellion against Rawat under the anti-defection law.

In the 70-member assembly, the Congress has 27 members excluding the nine legislators.

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The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the liquor baron Vijay Mallya's contempt case till July 14.

In the last hearing, the apex court had convicted him for contempt of court and summoned him to personally appear on July 10.

The apex court was hearing a plea by a consortium of banks, who moved the apex court after Mallya received $40 million from British firm Diageo Plc in February 2016 and allegedly transferred the money to his children, instead of repaying loans that he owes to the banks.

The absconding businessman was arrested by Scotland Yard last month on fraud allegations, which triggered his extradition process in the British courts.

However, Mallya was released on bail as he assured the court to abide by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, including surrendering his passport.

On February 8, India had given a formal extradition request for Mallya through a note verbale. India had given a formal extradition request for Mallya as per the extradition treaty between India and UK through a note verbale, a diplomatic communication.

A joint team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also reached London.

Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed that Mallya's extradition has been stratified by the Secretary of State of the U.K. Government and added that a warrant would soon be released against him.

The 61-year-old Mallya, who has been living in Britain since last year, was arrested by the Scotland Yard last month on the extradition request of India.

Within hours of his arrest, Mallya, who is accused of cheating and frauds, was released on bail by a London court.

The UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will argue the case on behalf of the Indian authorities.

Mallya, whose now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines allegedly owes more than Rs 9,000 crore to various banks, had fled India on March 2, 2016.

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The Supreme Court on Monday directed all states and Union Territories, which are running mental hospitals to implement the guidelines framed by the Central Government.

The Apex Court also directed them to file a status report.

The Apex Court passed the direction after hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Gaurav Kumar Bansal.

On February 22, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to frame guidelines for rehabilitation of persons who have been cured of their mental illness.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J.S. Khehar observed that after mentally ill persons are cured, not even their family members are willing to take them back home.

The Supreme Court then told Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, who was representing the Centre, that the government cannot allow a person to be kept in a mental asylum or a nursing home after he or she is fully cured of the ailment.

The Solicitor General, however, told the bench that they needed some time as two ministries - Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Justice - were involved in this process.

The Apex Court gave eight weeks time to the Centre for this.

The Apex Court also asked the government to place before it the guidelines or scheme for its consideration and posted the matter for hearing after eight weeks.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate G.K. Bansal who had raised the issue of release of about 300 persons from various mental hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, alleging they were still languishing there despite being cured of their ailments and most of them belonged to poorer sections.

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In the wake of the ongoing protests being staged by the Gorkha Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha for a separate 'Gorkhaland' from West Bengal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy asserted that the demand is 'well-deserved'.

"It is a well-deserved demand. I completely agree with it. When we considered establishing Jharkhand, Uttaranchal and so on, the Gorkhas should also be given a chance. There was nothing so diverse about the above states; it was done to enhance development," Swamy told ANI.

Launching a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Swamy said the government must consider the demand put forth, adding that Gorkhas will still remain in India, not 'fly away to Pakistan'.

"Mamata is taking pro-fanatic decisions. She should agree to the demand, or allow the President to take up the matter, under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution," he said.

Meanwhile, the Gorkha Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti on Sunday held a protest march at Jantar Mantar demanding a separate 'Gorkhaland' from West Bengal.

"We are not going to deviate this. We don't want to talk about anything other than Gorkhaland. If the government invites us for anything else, then they better not do so. We are not going to settle for anything else," Rajiv Sharma, member of Gorkha Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti told ANI.

"We are doing this protest to make it clear that we Gorkhas also belong to India and we are also an integral part of it. There is no political party included in this," another protestor said.

Earlier on Friday, a Gorkhaland supporter was found dead in Sonada, on the outskirts of Darjeeling.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has alleged that he was killed by the police force present there.

GNLF spokesperson, Neeraj Zimba alleged that Tashi Bhutia, a Gorkhaland supporter was shot by police and there are reports that he died on the spot.

"He had received bullet injuries on his forehead somewhere near his ear," said Zimba.

"No, that is what the police claims. There will be counter allegations, but there were twelve to thirteen police convoys and they stopped one unarmed person and shot him," he added.

He said that it was not a disturbed area and section 144 was not imposed anywhere near the area, and anybody could make free movements there.

Earlier on June 17, three GJM protestors were killed in clashes that broke between out in Darjeeling, the sixth day of the party's indefinite shutdown demanding a separate Gorkhaland.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and said that the incident has left Kashmiris' heads hanging in shame.

"The incident has left Kashmiris' heads hanging in shame.The attack is a blot on the name of Muslims and the people of Kashmir," said Mehbooba.

"I have no words to condemn this. I hope those involved will be arrested and punished soon," she added.

Meanwhile, state Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said the guilty would not be spared.

"We will treat terrorists as terrorists. Those who attack innocent people will not be spared," said Singh.

Further confirming the number of casualties, Singh said, "Seven people have lost their lives and 15 others are injured. The injured are reported to be out of danger."

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the terrorist attack and said that India would never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks.

"Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone," he tweeted.

The incident was also condemned by other political leaders including Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Digvijaya Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and others.

At least seven people were killed and 15 others injured after terrorists opened fire at bus ferrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in Batingoo near Anantnag district.

This particular group of pilgrims was travelling on their own and the bus with number plate GJ09Z9976 was not even registered.

The injured pilgrims were rushed to a hospital in Anantnag where Chief Minister Mehbooba also reached to meet them.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir's Governor N.N. Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba and has assured all possible assistance.

It is reported that the intelligence agencies had warned that militants were planning to target Amarnath pilgrims to trigger communal violence.

Earlier in August 2000, 30 people were killed in terrorist attack on the Amarnath pilgrimage in Pahalgam.

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U.S President Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. was promised to damage information about Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton before agreeing to meet with a Russian lawyer who has connections to the Kremlin.

As per the New York Times, the information were provided by three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others who had knowledge of it.

According to reports, the unreported meeting, which took place on June 9, 2016 at Trump Tower in Manhattan, was attended by Trump's campaign chairman, Paul J. Manafort and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Though, it is still unclear whether Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, actually fulfilled the promised compromising information about Clinton or not.

Donald Trump Jr. in a statement on Sunday said he had met the Russian lawyer at the request of an acquaintance.

"After pleasantries were exchanged the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."

He further claimed that he turned the conversation to adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act.

Earlier on Saturday, it was reported that two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump won the Republican nomination last year, Trump Jr. arranged a meeting with a Russian lawyer who has connections to the Kremlin.

This was the first confirmed private meeting between Trump's team and person linked with Russian Government during the campaign.

As per reports, this was the first time when Trump Jr. is known to have been involved in such meeting.

Moreover, officials of Trump Jr. and Kushner confirmed the meeting, in which the former described the meeting as primarily about an adoption program.

Representatives on June 11, former FBI Director James Comey had accused Trump of firing him to try to undermine the FBI's investigation of possible collusion between the Trump Campaign and Russia in alleged efforts to influence last year's presidential election.

Comey told the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee that the Trump administration had lied and defamed him and the FBI after the President dismissed him on May 9.

The more than two hour-long-testimony saw Comey further informing that Trump had directed him to drop an FBI probe against former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Comey said it should be special counsel Robert Mueller's task to determine whether Trump had obstructed justice, and therefore, had opened himself up to possible impeachment proceedings, keeping the allegations on Russia in mind.

He, however, said that whatever Trump did was "a very disturbing thing, very concerning."

Comey painted a picture of an overbearing president he did not trust and who pressured him to stop the FBI probe of Flynn.

Russia has denied interfering in last year's presidential elections, as has the White House.

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A UK High Court has ruled that British Government's weapons sales to Saudi Arabia are lawful and dismissed claims which accused the latter of acting illegally in supplying bombs and fighter jets which have been used by Riyadh in the Yemen conflict.

However, the anti-arms trade campaigners Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), who had filed the case, said that they will appeal against the decision.

"We have concluded that the material decisions of the secretary of state were lawful. We therefore dismiss the claim," The Guardian quoted Lord Justice Burnett, who heard the case with Justice Haddon-Cave, as saying while delivering an open judgment in the high court in London.

Lawyers representing CAAT argued that arms sale to Saudi Arabia was a violation of the UK's arms export policy as these arms might be used to break international humanitarian law.

The judgment is being seen as a huge relief for British Prime Minister Theresa May, who attracted widespread criticism from activists for the country's arms deals with Saudi Arabia.

According to reports, more than USD 3.5 billion of arms have been licensed to Saudi Arabia by the UK in the last two years, despite claims that these weapons are being used in violations of International Humanitarian law in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia has waged a bombing campaign since 2015.

Several people have died in the civil war in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies have backed the ousted government against Houthi rebels supported by Iran.

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West Indies have been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during their nine-wicket win in the one-off Twenty20 International against India at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Sunday.

David Boon of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the fine after Carlos Brathwaite's side was ruled to be one over short of its target when time allowances were taken into consideration.

In accordance with Article 2.5.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

As such, Brathwaite has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee, while his players have received 10 per cent fines.

If West Indies commit another minor over-rate breach in a T20I within 12 months of this offence with Brathwaite as captain, it will be deemed a second offence by Brathwaite and he will face a suspension.

Brathwaite pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there would be no fo a formal hearing.

The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Nigel Duguid and Leslie Reifer, third umpire Joe Wilson and fourth umpire Patrick Gustard.

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On 13 July 2017

Bharat Bhushan Fin. & Commodity Bkr. will hold a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company on 13 July 2017 AGM

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To grow card acquiring business in India and focus on Digital India Initiative

Koa Tools India is in process to sign a Joint Venture with Accept Express PLC, UK and Accept Express Holdings, Inc. (USA) for jointly working in the Indian Market for starting Accept Express in India which will be incorporated as an subsidiary of Koa Tools India.

Koa Tools India will own 70% Stake in the Indian Company and 30% stake will be owned by Accept Express PLC, UK & Accept Express Holdings, Inc. (USA).

This joint Venture will bring in technology from Europe and the United States in terms of merchant acquiring business and the USP of the Company will be to grow the card acquiring business in India.

The Company will launch it's own Payment Gateway,Mobile POS Devices, IVRS Payment System, Mobile Payment App and several other products Including Prepaid Card Issuance. The Company will commence business operations after complying with the regulatory norms as prescribed by RBI. Accept Express will focus on the Digital India Initiative by the Prime Minister.

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Sun Pharmaceutical Industries gained 2.35% to Rs 562.60 at 9:35 IST on BSE after the company said it has entered into settlements with certain plaintiffs in re Modafinil Antitrust Litigation matter.

The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 7 July 2017.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 206.30 points or 0.66% at 31,566.93.

On the BSE, 2.45 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 4.91 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 567.30 and a low of Rs 552 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 854.50 on 5 August 2017 and a 52-week low of Rs 493 on 29 May 2017.

The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 7 July 2017, advancing 7.54% compared with the Sensex's 0.29% rise. The stock had, however, underperformed the market over the past one quarter, declining 17.42% as against the Sensex's 5.57% rise. The scrip had also underperformed the market over the past one year, declining 29.29% as against the Sensex's 15.29% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 239.93 crore. Face value per share is Rs 1.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Pharma) and one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries have entered into settlements with certain plaintiffs in re Modafinil Antitrust Litigation matter currently pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The settlements extend to all claims brought by Apotex Corporation and the Retailer Purchaser Plaintiffs. The settlements remain are confidential.

On a consolidated basis, net profit of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries declined 16.7% to Rs 1385.57 crore on 8% decline in net sales to Rs 6825.16 crore in Q4 March 2017 over Q4 March 2016.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries is the world's fourth largest specialty generic pharmaceutical company and India's top pharmaceutical company.

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Tata Motors rose 2.68% to Rs 448.50 at 9:16 IST on BSE after the company said its British luxury unit Jaguar Land Rover reported 11% rise in sales at 51,591 units in June 2017 over June 2016, driven by healthy China market.

The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 7 July 2017.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 196.24 points or 0.63% at 31,556.87.

On the BSE, 27,000 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 18.80 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 457.50 and a low of Rs 441.70 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 598.60 on 7 September 2016 and a 52-week low of Rs 417.10 on 8 May 2017.

The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 7 July 2017, sliding 4.62% compared with the Sensex's 0.29% rise. The stock had also underperformed the market over the past one quarter, declining 6.67% as against the Sensex's 5.57% rise. The scrip had also underperformed the market over the past one year, declining 4.05% as against the Sensex's 15.29% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 577.47 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

Jaguar sales grew by 16.4% to 15,343 units in June 2017 over June 2016. Land Rover sales rose 8.9% to 36,248 units in June 2017 over June 2016.

On a consolidated basis, net profit of Tata Motors declined 16.8% to Rs 4336.43 crore on 2.9% decline in net sales to Rs 77217.19 crore in Q4 March 2017 over Q4 March 2016.

Tata Motors is a market leader in commercial vehicles in India. The company's British luxury unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) sells premium luxury cars.

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Tata Motors said that the sales of its British luxury unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) rose 11% to 51,591 units in June 2017 over June 2016, driven by healthy China market. Jaguar sales grew by 16.4% to 15,343 units in June 2017 over June 2016. Land Rover sales rose 8.9% to 36,248 units in June 2017 over June 2016. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 7 July 2017.

AU Small Finance Bank will make its stock market debut today, 10 July 2017, after successfully concluding its initial public offer (IPO) last month. The issue price was fixed at Rs 358 per share, the top end of the Rs 355 to Rs 358 per share price band for the IPO. The IPO had received strong response from investors. It was subscribed 53.6 times. AU Small Finance Bank offers a diverse suite of banking products.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries said that the company and one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries have entered into settlements with certain plaintiffs in re Modafinil Antitrust Litigation matter currently pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The settlements extend to all claims brought by Apotex Corporation and the Retailer Purchaser Plaintiffs. The settlements remain are confidential. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 7 July 2017.

United Bank of India said that it proposes to approve by circulation on 12 July 2017, allotment of unsecured Basel III compliant listed Tier-2 bonds, with or without greenshoe option, aggregating upto Rs 500 crore. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 7 July 2017.

Alok Industries said it has been supplied with a copy of the application for resolution proceedings filed by State Bank of India, before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Ahmedabad on 29 June 2017. The hearing on this matter has been scheduled for 12 July 2017. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 7 July 2017.

Shares of UltraTech Cement turn ex-dividend today, 10 July 2017, for dividend of Rs 10 per share for the year ended March 2017.

Shares of Mindtree turn ex-dividend today, 10 July 2017, for final dividend of Rs 3 per share for the year ended March 2017.

Shares of Cera Sanitaryware turn ex-dividend today, 10 July 2017, for dividend of Rs 12 per share for the year ended March 2017.

Shares of Abbott India turn ex-dividend today, 10 July 2017, for final dividend of Rs 40 per share for the year ended March 2017.

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Leading telecom operator Airtel has launched 'Project Next', a digital programme which, it says, will transform customer experience across all its services, with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore over the next three years.

"We plan to invest Rs 2,000 crore over the next three years to launch several digital innovations to make our customers' experience more simple and interactive," said Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and CEO (India and South Asia), Bharti Airtel, on Monday.

As part of the plan, the company introduced data rollover opportunity for customers so that their data of a particular month if unused does not go waste. A customer can store up to 200GB of data, he said.

Charting the concerns of the customers, Vittal said: "First, unused data that expires at the end of the month is seen as a painful waste. Second, customers are looking for a relationship with the service provider for all of their connections. Third, the security of their devices and the privacy of their data is critical. Finally, an upgrade from prepaid to postpaid is a cumbersome experience."

"Airtel postpaid customers no longer need to worry about losing unused data at the end of the month. In an industry first, starting August 1, 2017, all Airtel postpaid customers will now be able to carry forward their unused monthly data quota to the next billing cycle," he added.

The company said postpaid customers can now create customised solutions for the family by adding multiple postpaid connections to their account, and enjoy savings of up to 20 per cent.

The company also introduced 'Airtel Secure' -- a digital smartphone protection suite -- through which customers can now protect their smartphones against accidental/liquid damage.

"If a customer's device is accidentally damaged, Airtel will arrange for a pick-up of the device, get it repaired from an authorized service centre and deliver it back to the customer. What makes Airtel Secure unique is that it is the only solution to offer damage protection for smartphones up to two years old."

Airtel Secure also comes with Norton Mobile Security Suite, which includes anti-malware protection, and an App Advisor that flags privacy risks such as intrusive behaviour.

As part of the project, the company will revamp all its 2,500 stores across the country. The next-gen Airtel stores have been conceptualised by the UK-based 8 Inc. The first two stores are in Gurgaon.

The company's shares in the BSE closed at Rs 405.40, up 5.39 per cent on Monday.

--IANS

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An Australian man has been convicted for shipping native Australian lizards to Italy inside pairs of socks, the media reported on Monday.

Craig James Pender, a Victoria man, was convicted of illegally importing and exporting reptiles, Xinhua news agency reported.

Pender exported 13 Australian reptiles to Italy, including five blue-tongue lizards, four spiny-tailed skinks and four shingleback lizards, tucked inside pairs of socks which were in turn stuffed into a speaker system.

The discovery of the lizards by Italian customs staff prompted a joint investigation between Victorian and Australian agriculture departments which resulted in Pender's arrest.

It is believed the man was part of an international smuggling ring specialising in exotic reptiles.

Robyn Cleland, head of compliance for the federal agriculture department, said bio-security officials would pursue other members of the ring.

"Exotic animals can introduce devastating pests and diseases," Cleland said.

"Pender's irresponsible actions placed our national wildlife, environment and industries at great risk."

A search warrant carried out during the investigation against Pender found illegally imported hog-nosed snakes in his house.

The investigation also turned up links between Pender and Norwegian man Bard Alexander Meringen, who was arrested in Norway with more than 200 live reptiles in his home.

Pender was also convicted of illegally importing into Australia four green tree pythons in 2009.

People convicted of importing or exporting a threatened species in Australia face a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment, a penalty that could be increased to 10 years if the species is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

--IANS

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Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar on Monday said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) committee has suggested 14 cuts to his forthcoming film "Indu Sarkar", set in the backdrop of the Emergency.

"Just got out of 'Indu Sarkar' film censor screening. Am appalled at the 14 cuts suggested by the committee. Will go to the Revising Committee," Bhandarkar tweeted on Monday evening.

The National Award-winning filmmaker's movie is based on the Emergency in India and characters in the films are inspired by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi. It stars Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari, Supriya Vinod, Anupam Kher and Tota Roy Chowdhury.

The Emergency was imposed on June 25, 1975, when Indira Gandhi cited grave threat to her government and sovereignty of the country from both internal and external forces. It lasted till March 21, 1977.

"Indu Sarkar" has drawn the ire of the Congress party even before its release. Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam had last week penned a letter to CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, asking for the movie to be screened for them before it is censored.

On Monday, the Indore unit of the Congress wrote a letter to the Cine Circuit Association and Cine Grah Sanchalan asking them not to screen the movie. They threatened that movie theatres in the city will have to bear the responsibility as Congress supporters will stage protests and burn effigies of actor Anupam Kher and director Bhandarkar if the movie is released in Indore.

Meanwhile, Bhandarkar has made it clear that he has "no agenda to promote any specific political ideology" through the film, which is locked for release on July 28.

--IANS

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China on Monday said that President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "no bilateral meeting" on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, after India had claimed the two leaders discussed "a range of issues".

"According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meeting," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said when asked about the issues discussed by Xi and Modi.

Geng said Xi chaired an informal meet of BRICS leaders during which Modi was present.

Despite being repeatedly asked if by "no bilateral meeting" Geng meant no meeting at all, he said: "So my answer is that the two heads of state of India and China did not hold any meetings on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg."

On Saturday, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson refused to elaborate on the "range of issues" discussed by Modi and Xi during their informal conversation in Hamburg.

"We have tweeted that the two leaders discussed a range of issues. A range of issues means a range of issues. I don't want to add anything further...I leave it to you to draw your conclusion," Baglay had said.

Geng said the withdrawal of troops from Doklam was the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between both sides.

"We have urged the Indian side to withdraw troops back to their Indian side of the boundary and this is a precondition for any meaningful dialogue between the two sides."

Asked about Indian troops reportedly planning to stay put in the Doklam area of Sikkim sector, Geng said: "If the reports are true that is proof that the illegal trespass by India is organised and deliberate.

"It is intended to destroy and damage the status quo of the boundary area of China and India.

"So how can diplomatic solutions happen with consensus?" asked Geng.

(Gaurav Sharma is the Beijing-based correspondent of IANS. He can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com and gauravians@yahoo.com)

--IANS

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More than 40 crosses, plaques and gravestones were desecrated by unidentified persons at a Goa cemetery in the early hours of Monday, a senior police officer said.

The Congress has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the series of acts of vandalism at religious places in the state.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Rupinder Kumar told IANS that the incident occurred at the Guardian Angel Catholic cemetery in Curchorem in south Goa, where a similar attack had occurred five years ago.

"Policemen were posted outside the cemetery. When they heard sounds inside the cemetery, they went in to check. Several Catholic crosses, granite stone plaques and gravestones were damaged. A CCTV camera and an electric light pole also were damaged," the police officer said.

Initially, officials at the Curchorem police station had estimated the number of damaged crosses, gravestones and plaques at more than 100.

Kumar said that careful inspection of the site revealed that more than 40 pieces have been damaged, and these include more than 20 Catholic crosses.

"We are working on some leads," Kumar said.

State Congress President Shantaram Naik has demanded a CBI probe into the cemetery vanadalism.

"We are demanding a CBI probe into the serial desecration," Naik said, adding that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's government in the state has failed to rein in such vandalism and acts of esecration.

This is the fourth such incident since June, he said.

The Goa Police have already formed a special team to crack these cases. Parrikar has said the attacks were being carried out by people with vested interest to disturb the communal harmony in the state.

In 2012, around 50 gravestones and 100 graves at an adjoining Muslim graveyard were vandalised. The place is about 45 km from Panaji.

--IANS

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The Congress on Monday did a flip-flop on its Vice President Rahul Gandhi's meeting with Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui in Delhi amidst the border stand off, but sought to do some damage control later by asking questions of the government over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hamburg last week.

Hitting back at the government, Gandhi said if it was so concerned about his July 8 meeting with the Chinese envoy how did three union ministers enjoy Chinese hospitality "while the border issue is on". Last week, around the time Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hamburg, had questioned the "silence" of the Prime Minister on the border stand-off in Doklam, at the trijunction of India, China and Bhutan.

Inexplicably, the party started the day on a bad note calling reports on the meeting as "fake news", only later to admit that such a meeting did indeed take place. Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted denying such a meeting between Gandhi and the Chinese envoy when some news channels went on air with the report.

He alleged that the report was "planted" by the External Affairs Ministry and Intelligence Bureau sources. "They should re-verify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours," Surjewala said.

But in the evening Surjewala did a U-turn. "Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President from time to time on courtesy basis, particularly those of G5 nations as also of the neighbouring countries...be it Chinese ambassador or Bhutanese ambassador or former NSA Shiv Shankar Menon," Surjewala said in his clarification.

However, he had no explanation on why the denial was issued in the morning. He sought to clarify that his statement that it was fake news was in the context of news channels terming the meeting as "anti-national".

Mysteriously, the Chinese Embassy, which had posted on its website about the July 8 meeting between Gandhi and Luo, later withdrew it.

The embassy had said in its 'Wechat' account: "On July 8, Ambassador Luo Zhaohui met with Rahul Gandhi, vice-president of the Congress party. The two sides exchanged views on the current China-India relations and other business. Counsellor Zhou Yuyun attended the meeting."

Later Gandhi himself came out with tweets defending his meeting with the Ambassador saying it was his job to be informed of critical issues.

"It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador," Gandhi said.

"If the government is so concerned about me meeting an ambassador, they should explain why three ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on," he added.

Gandhi also referred to an IANS report of 2014 about Chinese troops entering India during the official visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had hosted the visiting leader in Ahmedabad. The two leaders had also sat on a swing.

"And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India," Gandhi said.

In the afternoon statement Surjewala said: "Nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls to term them as events like the 'sources' from the Home Ministry are trying to do."

" as other opposition leaders are fully aware of our interests and are concerned about the grave situation on the Indo-Chinese border as also the situation arising in Bhutan and Sikkim," he added.

Speaking more specifically, he said: "So, the envoys met Rahul Gandhi, not only the Chinese envoy, but also the Bhutanese envoy, as also former Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon," he said.

The party also mounted an attack on the government, asking why so much of brouhaha was being made about the meeting while Modi went out of the way to meet Xi in his hotel in Hamburg.

"But I have some questions too. If so much of a brouhaha is being made about it then why did Prime Minister Narendra Modi actually cross Lake Alster and go to Grand Elysee Hotel to meet with the Chinese President, specially after the Chinese had made it known that a structured bilateral meeting is not possible because of the stand off."

"What was the Minister of Human Resources Prakash Javadekar doing in Beijing. What was the Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma doing on July 6 and 7 in Beijing and what was union Health Minister J.P. Nadda doing in China at the same time," Congress leader Manish Tiwari asked.

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Eight youths, who had gone for a picnic to the picturesque Vena Lake near here, drowned when they fell off a boat while clicking selfies, police officials said on Monday.

The officials said two persons managed to swim to the shore.

Nagpur Guardian Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, who visited the accident site said that the small boat carried 11 persons when the tragedy struck on Sunday evening.

"According to preliminary information available from the police, the youths were clicking selfies on their mobiles when the tragedy occurred," Bawankule told the media.

The police said that while clicking selfies, the youngsters were allegedly moving around, changing their positions and one was giving different poses, which may have caused the boat to rock and go off balance.

Two youths and the boatman managed to swim safely to the lake shore. Two bodies were recovered earlier on Monday morning and a search is on for the other victims.

The local police and National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), fire brigade and surrounding villagers are engaged in the rescue operations at the Vena Lake, a popular picnic spot around 23 km on the outskirts of Nagpur, officials said.

--IANS

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had separate meetings here with visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, as the two NATO allies are sharply divided over Syria.

The top Turkish and US officials did not make any statement to the press prior to their meeting on Sunday, but the state-run Anadolu Agency said the latest developments in Syria, counter-terrorism efforts and the Qatar row dominated their discussions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkey, annoyed at US continued arming of the Syrian Kurdish militia and involving them in the battle for Raqqa, the stronghold of the Islamic State group in Syria, has been reportedly making preparations for a military offensive against Afrin, a Kurdish-held canton in northwestern Syria.

Erdogan had a closed-door meeting with Tillerson on Sunday evening, Turkish media said.

--IANS

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The number of rapes reported each year in Delhi has more than tripled over the last five years, registering an increase of 277 per cent from 572 in 2011 to 2,155 in 2016, according to data released recently by the Delhi Police.

The year after the Nirbhaya incident -- in which a 23-year-old paramedical student was raped by a group of men in a moving bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012 -- saw a 132 per cent spike in the number of cases reported, with a sustained 32 per cent increase thereafter, from 1,636 cases in 2013 to 2,155 in 2016.

Cases pertaining to "assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty" (under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code) have increased by 473 per cent from 727 in 2012 to 4,165 in 2016.

The first five months of 2017 saw 836 rape cases being reported to the police. The figure does not quite capture the continuing horror that women in the National Capital Region (NCR) face.

In the 48 hours from June 19, for instance, five rape incidents were recorded. In addition to these, a 24-year-old woman was raped in a car parked outside a mall in Delhi on June 20, and another in which a 26-year-old woman was gangraped in a moving car on the outskirts of Delhi.

The rise in the number of cases does not necessarily imply an increase in the number of rapes; it can mean greater willingness on the part of survivors to approach the authorities, as well as a greater propensity among police officials to register complaints.

One government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told IndiaSpend that the rise in the number of reported rapes is due to advisories issued by the government and the Supreme Court of India that action would be taken against police personnel who fail to register a First Information Report (FIR) for rape and other cognisable offences.

Anant Kumar Asthana, a Delhi-based activist and lawyer, agreed: "Reporting of sexual offenses against women has gone up with stricter implementation of laws like Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and the [enactment of the] Criminal Law Amendment Act 2013."

The Criminal Law Amendment Act, popularly known as the Nirbhaya Act, came into force on April 2, 2013, and inserted a provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure to make it mandatory for criminal complaints of a sexual nature to be recorded by women police officers, and prescribes rigorous imprisonment of between six months and two years in addition to a monetary penalty for a public servant who fails to register a complaint of a cognisable offence.

"With more stringent laws being passed, public awareness being created, and the media reporting more cases of sexual assault, reporting of cases has increased, but this is still far from being representative of the number of cases that occur," said Preethi Pinto, Programme Coordinator on Violence against Women and Children at Mumbai-based SNEHA (Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action).

At the same time, a comparison of Delhi Police reports from 2014 and 2015 reveals a rising trend in the number of rape cases withdrawn, from 81 to 104, possibly indicating a lack of faith in the criminal-justice system, especially as cases fail judicial scrutiny.

Meanwhile, the conviction rate for rape in Delhi, though better than the all-India average, dipped to 29.7 per cent in 2015, the latest year for which data are available from the National Crime Records Bureau. Across India, only one in four rape trials leads to conviction.

"Declining conviction rate in rape cases ordinarily means lesser number of registered cases could be proved in court and this gives rise to the suspicion that maybe false cases are also being registered," Asthana said, "But it could also mean that police is not able to do good investigations or that victims are not getting quality legal representation during trial."

After the Nirbhaya incident, the Delhi Police set up 161 help-desks staffed by female officers, and announced that 70 per cent of female officers would report for over eight-hour shifts each day.

In 2013, the Ministry of Finance announced it would set up a Rs 1,000-crore Nirbhaya Fund to drive initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety of women in the country.

Thus far an amount of Rs 3,100 crore has been allocated, according to the government's reply to the Rajya Sabha on April 6, 2017. As many as 16 proposals amounting to Rs 2,348.850 crore have been received, of which 15 amounting to Rs 2,047.85 crore have been approved.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has initiated three schemes under the Nirbhaya Fund -- One Stop Centre (OSC) for women affected by violence, under which 84 centres are currently operational; Universalisation of Women Helpline, under which 18 states and Union Territories have set up helplines; and Mahila Police Volunteer (MPV), whose pilots are currently running in several states.

The ministry issued a clarification in January enumerating the various schemes being run by various ministries under Nirbhaya Fund. However, it made no mention of funds utilised or spent on these schemes individually, although an overall allocation of Rs 1,530 crore and an estimated expenditure incurred of Rs 400 crore was cited.

In a May 26, 2016, order, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to formulate a national policy for providing relief to rape survivors, saying the Nirbhaya Fund amounted to "just paying a lip service".

Yet, laws and policing alone cannot prevent crimes of a sexual nature.

"Preventing sexual assault is a long-term process and the most important way to do so, is to change individuals' and society's attitudes and behaviour. Stringent implementation of laws and strict policing will help, but the real change will come when abusers and rapists are consistently convicted for their crimes, survivors are not doubted, judged or shamed," Pinto said.

(In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform, with whom Chaitanya Mallapur is an analyst. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@indiaspend.org)

--IANS/IndiaSpend

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India must pull back its troops from Doklam to avoid serious consequences, China's state-owned news agency Xinhua has said.

In a comment, it said that it was India, not China which was sneaking around the Sikkim sector border where armies of both countries have been engaged in a stand-off.

The agency also said in the name of defending its "ally" Bhutan, India had deployed its troops on Chinese territory, and sought to remind India of the consensus in the international community to respect borders.

"The Indian military's trespass into Chinese territory is a blatant infringement on China's sovereignty, which should be immediately and unconditionally rectified," it said, noting that ever since Indian soldiers "crossed into Chinese territory" and "obstructed work on a road" in the Doklam area in June, China has lodged a series of protests demanding India pull back its troops immediately.

"India should rectify its mistakes and show sincerity to avoid an even more serious situation creating more significant consequences."

"In order to illegally install its troops on Chinese soil for as long as possible and achieve a fait accompli, India firstly claimed its border had been encroached by China. After realizing its own false allegation was ridiculous, it changed its tone to its actions to being in the name of 'protecting' Bhutan," it said.

It contended that if India cannot honour a long-standing agreement and correct its mistakes in a timely manner, "how is it supposed to win the trust of its other neighbors, including Bhutan?"

It went on to accuse India of going further in "this regional paternalism" by "resorting to groundless assumptions and accusations that China's construction of the road near their common border would have serious security implications".

Stressing China has every right to build the road within "its sovereign territory", the Xinhua piece said that over the past few years, it is actually India that has been "sneaking around the Sikkim section of the China-India border".

Citing the 1962 conflict when "India's military suffered a bitter defeat" it criticised Indian Defense Minister Arun Jaitley for asserting that 'India in 2017 is different from India in 1962', saying he should "not ignore China's unwavering and consistent stance which has continued over the last five decades and its firm belief in the international justice that no country can pursue its security at the cost of another country's sovereignty".

"The withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam remains a precondition for bilateral peace, and China will take all necessary measures to ensure its territorial integrity.

"After all, the country should be fully aware of the legal consensus upheld by all members of the international community, that respecting the borderline is the bottom line for sustained peace," it held

(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.)
Consultant clinical oncologist and co-founder of UK's National Health Action Party (NHAP) Clive Peedell has advised doctors in India to get involved politically, but opined that a small party on the lines of his outfit would not make a big splash in this country.

"I would advise Indian doctors to get involved politically. I think people are much more nervous in the country to do that, frightened... Whereas, in the UK I am much happier to be outspoken. But many are frightened in the UK to lose their jobs if they speak out," Peedell told IANS here on the sidelines of a roundtable organised by Tata Medical Centre.

"Doctors are in the best position to understand where the most cost-effective treatments are and, therefore, to inform the political class 'this is where you are going to get value for your money, more bang for your buck'," he said.

The former NHAP leader said a "big movement" (around health policies) would be more prudent in the Indian scenario than floating a small party.

"We are not a single-issue party, we have policies across the board which were related to socio-determinants of health. I don't think a small party like ours (it wasn't very effective in terms of having a big influence)... I doubt it can have a big influence in India," he said about the party started in 2012.

Peedell stood as the candidate for Witney against former British Prime Minister David Cameron in the UK General Election, 2015.

In reference to India, Peedell said: "What would be good is a big movement (a centre-left movement as we say in the UK)."

On latest treatment options and trends in lung cancer, Peedell advocated state-of-the-art targeted drugs that are aimed at specific mechanisms of cancer.

He pointed out that in India the genetics of people with lung cancer are more favourable than in the UK for these drugs.

"Only 10 per cent of the UK population would benefit from the drugs but in east India, about 30 per cent have the type of mutations in their cancer, that means they could respond to these drugs.

"We use these drugs more than chemotherapy because they are much more tolerated and more effective," he said, also discussing the option of immunotherapy (manipulating the immune system to attack the cancer).

The price of these drugs is a cause for concern, said Peedell.

"It is expensive and the problems with these drugs is you have to continue them long-term unlike chemotherapy and these drugs continue for as long as you are responding and in the UK one of these drugs might cost $2,000 a month. So its not manageable for a population of this (India) size... to get everybody this treatment.

"But you still have to take these steps forward because eventually they will come off-patent and they will be much more cheaper."

As for smoking rates, Peedell recommended a drop of 10 per cent to rein in lung cancer.

"If you can achieve a drop of absolutely 10 per cent (from) where you are now, in a five-year period... It dropped from 29 per cent to 19 per cent in northeast of England in a five-year period. That is one of the poorest areas of England. So it's possible," he added.

--IANS

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Activists of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Monday blocked the national highway near Ambala and four other roads in Haryana as they started their one-day 'Road Roko Aandolan' (road blockade protest).

Scores of INLD activists hoodwinked the Haryana Police and central security forces and blocked the NH-1 near Ambala, around 45 km from here.

The protestors blocked the busy highway, that links Delhi with Amritsar, at a point two km away from where they were originally supposed to stop the traffic from Punjab from entering Haryana at the Shambhu barrier.

The activists came on the highway and blocked it with their vehicles.

Traffic was also stopped near Dabwali town in Haryana's Sirsa district.

The INLD was seeking immediate construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab to bring more water to Haryana.

Hundreds of security personnel from central security forces and Haryana Police were stationed at all five places along the states' border in view of the INLD protest.

Senior Haryana Police officers were stationed at the protest points since early on Monday.

"We are fully geared for any situation. We will take action depending on the situation," Haryana Police Additional Director General (ADGP) R.C. Mishra said at the Shambhu barrier.

Security personnel in riot gear, riot-control vehicles and other equipment were put up at all points to maintain law and order.

The vehicles were being stopped at five places - the Lalru-Chandigarh stretch on NH-1, Ambala-Shambhu border on NH-1, Narwana-Dhanauri border, Ratia-Budhlada road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad district and Dabwali in Sirsa district.

Emergency vehicles, like ambulances, would be exempted from the protest, the INLD leaders said.

INLD General Secretary Abhay Singh Chautala would go to all five protest points on a helicopter.

Authorities in Punjab have decided not to send buses from state-run companies to Haryana on Monday as a precautionary measure.

"As a gesture of goodwill towards the people of Punjab, our workers have made arrangements for flowers which would be given to commuters from Punjab," Chautala said earlier.

"The workers would also urge the commuters to pressurise the Punjab government to complete the construction of SYL canal," he added.

The police was likely to divert traffic on some routes in the wake of the protest.

--IANS

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Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has formally declared Mosul liberated from the Islamic State (IS) militant group after nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.

"I declare to the whole world the end, failure and collapse of Daesh state, the state of (IS group) terrorism, which they announced it here in Mosul three years ago," Abadi said in a speech in Mosul on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Sunday, Abadi, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of Iraqi forces, paid a visit to Mosul and held meetings with the military commanders before he made a tour in the eastern side of Mosul, where hundreds of people welcomed his presence.

Later on Sunday, Abadi said "the victory is guaranteed" and the remnants of IS group are "besieged in the last inches", according to a statement by his office.

On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country's second largest city.

Since then, the Iraqi security forces have inched to the eastern fringes of Mosul and made progress on other routes around the city, preparing for a major battle to storm the city and drive out IS militants.

In January, Abadi, declared the liberation of the eastern side of Mosul, or the left bank of Tigris, after more than 100 days of fighting against IS militants.

On February 19, the security forces resumed the offensive to drive extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris River which bisects the city.

However, the western part of Mosul, with its narrow streets and heavily populated neighborhoods of the Old City centre, appeared to be a bigger challenge to the Iraqi forces and took about five months until the troops fully liberated the while western side, including Old City.

Mosul, 400 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, came under IS control since June 2014, when government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.

--IANS

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The Iraqi Army was on Monday trying to retake the final pockets still occupied by the Islamic State terror organisation in the old part of the city of Mosul, an official said.

General Shokr al-Nueimi, Commander of Army Brigade 73, said clashes between the Army and IS continued in Mosul, where explosions of artillery shells were heard and dense columns of smoke caused by the bombing of Iraqi aviation were seen.

The military official said that his brigade's soldiers continued to clean up the area of al-Shahwan, where in the past hours they killed 11 IS extremists, including suicide bombers and snipers, Efe news reported.

The General added that they have evacuated several hundred families who were trapped and arrested 15 radicals, seven of whom surrendered unarmed.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi arrived in Mosul on Sunday to announce the total liberation of the city from the yoke of IS.

The offensive to expel IS from Mosul and the entire province of Nineveh, whose capital is Mosul, began in October 2016.

Since then, Iraqi troops, backed by militias and Kurdish Peshmerga forces, managed to regain most parts of the city, occupied by IS in 2014.

--IANS

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Meghalaya legislator Julius Dorphang, accused of raping a minor, has been appointed as member of two assembly panels, evoking strong opposition from a women's group.

The Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Monday appealed to Assembly Speaker Abu Taher Mondal to "re-look" into the appointment of Dorphang as a member of the Committee of Privileges and the Committee on Subordinate Legislation.

The Meghalaya State Commission for Women said the nomination of the legislator reflected that the state government was "very insensitive" towards the crime committed by the legislator.

The former Chairman of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC)-turned-Independent legislator is lodged in Shillong jail, facing trial in the case of raping a 14-year-old girl.

"Since he has already been accused of offence under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, there are other members of the assembly who could have been appointed. I condemn this act of the assembly," State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairperson Meena Kharkongor told journalists.

When it was pointed out that the legislator was yet to be convicted by the court, Kharkongor explained that POCSO was different from other Acts.

"This Act (POCSO) says that it is not for the prosecution to establish the offence of a person, but it is the accused himself who has to prove his innocence that he has not committed the offence. The burden lies with the accused not with prosecution," she said.

"We are utterly dismayed at this decision... when charges have been framed against the accused and the matter is sub-judice, then how can the state government take such a decision? This has greatly hurt the sentiments of women and girls in the state," State Women's Commission Chairperson Theilin Phanbuh said.

Opposition Independent legislator Saleng A. Sangma, who is Chairman of the Committee of Privileges, said it was the Speaker's prerogative to appoint members of the House to various assembly committees.

"It is the Speaker's prerogative. I have nothing to comment on it," Saleng told IANS.

IANS, however, was unable to reach Speaker Abu Taher Mondal for his comments.

The other members of the Committee of Privileges include Winnerson D. Sangma and Dikkanchi D. Shira (both from the Congress), and United Democratic Party legislator Paul Lyngdoh.

Dorphang, who is supporting the ruling Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government has also been appointed on the Committee on Subordinate Legislation, headed by Nationalist Congress Party legislator Sanbor Shullai.

The other members on the panel include Saleng Sangma, United Democratic Party legislator Titosstarwell Chyne and Hill State People's Democratic Party legislator Phlastingwell Pangniang.

The Civil Society Women's Organisation (CSWO) has also strongly opposed the appointment of Dorphang as member of the assembly panels.

"We strongly oppose this appointment... Is this how Meghalaya government is awarding the alleged rapist instead of speeding up justice for the victim," CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing asked.

Earlier this year, Meghalaya Police had chargesheeted Dorphang and five others in a case of human trafficking and sexual abuse of the minor girl.

Dorphang has been chargesheeted under Section 5(c)/(1)/6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, for "committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault by a public servant and committing the same more than once".

--IANS

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The Jharkhand government is likely to move an anti-conversion bill in the upcoming monsoon session of the state assembly, which starts in August.

According to sources, the state government has directed the officials to prepare the draft legislation.

In Jharkhand, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Vishva Hindu Parishad have for long time been demanding a law to ban religious conversion.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das had raised the issue last year.

The BJP and right-wing leaders claim that Christian missionaries active in Jharkhand are indulging in conversion of innocent tribal people.

A large number of tribal people have been converted to Christianity, they allege.

The tribals constitute around 27 per cent of Jharkhand's population. Earlier, the figure stood at 32 per cent. Experts blame arrival of "outsiders", the non-Jharkhandis, and conversion for the decline in the percentage of tribals in the population.

According to sources, once the draft legislation is prepared, it will be placed before the state cabinet for approval.

In India, seven states have formulated anti-conversion law. The sources said the state government was studying the draft bills of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and other states before taking the final decision.

--IANS

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Coming down heavily on the Narendra Modi-led Central government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused it of hatching a conspiracy against her government to create an atmosphere of unrest in the state.

"The state government is elected by the people, so is the Central government. Why would the Central government hatch conspiracies against a state government? We demand an answer for that," Banerjee said at a public meeting in East Midnapore district's Nandakumar.

"There has been constant non-cooperation from the centre. In spite of the court order, the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) has not been sent to Darjeeling," she alleged.

Banerjee claimed that according to her sources, there has been a discussion at the central level to withdraw the two companies of central armed forces from the state's Jhargram.

"Are they trying to incite unrest in those regions as well? We will stop these attempts at all cost," she asserted.

Holding border security is under centre's jurisdiction, the Trinamool Congress supremo accused them of opening the border to let the outsiders in and create a riot-like situation at certain places in the state.

"The border is under the jurisdiction of the centre. The border of Darjeeling is guarded by the SSB, while Bangladesh border is guarded by the BSF. How can the border be opened for outsiders to come in and create a riot-like situation?" Banerjee asked.

Accusing the Modi government of trying to stoke the fire of unrest everywhere, she appealed the people of Bengal not to fall prey to the conspiracies of the separatist forces in the state.

"Whether you are a Hindu or a Muslim, a Sikh or a Christian, do not fall prey to their conspiracy. Beware of them. Remember wherever they go, their only job is to stroke the fire of unrest," she said.

Banerjee further alleged that incidents in other countries are being circulated through social media platforms like Facebook as incidents in Bengal in order to mislead people.

"An incident in Bangladesh's Comilla was portrayed as an incident in Bengal through Facebook while some have used clipping of a Bhojpuri film and claimed them to be actual incidents of violence happening here.

"We respect Facebook but not the Fakebook," she added.

--IANS

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About 140,000 households were left without power for over 10 hours in Los Angeles amid a record heat wave in the US city.

The power outage from Saturday evening to Sunday morning was initiated by an electrical incident at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) plant in Northridge, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to a LAPWD statement, the 230 kV equipment, which carries high voltage electricity and distributes it to customers in the surrounding area, caught fire and exploded on Saturday evening.

The fire was in an energised storage vault with more than 50,000 gallons of mineral oil, NBCLA reported.

Los Angeles Fire Department Public Service Officer Brian Humphrey said the cause of the fire was accidental and attributed it to a "mechanical malfunction".

The power outage came as much of California baked in heat that broke records.

A record that stood 131 years in Los Angeles was snapped when the temperature spiked at 36.6 degrees Celsius on July 8.

--IANS

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British Prime Minister Theresa May's offer to give EU citizens in the UK "settled status" after Brexit has been described as being "far short of what citizens are entitled to", the media reported on Monday.

In a joint letter to the media, Members of the European Parliament (MEP) termed the proposal a "damp squib", reports the BBC.

It offers Europeans in the UK fewer rights than Britons in the European Union, the letter said.

EU migrants who had lived in the UK for five years would be granted access to health, education and other benefits.

But May's proposals would be dependent on EU states guaranteeing Britons the same rights.

The leaders of the four political groups who have signed the joint letter account for two-thirds of the votes in the European Parliament, the BBC reported.

Their letter points out that they have the power to reject any Brexit deal before it can go ahead because Parliament must approve the withdrawal agreement.

They said the UK proposal "falls short" because it would take away rights citizens currently have, and create new red tape and uncertainty for millions of people.

European Parliament chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt told the BBC that EU citizens in the UK - and Britons living on the continent - should keep their current rights, rather than the government "inventing a new status".

"It creates a type of second class citizenship for European Citizens in the UK... We don't see why their rights should be diminished and that would be the case in the proposal.

"In the end, it is the European Parliament that will say yes or no, and I can tell you it not will be a yes if the rights of European citizens - and also the rights of UK citizens living on the continent - will be diminished (and) cut off, like it is at the moment," he added.

--IANS

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Hundreds and thousands of devotees thronged some of the famous Shiva temples across Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on the first day of the Hindu month of Shravan.

Hindus consider the month holy and propitiate Lord Shiva. Devotees offered prayers at Neelkanth Mahadev in Uttarakhand, Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, Mankameshwar temples in Agra and Lucknow, and at various other better and lesser known temples.

Kashi Vishwanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is one of the twelve "jyotirlingas" reverred by Hindus as representing Lord Shiva, and another is Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

Soaked in heavy rains since morning, the devotees -- clad in saffron clothes and chanting "Har Har Mahadev" and "Bum Bum Bhole" -- offered "bel" leaves, twigs of "dhatoora" (also known as devil's trumpets), flowers, Ganga water, milk and honey to the deity.

This year, priests at a temple in Lucknow told IANS, there is a "rare and extraordinary line-up of stars" for Shravan as the month starts and concludes on a Monday, a day dear and devoted to Lord Shiva.

There are also five Mondays this time around in Shravan, a first in 50 years, they said.

The kanwariyas also undertake a tough pilgrimage from the fist day of the Shravan, walking with pitchers of the holy Ganga water all the way from Hardwar to their home towns and villages where the pitchers are emptied on at the Shiva temples.

--IANS

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A senior RJD leader on Monday claimed that Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U President Nitish Kumar had spoken over the phone with RJD chief Lalu Prasad after the CBI raids on the latter's residence here.

Jagdanand Singh revealed the news after the Rashtriya Janata Dal decided that Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, the younger son of Lalu, will not resign.

"Nitish Kumar ne Laluji se phone pe bat kiya hai (Nitish Kumar spoke with Lalu on phone)," Singh, a former Minister, said here -- sending a strong political message and countering reports in a section of media that Nitish Kumar's "silence" over the CBI raids had got Lalu worried.

Singh made it clear that Lalu was not unhappy and was in touch with Nitish Kumar. "Dono ki baat-chit hui hai telephone pe (Both have spoken over phone)."

Nitish Kumar is heading the Grand Alliance government of Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress in Bihar.

Interestingly, JD-U leaders, including party spokespersons, have said they have no idea about it.

The public silence of Nitish Kumar and his party over the CBI raids, despite repeated demands made by BJP leaders to speak on the issue, has been a matter of discussion across Bihar.

Nitish Kumar and JD-U's silence on the issue has been causing anxiety in the RJD camp. At a time when Lalu and his family are in trouble over the CBI raids, Nitish Kumar has been maintaining studious silence instead of supporting the Yadav family like the other ally Congress, a RJD leader said.

Unlike Congress leaders, not a single JD-U leader has visited Lalu Prasad in the past four days. Nitish Kumar himself returned to his official residence from Rajgir in Nalanda district on Sunday after spending three days there, away from the heated political climate in Patna after the CBI raids on the Lalu-Rabri residence.

Nitish Kumar has called a meeting of his JD-U party's 70 MLAs on Tuesday here.

According to a senior JD-U leader, considered closed to Nitish Kumar, he is likely to break his silence only after holding a meeting with party MLAs on Tuesday.

JD-U MLAs and party spokespersons have reportedly been instructed by Nitish Kumar not to issue any statement on the issue as it may worsen the already strained ties between the two parties.

In the last four days, opposition BJP leaders have repeatedly demanded that Nitish Kumar break his silence and take action against Lalu's two sons - Tejashwi Yadav, who is Deputy Chief Minister and Tej Pratap Yadav, who is the Health Minister - for their alleged involvement in corruption.

Some BJP leaders have been asking Nitish Kumar to snap ties with the RJD.

The CBI on Friday carried out raids at 12 places in Patna, Delhi, Ranchi, Puri and Gurugram in connection with the case involving Lalu Prasad and his family members.

The CBI has registered the case against Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Managing Director P.K. Goyal, and Lalu Prasad's confidante Prem Chand Gupta's wife Sujata on allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

In the same year, the hotels were transferred to the IRCTC.

Lalu Prasad was the Railways Minister between 2004-09.

---IANS

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A day after Ahmedabad became India's first World Heritage City, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged the Centre and the Telangana government to secure a similar tag for Hyderabad.

The Hyderabad MP's idea received support from central minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Telangana's Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao.

Owaisi said a proposal for declaring Hyderabad as World Heritage City was sent to the Centre a few years ago but it was not properly pursued.

The Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad was speaking at the inauguration of Deccan Park abutting Qutub Shahi Tombs, the medieval necropolis complex which is vying for World Heritage Site status.

Union Minister for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya, who represents Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency, promised that he will do his best to get World Heritage City tag for Hyderabad.

K.T. Rama Rao, son of Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, said the state government would make all efforts in this regard.

He said that with monuments like Charminar, Hyderabad deserved the World Heritage City status.

"Hyderabad has to on top of the list of cities staking claim to world heritage city tag," he said.

He observed that it involves a long procedure. The state government has to send a recommendation to the Centre and the Centre has to approve it and forward it to UNESCO, which then sends its team for inspection.

"We will do our best and will also take the central government's help," the minister said.

The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, which met in Poland's Krakow on Sunday, declared the walled city of Ahmedabad, founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah in the 15th century, as World Heritage City.

Rama Rao said 108 acres area of Qutub Shahi Tombs and Deccan Park would be developed into a tourist attraction site. He assured that the walking trail from the tombs to the Golconda Fort would also be revived.

He said steps would also be taken for better upkeep of other monuments like Charminar, Makkah Masjid and High Court and to make Hyderabad a tourist-friendly, clean and safe city.

Deccan Park was thrown open to public after years of legal issues. The Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA) had developed the park on 20 acres in 2006, replete with a number of recreational activities.

--IANS

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Three persons, including a senior police official, were killed and 11 others injured in a suicide bombing in Balochistan province of Pakistan on Monday, the police said.

District Police Officer (DPO) Killa Abdullah Sajid Mohmand, his guard and a civilian were killed when the bombing targeted a vehicle carrying the police officials in Chaman area, Dawn online quoted police spokesman Shazada Farhat as saying.

Farhat said the police found a badly damaged motorcycle at the site and were trying to determine whether a bomb was rigged to it.

An emergency has been declared in provincial hospitals.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti condemned the attack.

Chaman is considered a sensitive town in Balochistan as it shares a border with Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar province.

--IANS

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Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday condemned the killing of Amarnath pilgrims in a militant attack as a "crime against humanity" and asserted that India will not be be cowed down by such cowardly terror attacks.

Former Jammu and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack and said these terrorists were the enemies of and Kashmiriyat.

"Every right thinking Kashmiri must today condemn the killing of the Amarnath yatris and say, unequivocally - this is #NotInMyName," he tweeted.

Sonia Gandhi said that the attack was a crime against humanity and there should be probe into the lapses that led to it. She also called for decisive action against those attackers.

"This attack on the devotees of Lord Shiva is a crime against humanity. The entire country is shocked. There should be decisive action against the militants and lapses in security should be probed," she said.

Rahul Gandhi said: "I share the pain and anguish of families who lost loved ones in the terror attack on innocent Amarnath Yatris today. India will never be intimidated by these terrorist cowards.

"This is a grave and unacceptable security lapse. The Prime Minister needs to accept responsibility and never allow it to happen again."

Congress leader and former Jammu and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also condemned the killings.

"It is unfortunate. The militants will have to pay through their nose," Azad said, adding it was to be seen if the militants involved were locals or from Pakistan.

"Our culture, Kashmiriyat does not permit to kill people on pilgrimage... People born in Kashmir, even militants, will not commit such a crime," he said and hit out at both central and state governments for "miserably" failing to maintain law and order and control militancy.

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said: "Every Indian including Kashmiris will condemn the attack on Amarnath Yatris. Yatris are the most peace loving people."

"Militants responsible for the attack have put to shame the entire Kashmir valley and its people," he added.

Seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 14 others injured, including policemen, on Monday when a bus full of pilgrims was caught in a crossfire between militants and a police party in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantang district, police said.

The bus was carrying pilgrims back from Baltal after performing the yatra.

A CRPF statement said the bus was not part of the official yatra and not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board.

--IANS

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A ceasefire brokered by the US and Russia continued in southwestern Syria on Monday despite several breaches, a war monitoring group said.

The deal, which went into effect on Sunday afternoon, covers the provinces of Daraa, Sweida and Quneitra, reports Efe news.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) recorded missile fire on three occasions in Daraa's Tariq al-Sad district and an exchange of gunfire between government forces and rebel fighters in the district of Daraa al-Balad earlier on Monday but no casualties were reported.

The British-based watchdog said incidents of rocket firing took place in the towns of Saida and al-Naima, both located east of Daraa.

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin reached the ceasefire agreement during the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on Friday.

--IANS

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Syrian government forces have advanced into the Eastern Ghouta region, the opposition's main stronghold on the outskirts of Damascus, a war monitoring group reported on Monday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said there was intense fighting between fighters loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and militants from the Islamist insurgent group of Legion of Mercy in the town of Ain Tarma and its surroundings, reports Efe news.

In Ain Tarma, government troops marched through the area of Wadi Ain Tarma, where they had taken control of a warehouse and four buildings.

During the clashes, at least three rebels were killed and 12 others injured, the UK-based group said, adding there were an undetermined number of casualties among the pro-government fighters.

For three days, the government forces have been trying to advance toward Ain Tarma in an attempt to impose a siege on neighbouring Jobar district on the northeastern outskirts of Damascus.

The offensive coincides with a ceasefire brokered by the US and Russia in the provinces of Daraa, Sweida and Quneitra in southwestern Syria.

--IANS

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In a rare attack on the Amarnath Yatra, terrorists killed seven pilgrims and injured 14 others, including policemen, when they struck at a bus carrying them in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantang district.

The bus was attacked in Batengoo around 8.20 p.m. while returning from Baltal to Mir Bazar after darshan, J&K police and CRPF said.

The militants also carried out two attacks on security forces in the area.

Police sources said, the militants attacked a mini bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat. The bus was not officially registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board for the pilgrimage and was without police escort, they said.

Inspector General of Police Munir Khan said that seven pilgrims were killed, and 14 injured.

The injured have been taken to the Army Base Hospital in Srinagar.

Khan said the attack was aimed at the security forces and not the yatris.

The last known terror attack on the Amarnath Yatra was the killing of 30 persons, mostly pilgrims, in the base camp in Pahalgam in 2000.

A CRPF statement said the bus was not part of the official yatra and not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board.

In the national capital, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the incident. Union Home and Defence Ministry officials were huddled in a meeting to take stock of the latest situation.

Prime Minister Modi tweeted: "Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone."

Union Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh condemned the attack.

"It is not just an attack on the pilgrims, but an attack on the composite culture of the nation. As far as the Government of India is concerned, we have a policy of zero tolerance against terror, whether it is local or from across the border," he said.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said: "It is an attack on our roots. We will not leave any stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of this attack to justice."

Senior minister in the Mehbooba Mufti-led government Nayeem Akhtar termed the attack a "dark patch in the history of Kashmir".

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said: "The attack cannot be condemned strongly enough."

He added that such an attack was expected in spite of recent successes against militants by security forces. "The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants and unprecedented force presence," he tweeted.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad termed it "unfortunate", and added that the militants will have to "pay through their nose". He also spoke to the Chief Minister.

Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also condemned the attack.

The attack took place hours after the Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed to have busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba module with the arrests of two persons, including Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, authorities blocked internet services in the Valley.

On Saturday, the Amarnath yatra was suspended from Jammu side due to law and order situation in the Kashmir Valley which was under curfew in the wake of the death anniversary of militant commander Burhan Wani.

--IANS

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday urged the Central government to allocate to Tamil Nadu the entire 2,000 MW power to be generated from the third and fourth nuclear power units to come up in Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district.

Union Minister of State (Independent charge) Piyush Goyal met Palaniswami at the state secretariat here on Monday.

During the meeting, Palaniswami urged Goyal to allocate the 2,000 MW power to be generated from the third and fourth 1,000 MW nuclear power units of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant and also provide evacuation lines up to nearby sub-station.

Palaniswami also requested Goyal to expedite the bidding process and allocate a separate coal block for Cheyyur Ultra Mega Power Project, provide a dedicated inter-state green energy corridor at the earliest for sale of surplus power, and abolish frequency linked penalty.

--IANS

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A Tripura tribal party, demanding a separate state, launched an indefinite blockade of the National Highway and the lone railway line in the north-eastern state on Monday. The move comes after a two-month-long campaign and counter-movement.

Braving rain, thousands of members of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), a tribal-based party, blockaded National Highway (NH)-8, the life line of Tripura, and the lone railway line to the state at Khamting Bari in western Tripura since Monday morning.

Tripura's Left Front government, which is strongly opposed to both the demand and the stir, threw an unprecedented security blanket in and around the Baramura hill ranges, through which the NH-8 and the solitary railway line pass.

Several thousand Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and state police personnel have been deployed since Sunday with the top police officials, led by Inspector General of Police (law and order) K.V. Sreejesh, supervising the overall situation.

The IPFT has for the past few years been agitating for the creation of a separate state, carved out by upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) area. They have also organised several demonstrations in the national capital and met central ministers highlighting their demand.

"There is no untoward happening so far. The agitators led by their leaders have been peacefully blockading the National Highway and the railway lines to and from Agartala and rest of the country," Sreejesh told IANS from the blockade area, 35 km north of here.

He said: "The Northeast Frontier Railways, however, cancelled all trains between Agartala and Silchar (in southern Assam). We have taken all possible steps and deployment to foil any untoward incident."

The tribal party plans to block National Highway-8 and the railway line for an indefinite period to put pressure on the Left Front government before the February 2018 Assembly polls.

"In support of our demand, we would continue to block the National Highway and the railway for an indefinite period until the central government gives a positive assurance towards our demand. A rally would also be organised in Agartala on the same issue on August 23," IPFT President Narendra Chandra Debbarma told reporters.

He said: "We had a meeting with Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh on May 17 in New Delhi where we discussed our demands. The Minister told us that the government would consider our demands."

Singh is also Minister of State for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER).

The TTAADC was formed in 1987 under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to protect and safeguard the political, economic and cultural interests of the tribals.

The politically-important council constitutes two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area and 12,16,465 (mostly tribals) of the state's 37 lakh population reside in the areas.

The members of the IPFT, which held rallies and protest demonstrations in 29 places under the TTAADC areas to support the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state in West Bengal's Darjeeling, on Monday also raised slogans in support of Gorkhaland.

Most of the political parties, including the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other tribal-based parties have rejected the demands saying that the issue would create ethnic trouble in the peaceful state.

However, CPI-M State Secretary Bijan Dhar blamed the BJP for the blockade, saying they did a similar thing in Manipur.

"Months before the Manipur Assembly elections, (the) BJP instigated the Naga group to block the state's vital National Highway to put the then Congress government in an awkward position aiming to dislodge the ruling party from power. Within days of assumption of office by a BJP government in Manipur, the several-months-long road blockade was withdrawn."

"BJP might be successful in Manipur, but it would not be winning its conspiracy in Tripura to dislodge the Left Front government," Dhar told reporters, adding that the PMO is "directly involved" in instigating the IPFT to block the roads and railways.

Dhar, also a CPI-M Central Committee member, said that in 1988, the then Congress government at the Centre, headed by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, hatched a conspiracy in alliance with erstwhile terror outfit Tripura National Volunteers (TNV) and dislodged the then Left Front government headed by Chief Minister Nripen Chakraborty.

"Just ahead of the 1988 Assembly elections, the TNV killed around 100 people and the Congress, led by then central Minister Santosh Mohan Deb, organised massive rigging before forcibly dislodging the then Left Front government.

"But people of Tripura would not allow any kind of conspiracy against the incumbent Left Front government," the CPI-M leader said.

On the CPI-M linking the PMO and the party to the blockade, BJP state President Biplab Kumar Deb said the Left party is misleading the people by spreading wrong and motivated information.

"Tribals are deprived in Left-ruled Tripura," he claimed.

--IANS

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has hailed the liberation of Iraq's Mosul city from the Islamic State (IS) as a significant step in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

In a statement on Monday, Guterres paid tributes to the people and government of Iraq for their courage, determination and perseverance, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The United Nations will stand by the government of Iraq in the tasks ahead of creating the necessary conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of displaced communities, restoring the rule of law in freed up areas, preventing a return to violence and fostering accountability for all violations committed," said the statement.

Earlier on Monday, Iraq formally announced that Mosul has been freed from the IS after nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.

Mosul, 400 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, came under IS control since June 2014 when government forces fled. The capture of Mosul enabled IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.

--IANS

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Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday detained the mother and sister-in-law of Sandeep Sharma, alleged to be a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative, who was arrested from Jammu earlier in the day.

Police raided his Ankit Nagar locality house in Muzaffarnagar and detained the two. Praveen, the elder brother of Sandeep aka Aadil, said if his brother was a terrorist, he should be sent to the gallows.

Sandeep is alleged to be a close associate of LeT operative Basheer Lashkari, and is said to have been used by the LeT to rob ATMs and to influence villagers into helping terror groups.

He was allegedly also involved in the killing of SHO Firoz Dar as well, an official said.

It is perhaps for the first time in 28 years that a person from outside Jammu and Kashmir was found involved in terrorist activities in the Valley.

Both the mother and sister-in-law of Sandeep are being interrogated by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (UP ATS) to find more about his connections in the state.

ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said there was no criminal record of Sandeep. He had gone to Kashmir for welding-related work in 2012.

--IANS

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Cardinal George Pell, the Vatican's financial chief, has returned to Australia as he prepares to defend himself against paedophilia charges, the media reported on Monday.

The 76-year-old Australian cleric, a top adviser to Pope Francis, arrived at the Sydney Airport earlier on Monday from the Vatican via Singapore, reports the BBC.

Police have said the accusations relate to alleged "historical" incidents.

Cardinal Pell, who has strongly denied any wrongdoing, is due to face a Melbourne court on July 26.

He was granted a leave of absence from the Vatican to fight the charges.

The Victoria state police charged him on June 29. He is suspected to have sexually abused children when he served as a priest in the city of Ballarat (1976-80) and as Archbishop of Melbourne (1996-2001).

Pell is considered the third-ranking official in the Holy See, reports the BBC.

In October 2016, Pell was questioned in Rome by Australian police officers about the accusations of sexual assault committed between 1976 and 2001.

--IANS

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India on Monday stepped up heat on the Kulbhushan Jadhav issue, with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj complaining that Pakistan was yet to give a visa to his mother to meet the Indian national sentenced to death for alleged spying.

She also insisted that all Pakistani nationals seeking medical treatment in India should get their applications vetted by Islamabad's foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz and wondered why he was not doing it.

In a series of tweets, the minister said Aziz, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Foreign Affairs Advisor, should not hesitate to write recommendation for Pakistanis seeking medical treatment in India.

The remarks come amid media reports in Pakistan that the Indian Embassy in Islamabad had rejected the medical visa application of a 25-year-old Pakistani tumour patient who was to travel to India for treatment.

Faiza Tanveer had sought Sushma Swaraj's intervention and help to "save my life".

"I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India," Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

"I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country," she said.

"All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals."

Sushma Swaraj said that she saw no reason why Aziz should hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country.

The Minister raised the issue of Jadhav and said she had personally written to Aziz regarding the visa to Avantika Jadhav who wanted to meet her son languishing in an unknown military prison in Pakistan.

"We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national, Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan, against whom they have pronounced a death sentence," Sushma Swaraj said.

"I wrote a personal letter to Mr. Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Mr. Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she said.

Jadhav was said to have been arrested from Pakistan's restive Balochistan province in March 3, 2016. Pakistan claimed that he was involved in spying and terror activities in Balochistan, a charge rejected by India. He was convicted in April by a Pakistani military court and sentenced to death.

In May this year, India moved the International Court of Justice at The Hague, which then stayed the execution pending a final decision by the court.

In May this year, India had said that only a letter of recommendation by Pakistan Foreign Affairs Advisor Aziz will enable a Pakistani national to get a medical visa for India.

--IANS

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As the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops continues along the Sikkim border, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday assured top armed forces commanders that the government will be decisive in its approach towards issues relating to the services.

Addressing top commanders of the three forces at the opening day of the United Commanders' Conference here, he said there is a "clear realisation" in the government that issues relating to the services cannot be kept pending for long and the government will be decisive in its approach.

He also assured the armed forces that with resource availability increasing within the Indian economy, capital expenditure will be a priority area, said an official statement.

Officials did not comment whether the present stand-off along the India-China border was discussed in the conference, which was also attended by Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army Chief Bipin Rawat, Air Force Chief B.S. Dhanoa, Navy Chief Sunil Lanba, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen Satish Dua and other senior commanders and defence ministry officials.

Jaitley also said that the conference that there is a "deep sense of appreciation in every citizen of the country and the government for the exemplary manner in which the Services have been conducting themselves".

He also expressed satisfaction on the way in which the armed forces have been handling the multiple challenges to security.

Jaitley also appreciated the strong thread of 'synergy' in the interactions during the conference.

--IANS

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It wasnt long ago that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the run-up to the UP elections, told an excited gathering at Fatehpur, If there is a kabaristan (graveyard), there should be a shmashaan (cremation ground), too. If there is electricity during Ramadan, there should electricity during Diwali too. There should be no discrimination. These words were the first signal that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government wanted to end the leverage of the taxpayers money for religion-focused vote-bank . In many ways, this was also a continuation of the partys sabka saath, sabka vikaas (development for all) agenda, which catapulted it to power in 2014 - a concept which even former US secretary of state John Kerry had termed visionary.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday threw its support behind its presumptive heir and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. The party made it clear that his resignation is out of question over corruption charges.
A senior Pakistani police official was among three persons killed today in a suicide attack on a police vehicle that also left 11 others injured in the country's restive Balochistan province, according to a media report.

Although initial reports suggested the blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device, police sources later said it was a suicide attack targeting the vehicle. The blast took place in Chaman city in Balochistan located near the Afghan town of Spin Boldak, Dawn reported.

District Police Officer Killa Abdullah Sajid Mohmand, who was critically wounded in the blast, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Two others were also killed in the attack.

Police officers and passers-by were among those wounded in the attack, the report said.

An emergency has been declared in hospitals and law enforcement and rescue officials have been dispatched to the site of the incident.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti condemned the attack. Nisar sought a report probing the incident.

Chaman is considered a sensitive town in Balochistan as it shares a border with Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar province.

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A 24-year-oldman has been arrested in connection with anacid attack on an aspiring Muslim model and her cousin that left them with "life-changing" injuries.

John Tomlin was heldon suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent over the incident in Beckton, east London, on June 21.

The manhanded himself in at a police station on Sunday and is being held in custody, the Scotland Yard said.

Resham Khan and Jameel Muhktar, 37, reportedly of Pakistani-origin, were attacked by a man throwing acid through their car window on Khan's 21st birthday.

Both suffered horrific face and neck injuries in the attack that took place on Tollgate Road.

In the days afterwards Khan said, "I'm devastated. I keep wondering if my life will ever be the same."



Mukhtar has said he feels "emotionally wrecked" and "in continuous pain".

Scotland Yard said enquiries into the incident were continuing.

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Wrestling star Geeta Phogat today urged that the country must have a two-child norm if the growing population is to be controlled, even as she exhorted families to "adopt a girl" if they desire to have one after the birth of two boys.

Addressing a gathering at a function here, the 'Dangal' girl also packed a solid punch against the practice of female foeticide and infanticide, saying "abortion should be stopped" and instead education should be used to empower women.

"The problem of burgeoning population can be addressed if we begin with women itself. And, we need to educate them and spread awareness about birth control and family planning through TV channels and newspapers. Also, I feel the government must bring a law to control population," she said.

The event was organised by Taxpayers Association of Bharat (TAXAB), a platform for citizen-driven movement for population stabilisation, which today said it will appeal to the Centre to bring about a "two-child norm in the country".

Several celebrities and prominent agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan have pledged their support to the campaign, a senior official of the TAXAB said, which held the function on the eve of the World Population Day.

The 28-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who hails from Haryana, a state infamous for its skewed sex ratio, also took a pledge, along with fellow wrestler and husband Pawan, to support the campaign.

On the model of two-child per family, when asked what should a family do if they have two boys but still desire a girl child, Phogat quipped, "adopt a girl" as she sent out a loud and clear message to the society.

"Even problems of female foeticide and other concomitant issues can be addressed if we start educating them and others about the evil practice and the value of a girl child," she said.

Phogat is the eldest daughter of Dronacharya awardee Mahabir Singh Phogat, whose life had inspired Aamir Khan- starrer 'Dangal' film, a runaway hit. She is also the first Indian female wrestler to have qualified for Olympics.

Incidentally, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had in April said that the sex ratio at birth in the state, stood at 950 girls to 1,000 boys in March. This was for the first time in the history of the state, he said.

Wrestler and Olympian Yogeshwar Dutt, who also attended the programme, acknowledged that over population was the biggest problem bedevilling the country and people must join hands to address the issue.

"We must come together in this campaign and impress upon the government to come with a law on population control. Only with controlled population, the youth of the coming generation will be strong and prosperous," Dutt said.

As part of the campaign, a special theme song 'Main Bharat Bol Raha Hoon' sung by leading artists, including Kailash Kher, Suresh Wadekar and Shaan, was also launched on the occasion.

"In the next three months, we plan to bring a mass youth outreach programme by visiting universities and centres of learning across the country through our 10,000 volunteers spread across 650 districts," the senior official of the TAXAB said.

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Ambedkar University of Delhi today released its second cut-off list for admissions to various courses, with a dip between 1.75 per cent to 3.25 per cent for students from outside the National Capital Region.

The highest cut-off for BA (Hons) Psychology has been set at 98.75 per cent for general category students with commerce background who are from outside the NCR.

The cut-off is a slight relief for the outstation students who were staring at the ceiling of perfect score after the first round.

For the outstation students wanting to study BA Hons Sociology, the cut-off is set at 98.50 per cent. For BA Hons English, the cut-off stands at 94.75 per cent.

In its first cut off, AUD had set its highest at 100 per cent for some courses, superseding that of Delhi University's 99.66 per cent.

In the first list released last week, over 1,700 applicants were provisionally selected by the college.

A total of 253 students were selected for BA Economics in both Karampura and Kashmere Gate campuses.

185 candidates were selected for BA Hons Sociology.

For BA English, 404 students were selected, 240 students for BA History, 122 students for BA Maths, 232 for B A Psychology and 487 students for BA Hons Social Sciences and Humanities.

B R Ambdekar University, which was established by Delhi Government in 2008, is a state-funded varsity.

The varsity offers seven undergraduate courses in History, Economics, English, Sociology, Maths, Psychology, and Social Science and Humanities.

Along with its Kashmere Gate campus, which has 245 seats, the university is beggining a new campus at Karampura with 200 seats this year, bringing the total seats to 445.

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With India and China locked in a standoff on the border area abutting Bhutan, the Congress today said party vice-president Rahul Gandhi had met the ambassadors of the two neighbouring countries.

The party said Gandhi met the ambassadors of China and Bhutan, but did not specify when or where the meetings were held.

Downplaying the meetings, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala called them a "courtesy call" and said "envoys of neighbouring countries" met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the vice-president from "time to time".

The envoys of G5 - a group that consists of China, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, apart from India -- also meet the two Congress leaders, he said.

The party VP had met Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui, Bhutanese ambassador Vetsop Namgyel and former national security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, he said.

But "nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls to term them an event like the sources of the Ministry of External Affairs are attempting to do," he said.

Surjewala had earlier tweeted that the about Gandhi meeting the Chinese envoy was "planted" by government agencies through "bhakt channels".

The spokesperson said the party VP and other opposition leaders were "fully aware of national interests" and were concerned about the "grave situation" on the India-China border as well as "the situation arising in Bhutan and Sikkim".

The troop impasse is in the Doka La or Doklam area, near Sikkim.

Tension on the border built up after a Chinese army construction party attempted to erect a road in the region three weeks ago.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as a part of its Donglang region.

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Austria said today it had barred Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci from entering the country to attend a rally marking the anniversary of last year's failed coup attempt in Turkey.

"He has been barred because his visit was not planned as part of a bilateral exchange, but was about his public appearance at an event marking the coup attempt," foreign ministry spokesman Thomas Schnoell told AFP.

Zeybekci's attendance at the "large event" would have represented a "danger for public order", Schnoell added.

"The Turkish government wants to exert its political influence in Austria. We won't allow that," Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern told Oe1 public radio.

Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu hit back at Vienna in a statement, accusing the Austrian authorities of demonstrating they were "not sincere in defending democratic values".

The rally is scheduled to take place in Vienna on Sunday.

It is being organised by the Austrian branch of the Union of European Turkish Democrats (UETD), a pro-Ankara group present in several European Union countries.

UETD spokesman Ramazan Aktas called Vienna's move "undemocratic".

The Turkish economy ministry said it had not made a formal request to organise an event to commemorate the July 15 failed putsch in Austria.

The ministry added in a statement there had been plans for Zeybekci to meet in the near future with the Austrian foreign and economic affairs ministers but made no separate demand.

Austria's move came three days after the Dutch government warned Turkey against sending its deputy premier, Tugrul Turkes, to address a rally in the eastern Netherlands this week to mark the abortive coup.

Ties between Ankara and the EU have been strained over the crackdown that followed the July 15 2016 attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Earlier this year, several member states including Austria and Germany banned pro-Ankara rallies ahead of a controversial referendum in April on granting Erdogan sweeping powers.

Turkish ministers had been heading to Europe to whip up support for a "yes" vote among millions of Turkey's voters who live abroad.

Some 360,000 people of Turkish origin live in Austria, including 117,000 Turkish citizens. Many are believed to be pro-Erdogan supporters whose vote helped him win the referendum.

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The BJP's Kerala unit today endorsed the state former police chief T P Senkumar's recent remarks against 'Love Jihad' and Islamic State,' in what is being seen as the saffron party's bid to woo him to its fold.

Endorsing Senkumar's reported remarks to online publication, 'Samakalika Malayalam,' that the Muslims still practise "love jihad," BJP's state president Kummanam Rajasekharan demanded a probe into the "revelations" by Senkumar.

Responding to queries by the media here on whether the BJP planned to invite Senkumar into its fold, Rajasekharan said the party welcomed those who agreed to its policies and programmes.

Agreeing with the reported remarks by Senkumar against 'Love Jihad' and terrorism, Rajasekharan said the revelations of the ex-DGP, who had a long stint in the state police force, could not be neglected.

"All those issues should be investigated," Rajasekharan told reporters in Kottayam.

Hours after Rajasekharan made the statement extending a welcome to Senkumar to the BJP, party general secretary M T Ramesh visited the former DGP at his in Thiruvananthapuram.

Ramesh said it was a courtesy call and the meeting was not meant for inviting ex-police chief to join the BJP.

"There was no political discussion. We had a friendly discussion. We enquired about his statement as we wanted to know further about it," Ramesh told reporters here.

Senkumar, however, did not speak about the meeting.

The Congress, meanwhile, hit out at Senkumar for his alleged anti-Muslim remarks.

"Senkumar should not become an instrument in the hands of Sangh outfits," said Kerala assembly's Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said.

KPCC chief M M Hassan termed as "unfortunate" the reported remarks of Senkumar.

Senkumar, who won a historic legal battle against the CPI(M)-led Kerala government over his removal as the state DGP, had retired from service on June 30.

The LDF government headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had removed Senkumar from the post of DGP soon after it came to power in May 2016.

Senkumar had moved the Supreme Court against the orders of the Kerala High Court and Central Administrative Tribunal, which had upheld the governments decision to transfer him.

The apex court had, however, directed the state government to reinstate Senkumar as DGP on April 29, stating that the officer was transferred by the government "unfairly" and "arbitrarily".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Banda district administration here today held the Government Railway Police (GRP) responsible for the incident in which a family had to carry the body of their relative on a rickshaw for post- portem.

The video of the body being carried on the rickshaw had gone viral on social media and local channels.

"Instead of arranging for an ambulance to carry the body of Ram Asrey, it was taken on a rickshaw. This was revealed in a probe carried out by SDM Sadar. Prima facie, the GRP has been found guilty," Banda District Magistrate Mahendra Bahadur Singh told PTI.

"The GRP police station in-charge, in his written statement, had said that the family members of the deceased had come to the police station and willingly took the body on a rickshaw for post-mortem," he said.

The district magistrate also mentioned that the SDM, in his report, has categorically stated that GRP should have contacted a hearse van or the chief medical officer to arrange for an ambulance.

"But, the GRP showed laxity," he said.

GRP police station in-charge Indramohan Barola, reacting to the charges, said, "The government has made a provision of making Rs 1,000 available to carry out the last rites of an unknown body, but in case the body is identified, the rule is not applicable."



"In this case, the onus of taking the body for post- mortem lies on the family members of the deceased," he said.

Family members of 44-year-old Ram Asrey were forced to carry his body on a rickshaw for post-mortem after health officials allegedly refused to provide an ambulance.

The body was recovered from a railway track on July 8 near Atra Railway Station.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Santosh Kumar had yesterday said that the family members of Asrey had not given any information for requirement of an ambulance.

Last month in Kaushambi, the uncle of a seven-month-old girl had to carry her body on a bicycle as his plea for an ambulance fell on deaf ears.

In May, a labourer had to carry the body of his 15-year- old son on his shoulders after allegedly being turned away by doctors at a government-run hospital in Etawah.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress today demanded a court-monitored probe to ascertain the criminal culpability of former Army officers indicted in the Adarsh building scam in Mumbai and asked the BJP to take the "moral high ground" and support its demand.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the director of the Vivekananda International Foundation, Gen (retd) N C Vij, and other retired senior personnel of the Armed Forces had been indicted by a committee appointed by a court for their role in the scam.

"It would be in the fairness of things that a Special Investigating Team reporting directly to the Bombay High Court is constituted to probe the question of criminal culpability and then only would the entire facts of the matter emerge," he told reporters.

Tewari pointed out that the enquiry report, which had been critical of Vij, said "he provided a protective umbrella to efforts of the Maharashtra and Gujarat Area and Mumbai Sub Area to facilitate the elimination of the land in question held in occupation of the Local Military authority to the Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society." It said he did not at any stage question the matter.

The Congress leader said the Vivekananda Foundation was almost an extension of the government as it had contributed two senior bureaucrats to the Prime Minister's Office.

"So, a question arises that given these observations and recommendations contained in the Enquiry Report, a free and fair investigation is in order to establish criminal culpability and I stress upon the word 'criminal culpability'," he said.

The former Union minister said the request was being made to the High Court that since it was seized of the matter and was hearing "a whole batch of writ petitions and PILs", a SIT should be formed by it.

The most "giving indictment" in the enquiry report, he said, was that the entire hierarchy was "acutely aware that the Chief of the Army Staff himself had a vested interest in the matter".

The report said since these officers had retired and more than three years had elapsed after their retirement, the provisions of the Army Act did not apply to them.

"But there is larger and more fundamental question regarding their criminal culpability," Tiwari said.

It had to be seen if the security of the Colaba Military Station had been compromised, he added.

On a question about a criminal probe against former Congress CM Ashok Chavan, he said the case was investigated by the CBI and a chargesheet had already been filed.

"If you rewind... The day these allegations emerged, the first thing which the Congress party leadership did was to request the then Chief Minister (Chavan)to step down," he said.

Tewari said after that not only was there a criminal investigation, a Commission of Enquiry was also constituted by the Maharashtra government.

"We took the moral high road at that point in time and we expect the BJP Government also to request the High Court that the question of criminal culpability be investigated by a Special Investigating Team under the supervision of the High Court," he said.

These indictments, he stressed, had been made "by a Committee which was constituted on the directions of that court by this Government", and not just by "anybody".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The cross-LoC bus service between Poonch and Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was suspended today by the authorities here in the wake of firing and shelling bythe Pakistan Army today, officials said.

The travel across the Line of Control (LoC) was scheduled for today.

The shelling by the Pakistan Army damaged the two-storey administrative block of Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC) and police barracks at Chakan-Da-Bagh, which is the point for crossing of the bus and trade exchange at the LoC.

"There has been Pakistan shelling overnight. As a precautionary measure, cross-LoC bus service from here has been suspended," said an officer connected with the LoC travel.

In the shelling, the TFC and police barracks suffered damages at Chakan-Da-Bagh, a police officer said.

However, no one was injured in the firing and shelling, he added.

The bus service between Poonch and Rawalakot through the Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point was started in 2006 to enable the divided families of Jammu and Kashmir and PoK to re- connect.

It is also a point for exchange of trade.

The cross-LoC trade and travel, both twice a week, are considered as major confidence building measures between India and Pakistan.

Since last Saturday, the Pakistan Army has been shelling Poonch intermittently with 82 and 120 mm mortar bombs.

On Saturday, an off-duty Army jawan and his wife were killed and four others were injured in the Pakistani shelling.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Indian businessman who was seized in the capital of Democratic Republic of Congo 19 days ago by a kidnapping ring has been freed, Kinshasa police said today.

Hermnani Ritesh, who operates a travel agency, was freed on Saturday by security forces and three people were arrested, said police spokesman Colonel Pierre-Rombaut Mwanamputu.

The kidnapping ring was comprised of four men from Nambia, Mozambique, Cameroon and DR Congo who had demanded a ransom of USD 2 million for Ritesh's release.

"It's the first time that this type of kidnapping" for ransom had occurred in Kinshasa, Mwanamputu said, adding that police were still searching for accomplices on the run.

The charge d'affaire at the Indian Embassy in DR Congo praised the police for the "happy end" to the abduction, and said he hoped others involved would be "arrested quickly".

Although rare in the capital, kidnappings of both Congolese and foreigners are fairly common in eastern parts of the vast central African country, which has been wracked by armed conflict for over twenty years.

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The 27-storeyed house of Ambani, Indias richest man, is located on Mumbais Altamount Road

A fire broke out in industrialist Mukesh Ambani's Antilia building, one of the most expensive residential properties in the world, tonight, police and civic officials said.

"The blaze erupted on the ninth floor and was extinguished within a few minutes. There was no major loss of property," a senior civic official said.

"We got a call at 9:04 PM and fire brigade personnel reached the spot at 9:13 PM on the Altamont Road," said Mahesh Narvekar, Chief Officer, Disaster Management Cell of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

He said the fire was confined to 4G antenna on the ninth floor.

Fire that broke out at Antilia building on Altamount Road now under control, says #Mumbai Fire Brigade pic.twitter.com/eEW5mN9nLN  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

Mumbai's chief fire officer Prabhat Rahangdale said the intensity of the fire was very low and with the help of security personnel, the blaze was brought under control.

"A mobile tower on the ninth floor terrace caught fire and to douse it, three fire engines, two ladder vehicles and one water tanker were pressed into service," Rahangdale said.

(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.)
Following are PTI's top stories



at 1730 hours today:



DEL6 AZIZ-SWARAJ-JADHAV



New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj expresses dismay over lack of courtesy shown by her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz, who has not even acknowledged her personal letter requesting for a Pakistani visa for Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother.

DEL20 JK- LD MODULE



Srinagar: In a major breakthrough, Jammu and Kashmir police says it has busted an LeT module and arrested two people, including a resident of Uttar Pradesh who was an active part of the group that killed six police personnel in south Kashmir.

DEL1 GA-CHANDRA



Panaji: Former Indian Ambassador to the US Naresh Chandra dies at a private hospital near here due to multiple organ failure.

DEL38 ED-MISA-SUMMONS



New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issues summons to RJD MP Misa Bharti after it recently conducted raids against her and her husband in connection with a Rs 8,000 crore money laundering case.

DEL36 CONG-RAHUL-CHINA



New Delhi: Amid the standoff between India and China at the border tri-junction with Bhutan, Congress says party vice president Rahul Gandhi has met the ambassadors of the neighbouring countries.

BOM4 MH-BOAT CAPSIZE



Nagpur:The desire to click selfies in the middle of a reservoir turns into a tragedy for a group of men with the boat carrying them capsizing in Vena Dam in Kamleshwar tehsil, police say.

LGD8 SC-MALLYA



New Delhi: Embattled businessman Vijay Mallya, who was held guilty of contempt, fails to make a personal appearance before the Supreme Court despite being directed to do so.

MDS1 DEF-NAVAL EXERCISE



Chennai: The US, Japanese and Indian navies begin the Malabar Naval Exercise-2017 aimed at achieving deeper military ties between the three nations.

FGN6 UK-2NDLD FIRE



London, Jul 10 (PTI A huge blaze destroys parts of north London's historic Camden Lock market, a popular tourist attraction in the UK, nearly a month after a deadly fire killed at least 80 people in the city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government today announced amendments to the regulatory processes governing the domestic cruise tourism industry.

"The Ministry of Shipping, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, has announced reforms to the regulatory processes governing the cruise tourism industry in the country," an official statement said.

The objective is to revolutionise the sector, which has a high employment generation potential, by simplifying the rules and procedures pertaining to various aspects of cruise port operations like security, immigration and customs.

According to Special Secretary, Shipping, Alok Srivastava, the promotion of cruise tourism requires not just improvement in infrastructure but also uniformity, transparency and predictability in the procedures followed by multiple government organisations.

"In other words, ease of doing business is critical for the success of cruise tourism," he said.

The reforms are based on the recommendations of a global consultant engaged by the ministry to draw up an action plan for providing a customer friendly and hassle free logistics process for the cruise tourism industry and develop an enabling ecosystem necessary to promote and sustain cruise shipping in India, the statement said.

Some of the key recommendations which can be immediately implemented are single window system for all pre cruise requirements for cruise operators like entry of vehicles, personnel and guides electronically doing away with checking of registration, licence papers of vehicle at each time.

Create a separate dedicated approach road and entrance to the cruise terminals. A uniform and consistent security procedures by CISF at all ports.

Providing adequate security and access to the port for passenger over-night and visiting local venues and use of technology for clearances, providing passenger manifest to CISF and doing away with manual time consuming process were also recommended.

Besides, the consultant recommended for "no face to face check after dis-embarking formalities". Security checks for embarking passengers would be done only once and joint collaboration between the Bureau of Immigration and CISF and redesign the existing procedure to give a pleasant experience to the cruise tourists visiting India.

"It also recommended Standard Operating Procedures to be framed for training and education of the personnel carrying out the process for better handling of passengers. Implementation of green lane/red lane at existing terminals with random custom checking as is done in the airport."



Declaration of only limited items of inventory of the cruise ships in place of the existing requirement of having the complete inventory for all the stocks in the ship was also one of the recommendation, the Ministry said.

A committee has been set up to work out the modalities and requirements for implementing the above recommendations in a time bound manner, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An alert has been sounded in Gujarat after it was revealed that those killed in the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Kashmir belonged to Valsad district.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani termed the attack as an act of cowards and said India will never bow down to such ideology.

Seven people were killed and around 32 others injured in the dastardly attack on a bus carrying pilgrims from Valsad district of the state. Terrorist fired on the bus which was returning from Amarnath.

The bus came under terrorists' fire near Khanabal in Anantnag district around 8.20 pm, over one hour after the patrolling by the security forces on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway wound up.

Those killed were from Valsad district of South Gujarat, he said.

"The state administration is in touch with the Jammu and Kashmir administration. We have started making arrangements so that the bodies of those who have died in the incident reaches here as soon as possible. We have also started efforts to ensure that those injured get best possible medical care," Rupani said.

"We have cancelled all the programmes that were to be held tomorrow by the BJP including an event of party chief Amit Shah and a programme of the NDA's presidential candidate to seek support in view of terror attack," Rupani said.

"An alert has been issued in Gujarat," minister of state for home Pradeepsinh Jadeja said.

Valsad Superintendent of Police Sunil Joshi said, "The bus belonged to a travel agency from Valsad called Om Travels. The travel agency is yet to provide a list of passengers travelling on the bus."



Shah was to visit Gujarat tomorrow and take part in various events organised by the party in the run up to the state elections which are scheduled to be held later this year.

BJP presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind was also scheduled to come here tomorrow to seek support for his candidature.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hours after the Congress demanded a CBI inquiry into the series of desecrations of religious places, deputy speaker Michael Lobo said if police cannot crack the case, the matter should be handed over to the CBI.

Lobo said he will soon meet chief minister Manohar Parrikar and raise the issue with him.

"I will be meeting Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar once he is back from the US and demand that if the police are not able to crack the case, then the matter should be handed over to the CBI," Lobo told reporters today.

"Goa police have failed completely to crack the case. They are completely clueless. I feel, police are not working in the right direction," he said.

Continuing the spate of desecrations, unknown miscreants last night attacked a cemetery in South Goa's Curchorem village vandalising around 50 gravestones.

"I am here to condemn continuous attacks on religious places. People of all religions are living in Goa with peace and harmony," Lobo said.

"There are some outside elements, like some individuals or groups or organisations that have entered our peace loving state and are trying to disturb the communal harmony," the BJP MLA said.

"There are strong attempts to divide us," he said.

Earlier, in the day opposition Congress demanded a CBI probe into the recent incidents of desecration of religious places in Goa.

"I demand CBI inquiry into desecration of religious places. Whether it is a religious structure of Christians, Muslims or Hindus, such attacks cannot be tolerated," Goa Congress chief Shantaram Naik said after meeting state Director General of Police Muktesh Chandar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bombay High Court today issued notices to the Civil Aviation ministry and others over a petition against the public meeting allegedly held by BJP president Amit Shah in a prohibited area at Goa airport.

Social activist Aires Rodrigues had on July 7 filed a petition before the Bombay High Court here against the meeting in Dabolim on July 1.

In response to the petition, a division bench of Justices F M Reis and Nutan Sardessai issued notices, returnable in three weeks, to the secretary of civil aviation ministry, the Goa chief secretary, the state director general of police, the airport director and the deputy commandant of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

The petitioner submitted that the public meeting addressed by Shah was illegal.

"The petitioner seeks to ensure that there is no legal infringement and/or abdication of duty within the legal framework by which a government and/or authorities are permitted to allow high handed violation of law," Rodrigues submitted in his petition.

On July 1, Shah, who was on a two-day visit to Goa, allegedly held a meeting at the airport complex in the presence of Chief MinisterManohar Parrikarand Union minister Shripad Naik.

Rodrigues had then filed a complaint with the civil aviation ministry, Goa chief secretary and the state police chief, terming the meeting as illegal.

The Congress too had demanded that a case of trespass be registered in this connection.

The BJP had initially said the party received the necessary permission for the meeting, which took place "not inside the facility as claimed" by others.

However, it later said the crowd, which greeted Shah at the airport, had gathered there spontaneously and that it was "not a planned meeting".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Calcutta High Court today ordered a probe by a deputy commissioner into two wonen's allegations that some policemen had misbehaved with them near Princep Ghat on the Hooghly in May this year.

Justice Joymalyo Bagchi directed the Kolkata police commissioner to depute an officer of the deputy commissioner rank to investigate the women's allegations.

The court asked both the women petitioners, who had approached the court with the allegation and the prosecution to file separate affidavits stating their position within four weeks, after which the matter would be heard again.

The women claimed they needed to use a public washroom near Princep Ghat in late evening on May 24, but the same was locked.

They approached the policemen posted there, but instead of helping, they misbehaved with them, said the women in their petition to the court.

Following this, they lodged a complaint with a police station, while the policemen also filed a counter-complaint alleging misbehaviour by the women.

The police claimed the women, along with a male friend, had misbehaved with them and had torn the uniform of one of the policemen present there.

They had been arrested in the morning after the incident and released on bail after being in police and judicial custody for some days.

Claiming that the investigation into their allegations was not being pursued properly, the women moved the high court seeking speedy completion of probe.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag is a "blot on all Muslims and Kashmiris".

While visiting the injured in a hospital in Anantnag, she said the head of every Kashmiri hangs in shame over today's incident.

"Pilgrims come to Kashmir every year for the yatra despite all the difficulties. And seven people died today. I have no words to condemn it. I hope the security forces and the Jammu and Kashmir police arrest the perpetrators forthwith and take stern action against them," the chief minister said.

"This incident is a blot on all Kashmiris and Muslims. We will not keep quite till we bring the culprits to book," Mehbooba said.

She said efforts will be aimed at ensuring that quick action is taken against the culprits and justice is done.

The chief minister said seven people, including six women, were killed in the dastardly attack that took place around 8:20 pm.

Those killed and injured in the attack were on a bus carrying pilgrims from Valsad district of Gujarat.

The bus came under terrorists' fire near Khanabal in Anantnag district around 8.20 pm, over one hour after the patrolling by the security forces on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway wound up.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following are the top stories from the western region at 2200 hrs.

BOM 16 MH-ACTRESS-LD ARREST



Mumbai: Mumbai police arrest two people in connection with the killing of struggling actress and model Kritika Chaudhary (27).

BOM 18 GJ-DALITS DENIED TEMPLE ENTRY



Godhra: A case was registered after a group of Dalit girls were allegedly denied entry into a temple at Mehlol village in Panchmahals district by the priest and his two sons.

BES 23 GJ-HERITAGE FESTIVAL



Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government will organise heritage festival between August 1-15 to celebrate the declaration of Ahmedabad as World Heritage City by UNESCO.

BES 21 GJ-COW-MUSLIM-FAST



Ahmedabad: A Muslim man in Gujarat has announced a 48-hour fast from July 20 to spread the message of cow protection and communal harmony.

BES 17 MH-SHRC-CUSTODIAL DEATH



Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) directs the state Director General of Police (DGP) to pay Rs one lakh to the family of 2012 custodial death case victim.

BES 19 GJ-NARMADA RATH YATRA



Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government to celebrate the completion of Sardar Sarovar dam work on river Narmada by taking out a 'Narmada Rath Yatra' under the 'Maa Narmada Mahotsav' programme.

BES 2 GA-CEMETERY-VANDALISED



Panaji: Several gravestones in a Christian cemetery in Curchorem town of South Goa allegedly vandalised by unidentified persons.

LGB 6 MH-HC-PANSARE-BAIL



Mumbai: The Maharashtra government along with the family members of Govind Pansare moves the Bombay High Court challenging a lower court order granting bail to key accused Sameer Gaikwad in the murder of the rationalist.

LGB 4 MH-HC-TATA-SUIT



Mumbai: In a reprieve for the Tata group, the Bombay High Court overturns its order and ruled it cannot hear a suit filed by minority shareholders of the group seeking Rs 41,000 crore in damages as a representative suit on behalf of all non-promoter shareholders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Aditi Ashok completed yet another impressive finish with a final round of three-under 69 to be tied 28th at the inaugural Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic.

The 19-year-old Indian rookie ended at 11-under 277, her third straight finish between 25th and 30th places. Aditi played out rounds of 70-68-70-69.

She has now made eight cuts in 10 starts, including two Majors, and is all set for the US Open next.

Meanwhile, after a 2-under-par 70, Australian Katherine Kirk put the finishing touches on her third LPGA Tour victory.

Kirk birdied the 72nd hole to finish at 22-under par, the lowest four-round tournament total in her career.

Kirk had an up-and-down Sunday with four bogeys offset by six birdies, and was able to hold off all challengers including Sei Young Kim and Pornanong Phatlum, who shot rounds of 9-under and 10-under respectively.

Kirk's last LPGA Tour victory came in 2010, and to finally notch her third win proved that many years of hard work has finally paid off.

South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai finished runner-up -- her best finish ever on the LPGA Tour after a 5-under-par 67 and said she was comfortable in the final pairing of the day.

Buhai and Kirk had played together many times, but still, Kirk's 22-under par total proved to be just one shot too many for Buhai to overcome.

Phatlum, a three-winner of Women's Hero Indian Open, notched her career-best finish on the LPGA Tour, and did it in record-setting fashion. Her 10-under-par 62, which she dubbed 'fantastic', was the best score she's ever notched as a professional.

Next week the LPGA Tour heads to New Jersey for the US Women's Open, where Brittany Lang defends.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India, Japan and the US today kicked off their trilateral 'Malabar' naval exercise featuring 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines, seeking to forge "deeper" military ties amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

USS Nimitz, the world's largest aircraft carrier, will figure in the five-day exercise in the Bay of Bengal involving the US, Japanese and Indian maritime forces that is aimed at "achieving deeper military ties between the three nations."



The 21st edition of the Malabar exercise, conducted ashore and at-sea, assumes significance as it is being held at a time when China has become more assertive and the forays by their submarines in the Indian Ocean region have increased. China has stepped up its activities in the Indian Ocean in recent years and is building ports in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

It also comes amid the current military stand-off between the armies of India and China in the Sikkim section and Beijing ramping up its naval presence in the South China sea.

"I would like to say that the strategic message to China is the exact strategic message that we are sending to Canada or to Republic of Korea or to Australia or to any other maritime force," US Navy Commander Rear Admiral William D Byrne Jr said when asked by newsmen whether the exercise was intended to send any "strategic message" to China.

"Operating together and practising together is a good thing. It is because -- we are better together and we learn from each other. We know who we are and what is our capability. That is the strategic message to the entire world. I think, we are setting a great example here in Malabar (exercise) 2017," he told reporters after the inauguration of the Naval Exercise off the coast of Chennai.

Responding to a query whether the exercise had anything to do with the standoff in Sikkim, Indian Flag Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, HCS Bisht said, "it has nothing to do with Malabar Exercise."



"The process of Malabar exercise starts a year before (its scheduled beginning) and the initial planning takes place six months in advance. The stand-off you are talking about has got nothing to do with the Malabar exercise. Through this exercise we learn from each other," he said.

Bisht reiterated that the joint naval exercise would focus on the "mutual learning," "sharing of best practices" and enhancing the "inter-operability" among the three countries.

As many as 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines from the three countries are taking part in the Naval exercise, an Indian official said.

To a query on the conduct of Malabar exercise vis-a-vis the situation prevailing around North Korea, Admiral Byrne said, "There are certainly global threats. Malabar is not focused on any specified threat. It is directed towards three countries India, Japan and United States. It is not directed towards any specific country or threat."



Besides USS Nimitz (CVN68), guided missile cruise ship USS Princeton (CG59), guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a Poseidon P-8A aircraft as well as a Los Angeles fast-attack submarine will take part in the naval drills.

Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ships JS Izumo (DDH 183), JS Sazanami (DD1 13) along with Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa and INS Vikramaditya will also participate in the exercise, an official press release said.

The exercise would include professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare.

Medical operations, damage control, explosive ordinance disposal, helicopter operations and anti-submarine warfare would also take place.

The at-sea exercise includes events such as submarine familiarisation, airdefence exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface ware fare exercises, communication exercise and search and rescue operations.

Indian, Japanese and the US maritime forces have an understanding and knowledge of shared working environment at the sea, the release said.

The joint naval exercise is a demonstration of a commitment of all three nations to address common maritime challenges across the spectrum of operations and will go a long way in enhancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region for the benefit of the global maritime community.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India, the world's third-largest oil importer, has sealed a first deal to import crude oil from the US and the shipment is expected to touch Indian shores in October.

The deal, by state-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC), comes within weeks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US when President Donald Trump talked of his country looking to export more energy products to India.

"We have bought 2 million barrels of crude oil from North America comprising 1.6 million barrels of US Mars crude and 400,000 barrels of Western Canadian Select," IOC Director (Finance) A K Sharma told PTI here.

US Mars is a heavy, high-sulphur grade which will be processed at IOC's newest refinery at Paradip in Odisha.

"Given the current international oil markets where the differential between Brent (the benchmark crude or marker crude that serves as a reference price for buyers in western world) and Dubai (which serves as a benchmark for countries in the east) has narrowed.

"Even after including the shipping cost, buying US crude proved to be very cost competitive to us and so we bought one very large crude carrier (VLCC) cargo through a tender from the spot (or current) market," he said.

Sharma said the company will buy more crude from the US if the market conditions remain favourable for such purchases.

The IOC move has already led to more purchases by other Indian refiners. State-owned Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) too tendered to buy one million barrels of crude either for loading on August 16-September 5 or delivery on Septeber 26- October 15.

But for importing crude from the US, IOC had to take special permission from the shipping ministry.

"Indian government policy provides for purchases of crude oil to be made on condition that the shipping will be done by the Indian carriers (the buyer arranging for ships to ferry the oil).

"However, in case of US, this was not possible as VLCCs can't load on US ports and crude has to be first loaded on small ships and at high sea the same is put on a VLCC," he said.

So, IOC obtained permission to buy the cargo on a delivered basis where the seller arranges for the ships.

"Every time we decide to buy US oil, we will have to take this permission," he said adding the cargo contracted will be delivered at Paradip refinery in the first week of October.

Indian refiners are joining their Asian counterparts to diversify their crude slate following the narrowing of the Dubai spreads against West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent prices in the wake of OPEC/non-OPEC production cut deal.

Sharma said that IOC is looking at five to six grades of US crude, including Mars crude, for future purchases.

(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.)
An Indian man in the US has pleaded guilty to providing material support to a "key leader" of al-Qaeda in an effort to support "violent jihad" against American soldiers and a judge, authorities here said today.

Yahya Farooq Mohammad, an Indian national who married an American citizen in 2008, faces over 27 years in prison and deportation if convicted, the Department of Justice said.

"The defendant conspired to provide and did provide material support to Anwar Al-Awlaki in response to his calls to support violent jihad," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana J Boente.

Mohammad was an engineering student at Ohio State University between 2002 and 2004.

He and three other defendants, his brother Ibrahim Mohammad, Asif Ahmed Salim and Sultane Room Salim, were indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2015.

The case against the remaining three defendants, who have pleaded not guilty, is pending.

As per the terms of his plea agreement, Mohammad is expected to be sentenced to over 27 years in federal prison. He will be deported upon completion of his sentence, under the terms of his plea agreement, the Department of Justice said.

"Mohammad conspired to attack US service members abroad as well as a judge in Toledo. He threatened the hallmarks of our democracy. He is a dangerous criminal who deserves a long prison sentence," acting US Attorney David Sierleja said.

"Conspiring to have a judge killed is not the way to avoid being prosecuted - now Mohammad will be held accountable for additional serious federal charges," said Special Agent in Charge Anthony.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Mohammad admitted to conspiring with his co-defendants to travel to Yemen to provide thousands of dollars, equipment and other assistance to Anwar Al-Awlaki, in an effort to support violent jihad against US military personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world.

Al-Awlaki was later designated as a global terrorist in 2010 and identified as a "key leader" of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, according to court documents.

According to court papers, on July 22 in 2009, Mohammad travelled with two associates to Yemen to meet Awlaki and deliver USD 22,000 that they had raised.

Although they were unable to meet Awlaki in person, Mohammad and his associates did ensure that Awlaki received the money through a courier.

In addition to pleading guilty to conspiring to provide and conceal material support to terrorists, Mohammad also admitted to soliciting an undercover FBI employee (UCE), posing as a "hitman", to kidnap and murder US District Judge Jack Zouhary.

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Iraqi authorities have assured India of all cooperation in locating 39 Indian nationals reportedly in captivity in Mosul, the External Affairs Ministry today said.

Iraq yesterday declared victory against the IS group in Mosul after a months-long campaign.

The MEA said Union Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh will travel to Erbil in Iraq later today.

It termed the liberation of Mosul from ISIS as an important milestone in global war on terror and said India welcomes it.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj earlier assured Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh that her ministry was making all-out efforts to trace the 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, who had been held hostage in the Iraqi city since 2014.

Amarinder today called up Swaraj to seek her intervention.

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The ruling BJP today said that the opposition Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is "frustrated" with the development work by the Raghubar Das-led government in the state.

"JMM is feeling the heat of losing its vote bank," BJP spokesman Praveen Prabhakar said in a statement here.

The JMM, he alleged, was anti-development.

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Sri Lanka's hardline Buddhist monks today vowed to resist the government's decision to draft a new Constitution, threatening to hold nation-wide protests against the move to give political autonomy to the minority Tamil community.

Claiming that President Maithripala Sirisena government has no mandate to introduce the new constitution, hardline monk Maagalkande Sudaththa told media here the country's influential Buddhists are going from district-to-district to educate their followers about the "dangers" of the proposed Constitution.

The hardline monks vowed to back the opposition mounted by the monk leaders against the government's move to change the island's constitution.

They threatened to hold street protests against the government's decision.

Sudaththa's remarks came after Sri Lankan government asserted that the government will go ahead with the process of drafting the new Constitution to give its Tamil minority greater autonomy.

Government spokesman and Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said theparliament will not reverse theprocess begun in April last year to draft the Constitution.

"The government got 6.2 million votes to change the constitution," Senaratne had said.

"The monks can have their views, but the people's mandate at two elections in 2015 was to change the Constitution. We will not work against the people's will just because Buddhist monks want us to do so," he had said.

President Maithripala Sirisena last week met the senior monks and assured that they would be informed on the final draft of the constitutional reform.

Sri Lankan parliament had converted itself into a constitutional assembly to draft a new Constitution to replace the existing 1978 Constitution.

Suddhaththa said about 70 per cent of MPs in the 225- member parliament are a "asleep" when important issues are discussed. He accused them of being "uneducated".

Nearly 70 per cent of the island's population is Buddhist.

The latest move by the Buddhist community is a new challenge to the government of Sirisena who himself is a Buddhist and is committed to ethnic unity.

The hardline stance of monks is being seen as the history repeating itself whenever successive Sri Lankan governments attempted reforms to grant political autonomy to the Tamil minority in its bid to end ethnic strife in the island.

All such attempts since 1958 have been scuttled by Buddhist monks who took the ant-reform platform driving the Sinhala majority to oppose the blue prints for power sharing.

This led to a bloody armed conflict waged by the LTTE to carve out a separate Tamil state in the north and east provinces.

The LTTE was militarily defeated in 2009, yet the root causes of the conflict remain to be addressed.

Tamils, who live predominantly in the north and east of Sri Lanka, form the largest minority group in the country constituting for 11.1 per cent of the population.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ran a nearly three-decade separatist campaign leading to a bloody war with the Sri Lankan security forces.

According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by the security forces during former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the brutal conflict with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.

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An Indian Parliamentary delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today left for Russia on a five-day visit during which ways to enhance cooperation between Parliaments of the two countries will be discussed.

Mahajan will also have the special honour of addressing the Russian Parliament Duma on July 12, a statement issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat said here.

During the visit, the delegation will meet Chairman of the State Duma V.V. Volodin and Chairperson of the Federation Council V.I. Matvienko, the statement said.

The India-Russia Parliamentary Commission will have a meeting tomorrow during which the two sides will discuss ways to enhance cooperation between Parliaments of the two countries.

A visit to St Petersburg is also on the schedule of the delegation which includes Virendra Kumar, Mohammed Salim, Hema Malini, Nalin Kumar Kateel and C.P. Narayan.

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Embattled businessman Vijay Mallya, who was held guilty of contempt, on Monday failed to make a personal appearance before the Supreme Court despite being directed to do so.

A bench comprising of Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit fixed the matter for hearing on July 14 and sought the assistance of the Solicitor General in the case.

The apex court had on May 9 held Mallya, who is presently in the United Kingdom, guilty of contempt on a plea by the consortium of lender banks, led by the State Bank of India, for his failure to furnish details of all his Indian as well as offshore assets.

It had directed Mallya to appear before it today to argue on the quantum of punishment.

The offence of contempt of court entails a maximum imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of upto Rs 2,000 or both.

India had recently asked Britain to ensure early extradition of Mallya, who is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The apex court's order had come on a plea by the consortium of banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), which had said that Mallya had allegedly transferred USD 40 million received from British firm Diageo to his children in "flagrant violation" of various judicial orders.

The banks had argued before the court that Mallya had wilfully disobeyed the orders and made "vague" disclosure about his assets.

The top court had on March 9 asked the liquor baron about the "truthfulness" of the disclosure of assets by him and the transfer of money to his children.

The bench had reserved its order on two pleas of lending banks seeking contempt action and a direction to Mallya to deposit USD 40 million received from offshore firm Diageo respectively.

The banks have alleged that Mallya had concealed the facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth Mallya and daughters Leanna Mallya and Tanya Mallya in "flagrant violation" of the orders passed by the Karnataka High Court.

In October last year, the court had rapped Mallya for not making full disclosure of his overseas properties and had asked him to do so within a month.

The bench had also pulled up Mallya for not giving details of USD 40 million which he had allegedly received from Diageo in February last year, saying it was of the "prima facie view" that proper disclosure as per its earlier order was not made.

The banks had on August 29 last year told the Supreme Court that Mallya had deliberately not made full disclosure of his assets including the USD 40 million he received on February 25 from Diageo.

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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today attacked Congress leader Vijay Singh Mankotia, alleging that he was in the habit of changing parties ahead of elections.

Singh's remarks comes in the wake of Mankotia seeking the chief minister's resignation after being removed from the post of HP Tourism Development Board chairman.

The chief minister also attacked Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu for not taking any action in the matter.

"Mankotia never sticks to any party and was in the habit of changing the party when elections are near," Singh said.

However, on action against Mankotia, Sukku said, "Every leader should exercise restrain and function on the basis of the party's ideology and not personality-cult."



The state Congress chief also said that he enjoyed the support of the party, its high command and 24 MLAs, and eight per cent of office bearers, DCC and BCC presidents have lauded his performance and sent a letter to the leadership.

Sukkhu claimed that the Congress was strong in the state and he was focusing on strengthening the party at the booth level.

The tickets for all four Lok Sabha seats, and the Sujanpur and the Bhoranj Assembly by-elections were given at the behest of the chief minister, he said



Sukku claimed that the party was weak in the Shimla Rural constituency, represented by Singh. "Had the Congress won two more wards in Shimla (Rural) assembly constituency, the party would have installed its Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the Shimla Municipal Corporation polls," he said.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister G S Bali was seen strolling with Mankotia at Mall Road and had tea with at Ashiana.

"It was chai pe charcha," Mankotia said on a lighter note.

Senior Congress leader and in-charge of state party affairs Ambika Soni said that the party would contest the coming assembly elections on achievements of the government.

She asserted that all the poll promises made by the party have been implemented.

Soni said that the party would organise a 'Pad Yatra' to reach out to people at the booth level.

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The BSE Sensex surged by over 355 points to record a new closing high of 31,715.64 and NSE Nifty settled above the 9,700-mark for the first time, even as technical glitches disrupted trade on NSE for hours leaving investors flustered.

The first session of the day's trading was marred by chaos on NSE -- the country's biggest stock exchange -- as it struggled to keep the trading session going.

Trading was disrupted after price quotations for individual stocks and indexes failed to update. Following this, officials announced stoppage of cash and F&O segment due to technical reasons. The bourse apologised for the glitch saying it was examining the matter to identify the cause of the outage. Finally, trading could only begin after 1230hrs.

The finance ministry took note of it and sought a report from Sebi on the technical glitch in the NSE system that had led to trading disruptions. Sources in the ministry said it was a technical problem that led to trading disruptions, ruling out any instance of hacking.

Sources said Sebi is constantly monitoring the situation and this sort of problem is a serious concern for the ministry, hoping that such situations do not recur.

The 30-share BSE index resumed higher and remained in the positive terrain throughout the day and hit an all-time high of 31,768.39 (intra-day) before ending 355.01 points, or 1.13 per cent higher, its biggest single session gain since May 25, at new record closing of 31,715.64, surpassing its previous record high of 31,369.34 hit on July 6. It had also breached its intra-day-high of 31,522.87 points reached on June 22.

The 50-share NSE Nifty also rose by 105.25 points, or 1.09 per cent, to 9,771.05, its record closing high, breaching its previous record high of 9,675.10 recorded on June 5. It also touched an all-time high of 9,782.20 (intra-day), surpassing 9,709.30 reached on June 6.

Sustained buying by domestic institutional investors kept the momentum going in the today amid optimism over the upcoming earnings season. All eyes are now on TCS which will be among the first lot to post its earnings numbers on July 13.

The market rally was driven by strong buying in teck, IT, PSU and healthcare counters after participants widened their bets ahead of Q1 earnings.

"First half of the day was a complete chaos as trading was halted in one of the major exchanges, NSE due to a technical glitch. The trading activity resumed higher in line with its peer exchange (BSE) and as a result, the Nifty registered yet another all-time high way above the 9,750 mark on a closing basis as well," Sameet Chavan, Chief Analyst- Technical and Derivatives, Angel Broking said.

Bharti Airtel at 5.39 per cent was the biggest Sensex gainer, followed by TCS at 4.66 per cent, Wipro 4.64 per cent. Coal India 3.25 per cent, Lupin 2.96 per cent, Infosys 2.46 per cent, Sun Pharma 2.42 per cent, Tata Motors 2.28 per cent, ONGC 1.97 per cent and SBI 1.91 per cent.

Other Sensex components that also gained were L&T, Axis Bank, Adani ports, Asian Paint, Dr Reddy's, Tata Steel, PowerGrid, Bajaj Auto and Cipla, gaining by up to 1.56 per cent.

"Investors were hopeful ahead of the start of earnings season but, a technical glitch in the NSE impeded today's trade. Market soared to an all-time high level after it resumed trading, but the technical difficulties persisted and it affected the volumes.

"Lack of clarity around today's trade may keep the investors a bit cautious and lend some volatility to tomorrow's trades, but they are likely to be put aside, as earnings and macro numbers flow in," Anand James, Chief Market Strategist, Geojit Financial Services Ltd said.

Domestic Insgtitutiolnal Investors (DIIs) bought shares woreth Rs 720.08 crore, while Foreign portfolio investors sold shares worth a net Rs 522.08 crore on Friday, as per provisional data from stock exchanges.

However, M&M, ITC Ltd and Hind Unilever retreated on profit-booking.

Sector-wise, BSE teck index gained the most by rising 2.95 per cent, followed by IT index 2.92 per cent, PSU 1.74 per cent, metal 1.43 per cent, capital goods 1.19 per cent, healthcare 1.14 per cent, bank 1.06 per cent, power 0.99 per cent, realty 0.95 per cent and oil&gas 0.90 per cent.

In tandem with overall trends, the broader too turned bullish as buying activity gathered momentum lifting the mid-cap index by 0.67 per cent and small-cap by 0.43 per cent.

In the Asian region, Japan's Nikkei rose 0.76 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.63 per cent, while China'a Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.17 per cent.

European indices such as Germany, France and the UK were trading in the green in early trade.

(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.)
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today said it is his job to be informed on critical issues as he sought to defend his meeting with the Chinese Ambassador amid a border row with China.

He also took a dig at Narendra Modi saying he was not like the prime minister who was "sitting on the swing" when Chinese soldiers were entering India.

Rahul also questioned the government why three of its ministers were availing Chinese hospitality while tension along the border is on.

"It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE and the Bhutanese Ambassador.

"If government is so concerned about me meeting an Ambassador, they should explain why three ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on," he tweeted.

Rahul also put out a picture of Modi in the swing with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the latter's visit to Gujarat in 2014, and said, "And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India."



Rahul's meeting with Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui has raised eyebrows and is likely to generate a political debate.

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A defence witness today told the special court hearing the 2002 Naroda Gam riots case here that Maya Kodnani, a former BJP minister and an accused, was at the Sola Civil Hospital at the time of the incident.

Dinesh Makwana, sitting BJP councillor from Saijpur Bhoga area near Naroda Gam, told judge P B Desai that he had called up Kodnani at around 10:30 am on February 28, 2002 and learnt that she had gone to the Sola Civil Hospital (in Ahmedabad) where bodies of the victims of Godhra train burning incident had been brought.

His cousin Umakant Makwana was among the victims and his body too had been brought there, he said.

When the lawyer of the Special Investigation Team (the investigating agency in this case) wanted to know why Makwana did not approach the SIT when it had appealed to people to share with it whatever information they had about Naroda Gam case, he said he did not know about the appeal.

The hearing will resume on Friday.

Naroda Gam massacre is one of the nine major post-Godhra riot cases which were investigated by the SIT.

Eleven persons belonging to the minority community were killed at Naroda Gam on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002, a day after the Godhra incident.

A total of 82 persons, including Maya Kodnani, are facing trial in the case.

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Nepal will send a high-level delegation to India tomorrow to hold talks with the Indian authorities over the possible impact of GST on the trade between the two countries.

The delegation will discuss issues concerning Goods and Services Tax (GST) recently imposed in India in relation to the bilateral Trade and Transit Treaty between the two countries, officials said here.

The team led by Ravi Shankar Sainju, joint secretary at the Commerce Ministry, will arrive in New Delhi tomorrow to discuss the issues.

Officials from Ministry of Finance and Commerce will be included in the delegation.

Nepal would be drawing attention of the Indian government over GST implementation in relation to the bilateral Trade and Transit Treaty, Sainju said.

"Though the actual impact of the GST on the bilateral trade is yet to be seen, Nepal government wants to address the problems the domestic traders might be facing following the implementation of GST," he said.

Nepal expressed its concern following complaints raised by the traders and freight forwarders.

"Goods intended for import into or export from the territories of either contracting parties from or to a third country shall be accorded freedom of transit through the territories of the other party. No distinction shall be made based on the flag of vessels, the place of origin, departure and exit destination or ownership of goods," reads the bilateral trade.

Despite such provision in the treaty, the traders and freight forwarders have been complaining to the government about slow pace of movement of goods during export and import of goods to and from India since last week when the Indian Government enforced GST.

According to the traders and freight forwarders, the authority at the Kolkata Port earlier used to impose 15 per cent logistic service charge on goods imported from third countries. With GST coming into effect, that charge has been raised to 18 per cent.

"Although the GST should not affect Nepal's trade, however with the confusion to the officials at implementation level, Nepali traders could have been facing problem," Sainju said.

Landlocked Nepal depends on transshipment via India for trade with the rest of the world.

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China today refused to acknowledge the interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the side-lines of the G-20 summit at Hamburg last week, insisting that no "bilateral meeting" took place between the two leaders.

India too has not described the interaction, which included a handshake, as a "bilateral meeting" but said that "a range of issues" were discussed by the two leaders. The Indian side has said that the interaction lasted five minutes.

Faced with a barrage of questions by reporters on how China viewed the interaction, Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang would only say repeatedly that no bilateral meeting took place.

"According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meetings," he said.

"On the side-lines of the G20, President Xi also presided over the informal BRICS leaders meeting. Prime Minister Modi and other leaders of the BRICS countries also attended that event", he said.

Asked again if the meeting did not happen at all, he said: "So my answer is that the two heads of state of India and China did not hold any meetings on the side-lines of the G20 summit in Hamburg."



China's insistence on the set-piece wording, and its refusal to waver from it, apparently was aimed at reiterating its view made clear before the Hamburg meeting: that the "atmosphere was not right" for a meeting between the two leaders due to the standoff between the two militaries at Doklam area in Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers.

China has been calling for immediate withdrawal of the Indian troops from the area.

He was also asked about a photograph tweeted by the India's Ministry of External Affairs showing the two leaders in conversation with interpreters, Geng stuck to his stand.

"As I said many times, the two state leaders of India and China did not hold any bilateral meeting ... But President Xi chaired the informal BRICS meeting during which Prime Minister Modi was also present".

Asked whether the standoff at Doklam was discussed, Geng said, "on the border issue, we reaffirmed that the Indian side should withdraw their border personnel to the Indian side.

On the boundary standoff issue, Geng said: "We demand the Indian side to withdraw their border personnel on to the Indian side of the boundary. This is the precondition for the any meaningful dialogue", he said.

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The city-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has developed a mobile app which can help fishermen as well as the Navy or the Coast Guard in the search of people or boats missing at sea.

The app works out 'Most Probable Search Area' once it is fed the information about the point where the missing person or boat was 'last seen', so the rescuers can reach there in the shortest possible time.

Not only people and boats, but the app can help in the search of 64 types of objects missing at sea.

Chairman of National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board and Director General of Indian Coast Guard Rajendra Singh launched the app 'SARAT' at the NMSAR Board meeting in Delhi today, INCOIS said in a release here.

INCOIS is an autonomous agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Conducting search and rescue operations at sea, which are usually needed during bad weather, is an extremely challenging task which can be compared to the proverbial 'search for a needle in a haystack', INCOIS said.

The SARAT system -- its web version was out last year -- mainly enables the Coast Guard, the Navy and coastal police to minimise the time needed for search.

The app is accessible in the languages of all coastal states, so a fisherman in any part of the country can use it.

"Users can select a specific point where the person or object was last seen using the app's interactive map or they can select a nearby coastal location, approximate distance travelled and bearing angle, so that the 'last seen' point is calculated.

"The Most Probable Search Area is then generated and relayed in map form as well as a text message," INCOIS release said.

The rescuers can feed their own GPS location to the app, and it will map out the closest route to the Search Area.

The app is expected to be compatible with over 90 per cent of Android handsets in use.

"The accuracy of SARAT is validated using networks of drifting buoys and other instruments. The SARAT system proved its mettle earlier by successfully assisting with recovery of the Indian Coast Guard's missing Dornier aircraft off Chennai in 2015," INCOIS said.

"The system can predict the most probable search area for up to five days," the release said.

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ONGC's overseas arm OVL will bid for blocks in Lebanon's first oil and gas exploration and production licensing round, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today.

ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) was pre-qualified to bid as an operator for five offshore blocks (1,4,8,9 and 10).

Pradhan, who is leading a delegation to the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul, in a Twitter post said he held a bilateral meeting with Lebanese Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil on the sidelines of the conference.

"The meeting was important in the context of @ongcvideshltd participation in the upcoming bid round for offshore gas fields in Lebanon," he said in another tweet.

Besides OVL, Lebanon has pre-qualified 12 other companies including Chevron, Total and Exxon Mobil as operators for the bid round that has been stalled for years due to political uncertainty.

More than three dozen companies have been pre-qualified as non-operators for the bid round. These companies have to submit their bids to the Lebanese Petroleum Administration on September 15.

The blocks on offer include three bordering Israeli water.

Lebanon, along with Cyprus, Israel and Egypt, sits on the Levant basin in the Mediterranean where gas fields have been discovered since 2009.

Other companies pre-qualified as operators include Petrobras of Brazil, Total of France, Italy's Eni, Petronas of Malaysia, Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil of Norway, Repsol of Spain, Inpex of Japan, Chevron and ExxonMobil.

Non-operators include Cairn India and Cairn Energy of UK.

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AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi today pitched for making efforts to secure the 'heritage city' tag for Hyderabad, on the lines of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Owaisi's call received support from the BJP and the ruling TRS in Telangana.

Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya of BJP and Telangana Minister for IT, Municipal Administration and Urban Development K T Rama Rao assured to take up the matter with the Central government.

The UNESCO on Saturday declared Ahmedabad as the world heritage city. It is the first city in India to get the tag.

Owaisi raised the issue of making Hyderabad a heritage city during the inauguration of Deccan Park here, in the presence of K T Rama Rao and Dattatreya.

The Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad later tweeted, "@MinIT_Telangana inaugurated Deccan Park at 7 Tombs in presence @Dattatreya requested Hyderabad should get UNESCO Heritage Tag as Ahmedabad."



To this, Rama Rao in a tweet said, "Absolutely agree. We shall strive for it."



Earlier addressing a gathering at the inauguration of the Deccan Park, the minister said, "Hyderabad is most eligible to get this tag. If any city can stake claim in this regard, Hyderabad is on the top of that list," he said.

"It is a lengthy procedure and the state government has to make a recommendation to the Centre, which has to approve this proposal and send the same to UNESCO, which in turn will come to the city for inspection," Rama Rao said.

"All out efforts will be made to ensure that the heritage city tag is accorded to Hyderabad," he said.

Dattatreya, who represents the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat, said, "As a Union minister, I will definitely make efforts in this regard."



The Central government is allocating Rs 500 crore to Telangana for developing the state's tourism sector, he said.

The decision to declare 600-year-old Ahmedabad as the heritage city was recently taken at the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee Meeting at Krakow in Poland.

It has now joined the ranks of Paris, Vienna, Cairo, Brussels, Rome and Edinburgh and put India on the world heritage city map.

Meanwhile, according to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation authorities, the Deccan Park in Hyderabad has been developed in an area of 20 acres. The beautification work of the park, which is spread across 31 acres abutting the seven tombs, began in 2002.

The Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA) acquired the land in 1982, as per the state government orders.

The Deccan Park was developed on 20 acres by 2006, replete with a number of recreational facilities, including boating and train ride, the civic officials said.

However, the park could not be opened due to court cases which were cleared in 2011. Later, its opening again got delayed due to demands for renaming the park, they said.

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Pakistan wants to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, so that peace can be restored in the region, Sartaj Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, has said.

Aziz's remarks came amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC).

He also accused India of increasing the tension on the LoC to divert attention from the human rights violations in Kashmir, The International newspaper reported.

He claimed that in the last one year, India had committed 450 LoC violations, killing many innocent people.

Aziz said that Pakistan wanted to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir so that the peace could be restored in the region.

At the same time, Aziz said Pakistan would continue political, moral and diplomatic support of Kashmiris until and unless Kashmiris achieve freedom from India. He said India could not suppress the vigour of Kashmiris for freedom.

India being a democratic country should give chance to the people of Kashmir to decide their future course, he said.

If referendum could be held in Italy and Britain, then why not in Kashmir?, he asked.

Aziz claimed that if plebiscite was held in Kashmir no Muslim would decide to live with India.

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The Pakistan Army targeted villages and forward posts along the LoC in Poonch sector with mortars and small arms fire overnight, damaging a trade facilitation centreand police barracks.

"There was overnight heavy firing and shelling by Pakistanitroops along the LoC in Poonch district. It continued till 0100 hourstoday", a police officer said.

In the shelling, a trade facilitation centre and police barracks were damaged, the officer said.

Yesterday, the Pakistan Army firedfrom small arms, automatic weapons and mortar bombs on villages and Indian Army posts along the LoC in Poonch district.

There have been 23 incidents of ceasefire violation, one BATattack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June in which four people, including three jawans, were killed and 12 injured.

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A Palestinian attempted a car ramming and knife attack against Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank today and was shot dead, Israel's army said.

The incident occurred at a junction in Tekoa, south of Jerusalem. One soldier was reported lightly wounded.

According to the army, the assailant attempted the car- ramming, then exited the vehicle and tried to stab soldiers.

The identity and age of the Palestinian were not immediately available.

"A short while ago, a Palestinian assailant attempted a car ramming attack at a junction in Tekoa," the army said in a statement.

"He then exited the vehicle, armed with a knife, and attempted to stab (Israeli) soldiers standing nearby. An (Israeli) soldier was lightly injured in this incident and is receiving medical treatment in the hospital.

"In response to the immediate threat, forces fired towards the assailant, who died."



A wave of unrest that broke out in October 2015 has claimed the lives of 275 Palestinians, 42 Israelis, two Americans, two Jordanians, an Eritrean, a Sudanese and a Briton, according to an AFP toll.

Israeli authorities say most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks.

Others were shot dead in protests and clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.

The violence has greatly subsided in recent months.

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Petrol pump dealers have deferred till month-end their planned 'no-purchase, no-sale' agitation against daily revision in fuel prices on expectations that oil companies will raise their sales commission.

All India Petroleum Dealers Association, which claims to represent petrol pump operators in 23 states, had called on its members not to buy any fuel from oil companies or sell any petrol and diesel to consumers on July 12.

This was in protest against the "losses" the petrol pump dealers have suffered because of daily revision in fuel prices being implemented from June 15.

"The Petroleum Ministry has directed the oil marketing companies (OMCs) to decide on raising dealers commission by July 31," AIPDA president Ajay Bansal told PTI here.

Also, the oil companies have promised to study the implementation of the daily price revision till August 15 to see if the dealers actually suffer any losses.

"In view of this, we have decided to defer the agitation till August 1," Bansal said.

Dealers say they suffer losses as they buy petrol and diesel from oil companies at one rate but the very next day rates would be cut. "Buying at x price and selling at x minus 1 is leading to huge losses for dealers," he said.

He said the OMCs have promised to devise some compensation scheme if the two months study (June 16 to August 15) throws out findings that dealers had suffered substantial loses due to daily price revision.

Prices of petrol and diesel are revised at 0600 hrs everyday since June 16 to reflect any change in international oil price in the previous day.

Previously, the revision in rate would happen on 1st and 16th of every month and was based on average international oil price and foreign exchange rate in the preceding fortnight.

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Five militants including a woman belonging to different separatist outfits were arrested from various places in the Imphal valley, a senior police officer said today.

A police team along with women personnel arrested "an active member" of the proscribed outfit United National Liberation Front (UNLF) from her residence at Warukok Awang Leikai in Thoubal district on Saturday, the officer said.

She has been identified as 29-year-old Mutum Sumila Chanu.

In another development, police arrested a member of the banned terrorist outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (Lamyanba Khuman) and seized one .32 mm pistol with magazine, five live rounds and one Chinese-made hand grenade from his possession on Saturday.

Based on the disclosure of the arrested militant identified as Thoudam Premkumar Singh (30), one of his associate known as Md Manir Khan was also arrested from his residence at Oinam Sawombung.

Acting on a tip-off, police arrested two militants belonging to Kuki National Front (Indian) on Saturday morning from Langol Games village in Imphal West district.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the duo identified as Seiboi Vaiphei (30) and Sanglian Neisial (43), were involved in extortion activities from the general public and government employees, said a police officer.

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Popular Malayalam actor Dileep was today arrested in connection with the abduction and assault case of a South Indian actress, police said.

Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra said Dileep was arrested based on evidence police gathered during the process of investigation into the case.

"Dileep has been arrested. We are questioning him. Arrest is a process of investigation," he told reporters.

He said no other person has been taken into custody in connection with the case.

Behera, however, refused to share further details.

Police said Dileep has been taken to Aluva police club for questioning.

Earlier, a top police official overseeing the investigation in the case, told PTI that Dileep was arrested following his questioning for the second time in view of fresh revelations in the case.

He is accused of conspiracy behind the abduction and assault of the actress, an incident that sent shock waves in the state.

Police had questioned prime accused 'Pulsar' Suni, the key accused in the case, for allegedly making phone calls from jail to threaten and blackmail film industry people, including Dileep.

Police secured Dileep's custody on July 5 for five days from a magisterial court at nearby Kakanad.

Suni's second arrest had followed days after police recorded the statement of Dileep on his complaint alleging blackmail by a man, who claimed to be a friend of Suni.

While being taken to the court from the jail, Suni told reporters that names of the "sharks" involved in the conspiracy behind the abduction of the actress would soon be revealed.

Police had questioned Dileep and his director friend Nadirshah for nearly 13 hours on June 29 in view of Suni's revelations.

Police had then said that if necessary, they would be called again for questioning.

On April 20, Dileep had alleged blackmail by a man, who claimed that he was a friend of 'Pulsar Suni' in the case.

Police had said they were also investigating the alleged conspiracy angle in the case.

The actor had earlier said that he filed a complaint with the Director General of Police along with evidence of blackmailing, allegedly with the knowledge of 'Pulsar' Suni.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, said the role of actor-turned politicians, including Innocent, Ganesh Kumar and Mukesh should also be investigated.

P T Thomas, MLA, who had been following up the case from the beginning, said that the revelations by some prisoners, including one Jinson, who had shared cell with 'Pulsar' Suni in the Kakkanad district jail, helped police crack the conspiracy angle behind the case.

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 night and later escaped in a busy area in Kochi.

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The opposition's presidential nominee, Meira Kumar, today met the Congress MPs and MLAs from Himachal Pradesh and urged them to use their "conscience" while voting in the July 17 election to the country's top constitutional post.

"Earlier also, the members had exercised their conscience during the presidential contest between Neelam Sanjiva Reddy and V V Giri," she told the Congress lawmakers.

The former Lok Sabha speaker, who was accompanied by senior Congress leaders including Salman Khurshid, Ambika Soni and Anand Sharma, claimed that she had the support of 17 parties in the presidential election.

She alleged that the ruling BJP had become "intolerant" towards the different ideologies, religions, eating habits etc. In the country.

"India has been a perfect example of unity in diversity as the people of the country follow various religions, ideologies, cultural ethos and values. But, this multi- religious system is being marginalised and the people are looking at us to raise their voice," the five-time Lok Sabha MP told reporters later.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh assured Kumar that the Himachal Congress Legislature Party (CLP) would stand behind her as she was the "most deserving candidate" for the post of president.

The BJP-led NDA's presidential nominee, former Bihar governor Ram Nath Kovind, is scheduled to visit Shimla on July 13 to seek the support of the MLAs and MPs of the ruling bloc.

The presidential election is scheduled to take place on July 17 and the counting of votes will be taken up on July 20.

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Donald Trump's eldest son has said that he met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer shortly after his father clinched the Republican nomination, hoping to get information helpful to the campaign.

A New York Times report yesterday citing advisers to the White House briefed on the encounter said Trump Jr. Agreed to the meeting after being promised information damaging to Hillary Clinton.

The June meeting at Trump Tower with attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya involved Trump Jr., his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, who was then the campaign chairman.

The existence of the meeting was disclosed only recently to government officials and confirmed on Saturday by representatives of Trump Jr. And Kushner following a separate Times report.

In a statement yesterday, Trump Jr. Did not confirm that the information he was promised would be damaging to Clinton. But he said he was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant who he was told might have information that would be helpful to the campaign.

Trump Jr. Said that during the meeting the attorney claimed to have information that "individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee" and supporting Clinton.

"No details or supporting information was provided or even offered," Trump Jr. Said. "It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."



He said no details or supporting information was ever offered, and that his father was unaware of the meeting.

On Saturday, Trump Jr. Had described the same gathering as "short introductory meeting" during which the three discussed a disbanded program that used to allow US citizens to adopt Russian children. Russia ended the adoptions in response to American sanctions brought against the nation following the 2009 death of an imprisoned lawyer who spoke about a corruption scandal.

He said that the attorney turned the conversation to the adoption of Russian children, and that he believed that this was the "true agenda" of the meeting and that claims about damaging information had been a pretext for the encounter.

"I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office," Trump Jr. Said in the statement.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's legal team, said only, "The President was not aware of and did not attend the meeting."



Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. Does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts. The newspaper said the meeting was disclosed in recent days to government investigators filed a revised version of a form needed to obtain a security clearance. His attorney has previously acknowledged that Kushner's first security clearance submissions were incomplete and contained errors.

Manafort also recently disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators, the newspaper said.

The newspaper said Veselnitskaya is known for her attempts to undercut the sanctions against Russian human rights abusers. The Times also said her clients include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.

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The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) today said, "there was no question" of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's resignation in the wake of his name appearing in the CBI FIR in the land-for-hotel case.

Senior party leader Jagdanand Singh informed reporters that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had called up RJD president Lalu Prasad last night but refused to divulge what transpired in the telephonic talks between them.

Kumar or the JD(U) has not commented so far on Friday's CBI raids in four cities in connection with a corruption case, in which the RJD chief, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi are among the accused.

BJP and its NDA partners have been demanding Tejashwi's resignation over the issue.

Party legislator Mundrika Prasad Yadav told PTI, "There is no question of his resignation".

Another RJD MLA Ramanuj Prasad echoed his views.

In the RJD Legislature Party's meeting, Tejashwi's work as its leader in the Assembly was praised, senior minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui told reporters after the meeting.

The finance minister in Nitish Kumar's Grand Alliance government, however, said, Yadav's resignation was not discussed at the meeting held at the 10 Circular road residence of former chief minister Rabri Devi.

Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, his minister brother Tej Pratap Yadav were present in the meeting along with legislators and other senior leaders of the party.

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South Korea intends to build a museum in memory of wartime sex slaves for Japanese troops, a government minister said today, re-igniting a perennial diplomatic thorn in the two neighbours' sides.

The plight of the so-called "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II is a hugely emotional issue that has marred ties between the US allies for decades.

Mainstream historians say up to 200,000 women -- mostly from Korea but also other parts of Asia including China -- were forced to work at Japanese army brothels across the region during the 1939-1945 conflict.

"We are planning to build a 'comfort women' museum in Seoul," said new gender equality minister Chung Hyun-Back at a shelter for a shrinking number of survivors, who now number only 38 in total.

The "House of Sharing", in a rural area south of Seoul, has a memorial hall but Chung said the country needed a museum in the capital with better public access.

She did not elaborate on when it will open or what kind of materials it will display.

Japan maintains that there is a lack of documentary proof that the women were forcibly made to work at the brothels.

In late 2015, under now-ousted president Park Geun-Hye, Seoul and Tokyo reached what they described as a "final and irreversible" agreement under which Japan offered an apology and a one-billion yen ($8.6 billion) payment to South Korean survivors.

Critics of the accord, including some survivors, say the deal did not go far enough in holding Japan legally responsible for wartime abuses during its 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.

Tension escalated further after South Korean activists refused to remove a statue of a girl erected in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul to symbolise the victims of sex slavery.

Tokyo has pressed Seoul to remove it, but activists have since put up more statues -- including one outside the Japanese consulate in Busan.

Tokyo recalled its ambassador in protest in January, and he did not return for three months.

New South Korean President Moon Jae-In has repeatedly voiced criticism of the 2015 deal, suggesting a potential push by Seoul to renegotiate it.

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The Supreme Court today asked the Centre, 21 states and Union Territories (UTs) to implement the guidelines on rehabilitation of those who are cured of mental illness but still languishing in asylums due to unwillingness of their families to take them back.

A bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud asked the Union of India, 21 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and some UTs to make sure that the guidelines are implemented within a year and asked them to file a status report with its Registry.

Disposing of a PIL, filed by Delhi-based lawyer Garuav Kumar Bansal, the bench said he could approach it again if the authorities do not implement the guidelines in letter and spirit.

The guidelines, submitted by a committee headed by the Secretary of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, recommended that state governments should take steps to create and manage rehabilitation homes for those discharged from mental asylums and have no place to go.

The guidelines also say that rehabilitation homes should be outside any hospital and the governments should appoint a house in-charge, an office assistant, a social worker, a vocational instructor, two trained care-givers, two helpers, one visiting psychiatrist, one occupational therapist and adequate security, house keeping and kitchen staff per 25 residents. Cultural and sporting activities may be conducted for the residents.

The apex court had on February 22 asked the Centre to frame guidelines or schemes for the rehabilitation of those who have been cured of mental illness, observing that it was a "very sensitive" matter.

The court was hearing a PIL which has raised the issue of release of about 300 persons from various mental hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, alleging they were still languishing there despite being cured of their ailments and most of them belonged to poorer sections.

The apex court had earlier favoured framing of a uniform national policy to deal with those suffering from mental illness and their release from hospitals after being cured.

The PIL, filed by advocate G K Bansal, has alleged that many underprivileged persons were still languishing in mental hospitals despite being cured and there was no policy in place to ensure their well-being after release.

The plea has also referred to responses received under the RTI with regard to the release of persons living in mental hospitals at Bareilly, Varanasi and Agra in Uttar Pradesh even after being cured.

The queries, which were posed under transparency law to Mental Health Hospital, Bareilly, Institute of Mental Health and Hospital, Agra and Mental Hospital, Varanasi, pertained to names, residential address and age of the patients who were now normal and waiting for discharge from these hospitals.

The plea has sought issuance of directions to states and others to "forthwith make arrangements to shift the patients, who are absolutely normal and are fit for discharge, from the mental hospitals to any other secure place like Old Age Homes etc.

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Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) a state-owned miner today said it has entered into an MoU with Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) for supply of 81 lakh tonnes of coal this year.

According to a release issued by the PSU, the MoU was signed by higher officials of both the companies in the presence of N Sridhar, CMD of SCCL and Kumar Naik, MD of KPCL.

"With this agreement, SCCL will supply a total of 81 lakh tonnes of coal to KPCL during this financial year out of which SCCL will supply 30 lakh tonnes of coal to Raichur Thermal Power Station and 20 lakh tonnes to Yerramarru Thermal Power Station and 31 lakh tonnes of coal to Bellary Thermal Power Station," it said.

Senior officials from both the companies were present on the occasion, the release added.

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Trinamool Congress minister and Kolkata Municipal Corporation(KMC) mayor Sovan Chatterjee failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate which had summoned him in connection with the Narada tapes case.

"Chatterjee was supposed to come today. But he sent his lawyer and has sought three to four weeks more," an ED official told PTI adding he has been given two weeks time to appear before it.

Another two Trinamool Congress leaders, Sultan Ahmed, an MP and Iqbal Ahmed, MLA and deputy mayor of the civic body have also been summoned by ED in the same case. Both of them have been asked to appear within this week.

Brothers Sultan Ahmed and Iqbal Ahmed had been already quizzed by the CBI in this case.

Several Trinamool Congress ministers, MLAs, MPs and an IPS officer had been allegedly implicated in the Narada tapes scam where they were purpotedly shown accepting money from journalist Mathew Samuels who posed as a businessman.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday expressed dismay over lack of courtesy shown by her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz, who has not even acknowledged her personal letter requesting for a Pakistani visa for Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother.

However, she assured Aziz that any Pakistani seeking a medical visa to travel to India with his recommendation will be given the visa immediately.

In a series of tweets, Swaraj said, "I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals."



She said a visa application was pending for Indian Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan.

"I wrote a personal letter to Mr Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Mr Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she tweeted.

I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. /1  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country. /2  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals. /3  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country. /4  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

We also have a visa application pending for an Indian Mrs.Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan /5  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

against whom they have pronounced a death sentence. /6  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

I wrote a personal letter to Mr.Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. /7  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

However, Mr.Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter. /8  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

But I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Mr.Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately. /9  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

Jadhav, 46, was allegedly arrested by Pakistan in the restive Balochistan province last year. He has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism.

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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will arrive in Kuwait today, the key mediator between Qatar and its Arab neighbours, for talks aimed at defusing the Gulf's worst crisis in years.

Tillerson will shuttle between Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia from Monday to Thursday in what is the first serious intervention by Washington in the Gulf crisis.

The dispute has seen a Saudi-led alliance impose sanctions on Doha over its alleged ties to both Islamist extremist groups and Shiite-dominated Iran.

As they met in Egypt last week, Saudi Arabia and its allies said they planned to tighten sanctions against the gas-rich emirate, after Qatar refused to comply with a list of demands.

A spokesman for Tillerson said ahead of his landing in Kuwait that it remained to be seen "if there's even a possibility of some outcomes" towards resolving the crisis.

"Right now, after Egypt, we're months away from what we think would be an actual resolution and that's very discouraging," RC Hammond told reporters.

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt abruptly severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, suspending transport links with Doha and ordering all Qataris to repatriate within 14 days.

The four nations later issued a list of 13 demands to be met to lift the sanctions, including that Qatar shut down broadcaster Al-Jazeera, close a Turkish military base and downgrade diplomatic ties with Iran.

Qatar refused to meet the demands last week on the grounds they undermined its national sovereignty. It has also categorically denied having any ties to extremist groups.

Tillerson, the former chief executive of energy giant Exxon Mobil, arrives in the Gulf after a stop in Istanbul, where he discussed the Syria war to a failed 2016 coup in Turkey.

Analysts say Tillerson's success in the Gulf may be contingent on his ability to maneuver regional skepticism over conflicting stances from Washington on the crisis.

US President Donald Trump initially supported longtime US ally Saudi Arabia, but his stance was later contradicted when the US Department of State took a more neutral position.

Tillerson's impact largely depends on whether regional officials "believe that the secretary of state is fully backed by President Trump", London-based political analyst Neil Partrick said.

"If Tillerson can convincingly frame his mission as delivering a deal for the United States that is all about defeating terrorism... Then he may have some chance," said Partrick, who focuses on Gulf politics.

But despite strong mediation efforts by Kuwait and others, governments across the region say they may remain deadlocked for the foreseeable future.

"No diplomatic effort or... Mediation will succeed without Doha being rational, mature and realistic," UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted last week.

Tillerson's visit comes on the heels of a string of official visits to the region, including UN diplomats and the foreign ministers of Britain, Germany and Oman.

UK National Security Advisor Mark Sidwell is scheduled to attend part of the meeting between Tillerson and Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah.

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A local trader was shot dead in Saraikham locality by a man over old enmity, police said today.

Kasim Beg (42) was shot at last night by one Kaseeb when he was sitting in his shop. He was rushed to a hospital, where the doctors declared him brought dead, they said.

Superintendent of Police (City) Rohit Singh Sehjawan said the matter is being probed and a hunt has been launched to nab the accused.

Heavy force has been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident, he said.

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President Donald Trump hailed Iraq's "victory" over the Islamic State group in Mosul today, claiming the northern city's liberation showed the war against the jihadis was being won.

"The victory in Mosul" signals Islamic State's "days in Iraq and Syria are numbered," Trump said in a statement praising Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

"Today Iraqi security forces supported by the United States and the global coalition, liberated the city of Mosul from its longtime nightmare under the rule of ISIS," Trump said.

"We congratulate Prime Minister Abadi, the Iraqi security forces and all the Iraqis for their victory over terrorists who are the enemies of all civilized people."



Trump claimed there had been "tremendous progress" made against in the Islamic State group: "More in the past six months than in the years since ISIS became a major threat," he said.

"The victory in Mosul, a city where ISIS once proclaimed its so-called caliphate signals that its days in Iraq and Syria are numbered. We will continue to seek the total destruction of ISIS."



Trump made the battle against the Islamic State group a central plank of his presidential election campaign and the justification for restrictions on travelers from Muslim countries.

His statement was echoed by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who vowed to work with partners and the UN to stabilize liberated areas of Mosul and return displaced citizens.

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The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of Mumbai police arrested two persons, including a resident of Kashmir, and seized 21 kgs of charas worth Rs 83.68 lakh, police said today.

The contraband was being transported from Kashmir to Mumbai to be distributed to local drug peddlers, they said.

The Worli unit of Anti Narcotics laid a trap at Nagpada in central Mumbai yesterday and apprehended Haji Abdul Rehman Ali Mohmad Sheikh (67) and Irfan Maisar Qureshi (42), an official said.

While Sheikh is a resident of Bijbehara in Anantnag district of Kashmir, Qureshi resides in Nagpada, an official said.

The ANC sleuths seized 15 kg and 660 grams of charas from Shaikh's possession and five kg and 260 grams of the banned material from Qureshi's taxi, he said.

"Sheikh is in the business since more than two decades and was arrested in 2010 with 39 kg of charas by Worli unit only," Ninad Sawant, senior police inspector of Worli Unit said.

He had been released on bail in 2014 and he again entered the narcotics business, he said.

"Sheikh used to send the contraband from Kashmir's Anantnag area by road and he himself used to come by train," he said.

After the contraband reached the outskirts of Mumbai, it used to be transported in Mumbai by Qureshi's taxi, following which Sheikh used to distribute it in the city, he added.

Further investigation is on.

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An accused in the Una flogging case allegedly tried to project one of the seven Dalit victims as a Muslim who slaughtered the cow whose carcass was being skinned, according to the charge sheet by the CID.

According to the transcript of a video of the incident attached to the charge sheet, the said accused tried to egg others on by labelling the particular victim as a member of the minority community.

On July 11 last year, the seven Dalits from Mota Samadhiyala village of Gir Somnath district were flogged in public, allegedly for cow slaughter.

Videos of the thrashing had gone viral triggering widespread protests. Two persons, including a policeman and a civilian, died during the violent agitation in Gujarat.

According to the transcript of one such video, annexed to the charge sheet, the accused tried to label one victim as Muslim.

"Tell the truth...You belong to which community? Don't do drama here...Stop crying...Beat him up. What is your name? I know you very well...Your name is Aarif...Why did you run away? Tell me will you ever run away? You slaughtered the cow," reads the Gujarati transcript of the video.

"Let us tie them to the vehicle and thrash them. Only then will they understand," the transcript adds.

The CID had named 34 people, including four police personnel, in the charge sheet filed last year.

The charge sheet said alleged mastermind Shantilal Monpara of the 'Sanatan Gau Seva Trust' hatched a conspiracy with his aides to project the Dalit men had slaughtered the cow.

The Dalit men had claimed they were only skinning the carcass.

The charge sheet stated that the victims were thrashed near the Una Police Station also and that the policemen concerned "did nothing" to save the Dalit men.

The Gujarat Police later found the cow being skinned by the Dalits was actually killed by lions.

Ahead of the first anniversary of the flogging incident, the Dalits under their leader Jignesh Mevani would take out 'Freedom March' on July 12 from Mehsana town.

A day before the march, Dalit activists and victims of alleged atrocities on the community from across the country, including the Una incident victims, will gather at Ahmedabad to take part in a conclave where they would highlight their demands.

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A team of the Uttar Pradesh Anti- Terrorist Squad (ATS) today left for Srinagar to interrogate Muzaffarnagar resident Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a member of militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who has been arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police.

Another ATS team has left for Muzaffarnagar to collect information on Sharma.

"According to information received from the Jammu and Kashmir police, Sandeep Kumar Sharma's involvement has been found in many cases. To collect additional inputs, teams have left for Jammu and Kashmir and Muzaffarnagar," Inspector General (IG), ATS, Aseem Arun said here.

Sharma was nabbed from the same house where LeT commander Bashir Lashkari was killed on July 1.

He lived in a rented accommodation in Kulgam with three others -- Muneeb Shah, who has also been arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police, Shahid Ahmad and Muzaffar Ahmad.

It was here that they met hardcore LeT terrorist Shakoor Ahmad, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Munir Khan, told reporters in Srinagar earlier in the day.

The IGP said Sharma was involved in criminal and militant activities and became a "hardcore terrorist in the sense that he accompanied the LeT terrorists in three actions", including the one on June 16, in which six police personnel were killed in south Kashmir.

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US Ambassador Nikki Haley today ramped up pressure on the Myanmar government to accept a UN fact-finding mission tasked with investigating human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims.

Yangon officials said last week that they would deny visas to the three-person team mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate abuses reportedly committed by security forces in Rakhine state.

"It is important that the Burmese government allow this fact-finding mission to do its job," Haley said in a statement.

"The international community cannot overlook what is happening in Burma - we must stand together and call on the government to fully cooperate with this fact-finding mission."



Myanmar's de facto leader and Nobel prize winning democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has rejected the UN fact- finding mission, arguing that the government is carrying out its own investigation.

The north of Rakhine state has been under lockdown since October, when the military launched a campaign to hunt down Rohingya militants who staged deadly attacks on police posts.

More than 90,000 Rohingya have been forced to flee their homes since last October, according to UN estimates.

A UN report in February said the campaign against the Rohingya, who are denied citizenship and other rights in Myanmar, "very likely" amounted to war crimes.

Haley said the violence in Rakhine continues to claim lives and that there were continuing allegations of sexual violence targeting women and children.

In May, the Geneva-based rights council appointed Indira Jaising of India, Radhika Coomaraswamy of Sri Lanka and Christopher Dominic Sidoti of Australia to serve as the three members of the fact-finding mission.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan today said the world was looking at India in finding ways to combat climate change and global warming as it has traditional knowledge and solutions to protect the nature.

Asserting that protecting nature is in the country's DNA, he said experts feel that India's traditional knowledge on environment protection can be utilised to deal with the dangers associated with the environment.

"The entire world is looking towards India on how to combat the challenge of climate change and global warming. The solutions to protect the nature and environment are in our DNA," he said addressing the 68th state-level 'Van Mahotsav' at Govindpura, near Jaipur.

He said for generations, the country have been successful in protecting environment through these solutions.

"The importance of these solutions has increased in the present context. This is the reason that the global community has many expectations from India," he pointed out.

Vardhan said that the Centre will extend full cooperation to the Rajasthan government for the ongoing programmes to protect the environment.

"Traditional systems exist in Rajasthan to protect water, earth and sky from pollution," he said.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who was also present, made an appeal to the people to plant saplings, protect them and take care of them throughout the life.

She said that everyone will have to make a collective effort in realising the dream of making Rajasthan green.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Drazen Jorgic

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan says it could become one of the world's top-five buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), with Petroleum Minister Shahid Abbasi predicting imports could jump more than fivefold as private companies build new LNG terminals.

Outlining Pakistan's ambitious plans - which, if fully implemented, could shake up the global LNG market - Abbasi told that imports could top 30 million tonnes by 2022, up from just 4.5 million tonnes currently.

Cheaper than fuel oil and cleaner burning than coal, LNG suits emerging economies seeking to bridge electricity shortfalls and support growth on tight budgets.

"Within five years, I don't see any reason why we should not be beyond 30 million tonnes (in annual LNG imports). We will be one of the top five markets in the world," Abbasi said.

That kind of jump would represent one of the fastest growth stories in the energy industry, comparable to what China has done in many commodities - but there are doubts whether Pakistan can achieve its ambitions, given the complexity and cost of expansion projects.

"It's always possible, but seems very difficult as they will need much more (regasification) capacity and downstream pipeline capacity," said Trevor Sikorski at Energy Aspects, a London-based industry market researcher. "There are infrastructural issues and financial issues."

"Still, it is one of the key LNG growth markets, and its demand will help tighten up the market that has threatened to lurch into over supply."

Abbasi said no one took Pakistan seriously after a decade of botched attempts to bring LNG to the country, but this has changed with the construction of new LNG terminals and gas plants. He said foreign suppliers are now arriving in Pakistan - where energy shortages have prompted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to promise he'll end the country's frequent blackouts.

"Before, we used to go out to talk to LNG suppliers. Now they're coming to us," Abbasi said.

"(LNG) is really what has saved the whole energy system. It has been a huge success in Pakistan and it will continue," he said after Sharif on Friday inaugurated a new Chinese-built LNG power plant that uses General Electric turbines.

GETTING CONNECTED

Pakistan built its first LNG terminal in 2015 and, after some delays, a second terminal is due to come online in October, doubling annual import capacity to about 9 million tonnes.

A consortium of Exxon Mobil, Total, Mitsubishi, Qatar Petroleum and Norway's Hoegh is expected to decide by September whether to build a third LNG terminal for about $700 million, Abbasi said.

Pakistan has dropped plans to finance up to two more terminals, as private companies have said they would finance these themselves and use Pakistan's existing gas network to sell directly to consumers.

"That's been the real success and that's where the growth will come from," Abbasi said, adding that about 10 million homes are linked to gas connections in Pakistan - a nation of around 200 million.

"In the last four years, we would have added two million additional connections. We are really ramping that up."

If Pakistan achieves its ambitious development goals, it could significantly erode market oversupply, which has helped pull down Asian LNG spot prices by more than 70 percent since 2014 to around $5 per million British thermal units (mmBtu).

Abbasi said Pakistan is in talks with Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Oman about government-to-government deals for up to three monthly LNG cargoes for its second terminal, which can import 600 million cubic feet of gas per day, equal to six cargoes a month.

"We have a basic idea of what the market is. So if we are able to better those prices through negotiated procurement, we will go with that, otherwise we might float some more tenders," Abbasi said.

Tenders for two of the terminal's six cargoes have already been won by trading house Gunvor and Italy's Eni, which have signed 5-year and 15-year deals, respectively. The contracts are worth about $5 billion over their lifetime.

Qatar supplies most of the gas for Pakistan's first LNG terminal.

Abbasi said Pakistan is considering inviting private investors to build small-scale gas power plants to add another 3,000-4,000 megawatts to the network, on top of the three new LNG plants that will contribute 3,600 MW.

(Reporting by Drazen Jorgic, with additional reporting by Mark Tay; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Nidhi Verma and Florence Tan

NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - India, the world's third-largest oil importer, will import crude oil from the United States for the first time after Indian Oil Corp bought a cargo that will be delivered in October.

The purchase comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the U.S. in June when President Donald Trump said his country looked forward to exporting more energy products to India.

IOC bought 1.6 million barrels of U.S. Mars crude, a heavy, high-sulphur grade, and 400,000 barrels of Western Canadian Select that will be delivered onboard a Very Large Crude Carrier, IOC's head of finance, A.K. Sharma, told .

PetroChina was awarded the tender to sell the cargoes and is expected to load the oil off the U.S. Gulf Coast, said a trading source with direct knowledge of the sale.

The cargo was priced on a delivered ex-ship basis, which is "very competitive" to that of Basra Light, Sharma said.

"So long as the prices remain competitive, we will buy more of the U.S. crude," he said.

IOC had to obtain special permission from the shipping ministry to buy the cargo on a delivered basis as local regulations favour the use of Indian flagged carriers for imports, Sharma said.

India is the latest Asian country to buy U.S. crude after South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Australia and Taiwan as the countries seek to diversify oil imports from other regions after the OPEC cuts drove up prices of Middle East heavy-sour crude, or grades with a high sulphur content.

Indian refiners are seeking these heavy, high-sulphur grades as feedstocks after modifications at their plants make it easier to process these types of crudes, which typically sell at a lower cost relative to other oil types. The U.S. could become an alternative source for the Indian companies for these grades.

A second Indian refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd also planned to buy its first ever U.S. crude oil cargo and has issued a purchase tender.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma in NEW DELHI and Florence Tan in SINGAPORE; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier and Christian Schmollinger)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Indian Oil Corp, the country's largest refiner, has purchased its first ever crude oil from the United States to be delivered in early October, a senior company official said on Monday.

IOC bought 1.6 million barrels of U.S. Mars crude and 400,000 barrels of Western Canadian Select that will be delivered onboard a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), IOC's head of finance, A.K. Sharma, told .

PetroChina was awarded the tender to sell the cargoes, trade sources said.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma in NEW DELHI and Florence Tan in SINGAPORE; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Amanda Cooper

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil fell on Monday, adding to heavy losses at the end of last week due to rising drilling activity in the United States and no let-up in supply growth from both OPEC and non-OPEC exporters.

Prices dropped even as OPEC signalled it may widen its production caps to include Nigeria and Libya, whose output has recovered in recent months after being curtailed by years of unrest.

Brent crude futures fell 51 cents on the day to $46.20 per barrel by 1120 GMT, while U.S. crude futures were last 49 cents lower on the day at $43.74 a barrel.

"The market is in trouble and looks very vulnerable to lower numbers," PVM brokerage said in a note.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has agreed with some non-OPEC members to curtail production until March 2018 but the move has failed to eliminate a global glut of crude.

Several key OPEC ministers will meet non-OPEC Russia on July 24 in St Petersburg, Russia, to discuss the situation in oil markets.

Kuwait said on Sunday that Nigeria and Libya had been invited to the meeting and their production could be capped earlier than November, when OPEC is scheduled to hold formal talks, according to Bloomberg.

Libya said on Monday it was ready for dialogue but added that its political, economic and humanitarian situation should be taken into account in talks on caps.

Brent prices are 17 percent below their 2017 opening despite strong compliance by OPEC with the production-cutting accord.

ANZ bank said the market "continued to focus on the increasing (U.S.) drilling activity and higher production".

U.S. energy firms added seven oil drilling rigs last week, marking a 24th week of increases out of the last 25 and bringing the count to 763, the most since April 2015, energy services company Baker Hughes said.

U.S. oil production has risen more than 10 percent since mid-2016.

"This is the response of prices to of increasing oil production in the U.S.," Commerzbank said in a note. "The U.S. Department of Energy reported a marked rise in production that virtually reversed the previous week's decline."

There are some indicators the oil market might have bottomed as money managers have raised their long positions since the start of July after reducing them to a nine-month low by late June.

(Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein in SINGAPORE; Editing by Susan Thomas)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Henning Gloystein and Dmitry Zhdannikov

SINGAPORE/LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices declined on Monday, adding to heavy losses at the end of last week on the back of high drilling activity in the United States and ample supplies from OPEC and non-OPEC nations.

Prices dropped even as OPEC signalled it may widen its production caps to include Nigeria and Libya, whose output has recovered in recent months after being curtailed by years of unrest.

Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were at $46.21 per barrel at 0936 GMT, down 50 cents, or around 1 percent, from their last close.

U.S. crude futures were at $43.78 per barrel, down 45 cents.

"The market is in trouble and looks very vulnerable to lower numbers," PVM brokerage said in a note.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has agreed with some non-OPEC members to curtail production until March 2018 but the move has failed to eliminate a global glut of crude.

Several key OPEC ministers will meet non-OPEC Russia on July 24 in St Petersburg, Russia, to discuss the current situation in oil markets.

Kuwait said on Sunday that Nigeria and Libya had been invited to the meeting and their production could be capped earlier than November, when OPEC is scheduled to hold formal talks, according to Bloomberg.

Libya said on Monday it was ready for dialogue but added that its political, economic and humanitarian situation should be taken into account in talks on caps.

Brent prices are 17 percent below their 2017 opening despite strong compliance by OPEC with the production-cutting accord.

ANZ bank said the market "continued to focus on the increasing (U.S.) drilling activity and higher production".

U.S. energy firms added seven oil drilling rigs last week, marking a 24th week of increases out of the last 25 and bringing the count to 763, the most since April 2015, energy services company Baker Hughes said.

U.S. oil production has risen more than 10 percent since mid-2016.

"There seems little hope for (market) rebalancing ... unless we see an exceptional increase in demand as reining in supply seems to be getting tougher," said Sukrit Vijayakar, director of energy consultancy Trifecta.

However, there are some indicators the oil market might have bottomed as money managers have raised their long positions since the start of July after reducing them to a nine-month low by late June.

(Editing by Dale Hudson)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Ben Blanchard

BEIJING (Reuters) - From U.S. anger over inaction on North Korea to a festering border dispute with India and the ailing Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, last week's G20 summit was strewn with minefields for China's President Xi Jinping.

By chance or by strategy, Xi and his officials picked their way through unscathed.

Beijing is ultra-sensitive about Xi's image and ensuring he gets the respect it sees as his due as leader of an emerging superpower, especially when travelling to Western countries where it cannot so tightly control the public narrative.

Diplomatic sources in Beijing, speaking ahead of Xi's trip to the G20 gathering in the German city of Hamburg, said Chinese officials had in private expressed nervousness that he could be asked awkward questions about North Korea, or the cancer-struck Liu, jailed for 11 years in 2009 for "inciting subversion of state power".

In the end it was U.S. President Donald Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid accusations Russia interfered in the U.S. election, and Trump's refusal to return to the Paris climate agreement that dominated the limelight.

Xi, by contrast, avoided controversy in his bilateral meetings and reaffirmed China's commitment to the Paris deal and to an open global economy, in what the official China Daily called the "burnishing of (his) reputation".

"Nobody talked about the South China Sea. No one talked about trade. Everyone was happy with Xi. I think he played this well," said Ulrich Speck, senior fellow at the Elcano Royal Institute in Brussels.

"All eyes were on Trump and Putin. But the fact that there was no U.S.-China clash was at least as important. Xi stayed out of the alpha-male fight. China presented itself as a partner to Europe."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Xi "made it clear that the G20 should adhere to taking the path of open development and mutual benefit leading to all-win results, support a multilateral trade mechanism, and promote international trade and investment".

"China was in a good place at G20, with reasonable policies," said Jin Canrong of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, who has advised the government on diplomatic matters.

"So President Xi was comfortable and positive there."

DON'T MENTION TAIWAN

Potentially the biggest test was Xi's meeting with Trump, who in the run-up to Hamburg had voiced frustration over China's inability to rein in its troublesome erstwhile ally, North Korea.

In the event, Trump returned to the conciliatory tone struck at their first meeting in April, telling the Chinese leader it was "an honour to have you as a friend" and he appreciated actions Xi had already taken to try to dissuade North Korea from pursuing nuclear weapons.

Influential Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times said in an editorial on Monday that the Xi-Trump meeting had defied "the naysayers in the West".

"Beijing and Washington saw friction on issues including Taiwan and the South China Sea ahead of the meeting, and there was speculation from Western public opinion that the China-U.S. 'honeymoon' had come to an end. But the Xi-Trump meeting repudiates such speculation," the paper said.

Speaking to reporters later on Air Force One, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the Trump-Xi meeting lasted more than an hour-and-a-half, and would have gone on longer had they not had to leave for other engagements.

Ruan Zongze, a former Chinese diplomat now with the China Institute of International Studies, a think-tank affiliated with the Foreign Ministry, said Xi was much more upbeat than when he spoke to Trump a few days ahead of G20 and mentioned certain unnamed "negative factors" in their relationship.

"Even on trade Trump underscored that he wants cooperation," Ruan said.

China's biggest concern had been U.S. policy towards self-ruled Taiwan, after the Trump administration approved a $1.42 billion arms package for Taiwan, claimed by China as its own.

Neither government mentioned Taiwan in their respective accounts of their G20 meeting.

Chinese officials were at pains to point out their good relations with the new administration in Washington.

Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao told reporters in Hamburg that the Chinese and U.S. teams dealing the bilateral financial relationship clearly understood that both would be hurt by fighting with each other.

"Our strength is communicating every morning and every evening. This is unprecedented," Zhu said.

NO DRAMA, FOR NOW...

On India, where China has over the past few weeks accused New Delhi of provocation by sending troops across the border in a disputed region, Xi avoided drama by not having a formal bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though India's foreign ministry said they did speak.

Even on Liu Xiaobo, Xi avoided being put on the spot, with China on Saturday allowing a U.S. and German doctor to meet him at his hospital in northeastern China.

Still, the faultlines remain in the tricky China-United States relationship.

China may respond more assertively if, for example, more Chinese entities are sanctioned by the United States over North Korea or Trump raises barriers to Chinese goods as he has frequently threatened, said a senior Beijing-based Western diplomat.

"China has been restrained so far in reacting to Trump, but that is unlikely to last," said the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Things are gearing up to be a summer of drama between China and the United States."

(Additional reporting by Gao Liangping in Beijing, Roberta Rampton in Washington and Noah Barkin in Hamburg; Editing by Alex Richardson)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Alexandra Ulmer

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's PDVSA is guaranteeing "legal security" for all foreign companies in the leftist-run nation, the state oil producer said in a statement, rebuffing a government adviser's suggestion that their operations could be nationalized.

The statement, which was distributed to its joint venture partners and which saw, comes after a prominent government-allied lawyer said a new legislative body could rewrite parts of the constitution to ensure the state has full ownership of the oil industry.

The new "constituent assembly" would supersede other institutions and has sparked fears that President Nicolas Maduro's unpopular administration could take aim at joint venture partners, which include large oil companies Chevron Corp and Rosneft.

But PDVSA, whose full name is Petroleos de Venezuela, was quelling fears that a more radical wing of the ruling Socialist Party could be out to nationalize companies, as late leader Hugo Chavez did a decade ago.

PDVSA "guarantees legal security to investors, partners, and others," the statement read. "In the case of joint ventures, PDVSA has honored and will continue to honor the legal norms that allow the possibility of doing business with private companies."

Venezuelan oil laws created under Chavez allow for minority participation of private companies in oilfield joint ventures, and numerous companies formed such partnerships despite nationalizations in the sector.

PDVSA did not directly mention the comments by Hermann Escarra, a constitutional lawyer and candidate to the constituent assembly. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

BRUISED OIL INDUSTRY

Nationalizing oil ventures would worsen a severe drop in production in Venezuela, home to the world's largest crude reserves. That would hurt the country's already ailing coffers, which depend on oil sales for more than 90 percent of their income.

And PDVSA has been offering its foreign partners more stakes in joint ventures to foreign companies, including key Russian ally Rosneft and ONGC Videsh, the overseas investment arm of India's top explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp, as it tries to minimize operating costs, has reported.

Still, as Venezuela's political crisis worsens, a half-dozen oil industry sources consulted by said the situation was becoming more uncertain.

Companies may curtail investments as they await clarity on the July 30 vote for the constituent assembly, which Maduro's foes have denounced as a bid to consolidate dictatorship via a sham poll.

"Imagine justifying to your board of directors that you put more money into Venezuela when there was an announcement from the president's top adviser that he was going to nationalize companies," said Francisco Monaldi, fellow in Latin American energy policy at the Baker Institute in Houston.

"This will pour cold water (on investments)."

(Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

(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.)
E-commerce giant Amazon is about to start its Amazon Prime Day Sale today in a few hours. The sale will go live in 13 countries including India at 6:00 pm IST, with numerous deals, exclusive launches and cashback offers.

While the sale will begin today, the main sale day is July 11, with nearly 1,00,000 deals put up for the duration of 30 hours. Also, it will be exclusively open for Amazon Prime members and the annual membership charge is Rs 499.

This will be first time the Seattle-based e-tailer has launched its Amazon Prime Day Sale in India. It has been going on in other countries for some time now, where it is referred to as Christmas in July. Amazon is expected to launch a new deal every five minutes or so. The previous sales have been known for providing a vast range of products to buyers.

What to look for

As a precursor to Amazon Prime Day Sale, Xiaomi Redmi 4 will be available at Rs 6,999 from 5:00 pm. There will be more to look up to once sale begins an hour later. Buyers can avail Rs 2,000 extra off of purchasing the 6GB/64GB variant of recently launched OnePlus 5 under exchange.

The discounted amount will be in the form of Amazon Pay Balance. Purchase of both variants of the smartphone will get the buyers Rs 250 discount on Marsboy portable speaker.

Smartphones of the Moto G5 family will also carry a discount of Rs 1000 in the Amazon Prime Day Sale. Honor 6X will have Rs 3,000 off and buyers will have exclusive access to Honor 8 Pro.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick will be available at Rs 2,999 after a discount of Rs 1,000. There will also be a cashback of Rs 499 as Amazon Pay Balance as well. For buyers looking for wearable technology, Amazon is offering minimum 40 per cent discount on Fitbit fitness trackers.

Brands like LG, Honor, FB, D'decor, GAP, Louis Philipe, Puma, Lotto, Woodland, Steve Madden, Swiss Military will feature in the Amazon Prime Day Sale with exclusive launches.

Ten buyers who purchase goods during the Amazon Prime Day Sale will get a couple trip to Thailand by MakeMyTrip. Apart from this, domestic air tickets booked from MakeMyTrip will come with a Rs 750 discount, movie tickets booked from BookMyShow will have a discount of Rs 200 and food order from Swiggy will have Rs 150 off on delivery.

Buyers using HDFC Bankcards for making purchases during the Amazon Prime Day Sale can also avail additional cashback up to 15 per cent.

Also watch:




A "third country's" Army could enter Kashmir at Pakistan's request, using the "same logic" the Indian Army used to stop the Chinese military from constructing a road in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan, an analyst at a Chinese think tank said.

"Even if India were requested to defend Bhutan's territory, this could only be limited to its established territory, not the disputed area," Long Xingchun, Director at the Centre for Indian Studies at China West Normal University, said in the article he wrote in the Global Times.

"Otherwise, under India's logic, if the Pakistani government requests, a third country's Army can enter the area disputed by India and Pakistan, including India-controlled Kashmir," the article said.

The Chinese state media have carried a barrage of critical articles on the Doklam standoff criticising India, but this was the first time Pakistan and Kashmir have been brought into the narrative.

"Indian troops invaded China's Doklam area in the name of helping Bhutan, but in fact the invasion was intended to help India by making use of Bhutan," it said, referring to the June 30 statement issued by India's External Affairs Ministry.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Doklam area near the Bhutan tri-junction for the past three weeks after a Chinese Army's construction party attempted to build a road. Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Doklam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

"For a long time, India has been talking about international equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of others, but it has pursued hegemonic diplomacy in South Asia, seriously violating the UN Charter and undermining the basic norms of international relations," it said.

"Through mass immigration to Sikkim, ultimately leading to control of the Sikkim parliament, India annexed Sikkim as one of its states," it alleged.

"This incursion reflects that India fears China can quickly separate mainland India from northeast India through military means, dividing India into two pieces," it said.

"In this case, northeast India might take the opportunity to become independent. India has interpreted China's infrastructure construction in Tibet as having a geopolitical intention against India. India itself is unable to do the same for its northeastern part, so it is trying to stop China's road construction," it said.

"India's incursion, based on its own strategic judgment, is a clear violation of international law," the article said, claiming that the western countries will not unconditionally support India as they have a wide range of "common interests" with China.

"As for the territorial dispute between China and Bhutan, it should be resolved by both sides and India must respect Bhutan's sovereignty," it said.

"China can show the region and the international community or even the UN Security Council its evidence to illustrate China's position. It highlights China's sincerity and effort to maintain peace as a responsible big power. It will never resort to force till it is the last choice," it said.

Another article in the same daily said India must desist using the "Dalai Lama card" and mess up relations with China.

Referring to reports that the "Tibetan national flag," a pro-independence symbol adopted by the Tibetan government-in- exile, was unfurled on the shores of Bangong Lake, known as Pangong Tso Lake in India's in Ladakh region, the article said the timing on the incident coincided with the standoff between the two militaries in Doklam area and whether Indian authorities instigated the political activity of Tibetan separatists to exert pressure on China

"The lake sits astride India and China, with the Line of Actual Control passing through it. It's the first time the Tibetan exile administration in northern India has flown the flag at this location," it said.

"The timing of the flag-hoisting on Indian territory has sparked wide speculation over whether the Indian authorities instigated the political activity of Tibetan separatists to exert pressure on China. Although the involvement of New Delhi remains unclear, we hope they did not send any signal of approval," it said.

"New Delhi publicly promises not to allow any anti-China political activities by Tibetan exiles on Indian territory.

But it has long used the Tibet question as a diplomatic card in dealing with Beijing," it said.

"When the Indian government attaches great importance to its relationship with China, it keeps a tight grip on anti- China political activities on its soil. However, when it is dissatisfied or has conflicts with Beijing, the Tibet card is played up. But India may overestimate the influence of Tibetan exiles," it said.

"With the rise of China and as Tibet becomes better off, Tibetan independence runs counter to the will of Tibetans. The space for Tibetan separatists has been largely squeezed as more Western countries have snubbed the Dalai Lama. The Tibet card is gradually losing its value," it said.

"If New Delhi is pulling the strings of the Tibetan exiles' political act of flag-hoisting, it will only have burned itself. Both border issues and the Tibet question concern China's core interests and China won't yield to provocations," it said.

Given the ongoing border spat, Indian should "act prudently" to avoid escalating tensions, it said.
Customers' complaints about problems like cash withdrawal and exchange of old notes faced post-demonetisation cannot be entertained under the Banking Ombudsman (BO) scheme, the Reserve Bank of India has said.







The central bank said that demonetisation is not one of the 27 grounds under which a customer can lodge a complaint with the Banking Ombudsman. During the demonetisation period, people had to face various problems in form of restrictions on withdrawal of currency notes and exchanging of old Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes that were withdrawn with immediate effect from midnight of November 8, 2016.

"Banking Ombudsman Scheme (BO Scheme), 2006 specifies 27 grounds of complaints under which complaints can be lodged. Complaints related to demonetisation is not a ground of complaint specified under the Scheme," a Right to Information (RTI) query sent to the Reserve Bank of India has revealed.

In response to the question as to how many complaints came to the RBI ombudsman offices across India related to demonetisation, the RBI stated: "As such information is not available."

When contacted, a banking ombudsman officer said, "Demonetisation does not come under Ombudsman Scheme." All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC) Secretary General Harvinder Singh said that a lot many complaints came to banks during the demonetisation period and the lenders tried to resolve them to the extent possible, barring a few.

"Many complaints came through emails, letters, phone calls and through personal visits. Even complaints were made directly to the Department of Financial Services," Mr Singh said.

However, for example when banks were instructed to allow withdrawal of up to Rs. 2.5 lakh by a family having marriage, the lenders could not help on time as the formal directives came late, he added.

The banking ombudsman scheme covers complaints related to deficiency in banking including Internet banking or other services, non-adherence to the instructions of the RBI on ATM/debit cards and prepaid card operations.

It also covers complaints regarding non-adherence by the bank or its subsidiaries of RBI guidelines on credit card operations, non-adherence of norms related to mobile banking or electronic banking, non-disbursement or delay in disbursement of pension among others.

Even as the window to exchange the disbanded high value currency notes ended on December 30, 2016, people still visit the RBI offices, though in a scattered number, in a hope to exchange their old notes which they could not do within the stipulated time for some or the other reasons.

A Gurgaon resident, visiting RBI Delhi office, said he found some Rs. 8,000 in old currency notes which his son had hidden somewhere and now wanted to exchange it with new ones.

"But there is no one to hear my complaint," he said.

Here, it is pertinent to mention that the Supreme Court earlier this month has given the Centre and the RBI two weeks' time to consider the option of granting a window to those who could not deposit their old notes for genuine reasons.

A Supreme Court bench is hearing a batch of petitions, including from individuals seeking a direction to authorities to allow depositing demonetised notes to banks in lieu of legal currency after being failed to do so under the given timeframe.
The Reserve Bank of India today opened the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme or SGBs 2017-18 - Series II for subscription. Applications for the bonds will be accepted till 14 July. The bonds will be issued on 28 July.



Here's all you need to know about new SGB scheme before you subscribe it

What is the Sovereign Gold Bond?

Sovereign Gold Bonds or SGBs are government securities denominated in grams of gold. People who hold physical gold can go for these bonds as substitute. For subscription, investors will have to pay the issue price in cash and the bonds will be redeemed in cash on maturity. Sovereign Gold holders can use it as collateral for loans. It can also be sold or traded on stock exchanges.



How the Sovereign Gold Bonds will benefit you?

Bonds can be used as collateral for loans. Not only this, it would also be allowed to be traded on exchanges to allow early exits for investors. The tenor of the bond is for a minimum of 8 years with option to exit in 5th, 6th and 7th years. These Bonds will carry sovereign guarantee both on the capital invested and the interest. Under this scheme, capital gain tax arising on redemption of SGB to an individual has been exempted.



How can you buy it?

SGBs will be issued on payment of rupees and denominated in grams of gold. Minimum investment in the bond shall be 1 grams. The bonds can be bought by Indian residents or entities and is capped at 500 grams.



Where you can buy it?

You can apply for the bonds through scheduled commercial banks and designated post offices. Non Banking Financial Company and National Saving Certificate agents can act as advisors or agents. They would be authorised to collect the application form and submit in banks and post offices. BSE and NSE are included as receiving offices, apart from the commercial banks, SHCIL, designated post offices



Why should you buy SGB rather than physical gold?

Under the SGB scheme, the quantity of gold for which the investor pays is protected as the investor receives the ongoing market price at the time of redemption. The SGB offers a superior alternative to holding gold in physical form. It also eliminates the risks and costs of storage. The government has also assured that investors would get the market value of gold at the time of maturity and periodical interest. These bonds are free from issues like making charges and purity in the case of gold in jewellery form. The sovereign bonds are held in the books of the RBI or in demat form eliminating risk of loss of scrip etc.



Who is issuing the bonds?

The Bonds are issued by the Reserve Bank of India on behalf of the government. The bonds are distributed through banks and designated post offices. This should make subscribing to the bonds an easy affair.
Keeping in view the growing preference towards electric vehicles (EVs), Praveer Sinha, Chief Executive and Managing Director of Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (a joint venture between Tata Power and the Delhi government), details how the company plans to set up 1,000 charging stations across its operational areas in Delhi over the next four-five years.

What are the focus areas of Tata Power-DDL regarding electric vehicles?

Electric vehicles are the key to a sustainable future. Shifting to them will solve several problems such as air pollution, reduction in oil import, reduction in carbon footprint and so on. Plus, it is economical. As the Indian government and its top think tank National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog are working on a policy for promoting EVs, they are certainly going to encourage and promote electric-powered mobility in the future. So, we are focussing on creating the necessary charging infrastructure and upgrading the network to meet the enhanced load due to the induction of electric vehicles. We are looking to provide an adequate infrastructure for EV transportation. As the numbers of electric vehicles increase, we aim to come up with distribution network upgrades and capacity additions to handle large charging loads at peak hours. We are working closely with all stakeholders, including automobile companies, battery manufacturers, regulators, the government, municipal corporations and consumers to develop an ecosystem for the same.



How do you plan to act as a game changer in this field?

We are planning to instal around 1,000 charging stations by 2021-22 to support the growth of electric vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR). We are already in talks with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), shopping malls, commercial complex owners, office complexes and even residential blocks to set up electric charging stations in their parking lots. Parking lots are going to be one of the best places to provide this service. The revenue model for setting up these facilities on their land has not been decided yet. But we are ready to experiment with any arrangement, be it a partnership or a franchisee model.

Tata Power-DDL is also developing an end-to-end solution that will encourage consumers to opt for EVs. Besides charging infrastructure, we will ensure 24x7 quality power supply and time-of-day (ToD) tariff structure to incentivise off-peak charging. Then there will be web-based mobile applications offering multiple services such as locating charging stations, booking a slot, making payment, and providing customer support, billing data and analytics. One of the major cost components is battery and to tackle that, we are also looking at a battery leasing model, which will be cost effective for consumers.



Considering the increasing numbers of e-rickshaws in Delhi, we intend to provide them legalised connections and incentivise them through a unique business proposition. We are also evaluating collaborations with fleet operators. We see a huge potential in demand growth from distribution utility's perspective. We are also undertaking a study to develop a network planning model to mitigate grid-related challenges.

To demonstrate our leadership in EV usage, we propose to replace our operation's fleet with electric vehicles. We have already deployed EVs to our maintenance fleet that includes 60 e-scooters and eight e-rickshaws.



What about your exposure to EV so far?

We have set up five charging stations on a pilot basis to see what kinds of vehicles come and what kind of charging load is required. The aim of the project is to analyse the demand to prepare the infrastructure better. Today, consumers are sceptical about the viability of EVs due to the lack of support/charging infrastructure. We believe that more and more consumers will opt for those when the government provides financial and non-financial incentives. We have also deployed electric-powered vehicles - both two-wheelers and e-rickshaws - as part of our maintenance fleet. We have also provided free pick-and-drop service from metro stations during the second phase of the odd-even car restriction in Delhi.



Now that you have deployed EVs for the maintenance fleet, is there any plan to expand the fleet and operations?

Till now we have rolled out 60 electric vehicles. These include 60 e-scooters and eight e-rickshaws. In congested city areas, electric-powered scooters help people reach their destinations faster as they can be easily manoeuvred and parked without disturbing the traffic movement. These scooters can also travel to areas where cars and trucks are not allowed. We have deployed dedicated e-rickshaws to help carry out maintenance activities in the rural areas. We may increase their numbers in the coming months.



What are the key challenges you face while expanding the charging infrastructure? Are you roping in any key department/ministry/DMRC?

The key limitation is the high cost, which can be taken care of by standardising the chargers and achieving economies of scale. But initially, you need to look at the viability of fast chargers. Another challenge is the lack of regulations and tariffs to incentivise consumers to opt for outdoor charging. Tariff of charging electric vehicles is still classified as non-domestic. It means commercial rates of Rs 8 and Rs 9 (for non-peak and peak hours, respectively) are applicable. It is one of the reasons why the response has not been encouraging. We are now in talks with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Central government and Delhi government so that they would come up with a reasonable tariff. Unless that happens, people will not come to charging stations.



In line with the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020, the Department of Heavy Industry (DHI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) have set up an Inter-Ministerial Technology Advisory Group (IM-TAG), which has been split into several groups. Tata Power-DDL is heading the group that is developing low-voltage charging infrastructure, including device and hardware development for the charging station, software development and communication protocol and grid development.



Which international model will be most suitable for India to make electric mobility successful?

Oslo (Norway) has the maximum share of EV with more than 2,400 charge points and about 130 fast chargers per million people. That is a very extensive charging network. It also offers several incentives such as zero tax for purchase and import, 50 per cent reduction in company car taxes, free municipal parking and free electricity for normal charging. It has also taken extensive action to strengthen public transit and fleets in the city. All these can make a huge difference in the existing market mix in India, where there is a strong need to incentivise EV and related infrastructure.



What changes will you incorporate into the grid to meet the growing demand for EV charging?

You need to create an electric network backbone and infrastructure to develop the charging infrastructure. For instance, a fast-charging vehicle would require 8-20 kilowatt (kW) of power while a slower one would require 2-3 kW. Now, say, if a fast-charging vehicle requires 10 kW of power and 500 vehicles need to be charged, you need to have 5 megawatt (MW) of power. Similarly, if there is a bus depot, a typical bus would require a 100 kW connection. If 100 buses need to be charged, you would require 10 MW of power. For all similar requirements, we need to design the electrical network, along with the IT support, to manage and monitor the supply being given to the station in real time. The data from the station will also make sure that the charging does not affect the supply of the balance area and also fulfils the criteria for other consumers.
In what appears to be a major security breach, the personal information of Reliance Jio subscribers, including Aadhaar numbers, was leaked to a website on Sunday. This is the latest in a slew of data breaches and online attacks that have exposed the weak state of India's cyber security.

If a Reliance Jio mobile number is keyed in on 'magicapk.com', it throws up details such as first name, second name, email ID, SIM activation date and time, as well as Aadhaar number, if the subscriber has used it as proof to get the connection.

"There is either a bug in Reliance Jio's system because of which data is getting leaked and a hacker is using it in the backend, or it could be a breach," Anand Prakash, one of the top ethical hackers in the country, told Mail Today.

Prakash, the founder of AppSecure India, said he had obtained data for five Jio numbers from 'magicapk.com'.

Another ethical hacker Kanishk Sajnani also said the website revealed information of the two Jio mobile numbers he tried.

However, multiple attempts may be required, he added. "We have come across the unverified and unsubstantiated claims of the website and are investigating it. Prima facie, the data appears to be unauthentic. We want to assure our subscribers that their data is safe and maintained with highest security," said Jio spokesperson.

The company said data is only shared with authorities as per their requirement. "We have informed law enforcement agencies about the claims of the website and will follow through to ensure strict action is taken," Jio added. The site in question was later suspended.

This may be the work of a hacke, Prakash said. "Or, the database may have been hacked completely. Reliance Jio's Application Programming Interface (API) may not have authentication," he added. In any app, the developers in the back-end put together all the data, explained Prakash.

"That's the API, the most crucial thing for an app. The next step is to display it aesthetically, which is what the User Interface (UI) team does by working on the API information," he added. Either way, the information is out in the public domain. "But the extent of the breach is not clear at this point,"said Prakash.

He said he has tried reaching out to Reliance Jio earlier as well about cyber security, but there was no response from the company.

The government has made it mandatory to link Aadhaar with PAN, a 10-digit alphanumeric issued by the income-tax department. Without linking, a taxpayer cannot file tax returns. Global cybersecurity expert and advocate Prashant Mali said privacy of clients when it comes to Aadhaar details should remain top priority.

"If the leak further reveals financial data, then one can file for damages and compensation against the company for not following reasonable security practices to protect customer data," he pointed out. For instance, if Aadhaar is linked to PAN and financial details are revealed because of this people can start filing class action suits for damages.

"Any company responsible for Aadhaar leakage gets exposed to a huge financial legal risk," he said. A class action suit is one where people with same or similar injuries caused by the same product or action can sue the company as a group. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio, the latest entrant in the telecom sector, had 108.9 million subscribers as of March 2017, within six months of its launch.

The country's total telephone subscriber base was 1,194.58 million as of March 2017. Jio's subscribers have spiked after its debut in October, when it offered free SIM cards and unlimited 4G internet. However, the rate at which it added new subscribers declined in April. On March 31, it began paid service.

In association with Mail Today


Utah Hunter Education Program Coordinator Gary Cook presents Becky Smith with a plaque recognizing her as the 2016 Utah Hunter Education Volunteer Instructor of the Year. Candidates for the award are nominated each fall, with winners selected from among each of the state's five regions. A state winner is chosen from among the regional finalists, with the award being presented the following summer.

LOGAN  The <a href=https://wildlife.utah.gov/index.html target=_blank>Utah Division of Wildlife Resources</a> (DWR) hosted an awards ceremony at the <a href=https://wildlife.utah.gov/cache-valley-public-shooting-range.html>Cache Valley Public Shooting Range</a> on Friday, July 7, to honor Logan resident Becky Smith as its 2016 Utah Hunter Education Volunteer Instructor of the Year. Smith, who has mentored students for 21 years, was also named the regional Hunter Education Instructor of the Year for northern Utah.

Gary Cook, coordinator of the DWRs Hunter Education program, said Smith was chosen for the award because she is always willing to go the extra mile.

As long as Ive known Becky, shes just been such a positive, great ambassador for hunter education, Cook said. Shes a great instructor. She has a real passion for the program, for hunting and hunter education, and that really comes across with her students. She teaches a very enjoyable class, and the students like her. They like to learn from her and what she has to offer.

<a href=https://wildlife.utah.gov/hunter-education.html target=_blank>Utahs Hunter Education program</a> serves about 10,000 students annually, with more than 450 active instructors. Established in the 1950s, the program has been extremely successful, and only 10 fatalities have occurred in Utah from hunting-related accidents over the past 20 years. During that same time period, more than 5.8 million hunting licenses and permits were issued.

Weve got a great hunter education program, said Cook. We have a good safety record in Utah, and thats mostly in part to those volunteer instructors. We rely on those volunteers heavily to deliver our program and that safety message. Thats really the priority in hunter education to those new hunters out there across the state.

Smith has been personally involved with Utahs Hunter Education program for more than 30 years. Having taken the class herself at age 11, she took training to become an instructor at age 15 and taught her first class six years later. With classes ranging from two to 33 students, Smith has easily taught more than 1,000 students. Working as a volunteer, she teaches four or five classes each year and would love to teach full time.

I feel like hunter education is important whether you hunt or not, just for the aspect of firearm safety, she said, especially in the community and area where we live. A lot of people have firearms in their homes. Even if you dont have guns in your own home, itd be a good idea for your child to know what to do if theres a gun in their presence.

Smith said her passion for hunting and firearm safety was fueled by her father, Kirk Smith, who was a Hunter Education instructor and Utah Hunter Education program coordinator until he passed away in October 2016. She said receiving the Instructor of the Year award was special for her because of her connection with her dad.

I had always wanted this award, and he used to present the award, Smith said. I always wanted him to present it to me, but unfortunately it didnt happen that way. I was very happy to get it and to be able to get this award means a lot. My dad was the one who got me into Hunter Education. I just wish he could have been there to see it.

Along with teaching classes, Smith has competed in the Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) at state and national levels and says her greatest satisfaction comes from making one-on-one connections with students who are shy, nervous or may need extra help.

Probably the most rewarding part of this is when students come up to me afterwards or if I see a student in town and they come up to me and say, Hey, do you remember me? You were my instructor five years ago. Thats the rewarding part for me, Smith said, when they remember the class and they tell me how much they enjoyed it.

Smiths 15-year-old son has been her classroom assistant since he was a small child, and he now shoots competitively with YHEC. Her one-year-old daughter is next in line, and Smith said shell start teaching her about firearm safety early.

When youth get into it early and you teach them from the beginning, they dont develop the bad habits over time, she said. Say you have a son and theyre over at their friends house playing, and that friends parents have a rifle in the closet. If theyre playing hide-and-go-seek and they go hide in the closet, what do you do? If theyve been trained, then they know, Im not supposed to play with this. I need to go tell an adult or I need to leave the area. But if theyve never experienced any of that, then theyre curious and thats when accidents happen.

Cook said both Hunter Education students and fellow instructors statewide can benefit from Smiths example. He said he appreciates how she has always been willing to step up and help out wherever she was asked.

Its never been about Becky, Cook said. She was a little bit humbled to receive this award, and thats just the kind of person Becky is, just always willing to help out the program and whats best for what were trying to do with all those students. Shes just a joy to work with.

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jennifer@cvradio.com
| BY Ricki Green |

WPP AUNZ digital agency Webling has bolstered its creative ranks, appointing Carlos Guedes (pictured) to the new position of associate creative director. The appointment, effective immediately, follows ongoing growth within the Webling business.

An experienced digital creative director, Guedes joins following a three-year stint at Snakk Media Group as creative director and founding member of the integrated mobile creative agency, Touch Create.

His strong creative reputation has been built mainly in Europe, working at agencies such as JWT, Isobar and Havas, where he played a key role in shaping the digital presence of iconic brands such as Vodafone, McDonalds, Lipton, Nokia, Kit Kat, and MTV. Guedes has also seen extensive international recognition at award shows such as New York Festivals, One Show, The Webbys, El Ojo and others.

Says Deniz Nalbantoglu, managing director, Webling: We are thrilled to have Carlos joining the team. His extensive experience across both pure play and integrated digital environments will be a valuable asset for our vision for the agency, and our collaborations with J. Walter Thompson Group and the wider WPP AUNZ network.
| BY Ricki Green |

The 2017 chapter of the highly successful Graduate Success series for Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has just launched with a new campaign developed by Queensland-based agency BCM.

Featured in the latest campaign is graduate Sam Senior, who studied business and software engineering at QUT, and now works as a strategy consultant with global management consulting firm Bain and Company in San Francisco.

Assisted by QUT, Senior originally landed a role with Bain and Company in its London operation before transferring to its San Fran office. Being based in the heartland of the IT-focused Silicon Valley is a dream come true for the graduate, with the new commercials filmed on location in The Golden City.

The Graduate Success series continues to showcase the success of QUT graduates and QUTs positioning as a university for the real world, with the brand platform and campaign series having been run for well over a decade for the university.

Says Kevin Moreland, managing director, BCM: Working with a client with such a strong vision and commitment to consistent branding over such an extended time is quite unique, particularly in the tertiary education sector.

This fantastic brand platform, built on keeping everything real  from the filming style, to the graduates, to the aspirational yet relatable style  has continued to elevate QUT as the clear market leader in the Queensland tertiary education category for well over a decade.

The new campaign will extend to TV and online (including social media channels), as well as outdoor.

Client: Queensland University of Technology (QUT)

Agency: BCM

Production Company: Taxi Film Production
| BY Lynchy |

Six-month old independent Singapore agency, Blk J, has announced five recent new business wins  Singapore Week of Innovation & Technology 2017 (SWITCH 2017), UnionPay, SPH Radio, Grab and The Learning Lab.

Commenting on the new wins, Blk J Co-Founder and CEO, Rowena Bhagchandani said, The team at Blk J is thrilled and encouraged by the new wins. We want to thank the clients for entrusting their businesses and projects to us. And in the months to come, we hope to let the work do the rest of the talking.

Blk J will be leading the charge for Switch, presented by SGInnovate and will be rolling out a regional brand campaign for UnionPay International covering 10 markets.

For SPH, Blk J will be helping to launch Singapores first personal and business finance radio station and the agency is the Agency of Record for the Learning Lab.

General Manager of SPH Radio, Sim Hong Huat was impressed by the level of original and innovative thinking the BLK J team showed during the pitch process and we are confident our new brand is in good hands.

BLK J and The Learning Lab share the same DNA. Both are committed to helping their clients achieve lasting success in the marketplace and in life. said, Eleanor Tan, Marketing Head of The Learning Lab.

BLK J already works on StarHub and the service industry assignment for the Singapore
| BY Lynchy |

MullenLowe Group has announced the creation of MullenLowe Group in Japan.

The new hyperbundled agency has been created from the existing footprint of the MullenLowe Profero Tokyo office which launched in Japan in 2005. The hyperbundled agency will be composed of three MullenLowe Group agency brands: MullenLowe Tokyo, MullenLowe Profero and MullenLowe Mediahub.

The launch of MullenLowe Group Japan is the latest step in the building out of MullenLowe Groups hyperbundled model in key markets, and follows on from the creation of MullenLowe Group China last week and the integration of operations in New York and London over the last 12 months.

MullenLowe Group Japan will be headed by James Hollow who previously led the growth of MullenLowe Profero Tokyo. Hollow said, We see two distinct but related opportunities. Firstly, to bring an agile creative media offering that can capitalise on the opportunities emerging from an increasingly programmatic media landscape. Secondly, to meet the opportunities presented by the adoption of digital touchpoints and data-driven decision-making by brands in Japan with an experience-led transformation offering.

MullenLowe Groups global mantra of driving an unfair share of attention for its clients brands will be realised in Japan by combining MullenLowe Tokyo and MullenLowe Mediahubs expertise to deliver design communication solutions that fuse together a meaning-charged context with context-optimized brand content leveraging cutting edge technology and media analytics.

In addition, as brands in Japan look increasingly to capture data through digitised touchpoints, often sacrificing user-experience, MullenLowe Profero will deliver an unfair business advantage for clients by empowering experience-led design with the analytical rigour of data science to create seamless and inspiring customer journeys.
It's another sub-zero start to the day, before we get to a forecast top of 13. Tomorrow's worse (or better, if you're into the ice cold) with a -3 chill and Wednesday gets lower at -4. In other words, get the heating going and rug up.
"You can drive your car under Parliament House without anyone taking notice of you. Number plate recognition technology is excellent because it means if there are cars on watch lists, which there are, any of those entering the precinct or the car park can be picked up and dealt with."
Such events have happened in the past, and both perspectives can be argued, but surely it must raise concerns among the climate science community that it may be yet another sign of things to come.
That's partly because of his own perfidy with election promises in 2013. Because he was (though he refused to concede it) going directly against explicit promises made about health and education spending during the election campaign, it was the Senate which looked reasonable in frustrating his 2014 budget. That Turnbull has been more willing to negotiate  even to gut legislation simply so he can get something on the statute books  has emphasised, whether to lobbyists or voters, that the crossbench has power, and sets of agendas, often ones with significant support. Unlike parties aspiring to be in actual government, crossbench parties have only to worry about a quota  14 per cent of the vote, usually reachable if they can get half of that on first preferences.
"As far as North Korea are concerned the chair of the G20, Chancellor Merkel, made the point that the G20 has been historically largely an economic conference  [but] there is unanimous condemnation of the conduct of the North Korean regime," he said.
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The fallout from the Dieselgate scandal continues as the Stuttgart prosecutors office has revealed Porsche is being investigated for fraud and false advertising.



Reuters reports the investigation is tied to the companys use of diesel engines and prosecutor Jan Holzner said there are grounds to suspect Porsche employees may have committed fraud and false advertising by promoting the engines.

Porsche is reportedly cooperating with the investigation and the company said it initiated contact with prosecutors before the investigation was officially launched.

The prosecutors office declined to go into specifics but the investigation appears to be centered on the 3.0-liter diesel engine that was used in the Porsche Cayenne. The engine was supplied by Audi which is facing a similar investigation by prosecutors in Munich.

While the investigation is still at an early stage, it could lead to some serious charges. Just last week, Audi employee Giovanni Pamio was arrested for fraud and false advertising for reportedly ordering employees to develop software to circumvent U.S. emission standards.

Last month, the Der Spiegel reported TUV Nord discovered the Cayenne produces excess emissions which would not have been approved by the authorities. However, Porsche disputed those claims as not comprehensible.

Photo Gallery
We first heard about the possibility of a hot Renault Zoe RS in April and now, the French company has provided additional information about the potential future of the model.



Speaking to Autocar, Renault Sport boss Patrice Ratti confirmed that a punchy prototype of the firms all-electric supermini has already been built, following on from the debut of the 460 hp Zoe e-sport concept at Marchs Geneva Motor Show.

We are thinking about doing a Zoe RS but it is a big study that will take time. The performance of batteries has improved [to the point] that it is now feasible, which certainly wasnt the case a few years ago. So the studies have begun, Ratti confirmed.

The executive said that one of the key challenges of creating a Zoe RS will be ensuring that it matches the remarkable handling of Renault Sport models from the past.

A Renault Sport car also needs to handle well and that is the challenge. To have the weight of the batteries and still achieve the agility we pride ourselves on is a tough task, he said.

While developing such a vehicle will certainly be a challenge, actually selling it and making it a viable option for performance car enthusiasts will be something else entirely. If the Zoe RS does become a reality, Renault will also have to price it competitively against ICE-powered alternatives.

PHOTO GALLERY
The BC Wildfire Service is responding to five new wildfires about 32 kilometres northeast of Granisle and 125 kilometres northwest of Fort St. James.

Four of these wildfires cover less than one hectare each and all of them are suspected to be caused by lightning.

The largest of the five wildfires covers about 100 hectares and does not pose a threat to communities or structures at this time.

The fires are located west of Takla Lake, with some of them burning on the border between the Prince George Fire Centre and the Northwest Fire Centre.

Wind conditions Sunday afternoon could lead to an increase in smoke and fire activity.

A video sent in to Castanet shows the Barlow Fire, to the north of Fraser Lake.

The Northwest Fire Centre is supporting the Prince George Fire Centres response to these five wildfires, allowing the Prince George Fire Centre to concentrate its resources on wildfires where life and property may be at risk.

The fire danger rating in most of the Northwest Fire Centre is currently moderate to high with some areas of extreme fire danger around Morice Lake and the Nechako Reservoir.

Within the boundaries of the Northwest Fire Centre, nine new wildfires have started since July 7 and all of these fires are suspected to been caused by lightning. There are currently seven active wildfires in the Northwest Fire Centre, the largest of which covers six hectares about 41 kilometres south of Burns Lake. Thirty-one firefighters are working on this fire and crews have reported good progress over the weekend. There are no structures threatened by these fires at this time.

One abandoned campfire has been reported in the Northwest Fire Centre so far this weekend, adding to the eight abandoned campfires discovered last weekend.
Photo: The Canadian Press Research suggests insecticide that's killing bees could be affecting hummingbirds.

Some species of North American hummingbirds are in severe decline and a B.C. research scientist says one possible cause might be the same insecticide affecting honey bees.

Christine Bishop with Environment and Climate Change Canada said researchers started looking at a variety of factors that may be responsible, ranging from habitat loss to changes when plants bloom.

To try and find some answers, researchers began collecting urine and feces from the birds for testing.

"No one has ever measured pesticides in hummingbirds before. So we decided to try it," she said in an interview. "It turns out, to our surprise actually, that the birds are obviously picking up pesticides in their food, which can be nectar and also insects."

Bishop said the concentration found in the urine is relatively high at three parts per billion.

"Now what does it mean? Right now we're just understanding what the level of exposure is, and then how is it affecting the population, well that's part of the population dynamics," she said.

Her research is focused in the agricultural regions in the Fraser Valley and southern B.C.  the core area for the rufous hummingbird.

The rufous is a feisty, red-throated bird that weighs about as much as a nickel and spends its summers in B.C., Alaska and the Pacific Northwest states, then migrates to the southern United States and Mexico.

The testing doesn't harm the birds. Researchers hang a net over a feeder and then lower it like a drape when the bird comes to feed.

Because the hummingbird is constantly processing nectar, it is also constantly expelling it, and Bishop said by the time they are banded the bird has likely expelled urine and feces to test.

The annual breeding bird survey shows that between 1966 and 2013, the rufous population on the Pacific Coast dropped an average of 2.67 per cent per year. The survey says the Allen's and broad-tailed hummingbirds were also in decline.

Health Canada is re-evaluating the use of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide used on a large number of agricultural crops and at home on fleas or ticks on cats and dogs.

Health Canada says they are aware of Bishop's work and will consider information she passed on during a consultation period as part of its re-evaluation. Health Canada says in its statement it expects to publish its findings in 2018.

A separate Health Canada preliminary report issued in 2013 says imidacloprid has potential for short-and long-term effects on bees, including a change in behaviour and mortality.

Bishop is two years into a five-year study and said the next question that needs to be answered is whether pesticides could be a factor in the decline of hummingbirds.

"We can't rule it out," she said.

Like bees, hummingbirds return to the same place to find food and they remember where certain flowers are, said Bishop, adding there are concerns pesticides might disrupt their memory.

But researchers don't think the decline is strictly an agricultural issue.

It could be habitat loss, or seasonal plants blooming at the wrong time of year, or even an increase in the deer population with the animals eating the same flowers the hummingbirds need for their food source, Bishop said.

The population of the Anna's hummingbird is also increasing in the area as the birds move north. Bishop said given the bird's territorial and aggressive nature, it's possible they are forcing the rufous out.

"But what's interesting about this is ... more and more people are putting out feeders, yet the population is still declining."
Photo: Google Maps VPD report suspicious death Sunday.

The Vancouver Police Department is investigating the sudden death of a person in a West End apartment building near Davie and Denman streets near English Bay.

"Officers were called to the building just before 5 p.m. today and are treating the death as suspicious until they collect further information," Const. Jason Doucette, VPD spokesperson.

He said there is no risk to the public based on the information gathered so far.

"There will be a police presence in the area as investigators try to determine what has taken place."

Police have released no further details.
Photo: Google Maps Emergency crews have been called to an incident in Myra Canyon.

UPDATE: 9:15 p.m.

A climber was winched to safety aboard a BC Air Rescue helicopter after falling over a cliff in the Myra Canyon area on Sunday evening, said a spokesperson for Wildcat Helicopters which operates the chopper.

The man was taken aboard the chopper along with a BC Ambulance paramedic who was already at the scene administering first aid.

The patient was flown directly to Kelowna General Hospital with undetermined injuries, the spokesperson said.

ORIGINAL STORY: 7:41 p.m.

A BC Air Rescue helicopter and members of Kelowna Fire Rescue are heading to the scene of an incident, said to be in Myra Canyon and which may involve a high angle rescue.

Members of Vernon Search and Rescue's helicopter winch team are on board the chopper.

The teams were called out around 7 p.m.

Castanet will update when more details become available.
Photo: CTV Surrey RCMP say a woman was the unintended victim of a shooting on Sunday.

A woman was slightly wounded during a shooting in a residential neighbourhood in Surrey Sunday afternoon but RCMP said the incident could have been catastrophic.

Police received a number of 911 calls around 3:30 p.m. reporting shots fired from one vehicle to another.

The shooting occurred in the 7700 block of 147A Street where officers found an adult female suffering from a minor gunshot injury.

"At this time it is believed that the adult female was an unintended victim, said Staff Sgt. Dale Carr, watch commander on duty.

Investigators believe that the intended victims of the shooting got away in a black Hyundia vehicle which was last seen with front end damage  the bumper had fallen off.

Carr said the suspects were seen fleeing the area in a red pick up and, moments later, police received reports of a red pick up on fire in the 9000 block of 150 Street. Witnesses reported seeing two males fleeing on foot.

Surrey RCMP Serious Crime investigators are of the belief that this was a targeted event between two parties that known to each other in some manner. Serious Crime investigators will be canvassing the area of both scenes to see if evidence to support the investigation can be located.

We have spoken numerous times about an incident like this and now in this incident they were closer than ever to a catastrophe, this is very concerning behaviour to both the police and the community of Surrey," said Carr. "I have said in the past that the same small group of people consistently place a stain on this great city and endanger its precious citizens.

Anyone who may have witnessed the event or witnessed the males fleeing from the area is asked to call the Surrey Royal Canadian Mounted Police at 604-599-0502 or to call Crime Stoppers.
Photo: Andy Witteman 100 Mile House has been ordered evacuated.

The entire town of 100 Mile House has been ordered evacuated due to a wildfire in the area.

Photos from the scene show smoke engulfing the small town and emergency vehicles blocking access to some roads.

Emergency Info BC and the BC Wildfire Service announced the evacuation Sunday evening which was ordered by Mayor Mitch Campsall.

"You must leave immediately," stated the notice.

All properties and businesses within the District of 100 Mile House are under the evacuation order.

Evacuees were being told to take Highway 24 east, Highway 5 north and Highway 16 to Prince George where an Emergency Reception Centre has been set up at the local college.

According to the wildfire service, the Gustafson wildfire remains out of control and is an estimated 5,000 hectares.

A total of 107 firefighters, plus a management team, is fighting the fire along with 14 choppers and air tankers as well as 30 pieces of equipment.

Thousands of people in B.C. have been evacuated from their homes due to raging wildfires.
Photo: The Canadian Press Cardinal George Pell to stand trial on charges of sexually assault.

The most senior Vatican cleric to ever be charged in the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal returned to Australia on Monday to stand trial in his home state on charges alleging he sexually assaulted multiple people years ago.

Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis' top financial adviser, avoided waiting media when he arrived at Sydney Airport on a flight from Singapore. He had declined to comment in Singapore over the weekend as he made his way home from Rome.

The 76-year-old cleric is due to appear in a court in the Victoria state capital Melbourne on July 26 on what Victoria Police described as multiple counts of "historical sexual assault offences"  meaning crimes that generally occurred years ago. There is no statute of limitations on such crimes in Australia. Police said there were multiple complainants, but have released no other details.

Pell is free ahead of his court hearing, during which he can formally apply for bail.

When police announced the charges last month, Pell vowed to fight the allegations, saying: "The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me."

On Monday, the Sydney archdiocese said the cardinal had made multiple stops on his journey to Australia to avoid long-haul flights, based on the advice of his doctors. Last year, Pell said he was too ill to make the long flight back to his home country to testify before a government inquiry into how the Catholic Church and other institutions have responded to child sex abuse allegations.

"When he was told of the charges by Victoria Police, Cardinal Pell said in Rome he totally rejected the allegations, was completely innocent of the charges and would return to Australia to vigorously defend himself and clear his name," the archdiocese said in a statement. "Cardinal Pell will not be making further comment other than to say he is grateful for the numerous messages of support he continues to receive."

Pell has taken a leave of absence to fight the charges in Australia and has said he intends to return to the Vatican to continue his work as a prefect of the church's economy ministry.

The pope thanked Pell for his "honest" work and collaboration, and said he would wait for Australian justice to run its course before making a judgment himself.

For years, Pell has faced allegations that he mishandled cases of clergy abuse as archbishop of Melbourne and, later, Sydney. But more recently, Pell himself became the focus of a clergy sex abuse investigation, with Victoria detectives flying to the Vatican to interview him last year.
Photo: Twitter Wildfire aftermath in Ashcroft.

Angie Thorne hugged her granddaughter as she looked for the first time at the blackened pit where her home of 21 years had stood just days earlier.

She and a caravan of friends and family drove up to the Ashcroft Indian Reserve on Sunday to see what remained after a wildfire engulfed the community in central British Columbia, just west of Kamloops.

"We made many memories here," Thorne said, falling silent as tears streamed from behind her sunglasses.

She gestured to where she and her husband celebrated their silver wedding anniversary the summer before, then pointed out the lopsided picnic table her sons built 15 years earlier, somehow untouched by the flames.

"Everybody complained about it and it's still sitting there," she said, letting out a laugh.

"You couldn't get in or out of it. But they built it so we kept it, because that's what we do, right?"

Most of the homes on the reserve were destroyed by the Ashcroft wildfire, one of hundreds still burning out of control across the province's Southern and Central Interior.
Photo: Facebook Fire scene at Cache Creek.

British Columbia has been so successful at putting out wildfires in recent decades that it has actually created a situation where its forests are more prone to flames, says an expert.

Lori Daniels, an associate professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia, said firefighting efforts over the last 60 to 100 years have allowed for denser forests with a lot of dead material on the ground.

Now, when the province has hot, dry weather and lightning strikes or there is a human ignition, the fires are much more severe and fast-moving, she said.

"The irony is we tried to protect our forests from fire and we created a situation where they're much more susceptible and the fires are more damaging," she said.

Daniels said in the past, the fire season began around the third week of July with the majority of fires starting in August. But over the past decade, B.C. has seen several years where hot and dry weather has begun earlier in July, she said.

The last time B.C. called a state of emergency over wildfires was in 2003, but even then the fire danger ratings only started to hit very high or extreme levels in August, she said. Currently, the whole southern two-thirds of B.C., including coastal areas, have very high or extreme ratings.

Kevin Skrepnek of the B.C. Wildfire Service said the current scale and intensity of the fires was unusual for the first week of July and officials are planning ahead.

"We have to not just be looking at the short-term period, but also for the months ahead of us too, if this tempo is to continue," he said.

The service is bringing in about 300 personnel from out of province, a decision that Skrepnek said was made not only to bolster capacity but also to manage fatigue among B.C. crews.

"That's why we're not only bringing in fire crews, but also support staff, co-ordination officers, things like that, just to make sure that we're pacing ourselves for what potentially could be a pretty protracted season."

The province has already spent $46 million of its annual $63 million firefighting budget. Once that threshold is reached, the service has immediate access to contingency funds, said Skrepnek.

Daniels said the mountain pine beetle also made B.C. forests more susceptible to fires, resulting in many dead trees that dried out and fell to the ground, creating more fuel for flames.
Photo: Contributed Belchatow power plant

Coal-fired power stations are responsible for the most pollution in Europe, with Britain among the top polluters, the European Union says.

The European Environment Agency said in a report late Sunday that half of the plants responsible for the largest releases of air and water pollution were in Britain, with a total of 14. Germany was second with seven, followed by France and Poland, each with five.

The agency reviewed emissions data from 35,000 industrial plants in 2015  the latest available data  including power stations, petrochemical refineries and metal processing units from the 28 members of the European Union, and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Serbia.

It said that "good progress is being made by the EU toward its climate and energy policy objectives for 2020 and 2030." However, it noted that coal remains the most used fuel in large combustion plants  power plants, refineries, large chemical plants and steelworks  despite a decreasing amount being used over recent years, and a threefold increase in biomass use between 2004 and 2015.

The worst in 2015 were the Belchatow power plant in Poland, the Drax power station in Britain, Jaenschwalde in Germany, and Kozienice in Poland.
Photo: The Canadian Press Wildfire consume a residence near Oroville, Calif., on Sunday.

Thousands of residents in the western U.S. have fled their homes as wildfires barrelled across the baking landscape, destroying property.

Two major wildfires in California have forced nearly 8,000 people out of their homes.

About 4,000 people evacuated and another 7,400 were told to prepare to leave their homes as fire swept through grassy foothills in the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles north of Sacramento, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Sunday.

The fire has burned nearly 4 square miles, injured four firefighters and destroyed at least 10 structures, but that number is expected to rise, fire spokeswoman Mary Ann Aldrich said.

The area burning was southeast of Oroville, where spillways in the nation's tallest dam began crumbling from heavy rains this winter and led to temporary evacuation orders for 200,000 residents downstream.

The fire was 20 per cent contained. It was one of 14 wildfires across California that about 5,000 firefighters battled Sunday. At least 20 structures burned, but officials didn't say if they were homes.

Elsewhere, fires are also burning in Colorado, Arizona, Oregon and Nevada.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A fast-paced running of the bulls left two people injured at Spain's San Fermin festival on Monday, officials said. There were no gorings on the fourth day of the bull runs.

The two injured men, both Spaniards, were taken to a Pamplona hospital but neither is in serious condition, Red Cross spokesman Jose Aldaba said.

Television images showed one bull running into a man from behind and hooking a horn into his jacket as he fell to the ground.

The run along the 850-metre cobbled-street course lasted 2 minutes, 19 seconds, the fastest so far. Five people four Americans and a Spaniard have been gored since the bull runs started Friday.

Hundreds of people test their bravery and speed to dash through the streets with six fighting bulls without getting gored.

In all, 15 people have died from gorings at the festival since record-keeping began in 1924.
Photo: CTV

Vancouver Police are investigating what they believe is a double homicide in the city's West End.

Sgt. Jason Robillard says the bodies of a 57-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man were found in an apartment just before 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Police say they have arrested a person of interest.

Robillard says the three knew each other and there is no indication the public is at risk.
Photo: Miami Dade Fire Rescue

A man swimming at a south Florida beach was bitten on both legs by a shark.

WPLG-TV reports that Lt. Felipe Lay of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue says the unidentified man was swimming Sunday afternoon off Haulover Beach when he was attacked.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Ocean Rescue lifeguards say they became aware of a shark lurking in the water and immediately began alerting bathers to get out of the water. Officials say the bull shark was 4-to-5 feet.

Officials say the man, who was able to get out of the water and get aid from lifeguards, was taken to Aventura Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Officials say the shark attack is the first reported at Haulover Beach, 14 kilometres north of Miami Beach.
Photo: Canadian Wildland Fire Information System The approximate outline of the Princeton wildfire

Highway 5A is closed in both directions at the junction with Highway 3 (Highway 3 is open) in Princeton and 29 km North of Princeton at Allison Lake Provincial Park at Coalmont Road because of a forest fire.

A local detour is not available.

An alternate route is available by Highway 97C, 97, and Highway 3.

There is no estimated time of opening.
The South Korean ocean carrier signed a memorandum of understanding with Saigon Newport Corp. for the joint development of port and container depot facilities in Vietnam.



South Korean ocean carrier Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) signed a memorandum of understanding last Thursday with Saigon Newport Corp. (SNP) for the joint development of port and container depot facilities in Vietnam, according to an HMM press release.

This MOU will be an opportunity for both HMM and SNP to strengthen the partnership and expand the scope of cooperation, not only in Vietnam but also in a global scale, HMM CEO Yoo Chang-Keun said.

The carriers volumes in Vietnam will increase by over 50 percent from last year, driven by rapid growth of emerging markets, Yoo explained.

Ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reportings Port Dashboard tool shows that in Vietnam, HMM:

 Operates three services and purchases slots on four services calling Ho Chi Minh City;

 Operates one service and purchase slots on three services calling Ho Chi Minh (Cai Mep);

 Operates three services and purchases slots on four services calling Ho Chi Minh (VICT/Cat Lai);

 Operates two services and purchase slots on two services calling Haiphong;

 And operates one service calling Da Nang.


A group of diverse but like-minded individuals, the members of ARC have come together in their common desire to fight hatred, bigotry, intolerance and violence because of the harm these antisocial behaviors cause to our society. In that effort, we will not use or sanction the use of illegal actions (such as violence or intimidation) in pursuit of our desired aims and if we learn of anyone who does use these unethical methods we will report those individuals to the authorities. Instead, we will use the guarantees found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that ensure freedom of legal speech and expression.
The recent conflict escalation in the Line of Contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, which has yet again led to the regrettable death of civilians, is a matter of great concern to all of us who believe in the values of peace and understanding.

July 10, 2017, 18:51 Joint Statement by EuFoA Director and MEPs on the recent conflict escalation in the Line of Contact in Nagorno-Karabakh

JULY ,10 STEPANAKERT, ARTSAKHPRESS: In this regard, we would like to offer our condolences and express our deepest sympathy to the relatives and friends of the victims.

Zahra Guliyeva and her grandmother Sahiba are the most recent victims of the repeated violations of the ceasefire by the Azerbaijani armed forces, and their usual practice of shelling Nagorno-Karabakh from positions located too close to civilian settlements (practice condemned by the Geneva Convention and that constitutes in itself a war crime), putting their own population at risk.

These two names join a long list of both civilians and soldiers, Armenian and Azerbaijani, who paid the ultimate price for the indifference of the international community and its failure to prevent the continued violations of the ceasefire regime by the armed forces of Azerbaijan.

Since last years Four Day War and the refusal of President Aliyev to implement the agreements to expand the capabilities of the OSCE ceasefire monitoring mission, Azerbaijan has not only intensified its anti-Armenian rhetoric and war threats against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, but also escalated hostilities. This is Bakus response to increasing external pressure caused by deteriorating situation of human rights and freedom of the media in the country, and recent accusations of Azerbaijans involvement in the traffic of weapons for terrorist organisations.

We call for an immediate halt to Azerbaijans military aggression, and reaffirm our belief in that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be resolved peacefully, and in full respect of the right to self-determination of the local population. This is the only way to stop claiming the lives of civilians and young conscripts on both sides.

Further escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh risks bringing more instability to the entire region, and provoking yet another humanitarian crisis in the EUs neighbourhood.

We therefore call on the European Union to actively contribute to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by supporting the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and suspending political engagement with Azerbaijan until it ceases violating the ceasefire and commits to the respect of human rights and good neighbourly relations.
thyssenkrupp inaugurated its technology center for the oleochemical industry in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, to deliver world-class engineering solutions to global customers. Representing an investment of more than 18 million (~THB680 million), Map Ta Phut will become thyssenkrupps global oleochemical competence center for R&D, engineering, project execution and technology development services.

Dr. Peter Feldhaus, CEO of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, said: Thailand is a key market for us in Asia and we are proud of our long heritage here. The investment in the Oleochemicals competence center shows our strong commitment to strengthen the countrys position as one of our global engineering hubs.

The Map Ta Phut facility provides the full value chain on site, from state-of-the-art engineering and EPC execution capabilities to laboratories and pilot plant facilities that guarantee process performance, and for product development hosting Singapore-based Inventas production technologies for alkoxylation, esterification and amination that thyssenkrupp acquired in 2015.

The company recently shipped a large modular plant to Oxiteno, a Brazilian chemical multinational manufacturer. It has been fully engineered, and assembled in Thailand, andafter final inspection dismantled for the transport, it is now on its way to the end customer in the United States. The reactor was built using the innovative Jet Reactor system which offers superior performance with better process automation and control, lower residual alkylene oxide levels, and faster reaction cycle times when compared with conventional stirred reactor designs.

Brian Cameron, CEO of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions Thailand, noted, Our technologies, with the Jet Reactor at the heart of the process, provide customers the flexibility to produce a broad variety of these specialty chemicals with the same equipment and with improved cycle times. We can deliver more competitively from Thailand to most global sites thanks to our modular Lego-like approach which provides improved safety, predictable delivery times and reduced capital cost, enabling our customers to come to market sooner.

Dr. Peter Feldhaus continued: It is exciting to see how our local team in Map Ta Phut just recently completed a world-scale project. This is a demonstration of the high quality that can be produced in Thailand and proves that Thai engineering is truly globally competitive.
I am vigorously working to identify and secure an organizer that can make free performances happen this summer in our communities, said Boro President Eric Adams in a statement. As I have shared in the past, the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President has no control over either concert series; they have been run by independent non-profit organizations that determined the number of shows each year and who would perform in those shows.

Let me understand this. When they were free, they were the Borough Presidents concerts. Now that they are no longer free or are no longer held, the Borough President has nothing to do with these concerts because they are run by independent non-profit corporations. Typical political double talk.

Besides Best of Brooklyn, the Markowitz groups are Camp Brooklyn, the Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series and the Seaside Summer Concert Series. The charities do not pay Mr. Markowitz a salary, but all four have close ties to the borough presidents office, functioning almost as quasi-governmental units, the interviews and city records show.

Two of Mr. Markowitzs aides work both in the borough presidents office and at the charities.

While the shows are in a slightly different location, tens of thousands of Brooklynites and all New Yorkers will still get the same high quality, free concerts on Thursday evenings this summer. Mayor Bloomberg, the City Council led by Speaker Quinn and Coney Islands own Councilman Domenic Recchia were unwavering partners in our efforts to keep the concerts in Coney Island, said a joint statement issued by Markowitz and Seaside Summer Concert Series Executive Director/Producer Debra Garcia.

Sad news. I bet Marty Markowitz would have handled this differently.

We want Marty back...even with his non stop banter!!!

I went to these.for years.. sounds like classic city politics and $$. Bullshit ! This is about for profit cos muzzling in on.what WAS a terrific NYC tradition..Gone are days when our own Marty Markowitz would introduce superb FREE acts like Patti LaBelle, B-52's, Donna Summer, Liza Minnelli ! Alas.. a changing city ! Profits over community ! Hopefully we'll get a REAL political leadership that can advocate for the average New Yorker !!

The minute they built that amphitheater I knew the free concerts were gone. Saw so many bands there. It was awesome. Political Greed always gets in the way. Bring back Marty!!!!!!!

The dismantling and rebranding of my Brooklyn continues. :-(

These shows were phenomenal! Thanks Marty Markowitz for the memories: Toni Braxton, Babyface, The Leverts, Gladys Knight, Angela Winbush, Curtis Blow, Big Daddy Kane, The Manhattans and sooo many more great acts I was blessed to witness perform live there over the years. Other than that tragic night (I was there for that too) when Curtis Mayfield was paralyzed by a stage pole which fell on him during a storm, there was never any problems due to the well-respected Nation of Islam security detail. These shows don't appeal to the new Brooklyn demographic though, so I doubt they will ever be back in the same format. :-/

Politically this may harm Eric Adams. Marty Markowitz made it his business to be at each concert in Wingate Park every summer. He was a "hype man" of sorts and people loved him.

I knew the minute that arrogant lil peanut head dude was elected that it was going down the

So Gentrification and The NEW People have found it Undesirable. That is why it is ending. Don't sugarcoat it or insult us.

Adams, in a statement , told Bklyner:That's a wee bit disingenous. Consider the press release , from July 2016 and excerpted at right, announcing Adams as host of the series.As one Bklyner commenter put it sardonically:Well, especially with Markowitz, the nexus was pretty clear. As the New York Times reported in October 2011:In May 2011, Bklyner reported Last summer, the Ford Amphitheater opened for concerts in Coney, funded significantly by Markowitz's allocations. As I wrote , the summer concert season in Coney Island was both bigger and smaller than when Markowitz was in charge, though that's wasn't quite Adams's fault. The venue was bigger, but only three shows would offer 1,000 free tickets.When we call up these corporate entities and say, Listen, we want these free concerts for the residents of Coney Island and Flatbush, they have already read stories and say, We dont want to donate to those anymore,"Adams told the Brooklyn Paper, which said "Adams blamed overzealous good-government groups for creating a chilling affect among sponsors."Oh sure, as I wrote. Good-government groups in New York City are not too strong. Maybe he meant federal prosecutors.It's a sign of what the public expects from borough presidents, the comments on Facebook for both Seaside and MLK . Some excerpts:
Jamela Anthony, 6, plays outside her home July 7, 2017, on Chicago's West Side. Jamela has undergone extensive treatment for an aggressive tumor on her spinal cord that is now in remission and her family has relied on Medicaid to cover costs. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune) (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)

Six-year-old Jamela Anthony  wearing a black shirt proclaiming "I Kicked Cancer's Butt"  ran through a hallway at Lurie Children's Hospital toward a golden bell.

She rang it triumphantly, smiling before her mother scooped the tiny girl into a long, tight hug. Jamela rang it, a tradition at Lurie, to mark the end of chemotherapy more than a year after doctors found a type of rare, aggressive tumor on her spinal cord. She's now in remission.

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Jamela's mother, Tangela Watson, is thankful for her daughter's remission and that Medicaid, a state- and federally-funded health insurance program, covered the costs of Jamela's care.

"It helped out a lot," said Watson, who lives on the city's West Side. "That was one big thing I didn't have to worry about."

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But Watson does worry about how the Medicaid program might change if the Senate's Obamacare replacement bill becomes law.

Like Jamela, about 30 million children nationally and 1.5 million kids in Illinois  about half of all kids in the state  rely on the program.

Much of the debate over Obamacare's future in recent months has focused on skyrocketing health insurance prices, consumer choice and whether able-bodied adults should have access to Medicaid. The effects of replacement bills on children, however, hasn't received as much attention.

Proponents of the latest proposal, the Senate's Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, say it will help rein in federal spending on Medicaid while still protecting the nation's most medically needy children.

Opponents, however, fear the bill, which would reduce projected Medicaid spending by an estimated $772 billion between 2017 and 2026, would disproportionately hurt children because they make up such a large part of the Medicaid population. Kids sometimes qualify for Medicaid even when their parents don't based on family income.

The bill, which the Senate may vote on in coming weeks, proposes, among other things, capping the amount of federal dollars states receive per person on Medicaid, starting in late 2019. Leaders of a number of Chicago-area children's hospitals say the caps could lead states to cut payments to doctors, cover fewer services and make it more difficult for hospitals to provide pediatric care.

"It's not good for kids," said Mike Farrell, president of Advocate Children's Hospital. "The bill, basically in our minds, is a bit of a step backward."

About 56 percent of Advocate Children's Hospital's patients are on Medicaid  a statistic that's not unusual for children's hospitals. If the Senate bill were to pass, and the state were to cut Medicaid payments to providers, it's possible the hospital might have to reconsider the proportion of Medicaid patients it's contracted to treat or rework some of its programs, Farrell said.

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The University of Chicago Medicine's Comer Children's hospital could face similarly tough decisions, said Dr. Daniel Johnson, vice chair for pediatric patient care services at Comer.

Lurie Children's Hospital might have to delay or forgo investments if the Senate bill passes, said CEO Patrick Magoon.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Tangela Watson on July 7, 2017, shows a photo of her daughter Jamela Anthony, 6, on the first day she went to the hospital for cancer treatment. Jamela has undergone extensive treatment for an aggressive tumor on her spinal cord that is now in remission and her family has relied on Medicaid to cover costs. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

Local children's hospitals also worry that lower payments to doctors could mean fewer primary care pediatricians willing to treat children on Medicaid. Kids who aren't getting regular primary pediatric care may wind up in hospital emergency rooms more often, they say.

"Our biggest concern has been for kids who don't need to be in our hospitals, that need basic dental care, basic pediatric care," said Mark Wietecha, CEO of the Children's Hospital Association, which represents more than 200 children's hospitals across the country. "That's where we're going to have some real hell."

Supporters of the bill, however, have praised its overall tightening of Medicaid spending.

Tom Price, Health and Human Services secretary, has heralded the bill as "much-needed relief from Obamacare" that will bring down the cost of coverage and expand choices.

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Also, most of the projected $772 billion reduction in Medicaid spending would be because of changes to Medicaid for adults, said Avik Roy, who served as a health care adviser to former presidential candidate Mitt Romney and founded the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity. He also said the Senate bill would give states more flexibility to make Medicaid spending more efficient.

Robert Moffit, a senior fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said limiting the amount of federal dollars states receive per person on Medicaid is an appropriate way to help control spending.

"One of the biggest problems we have in terms of the fundamental future of the United States is we have an entitlement problem," Moffit said. "Entitlements are driving deficits and deficits are driving debt."

Plus, the Senate bill would exempt disabled kids from the new proposed funding limits, allowing them to continue under the current funding formula, he said.

But the exemption wouldn't necessarily apply to all kids with disabilities or major health care needs, said MaryBeth Musumeci, an associate director at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation's Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

The Children's Hospital Association estimates the exemption would apply to about 1.5 million to 1.8 million kids across the country, out of the more than 30 million kids on Medicaid.

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It's not totally clear, for example, whether a child like Jamela would qualify for that exemption, which would allow the state to continue to receive matching dollars from the federal government for her care, or if her funding would be capped.

Jamela Anthony, 6, plays with a pair of phones July 7, 2017, outside her home on Chicagos West Side as her mother, Tangela Watson, watches. Jamela is in remission after chemotherapy for an aggressive form of brain cancer. Her treatment was paid for by Medicaid, and Watson worries about proposed changes to the program. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune )

Jamela has been slowly recovering since she finished chemotherapy. She's quick to smile and eager to get outside to play and climb, but her mother still is keeping a close eye on her, making sure she doesn't overdo it or fall.

Lurie plans to fly Watson and Jamela to Washington, D.C., this week, so Watson can talk at an advocacy event about what Medicaid has done for her family.

"It's very important that our voices be heard before they make these drastic decisions for our children," Watson said. "At least they can hear us and see what we're saying, so they can hear our kids' stories."

lschencker@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @lschencker
Layoffs at Sam's Club contributed to the more than 500 job losses Illinois employers warned of in June. (Rick Kambic / Pioneer Press)

The closures of an Aurora manufacturing plant, a Woodridge Sam's Club and another Chicago Savers thrift shop contributed to more than 500 layoffs reported to the state in June.

Some 200 people will be out of a job at the Philips manufacturing plant in Aurora, where the Dunlee brand, acquired by Philips in 2001, makes medical imaging component parts.

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Philips, based in Amsterdam, plans to close the plant by the end of the year and move production to an existing company site in Hamburg, Germany, the Dutch company said in a statement. Dunlee moved its headquarters to the Aurora facility in 1994.

"This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects the fact that the GTC (Generators, Tubes and Components) replacement market, which was primarily served by the Aurora facility, has been significantly declining in recent years," the statement said. The company expects future growth to be in the X-ray segment for original equipment manufacturers, currently served by the Hamburg facility.

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Philips said affected employees will get a comprehensive separation package and a limited number will be offered the chance to provide GTC replacement market service and technical support for Philips in North America.

The Philips closure was the largest layoff reported last month to Illinois' Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The state's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers with at least 75 employees to notify the state 60 days in advance of plant closings or mass layoffs, which are defined as layoffs that affect at least a third of a company's workforce, or at least 250 workers for a company of any size.

Sam's Club, which closed its store in Woodridge at the end of June, was listed in the state's layoff report with 158 employees affected. The store had been there since 1993.

"We continually review our company portfolio to make sure we are best positioned to achieve our long-term strategy," the company said in a statement. Spokeswoman Amy Wyatt-Moore said Sam's Club is providing 60 days paid notice to each associate and severance pay and benefits for those eligible, as well as helping them find work at other Sam's Clubs or Walmart stores. Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart owns Sam's Club.

Also reporting mass layoffs was thrift store chain Savers, based in Bellevue, Wash., which is closing another store and a warehouse in addition to the five Chicago-area store closures announced in the spring.

The state listed 58 layoffs at the address in Chicago's Gage Park neighborhood where Savers has a Unique store, to take place at the end of August. The company also is closing a warehouse facility in Bellwood, where 23 workers will be affected, spokeswoman Sara Gaugl said.

Savers in the spring attributed the five closures announced then  in Glenview, Downers Grove, Arlington Heights, Franklin Park and Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood  to local market pressures. It has eight remaining stores in the area.

Sears Holdings reported 108 people affected by a layoff in Oak Brook, to begin Aug. 27. The department store chain previously announced that it will temporarily close its Oakbrook Center location to remodel the store and make it dramatically smaller, reducing it from three floors to one, and will reopen next year. Its auto center at that location will close in March.

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"We will work to ensure that our Oakbrook associates have clear visibility to all openings in our surrounding stores for the period of the temporary closure," said spokesman Howard Riefs. "All eligible associates are encouraged to apply and we will facilitate moving as much talent as we can into these openings. All eligible associates will be offered severance."

aelejalderuiz@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @alexiaer
Hammond resident Garrette Horne recently received a $2,000 grant from the Indiana Arts Commission toward developing a curriculum to encourage teens to tell social justice stories through theater. (Meredith Colias / Post-Tribune)

During eight years he conducted theater and writing workshops with incarcerated teens in Illinois, Garrette Horne would often notice how many of their ideas came from their own lives.

"I didn't realize until later they were actually telling their stories," said Horne, 38, of Hammond. "I just started noticed the process of creating was very therapeutic for youth. It was really what was happening behind the scenes that was really great for those students."

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Recently, the native of Chicago's South Side received a $2,000 grant from the Indiana Arts Commission to develop a curriculum that will encourage high school students using theater to create projects pushing social justice issues including violence and substance abuse.

He hopes to introduce the idea to various Hammond schools such as Gavit High School or Eggers Middle School and hold additional sessions at a community church during off-school hours.

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He plans to contact Hammond Schools in the coming weeks, he said. It would be open to any student, but he particularly hopes to give at-risk students a creative outlet.

He plans to use the fall semester to develop an academic plan, that could range between 25 and 30 weeks. He wants to get test groups of interested students to see what formats would work.

Hoping to fuel similar projects, the Indiana Arts Commission awarded 48 applicants, including Horne and two others in Lake and Porter counties grants up to $2,000 each.

The purpose is to provide funding to artists, while requiring their project also emphasize community engagement, said IAC Executive Director Lewis Ricci.

"Any application that is successful...have both of those aspects in their application in a strong way," he said.

Lake Station Edison Middle School U.S. History teacher Amy Brailey received a nearly $2,000 grant to travel to Virginia and Pennsylvania to study George Washington's pre-war life.

She is currently penning a historical novel entitled "Jon Everett and the Hall of History" that explores Washington during the French-Indian War.

Traveling to places that have chronicled Washington's life will be essential to her research, she said.

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"It's really like treasure hunting," said Brailey. "One step gives you a clue to somewhere else."

Valparaiso resident Debra Silvert, a flutist, received a $2,000 grant toward classical music recording sessions.

She and Paul Bowman, a classical guitarist, form the Valparaiso-based group Duo Sequenza.

Their plan is to do four three-hour recording sessions at a studio in Schneider were 15 to 18 people can watch from the control room.

"One of the things the arts commission (emphasizes) is community engagement," she said. "Especially with classical music, he have got to develop a broader audience."

The first two sessions will be held on Aug. 16 and 17, she said with later ones in November and February. A docent will also be present to answer questions, she said.

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"It would be a more vibrant recording experience if there was an audience," Silvert said. "We thought it could be interesting."

They will record selections including "South Shore Suite," by Indiana University South Bend music school professor Jorge Muniz, "White River," by Francisco Carbonell, "Duets Exhibition," by Amin Sharifi and "Meshquanowat: Red Tailed Hawk," by Gary-born Jerry Owen.

By using living composers with Indiana connections, they want to dispel the myth that it is primarily inaccessible and avant-garde, she said.

"That's not the bulk of it," Silvert said. "It's fresh, it's vibrant music."

mcolias@post-trib.com

Twitter @meredithcolias

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Learn more:

For more information on becoming an audience member for the Duo Sequenza recordings, go to duosequenza.com.

For additional information on Indiana Arts Commission projects, go to in.gov/arts.
The entrance to Margeaux Brasserie at the Waldorf Astoria is tiled in white marble and sports bold gold lettering. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune )

Critically acclaimed chef and restaurateur Michael Mina opens Margeaux Brasserie at the Waldorf Astoria in the Gold Coast on Monday. Executive chef Brent Balika, previously of The Dawson, runs the restaurant, which joins Mina's Petit Margeaux, the companion cafe which opened in the hotel in late June. (See the story here.) The pair are the first in Chicago for Mina, whose eponymous Michael Mina in San Francisco is the most well known of his 30 restaurants across the country.

"It's a tribute to Paris in the 1920s," said general manager Jose Gonzalez, "We're trying to capture the beauty, the romance, the style. It was that era of celebration, there was a sexiness. Our classic cocktails reflect that, and classic French cuisine as well."

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Said Balika, "We want that lively space harking back to traditional brasserie cuisine but of course utilizing local ingredients as much as we can."

"We're trying to be a big part of the community," he added.

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New exterior signage at the luxury hotel, and a dedicated elevator, lead directly to the foyer of the third floor restaurant. A white marble tiled threshold, inlaid with gold letters boldly spelling out Margeaux, opens to the front pewter bar room, with brass rods holding Chartreuse and other bottles of spirits above.

To the left, windows flood daylight into a small lounge area, including a cozy nook with a green tufted leather curved corner banquette, the favorite meeting space of Balika.

A Champagne cart will offer six of the French wines by the glass, plus the 2012 Iron Horse Vineyards Michael Mina Cuvee ($16) from California.

Balika's favorite table in the house can be found in yet another curvaceous corner, under floor to ceiling windows with a neighborhood view.

The brasserie will serve breakfast, featuring eggs Benedict but on croissants, and with bearnaise not hollandaise sauce, plus heirloom Bloomsdale spinach, as well your choice of Paris ham ($18), smoked salmon ($22) or Maine lobster ($25).

At dinner, expect brasserie classics.

"There are two dishes that I'm really in love with," said Balika, "We're doing a beautiful tomato Tatin ($18) using local tomatoes, Camembert, puff pastry, a little bit of Dijon, a smoked tomato vinaigrette and a basil pistou. It's summer, warm and juicy, and very simplistic which is very brasserie."

"Then Dover sole ($70), we're doing a classic meuniere, whole roasted, we're boning it in the kitchen, with white asparagus. Very simple but really intense delicious flavors."

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Mina restaurant group beverage director Daniel Grajewski and sommelier Ryan Baldwin created the beverage program.

Said Gonzalez, "There's a lot of homage to the era and Hemingway, like the Hemingway daiquiri and Death in the Afternoon."

A cheese cart continues the classic touches. Said Balika, "We're focusing on French style cheeses, including amazing artisans from around this country too. For our opening program, we're doing Thomasville tomme from Georgia, a raw cow's milk cheese, semi firm, buttery and grassy."

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The cheese selection ($21) also will include such French selections as cremeux des Citeaux and bleu des Causses, like brie and Roquefort respectively.

"We're pairing it with warm dried fruit and hazelnut bread from La Fournette, plus a house made marmalade, currently dried apricot and black pepper, some toasted Marcona almonds, and local honey from Wisconsin," he said.

For patrons with a sweet tooth, "Our chocolate macaron ($11) with chocolate cremeux, it's your chocolate overload deliciousness, rich and decadent," said Balika.

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The brasserie opens daily for breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.; the bar and lounge area, 4 p.m. to midnight Sundays to Thursdays, to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays; dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Brunch begins July 22, weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Margeaux Brasserie, 11 E. Walton St., 312-625-1324, www.margeauxbrasserie.com

lchu@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @louisachu

In anticipation of the opening of his first Chicago restaurants, Margeaux Brasserie and Petit Margeaux, Michael Mina talks to us about his first boss, his snack of shame and what inspired him to become a chef. (Roger Morales / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)






The Mexican pop-rock band Mana, and reggaeton giants Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam will headline Los Dells Festival, the first-ever Latin music and arts festival in the Midwest, Sept. 2-3, organizers announced.

Reik, Kinky, Larry Hernandez, Los Dareyes de la Sierra, and others have also confirmed they will perform at the festival, to be held at Woodside Ranch, 10 miles north of the Wisconsin Dells, a resort town in the southern part of the state.

Regular and VIP two-day passes range from $145 to $385. The aim is to bring in 15,000 people per day this year, according to organizers.

We feel Latin music in the Midwest is underserved, Adam Mills, one the creators of the festival, told Billboard. Its too obvious if we go to Miami. We know the odds are against us, but anybody who wants to spearhead a concept has to take that leap. We lead with our artists, which is an exceptional lineup, and with the Wisconsin Dells. We truly are trying to sell the destination.

Prior to Los Dells, the only Latinx music festival in the region was Ruido Fest, a Chicagoland Latin alt-rock festival with two stages and over 55 bands. Eduardo Calvillo, the founder of the festival, said Ruido Fest is particularly unique because it attracts millennials, predominantly Chicanos, that either live in the Midwest or travel to Chicago to experience Spanish rock from around the world.
A group of young people gathered at the Home Depot booth and demanded that they take down a wall that was being decorated inside, saying that the hardware stores owner is a known Trump supporter and supporter of a wall between the US and Mexico." (Laura Rodriguez)

While most attendees at Ruido Fest, Chicago's Latin alt rock music festival, enjoyed Saturday's performances, a group of young people gathered at the Home Depot booth and demanded that they take down a wall that was being decorated inside, saying that the hardware store's owner is a "known Trump supporter and supporter of a wall between the US and Mexico", as they wrote in a post shared widely on social media, which called others to join the protest.

Home Depot representatives invited attendees to their booth to decorate tiles and paste them on a wall during the festival, held in the Pilsen neighborhood, a Latino community.

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"People started noticing the connection between the Home Depot owner being a Trump supporter, and then their activity of having us build a wall and decorate it," said Amara Betty Martin, who also spoke to the festival's organizers prior to organizing the protest.

At the lack of response from the Ruido Fest organizers, "we started talking to people in the community and decided that that can't happen here, it's not right," Martin said.

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A small group of festival goers gathered at the booth around 6pm and asked those staffing it to close down the activity and take down the wall. However, the Home Depot representatives at the booth argued that the art activity had no political meaning.

"It's like they're brainwashing our community into thinking that it's beautiful to build a wall," said Maria Velazquez, one of the protestors. "You're branding it a nice family activity when you're really building a wall. So when you put everything together into context you see that what they're trying to do is normalize Trump and the meaning of a wall."

After Home Depot representatives refused to act, the group decided to take matters into their own hands, and began to forcibly detach the tiles from the wall as they chanted "Fuck Trump" and "Bring it down."

"The community wasn't having it because they weren't responsive to our argument, so we began to take it down", Martin said. "It is a slap in the face to this community, to this festival. We're all spending money here and we're all Latinos," she added.

A small group of festival goers gathered at the booth around 6pm and asked those staffing it to close down the activity and take down the wall. However, the Home Depot representatives at the booth argued that the art activity had no political meaning. LAURA RODRIGUEZ/HOY

Home Depot's cofounder and the store's first CEO, Bernard Marcus, publicly endorsed president Donald Trump during the campaign and pledged to, "help him at every turn," according to an article published by RealClear Politics in June of 2016. Marcus served as Chairman of the store's board until he retired, in 2002.

Daniel Lawson, one of the Home Depot representatives at the booth, said he was an independent contractor working the stand for the weekend, adding, "until the group approached us, I didn't make any connections between walls and the mosaic art piece that we put up for this event."

"If they were trying to accomplish a point by bringing the wall down, they did it in the worst way possible, because it endangered a lot of people. There's kids here," Lawson said.

According to Lawson, the wall weighed 900 pounds and could not be disassembled immediately.

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Stephen Holmes, Director of Corporate Communications at the Home Depot told Forbes that Marcus does not speak on behalf of the store.

"We were there to show our support for the community, so this was a very disappointing misunderstanding," said Holmes in e-mail statement about the incident at Ruido Fest.

A Ruido Fest spokesperson refused to comments in regards to the incident.

Protesters attempt to tear down the the wall being decorated inside the Home Depot booth. LAURA RODRIGUEZ/HOY

The wall was taken down by Sunday morning, the third and last day of the festival, and the booth is no longer open.

"I don't want to blame anyone for what happened," said Velazquez. "I don't know what Ruido Fest knew or didn't know of what Home Depot planned to put together. In terms of Home Depot, as a public relations' perspective, they need to realize that the activity was not fitting at all in this festival, in this area, keeping in mind the climate that we are living right now in the country."

Other staffers at the booth said protesters were "rude and violent" and they feared for their safety.
Marriage is a topic that has been covered extensively in books, from self-help books to romance novels to literary fiction to mysteries and thrillers. Todays column reviews two novels with the theme of marriage, albeit with a slightly different take.

In Dennis Lehanes newest novel Since We Fell, Rachel Childs is a local TV reporter sent to cover Haiti after a disaster. Her reporting earns her a chance at a network TV assignment, but when she has a very public on-air breakdown, she loses her opportunity and her husband leaves her.

She becomes a recluse, rarely leaving her apartment. She reconnects with Brian, a man she knew as a private investigator while looking for information about her birth father. Brian rescues her from an obnoxious man in a bar, and they begin to date.

Brian is patient and loving with Rachel, and soon they marry. One day, Rachel sees Brian coming out of hotel in Boston when he was supposed to be in London, and she begins to question if he is the man she believes him to be.

The beginning of this fast-paced novel hooks you right away. On a Tuesday in May, in her thirty-seventh year, Rachel shot her husband dead. He stumbled backward with an odd look of confirmation on his face, as if some part of him had always known shed do it. How can you not read on?

Since We Fell packs so much in this fast-paced novel. At first its about a young woman looking for her father. Then the story moves to cover Rachels breakdown and her subsequent marriage to a seemingly wonderful man. The last third of the book is a straight-out thriller, as Rachel uncovers the truth about her husband and fights to stay alive.

Fans of The Girl On The Train and In A Dark, Dark Wood will love Since We Fell, and I liked it better than those. Lehane is a superb writer who knows how to write terrific characters while ratcheting up the tension.

For a different view of marriage, Deanna Lynn Slettens new novel, One Wrong Turn, tells the story of Jess and Clay. The book begins when Jess is rushing home and has a car accident that results in her becoming comatose.

Jess is living with their two daughters, 12-year-old Maddie and 7-year-old Jilly, working to open a bed and breakfast in a home left to her by her grandmother. Clay is summoned to the hospital, where he sees his comatose wife and two daughters for the first time in two years.

The story goes back and forth in time, beginning with the first meeting of Jess, a waitress in a beach bar, and Clay, a guitarist in a rock band. At first, Jess wants nothing to do with a musician, but Clay wins her over.

They marry, and Jess becomes pregnant with Maddie. Clays career begins to take off, which means he is off touring with bands in addition to becoming a highly respected and in-demand studio musician. Musicians like to drink, and Clay begins to drink too much.

Jess puts up with Clays drinking until she returns home one day and finds him passed out when he is supposed to be caring for their baby. Clays attempts at sobriety include stints at rehab facilities, and he manages to stay sober for periods of time.

Eventually, Jess has had enough and she takes the girls and moves away when she inherits her grandmothers house. They build a life for themselves and make friends, until the accident.

Maddie is old enough to remember good and bad times with her father, but young Jilly doesnt remember much. Clay vows to the girls that he will care for them, but Maddie fears they will be abandoned by Clay once again. In addition, there is the question of whether Jess will ever come out of her coma.

One Wrong Turn is the story of a marriage that tries to overcome the illness of addiction, and what happens when the unimaginable occurs. Its beautifully written, and the characters, particularly Maddie and Clay, are ones that readers will identify and empathize with.

Slettens last novel, Finding Libbie, was about love, marriage and mental illness, and she approaches her books with such sensitivity that I admit to tearing up more than once while reading her. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand should seek out Deanna Lee Slettens books.
SAN YSIDRO CA JUNE 8, 2017 -- Only one of the ten iconic Caltrans caution signs emblazoned with the image of an immigrant father, mother and daughter running for their lives that once dotted the 5 Freeway is left. (Cindy Carcamo / Los Angeles Times)

SAN YSIDRO, CALIF.  So many immigrants crossing illegally into the United States through California were killed by cars and trucks along the 5 Freeway that John Hood was given an assignment.

In the early 1990s, the Caltrans worker was tasked with creating a road sign to alert drivers to the possible danger.

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Silhouetted against a yellow background and the word "CAUTION," the sign featured a father, waist bent, head down, running hard. Behind him, a mother in a knee-length dress pulls on the slight wrist of a girl  her pigtails flying, her feet barely touching the ground.

Ten signs once dotted the shoulders of the 5 Freeway, just north of the Mexican border. They became iconic markers of the perils of the immigrant journey north. But they began to disappear  victims of crashes, storms, vandalism and the fame conferred on them by popular culture.

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Bartletti, Don   August 20, 1990. San Ysidro, CA. With their shoes and pant legs still wet after walking in the nearby Tijuana River valley, a group of young people sprint across I5. Illegal immigrants, fearing arrest on pedestrian bridges risked catching drivers unaware of the presence of people on the high speed highway. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Today, one sign remains. And when it's gone, it won't be replaced  the result of California's diminished role as a crossing point for immigrants striving to make it to America.

Read the full story on LATimes.com
A Frida Kahlo doll is seen next to a picture of the Mexican artist. (SUSANA GONZALEZ / AFP/Getty Images)

It was her colorful rebozo and vibrant flower crown, red lipstick and her distinctive dresses that helped Frida Kahlo, the iconic Mexican artist, hide her suffering. That same suffering has since made her a symbol of feminine strength more than one hundred years after her birth, on July 6, 1907 in La Casa Azul in Coyoacan, Mexico.

The enduring allure and strength that characterized Frida inspired a group of Latina artisans in the Chicago area to create works with a "Frida touch." Those pieces will be showcased in her honor on July 8, at La Catrina Cafe in Pilsen, 1011 W. 18th St.

"In one way or another, we all find a bit of inspiration in the artist's life, and in her words and thoughts we find what we would like to express ourselves," said Hilda Burgos, artisan and founder of Colectivo Mariposa, a group of artists who united with the goal of "empowering women through art," she said.

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Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Calderon, daughter of the German photographer Guillermo Kahlo and Matilde Calderon, a woman of Mexican origin, is part of an important chapter in the history of Mexican art, that also included figures like her husband, famed muralist Diego Rivera.

Proud of her Mexican origins, Frida wore extravagant traditional garments from different regions of her country. However, it was her traditional Tehuana dress that stood out and also allowed her to hide the shortness and thinness of her right leg, caused by polio, which she contracted at the age of six. She also suffered a traffic accident as an adult that paralyzed part of her body and required more than 30 surgeries throughout her life.

Frida Kahlo at work, 1951. (Gisele Freund / IMEC / Fonds MCC)

"I admire Frida Kahlo for her tenacity, strength and courage to survive the physical pain that overwhelmed her," said Burgos, who helped organize the Frida show.

It's that strength that Burgos and other artisans say they want to keep alive and share with others through the images of Frida that will be showcased and sold on Saturday.

"She is an example for women to follow because of her strength," added Eva Gonzalez, an independent Chicago-area artisan. "Although life throws obstacles our way, we have to overcome them. If we fall, we have to get up and move on, and never give up," she added.

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Stacy Espinoza, a young painter born to Peruvian parents, says that like Frida, she paints the sufferings she experiences.

"Frida Kahlo greatly impacted my life as I grew up," Espinoza said. "She definitely inspired me to express myself through my paintings because she is remembered for her self-portraits, pain and passion, and bold and vibrant colors."

Frida, known for her communist sympathies, might not agree with the marketing of her image Burgos acknowledged.

"But it's important to share her passion for her land through the way she dressed and lived, no matter where she was in the world. And also share her way of transforming so much pain into strength," she said.

Various independent artists, including some from Mexico, will join Colectivo Mariposa to sell pieces with a Frida Kahlo touch, and celebrate the painters birthday.

Sixty-three years after her departure, her ideals, feminism, and individualism continue to influence and inspire new generations, they said.
Tourist Matthew Kirkland taking a photo of a bronze statue at the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily, Italy. The seven Greek temples date to ancient times and have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. (Siobhan Starrs / AP)

Sicily sits at the toe of Italy's boot, just 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the mainland, at its closest point, and a short ferry ride from the town of Messina. But our gateway to Sicily was on the other side of the island, flying into the capital Palermo.

We have holidayed in Italy before, but now with my partner and our 6-year-old daughter Kitty in tow, and two weeks at our disposal, we were ready for a road trip. Sicily's size, culture, food and weather make it an enticing destination.

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Located in the Mediterranean, Sicily has been of strategic importance from ancient times. The Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Saracens and Normans are just a few of the civilizations that invaded, each leaving their mark.

A rainy day led us to Palermo's Royal Palace. Construction began in the ninth century during the Arab era, and it was later expanded by the Normans, invaders from northern France, who assimilated designs of the Islamic and Byzantine courts that preceded them. Sicily's Arab-Norman architecture is on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

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The jewel of the Royal Palace is the Palatine Chapel built in Byzantine style with lavish golden mosaics of saints, Arabic patterns and a wooden muqarnas-style ceiling  a type of ornamented vaulting often associated with Islamic domes.

Sicily's Opera dei Pupi, which dates to the 19th century, features wooden puppets in tales of medieval chivalry and battles. Some of the opera's puppets, and others from around the world, are on display at the International Museum of Marionettes. An in-house show stars Orlando, a medieval knight who must rescue his beloved Angelica from a legion of Saracens. Parents, be warned: It is a rather violent plot (though our daughter loved it), with the hero slaying dozens of marionettes, which ended up in heap on the tiny stage. Some lost their heads, one lost its face.

A few days later we were sitting on the terrace of our hotel in Taormina, on the island's northeast coast, enjoying the sunshine, when Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano, emerged from behind clouds and appeared to float, emitting two white plumes from its snow-covered summit.

Taormina is Sicily's plushest resort, more Capri than Naples, with an ambiance that recalls "La Dolce Vita." Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor are just a few of the famous names who have stayed here. The resort's main attractions are the ancient Greek theater and a cable car that takes you down to a rocky promontory called Isola Bella.

Our quest to circumnavigate the island led us next to Syracuse on Sicily's south eastern corner. We stayed in Orytiga (Ortigia), a small island which was once the historic center of the city, connected to the mainland by two bridges.

Syracuse's main cathedral, il Duomo, is built on the site of a Greek temple. The original Greek columns, which can still be seen, were incorporated into a church in the seventh century. A massive earthquake in 1693 devastated much of the region and many towns were rebuilt in a late baroque style, which became known as Sicilian Baroque. Syracuse's Duomo is a good example and we also visited the nearby town of Noto, also famous for baroque buildings. Even if you're not a fan of the opulent style, it's fascinating how Sicily's history can be explored through its architecture.

In the middle of the island's southern coast, a road leads to the Valley of the Temples near Agrigento, an ancient Greek and UNESCO World Heritage site with seven temples dating to the sixth century B.C. We visited two, the Temple of Juno (also known as Temple of Hera) and the Temple of Concordia. Concordia, which was eventually turned into a church, is considered one of the world's finest surviving examples of a Greek temple.

Our road trip through Sicily had taken us across the island and through history. But a winged bronze figure lying languidly outside the temple dozed in the sun as it has for centuries, oblivious to the stream of picture-taking tourists and to the passage of time.

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More information: http://www.italia.it/en/discover-italy/sicily.html
Three veteran Chicago police officers are expected in court for the first time Monday on charges of covering up what happened the night Officer Jason Van Dyke shot Laquan McDonald  charges that could impact how Van Dyke's murder case plays out as well, legal experts say.

With the charges hanging over their heads, the three, including Van Dyke's partner on the night of the shooting, will almost certainly decline to testify on Van Dyke's behalf at his yet-unscheduled trial in order to avoid possibly incriminating themselves, the lawyers said.

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Even potentially worse for Van Dyke, the charges could ratchet up the pressure on the officers to cooperate against him or other officers in hopes of currying lighter sentences, though most of the attorneys consulted by the Chicago Tribune doubted that would necessarily happen.

"Perhaps the biggest effect of the indictment of these three officers would be to chill their availability to testify in the Van Dyke trial if that goes first," said Robert Loeb, a longtime criminal defense attorney who teaches at DePaul University College of Law. "They would have the right to take the Fifth Amendment and decline to testify in the Van Dyke trial."

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Detective David March, the lead investigator into McDonald's shooting, and Officers Joseph Walsh, Van Dyke's partner, and Thomas Gaffney, another patrol officer at the scene, are scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building on conspiracy, obstruction of justice and official misconduct charges.

The court-ordered release of police dashboard camera video of the shooting  on the same day in November 2015 that Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder  ignited weeks of protest and provoked a political crisis for Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Police Department.

The charges allege that the three officers, together with Van Dyke himself, lied to exaggerate the threat posed by the 17-year-old McDonald. The video showed Van Dyke shot McDonald 16 times as the black teen walked away from police while holding a knife.

Gaffney, the only one of the three still with the department when the indictment came down late last month, was suspended without pay.

It is unclear if any other officers could yet be indicted in the alleged cover-up, but special prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes said in announcing the indictment that the investigation continues.

In a statement issued after the charges became public, attorneys for Van Dyke blasted the indictment, accusing prosecutors of charging the three officers in order to hurt Van Dyke's chances at trial.

"This new indictment is further proof that the government is determined to prevent Jason Van Dyke from receiving a fair trial by silencing any potential witnesses," a statement from lead attorney Daniel Herbert said.

Attorneys interviewed by the Tribune scoffed at that as motive for the indictment but agreed that the defense likely won't be able to count on assistance at trial from the three  or possibly any other officers who fear indictment.

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Some said the three could feel pressure to testify against Van Dyke in exchange for leniency from prosecutors.

"It's the opposite of silencing them," said Michael Oppenheimer, a former Cook County prosecutor now in private practice.

"It wouldn't surprise me at all if this was, 'Hey, this is a warning shot; we're coming after you unless you have something to tell us,'" Oppenheimer said. "I think (the officers) have always known or assumed that nothing would happen to them. ... Now things have changed a little bit with this case, so hopefully if they've done something wrong, or a higher-up has done something wrong, they might flip."

But others said the charges against the three officers aren't serious enough  probation remains a possibility on conviction  to create the pressure necessary to turn on a fellow officer. And if they did testify against Van Dyke, their honesty and credibility would be sure to be attacked because of their cooperation with prosecutors in exchange for leniency, the lawyers said.

But veteran criminal defense lawyer Edward Genson, who knows Holmes, doubts her strategy in bringing the indictment involves pressuring the officers to testify against Van Dyke. Both investigations are separate and involve different special prosecutors.

"I just don't think that will happen," Genson said. "I don't think the prosecutor would indict these three people because they were trying to force (them) to enhance the (Van Dyke) case."

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Loeb said the publicity over the indictment of the three officers as well as its allegation of Van Dyke's involvement in the alleged cover-up "can't make the Van Dyke defense team happy."

"It's that much more smoke, whether or not it's fire," Loeb said.

But attorney Terry Ekl downplayed the impact of pretrial publicity, even in such high-profile cases. Ekl represented a female bartender in a lawsuit over her infamous beating  captured on video  by a drunken, off-duty Chicago cop, Anthony Abbate.

"That video was played around the world ... and we had absolutely no problem picking a jury of people who either hadn't seen it or weren't influenced by it," he said.

Besides, the attorneys said, Van Dyke's lawyer will almost certainly let Judge Vincent Gaughan, not a jury, decide the officer's fate, making pretrial publicity irrelevant.

"I would think the overwhelming probability here is that it's going to be a bench trial and not a jury trial," Ekl said. "I'm not convinced that these indictments have a great impact on Van Dyke's ability to have a fair trial."

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In the end, Van Dyke's murder case will likely hinge on his specific actions, not on what his fellow officers did after the the shooting, the lawyers said.

"It still gets back, when it's all said and done, to what Van Dyke reasonably believed," Ekl said.

mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @crepeau
Police investigate a shooting in the 6400 block of South King Drive on July 8, 2017, in Chicago's Parkway Gardens neighborhood. A 17-year-old girl, 18-year-old woman, and a 25-year-old man were wounded and transported to area hospitals. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Forty-one people in Chicago were wounded and three were killed in a weekend that saw several multi-victim shootings, an attack on a popular South Side beach and an officer-involved shooting that fatally wounded a man who authorities say first shot at police.

The number of people shot so far this year is down by almost 10 percent compared to the same date in 2016, with 1,924 people shot as of July 10 this year compared to 2,113 people shot in 2017. Homicides are slightly up, with 353 killed this year compared with 350 at this point in 2017.

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The weekend's first homicide came just before 11:20 p.m. Saturday when an argument at an Englewood gas station escalated. A 27-year-old man, whom relatives identified as Gregory Johnson, was pronounced dead at St. Bernard Hospital shortly after the shooting in the parking lot of a Super Save gas station in the 6600 block of South Halsted Street. He was shot in the right shoulder and right arm, police said.

A 27-year-old man was shot dead during an argument late Saturday on the South Side, according to police. (Elvia Malagon / Chicago Tribune)

In the Cragin neighborhood on the Northwest Side, a man was killed in a confrontation with Chicago police officers after he fired at them, police said. Police arrived in the 2700 block of North Leclaire Avenue after a woman reported to police that the man was holding her daughter--his girlfriend--and her grandchild hostage. The man was shot to death by police about 11 a.m. after running from police, jumping off a roof and firing at least two shots at officers, authorities said.

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A shooting at Rainbow Beach Park in the South Shore neighborhood injured three people and caused panic at the popular summer destination.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 18 A police officer looks at one of the vehicles involved in a multi-vehicle crash in the 3700 block of West Roosevelt Road that followed a shooting Saturday, July 8, 2017, in Chicago. At least three vehicles were involved in the crash, and at least six people were transported to area hospitals, including three gunshot victims. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Three people, including a 15-year-old boy, were wounded in the shooting about 7:25 p.m. at Rainbow Beach Park, near the 3100 block of East 77th Street, according to police. The boy suffered a gunshot wound to the lower back; a 20-year-old man was shot in the right forearm; and a 37-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the right leg, according to police. All three were taken to South Shore Hospital, where their conditions were stabilized, according to police.

Three other weekend shootings injured three people each. They happened in the 9300 block of South Halsted and in the 6400 block of South King Drive. Three people also were shot in a car in the 4200 block of West Roosevelt Road. Two police cars, containing a total of four officers, crashed into each other as they were responding to the incident, police said. They were taken to area hospitals to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
A man suffered serious stab wounds when someone attacked and robbed him in the Back of the Yards neighborhood Sunday afternoon, police said.

The man was stabbed about 5:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of West 47th Street and was in serious condition at Stroger Hospital, police said in a media notification.

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The man was walking down the street when a man or boy grabbed him from behind and stabbed him, police said. The robber stole the man's wallet and ran off, police said. A description of the robber was not released.

The man suffered a stab wound to the lower left abdomen in the attack, police said.

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Area Central detectives were investigating.
Authorities are investigating reports that people drove around the South Side early Saturday afternoon offering "free samples" of tainted heroin that sent eight people to the hospital with overdoses.

No deaths have been reported, according to Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson.

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A woman is being held in police custody as a person of interest, but police are still searching for a man who was last seen distributing the drugs in a 2001 Chevrolet Impala near 79th and East End.

"It's not common to see that many overdoses so quickly, so that's what brought that to our attention," Johnson said during a news conference Monday.

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He also said the department's Organized Crime and Control Bureau conducted several narcotics, traffic and anti-violence operations over the weekend in the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 12th police districts.

Johnson said 32 people were arrested on felony gun and drug offenses, and 12 were charged with illegally possessing a firearm.

Officers issued 30 traffic citations and 20 violation notices against party buses during routine checks.

At least 78 guns were recovered citywide, including three from a Friday shooting at the United Center. Two people were arrested during that incident but no one was injured.

"Again, this speaks to the ridiculous culture here in Chicago where individuals are settling arguments with senseless gun violence," Johnson said.

nmoreno@chicagotribune.com
Chicago police investigate a shooting at Garland Court and Lower Wacker Drive on July 10, 2017. A 33-year-old man was shot in the torso. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

Three people were killed and eight were wounded, including in an attack downtown, in city shootings from Monday to Tuesday morning, Chicago police said.

In the most recent homicide, a 50-year-old man was shot just after 3:15 a.m. Tuesday when he was standing in the parking lot of a gas station in the Marynook neighborhood, and an offender pushed him into a Pace paratransit vehicle in a bid to steal his cellphone, police said.

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The victim was talking to the female driver in the lot of a CITGO gas station in the 8300 block of South Stony Island. The man was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition with gunshot wounds to the right arm, chest and back. He was later pronounced dead.

Late Monday afternoon, officers were called to a fatal shooting just south of where Interstate 90 cuts across the Grand Crossing neighborhood. A 30-year-old woman died after being shot in the 7800 block of South Kimbark Avenue about 4:40 p.m.

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The woman suffered gunshot wounds to the face and head and was taken to Jackson Park Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said in a media notification, correcting earlier information that she might have been shot in the chest.

The woman was a passenger in a sedan when a man in the car fired shots, hitting her, police said. She then ran from the car and was shot several more times by someone, police said.

Earlier in the day, a man was fatally shot in the Gresham neighborhood, authorities said.

About 9:30 a.m. a report of the fatal shooting went out, and police descended on the 8100 block of South Paulina Street. Officers blocked off intersections and held back traffic and crowds on foot at 82nd and Paulina.

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Police there said the man was getting out of his vehicle when three gunmen got out of a white vehicle and opened fire, hitting the man. It wasn't immediately known how many times the man was shot or where on his body he was hit.

He was identified as Cedron Doles, 21, of the 900 block of North Hamlin Avenue. He was pronounced dead at 9:40 a.m. at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

A neighbor, who did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation, said she saw multiple shooters. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Photos show police gathered around the man's body, which was covered with a cloth, as it lay in the street.

Other neighbors said they did not hear gunshots, despite a large number of shell casings found in the area.

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Just before 3 p.m. near Lower Michigan Avenue downtown, a 33-year-old man was shot in the abdomen near Garland Court and Lower Wacker Place. The man got himself to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was in good condition before being released the same day, officials said.

Police later said the man was in a vehicle when a man fired shots at him from nearby. They also said the victim was not cooperating with investigators.

In other shootings:
An outbound Green Line train approaches the 35th Street stop of the CTA 'L' on June 1, 2017, in Chicago. CTA rail workers have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike in a preliminary, unofficial vote, union representatives said on July 10, 2017. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Frustrated after 18 months of negotiations for a new contract, CTA rail workers have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike in a preliminary, unofficial vote, union representatives said Monday.

About a third of 3,000 union members cast their ballots last week, with 98 percent favoring a strike, said Kenneth Franklin, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308. Members of the union include those who operate "L" trains, janitors, track welders, car repairers and other rail system workers.

Franklin called the preliminary vote, which has not been tried before in Local 308 history, a "good litmus test" to sound out membership on the possibility of a strike. He could not say when an actual, official strike vote could be taken.

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CTA spokesman Brian Steele said a strike would be illegal, under state law and the current collective bargaining agreement, which still applies even though it has expired. Franklin disagreed, noting that the union has consulted lawyers on the issue.

Franklin said the Chicago Transit Authority's offers have been "disrespectful."

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"Their proposals basically gut our rights," Franklin said. "One of the negotiators for the CTA has stated on more than one occasion that they're in the business of saving money."

One issue cited by the union is a CTA proposal to increase employee contributions to health care costs. "It's a real sore subject for our members," Franklin said.

Franklin said the union also wants better working conditions. He said the "swing shift," which has some operators working from 6 to 10 a.m. and then again from 2 to 6 p.m., compromises quality of life.

Franklin said the union also wants CTA President Dorval Carter and Chicago Transit Board Chairman Terry Peterson to participate in negotiations.

"I'm not afraid to discuss striking," Franklin said. "Our labor is our weapon."

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Steele said swing shifts are necessary in transit, because peak hours of operation are during the morning and afternoon rush hours. He said the CTA is showing respect in negotiations and wants an "open dialogue" with the union. The transit agency requested arbitration last month.

"We have negotiated in good faith  fairly, openly and honestly," Steele said. He said the agency is looking at some practices and work rules that are "inefficient and costly."

Steele said CTA rail operators are among the highest-paid transit workers in the country and have "generous benefits." The average wage for a CTA rail operator ranges from $21.33 to $32.82 per hour.

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CTA rail operators last went on strike in 1979, Franklin said.

The CTA bus driver union, ATU Local 241, said it "fully supports the positions taken by its sister Local 308 with respect to the bargaining process and its expression of frustration on behalf of the hardworking members of both locals." The union is also in negotiations for a new contract.

mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @marywizchicago
A man was shot downtown Monday afternoon just south of the Chicago River on a lower level street near Michigan Avenue, police said.

The 33-year-old man shot near Garland Court and Lower Wacker Place just about drove to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to the side, police said. He was treated and released Monday evening, according to police.

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The shooting happened just before 3 p.m. in the 200 block of North Garland Court, which is close to the Hard Rock Hotel, and East Wacker Place and South Water Street. The man was in a vehicle when a man fired shots from nearby, police said. The victim was not cooperating with investigators.

Police cars were used to block off intersections along the lower level of areas heavily populated by hotels and tourists. Traffic was light, and there wasn't a queue of vehicles, despite the closures.

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A man standing near the scene of the shooting said he heard "a handful" of gunshots, which he further clarified was four or five "pops." The man didn't want his name used because he had been at work.

A woman smoking a cigarette across on a corner at Lake Street and Garland huddled in a doorway to get away from the rain. She kept peering at the red and blue lights at the Garland entrance to the lower level.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 6 Chicago police investigate a shooting at Garland Court and Lower Wacker Drive on July 10, 2017. A 33-year-old man was shot in the torso. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

About an hour before, while she was in a meeting with her co-workers on the seventh floor, she heard about five popping noises. She looked at her co-workers and said, "Was that a gunshot?"

The group looked outside their window on Lake.

"No one looked too alarmed, so we thought it was a bed from a dump truck dropping," she said.

The shooting happened near a luxury apartment building, Broken English Taco Pub and one of the city's newest additions, the Nutella Cafe. As detectives investigated, four officers walked back and forth keeping cars and people from entering Garland; nearby, red crime-scene tape snaked around pillars supporting Upper Wacker Place. A few passersby on the upper bridge stopped to look down at the flashing police lights before losing interest and continuing on their way.

All the officers and detectives packed up by about 4:45 p.m.
Detective David March, ex-Officer Joseph Walsh and Officer Thomas Gaffney face charges of obstruction of justice, official misconduct and conspiracy for allegedly covering up Officer Jason Van Dyke 's actions in fatally shooting teen Laquan McDonald in October 2014. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune) (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)

A Cook County judge with controversial rulings in her past was appointed Monday to preside over the indictment of three Chicago police officers on charges they helped cover up the circumstances of Laquan McDonald's shooting.

After one judge stepped down from handling the case for unexplained reasons, Judge Diane Cannon was appointed by random computer assignment to oversee the high-profile case, officials said.

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Attorneys for the three  former Detective David March, ex-Officer Joseph Walsh and Officer Thomas Gaffney  entered pleas of not guilty on their behalf in a courtroom packed with spectators. Each was released on his own recognizance.

The three face charges of obstruction of justice, official misconduct and conspiracy for allegedly covering up Officer Jason Van Dyke's actions in fatally shooting McDonald in October 2014. Van Dyke is fighting separate first-degree murder charges.

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The case against the three cops was initially assigned Monday to Judge Mary Margaret Brosnahan, but she recused herself without offering an explanation. Efforts to reach her for comment later were unsuccessful.

County records show that in 2006 the judge wed Kriston Kato, a onetime controversial Chicago police detective who was dispatched to the scene of McDonald's shooting that night as a representative of the Fraternal Order of Police union.

Kato told investigators with the city inspector general's office in 2016 that he spoke with both Van Dyke and Walsh as part of his FOP duties, according to records obtained by the Chicago Tribune.

With Brosnahan stepping aside Monday, the three accused officers and their lawyers returned to the courtroom of LeRoy Martin Jr., presiding judge of the criminal division, for another try. This time the random pick went to Cannon, a Cook County assistant state's attorney for 15 years before being elected to the bench in 1996.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 6 Chicago police Officer Joseph Walsh, left, with attorney Tom Breen, leaves the courtroom at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building on July 10, 2017. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

Cannon is perhaps best known for her 2015 acquittal of then-Chicago police Cmdr. Glenn Evans on charges he shoved his gun down Rickey Williams' throat and threatened to kill him. In throwing out all charges, Cannon belittled evidence of Williams' DNA on Evans' service weapon as "of fleeting relevance or significance."

Cannon, who has battled back from cancer, has been cited by appeals courts for her sometimes harsh demeanor in court against the defense.

In a ruling in 2015, an Illinois appeals court faulted Cannon for her demeanor during a hearing into whether a learning disabled student, charged with murder at 16, had been coerced into confessing.

At a hearing on a motion to suppress the confession, Cannon "was rude and sarcastic beyond any acceptable range," the appeals court wrote. "Her choice of words and manner had a continued effect on (the) defense throughout this trial."

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In 2012, a state appeals court called out Cannon for her "patent sarcasm" in questioning in front of jurors the qualifications of an investigator for the defense. The court reversed the murder conviction on other grounds but ordered a new judge be appointed in light of its criticism of Cannon.

In its opinion, the court noted that a judge's "comments must be measured and controlled to maintain a climate and appearance of dignity and neutrality, particularly in the presence of the jury, and even more particularly where the evidence is closely balanced."

In May, Cannon abruptly stepped down from handling a murder case after long refusing to do so amid allegations by lawyers with the Bluhm Legal Clinic at Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law that she was openly biased against the defense. That came less than a week after the judge made bizarre comments while castigating defense lawyers for what she called "a personality defect regarding me" and denying she had called one of the lawyers "Mr. Underpants" behind his back.

The case against Van Dyke and the related prosecution of the three officers has attracted widespread attention. The shooting was captured on police dashboard camera video that contradicted what Van Dyke and other officers had described.

The charges allege that the three officers, together with Van Dyke himself, lied to exaggerate the threat posed by the 17-year-old McDonald. The video showed Van Dyke shot McDonald 16 times as the black teen walked away from police while holding a knife.

The court-ordered release of the video  on the same day in November 2015 that Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder  ignited weeks of protest and provoked a political crisis for Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Police Department.

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Gaffney, the only one of the three still with the department when the indictment came down late last month, was suspended without pay.

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It is unclear if any other officers could yet be indicted in the alleged cover-up, but special prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes said in announcing the indictment two weeks ago that the investigation continues.

After Monday's court hearing, Holmes declined to comment. A spokeswoman later wouldn't say if Holmes was considering seeking to have a different judge automatically appointed  a right that either side can invoke once if filed within 10 days of the case being assigned.

While attorneys for March and Gaffney also declined to comment, Walsh's lawyer expressed confidence that his client, who was Van Dyke's partner on the night of the shooting, would be acquitted.

"It's the flip of the coin," attorney Thomas Breen said of the veteran ex-cop now facing criminal charges. "He has been on the other side so often, and he has worked the streets and protected the public. He has made arrests. He has participated in convictions, and today he finds himself on the other side of that.

"It's a frightening position. I'm hoping his family and he can get through it," Breen said in front of reporters and TV cameras in the lobby of the Leighton Criminal Court Building as Walsh stood at his side.

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mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @crepeau
A key adviser to Gov. Bruce Rauner is leaving the administration, replaced by a leader of Illinois' highest-profile conservative think tank.

Chief of staff Richard Goldberg will be "transitioning back to foreign policy, national security and consulting following a three-year plus term as senior adviser" to Rauner, the governor's office said in a statement Monday. Stepping up is Kristina Rasmussen, who was the president and chief operating officer of the Illinois Policy Institute.

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The shake-up comes days after the Democrat-led General Assembly orchestrated a rebuke of the Republican governor when it overrode Rauner's veto of a budget for Illinois government that includes tax hikes to pay for state spending. More than a dozen Republicans broke with the governor and joined with Democrats to back the proposals.

The Illinois Policy Institute from which Rasmussen hails is a Chicago-based think tank to which Rauner donated at least $500,000 before he was governor. It has been one of the most vocal critics of Democratic leaders in the General Assembly, particularly House Speaker Michael Madigan. And it aggressively opposed the tax hike and budget plan that lawmakers enacted last week.

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Goldberg was a deputy chief of staff for then-U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk before joining the Rauner campaign, and then the governor's administration. During his time in the governor's office, he developed a reputation as a confrontational advocate for Rauner's agenda.

As a deputy chief of staff in the Rauner administration, Goldberg had many testy exchanges with lawmakers while testifying in committee hearings at the Capitol. His sharp tongue also found a voice in memos and other missives to lawmakers.

"As you may know, 35 minus 28 equals 7," Goldberg wrote to Democratic state Rep. John Bradley of Marion in a 2015 letter criticizing a math error in a memo. "Given your support for a budget out of balance by $4 billion, finding errors in basic arithmetic is not a great surprise."

In another, Goldberg scolded Democratic lawmakers for "shenanigans that put politics over the needs of our citizens." On a separate occasion, he penned a memo asking lawmakers to "root out cronyism" in public universities.

Goldberg was elevated last summer to become Rauner's chief of staff in what was viewed at the time as a doubling down of Rauner's strategy of taking a hard-line stance against Democratic legislative leaders. While Goldberg's most harsh public comments lessened as he settled into his new role, tensions between him and Democratic lawmakers remained.

Still, the move from Goldberg to Rasmussen could signal a further sharpening of Rauner's focus on his political battle with Democrats.

The Illinois Policy Institute is a nonprofit advocacy organization that doesn't have to disclose its donors. The group has been a key player in efforts to push conservative ideology in state politics and has been a major backer of Rauner's agenda in Springfield to weaken the power of labor unions and make the state more friendly to businesses.

In the months leading up to last week's budget votes, the group was among the most vocal critics of a potential tax hike. That put the group at odds with Rauner when he said he could sign a "compromise" proposal floated by House Republican lawmakers that included raising taxes.

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"By backing a tax hike budget plan, the governor risks alienating his supporters," Rasmussen wrote in a June article that was published on the institute's website.

Rasmussen was director of government affairs for the National Taxpayers Union before joining the policy institute in 2009.

In another change, a state House Republican who voted for the tax hike and spending plan was asked to leave his leadership post.

House GOP leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs sent a memo to Republican lawmakers saying he'd like to "go in a different direction" with the floor leader post held by Rep. Steve Andersson of Geneva. Andersson had voted for the tax increase and to override Rauner.

"This afternoon, I asked Representative Andersson to step down from the position," Durkin's memo read. "He agreed, stating he also believed it would be in the best interest of the caucus."

The floor leader job can be a visible one, tasked with raising objections to Democratic legislation during sometimes lengthy debates in the often raucous Illinois House.

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Goldberg is a Navy Reserve intelligence officer and served in Afghanistan in 2011.

Rauner said in a statement that Goldberg is "one of the most talented policy, political and communications advisers I've ever met and I will be forever indebted to his faithful public service for the last three and a half years."

"I respect his decision to return to national security, foreign policy and consulting," Rauner said.

kgeiger@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @KimGeiger
MOSCOW  The Russian lawyer who has been thrust into the spotlight following reports of her meeting with President Donald Trump's eldest son was a largely unknown figure until she began to represent the son of a Russian official in a major money-laundering trial.

Natalia Veselnitskaya's name has not been linked to government officials, the pro-Kremlin political party or major pro-Kremlin NGOs. The law firm where she is listed as managing partner, Kamerton Consulting, is based in a Moscow suburb and does not even have a website. A staff member at Kamerton told The Associated Press Veselnitskaya was unavailable for comment on Monday.

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A New York Times story over the weekend cited advisers to the White House as saying that Donald Trump Jr., Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort had a meeting in June last year with Veselnitskaya, who promised damaging information about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Trump Jr. said in a statement on Sunday that he had agreed to the meeting after he was told the lawyer might have information that would be "helpful" to the Trump campaign. He said she claimed during the discussion to have information that "individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee" and supporting Clinton but said "it quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."

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Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that the Kremlin is unaware of a meeting between Trump's senior staff and Veselnitskaya and "does not know who that is."

Veselnitskaya does not appear to have handled any major clients in Russia until she got involved in a case defending Denis Katsyv, the son of a vice-president of state-owned Russian Railways who was slapped with money-laundering charges in the United States tied to a massive Russian tax-fraud scheme.

The case against Katsyv's company, Prevezon, was settled in New York in May for some $6 million, three days before it was to go to trial. The U.S. Attorney's office portrayed the settlement as a win for its anti-corruption efforts while Prevezon insisted that the settlement demonstrated that there was no wrongdoing on its behalf.

Investigators had suspected that Cyprus-registered Prevezon bought upscale New York City real estate with some of the proceeds from a $230 million Russian tax-fraud scheme brought to light by a Russian lawyer who later died in prison.

Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer for investment advisory Hermitage Capital, accused officials of stealing the money via tax rebates. The official Russian probe into his death in a Moscow prison in 2009 insisted that he suffered a heart attack, but Russia's presidential council on human rights found that Magnitsky was beaten and denied medical treatment.

The United States passed the Magnitsky Act in 2012 that imposed sanctions on five Russian officials involved in alleged human rights violations in the Magnitsky case.

Veselnitskaya, who represented Katsyv in Russia, in an interview with the Russian daily Kommersant last year denied that her client had any connections to the tax-fraud scheme. She insisted that the case against Katsyv's company was based on "anonymous papers and documents of dubious character" that Hermitage Capital's owner, Bill Browder, had shared with American investigators.

"The Prevezon case and the Magnitsky Act are based on the same lie that Bill Browder has been selling to those who want to demonize Russia and its leaders," she said.

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Veselnitskaya has also been involved in promoting a film by a Russian director that disputed the fact that Magnitsky uncovered the tax fraud or that he was beaten in jail. Its screening at the European Parliament in Brussels last year was canceled at the last moment, and human rights activists involved in the investigation of Magnitsky's death dismissed it as an attempt to whitewash torture.

The day the settlement in the Prevezon case was announced Veselnitskya said in a Facebook post that her team appreciated "the initiative by the U.S. government to settle this insane case."

"Whether today will mark the end of the Cold War depends on U.S. politicians and law enforcement agencies," she added.
FORT WAYNE, Ind.  A judge on Monday ordered a mental competency exam for an Indiana woman who pleaded guilty but mentally ill in the suffocation deaths of her two children last year and still faces charges in the fatal shooting of a neighbor.

Amber Pasztor, of Fort Wayne, tried to waive her rights to an attorney and to plead guilty to murder in the slaying of 66-year-old Frank Macomber last September. However, the Allen County judge ordered her to undergo a mental competency exam and entered a temporary plea of not guilty on her behalf.

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Last month, an Elkhart County judge ordered the 30-year-old Pasztor to receive mental health treatment by before beginning a 130-year sentence for killing her children, 7-year-old Lilliana Hernandez and 6-year-old Rene Pasztor.

Pasztor abducted the kids on Sept. 26 from their custodial grandparents' home, leading authorities to issue an Amber Alert. Her children's bodies were found later that day inside Macomber's stolen car, which was parked behind the police department in Elkhart, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of Fort Wayne. Pasztor had flagged down an officer and showed him the bodies.

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According to court documents, she told officers she drove the children around northern Indiana and southern Michigan, taking them to a park and a restaurant before smothering them with her hands.

According to Indiana Department of Child Services records released by a juvenile court, Pasztor killed her children because she felt they were being threatened with violence by members of a Mexican cartel. Those records also say she suffered from untreated bipolar disorder.

Pasztor told police that she shot Macomber with a hunting rifle he bought for her, and she gave officers directions to the spot where she had buried him under a tent that they had bought Sept. 25, according to court documents.

Pasztor told investigators she killed Macomber to "send a message to the 'cartels' not to mess with her," the court documents state. "The defendant stated that she knew Frank was setting her up to the cartels."

The children's father, Rene Hernandez, 24, of Fort Wayne, was found dead in a wooded area in neighboring Whitley County in June 2010. His body had been frozen and cut into two pieces, police said. That slaying has never been solved.
Obama's appearance Thursday before a few dozen people at a closed-door event in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee highlights the balance he is trying to strike as his party seeks to regain its footing at both the state and national levels.

Obama does not want to cast "a long shadow," in the words of Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, but he remains a central figure for a party that has yet to settle on a single strategy to combat President Donald Trump.

Perez said in an interview Sunday that while some Democrats have urged Obama recently, "You've got to get out front on issue X or issue Y," the former president wants instead to "build the bench" for the party. Democrats suffered a greater loss of power during Obama's tenure than under any two-term president since World War II.

"Because tomorrow's president is today's state senator. And he knows that very personally," said Perez, referring to Obama's experience as a state senator in Illinois. "When you lose 900 state legislative seats, those are people who could have been the next governors and senators and Cabinet positions, and that is something that he's very committed to."

The NDRC's executive director, Kelly Ward, would not say how much the fundraiser will raise. But she said Obama "still has such a microphone" to help convince donors to invest in state-level races and help in "shining a light" on a phenomenon that influences the outcome of elections year after year.

"That bully pulpit still very much rests with him," Ward said.

The NDRC aims to influence how state and federal legislative seats are drawn and hopes to create "a centralized, strategic hub for a comprehensive redistricting strategy," she said. The group's chairman, former Attorney General Eric Holder, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., also are scheduled to appear.

Corry Bliss, the Congressional Leadership Fund executive director whose super PAC is affiliated with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said in an interview that Democrats efforts to regain ground will be hampered by the fact that "people in the middle think they are out of touch with the problems of ordinary Americans."

"It's a brand that is beholden to Nancy Pelosi and liberal, Left Coast elitism," Bliss said. "The Democrats couldn't find real America with Nancy Pelosi's chauffeur and a map."

Bliss added that the GOP already has multiple groups working on redistricting, "and I am confident they will be well-funded and well-run."

In his final news conference in January, Obama said he would only wade into the national political debate at "certain moments where I think our core values may be at stake," including voter suppression. Since then, he has issued statements on some of the Republicans' highest-profile assaults on his legacy, including Trump's executive actions to curb immigration and exit the Paris climate agreement, and congressional Republicans' efforts to unravel the Affordable Care Act through legislation crafted behind the scenes and without Democrats' input.

The fundraiser is a more targeted political act, focused on the upcoming legislative apportionment that will establish the electoral playing field for the next decade.

The process of drawing districts differs by state: some have independent commissions, while most are drawn by state legislators and subject to approval by governors. But even with those variations, the 2017 and 2018 cycle will feature 38 gubernatorial races and 322 state senate races with four-year terms. Perez described it as "a 12- or 13-year cycle, because whoever wins is going to control redistricting in a very real way."

In a statement, Obama's spokesman Kevin Lewis said the former president wants to support the committee's "efforts to address unfair gerrymandering practices that leave too many American voters feeling voiceless in the electoral process."

"Restoring fairness to our democracy by advocating for fairer, more inclusive district maps around the country is a priority for President Obama," Lewis said.

One senior Obama adviser, who asked for anonymity to spread frankly, said the former president will be "supporting efforts that tackle the inequities of our current political system," although he would only weigh in publicly on political questions sparingly.

While still nascent, the new tax-exempt group represents the party's most ambitious effort yet to try to erase the steep disadvantage it faces on the state and federal level due to the maps put in place after the 2010 U.S. Census. A recent analysis by New York University's Brennan Center for Justice found that lines drawn in battleground states to aid one party over another - a process known as gerrymandering - provides the GOP with a "durable advantage" of at least 16 House seats.

The GOP's massive electoral gains in 2010, bolstered by a roughly $30 million effort by party donors, has continued to benefit the party in subsequent elections.

In 2011, when state legislators and governors were drawing districts in many states, Republicans have 22 states in which they held the governor's mansion and both legislative chambers, while Democrats controlled 11. The situation has grown even bleaker for Democrats, since they have just six such trifectas now to the GOP's 25.

But Democrats now see some cause for optimism, in part because of several recent legal victories. In May the Supreme Court struck down two North Carolina congressional districts as unconstitutional, finding that lawmakers used race as the dominant factor when crafting their lines. The court has made similar rulings regarding Alabama and Virginia, and has agreed to take up a case regarding gerrymandering in the coming year.

And a federal judges panel in Texas, which found that lawmakers had intentionally discriminated against minority voters in crafting state and U.S. House seats in 2011, has scheduled a trial that will start Monday, which could lead to new maps for these districts in 2018.

Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said in an interview that if the justices side with the Democrats in upcoming cases involving Wisconsin and Texas, for example, it "will certainly change the way legislatures go about drawing lines."

But he added that "the seawall" Republicans have created through state and federal legislative maps has proved durable, and preserves state legislative districts that will make it more difficult to win state legislative seats in the next couple of years.

"Even though it is seven years later, that seawall is still up, and that means Democrats are still fighting uphill," Levitt said.

For that reason, Democrats will strongly focus on a series of critical gubernatorial races in the next couple of years, including in Virginia, New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Holder already has spoken at an event on behalf of the Democratic nominee in the Virginia governor's race, Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, and the NDRC is working with multiple state legislative candidates there. It is also weighing whether to back redistricting reform ballot initiatives in Ohio or elsewhere.

"In those states where gubernatorial approval is required for a redistricting plan, the race for governor is the largest prize in the competition to ensure one's party does not get completely punished in the redistricting process," said Stanford Law School professor Nathaniel Persily, who has served as a special master or court-appointed expert in New York, Connecticut, Maryland and Georgia to draw nonpartisan redistricting plans.
Donald Trump's Warsaw speech set off alarm bells in the foreign policy community. Former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski called it "Huntingtonian," a reference to scholar Samuel Huntington's "clash of civilizations" hypothesis. Trump, he implies, has put down a civilizational marker. Peter Beinart, writing for the Atlantic magazine, called it shockingly tribal. What they miss is that it's pointless to analyze the content of a Trump speech without taking into account the setting and the audience.

Trump said things like "The people of Poland, the people of America, and the people of Europe still cry out, 'We want God!'" and "The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive." He used the word "civilization" 10 times, mostly in the context of defending it against enemies who aren't named but linked with the terrorist threat, and through it with radical Islam.

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On the surface, it was a white nationalist's speech. But as someone who heard Trump speak live at least a dozen times during the 2016 election campaign, I don't take it at face value, because Trump speaks for effect; he knows the way to do it is to flatter the audience and play to its biases. He speaks like a rock star plays old hits: The words have long lost their meaning, but the audience sings along.

The official transcript, embarrassingly, misspells the first name of former Polish President Lech Walesa and the last name of current Prime Minister Beata Szydlo. But Trump will be forgiven those errors because he knows how to please a crowd.

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And boy, did the Polish audience lap it up! The White House transcript says the less than 40-minute speech was interrupted by applause 50 times, not counting the ovation at the end. Six times, the audience picked up a chant of "Donald Trump! Donald Trump! Donald Trump!"

Seemingly paradigm-shifting utterances are a byproduct of the crowd-pleaser's craft, not some grand design. Trump the Bible-thumper? This was the man who was caught being less than truthful about which church he supposedly attended in Manhattan? But it works in staunchly Catholic Poland.

Inconsistency is not a bug with him. Trump dramatically omitted a reference to NATO's Article 5 guarantee in a speech at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's headquarters just six weeks ago. Now he's an Article 5 defender ("We stand firmly behind" it, he said). There's no puzzle here: His NATO speech was intended to irk European allies who don't spend as much on defense as he'd like them to. Thursday's speech, by contrast, was a performance before a mass audience, and Poland does stick to NATO's commitment to spend 2 percent of economic output on its military.

The message suits the audience.

Trump has suddenly become a vocal critic of Russia's "destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere, and its support for hostile regimes, including Syria and Iran." That's after months of saying he wanted a better relationship with the Kremlin and perhaps a situational alliance in Syria. In fact, Trump, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time on Friday, may still want these things. But in Warsaw, the ruling nationalists and the opposition liberals are equally anti-Russian, so this is a reliable applause line.

Compare Trump's oration with Barack Obama's in Warsaw in 2014. Obama was applauded 29 times in 18 minutes, a few times for the same references that Trump made three years later, but there were longer passages that Obama delivered without getting a hand (Trump cannot stand that), and the audience didn't chant his name, something Trump would have considered a sign of failure. That's because Obama didn't ladle on the Polish patriotism as thickly as Trump, whose speech was full of references to Polish heroism, the Polish soul, Polish faith and the Polish contribution to U.S. history. Such fawning would be uncomfortable to anyone who doesn't share the heritage  except The Donald.

Huntington's notion of a civilizational conflict emerged, in part, in response to Francis Fukuyama's heartwarming idea of "the end of history," a final victory of the liberal order. Trump doesn't represent any civilization except the television one. His six months in power have demonstrated that he holds no firm beliefs but that words matter to him only as tools: to vacuum energy out of a crowd, to humiliate an opponent or put down an ambitious associate, to get what he wants. He discards deeper meanings.

In that way, Trump represents a different "end of history" than the one Fukuyama envisioned. He's a post-historic president who will never make a historic speech because his public appearances are meaningless without the context, the look, feel and sound of the crowd, the strained faces of the dignitaries in the audience, the agony and despair of commentators trying to discern an ideology behind the words that fly out of Trump's mouth. They live only in the moment.

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That's why Trump enjoys the reviews of his speeches, even those coming from "haters." He finds out after the fact how deep they were.

The Warsaw speech was no exception.

Bloomberg

Leonid Bershidsky, is a Bloomberg View columnist.

He was the founding editor of the Russian business daily

Vedomosti and founded the opinion website Slon.ru.

What to read next:

Trump's tweets might actually start a nuclear war with North Korea

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The greatest threat facing America is President Donald Trump

Those obsessing over Trump's tweets merely are bitter that he's succeeding
Kim Jong Un vowed North Korea would develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach the U.S.

Boston, Massachusetts  North Korea recently tested what it claims was an intercontinental ballistic missile. Some analysts say this is evidence that Alaska is now within striking distance of nuclear weapons held by strongman Kim Jong Un.

In response, the U.S. conducted joint military exercises with South Korea, and President Donald Trump accused China of supporting the North Korean government through trade.

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Here are the answers to four questions to help put this conflict into context.

1. Why is there a North and a South Korea?

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Before there was a South and North Korea, the peninsula was ruled as a dynasty known as Choson, which existed for more than five centuries, until 1910. This period, during which an independent Korea had diplomatic relations with China and Japan, ended with imperial Japan's annexation of the peninsula. Japan's colonial rule lasted 35 years.

When Japan surrendered to the Allies in 1945, the Korean peninsula was split into two zones of occupation  the U.S.-controlled South Korea and the Soviet-controlled North Korea. Amid the growing Cold War tensions between Moscow and Washington, in 1948, two separate governments were established in Pyongyang and Seoul. Kim Il Sung, leader of North Korea, was a former guerrilla who fought under Chinese and Russian command. Syngman Rhee, a Princeton University-educated staunch anti-communist, became the first leader of South Korea.

In an attempt to unify the Korean peninsula under his communist regime, Kim Il Sung invaded the South in June 1950 with Soviet aid. This brought South Korea and the United States, backed by the United Nations, to fight against the newly founded People's Republic of China and North Korea. An armistice agreement ended hostilities in the Korean War in 1953. Technically speaking, however, the two Koreas are still at war.

2. Beyond the political divide, are Koreans in the North and South all that culturally different? If so, how?

Koreans in the South and North have led separate lives for almost 70 years. Korean history and a collective memory of having been a unified, independent state for over a millennium, however, are a powerful reminder to Koreans that they have shared identity, culture and language.

For example, in both Koreas the history of having resisted Japanese colonialism is an important source of nationalism. Both North and South Korean students learn about the March 1 (1919) Independence Movement in school.

Consider, too, the Korean language. About 54 percent of North Korean defectors in South Korea say that they have no major difficulty understanding Korean used in South Korea. Only 1 percent responded that they cannot understand it at all.

However, the divergent politics of North and South Korea have shaped differences in Koreans' outlook on life and the world since the split. South Korea's vibrant democracy is a result of the mass movement of students, intellectuals and middle-class citizens. In North Korea, the state propaganda and ideology of Juche, or "self-reliance," were used to consolidate the Kim family's one-man rule, while producing a certain mode of thinking designed to help the regime survive.

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3. What have we learned from North Korean defectors who settled in South Korea?

As of September 2016, an estimated 29,830 North Korean defectors are living in South Korea. From them, we've learned the details of people's everyday life in one of the world's most closed societies. For example, despite crackdowns, many North Koreans are now watching South Korean TV dramas.

In North Korea, repression, surveillance and punishment are pervasive features of social life. The state relies heavily on coercion and terror as a means of sustaining the regime.

Still, not all North Koreans are interested in defecting. According to anthropologist Sandra Fahy, some interviewees said they left the North reluctantly and were driven primarily by famine and economic reasons, rather than political reasons. A majority of them missed home in the North.

However, Thae Yong Ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to the South in 2016, believes that Kim Jong Un's North Korea could face a popular uprising or elite defection as North Koreans have increasingly become disillusioned with the regime.

4. What is the history of U.S. relations with South Korea, and where do they stand now?

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The purpose of the U.S.-South Korea alliance has changed little since its formation in 1953. This has much to do with continuing threats from North Korea.

However, despite differences in their approach to North Korea, President George W. Bush and South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun took a major step toward transforming the Cold War alliance into a "comprehensive strategic alliance." Under President Barack Obama and South Korean Presidents Lee Myung Bak and Park Geun Hye, many believed the U.S.-South Korea alliance was at its best. Under their leadership, Washington and Seoul agreed to expand the alliance's scope to cover nontraditional threats, such as terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other global challenges like piracy and epidemic disease, while coordinating and standing firm against North Korea's provocations.

Now, with Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump as presidents of South Korea and the United States, there is a greater degree of uncertainty. Among other things, Trump criticized the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, while insisting Seoul pay for the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, a U.S. missile defense system deployed in South Korea. Moon, whose parents fled the North during the Korean War, is likely to put inter-Korean reconciliation as one of his top priorities. This may collide with the current U.S. approach of imposing sanctions against North Korea.

The Conversation

Ji-Young Lee is an assistant professor at the American University School of International Service. She received funding from the Academy of Korean Studies for a book project on historical international order in Asia.
Members of the Iraqi federal police forces celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on July 10, 2017, after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city from Islamic State fighters. (FADEL SENNA / AFP/Getty Images)

After nearly nine months of street-by-street fighting and the deaths of thousands of civilians, Iraq's second largest city, Mosul, has been liberated from the grasp of the Islamic State. The victory wrests from the world's most feared militant group any hope of an Islamic caliphate in the heart of the Middle East. And it delivers a crushing setback to an organization bent on killing American and European civilians wherever they can be found.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's government deserves a degree of praise for this pivotal moment. After sweeping into Mosul in 2014, Islamic State went on to seize much of northern Iraq, governing with a rank brutality that entailed public beheadings and the use of women as sex slaves. Iraq's armed forces regrouped and, town by town, began retaking territory. The 252-day fight to retake Mosul was, as Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the top U.S.-led coalition commander, put it, "the most significant urban combat to take place since World War II."

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The triumph is a moment to savor. But it also presents Baghdad with a new challenge: ensuring Islamic State doesn't mount a comeback.

Fighting will continue in a few smaller cities and towns still held by Islamic State, but Iraqi forces have them surrounded, and they likely will fall in a matter of months. As before, Iraqi forces will get a vital helping hand from U.S.-led coalition air strikes, training and intelligence. But keeping Islamic State from re-emerging as an existential threat in Iraq shouldn't  and won't  fall on the shoulders of the U.S. Ultimately, it will be up to the Iraqi government and Iraqis.

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We hope Baghdad's Shiite-led government learned something from Mosul's fall in 2014. The city, as well as other parts of northern Iraq, is home to large numbers of Sunni Muslims, a minority in Iraq that historically has been marginalized by the country's Shiite leadership. Islamic State militants are Sunni Muslims, and when they rolled in, Iraqi Sunnis either welcomed the militants or didn't resist. If Abadi doesn't want to see the Islamic State's resurrection, he needs to convince Iraq's Sunnis that they have a place in Iraqi society.

Leaders in Baghdad have talked of moving toward decentralization that shares the country's oil wealth equitably among the provinces. Iraqis would also get more authority to set up their own security at the provincial level. That means, for example, Sunni-dominant areas would get a fair share of the country's resources, and would not have to rely on Shiite forces for security. The idea has merit, but so far, Abadi's talk of reconciliation with Sunnis has been just that  talk.

Abadi will also have to rebuild much of Mosul. In the city's western half, which bore the brunt of the fighting, 15 neighborhoods suffered heavy damage and another 23 experienced moderate damage, according to the United Nations. An estimated 897,000 people have been displaced, and Mosul's overall reconstruction tab is expected to reach $700 million.

The U.S. and its allies can help with reconstruction and the return of refugees. They can also help Baghdad restore stability and security to its war-torn regions. But when it comes to creating a climate of inclusion that immunizes Iraq from Islamic State 2.0, that responsibility falls on Baghdad's shoulders. For Iraq's sake, and for the sake of every nation seen by Islamic State as a target, Baghdad needs to assume that responsibility with the same resolve it used to retake Mosul.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
In an attempt to explain the high prime-time viewership among the key 25-54 demographic, Variety described the tenor of recent news programming: "Due to the controversies swirling around the Trump administration, many nights feel as momentous for the future of the country as Election Night." This emergency feel to coverage keeps concerned adults glued to the screen. Some of this is because events like the Comey firing demand that kind of reporting. But in the dead spots between breaking stories, there is now enormous pressure to keep generating head-shot scoops. ... Journalists for two years now have been trapped between two nefarious forces pushing them out of their natural roles  Donald Trump, and their own profitability model. Both evils have pushed us into this horrid WWE stage of our existence, where reporters too often have been baited into becoming half of a very profitable clown act.

Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone

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For all the frustration over the Trump administration's failure to craft a coherent strategy to guide American engagement in the Syrian theater, the White House has communicated to the Assad regime a set of clear parameters in which it is expected to operate. That is a marked improvement over the approach taken by Barack Obama's administration. When American forces in Syria or those under the American defense umbrella are threatened by the Assad regime or its proxies, American forces will take action. ... The U.S. will act aggressively to maintain a global prohibition on the use of weapons of mass destruction. There is enough consistency and clarity to Trump's approach that it might amount to deterrence. Even if the Assad regime is not deterred, onlookers may yet be.

Noah Rothman, Commentary
Kendrick Lamar has announced pop-up shops across North America, including one in Chicago. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

Twitter went into panicked-excitement mode on Friday when rapper Kendrick Lamar tweeted a cryptic link suggesting that pop-up shops would be announced soon.

Lamar confirmed the pop-ups on Monday, releasing the dates and locations of upcoming stores across North America, including one in Chicago where brand new merchandise will be available.

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Earlier this year the rapper released his fourth studio album, "Damn.," which was met with widespread critical acclaim. Later, he announced the "Damn." tour which will stop in Chicago twice, on July 27 and August 20.

The opening of Chicago's pop-up will coincide with Lamar's first stop in Chicago. The store will set up shop in West Loop clothing store, Notre (118 N. Peoria St. 312-888-2248) on July 27 from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m, the day of the concert. Time subject to change.

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@AudreyGorden | agorden@redeyechicago.com
No sooner did Aurora get the traffic control and lane reduction set up for the Farnsworth Bridge project near Mountain Street than it had to stop the project in preparation for a potential shutdown due to the state budget impasse. Thanks to the recent budget vote in Springfield, the work is back on. (Steve Lord/The Beacon-News )

That flagger delay on the way to work, or the machinery noise near your house, might actually be a good sign.

It means road projects are back on in Illinois, almost three weeks after they began coming to a halt because of the state's budget situation.

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With the General Assembly and the governor unable to come to a budget agreement throughout June, many road projects began stabilizing in preparation for a July 1 shutdown, if no agreement was reached.

Many of the projects actually began shutting down June 16.

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There are two ways the cash flow for these projects works. In most situations, the Illinois Department of Transportation handles the bidding, and thus awards the contracts and pays the 80 percent with federal funds that come to Springfield from Washington. Those were generally the projects affected, because IDOT was unable to release the federal funds without the money being appropriated by the legislature.

In Aurora, workers had just gotten the barriers and cones out to reduce Farnsworth Avenue, near Mountain Street, to one lane in each direction, in preparation for the replacement of a bridge and three drainage culverts. Then workers had to stop work because of the budget situation.

The project has been years in the making and would correct a place that has severe road flooding in heavy rains. As it is, the project was expected to take two years.

In addition to the Farnsworth project, other such projects in Aurora include a new, long-awaited traffic signal at Raddant and Butterfield road; the finish of the Eola Road widening south of 87th Street; and resurfacing of New York Street between Route 59 and Commons Drive.

As of last Friday, IDOT sent around an email announcing that projects were back on.

"Word got out fast," said Ken Schroth, Aurora's public works director. "Everybody was saying it's time to get back to work."

Of course, Monday morning, rain hit the area, and that stifled the re-start of many of the projects. But Schroth said workers were starting back as soon as possible.

slord@tribpub.com
A sign shows the location of GC America Inc.'s planned expansion next to its Alsip headquarters at 3737 W. 127th St. (Mike Nolan/Daily Southtown) (Mike Nolan/Daily Southtown )

In one area of GC America's Alsip factory, oversize mixers standing in a row gives the impression you may have stepped into a commercial bakery.

Making impressions is a big part of what the company does, but it has nothing to do with bread or rolls.

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The dental products company manufactures items such as impression materials for crafting a crown or cap, cements, sealants, denture bases, and orthodontic equipment, such as wires and brackets for braces.

Along with its headquarters at 3737 W. 127th St., GC has a training center and warehouse at 4300 W. 123rd St., also in Alsip, and leases some space from Crown Cork and Seal on 115th Street in Alsip. It has nearly 300 employees among the three locations.

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The company's products are distributed throughout North and South America as well as to Europe and Asia, according to Mark Heiss, whose many titles with GC America include director of regulatory affairs and professional relations.

Finished products await shipping at a warehouse GC America Inc. owns on 123rd Street in Alsip, not far from its headquarters. (Mike Nolan/Daily Southtown) (Mike Nolan/Daily Southtown )

GC's headquarters is in the location of another dental products firm, Coe Laboratories, which GC acquired in 1990. Coe was founded in 1928 and the Coe name is still used on some of GC's products.

In part to create more manufacturing space and bring under operations, such as the training center, under one roof, GC America will, later this month, break ground on an expansion.

GC America bought the Lombard Office and Industrial Park directly to the west of its headquarters, with plans to knock down the existing structures and build on the site. GC currently has 95,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space, and the expansion will give the company approximately 150,000 square feet.

Owned by GC Corp., a Japanese-based privately held firm, GC America will hold a traditional Japanese groundbreaking ceremony, called Jichinsai.

Along with Japan and China, GC Corp. has overseas manufacturing facilities in Austria, Belgium and Germany, Heiss said.

While all of the factories produce dental products, no plant duplicates what another makes, Heiss said. He said Alsip is the only manufacturing location for GC America.

A key product produced there is powder used to make dental stone or laboratory stone, often used for full-mouth impressions. Standing near large grinders that tower over employees, Heiss explains that gypsum is ground into finer particles as part of the production process.

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Employees and visitors to the factory wear shoe covers, hairnets and gowns, and scrub their hands before entering a booth where they're blasted with jets of air to bat away anything that might try to hitch a ride inside.

Apart from regular inspections by the federal Food and Drug Administration, Heiss said that the production facilities are also certified kosher.

In 2014, the company achieved the prestigious Deming Prize award for total quality management. GC America was the first dental company in the U.S. to earn the award.

Heiss said that GC America is working with the dental hygiene program at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights to offer tours for students, and that GC America representatives plan to visit schools in Alsip this coming year to talk to third-graders about oral hygiene.

The company also offers continuing education courses for dentists, dental hygienists and laboratory technicians at its training center, which is outfitted with work stations and a laboratory.

mnolan@tribpub.com

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Twitter @mnolan_J
A couple of generations ago, Chicago Tribune columnist Jack Mabley rode his bicycle through the streets of Glenview, the suburb where he lived, and would often peer into the living rooms of houses along his winding route. He would later report on his findings.

It must be stated that Mabley was not looking for spicy material for his column. He was merely taking his one-man survey about the television programs people in his neighborhood were watching. His was a personal poll of sorts and his obvious point was that television ratings did not always reflect the actual viewing habits of his friends and neighbors and that the popularity of any program was probably decided by a mere handful of unknown viewers with different tastes.

Times change. Approval now reaps large rewards in our fair land, and underscores a personal rating system I noticed while traveling the roads of south suburbia. Instead of raising our hands to vote we now step on the gas pedal. A parking lot chock full of cars is an instant measure of commercial success. This is never truer than when it comes to the current rise of mega-box grocery stores in our fair area.

I suppose that when it comes to selling food, bigger is better and no one seems to know that more than those who are bigger if not better. In the last three years or so, shoppers have been lured to new big box grocery stores in Flossmoor, Frankfort and Olympia Fields while a fourth store expanded into food sales when it moved two miles down the road from Matteson to Richton Park.

There are always plenty of cars in the big parking lots of the big stores. Meanwhile, a nearly 100-year-old food cooperative serving comparatively smaller sites bit the dust. Seven stores closed, 22 other stores are on the market and more than 750 workers are out of jobs.

Yet, despite all these obvious signs that "big" always wins the day, the Village of Park Forest, without a major grocery store of its own, will again venture into the murky waters of commerce with a new yet unnamed food emporium on the same site that was once home to a Jewel, a Sterk's, an Orchard Fresh Market and a Country Squire on the 100 block of South Orchard Drive.

It will about the same size of the Orchard Fresh Market and Country Squire, according village officials. The building is already there.

Village officials, who declined to provide other details, said they hope the store opens in the next couple months.

There is lots of parking space available.

Park Forest's saga is typical of other suburbs trying to hold on to a food store to serve the community. Once upon a time grocery stores fought to get a foot in the village's shopping door. The first Jewel store in the old Park Forest Plaza once boasted it was the chain's leader in per capita sales. You pay for your groceries, then get a number, place it on the passenger side of your car, maneuver to the drive-up line in back of the store and have your purchase hand-delivered to you.

You can tell how long a person has lived in Park Forest by the number of grocery stores they remember. Dominick's (which closed all its 72 stores in 2013) and Aldi were once positioned on Western Avenue. A video store on Sauk Trail was once the site where Rudy's, followed by Scot Lad and later Garafalo's all stood. They are all gone. A "Little Jewel" was located in the area near the water tower on Blackhawk Drive and Indianwood Boulevard. That site was converted into a convenience store, which closed when the roof collapsed after heavy rains causing the air conditioner unit to fall into the store.

These smaller stores soon gave way to supermarket-size ventures and modern marketing strategy took hold. Shoppers voted with their cars. Once you sit behind the wheel, it is as easy to drive 10 miles to a bigger store as to shop in a nearby grocery.

Meanwhile, those convenience stores and Dollar-This-and-That locations abound for the snack monster and soda-swiller in us as we stand in line to play our numbers hoping this is the week we win the lottery.

Park Forest's Jewel moved to the west side of Orchard Drive and then left for a busy corner off Western Avenue and Highway 30. That store closed four years ago. Sterk's took over the Park Forest site and seemed to make a go of it, but when the family-owned business was sold, the store closed.

Orchard Fresh didn't last long. It was much the same for Country Squire, which lasted a little more than one year.

Jerry Shnay, a freelance journalist, can be reached at jerryshnay@gmail.com
Evanston police said they recovered this loaded Colt .380 caliber handgun from a Chicago 16-year-old on Thursday, July 6, 2017, following his arrest for allegedly possessing and firing it near Birchwood Avenue east of Ridge Avenue in Chicago by the Chicago/Evanston border. (Evanston Police Department / )

A Chicago teenager is facing felony weapons charges after his arrest in Evanston for allegedly firing shots from a vehicle near the border the two cities share, police announced in a Friday news release.

The 16-year-old Chicago youth is charged with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by someone under the age of 21, Evanston police said in the release.

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According to the release, Evanston detectives part of that city's Neighborhood Enforcement Team were near Howard Street and Ridge Avenue shortly before 8 p.m. Thursday when they were flagged down by a woman who said someone was firing a gun from a vehicle on Birchwood Avenue in Chicago just east of Ridge Avenue.

Detectives were on Birchwood Avenue checking into the reported incident when they saw a male running west on Birchwood Avenue from Hoyne Avenue carrying "a nickle plated handgun," according to the release.

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The detectives got out of their vehicle and were able to take the teenager into custody without incident, the release said.

Detectives also recovered a loaded Colt .380 caliber handgun from the juvenile, who is not identified by name due to his age.

Police said the teen was taken to the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center.

Brian L. Cox is a freelancer.
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Angelique Morris, 17, of unincorporated Cook County near Glenview, was pronounced dead on July 8, 2017, after being shot in the 9900 block of Linda Lane near Des Plaines. Morris died from a gunshot wound to the head. Undated photo. (Family photo)

The family of a 17-year-old Glenbrook South High School senior said they still do not know the exact circumstances surrounding her fatal shooting early Saturday morning.

But as police continue to investigate the death of Angelique K. Morris, loved ones are mourning a girl they described as selfless and charismatic.

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"She was such a funny, outgoing kid," said Sheila Blaje, Morris' aunt. "She was a beautiful soul inside and out."

Blaje said the teen was set to graduate early, in January. Morris, a resident of an unincorporated area near Glenview, had worked with special needs students at her high school, Blaje said, and that had inspired her to go to college to become a special education teacher.

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Morris was the youngest of six siblings, Blaje said, and enjoyed listening to music, eating and spending time with her family.

Morris was pronounced dead at 4 a.m. on Saturday after being shot three hours earlier in the 9900 block of Linda Lane near Des Plaines, officials said. An autopsy found Morris had been shot in the head, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner.

Cook County Sheriff spokeswoman Sophia Ansari would only say Monday that the investigation into the circumstances of Morris' death is ongoing.

A family member wrote on a GoFundMe page for Morris' funeral expenses that the shooting was accidental.

But Blaje said Monday the family had later heard conflicting accounts about the circumstances that led up to the girl's death.

Blaje said Morris was at a friend's house the night she died and that, earlier in the evening, had sent her mom a message asking to be picked up from the friend's house. She later sent another message saying she wanted to stay, Blaje said.

"We are just trying to put together what happened," Blaje said. "There are so many stories of what happened, and since we weren't there, we want to figure out what happened."

Family and friends gathered Sunday night at a vigil to honor the teenager.

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Robert Humphrey, the father of Morris' half-siblings, said that the Sunday memorial allowed the family to come together and grieve. Humphrey said that those who knew her will miss Morris' outgoing personality.

"She was smart and always had her head on her shoulders," Humphrey said. "She wasn't the type to do crazy things. She was a really sweet girl."

Glenbrook South Principal Lauren Fagel sent an email to parents Sunday night to inform them about Morris' death. In the email, Fagel wrote that Morris "was a sweet, caring and determined young woman."

The Glenbrook South Student Services Department will be open from July 10 to July 14 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to provide support for students and staff, according to the email.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @Akukulka11
Tony Salcedo, 25, of North Chicago, who was arrested and charged in a fatal hit-and-run that occurred April 29 in Waukegan, according to police. - Original Credit: Waukegan Police Dept. ( Waukegan Police Department / News-Sun )

A North Chicago man pleaded not guilty Monday to reckless homicide and other charges tied to a fatal hit-and-run incident involving pedestrians April 29 in Waukegan.

Tony Salcedo, 25, pleaded not guilty before Lake County Circuit Judge Daniel Shanes Monday to charges of failure to report an accident involving death, reckless homicide and obstruction of justice.

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Salcedo was present at the hearing in street clothes and free from custody after having posted 10 percent of his $100,000 bail shortly after a bond court appearance following his arrest.

According to Waukegan Police reports, Salcedo allegedly told investigators he drove into a crowd of people that was attacking one of his friends, and then fled because he panicked and was drunk.

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Officers sent to a call on the 00 block of Genesee Street at 4:30 a.m. April 29 for a traffic accident found that two pedestrians had been hit by a vehicle that had fled the scene, according to police.

Killed in the crash was Jose J. Diaz, 28 years old, of Waukegan. The second victim, a 27-year-old male, was transported to an area hospital and treated for injuries, officials said.

Salcedo was arrested the evening of April 29 based on witness interviews and physical evidence left at the scene, police said.

According to information provided at his bond hearing by prosecutors, Salcedo had been attending a party in the area of the crash with several friends when one of his friends got into an argument with someone at the party.

Prosecutors said Salcedo and his friends left the party and got into two different trucks to exit the area. Salcedo allegedly told investigators that he then "drove his truck at a high rate of speed through a crowd of people" that was attacking or fighting with one of his friends, prosecutors said.

Shanes placed Salcedo on the November trial call Monday, and scheduled a pretrial status date of Aug. 17.

jrnewton@tribpub.com

Twitter @jimnewton5
Mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus were detected in Northbrook for the first time this summer, according to the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District. (Andy Klevorn / Associated Press )

Mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus were detected in Northbrook for the first time this summer, according to the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District.

A batch of mosquitoes collected a day before the 4th of July holiday from one of the district's traps on the east side of the village tested positive for the virus, according to the agency.

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"This is the time of the year where we're starting to see more West Nile Virus activity," said David Zazra, communications manager for the district. He said the district has routinely tested mosquitoes collected in traps throughout the North Shore for the virus since late May.

More than 400 batches have been tested across the agency's jurisdiction, which includes 13 communities, and 25 have tested positive for the virus, district data shows.

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According to the district, the highest number of batches to test positive for the virus have come from Evanston, with eight testing positive out of a total 103 batches tested, followed by Skokie, with seven West Nile Virus positive batches out of a total of 79 tested.

Batches of mosquitoes trapped in Glenview, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove and Niles, also tested positive for the virus, according to NSMAD data.

West Nile Virus is most often transmitted to humans from mosquitoes, though only about one in five people infected with the virus develop symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms include headaches, body aches, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea. Older people are at the greatest risk of suffering more severe effects, including potentially fatal neurological illnesses, from the virus, according to the CDC.

Zazra said the data collected so far this season indicates "typical" or slightly below-average West Nile Virus activity for this time of year. The number of mosquitoes carrying the virus typically peak in late July and early August, and reports of human infections generally occur in August and early September, he said. In a typical year, between one and three human cases of West Nile Virus are reported statewide, he said.

Older adults, people with compromised immune systems and very young children are more susceptible to the virus, Zazra said. But, he adds, "it really can strike anyone whether they are healthy or not."

No human cases of West Nile Virus have been reported so far this year, according to data on the Illinois Department of Public Health's website, The state health department reports that mosquitoes carrying the virus have been found in 19 counties, with a total 80 batches of mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile Virus statewide. Three birds have also tested positive for the virus, according to the IDPH.

Northbrook Public Works Director Kelly Hamill said the village is covered by two abatement districts: NSMAD and the Northwest Mosquito Abatement District. He said mosquito testing and abatement efforts are carried out solely by the two abatement districts and not by any village departments.

NSMAD covers the area of Northbrook east of Pfingsten Road, while the northwest district covers areas located to the west of Pfingsten.

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Patrick Irwin, an entomologist for the Northwest Mosquito Abatement District, said the agency has identified five West Nile Virus positive batches of mosquitoes within the agency's jurisdiction  which encompasses Maine and Hanover townships, Palatine, Wheeling, Barrington, Northfield, Elk Grove Village and Schaumburg  after testing a little more than 350 batches so far this summer. None of the batches that tested positive came from the Northbrook area, he said.

Irwin said the agency had only found two West Nile Virus positive batches up until last week, when three more were discovered. He said the incidence of West Nile Virus this time of year "is probably right about average." Though, he said, the numbers could increase.

"This is the time when we start to see things ramp up. I would expect as the weather gets warmer we'll see more positive pools (of mosquitoes)," Irwin said.

Zazra said the vast majority of the abatement work carried out by the district is focused on larvae control.

"We stop mosquito larvae from becoming flying adults," he said. Mosquitoes breed in water and it takes between a week and 10 days, depending on weather conditions, for the insect to cycle through the larva stage to become a flying adult, Zazra said.

He said the district will continue its abatement efforts, which include treating roughly 40,000 stormwater catch-basins and about 3,500 off-road sites and retention ponds with biological products to prevent mosquito larvae from maturing into adults. He said the agency will continue its abatement program through the end of September and into early October.

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"Mosquito season isn't really over until the first hard frost," he said.

If the agency begins catching larger numbers of adult mosquitoes in its traps, Zazra said they may implement adult mosquito abatement measures, which entails spraying for the insects during the evening hours.

"We haven't approached that number in our Northbrook traps yet," he said. "Those numbers are low."

Residents concerned about the virus can protect themselves by wearing insect repellant or long-sleeved shirts and pants outdoors, especially during the hours around dusk and dawn, he said.

Zazra said residents can also aid in the abatement effort by dumping out water from anything on their property that can hold it, even small objects like toys.

"If mosquitoes can find anything holding water in it, they'll lay their eggs in it," he said. "If there is standing water (residents) are concerned about, and it's been there for four days or more, let us know and we can come out and treat it."

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Zazra said residents should also contact NSMAD if they notice increases in biting mosquitoes. The input the agency receives helps guide their control efforts, he said.

For more information or to report standing water or increases in mosquito activity, visit: www.nsmad.com or www.nwmadil.com.

Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter.
Northbrook police reported that a criminal used the address of the White House in an apparently successful attempt to make a common scam look legitimate to a local victim.

The Northbrook victim, of the 1100 block of Cayuga Drive, reported receiving a July 1 phone call involving what has become a common fraud: A voice on the line purports to be that of an Internal Revenue Service agent, who informs the recipient of the call of a serious overdue debt to the IRS.

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The caller infers the penalties will be lighter if the bill is covered immediately through prepaid debit cards of the kind obtained at drug and department stores. Anyone who knows the serial numbers can drain the account. That's what happened in this case, Northbrook police said.

The victim told police that the scammer had another instruction: To send the cards, right away, to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. That, police said, was intended to make the request sound official to the Northbrook resident.

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Fake IRS phone scams have become common, according to the IRS, which reported earlier this year that more than 10,000 victims lost upward of $54 million to phone scams in less than four years. Many of the cases, according to the IRS, involve Green Dot, MoneyPak or Reloadit prepaid debit cards, or even iTunes or other gift cards, a tactic the agency says it never employs. They won't call seeking money via Western Union, MoneyGram, bank wire transfers or bank deposits, either, according to officials of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, which handles investigations of the scams for the IRS.

The IRS won't demand money over the phone without a preceding letter, and won't insist on payment without informing taxpayers of the appeal process, according to officials. They say that if a suspicious call comes in, don't give up any information, including Social Security numbers.

Those who think they're being scammed can contact the treasury inspector general's office at (800) 366-4484. If a scammer's threat scares you because you're not sure if you have a debt to the IRS or not, the agency says they'll look that up for you at (800) 829-1040.

ileavitt@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @IrvLeavitt
Federal prosecutors asked a judge to set limits on what information Lake County Sheriff John Buncich's defense team can introduce during his August public corruption trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Benson filed a motion Friday asking a judge to preclude Buncich's defense team from introducing evidence of the sheriff's lawfulness, non-corrupt conduct or lack of a criminal history among a long list, according to court documents.

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Buncich's trial is set to start Aug. 7.

Bryan Truitt, one of the sheriff's defense attorneys, said he will be filing a formal response to Benson's motion by Friday.

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"We believe that the jury should see the entire picture," Truitt said, in an email. "When in doubt, more evidence is better provided there is some probative value."

Benson argued, in his motion, that federal rules of procedure bar many of the items he cited from being mentioned during a trial.

For example, in defense of his objections to introducing information about the sheriff's good acts, non-corrupt activity or lack of criminal history, Benson wrote he anticipated the defense might attempt to enter evidence about days not mentioned in the indictment where Buncich did not solicit bribes or interacted with political contributors without suggesting official acts would be performed in exchange for donations, according to court documents.

"Even if evidence of specific acts unrelated to the charges of the indictment had some relevance, the evidence should be excluded because its probative value 'is substantially outweighed' by the danger of confusing the issues, needlessly complicating the case and causing undue delay and waste of time," Benson's motion read.

Buncich, former Chief of Police Timothy Downs and William Szarmach, of C.S.A. Towing in Lake Station, were named in a multicount indictment in November alleging an illegal towing scheme in which the sheriff accepted bribes in the form of thousands of dollars in cash and donations to his campaign fund, Buncich's Boosters, according to court records.

Downs pleaded guilty in December and resigned his position at the Lake County Sheriff's Department, according to court documents.

Buncich and Szarmach pleaded not guilty to the charges after the indictments were filed in November and again in April when additional counts of wire fraud were filed with the court.

Aside from the new motion on what evidence and testimony can be presented at trial, a judge has yet to rule on a request for more stringent jury screening because of level of publicity around the trial.

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Truitt filed a series of pretrial motions at the end of June, including two that specifically asked the court for a stronger vetting process for potential jurors. Truitt said, in court filings, that extra level of screening is needed because of the media publicity of the case and comments made by Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. could taint the jury pool.

"The publicity has been both good and bad for both sides in that the defendant is the sheriff with over 60 percent of the vote and was the head of the Lake County Democratic Party, yet has been the victim (of) an endless negative campaign by the Northwest Indiana Times and Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott," Truitt's motion read.

clyons@post-trib.com

Twitter @craigalyons
The Housing Opportunity Development Corporation, which owns the former American Legion Post 46 building in Wilmette, shown here, wants to build affordable housing there, but must revise its plans. (Kathy Routliffe/Pioneer Press )

The sale of a nearby property has created even more hurdles for an already-controversial affordable housing project on the former American Legion property in Wilmette.

Artis Senior Living, a Virginia-based senior housing developer, wants to build a 64-unit care facility where the Wil-Ridge Plaza now stands at 333-335 Ridge Road.

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Artis representative Jay Hicks said July 6 he hopes to have the project proposal  a care facility for patients with Alzheimer's and other dementias  ready to present to the village for zoning approval in the next two months. The facility would be similar to those Artis has under construction in Elmhurst and Bartlett.

But the Artis project has forced affordable housing developer Northbrook-based Housing Opportunity Development Corporation to put another hold on its plans for property it owns at 1925 Wilmette Ave., right next to the plaza. The former Wilmette American Legion post now stands on that lot.

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Without agreements that would allow access between the two properties, the affordable housing plan it now has isn't viable, according to Richard Koenig, executive director of the Housing Opportunity Development Corporation.

The easements would have allowed people visiting the affordable housing complex to park some of their cars at the shopping center. In return, shoppers at the center would have been able to drive through the housing complex's property to get out of the plaza. Without the agreement, the housing complex does not have enough parking spaces.

Koenig said July 10 the corporation, also known as HODC, is revising its design for Cleland Place, the 16-unit affordable rental project it wants to build at 1925 Wilmette Ave., since Artis has indicated it isn't interested in providing those easements.

"We can't use the redesign we submitted to the village back in October now that there are potential changes next door," he said.

This marks the second time HODC planners have had to revise their project. They pulled their first 20-unit proposal, presented to the village in 2015, in November of that year, after neighbors objected to it as too dense and not oriented enough toward serving families. HODC met with neighbors, and reworked its plans in 2016, submitting new preliminary plans, featuring fewer, and larger, apartments, to Wilmette last October.

Koenig said HODC had been in the process of forging an easement agreement with Dean Pappas, the current owner of Wil-Ridge Plaza, to enable the redesign, when Pappas told him of the pending purchase of the shopping center by Artis.

The shopping center now houses several businesses, Pappas said.

Pappas confirmed July 10 that he and HODC officials had been talking about the easements, but he said there had been no final decisions made by the time Artis entered the picture.

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Hicks, Artis' senior vice-president of development, said his company has the shopping center property under contract for purchase, but that the purchase is subject to getting the necessary village approvals for its project.

Hicks said Artis and HODC officials talked earlier this year, and that Artis had offered to buy the Legion property from the corporation.

"That was something they weren't able to entertain, which I respect," Hicks said. Koenig confirmed the offer.

But Hicks said his company was focused on its own project.

"I don't know exactly what they need, but I can say we need every inch of what we have. At this point, we're not cooperating in any sense of easements," he said.

Hicks said Artis representatives have met with some neighborhood residents to introduce them to the project.

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Meanwhile, Koening says the next step for the affordable housing project has yet to be determined. He said they will have to "go back to the drawing board."

kroutliffe@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @pioneer_kathy
What to expect next in the Frisch vs. Boebert CD-3 race

Final results in the race won't be known until Friday, Nov. 18, after clerks in all 27 counties upload final counts. So what happens between now and then?
MISSOULA  Its not often that politicians from both sides of the political aisle sit down and have a beer together, but thats what happened Monday afternoon at Bayern Brewing in Missoula.

Gov. Steve Bullock and state Rep. Ellie Hill-Smith, D-Missoula, were joined by Rep. Adam Hertz, R-Missoula, and many local brewery owners for a ceremonial signing of House Bill 541 that will raise the production cap on Montanas microbreweries from 10,000 barrels annually to 60,000 barrels while still allowing them to sell beer in on-premise taprooms.

Hill-Smith and Hertz worked together to co-sponsor the bill, which was supported by the Montana Brewers Association, the Montana Farmers Union and the Montana Beer and Wine Distributors Association, among others.

Economic growth and innovation are unlimited when we allow free markets to thrive, said Hertz, primary sponsor of HB 541. Im thrilled to be a part of this bi-partisan regulatory reform that will position Montanas craft brewing industry to be a bigger player in the regional market and create hundreds of new jobs.

Montana is beer country and Missoula is the heart of beer country, said Hill-Smith. Rep. Hertz and I may come from different political parties but we both saw the need to do this for our community and the state as a whole. Im pleased that Democrats and Republicans came together during the session to do whats right for Montana craft brewers, barley farmers and craft beer lovers.

According to a 2016 report by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana, the craft brewing industry in the state contributed $103.2 million to the economy in 2015 while employing 702 people and creating a total of 1,044 jobs. There are now 68 breweries in the state.

The longstanding production cap of 10,000 barrels was part of a tenuous compromise with the Montana Tavern Association. Breweries were able to surpass that cap, but if they did, they were then penalized with the loss of taproom sales, as Matt Leow, the executive director of the Montana Brewers Association, termed it.

There are several breweries in Missoula that were significantly hampered by the production limit. Big Sky Brewing, the largest brewery in the state, long ago surpassed the limit and has had to give away nearly $4 million worth of free beer over the past 10 years in its taproom since they arent allowed to sell pints on site.

Kettlehouse Brewing Co., which recently built a new facility in Bonner that will produce 20,000 barrels a year, will now be able to build a tasting room on site if the owner chooses to do so. And because Bayern Brewery depends on taproom sales at its popular location on Montana Street, they had to throttle back their production every year to make sure they didnt produce more than 10,000 barrels, even though customers were demanding it.

This bill removes a barrier that has hindered our growth and limited our ability to meet demand for our beer in Montana and beyond, said Jurgen Knoller, owner of Bayern Brewing. After waiting for this legislation for nearly two decades, were excited that this day has finally arrived.

Knoller said that Bayerns production grew steadily for 27 years but plateaued around 9,900 barrels for the past three years. He had to turn down lucrative contracts in Colorado and Washington because of the old law. As the owner of the oldest brewery in the state, Knoller was all smiles Monday.

It took 19 years to get that bill to this point, he said. I started to have my doubts whether I would see it happening before I retire someday and yes, it did and so we are excited about it.

Erik Somerfield, a representative from the Montana Farmers Union, said the bill would boost demand and therefore production of agricultural products like barley and malt. A representative from the Montana Beer and Wine Distributors Association said it would boost economic production and put more Montana beer on store shelves in the region.

Even more than taps and great beers, our breweries employ our fellow Montanans, buy products from our farmers, and help grow Main Street Montana, said Gov. Steve Bullock. This legislation is a good thing for the industry and for our economy, as well as for Montana craft beer lovers like myself.

Hill-Smith said the bill will also help small businesses in rural communities, such as Philipsburg Brewing Co., which recently built a new canning facility.

The new law will take effect on Oct. 1. According to the MBA, Montana breweries are expected to produce over 200,000 barrels this year, more than double the amount brewed in 2010.
A recent jump in spring wheat payments have been a light at the end of a tunnel for grain farmers, except in northeast Montana, where its become a drought-driven train.

Crops are withering in northeastern Montana where the nations worst drought now stretches 350 miles. Half the states spring wheat crop was rated poor to very poor Wednesday by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. The five-year average for poor to very poor quality in early July is eight percent.

Farm reports on crop progress have been bleak since early June.

Three weeks ago, we got a report from a farmer who submitted the lyrics to The Partys Over, said Lola Raska, of the Montana Grain Growers.

Montana is the nation's third-largest wheat producing state. Roughly 45 percent of its spring wheat is grown in northeastern Montana counties anchored by the Hi-line community of Glasgow, which had six percent of its normal rainfall in June.

For much of the area, last month was the third driest June on record, according to the National Weather Service station in Glasgow. For 12 locations in the region, the April through June period was the top five driest on record.

Fire danger is high; there is a 10,622-acre July Fire burning near Zortman. Before July 4, NWS warned pilots that poor air density related to high temperatures would make it difficult for planes to climb and that more runway would be needed for taking off as a heat wave pushed temperatures into the high 90s and the 100-degree range.

Northeastern Montanas crop damage has contributed to strengthening spring wheat prices. Cash prices for hard spring wheat crept above $8 a bushel the week of July 4, up 65 percent since early May.

There are portions of Montana that will benefit from the improving market. In the Fort Benton area, Mike OHara said farmers who seeded spring wheat in March are looking at a good crop. However, those who waited until April were rained out of the field for much of the month and some didnt get in until May. That late planting has spring wheat taking hot July weather at a bad growing phase.

Winter wheat planted in the fall and early spring wheat should be harvested early enough to beat the weather, said OHara, who is a member of the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee. Wheat thats more mature will take on protein in the stressful summer heat. Its the protein that adds value to wheat, and protein has been a Montana specialty.

Winter wheat is priced lower than spring wheat, but OHara expects demand will increase as millers realize that spring wheat is in short supply and needs to be stretched out.

Whats going to happen is, theres going to be some high-protein spring wheat going into the mills and thats going to be blended with winter wheat, OHara said.

Montana has benefited from unexpected jumps in price in recent years as drought hit other wheat growing regions of the world. Both Russia and Australia have suffered droughts in recent years that boosted prices to the benefit of Montana grain farmers.

This year drought in Montana and western portions of North and South Dakota has coupled with farmers seeding fewer wheat acres nationally to cut into supply and boost demand.
By Dezan Shira & Associates

Editors: Lorena Miera and Thibaut Minot

In Part 1, we explored establishment and operational issues of an LRO.

The legal representative office (LRO) is one of the handful of special representative offices with unique characteristics in China. These special ROs are usually established in Chinas restricted industries, within which foreign investors are not allowed to set up a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) and sometimes not even a Sino-foreign joint venture (JV), as is the case of the legal services industry.

Effectively, the LRO structure allows foreign law firms to perform their legal services in China while the parent company overseas assumes civil liabilities for the activities of its LRO in China. Key differences set the LRO structure apart from traditional ROs, differences that range from the traditional RO registration process to the entitys business scope, and from the different accounting and tax practices they must follow to the funding mechanisms available to grow their operations.



Traditional RO and LRO taxation

The restrictive business scope of traditional ROs does not allow them to issue invoices or collect revenue. The operations of a traditional RO are solely supported by the parent company overseas, which remits cash to the RO on an ongoing basis to cover expenses. As such, the traditional RO does not have access to as many funding options as a profit-generating business, which can collect revenue by means of invoicing customers but also related-party entities in the same group.

This implies that managing the accounting functions of a traditional RO is relatively straightforward; the accountant keeps a record of expenditure on an expense report, used to justify the corporate income tax (CIT) and value added tax (VAT) amounts filed at the end of the quarter. Since ROs do not collect income themselves, an ROs CIT liability is assessed according to a deemed profit tax calculation method, and an RO is effectively taxed on its expenses.

RELATED: Setting Up a WFOE in China: a Step-by-Step Guide

However, the LRO, like other revenue-generating ROs, is a hybrid structure with unique accounting and tax filing properties. An LRO would typically be registered with the tax bureau as a profit-making business able to raise invoices and generate revenue, unless the investor requests the tax bureau to treat and tax the LRO as a traditional RO. This means that LROs can utilize a broader set of funding strategies when compared to traditional ROs, and their operations can be funded by means of invoicing local customers as well as the parent company overseas.

The LRO is also able to receive money to fund operations by means of a simple wire transfer from the parent into the LROs bank account, just like a traditional RO. Meanwhile, a revenue-generating LRO would be expected to calculate and declare its CIT liabilities based on reported profit  very similar to a normal profit-making business like a WFOE. CIT would be levied on the LROs actual profit, which implies that should the LRO incur costs while generating little revenue in China, its CIT liabilities could effectively be limited.

Implications for funding

The fact that an LRO is typically taxed on reported profit means that it is important to understand what should be recognized as revenue of the LRO in China, and therefore taxable. Income collected from customers locally would qualify, of course, but also potentially revenue resulting from inter-company agreements signed with the parent overseas, depending on the services being rendered by the LRO in the context of the agreement.

On the other hand, the wiring of money by the parent into the LROs China bank account is not considered as revenue and is not a directly taxable transaction. Consequently, although attractive from the tax optimization standpoint, relying on this latter funding mechanism as a substitute to revenue generation could have the adverse effect of eventually raising the attention of the tax bureau should the LRO fail to pay CIT quarter after quarter. Moreover, such a situation might incite the tax bureau to start taxing the LRO on deemed profit instead of actual profit. Bearing in mind that it would not necessarily be prudent for an LRO to repeatedly report losses, nor would it be to shift a detrimentally large amount of profit onshore, the key could be for the LRO to utilize a mix of taxable and nontaxable funding strategies to manage its tax bill.

Meanwhile, the banking restrictions associated with making cross-border transactions in and out of China can impact the value and frequency of the wire transfers from the parent to the LRO. Supporting documents would need to be provided to the bank for transfers of a value in excess of US$50,000, which could jeopardize-or at the very least-delay the execution of large payments. It is important to factor this threshold in the capital injection plan. Banks requirements with respect to the facilitation of cross-border transactions fluctuate constantly, according to the nationwide directives of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), which affect their policies. As such, it is important to verify the current requirements with the specific bank before a transaction is organized.

RELATED: Tax and Compliance Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

Taxing LRO Representatives

As full-time staff, the LRO would be expected to withhold and file individual income tax (IIT) monthly on behalf of its representatives. This would further imply that the LRO would be paying a salary to the representatives monthly, which would need to be appropriate for their position and profession to avoid raising objections from the tax bureau.

Meanwhile, according to official guidelines, LRO chief representatives are expected to declare their global income in China. Should a representative choose to only declare his or her China-sourced salary to the local tax authorities while some income is also received overseas, there is always a chance that this may be challenged during a future tax audit.

The taxation of global income might be particularly problematic, for instance, if a China based representative is entitled to receive equity distributions in their home country on top of the salary paid in China. In this scenario, the income from shares received overseas would need to be declared in China and would likely be subject to IIT alongside the salary paid locally.

In addition, the revenue generated abroad in the context of work performed by the LRO representatives may be subject to CIT in China, meaning that there is some risk that the service fees paid by customers to the parent abroad could be regarded as LRO revenue and therefore taxable, if a representative was involved in selling or delivery the service.

Strategic takeaways

Because of the nature of the LROs hybrid structure, the bookkeeping and tax filing functions that are normally straightforward for the traditional RO are comparatively more complicated. With its unique tax and accounting situation, combined with the relative scarcity of the structure, LROs are one of the most difficult types of ROs to set up, and it is not uncommon to see even the local authorities unsure of what guidelines apply to the LRO. Because an LROs tax obligations can be unclear, foreign investors setting up an LRO in China are strongly advised to seek professional guidance to assist with the daily management of accounting and tax functions and ensure compliance with local tax authorities.



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
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A new China-Europe freight train running between eastern China's Jiangxi Province and Uzbekistan has been launched.

The train loaded with steel coils, garments and daily items, valued at 1.8 million U.S. dollars, departed from Ganzhou city Friday and is expected to leave China through Horgos in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, arriving in Tashkent 12 days later.

More than 4,000 freight train journeys have been made between Chinese and European and central Asian cities since August 2011, with the opening of the Chongqing-Duisburg Line, according to China Railway Corporation.

The trains currently operate between 28 Chinese cities and 29 cities in 11 European countries.
CASPER, Wyo.  Wildfires and the threats they pose to people and property are a fact of life in Wyoming. Every summer fires of various sizes ignite across Wyoming. Across western states, fires have increased significantly over the last 30 years. But University of Colorado Denver professor Gregory Simon argues in a recent book that weve been thinking about such fires all wrong.

By allowing development in areas where fires are known to regularly occur, it is inevitable that damage will occur, Simon argues. In Flame and Fortune in the American West, the author says that the way we often discuss dangerous wildfires  as unstoppable natural events, rather than the result of building homes and businesses in unwise places  contributes to this view and he proposes a new model of viewing the interaction between fires and development. Simon also takes issue with how climate change has been used to explain the increase in fires, arguing that global warming is often used as an easy explanation to cover up poor decision making by planners and developers.

As a teenager, your family home in California came very close to being engulfed by the largest urban wildfire ever. How did that experience impact your academic work on this subject?

I probably would not have researched this topic, or even written this book, without having had this personal experience. It was pretty traumatic to be here alone and witness that and have the ripple effect of other people who did lose their homes and their grief over a number of decades. Those memories lasted for a long time.

Your book tackles the shortcomings for the Wildland Urban Interface, which is the main system that developers and planners use to deal with wildfire risk. You argue that it focuses too much on what is there  residential development encroaching on nature  and too little on how it got there. Instead you propose the affluence-vulnerability interface. What does the AFI do differently?

The WUI still remains important and it does make sense of  in a pretty clear, binary way  a really complicated, messy overlap between urban and rural. And thinking about an area that way, being vulnerable or prone to wildfire, is helpful. But the WUI doesnt get at some of the more structural, systemic forces that are driving the transformation of exurban and rural areas into suburban residential developments and the various factors that make these landscapes very lucrative landscapes for builders. So the affluence-vulnerability interface is meant to prompt people who are interested in managing these areas to look backwards and think about some of the factors that converted these landscapes into what we see today and using those lessons to prevent that from happening again and again.

Given the strong private property protections we have in the United States and how much money can be made by developing fire-prone areas, can the risky behavior you criticize be stopped without significantly reforming our economic system?

Look, if we could have things totally differently  unconstrained by the inertia that exists in the political-economic system  then absolutely the best way to resolve this would be to amend how profit and value is applied to suburban and exurban landscape. That would be ideal. But we live in a capitalist economic system that is not going anywhere anytime soon. So in the book I propose ways in which we can slow down this process of converting landscape, and adding risk to the landscapes and extracting profits from landscapes, by doing things like taking land out of availability through conservation easements or making development more costly, whether that means reducing fire protection services or reducing home ownership incentives. I offer approaches that try to soften the blow, as opposed to saying weve just got to do away with capitalism  because that just doesn't sound very realistic to me. But the problem really boils down to economics and cultural preference.

Is your book anti-development?

The problem of high-risk wildfires and all of the cost and loss of life that occurs as a result of them is not because of the fire itself. It's because of the presence of these large, residential developments being placed in harm's way. We wouldn't be concerned if the fires were just running through boreal forest, for example. The placement of massive amounts of human assets, like large residential developments, is what makes fire a problem with fire  fire is actually a natural thing and good for the environment. But stopping these developments altogether is nearly impossible. At this point we need to be mitigating these risks and slowing down development if not eliminating it. There's so much room for more development that something needs to be done.

Are you simply giving people the tools to make personal decisions or implement changes on a local level or are you calling for wholesale re-evaluation of urban development in the West?

My book isn't meant to prescribe steps. I'm not suggesting that if you check boxes one through 10 youll solve the problem. Im showing a suite of options that might be useful for cities and planners and Id like them to trickle down to residents as well. This book is meant to start the conversation. One objective of the book is to say, look, you can change land use planning in this way or that way, you can change the rules, you can change development to reduce fire risks and costs. But the other part of the book is concerned with how we talk about fire. I argue that when we suggest the problem is caused mainly by climate change and environmental factors we are actually exonerating  unfairly  the role of humans and city developers in creating these risks in the first place. I don't want to hear another report on the news that says this is just an inevitable and natural result of a changing climate. We keep spreading cities farther and farther out and I think that needs to be part of the discourse. Fires disasters aren't natural, theyre very social.

How is climate change used to wrongly exonerate human behavior when it comes to wildfires?

Climate change is abstract. It's easy to deny it because it is abstract. On the other hand, it's also easy to place blame on climate change for fire is because it is abstract: Its just a broad climate issue, its global warming. Placing blame on urban development hits closer to home and a lot of people are uncomfortable with that because then theyre pointing the finger at themselves. Especially for people in the construction and development and planning side of things, and also the at-risk homeowners, that would place blame on themselves as opposed to blaming the coal industry and the fossil fuel industry somewhere else in the country  or even natural weather cycles. While climate change is certainly important, it's not typically what turns a normal fire into a wildfire disaster.

A second challenge is that its very difficult for a lot of people to critique capitalism, and that makes it difficult for people to critique the social cause of wildfires: the rapid development of suburban landscapes. For a lot of people that's what makes America, America: What makes us special as a country is were not encumbered by government. To critique this and say the footloose, fancy free, laissez-faire approach to sprawling metropolitan areas is really the driving force behind these growing fire disasters makes people feel really uncomfortable.

Wyoming has the lowest percentage of developed WUI out of all western states. It seems like this may protect us from some of the wildfire danger you describe in your book. Should we be comforted by our relative lack of sprawl, or should we be worried about what may come?

The answer lies in the development regulations and planning rules that exist for major populated areas in the state. What do they say in terms of what's allowable development? That basically portends what the future holds. If it's simply been a lack of demand, but then demand comes, you're likely going to have runaway development and that's probably cause for alarm. But if there has been demand and the citizens and government of Wyoming have been good about protecting suburban areas from development, then I think you can feel pretty safe and comforted by those statistics.

Interview has been edited and condensed.
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Chinese science ship "Xiangyanghong 10" Sunday returned to China after a voyage to the southwest Indian Ocean that lasted more than 200 days.

The ship docked at a port in Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province.

The voyage was to explore the polymetallic sulphide at a seabed ore covering 30,000 square meters, under a contract signed between China and the International Seabed Authority, said Li Huaiming, a scientist involved in the project.

Scientists used China-developed unmanned submersible Qianlong 2 to conduct eight dives, reaching maximum 3,320 meters at depth. Qianlong 2 spent 170 hours, traveling 456 km for the research, proving that it was able to work on complicated terrains underwater, Li said.

Other advanced Chinese technologies in exploring polymetallic sulphide were also used, Li said.

Xiangyanghong 10 is the first Chinese ocean science survey ship built with the participation of a private company.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged efforts to unswervingly advance reform of the country's judicial system and follow the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in a written instruction conveyed to a national conference on judicial system reform, which was held Monday in the city of Guiyang in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

Noting that judicial system reform is important to the cause of comprehensively deepening reform, effectively implementing the rule of law, and to the country's governance system, Xi called on judicial and law enforcement authorities to follow the requirements of the CPC Central Committee in advancing the reform.

In the instruction, Xi praised the efforts of authorities in cracking difficult issues and making achievements in the reform, noting that the progress has promoted public trust in the judiciary and safeguarded social fairness and justice.

Xi also stressed that rules in the judicial sector should be respected and modern technology should be introduced in judicial reform.

He called for further efforts to advance the trial-centered reform of criminal procedures as well as reforms in the fields of public security, state security, and judicial administration.

Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, conveyed Xi's instruction and made a speech at the conference.

Participants agreed to make use of the big data and AI technology in advancing the reform.
A group photo of leaders of G20 members [Xinhua]

Themed "Shaping an Interconnected World," this years G20 summit, chaired by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, which ended on July 8, 2017, saw world leaders who represent around 85 percent of the worlds economy gathering in the northern German city of Hamburg. The 12th G20 summit concluded, reaching consensus on a wide range of important topics, sending a signal of unity in the fight against protectionism with a promise of prosperity and well-being.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other prominent members of major economies attended the two-day annual forum. During the G20 summit, there were many side meetings, including bilateral and multilateral dialogues, such as those involving members of G7, BRICS and MIKTA members (Mexico, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia).

China and India are members of the G20 and BRICS which groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Both China and India are major rising forces among BRICS countries. The two countries are the second and seventh largest world economies, respectively, ranking the second and first in terms of growth rate, and first and third in terms of contribution to world economic growth.

On June 7, the first day of the G20 summit, President Xi and Prime Minister Modi took part in the BRICS leaders meeting on the sidelines of the G20 meetings. They last met on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on June 9, 2017.

During the BRICS meeting, Xi and Modi briefly discussed a range of issues of bilateral and international interest, raising hopes of a resolution to the three-week-old standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Sikkim sector.

Its really encouraging that the efforts to improve the relations between the two countries is embodied by the two leaders extending their hands of friendship at every available opportunity and there is hope that such exchanges will lead to greater understanding and even better trade and bilateral ties.

The two leaders complimented each other's nations roles in furthering the objectives of the BRICS grouping and the fight against terrorism. Modi appreciated the momentum in BRICS under the chairmanship of President Xi and extended full cooperation for the groupings upcoming 9th summit to be hosted by China. Under Xis chairmanship, the progress and positive momentum of BRICS has further deepened our cooperation, Modi said.

President Xi appreciated India's strong resolve against terrorism and the momentum in BRICS introduced under India's chairmanship and through the outcomes of the Goa Summit in 2016. He also appreciated India's success in economic and social development and wished India even bigger success.

The implementation of Paris Agreement is globally essential to fight climate change. During the G20 meeting, China and India have also made a public stance for the battle against climate change. Both countries have assured they will not pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement, despite Trump's rejection of the Paris Agreement. Hopefully, the leaders of 19 nations except U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement, saying it is "irreversible." No doubt, Trump's reneging on the Paris climate deal turns the U.S. into a rogue state.

However, the interaction between Modi and Xi on the G20 sidelines came even as China and India remain engaged in a stand-off in the Sikkim section of the China-India border near the Bhutan tri-junction after a Chinese Army's construction party planned to build a road at Donglang or Doklam.

It should be noted here that according to Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui in India, The Convention between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet (1890) explicitly stipulates that Doklam undoubtedly belongs to China's territory. After independence, India inherited this historical convention and successive Indian governments have repeatedly confirmed that in written forms, recognizing that it concurs with China on the boundary alignment at the Sikkim section.

A commentary by Xinhua news agency headlined Immediate withdrawal is the only wise move for India published on June 7, 2017 saying that, India should pull back its trespassing troops as a precondition for any meaningful dialogue between the two sides.

However, despite the Donglang incident, China-India relations have become an anchor of regional peace and stability. In recent years, the two countries have maintained close communication and coordination, taken an active part in global governance, firmly upholding the common interests of developing countries in major global issues, and making common appeals for building a more just and equitable international order.

As the two countries are neighboring powers as well as members of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it is hoped both sides should focus on cooperation and manage well such existing problems as the boundary issue, uphold a positive attitude to address emerging issues of the bilateral ties and set a vision for the China-India relations.

It can be hoped China and India will re-energize the BRICS mechanism, polish the color of the BRICS, and strengthen the position of the bloc as the representative of emerging economies.

Rabi Sankar Bosu, Secretary of New Horizon Radio Listeners' Club, West Bengal, India

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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The just-concluded G20 Summit managed to discuss and agree on various developmental matters that would be of advantage to South Africa and the African continent, South African President Jacob Zuma said Sunday.

These included the launch of the G20 Africa Partnership, Zuma said upon return from Hamburg, Germany where the summit was held on July 7-8.

This program was launched in recognition of the opportunities and challenges in Africa as well as the goals of the United Nations Social Development Agenda 2030, said Zuma.

"It was agreed that this initiative would be based on equal partnerships and will be in line with the African Union Agenda 2063," the president said.

The partnership will serve South Africa's national interest as it will generate a sustainable and inclusive economic growth, help create decent employment and economic advancement for women and youth as well as alleviate poverty and inequality, according to Zuma.

The partnership will include developmental projects such as G20 Initiative for Rural Youth Employment in developing countries with a focus on Africa, aiming to creat 1.1 million new jobs by 2022 and provide innovative skills development program for at least 5 million young people over the next five years.

The G20 Africa Partnership program will also include projects such as the Women Entrepreneurs Financing Initiative housed at the World Bank, and establishment of the Business Women's Leaders Task Force to work with the G20's Women20 and Business20 initiatives as well as the launch of the eSkills4Girls Initiative to promote opportunities and equal participation for women and girls in digital economy, in particular in low-income and developing countries.

Such developmental programs, Zuma said, were necessary to address the growing discontent by citizens, which is a bigger issue confronting the world.

"We are confronted by rising inequality within countries and a lack of quality jobs. It can not be 'business as usual' where we simply take an approach to better explain the benefits of trade," Zuma said.

South Africa is one of the 19 member countries of the G20 which, in addition to the European Union (EU), has been meeting regularly since 1999 to discuss global economic policy coordination.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping's attendance of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hamburg on July 7-8 contributed to maintaining and advancing the group's cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

President Xi Jinping and other leaders attending the 12th Summit of the G20 major economies pose for a group photo in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Working together with the other participants, Xi made efforts to promote positive progress at the Hamburg summit on the basis of the G20's summit held last year in Hangzhou, China, and made new contributions to strengthening cooperation within the G20, promoting global economic growth and improving global economic governance, Wang said.

Xi made it clear that the G20 should adhere to taking the path of open development and mutual benefit leading to all-win results, support a multilateral trade mechanism, and promote international trade and investment, Wang said.

Facing such problems as unbalanced development of the world economy, Xi proposed proper handling of contradictions between fairness and efficiency, between capital and labor and between technology and employment, and also exchange and cooperation in terms of education and training, employment and business startups, distribution mechanisms, etc, in line with an idea of inclusive growth, Wang said.

In order to strengthen global economic governance toward achievement of a sound performance of the world economy, Xi proposed continued reenforcement of macro policy coordination, restructuring of international financial institutions and improvement of global financial supervision, etc.

To maintain sound development of the G20, Xi emphasized the importance of upholding the spirit of partnership among G20 members, and called for seeking common ground while reserving differences in order to step up cooperation, which prompted the Hamburg summit to reach consensus, and which maintained the international community's confidence in the group.

At the Hamburg summit, Xi participated in various discussions on the world economic situation, trade, finance, digital economy, energy, climate change, development, Africa, public health, refugee and migration issues, the fight against terrorism and others, elaborating China's concepts and solutions and vigorously pushing forward international cooperation.

Xi reiterated that the concepts such as openness, cooperation, all-win results, joint consultation, joint construction and sharing advocated in the Belt and Road Initiative are compatible with the G20's partnership spirit, and that they are complementary to one another and can jointly boost world economic development, Wang said.

On the sidelines of the Hamburg summit, Xi also launched a series of activities of summit diplomacy, Wang said.

Xi hosted an informal meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) leaders to prepare for the BRICS summit to be held in September in southeast China's Xiamen city.

Xi met with U.S. President Donald Trump to deepen cooperation based on mutual benefit between China and the United States, and the two sides agreed to well manage their differences. They also exchanged views on major hot-spot issues such as the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, affirming a peaceful solution to it.

During his first meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Xi stressed South Korea should value and properly handle China's justifiable concerns. The two leaders agreed to work together to improve bilateral relations and maintain regional stability.

Xi urged Japan to make efforts to improve bilateral ties during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Xi also reached new consensuses on building political mutual trust and deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May at separate meetings on the sidelines of the summit.
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Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul on Sunday and congratulated the armed forces for their victory over Islamic State after 266 days of fierce battles, which finally liberated Mosul from IS and ended its three-year rule.

Iraqi soldiers and civilians in Mosul cheered and jumped for joy on Sunday over their historic victory over the Islamic State and hailed the liberation of the city.

Liberating Mosul from the occupation of Islamic State (IS) is seen as a great victory for Iraq's anti-terror war, though the war-torn country will face grave challenges of national reconstruction and reconciliation.

Mosul, the capital city of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh and the second largest city, had been taken as the de facto capital of the Islamic State.

It was in Mosul that IS leader Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared in 2014 the establishment of Islamic State, a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. The fall of Mosul symbolizes the total collapse of IS in Iraq.

The victory opened doors for the much-needed reconstruction and national reconciliation, as desired by most Iraqis after suffering from wars and conflicts for so long.

The liberation of Mosul is a great victory in the anti-terrorism war. It broke the backbone of the terrorist groups and demolished the self-declared Islamic State in Iraq, civilians in Mosul said.

The victory in Mosul will pave the way for national reconstruction and reconciliation in the post-IS Iraq, they stressed.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin forming a cyber security unit in their first meeting amid speculation about his acceptance of Putin's denial of Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe," Trump tweeted on Sunday.

"...Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!" Trump wrote on another tweet.

The first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Putin came on Friday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

After the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Friday that Trump had accepted Putin's denial of Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

Putin himself also said on Saturday that he left the meeting with the impression that Trump had accepted his denial.

"He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers," Putin told reporters on Saturday.

During his visit to Ukraine on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the only other U.S. official in the Trump-Putin meeting, did not answer directly when asked whether Trump had accepted Putin's denial.

On another tweeter on Sunday, Trump said that he "strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election."

"...He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion..." Trump said.

The idea of forming a cyber security unit with Russia was soon met with criticism within Trump's own Republican Party.

Speaking at a TV interview aired on Sunday, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called the idea "pretty close" to the dumbest idea he'd ever heard.

"He (Trump) is literally the only person I know of who doesn't believe Russia attacked our election in 2016," said Graham.

"This whole idea about moving forward without punishing Russia is undermining his entire presidency," he added.
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One person was killed and eight others, including three kids, were wounded after a shooting at a baby gender-reveal party in southwestern Ohio on late Saturday night, authorities said on Sunday.

The police department of Colerain Township said the shooting occurred around 11:20 p.m.(0420GMT) at a residence in the 9900 block of Capstan Drive, near Colerain Avenue.

Police said the three children, whose injuries are not considered life-threatening, are being treated in Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

The adult victims were transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. One of them was in critical condition, a second is considered serious but stable, and others are in fair condition.

Among them is a pregnant woman. Reports said the party was for her but she lost her baby after being shot in the leg.

Police said the person who was killed is an adult, who is reportedly the woman's cousin. The victims were watching a movie together when gunfire rang out.

Other details relating to the victims' identities had yet to be released, and one or two gunmen are on the loose, according to police. An investigation is underway for a motive for the bloodshed.

At a gender-reveal party, expectant parents announce the sex of their baby.
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Communist Party of China (CPC) senior official Liu Yunshan will head a CPC delegation and pay official good-will visits to Romania and the Czech Republic from July 12 to 19, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee said Monday.

Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, has been invited by Chairman of Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea, also speaker of the Chamber of Deputies; and Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Czech Republic Jan Hamacek, also speaker of the lower house of the Czech parliament.
GRASSY BUTTE  A large wildfire, which started late Sunday, has spread over about 5,100 acres today near Grassy Butte, officials said.

The fire, named Magpie Fire, extends northward from Magpie campground into McKenzie County in a U.S. Forest Service-inventoried roadless area, according to a release from the Forest Service.

Treva Slaughter, public affairs officer with the Forest Service, said the blaze was about 15 percent at 11 a.m. Central time. Firefighters on the scene are continuing to improve the indirect line completed Sunday morning for continued fire suppression efforts. About 60 percent of the fire is in McKenzie County and the remaining portion is in Billings County. Thought it has progress through the rough country north into some private holdings, about 90 percent of the fire is located in a U.S. Forest Service Inventoried Roadless Area

Slaughter said there are no homes or lives are threatened in the area of the fire.

"Our firefighters, along with the great team members made up of county volunteer and state firefighters continue to utilize all available resources to actively manage this fire," Shannon Boehm, Medora district ranger, and Nancy Veres, McKenzie district ranger, said in a joint statement of the effort.

The Dakota Prairie Grasslands received a report of smoke in the area of Magpie campground around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, the USFS said in a release Sunday. Magpie campground is located on the Medora Ranger District of the Dakota Prairie Grassland and is about 55 miles north of Medora.

The Forest Service assistant fire management officer then notified Billings County Emergency Management Services and dispatched a USFS engine and three support personnel to the area alongside the initial Billings County Volunteer Fire Department response.

Once on the scene, the crews discovered an active fire in progress.

In addition to Forest Service firefighting personnel, firefighters from the Billings and McKenzie County volunteer fire departments, the National Park Service, North Dakota State Forest Service and a Type 2 initial attack crew from Minnesota are on the scene.

Slaughter said the Forest Service is working with Billings and McKenzie counties to prepare burn-out areas that will reinforce the indirect line that is in place. The Forest Service also has an active request to bring in an external team from out of state to bolster its resources and assist in managing the fire.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.

The Maah Daah Hey Trail system will be closed from Bennett campground, located in the McKenzie Ranger District, to the Elkhorn campground, located in the Medora Ranger District. The closure will include access to the Maah Daah Hey Trail from the Bennett Trail. Also closed to public use is the White Tail day-use campground and Magpie campground.

Officials ask all members of the public to stay clear of the closed areas until further notice. They also warned against using drones over the area, stating that they threaten the safety of firefighters and the effectiveness of wildfire management operations when flown over or near wildfires. A temporary flight restriction is in place for all fixed-wing and rotor aircraft not in direct support of fire suppression activities for the airspace over the active fire.

-- Bismarck Tribune staff contributed to this article.
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South Korea would build a museum in memory of wartime sex slavery victims as the Japanese cabinet, led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, had yet to sincerely apologize for wartime crimes against humanity, a government minister announced Monday.

Chung Hyun-back, the minister of gender equality and family who took office Friday, visited the House of Sharing for her first official activity, vowing to set up the museum to remember "comfort women" victims.

The term "comfort women" is a euphemism for women who were forced into sex enslavement for Japanese military brothels before and during the Pacific War.

The House of Sharing, located near capital Seoul, is a shelter for the South Korean "comfort women" victims.

Chung said her ministry planned to build the museum for "comfort women" victims in downtown Seoul for the better accessibility in order to make it serve as a mecca remembering the human rights violation brought on by war.

The minister said the "comfort women" issue was no longer a matter between South Korea and Japan but became a global issue, noting that the museum establishment would be launched immediately for preparations to secure the plot of land.

Touching on the agreement on the "comfort women" victims, which was reached in late 2015 between South Korea and Japan, Chung said she was reviewing how to deal with the renegotiation issue on the agreement.

The two countries reached the "final and irreversible" agreement on "comfort women" on Dec. 28, 2015 as Japan's Abe cabinet promised the Park Geun-hye government about 9 million U.S. dollars to build a foundation in Seoul for the wartime sexual slavery victims.

The South Korean victims demanded the repealing of the agreement, calling for Abe's sincere apology and the legal responsibility for the wartime crimes against humanity.
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China Monday launched a website for the Ninth BRICS Summit, which it will host in Xiamen, Fujian Province in September.

The site, www.bricschn.org, is the official website of the media center.

The media registration system has also been opened on the site.
Investors check out stock quotes at a brokerage in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. [Photo by Su Yang/For China Daily]

China's equity market is expected to improve in the second half of this year as investor sentiment is brightening in a largely stable macroeconomic environment, said analysts.

Growth momentum remains robust as shown by the first-quarter GDP growth of 6.9 percent year-on-year, the strongest quarterly real growth since the third quarter of 2015.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index began the year at 3,158 points and ended at 3,192 on June 30, the last trading day in the year's first half.

Analysts said the SCI is likely to end the year around 3,400, implying a 7.6 percent rise for this year.

Similarly, sectoral indexes such as those for public utilities, infrastructure, consumption and healthcare are expected to gain in the range of 5 to 12 percent this year.

Even other key equity markets such as Shenzen and Hong Kong are expected to rise in the range of 3 to 7 percent this year.

Such a rise is expected as the fundamentals of China's economy are positive for long-term growth, which supports investor sentiment in the market, analysts said.

Also, the inclusion of Chinese A shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index marks another milestone in the internationalization of Chinese equities, they said.

Ma Lei, Chinese equities portfolio manager at Fidelity International, said the country's capital market will become more attractive for global asset managers and there will be more investments in China's onshore market.

In the long term, innovation will drive growth in all sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods and textiles, as against the current view that it is related only to high-tech, industrial and scientific research, he said.

FMCG and textiles have so far relied heavily on marketing and branding, he said. "Today, if a clothing company invents a high-performance fabric, such a breakthrough would likely be the result of innovation. Such a company's valuation will grow fast. Bright prospects await companies with outstanding innovative capabilities and products across consumer-related sectors, services and industrial segments, which will drive growth over the next decade," said Ma.

Zhou Hao, senior economist of emerging markets with German lender Commerzbank, said that China is likely to see another property slowdown amid a cooling of the property market in the big cities and rental yields dropping to a low level.

China's headline growth has stabilized due to housing investment picking up over the past few quarters. However, the leading housing investment, and housing prices, indicate that the property sector is likely to experience a deceleration in the second half of this year.

"It's expected that capital may flow from the property market to the equity market," said Wang Hanfeng, an analyst with CICC, in a research note.

China's GDP growth is likely to moderate somewhat in the coming quarters due to the property slowdown, but growth is still expected to be 6.5 percent or above, said Zhou.

"For the remainder of this year, we would expect to see two large policy changes in China: a focus on the real economy and further mergers in State-owned enterprises," said Zhou.

Deleveraging is also a factor that needs to be taken into consideration, other analysts said.

"This year is to China's shadow banking regulation what 2014 was to China's local government financing vehicles regulation. We anticipate a moderate decline in the prevailing yields and reassured funding for infrastructure projects in the near term. We raised exposure to banks and infrastructure proxies, and cut cash levels from 3 percent to zero," said Wendy Liu, chief China strategist at Nomura Securities.

Upgrading of manufacturing and consumption will have an obvious impact on the equity market, with enterprises' profitability expected to rise soon, thanks to rising incomes of people, drop in commodity prices and tax cuts, said Wang of CICC.
Liu Yonghao (left), chairman of New Hope Group, with his daughter Liu Chang at an award ceremony for top entrepreneurs of the year. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese family businesses are looking for leaders for sustainable development and international competitiveness now that the decades of economic boom that coincided with China's reform and opening-up have ended, according to a senior executive of global executive search and assessment firm Russell Reynolds Associates Inc.

"Now we are in an era of globalization and information," said Clarke Murphy, CEO of Russell Reynolds Associates. "These are moments of change, where family businesses need either a technical skill or a cultural understanding of the outside world. The more quickly companies expand, the more leadership and management they will need."

Russel Reynolds Associates specializes in assessment, recruitment and succession planning for CEOs, boards of directors and key roles within executive suites.

The company has been operating in China for more than 20 years. It sees a big increase in the number of privately owned or traditional family businesses in the country. It is helping them, especially those planning to expand, to adapt to the changing environment.

The company said it has worked with Chinese family businesses that faced the challenges of continuity, as the next generation of family members did not want to take over the reins; or, as the businesses expanded, they were not able to work with non-family members.

These gaps called for succession planning and mapping sustainable leadership relations as well as managing and working with non-family executives to boost growth and expansion, said the New York-based Murphy.

According to him, with the world changing ever faster, it is becoming increasingly important for leaders to be agile to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity.

"Companies always deal with large uncertainty. So, top executives should be agile to make decisions based on different facts, have people following them with good communications skills and be able to move ahead without having all the information."

A global survey of family firms released in late 2016 by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers found the economic climate had hurt their businesses and many of them preferred to seek growth steadily rather than aggressively.

It found that only 73 percent of the surveyed family businesses in China experienced sales growth in 2016, compared with 84 percent in 2014.

The survey also showed that almost 80 percent of family businesses in China exported goods or services in 2016, up from 66 percent in 2014. And it predicted that in the next five years, the proportion of international sales was expected to increase to 88 percent.

Murphy said as businesses expand more overseas, they would need to find a balance between local management and corporate culture.

"Over time, they need to integrate local management in the new countries into how they do business in their home country," he said. "As working habits vary in different countries, it is essential to understand local politics, suppliers and culture (in order to succeed)."

PwC China Assurance Partner Jean Sun said improving profitability and ensuring long-term development were the key goals for family businesses.

"Family businesses in China should put their focus on business transformation and innovation, proactively monitor the general economic situation, invest more on people and talent retention, and even engage professional advisors to support their development," Sun said.
Finbarr O'Neill, chief executive officer of J.D. Power. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Prospective car-buyers typically check out hundreds of reviews before making up their mind. Finbarr O'Neill, CEO and president of J.D.Power, wishes to streamline things for them.

O'Neill leads a data analytics firm that works with all tiers of auto brands that you can probably think of. It aims to provide customers independent and unbiased ratings on cars.

J.D. Power's solid research on car performance, design and dependability is sought after by mainstream media outlets, and is fast becoming consumers' trusted, if not the only, source of credible, reliable information that could help decide which vehicle to buy.

O'Neill, who started out three decades ago as a legal counsel at Toyota Motors Sales in the United States, understands the power of perception in shaping customer preferences.

"My introduction to the automotive industry was through addressing a challenge of a brand image. So I learned quickly that the most important thing was the voice of the customers because that determines the future, whether it's autonomous vehicles or new energy vehicles," he said.

Once a subsidiary of McGraw Hill Financial, also the parent of Standard & Poor's ratings agency, J.D. Power was taken private last September by private equity firm XIO Group, giving it more flexibility and resources to focus on its core tasks of data analytics and customer research.

O'Neill sees the spinoff as a window of opportunity to turn the business-to-business company into a customer-aware brand. As part of a revamp plan, he transformed the firm from an old-fashioned, mailing service provider to an outfit that reaches consumers through digital means like social media.

"Because the consumers are living in a more mobile-connected world, it's important for us to reach them in a variety of ways. Consumer behavior is changing; we need to go where the consumers go," he said.

From the very latest industry analytics and rankings to study highlights via social media and in-person roundtables and conferences, O'Neill steers the wheel of a company that captures the opinions and perceptions of millions of customers from across the globe.

The divergence in consumer attitudes as exemplified in many of J.D. Power's studies provides insights to automakers, which the latter use to finetune their strategies and products for success in the market.

For instance, according to the firm's China Initial Quality Study published last year, unpleasant interior odors have topped the list of complaints by Chinese emerging motoring class, while that very leathery and sweet smell is something that their American counterparts crave in new cars.

In 2009, China raced past the US for the first time to become the world's largest auto market, thanks to government incentives. The larger plan was to counter the global economic slowdown.

The past decade has witnessed changes not just in the size of cars but in their quality, said O'Neill, recalling his first trip to the Beijing Auto Show in 2008.

"Back then, you figured a clear difference between domestic vehicles and those of the joint ventures, from the metals and plastics they used. Now, all of these have gone away-there had been a rapid improvement in manufacturing capability," he said.

That, according to O'Neill, has given much weight to Chinese preferences, which are in some cases becoming global standards.

For instance, China's luxury sedan market has some peculiarities of its own, like the preference for more legroom and spacious backseats. The world's leading OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) are customizing new models to suit local tastes.

Also, the increasingly sophisticated Chinese motorists have set high standards for connectivity in automobiles. The surge in smartphone usage is turning the country into the biggest telematics market on the planet, with companies looking to get a piece of the riches on offer.

That has called for more pressing needs for professional services like those offered by J.D. Power, especially as more new energy vehicles hit the road and their sales appear poised to pick up as the market matures.

While the initial customer concern would be anxiety over running out of gas in the middle of nowhere, what comes next is a question of price, in the absence of government subsidy, he said.

"But I see China as a leader in this area. The scale in China will drive innovation around battery technologies here in China. In the next decade, the cost of battery will come down, making electric vehicles relatively easy to produce," he said.

China currently contributes to 15 percent of the company's global revenue. O'Neill is optimistic the figure will grow as the firm expands beyond traditional auto services into retail banking and insurance.

"China is perhaps the most connected country in the world. We'll be able to look at that trend and try to understand potential opportunities by watching how Chinese consumers change behavior over time," he said.

More opportunities lie ahead as Chinese automakers are set to become global players vying for a market share overseas, he said.

"The perception of brand is important so we can work with Chinese companies to understand not only how one establishes a network overseas, but how one designs a car to succeed in the market. You only get a chance to launch once and you create a perception," he said.
BEIJING  China has been resolute in containing leverage and financial risks, as it endeavors to trade short-term deleveraging pains for the long-term health of the economy.

The People's Bank of China (PBOC) increased cash injections early in June to shore up liquidity, fueling speculation that the authorities were flinching from their ongoing deleveraging campaign.

Yet the PBOC shifted its tactic dramatically in late June and starkly reduced cash injections.

On Friday, the PBOC refrained once again from open market operations, on the grounds that liquidity within the banking system remained ample.

That made Friday the 11th successive trading day of open market suspension, and the maturation of 20 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) in reverse repos has led to a net liquidity contraction of 630 billion yuan in total since June 22.

To further quash speculation, the PBOC reiterated this week that it would continue with prudent and neutral monetary policy, use a range of monetary policy tools to maintain stable liquidity and place more importance on the prevention and control of financial risk.

Analysts said that given the Chinese leadership's strong determination and steady growth of the economy, the deleveraging was unlikely to reverse.

Calling the campaign a medium-term task, Citic Securities analyst Ming Ming said it would last a long while and remain unchanged, but the pace and intensity of policies would be fine-tuned to adapt to change. Ming said China's deleveraging policies so far had been effective, proactive and scientific, and yielded results.

Growth of China's broad measure of money supply, M2, hit a record low in May.

Banks' outstanding wealth management products (WMPs) totaled 28.4 trillion yuan at the end of May, down from 30 trillion yuan at the end of 2016. The sector's fast expansion had been considered a major source of financial risk, as off-balance-sheet WMPs channel deposits into risky investments without adequate regulation.

However, progress cannot be achieved without costs.

Analysts warned that China's corporate sector was feeling the stress and expected a tougher time, as funding costs were rising and could rise further, while credit would become harder to access, especially for small and medium-sized firms.

As the campaign continues, analysts said liquidity conditions would remain tight for the rest of the year. The deleveraging stress, cooling real estate market and moderate investment growth will weigh on economic growth.

Challenges for policy makers lie in countering debt, shadow banking and long-term threats to the economy, without destabilizing short-term growth.

While keeping liquidity relatively tight to underpin deleveraging, the Chinese authorities have been careful not to squeeze liquidity too much to avoid dampening demand.

PBOC data shows that total social financing and new yuan-denominated loans both increased year on year in May, indicating robust financial support for the real economy.

Li Peijia, a researcher with the Institute of International Finance at the Bank of China, said the campaign was still in a crucial stage, expecting monetary policy to remain prudent but with a tightening bias in the second half of the year.

Policy makers are unlikely to announce new policies to cut leverage, but will focus on better implementation of current policies while creating a long-term mechanism for a balance between stable growth and deleveraging, Ming said.

Lian Ping, economist with the Bank of Communications, advised the government to ensure credit for small and medium-sized companies and ease deleveraging stress.

Besides moving on the monetary front, the government should further improve its fiscal policy and unveil supportive industrial measures to ensure stable economic growth, said Zhang Jun, economist with Morgan Stanley Huaxin Securities.

China's economy grew 6.9 percent in the first quarter of the year, up from 6.8 percent the previous quarter and above the government's annual target of around 6.5 percent for 2017.
BEIJING  Chinese mainland travelers are a major driving force for global tourism, according to a report released by China's leading online travel agency Ctrip and a Chinese think tank, the Center for China and Globalization.

As the world's biggest spenders, Chinese mainland tourists spent $261 billion in 2016, accounting for nearly 21 percent of the world's tourist consumption.

The report also said that Chinese mainland's outbound tourism has enjoyed double-digit growth for 12 consecutive years.

Countries, including the United States, Canada and Singapore, now issue 10-year visas to mainland tourists, helping China's tourism market.

In addition, China opened 260 international airlines from January to November last year, stimulating demand.

According to the report, Chinese mainland travelers made more than 120 million outbound trips in 2015, 313 percent more than 2005.

Figures released by the World Economic Forum in 2017 show that tourism last year stimulated the economy by generating over $7.6 trillion globally, supporting over 292 million jobs, or one in ten jobs worldwide.
ADDIS ABABA  Ethiopia inaugurated on Saturday a Chinese-built $90 million industrial park in Kombolcha city, in Amhara regional state, 376 kilometers north of capital Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn who inaugurated the Kombolcha Industrial Park (KIP) said it's part of the Ethiopian government's plan to make it a manufacturing hub in Africa.

"Factories engaged in export oriented business in Kombolcha city, will have an ideal setting to export their goods through Djibouti port 480 kms away," said Desalegn.

His sentiments were echoed by Li Zhiyuan, deputy project manager at China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, the company which constructed the industrial park in nine months.

"The completion of Kombolcha Industrial Park means enhanced local employment, increasing attractiveness and competitiveness of Kombolcha city, promoting industrialization of Amhara regional state and boosting the economic development of Ethiopia," said Li.
A COSCO container is seen at the Noatum container terminal near Bilboa, in Santurtzi, Spain June 14, 2017.[Photo/Agencies]

COSCO Shipping Holding Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China COSCO Shipping Corp Ltd, will purchase a majority stake in Orient Overseas International Ltd(OOIL) for $6.3 billion, creating a global shipping giant, Reuters reports Monday.

COSCO Shipping, together with Shanghai International Port (SIPG), agreed to buy a combined 68.7 percent stake from OOIL's controlling shareholders, giving COSCO Shipping and SIPG a 90.1 percent and 9.9 percent stake respectively.

The offer price was HK$78.67 per share, a 37.8 percent mark up on OOIL's Friday closing price of HK$57.10 on the Hong Kong Exchange.

The total price tag for the deal will be HK$49.2 billion ($6.3 billion), the companies said in filings with the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges.

Once the deal is finalized, COSCO Shipping will have a fleet of more than 400 vessels and capacity exceeding 2.9 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), making it the world's third largest container shipping line after Denmark's Maersk Line and Switzerland's Mediterranean Shipping Company.

The transaction is subject to an anti-trust review by Chinese, European and United States authorities, the filings said.

In January, Chinese media outlet Caixin reported COSCO Shipping was bidding for OOIL, the seventh largest container shipping company in the world and owner of Hong Kong's biggest container-shipping line. However, the two companies later dismissed merger rumors.

Shares of COSCO Shipping, which was created from China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co and China Shipping Group, have been suspended since May 16.

Agencies contributed to this story.
An employee cleans a Porsche SE 911 GT3 vehicle during the 2017 New York International Auto Show in New York, the United States. [Photo/Agencies]

PARIS  No more gasoline or diesel cars sold in France by 2040that's the ambitious goal set on Thursday by France's environment minister as part of far-reaching efforts to wean the world's No 6 economy from fossil fuels.

Some manufacturers and drivers met his proposals with skepticism, but others viewed them as a welcome riposte to United States President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord.

Minister Nicolas Hulot, unveiling a five-year government plan to encourage clean energy and fulfill France's commitments under the Paris accord, said French car manufacturers have projects that "can fulfill that promise".

His appeal comes a day after Sweden's Volvo became the first major automaker to pledge to stop making cars and SUVs powered solely by the internal combustion engine.

Paris' mayor wants to ban diesel vehicles by 2020, blamed for pollution that often chokes the French capital.

But Hulot's plan would cover the whole country and also target gasoline-powered cars. In response to concerns from low-income drivers, he proposed aid for poorer families to buy cleaner cars. The maker of Peugeot and Citroen cars, PSA Group, said the environment minister's pledge fits with its goal of offering hybrid or electric versions of 80 percent of its cars by 2023.

But even if France eventually bans sales of diesel and petrol vehicles, PSA spokeswoman Laure de Servigny said the company will continue making such cars for foreign markets.

"We are a global player," she told The Associated Press. "You have to take into account the situation globally." The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association argued that electric and hybrid engines aren't the only options for the future and that carmakers are still investing in upgrading gasoline and diesel technology. "Improving the internal combustion engine and clean diesel technology will continue to play an important role in reducing CO2 emissions," it said in a statement to The AP.

Greenpeace cautiously welcomed the French plan but urged a clearer time frame, concerned that it would be easy for subsequent governments to abandon the generation-long effort.

Hulot also proposed a ban on new oil and gas drilling on French territory, and said France will stop producing power from coalnow 5 percent of the totalby 2022.

The country wants to reduce the proportion of its power from nuclear energy to 50 percent by 2025, from the current 75 percent.

The government's plan aims to encourage green energy and technologies, notably through taxing polluting ones.

Agencies
Visitors inspect information on the windscreen of a Toyota car on display at the company's showroom in Tokyo, Japan. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Automakers recalled nearly 5 million passenger cars in the first half of this year in China, 40 percent of which were premium cars, according to the country's top quality watchdog.

Statistics from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine show that 38 carmakers, including both volume and premium brands, made 118 recalls of 4.86 million cars from January to June, an 18.87 percent fall from the same period last year.

More than 2 million cars recalled were from premium brands, ranging from Audi to Lexus, accounting for 41 percent of the total. In terms of overall rankings, Audi occupied first place by recalling 1.26 million cars, followed by Toyota with 940,000, Volkswagen with 630,000 and Mercedes-Benz 430,000.

The number of cars recalled peaked in March, totaling 2.6 million, more than half of all defective cars recalled in the first half of the year.

In contrast, a little more than 1 million cars were recalled from April to June.

Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, said this had something to do with the annual March 15 Consumer Rights Day Gala, hosted by China Central Television.

"Some carmakers issued recalls ahead of the event to prevent being exposed," said Cui.

Yet the number of recalls is expected to rise soon, as the general administration is investigating cars with faulty Takata airbags that can explode under certain conditions. It said in a July 6 news release that some 20 million cars in China are equipped with Takata airbags. Of these, 10.59 million have been recalled and five carmakers are planning to recall another 1.26 million cars soon.

That means 8 million vehicles have not yet been recalled. The general administration said it is prompting several major automakersVolkswagen, GM and Mercedes-Benzto recall their share.

"According to our investigation and experts' appraisals, Takata's faulty airbags are likely to burst and therefore pose potential risks to drivers and passengers.

"So, the carmakers should take effective measures to eliminate the problems and prevent possible injuries," said the general administration.

GM China said: "We are actively developing a comprehensive recall plan and will work closely with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to take appropriate actions in the near future."

Volkswagen Group China gave a similar response, saying it is discussing its plans regarding the Takata airbags with the authorities. "We will take appropriate and agreed measures as soon as possible," said a representative at the German carmaker.

So far, the defective airbags have not injured or killed people in China. The United States has been by far the hardest hit, with 11 deaths out of the 16 recorded worldwide. Globally, 120 million cars are equipped with the faulty Takata airbags.
Workers check a car on a production line of Dongfeng Renault in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo by Song Rongcheng/For China Daily]

Renault Group entered into a joint venturecosting only 1 yuan (15 cents)with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings, to focus on the manufacturing and sale of light commercial vehicles in the world's largest auto market.

The two companies announced the binding framework cooperation agreement on Wednesday. It covers two transactionsHong-Kong-listed Brilliance China will acquire a 100 percent holding in Shenyang Brilliance Jinbei Automobile, then sell 49 percent of the shares to the French automaker.

Both partners will inject a total of 1.5 billion yuan in accordance with the 51:49 ratio in the near future. The joint venture will develop, manufacture and distribute new vehicles and services under the Jinbei and Renault brands.

The 49 percent Shenyang Brilliance Jinbei shares were valued at 1 yuan, according to Brilliance China's announcement.

This will result in a restructured joint venture, with Brilliance China holding the majority 51 percent stake and Renault holding the remainder.

"Renault is entering into a promising and high-potential Chinese LCV market, which accounts for upwards of 3 million vehicles per year," said Carlos Ghosn, chairman and CEO of Renault.

"By joining hands with Brilliance China, Renault aims to become a major LCV player in China.

"We will bring our management expertise and know-how on the products and technology," he continued.

Yale Zhang, managing director of Automotive Foresight (Shanghai), said he expects more than just light commercial vehicles from the two carmakers' establishment of the joint venture.

He said: "Renault could be working on something bigger than merely focusing on the light commercial vehicles, since the market is a much smaller market, with much thinner profits than the passenger car market.

"Besides, the LCVs are powered by diesel engines that won't have large growth potential in the country."

Sources in the auto sector, who declined to be named, said the new joint venture might help Renault consolidate its presence in China with a new production base in Shenyang, capital of northeastern Liaoning province, while Dongfeng Renault Automobile might manufacture SUVs in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province.

The French automaker's new business would take a market share of 3.5 percent, matching its mid to long-term market share target in the Chinese passenger car market, the sources added.

In 2016, the Chinese market saw 353,600 light passenger vehicles and 1.5 million light trucks sold, while the passenger car market registered 28 million vehicles in sales volume.

The transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, and is subject to the approval of Brilliance China's shareholders.
HEFEI - In China, lifeguards might soon join a growing list of professionals who will be replaced by robots or at least working with them on their jobs.

The Institute of Intelligent Machines under the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced this week that it has launched the country's first unmanned speedboat to save people from drowning.

The speedboat is equipped with cameras and infrared sensors to detect "moving targets" in the water, said Yu Yangdao, who led the craft's development. Once a swimmer crosses the danger line, the speedboat will locate him/her, calculate the risk of drowning, and send a signal to the command center. The rescue team will then be alerted to take action.

Yu said the unmanned lifeguard speedboat marked a breakthrough in China, whose unmanned vessels have been technologically inferior to the ones manufactured in the United Stated and Israel and its use has largely been restricted to environmental surveillance and data collection.

The craft made its debut recently in Hefei City, capital of east China's Anhui Province to monitor swimmers and tourists at the popular Swan Lake, where drownings often occur.

Yu said the speedboat will be used to patrol rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and seas in the future.
Tesoro is studying the possibility of turning vegetable oil into diesel fuel at its Dickinson refinery, which it purchased from MDU Resources Group Inc. in July 2016.

The crude oil refiner is making plans to retrofit an 8,000-barrel-per-day diesel hydrotreater to process soy or distillers corn oil into renewable diesel alongside its Bakken crude oil processing.

This $3.5 million project would use 16,800 gallons per day of vegetable oils to create a 5 percent renewable diesel mix to be marketed in North Dakota by the end of 2017. The North Dakota Industrial Commission granted the company a $500,000 grant to help cover the project's cost.

Consumers can purchase biodiesel at gas station blender pumps, but Ron Day, Tesoros North Dakota government and public affairs director, said renewable diesel is different in that it has the same molecular makeup as diesel fuel.

Compared to biodiesel that is blended into petroleum diesel at truck racks, renewable diesel is a superior quality product because, unlike biodiesel, renewable diesel is a pure hydrocarbon stream containing no oxygen, the company said in its grant application to the NDIC.

This results in a superior quality fuel that maintains vehicle performance.

Day called the project unique and exciting.

Haldor Topsoe, a company with commercial level experience in hydrotreating vegetable oils into renewable diesel, and Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., which has experience converting other diesel hydrotreater units for co-processing, have been hired to help with the project and keep it cost-effective.

This project also will provide an additional market for regional oil seed processing facilities. While Tesoro has not established supply agreements at this time, a key consideration will be transportation costs, which makes North Dakota processing plants prime candidates.

North Dakota has at least 16 processing plants  three in West Fargo and Velva; two in Enderlin, Minot and Drayton; and one in Fargo, Durbin, Northwood and Mayville.

The Dickinson Renewable Diesel project could be the seed for a renewable diesel industry in North Dakota, as it could lead the way for larger renewable diesel projects in the state. Those could, in turn, lead to construction of new or expanded oil seed processing plants.

Detailed engineering for the project is expect to be completed this month, with construction starting in October and production starting in December or early next year.

Once Tesoro purchased the facility, the company has looked for opportunities to optimize the refinery and create a reliable, long-term operation. The implementation of the renewable diesel project is one such opportunity, the company said in a statement.

By not having to build a new refinery, the renewable diesel production becomes more economically viable.

The Dickinson Refinery employs about 80 people, including operators, maintenance personnel, engineers and laboratory staff.
The mining of combustible ice, a natural gas hydrate, is underway in the Shenhu area of the South China Sea on July 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

GUANGZHOU - China on Sunday completed a 60-day trial of mining gas hydrates, commonly known as combustible ice, in the South China Sea, marking breakthroughs in human's search for alternative clean energy sources.

Started from May 10, the mining operation in waters near the Pearl River estuary has beaten previous expectations and set world records in both the length and total amount of extraction, according to the China Geological Survey Bureau.

The trial exploration produced over 300,000 cubic meters of gas - mainly methane, with an average daily extraction of more than 5,000 cubic meters of high purity gas, and a highest daily output of 35,000 cubic meters, said the bureau.

Meanwhile, 6.47 million sets of experimental data were recorded.

China declared its first success in collecting samples of combustible ice in the South China Sea on May 18, which usually exists in seabed or tundra areas with the strong pressure and low temperature necessary for its stability.

The substance can be ignited like solid ethanol, which is why it is called combustible or flammable ice.

One cubic meter of combustible ice, a kind of natural gas hydrate, is equal to 164 cubic meters of regular natural gas.

China Geological Survey Bureau's deputy director Li Jinfa said combustible ice will play a vital part in China's energy security and economic development.

"It is considered a strategic alternative to oil and natural gas in the future," Li said. "Not just China, the world at large sets eyes on it."

He said other countries like Japan had also begun mining combustible ice, but operations were suspended due to a significant amount of sand entering the production wells.
JINAN - Quantum communication network, which boasts ultra-safe connection impenetrable to hackers, is expected to be put into commercial use in a Chinese city by the end of next month.

Jinan Institute of Quantum Technology announced Sunday that the network, connecting Communist Party and government bodies in Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong Province, had lately been tested and the designers were satisfied with its performance, especially in secured communications.

Liu Hong, a professor with Shandong University who was involved in the test, said the network has proved to be in a "very ideal" condition.

In the test, which involved over 50 programs, the network transmitted data with quantum encryption keys among nearly 200 terminals in the city. Between users, more than 4,000 keys were generated in just a second, said Zhou Fei, an assistant director of the institute.

Quantum communication uses quantum entanglement of photons to make sure that nobody taps into the line, for doing so would inevitably corrupt the signal.

In quantum communication, any interference is detectable. Two parties can exchange secret messages by sharing an encryption key encoded in the properties of entangled particles.

Zhou said the success of the test is a landmark in the development of quantum communication technology worldwide, paving the way for its commercial use first in government and then in finance, energy and other sectors.
HANGZHOU - Chinese science ship "Xiangyanghong 10" Sunday returned to China after a voyage to the southwest Indian Ocean that lasted more than 200 days.

The ship docked at a port in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang Province.

The voyage was to explore the polymetallic sulphide at a seabed ore covering 30,000 square meters, under a contract signed between China and the International Seabed Authority, said Li Huaiming, a scientist involved in the project.

Scientists used China-developed unmanned submersible Qianlong 2 to conduct eight dives, reaching maximum 3,320 meters at depth. Qianlong 2 spent 170 hours, traveling 456 km for the research, proving that it was able to work on complicated terrains underwater, Li said.

Other advanced Chinese technologies in exploring polymetallic sulphide were also used, Li said.

Xiangyanghong 10 is the first Chinese ocean science survey ship built with the participation of a private company.
A resident of Wuping county, Fujian province, checks the beehives he tends on land allocated by reform of the forest ownership system.Photos By Lin Shanchuan / Xinhua

Changes to the long-standing forest ownership system are providing new sources of revenue for impoverished rural residents, as Hou Liqiang and Hu Meidong report from Wuping, Fujian province.

Editor's note: In the run-up to the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress, China Daily is reporting on a number of key projects of national importance that showcase the country's great improvements in crucial fields, such as recent reforms aimed at improving living standards and creating a moderately prosperous society by 2020. This is the first of two reports looking at reform in the country's rural areas. The second report will be published on Tuesday.

According to an old Chinese saying, "If you live on a mountain, you live off the mountain". The people of Wuping county, Fujian province, are living proof of that adage.

In the 1990s, whenever the locals needed money they simply cut down trees and sold the wood. The resultant excessive deforestation prompted the local government to reform the collective forestry ownership system in 2001 and distribute resources to individuals, a move endorsed by President Xi Jinping, who was governor of Fujian at the time.

The reforms were so successful they were promoted nationwide, and changes are continuing in the forestry sector.

Having established a government-backed credit guarantee company, which specializes in forestry evaluation, management and disposal, Wuping has set an example by helping residents to obtain bank loans using their forestry assets as collateral, so they can start businesses related to the sector.

So far, the move has been successful both in raising living standards for people in mountain villages and in maintaining woodland.

In 1998, when Li Yongxing returned to Jiewen village in Wuping, after being made redundant by a State-owned company in the county seat, the villagers and officials asked him to become village head. While he was keen to take on the role, the difficulties the villagers faced in protecting the collectively-owned forests made him hesitate before accepting.

"All the large trees had been felled, and the villagers often fought when scrambling for trees to cut down," Li, 68, recalled.

The situation in the county, which borders Guangdong province, was so bad and the people were so poor that in the 1990s more than 100 farmers driving tractors loaded with lumber forced their way through a pass, and headed for Guangdong, where they could sell the wood at a high price, according to Deng Suimin, former deputy head of the Wuping county government.

Li attempted to rectify the situation by hiring rangers and organizing patrols, but his efforts failed. In 2001, he was considering quitting when he heard that the county government was launching a pilot project to distribute forest resources to individuals. Li applied for the project to be carried out in Jiewen because he had been thinking about using the same approach to protect local woodland.

Li's application was approved, but troubles lay ahead because at the time China's forests were either held collectively or owned by the State.

"There was almost no experience or legal support for the pilot project," he said.
A district of Shanghai has introduced a blacklist for nannies and housemaids who breach a new code of conduct or have a criminal record.

According to the home service industry association of Changning district, domestic workers will be banned if they provide employers with false information, such as on resumes, health records or a fake ID card.

They will also be singled out if they miss three job interviews without a suitable excuse, try to break a contract to secure a pay rise, or ask to borrow money from an employer.

Changning's code comes just weeks after a nanny in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, was accused of starting an apartment fire that killed a mother and three children. Mo Huanjing, who was charged with arson and theft, was addicted to online gambling but her motive is unknown, police said.

The incident "was pure violence and has hurt the industry badly", said Xia Jun, president of the home service industry association in Changning, which is home to more than 400 housekeeping agencies.

"We need to take preventive measures to avoid such incidents, and that's why we have developed the code," he said.

Xia said the names of those who break the code will be made available to housekeeping agencies and related associations but not to the public.

The blacklist is the first put forward by an industry association in Shanghai. It has already been applied to 50 member agencies in Changning and is to be extended to the rest next month.

The association is also looking into the criminal records of every nanny employed in the district.

"We haven't found any with a criminal background so far, but if we do, we will dismiss them or transfer them to work in a public place, such as a cleaner at a company instead of a nanny," Xia said.

Zhao Qianyun, who works at a foreign-invested company in Shanghai, said she supports the new code. "The nanny's personality and working experience is the most important for my family. The blacklist will help us find a qualified housemaid," she said.

Shanghai, home to more than 2,000 housekeeping agencies, has been introducing standards for such services since last month, including requirements for management and workers.

The city government also demands that new nannies must now present a "certificate of good conduct" or a "clean criminal record" document issued by the police as well as a recommendation letter to secure a job with a housekeeping agency.

Cao Chen contributed to this story.
Passengers watch a performance on the bullet train D2685, one of the first groups of trains to operate on the Baoji-Lanzhou high-speed line, as the train departs Xi'an North Railway Station in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, July 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Delicate soil environment means 90% of project was built on bridges or in tunnels

The new high-speed railway running through the Loess Plateau was opened on Sunday, the last piece in the puzzle linking the less-developed northwest region to the rest of the country.

The 401-kilometer line links Baoji in Shaanxi province and Lanzhou in Gansu province, connecting the northwestern region to the national high-speed rail network.

To the west, the line connects to the Lanzhou-Xinjiang high-speed railway, China's westernmost high-speed rail track. To the east, it links the Xuzhou-Zhengzhou high-speed railway to the country's farthest east coastal area.

The Baoji-Lanzhou line has eight stops, including Baoji South, Tianshui South and Qin'an stations. With trains traveling up to 250 km per hour, it cuts the travel time between the two cities from seven hours to just two, according to China Railway Corp, the nation's rail operator.
Editor's note:

For centuries, the "Four Great Inventions of Ancient China" - namely the compass, gunpowder, papermaking and printing - have been celebrated as technologies that have made significant contributions to civilization.

Today, novel technologies have once again shortened the physical and cultural distances between different parts of the world.

In a video that went viral online recently, foreign students in China have redefined the "four great inventions" of the modern age: mobile payment, bike-sharing services, e-commerce and high-speed trains.

While technically speaking, these are not purely Chinese inventions, there's no doubt that Chinese innovation has made these technologies even more important in a closely connected world.

Let's take a look at some of these "great inventions of the modern age".

Clockwise from top left: German-born Thomas Derksen, an online celebrity with millions of Chinese fans on Weibo and other social media networks, buys a bus ticket using Alipay, enjoys a snack paid for with an app, rents an umbrella at Hangzhou East Railway Station, and buys a bouquet of flowers at Wushan Flower and Fish Market. [Photo/China Daily]

1. Mobile payment

Foreigners in China laud the country's world-leading mobile payment industry and say apps have made life a lot more convenient than in their home countries.

Mobile payment systems have grown into a lifestyle choice of Chinese people throughout their daily activities and interactions, following the rapid development of mobile payment services led by third-party payment companies.

Twenty-eight-year-old German-born Thomas Derksen, an online celebrity with millions of Chinese fans on Weibo and other social media networks, recently posted a public letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Weibo and Facebook, calling for the promotion of a cashless economy in Germany.

Derksen spent an entire day in Hangzhou, the capital of East China's Zhejiang province, last year without any cash or credit cards on hand.

The German expatriate, who lives in Shanghai, admitted that it was something he could not imagine doing back home in Europe, but he breezed through the challenge using only his smartphone, which was installed with Alipay, the third-party payment app.
Xu Qiankai saves an old woman from a train accident. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

A man who risked his own life to save an elderly lady crossing the railway tracks, has had his leg amputated.

When Xu Qiankai, a worker at Rongchang railway station in Chongqing municipality, shunted trains as usual on the afternoon of July 6, he found an old woman crossing the tracks.

Xu signaled the driver to stop the train while whistling to warn the old woman of the danger. However, the woman seemed oblivious to the looming danger and kept moving forward.

Just before the woman was about to be hit by the train, Xu jumped off the moving carriage and pulled her away from the danger. The woman suffered only minor bruise while Xu's right leg was crushed by the train.

After being rushed to hospital, doctors amputated the 29-year-old's injured leg.

Cai Benshan, who was saved from being hit by a moving train, kneels down to pay her gratitude to Xu Qiankai at hospital. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

According to thepaper.cn, Xu has been working in the railway system since 2008 after leaving the army. One of his co-workers described Xu as a humble and warmhearted man, who often uses his spare time to voluntarily work for the railway station.

After the incident, the old woman, Cai Benshan, and her family went to hospital to express their gratitude to Xu. According to local residents, Cai has difficulty in hearing.

Li Yi, the director of Rongchang railway station, said Xu's medical bills will be paid by the station.
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A father-to-be paints on the stomach of his pregnant wife. [Photo/VCG]

Mothers in the Tibet autonomous region are set to enjoy the longest maternity leave in China, Beijing News reported.

The local authority has granted women one-year paid maternity leave, while Tibetan fathers are eligible for 30 day's paternity leave.

Another 29 provincial regions have extended maternity leave since the introduction of the two-child policy in January 1, 2016.

The extension was based on the revised Law on Population and Family Planning adopted last year. According to the law, all female employees who give birth are entitled to one to three months in additional maternity leave to the 98 days leave mandated.

Maternity leave in Hainan and Henan provinces has increased to 190 days, and women in Heilongjiang and Gansu provinces are expected to enjoy 180 days of leave. Female workers in Beijing, Shanghai and some other provincial regions are entitled to have 128 days off when giving birth.

Leave for fathers ranges from one week to a month in different regions.

Paternity leave in Tibet autonomous region, Gansu and Yunnan provinces is the longest, which allow 30 days off work for fathers, while fathers in Tianjin municipality and Shandong province have the shortest paternity leave of seven days.

Although maternity leave has been extended around China, some working women have difficulty accessing such benefits, according to Beijing News.

Maternity leaves increased to 138-158 days on average in all regions, with paternity leaves at 15-30 days, according to an inspection on implementation of the new family planning policy.

According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, women over 35 years of age accounted for two thirds of all women eligible to have a second child. Some experts believe that extending maternity leave is beneficial for the older pregnant women who have increased risks when getting pregnant and giving birth.

Demographer He Yafu believes the government should offer subsidies to enterprises that hire female workers to alleviate the pressure exerted by female workers' childbearing.
BEIJING -- Fugitive Guo Wengui is suspected of collusion with air traffic control and Hainan Airlines staff to obtain passengers' personal information, according to Chinese police.

Guo, who is listed on the Interpol "red notice" of wanted fugitives, is also suspected of fabricating and distorting information to mislead the public, police said, citing a case on personal information infringement involving Guo.

Song Jun, 47, who had been working for civil aviation air traffic control for more than 20 years, and Ma Cong, from Hainan Airlines, were arrested by police in June this year for suspected personal information infringements in this case.

"[Guo] betrays anyone for money, including the country and his loved ones," said Song, adding that his dealings with Guo have ruined his family.

Song first met Guo in 2009. In August 2015, Guo asked Song to provide flight information of several business passengers.

"Guo, who had fled overseas at the time, said that he would like to better understand China's economic situation through the travel information of entrepreneurs," Song said.

"He promised to help me emigrate to Britain, purchase a house, and look after my daughter who was studying there," Song said.

Guo also attempted to collect personal information of political figures and celebrities from the Middle East and the United States, as well as their relatives, Song said.

From December 2015 to March 2017, Song and Ma shared 561 pieces of flight information concerning 146 Hainan Airlines passengers with Guo, police investigation showed.

Guo then fabricated stories using the flight information, claiming that the information had been provided by Ma Jian, former vice minister of state security, police said.

"Guo created stories of love affairs between men and women who traveled on the same flight," Song said.

Police found Guo had released such stories via overseas media outlets and online video platforms.

Last month, a Chinese court ruled that Guo, who controlled Beijing Pangu Investment Co, Ltd, had directed three individuals to apply for loans from banks using fake contracts, stamps, and financial statements.

The three have received prison terms for fraudulently obtaining loans and foreign exchange.

Kaifeng People's Procuratorate in Central China's Henan province has also initiated a public prosecution against Guo's Henan Yuda Real Estate Company and its employees, on charges of defrauding loans and bill acceptance.
BEIJING -- Communist Party of China (CPC) senior official Liu Yunshan will head a CPC delegation and pay official good-will visits to Romania and the Czech Republic from July 12 to 19, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee said Monday.

Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, has been invited by Chairman of Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea, also speaker of the Chamber of Deputies; and Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Czech Republic Jan Hamacek, also speaker of the lower house of the Czech parliament.
As the ninth BRICS summit will be held in Xiamen city in Fujian province in September, the official BRICS Summit Media Center website (www.bricschn.org) went online on Monday.

The media registration system (registration.bricschn.org) is available also.
Medicine can cut risk by 90 percent, but it's not approved for prevention

Thailand has been a hot destination for Chinese tourists for years. Yet many now are heading to the Southeast Asian country for a new reasonto buy cheap drugs to prevent HIV.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP, is a type of medicine that, if taken daily, can reduce the risk of HIV infection via sexual intercourse by more than 90 percent, according to health studies.

Several countries recommend the drugs as a weapon to prevent the spread of HIV among people in high-risk groups, such as gay men.

However, the China Food and Drug Administration approved PrEP in 2015 for the treatment of HIV/AIDSnot preventionwhich means doctors are not allowed to prescribe it to patients unless they test positive for the virus.

Xiao Dong, who runs Tongzhi, an NGO based in Beijing that is committed to combating AIDS, said he began traveling to Thailand early last year, for vacations and to stock up on anti-HIV medicine.

As an openly gay man, he said health and safety are his top priorities: "I use both condoms and PrEP to guard against HIV," he said.

Advocates say prevention is worthwhile, given that the prevalence of HIV among Chinese gay men averages more than 5 percent in most cities and can exceed 10 percent in major metropolises, according to the National Center for AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease Control.

Given increasing awareness, more gay men in China have followed suit. Xiao said he knows nearly 100 men from Beijing who have also traveled to Thailand to purchase PrEP.

"It's a positive sign that our community has become more responsible for our own health, and each other's. They are willing to pay out of pocket," he said.

Thailand is easy to visit, as Chinese citizens do not require a visa, and the country is recognized for its friendliness toward the LGBT community.

It also offers easy, affordable access to PrEP, Xiao said, who added that generic products can cost 300 yuan ($44) for a one-month supply, while brand-name products are about 800 yuan for the same amount.

By contrast, the brand-name drugs sell for nearly 2,000 yuan in China, said Wu Hao, director of the infectious diseases department at Beijing's You'an Hospital.

You'an treats most of the AIDS patients in Beijing. Last year, he said, more than 90 percent of the newly detected HIV sufferers in the capital were gay men.

According to Wu, who specializes in sexually transmitted diseases, the efficacy of PrEP has been widely recognized internationally. It has been included in the HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment guidelines of the World Health Organization and health authorities in the United States.

However, Wu said, China has not yet introduced PrEP in its national guidelines. In addition, he ruled out the possibility that the government would give the drugs free to willing subjects, largely because of the high costs involved.

Wu's department will launch a yearlong PrEP research study this summer with the center, recruiting 600 to 1,000 gay men and giving them free PrEP drugs.

"I welcome PrEP as prevention for those who are at high risk of infection, given that condom use is low, particularly among gay men in China," he said.
At G20, he calls for sincerity on historical, Taiwan, Diaoyu issues

President Xi Jinping urged Japan to honor its word on issues related to history and Taiwan during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday, which analysts said is a signal for Tokyo to take concrete and sincere steps to improve relations with Beijing.

Political trust is the premise of China-Japan relations, Xi told Abe during their meeting on Saturday at the G20 Summit in the German port city of Hamburg. Xi referred to the four political documents and the four-point agreement that serve as the guiding principles of bilateral ties on properly handling issues related to history and Taiwan, among others.
Death toll in southern Japan floods rises to 18

China Daily | Updated: 2017-07-10 07:12

TOKYO - The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Japan's south has risen to 18, officials said on Sunday, as rescue teams continued their search for survivors.

Swaths of Kyushu - the southernmost of Japan's four main islands - have been left devastated after overflowing rivers and torrential downpours swept away roads, houses and schools this week.

Thousands of people have been evacuated to makeshift shelters in school gyms and public buildings, but many remain stranded, with emergency services battling through thick mud and rain to try to reach them.

More than 500 people were still cut off by Sunday, public broadcaster NHK reported, with collapsed bridges and waterlogged ground on steep hillsides hampering rescue efforts.

The government was doing its "utmost" to recover those missing or stranded, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a rare weekend news conference.

Officials of Fukuoka and Oita prefectures said a total 18 people had been confirmed dead while 27 were missing or could not be reached.

Five people were in critical condition, Suga said, with the government still trying to ascertain if their injuries were a result of the severe weather.

Television footage showed rescue helicopters held up at a makeshift heliport - unable to fly because of the downpours, while people prayed for the safety of their family members.

More than 50 centimetres of rain deluged parts of Kyushu in 12 hours on Wednesday, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to warn of possible significant damage.

Rains have continued intermittently since, with up to 22 centimeters recorded in Fukuoka in the past 72-hour period.

Japan's royal family postponed the formal announcement of Princess Mako's engagement to a college classmate on Saturday out of consideration for the suffering of people in the affected areas, palace officials said. A new date has yet to be decided.

Japan's weather agency on Sunday warned of continued heavy rains and mudslides in northern Kyushu.

Afp - Ap

(China Daily 07/10/2017 page11)
Tsingtao Brewery's beer is probably one of the most renowned Chinese beverage brands in the world. The century-old company recently launched a national brewing tour to promote its premium brew.

The launching ceremony was held at the Shanghai Fashion Center on the bank of the Huangpu River on July 1, with the attendance of Dong Jianjun, Tsingtao Brewery's vice-president of manufacturing and national brew master.

Beer is an essential drink for scorching summers. Drinkers sip or guzzle beer in the pubs and restaurants penetrating urban streets and lanes. Some of the people speak highly of the premium brew, for its unique flavor and great quality.

The mobile brewery will tour even more cities in the coming two months, including Xuzhou, Jinan and Zhuhai and will make appearances during this year's Qingdao International Beer Festival in August.

The Tsingtao beer mobile brewery hits the Shanghai Fashion Center on July 1. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
First Panda Solar Station starts operations ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2017-07-06

An aerial view of the Panda Solar Station in Datong, Shanxi province. [Photo/sxrb.com]

The first Panda Solar Station in the world was completed and began operations in Datong, Shanxi province on June 29.

The station's installed capacity is 100MW, which it is estimated will generate 3.2 billion kWh of electricity, saving 1.06 million tons of coal and reducing emissions by 2.74 million tons of carbon dioxide, 27,400 tons of sulfur dioxide, 24,000 tons of nitrogen oxide, and 1,600 tons of dust during its expected lifespan of 25 years.

The project was initiated by Panda Green Energy Group, a leading investor and operator specializing in solar power plants in China.

It built the station with black monocrystalline silicon module and off-white thin film PV module, making it look like a panda from above, hence the name.

Li Yuan, CEO of the group's parent company, China Merchants New Energy (CMNE), explained the reason why the company decided to build the station in Datong.

"Datong's transformation from 'China's Coal City' to being a pilot area for new energy is a strong endorsement of the clean energy industry," said Li.

The sufficient solar irradiance and land in Datong also made it an ideal choice for the construction of the solar station.

"Everybody will take part in the future energy system and benefit from it," said He Jijiang, a professor at Tsinghua University.

"I hope the Panda Solar Station will boost the industrial transformation of energy in Datong; and Datong will share its success with the whole world," he added.

In the next 5 years, CMNE plans to build 100 panda power stations around the world, according to Li Yuan. In each country, the panda pattern will be combined with local animals, such as koala bears, rhinoceroses and polar bears, to encourage teenagers to join in the fight against climate change.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he addresses the nation from the historic Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations in Delhi, India, August 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

For the past three weeks, China has been demanding that India withdraw its troops that have crossed into Chinese territory to avoid "further consequences". The Sikkim section of the China-India border, where the Indian troops trespassed on Chinese territory and have remained since June 16, was demarcated by the Convention Between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet in 1890 and has been acknowledged by successive Indian governments.

The border situation has been grave for weeks and may take longer to be resolved. China's Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui said this is the first time Indian troops have crossed the mutually recognized boundary, leading to a close-range face off between Chinese and Indian border troops, which could be potentially explosive even though over the past five decades, not a single bullet has been fired across the India-China border.

Unlike previous face-offs between the two border troops, including the one that lasted 26 days during President Xi Jinping's state visit to India in 2014, the ongoing row is not about bilateral border disputes. India said its troops trespassed on Chinese territory on behalf of Bhutan, which it said has a dispute with China over the Donglong (Doklam in Bhutanese) region.

The truth is, Bhutan was not informed on the day the Indian troops crossed the border, nor did it seek India's intervention. A statement issued by the Bhutanese government on June 29 suggested the country was not consulted by India before the incident and it hoped that status quo would be maintained in the Donglong region. In other words, India is not entitled at all to claim the so-called disputed territory on behalf of Bhutan.

It is also noteworthy that the transgression did not happen in disputed areas, such as those in Depsang and Demchok in the western section of the China-India border before 2008. The Sikkim section has not seen any "trespassing" in the past seven years, because it has long been delimited and both sides have a consensus that Donglong belongs to China.

New Delhi's response is as far-fetched as its "stand up for Bhutan" sophistry. New Delhi claims the Sikkim section of the China-India boundary is not delimited and the two sides only agreed on where the boundary runs, which is a breach of the 1890 Convention and bilateral documents that demarcate the border. China and Bhutan had made it clear years ago that they have no dispute over Donglong. Their failure to ink an agreement has a lot to do with India's meddling.

The China-India border issue will be further complicated if New Delhi presses ahead with the provocations. While visiting the United States two weeks ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi managed to sell the idea that New Delhi is a key defense partner of Washington and it can serve as a counterweight to China's rise.

A joint statement issued during his US visit said the US-India partnership is "central" to regional stability. In return, US President Donald Trump approved the sale of 22 Predator Guardian drones to India, a "luxury" available only to the US' NATO allies.

It is becoming clear that India is ready to serve as an ally of the US rather than a swing power that honors independent, non-aligned diplomacy. Beijing should remain vigilant against New Delhi's moves while urging it to withdraw its troops from Chinese territory.

The author is a researcher at the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai.
LUO JIE/CHINA DAILY

A video clip of a man wearing traditional Chinese dress and cloth shoes leading a buffalo carrying his son home from school has gone viral online, and made the man an instant internet "celebrity". The resident of Chengdu, Sichuan province, has said he practices "traditional Chinese culture" and wants his son to follow in his footsteps. And that's why he usually uses a donkey or a buffalo as a vehicle.

A person is free to ride a buffalo or donkey as long as he doesn't disrupt the flow of road traffic. But that person should realize this is not the 18th or 19th century, and the din created by traffic on city roads today can easily frighten buffalos, donkeys and other beats of burden. And if he still insists on riding buffalos in order to preserve "traditional Chinese culture", he is simply wrong.

From the latter part of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to the mid-20th century, when foreign cultures and modern science and technology entered China in a big way, dozens of scholars of "traditional Chinese culture" realized the importance and value of Western products such as coffee, bread, bicycles and automobiles, instead of rejecting them.

In the latter half of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the other period when the inflow of foreign cultures worried cultural conservatives, some military commanders imitated the combat tactics adopted by generals during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and used bullock-carts to fight with the rebels. The result: the Tang army suffered a disastrous defeat.

Three years ago, a 33-year-old man in Guangnan, Yunnan province, tried to cure his 6-year-old daughter of thalassemia by making her sit on a wooden shelf while he burned some herbs he had collected from the mountains at the base of the shelf. What he actually ended up doing is causing more pain to his daughter, who had to close her eyes and cover her mouth and nose to escape the smoke. The man claimed to have learned the treatment from the Compendium of Materia Medica, a herbal medicine book compiled about 500 years ago.

The "buffalo rider" in Chengdu may not cause his son physical pain. But he and other parents (and educational institutions) infatuated with traditional Chinese culture must carefully design teaching methods to inculcate traditional Chinese cultural values in the young. Normally, such parents and institutions emphasize rote learningforcing the children to keep on reciting some ancient Chinese texts until they memorize them. It doesn't matter to them that the texts are written in classical Chinese, which is rarely used nowadays.

Some institutions even ask their students to wear traditional Chinese clothes and practice ancient rituals, some of which stifle children's creative faculties, to show off their love for Chinese culture.

History shows that this so-called classical method of teaching, which became increasingly rigid after the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), is not at all conducive to cultivating innovative and critical thinking among students, which was an important reason why China lagged behind the West in science and technology.

Traditional Chinese culture is indeed a heritage, because it comprises values and outlooks that will remain relevant forever. But that does not mean people can cultivate those values and acquire those outlooks by just reading ancient books and practicing rituals.

More important, Chinese culture is one of the most inclusive in the world, because it has never stopped absorbing the good qualities of foreign cultures. This inclusiveness has made Chinese culture sustainable. And by resisting new ideas and objects, we can only cause the slow demise of this valuable culture.

Riding a buffalo might be an interesting experience for the boy in Chengdu. Hopefully, he will also develop an interest to know on his own what traditional Chinese culture is really about, instead of blindly believing in what his father says.

The author is a writer with China Daily. liyang@chinadaily.com.cn
Breath in. Meow. Breath out. Meow. Ah, the sounds of feline meditation.

Kitty City, a rescue organization south of Mandan, is inviting people to relax with its cats at an unusual fundraiser coming up later this month.

From 7 to 8 p.m. July 25, people are invited to practice meditation with Jeffon Seely, who has been teaching classes throughout Bismarck this summer. Unlike a usual class, peace seekers at "Paws and Reflect" will sit or lay outdoors among the kitty houses, training their minds and listening for purrs and meows. Funds will go toward providing for the cats.

"They'll probably be our teachers," Seely said of the cats.

Seely, who moved from Atlanta in February, has worked with kids, companies and nonprofits to bring in mindfulness techniques. At the event, he will work with people on recognizing difficult thoughts and feeling for their own heartbeats. He thinks these tools can help people improve their lives and relationships.

"Regardless of the path you follow, we all have the ability to think thoughts, to choose choices and to commit to actions," he said. "But unfortunately, so many times we just fall into these habitual ruts and doing the same thing over and over again."

Kitty City, which is co-located with the Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue, has a name that reflects its setting. Fifteen cats live in a large fenced, grassy enclosure and roam freely between cat-sized buildings with names like "Pawlice Station" and "Meow Museum." There's tunnels to two storage sheds with bedding, food and litter.

Kitty City primarily takes in "hard-to-place cats," including felines that are blind, disabled or have bad litter box issues. Many come to the rescue, which opened last year, through surrenders, pounds and veterinarians.

Among the rescued kitties are Mehkai, who runs around on three paws, and Honey, who was once flea-infested, but is very friendly.

With the help of volunteers, Executive Director Alison Larson Smith rehabilitates the animals and gets them veterinary care.

Some of the cats and kittens are adopted through Petco once they are in better condition, she said. For example, Chewy, a large, fluffy, white Persian cross cat, was a notorious biter when he showed up. Now, he's likely to rub his face all over a friendly human, and she hopes he'll find a home soon.

But some kitties, whether due to their difficult behavior or medical conditions, will live out their days at the rescue. Larson Smith said the organization has paid $7,000 in medical bills since May.
The last time Japan's ruling coalition of Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito lost the majority in the Tokyo assembly was in July 2009. Following the loss, then not-so-popular Japanese prime minister Taro Aso dissolved the lower house and called a general election, in which the opposition Democratic Party won a landslide victory and ended the LDP's half-century rule in Japan.

History may not repeat itself always. It does offer lessons, however. The Tokyo assembly election has for decades been seen as a bellwether of Japan's general election. On July 2, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike's fledging party Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoties First party) and its allies won 79 seats in the 127-member city assembly, bringing the LDP's majority to an end. The LDP's seat share dropped from 57 to 23the lowest ever.

On the surface, the assembly election was a referendum on Koike, who was elected the city's first female governor last year. But many view the poor showing of the LDP as a rebuke to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his administration.

Abe and his ministers, who, many voters say, are arrogant, have in recent years invited public anger. Many even say Abe abused his power to help his close friend's educational institution to open a veterinary school in one of Japan's strategic special zones. And the extremely heavy-handed approach of the LDP and Komeito in the parliament, where they have two-thirds majority, has resulted in a social and political backlash.

Abe doesn't need to call an election until December 2018. Unlike Aso in 2009, he still has some cards to play. He is expected to reshuffle the Cabinet and LDP leadership in August or September in the hope of quelling public anger.

Abe may retain Aso, now deputy prime minister and finance minister, and his troubleshooter and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga in the Cabinetboth have survived the Cabinet reshuffles since Abe's comeback as prime minister in December 2012. But he is likely to drop Defense Minister Tomomi Inada and Justice Minister Katsutoshi Kaneda from the Cabinet.

The gaffe-prone Inada, who is Abe's protege, has been heavily criticized by the opposition for, among other scandals, covering up the data of Japan's Self-Defense Forces peacekeeping operation in South Sudan. Actually, the opposition camp demands her immediate resignation. And Kaneda triggered a storm by refusing to provide a good enough explanation for the ominous anti-conspiracy bill, which was railroaded through the parliament.

Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who heads the third-largest group in the faction-ridden LDP, appears desperate to become next leader of the party, which is now led by Abe. And the members of parliament in Kishida's faction have asked him to quit the Cabinet to prepare for the party leadership election in September 2018.

Toshihiro Nikai, the LDP secretary-general, and Masahiko Komura, the party's vice-president, are expected to retain their party posts, according to the Jiji Press. Nikai is important for Abe because of his "good" relations with lawmakers in China and the Republic of Korea. And Abe wants Komura to play a bigger role as LDP coordinator to facilitate the drafting of a revised Constitution.

By reshuffling the LDP leadership, Abe intends to consolidate his power in the party as competition for the party's top position intensifies. But he will also need a new Cabinet to prepare for debates with the opposition during the extraordinary session of the parliament in fall. Tough questions await his ministers as Abe is expected to submit the LDP's proposal to amend the Constitution to the lawmakers for deliberation.

The LDP has no immediate rival despite Tokyoites First delivering it the first election blow in four and a half years. But by continuing to lose hearts and minds, Abe is likely to fail in his attempt to amend the Constitution, as any amendment should be approved by both houses of parliament, and put through a referendum.

The author is China Daily Tokyo bureau chief. caihong@chinadaily.com.cn
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he addresses the nation from the historic Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations in Delhi, India, August 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Ever since India sent its troops across the Sikkim section of the border into Donglang area of China on June 18, sparking a tense face-off between soldiers of the two countries, no progress has been made in dissolving the tensions.

One of the arguments that India has used to justify its troops illegally crossing the delimited Sikkim section of the China-India boundary, which is mutually recognized by the two sides, is that it claims the area where China is constructing a road belongs to Bhutan, with whom it has a friendship treaty.

However, although the boundary is yet to be demarcated officially, China and Bhutan have a basic consensus on the boundary alignment, and China has been strictly observing this. Its road building activities do not breach any agreement with the country or undermine the status quo.

Indeed, it is India that is making an issue of Donglang, so as to hold back the China-Bhutan boundary negotiations. And it is the illegal crossing of Indian troops into China's territory that has changed the status quo.

Another of India's arguments is that the Chinese road construction carries "serious security implications" for it. India fears that if China completes the road, it could facilitate a possible Chinese attack on the narrow strip of land that connects India's northeast states with its mainland.

This is ridiculous. And no country can pursue its security at the cost of another country's sovereignty.

And since, India, the United States and Japan have begun their 10-day Malabar naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal, which are the biggest of their kind so far, and the US approved a $365-million sale of military transport aircraft to India last week and a $2-billion deal for surveillance drones is in the works, it is China that should feel "security concerns", given the importance of the Indian Ocean for its trade and oil imports.

So far, China has exercised the utmost restraint and sought to achieve a peaceful solution through diplomatic means, but New Delhi should realize Beijing will not make any compromises when it comes to its territorial integrity.

India should withdraw all of its troops that have crossed the delimited boundary back to its own side, a move that is essentially different from the previous standoffs between the border troops of the two countries in undefined areas. This has undermined the political basis for bilateral relations.

India should respect the provisions in the boundary convention, before the situation deteriorates and leads to more serious consequences.
Different brands of baijiu are displayed at the China International Alcoholic Drinks Expo 2014 in Luzhou, Sichuan province, on March 23. Sales of expensive baijiu, which used to be a must for official dining, have been hit hard by a campaign urging officials to cut lavish spending. Provided to China Daily

A PROPOSED BAN on sales of alcohol in Dulongjiang township, Southwest China's Yunnan province, has raised questions over whether such a prohibition is feasible. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Friday:

The draft of the ban states that all alcoholic drinks, from beer to cider, would be banned indefinitely. Because drunkenness causes great harm to the society, encouraging less consumption of alcohol is no doubt well-intended, but imposing an indiscriminate ban on the consumption of alcohol is going too far.

It is worth noting that most attempts elsewhere to prohibit sales of alcohol have failed. Prohibition in the United States from 1920 to 1933, for instance, not only failed to keep communities safer and alcohol-free, it also created more problems such as the rise of the mafia, bootleggers and rum-runners. The lesson to be drawn from such failed attempts to reduce the consumption of alcohol is that public policies cannot replace personal responsibility.

The Dulongjiang authorities are right to try to reduce the excessive consumption of alcohol, as it is the cause of alcoholism, traffic accidents and domestic violence. But when it comes to the consumption of alcohol, traditions vary from one place to another, and it is important that policymakers do not overstep the boundaries when exercising public power.

Governments at the prefecture and township level are at the forefront of local governance, and they might be tempted to seek once-and-for-all answers to solve the problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption, which is traditionally a lubricant for social interactions in rural areas. In Dulongjiang a partial restriction was introduced in September to prohibit government employees from drinking alcohol during work hours and residents after 10 pm. The local authorities should make sure that ban worked before issuing a new one.
Gaokao kicks off on June 7, and this year around 9.4 million students take the exam. A student from the Changchun Experimental Middle School says goodbye to her mother before attending the exam on the morning of June 7. Photos by Bai Shi / For China Daily

KNOWN FOR ITS SUCCESS IN PREPARING STUDENTS for the national college entrance examinations, or gaokao, Hengshui No 1 High School in North China's Hebei province is being criticized for its policy of seeking out high-performing of students nationwide. The Mirror commented on Saturday:

Apart from its semi-militarized, result-oriented management, the school is often accused of infringing upon educational fairness because of its enrollment efforts nationwide. Thanks to its close ties with deep-pocketed investors and Hengshui High School, an established public school, Hengshui No 1 High School has 18 branches across the country, and its scouts try to find the best students nationwide and enlist as many as they can.

That is why the school has been suspected of "playing both sides" and accused of using the reputation of a well-run public schooleven many local residents in Hengshui don't realize they are two different schoolsand investors' money to franchise its operations. However, its "public-private" ownership structure, which gives it an unfair advantage in the competition for talented young students, violates the regulation that private schools should be independent legal entities.

Such a controversial recruitment approach should be revised, not least because the school's admission fees are higher than public schools. As a result, those poor students or students who do not perform well have been excluded from this school, which is not just unfair but also detrimental to the development of a well-rounded education system.
The G20 Summit participants pose for a group photo on the first day of the summit in Hamburg, Germany, on Friday. The summit will conclude on Saturday. MICHAEL SOHN/ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Xi Jinping's two-day state visit to Russia followed by a three-day state visit to Germany, during which he also attended the G20 Summit in Hamburg, should be regarded as the most important foreign trip he has made since China hosted the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in May.

During his meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, as well as Russian media and business leaders in Russia, Xi strengthened the consensus on policy and strategy between Beijing and Moscow over a range of important global issues, including the synergy between the China-led Belt and Road Initiative and Russia's Eurasian Economic Union, Russia-China media cooperation, Northeast Asia security, the deployment of the US' Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in the Republic of Korea and the Syrian crisis.

During his visit to Germany, the talks Xi held with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other German leaders and the bilateral deals agreed elevated Beijing-Berlin ties to a new level. Incidentally, China is the largest trading partner of Germany, and Germany the largest trading partner of China in the European Union.

Xi and Merkel also opened the new panda enclosure in Berlin Zoo for Meng Meng and Jiao Qing to make the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-Germany diplomatic relationship even more memorable.

Besides, Xi's signed article titled, "To Make the World a Better Place", was published in mainstream German media, highlighting the mutual gains of China-Germany ties and outlining his optimistic vision for future growth of bilateral relations through the synergy between China's "Made in China 2025" and Germany's Industry 4.0, and the connectivity between the G20 Summit and Belt and Road Initiative. The article also lauded the China-Germany consensus on world affairs, including the two countries' shared advocacy for an innovation-driven, open and inclusive world economy, and the measures to fight climate change.

Some international media outlets praised Xi's visit to Germany. While the Financial Times said, "Panda fever grips Berlin on Chinese president's trip to Germany", Bloomberg News reported that China and Germany are moving toward world leadership while the United States is retreating. These developments can be attributed to the high-level of consistency and consensus that Xi and Merkel have maintained over the years, which are also reflected in their approach to G20.

In his speech at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Xi emphasized China's commitment to the creation of a global community of shared destiny and urged the international community, especially the G20 member countries, to help shape a more open, inclusive and equitable world economy. He said the Belt and Road Initiative, which is compatible with the G20's goals, is a new global platform of multilateral cooperation capable of harnessing new sources of growth. And by participating in it, the G20 members can help greatly boost global growth. The G20 members welcomed Xi's call, and with the exception of the US, they also pledged to honor the Paris climate change agreement.

Guided by the vision of building a global community of shared destiny with the help of the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi's patient and humane diplomacy helped cement a stronger degree of consensus among China, Germany and Russia. He also held bilateral meetings with leaders of some other countries on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

Thanks to Xi's diplomacy, the future of the world appears more manageable despite the rise of anti-globalization in some countries, which resulted in Brexit in the United Kingdom and the election of Donald Trump as US president last year, and the withdrawal of the US from the Paris climate agreement about six weeks ago.

Perhaps a new world order is beginning to emerge thanks to Xi's diplomatic push for inclusiveness, openness and equality.

The author is a distinguished adjunct professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, and a research fellow at the National Academy for Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China.
High-speed railways crisscross near the Zhengzhou East Station in Central China's Henan province. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Belt and Road Initiative is generating a symphony of development worldwide. The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing in May, and attended by more than 1,500 representatives from 130 countries and regions, achieved 270 deliverables.

The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya, which opened on May 31, is also a fruit of the Belt and Road Initiative, as China loaned nearly 90 percent of the construction cost to Kenya and helped build the 480-kilometer railway in four years.

Overshadowed by the lack of fairness, openness, inclusiveness and public goods over the past few years, global governance needs fresh engines and more inclusive developmental mechanisms.

The initiative's developmental finance, for example, comes with both financial services and institutional guidance to complement the market economy of some countries. High on the agenda of the initiative, infrastructure is sought after by a slew of developing countries aspiring for industrialization. China's success in lifting 700 million people out of poverty in about four decades is also a key inspiration for those countries participating in the initiative.

Setting rules is no doubt necessary, but China has another important lesson to offer: development does not have a fixed pattern. Uzbekistan and Indonesia would not have received considerable infrastructure loans had it not been for China's State-owned banks. Their request for loans would have been rejected by other banks because international financial "norms" say so.

China's infrastructure plans, such as building high-speed railways, have been criticized by some Western observers for their high construction costs which could take years even decades to be recovered. Yet the ensuing tourism and real estate boom should prove it is money well spent.

In Kenya, China has not only helped build the country's first standard gauge railway, but also embarked on the construction of industrial parks along the way to integrate the Mombasa-Nairobi railway, the Port of Mombasa and the Mombasa Special Economic Zone. China's rise is a result of a similar approach, and its Belt and Road projects have the potential to help other emerging economies find their own path of perpetual development.

In fact, the Belt and Road Initiative is aimed at smoothing China's economic transition and structural reform as well as addressing global issues, such as poverty, income gap and social governance. Its pursuit of enhanced connectivity should be able to close the wealth gap between coastal and landlocked economies and recalibrate West-oriented globalization.

Unlike what traditional globalization theories suggest, the Belt and Road Initiative is largely westbound with a focus on China's western provinces and landlocked economies in Central Asia. Apart from infrastructure investment, economies along the two routes will have access to China's production capacity and bricks-and-mortar industries, regardless of their so-called ideological differences.

The author is a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China.
A growing number of Chinese tourists visit the Antarctic to explore natural scenery and experience extreme living conditions. [Photo provided to China Daily]

China has overtaken Australia to become the second biggest source of tourists to the Antarctic.

Over the past decade, the number of Chinese tourists to the area has surged nearly 40 times and is expected to pass 5,000 this year, accounting for 12 percent of all visitors to the destination, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.

US tourists top the list and account for one-third of the total visitors.

Last year, Chinese tourists paid roughly 3,900 visits to the area.

Antarctica is appealing for those who are adventurous, especially the rich.

Over 36 percent of Chinese nouveau riches with average wealth of 22 million yuan ($3.24 million) plan to travel to the region in the next three years, according to Chinese Luxury Traveler 2017, a report jointly produced by the Hurun Research Institute and the International Luxury Travel Market Asia.

Exploring natural scenery and experiencing extreme living conditions are what appeal most to polar travelers, the report says.

"Travel products with challenging elements are high-end travelers' favorites," says Guo Ming, chief operating officer of HHtravel, a luxury travel brand under China's largest online travel agency Ctrip.

The travel agency says that around 500 rich Chinese travelers will visit Antarctica this year, and most of them, between 35 and 50, are in senior management or business positions.
A rebel fighter walks past damaged buildings in a rebel-held part of the southern city of Daraa, Syria June 22, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

DAMASCUS -- The ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Russia went into effect on Sunday in southern Syria, local media reported.

The ceasefire covers the provinces of Sweida, Daraa, and Qunaitera, according to the media.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States and Russia had reached ceasefire agreement to quell fighting in southwest Syria.

He said the agreement, if it holds, may be a blueprint for other parts of the country. "This area in the south is our first show of success. We hope we can replicate that elsewhere," he said.

The ceasefire is part of the de-escalation zones' deal, which went into force last May in four Syrian areas including the southern part of Syria, where battles flared up again, prompting the United States and Russia to agree to a ceasefire.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi shakes hands with army officers in Mosul, Iraq, on July 9, 2017. Mosul came under IS control in June 2014. In October 2016, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the battle to liberate Mosul. Eastern Mosul was liberated late January this year. On June 18, Iraqi army launched the offensive to liberate the Old City, the last district still held by IS militants in western Mosul. [Photo/Xinhua/Office of Iraqi Prime Minister]

MOSUL - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday said the victory in the battles against the Islamic State (IS) militants in Mosul is guaranteed and it is a matter of time to defeat the extremist militants and "declare great victory" in the city.

A statement by Abadi's office said "the victory is guaranteed" and the remnants of IS group are "besieged in the last inches," and it is a matter of time to declare to our people the great victory.

"We have come today (in Mosul) to be in the battleground and supervise the battle," said Abadi, adding that it is only a pocket or two left under control of IS remnants, who have "no escape except death or surrender themselves, and hence the battle is settled and the great victory is in the hand," Abadi said.

During the past 24 hours, the security forces killed a large number of IS militants and the troops are fighting to free the civilians trapped as human shields in some 50 to 100 houses in the IS-held pockets, according to the statement.

In the afternoon, Abadi, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of Iraqi forces, paid a visit to Mosul and held meetings with the military commanders before he made a tour in the eastern side of Mosul, where hundreds of people welcomed his presence.

Abadi also hailed the high spirit of Iraqi forces and praised the cooperation of the people of Mosul and their celebration in the victory on the extremist militants, according to the statement.

During the visit, the Iraqiya channel and the official websites of Abadi's office said that Abadi was expected to declare victory in Mosul, despite the heavy clashes in the remaining pockets in the Old City of Mosul's western side.

The official Iraqiya channel aired live broadcast showing the people in many Iraqi cities, including the Iraqi capital Baghdad, started celebrations as hundreds of people gathered in main streets and squares raising the Iraqi flags and dancing.

Earlier in the day, the commandos of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) liberated al-Maidan area in the heavily-populated Old City center and reached the bank of the Tigris River.

The CTS and the army's 9th Armored Division are still fighting heavy house-to-house clashes against IS militants into the narrow alleys in the last two pockets in the neighborhoods of al-Qlei'at and al-Shahwan in the Old City.

The fighting in the Old City is becoming heavier as Iraqi forces push the extremist IS militants into the strip of land along the bank of the Tigris River.

The desperate militants have been increasingly resorting to suicide attacks and showing stiff resistance that slowed the troops' progress in recent days.

Mosul, 400 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, came under IS control since June 2014, when government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
Camden Market is seen ablaze in London, Britain July 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

London firefighters were battling a blaze at a building in the city's Camden Market, the London Fire Brigade said early on Monday.

The first, second and third floors and the roof of the building were on fire, the brigade tweeted, saying more than 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines were on the scene.

There was no immediate report of any casualties.

REUTERS
US Senator John McCain looks on during a news conference in Kabul, Afghanistan, July 4, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - Republicans expressed increasing pessimism on Sunday about the prospects for the healthcare bill in the US Senate aimed at rolling back Obamacare as lawmakers prepared to return from a week-long recess.

One prominent Republican lawmaker, US Senator John McCain, said he thought the Republican bill would probably fail.

"My view is that it's probably going to be dead," McCain, said on the CBS program "Face the Nation", adding that Republicans, who narrowly control the chamber, would likely need to work with Democrats on a healthcare bill.

US President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Sunday to put pressure on Republicans to stay the course.

"For years, even as a 'civilian', I listened as Republicans pushed the Repeal and Replace of ObamaCare. Now they finally have their chance!" he tweeted.

The Senate bill, which faces unified Democratic opposition, has been further imperiled during the recess, when Republican senators have had to return to their states and face constituents strongly opposed to the measure. Senators return to Washington on Monday.

The Senate bill keeps intact much of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, former Democratic President Barack Obama's signature legislation, popularly known as Obamacare, but strips away most of its funding.

It repeals most Obamacare taxes, overhauls the law's tax credits and ends its Medicaid expansion. It also goes beyond repealing Obamacare by cutting funding for the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled beginning in 2025.

At least 10 Republican senators have opposed the bill in its current form, but many more have criticized the legislation or said they are undecided. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy said on Sunday the draft bill was undergoing a "serious rewrite."

"Clearly, the draft plan is dead," he said on Fox News. "Is the serious rewrite plan dead? I don't know. I've not seen the serious rewrite plan."

Critics have derided the bill as a giveaway to wealthy Americans who would see some tax increases rolled back. Opponents also warn that the legislation would cause millions of poor and sick Americans to lose healthcare coverage.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which assesses the impact of legislation, estimated 22 million people would lose health insurance over the next decade under the Senate bill. In a separate report, it found the proposal would cut government spending on Medicaid by 35 percent come 2036.
SEOUL - South Korean President Moon Jae-in saw his approval rating increase last week on positive assessment over his overseas trips to the United States and Germany, a weekly survey showed Monday.

According to a Realmeter poll, Moon's support rate was 76.6 percent last week, up 1.3 percentage points from the previous week.

The result was based on a survey of 2,518 voters conducted from last Monday to Friday. It has 2 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level.

Moon's higher popularity followed his visit to Washington in late June where he held his first summit meeting with US President Donald Trump.

According to the joint statement released after the bilateral summit, Trump supported South Korea's leading role in fostering an environment for a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

Moon, who took office on May 10, returned home Monday after attending the summit of Group of 20 (G20) leading economies.

On the sidelines of the G20 summit, Moon met with leaders of China, Russia and Japan as well as Germany and France.

Moon's ruling Democratic Party maintained top post with 53.4 percent in approval scores. It was followed by the main opposition Liberty Korea Party that gained 16.2 percent of support.

The minor conservative Righteous Party earned 6.6 percent in support scores. The minor progressive Justice Party won 6.2 percent, and the centrist People's Party garnered 5.1 percent.
Two companies based in Shandong province and two in Jiangsu province are recruiting 6,000 Chinese laborers for a project in Israel.

More than 1,900 people have applied for a job with Weihai International Economic and Technical Cooperative Co, one of the Shandong companies, according to its deputy general manager, Zhang Hongyu.

"We will check whether applicants meet the requirements, and those who do will have to pass skill tests and a medical. There is no set time yet for when they will leave," he said.

China Shandong International Economic and Technical Cooperation Group, the other Shandong company, has received more than 1,800 applications.

Zhang said the workers will serve as steel fixers, carpenters, tilers and plasterers for construction projects in Israel, with the locations to be agreed by the two countries to ensure workers' safety.

The minimum monthly wage will be 5,200 shekels ($1,470), plus a special fund of more than 720 shekels. There will also be payment for overtime and holidays, he added.

Housing, medical insurance and transportation subsidies will also be provided to the workers, who must be age 25 to 45.

Zhan Maolin, 47, who worked as a plasterer in Israel for about 10 years recently returned to his hometown of Feicheng in Shandong. His annual salary in Israel reached 300,000 yuan ($45,000).

"Chinese construction workers can choose their employer, as there is a huge demand for them in Israel because they have a good reputation among employers," Zhan was quoted as saying by Qilu Evening News.

Employing Chinese workers is part of an Israeli government plan to address a housing shortage contributing to high property prices, Times of Israel reported on May 4.

The report said housing costs in Israel have been rising rapidly since 2008, according to Bank of Israel data, significantly impacting the cost of living and triggering a wave of street protests in 2011.

Shandong sent 69,000 people to work overseas last year, exceeding all other provinces for the ninth consecutive year. These people work in more than 130 countries and regions in the transportation, construction, dining, agriculture and fishery sectors.

zhaoruixue@chinadaily.com.cn
British and Chinese scientists have developed a new kind of ceramic coating for use on hypersonic aircraft that is "vastly superior" to other materials, potentially improving the performance and durability of high-velocity planes and rockets.

Researchers at China's Central South University (CSU) and the United Kingdom's University of Manchester found the coating made of carbide, a compound composed of carbon, was 12 times better at withstanding temperatures of up to 3,000 C than standard ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs).

The material is being studied at the University of Manchester's School of Materials and manufactured at CSU's Powder Metallurgy Institute.

Professor Philip Withers from Manchester, said: "Future hypersonic aerospace vehicles offer the potential of a step jump in transit speeds. A hypersonic plane could fly from London to New York in just two hours and would revolutionize both commercial and commuter travel."

But he said such planes would need protection from the extreme heat they would be exposed to.

Engines that can propel rockets beyond Mach 5 (6,173 kilometers per hour) have been around for some time, though producing materials that are able to repeatedly withstand the intense heat generated by air and gas in the atmosphere at such velocities still poses challenges.

Ping Xiao, a professor of materials science who led the study in Manchester, said: "Current candidate UHTCs for use in extreme environments are limited and it is worthwhile exploring the potential of new single-phase ceramics."

The new coating is made using a process called reactive melt infiltration and reinforced with a carbon composite, making it strong and resistant to degradation.

China has a well-developed hypersonic flight program that has achieved several breakthroughs. It has the world's largest hypersonic wind tunnel, which allows for research into flight in the Mach 10 to 15 range.

And the nation revealed in April that engineers conducted a test in 2015 on an engine that successfully propelled a rocket at speeds up to Mach 7 and altitudes of up to 30 kilometers.

While official test speeds have been kept under wraps by the military, China's DF-ZF experimental hypersonic glide vehicle, which first flew in 2014, is thought to operate in the Mach 5 to Mach 10 range.

And the Beijing Power Machinery Research Institute confirmed this year that its TRRE engine is on track for a 2025 test flight, when it could reach Mach 10.

Contact the writer at angus@mail.chindailyuk.com
British ceramics and European works of art have become increasingly sought-after among Chinese collectors, according to experts.

Exhibitors preparing for the Antiques for Everyone Fair in the English city of Birmingham said they have seen a sharp rise recently in sales to the Asian market in general.

Ian Rodgers, owner of Drove House Antiques, a specialist in Chinese ceramics, said the additional interest is down to improved knowledge.

Rodgers said: "We probably sell 50 percent of the items on our website to the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong. A lot of sales go to Hong Kong and we're finding that, on the first day of the Antiques for Everyone Fair, we're getting a great deal of visitors, either from that region or with links to that region."

Although Chinese porcelain remains popular, Drove House Antiques has seen a growing demand for quintessentially English porcelain, which "appeals to European tastes, but its popularity also seems to be spreading further toward the Chinese market".

Rodgers said collectors in the Chinese market appreciate quality and good design.

"It's a very good market for us to break into," he said. "The one difference we have noticed is that they're being more selective and considered about what to go for."

In addition to British ceramics, Chinese collectors are seeking out other genres, including textiles.

The Antiques for Everyone Fair is staged three times a year. At the spring fair that was held in April, organizers noted the sharp rise in interest among Chinese and other Asian collectors was "bringing business to many dealers".

Julian Eade of Julian Eade Antiques, which specializes in artist-signed Doulton pottery and porcelain, said he too had noticed a "significant rise" in interest among collectors from Asia.

"The big shift came probably around 2010 when it became clear people from that region were becoming more educated about English porcelain  be it Worcester, Minton, or other such names. It isn't necessarily people coming over as such, but people from China and the Far East are in contact with people here who effectively buy on their behalf," he said. "There seems to be a niche market, almost like a novelty-like attraction to our range, and it's great to know the market is growing."

Duncan Phillips, an art and antiques consultant, said: "Several hundred Chinese and Asian visitors regularly attend the Antiques for Everyone fairs, many of whom are resident in the UK. They are often young and affluent and looking to acquire antiques related to their own heritage."

Contact the writer at boleung@mail.chinadailyuk.com
The United States has apologized to China for misusing President Xi Jinping's title in a transcript, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday.

According to Geng, China protested to the US over the misuse and the US acknowledged it was a technical mistake and had made a correction.

"The US has made an apology to China," he told reporters at a daily news conference in Beijing.

The White House issued a transcript on Saturday about the meeting between Xi and US President Donald Trump during the G20 summit. However, the header described Xi as president of the Republic of China instead of president of the People's Republic of China.

The mistake was on the transcript's header only, and was not in the full text or in Trump's remarks to Xi in Hamburg, Germany.

The White House has altered the transcript to read simply "President Xi of China".

Wang Dong, associate professor at the School of International Studies at Peking University, told the Associated Press he believes the error was not intentional, but still revealed a lack of knowledge in Trump's foreign policy team.

"It shows a deficiency in professionalism on the part of the White House staff in terms of diplomacy," Wang said.
President Xi Jinping's meeting on Saturday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron will bring more practical cooperation between the two countries in various areas including marine products, nuclear power plants and aerospace, an analyst said.

China would like to make concerted efforts with France to continue to view the bilateral relations from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, Xi said during his meeting with Macron at the annual G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.

Xi said the two countries should deepen cooperation in nuclear energy, aerospace and other traditional areas, while exploring cooperation in new areas such as agricultural foods, finance and sustainable development, thus making the "pie" of their common interests even bigger.

The two countries should increase high-level exchanges and take into account each other's core interests and major concerns based on the principles of mutual respect, trust, understanding and accommodation, Xi said.

"The China-France relationship has become increasingly strategic under the current situation," he said.

"It is our shared historical responsibility to maintain and promote the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership."

On China's relations with the European Union, Xi said that China hopes France will continue to play a leading role and make more contributions to China-EU trade and two-way investment in order to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation.

China will earnestly fulfill its obligations in the Paris Agreement on climate change in light of its own requirements for sustainable development, he added.

Macron said that France highly values the France-China comprehensive strategic partnership and regards China as an important partner for cooperation and an important force in international affairs.

France is willing to enhance cooperation with China in a wide range of areas, including economy and trade, investment, nuclear energy, auto manufacturing and food, he said.

Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China, said China and France can expand new areas of cooperation in marine products, third-party markets, aerospace, informatization, tourism and climate change

"This is the Year of China-Europe Maritime Cooperation. China and France can cooperate in areas like marine protection, marine products, maritime disaster relief and other aspects," he said.

Zhou Jin contributed to this story.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/10/2017 page3)
At G20, he calls for sincerity on historical, Taiwan, Diaoyu issues

President Xi Jinping urged Japan to honor its word on issues related to history and Taiwan during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday, which analysts said is a signal for Tokyo to take concrete and sincere steps to improve relations with Beijing.

Political trust is the premise of China-Japan relations, Xi told Abe during their meeting on Saturday at the G20 Summit in the German port city of Hamburg. Xi referred to the four political documents and the four-point agreement that serve as the guiding principles of bilateral ties on properly handling issues related to history and Taiwan, among others.

These issues, vital to the political foundation of Sino-Japanese ties, bear no compromise or regression, or the relations will veer off course and their development will slow, he said.

Japan must honor its words on issues related to history and Taiwan, he said, and remove the distractions from the relations with concrete actions. He urged Japan to learn from history to ensure that Sino-Japanese relations head in the right direction.

China and Japan normalized their diplomatic relations 45 years ago after reaching consensus on history, Taiwan and the Diaoyu Islands, among other issues.

Despite twists and turns in the past 45 years, the development of relations between Beijing and Tokyo has brought both sides many constructive and inspiring experiences, Xi said. He called for solid efforts to boost bilateral ties in accordance with the overall strategic direction of peace, amity and cooperation.

Xi also welcomed Japan to join in Belt and Road pragmatic cooperation, urging wide-range exchanges between the two countries.

Abe said Tokyo is ready to show foresight and build momentum in its relationship with Beijing, since the world's second - and third-largest economies, respectively China and Japan, are influential players on global and regional issues.

The Japanese leader hoped for more high-level exchanges with China and added that he is willing to enhance bilateral cooperation with China in such areas as economy and trade, finance, tourism, as well as collaborating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Abe promised that Japan is not backing away from its joint statement with China in 1972 that Taiwan is part of China.

Jin Yong, a professor of international relations at the Communication University of China, said that lack of political trust remains the biggest challenge for Beijing-Tokyo relations.

Wang Ping, a researcher at the Institute of Japanese Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the meeting of the two leaders will help improve China-Japanese relations.

Participating in building the Belt and Road is a strategic choice made by Japan to get out of a diplomatic deadlock, she said.

"However, we still have to take measures and establish a channel to deal with the possible crisis in China-Japanese relations," she added.

Zhou Jin contributed to this story.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/10/2017 page3)
The leaders of G20 members, except US President Donald Trump, said on Saturday that the Paris Climate Change Agreement is "irreversible" in the communique released at the close of two-day summit in the German port city.

While President Xi Jinping repeatedly expressed China's commitment on global climate cooperation and sustainable development during his trip to Germany from July 4-8, the United States was cited in the G20 final document as saying that it will "immediately cease the implementation" of its current greenhouse gas reduction contribution.

"The leaders of other G20 members state that the Paris Agreement is irreversible," the communique said. "We reaffirm our strong commitment to the Paris Agreement, moving swiftly towards its full implementation in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibility."

The leaders have also urged developed countries to fulfil their commitment to offer financial resources to assist developing countries in coping with climate disasters.

Based on the divided stances between the other G20 members and the US, the leaders have agreed on the G20 Hamburg Climate and Energy Action Plan for Growth.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a news conference on Saturday that "the talks were tough" while insiders said G20 officials sought but failed to gain last-minute compromises from the US.

Trump had last month announced the decision to withdraw from the hard-won Paris Agreement, which more than 140 countries have already ratified.

Apart from the Paris Agreement, the leaders also achieved a wide consensus on energy cooperation, energy security and sustainable development.

"Take it or leave it, and no more bargaining. That is the Hamburg G20 answer to Donald Trump's US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement," said Qi Ye, director of the Brookings-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy of Tsinghua University.

Qi said that all but one of the major economies chose to fulfill their pledges on the historic climate agreement and China, the new leader of global climate governance, has made it clear that it will deliver 100 percent of its commitment to the Paris Agreement.

"And China will help other developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change through South-South Cooperation by making the largest financial contribution ever to the international efforts," said Qi.

By giving up the opportunity to rejoin the international community on climate change, Qi said President Trump has effectively isolated the US from the global community, and marginalized the country in the climate governance. "Now that the decisions are made, disappointed leaders and citizens would no long look up the United States for climate leadership," said Qi.

Zhang Jianyu, China representative of the New York-based Environment Defense organization, said China has injected "huge confidence" in the international community by strongly committing to the Paris Agreement despite the US decision to cease contributing to global greenhouse reduction.

"What's more, China's determination to set up a national carbon market by 2018 will not only help China realize its climate goals, but also raises hopes in the rest of the world on establishing a global carbon market," said Zhang.

Dennis Pamlin, founder of the Sweden-based consultancy 21st Century Frontiers, said that the G20 found it difficult to achieve consensus on climate change due to the US factor, which is very troubling.

Contact the writer at fujing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/10/2017 page11)
By Fu Jing and Cecily Liu in Hamburg, Germany | China Daily UK | Updated: 2017-07-10 19:11

President Xi Jinping has proposed setting up a "globally united front" to fight international terrorism.

Xi made the proposal ahead of a joint statement by the leaders of the Group of 20.

"There should be no 'safe spaces' for terrorist financing anywhere in the world," the statement said.

Speaking at an anti-terrorism meeting organized ahead of the opening of the two-day G20 summit, Xi said the "tumor of terrorism has not yet been removed".

He told the closed-door meeting: "So, China is calling for the establishment of a global united frontline to fight terror activities."

Xi said concerted efforts should be made to tackle the roots of terrorism and cut off channels of financing and prevent the use of cyberspace for terrorist activities.

In recent years, the growth of global terrorism organizations has been curbed through international cooperation, but the roots of terrorism have not been eliminated, he said.

"China is a victim of terrorism and we are on the frontline of anti-terrorism battles," he added.

Xi said China will participate in international counter-terrorism cooperation and offer support to establish an open "security umbrella".

Recent high-profile terror attacks have claimed many lives across Europe and elsewhere, including in Nice, Paris, London and Manchester.

The G20's joint statement issued on Friday said: "We, the leaders of the G20, strongly condemn all terrorist attacks worldwide and stand united and firm in the fight against terrorism."

"We will ensure terrorists are brought to justice; border agencies enhance cooperation to detect travel for terror purposes. We will address in close coordination the evolving threats and potential vulnerabilities in aviation security systems."

To prevent the radicalization that leads to terrorism, the leaders also agreed to promote political and religious tolerance, economic development and social cohesion and inclusiveness, to resolve armed conflicts, and to facilitate reintegration.

Contact the writers at fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
FARGO  Danika Murphy wanted more than anything to be part of the local motorcycle scene.

The 26-year-old student at North Dakota State University took her rider safety courses seriously and was working to build confidence on her bike when she suffered what turned out to be fatal injuries in an April 3 crash on Interstate 94 in Fargo.

Three months later, a memorial ride in her honor will make her part of the club in which she so badly wanted membership.

This is, kind of in a sense, bringing her into that community of motorcyclists, said her mother, Cyndi Woeck of Hendrum, Minn.

The Ride to Remember in honor of Danika Rose Murphy starts at noon on Sunday, July 16. Participants will meet at the Moorhead I-94 rest area, where the group will leave for a ride through the Minnesota lakes area. Theres no registration fee, and a donor will provide ice cream.

Woeck said organizing the ride keeps her daughters memory close.

Every day I do something for it, its like Im working for her, she said.

Woeck is getting help from Paul Lenzmeier of West Fargo, who had Murphy as a student in his basic rider course through ABATE of North Dakota, a nonprofit organization that promotes motorcycle safety and awareness.

We see a lot of students, but she was unique  very open and not shy to talk about yoga and dance, the things she enjoyed, Lenzmeier said.

He recalled Murphy as a terrific student and said you take it personally when something bad happens to someone youve instructed.

We really push to instill the skills that we believe are going to keep them alive on the streets, Lenzmeier said.

In Murphys case, rider inexperience played a role. Even though family members told her she wasnt ready for the interstate, Murphy tried to get on I-94 from the northbound ramp off 25th Street South. Witnesses reported that she appeared to take the curve too wide and too fast, causing her to clip the back tire of a semi in the near lane of the interstate.

Murphy was wearing a helmet, but her mother thinks it was too big as it came off on impact, still clasped. She died of a traumatic brain injury in a Twin Cities hospital eight days later.

Woeck has motorcycle safety on her mind wherever she goes. On a recent road trip with her kids, she told her daughters story to any rider she saw without a helmet.

Id see them leave with their helmets on, she said.

In addition to family, friends and co-workers, the memorial ride will be attended by a flight nurse who cared for Murphy in the air ambulance and the driver whose semi Danika hit that fateful day. Woeck had reached out to the driver because she didnt want him to feel guilty.

Woeck and Lenzmeier hope for a good turnout at the memorial event, where riders will tie on purple ribbons  Danikas favorite color.

Its another step in the process of saying goodbye to a daughter who they loved as much as any other human being can love, Lenzmeier said.
Three Iranian Christians have been sentenced to prison as the country increases its crackdown on Christianity.

Mission Network News reports that two of the three men sentenced to prison are Muslim converts to Christianity.

The three men were sentenced to at least a decade in prison each on charges of blasphemy, organizing and creating house churches, and acting against national security.

In addition to these three arrests, Shamiram Isavi Khabizeh, the wife of Pastor Victor Tamraz, one of the men who was sentenced, was arrested and charged with participating in foreign seminars and acting against Iranian national security. She was later released, however.

Miles Windsor of Middle East Concern, an organization that helps persecuted Christians, explains why the Iranian government has been increasingly targeting Christians:

The Iranian authorities I think are paranoid about anything which doesnt sit with their perception of the world and of government and religion. So, anything which is perceived as outside of that, even though these house churches and these believers pose no threat to the Iranian regime, they see these house churches and these believers as a threat.

These four arrests occurred just in the last month. In previous months other Christians were also targeted and primarily charged with being threats to national security.

Windsor asked for believers to be praying for these Iranian Christians:

More broadly, I think we can be praying that the Iranian regime loosens its grip against Christians and other minorities, that God would be changing the hearts and minds of those who currently seek to attack His Church and His people. And were called also to pray for our enemies. So be praying that there would be those in authority as well in Iran who would be turning to Jesus.

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: July 10, 2017
Asking me to compile a list of my top 10 summer reading selections is sort of like playing desert island: Im trying to sneak an extra three books along. Im making difficult cuts and second-guessing myself. While curating this list, I looked for books that speak to the life of faith and the values that readers of faith are called to live by, but I didnt limit myself to overtly religious selections (though there are a few) because I dont believe that spiritually significant beauty is limited to certain bookstore sections or publishers labels. I also wanted to list books that, rather than being just good for children, are universally good stories. That means they draw on readers empathy, emotions, and curiosity. It also means they grow richer and deeper with each perusal.

When I imagine summer reading, I automatically think of beaches, so I wanted these selections to be light and fun. However, many of them are heavy, and I believe their weightiness offers something more than fun, deeper than funjoy. Or so I hope. I love a good metanarrative, too, so many of these books are stories about stories, which is a fitting metaphor for faith. As Christs disciples, were part of the greatest story ever told, so its no surprise that I want to spend my desert island time reading stories about stories with my children. Maybe well see you there.

Picture Books

1.The Clown of God by Tomie dePaola

Tomie dePaolas stories often portray religious themes and figures, and his watercolor images add softness to stories of depth and beauty. While I could list a number of his works, this is one of my favorites. In the story, a juggler named Giovanni grows old ...

1
Rosary Rally Against First Public Satanic Monument in US History

Contact: William Siebenmorgen, 501-358-9159



HANOVER, Penn., July 10, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- The city of Belle Plaine in Minnesota has authorized the placement of a Satanic "Bowl of Wisdom" provided by the Satanic Temple at the Veteran's Memorial Park in that same city.



For the first time in U.S. history a monument to Satan has been authorized for display on public property, causing deep and widespread alarm among God fearing Americans.



In response, Catholics from several states will gather at the Veteran's Memorial Park on Saturday, July 15 to pray the rosary against the public honoring of Satan.



"What gives this rosary rally special historic meaning is the fact that on this very day, 918 years ago, the crusaders took Jerusalem from Islam," said Bernard Slobodnik, one of the coordinators of the peaceful prayer vigil. "The crusader saints will be invoked during the rosary rally as our special patrons in the spiritual war against the devil and his followers."



The monument to Satan in Belle Plaine comes on the heels of several national campaigns by the Satanic Temple, such as After School Satan Clubs in public schools, to gain acceptance for Satan in the mainstream.



Please join the rosary rally and prayerful protest against the Satanic monument at the Veteran's Memorial Park in Belle Plaine Minnesota (About 45 minutes from Minneapolis-St. Paul).

Why: To implore God and the Blessed Virgin Mary to crush Satan, and to thwart the efforts of Satanic groups to achieve mainstream acceptance of the devil.



When: Saturday, July 15 at 12:00 noon.



Where: In front of the Belle Plaine Veteran's Memorial Park

101 Commerce Drive East, Belle Plaine, MN 56011

For more information, please visit:

www.returntoorder.org/2017/06/rosary-first-public-satan-monument-america/



Or call William Siebenmorgen at 501-358-9159.
GRASSY BUTTE  Volunteers are the main line of defense in North Dakotas Badlands as a wildfire raged into its third day Monday.

Rugged terrain and hot, windy conditions are keeping local volunteer firefighters on scene for up to 30 hours at a time as they work to prevent the fire from doing even more damage.

You sleep when you can and, if not, youve just got to suck it up and keep going, said Grassy Butte volunteer firefighter Darren Chernenko. When these get out of hand like this, it can turn really bad fast. You have to do everything possible.

The fire that started Saturday had affected about 5,100 acres as of Monday in Billings and McKenzie counties.

About 85 firefighters are responding from Billings and McKenzie county volunteer fire departments, the U.S. Forest Service, the North Dakota Forest Service and federal agencies, said Treva Slaughter, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.

In addition to firefighters, local businesses and community members have volunteered to haul water to the remote area, keep trucks fueled and assist with road grading equipment.

A fire of this magnitude, if we didnt have everybody helping, would break the fire department budget, said Karolin Jappe, McKenzie County's emergency manager.

As rural departments send personnel and equipment to fight the blaze, theyre mindful to keep some resources at home as dry conditions have increased the fire danger in western North Dakota.

You never want to leave a district bare, Jappe said.

In the past 10 days, McKenzie County has had about seven fires that started with a spark from farming equipment and one that started from fireworks, Jappe said. The cause of the wildfire, which has been dubbed the Magpie Fire, is unknown.

This is just the beginning of the fire season, Jappe said. It is so doggone dry.

Pat Rummel, emergency manager for Billings County, said the fire is putting a strain on volunteer resources.

The volunteers, they have other jobs. This is just their volunteer work, Rummel said.

Kelsea Arnold, of Grassy Butte, was among volunteers bringing food and water for the firefighters Monday. Arnolds boyfriend, one of the firefighters, ranches north of the fire and theyre worried about their cattle and the possibility of the fire reaching their home.

Its been tough. I think this is kind of just the start of it, Arnold said of the fire season.

The majority of the land affected is U.S. Forest Service Inventoried Roadless Area, but the fire has progressed to privately owned property as well, Slaughter said.

About 15 percent of the fire was contained as of Monday morning and no homes had been threatened, Slaughter said.

The Maah Daah Hey Trail system is closed between the Bennett and Elkhorn campgrounds.

Some firefighters missed work to fight the blaze, while some returned to their jobs after volunteering long hours. Arnegard Fire Chief Rick Schreiber said one member of his department went to work Monday night after volunteering.

The biggest issue is the terrain, Schreiber said. Its very, very tough terrain to work in.

Chernenko, who lives in Bismarck but volunteers for the Grassy Butte department, said the wind switching directions added to the difficulty.

With as windy as it is, its very tough, Chernenko said. Even if you do get it put out, you get hot spots that could reignite.

He was on scene with his brother, Kyle Chernenko, chief for the Grassy Butte department, and their dad, Ron, a veteran member of the department, who was monitoring hot spots.

The volunteers expect to remain on scene as long as it takes, Darren Chernenko said.

I leave when they say Im done, he said.
World Focus Can Help Awaken Stagnant Churches, Says Missions Agency TMS Global outlines program to help move congregations from 'vaguely spiritual Rotary Club' to strategic outreach



Contact: Ty Mays,

770-256-8710



NORCROSS, Ga., July 10, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- A wake-up call to sleepy churches has gone out from missions agency TMS Global, which wants to help revive inward-focused congregations through revitalized faith.



The interdenominational organization offers a roadmap to renewal in the latest issue of its "Unfinished" magazine (www.tms-global.org/unfinished-magazine), promoting greater involvement in world evangelization as the key to more vibrant churches. The summer 2017 issue is devoted to creating what President and CEO the Rev. Max Wilkins calls "a mission culture in the local church."



A church that is not on mission "is often just a vaguely spiritual Rotary Club," he says in his opening editorial. "It may do some nice things, but it is not really a church." Many congregations are like the disciples after Jesus' ascension, he adds, left looking to heaven. But when angels appeared and asked them why they were still standing there, "the implication was clear: stop staring at the clouds and get on with it."



Sadly, the vast majority of North American churches today "are not on mission in any meaningful way," Wilkins writes. Rather, the lack of involvement "reflects a lack of clarity surrounding the call to mission, and a concurrent lack of understanding of how a church can mobilize for that mission."



Responding to that need, TMS Global's Activate weekend is an interactive event for key leaders emphasizing God's call to mission, and outlining how to develop a proven mission action plan for the church. That is followed by the Global Impact Celebration, during which church members get to connect with missionaries and mission partners to learn more firsthand about their ministries.



In one article in the magazine, the Rev. Rudy Guess tells how the TMS Global initiative has helped revolutionize three churches he has pastored. After participating recently, members of First United Methodist Church in Tuscumbia, Ala., pledged more than $80,000 to missions, while general and capital fund giving has also increased.



"These events help the church begin to see missions in a new light," said Guess. "If you want your church to join Jesus in his mission, as opposed to simply having missions as one committee of the church, this is the best way I know to make it happen."



The pastor's involvement is also crucial, according to another article. Writing about the Activate program for which he led the development, former TMS Global president, the Rev. Dick McClain, says, "Spearheading missions efforts is one job that the pastor should not subcontract to anyone else in the church. In fact, I've come to believe that if the pastor doesn't take the lead, the church probably won't get to first base when it comes to mission."



Among the Activate participants who tell of their experiences is Jan Gilbert, a missions leader in Aiken, S.C. "I can't explain what happens during an Activate Conference," she says, "but somewhere in the process God grabs your heart, and you discover your purpose in the world."

Jorge Acevedo, the pastor of Grace Church in Cape Coral, Fla., tells how God showed him he had been "seduced into a Jerusalem-only ministry. In my zeal to reach the lost of Cape Coral and the surrounding area, I had forgotten about the world."



More than 400 churches across a number of denominations in the United States have participated in the program.



"It is a joy to celebrate the things the Lord is doing as churches become mobilized to join Jesus in His mission," says Wilkins, who, as a pastor himself, used the TMS Global resources to develop the missions focus of the church he was leading, before joining the Norcross, Ga.-based organization.



Founded in 1984 as The Mission Society for United Methodists, TMS Global has developed into an interdenominational agency that honors its Wesleyan heritage and beliefs, with staff and cross-cultural workers who now represent more than a dozen different denominations.



TMS Global (www.tms-global.org) mobilizes and equips the body of Christ to share the good news of the gospel, with an emphasis on reaching to the least-reached peoples of the world. Workers are engaged in a wide range of dynamic, culturally sensitive ministries, from training and leadership development to literacy, medical care and relief aid.



To schedule an interview with a representative of TMS Global, contact Ty Mays at (770) 256-8710 or tmays@inchristcommunications.com.

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Scattered across a sprawling Houston ballroom, dark-suited energy executives listened earlier this year as officials from OPEC, Saudi Arabia and the International Energy Agency warned of a looming oil supply shortage that could force oil prices to spike in a few years, despite rising U.S. production.

On Monday, the CEO of Saudi Aramco repeated the idea that dramatically lower capital spending levels during the oil bust will mean the industry will have to replace 20 million barrels a day from declining oil fields over the next five years. The U.S. oil industry won't be able to fill that gap alone, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser argued, according to media reports.

But some analysts are skeptical. Ed Morse, global head of commodities research at Citigroup, said his team believes the supply gap will only come to about 10 million barrels a day over the next half-decade.

HoustonChronicle.com: Worries shift from oil glut to oil shortages

"That's not a big number to replace," Morse said in a recent interview. Through 2019, he added, growing oil production in the United States, Canada and Brazil should be able to cover rising global demand.

Let's look at the math. (Don't worry, we'll use big round numbers).

Nasser has previously said the drop in oil spending means companies will have to replace 30 million barrels a day over the next five years. That assumes oil fields producing roughly 100 million barrels a day will decline at a rate of 6 percent a year for five years.

Morse believes that's a wild overestimate. In recent years, the global oil-production decline rate, he argued, has been inflated by shut-in oil fields, and that statistical effect will fizzle out soon. So analysts should use 5 percent, he said, as the world's base decline rate in oil production, not 6 percent.

And, he said, they shouldn't use 100 million barrels a day in the equation, because roughly 20 million barrels a day are natural gas liquids or not refined for some other reason. Roughly 32 million barrels a day belong to OPEC countries, which can keep oil production going longer than their rivals, and another 5 million barrels a day come from Canadian oil sands or other fields that don't fall off rapidly.

So if you cut that remaining 40 million barrels a day by about 5 percent a year, it comes to 2 million barrels a day each year, or 10 million barrels a day over the next five years  half of Nasser's estimate. That means in coming years, growing oil production from the United States, Canada and Brazil could still outpace demand, Morse said.

"So there is a medium-term problem, and it's a problem for the U.S. industry as much as for the rest of the industry," he said. "But it's not this year, it's later down the pike."

Related: Will oil prices head to $30 or $60? Analysts are split
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Huntsman and Clariant officials are meeting privately in The Woodlands this week as they discuss details of their upcoming merger in the face of rising investor activism and opposition.

Prominent activist hedge fund manager Keith Meister and his partners bought up a 7.2 percent stake in Swiss-based Clariant and they're opposing the merger, arguing that Clariant is better off selling certain parts and instead focusing on smaller, specific niches. Meister is a protege of famed corporate raider Carl Icahn.

In an email response Monday, Huntsman CEO Peter Huntsman said they remain highly confident in the strategic rationale for the merger benefiting shareholders of both companies.

"Combining Huntsman with Clariant brings together market-leading technologies and global manufacturing footprints of two strong, successful companies to create a world class, global specialty chemicals company that will be able to deliver significant cost and revenue synergies," Huntsman said.

In a not-so-subtle nod to Corvex buying up stock after the deal was announced, he added that "long-term investors ... understand the substantial benefits of this transaction."

Likewise, Clariant CEO Hariolf Kottmann is downplaying any concerns, calling it "normal procedure" during this merger phase. He said they're keeping an open dialogue with all the impacted shareholders.

"Our strategy and the intended merger with Huntsman is supported by many of our shareholders we have heard from," Kottmann said in a regulatory filing. "I am convinced that this transaction creates not only significant value for the shareholders of both companies, but for all stakeholders, including employees and customers."

Huntsman and Clariant plan to combine into the world's second-largest specialty chemical company, valued at about $14 billion. The formal headquarters for HuntsmanClariant would be in Clariant's hometown of Pratteln, Switzerland, in part for tax purposes, while The Woodlands would become the North American headquarters for the combined company.

Peter Huntsman would become the CEO of the combined company, with Clariant chief Hariolf Kottmann as the chairman. Huntsman's father, Jon Sr., who founded the company, becomes chairman emeritus. The deal is scheduled to close by the end of the year.

However, Meister's Corvex Management firm coupled with strategic partner firm 40 North now combine to represent Clariant's largest shareholder.

Kottmann acknowledged the opposition and some "critical questions" from investors and analysts.

"However I got the impression that the majority of the financial community understood the benefits and value creation of the transaction," he added.

Corvex was founded by Meister in 2010. In recent years, he's also urged Huntsman to sell off some of its parts. In another public energy sector feud, Meister and another activist resigned from the board of directors of pipeline giant Williams Cos. after failing to oust the Williams CEO.
In late 2015, the Congress found that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve was, "one of the nation's most valuable energy security assets." Why would the Trump Administration conclude, just a little over a year later, that the SPR is not so valuable after all?

The rationale for the administration's current budget recommendation - selling off more than half of the SPR's current inventory, shutting down two of four storage sites in Texas and Louisiana, and eliminating the Northeast Gasoline Reserve - was supported by Energy Secretary Rick Perry in congressional testimony last month.

That rationale, however - that we are producing a lot more domestic oil so we can close SPR sites - appears to be grounded in a view of oil markets in 1973. The SPR - its value to domestic and global energy security, U.S. consumers and our economy - needs to be viewed instead through the lens of the dramatic changes that have taken place in the last 40 years.

RELATED: Is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve worth the cost?

First, while it's true that domestic oil production has substantially increased, key oil data then were not dramatically different than now. In 1973, daily crude and oil product net imports were about 6 million barrels and in 2016 they were about 5 million; consumption back then was 17 million barrels per day and today, it is about 19 million (for a population that has grown by 50 percent).

Second, there was no global oil market 40 years ago. The WTI futures contract had been introduced just a few years earlier, and federal price controls discouraged surplus domestic production capacity. These market features virtually ensured that the OPEC oil embargo of 1973-74 would have an outsized impact on U.S. oil - and gasoline - prices. Today, oil prices are deregulated, and spot cargoes move around the globe. Futures contracts, options and swaps help manage risk, establish links between markets and physical product, and provide flexibility for buyers and sellers. These features and instruments lessen the risks of physical disruptions and provide industry and consumers with enormous benefits.

Third, our crude oil and product imports and exports link us to global oil markets. Even with no net imports, when global prices spike, ours will, too. World GDP growth fell from 4 percent to 2 percent after prices spiked in 1999-2000. On the flip side, using the SPR provides benefits to the U.S. economy. After an announced swap of 30 million barrels of SPR oil in 2000 when spare capacity was tight and heating oil inventories were low, oil prices immediately dropped by more than 20 percent. A Department of Energy Report estimated that maintaining and modernizing the SPR to meet current statutory requirements would yield consumer and economic benefits of over $300 billion to the U.S. through 2040.

RELATED: Federal oil reserve at a crossroads

Fourth, much of the increase in U.S. unconventional oil production is occurring in unconventional locations such as North Dakota. This has reversed traditional pipeline flows; crude oil is now moving from north to south into the Gulf of Mexico where the SPR's storage and distribution systems and 60 percent of the nation's refining capacity are located. The result is a congested system in which SPR oil released in an emergency could be displacing commercial oil volumes, not providing much-needed incremental oil to the marketplace. Infrastructure upgrades are called for.

Finally, reserves in the ground can't provide us oil we need in an emergency disruption - increased domestic production does not equate to emergency surge capacity.

Also, oil production in the U.S. is in the hands of the private sector. Industry rightly cares about production schedules, contracts and making money (which it does when prices spike), not about maintaining expensive surplus capacity for emergency disruptions; this is - and appropriately so - the role of the federal government and the SPR.

The law establishing the SPR was passed in 1975, a policy response focused largely on physical disruptions.

The law, however, included an important - and prescient - role for the SPR, relevant to today's marketplace: preventing significant harm to the U.S. economy from oil disruptions.

The SPR plays a key role in the international response during an emergency, as the U.S. is obligated to meet over 40 percent of the total global release of strategic stocks.

Rapidly putting large volumes of oil from the SPR onto the water and into global markets mitigates the harmful impacts of price spikes on the global economy.

Congress recognized as much when, in 2015, it authorized $2 billion to expand and modernize the SPR's distribution system and build new terminals. Robust modernization would create thousands of jobs; anemic modernization of only two sites, while shutting down the other two, would reduce them.

After four mandated oil sales from the SPR - one for its own modernization, another for budget balancing and two for funding unrelated programs - enough is enough.

We should support the view of Congress that the SPR is one of our most valuable security assets. In today's world of changed markets, unrest, and collective energy security responsibilities, we should be modernizing the SPR, not selling it off.

Moniz, the 13th U.S. Secretary of Energy, is the founder of the Energy Futures Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting energy innovation.
A Harris County Precinct 7 deputy constable crashed a patrol car Sunday afternoon into the fence of a south Houston home, while chasing a stolen vehicle.

The pursuit started about 1 p.m., when a deputy constable spotted the stolen car along Brays Bayou, near the 3400 block of South Macgregor, said Pamela Greenwood, spokeswoman for the Harris County Precinct 7 constable's office.

The deputy constable pulled the car over. Initially, its three occupants cooperated.

But, when another deputy constable arrived on the scene, the driver of the stolen car slammed on the acceleration, in an apparent attempt to evade both members of law enforcement, Greenwood said.

The two deputy constables followed the stolen car in hot pursuit.

One of the deputy constables' cars spun out of control during the chase, crashing into the fence of a nearby home. The Precinct 7 Constable's Office did not release by Sunday afternoon the address of the home.

The second deputy constable continued the chase, until the driver of the stolen car crashed as well. It was also unclear Sunday afternoon where the stolen car crashed.

The cars' occupants - one man and two woman - tried to escape the remaining deputy constable's clutches, Greenwood said.

The deputy constable arrested one of the women. The other woman and the man fled into Brays Bayou.

The stolen car had been involved in a crash earlier Sunday on the same block, Greenwood said. It was not clear Sunday afternoon what time the first crash had happened, Greenwood added.

Deputy constables described the woman who is on the run as being in her 20s. She wore a white t-shirt. Deputy constables described the man also as being in his 20s. He had blonde dreadlocks and wore brightly-colored sneakers, Greenwood said.

The pair was still at large Sunday afternoon.
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A Houston police officer chasing routine calls Sunday afternoon saved 12 people who were being smuggled inside of a locked cargo truck where the temperature reached 100 degrees, authorities said Monday.

After canvassing a strip mall's parking lot, the patrol officer heard the dozen trapped people  10 men, one woman and a 16-year-old girl  banging on the walls of the unventilated truck trying to attract someone's attention to let them out.

With no food and a dwindling water supply, the officer managed to remove the lock in time and save the people who had been trapped inside for about 12 hours.

"Thirty more minutes and this could have been a dozen homicide cases," said Tom Berg, Harris County First Assistant District Attorney.

Three people are now in jail after officers rescued the victims, including the 16-year-old girl, from the locked, cargo bay of a box truck parked in west Houston.

READ ALSO: 14-year-old girl brought to Houston in sex trafficking, deputies say

Officer Chris Meade first discovered the Penske rental truck parked at a strip center at 7636 Harwin, off the Westpark Tollway, said JoAnne Musick, a county attorney for sex crimes and human trafficking.

According to Houston police and county attorneys, the 12 people inside the truck were undocumented and paid to be smuggled into the U.S. from various Latin American countries, including El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Greg Palmore.

Houston police and the District Attorney's office held a press conference at the Criminal Justice Center to commend Meade for his heroics and alertness in responding to such a potentially deadly situation.

The officer was at the conference but deferred all questions to his superiors as he stood silent and stoic in his uniform.

Authorities speaking on his behalf said that Meade noticed "something was off about the box truck." Meade was on the heels of another routine call when the cargo truck and activity around it caught his attention.

READ ALSO: Feds will now target relatives who smuggled children

"Things just did not appear correct to him," Musick said. "He was already on alert. As he entered the parking lot, there was some activity afoot and this drew his attention even more to the area."

He noticed padlocks on the truck and no signs of a driver even though the engine was still warm, Musick said.

Simply, Meade was drawn to the rental truck "because it was sitting in a site where it shouldn't have been," she said.

The three suspects  Priscila Perez Beltran, 21; Nelson Cortes Garcia, 27; and Adela Alvarez, 26  have each been charged with two counts of human smuggling likely to cause injury or death and one count of human smuggling involving a minor.

They were arrested on site by Meade and other officers as they attempted to flee the scene.

Musick said surveillance cameras show the three suspects entering and exiting the truck throughout the afternoon.

They face charges including smuggling of persons, which were elevated from a 3rd to a 2nd degree charge because the case involves a minor and because the victims was placed in serious harm, Musick said.

If convicted, they face two to 20 years in prison.

According to the DA's office the suspects have no criminal records, but the investigation into each of their backgrounds is in the beginning stages.

The alleged smugglers are suspected of having entered the country without documentation, Palmore added.

Neither Beltran, Cortes Garcia, nor Alvarez are U.S. citizens, according to court documents. They are each being held on a $300,000 bail and are due to appear in court Tuesday.

The investigation remains active and authorities said they won't release additional information to avoid any potential suspects fleeing the country and derailing their case.

Mary Magness with Homeland Security said the 12 victims may be detained until a trial is held. She said each of the victims could serve as material witnesses as the investigation unfolds.

"Human trafficking and human smuggling are a big deal in the city of Houston," said Lt. Jessica Anderson of HPD's human trafficking unit. "Officer Meade did a fantastic job of being aware of his surroundings ... thereby saving 12 lives."
Two men have been charged with the murder of a 20-year-old man whose body was found in March in south Houston by a boy walking home from school.

The two suspects, 21-year-old Manuel Antonio Rivas and 20-year-old Isaiah Nealey, were charged Thursday with capital murder, according to court documents.

The pair were already behind bars on separate charges.

The duo is accused of killing Houston resident Jedediah Humphreys, 20.

Police believe Humphreys met with Rivas and Nealey on March 11 to either buy or sell drugs. During the transaction, Rivas and Nealey are accused of robbing Humphreys at gunpoint, then shooting and killing him inside of their van, according to a news release from the Houston Police Department.

Police believe the pair then drove to a park at 12100 Murr Way and dumped Humphreys' body in a nearby open field.

Almost two weeks later, on March 23, a boy stumbled across the body as he headed home from school. He smelled the foul odor of the decomposing body and spotted dirty clothing, according to the release.

Both Rivas and Nealey are being held in the Harris County Jail without bail.

The duo have criminal records in Harris County.

They were both accused of burglarizing a woman's home on June 3 with the intent to commit aggravated assault. Rivas was charged June 30, and Nealey was charged Friday, both with burglary with intent to commit a felony.

Rivas has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors since 2016, carrying a handgun in a motor vehicle and theft of items between $100 and $750 in value, for which he was sentenced to 30 days in the Harris County Jail and community supervision, respectively.

Nealey has a heftier record. Also on Thursday, Nealey was charged with a murder that happened in May 2016. He was charged in June with evading arrest that same month, which is a felony.

During Humphreys' murder, Nealey was on community supervision after pleading guilty to evading arrest on a separate occasion, in July 2016.
Every year, Acton University attracts many international attendees. This year, there were 220 new and returning international attendees from 90 countries. One of the returning attendees was Santiago Abienzo Almagro visiting from Mexico City. While studying chemical engineering in Mexico City, Santiago discovered a passion for business and is working on entrepreneurial projects in both IT and manufacturing. His ultimate goal is to help bring prosperity to his country. With a poverty rate over 50 percent in Mexico, Santiago sees a need for entrepreneurship. Countries with stale growth rates and high poverty will never change without the positive impact of entrepreneurs.

Santiago returns to Acton University for the unique combination of concepts and attendees. If you combine these amazing ideas with these amazing people, He notes. You can improve your country. One of the key ideas that Santiago reflects on is the power of free markets. Acton Universitys lectures and discussions clearly show the place of an entrepreneur in bringing prosperity to those around him or her.

Feature Image Credit: morseinteractive.com (CC BY 2.0)
Most Republicans and right-leaning independents believe colleges and universities have a negative effect on how things are going in the country, a new Pew Research Center survey found.

Fifty-eight percent of those respondents told Pew that they believed higher education had a negative effect, up from 45 percent last year. Two years ago, more than half of right-leaning respondents held positive views of college and university campuses, and Pew notes that more conservative Republicans than moderate Republicans believe college negatively affects the country.

Its the latest survey  locally and nationally  to show that opinions toward higher education and college are increasingly splitting along demographic and political lines.

In May, the Public Religion Research Institute and The Atlantic published a new analysis of surveys that found that 54 percent of white Americans said getting a college education is a risky gamble that might not pay off.

Rices Kinder Institute this year found that black and Hispanic local residents were more likely than whites to say that education beyond high school is necessary  and that Trump voters were far more likely than Clinton voters to affirm that there are many ways to succeed in todays economy with no more than a high school diploma.

GETTING BETTER: Researcher suggests tracking if students improve while in school

Nearly 75 percent of Democrats told Pew that they believed colleges and universities have a positive effect on the country's direction, according to Pews survey. That percentage has steadily risen since 2010, and overall, 55 percent of respondents held positive views of colleges and universities.

Other institutions that Pew asked about brought similarly split opinions. Republicans viewed religious institutions more positively than did Democrats, and Democrats viewed the national news media more positively than did Republicans.

There is a generalized distrust of whats going on in America and pessimism of where the country is going, said Stephen Klineberg, co-director of the Kinder Institute, which directed Rices study. Colleges have suffered some in the perception of the general public because of the tremendous indebtedness. The payoff to college is dropping.  Theres no longer that same confidence that going to college provides a (practical) education.

Changing attitudes toward college attendance may be worrying for universities, who have worked on overdrive trying to get students to enroll and then graduate from two- and four-year programs.

By 2020, 65 percent of all American jobs will require education beyond high school, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
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Police believe a July 3 fatal shooting in the Meyerland area came after a drug deal turned into an armed robbery, according to court records obtained Monday.

The new information comes from a Houston Police Department homicide detectives sworn statement in charging documents that accuse Markell Deon Davis, 29, of capital murder in the death of Gabriel Coleman, 37.

Two witnesses who were in a Mazda Protege sedan with Coleman told police they were meeting Davis about 1:30 p.m. to buy marijuana from him, according to the sworn statement from HPD Detective E. Contreras. The witnesses said they met Davis at the Villages at Meyerland apartment complex at 8900 Chimney Rock. Coleman appeared to already know Davis.

READ ALSO: Man facing capital murder charge in Meyerland shooting

Davis got in the back right passenger seat. The driver pulled away and turned right on to Caversham Drive. Then, the witnesses said, Davis put Coleman in a choke hold from behind, pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the back of Colemans head.

The driver stopped the car at 5400 Caversham, on the south side of the Villages at Meyerland apartment complex. The driver and the fourth occupant ran away as they heard gunshots in the car.

One witness reported coming back to the car after the gunshots stopped and Davis ran away. Coleman had a gunshot wound in the back of his head. They drove to another nearby apartment complex looking for help.

The next day, July 4, one of the witnesses sent detectives Davis name, his nickname of Black and several pictures. On July 5, that witness met with detectives and said he had found Davis information by asking friends about someone who goes by Black and sells marijuana in the Meyerland area. Those inquiries led to a phone number and a Facebook profile, whose photos matched the witness memory of the suspect.

The detective wrote that police showed a photo lineup to the other witness, who picked out Davis photo and said, Im 3,000 percent sure thats him.

Davis is held in the Harris County Jail without bail as of Monday. He does not yet have an attorney listed in court records who could be reached for comment.

A representative of Colemans family said relatives were not ready to speak about his death.

The witness told police that friends said Davis lived at the Nob Hill Apartments, the same Meyerland-area complex where 10-month-old Messiah Justice Marshall was shot and killed about 1:30 p.m. June 14 in an incident that shocked the city.

A TINY WHITE COFFIN: Relatives of toddler killed in horrific southwest Houston shooting say goodbye

That crime, and another shooting of a baby a few blocks away, led to a town hall meeting June 26 with Police Chief Art Acevedo and Mayor Sylvester Turner. Crowds filled an auditorium and an overflow room at the Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston.

Heres an excerpt from the Houston Chronicle story about that meeting:

Together, the shootings have shaken a sense of peace in a part of Southwest Houston otherwise known for its families, schools and synagogues. "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 of the second wounded baby said. 

FULL STORY: Anxiety rises in Meyerland after infant shootings (only on HoustonChronicle.com)
In the three years since oil prices collapsed, American drillers have reshaped the nation's shale plays in hundreds of oil and gas deals worth a combined $208 billion.

EQT Corp., a gas producer in Pennsylvania, announced the industry's largest purchase last month when it agreed to buy Rice Energy for $8.2 billion, assuming $1.5 billion in debt and forming one of the nation's largest natural gas producers with a large footprint in the Marcellus Shale.
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The Liberty County Sheriff's Office is issuing a public appeal to locate a person suspected of stealing a 2015 Dodge Ram pickup from Texas Timberjack off of US 59 north of Cleveland. The theft occurred in the early morning hours of Friday, July 7, according to Capt. Ken DeFoor, spokesperson for the sheriff's office.

The truck is described as white with a black flatbed. Security cameras captured the image of the suspect and his movements while on the scene of the theft. The suspect appears to be a white male of average build.
Submitted

The Liberty County Historical will hold its regular quarterly meeting on Monday, July 17, at 6 p.m. in the A. J. "Jack" Hartel Building, 318 San Jacinto Street, in Liberty. The public is invited and commission members are encouraged to attend.

The guest speaker will be Brooke Bonorden of the Texas Historical Commission. Bonorden is the Educator/Interpreter for Mission Dolores State Historic site in San Augustine, Texas. She is a native of Ingleside, Texas and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in anthropology from Baylor University and Texas Tech University. She has conducted archaeological research across Texas, New Mexico and Belize. Prior to joining the Texas Historical Commission at Mission Dolores, Bonorden worked for the city of Lubbock at the Silent Wings Museum.
Fort Bend police are asking the public's help in identifying three burglars who used a heavy-duty saw to break into a convenience store in the Stafford area.

The successful break in occurred June 22 at a Shop & Go located in the 760 block of Dulles Avenue.
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A federal judge last week moved to dismiss a lawsuit by three University of Texas at Austin professors arguing that the state campus carry law chills their First Amendment right to free speech.

U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel said the professors failed to prove an actual injury in their suit, which was filed before the states law was enacted.

But a researcher found evidence that the law did make some professors more cautious about what they said in the classroom this year. He hopes that his work  and more studies like it  could help lawmakers develop future higher education policy.

NEW RULES: Campus bar where students dodges campus carry law changes policy

The 84th Legislatures law allows concealed handguns in many places on college campuses. Before it took effect on Aug. 1, many professors feared they wouldnt be able to teach sensitive topics effectively. The UT faculty in this suit taught liberal arts, English and feminist and LGBT literature.

"The court concludes that Plaintiffs have not established an injury-in-fact, nor that the alleged injury is traceable to any conduct of Defendants," Yeakel said in his decision.

Nathaniel Cradit, who recently earned his doctorate in higher, adult and lifelong education at Michigan State University, interviewed about a dozen professors over three weeks at a Texas campus dubbed Metropolitan University at the end of 2016 for his dissertation, which he presented earlier this summer.

At the campus, which he could not identify because of the studys confidentiality, one professor avoided meeting with a combative student out of fear of personal safety.

Another moved office hours to a public space to avoid private conversations with a student who may be carrying. A third said she needed to be a little more cautious when she discussed Sigmund Freud and femininity in the classroom. He plans to survey faculty and staff more broadly after these initial results.

HoustonChronicle.com: Strong emotions fade in first semester of campus carry

Cradit said that future lawsuits against campus carry may be more effective if they are led by students or the institutions themselves. With evidence that teaching changes as a result of campus carry laws, he said, students may argue that they're receiving a lower-quality education as a result.

"It does seem pretty clear that this is influencing the academic conversation and the intellectual life of of the university," he said by phone on Monday.
One man is dead after gunfire late Sunday at an apartment complex off of the Gulf Freeway in southeast Houston.

Officers headed about 11 p.m. to the Lodge on El Dorado apartments at 265 El Dorado, just outside of Webster city limits, said S. Gromyko, a detective with the Houston Police Department's homicide division.
 AFP's Double Standard on Hebron Massacres: 1929 vs. 1994 | Main | Poll: Majority of Palestinians Support Payments to Terrorists 

July 10, 2017

Hamas: We Salute and Support BDS



The boycott, divestment and sanctions effort (BDS) that seeks to delegitimize Israel received an endorsement from Hamas on July 5, 2017. Hamas, the U.S.-designated terror group that rules the Gaza Strip, tweeted: We salute and support the influential BDS movement.?

Hamas declaration of support is hardly surprising.

Hamas seeks the destruction of the Jewish state and the genocide of its inhabitants. As CAMERA has noted, BDS itself has links to individuals and organizations tied to Hamas. Jonathan Schanzer, a former analyst of terror networks for the U.S. Treasury Department, noted these links in testimony delivered before the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on April 19, 2016.

One organization linked to Hamas is American Muslims for Palestine (AMP). Schanzer noted that AMP is a leading driver of the BDS campaign. AMPs campus activities are extensive. AMP is arguably the most important sponsor and organizer for Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), which is the most visible arm of the BDS campaign on campuses in the United States. It provides speakers, training, printed materials, a so-called Apartheid Wall,' and grants to SJP activists.?

Schanzer stated that the organization spent $100,000 on college campuses in 2014 alone. The group has a campus coordinator on staff to work directly with SJP and other pro-BDS campus groups across the country.?

AMP also has strong ties to Hamas-linked charities,? including the now-defunct Holy Land Foundations (HLF).

According to the U.S. Treasury Department: HLF support Hamas activities through direct fund transfers to its offices in the West Bank and Gaza that are affiliated with Hamas and transfers of funds to Islamic charity committees (zakat committees') and other charitable organizations that are part of Hamas or controlled by Hamas members. Mousa Mohamed Abu Marzook, a political leader of Hamas, provided substantial funds to the Holy Land Foundation in the early 1990s. In 1994, Marzook (who was named a Specially Designated Terrorist by the Treasury Department in 1995) designated HLF as the primary fund-raising entity for Hamas in the United States. HLF funds were used by Hamas to support schools that served Hamas ends by encouraging children to become suicide bombers and to recruit suicide bombers by offering support to their families.?

BDS advocates often claim that the effort has its origins in organic civil society groups.? Yet, as a CAMERA Op-Ed in The Hill pointed out, U.S. listed terrorist groups, including the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and non-Palestinian Syrian extremist organizations, played a role in founding and supporting the BDS movement (More Distortions on Israel,? May 19, 2015).

The media should not ignore the close links between Hamas and BDS.

Posted by SD at July 10, 2017 08:04 AM

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A massive 1,033-pound hammerhead shark was caught in the waters off of Texas City, breaking the 37-year record of 871 pounds set in 1980, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Tim McClellen, of Texas City, reeled in the record-breaking shark during the 55th Annual Texas City Jaycees Tackle Time Fishing Tournament on July 9, 2017.

GENTLER CREATURES: Whale shark caught on camera after nudging man's boat

A photo of McClellen standing by his impressive catch was shared on Facebook by the tournament's organizers on Sunday, July 9. The photo shows the shark is over twice as long as he is tall.

Chron.com has reached out to McClellen through social media and have yet to hear back from him yet. When he returns our request for comment, this story will be updated.

While McClellen took home the first-place prize of the shark category in the tournament, two other men also reeled in impressive shark catches as well.

Sergio Roque took home second place with his 964-pound tiger shark and James Massa Jr. brought in an 817-pound tiger shark for the third place prize, according to the tournament's leaderboard online.

GRAPHIC VIDEO: Texas woman baits hook in a unique way in viral video

The Texas City Jaycees host the annual Tackle Time Fishing Tournament to raise money for charities including Operations Santa Claus, Family Living Seminars, Special Olympics and Tackle Time.

According to the tournament's rankings online, other remarkable catches from this year's tournament include a 175-pound stingray caught by Steven Bage and a 123-pound gar caught by Emily Maniscalco.

Click through the gallery above to see the huge catches as well as the state record holders for largest fish caught off the Texas shores, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife data.

The tournament began June 30 and ran through July 9. To see the impressive weights of the first-prize winner in each category, visit the Texas City Jaycee leaderboard here.

MORE BIG CATCHES: Anglers snare sharks, other catches at Galveston Fishing Pier
This week's long-form and investigative reporting included an update on the justice of the peace plagued by pill-popping allegations, a deep dive into HPD's new overnight squad and a look at the American experience in a Fort Bend classroom.

Texas high court suspends Harris Co. justice of peace after sex, pill-popping admissions

By Lise Olsen

@chrondigger

The Texas Supreme Court on Friday issued an order to suspend Harris County Justice of the Peace Hilary Green from office immediately based on allegations that she illegally abused prescription drugs, sent sexually explicit texts to a bailiff while on the bench and paid for sex.

Economy, gas prices and long weekend boost Texas tourism

By Katherine Blunt

@KatherineBlunt

Low gasoline prices, an improving economy and a holiday weekend stretching over four days has Texas tourist destinations enjoying large crowds, full hotels and bustling business as the nation celebrates its founding 241 year ago.

Michael Ciaglo/Staff

New HPD squad tackles violent crime in dark of night

By St. John Barned-Smith

@stjbs

Squad 13 made its first case recently: charging a 24-year-old man with shooting another man who tried to intervene in a domestic dispute.



The Houston Police Department's new overnight investigative unit arrived shortly after the 1 a.m. shooting, canvassing witnesses and scouring the southwest Houston apartment complex for the shooter.

Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle

The American experience in a Fort Bend classroom

By Monica Rhor

@MonicaRhor



Mr. Vito, as his students call him, began class with his usual questions: "What do you want to know? What would you like to read?"



The Literacy Council of Fort Bend County ESL instructor, whose full name is Vito Susca, sat at the head of a long conference table full of adult language learners. By his elbow, a pile of dog-eared reference books: A Dictionary of American Idioms. World Almanac 2017. Collins Thesaurus. Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle

Trump cited for dramatic decline in international student applications in Texas

by Lindsay Ellis

@LindsayAEllis

International applications to Texas' four-year public universities have plummeted over the past year by at least 10,000, a 12.5 percent decrease from last fall, according to a Houston Chronicle review of university data. The dramatic decline is a stark contrast to the 30 percent increase in applications from 2013 to 2016. At the University of Houston, for example, foreign applications dropped by 27 percent.
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Two people are behind bars after shots were fired early Monday at an unmarked Houston police car in the Greater Third Ward.

In mid-morning, a SWAT team descended on a home in the 2100 block of Sampson, off the Gulf Freeway, from which at least one person is believed to have fired at the unmarked car.

No one was inside the home, but a member of the SWAT team spotted bullet casings on the porch of the house. HPD officers will continue to gather evidence throughout the morning, the member said.

The gunfire started about 3 a.m., said Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo.

At least one officer inside of the unmarked car, which belonged to the Houston Police Department's newly formed Criminal Apprehension Team, was conducting surveillance in the neighborhood, when the gunfire began, Acevedo said.

READ ALSO: Houston-area named 12th most dangerous by FBI

Police did not release how many officers were in the unmarked car, but gunfire narrowly missed at least one officer. A bullet hit the driver's seat, inches from where the officer who was driving sat.

The entire left side of the car was riddled with bullet holes, Acevedo said.

At least two people who were inside the house then tried to flee south on the Gulf Freeway. Several other patrol units joined the chase. Shortly after, officers arrested both people, Acevedo said.

READ ALSO: Police shooting still hangs over Dallas neighborhood

None of the officers involved in the arrest -- including the officers in the undercover car -- returned fire, which Acevedo called "an illustration of the professionalism of our men and women."

"This morning, you saw the courage of the men and women of the Houston Police Department," he said.

Police did not release the suspects' names immediately.

Police also did not immediately release a motive for the suspects'.

Acevedo created the Criminal Apprehension Team last spring in an effort to curtail crime in the city. The investigative unit works undercover in high crime areas throughout Houston, said department spokesman Victor Senties.

Godofredo Vasquez contributed to this report.
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Michael "Matt" Patrick Ryan took the stage at an event with Houston Republicans just four-and-a-half months into his new gig at KTRH in 2011.

"If I've learned one thing in Houston, in Texas ...," he began, "I have learned, 'Son, you better keep your mouth shut, your eyes open and listen, because Houstonians will let you know when you have become "

A woman interjected: "A Texan."

He laughed. "I thank you for letting me come into your city."

CANCER BATTLE: Matt Patrick stops cancer treatment, thanks Houston for support

The conservative radio host, known as Matt Patrick, died Sunday at 58 after fighting aggressive mucosal melanoma for two years.

Patrick was known for his positive attitude and spirited debates on air in Houston, weighing in on issues that ranged from President Donald Trump's campaign to how the Super Bowl affected homelessness in the Bayou City.

He wasn't afraid to talk about his personal life, discussing his 2015 cancer diagnosis and, last week, telling listeners that he would stop treatment at MD Anderson.

READ ALSO: Houston radio host announces he's fighting cancer

Before he was a staple of morning commutes on KTRH, however, Patrick was once new to the Lone Star State, acknowledging at that 2011 event that he was a "Texan by choice."

He spent nearly three decades at WKDD, a morning radio show in Akron, Ohio, after starting as a DJ at 22 in 1980. He launched The Matt Patrick Show in 2008 on a different Akron station, and he took the program to Cincinnati and Cleveland stations before moving to Houston six years ago with his family.

Here, he debated on the "Fox Face-Off" segment on KRIV with activist Quanell X and appeared on "Lou Dobbs Tonight" as a guest commentator.

READ ALSO: Local voice actor dies in Brazoria skydiving accident

In a statement, family members called quiet moments at home his "true passion" in life. He took his son on annual cabin trips and watched football on Sundays. Almost every morning, they said, he started the day in the hot tub with prayer.

Patrick is survived by his wife Paula, son Jake, daughters Alexandra and Alanna, mother and step-father and other family members.

"My goodness, if everybody loved their family like Matt Patrick loved his, the world would be a better place," colleague Michael Berry said in a statement Sunday.

READ ALSO: Longtime Houston DJ Paul Berlin dies at 86

Over the last six years, Houston listeners welcomed his voice into their cars, offices and homes. His cancer weakened his broadcast boom to just above a whisper at times, and his fans sent their support in letters to the station.

"We have never met, never spoke, but I feel I know you so well," one wrote.

"I sometimes feel you are the only reason I get up early in the morning," said another.

James Simpson, who worked with Patrick since 2013 as a KPRC afternoon producer, said the host came to work in a suit every day  even though his listeners would never see it  to show professionalism.

"He was a work horse," Simpson said. "He got in early, ready to go, and everybody had to be on his level."

On air, Patrick was open about recovering from alcoholism and his cancer treatments.

He was diagnosed with cancer in September 2015, and in an interview with Fox 26 news the following January, he said his outlook was improving.

"The hair doesn't look as good as I would like," he quipped.

He acknowledged then that he and his wife struggled initially with the diagnosis but took recovery one day at a time with support from friends.

His final broadcast was last week, when he told listeners that he would stop treatment.

"There will be no more fighting. There will be no more going back to the hospital. It will be up to God," he said.

Berry said in a statement that he knew the end was near that day. "It made me happy that he was getting to say goodbye in his way doing what he loved to do," he wrote.

His KTRH colleagues called him "a true conservative" in a statement on Sunday.

"As a veteran of radio, he delivered award-winning broadcasts year after year that embody the very foundation on which our country was founded: God, guns, country," KTRH said in a statement. "Matt deeply believed in protecting and defending the Constitution and all that it stands for just as our Founding Fathers would have wanted and expected."
A Wichita Falls woman faces charges stemming from a June 29 incident in which her 7-month-old daughter was placed in scalding-hot bathtub water.

Jessica Guadalupe Brashear, 30, told police the infant soiled a diaper, and she drew a bath, an affidavit obtained by the Times Record News reports. She said she placed the baby in the tub without checking the water's temperature. The infant began making noises, she said, adding that the infant sat in the water for one to two minutes.
WASHINGTON  With a half-dozen Democrats lined up to challenge Houston Republican John Culberson for his Houston congressional seat, the money chase is on.

Democratic candidate Alex Triantaphyllis announced Monday that he raised over $450,000 from more than 1,100 contributors since he entered the race for Texas's 7th Congressional District this spring.
Harris County Commissioners Court this week is set to discuss a potential response to the state's controversial "sanctuary cities" law.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis has asked the court for "discussion and possible action regarding authorization for the Harris County Attorney to join a lawsuit against Senate Bill 4," according to county documents.

Commissioners Court will consider a response at its public meeting on Tuesday.

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.

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett asked for an executive session discussion Tuesday to see whether any response would be effective or would be legal, since the county is a subdivision of the state.

Houston City Council voted last month to sue the state over the new law, joining San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and other local governments and nonprofits in a consolidated lawsuit challenging the law. A federal judge in San Antonio already has heard arguments in the case from plaintiffs seeking an injunction to block implementation of the law, but has made no ruling.

The Houston area has the third-largest population of immigrants in the country illegally, behind New York and Los Angeles, according to Pew Research Center.
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.
This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. It is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way.
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Torenko Makes It a Six Pack in Mexico Published: 10 July 2017 by Mike Buetow by Mike Buetow

SUNNYVALE, TX  July 2017  Torenko and Associates, a leading manufacturers representative organization specializing in the sales and marketing of premier electronic assembly equipment, production tools, test, repair, inspection, and consumable products, today announced the appointment of Jorge Diaz in Mexico.

Diaz is the companys sixth sales person in Mexico.

In recent years, Torenko has seen tremendous growth in Mexico with new Mexican national EMS and OEM accounts entering the SMT industry. Torenko has assisted these accounts with their start-up operations by supplying them with their SMT equipment and process needs. In addition to Mexico, the company covers the southern central U.S. states of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.

Ron Torenko, president of Torenko and Associates, commented, I am pleased to announce that Jorge Diaz has joined Torenko to help Cesar Acosta in the Guadalajara region of Mexico, working for Cesar. Jorge has been in the electronics industry for numerous years. He knows the people, the process and how to close.

Diaz can be reached at: E-mail: jorge@torenko.com; Mobile: 52-1-33-3667-4118.

For more information about Torenko and Associates, visit www.torenko.com.

Register now for PCB West the Silicon Valley's largest PCB industry trade show: pcbwest.com!
Connecticut residents whose home foundations are crumbling are facing a perplexing problem with their insurance policies: The damage wont be covered unless their homes collapse.

More than two dozen insurance companies being sued in federal court by 40 homeowners recently filed court documents asking a judge to dismiss the class-action lawsuit for a variety of reasons, including that the plaintiffs are only covered if their houses fall down.

The motions to dismiss the lawsuit filed June 2 are adding to the dismay of the homeowners, who face living in potentially unsafe homes with plummeting values that cant be sold and would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix.

A house has to fall down before its covered for anything? Thats just preposterous, said Jeannette Lesperance, a plaintiff in the lawsuit whose Manchester homes foundation has large cracks. Theres nothing you can say to that.

State officials say possibly 30,000 or more homes and condominiums built in central and northeastern Connecticut from the mid-1980s to 2016 could be affected by the problem, which has been linked to the mineral pyrrhotite. The mineral naturally reacts with oxygen and water, causing concrete foundations to crack and crumble.

The problem, first discovered in the mid-1990s, has been traced to a Willington quarry that provided material to a concrete maker whose product was used in thousands of homes.

Lesperance and her husband, Alfred, are retirees. They say they cant afford the estimated $400,000 it would cost to repair their home.

Many other homeowners besides those in the class-action lawsuit also have been told their policies only cover collapse and not cracking or crumbling, said Ryan Barry, a lawyer for the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit.

These houses are all in state of collapse, Barry said. You shouldnt have to wait for the house to fall into rubble, to cave into itself, to qualify for coverage.

Barry said the average cost of repairs was around $200,000 per home.

One of Barrys arguments in the lawsuit involves a 1987 decision by the state Supreme Court, which ruled that the word collapse in homeowners insurance policies did not just mean a home falling down but also substantial impairment in the structural integrity of a building.

Insurance companies later amended their homeowners policies across the country in response to that ruling and other court decisions, changing the definition of collapse to mean an abrupt or sudden falling down, Barry said. He also alleged the insurance companies made those changes without properly notifying homeowners as required by state law  a claim the insurance companies deny.

Representatives from several insurance companies being sued in the class-action lawsuit, including Travelers and Allstate, declined to comment.

While insurers have sympathy for the homeowners, they have to follow the letter of insurance policies, said Eric George, president of the Insurance Association of Connecticut, a trade organization that represents insurance companies that do business in the state.

Policies are envisioned to cover accidents, George said. Things that take place over time because of defective products are not covered. My heart goes out to the homeowners. Its an absolutely devastating situation.

Homeowners had hoped that the legislature and Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy would step in and help them, but a bill that would have set aside $15 million in assistance died during this years legislative session. Theyre now hoping lawmakers take up the issue again during a special session expected this summer.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The end of the line may be in sight for a North Dakota safety program aimed at lowering the risk of disastrous train derailments involving the states crude oil.

The pilot program, which includes two rail safety inspectors and a manager to supplement inspections by the Federal Railroad Administration, is halfway through its four-year run this month and likely will be scrapped in two years, said House Majority Leader Al Carlson and his Republican Senate counterpart, Rich Wardner.

They said the program duplicates federal and industry inspections programs and is not needed as the bulk of the states crude oil is now moved by pipelines.

I think it will run its course, and when its done, my gut feeling is we wont re-up it, Wardner said.

Carlson said the pilot program was an overreaction following a spate of accidents involving North Dakota crude in the U.S. and Canada, including one in the hometown of then-Gov. Jack Dalrymple, who supported the idea.

Ive never supported it and I wont support renewing it, Carlson said. Every other program  once you start them, everybody wants to keep them. Thats government.

The FRA said about 30 other states provide supplemental safety inspections. The agency said it does not reduce its efforts in states that have state rail safety inspectors.

North Dakotas rail safety program was Republican Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchaks campaign platform when she ran for the position in 2014. Fedorchak continues to defend the program, saying it does not duplicate federal efforts.

The programs annual budget of about $300,000 is funded by a tax that railroads pay on diesel.

Its funded by (railroads), not by citizens, Fedorchak said. Its a very good use of those dollars. I think its doing a lot of important things to improve safety.

Since its inception, state inspectors have found nearly 2,700 defects on tracks and railroad rolling stock, resulting in 50 violations, data show.

Fedorchak said any violations if left unfixed, could lead to a derailment.

North Dakota has produced about 1 million barrels of oil daily since the program started two years ago. At the time, about 75 percent of it was being shipped by rail. Today, railed oil makes up less than 30 percent of the shipments, as more pipelines have been built, including the contentious Dakota Access pipeline, said Justin Kringstad, director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority.

Crude oil shipments are not the only worry on more than 3,000 miles of track in the state and the lines beyond, Fedorchak said. Anhydrous ammonia, a common fertilizer, is seen as the biggest danger, she said. She pointed to a 2002 derailment in Minot that ruptured tanker cars carrying the toxic farm chemical.

The wreck unleashed a cloud of anhydrous ammonia over the city, killing one man and sending hundreds of people to the hospital.

Inspectors will say thats their greatest fear, Fedorchak said.

BNSF Railway Co. is the biggest player in North Dakota, hauling the bulk of the railed crude out of the region and the inbound freight that supports oil drilling. The company shipped more than 426,000 carloads of products from North Dakota last year  about half of which contained coal or grain. BNSF has said crude oil never makes up more than 5 percent of the railroads total volume.

Spokeswoman Amy McBeth said the railroad doesnt have a position on the state-run rail inspections. We have our own robust track inspections, she said.

BNSF has invested more than $1 billion in its network in North Dakota since 2013 and plans to put another $80 million into it this year, McBeth said.

We have every incentive to prevent incidents, she said.

Fedorchak said that may be, but it doesnt hurt to have more eyes on the industry.

They are inspecting themselves  these are not third-party inspections, Fedorchak said. Thats a pretty significant difference.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Wisconsins cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases is unconstitutional because it puts severely injured patients at a disadvantage, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday.

The state Supreme Court will almost certainly review the ruling. If it stands it would clear the way for unlimited compensation for pain, emotional anguish and loss of enjoyment or reputation.

The decision stems from a case involving Ascaris Mayo. According to court documents, doctors didnt tell her she was suffering from a septic infection and as a result she fell into a coma and had to have all four of her limbs amputated after gangrene set in.

Mayo and her husband sued the doctors and the state malpractice compensation fund, an account doctors pay into to cover malpractice awards. A jury awarded them $25.3 million in damages, including $15 million in non-economic damages and $1.5 million for her husbands loss of companionship.

Lawyers for the compensation fund moved to reduce the non-economic damages award to $750,000, the maximum compensation for such damages allowed under state statutes. The Mayos countered that the cap is unconstitutional.

A Milwaukee County judge sided with the Mayos, finding the cap was unconstitutional as applied in their case. The 1st District Court of Appeals went further Wednesday, ruling the cap is unconstitutional on its face. The court found the cap allows full awards for less severely injured patients but results in reduced awards for the catastrophically injured, amounting to an equal protection violation.

The court went on to say the cap doesnt achieve any of the Legislatures stated goals in adopting it.

Lawmakers included language with the cap that said it was designed to encourage doctors to practice in Wisconsin, contain health care costs by discouraging defensive medicine and providing certainty in damage awards as well as protect the solvency of the state compensation fund.

The number of doctors participating in the fund has grown every year and theres no data indicating a cap has any effect on physician retention anywhere, the court said. Doctors dont face any personal liability thanks to the state fund, which would appear to eliminate the need for defensive medicine. As for the funds solvency, claims against it have decreased since 2005 and as of 2014 the funds assets stood at about $1.2 billion, the court said.

We are left with literally no rational factual basis in the record before us which supports the legislatures determination that the $750,000 limitation on non-economic damages is necessary or appropriate to promote any of the stated legislative objectives, the courts opinion said.

The Mayos attorney, Dan Rottier, was subdued in a telephone interview. He said he expects the funds attorneys will ask the state Supreme Court to take the case and the justices will probably take it given its magnitude. Five conservative-leaning justices control the court.

We won a very large battle but the war is still going on, he said.

Attorneys for the fund and the doctors didnt immediately respond to email messages seeking comment Wednesday morning.

The American Medical Association, the Wisconsin Medical Society and the Wisconsin Hospital Association filed a brief in the case urging the appeals court to maintain the cap, saying upsetting the Legislatures policy choice will hurt physician recruitment and in turn impair health care in the state.

The Wisconsin Hospital Association issued a statement Wednesday saying the group disagrees with the ruling, saying the cap has served the state well and the Supreme Court will likely uphold it.

The Wisconsin Medical Society issued a statement echoing the associations concerns, saying the decision invalidates a key component of Wisconsins comprehensive medical liability system.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
California property owners give up their right to pursue lawsuits challenging restrictions in building permits once they construct the project, the states high court said Thursday in a victory for Californias Coastal Commission, cities and counties.

The courts unanimous ruling came in a dispute between coastal homeowners in San Diego County and the Coastal Commission over a 20-year permit for a seawall aimed at guarding against cliff erosion.

But lawyers involved in the case say it has implications for landowners throughout the state who may be considering projects such as expanding their homes or putting up a new apartment tower.

The scope of the courts ruling would not be limited to seawalls, said Janis Herbstman, an attorney who filed a brief in the case on behalf of the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties. It would include local land use permits as well.

The state high court said landowners cannot accept the benefits of a government issued building permit by constructing the project, but then challenge any burdens the permit imposes in the form of restrictions on the development.

The court said allowing such challenges would upend the permitting process and could leave agencies with no way to address a projects impacts.

After a project has been built, it may be too late for agencies to propose alternative mitigation measures, Associate Justice Carol Corrigan wrote for the court.

John Groen, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the ruling was particularly bad for small property owners.

They will be forced to put their lives and projects on hold for years while a court battle over an unlawful condition goes on, he said in a statement. The result is predictable: Many property owners will be forced to accept unlawful, even unconstitutional restrictions on their property simply because they cant afford to fight.

The homeowners behind Thursdays lawsuit, Barbara Lynch and Thomas Frick, owned adjacent coastal properties in Encinitas. They applied for a permit to rebuild their seawall after a 2010 storm damaged the existing barrier.

The Coastal Commission approved the permit, but added a condition saying the seawall permit would expire in 20 years and could not be relied on as a source of protection and stability for any future redevelopment.

Lynch and Frick filed a lawsuit challenging the 20-year limit as unconstitutional. But while the lawsuit proceeded, they went ahead and rebuilt the wall.

Lynchs home was in danger of collapsing into the ocean, and the homeowners said they could not wait while the lawsuit played out.

Corrigan said they could have obtained an emergency permit that would have allowed for temporary improvements.

The court did not address whether the Coastal Commissions 20-year limit on the seawall was legal.

Homeowners say 20-year limits create uncertainty about the future of their homes that lowers their property value. Environmentalists say seawalls endanger the states beaches.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The National Enquirer's circulation peaked in 1988 at 4 million, while today it averages 325,000 copies sold, mostly to low-income, over-80-year olds. Its best retailer is Wal-Mart. It does not publish any material critical of Donald Trump.

The Enquirer's owner, American Media Inc, claims 100 million see the tabloid's cover in the checkout lines. AMI's CEO, David Pecker, is a longtime friend and admirer of Donald Trump, and has gone to enormous lengths to spike any material critical of Trump in the Enquirer and other AMI publications, like Men's Journal and US Weekly.





In a long profile of Pecker, the New Yorker's Jeffrey Toobin says that Pecker's love of Trump is motivated not by ideology, but by a kind of bootlicker celebrity worship that celebrates the "classiness" of certain rich people. Pecker has certainly had a long and fruitful relationship with Trump, which included a stint publishing Trump Style, a subsidized vanity magazine celebrating Trump's accomplishments.





Notwithstanding the lack of an explicit ideological commitment to Trump, Pecker's worship of the real-estate millionaire can be thought of as implicit, ideological rank-closing in support of deep, social inequality, elitism and the circular logic of meritocracy that holds that the market awards virtuous people with wealth, and that wealthy people are thus virtuous.





As this idea begins to crumble  as it becomes easier to imagine the end of capitalism than the end of the world  the traditional appeal to bourgeois aspiration ceases to be viable. The newer forms of life-support for mounting inequality involve these celebrity appeals and strongmen  Putin, Erdogan, Boris Johnson and the alt-right jesters whose strong-man clowning are attractive to certain forms of aggrieve alienation. It's a variation on the people who extolled the gentlemanly manners of Franco and Mussolini, or the good works of the royal families in Saudi and Qatar.





Pecker is hoping to find an investor to help him acquire Time, Inc. There are rumors that Trump will give him an ambassadorship.



Pecker has no strong political views, but he has a fascination with, and a reverence for, celebrity. Recalling his first meeting with Kennedy, Pecker told me, "It was February, he comes up on his bike, he's outside, he has his hat over his head, he comes inside, he takes off his coat, he has a beautiful Armani suit on, and he pulled his cap off and it was like he never even had to comb his hair! I don't understand it. I mean, every hair was perfect. Every hair was perfect!" Pecker met Trump around the time he launched George, and his relationship with the developer resembled his connection to Kennedy. Talking about an early visit to Mar-a-Lago, Trump's estate in Palm Beach, where he was pitching advertisers on George, Pecker described Trump's then wife, Marla Maples: "I have never in my entire life seen a more beautiful woman in a bodysuit than Marla Maples. I mean, seriously, out of ten she was a fifteen." For Pecker, Trump represented an aspirational figure in every dimension of life: in his glamour, his wealth, his access to beautiful women, and his style of living.



The National Enquirer's Fervor for Trump

[Jeffrey Toobin/New Yorker]





(via Naked Capitalism)





(Image: Trump's Hair)
NYMag's David Wallace-Wells breaks it to us ungently: the Paris Climate Accord, torn up by Trump, was already a compromise that likely condemned much of the equatorial belt to crippling heatwaves. Without it, climate change will only be worse.

Even if we meet the Paris goals of two degrees warming, cities like Karachi and Kolkata will become close to uninhabitable, annually encountering deadly heat waves like those that crippled them in 2015. At four degrees, the deadly European heat wave of 2003, which killed as many as 2,000 people a day, will be a normal summer. At six, according to an assessment focused only on effects within the U.S. from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, summer labor of any kind would become impossible in the lower Mississippi Valley, and everybody in the country east of the Rockies would be under more heat stress than anyone, anywhere, in the world today. As Joseph Romm has put it in his authoritative primer Climate Change: What Everyone Needs to Know, heat stress in New York City would exceed that of present-day Bahrain, one of the planet's hottest spots, and the temperature in Bahrain "would induce hyperthermia in even sleeping humans." The high-end IPCC estimate, remember, is two degrees warmer still.
*M*ake what you will of this. In the modern era of partisan polarization, which can be dated back to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, only the presid...
Commencement speakers are expected to give graduates useful advice and motivation, and ultimately, extend them good wishes for the rest of their journeys. But at a recent ceremony, America's top judge refused to wish students good luck and instead said he hoped they failed  because ultimately that will help them succeed  and to do so with grace. Chief Justice John Roberts' unconventional commencement speech at Cardigan Mountain School, where his son graduated from ninth grade in June, has gone viral on Twitter. John Roberts Speech Twitter In his address, Roberts acknowledged that, in most commencement speeches, even influential ones from icons like Tim Cook, Oprah Winfrey and Mark Zuckerberg, there are two problems: The graduates are impatient, and speakers repeat the same ideas and advice. Roberts tried to solve those problems by delivering an unexpected lesson on how crucial it is to fail for learning perseverance. By wishing bad luck and even betrayal for the students he addressed, he said he hoped listeners would learn the importance of justice, friendship, loyalty, sportsmanship and compassion.

"And as far as the confidence goes, I think you will appreciate that it is not because you succeeded at everything you did, but because with the help of your friends, you were not afraid to fail," he said. He also pointed out that "whether I wish these things or not, they're going to happen. And whether you benefit from them or not will depend upon your ability to see the message in your misfortunes." Although Roberts made the point more bluntly than some, he is far from the only successful person to argue that losing teaches you how to win. Here are six influential leaders who have said that failure, and how you bounce back from it, is critical to your ultimate success.

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban

After graduating from Indiana University in 1981, tech entrepreneur Mark Cuban said he had quit or gotten fired from three consecutive jobs. "One of my favorite sayings is, it doesn't matter how many times you fail, just have to be right once. Then everybody can call you an overnight success," the star of ABC's "Shark Tank" said. "I've failed a company that sold powdered milk, I failed the jobs I've gotten fired from. And all those were learning experiences."

Star athletes Michael Jordan, Serena Williams and Peyton Manning

In a new Gatorade ad titled "The Secret to Victory," the athletes agree that overcoming defeat is the essential ingredient to achieving career success. "You want to know the secret to victory?" Jordan asks at the beginning of the ad. "Fail to make the varsity team." "It's not wanting to win that makes you a winner; it's refusing to fail," Manning once said.

Best-selling author J.K. Rowling

In 2008, J.K. Rowling gave a now famous commencement speech at Harvard in which she detailed the benefits of failure. "Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun," Rowling said. "So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential." "Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way," Rowling said.

Patron tequila co-founder Paul DeJoria

Although serial entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria once struggled to afford a 99 cent happy-hour margarita, he is now worth about $3 billion, according to Forbes. DeJoria told CNBC he had failed many times before co-founding hair company Paul Mitchell Systems and tequila maker Patron. His advice to others who want to get ahead? "Be prepared for a lot of rejection," he said, "because you are going to get it. If you are prepared for it, it's not going to hurt you as much." "Be just as enthusiastic on Door 101, [even] if 100 have been closed in your face. Eventually you're going to do it." Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook. Don't miss: The most influential and effective leaders have these 6 traits
News / Africa

by Thabo Kunene

Johannesburg - When president Jacob Zuma's term expires in 2019,many South Africans will remember him as the leader who risked his presidency by taking on white monopoly capital-the powerful apartheid era private corporations which control the economy.These private corporations are said to have benefitted massively from apartheid economic policies.The so-called WMC control big businesses,mining,banking sector,industries,media and the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) formerly Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). At the closing of their policy conference in Johannesburg last week,ruling African National Congress (ANC) leaders agreed to drop the word "white" and use monopoly capital.This was after an outcry from some business quarters and civic groups.Zuma's critics who include the opposition,civic groups and student organisations argue that under his leadership,South Africa is falling apart. ANC's divorce with its alliance partners, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and COSATU is almost a done deal. SACP leaders who stood by Zuma during his faction wars with Thabo Mbeki-have now turned against him.They have all publicly asked him to step down but he has ignored their calls.The most vocal of the communists has been Blade Nzimande who has become the enemy number one for the ANC Youth League which backs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma for the party leadership at the December elective conference. Nzimande said his call for Zuma to step down was not personal but good for the country. Nzimande's SACP is backing deputy president Cycil Ramaphosa.Time magazine carried a report saying South Africa was now 10th risk in the world.This means the investment climate is not condusive.In May US car manufacturing giant, General Motors announced it was pulling out of the country.The company has been operating in South Africa since 1926.Zuma,who headed the ANC military intelligence organisation, Mbokodo in exile,is fully aware of the consequences of his actions.By taking on the white monopoly capital,Zuma knew they would come after him with guns blazing and he appears ready for the fight.He now has the radical Black Land First (BLF) organisation behind him.The opposition is breathing down his neck and they have gone to court to ask for a secret ballot in a vote of no confidence in parliament.This appears to be the opposition's last desperate attempt to remove him from power.Zuma has also been warned to handle the land issue with special care-avoiding the Zimbabwe chaos which forced that country's agricultural based economy to collapse.Zimbabwe which used to feed some African countries in the past,is now a basket case.More than 2 Million Zimbabweans have fled the country for greener pastures in neighbouring countries and Europe.The current wave of attacks directed at Zuma were sparked by the dismissal of finance minister, Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas.Gordhan's dismissal has been welcomed by many blacks in the townships of Soweto. Black people say Gordhan did nothing to advance the cause of the previously disadvantaged blacks in the townships."Gordhan's firing was good riddance to bad rubbish.He was against black economic empowerment. We dont need him in our country," said Sifiso Nkabinde who runs a thriving shisa nyama business and restaurant in Thokoza township.According to Nkabinde, white South Africans always praise Mandela and Mbeki because the two former presidents did not touch their businesses or threaten to take the land and allocate it to blacks."I dont know much about Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe,but I hear he did a good job by kicking out whites from their farms.Zimbabweans now have their land back while we continue to live in abject poverty," complained Nkabinde as he rushes to attend to impatient customers.Another business man, Tsepo Tshiyane said if a white man praised a black man, that black man must be a puppet.Zuma's supporters don't want him to stop with radical economic transformation but go further and repossess the land.The ANC has also propossed that land be expropriated without compensation in some cases.But if Zuma wants to follow Mugabe's example,he must brace himself for a showdown with thousands of white farmers who own most of the land.Unlike their Zimbabwean counterparts,white farmers in South Africa pose a serious threat to the government.Most of them are former soldiers who fought in the apartheid government sponsored cross border wars which included Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Angola.The farmers,still armed and dangerous,consider themselves the rightful owners of the land despite being descendants of Dutch settlers.The Natives Land Act of 1913 awarded the ownership of 87 percent of land to white South Africans of European descent.The BLF organisation led by Andile Mngxitama is now fully behind Zuma despite having political differences. Mngxitama was expelled from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) after he became disillusioned with its leader, Julius Malema. He accused Malema of having the same tendences as the ANC the party which expelled him in 2012.BLF calls itself a socialist movement and has been active in waging verbal and physical attacks against what it calls "racist journalists" from the white media.
UBS Chief Executive Sergio Ermotti told CNBC that the Swiss bank may consider moving parts of its London branch to several European destinations over the next few months due to Brexit.

Ermotti said that while Switzerland's largest lender had been preparing contingency plans for Brexit since before the EU referendum had taken place, the bank had now started "narrowing down" its options.

"We do believe that by the end of summer or early part of Q4, we will need to further narrow down the options and start to implement some of these moves. (This) will indicate  maybe  the necessity to move people and also to reshape our legal entity construct in order to be able to serve clients," he said.
Donald Trump Jr., the U.S. president's eldest son, acknowledged Sunday that he met with a Russian lawyer who he was told might have information "helpful" to his father's presidential campaign last year.

In a statement, Trump said the lawyer, whom The New York Times identified as Natalia Veselnitskaya, offered information about President Donald Trump's then-Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, but the lawyer's statements were "vague" and "made no sense." Trump Jr. said he determined that she had "no meaningful information" and he discovered that her "true agenda" was to discuss the Magnitsky Act, an American law meant to punish Russian human rights violators.

Read Trump Jr.'s full statement here:

I was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance I knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign. I was not told her name prior to the meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to attend, but told them nothing of the substance. We had a meeting in June 2016. After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information. She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act. It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting. I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office. The meeting lasted approximately 20 to 30 minutes. As it ended, my acquaintance apologized for taking up our time. That was the end of it and there was no further contact or follow-up of any kind. My father knew nothing of the meeting or these events.

The Times, which first reported the story, described Veselnitskaya as a "Kremlin-connected lawyer." The June 9, 2016, meeting and Trump's statement about it raise more questions as a Department of Justice special counsel investigates Russian meddling in the 2016 election and any ties between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

Trump's son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort also attended the meeting.
After a weekend of criticism of President Donald Trump's tweeted plan to create a cybersecurity unit in cooperation with Russia, the president posted on Twitter late Sunday U.S. time that he actually didn't think it would happen.

Donald J. Trump: The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't-but a ceasefire can,& did!

Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time on Friday at the G-20 Summit in Germany.

The U.S. president claimed that he had discussed allegations that Russia interfered with the U.S. election last year, including through hacking.

But then Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters that Trump accepted Putin's assurance that Russia didn't interfere. The White House later disputed that to NBC News.

After the meeting, Trump sent a tweet saying he would work with Russia to create an "impenetrable" cybersecurity unit to keep "election hacking, & many other negative things" protected.

Donald J. Trump: Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..

That comment, coming as pundits began referring to the G-20 Summit as the "G-19 plus one" to signal how isolated the U.S. and Trump appeared, was met with "putting the fox in charge of the henhouse" derision  referencing repeated findings by U.S. and foreign intelligence agencies that Russia was involved in wide-scale hacking campaigns.

Donald J. Trump: I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion.....

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican representing South Carolina, mocked his president's proposed cybersecurity partnership in a weekend interview with NBC's "Meet the Press."

"It's not the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but it's pretty close," Graham said.

Administration figures had earlier defended the cybersecurity plan.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on ABC Sunday talk show "This Week" that the plan was "a very significant accomplishment for President Trump."

"This is a very important step forward. What we want to make sure is that we coordinate with Russia, that we're focused on cybersecurity together, that we make sure they never interfere in any democratic elections or conduct any cybersecurity [sic]," Mnuchin said. "This is like any other strategic alliance, whether we're doing military exercises with our allies or anything else."

Marco Rubio: Partnering with Putin on a "Cyber Security Unit" is akin to partnering with Assad on a "Chemical Weapons Unit".

Trump's backtrack on his cybersecurity alliance with Russia came after The New York Times reported Sunday that his son, Donald Trump Jr., met with a lawyer who had access to the Kremlin in 2016 because she may have promised information potentially damaging to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign.

The report cited three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.
A man rides a motorcycle near an ADNOC petrol station in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates July 10, 2017. Reuters

Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil company on Monday announced plans to publicly list parts of its business and seek new partnerships with oil majors. The United Arab Emirates' energy giant is seeking to boost profitability and gain access to new markets during a period of prolonged low oil prices that has piled pressure on nations dependent on revenue from fossil fuel. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC, is considering an initial public offering of minority stakes in some of its services businesses. The UAE joins Saudi Arabia and Oman in announcing plans to sell equity stakes in portions of their state-owned energy companies.

In this new energy era, we need more creative strategies and more flexible business models to capture growth Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber ADNOC Group CEO

However, Abu Dhabi does not plan to launch an IPO for ADNOC, the main holding company. That is in contrast to Saudi Arabia, which is expected to attract a valuation of $1 trillion to $2 trillion for Saudi Aramco by taking a portion of the company public in what is likely to be the largest-ever IPO. The first potential ADNOC services business IPO would be announced in a few months, with shares to be listed on domestic equity markets, according to Abu Dhabi state-owned newspaper The National. In contrast, Saudi Aramco plans to list on international exchanges. It's uncertain which businesses ADNOC will take public or how much an equity sale would raise. ADNOC also announced it wants to expand its model of partnering with international oil majors like Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell across the three major energy segments: exploring for and producing fossil fuels, storing and transporting them and processing them into fuels and chemicals. The effort is aimed at raising profitability and penetrating markets. Energy authorities in UAE, OPEC's fourth largest oil producer, last year gave ADNOC permission to increase output by 400,000 barrels a day to 3.5 million barrels a day by 2018. On Monday, ADNOC said it also aims to create a new energy infrastructure venture and open opportunities in its refining and petrochemicals segments.

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"Shifting global trends are creating a new energy landscape where new rules of engagement are required," ADNOC Group CEO and UAE Minister of State Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, said in a statement. "In this new energy era, we need more creative strategies and more flexible business models to capture growth." A surge in North American production made possible by technological revolutions contributed to a global crude oil glut that toppled prices from more than $100 a barrel in 2014 to under $50 today. That has forced OPEC and other exporters to band together to cut output in a bid to shrink global oil stockpiles. Growing self-reliance in North America has also fueled a fierce battle over market share in Asia, the engine of growth for fossil fuels, a trend that ADNOC's CEO acknowledged in his remarks on Monday. Middle East producers are now devising strategies to lock in Asian market share, said Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. However, ADNOC's plans are not just about raising revenue, but achieving UAE's economic vision for 2030, which aims to reduce oil's dominant role in the economy, she said. That is another trend among Middle Eastern nations.

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Prime Day began on July 15, 2015, to commemorate the Seattle, Washington -based company's 20th birthday. Its inaugural event was a success, exceeding Amazon's Black Friday sales, while the second edition last year was declared "the biggest day ever for Amazon" in a press release.

To be fair, Prime Day is only in its infancy, while Alibaba's bonanza has been around since 2009, when the company began using the "holiday" to promote sales during the usually slow period before the Lunar New Year season.

Last year, Alibaba racked up almost $18 billion in sales during the 24-hour event.

November 11 is known as Singles Day in China and it has become a major shopping holiday for the e-commerce giant. Singles Day began as an anti-Valentine's Day founded by college students in the 1990s, according to the Communist Party-owned People's Daily.

That's because his Alibaba has its own Prime Day  and it's exponentially bigger.

As shoppers gear up for Amazon Prime Day beginning Monday evening, the biggest sales day of the year for the company, Jack Ma is probably snickering somewhere.

Amazon's stock was up almost 2 percent in trading Monday. Prime Day officially kicks off Monday night at 9 pm ET and has been expanded by six hours this year to 30 hours.

One key difference between the two events is that Prime Day is open only to Amazon Prime subscribers, while Alibaba's is open to all shoppers. Amazon's event in many ways serves as a recruiting tool for new Prime members, by far its most valuable customers.

"The other piece of this is the attraction to become a Prime member," said Kerry Rice, a senior analyst at Needham & Company. "Certainly revenue is important. But there's a lot of data points out there that Prime members spend more than non-Prime, are retained longer."

It's difficult to say exactly how Prime Day affects the company's bottom line because the company does not release figures from it. However, retail firm FBIC predicted the company could generate $525 million in sales last year.

Jeff Bezos' behemoth did release some numbers about the day, including a more than 50 percent increase in orders from the United States from 2015 and a record day for Fire TV, Fire tablets, Kindles and Alexa-enabled devices. In addition, more than 1 million customers used the Amazon app for the first time on last year's Prime Day.

Rice said Amazon might have learned from Alibaba's Singles Day success, but still has some catching up to do to reach Alibaba's spectacle.

"Alibaba's is a little bit more progressed," he said. "They have celebrities; there's a whole online kickoff. They've made it a pretty big affair. Amazon has not quite gone to that length."

Indeed, some of Alibaba's figures from Singles Day are eye-popping. The company ran up $17.8 billion in sales, roughly the same as the entire country of Spain's e-commerce sales in 2016, according to eMarketer's research.

More items were bought on Alibaba's platform in that 24 hours than the entire combined Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales in the United States.

Cyber Monday saw sales top $3.4 billion in the United States last year, or less than one-fifth of Alibaba's sales from Singles Day.

$1 billion worth of orders were placed in the first five minutes of Alibaba's event.

Amazon's total revenue last year was $136 billion, meaning Alibaba's single day of sales would account for more than 10 percent of Amazon's total annual revenue  and that includes the vast array of Amazon's ecosystem.

The goals for the companies remain the same, however: to generate sales.
Almost six months after Donald Trump was sworn in as president and threatened to penalize automakers who import cars and trucks from Mexico, the flow of vehicles from south of the border has picked up momentum.



New data from the Mexican Automobile Industry Association shows the country exported 1.16 million vehicles to the U.S. in the first half of 2017, an increase of 15.6 percent compared with the same time frame in 2016.

Not only that, the U.S. has taken on a greater percentage of the total number of vehicles exported from Mexico to markets around the world. In the first half of the year, 76.8 percent of all cars and trucks shipped out of Mexico went to the U.S., that is up almost a full percentage point compared with a year ago.



In January, Trump tweeted, "The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers of jobs and companies lost."

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The increase in imports comes as U.S. auto sales have slowed down in 2017, falling 2.1 percent.



While Trump was able to pressure Ford to stop building a final assembly plant in Mexico, his efforts to slow down the flow of autos from Mexico have been mixed.



When asked recently by CNBC if he plans to halt plans to build a final assembly plant in Mexico, the chairman of BMW said no changes are planned. That plant is scheduled to open in 2019.



In the first half of this year, total auto production in Mexico surged 12.6 percent to an all-time high of 1.88 million vehicles.
Chinese exports to Japan have also been marking strong annual increases between 7.5 percent and 10.4 percent during the March-May interval  a vigorous pickup after a 12.4 percent decline in 2016.

Unrelenting pleadings by Japanese business circles for better, friendlier and more productive Sino-Japanese relations over the last four years are apparently bearing fruit. The Chinese have also decided to play along because they can get from Japan the technologies they need to create what they call an "innovation-driven" economy in order to boost productivity and business profits. That, China believes, will help to avoid the dreaded "middle-income trap" of developing economies.

Remarkably, the Japanese have also succeeded in turning the trade tide with South Korea. After a 6 percent decline in 2016, Japanese exports to South Korea were growing at a strong, 21.5 percent annual rate during the January-May period of this year. Over the same interval, the Korean sales to Japan have rebounded with an annual gain of 16 percent  after a 16.1 percent drop for all of 2016.

South Korea's export trade with China is booming, too, despite complaints that Beijing was cutting off business and "punishing" the Koreans for allowing the installation on their soil of an American missile shield that appeared threatening to China (and Russia).

China is still Seoul's most important trade partner by far. Beijing takes 25 percent of South Korean exports, compared with 12 percent for the U.S. In the first five months of this year, sales to China rose 14 percent  a sharp pickup from a 9.3 percent decline in the course of 2016.

Now, this booming Northeast Asian trade comes at a time when (a) China is asking Tokyo and Seoul to get on their best behavior and respect Beijing's core interests and (b) Japan and South Korea are failing to resolve their long-standing disputes during a summit meeting in Germany.
President Donald Trump (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk together at the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, April 7, 2017.

Internet controls in China are about to get even more restrictive. The government there has ordered telecommunications firms to bar the usage of Virtual Private Networks by February 1, 2018, according to a Bloomberg report, citing sources close to the matter.

VPNs provide a secure encrypted connection, which China's government says allows users to circumvent censorship restrictions. China Mobile , China Telecom and China Unicom are the state-run telecom companies to receive the government directive, according to the report.

A spokesperson from China Telecom, denied the claim, saying "the company has not received any notice from the government on this regard."

However, the change would be in line with China's strict internet policies and President Xi Jinping's 'Great Firewall,' a system to control web access. Xi has made China's "cyber sovereignty" a top priority and has also told the media its coverage should follow the party line and promote "positive propaganda," according to Reuters.

A ban on VPNs would make it nearly impossible for individuals in the country to access unfiltered web content from sources abroad including Facebook , Twitter and news outlets like the New York Times .

China Mobile, China Unicom and the Ministry did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment.

Read the entire report.
Chipotle Mexican Grill may have a perception problem  and it has nothing to do with bacteria or viruses.

The once-hot stock at its peak traded at more than $750 per share, but now changes hands at about $412, a drop of more than 54 percent from its high in 2015.

While Wall Street ties lackluster sales and dwindling customer visits to the chain's inability to come back from a string of food-safety incidents, the outbreaks may not be the only thing to blame.

In the eyes of its diners, Chipotle is often thought of as "fast food," a moniker that suggests quick service and low price. However, in the restaurant industry, Chipotle is considered a fast casual restaurant, meaning that it offers up a mashup of the convenience of a fast food chain and the quality and atmosphere of a casual, sit-down restaurant.

Chains like Chipotle promise customization, quick service and high food quality for a slightly steeper price than their fast food counterparts. But as diners walk in and order off a menu board like they would at a McDonald's or Taco Bell , they may miss the distinction. Most customers are grabbing their food and heading out the door, rather than sitting down and eating their meal leisurely as they would at the Cheesecake Factory or TGI Fridays.

If consumers continue to lump Chipotle in with fast food rivals, it will work against it as it tries to lure diners back.

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Fast food restaurants are known for cheaper prices and value selections, with average checks ranging between $3 and $7. Because Chipotle has higher-quality ingredients and a fast casual business model, its average check is around $11, David Henkes, principal at Technomic, told CNBC via email.

For those who consider the chain a fast food joint, they could be deterred from eating at Chipotle because its prices are so far above that of other chains that are actually in that category, such as KFC, Subway or Burger King.

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"I think Chipotle is much more fast food-like than casual dining, especially in urban locations where lots of people treat it as a grab-and-go option," Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, told CNBC via email. "The dining-in experience in many branches of Chipotle is far from inspiring and, in some locations, the ambiance and layout actively discourages people from eating in."

And he's not the only one to think so. J.G. Collins, managing director of Stuyvesant Square Consultancy, wrote in a Seeking Alpha article that Chipotle is "not really fast casual."

"You order off of a steam table, carry a tray to your table and pay a high price, relatively, for doing so," he wrote. "That's not terribly different from what you do in McDonald's, when you think about it, although McDonald's is a bargain by comparison."

Where Chipotle beats its fast food counterparts is in food quality. In late March, the chain eliminated all additives from its tortillas, a step that made the restaurant preservative-free for all but its drinks.

"Although Chipotle has struggled with food safety and sales in the last 18 months, they continue to maintain high levels of food integrity and quality ingredients," Darren Tristano, a restaurant industry trend expert, told CNBC via email. "Although their format is fast, they are not in the same category as fast food giants like McDonalds, Subway, KFC or Taco Bell."

The beleaguered burrito chain has hit some hiccups in recent months, including a data breach that sent shares tumbling and a price hike that scared away diners.

In addition, the chain has invested heavily in marketing and promotions, warning shareholders that expenses for the quarter could rise as much as 0.3 percent. Despite this, the company said last month that it expects same-store sales to still be in the high single digits.

But analysts say there is still a risk for Chipotle stock because investors are looking for measurable progress when the company reports its second-quarter earnings on July 25.

"While we remain confident management has the right strategies in place to fuel a recovery in sales/profitability over time, we also believe the short-term risk profile on CMG is somewhat elevated," David Tarantino, an analyst at Baird, said in a research note Monday.

Technomic's Henkes said Chipotle needs to continue to "invest and stay relevant to the consumer."

"But I think it's a stretch to take some of their challenges and move them into a segment that is more value and convenience-oriented," he said.
News / International

by Agencies

8th July was a special day for Women of Valiance (VOW) as they launched their Annual Ladies Luncheon. The event was a classy affair which was held at the beautiful Sculpture Gallery at Woburn Abbey. The event was completely sold out and 190 women attended the launch. All the women who attended the event were dressed to kill with their beautiful & colourful frocks and as for the fascinators, one could not stop admiring the creativity that went into creating those masterpieces.VOW, founded by Beritha Muzondo will go down as one of the best well organised Zimbabwean events in the UK. Hosted by TV personality, Bren Mupa, the event was graced by women from all walks of life. The women who attended had the same agenda; to have fun, motivate and learn from each other and to raise money to support education in Zimbabwe, and they did just that.According to the guests at the event, the room was filled with love and the women left the event inspired from the powerful & motivating speeches from the young Sakhile Khanye of Classique Q& A magazine, entrepreneur Hanani Dube of FroSister, Mary Majoni of MTM Accountants, Rumbidzai Bvunzawabaya of RBM Solicitors, Dr Rhoda Molife of Molah Media and Fungai Ndemera a Seven Figure Business Strategist and a closing speech from the founder and organiser of the event, Beritha.The room was filled with competitiveness with an aim of raising money for education. An auction was held for products donated by sponsors and and in the raffle many women walked away with prices also donated by sponsors. Hazel Kona who walked away with a brand new 40" Sony TV from ATM Car Hire, was lost for words & all she could say was " God is good"Fashion icon Tsitsi Fred won the bid for a beautiful clutch bag donated by A Woman With No Country formerly known as soon as Vanhu Vamwe. This work of art aroused interest to many ladies in the room & it's auction went on for a while raising over 700 towards the cause. The other ladies on table 7 who paid in 500 towards the auction were happy for bag to go to the fashionista who won the initial bid. Table 12 went down as the most competitive table as they bought most products.The event was a success as it achieved the main aim. Women came together, they networked, raised several hundreds of pounds & they left motivated & inspired. Several school stationery was donated. The ladies left the event singing the theme of the event, which was 'Stop saying, I wish, start saying I will"."Even though this was our first event, we exceeded our expectations and we are now challenged to do better next year. I have never been in a room filled with so much love and peace. I would like to thank everyone who attended and donated and all our sponsors. Also a big thank to everyone who supported this project from day one, especially my biggest supporters, my husband Stanley Muzondo and our beautiful daughter Aayeesha.The VOW event is a clear sign that as Zimbabweans, when we come together, we can do a lot more", said Beritha. The founder of Senditoo Takwana, also stopped by, to show the ladies how to download the app and those who downloaded the app on the day were able to send $5 worth of free airtime and they also got a t-shirt. For every download, VOW got a donation towards education, from Senditoo.Special thank you was given to all the sponsors who include:Ht LogisticsATM Car HireBespoke PetalsSenditooAnaka Hair CoutureA woman with no countryAny event cakesDouble delightsCake EmporiumGlambosslady BoutiqueK'WorsLanga CosmeticsJoy-line clothingVeneka Fashion AccessoriesCakes by RuvaFroSisterZuwaReChishongo worldDestiny Integrated CareTich PfupsStella Chinamo photographyZim Vision MediaLanga Cosmetics and HT Logistics (one of the main sponsors) were sponsoring all the way from Zimbabwe. HT Logistics director, Hazel Zhakata flew in from Zimbabwe to attend the event
Senate Democrats on Monday pushed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to work with them on an Obamacare fix as Republicans returned to Washington facing growing doubts that they can pass their bill to overhaul the health-care system.

In a letter to McConnell, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and three other Democrats called on McConnell to "focus on immediately advancing policies to provide stability and certainty to the health insurance markets." They asked Schumer to work with them in "advancing measures that would have an immediate impact on improving the health care system for American families."

Returning from a Fourth of July break with only three weeks until a recess for August, Republicans sit multiple votes short of the support needed to pass the Better Care Reconciliation Act. The Senate GOP is working on changes that could win over both its conservative and moderate wings, but those factions hold sometimes competing concerns about what it takes to improve the plan.

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., told CNBC on Monday he expects a revised version of the bill as early as Monday and still sees "a shot" of reaching the 50 votes needed to pass a plan. A spokesman for McConnell told CNBC that he does not "have any expectations of a bill release today," though he noted that the majority leader has said a Congressional Budget Office score is "forthcoming."
Costco shares were downgraded by BMO Capital Markets even after the company posted strong June sales figures last week, because the analyst believes the wholesale club's results don't matter in light of Amazon's growing grocery enterprise.

"Despite our continued belief that Costco's fundamental outlook remains strong," wrote BMO analyst Kelly Bania in Monday's report, "the weak stock reaction to Costco's impressive June comp figure (U.S. comps +6%) suggests that investor sentiment, driven by Amazon fears, may continue to overshadow strong fundamentals.

The analyst lowered the 12-month price target to $160, which is a 3.8 percent upside from Friday's close. BMO's previous target was $185, or a 20 percent upside. Shares fell around two percent during trading on Friday.

This is at least the third demotion for Costco in recent weeks. Last month, Deutsche Bank joined Goldman Sachs in lowering expectations for the wholesale firm, citing Amazon's recent deal for Whole Foods as a strong indication of upcoming competition. To date, no analysts recommend selling Costco shares.

Costco shares have climbed more than 80 percent in the last five years and have long outperformed other retailers throughout the rise of e-commerce retailing. But this luck may be running out.

Since Amazon's purchase of Whole Foods was announced in mid-June, Costco shares have fallen over 14 percent.

"Despite Costco's significant price gap to Amazon," continued BMO's Bania, "we believe near-term sentiment and fear of the long-term impact of Amazon on Costco's business (whether or not justified by fundamentals) could continue to create an overhang on COST shares."

According to the report, Costco's new valuation is based on 11x earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) on BMO's 2019 fiscal year forecast. The latest prediction is a "modest" premium to the 10-year average.
Donald Trump Jr. said Monday that he is "happy" to talk to the Senate Intelligence Committee about his meeting last year with a Russian lawyer who offered dirt on presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump Jr.: Happy to work with the committee to pass on what I know.

On Monday, intelligence committee member Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, called on the panel to interview Trump and "others who attended" the June 2016 meeting, according to Politico. That included President Donald Trump's son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner and his then-campaign manager, Paul Manafort, both of whom the younger Trump invited to the meeting.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the intelligence committee's vice chairman, said later Monday that he "absolutely" wants to meet with Trump about the meeting. It shows a "constant pattern of convenient forgetfulness" on the part of Trump campaign associates and meetings with Russia, he added.

The Senate panel, other congressional committees and a Department of Justice-appointed special counsel are investigating Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign and the Kremlin coordinated. The persisting probes have frustrated President Trump since he took office; he denies collusion with Russia.

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, also expressed interest in interviewing Trump Jr. about the meeting.

The New York Times, which first reported the meeting, described the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, as "Kremlin-connected." Trump said he did not know her name when he took the meeting. If he knew her links to the Kremlin, that would give a clearer signal that the Trump campaign was "willing to accept help from the Russians," according to Jeffrey Cramer, a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and managing director at Berkeley Research Group.

The president's legal team has said Trump did not attend the meeting and did not have knowledge of it. Trump Jr. also said Kushner and Manafort knew "nothing of the substance" about the meeting.

On Monday, the White House defended Trump Jr.'s actions. Principal deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders contended that he did nothing inappropriate, saying that he "took a very short meeting from which there was absolutely no follow-up."
Construction of the Gulf Coast Project pipeline, part of the Keystone XL pipeline, in Prague, Okla. Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Rebuilding America's infrastructure is one of the pillars in President Donald Trump's plan to generate jobs. But a lack of sitting commissioners at the Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC) has sidelined up to 15 energy infrastructure projects valued between $15 billion and $25 billion and an estimated 75,000 jobs. Energy CEOs are warning if FERC is not functional by August break, the private investment dollars for these projects might be gone. The agency normally has a five-commissioner panel, but has only one currently, Cheryl LaFleur, who is acting chair. Two others are awaiting a vote on their nomination by the full Senate, and another could be nominated soon. Without at least three commissioners, the FERC cannot conduct business, and it hasn't had that quorum since February. "These natural gas pipeline projects don't need federal dollars," said Jeff Bruner, President of Iroquois Pipeline (a Connecticut-based pipeline operating company), and vice chairman of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America said. "With only one member currently, FERC cannot approve new pipelines, and therefore infrastructure development is halted. We need to get infrastructure development back on track." Right now, Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson await a full Senate vote. Both were approved 20 to 3 by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 6. Last week, President Trump announced he would nominate Richard Glick, the general counsel of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to another vacant seat.

Dan Brouillette, deputy secretary of energy nominee for U.S. President Donald Trump, from left, Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson, nominees to be a members of the Federal Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Once Glick's paperwork is in he goes before the Senate Energy Committee and, if approved, he would then have a full Senate vote for confirmation. Time is running out for FERC to approve projects before Congress goes away on August break. While the regular open monthly meeting is set on the calendar for July 20, if there is no quorum, the meeting will be canceled. FERC has canceled every monthly meeting since it lost its quorum in February. The commission doesn't meet in August, so FERC might not meet next until late September. FERC tells CNBC it is up to the discretion of the chairman, once quorum is restored, if the commission would approve projects outside of its scheduled public meetings. CNBC reached out to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office inquiring when a full vote for Chatterjee and Powelson might be scheduled and was told there is "no scheduling announcements at this point." Energy CEOs say the lack of a quorum at FERC means the industry is slowing down and putting an unnecessary drag on the economy. "This is sidelining billions of dollars in private capital otherwise poised to put thousands of Americans to work expanding and improving our nation's energy delivery system." Said Bill Yardley, President, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Enbridge.

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Enbridge's $2 billion NEXUS Gas Transport project is just one of the many projects sidelined because of the lack of quorum. "The NEXUS Gas Transmission project alone would drive $830 million in economic activity and support nearly 7,000 good-paying construction jobs," Yardley said. Gerry Anderson Chairman and CEO of DTE Energy , which also has a stake in the NEXUS pipeline, said the quickest and easiest thing Washington could do to unleash investments in infrastructure would be for the Senate to immediately confirm the pending FERC nominees. "It's rare for Washington to have the opportunity to have such a direct and immediately positive impact on the economy  but this is one of those occasions." Christi Tezak, the managing director of research at Clear View Energy Partners, says many of the jobs affected are temporary construction jobs. "The longer we lack a quorum, the more impact accumulates. I see three upcoming pipes that if not approved this summer would add another $10B to that total and more jobs." A White House spokesperson said in a statement that political maneuvering was to blame, citing Minority Leader Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat. "For the past six months, Minority Leader Schumer has deliberately run an unprecedented campaign of obstruction against the President's nomineesand it is the American people who are being hurt. These nominations have been sent to the Senate and now it is in their hands to confirm the nominees as expeditiously as possible, in order for the FERC to work on these important issues and help grow the economy." FERC's quorum disappeared in February, after President Trump named Commissioner Cheryl A. LaFleur as acting chairman, leading to the resignation of then-Chairman Commissioner Norman C. Bay. In May 8, President Trump said he planned to nominate Chatterjee and Powelson, both Republicans, to FERC. It is a longstanding tradition in the Senate that confirmations are done in bipartisan pairs. Because both Chatterjee and Powelson are Republican nominees, a full Senate vote cannot go to the floor. The Senate must wait until the paperwork for Richard Glick, a Democrat. Senate Insiders say the White House's delay in submitting nominees is the only reason why there has been no quorum at FERC.

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The European Parliament has criticized the U.K.'s proposals on EU citizens' rights as a "damp squib" and has vowed to reject a Brexit deal if Britain does not offer more.

Chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt and leaders of four of the parliament's main groups wrote in a joint letter to newspapers that Britain's plans for the three million EU citizens expecting to remain in the U.K. post-Brexit "fall short" of what they are entitled to and what U.K. nationals are being offered in the EU.

"The proposal falls short of its own ambitions to "put citizens first". If implemented, it would cast a dark cloud of vagueness and uncertainty over the lives of millions of Europeans," the representatives wrote.

In outlining plans for citizens' rights, the EU had proposed that Britons and Europeans would keep the same rights and protections they currently receive under European law. However, the British proposal, delivered three weeks later, suggests that Europeans' rights within the U.K. would be significantly reduced from the day after Brexit, including curtailing voting rights and income thresholds.

"The British proposal carries a real risk of creating a second class of citizenship," the group of eight signatories wrote, claiming that the plans backtrack on Brexiteers' pledge that EU citizens would be treated "no less favourably than at present."

The leaders of the four groups, who account for two-thirds of the votes in European Parliament, added that they would veto any deal which places existing EU citizens' rights in jeopardy.

"The European Union has a common mission to extend, enhance and expand rights, not to reduce them. We will never endorse the retroactive removal of acquired rights.

"The European Parliament will reserve its right to reject any agreement that treats EU citizens, regardless of their nationality, less favorably than they are at present. For us, this is a question of basic fundamental rights and values, which are at the heart of the European project."
The pan-European ended up 0.38 percent with almost all sectors and major bourses in positive territory. Technology stocks were among the best-performing as investors regained faith in the sector following a brief lull earlier in the month.

Looking at individual stocks, Air France-KLM pared all of its early gains after reporting strong second-quarter bookings  an indication that interest in the French holiday market may be returning after a lull prompted by security concerns last year. Its shares ended slightly lower.

Sweden's Alfa Laval was among the top performers after receiving a rating upgrade from Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Its shares closed almost 3 percent higher.

Mail and e-commerce company Postnl jumped to the top of the benchmark, up over 4 percent. Shares in the Dutch postal firm appeared to soar after Henk Kamp, the outgoing economy minister, suggested regulatory changes were needed in the industry.



Meanwhile, in the U.S., Wall Street continued marginally higher as government bond markets showed signs of stabilizing after a recent sell-off.
A patient is monitored in an examination room inside the Clinical Decision Unit at Kaiser Permanente's Capitol Hill Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Fewer health insurers plan to participate in Obamacare exchanges next year, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

By the initial filing deadline, 141 issuers had applied to offer coverage compared to 227 at the same time last year, according to CMS. Last month, the agency published a map that showed as many as 1,200 counties could have just one insurer selling individual plans next year and that 47 could have none.

Health insurance companies started pulling out of marketplaces as they faced uncertainty over whether the Trump administration would continue to reimburse them for billions of dollars in subsidies for low-income customers.
Mayor of Le Havre Edouard Philippe speaks as he presents the candidates for the 'La Republique en marche' party ahead of the June parliamentary elections

France's Prime Minister has promised to reduce the tax burden by around 7 billion euros ($7.98 billion) from next year by reigning in public spending.

Edouard Philippe said at the weekend the government would focus on reducing the budget deficit below the EU-agreed cap of 3 percent of economic output this year.

"We are going to do it without increasing taxes in 2017," Philippe claimed, speaking to a convention of the delegates from France's Le Republique en Marche (LREM) government.

Commentators had worried that the government's commitment to meeting Brussels requirements would mean it fails to fulfill President Emmanuel Macron's campaign pledge to cut taxes and boost business.

However, Philippe insisted that the government could do both simultaneously by cutting public spending.

"Taxes will fall starting from 2018 by about seven billion euros by reining in spending and implementing the president's commitments coherently and over time starting with the 2018 budget bill," Philippe said.

The promise comes a week after Philippe outlined his government's reform agenda to the French National Assembly. He announced that corporation tax would be cut from 33.3 percent to 25 percent by 2022 but admitted a one-year delay to wealth and capital income tax proposals.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire reiterated Philippe's claims on Sunday, though he did not give a definitive time-frame.

"No definitive decision has been taken on the time-frame for now," Le Maire told reporters at a conference in Aix-en-Provence.

"I think we can perfectly reduce public spending very significantly to meet our European commitments and at the same time cut taxes for French households and French companies," he added.

The loose timeframe was greeted with optimism by businesses in Aix-en-Provence, according to Reuters reports. Total's chief executive Patrick Pouyanne said it was too early to judge the 60-day-old presidency.

"Let's not start criticizing," said Pouyanne. "Let's give them a bit of time. If there were a magic potion, it would have been used a long time ago."

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Exterior view of the Siemens Forum, part of the Siemens Headquarters, in Munich, Germany. Getty Images

One of Germany's biggest companies said Monday that it had become an unwitting pawn in a scheme to evade sanctions against Russia and break a de facto blockade of electricity to the annexed territory Crimea. The company, Siemens , a giant engineering and electronics conglomerate based in Munich, said a Russian customer had illegally shipped two power plant turbines to Crimea instead of their intended destination in southern Russia. The diversion of the turbines flouted what Siemens said was an agreement not to violate sanctions imposed by the international community after Russia annexed the territory from Ukraine in 2014. The incident threatens to strain relations between the countries, just days after Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany hosted a contentious meeting of world leaders in Hamburg, attended by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. The Russian customer, Technopromexport, has close ties to the Kremlin. The incident also demonstrates how energy has become a weapon in Russia's continuing struggle with Ukraine, Crimea's main source of electricity until the conflict interrupted supplies. Moscow had apparently become so desperate to solve an acute power shortage that it was willing to risk inflaming tensions with Germany.

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"Russia-E.U. relations are already not in a good place, not least because there seems to be no pathway for E.U. sanctions easing at this point," said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at Eurasia Group, a political consultancy. "In this light, this is going to be seen as something of a provocative act by Russia and will further deteriorate relations between Berlin and Moscow." The dispute will also do nothing to encourage foreign investment or repair Russia's reputation as a place where contracts are often ignored, property is subject to arbitrary seizure and there is little legal recourse. Siemens has been one of Russia's most reliable foreign investors. It has done business in Russia since the rule of the czars and usually avoids saying anything to offend the government. But abandoning any pretense of diplomacy, Siemens said it would begin criminal and civil proceedings in Russia against those responsible for what it called the fraudulent export of the turbines. The unusually sharp statement on Monday followed news reports about the violations, from what the company called "reliable sources." Siemens also said it had been lied to by its Russian customer. Technopromexport had repeatedly reassured Siemens that the turbines would not be sent to Crimea, Siemens said. The Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry S. Peskov, said Monday that the turbines had been made in Russia from Russian parts and were not subject to sanctions restrictions. According to Siemens, the turbines were made in Russia with a Russian partner but by contract subject to the sanctions. "This development constitutes a clear breach of Siemens's delivery contracts, which clearly forbid our customer from making deliveries to Crimea," Siemens said. While hurt by sanctions, Russia has been in a prolonged economic slump mostly because of low oil prices. Crimea is different. The peninsula, isolated and contested, is under a stricter regime, and electricity in particular has been politicized. In 2015, Ukrainian nationalists blew up electrical pylons, and rolling blackouts ensued, embarrassing the Russian government by illustrating its dependence on Ukraine to keep everything, including trolley buses and hospitals, running. Russia quickly unspooled an undersea cable, but it met only part of the region's demands. Ukraine then tried to write its claims to sovereignty into a new electrical supply contract, again rubbing in Russia's inability to power up Crimea. The attempt to smuggle in sanctioned generators is the most aggressive Russian move to solve the electrical shortage.

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Big tech stocks have already enjoyed sharp gains this year and Goldman Sachs says there are more to come this earnings season. Consumer discretionary and energy are a different story, however.

In a note Friday, David Kostin, Goldman's chief U.S. equity strategist, said he expects margins for large-cap tech stocks to remain stable this year after the companies topped estimates for margin expansion in the first quarter, representing an "upside risk to 2Q EPS (earnings per share)."

"Consensus expects Info Tech margins will decline by 31 bp (basis points) in 2Q," Kostin said. Accounting changes by Facebook and Google parent Alphabet will act as "a one time headwind" in the calculation of margins. "However, Info Tech margins beat consensus forecasts in 1Q and we estimate full-year 2017 Info Tech margins will be stable at 19.9%."

Some of the tech stocks expected by Goldman to post strong margin growth this year include Nvidia , Qorvo and Lam Research . Tech names have rallied 17 percent for the year, making them the 's best performers.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has lashed out at the Zapu Matabeleland South Executive member Metthew Sibanda for attacking them (MRP) describing the party as an agent of Zanu PF.MRP spokesperson Mbonisi Gumbo said Sibanda's remarks were unfortunate and unfounded."MRP as the people's Revolutionary Party has always chosen not to respond or attack any of the Matabeleland parties, simply because we are in the same trenches and they are not our problem," he said."It is therefore unfortunate that Zapu's Matabeleland South Executive member Matthew Sibanda has chosen the path of mudslinging and backbiting us. According to the media Sibanda was quoted as having said that MRP is a Government's project meant to disturb the Democratic forces in Zimbabwe. We then wonder which democratic forces is he talking about? Considering the fact that his party, Zapu itself has no democracy. Not only that his party has been rejected by the people. The Party contested in 2013 and got nothing. Also in 2015 when all other opposition parties had boycotted the elections they went ahead and contested against Zanu PF. Still they got nothing not even a single councillor. Therefore our million dollar question is how are we disturbing them?."He said if there is any Party that is a problem to them it is Zanu PF and all Harare based political parties not Zapu."Zapu is an enemy of its own by failing to reform and realise that they cannot penetrate Mashonaland. Instead of joining forces with MRP they are fighting us and that is a bad strategy by Zapu's leadership, mostly whom we consider as elders. They should focus on building Zapu not us," he said."It is so much disturbing that Zapu as an opposition party in Matabeleland sees it fit to demonize the Mthwakazi Restoration Agenda. Not only that Zapu saw it fit to join forces with the architects of our problems in Matabeleland and come back trying to grand stand over nothing. As MRP we didn't expect that from a seasoned party like Zapu, in fact is shows dwarfism and political immaturity at its worst.""We are aware of Zapu's desperation for attention to the extent that the party is even ready to work with a Lacoste faction in Zanu PF which is led by the chief Gukurahundist, but we have chosen to keep silent and let them try whatever they can to survive in the political arena."He said the Stone that the builders rejected has become the Chief corner stone of the building"."Zapu rejected us and they are bitter about our achievements so far ever since we entered the mainstream politics. During the days when some of us as MRP leaders were still in Zapu they never called us Zanu project, in fact it is the people like Mathew Sibanda and his club of failures who frustrated us and misled Dr Dumiso Dabengwa. They treated us like Sunday school children,|" Gumbo said."Its now the time to separate boys from men."
Alphabet on Monday said it has kicked off a new research initiative aimed at improving human interaction with artificial intelligence systems.

The People + AI Research (PAIR) program currently encompasses a dozen people who will collaborate with Googlers in various product groups  as well as outsiders like Harvard University professor Brendan Meade and Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Hal Abelson.

The research could eventually lead to refinements in the interfaces of the smarter components of some of the world's most popular apps. And Google's efforts here could inspire other companies to adjust their software, too.

"One of the things we're going to be looking into is this notion of explanation  what might be a useful on-time, on-demand explanation about why a recommendation system did something it did," Google Brain senior staff research scientist Fernanda Viegas told CNBC in an interview.

The PAIR program takes inspiration from the concept of design thinking, which highly prioritizes the needs of people who will use the products being developed.

While end users  such as YouTube's 1.5 billion monthly users  can be the target of that, the research is also meant to improve the experience of working with AI systems for AI researchers, software engineers and domain experts as well, Google Brain senior staff research scientist Martin Wattenberg told CNBC.

The new initiative fits in well with Google's increasing focus on AI. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has repeatedly said the world is transitioning from being mobile-first to AI-first, and the company has been taking many steps around that thesis. Recently, for example, Google formed a venture capital group to invest in AI start-ups.

Meanwhile Amazon, Apple , Facebook and Microsoft have been active in AI in the past few years as well.

As for design, that isn't new to Google, either. The company implemented a redesign for several of its apps in 2011 and in more recent years has been sprucing up many of its properties with its material design principles. And in 2016 John Maeda, then the design partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, pointed out in his annual report on design in technology that Google had been perceived as improving the most in design.

What is new is that Googlers are trying to figure out how to improve design specifically for AI components. And that's important because AI is used in a whole lot of places around Google apps, even if you might not always realize it. Video recommendations in YouTube, translations in Google Translate, article suggestions in the Google mobile app and, yes, even Google search results are all enhanced with AI.
The steps of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Lobbyists in the health care industry kept quiet for the first weeks of debate over the Senate bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. But it's becoming increasingly clear that the measure is dividing the industry against itself. As I previously reported, the health care industry collectively has held some of its fire over the Republican legislation. Companies were wary of agitating Republicans whose goodwill they'll need on other legislation while the party holds power. But divisions within the industry are deepening. Insurers like several provisions in the bill: a $140 billion tax cut as well as more than $100 billion in federal funding designed specifically to improve the insurance markets. Hospitals and doctors, meanwhile, are warning of the dangers of a $772 billion cut to Medicaid over the next 10 years and the consequences of 22 million fewer Americans having insurance. More from Vox:

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Every tax cut in the Senate GOP health care bill, cartoonsplained The split makes insurers and hospitals sound like they're talking about two different Senate bills. Anthem lauded the legislation, saying it would "markedly improve the stability of the individual market." The American Hospital Association, on the other hand, urged senators "to go back to the drawing board" because the bill's cuts to Medicaid were "unsustainable and will increase costs to individuals with private insurance." Insurers' support for the bill is affecting its political prospects. Some Republican senators who oppose the bill, stalled for now after defections from the conservative and centrist wings, have cited the giveaways to the insurance industry  which made the strategic choice to work with Senate leaders  as reason for their opposition. "Maybe we should think about health care and not necessarily bailing out the insurance companies," Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told reporters recently. "The insurance companies have had their fingers all over this bill. The rich are gonna get richer, as far as the insurance business goes."

Insurers are one of the few health care sectors embracing the GOP bill

The difference is plain in the rhetoric different health care sectors use to describe the Republican bill. Insurance companies praise provisions in the plan  a market stabilization fund, guaranteed payment of Obamacare subsidies, and an incentive for people to stay insured  that they say will improve the health insurance exchanges in the next few years. "We are encouraged that 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 Blue Cross Blue Shield Association said in a statement. The sentiment is widely shared within the industry. "This bill does a lot of good things for immediate stability," Kristine Grow, a spokesperson for America's Health Insurance Plans, the top industry lobbying group, told me recently. But the rest of the health care industry  particularly the "white coats," physicians and hospitals  has outwardly opposed the bill. They say the $772 billion in Medicaid cuts and projected coverage losses would negatively affect Americans' ability to access the health care they need (and those changes are also sure to affect their bottom lines). When a collection of patient groups organized events opposing the bill in recent weeks, they were joined by both the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association. "We urge the Senate to go back to the drawing board and develop legislation that continues to provide coverage to all Americans who currently have it," the hospitals association said in a statement. The AMA charged that the Senate's bill conflicted with the physician's code to do no harm. "The draft legislation violates that standard on many levels," the association said. Some insurers don't like the Medicaid cuts either, as much of the program has been moved to managed care programs that are administered by private health insurers. Cuts to federal spending are sure to affect that business. But in their assessment, the additional federal funding and tax cuts provided in the Republican plan seem to have come out as a wash for insurers. Even if many of them are declining to take a formal position on the bill, that is still more of an embrace than it's seeing from most other parts of the industry. "If you look at this bill, it's not about one part of the market. It's about the individual market. It's about the Medicaid market," Grow said, noting "how interrelated those two markets are. Many individuals ebb and flow between these two markets."

The Senate plan has some big victories for health insurers

The current bill adds up to some pretty big wins for the health insurance industry. Repealing the fee on health plans is expected to cut taxes for the industry by $144 billion over the next 10 years. The Senate plan also includes $50 billion for short-term stabilization of the insurance market and another $62 billion to help cover high-cost patients. It also guarantees funding of Obamacare's cost-sharing reductions subsidies, which President Donald Trump had previously threatened to cut off, as he has the power to do because of an ongoing lawsuit started by House Republicans. "Insurers did get a good amount of what they wanted, in the short term at least," one Republican health care lobbyist told me. They've also gotten a technical but important provision added in the days since Republican leadership first released the bill. The initial draft had no policy incentivizing people to buy health coverage. Insurers warned that without such an incentive, the markets could be sent into a "death spiral" as only sicker people bought coverage. A few days later, such a provision  which would allow insurers to lock people out of benefits if they had a gap in coverage  was added to the legislation. Insurance companies have cited all of the above as positives in the Senate plan. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association praised the bill for "strong incentives for people to stay covered continuously, funding the cost-sharing reduction program to help people with out-of-pocket costs and providing additional, dedicated funds to care for those with significant medical needs."

Doctor and hospitals warn the bill would harm Medicaid
Billboard campaign by the Hungarian government shows George Soros smiling next to the words "Let's not let Soros have the last laugh." The graffiti translates to "dirty Jew."

A government campaign portraying billionaire businessman George Soros as the enemy of the Hungarian people has prompted a public outcry with people accusing the ruling right-wing Fidesz party of Nazi-era anti-Semitism.

The election campaign run by incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orban casts the American-Hungarian investor as a supporter of illegal immigration, intent on undermining the government's strict refugee policies.

Television adverts and billboards posted around the country show Soros  who was born in Hungary to a Jewish family that survived the Nazi occupation - next to the words: "Let's not let Soros have the last laugh."

Critics say the posters recall anti-Semitic imagery of the 1930s, which portrayed Jews as political manipulators. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry in Budapest say the government has a "duty to defend our homeland and citizens," according to Israeli news publisher Haaretz.

Members of the international community have also hit out at the displays, with Israel's ambassador to Hungary saying on Monday that the campaign "sows hatred and fear." However, hours later Israel's foreign ministry issued a "clarification" saying that Soros was a legitimate target for criticism. This comes just days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Orban in Budapest.

The campaign is the latest in a continued onslaught by Orban against the 86-year-old investor.

The Hungarian premier has often vilified Soros, whose ideals are squarely at odds with Orban's view that European culture is under an existential threat from migration and multiculturalism.

In April, the pair came to loggerheads amid moves by Orban to shut down the Central European University, the school founded by Soros.

Orban has also been attempting to tighten the rules which govern non-governmental organizations (NGOs), many of which have been beneficiaries of the some $400 million donated by Soros to support justice, education and human rights in Hungary.

Soros has not commented on the campaigns though he has been vocal in his criticism of Orban, who he accuses of building a "mafia state."

When contacted by CNBC, the Hungarian embassy provided a statement made by Orban Friday to Hungarian radio in which he said that Soros' immigration agenda would remove power from Hungary and place it in Brussels.

"A development over the past week is that they (Soros and associates) are trying to set up a European institution, an asylum authority at European level, which would appropriate these powers from the nation states. According to this, we would not decide who we accept into our countries. Indeed, this would also deprive nation states of distribution activities related to the admission of refugees," Orban told Kossuth Radio.

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J.C. Penney said Monday Chief Financial Officer Edward Record will leave the struggling retailer to "pursue other interests."

Record will step down on Tuesday but will remain in an advisory capacity with the company until Aug. 7. The company's stock fell nearly 2 percent in after-hours trading following the announcement.

"I've had a very rewarding experience at JCPenney, and am proud of the work we have undertaken to strengthen the company's financial condition," Record said in a press release. "JCPenney is well positioned for the future, and I will continue to follow the company closely as the team builds on the positive momentum it has experienced over the last few years."

Andrew Drexler, senior vice president and chief accounting officer and controller, will serve as CFO on an interim basis while the company looks for Record's replacement.

Record joined the company in March 2014, and during his tenure, the company retired more than $1.4 billion in debt, according to a press release. Despite accomplishments, JCPenney has continuously struggled along with the rest of the retail industry.

CEO Marvin Ellison thanked Record for his work and teased future announcements.

"The timing of his departure coincides with a demonstrated sales performance improvement in the second quarter, and we continue to expect to report significantly improved top-line results this quarter versus the first quarter," Ellison said. "We look forward to sharing more details on August 11."
Kraft Heinz isn't finished with Unilever and could come back with a sweetened bid of around $200 billion for the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods conglomerate, according to a report.

"We are now coming around to the view that a hostile bid for [Unilever] is more than 75 percent likely," said Susquehanna analyst Pablo Zuanic in a research note Sunday.

In February, U.S. food giant Kraft Heinz failed in its attempt to take over Unilever for $143 billion in a deal that was backed by two major investors in Kraft Heinz, private equity firm 3G Capital and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway .

Zuanic estimates a new deal, however, would bring the takeover price "close to $200 billion."

Even with a higher bid, he said a merger "remains a 'good fit' as with it KHC expands in food and builds an HPC [or home and personal care] platform."

Unilever's personal care brands include Dove, Vaseline and Pond's, among others. Kraft Heinz's major brands include Oscar Mayer, Grey Poupon, as well as its famous ketchup.

"By mid-August, the six-month hiatus required by British takeover law will have passed, and KHC could proceed to make a hostile bid for Unilever," said the Susquehanna analyst.

Kraft Heinz and Unilever declined to comment.

"We think it is telling KHC has done nothing (M&A wise) for the past five months," he said.

At the same time, Zuanic explained that a "rebuff/defeat is not something 3G/KHC can tolerate if they plan to continue to roll-up the [consumer packaged goods] space."

Unilever's U.S.-traded stock is up 34 percent so far this year and is also higher since the original proposal was rejected. Shares of Kraft Heinz are down almost 5 percent this year, while the broadly based is up more than 8 percent.

"We doubt anything less than a 20 percent premium could entice Unilever shareholders (assuming KHC goes hostile)," said Zuanic.

At around $200 billion, the analyst said the deal would be "25-35 percent equity funded" and adds that it could include "a mix of $10-$12 billion equity investments each by 3G and Berkshire." Moreover, he believes asset sales from the combined company also might make a revised deal more palatable.

In particular, Zuanic said asset sales could generate between $25 billion and $35 billion. He said they could include everything from selling Unilever's ice cream or cosmetics business to unloading Kraft Heinz's frozen foods, coffee or Oscar Mayer businesses.

After the Unilever deal failed, Buffett was asked on CNBC's "Squawk Box" about what happened and said the offer was not intended to be a "hostile offer," but "may have been interpreted that way."

Zuanic said "the impediment" for a deal to happen is not regulatory in nature but billionaire Buffett's preference "to go where he is welcome" and not do hostile bids. Then again, the analyst believes Buffett "will come around."

Regardless, Unilever's CEO Paul Polman told "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer in May that the company was doing just fine on its own and he wasn't impressed by the Kraft Heinz offer.

"In the end, our strategy...in investing is Warren's strategy," Polman said. "And my returns have been higher in the last eight years than Warren's returns. So I think it's better if he leaves us with what we know how to do well."
In this photo illustration a selection of UK national newspapers are displayed together on October 30, 2013 in London, England.

The news industry is to band together to seek a limited antitrust exemption from Congress in an effort to fend off growing competition from Facebook and Google .

Traditional competitors including The Washington Post , The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times , as well as a host of smaller print and online publications, will temporarily set aside their differences this week and appeal to federal lawmakers to let them negotiate collectively with the technology giants to safeguard the industry.

Antitrust laws traditionally prevent companies from forming such an alliance which could see them becoming over-dominant in a particular sector. However, the media companies will be hoping that Congress will look favorably on a temporary exemption, particularly giving the recent clampdown on the technology industry which saw Google slapped with a $2.7 billion antitrust fine.

The campaign is led by newspaper industry trade group News Media Alliance and it is intended to help the industry collaborate in order to regain market share from Facebook and Google, which have been swooping in on newspapers' distribution and advertising revenues.

The two companies currently command 70 percent of the $73 billion digital advertising industry in the U.S., according to new research from the Pew Research Centre. Meanwhile, U.S. newspaper ad revenue in 2016 was $18 billion from $50 billion a decade ago.
Oil and gas will remain key energy sources despite the presence of shale and other alternative energy resources, the president of oil and gas company BHGE told CNBC on Monday.

"When you look at the energy requirements, the increasing population, we feel there's going to be a necessity from an oil and gas perspective as we go forward," Lorenzo Simonelli told CNBC on the sidelines of the World Petrolum Congress in Istanbul.

"LNG (Liquefied natural gas) continues to grow at 3 to 4 percent, oil continues to grow at about 1 percent, you've got natural gas growing at 2 percent, as you look long term that supply demand balance is going to be there. What we've got to focus on is making sure that we drive productivity through that value chain to let the investments go forward," he added.

Oil and gas firms worldwide have cut their share in investment given the subdued market prices in the last few years. Wood Mackenzie, an energy consultancy, said in May that it expects exploration spending to increase by no more than 10 percent from the recent historic lows.

Given the low level of investments, the world could soon face an oil supply shortage, Amin Nasser, the chief executive of Saudi Aramco, said Monday also in Istanbul, Reuters reported. He added that it is too early to know if other energy resources such as shale gas will be able to develop at a fast enough pace to replace oil and gas.
Investment inflows into Qatar exceeded outflows even as the Gulf nation grappled with diplomatic isolation by its neighbors, its central bank governor Abdullah Saud Al-Thani told CNBC in a Sunday interview.

Al-Thani said a "not very significant" amount of less than $6 billion left Qatar over the last month, mostly moved out by non-residents on the first and second day of the crisis. But that level is not too different from those observed before the regional dispute, the central banker said.

"Some of them went as foreign currencies, (it) is normal as it was  We haven't seen a very significant amount drawn from our reserves, and we are satisfied that it is a normal amount of money (that) has been drawn in the last month almost," he said.

Qatar has denied accusations by its neighbors that it supports terrorism and allies with regional foe Iran. But Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain have pressed on, pledging to take new political, economic and legal steps against Qatar.

Since the spat first unfolded in June, the Qatari stock market sunk and the country's currency  the riyal  fluctuated wildly, while ratings agency Moody's downgraded Qatar's sovereign credit to "negative" from "stable."

But Al-Thani downplayed the overall impact of the crisis on the country's economy and financial system. He noted that the country's stock market is attracting more interest from foreign investors.
Just as the House Republican bill to slash much of the Affordable Care Act moved forward, Rep. Mike Conaway, a Texas Republican and member of Speaker Paul Ryan's leadership team, added a health insurance company to his portfolio.

An account owned by Conaway's wife made two purchases of UnitedHealth stock, worth as much as $30,000, on March 24th, the day the legislation advanced in the House Rules Committee, according to disclosures. The exact value of Conaway's investment isn't clear, given that congressional ethics forms only show a range of amounts, and Conaway's office did not respond to a request for comment.

It was a savvy move. Health industry stocks, including insurance giants like UnitedHealth, have surged as Republicans move forward with their repeal effort, which rolls back broad taxes on health care firms while loosening consumer regulations which prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for medical treatment. UnitedHealth has gained nearly 7 percent in value since March 24.

More from The Intercept:

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He wasn't the only one. As the health care system overhaul advanced last month on the other side of Capitol Hill, Republican Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma purchased between $50,000 to $100,000 in UnitedHealth stock.

"Sen. Inhofe has a financial advisor who makes transactions on his behalf and these transactions are disclosed as required by the STOCK Act," Nicole Hage, Inhofe's spokesperson, told The Intercept. "The transaction you reference was routine and made without the Senator's prior knowledge or consultation."

The issue of insider political trading, with members and staff buying and selling stock using privileged information, has continued to plague Congress. It gained national prominence during the confirmation hearings for Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, when it was revealed that the Georgia Republican had bought shares in Innate Immunotherapeutics, a relatively obscure Australian biotechnology firm, while legislating on policies that could have impacted the firm's performance.

The stock advice had been passed to Price from Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., a board member for Innate Immunotherapeutics, and was shared with a number of other GOP lawmakers, who also invested in the firm. Conaway, records show, bought shares in the company a week after Price.

Conaway, who serves as a GOP deputy whip in the House, has a long record of investing in firms that coincide with his official duties. Politico reported that Conaway's wife purchased stock in a nuclear firm just after Conaway sponsored a bill to deal with nuclear waste storage in his district. The firm stood to directly benefit from the legislation.

Some of the biggest controversies stem from the revelation that during the 2008 financial crisis, multiple lawmakers from both parties rearranged their financial portfolios to avoid heavy losses. In one case, former Rep. Spencer Baucus, R-Ala., used confidential meetings about the unfolding bank crisis to make special trades designed to increase in value as the stock market plummeted.

Congress eventually acted with the STOCK Act, legislation designed to curb insider trading abuses. But the law was quickly watered down with amendments, and some provisions of it were later repealed. As we've reported, the House of Representatives has actively fought efforts to enforce the law after the Securities and Exchange Commission attempted to investigate one congressional staffer accused of passing health care information to a set of hedge funds.

Reprinted with permission from The Intercept.
News / National

by Staff reporter

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's nephew, Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao, yesterday dared Zimbabwe Defence Commander Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga and Air Marshall Perrance Shiri to stay clear of Zanu-PF's ugly succession politics or take off their camouflage and join fulltime politics.Zhuwao's remarks came after Chiwenga and Shiri recently issued a series of warnings targeted at Zanu-PF Young Turks opposed to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa's bid to succeed Mugabe.The army's top brass has particularly been miffed by Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo's relentless attacks on Mnangagwa.Chiwenga last week ordered Moyo to tame his tongue before Shiri joined in the fray labelling the Tsholotsho North MP as a "war deserter" who later worked closely with Ian Smith's Selous Scouts to fight liberation war fighters.Moyo, Zhuwao and Zanu-PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere are believed to be part of the ruling party's G40 faction, which is strongly opposed to Mnangagwa's succession bid."I do not recall the military accusing me of anything apart from the vacuous nincompoop who sought to threaten me near Inkomo Barracks," Zhuwao said."Such cowardly individuals must retire their uniforms and join the political playing field so that we dress them down properly."Meanwhile, war veterans' leaders who have declared their allegiance to Mnangagwa yesterday accused Mugabe of deliberately protecting G40 faction leaders so that they help to groom his daughter, Bona, for a higher political office.Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association (ZNLWVA) secretary-general Victor Matemadanda said Mugabe was reluctant to rein in G40 leaders because he wants to create a family dynasty, where his daughter becomes an influential political actor.Bona was recently appointed Censorship Board member and the soon-to-be-launched Empowerment Bank board.Already Mugabe's wife, Grace, has had a mark in Zanu-PF politics with the majority of her rivals falling by the wayside."Now they (G40) are saying if they cannot put (Defence minister Sydney) Sekeramayi, they will opt for Bona. They are saying they were asked to initiate Bona into leadership. This is what they are saying. They are saying they have been told by the President to groom Bona for leadership and they are boasting about it," Matemadanda said."If it is true that they are nurturing people like Bona to take over, then the President will never act on their (G40) misdeeds. If it's not true we must be seeing the President acting.""Normally, we would not have a problem with a person wanting to rule, but when it is creation of a dynasty then it will be resisted. If it was someone else and not the President's daughter being hand-hold like this, there would be no problem," he said, adding people will have to fight against dynasty considering that the people have suffered under the leadership of Mugabe.However, Zhuwao hit back at Matemadanda, describing him as a madman."Some of these unrepentant successionist fools and idiots are clearly frustrated by their inability to influence the complex political dynamics of this great nation. They fail to understand that leadership emanates from the people and not from some misplaced notion of entitlement devoid of vision and direction," he said.
A turning point in the oil market is on the horizon amid a sharp drop in investments and a lack of fresh conventional discoveries, Saudi Aramco's chief executive told CNBC on Monday.

"A lack of investment is definitely not helping, so if that continues over the next couple of years there will be an inflection point," Amin Nasser said on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul.

Oil market watchers are constantly fretting over the balancing of supply and demand. Many have focused on the supply dynamics since oil's drop in mid-2014, as U.S. shale has compounded a global glut of the commodity. But, Nasser believes this could change in the coming years and people could start worrying about whether there is enough oil to meet demand.
A retort to President Donald Trump lit up Twitter on Monday, as one scholar had "a few things to say."

Trump tweeted that former FBI Director James Comey "leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION" to the media, and said it was "so illegal."

@realDonaldTrump tweet.

Benjamin Wittes, a senior fellow in governance studies at The Brookings Institution, shot back with a 12-part response, starting with "I have a few things to say about this tweet."

@benjaminwittes "I have a few things to say about this tweet. /1/"

Wittes' first two points of rebuttal were in regard to Trump's previous denial of Comey's claims, which were made in Senate Intelligence Committee testimony on June 8. If Trump's defense was true, Wittes pointed out that any memo regarding the interaction could not be classified.

@benjaminwttes. /2/

But if Trump's defense is not true, and because Trump names Comey in his most recent tweet about their meeting, then Trump's accusation is libelous.

@benjaminwittes /3/

@benjaminwittes /4/

Wittes points to one exception to a potential libel suit, in that the president of the United States can claim immunity from a civil suit under the Supreme Court's decision in Nixon v. Fitzgerald (1982).

@benjaminwittes /5/

If Trump were to claim immunity as a response to his tweets about Comey, Wittes tweeted that, "for what it's worth, that's incredibly sleazy. And it's not what Fitzgerald immunity was meant to protect."

@benjaminwittes /6/

On the point of immunity, Wittes points to two essays about presidential immunity.

Finally, Wittes hopes that the president's testing of "the other bounds of Presidential action," especially done via one's personal Twitter account, comes before the Supreme Court.

"I hope someday someone the President defames in this way makes the Supreme Court answer this question," Wittes said.

@benjaminwittes /12/
It might take time for the offshore marine sector to regain its footing, but the worst of the downturn could be over for the largest offshore rig builder in the world.

"We are watching carefully  As far as we are concerned, the bulk of it is done," Keppel Corporation CEO Loh Chin Hua told CNBC's "Managing Asia" on the subject of "rightsizing" at the offshore and marine group.

Keppel  the world's top offshore rig builder  has been hit hard by the knock-on effect lower oil prices have had on the oil support services space. The company has laid off nearly 18,000 workers as part of a major restructuring exercise that began in 2015.

While there might be some adjustments left to work out regarding restructuring efforts, those will be done with more than just cost-cutting in mind as Keppel focuses on efficiency, Loh said.

"We believe the long-term prospects for offshore marine are very bright and we want to be sure that when we emerge from this down cycle, we will not only be in the lead, but we will lengthen the distance between us and our competitors."

On the issue of a recovery in the offshore marine sector, Loh acknowledged that, while higher oil prices were helpful, the markets remained "a little bit uncertain."

Oil prices might be off the lows touched in 2016, but have run into volatility in recent months as the markets reacted to rising production levels despite OPEC-led efforts to tackle a supply glut.

"The part on exploration rigs, which is what we are quite well-known for, building jack-ups and floaters, I think the market there, we believe will take some years," he added.
Two days after returning from an international summit, President Trump kicked off his week back in Washington by renewing his attack on the FBI director he fired in the midst of the Russia investigation  this time, accusing him of leaking classified information to the press.

"James Comey leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media. That is so illegal!" Trump tweeted early Monday.

@realDonaldTrump: James Comey leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media. That is so illegal!

However, Comey has discussed the content of his memos publicly during congressional testimony and addressed the general sensitivity with which he treated their contents.

More from USA Today:

Mnuchin still expects middle-class tax cuts in 2017

Abercrombie & Fitch ditches plan to consider selling itself amid retail woes

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In an earlier post, Trump, who returned to the White House late Saturday after the G-20 summit in Germany, tweeted a Fox News report that appears to be based on a story in The Hill newspaper. Citing anonymous sources, The Hill reported that "more than half of the memos former FBI chief James Comey wrote as personal recollections of his conversations with President Trump about the Russia investigation have been determined to contain classified information."

Comey, whom Trump abruptly fired in early May, said he prepared contemporaneous memos based on his conversations with Trump out of what concern the president might misrepresent the substance of their conversations. The memos included the former FBI director's descriptions of a meeting in which Trump pressed him to drop the inquiry into former national security adviser Michael Flynn and another in which he asked for a pledge of personal loyalty.

In testimony on June 8, Comey addressed the subject of classification. "I immediately prepared an unclassified memo of the conversation about Flynn and discussed the matter with FBI senior leadership," Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee, adding that he and aides "decided to keep it very closely held."

While Comey did acknowledge in his testimony he shared notes with Columbia University professor to leak to the press, it's not clear that the former FBI director directed the release of any classified material. Trump also declined to assert executive privilege to challenge Comey's testimony on the Hill, even after media reports cited Comey's notes.

What's more, the memos themselves have still not been released publicly. Even members of Congress with access to classified intelligence had to fight to obtain the actual notes.

On June 28, weeks after Comey's testimony, Senate Intelligence Committee leadership said the panel finally secured "a commitment'' for the delivery of the documents, which were provided to special counsel Robert Mueller, who is running the Justice Department's investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russians who hacked to Democrats during last year's presidential campaign.

In congressional testimony, Comey said he believes Trump fired him because he resisted the president's request that he "let this go" regarding an investigation into former Michael Flynn and his contacts with the U.S. ambassador to Russia.

On Monday morning, Trump also retweeted former U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who said Comey's handling of his memos "raised a lot of eyebrows.""
News / National

by Staff reporter

SELF-IMPOSED new Ndebele King - Stanley Tshuma - has trashed the 1987 Unity Accord signed between Zanu-PF and former-PF Zapu, and declared that Matabeleland region would now be referred to as Mthwakazi kingdom.Tshuma made a strong political statement at Bulawayo's Large City Hall on Saturday, where he unveiled a new Mthwakazi flag and announced September 12 as the day of his coronation."Mthwakazi is a kingdom, not a republic. All agreements to incorporate it into Mashonaland are null and void," Tshuma said in apparent reference to the Unity Accord signed on November 22, 1987 between President Robert Mugabe and the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo to end the Gukurahundi massacres."King Mzilikazi never signed such an agreement, King Lobengula never did, and I, Mzilikazi II, never signed any agreement. So I will never observe any of those agreements. You will hear people saying those who swallowed us swallowed poison. What poison? You are the ones who are dying and suffering while those who swallowed you still live," he added.Zanu-PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo declined to be drawn into the issue yesterday."I have no comment," he said before terminating the phone call.In the early years of independence from British rule, Nkomo was accused of trying to overthrow the government after an arms cache was allegedly found at several former-PF Zapu properties dotted around the country.At the time, Nkomo defended his decision to sign the unity agreement, saying it was a necessary circumspection to stop the massacres which targeted Ndebele-speaking people in Midlands and Matabeleland regions.An estimated 20 000 people were reportedly killed during the era as a government-sanctioned military outfit, the Five Brigade, hunted down perceived-PF Zapu dissidents.In 2009, former Home Affairs minister and-PF Zapu intelligence supremo Dumiso Dabengwa broke ranks with the Zanu-PF government and relaunched Zapu, accusing Mugabe of treating ex-Zapu leaders as inferior to their Zanu-PF counterparts.
UBS Chief Executive Sergio Ermotti believes that the recent state bailout of Italian banks was unavoidable due to new rules on "bail-ins" from European authorities which would have affected retail investors in the country.

"No, it (the state bailout) should not happen that way but it was almost inevitable considering the fact that bail-in-able bonds, so highly risky bonds ... were placed with retail investors," he told CNBC last Thursday in an exclusive interview.

A bail-in is seen as an alternative to a bailout - the use of state funds to help out an ailing bank. A bail-in is the rescue of a financial institution by making its creditors and depositors take a loss on their holdings. The European Union drew up new rules which opted for the use of bail-ins after many years of state bailouts since the euro zone sovereign debt crisis which had left the taxpayer on the hook.

However, this new regime carries big political risks, especially in Italy where bonds of banking institutions are a popular asset for retail investors.

"I think that was a wrong decision to allow this (the bail-in rules) to happen a few years ago. So it was almost inevitable, but politically speaking, and socially speaking (it) was not acceptable in my point of view to have retail bondholders to be bailed in," Ermotti added.
Compared to a year ago, investors are now more willing to overlook China's economic slowdown, realizing that current cyclical bumps will not derail the country's prospects, UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti told CNBC.

China can still double the size of its economy even if it grows only 5 percent over the next 15 years, he added. That thinking is now "much more embedded" in the way investors see the country and the region, Ermotti noted.

"I do see a little bit more constructive attitude towards taking a risk  Usually you measure appetite of investors by their ability or willingness to take a bit of leverage on their positions. We've seen a little bit of pick up there," he said.
Pedigreed as once owned by Capped Bust half dime and dime specialist David J. Davis, this 1834 Capped Bust half dime, LM-3 die marriage, is graded PCGS AU-58 and CAC-stickered.

LM-2 variety of 1833 Capped Bust half dime is certified PCGS AU-55 and plated in the Logan-McCloskey reference.

This PCGS Extremely Fine 40 1833 Capped Bust, LM-1 half dime exhibits a major die break, or cud, on the upper left portion of the reverse.

The 1830 Capped Bust half dime is one of the highlights of the sealed-bid sale by W. David Perkins Numismatics.

Graded and encapsulated PCGS Mint State 64 and stickered by Certified Acceptance Corp., this LM-9.1 variety of 1830 Capped Bust half dime is plated in the Logan-McCloskey half dime reference.

Capped Bust half dimes pictured in the standard reference on the series and pedigreed to the collections of renowned numismatists are offered in an Aug. 4 sealed-bid sale during the American Numismatic Association Worlds Fair of Money in Denver.

The coins will be featured in W. David Perkins Numismatics fifth sealed-bid Half Dime Sale closing at 6 p.m. MT Aug. 4, in conjunction with the ANA convention.

The 25-lot sale will include rare to extremely rare die marriages, remarriages, and die states including major die breaks, also known as cuds.

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Each of the coins is attributed by LM number as cataloged in Federal Half Dimes 1792-1837 by Russell J. Logan and John W. McCloskey, with many of the lots being the coins plated to illustrate the book.

Several lots are pedigreed to the Russell J. Logan Collection, coins that have not been offered publicly since 2002. Other pedigrees include John J. Pittman, Harold Bareford, David J. Davis, and Wayte Raymond.

Some coins are in popular Professional Coin Grading Service OGH (Old Green Holders), some bear a green sticker from Certified Acceptance Corp. meaning the coin meets CACs strict standards for quality, and at least one bears a gold CAC sticker as being qualified to be upgraded.

Perkins will also offer another 22 lots to be sold at fixed prices. These lots are typically available a week or two before the sealed-bid sale by mail order on a first come, first served basis.

The lots for both the sealed-bid sale and fixed-price offerings were cataloged by Richard Meaney, an advanced Capped Bust half dime specialist, collector and author.

We examine an unusual example of machine doubling: Another column in the July 24 Coin World examines a VAM marriage that deserves better.

Meaney also photographed all of the lots that illustrate the two sales.

Among the lots offered in the Sealed-Bid Sale are a Professional Coin Grading Service Mint State 64, CAC, 1830 Capped Bust half dime, LM-9.1; a PCGS Extremely Fine 40 1833 Capped Bust half dime, LM-1, with reverse cud; a PCGS About Uncirculated 55 1833 Capped Bust half dime, LM-2; and a PCGS AU-58 1834 Capped Bust half dime, LM-3.

1830 LM-9.1 half dime

The 1830 Capped Bust half dime of the LM-9.1 die marriage offered in the sale was, at separate times, held by both Bareford and Raymond. The lot description suggests the coin was sold as Lot 252 in Raymonds Nov. 5, 1946, auction. The coin was sold by Stacks as Lot 38 in the numismatic firms October 1981 sale where it realized $1,600. The coin is plated on Page 180 of the Logan-McCloskey reference.

1833 LM-1 half dime

The 1833 Capped Bust half dime from the LM-1 marriage in the sale exhibits a retained cud on the reverse spanning letters in UNITED STATES. When the die broke, the broken portion was retained within the collar, allowing the die to continue striking coins.

Meaney states he has not seen this die stage on any other LM-1 1833 half dime, even having examined numismatist Julius Reivers Die States A, B, C and D in the 2006 sale of Reivers collection by Heritage Auctions.

1833 LM-2 half dime

The Logan-McCloskey 2 variety attribution and LM PLate Coin appear on the PCGS grading label.

The die marriage carries a rarity rating of R-6, suggesting an estimated 13 to 30 pieces known, according to researchers.

1834 LM-3 half dime

The LM-3 1834 Capped Bust half dime exhibits a 3 over Inverted 3 in the date. The coins variety attribution appears on the PCGS grading label.

The coin, plated on Page 250 of the Logan-McCloskey book, was once owned by David J. Davis, founding and longtime president of the John Reich Collectors Society, holding JRCS Member No. 1.

Email David Perkins at wdperki@attlglobal.net, or contact him via his website.

Lot viewing will be at Table 435 at the ANA convention starting Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Sealed-bid sale lots and any unsold fixed-price list lots can also be viewed at the bourse table Aug. 1 at the ANA convention, which will be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
Downies has created two Proof silver coins, issued in the name of Tokelau, to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Nearly 20 years after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, her legacy of charity and service is remembered.

To mark the 20th anniversary of her death, Downies offers a pair of limited mintage 2017 silver coins issued in the name of Tokelau, a Proof .925 fine silver dollar and Proof .999 fine silver $10 coin.

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Diana was born July 1, 1961, and had a fairy tale wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. Though the marriage ended, the princess remained in the spotlight at the time of her death Aug. 31, 1997.

The reverse of each coin features a color portrait of Diana wearing an emerald green strapless evening gown, pearl earrings, and a diamond and pearl tiara, the image from a photo taken June 21, 1987. English roses, a special D for Diana and identifying inscriptions complete the designs, though each denomination features distinct arrangements of these elements.

We examine an unusual example of machine doubling: Another column in the July 24 Coin World examines a VAM marriage that deserves better.

The silver dollar weighs 20 grams and measures 40 millimeters in diameter. It has a mintage limit of 1,961 pieces (recalling Dianas birth year) and costs $99 Australian.

The silver $10 coin weighs 5 ounces and measures 65 millimeters in diameter. It has as a mintage limit of 500 pieces and retails for $525 Australian.

To order, visit the Downies website.
News / National

by Staff reporter

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's newest challenger Nkosana Moyo has expressed admiration for Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa while likening ongoing plans to form a pre-election pact among opposition parties as an attempt to rig elections."In my view, a coalition is like rigging an election," Moyo told a handful of people at a Bulawayo hotel Friday."It's depriving the electorate the option of choosing the leader they want. As a citizen, I want to be able to choose and vote for my own candidate. Don't go around combining people and presenting people with a pre-cooked list of candidates."Zimbabwe's mainstream and fringe parties have pulled all the stops to combine their grassroot support in attempts to gain numerical advantage over their common rival, Zanu PF.The plans have been dismissed by President Mugabe who has derisively said this was tantamount to adding a chain of zeros in the vain hope of getting a solid number.Mugabe has been joined in the disdainful talk by his former cabinet minister, Moyo, who ditched the Zanu PF led government for South Africa 2001."Let's allow leaders to go to the election and persuade the citizens," said the former Industry and International Trade Minister."Let's have as any parties as possible taking part in an election. What are we afraid of? It's the citizen's right to be told what is being offered and they choose. Zimbabweans are smart enough to choose their leaders."Moyo's comments have been dismissed by MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai who has suggested the former African Development Bank vice president was too elitist and would not turn heads deep in the country's less sophisticated remote villages.Turning to Zanu PF internal squabbles, Moyo said Mnangagwa was best suited to take the country forward."I know VP Mnangagwa. I know he is a smart Zimbabwean and I respect him. I know he would run the country differently but I didn't endorse him. It's just a statement of fact," he said.Moyo, who commands respect among the country's intelligentsia, has denied being a Zanu PF front unleashed onto the political market to cause confusion among voters.
News / National

by Staff reporter

THE war of words between higher education minister Professor Jonathan Moyo and defence forces chiefs continued at the weekend with the Zanu-PF politburo member training his guns on General Constantine Chiwenga and telling Air Marshall Perence Shiri to shut up.According to NewZimbabwe.com, the minister admitted, in his statement at the weekend, that "between 2010 and 2014 leading up to the ouster of (former vice president) Joice Mujuru, Chiwenga and I worked together very closely".But now they are lobbing verbal bombshells at each other on a weekly basis with Moyo sensationally suggesting that Chiwenga, who is Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander, fraudulently acquired his doctorate from South Africa-based University of KwaZulu Natal (KZN) in 2015.In his statement, Moyo told Shiri that he was best advised to keep quite after the air force boss claimed the minister lied about his involvement in the liberation struggle."Air Marshall Shiri cannot be, and is not, under any circumstance or capacity, my biographer," said the minister."In the same vein, it is common cause that Air Marshall not an archivist or historian of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle. What he says about me is hearsay with no evidential value whatsoever."If I were Air Marshall Shiri, I would keep quite."The minister then warned General Chiwenga that he was inviting disclosure of who did the work on his PhD."I'm happy that Chiwenga wants pre and post-Independence disclosures about who was who, who did what and so forth. That's good," said Moyo."Meanwhile, I take that to mean he wants the disclosure of who contributed what to his doctorate and who really wrote his KZN PhD. Again, the Shona wisdom kunyarara kurinani pane kutaura, applies. #Handeitione ."
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News / National

by Staff reporter

ZIMBABWE'S 93-year-old leader left Harare last week for Singapore amid new concerns about his reportedly failing health.Unusually, the trip was not reported in public media, but it was important enough to force the cancellation of a scheduled campaign rally in Lupane on the same day.Officials told the privately-owned Standard newspaper that President Robert Mugabe left Harare Friday for the Southeast Asia island state.Information minister Chris Mushohwe curtly said the veteran leader 's latest foreign jaunt was a "private visit" while an unnamed official added; "He has gone for his routine medical check-ups."At his age, it is normal that he constantly needs medical attention."
Nadhim Zahawi is MP for Stratford On Avon.

Democracy is a complicated thing. As we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan, building a fully functioning democracy requires so much more than just giving people the vote. You need a delicate, often invisible, infrastructure in place to support the more obvious political institutions  of which the fair rule of law, the equality of everyone before the law and an independent judiciary are the most important, alongside a free press.

We are truly lucky to live in a country where these institutions have grown and been strengthened over centuries in order to cement and secure our free, liberal democracy. But we are so used to these vital strengths our nation possesses that we are in danger of becoming blind to their presence, and forgetful of their importance. We should not fool ourselves that these building blocks of our society are a natural state of affairs; or that they are invulnerable and permanent.

I have been reminded of the necessity of our legal institutions and traditions in the last weeks following some of the reaction to the appointment of Sir Martin Moore-Bick to head up the inquiry into the Grenfell fire. I fear that at times the criticisms aimed in his direction, before he has even started his important work, are the latest in a number of reckless attacks on our institutions. Some have gone much too far, and seem to be attempts to make political points in the wake of a terrible tragedy.

Words cannot describe the horror that befell the residents of that tower, as they slept in their homes, believing they were safe and secure in their local authority provided accommodation. No one in Britain should be left in such a situation, certainly not when theyre at their most vulnerable. It cannot happen again. That is why the Government was right to set up an inquiry, led by a capable and independent judge to make speedy recommendations as to what must be done to rule on what exactly happened, and what needs to change to ensure that it will not happen again.

The survivors and the families of the victims of Grenfell are right to be angry. And if the police find any evidence of criminal wrongdoing or neglect, then I expect charges to be brought and justice to be done. However, it has been sad to see many who should know better blurring the lines between the criminal process and a judicial inquiry. It was particularly frustrating to see politicians attack Sir Martin as a technocrat, and even suggest he wouldnt be able to do his job because he is white.

What we need is someone with the capability to swiftly understand the vast amounts of difficult technical information that will come before them and be able to make practical recommendations about the way forward in the shortest time possible. I cannot see why Sir Martin would not fit that bill. Just as amidst the multiple uproars about the different chairs to the child abuse inquiry, we have to find a way to remove as much emotion as possible from these difficult investigations into terrible subjects, and allow professionals to do their jobs.

We should be worried that this process keeps happening before these individuals have started work; before they have put forward anything to be criticised for. It is not that people are unhappy with what they have done, or believe their work to be inadequate  instead, their mere appointment is enough for them to be castigated. It also seems to regularly have a political element, and it looks as though some politicians hope to attack the government through these appointments of judges undertaking important and independent work.

Prejudging our judges in this way is unacceptable. Our whole system is based on the capability of highly intelligent and experienced individuals to make emotionless decisions based on the facts. This is why were the country we are today. Of course, if a judge ever shows himself or herself to be incapable of reaching or maintaining those high standards then they must be criticised  in order to maintain confidence in the system. But this system is precious, and vulnerable if we seek to push judges in certain directions before they have even sat at their desks. We definitely should not accept attacking them with a political aim to damage the Government.

We live in an era in which our public debate only seems to be becoming angrier and less trusting. Many find it tempting to attack our independent media, see bias around every corner and seem unwilling to tolerate dissenting opinion. Indeed, we have also seen that political capital can be gained from cynically misusing this anger. But politicians should think twice about doing so. We need to be careful about how we treat the infrastructure of our democracy, whether it is our free press or our independent judiciary. They are absolutely key to what sustains our nation and we mustnt be blind to their importance. Ultimately, we need to let the Grenfell Tower inquiry get on with its job: after all, we need to hear its answers fast.
The only British politician to have been murdered in recent times was a Labour MP, Jo Cox. Other Parliamentarians from the same party have endured hostility, which is now as likely to come from their left as their right: consider the deselection-mongering of an official Momentum group, exposed on this site last week by Mark Wallace. It had published a list of 49 Labour MPs that the group thought should join the Liberals.

None the less, the main target for threats and abuse during the election seems to have been Conservative candidates. Byron Davies, who lost his seat in Gower, received two death threats. Nigel Evans was verbally abused and pushed outside a pub. Sheryll Murray had swastikas scrawled on her posters. Johnny Mercers wife was intimidated by a Labour activist.

Politics is a rough old business. But there does seem to be a whiff of unreason in the air, shown most spectacularly by the hard left activists on Twitter who insist, contrary to Parliamentary arithemetic, that Jeremy Corbyn somehow is the Prime Minister. Not all of its manifestations are so harmless, as Nadhim Zahawi points out on ConservativeHome this morning.

Obviously, the law should be enforced against those who commit criminal acts. But if the Government really is considering treating abuse and intimidation of politicians in the same way as hate crime, it ought to think again. MPs are already seen by too many people as a caste apart, distant and remote from their constituents. Turning them into a kind of protected species would only deepen this impression  unfair as it undoubtedly is to most Parliamentarians.
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A village has been left grieving after three people died in a five-car horror crash on a notorious stretch of the A38 between Landrake and Tideford.

Nine people were also left injured following the crash, which happened on Sunday morning. Police, fire and ambulance crews were called to the scene at around 11.15am.

A woman and a child from one car sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene, while a male pedestrian was also killed.

Today the road has reopened and all that remains of the incident is a sign appealing for witnesses to an incident on Sunday, July 9.

A second child from the same car sustained potentially serious head injuries and was taken by air ambulance to Bristol Children's Hospital. Officers said his injuries are not believed life-threatening at this time.

Police said that six further people were taken to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth with injuries which were not believed to be serious and two others were treated at the scene by ambulance

Cornwall Live understands that the woman who was killed in the crash is originally from Landrake.

Parish councillor Patricia Barton said she was left feeling "numb" when she was told the news.

"It is absolutely horrendous, just awful," she said. "It is a real shock. When I found out who it was, my mind went numb. I just can't reckon with it.

"The villagers are in shock, everybody is. Even the villagers who don't know the family concerned are wide eyed. I'm grieving and I'm a little speechless."

Another parish councillor, Rosemary Savery, added: "The family affected are our friends, they originally came from Landrake but don't live here anymore.

"It's a terrible road, one of the worst in Britain for fatalities, and safety is something we bang on about all the time."

A section of the A38 was closed for most of the day while investigations by the police were underway, and reopened at 8pm last night.

The owner of the Bullers Arms in Landrake said the village felt like "a ghost town".

She said: "We don't know who was involved in the accident, but we knew something had happened because trade went quiet very quickly, as the road through the village was closed.

"It was very strange and eerie in the village, it felt like a ghost town. I was a bit surprised to hear that a pedestrian had died, because it's such a busy road and there are no pavements."

Miss Barton added that some villagers from Tideford often walk to Landrake on a Sunday to collect their newspaper from the village shop.

Officers are appealing for any witnesses to the collision to contact them via 101@dc.police.uk or by phone on 101, quoting log number 478 of 09/07/17.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A 35 year old man from Harare's Glen View 7 suburb, Barnabas Mwanaka, who was arrested last Saturday for the alleged murder of police Constable Talkmore Phiri following skirmishes with his fellow vendors who are at large around Harvest House, appeared in court facing charges of murder.Mwanaka, who is represented by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights was not asked to plead to the charges when he appeared before Harare Magistrate Tilda Mazhambe, but advised to apply for bail at the High Court.According to the state led by Sebastian Mutizirwa, the accused together with his accomplices who are on the run, teamed up and attacked the deceased policeman who was part of the police reaction group escorting investigators to the Deeds Offices where property had been destroyed.They used stones and booted feet to assault the deceased who had found himself out of the car ferrying them to the Deeds Office.He was later rescued by his colleagues but was pronounced dead on arrival at Morris Depot.The accused was later identified by a police officer who allegedly witnessed him taking part in the assault of the late police detail on the fateful day.Mwanaka accused his arresting details of violating his constitutional rights by assaulting him with spikes, denying him legal representation and not informing him of the reasons for his arrest.The magistrate instructed the state to investigate the complaints raised and remanded the accused to the 26th of July.
I was born in California, live and California and will probably never leave it, aside from vacations. I think that makes me a bonafide Californian to my core. I love this state and the older I get the more I appreciate all it has to offerfrom the desert to the beach. Throughout my thirty-something years Ive logged some serious miles from San Diego to Napa and can quickly name off my top weekend getaways. This summer has been all about those mini escapes so I wanted to share our favorites, and a few things not to miss.

1. Ojai. The easiest escape from our home base, Santa Barbara (a quick 40 min). Its small enough for a day trip but the longer you can stay the more relaxed youll leave. Theres something incredibly peaceful about the tiny little town that makes you feel far removed from the hustle and bustlekey to getting that R&R. I live for pasta at Nicciola, the hot weather and the spa at Ojai Valley Inn. You can check out our latest visit here and a list of ten things not to miss here.

2. Lake Tahoe. That Americana vibe gets me every time. The landscape, blue water and idyllic summer feeling is enough to fill my cup any weekend. Last summer we spent a whole week there and Ill never forget waking up, sitting on the patio and admiring that sparkling lake with a cup of coffee in my hand. Its literally on my to-do list to plan our next getaway here.

3. Santa Ynez. Just over the hill above Santa Barbara is a mini version of Napa. We have family here so its a frequent day trip for us and every time I leave obsessing over the idea of living on a ranch some day. Its full of amazing wineries, good food and rancher vibes. Be lazy, drink some wine and take in the viewmy kind of speed. Some favorites to check outAlisal Ranch, Folded Hills, Refugio Ranch and SY Kitchen.

4. Palm Springs + Palm Desert. Ive been weekend-ing here since I was Elins age (2, maybe minus a little) so this destination actually feels like home. I love hopping from pool to pool (my favorites here), cooling off with a cold (probably spiked) beverage and sitting outside in that nighttime heatthere really isnt anything better than that. Renting a house is always a good idea here, but if room service is your jam these are my two favoritesLa Quinta Resort & Club or The Parker.

5. Napa. I mean you cant go wrong with wine, cheese and luxury hotels? I caught the Napa bug last year when we went to Solage Calistogaeasily one of my favorites. In a nutshell, its pure romance. From the food and wine to the weather and landscape, it can easily change up your speed in an instant. And even though its 6+ hours in the car for us, the reward at the end is 100% worth it. More of my favorite spots here.

Photo by Arna.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The government will redefine chieftainship boundaries to accommodate newly resettled farmers and allow for traditional leaders to monitor the protection of land in these areas.This came out during when the Matabeleland South Provincial Chiefs Assembly met various stakeholders at Esikhovheni Training Centre in Umzingwane to deliberate on some of the challenges faced within communities which include HIV and AIDS and environmental issues.The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) expressed concern over the level of land degradation in mining districts, saying traditional leaders as the custodians of the land have a critical role to play in the conservation and preservation of the environment .Chiefs however, the absence of traditional leaders in newly resettled areas has created a host of challenges.The Director of Traditional Leadership and Support Services in the Ministry of Rural Development, Preservation of National and Cultural Heritage, Mr Felix Chikobo said there is now need to draw boundaries that accommodate former commercial farms.On the welfare of chiefs, an appeal was made to government to avail better allowances and new vehicles to enable the traditional leaders to execute their duties effectively.The meeting, which was also attended by district administrators, also tackled the issue of chieftainship that is often characterised by wrangles.The chiefs assembly now has a role to play in the appointment of new chiefs in line with the local traditions.
Applications & OS News

Microsoft CEO Nadella Touts Partner Opportunities Of New Intelligent Cloud, Intelligent Edge

Rick Whiting

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Information technology is moving into a new pattern of data creation and consumption that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called "intelligent cloud/intelligent edge." This tech transformation, Nadella said, is driving Microsoft's product development directions and creating huge opportunities for the vendor's legions of solution provider partners.

Nadella, in his keynote speech Monday kicking off Microsoft's Inspire partner conference in Washington D.C., offered his vision of the direction of IT as a framework to unveil Microsoft 365 and several other integrated products. But he also touted Microsoft's focus on partners, hinting that it has stayed constant through changing IT trends.

"This ethos of being partner-led is always going to be in everything we do," Nadella said, addressing some 17,000 attending partners in attendance.

[Related: Microsoft Partners Expect More Emphasis On The Channel Following Round Of Layoffs]

Since taking the reins as Microsoft CEO in February 2014, Nadella has often described the IT industry as being in a "mobile first, cloud first" stage. In his keynote, he said Microsoft sees "a real rapid shift to a new paradigm" that he called "the intelligent cloud and the intelligent edge."

That paradigm will be defined by three key characteristics, Nadella explained: Every computing task and experience will be "multi-device, multi-sense" with multiple means of input and output; artificial intelligence will be built into every application and device; and there will be an increased use of containers, microservices and server-less technologies that provide new ways to develop, distribute and manage applications.

Intelligent cloud and intelligent edge computing will ultimately generate $4.5 trillion in IT spending, Nadella said, in contrast to the $2.5 trillion created by mobile first/cloud first IT architectures.

"With increasing digitization, where every part of our society and economy is being fundamentally transformed because of digital technology, the opportunity is greater than ever before," Nadella said, relating his vision back to his partner audience. "Being in this industry, being in this [Microsoft partner] ecosystem, the opportunity is tremendous."

Relating his vision to Microsoft's product direction, Nadella said the software company's product development would increasingly focus on four areas: the modern workplace, business applications, applications and infrastructure, and data and artificial intelligence.

That led to Monday's product announcements, chief among them the debut of Microsoft 365, an integrated package of the vendor's Office 365 cloud productivity applications, Windows 10 and enterprise device management and security capabilities. The Microsoft 365 software is being offered in two editions: Enterprise, for large companies and Business, for SMBs.

"We want to bring these products together as a complete solution, an integrated solution," Nadella said. While Microsoft 365 addresses the needs of large businesses, Nadella emphasized that the product's capabilities also "have the same opportunity to democratize access to these tools to every small and medium-size business." He called that "one of the biggest takeaways" from his speech because "I know many of you are serving small and medium-size businesses."

"Instead of ordering three things, this gives all of the technology needed to participate in today's transformative workplace, yet in a very secure manner," said Ric Opal, senior director at Oak Brook, Ill.-based SWC Technology Partners. "If I can simplify that in my ordering and provisioning process, and wrap managed security services around that, that's a pretty simplistic way for me to bundle and a pretty simplistic way for a customer to transact."

Nadella also announced between the new Microsoft 365, the Dynamics 365 cloud ERP application set Microsoft launched last year, and the LinkedIn business social network that Microsoft acquired in December for $26.2 billion. That includes links between Dynamics 365 for Sales and LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

"That's the richness that we think is going to create a tremendous opportunity for all of you as partners," Nadella said.

Michael Goldstein, president and CEO of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based LAN Infotech, said Nadella's opening remarks had an "inspiring" message. "I was impressed and it's a great start for the three-day event," he said. The demonstration of the integration between Dynamics 365 and LinkedIn was a highlight, and "really shows the full power of the solution set," Goldstein said.

In addition, Nadella introduced the Azure Stack hybrid cloud platform that hardware partners such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Dell EMC and Lenovo will carry.

"When we move workloads for our clients right now, there's probably more effort than there should be. Azure Stack is going to make that easier," said Kevin Crowe, executive vice president for strategy at Long View, a solutions provider based in Calgary.

Nadella was preceded on stage by Ron Huddleston, Microsoft corporate vice president and head of the company's One Commercial Partner organization. He outlined the vendor's efforts to streamline its partner operations and provide a single point of contact for partners.

Huddleston noted that he heard feedback from partners that working with Microsoft often felt like dealing with multiple companies. "You told me what you really needed was one way to get connected to all of the opportunities Microsoft has for you to grow across products and programs, one way to get connected with customers, [and] one voice to advocate for partners."

Microsoft created the One Commercial Partner organization in January in response to that feedback. "An organization that's not only partner-led but partner-first," he said.

Huddleston said Microsoft is investing $250 million in connecting partners to customers. This includes creating a new team of channel managers (which Huddleston promised would be very different from traditional partner account managers) to bring partners and customers together.

Huddleston also cited other changes Microsoft is making to benefit partners, including offering its sales representatives a 10 percent commission to co-sell deals involving solutions from Azure ISV partners, and a change to reduce conflict by now paying representatives based on Azure "consumed" revenue instead of Azure "build" revenue.

Last week Microsoft began a massive reorganization of its sales and marketing operations that is expected to result in layoffs of 3,000 or more employees worldwide.
Cloud News

Microsoft Soft-Launches SaaS Marketplace Connecting ISVs Directly To Its Channel

Joseph Tsidulko

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Microsoft quietly unveiled at its Inspire conference Monday an online marketplace through which its channel can directly provision solutions from the software giant's technology partners, potentially upending the current software distribution paradigm across its vast ecosystem.

The B2B platform, called Third Party Offers, was introduced in a soft launch in the Office 365 section of the exhibition floor of the partner conference in Washington, D.C. The new cloud software marketplace aims to make it easier for solution providers to bundle third-party products with Microsoft offerings like Office 365.

Third Party Offers delivers to partners a catalog of ISV products they can purchase, deploy and manage for customers.

[Related: 5 Major Microsoft Announcements At Inspire 2017]

"Third Party Offers helps ISVs with SaaS-ready apps connect and sell through the Microsoft partner channel," reads a Microsoft brochure distributed at the event.

Microsoft, Redmond, Wash., will beta-test the commerce portal over the next six months with select partners, according to the brochure.

The soft launch includes channel partners with MSP or CSP business models and roughly 20 ISVs, including popular offerings like Zendesk and DocuSign.

Third Party Offers will greatly enable ISVs to leverage the channel to extend their reach, freeing resources to invest more in their sales and marketing capabilities, said Jon Ferrara, CEO of Nimble CRM, a Microsoft technology partner based in Santa Monica, Calif., that's participating in the trial program.

What Microsoft's AppSource marketplace did to ease selling SaaS directly to the end user, Third Party Offers will essentially do for channel partners, Ferrara added.

Currently, ISVs that want to sell SaaS solutions through an online marketplace must build custom integrations with a hodgepodge of commerce platforms offered by 2-Tier CSPslarge Microsoft resellers that distribute solutions to other partners.

Many are offered by large distributors, like Ingram Micro, which purchased Odin Services Automation in 2015 to power its own cloud marketplace. Others come from telecoms or web hosting companies that have built their own commerce platforms or embed ones from vendors like AppDirect.

Microsoft will streamline that process to drive sales of comprehensive solutions through its channel. Once in general release, Third Party Offers will be available to all Microsoft technology and channel partners, Ferrara said.

ISVs will only have to on board once to the Microsoft platform, Ferrara said, and "once we're in there, we can start selling through any part of that channel, or all of it."

Smaller CSPs will be able to provision Microsoft and third-party solutions directly from that cloud commerce portal. And the 2-Tier CSPs can connect their own marketplaces to the portal through APIs, avoiding the time and expense common in developing an integration with every third-party vendor.

"They [Microsoft] know that when you mix third- and first-party offerings, it makes them both more sticky and gives VARs more ammunition for making additional margins on services," Ferrara said.

Products from ISVs like Nimble CRM are underpinned by Microsoft technology and drive adoption and continued use of Microsoft offerings like Azure, PowerBI, Dynamics and PowerApps, Ferrara said.

The commerce platform will make it much easier for Microsoft's channel to sell solutions to business decision-makers from the front and back office, Ferrara told CRN.

The CSP or MSP will get a line-item bill from Microsoft including all the solutions they sell through Third Party Offers.

"Microsoft is very good at this. If they make a commitment to the market and to the channel to build this, I think it's going to be huge," Ferrara said.

Behind the project is Ron Huddleston, commercial vice president of Microsoft's One Commercial Partner organization, who previously played a major role in developing the Salesforce AppExchange.
News / Press Release

by PDP

People's Democratic Party President will tomorrow address a seminar of prospective Parliamentary candidates at a closed door venue in Harare.The meeting organised by the elections directorate headed by the National Chairperson Lucia Gladys Matibenga will gather members from the 210 constituencies in the country who have been given a provisional green light by the districts subject to confirmation by the General Council.The President will among other issues articulate the party's policy direction to the prospective candidates who will form party of the party's core in the 2018 election campaign.Mr Biti will also highlight the code of conduct which guides all prospective candidates and those who hold internal party offices.The party constitution stipulates that all office bearers of the party must declare their assets and must subject themselves to a regular internal lifestyle audit process.The seminar is also expected to discuss election strategy including the implications of the polling station based voting which is set to be adopted for the next plebiscite.Participants will also get an opportunity to get technical knowledge on biometric voter registration. Developments in the biometric kits procurement process will also be discussed.Possible scenarios will be penned out during the seminar, with participating members outlining the challenges their districts might face in the next election.A comprehensive environment scan will also be done during the seminar; submissions will be used for engagements on electoral reforms. These will determine the best strategy on the diplomatic, political and legal fronts.President Biti will be accompanied by his deputy Mr Kucaca Phulu, the National Chairperson, her deputy Mr Patrick Thaba Moyo, Secretary General Dr Gorden Moyo, National Secretary for International Relations Willias Madzimure, National Youth Chairperson Moses Manyengava, Women's Assembly Chairperson Evelyn Masaiti and National Spokesperson Jacob Mafume who is expected to convene a press conference at the end of the event.The list of prospective candidates will be released after confirmation in due course.The seminar will precede the People's Democratic Party's National Local Government Summit which will gather 1956 prospective candidates in all the wards doted across the country.The Local Governance committee led by the Secretary of Local Governance Farai Nyandoro has upped the preparation for the summit which is set to release the party's local governance charter which articulates inclusive service delivery. Nyandoro is a former Mayor of Marondera.The People's Democratic believes in the provision of thought leadership through articulation of alternative policies against a background of ZANUPF's failed ZIMASSET.Together Another Zimbabwe is Possible
Shifting IT Priorities And Growing Channel Opportunities

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella opened Inspire, Microsoft's annual partner conference, with a keynote speech Monday in which he outlined his vision of the next evolution in IT, how it impacts Microsoft's product direction and the opportunities it offers the software giant's channel partners.

Nadella addressed some 17,000 partners at the Inspire conference, which is being held this week in Washington D.C. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Here are five key takeaways from Nadella's nearly two-hour speech, which included several product demonstrations and videos from Microsoft customers and partners.
Opinion / Columnist

It's now 28 months since those evil intoxicated men snatched you from us mukoma. I still hold on to the hope that one day you will be with us. I look forward to you mischievously calling me 'mudhara' or 'dhokota' on this side of life as before.The past 28 months have been surreal for the entire family and me. All sorts of incredulous and austere things have transpired. Before I delve into those nitty-gritties, I wish to inform you that I failed to uphold the ultimatum which you gave me. You gave me up until the end of 2015 to get married, but I haven't managed to do so as yet. I am positive that it shall come to pass in the not too distant future. Hopefully in your presence.When they abducted you, I could not remain silent. I stood up and acted against that injustice. Ordinarily, I should have been the last person to even think of doing that after what happened to you. I could not hold back neither could I afford to betray you. I had to emulate your example of selflessness.In the past 28 months, I have been arrested more than 20 times, I have spent days in prison, and I have appeared in court more than 80 times. Mukoma, I have been abducted, tortured, falsely convicted, smeared, lost assets, lost relationships not forgetting business and career opportunities but by God's grace, I didn't lose myself neither did I lose him.I am still standing mukoma.The temptation to give up has always been a constant companion but the example you set, not only for me but many progressive Zimbabweans, keeps me strong and going. You blazed an amazing trail. Caring less for your comfort and security, you stood and faced the monster head on.When everyone else was whispering, you shouted. When everyone else was shrinking into the cocoon of fear, you boldly took a stand. When everyone else normalized the abnormal, you boldly declared it was abnormal. You declared that "We are the people, we are the numbers, let's go."You are a selfless man who did it for Zimbabwe, not popularity. You did it for a better Zimbabwe. Itai, you are a hero to me and many other Zimbabweans. I draw inspiration from you and your brave stance in the face of oppression.Whatever happens, I am thankful to God for allowing me to share the same womb and upbringing with you. Without me knowing or paying particular attention, I shared part of my life with greatness, your greatness. You are more than a brother to me; you are my ultimate hero.Thank you for sacrificing towards a better Zimbabwe. A new and better Zimbabwe is possible in our lifetime, we shall come face to face with it.Namaste - The greatness in me salutes the greatness in you.I love and miss you.
It would be hard to dispute that the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program is a great concept: a dictionary of all known vulnerabilities in publicly released software or firmware so organizations can know what risks they are facing. There is much dispute, however, 18 years after the nonprofit research and development organization MITRE launched the program, about how well it is working.

According to a number of critics, its not doing very well. Joshua Corman, a founder of I Am The Cavalry and director of the Cyber Statecraft Initiative for the Atlantic Council, said in a keynote at the SOURCE Boston conference in April that identifying and cataloging CVEs has fallen behind  way behind.

For all vulnerabilities disclosed anywhere, commercial databases currently track about 80 percent. CVE tends to have 60 percent of that 80 percent, he said. So when you make a risk decision, youre doing it with a blind spot of about 50 percent. This is a too-big-to-fail thing. Its like our bridges and tunnels collapsing, he said, adding, It is about to get a lot worse, thanks to the continuing explosion of devices and accompanying vulnerabilities that comprise the Internet of Things (IoT).

CSOs Steve Ragan, in a Salted Hash post last September, noted that, the CVE system is faced with bottlenecks and coverage gaps, as thousands of vulnerabilities go without CVE-ID assignments. These gaps are leaving business leaders and security teams exposed to vulnerabilities that their security products, which rely on CVE-IDs to function and assess risk, don't even know exist in some cases, he wrote.

Some members of the CVE Board  which includes 25 members from multiple segments of the cybersecurity community  are critical as well. Brian Martin, vice president of vulnerability intelligence at Risk Based Security and an independent member of the board, says that according to a vulnerability database his firm compiled, the gap is not as extreme as Corman estimates, but is still significant.

There are currently 52,913 vulnerabilities without a CVE identifier. That is out of 158,413 they have cataloged, making it about 33 percent missing, Martin says. However, the percentage improvement, has come at the cost of accuracy and quality. Some CVE descriptions being published are essentially worthless to consumers, as they lack critical details and don't include references that would help them. So to benefit from the CVE ID, consumers have to do more work and struggle to understand the issue, he says, adding that, MITRE is also still flip-flopping on their assignment and abstraction rules. In some cases they are assigning too many IDs to a group of issues, other times they are not assigning the proper year ID.

The backlog has even gotten the attention of Congress. The chairmen of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and three of its subcommittees sent letters dated March 30 to MITRE, which continues to oversee the program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which funds it, suggested that MITRE should have anticipated the growth in vulnerabilities, and asked what they are going to do about it.

The explosion of connected devices and services that has been associated with the CVE programs shortcomings, while rapid, did not occur overnight, the letter to MITRE said.

In light of this, we seek to understand how MITRE and the CVE program failed to anticipate and prepare for this growth  and what more may be done to ensure this program can more effectively serve its essential mission.

While the committee wants to understand it, so far it apparently doesnt want the public to understand it, even though the program is taxpayer funded. The letters asked for responses by April 13, but the committee has not yet made public any further information on communications with either MITRE or DHS. Dan Schneider, a spokesman for the committee, says MITRE has responded, but he declined to discuss it or anything about the program for the record.

Lucy Martinez, of the DHS public affairs office, says, we do not comment on congressional correspondence and will respond directly to the members. She did not respond to a request simply to see the MITRE response. Also, neither MITRE nor DHS would say what is the annual funding of the program. Ragan reported it was $1.2 million in 2006.

Regarding complaints of thousands of vulnerabilities still without IDs, Jennifer Lang, a spokeswoman for MITRE, says the CVE program, assigns a number to 100 percent of the vulnerabilities of which we are aware and that meet our definition of a vulnerability. There are also an unknown number of vulnerabilities in the cyber ecosystem that could be assigned, she says. The challenge is that we cant quantify that number in percentage terms because they have not been disclosed to the CVE program. Lang adds that, there is no single or universally accepted way to count vulnerabilities, and different organizations define and count vulnerabilities differently.

That troubles Martin. I fully believe that responses should be a matter of public record, given the embedded nature of the CVE program, he says. The 'stakeholders' in CVE, as they call them, or consumers as I do, should understand what MITRE is doing to address the issues.

The programs defenders, however, say things are improving and have been for the past 15 months. They credit what they call a federated system, which has enlisted dozens more organizations as CNAs (CVE Numbering Authorities)  62 at current count  to identify new vulnerabilities and assign ID numbers to them.

Kent Landfield, chief standards and technology policy strategist at McAfee and a founding member of the CVE board, agreed that MITRE had been overwhelmed by the explosion of vulnerabilities. He says things came to a head in January 2016, with the community, the board and MITRE at odds. Since then, things have been moving in the right direction, he says, adding that while in the past, MITRE was all centralized and hesitant to get new CNAs, theyve now created a federated model. Its still an experiment in some respects, but it started in March 2016.

The intent, he says, is to divide the CVE ID burden among root CNAs that are responsible for different categories of CVEs.

An example is the Distributed Weakness Filing (DWF) Project, which is responsible for finding and identifying vulnerabilities in open source software. Other CNAs  major companies like Microsoft, Apple and Google  identify and catalog vulnerabilities found in their own products.

The bottom line, Landfield says, is that, it was very important that we put in place a mechanism that would scale  that would be sustainable. And that is what is happening.

Kurt Seifried, director at the DWF Project, senior software engineer for Red Hat Product Security and also a CVE Board member, agreed. The way to close the gap in CVEs that are not part of the dictionary yet, he says, is relatively simple: Add more CNAs to scale out CVE.

This means having a governance model similar to DNS (Domain Name System)  MITRE is the root, DWF is the sub-root for all open source, Microsoft is a sub root for all Microsoft, and so on, with additional CNA hierarchies for countries/industry verticals. The operational model is much more peer-to-peer, with CNAs contacting each other as needed, Seifried says.

He noted that, since the launch of the federated model, we have doubled the number of CNAs, and in 2016 had more than 10,000 CVEs assigned. Were also working on automation and other self-service-style aspects to continue scaling the process to meet demand.

Lang added that when the federated model began, there were only 22 CNAs, and since then 40 have been added, with new CNA candidates continually entering the queue.

So, does that mean the problem, while it still exists, is well on the way to being solved? Art Manion, vulnerability analysis technical manager at CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) Division, Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute, and another CVE Board member, is cautiously optimistic. Cautious because he believes some of Martins criticisms are valid  that while it is possible to quibble over the exact magnitude of the gap, it is drastic by any measure, and because it is indeed going to be impossible, with the current model, to keep up with the explosive increase in vulnerabilities because of the IoT apocalypse.

Assigning IDs to 10,000 to 14,000 vulnerabilities in a year, is going to be an order of magnitude too low. The problem is passing human scale, he says, so the only way to address it is with automation. But, he is also optimistic because he is on one of the working groups created by the CVE Board that is devoted to bringing automation into the ID process.Also, there are signs that the federated system is working, although its too early to tell about the long-term, he says.

According to Martin, success in the long term will also depend on doing the basics. I believe MITRE uses too much of the taxpayer funding for administrative positions, rather than more personnel that directly support the database, he says.

They certainly need to implement a better quality assurance process on existing entries. They need to agree on the current assignment standards, hold CNAs accountable, and most importantly hold themselves accountable to follow the standards.
Amazon is kicking off its third annual Prime Day by slashing the cost of an Amazon Echo, cutting 50 percent off the price tag, and selling the Echo for only $89.99. Google is competing by cutting $64 from the price tag for a Google Home and Chromecast bundle, selling the two for $99.99. So, if youve been wanting to get a smart assistant for your home or get a jump-start on Christmas shopping, now is a good time for it.

However, owning an always-listening smart device cuts both ways; it could be used to save a life and the data from the device also could be used by police for investigations.

Smart home device calls the police

A smart device is being credited for potentially saving a life when it misheard a command and called the cops.

Eduardo Barros, his girlfriend and her daughter were house-sitting near Albuquerque, New Mexico, on July 2. KRQE reported that after his girlfriend got a text message, Barros accused her of cheating on him. He allegedly hit and kicked her and then got a gun and threatened to kill her. He asked her, Did you call the sheriffs?

She hadnt, but a smart home device had. The always-on microphones in the device, which was hooked up to a surround sound system, heard what Barros said and took it as the command call the sheriffs. It did.

Although Google Home was widely reported to be the smart device that called the cops, ABC News took out any reference to Google Home, adding, An earlier version named a smart home device that was not the type found in the home and credited by police with calling 911.

Its unclear what the big secret is, what smart home device called the cops, but it led to police, a SWAT team and a crisis negotiation team showing up at the house. Police were able to take the girlfriend and the daughter out of the house. It reportedly took several hours before the cops were able to take Barros into custody.

Court records show Barros was charged with 14 counts: 12 counts of aggravated battery against a household member (deadly weapon), one count of possession of a firearm and one count of false imprisonment.

The unexpected use of this new technology to contact emergency services has possibly helped save a life, Bernalillo County Sheriff Department spokesperson Felicia Romero told ABC. This amazing technology definitely helped save a mother and her child from a very violent situation.

Privacy concerns with IoT devices

This isnt the first time police have turned to data provided by IoT devices. Police in Arkansas previously used data from an Amazon Echo for a murder investigation and data from a connected water meter in another murder investigation. Police in Ohio used data from a pacemaker to charge a man with arson and insurance fraud.

Many people already enjoy the hands-free convenience of giving voice commands to smart assistants. Amazon, for example, offers special Prime Day shopping deals exclusively for Alexa users who take advantage of voice shopping.

Its too soon to know what will happen, but Amazon offers an opt-in Drop In feature for its devices. For example, Amazons new Echo Show, which comes with a touchscreen and camera, allows an Echo Show user to drop in on another. If the person receiving the drop in doesnt decline the call within 10 seconds of hearing the drop in chime, the person making the call can see and hear into your home via your Echo Show. Its a feature that has raised many security and privacy questions, but if it follows the line of other smart devices, police will eventually turn to that data during investigations.
Opinion / Columnist

On the 8th of July of 2017 the Minister of Home Affairs announced that the almost 1800 former Angolan Refugees who had been on the Angolan Cessation Permit (ACP) had been granted their permanent resident Exemption applications for a period of 4 years. Thus giving relief to almost 1800 Angolans who have been residing in South Africa as refugees for over 20 years but had faced deportation when their permits had not been renewed in 2012  2013. This move has resonated with the Zimbabweans who are on a similar dispensation permit that this may be a likely eventuality. In this article we take a look at the ACP and compare it to the ZSP and offer an opinion on the possibility of the Angolan situation being used as a template for Zimbabweans whose deadline is coming on at the end of this year.The phenomenon of the dispensation permit did not start with the Zimbabweans but with the Angolans. In 2008-2009 the United Nations High Commission for Refugees announced that the conflict in Angola had ended and that countries were free to begin repatriation of Angolans who had been refugees in their respective territories. In South Africa, The Department of Home Affairs rolled out the Angolan cessation permit (ACP) which sought to be a bridge enabling the former Angolan refugees to be repatriated to their home country. Many of the Angolans who fled the civil war did not have any documentation identifying them as Angolans. As such to facilitate the documentation of these individuals the Department issued the Angolan dispensation permit. The characteristics are very similar to the DZP and ZSP permits, the ACP seems to have been the blueprint for all the subsequent dispensation permits.At the end of the ACP the Department was adamant that the permits would not be renewed. This presented a challenge for the Angolans who had taken up the ACP as they faced possible deportation. Many of whom had been born in South Africa and had no ties to their native home Angola. A high court application ensued supported by the Scalabrini Center and other Civic groups who brought the application to the Cape High Court challenging the refusal of the Department. Central to their arguments was the fact that many of the Angolans who had fled the civil war had no homes or families to go back to. Their families had been torn apart by the civil war to an extent where the remaining relatives in Angola no longer viewed them as family members. These Angolans also could not speak any of the native languages of Angola but could only speak the one or more of the South African official languages. None of them had ever gone back to Angola over the more than 20 year period that they had resided in South Africa as Refugees. They had firmly established themselves in South Africa. They had for all intents and purposes become South Africans in all aspects except their status documents.In an order by agreement handed down by the court on the 17th of November 2016 ,it was agreed that every Angolan on the expired ACP had to lodge an application for a Permanent Residence Exemption in terms section 31(2)(b) of the Act. The announcement on the 8th of July is a culmination of this process.Now that the lengthy background is out for the way, we can delve into the important highlights of this matter.There are few points that distinguish the Angolans from the Zimbabwean. The circumstances which led to the Angolans leaving their country. Angola was ravaged by war for many years. Many had their homes destroyed and families torn apart. There are stories of children arriving in South Africa having lost both parents along the journey. In essence there was no home to go back to after 20 years. Even armed with the ACP very few Angolans made the trip back home. South Africa was their home. They spoke only South African languages and had no family ties in Angola. But even under these extreme circumstances the Department of Home Affairs was not willing to see reason which resulted in a legal application.The numbers were also in their favour. The total number of applicants was much smaller, under 1800 whereas the Zimbabweans are north of 250 000.Another important point is that despite the history of the Angolans and the High court application, the Department of Home Affairs required each Angolan to show that exceptional circumstances existed that warranted the granting of the rights of a permanent residence. It was not a free for all and it is limited to four years.Assuming that the Department of Home Affairs follows the same path each Zimbabwean will have to show that exceptional circumstances exist when applying for an exemption. The term exceptional circumstances refers to factors that distinguish the applicant from every other person and to say that you have resided in South Africa for 8 years doesn't make for exceptional circumstances. One would have to show their contribution to the broader Society in addition to other factors.In all likelihood I believe that there will be some sort of relief at the end of the tunnel but the nature of this relief is yet to be seen. I do not think it will be a free for all but a limited scope. There are one of three possible outcomes, a renewal of the permits for another period with similar or more restrictions , An exemption process like the Angolan project or no renewal. Either way we will soon find out.For assistance with your immigration matter you can contact us at our our offices and speak to one of our specialists.Munyaradzi NkomoLead immigration specialist at Strategies Migration Services SAEmail: munya@immigrationspecialists.co.zaCell: +2774 337 0269tel : +2711 064 4875www.immigrationspecialists.co.za
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Update: According to the state's attorney, the case against Noel Kayo was dismissed.

BRIDGEPORT - The case against a member of the citys ethics commission, accused of propositioning a woman he thought was the prostitute he ordered online, has been continued a month.

Dr. Noel Kayo, who is charged with patronizing a prostitute, will now appear in Superior Court on the charge on Aug. 18.

Kayo, who said he was convinced to get on the ethics commission by Democratic Town Chairman Mario Testa, is represented by Paul Ganim, the probate judge and brother of Mayor Joseph Ganim.

Paul Ganim was unavailable for comment.

Kayo is a graduate of medical school in Grand Cayman but is not licensed to practice in Connecticut instead he said he works as a medical researcher.

Police said they were called to The Quality Suites on South Avenue for a disturbance. When officers arrived at the hotel parking lot, police said they found 20-year-old Linda Pena and her boyfriend, 19-year-old Tyler Purcell, both of Watkins Street, trying to wash pepper spray out of Kayos eyes.

Kayo told officers he had answered an advertisement on the website Backpage.com for a petite shy Latina new to the area, and arranged to meet the woman outside the hotel for a massage and happy ending, police said.

Police said when Kayo saw Pena standing outside the hotel he just assumed she was the shy Latina he was there to meet.

But police said Pena told them she had not contacted Kayo. They said she told them that she had previously agreed to pose nude for a photographer in New York in exchange for money she and her boyfriend were going to use to move to a better apartment.

Police said Pena told them the photographer arranged to have one of his associates meet her at the hotel to give her the money. When she saw Kayo pull up she thought he was the associate with the money.

Police said Pena got into Kayos car and immediately demanded her money but Kayo repeatedly argued that he wanted his services first.

Pena, afraid that Kayo was going to sexually assault her, pulled out her pepper spray canister and shot him in the face, police said. They said Purcell, who was waiting nearby, believed his girlfriend was in danger and ran to the car and shot Kayo in the face with his own pepper spray canister, police said.

Pena and Purcell were both charged with third-degree assault and released on written promises to appear in court.

I responded to an ad in Backpage.com but it wasnt and ad for anything sexual, it was an ad for a professional masseuse, Kayo said. He said the advertisement was listed under the section for professional masseuses.

The woman who had the ad said she was a professional masseuse and that I was to meet her at the hotel. But she called me back and said she was going to be delayed about 20 minutes but I should wait for her, Kayo said.
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The June 30 arrest of a Newtown man for having a handgun in his carry-on bag came on the busiest travel day of the year, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

It was also during a two-week period when more than 80 guns were discovered at airport checkpoints. Two weeks earlier, 150 firearms were found in carry-ons with 128 that were loaded.

The seizures follow a trend of an increasing number of weapons found in carry-on baggage. It also comes at a time when a record number of Americans are traveling during the busy summer season.

In 2016, screeners at airport checkpoints recovered 3,391 firearms, up 28 percent from the year before, the federal Transportation Security Administration said. Most of those confiscated guns  83 percent  were loaded.

The Newtown, man who was not identified by TSA, was busted at LaGuardia airport in New York after inspectors found the unloaded gun. TSA officers detected the gun as the man entered the checkpoint and placed his carry-on items on the x-ray conveyor belt. TSA officers contacted the Port Authority Police who confiscated the pistol and arrested the man on weapons charges.

After the gun was discovered, the Newtown man was placed in handcuffs and faces of fine of $3,000. In addition, TSA has the authority to access civil penalties of up to $12,000.

His arrest on June 30 was the second time this year that a traveler has been arrested for bringing a gun to a LaGuardia Airport checkpoint. Two guns were detected at the airports checkpoints in all of 2016.

So far the busiest travel day of the summer was on June 30, the Friday before Independence Day, when 2,647,714 passengers and crew were screened.

In all, from June 25 to July 1, TSA set a record for the most passengers and crew members screened in the history of the agency when more than 17 million individuals were screened at checkpoints nationwide.

During that period, TSA discovered 82 firearms in carry-on bags. Of the 82 firearms discovered, 73 were loaded and 27 had a round chambered. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality.

As we hit the summer season, securing the travel of millions of passengers daily remains our top priority, said TSA Acting Administrator Huban A. Gowadia. It is well known that terrorists continue to focus on aviation, which is why TSA continues to focus on providing robust security screening. TSA takes many security measures, seen and unseen, while working closely with industry partners such as airlines and airports to enhance the traveling experience and ensure every passenger arrives to their destination safely.

TSA provides weekly updates the prohibited items it finds in carry-on bags, and luggage. Our officers also regularly find firearm components, realistic replica firearms, bb and pellet guns, airsoft guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, stun guns, small pocketknives and many other prohibited items too numerous to note, it said on its week in review post.
Creating strong relationships in business is vital to keeping projects alive, and it can sometimes be tough. But growing a network can also be as easy as a gesture of goodwill.

Find that hard to believe? WeWork recently launched its Creator Awards, a program committed to giving $20 million in grants and cash prizes to startups at various levels. Entrepreneurs and small business owners across the globe are filling out applications, and just for entering, they'll receive a free year of WeWorks We Membership.

Of course, these awards and memberships are a way for WeWork to draw new customers to the company, but theres something to be said for marketing via goodwill.

Related: 10 Ways to Say 'Thank You'

Entrepreneurs of every kind can use gestures of goodwill to build or strengthen their relationships with important contacts. And this strategy is not just for businesses that can afford to give away a year of service for free; other means exist for making gifting work for your organization, regardless of its size or budget.

Building relationships through giving

It's true: Many businesses that come to mind when one thinks of "giving back" are larger or offer huge benefits. Take Marketplace One's Leadership X, for example: Brothers Bret and Brad Edson founded the organization after they sold their previous company and decided to host an event that would encourage and support the next generation of Christian leaders.

Executives from top companies flock to the event, which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to put on, because theres no catch. The goodwill spreads, encouraging others to help out where they can.

But, how can entrepreneurs emulate this gesture if they dont have millions to give in the first place? They can do it by starting small -- as small as setting a monthly goal to carry out an act of kindness, like taking another entrepreneur out to dinner.

Consider entrepreneur Jayson Gaignard's Mastermind Dinners, for example: At each dinner, Gaignard invited eight to 10 people he believed would be interested in connecting and getting to know one another; then he picked up the dinner tab. Those tabs weren't cheap, and it wasn't always easy for him to cover them, but he saw value in the events.

Once he saw that his dinners idea was succeeding, Gaignard launched Mastermind Talks, a highly curated conference that recently hosted celebrity manager Shep Gordon. Getting an invitation is more difficult than getting into Harvard, what with its acceptance rate being less than one half of 1 percent.

So, there it is: Gaignard is a perfect example of an entrepreneur who poured goodwill into his business relationships even when he couldn't afford it. Of course, going deep into debt as an entrepreneur isn't the way to go, but strategic offerings of goodwill without an expectation of reciprocity often make contacts want to give back.

Related: For Entrepreneurs, The Gift-Giving Season is Year Round

I personally believe that giving gifts and offering gestures of goodwill is essential to success. I recently wanted to solidify a relationship with podcaster John Lee Dumas, who had hosted me on his Top 100 podcast, Entrepreneurs on Fire. As we talked about our morning routines, I mentioned my sauna company, and and he couldn't stop talking about how cool that was. As a fun gesture of goodwill, I later sent him a wooden postcard letting him know a new sauna was on its way to him.

While he unfortunately lacked the space for the gift, he sent it on to his father in Maine, and both of them rave about it. My gift led to a ripple effect, and he became a huge advocate for me.

Learning to give meaningful gifts

A memorable gesture of goodwill, even if the gift is small, can lead to a beneficial relationship with colleagues, contacts and influencers. Here are a few tips entrepreneurs can use when introducing the art of giving into their regular business practices:

1. Play the name game. When it comes to gifts, personalize the item or service. Dont give someone a brand-oriented or promotion piece -- a gift should be about the recipient, not your company.

My team acts as a concierge to help our clients choose gifts for their clients and employees. When these people see the options we've selected for them, I often hear, "I like this one!" I always immediately ask if the gift is for them or for their client, and they usually respond with a sheepish grin before agreeing to the selection we recommend.

That's normal -- we all shop with our own eyes. But there's something really special about a personalized gift. People plaster their names everywhere, from license plates to coffee cups and monogrammed bags. We love to see our names on the items or "artifacts" we use every day. Remember that next time it's time to give a gift and you're tempted to go generic.

2. Give to other givers. Entrepreneurs should consider giving to others who are likely to give a gift to someone else. Paying it forward is crucial to spreading goodwill through the community.

People who donate their time and money show lower levels of stress and have a deeper sense of well-being, according to Gallup. Volunteering helps boost morale. The Giving Pledge, founded by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates, encourages billionaires to donate half their wealth to charitable organizations.

Buffett believes he wouldn't enhance his happiness and well-being iif he himself spent more than 1 percent of his income. But he does believe his happiness and well-being are bolstered by charity.

Whether you're giving time or resources to individuals or organizations, the impact of your gift will be much greater if you surround yourself with, and invest in, other givers.

3. Include the inner circle. When I give gifts, I always try to make them family-centric, and I try to include something additional or extra for the recipient's spouse. This acknowledges that the recipients are humans with others around them whom they care about deeply.

An entrepreneurs spouse is often neglected -- stuck taking care of the kids while the other parent is partaking in a great experience or sitting idly by while the entrepreneur receives showers of gifts.

Entrepreneurs often want to show their spouses their appreciation. Harp Family Institute founder Trisha Harp dedicated her career to studying the effects of entrepreneurship on relationships, and her data confirms that entrepreneurs have significant gratitude for their spouses.

Including the entire family in gift-giving allows entrepreneurs to share with their spouses, thus turning those husbands and wives into cheerleaders.

Related: Gift Ideas for Clients, Coaches, Consultants and Employees

As an entrepreneur, I think its important to look for opportunities for giving and goodwill. Pick a time and way to give. Do it really well with whatever time and finances are available. Dont hold back. Your relationships will grow stronger, and your network will expand organically and exponentially.

Related:

3 Goodwill Gestures to Build Better Business Relationships

Why Leaders Should View Themselves as Servants

Why Giving is an Excellent Way to Show Your Expertise and Talent



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Yeshiva World NewsJuly 8, 2017According to multiple media reports, Shlomo Helbrans, the leader of the Lev Tahor cult, drowned on Friday in Mexico. He was 55.Local media reports said his body was found in a river that he used as a Mikva.The Israel Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying the reports were being looked into by the Israeli embassy in Mexico.According to local media, Helbrans body was pulled from the river by rescue forces on Friday afternoon after he was swept away by strong currents.About three and a half years ago, Canadian authorities blocked the group from transferring underage members to Guatemala after Canadian courts issued a decree requiring some children to be transferred to foster families after being found to have been severely abused.Welfare officials in Ontario and Quebec claimed that they had evidence of abuse involving beatings, underage marriage, and illegal education. However, the sect succeeded in transferring a number of the children to Guatemala giving rise to a legal battle over the last few years to expel them back to Canada.In September 2016, at the request of Israeli authorities, Guatemalan law enforcement raided the Lev Tahor compound and arrested its leaders on suspicion of child abuse. The raid prompted its members to leave the site to a new location in eastern Guatemala, and complain that they were being persecuted due of their faith.Helbrans and the group had crossed the Guatemalan border into the Mexican state of Chiapas several weeks ago.Originally a citizen of Israel, cult leader Shlomo Helbrans went to the United States where he was convicted for kidnapping in 1994 and served a two-year prison term before being deported to Israel in 2000. He then settled in Canada.In 1994 he was convicted in Brooklyn for the 1992 kidnapping of 13-year-old Shai Fhima Reuven, a Bar Mitzvah boy he was tutoring, and served a two-year prison term in the U.S. He was originally sentenced to four to 12 years in prison, but in June 1996 an appeals court reduced the sentence to two to six years. Three days later, he was placed in the work release program for prisoners less than two years away from the possibility of parole, where inmates are freed from prison if they have a job. After protests, he was moved back to prison.The high-profile case drew much attention in the U.S., and gained further attention when Helbrans successfully convinced New York prison authorities to waive their requirement that all prisoners be shaved for a photograph upon entering prison, and to accept a computer-generated image of what he would have looked like clean-shaven instead. After the State Parole Board decided in November 1996 to release Helbrans after two years in prison, the case rose to near scandal with suspicions that the Pataki administration was providing him special treatment.After his release from prison, Helbrans ran a yeshiva in Monsey, N.Y., and was deported to Israel in 2000. He then settled in Canada, where in 2003 he was granted refugee status, claiming his life was being threatened in Israel.
Opinion / Columnist

The first quarter of 2017 saw President Robert Mugabe, former chair of the African Union meeting his length of the bargain following his 300 strong herd of cattle donation to the continental body. This goodwill had a snowballing effect downstream which attracted more cattle donations from Africa's most empowered natives, the new land owners in Zimbabwe, courtesy of the land reform of 2000.The taking away of productive land from unwilling former European immigrant owners to formerly dispossessed natives of Zimbabwe developed within the citizenry a sense of self worth, a value that had been eroded away for a whole wide century, making them realize the need to self finance African institutions of renaissance. President Mugabe in his personal capacity as a successful farmer donated 300 beasts to the AU as an exemplary gesture to the other 53 countries of the African continent, to awaken in them that self financing African development is possible.Of the $278 million 2016 budget, the African continent only contributed $122 million, a 44% begging minority while the bigger chunk, 56% was financed by the donor world. If divided by the 54 African countries, each country had an average paltry $2.3 million contribution. The majority donors to the AU come from the west, a world block that still harbors undisguised interests on benefitting from African resources immorally and unfairly. China, the biggest donor to the AU in recent times is the benefactor of the construction of the Addis Ababa headquarters of this important continental body.Not to be outdone, China has not hidden its interest on African resources either after it was overtaken by the then powers that partitioned the continent at Berlin in 1888. With a dizzying world record population of 1.37 billion mouths to feed, the Chinese are aggressive in scouting the earth for opportunities to grow its economy and people. The largely untapped natural resources of Africa are an important pull factor for unsolicited Chinese friendship to Africa. Chinese President Xi Jinping is not a stranger at Addis Ababa. He also frequents Pretoria and Abuja, promising economic powerhouses of Africa. Having built the AU headquarters and donated generously to multilateral institutions like the SADC, the Chinese have an unhidden intention on dictating the tune of the drum of African development.The paradox here is clear, how should a man who sleeps under the benevolent roof of another man's means expect not the benefactor to admire his wife's behind both in his absence and presence? This realization is not quadratic equation stuff. The gesture from Zimbabwe must send the rest of Africa self introspecting. Oxford University has an annual budget of $2.1 billion. This is just a school. But alas, Africa, a whole wide continent of 1.2 billion people expects to solve its problems from a paltry $278 million! Oxford University is not faced with a Boko Haram insurgency to be dealt with. Neither is it faced with the subtle but insidious theft of African resources courtesy of the ideologies cooked at Oxford. There is a sweeping drought in Somalia and the Kikuyuland veldts of Kenya, an Ebola scare in the war zones of the DRC, Egypt and Libya have both not found national consensus yet, neither have the peoples of Juba. AIDS is still a tricky opponent in Africa, so is Malaria and other water borne diseases.The $278 million little purse is dwarfed by Africa's mammoth problems. How really can a Cape to Cairo railway be fixed by a chest pocket spanner? It's high time for Africa to seek the services of a bobbejaan spanner to fix the mammoth problems in its backyard.The AU is currently sitting over the theme Harnessing the Demographic Dividend Through Investments in the Youth. Very thoughtful theme indeed. The youth are an integral part of the African populations. African leadership has an onus to protect the resources of Africa for the sake of the youths. Mention of the 1.37 billion people of China has already been made here, compare that with 1.2 billion Africans from 54 countries endowed with more resources than the overexploited other parts of the world plus China. This makes Africa a prime target for exploitation by fair or unfair means by anybody who dares so.It is encouraging to realize that the AU is sitting to deliberate on the need to reform the continental body, courtesy of Rwandese President Paul Kagame's report on the same matter. There is need to reform the AU's thinking on operationalising its commitment to the total independence of the continent.Zimbabwe Minister of Finance Patrick Chinamasa defended the criticism-prone Agrarian Reform of 2000 saying the attendant ills surrounding the program were a necessary evil that comes coating any revolution. What is left for the country is to consolidate the gains realized thereof. He hit the bull's eye on this hidden realization. Today it is the very beneficiaries of the land reform program who are the first private donors to the progress of Africa as a continent. Let Africa sow its own seed in order to own the harvest.
Opinion / Columnist

Who Is an Entrepreneur or Who Is Supposed to Be an Entrepreneur?

We Need to Embrace Entrepreneurship

Increase in Foreign Direct Investment and Exports

Creation of Employment

Technological Advancement

Growing desire for independent lifestyles

Zimbabwe Has Huge Potential

Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo writes in his personal capacity as the Head of Mentorship Institute of National Development and Sustainability which is responsible for policy research. He is also a development analyst and consultant. He can be contacted at greatorminds@gmail.com

Entrepreneurship is the art of creating or developing a business through innovation, creativity, progressive imagination and risk taking initiative, or Entrepreneurship is the art identifying viable business opportunities and mobilizing resources to convert those opportunities into a successful enterprise through creativity, innovation, risk taking and progress imagination. The key words in most definitions are; Art, development, innovation, creativity, progressive imagination and risk taking. Entrepreneurship is premised on the understanding that ideas are more important than MONEY. An entrepreneur without any money at all, will use ideas and/or his progressive imagination to make money, whilst a person with huge sums of money but without sound entrepreneurial ideas will eventually misuse or lose that money.The one who is supposed to be an entrepreneur it's you and me. We should stop wasting our time gossiping, talking too much, insults, we must sit down and plan and embrace this new economy known as entrepreneurship which is emerging on the market. Entrepreneur is a derived name from the French work "entreprendre" ie "entre (to enter) and "prendre" (to take), and in a general sense, applies to any person starting a new project or trying a new opportunity. An entrepreneur is a person motivated by a strong desire to achieve positive and sustainable business results through hard work, risk taking abilities, determination and generation of progressive ideas.Entrepreneurship is the way to go. Our economy has suffered major defeats and there have been so many misconceptions about our economy, international relations but its high time Zimbabwe need to move into a new era of development. The good part with this country is we have high skilled labor and potential growth using our local resources and manpower. Instead of politicking and side swerving political temperatures which is unnecessary, we have to work together as a nation despite our political affiliations, race, sex we need to get Zimbabwe working again. Our country has been battered negatively because of several issues.Entrepreneurship increase market share through exports. It brings diversity in export trade. The other good thing is that it promotes international trade and reduce our balance of payments. As we speak most of our youths have resorted to vending and touting and it's very difficult for the Government to raise revenue through these activities. Government can facilitate lines of credit as to harness growth and development.Majority of Zimbabweans are not employed and the unemployment has reached 93% which is very alarming and disturbing. The majority of the unemployed are youths. By embracing entrepreneurship, we are creating employment. We are encouraging the Government of Zimbabwe to support entrepreneurs mostly youths. This will improve the welfare of most of our youths. These youths will contribute positively towards the fiscus by paying taxes and revenue to the Government.The constantly advancing technology in the world today, has brought about numerous modern business equipment and machinery such as laptop computers, tablets, I-phones, internet banking, mobile banking, Facebook, and many others. This advancement in technology has therefore opened up many technology related business opportunities that have contributed to an increase in the level of entrepreneurship among nations including Zimbabwe.Many people in the world today are very desirous of independent and self-sustaining lives. Increasingly, society is witnessing people who want freedom to choose where they live, the number of hours they work, and what they do, all of which are largely dependent on one being self-employed and engaging in entrepreneurship. This desire for independent lifestyles is therefore, equally triggering the entrepreneurship spirit among nations.We have vast minerals such as diamonds, gold reserves, platinum etc. in fact we are the second largest producer of platinum in the world. We have good labour skills, we have technology, we have land, we have everything so what is our problem? The problem is that Government has mortgaged Zimbabwe to foreign nationals such as China and it will be difficult for locals to benefit. I encourage the Government of Zimbabwe to open markets for entrepreneurs and encourage locals to take major stakes in mining and agricultural sectors etc. we have the brains in this country and in fact interms of literacy rate we are the second highest in Africa. My question is then what is wrong with this country interms of service delivery?
Pa. Dems could flip the House of Reps. Here's what that might mean
Wales And Scotland Will Offer Free Abortions To Women From Northern Ireland

Welsh and Scottish leaders have confirmed that their governments will now offer free abortions to women in Northern Ireland.

Carwyn Jones, the First Minister of Wales, told the Welsh Assembly on July 4 that the Labour administration would match the governments promise to fund abortions for women traveling from Northern Ireland.

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Northern Ireland has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe, making it very difficult for women to have a safe, legal abortion there. However, abortion is legal there when carrying a pregnancy threatens the parent's life. According to The Guardian, women who previously traveled to England, Scotland or Wales paid about 900 (currently the equivalent of $1,166) to have an abortion on the National Health Service, the worlds largest publicly funded health service  despite being United Kingdom taxpayers. Mara Clarke, director of the Abortion Support Network, which offers financial assistance to women in need of abortions, tweeted that an abortion procedure in England costs between 330 and 1350 (currently the equivalent of $427 - $1,749).

Let us send a message to women everywhere that in this parliament their voices will be heard and their rights upheld, Labour Member of Parliament Stella Creasy said, according to The Guardian reports.

Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening subtly suggested she had subjective sympathy with the matter in a letter to the Members of Parliament on June 29, outlining the new funding for abortion provision.

I share the concerns of many colleagues about the experience of women from Northern Ireland obtaining an abortion through the NHS in England, she wrote. At present, women from Northern Ireland are asked for payment, and from now on it is our proposal that this will no longer happen. This is clearly a sensitive issue and one which has direct implications for equality in treatment of women from Northern Ireland.

Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland, said her government would also develop its own policy to ensure Northern Irish women did not have to pay for abortions.

The Scottish governments view is that abortion should be part of standard healthcare for all women, and available free from stigma, a Scottish government spokesperson said. The Scottish government believes that a woman from Northern Ireland, in Scotland, should be able to access an abortion for free on the same basis as women in Scotland and we will set out shortly how that can be achieved.

Campaigners in Northern Ireland are pleased with this latest announcement, but said poorer women would still be at a disadvantage because they would not be able to afford the traveling costs.

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This is an incredible step forward. Anyone travelling for an abortion will save a minimum of 330, thanks to todays announcement, Mara Clarke said. However, they will still have to pay for flights and accommodation, childcare and time off work.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (bpas) - a charity which sees more than 70,000 women a year and provides reproductive healthcare services, including pregnancy counseling, abortion care, miscarriage management and contraception, at clinics across the U.K. - said it would remove all consultation and treatment fees for Northern Irish women in a press release on July 3.

We hope our decision will provide clarity for women and what can be an extremely anxious time. Women who have been treated by bpas since Friday [June 30] will have their fees refunded, the press release stated. bpas looks forward to working with the government to put the new funding scheme in place as soon as possible.

Top photo credit: Ardfern, Wikimedia Commons



More from BUST

A Teenage Girl Tried To Get An Abortion In Ireland; Instead, She Was Forced Into A Psychiatric Facility

Is It 2016 Or 1861? Northern Ireland Is Holding On To An Outdated Anti-Abortion Law

In Northern Ireland, Having An Abortion Will Get You Jail Time

Erin DeGregorio is a student pursuing an M.A. Degree in Journalism at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism (New York, New York). She has a focus in arts and culture reporting and will be graduating in December 2017. Her portfolio of select clips can be viewed here.


Men, Republicans And Northeasterners Are The Best Tippers, Study Says

Trending News: The Best Tippers Are The Absolute Last People You'd Expect

Long Story Short

A new survey reveals how much people tip and the most generous tippers are (surprisingly) men, Republicans and residents of the northeast.

Long Story

Unless you're Larry David, you probably don't coordinate your tips with the people you go out for dinner with, especially if you pay with plastic. And that might make you wonder: Are your friends or colleagues tipping more? If they are, will the bartender or waiter service them better than you in thanks to their generosity? Well, worry no longer, because a new survey reveals how much people tip and the best tippers may surprise you.

The Princeton Survey Research Associates International on behalf of CreditCards.com survey of 1,000 people revealed that men, Republicans and northeasterners leave a median 20% tip, as reported by Bloomberg. That's considerably more than women, who tip a median of 16%, as well as Democrats and southerners who leave a median 15% gratuity.

Now, despite having spent years working in the service industry, I think tipping is a BS custom. Why should the restaurant owner be able to pay their staff a garbage wage of as little as $2.13 per hour, while the consumer foots much of employee costs? Plus, there's no reason why someone working the bar on weekends should be making a ton more than, say, teachers, who had to do extensive schooling and are undoubtedly more beneficial to society. I could go on.

That all said, I'm no Mr. Pink, and definitely leave at least 15%.



But there are people who pull a Mr. Pink from time to time. A fifth of restaurant goers completely stiff the wait staff, according to the survey. That's harsh, and really tough on servers since the federal minimum for tipping is far from enough to survive on. It also means the server or bartender could even be losing money on your bill if their restaurant requires them to tip out.

Some restaurants are finally combatting the archaic practice of tipping, but its unlikely things will change anytime soon. Until then, tip your wait staff.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Is a 20% tip too much?

Drop This Fact

In Australia, the average wage for servers is $15, plus tips.
A further chill ran down the not exactly firm spines of the Parliamentary Conservative Party last week, when the pollsters YouGov reported that Labour had taken an eight-point lead.

For the first time since Jeremy Corbyn became Labour leader, his partys standing in the polls was such that, if reproduced in a General Election, it would win an overall majority.

I realise that polls do not inspire the highest trust, after their failure to anticipate the full surge in support for Labour in Junes election.

But the breakdown of figures in this latest poll reveal a further development of two trends which that election had already demonstrated  and one of them is astounding.

Jeremy Corbyn has won the hearts of young, middle-class voters by promising to abolish tuition fees, writes DOMINIC LAWSON

This latest YouGov poll shows a mere 12 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds backing the Conservatives, with a thumping 60 per cent supporting Labour.

But heres the remarkable thing: when the figures are broken down on class lines, it transpires that the Conservatives have more support among the lower socio-economic groups (C2DE) than they do among the upper social groups (ABC1).

Labour  ostensibly the workers party  polls significantly better among higher socio-economic groups than it does among those on lower incomes.

To put this at its clearest: Jeremy Corbyn is a magnet for the young  but most especially those from well-to-do backgrounds.

That was made visibly  and audibly  obvious at the Glastonbury festival, where the Labour leader was acclaimed by thousands of those who could afford the 238 entrance fee with the chant oh, Jeremy Corbyn.

Having thus bonded with the most Left-wing politician ever to have led the Labour Party, they then left all their mounds of rubbish to be cleaned up by Eastern Europeans on zero-hours contracts.

Its not hard to see why Corbyn was able to win their hearts and their votes. It wasnt because of his decades-long commitment to socialism.

No, it was his pledge to abolish student fees  and, in particular, his suggestion that Labour would also find a way of writing off the accumulated debts of all those who had gone through tertiary education since fees were introduced.

Jeremy Corbyn, pictured, is a magnet for the young  but most especially those from well-to-do backgrounds

This was confirmed on yesterdays Andrew Marr show by the Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner.

She admitted that this sum was in the region of 100 billion  equivalent to twice the nations annual budget deficit  but tried to reassure tax-paying viewers with the risible claim that she had a big abacus.

Corbyn told a rally last week that this was all for the benefit of the workers: because of tuition fees, fewer working-class young people are applying to university.

This was a calculated lie. Since tuition fees were introduced, not only have the numbers of young people going to university soared, but the proportion coming from poorer backgrounds has risen dramatically.

Fewer than 10 per cent of those eligible for free school meals went to university ten years ago; now, almost a quarter of those at university are in that category.

(This would not have been true of the middle-class Corbyn, who flunked out of his course in Trade Union Studies at North London Polytechnic, now London Metropolitan University, after a year).

But it will be the best-off among former students who will be the principal beneficiaries of Corbyns most successful vote-winning offer (should he ever get elected to implement it).

This is because student loans are repaid  in slow installments via pay-packet deductions as part of PAYE  only when graduates are earning at least 21,000 a year. And after 30 years, any remaining balance is written off.

From this it is clear why middle-class students are the most enamoured of Corbyns bribe, sorry, offer.

They will reap the biggest benefit, since they are the most likely to have to pay off the entire loan.

It is also most attractive to well-off parents: those who were bracing themselves to pay 9,500 a year so young Johnny wouldnt have to borrow, could rest assured these sums could instead be spent on a deposit on the youngsters first property.

For rising house prices, too, have somehow been translated into support for Corbyn from young middle-class people.

The most naked expression of this came in a letter to the impeccably well-bred Spectator magazine last week.

It followed a piece by James Bartholomew, who, dismayed by his nephews support for Corbyn, wrote a public letter in the magazine to the young man, detailing the various hard-Left causes the Labour leader had espoused over decades.

But then Alex Scholes replied, explaining exactly why he, and Mr Bartholomews nephew, had endorsed Corbyn: People of my generation are tired of hearing that we cannot have the same benefits that baby boomers such as Bartholomew enjoyed.

'To name a few: an economy generating meaningful and secure work, the ability to purchase a house, the guarantee of a state pension, free university tuition, and so on. Thats the crux of why we voted for Corbyn: we want what you had.

Far from the austere socialist that the young Corbyn had been, this is the anguished cry of the frustrated bourgeoisie.

In the days when we baby boomers were students, the great causes of youthful opposition to the older generation  and the ones which might have led them to support Labour  would have been nuclear weapons, the Vietnam War and apartheid.

Now, its why cant we have the same sort of house that you bought for thousands in the Seventies and which now is worth a hundred times that? And why do we have to pay for our university degree when you didnt?

Dont try explaining to such young people that its planning regulations, loved most of all by Labour, that have stymied affordable house-building, or that it was because university education in our day was all state-funded that there was so much restriction on numbers. They will just tell you that you are being selfish.

Nor do such young enthusiasts for Corbyn seem willing to understand why those of our generation regard him as dangerous.

To them, his support for Sinn Fein/IRA, or for the Jew-haters of Hamas and Hezbollah, or for the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro  well, this is just Jeremys general friendliness, part of the kindler, gentler politics he promised.

So superficial is their understanding of what Corbyn is and stands for that they imagined he was going to fight the Tories plans to cancel the countrys membership of the European single market  otherwise known as Brexit.

But Mr Corbyn's supporters, pictured here in Durham, are fooling themselves if they think he will fight Tory plans to push through Brexit

They seemed not to know that Corbyn has always regarded the EU as a capitalist conspiracy  since 1987 he has voted in Parliament against every one of its treaties.

They might not even realise that Corbyns plans to nationalise large swathes of British industry would be illegal under EU law, and that therefore there is no chance that he will change his mind.

This will come as a shattering blow to the Remain-supporting denizens of Kensington, whose votes last month enabled a Labour candidate to seize that poshest of Conservative constituencies.

By no means every Labour MP is pleased about the way Corbyn has upended politics  gaining Kensington and the university city of Canterbury, but losing Middlesbrough South and Mansfield.

Last week one of them, Phil Wilson, wrote: The route to a sustainable Labour victory will not be found by travelling only the middle-class streets of Kensington and the campuses of our university towns.

'To win over the middle classes, but lose the support of the working classes would be the Labour Partys biggest folly. I dont want to see the Labour Party become a middle-class pastime.

The Conservatives are in too panicky a mood to take much succour from this Labour mans complaint.

But they should: because if Corbyns youthful support is so reliant on such middle-class themes  keeping more of your pay-packet and being able to get an affordable mortgage  then it can more easily be won back by the true party of the bourgeoisie.
Christopher Moran owns Crosby Hall, the former Thames-side home of Thomas More where dinner for 12 went for 25,000

Gasps of excitement at the Conservative Party summer ball last week, when one benefactor bid a whopping 160,000 for dinner with Theresa May.

Supper with one-time darling of the party faithful Boris Johnson, however, went for a mere 15,000.

But there was also another dinner date agreed at Wednesdays bash to boost Tory coffers. Dinner for 12 at Crosby Hall, the former Thames-side home of Henry VIIIs Lord Chancellor Thomas More, went for 25,000.

The magnificent 15th-century, 30-room townhouse in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, is owned by the suave businessman Christopher Moran, who has now added Dr to his title. Guests walk past a statue of the not-entirely-modest Moran when they arrive.

Grammar school-educated, he made his first million by the time he was 21. But unlike most Tories, Moran had a cavalier approach to the rules. Censured several times by the London Stock Exchange for controversial share purchases, he holds the dubious privilege of being the first person to be barred for life by the insurance market Lloyds of London.

He also made a $2 million settlement after he was accused of insider trading in New York. Yet there he was bold as brass at the Tory gathering at West Londons Hurlingham Club selling dinner at his house.

One Tory donor told me acidly: Lets hope they have long spoons  thats what you need when you dine with someone like that.

By George, Esther's settling in!

While George Osborne regrets standing down as an MP, with the prospect of another election highly likely, his successor as MP for Tatton has made her mark.

While George Osborne regrets standing down as an MP, with the prospect of another election highly likely, his successor as MP for Tatton has made her mark

Esther McVey, the former pensions minister and ex-MP for Wirral West, has relocated to the constituency. I moved into Knutsford as soon as I was selected. It is important that I am out and about every day.

Osborne of course sold his Tatton home in 2012 when he thought the constituency was going to disappear in boundary changes, which were supposed to deliver the Tories another 25 seats, but now seem like a pipe dream.

After last weeks stirring performance on the BBCs Question Time, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has just become a father for the sixth time, has a new fan club.

A petition for the Old Etonian to stand as Tory leader has 13,000 signatures, and a Facebook page more than 5,000 supporters in 48 hours.

His odds to replace Mrs May have gone from 50/1 to 18/1 with Oddschecker. Time to put a tenner on The Mogg?

Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has just become a father for the sixth time, has a new fan club

Why Labour spells calamity

Labour sent out a press release with the names of its new shadow ministers, and three out of four were spelled incorrectly.

Shadow Justice Minister Gloria De Piero was spelt Di Piero. Shadow Transport Minister Rachael Maskell was spelled Rachel and Shadow Education Minister Tracy Brabin became Tracey. Perhaps the education spokeswoman should institute some urgent spelling lessons.

But then its hardly surprising the press releases are littered with errors. They still have the likes of Andy Burnham, Steve Rotheram and Alan Johnson listed as MPs, even though they stood down at the last election. Sir Gerald Kaufman is still there, too  and he died in February.

A withering attack on the Lib Dems from ex-chief whip Lord Alton. A Roman Catholic, he was appalled that Tim Farron was forced out of the leadership because of his Christian views.

In the Catholic Times, Alton writes: The old Liberal Party was proud of its Christian foundations, which stretched back to Gladstone and included Christians from all denominations.

Crossbencher Alton adds: They have become a sect rather than a broad-based political party.
Terminally ill teenager Bryce McKiernan has come face-to-face with his superhero John Cena in an emotional meet-and-greet.

The American wrestling superstar was touched by the 15-year-old Geelong boy's story about his long excruciating battle with kabuki syndrome.

And so the WWE legend fulfilled the sick boy's final wish by meeting him before his show at a Melbourne appearance on Saturday night.

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Terminally ill teenager Bryce McKiernan has come face-to-face with his superhero John Cena

The teenager was lost for words when he ran into the arms of the WWE star for a big hug

Much to his delight, the teenager - who is receiving palliative care - was lost for words when he ran into the arms of Cena for a loving embrace.

'Very nice to meet you. You know I've heard a lot about you especially in the last few weeks,' Cena said to one of his biggest fans.

Clearly starstruck, young Bryce couldn't get a word out when the Hollywood star started a conversation with him.

'I saw how excited you were. I was already excited but then I saw you were excited so I got like super excited,' Cena continued.

Clearly starstruck, young Bryce couldn't get a word out when he met with the Hollywood star

The American wrestler fulfilled the sick boy's final wish by meeting him before his show

Mother Stacey McKiernan (second from left) was moved to tears as she watched her son meet his long-time idol

WHAT IS KABUKI SYNDROME? Kabuki syndrome is a rare genetic disorder with a range of characteristics, including intellectual disability, distinctive facial features and skeletal abnormalities. There is no cure  treatment aims to reduce the risk of complications and improve quality of life. Source: Better Health Advertisement

Bryce couldn't contain his excitement as Cena signed his shirt and hat.

And the teenager certainly stole the show when the wrestler introduced him up on stage in front of a packed Melbourne Convention Centre

'He's a stronger man than I'll ever be,' Cena said to the cheering crowd, The Geelong Advertiser reported.

'He fights everyday and he does it all with a smile.'

The 15-year-old Geelong boy has been battling kabuki syndrome for most of his life

Meeting his idols: Bryce with My Kitchen Rules judges Manu Feildel and George Calombaris

Mother Stacey McKiernan was moved to tears as she watched her adoring son meet his long-time idol.

'Even in the last week, he'd deteriorated in his health so this is everything because it makes him smile and it makes us smile,' she told Sunrise after the meet-and-greet.

'So seeing his face lost for words and... it was beautiful. He was happy and I love it.'

The US wrestler was on a three-day tour in Australia over the weekend to promote his An Evening with John Cena event.

To make a donation for Bryce McKiernan, please visit the GoFundMe page #Brycesstarshinesbright.
A mother-of-two from Brisbane proves that age is no limitation when it comes to staying fit.

Katherine Allan, 50, was once a professional ballet dancer and is now a fitness director.

'In my 30s and early 40s I was the energiser bunny bouncing around the gym, I was doing way too much much cardio and way too many weights. Now I work out less but feel a lot better,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'I have definitely made changes, I do a lot less cardio now even though I love it and I do a lot more flexibility, agility and foam rolling.'

Katherine Allan, 50, (left) has spoken about how she feels better than ever now she does less cardio

The mother-of-two said that in her thirties she was an 'energiser bunny' at the gym, but she has since changed her ways. She is pictured here in 1998 after the birth of her second child Neve

It was 21 years ago that Ms Allan slipped down the stairs at 36 weeks pregnant and snapped her coccyx.

'I was very lucky that there were no bits that snapped off or no damage to my spinal cord and they actually couldn't x-ray me until three weeks after the baby was born.

'Thankfully I went into labour really quickly. It was painful but it happened quickly and I don't really remember a lot,' she explained.

'It was more so pushing the head out that was the worst as the coccyx was broken. It was a nightmare but I had a really good team around me.'

Kate Allen (pictured), 50, is a mother-of-two and proves that age is no limitation when it comes to staying fit

'I have definitely made changes, I do a lot less cardio now even though I love it and I do a lot more flexibility, agility and foam rolling'

Ms Allen has been fit throughout her life but it was breaking her back that made her change the way she exercises.

'I was really good at telling my clients what to do but I was constantly pushing my own body.

'I think a part of that too is the factor of someone who's broken their back and wanted to prove something and see how far they can push their body.'

'When you're an instructor you're doing three or four hours of exercise a day because of classes but you end up with wear and tear injuries and you end up exhausted. I take a lot of my own advice now.'

Ms Allen has been fit throughout her life with varying levels of fitness but it was breaking her back that made her change the way she exercises

'I was really good at telling my clients what to do but I was constantly pushing my own body'

After the birth she saw a physio who told her that she would have limited rotation in her upper back and wouldn't be able to exercise like she had before.

She then answered an ad in the paper to a man who was doing his PhD on back and neck pain who had come up with a program to reintroduce flexibility and mobility.

Ms Allan said that now her range of movement is 'fantastic' but has said that as she has gotten older she can't push her body the way she used to without consequences, which she doesn't think is a bad thing.

'For too long I was trying to push my body too far but I do think that our bodies are miraculous.'

After the birth she saw a physio who told her that she would have limited rotation in her upper back and wouldn't be able to exercise like she had before

Ms Allan said that now her range of movement is 'fantastic' but has said that as she has gotten older she can't push her body the way she used to without consequences

'If we take care of them and eat well, live well and enjoy our lives there's no reason we can't have a great quality of life in our 50s, 60s and 70s.

'You just have to pay attention to your body and the signals that it's sending'

'You just have to pay attention to your body and the signals that it's sending you and how it's feeling,' she said.

'If you need more rest get more rest, if you're body is telling you it's hungry feed it instead of starving it, which we seem to have done for the past 20 odd years in this industry.'

She believes that it isn't all that difficult to incorporate fitness into your life and recommends that people have a fitness schedule.

'Schedule in the days you're going to do dedicated strength work, the days that you're going to get out and go for a walk and spend some time with the family and have days for dedicated flexibility work.'

Ms Allan said that as she has gotten older she can't push her body the way she used to without consequences, but doesn't think that's a bad thing

'If we take care of them and eat well, live well and enjoy our lives there's no reason we cant have a great quality of life in our 50s, 60s and 70s,' she said

'When we have consistency it's much easier to stay on top of your program. The body is designed to contract and relax, it's designed to be strong but also designed to be agile and mobile.

'And have fun! You have got to do stuff you like to do and really enjoy, anything that's fun will keep you more committed to your exercise program.'

She believes that it isn't all that difficult to incorporate fitness into your life and recommends that people have a fitness schedule

She recommends doing impact work for bone density while keeping your bones strong with vitamin D supplements with Ostelin and to pay particular attention to nutrition and sleep, which she thinks is crucial for women.

'We live in a very high stress, busy society and ultimately stress can place the greatest amount of damage to our hearts and longevity.

'We have to make sure we're looking after ourselves as women. It's not complicated, it's quite simple, we just don't pay attention.'

'We live in a very high stress, busy society and ultimately stress can place the greatest amount of damage to our hearts and longevity,' she explained

She believes that it isn't all that difficult to incorporate fitness into your life and recommends that people have a fitness schedule

When she was younger Ms Allan started ballet when she was five and continued until she was 23.

Ms Allan started ballet when she was five and continued until she was 23

'I was a ballet dancer and then moved into the [fitness] industry about 25 years ago teaching aerobics back in the day where we wore our g-strings on the outside not the inside.

'I used to get a lot of injuries and decided I needed a little bit of a break, fitness was working for me helping my bones and helping with the injuries.'

These days she is kept busy balancing clients, exercise and her own family life and says she is busy but is more productive than she has ever been before.

'I'm also working on my own fitness, trying to keep a balance of flexibility and agility. It's a pretty healthy, active lifestyle.'

'I truly believe what we do in our early years has an impact on the later years, that has been my experience, but it is also never too late to start. The body is incredibly adaptive and loves to be nurtured.'
A young bride-to-be who was left unable to walk after developing a spine on her tumour has revealed how she hopes to walk down the aisle this month.

Emily McDermott, of Wrexham, north Wales, put her chronic back pain down to her intense army training, but a scan in December 2016 revealed she had Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

After 12 rounds of chemotherapy and intense physio, Emily says she's determined to make it down the aisle on two feet when she weds her fiance Olly Hughes, 24, at the end of this month.

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Emily McDermott, pictured last year before her diagnosis. The 23-year-old military police personnel was told the devastating news that she had cancer in December after suffering from chronic back pain

Emily has had chemotherapy and radiotherapy to reduce the tumour on her spine and has now been given the all-clear; she says she's determined to walk again when she weds her fiance Olly Hughes, 24, later this month

Emily was devastated to learn she was suffering from the disease after doctors took blood tests and an X-ray to determine why she was in so much pain.

The scan revealed the cancer in her lymphatic system had caused a large tumour to press on her spine.

The devastating news came just weeks after the 23-year-old had picked out an ivory lace bridal gown to marry her fiance, soldier Olly Hughes, 24, on July 29th.

After medics explained to Emily and her family that there was no guarantee she'd walk again and that chemotherapy would mean losing her luscious brown locks, her family advised her to postpone her wedding.

However, Emily, who works for the military police, was determined to keep her date and, after intensive physiotherapy, is remarkably back on her feet.

She says: 'I'm excited, it's come around so fast. Olly said, "If you want to postpone, you can", but I didn't want to.'

'It was something to work towards, to look forward to. It was my goal to walk down the aisle.'

Doctors warned Emily that she may not walk again due to the position of the tumour, but the courageous 23-year-old says she's doing everything she can to make it down the aisle on her wedding day

Emily graduating from the army with her parents by her side; she initially put the back pain she was suffering from due to intense army training

Emily, who has just had her final dress fitting, will be saying, 'I do' to Olly in front of 80 friends and family, at Llyndir Hall in Chester.

The couple met in January last year while in the army, based at the same military camp, in Wiltshire.

After hitting it off, they started dating a month later and Olly, originally from Chester, proposed while they were on a day out in Bournemouth last June.

It isn't until you lose the ability to walk that you realise how much you take for granted... Emily McDermott

Emily recalled: 'Olly proposed while we were on the beach chatting. He didn't get down on one knee. He just had the ring in his hand. He's a typical lad.'

Emily's mind turned to wedding planning and she recruited mum Sue McDermott, 51, gran Barbara Kelsey, 74 and best friend Abby Jones, 25 to help her find a dress.

However, ongoing back pain dogged her preparations but she assumed it was down to tackling Army obstacle courses.

Emily was prescribed painkillers and bed rest, but they made little difference and so, in December 2016, she went to Salisbury Hospital, where doctors found lots of grape-sized lumps in her neck.

'I was shocked and upset, and thought the worst, not knowing what was wrong and what was going to happen,' she said.

Advised to come back two days later, Emily went home, where she started experiencing a tingling sensation in her legs.

She thought it was a trapped nerve, but, returning to hospital with Olly, her mum and dad Ian McDermott, 56, she stayed overnight, waking to discover she couldn't walk.

Back pain and a tingling sensation in her legs left Emily fearing the worst...and a cat scan confirmed she was suffering from Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Emily says her dream is to make it on two feet down the aisle and says she's amazed by how far she's come

'I was frozen to the spot. I couldn't move. My legs felt locked,' she said. 'I felt panicked, maybe a little in denial that anything was wrong at first.'

Doctors then broke the news of her diagnosis and confirmed that the tumour on her spine was preventing her from walking.

Emily said she 'expected' the diagnosis, and was 'relieved' something could be done about her agonising pain.

She was told she'd need 12 rounds of chemotherapy and five of radiotherapy but, because the tumour was pressing on her spine, she may not walk again.

Olly proposed while the couple were enjoying a day out at the beach in Bournemouth last June

My rock: Emily says she can't wait to marry soldier Olly at the end of this month

Emily, who has been dating Olly since February 2016, is planning on wearing a specially styled wig for her wedding day

'I was scared I might not walk again. That was unexpected. My doctor said it was a possibility, but I was determined to walk,' she said.

Discharged in late December, following her radiotherapy, Emily returned to hospital fortnightly for chemotherapy and weekly for physiotherapy from February. She was initially in a wheelchair.

But, thanks to daily physiotherapy, she strengthened her muscles enough to walk with a Zimmer frame  then progressing to crutches, before getting about completely unaided.

'At first, my legs felt like jelly. I'd lose my balance,' she said.

'It was strange, learning to do something that you don't think about. It isn't until you lose the ability to walk that you realise how much you take for granted.'

Due to chemotherapy, Emily's hair began to fall out in early January.

Support: Emily with her mum and dad following the news of her diagnosis

At first, she was upset, but eventually decided to take back control and shave her head.

Her brother Josh McDermott, 24, did the same, to show solidarity.

Now wearing a wig and false lashes whenever she leaves the house, she also has a specially styled wig for her wedding day.

Happily, she was given the all-clear last month, and is now looking ahead to her special day.

Emily, who said she kept motivated during treatment by reading wedding magazines, said: 'I'm amazed when I look back and see how far I've come. Olly has been my rock and I can't wait to marry him.'

Emily is supporting Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning, along with headline sponsor M&S, on Friday 29th September. To get involved at home or at work, visit www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee
Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..Algemeiner.com..09 July '17..One of the favorite methods of treating people it dislikes is to hurl adjectives at them.So, for example, the newspaper has described the views of the president of the Middle East Forum, Daniel Pipes, as controversial and inflammatory, and described a former American ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, as combative. Prime Minister Netanyahu is labeled brash, as well as loquacious and usually taciturn, two diametrically opposed terms.The latest example comes in anews article about a United Nations body naming Hebron a Palestinian world heritage site.
He spent his weekend snapping selfies and watching rock band The Killers perform at Hyde Park.

But it was back to work for Prince Harry on Monday as he visited a university to learn about efforts to tackle HIV and Aids.

Harry, 32, took part in a round table discussion on the disease during a visit to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

He pledged to help end the stigma facing those battling HIV and Aids, echoing the words of his mother, Princess Diana, who campaigned tirelessly around the issue.

Leading voice: Prince Harry took part in a discussion on the work being done to combat diseases including HIV and Aids at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Harry also pledged to help end the stigma facing those battling HIV and Aids

Prince Harry meets staff at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine today

Prince Harry also said it is 'totally absurd' that many children only learn about HIV and Aids once it is too late.

'To me it is totally absurd that in today's world that young people, the first time they know or the first time they hear anything about HIV and Aids, is probably by the time it is too late,' he said.

'HIV needs to be treated exactly the same as any other disease, and between us hopefully we can eradicate the stigma and give these young people an opportunity to stand up.'

Harry also saw a demonstration of a HIV self-testing kit which is being trialled in Malawi, where women are given the tests at antenatal clinics to pass on to their husbands.

He also heard about Peek, an organisation that seeks to improve access to eyecare, and its screening programme in schools in Botswana that uses an app that teachers can use to test children's eyesight.

Harry has been outspoken on the fight against HIV and co-founded the charity Sentebale - meaning 'forget me not' - with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006.

Prince Harry at the round table discussion during a visit to the university in London today

The 32-year-old royal issued a call to eradicate the stigma surrounding the disease

It aims to improve prospects for the thousands of children and young people affected by HIV/Aids in the landlocked African country.

The Prince also took part in a roundtable discussion alongside three of the charity's youth advocates from Lesotho and Botswana, who spoke about the challenges face by those with HIV in southern Africa.

As of December last year, Sentebale had delivered adolescent-friendly HIV testing and counselling services to more than 21,000 people, and there are plans to expand into four or five sub-Saharan African countries by 2020.

Harry first visited Lesotho 12 years ago, shadowed by broadcaster Tom Bradby, who interviewed the Prince for the documentary.
Ivanka Trump caused an uproar on Saturday when she temporarily took her father's place at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, beside world leaders like Angela Merkel and Theresa May.

But while one Trump was causing controversy, 700 miles away, her little sister Tiffany, 23, was flying much more under-the-radar. The younger first daughter, 23, was enjoying a trip to Europe as well, but was there more for pleasure than business.

In a photo shared on Instagram, Tiffany can be seen enjoying some sight-seeing in Budapest, Hungary, on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend Ross Mechanic.

Vacation: Tiffany Trump is visiting Budapest, Hungary with her boyfriend Ross Mechanic

Snap snap: Ross has also been sharing photos from their travels on Instagram

700 miles away: While the couple was posing in Hungary, Tiffany's older sister Ivanka was in Hamburg for the G20 summit

Ross shared the picture on July 8, commenting merely with a smiley-wearing-sunglasses emoji.

The snap shows the couple smiling while posing on a bridge in the eastern European capital, the city sprawled out behind them and the Hungarian Parliament Building just visible in the distance.

Tiffany is wearing white jeans and a pink top in the picture, while Ross is casual as well in a blue shirt and dark jeans.

The carefree photo certainly creates a juxtaposition with pictures taken of Tiffany's older sister Ivanka from that very same day.

While Tiffany was smiling outside on the bridge, Ivanka was inside, taking part in events of the G20 summit in Hamburg.

Unexpected: A photo of Ivanka sitting at a table with world leaders during the conferences fired up her father, President Donald Trump's critics

Pose: Ivanka and Donald are pictured with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Problem? Critics  including Brian Fallon, a former spokesman for Hillary's presidential campaign  have called out the unconvential move

Taking issue: Many people pointed out that no one voted for Ivanka, who is not an elected official  and thus she shouldn't be representing the US

What experience? They criticized Trump for putting an 'unqualified, unprepared New York socialite' in such an important position

'Too bad!' Trump, meanwhile, defended having Ivanka step in

Moving on: On Monday, Ivanka was seen back in D.C., heading home after a workout

Not concerned: She and her smiling husband Jared appeared to be putting the controversy behind them

On that Saturday, Ivanka even stepped in from the sidelines to sit at her father's seat at a large meeting with world leaders, including China's Xi Jinping, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Germany's Angela Merkel, and Britain's Theresa May.

When photos emerged of the unorthodox move, a public uproar ensued, with critics pointing out that Ivanka is not an elected official and calling the move inappropriate.

Several suggested that if the president, who had stepped out for a bilateral meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, needed someone else to fill in, he should have turned to the Vice President or Secretary of State.

'Sort of the whole point of America was that governmental authority was bestowed by the people not by birth,' said Dan Pfeiffer, a former Senior Advisor to President Obama.

California Representative Ted Lieu tweeted: 'Based on Ivanka Trump example, I'm going to ask Speaker Ryan if my son can sit in for me at the next House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.'

Seeing sights: Late last month, Tiffany was also in Germany, having fun as a tourist in Berlin

Having some fun: She appears to be on an extended holiday with Ross, who recently graduated from Penn

Back together: The two had been long-distance for a year after Tiffany graduated and Ross was still in school

Second home: Tiffany poses with her father at the White House

'The very fact that his daughter is senior adviser smacks of the kind of nepotism not seen since John F. Kennedy named Robert F. Kennedy as attorney general,' a senior European official anonymously told the Washington Post.

The president, meanwhile, tweeted that Ivanka filling in was 'very standard'  and Ivanka herself appears to be putting the controversy behind her, as she was caught by photographers back at home in Washington, D.C. this morning after a routine trip to the gym.

She and Jared had both headed out for a workout, and Jared looked smiley as he followed his wife inside, with both wearing matching baseball caps.

Though Tiffany did not join members of her family in town for the summit, she had been in Germany just a couple of weeks ago.

In late June, she was seen with Ross on what appears to be an extended tour of Europe. The two were pictured walking through the streets of Berlin.

Later, Tiffany posed for another Instagram shot, standing in front of Brandenburg Gate in a matching white top and skirt.

Vacation: In June Tiffany and Ross were staying in the Hamptons as they enjoy the summer together before Tiffany heads to law school

Support system: Tiffany attended Ross' graduation from the University of Pennsylvania in May

She seems to be enjoying a last hurrah of sorts before heading back to school in the fall, when she will be attending Georgetown Law.

This spring, she attended Ross' University of Pennsylvania graduation, when he received a degree in computer science.

While he was still in school, the couple had a long distance relationship, as Tiffany was living in New York.

Reunited, they appear to be spending as much time together as possible, vacationing in Europe and the Hamptons.

After she attended his graduation, the two have been spending the summer together, enjoying time in the Hamptons where they had dinner with her mother Marla Maples.
A social media star has come under fire after being accused of lying about donating her hair to charity.

Vlogger Lele Pons, 21, shared a picture of herself with her chopped locks last week. In the now-removed post, the Venezuela native, who now lives in Los Angeles, told her 18.2 million followers: 'DONATED MY HAIR !!!! First time I ever cut my hair. What do you think?'

The photo shows her next to a friend who is holding a pony tail, which at first glance looks like Pons' cut-off hair. But an eagle-eyed Twitter user later chimed in to say the chopped hair actually looks like extensions, which typically cannot be donated.

Is it all it seems? Social media star Lele Pons claimed in this Instagram post she had donated her chopped hair to charity, but was quickly challenged by an eagle-eyed Twitter user

Inquiring: A woman named Emily took to Twitter to publicly question Pons about her hair

Eagle-eyed: Emily pointed out that the hair in Pons' photo (pictured) looks like it's made out of extensions, which typically cannot be donated

'Care to explain how you chopped off your "hair" and "donated" it @lelepons?? Last time I checked you can't donate extensions,' Twitter user Emily wrote, challenging the social media star's account.

Pons hadn't specified which charity she intended to donate her hair to, but Locks Of Love, one of the main organizations for hair donation, states on its website that extensions, synthetic hair and wigs cannot be accepted.

Emily's tweet, in which she demanded explanations, rapidly attracted attention and has now been retweeted more than 75,000 times. The message has also received 224,000 likes.

In a follow-up message, Emily then said Pons had blocked her, and shared a screen shot of the app telling her so.

Oh the drama: In a follow-up message, Emily then said Pons had blocked her, and shared a screen shot of the app telling her so

Rules: Pons (pictured with her shorther hair) hadn't specified which charity she intended to donate her hair to, but Locks Of Love states on its website that extensions cannot be accepted

Pons eventually responded to the social media firestorm on Saturday. She didn't clarify whether the hair in the photo was actually made out of extensions, but offered an explanation as to why the donation didn't happen.

'1/ To help clear any assumptions, I cut my hair with the intention of donating it,' the vlogger wrote.

'2/ Sadly after trying, I learned charities who donate wigs dont accept color treated hair.

'3/ So Im finding other ways to help those affected by hair loss b/c of cancer. This is still a priority for me.'

Statement: The vlogger eventually responded to the social media firestorm on Saturday. She offered an explanation as to why the donation didn't happen

Explanation: Pons began by telling her followers she did have the 'intention' of donating her hair when she first had it cut

Responding: She then stated that she tried to donate it, but found out that charities wouldn't accept color-treated hair. Bleached hair is usually not suitable for donations

'Still a priority': The Venezuela native, who now lives in Los Angeles, went on to say she was looking for other ways to help people who have lost their hair due to cancer

Colored hair usually is acceptable for donations, as stated on Locks Of Love's website, but bleached hair isn't because products used during the bleaching process cause a chemical reaction when the charity tries to turn it into a hairpiece.

In fact, one of the only organizations to accept hair extensions is UK-based charity Little Princess Trust, which works with hair extensions brand Great Lengths, accepting donations of 100 per cent human hair from the company to create wigs for young kids being treated for cancer.

However, vlogger Lele insists that the bundle of extensions featured in the image taken for social media was just being used as a prop, and even sent BuzzFeed News a photo of a chopped ponytail, claiming it was a picture of her actual hair, which she originally intended to donate to charity.

While she declined the website's request for comment, a person close to her, who declined to be identified, said: 'The locks of hair that you see in the Instagram photo were a reference to how many inches she cut, since her real hair was being gathered and prepped to be donated.

'It was never intended to pass off extensions as real hair.'
Artist Kate Miller, who is married to Silicon Valley actor T.J. Miller, is more than just a celebrity's wife  she has an identity and accomplishments in her own right.

Which is why she was frustrated last month when a headline in the New York Post mentioned her husband's name and not her own  even though the story was actually about her and her work as an artist.

Kate is now speaking out to Refinery29 about the attention-grabbing headline and the sexist way society still diminishes women.

Independent woman: Artist Kate Miller has spoken out about a viral headline that referred to her as 'TJ Miller's wife'

But wait! The New York Post headline, which only named the Silicon Valley star and not the actual subject of the piece, was mocked online

The viral headline originally appeared in the Post on June 24. It read: 'TJ Miller's wife making a name for herself in New York.'

Quickly, the headline gained attention, with people pointing out how ironic it was that the Post would claim she is 'making a name for herself' without actually using her name.

'I've never seen a one sentence headline contradict itself,' wrote comedian Ari Fishbein in a tweet that has been liked a quarter of a million times  including by TJ Miller.

While the sad irony of the headline  which, since the negative public reaction, has been rewritten  might be somewhat humorous, to Kate and many others it was also a reminder of the way women are still seen as 'belonging' to their husbands throughout much of society.

Not right: The Post has since updated the headline, and Kate is speaking out about the way 'accomplished women are defined singularly by their marriages'

'I was both overwhelmed by and grateful for the outpouring of support in response to something that had become so normalized for me  the idea that many women are seen as nothing more than their husband's wife,' Kate said.

'It made me think about representations of married women in the press, and how many people share my experience of being defined only in relationship to their significant other.'

Too often accomplished women are defined singularly by their marriages, to the point where they are literally written off and their successes and descriptions diminished Kate Miller

As Kate pointed out, she is hardly the first person to receive the 'so-and-so's wife' treatment.

In fact, she remembers a 2016 headline about Olympic trapshooter Corey Cogdell (in the Chicago Tribune, which was widely criticized afterward) reading 'Wife of Chicago Bears Linesman Wins Olympic Bronze Medal'  her medal still seemingly not making her deserving of standalone recognition, independent of her husband.

Graca Machel  a Dame of the British Empire and famous politician and humanitarian  faced something similar with another headline that Kate remembers: 'Nelson Mandela's widow hitting back at xenophobia in South Africa.'

'It's hard to find yourself in someone else's shadow. But it's more than that,' she explained.

'When we choose to marry and take our husband's name, we do not choose to forfeit our identity nor accomplishments earned in our own right. And we should not be expected to stand by quietly as society does just that.'

Her own woman: She said that she isn't complaining about her husband's fame and is grateful for the ways in which it has been good to her, but she still deserves respect

You tell 'em! When women marry, she said, 'we do not choose to forfeit our identity nor accomplishments earned in our own right'

She went on to note that she is not complaining about him being a celebrity. In fact, she acknowledges that his his fame has given her a larger audience for her art.

And when it's just the two of them, his celebrity doesn't diminish her. She said she loves being married to T.J., since together they are equals, a team.

'Our relationship is based on mutual respect, humor, growth, and transparency. We support and contribute equally to each other's work. We are each other's muse,' she said.

But the problem comes when her identity gets swallowed up in his, and she is no longer treated as an individual.

'What I take issue with, however, is the idea that being a celebrity's wife translates into being just that: "T.J. Miller's wife,"' she said. 'Too often accomplished women are defined singularly by their marriages, to the point where they are literally written off and their successes and descriptions diminished.'
Some moms decorate their new babies' nurseries with drawings of giraffes, teddy bears, and flowers. Others, it seem, prefer placenta.

Michelle Amaya-Schmidt, 40, was determined to save her own placenta after giving birth to her first child four months ago with her husband Nathan, 36.

But it seems that eating it or making it into jewelry wasn't enough for the Albuquerque, New Mexico resident. Instead, she had the bloody organ made into five art prints that now hang in her young son's bedroom.

Keeping 100 placent-a! A new mother has revealed how she used all of her placenta after giving birth, turning some of it into art

Sure she cut the cord? Michelle Amaya-Schmidt, 40, had a miscarriage before giving birth to Asher, who is now four months old

Practically a Jackson Pollock! Her doula suggested turning the placenta into art, which is now hung in her home

'I had a miscarriage two years ago at ten weeks, so giving birth to Asher was all the more special,' Amaya-Schmidt said. 'I wanted to catalog every aspect of his birth and remember it forever  and that included making a print.'

She first had the idea after her doula, Alyssa Hope, suggested it; Amaya-Schmidt had never heard of such a thing before, but she agreed.

So, after a quick labor that lasted just four hours, the new mom handed over the afterbirth. The doula then placed the still-wet placenta onto crisp white paper, removing it to reveal artful smears.

She returned weeks later with five prints, which Amaya-Schmidt used to decorate her house.

'I was delighted by it,' she said. 'I've put it up in his room surrounded by other mementos from his birth, like his hand and foot prints and ultrasound photos.'

No weak stomachs... The doula then placed the still-wet placenta onto crisp white paper, removing it to reveal artful smears

Excited: Amaya-Schmidt wanted to document and catalog everything about the birth

OK: She said her husband Nathan (pictured) was not 'freaked out'

'People thought it was very unusual, but I explained to them what it is and why I did it, and now they think its kind of cool,' she said.

She knows that the move wasn't exactly conventional, but insists that people who come across the prints in her home like them.

'People thought it was very unusual, but I explained to them what it is and why I did it, and now they think its kind of cool,' she said.

'My husband Nathan wasn't freaked out by it,' she added. 'He thinks the prints are great.'

After she made the prints, the doula steamed, dehydrated, and ground the placenta into a powder and filled sixty capsules.

The process, known as capsulation, has been made famous by celebrities including Kim Kardashian and January Jones, and is thought to increase energy and mental wellbeing.

Wholesome: She also had the leftovers made into capsules for her to injest

'I had a miscarriage two years ago at ten weeks, so giving birth to Asher was all the more special,' Amaya-Schmidt said

'I had a few friends who gave me weird looks but it was really special to keep everything I could from the birth of my first-born,' she said

'I had been looking into the effects of placenta, and while there isn't any concrete research I knew it wouldn't hurt,' she said. 'Other moms say the placenta gives you lots of vitamins, decreases risk of postpartum depression, and increases your energy.'

She said that while she doesn't have another pregnancy to compare it to, this one went off without a hitch, and she didn't suffer from postpartum depression after taking the capsules.

'I know some people find it unusual or disgusting but they don't understand,' she admitted. '[But] animals eat the placenta right after they give birth. Humans are some of the only mammals that don't.

The practice, called placentophagy, is indeed exhibited by many mammals, but not all.

'I had a few friends who gave me weird looks but it was really special to keep everything I could from the birth of my first-born,' she went on. 'Asher is my miracle baby.'
There's little doubt Ruth Nathan would get plenty of five-star reviews if she were running a bed and breakfast.

Her comfortable four-bedroom home in East Sussex is a peaceful sanctuary with a cosy guest bedroom. Two snoozing cats add to the homely feel.

Theres home cooking on the menu, too: overnight guests are treated to a plate of one of 52-year-old Ruths delicious stews or, if theyre really lucky, her trademark steak served with home-cooked chips.

Shes hosted plenty: over the past three years more than 30 people have enjoyed her warm hospitality  although none of them has paid a penny in return.

Moreover, until they arrived on her doorstep they were all strangers  with one thing in common.

They were sent by Nightstop, a charity that provides emergency accommodation for young people who would otherwise be spending the night sleeping rough.

Ruth Nathan, pictured, a social worker from East Sussex, said taking in a 16-year-old homeless child through charity Nightstop was one of the best decisions she ever made

Aside from a vague idea of their age and gender, Ruth usually has next to no idea who might turn up.

She is one of many Britons who volunteer to give up their spare room to give a temporary home to a homeless youngster until a more permanent solution can be found.

Such kind-hearted people are extremely brave or extremely foolish, depending on your point of view. Yet mother-of-two Ruth insists its one of the best things she has ever done.

Sometimes I get home from work a bit tired and wish I hadnt volunteered to host someone that night, she says.

But the moment a young person comes through the door and you see the relief on their face that they have somewhere to sleep, all those feelings go away. It helps put my life into perspective.

Theres little doubt that homelessness is a growing problem: last year more than 83,000 young people were identified as homeless.

While around a quarter of them managed to find some form of permanent accommodation, many remain at risk of sleeping on the streets.

Nightstop, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year, was set up to try to address that.

Just one night sleeping rough can mean a vulnerable young person ends up in a whole host of dangerous situations, that could adversely affect the rest of their life, says Nightstop UKs head Nicola Harwood.

Nightstop keeps a young person off the street and restores their faith in humanity. It shows them that people really care.

And that people have an incredible capacity for trust, too, even when there have been numerous examples of Good Samaritans having that trust thrown back in their faces.

Earlier this year, journalist Lynn Barber wrote about how she had taken in a 20-something Sudanese asylum-seeker, only for him to take drugs in her home and download porn before confessing that he wasnt actually a refugee at all.

Then there was the case in March of homeless man Aaron Barley, who is currently awaiting trial for the murder of a woman, and her son, who took him in. Tracey Wilkinson, 50, and her 13-year-old son, Pierce, were both killed.

Yet Nightstop, which homes people between the ages of 16 and 25, across 33 towns and cities, has around 700 homes on their books.

Sixteen-year-old Dandi, pictured, went to live with Ruth after running away from her mother

They include couples with young children and single women in their 60s and 70s. The latest person to sign on as a host in recent weeks is an 88-year-old male pensioner.

All ages and all kinds of people  from busy young families to retired professionals  take part, says Nicola.

She insists all youngsters are vetted carefully, meaning they have no drug problems and are not involved in violent crime.

Last year, Channel 4 cameras followed three of them for a thought-provoking and moving documentary about how it feels to let an unknown and sometimes troubled youngster bed down in your home.

Most viewers will wonder how they can sleep at night knowing theres a young person with no link to them in a room down the hall.

Ruth, who works as a social worker in Newhaven, East Sussex, has no qualms about throwing open her doors to strangers, even though her own 15-year-old daughter, Nina, still lives at home.

I have always instilled in my girls that not everyone comes from a supportive, loving background, she says.

I felt it would be good for Nina to see that a lot of people are not as lucky as she is.

Yes, I have a lock on my door, as does Nina, but we rarely use them. If I felt I was in a position where I needed to lock myself in at night, I wouldnt do this.

Ruth signed up three years ago when her elder daughter left home for university, leaving her with an unoccupied room.

I love working with young people, and over the years through my work Ive realised that if you offer unconditional care and friendship, they can really derive a sense of resilience, she says.

There was another reason, too: seven years ago, Ruth had a brush with death after contracting bowel cancer, from which she has recovered. I thought to myself: If I get through this, Im putting things back in life. 

Not everyone approved of her intentions, though.

I had a lodger who moved out when I told her about my plans, Ruth reveals.

She was a very reliable lady in her early 20s whod been with me for a couple of years, but while she said she felt what I was doing was admirable, it wasnt for her.

'I was quite shocked as Im a really trusting person, and I always like to see the best in people until other evidence presents itself.

Friends were reticent, too.

Most of them were just a bit uncomfortable with the idea of some random person turning up on my doorstep, says Ruth.

Lizzy Dickinson, pictured, of Newcastle, took in Kieran, 16, after he left home following a 'series of altercations with his mother and stepfather'. She added she felt 'immense pleasure' for 'doing her bit'

I had to point out that they arent really random. Nightstop does extensive vetting of everyone they refer.

'Everything is quite strict in terms of boundaries. You cant drink alcohol while you are hosting, and the young people cannot drink or smoke, either.

The focus is very much on remaining in the family home together  you dont go out while they are there. In the morning, they leave when you leave.

Hosts, too, undergo an extensive vetting service, from a home assessment to a criminal records check, as well as training on dealing with vulnerable young people.

And theres no question that they are vulnerable: the 30 different youngsters who have crossed Ruths threshold have ranged from teenage boys who have run away from home after an argument with their parents to a young woman fleeing a violent boyfriend.

Many of them are carrying their most precious possessions in a small rucksack, whether it is a teddy bear or their art portfolio.

Some of them are desperate for a friendly ear, although Ruth employs a dont ask policy, allowing her guests to volunteer their story if they choose.

Its up to them if they want to tell me their life story, she says. My job is merely to provide a bed for the night.

Im not being a social worker, I am trying to be a friend. If they want to open up I will, of course, listen.

One person to open up is Dandi, a smiley 16-year-old who features in the documentary, and spends a night with Ruth after running away from her mother.

Raised largely in Tenerife, Dandi was brought back to Britain last year by her mother after she separated from her father. Dandi has struggled to adjust to her new circumstances.

When families break up at the teenage age, its quite hard, she tells the camera crew.

Dandi has left home several times over the past year and is well known to Nightstop, but shes a first-time guest for Ruth.

In touching scenes, she shows Ruth the jewellery she has made and helps her assemble a bedside light for her bedroom. This latter is a deliberate tactic, says Ruth.

Everyone who comes through the door I think: What can I do to make you feel youre worth something?

'I think the answer to that is making them feel useful. I believe everyone has got something they can offer.

Not once, she insists, has her hospitality been abused. Nothing has ever gone missing, she says.

Without exception, everyone I have had here has been friendly and grateful. For the brief time theyre here, I consider them part of the family.

Up in Newcastle, the notion of family provided the spur for retired teacher and university lecturer Lizzy Dickinson to sign up with Nightstop last year, offering a spacious room in her three-bedroom, end-of-terrace house.

A 66-year-old divorced mother of two, she says that after hearing about Nightstop through friends, she volunteered with her three grandchildren in mind.

They are lucky enough to come from loving families like my own children, but I like to think that if ever they found themselves in vulnerable situations, someone would do the same for them, Lizzy says.

Like Ruth, she found the idea did not go down universally well at first. When I told my friends, some of them were a bit worried, she admits. We all have an idea of what a homeless person looks like. We all have pre-conceived ideas.

Some people were concerned not just for my safety, but for the safety of my property. There was a bit of How do you know that they wont take things?

Theyre not unreasonable questions, and I was able to reassure them that Nightstop works very hard to vet everyone they deal with.

'None of it happens overnight, and they have a lot of knowledge about everyone they deal with.

A lot of it is down to trusting their judgment.

Kieran, pictured, was described as a 'thoughtful and shy boy' and has now found a two-year placement with a foster family and is studying for his exams

Lizzys children, who are both in their 40s, were more sanguine.

Ive travelled a lot on my own, taught in Africa on my own, so Im pretty independent. And we had students staying with us when they were younger, so it wasnt entirely out of the blue, she says.

Like Ruth and all other Nightstop hosts, Lizzy contacts Nightstop each week with her availability, usually offering to host around two nights a week.

You can do as few or as many nights as you please, she says. Her first guest, filmed for the documentary, was 16-year-old Kieran, a thoughtful, rather shy boy whod been referred to Nightstop by his concerned headteacher after running away from home following a series of altercations with his mother and stepfather.

He had been staying with friends, but had run out of options and was facing a night sleeping rough.

Im 16 years old and never in my life did I think I was going to be in a situation where I dont know where Im going to sleep, he admits on camera, before confiding that if he allowed himself to cry, he probably wouldnt stop.

Lizzy, in turn, says she was less nervous than intrigued by the prospect of her first unknown guest.

It was a new experience for both of us, so we had that in common. But I knew it was a 16-year-old boy who was clearly in difficulties. I just wanted to help him.

Unlike Dandi, Kieran preferred not to chat too much about his family troubles, which Lizzy has since found isnt uncommon.

They all vary. You can have a noisy person who sits at the table and chats and eats everything in sight, or you have a quiet mouse who picks at their food. Most of them do want to have a chat, though.

'Some of the lads who think they are tough nuts end up just wanting to talk. Theyre not used to having people listen to them.

Like Ruth, Lizzy says her hospitality has never been abused and instead she has derived immense pleasure from doing her bit.

I feel as though Im putting something back, she says. Im having a good life, Ive got some space and some time and its nice to put it to good use.

Youngsters are part of the bigger community and I think as grown-ups we should be involved with what happens to other peoples kids as well as our own. You can really make a difference.

As she did with Kieran, who has managed to find a two-year placement with a family and is now studying for his exams.

Down in Newhaven, meanwhile, Ruth has a collection of letters from some of the people who have passed through her spare room, thanking her for helping them in their hour of need.

I feel Ive drawn a lot of strength from being with you, reads one.

Ruth says: Its a lovely feeling knowing that you have played a part in helping someone stay on the right track.

As for Dandi, Ruth heard that she has reconciled with her mother and they are working through their problems.

But whatever happens, Dandi knows there is always a safe haven, a warm bed and a hot meal out there if she ever needs it.
She grabbed national headlines after becoming the first woman to breastfeed her baby in federal parliament.

And now, Greens senator Larissa Waters has caught the attention from none other than American rapper Snoop Dogg.

Over the weekend, the rapper gave a shout out to the Queensland politician for making history with her three-month-old daughter Alia Joy on social media.

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Senator Larissa Waters has caught the attention from none other than rapper Snoop Dogg after he posted an article about her becoming the first woman to breastfeed in parliament

The American rapper shared an article about the Queensland politician making history with her three-month-old daughter Alia Joy on Facebook to more than 36 million of his fans

'Yall seen dis?' Snoop Dogg wrote to more than 36 million of his Facebook fans.

And while he's openly known for advocating about marijuana legalisation, the rapper turned his focus on Senator Waters for her work.

Snoop Dogg shared an article that detailed the moment the young mother moved a motion on black lung disease as she breastfed her baby last month.

It's unclear whether the rapper is for or against breastfeeding in parliament but his post has been met with mix responses from his followers.

'I think there should be boundaries, even for women. seriously WTF ?' one man wrote.

A woman posted: 'Her baby was hungry. She fed her baby. Larissa didn't make this news. She was doing her job and fed her hungry baby - which is allowable in Australian parliament. This became news because she was the first to ever do it. This is a little piece of history.'

Senator Waters took to Facebook to thank the American rapper for the shout out

Greens Senator Larissa Waters (pictured) put forward a motion on Black Lung disease while breastfeeding her baby daughter Alia Joy in the chamber in parliament last month

Another said: 'Oh no. Look everyone. She's feeding her baby. Oh the horror. What ever will we do? That's not news.'

And another wrote: 'Okay it's not a big deal. But why is it necessary? During a speech? Is that supposed to prove something?'

Despite the remarks, a humble Senator Waters responded to rapper's post: 'Thanks for the rep Snoop Dogg.'

Last month, Senator Waters said breastfeeding is 'something that is so natural and normal, and it's kind of surprising that's it's making front page news'.

The social media posts comes just weeks after Senator Waters passed the senate motion as she cradled little Alia Joy on the floor of the chamber.

Bringing her baby in for a feed with a white towel over her shoulder, the Greens senator wasted no time when she got on her feet to put forward the motion.

The display was met with delight from fellow colleagues, including Senator Richard Di Natale who was seen playfully holding little Alia.

Cradling her baby daughter in her arms, the senator smiled as her daughter gets breastfed

Following the motion, Senator Waters took to Twitter to post about her latest historic moment to more than 30,000 of her followers.

'First time I've had to move a Senate motion while breastfeeding! And my partner in crime moved her own motion just before mine, bless her,' she wrote.

Little Alia has been a regular visitor in the Senate chamber since she made her debut in May, making history as the first baby to be breastfed in parliament.

Since then, she's accompanied her mother during numerous Senate divisions and debates, and even the Midwinter Ball, a charity event attended by politicians and journalists.

'So proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the federal Parliament! We need more #women & parents in Parli,' she tweeted at the time.

She later tweeted a photo of the pair, adding: 'So proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the federal Parliament! We need more #women & parents in Parli.'

Senator Waters posted about her latest historic moment to her Twitter followers last month

Senator Waters kisses her daughter after putting forward a motion on black lung disease

Senator Waters has called for more women and parents in parliament since returning from maternity leave following the birth of her second daughter in March.

Last year, she instigated changes to Senate rules to allow new parents to briefly care for their infants on the floor of parliament.

The House of Representatives has made similar changes.

Greens colleague Sarah Hanson-Young made headlines in 2009 when her two-year-old daughter Kora was taken from her arms and ejected from the Senate chamber.
The number of children attending gender identity clinics has quadrupled in the past five years, statistics have revealed.

Figures have shown that 84 children aged between three and seven were referred to gender identity clinics last year, compared to just 20 in the year of 2012 to 2013.

Experts said the rise could be explained by the promotion of transgender issues in schools, which may have encouraged more children to think about their identity.

Some warned that teaching children about transgender issues could be 'sowing seeds of confusion' in the minds of young people, leading to more seeking gender identity therapies.

But others said that it was right for transgender issues to be taught to children, saying that young people ought to be mindful of topical issues.

The number of children attending gender identity clinics has quadrupled in the past five years, statistics have revealed (stock image)

CHILDREN RAISED BY SINGLE MOTHERS DO NOT SUFFER Children brought up by a single mother do not suffer compared to those from a traditional nuclear family, a study found. Many women without partners now choose to start a family alone, with 4,675 females choosing to become pregnant by donor insemination in 2014. Some experts have expressed concerns that children brought up by a single mother may not do as well because of a lack of a father figure. But a new study has found that children brought up by a single-mother-by-choice do not suffer from poor well-being in comparison to those brought up by two parents. Children of single mothers are no more likely to show signs of behavioural disorders than their counterparts raised in traditional families, the study found. Advertisement

What do the figures show?

The figures were obtained from the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), the country's only facility for transgender children, which is based at the Tavistock Centre in north London.

Results have shown that the number of children under the age of ten being referred to service had also risen by four times in the last five years.

A total of 165 children aged ten and under were referred to the clinic last year, compared with 36 in the year of 2012 to 2013.

And last year 2,016 young people aged between three and 18 attended gender identity clinics, while just 314 did from 2012 to 2013.

Why are referrals on the rise?

Dr Joanna Williams, author of Women vs Feminism, told the Telegraph that the results suggest that transgender issues are being 'over-promoted' in schools.

'Children - encouraged by their experiences at school - are beginning to question their gender identity at ever younger ages,' she said.

'In doing more than just supporting transgender children, and instead sowing confusion about gender identity, schools do neither boys nor girls any favours.'

She added changes to school policies could be forcing children to 'unlearn' the difference between boys and girls.

But Dr Polly Carmichael, a leading NHS psychologist, defended the teaching of transgender issues in school.

Figures have shown that 84 children aged between three and seven were referred to gender identity clinics last year, compared to just 20 in the year of 2012 to 2013 (stock image)

She told The Telegraph: 'It is good that schools are putting it on the agenda. It can never be negative if schools are being thoughtful and offering opportunities to discuss topical issues.'

Dr Carmichael added that gender identity is complex and should be taught to children in an 'age-appropriate' manner.

What gender identity therapies are on offer to children?

Children are referred to GIDS by either their GP or childhood mental health services.

Those referred under a psycho-social assessment for six months by a clinician, which is followed by an action plan involving counselling and, sometimes, a physical intervention.

Children who have began puberty can be prescribed a course of hormone blockers to suppress the changes associated with adult development.

And those aged 16 and over can be given cross-sex hormones, giving them the physical characteristics of the opposite sex.
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Chilling black and white photographs from the 19th and 20th century have emerged today that show a range of pioneering operations being carried out - long before medical standards became commonplace.

The fascinating series of vintage pictures are a stark reminder of how little surgeons cared about hygiene more than 100 years ago, often not wearing gloves and leaving their patients at risk of deadly infections.

Dressed only in scrubs, many of those in the images can be seen performing a range of procedures without wearing masks or equipment now deemed vital in modern day surgery.

A handful of patients can be seen resting on normal, wooden tables - not the rotating, reclining beds used in hospitals across the world today. While anaesthetic is used in only a few procedures, suggesting many of the patients pictured were forced to face the pain of surgical incisions without any respite.

One of the pictures depicts Siamese twins being separated by doctors in 1902, dubbed to be the world-first operation of its kind. Such dramatic procedures to detach two bodies are much more common in 2017.

Another shows a doctor giving a patient a local anaesthetic for the first time in 1922, when Novocaine was made available for use in the US. The drug is now used widely in the present day, from fillings to mole removal.

An embalming surgeon is also pictured in his full glory. Designed specifically during times of war, this job involved injecting a special fluid into the body of dead soldiers to preserve parts of them in order to ship them home.

The female Siamese twins were born in Orissa, India, in 1888 and were attached at the chest by a band of cartilage. The moment Radica and Doodica were born, they were run out of town by the villagers, who saw them as a sign of 'divine wrath'.

In 1893, they were sold by their parents to Captain Colman, a showman from London, who wanted to display them in Europe. Following the contraction of tuberculosis by Doodica, they were rushed to Paris to be separated by French surgeon, Eugene-Louis Doyen.

Dr Doyen was considered controversial at the time due to his fascination of filming surgical operations for use as a teaching guide. An eight-minute video of the operation was screened at meetings in Paris and Berlin.

However, while the operation was deemed a success, and Radica survived the operation, her twin sister Doodica died a week afterwards.

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French surgeon Dr Eugne-Louis Doyen performs surgery to separate conjoined twins Radica and Doodica in 1902. The female Siamese twins, also known as Hindoo Twins and The Orissa Twins, were born in Orissa, India, in 1888 and were attached at the chest by a band of cartilage

After detaching the twins from each other, Dr Doyen had to bind the arteries of them both to help them survive. Dr Doyen was considered controversial at the time due to his fascination of filming surgical operations for use as a teaching guide

A minor operation at the Brooklyn Naval Hospital, which shut in the 1970s, on a patient's leg can be seen in this black and white snap taken in 1900. Nurses can be seen in the back of the photo, while two helpers stabilise the patient's legs. No gloves, or masks, are worn by any of the team - something that is essential in modern day surgery

This picture of the same operation at Brooklyn Navy Yard Hospital shows the surgery room at a much wider angle, with the procedure appearing to be performed in a kitchen. It is fitted with a kettle and multiple cooking bowls - a world away from the specially designed operating rooms used in hospitals across the world in 2017

Deemed 'modern surgery' at the time, this picture snapped in 1905 shows a new style operating bed that can be rotated and reclined as it's needed. Unsure where it is taken, the surgeons can be seen wearing masks for hygiene reasons - before it became common practice across the world. The first recorded use of a surgical mask dates back to 1887 in France

Taken in 1860, this photograph from an unknown location shows Dr Richard Burr, an embalming surgeon, at work on a dead soldier, trying to preserve his body in order to ship him home. No gloves are used, leaving Dr Burr at risk of infection, and the patient's lower body is wrapped in just a towel - a world away from the reality of modern surgery

Dr John C Boyde, a Government official in the US Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, can be seen in this picture taken in 1890. The department, launched 48 years prior to this picture being taken, now operates many hospitals and trains the Navy's troops related to medicine that can be deployed across the world

Surgery in progress at the Metropolitan Hospital Training School for Nurses on Roosevelt Island), New York City. Taken in 1915, the operating team can be seen wearing masks and gloves, but the anaesthetist isn't following the same hygiene protocol

Taken in 1908, this black and white photograph shows a man and woman in an operating room, perhaps preparing for surgery. The woman, believed to be a nurse, can be seen arranging tools and equipment ready for the operation

In the first of a serious of five snaps taken in 1922, this phenomenal picture shows a doctor placing a patient under anaesthesia after Novocain was officially made legal to use in the US

Donned with full scrubs, hats, masks and gloves, this picture of the same patient is believed to signal the start of the revolution for improved health and hygiene during surgery

This photograph shows the other side of the operating theatre, where the equipment is prepared and ready for the procedure ahead

Armed with an array of basic medical tools, these surgeons can be seen cutting into the patient's stomach mid-surgery during what appears to be an abdominal procedure. Nowadays surgeons have access to much more than just forceps to make incisions
A malaria drug could block Zika from infecting unborn babies, new research shows.

Since the Zika epidemic exploded in late 2015, scores of research teams have scrambled to find out why it caused birth defects and how to stop it.

But, while many identified the why, no studies could offer a solution to protect fetuses.

Now researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered that a malaria drug - which is already FDA-approved - blocks the virus from infecting the fetus.

Ironically, the drug works to dial down the body's defense reaction, since research shows Zika thrives on turning the body's weapons against itself.

The finding, published today, comes amid sweltering summer heat in the United States, which exponentially drives up the risk of Zika infection.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have found that a malaria drug blocks Zika from infecting the fetus. It is the first sign of a drug that could prevent Zika birth defects. Pictured: Heloisa and Heloa Barbosa, twins with microcephaly in Brazil in April 2017

HOW ZIKA INFECTS FETUSES 1. BREAKING DOWN DEFENSES In most cases, Zika occurs in the first trimester. First, the virus unlocks a 'gatekeeper' cell, hurling at the cell until the cell is disoriented. Eventually that gatekeeper can no longer protect the brain's signaling region. 2. GAINING ENTRY Once inside, Zika destabilizes the brain's bacteria-killing network called autophagy. Normally autophagy digests and kills pathogens. But when Zika infects the cell, that network is manipulated into helping the virus to spread. 3. WEAKENING CELLS INSIDE Zika is so hyperactive, using all the energy of the autophagy to proliferate, that the other cells do not have scope to flourish. The cells are left with metabolic deficits. It means they do not have the chance to differentiate and mature into neurons and other brain cell types. 4. THE RESULT By hijacking fetal neural stem cells, Zika caused the size of brains to half. Advertisement

'We found that the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine effectively blocks viral transmission to the fetus,' said senior author Dr Indira Mysorekar, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and of pathology and immunology.

'This drug already is used in pregnant women to treat malaria, and we suggest that it warrants evaluation in primates and women to diminish the risks of Zika infection and disease in developing fetuses.'

In late 2015, doctors in Brazil began to report an increase in the number of babies born with microcephaly, a brain defect that causes shrunken heads.

Within weeks, they traced the cases to Zika, a mosquito-borne virus.

Soon, Zika and microcephaly cases were being reported all over the tropic Americas, and up into the United States.

Pregnant women were urged to use bug spray, and wear long-sleeved clothing.

However, to this date no medics have been able to offer a medical option - such as drugs or vaccines - to protect them or their unborn children from infection.

In most cases, Zika occurs in the first trimester.

First, the virus unlocks a 'gatekeeper' cell, hurling at the cell until the cell is disoriented.

Eventually that gatekeeper can no longer protect the brain's signaling region.

Once inside, Zika destabilizes the brain's bacteria-killing network called autophagy.

Normally autophagy digests and kills pathogens.

But when Zika infects the cell, that network is manipulated into helping the virus to spread.

Zika is so hyperactive, using all the energy of the autophagy to proliferate, that the other cells do not have scope to flourish.

The cells are left with metabolic deficits. It means they do not have the chance to differentiate and mature into neurons and other brain cell types. By hijacking fetal neural stem cells, Zika caused the size of brains to half.

Investigating treatment methods, Dr Mysorekar started by trying to understand better how Zika destabilizes autophagy.

Her team infected human placental cells with Zika virus.

At first, they saw the natural process: exposure to a dangerous virus like Zika activated autophagy genes to ward off infection.

However, when the researchers chemically enhanced the autophagy pathway, the number of cells infected with Zika virus increased.

When they suppressed autophagy, they found fewer placental cells became infected with Zika virus.

It showed that, ironically, a greater barrier response caused the virus to multiply and spread more vociferously.

Dr Mysorekar said that seemed to show the virus seemed was 'doing a form of microbial martial arts', as it turned the body's defenses to its own advantage.

The team then tested this theory in mice, infecting two groups of pregnant mice with Zika.

One of the groups had a disrupted autophagy pathway, the other's worked fine.

They saw that, within five days, all of the mice had about the same amount of virus in their bloodstreams.

But in mice with a disrupted autophagy pathway, the researchers found 10 times fewer viruses in the placenta and the heads of the fetuses and less damage to the placentas.

'It appears that Zika virus takes advantage of the autophagy process in the placenta to promote its survival and infection of placental cells,' PhD student Bin Cao said.

Hydroxychloroquine, a drug prescribed to protect against malaria, does just that: it suppresses the autophagy response.

Scientists in St Louis reveal a common malaria drug could protect fetuses. The drug lowers a bacteria-killing pathway, depriving Zika of its ammunition. But experts warn it has only ever been used in pregnant women for the short-term

Testing it in Zika-infected pregnant mice, they found it significantly reduced levels of the virus in the placenta and fetus.

The placentas also showed less damage and the fetuses regained normal growth.

However, the researchers warn that hydroxychloroquine has only ever been used safely in pregnant women for short periods of time.

Further studies are needed before it can be used in pregnant women to fend off Zika.

'We would urge caution but nevertheless feel our study provides new avenues for feasible therapeutic interventions,' said Dr Mysorekar, who is also co-director of the university's Center for Reproductive Health Sciences.

'Our study suggests that an autophagy-based therapeutic intervention against Zika may be warranted in pregnant women infected with Zika virus.'
Women with bulimia nervosa respond differently under stress to food than women without the disorder, a new study revealed.

In a recent study by the American Psychological Association, women with bulimia were found to have lower blood flow to a part of the brain associated with self-reflection when they are stressed, as compared with increased blood flow in women without the disorder.

The results suggest that women with bulimia nervosa may use food to avoid negative thoughts about themselves, the research team found.

It also shows that individuals with the eating disorder have a part of their brain that functions differently, causing them to see food as a distraction when they are feeling a high level of stress.

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a cycle of binge-eating and behaviors such as self-induced vomiting to undo the effects of food and prevent weight gain.

A recent study by the American Psychological Association suggests that women with bulimia nervosa may use food to avoid negative thoughts about themselves (stock image)

Stress is considered to be a trigger for binge-eating in patients with the disorder, but there is little research on how those individuals respond to food cues.

The researchers found that in women with bulimia, the part of the brain associated with self-reflection becomes less active when they are feeling stressed.

WHAT IS BULIMIA NERVOSA? Bulimia nervosa usually affects young women and arises in late adolescence. Only one in five bulimics are men. It's estimated that around four of every 100 women suffers from bulimia at some time in their lives The disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, followed by vomiting or taking laxatives to prevent weight gain. It is typically hidden due to feelings of shame over binge eating. Side effect include the erosion of teeth enamel from bringing up stomach acid, heart palpitations and weight fluctuations. Vomiting can cause the salivary glands in the cheeks to swell, leaving the face puffy. Damage to the kidneys, fertility problems and epileptic fits are also associated side effects. Advertisement

The experiment consisted of two studies, and in the first 10 with the disorder and 10 without, all came into a lab to eat a meal.

They then entered an MRI scanner and were shown neutral images of things like leaves and furniture, followed by a series of photos of high fat and high sugar foods.

Each participant was then given an impossible math problem to solve, which was designed to induce stress and threaten their ego.

The women then reentered the scanner and saw new photos of high fat and high sugar foods, and then rated their levels of stress and food cravings.

'We found that everyone experienced increased stress after the stress task, and that everyone reported that stress went down after seeing the food cues again,' said co-author Sarah Fischer, PhD, of George Mason University in Virginia.

'Also, every time that participants saw the food cues, they reported that their craving for food went up,' she explained.

Though patterns of self-reported results were similar for both groups, they had different brain responses as shown by the MRI scans.

In women with bulimia, blood flow to a region called the precuneus, which is associated with self-reflection, decreased when they were shown images of food. For women without the disorder, blood flow to the region increased.

In women with bulimia, blood flow to a region called the precuneus (red), which is associated with self-reflection, decreased when they were shown images of food. For women without the disorder, blood flow to the region increased

To examine whether the findings could be replicated in a different sample of women, researchers conducted a second study in which they asked 17 women with bulimia to complete the same tasks.

'Our results were the same in the second study,' Dr Fischer said.

'Women reported increases in stress following the stress task and increases in food craving after seeing the food cues. More important, blood flow to the same region, the precuneus, decreased when viewing food cues following stress.'

Lead author Brittany Collins, PhD, of the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, said she believes the decreased blood flow suggests the introduction of food shuts down self-criticism in women with bulimia.

The food images gave these women something to focus on other than negative thoughts about themselves that might have been brought on by stress.

The study comes as Netflix prepares to release its new television series To The Bone, which features a 20-year-old played by Lily Collins, who struggles with anorexia. Collins has spoken candidly in the past about her struggles with both bulimia and anorexia

'Our findings are consistent with the characterization of binge-eating as an escape from self-awareness and support the emotion regulation theories that suggest women with bulimia shift away from self-awareness because of negative thoughts regarding this performance or social comparisons and shift focus to a more concrete stimulus, such as food,' Dr Collins explained.

The results also suggest that there is a neurobiological basis for the use of food to distract individuals when they are feeling high levels of stress.

'This isn't a highly studied part of the brain, but it gives some scientific hope that there is something biological in women and men that might be linked to the onset of bulimia nervosa,' Patricia Allen, nurse practitioner and the Executive Director of Nursing Services for Summit Behavioral Health in New Jersey told DailyMail.com.

'It's an important finding and helps to show that it is a disease and not a choice, which is key to reducing stigma and judgment,' she explained.

The study, published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, comes as Netflix prepares to release it's new television series To The Bone, which features a 20-year-old character named Ellen who struggles with anorexia nervosa.

Ellen is played by British actress Lily Collins, who has spoken candidly about her own battle with bulimia nervosa as a teenager.

Speaking recently about the role, the 28-year-old actress said that it was a risk to remind herself of her own traumatic experience.

In a chapter of her memoir, Unfiltered, Collins recalled how she gorged on 'every type of junk food possible,' later forcing herself to throw up, causing her hair to fall out and her nails to become brittle.

Even after the extreme effects of the eating disorder began to show, the daughter of Phil Collins continued to starve herself and exercise excessively.

Collins has since overcome her disorder, and has said the role was one of the hardest she's had to take on in her career as an actress.

'I hope that by casting a little light into the darkness of this disease we can achieve greater understanding and guide people to help if they need it,' she said.
In the booming world of beauty vloggers, Courtney Elizabeth Warner has become something of a break-out star.

With a glittery backdrop, insatiable energy, and a stack of gleaming products, she has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers since 2014 under the name CourtElizz1.

It is bright, accessible, and fun. More than 133,000 subscribers get to know Courtney's bubbly personality, without diving too deep.

But last month, the 26-year-old from Michigan broke that wall as she revealed she has stage 3 brain cancer - and shared a video of her open brain surgery to remove the tumor.

The video, published last week among her other tutorials, rocketed to more than 180,000 views within hours.

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Inside the operating room: This is a screengrab of the video, moments before the surgery begins. Courtney, 26, is lying o the left-hand side of the blue curtain, with her head exposed on the other side, where the surgeons will be operating

Before the operation, Courtney was a bright and bubble make-up vlogger, with huge success

With a glittery backdrop, insatiable energy, and a stack of gleaming products, she has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers since 2014 under the name CourtElizz1

DIAGNOSED WITH A BRAIN TUMOR: HOW COURTNEY REVEALED HER DIAGNOSIS TO FANS

Courtney, who teaches middle school kids in Michigan between making beauty videos, first revealed her tumor battle in a short video clip on her YouTube channel in May.

With a full face of makeup and streaming tears, she told fans she had a brain tumor, but doctors believed it wasn't cancerous.

The tumor was discovered, she said, after she experienced issues with her speech. She was struggling to articulate words.

It was something she had always had an issue with, and chalked it up to clumsiness - a characteristic that she plays with on her show.

However, in the last few months she reached a point where she couldn't remember words. She would look at a pair of glasses, understand what they were, but not be able to articulate the word. One day she experienced a splitting headache and felt overwhelmingly nauseous.

She went to the doctor for a scan, which revealed a mass in her brain.

Courtney told fans her doctors were confident it was nothing to worry about it, and had booked in scans to get it checked.

A month later, she appeared again - this time without her usual make-up, her hair tied in a bun, her eyes full of tears. The video was titled 'I Have Grade 3 Cancer'.

'There are some things I have to tell you. I am going to try not to cry. I'm going to try my best not to cry. Because I just really don't want to.

'I found out that I have cancer. I did not know I had it. I kept telling everyone "it's not cancer, it's not cancer, it's not cancer", because everyone told me it wasn't cancer.

Courtney did not specify her exact type of tumor.

She admitted to viewers that she knew nothing about cancer before this point, and explained the stages as they were explained to her.

'So for cancer, they said there is 4, I am a 3. So it's not the best one because the best one would be 1 - or none, I guess. But mine is 3 out of 4. So I have 3...' she says, trailing off.

'But they said that my 3 that I have is actually the best one out of all of them and I'm going to be fine,' Courtney said, her voice cracking.

'So I am going to get chemo and radiation,' she said, stumbling over the word 'radiation' and apologizing ('I always say that wrong, I know').

'I have to do 6 weeks of chemo and they said that I'm going to be doing a pill. And after the chemo and the radiation - I can't say that word - I'm going to be done.

'And then I have to do an MRI every month just to make sure everything is doing well and then I think I have to do that every month for a year.'

Weeks later, she revealed she would be getting the tumor removed. It is a common route for brain tumor patients, but is not without risks.

All brain surgery - regardless of how invasive it is - carries about a five percent risk of death, a stroke, or life-altering disabilities.

If the tumor is benign, most patients choose to the wait-and-watch option, monitoring it until absolutely necessary to take the risk.

If the tumor is malignant (i.e.: cancerous), the patient and doctor must decide how risky an operation would be.

In many cases, the doctor cannot see what the tumor will be like - either solid or stretchy - until they are operating. A solid tumor is easier to deal with, to break away from the rest of the vessels in the brain. A less solid tumor is more complicated, and could be stuck to delicate parts that carry a high risk of a stroke if ruptured.

To determine her treatment options, Courtney underwent a functional brain scan, which involves looking at flash cards and imagining the word to describe them. That way, the doctor at hand could assess how close the tumor was to her Broca's area, a region in the frontal lobe responsible for speech.

Courtney told fans that the doctors determined her tumor had pushed that part of her brain backwards. Though alarming, she said, it showed the tumor was not entangled in that region, and surgery would - in theory - be straightforward.

BRAIN SURGERY: COURTNEY LETS VIEWERS IN ON HER HARROWING MOMENTS IN THE OPERATING ROOM AS THEY REMOVED 95% OF THE TUMOR

The video starts with Courtney introducing the footage, displaying a large scar on the side of her head.

'A couple of weeks before my brain surgery, I had said that I wanted to film everything about the surgery and everything like that,' she explains.

'I wanted to show you guys how it was for me, all the way from the beginning all the way to the end.'

She added: 'When I watched this about a month ago, I did not want to see this... I was like "I'm going to even delete it, I don't want to see anything near it".

'I'm glad I didn't because I looked at it like three days ago and I think it's kind of cool and interesting to watch.'

After her operation, Courtney displayed a large scar on the side of her head

Switching to the footage, the viewer watches through a GoPro attached to the head of Courtney's bed. We see a doctor place a blue hairnet on her head, as her mother, my brother and cousin stand beside her.

Her mother then kisses her forehead, the family leaves, and Courtney is wheeled through the hospital into the operating theater.

'They opened these doors and I literally remember - even though I was kind of like 'goopy' - I remember seeing it and I was just like "oh my god",' Courtney recalls.

'I see all of these people I didn't know, and it was just nuts, there were all these people, and they're all there for me.'

The operation was done under local anesthetic, meaning Courtney was awake throughout.

This is an increasingly popular form of brain surgery, since the surgeons can monitor the patient's cognitive function throughout, checking that they aren't hitting any vital vessels.

Heading in to the operation: Courtney's mother kisses her forehead, the family leaves, and Courtney is wheeled through the hospital into the operating theater

The surgeons administered local anesthetic before the operation so she would be awake but feeling no pain

At one point the surgeons triggered a seizure (pictured). As Courtney tries to identify a picture, the right-side of her face begins to twitch uncontrollably and she can't speak. The doctor holding the flash cards alerts the surgeons, and within a minute the seizure stops

Trying to continue with the flash cards, Courtney starts crying. The doctor comforts her as the surgeons near the crucial moment of the surgery in which they can remove the tumor

Due to her seizure, the surgeons realized that five percent of the tumor was embedded in a delicate region. Going in there could have caused life-altering damage. But with 95 percent of the tumor removed, doctors are confident that the rest can be blitzed with radiotherapy

Since Courtney's tumor is sat in the speech region of her brain, she needed to be speaking throughout.

She lay on her side, with a team of surgeons operating behind her. Meanwhile, one of the doctors sat in front of her, showing her picture cards. For each one, Courtney had to say what it was. If she was correct, and articulated it reasonably well, they continued.

However, at one point the surgeons triggered a seizure. As Courtney tries to identify a picture, the right-side of her face begins to twitch uncontrollably and she can't speak. The doctor holding the flash cards alerts the surgeons, and within a minute the seizure stops.

Trying to continue with the flash cards, Courtney starts crying.

'I started to cry because I thought the seizure was my fault,' she said. The doctor comforts her as the surgeons near the crucial moment of the surgery in which they can remove the tumor.

Due to her seizure, the surgeons realized that five percent of the tumor was embedded in a delicate region. Going in there could have caused life-altering damage.

But with 95 percent of the tumor removed, Courtney said, doctors are confident that the rest can be blitzed with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

She now takes a chemotherapy pill every day while undergoing six weeks of radiation therapy.

'YOU ARE SO BRAVE': THOUSANDS OF FANS - INCLUDING HER STUDENTS - REACT TO THE VIDEO

Courtney's fans rushed to comment on the video, remarking on her progress.

'Your speech is improving so much with every video you post!' one wrote. 'I'm so amazed at your progress.... just know that we are all pulling for you and wish you a very quick recovery!'

Another said: 'I see and hear so much improvement. You are the hardest working and most sincere you tuber! Congrats on all the hard work, it shows in not only speech improvement but in the way you are bouncing back. I enjoyed seeing the surgery video, it is very interesting. Thank you for sharing such a personal and difficult time. You are beautiful.'

She also received streams of comments from her students.

One wrote: 'Hi Ms.Warner I MISS YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH. I AM SO GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU ARE DOING SOOOOO GOOD WITH YOUR SPEECH, AND YOU HAD A GREAT RECOVERY. ALSO MS. WARNER I WAS SO SCARED TO WATCH THIS VIDEO BUT WHEN YOU LOOKED ALL HAPPY AND LOOKED EVERYTHING WENT OK I HAD TO WATCH IT.'

Another said: 'I miss you MRS. WARNER'

And one wrote: 'Im still praying for you beautiful!! We love you so much and not only want you to get better but more importantly we want you to be. That's more important. God bless you Ms Warner'
US doctors are discarding donor kidneys that could keep people alive for years over 'unfounded' fears that they don't meet federal standards, a new report warns.

Around one in five donated kidneys are discarded every year.

However, researchers at Columbia University found that 73 percent of 'poor quality kidneys' that have been discarded could almost guarantee someone another five years alive.

Meanwhile, the five-year survival rate on dialysis is about 35 percent.

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Researchers at Columbia University found that 73 percent of 'poor quality kidneys' that have been discarded would offer patients a longer lifespan than other treatments

Dr Sumit Mohan, of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, said the findings should prompt an overhaul of the way we assess organ health.

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, more than 97,000 people are on the kidney transplant in the United States.

The average waiting time to receive a kidney is 3.6 years. Around 13 people die every day due to kidney failure while awaiting a transplant.

The study analyzed whether, and to what extent, a donor kidney's influence the effectiveness of transplantations.

According to the data they collected throughout their study, it seems that the high discard rate of donated kidneys is unnecessary.

The team analyzed results from 975 kidney transplants at Columbia between 2005 and 2009.

They found that living donors' kidneys guaranteed at least five more years of life in 91 percent of patients, whether they were damaged or not.

While deceased kidneys were less effective, the success rate was still high. In fact, 73 percent of 'lower-quality' kidneys from deceased donors remained viable five years later.

'To our surprise, yes, they did worse than the best-quality kidneys, but they didn't do that poorly,' Dr Mohan told MedicineNet.

'If I don't get a kidney, my alternative is to stay on dialysis,' he said.

'Even getting a suboptimal kidney provides a huge survival advantage.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day visit to Israel was historic in more ways than one as the two countries were speaking in the same language  literally.

Senior members of the delegation accompanying Modi told Mail Today that the hosts, led by Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, peppered their interactions with Hindi phrases to strike a cordial note.

Modi returned to New Delhi on Sunday after his tour to Israel and Germany. However, it was the visit to Israel that drew wider media coverage for the bonhomie Modi shared with his Jewish counterpart.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Previous governments have preferred interacting in English while Hindi is the first choice for NDA leaders on global forums

'There were several light moments between the two leaders, one such being their last words to each other at the airport,' said a member of the PM entourage, who requested anonymity. 'While seeing Modi off, Netanyahu said, 'Aapki yatra shubh ho' wish you a happy journey.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) welcomes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Netanyahu was quick to ask if his pronunciation was correct to which Modi nodded with much affection. Later, Netanyahu tweeted, 'Israel aane ke liye dhanyavad Pradhanmanti Narendra Modi, jald fir milenge' (Thanks for your visit to Israel, PM Modi. See you again, soon.)'

Senior diplomats pointed out that the visit marks a significant shift as leaders from previous governments have preferred interacting in English while Hindi is the first choice for NDA leaders on global forums.

'The pride of place Hindi got in Israel is owing to PM Modi's own fondness for the language,' said a senior diplomat.

'When a leader uses his native language often, it is more likely that the host also reverts in the same language,' ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay told Mail Today.

'While former PM Manmohan Singh used to mostly converse in English, Modi's frequent use of Hindi language has drawn more usage and respect for it.

'Essentially, the usage of Hindi is not just a tool for leaders to bond but it officially marks respect for the language, its people and the culture.'

While use of simple greetings in the native language of visiting heads of state is common, the Israeli PM evidently went out of his way to reach out to his guests.

Netanyahu's Hindi 1. AAPKA SWAGAT HAI MERE DOST July 4, at the airport: Aapka swagat hai dost. 2. NAMASTE July 5, at Netanyahus residence, Modi greeted with a Namaste. 3. MERE DOST Word was used at a joint press con. 4. AAPKI YATRA SHUBH HO Netanyahu said to Modi while seeing him off at the airport. 5. ISRAEL AANE KE LIYE DHANYAVAD PRADHANMANTI NARENDRA MODI, JALD FIR MILENGE Netanyahu tweeted later. Advertisement

'It is a good way for leaders to say a few things in the language of the host country and Modi greeted the Israeli PM in Hebrew and also tweeted in Hebrew. Then, we saw how Netanyahu went beyond protocol and arrived at the airport to receive Modi,'

Baglay said. 'Here, he greeted him with 'aapka swagat hai mere dost' (you are welcome, my friend).'

Baglay pointed out that even at the G20 summit that concluded on Saturday, Modi spoke in Hindi on several occasions.

'Whenever other state leaders use their native language and when there are options for interpretation, he uses Hindi,' Baglay said.

'It must be understood in the context of the soft power of India because of the popularity of Bollywood films and music and yoga.

'Use of Hindi resonates the soft power outreach.' Several members of the delegation agreed that the warmth they saw in Israel was unprecedented.

'In the Netherlands too, the PM tweeted in Hindi. While it is a common practice to use a few words to greet leaders in their native language, the extent in Israel was unprecedented,' said a senior MEA official, who was part of delegation.

The official felt a strong leader can use a native language as a tool for effective diplomacy.

'Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke in Hindi while addressing the United Nations. Narasimha Rao knew several languages and would use them to converse with state heads. It is an important diplomatic tool for achieving a goal and helps in smoothing the turf,' said an international affairs expert.
Hundreds of protesters returned to the streets of Darjeeling as fresh violence erupted in the hills in support of a separate state.

Gorkhaland supporters torched a police outpost, a toy train station and clashed with police at two places.

Three protestors, identified as Samir Gurung, Suraj Sundas and GNLF worker Tashi Bhutia died in clashes with security forces.

A traffic police post in fire after it was torched by the GJM supporters during their violent protest on Saturday

With fresh violence in the hills, the Mamata Banerjee government called the Army back to the city. Two columns of the Army comprising around 100 personnel were deployed at Sonada and Darjeeling.

Banerjee, who is monitoring the situation from Kolkata, appealed for peace and called on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which is spearheading the agitation, to join peace talks.

'I am willing to talk, but first let them shun violence. I am always open for talks,' the chief minister said. But several issues have complicated matters.

Bimal Gurung in hiding

Bimal Gurung

Sunday marks the 25th day of the indefinite strike called by GJM chief Bimal Gurung against making Bengali mandatory in all schools of West Bengal, including those in Darjeeling.

But, ironically, after launching the protest, he went into hiding. He came out briefly to address a press conference on July 4 stating that the indefinite strike would continue.

While Gurung is not on the streets with protesters, his supporters are accused of attacking policemen, damaging public property, committing arson and intimidating shopkeepers who try to open shops.

Before fresh violence erupted on Saturday, the agitation had started showing signs of fatigue with tourism - the pivot of local economy - stopped, offices closed rendering salary cuts to employees and absence of leadership.

On June 9, Gurung had dared Mamata to stop him from leading a renewed agitation for Gorkhaland, declaring, 'I am the chief minister of the hills. I challenge her (Mamata) to stop the agitation in the hills.'

Mamata Banerjee's waiting game

Mamata Banerjee's

The Gorkhaland agitation erupted on June 9 when West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee held a cabinet meeting in Darjeeling's Raj Bhavan.

It was the first cabinet meeting of the state government at Darjeeling's Raj Bhavan in 45 years.

Banerjee has not visited the trouble-hit region since then and seems to be playing a waiting game. Though she has offered talks with the GJM, but her statement makes it clear that she is ready to wait.

Banerjee said, 'If peace returns in the next 10-15 days, I can call the hill parties for talks. But let us restore peace first.

'The government has shown enough restraint in the interest of the people of the hills. Peace has to return to the hills.'

Even though GJM has vowed to continue the strike and rallies are being held in different parts of the region every day, people's participation is reported to be declining.

People attending the rallies have been found sneaking out into neighbourhood shops and grocery stores to buy essentials and stock vegetables and ration.

The agitation may be losing steam like any other mass movement.

Mamata Banerjee seems to be waiting for that day when people and protestors are tired of the GJM-sponsored indefinite shutdown before she looks for a way forward.

Meanwhile, Banerjee is diverting the blame to the Centre for 'not cooperating'. The Centre snapped back saying the government refused 400 central security forces.

Darjeeling MP Ahluwalia missing

SS Ahluwalia

People in Darjeeling have been voting for BJP in the last few elections. Union minister SS Ahluwalia is the Lok Sabha member from Darjeeling.

Ahluwalia had promised to take up the issue of Gorkhaland during his election campaign in 2014.

But the hills have been burning for 25 days now over the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state, and the Union minister is yet to visit his own constituency.
The controversial anti-Romeo squads, which drew widespread criticism for moral policing and harassing young couples in the name of women safety, will soon be back to patrol Uttar Pradesh streets.

However, the state police chief claims, the new teams will comprise a polite, observant and trained set of personnel who will act as a deterrent only to eve-teasers and stalkers.

A pre-poll promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the drive was aimed at punishing molesters and harassers in public places.

The controversial anti-Romeo squads, which drew widespread criticism for moral policing and harassing young couples in the name of women safety, will soon be back to patrol Uttar Pradesh streets

Police in Uttar Pradesh, a state in north India, have deployed 'anti-Romeo' squads that question loitering boys and men in hopes of ensuring safety for women (file photo)

However, vigilante groups took over the exercise, often targeting young couples and handing out embarrassing punishments.

The squad is being trained in distinguishing a molester from a friend through keen observation and by being vigilant. DGP, Sulkhan Singh

'Earlier, these squads were not trained. They were often over-enthusiastic and took foolish actions like chasing young people and grilling them,' said state DGP Sulkhan Singh in an exclusive interview to Mail Today.

'This brought bad name to a well-meaning exercise.'

According to Singh, the new teams underwent a curriculum designed by the Women Power Line, a unit for prevention and detection of crime against women, with three areas of focus: behavioural, legal and practical.

'They only have to be vigilant and observant about situations and see if a man or a group of men are harassing women. Training is over in 30 of the 75 districts,' said the IPS officer who was DG (training) before being elevated by chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

A pre-poll promise of the BJP, the drive was aimed at punishing molesters and harassers in public places.

However, vigilante groups took over the exercise, often targeting young couples and handing out embarrassing punishments.

The top cop assured there will be no more arrests, shaving of heads, blackening of faces, murga punishments or chasing couples at public parks, college campuses, railway stations and shopping malls in the name of curbing eve-teasing or protecting women.

Singh said the squad will also be asked to use body cameras to protect themselves from charges of human rights violations or other wild allegations.

These teams will not be given the power to investigate but only detain the stalkers, rowdy elements and issue warnings after 'careful observation.'

The curriculum also included sensitisation classes of policemen where they were taught to how to behave with young couples and spot a suspicious character.

'The squad is being trained in distinguishing a molester from a friend through keen observation and by being vigilant.

'Earlier, they would see a group of boys and threaten them... a girl and boy would be walking together and they would question them. These should not happen,' the DGP said.

Supporting the need for such a squad, Singh said it was necessary to prevent teasing, molestation or harassment of women at public place and instill a sense of security among people.

The Allahabad High Court in March had upheld the government's move to set up these squads but cautioned that the police must act only as per law and not 'outside its purview'.

Yogi Adityanath, who was controversially chosen to be chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, India, just days ago, promised to 'protect the honour of women' with the anti-Romeo squads

The move invited criticism from several quarters following allegations that the police were invading private space of citizens.

The Opposition even sought central intervention into what they alleged 'violation of the Constitution' by allowing anti-Romeo squads to 'ridicule democracy and the freedom of youngsters'.

Singh said the biggest achievement of the Yogi government on the law and order front was its 'impartial policing'.

Now people can say that there is no distinction on the basis of one's political affiliation or status,' the DGP said.

Without naming any party or organisation, Singh said the police are not hesitating to take strong action against the 'newly emboldened constituents for their over enthusiasm' and cited strict action against cow vigilantes and the dealing of Saharanpur riots.

Contrary to the view of opposition parties who referred to several incidents of rape, caste violence and 'gau rakshaks' as worsening law and order situation in the state, Singh said, 'After stern action was taken against cow vigilantes who indulged in violence in the name of cow protection, such incidents are no longer taking place in UP now,' the DGP said.

Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi, right, joins other to protest against a spate of violent attacks across the country targeting the country's Muslim minority, in Mumbai, India

Regarding the Saharanpur riots, Singh said: 'Some people tried to create a volatile situation, but police took prompt action. Now Saharanpur is quiet. We will deal cases without yielding to any political or social affiliation.

'There were people, who tried to escalate the situation, but could not.' The DGP said he would not like to join issues with politicians and kept his role to policing alone.

On the transfer of Shreshta Thakur, a woman police officer of Bulandshahar, who stood up against local BJP leaders and jailed five of them for creating obstacles in discharging government duties, Singh said it was a routine transfer.
On Monday, news emerged that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had met Chinese envoy to India, Luo Zhaohui, on July 8 amid escalated border tensions.

However, it was vehemently denied by the party for hours till it finally admitted to the meeting in the evening.

The news came out when a press release was put out on the Chinese embassy website which read, 'On July 8, ambassador Luo Zhaohui met Rahul Gandhi, vice-president of the Congress party.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi met Chinese envoy to India, Luo Zhaohui

'The two sides exchanged views on the current China-India relations and other business. Counsellor Zhou Yuyun attended the meeting.'

Later though, it was removed from the website. Mail Today tried reaching out to the Chinese embassy to find the reason for removal but to no avail.

It was after much furore over denials by the Congress and later their admission that Rahul Gandhi himself took to Twitter saying, 'It is my job to be informed on critical issues.

I met the Chinese ambassador, ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese ambassador.'

The Congress vice-president had met the three individuals in separate meetings.

India and China's ties have been dogged by mistrust stemming from a brief but bloody war in 1962 over Arunachal Pradesh which has a large ethnic Tibetan population

While there is massive confusion over who sought the meeting, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said, 'The Chinese envoy sought the meeting from Rahul Gandhi and it was given.

'He came to meet out vice-president. It was a courtesy meeting.'

Rahul also took a jibe at the Centre through the social media platform questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's China policy.

'If the government is so concerned about me meeting an ambassador, they should explain why three ministers are availing Chinese hospitality, while the border issue is on,' he tweeted.

The Congress leader was referring to Union HRD minister Prakash Javdekar's visit to Beijing for the 5th meeting of BRICS education ministers. Also tweeting out a picture of President Xi's 2014 visit, Rahul added, 'And for the record, I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India.'

Earlier on Monday, senior leaders of the Congress kept denying the meeting only for Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala to later admit that the July 8 meeting did happen.

'Rahul Gandhi met the Chinese ambassador, Bhutanese envoy and former national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon,' he said.

Chinese and Indian troops pictured at the Nathu La border crossing between the two countries

This, after Surjewala tweeted in the morning, 'A wanting to be 'bhakt' channel will not question three Union ministers visiting China or PM's bonhomie & praise at G20, yet run fake news! Before MEA & IB sources plant news with 'bhakts', they should re-verify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours.'

Speaking to Mail Today, former ambassador to China and director, Institute of Chinese Studies, Ashok Kantha, said, 'It is very important for us to keep all communication channels open with China.

'More so, at a time when the countries are passing through a period of stress. This applies to both the government and the Opposition. There is a large measure of consensus cutting across party lines when it comes to our China policy including with regard to handling of Doklam (Doka La).'

Einar Tangen, an expert from Beijing says, 'It's obvious that Congress in India is looking for new friends.

'Trying to invigorate the party and to see what China has to offer. Obviously, Beijing is also anxious to establish contact as they are frustrated with the situation at the border.'

Rahul had made sharp attacks against the Prime Minister last week over his silence on tensions at the border.

A Chinese mouthpiece again set preconditions for any forward movement on resolving the conflict saying 'withdrawal of troops by India' can only lead to resumption of dialogue.
Charlotte Hogg is poised to return to a top city job less than four months after resigning over a failure to disclose a conflict of interest.

The 46-year-old, who stepped down from her position as deputy governor of the Bank of England in March after failing to disclose her brothers senior job at Barclays, has been offered the post of chief executive of Visa Europe.

The payments firm, which is now a subsidiary of New York-listed Visa Inc, after the company paid more than 17bn to acquire it last year, handles the majority of debit card transactions carried out in the UK.

Coming back: Charlotte Hogg is poised to return to a top city job

Securing the top job would be a rapid comeback for Hogg, who had been tipped to replace close ally Mark Carney as governor of the Bank of England.

A Visa Europe spokesman yesterday declined to comment on its talks with Hogg.
Apple has launched an attack on iPhone chip maker Imagination Technologies by opening a new office close to its headquarters.

The move is the latest twist in the saga involving the two firms, which have been locked in a bitter war of words after Apple told Imagination it would no longer use its graphics chip technology in iPhones and iPads.

The Silicon Valley giant is reportedly renting a 22,500 square foot office in the centre of St Albans to work on creating its own graphic chips  three months after announcing plans to wind down its relationship with the British tech firm.

Moving in: Apple has launched an attack on Imagination Technologies by opening a new office close to its headquarters

The new base is just 8 miles down the road of Imaginations headquarters in Kings Langley and has sparked fears the tech firm is looking to poach more staff.

Apple has already hired a string of Imagination employees  including its former chief operating officer John Metcalfe and currently advertises more than a dozen job postings for experts in graphics hardware in the region.

Imagination, once Britains most valuable tech company, put itself up for sale last month after seeing 500m wiped off its value in just one day when it announced the termination of the Apple contract.

It has designed graphic chips for the iPhone since the products launch in 2007 and potential bidders for the firm include Intel, Qualcomm and ARM Holdings.

The company has been seeking a divorce payout from Apple, which it relies on for about half of its revenues, and says proceedings are still active.

It has also accused Apple of breaching its own ethics after challenging the firms claim that it will be able to design its own chips without paying for access to the British companys intellectual property.

Wiped out: Imagination put itself up for sale last month

Last week Imagination chief executive Andrew Heath said Apples claims that the iPhone maker would no longer need to pay royalties were unsubstantiated adding:

We do not believe this to be acceptable business practice nor in line with Apples own ethics statements regarding suppliers. He also claimed the episode had unsettled staff.

Apple on the other hand has denied catching Imagination off guard, saying the company has known for years that it is winding down the relationship.

It said: We began working with Imagination in 2007 and stopped accepting new intellectual property from them in 2015.

After lengthy discussions we advised them on February 9 that we expected to wind down our licensing agreement. We valued our past relationship and wanted to give them as much notice as possible to adapt their future plans.

Were disappointed in their response, which has been inaccurate and misleading.

AmazonLess than a fifth of British households are signed up to the service, which costs 7.99 a month and offers free next-day shipping and on-demand video, compared to the US where 85m of the countrys 125m households pay for Prime.

The service is a key driver for the 361bn firm because members spend on average about 1,008 a year  nearly twice as much as non-members.

Bezos, the worlds second richest man, said last year that his aim was to make Prime so useful that it would be irresponsible not to have it.
An engineer who has designed an innovative fire rescue slide said his vehicle could help save more people in a high-rise fire like the one that struck the Grenfell Tower.

Fan Shizhong's Life Slide could reach up to 80 metres (262 feet) - 13 metres (42 feet) taller than the Grenfell Tower - and rescue four people every five seconds, said the Chinese engineer.

Mr Fan's design has received many international awards, including the Red Dot Design Award, Germany's iF Design Award and America's Core 77 Design Award.

Life Slide, designed by Fan Shizhong, could carry four people at the same time during a fire

The fire rescue design is a multi-functional slide that could reach up to 80 metres (262 ft)

Mr Fan, 26, told MailOnline that he designed the Life Slide after having seen many large-scale fire incidents in China.

LIFE SLIDE: FAN ZHIZHONG'S DESIGN The fire rescue design has three sections of slides which are connected to each other to form a giant slide. Between each two slides, there is a platform to allow firefighters to stand and assist people to escape. Ventilation devices are installed at both sides of the slide to help extract fumes and smoke emitted by the fire. Advertisement

Mr Fan mentioned the huge fire in 2010 that ripped through a 28-storey apartment building in Shanghai leaving 58 people dead; as well as the shocking explosions in a Tianjin warehouse in 2015, which killed 158 people.

'I wanted to design an effective and safe rescue device so more people could be saved from similar disasters,' he said.

The young engineer explained that there were three methods to save people from a burning block: by using aerial ladders, helicopters and firefighters.

But these methods were time-consuming and not efficient enough.

In comparison, Life Slide could carry a maximum of four people at the same time with a buffer area to allow firefighters to stand on and assist with the rescue operation.

'Life is short and time goes by fast. There could be people losing their lives in the fire every second,' he said.

Mr Fan (left) said he was confident his Life Slide could have helped more residents escape from Grenfell Tower (right), an apartment building that stands 220 feet in central London

The Grenfell Tower fire took place on June 14 and claimed the lives of at least 80 people

According to Mr Fan, it would take five seconds for one person to escape from the top of the slide to the ground; and if people line up, four people could be saved every five seconds.

'Insulated aerospace material are used along the slide as coating to help resist high temperature from large-scale fire accidents,' he explained.

Mr Fan was confident that his design could have helped more residents to survive the Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed the lives of at least 80 people on June 14.

The engineer said with the help of the vehicle, trapped residents could be moved to safety from windows as high as 40 metres (131 feet).

What's more? Mr Fan said his current model could be extended and it could reach 80 metres (262 feet) without toppling.

This means that once his upgraded version is realised, the Life Slide could save people living on the 32nd floor during emergencies.

The 26-year-old designer has won 12 international design awards, including the Red Dot Award

Mr Fan (right) spoke to firefighters to understand more about the process of fire rescue

Mr Fan started his project in June, 2014, while studying his Masters degree in the Industrial Engineering Design in Hunan University, China.

This year, Mr Fan's Life Slide was selected as the student winner of the Transportation Award by Core 77 Design Awards, an international award for industrial designers.

Commenting on Life Slide, Norio Fujikawa, one of the jury for Core 77 awards, said it was a 'nice' and 'clever' idea.

While Ken Mak, another judge of the award, thought the execution of the design was 'fantastic'.

The Germany-based iF Design Award praised Life Slide to be 'a strong concept with available technology'.

After giving Mr Fan an award under rescue equipment last year, the iF jury said: 'The slide method is quicker and safer than the fireman's lift on a ladder. '

Life Slide has buffer areas, ventilation features and landing platforms to help people escape

Mr Fan said when fully extended, the Life Slide could reach as high as 80 metres (262 feet)

It would take a person five seconds on average to escape from a building using Life Slide

Although Mr Fan's design has won the hearts of design awards, mechanical engineering experts said the concept of the vehicle could be hard to implement.

Kam Yim Sze, a professor specialised in computational mechanics from the University of Hong Kong, said it was hard to say whether or not Life Slide could be used in the Grenfell Tower fire.

Professor Sze told MailOnline that based on the simplified mechanical analysis, he had concerns about the design.

'The worrying question is whether or not elder people and young children would get injured at the landing of the slide.'

Because each slide is about 26 metres (85 feet) long, the less able groups might not be able to cope with the high landing speed, according to Professor Sze.

He also wondered if the design had taken other elements into consideration, such as wind loading and dynamic stability.

'In this case, I see that the simulation based on the adopted beam approximation is, to some extent, over-simplified,' he said.

Life Slide is still a concept. Mr Fan is seeking manufacturing companies to invest in his design.
President Donald Trump backtracked late Sunday on his widely panned proposal to team up with Russia's Vladimir Putin in forming a cyber security unit that would combat hacking.

In a tweet that he posted just before 6pm Eastern time, Trump acknowledged that the idea of a joint US-Russia cyber security team was far-fetched, though he did tout a ceasefire in Syria that he says resulted from his meeting with Putin in Hamburg on Friday.

'The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen,' Trump tweeted.

'It can't - but a ceasefire can, and did!' the president tweeted.

Trump's idea was harshly criticized by Republicans who said Moscow could not be trusted after its alleged meddling in the 2016 US election.

President Donald Trump (seen above after he arrived at the White House on Saturday) backtracked late Sunday on his widely panned proposal to team up with Russia's Vladimir Putin in forming a cyber security unit that would combat hacking

Tweeting after his first meeting with Putin on Friday, Trump said now was the time to work constructively with Moscow, pointing to a ceasefire deal in southwest Syria that came into effect on Sunday.

'Putin and I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, and many other negative things, will be guarded and safe,' he said following their talks at a summit of the Group of 20 nations in Hamburg, Germany.

Three Republican senators - Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John McCain of Arizona and Marco Rubio of Florida - blasted the idea.

'It's not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but it's pretty close,' Graham told NBC's Meet the Press program, saying that Trump's apparent willingness to 'forgive and forget' stiffened his resolve to pass legislation imposing sanctions on Russia.

Trump claimed on Twitter he confronted Putin over Russia's interference in the 2016 election at the G20 summit during their meeting in Hamburg on Friday

'There has been no penalty,' McCain, who chairs the Senate armed services committee, told CBS' Face the Nation.

'Vladimir Putin ... got away with literally trying to change the outcome ... of our election.

'Yes, it's time to move forward. But there has to be a price to pay,' he added.

Rubio, on Twitter, said: 'Partnering with Putin on a "Cyber Security Unit" is akin to partnering with (Syrian President Bashar al) Assad on a "Chemical Weapons Unit".'

Trump argued for rapprochement with Moscow in his campaign but has been unable to deliver because his administration has been dogged by investigations into the allegations of Russian interference in the election and ties with his campaign.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the matter, including whether there may have been any collusion on the part of Trump campaign officials, as are congressional committees including both the House and Senate intelligence panels.

Those probes are focused almost exclusively on Moscows actions, lawmakers and intelligence officials say, and no evidence has surfaced publicly implicating other countries despite Trump's suggestion that others could have been involved.

'I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion,' Trump wrote on Twitter Sunday morning

Trump discussed his meeting with Putin, attacked the DNC and President Obama, called out 'fake news', and said Russia will not face new sanctions - all in the space of six tweets

Trump returned to Twitter on Sunday afternoon to talk-up the ceasefire in Syria, which was reached after weeks of negotiations between the US, Russia, and Jordan

Moscow has denied any interference, and Trump says his campaign did not collude with Russia.

Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN's State of the Union program Russia could not be a credible partner in a cyber security unit.

'If thats our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow,' Schiff added.

Separately, US government officials said that a recent hack into business systems of US nuclear power and other energy companies was carried out by Russian government hackers, The Washington Post reported on Saturday.

Trump said he 'strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it.'

He added: 'We negotiated a ceasefire in parts of Syria which will save lives. Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!'

In Trump's first attempt at ending the six-year Syrian civil war, the United States, Russia and Jordan on Friday reached a ceasefire and 'de-escalation agreement' for southwestern Syria.

The ceasefire was holding hours after it took effect on Sunday, a monitor and two rebel officials said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said President Trump's idea to form a 'cyber security unit' with the Russians to prevent future hacking was 'pretty close' to the dumbest idea ever

Meet the Press host Chuck Todd (left) queried Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. (right), on President Trump's latest tweets about Russia

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was among the Republicans who smacked down President Trump's idea

Sens. John McCain (left) and Marco Rubio (right) gave sarcastic responses to President Trump's idea that the Russians would be a good partner on cyber security

In another tweet, Trump contradicted his Secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, by saying 'sanctions were not discussed at my meeting with President Putin. Nothing will be done until the Ukrainian and Syrian problems are solved!'

The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia for its 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Tillerson on Friday told reporters Trump had told Putin US lawmakers were pushing for additional sanctions against Russia.

The Senate has passed legislation which would put into law sanctions, including on mining and other industries, previously established via former President Barack Obama's executive orders.

The bill must pass the House of Representatives before it could go to the White House for Trump's signature or veto.

McCain criticized Tillerson for having said about Syria, 'by and large, our (US and Russian) objectives are exactly the same. How we get there, we each have a view. Maybe they have got the right approach and we have got the wrong approach.'

Russia, and Iran, have backed keeping Assad in power.

Trump, like his predecessor Barack Obama, has focused on fighting Islamic State, leaving for later the question of Assad's fate.

'The Russians knew that Bashar al-Assad was going to use chemical weapons. And to say that maybe we have got the wrong approach?' McCain said.

Asked if he regretted voting for Tillerson as secretary of state, he replied: 'Sometimes I do.'
New York City's suburban commuters are bracing for the start next week of what has been called the 'summer of hell' as the United States' busiest train hub partly shuts down for extensive track repairs.

The work at Pennsylvania Station is due to begin Monday and run through Sept. 1, leaving the roughly 600,000 commuters who arrive there each morning from New Jersey and Long Island scrambling for alternate ways into the city.

The phrase 'summer of hell' was coined by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to describe the two months of track repairs at New York's Penn Station, beginning Monday, that have train riders in New Jersey and Long Island fearing the worst.

Months of planning have preceded the track work as Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road have sought to prepare hundreds of thousands of daily commuters for reduced service and expected delays.

Commuters come and go from Penn Station during the morning rush hour on Friday

Beginning Monday, track repairs at Penn Station will result in reduced service and delays for commuters riding from Long Island and New Jersey. Passengers are seen above boarding a Long Island Rail Road train at Penn Station in this 2014 file photo

Will it pay off?

'It's going to take a few days for everybody to get used to the new schedules and figure out how they're going to commute,' said Janna Chernetz, policy director for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign New Jersey, an advocacy group.

'People might try different things, but ultimately people are going to figure it out. They have to. There might be people who get more creative about it, but you have to get to work.'

Two recent derailments and other problems that caused lengthy and lasting delays up and down the Northeast Corridor this spring prompted Amtrak, which owns Penn Station, to speed up repair work that was being performed on nights and weekends and was to continue for a few more years.

Primarily, the work involves replacing 'several thousand feet of track,' according to Amtrak executive Scot Naparstek, and replacing switches in an area where tracks crisscross and head to different platforms.

Two recent derailments and other problems prompted Amtrak, which owns Penn Station, to speed up repair work that was being performed on nights and weekends and was to continue for a few more years. Amtrak workers are seen above on Friday inside a tunnel at Penn Station

The three railroads that use the station - Amtrak, the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit - are reducing service at peak periods during the repairs, which are expected to last until the end of August

The three railroads that use the station - Amtrak, the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit - are reducing service at peak periods during the repairs, which are expected to last until the end of August.

On Long Island, pretty much everyone will be affected.

The LIRR is adding extra cars to some rush-hour trains by canceling three overnight trains.

Commuters are being urged to change to subway service in Jamaica, Queens, and at Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, near the Barclays Center arena, for the final leg into Manhattan.

Both locations figure to experience overcrowding.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the LIRR, also is adding new bus and ferry service to accommodate overflow.

The MTA's chairman, Joe Lhota, said on Sunday that commuters should make an effort to 'come in earlier' to work.

'Try to come in earlier or later if your job allows it,' he said.

His comments were reported by the New York Post.

'I know you can always come in earlier,' he said. 'Instead of taking the 7:05, take the 6:55.

'Were asking Long Islanders who take the railway to change their habits. We have to be flexible as well.'

In New Jersey, the brunt of the pain will be borne by New Jersey Transit riders from the west, in Morris and Essex counties.

Rush-hour trains from those areas will be diverted to Hoboken, for transfer to New York Waterway ferries or the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's PATH trains. Both NY Waterway and PATH will offer expanded service during the repairs.

If all goes according to plan, rail riders will benefit from increased reliability from having up-to-date equipment in and around the station.

But that's where it ends, basically.

'I don't want to fool people that we're going to deliver 100 percent on-time performance,' Naparstek said Friday.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the LIRR, also is adding new bus and ferry service to accommodate overflow. An LIRR commuter rain is seen above at Jamaica Station in Queens on Sunday

'We're not bringing a new station to Penn Station, we're not replacing all the infrastructure, but the infrastructure we touch this summer should be much more reliable than it was before the summer.'

While the derailments had the most widespread effect and garnered the most attention, many of the problems behind the day-in, day-out indignities suffered by commuters will remain, such as wire problems in the station's tunnel during very hot or cold weather; train breakdowns; and track and signal problems outside the station, particularly in New Jersey between Newark and New York.

Those problems won't be adequately addressed until a new Hudson River tunnel is built and other improvements are made, which will take years.

Cuomo announced Sunday that all non-emergency road construction work would be suspended from 5am until 10pm and that all lanes would be open on major roadways in the New York City area starting Sunday night.

The Democratic governor said these actions - along with other roadwork changes including the implementation of cashless tolling - would help with the Long Island Rail Road's bus service in and out of New York City by helping to clear major arteries, including the Long Island Expressway, the Grand Central Parkway, the Major Deegan Expressway and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
A man swimming at a nude south Florida beach was bitten on both legs by a shark.

The unidentified man was swimming Sunday afternoon off Haulover Beach when he was attacked.

Miami-Dade Fire Ocean Rescue lifeguards said they became aware of a shark lurking in the water around 3.30pm and immediately began alerting bathers to get out of the water.

Lt Matthew Sparling with the Fire Ocean Rescue said: 'He was up in the north end of Haulover Beach and he was in the water coming off the sandbar when he noticed the lifeguards were trying to get his attention to come in.

'While he was walking up the sandbar he went through a little deep water and was struck by the shark.'

An unidentified man was trying to get to shore off Haulover Beach, Florida, when a shark attacked him and bit both of his legs

The man was conscious and was able to get to shore where lifeguards immediately helped him

A witness who saw the shark attack told Local 10 News: 'It started getting closer to the people at the sandbar and they tried to get out.'

'One guy, it went straight towards him and bit his leg, pulled him, gave him a little tug, and I was freaking out.'

The man was bitten in both legs by the shark, but he was conscious and able to get out of the water. He immediately got help from lifeguards on shore.

'He said that it didn't even hurt, actually,' Sparling told NBC Miami.

He was then taken to the nearby Aventura Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries

Miami-Dade Fire Ocean Rescue lifeguards said they became aware of a shark lurking in the water around 3.30pm and immediately began alerting bathers to get out of the water

Officials said the bull shark appeared to be four-to-five feet and after it attacked the man, it swam away.

The man was taken to the nearby Aventura Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The shark attack is the first reported at Haulover Beach, nine miles north of Miami Beach, officials said.

Sparling said: 'Although these incidents are rare, we still ask beachgoers to always be aware of their surroundings.

'In my 20 years as a lifeguard, this is the first time a person has been bitten here at Haulover Beach, and possibly the first for Miami-Dade County.'

According to Fox News, The American Association for Nude Recreation describes the clothing-optional portion of Haulover Beach beach as 'one of the greatest success stories in North American nudism'.

It adds that it 'attracts thousands of nudists on warm afternoons'.
The chilling final photo of a backpacker who was found hanged and half-eaten by lizards on a Thai holiday island has been released by authorities.

The low-resolution black and white image, taken from CCTV camera footage recorded on April 21, shows a woman identified as Elise Dallemagne heading down a pathway on Koh Tao.

The 30-year-old Belgian was found on April 28. Authorities determined that she hanged herself on the island where seven other foreigners have died in the last three years.

Chilling final image of a backpacker who was found hanged and half-eaten by lizards on a Thai holiday island

Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found dead on Thai island Koh Tao back in April, with her death ruled a suicide. But her mother says she does not believe the police's version of events

Thai police are now re-opening an investigation into the 'suicide' of Elise Dallemagne who was found in dense jungle while her family are maintaining she was murdered.

The mystery surrounding Elise's death has grown after it was revealed she was using a fake last name to check into accommodation in the weeks before her death.

According to reports in Thailand, she crossed out the name Dallemagne and wrote in Dupuis instead.

An unnamed worker is said to have told police that the backpacker checked into the Triple B Hotel at Mae Hat bay on April 19, and asked for the cheapest room.

A hotel check-in book shows the backpacker crossed out the name Dallemagne and wrote in Dupuis instead

Dallemagne used a fake name to check into a hotel days before her body was discovered, it has been claimed

Dallemagne also refused to provide hotel management with her passport details, insisting she would 'provide them later', the worker said.

Last month, posts on social media said Dallemagne had booked a ticket to Chumphon province, on the mainland, and that her luggage arrived after her death, raising questions of her intentions to take her own life.

'Police continue to look for new evidence, because it was an unnatural death, but we have not found any,' Police Colonel Preecha Kladsawad, deputy of Surat Thani police, said.

Elise's mother Michele van Egten says she does not believe the Thai police's version of events amid fears authorities are working to suppress a series of grisly tourist murders.

Michele made the details of her daughter's death public while appealing for information, saying the case would have gone unnoticed otherwise.

She told magazine Der Farang that investigators had promised her a copy of her daughter's autopsy report but no such document had been provided.

Michele said: 'I do not believe what the police have told us. We fear somebody else was involved.

Posts on social media this week said Dallemagne had booked a ticket to Chumphon province, on the mainland, and that her luggage arrived after her death

'We're more and more thinking that the police information is not the right explanation.'

Michele revealed that Elise had been travelling around Asia for the last two years, and before her death had been living at a yoga and tantra retreat on Koh Phangan.

She was also part of the Sathya Sai Baba cult and lived with a self-proclaimed 'guru'.

Phone records show that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17 before leaving Koh Phangan on a Ferry April 19.

Investigators have no theory to explain Ms Dallemagne's unexpected stopover on Koh Tao on her way back to the mainland.

Eight days before her body was found, Michele said she spoke with her daughter who 'seemed normal and was showing no signs of depression'

Miss Dallemagne had been due to travel back to Belgium from Koh Phangan, where she had been living, but made an unexpected stop on Koh Tao

Michele claims that Elise used a fake name of 'Elise Dubuis' to check into the Triple B Bungalows next to Mae Head Pier on Koh Tao as she travelled via the island on a ferry bound for Chumphon province on her route back to capital Bangkok.

But an unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts - including the one Elise had been staying in.

Elise fled 2.5km through the jungle to Tanote Bay and took a room at the Poseidon Resort where she booked another ticket for Bangkok leaving on April 24.

Eight days later locals living near the island's idyllic Tanote Bay found Elise's body after becoming suspicious of a monitor lizard going back and forth into the jungle.

They followed the animal and discovered that it had been feeding on Elise's remains, which were found among rocks behind the Tanote Family Bay Resort.

The backpacker had to be identified using dental records and previous X-rays.

Police told Elise's mother Michele that her daughter had taken her own life by hanging herself from a tree around three days before she was found.

But no suicide note or message was recovered and Michele is desperate for information surrounding her daughter's tragic demise.

Britons Hannah Witheridge (left) and David Miller (right) were killed on Koh Tao in 2014 as they walked back to their hotel along a beach. Theirs were the only two deaths to be investigated as murder

Nick Pearson, 25, from Derby, was found dead in the ocean on New Year's Day 2014 and his death was ruled a suicide, though his parents believe he was killed

Christina Annesley, 23 (left and right), died on the island in January 2015 after apparently mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol

Elise's bags appear to have been loaded onto the ferry she was due to take, and arrived at Chumphon province where she should have caught a bus to the capital.

Michele says police told her that Elise had been wrapped in old t-shirts or cotton shawls while an empty fuel bottle was found next to her.

An autopsy was performed in Surat Thani Hospital and later by the Institute of Forensic Medicine Police Hospital, Bangkok, and Elise was cremated 14 days later.

Michele said: 'Too many things show us that someone is involved. Police told us that Elise hanged herself up in the jungle. I cannot accept why my daughter should have killed herself.

'She was normal in the last conversation and no signs of depression were visible.

'I don't know why she would have booked a transfer to Bangkok and then went into the jungle to commit suicide.

'I am devastated by events. I am still waiting for the final autopsy report. We just want more information.

'My daughter had been travelling for two and a half years in India, Australia and New Zealand and always back again to Thailand.

'She lived there for months with Guru Raaman Andreas from Germany and two female friends.'

In March Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23 (left and right), vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao and has still not been found

Bricklayer Luke Miller from the Isle of Wight was found dead in a swimming pool on January 8 2016 and an inquest this month found 'no evidence' he was murdered

Miss Dallemagne is the seventh tourist to be found dead on the island in just three years, with the majority of cases ruled suicides (file image)

The death on Koh Tao is the latest in a number of cases involving foreigners.

British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered there in 2014.

Police said Witheridge, 23, had been raped and bludgeoned to death and Miller 24, had suffered blows to his head.

Of all the deaths, theirs were the only ones to be investigated as murder after a public outcry - while four others were ruled suicides.

In March Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao and has still not been found.

Bricklayer Luke Miller from the Isle of Wight was found dead in a swimming pool on January 8 2016 and an inquest earlier this month found 'no evidence' he was murdered.

British holidaymaker Christina Annesley, 23, died on the island in January 2015 after apparently mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol.

But her parents slammed Thai police for failing to properly investigate the death.

Frenchman Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanged in a bungalow on the island on New Year's Day 2015 and his death was ruled as suicide despite his hands being tied behind his back.

In the most high-profile case, Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered as they walked back to their hotel rooms in September 2014.

On New Year's Day 2014, 25-year-old Nick Pearson, from Derby, was found floating in the sea and his parents believe he was murdered - despite police claims he fell 50ft and drowned.
A police body cam captured the moment a fleeing suspect flipped his car going 95mph then emerged from the vehicle to fight off police while still holding his child.

In an 'emotionally draining' clip, a suspect wrestled with police while dangerously dangling his two-year-old daughter from his arms as he tried to resist arrest.

Bryan Martin, 22, led Richland County, South Carolina, police on a wild chase, reaching speeds of 95mph before flipping his car and fighting with officers.

The incident was captured on live TV as part of an A&E series on Saturday, and Martin is now facing charges of child endangerment, reckless driving and simple possession of marijuana.

About as insane of a scene as you'll ever see on TV: Evading police going 95 mph, flips car, emerges HOLDING HIS CHILD! Unreal. #LivePD pic.twitter.com/roHOLd1PXO  Ryan Brown (@RyanBrown_PxP) July 9, 2017

Bryan Martin, 22, was filmed wrestling with a police officer while holding his two-year-old daughter on live TV in Richland County, South Carolina, on Saturday

The unnamed two-year-old girl was unharmed and is in the care of a relative. The segment was shown on A&E's show Live PD and the host commented it was 'emotionally draining'

The clip begins with police already in pursuit of Martin, after authorities were alerted to a report of gunshots and Martin fled the scene, reported The State.

Officers communicate through radio and report that Martin took a left turn, and the camera shows a car flipping in the distance.

As they approach the scene, the car is seen upside down and two officers emerge from their squad car, shouting 'don't you move!'

Martin climbs out from the driver's window with his daughter in his arms.

Richland County Deputy Chris Mastrianni tries to restrain Martin by wrapping his arms around the man, but Martin attempts to fight him off.

The two men struggle with one another while Martin is holding his flailing daughter with one arm, with Mastrianni shouting his concern for the child.

Eventually, an officer manages to get the child out of Martin's grip and the father is arrested and now faces charges of child endangerment

The officer is heard saying, 'Thats your baby!' and 'Let go of the baby!'

Finally, Mastrianni manages to get Martin to safely let go of the child and the two continue to wrestle with one another while Martin is visibly upset.

Other officers arrive to the scene to handcuff Martin, and Mastrianni walks back over to check on the condition of the child.

Dan Abrams, the host of the show, later tweeted: 'I've done a lot of live television but tonight's #livepd was definitely one of the most emotionally draining. Ever.'

Mastrianni also tweeted after the show that he was appreciative of the support he received and said: 'Thank you to everyone that has reached out to me with so much love and support about last night. It was a long night and everyone is safe.'

Martin was arrested and charged with failure to stop for blue lights and siren, assault while resisting arrest, unlawful conduct toward a child, driving under suspension-third offense and simple possession of marijuana, reported First Coast News.

The little girl was taken to the hospital to check on her injuries but was unharmed, and she is now in the care of relatives.
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Video footage shows the charred remains of London's famous Camden Lock Market after 70 firefighters battled to control a huge blaze which was like something from a 'disaster movie'.

The whole floor inside the building has been destroyed and fire investigators have now moved in to sift through the aftermath of last night's inferno.

The flames burned high and produced a dramatic plume of smoke which billowed into the sky late on Sunday night leaving some of the north London market damaged.

This morning the extent of the fire became evident with broken windows seen on the upper floors of the building which caught alight.

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Video footage taken today show that the whole floor has been destroyed following the blaze which took place in Camden last night

The roof has collapsed and there is debris scattered across the ground after the huge blaze which witnesses described as something from a 'disaster movie'

Fire investigators have moved in to sift through the aftermath of last night's 'huge blaze' at London's Camden Lock Market

The cause of the fire - which is thought to have affected dozens of traders - is still under investigation and an investigation team was on site all morning

Crowds gathering on streets below today to catch a glimpse of the scene could also see charred beams and crumbling brickwork.

The cause of the fire - which is thought to have affected dozens of traders - is still under investigation and an investigation team was on site all morning.

Firefighters started removing dozens of leather bags from inside the building and piling them up in the street behind a cordon.

Peter Wolfenden, a station manager for the London Fire Brigade, said firefighters saved the front of the building, but the back of the building was now 'all charcoal'.

He said: 'The back half is totally destroyed, it's all charcoal. The front half is 50% damaged by fire and 50% smoke damaged. We managed to partially save the front. The firefighters did a first class job.'

Mr Wolfenden added that the fire's size was due to the building's use as stalls.

He said: 'That gives it a very, very high fire load, so any fire starting in there would have a large amount of fuel to burn.'

Numerous fire service vehicles were seen parked up in the area this morning as they rushed to the scene to assess the damage

It is just 12 hours since the building went up in flames creating scenes that are said to have looked like something from a 'disaster movie'

London Fire Brigade was called just before midnight after concerned onlookers noticed the famous indoor site go up in flames

Ten fire engines and 70 firefighters tackled the huge blaze at Camden Lock Market in the capital which started late last night

Terrified witnesses 'burst into tears' after watching the firefighters battle the blaze last night.

Giant smoke clouds could be seen for miles across the capital and fire engines rushed to tackle the blaze just before midnight on Sunday.

People who saw the inferno feared the building would explode at any moment because a number of kitchens and restaurants were nearby.

Others described the 'crazy, crazy scenes' and one teenager said the blaze was 'like a disaster movie'.

The cause of the fire - which is thought to have affected dozens of traders - is still under investigation and an investigation team was on site all morning

Firefighters started removing dozens of leather bags from inside the building and piling them up in the street behind a cordon

Peter Wolfenden, a station manager for the London Fire Brigade, said firefighters saved the front of the building, but the back of the building was now 'all charcoal'

Mr Wolfenden said: 'The back half is totally destroyed, it's all charcoal. The front half is 50% damaged by fire and 50% smoke damaged. We managed to partially save the front. The firefighters did a first class job'

The fire service said it is too early to say where the fire started or whether anyone has been injured.

Part of Camden High Street was blocked off while crews battled to get the fire under control with members of the public are urged to stay clear of the area.

James Brown, 19, told the Evening Standard: 'It was like a disaster movie happening in front of your eyes.

'It was an awful thing to see, I was in tears. Everyone is praying there was no one was inside.'

Mr Wolfenden added that the fire's size was due to the building's use as stalls

London Fire Brigade station manager Mr Wolfenden said: 'That gives it a very, very high fire load, so any fire starting in there would have a large amount of fuel to burn.'

The fire is thought to have affected dozens of the market's traders although many have reopned this morning

Two firefighters are pictured on the scene today as their colleagues survey the damage inside

Traders praised the emergency services for their quick response in tackling the fire. Pictured are a police officer and firefighter surveying the incident at the scene in Camden this morning

Crew rushed to the 'crazy' scene and managed to get the large-scale fire under control

The aftermath of the fire could be seen this morning with the building left gutted by the inferno

The fire happened at Camden Lock which is popular with tourists visiting London

The building's roof has totally vanished after being burned down in the blaze

Speaking to MailOnline, a spokesman for London Fire Brigade said they had no increased the numbers of firefighters on the ground.

Witness Joan Ribes, 24, said: 'I was just passing by when I saw the fire and they started to get firefighters and police, it was all very fast.

'We called the police to close the street to the traffic because it was very dangerous, the fire was flying through the air to the surrounding areas.

'The fire was moving very fast. People were watching, but we were scared the building could explode at any time since there are restaurants with kitchens nearby.'

Another onlooker said: 'Just drove past Camden market and there's a huge fire on top a building, close to the Lock Bridge! Crazy crazy scenes.'

It is understood around 30 per cent of the first, second, and third floors, and a third of the roof of the 30 by 40 metre building, was damaged by the fire, which was brought under control by around 2.50am.

Fire crews were still at the scene in Camden, north London, on Monday morning following the blaze last night

Police cordoned off the area close to where the fire broke out just before midnight on Sunday

Seventy firefighters battled a huge blaze at London's famous Camden Lock Market (pictured)

Station manager David Reid, who was at the scene, said : 'Crews worked hard to get the fire under control and to stop it from spreading to neighbouring buildings.'

It is the second time in recent years that the north London market has been hit by a serious blaze.

In February 2008 the Camden Canal Market was destroyed by an inferno that wrecked several local landmarks and put the waterside market out of action for 15 months.

The area sees an estimated 28 million visitors a year, with crowds drawn to the area by the shopping, entertainment and nightlife on offer.

Onlooker Lisa Harden told MailOnline: 'I was in the Elephants Head pub when I saw the sky glowing so went to investigate and got the video but was unable to get any closer.'

Footage posted on social media showed flames shooting into the sky while firefighters sprayed water through windows.

Residents in the local area took to social media to express their concerns after being woken up to the sound of sirens shortly before midnight

A firefighter was photographed climbing onto the roof to help tackle the blaze from a height

Another witness tweeted: 'On a night bus I just passed the start of a big fire in Camden ... I've seen lots of ambulances head north.'

So far there have not been any reports of injuries from the blaze and it is understood all people at the building have been accounted for.

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: 'We were called at 00.07 today (10th July) to reports of a fire at Camden Lock Market.

'We sent a clinical team leader and our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) to the scene.

'We have not treated any patients, and we remain at the scene.'

The Metropolitan Police said it had also been called to the incident and officers were remaining in the area.

LFB said the cause of the fire is under investigation and its crews will remain at the scene during the morning to damp down hot spots.

Firefighters rushed to the scene to battle the blaze which was eventually brought under control at 2.50am

Onlookers staring up at the suddenly-orange sky above Camden this morning shortly after the fire broke out

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade said a further two engines had been sent down to the site

Residents in the local area took to social media to express their concerns after being woken up to the sound of sirens shortly before midnight.

One man wrote: 'Christ. It did occur to me following Grenfell that Camden Stables Market was a fire risk. I hope everyone is okay.'

While another person wrote: 'Stay safe Camden, just seen about the fire at the market.'

Joshua Zitser wrote to Twitter: 'Praying nobody is hurt in the fire. Also thinking of those poor stall owners who will lose stock and months of business. Devastating.'

And a woman said: 'I have always been the biggest supporter of the London Fire Brigade and tonight is no different. They are working hard to put this fire out in Camden.'

Just days ago Camden councillor Georgina Gould tweeted that enhanced fire checks were being carried out in tower blocks across the area following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The Camden blaze was another challenge for the brigade after the June 14 Grenfell Tower fire that killed at least 80.

Witness Joan Ribes, 24, said: 'I was just passing by when I saw the fire and they started to get firefighters and police, it was all very fast'
Women wearing hijabs are most vulnerable to public Islamophobic attacks in Australia, while only one in four bystanders speak out on behalf of victims.

These are the findings of a first-of-its kind report compiled by a number of universities alongside the Islamic Sciences and Research Academy of Australia and the Diversity Council Australia.

The study also found a rise in Islamophobic incidents in the aftermath of Islamic terrorist attacks, ABC News reports.

Women wearing hijabs are most vulnerable to public Islamophobic attacks in Australia while only one in four bystanders speak out on behalf of victims

Intervention from onlookers is rare, with just one in four people speaking out on behalf of victims, despite about half of attacks taking place in public places such as sports stadiums

The report, Islamophobia in Australia, used 243 reported incidents involving physical, verbal and online attacks between September 2014 and December 2015 and found that over two-thirds of attacks where gender was recorded, they were female.

Study's key findings 67.7 per cent attacked in reported Islamophobic incidents were female, double that of male reports

Nearly three-quarters of perpetrators were male

79.6 per cent of women abused were wearing head covering, over half were with children

There was a spike in incidents following Islamic terror attacks and Islamic-related media coverage

Only one in four bystanders intervened during attacks Advertisement

Of those women attacked, 79.6 per cent were wearing a hijab.

Worryingly, intervention from onlookers is rare, with just one in four people speaking out on behalf of victims, despite about half of attacks taking place in public places, including shopping centres and train stations.

Linda Briskman, Margaret Whitlam Chair of Social Work at Western Sydney University, made significant contributions to the study and revealed to Daily Mail Australia the alarming nature of the findings.

'The findings from the data collected by the Islamophobia Register reveal a disturbing number of reports from women', she said.

Professor Briskman also added that perpetrators, nearly three-quarters of which were male, are targeting women as they see them as an easy target.

'Women are particularly vulnerable in pubic places, especially those wearing head covering,' she revealed.

'We found that they are more vulnerable when pregnant or accompanied by children, and they're not seen as being likely to speak back or attack.'

There was also a spike in incidents following media coverage as incidents tripled following the reports of the Federal Government's 2014 plan to ban full face-coverings in the public gallery in parliament.

One particular incident saw Sydney mother Gada Omar verbally threatened by a group of men while sitting with friends while out shopping in the Sydney suburb of Rouse Hill.

Professor Briskman of Western Sydney University suggested that perpetrators, nearly three-quarters of which were male, are targeting women as they see them as an easy target

Professor Briskman hopes the study will expose the deep-rooted issue and in turn provoke a change to the way the nation approaches the problem

'All of a sudden we hear a guy say, "Have you seen how many effing Muslims there are?"' she revealed.

'We looked up and there were five guys standing over us, they were probably in their early 20s. They said to us, "Do you know what a crow bar looks like?"'

Ms Omar revealed after the incident, her 13-year-old son now fears going out in public.

'He gets scared where he feels there might be gangs and they might target us because I'm a Muslim.'

Such fear has led to over two-thirds of Muslims failing to report attacks as Professor Briskman suggested despite the disturbing nature of the findings, it doesn't reveal the full extent of the problem.

'We believe that there is under-reporting as many people who are targets of Islamophobia are reluctant to report events.'

She also suggested the study will expose the deep-rooted issue and in turn provoke a change to the way the nation approaches the problem.

'The purpose of collecting data is not to tell authorities what to do but it is hoped that by drawing attention to the extent of the problem that action will be taken to tackle Islamophobia in Australia.'
A man who attacked two flight attendants and several passengers while he tried to open an exit door mid-flight yelled, 'Don't you know who I am?', according to the FBI.

Joseph Daniel Hudek IV, the son of a Delta airlines employee, was flying first class on a 'dependent pass' from Seattle to Beijing on Thursday when his sudden rampage caused the plane to divert back to Washington about an hour after takeoff.

Hudek, who punched a flight attendant and an intervening passenger, had two wine bottles smashed over his head before he was eventually restrained, according to a probable cause document.

He now faces a felony charge of interfering with a flight crew, which carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Joseph Daniel Hudek IV was arrested after a sudden rampage on a flight from Seattle to Beijing, during which he tried to open an exit door

Hudek, who punched a flight attendant and an intervening passenger, had two wine bottles smashed over his head before he was eventually restrained (pictured, the aftermath)

One flight attendant and a passenger were taken to a hospital after suffering severe facial injuries, authorities said.

Photos from inside the plane reveal blankets and food strewn across the cabin floor while a spilled beverage can be seen dripping down the exit door.

The Tampa, Florida, native appeared in US District Court on Friday, wearing a beige jail uniform and sporting a scrape or bruise below his right eye.

Hudek did not speak during the hearing. His attorney, Robert Flennaugh II, declined to comment.

Hudek's mother Linda Hudek, is a customer service representative and reservation agent at Delta, according to her Facebook profile.

According to the airline's employee benefits, dependent children fly for free, although some government or airport fees apply for international travel.

Hudek (left) the son of a Delta airlines employee (right, his mother), was flying first class on a 'dependent pass'

He turned the emergency release lever on the exit door to about 90 degrees, which would have been enough to open it if the plane was flying at a lower altitude, a flight attendant said

A probable cause statement written by FBI special agent Caryn Highley said Hudek was sitting in the first row of the Boeing 767's first-class section when the flight took off on Thursday.

Hudek had a beer before takeoff, but exhibited no sign of being intoxicated, a flight attendant told authorities.

About an hour into the flight, Hudek went into the restroom, popped out, and asked the attendant a question before he stepped back in, the FBI agent wrote.

When he came out again two minutes later, he suddenly lunged for the exit door, grabbed the handle and tried to open it, Highley wrote.

Two flight attendants grabbed him, but he pushed them away, the complaint said.

The attendants then signaled for help from several passengers and notified the cockpit by telephone, the complaint said.

Hudek punched one flight attendant twice in the face and struck at least one passenger in the head with a red dessert wine bottle, the documents said.

One passenger who did not want to be named told KIRO7: 'I tried to choke him and he just threw me off like a rag doll.'

As the struggle continued, a flight attendant grabbed two wine bottles and hit Hudek over the head with each - breaking at least one of them, Highley wrote.

According to one flight attendant, 'Hudek did not seem impacted by the breaking of a full liter red wine bottle over his head, and instead shouted, 'Do you know who I am?' or something to that extent,' the complaint said.

The plane was diverted (pictured, the flight plan) about an hour after takeoff. Hudek had two wine bottles smashed over his head before he was subdued and restrained on the flight

Hudek was able to push the emergency release lever on the door about halfway, and several passengers said they feared for their lives, according to the statement.

Had the plane been flying at a lower altitude, the door could have opened with the lever released halfway, a flight attendant said.

Two hours after takeoff, the plane landed back at the Seattle Tacoma airport at 7.10pm. Police boarded the plane to arrest Hudek, who was handcuffed and rolled out in a wheelchair.

But he remained 'combative and noncompliant', overturning the wheelchair in the middle of the airport, KIRO reported.

Hudek (above) was arrested when the plane landed back in Seattle. Police said he remained 'combative and noncompliant' although his grandfather said it was 'so out of character'

All 210 people on board deplaned. Two were sent to the hospital with several facial injuries, although they are non-life threatening.

Joseph was charged with interfering with a flight crew and ordered to stay behind bars until next Thursday's detention hearing.

Hudek's grandfather Joseph Hudek said the 23-year-old had been visiting Beijing to see a friend, adding Joseph was a frequent flier with no previous incidents.

'He's a great kid, he's a real good guy; he works hard, saves his money, I don't know what happened,' his grandfather, Joseph Hudek said to Q13.

'This is so out of character of him, I can't believe it,' Hudek said.
A family-run milk bar has been robbed for the second time in a month by a gang of knife-wielding youths, leaving its terrified owners no choice but to shut their doors.

Up to eight balaclava-wearing youths are believed to have stormed Riverdene Village Shop at Werribee, in south-west Melbourne, at around 7.30pm on Sunday evening.

The large group jumped the counter, stealing cigarettes and cash before smashing windows and damaging the shop front as they fled.

It comes just three weeks after the shop was last targeted, where in a similar attack a gang again stormed the store, pointing a knife at the chest of owner Mary Lakkis and demanded cash from the till.

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A family-run milk bar in Melbourne's south-west has been robbed for the second time in weeks by a gang of knife-wielding and balaclava-wearing youths (Pictured is CCTV from June attack)

Up to eight balaclava-wearing youths are believed to have stormed Riverdene Village Shop at Werribee (pictured),at around 7.30pm on Sunday stealing cigarettes and cash from the store

Ms Lakkis, 63, and her husband Mario have run the shop for almost two decades, and their house is directly connected to the milk bar.

During the attack on June 17, the elderly couple were sitting in their lounge when the group of four hooded thugs smashed their way into their store.

Holding Ms Lakkis at knifepoint they ransacked the store before fleeing, all within 50 seconds.

Following the attack the store owner said she thought she would die and vowed to never work again.

'He held a knife about 1m long to my chest,' Ms Lakkis told the Herald Sun after that attack.

'My husband said: "Take the money as long as you give me the knife".'

Mary Lakkis (pictured), 63, and her husband Mario have run the shop for almost two decades, and their house is connected to the milk bar. During the last attack she was held at knifepoint.

'I'll never work again, I'm too frightened.'

Fortunately Mr and Mrs Lakkis have escaped injury during both attacks, which have been the first in their 18 years as store owners.

But it seems the couple is no longer willing to take any chances, as a 'Closing Down' sign is now clearly visible across their shop front.


A New Zealand maths teacher has been suspended from teaching for two years after he was caught teaching children while under the influence of alcohol.

Stephen Thorpe Collins was reported to have smelt of alcohol on multiple occasions while teaching at Kamo High School in Whangarei.

A report from the Disciplinary Tribunal of the Education Council found he had been drinking heavily before school and during the day from a bottle in his car.

A New Zealand maths teacher has been suspended for two years after getting caught out drinking on the job (stock image)

In the April tribunal hearing, Mr Collins revealed he was an alcoholic, but denied he had been drinking alcohol in his car, and claimed instead it was water.

Later, he admitted that because he had been attending school under the influence of alcohol, he could not be sure if it was water.

The tribunal heard that on at least three occasions, Mr Collins had gone out with other teachers for a cigarette break, and smelt so strongly of alcohol it overpowered the smell of tobacco.

A fellow teacher claimed on these occasions the man's eyes were red and his speech was slurred.

Other teachers also claimed they saw Mr Collins climb into the back seat of his car, sit inside, and drink from a bottle briefly before returning to class on multiple occasions.

The mathematics teacher claimed he had sat in the car because he was 'tired'.

Stephen Thorpe Collins worked at Kamo High School in Whangarei (pictured). His students and colleagues claim he was seen on multiple occasions stumbling around with slurred speech

Students and teachers told the tribunal they had seen Mr Collins staggering around the school with red eyes, slurred speech and smelling of alcohol.

The tribunal also found the teacher's drinking had 'adversely affected' his students, and their grades.

Many of his pupils were behind in their studies, and others were achieving lower marks than expected.

When he was pulled aside by Kamo High principal, Jo Hutt, for drinking on the job, he agreed to take a month without pay to attend a rehabilitation clinic and completed a 12-step program.

Though Mr Collins finished the program, he resigned from the school just days before he was due to return.

When his misdeeds were uncovered, the man took a month off unpaid to complete a rehabilitation program, but he resigned just days before he was due to return to work (stock image)




Australian special forces allegedly shot dead a teenage boy in Afghanistan and then covered up his death.

In a report to air on the ABC's 7.30 program on Monday night, sources claim soldiers killed the boy and left his body among rocks while on patrol in Kandahar Province.

The boy's death now forms part of a wide-ranging inquiry into the special forces by the Inspector General of the Defence Force, although it was allegedly never reported to superiors.

Reportedly aged either 14 or 15, the boy, identified by the ABC as Khan Mohammed, died in the early hours of a morning in 2012.

He had been collecting figs at the time and suffered leg and chest gunshot wounds, relatives say, with what appeared to be an Australian Army GPS found at the scene.

His death has also been referred to the Australian Federal Police.

'On 2 September 2016, the Chief of Army Australian Defence Force (ADF) referred a matter to the AFP relating to an allegation of an unlawful killing by the ADF in Afghanistan in 2012,' an AFP spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'The AFP is undertaking an evaluation of the matter referred, and as such it would not be appropriate to comment further.'

The inquiry, announced last year, is also reportedly looking into the deaths of Bismillah Azadi and his son Sadiqullah in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province.

Both were killed in September 2013 during a raid by Australian SAS troops, who were later cleared of the deaths.

Australian special forces allegedly shot dead a teenage boy in Afghanistan's Kandahar Province in 2012

Bismillah was found by an investigation - which also heard claims by soldiers the man drew a pistol on them - to be a certain Taliban sympathiser.

A special forces veteran, who spent time in Afghanistan, told the ABC he had noticed a 'decay of moral and ethical values'.

'Ultimately the behaviour of some elements of SOTG [Special Operations Task Group] led to the indiscriminate, reckless and avoidable deaths of innocent civilians, caused by an institutional shift in culture that contributed to the decay of moral and ethical values towards armed conflict,' the man, who is not named, said.

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, a Defence spokesperson said the Australian Defence Force conducts its operations under strict rules of engagement and promotes a culture of ethical and lawful behaviour.

Soldiers then allegedly left the boy's body among rocks where he had been killed

'These rules and cultural norms are designed to ensure the actions of Australian forces are ethical and consistent with Defence's obligations under Australian and international law,' the spokesperson said.

'Defence does not condone its people operating outside of these rules and norms, and it takes allegations of misconduct seriously.'

The spokesperson added it is a matter of public record the IGADF is currently conducting a scoping inquiry to determine whether there is any substance to rumours relating to the Special Operations Task Group during deployments in Afghanistan over the period 2005 to 2016.

'The Scoping Inquiry commenced in May 2016 as the result of a referral from the Chief of Army,' the spokesperson said.

'While the IGADF scoping inquiry is in progress, it is inappropriate to comment on the status of any rumours or allegations.

'Defence will not provide any further information or detail relating to these rumours or allegations to protect the integrity and independence of the IGADF Scoping Inquiry.'

The spokesperson encouraged anyone with information or evidence relating to alleged, unlawful or inappropriate conduct relating to Special Operations Task Group deployments in Afghanistan to bring it to the attention of the IGADF and/or the Australian Federal Police.
The mother of a murdered British backpacker has visited the regional Australia hostel where her daughter lost her life in a brutal and meaningless attack.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung was stabbed to death by French tourist Smail Ayad in Home Hill last year after working in a Queensland cane field to extend her visa.

Rosie Ayliffe told the ABC she had spoken to Mia the morning of the attack and the news of her daughter's death was 'astonishing, terrifying and devastating'.

'I'm sitting in the cubicle where Mia died and apparently she fought for her life. Even with chest injuries, even after a blow to the heart, Mia was still fighting for her life. And that says it all.'

Rosie Ayliffe said she had spoken to Mia the morning of the attack and the news of her daughter's death was 'astonishing, terrifying and devstating'

'I'm sitting in the cubicle where Mia died and apparently she fought for her life. Even with chest injuries, even after a blow to the heart, Mia was still fighting for her life. And that says it all,' Rosie Ayliffe (pictured) said after visiting the hostel where her daughter lost her life

The hostel bed where Ms Ayliffe-Chung slept before she was murdered, which was visited by her mother as she retraced her steps

Mrs Ayliffe says she was unfamiliar with the scheme, that sees tourists aged between 19 and 31 spend 88 days working in the agricultural sector to extend their Australian visas a further year, and hoped the government had safety regulations in place for its workers.

'I assumed that the young people would be registered and the farms accredited,' she said.

Mrs Ayliffe now wants to see the government take control of the scheme that has been subject to widespread criticism with claims of exploiting and underpaying tourists.

After speaking to the family of Tom Jackson, the man who was killed coming to Mia's defence, Mrs Ayliffe discovered the extent of the system's failures.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung (pictured), was murdered in a frenzied knife attack at a backpacking hostel in Home Hill, north Queensland, in August 2016. The 21-year-old was picking fruit on a farm so she could extend her visa

'I now understand that there's a dark side to the backpacker culture - that people can find themselves at risk just like my daughter did,' Ms Ayliffe said in the wake of her daughter's death

'He'd been to a farm in Victoria, did a bit of work, didn't get any money for it, didn't get any credit towards his 88 days,' she said.

She says she has spoken to numerous other travellers involved in the program after championing the cause to stop further abuse and tragedies occurring.

'I now understand that there's a dark side to the backpacker culture - that people can find themselves at risk just like my daughter did,' Ms Ayliffe said.

'I want to see regulation of the 88 days. I want a central body which distributes backpackers among farms that are certified.'

Ms Ayliffe-Chung, who was working in cane fields in an effort to extend her visa, was allegedly stabbed at least 20 times in the face, neck and chest by Ayad.

Now, close to a year on from her daughter's death, Rosie Ayliffe (pictured) has slammed the need for backpackers to do farm work - saying it's responsible for the 'dark side' of tourist life in Australia

Fellow British backpacker Thomas Jackson (left), 30, rushed to rescue Mia Ayliffe-Chung and was also allegedly attacked by Ayad. He passed away five days after the attack

Fellow British backpacker Thomas Jackson, 30, was also allegedly attacked by the 29-year-old as he rushed to her rescue. He passed away five days after the attack.

In the days after British police woke her in the middle of the night to deliver the horrific news, a heartbroken Ms Ayliffe flew out to Australia to bury her daughter.

The single mother said the devastation of losing her daughter on the trip of a lifetime led her to push for change to the 417 visa protocol.

During her trip for her daughter's funeral, Ms Ayliffe said many backpackers came up to and told her of their experiences working on farms.

Smail Ayad (pictured), a French tourist who she shared a dorm with Mia Ayliffe-Chung, allegedly stabbed her and fellow British tourist Thomas Jackson to death in August 2016

'I want to see regulation of the 88 days. I want a central body which distributes backpackers among farms that are certified,' Ms Ayliffe said

She claims they told horror stories full of exploitation and abuse. It was these stories and her daughter's death which have led her to launch the campaign for change.

In addition to writing to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Ms Ayliffe has also used social media to warn backpackers travelling to Australia.

'If you're travelling on your own, stay in groups or with male companions... never get into a vehicle with a stranger in any country in the world,' Ms Ayliffe posted to social media earlier this year.

'While it's good to be open and trusting, and it brings its own rewards, you have to travel smart and not take unnecessary risks.

Ms Ayliffe-Chung as an infant two decades before she visited Australia and was murdered

Despite the horrors that have faced her, Ms Ayliffe returned to Australia to learn more about the farm work scheme in recent months - even putting herself through the pain of visiting the place where Mia died

'This is not saying this was the girl's fault in any way, but what we as a campaign are looking at is a system  88 days agricultural labor  which can be changed.'

Despite the horrors that have faced her, Ms Ayliffe returned to Australia to learn more about the farm work scheme in recent months.

Even putting herself through the pain of visiting the place where Mia died, the father of murdered hero Thomas Jackson says Ms Ayliffe's brave work may save more lives.

'If she's successful there'll be less people going through what we've gone through and Rosie herself has gone through,' Les Jackson said.
A controversial Islamic psychologist who described Muslim boys who plot terrorist attacks as 'just being teenagers' posed in a picture with Labor Senator Sam Dastyari.

Hanan Dover put the image of herself with the Labor powerbroker on her Facebook page with the hashtag 'creeping Sharia'.

'The smile that's generated after plotting halal-domination,' she wrote in a tongue-in-cheek social media message.

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Muslim psychologist Hanan Dover (left) posed in a picture with Labor Senator Sam Dastyari

Hanan Dover posted an image of herself with Labor Senator Sam Dastyari with the hashtag 'creeping Sharia' and a joke about 'plotting halal domination'

Ms Dover, who writes regular Facebook posts accusing Liberal MPs and the media of Islamophobia, met the Iranian-born senator at the Multicultural Eid Festival and Fair at Prairiewood, in Sydney's west, on Sunday.

Senator Dastyari told Daily Mail Australia Ms Dover was one of 250 people who posed in a picture with him at Fairfield Showground, adding he didn't know who she was.

'From what I can now gather, her views are abhorrent and certainly don't reflect mine,' he said.

'But as a public figure, at these types of community events, you're not really in control of everyone who is taking a photo with you.

'Selfies shouldn't be taken as endorsement.'

Hanan Dover in June attended a book signing event with Muslim-convert author Susan Carland

Senator Sam Dastyari said he posed in pictures with 250 people at the multicultural festival

In 2015, Ms Dover told a conference that young Muslim men charged with terrorism had been treated unfairly.

'Young teenagers act out, yet their acting out has been criminalised. The way they talk ... is being criminalised as opposed to it being teenage speak,' she told an Australasian Conference on Islam Radicalisation and Islamophobia as reported by The Daily Telegraph.

In 2002, she likened homosexuals to thieves and murders at a forum at the University of Western Sydney, but last year voiced support for gay marriage and distanced herself from those remarks made 15 years ago.

'If Allah loves homosexuals, he will also love thieves, murderers, liars, hypocrites, criminals,' she said then.

Senator Sam Dastyari (centre with NSW Liberal Premier Gladys Berejiklian) in Lakemba in Sydney's west in June celebrating the end of Ramadan

Activists in favour of Palestine wore 'Free Gaza' shirts at the Multicultural Eid Festival and Fair

'Did Allah make a mistake and say that homosexuality is (a sin) for about 1400 years and when humans are ready, they can start disobeying my laws  and I will start accepting all evils? C'mon!'

Back then, Senator Dastyari was a leading figure in New South Wales Young Labor who voiced support for gay marriage, even though it wasn't the policy of his right faction.

Ms Dover is a research student at Western Sydney University who is writing a thesis about Iraqi refugees in Australia 'exploring religious coping'.

She is also a clinical and forensic psychologist at Bankstown, in Sydney's west, who regularly speaks at psychology conferences in Australia and the Middle East.

Senator Sam Dastyari voiced support for gay marriage as NSW Young Labor president in 2005

Hanan Dover last month described Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as 'bigoted, Islamophobic'

Last month, she told her Facebook followers Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, who wants to toughen citizenship laws, deserved a head transplant.

The hijab-wearing social media activist has also described Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as a 'bigoted, Islamophobic, and offensive moron' for describing terrorism as a disease within Islam.

Senator Dastyari attended the Eid festival on Sunday with local federal Labor MP Chris Hayes and state Liberal Minister for Multiculturalism Ray Williams.
This beautiful set of images capture the moment a young ballet dancer interacts with her four-legged friends against a stunning woodland backdrop.

The enchanted photos were taken by Andrey Seliverstov, 59, from St Petersburg, Russia.

He captured the scenes of nine-year-old Maria Palkina and her canine friends after being inspired by famous artists.

This beautiful set of images capture the moment a young ballet dancer interacts with her four-legged friends against a stunning woodland backdrop

The enchanted photos were taken by Andrey Seliverstov, 59, from St Petersburg, Russia

He captured the scenes of nine-year-old Maria Palkina and her canine friends after being inspired by famous artists.

The furry pups can be seen leaping through the air next to the talented youngster

The furry pups can be seen leaping through the air next to the talented youngster.

Andrey said: 'It's not an easy task to photograph both children and dogs.

'And of course for a person who has been photographing dogs for the last 20 years - it's more difficult to work with kids, especially when they are so young.

'I became interested in the 'kids and dogs theme' when I saw the works of Elena Shumilova and C.Murray who shoot similar scenes.

'The shots proved to be very popular, when I posted them on social media I immediately received thousands of subscribers.'

Maria was thrilled with the outcome and added: 'I was so lucky to be part of this interesting project by a talented photographer.

'It was one of the best photo sessions, Andrey was able to show the two things I couldn't live without, dancing and dogs.'

Maria was thrilled with the outcome and added: 'I was so lucky to be part of this interesting project by a talented photographer'

Andrey said: 'It's not an easy task to photograph both children and dogs'

Nine year old Maria Palkina dancing with dogs as she teaches them how to do ballet
Civilians will be fast-tracked into senior Army ranks under proposals being examined by defence chiefs.

Cyber warfare specialists, aviation experts and tech wizards will be able to become Army leaders without having to rise up through the ranks.

General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of the General Staff, wants the regular Army to be able to hire straight into its middle and possibly even higher ranks in order to bring in specialist skills for modern warfare.

The proposals - designed to make up for shortfalls in high-tech skills - will overturn generations of tradition which has seen leaders work their way up from the bottom.

Soldiers from the The Royal Welch Fusiliers mount helicopter borne Eagle VCP's (Vehicle Check Points). The new proposals would see aviation experts launched in as middle or high-ranking officers

General Sir Nick Carter (pictured), Chief of the General Staff, wants the regular Army to be able to hire straight into its middle and possibly even higher ranks in order to bring in specialist skills for modern warfare

Civilians would be fast-tracked into senior ranks and able to skip basic training and weapons drills and not be held accountable to basic fitness standards.

It is believed to be the first time since the Second World War that non-soldiers have been boosted up the ranks in the regular Army.

The move comes as the Army faces a recruitment crisis, with current numbers well below the 82,000 target set out in the 2010 defence review.

Special Forces regiments are also suffering from a shortfall in numbers, especially those trained in information technology and communications, sources told the Mail.

Under the plans for so-called lateral entry, Army chiefs would be able to hire those who already have established careers directly from industry and the boardroom.

Last month, Sir Michael Fallon said the Armed Forces needed to recruit a new generation of geeks and tech wizards to tackle the spiralling threat of cyber warfare.

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis (left) and Britain's Secretary of State for Defence Sir Michael Fallon (right) participate in an honor cordon arrival ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, USA

Such a move would enable those with advanced and valuable skills in areas such as cyber defence to move across into the forces.

High calibre experts could be recruited from the worlds of industry, government, academia and the public sector.

The first hires are still a year or two away, according to Sir Nick.

It would not apply to the Armys frontline fighting combat arms.

Reservists are already being recruited in a similar way in what the military views as a success.

Speaking in Estonia, he told the Telegraph: As an institution we are bottom fed. In other words we recruit people who are youngsters and then grow them through a career.

I think that the modern way of working suggests that as we embrace a lot of the specialisms that we have got to embrace, we are going to have to offer different career structures, said Sir Nick Carter (pictured)

I think that the modern way of working suggests that as we embrace a lot of the specialisms that we have got to embrace, we are going to have to offer different career structures.

He said he believed nearly as much as 30 per cent of the Army will be specialists in the future.

He said: How we supply those specialist career streams, often probably with lateral entry and maybe sharing people with industry because all of us are struggling with the so-called science, technology, engineering and maths skills, is something we will have to think about in the future.

The first recruitment could be to ranks such as captain, major or non-commissioned officers.

In the future it could extend to positions as senior as brigadier.

The police have already introduced such a scheme.

Three years ago the police announced a break with 180 years of tradition by allowing officers to enter at senior rank rather than working their way up from constable.

The changes enabled a civil servant, a bank worker and a member of the armed forces to be fast-tracked into senior police ranks.
Furious customers have blasted Woolworths after a nationwide technical issue meant online orders were not fulfilled on Sunday.

Scores of people from around Australia took to the supermarket's Facebook page to complain, with some saying they were only notified that their groceries would not be delivered after the delivery window had opened.

Others said they were not notified at all, while some said they were only told they would not be able to collect items they had ordered using the 'click & collect' service after they had already arrived in store.

They blasted Woolworths for not publicly acknowledging there was an issue, the difficulty they faced in amending or cancelling orders and the lengthy wait times to speak to a customer service representatives.

Furious customers have blasted Woolworths after a nationwide technical issue meant no online orders were fulfilled on Sunday. Stock photo

People from across Australia vented their anger on the supermarket's Facebook page

'Woolworths? More like WOOLWORTHLESS!' complained Phil Bain, from Brisbane.

Leanne Orr said that she had been ordering her groceries online from Woolworths for six years 'with increasing frustration about lack of care, inability to deliver in selected timeframe, missing items and mouldy and inferior food items.'

She added: 'The debacle yesterday with the order just not turning up, no ability to call or go online to change or cancel the order and no communication from Woolworths is the nail in the coffin.

'Bye bye Woolworths.'

Kimberly May wrote: 'We now have no money to buy extra food for our children, nappies for our baby or necessities like toilet paper or milk.

'Wait time for customer care is over 11 hours. Looks like we'll be having sleep for dinner.'

Some said they were only notified that their groceries would not be delivered after the delivery window had opened

Becky Anne Gonzalez complained that she has had issues with her order from Woolworths for three consecutive weeks.

'Funny thing is I never got a text message or email informing me that I won't be having a delivery today,' she said.

'I had to ring up and wait on line for ever just to find out.'

Michelle April said she was notified via text 30 minutes after her delivery window opened that she would not be getting her groceries.

'I don't need this order tomorrow  I needed it today!

'So I've gone out to buy everything I needed and definitely do not want it delivered tomorrow.

Some customers said they were only notified that their delivery wasn't coming after the delivery window had opened - but others said they weren't told at all

'It said in the text that I could cancel online but there's no option to cancel?! I've tried calling but no one picks up and so I've requested the call back but no one calls me back even in the time frame.'

Rowan Measday, from Melbourne, said that he only found out via Twitter that he would not receive his delivery even though the order was placed earlier that day.

'I am now only finding out via Twitter that I will not be receiving my order due to technical orders and it has been rebooked for the same time tomorrow,' he wrote around the time his groceries were meant to arrive.

Others expressed their frustration at the lack of customer service and the lenthy wait times to speak to a customer representative

'Small problem, no one will be home at that time tomorrow and no one from Woolworths had contacted me.

'I tried to call your contact centre and cannot get through either. I am now $50 further out of pocket for having to order takeaway tonight.'

Rachael Daamen also complained that she was unable to get through to customer service representatives, saying she was told she would get a callback in eight to 10 hours.

Nichola Strauch said that when she went to call customer service, she was told the wait time was between 45 and 54 hours.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Woolworths for comment.
Bone-sniffing dogs may have found the lonely spot on an deserted island where Amelia Earhart died as a castaway after she crash landed in 1937.

Four border collies sniffed out the lingering scent of human remains on an uninhabited island south of her intended flight path - and researchers believe they could belong to the missing aviator or her navigator Fred Noonan.

The canines are trained to detect bones and the scent of remains, and previously this method has unearthed ancient burial sites that are nine feet deep.

The dogs pointed to a shaded spot underneath a tree on the isolated island of Nikumaroro, the same spot where British officials found bones they believed belonged to 39-year-old Earhart in 1940.

It is also the spot where a 2001 expedition found signs of an American castaway including the remains of campfires, a US-made knife and woman's compact, according to National Geographic.

This new discovery comes after doubts were cast over a recently unearthed photograph claiming to show Earhart and Noonan had been captured by the Japanese after crashing.

The recent expedition was funded by National Geographic and carried out by a team of researchers at the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery on June 30.

Researchers said they may have found where Amelia Earhart died, thanks to bone-sniffing dogs. They claim there is proof she was a castaway on Nikumaroro or Gardner Island, in the western Pacific Ocean

Dogs trained to detect the scent of human remains pinpointed to a spot underneath a tree on Nikumaroro island (pictured) on June 30. Experts believe this is where Earhart died and the location is the same spot a British official believed he found her bones in 1940

The remains discovery comes as a documentary is claiming that an image appears to show Amelia Earhart (sitting center) after she vanished from the sky in July of 1937

The dogs are trained by the Institute for Canine Forensicswere (ICF) and were released individually, to see if they could find any indication of remains.

If the scent of human bones is found, the canines are trained to sit or lie down with their paws on either side of the location where the smell is the most intense, reported National Geographic.

One by one, all four dogs indicated to their handlers there was evidence of human remains at the same exact spot underneath a tree.

The researchers concluded: 'The signals were clear: Someone  perhaps Earhart or her navigator, Fred Noonan  had died beneath the ren tree.'

This spot the dogs pinpointed is the same area where an official claimed to have found castaway bones under a ren tree in 1940.

The official believed they belonged to Earhart and the 13 bones where shipped off to Fiji to be measured. The bones were lost after they were measured.

In 1998, the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery obtained the original files of the skeleton's measurements and sent them to forensic anthropologists.

In a statement, the analysts wrote: 'The morphology of the recovered bones, insofar as we can tell by applying contemporary forensic methods to measurements taken at the time, appears consistent with a female of Earhart's height and ethnic origin.'

Then in 2016, another discovery revealed the skeleton had unusually large forearms, and analysts confirmed they were an exact match for Earhart's.

The alleged details of Earhart's final flight, and where she is believed to have ended up based on different theories over the years

Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan (right) both disappeared while flying across the world in July 1937. Their bodies have never been offically found

A documentary claims that Earhart and Noonan stand out as the only two Westerners in the photo, which the government had stored away in their National Archive

Nikumaroro, then called Gardner Island, is 350 nautical miles from Howland Island, the spot where Earhart was on her way to when she vanished on July 2, 1937.

It has long been believed that poor visibility and low gas levels caused the plane to crash in the waters nearby the island, but the exact location of where has never been solved.

News of the remains comes as a vintage photograph allegedly shows Earhart and Noonan after they crashed, some experts claim.

The photo in question appears to show both Earhart and Noonan in the Marshall Islands, with a note on the image placing them at the Jaluit Atoll.

Jaluit Atoll is more than a thousand of miles away from Nikumaroro island.

Earhart's plane can also be seen on the far right being dragged by a large ship.

The image is believed to have been taken in 1937, the same year that Earhart went missing in the vicinity of the island chain.

The photograph also backs up the long-held belief that Earhart was captured by the Japanese and held as a prisoner of war, this according to experts who will appear on the History special Amelia Earhart: The Lost Evidence.

The skeleton found at Nikumaroro island in 1940, had an exact match for Earhart's unusually long forearms, experts claim

The Japanese government stated that they have no record of Earhart ever being a prisoner.

MailOnline's investigation last year concluded that if Earhart and Noonan had been captured by the Japanese, the suspected spies would have been under guard but there is no sign of any Japanese soldier on the jetty.

'The group on the dock appears to be out for a Sunday stroll, or awaiting someone's arrival from one of the ships in the harbor,' an expert said.

As the MailOnline's investigator who uncovered the questionable photo notes: 'In the archives I found that the envelopes containing the photographs were stamped on the lower rear corner - something that was difficult to notice as they're in a three-ring binder/enclosure.

'The (aerial) surveillance photos in the first few envelopes were dated earlier than the 1940s, but the photos taken from on the island (Jaluit), that were in the latter envelopes, were dated 1940+'.

Josephine Blanco Akiyama (left) was 12 years old and living in Saipan (right) when she claims to have seen Earhart being hauled away by the Japanese in July 1937 after crashing her plane

After this vintage photo recently circled the internet, a woman stepped forward and claimed that she had seen Earhart being captured by the Japanese.

Josephine Blanco Akiyama, now a resident of California, was 12 years old when she claims to have seen Earhart being hauled away by the Japanese in Saipan in July 1937 after the aviator is believed to have crashed her plane into the Pacific Ocean.

Akiyama's claims have added yet another element to the mystery of Earhart's disappearance while she was attempting the first round-the-world flight 80 years ago this month.

'I didn't even know it's a woman, I thought it's a man,' Akiyama told NBC's Today on Thursday.

'Everybody was talking about her but they were talking in Japanese - that's why I know that she's a woman. They were talking about a woman flyer.'

Akiyama claims she later learned Earhart had been executed.
An anti-Uber activist has been ordered to pay nearly $400,000 after harrassing and intimidating drivers.

Russell Howarth, a former 'partner' of the ride-sharing company, has championed a campaign against Uber, labelling them 'irresponsible' and 'not above the law.'

A court last week ordered Mr Howarth pay Uber's legal fees after he was slapped with an order permanently banning him from engaging with its drivers.

Russell Howarth, a former 'partner' of the ride-sharing company, has championed a campaign against Uber, labelling them 'irresponsible' and 'not above the law'

A court last week ordered Mr Howarth (pictured) to pay Uber's legal fees after he was slapped with an order permanently banning him from engaging with its drivers

Justice Michael Slattery ordered Mr Howarth pay $391,152, 60 per cent of Uber's fees, after hearings in early February and being handed an order restraining him from threatening and harrassing drivers in April.

Mr Howarth, who claims he helped launch Uber in Australia, started a now-closed webpage ArrestingUber.com as part of his campaign against the company.

He believes taxi and limousine drivers have seen their industries unfairly devastated by legal loopholes exploited by Uber, not having to pay license and plate fees.

Justice Michael Slattery ordered Mr Howarth pay $391,152, 60 per cent of Uber's fees

Mr Howarth, who claims he helped launch Uber in Australia, started a now-closed webpage ArrestingUber.com as part of his campaign against the company

Mr Howarth has posted multiple videos online performing citizen's arrests on Uber drivers who are 'unknowingly committing illegal offences.'

Uber launched action in the NSW Supreme Court against Mr Howarth citing harassment of drivers and passengers.

Uber alleged he performed nine citizen's arrests on Uber drivers between October 2014 and June 2015, as well as other acts of intimidation in 2016.

One citizen's arrest involved Uber driver Mr Dara Khodor.

Uber alleged that on June 30, 2015 a number of Uber drivers, including Mr Khodor were lured to Leichhardt Oval in Sydney where multiple citizen arrests took place.

When Mr Khodor arrived at Leichhardt Oval his passenger asked him to open the boot so he could get his luggage.

As he did so Mr Khodor was ambushed by up to ten people, including Mr Howarth who said 'you are under arrest because you are driving Uber'.

The court agreed that it was necessary to put an end Mr Howarth's campaign and ordered him not to harass any driver or passenger of an Uber vehicle.
An alleged drug trafficker with links to El Chapo was arrested in Colombia on Saturday, according to several reports.

Marcela Florez Torruco, who is believed to have ties to Mexican cartels, was arrested in Bogota, months after she entered the country as a tourist, according to the Mexican newspaper El Debate.

Known as 'The Iron Lady', Florez Torruco earned the trust of many drug traffickers, including Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, who famously escaped prison twice before he was extradited to the U.S.

Marcela Florez Torruco (above), known as 'The Iron Lady', is believed to have ties to Mexican cartels. She was arrested in Bogota, Colombia, on Saturday

Colombian authorities had been tracking Florez Torruco for several days before they arrested her in Bogota.

The alleged drug trafficker was wanted for her ties to drug cartels, distributing cocaine from Panama, Mexico, Colombia and Guatemala to North America along with kidnapping and killing rivals, according to El Debate.

Florez Torruco is said to have won the trust of El Chapo, the 59-year-old charged with overseeing a multibillion-dollar international drug trafficking operation.

The infamous kingpin was extradited to New York on January 19 and has been held in solitary confinement in Manhattan ever since.

His trial is set for April 2018. Meanwhile, Guzman is kept in a 20-by-12-foot cell for 23 hours a day in a wing often used to house high-risk inmates including terrorists.

In May, he lost his bid to relax the terms of his confinement when US District Judge Brian Cogan concluded that his current accommodations were appropriate.

Florez Torruco is said to have won the trust of El Chapo, the 59-year-old charged with overseeing a multibillion-dollar international drug trafficking operation. Pictured, Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman in New York on January 19, 2017, after his extradition from Mexico

The US government has said severe restrictions are necessary for Guzman in part because he used coded messages, bribes and other means to continue operating his drug empire from behind bars and arrange escapes.

Judge Cogan said the government had good justifications for applying tough jail conditions on a man who escaped twice, including once through a mile-long tunnel stretching from the shower in his cell.

However, he relaxed the restrictions known as Special Administrative Measures enough for Guzman to communicate with his wife through written questions and answers.
The private operator of Sydney's Parklea prison could be penalised after video footage showed a man claiming to be an inmate wielding a knife and boasting about his stash of drugs.

Corrective Services officials are investigating a 'very serious breach of security' after the video, shot on a phone by a man claiming to be a prisoner, was uploaded to YouTube last month.

The inmate is seen brandishing a weapon, dubbed a 'slasher', and a substance he says is the drug ice. He says he is filming on a phone smuggled in by guards.

NSW Corrections Minister David Elliott says Corrective Services will review its contract with the prison's private operator GEO Group.

Shocking footage of an inmate flaunting an array of weapons and drugs from inside his jail cell has sparked a full-scale investigation into the prison system. He filmed himself holding a knife at Sydney's Parklea Correctional Centre as another inmate watched on

'I was horrified when I saw the YouTube video and immediately called for an investigation,' he said in a statement on Monday.

'I have asked Corrective Services NSW to review the contract to see what penalties could be imposed if there has been a failure by the operator.'

The footage has also prompted calls for more government funding for the state's prison sector.

'This is a result of a failure by the government to adequately invest in the back end of the justice system,' Public Services Association general secretary Stewart Little told AAP on Monday.

'You simply cannot do things on the cheap ... it requires investment.'

Parklea Correctional Centre is one of two privately-run prisons in NSW.

The male prisoner also claimed in the shocking video that he had the drug 'ice' inside his cell

NSW Corrective Services Minister David Elliott (pictured right) said he was 'horrified' by the video, which was taken by a prisoner at Sydney's Parklea Correctional Centre

In the video, the man uses the 'slasher' to cut the wall of his cell as an example of 'what it can do to your throat' and says the jail is ruining lives.

'It is killing the young people, the young generation of this place is dead set terrorising,' he said.

The inmate's claims that the contraband was given to him by prison guards will also be investigated.

''Right now I'm in my cell, I've got a mobile phone.

'Why have I got a mobile phone? It's because screws bring mobile phones into jail for money.'

The prisoner is pictured holding a metal bar which he said came from a television

One of the prisoners to appear in the astonishing video is reportedly already out on parole and the other is being held in medium security

'Why am I carrying around a knife? Why does that need to be in my hand at this point in time?' he asked.

'Why have I got a slasher? Why do I need to slash people?'

He later displayed a small plastic bag which he said contained methamphetamine, or ice.

'Why have I got it? Because I can,' the prisoner said.

After the video emerged, drugs, mobile phones and 'a number of other contraband items' were found after several maximum security cells were raided at the facility.

But one of the prisoners to appear in the astonishing video is already out on parole and the other is being held in medium security, according to The Daily Telegraph.

No methamphetamine was found in Saturday's search, despite the footage appearing to show the inmate holding a large quantity of the drug.

Drugs, mobile phones and 'a number of other contraband items' were found in the dramatic raid. A prisoner is seen being led away as authorities conduct the search

No methamphetamine was found in Saturday's search, despite an inmate showing what appeared to be a large amount of the drug in explosive footage. Above, authorities search for contraband during Saturday's raid

'The search found four mobile phones and chargers, steroid tablets and a number of other contraband items,' a Corrective Services NSW spokesperson said.

Buprenorphine, used to treat opioid addiction, was also discovered as 40 staff and nine detection-K9s conducted the raids.

Corrective Services NSW said they viewed the incident as a very serious breach of security and immediately launched a multi-team investigation.

Corrective Services will meet with private operator GEO Group on Monday to discuss 'security and safety concerns'.

The department has also requested the video be taken down.

'CSNSW is meeting with the operator of Parklea Correctional Centre, GEO Group, [on Monday] to discuss security and safety concerns,' the statement said.

'CSNSW takes a zero-tolerance approach and uses a range of methods to track down and confiscate contraband.'

The statement noted that prisoners go to 'extraordinary lengths to introduce contraband'.

'Any suggestions that contraband is introduced by staff are immediately investigated,' the statement read.

A male prisoner can be seen in a video he filmed himself holding up a 'slasher' razor while asking 'Why have I got a slasher?'
Tennessee retailers will not collect sales tax on more than 150 different items during the 12 annual sales tax holiday.

From July 28 through July 30, shoppers can save nearly 10 percent on clothing, school supplies and computers, as students prepare for the back-to-school season. State and local taxes will not be collected on clothing, school and art supplies that cost $100 or less per item and computers that cost $1,500 or less.

The Department of Revenue reminds people that this weekend of savings is not exclusive to students or Tennesseans. Anyone who wants to shop in Tennessee during the last weekend of July will be eligible to save on sales tax.

"The sales tax holiday for back-to-school items is another way to put more money back in the pockets of Tennesseans. We encourage Tennesseans to take advantage of this tax break as they prepare their children for the upcoming school year," Governor Bill Haslam said.

Legislators passed a new law in 2016 moving the sales tax holiday a weekend earlier than it has been in the past. The sales tax holiday is now the last weekend in July, instead of the first weekend in August. This year, the sales tax holiday begins Friday, July 28 at 12:01 a.m. and ends Sunday, July 30 at 11:59 p.m.

We want to remind Tennesseans about this important opportunity for savings. It's available to everyone and only happens one weekend a year, Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said.

For more information about the sales tax holiday, including a complete list of tax exempt items and frequently asked questions, visit www.tntaxholiday.com.

The Department of Revenue is responsible for administering state tax laws, motor vehicle title and registration laws, and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2016 fiscal year, it collected $13.5 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $2.6 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the Department, visit www.TN.gov/revenue.
A man has died after he was found lying unconscious on a street in Sydney's southwest.

Emergency services found the man about 5am on Monday after a resident spotted him on a pathway behind houses on Huntley Street in Cartwright.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics, the man, aged in his 50s or 60s, could not be saved.

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A middle-age man has died after being found lying unconscious on a Sydney street. Pictured, police at the scene

Officers have been told he was seen walking in the area 'in an impaired state' late on Sunday night, a police spokeswoman told AAP on Monday.

A crime scene was established and police will await the results of a post-mortem to determine how he died.

Police said it's too early to determine if the incident was suspicious.

Police are awaiting the results of a post-mortem to determine how the man died
The parents of Australia's youngest snake catcher have defended their decision to allow their son to wrestle hundreds of huge reptiles that dwarf the two-year-old's miniature frame.

Gold Coast toddler Jensen Harrison shot to fame earlier this year for his snake-handling exploits, after taking up the past time within 24 hours of being born.

Now the two-year-old's parents Tony and Brooke Harrison have stood by the provision amid suggestions their son's hobby is endangering his safety.

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The parents (pictured) of Australia's youngest snake catcher have defended their decision to allow their son to wrestle hundreds of huge reptiles that dwarf the two-year-old

The two-year-old's parents Tony (left) and Brooke (right) Harrison have stood by their decision amid suggestions their son's hobby is endangering his safety

'We make sure that he is definitely nowhere near where anything can happen and it's our job as parents to make sure that nothing does actually happen, Tony told The Morning Show.

'It's no different than letting your kids play with dogs, except dogs are more likely to bite,' Brooke said.

She also suggested calls her son was at danger were much ado about nothing as others cause an unnecessary stir.

'There's always those parents out there that will criticize you for something,' she added.

The family appeared on The Morning Show on Monday with an albino olive python wrapped around Jensen's neck as host Larry Emdur questioned just how safe his exposure was.

'It's perfectly fine,' Jensen's mother reassured.

The tiny tamer has now turned to teaching as he shares his tricks of the trade with his fellow preschoolers and other children

His parents revealed their son's love for the slithery creatures began at the tender age of one, after adopting the trade from his snake handling parents and quickly became obsessed

His parents revealed their son's love for the slithery creatures began at the tender age of one, after adopting the trade from his snake handling parents and quickly became obsessed.

'Its what we do 24/7, we eat, sleep and live snakes so he thinks he has to do the same. He's just like me he loves the attention he gets when he holds the snakes likes this,' Tony said.

And the tiny tamer has now turned to teaching as he shares his tricks of the trade with his fellow preschoolers.

'They absolutely love it, he love its too, there's days we go to his kindy and its raining and they're all inside watching his YouTube channel.'

Gold Coast toddler Jensen Harrison shot to fame earlier this year for his snake-handling exploits, after taking up the past time within 24 hours of being born
A top choreographer linked to the likes of Beyonce and Jay Z has been accused of raping a drunk 17-year-old girl.

Bijan Williams, 34, was arrested at the luxury Maritime Hotel in New York City on Sunday morning after the teen claimed he sexually assaulted her in the hotel room while she dipped in and out of consciousness, the New York Daily News reported.

The pair met in a bar, had a few drinks and talked for a while before she ended up unconscious in his room, police say.

Bijan Williams, 34, was arrested at the luxury Maritime Hotel in New York City on Sunday morning after a 17-year-old girl accused him of raping her

Police arrived at the scene - pictured - at about 5:30 am. The teenager claims Williams sexually assaulted her while she dipped in and out of consciousness

The girl claims in her moments of consciousness she saw him having sex with her.

She informed the police, who then arrived at 5:30 am and found him out of his room but still on hotel grounds.

The choreographer has been charged with rape and unlawful imprisonment because the teenager says he slept at the room's door to prevent her from leaving.

The Manhattan native - whose stage name is Rythmik - is a model, dancer and a choreographer.

He choreographed on the set of 'Run This Town' by Jay Z, Rihanna and Kanye West.

He also directed routines on Monster by West and Jay Z and has worked with Beyonce and Madonna, according to the portfolio on his website.

He was a pre-med student at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey before he studied acting at Oxford University.

He started Hip Hop training at Broadway Dance Center and landed his big break as a dancer on Jay Z's '99 problems'.

In 2014, he started a fundraising effort to contribute to an anti-sex-trafficking campaign.

If found guilty, he faces up to four years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines, according to New York Law.

The teen met the choreographer in a bar and conversed for a while before she says she passed out and found herself in Williams's room, police said
Police have surrounded a country pub after a man with a gun holed up inside.

The man, described as being of Asian appearance, entered the closed Bellbird Hotel on the Princes Highway in East Gippsland, between Cann River and Orbost, at around 9.30am on Monday.

A woman was confronted by the man when she went inside, but he reportedly didn't threaten her and she was able to escape and notify authorities.

'Police are currently responding to reports of a man with a firearm in East Gippsland,' a Victoria Police spokesman said.

Police have surrounded the Bellbird Hotel (pictured, file photo) in East Gippsland after a man with a gun holed up inside

'They were notified that a man was inside a hotel located on the Princes Highway between Cann River and Orbost at about 9.30am.'

'A woman attended the hotel and was confronted by a man of Asian appearance who was in possession of a firearm.

'The man did not threaten her directly or make any specific demands.

'The hotel was closed at the time. She left the hotel and reported the incident to police. No one was injured during the incident.'

Officers attended the scene and set-up a cordon while awaiting the arrival of the specialist Critical Incident Response Team.

The Princes Highway is blocked at Cann River and Orbost.

There are no diversions in place so police are asking that all non-essential travel be avoided at this time.
An enraged police officer was seen lecturing a defiant mother who had locked her two young children inside a hot car for 20 minutes while she grocery shopped.

Police, firemen and ambulances were called to the scene of a Vancouver grocery store after officials received 911 calls about children being left in a Lexus on Monday.

A policeman was seen passionately scolding the mother, who stood looking defiant with her arms crossed, in a clip that was posted to Facebook on Thursday.

The officer asked the unidentified woman 'what kind of parent' she was for leaving her six-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy trapped inside a car for 20 minutes.

He added to her: 'You don't seem to understand the danger you put your children in. The windows were up  it's hot out. Your children could have died.'

A cop scolded a mother for leaving her daughter, six, and son, three, in a hot car in Vancouver on Monday. She had left her childern for 20 minutes so she could go grocery shopping

Although no charges were filed against the woman, the incident was reported to Canadian child services, reported the Vancouver Sun.

The video was filmed by a spectator who was watching from across the parking lot.

In the clip, the sergeant is heard telling the woman: 'No, you dont seem to understand the danger youve put these children into.

'Listen to me. Youre talking when you should be listening. Your children could have died. The windows were up, its hot out.

'Why are you arguing? Do you want me to seize your kids and youll never see them again?'

The clip made its rounds on social media before Vancouver police chief Adam Palmer addressed the matter when it was brought up by reporters.

Palmer confirmed police were called to the scene after multiple citizens reported spotting the children in distress, and the car alarm was going off when they arrived.

The officer was seen passionately scolding the mother, who stood looking defiant with her arms crossed, in a clip that was posted to Facebook on Thursday

He backed up the police officer's actions, saying he was a 'highly respected member of the police department' and a 'hard-working, dedicated officer'.

Palmer added: 'I know that he has children of his own and you have to remember that police officers are just people.

'Were all human beings and everyone may react slightly differently to every set of circumstances and he was trying to convey to the woman the seriousness of what shed done to the children.'

Temperatures in Vancouver for Monday were around 68 degrees Fahrenheit or around 20 degrees Celsius.

Although a seemingly mild temperature, the inside of a previously air conditioned vehicle can reach up to 122F or 50C in 20 minutes of sitting in the summer sun.

On average, 37 child die each year in the US from heatstroke caused by being left in a hot car.

There have been 18 such incidents already in 2017, according to the latest figures.
A 30-year-old Queensland man is suing his gym after just one session with a personal trainer allegedly left him with a condition more common to car crash victims.

Daniel Popp has filed a lawsuit against Snap Fitness Emerald and his personal trainer, claiming his urine turned 'black as leather' and he had to be admitted to hospital after one training session at the gym in 2014.

Legal documents seen by Daily Mail Australia say Mr Popp had 'struggled' with the exercises given to him during the private session, had felt faint and dizzy, and had vomited in the toilets part-way through.

Daniel Popp (pictured) is suing Snap Fitness Emerald and his personal trainer James Fallon after one personal training session allegedly left him with Rhabdomyolysis - a condition often seen in car crash victims

The documents further claim Mr Popp had told personal trainer James William Fallon about his pain and inability to continue - though this has been denied by Mr Fallon.

Craig Oliver from Shine Lawyers, who is representing Mr Popp, told Daily Mail Australia his client had visited the hospital two days later, where he was handed a grim diagnosis.

'Two days after his session, Daniel was in excruciating pain, complaining of rigid legs, pain in his groin and testicles, and he had very dark urine so he went to the emergency ward,' Mr Oliver said.

'Daniel's doctors told him he was lucky he came in when he did as his condition was very serious and he may not have survived.

'He spent nine days in hospital, where he was diagnosed with exercise induced Rhabdomyolysis - a condition often seen in car crash victims.'

Mr Oliver says the father-of-five is now struggling to work as a result of his injuries.

'[Mr Popp's] job requires him to operate heavy machinery, but he now suffers extreme pain when he sits or stands for a long time,' he said.

'When he works in the big machines, he is unable to stop and stretch so he has to work through the pain. Daniel can't even take Panadol at work, as he is subject to strict drug and alcohol tests.'

James Fallon (pictured) claims he was not aware of any discomfort or pain Mr Popp was experiencing, and that he was not told about it

Mr Popp told the Brisbane Times that when he arrived at the hospital with his injuries, his 'urine was black as leather'.

Snap Fitness have denied any responsibility, and in an attempt to avoid liability, claim Mr Fallon was not a Snap Fitness employee, rather a contractor.

However in his own defence, Mr Fallon, who denies the claims made by Mr Popp, says he was an employee of the franchised gym.

Mr Fallon signed Mr Popp up to the gym, and the injured 30-year-old claims his trainer was often at the gym wearing a Snap branded uniform.

'The personal trainer does not have insurance or any kind of public insurance,' Mr Oliver said.

'Not only does this put patrons in gyms at risk, trainers can also be held personally liable for any claim made against them.'

Mr Popp is suing for a total of $200,000.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Snap Fitness Emerald and James Fallon for comment.
A former security guard charged with killing two engaged doctors in their luxury Boston condominium snuck into the building through the garage and lay in wait for the victims, whom he restrained with duct tape and then used a large carving knife to slit their throats, a prosecutor revealed on Monday.

A grinning Bampumim Teixeira was ordered held without bail after pleading not guilty in Suffolk Superior Court to charges including two counts of murder.

Teixeira, 30, of Chelsea, tied up and stabbed 38-year-old Dr. Lina Bolanos and 49-year-old Dr Richard Field in their home on May 5, prosecutor John Pappas said in summarizing details of the case.

Something to smile about? Bampumim Teixeira (left) grins on Monday at his arraignment for the May 5 stabbing murders of Boston doctors Richard Field and Lina Bolanos (right)

Teixeira, center, pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, armed robbery, kidnapping by confinement and armed home invasion

Field, a British-born anesthesiologist at North Shore Pain Management, was due to marry Bolanos, a pediatric anesthesiologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital, later this year.

The couple's friends and family sobbed inside the courtroom Monday as the prosecutor detailed their loved ones' final moments, reported CBS Boston.

Teixeira was spotted hanging around outside the building where he had briefly worked as a concierge at around 2.40pm on May 5, several hours before the doctors were found slaughtered inside their penthouse unit, Pappas said.

At around 3.50pm, he made his way inside the garage, then possibly took the stairs up to the 11th floor and hid in an unlocked utility room outside the couple's $1.9million penthouse.

Bolanos got home from work at 5pm and Field at 6.30pm.

Police received the first call about the deadly home invasion just before 8.40pm after a friend of Field's got a text message from him saying there was a gunman in his home and that it was serious.

Colleagues: Field (left) was a British-born anesthesiologist at North Shore Pain Management. Bolanos (right) was a pediatric anesthesiologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital

Brutal last moments: The couple were found dead after being bound with duct tape and having their throats slit with a carving knife

High-end crime scene: Police made the grisly discovery inside the couple's 11th floor penthouse at this luxury condominium building

When officers responded to the 11th floor apartment they found a set of keys outside the door and warned the police had arrived.

After knocking first, the cops used the keys to enter the unit, where they made a grisly discovery, both doctors already dead from massive trauma in separate locations, Pappas said.

The officers performed a protective sweep of the darkened residence and soon encountered an unknown person - later identified as Teixeira - wearing dark clothing.

Two officers discharged their weapons and struck him twice, thinking at the time he was armed.

Officers found one backpack full of Bolanos jewelry and another containing BB guns, duct tape and a large carving knife.

Teixeira was arraigned in his hospital bed at Tufts Medical Center in Boston after ebign shot by police

In love: Field and Bolanos were set to get married later this year

Pappas said Teixeira had no known personal relationship with the victims, and investigators believe Bolanos and Field were killed during a robbery attempt.

The suspect was formally charged before a robed judge at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

But he had recovered enough to stride confidently into court under his own power on Monday, even saying Good morning, whats up? to the assistant clerk magistrate, with a broad smile on his face.

His lawyer, Steven Sack, did not address the charges in court, and did not challenge bail conditions, but did reserve the right to request bail at a future date. Sack refused comment outside court.

Teixeira is due back in court on September 12.
A Sydney teenager who was shot dead in a suspected revenge attack had 'nothing to do' with charges laid against his brother over a separate stabbing, detectives say.

Brayden Dillon, 15, was shot in the head as he slept in his family's Glenfield home after a gunman smashed his way in through the front door early on Good Friday.

On Monday, Police released CCTV images of a white Mazda 3 hatchback seen in the area and called for public assistance in identifying it.

'We believe that this vehicle is connected with the murder of Brayden Dillon,' Homicide Squad Detective Chief Inspector Mark Henney told reporters in Parramatta.

Brayden Dillon (pictured), 15, was shot as he slept in his home in Glenfield on Good Friday

Joshua Dillon (pictured), 19, faces a murder charge over the June incident which ended with the stabbing death of Adam Abu-Mahmoud

Detectives sifted through hours of CCTV, tracking the movements of people and vehicles in the Glenfield area at the time, but of the hundreds of movements they logged, the white Mazda was the only one that fitted the time frame.

It was seen arriving in the area about 15 minutes before the shooting and left in a northwest direction shortly after.

Police say it had a green P-plate and have called for anyone who can identify it, or who has dash cam footage, to contact authorities.

It's believed Brayden, who died in The Children's Hospital in Westmead hours after he was shot, may have been killed in retaliation for his brother's alleged involvement in a brawl and fatal stabbing at Panania in June 2016.

Police are seeking a white Mazda 3 hatchback seen driving near the scene of the shooting

Police are confident they will find the driver of the vehicle (pictured) but request assistance to speed up the process

'That still remains one of our primary lines of inquiry,' Det Chief Insp Henney said.

'But at this stage, the focus is on the person who's actually perpetrated the offence.

'Hopefully when we identify that person, we'll know more about it.'

Joshua Dillon, 19, faces a murder charge over the June incident which ended with the stabbing death of Adam Abu-Mahmoud.

Two others have also been charged over the 18-year-old's death.

The breakthrough in the murder case came as Brayden (pictured) would have turned 16 this Wednesday

The 15-year-old was shot in the head execution-style as he lay sleeping in his own bedroom

'If the motive is in relation to the charges that his brother currently faces, he had nothing to do with that,' Det Chief Insp Henney said.

'If it's in relation to some other issue or aspect, I would appeal for those people to come forward and provide that information to us.'

Brayden's family, many of whom were home at the time of the shooting, will mark what would have been his 16th birthday on Wednesday, but Det Chief Insp Henney said the timing of the appeal was a coincidence.

'They're doing it pretty tough,' he said.
A property renovated on Fixer Upper was destroyed early Saturday morning when a drunk driver smashed through the front and ended up in one of the rooms.

Ken and Kelly Downs, the owners of the property in Waco, Texas, have been left to pick up the pieces after the motorist plowed through the home at 1am.

The couple, who were featured on the hit HGTV show in February 2016, say they've been frustrated with crime in their neighborhood since they moved in.

They now say they feel deceived by Fixer Upper's Chip and Joanna Gaines' realty company, Magnolia Realty.

A car may have plowed into the front of their home, but they say there is a bigger issue with the neighborhood in general.

A property renovated on Fixer Upper was destroyed early Saturday morning when a drunk driver smashed through the front and ended up in one of the rooms

The room before the driver crashed into it. The fireplace on the right may have saved the Downs' lives as it likely stopped the car from entering their bedroom

The car was wedged in the home, and the alleged drunk driver was stuck inside the car

The Downs question why Chip and Joanna Gaines on Fixer Upper would show them a home in an area with suspicious activity and noisy bars

The couple (Ken on the left, Kelly on the right) say they've been frustrated with crime in their neighborhood since they moved in

One of the two rooms that were impacted by the car careening into the home

'It's like the Wild West here' they told the Waco Tribune-Herald.

'There's been a lot of commotion coming from the bars and the store across the street,' Kelly said. 'It's been a problem from the beginning. We've lived here a year and a half and we feel deceived by the city of Waco and Magnolia Realty.'

Allen Wayne Miller is bloodied in his mug shot from Saturday's arrest

The home's original price tag was just $35,000, which left them a whopping $215,000 for renovations.

Ken and Kelly were sleeping in their bedroom at the time of the crash and fortunately were unhurt.

But their house - nicknamed the 'Three Little Pigs' house and featured on Season 3, Episode 12 of HGTV's 'Fixer Upper' - sustained considerable damage.

The car mowed down an exterior wall and a parallel interior wall of a front room office.

Tires left grooves in the sloped front lawn but didn't leave any apparent damage on the front porch, seeming to indicate the car went over the porch, crashing through a railing and two walls, according to Waco Assistant Fire Chief Don Yeager.

The driver, according to Yeager caught air as he crashed through the home.

'The yard is built up several feet, and he hit the embankment of the yard, apparently went airborne, and like a lot of older homes, this house was built up off the ground, so he cleared the rest of the yard,' Yeager said.

'He didn't hurt the hedges, but he took out the railing on the porch and went right into the window of the front room and hit an interior wall that might be a load-bearing wall.'

The Downs now say they feel deceived by Fixer Upper's Chip and Joanna Gaines' realty company, Magnolia Realty. Above, the home after the renovation

The house sustained serious damage after the drunk driving incident

Above, Ken's 'office' space after the renovation. It was this front office that the drunk driver crashed into

Kelly got an office of her own after the renovation as well

Ken and Kelly were sleeping in their bedroom at the time of the crash and fortunately were unhurt. Above, the bedroom after it was renovated

The Gaines updated the kitchen with brand-new cupboards and stainless steel appliances

The Downs were surprised when they first saw their finished home in the February 2016 episode

Police and fire crews were called to the home at 1:20am after a car crashed into the home, Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said.

Swanton said the driver, Allen Wayne Miller, 31, was found in a Hyundai Accent wedged inside the home.

Miller tried to get out of the car to flee, but firefighters were able to detain him until police arrived.

Swanton said Miller was taken into custody on a driving while intoxicated charge.

The Downs' house is at the end of North 19th Street's 'T' intersection with Alexander, and Kelly said it isn't the first time the neighborhood has had issues with drivers failing to stop.

The Downs have also been renting out their home on Airbnb

Swanton said the driver was taken to Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center for minor injuries before he was taken to jail.

Ralph Strother, 19th State District Court judge, signed a search warrant for a blood draw for Miller about 3:30am. The judge said the search warrant affidavit states Miller was aggressive with authorities.

Miller had been released from McLennan County Jail by Saturday evening.

Veronia Perez, who lives two houses down on Alexander Avenue, said the early morning wreck didn't wake her family, but she noticed the damage when taking her daughter to work Saturday morning.

By Saturday afternoon, plywood sheets covered the hole in the exterior wall. Inside, Ken Downs was tasked with picking through the rubble of his home and his belongings. Broken ceramics, electronics and books were scattered about.

The home before the crash and before the renovations. The house nickname: 'Three Little Pigs House' from the episode it was featured on, maybe the driver thought he was the big bad wolf

The Gaines are seen showing the Downs around the home before the renovations

The former front living room is pictured above, with dated green paint

The Gaines later took out this fireplace, but used the bricks elsewhere in the house

The Gaines had their work cut out for them in the dated kitchen

The master bedroom is pictured above before the renovation

The brick fireplace that was part of Chip and Joanna Gaines' renovation may have saved the Downs' lives as it is likely what stopped the car from careening into their bedroom.

Security cameras mounted on the front porch may have caught the wreck as it happened, and the Downs' intend to forward any footage to police and city officials.

Ken, a digital design engineer, and Kelly, an occupational therapist, met in Dallas a few years ago and married. His place, however, was too small.

'We had to get out of his small bachelor's pad,' Kelly Downs said.

The home's front bedrooms were converted into his-and-hers office spaces, the room on the left front with touches by Joanna for Kelly, the one on the right with Chip's input for Ken.

'It was a really nice concept,' Kelly Downs said to the Waco-Tribune.

Map showing the rural town of Waco Texas, a two hour drive from the city of Dallas

While the Downs encountered some problems with their home after moving in, the neighborhood had issues they did not expect: late-night noise from nearby bars, suspicious activity and push-back, some of it anti-'Fixer Upper,' from local residents when they complained to police.

'We have been intimidated and harassed,' Kelly Downs said. 'People have complained about their taxes going up because we moved here. Store owners have complained about taxes.'

They thought they were moving to a 'friendlier' place. In an interview just before they moved in, and still unfamiliar with the neighborhood Kelly said of Waco: 'Its a calmer city than Dallas. I think it will be friendlier as well.'

With their home destroyed, Kelly says she wonders why Magnolia Realty showed them a house in an area with so many issues.

'This is what we've been saying. There's a big problem here. It's not safe,' Kelly Downs said. 'This is a "Fixer Upper" gone bad.'
Making sure your checked-in luggage is under a flight's weight limit can be one of the biggest headaches when travelling by air - but not for one beer-loving passenger.

As this thirsty flyer's belongings moved along baggage reclaim at Perth Airport, it was apparent to all that this particular voyager was travelling light.

When checking in at Melbourne Airport on Saturday for Qantas flight QF777 the passenger handed over his luggage - consisting of one solitary can of Emu Export lager.

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When checking in at Melbourne Airport on Saturday for Qantas flight QF777 the passenger handed over his luggage - consisting of one solitary can of Emu Export lager (pictured)

The beer can successfully made it from Melbourne to Perth on Saturday as one creative passenger checked in the sole can of lager

Ground staff in Melbourne couldn't believe their eyes as the lone beer can moved down the conveyor belt and were quick to snap the bizarre check-in

The passenger, who wishes to remain unnamed, said he was skeptical as to whether he could pull it off after he and a friend had thought of the idea

Ground staff in Melbourne couldn't quite believe their eyes as the lone beer can moved down the conveyor belt as airport employees were quick to snap the bizarre check-in.

They did however load the lone tinny along with the other baggage onto the plane, and to his amazement, spotted his beer at baggage reclaim.

The passenger, who wishes to remain unnamed, told Daily Mail Australia he was skeptical as to whether he could pull it off after he and a friend had thought of the idea.

'My mate works at the airport and we hatched the plan as a laugh - I half didn't expect it to come out the other end,' he said.

'But when it did it was sent out well in front of all the other luggage, so the baggage handlers obviously appreciated it.'

Peter Ellis, of travel site FlightMood, was sent the photos by airport employees and revealed to Daily Mail Australia such check-ins involving the Australian brew were becoming a common occurrence.

'Export being checked in as baggage is not an uncommon site so I wasn't even surprised,' he said.

'I've seen Export being flown as far as Greece - now that's dedication!'




Lt. Col. Cullen A. Jones took command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Monday during a change of command ceremony at the Tennessee National Guard Armory. He becomes the 65th commander of the famed Twin Rivers district in the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.Lt. Col. Jones comes to Nashville from the Portland District in Portland, Or., where he served as deputy commander. As commander of the Nashville District, he assumes responsibility for managing the water resources development and navigable waterways operations for the Cumberland and Tennessee River basins covering 59,000 square miles, with 42 field offices touching seven states and a work force of over 700 employees.It is hard for me describe how excited I am to be part of this high performing organization as it strengthens the foundation, delivers the program, and achieves the Corps vision across parts of seven states, within the Tennessee River and Cumberland River basins, and for the nation, Lt.Col. Jones said. Sharon and I feel very blessed and honored to be a part of the Nashville District and return to the Tennessee area. We are eager to get settled in, to contribute as part of this great community, and to make the most of this phenomenal opportunity.Brig. Gen. Mark Toy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division commander, officiated the change of command and said Lt. Col. Jones comes to the Nashville District well prepared and with a wonderful reputation.The Nashville District is gaining another truly great leader in Cullen. I have heard nothing but great things about his abilities, Brig. Gen. Toy said. And he takes care of people. Everyone is important to him. He listens and takes action.Lt. Col. Jones received his commission as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in 1999. He has served in engineer leadership and staff positions in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and multiple locations in the United States. His military experience includes a variety of positions as a platoon leader, executive officer, and battalion air officer, and as a multi-national Corps anti-terrorism and force protection engineer. He served as an assistant professor in the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Department at the United States Military Academy at West Point from 2010 to 2013.Lt. Col. Jones awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with an oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three campaign stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Kosovo Campaign Medal with a campaign star, NATO medals for Kosovo and Afghanistan, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Ranger Tab, Air Assault Badge, and Master Parachutist Badge. He wears a Joint Meritorious Unit Award and is a recipient of the Army Engineer Associations Bronze De Fleury Medal.Lt. Col. Jones earned his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the United States Military Academy and a master of science degree in civil and environmental engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a licensed professional civil engineer, project management professional, and a certified floodplain manager.Lt. Col. and his wife Sharon have a son, Jameson, and daughter, Arden. His grandfather, Vernon Jones Sr., 99, a World War II veteran and glider infantryman from Delaware, watched him take command. His parents, retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Clifford Jones (Vietnam War veteran and Tet Offensive survivor) and Carmella Jones from Delaware, and his brother Clifford Jones Jr., from Virginia, also attended.The outgoing commander, Lt. Col. Stephen Murphy, said farewell to the district he commanded since June 2015. He noted that a Corps of Engineers general officer gave him some advice that helped shape his behavior during his tenure. The general said the three most important words that can be said are please and thank you.Lt. Col. Murphy said while he could command compliance as commander, he found that simple courtesies like please and thank you made him a better leader and the Nashville District a better organization. He thanked senior leadership and the people who worked every day to support the important projects and missions that serve the region and the nation.It breaks my heart to leave command because I love this district, Lt. Col. Murphy said. I love the people here. There are some incredible missions.Under Lt. Col. Murphys tenure he worked to revive the $755 million Chickamauga Lock Replacement Project from a mothball state and resumed construction at the $1.25 billion Kentucky Lock Addition Project. He successfully led the team during the Mississippi River Commission inspection trip of the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. He managed the first rehabilitation of a hydropower unit at Center Hill Dam, the first of 28 units in the Cumberland River Basin to be rehabilitated as a result of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Southeastern Power Administration and power customers. And he also led the charge as the Nashville District supported construction projects for the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administrations Uranium Processing Facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn.Because of Stephens excellent leadership and relationship management skills, the support provided to NNSA continues to be a vibrant and growing partnership between the two agencies, Brig. Gen. Toy said.Brig. Gen. Toy stressed that Lt. Col. Murphys dedication to the mission gave him credibility and respect with customer stakeholders and employees alike.Lt. Col. Murphys next assignment is with the U.S. Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.For more news and information visit the districts website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps , and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps
Most of the memos written by former FBI chief James Comey in which he recounted details of his conversations with President Donald Trump contain classified information, it was reported on Sunday.

The revelation was made in a report by The Hill, which cited officials familiar with the documents.

If the officials are correct, it means Comey may have violated federal protocols on the handling of classified information.

Comey wrote seven memos about his conversations with Trump, four of which have been judged to contain classified information.

The fired FBI boss shared one of the memos with reporters be leaking it through a friend, although it is not known if this one was classified.

The irony is that Comey publicly criticized Hillary Clinton for her handling of classified information during the bureau's investigation into the private email server she maintained while she was secretary of state.

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The memos written by former FBI chief James Comey (seen during his testimony before Congress on June 8) in which he recounted details of his conversations with President Donald Trump contain classified information, it was reported on Sunday

Comey, who was fired by Trump in May, said in congressional testimony last month that he gave a memo describing his conversations with Trump to a close friend and told him to share its contents with a reporter.

The friend, Columbia Law School professor Daniel Richman, said last month that he would turn over to the FBI any memos he has of Comey's conversations with Trump.

On June 8, Comey told a Congressional panel that Trump ousted him on May 9 to undermine the agency's investigation of the Russia matter.

'So you didn't consider your memo or your sense of that conversation to be a government document?,' Senator Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouri, asked Comey on June 8.

'You considered it to be, somehow, your own personal document that you could share to the media as you wanted through a friend?'

On June 8, Comey told a Congressional panel that Trump ousted him on May 9 to undermine the agency's investigation of the Russia matter. The president is seen above arriving at the White House on Saturday

'Correct,' Comey answered.

'I understood this to be my recollection recorded of my conversation with the president. As a private citizen, I thought it important to get it out.'

Comey believed that the memos he wrote were unclassified.

'I immediately prepared an unclassified memo of the conversation about Flynn and discussed the matter with FBI senior leadership,' he testified about the memo he later leaked.

That memo was about a conversation he had with the president that revolved around former national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

'My view was that the content of those unclassified, memorialization of those conversations was my recollection recorded,' Comey said.

But when the memos  seven in total  were shown to Congress recently, the FBI said they were government documents.

Four of the seven memos were marked as 'secret' or 'confidential'  indicating that they contained classified information.

The FBI has strict policies barring agents from revealing classified information about ongoing investigations without permission.

The irony is that Comey publicly criticized Hillary Clinton for her handling of classified information during the bureau's investigation into her private email server she maintained while she was secretary of state

'Unauthorized disclosure, misuse, or negligent handling of information contained in the files, electronic or paper, of the FBI or which I may acquire as an employee of the FBI could impair national security, place human life in jeopardy, result in the denial of due process, prevent the FBI from effectively discharging its responsibilities, or violate federal law,' according to the FBI Employment Agreement, a document that is signed by all of the bureau's personnel.

The agreement states that 'all information acquired by me in connection with my official duties with the FBI and all official material to which I have access remain the property of the United States of America' and that an agent 'will not reveal, by any means, any information or material from or related to FBI files or any other information acquired by virtue of my official employment to any unauthorized recipient without prior official written authorization by the FBI.'

Comey said that the memos were in his possession when he was fired from the FBI.

He told Congress last month, however, that he turned them over to Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who was appointed as special counsel in the investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

The revelation that Comey's memos contained classified information could lead congressional investigators to probe whether the former FBI chief mishandled classified information.
The girlfriend of a man who was 'deliberately poisoned with opiates' has been charged with his murder.

Wendie Dent was arrested in Adelaide on Monday and will face court to be charged with killing her de facto partner.

David Lawrence, 62, died at his Adelaide home in 2015 of an overdose of drugs that police allege were deliberately fed to him.

Detectives in the Major Crime Investigation Branch have been investigating Mr Lawrence's death for nearly two years.

Wendie Dent (pictured) was arrested in Adelaide on Monday and will face court to be charged with killing her de facto partner

David Lawrence, 62, died at his Adelaide home in 2015 of an overdose of drugs that police allege were deliberately fed to him

The 59-year-old resident of Dapto in New South Wales will face Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday afternoon.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray said following Mr Lawrence's death 'the fatal overdose that was given to him was given to him in drinks, and possibly food.'

Toxicology reports revealed Mr Lawrence died from a lethal overdose of several substances, including opiates and other prescription medication.

Although Mr Lawrence was on some minor medication for back pain, those substances were not believed to have caused his death, Detective Superintendent Bray said.

Police have conducted searches in Ms Dent's home in Dapto.

The investigation is focused on 'those involved in changing his will and the beneficiaries of his will,' he said in a press conference shortly after Mr Lawrence's death.
Emails from Amber Harrison show the outspoken ex-Seven West Media employee is a person with 'huge malice, arrogance and vindictiveness', a judge has been told.

The 39-year-old former lover of Tim Worner, the boss of Seven, waged a campaign intended to humiliate him, the Supreme Court heard on the first day of a hearing.

In one email Ms Harrison allegedly said she wanted 'to kill' Mr Worner and threatened to increase the war she had waged through the media against the 55-year-old CEO.

While Ms Harrison on Friday tweeted that she would not be appearing at a Supreme Court hearing against the media giant, lawyers for Seven fronted court on Monday to tell how she breached a confidentiality agreement about her affair with Mr Worner.

Emails from Amber Harrison (pictured) show the outspoken ex-Seven West Media employee is a person with 'huge malice, arrogance and vindictiveness', the NSW Supreme Court has heard

Ms Harrison, the former lover of Seven boss Tim Worner (pictured), waged a campaign that intended to humiliate him through the media while she also told how she wanted 'to kill him'

According to lawyers for Seven, Ms Harrison breached the confidentiality agreement it initiated to ensure she did not speak about of her romance with the married CEO.

The gag order saw her receive a 'significant sum' of money that in return would stop her talking or launching legal proceedings - but Seven's lawyers claim she broke the agreement 'before the ink was dry'.

Andrew Bell SC, will front the media giant's fight during the expected three-day long Supreme Court hearing, which began on Monday just days after Ms Harrison took to Twitter.

'I have made a realistic assessment of the court case and am choosing not to run it on Monday,' Ms Harrison tweeted on Friday.

But just hours into the court hearing on Monday she had changed her mind, taking an opportunity granted to her by Justice John Sackar to allow her to face the court.

Shortly after 1pm on Monday Ms Harrison tweeted: 'I would like to be heard. A time is being arranged with the court.'

Earlier on Monday, Mr Bell told the court Ms Harrison had made a series of 'flagrant' breaches of the deed of release.

But it became clear 'even before the ink was dry on the deed' that she had lied and was breaching her undertakings, he told the court.

He referred to 'an earlier course of conduct' when her emails disclose she targeted an executive at radio station Nova who had 'f***ed me over'.

She had referred to using the press to publicly humiliate the executive and had boasted about 'her power to use the media to destroy people's reputations', Mr Bell said.

Taking to Twitter, Ms Harrison she revealed she would be talking to the court at 10am Tuesday via phone

The emails were revealed to the NSW Supreme Court on Monday, during the first day of what is expected to be a three day hearing between her and Seven West Media

Ms Harrison tweeted on Friday that she would not be appearing at a Supreme Court hearing against the media giant, but just days later she again took to Twitter to change her mind

He cited an email when she spoke of a 'revenge campaign I ran at Nova'.

'I splashed it across the papers for three weeks,' she said.

In another email she said about Mr Worner: 'I want to kill him... plotting my revenge... will make Nova look like a turkey slap.'

In reference to the emails, Mr Bell said: 'We have a defendant here, regrettably, who is completely and utterly reckless with regard to other people.

'We would say to corporations' reputations and who has used, in at least two instances, conduct in the media to humiliate and embarrass people.'

It became clear 'even before the ink was dry on the deed' that she had lied and was breaching her undertakings in the confidentiality agreement, the court heard

In reference to the emails, Seven's head lawyer Mr Bell said: 'We have a defendant here, regrettably, who is completely and utterly reckless with regard to other people.'

After 1pm Ms Harrison tweeted: 'I would like to be heard. A time is being arranged with the court.'

Mr Sackar adjourned the hearing until after lunch so Ms Harrison could be contacted to ensure she did not want to make any submissions on the orders sought by Seven.

Again by taking to Twitter, she revealed she would be fronting the court at 10am on Tuesday.

Both parties were ordered into mediation by the Federal Court and attended a hearing on June 1-2.

That case is continuing after Ms Harrison rejected a settlement offer to pay her just $50,000 and force her to apologise.

The talks to end the three-year legal battle between her and Seven West Media over her affair with Mr Worner, 55, broke down on Friday morning.
Nearly 8,000 people fled their homes due to wildfires in California, causing the governor to issue a state of emergency.

A fiery blaze that ripped through hundreds of acres in Butte County in northern California has caused Gov. Jerry Brown to issue a state of emergency on Sunday.

Several more wildfires barreled across California, western US states and Canada, destroying homes and forcing thousands of residents to abandon their houses.

Across California, around 8,000 people have fled their homes because of fires in the Sierra Nevada region and Santa Barbara County.

People were crying over pictures of their burning homes, police cars were abandoned as they erupted into flames and the ruins of buildings were left in ashes.

Wildfires continue to ravage California, western US states and British Columbia, with nearly 8,000 people forced to flee their homes in California on Sunday. Pictured: A blaze near Santa Ynez, California

A fire that ripped through more than 100 acres in Butte County in northern California caused Gov. Jerry Brown to issue a state of emergency for the area on Sunday. Pictured: A couple is upset after losing their home in a blaze in Oroville, which is in Butte County

A police vehicle parked on Highway 154 is engulfed by flames of the Whittier wildfire near Santa Ynez, California, on Sunday

CALIFORNIA

About 4,000 people were evacuated and another 7,400 were told to prepare to leave their homes as a fire swept through grassy foothills in the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles north of Sacramento on Sunday.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said it grew rapidly to more than seven square miles and was 20 percent contained.

The fire has burned nearly four square miles injured four firefighters and destroyed at least 10 structures, but that number is expected to rise, fire spokeswoman Mary Ann Aldrich said.

The area burning was southeast of Oroville, where spillways in the nation's tallest dam began crumbling from heavy rains this winter and led to temporary evacuation orders for 200,000 residents downstream.

'It leaves you feeling like you can't catch a break,' said Sharon Reitan, who sought shelter at an evacuation center with her boyfriend Sunday night.

In this long exposure photograph, embers fly off smoldering trees after flames from the 'Wall fire' tore through a residential neighborhood near Oroville, California, on Sunday

Flames from a wildfire surround a lawn statue near Oroville, California on Sunday. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods leveling homes in its path

The blaze about 60 miles north of Sacramento grew rapidly to more than seven square miles and was 20 percent contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

A gas line continues to burn next to a home that was destroyed by the Wall Fire on Sunday in Oroville, California

They were in Oroville on Friday afternoon when the fire broke out and roads to their hillside home were blocked. They later saw photographs of their home burned to the ground.

'The road that we live on was hit hard,' Reitan said. 'We're in shut down mode right now, it's so devastating.'

The fire was one of 14 wildfires across California that about 5,000 firefighters battled Sunday.

In Southern California, at least 3,500 people were evacuated as two fires exploded in size at separate ends of Santa Barbara County and a third one threatened homes near a town in San Luis Obispo County.

One of the fires grew to 12 square miles, traversing a mountain range and heading south toward coastal Goleta.

There was minimal containment, and flames shut down State Route 154, which is expected to remain closed for days. At least 20 structures burned, but officials didn't say if they were homes.

The fire broke out near a campsite and sent hundreds of campers scrambling, including about 90 children and 50 staff members at the Circle V Ranch who had to take shelter until they could be safely evacuated.

A car and house are engulfed in flames as the 'Wall Fire' burns through a residential area in Oroville on Saturday

A burned out car sits next to a home that was destroyed by the Wall Fire on Sunday in Oroville, California

A firefighter sprays water as flames from a wildfire consume a residence near Oroville on Sunday

Firefighters remove a US flag as flames from the 'Wall Fire' close in on a luxury home in Oroville Saturday

Amayah Madere told KCBS-TV she was in the pool when a counselor told the children to get out and change in a hurry.

She said they waited in a dining hall while firefighters fought the fire and the counselors sprayed down the area with water.

'I prayed that if I didn't die I would go to church, and right when I prayed the firefighters came,' Madere said.

Crews were also using an air attack against another blaze about 50 miles north that exploded in size to 37.5 square miles (97 square kilometers).

About 200 rural homes east of Santa Maria were evacuated after the fire broke out Saturday and was fed by dry gusts.

Some of the firefighters working to contain that blaze were sent to nearby San Luis Obispo County when a fire broke out Sunday and threatened numerous structures near the town of Santa Margarita. Officials said the fire burned 340 acres.

Firefighters scramble to halt the forward progress of the 'Wall Fire' as flames are seen along Forbestown Road in Oroville Saturday

Inmate firefighters battle a wildfire near Oroville on Saturday. The fast-moving wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills destroyed structures, including homes, and led to several minor injuries, fire officials said

Firefighters battle a wildfire as it threatens to jump Forbestown Road near Oroville

ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST

Firefighters have been able to build containment lines around about half the wildfire that forced the evacuation of hundreds of people near Breckenridge, Colorado. The fire has not spread since it broke out Wednesday and was still less than a square mile (about one-third square kilometer) Sunday.

In rural Arizona, fire officials say three homes were among 10 buildings that were burned. The wildfire there has led to the evacuation of the entire town of Dudleyville, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Phoenix.

A wildfire burning in near Summer Lake in south-central Oregon has destroyed a hunting cabin and an outbuilding.

In Nevada, fire officials have ordered evacuations for a wildfire that is near the same area where another blaze has already burned for days.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Smoke from wildfires blankets the area as motorists travel on the Yellowhead Highway in Little Fort, British Columbia on Saturday. More than 180 fires were burning, many considered out of control, as the BC government declared a province wide state of emergency to co-ordinate the crisis response

A wildfire burns on a mountain behind a home in Cache Creek, British Columbia, in the early morning hours of Saturday

A helicopter carrying a bucket picks up water while battling the Gustafsen wildfire near 100 Mile House BC Saturday

Firefighters were contending with more than 200 wildfires burning in British Columbia that had destroyed dozens of buildings, including several homes and two airport hangars. The three biggest fires, which have grown in size to range from 9 to 19 square miles (23 to 49 square kilometers), had forced thousands of people to flee.

'We are just, in many ways, at the beginning of the worst part of the fire season and we watch the weather, we watch the wind, and we pray for rain,' outgoing Premier Christy Clark told reporters in Kamloops.

Rob Schweizer, manager of the Kamloops Fire Center, said it had been an unprecedented 24 hours.

'We probably haven't seen this sort of activity that involves so many residences and people in the history of the province of B.C.,' he said.



Doors lay in a pile of rubble after a fire tore through a residential neighborhood near Oroville

The remains of a recreational vehicle rest in a clearing after a wildfire burned through the property on Saturday near Oroville

CalFire firefighter Jake Hainey, left, and engineer Anna Mathiasen watch as a wildfire burns near Oroville on Saturday

Sean Greenlaw views his truck covered in fire retardant as a smoke plume billows in the background near Oroville

A charred desk rests outside a residence after a wildfire burned through the property on Saturday near Oroville

A blistering heat wave broke a long-standing record in Los Angeles on Saturday when temperatures reached 98 degrees

Records were also set in Long Beach and Burbank, where the mercury rose to 96 degrees and 105 degrees respectively

A wildfire quickly tripled in size over about eight hours in Santa Barbara County, covering nearly 30 square miles on Saturday

Pictured, the flames near Cachuma Lake and Highway 154 in Los Padres National Forest

Jim Berglund sprays water while defending his home as a wildfire approaches in Oroville

Five helicopters dropping water and four planes spraying fire retardant were also attacking the flames, but only about 10 percent of it was contained

A second fire in Santa Barbara temporarily trapped about 90 children and 50 camp counselors before they were safely evacuated. Pictured, a firefighter near Oroville on Saturday

A third wildfire about 10 miles near Oroville grew to more than 1.5 square miles and destroyed 10 structures on Saturday

Five residents and one firefighter suffered minor injuries, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Pictured, a plane dropping fire retardant spray in Oroville, where the blaze grew to cover more than 1.5 square miles

Pictured flames surrounding a marijuana plant near Oroville on Saturday

Residents were ordered to evacuate from several roads in the rural area (pictured, a structure leveled in the fire near Oroville)
Dogs have been left with bleeding paws and toddlers with thumb tacks lodged in their shoes after 'disgraceful' vandals scattered the sharp objects laced with dog food in a Queensland park.

Ipswich City Council are offering a $5,000 reward to help identify the individuals who littered the Augustine Heights Dog Park with the tacks on the weekend.

Residents believe the actions may have been the retaliation of disgruntled neighbours and have contacted the council over the allegations.

The dog park was established after the surrounding houses and people believe the noise of barking and high numbers of people in school holidays may have been the motivation for the heinous act.

Daily Mail Australia has learned individuals have reached out to Ipswich Acting Mayor Paul Tully over these claims.

Dogs have been left with bleeding paws and toddlers with thumb tacks lodged in their shoes after 'disgraceful' vandals have scattered the sharp objects laced with dog food in a Queensland park

Teagan Lee told Daily Mail Australia her daughter had been crawling around the area before they were aware of the tacks

Eilidh Walker, another resident who frequents the park, told Daily Mail Australia over 250 tacks were found in total

One resident told Daily Mail Australia under the condition of anonymity they had contacted the mayor's office asking them to investigate a neighbour.

'There was dismay among the residents when the park was established. They've put opening and closing hours on but if anyone goes down to the park even 10 minutes too early the neighbours would get angry,' they said.

Acting Mayor Paul Tully confirmed to Daily Mail Australia he had been contacted by members of the community and has spoken to Springfield Lakes Police over their investigation into the incident.

'This is no accident, it seems to be very targetted,' Acting Mayor Tully said.

Mr Tully told Daily Mail Australia police are investigating threats made on Facebook about thumb tacks being placed in the area.

'I have been in government for 38 years and I have never heard of anything like this ever happening in Australia.'

Local resident Courtney Bowen told Daily Mail Australia she spent '45 minutes to an hour picking up 23 tacks' and thought she had removed the majority of them.

'I found out after I was there they had picked up another 220,' she said.

Residents and council officers have cleared the site and council is offering a reward on Monday for information that leads to a conviction

Ms Bowen noticed the thumb tacks when she was walking her three dogs on Sunday afternoon.

She said she initially noticed pieces of dry dog food, but upon closer inspection saw they had been mushed around the tacks.

'It was quite hard to locate them as they were in clumps of dirt and grass. It wasn't in one spot, it was like someone had gone in there and scattered them around,' Ms Bowen told Daily Mail Australia.

'They'd purposely gone inside because from where they were located they couldn't have been thrown over the fence.'

Images have been shared across social media, with one woman posting photos of her young daughter's shoes embedded with thumb tacks.

Teagan Lee told Daily Mail Australia her daughter had been crawling around the area before they were aware of the tacks. Fortunately, she was not harmed.

'Her shoe soles aren't thick so we're very lucky,' she said.

She also shared an image of her partner's thong with several tacks stuck in it.

Ben Lee found several tacks wedged into his thong after walking through the park

Eilidh Walker, another resident who frequents the park, told Daily Mail Australia over 250 tacks were found in total.

She said it was 'lucky none were injured considering how popular that park is' and that all of the tacks they found were 'face up.'

'They did not look to have been thrown down, more placed down around the area,' she said.

Residents have called for CCTV cameras to be placed in parks that are located off-street, to further protect the people and animals that attend.

Mr Tully confirmed to Daily Mail Australia he will look into installing cameras at the park.

'Any dog that ate these thumb tacks could suffer a painful and excruciating death,' Mr Tully said.

'If anyone knows who is responsible they should report them to the police to prevent this ever happening again.'

A $5,000 reward is being offered to catch vandals who left hundreds of thumb tacks laced with dog food in a Queensland park. Acting mayor Paul Tully reported the incident to police on Sunday after residents discovered the tacks scattered across the Augustine Heights Dog Park

Residents and council officers have cleared the site and council is offering a reward on Monday for information that leads to a conviction.

The Augustine Heights Neighbourhood Watch confirmed they had discovered a hole in the park fence where the thumb tacks had been placed.

One resident posted a photo of the thumb tacks they had removed to Facebook urging others to 'be careful.'

'I picked up as many as I could while I was there today but there could be more,' the woman wrote.

Residents expressed their shock and concern for the individuals' actions on the Augustine Heights community page, with many replying 'what is wrong with people.'

'What could someone possibly have to gain from this,' another Facebook user commented.

Under Section 242 of the Queensland Criminal Code a person could face a maximum prison sentence of seven years if found guilty of having the 'intention of inflicting severe pain or suffering, unlawfully kills, or causes serious injury or prolonged suffering to an animal.'

Queensland Police have encouraged anyone with information to contact them on 131 444.
President Donald Trump hailed the U.S.-backed coalition's retaking of Mosul from ISIS control in what he called a 'victory over terrorists who are the enemies of all civilized people.

He saluted joint U.S., coalition, and Iraqi effort to end the 'nightmare' of brutal ISIS rule over Iraq's second-largest city, which Iraqi authorities also hailed Monday.

The retaking of the bombed-out city came after a nine-month operation whose onset preceded the start of his term.

'Today, Iraqi Security Forces, supported by the United States and the Global Coalition, liberated the city of Mosul from its long nightmare under the rule of ISIS,' Trump said in a statement released by the White House.

'We congratulate Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the Iraqi Security Forces, and all Iraqis for their victory over terrorists who are the enemies of all civilized people,' Trump said.

President Donald Trump hailed the U.S.-backed coalition's retaking of Mosul from ISIS control

'We mourn the thousands of Iraqis brutally killed by ISIS and the millions of Iraqis who suffered at the hands of ISIS. We grieve with the Iraqi people for the loss of the heroic soldiers and Peshmerga who gave their lives to restore life to their country, and we honor their sacrifice,' Trump said, recognizing Kurdish forces who assisted the effort.

'We in the United States and the Global Coalition are proud to stand with the Iraqi Security Forces and all those who made this moment of liberation possible,' he said, praising a force that drew ridicule in the U.S. for putting up insufficient resistance when ISIS swept across Iraq.

Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi addresses forces from a small base on the edge of Mosul's Old City, where heavy clashes have been underway for days, Monday, July 10, 2017. Al-Abadi returned to Mosul Monday and declared victory against the Islamic State group in the northern city following nine months of grueling urban combat

Iraqi people with tears in their eyes celebrate the liberation of the embattled city of Mosul in Baghdad, Iraq on July 9

How Islamic State has been pushed back in the battle for Mosul.

'We have made tremendous progress against ISIS  more in the past 6 months than in the years since ISIS became a major threat,' Trump said. 'The victory in Mosul, a city where ISIS once proclaimed its so-called caliphate, signals that its days in Iraq and Syria are numbered. We will continue to seek the total destruction of ISIS,' he said.

Trump made no public appearances Monday and there was no televised White House press briefing, leaving the printed statement the only communication from the White House on the matter Monday night.

The invasion was planned and began during the end of the Obama administration.

Iraq on Monday declared "total victory" over the Islamic State in Mosul, retaking full control of the country's second-largest city three years after it was seized by extremists bent on building a global caliphate.

This soldier held up two fingers to celebrate the success of the offensive against the Islamic State, which has held the city for the past three years

Iraqi people with tears in their eyes celebrate the liberation of the embattled city of Mosul in Baghdad, Iraq on July 9

"This great feast day crowned the victories of the fighters and the Iraqis for the past three years," said Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, flanked by his senior military leadership at a small base in western Mosul on the edge of the Old City. Iraqi forces had backed the last pockets of Islamic State militants against the banks of the Tigris River.

Al-Abadi alluded to the brutality of the battle for Mosul - Iraq's longest yet in the fight against IS - saying the triumph had been achieved "by the blood of our martyrs."

The nearly nine-month campaign, which was backed by airstrikes from the U.S.-led coalition, left thousands dead, entire neighborhoods in ruins and nearly 900,000 displaced from their homes.

Shortly after al-Abadi's speech, the coalition congratulated him on the victory but noted that parts of the Old City still "must be back-cleared of explosive devices and possible ISIS fighters in hiding." ISIS, ISIL and Daesh are alternative acronyms for the Islamic State group.

Earlier in the day, airstrikes pounded the last IS-held territory on the western edge of the Tigris, Humvees rushed the wounded to field hospitals and soldiers hurriedly filled bags with hand grenades to ferry to the front.

Statement by President Donald Trump on liberation of Mosul Today, Iraqi Security Forces, supported by the United States and the Global Coalition, liberated the city of Mosul from its long nightmare under the rule of ISIS. We congratulate Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the Iraqi Security Forces, and all Iraqis for their victory over terrorists who are the enemies of all civilized people. We mourn the thousands of Iraqis brutally killed by ISIS and the millions of Iraqis who suffered at the hands of ISIS. We grieve with the Iraqi people for the loss of the heroic soldiers and Peshmerga who gave their lives to restore life to their country, and we honor their sacrifice. We in the United States and the Global Coalition are proud to stand with the Iraqi Security Forces and all those who made this moment of liberation possible. We have made tremendous progress against ISIS  more in the past 6 months than in the years since ISIS became a major threat. The victory in Mosul, a city where ISIS once proclaimed its so-called caliphate, signals that its days in Iraq and Syria are numbered. We will continue to seek the total destruction of ISIS. Advertisement

Iraqi troops had slowly pushed through the narrow alleyways of the Old City during the past week, punching holes through walls and demolishing houses to carve supply routes and fighting positions in a district where many of the buildings date back centuries.

For days, the remaining few hundred militants held area measuring less than a square kilometer (less than a mile), and Iraqi commanders described victory as imminent.

Al-Abadi also visited Mosul on Sunday, congratulating the troops on recent gains but stopping short of declaring an outright victory as clashes continued.

The drawn-out endgame in Iraq's fight for Mosul highlighted the resilience of the extremists and the continued reliance of Iraqi forces on air support to retake territory.

The Prime Minister yesterday visited a military base in western Mosul where he congratulated the Iraqi Forces and its civilian population after reportedly defeating ISIS jihadists

Al-Abadi proclaimed 'victory' over ISIS following a massive airstrike against the terrorists still holed up in the city

Iraqi commanders said gains slowed to a crawl in recent days as IS fighters used their families - including women and children - as human shields. As the battle space constricted, the coalition began approving airstrikes, dropping bombs of 200 pounds or more on IS targets within 50 meters (yards) of friendly forces.

Plumes of smoke Monday grew larger than the strip of territory under IS control.

Over the campaign, the Iraqi special forces who largely led the assault have faced casualty rates of 40 percent, according to a report in May from the office of the U.S. secretary of defense. Iraq's army, federal police and mostly Shiite government-sanctioned militia forces also suffered significant losses.

As the Iraqi army celebrated imminent victory on Sunday, Muhammad Abdul Abbas, a 20-year-old solider, said he lost 15 close friends fighting for Mosul.

Government troops raised an Iraqi flag in the city to celebrate their victory while the Prime Minister called for a 'feast day'

"Honestly, all this death and all this destruction, I don't believe it was worth it," he said.

Reports of civilian casualties also rose as Iraqi forces punched into Mosul's western half in February. Residents fleeing the fighting reported that entire families sheltering in the basements of their homes were killed by airstrikes targeting small teams of IS fighters.

Thousands of civilians were estimated to have been killed in the fight for Mosul, according to Nineveh's provincial council. That did not include those still believed buried under collapsed buildings.

More than 897,000 people were displaced, and the U.N. said there was no end in sight to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq despite the conclusion of the fighting.

The U.N. said thousands of Mosul residents will probably not be able to return to the city because of "extensive damage caused during the conflict."

Iraqis celebrate in Tahrir square while holding national flags in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, July 10, 2017. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory against the Islamic State group in Mosul Monday evening after nearly nine months of largely grueling urban combat. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

Iraqis celebrate while holding national flags in Tahrir square in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, July 10, 2017. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory against the Islamic State group in Mosul Monday evening, after nearly nine months of largely grueling urban combat. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

The infrastructure in western Mosul, where the fighting was fiercest, has been decimated. Iraq's civil defense rescue teams - a branch of the Interior Ministry - said about 65 percent of the buildings in the Old City were severely damaged or destroyed. In western neighborhoods like Zanjili, destruction was estimated to be 70 percent of all houses, buildings and infrastructure.

Mosul fell to IS militants within a matter of days in June 2014, starting a political and security crisis not seen in the country since the 2003 toppling of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The territorial gains by the extremists led to the ouster of Iraq's top leaders, dramatically shifted the balance of power among its security forces, empowered Iranian-backed fighters who are now sanctioned by the central government, and brought U.S. ground troops back onto Iraqi soil for the first time since 2011.

The road to retake Mosul has taken the government, its security forces and the coalition more than three years of training troops to replace the tens of thousands of Iraqi forces who dissolved in the face of the 2014 IS advance.

That summer, IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, appeared at Mosul's al-Nuri Mosque and declared a caliphate on territory it seized in Iraq and Syria.

Last month, as Iraqi troops closed in on the Old City, the militants destroyed the al-Nuri Mosque and its famous leaning minaret to deny the forces a symbolic triumph.

Iraqis celebrate while holding national flags in Tahrir square in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, July 10, 2017. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory against the Islamic State group in Mosul Monday evening, after nearly nine months of largely grueling urban combat. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

Iraqis celebrate while holding national flags in Tahrir square in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, July 10, 2017. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory against the Islamic State group in Mosul Monday evening, after nearly nine months of largely grueling urban combat. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
Hayden Cross (pictured) was born a girl and became a father after giving birth to a baby girl last month

A British father who gave birth to a baby girl last month has opened up about the shocking abuse and death threats he has received from internet trolls.

Hayden Cross, 21, revealed he was sent 'hundreds' of sick messages on social media from people living in countries as far away as Australia.

He was named Paige after being born a girl but has been living legally as a man for almost four years and became pregnant using a sperm donor he met on Facebook.

Mr Cross, from Gloucester, gave birth to a healthy girl, called Trinity-Leigh Louise Cross, on June 16.

The former Asda worker said he would support his daughter if she was transgender and would not raise her as gender neutral.

It comes as Scott Parker became the first man in Britain to give birth to a baby on April 29 - more than six weeks before Mr Cross.

And speaking to The Sun, Mr Cross said the trolls 'only have hate' whereas he has 'the best thing in the world' after becoming a father.

He was forced to close his social media accounts after people wrote 'someone should get rid of this guy' and 'you're lucky I don't see you'.

But he is determined to not let the abuse get him down and added he is focused on bringing up his daughter.

He told the newspaper: 'All I can do is try to ignore it all and keep Trinity-Leigh safe.

'When I first said I was expecting I got loads of abuse, people that aren't even in this country were sending me messages over the internet.'

Mr Cross (pictured) has now revealed he received death threats online and has been forced to close his social media accounts

He added: 'I would support Trinity-Leigh if she was trans. Obviously I know what it is like so I could understand. I just want her to be happy and content in who she is.

'I wouldn't want to register her as gender neutral because she is a little girl, just because I am trans it doesn't mean she will be.'

Trinity-Leigh was born at the Women's Centre, which is the maternity wing of Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

There was no father registered on the birth certificate and Hayden Cross was listed as being the mother on the official document.

The baby was registered as being named Trinity-Leigh Louise Cross, who was born on June 16

Mr Cross stopped his hormone treatment in September 2016 - after starting it three years - so he could become pregnant.

Earlier this month, Mr Cross' grandmother said she was 'delighted' after he gave birth just two days after his mother had her fifth child.

Pam Edgeworth said: 'I'm delighted. I became a grandmother again and a great-grandmother within 48 hours. Both mothers and babies are well.'

The world's first pregnant man was Thomas Beatie, from Arizona, US. He became pregnant in 2007 and went on to have three children using donor sperm.
Australians are increasingly moving to overcrowded capital cities with badly planned infrastructure buckling under the strain, experts warn.

A startling map shows how the country's more than 23 million population is concentrated in a handful of cities along the east coast.

The three-part map, with heat spots displaying the most densely populated areas, is morphed so the most populated states and then local councils expand.

A startling map shows how the country's more than 23 million population is concentrated in a handful of cities along the east coast

Australians are increasingly moving to overcrowded capital cities with badly planned infrastructure buckling under the strain, experts warn

The eastern side of the country appears to almost explode, while the centre becomes little more than a thin line, with some space to the west for Perth and surrounds.

Australia has a more centralised population than any other country, with 70 per cent of people living in cities of more than 750,000 people, according to data from 2000.

This meant the country had far fewer small cities than the U.S. in second place at 55 per cent and Germany and Japan at just over half.

The figures are likely more stark now with population in capital cities growing 10.5 per cent since 2011, double the 5.7 per cent of everywhere else, according to the 2016 census.

 Slide me  The three-part map, with heat spots displaying the most densely populated areas, is morphed so the most populated states expanded

Map shows just how skewed the population is towards Sydney (pictured is the Opera House) and Melbourne

Census figures showed more than two third of Australians now live in capital cities, and almost 80 per cent lived in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT in 2016.

Melbourne economist Jason Murphy said people were flocking to Australia's cities because they offered more choice and higher incomes.

He said a city of three million - like Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane - had more facilities and jobs, making them more attractive than country towns.

'In a bigger city you are more likely to get a job that matches your preferences, have friends that match your preferences, join a club that matches your preferences, and so on,' he wrote for News Corp.

 Slide me  In a second map that expands local councils, the eastern side of the country appears to almost explode, while the centre becomes little more than a thin line

Australia has a more centralised population than any other country, with 70 per cent of people living in cities of more than 750,000 people and few in rural areas

'This is what they call a network effect - the bigger the city is, the more options there are: in work, hobbies, live music, food and people.'

Mr Murphy said while moving people away from cities would reduce traffic and crowding, it would make the country less productive and wealthy.

Immigration was also a key factor in disproportionate growth in big cities as new migrants want to live in established communities near people of their nationality.

The percentage of people born in Australia dropped from 69.8 per cent in 2011 to 66/7 per cent in 2016, showing immigration increasingly shapes Australia.

Overcrowded capital cities like Sydney (pictured) grew 10.5 per cent since 2011, double the 5.7 per cent of everywhere else, according to the 2016 census

Economist Jason Murphy said while moving people away from cities would reduce traffic and crowding, it would make the country less productive and wealthy

Mr Murphy said Australia's cities did not have the transport infrastructure to support such big populations because they did not invest in them early.

Cities like London, New York, Paris, and Moscow have world renowned train systems because they planned ahead, while Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and many Chinese cities rapidly built them recently.

But big Australian cities will find this difficult as they are already full of people and land values have skyrocketed, especially in well-connected areas.

'We didnt build enough transport infrastructure, or we built the wrong kind. Now were reaping the results of underinvestment in the form of bad traffic and crazy land prices in the places that do have good access,' he said.
A seasoned New South Wales fisherman out with his sons for a day on the boat got a big surprise when a 'beautiful' great white shark began to gnaw at the back of his boat.

While fishing off the coast of Nambucca Heads the two and a half metre shark was spotted lurking around Tony Didio's boat.

'I was standing at the back of the boat myself near the outboard filming him on my phone, and I thought geez I better move my toes, I could lose them,' Mr Didio told the Daily Telegraph.

Terrifying footage has emerged of a great white shark taking bites at a boat

He said there was little chance he wanted to get into the water while the shark was patrolling the waters.

The angling-enthusiast, who was joined on the excursion by his two sons and some of their mates, noticed the shark wasn't too keen on the bait they were fishing with, but took a strong liking to his five metre vessel.

'He was more interested in chewing the back of my boat than the lines we had in the water.'

In the footage recorded off his phone, Mr Didio toyed with the idea of reaching out to pat the shark, but eventually dismissed the idea.

In the footage recorded off his phone, Mr Didio toyed with the idea of reaching out to pat the shark, but was quick to dismiss the idea

Mr Didio was about a kilometre out from the entrance to Nambucca Heads Beach at a depth of around seven metres when he filmed the video.

'I reckon I've spent 40 years fishing and seen three great white sharks in that time, never a great white in such shallow water - that's quite alarming,' Tony said.

Mr Didio believes however the shark was a lucky charm for the day which saw him catch a bounty of snapper and parrot fish.
The Iraqi Prime Minister has celebrated victory in Mosul with his 'brave forces' as details of ISIS atrocities in the final hours of its brutal rule continue to emerge.

Haider al-Abadi proclaimed the liberation of the city as a 'victory over darkness, brutality and terrorism' as he shared the moment with his troops and local people.

He said: 'I announce to the whole world today the end, failure and collapse of the mythical terrorist state.

'We joined the people of Mosul in their celebration of the city's liberation, brought about through the sacrifices of our brave forces.'

A 100,000-strong coalition of Iraqi government units, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shi'ite militias launched the offensive to recapture the city ten months ago.

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Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (centre) posed for this photograph in Mosul after declaring victory against ISIS in the city

Video shows al-Abadi celebrating victory over 'brutality and terrorism' while dancing around with his troops and local people

He posted the clip on his personal Twitter account with the caption: 'We joined the people of Mosul in their celebration of the city's liberation'

Members of the Iraqi federal police forces celebrate in the Old City after the government declared victory

Government troops raised an Iraqi flag in the city to celebrate their victory while the Prime Minister called for a 'feast day'

Mr Abadi, wearing a black military uniform and flanked by his commanders, thanked troops and the coalition, which included US air support.

'We announce the total victory for Iraq and all Iraqis,' he said, speaking from a small base in western Mosul on the edge of the Old City.

'This great feast day crowned the victories of the fighters and the Iraqis for the past three years.'

But he warned that more challenges lay in the future, saying: 'We have another mission ahead of us, to create stability and to clear Daesh cells.

'That requires an intelligence and security effort, and the unity which enabled us to fight Daesh,' he said, using the Arabic acronym for the terror group.

The US-led coalition that backed the Mosul offensive and is supporting another assault on IS's Syrian bastion Raqqa hailed the victory.

However, Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the commander of the operation, warned work was still needed to defeat ISIS.

'This victory alone does not eliminate (IS) and there is still a tough fight ahead,' he said.

'But the loss of one of its twin capitals and a jewel of their so-called caliphate is a decisive blow.'

And US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said: 'On behalf of President Trump and the American people, I congratulate Prime Minister Abadi and the Iraqi people.

'This is a critical milestone in the global fight against ISIS, and underscores the success of the international effort led by the Iraqi Security Forces.'

News of ISIS atrocities have been passed on by civilians who were trapped inside the devastated city during the ten month siege.

Faced with hundreds of fleeing people, fanatics executed seven children to try and stem the flow of refugees and even used their own relatives as human shields.

There were reports some fanatics resorted to leaping into the Tigris river in a bid to escape with total defeat looming.

ISIS terrorists were cornered in Mosul as Iraqi forces retook the strategic city in the north of the country

Al-Abadi proclaimed 'victory' over ISIS following a massive airstrike against the terrorists still holed up in the city

The Prime Minister yesterday visited a military base in western Mosul where he congratulated the Iraqi Forces and its civilian population after reportedly defeating ISIS jihadists

Terrorists in Mosul's Old City used their families - including women and children - as human shields.

TRUMP: ISLAMIC STATE IS DOOMED 'Today Iraqi security forces supported by the United States and the global coalition, liberated the city of Mosul from its longtime nightmare under the rule of ISIS. 'We congratulate Prime Minister Abadi, the Iraqi security forces and all the Iraqis for their victory over terrorists who are the enemies of all civilized people.' 'The victory in Mosul, a city where ISIS once proclaimed its so-called caliphate signals that its days in Iraq and Syria are numbered. We will continue to seek the total destruction of ISIS.' Advertisement

The bodies of the youngsters were then strapped to lampposts in the town of Tal Afar, according to local reports.

Despite the inroads, the United Nations says there is no end in sight to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq.

It said thousands of Mosul residents will likely remain displaced from the city because of 'extensive damage caused during the conflict.'

Airstrikes, artillery and militant bombings have destroyed thousands of buildings as well as key infrastructure in Mosul.

Iraq's Interior Ministry says more than half of all buildings in western Mosul, where the fighting was heaviest, were damaged or destroyed.

More than 800,000 people have been forced from their homes since the operation began in October.

Iraqi forces launched the operation to retake Mosul last October and began the weeks-long push through the Old City district in June.

Iraqis celebrate in Tahrir square while holding national flags as they wait for the final announcement of the defeat of the Islamic state militants, in Baghdad, Iraq

Iraqi people with tears in their eyes celebrate the liberation of the embattled city of Mosul in Baghdad, Iraq on July 9

How Islamic State has been pushed back in the battle for Mosul.

That victory comes at an enormous cost: much of Iraq's second city in ruins, thousands dead and wounded, and nearly a million people forced from their homes.

Enormous challenges lie ahead, not just in rebuilding Mosul but in tackling the continued presence elsewhere of ISIS.

AMNESTY: PROBE MOSUL WAR CRIMES In documenting the conflict between January and mid-May, Amnesty found IS violated international humanitarian law and committed war crimes. The jihadist group used civilians as 'human shields' and 'summarily killed hundreds, if not thousands' of people as they tried to flee, hanging victims' bodies in public places, Amnesty said. The human rights organisation also criticised Iraqi forces and the US-led coalition, stating they carried out 'a series of unlawful attacks' in the city. Pro-government forces used 'imprecise, explosive weapons' in the urban conflict and allegedly used disproportionate force, such as a March 17 attack cited by Amnesty in which 105 civilians died in an air strike targeting two IS snipers. Advertisement

Iraqi forces waved flags and flashed victory signs after Abadi arrived in the city.

'This victory is for all Iraqis, not just for us,' Mohanned Jassem, a member of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, said at the police base where Abadi met commanders.

Mr Jassem, who fought in most of the other main battles of the war against IS, said Mosul was the toughest.

'I took part in fighting in Ramadi and Tikrit and Salaheddin and Baiji and Al-Qayyarah... but the fighting here in (ISIS's) stronghold was the most violent,' he said.

ISIS swept across much of Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland in a lightning offensive in mid-2014, proclaiming a 'caliphate' straddling Iraq and neighbouring Syria.

Imposing its brutal interpretation of Islamic law, the group committed widespread atrocities and organised or inspired deadly attacks in Iraq, Syria and abroad.

French President Emmanuel Macron was among the first world leaders to offer his congratulations.

'Mosul liberated from Daesh,' he tweeted. 'Homage from France to all those, with our troops, who contributed to this victory.'

This soldier held up two fingers to celebrate the success of the offensive against the Islamic State, which has held the city for the past three years

Joyous members of the Iraqi federal police celebrated in the Old City of Mosul after the country's government announced victory against the terrorists in Mosul

French President Emmanuel Macron praised the defeat of ISIS in the city which was assisted by his jets

British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon congratulated al-Abadi and the 'Iraqi forces who have been fighting on the ground with great bravery'.

The European Union called the victory 'a decisive step in the campaign to eliminate terrorist control in parts of Iraq'.

IS has lost most of the territory it once controlled, and the coalition is aiming to oust the jihadists from their Syrian stronghold Raqqa.

The city is under assault by US-backed Arab and Kurdish forces.

Iraqi forces launched their campaign to recapture Mosul in October, seizing its eastern side in January and launching the battle for its western part the next month.

But the fight grew tougher when security forces entered the densely populated Old City on the western bank of the Tigris River, which divides the city.

Even in the final days of the battle, thousands of civilians remained trapped inside the Old City and some of those who fled arrived grief-stricken after losing relatives in jihadist sniper fire and bombardments.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is pictured in Mosul, Iraq on July 9 as civilians wave flags and celebrate ISIS' defeat

The United Nations said Sunday that 920,000 civilians have fled their homes since the battle for Mosul began last autumn.

'It's a relief to know that the military campaign in Mosul is ending. The fighting may be over, but the humanitarian crisis is not,' Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, said in a statement.

The recapture of Mosul will also not mark the end of the threat posed by IS, which controls territory elsewhere in Iraq and is able to carry out frequent bombings in government-held areas.

In Iraq it holds towns including Tal Afar and Hawijah in the north, as well as territory in western Anbar province.

It also continues to hold significant territory in Syria, including in Raqa, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are battling to oust the jihadist group after penetrating its fortified historic centre.

While the loss of Mosul is a major blow to the jihadists, it is not a fatal one.

'We should not view the recapture of Mosul as the death knell for ISIS,' said Patrick Martin, Iraq analyst at the Institute for the Study of War.

'If security forces do not take steps to ensure that gains against IS are sustained for the long-term, then ISIS could theoretically resurge and recapture urban terrain,' he said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is pictured with his arms aloft as he is surrounded by military personnel in Mosul, Iraq
Graphic showing the widening gap between plastic production and plastic recycling. Source: A. Lusher, Microplastics in the Marine Environment: Distribution, Interactions and Effects, Marine Anthropogenic Litter, 2015 Single-use plastic along the banks of the TN River Tennessee Aquarium Aquarist Elaine Robinson reaches for a piece of plastic during Tennessee River Rescue A plastic bottle getting scooped up during Tennessee River Rescue Tennessee Aquarium guests learn about plastic and microplastics while viewing the Trash Tank exhibit Previous Next

Nineteen aquariums across the United States, including the Tennessee Aquarium, have joined forces and created a new Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP) to address one of the gravest threats facing ocean and freshwater animals  plastic pollution. On Monday, the ACP announced the launch of a nationwide consumer campaign and a business commitment to drive a shift away from single-use plastic among their visitors, in their communities and beyond.

The public trusts aquariums to do whats right for the health of the ocean and for ocean wildlife, said Julie Packard, executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Were just beginning to understand the full impacts of ocean plastic pollution on ecosystems, marine life and human health. But we already know enough to say that now is the time to act.



Through the national In Our Hands campaign, the ACP hopes to encourage their 20 million visitors  and millions more in their communities  to transition from single-use plastic to less-harmful alternatives. The campaign includes a website that inspires visitors to make positive everyday behavior changes and raise awareness of the issue.



All 19 aquariums are also shifting away from single-use plastic within their own businesses. As of today, all ACP members, including the Tennessee Aquarium, have eliminated plastic straws and single-use plastic take-away bags in their institutions. In hopes of additional plastic reduction, the aquariums have also committed to:



 Significantly reduce or eliminate plastic beverage bottles by December 2020



 Showcase innovative alternatives to single-use plastic in their facilities

As leaders in aquatic conservation, aquariums are expected to walk their talk, and thats exactly what this partnership is meant to do, said National Aquarium CEO John Racanelli.

We are uniquely qualified to set an example for othersin reducing our plastic footprint, encouraging sustainable operating practices, and inspiring hope in a public that is hungry to be part of the solution. Were right where we should be.



About 8.8 million tons of plastic enters the ocean each year worldwide  roughly a dump truck full of plastic every minute of every day. In the United States alone, plastic waste averages more than 200 pounds per person each year. If nothing changes, by 2025 the flow of plastic into the ocean is expected to double.



But its not just the ocean thats affected: Plastic pollution in lakes and rivers has been found at levels as high, or higher, than in the circular oceanic currents that concentrate plastic trash. Today, there are an estimated one billion plastic particles floating on the surface of Lake Michigan alone.



The Great Lakes are the largest surface freshwater system on the Earth, making up approximately 21 percent of the worlds supply of surface freshwater. Additionally, more than 3,500 species of plants and animals live in the Great Lakes basin.



"Approximately 22 million pounds of plastic flows into the Great Lakes each year. In Lake Michigan alone, it is equivalent to 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools filled with bottles," said Shedd Aquarium President and CEO Dr. Bridget Coughlin. "Small actions can turn into big solutions, and we believe the 24 million people in the United States who rely on this beautiful, massive resource for their drinking water, jobs and livelihoods want to be part of that wave of change. We look forward to working together in these commitments.



The Aquarium Conservation Partnership was first championed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, National Aquarium in Baltimore and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, in collaboration with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Coalition partners are located in 16 states and include:



This summer, the aquariums will focus on raising awareness and sparking consumer action, and sharing their own success stories to highlight the many ways theyve cut back on single-use plastic in their operations.



ACP members are working with their business partners to showcase innovative alternatives to single-use plastic products, and will collaborate with vendors to accelerate design of new products and materials. They are also finding ways to use less plastic packaging in gift store items and scaling back on single-use plastic in their cafes and restaurants.



The aquariums are also using their collective voice  at the local, state and national level  to support policies that reduce the flow of plastic pollution into the ocean, rivers and lakes. Beyond sponsoring clean-up events and education programs, many have also backed successful efforts to stem the use of plastic shopping bags and plastic microbeads found in personal care products.



Residents of the Southeast will get a better picture of the magnitude of microplastics impacting the Tennessee River watershed beginning on July 27. Thats when Professor of Medical and Life Sciences Dr. Andreas Fath will embark on TenneSwim, a headwater-to-mouth water quality analysis and endurance swim of the entire 652-mile river. For more information about this unprecedented scientific endeavor, go to: http://tenneswim.org/



Whether youre on the highest mountain in the Appalachians or standing next to the Gulf, were all connected to each other by water, through the beautiful streams that make their way to the bigger rivers and the ocean beyond, said Dr. Anna George, vice president of Conservation Science and Education for the Tennessee Aquarium. Helping keep this water clean, not just for our use and recreation, but also safe for the animals who live there, is one of the most important things we can do for the future. But just like how the drops of water that fall in the mountains turn into the mighty Tennessee River, the small decisions we make every day add up to big change. The solution to plastic pollution is in our hands.



For more information about the Aquarium Conservation Partnerships plastic pollution campaign, go to: http://www.ourhands.org/


Australia's race discrimination commissioner has been told to buy a plane ticket to Laos if he is so concerned about white people being prevalent in politics and the media.

Sky News presenter Rowan Dean has taken exception to Tim Soutphommasane for telling a Senate committee there are too many 'Anglo-Celtics' in parliament.

With Sudanese-born Muslim youth activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied soon moving to London, Dean has suggested the French-born public servant move to Laos, which his parents fled in 1975 as the Pathet Lao communists stormed to power in the small, landlocked South-East Asian nation.

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Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane has been told to fly to Laos in Asia

'Tim, if you don't like it, join Yassmin, hop on a plane and go back to Laos where I doubt you will find the taxpayer paying you $300,000 a year to lecture bigotry and racism which is what you are doing by attacking Anglo-Celtics,' he said.

Dr Soutphommasane, a former Labor Party member and political staffer who gets paid $330,000 a year by taxpayers, told a Senate committee parliament and corporations were too 'Anglo-Celtic'.

Dean, who also edits the conservative Spectator magazine, has previously praised Vietnamese refugee and ABC presenter Anh Do as an example of assimilation working.

However, when it came to Dr Soutphommasane he was scathing, saying his parents probably came to Australia from Laos via Paris for its Anglo-Celtic values after their son was born in 1982.

Rowan Dean said Tim Soutphommasane would struggle to get a $300,000 a year gig in Laos

Rowan Dean has previously praised Vietnamese refugee Anh Do as an example of assimilation working

'I'm sure that they didn't mind coming to a country where Anglo-Celtics had died, given their lives to create the peace-loving culture that we have,' Dean said.

Dr Soutphommasane last week blasted the media, at a multicultural forum in Perth, about its treatment of Ms Abdel-Magied, who stirred more controversy last month by saying democracy didn't represent her because most faces in parliament are white.

'People may have disagreed with Abdel-Magied but some of the vitriol directed at her had a clear racial tinge,' Dr Soutphommasane said.

In a submission to a Senate committee looking at 'Strengthening Multiculturalism', the Australian Human Rights Commission, which Dr Soutphommasane is part of, urged the government to create a federal agency to collect data and report on diversity within leadership positions.

The Turnbull Government has not endorsed the idea of ethnic recruitment targets.

'While Australia is highly socially mobile, there is an underrepresentation of cultural diversity in positions of leadership, as well as in the media,' the AHRC said.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied is moving to London after saying Australian democracy doesn't represent her because parliament is too white

The Australian Human Rights Commission has called for more 'cultural diversity' in Australian leadership positions because the default currently remains Anglo-Celtic

The AHRC has urged the federal government to create a federal agency to collect data and report on diversity within leadership positions. Pictured, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

'The commission believes that increasing cultural diversity in leadership and in the media would strengthen Australia's multiculturalism.

'A lack of diversity in leadership and in the media could conceivably lead to a perception of what it is to be 'Australian' that does not reflect our multicultural character.'

The AHRC noted: 'The ethnic and cultural default of leadership remains Anglo-Celtic' and warned the nation 'may not be making the most of its cultural diversity.'

Their submission also quoted a study carried out by Screen Australia which found non-Anglo-Celtic groups were being underrepresented on national television dramas.
A 15-year-old nicknamed the Wolf of Walthamstow made a sweet deal with a 50,000-a-year business empire which started in the boys' toilets of his school.

Nathan John-Baptiste, who attends a school in north London, sold 230 of fizzy drinks and snacks every day with the help of his 11 employees across three schools.

After starting with just 5, Nathan's weekly turnover of 1,150 allowed him to lead a lavish lifestyle of meals out and trips up the Shard.

He explained that during a talk from a millionaire he attended as part of a development programme to keep him on the right path, he learnt about how to make money and how to work hard.

Sweet deal: Nathan John-Baptiste, who attends a school in north London, sells 230 of fizzy drinks and snacks every day with the help of his 11 employees across three schools

He said: 'From year seven I was going down the wrong path. But this guy called Carl came in. I thought, I want to be like him.'

That same day, Nathan starting buying and selling sweets to his fellow students from the boys' toilets and his business, Walking Talking Shop, began.

He employed one friend to help sell things in his first year of break time trading, and expanded as demand sky rocketed.

As a year ten pupil, Nathan employed 11 people to help with sales.

He told the Sun that many pupils made orders of Lucozade, Chewits, KitKats and Fruit Pastilles via Snapchat before picking up the treats at break time.

NATHAN'S IDEAL EMPLOYEE The Wolf was inundated with requests from fellow pupils to help him as his business kicked off. He said: 'I see something in certain people that want to make money. 'About 30 people have messaged and I have seen potential in about 12. 'I always want them to give a passionate answer when I ask them "Why is it that you want to sell"?' Nathan paid his employees 50 per cent of what they made in sales, which was generally around 5-10 per day. Advertisement

But the school found out about the business and requested that Nathan stop the sales.

If he had continued to make 230 a day he would have made 50,000 in a year.

He said: 'They asked me to stop selling bits at school.

'I did my punishment in the isolation room for a couple of days.

'So I'll start investing in different things - I can't sell sweets for the rest of my life.

'I would like to become a stock broker - that's one place where I want to put my money - and in property, 100 per cent.

'The plan is to become a millionaire. It's just about the hard work.'

Nathan admitted that he lives a lavish lifestyle and has spent a lot of his earnings- but he has managed to save 5,000 so far.

He said: 'I like eating in the Shard.'

Nathan added that his friends have shown him support rather than trying to take advantage of the wads of 20 notes he carries around.

Success: After starting with just 5, Nathan's current weekly turnover of 1,150 from selling sweets and chocolate (right) means he can afford meals out and trips up the Shard (left)

He said: 'No one sees me in a different way. My friends are my friends, and they do not judge me on how well I do.

'No one takes advantage of me. The amount of support I get from my contacts is crazy.'

He said he has even been invited back to the primary school he was excluded from to do a speech about entrepreneurship for the pupils.

Nathan's school has broken up for the summer holidays now, but he's using the spare time to further his career prospects.

Today is his first day of a two-week work experience placement with a door to door property sales company.

He said: 'I'm doing property today in Stoke Newington, going door to door to try to sell estate agent services - I'll hopefully get some commission too.

'I've been doing it on Saturdays for a while now but now I have two weeks of work experience.'

SWEET DEAL: WOLF'S TUCK SHOP PRICES BEAT SUPERMARKETS THE WOLF'S TUCK SHOP PRICE SUPERMARKET PRICES Fruit Pastilles 4X52g - 50p Fruit Pastilles 4X52g - 1.50 Starbursts 45g - 50p Starbursts 45g - 65p KitKat Chunky 40g - 50p KitKat Chunky 40g - 50p Homemade cookiesx1 - 50p Sainsbury's Cookies x5 - 80p Caribbean Crush Lucozade 1L - 50p Caribbean Crush Lucozade 1L - 1.50 Supermarket prices taken from Tesco and Sainsbury's online grocery sites Advertisement

Nathan's mother Sharon, 43, who works in the transport industry, said that part of the reason Nathan started selling things was his desire to make money before he could legally be employed by anyone.

She said: 'He was disappointed when he could not get a job. They kept telling him, "come back when you're older".

'That's when he decided to sell bath products, handmade soaps and bath bombs.'

She added: 'He did go off the rails at the end of primary school and he's had quite a few people helping him to get to where he is.

'The school have been very supportive.

Promo: A price list sent out from Nathan to his customers via Snapchat

'Of his entrepreneurial skills, I'm very proud. He's a very strong-willed child.'

She added that she was pleased to see her son working hard and earning money in a legitimate way, because she worries that other entrepreneurial children of Nathan's age could be tempted into drug dealing.

She said: 'There are drugs everywhere, even in schools.'

Nathan lives in Walthamstow with his mother, his engineer father Peter, 46, and his younger brother.

Speaking of his parents, Nathan said: 'They have always instilled in me that you have to work hard for your money and that's something I've done since I was in year four when I set up a very small cup cake business - I only made about 25.'
A hunt is underway for a pervert who had exposed himself to a woman while he was sitting opposite her on the bus.

Queensland police have released images of the man to assist them in their investigations.

The incident took place on a Gold Coast bus.

A hunt is underway for this man (pictured above) who exposed himself to a woman on a bus

The bus was travelling from Broadbeach to Tweed Heads when the incident happened around 6.30am on March 17.

The man is believed to be aged between 25 to 35 years old.

He is Caucasian with a large build and dark-coloured hair.

Police believed the man often uses public transport and may frequent areas such as Broadbeach, Coolangatta and Tweed Heads.


Police are investigating after footage emerged of a woman allegedly being assaulted following a disagreement over a haircut.

The video shows three women clashing with a middle-aged lady after she exited Aria Hair and Beauty salon in Ladypool Road, Sparkbrook .

Punches appear to be repeatedly thrown at the victim whose headscarf also appears to be pulled in the altercation which lasted for approximately one minute.

The alleged fight was broken up after three men approached the group.

West Midlands Police say two women were injured in the incident, which they are investigating.

Police told the MailOnline that the investigation is ongoing and no charges have been brought.

A spokesperson said: 'Police were alerted to an alleged assault at Aria Hair and Beauty salon in Ladypool Road, Sparkbrook just after 5.15pm on Friday 30 June.

The video shows three women clashing with a middle-aged lady after she exited Aria Hair and Beauty salon in Ladypool Road, Sparkbrook on Friday June 30 at approximately 4pm

'It is believed a disagreement ensued following a haircut at the premises at around 4pm.

'A 27-year-old woman was injured following a physical fight, while a 49-year-old woman also reported injuries.

'Investigations remain on-going.'

Nahid Aria owns the salon. She told the MailOnline that she is keen to speak publicly about the incident once the police investigations have been completed.
A German tourist was taken to hospital after slashing his throat with a box cutter when police in Thailand tried to arrest him over the murder of his Thai girlfriend.

Nico Papke, 35, sparked a police man hunt after his masseuse girlfriend Picha Nampadung, 35, went missing on July 1.

Her decomposed body with a stab wound to her chest and neck was found wrapped in a rug bound in duct tape and dumped deep in the jungle in Phuket, Thailand, on Sunday at 2pm.

Police initially believed Papke had fled the country, but when they stormed his hotel room at 7pm, he is said to have tried to cut his throat with the Stanley-style metal blade.

Nico Papke, 35, was arrested on Sunday in Phuket, Thailand, after the body of his girlfriend, 35-year-old Picha Nampadung, was found deep in the jungle a week after she went missing. As police tried to take him into custody on Sunday, Papke slit his throat with a box cutter

Nico Papke (left, with Pica Nampadung), 35, sparked a police man hunt after his masseuse girlfriend Picha Nampadung (left and right), 35, went missing on July 1

Personal fitness trainer Papke, from Altodobern, was taken to hospital where he was in stable condition conscious but not co-operating with officers.

Police were initially unable to interview Papke while doctors treated the wounds around his neck.

Medics kept a watch on him around the clock after he was arrested over the death of Nampadung, whose nickname was Lek.

Officers said they are not looking for other suspects and were considering 'sexual jealousy' as a motive.

Lieutenant Colonel Eakarart Chartphai from the Phuket Provincial Police said that before Nampadung went missing, neighbours heard her arguing loudly with Papke.

He said: 'The body was found in the abyss deep in the forest of Wichit and is expected to be Miss Nampadung.

'At this point, the body was covered with a mat. The body was wrapped completely. The rope was used throughout the body of the deceased. There is adhesive tape over the mat at the foot and head again.

'She is believed to have been dead no fewer than seven days.'

Nampadung decomposed body with a stab wound to her chest and neck was found wrapped in a rug bound in duct tape and dumped deep in the jungle in Phuket, Thailand, on Sunday at 2pm

Nampadung's (pictured) family made an appeal for help her niece realising she had not been in to work at the massage salon in the Rawai district of the tourist island

Officers said that on June 30 there was a loud argument between the pair 'then it went quiet'.

Papke was spotted by witnesses walking around the holiday island who then alerted police.

Lieutenant Colonel Eakarart Chartphai added: 'He used box cutters to harm himself when police found him. The wounds did not reach the trachea.'

Nampadung's niece Rujida Onkorat, 19, made an appeal for help finding her aunt after realising she had not been in to work at the massage salon in the Rawai district of the tourist island.

She said she was 'broken hearted' after Pitcha was discovered on a slope around 0.6miles (one kilometre) inside jungle in tambon Wichit in Phuket's Muang district.

Rujida said: 'Why could they not just let him die? He cut his neck, and still did not die.

'Hell does not want to get him. Even if he goes to jail he'll never be able to pay for what he has done. Heaven knows how much I love Picha. Love will never die.

'We had so little time together. But heaven knows how much it meant to me. She knew I loved her more than anyone.

Personal fitness trainer Papke, from Altodobern, was taken to hospital where he was in stable condition conscious but not co-operating with officers

'We are shocked. Our whole family is still so shocked by this. Never could we think that this would happen to Picha.

'She was so beautiful, so loving, such a good person. This is not fair to her, she was the most beautiful person.'

Police said that Nampadung was found still clothed with her toe nails painted white and her fingernails painted red.

She had suffered a stab wound to the left side of her ribcage, her neck and appeared to have facial injuries.

A teddy bear was found wrapped inside the rug with her. Her corpse has now been sent for a post mortem examination at the Wachira Phuket Hospital.

Police said that Papke had arrived in Thailand on June 21 last year with a 60-day tourist visa and had re-entered again on September 20. His current visa was due to expire on December 18.

Lt Col Saman Janrong said they are now checking CCTV footage and interviewing relatives and friends to gather evidence.
Jamie Lee, 23, was named locally as the victim of the brawl in the street in Glasgow

A 23-year-old man has been shot dead during a huge brawl near a children's play park in a possible feud between families, police say.

Jamie Lee was named locally as the victim of a huge disturbance involving two rival gangs in the street in Glasgow, which left another five people injured.

Mr Lee - whom friends said was 'one of the nicest boys I knew' and 'had a heart of gold' - was critically injured and taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Police confirmed he had died and said a 25-year-old  also thought to have been shot  remained in a serious condition. Four others injured were later released.

Officers were called out to the fight in Ballantay Terrace in Castlemilk at about 8pm on Saturday, which was said to have involved a variety of weapons.

One resident told the Daily Record: 'This is like something out of the wild west  with two gangs fighting it out in broad daylight.

'It's absolutely sickening that they have been forced to witness this kind of violence.'

Forensic officers search the ground nearby where the brawl happened in Glasgow on Saturday

Tributes were paid on Facebook last night to Mr Lee, who was known to friends as 'YL'. Natasha Royx said: 'Why is life so cruel? Absolutely heartbreaking!

'Thinking of the Lee family and Laura. Jamie was such an amazing boy, had a heart a gold! So sad that he's been taken far too soon. R.I.P, YL. Shine bright, buddy.'

And William McElwaine added: 'R.I.P. YL, you were one of the nicest boys I knew - you'll be sorely missed.'

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Fergus said children and members of the public were in the area at the time of the attack.

Officers were called out to the fight which was said to have involved a variety of weapons

He said: 'The call that we received was that there was... upwards of 12 to 15 individuals of various age groups engaged in a large scale disturbance using weapons.

'It's [too] early to say exactly what the motive behind this was, we are working on the hypothesis that this may be a localised feud between families.

'We don't know at this stage. What I can confirm is that two individuals received injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.'

He added: 'I understand that local people in the area are very concerned about this level of violence taking place in broad daylight on their streets.

Tributes were paid on Facebook last night to Mr Lee, who was known to friends as 'YL'

'And I'd like to reassure them that we are doing everything that we can to track down everyone involved in this incident.

'Many people would have seen what happened and we ask that they come forward and support us in our investigation.

'We will have extra patrols in the area for the foreseeable future and we would encourage the public to come forward and speak to these officers with any information they have or indeed any concerns they have.'

A police spokesman said earlier in the day that the disturbance was not related to an ongoing gang feud in Glasgow, saying: 'Police do not believe this incident is linked to any other incidents that have occurred in the Glasgow area over the last few months or any other ongoing police investigations.

The 23-year-old was critically injured and taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

'There is also nothing at this time to suggest that the incident is racially motivated.'

Officers in forensic suits could be seen combing the area after the incident.

Anyone who witnessed this incident is urged to contact Police Scotland via telephone number 101, quoting incident number 3874 of July 8.

Superintendent John McBride said officers would be patrolling the area to reassure the local community.

He said: 'It is important for people to know that this was not a random attack, it was a targeted attack involving two separate factions.'
The number of adults without health insurance has increased by two million people this year, likely thanks to rising premiums and a constantly falling range of choices.

The uninsured rate among US adults was 11.7 per cent in the second three months of 2017, compared with a record low of 10.9 per cent at the end of last year, The Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index reported on Monday.

Though small, the change was statistically significant, survey analysts noted.

The figures highlight what's at stake as Congress returns to an unresolved debate over Republican proposals to roll back much of Barack Obama's healthcare law.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (seen in file photo from June) is proposing to repeal Obamacare - but two million have already dropped out, most of whom are young adults

While 'Obamacare' has remained politically divisive, it had helped drive the uninsured rate to historic lows as some 20 million people gained coverage.

But after five consecutive years of coverage gains, last year saw the progress stalling, and this year saw erosion, with the number of uninsured edging up again.

The two million dropping out were concentrated among younger adults and people buying their own health insurance policies, the survey found.

That may be a reflection of rising premiums and dwindling choices in the insurance markets created under Obama.

Insurers say President Donald Trump's administration actions are contributing to double-digit premium increases for next year.

Meanwhile, Trump has branded his predecessor's leading domestic achievement a 'disaster' and continues to pursue its repeal.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), plans to check vital signs on his GOP bill as senators trickle back to Washington from a July 4 break that many spent listening to constituents vent about health care.

McConnell is seen as a master legislative strategist, but there's no sign he's secured enough votes to pass a bill. He can only afford to lose two out of 52 Republican senators.

McConnell faces an uphill struggle not just against Democrat protesters (pictured) but against his own party; he can only afford to lose two Republicans if he wants to pass the bill

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that at least 22 million more people would become uninsured under Republican legislation.

McConnell has been considering easing some of the bill's Medicaid cuts, beefing up health care tax credits to help people buy private insurance and adding billions of dollars to counter the opioid epidemic.

That might comfort GOP moderates. To placate conservatives, McConnell is weighing demands to make it easier for insurers to offer skimpier policies.

He's also admonished fellow Republicans that they may find themselves negotiating with Democratic leader Senator Chuck Schumer (New York) if they don't close ranks.

In that case, McConnell said he'd aim for a limited package propping up troubled insurance markets around the country.

The Gallup-Sharecare survey serves as a kind of early indicator, publishing several months before the nimblest government surveys.

It found that the uninsured rate rose by 1.9 percentage points among adults aged 18-25 since the end of last year, and 1.5 points among those aged 26-34.

Participation by young adults is considered vital for keeping health insurance premiums in check. But young adults are also likely to enjoy good health and may not recognize value in having coverage.

The Gallup-Sharecare survey is an ongoing effort based on interviews with about 500 people a day. It was previously called the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.

Results are based on telephone interviews conducted April 1-June 30, with a random sample of 45,087 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 US states and Washington, D.C. The margin of error is plus or minus 1 percentage point.
This is the shocking moment a man took his pet crocodile to a packed beach and let children stroke it - before being arrested.

The man, whose name has not been released, was filmed in the town of Anapa, in southern Russia, taking part in the stunt.

Footage shows him standing with the six-foot crocodile on a lead while it plays in the shallow water.

A Russian man has been arrested after he was filmed taking his pet crocodile to the beach on a leash and then allowing children to pet it

Footage which went viral on Russian social media shows the animal wading through the shallow water as people gather around

Meanwhile children come over as he allows them to pet the reptile.

While the animal remains calm throughout, the same cannot be said of the children - especially one girl who runs away. Incredibly, no adults seem to be worried.

The bizarre incident was caught on camera and later shared on social media where it came to the attention of the authorities.

Police launched an investigation and identified the owner of the crocodile as a local photographer.

He was keeping the crocodile in a tiny aquarium at his home and using it to make money.

Russia police tracked the man down in the town of Anapa after seeing the footage online and established that he was keeping the crocodile in a small tank and using it to make money

The man has since been taken into custody while the animal has been removed from his care and given to a zoo in the city of Novorossiysk

The crocodile owner would take his unusual pet to the beach and then tourists would pay him for photographs with it.

He was taken into custody and the crocodile was given to a zoo in the city of Novorossiysk, also in Krasnodar Krai.

It is unclear if the man has been charged with any crime although social media users were pleased that the crocodile has a new home.

One called 'Nedopyatov' said: 'That is great the reptile was taken away from this cruel man. It should be kept in proper conditions.'
Hitler came close to making a nuke before the US captured his enriched uranium and used it to make the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, a new book has claimed.

American forces forced the surrender of Nazi U-Boat 234 as it was heading for Japan on May 15, 1945 and found it was carrying high profile Nazis, including German general Ulrich Kessler as well as scientists and engineers.

It was also carrying the uranium Hitler failed to turn into a nuclear weapon in time to save his crumbling Reich.

A new book, 'Critical Mass' by scientist and author Carter Hydrick, claims the captured material was used in the atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945.

Hitler came close to making a nuke before the US captured his enriched uranium and used it to make the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima (pictured), a new book has claimed

A new book, 'Critical Mass' by scientist and author Carter Hydrick, claims the captured material was used in the atomic bomb (pictured) dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945

Hydrick's book has created a storm in the America scientific community.

He was invited to speak about his findings at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory - where the U.S. uranium enrichment effort was made during the Second World War - and at Los Alamos National Laboratory where the world's first Atomic bombs were made.

Dr. Delmar Bergen, retired director of the Nuclear Weapons Programme at Los Alamos, wrote the foreword to the book.

Hydrick accessed hitherto secret US defence department files about the capture at sea of Nazi U-Boat 234.

U-234 surrendered on May 15, 1945. She was headed for Japan with her secret cargo along with prominent passengers including German general Ulrich Kessler, four German naval officers, civilian engineers and scientists and two Japanese naval officers.

She was ordered to surface and surrender by Hitler successor Admiral Karl Doenitz following the capitulation of Nazi Germany on May 8.

Hitler came close to making a nuke before the US captured his enriched uranium, research suggests

The fact that the ship carried half a tone of uranium oxide remained classified for the duration of the Cold War.

Hydrick discovered a slew of memos from US naval chiefs ordering that the crew of the submarine were to be kept away from the press at all costs and marines were instructed to open fire on anyone who tried to get close to them.

A secret communique of May 27, 1945 stated: 'Lt. Pfaff, second watch officer of U.234, discloses he was in charge of cargo....Uranium Oxide loaded in gold-lined cylinders and as long as not opened can be handled like crude TNT. These containers should not be opened as substance will become sensitive and dangerous.'

Other memos discovered by Hydrick show that US Army Major John Vance, an intelligence officer assigned to the ultra-secret Manhattan Project - the making of the atomic bombs - oversaw the taking of the uranium from U-234 for the Los Alamos facility because scientists were running low on the essential compound for the weapon which would change history.

The author said: 'The research reveals the Nazis both enriched uranium successfully (counter to the present traditional history) and gave it to the United States, also counter to the believed history, and that this uranium was used in the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

'It also shows that triggering technology for the plutonium bomb dropped on Japan was surrendered to the U.S. by the Nazis at the same time.'

Hitler struggled desperately to make a working nuclear weapon in a bid to stave off defeat. Six years ago German nuclear said they found nuclear waste from Hitler's secret atom bomb programme in a crumbling mine near Hanover.

More than 126,000 barrels of nuclear material lie rotting over 2,000 feet below ground in an old salt mine. Rumour has it that the remains of nuclear scientists who worked on the Nazi programme are also there, their irradiated bodies burned in secret by S.S. men sworn to secrecy.

A statement by a boss of the Asse II nuclear fuel dump, discovered in an archive at the time, said how in 1967 'our association sank radioactive wastes from the last war, uranium waste, from the preparation of the German atom bomb.'

This sent shock waves through historians who thought that the German atomic programme was nowhere near advanced enough in WW2 to have produced nuclear waste in any quantities.

The German 'uranium project' began in earnest shortly after Germany's invasion of Poland in September. Army physicist Kurt Diebner led a team tasked to investigate the military applications of fission. By the end of the year the physicist Werner Heisenberg had calculated that nuclear fission chain reactions might be possible.

Although the war hampered their work, by the fall of the Third Reich in 1945 Nazi scientists had achieved a significant enrichment in samples of uranium.

Mark Walker, a US expert on the Nazi programme said: 'Because we still don't know about these projects, which remain cloaked in WW2 secrecy, it isn't safe to say the Nazis fell short of enriching enough uranium for a bomb. Some documents remain top secret to this day.'
Theresa May faces warnings today that her Brexit plans could hit treatment for cancer patients - as a Remainer revolt gathers pace.

The Royal College of Radiologists has voiced 'serious concern' that leaving Euratom - the European nuclear agency - could threaten the supply of vital isotopes.

The warning comes after a series of Tory MPs spoke out against the move, while the former chief of Vote Leave branded it 'moronic'.

Euratom is separate from the EU, but the Prime Minister has insisted the UK needs to quit the body because of her 'red line' on post-Brexit meddling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

Nicola Strickland, president of the Royal College, said today that around 500,000 scans are performed in Britain every year using imported radioisotopes.

The Prime Minister, pictured in Downing Street today, has insisted the UK needs to quit Euratom because of her 'red line' on meddling by the European Court of Justice

Chuka Umunna, pictured last week in the House of Commons speaking about Brexit, is joint chair of the new all party parliamentary group (APPG) on EU relations

Some 10,000 patients have cancers treated by the materials.

Dr Strickland told the Evening Standard: 'Radioactive isotopes play a crucial role in diagnosing and treating cancer in the UK... the Royal College of Radiologists, like others in medicine and industry, is seriously concerned about continued access to these materials if we leave the Euratom treaty under Brexit.'

The growing opposition raises the prospect that Mrs May could be defeated on the issue in the Commons - with just seven Tory MPs needing to side with Labour, the SNP and Lib Dems to overturn the government's majority.

In January the PM promised to 'bring an end to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in Britain'.

But Dominic Grieve - formerly the Government's top lawyer - and ex-minister Ed Vaizey and Nicky Morgan are among those who have suggested the stance needs to be softened.

Downing Street today rejected the claims about medical isotopes, saying: 'This simply isn't true. The availability of medical radioisotopes will not be impacted by the UK's exit from Euratom. The UK supports Euratom and will want to see continuity of co-operation and standards. We remain absolutely committed to the highest standards of nuclear safety, safeguards and support for the industry.'

WHAT IS EURATOM? The European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) was founded in 1957 to develop and share nuclear technology. It is legally separate from the EU, but most of the bloc are members. Other independent countries such as Switzerland are part of the group. Euratom is governed by many of the EU's institutions, including the European Court of Justice. Advertisement

Mrs May told MPs membership of Euratom was 'inextricably linked with membership of the European Union'.

But she signalled there was room for compromise by saying the government wanted to 'maintain those relationships, that cooperation with Euratom, which enables the exchange of scientists, the exchange of material'.

'There are countries around the world that have that relationship with Euratom which are not members of the European Union,' the PM added.

Dominic Cummings, one of the architects of the Vote Leave campaign, today dismissed the idea that Euratom was a problem.

'Govt MORONS say they're withdrawing from EURATOM. Near-retarded on every dimension: policy/politics/science/bureaucratic,' he tweeted.

'Tory Party keeps making huge misjudgements re what the REF was about. EURATOM was different treaties, ECJ role no signif problem.'

Meanwhile, Mrs May is facing a wider bid to water down her Brexit plans as a cross-party group was launched to co-ordinate resistance in parliament.

The all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on EU relations is being led by Tory former minister Anna Soubry and senior Labour MP Chuka Umunna.

The concerted move by Remainers opposed to 'hard' Brexit underlines the tricky path the government will have to navigate to push through legislation taking Britain out of the Brussels club.

Mrs May is due to publish the Repeal Bill later this week  which paves the way for Brexit by transposing all EU legislation into British law.

When the Bill comes before MPs for debate later in the autumn it will be a litmus test for the government's ability to get crucial measures through.

The MPs in the APPG have warned they will not be 'spectators' in the process, and are determined to shape the deal being forged by ministers.

Dominic Cummings, one of the architects of the Vote Leave campaign, today dismissed the idea that Euratom was a problem

Streatham MP Mr Umunna, who led a Labour revolt over Brexit last month by calling for the UK to stay in the single market, said: 'The General Election result was an instruction by the British people for parliamentarians to put their differences to one side and co-operate in the national interest.

'We won't accept MPs being treated as spectators in the Brexit process, when we should be on the pitch as active players representing our constituents.

'We will be fighting in Parliament for a future relationship with the EU that protects our prosperity and rights at work, and which delivers a better and safer world.'

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson, the SNP's international affairs spokesman Stephen Gethins, Green co-leader Caroline Lucas and Plaid Cymru's Jonathan Edwards are vice-chairmen.

The formation of the APPG follows weeks of private conversations between MPs of different parties and they will work closely with pro-European pressure groups Open Britain, Vote Leave Watch, Best for Britain, British Influence and the European Movement.

Tory former minister Anna Soubry has also added her weight to the group, which aims to avoid 'hard' Brexit

Theresa May, pictured at church yesterday, is reaching out to Labour, which is also committed to leaving the EU single market and customs union

The announcement will fuel concern among Brexiteers about attempts to 'stymie' withdrawal from the EU.

Former Brexit minister David Jones told the Mail on Sunday that 'fanatically pro-EU MPs, both Labour and misguided Tory ones, too, have hatched a cunning plot' to keep the UK in the single market and customs union.

'Parliament exists to reflect and enact the will of the people - not to subvert it. But amid the heat of high summer, it looks very much as if a plot is under way at Westminster,' he wrote.

Mrs May has reached out to Labour, which committed to leaving the single market and customs union in its manifesto, to help push through Brexit.
Creative Discovery Museum will take a cultural journey around the world this summer - no passport required.

The Museum will host two more Folk and Traditional Arts Events throughout the summer allowing children and their families to experience a diverse array of art and music from different cultures presented by local and regional talent. This Saturday is next in the series with a spotlight on African and African-American cultures.



"Chattanooga is filled with diverse art forms. Our Folk and Traditional Arts Events will celebrate a sample of the diversity found in cultural art practiced in our city and surrounding areas," said Liza Blair, Arts manager. These events also provide authentic, hands-on experiences that demonstrate how art brings all cultures together despite our differences.



Many of the performances will allow children to interact with the artists and encourage audience participation.

All performances are included with Museum admission. Funding for the festival is provided through grant support from the Tennessee Arts Commission and ArtsBuild.



Schedule of Performers:

1 p.m.: West African drumming with Kofi Mawuko

2 p.m.: African inspired cooking demonstration in Culinary Corner

2:30 p.m.: Burundi folkloric dance

3 p.m.: Island Steel Pan performance
A desperate mother has revealed she stands watch over her drug-addicted son on the streets of Melbourne in an attempt to pull him from the grips of homelessness.

Brisbane mother Leanne Thompson said she flew to Melbourne each week to visit her son Daniel, 25, who was addicted to synthetic marijuana and lived on the streets of Melbourne's city since March.

'I'm keeping an eye on him to make sure he's OK and to let him know that we still care about him and we're there for him if he needs us. So he doesn't forget that he has a family who loves him,' Ms Thompson told 3AW's Tony Jones on Monday.

Brisbane mother Leanne Thompson said she flew to Melbourne each week to visit her son Daniel, 25, (pictured left) who was addicted to synthetic marijuana and has lived on the streets of Melbourne's city since March

'I have on a number of occasions slept nearby him on the street. I've taken a sleeping bag, blankets and garbage bags to sit on. I just felt it wasn't really achieving anything so I have reverted to standing and just watching over him. I can't do it every night but some nights when I'm extremely concerned for his well-being that's what I do.'

Ms Thompson said Daniel was privately educated in Brisbane and grew up with every privilege in life.

She struggled to come to terms with his descent into homelessness and drug-addiction.

'It's very very difficult. I just keep questioning why. We have other children and they're all succeeding and doing very well in life,' she said.

Ms Thompson said Daniel (pictured left) was privately educated in Brisbane and grew up with every privilege in life

'We don't really know what frame of mind he's in because he hasn't been without drugs in his system long enough to know whether there's long lasting damage there,' Ms Thompson said about her son Daniel (pictured)

Ms Thompson said she saw 'glimpses' of her son Daniel (pictured), but his personality fell victim to his drug habit

Ms Thompson said Daniel was not receptive to her efforts to help him.

'He's not [receptive], he's quite anti-us. I think he sees us as authority figures, but we're just loving parents who want to make sure our son's OK,' she said.

Ms Thompson said she saw 'glimpses' of her son, but his personality fell victim to his drug habit.

'We don't really know what frame of mind he's in because he hasn't been without drugs in his system long enough to know whether there's long lasting damage there,' she said.

'We don't really know what frame of mind he's in because he hasn't been without drugs in his system long enough to know whether there's long lasting damage there,' Ms Thompson said about Daniel (pictured)

'He's not [receptive], he's quite anti-us. I think he sees us as authority figures, but we're just loving parents who want to make sure our son's ok,' Ms Thompson said (homeless person pictured on Melbourne's Flinders Street in January)

Ms Thompson said she grew to know many of the homeless people who lived on the streets of Melbourne (pictured are homeless lining Melbourne's city in January)

Police confront homeless people living on Melbourne's Flinder Street in January after growing tensions near the gateway to the Australian Open in January

The mother-of-five said she did everything she could to help her son, but there was no support from the Victorian government.

She said she would put him into an involuntary program 'tomorrow' if she could, but nothing of the sort existed in Victoria.

'Victoria has nothing of that nature, plenty of voluntary programs, I would put our son into that tomorrow if he were to agree, but he won't and that's where we need that involuntary program,' she said.

She said the government needed to take action.

'The government's allowing it [synthetic marijuana] but the government's doing nothing to clean up the absolute human misery and tragic consequences of this pretty much legal substance or drug,' she said.

A woman is pictured with a cardboard note, flowers, and an Australian flag in Melbourne's CBD

Ms Thompson said Daniel would not be happy to see his name in the media, but said she only told his story out of desperation.

'I'm at a point where I'm just desperate to get some help. I don't think he'll react very well at all, but I'm doing it for the right reasons, not the wrong reasons,' she said.

'And not just for him but there are lots of people in that situation, some people are in a far far worse position than he is.'

Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos said a psychiatrist was looking into Daniel's situation.

The Salvation Army's Major Brendan Nottle said workers offered Daniel help.

'We've spoken with Dan and we've had workers say to Dan, "we can drive you to the accommodation now",' he said.

'"We can go and pick up your gear and take that as well"', but Dan's actually said, "let me think about that", and hasn't gotten back to us.'

'I'm at a point where I'm just desperate to get some help. I don't think he'll react very well at all, but I'm doing it for the right reasons, not the wrong reasons,' Ms Thompson said (homeless people in Melbourne pictured in January 2017)

Daniel's rejection of his mother's help was criticised by others living on the streets of Melbourne.

A man only known as Darren said the 25-year-old was crazy for choosing to be homeless.

'I've been trying to get accommodation and I can't. This person's got everything he wants, and doesn't want it,' he told Nine News.

'I thought, "what a lucky kid, he's got parents who care".'

Daniel's story garnered huge attention on Monday, with people flocking to social media to voice their opinions.

While the majority supported Ms Thompson and her efforts to help 'save' her son, the response was divided.

'Yes, the mental health/ drug and alcohol system needs an overhaul, but adults are also allowed to make choices. Even bad choices. Tough situation,' one woman said.
A family was left furious after their two dogs were shot by a Minneapolis police officer.

CCTV footage captured the moment that Jennifer LeMay's Staffordshire terriers approach an officer, who is in their backyard investigating a burglary report.

Neither of the dogs, named Ciroc and Rocko, appear to be acting aggressively and one can clearly be seen wagging its tail.

Both Ciroc (pictured left) and Rocko (pictured right) survived the shooting - but their owner Jennifer LeMay was left to pay thousands in vet bills

Despite this the officer draws his firearm and shoots one pet, then the other.

The dogs can be seen on the ground writhing in agony before running away, while the officer climbs the fence and leaves the yard.

Both of the dogs survived the encounter but Ms LeMay was left with thousands of dollars in veterinarian bills.

Ciroc and Rocko were physician-prescribed emotional support animals for LeMay's two sons, who suffer from anxiety, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

The officer draws his gun when one of the dogs approaches, wagging its tail

After the officer shoots the two animals he escapes over the back yard fence

In statement Minneapolis police said they were aware of the incident and were investigating.

Spokesman Corey Schmidt said: 'We are aware of the recent incident involving MPD officers responding to an audible residential burglary alarm and while at this call an MPD officer discharged their firearm, striking two dogs belonging to the homeowner.

'Anytime an officer discharges their firearm in the line of duty there is an investigation. We are in the process of reviewing the video posted online, as well as the officer's body camera video.'

The family were furious with the police's heavy-handed response.

Police said that animal control officers would take the dogs to the emergency vet to treat them for their injuries, but they never arrived

Ciroc and Rocko were physician-prescribed emotional support animals for LeMay's two sons

They have been with the family since they were both puppies

Posting on Facebook, LeMay's son Nae Locs said: 'The police officer claimed he felt threatened but we got cameras and you can see the whole thing.

'The dogs didn't even charge at the officer the first one was walking up to him with his tail wagging. I'm so mad right now.'

Police were called to the house after LeMay's two daughters, aged 13 and 18, accidentally triggered the alarm when they returned home from a camping trip.

Only after the dogs' shooting did the officers learn that alarm had been triggered accidentally.

Police then told the family that 'animal control' would be at the house quickly to take dogs to an emergency vet - but no one showed up.

In 2016, the US Department of Justice estimated that nearly 25 dogs are killed by law enforcement officers every day in the United States.
Aliya Zilic slit the throat of his three-year-old son Imran (pictured) and dumped his body down a mine shaft in outback South Australia in 2008

A schizophrenic father who slit the throat of his three-year-old son and dumped his body down a mine shaft in outback Australia could soon be freed on day release.

Aliya Zilic was ordered to be detained indefinitely in an Adelaide mental health facility in 2010 over the 2008 killing of his son Imran.

He was found not guilty of murder because of mental incompetence and could now be allowed to go on 24 excursions under the supervision of two corrections officers.

On Monday, the Supreme Court was told doctors treating Zilic wanted him to have the opportunity to show that he could return to the community.

A new supervision order proposed up to 24 outings with two guards and then another 24 with one staff.

Zilic (left) was ordered to be detained indefinitely in an Adelaide mental health facility in 2010 over the 2008 killing of his son

But Justice David Lovell said he wanted more details from the supervising psychiatrist on the nature and frequency of the outings.

He also wanted information on what structures would be put in place to deal with any potential breach of the release conditions.

The case will return to court on July 31.

Zilic was detained in 2010 after Justice Margaret Nyland ruled that he was suffering mental impairment at the time he cut his son's throat.

Zilic was found not guilty of the murder of his son (pictured) because of mental incompetence

'(Zilic) said Allah's name and dropped him in a shaft,' prosecutor Jim Pearce reporedly said during the trial

The Supreme Court previously heard he had taken the boy from Perth and had embarked on a 'bizarre odyssey' through Australia's outback.

Zilic's psychosis 'obliterated any sense of what he had done and what he was doing', his lawyer Bronwen Waldron said.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed Zilic was a drug addict who believed his ex-wife was 'working for the devil' and 'possessed by demons', The Advertiser reported.

Zilic told police his son was in the hands of God, the court heard.

After the killing, Zilic returned to a dugout in Coober Pedy (street view of the outback town pictured), about 800km north of Adelaide, where he had been staying with his son

'[Zilic] said Allah's name and dropped him in a shaft,' prosecutor Jim Pearce said, according to the paper.

After the killing, Zilic returned to a dugout in Coober Pedy, about 800km north of Adelaide, where he had been staying with his son.

He then drove throughout the Northern Territory and into Western Australia, and when arrested by police, denied involvement in the murder because he believed them to be the devil.
President Donald Trump's eldest son changed his account over the weekend of a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, saying Sunday that the woman told him she had information about Democrat Hillary Clinton.

A statement from Donald Trump Jr. one day earlier made no mention of Clinton. In his initial depiction of the meeting last June, the president's son said the discussion focused on a disbanded program that used to allow American adoptions of Russian children.

It appeared that Trump Jr. shifted his account of the meeting after being presented with additional information from The New York Times, which first reported both the discussion and the prospect of negative information about Clinton.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, is disavowing knowledge of the Russian lawyer, or any meeting between Trump senior staff and the woman.

Disavowed:Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that the Kremlin is unaware of a meeting between Trump's senior staff and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya

At the meeting: Donald Trump Jr and then Trump campaign president Paul Manafort met the lawyer in Trump Tower, along with Jared Kushner, the now president's son-in-law

The meeting with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya is the earliest known private meeting between key aides to the president and a Russian.

Federal and congressional investigators are probing whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Russia to meddle in the presidential election, investigations the president has called a 'hoax.'

Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and White House senior adviser, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort also attended the meeting with Veselnitskaya.

The Times, citing advisers to the White House who were briefed on the discussion, said Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting after being promised damaging information about Clinton.

In his statement Sunday, Trump Jr. said he was asked by an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant to have a meeting with a person he was told might have information that would be 'helpful' to the Trump campaign.

He said he was not told the name of the person ahead of the meeting.

Trump Jr. said the attorney claimed during the discussion to have information that 'individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee' and supporting Clinton.

Also present: The existence of the meeting emerged because Jared Kushner updated a disclosure form to admit its extensive

Campaign headquarters: The Trump campaign was run out of Trump Tower on 5th Avenue, New York, where the Russian lawyer and Donald Trump Jr met

'No details or supporting information was provided or even offered,' Trump Jr. said. 'It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.'

He said his father was unaware of the meeting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that the Kremlin is unaware of a meeting between Trump's senior staff and a Russian lawyer, that it doesn't know who Veselnitskaya is, and that it 'cannot keep track' of every Russian lawyer who holds meetings in Russia or abroad.

On Saturday, Trump Jr. had described the same gathering as a 'short introductory meeting' during which the three discussed a program that used to allow U.S. citizens to adopt Russian children.

Russia ended the adoptions in response to American sanctions brought against the nation following the 2009 death of an imprisoned lawyer who spoke about a corruption scandal.

He said on Sunday that the attorney turned the conversation to the adoption of Russian children, and that he believed that this was the 'true agenda' of the meeting and that claims about having information helpful to the Trump campaign had been a pretext for the encounter.

'I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office,' Trump Jr. said in the statement.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's legal team, said only, 'The president was not aware of and did not attend the meeting.'

Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts.

The newspaper said the meeting was disclosed in recent days to government investigators when Kushner filed a revised version of a form needed to obtain a security clearance.

His attorney has previously acknowledged that Kushner's first security clearance submission was incomplete.

Manafort also recently disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators, the newspaper said.

The newspaper said Veselnitskaya is known for her attempts to undercut the sanctions against Russian human rights abusers.

The Times also said her clients include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.
Oliver Horwood, 20, was spotted dishing out Happy Meals to youngsters at the fast food giant's restaurant in Gravesend, Kent

A convicted paedophile was caught serving children at a McDonald's days after being released from prison.

Oliver Horwood, 20, was spotted dishing out Happy Meals to youngsters at the fast food giant's restaurant in Gravesend, Kent.

Parents were furious that the sex offender, from nearby Darenth, was allowed to work in a restaurant so popular with children and McDonald's launched an investigation.

He was sacked as a result this afternoon.

Horwood was jailed for 16 months last year after admitting sex crimes against underage girls.

The pervert, who was seen handing over Despicable Me 3 themed lunchboxes to children, said his employers 'know everything' about his sordid past.

He told the Sun: 'I went to prison, yes. What does it matter?'

While a member of his family claimed he was hired at the busy restaurant because 'he's a good worker'.

However, a spokesperson from the fast food chain said it would be launching a probe into how the sex offender got a job at the branch.

They said: 'We are taking this extremely seriously and are investigating as a matter of urgency.'

Pictured: McDonald's in Gravesend, Kent, where Horwood is working days after being released from prison for child sex offences

Horwood admitted inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and inciting child prostitution or pornography at Maidstone Crown Court, in October 2016.

He also plead guilty to making indecent images of children, after Kent Police found 19 still photographs and two movie clips on his computer after his arrest last year.

As well as his custodial sentence, Horwood's name was ordered to appear on the sex offenders register a sexual harm prevention order was made, both for 10 years.




A 'record-breaking' shark was caught single-handedly by a fearless fisherman - but its place in the history books was washed away when it was thrown back into the sea.

Angler Wayne Comben caught the 15ft long beast three miles south of the Isle of Wight after a titanic two-hour struggle during which he was injured by the predator's long tail.

The huge fish was reeled in on Saturday alongside Mr Comben's boat - aptly named the Thresher - which was only 2ft longer than the predator.

A fearless angler reeled in a record-breaking 350lb monster Thresher shark off the coast of the Isle of Wight

Wayne Comben poses next to his 17ft boat, which just so happens to be named Thresher

The thresher shark was spotted in waters close to where a Great White was repeatedly spotted last month

Using a tried-and-tested method of measuring its length and girth, Mr Comben believes the thresher weighed 350lbs, which would make it 27lbs heavier than the existing British record.

The thresher shark was photographed by Mr Comben's fisherman friend Graeme Pullen and then released safe and well.

But as it swam away its tail fin slapped Wayne across the left shoulder causing him heavy bruising.

Thresher sharks are not normally harmful to humans, although they can cause serious injury with their thrashing tails that they use to stun prey in the sea.

Father-of-one Mr Comben, 50, of Havant, Hampshire, said: 'Threshers are very dangerous and powerful. If you get it wrong you'll end up over the side of the boat.

'They have a huge fin which can cause a lot of damage and very sharp teeth.

'It took me two hours to get the shark to the side of the boat as he made countless runs for it.

'It was an immense, very powerful creature - 350lb of solid muscle.

Mr Comben spots the thresher shark lurking in the water near his boat and immediately tries to catch it

Mr Comben feels the strain of his rod as it bends under the 350lb weight of the thresher shark

'When I released it it slapped me with his fin and gave me a big bruise on my left shoulder. I'm fortunate it was not a full on slap because I would have been knocked unconscious.

'There's something quite thrilling about catching a Thresher. I guess it's the sense of danger.'

Two weeks ago off the south coast a great white shark was spotted several times in the vicinity of nearby Hayling Island, Hants.

Thresher sharks are relatively-rare visitors to UK and are usually found in the warmer waters of the mid-Atlantic.

But it is said that more of them are being attracted to British waters in the summer months due to climate change.

As a case in point, this was the fourth thresher shark Wayne, a water engineer, has caught on his last four fishing outings with other catches including a 300lb whooper.

Graeme, organiser of Youtube's Totally Awesome Fishing Show, said: 'The threshers are everywhere this summer but nobody seems to know why so many sharks are about.

'A lot of the sightings are from jumping fish, as they breach in pursuit of their prey, and even the commercial bass fishermen are seeing threshers busting their gear.

The shark's razor sharp teeth can be seen as it is hauled out of the water by the fearless angler

Mr Comben may soon need a bigger boat,. with Thresher being just two foot longer than the shark

After being brought onto the boat for the sake of a picture, the shark was released back into the water safe and well

'With warm weather continuing, we all wonder what other species of sharks are heading towards our beaches.

'Everything seems to be running a month late from bait fish like mackerel, to the blue sharks that move close to our shores around the end of July.

'Maybe the warmer air temperatures coupled to the arrival of all these thresher sharks will create the perfect storm of sharks with multiple species of sharks turning up at the same time, perhaps coming into our waters all in one rush.

'With all the shark species competing for dwindling food sources there is going to be some competition amongst them, so expect to see more shark fins this summer.'

Mr Comben's catch beat the previous British record of 323lbs which was caught off the coast of Portsmouth in 1982.

However it is only an unofficial British record as it was released and not killed and weighed on land.

The biggest thresher shark caught in the world on rod and line is one that weighed 767lbs off New Zealand in 1983.

The thresher shark - Alopias pelagicus in Latin - are an endangered species which are on the Red List of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) List of Threatened Species.
Jeremy Corbyn flatly dismissed Theresa May's plea for 'grown up' politics to deliver Brexit today.

The Prime Minister insisted the election result showed that voters wanted parties to work together, as she prepares to mark a year in No 10 with a speech tomorrow.

But the Labour leader said Mrs May was effectively accepting she was unable to run the country.

Mrs May made the appeal for cross-party cooperation on issues where they agree - like leaving the EU single market and customs union - at a press conference in Downing Street this afternoon.

'The Government has got an ambitious agenda... to address the big challenges that the country faces,' she said.

'Of course, one of those is getting the Brexit negotiations right, but there are other challenges we face as a country too.

'I think the public will rightly want us to get the broadest possible consensus in looking at those issues.'

The PM, pictured in the Commons today, called on Mr Corbyn to 'contribute' rather than criticise as she prepares to mark a year in No 10 with a speech tomorrow

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn took a swipe at the PM as they faced off in the Commons today, saying she had 'run out of ideas'

But the Labour leader took a swipe at the PM as they faced off in the Commons later, saying she had 'run out of ideas' and demanding a fresh election.

'Let's face it, the Government has run out of steam and at a pivotal moment in our country and the world, amid uncertainty over Brexit, conflict in the Gulf states, nuclear sabre-rattling over North Korea, refugees continuing to flee war and destruction, ongoing pandemics, cross-border terrorism, poverty and inequality, and the impact of climate change are the core global challenges of our time,' he said.

'Just when we need strong Government, we have weakness from this Government.'

Mrs May also jibed at Mr Corbyn after a Tory MP pointed out that the veteran left-winger had voted against or abstained on all counter-terrorism over the decades.

'I look forward to Labour MPs, and indeed others on the benches opposite in this House, coming forward and supporting those counter-terrorism measures when we bring them forward,' she said.

Earlier, Mrs May's deputy Damian Green defended her and insisted the PM was 'doing her duty'.

Mr Green said Mrs May was getting on with her job after her disastrous election gamble wiped out her majority.

Shadow communities secretary Andrew Gwynne said: 'Theresa May has finally come clean and accepted the Government has completely run out of ideas. As a result they're having to beg for policy proposals from Labour.

'They're also brazenly borrowing Labour's campaign slogans. But no-one will be fooled - the Tories are the party of the privileged few.

'This is further evidence that this Government can no longer run the country.'

Mr Green, the First Secretary of State, took to the airwaves today to defend his boss.

Theresa May (pictured at Borough Market with the Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull today) will try to shore up her Premiership by asking Labour for help delivering Brexit

The Premier (pictured with Mr Turnbull on the steps of No 10 today) will call on Mr Corbyn to 'contribute not just criticise' as she marks a year in No 10 with a speech tomorrow.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'It is her duty and she still has the same ambitions for this country as she had a year ago and she's determined to put them into practice for the good of this country, that's what drives her.'

He added: 'She thinks not just that it's her duty but that she has a programme for Britain that encompasses not just a good Brexit deal but also a domestic agenda that will spread prosperity around this country, make this a fairer society, tackle some of the injustices that we still have in our society, and that fire burns within her as strongly as ever.'

Mr Green denied the PM was going cap in hand to Labour because she needed bailing out.

He said it was a 'grown up' response to the unexpected election setback on June 8.

He said: 'We're saying that politicians of all parties, it's not just addressed to Jeremy Corbyn.

'There are big issues facing this country, obviously Brexit is the overwhelming one, but there's counter-terrorism, there's workers' rights - the thing that's very much in the news today with the Matthew Taylor report - issues like the industrial strategy.

'And politicians of all parties are invited to contribute their ideas and that's a grown-up way of doing politics.'

First Secretary of State Damian Green (pictured outside No 10 last month) today defended the PM's call to Labour for help in delivering Brexit as the PM 'doing her duty'

Mr Corbyn's Labour dismissed the proposal out of hand today, 24 hours before Mrs May even makes her speech.

Mrs May is seeking to shore up her leadership amid renewed speculation she could face a challenge within months.

Former Tory chief whip Andrew Mitchell did not deny a reports yesterday that he told a private meeting of MPs that the PM had lost all authority and must quit.

Downing Street has also been forced to deny rumours she could quit this summer.

Justice Secretary David Lidington yesterday urged Tory plotters to calm down, saying rumours were being fuelled by MPs who had enjoyed 'too much sun and too much warm prosecco' at summer parties in Westminster.

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said the vast majority of MPs understood that provoking a leadership challenge would be a disaster.

Mrs May's attempt to shore up her position comes after Justice Secretary David Lidington (pictured yesterday on the Andrew Marr show) played down rumours of plots to oust her

In a speech tomorrow, Mrs May will insist that her desire to continue in office is 'undimmed' despite last month's shattering election result, which saw her surrender her Commons majority.

But she will also acknowledge her weakened position in Parliament, with an appeal to Labour to help deliver 'bold' reforms.

She will say Britain faces a period of 'great national change' in the wake of last year's Brexit vote.

But she insists she retains an 'unshakeable sense of purpose' to build a fairer country.

Some ministers fear they could be left presiding over a 'zombie parliament' unable to agree on anything.

Her appeal to Jeremy Corbyn (pictured in Durham on Saturday) and Labour will be seen as 'high-risk' and an attempt to stop the Government's legislative programme from being halted

But the Prime Minister will urge other parties to co-operate on a range of issues, including Brexit.

Mrs May will acknowledge that the election result was 'not what I wanted', and has left her facing 'a rather different reality' in Parliament.

She says it is vital for the Tories to 'win the battle of ideas, both in Parliament and the country'.

But she will add: 'I say to the other parties in the House of Commons, come forward with your own views on how we can tackle these challenges as a country.

'We may not agree on everything, but through debate and discussion ideas can be clarified and improved and a better way forward found.

'It is in that spirit that we will take this agenda forward in the months ahead.' Mrs May will say that Britain is at a 'critical time in our history'.

And she will warn her party that it faces a choice between being 'timid or bold'.

'We can play it safe, or we can strike out with renewed courage and vigour, making the case for our ideas and values and challenging our opponents to contribute, not just criticise,' she will say.

The appeal to Labour will be seen as a high-risk strategy designed to prevent the Government's legislative programme grinding to a halt.

The acknowledgement that Mrs May could need opposition support to drive through her programme will underline fears that she may be forced to compromise on aspects of Brexit.

Her speech tomorrow will be delivered as she launches the Taylor report on the so-called gig economy, which is expected to call for stronger rights for people in insecure jobs.

She will cite it as an example of the kind of issue where political parties can work together.

But ahead of the publication of the Repeal Bill on Thursday, ex-culture minister Ed Vaizey yesterday wrote an article with Labour MP Rachel Reeves calling for compromise over the role of the court  allowing the UK to continue participating in the Euratom treaty, governing nuclear co-operation.

Theresa May agreed an extra 1 billion in funding for Northern Ireland in return for DUP support on key votes at Westminster, but Green Party campaigner Ciaran McClean says the deal breaches the terms of the Bribery Act.
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This is the dramatic moment a runner was knocked unconscious when a rampaging bull hooked its horns around his waist and then trampled him.

The tip of the animal's left horn narrowly missed the back of the man's neck as he was picked up and carried along Pamplona's famous Estafeta Street.

Footage shows the runner colliding into another man while he was in the air on the end of the bull's horn before smashing into a third as he was dumped on the ground. Slowed-down video showed just how close the animal's spike came to damaging his vital organs.

Lucky escape: Dramatic footage captures the moment a runner was knocked unconscious when a rampaging bull hooked its horns around his waist and then trampled him. He is shown (in a blue jacket) being pushed through the streets by the bull this morning

The tip of the animal's left horn narrowly missed the back of the man's neck as he was picked up and carried along Pamplona's famous Estafeta Street

Footage shows the runner colliding into another man while he was in the air on the end of the bull's horn before smashing into a third as he was dumped unceremoniously on the ground

A bull leaps over revellers in the bull ring following the fourth running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain this morning

A 'mozo' or runner protects himself after falling down in front of the bulls from Fuente Ymbro bull rampage towards the bullring at the end of the fourth 'encierro' or bull run of the Sanfermines Festival 2017 in Pamplona, Spain

Incredibly, a hospital spokesman said later his injuries seemed only 'light' after he was pulled to safety unconscious by concerned runners around him and taken away by paramedics with bruising to his face.

The dramatic incident happened on the fourth run - or encierro in Spanish - of Pamplona's popular San Fermines festival.

For the second day running there were no gore injuries and only two people including the man at the centre of the Estafeta Street drama were reported immediately after the run to have been taken to hospital.

Today's hospital injury tally brought the total so far from the four runs that have now taken place this year to 20.

The other man hurt this morning was knocked to the ground by a bull inside the bullring near the end of the half-mile course.

For the second day running there were no gore injuries and only two people including the man at the centre of the Estafeta Street drama were reported immediately after the run to have been taken to hospital

Today's hospital injury tally brought the total so far from the four runs that have now taken place this year to 20

Today's near-miss was the most dramatic since Saturday's horror when a 22-year-old American was gored before being dragged along the ground and trampled by a pack of fighting bulls.

He has since been named as Californian Jordan Capra, 22.

The American, who lives in Paris and travelled to Pamplona with a British freelance writer, told a local paper from his hospital bed: 'Nothing's broken and it's just the skin, flesh and muscle. I can't feel part of my arm and I'm worried it may have affected my nerve endings.

'But I can move it. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. I'll definitely be left with a nice scar.'

Later today famed one-eyed bullfighter Juan Jose Padilla is due to face two of the bulls that did the morning run.

Padilla, who lost his eye in May 2011 after a bull gored him during a bullfight in Zaragoza, is one of the San Fermines festival's star attractions.

Today's near-miss was the most dramatic since Saturday's horror when a 22-year-old American was gored before being dragged along the ground and trampled by a pack of fighting bulls

The morning bull-runs and the bullfights in the afternoon are the highlights of the nine-day festival, which attracts a huge number of foreign tourists

An elderly man cowers on the ground as bulls rampage past him having chosen to take part in the fourth day of bull running in Pamplona, Spain

Taking risks: An injured man receives assistance on the street at the end of the running of the bulls at the San Fermin Festival, in Pamplona

The bulls hardly broke stride as they ploughed through crowds of bull runners in Pamplona this morning

A fast-paced running of the bulls left two people injured at Spain's San Fermin festival on Monday, officials said. There were no gorings on the fourth day of the bull runs

A man is tossed into the air by a young wild cow as revellers torment the animal during an event in a bull ring in Pamplona, Spain

The man was sent spinning through the air after being flipped over by a young cow. The incident happened on the fourth day of festivities in the Spanish town

Assistant bullfighter Pablo Saugar was left seriously injured in yesterday afternoon's bullfight after being gored in the stomach. He had a life-saving operation after the drama.

The morning bull-runs and the bullfights in the afternoon are the highlights of the nine-day festival, which attracts a huge number of foreign tourists.

Sixteen runners taking part in the morning encierros have been killed at the annual festival, made famous by 1926 Ernest Hemingway novel 'The Sun Also Rises', since records began in 1910.

The most recent death was in 2009 when 27-year-old Daniel Jimeno, from Madrid, was gored in the neck by a bull called Capuchino.

The run along the 930-yard cobbled-street course lasted 2 minutes, 19 seconds, the fastest so far. Five people- four Americans and a Spaniard- have been gored since the bull runs started Friday

Two injured men, both Spaniards, were taken to a Pamplona hospital but neither is in serious condition, Red Cross spokesman Jose Aldaba said

Hundreds of people test their bravery and speed to dash through the streets with six fighting bulls without getting gored

The bulls face matadors and almost certain death in afternoon bullfights. Bull runs are a traditional part of summer festivals across Spain
Phillip Harkins (pictured) is accused of killing Joshua Hayes in 1999

A Scottish man wanted over a fatal shooting in 1999 has lost his final appeal in Britain's longest-running extradition battle.

Phillip Harkins, 38, has been fighting against his transfer to the US to face the charge since 2003, but The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled against his final attempt to remain in the UK earlier today.

Harkins, originally from Greenock, Inverclyde, was indicted for murder after Joshua Hayes was killed by a gunshot wound to the head during a robbery in Jacksonville, Florida.

He denied any involvement and has contested his extradition since it was requested by US authorities in March 2003.

Harkins, who had been released on bail, returned to Scotland in 2002 but was jailed the following year for killing a woman in a road crash in Greenock.

After losing a number of attempts to block his extradition, Harkins took his case to the European Court of Human Rights where he successfully petitioned for a final hearing.

The European Court of Human Rights (pictured) in Strasbourg turned down his final appeal earlier today

He had previously argued that if extradited 'he risked the death penalty or a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole'.

His lawyers said that it would be a breach of his human rights to send him back to the US.

The court declared both complaints inadmissible and said its decision was final.
Jihadi punk rocker Sally Jones will 'never leave the caliphate', despite friends last week revealing that the woman wanted to return to Britain.

The terror recruiter, nicknamed the 'White Widow', was thought to be desperate to return home from Raqqa, ISIS's de-facto capital in Syria, which is currently under siege by US-backed coalition forces.

But a friend in Raqqa said that Jones will stay with ISIS 'until she dies', adding that she 'doesn't want to go anywhere'.

Jihadi Punk Rocker Sally Jones was thought to be desperate to return home from Raqqa, ISIS's de-facto capital in Syria, which is currently under siege by US-backed coalition forces

A friend in Raqqa said that Jones will stay with ISIS 'until she dies', adding that she 'doesn't want to go anywhere'. The friend, named only as Aisha, said that Jones recently fled Raqqa for the eastern city al-Mayadeen

The friend, named only as Aisha, said that Jones recently fled Raqqa for the eastern city al-Mayadeen.

The woman told The Times, said: 'I am full of admiration for her. Muslims from the outside are not like us.

'A convert will catch Islam tightly and not let it go. Because she is a Muslim she will come here and never leave.

'She ran to al-Mayadeen, but she told me she would stay until she dies. She doesn't want to go anywhere.'

Jones fled Britain to join ISIS back in 2013 alongside toyboy lover Junaid Hussain, taking her then-nine-year-old son JoJo with her.

The 12-year-old boy - now named Hamza - is believed to have been forced to execute prisoners during his time there after being brainwashed.

Hussain was killed in 2015 aged 21 in a US drone strike.

It has been claimed Jones is using Hamza as human shield in an attempt to stop the US from carrying out a similar strike on her.

Jones, 50, from Kent, is a high priority on the Pentagon's 'kill list' because she is believed to have masterminded dozens of terror plots.

Jones fled Britain to join ISIS back in 2013 alongside toyboy lover Junaid Hussain (pictured), taking her then-nine-year-old son JoJo with her

Last week a friend also called Aisha - though it's unclear if it is the same woman who spoke to The Times - told Sky News about Jones' desire to return to Britain.

'She was crying and wants to get back to Britain but ISIS is preventing her because she is now a military wife,' she said. 'She told me she wish to go to her country.'

Relatives fear it may be too late for Hamza to return to life in Britain after gruesome footage emerged purportedly showing the boy shooting prisoners in the head.

Responding to the reports, family insiders said Sally 'only does what she wants' and they could never forgive her for leaving.

'I don't think she quite understands the position she has put herself in,' the source added. 'Perhaps she does now she's on the losing side.

'We all have choices in life and she's made hers. She had no right to take her son with her. He was only nine when she went over there.

'She's unfathomable. She does what she wants to do and it doesn't matter about anyone else.

'I will never forgive her for what she has done. Not just her but what she did to her sons, both of them.'

They also condemned 'sick statements' posted on Twitter after the death of Fusilier Lee Rigby, in which she said she wanted to behead Christians with a blunt knife.

A prolific social media user, Jones has used various Twitter accounts to issue terror threats against Britain

Loved ones have previously told of how 'beautiful and intelligent' Jones lost her way to drugs, before becoming warped by extremist ideologies.

She met Birmingham-based Hussain, who was once jailed for hacking Tony Blair's address book, online where she would reportedly discuss conspiracy theories and black magic in forums.

A prolific social media user, she has used various Twitter accounts to issue terror threats against Britain.

In May 2016 an account claiming to be Jones posted: 'To be honest I wouldn't go into Central London through June. Or even July. Well to be honest I wouldn't go there at all, especially by Tube.'

Further Tweets made statements such as 'England... Boom' and 'London-Glasgow-Wales Booooom!'

US-backed forced in Syria breached ISIS defenses surrounding the city's Old City this week as they move to take the terror group's de-facto capital.

The breakthrough was described as the most significant advance so-far in the weeks-old battle to drive ISIS out.

It came shortly before Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi hailed a 'big victory' in Mosul, as troops pushed to wipe out 300 jihadis still holed up in the Old City there.

Iraqi government forces have been fighting for months to recapture the country's second-city from ISIS, with at least 2,000 ISIS fighters killed.
The Field Museum Is Launching Another Historic Beer, Inspired By Ancient China

By Anthony Todd in Food on Jul 10, 2017 8:58PM



The final product! Photo courtesy of the Field Museum.

The Field Museum's beer program is one of the most fun things going on in the Chicago brewing world right now. In partnership with Off Color Brewing, the museum has launched a beer inspired by Sue, a pink brew from an ancient Peruvian recipe, and now a beer inspired by a Chinese tomb.

According to a release, the new beer (called QingMing), was influenced by evidence of "sacchrificaton," the process of converting starch to sugar, found inside of Chinese tombs from about 1600 BCE. Off Color Brewmaster John Laffler told the Sun-Times that they also found evidence of "ingredients including hemp seeds, osmanthus flowers, honey and more."

Laffler modified his equipment to get as close to the ancient process as he possibly could, though some ingredients weren't FDA-approved for beer. Flavors include peach, tea, lemon rind and bubblegum.

The beer will debut on July 13 at Hop To It, a special evening event featuring a talk by Laffler, Gary Feinman, Curator of East Asian Anthropology and Jamie Kelly, Head of Anthropological Collections. Light appetizers will be served and, of course, you'll get to taste the new beer. Tickets are $40. The beer will be available more widely starting on July 14.
Remain campaigner Gina Miller was left 'scared' and 'violated' by a pro-Brexit Viscount, who offered 5,000 to someone who would run her over, a court heard.

Rhodri Colwyn Philipps, also known as the 4th Viscount St Davids, also allegedly called the millionaire campaigner a 'bloody troublesome first generation immigrant' in a series of Facebook posts.

The aristocrat is standing trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court where he is accused of three counts of 'racially aggravated malicious communications' over social media posts between September 11 and November 7, 2016.

He claimed the Facebook posts were 'political comment or satire'.

But Ms Miller, who said she received numerous death threats and racial slurs, was angered by Phillips' comments.

Gina Miller (pictured today) was allegedly abused online by the 4th Viscount St Davids, Rhodri Philipps (right) who allegedly offered 5,000 for someone to 'run over' the anti-Brexit supporter

The business owner, who ran a charity foundation and brought the Brexit legal case, told the court: 'This challenge has not been popular with supporters of the EU exit.

'I have received a series of threats. These threats have also been extended to family members and staff who work for me.

'Threats have been made over numerous social media accounts. The content of the threats vary widely.

'The most serious state I should be shot in the head, and left in a bin. There have been numerous racial slurs made against me.

'All of this abuse and the threats have made me feel very scared about my personal safety and that of my family.

'The words contained in this post generally shocked me, and made me feel violated, upset and angry. Racist and hateful words about me.

'Due to the nature of this post, I was extremely concerned someone would threaten to run over me as bounty. And I took this seriously.

Philipps (pictured today) is accused of making 'a Facebook post of a menacing nature' about Ms Miller, 51, on November 7 2016 - four days after the High Court ruled that Parliament must vote before the government could trigger Article 50

'This is one of the main reasons I take my own personal security so seriously, and why I employ a professional company to protect me.'

Philipps is accused of making 'a Facebook post of a menacing nature' about Ms Miller - four days after the High Court ruled that Parliament must vote before the government could trigger Article 50.

On November 7 last year, he allegedly wrote a post related to an article headlined 'Gina Miller clashes with Nigel Farage on TV over Brexit law challenge'.

The court heard Philipps wrote: '5,000 for the first person to 'accidentally' run over this bloody troublesome first generation immi-grant.

'This f*****g boat jumper come to this country, then believes she knows better than the people of our country, what is best for us.

'If this what we should expect from immigrants, send them back to their stinking jungles.'

Matthew Steeples, who flagged up the post, described Philipps as an 'acquaintance' he had known for ten years.

In a statement, he said he was 'shocked' after he saw the post about his friend Ms Miller on November 12.

He sent her a screen shot, and later forwarded screen shots of the comments about Mr Sube.

The aristocrat is standing trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court where he is accused of three counts of 'racially aggravated malicious communications' over social media posts between September 11 and November 7 2016

Giving evidence, Philipps said: 'Ms Miller, if you look at her motivation, she is already distressed by November the 9th.

'She is the master of self promotion.

'There were 21 other people arrested. I seem to have been the only person who has been charged.'

Two months before, on September 11, he posted about an article headlined 'Immigrant who turned down 'small' five-bed house may have more kids'.

Philip Stott, prosecuting, said: 'It related to a man called Arnold Sube, said to be an immigrant, who was featured in a picture with his family, including eight children, above the headline.'

Philipps wrote: 'Please will someone 'smoke' this ghastly insult to our country.

'Why should I pay tax to feed these monkeys. A returns to Planet of the apes is not acceptable.

'Doubtless some horrid do gooder will take this post down. I'll count the minutes.'

The same day, he wrote: 'I will open the bidding. 2,000 in cash for the first person to carve Arnold Sube into pieces. Piece of shit.'

All three messages were posted using his Facebook account, which uses his 'Viscount St Davids' title and picture.

Mr Stott told Westminster Magistrates' Court: 'Lord St Davids accepts sending all three messages.'

He was arrested at home on January 25 over the Ms Miller post.

Philipps told officers, 'This is about the Gina Miller thing isn't it - I knew it', the court heard.

According to a previous court hearing, the post allegedly read: '5,000 For the first person to 'accidentally' run over this bloody troublesome first generation immigrant.'

Following the discovery of the two posts about Mr Sube, he was interviewed on March 29.

Mr Stott said: 'In his interviews, Lord St Davids accepted sending the messages in question, but denied that they were of a menacing character, that he intended them to be menacing, or that he was aware at the time of a risk that a rea-sonable member of the public might find them menacing.

'He stated that he found Ms Miller and Mr Sube's actions as reported in the various news articles to be extremely infur-iating, and stood by what he had written, which had been by way of political comment or satire.

'He denied being a racist, and stated that he had a number of friends and acquaintances of different races and reli-gions to his own.

'He said that he had his privacy settings on Facebook set at a high level so that only his Facebook 'friends' would see what he wrote, and he stated that none of his Facebook 'friends ' would have found his posts to be menacing, and that a large number in fact liked them.'

In his second interview, Philipps suggested his messages were jokes that 'no-one could have found menacing', the prosecutor said.

The post about Ms Miller came to light after it was seen by Matthew Steeples, a Facebook friend of Philipps.

Mr Steeples was a friend of Ms Miller, and a passed screen shot onto her.

Philipps, of Knightsbridge, central London, denies three counts of sending by public communication network a men-acing message.

The trial continues.
This is the bizarre moment a bendy bus making a routine journey split in half leaving passengers clambering for the exit doors.

Footage from the extended vehicle shows riders alerted by an eerie screeching noise from the breaks.

Seconds after a female passenger looks down at the pivoting joint, the front of the bus dramatically breaks off from the back.

A female passenger looks at the pivot before it breaks off, cutting the bus in two

As the vehicle tips to the ground the roof of the bus flaps over the gaping hole and screaming passengers move for the back door, trying to avoid the debris that had sprayed along the aisle.

The incident occurred in Palhoca in southern Brazil on Friday as the bus was taking its typical journey.

The clip was filmed on a mobile phone at the back of the articulated bus and shows some seated and others clutching poles as the vehicle seemingly moves off from a stop.

Debris flies around and the roof flaps onto the gap. After, the passengers clamber for the exit

Social media users expressed their shock at the terrifying footage.

One wrote: 'Never be in the middle of the bus.'

Another said: 'I've always been afraid to stay in those buses  now I know why!'

One social media user added: 'How are they so calm?'
The driver of a car involved in a horror highway crash that killed a seven-year-old boy and his mother is charged with dangerous driving.

Julie Bullock, 49, and her son Hudson died at the scene, and twin sister Sienna was seriously injured after their car was hit on the outskirts of Sydney in March.

The head-on crash happened shortly before 8am in the southbound lanes of the Hume Motorway, about 1km south of Picton Road, as they were driving to Wollondilly Anglican School.

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Julie Bullock, 49, an occupational therapist, died at the scene of the crash on Hume Highway

Her son Hudson (L) died at the scene, and twin sister Sienna (R) was seriously injured after their car was hit on the way to school

The 49-year-old driver of the second car, which cut through the median strip on to the wrong side of the highway, faces court on September 5 on four charges.

The woman was on Monday issued a summons for two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and negligent driving occasioning death.

She was trapped in her Holden Astra for some time before she was cut free and taken to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition, and his since recovered.

Ms Bullock, an occupational therapist formerly at a children's clinic in nearby Picton, and her son are survived by her husband Darren and their adult daughter Maddison.

A fatal crash on Sydney's Hume Motorway left two people dead, including a seven-year-old boy

A 49-year-old woman was among the dead after the crash on Tuesday morning

Mother and son were laid to rest two weeks later with Ms Bullock's husband Darren (L) giving a heartbreaking eulogy.

Darren, who was not in the car, rushed to The Children's Hospital to be with daughter Sienna.

A witness to the fatal collision described his horror as he watched a silver Holden Astra slam into the Picton family's Mazda 4WD.

He and other motorists, including a trained nurse, rushed to help the victims - young Hudson passing out while in the arms of the unnamed witness.

'We were trying as hard as we could to keep the little boy alive and awake but he went unconscious on us,' he told The Daily Telegraph.

'There was nothing we could do.

'Some of the guys who had stopped jumped down and cut the kids out because they were both trapped upside down,' the witness said.

A seven-year-old girl - reportedly the deceased boy's twin sister - and another 49-year-old woman are fighting for their lives in hospital

The head-on crash happened shortly before 8am in the southbound lanes of the Hume Motorway, about 1km south of Picton Road, police said

A truck was seen removing one of the cars involved in the deadly crash 100km south of Sydney

A truck-driver freed Ms Bullock by pulling the dashboard off and she was able to pull herself out of the totalled car where people attempted to apply medical aid.

Another witness said he and other motorists, including a trained nurse, rushed to help the victims after one of the vehicles was seen driving across the grass median strip and crashing into the other car.

Hudson and Sienna were transported to hospital with serious injuries, but the boy could not be saved and died on arrival at Liverpool Hospital.

Sienna was transported in critical condition with chest and head injuries to the Children's Hospital at Westmead.

This picture reportedly shows one of the vehicles in the aftermath of the deadly crash

A 49-year-old woman also died, while a seven-year-old girl and another 49-year-old woman are fighting for their lives in hospital, police said

Earlier on Tuesday, police incorrectly stated that the second woman had also passed. A spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that the second 49-year-old is still alive

Mother and son were laid to rest two weeks later with Ms Bullock's husband Darren giving a heartbreaking eulogy.

'Goodbye my friends Hold each other tight. We will all cuddle again one day,' he said.

He embraced his adult children as his loved ones' coffins - painted white and pale blue - were placed in hearses parked out the front of St Johns Anglican Church in the centre of town.

The funeral service was told how Mrs Bullock, described as dedicated to helping children, would light up any room she walked into with her 'sunshine' and laughter.

The ceremony heard stories about Hudson from his peers at Wollondilly Anglican High School in messages read out by the school's principal.

The coffins - painted white and pale blue - were placed in hearses parked out the front of St Johns Anglican Church in the centre of town

A loved one of Ms Bullock breaks down as she kisses the coffin during the service

Mr Bullock embraced his children and friends at the end of the funeral ceremony

The little boy would stand up to people when they were being 'mean' and was described as kind, polite and keenly intelligent. His relatives remembered the boy as 'The Prof', or the professor.

Heartbroken tributes over the family's loss were posted to social media.

'Today we all lost an amazing lady who helped our community so much and also sadly lost one of her twins while her little girl fights for her life,' one friend wrote.

'Julie Bullock you did so much for Jacob being his Occupational Therapist for all that time. I know you'll be in heaven with your little man. We'll pray for your little princess. My condolences go to your family.'

Wollondilly Anglican School headmaster Stuart Quamby told The Daily Telegraph that the tragedy had stunned the local community.

'The kids were and are very well loved by the community and the school,' Mr Quamby said.

'He (Hudson) was a great little kid and his sister (Sienna) is a terrific kid as well.

The local community has rallied around the family, raising more than $38,000 to help the Bullocks on donation website GoFundMe for medical and funeral bills - a stunning sum that blew organisers away.

The funeral service was told how Mrs Bullock, described as dedicated to helping children, would light up any room she walked into with her 'sunshine' and laughter

The ceremony also heard stories about Hudson from his peers at Wollondilly Anglican High School in messages read out by the school's principal

Hundreds of mourners showed up to the funeral to farewell Ms Bullock and her son Hudson

Police are still yet to say what caused the crash, with the details likely to come out once court proceedings begin in September.

Chief Inspector Mick Pearsall told 9 News at the time that while 'all accidents are difficult but when there's young children involved it affect's everyone'.

'It's very difficult for me to say at this stage how it occurred.'

A caller to Sydney's 2GB radio described seeing a car's tyre marks leading from the northbound lanes of the highway through the centre nature strip and on to the southbound lane.

Aerial footage showed more than a dozen emergency officials attending the scene of the crash, with 5km-long queues formed from the accident.

The Hume Motorway is part of the Hume Highway, one of the main traffic links between Sydney and Melbourne.
The tragic fire which killed a mother and her three young children was started after the youngsters tried to charge an iPad.

Aneesa Umerji, 40, her two sons Hammad, 12, and Yusuf, 10, and five-year-old daughter Khadija died after the blaze at their home in Bolton, Greater Manchester.

Fierce flames swept through the terraced house and Mrs Umerji's husband, Zubair, jumped from a first floor window as the blaze tore through the home.

Neighbours said the fire started when a heater was accidentally turned on by the children who were trying to charge the popular tablet device.

Firefighters inspected the damage inside the building just hours after the blaze on Saturday

Firefighters and emergency services were called to a terrace house at around 9am on Saturday

Grieving neighbours and friends laid floral tributes close to the Bolton property after the fire

A touching card was left at the scene to pay tribute to the family members who were tragically killed

In a statement released through the Bolton Council of Mosques, the family said the fire was accidental and was caused by a halogen heater.

They said: 'We are aware that all the emergency services did everything they could to rescue the family members and we appreciate their efforts.'

Mr Umerji was taken to hospital after jumping from the first floor window and then attempting to get smash his way back into the house to save his trapped family.

Tragically, he could not get through, and relatives are understood to be comforting and supporting him in hospital.

The family were said to be in 'total shock' following the tragic incident on Saturday morning.

Local residents told the Manchester Evening News they heard the blaze started after the older children charging the iPad in the front room accidentally switched on a heater.

This, they say, set fire to nearby furniture and quickly ripped through the house.

The family statement added: 'The families are in total shock at the events of Saturday morning where an accidental fire caused by a halogen heater led to the sad fatalities of Aneesa, Hammad, Yusuf and Khadija.

'We are also humbled and overwhelmed with the support received from the wider community of Bolton and surrounding towns.

'We are very grateful to BCOM for their continued support in our difficult time. The families are still trying to come to terms with what has happened and are focused on offering support to each other.

'We respectfully request that you all pray for the departed and allow the families to come to terms with their tragic loss.

'Thank you once again for everyone's kind words and support, they have provided much-needed strength in these very testing times.'

One of the children was pronounced dead at the scene in the Daubhill area of the town at about 9am.

Mrs Umerji, 40, and her two other children died later in hospital.

Senior firefighter Tony Hunter, assistant county fire officer with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said fire crews found Mr Umerji 'distraught' at the scene.

The father managed to escape by jumping from a window of the terraced house and desperately tried to get back in to save his family

Photographs from the scene appeared to show the house completely gutted out, with fire damage to both floors

Surrounding roads were closed off and there was a large presence of police, paramedics and firefighters at the scene

The children's father had tried to bash the front door down with his fists, but did not mange to break through until after firefighters arrived and helped him

He said: 'We found a man who had jumped from the first floor window, straight through the window on to concrete,' he said.

'He got up and then was smashing his hands through the glass of the ground floor window. He was breaking the windows with his hands. He was covered in cuts.

'He was absolutely distraught, screaming his wife and children were in there.'

Mr Hunter said it took four firefighters and specialist equipment to break the front door down.

He described the fire as intense and revealed the heat had stripped plaster away from the walls.

It is understood the family attend the Jamia Darul Quran Masjid mosque on Bridgeman Street in the Deane area of Bolton.

Among the flood of tributes was one from Bolton boxer Amir Khan, who is in India at the moment.

He said: 'It's with sadness this tragic event has happened and upon my return I will try and help the family any way I can.

'I read about the tragedy on social media and immediately got in touch with BCOM to offer my help to the family.

'I have them in all my prayers and depending on my travel plans will try my best to attend the funerals.'

Police have described the circumstances around the fire as 'utterly heartbreaking' and confirmed an investigation was continuing. It is not being treated as suspicious.
A heartbroken girlfriend attacker her boyfriend's fan after she saw a picture of him allegedly celebrating the birth of his secret baby with his mistress on Facebook.

Antonia Chinn, 50, said she found out about her ex-partner's newborn when a friend showed her the picture of him in the hospital delivery room cradling the girl.

She went to confront Nathan Wilmott at his garage in Southover, Somerset, found another woman who claimed to be with him and kicked his van - landing her in court.

Antonia Chinn (left) found out about her ex-partner Nathan Wilmott's (right) newborn when a friend showed her a Facebook photo of him in the hospital delivery room cradling the baby girl

But Miss Chinn, who had to pay just 50 compensation after admitting criminal damage, insisted she would 'do it again' and Mr Wilmott got what he deserved.

The shop owner from Wells said: 'I was heartbroken when I saw that picture of him and the baby. He was the person I wanted to be with forever - so it did hurt.

'I didn't go down there to cause trouble, but I was really wound up, so I did kick the van. But I don't regret what I did. He deserved it - I'd do it again.'

Details of the incident on April 22 emerged at Somerset Magistrates' Court in Yeovil, where mother-of-five Miss Chinn pleaded guilty to criminal damage.

Miss Chinn, pictured at the Glastonbury music festival in Somerset with a friend, had to pay just 50 compensation after admitting criminal damage

Mr Willmott is pictured with Only Fools and Horses actor John Challis, who played Boycie, at Webbs Garage in Southover, Somerset, where he works

Greg Peters, defending, said she was in a shop in March when somebody came up to her and said: 'Congrats on your baby.'

Ms Chinn was left heartbroken after trying for a baby with her partner of five years

'The person then showed her a post on Facebook from Mr Wilmott in the delivery room holding a baby,' he said.

Miss Chinn went to Webbs Garage in Southover to confront Mr Wilmott - and found another woman there who also claimed to be in a relationship with him.

Mr Peters said: 'Confused, she went to her partner's garage with the intention of finding out what was going on and whilst there she met another lady who said she was also in a relationship with the complainant.

'She became angry and accepts remonstrating with her partner when he returned in his tow truck and kicked out at it. Mr Wilmott grabbed hold of her and there was a tussle between both of them.'

Mr Wilmott claimed the small dent to the side of a recovery vehicle would cost 2,400 to repair. But, after hearing her story, magistrates told her to pay just 50.

Speaking after the hearing, Miss Chinn revealed she had been dating Mr Wilmott for five years.

Miss Chinn, who had her children with a previous husband, claimed they were trying for a baby themselves and had even seen IVF specialists.

When Ms Chinn went to confront Mr Wilmott (pictured) at his garage in Somerset, she was furious to discover a third woman with him - and kicked a small dent in the front of his van

They split up at the end of last year - meaning he must have been cheating on her when his lover's baby was conceived, Miss Chinn claims.

'It didn't matter whether he was seeing anybody at that point, because I'd already broken up with him,' she said.

'What hurt was the fact he'd been sleeping with other people while he was with me - I was gutted.'

Describing when she confronted him, Miss Chinn said: 'I said to him, are you sure it's a picture of Nathan? And he said yeah, and he showed me the picture and it was him.'

She added: '(My children) don't see their own dad anymore, so they came to think of Nathan as their dad.'

Miss Chinn went to Webbs Garage in Southover, Somerset, to confront Mr Wilmott and she found another woman there who also claimed to be in a relationship with him

Mr Wilmott has accused Miss Chinn of harassing her - but she denies this and insists she wants to put the relationship behind her.

'He keeps claiming that I'm harassing him, but I'm just not interested,' said Antonia, who runs a clothes shop. I've moved on.

'I've met someone else - and as far as I'm aware, he's now living with that woman he's had the baby with. Surely it would make sense if we left each other alone now.'

Wilmott today stressed that he and Miss Chinn were no longer in a relationship when the child in question was born.

Miss Chinn also accepts that their relationship had ended by the time the baby was born - but claims she was still seeing Wilmott at the time the baby would have been conceived.
A Coast Guard commander has been charged after he was accused of running down his neighbor during a fight over noisy go-karts.

The shocking incident happened on a Gold Coast street and was captured on CCTV, with footage showing a man being flattened by a four-wheel-drive.

Local Commander Ken Stanley, 65, allegedly ran down neighbour Bruce Pinkerton, 57, due to a feud over go-karts being ridden in their street.

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The shocking moment a man (pictured, right) was rammed by a 4WD (pictured) on a Gold Coast street was captured on CCTV

Mr Pinkerton (pictured) suffered permanent shin injuries after being mowed down by a 4WD

It is feared that the alleged victim (pictured) will be unable to work driving a taxi ever again

Mr Stanley's (pictured) will appear in court in August and is expected to argue that he did not intentionally hit the victim, 57-year-old taxi driver Bruce Pinkerton

Mr Pinkerton suffered a broken leg and had undergone surgery, Nine News reported.

'It's just lucky that no-one was killed,' Mr Pinkerton said.

The victim of the attack is a taxi driver and suffered permanent shin injuries that mean he may never be able to work behind the wheel again.

'He's [Mr Pinkerton] actually bedridden, in copious amounts of pain, can't even get up to go to the toilet,' the alleged victim's friend Deeann Evans told 7News.

After reviewing CCTV footage police (pictured on the scene) charged senior Coast Guard commander Ken Stanley, 65, with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and common assault

The alleged attack was sparked by a dispute over noisy go-karts (pictured) on a Gold Coast street

'He's a total mess.'

CCTV footage shows the 4WD reversing before suddenly accelerating into the 57-year-old while a second person jumps out of the vehicle's path.

Pinkerton can then be seen moving behind the 4WD, and a torch flies onto the side of the road.

'After he hit me, I fell over and I hit my head and I don't know whether it was adrenaline or whether the fracture in my leg hadn't completely fractured across yet or whatever, but I jumped up and tried to grab him through the window and tried to drag him out of the car,' Mr Pinkerton said.

Mr Stanley has been charged with the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and common assault, and will appear in court next month.

A lawyer for the accused claimed his client did not intentionally run over Mr Pinkerton.

The Coast Guard official refused to comment on the incident.
A couple whose disabled son started moving his eyes after taking the same drug being denied to Charlie Gard said today he must get the chance to try it.

Maxwell Smith has similar strain of mitochondrial disease to Charlie and his condition has improved since starting nucleoside therapy.

His parents Emma and Peter called experts across the world who suggested experimental drugs from the US, and say it is 'working well' for their son.

Mr Smith became tearful on ITV's This Morning today as he described how it has changed his little boy's life.

He said: 'My son hadn't moved his eyes for three and half to four years and then he started around three to four weeks ago.

'Every night I pray and thank God he has been given this medication'.

Peter Smith became emotional today when he spoke of how his son started to move his eyes after taking the drug being denied to Charlie Gard

Maxwell Smith has similar strain of mitochondrial disease to Charlie and although he is very poorly his condition has improved since starting nucleoside therapy

He added: 'If he [Charlie] does have the treatment then imagine the information we will have'.

THERAPY AT CENTRE OF DEBATE OVER WHETHER CHARLIE CAN BE HELPED By Sam Greenhill and Alison Smith-Squire for the Daily Mail The treatment Charlie Gard's parents long to try is a drug called nucleosides therapy. It replaces deoxynucleosides, which are naturally produced in healthy people, to repair DNA. It has never been tested on anyone with the rare strain of mitochondrial disease Charlie suffers, but has had some success on patients with a similar strain. Despite its experimental nature, Charlie's parents believe it must be worth a try. But doctors said it would only cause him more pain, and the High Court agreed. Now the court has been asked to think again. The debate involves two issues  if the disease itself can be treated, and whether there is any point in trying to do so if Charlie is brain-damaged. Today's High Court hearing is about whether the therapy has a chance of reaching Charlie's brain by crossing the 'blood-brain barrier', which separates the blood stream from the brain's fluids. The court had ruled there was 'no evidence' it could do so. But seven international scientists wrote a letter last week declaring there was actually 'substantial direct and indirect evidence clearly demonstrating' that the drug can cross the blood-brain barrier. Advertisement

The treatment coats 13,000 a year for a child and the powder is fed to patients mixed with milk or water.

His mother Emma, said: 'I think absolutely that Charlie should have the opportunity [to travel to America].

'Unless he has the chance to try the medication then how else will we know if it works.

'We don't know if it will work but give him the opportunity.

Maxwell appeared to be a normal healthy child until he fell ill aged nine months old and became unable to breathe for himself.

The nucleoside therapy that has helped him has never been tried on a child with same rare strain of mitochondrial disease as Charlie Gard.

A Judge will today be asked by Charlie's parents to stop Great Ormond Street ending his life and give them three months to try the drug.

Following weeks of emotional highs and lows, Charlie Gards fate will finally be decided after a hearing in the High Court in London at 2pm today.

In a moving press conference yesterday his parents made a last plea for their baby to be given experimental treatment.

Connie Yates and Chris Gard were boosted by a 350,000-signature petition asking Great Ormond Street to stop insisting it would be kinder for Charlie to be allowed to die.

In another twist, the couple were joined by a controversial pastor who flew in from Washington to pray for them. Rev Patrick Mahoney declared God has already played a part by making Donald Trump and Pope Francis speak out for the sick 11-month-old.

Charlies parents will today beg the court to be able to seek treatment for his rare genetic condition, which has left him on life support. Great Ormond Street requested the hearing after seven top doctors suggested the new therapy might work.

Mr Justice Francis, who previously ruled with the heaviest of hearts that life support must be withdrawn, will hear the latest arguments. Charlies parents yesterday accused Great Ormond Street and the courts of blocking their hope of taking him to America for therapy for his mitochondrial depletion syndrome.

Maxwell's parents Emma and Peter called experts across the world who suggested experimental drugs from the US, and say it is 'working well' for their son

Chris Gard and Connie Yates said they were 'overwhelmed' by the worldwide support they have had in their battle, with the latest leaders to offer their support including Donald Trump and the Pope

Mr Gard, 32, said the hospital was fantastic but added: Unfortunately, they are not specialists in Charlies condition  the specialists are in America, where we want to go.

THE JUDGE WHO WILL DECIDE CHARLIE'S FATE Mr Justice Francis  set to hear Charlie Gard's case today  is one of the most junior High Court judges By Sam Greenhill and Alison Smith-Squire for the Daily Mail Once described as 'the smoothest family law silk at the Bar', Mr Justice Francis  set to hear Charlie Gard's case today  is one of the most junior High Court judges. He was appointed to the court's family division and awarded a knighthood last year. Educated at Radley College, an independent boys' boarding school in Oxfordshire, he went on to study at Downing College, Cambridge. The judge, who is married with three children, was called to the Bar in 1981 and in more than 30 years as a barrister he specialised in divorces of the wealthy. In 1999 he was appointed a recorder, or part-time judge, and he achieved the rank of Queen's Counsel in 2002. In 2011 he was made a deputy High Court judge. The 59-year-old lists his hobbies in Who's Who as 'sailing, theatre and wine', and is a member of the Royal Solent Yacht Club. In 2014 the Bar Awards named him 'Family Silk' of the year while Chambers and Partners, which ranks lawyers, said he had 'terrific attention to detail and is deadly in cross-examination', and 'doesn't miss anything'. The Legal 500, another legal rating service, has described Mr Justice Francis as 'the smoothest family law silk at the Bar', adding: 'He is extremely knowledgeable and a great advocate.' Advertisement

He said there was no evidence of his son having catastrophic brain damage, despite doctors claims. His brain is affected but this medicine can get into the brain and help that, he said.

He should have had this chance a long time ago. He deserves his chance at last. Lets get Charlie the treatment he needs.

Miss Yates, 31, said the new evidence from seven scientists  whose letter last week persuaded Great Ormond Street to reopen the court case  meant Charlie now had a 10 per cent chance.

We feel that thats a chance worth taking, she said. Weve been fighting for his medication since November. Parents know their children best. Hes our son, hes our flesh and blood.

We feel that it should be our right as parents to decide to give him a chance at life, for a medication thats just oral medicine, with no known major side effects.

Charlies condition, which saps energy from his organs and muscles, means he cannot breathe without an artificial ventilator.

Great Ormond Street doctors say he is irreversibly brain damaged, deaf, blind, and quite possibly in pain.

They have told the High Court it was not a tolerable situation to leave a child in. Mr Justice Francis agreed, and was backed by the Appeal Court, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights, which all ruled it would be kinder to let Charlie die.

His death has been scheduled twice already, but both times the hospital postponed the removal of his breathing tube.

Miss Yates said: We wouldnt be able to sit there and watch him in pain, and suffering. Were not like that, were not evil. Were not doing this for us. I absolutely believe this medication will work. Im not a doctor but I feel like I am an expert in his condition now.

Two American congressmen have announced they will table legislation in Washington to give Charlie and his family resident status to help them travel for treatment.

Yesterday the couple were supported in person by Rev Mahoney  a radical pastor repeatedly arrested for protesting against abortion in the United States.

He set up a $5,000 (3,880) fundraising page online to travel to London and save Charlies life. At the press conference outside Great Ormond Street, he gripped Mr Gards arm and prayed for their precious, beautiful son who has captured the imagination of the world.

11-month-old Charlie has twice survived plans to end his life support in the past two weeks

The brave couple spoke to the media and their supporters outside the Great Ormond Street Hospital yesterday

He said: I cannot say how impressed I am by their heroism, and the fact that these two people have stood against the courts, bureaucrats, governments and hospital administration to fight for the life of their son. There is no greater power than the love of parents.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates are spending the last days of their eleven-month-old son Charlie's life with him at hospital in London

The 63-year-old pastor, who posted on Facebook a photo of himself smiling with Charlies parents, credited his own appeals to God for the involvement of Mr Trump and Pope Francis. Great Ormond Street said nothing yesterday but has previously insisted its doctors had explored every medical treatment for Charlie and concluded the proposed therapy would be futile and would prolong Charlies suffering.

It added: This is not an issue about money or resources, but absolutely about what is right for Charlie.

Yesterday the stance was backed by Neena Modi, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. She said that doctors were bound by the law, which puts the interests of a child above its parents. The professor added: When situations are hopeless or unbearable or life is limited, the focus of care rightly shifts to ensuring death is pain-free, dignified, and in the presence of loved ones.

The High Court is expected to rule in the case later this week.
The sister of a prison inmate claims corrupt guards continue to supply prisoners with contraband at Sydney's Parklea jail.

The sensational allegations come after shocking video emerged showing a prisoner flaunting weapons and drugs inside his cell, while claiming 'screws bring mobile phones into the jail for money'.

Now the sister of another inmate has claimed guards were offering prisoners banned items as recently as Sunday, despite prison bosses calling for an immediate investigation.

'[My brother] actually pointed out a guard that offered him White Ox, which is tobacco,' the woman told 7News.

Scroll down for video

Corrupt guards continue to supply prisoners with contraband at Sydney's Parklea jail, the sister (pictured) of a current inmate claims

Shocking footage of an inmate flaunting an array of weapons and drugs from inside his jail cell has sparked a full-scale investigation into the prison system

Speaking of an alleged incident on Sunday, she said: 'The guard came up and asked him if he wanted a mobile phone.'

Corrective Services Commissioner Peter Severin met with management of the prison's private operator, GEO Group Australia, on Monday to discuss security and safety concerns.

'This is a very serious matter,' Commissioner Severin said.

'I have just met with GEO, and told them I am sending in a public sector Governor to lead a review of the centre.

'The Governor will lead a team that will oversee all major decisions made by GEO management and also review practices there.'

Commissioner Severin said the review was expected to take a minimum of four weeks.

The male prisoner also claimed in the shocking video that he had the drug 'ice' inside his cell

NSW Corrective Services Minister David Elliott (pictured right) said he was 'horrified' by the video, which was taken by a prisoner at Sydney's Parklea Correctional Centre

In the video revealed exclusively by Daily Mail Australia the inmate is seen brandishing a knife and another weapon he calls a 'slasher', and a substance he says is the drug ice. He says he is filming on a phone smuggled in by prison officers.

NSW Corrections Minister David Elliott said Corrective Services would review its contract with GEO Group Australia.

'I was horrified when I saw the YouTube video and immediately called for an investigation,' Mr Elliott said in a statement on Monday.

'I have asked Corrective Services NSW to review the contract to see what penalties could be imposed if there has been a failure by the operator.'

The footage has also prompted calls for more government funding for the state's prison sector.

'This is a result of a failure by the government to adequately invest in the back end of the justice system,' Public Services Association general secretary Stewart Little told AAP on Monday.

'You simply cannot do things on the cheap ... it requires investment.'

The prisoner is pictured holding a metal bar which he said came from a television

One of the prisoners to appear in the astonishing video is reportedly already out on parole and the other is being held in medium security

Parklea Correctional Centre is one of two privately-run prisons in NSW.

In the video, the man uses the 'slasher' to cut the wall of his cell as an example of 'what it can do to your throat' and says the jail is ruining lives.

'It is killing the young people, the young generation of this place is dead set terrorising,' he said.

The inmate's claims that the contraband was given to him by prison guards will also be investigated.

''Right now I'm in my cell, I've got a mobile phone.

'Why have I got a mobile phone? It's because screws bring mobile phones into jail for money.'

'Why am I carrying around a knife? Why does that need to be in my hand at this point in time?' he asked.

'Why have I got a slasher? Why do I need to slash people?'

Drugs, mobile phones and 'a number of other contraband items' were found in the dramatic raid. A prisoner is seen being led away as authorities conduct the search

No methamphetamine was found in Saturday's search, despite an inmate showing what appeared to be a large amount of the drug in explosive footage. Above, authorities search for contraband during Saturday's raid

He later displayed a small plastic bag which he said contained methamphetamine, or ice.

'Why have I got it? Because I can,' the prisoner said.

Corrective Services became of the video on Friday. Drugs, mobile phones and other contraband were found when several maximum security cells were raided at Parklea on Saturday.

'The search found four mobile phones and chargers, steroid tablets and a number of other contraband items,' a Corrective Services spokesperson said.

Buprenorphine, used to treat opioid addiction, was also discovered as 40 staff and nine detection K9s conducted the raids.

Corrective Services NSW has requested the video be taken down.

A male prisoner can be seen in a video he filmed himself holding up a 'slasher' razor while asking 'Why have I got a slasher?'
Navar Terrance Beverly, pictured, posted a selfie of himself laying beside the body of his stepfather Ronald Francis Pinkney, according to records held by the District Court of Maryland

A 38-year-old man from Maryland strangled his stepfather before posting selfies with the body on his Twitter account.

Navar Terrance Beverly was arrested on suspicion of the murder of his stepfather Ronald Francis Pinkney, 65, in Bowie, Maryland.

Prince Georges County Police arrested Beverly on Saturday following a brief car chase.

Police confirmed there had been a history of domestic disputes between Mr Pinkney and his stepson.

The images of Mr Pinkney's body have since been removed from Twitter.

According to the police statement of probable cause, Bowie City Police Department were alerted to 911 call where an eyewitness aid 'son had killed my husband'.

Beverly posted this image of him lying next to his stepfather's body (pictured right) on his Twitter account

Police said they removed several images Beverly had posted on his Twitter feed following the murder - including photographs of Mr Pinkney's body

The witness told police that Beverly said to her, 'I told you I would do it', before admitting his father was 'dead in the garage'.

Bowie City Police Department attended the same house two months ago involving the victim and the defendant.

According to an eyewitness report, Beverly strangled Mr Pinkney in a chokehold until a witness intervened.

Following the murder, Beverly posted several bizarre messages on his twitter feed

One of the messages claimed: 'This what yall (SIC) wanted'

On Friday, Beverly also posted a range of strange messages on his Twitter feed

Police also said Beverly posted several photographs on his twitter account on July 7 after 20.30 hours - including a selfie with the victim's body.

Court records show Mr Pinkney 'suffered apparent trauma to the right eye, and bruising to the left side of the neck'.

His body was removed to the office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for a post mortem examination.

One family member told WUSA9.com: 'Its hard. Its just hard.'

One neighbor Mike Gonzaludo said: 'I just talked to him last night right after he had mowed the lawn. He looked out for everybody.

'He would take everything if he saw trash, he would pick it up. Or if you were a stranger, hed say hi.'
Edward VIII wrote bizarre 'obsessive' letters in third person complaining of his royal ties to his mistress 17 years before he abdicated, it has been revealed.

The controversial monarch foreshadowed his abdication in a letter talking about he 'loathed' royal life almost two decades before he was crowned King.

The 24-year-old 'Playboy Prince' was on a royal visit to Belgium with his younger brother, Prince Albert, in January 1919 when he wrote the letter to his mistress at the time, Freda Dudley Ward.

'Loathed' royal life: The 24-year-old 'Playboy Prince' Edward (pictured left in 1925), later King Edward VIII, was on a royal visit to Belgium with his younger brother, Prince Albert, in January 1919 when he wrote the letter to his mistress at the time, Freda Dudley Ward (right)

The four-sided letter was written from the Royal Palace in Brussels to Dudley Ward, who he called 'my very own darling beloved little one'.

The letter has come to light after being put up for sale at auction in London for an estimated 1,500.

He described his feelings after attending a 'very trying' dinner party with King Albert of Belgium, who he described as the 'completist (sic) dud.'

In the note the Prince took to referring to himself in the third person and calling himself 'E'.

Rare find: The four-sided letter (pictured) was written from the Royal Palace in Brussels to Dudley Ward, who he called 'my very own darling beloved little one'. The letter has come to light after being put up for sale at auction in London for an estimated 1,500

He wrote of a hair-raising plane accident he was involved in when his small aircraft overturned on the runway upon arriving in Belgium for the visit.

He wrote how the plane 'flipped' after it 'burst a tire (sic) while we were taxying'.

He continued: 'We solemnly drove to this Belge form of 'Buckhouse' where we were met by old King Albert and we've just got away from a deadly dull and very trying dinner party with him.

'King Albert is a nice man tho fearfully shy and consequently the completist dud till you get to know him well.

Not 'intended' for the throne: He described his feelings after attending a 'very trying' dinner party with King Albert of Belgium, who he described as the 'completist (sic) dud'. Pictured: The Duke of Windsor (after his abdication) with his wife the Duchess, Wallis Simpson

'Gud how thine E does loathe palace and court life and everything to do with it sweetheart, guess he was never intended for that sort of existence.'

He then made offensive remarks about some of the young women he encountered during the dinner party.

He said: 'I'm enjoying writing to you more than dancing with sordid little 'whizz bangs' in hot and overcrowded low haunts full of rather boxed officers of which I've already done the rounds.'

Almost 17 years to the day later he was crowned King following the death of his father, King George V.

Controversy: Prince Edward abdicated so that he could marry Wallis Simpson in 1937 (pictured on their wedding day). Edward was the America socialite's third husband

But he sparked a major constitutional crisis when he abdicated the throne 11 months later so he could marry his mistress, the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

In doing so, his brother became King George VI.

Neill Grainger, of auctioneers Spink and Son, said: 'Edward VIII wrote obsessively to Freda Dudley Ward during the course of many years.

'This one is a lengthy and very personal and high emotional letter which is initialled 'E' by the Prince.

'He was obsessed with this woman and he just wanted to be back home with her and everything else just seemed a bit tiresome for him.

Auctioneer Neill Grainger said of the letter: 'It would seem this was him writing of how he didn't want to be King, but I think he just didn't care about it at this stage.' Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Windsor at home near Ashdown Forest, Sussex after their return from France at the start of World War II, on their first visit to England after the Duke's abdication

'He was still quite young and the time when he would be King and when he would have to change his ways was still a long way off.

'In hindsight it would seem that this was him writing of how he didn't want to be King, but I think he just didn't care about it at this stage.

'I think the letter is fantastic - it is no holds barred.'

The letter, which is being sold by a private collector, is set to be sold at auction in London on Wednesday.
 Flash

The latest meeting between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, was productive and reassuring to the world, experts said, as it confirmed ongoing discussions about an ambitious economic cooperation plan and a sequence of meetings involving senior military officers.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump to discuss bilateral ties and global hot-spot issues on the sidelines of a Group of 20 (G20) summit, in Hamburg, Germany, July 8, 2017. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

The two presidents' second meeting this year, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, took place amid widespread concern about tensions on the Korean Peninsula and a US warship's recent intrusion into Chinese waters in the South China Sea.

Both leaders agreed to maintain close high-level contact and to reinforce strategic mutual trust, a news release from the Foreign Ministry said.

The first round of a comprehensive economic dialogue was set for July 19, and Beijing and Washington will launch at an early date their first law enforcement and cybersecurity dialogue, as well as their first social and cultural dialogue, it said.

During his meeting with Trump, Xi noted that the two sides are discussing a one-year cooperation plan, and that the 100-day economic cooperation action plan initiated after the meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Largo in April has made new progress.

On military-to-military relations, Xi proposed that the two countries' defense ministers exchange visits as soon as possible. He called for concerted efforts on such matters as the visit to China in August by the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first dialogue between the joint staffs of the two countries' militaries in November and the Chinese Navy's participation in the United States-led 2018 Pacific Rim military drill.

Trump hailed his "wonderful relationship" with Xi and expressed confidence in "success" in addressing common problems, together with China, according to the White House.

Xi said both sides should respect the core interests and major concerns of each other and appropriately tackle their differences and sensitive issues.

The two sides should have mutual respect, seek win-win results, expand pragmatic cooperation in all fields and reinforce coordination with respect to global and regional issues, Xi said.

The two leaders agreed to further communication and coordination on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Xi said the international community should increase efforts in promoting dialogue and controlling the situation when responding to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's violations of UN Security Council resolutions.

Also, Xi reiterated China's objection to the deployment of the US Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in the Republic of Korea.

Teng Jianqun, director of the Department for American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said the personal ties between Xi and Trump are adding to people's hope for upcoming meetings, including Trump's state visit to China later this year.

Chen Fengying, a senior researcher on the world economy at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the way the two countries work with each other on economics and trade "directly influences the improving process of the world economy".

Two-way trade is increasingly reciprocal, meeting the needs of both sides and the world, and any bilateral trade imbalance should be viewed with a cool head, Chen said.
Diana Vysniauskiene, 41, stole more than 100,000 from her employer to go on luxury holidays in Dubai

An accountant who stole more than 120,000 from her employer to go on luxury holidays in Dubai has been spared jail.

Diana Vysniauskiene, 41, siphoned off the cash from S-RM Intelligence and Risk Consulting Ltd, a cyber security firm, based in central London.

Ms Vysniauskiene claimed she stole the 122,000 after becoming frustrated at being overlooked for promotion because she was 'from outside the UK'.

The single mother, believed to be from Lithuania, used her ill-gotten gains to pay for lavish trips abroad, before she was caught in January this year.

She admitted one count of fraud at the Old Bailey and avoided jail after a judge heard her daughter might end up homeless if she was in prison.

Rizvan Anwar, defending, said she had explained some dissatisfaction and grievances against her employers.

He continued: She obviously came to the UK some years ago off her own hard work and effort.

She has managed to obtain the position, this job, since 2012.

There were various barriers to moving up the ladder, up the chain.

She says she found being a woman in that position was difficult, being someone from outside the UK was difficult.

He added: When her senior colleague was promoted and moved on she was then tasked with doing two peoples jobs.

Vysniauskiene, from West Byfleet in Surrey, said: These pressures made me make a fatal decision which was to commit this fraud.

She is now ashamed and devastated about what she did.

Ms Vysniauskiene claimed she stole the 122,000 after becoming frustrated at being overlooked for promotion because she was 'from outside the UK'

Mr Anwar said: She has brought her bag and her belongings and her clothes.

She has taken out a loan to try to pay for rent for her daughter once she has gone to prison.

She is concerned that once she has gone to prison today that her daughter will be rendered homeless.

If you can find it in the facts of this particular individual to move this across into any of the other ranges where it can border on a suspended sentence she would be very, very lucky.

Judge Jeremy Donne, QC, said: Diana Vysniauskiene, you have pleaded guilty before the magistrates to one offence of fraud.

Its a serious fraud, it took place over a 14-month period of time, there was clearly an element of planning because you transferred monies that belonged to your employer into three different bank accounts and you used that money to improve your lifestyle.

This is a case where the culpability is high because of the abuse of trust.

Judge Donne suspended Vysniauskienes sentence because of her guilty plea, her good character, her remorse, her medical condition and the fact that she has caring responsibilities for her mother and daughter.

He said: I have decided that the mitigating factors her permit me to reduce the starting point to three years imprisonment, and I reduce that to reflect your plea of guilty.

In my judgement, as I say, you have learned your lesson. Imprisonment is going to do absolutely nothing for you or for society.

I think in reality there is far more to be gained by keeping you at liberty.

The judge imposed a two-year sentence suspended for two years and ordered Vysniauskiene to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, observe a three-month curfew between 8pm-6am and carry out 30 days of rehabilitation activities.

He added: You have come very close to going to prison today, you know that, very close indeed.

'I want you to think very carefully about what it is you have done that has brought you into the dock at the Old Bailey.

Dont do this again, dont come before the courts again.
Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci was banned from a rally in Austria marking the anniversary of last year's failed coup attempt

Austria has barred Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci from entering the country to attend a rally marking the anniversary of last year's failed coup attempt in Turkey.

Zeybekci's attendance would have represented a 'danger for public order and security' in the country, Austria's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The decision followed a similar move by the Netherlands, which said on Friday Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes was not welcome to visit for a ceremony among Turkish expatriates to commemorate the anniversary.

'He has been barred because his visit was not planned as part of a bilateral exchange, but was about his public appearance at an event marking the coup attempt,' foreign ministry spokesman Thomas Schnoell said.

The foreign ministry spokesman did not say when the rally was due to take place.

The spokesman said that the event event was 'very big' and that the visit represented a 'danger for public order and security in Austria'.

Ties between Ankara and the European Union have been strained over the crackdown that followed the July 15, 2016, attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Ties between Ankara and the European Union have been strained over the crackdown that followed the July 15, 2016, attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Earlier this year, several countries including Austria and Germany banned pro-Ankara rallies ahead of a controversial referendum in April on granting Erdogan sweeping powers.

Turkish ministers had been heading to Europe to whip up support for a 'yes' vote among millions of Turkey's voters who live abroad.

Some 360,000 people of Turkish origin live in Austria, including 117,00 Turkish citizens. Many are believed to be pro-Erdogan supporters whose vote helped him win the referendum.

Erdogan complained last week that he was not allowed to speak to Turkish officials while at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.

Additionally, Turkey detained 42 staff of two Istanbul universities including a prominent academic as part of an investigation into the group blamed for last year's failed coup, state media reported Monday.

Authorities issued a total of 72 arrest warrants for people suspected of links to the group of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, state-run news agency Anadolu reported.

One of those detained was academic Koray Caliskan, main opposition People's Republican Party (CHP) lawmaker Oguz Kaan Salici said on Twitter.

On Sunday, the leader of Turkey's main opposition party completed a 25-day 'March for Justice' from the capital Ankara to Istanbul Sunday. Republican People's Party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu launched the 280-mile march in June

Ankara accuses Gulen of ordering the failed plot to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan but Gulen strongly denies the charges.

The staff from Bogazici and Medeniyet universities are accused of using the encrypted messaging app, ByLock, which Ankara claims was especially created for Gulen supporters, Anadolu reported.

The authorities issued detention warrants for eight staff from Bogazici University and 64 staff from Medeniyet University including 19 of its professors from the medical school, Dogan news agency said.

The Ankara chief public prosecutor issued arrest warrants for 43 people including six staff currently working at the prime minister's office and related institutions, Anadolu reported Monday.

The agency said "some" had been detained during an operation after it was suspected they used Bylock, which authorities have frequently cited by as "evidence" of alleged links to Gulen.

On Sunday, the leader of Turkey's main opposition party completed a 25-day 'March for Justice' from the capital Ankara to Istanbul Sunday and joined hundreds of thousands of supporters at a rally against a large-scale government crackdown on opponents.

Republican People's Party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu launched the 280-mile (450-kilometer) march after a parliamentarian from his party was imprisoned in June.

The march grew into a protest of the massive clampdown on people with alleged links to terror groups that began after a coup attempt last summer.

Tens of thousands of people joined Kilicdaroglu throughout his march in scorching heat, chanting 'rights, law, justice'

Hundreds of thousands greeted Kilicdaroglu at the Istanbul rally, while waving Turkish flags and flags emblazoned with the word 'justice'

'Why did we march?' Kilicdaroglu said while addressing the rally. 'We walked for the non-existent justice. We walked for the rights of the oppressed, for the imprisoned lawmakers, the jailed journalists... We walked for the academics who were thrown out of universities.'

Tens of thousands of people joined Kilicdaroglu throughout his march in scorching heat, chanting 'rights, law, justice'.

Hundreds of thousands greeted him at the Istanbul rally, while waving Turkish flags and flags emblazoned with the word 'justice'.

The opposition leader called on judges and prosecutors to act independently and according to their 'conscience' instead of in line with the wishes of 'the palace' - a reference to President Erdogan.

He also called for an end to a state of emergency that was declared following the failed coup and which has allowed the government to rule by decrees, with minimal input from parliament.

'We want the state of emergency to be removed and for Turkey to normalize,' Kilicdaroglu said. 'We want politics kept out of the judiciary, the (army) barracks and of mosques. We want a neutral and independent justice. We want a Turkey where journalists are not jailed.'

The state of emergency has led to the arrest of more than 50,000 people and the dismissal of some 100,000 civil servants.

A dozen lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish opposition party have also been jailed.

Although activists and Western governments have criticised the crackdown, the government insists it is necessary to tackle the threat they say is posed by the Gulen movement.

Organizers of the March for Justice said the weekslong event expressed 'a collective, nonpartisan desire for an independent and fair judicial system' that they claim is lacking in Turkey.

The Republican People's Party did not allow party flags or slogans during the march because it wanted the event to be non-partisan.

Party officials said more than a million people attended the closing rally.
Australia is ready to sign a trade deal with Britain 'as soon as possible' after Brexit, premier Malcolm Turnbull said in Downing Street today.

Mr Turnbull hailed the prospects for British free trade after Brexit in a joint press conference with Theresa May this afternoon.

The pair discussed trade and how to best counter terrorism over a working lunch on Mr Turnbull's first official visit to Britain.

Asked when Australia could sign a deal with Britain, Mr Turnbull said: 'As soon as possible - Australians are fleet of foot, we don't muck around, we are very simple.

'So we will move as quickly as the UK is able to move.'

Mr Turnbull - who joked about his time at Oxford University with Mrs May - said Britain was right to be seeking a future based in free trade.

Hailing 26 years of uninterrupted economic growth in Australia, he said: 'Economic prosperity has been shown to be delivered by free trade and open markets.'

Malcolm Turnbull and Theresa May held a press conference in No 10 this afternoon (pictured) after talks on countering terrorism and trade

The Australian PM is no stranger to the UK - or to the Prime Minister - after studying at Oxford University at the same time as Mrs May

During today's talks (pictured) the pair discussed trade and how to best counter terrorism over a working lunch on Mr Turnbull's first official visit to Britain

Earlier, they visited the scene of the London Bridge attack today. Two Australians were among the eight killed in the attack last month, which saw three armed men drive into pedestrians on London Bridge before going on a knife rampage in Borough Market.

Mrs May and Mr Turnbull toured Borough Market, visited Southwark Cathedral and were greeted by Met Commissioner Cressida Dick.

At the press conference, Mrs May said a trade deal with Australia was a 'priority' for the UK after Brexit, to expand on the 14 billion-worth of trade between the two nations.

'We've both made clear our intention to continue to deepen our trade and investment relationship as the UK leaves the EU,' she said.

Mr Turnbull joked about his time as a contemporary of Mrs May and her husband Philip May at Oxford University

'Our Brexit negotiations have started well, and I have made clear to prime minister Turnbull that an ambitious and comprehensive bilateral trade deal with Australia remains a priority for the UK.

'Australia was the first country with whom the UK established a trade working group following the vote to leave the EU and we're keeping up a regular and productive dialogue on the future of our free trading relationship.'

Following the earlier visit to London Bridge, Mr Turnbull voiced Australia's solidarity in the wake of the wave of terror attacks on the UK.

He said: 'When your institutions are attacked, we feel that ours are too. When Britain is attacked by terrorism, we feel we are attacked as well.

'The attack on Westminster Bridge, the cruel assault on young children in Manchester Arena, the attack at London Bridge and Borough Market - these were felt by the Australian people as keenly as the attacks we have suffered at home in Australia.

'We stand shoulder to shoulder now, as we always have, in freedom's cause today, defying and defeating the Islamist terrorists that seek to do us harm, to seek to destroy our way of life and prevent us from living our way of life as we always have.'

Theresa May and her Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull (pictured in Borough Market today) visited the scene of the London Bridge attack ahead of talks on counter terrorism

Mrs May and Mr Turnbull visited the exact spot of the culmination of the June 3 attack, outside the Wheatsheaf pub in Borough Market

Following the visit to Borough Marker (pictured) Mr Turnbull voiced Australia's solidarity in the wake of the wave of terror attacks on the UK

Mr Turnbull joked about his time as a contemporary of Mrs May and her husband Philip May at Oxford University.

'We're not really debating today but the last time we debated was at the Oxford Union - Theresa Brasier and Malcolm Turnbull were both on the notice paper and the president was Philip May,' he said.

'So now what we need is president May here to oversee the debate.'

And Mrs May ribbed her old friend about England's first cricket Women's World Cup victory over Australia since 1993.

'It's always a pleasure to welcome our Australian friends to London, and even more so when you've just beaten them at the cricket,' she said.

Mr Turnbull stressed that the UK and Australia remained close friends 'whatever our differences may be on particular sporting contests', adding: 'Australians want their team on the field beating the Poms.'

The Australian PM will meet the Queen later as well as other senior ministers.

Mr Turnbull said Britain and Australia stood 'shoulder to shoulder' against terrorism following a briefing at the scene of the attack from the Met Commission (pictured)

Mrs May and Mr Turnbull visited Southwark Cathedral at the scene and were greeted by Met Commissioner Cressida Dick (pictured left)

After US President Donald Trump signalled he was eager to put together a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK, Mrs May is expected to press her Australian counterpart on improving economic ties after Britain withdraws from the EU.

A Number 10 spokesman said: 'A major priority will be our security and defence co-operation, including on counter-terrorism, and our growing trade and investment relationship.

'You can expect both PMs to commit to strengthening the strong and historic partnership that we have.'

Mrs May and Mr Turnbull should have plenty to discuss about the nature of elections.

The Australian Liberal was re-elected last year - but with a majority of just a single seat.
Harrowing footage has emerged of the moment a young car passenger inadvertently live-streamed her own death in a horror crash.

Nikol Barabasova filmed herself in the front passenger seat laughing and joking with a friend as they were driving along a road in Obrnice in the Czech Republic.

Moments later she screams before the car flips over and the Facebook Live video goes eerily quiet.

Nikol Barabasova (in black) filmed herself on Facebook Live laughing and joking with a friend as they were driving along a road in Obrnice in the Czech Republic. Moments later her friend, who was driving the VW, crashed into a barrier

According to local reports, the VW was being driven at more than 120kph (74.5mph) when it smashed into a barrier.

Barabasova can be seen holding up her mobile phone as she films herself and the driver.

At one point she looks nervously at the road before looking back at the camera.

The vehicle shudders, flips over (left) and goes quiet and the camera, which is left running, ends up focusing on one of the car's seat belts (right)

But the vehicle then shudders, flips over and goes quiet and the camera, which is left running, ends up focusing on one of the car's seat belts.

Reports in the Czech Republic suggest emergency services stopped the live streaming when they arrived about 20 minutes later.

The driver is said to be in intensive care in hospital having suffered serious head injuries.

Police have launched an investigation into the tragedy.
Campaigners today failed in their High Court bid to stop the UK selling arms to Saudi Arabia.

They had argued that British made fighter jets and bombs sent to the Gulf state are being used against civilians in the war in Yemen.

But after hearing secret evidence, judges rejected claims the Government is acting unlawfully by failing to suspend the sale of UK arms.

In the Commons this afternoon, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox welcomed the the 'careful and meticulous' way in which the court assessed the evidence and supported the 'rigorous and robust' mechanisms in place to ensure that arms exports conform with UK and EU licence criteria.

The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), which mounted the case, says more than 10,000 people have been killed in the war since 2015.

Dr Fox told MPs the case to date has cost taxpayers 600,000 - and warned the bill would rise if an appeal was lodged.

The British government signed off on 3.3 billion in arms exports to Saudi Arabia between April 2015 and March 2016.

But ministers have come under mounting pressure to cut off arms sales to the Gulf state amid allegations the Saudi-led Coalition has breached international humanitarian law during the war in Yemen.

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International Trade Secretary Liam Fix (pictured in the Commons today) told MPs Britain had 'rigorous and robust' rules about the arms trade

Campaigners, pictured outside the High Court today, lost their legal bid to make the UK government stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia

Theresa May, pictured on a trip to Saudi Arabia in April with Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, has resisted calls to suspend UK arms sales to the Gulf state amid allegations they breached international humanitarian war during the conflict in Yemen

And they accused the Saudis of 'repeated and serious breaches' of international humanitarian law.

But Lord Justice Burnett and Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, sitting in London, dismissed the campaigners' application for judicial review, saying the decision to carry on the arms trade was not irrational or unlawful.

The judges said that secret material heard by them but kept secret from the public for national security reasons was key in their decision.

They said the material 'provides valuable additional support for the conclusion that the decisions taken by the Secretary of State not to suspend or cancel arms sales to Saudi Arabia were rational'.

The judges stressed they were looking at the legality of the government's decision, not taking a moral judgement on whether to continue with the controversial sales.

They said: 'In an area where the court is not possessed of the international expertise to make the judgments in question, it should be especially cautious before interfering with a finely balanced decision reached after careful and anxious consideration by those who do have the relevant expertise to make the necessary judgments.'

Their ruling is a boost for the multibillion pound British arms industry, which could become even more important to the economy in post-Brexit Britain.

And it is one of the most high-profile cases to date where judges have sat in 'closed' private sessions to hear secret evidence.

Theresa May pictured being presented with a gift from the Saudis while on a trip in April. Britain has sold billions of pounds worth of arms to the Gulf state and today the High Court ruled that the decision not to suspend arms exports is lawful

Whole towns have been destroyed during fighting in the war in Yemen. This building in the southwestern city of Taiz was destroyed in March last year

CAAT lawyers said in a three-day hearing in February the fighting in Yemen had created a humanitarian catastrophe, destroying vital infrastructure and leaving 80 per cent of the population in need of aid.

But the UK had continued to allow billions of pounds worth of arms sales despite warnings from NGOs and international bodies suggesting of 'a clear risk of a serious violation' of international humanitarian law.

The group's lawyers unsuccessfully argued that, in the face of that evidence, it was no longer lawful to license the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia.

They now say they will seek to appeal against the 'very disappointing' verdict.

Andrew Smith of CAAT said: 'If this verdict is upheld then it will be seen as a green light for government to continue arming and supporting brutal dictatorships and human rights abusers like Saudi Arabia that have shown a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law.

'Every day we are hearing new and horrifying stories about the humanitarian crisis that has been inflicted on the people of Yemen.

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, pictured giving a speech last month, said the government has chosen to 'look the other way' and sell billions of pounds worth of arms to the Saudis without worrying of the consequences for civilians who are bearing the brunt of the civil war in Yemen

'Thousands have been killed while vital and lifesaving infrastructure has been destroyed.

'This case has seen an increased scrutiny of the government's toxic relationship with Saudi Arabia.

'It is a relationship that more than ever needs to be examined and exposed. For decades the UK has been complicit in the oppression of Saudi people, and now it is complicit in the destruction of Yemen.'

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said: 'The government might be acting lawfully but in the court of public opinion they are guilty of selling weapons that are being used against civilians in a brutal and bloody civil war.

'The government has a duty to make sure that weapons we sell are used in accordance to with international law. It seems this government decide to look the other way and bank the massive cheques but don't hold the Saudis to account.

'We need stronger rules and I believe arms deals should be blocked to countries like Saudi Arabia, nations that we have serious human rights concerns about.

'How many innocent people must die, with weapons emblazoned with 'Made in UK' before this government find a backbone?'
President Donald Trump marveled at a report that said his fired FBI Director James Comey's memos contained classified information, a revelation that could get the ex-government official in trouble.

'James Comey leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media. That is so illegal!' Trump wrote Monday morning, shortly after retweeting a Fox News story that reported the allegation.

Trump than retweeted Sean Hannity and a Fox & Friends segment featuring former House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, who were also commenting on the story.

It was the Hill newspaper, on Sunday night, that first broke that most of the memos written by the former FBI chief contained classified information, a welcome distraction for the president as his son Donald Trump Jr.comes under fire for meeting with a Kremlin-associated lawyer last year.

Trump Jr. didn't tell the New York Times, initially, that he set up the meeting to get compromising information on his father's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

If the Hill's sources are correct, it means Comey may have violated federal protocols on the handling of classified information for the memos he wrote recounting conversations he had with President Trump.

Comey wrote seven memos overall, four of which have been judged to contain classified information.

The fired FBI boss shared one of the memos with reporters by leaking it through a Columbia University lawyer friend, although Trump may have jumped the gun, as it is not known if the one that was leaked to the media contained classified information.

The irony is that Comey publicly criticized Hillary Clinton for her handling of classified information during the bureau's investigation into the private email server she maintained while she was secretary of state.

The memos written by former FBI chief James Comey (seen during his testimony before Congress on June 8) in which he recounted details of his conversations with President Donald Trump contain classified information, it was reported on Sunday

President Trump tweeted that James Comey 'leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media.' A report from the Hill newspaper said that more than half of Comey's memos contained classified information, but it remains unclear if the one leaked memo did

President Trump retweeted a Fox News story based off of a Hill newspaper story that said classified information was found in ex-FBI chief James Comey's memos, based off of conversations he had with the president

President Trump also retweeted a tweet written by Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity criticizing Hillary Clinton

President Trump also retweeted a clip from Fox & Friends of former House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz talking about how James Comey wouldn't hand over his memos to Congressional investigators

Comey, who was fired by Trump in May, said in congressional testimony last month that he gave a memo describing his conversations with Trump to a close friend and told him to share its contents with a reporter.

The friend, Columbia Law School professor Daniel Richman, said last month that he would turn over to the FBI any memos he has of Comey's conversations with Trump.

On June 8, Comey told a Congressional panel that Trump ousted him on May 9 to undermine the agency's investigation of the Russia matter.

'So you didn't consider your memo or your sense of that conversation to be a government document?,' Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouri, asked Comey during the hearing.

'You considered it to be, somehow, your own personal document that you could share to the media as you wanted through a friend?' Blunt probed.

On June 8, Comey told a Congressional panel that Trump ousted him on May 9 to undermine the agency's investigation of the Russia matter. The president is seen above arriving at the White House on Saturday after a trip to Germany that included a meeting with Vladimir Putin

The Comey story comes at a welcome time for President Trump as his son Donald Trump Jr. (left) comes under fire for organizing a meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya (right), who was supposed to provide the campaign with damaging information about Hillary Clinton

'Correct,' Comey answered.

'I understood this to be my recollection recorded of my conversation with the president. As a private citizen, I thought it important to get it out.'

Comey believed that the memos he wrote were unclassified.

'I immediately prepared an unclassified memo of the conversation about Flynn and discussed the matter with FBI senior leadership,' he testified about the memo he later leaked.

That memo was about a conversation he had with the president that revolved around former National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

'My view was that the content of those unclassified, memorialization of those conversations was my recollection recorded,' Comey said.

But when the memos  seven in total  were shown to Congress recently, the FBI said they were government documents.

Four of the seven memos were marked as 'secret' or 'confidential'  indicating that they contained classified information.

The FBI has strict policies barring agents from revealing classified information about ongoing investigations without permission.

The irony is that Comey publicly criticized Hillary Clinton for her handling of classified information during the bureau's investigation into her private email server she maintained while serving as secretary of state

'Unauthorized disclosure, misuse, or negligent handling of information contained in the files, electronic or paper, of the FBI or which I may acquire as an employee of the FBI could impair national security, place human life in jeopardy, result in the denial of due process, prevent the FBI from effectively discharging its responsibilities, or violate federal law,' according to the FBI Employment Agreement, a document that is signed by all of the bureau's personnel.

The agreement states that 'all information acquired by me in connection with my official duties with the FBI and all official material to which I have access remain the property of the United States of America' and that an agent 'will not reveal, by any means, any information or material from or related to FBI files or any other information acquired by virtue of my official employment to any unauthorized recipient without prior official written authorization by the FBI.'

Comey said that the memos were in his possession when he was fired from the FBI.

He told Congress last month, however, that he turned them over to Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who was appointed as special counsel in the investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

The revelation that Comey's memos contained classified information could lead congressional investigators to probe whether the former FBI chief mishandled classified information.
Two multi-millionaire neighbours are locked in a bitter 'five-year scrap' over plans for a subterranean cinema beneath one of their Knightsbridge mews homes.

Property developer Russell Gray and Nick Hill have been at each other's throats since 2012 when work was first planned for a basement under Mr Hill's 4million house.

Mr Hill, 56, claims he just wants to build as big a basement with a cinema as quickly and cheaply as possible - but has been 'thwarted' at every turn by his neighbour.

Property developer Russell Gray (left) and Nick Hill (right) have been at each other's throats since 2012 when work was first planned for a basement under Mr Hill's 4million house

The case has been in and out of court, running up hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal bills, and saw the neighbours up against each other again last week.

Mr Hill is claiming 200,000 in damages from his neighbour for delays in the work, which has still not been completed almost five years after the earth was first broken.

But Mr Gray, 60, says he should not have to pay, because Mr Hill's plan is 'unbuildable' and so he has suffered no loss from any delay in the construction work.

And in an increasingly bitter war of words, he also claims insolvency practitioner Mr Hill has 'trespassed' on his land and committed 'fraud' by trying to cover it up.

Mr Gray said he is not at fault for the 'five-year scrap' and blamed his neighbour, who he said 'does not declare war, but wages it from behind the scenes'.

'I submit that this dispute as a whole is quite unnecessary and is a product of Mr Hill's character,' Mr Gray told Judge Edward Bailey.

Mews: Mr Hill, who lives in the white fronted property (centre) claims he has been 'thwarted' in building his basement at every turn by Mr Gray, who lives in the brown fronted home (left)

'Mr Hill alleges routinely that I am dishonest and impossible to deal with. The reality is, however, that he refuses to talk to me and always has done.

'If he had been willing to enter into a dialogue with me, it is possible that we might have been able to avoid what has become five years of wasted time and costs.'

Central London County Court heard Mr Gray himself had begun work on a basement beneath his house in the cobbled mews near Harrods in 2001.

In an attempt to protect the home's foundations, he built the walls of the basement on piles within the footprint of his property, reducing the available floor space.

But he objected when Mr Hill, through his company Elite Town Management Limited (ETML), came up a decade later with plans for his own larger basement next door.

Mr Hill's plan involved underpinning the party wall between the two houses, maximising the size of his basement.

Basement plans: Mr Gray said he is not at fault for the 'five-year scrap' and blamed his neighbour, who he said 'does not declare war, but wages it from behind the scenes'

But this was something which Mr Gray branded 'entirely selfish' because of the potential of risk to the building.

After much legal wrangling, a party wall award was made, allowing Mr Hill to go ahead with his work - but Mr Gray appealed against it.

He lost his challenge, but the legal process delayed work on the basement for eight months in 2014 and 2015 and led to Mr Hill's claim for damages.

For Mr Hill, barrister Crispin Winser said the row had become a 'personal crusade' for Mr Gray, who 'refuses to accept' his neighbour is entitled to build as planned.

'Consistent with logic and conventional behaviour, Mr Hill wishes to maximise the size of his basement and to keep the construction costs down,' he said.

'In particular, he wishes to incorporate a cinema room, the viability of which requires a certain amount of space.'

However, Mr Gray had taken 'extraordinary steps in a blatant attempt to thwart the implementation of the works', claimed the barrister.

It included removing parts of the wall of his own still uncompleted underground floor, creating access into Mr Hill's excavated basement space, he said.

Mr Gray said that under the terms of the party wall award as it stands, the basement is 'unbuildable', pointing out that work has still not re-started on it even now

His claims of trespass and fraud against Mr Hill were 'without foundation' and should not have been made, he added.

The claims are a 'desperate and misguided' attempt to avoid compensating ETML for the losses it has suffered as a result of the eight-month delay, he said.

Representing himself, Mr Gray alleged that Mr Hill and the company through which he owns the house sustained no loss from the hold-up.

Under the terms of the party wall award as it stands, the basement is 'unbuildable' anyway, he said, pointing out that work has still not re-started on it even now.

He claimed Mr Hill's contractors had gone deeper than was allowed for when excavating the basement, meaning a new party wall award needed to be made.

And ETML, he alleged, had committed 'trespass' when its contractors dug and then filled pits with tons of concrete, which extended onto Mr Gray's property.

His neighbour had followed up the trespass with an attempt to cover it up by obscuring the concrete with spoil, Mr Gray claimed.

Mr Hill - who lives with his wife for three months of the year in the house, spending the rest of his time in Hong Kong and elsewhere - denies Mr Gray's claims.

The hearing continues.
Colorized mugshots and intimate family pictures have cast a new light on three of Alcatraz's most notorious prisoners.

Brothers Clarence and John Anglin undertook what is widely believed to be the only successful escape from what was America's most secure prison.

The pair, along with fellow inmate Frank Morris, put papier-mache heads into their beds and broke out of the prison using an unused utility door.

The newly-colorized mugshots provide a fascinating glimpse into the three convicts. Pictured, John Anglin (left) at Alcatraz prison in 1960, and Clarence Anglin (right) at Alcatraz in 1961

The three then fled the island on an inflatable raft and were never seen again - despite extensive searches.

The FBI maintained the brothers drowned in their escape, but the Anglin family insist they survived, stayed in contact with some of them, and possibly settled in Brazil.

The stunning mugshots show the brothers confidently posing for the camera before they were brought there. Clarence can be seen defiantly and comically refusing to open his eyes for his mugshot, whilst John gives a steely look towards the camera.

The FBI believes the brothers drowned during the escape but the US Marshals Service, still maintains an active case file. Pictured, Clarence Anglin at Atlanta Penitentiary in 1958 (left) and John Anglin after his arrest in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania in 1958

The Anglin brothers escaped with the help of Frank Morris (pictured in his 1960 Alcatraz mugshot) another convicted bank robber

The brothers began robbing banks with their other brother, Alfred Ray Anglin and found themselves on Alcatraz after failed escapes from the Atlanta Penitentiary.

But the family photographs show a softer side to the brothers. Clarence can be seen playing a guitar in his home in the 1950s and John sitting outside a motel in Florida.

The pictures of the Anglin brothers were expertly hand-colorizsed by Irish-based artist Matt Loughrey, 38, who worked alongside the Anglin's nephew, Ken Widner.

Ken swam from Alcatraz in an Escape from Alcatraz triathlon to get a feel for the route his uncles took.

He said: 'I can tell you for a fact that they successfully escaped, all three. I don't condone what they did in the robbery, that was wrong. [But] I did the swim and if I could do that, I know they could have.

Clarence Anglin at Leavenworth Kansas after his arrest in 1958. The Anglin brothers always tired to make sure no one got injured when they robbed banks

Does this photo prove the brothers escaped to Brazil? Survived? This photo purports to show Clarence (left) and John Anglin (right) standing on a farm in Brazil in 1975 Even more than 50 years after the escape, rumors still fly about what happened to the two brothers. Some claim the pair drowned, while other say they were double-crossed and killed by their criminal friends. However, the Anglin family remain convinced that the pair made it to South America and started new families there. The only piece of evidence to support this claim is this single photo, which purports to show the brothers on a farm in Brazil in 1975. Fred Brizzi who grew up with the Anglin brothers, handed over pictures he took of the pair after bumping into them in Rio De Janeiro Brizzi gave the photo to the family in 1992, nephew Ken Widner said. It shows two men in sunglasses on farmland, standing next to a mound of earth, alongside a road. The criminal said he was the only one who knew for certain that John and Clarence had survived and that they wanted their family to know they were alive and well. Brizzi died of lung cancer in 1993. Ken said: 'It's my personal belief that Brizzi felt it was the right time to share the picture with the family. 'He had to wait until a certain time that would not get the brothers or family in trouble. When the photo was taken, the FBI were still focused on the case and had threatened family who had any knowledge of the escape.' Advertisement

'I think Alcatraz was a life change for them. I mean this prison was the last stop for any prisoner. After they left, it was a never come back trip.

'They knew if they were caught that it would be the end of the road for them. So, in some ways Alcatraz saved them and put them on a new road of life.

'I personally have not had contact with them. I can say now that he is dead, their older brother who was involved in the escape had contact with them all the time.'

The family photos showed a different side to the brothers, originally from Georgia. Clarence is seen playing the guitar at home in the mid 1950s while John is in front of a motel in Ruskin, Florida, during the mid 1950s

Clarence Anglin stands in front of his home yard in Georgia during the the 1950s

The family have previously produced letters and other written material they say are from the brothers over the decades, however they kept these a closely guarded secret until recent years to avoid the possibility of the brother's recapture.

The US Marshals Service, which is responsible for hunting down escaped fugitives, maintains an active file on all three men.

Matt Loughrey, who spent over 100-hours bringing the subjects to life, also believed that the men had managed to escape.

He said: 'There's every reason to believe the Anglin brothers made it to land, albeit the authorities of the time convinced the public otherwise.

The photo is the last purported picture of the pair's older brother, Alfred Ray Anglin (pictured far left). It was taken at prison in Alabama in 1963 during a family visit at Christmas

ESCAPE WAS POSSIBLE... BUT ONLY AT MIDNIGHT, SAY TIDE RESEARCHERS Tide researchers say the daring prisoners may have escaped, but only if they fled Alcatraz at the right time. Computer models that consider the San Francisco Bay's tides, winds and other factors reveal the inmate stood a small chance of paddling to freedom on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge. According to the Dutch team of scientists that assembled the data, it all depends on the time inmates Clarence Anglin, John Anglin and Frank Morris set sail in their makeshift dingy made of raincoats. 'Only in the time window between (11pm) and midnight do they get close enough to the shore to have a chance to survive,' researcher Dr Rolf Hut wrote on his blog. Otherwise, one of three disastrous things would have happened. Had they launched in the hours before, the men would have been sucked out into the frigid Pacific and died of hypothermia. Had they waited until after midnight, the tide would have shifted during their daring voyage and the current would have pushed them deeper into the San Francisco Bay. There, they either would have perished from cold before they got close enough to the East Bay to make landfall or gotten picked up by authorities when the sun rose in the morning. Assuming the men did launch sometime around 11.30pm and somehow knew to first paddle their makeshift boat hard to the north - towards Angel Island, where some of their belongings and a paddle would later be found - they could have become the only prisoners to ever escape the so-called inescapable prison. 'If they hit it exactly at midnight, the beautiful thing is that we see that they would have been sucked out towards the Golden Gate Bridge,' Dr Hut told BBC News . As they neared the bridge, the shifting tides would have made paddling far easier. 'In the best case, the escapees peddle northwards with a speed of almost 1km per hour, an almost Olympian effort. In that scenario, they most likely survive and make it to the north side of the Golden Gate bridge,' Hut wrote. Advertisement

'Over the last few decades, a lot of their reasoning has been disproven officially and it gives way for a new dialogue. It's a mystery unsolved.

'After watching a documentary on the Anglin brothers, I decided to get in touch with their nephew Ken Widner and we've been in contact throughout the last few months.

'These are the faces of the men that beat all odds to escape the prison island of Alcatraz, these photographs, some of which are unseen until now, are an example what can be done with the art of colorization to magnify a story.'

These pictures form part of a new book on iconic colorized photographs called Retrographic by author Michael D. Carroll. The book is currently available to pre-order on Amazon for 16.55.

Morris and the Anglin brothers constructed papier-mache heads to fool guards

Even after an extensive FBI investigation there is still no conclusive proof as to what happened to the escapees
A Texas family saw their house destroyed by fire after it was struck by lightning shortly after they moved in because their previous home had been destroyed by flooding.

The family, who have not been named, were not in the property in the Copperfield area of Houston, when it erupted into flames.

A neighbour spotted the lighting strike and dialed 911.

The house in the Copperfield area of Houston was struck by lightning late last night

Three firefighters were treated after suffering from heat related injuries from battling the blaze

The family told KHOU.com that they were out for dinner when they found out about the emergency from their alarm monitoring company. They told the firm to call the police believing they had been burgled.

The family were alerted to the emergency by their alarm company, however, by the time they returned to the property it had been engulfed in flames.

One family member said: 'We pull up and we see the fire from down the street and next thing we know, it's our house.'

The homeowner confirmed his last house had been destroyed by flooding.

Members of the Cy Fair Volunteer Fire Department attended the blaze.

Three of their crew were taken to hospital suffering from heat related injuries.
A man believed to be in his 50s was rescued from his car after it went flying off a cliff on the Massachusetts coast.

The man's car went off the road on Sunday around 5.20pm in Plymouth, about 40 miles south of Boston.

A nearby resident, Karl Abele, said he saw the car go over the cliff and found it dangling about a third of the way down, narrowly avoiding a 90-foot drop onto the beach below.

A man believed to be in his 50s was rescued from his car after it went flying off a cliff on the Massachusetts coast. Authorities said the car plummeted approximately 20 to 30 feet down the cliff embankment before lodging in a wooded area (pictured)

Nearby resident, Karl Abele, said he saw the car go over the cliff and found it dangling about a third of the way down, narrowly avoiding a 90-foot drop onto the beach below

Neighbors told WHDH the driver appeared to be driving 10-15 miles per hour when he went through the gate.

Abele says smoke was coming out of the car when he ran over to help. He at first had his young child, whom he was watching, before the accident.

He then had to run and drop his child off with his mother, before racing back to help the vehicle's occupants, according to NECN.

Abele said he used a rock to break the rear windshield before he and another neighbor lifted the driver, who has not been identified, out of the car.

The man appeared to be in a daze, but conscious, Abele said. The driver was then taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, where his condition remains unknown.

Authorities told NECN that the car plummeted approximately 20 to 30 feet down the cliff embankment before lodging in a bosky area.

The man appeared to be in a daze, but conscious when he was pulled from the car that crashed through a wooden fence (pictured). The driver was then taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital

It took the Plymouth Fire Department two hours to remove the car that evening. Police are still investigating what exactly caused the crash

The car was only being held up by bushes and trees as the Abele and a nurse worked to rescue the driver.

Brian Fitzgerald, the owner of the land where the accident occurred, told NECN that neighbors called him to tell him his 'front yard just got mowed over'.

Fitzgerald said he was glad he and his family weren't home because his wife is usually outside reading around the time the crash took place.

It took the Plymouth Fire Department two hours to remove the car that evening. Police are still investigating what exactly caused the crash.
 Flash

A delegation of Chinese students, organized by China Communist Youth League (CYL), visited Pakistan Embassy College Beijing on 10th July 2017, in order to mark Embassy Experience Day.

Ambassador Masood Khalid delivers a keynote speech at "the Embassy Experience Day" held at Pakistan Embassy in Beijing on July 10th, 2017. [Courtesy of Pakistan Embassy to China]

Chief Guest on the occasion was Ambassador Masood Khalid. Event was also attended by former Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Mr. Lu Shulin, Director General International Department (CYL) Mr. Wan Xuejun and Mr. Jing Dong, Deputy Director of the Working Committee of the National Young Pioneers.

Welcoming the participants, Ambassador lauded the efforts of Communist Youth League for taking this initiative. He said that Pakistan and China share a long and rich history of friendship which has been enriched over the years.

He stressed upon the need for such frequent interactions as part of the educational and cultural bridge, which is in the process of development. He emphasized the need for regular exchange of youth delegations between the two countries to create better awareness and appreciation of each others culture.

A delegation of Chinese students, organized by China Communist Youth League (CYL), visited Pakistan Embassy College Beijing on 10th July 2017, in order to mark Embassy Experience Day. [Courtesy of Pakistan Embassy to China]

Lu shared his personal experience of living in Pakistan, and highlighted the positive feelings of Pakistanis towards China. He delivered part of his speech in Urdu in order to show solidarity with Pakistan.

Wan said that the aim of this experience is not only to promote friendship between Pakistan and China but also to give an international and multi-cultural exposure to the youth.

Event also included speeches, painting competition and cultural / musical performances by students of both countries followed by a question answer session. Event concluded with a Group photo.
Theresa May will miss Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday to take part in official welcome of the King of Spain on his State Visit, No 10 revealed today.

Instead, the premier will send her deputy Damian Green to make his debut at the Despatch Box in his new post.

Mrs May will be less than a mile away on Horse Guards Parade during the weekly clash - one of just two remaining before the long summer recess.

Theresa May (pictured at Southwark Cathedral today) will miss Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday to take part in official welcome of the King of Spain on his State Visit, No 10 revealed today

Prime Ministers occasionally miss the weekly joust with the Leader of the Opposition if they are out of the country attending summits or other events.

But it is very unusual for the Commons clash to be missed if the PM is on other business in London.

Labour MP James Frith told MailOnline: 'So Theresa May's record of not turning up continues. She's on the ropes in Parliament, on the rack in Europe and on the run from Labour.

'Instead of facing scrutiny from Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party, she's making up the numbers with the King of Spain.

'She's got no answers to the mess she's got us in and us running scared from the difficult questions from Labour.'

Gordon Brown skipped a PMQs in March 2010 to take part in the state visit of South Africa's President Jacob Zuma.

The visit of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain was scheduled for this week in April, after it was delayed by the calling of the snap election.

Planning for state visits is an elaborate coordination between the Government and the Palace.

Wednesday's ceremony will begin at 11.45am with a Guard of Honour Ceremony by the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, Corps of Drums of the Battalion and Band of the Regiment.

Gordon Brown skipped a PMQs in March 2010 to take part in the state visit of South Africa's President Jacob Zuma (Mr Brown is pictured at that event with the Queen)

The Queen will arrive at 11.55am, joined by the Spanish Royals 15 minutes later.

At 12.25pm, the two Royal families will travel in a procession to Buckingham Palace together with the Sovereigns Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and accompanied by The Band of the Household Cavalry.

Two state visits are generally scheduled each year and can be hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or Balmoral.

The scheduling of another state visit - for US President Donald Trump - remains mired in controversy amid fears of protests.
A South African poaching gang thought to be behind the slaughter of six rhinos in a single day and dozens of others has been smashed after two were shot dead and three others captured by field rangers.

The suspected poachers were mowed down after being ambushed and outgunned in the early hours of Sunday morning in a huge offensive against the gangs devastating wild rhinos in South Africa.

So far this year, 142 rhinos have been killed in KwaZulu-Natal alone with a confirmed death toll of more than 20 the weekend before last.

Six of the rhinos were killed at just one park in less than 24 hours.

Three suspected rhino poachers were arrested near two national parks in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. During the arrest, a huting rifle (pictured, an axe and other items were seized

The suspected poachers were mowed down after being ambushed and outgunned in the early hours of Sunday morning in a huge offensive against the gangs devastating wild rhinos in South Africa. Pictured above, items seized by the poachers

Ezemevelo KZN Wildlife field rangers had been hunting the gang believed to be behind the massacre when they arrested three heavily armed men outside the park in an armed swoop on Saturday.

They were caught red handed with a high calibre hunting rifle, a silence, ammunition and an axe.

Intelligence gained from the arrests is believed to have led to the shootout on Sunday morning.

South African police arrested men, aged 44, 28 and 24, were interrogated in the bush and then taken to the police station where they were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The Ezemvelo field rangers then ambushed five more poachers in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi game park at 3.30am on Sunday while patrolling the Nqolothi section when they heard voices.

Two other suspected poachers were later shot dead in close-range gunfire. Pictured above, bullets seized by the suspected poachers

The turned on their flashlights and ordered the poachers to lay down their weapons but when the gang aimed their weapons at them, the rangers opened fire at close range killing two instantly.

The other three poachers fled into the night, and an ongoing security operation with tracker dogs and a helicopter is underway to try and catch them as they try to flee to safety in the dense African bush.

Ezemvelo spokemsan Musa Mntambo told News 24:'Our rangers observed a group of five poachers and turned on their flashlights simultaneously ordering the poachers to lay down their weapons.

'One poacher pointed a gun towards the field rangers but he was outgunned. The rangers fired first and two poachers were fatally wounded and a rifle was recovered. Three managed to escape in the shootout'.

It is understood the dead suspects were from the Melmoth area of KZN and investigators are linking them to the evidence from last Sunday's massacre of six rhinos at the same nature reserve.

Mntambo said: 'This syndicate is known to the police and Ezemvelo authorities'.

Last week saw a heart-breaking photo of an orphaned baby rhino standing next to its dead mother after she was slaughtered for her horn which became the symbol for the weekend massacres

The South African Police Service are convinced the two poaches killed were working together with the three suspects who were arrested in a joint operation between SAPS Rhino 8 and Ezemvelo Field Rangers on Saturday morning near Hluhluwe town.

During this operation, a 458 hunting rifle with nine rounds of ammunition was recovered.

The Acting CEO of Ezemvelo, Mr Sthabiso Chiliza has expressed his appreciation regarding the latest success that the province has had in its fight against rhino poaching.

Why rhinos are killed for their horns White rhinos  the kind killed in the weekend massacre  are the second largest land mammal in the world, after the elephant.

A kilo of rhino horn is worth around $30,000 (23,000) making it more valuable than a kilo of gold at $25,000 (19,000).

Rhinoceros horns are made from a protein called keratin, the same substance that fingernails and hair are made of. It is actually a compacted mass of hairs that continues to grow throughout the animal's lifetime, just like our own hair and nails.

White rhinos can weigh as much as 2.5 tons and 6 feet high and run at speeds of up to 30 mph.

There are around 20,000 white rhinos left in the wild.

Rhinos remain pregnant for 15-16 months. Baby rhinos stay close to their mothers until they are approximately 3 years old. Advertisement

He said:'It is always a pleasant feeling when you know that the efforts of our Field staff as well as that of the SAPS are bearing fruit.

'Taking out five poachers in less than 24 hours is a huge achievement and I take my hat off to all those who were involved. We shall not relax until we arrest those who escaped as well as their handlers.'

The breakthrough follows a month of rampant poaching and an unprecedented surge of activity by the heavily armed gangs.

In 2017 KZN became increasingly the target of gangs and is currently regarded as the epicentre of South Africa's rhino poaching activity and it is feared they could lose 250 by the end of the year.

There are only 20,000 white rhino left in with 1000 slaughtered every year in South Africa with gangs become increasingly heavily armed to reap rich financial rewards in return for the rhino horn.

The Kruger National Park was previously the main target of poachers but heightened security and initiatives and multiple arrests have driven them to try softer targets.

Last week saw a heart-breaking photo of an orphaned baby rhino standing next to its dead mother after she was slaughtered for her horn which became the symbol for the weekend massacres.

The picture of the calf was posted on line by anti-poaching campaigners after nine rhinos were killed on one private farm and another six rhinos were killed at the reserve where two men were shot dead.

White rhinos are the second largest land mammal in the world after the elephant and kilo of horn is worth 23,000 (29,600)  making it more valuable than a kilo of gold at 19,000 ($24,500).

The horn is made from a protein called keratin which is the same substance finger nails and hair are made from.

Rhinos can weight up to 2.5tons, can be six feet tall and run at up to 30mph.

Since 2007 more than 6000 rhinos have been shot and butchered for their horns in South Africa with the majority in the last four years with the butchers board recording 1,000 a year at present.
A man has been arrested amid a police search for four young men who all vanished in the span of just three days, potentially as a result of 'foul play'.

The FBI joined local officers in desperate searches underway on Monday for the four missing men identified as 22-year-old Mark Sturgis; 21-year-old Tom Meo; 18-year-old Dean Finocchiario; and 19-year-old Jimi Tar Patrick.

Patrick was the first to disappear, having not been seen since last Wednesday. The other three all went missing on Friday.

Investigators were searching a number of properties, including a corn field and an adjoining property at the farm in Solebury Township, and are chasing down a number of 'fast-developing leads'.

Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub holds up photos of four men who are missing during a news conference in Solebury Township, Pennsylvania, on Monday afternoon

Jimi Patrick (left) was the first to go missing and was last seen at 6pm on Wednesday. Dean Finocchiaro (right) vanished on Friday

Tom Meo (left) and Mark Sturgis (right) were the other two young men to go missing. They both worked for Sturgis' father's construction business

'The leads are incredibly hot, they're very fruitful. We're making great progress, but there's so much more work to do,' Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said during a press conference on Monday afternoon.

Cosmo DiNardo, 20, was taken into custody on an old weapons charge Monday afternoon and is being held on a $1million bond. His parents own the farm property that seemed to be at the center of the search

'We're not going to rest until we get through every inch of that property,' he continued, before adding there had been 'a lot of strong indications' suggesting investigators should focus on the farm property, Fox29 reports.

Weintraub explained FBI officers had been called in to join the search because of their expertise in recovery operations underway at the farm.

The DA closed the press conference by telling reporters while he hopes the four young friends are still alive, he described the search effort as like looking for 'needles in a haystack'.

'I don't know how this is going to end up, unfortunately, but I am confident that we are going to get to the bottom of this,' he said.

The farm is owned by Antonio DiNardo, 46, and Sandra DiNardo, 47, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The newspaper added the couple's 20-year-old son, Cosmo DiNardo, was taken into custody Monday afternoon on a firearm charge from February and he is currently being held on a bond of $1million.

A police officer is pictured at one of the properties where investigators were searching for the four missing men on Monday

Police report that Sturgis and Meo were friends, (pictured together) but it is not clear if the four disappearances are directly linked

The charge is not related to the disappearances.

DiNardo was taken into custody at one of the other properties being searched, which is where he lives and is owned by his family.

Heavy equipment was also being used during the search, which had grown on Monday to include seven different agencies.

Sturgis and Meo are longtime buddies, while Finocchiaro is a mutual friend.

Sturgis' father, Mark Potash, said did not know where his son was heading or what he was doing before he disappeared Friday.

Police are seen on a blocked driveway in Pennsylvania near one of the properties investigators believe could be linked to the disappearance of four young men

The FBI was called in to help with the search, due to their expertise in recovery operations underway at a farm believed to be linked to the disappearances

He explained to the Inquirer how he first became concerned when his son and Meo did not show up for work on Saturday morning at his construction business.

'I thought maybe they had a night of drinking and slept somewhere... that was my hope,' he told the newspaper.

'They are just really good kids... I cant even begin to imagine, at this point, as the hours pass, it seems more and more grim.'

Authorities are working to determine if there is a link between the four men who disappeared, aside from the fact they are all friends.

Earlier, a friend of Meo's, Amb Ro Clark, revealed in a Facebook post there was additional urgency to locate the 21-year-old as he is diabetic.

He was last seen around Routes 202 and 263 near Doylestown on Friday, she wrote.

Officials running the search operation also called in heavy construction equipment on Monday

Matthew Weintraub, District Attorney for Bucks County, Pennsylvania, speaks to the media during a news conference on Monday

Law enforcement officials are seen blocking off a driveway at one of the properties being searched

Police executed a search warrarnt at a home in Solebury on Sunday night about 7pm as part of the investigation.

Officers had been led to the town after Sturgis' vehicle was found in the parking lot of the local Peddler's Village shopping complex, while the vehicle of another of the missing men was found near the house they executed the search warrant, family say.

'Obviously right now we're treating this as a criminal investigation but nobody is in custody and the search is ongoing,' Bucks County First Assistant District Attorney Gregg D. Shore said Sunday night.

Kenny Bobby added that his nephew, Sturgis, drives a silver 2005 Nissan Altima with Maryland plates, has a dent by the gas door on rear driver side and a broken driver door handle.

He urged anyone that spotted the car or had any information to come forward.

'REWARD FOR ANY INFORMATION LEADING TO THEM!!' he said.

Meo was last seen around Routes 202 and 263 near Doylestown on Friday (pictured)
Philip Hammond (picture in Downing Street in March) mooted the rise in Class 4 NICs in his Budget earlier this year

Ministers finally killed off plans to hike national insurance for the self-employed today.

The 2billion rise in NICs was mooted in Philip Hammond's Budget earlier this year, but sparked a massive backlash.

The Chancellor was forced into an humiliating U-turn amid fury that it broke the Conservative manifesto - but appeared to revive the issue during the election campaign by refusing to rule out changes.

However, Theresa May's effective deputy, Damian Green, said there would be no attempt to bring the proposals back in the wake of the Tories' setback at the polls.

The confirmation came as First Secretary of State was asked about former RSA chief executive Matthew Taylor's review of the so-called 'gig economy', in which many workers are treated as self-employed.

Mr Green suggested the Government would bring forward policies in response to the report, due tomorrow, but stressed that previous plans to increase Class 4 National Insurance Contributions (NICs) of self-employed workers would not be among them.

The First Secretary of State told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Actually that's not in Matthew Taylor's report, he deliberately doesn't make tax recommendations.

'And we won't be revisiting that... the House of Commons has already spoken on that so we won't be revisiting that.

'But absolutely in terms of the general thrust of Matthew Taylor's report, which is that we have done very well because of our flexible labour market to reduce unemployment to historically low levels, 40-year low on unemployment, he wants to combine that with a better quality of work, particularly for those working in the gig economy.

'And that is a sensible thing to say and we will be taking that up and working on the details of how best to put that into practice.'

The PM's official spokesman confirmed the step later. 'It's been looked at and we're not going back to it,' he said. The measure had been due to raise 2billion for the Exchequer over two years.

Theresa May's effective deputy, Damian Green (pictured in Downing Street last month), said there would be no attempt to bring the NICs proposals back
Four-month-old Brooklyn Ruth Irby died on Sunday after being found unresponsive in a van in a motel parking lot

A four-month-old baby girl has died after being found unresponsive in a van in a motel parking lot.

Brooklyn Ruth Irby was rushed to hospital on Sunday from the parking lot of Motel 6 in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Her mother called police at 10.28am to report that she was not breathing. The pair had been living there with Brooklyn's father and grandfather since falling on hard times, relatives later revealed.

Once at hospital, doctors pronounced the infant dead. An autopsy is due to be concluded on Monday.

Montgomery County Police Department is investigating the incident.

No arrests have yet been made but members of the girl's family are being interviewed.

Captain Paul Starks told DailyMail.com the department was awaiting the results of the baby's autopsy before it would pursue any charges.

'Hopefully we can get some information from that and put the community at ease,' he said.

Michael Dionne, Brooklyn's grandfather who was also living in the van, told ABC he was devastated by her death.

The baby girl was found in a van in the parking lot of Motel 6 in Gaithersburg, a $70-a-night two-star hotel

'I loved my granddaughter. She was beautiful. She was always trying to talk. I have never seen her cry, she was that good a baby.'

Michael Dionne, Brooklyn's grandfather, was also living in the van. No arrests have been made

He said that his daughter, who has not been named, was trying to secure housing from the city but was repeatedly unsuccessful.

She had applied twice to the Montgomery County Crisis Center for help but was turned down both times, he said.

'It's a crime. Myself, I don't need housing, I can get by.

'But a four-month-old and her mother, to turn them down?'

No one from Motel 6, where rooms cost around $70-a-night, would comment on the baby's death on Monday.

It's not clear how long the family had been living in the van.

Temperatures reached 82F in Gaithersburg on Sunday by noon.
Masked men armed with tear gas robbed around 20 tourists who were waiting for shuttle buses outside a Paris airport hotel at the weekend.

The black-clad thieves arrived in at least two vehicles at the hotel near Charles de Gaulle airport and robbed the French, American and Moroccan tourists of their luggage and personal belongings on Saturday.

Hotels around the airport as well as the motorway leading to Charles de Gaulle and Le Bourget - Europe's busiest private jet airport - are frequently targeted by thieves.

The thieves were targeting passengers travelling to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris

The tourists were attacked outside the Novotel in Roissey-en-France by the masked assailants.

According to BFM TV, the 'evildoers' were still on the run today.

Last August, around six assailants sprayed tear gas on Chinese tourists outside a hotel near the airport and made off with their luggage.

Two Qataris leaving Le Bourget in a Bentley headed for Paris were attacked in November when the thieves made off with some $5.7 million worth of jewellery and clothing.

In February a Russian couple were robbed of jewellery and luxury goods worth some $113,000 on the same stretch of motorway.
Four children and one adult died in a car wreck in southwestern South Dakota.

Four other people were also hurt in the crash off Highway 40 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Those who were injured were taken to the hospital, according to Rapid City Fire Captain Andy Lipp.

The names of those involved in the crash were released Monday.

Those who died included: Jeremy Little, 13, Mato Sires, 10, Winya Wastewin Decory, 4, Jenhae Swift Eagle, 10 and Wanda Sires, 66.

The four who survived, but were injured include: Wallace Little, 19, Niomi Little, 9, Mila Sires, 12 and Elsa Decory, 2.

Their relationship is unknown at this time.

Four children and one adult died in a car crash on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota Saturday night. Four other people were injured. The FBI and the Oglala Sioux tribal police are investigating the crash

The one-vehicle crash happened Saturday night about 10 miles south of Red Shirt, a small community on the northwest edge of the reservation.

According to the preliminary investigation, it appears the driver lost control of the minivan, which then rolled into a ditch on the side of the road.

The Minneapolis Division of the FBI and the Ogala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety are still investigating the incident to find out if the crash was a result of a criminal act.

Emergency crews from the towns and cities of Keystone, Hermosa, Lifelight and Rapid City responded around 10.30pm, the KSFY reported.

Multiple ambulances were sent to the scene, Lipp said.

The Keystone Fire Department told the outlet it appears the minivan rolled several times.

The crash happened off Highway 40 (pictured) on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation near the Red Shirt community

In May, five people died in another car crash on the Pine Ridge reservation. One of the victims was a pregnant woman.

That crash happened on Highway 44, about five miles west of Wanblee.

Pennington County Fire Administrator Jerome Harvey said the victims were in a vehicle that crossed the center line and collided head-on with a semi-tractor trailer.

Those victims were identified as Ashton Standing Bear, 21,Jaceya Cummings, seven, Micah Cummings, five, Devin Conquering Bear, whose age was unknown and Tawni Wilcox, 30, who was six months pregnant.

A baby in the vehicle survived and was taken to a Rapid City hospital.

The driver and a passenger in the semi were unhurt.

Wanblee is about 100 miles southeast of Rapid City.
A 16-year-old boy charged with the rape of an eight-year-old girl in a park appeared before a crown court judge today.

The boy who cannot be named for legal reasons is accused of assaulting the youngster in a park in Moston, Greater Manchester.

He was arrested on the evening of June 24, when police were called to reports that a girl had been raped.

The incident is alleged to have taken place in Nuthurst park in New Moston, five miles north-east of the city centre.

The alleged attack happened in Nuthurst Park in Moston, Greater Manchester, shortly before 7pm on June 24

Police charged the 16-year-old boy with rape after the attack on an eight-year-old girl

The boy was wearing a white shirt and being supported by his parents, the boy did not enter a plea.

Judge Michael Leeming said: 'The complainant in this case is eight years of age. She's entitled to anonymity and I make the order.

'I also make a section 45 order, no matter relating to the defendant shall, whilst he's under the age of 18, be in any publication as a person involved in these proceedings.

Specially trained officers were providing the victim and her family with support in the aftermath of the alleged attack

'November 20 is the trial date, with a five-day estimate.'

Addressing the teenager, he said: 'Please continue to cooperate with your solicitor in the preparation of your trial.

'You will be brought before the court on August 31 [for a pre-trial hearing].'

He was remanded into the care of the local authority.
An AirBnB landlord is facing attempted murder charges after a video emerged of him pushing a tourist down a flight of stairs.

Footage showing South African filmmaker Sibahle Steve Nkumbi falling head first down a steep staircase appeared on social media.

The shocking incident came after an argument prompted by Ms Nkumbi and three friends arriving late for their check-out time.

Footage showing South African filmmaker Sibahle Steve Nkumbi falling head first down a steep staircase appeared on social media

The footage shows the man shouting 'out, out' as he chucks the clothes and suitcases of the women out of the flat and down the stairs.

But then the landlord angrily shouts 'out now' and can be seen pushing Ms Nkumbi, down the steep staircase.

She hit ground hard and seems to hit the wall and the floor with her face, and then remains motionless.

The video then shows the landlord walking down the stairs and calling for someone to call an ambulance, ostensibly realising to his own horror what he has just done.

Ms Nkumbi is studying in Bern, Switzerland, and was in Amsterdam for an exhibition.

She said: We knew that we were late and we heard a bell ring. We opened the door to this lady.

She stated that this is not acceptable, you guys need to pack and leave now. And I was like, "Yes, give us a few minutes to pack and I apologised profusely for us being late and we were getting ready to leave".

And that's when she came back a few minutes later with the husband and he was banging the door.

The shocking incident came after an argument prompted by Ms Nkumbi(pictured) and three friends arriving late for their check-out time

The Airbnb host rushes to her aid after she didn't stand back up. Screams from her friends can be heard as she lay motionless

He was like open up open up open up and then she opened and this guy was extremely emotional... I asked him why he was being so emotional, we are leaving.'

Ms Nkumbi said the man then became 'verbally abusive' and said 'you need to leave now, this is not Africa'.

The filmmaker said when she tried to leave, her attacker 'couldn't resist' the opportunity to grab her.

The way he grabbed me, I knew he was going to throw me down there. I freaked out.

Showing off her bruises under her arms from where he allegedly grabbed her, the filmmaker, who has concussion, added: The last thing I remember was when I realised he was going to throw me down there'

As I'm resisting against the wall, he's trying to get me to his position and eventually I lost grip of the wall because it's a wall, there's nothing to hold on to. That's when I flew down, all the way down.

Showing off her bruises under her arms from where he allegedly grabbed her, the filmmaker, who has concussion, added: The last thing I remember was when I realised he was going to throw me down there.

Flying down the stairs, I dont remember, I passed out and woke up in hospital.

Photographer and artist Muholi Zanele is a friend of Ms Nkumbi and claimed in an Instagram the incident was racially motivated.

She wrote: 'One of my friends/Inkanyiso crew members was pushed downstairs by the Airbnb owner where we stayed. He threw their belongings out... for few mins late checkout.

'She collapsed and ended up in hospital. She suffered internal injuries and bruises. Am so angry with this I couldn't even sleep. This is racism and can't be justified... violence on black bodies as you can see in this video.'

The woman was taken to hospital. According to local media she luckily only sustained minor injuries and was later discharged.

Police said the alleged victim had been treated for her injuries in hospital and would press charges.

Photographer and visual artist Muholi Zanele is a friend and colleague of the victim. She claims the attack for racially motivated

Prosecutors were considering a charge of attempted murder but were still studying the facts, an official from the prosecutors office told Reuters.

Airbnb chief executive Brian Chesky would contact the guests involved, the company said in a statement.

'Appalling and unconscionable behaviour against members of our community runs counter to everything Airbnb stands for,' David King, an Airbnb official, told MailOnline.

'We will take the strongest actions we can against such abhorrent conduct, including banning people for life from our platform and assisting law enforcement with their investigation and potential prosecution.

'Nobody should ever be treated like this and it will not be tolerated.'
A New York man has been arrested and charged with two felonies after police in Long Island say he faked his own kidnapping in an attempt to shake down his mother for ransom money.

According to the Nassau County Police Department, 31-year-old Michael Sorbera, of Huntington, on Friday morning sent his mother text messages claiming he was in trouble.

The victim, a 62-year-old woman from Elmont, got a call later that day from another man who instructed her to wire money to Western Union in her son's name.

Son charged: Michael Sorbera (left), of Long Island, is accused of faking his own kidnapping in an attempt to get his 62-year-old mother (right) to pay ransom money

Police say the caller threatened to physically harm Sorbera if his mother failed to pay up the ransom.

During the call, Sorbera got on the phone telling his mother he was abducted and begged her to hand over the money to his captors, according to police.

Instead of complying, the 62-year-old widowed mother-of-two contacted the police, who quickly found her son at his apartment in the 300 block of Nassau Road in Huntington.

An investigation determined that the 31-year-old construction worker was not a victim of kidnapping and he was promptly taken into custody.

Sorbera has been charged with second-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree conspiracy.

He was later arraigned on those charges and his bail was set at $10,000 bond or $5,000 cash, reported Newsday.

Scam: Police say the 31-year-old (left and right) texted his mother saying he was in trouble. He then had another man call her pretending to be his captor and demanding money

Shrewd: Instead of wiring the money in her son's name, the 62-year-old widowed mother-of-two (pictured) contacted the police

Unmasked: Police arrived at Sorbera's home in Huntington, New York, and found him safe

The man who called Sorbera's mother pretending to be the kidnapper has not been arrested as of Monday morning, according to a press release from the police.

Sorbera's recent social media posts suggest that he and his mother were very close, and in several rapturous status updates that man expressed his gratitude for her love and dedication as a parent.

In one heartfelt Mother's Day Facebook post, Sorbera described his mother in glowing terms as 'one of a kind, a motivating force of positivity [sic], and love.

He went on in the same vein, writing: 'They broke the mold when it comes to you as a person, but most importantly to me, a mother. You taught me never to give up no matter how bad things might get, but to put your best foot forward, hold my head high, and believe in myself.'
A Tennessee couple has been charged in the death of their 11-month-old daughter, who authorities say died after being left in a hot car.

Chattanooga police arrested Travis McCullough, 30, and Jessica Tollett, 24, on Sunday in connection with the baby's death on Saturday.

Court documents show McCullough dropped Tollett off at work, then drove with their three children to The Buffalo Shack, to get $20 in gas money from his father, who owns the food truck.

McCullough's father, who didn't know the kids were in the car, told his son that he could work for the money.

Scroll down for video

Chattanooga police arrested Travis McCullough, 30 (left), and Jessica Tollett, 24 (right), on Sunday in connection with the baby's death on Saturday

Authorities say McCullough worked for several hours while his three children baked in the car, on a day when temperatures exceeded 80 degrees.

When McCullough finally went back to the car, he found his daughter unconscious and screamed for help.

A woman pulled over to help and says that McCullough 'tossed the lifeless victim who was completely unclothed into her arms and fled the scene,' according to the police affidavit.

'[McCullough] left, went over to the gas station, got gas in his car and took off,' Chattanooga Police Department spokeswoman Elisa Myzal said.

Police say McCullough dropped Tollett off for work on Saturday and then went to his dad's food truck (red, in the background) with his three kids to borrow $20 for gas

His dad, who didn't know the kids were in the car, told McCullough he could work for the money. So he worked for several hours while the kids baked in the car. Above, an ambulance on the scene

When McCullough finally returned to the car, he found his 11-month-old daughter unconscious. Above, a memorial at the scene

Paramedics pronounced the girl dead at the scene and said she had a 106-degree temperature

After that, McCullough dropped the other two children off at a family member's house. That family member brought the children back to the scene, where they talked to officers about what happened.

When paramedics arrived at the scene, the girl's temperature was 106-degrees. They also noted that 'insects were observed flying from the eyes, nose and mouth of the victim'. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Myzal said the two surviving children showed signs of neglect, malnutrition and possible abuse, with visible bruising and cuts.

One even had a black eye and both smelled strongly of urine.

When given food, police said the kids ate quickly and were 'very protective of their food as though they had not eaten recently'.

The children were hospitalized and will be released into the custody of Child Protective Services. Their ages and gender have not been released.

Investigators searched the family's apartment and called conditions 'atrocious,' with one room covered in feces and urine. The refrigerator in the home was empty, and there was just one bed and one crib that the two adults and three kids slept in.

Investigators searched the family's apartment (in the above block) and called conditions 'atrocious,' with one room covered in feces and urine

Tollett told police that the family was on food stamps and they were running low on food. She also said that they used a belt to punish their children, but that she did not know how the kids got their recent wounds.

One of the children had not seen a doctor since he was two, even though he showed signs of a developmental disability.

The affidavit says that 'based on the living conditions of the home, lack of medical care, lack of food and visible injuries on the (blacked out), there is probable cause to believe that the act of aggravated child neglect has occurred.'

McCullough was charged with criminal homicide and three counts of aggravated child neglect. He is being held on a $1 million bond. Myzal said he has a lawyer.

Tollett was charged with three counts of aggravated child abuse and neglect and is being held on $300,000 bond. It's unclear if she has a lawyer.

Both were booked in Hamilton County Jail.
A sexual battery suspect was arrested at a Florida airport on Saturday 13 years after allegedly impregnating a mentally disabled woman.

Pascal Estime was picked up by Boynton Beach Police officers as he pretended to sleep at a gate in Fort Lauderdale airport on Saturday. He was about to board a plane to Port-au-Prince in Haiti when they arrested him.

Estime, 55, is accused of sexually battering a mentally disabled woman, who is now 33, in Boynton Beach in 2004.

According to police records, Estime lived with the woman's caretaker. On April 7, 2004, he allegedly snuck into her bedroom while her father was in the backyard of their home, told her to 'bend over and pull her panties down' and then raped her.

Later, her father discovered she was pregnant and alerted police. The victim identified Estime when questioned.

Pascal Estime was arrested at Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida on Saturday as he tried to board a plane to Haiti. He is accused of sexually battering a disabled woman in Boynton Beach in 2004

A warrant for his arrest was executed but police could not hunt him down until July last year, when they finally traced him to Orlando.

Before they could arrest him, he fled to Haiti but returned to the US in June this year and was tracked down again and made to submit to a DNA test.

Police tested his sample against a preserved sample from the unborn fetus which officers harvested 13 years ago.

The test result on Wednesday determined there was a 99.9 percent chance he was the unborn baby's father.

On Saturday, Boynton Beach Police officers were alerted to Fort Lauderdale by another agency which told them Estime had booked a plane ticket out of the country.

Boynton Beach Police officers posed for photographs with the suspect after arresting him on Saturday

They found him at Gate F4 in the JetBlue terminal.

Estime, 55, was held without bond on Sunday

In photographs of his arrest, Estime looked away from the camera as the officers surrounded him.

He was taken to Palm Beach County Jail and was ordered held without bond during an initial court appearance on Sunday.

In a statement, a Boynton Beach Police Department spokesman said: 'Justice was a long time coming for the victim in this case.

'Thanks to the tremendous diligence and determination of Det. Joseph, his partner, Det. Marco Villari and their supervisor, Sgt. Russell Faine, [the officers involved] the only travel destination for Estime now is the Palm Beach County Jail.'
Despite being stabbed at least 20 times Mia Ayliffe-Chung managed to run to the bathroom of her hostel before dying on the floor.

When paramedics arrived at the Home Hill hostel her body was so free of blood that they thought she could be resuscitated.

'She was spotless,' said Mia's mother Rosie, who has visited the regional Australia hostel where her daughter lost her life in a brutal and meaningless attack.

Rosie Ayliffe said she had spoken to Mia (pictured) the morning of the attack and said the news of her daughter's death was 'astonishing, terrifying and devastating'

Rosie Ayliffe (pictured) has become an outspoken advocate for backpackers rights in Australia

Smail Ayad (pictured), a French tourist who shared a dorm with Mia Ayliffe-Chung, allegedly stabbed her and fellow British tourist Thomas Jackson to death in August 2016

Rosie remembered her daughter looking the same way when she was born, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

'She came into the world spotless and left it in the same way,' she said.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung was allegedly stabbed to death by French tourist Smail Ayad in Home Hill last year after working in a Queensland cane field to extend her visa.

Ayad is said to have developed an obsession with the young British backpacker, and allegedly dragged her from bed just before midnight on August 23, 2016.

He then dove off the balcony and allegedly killed the hostel's dog.

'I now understand that there's a dark side to the backpacker culture - that people can find themselves at risk just like my daughter did,' Rosie said in the wake of her daughter's death

Ayad is now awaiting trial at the Mental Health Court for two counts of murder after a preliminary diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Rosie told the ABC she had spoken to Mia the morning of the attack and says the news of her daughter's death was 'astonishing, terrifying and devastating.'

'I'm sitting in the cubicle where Mia died and apparently she fought for her life. Even with chest injuries, even after a blow to the heart, Mia was still fighting for her life. And that says it all.'

'I'm sitting in the cubicle where Mia died and apparently she fought for her life. Even with chest injuries, even after a blow to the heart, Mia was still fighting for her life. And that says it all,' Rosie Ayliffe (pictured) said after visiting the hostel where her daughter lost her life

The hostel bed where Mia slept before she was murdered, which was visited by her mother Rosie as she retraced her daughter's last steps

Rosie says she was unfamiliar with the scheme, which sees tourists aged between 19 and 31 spend 88 days working in the agricultural sector to extend their Australian visas a further year, and hoped the government had safety regulations in place for its workers.

'I assumed that the young people would be registered and the farms accredited,' she said.

Rosie now wants to see the government take control of the scheme that has been subject to widespread criticism with claims of exploitation and underpayment of tourists.

After speaking to the family of Tom Jackson, the man who was killed coming to Mia's defence, Rosie discovered the extent of the system's failures.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung (pictured), was murdered in a frenzied knife attack at a backpacking hostel in Home Hill, north Queensland, in August 2016. The 21-year-old was picking fruit on a farm so she could extend her visa

'He'd been to a farm in Victoria, did a bit of work, didn't get any money for it, didn't get any credit towards his 88 days,' she said.

She says she has spoken to numerous other travellers involved in the program after championing the cause to stop further abuse and tragedies occurring.

'I now understand that there's a dark side to the backpacker culture - that people can find themselves at risk just like my daughter did,' Rosie said.

'I want to see regulation of the 88 days. I want a central body which distributes backpackers among farms that are certified.'

Ms Ayliffe-Chung, who was working in cane fields in an effort to extend her visa, was allegedly stabbed at least 20 times in the face, neck and chest by Ayad.

Now, close to a year on from her daughter's death, Rosie Ayliffe (pictured) has slammed the need for backpackers to do farm work - saying it's responsible for the 'dark side' of tourist life in Australia

Fellow British backpacker Thomas Jackson (left), 30, rushed to rescue Mia Ayliffe-Chung and was also allegedly attacked by Ayad. He passed away five days after the attack

Fellow British backpacker Thomas Jackson, 30, was also allegedly attacked by the 29-year-old as he rushed to her rescue. He passed away five days after the attack.

In the days after British police woke her in the middle of the night to deliver the horrific news, a heartbroken Rosie flew out to Australia to bury her daughter.

The single mother said the devastation of losing her daughter on the trip of a lifetime led her to push for change to the 417 visa protocol.

During her trip for her daughter's funeral, Rosie said many backpackers came up to and told her of their experiences working on farms.

'I want to see regulation of the 88 days. I want a central body which distributes backpackers among farms that are certified,' Rosie (pictured) said

She claims they told horror stories full of exploitation and abuse. It was these stories and her daughter's death which have led her to launch the campaign for change.

In addition to writing to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Rosie has also used social media to warn backpackers travelling to Australia.

'If you're travelling on your own, stay in groups or with male companions... never get into a vehicle with a stranger in any country in the world,' Rosie posted to social media earlier this year.

'While it's good to be open and trusting, and it brings its own rewards, you have to travel smart and not take unnecessary risks.

Ms Ayliffe-Chung as an infant two decades before she visited Australia and was murdered

Despite the horrors that have faced her, Rosie returned to Australia to learn more about the farm work scheme in recent months - even putting herself through the pain of visiting the place where her daughter Mia (pictured) died

'This is not saying this was the girl's fault in any way, but what we as a campaign are looking at is a system  88 days agricultural labor  which can be changed.'

Despite the horrors that have faced her, Rosie returned to Australia to learn more about the farm work scheme in recent months.

She even put herself through the pain of visiting the place where Mia died, and the father of murdered hero Thomas Jackson says Rosie's brave work may save more lives.

'If she's successful there'll be less people going through what we've gone through and Rosie herself has gone through,' Les Jackson said.
Racist posters calling for Waleed Aly, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Asians and the Apex gang to be deported have popped up around Sydney.

The signs designed to resemble Pokemon cards also made the shocking call to lynch Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

One poster featuring 'Waleedamon' claimed the host of Channel 10's The Project was 'deceptive' and he was 'charming yet insidious' with an ability called 'taqiyya (used by Muslims to lie to non-believers to defeat them)'.

Posters calling for Waleed Aly, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Asians and the Apex gang to be deported have popped up around Sydney

Abdel-Magied's card called her a 's**t-stain' who was a 'nuisance feminist and self-confessed 'most hated Muslim in Australia'' and a 'big-mouthed Australiaphobe'

Another offensive poster called Abdel-Magied a 's**t stain' who was a 'nuisance feminist and self-confessed "most hated Muslim in Australia"' and a 'big-mouthed Australiaphobe'.

It also mocked her claim Islam was the 'most feminist religion' and crossed her out as being 'self-exiled'.

Senator Hanson-Young was drawn as a caricature with 'you're a f***ing white male' written in the background.

She was called a 'traitor' who was able to 'destroy Australia by promoting self-hatred and open borders'.

Another 'Ch**kamon' card had a cartoon of a Chinese man about to eat an Australia-shaped steak while saying 'that rooks dericious'.

It warned Chinese investors had 'unlimited funds' and were undertaking an 'inconspicuous buy-out of Aussie housing, business and infrastructure... passive yet cunning'.

Senator Hanson-Young was drawn as a crude caricature with 'you're a f**king white male' written in the background

Another 'Chinkamon' card had an offensive cartoon of a Chinese man about to eat an Australia-shaped steak while saying 'that rooks dericious'

The final card called Melbourne's African Apex gang 'Apexmon' and included crude early 20th century-style racist cartoons of armed black men.

'Average IQ of 75 and a racial commitment to crime. Supported by welfare and proceeds of crime,' the card read.

All the cards bore the slogan 'gotta catch and deport em all' except for Senator Hanson-Young's which replaced 'deport' with 'hang'.

The posters were first spotted in Petersham, in Sydney's inner-west, and have been linked to a blog site belonging to a group called 'Aussie Nationalists'.

The site encouraged supporters to 'spread the love in your area' by putting up the posters.

Another card called Melbourne African Apex gang 'Apexmon' and included crude early 20th Century-style racist cartoons of armed black men

An inner-west resident who spotted them on his street posted photos of some of the posters to Facebook, venting his outrage, but said neighbours ripped them down hours later.

'Somehow, some "Aussie Nationalists" stumbled out of their caves and ended up around the corner from my house to put these up,' he wrote.

'Is there somewhere I can deport THEM to seeing as they don't seem to like it here in Australia?' another person wrote.

Marrickville Police were seeking information from the public about who made and distributed the posters.
For one 86-year-old man, a little hard work has never been an issue, until now.

Fred Sizemore said he started working when he was just 14 years old and he's never stopped.

'I don't mind working hard,' Sizemore told Fox 8. 'There are people who say they can't find anything, well, those people don't like to work.'

Fred Sizemore (pictured) said he started working when he was just 14 years old and he's never stopped. But now, he said he hasn't been able to find work this summer, when he usually mows lawns in Lexington, North Carolina

Sizemore (pictured mowing his lawn) also said he applied for several jobs but they never called back. Sizemore's first job was in Ohio at Wimpy's Hamburgers. He has also owned a restaurant and cleaning business, driven trucks and worked in a factory

The North Carolinian said he hasn't had a problem with finding work until this summer, when he usually mows lawns in Lexington.

Sizemore believes that working keeps him young, and though he's applied for several jobs, he hasn't gotten a call back.

His granddaughter, Misty Causey, told the station she believes it's because of his age.

'For a lot of people, when you hear the age of 86, they're scared because of health reasons and putting them out there by themselves,' Causey explained. 'But he's healthy and able to do it, so why not give him a chance?'

Sizemore's first job was in Ohio at Wimpy's Hamburgers. He has also owned a restaurant and cleaning business, driven trucks and worked in a factory.

He retired at 65, but said he still likes to keep busy because 'it gets boring laying around the house', Sizemore told Fox.

Sizemore said his age is just a number and he doesn't feel 86.

'I have a friend that's 90, he mows 32 yards,' Sizemore said. 'They can't tell me older people can't work.'
Former EastEnders actress Leanne Lakey appeared at Croydon Crown Court today

Former EastEnders actress Leanne Lakey appeared in court today accused of smuggling 6lbs of cocaine into Britain hidden in the bottom of a suitcase.

The 39-year-old, who played Belinda Peacock in the BBC soap from 2001 to 2003, denied the charge at Croydon Crown Court in South London.

The actress from Chelmsford, Essex, who also played Charlotte Day in Channel 5's Family Affairs, will return for a three-day trial on December 18.

She appeared in the dock with Dean Shanahan, 47, of Kingsbury, North London. Both pleaded not guilty to one count of importing the Class A drug at Gatwick Airport on December 1 last year.

Prosecutors say the cocaine was found in Shanahan's case and the pair were together in a joint enterprise.

A gram is cocaine is worth around 50, giving the amount of 6lbs (3kg) seized a street value of about 150,000.

Lakey appeared in the dock with Dean Shanahan (above) and both of them denied the charge

Lakey appeared on EastEnders between 2001 and 2003 as Belinda Slater. She is pictured above in an episode of the soap in November 2003 alongside Ricky Groves as Garry Hobbs

The actress trained at Arts Educational School in Chiswick, West London, and has also appeared in the TV series Casualty, New Tricks, The Bill and Holby City.

Lakey is known for being one of the first actresses to star in two soaps at the same time, while appearing in both EastEnders and Family Affairs.

Both defendants were bailed on condition they reside at their recorded addresses and Shanahan must obey an electronically-tagged curfew between 10pm and 7am.

Lacey will also be allowed to stay at her boyfriend's flat in Bedford with the court's permission.

Lakey, pictured in an EastEnders episode in October 2001, has also appeared in Casualty
Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee are calling for the president's oldest son, Don Jr., to testify about his meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer during the heat of the presidential campaign.

Republican panel member Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told reporters Monday that 'our intelligence committee needs to interview him and others who attended the meeting,' which took place in Trump Tower in June.

'I think its appropriate that he does that to clear this up,' added Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), a senior Intelligence and Armed Services member who has forged ties with members of both parties, speaking on CNN.

'This was the first time that the public has seen clear evidence that senior level officials of the Trump campaign reached out to potentially an agent of a foreign government, clearly a Russian, to try and get damaging information about Hillary Clinton,' Intelligence vice chairman, Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, told CNN.

Trump Jr tweeted that he is 'happy to work with the committee to pass on what I know.'

The committee is already probing contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russians during the campaign.

Donald Trump Jr., the New York Times reports, set up a meeting with a Kremlin-linked Russian attorney after being promised damaging information on Hillary Clinton

The high-powered meeting with a Russian national in June of 2016 has become a sensational piece in the narrative about Russia connections of officials linked to Trump following weekend revelations about its existence and what got discussed.

The meeting came during a period of weeks when the Democratic National Committee was hacked, Wikileaks posted thousands of DNC emails, and Trump officials met with Russia's ambassador to the U.S.

Donald Trump Jr. pushed back Monday on developing reports about his meeting with the Russian national to discuss dirt on Hillary Clinton  saying he 'had to listen' to the potentially damaging information.

Trump, who in earlier statements diminished the meeting by saying he didn't know the identity of the Russian attendee before it happened and that the substance was about adoption, on Monday took on a sarcastic tone on Twitter.

'Obviously I'm the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent,' wrote Trump Jr, who is reliably one of his father's most pugnacious defenders, acknowledging that the meeting was about Clinton.

The meeting 'went nowhere but had to listen,' he wrote.

His tweet was an apparent reference to the common campaign practice of doing opposition research on opponents, though meeting with a foreign national to discuss potential dirt on an opponent is unusual.

Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins is calling for Donald Trump Jr. to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee to discuss the meeting

Trump Jr also said there was 'no inconsistency' in his weekend statements about the meetings  having focused on the issue of Russian adoption in his Saturday statement while leaving out Hillary Clinton, but then revealing in a Sunday statement that information about Clinton was discussed at the top of the meeting.

Trump Jr also linked to a New York Post op-ed featured prominently on the Drudge Report that calls a weekend New York Times 'expose' about the meeting a 'big yawn.'

The brash pushback against reports about the meeting comes after a weekend where Trump Jr stated on Saturday that the meeting was about adoption. Then following a New York Times report he stated the meeting was called to discuss potentially damaging information about Hillary Clinton, but the information that came up 'made no sense.'

He also hit back after the New York Times tweeted out a story under the heading: 'In less than 24 hours, Donald Trump Jr. gave 2 different explanations about why he met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer.'

Trump Jr hit back at critics of his 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer where potential dirt on Hillary Clinton was discussed. He said it 'went nowhere' but he 'had to listen'

Trump Jr also said there was 'no inconsistency' in his statements about the meeting that occurred, andn that he simply 'provided more details'

Trump Jr responded on Twitter: 'No inconsistency in statements, meeting ended up being primarily about adoptions. In response to further Q's I simply provided more details.'

The meeting that took place in June 2016 included Trump Jr, Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Trump Jr said Sunday he took a meeting with Veselnitskaya, Kremlin-linked lawyer, because he was offered information 'helpful' to his father's presidential campaign - but he did not know who he would be meeting before hand.

And the president's son says when the appointment on June 9, 2016 set up by an 'acquaintance' turned out to be with Natalia Veselnitskaya, it became clear her real agenda was to discuss adoption with him.

He says she used the lure of 'dirt' on Hillary Clinton to make him meet her and ended up making 'no sense' when she began making claims about Russians funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting his father's opponent.

President Donald Trump's eldest son arranged a meeting between his father's campaign aides and a lawyer linked to the Kremlin, Natalia Veselnitskaya (above), just two weeks after Trump won the Republican nomination

Trump Jr was speaking out on Sunday in response to a New York Times report that he agreed to meet the lawyer because she offered him compromising information about Clinton.

The latest developments, Trump opponents say, adds further fuel to suspicions that officials with the president's campaign actively colluded with the Kremlin to tilt the election in their favor.

The meeting, first reported by the New York Times on Saturday, took place just two weeks after Trump won the Republican nomination, and was with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Scroll down for video

The wife of a former deputy transportation minister, Veselnitskaya is best known for her public attacks on American sanctions aimed at Russian human rights abusers

The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, sat in.

On Sunday, the Times reported that damaging information on Clinton motivated Trump's son to set it up, though said it was unclear if Veselnitskaya followed through with that promise.

In a statement Sunday, Donald Trump Jr. said he had met with the Russian attorney at the request of an acquaintance.

'I was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance I knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign,' the president's eldest son said in a statement.

'I was not told her name prior to the meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to attend, but told them nothing of the substance. We had a meeting in June 2016.

President Donald Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner (pictured) sat in on a meeting between Kremlin-connected lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort

'After pleasantries were exchanged the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton,' the eldest Trump son said.

'Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense.

'No details or supporting information was provided or even offered,' he continued. 'It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

'She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act.

Trump Jr said he asked Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort to attend the meeting

'It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting. I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office.

'The meeting lasted approximately 20 to 30 minutes. As it ended, my acquaintance apologized for taking up our time. That was the end of it and there was no further contact or follow-up of any kind. My father knew nothing of the meeting or these events.'

This is the first confirmed meeting between Trump associates and figures tied to the Russian government, according to the Times, which cited confidential government records.

It is also the first time that Trump's son was known to be involved in a meeting of this nature.

Donald Trump Jr. mentioned nothing about Clinton when first asked about the meeting on Saturday.

'It was a short introductory meeting,' Donald Trump Jr. told the Times on Saturday.

'I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up.'

On Sunday, Donald Trump Jr. noted that after the conversation about Clinton, Veselnitskaya switched gears to talk about the Russian adoption issue.

'It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting,' the Trump son said.

It is the first time that Trump's son, Donald Jr. (far right), was known to be involved in a meeting of this nature. Donald Jr. is seen with President Trump (second from right), Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump in this January 11, 2017 file photo

The meeting was also attended by Paul Manafort, who was at the time Trump's campaign chairman. Manafort is seen above on July 18, 2016

The wife of a former deputy transportation minister, Veselnitskaya is best known for her public attacks on American sanctions aimed at Russian human rights abusers.

The Magnitsky Act imposed visa bans and asset freezes on Russian officials linked to the 2009 death in prison of Sergei Magnitsky, a 37-year-old Russian whistleblower.

Russia has demanded that the US repeal the legislation since its passage in 2012. President Vladimir Putin was so enraged by the law that he halted American adoptions of Russian children as retaliation.

WHO IS NATALIA VESELNITSKAYA? Lawyer known for waging harsh public campaign the 2012 Magnitsky Act

She is married to a former deputy transportation minister of the Moscow region

She is also the family lawyer for Denis Katsyv, the son of senior Russian government official Pyotr Katsyv

Katsyv's real-estate company Prevezon was under investigation by the Department of Justice at the time of the meeting

Prevezon allegedly laundered millions of dollars into New York City real estate

The case was settled for approximately $6 million in May Advertisement

The Times also said Veselnitskaya's clients include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.

On Saturday, Veselnitskaya told the Times that 'nothing at all about the presidential campaign' was discussed at the meeting and after 10 minutes either Manafort of Kushner walked out.

She added that she had 'never acted on behalf of the Russian government' and 'never discussed any of these matters with any representative of the Russian government,' she also told the Times.

Trump promised a rapprochement with Moscow as he campaigned for president but many US lawmakers, including many of his fellow Republicans, have sought to take a tough line against Russia.

Kushner lawyer Jamie Gorelick said her client already disclosed the meeting in a revised filing of a form that requires him to list meetings with foreign agents.

'Mr. Kushner has submitted additional updates and included, out of an abundance of caution, this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law, Donald Trump Jr. As Mr. Kushner has consistently stated, he is eager to cooperate and share what he knows,' she said.

Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts.

The newspaper reported Saturday, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, that Manafort disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators questioning his foreign contacts.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's personal lawyer, told the paper Sunday 'the president was not aware of and did not attend the meeting.'

Ties between officials close to Trump and Moscow have drawn scrutiny from the FBI and Congress in light of assessments that the Russian government hacked the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's email account.

The goal was to sway the election toward Trump and away from Clinton, intelligence officials said.

Former FBI director Robert Mueller is leading the investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to hack the election.

Both Russia and the Trump campaign deny this.

In a meeting that ran longer than either side had planned, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election on Friday, but agreed to focus on better ties rather than re-litigating the past.

Trump, a Republican who called it an 'honor' to meet with the Russian president, drew swift criticism from Democrats at home, who accused him of dismissing US intelligence agencies and giving Putin's denial, reiterated on Friday, of Russian interference too much weight.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany that Trump had 'positive chemistry' with Putin during the meeting, which lasted some two hours and 15 minutes.

He opened their discussion by pressing Putin about 'the concerns of the American people regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election' and had a robust exchange, Tillerson said.

The Russian president has denied any meddling in the US democratic process last year and Moscow has asked for proof that it took place.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Trump accepted Putin's assertions that the allegations, backed by US intelligence agencies, were false.

Tillerson said they both sought to move on.

In a meeting that ran longer than either side had planned, Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin discussed alleged Russian meddling in the US election on Friday but agreed to focus on better ties rather than litigating the past

'The presidents rightly focused on how do we move forward from what may be simply an intractable disagreement at this point,' Tillerson said.

That explanation did not sit well with Democrats.

'Working to compromise the integrity of our election process cannot and should not be an area where 'agree to disagree' is an acceptable conclusion,' said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in a statement.

On Thursday in Poland Trump gave lukewarm support to the view that Moscow interfered in the 2016 political process.

On Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus tried to thread the needle saying that Trump 'absolutely' did not buy Putin's denial, though added that Trump believed the Russians 'probably' meddled in the presidential election.

Having an active day on Twitter, Trump added: 'I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion.....'

Though he didn't articulate what it is.
Eduardo Barros (pictured) was arrested on June 2 after he threatened his girlfriend and asked 'Did you call the sheriffs?' - which a smart speaker interpreted as a command, calling 911, cops said

A New Mexico woman who was threatened with death by her boyfriend was saved by a smart speaker, local police say.

Eduardo Barros, 28, his girlfriend and her daughter were house-sitting in Tijeras, New Mexico, on June 2 when they began to argue, leading to a physical fight, cops said.

Things escalated when he threatened her with a gun, but help came from an unlikely direction thanks to the smart speaker installed in the home, ABC News reported.

Barros reportedly triggered the device - which was integrated into a home-wide surround-sound system - when he asked his girlfriend 'Did you call the sheriffs?'

The system thought that was a request to dial for help, and deputies were sent out to investigate, Bernalillo County Sheriff Department said.

They intervened and took the woman and her daughter away; she was she had been hit and kicked, but did not need to be hospitalized, officials said.

Her daughter was unharmed. Neither of them are being named.

'The unexpected use of this new technology to contact emergency services has possibly helped save a life,' said Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales III in a statement.

'This amazing technology definitely helped save a mother and her child from a very violent situation.'

Unfortunately, things did not go so easily with Barros, the department said, and he refused to go peacefully, leading to an hours-long stand-off.

A SWAT team and negotiators were called in and eventually managed to get him to give himself up, police said.

Barros has been charged with possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon, aggravated battery against a household member, aggravated assault against a household member and false imprisonment, according to court documents.

On Wednesday it was decided in the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court in Albuquerque that he would be held without bond until his second hearing.

A date for that hearing has not yet been set.

It's not yet clear which brand of speaker was in the home. The two biggest brands are the Google Home (left) and the Amazon Echo (right)

Smart speakers have been involved in foiling crime before.

In December Gizmodo reported that Amazon had chosen not to fight a demand by a judge that it hand over data from one of its Echo devices to police.

It had previously refused to hand over the details, citing the First Amendment, but gave up the information when the defendant gave the company permission.

Authorities said that the data could solve the murder of Victor Collins, who was found dead in a hot tub in the Bentonville, Arkansas home of Victor Collins in November 2015.
Police were called around 10pm on July 4 for Robert Kanoff, who was walking around naked in a Tempe, Arizona, Walmart before he was detained

A man was arrested after he walked around an Arizona Walmart naked while carrying methamphetamine.

Police were called around 10pm on July 4 for Robert Kanoff, who was walking around the super market in Tempe, Arizona, before he was detained.

Upon their arrival, officers found the 49-year-old across the street and only wearing a pair of shoes, police said.

Besides not wearing any clothes, Kanoff was also wearing drawn on dark blue eye makeup and lips along with glitter on his face.

A police spokesperson from the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office that Kanoff had been dropped off by two people who 'thought it would be funny for him to be naked.'

Kanoff admitted to taking drugs prior to his Walmart adventure.

Police reportedly charged him with indecent exposure, public sexual indecency, disorderly conduct and possession of a dangerous drug since he admitted to having methamphetamine

He also admitted to carrying some meth with him in the store when he was detained.

Police reportedly charged him with indecent exposure, public sexual indecency, disorderly conduct and possession of a dangerous drug.

Court documents showed that only a week earlier, Kanoff had completed a court-mandated drug program for a January 2016 drug possession.
A Bupa carer was caught on a spy cam verbally abusing a dementia patient before twice spraying an aerosol in her mouth.

Susan Draper told Betty Boylan, 78, that having Impulse body spray in her mouth was 'better than poo' before ordering her to 'wash your mouth' with a flannel.

Draper, 43, was convicted of ill treatment of the elderly widow, who lived at the Perry Locks Care Home in Birmingham.

Birmingham Magistrates Court saw secret footage of Draper - who had worked at the home for 17 years before being dismissed - entering Mrs Boylan's room on September 14 last year.

Prosecutor Shawn Williams said: 'Betty Boylan is one of the most vulnerable people - she is immobile and incontinent.'

The court heard that Mrs Boylan's family visited her three times a day and that although Mrs Boylan could not hold a conversation, she responded well to external stimuli and was a happy individual who was placid, peaceful and compliant.

Susan Draper is accused of telling Betty Boylan, 78, that having Impulse body spray in her mouth was 'better than poo' before ordering her to 'wash your mouth' with a flannel

But in August last year, apparent bruising was discovered on the patient so the family installed a covert camera so they could observe her treatment.

In the seven minute video used in court, the defendant picks up an aerosol can, Impulse Body Spray and sprays it only a foot away from the woman from the midriff up.

She then sprays the aerosol in her face and Mrs Boylan asks her to 'stop it'.

Betty gurgles and coughs but she is not able to move out away from the jet of aerosol.

The second carer who is in the room says that the spray has gone in her mouth but the defendant laughs and says: 'It's better than poo'.

'This was an indication of a lack of care because she had not been changed or even checked.

'It is something which a carer acting professionally and responsibly should have avoided -this is an experienced carer,' Mr Williams said.

'The family leave body spray because it is a nice thing for her to have, but it is not a nice thing to use simply to mask if she hasn't been checked properly,' Mr Williams said.

'There appears to be no checking to see if there had been a bowel movement.'

The defendant said she did not do it to deliberately aggravate the woman and she was simply going through the mechanics of her work having worked there for 17 years.

'But if that familiarity causes her to lower her professional approach, that comes within neglect,' Mr Williams said.

The defendant also starts to wipe Betty's face with a flannel and orders her to 'wash her mouth' even though the complainant gurgles.

A disciplinary followed the incident and the defendant was sacked - she was interviewed about the matter on January 31 and she became very upset.

Giving evidence, Ms Draper said she made a 'stupid mistake' when she sprayed Mrs Boylan, who attended the trial with her family.

She said: 'I just wanted her to smell and look nice and presentable - I am not a bad person, I am not evil - I wouldn't hurt any resident. Those noises were pretty normal for Betty.

'With God as my witness I did not hurt Betty, I love her so much. I didn't appeal against my sacking because I had just had enough.

'I wouldn't say I was ashamed, I was shocked when I saw the CCTV footage. I didn't go in there in an aggressive manner, I wouldn't have done that.'

Cross examining Draper, prosecutor Shawn Williams said: 'You treated her with a lack of dignity and respect to which she was entitled.

'You didn't take sufficient care to stop the spray going onto her - you didn't even take care to stop it getting onto your colleague.'

Draper, 43, denies ill treatment of the widow at the Perry Locks Care Home in Birmingham

Draper replied: 'When I said it was a stupid mistake I mean I used too much spray - that is just me, I go over the top with everything.'

She agreed when Mr Williams suggested she had sprayed the aerosol liberally around the head area.

'Those that care for the elderly or those unable to look after themselves, have a high degree of trust. In this case, care fell well below that, Mr Williams said.

He also said that the procedures used to move the patient caught in the video were wrong or of dubious use and he said that the court would decide whether referring to the patient as 'Betty Boo Boo' would be considered degrading.

'There is a cumulative effect: how the victim is being spoken to, the way she was taken out of her bed and not checked if she had been incontinent and the spraying.

'The way she used her flannel to wipe her mouth - all of these circumstances amount to ill treatment,' he said.

Mrs Boylan has now been removed from the care home.

Following the conviction, defence solicitor Peter Ricketts submitted that the offence had not harmed the victim, but had caused momentary discomfort.

Draper was granted unconditional bail until sentencing on July 24.

Meanwhile care worker Bina Begum, 49, was given a 12-month community order in February after admitting ill treating and neglecting Mrs Boylan.

Begum, of Perry Barr, Birmingham, was also ordered to carry out 40 hours of unpaid work.
A British PR guru has claimed he facilitated the meeting between Donald Trump's son and a Russian lawyer who promised 'dirt' on Hillary Clinton.

Music publicist Rob Goldstone said he had also attended the meeting at Trump Tower in New York between Donald Trump Jr. and Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Goldstone, who knows Trump Jr, said a Russian client of his had requested the meeting which took place on June 9, 2016 - but he did not name the individual.

The former journalist, who later set up PR firm Oui 2 PR, told the Washington Post that Veselnitskaya had wanted to discuss how Donald Trump might be able to help with a Russian adoption issue should be later become president.

Trump Jr said yesterday that he took a meeting with a Kremlin - linked lawyer because he was offered information 'helpful' to his father's presidential campaign - but he did not know who he would be meeting before hand.

British PR guru Rob Goldstone (pictured) says he facilitated the controversial meeting between Donald Trump's son and a Russian lawyer who promised 'dirt' on Hillary Clinton

Music publicist Rob Goldstone said he had also attended the meeting at Trump Tower in New York between Donald Trump Jr. and Natalia Veselnitskaya (pictured)

Trump Jr said yesterday that he took a meeting with a Kremlin - linked lawyer because he was offered information 'helpful' to his father's presidential campaign - but he did not know who he would be meeting before hand

Rob Goldstone (left) is pictured during a meeting with Donald Trump (right) in Las Vegas in 2013

The president's son says when the appointment turned out to be with Natalia Veselnitskaya, it became clear her real agenda was to discuss adoption with him.

He says she used the lure of 'dirt' on Hillary Clinton to make him meet her and ended up making 'no sense' when she began making claims about Russians funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting his father's opponent.

Trump Jr was speaking out on Sunday in response to a New York Times report that he agreed to meet the lawyer because she offered him compromising information about Clinton.

The development, Trump opponents say, adds further fuel to suspicions that officials with the president's campaign actively colluded with the Kremlin to tilt the election in their favor.

The meeting, first reported by the New York Times on Saturday, took place just two weeks after Trump won the Republican nomination. The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, sat in.

According to the Washington Post, Goldstone did not describe the conversation about Clinton or say he had told Trump Jr he could provide information that might help the Trump campaign.

He told the newspaper: 'Once she presented what she had to say, it was like, "Can you keep an eye on it? Should [Trump] be in power, maybe thats a conversation that he may have in the future?"'

The Washington Post reports that UK-born Goldstone had links with the Miss Universe pageant and that he was a manager for Russian popstar Emin Agalarov, the son of a Moscow billionaire developer who had sponsored the 2013 beauty contest.

There are reports that Goldstone had links with the Miss Universe pageant and that he was a manager for Russian popstar Emin Agalarov, the son of a Moscow billionaire developer who had sponsored the 2013 beauty contest. He is pictured, centre, with Emin Agalarov (left) and Sheila Agalarova (right) in Miami in 2014

The wife of a former deputy transportation minister, Veselnitskaya is best known for her public attacks on American sanctions aimed at Russian human rights abusers

MailOnline has attempted to contact Goldstone for further comment today.

An online biography described Goldstone as a 'former journalist, publicist and international marketing director, whose previous clients include Michael Jackson, BB King, HMV Record Stores, Richard Branson, The Hard Rock Cafe and Oscar-winning lyricist Tim Rice.'

He studied journalism and went on to work for daily newspapers and radio stations in his early 20s, it adds. The biography claims he accompanied Bob Geldof to Ethiopia in 1985 following an invite by the Band Aid Relief Fund.

A year later, it says, he moved to Australia becoming the only journalist chosen by Michael Jackson to accompany him on his tour 'down under'.

The biography adds: 'For six years, Sydney-based Rob represented almost every major international artist touring Australia; from Cyndi Lauper to Julio Iglesias, James Taylor, Tracy Chapman, BB King, Marianne Faithful and Poison! Among his corporate clients were Saatchi and Saatchi, The Hard Rock Cafe, Chess: The Musical, Richard Branson's Virgin Megastores, and HMV Music Stores.'

An online biography described Goldstone (pictured) as a 'former journalist, publicist and international marketing director' whose previous clients include Michael Jackson, BB King and HMV Record Stores

Connections: Goldstone manages Russian popstar Emin Agalarov, who is pictured, right, next to his father, tycoon Aras Agalarov and Donald Trump in 2013

Miss Connecticut USA Erin Brady (left) and Donald Trump (centre) look on as Russian singer Emin Agalarov (right) speaks onstage at the 2013 Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas

On the night of the US Election, he posted a picture showing him at a meeting with Donald Trump and Emin Agalarov - believed to have been taken in 2013.

On Sunday, the Times reported that damaging information on Clinton motivated Trump's son to set up the meeting with the Russian lawyer in New York, though said it was unclear if Veselnitskaya followed through with that promise.

In a statement Sunday, Donald Trump Jr. said he had met with the Russian attorney at the request of an acquaintance.

'I was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance I knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign,' the president's eldest son said in a statement.

'I was not told her name prior to the meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to attend, but told them nothing of the substance. We had a meeting in June 2016.

President Donald Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner (pictured) sat in on a meeting between Kremlin-connected lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort

'After pleasantries were exchanged the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton,' the eldest Trump son said.

'Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense.

'No details or supporting information was provided or even offered,' he continued. 'It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

'She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act.

'It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting. I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office.

'The meeting lasted approximately 20 to 30 minutes. As it ended, my acquaintance apologized for taking up our time. That was the end of it and there was no further contact or follow-up of any kind. My father knew nothing of the meeting or these events.'

This is the first confirmed meeting between Trump associates and figures tied to the Russian government, according to the Times, which cited confidential government records.

It is also the first time that Trump's son was known to be involved in a meeting of this nature.

Donald Trump Jr. mentioned nothing about Clinton when first asked about the meeting on Saturday.

'It was a short introductory meeting,' Donald Trump Jr. told the Times on Saturday.

'I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up.'

On Sunday, Donald Trump Jr. noted that after the conversation about Clinton, Veselnitskaya switched gears to talk about the Russian adoption issue.

'It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting,' the Trump son said.

It is the first time that Trump's son, Donald Jr. (far right), was known to be involved in a meeting of this nature. Donald Jr. is seen with President Trump (second from right), Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump in this January 11, 2017 file photo

The meeting was also attended by Paul Manafort, who was at the time Trump's campaign chairman. Manafort is seen above on July 18, 2016

The wife of a former deputy transportation minister, Veselnitskaya is best known for her public attacks on American sanctions aimed at Russian human rights abusers.

The Magnitsky Act imposed visa bans and asset freezes on Russian officials linked to the 2009 death in prison of Sergei Magnitsky, a 37-year-old Russian whistleblower.

Russia has demanded that the US repeal the legislation since its passage in 2012. President Vladimir Putin was so enraged by the law that he halted American adoptions of Russian children as retaliation.

The Times also said Veselnitskaya's clients include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.

On Saturday, Veselnitskaya told the Times that 'nothing at all about the presidential campaign' was discussed at the meeting and after 10 minutes either Manafort of Kushner walked out.

WHO IS NATALIA VESELNITSKAYA? Lawyer known for waging harsh public campaign the 2012 Magnitsky Act

She is married to a former deputy transportation minister of the Moscow region

She is also the family lawyer for Denis Katsyv, the son of senior Russian government official Pyotr Katsyv

Katsyv's real-estate company Prevezon was under investigation by the Department of Justice at the time of the meeting

Prevezon allegedly laundered millions of dollars into New York City real estate

The case was settled for approximately $6 million in May Advertisement

She added that she had 'never acted on behalf of the Russian government' and 'never discussed any of these matters with any representative of the Russian government,' she also told the Times.

Trump promised a rapprochement with Moscow as he campaigned for president but many US lawmakers, including many of his fellow Republicans, have sought to take a tough line against Russia.

Kushner lawyer Jamie Gorelick said her client already disclosed the meeting in a revised filing of a form that requires him to list meetings with foreign agents.

'Mr. Kushner has submitted additional updates and included, out of an abundance of caution, this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law, Donald Trump Jr. As Mr. Kushner has consistently stated, he is eager to cooperate and share what he knows,' she said.

Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts.

The newspaper reported Saturday, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, that Manafort disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators questioning his foreign contacts.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's personal lawyer, told the paper Sunday 'the president was not aware of and did not attend the meeting.'

Ties between officials close to Trump and Moscow have drawn scrutiny from the FBI and Congress in light of assessments that the Russian government hacked the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's email account.

The goal was to sway the election toward Trump and away from Clinton, intelligence officials said.

Former FBI director Robert Mueller is leading the investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to hack the election.

Both Russia and the Trump campaign deny this.

In a meeting that ran longer than either side had planned, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election on Friday, but agreed to focus on better ties rather than re-litigating the past.

Trump, a Republican who called it an 'honor' to meet with the Russian president, drew swift criticism from Democrats at home, who accused him of dismissing US intelligence agencies and giving Putin's denial, reiterated on Friday, of Russian interference too much weight.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany that Trump had 'positive chemistry' with Putin during the meeting, which lasted some two hours and 15 minutes.

He opened their discussion by pressing Putin about 'the concerns of the American people regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election' and had a robust exchange, Tillerson said.

The Russian president has denied any meddling in the US democratic process last year and Moscow has asked for proof that it took place.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Trump accepted Putin's assertions that the allegations, backed by US intelligence agencies, were false.

Tillerson said they both sought to move on.

In a meeting that ran longer than either side had planned, Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin discussed alleged Russian meddling in the US election on Friday but agreed to focus on better ties rather than litigating the past

'The presidents rightly focused on how do we move forward from what may be simply an intractable disagreement at this point,' Tillerson said.

That explanation did not sit well with Democrats.

'Working to compromise the integrity of our election process cannot and should not be an area where 'agree to disagree' is an acceptable conclusion,' said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in a statement.

On Thursday in Poland Trump gave lukewarm support to the view that Moscow interfered in the 2016 political process.

On Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus tried to thread the needle saying that Trump 'absolutely' did not buy Putin's denial, though added that Trump believed the Russians 'probably' meddled in the presidential election.

Having an active day on Twitter, Trump added: 'I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion.....'

Though he didn't articulate what it is.
Dreamworld visitor numbers have slumped nearly a third as the embattled theme park struggles to recover from last year's Thunder River Rapids tragedy.

The company which owns the Gold Coast site, Ardent Leisure, revealed foot traffic through its parks dropped 30.5 per cent last month compared to June last year.

Revenue also fell by 35.3 per cent, but Ardent partly blamed the decision to change Victoria's school holidays - which previously commenced in June - to begin in July.

Dreamworld visitor numbers are down nearly a third, Ardent Leisure, which owns the theme park, has revealed

The figures suggest the embattled theme park is struggling to recover from last year's Thunder River Rapids tragedy. Four people were killed when their raft overturned

'This was partially compensated by Queensland school holidays which commenced on 24 June 2017 compared to 25 June 2016,' Ardent's chief finance officer Richard Johnson said.

The company, which also owns Whitewater World, previously announced it expected a loss of up to $4 million for the financial year.

The latest figures suggest would-be thrill seekers have been abandoning the theme park since four people were killed on the Thunder River Rapids ride in October.

Roozi Araghi, 38, his partner Luke Dorsett, 35, Luke's sister Kate Goodchild, 32, and fellow holidaymaker Cindy Low, 42, all died in the tragedy.

Their raft collided with another vessel, causing it to flip and overturn - sending the passengers into the water.

Dreamworld was forced to close for two months and quickly saw a rapid decline in park attendance when it reopened its doors.

Roozi Araghi (pictured left), 38, and his partner Luke Dorsett (right), 35, were among the four killed

Kate Goodchild (left), 32, and New Zealand expat Cindy Low (right), 42, also died on the ride

The company announced last month that CEO Deborah Thomas would be stepping down from her role.

'On behalf of the Ardent board, we want to express our sincere gratitude for Deborah's contribution as CEO and managing director, which coincided with an exceptionally busy and challenging period in the group's history,' Ardent chairman George Venardos said at the time.

'It is a testament to Deborah's professionalism and character that she has agreed to remain part of the team and provide valuable support and continuity to Ardent and the various official bodies preparing for the coronial inquiry into the Dreamworld tragedy.'

Dreamworld was forced to close for two months and saw a rapid decline in park attendance when it reopened its doors
A fire broke out at a migrant camp on the Greek Island of Lesbos on Monday following a protest among refugees who claimed their cases weren't being processed.

Images show huge flames coming out of buildings at the Moria Refugee Camp, which houses more than 1,000 refugees.

It is believed that some of the migrants were told they were being deported before the fire broke out.

Images show huge flames coming out of buildings at the Moria Refugee Camp on Monday afternoon

The refugee camp on the Greek Island of Lesbos is home to more than 1,000 migrants

Police said no injuries were reported from Monday's protest and that the fire believed to have been set deliberately at the Moria camp is still burning.

There were no immediate reports of arrests.

A small group was involved in the protest at the camp, a large area of trailers and tents surrounded by razor wire fences, officials said.

Police had been called to the area to deal with a 'major disturbance' before the blaze.

Witnesses reported hearing explosions and smelling smoke before they were evacuated from the area.

One witness told Sky News: 'There are still people inside but people are protesting The people are tired, they are tired of what is happening here.'

Police had reportedly been called to the area to deal with a 'major disturbance' before the blaze. Witnesses reported hearing explosions and smelling smoke before they were evacuated from the area

Smoke billowed out from buildings as dozens of witnesses watched. It is unknown if people are trapped in the fire

Another witness said that protesters started lighting rubbish on fire, which led to larger blaze. People then started throwing stones during clashes with officials.

Many migrants in the camp have been at the facility for more than a year.

More than 14,000 migrants remain stranded on Lesbos and other Greek islands near Turkey.

They are not allowed to travel to the Greek mainland under the terms of an agreement between the European Union and Turkey reached last year.
A Conservative MP was suspended from the party tonight after she described leaving the EU without a deal as a 'real n*****r in the woodpile'.

Anne Marie Morris has apologised for using the racist language saying the comment was 'totally unintentional'.

The Newton Abbott MP still faces calls for her to resign her seat and the Tories will be under acute pressure to boot her out of the party for good.

Theresa May tonight said she was 'shocked' to hear the 'completely unacceptable' remark.

She said she ordered chief whip Gavin Williamson to immediately suspend the Conservative whip from the MP. She is now likely to face a full internal party probe.

Ms Morris, who was a lawyer until entering Parliament in 2010, used the n-word while discussing what financial services deal the UK could strike with Brussels after Brexit.

According to the Huffington Post, which has a recording of the clip, nether of her fellow Tory panelists John Redwood or Bill Cash stepped in or reacted to the language.

Theresa May (pictured in the Commons this afternoon) tonight said she was 'shocked' to hear the 'completely unacceptable' remark as she suspended the MP

Tonight's suspension leaves Mrs May in an even weaker official position in Parliament as Ms Morris will sit as an independent.

She has almost never rebelled and Mrs May can almost certainly still count on her vote in the Commons.

Only an individual MP can decide to give up their seat and it is impossible for an MP to fire from the Commons unless they are jailed.

Ms Morris, who is unmarried and has no children, told the audience at the East India Club in central London: 'Now I'm sure there will be many people who'll challenge that, but my response and my request is look at the detail, it isn't all doom and gloom.

'Now we get to the real n****r in the woodpile which is in two years what happens if there is no deal?'

TORY PARTY HAS BEEN EMBROILED IN A RACE ROW OVER THE N-WORD BEFORE It is not the first time that the Conservative Party has been dragged into a race row after a Tory politician has used the phrase 'n****r in a woodpile'. Lord Dixon-Smith used the phrase during a debate in the House of Lords in 2008 when discussing housing legislation. He apologised for using the racist language saying it 'slipped out without my thinking'. The phrase refers to fugitive slaves who in the 19th Century hid in piles of firewood as they fled the South for the free North. Advertisement

The comments came at the launch of a report into the future for the UK's financial sector after Brexit, organised by the Politeia group.

Announcing the suspension tonight, Mrs May said: 'I was shocked to hear of these remarks, which are completely unacceptable.

'I immediately asked the Chief Whip to suspend the party whip.

'Language like this has absolutely no place in politics or in today's society.'

The City of London's Colton Richards was in the audience, told the website: 'It was disgusting to hear those comments by somebody in public life.'

Ms Morris apologised for using the racist language, saying: 'The comment was totally unintentional.

'I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused.'

But she is facing a growing clamour to go.

And asked about the use of racist language in the Commons today, Mrs May said: 'It is beholden on us all to ensure that we use appropriate language at all times.'

David Isaac, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, condemned the language urged the Prime Minister to take immediate action.

He said: 'This language belongs to another era and it is highly regrettable that it is not as instinctively abhorrent to Ms Morris as it is to most people.

'At a time when we need to heal divisions in our country, using a phrase like this will offend the vast majority of people across the UK.

'Our MPs have a duty to uphold the highest possible standards of debate and we should not tolerate language of this sort.

'The Prime Minister should take immediate action.'

Helen Grant, the first black woman to be elected a Tory MP and a former justice minister, hit out at the use of the comment.

She wrote on Twitter: 'Inconceivable for an MP using tht expression 2 be incognisant of its history, impact & complete unacceptability. So ashamed! #AnneMarieMorris.'

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron called for her to be kicked out of the parliamentary party over the comment.

THE MARKETING GURU WHO SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER By Jason Groves, Political Editor, for the Daily Mail Anne Marie Morriss curriculum vitae before her foray into politics is nothing short of exceptional. After graduating from Oxford University, she worked in several leading law firms before becoming a marketing director at a selection of global companies. Both roles would have instilled in her the importance of using the right words when speaking in a professional capacity. But as the Tory MP fights for her political survival, it emerged that this is not the first time she has come under fire over controversial comments. Last month Miss Morris, 60, was forced to distance herself from comments made by her partner Roger Kendrick, who acted as her electoral agent, during her campaign to be re-elected as MP for the Devon seat of Newton Abbot. During a debate about funding in schools, Mr Kendrick said the crisis in education was due entirely to non-British born immigrants and their high birth rates. As critics rounded on her, Miss Morris was forced to say she did not share the views expressed by Roger Kendrick. In 2012, she suffered heavy barracking from MPs during the last Prime Ministers Questions before the summer recess when she stepped up to ask a question about funding for technical colleges in Devon. Her high-pitched tones were virtually inaudible, and matters got worse as Tory MPs egged her on, shouting More, more! Clearly unable to make out the question, David Cameron replied that he got the gist of it, adding: Its very good to see the honourable lady on such feisty form. Clips of Miss Morriss struggle to be heard were quickly shared on Facebook and Twitter. Advertisement

Anne Marie Morris has apologised for using the n-word in the meeting on Brexit

Tory MPs Bill Cash and John Redwood, who were on the same panel, did not react when the racist language was used, according to a report

He said: 'This disgusting comment belongs in the era of the Jim Crow laws and has no place in our parliament.

'The Conservative party should withdraw the whip from Anne Marie Morris and they should do it today.

'Every hour they leave her in place, is a stain on them and the so called 'compassionate conservatism' they supposedly espouse.

'I am utterly shocked that this person represents the good people of Newton Abbott.

'Even if she misspoke this is the nastiest thing I've heard an MP utter since Lord Dixon Smith uttered the same awful phrase a few years ago.'

Andrew Gwynne MP, Labour's Co-National Campaign Coordinator, called for Mrs May to 'act immediately'.

He said: 'If that means withdrawing the whip, that's what they should do.'

Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, wrote on Twitter: 'This is utterly disgraceful. What the hell does she even mean?

PHRASE USED BY AGATHA CHRISTIE THAT'S NOW TOXIC By Jason Groves, Political Editor, for the Daily Mail Once bandied around casually, the phrase n***** in the woodpile originated in America in the mid-19th century before the abolition of slavery. Collins English Dictionary defines the phrase  which it calls old-fashioned and offensive  as a hidden snag or hindrance. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as a concealed motive or unknown factor affecting a situation in an adverse way. The Oxford Dictionary of Slang says the phrase, which it calls now taboo, is applied to an unsuspected or hidden factor that has an adverse effect. How it first came into use is not entirely clear. Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable says the phrase was originally a way of accounting for the disappearance of fuel. It then came to be used for any hidden snag or problem. The reference to disappearance of fuel is thought to allude to an outdated and prejudiced racist belief about the frequency with which black people stole property from whites. Another theory about the phrases origin is that it alluded to escaped slaves who concealed themselves behind or in woodpiles to escape capture. Whatever the precise circumstances of its genesis, the phrase entered into widespread usage in the 1850s. It became so mainstream that authors, including Agatha Christie as late as in her 1952 Miss Marple novel They Do It With Mirrors, also used it. Advertisement

Tim Farron, pictured giving a speech last week, has called for the Tory MP to be suspended from the Conservative parliamentary party over the remark

Helen Grant, the first black woman to be elected a Tory MP criticised her colleague for using the offensive remark

Labour MP Jess Phillips called for the Tory MP to resign after it was revealed that she had used racist language

'Tory Party should remove her whip and she must resign.'

And Lucy Powell, the Labour MP for Manchester Central, said the comment was 'shocking'.

Writing on Twitter she said: 'If this was said at a school, (rightly) serious consequences would follow. We should have same standards & consequences.'

Mr Redwood told BuzzFeed News he had no memory of hearing the term at the event, which had ended an hour earlier.

'I don't recall her using a bad word, perhaps I wasn't paying attention,' he said.

He added: 'I was thinking about what I was going to say next,' he said.

Mr Cash told BuzzFeed News: 'I'm not happy at all with that sort of expression. I think that's all I can say. The panelists were making their own comments in their way.'

When asked if he wished he had intervened at the time, Mr Cash said: 'Each person was making their own comments and we had to get off for another meeting. I can only say that I was not happy with the references.'

A Conservative spokesman said: 'We are aware of these reports, this kind of language is completely unacceptable, and we are urgently investigating.'
The Italian government has ordered the removal of pro-fascist posters at a beach near Venice.

The order was issued today by the prefect based in Venice after photos of Benito Mussolini were seen displayed at the Punta Canna resort in Chioggia.

Italian law forbids the glorification of fascism.

A sign reading 'These are the toilets for him, for her, for lesbians and gays' is seen at Punta Canna beach establishment in Chioggia, near Venice. Venice Prefect, Carlo Boffi on 10 July signed an order for the beach establishment to 'immediately remove all references to Fascism on signs, posters and banners'.

A sign reading ''I love gays, I love lesbians, I love all the people who behave well. Order, cleanliness, discipline. Then enjoy yourself'' is seen at Punta Canna beach

People enjoy a warm and sunny day at Punta Canna beach establishment in Chioggia

Bizarre: The resort prides itself on its discipline and order as translated on the sign

Fascist pictures including that of Mussolini can be seen on the sign

The Punta Cana resort is located in Chioggia, close to the city of Venice

According to Ansa, the Italian news agency, there was concern that public order could be disturbed by the signs and photos.

One of the signs said the area was in an 'anti-democratic' zone while photos of former dictator Mussloini were also on display.

While Rome daily La Repubblica said that pro-Mussolini speeches were blasted over the beach's loudspeaker by a self proclaimed private fascist beach club.

According to The Telegraph, officers from Italy's anti-terrorist unit raided the beach club on Sunday.

Police have now launched an enquiry into the posters and broadcasts

The owner of the club, Gianni Scarpa, may be prosecuted for 'apologia of fascism'

The resort is close to a beach near the city of Venice in Italy

The owner of the club, Gianni Scarpa, may be prosecuted for 'apologia of fascism'. Italian law forbids the glorification of fascism.

He was quoted as saying: 'Here, my rules count.'

Every 30 minutes the beach club broadcasts anti-democracy messages. While one cabin door had a sign reading: 'Gas chamber. Entry forbidden.'

Police have now launched an enquiry into the posters and broadcasts.

Mussolini is still celebrated by some far-right political parties in Italy.
Australia's most powerful Catholic has landed in Sydney amid calls for him to be the subject of a judge-only trial when he fronts court over historical sex charges in Victoria.

Senior lawyers are concerned that Cardinal Pell could be adversely affected by juror perceptions of him and the Catholic Church, and are arguing for a judge-alone trial.

Cardinal Pell landed in Sydney on Monday morning, and will base himself there when he is not required at Melbourne Magistrates Court during the trial.

Cardinal Pell (pictured, centre) arrived in Sydney on an early morning flight from Singapore

Pell (pictured), the third most powerful figure at the Vatican, is returning to Australia to face historical sex charges

QCs Peter Chadwick and Remy van de Weil, who are not connected to the case, have questioned whether a jury can remain impartial during Pell's trial, the Courier Mail reported.

'There's been an awful lot of publicity, a lot of discussion and it's a good argument for a judge-alone trial, said Mr Chadwick.

He and Mr van de Weil are calling for Victoria to follow NSW, Queensland, and Western Australia in allowing high-profile defendants to have judge-only trials.

Senior lawyers in Victoria are calling for their state to adopt judge-only trials, as juries could struggle to be impartial in high-profile cases like that of Pell (pictured)

Cardinal Pell (pictured) cut a sad figure in a hotel lobby during his stopover in Singapore

This challenges the conventional wisdom in Victoria that defendants should only be judged by juries of their peers.

Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Greg Barns agreed with the proposed change, citing the success of judge-alone trials in other states.

'One of the difficulties in high-profile cases is it relies on people to put everything out of their mind that they have read, heard or seen. And it cuts both ways,' he said.

Former Victorian chief magistrate Nick Papas, QC, defended Victoria's current system, saying that it works well.

Other lawyers have defended jury trials, saying that they work well and judge-alone trials are unnecessary, even for high-profile people like Pell

Cardinal Pell (pictured, centre) will be based in Sydney for the duration of the trial, going to Melbourne when needed in court

'My experience of the law is that jurors can be trusted to do their job. I am confident the system will cope. There are some stresses and strains but my expectation is he can get a fair trial,' he said.

The debate comes as Cardinal Pell flew into Sydney ahead of his July 26 filing hearing in Melbourne.

The Vatican treasurer will base himself in the NSW capital while in Australia, and travel to Melbourne when required.

Cardinal Pell's return is his first visit to Australia since March 2015, as his doctors have long advised against long-haul travel due to his heart condition.

Pell has said he is looking forward to clearing his name and has denied all of the allegations

'I'm innocent of these charges. They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me,' said Pell (pictured)

He travelled business class after a stopover in Singapore, and was met by police officers after getting off the plane.

Cardinal Pell is back in Australia after being charged with multiple historical sex charges.

The former Archbishop of Sydney and Melbourne has vehemently denied the allegations, saying that he is looking forward to his day in court.

'I'm innocent of these charges. They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me,' he said in a press conference.

'Court proceedings now offer me an opportunity to clear my name and then return here back to Rome to work.'
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made the sensational claim the Liberal party was not a conservative party, and never has been.

Speaking in London on Monday, Mr Turnbull said the Liberal party was moulded by former Australian prime minister Robert Menzies, who 'went to great pains not to call his new centre-right party a conservative party'.

'The sensible centre was the place to be. It remains the place to be,' Mr Turnbull said, according to The Australian.

'The sensible centre was the place to be. It remains the place to be,' Mr Turnbull said at the Policy Exchange in London on Monday

'In 1944 Menzies described our party as the Liberal party, which he firmly anchored in the centre of Australian politics.

'He wanted to stand apart from the big money, business establishment politics of traditional conservative parties, as well as from the socialist tradition of the labour movement embodied in the Australian Labor Party.'

The Liberal party has been embroiled in scandal in recent months amid rising tensions between conservative and moderate ministers.

Mr Turnbull said the Liberal party was moulded by former Australian prime minister Robert Menzies (pictured), who 'went to great pains not to call his new centre-right party a conservative party'

'In 1944 Menzies (pictured) described our party as the Liberal party, which he firmly anchored in the centre of Australian politics,' Mr Turnbull said

Former prime minister Tony Abbott said last week he would 'continue' to stand up for conservative voters.

'There is, it's no secret at the moment, a bit of division inside the ranks of those who have regarded themselves as Liberals,' he said.

'I've made the judgement that at least for the moment, and obviously there's a limit to how far this can continue... it's important for someone to stand up for those Liberals feeling a bit let down and disenfranchised.'

Mr Abbot feared the conservative members would leave the Liberals to join a different party - due to the growing moderate voice lead by Mr Turnbull.

'There is, it's no secret at the moment, a bit of division inside the ranks of those who have regarded themselves as Liberals,' former prime minister Tony Abbott (pictured) said

Mr Abbott was slammed by South Australian senator Nick Xenophon for criticising his own government.

'I think Tony Abbott's being a huge pain in the a*** right now,' he said.

'I need to use the sort of cut through language that Tony Abbott is renowned for.'

His comment was in response to Mr Abbott's criticism of the federal government's May Budget.
The 'mystery blonde' woman pictured nuzzling the neck of Jeremy Corbyn's spin doctor is an Australia star lawyer who represented Julian Assange and is best friends with Amal Clooney.

Jennifer Robinson, 36, was photographed cosying up to father-of-two Seumas Milne, 59, on the terrace of a five-star east London hotel.

Miss Robinson, from New South Wales, Australia, is described as Amal Clooney's best friend having worked together as human rights lawyers including at Julian Assange's extradition hearings.

The 36-year-old was carried to the Clooneys star-studded Venetian wedding in 2014 in a boat with Bill Murray and asked to carry out bridesmaid's duties.

A witness to the hotel liaison, believed to be last Thursday evening, told the Guido Fawkes blog: 'They were there for a good hour or so. They were very hands on, full on heavy petting'.

Labour's Seumas Milne was spotted with human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson at a hotel in Shoreditch, East London, pictured

Miss Robinson, 36, was photographed cosying up to father-of-two Mr Milne, 59, who is also married

Ms Robinson (right) has worked on Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's legal team since October 2010 and is best friends with Amal Clooney - pictured right in the background

Ms Robinson, left, is a close friend of Amal Clooney and attended her wedding to George in 2014. She is pictured with fellow guest Bill Murray arriving in Venice via boa

Before her recent intimate moment with Mr Milne, it appears she was already a fan and congratulated him on becoming Labour's top spin doctor with the message: 'This is brilliant news for @jeremycorbyn. Congrats @SeumasMilne!'.

Miss Robinson also hailed last month's 'thrilling' election result in a number of pro-Labour tweets and her barristers' chambers Doughty Street represented Mr Corbyn at the High Court during one of his leadership battles.

Miss Robinson joined Mr Assange's legal team in October 2010, two months after authorities in Sweden issued a European arrest warrant for the Wikileaks founder in relation to rape and sexual assault allegations.

Mr Milne, who worked for The Guardian before becoming Mr Corbyn's spin doctor, is married to private tutor Cristina Montanari, 60.

He and Ms Robinson were pictured yesterday at a table in a public area of the five-star Courthouse Hotel's balcony.

Ms Robinson has acted as Mr Assange's spokesperson during his failed battle against extradition, although the charges against him in Sweden were dropped this year.

According to The Times, Ms Robinson was stopped from boarding a flight at Heathrow Airport in April 2012 when she was 'told she was on a watchlist preventing her from travelling', although the Australian government denied any involvement.

She now works for Doughty Street Chambers in London, which represented Jeremy Corbyn last year in the High Court during his battle to ensure he was included on the ballot for a Labour leadership challenge.

It is unclear how the pair met, but an embassy source told The Times Mr Milne has visited Assange at the Ecuadorean embassy in London in the past 16 months.

Ms Robinson appears to be a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn according to her Twitter account, on which she praised the Labour leader for his performance in the general election last month and described the result as 'thrilling'.

Mr Milne is the strategy and communications director for Labour and Jeremy Corbyn (right)

She congratulated him on becoming Labour's to spin doctor with the message: 'This is brilliant news for @jeremycorbyn. Congrats @SeumasMilne!'

Human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, pictured left and right, is understood to be the woman pictured with Mr Milne at the east London hotel

She also served as a spokesperson for Mr Assange and previously worked in media defence, representing the New York Times and CNN

Ms Robinson is a close confidante of Amal Clooney and looked glamorous in a black dress at the glitzy event in 2014

Miss Robinson is offered a glass of fizz by a member of the Clooney wedding party in 2014

She grew up in the small town of Berry, NSW, Australia and graduated with a double degree in law and Asian studies from the Australian National University.

Ms Robinson went on to become a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, attending Balliol College and graduating with a Bachelor of Civil Law with Distinction and a Master of Philosophy in International Public Law.

She previously worked at London law firm Finers Stephens Innocent LLP, where her practice was largely media defence, freedom of information and free speech litigation, acting for clients such as the New York Times, CNN, Associated Press and Bloomberg.

Her current firm was founded by another Australian-born ex-Rhodes Scholar Geoffrey Robertson QC, with whom she has worked with for more than six years and has tackled issues including arguing for an Australian Bill of Rights.

She also provided international human rights advice, including on humanitarian issues in post-conflict Iraq, extraordinary rendition and international criminal law.

It is through this line of work that she is understood to have become friends with Amal Clooney. Ms Robinson was photographed at the star couple's A-list wedding in Italy in 2014 alongside Hollywood legend Bill Murray.

Mr Milne - the Labour Party's strategy and communications director - headed back inside the hotel with Ms Robinson after they were pictured on the balcony.

A witness told The Sun: 'He was drinking a pink cocktail and she was in her early to mid-30s. We were at a work event that had half the terrace booked off.

Ms Robinson, pictured, appears to be a Labour supporter after praising the party and leader Jeremy Corbyn over its performance in the general election

Ms Robinson, pictured left and right with Assange, had a table to themselves in a public area of the five-star Courthouse Hotel's balcony and she nestled her head into his shoulder, one witness claimed

Her appearance at the Clooney wedding may have given her a taste for the celebrity lifestyle after she was pictured waving to people alongside Bill Murray

'They had a table to themselves in the public section of the balcony. At one point she had her head nestled into his shoulder.'

Mr Milne lives in a 2million house in Richmond, South West London, and married Ms Montanari in 1992, with whom he has a now-adult son and daughter.

He left his role as senior Guardian journalist in October 2015 to become Labour's communications chief, although some moderate MPs criticised the appointment.

Oxford-educated Mr Milne was a keen supporter of Mr Corbyn and has written extensively on links between Western foreign policy and terrorism.

Ms Montanari works as a private tutor preparing children for selective school entrance exams in Richmond, as reported by Heat Street.

The couple controversially sent their children to the Tiffin grammar schools in Kingston rather than local comprehensives before they both went on to Oxbridge universities.

Mr Milne, 59, is married with two children

The Left-wing reporter has also previously written books about Margaret Thatcher's 'secret war' against the miners, global politics and economic policy

But the appointment was described by MP Simon Danczuk as 'totally bizarre' and leading Blairite John Woodcock said voters 'deserved better'.

Mr Milne worked for The Guardian for 32 years and was associate editor when he left.

He previously worked as a columnist, comment editor and labour correspondent for the paper but his appointment was criticised by some over comments he made in an article about the murder of Lee Rigby in 2013.

Mr Milne wrote that the attack was 'not terrorism in the normal sense' because of the soldier's service in Afghanistan, and said the public should not have been shocked by 'blowblack' with the 'surprise being there haven't been more atrocities'.

He was also questioned over his stance on Russia after he was pictured shaking Vladimir Putin's hand while at a 'propaganda summit' in Sochi.

But he appears to have won over many of his critics within the Labour Party following the success of the general election.

MailOnline has contacted Labour about the photos. Asked for comment by Sun reporters Stephen Moyes and Tess De La Mare, Mr Milne replied: 'I don't think so.'

The Times said it approached both Ms Robinson and Mr Milne for comment but neither responded.

The Courthouse Hotel, which has rooms costing up to 2,000 a night and a 4.5-star rating on TripAdvisor, is based in an old court and jail that held the Krays.

The 128-room hotel in the Grade II-listed building opened only last year at a cost of 40million, with the Edwardian courthouse closing in the late Nineties.

The Courthouse Hotel also has a 200 seat cinema, a bowling alley, an underground swimming pool and a social working space for local businesses.
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In the three years since ISIS entered Mosul, the then-blossoming Iraqi city has transformed into a place of ruins, with nearly half the population forced to leave their homes.

Nine months of fighting between ISIS and Iraqi forces has turned the once-beautiful sprawling cityscape into rubble and left thousands of residents dead or wounded.

Approximately 920,000 people fled their homes during the Mosul operation, and while some have returned the vast majority remain displaced.

But Iraqi forces were on the verge of 'total victory' over Jihadists as they engaged in in 'heavy' fighting with the Islamic State group on Monday as they battled to clear the last jihadist-held pockets in Mosul's Old City, a senior commander said.

Enormous challenges lie ahead, not just in rebuilding Mosul but in tackling the continued presence elsewhere of ISIS.

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. Nine months of fighting between ISIS and Iraqi forces has turned the city's sprawling landscape into rubble and left thousands of residents dead or wounded

 Slide me  Approximately 920,000 people fled their homes during the Mosul operation. Enormous challenges lie ahead, not just in rebuilding Mosul but in tackling the continued presence elsewhere of ISIS. Pictured above, Mosul University in 2013 (left) and 2017 (right)

 Slide me  The sprawling city looks vastly different from what it looked like before ISIS entered the region. What was once green and full of life is now desolate and crumbling

IS overran large areas of the country in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes have since regained much of the territory they lost. The recapture of Mosul will not however mark the end of the threat posed by IS, which controls territory elsewhere in Iraq and is able to carry out frequent bombings in government-held areas

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited Mosul on Sunday to hail his forces for securing victory in the city but said he was holding off on making a formal announcement of victory until the last IS resistance was eliminated.

Lieutenant General Sami al-Aridhi, a senior commander in the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, said the jihadist-held territory had been reduced to an area of the Old City of about 200 by 100 metres (yards).

'They do not accept to surrender,' Aridhi told AFP. 'They say in a loud voice: 'We will not surrender, we want to die.'

But 'operations are in their final stages,' and 'it is likely that (the fighting) will end today,' Aridhi said.

That final push poses significant danger to civilians in the area, whom the jihadists may use as human shields.

Aridhi said his forces had information that there were between 3,000 and 4,000 civilians in the small area still under jihadist control but that could not be independently confirmed.

IS overran large areas of the country in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes have since regained much of the territory they lost.

The recapture of Mosul will not however mark the end of the threat posed by IS, which controls territory elsewhere in Iraq and is able to carry out frequent bombings in government-held areas.

 Slide me  Lieutenant General Sami al-Aridhi, a senior commander in the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, said the jihadist-held territory had been reduced to an area of the Old City of about 200 by 100 metres (yards). Pictured above, parts of Al-Tahira Church before and after being struck by bombs

The cost of victory has been enormous: much of Mosul in ruins, compared to how it looked in the early 2000s, ahead of ISIS's takeover

Buildings that once stood tall in the Iraqi city have crumbled during heavy fighting between ISIS and Iraqi military forces

Thousands of people fled Mosul after ISIS entered the city, and while some have returned the vast majority remain displaced. Pictured above, children at a school in the city before ISIS took over

The cost of victory has been enormous: much of Mosul in ruins, thousands dead and wounded and nearly half the city's population forced from their homes.

'It's a relief to know that the military campaign in Mosul is ending. The fighting may be over, but the humanitarian crisis is not,' Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, said in a statement.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on Monday said it could be many months before civilians are able to return to their homes.

'It is likely that thousands of people may have to remain in displacement for months to come,' UNHCR said in a statement.

'Many have nothing to go back to due to extensive damage caused during the conflict, while key basic services such as water, electricity and other key infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, will need to be rebuilt or repaired,' it said.

Twenty-eight aid groups working in Iraq issued a statement calling for international support for rebuilding efforts and urged authorities not to press civilians to return.

'Remaining insecurity; lack of basic services; explosive hazards contamination; and damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure -- including schools and hospitals - all continue to pose barriers to return,' said the statement signed by groups including the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam and Save the Children.

Great Mosque of al-Nuri and al-Hadba minaret are seen after Mosul completely freed from Daesh in Mosul on Sunday after Iraqi forces battled Daesh militants to reach the Tigris riverbanks in the Old City

Demolished buildings and wrecked cars are seen after Mosul completely freed from Daesh in Mosul on Sunday. Since October, the Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led air coalition, have been trying to dislodge Daesh from Mosul, the terrorist group's last stronghold in northern Iraq

Iraqi Special Forces soldiers celebrate after reaching the bank of the Tigris river as their fight against Islamic State militants continues in parts of the Old City of Mosul

A picture taken on Sunday 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

Heavily damaged buildings are seen after Mosul was freed from ISIS this week. The ongoing battle between Iraqi forces and ISIS has left the city crumbling

Clashes between Iraqi forces and ISIS left rubble strewn across the city, buildings destroyed, and thousands of civilians trapped and displaced

It also raised concerns for Iraqis still in areas under IS control, including the towns of Tal Afar and Hawijah in the north, as well as territory in western Anbar province.

'For the expected offensives in Hawijah, Tal Afar and western Anbar, where approximately 150,000 civilians are thought to still be trapped, it is vital that lessons are learnt from pass offensives,' the aid groups said, calling for access to safety and assistance to be prioritised.

France, Britain and the European Union congratulated Iraqi forces on Sunday, with the EU hailing 'a decisive step in the campaign to eliminate terrorist control in parts of Iraq'.

Iran, a key ally of Abadi's Shiite-led government, gave its congratulations too and offered help in rebuilding.

'The government, armed forces and the brave nation of Islamic Iran... are prepared to offer aid to the displaced and injured in the war and help rebuild the cities and vital infrastructure in the country,' official news agency IRNA quoted Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, as saying.

IS has lost most of the territory it once controlled, and the coalition is also aiming to oust the jihadists from their Syrian stronghold Raqa, which is under assault by US-backed Arab and Kurdish forces.

Desperate ISIS fanatics executed seven children to punish families fleeing Mosul on Monday and have even used their own relatives as human shields as Iraqi forces move in, it has emerged.

The bodies of the youngsters were then strapped to lampposts in the town of Tal Afar, according to local reports.

Children smile for a photo in Mosul before ISIS's takeover in 2014. IS has lost most of the territory it once controlled, and the coalition is also aiming to oust the jihadists from their Syrian stronghold Raqa, which is under assault by US-backed Arab and Kurdish force

In Mosul, jihadists have been seen attempting to flee across the Tigris river - with some reportedly dying in the process. Pictured above, a child smiles at a wood shop prior to ISIS's 2014 takeover that left thousands of people dead and displaced

Iraqi forces launched the operation to retake Mosul last October and began the weeks-long push through the Old City district in June. Pictured above, three girls sit together in Mosul before the city was taken over by ISIS

Parts of Mosul University were completely destroyed after ISIS moved into the Iraqi city. The university's school of medicine is pictured above before the occupation

In Mosul, jihadists have been seen attempting to flee across the Tigris river - with some reportedly dying in the process.

Yesterday, prime minister Haider al-Abadi visited soldiers to congratulate his troops on the hard-fought battle.

His announcement came two years after coalition advisers launched a bid to train a 106,000-strong Iraq security force, including 40,000 troops, 15,000 police, 6,000 border guards, 21,000 Kurdish peshmerga, 14,000 from the elite Counter Terrorism Service and another 9,500 'tribal mobilisation forces.'

Brigadier General Haider Fadhil of the Iraqi special forces says his men, closely backed by US-led coalition airstrikes, are continuing to advance and clear territory in the Old City on Monday.

Iraqi forces launched the operation to retake Mosul last October and began the weeks-long push through the Old City district in June.

Last night Abadi's office said he was visiting 'liberated' Mosul to congratulate his 'heroic fighters', but the premier later indicated he would only declare victory once final pockets of resistance were cleared.

'Victory is certain, and what remains of Daesh is surrounded... and it is just a matter of time for us to announce the great victory to our people,' Abadi said in a statement, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.

An Iraqi federal policeman stands in a damaged building as Iraqi forces continue their fight against Islamic State militants in parts of the Old City of Mosul

raqi Special Forces soldiers stand on the rubble of a damaged building as their fight against Islamic State militants continues in parts of the Old City of Mosul

A member of Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) walks on rubble next to destroyed buildings from clashes in the Old City of Mosul

Iraqis start reconstruction of their buildings after Mosul completely freed from ISIS after a nearly year-long battle between Iraqi forces and ISIS militants

Many buildings that weren't completely destroyed during the fighting still had windows blown out or their outer structure blasted away

As Iraqi forces worked toward claiming 'total victory' over ISIS in Mosul, smoke still rose from the city as clashes continued

Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) personnel carry weapons next to destroyed buildings from clashes in the Old City of Mosul on Monday

A military vehicle of Iraqi security forces is seen next to an old bridge destroyed by clashes in the Old City of Mosul. Flags representing Iraq were raised high on the bridge as the nation claimed victory over ISIS

The delay 'comes out of my respect and appreciation for our... forces that are continuing the clearing operation,' he said.

'There are just one or two pockets of Daesh remnants left,' and 'the major victory is in hand,' the premier added.

Photographs showed Abadi dressed in a black military uniform and cap, shaking hands with police and army officers.

His office said Abadi met commanders in Mosul and issued a series of orders on 'sustaining victories and eliminating the defeated remnants' of ISIS, as well as 'establishing security and stability in the liberated city.'

Iraqi forces waved flags and flashed victory signs after Abadi arrived in the city.

'This victory is for all Iraqis, not just for us,' Mohanned Jassem, a member of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, told AFP at the police base where Abadi met commanders.

Jassem, who fought in most of the other main battles of the war against IS, said Mosul was the toughest.

'I took part in fighting in Ramadi and Tikrit and Salaheddin and Baiji and Al-Qayyarah... but the fighting here in (ISIS's) stronghold was the most violent,' he said, an Iraqi flag draped over his shoulders.

ISIS swept across much of Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland in a lightning offensive in mid-2014, proclaiming a 'caliphate' straddling Iraq and neighbouring Syria.

Imposing its brutal interpretation of Islamic law, the group committed widespread atrocities and organised or inspired deadly attacks in Iraq, Syria and abroad.

An Iraqi federal police member waves his country's national flag as he celebrates in the Old City of Mosul after the government's announcement of the 'liberation' of the embattled city on Sunday

Iraqi federal police officers wave their nation's flag as they celebrate the end of fighting against ISIS in the Old City of Mosul

raqi civilians flash the sign for victory as they celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on Sunday after the government's announcement of the 'liberation' of the embattled city

A US-led coalition launched military operations against ISIS in Syria and Iraq in mid-2014, carrying out a campaign of air strikes against the jihadists and sending advisers to work with local ground forces.

IS has lost most of the territory it once controlled, and the coalition is aiming to oust the jihadists from their Syrian stronghold Raqa, which is under assault by US-backed Arab and Kurdish forces.

Iraqi forces launched their campaign to recapture Mosul in October, seizing its eastern side in January and launching the battle for its western part the next month.

But the fight grew tougher when security forces entered the densely populated Old City on the western bank of the Tigris River, which divides the city.

In recent days, security forces have killed jihadists trying to flee their dwindling foothold in Mosul, as Iraqi units fought to retake the last IS-held territory near the Tigris.

Earlier Sunday, Iraq's Joint Operations Command said security forces had killed '30 terrorists' trying to escape across the river.

Even in the final days of the battle, thousands of civilians remained trapped inside the Old City and some of those who fled arrived grief-stricken after losing relatives in jihadist sniper fire and bombardments.

The recapture of Mosul will also not mark the end of the threat posed by IS, which controls territory elsewhere in Iraq and is able to carry out frequent bombings in government-held areas.

In Iraq it holds towns including Tal Afar and Hawijah in the north, as well as territory in western Anbar province.

It also continues to hold significant territory in Syria, including in Raqa, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are battling to oust the jihadist group after penetrating its fortified historic centre.
Martin McIntosh was arrested for allegedly beating a toddler until he broke her leg

A Georgia man was arrested on Friday for 'viciously beating his girlfriend's toddler until he broke her leg'.

Martin Lee McIntosh was caring for the two-year-old girl at the Efficiency Lodge in Kennesaw while his girlfriend was out, according to WXIA.

When the child's mother returned, she found her daughter injured and took her to the hospital.

Doctors at WellStar Kennestone Hospital noticed the girls suspicious injuries and called Kennesaw police.

Medical personnel said the child appeared to have multiple bone fractures in her leg.

Hospital staff said the baby girl's injuries were 'severe enough to require immediate surgery'.

The child's name and condition after undergoing surgery have not been released.

Police said McIntosh struck the child multiple times with his fist.

McIntosh has been charged with aggravated battery and cruelty to children in the first degree, as well as possession of less than one ounce of marijuana.
A theme park in China was forced to close after opening for just one day due to a collapsed rope bridge, according to reports.

Three visitors were said to be injured after the rope bridge in Chengdu toppled yesterday in front of shocked visitors.

The theme park, called the Children's Yard, claimed that the accident had been caused by an overwhelming volume of tourists.

Two visitors are seeb injured and stuck at a collapsed bridge at a theme park in China (pictured). A woman was left unconscious while a man suffered bleeding from his nose

The Children's Yard, located at Taipingzhen of Chengdu city, had its grand opening on July 8.

According to Chengdu Business Post, the accident happened around 3pm on the next day.

An video has emerged showing a man and woman being stuck under the rope bridge which had collapse into a bush. A child can be heard screaming.

The footage, taken by onlookers, was quickly shared online. It shows the man, holding the rail of the bridge, suffering bleeding in his mouth and nose.

Policemen and rescuers arrived at the scene and carried a woman onto a stretcher. The woman appeared to be unconscious.

Ms Zhang, a visitor told a reporter from the Chengdu Business Post: 'I was here [the theme park] with my daughter, but the staff told us to leave after the incident happened.

'Some parents said one of them got very serious spinal cord injuries.'

Local policemen and rescuers quickly arrived at the scene (left). They carried the unconscious woman onto a stretcher before sending her to the hospital (right)

Three visitors were reportedly injured.

They were sent to the West China Medical Center of Sichuan University, Chengdu Tianfu New Area People's Hospital and General Hospital of CNPC Sichuan Administration respectively.

The identities of the victims are yet to be revealed.

The Children's Yard announced on its official social media account that the park would remain closed until further notice.

The park claimed itself to be the world's largest non-motorised children's park.

It explained in a Weibo post today that the accident had been caused by an overwhelming volume of tourists. The post said the management lost control of the tourists when the accident occurred.

The case is being investigated by the local police department.
Kellyanne Conway boasted Monday that she's never uttered the words 'fake news' during a contentious interview on CNN that aired uninterrupted by commercial breaks for more than half an hour.

The Trump counselor did try to shame the network, however, for its heavy coverage of Russia's election meddling and allegations of Trump campaign collusion.

'Aren't you the least bit reluctant, if not embarrassed that you now talk about Russia more than you talk about America?' she asked New Day host Chris Cuomo early on.

Russia came up during that broadcast because Don Jr, the president's son, admitted to meeting with a Russian government advocate last summer at Trump Tower under the auspices of obtaining damaging information on Hillary Clinton.

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Kellyanne Conway boasted Monday that she's never uttered the words 'fake news' during a contentious interview on CNN with Chris Cuomo that aired uninterrupted by commercial breaks for more than half an hour

The Trump counselor did try to shame the network, however, for its heavy coverage of Russia's election meddling and allegations of Trump campaign collusion

Russia came up during that broadcast because Don Jr, the president's son, admitted to meeting with a Russian government advocate last summer at Trump Tower under the auspices of obtaining damaging information on Hillary Clinton

After the contentious 35-minute segment, Kellyanne Conway reiterated her point on Twitter: that CNN wants to talk about Russia, while she wanted to talk about the United States

He says he did not know who the meeting was with, as it had been set up by an acquaintance.

The woman turned out to be Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin.

'Don Jr. has very explicitly stated he didn't even know the name of the person with whom he was meeting,' Conway said Monday on CNN. 'He agreed to the meeting based on a contact from the Miss Universe Pageant.'

Conway went on to run Donald Trump's presidential campaign and help put him in the White House. But she was not in charge of the campaign at the time of the meeting with Veselnitskaya.

Paul Manafort was still running the show in June. He was soon shoved out as he became embroiled in an international scandal involving a former Ukrainian client. Conway took over for him.

The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also attended the meeting, at Don Jr's invitation, the New York Times reported and Kushner confirmed.

Kushner is now a senior advisor at the White House.

The president's son tried to brush off the rising controversy on Monday morning as Conway went to bat for him

On CNN, Conway reiterated Don Jr's claims that the information that was offered was a cover for a conversation about a Russian adoption program that was halted years ago amid a dispute with the US over the Magnitsky Act.

'They get into the meeting and it quickly turns into a pretext for Russian adoption, according to his statements, that the comments this woman is making about any type of information on Hillary Clinton were vague. They were meaningless,' she said. 'Others exited the meeting very quickly. The meeting itself was very brief.'

Conway said on CNN, 'There was no information given. There was no action taken. There was no follow-up.

'And let me respectfully say, as well as I can, I don't think anybody had to look very far to find damaging information on Hillary Clinton and negative information,' she argued.

Cuomo told her that her last statement was 'beside the point.'

There are 'huge legal and ethical implications,' he said, to the meeting that Don Jr. had with the Russian lawyer who wanted to lobby the Republican presidential candidate's campaign on lifting the US law that inspired Putin to halt Russian adoptions.

The CNN host said he couldn't decide what should be more troubling to the White House - that Don Jr. didn't know who he was meeting with or that he invited Manafort and Kushner to sit down with a stranger on the promise of obtaining oppo research on Clinton.

'First of all, you keep on saying opposition research the way you guys constantly vomit words like collusion, and Russian interference, and affecting the election, all of which you have no evidence. We cannot convert wishful thinking into hard evidence,' Conway answered.

She said the meeting is not evidence of collusion with the Russians to bring down Clinton.

'If we were in court, your side would not even survive a motion to dismiss a motion for summary judgement because you've got nothing,' she said.

Cuomo busted up Don Jr. fort he same thing, claiming in the course of the interview with Conway that he has a credibility problem because he gave two differing versions of his story to the New York Times for its articles on the June 2016 meeting

Trump says he did not know who the meeting was with, as it had been set up by an acquaintance. The woman turned out to be Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin

The principals from the campaign were all there because they had a very small team, she said.

'This was standard operating procedure for the campaign,' Conway asserted. 'Let's focus on what did not happen in that meeting. No information provided that was meaningful. No action taken. Nothing.'

Cuomo continued to bust up Don Jr. for his conduct, claiming in the course of the interview that the Trump son has a credibility problem because he gave two differing versions of his story to the New York Times for its articles on the June 2016 meeting.

The first time he said: 'It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at that time and there was no follow up.'

He said in a later statement: 'After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton.

'Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.'

Having read the Trump son's statement aloud, Cuomo told Conway, 'You talked about being in a court of law, not good when you change your story.'

President Trump tweeted that James Comey 'leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media ' this morning as his son came under fire for meeting with the Russian lawyer. Conway brought up the charge aginst the former FBI director, too, as she attempted to pull Cuomo off Don Jr.

Conway fired back, 'I admire your moxie, sitting there with the CNN chyron right near you, talking about credibility issues, given the couple weeks you guy have had.'

'I could not be more proud to have that CNN chyron next to me,' Cuomo told her. 'And I could be more proud representing the White House here on CNN,' Conway responded.

Cuomo talked over Conway throughout the interview, prompting her to declare then that the CNN host should let her know when she's allowed to speak again.

When Cuomo wouldn't let her talk, Conway laughed and said his name a couple of times in a sing-songy voice as she tried to get his attention.

'You wanted to produce something because you're invested in months now as a network in something that simply doesn't exist,' she finally said, trying to lump the story about Don Jr. in with other charges of Russian collusion that have not panned out.

Cuomo told her, 'No, that's an assumption by you. And its an unfair premise.'

Changing the subject Conway told him, 'No, Chris. That's not true. Here is the unfair premise, that we are talking about this again. Yet again. That you talk about Russia more than you talk about America. That the big bombshell of the day is Jim Comey having classified information, conversations with the President of the United States, in his memorandum.'

ALSO AT THE MEETING WITH THE RUSSIAN LAWYER: Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, attended the Trump Tower meeting, too, at this brother-in-law's request

That charge led Cuomo to note with glee that the article she was referring to was based on anonymous sources like the ones the White House has routinely tried to undermine.

'Unnamed sources is the new code word for you guys on fake news but it's okay for Comey,' he snarked.

Conway told him, 'Ive actually never uttered those two words, either. But the fact is that report is a bombshell people should know about'

Cuomo pointed out again that the report is based on 'unnamed sources.'

'You just want to interrupt me today,' Conway said, summing up the interaction with her 'friend.'

She said on Twitter after it was all over: 'To me pal @ChrisCuomo: Here's how you and I are different: you want to talk about Russia; I want to talk about America.'

President Donald Trump had also marveled at the report that said his fired FBI Director James Comey's memos contained classified information, a revelation that could get the ex-government official in trouble for giving them to his friend to pass on to the press.

'James Comey leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media. That is so illegal!' Trump wrote Monday morning, shortly after retweeting a Fox News story that reported the allegation.

It was the Hill newspaper, on Sunday night, that first broke the news that most of the memos written by the former FBI chief contained classified information, a welcome distraction for the president and his advisers as Don Jr. comes under fire for meeting with Veselnitskaya,.

Comey could now be probed by congressional investigators to determine whether he mishandled classified information.
The sole survivor of a failed suicide pact may be charged with manslaughter after the ordeal.

On Monday, doctors at the Monash Medical Centre in Victoria were left in a lurch when they decided to go against a critical patient wish who wanted to die instead of being saved.

The elderly patient had been sent to the emergency department of the hospital in a critical condition after a failed suicide pact of a drug overdose had gone awry.

Doctors at the Monash Medical Centre went against an elderly patient wish who wanted to die

It is unclear at this stage whether a man or a woman had died as a result of this failed pact.

The elderly survivor may face manslaughter charges as a result of the partner being dead, the Herald Sun reported.

It is also understood the couple was not suffering from any terminal illness, but had decided to end their lives.

But their plans were thwarted when their daughter found them at their home and called the ambulance.

However, doctors went against the surviving patient wishes as the hospital ethics committee decided on legal grounds that they were obligated to save the person.

According to the Victoria's crime act entering into a suicide pact with another person is a crime with the survivor guilty of manslaughter.

On Monday, the Victorian police were still unsure on whether it will pursue manslaughter charges on the surviving patient.
The body of a 73-year-old woman described by her family as 'gritty, hard-working and generous' was discovered Friday afternoon by Tennessee rescue workers after she had been swept away by a powerful flash flood.

The remains of Peggy McDaniel were recovered at the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River near Cookeville located inside Cummins Falls State Park in Tennessee.

McDaniel had been missing since Wednesday afternoon, when Jackson County EMA Director Keith Bean says emergency officials responded to the park after a flash flood rushed through. About 40 people were rescued.

Jackson County search crews recovered the body of missing 73-year-old Peggy McDaniel who went missing during a flash flood at Cummins Falls State Park

Search and rescue teams looked for the body of Peggy McDaniel after she had gone missing following an intense flash flood in Tennessee

Rescue workers search for Peggy McDaniel, who had gone missing after a powerful flash flood swooped her away

In a public statement made by the family, McDaniels son Shane Paschall and daughter Julie Taylor described their mother as crafty, spry, gritty, hard working and generous, according to News Channel 5.

'We want to thank everyone that helped with the recovery, they bonded with us, talked with us and cried with us,' said Paschall.

'They did everything they could. They searched for our mother like she was their own. We ask everyone continue to remember us and pray for us in this difficult time.'

Local authorities said that McDaniel's was swept away by flash flooding on Wednesday afternoon while visiting the park with her family, Channel 5 reported.

Numerous local and state agencies, including the the Jackson County EMA, Sheriffs Department, Tennessee State Park Rangers, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and water rescue teams from Putnam, White and Smith Counties were called to take part in the effort.

On Thursday, the body of 45-year-old Lisa Michelle Hillian was found by rescue crews.

Bean says Hillian had been searching for McDaniel, but wasn't part of the official search party.

Officials from Cummins Falls State Park said that the facility will be reopened to the public in the coming days.

Shane Paschall makes public statement after authorities announce they recovered the body of Peggy McDaniel
Andronicos Sideras, 55, pictured, was allegedly part of a ring of dodgy dealers who conspired to sell the contaminated products between January and November 2012

A businessman who sold horsemeat as beef was caught after equine microchips were discovered in some of the packages he sold, a court heard.

Andronicos Sideras, 55, was allegedly part of a ring of dodgy dealers who conspired to sell the contaminated products between January and November 2012.

Horse ID chips were allegedly found inside the equine-flesh-infused meat - two from Poland and one from Ireland - when it was analysed during a spot-check by environmental health officers at a cold-store in Northern Ireland.

Images of various cuts of meat were shown to the jury, including the slices which are said to have contained the microchips.

The tiny chips - which are barely a centimetre long - were shown in photos in the palm of a purple-gloved hand next to a coin to show how small they were.

Dinos and Sons 'completely messed up' some of the orders they were managing exposing their 'dodgy deal', said prosecutor Jonathan Polnay.

Approximately one third of the pallets analysed were found to contain horsemeat, Inner London Crown Court heard.

Mr Polnay said: 'When the meat was analysed, a total of three microchips were found.'

Ulkrik Nielsen, 58, of Gentofte, Denmark, and his right hand man Alex Beech, 44, of Highfield Close, Hull, have each admitted conspiracy to defraud.

But Sideras denies any involvement in the scam and insists he had no idea how horsemeat could have ended up in the consignments he sold.

He was investigated after mixing up two different delivery loads, accidentally sending 'horsebeef' to Ireland's top wholesale meat supplier Rangelands instead of meat factory Silvercrest, the court heard.

The prosecution say three consignments of horsemeat were sent to Dino's and Sons for processing in June and October 2012.

Sideras, pictured, denies any involvement in the scam and insists he had no idea how horsemeat could have ended up in the consignments he sold

Sideras, pictured left and right, admitted deleting emails he had exchanged with Nielsen, but said he only did it to avoid being implicated in anything illegal that FlexiFoods might be involved in

The tiny chips - which are barely a centimetre long - were shown to the court in photos

Dino's and Sons 'completely messed up' some of the orders they were managing exposing their 'dodgy deal', said prosecutor Jonathan Polnay. Pictured is one of the microchips which was found

One of the Dinos & Sons food factory premises at the Millmead Industrial Estate in Tottenham, north east London that is under investigation

Police first interviewed Sideras in 2013 after evidence of the fraud was found at Dino's and Sons, including blank documents used for forging labels to disguise the origin of meat, jurors were told.

He admitted storing horsemeat for FlexiFoods on a handful of occasions as a favour but said he had no idea why a consignment labelled 'beef' traced from Northern Ireland to his company contained it.

Sideras admitted deleting emails he had exchanged with Nielsen, but said he only did it to avoid being implicated in anything illegal that FlexiFoods might be involved in.

But concluding the prosecution opening, Mr Polnay said: 'Why, if entirely innocent, did he delete all his emails?

'This was a fraud that simply could not have worked without the connivance of Sideras.

'Who else could have mixed the horse and beef together?

'The meticulous records kept by FlexiFoods have proved the cause of their undoing, and also provide compelling evidence of precisely the guilt of Mr Sideras.'

Sideras, of Friars Walk, Southgate, north London, denies one count of conspiracy to defraud. The trial continues.
Four lions are on the loose after breaking out of the Kruger National Park in South Africa sparking a huge hunt and terrifying local villagers.

Game rangers and police and helicopters are scouring local sugar cane fields for the deadly predators which were spotted together on Sunday evening.

It is not known how the rogue lions escaped as much of South Africa's biggest park is fenced, but they have been known to swim out through rivers in the past.

Rangers from Kruger National Park are hunting for four lions after they escaped before killing a cow on a nearby farm, leaving villagers terrified (file image)

SANParks spokesman William Mabasa said: 'We are not completely sure about the whereabouts of the lions and as soon as we have concrete information we will share this.'

Mabasa says the lions were spotted on Sunday evening in the Matsulu area.

SANParks rangers together with the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) and police have launched a search for the animals and are warning local villagers.

In May five lions also escaped from the Kruger and four were recaptured over several days after being darted and returned to the safety of the park. The fifth was never found.

It is not known if the current missing lions are same four that went walkabout on that occasion before deciding on a second bid for freedom.

If lions start frequently escaping from game reserves they can be put to sleep or taken to other reserves.

MTPA spokeswoman Kholofelo Nkambule said: 'We are currently conducting an extensive search for four lions which were spotted in Boulders in the Mara Valley.

'This was south of the NV in the early hours of Sunday and all resources are being pooled to track the lions and we have had no fresh sightings of the missing lions since.'

Local villagers have been urged to remain vigilant and alert officials if they see the lions. It is believed that at least one cow has been killed and eaten so far.

Officials said the terrain in which the lions have escaped is difficult and low-lying fog in the mornings over the sugar cane fields makes searching 'challenging'.

After the five lions escaped in May, SANParks acting managing executive for conservation services Danie Pienaar, said they they probably crossed one of two rivers.

The theory was they got out by swimming or wading the Crocodile or Komati river.

The break-out comes just over a month after five more lions escaped by swimming up a river. While four were returned to the park, a fifth has still not been found

He said: 'Lions are inquisitive and inquisitively left the park. The fencing cannot be made impermeable and 24 hour surveillance of the fencing is just not possible.

'Fences are broken by large animals and trying to keep a lion in a fence is difficult because they get through small holes. It is not uncommon for animals to leave the park.

'The danger the lions pose to the public depends on the situation but predators don't go around hunting people. When they see people during the day they run away'.

Mr Piennar stressed it is when people chase the lions or run away it becomes dangerous.

The park has a compensation policy that pays out in the event an animal from the park causes damage to property or kills cattle or livestock and have about 20 incidents a year

Police last night advised motorists under no circumstances to stop at the side of the road to answer the call of nature until the lions were recaptured and back in the park.

The missing fifth lion from the May escape was never found and could have walked back into the park to rejoin the missing pride, it was thought.

Last year a rogue three-year-old male lion named Sylvester was given a reprieve from death after making a second daring escape from a game reserve.

Sylvester killed 30 animals during his first escape in June 2015 and was scheduled to be put down after a second escape in the middle of last year.

But a public outcry saw him moved from the Karoo National Park in central South Africa to the vast Addo Elephant Park nearly 400km away where he joined a new pride.
The mother of a teenage pupil who died of a severe allergic reaction to cheese at school is demanding answers from bosses as to how it happened.

Karan Cheema, 13, became seriously ill at his school in Greenford, West London, in the middle of morning lessons.

Staff rushed to help the popular pupil, who was known to have allergies, but he died after being rushed to hospital.

It has been claimed Karan was 'forced to eat' the cheese but others have said it was 'flicked at his face' while his mother claimed the food was 'rubbed against his neck'.

Another boy was later arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Karan Cheema died after suffering an allergic reaction, believed to have been caused by him eating cheese

Karan (pictured with his mother Rina) had been bullied at school, a family friend has said

His mother Rina struggled to control her emotions as she demanded answers as to how her son, who led a normal life despite his allergies, had managed to become exposed to the cheese.

She claimed police and William Perkin C of E School kept her in the dark about the events which led to Karan's death on Sunday.

And she also urged schools to have a better understanding of allergens and appoint medically trained staff on site to handle emergencies.

'The school called me at 11.30am and I rushed from my work and by the time I got to the school he was already on a trolley going into the ambulance.

'I went in the ambulance with him and we went to Northwick Park hospital and he was then transferred to Great Ormond Street and put into intensive care.

'What exactly happened I do not know, but if anyone was to sit next to him with something he was allergic to he would tell them, he wasn't shy about saying what we could have.

'Everyone would have known about his allergies, wheat was life threatening to him.

'When he was two he went into an anaphylactic shock and that was when we first realised he was allergic to wheat.

'The first one was milk at six weeks old because his eczema got worse and they did a series of skin tests to find out what he was allergic to.

His father Amarjeet Cheema, pictured with Karan, has also demanded answers and said 'no parent should have to watch their son die'

The schoolboy excelled at maths and computer and wanted to be an IT engineer

'We were like glue and paper, we were more like friends. Whilst Karan was at Great Ormond Street everybody prayed for him to pull through.

'His uncle in India went from one place to another for prayers. Every parent who loves their child holds onto the last glimmer, that last ray of hope.

'He went into cardiac arrest and he died, but I got my chance to say goodbye to him.

'He had a smile on his face when he went and we prayed until the final second.'

She added: 'I want answers, I want to get to the bottom of what happened, I will be asking the school if he was bullied but my son was very popular, you could not help but like that child, he never made enemies.

'When it happened, the school asked me if they could give him piriton because of what he had said to them.

'I had provided the school with all the medication from the beginning of September and gave them a description of what he was allergic to and what can happen if certain events take place.

'Did they follow his care plan? The school said they did.'

The teenage Manchester City fan was allergic to wheat, gluten, all dairy products, eggs and all nuts and even had his own fridge and microwave at the home he shared with his mother and grandfather.

He also suffered from atopic eczema and asthma which he controlled with an inhaler.

Murder detectives are investigating after the teenager was taken ill at William Perkin High School in Greenford, west London, at around 11.30am on June 28

Recalling the moments Karan left home for school, Ms Cheema said: 'When you say goodbye to your son you do not expect you do not expect it to be the last goodbye.

'He said to his granddad, I will see you after school, those were his words.'

Karan, who lived with his mother and grandfather Satvinder in Perivale, west London, saw his father just two hours a month after he left the family home when the youngster was six months old.

Ms Cheema, 51, said she heard that somebody may have rubbed cheese on the back of Karan's neck but is unaware of what caused him to die.

She said: 'My son was very popular, this was one particular trouble maker child, but I do not know if it was him.

'He was a selfless boy, an angel who was only here for a short while and he left broken hearts behind.

'I raised him to an angel and he loved his family, I dedicated my life to him, we were inseparable.

'I was not ready cut the apron strings yet, nobody can take me away from my son.

'Someone rubbed cheese on the back of his neck but you don't go into anaphylactic shock from that so we just don't know what happened, we want answers.

'I know my son inside out and he was very well trained, the school were fully aware and so were his friends.

'He read everything he bought, he was a very, very independent, I have made him so aware that he is not to take anything.

'He was very disciplined, without fail and able to live a normal life.

'He used his asthma pump and various creams for his eczema before he went to school from head to toe himself with the medication prescribed by the consultant at Ealing Hospital.

'He never missed an appointment there. Karan took a packed lunch to school every day, he made his own because last year he got something that was not right so I made him make his own.

'He had his own fridge and microwave, the kitchen was completely allergen free.

'He must have ingested something for the reaction to happen, that's what the consultant at Great Ormond Street told me, he cannot go into anaphylactic shock if something he is allergic to just touches him.

'Certain allergens that he had even if you touched him with it he could come out in hives, he never left home without his medication.

'We just cannot understand what happened, he was my baby and I trained him to look after himself.

Another pupil at the school posted this series of messages on Twitter on the day of the incident

'He loved life and I was his sole carer, he was my only child and I am empty now.

'He was a selfless child, once he got off the bus and he saw an elderly lady struggling with her trolley and he helped her home. What 13-year-old does that?

'When I asked him why did you do that he said, "because she reminded me of nan".'

Ms Cheema said her son 'excelled in maths and science' and loved using his X-Box and watching YouTube.

She added: 'Every Saturday nights we would have movie nights and the last thing we were going to watch was the Mummy with Tom Cruise but we never got to go and do that.

'I told him you can never let life's glitches hold you back, but he was too busy enjoying his life for that to happen.

'His best buddy was his granddad, they did everything together, when my dad was gardening Karan was gardening, they were very close.'

Karan's distraught father Amarjeet Cheema has said his son was vary careful at managing his allergies and he doesn't believe a reaction could have been caused by him being hit by a piece of cheese.

Mr Cheema told London's Evening Standard: 'We were in hospital I had to watch him die, no parent should have to go through that.

'While he was in hospital we were fully concentrated on his condition. Now we want answers. How could this have happened?'

Parents of other teenagers at the school said Karan was being bullied and cheese was hidden in his lunch by another pupil.

The Met Police said another boy from the school was arrested and bailed over the incident

Family friend Humaira Khan, 40, said: 'Karan was in primary school with my son and used to to go to football club and karate class with my son. He was a really good boy.

'There was a child who was bullying him all the time. He put cheese in his lunch.

'When I spoke to one of his family members he said someone put cheese in his lunch and he did not know about it. Karan had it and then had an allergic reaction.'

On the day Karan was rushed to hospital, another pupil tweeted: 'How can two idiots in my school stuff cheese down someone's throat - KNOWING that they're allergic to it, where's the logic'.

The boy added: 'The ambulance and POLICE had to be called... he's in intensive care now.'

Others claimed the cheese was thrown or flicked at Karan and hit him in the mouth. Others said it was put down his shirt.

One mother, who asked not to be named, said: 'From what I've heard from a student they were playing with food and it got out of hand.

'My children say a piece of cheese sandwich was thrown and it hit him, they were playing.'

What is a dairy allergy? Dairy allergy is the most common food allergy in young children and affects 2 per cent of under four-year-olds. People are more likely to suffer if they have other allergies or a family history of the condition. Symptoms can occur within a few minutes, or as long as several hours, after consuming dairy products. Immediate symptoms include hives, wheezing and vomiting. Diarrhoea, an itchy rash and abdominal cramps may occur later. A dairy allergy differs from an intolerance as the latter does not involve the immune system and more commonly causes bloating, gas and diarrhoea. Allergies can be serious if they trigger anaphylaxis - a life-threatening reaction that narrows the airways. Antihistamines can help to reduce symptoms. Anaphylaxis requires immediate medical attention. Source: Mayo Clinic Advertisement

Executive headteacher Dame Alice Hudson said Karan had a 'number of allergies'. Medication was kept in the school's office especially for him, but she said it was not successful in treating the reaction.

Doctors battled to save the teenager - who wanted to be a computer engineer - but he died in hospital 11 days later with his parents at his bedside.

Just hours after Karan was taken to hospital on Wednesday, June 28, police arrested a fellow pupil at William Perkin Church of England High School after it became apparent that there had been an 'incident which led to the boy coming into contact with the allergen'.

Dame Alice yesterday paid tribute to Karan, saying: 'He was a popular Year 8 student at the school.

'He had many friends who are devastated at his death, as are the staff. He was a bright and keen student who excelled in maths. Our thoughts and prayers are with Karan's family.'

Last night police refused to give details of what caused the allergic reaction because a post-mortem examination had not yet taken place.

Scotland Yard said: 'A boy, a pupil at the same school, was arrested on Wednesday, June 28, and interviewed in connection with the incident. He has been bailed to return on a date in late July.

'The incident was initially investigated by officers from Ealing Borough but has since been passed to the Homicide and Major Crime Command.'
Three Sikh men helped nearly 70 Afghan illegal immigrants sneak into the UK using the real passports of British Sikhs in a 600,000 scam, a court heard.

Border officials were unable to distinguish between the illegal immigrants who masqueraded as the genuine passport holders because they were wearing turbans - which Sikh men are allowed to have on in their ID documents.

The gang would travel to France and hand over stolen or genuine passports to waiting immigrants which looked like them.

Once the immigrants got to the UK, the gang would recycle the passports passing them on to others trying to sneak into the country.

Davinder Chawla (left) and Daljit Kapoor (right) pictured at an earlier hearing. The gang would travel to France and hand over stolen or genuine passports to waiting immigrants

Cousins Daljit Kapoor, 41 and Harmit Kapoor, 42, and Davinder Chawla, 43, a member of the same extended family had all previously pleaded guilty to running the scam which charged each family over ,9000.

They provided Sikhs from the war-torn country with stolen passports or those of their own family members who most looked like them, so they could pass themselves off as British citizens.

One family of asylum seekers were found at Heathrow Airport without any identification after being smuggled into Britain.

They were abandoned by the gang in Terminal 1 before they claimed asylum with authorities.

The three men appeared at Inner London Crown Court today for the start of a Newton hearing after disagreements between the prosecution and the defence over their level of involvement in the scam.

Inner London Crown Court heard a total of 69 individuals who travelled to the UK on the passports were identified and 59 did not make an asylum application

The court heard the total value of the conspiracy was a '$800,000' - 621,000.

However the court was told there would be no Newton hearing in relation to Daljit Kapoor, following an agreement between the prosecution and defence over his basis of plea.

For the conspiracy the trio were paid up to $12,000 per family or 9,300 to get entry into the UK.

In total 69 individuals travelled to the UK on the passports were identified and 59 did not make an asylum application.

Prosecutor Alexandra Felix said: 'The central aim was to gain financially

Davinder Chawla, 43 (pictured), Daljit Kapoor, 41 and Harmit Kapoor, 42,a member of the same extended family had all previously pleaded guilty to running the scam which charged each family over ,9000

'At least one of conspirators with the a passport would travel to France to enable to asylum seeker to travel to the UK using this passport.

'These were passports with identities belonging to their families or others which were reported lost or stolen in the days before their use.

'The result of the conspiracy was there was entry into the UK that must have been in breach of immigration Law.

'They would enter the UK masquerading as genuine passport holders and disappear into society.

'This was a cynical money making enterprise where there was financial gain.'

The court heard a member of the gang would travel to France and hand over passports to men, women and children so they could get through border security.

Once in the UK they would then get the passports back and use them again with more asylum seekers looking to sneak into the UK.

The court was told about to one trip in May 2014 where 12 people managed to make it into the UK after travelling on the Eurostar.

The court was told about to one trip in May 2014 where 12 people managed to make it into the UK after travelling on the Eurostar

The prosecutor said: 'There is no evidence they were stopped and they must have entered the UK successfully.

'The actually passport holders have never been on the Eurostar and it follows the person travelling on that travel document must have been an impostor.

Both Kapoors, of Hounslow, and Chawla, of Isleworth, pleaded guilty in March this year, before the their trial was due to start, to one count of conspiracy help an asylum seeker to enter the UK in May and June 2014, just before their trial was due to start.

The hearing continues.
Police were called to a popular Sydney nightclub more than 150 times in the past two years, including 43 times for drug taking.

Home nightclub recently applied to extend its trading hours, prompting NSW Liquor and Gaming to compile a dossier of incidents requiring officers to attend.

'The material provided by police indicates the venue has a history of violent incidents over the past two years,' the document seen by The Daily Telegraph claimed.

Police were called to popular Sydney nightclub Home more than 150 times in the past two years, including 43 times for drug taking and 37 assaults

It recently applied to extend its trading hours, prompting NSW Liquor and Gaming to compile a dossier of incidents requiring officers to attend.

The club in tourist haven Darling Harbour was seeking to join 21 other venues allowed to serve alcohol an extra half hour beyond 3am and let punters in until 2am instead of 1.30am.

The regulator's report came to light just weeks after six revellers allegedly overdose in a single night on June 23, blamed on a bad batch of GHB but without official diagnosis.

The 43 drug incidents included 'multiple incidents of patrons apprehended in the venue with large quantities of drugs' and 27 times patrons were seen to be high.

Violence was another recorded issue with 37 assault calls placed to police.

The 43 drug incidents included 'multiple incidents of patrons apprehended in the venue with large quantities of drugs' and 27 times patrons were seen to be high

The regulator's report came to light just weeks after six revellers overdose in a single night on June 23, blamed on a bad batch of GHB but without official diagnosis

Home employed its own paramedics to deal with emergencies inside the venue, be they drug overdoses or otherwise.

The report claimed poor CCTV quality hampered its investigations on 17 occasions and refused a police request for cameras to be part of its licence conditions.

The regulator also brought up an August 2015 promotion for the club's seventh birthday celebrations featuring a man snorting cocaine.

The 15-second clip promoting an event called 'Blow' also showed a couple having sex and a cartoon man ejaculating on cartoon women.

The regulator also brought up an August 2015 promotion for the club's seventh birthday celebrations featuring a man snorting cocaine

The 15-second clip promoting an event called 'Blow' also showed a couple having sex and a cartoon man ejaculating on cartoon women

Home was threatened with a $5,500 fine unless it took down the 'inappropriate and irresponsible' ad Liquor and Gaming branded 'out of touch with community expectations'

Home was threatened with a $5,500 fine unless it took down the 'inappropriate and irresponsible' ad Liquor and Gaming branded 'out of touch with community expectations'.

Home nightclub owner Susanah Page said the venue frequently informed police of illegal activity inside the club and didn't condone drug use.

'We cant control what people do outside our venue, but our focus remains on what we can control,' she said.

Ms Page said Home went 'above and beyond' its licence requirements with increased security and having on-site medics, and always made changes regulators asked for.

She said it didn't agree with demands ensure all public areas were covered by CCTV because 'the venues unique shape makes it next to impossible to comply'.

Home has not yet been allowed to increase its alcohol serving hours or relax its lockouts unlike venues like World Bar, Scary Canary, ARQ, and Establishment.
The moment two police officers rescued a man from his burning apartment in Michigan was caught on body camera footage.

Police body camera footage captured the moment Jackson Police Deputy James Moore and Officer Mike Galbreath lifted Joseph Cummings, 58, and carried him down the stairs from his second floor apartment.

Cummings' apartment, outside downtown Jackson, Michigan, caught fire just after midnight Thursday morning when he fell asleep while smoking.

Jackson Police Deputy James Moore's body camera captured the moment he (pictured) and Officer Mike Galbreath rescued a man from the balcony of a burning apartment outside downtown Jackson, Michigan

Cummings' apartment caught fire just after midnight Thursday morning when he fell asleep while smoking. Pictured is Cummings while he is being carried by Moore and Galbreath

A deputy inside the Jackson County Sheriff's Office nearby saw the flames and officers rushed over to help. Pictured is Moore setting Cummings safely down away from the burning building

A deputy inside the Jackson County Sheriff's Office nearby saw the flames and officers rushed over to help, WLNS reported.

According to a statement from the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, 'the deputy was alerted by neighbors that they believed a man was still inside of the apartment'.

Moore and Galbreath were trying to get inside the apartment when they saw Cummings on the second floor balcony, the statement said.

'The man was not able to get himself to safety. Deputy Moore and Officer Galbreath were able to make it up the stairs of the balcony and carry the man to safety.'

Moore's body camera captured the moment he and Galbreath rescued Cummings.

In the footage, which was posted to LiveLeak, Moore is up on the balcony calling out to other people on the scene, asking if anyone else is in the house.

He closes the door and says to Cummings: 'Are you burnt? Okay, we gotta get you down.'

Galbreath, who climbed up after Moore, asks Cummings if he can stand up and when the two officers realize he can't, they lift him together and carry him down the stairs.

When they make it safely away from the building, they set Cummings down in the grass before a medical team arrives.

Moore and Galbreath were trying to get inside the apartment when they saw Cummings on the second floor balcony, the statement said. Pictured is when Moore sees Cummings on the balcony

The police statement said: 'The man was not able to get himself to safety.' Moore is carrying Cummings down to safety with Galbreath in the body camera footage

Cummings was brought to Henry Ford Allegiance Health before being flown to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. He was treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

He is now in stable condition and recovering.

One firefighter had to be treated on the scene for a burn to his ear, but Cummings' two rescuers were not injured during the incident.

'Its a dangerous profession,' Jackson County Sheriff Steve Rand told WLNS.

'You dont realize all the things we do that arent necessarily law enforcement related. And in this case, fire related. Im real proud of the guys that jumped in and did what they did.'

Officials are deciding whether the building can be saved while other residents in the apartment building are being helped by the Red Cross.
The chaos that gripped an Ohio neighborhood after a mass shooting at a gender reveal party on Saturday has been revealed in three chilling 911 calls.

The recordings, released by Colerain Township police, capture the moments immediately following the attack by two people on a house full of celebrating locals.

That attack killed one woman - 22-year-old mother-of-two Autumn Garrett of Huntington, Indiana - and is believed to have caused mother-to-be Cheyanne Willis to lose her unborn son after she was hit in the leg.

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Bereaved: One woman died and eight others, including three children, were injured at a shooting at this gender reveal party in Cincinnati on Saturday night. The mother-to-be, named only as Cheyanne (middle, with mom Lori and a friend) revealed she had lost the child as a result of being shot in the leg. Her mother was shot in the hand

Dead: Autumn Garrett (left, with her two kids) was killed in the attack. Her husband (right) was hit in the head but is now 'responsive'. Her kids are expected to be released from hospital soon

One of the calls appears to begin outside the house, with a woman screaming hysterically: 'I need more than one ambulance please! My god, she's dying!'

The operator tries to get her to calm down, but she's lost in terror, so a neighbor - whose door the caller had been banging in shortly before - takes over.

The operator struggles to find out how many people have been injured at the scene and how they were hurt, but the woman complains: 'What does it matter? People are dying.'

BEREAVED MOM WAS ALSO ASSAULT VICTIM The brutal mass shooting on Saturday that left Cheyanne Willis without her unborn child is not the first tragedy to strike the young woman. On Christmas Eve 2014 she was filmed being beaten in a parking lot by a man and a woman before having 'I got my a** whooped' written on her forehead. Willis, then 19, said her ex, Quincy Gardner, 20, drove her to the lot where he and 21-year-old Cheyenne Fisher attacked her. Fisher later said on Facebook she'd 'slapped her up' because she thought Willis had stolen her car. Both Gardner and Fisher were charged with robbery. Willis was filmed being beaten up on Xmas Eve 2014 (pictured); her ex-boyfriend and a woman were charged with robbery Advertisement

'I have the police and ambulance dispatched,' the operator replies. 'I'm trying to make sure I have enough ambulances dispatched.'

'That's fine, that's all you had to say,' the woman responds, testily.

In a second call, people can be heard moaning and shouting in the background as a clearly rattled man - who says he is bleeding - tries to get help.

'Somebody came in here and shot all of us,' he says. 'I think a baby's been shot, I think I got hit, there's a couple of people got hit.'

'I just seen two people walk by,' he says. 'I looked outside, next thing I know they just ran in and just start shooting.

'We all there watching TV, they just ran in and started shooting everybody.'

He adds, quietly: 'Why would somebody do this?'

Under pressure to answer more questions, he cracks: 'All I know is, motherf**kers just ran in and shot us... Please don't ask me f**king questions... I'm telling you all I can f**king tell you.'

The third call came from a guest to the baby shower who was sitting outside in her car when the assailants ran in.

The 'two guys' were acting 'sneaky,' she says; 'one had on a blue hoodie and one had a green hoodie. They just ran in and started shooting.'

The police still have no suspects in the 11pm shooting outside Cincinatti, which saw Willis hit in the leg and subsequently losing her baby.

She had excitedly announced that she was having a boy on Facebook just before the brutal attack.

Guest and mother-of-two Autumn Garrett, 22, was killed in the shooting and her husband Brayan badly injured, according to a GoFundMe page.

Witnesses had previously described him being shot in the head. According to the GoFundMe page, he was 'responsive' as of Sunday evening. His leg was also broken in two places.

Garrett's two children are expected to be discharged from the hospital 'soon,' Garrett's cousin wrote on the GoFundMe on Sunday.

In better times: Cheyanne is pictured inside her house with friends (including the Garretts, left, rear) and family before she was tragically shot. The killers have not yet been identified

Shot: Cheyanne (pictured with friends) was shot along with seven others. Police don't yet know if the attack was random or not, but locals have been advised to lock their doors

The killers entered through the front door, police told WCPO, and there is no indication yet that they forced entry - though that is still being investigated.

They opened fire on the group, who were gathered watching a movie, for one-to-two minutes, then fled the scene on foot.

Two handguns were used in the attack, but police have not yet recovered any of the weapons used.

The attack also left seven others wounded - including three children aged two, six and eight. Two of them are Garrett's kids.

They were taken to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center; none of them are believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries.

Wounded: As well as slain victim Autumn Garrett (right), eight people were wounded, including her husband Brayan (left) and Willis

One woman underwent surgery on Sunday night and was moved to intensive care, but was expected to recover.

Two adults were in 'serious but stable condition' after the shooting.

Cheyanne's mother, Lori, was also hit in the hand.

Hours before the attack , the mother-to-be - who is called Cheyanne Willis - according to her social media profile - learned she was expecting a baby boy.

She thanked all of her friends and family online for helping her celebrate the special occasion before the party took a tragic turn.

As of Monday morning the gunmen had still not been caught.

Police have said they don't know whether the shooting was random or if the perpetrators knew their victims, although they say they have 'several leads'.

Colerain Township Police Chief Mark Denney warned that he didn't know whether there was still a risk to the local community.

'I would like nothing more in my position to be able to stand up here and tell the community they have absolutely nothing to worry about,' he said.

'But I'm not going to provide statements or information that's false just to make people feel better.'

He added that local residents should keep their 'house locked and lights on'.

Excited: The mother-to-be excitedly learned that she was having a boy hours before the shooting. The killers could face the death penalty under Ohio law

Tragic: Cheyanne (left) with her sister Autumn (second from left) is pictured with two other friends in Colerain Township, northwest of Cincinnati

Attack: The attackers, wearing hoodies, entered through the front door while the residents were watching a film and opened fire for one-to-two minutes before fleeing on foot

Cincinnati PD homicide detectives are assisting the investigation.

If caught, the killers could receive the death penalty - not just for Garrett's death, but also for the miscarried fetus.

That would require medical professionals to declare that the shooting directly caused the unborn baby's death, WCPO reported.

But in such cases Ohio law allows suspects to be charged with a series of crimes, including aggravated murder - which can lead to life imprisonment or a death sentence.

In 2016 Tanner Hopkins of Dayton was found guilty of murder, among other counts, after he beat his girlfriend so badly she lost her baby. He was given 46 years in prison.

And in 2007 Canton cop Bobby Lee Cutts Jr was sentenced to life in prison after he killed Jessie Davies, 26, who was close to full term with her daughter. He was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder.

Willis was also the subject of a brutal attack on Christmas Eve 2014.

The young woman, then 19, was beaten up by another woman in a parking lot while another person filmed it. They then wrote 'I got my a** whooped' on her head and signed it.

Her ex-boyfriend Quincy Gardner, then 20, and a woman, 21-year-old Cheyenne Fisher, were charged with robbery in connection with the incident.

Fisher later said in a Facebook post that she 'slapped her up' because she believed Willis had stolen her car.

Filmed: On Christmas Eve 2014, Willis, then 19, was filmed being attacked (right) by two people. Her ex-boyfriend Quincy Gardner (right), then 20, was charged with robbery
An IRA bombmaker, who was part of the terror cell that killed 21 in the Birmingham pub bombings, has issued an apology 43 years after the atrocity.

Michael Hayes, 69, from Dublin, said he was part of the group responsible for killing innocent people in the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town on November 21, 1974.

Six innocent men were wrongfully convicted and the real criminals have never been brought to justice.

Mr Hayes refused to say who planted the bombs in the Birmingham pubs, but apologised for killing innocent people.

Michael Hayes, 69, from Dublin, said he was part of the group responsible for killing innocent people in the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town on November 21, 1974

The Mulberry Bush pub in Birmingham which was wrecked by a bomb in 1974, along with The Tavern. In total, 21 people were killed in the attacks

A coroner has revealed last year that she has received 'significant' evidence that police had prior knowledge of the Birmingham pub bombings. Pictured are fire officers searching through debris after the blasts in 1974

When asked last week if he planted the bombs, he told BBC News NI: 'No comment. No comment.

'I've been accused of a lot of things, without one shred of forensic evidence, without one statement made, without one witness coming out against me.'

He said the bombs were made of gelignite, and were planted by two individuals.

Asked if he was one of the two, he replied: 'I'm not telling you.'

He added: 'We were horrified when we heard (innocent people had died) because it was not intended.

'I personally defused the third bomb. I specialised in explosives. I knew what I was doing.'

Mr Hayes said the IRA unit in Birmingham had been shocked by the scale of the death toll.

He said: 'It was not the intention of the IRA to kill innocent people. That wasn't meant. It wouldn't have been done if that was the case.

'We believed that we gave adequate warnings. It was only later on that we realised there was eight valuable minutes missed. We were going to give them a half-hour warning.

Mr Hayes said the IRA unit in Birmingham had been shocked by the scale of the death toll

A mass of rubble, the remanents of the Mulberry Bush pub - one of the two pubs in Birmingham where IRA bombs exploded

Pictured is Pat Sheppard, who was injured in one of the bombings. The IRA planted bombs in two central Birmingham pubs - the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town

The aftermath at the Mulberry Bush pub, Birmingham, where an IRA bomb killed and injured many people in 1974

'Out of that half hour, eight minutes elapsed - eight priceless minutes.

'My apologies and my heartfelt sympathy to all of you for a terrible tragic loss that you have been put through.

'In all these years that you have been trying to find closure, I hope at last God will be merciful and bring you closure.

'I apologise not only for myself, I apologise for all active republicans who had no intention of hurting anybody and sympathise with you.'

Mr Hayes said he was arrested by West Midlands Police but was later released.

TIRELESS BATTLE TO WIN JUSTICE FOR 21 KILLED IN BIRMINGHAM Julie Hambleton was just 11 when her 18-year-old sister Maxine died in the Tavern on the Town bomb attack By Andy Dolan for the Daily Mail Julie Hambleton was just 11 when her 18-year-old sister Maxine died in the Tavern on the Town bomb attack. After the Birmingham Six, wrongfully convicted of the crime, were released in 1991, Maxines brother Brian started a lone effort for a reinvestigation. But Miss Hambleton, now 54, said it was in 2009 that the fire within her was ignited over the fact nobody had been brought to justice. Last year she recalled the moment, saying: There was news of all these public inquiries  excuse my language, but there is no other way of saying it  What the f***? Twenty-one people were murdered in Birmingham and no one seems interested. I felt angry to the extent that I nearly put my boot through the telly. So I sat down and wrote a letter to the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Chris Sims. I had a response six weeks later  basically saying he was too busy to talk to me. After a failed bid to get action from her MP, Miss Hambleton set up a petition in 2011 for a parliamentary debate on the issue. That led to a BBC documentary, and a JusticeForThe21 website was set up. In 2014, police said the case would not be re-opened unless new evidence came to light. The force admitted it had lost more than 30 pieces of evidence. In June last year, a coroner agreed to re-open the Birmingham verdicts. Advertisement

Interior of the Mulberry Bush in Birmingham which was wrecked by a bomb in 1974

Outside The Tavern in the Town pub in Birmingham, one of the two pubs in the city to be targeted in IRA bomb attack in 1974

Grieving families of the 21 killed in the Birmingham pub bombings demanded their IRA killers be brought to justice at last.

Last year, a coroner dramatically reopened inquests into the 1974 atrocity  and said police may have missed two chances to prevent it  victims' relatives called for an end to the 42-year injustice.

Four IRA men have been named as the real perpetrators of the bombings  yet were seemingly allowed to go unpunished.

They were Michael Murray, who allegedly also made the bombs and telephoned in a warning and quartermaster Seamus McLoughlin, who planned the operation. The two others were a former British soldier who took delivery of the bombs and a senior IRA organiser who planted them.

Murray and McLoughlin have since died, with McLoughlin given full paramilitary-style 'honours' at his funeral. The other two men may still be alive in their seventies and walking free. They cannot be named online for legal reasons.

AN ATROCITY AND 43 YEARS OF HEARTBREAK Thursday, November 21, 1974: Bombings in two Birmingham pubs leave 21 dead and 222 injured. They are said to be revenge for the death of IRA member James McDade, who blew himself up trying to plant explosives in Coventry. Hours later, five men are arrested in Heysham, Lancashire, and a sixth is arrested in Birmingham. November 24: Patrick Hill, Hugh Callaghan, John Walker, Richard McIlkenny, Gerard Hunter and Billy Power are charged with murder. June/August 1975: Trial at Lancaster Crown Court. 'The Six' are sentenced to life imprisonment. October 1985: TV's World In Action questions forensic tests. A book is then published claiming three unnamed men were behind the bombings. January 1987: The home secretary refers case to the Court of Appeal. The appeal is later dismissed. A 1990 TV drama then names four 'real' bombers. March 14, 1991: The Six are freed by the Court of Appeal after 16 years in prison. October 1993: Perjury case against three former West Midlands police involved in the charging of the Birmingham Six is dismissed. June 1, 2016: Senior coroner for Birmingham rules to resume the inquests. The original hearings were not continued after jailing of The Six. Advertisement

A fifth man, who has never been named for 'security reasons', was also said to have been involved in planting a bomb.

Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine was killed in the atrocity, said at the time that her repeated calls for police to pursue the IRA men had gone unheeded.

She added: 'They have all lived full lives without any form of retribution for the most heinous of crimes, and that is unforgivable.'

The attack on two pubs in Birmingham city centre  the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town  was the most serious terrorist atrocity on English soil at that time.

Six men  dubbed the Birmingham Six  were given life sentences for the killings but maintained they were forced into signing confessions by police beatings. Their convictions were overturned after they had spent 16 years behind bars.

Meanwhile, 1990 Granada documentary Who Bombed Birmingham? named four IRA men it said were responsible for the killings  the same four identified today.

The IRA never formally admitted to the bombings, although Mr Conway said senior figures acknowledged their men were responsible. He said some were still alive and living in Dublin  and refused to condemn them as killers.

The new inquests are expected to consider secret files held on the case by the Home Office, Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence.

West Midlands Police has faced claims it knew the identities of two of the bomb conspirators  the two who cannot be named  since they were named by an informant in 1975.

Murray stood trial alongside the Birmingham Six, although he did not face murder charges. Murray  described as 'stone-faced' in court because he refused to acknowledge anyone or enter a plea  was charged with conspiracy to cause explosions and given a 12-year sentence.

After the Granada programme was aired, West Midlands Police's then chief constable Geoffrey Dear said the four were 'very likely' to have been involved. He said they were extensively investigated, but added: 'There was no firm evidence against them, no matter how hard we tried.'

West Midlands Police said their investigation remained open and it would respond to 'any new significant information to bring those responsible to justice'.

A spokesman added: 'An inquest is due to start and we will not be providing any further comment until the proceedings have concluded.'
Hospital bosses have called for easier English tests for foreign medics after just three of 118 Filipino nurses recruited for the NHS managed to pass a language exam.

Officials twice flew to the Philippines in a bid to plug a shortage of nurses - but none of the applicants offered jobs could take up the posts at Walsall Manor Hospital.

The nurses were mostly blocked because of their lack of language skills but even the three who were successful were unable to start work because they had not passed a mandatory practical examination.

Director of nursing Rachel Overfield, of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, questioned the score required in the International Language Test by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

She said: 'We went overseas to the Philippines twice in the last year. We have offered posts to in excess of 100 nurses there. Three have arrived.

All non-EU trained nurses must complete the IELTS before applying to join the Nursing and Midwifery Council's nursing register. The test has listening, reading, writing and speaking sections (stock photo)

'The reason is we just can't get them through the International English Language Test.

'I am really confident the ones we have offered posts to are capable of doing that job but we cannot get them in because of the rules from the NMC and immigration folks.

'All we can do is to lobby at a national level. If we could get those nurses in it would solve our problem overnight.'

All non-EU trained nurses must complete the IELTS before applying to join the NMC's nursing register. The test has listening, reading, writing and speaking sections.

Addressing the shortfall in nursing numbers, Ms Overfield said the trust was struggling to attract nurses already registered with the NMC and blamed a national shortage.

Officials twice flew to the Philippines in a bid to plug a shortage of nurses - but none of the applicants offered jobs could take up the posts at Walsall Manor Hospital, pictured (stock photo)

She said: 'I would like to say we do not need 100 registered nurses as we did a year ago but the truth is we do.

'Obviously they are different vacancies, but it is still the same overall number.

'We have not made the inroads into recruiting registered nurses that I would have liked.

'This is however a national picture and we are no different.

'Across the Black Country there are 600 registered nurse vacancies as I speak.'

The trust is not the only health authority to hit language problems when trying to hire foreign nurses.

Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, also in the West Midlands, has had difficulties putting 220 Filipino nurses through the language tests to plug their staffing shortfall.
The 1 per cent cap on teachers pay increases will remain in place, the Education Secretary announced yesterday.

Justine Greening said she accepted the headline findings of the independent School Teachers Review Body that pay should rise by 1 per cent in September.

It means 500,000 teachers in England and Wales face a seventh consecutive year of pay restraint.

Theresa May (pictured in the Commons this afternoon) and her Chancellor Philip Hammond have been under acute pressure to lift the public sector pay cap that limits annual rises to 1 per cent

The decision was made despite the STRBs warnings that the cumulative impact of pay restraint may mean schools struggle to recruit and hold on to good staff.

The review body said further pay restraint presents a substantial risk to school standards, and called for the cap to be lifted in future years.

The warning will pile pressure on Chancellor Philip Hammond to ease the public sector pay cap at the Budget in the autumn.

He headed off a Cabinet revolt over the issue last week, after warning ministers that taxes would have to rise to cover the 5billion cost of increasing public sector pay by an extra 1 per cent.

The cap is due to run until 2020 to help tackle the deficit. But ministers have said they will listen to the advice of the pay review bodies, whose work covers more than five million public sector workers.

In a report yesterday, the STRB said: We consider it likely that further uplifts of more than 1 per cent will be required to elements of the pay framework in the coming years  to make pay more competitive for teachers.

Education Secretary Justine Greening said the School Teachers Review Body had made salary recommendations in line with the Government pay cap policy

In a bleak warning, it added: We are deeply concerned about the cumulative effect of these trends on teacher supply. We consider that this presents a substantial risk to the functioning of an effective education system.

The report notes that cash-strapped schools have been offered no additional funding to cover a pay rise  and says that even paying an additional 1 per cent will require some to take difficult decisions.

The STRBs findings mean some teachers starting their careers will qualify for a 2 per cent rise as minimum salaries are increased, though even this is below the 2.9 per cent inflation rate.

But Miss Greening said the overall recommendations are consistent with the Governments 1 per cent public sector pay policy.

She added: Following previous reforms, schools already have significant flexibility, within the pay ranges, to set pay for individual teachers, taking account of performance and retention. A Department for Education spokesman said: We recognise and value the hard work of teachers which is why we have accepted the pay deal proposed by the independent STRB in line with the 1 per cent public sector pay policy.

This will ensure we continue to strike the balance between being fair to public sector workers and fair to taxpayers.

Some ministers, including Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove are pushing for the pay cap to be axed. But last week, Prime Minister Theresa May came down on the side of Mr Hammond, who has warned any additional pay rise would have to be funded by taxes or spending cuts.

The Treasury is due to publish the remit for next years pay round in the coming weeks.

Chancellor Philip Hammond had refused to bow to pressure to increase public sector pay despite admitting the public is 'weary' of austerity

Unless the remit allows them to increase total pay by more than 1 per cent, the review bodies that rule on the pay of groups including teachers, nurses and police officers will have little choice but to continue with the cap.

Last week Mrs May said the findings of the pay bodies would be very carefully considered, but added that we need to be fair to public sector workers, to protect jobs in the public sector and to be fair to those who pay for it.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said the Governments decision meant teachers faced a real terms pay cut. The Lib Dems last night described the 1 per cent rise for teachers as an insult.

The NUTs Kevin Courtney said: This is a missed opportunity which the Government will come to regret as the teacher recruitment and retention crisis gets worse.

Chris Keates of the NASUWT union described the pay cap as disgraceful, adding: Everyone except the Government appears to accept that there is a crisis in teacher supply.
A family in Alaska watched in horror as their beloved cabin was swept away by a river.

The family posted the video of the home breaking off into the Matanuska River on Facebook over the Fourth of July weekend.

'And there it goes. On it's way down the Mighty Matanuska,' Earl Houser wrote in the video's caption.

A family in Alaska watched in horror as their beloved cabin was swept away by a river. The family posted the video of the home breaking off into the Matanuska River on Facebook over the Fourth of July weekend

'And there it goes. On it's way down the Mighty Matanuska,' Earl Houser wrote in the video's caption. According to Houser, the Johnson's Homestead Cabin (pictured) was built in the early 1940s

According to Houser, the Johnson's Homestead Cabin was built in the early 1940s.

He wrote on Facebook: 'The Mom and Dad have been out of it for 2 yrs now. Just so very sad.'

In the video, a man is seen standing in front of the home as it inches its way into the water.

Pieces of log cabin can be seen and heard snapping in two as the door and wall fall off.

The home then collapses into the Matanuska and drifts away.

A woman can also be heard in the background saying: 'So sad. Oh my God.'

Pieces of log cabin can be seen and heard snapping in two as the door and wall fall off

The home then collapses into the Matanuska and drifts away. A woman can also be heard in the background saying: 'So sad. Oh my God'

The home fell into the river due to severe erosion, and it's not the only home to fall victim to the river's rushing waters

At the time, the home was not occupied.

The cabin fell into the river due to severe erosion, and it's not the only home to fall victim to the river's rushing waters.

According to the Alaska Dispatch News, the Matanuska River has been swallowing up homes along it banks for several years.

In 2015, the river 'consumed a home and seven buildings at just one property near Sutton', according to the news site.

Just last year, Gov Bill Walker issued a disaster declaration for the erosion, citing 'the severity and magnitude of the imminent disaster'.

The Matanuska River is a 75-mile long stream in Southcentral Alaska.
A man was killed Florida by an exploding Takata air bag inflator, but this death wasn't the result of a crash.

Honda confirmed on Monday that a man died in June 2016 when an inflator ruptured while he was working inside a 2001 Honda Accord using a hammer.

The car company said the vehicle's ignition switch was on, so the air bag would have been ready.

But it's not clear what the man was doing or what set off the air bag.

Honda said police photos showed the metal inflator ruptured and shot out fragments.

A man was killed Florida by an exploding Takata (file image) air bag inflator, but this death wasn't the result of a crash. Honda confirmed on Monday that a man died in June 2016 when an inflator ruptured while he was working inside a 2001 Honda Accord using a hammer

US Air Force lieutenant, Stephanie Erdman, was injured in one eye when a defective airbag deployed in her car during a 2013 crash. Hien Thi Tran was killed in 2013 after a car accident. An autopsy found her cause of death was the metal and plastic fragments that cut her neck

The individual working on the vehicle in Florida died a day after sustaining injuries when the air bag deployed.

The car company said it was recently made aware of the death, which happened in Hialeah, Florida. The company would not release the man's name.

It's the 12th US death from the faulty inflators.

At least 17 deaths and 180 injuries worldwide are now tied to the defect that prompted the largest ever auto safety recall and led Takata to file for bankruptcy protection last month.

US Air Force lieutenant, Stephanie Erdman, was injured in one eye when a defective airbag deployed in her car during a 2013 crash.

She testified a year later, telling a congressional panel that Takata and Honda had failed to protect consumers when they didn't provide sufficient warnings about a product defect.

In Erdman's case, the resultant injuries were severe. She was injured in her right eye, and a tip of shrapnel embedded in her right sinus, according to CBS.

Also in 2013, Orlando police responding to an accident believed the driver, Hien Thi Tran, had been the victim of a stabbing.

Tran survived for three days after her accident before dying in the hospital. An autopsy found that the cause of death were the metal and plastic fragments that cut her neck from the ruptured air bag.

Ashley Parkham fell victim to the ruptured air bag, according to court documents. She was killed in a 2009 accident in Midwest City, Oklahoma.

Gurjit Rathore was also killed in 2009 in Richmond, Virginia on Christmas Eve. Both were driving Honda cars.

Takata inflators can explode with excessive force, unleashing metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks

The Honda Accord was among a group of more than 300,000 unrepaired recalled Honda vehicles equipped with inflators with a substantial risk of rupturing.

Honda said the vehicle's registered owners had received at least 12 recall notices but never got recommended repairs.

Tran survived for three days after her accident before dying in the hospital. Pictured is part of the airbag canister that exploded and injured her during the accident. Takata inflators can explode with excessive force, unleashing metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks

Takata has recalled, or expects to recall, by 2019 about 125 million vehicles worldwide, including more than 60 million in the US. Pictured is a 2001 Honda Accord similar to the one the man was attempting to fix when it reportedly ruptured last year

Last year, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urged owners to stop driving the 'unsafe' cars until they were fixed.

The NHTSA said 2001-2003 model Honda and Acura vehicles have as high as a 50 per cent chance of a dangerous air bag inflator rupture in a crash.

Of the deaths linked to Takata's inflators, 16 took place in Honda vehicles since May 2009, including five in Malaysia using a different type of Takata inflator, while one death occurred in a Ford Motor Co vehicle in South Carolina in December 2015.

Separately, a federal judge in Detroit on Monday said he planned to name law professor Eric D Green to oversee $975 million in compensation funds for Takata air bag victims and automakers.

Green, who teaches at Harvard, has served as a mediator in many major cases, including the US Microsoft antitrust case, and currently serves as a Justice Department monitor overseeing the implementation of billions of dollars in consumer relief linked to settlements with banks stemming from the 2007-2009 financial crisis.

Scott Caudill, chief operating officer of TK Holdings, Takata's US unit, said in a court affidavit last month in its bankruptcy filing that the company 'faces insurmountable claims' relating to the recalls and owes billions of dollars to automakers.

He disclosed that Takata has recalled, or expects to recall, by 2019 about 125 million vehicles worldwide, including more than 60 million in the US.
A man was hit by a double-decker bus outside London's High Court after running into the street behind a BBC camera filming a live update on the Charlie Gard case.

In scenes that shocked viewers the man, who appeared to be being chased, hurtled past the reporter and into the road.

The video shows the man in a blue tshirt and beige cap racing to the street, directly behind where BBC reporter Keith Doyle is speaking to a camera.

The unidentified man appears to be being chased by another man, who stops when he approaches the busy street, filled with people protesting the verdict of terminally ill Charlie Gard.

The incident happened earlier this afternoon, following a hearing with Charlie's parents.

Mr Doyle has tweeted that the man was fine and the Metropolitan Police have issued a similar statement.

Mr Doyle was updating viewers on the Charlie Gard case earlier this afternoon in London where protests had gathered outside the High Court in support of Charlie's parents, Chris and Connie Yates.

It is not believed that the man had any connection to the case of the terminally ill 11-month-old, whose parents are seeking permission to try an experimental drug treatment.

The Met told MailOnline: 'We were called at 15.10 to reports of a road traffic collision between a bus and a pedestrian. But upon further inquiry it appeared that the bus did not strike the man and that this was not a road traffic collision.'

An earlier report by the Express said that the man would be taken to hospital.

BBC News reporter Keith Doyle, pictured, reports an update on the Charlie Gard case, following a hearing at the High Court earlier this afternoon. The hearing ruled Charlie's parents have 48hours to submit new evidence

In the middle of live BBC report, a man in a blue tshirt and beige ballcap can be seen running behind the camera, pictured right. He appears to be being chased by another man

The man in the blue tshirt, pictured left, races to the busy street during the live BBC report and appears to fall into it, colliding with a bus. The area outside the High Court in London was filled with Charlie Gard supporters

The crowd appears shocked and the BBC reporter turns around to view the chaos, pictured, as the unidentified man appears to collide with a double-decker bus near the High Court in London

Chris and Connie Yates have been given two days to submit new evidence that illustrates how experimental drug treatment could improve the health of the critically-ill baby.

Doctors claim Charlie's body has grown but his head has not, a fact which is disputed by Charlie's parents Chris and Connie Yates, who must now provide circumference measurements proving otherwise.
A 16-year-old boy is accused of beating an elderly couple with a hammer in their home and stealing their car.

Phillip, 89, and Anita Lynch, 70, were attacked in their Kenner, Louisiana, home on Sunday afternoon by the teen, whose name was not released because of his age.

Kenner Police Chief Michael Glaser said a neighbor in the New Orleans suburb called 911 around 3.30pm Sunday, saying his next-door neighbor was covered in blood and asking for help.

Phillip, 89, right, and Anita Lynch, 70, left, were attacked in their Kenner, Louisiana, home on Sunday afternoon by a 16-year-old boy who beat them with a hammer before stealing their car

Anita had walked over to her neighbor's house to ask for help after the attack.

Police say the woman gave the investigators the name of the teenager, who is acquainted with the couple. She also reported that her car had been stolen.

Officers found the hammer, covered with blood and hair, inside the victims' home

Detectives were still at the their house when Baton Rouge police reported the couple's car had crashed and the teen was detained.

The couple was still in critical condition at the hospital on Monday according to Kenner Police Chief Michael Glaser. They both have fractured skulls and their injuries are life-threatening.

Their son, Phillip Lynch, Jr, told WWL-TV that his father had surgery Monday because his skull was collapsed.

He said his mother had similar injuries to her skull and one of her fingers was almost severed as well.

The teen was arrested and is being held in the Rivarde Juvenile Detention Center in Harvey, Louisiana, pictured, while he waits for his bond hearing. He is being held on two counts of attempted first-degree murder, car theft and aggravated burglary

The teen has been arrested and is being held in the Rivarde Juvenile Detention Center in Harvey, Louisiana, while he waits for his bond hearing.

He is being held on two counts of attempted first-degree murder, car theft and aggravated burglary.

The teen had just been released from spending Saturday night in jail after he was allegedly caught stealing two cellphones from Walmart.

When he was released to his parents, the teen got into an argument with his dad about a confiscated cellphone, The New Orleans Advocate reported.

The 16-year-old then went to the Lynches' house, where he was known to visit.

He asked them for a ride and though they first agreed, Phillip eventually refused and confronted the teen about another incident of stealing.

According to Kenner Police Lt Brian McGregor, Phillip accused the teen of previously stealing a gun from the home.

That's when police believe the teen grabbed a hammer and beat the couple.

After he was arrested, the teen admitted to beating them and stealing the car, though he said he only used the hammer in self-defense, according to police.

He claimed that Phillip 'grabbed' him and Anita came to help her husband, but police do not believe that because Phillip uses a walker and a scooter to get around.
Heidi McKinney (above in her mugshot from May 2016) was sentenced on Monday

A 27-year-old woman has been sentenced to eight months home detention for drunkenly groping a fellow female passenger on board an Alaskan Airlines flight.

Heidi McKinney was sentenced in Portland, Oregon, on Monday for the incident which took place in May last year.

She had pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit a felony, which carried a maximum penalty of 10 years behind bars and a $250,000 fine.

In addition to home detention, McKinney was sentenced to three years on probation.

She was already drunk when she got on the flight from Las Vegas to Portland and sat next to a 19-year-old woman in an empty row.

McKinney tried to force the teenager to drink alcohol she had smuggled on board and touched her breasts several times, leaving her hands to 'linger' on the woman's chest.

She then tried to place her hands on the other woman's genitals, licked her ears and then straddled her, telling her: 'I want to f***'.

When the woman rejected her, McKinney called her 'poor'. They were separated on the plane and she was arrested upon landing.

McKinney's male fiance later told authorities she did not 'metabolize alcohol' and said 'this is what happens when she drinks'.

The 27-year-old (above in a previous photograph) was drunk when she boarded the flight from Las Vegas to Portland, Oregon in May last year

Once the Alaskan Airlines (file image above) plane had took off, McKinney groped the other woman's breasts and genitals, licked her ear and tried to force her to drink alcohol

Prosecutors in Portland told the court the victim had been left permanently traumatized by the attack.

'Miss McKinney did so with the intent to humiliate and harass the victim.

'(She) both made contact with victims body, including her inner thigh, and made a series of profane and lewd statements to the victim,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Sinha said in March.

She was initially charged with abusive sexual contact but pleaded guilty to the lesser crime of assault with intent to commit felony.

Shortly after a court hearing in March, McKinney was found unconscious in a bar.

Previous court records reveal she has a past convictions for drunk driving in 2008 and 2015.
Jared Kushner, a White House aide and President Trump's son-in-law, sought a $500 million investment from a top Qatari businessman to keep his family's struggling Manhattan real estate project afloat, the Intercept reported Monday.

Throughout 2015 and 2016, Kushner and his father Charles pursued a deal to prop up their property, 666 Fifth Avenue, seeking funds from Qatar's former prime minister and billionaire Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, who is also called 'HBJ.'

Sources told the Intercept that HBJ agreed to invest at least half a billion dollars with the Kushners, through his Al Mirqab investing firm, as long as the Manhattan real estate dealers were able to come up with the rest of the multi-billions they would need to salvage the project.

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Jared Kushner (pictured) and his father Charles pursued a real estate deal with Qatari billionaire Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani

Qatari billionaire Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani (pictured), also known as 'HBJ,' was reportedly on tap to become an investor in the struggling Kushner property 666 Fifth Avenue

'HBJ basically told them, were good for 500, subject to a lot of things, but mainly subject to you being able to raise the rest,' a source told the Intercept.

Another source told the publication the financing wasn't contingent on the Kushners finding more money, instead the deal was paused as the structure of the financing was reexamined.

After Donald Trump was elected president, Kushner Companies found many more interested parties looking to do business, one of the Intercept's U.S. based sources noted.

The Kushners had also looked to the Chinese, with Bloomberg breaking the story in March that the family was on deck to receive $400 million for the project from Anbang Insurance Group.

At the same time, the Kushners would put up $750 million, while additional investors would put up almost $2 billion more.

According to the Intercept's sources, HBJ was among those who were supposed to participate in the deal.

Anbang's $400 million, along with $100 million from the other investors, would go to the Kushner family so they could recoup the full amount of their original investment in the property, the Intercept pointed out.

Additionally, Anbang was to take out a $4 billion loan to raze the current skyscraper at the Manhattan address and then finance the construction of a new 80-story residential and retail tower designed by architect Zaha Hadid.

The deal was so good for the Kushner family that the Campaign Legal Center's general counsel Larry Nobel said, 'At the very least, this raises serious questions about the appearance of a conflict that arises from the possibility that the Kushners are getting a sweetheart deal.'

'A classic way you influence people is by financially helping their family,' he added, according to Bloomberg.

Two weeks after the Anbang deal was first reported in the media, the Chinese insurer pulled out, Bloomberg reported.

Democratic lawmakers had approached the White House counsel over conflict-of-interest concerns because of Anbang's close association with the Chinese government.

With Anbang out, the Qatari's condition wasn't met, and the deal with HBJ fizzled, one source from the region told the Intercept.

Another source told the Intercept, however, that the deal could still happen. It's just that the loans and equity are being reconsidered.

Intercept writers Ben Walsh, Ryan Grim and Clayton Swisher note that in the current context to what's going on between the U.S. and Qatar, either scenario could be bad for Kushner.

'If the deal is not entirely dead, that means Jared Kushner is on the one hand pushing to use the power of American diplomacy to pummel a small nation, while on the other his firm is hoping to extract an extraordinary amount of capital from there for a failing investment,' they wrote.

'If, however, the deal is entirely dead, the pummeling may be seen as intimidating to other investors on the end of a Kushner Companies pitch,' the trio of journalists added.

On June 5, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, along with Egypt and Bahrain, announced that they were downgrading their ties with Qatar, accusing the small nation of funding terrorists, linking the country to Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and Iran.

The move came after President Trump visited Saudi Arabia and called on Muslim-majority nations to do such a thing.

Trump soon tweeted credit.

'So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off. They said they would take a hard line on funding extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!' the president wrote on June 6.

On June 7, however, the FBI concluded that Russian freelance hackers were responsible for sending out fake messages from the Qatari government, which were designed to discredit the emir of Qatar as he said in the false quotations that he was supportive of Iran and against President Trump, according to the Guardian.

The fake news stories spread as they were picked up by Saudi and UAE news agencies.

On June 9, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on Saudi Arabia and the UAE to end their blockade Qatar as tensions escalated. He called for mediation instead.

Tillerson's comments were countered, however, by President Trump who said Qatar has 'historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level,' the Intecept pointed out.

Trump's remarks, Tillerson believes, were written by the UAE Ambassador Yousef Al-Otaiba.

They were delivered to the president, the Intercept said, by Jared Kushner.
Signs reading 'Save Your Money and Enjoy Hvar' have been up in the town centre, detailing offences and the corresponding fines

The Croatian party island of Hvar has launched a clampdown on boozy tourists by threatening them with huge fines for their antics.

Signs reading 'Save Your Money and Enjoy Hvar' have been up in the town centre, detailing offences and the corresponding fines.

The highest penalty, which stands at 700 euro ($797), is for public drinking.

Tourists walking around in swimsuits on the town's streets will pay 600 euro and those not wearing t-shirts 500.

Newly-elected mayor Rikardo Novak had earlier pledged he would 'make decent' young tourists visiting the biggest town on one of the most popular southern Croatian islands.

'They are vomiting in town, urinating on every corner, walking without T-shirts ... crawling around, unconscious,' Novak told local media in June.

'Young tourists are welcome, but they will have to learn how to behave here.'

His plans were sparked also by articles in British tabloids which described the Croatian island destination as a 'place of Sodom and Gomorrah.'

Last month the mayor of Novalja, on the northern island of Pag, also complained about young mostly British tourists visiting his town.

Mayor Ante Dabo warned notably against what he called their 'primitivism, nakedness and drunkeness.'

Like Hvar, Novalja in the past several years has become known as a summer party destination for young tourists.

The Mayor's plan was sparked also by articles in British tabloids which described the Croatian island destination as a 'place of Sodom and Gomorrah.' Pictured: Revellers in the town

Tourism is a major industry for Croatia where visitors flock to its stunning Adriatic coast, with more than 1,000 islands and islets.

Last year the Balkan country welcomed nearly 16 million visitors, far outstripping its population of 4.2 million.

In May, a 20-year-old British girl died on Hvar after suffering a cardiac arrest in an ambulance.

Sarah Lee-Anne Reid, from Northern Ireland, was found unconscious at about at 9:30pm on May 26. The cause of her death has not yet been determined.
The mastermind behind a dark web chat room used to send hundreds of thousands of images of child abuse was caught by police because he used his real name.

Disturbed Brett McBain, 51, admitted creating the forum 1TheOtherPlace in 2014 with twisted accomplice David Buckley, 54. The pair described it as 'a channel for the respectful appreciation of youthful beauty'.

On a daily basis the chat room saw up to 60 people globally log in and share links to 2,500 indecent images of children, including some in the most severe category A.

But their reign of online terror came to a halt when police traced idiotic McBain, of Balham, south London, back to him due to his username - Mr Brett. The 51-year-old had signed up to his own chatroom using his real name.

David Buckley (right), 54, and Brett McBain (left), 51, admitted founding now defunct TheOtherPlace in 2014, describing it as 'a channel for the respectful appreciation of youthful beauty'

Over two years, self-styled 'King of the Castle' McBain shared 200,000 indecent images via the chat room while Buckley posted links to more than 30,000 indecent images, the Old Bailey heard.

McBain, from Balham, south London, pleaded guilty to 10 charges relating to the distribution of indecent images while Buckley, of Goole, East Yorkshire, who posed as a woman online, admitted a single charge of conspiring to distribute images with him.

Recorder Brian Altman QC sentenced McBain to five years in prison and jailed Buckley for three years.

He told the pair: 'This is an extremely grave case of its kind. Particularly in the case of McBain, the very high numbers and nature of the images involved are quite simply staggering.'

He said the channel had been set up with the purpose of distributing 'the most disgusting images of children one could ever imagine'.

The court heard the pair met through another similar channel on the dark web before they decided to set up their own rival operation.

McBain, from Balham, south London, pleaded guilty to 10 charges relating to the distribution of indecent images while Buckley, of Goole, East Yorkshire, who posed as a woman online, admitted a single charge of conspiring to distribute images with him

National Crime Agency officers were tipped off by Western Australian Police that someone with the username 'MrBrett' was always in the chat room.

Officers found 'MrBrett' was McBain and he was arrested at home in May last year while logged into TheOtherPlace.

McBain told officers he was 'officially screwed' as he was found in possession of more than 160,000 child abuse images, as well as an electronic diary that detailed his fantasies of sexually abusing children.

Friendless McBain, who revelled in the kudos of his online activities, claimed the chat room dealt in a 'grey area of child porn' although the court heard he had pictures of victims as young as four years old.

Chat logs recovered from McBain's laptop linked him with Ladybird - AKA Buckley - who was arrested by officers from NCA's CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) Command in August last year.

Mitigating, Dominic Thomas said McBain was an alcoholic who was 'glad' to be arrested to 'sort himself out'.

Rina Hill described Buckley as a solitary man with alcohol and drug issues.

She said: 'Mr Buckley maintains the real buzz and thrill for him in his interest in this channel was in the fact his persona as a woman meant that others gave him a lot of attention and made him feel less lonely.'

Martin Ludlow from the National Crime Agency said: 'These two like-minded individuals brazenly set up a chat room for the sole purpose of viewing and sharing child sexual abuse images.

They never met in real life but managed to orchestrate and run the site for two years by communicating with each other online.

'We have dismantled TheOtherPlace in its entirety, stopping victims being re-victimised each and every time their image is viewed'.

Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Keen from Western Australia Police (WA) said his work with the NCA led to significant breakthroughs in protecting children worldwide.

He said: 'WA Police initiated Operation Amadeus after investigating the potential distribution of child exploitation material through online chat rooms, and particularly though the Chat Channel TheOtherPlace.

'Our investigations immediately led to the identification of children at risk, and a number of men in Australia were charged as a result.'

Punam Chopra, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'By facilitating access to thousands of indecent images of children, these men helped to fuel a demand for further abuse on the dark web.'

An NSPCC spokesperson said: 'McBain and Buckley went to great lengths to fuel a vile trade in child sexual abuse.

'Every single one of these images is a crime scene and real children are abused so they can be created.

'Viewing and sharing this horrendous material creates a market for it and it is right that offenders who do so, like McBain and Buckley, face the courts for their crimes.

'Tech companies, government, law enforcement and charities, like the NSPCC, are working together to tackle this growing issue, but more needs to be done to rid the online world of this horrific material.'
Jerrell White, 22, was found dead in a pond in South Carolina on Monday morning

The body of a missing 22-year-old student has been found in a pond in South Carolina four days after he vanished while stumbling out of a 4th of July party.

Jerrell White was last seen on surveillance footage struggling to scale a fence in Lancaster after leaving the party.

His family and friends say he had become embroiled in an argument when he decided to leave the house. Authorities have been searching for him for days.

On Monday, they recovered a body from a pond near to where he was seen climbing over the fence.

There are several small reservoirs on the land surrounding the party. It is not yet clear which one White fell in to.

Benedict College, where the young man studied, announced his death on social media.

'Benedict mourns the loss of one of its fearless tigers, Mr. Jerrell Ketron Eugene White. Please join us in praying for the White family,' it said in a statement.

Lancaster County Sheriff's Office also offered its condolences to the young man's family.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Whites family and friends during this difficult time.

White was last seen struggling to climb over a fence near to where his body was found after leaving a 4th of July party on Tuesday. He is pictured sprawled across the grass after falling over

White was at a party on Pleasant Road on Tuesday. There are several ponds surrounding the area. It is not clear which one his body was recovered from

'I have spent time with his mother and other family members, and I know these last few days have been hard for them as they and authorities have searched for Mr. White,' Sheriff Barry Faile said.

'This is not the outcome any of us hoped for, but we expect the autopsy results and the SLED forensics investigation will provide answers to the questions we have about Mr. Whites disappearance and death.'

White's aunt Dianne Heath told local media outlet WSOCTV that he was a 'sweet young man'.

'My nephew didn't bother anybody. He was a sweet young man. He was even telling me what he was going to do for his future, but look, it was cut so short.

'Right now, our heart is really broken. We are hurting. I'm standing here right now while they try to pull him out of a pond. Yall can imagine what I feel,' she said.
The Trump administration's Russia woes have now extended beyond the stream of disclosures about Russia contacts within Trump's circle  and now include a difficult negotiating posture with Congress over U.S.-imposed sanctions.

The administration is working to weaken legislation that passed the Senate by an overwhelming majority to impose and lock in sanctions on Russia following what the intelligence committee concluded were Kremlin-backed efforts to meddle in the presidential elections.

The administration is lobbying to institute 'waivers' that would give the White House the flexibility to lift sanctions under certain circumstances.

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The White House is complaining that Russia sanctions legislation doesn't allow the president to grant waivers when sanctions are put in place

Marc Short, who heads the White House legislative affairs team, said Monday that the White House is 'fully supportive' of the sanctions themselves but was lobbying to get flexibility in applying them.

'The administration is fully supportive of those sanctions. What our concern is that the legislation, we believe, sets an unusual precedent of delegating foreign policy to 535 members of Congress by not including certain national security waivers that have always been a consistently part of sanctions bills in the past,' Short told reporters in a press briefing that the White House held off-camera.

Short said in comments to Axios Monday that the bill was 'so poorly written that neither Republican nor Democratic administrations would be comfortable with the current draft because it greatly hampers the executive branch's diplomatic efforts.'

A series of administrations have worked to make sure that congressional legislation does not work to tie their hands on sanctions matters.

The Trump administration's legislative affairs and Treasury staff are working to water down Senate-passed Russia sanctions legislation

White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short (R), who spoke to reporters at an off-camera briefing, said Monday that the White House is 'fully supportive' of the sanctions themselves but was lobbying to get flexibility in applying them

However, the Russia matter is without precedent in that Trump associates are being investigated for contacts with Russian officials during the campaign and after the election.

Trump's former national security advisor, Mike Flynn, was fired in part for failing to reveal to Vice President Mike Pence that he discussed sanctions issues with Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak.

Congress sought to craft the latest Russia sanctions legislation (other provisions hit Iran) in a way that would both apply new sanctions and give Congress the ability to review any administration efforts to peel back sanctions unilaterally.

President Trump tweeted over the weekend, following his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin: 'Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!'

The Senate bill stalled shortly before the congressional recess when it hit a 'blue slip' problem  the constitutional requirement that revenue matters commence in the House.

At a meeting in Hamburg, President Trump said that he was 'honored' to meet Putin as they sat down together on Friday afternoon. As the meeting started he said that he and Putin had been 'discussing various things and I think it's going very, very well'

Meeting: Trump also shook hands with Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, as he sat down with Vladimit Putin for the first time

A Treasury Department official met with Senate Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy about the bill

The White House has also reached out to Democrats including minority leader Nancy Pelosi about the sanctions bill

U.S. intelligence has concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin was behind Russian election interference, and President Trump raised the issue during a bilateral meeting

Some Democrats complained that the delay was an effort to stall the effort from going into effect before Trump's meeting with Putin.

The Daily Beast reported that a senior Treasury Department official, John E. Smith, the director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, met last week with staff for House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, as well as with committee staff.

According ton an aide: 'The net effect of the changes [the administration] wants would certainly weaken one of the legislations most important components.'
The Moscow lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr. is an accused Russian government agent who once stuck U.S. prosecutors with a $50,000 Plaza Hotel and restaurant bill while representing a Russian oligarch client on money-laundering charges in New York.

Natalia Veselnitskaya, who landed a meeting with Trump Jr. last June by claiming she had dirt on Hillary Clinton's Russian financial involvements, has come under congressional scrutiny for her ties to the Washington lobbying world.

Veselnitskaya was part of an extensive pro-Moscow legal campaign in Washington that involved Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm that later released the explosive dossier that claimed Donald Trump was being blackmailed by the Kremlin.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley has been investigating a complaint filed last spring with the Justice Department, which claimed Veselnitskaya and Fusion GPS were acting as unregistered foreign agents while working for Denys Katsyv, a Russian businessman accused of money laundering by the U.S.

Controversial figure: Natalia Veselnitskaya has traveled to and from the U.S., been to Congress, and worked for a legal team which also hired the firm behind the discredited dossier claiming Trump hired prostitutes to defile a bed in Moscow because Obama slept in it

Meeting: Donald Trump Jr, who took his wife Vanessa and daughter Kai to his father's inauguratin, met the Russian lawyer after a claim she would have information in Hillary Clinton

Defense attorney: Veselnitskya worked for Denys Katsyv, who was accused of a part in a massive tax fraud. When he was deposed in New York the taxpayer was on the hook for $50,000, including her $995-a-night stay at the Plaza hotel in New York

Also at the meeting: Paul Manafort, who was then Trump's campaign chairman, and Jared Kushner, the then candidate's son in law, were both with Don Jr as he met the lawyer

Veselnitskaya travelled with Katsyv and two other Russian businessman to meet with U.S. prosecutors New York in 2015, when the group racked up a $50,000 tab for travel and interpreters, according to the Daily Beast.

The bill included nightly accommodations at the Plaza Hotel  which ran nearly $1,000 a night for Veselnitskaya  and an $793.29 dinner for five with two 'expensive' bottles of wine and glasses of grappa, even though only three witnesses were deposed.

Although the Russians were in New York to undergo questioning from federal prosecutors, the U.S. government had to pay their expenses under witness deposition rules, according to the Daily Beast.

The U.S. attorney in Manhattan at the time, Preet Bharara, objected to the lavish accommodations in a letter to the judge at the time, arguing that Veselnitskaya's expenses were unreasonable because she 'did not even attend the depositions in person.'

The U.S. charged Katsyv's company Prevezon Holdings as part of a $230 million tax fraud case. That case was settled for $6 million in May.

Katsyv has also faced financial difficulties due to the Magnistky Act, a 2012 U.S. law that placed financial sanctions on Russian officials and businesses.

The law is named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died mysteriously in prison while defending his client Bill Browder, a businessman-turned-dissident who had made millions in Russia before turning against the government.

In retaliation for the sanctions, the Russian government banned Americans from adopting Russian children from its overcrowded orphanages, causing humanitarian concerns.

Over the past year, Katsyv has backed lobbying campaigns to undercut the sanctions, by raising questions about Magnitsky and Browder's credibility and pressuring U.S. lawmakers over the adoption ban.

Veselnitskaya appeared to have been working on this campaign when she met with Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner at Trump Tower last June.

The meeting was arranged by Rob Goldstone a Russian music producer who had done work with the Miss Universe contest owned by Donald Trump.

Veselnitskaya claimed to have damaging information about Hillary Clinton and Russian campaign financing, but she never provided details during the meeting, according to Trump Jr.

Defense attorney: Veselnitskya defended Denys Katsyz over a case arising out of the death of Sergei Magnitsky, who died in Russian police custody and whose whistleblowing on corruption and subsequent death prompted financial sanctions against Putin's regime.

Nice stay: While she defended Ketsyv, she billed the taxpayer for her stay at the Plaza - at almost $1,000 a night

Shadowy firm: Katsyz hired Veselnitskya for his defense and also had FUsion GPS working for him to help overturn sanctions which had led to a ban on Americans adopting in Russia. The firm was then involved in the discredited Trump dossier. It was founded by Thomas Katan (left) and Glenn Simpson (right), both former Wall Street Journal reporters

Demand, Senator Charles Grassley wants details of Fusion GPS's activities. Its other co-founder is Peter Fritsch, also a former Wall Street Journal reporter

Instead, the lawyer reportedly spent the time talking about the adoption ban.

'It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting,' said Trump Jr. in a statement to the New York Times.

Democrats claim this is the first sign of active coordination between Russian nationals and Trump officials related to the presidential campaign.

A source close to Veselnitskaya denied there was anything nefarious about the meeting and said Veselnitskaya was very active in trying to speak to people about the adoption issue.

'She tried to tell her story to anyone who would listen,' said the source.

There are many signs Veselnitskaya was actively involved last summer in the anti-Magnitsky campaign in Washington.

Just a few days after the Trump Tower meeting, Veselnitskaya attended a June 14 hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill on U.S.-Russia relations.

She reportedly showed up with two lobbyists who were also working on Katsyv-backed efforts to overturn the adoption ban.

She also reportedly helped organize a screening for a movie that raised doubts about Russian involvement in the death of Sergei Magnitsky, and she claimed in a letter that she represented the Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation, a group set up by Katsyv to lobby against the adoption ban.

That group was active on Capitol Hill last summer in reaching out to members of congress about the Magnitsky issue.

During this time, Veselnitskaya did not publicly register as a foreign lobbyist  prompting questions from the Senate Judiciary Chairman about whether she was acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Katsyv's legal team also hired Fusion GPS, the group that later drafted the Trump dossier.

Fusion GPS has said it carried out research for Katsyv last year, after being hired by one of his lawyers, John Moscow. The firm has declined to turn over additional client information to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

'It is highly troubling that Fusion GPS appears to have been working with someone with ties to Russian intelligence - let alone someone alleged to have conducted political disinformation campaigns as part of a pro-Russia lobbying effort while also simultaneously overseeing the creation of the Trump/Russia dossier,' wrote Sen. Grassley in a letter to the Justice Department in March. 'The relationship casts further doubt on an already highly dubious dossier.'

Questions remain about the specific nature of Fusion GPS's work for Katsyv, which appears to have overlapped with the firm's work on the Trump dossier.

Browder told Dailymail.com earlier this year that Fusion GPS had pitched journalists on negative stories about him as part of a larger effort to discredit the Magnitsky Act.

He also noted that Fusion GPS and its owner did not disclose their activities under the Lobbying Disclosure Act or the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Fusion GPS denied that its work for Katsyv met the threshold for foreign lobbying.

Sen. Grassley has also pressed Fusion GPS for more information about the Trump dossier, including details on its clients.

The contents of the dossier, much of which has not yet been verified, include the allegation that Trump paid prostitutes in Moscow to urinate on a hotel bed that was once used by President Obama.

The research was conducted by a former British spy named Christopher Steele and it was reportedly funded by unnamed Democratic operatives.
A Brooklyn yeshiva worker couldn't hide his happiness, after firefighters freed him from inside a fallen safe.

The unnamed worker was installing a safe for giant torahs at the Rabbinical College Yeshiva of Machzikai Hadas Monday morning, when the safe started to fall over.

In order to avoid being crushed by the mammoth safe, the worker jumped inside the eight-foot-long and three-foot-deep safe.

Firefighters rescued a yeshiva worker when he became trapped inside a fallen safe on Monday in Brooklyn, New York

The yeshiva worker dodged inside the safe when he saw it was falling so it wouldn't crush him

Firefighters used wooden blocks to prop the safe up so that the unnamed man could get out

As soon as he was freed, the man walked up to a friend and shook his hand

The man couldn't help but smile as he was freed

SEE IT: footage of a Safe falls on a person earlier today in Brooklyn on 13 ave and 39 St and was rescued uninjured. pic.twitter.com/ud0IMffroq  NYC Scanner (@NYScanner) July 10, 2017

'He saw he doesn't have time to run...he went inside like a turtle,' David Friedman, 20, who works at the Yeshiva, told DNAinfo.

At least six firefighters responded to the scene, and used wooden blocks to prop up the safe, which was already propped up slightly because it landed with its door open.

'After the members stabilized the safe, we proceeded to try to get the victim out,' Lieutenant Richard Cannon of Engine 282 said.

Video shows the moment that the worker was able to crawl out from inside the safe.

'We got him out!' a firefighter shouts.

He then grins as he shakes a friends hand and walks away.

'He was smiling, but his hand was shaking,' Friedman said.

Later, a torah that was inside the safe was pulled out safely as well.

There are conflicting reports as to whether the man received medical attention.

The New York Post says the man refused medical attention, while DNAinfo reports that he was taken to the hospital in a private ambulance service, citing an FDNY spokesman.

The school was installing the safe because of a pattern of torah thefts in the area.
A Canadian landlord has been fined $12,000 for failing to respect his Muslim tenants' religion by not taking his shoes off when he entered their apartment.

John Alabi, 52, let out the first floor of his Brampton, Ontario, home to Walid Madkour and Heba Ismailin December 2014. But after a few turbulent months, their lease was terminated on February 28, 2015.

The couple later took Alabi, who is a Christian, to tribunal court claiming he failed to accommodate their religious practices after he failed to take off his shoes when showing prospective tenants, and did not give them enough warning before visits.

And the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario agreed, ordering Alibi to pay his former tenants $6,000 each, the Toronto Sun reports.

John Alabi, 52, (left) has been fined $12,000 for failing to respect his Muslim tenants Walid Madkour (right) and Heba Ismailin's religion by not taking his shoes off when he entered their apartment

'I was humiliated, I was made to feel I have no rights, I was made to feel that I'm not wanted in society,' Alabi told the Sun. 'I feel powerless. They rented my place for only two months. Two months! It's just not fair,'

The trouble began after the couple gave notice in February 2015.

Alabi, originally from Nigeria, needed to organize viewings for potential tenants but said he did everything he could to accommodate the Egyptian-born Muslim couple.

After they asked him not to interrupt their prayers, they prayed five times a day, he says he acquiesced and would schedule them around them.

He would also give them 24 hours notice before entering the home, which he was allowed to do by law.

But Alabi says the couple made more and more unreasonable demands.

The landlord said that Madkour has asked him not to arrange visits when his wife was home, to which Alabi refused, and had demanded he text them five minutes before he arrived.

Alabi said he had begun texting them before he arrived, but stopped after they failed to reply.

Alabi claimed 'they are using their religion to victimize me' and says he did everything he could to accommodate them but was fined $12,000

He says the tenants even called the police on him when he was shoveling snow outside their apartment, claiming it was harassment. Officers confirmed that Alabi was legally allowed to show their unit when they were there.

But Madkour and Ismailin gave a very different account.

They say they were harassed by Alabi who did not respect their faith.

In court documents, they say that they had asked Alabi to give the five minute warning to allow Ismailin time to cover up according to her faith.

At the tribunal, the couple said their landlord ignored their pleas to remove his shoes before entering the bedroom where they prayed. Entering the room with his shoes on meant extra cleaning for the couple.

But Alabi claims the couple never had a problem before when he wore his shoes to make repairs in the apartment, and said he wasn't wearing proper shoes but just ones he wore around his own home.

He was stunned when Madkour and Ismailin filed a complaint against him eight months later.

'They are using their religion to victimize me,' he complained.

But the tribunal panel found in favor of his tenants, ruling he 'discriminated against the applicants by failing to accommodate their religious practices,' tribunal panel vice-chair Jo-Anne Pickel wrote in the decision, seen by The Star.

'Unfortunately, attempts by Muslims to practice their faith have increasingly been interpreted as an attempt to impose their way of life on others.'

Alabi must now pay both the $12,000 and legal fees - something he says he can ill afford.

He added he only ever began renting out the place to pay his mortgage.

'I don't have the money. I work very hard. If they go into my bank account right now, I don't have $12,000 there,' Alabi said.
The White House was adamant Monday that President Donald Trump's son did not collaborate with the Russians to secure a favorable outcome in November's election.

Don Jr and two other campaign officials, including Jared Kushner, met last summer with a Russian lawyer who they were led to believe had helpful information. The president's son has said in statements that the woman actually wanted to talk about the issue of adoption.

She spent the first several minutes of the meeting making accusations about Hillary Clinton that made no sense, though, he said, and the meeting ending swiftly.

'The president's campaign did not collude in any way,' White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday during an off-camera question and answer session. 'I would certainly say Don Jr. did not collude with anybody to influence the election.'

Shortly after she finished, Reuters revealed that Don Jr had hired criminal defense attorney Alan Futerfas to represent him in the matter.

The White House was adamant Monday that President Donald Trump's son did not collaborate with the Russians to secure a favorable outcome in November's election. 'I would certainly say Don Jr. did not collude with anybody to influence the election,' Sarah Hucakbee Sanders said

Donald Trump Jr., the New York Times reports, set up a meeting with a Kremlin-linked Russian attorney after being promised damaging information on Hillary Clinton

Huckabee Sanders was hit with questions on Don Jr's meeting and his father's meeting with Vladimir Putin on Friday

Continuing down the list, Sanders said the president's former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, wasn't part of a salacious plot to steal the presidency, either.

'To my knowledge he did not collude with anybody to influence the campaign,' she stated. 'Again, I think I've been very clear: our position is that no one within in the Trump campaign colluded to influence the election.'

The high-powered meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian national, in June of 2016 has become a sensational piece in the narrative about Russia connections of officials linked to Trump following weekend revelations about its existence and what was discussed.

The meeting came during a period of weeks when the Democratic National Committee was hacked, Wikileaks posted thousands of DNC emails, and Trump associates met with Russia's ambassador to the U.S.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is reportedly interested in speaking to Trump Jr, a committee source told NBC news.

Republican panel member Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told reporters Monday that 'our intelligence committee needs to interview him and others who attended the meeting,' which took place in Trump Tower in June.

'I think its appropriate that he does that to clear this up,' added Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), a senior Intelligence and Armed Services member who has forged ties with members of both parties, speaking on CNN.

The committee is already probing contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russians last year.

GETTING READY: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, stands off to the side before her turn at the podium while Marc Short, White House director for legislative affairs, speaks during an off-camera press briefing

Donald Trump Jr. pushed back Monday on developing reports about his meeting with the Russian national to discuss dirt on Hillary Clinton  saying he 'had to listen' to the potentially damaging information.

Trump, who in earlier statements diminished the meeting by saying he didn't know the identity of the Russian attendee before it happened and that the substance was about adoption, on Monday took on a sarcastic tone on Twitter.

'Obviously I'm the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent,' wrote Trump Jr, who is reliably one of his father's most pugnacious defenders, acknowledging that the meeting was about Clinton.

The meeting 'went nowhere but had to listen,' he said.

LAWYERING UP: Donald Trump, Jr has hired criminal defense lawyer Alan Futerfas

His tweet was an apparent reference to the common campaign practice of doing opposition research on opponents, though meeting with a foreign national to discuss potential dirt on an opponent is unusual.

On CNN, Kellyanne Conway had reiterated Don Jr's claims.

'They get into the meeting and it quickly turns into a pretext for Russian adoption, according to his statements, that the comments this woman is making about any type of information on Hillary Clinton were vague. They were meaningless,' she said on New Day. 'Others exited the meeting very quickly. The meeting itself was very brief.'

Conway said of the talk that took place before she was at the helm of Trump's election team: 'There was no information given. There was no action taken. There was no follow-up.

'And let me respectfully say, as well as I can, I don't think anybody had to look very far to find damaging information on Hillary Clinton and negative information.'

She told Good Morning America that the meeting was not an attempt to conspire with the Russians and asserted flatly, 'There's no evidence of collusion.'

Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins is calling for Donald Trump Jr. to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee to discuss the meeting

Huckabee Sanders backed up Don Jr's account in her briefing, as well, before answer denying the allegations of collusion, then noted that he and his lawyer had already made statements, and left it at that.

She said, in the Trump campaign's defense, though, that it 'may make sense' to look at the Democratic National Committee's coordination with the Ukrainian Embassy to set back the businessman who went on to become president.

This is not an accusation. That's an on-the-record action that they took. So, if you're looking for an example of a campaign coordinating with a foreign country or a foreign source, look no further than the DNC, who actually coordinated opposition research with the Ukranian Embassy,' she said.

'And no one in this room to my knowledge really had a big problem with that,' she added. 'The only thing I see inappropriate about the meeting was the people that leaked the information on the meeting after it was voluntarily disclosed.'

The White House had barred the briefing from being shown in real time and embargoed the audio. As it was playing on the networks after the fact Reuters reported that the president's son had hired Futerfas.

It is not known when exactly he was brought on, but he appears to have joined Trump's legal team to handle the fallout from Don Jr's statements.

Trump Jr said there was 'no inconsistency' in his weekend explanations of the meetings  having focused on the issue of Russian adoption in his Saturday statement while leaving out Hillary Clinton, but then revealing in a Sunday statement that information about Clinton was discussed at the top of the meeting.

He also linked to a New York Post op-ed featured prominently on the Drudge Report that calls a weekend New York Times 'expose' about the meeting a 'big yawn.'

Still, lawmakers said Monday, as they returned to Washington from a week-long recess that they'd like to question him.

Trump Jr hit back at critics of his 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer where potential dirt on Hillary Clinton was discussed. He said it 'went nowhere' but he 'had to listen'

Trump Jr also said there was 'no inconsistency' in his statements about the meeting that occurred, andn that he simply 'provided more details'

The brash pushback against the reports came after the New York Times tweeted out its story under the heading: 'In less than 24 hours, Donald Trump Jr. gave 2 different explanations about why he met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer.'

Trump Jr responded on Twitter: 'No inconsistency in statements, meeting ended up being primarily about adoptions. In response to further Q's I simply provided more details.'

The meeting that took place in June 2016 included Trump Jr, Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Trump Jr said Sunday he took a meeting with Veselnitskaya, Kremlin-linked lawyer, because he was offered information 'helpful' to his father's presidential campaign - but he did not know who he would be meeting before hand.

And the president's son says when the appointment on June 9, 2016 set up by an 'acquaintance' turned out to be with Natalia Veselnitskaya, it became clear her real agenda was to discuss adoption with him.

President Donald Trump's eldest son arranged a meeting between his father's campaign aides and a lawyer linked to the Kremlin, Natalia Veselnitskaya (above), just two weeks after Trump won the Republican nomination

The wife of a former deputy transportation minister, Veselnitskaya is best known for her public attacks on American sanctions aimed at Russian human rights abusers

He says she used the lure of 'dirt' on Hillary Clinton to make him meet her and ended up making 'no sense' when she began making claims about Russians funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting his father's opponent.

The latest developments, Trump opponents say, adds further fuel to suspicions that officials with the president's campaign actively colluded with the Kremlin to tilt the election in their favor.

The meeting, first reported by the New York Times on Saturday, took place just two weeks after Trump won the Republican nomination.

On Sunday, the Times reported that damaging information on Clinton motivated Trump's son to set it up, though said it was unclear if Veselnitskaya followed through with that promise.

In a statement Sunday, Donald Trump Jr. said he had met with the Russian attorney at the request of an acquaintance.

'I was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance I knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign,' the president's eldest son said in a statement.

'I was not told her name prior to the meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to attend, but told them nothing of the substance. We had a meeting in June 2016.

President Donald Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner (pictured) sat in on a meeting between Kremlin-connected lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort

'After pleasantries were exchanged the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton,' the eldest Trump son said.

'Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense.

'No details or supporting information was provided or even offered,' he continued. 'It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

'She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act.

'It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting. I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office.

Trump Jr said he asked Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort to attend the meeting

'The meeting lasted approximately 20 to 30 minutes. As it ended, my acquaintance apologized for taking up our time. That was the end of it and there was no further contact or follow-up of any kind. My father knew nothing of the meeting or these events.'

This is the first confirmed meeting between Trump associates and figures tied to the Russian government, according to the Times, which cited confidential government records.

It is also the first time that Trump's son was known to be involved in a meeting of this nature.

Donald Trump Jr. mentioned nothing about Clinton when first asked about the meeting on Saturday.

'It was a short introductory meeting,' Donald Trump Jr. told the Times on Saturday.

'I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up.'

On Sunday, Donald Trump Jr. noted that after the conversation about Clinton, Veselnitskaya switched gears to talk about the Russian adoption issue.

'It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting,' the Trump son said.

It is the first time that Trump's son, Donald Jr. (far right), was known to be involved in a meeting of this nature. Donald Jr. is seen with President Trump (second from right), Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump in this January 11, 2017 file photo

The meeting was also attended by Paul Manafort, who was at the time Trump's campaign chairman. Manafort is seen above on July 18, 2016

The wife of a former deputy transportation minister, Veselnitskaya is best known for her public attacks on American sanctions aimed at Russian human rights abusers.

The Magnitsky Act imposed visa bans and asset freezes on Russian officials linked to the 2009 death in prison of Sergei Magnitsky, a 37-year-old Russian whistleblower.

Russia has demanded that the US repeal the legislation since its passage in 2012. President Vladimir Putin was so enraged by the law that he halted American adoptions of Russian children as retaliation.

WHO IS NATALIA VESELNITSKAYA? Lawyer known for waging harsh public campaign the 2012 Magnitsky Act

She is married to a former deputy transportation minister of the Moscow region

She is also the family lawyer for Denis Katsyv, the son of senior Russian government official Pyotr Katsyv

Katsyv's real-estate company Prevezon was under investigation by the Department of Justice at the time of the meeting

Prevezon allegedly laundered millions of dollars into New York City real estate

The case was settled for approximately $6 million in May Advertisement

The Times also said Veselnitskaya's clients include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.

On Saturday, Veselnitskaya told the Times that 'nothing at all about the presidential campaign' was discussed at the meeting and after 10 minutes either Manafort of Kushner walked out.

She added that she had 'never acted on behalf of the Russian government' and 'never discussed any of these matters with any representative of the Russian government,' she also told the Times.

Trump promised a rapprochement with Moscow as he campaigned for president but many US lawmakers, including many of his fellow Republicans, have sought to take a tough line against Russia.

Kushner lawyer Jamie Gorelick said her client already disclosed the meeting in a revised filing of a form that requires him to list meetings with foreign agents.

'Mr. Kushner has submitted additional updates and included, out of an abundance of caution, this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law, Donald Trump Jr. As Mr. Kushner has consistently stated, he is eager to cooperate and share what he knows,' she said.

Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts.

The newspaper reported Saturday, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, that Manafort disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators questioning his foreign contacts.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's personal lawyer, told the paper Sunday 'the president was not aware of and did not attend the meeting.'

Huckabee Sanders said Monday that the president only became aware of the meeting in the last few days.

Ties between officials close to Trump and Moscow have drawn scrutiny from the FBI and Congress in light of assessments that the Russian government hacked the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's email account.

The goal was to sway the election toward Trump and away from Clinton, intelligence officials said.

In a meeting that ran longer than either side had planned, Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin discussed alleged Russian meddling in the US election on Friday but agreed to focus on better ties rather than litigating the past

Former FBI director Robert Mueller is leading the investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to hack the election.

Both Russia and the Trump campaign deny this.

In a meeting that ran longer than either side had planned, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election on Friday, but agreed to focus on better ties rather than re-litigating the past.

Trump, a Republican who called it an 'honor' to meet with the Russian president, drew swift criticism from Democrats at home, who accused him of dismissing US intelligence agencies and giving Putin's denial, reiterated on Friday, of Russian interference too much weight.

On Thursday in Poland Trump gave lukewarm support to the view that Moscow interfered in the 2016 political process.

On Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus tried to thread the needle saying that Trump 'absolutely' did not buy Putin's denial, though added that Trump believed the Russians 'probably' meddled in the presidential election.

Having an active day on Twitter, Trump added: 'I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion.....'

He didn't articulate what it is.
A South African filmmaker who was seen in shocking video being pushed down the stairs by an enraged Airbnb landlord in Amsterdam on Sunday broke her silence, suggesting that the attack was unjustified and racially motivated.

Sibahle Nkumbi, who also goes by the name Steve, said in her first interview since the disturbing incident that she suffered a concussion and wants the man allegedly responsible for her injuries held to account, although she is skeptical it will ever happen.

Nkumbi acknowledged that she and her friends were late to check out but insisted that she did nothing to deserve being treated in such a brutal manner and argued that had she been white, things would have turned out differently.

It has since emerged that the man seen in the video hurling Nkumbi down the stairs could face an attempted murder charge.

Scroll down for video

Pictured: Sibahle 'Steve' Nkumbi is the woman who was seen in a viral video getting thrown down a flight of stairs in Amsterdam

Footage showing the South African filmmaker Nkumbi falling head first down a steep staircase appeared on social media

The footage that first emerged on social media shows the Amsterdam homeowner shouting 'out, out' as he chucks the clothes and suitcases of the women out of the apartment and down the stairs.

He then howls 'out now' and can be seen pushing Ms Nkumbi head first down the steep staircase.

She hits ground hard and seems to slam into the wall and the floor with her face, and then remains motionless.

The video then shows the landlord walking down the stairs and calling for someone to call an ambulance, ostensibly realizing to his own horror what he has just done.

Ms Nkumbi is studying in Bern, Switzerland, and was in Amsterdam to write an article about an art exhibit.

In an interview released on YouTube Sunday, a visibly bruised and shaken Nkumbi said that on the day of the incident, she and her companions were running late and their landlady came ringing their doorbell and demanding they pack up their belongings and get out.

She stated that this is not acceptable, you guys need to pack and leave now. And I was like, "Yes, give us a few minutes to pack" and I apologized profusely for us being late and we were getting ready to leave.

And that's when she came back a few minutes later with the husband and he was banging the door.

The shocking incident came after an argument prompted by Ms Nkumbi (pictured) and three friends missing their check-out time

The Airbnb host rushes to her aid after she didn't stand back up. Screams from her friends can be heard as she lay motionless

He was like open up open up open up and then she opened and this guy was extremely emotional... I asked him why he was being so emotional, we are leaving.'

Ms Nkumbi said the man then became 'verbally abusive' and said 'you people' and 'this in not Africa.'

Any person of color that reads this and has been a witness to, or has witnessed, racist attacks, you know it when it happens to you, she said. I guarantee you, had this been a white person, it would have turned out differently.

Seeing how emotional the man was, the guest said she tried to leave, thinking he would move out of the way to let her through.

'When I got close enough to him, he couldn't resist the opportunity to grab me, and the way he grabbed me... I knew that he was gonna throw me down there, Nkumb recounted.

Nkumbi opened up about her experience being hurled down the stairs and waking up in the hospital in an interview posted online Sunday

Showing off her bruises under her arms from where the landlord allegedly grabbed her, the filmmaker, said she also has a concussion

She then went on, 'As I'm resisting against the wall, he's trying to get me to his position and eventually I lost grip of the wall because it's a wall, there's nothing to hold on to. That's when I flew down, all the way down.

Showing off her bruises under her arms from where the man allegedly grabbed her, the filmmaker, who also has a concussion, added: The last thing I remember was when I realized he was going to throw me down there.

Flying down the stairs, I dont remember, I passed out and woke up in hospital.

Photographer and artist Muholi Zanele is a friend of Ms Nkumbi and also claimed in an Instagram post the incident was racially motivated.

Nkumbi is studying in Bern and was in Amsterdam to write an article about an art exhibit

She said she never expected something like this to happen to her outside of South Africa, where she said 'racism is visible'

Nkumbi (right) said she wants her suspected attacker held to account for his actions

She wrote: 'One of my friends/Inkanyiso crew members was pushed downstairs by the Airbnb owner where we stayed. He threw their belongings out... for few mins late checkout.

'She collapsed and ended up in hospital. She suffered internal injuries and bruises. Am so angry with this I couldn't even sleep. This is racism and can't be justified... violence on black bodies as you can see in this video.'

Prosecutors were considering a charge of attempted murder but were still studying the facts, an official from the prosecutors office told Reuters.

Airbnb chief executive Brian Chesky would contact the guests involved, the company said in a statement.

'Appalling and unconscionable behavior against members of our community runs counter to everything Airbnb stands for,' David King, an Airbnb official, told MailOnline.

Photographer and visual artist Muholi Zanele is a friend and colleague of the victim. She claims the attack for racially motivated

'We will take the strongest actions we can against such abhorrent conduct, including banning people for life from our platform and assisting law enforcement with their investigation and potential prosecution.

'Nobody should ever be treated like this and it will not be tolerated.'

In Sunday's interview, Nkumbi said she wants the landlord held legally responsible for what happened to her.

It's my wish justice is served somehow, Nkumbi said. [I] never experienced anything like this before in my life.

You would expect it from South Africa where racism is visible. You come here, you get attacked like that... I didnt expect it at all. I'm actually quite disappointed... when will we wake up? People are people.
The Columbia University professor who acted as a conduit between fired FBI Director James Comey and the press said his pal never slipped him classified information.

'Jim Comey never gave me a memo that was classified; and the memo whose substance I passed on the Times has never to my knowledge been classified,' Daniel Richman, a law professor at the New York university told Politico Monday.

Earlier, President Trump had accused Comey of mishandling classified information, after the Hill newspaper reported that four of the seven Comey memos the former FBI crafted on his conversations with Trump included government secrets.

'James Comey leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media. That is so illegal!' Trump wrote Monday morning, shortly after retweeting a Fox News story that made the allegation.

The irony is that Comey publicly criticized Hillary Clinton for her handling of classified information during the bureau's investigation into the private email server she maintained while she was secretary of state.

Former FBI Director James Comey (left) did not leak classified information to me, said his go-between, Columbia University law professor Daniel Richman (right) to Politico

The memos written by former FBI chief James Comey (seen leaving his testimony before Congress on June 8) in which he recounted details of his conversations with President Donald Trump contain classified information, it was reported on Sunday

President Trump tweeted that James Comey 'leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media.' A report from the Hill newspaper said that more than half of Comey's memos contained classified information, but it remains unclear if the one leaked memo did

President Trump retweeted a Fox News story based off of a Hill newspaper story that said classified information was found in ex-FBI chief James Comey's memos, based off of conversations he had with the president

In question, however, was whether the memo leaked to the news media, was one of the ones that contained classified secrets.

If the message that Comey shared did contain government secrets, he could be subject to an investigation.

However, a source told Politico that some of the memos may have been 'retroactively classified,' with the publication noting that it was unclear if details were shared outside the circle of people who were supposed to know them.

At the White House Monday, Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders floated such a thing.

'I think there are a lot of questions out there and a lot of reports where it indicates that Director Comey may have leaked classified information,' Huckabee Sanders told reporters at a off-camera briefing. 'That certainly is a threat to the national security and violates policy and law.'

'I think it is something that should be investigated thoroughly,' the Trump press aide added.

On Capitol Hill, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said he had no indication that Comey slipped secrets to the press, pointing out that the former FBI director had testified that he had kept the document clean.

'There are very few people that would know better how to draft a memo so it wouldn't fall into the classified area than Jim Comey,' Warner said to reporters holding a briefing inside his Senate office.

'And he testified to that before our committee to a question that I asked him,' the Democrat noted.

Comey, who was fired by Trump in May, said in congressional testimony last month that he gave a memo describing his conversations with Trump to a close friend and told him to share its contents with a reporter.

The friend, Richman, said last month that he would turn over to the FBI any memos he has of Comey's conversations with Trump.

Warner said Monday that he, too, expected to see them shortly.

On June 8, Comey told a Congressional panel that Trump ousted him on May 9 to undermine the agency's investigation of the Russia matter.

'So you didn't consider your memo or your sense of that conversation to be a government document?,' Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouri, asked Comey during the hearing.

'You considered it to be, somehow, your own personal document that you could share to the media as you wanted through a friend?' Blunt probed.

On June 8, Comey told a Congressional panel that Trump ousted him on May 9 to undermine the agency's investigation of the Russia matter. The president is seen above arriving at the White House on Saturday after a trip to Germany that included a meeting with Vladimir Putin

The Comey story comes at a welcome time for President Trump as his son Donald Trump Jr. (left) comes under fire for organizing a meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya (right), who was supposed to provide the campaign with damaging information about Hillary Clinton

'Correct,' Comey answered.

'I understood this to be my recollection recorded of my conversation with the president. As a private citizen, I thought it important to get it out.'

Comey believed that the memos he wrote were unclassified.

'I immediately prepared an unclassified memo of the conversation about Flynn and discussed the matter with FBI senior leadership,' he testified about the memo he later leaked.

That memo was about a conversation he had with the president that revolved around former National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

'My view was that the content of those unclassified, memorialization of those conversations was my recollection recorded,' Comey said.

But when the memos  seven in total  were shown to Congress recently, the FBI said they were government documents.

Four of the seven memos were marked as 'secret' or 'confidential'  indicating that they contained classified information.

The FBI has strict policies barring agents from revealing classified information about ongoing investigations without permission.

The irony is that Comey publicly criticized Hillary Clinton for her handling of classified information during the bureau's investigation into her private email server she maintained while serving as secretary of state

'Unauthorized disclosure, misuse, or negligent handling of information contained in the files, electronic or paper, of the FBI or which I may acquire as an employee of the FBI could impair national security, place human life in jeopardy, result in the denial of due process, prevent the FBI from effectively discharging its responsibilities, or violate federal law,' according to the FBI Employment Agreement, a document that is signed by all of the bureau's personnel.

The agreement states that 'all information acquired by me in connection with my official duties with the FBI and all official material to which I have access remain the property of the United States of America' and that an agent 'will not reveal, by any means, any information or material from or related to FBI files or any other information acquired by virtue of my official employment to any unauthorized recipient without prior official written authorization by the FBI.'

Comey said that the memos were in his possession when he was fired from the FBI.

He told Congress last month, however, that he turned them over to Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who was appointed as special counsel in the investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

The revelation that Comey's memos contained classified information could lead congressional investigators to probe whether the former FBI chief mishandled classified information.
A British newspaper executive has confessed to killing his wife by throwing a hammer at her during a row, authorities in Dubai said yesterday.

Francis Matthew, editor-at-large of the Gulf News, called police last Tuesday, claiming his 62-year-old wife Jane had been attacked by burglars at their home in the Gulf state.

But Matthew, 60, later confessed to officers he had thrown a hammer at her but had not intended to kill her, an official statement said last night.

Francis Matthew, left, editor-at-large of the Gulf News in Dubai, 'admitted killing his wife Jane (right) with a hammer', according to police in Dubai

Mrs Matthew was described as a 'lovely woman' who was 'always polite and friendly'

According to the government of Dubai media offices official Twitter feed: Gulf News editor-at-large Francis Matthew [has been] referred to Dubai Public Prosecution after confessing to killing his wife because of marital issues.

Dubai Public Prosecution [is] currently investigating the murder case and reviewing evidence, forensic reports and witness statements.

Dubai police received a call on Tuesday from the defendant claiming that his wife was assaulted by burglars at their house in Jumeirah, Dubai.

Initial reports showed that her death resulted from a strong blow on the head with a hard object, which raised suspicion about the husband.

The suspect confessed committing the murder to Dubai police. The suspect confessed during ... interrogation that he assaulted his wife and threw a hammer at her without intending to kill her.

Dubai Public Prosecution has charged the husband with murder, investigations in the case are continuing.

News of the killing has shocked staff at the influential English-language daily newspaper, where Matthew has worked for 22 years.

The couple were well-known members of Dubais large British expat community.

Dubai police said in a statement Matthew, pictured, initially claimed his wife was 'attacked by burglars'

Matthew was a part of the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club while his London-born wife taught at an English language school.

They had lived in the country for 30 years and were based in Jumeirah, a wealthy suburb on the coast.

They married in Chippenham, Wiltshire, in 1985.

Matthew, pictured, and his wife married in 1985 and have a son called John, who is believed to have travelled to Dubai yesterday to see his father

It is understood their son John travelled to Dubai to try to visit his father in custody at Bur Dubai Police Station yesterday.

Nirmala Janssen, who helped launch a newspaper called Xpress with Matthew three years ago, told the Mail: Francis was amazingly devoted to his family, especially his son who recently left university.

He was over the moon for him. They were going to go off and see him graduate this week.

They were an extremely devoted couple I have no idea what happened. Everybody is speculating.

Jane was a lovely woman. She was always nice, always very polite, and friendly. And Francis is a man who is loved by everybody.

Abdul Hamid Ahmed, the editor-in-chief of the Gulf News, said: We are shocked and saddened at this tragedy. Francis was editor of the paper from 1995 to 2005.

He is a well-respected journalist, known for his keen insight into the Middle East.

Both Francis and Jane have played a very active role in the British expatriate community over the past 30 years.

Former Gulf News reporter Abhishek Bhaya said: On those rare days when he was in the newsroom, he always came across as a likeable and very humble person.

The couple had lived in Dubai, pictured, for 30 years and Matthew has worked for the English language paper for 22 years

'It came as a total shock to hear that hes being suspected of his wifes death. It is unbelievable.

Matthew was educated at 38,000-a-year Winchester College in Hampshire.

He wrote on professional networking website LinkedIn: I majored in sciences with biology, chemistry and maths A-levels, supported by a fourth A-level in history of art that woke me up to the wider world of the mind.

He graduated from Exeter University in 1979 with a degree in Arabic and Islamic studies and worked at The Economist before travelling to the Gulf in 1990.
A man is due to appear in court charged with the murder of a Sydney teenager, who suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head while he was asleep.

Brayden Dillon, 15, was shot in the head as he slept in his family's Glenfield home after a gunman smashed his way in through the front door early on Good Friday.

It's believed Brayden, who died in The Children's Hospital in Westmead hours after he was shot in April, may have been killed in retaliation for his brother's alleged involvement in a brawl and fatal stabbing at Panania in June 2016.

Shortly before midnight on Monday, a 26-year-old man was arrested in Seven Hills, and was later charged with murder.

He was refused bail and will appear in Blacktown Local Court on Tuesday.

Brayden Dillon (pictured), 15, was shot as he slept in his home in Glenfield on Good Friday

It's believed Brayden may have been killed in retaliation for his brother's alleged involvement in a fatal stabbing. Joshua Dillon (pictured), 19, faces a murder charge over the June incident

On Monday, police released CCTV images of a white Mazda 3 hatchback they wanted to identify.

'We believe that this vehicle is connected with the murder of Brayden Dillon,' Homicide Squad Detective Chief Inspector Mark Henney told reporters in Parramatta.

Detectives sifted through hours of CCTV, tracking the movements of people and vehicles in the Glenfield area at the time, but of the hundreds of movements they logged, the white Mazda was the only one that fitted the time frame.

It was seen arriving in the area about 15 minutes before the shooting and left in a northwest direction shortly after.

Police say it had a green P-plate and have called for anyone who can identify it, or who has dash cam footage, to contact authorities.

Police are seeking a white Mazda 3 hatchback seen driving near the scene of the shooting

Police are confident they will find the driver of the vehicle (pictured) but request assistance to speed up the process

Police said they are investigating the possibility that Brayden may have been killed in retaliation for his brother's alleged involvement in a fatal stabbing.

'That still remains one of our primary lines of inquiry,' Det Chief Insp Henney said.

'But at this stage, the focus is on the person who's actually perpetrated the offence.

'Hopefully when we identify that person, we'll know more about it.'

Joshua Dillon, 19, faces a murder charge over the June incident which ended with the stabbing death of Adam Abu-Mahmoud.

Two others have also been charged over the 18-year-old's death.

The breakthrough in the murder case came as Brayden (pictured) would have turned 16 this Wednesday

The 15-year-old was shot in the head execution-style as he lay sleeping in his own bedroom

'If the motive is in relation to the charges that his brother currently faces, he had nothing to do with that,' Det Chief Insp Henney said.

'If it's in relation to some other issue or aspect, I would appeal for those people to come forward and provide that information to us.'

Brayden's family, many of whom were home at the time of the shooting, will mark what would have been his 16th birthday on Wednesday, but Det Chief Insp Henney said the timing of the appeal was a coincidence.

'They're doing it pretty tough,' he said.
What took them so long? Why has it taken three long decades of campaigning for the Lake District to be recognised as a World Heritage Site by Unesco, the UNs cultural arbiter  placing it in importance alongside the Taj Mahal, Grand Canyon, the Great Barrier Reef and the Tower of London?

The Lake District is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Others may be more spectacular, grandiose or have more eccentric claims to our attention, but the Lake District of all landscapes is as perfectly formed as it is possible to be.

The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge said as much more than 200 years ago. And nobody whos been there has thought to contradict him since.

The Lake District has been recognised as a World Heritage Site by Unesco  joining the Taj Mahal, Grand Canyon and Great Barrier Reef. Pictured: Buttermere

Lord Clark of Windermere, who led the bid, said the decision to recognise the regions culture, arts and landscape was momentous. Pictured: Scafell Pike, Wastwater

The Lake District is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Others may be more spectacular, grandiose or have more eccentric claims to our attention, but the Lake District of all landscapes is as perfectly formed as it is possible to be

The area has the composition of a magnificent work of art  colours vivid and subdued, subtle and strident, and everywhere the extraordinary formations of the rocks which give it so many aspects. The colours alone explain why the area seduced Turner and Constable and so many other artists, just as they seduce us today.

There are more than 400 fells (hills or mountains to those who dont recognise the old Norse word), lakes of infinite variety, from the grand stretches of Windermere and Ullswater to tucked-away gems (Grasmere, Rydal Water), and small tarns everywhere.

The sky and the landscape are reflected in the water wherever you turn. Waterfalls glitter in the sunshine and tumble down in torrents in the rain  oh yes, the rain!

But without rain, there would be no lakes. Thats Gods deal. And it has been well said that there is no such thing as bad weather, only inadequate clothing.

I was lucky enough to be brought up just outside the northern rim of the Lake District in a market town called Wigton. We looked south across the plain to Skiddaw, one of the great fells, a dozen miles away.

A few of us used to bike up to the Lakes to swim and scramble around on the fells and lose ourselves in landscapes which we took for granted. We climbed Skiddaw first because it was the nearest big fell to home, and then moved on to the range of fells that included Scafell and Scafell Pike  the highest in England  and Great Gable. And then down to the wonderful mirror lake of Wastwater.

Wed go on the bus to three-mile-long Derwentwater, which the Romantic poet William Wordsworth called the jewel of the Lakes; there were splashy attempts to manoeuvre bulky rowing boats  two of us to an oar, recast as happy galley slaves intoxicated by the sight of the steeps and swoops of fells all round.

There are soaring bare rocks which can be bleak and dangerous, but never less than magnificent

Almost 50 years ago I bought a small cottage on the northern fells. Two up two down at the time, with a roofless barn and six neighbours in a hamlet.

Blessedly difficult to get to and a mile or so from the nearest village, the hamlet goes straight out on to the fells and were among hill farmers who are in every way the backbone of the Lakes. It is they who keep it as the working wilderness it is.

Across the lane I can look north, to the sheath of sea called the Solway and over into the auld enemy, Scotland.

From up the fell, I can gaze into the heart of the Lake District and across to the Pennines as I sit on a pile of stones which are the remains of an Iron Age fort. It is all so harmoniously complex and seductive. The super abundance of minerals in the Lakes led the Romans to mine silver and gold, copper and lead there.

There are valleys which glitter with fools gold and geological treasures which made the Lake District one of the first centres for the study of geology.

There are soaring bare rocks which can be bleak and dangerous, but never less than magnificent. Deep valleys, dense woods and, above all for me, the mark of man. Essentially, the work of the farmers who have shaped what was a wilderness into an unrivalled pattern of pasture, field and fell which has not lost its ancient edge of wildness.

The Grand Canyon already enjoys the status of World Heritage Site

But that wildness has been civilised. One way was by the laying down of hundreds of miles of stone walls which crawl across the heights and wriggle down the valleys as though a huge net had been thrown over the whole Lake District.

These walls contain some of the hardiest sheep stock in the world, the Herdwicks, and have been expertly managed by families who have been there for centuries.

The farmers can be tracked back to the invasion of the Vikings in the 9th century and, since then, have steadily kept the place they found in such a fine balance between beauty and utility.

When the author of Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe, visited at the beginning of the 18th century, he described a terrifying place; wild, perilous and to be avoided.

Yet a century later, it became the most fashionable landscape retreat in Britain. The long war with France had cut off most foreign travel and that coincided with one of the greatest revolutions in thought of the past 2,000 years  that Nature was not an enemy or something to tame and curb, but a source of deep re-invigoration, pleasure and wisdom.

Has a revolution ever been summarised as succinctly as this by Wordsworth?

One impulse from a vernal wood,

May teach you more of man,

Of moral evil and of good,

Than all the sages can.

When he wrote that as a radical young poet, Wordsworth paved the way for other writers and artists to come and celebrate and investigate the Lake District, and then for the British public to find it and savour it as one of our greatest treasures.

Almost 50 years ago I bought a small cottage on the northern fells. Two up two down at the time, with a roofless barn and six neighbours in a hamlet

They come now in their millions every year. They walk the fells. Some swim in the lakes. They seek out the ghosts of great writers and painters among the cottages and byways they frequented, and many writers and painters today continue that artistic tradition.

Its like a Rubiks Cube of nature. Everything fits perfectly once youve worked it out. And all you need to do to work it out is to go there. And stand and stare. It will immerse you. As Coleridge said, theres a different prospect or view every few yards as you stroll up a fell.

You would think that, with millions turning up, the place would be ruined. Miraculously, despite a certain wear and tear, this is still recognisably what it was in Wordsworths day. You can walk for hours on the fells and scarcely meet a soul. Paths that are eroded are swiftly rebuilt by hardy and devoted volunteers.

When I walk around the Lakes these days, save for the increased traffic on the winding and difficult roads (very easily avoided if you dont drive), it is immediately a more peaceful, better-mannered, I might even say more philosophical, world than I encounter anywhere else. The place provokes thought and promises renewal.

You would think that, with millions turning up, the place would be ruined. Pictured is a child paddling against the backdrop of Wastwater

When I was at school, the Cumbrian dialect was widely spoken by the inhabitants. We know that Wordsworth spoke with a Cumbrian twang and some of his poetry only makes sense if you use a Northern voice  for instance, water has to rhyme with matter. Various forces are eroding the local tongue  radio, television  but it holds on, and now, as in other parts of Britain, there is a fight-back.

But, above all, its a place which lines the memory. You remember when you were hesitating on the vertiginous steeps of Striding Edge  a narrow ridge high up a fell called Helvellyn  and looked below, down sheer drops, on little patchwork fields, while ahead of you was still the cairn or the peak you had to reach.

You remember sitting next to a waterfall with sandwiches and a flask of tea, and listening to the water and the birds and looking out at a wonderful, calm, free landscape, and thinking: It doesnt get much better than this.

You remember coming back from the walk like a drowned rat and laughing it off and enjoying having gone through the deluge. And then finding a good warm pub with good warm grub.

It is difficult to over-praise its charm. You take a little side path here, you scramble up towards a ridge there, and yet another prospect opens out before you, even when, above, heavy bellied clouds are scudding over threateningly from the Atlantic, looking for somewhere to shed their load.

The Lake District is, in many ways, still a world unto itself. Still small villages, local sports, fell-running, Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling and hound trailing

And then there are the boats on the lakes. On Derwentwater, the boats act as buses. Seven or eight stops around the lake. Hop on hop off. Almost quaint, but not quite because its so practical. And everywhere you look you see evidence of those who were here before you. Striking remains of Celtic and Roman fortresses. Grand houses which dramatically increased in number in the 19th century (many of them now country hotels).

That was when the magnates from the Industrial Revolution refused to go south to the playgrounds of those who were born rich, and colonised the Lake District as their own nature resort.

The Lake District is, in many ways, still a world unto itself. Still small villages, local sports, fell-running, Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling and hound trailing. It has grandeur. It has grit. It affords pleasures on so many levels  solitude, companionship and ceaseless reminders of the splendours from sunrise to sunset of Nature at its most jewelled.

Unesco is very lucky to have the Lake District on its list.
A McDonald's on the Gold Coast has banned children in school uniform from being served during school hours.

The branch, in Elanora, has displayed prominent signs which state: 'Any student in school uniform will not be served between the hours of 9am-3pm.'

The sign also says that the ban was requested by schools.

The branch has displayed prominent signs which state: 'Any student in school uniform will not be served between the hours of 9am-3pm'

Schools in the Elanora and Palm Beach area have school attendance rates that are up to two per cent lower than the state average of 91.5 per cent, according to the Courier Mail.

In a statement, a spokesman for the Department of Education and Training said all schools in Queensland are focusing on methods to improve attendance.

'It is important for students to attend school every day to make the most of their education and parents have a legal responsibility to send their children to school,' the spokesman said.

The McDonald's in Elanora (above) has banned children in school uniform from being served during school hours

'While schools may be supportive of efforts made by the community and local business to discourage students in uniform from being served during school time, this is not an indicator that those schools have a higher rate of truancy than others.

'All schools throughout the state continue to focus on ways to improve student attendance and educational outcomes.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted McDonald's for comment.
Doctors are voting on whether to close their surgery lists and stop registering all new patients.

Up to 23,000 GPs in England are taking part in the ballot which could see them collectively suspending all registrations.

The mass closure would be a form of industrial action against an alleged lack of Government funding for surgeries.

Up to 23,000 GPs in England are taking part in the ballot which could see them collectively suspending all registrations

The ballot is being overseen by the British Medical Association and GPs have until August 10 to respond online.

Should the action go ahead, it would prove catastrophic for patients, and anyone moving home could potentially be left without a GP. The BMA is initially surveying all partners  the most senior GPs in charge of running surgeries  to gauge the level of support for the move.

If the majority are in favour, the union will carry out a second formal ballot which will determine whether the closures go ahead.

GPs are angry about a lack of funding, rising workload, a recruitment crisis of doctors and the fact they are being expected to open their doors at weekends.

Surgeries across England are overwhelmed and struggling to provide appointments for the rising and ageing population.

Last April, NHS bosses promised to alleviate the pressures by promising more money, an extra 5,000 GPs and a set of proposals to help ease workload.

But many doctors believe the NHS is failing to deliver these pledges and is effectively turning its back on the crisis.

The threat of industrial action comes despite GPs still benefiting from the lucrative contracts handed to them by Labour. The terms allowed doctors to opt out of being responsible for their patients at evenings and weekends  yet their pay soared to more than 100,000 a year.

Surgeries across England are overwhelmed and struggling to provide appointments for the rising and ageing population

Dr Richard Vautrey, acting chairman of the BMAs GP committee has written a letter to all GP partners outlining the reasons for the ballot. It reads: General Practitioners Committee (GPC) England has been asked to ballot practices as to whether GPs in England are prepared to collectively close their practice lists.

Such action would constitute industrial action, and with significant implications on GPs as independent contractors.

A BMA spokesman said even if the closures were to go ahead, doctors would still provide urgent appointments for patients who were not registered. Meanwhile, GPs in Northern Ireland are carrying out a ballot over whether to resign from the NHS en masse and charge for appointments.

The move would allow doctors to run practices independently and set their own rules on fees and staff pay.

GPs in England last staged industrial action in 2012 in what proved to be a hugely unpopular strike over pensions, refusing to do all but urgent care for a period of 24 hours.

However, the majority of family doctors did not take part as they believed the strike was unethical.
Arshad Mohammed, headteacher of Al Hijrah School in Birmingham

An Islamic school that tried to suppress its critical Ofsted report can finally be named after a legal challenge by the Daily Mail.

Al-Hijrah School in Birmingham was criticised for segregating pupils and keeping books in its library that advocated beating wives.

Inspectors said the state-funded school needed to be put in special measures for issues including a breach of equality law.

But, in the first case of its kind, the school challenged Ofsted in the High Court, meaning the report is still being withheld from parents a year on from the inspection.

Judges ordered the name of the school be kept secret over fears of a media storm  but following a challenge by the Daily Mails parent company, Associated Newspapers Limited, the reporting restriction was lifted last night.

Ofsteds appeal against the schools High Court challenge, listed in the Court Of Appeal today, has serious implications for the watchdogs ability to give parents transparent information.

Sir Terence Etherton, the Master of the Rolls, ordered that the school could be named to preserve the principle of open justice.

He said: We have reached the clear decision on this application that we consider anonymity should be raised so that Associated Newspapers Limited will be able to name the school.

Khalid Mahmood, Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, said: This is a victory for open justice. The Daily Mail has worked on behalf of the pupils, the parents and the people of Birmingham, to inform them what is happening. I am grateful to the paper for taking this battle up.

The anonymity order was absurd. It is imperative that parents are informed about issues to do with the school. If they are not, they will be none the wiser and they cannot hold people to account. It is disgraceful that they are trying to hide these issues.

Al-Hijrah, an Islamic voluntary aided school in Bordesley Green, was previously investigated over its finances and has a connection with the Trojan Horse schools.

Todays case centres around an inspection in June last year, in which inspectors accused the school of breaching the Equality Act 2010. The school, for pupils aged four to 16, separates girls and boys from Year 5 onwards for religious reasons.

Ofsted carried out the inspection after receiving an anonymous email claiming to be from a pupil, saying any interaction between genders was forbidden.

It said: I am worried about going to college and not having the social skills to be able to speak normally to the opposite gender. During the inspection, a girl told Ofsted that segregation was dumb and she did not know how to have any relationship/friendship with boys.

Inspectors also criticised the school for library books that included derogatory comments about, and the incitement of violence towards, women.

One said a wife was not allowed to refuse sex to her husband and another said women are commanded to obey their husbands and fulfil their domestic duties.

In addition, two books said a husband could beat his wife as long as it was not done harshly. Headmaster Arshad Mohammed told inspectors he had not realised the books were available and called them abhorrent.

The schools appeal against Ofsteds report led to a judicial review hearing at the High Court last year. In November, Mr Justice Jay ruled Ofsted was right to criticise the school over the offensive books, which should still produce a result of inadequate.

But he said segregating pupils did not breach the law if both genders were treated identically. He ordered Ofsted to rewrite the report with these points omitted.

The appeals outcome will affect whether Ofsted can mark down Islamic schools for segregation.

In one High Court hearing, Mr Justice Stuart-Smith banned the naming of the school, claiming this would generate a media storm and tensions and fears for parents and the local community.

Yesterday the Daily Mail successfully argued in a special hearing that there was no proper legal basis to give the school anonymmity. Adam Wolanski, representing Associated Newspapers, called the restriction an unusual approach which was at odds with the principle of open justice as the information was not private.

Sir Terence, sitting with Lady Justice Gloster and Lord Justice Beatson, found in favour of the newspaper and ordered that the school could be named.

Ex-Birmingham Yardley MP John Hemming said: The school has a right to challenge Ofsted, but parents have a right to know.

Al-Hijrah was not inspected in connection with the Trojan Horse plot to oust secular heads and governors at state schools. But it is understood Tahir Alam, the alleged ringleader, used to be secretary to the Al-Hijrah Trust, which owns the school.
Las Vegas Doctor Binh Chung (pictured), has been jailed for 50 years for drugging and raping unconscious patients, including a teenage girl

A Las Vegas doctor who admitted to having a 'Sleeping Beauty fetish' has been jailed for 50 years for drugging and raping unconscious patients, including a teenage girl.

During his trial, Binh 'Ben' Chung, 43, told jurors he had a Sleeping Beauty fetish so was aroused by unconscious women.

He also insisted that his patients agreed to the sexual acts, which he videotaped.

The district judge who tried the case, Kathleen Delaney, said the convict's acts were 'abhorrent and unfathomable' and 'incredibly disturbing', according to the Las Vegas Review Journal.

Chung was convicted of 11 of the 14 counts against him, including using a minor in the production of pornography, kidnapping, battery with intent to commit sexual assault, and four counts of sexual assault.

'We're very happy the jury saw things the way we did,' prosecutor Alex Chen said after the trial on May 22. 'Justice was served in this case.'

Scroll down for video

The married doctor videotaped having sex with three unconscious women, who he claimed agreed to the act. Police found video recordings of him raping his patients at his office, the Sundance Medical Center (pictured), in Las Vegas

During a four-hour testimony on Thursday , the married doctor explained to jurors that he had sex with a woman in the tapes at her apartment, in his car and his southwest valley office at Sundance Medical center.

He said that while she appeared unconscious, she was just acting to his fantasy, reported the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Prosecutor Alex Chen grilled him with questions, and his statement came across as confusing and sometimes contradictory.

'Sleeping Beauty, kind of like a Disney movie, right?' Chen asked.

Chung explained that 'Sleeping Beauty' meant 'Princess.' He also discussed his fetish, which is known as somnophilia and defined as sexual arousal by another's unconsciousness.

Chung was acquitted of two counts of open or gross lewdness, a gross misdemeanor, in connection with an alleged act involving the teen, and one felony count of administration of a drug to aid the commission of a felony in connection with another patient, the journal reported.

Stone-faced and suited up, Chung left the courtroom with his lawyers after the verdict was read.

He also said that, while he doesn't find the fetish weird, he feels 'very ashamed and embarrassed to even talk about this'.

Later in the testimony he told jurors that he no longer feels desire to do such an act, but that it's still 'erotic' to him, according to the Review-Journal.

The prosecutor then played the video, which shows Chung having sex with what appears to be an unconscious woman, and asked why the woman's body appeared limp when the doctor re-positioned her.

Chung explained that the woman is a very good actor, then pointed to a moment where her head rolled to show that she was actually awake.

The doctor also denied visiting websites that depicted sexual assaults on sleeping women.

Chung also testified at one point that he had a doctor-patient fetish to explain why he was wearing a latex clove in the video, but later reneged on that statement, saying that he had just 'absentmindedly' forgotten to remove the glove, reported the Review-Journal.

The defendant was accused of drugging and molesting two other women, as well as a teenage girl.

One of Chung's victims called him a 'monster' and told a judge that she never suspected he could be so harmful.

Prosecutors also said that Chung sedated patients with drugs such as ketamine or midazolam, which they found in excess in a junk drawer while raiding his office (stock image)

'I never could have imagined he was a monster,' the woman said. 'I could not believe someone would do something so harmful.'

In an encounter with one of the other women at his office, Chung taped a procedure to document her treatment, saying that she agreed to it.

He first claimed that written consent should have been part of the victim's medical record, then later said that she gave verbal consent.

Chung also claimed that the video that prosecutors say depict him having sex with a teenage girl are actually of him having sex with the woman with whom he had an affair. The doctor has denied ever touching, kissing or molesting the girl, according to the Las Vegas publication.

An investigation into Chung first began in 2015 when his then-wife, Brenda Wong, discovered video recordings of the alleged rapes in which she recognized one of the victims and said she appeared unconscious.

Authorities searched Chung's computers and hard drives and found ten videos of child pornography.

Prosecutors also said that Chung sedated patients with drugs such as ketamine or midazolam, which they found in excess in a junk drawer while raiding his office.

Two of the victims filed a lawsuit against he and his wife, alleging intentional infliction of emotional distress, battery, false imprisonment and negligence.

Chung has been in custody since June 2015.
Dozens of protesters against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act have been arrested in Congressional offices on Capitol Hill Monday.

The initial crowd was estimated at more than 100 protesters, who eventually split into smaller groups once they gathered inside 13 different House and Senate office buildings.

They seemingly targeted the offices of specific lawmakers, some of whom are predicted to cast critical swing votes either in favor or against the repeal of Obamacare.

Eighty people were arrested with 21 arrests coming from House office buildings and 59 in Senate buildings.

Authorities charged them with the misdemeanor of 'Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding.'

Healthcare activists protest to stop the Republican health care bill at Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Monday

The protest comes as the Senate has returned to session after a weeklong July 4 recess

They shouted slogans such as 'health care is a human right' while sitting inside the Capitol Hill office building

Dozens of protesters against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act carried signs that read 'Trump-Care = Death'

Activists even protested inside of the office of Senator Jeff Flake in an effort to stop the Republican health care bill (above)

Protesters shouting slogans such as 'health care is a human right' and 'save our lives, kill the bill' were led away from the corridor outside the office of Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake.

Demonstrators also gathered outside the offices of Arkansas Sen. John Boozman and Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner.

The Senate has returned to session after a weeklong July 4 recess, if anything, saw GOP support erode for a bill fashioned by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Republicans are struggling to reach consensus on a plan to repeal and replace the so-called Obamacare law.

It would scale back coverage requirements, end its penalty on people not buying coverage, cut Medicaid and eliminate tax boosts on wealthier people.

The measure is coming under renewed attack from within the GOP, as a moderate senator has called for a bipartisan approach.

They also shouted slogans such as 'health care is a human right' while inside Flake's office before being led away

Authorities arrested 59 demonstrators during the protest inside of the Senate office building (above)

Authorities charged those arrested during the protest with the misdemeanor of 'Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding'

People against the bill don't like that it would scale back coverage requirements, end its penalty on people not buying coverage, cut Medicaid and eliminate tax boosts on wealthier people. Above a woman is detained during the protest

At the same time, a conservative senator says Republicans are 'at impasse' and that party leaders are trying to 'buy off' lawmakers' votes.

President Donald Trump has been pressuring divided Senate Republicans to pass the stalled health care bill in the next few weeks.

Later in the day, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate said that senators will vote next week on the new health care bill.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said that the revised legislation will be unveiled this week.

McConnell is tweaking his bill after having had to abruptly cancel a vote last month because of lack of support.

It remains uncertain whether McConnell will be able to get the 50 GOP votes he needs given a slim margin for error in a Senate with 52 Republicans and 48 Democrats.

McConnell is trying to pass the bill with only Republican support and Vice President Mike Pence as the tie-breaker.
Colin Stagg, 54, from south west London, was given the large sum

The man, who was wrongly accused of murdering Rachel Nickell, has blown every penny of his 706,000 compensation.

Colin Stagg, 54, from south west London, was given the large sum after police made him the prime suspect over a horrific knife attack of the 23-year-old mother on Wimbledon Common - 25 years ago.

His trial collapsed  and it took 16 years before the true killer, Robert Napper, was finally brought to justice.

The Home Office paid out around 706,000 in compensation for the error that led to Mr Stagg's conviction and he spent it on luxury cars, holidays and flawed business investments.

But now he has nothing to show for the money he was given.

He told The Sun: 'I spent like there was no tomorrow. I bought vehicles for me and my girlfriend. I treated myself to clothes, jewellery and expensive guitars.

'After decades without a holiday we took three or four a year. I was making up for lost time doing the things I should've done in my youth if it hadn't been blighted by Rachel's murder.'

'I got a passport for the first time and fulfilled a lifelong ambition to visit the Pyramids. There were several more holidays in Egypt, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.'

Rachel Nickell was just 23 when she died on July 15, 1992, leaving her partner, Alexs father Andre Hanscombe, now 54, to raise their beloved only son.

She was stabbed 49 times and sexually assaulted on Wimbledon Common, south-west London, in 1992, in front of her two-year-old son Alex.

The case against Mr Stagg was thrown out at the Old Bailey two years later, but despite his acquittal he claimed the stigma made him unemployable and a 'national hate figure' for years afterwards.

Rachel Nickell was just 23 when she died on July 15, 1992, leaving her partner, Alexs father Andre Hanscombe, now 54, to raise their beloved only son

Colin Stagg, 54, from south west London, was given the large sum after police made him the prime suspect over a horrific knife attack of the 23-year-old mother on Wimbledon Common - 25 years ago

At the trial, the judge lambasted the Met's 'honeytrap' operation in which an undercover woman detective encouraged Mr Stagg to confess to the killing by instigating an exchange about his violent sexual fantasies

At the trial, the judge lambasted the Met's 'honeytrap' operation in which an undercover woman detective encouraged Mr Stagg to confess to the killing by instigating an exchange about his violent sexual fantasies.

Crucially, however, Mr Stagg never confessed. Napper, originally from south-east London, was charged with the murder last November following a three-year inquiry.

By then, Mr Stagg had submitted a compensation claim. He was awarded a record 706,000 damages, which he described as 'like winning the lottery'.

The award prompted criticism and was compared to the 90,000 given to Miss Nickell's son Alex - now living abroad with his father.

The award was decided by Lord Brennan QC, a government assessor, who described the police tactics as 'reprehensible'.

After details of the payout were announced, Mr Stagg's legal team said 'what he really wanted was an apology from the Metropolitan Police'.
Soaring costs are putting record numbers of young people off learning to drive.

In some areas of the country two-thirds have decided to give up on getting behind the wheel, motoring website Honest John revealed.

As little as a decade ago the vast majority of youngsters would be itching to drive and wanting to learn as soon as they turned 17.

Once they had passed, they would no longer have to rely on public transport or their parents to go out.

But soaring insurance bills and driving tuition fees have put driving out of the reach of the many whose families are unable or unwilling to help foot the bills.

In some areas of the country two-thirds have decided to give up on getting behind the wheel, motoring website Honest John revealed

The rise of Uber and its cheap cab fares has also increased the transport alternatives available to the young  especially if they are planning a night out that involves alcohol.

Figures show the number of 17-year-olds taking the driving test has fallen by 100,000 in the past ten years and there has been a 20 per cent drop in under-25s learning to drive over the same period.

East Sussex saw the largest average drop in young people taking the practical driving test, a fall of 61 per cent, while Bristol was second with a fall of 45 per cent.

Cambridgeshire and the Vale of Glamorgan are joint third  with a 40 per cent decline in driving test take-up. Worcestershire completes the list, with a decrease of 39 per cent compared to 2007-08.

Experts said the cost of insurance was the biggest factor in the decline. Premiums rose 8 per cent in the first quarter of 2017 and an under-25 can expect to pay more than 2,000.

A learner could also pay 1,530 to get their licence, with the Department for Transport claiming that on average they need 47 hours of professional tuition.

Daniel Powell, of Honest John, said: Ten years ago, a typical 17-year-old would have booked a driving lesson as soon as they were legally able, but today most simply cannot afford to drive.

The decline in the number of young people taking the driving test coincides with a sharp increase in the level of university tuition fees to 9,000 a year and with the rise of taxi-hailing smartphone app Uber.

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency records show that while the average pass rate for the driving test has increased since 2007-08, from 44 to 47 per cent, the overall number of tests conducted has fallen from 1.8million to 1.5million

Uber, which offers cheap cab rides that can be booked in minutes from a mobile, launched in London in 2012 and has expanded to many other British cities.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said: This is definitely an affordability issue. The sharp decline in 17-year-olds learning to drive has happened just as tuition fees have gone through the roof. Many people are now waiting until after university to learn.

But its bad news for parents as it means their adult children are becoming increasingly dependent on mum and dads taxi service.

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency records show that while the average pass rate for the driving test has increased since 2007-08, from 44 to 47 per cent, the overall number of tests conducted has fallen from 1.8million to 1.5million, with young drivers accounting for the majority of the drop.
An active duty US Army soldier in Hawaii has been charged with providing material to support ISIS, the FBI said.

Ikaika Erik Kang, 34, allegedly tried to give US military documents and training to the terrorist group, and told an undercover federal agent he wanted to 'kill a bunch of people'.

The highly-decorated soldier's service record indicates he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 and Iraq in 2011.

He also won the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, CBS News reported.

Kang's father, Clifford Kang, said his son started studying the Islamic faith a couple of years ago during one of his deployments.

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FBI identified the soldier as 34-year-old Ikaika Erik Kang (pictured) as having ties to ISIS

Ikaika Erik Kang was with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu

The senior Kang however was shocked to hear about his son's connection to ISIS.

'Nobody told me anything. This is the first time I heard about' it, said Clifford Kang when reached by telephone by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Monday. 'I'm kind of stunned to tell you the truth.'

'I never heard of him being with ISIS,' Kang said

Kang's father, Clifford Kang (pictured) said his son started studying Islam during one of his deployments, but didn't know of his son's ISIS ties

Kang was arrested on Saturday and was expected in court Monday afternoon.

The FBI said Kang was the subject of a year-long, joint investigation by the FBI and the US Army.

Kang told an undercover federal agent Saturday that he wanted to kill 'a bunch of people'.

The soldier was with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu, but released no other details.

FBI spokesman Arnold Laanui said that SWAT team special agents arrested Ikaika Kang on Saturday.

According to the criminal complaint, Kang swore allegiance to ISIS.

The FBI said it believes Kang worked as a lone actor and was not associated with others who present a threat to Hawaii.
Dennis Hammond, 57, is accused of being under the influence of alcohol when he smashed his car into another vehicle in a head-on collision in Huntsville, Alabama

An alleged drunk driver who killed a young mother pregnant with her second child in a grisly accident has been charged with murder.

Dennis Hammond, 57, is accused of being under the influence of alcohol when he smashed his car into another vehicle in a head-on collision in Huntsville, Alabama, on Saturday afternoon.

The 57-year-old 'crossed over the turn lane' before slamming into the car being driven by Danetria Rice, 29, Huntsville Police said in a statement.

Rice, who was eight months pregnant, was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors worked desperately to save her and her baby.

The 29-year-old died as a result of her injuries, however her newborn son survived and is in a critical condition.

Rice's family has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the 29-year-old's husband, as well as the rest of their family.

Danetria Rice (pictured with her young daughter), 29, was killed when Hammond slammed into her car in the head-on collision

'Our family is in disbelief of what has happen,' the page reads.

'Danetria leaves behind her daughter; newborn son and husband by the grace of god who was saved afterwards. Our family is hurting and will continue to for awhile but has to remain strong.

'If you have any donation towards her funeral arraignments or children any and every dollar is well appreciated.'

Hammond was treated at the hospital but has since been released. He is charged with reckless murder.
Parliament is to hold an emergency debate on the contaminated blood scandal today on the back of damning new evidence from the Daily Mail.

Commons Speaker John Bercow granted the debate after MPs said the Government needed to examine potential criminal activity.

An estimated 2,400 people died with hepatitis and HIV after they received tainted blood clotting agents in the 1970s and 1980s.

Parliament is to hold an emergency debate on the contaminated blood scandal today on the back of damning new evidence from the Daily Mail

Minutes of papers seen by the Mail suggest health officials knew in 1980 and 1981 that patients were falling sick.

Yet it was not until 1986 that supply of the contaminated blood stopped.

Diana Johnson, Labour MP for Hull North, demanded a public inquiry in light of the documents.

Her call has been backed by politicians from the Conservative and Labour parties, victims, lawyers and patient groups.

Miss Johnson said the scandal was the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.

She added: Last week the Daily Mail set out evidence that as early as 1980 officials knew that 50 people with haemophilia a year were being infected with hepatitis C. Nothing was done about this for five years.

Commons Speaker John Bercow granted the debate after MPs said the Government needed to examine potential criminal activity

The UK imported supplies of the clotting agent Factor VIII from the US, some of which turned out to be infected.

Much of the plasma used to make the products came from donors including prison inmates, who had sold their blood.

A joint letter from the six opposition leaders at Westminster said a fresh probe should look into allegations of a cover-up and claims that patients were not told of the risks, even after the dangers became clear.
Scientists tracking humpback whales off the coast of California were in for a surprise when they captured footage of a behaviour that has never been seen in the species before.

Whales were seen flapping their front flippers like penguins to propel themselves through the water.

The movement helps researchers to understand more about the abilities and anatomy of these mysterious creatures, and could even inspire the design of submarines.

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Scientists tracking humpback whales off the coast of California were in for a surprise when they captured footage of a behaviour that has never been seen in the species before. Whales were seen flapping their front flippers like penguins to propel themselves through the water

THE NEW MOVEMENT The foreflippers of humpbacks are bumpy and slender compared to the much shorter, smoother front flippers of other whales. Scientists have thought that foreflippers were mainly involved in steering, so it would make sense that the unusual flipper shape could explain the humpback's skilful maneuvering. From the footage, the researchers estimated the hydrodynamic forces produced by the flapping and found the whales were generating a significant amount of thrust. They also found this behaviour was extremely rare. In hundreds of hours of video, some of which included groups of about 200 whales, they only saw the foreflipper flapping twice, which may be why they're the first to report it. Advertisement

Researchers from Stanford University were recording the movements of humpback whales when they noticed the unexpected behaviour.

In rare instances, the cameras caught whales flapping their foreflippers like penguins or sea lions, but completely unlike anything seen before in whales.

Dr Paolo Segre, who led the study, said: 'Whales power their swimming by using their muscular tails.

'However, in this case we have documented the first example of a whale flapping its flippers to move forward, using a motion similar to a bird flapping its wings.'

The foreflippers of humpbacks are bumpy and slender compared to the much shorter, smoother front flippers of other whales.

Scientists have thought that foreflippers were mainly involved in steering, so it would make sense that the unusual flipper shape could explain the humpback's skilful maneuvering.

Dr Jeremy Goldbogen, a senior author of the study, said: 'In the past, researchers have looked at the structure of the whale flipper from dead animals.

'But for the first time we can see how this structure actually is used in a living whale - in its natural environment.'

From the footage, the researchers estimated the forces produced by the flapping and found the whales were generating a significant amount of thrust.

In rare instances, the cameras caught whales flapping their foreflippers like penguins or sea lions, but completely unlike anything seen before in whales

BIO-INSPIRATION As well as telling us more about these mysterious creatures, the researchers believe that their findings could be used my engineers designing submarines. Dr Goldbogen said: 'By understanding how the body flexes, and how the flippers and flukes are used to maneuver, we will have a better understanding of the mechanisms used by the largest animals to attain high-performance locomotion. 'Therefore, our research has implications for the biomimetic design applications from enhanced performance of animals to mechanized submersibles.' Advertisement

They also found this behaviour was extremely rare.

In hundreds of hours of video, they only saw the foreflipper flapping twice, which may be why they're the first to report it.

Dr Segre said: 'It is likely very energetically expensive and only used for short bursts of acceleration.

'It is probable that humpback whales are the only species that can do this because of the length and extensive range of motion of their flippers.'

As well as telling us more about these mysterious creatures, the researchers believe that their findings could be used by engineers designing submarines.

Dr Goldbogen said: 'By understanding how the body flexes, and how the flippers and flukes are used to maneuver, we will have a better understanding of the mechanisms used by the largest animals to attain high-performance locomotion.

'Therefore, our research has implications for the biomimetic design applications from enhanced performance of animals to mechanized submersibles.'

The group now plans to create a 3D movement and 360-degree panoramic video version of their tag that will capture the whale's entire body during the movement.
A new WhatsApp update will make changing fonts much easier with a floating toolbar.

Users will be able to select the text to change and then add the effect which will be automatically applied.

Last year the Facebook-owned app allowed users to add certain characters before and after the words or sentences to make them go bold, italic or with a line through the centre, known as a strikethrough.

However, many people were unaware of the change and so the formatting options were rarely used.

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With the new feature, which is currently in beta testing on Android, users will be able to select the text to change and then add the effect which will be automatically applied (stock image)

THE NEW FEATURE A new WhatsApp update will make changing fonts much easier with a floating toolbar. The new feature is currently in WhatsApp 2.17.148 beta testing on Android but will likely come to the iPhone in the future. In order to change the text users can tap the overflow button and the changes will be applied automatically. Users will be able to select the text to change and then add the effect which will be automatically applied. Advertisement

The new feature is currently in WhatsApp 2.17.148 beta testing on Android but will likely come to the iPhone in the future.

In order to change the text users will be able to tap the overflow button and the changes will be applied automatically.

This will make formatting options much more accessible to users.

WhatsApp has not revealed when the new features will be released.

Currently, to make text appear bold, users can type an asterisk before and after the word like this: *MailOnline*.

To make text appear italicised, the underscore character needs to be typed before and after the word.

To strikethrough a word, type the tilde character before and after.

Along with this update WhatsApp are also testing an emoji search option which allows users to find an emoji based on a word or character search.

This means users can search using key terms rather than flicking through all the emoji.

WhatsApp has been contacted for comment.

Currently, to make text appear bold, users can type an asterisk before and after the word. To make text italicised, the underscore character needs to be typed before and after the word

Last month new findings suggested the encrypted messenger service may not be as secure as once thought.

A computer programmer discovered a flaw in the app that could be revealing the location of its users after they've sent a weblink using the service.

The study suggests that people who assume messages sent via the service are totally untraceable could be less protected than they believe.

WhatsApp has not revealed when the new features will be released. Currently, to strikethrough a word, users can type the tilde character before and after the word

The security hole was exposed by Adam Wolk, a software developer from Sanok, Poland.

He found that a facility designed to ensure that URL links sent via the app are not malicious was exposing IP addresses, the personal identifier assigned to each internet connected device, as well as other information.

Speaking to The Register, Electronic Frontier Foundation staff technologist Erica Portnoy said: 'You can see where someone made a design decision there.

'If you assume that people copy rather than type in URLs, well, it's probably fine because they just visited it anyway.

'But it becomes less fine when, say, you were careful to visit that site over Tor (an encrypted browser), but now your IP address is leaked to the server because you typed it in the message.

'Imagine you found out that someone posted revenge porn about you, and WhatsApp just leaked your IP address, which gives the person running the website information about your location', she said.
With North Korea reportedly testing its first intercontinental ballistic missile last week, experts say the chances of a nuclear war are at the highest in decades.

In the event of a nuclear attack, the safest way to shield yourself from deadly fallout is to find cover in an underground bunker or under several layers of lead.

Those heading to cover will need an emergency kit to last 48 hours after the initial blast, when the chances of radiation poisoning from fallout are at their greatest.

Now, one radiation expert has revealed the vital emergency supplies you should grab to survive the moments after a nuclear blast.

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A radiation expert has listed four items you should have to hand in case of a nuclear strike. A hand-cranked radio is listed as the most important, followed by enough water for a gallon per person per day and a few breakfast bars. Medical supplies also feature

THE PERFECT EMERGENCY KIT The following kit should help survivors last the initial 48 hours after a nuclear explosion. This initial period is when the chances of radiation poisoning are at their highest. 1) A radio, preferably hand-cranked, to receive emergency broadcasts 2) Water, ideally 1 gallon per person per day, for drinking and sanitation 3) A breakfast bar or two to stave off the hunger 4) Any essential medications or treatments you might need. The kit should only be prioritised if it does not delay your journey to shelter by more than two minutes, to minimise radiation exposure. Advertisement

If a full emergency kit is not at hand, Brooke Buddemeier, a health physicist and expert on radiation at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, recommends grabbing four essential items.

He says that the kit should only be prioritised if it does not delay your journey to shelter by more than two minutes, to minimise radiation exposure.

The most important item is a radio, he told Business Insider, ideally a hand-cranked one with a USB port that can charge other devices.

'If you have a cellphone, that'll work too,' he said.

Mr Buddemeier said a radio is better than a mobile phone because 'sometimes the cell towers may be affected', either by power outages or demand.

Radios are important, he said, because you will need to receive emergency broadcasts and instructions.

Second, Mr Buddemeier said, you'll need water - ideally 1 gallon per person per day to drink, as well as to rinse off radioactive fallout after removing your clothes.

For the third most-important item, Mr Buddemeier said: 'I would probably grab a breakfast bar or two to stave off the hunger a little bit.'

Fourth, he said to grab any essential medications or treatments you might need.

The main thing Mr Buddemeier recommended not to do is grab unnecessary items in the immediate fallout, as this will expose you to too much dangerous radiation.

A radiation expert has revealed the vital emergency supplies you should grab in the moments after a nuclear blast. He said the supplies should help you survive living in shelter for the first 48 hours after an attack, when chances of radiation poisoning are high (stock image)

The fallout will damage your cells, making it harder for your body to heal, leading to a condition called acute radiation syndrome or sickness.

'It also affects the immune system and your ability to fight infections,' Mr Buddemeier said.

He said that if people could find good shelters - and are able to receive broadcast instructions from emergency personnel - the blow of a nuclear attack could be softened.

'We may not be able to do much about the blast casualties, because where you were is where you were, and you can't really change that,' he told Business Insider.

'But fallout casualties are entirely preventable.

'In a large city ... knowing what to do after an event like this can literally save hundreds of thousands of people from radiation illness or fatalities.'

Mr Buddemeier is not the first person to publish a list of vital items in the event of a nuclear attack.

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has previously given its own recommended stock list for getting through nuclear blasts, tornadoes, hurricanes, snowstorms, power outages, and other take-shelter emergencies.

The agency lists water - 1 gallon per person per day for at least three days - as its most important item, and puts a three-day supply of nonperishable food at second.

A battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both come next, as well as a flashlight and extra batteries and first-aid kit.
A baby tooth belonging to a young girl who lived in a cave in Siberia over 100,000 years ago could shed light on a mysterious species of early humans.

Only three fossils have previously been found that belong to the Denisovans, a sister species of the Neanderthals.

The tooth one of the oldest human specimens discovered in central Asia to date, and about 50,000 to 100,000 years older than the first known Denisovan fossil.

This suggests that Denisovans and the Neanderthals may have interacted and interbred for a longer period than thought, the researchers said.

It also provides new genetic evidence that the hominids who lived in the cave may have been a small group.

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A baby tooth (pictured) belonging to a young woman who lived in a cave in Siberia over 100,000 years ago could shed light on a mysterious species of early humans

BABY TOOTH A baby tooth belonging to a young woman who lived in a cave in Siberia over 100,000 years ago could shed light on a mysterious species of early humans. The newly discovered fossil was first unearthed at the cave in the Altai Mountains near Barnaul, Russia, in 1984. It had previously been assumed to be Neanderthal in origin. But it is potentially the oldest of the four Denisovan specimens found at the cave, having been found in a geological layer formed between 227,000 and 128,000 years ago. Little is known about the species of early man, which first emerged around 200,000 years ago, as so few of their fossilised remains have been discovered. DNA analysis of a fifth digit finger bone fragment in 2010, which belonged to a young girl, revealed the Denisovans were a species related to, but different from, Neanderthals. They are a mysterious relative of the Neanderthals who are thought to have roamed the plains of Siberia and east Asia long before modern humans arrived on the continent. Elements of their DNA has been found spread across much of Asia. Advertisement

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, made the discovery after reviewing fossils found at the cave in Russia.

The poor preservation of the molar was a challenge for the team as they analysed the tooth.

But they were able to extract DNA and compare the sequence to other Denisovan samples, as well as Neanderthal and human DNA.

The results suggested that the young girl whose deciduous, or baby tooth, they found lived at least 100 millennia ago.

The tooth is around 20,000 years older than previously examined Denisovan fossils.

'This would indicate that Denisovans were present in the Altai area for a very long time  at least as long as modern humans have been in Europe, if not much more,' Viviane Slon, a paleogeneticist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany told LiveScience.

Such a long span of time increases the chances that the Denisovans and the Neanderthals may have interacted and interbred, the researchers said.

DNA analysis of a fragment of a fifth digit finger bone in 2010, which belonged to a young girl, revealed they were a species related to, but different from, Neanderthals.

Later genetic studies suggested that the ancient human species split away from the Neanderthals sometime between 470,000 and 190,000 years ago.

The DNA found in the tooth is consistent with low levels of diversity among genetic material taken from the other Denisovan samples recovered from the cave, the study's authors say.

It is possible, however, that the samples from the cave are from an isolated population and that the genetic diversity of the Denisovans as a species was far greater.

Speaking to New Scientist, geneticist and lead researcher Vivian Slone said: 'To really investigate the genetic diversity of this group across space and time, we would need to reconstruct full genomes from additional individuals.

'I am not aware of any hominin fossils that have not been [DNA] tested.

'Ongoing excavations at the site will hopefully lead to new discoveries.'

To date, Denisovans have been identified from a single site.

The DNA found in the tooth is consistent with low levels of diversity among genetic material taken from the other Denisovan samples. Pictured - Images of the Denisova 2 lower second molar. The area sampled for ancient DNA analyses is marked by a grey circle in panel C.

The tooth is potentially the oldest of the four Denisovan specimens found at the cave (pictured), having been found in a geological layer formed between 227,000 and 128,000 years ago

The newly discovered fossil was first unearthed at the cave in the Altai Mountains near Barnaul, Russia, in 1984.

It had previously been assumed to be Neanderthal in origin.



It is potentially the oldest of the four Denisovan specimens found at the cave, having been found in a geological layer formed between 227,000 and 128,000 years ago.

The Denisova Cave (entrance pictured) is the only location where the remains of Denisovans have been discovered. The cave has also been repeatedly used by them, Neanderthals and Homo sapiens

The newly discovered fossil was first unearthed at the cave in 1984. Scientists hope that ongoing excavations at the site (pictured) will hopefully lead to new discoveries

Little is known about the species of early man, which first emerged around 200,000 years ago, as so few of their fossilised remains have been discovered.

They are a mysterious relative of the Neanderthals who are thought to have roamed the plains of Siberia and east Asia long before modern humans arrived on the continent.

Elements of their DNA has been found spread across much of Asia.



The full results of the study were published in the journal Science Advances.
Archaeologists have uncovered 'conclusive evidence' that a wooden hut traditionally associated with St Columba dates to his lifetime in the late sixth century AD.

The saint is widely revered as a key figure who brought Christianity to Scotland from Ireland, landing on the Isle of Iona, in the Inner Hebrides, in AD 563.

Carbon dating has led to the breakthrough, which proves samples of hazel charcoal, unearthed in an excavation of a wattle and timber structure on Iona 60 years ago, are from the exact period Columba lived in the Inner Hebridean monastery.

The structure is believed to be the monk's 'cell' where he prayed and studied in isolation.

Archaeologists have uncovered conclusive evidence that a wooden hut traditionally associated with St Columba at his ancient monastery (ruins pictured) on the island of Iona dates to his lifetime in the late sixth century

WHO WAS SAINT COLUMBA? Columba was born in Ireland in 521 AD. He is widely revered as a key figure in western Christianity and took the religion to Scotland from Ireland. In 563 AD, he left Ireland and settled with the Gaels of Dal Riata, where he was granted the Island of Iona to found his monastery. His monastery provided education for the Gaelic warrior kings, and Columba became a close advisor to the king, and served as a diplomat to the king's neighbours in Pictland and Ireland. Columba died in 597 AD, but his monastery's influence continued to grow, leading to the foundation of new monasteries in Ireland and as far away as Lindisfarne in Northumbria. In Pictland, Columban monks began to spread the word of Christianity in the seventh century. Advertisement

The samples were excavated in 1957 by archaeologist Professor Charles Thomas but with radio carbon dating only just emerging at the time, they were not tested and instead kept in matchboxes in his garage in Cornwall.

Although the excavators of the hut argued it was likely Columba's cell, the lack of dating technology led many archaeologists to dismiss the findings as speculation and scientifically unproven.

In 2012, part of Professor Thomas' archive was passed to Historic Environment Scotland.

It was shared with the University of Glasgow, which recently identified the significance of the samples and submitted them for carbon dating.

Results show the hut dated back to between 540 and 650. Columba died in 597.

Altogether, ten radiocarbon dates were returned from samples from Professor Thomas' excavations, all dating to the early medieval period (AD 500-1100).

Carbon dating has led to the breakthrough, which proves samples of hazel charcoal, unearthed in an excavation of a wattle and timber structure on Iona (pictured) 60 years ago, are from the exact period Columba lived in the Inner Hebridean monastery

Professor Thomas died last year but Dr Adrian Maldonado, from the University of Glasgow, described the dating as vindication of his foresight in storing the samples.

'Thomas always believed he and his team had uncovered Columba's original wooden hut but they could never prove it because the technology wasn't there,' he said.

'So, for us, 60 years later, to be able to send the original samples off to the radiocarbon dating labs and have them come back showing, within the margin of error, as something which may have been built in the lifetime of St Columba, is very exciting.

In the Life of St Columba, written 100 years after his death by his successor Adomnan, Columba was described as often writing in his cell on a rocky hillock, called Torr an Aba or 'the mound of the abbot'

The Iona research group believe the Cathach, a manuscript of psalms reputed to be Columba's own writing (pictured left), would have been created in his cell. Pictured right is the earliest image of St Columba

DATING THE HUT The samples were excavated in 1957 by archaeologist Professor Charles Thomas but with radio carbon dating only just emerging at the time, they were not tested and instead kept in matchboxes in his garage in Cornwall. Although the excavators of the hut argued it was likely Columba's cell, the lack of dating technology led many archaeologists to dismiss the findings as speculation and scientifically unproven. In 2012, part of Professor Thomas' archive was passed to Historic Environment Scotland. It was shared with the University of Glasgow, which recently identified the significance of the samples and submitted them for carbon dating. Results show the hut dated back to between 540 and 650. Columba died in 597. Advertisement

'This is as close as any archaeologist has come to excavating a structure built during the time of St Columba and it is a great vindication of the archaeological instincts of Thomas and his team.'

St Columba is widely revered as a key figure in western Christianity and took the religion to Scotland from Ireland, landing on Iona in the year 563.

In the Life of St Columba, written 100 years after his death by his successor Adomnan, Columba was described as often writing in his cell on a rocky hillock, called Torr an Aba or 'the mound of the abbot'.

When Professor Thomas excavated the site 60 years ago, the carbonised remains of wattle walls of a small hut were unearthed below layers of loose pebbles, suggesting the wooden structure had burned down and the area filled over.

The site was later marked with a cross.

Professor Thomas Clancy, Celtic and Gaelic historian at the University of Glasgow, said: 'The remains on top of Torr an Aba had been dismissed as from a much later date.

Samples of hazel charcoal, unearthed in an excavation of a wattle and timber structure on Iona 60 years ago are pictured in the the original finds box from 1957

The samples were first excavated in 1957. Pictured is a nail from the original excavation, still in the trench

'Now we know they belonged to a structure which stood there in Columba's lifetime.

'More than that, the dates, and our new understanding of the turning of the site into a monument not long after its use, makes it pretty clear that this was St Columba's day or writing house.'

The Iona research group believe the Cathach, a manuscript of psalms reputed to be Columba's own writing, would have been created in his cell.

The tiny island of Iona is regularly busy with tourists from around the world and visitor numbers are expected to grow with the confirmation

An illustration shows Columba in his cell on Iona

The tiny island of Iona is regularly busy with tourists from around the world and visitor numbers are expected to grow with the confirmation.

Derek Alexander, head of archaeological services for the National Trust for Scotland, which maintains the island, said: 'It's one of the highlights of coming to Scotland, it's a bit of an adventure and pilgrimage in its own right for tourists.

'That's what people have been doing all the way really since Columba.

'The tourists of today are pretty much like the visitors of 1,200 years ago, it hasn't changed that much, and the more we find out about it the more significance I think it has.'

The findings are being presented in a keynote lecture for the 8th International Insular Art Conference at the University of Glasgow.
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A stunning image captured by NASAs Cassini spacecraft shows a look at a partially-illuminated Saturn, bathed in feeble sunlight.

The image was captured this past winter from roughly 762,000 miles (1.23 million kilometers) from the planet.

According to NASA, Saturn receives just a fraction of the sunlight experienced on Earth, given its distance from our star  but, in the deep blackness of space, even a little sunlight is enough to reveal stunning cloud patterns and the vast expanse of rings.

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A stunning image captured by NASAs Cassini spacecraft shows a look at a partially-illuminated Saturn, bathed in feeble sunlight. The image was captured this past winter from roughly 762,000 miles (1.23 million kilometers) from the planet

THE SCALE OF SATURN When it comes to space, it isn't always easy to understand how big objects really are. To put things into perspective, if Earth was the size of a tennis ball, the moon would be the size of a marble. Saturn would be the size of a beach ball and the sun would be the length of seven football fields away from Earth. Advertisement

Cassini captured the image with its wide-angle camera on Feb 25, 2017, using a spectral filter that admits particular wavelengths of near-infrared light, according to NASA.

This view shows the dawn light cast over part of the planet, at a scale of 45 miles per pixel.

While it may seem bright, the light is far less intense at Saturn than other planets that are closer to the sun, such as Earth.

The light has travelled around 80 minutes since it left the suns surface by the time it reaches Saturn, NASA explains.

The illumination it provides is feeble; Earth gets 100 times the intensity since its roughly ten times closer to the sun.

Yet compared to the deep blackness of space, everything at Saturn still shines bright in the sunlight, be it direct or reflected.

Throughout the years, NASAs Cassini spacecraft has viewed Saturns rings in just about every way imaginable, from faraway looks at the stunning bands of cosmic material, to up-close observations of their peculiarities.

In a breathtaking image shared recently by the space agency, Saturns rings appear just a ghostly brushstroke in front of the planets sunlit atmosphere.

The view was captured from roughly 620,000 miles away, revealing the unilluminated side of Saturns rings.

Throughout the years, NASAs Cassini spacecraft has viewed Saturns rings in just about every way imaginable, from faraway looks at the stunning bands of cosmic material, to up-close observations of their peculiarities. In a breathtaking image, Saturns rings now appear just a ghostly brushstroke in front of the planets sunlit atmosphere

SATURN'S RINGS Saturn's rings consist of countless small particles, ranging in size from micrometres to metres, that orbit the planet. The ring particles are made almost entirely of water ice, with a trace component of rocky material. They also contain features known as straw and propellers, which are caused by clumping ring particles and small, embedded moonlets, respectively. Advertisement

In the image, most of the planet and its rings are in shadow, with just a small crescent of the surface bathed in light.

NASAs Cassini spacecraft peers toward a sliver of Saturns sunlit atmosphere while the icy rings stretch across the foreground as a dark band, the space agency explains.

This view looks toward the unilluminated side of the rings from about 7 degrees below the ring plane.

According to NASA, it was captured in green light using Cassinis wide-angle camera on March 31.

The Cassini spacecraft has circled Saturn for nearly 13 years, gathering unprecedented insight on the ringed planet and its many moons.

A dramatic video shared by NASA looks back at some of the early highlights of the Cassini mission, compiling clips from several flybys and set to eerie music.

The result is a breathtaking new perspective reminiscent of science fiction, showing some of Cassinis most remarkable observations as never seen before.

The Cassini spacecraft has circled Saturn for nearly 13 years, gathering unprecedented insight on the ringed planet and its many moons. A dramatic new video shared by NASA looks back at some of the early highlights of the Cassini mission, compiling clips from several flybys and set to eerie music

The video, set to Nine Inch Nails Ghosts I-IV, begins with views of Saturns rings, before moving on through moons, clouds, and even glimpses of the massive planet itself.

In the first time-lapse sequence (00:07), a vertical line appears that is really Saturns thin rings seen nearly edge-on, according to NASAs Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD).

Soon some of Saturns moon shoot past. The next sequence (00:11) features Saturns unusually wavy F-ring that is constrained by the two shepherd moons that are also continually perturbing it.

Soon much of Saturns extensive ring system flashes by, sometimes juxtaposed to the grandeur of the immense planet itself. Cloud patterns on Titan (00:39) and Saturn (00:41) are highlighted.

Cassini has been gathering observations of Saturn for over a decade, after arriving at the massive planet back in 2004.

Now, its running out of fuel, and scientists have planned to end its mission by crashing to craft into Saturn itself.

This dramatic new video created by Vimeo user Chris Abbas shows yet another look at the extensive data collected by the craft over the years, as scientists prepare for its death.

Clips from flybys of several of Saturns moon are then shown, including Phoebe, Mimas, Epimetheus, and Iapetus, the APOD explanation notes.

In other sequences, moons of Saturn appear to pass each other as they orbit Saturn. Background star fields seen by Cassini are sometimes intruded upon by bright passing moons.

Cassini has been gathering observations of Saturn for over a decade, after arriving at the massive planet back in 2004. Now, its running out of fuel, and scientists have planned to end its mission by crashing to craft into Saturn itself

This dramatic new video created by Vimeo user Chris Abbas shows yet another look at the extensive data collected by the craft over the years, as scientists prepare for its death

The video offers a breathtaking new perspective reminiscent of science fiction, showing some of Cassinis most remarkable observations as never seen before

As the video suggests, Cassini has played a major role in scientists understanding of Saturn.

Recent observations by Cassini have revealed new insight on some of the features first detected by the craft not long after its arrival to Saturn.

The spacecraft recently sent back the most detailed look yet at a sprinkling of propeller belts, for example, spotted in Saturns A ring.

Cassini previously observed propellers when it arrived at Saturn in 2004, but the low resolution of the images made them difficult to interpret.

Soon some of Saturns moon shoot past,' in the new video, NASA's APOD explains. And, features such as 'Saturns unusually wavy F-ring that is constrained by the two shepherd moons that are also continually perturbing it' can be seen throughout

CASSINI'S 'GRAND FINALE' Cassini has circled Saturn for 13 years since reaching its orbit in 2004, spearheading remarkable discoveries about the ringed planet and its icy moons  but now, it's running low on fuel. On April 22 the spacecraft began to transition into its grand finale orbits, taking one last close flyby of Saturn's massive moon Titan. Titan's gravity bent Cassini's flight path, causing the orbit to shrink until it was on course to pass between Saturn and the inner edges of its rings. Cassini began the first of 22 dives through an unexplored gap on April 26. Cassini's mission will officially terminate on September 15, after a planned plummet through Saturn's atmosphere. And all the while it will transmit data from several instruments until the signal is finally lost. Cassini began the first of 22 'Grand Finale Orbits' through an unexplored gap on April 26 before it eventually takes its final plunge into the planet. This graphic shows these orbits alongside the Ring-Grazing orbits the craft has undergone over the past 13 years. The orbit of Titan, one of Saturn's moons, is shown in dark green and the direction of Earth is shown in white Advertisement

Recent observations by Cassini have revealed new insight on some of the features first detected by the craft not long after its arrival to Saturn. An up close look at Saturn's rings can be seen above

In other sequences, moons of Saturn appear to pass each other as they orbit Saturn,' the description explains. 'Background star fields seen by Cassini are sometimes intruded upon by bright passing moons

Now, for the first time, Cassini has spotted propellers of all different sizes, revealing an unprecedented look at these features, which will help to unravel the mysteries of propeller moons  or, unseen embedded moonlets.

The robotic Cassini spacecraft has been revolutionizing humanitys knowledge of Saturn and its moons since 2004, NASAs APOD explains.

In September, Cassinis mission will be brought to a dramatic conclusion as the spacecraft will be directed to dive into [the] ringed giant.
The US military has revealed $65 of funding for a programme to develop a 'brain chip' allowing humans to simply plug into a computer.

They say the system could give soldiers supersenses and even help treat people with blindness, paralysis and speech disorders

The goal is 'developing an implantable system able to provide precision communication between the brain and the digital world,' DARPA officials said.

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The goal is 'developing an implantable system able to provide precision communication between the brain and the digital world,' DARPA officials said. Four of the teams will focus on vision and two will focus on aspects of hearing and speech.

It has selected its five grant recipients for the Neural Engineering System Design (NESD) program, which it began at the start of this year.

Brown University, Columbia University, The Seeing and Hearing Foundation, the John B. Pierce Laboratory, Paradromics Inc and the University of California, Berkeley will all receive multi-million dollar grants.

'These organizations have formed teams to develop the fundamental research and component technologies required to pursue the NESD vision of a high-resolution neural interface and integrate them to create and demonstrate working systems able to support potential future therapies for sensory restoration,' official said.

Four of the teams will focus on vision and two will focus on aspects of hearing and speech.

THE SIX MATRIX PROJECTS Brown University team led by Dr. Arto Nurmikko will seek to decode neural processing of speech, focusing on the tone and vocalization aspects of auditory perception. The team's proposed interface would be composed of networks of up to 100,000 untethered, submillimeter-sized 'neurograin' sensors implanted onto or into the cerebral cortex. A separate RF unit worn or implanted as a flexible electronic patch would passively power the neurograins and serve as the hub for relaying data to and from an external command center that transcodes and processes neural and digital signals. Columbia University team led by Dr. Ken Shepard will study vision and aims to develop a non-penetrating bioelectric interface to the visual cortex. The team envisions layering over the cortex a single, flexible complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit containing an integrated electrode array. A relay station transceiver worn on the head would wirelessly power and communicate with the implanted device. Fondation Voir et Entendre team led by Drs. Jose-Alain Sahel and Serge Picaud will study vision. The team aims to apply techniques from the field of optogenetics to enable communication between neurons in the visual cortex and a camera-based, high-definition artificial retina worn over the eyes, facilitated by a system of implanted electronics and micro-LED optical technology. John B. Pierce Laboratory team led by Dr. Vincent Pieribone will study vision. The team will pursue an interface system in which modified neurons capable of bioluminescence and responsive to optogenetic stimulation communicate with an all-optical prosthesis for the visual cortex. Paradromics, Inc., team led by Dr. Matthew Angle aims to create a high-data-rate cortical interface using large arrays of penetrating microwire electrodes for high-resolution recording and stimulation of neurons. As part of the NESD program, the team will seek to build an implantable device to support speech restoration. Paradromics' microwire array technology exploits the reliability of traditional wire electrodes, but by bonding these wires to specialized CMOS electronics the team seeks to overcome the scalability and bandwidth limitations of previous approaches using wire electrodes. University of California, Berkeley, team led by Dr. Ehud Isacoff aims to develop a novel 'light field' holographic microscope that can detect and modulate the activity of up to a million neurons in the cerebral cortex. The team will attempt to create quantitative encoding models to predict the responses of neurons to external visual and tactile stimuli, and then apply those predictions to structure photo-stimulation patterns that elicit sensory percepts in the visual or somatosensory cortices, where the device could replace lost vision or serve as a brain-machine interface for control of an artificial limb. Advertisement

The work has the potential to significantly advance scientists' understanding of the neural underpinnings of vision, hearing, and speech and could eventually lead to new treatments for people living with sensory deficits.

'The NESD program looks ahead to a future in which advanced neural devices offer improved fidelity, resolution, and precision sensory interface for therapeutic applications,' said Phillip Alvelda, the founding NESD Program Manager.

'By increasing the capacity of advanced neural interfaces to engage more than one million neurons in parallel, NESD aims to enable rich two-way communication with the brain at a scale that will help deepen our understanding of that organ's underlying biology, complexity, and function.

'A million neurons represents a miniscule percentage of the 86 billion neurons in the human brain.

'Its deeper complexities are going to remain a mystery for some time to come. But if we're successful in delivering rich sensory signals directly to the brain, NESD will lay a broad foundation for new neurological therapies. '

The program's first year will focus on making fundamental breakthroughs in hardware, software, and neuroscience, and testing those advances in animals and cultured cells.

Phase II of the program calls for ongoing basic studies, along with progress in miniaturization and integration, with attention to possible pathways to regulatory approval for human safety testing of newly developed devices.

As part of that effort, researchers will cooperate with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin exploration of issues such as long-term safety, privacy, information security, compatibility with other devices, and the numerous other aspects regulators consider as they evaluate potential applications of new technologies.

'The goal is to achieve this communications link in a biocompatible device no larger than one cubic centimeter in size, roughly the volume of two nickels stacked back to back,' DARPA has said previously.

ELON MUSK'S NEURALINK Elon Musk's latest company Neuralink is working to link the human brain with a machine interface by creating micron-sized devices. Neuralink was registered in California as a 'medical research' company last July, and he plans on funding the company mostly by himself. It will work on what Musk calls the 'neural lace' technology, implanting tiny brain electrodes that may one day upload and download thoughts. In The Matrix, users plugged into a computer using a bulky cable attached to the brain He said 'neural laces' will help people with severe brain injuries in just four years. And in eight to ten years, the Matrix-style technology will be available to everyone, he added. Neuralink is aiming to launch a product that will help people who suffer from serious brain injuries as a result of disorders such as stroke and cancer in just four years, Musk said. Advertisement

The program, Neural Engineering System Design (NESD), stands to dramatically enhance research capabilities in neurotechnology and provide a foundation for new therapies.

'Today's best brain-computer interface systems are like two supercomputers trying to talk to each other using an old 300-baud modem,' said Phillip Alvelda, the NESD program manager.

'Imagine what will become possible when we upgrade our tools to really open the channel between the human brain and modern electronics.'

Among the program's potential applications are devices that could compensate for deficits in sight or hearing by feeding digital auditory or visual information into the brain at a resolution and experiential quality far higher than is possible with current technology.

Neural interfaces currently approved for human use squeeze a tremendous amount of information through just 100 channels, with each channel aggregating signals from tens of thousands of neurons at a time.

The result is noisy and imprecise.

In contrast, the NESD program aims to develop systems that can communicate clearly and individually with any of up to one million neurons in a given region of the brain.
Once upon a time we waited until the sun went down to get lively.

Now, the only way to make a splash on holiday is by partying the day away.

Lounging under a cabana or posing up a storm at a seaside soiree, make like a celebrity and enjoy chilled-out day on the beach or by the pool.

By booking your summer break with Scene by Thomson, you'll discover exactly why relaxed fun in the sun is the perfect prelude to your night out.

Lounging under a cabana or posing up a storm at a seaside soiree, make like a celebrity and luxuriate in a chilled-out club vibe - all while topping up your tan!

Chill out... and party!

Its your holiday and youll party if you want to  even if the sun is still high in the sky.

Gone are the days when daytime drinking meant knocking back beers in a naff bar, the biggest trend for vacays is to chill out and party.

Ibiza kick-started the phenomenon; making a sleek day bed the hottest VIP area for revellers who want to enjoy a chilled-out club atmosphere, whatever the hour.

Now its gone global  from Mexico to Marbella, the best way to kick back and relax is to lounge by the pool, cocktail in hand and music in ear.

Answer your holiday prayers this summer and head to the home of the day party  the White Island itself. Where better to lay back and party than at Ibiza Rocks, available to book through Scene. The hotel is the place to party and does its own amazing pool parties, as well as being close to famous beach clubs such as Blue Marlin and Nikki Beach.

Ibiza kick-started the phenomenon; making a sleek day bed the hottest VIP area for revellers who want to enjoy a chilled-out club atmosphere, whatever the hour

Answer your holiday prayers this summer and head to the home of the day party  the White Island itself. Where better to lay back and party than at Ibiza Rocks available to book through Scene

Recover from the night before

Youve gone and done it  shots, dancing on bars, making new best friends - you were in serious holiday mode, and you are feeling it somewhat the next day.

But dont hide in your room with the air con on full blast  hit the pool and wash that hangover away.

A quick refreshing dip and a lounge on a cabana will make that fuzzy head disappear in an instant and what better way to get back in the party spirit than by enjoying some laid-back tunes while re-hydrating with a smoothie or good old H2O.

There are few better places to get back into the swing of things than on the stunning sands of Cancun. Book yourself into Breathless Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, available to book with Scene, where they are experts in ultra-chic chilled pool parties - and it's no wonder, they have three!

Look over the sea as you dance with a cool cocktail (or mocktail!) while overlooking the coastline - and you're impossibly close to other famous beach bars such as the Mandala Beach Club.

Where better to get back into the swing of things than on the stunning sands of Cancun? Book yourself into the stunning Breathless Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa where they are experts in luxuriantly chilled pool parties - and it's no wonder, they have three!

TV's biggest stars, including TOWIE's Amber Dowding (above) are huge fans of a laid back beach party

Sun-thing to smile about

Sun, sea, sand and tan  thats what holidays are all about, right? Get the glow whiling the hours away at a beach party with your pals.

Slap on the sun cream before you get into that sexy swimwear youve saved for the trip and soak up some serious Vitamin D  one thing thats sure to make you feel even more blissfully happy than a holiday to remember.

One place where the sun never sets is Greece, where people have known how to do hedonism for millennia.

So grab a bunch of grapes and go Grecian by booking into Agnes Beach, offered by Scene, where you're bang on the beach.

Kickstart your chilled out party around the hotel's lovely water - before heading out to the Island Beach Resort's hyped Pool Party where you can lounge on special cabanas and dine on the BBQ. Oopa!

Slap on the sun cream before you get into that sexy swimwear youve saved for the trip and soak up some serious Vitamin D  one thing thats sure to make you feel even more blissfully happy than a holiday to remember

One place where the sun never sets is Greece, where people have known how to do hedonism for millennia

Be Scene: Chill out with Thomson Adventurous, fun and fuss-free, the Scene holiday is for anyone who wants to be in the midst of the hustle and bustle at some of the world's best party hotspots. From old favourites like Ibiza and Majorca to new hipster horizons such as Croatia and Santorini, the Scene deals offer adult-focused breaks that you'll remember for a lifetime. Whether you're looking for a party pad or a relaxed retreat, you can ensure flexibility, choice and the full Thomson treatment when it comes to being on hand to help make your holiday memorable. Check out the amazing deals and destinations on the Scene website.

Do it for the Insta

Theres only one thing more important than your passport when going on holiday  your phone.

Because whats the point of posing at a pool party if no one back at home can see it!

Sun-soaked soirees are the ultimate place to go Insta-crazy; a post of you lounging on a cabana or a slow-mo video of you diving into the pool is bound to get people hot under the collar back in the office.

Make sure your social media is snap happy by choosing somewhere seriously stunning to stay. Check out Thailands The Kee Resort in Phuket, the supermodel of hotels offered by Scene.

Make a splash in the huge pool, which includes a swim-up bar and LED-lit fountain in the pool. Once you're feeling chilled out to the max you can head to the island's famed Xana Beach Club, where you can lie on a cabana, take in the sights and listen to some of the world's most famous DJs.

Sun-soaked soirees are the ultimate place to go Insta-crazy; a post of you lounging on a cabana or a slow-mo video of you diving into the pool is bound to get people hot under the collar back in the office.

Make sure your social media is snap happy by choosing somewhere seriously stunning to stay. Check out Thailands The Kee Resort in Phuket, the supermodel of hotels offered by Scene

Make a splash like a star

From TOWIE to MIC, some of the UKs hottest (and Instagrammable) stars are pioneers of the beach club scene.

Mr. Essex, Mark Wright, is a regular at pool parties in Majorcas party capital Magaluf while the always tanned and toned Toff from Made in Chelsea loves nothing more than dancing the day away at the iconic Nikki Beach Club in Ibiza.

Live like reality royalty and head to the stunning Majorcan coastline to detox and retox while catching some rays.

From TOWIE to MIC, some of the UKs hottest (and Instagrammable) stars are pioneers of the beach club scene, including Lucy Mecklenburgh and Toff from MIC

Mr. Essex Mark Wright is a regular at pool parties in Majorcas party capital Magaluf and hosts his own beach party every Saturday

Make like reality royalty and book yourself into Sol House Mallorca, available to book with Scene, a pad perfect for party lovers who want a relaxed daytime vibe to their lively night.

Check out the rest of the guests around the pool while the hotel's own resident DJs create your own soundtrack.

Beats on the beach

Where would a bash be without some epic music  and some of the worlds biggest DJs have cottoned on to the fact that day is the new night.

From the ever popular Pete Tong hitting the decks at Ibizas Blue Marlin beach club to comeback king Craig Davids Ts5 at Makronissos Beach Club in Ayia Napa.

Make sure youre in the crowd to say Selecta by staying at the Senator available to book with Scene. If you're looking for fun in the sun by the pool you will have plenty of options - there's three of them.

Slap bang in the centre of Napa's action - you are just minutes away from Nissi beach, where you can flaunt your moves at any time of the day.
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An award-winning photographer from America's west coast has captured hundreds of images of iconic bridges from around the world.

As part of his collection, San Francisco's Jassen Todorov, 42, has travelled as far as London to photograph Tower Bridge, which was built in 1894.

Todorov has also snapped shots of his local Golden Gate Bridge, as well as the Seven Mile Bridge, which connects South Florida with the Florida Keys and the Glen Canyon Bridge in Arizona, which is one of the highest in America.

As a pilot and flight instructor, he specialises in aerial photography, having even been featured in National Geographic.

He's also photographed the historic Old and new Vicksburg Bridges, which link Delta, Louisiana and Vicksburg, Mississippi across the Mississippi River, and the Jubilee Parkway in Alabama, which is one of the country's longest bridges.

In Spain, Todorov has collected bird's eye view shots of Andalusia marshlands and glacial rivers in Southern Iceland.

Wow-factor: Award-winning photographer, Jassen Todorov, has captured bird's eye view images of iconic bridges from around the world. Pictured: San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge

From this angle, Todorov manages to capture the impressive height of his local Golden Gate Bridge, which towers at 746 feet

London's Tower Bridge, which was built between 1886 and 1894, is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in England

The Glen Canyon Bridge and Dam in Arizona has an overall length of 1,271 feet and towers above the Colorado River

Florida's Seven Mile Bridge is famous for connecting Knights Key to Little Duck Key. One bridge is open to vehicles and one is for pedestrians and cyclists.

In Southern Iceland, Todorov captured the stark beauty of one of the many bridges that run over the area's glacial rivers

In the marshlands of Andalusia, Spain, there are several bridges that allow for vehicular traffic to cross the area

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge has two sections of roughly equal length, connecting through Yerba Buena Island

The Old Vicksburg Bridge in Mississippi was constructed in 1930 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

La Papa Bridge measures 3,092 meatres (or over 10,000 feet) and links Cadiz with Puerto Real, Spain

Opened in 1969, San Deigo's Coronado Bridge ascents at a 4.67 per cent grade before curving 80 degrees

The Vincent Thomas Bridge is a 1,500 foot-long suspension bridge, which crosses the Los Angeles Harbour

The total length of the new bridge is actually 35,862 ft or 6.79 miles, and is shorter than the original, which began to sag

The Jubilee Parkway is a pair of parallel concrete viaduct bridges, each two lanes wide, along the Interstate 10 in Alabama

Bridges built above Icelandic glaciers run the risk of being severely damaged during heavy flooding
British holidaymakers aren't exactly known for their exemplary behavior.

From drunken shenanigans in Ibiza to fake compensation claims in Majorca, their reputation precedes them - especially, it seems, in Spain.

Now, according to a report on Tenerife News, one of the country's popular towns is cracking down on the threat of anti-social behaviour by introducing punitive measures, including monetary fines.

Best behaviour, please! Spain's sea-side town of San Pedro del Pinatar is threatening hefty fines for holidaymakers engaging in 'anti-social behaviour'

San Pedro del Pinatar, which is south of popular tourist traps Alicante and Benidorm, plans to introduce cash penalties for nudism, riding bikes and even playing ball games on the sand.

The fines will range from 750 euros (664) to a whopping 3,000 euros (2,655), depending on the offence.

The controversial restrictions are set to come into effect on July 18 and are already causing quite a stir.

In fact, the Spanish Federation of Naturism plans to take action against the nudism ban, arguing that 'fundamental freedoms can only be limited by an organic law.'

According to the Federation, the 10km stretch of beach has traditionally been utilised by naturists and that the ban goes against European law.

Punitive: For infractions such as reserving umbrellas or playing ball games on the sand, fines could range from 750 euros (664) to a whopping 3,000 euros (2,655)

In this instance, 'anti-social behaviour' is defined as anything from peeing in the sea and taking animals on the sand to using soap in the showers, surfing, holding barbecues on the beach, playing loud music, using boats within 200 metres of the coast or causing damage to local plant life.

Needless to say, objectors say the city council is taking things too far with these strict restrictions.

Mayor Visitacion Martinez insists, however, that these new rules are absolutely in line with past precedent, pointing out this isn't the first time that holiday resorts in Spain have banned certain acts, such as urinating in the sea or on the water's edge.
She's the lovable thirty-something obstetrician at the centre of Ten's hit drama Offspring.

And Asher Keddie's character Nina Proudman has become a style icon for Australian women, with many designers selling out of her clothing before episodes even air.

Fashion designer Andrew Sands dubbed the popular character 'Australia's Carrie Bradshaw' in an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Monday.

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Influential: Asher Keddie's character Nina Proudman has grown to be somewhat of a style icon for Australian women

Andrew's bag brand, Harlequin Belle, saw a 500 percent increase in sales after being worn by the character numerous times on the show.

'Nina is Australia's Carrie Bradshaw,' he declared, in reference to Sarah Jessica Parker's style icon character in Sex & The City.

Melbourne designer Catherine Murphy told the publication that when Nina recently donned her $389 Liberty Dress she quickly sold out of the item.

'Nina is Australia's Carrie Bradshaw,' he declared, in reference to Sarah Jessica Parker's style icon character in Sex & The City

Catherine added she was especially chuffed to see Nina in the dress as Asher had always been a 'muse' of the designer's.

'I had to pinch myself when imagery of Asher in my dress began circulating,' she recounted.

'She's always been a muse of mine,' she continued.

Popular: Melbourne designer Catherine Murphy told the publication when Nina recently donned her $389 Liberty Dress, she quickly sold out of the item

'I had to pinch myself when imagery of Asher in my dress began circulating,' she recounted

Offspring costume designer Michael Chisholm admitted while he was aware of the effect Nina's dress sense had on female viewers, it was more important to dress her according to character rather than trend.

'She takes chances in her life as well in the clothes she chooses to wear in her everyday work,' he described.

Aside from being a fashion hit, the character of Nina is also a favourite with fans, as Asher Keddie has thus far picked up five Best Actress Logies for the popular role.
Lionel Richie's youngest daughter Sofia Snapchatted a b&w bathroom mirror selfie of her panties (and her bedhead) while visiting New York on Sunday.

With a captive combined 2.6M social media followers, you'd think the Select Model - turning 19 next month - would have more to present to the world than her own reflection.

The 5ft6in catwalker - who dated Canadian crooner Justin Bieber a year ago - also took some snaps with an unidentified male friend rocking a Tupac T-shirt, who 'almost let me fall.'

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Woke up like this: Lionel Richie's youngest daughter Sofia Snapchatted a b&w bathroom mirror selfie of her panties (and her bedhead) while visiting New York on Sunday

Sofia - who relies on stylist duo Marie-Lou & Chloe Bartoli - later shared a picture of herself wearing translucent-framed sunglasses while indoors sipping on Coca-Cola at a restaurant.

On Friday, Richie shot her second campaign for Japanese bag brand Samantha Thavasa with her 5ft5in friend Sarah Snyder who, like herself, once romanced someone famous - Jaden Smith.

Joining the duo on set were their nepotistically-privileged gal pals Sylvester Stallone's 19-year-old daughter Sistine and Kate Moss' 19-year-old half-sister Lottie.

'Manhattan': With a combined 2.6M social media followers, you'd think the Select Model - turning 19 next month - would have more to present to the world than her own reflection

'He almost let me fall': The 5ft6in catwalker - who dated Canadian crooner Justin Bieber a year ago - also took some snaps with an unidentified male friend rocking a Tupac T-shirt

'Sunday': Sofia - who relies on stylist duo Marie-Lou & Chloe Bartoli - later shared a picture of herself wearing translucent-framed sunglasses while sipping on Coca-Cola at a restaurant

Petite pair: On Friday, Richie shot her second campaign for Japanese bag brand Samantha Thavasa with her 5ft5in friend Sarah Snyder who, like herself, once romanced someone famous - Jaden Smith

It's all who you know: Joining the duo on set were their nepotistically-privileged gal pals Sylvester Stallone's 19-year-old daughter Sistine (M) and Kate Moss' 19-year-old half-sister Lottie (R)

Many in the modeling industry resent Insta-model socialites like Sofia - who has the Oscar, Golden Globe, and two-time Grammy winner to thank for her career in the spotlight.

The 68-year-old R&B legend will kick off his 22-date All the Hits Tour on July 21 at Oracle Arena in Oakland alongside opener Mariah Carey.

Meanwhile, the biracial beauty aspires to one day be married, have her own clothing line, and land the cover of Vogue.

Lionel: Many in the modeling industry resent Insta-model socialites like Sofia - who has the Oscar, Golden Globe, and two-time Grammy winner to thank for her career in the spotlight

On the road: The 68-year-old R&B legend will kick off his 22-date All the Hits Tour on July 21 at Oracle Arena in Oakland alongside opener Mariah Carey
Things have gotten really nasty between Michael Klim and his ex wife Lindy.

The former Olympic swimmer and his new girlfriend Desiree Deravi have publicly accused the fashion designer and blogger of creating an Instagram account and trolling Desiree on the social media site.

The accusations came just hours before Lindy announced she was expecting a baby with new fiance British property developer, Adam Ellis.

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It's getting nasty! Michael Klim and his new girlfriend Desiree Deravi have publicly accused Michael's ex-wife Lindy of creating an Instagram account and trolling Desiree

Michael and Desiree both took to Instagram over the weekend to slam the Balinese Princess, claiming she created a 'fake' Instagram account under the name of 'Jane Cross' and was writing nasty comments under Desiree's pictures.

The outburst came after Desiree posted a happy snap of her with Lindy and Michael's youngest daughter Frankie, six, and 'Jane Cross' seemingly made a comment under the image, one which has now been deleted.

Both Michael and Desiree responded, with the athlete writing '@j_cross1 we know it's you @lindyklim so just stop with the trolling it's pathetic you're a grown women (sic) and stop being so disrespectful.'

Drama: The outburst came after Desiree posted a happy snap of her with Lindy and Michael's youngest daughter Frankie, six, and 'Jane Cross' seemingly made a comment under the image, a comment which has now been deleted

Response: Both Michael and Desiree responded, with the athlete writing 'we know it's you @lindyklim so just stop with the trolling it's pathetic you're a grown women (sic) and stop being so disrespectful

Defense: A woman called Andrea, who appeared to be a friend of Lindy, immediately jumped to her defense

A woman called Andrea, who appeared to be a friend of Lindy, immediately jumped to her defense.

'@desid @michaelklim1 no one should judge! Who cares who wrote the @j_cross1 post...the response was the same!! Pulls at heart strings seeing your own children posted on social media when it's out of your control! @lindyklim #gorgeouskids #resilience #love #strength,' she wrote.

The comment prompted the couple to fire back, telling her to butt out.

'@thepudstar I'm sorry but I'm not sure you are in a position to comment not knowing the whole story! @desid cares and loves my children as they were her own and has all the right to post picture with them if she likes. We are lucky to have her in our lives...' Michael wrote.

Meanwhile, Desiree claimed that Lindy had been blocked from trolling and hinted Michael was upset when he saw a NW photo shoot of Lindy and her new fiance Adam, which featured his three kids.

Big announcement: The drama went down before Lindy confirmed she was pregnant with her fourth child, just nine months after her engagement to British property developer Adam Ellis, on Sunday

New start: Lindy and Adam started dating in March last year, just a month after she and Michael announced they were separating after 10 years of marriage

'@thepudstar if @michaelklim1 doesn't mind and he is their father and the children don't mind why should anyone else especially since @lindyklim has been blocked for trolling,' Desiree wrote.

'I'm sure it pulled on @michaelklim1 heart strings when she sold a story to NW with the kids and her new fiance. Let's get one thing straight, making a fake account and TROLLING is never ok and these comments are not the first. It's constant and inappropriate. Not mention the emails!'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to both Lindy and Michael for comment.

The drama went down before Lindy confirmed she was pregnant with her fourth child, just nine months after her engagement to British property developer Adam, on Sunday.

The way they were: Lindy and Michael share three children together - 11-year-old Stella, Rocco, nine, and Frankie, six

Sharing an Instagram photo of daughter Frankie kissing her baby bump, the 39-year-old wrote in the caption: '16 weeks pregnant'.

'My baby kissing my baby,' Lindy captioned the photo, tagging her fiance Ada.

The brand ambassador also added the hash tags: '16 weeks pregnant', 'Beyond excited', and 'Family of six'.

In her 'announcement photo', Lindy stands in her walk-in wardrobe, with her growing bump on display in a striped bikini and white robe.

Lindy's daughter Frankie, who is dressed in a cute pink ensemble, plants a kiss on her mother's belly.

Lindy and Adam started dating in March last year, just a month after she and Michael announced they were separating after 10 years of marriage.

Lindy previously told Daily Mail Australia that she did not predict falling back in love so soon after her high-profile split.

'It's completely not what I expected, to fall back into another relationship, but he's so lovely,' she said cheerfully. It's about time I got on with my life.'

Lindy and Michael share three children together - 11-year-old Stella, Rocco, nine, and Frankie, six.

Lindy hinted that her and Michael's split was far from amicable in an interview with The Sun-Hearld back in May.

Part of the family: Desiree often shares pictures of her spending time with Michael's children on her Instagram page

She told the publication at the time she was keen to finalise the divorce so she can 'move on' and marry her fiance Adam.

On the subject of divorce proceedings, she explained: 'Hopefully (a resolution) will all happen soon. I am ready for that to be over.

'It's not a good thing to go through. We are just getting through it,' she continued.

With relations between the former couple becoming strained, Lindy said of their very public break-up: 'It is what it is. It is very difficult.'

Meanwhile, in a very candid interview with Harper's Bazaar, she recently said: 'I've learnt to be a much stronger person. I'm not a pushover anymore.

'A divorce is a really stressful and overwhelming thing - you can't pretend it's OK. It just doesn't work for everybody.'

Moving on: As Lindy moves on with Adam, Michael has welcomed his new girlfriend in his life

Lindy explained she has become far more independent since the split.

The model also alleged she used to ask her ex-husband if she wanted to buy things during their marriage.

'I used to get away with preferring not to know things. I was like, "I don't want to know about that, it's too hard", or, "I have to ask my husband if I can buy that item". I don't want to be that person,' she added.
A movie about a young womans struggle with anorexia has been slammed by charities for glamorising the condition.

They warn that Netflixs To The Bone, starring Lily Collins, who lost a large amount of weight for the role, could lead to copycat behaviour among impressionable teens.

Critics say Miss Collins, 28, looks alarmingly frail and skeletal in the film, which will be released on the streaming service on Friday.

Backlash: Critics are bashing upcoming movie To The Bone, starring Lily Collins (pictured), for its depiction of anorexia

Help: Things in the movie's trailer take a dark turn when Lily's character faints and lands herself in residential treatment, under the watchful eye of a straight-talking doctor (Keanu Reeves)

The trailer can be seen on YouTube and Netflix and has so far been watched by more than 2.2million

And there are fears her appearance could cause a new wave of cases, after pro-anorexia websites labelled the actress a thinspiration when its trailer was released online.

The trailer can be seen on YouTube and Netflix and has so far been watched by more than 2.2million. The film could also be watched by small children if parental controls are not put in place.

Some sufferers say the portrayal of her character, Ellen, as beautiful, cool and well-dressed, could make eating disorders seem appealing.

Esther Osborne, 35, who suffered from anorexia for over 20 years, said: I am troubled by this film. Will it help raise awareness and get people talking in a healthy way about anorexia or will it inadvertently glamorise it and create an unhealthy, possibly even dangerous new set of side effects?

Struggles: Lily has been outspoken about her own struggles with anorexia in the past. Filming the movie required her to lose a significant amount of weight

American charity Project Heal, which advised on the film, said: This film may have the potential to negatively affect those who are struggling with eating disorders. We recommend carefully evaluating where you are in recovery before deciding to view this film.

Both Miss Collins, who is the daughter of musician Phil Collins, and the films director, Marti Noxon, have had eating disorders.

Miss Collins said recently: This movie has the potential to... start conversations and take the taboo out of something that is so prevalent.
They were spending time sunning themselves on the beach in Ischia earlier in the day.

Therefore, IT-girls Lady Victoria Hervey and Hofit Golan were proud to show off their Italian glow on Sunday night, as they bagged a ticket to Ischia Global Film & Music fest.

Proving to be keen film buffs, the blonde bombshells turned up the glamour for a night celebrating the opening weekend of the annual film festival in Italy.

Socialites: Hofit Golan (left) and Lady Victoria Hervey (right) put in very glamorous appearances on the opening weekend of Ischia Global Film & Music festival on Sunday

Looking regal, Lady Victoria dressed in a royal blue minidress with a satin sheen and silver embroidery.

She wore the thigh-skimming skater style number with flat, gladiator sandals by Mara and Mine; relying on her natural height.

Hofit complemented her colour scheme in a deep purple gown that featured something of a Grecian, one-shoulder design.

Regal: The star wore royal blue in a satin minidress that featured silver embroidery

Glamorous: She needed no heel height for her lean figure and wore flat shoes instead

Good friends: The duo also made their appearances known at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year

Designer Jean Paul Gaultier, with whom the women shared their glamorous evening, hosted the Opening Exhibition Costumes even on Sunday night at the festival.

The annual Ischia Global Film & Music festival kicked off on Saturday with a special screening of the 1987 Brian De Palma film, The Untouchables.

Stars expected to join later this week, include Lily Collins, while Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino is expected to be honoured.

With the main man: Lady Victoria posed with designer Jean Paul Gaultier

Part of the film set: The duo also posed with Canadian director, screenwriter, and producer Paul Haggis

Glamorous: Pictured inside one of the beautiful venues, Hofit looked exquisite

Lily's new Netflix drama To The Bone will have its European festival premiere and Ted Sarandos along with Alex Sharp are expected to make appearances.

Clearly displaying a keen interest in film, Hofit and Lady Victoria were also among the guests at this year's Cannes Film Festival in France.

Those fortunate enough to attend at Italy's opening weekend, this weekend, included Sting's wife Trudie Styler.

Also in attendance: Sting's wife Trudie Styler looked typically well turned out

Ageless: She looked radiant with simple make-up and a broad smile

Posing up a storm: Italian model Pasqualina Sanna looked gorgeous in monochrome

Brains and beauty: Actress Blanca Blanco was gorgeous in striking red

Ready for the ball: Actress and former model Antonella Salvucci wore a stunning gown

Bold: Bobby Paunescu's wife Alice wore a yellow dress and contrasting headscarf
Blac Chyna was snapped meeting with her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, at her Los Angeles home Sunday to film a segment for GMA.

The duo were interviewed by correspondent Linsey Davis and discussed Chyna's ex Rob Kardashian's revenge porn attack earlier this week, which she confessed left her 'devastated'.

A report by Page Six on Sunday revealed key parts of the interview - which airs on Monday - and quotes Chyna telling Davis: 'I was devastated, of course. Im like, how could somebody, like, post these pictures of me? And Im like "Wow, okay".

Blac Chyna has spoken to GMA about the revenge porn attack from ex Rob Kardashian saying she's 'devastated' that he posted intimate photos of her

Reassuring: Chyna, 29, hugged her attorney Lisa Bloom, 55, on Sunday as the pair met up at the salon owner's LA home to do the inter view

'This is a person that I trusted. I confided. I felt comfortable, you know, with even sending these pictures and even talking to him about certain things, you know,' she added.

Chyna also talks about what initially attracted her to Rob, who was reclusive at the time they started dating.

She told Davis that she liked how sweet he was and that she thought he just needed a friend that didn't 'ask questions or judge'.

Firebrand: Bloom has made clear she's waging legal war against revenge porn and that they will be filing a restraining order against Kardashian

'And I was just always there for him. And thats what kinda, like, attracted me. We just had good times together.' she said.

The meeting came two days after it was revealed the 29-year-old salon owner will be filing for a restraining order against her ex, claiming the reality star had put his hands on and cyber-bullied her in their time together.

Chyna, whose real name is Angela Renee White, wore her blonde locks down and had on a black pantsuit for her meeting with the legal eagle, who boasts other celebrity clients such as Mischa Barton and Kathy Griffin.

'This is a person that I trusted. I confided. I felt comfortable': Page Six published some of Chyna's quotes from the interview on Sunday ahead of its airing on Monday

The Washington D.C. native, who shares an eight-month-old baby daughter named Dream with the 30-year-old sock designer, looked to be in good spirits as she smiled while chatting with her counsel in the front yard of her Southern California home.

Chyna's working relationship with Bloom comes just days after she was at the center of a social media attack from Rob.

Rob took to social media on Wednesday firing off a number of shots at his ex, posting nude pics of her and calling into question her faithfulness - she cheated on him with '8 dudes in less than a month,' he claimed - as well her honesty, sobriety and abilities as a parent.

Relaxed: Chyna looked cool and carefree as she embraced her attorney after a difficult series of days

Helpful: Upon joining Chyna's team, Bloom publicly warned Kardashian about the legal consequences of posting more naked images of his ex

Even when his Instagram account was shut down amid the brouhaha, Rob took his vitriol for his child's mother to Twitter, continuing his diatribe.

The mother-of-two, who also has a four-year-old son named King Cairo with rapper Tyga, responded in saying that Rob had 'beat [her] up and [acted like] it never [happened].'

Bloom made her presence known Friday in issuing a statement that announced the restraining order filing, in addition to giving Rob a preview of Chyna's legal complaints against him.

Bloom wrote, 'Mr. Kardashian, you are now on notice: revenge porn is illegal,' adding, 'Cyberbullying your ex is harassment.'

Mover and shaker: Bloom has been involved in a number of high-profile cases with celebs, including Mischa Barton and Kathy Griffin

Reassurance: Bloom is slated to return to court in LA this week to follow up on Chyna's request for a restraining order

Bloom went on to say that Chyna, who ended their fling months back, has every right to live as she chooses, and their high-profile legal move is in response to 'an important women's rights issue, as too many women and girls have been slut-shamed by exes.'

She added, 'Your attempts to shame and control her are hereby rejected.'

Bloom said her next stop will be Monday at Los Angeles Superior Court, to pursue further legal remedies to ensure Rob acts 'like a grownup toward the mother of his baby.'

Chyna and Rob started dating early 2016 and were engaged and expecting their first child by that spring.

After months of being on and off they split in February this year but still put on an amicable display on social media over the following months, sparking rumors of reconciliation.

On July 2, days before Rob's social media tirade, Chyna declared herself single and happy.
It's the reality show with the unusual capacity for every one of the contestants to walk away with a massive pay day - with contestants keeping their auction profits and the winners grabbing a $100,000 prize as well.

Once the hammer fell and the cameras stopped rolling, what did the much-watched renovators from twelve seasons of The Block do with their earnings?

Now the show's champions who have made a total of $4,512,000 on The Block between them have revealed how they spent their winnings.

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Well earned break: Dea and Darren spent their $935,000 winnings on a holiday with their daughters and a beach house in Sorrento, Victoria, which they are renovating

Dea and Darren - $945,000

Speaking to Woman's Day, fan favourites Dea and Darren Jolly said they treated their daughters to a holiday of their choice after working on two back-to-back seasons - Glasshouse in 2014 and Triple Threat in 2015.

The pair won $935,000 as champions of the 2015 season after a disappointing $10,000 return from their 2014 appearance.

'We went to Disneyland and Hawaii, and while we were away, we settled on a property we intended to flip on our return,' Dea said.

The couple bought a property in Sorrento, Victoria, which they plan to renovate and turn into a family beach house, and list on Airbnb and Stayz.

Steve and Chantelle - $736,000

Going their own way: Although Steve O'Donnell and Chantelle Ford, split up 14 months after the show, they made $736,000. He bought an apartment in St Kilda, Melbourne, while Chantelle used her share to start up Ford Millinery, designing her own line of headpieces

Although Steve O'Donnell and Chantelle Ford split up 14 months after the show, the super fans made $736,000 on the Fans vs Faves season in 2014.

Chantelle went on to start up her business Ford Millinery, designing her own line of headpieces and hats.

Meanwhile Steve, who has forged a career in comedy, used his share to buy an apartment in St Kilda, Melbourne and a dog named Milly.

Karlie and Will - $815,000

Spending wisley: High school sweethearts Karlie Cicero and Will Bethune, from the 2016 season, have spent some of their $815,000 on a lavish Byron Bay wedding and New Zealand honeymoon

As winners of the 2016 series of The Block, high school sweethearts Karlie Cicero and Will Bethune secured a profit of $715,000 plus the $100,000 first prize.

Speaking to The Fix at the time of their win, Karlie said 'we want to be smart with it and not blow it all, but we also want to have fun with it as well.'

The pair have spent some of their $815,000 on a lavish Byron Bay wedding and New Zealand honeymoon.

Amity and Phil - $455,000

Making dreams coming true: Amity Dry and Phil Rankine spent their $395,000 winnings on a trip to New York to watch her first musical Mother, Wife And The Complicated Life brought to life. They used the rest to buy land to build their dream home

Amity Dry and Phil Rankine were the newlyweds from the very first 2003 season who returned ten years later for the 2013 The Block All Stars.

Having taken home $60,000 in season one, they secured a profit of $295,000 to win the All Stars competition and nab the extra $100,000 purse.

After their second season, the couple used some of their $395,000 winnings to take a trip to New York to watch her first musical Mother, Wife And The Complicated Life brought to life at a musical theatre festival.

'We used the rest to buy a block and build our dream house. The money was life-changing and we were very grateful for it!' Amity added.

Alisa and Lysandra - $1,011,000

Property flippers: Twins Alisa and Lysandra Fraser used their $395,000 prize money to buy a Victorian terrace home in Albert Park, Melbourne, which they intended to flip

Twins Alisa and Lysandra Fraser appeared in the Sky High season of The Block and then returned for Fans vs Faves.

As winners of Sky High they netted $395,000 and then collected a whopping $616,000 for their time on Fans vs Faves.

The twins used their prize money to buy a Victorian terrace home in Albert Park, Melbourne, which they intended to flip.

They also used their winnings to start up their own design business called Alisa & Lysandra Interiors.

Shannon and Simon - $435,000

Investing well: Brothers Shannon and Simon Vos made $435,000 on the 2014 Glasshouse season of the renovation show. They treated their brother Moz a surfing trip to Indonesia and bought themselves homes and surfboards

The Vos brothers, Shannon and Simon made $435,000 as winners of the 2014 Glasshouse season of the renovation show.

After taking home their reality crown the grateful pair treated their builder Moz to a surfing trip to Indonesia.

Simon told Woman's Day that 'apart from that, we have both bought homes, plenty of surfboards and taken a few sneaky trips overseas.'

Polly and Waz - $115,000

Back in 2011, Polly and Waz were the only pair to sell their property at auction - for a mere $15,000 profit that was bolstered by the $100,000 winners purse.

Polly and Waz used some of their $115,000 winnings on a three week Thailand holiday and put most towards their mortgage.

Despite their comparatively small return, the pair have said they would be keen to return to The Block again.

Tropical getaway: Polly and Waz, who won $115,000, used some of their money on a three week Thailand holiday and put most towards their mortgage




Ashton Kutcher has spoken out on Twitter after a tabloid magazine suggested her might be cheating on his wife Mila Kunis.

Star published photos of the actor with 'a stunning brunette' arriving in a car to board a private jet in LA on June 26.

'Hey, Ashton! Who's the girl?' the gossip mag crowed.

On Sunday Kutcher tweeted out a photo of the story along with his response: 'You should have hear how upset Mila was that I spent the day with our cousin. Sorry aunt Jodie these magazines lack integrity.'

Wrong: Ashton Kutcher posted this tweet Sunday and shamed Star magazine for publishing a story suggesting he was stepping out on wife Mila Kunis with a 'stunning brunette'

Kutcher, 39, married his former That 70s Show co-star in 2015.

He was previously married to Hollywood star Demi Moore from 2005 to 2013.

He and Mila, 33, share two children: daughter Wyatt, two, and son Dimitri, seven months.

Devoted family man: Kutcher, 37, wed Kunis, 33, in 2015 and they share two children, daughter Wyatt, two, and son Dimitri, seven months. They're pictured in March

In an interview to promote his Netflix comedy series The Ranch last month, Kutcher spoke about his romance with Kunis.

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show , he recalled how the two of them had known each other for years and had even shared an on-screen kiss when he was 19 and she was 14.

'I think I was her first kissshe has a journal, like a diary when she was kid and wrote, 'This guy's hot.' She thought I was cute,' the actor and Punk'd creator told Stern.

'I think, at first, she thought I was good-looking. And shortly thereafter, I was just annoying to her because I was like a big brother.'

They reconnected in 2012 after his separation from Moore.

'She's like, 'You're not ready to be in a relationship' and I'm like, 'I'm not ready to be a in a relationship,'' he explained. But they still hoked up.

Kutcher added: 'I think it was pretty mutual  it was kind of obvious that things were happening.'
They welcomed their daughter Lea de Seine in March.

And four months later, Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper were snapped together during their holiday in Tahiti.

Bradley, 42, loving placed his hand on Irina's leg as she puckered up for the picture.

Loved up: Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper were snapped together during their holiday in Tahiti; pictured with Allison Williams and her husband Ricky Van Veen; Anderson Cooper and his partner Benjamin Maisani

The new parents posed alongside Allison Williams and her husband Ricky Van Veen and Anderson Cooper and his partner Benjamin Maisani.

Also on hand was designer Diane von Furstenberg, who took the snap and put it on her social media.

Andy Cohen also joined the group for their tropical holiday.

Irina, 31, rocked a black sports-bra style bikini top, which revealed a hint of her cleavage as well as her flat stomach.

Wow: Days earlier, Diane posted a picture of Irina as she wore a DVF dress; the brunette beauty

Best buds: Andy Cohen and buddy Anderson Cooper (above) were also on the trip

Hanging around: The friends traveled to Tahiti just before July 4, with Cooper bringing his boyfriend

The Russian-born model leaned onto Bradley as she blew a kiss to the camera; she chose to flaunt her natural beauty by going makeup free.

Bradley showed off his muscled physique in a ripped shirt with navy shorts; the actor beamed in the picture.

Days earlier, Diane posted a picture of Irina as she wore a DVF dress; the brunette beauty stunned in the blue, pink, orange and black frock.

The new parents were on holiday with Diane von Furstenberg, Allison Williams, her husband Ricky Van Veen, Andy Cohen, and Anderson Cooper and his partner Benjamin Maisani

Looking good: Andy Cohen and Diane von Furstenberg pictured in Tahiti

Views: Irina snapped a pictured of her legs as she enjoyed a bath on holiday

Irina shared several snaps to her Instagram while in Tahiti.

The new mom showed off her incredibly flawless skin and her full pout in a selfie in the sand.

Several days before her trip, Irina showed off her post baby body; she showed off her flat stomach while sporting an all black ensemble.

Irina and Bradley began dating in 2015; they welcomed their first child together, Lea, in late March.

Breathtaking: Irina shared several snaps to her Instagram while in Tahiti

Model style: Several days before her trip, Irina showed off her post baby body; the Instagram photo showed her flat stomach as she sports an all black ensemble
He's the veteran actor best known for his role on as Tom Croydon on Australian police drama, Blue Heelers.

And on Monday, John Wood revealed that he's had to slow down on the acting front due to a deliberating autoimmune disorder.

Speaking to New Idea, the 70-year-old actor revealed he was suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

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Carrying on: On Monday, John Wood revealed that he's had to slow down on the acting front due to a deliberating autoimmune disorder

'The problem I have is that I can't do anything terribly active,' he said.

'I can't bend easily and I can't touch my toes very well and stuff like that, so it's a bit hazardous for a working actor to be not so agile.'

Calling his arthritis more of a 'pest' than anything else, the actor said he had no plans of retiring.

Taking it slow: 'The problem I have is that I can't do anything terribly active'

Earlier this month, the Gold Logie winner appeared on Hamish and Andy's True Story series.

Whilst on the show, he called out the current television industry for 'dropping the ball' and using 'cheap reality stuff' instead of developing more scripted series.

Speaking to News Corp John said he saw the decision as reflective of the industry's 'pretty poor state' overall.

Not a fan: The actor recently called out the current television industry for 'dropping the ball' and using 'cheap reality stuff' instead of developing more scripted series

'Ive never seen five minutes of Big Brother. Ive never watched My Kitchen Rules or The Block or any of those things. It doesnt interest me,' he said.

Currently residing with in rural Victoria with his wife Leslie of 46 years, the writer is gearing up for his stage performance with former Blue Heelers co-star and close friend Julie Nihill.

The show called Baskersfield Mist will show at different locations around the country.
It is one of the biggest action movie franchises.

And Tom Cruise has wrapped up filming Mission: Impossible 6 in Queenstown, New Zealand.

The 55-year-old actor, who plays the iconic role of the IMF agent, Ethan Hunt, took to his Twitter to thank the country for their hospitality.

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'Kia Ora!' Tom Cruise has wrapped up filming Mission: Impossible 6 in Queenstown and thanked the people of New Zealand for their hospitality. He also post a snap of the M:I 6 cast

He wrote: 'Thank you to the amazing people of New Zealand! I've had a great time filming the next Mission: Impossible here.'

Tom also shared a cast snap featuring his co-stars Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson and Ving Rhames, who will be reprising their roles as Ilsa Faust, Luther Stickell and Benji Dunn, respectively.

Meanwhile the film's director Christopher McQuarrie also took to his Twitter, saying: 'Kia Ora, New Zealand. Thanks to everyone there who helped us achieve the Impossible.'

On location: The film's director Christopher McQuarrie also took to his Twitter, saying: 'Kia Ora, New Zealand. Thanks to everyone there who helped us achieve the Impossible'

Filming: So far the cast has filmed scenes in London, as well as a car chase sequence in Paris, which Tom likely did his own stunts for (Tom pictured on set in Paris)

'Leave a light on, London. We're coming home. #MI6,' he continued.

So far the cast has filmed scenes in London, as well as a car chase sequence in Paris, which Tom likely did his own stunts for.

The cast and crew are heading back to the British capital to complete filming.

In addition to Mission: Impossible 6, Tom is currently in pre-production for to film the highly anticipated follow up to the 80s classic Top Gun: Maverick.

Back for more: Tom also shared a cast snap with his co-stars Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson (pictured) and Ving Rhames, who will be reprising their roles as Ilsa Faust, Luther Stickell and Benji Dunn, respectively

He said in an interview with Access Hollywood, the sequel will be very much in the same vein as its predecessor: 'It's going to be a competition film, like the first one.'

'I'm very excited, I have to say, it is a great challenge, he said about filming the Top Gun installment.

Mission: Impossible 6 is set for release on July 27, 2018.
She's expecting her second child with her AFL star partner, Shaun Hampson.

And on Sunday, pregnant model Megan Gale showed off her baby bump on the cover of Stellar magazine.

The 41-year-old, who is seven months along, looked radiant dressed in a cream slip dress and wool coat, one arm strategically placed along her front to accentuate her tummy.

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Simply radiant! Pregnant Megan Gale glows as she shows off her baby bump in stunning magazine shoot

Standing on the cliffs of Kerikeri on New Zealands North Island for the cover image, the brunette kept her loose, windswept hair away from her face with her hand.

Opting for a fresh faced look, the model wore a simple nude lip and winged black eyeliner for the shoot.

The cover accompanies one of the star's most candid interviews to date, in which she discusses the diva label that plagued her after her 2010 breakup with comedian Andy Lee.

She also revealed how she had to keep her relationship with AFL star Shaun Hampson, now 29, under wraps during their early days of dating.

Glowing and gorgeous: Last month, Megan treated fans to a shot of her her growing bump in underwear and a singlet with a selfie she posted to Instagram

Celebrating six years as a couple, Shaun and Megan have now formed a family together.

The genetically blessed couple share three-year-old son River and their second child is due in September.

Megan and Shaun's latest baby joy came after she experienced a devastating miscarriage in May last year when she was eight weeks pregnant.

Sibling love: Megan recently posted a black and white shot of her toddler River kissing her tummy

The Australian model took to her Instagram account to announce she was pregnant again in April.

Posting a picture of a literal "bun in the oven", she captioned the image: 'Well would you look at that. There's a bun in my oven. Not quite ready to take it out just yet. Should be fully baked come Spring time [sic]."

Last month, Megan treated fans to a shot of her growing bump in underwear and a singlet with a selfie.

Hush hush: In an interview accompanying her photo shoot,. Megan revealed how she had to keep her relationship with AFL star Shaun Hampson, now 29, under wraps during their early days of dating

In the post, she revealed how her second pregnancy was going, saying she's 'starting to feel the preggo pinch of late.'

On Monday she posted another, this time black and white shot, of her toddler kissing her tummy.

Gale begins six months of maternity leave in August. Until then, she will stay busy with roles including Tourism New Zealands official ambassador in Australia.
She's the former Biggest Loser host who is also a keen fitness fanatic.

And Fiona Falkiner was certainly enthusiastic about taking part in her first fun run over the weekend.

The blonde beauty fired the starting gun at the Sydney Harbour 10k & 5k run on Sunday, before competing in the event herself.

All fired up! Fiona Falkiner fired the start gun at the Sydney Harbour 10km fun run over the weekend before competing in the event herself

After she was finished with the formalities for the race, Fiona whipped off her denim jacket and took to the course.

Looking determined, she was seen listening to music through earphones as she ran alongside other competitors.

The model showed off her stunning curves in a pair of tight black leggings and a tank top.

Getting sweaty: Looking determined, she was seen listening to music through earphones as she ran alongside other competitors

Having a ball: Fiona was clearly enthusiastic about taking part in her first fun run over the weekend

Gorgeous: The model showed off her stunning curves in a pair of tight black leggings and a tank top

Peace out: Fiona gave the cameras a smile and flashed the peace sign as she ran the course

At the beginning of the day, she showcased her sleek new fringed hairdo before tying it up as she got sweaty.

Makeup free she also revealed her flawless complexion.

The Real Insurance Sydney Harbour 10km flat and fast course attracted some Australia's top-class athletes, including Ben St Lawrence, Brad Milosevic, Bryce Anderson and Cassie Fien.

Getting limber: The fitness enthusiast made sure to do some all important stretches before getting stuck into the run

New do: At the beginning of the day, she showcased her sleek new fringed hairdo before tying it up as she got sweaty

Fiona took part in the 10k race, and the overall event was won by Kevin Batt and Cassie Fien.

Meanwhile, Fiona recently wrapped up hosting duties on The Biggest Loser: Transformed, which did not receive positive reviews and ratings

Ten program chief Beverley McGarvey said: 'We're disappointed. It really hasn't resonated with audiences the way we had hoped.'

'We hoped it would do a lot better but it simply hasn't. We think we've given it as long as we possibly can,' she said.

Despite the poor figures, Fiona committed to the role and afterwards treated herself to a South American adventure with friends.

Having a laugh: Fiona had a laugh with race organisers before proceedings went ahead

Stick em' up: The blonde beauty was making sure her starting gun was in a safe position
Even sex scenes between glamorous Hollywood stars can be awkward - just ask Judy Greer.

The 41-year-old actress on Wednesday dished to People magazine about such an encounter on the set of her movie Wilson, with Tinseltown mainstay Woody Harrelson.

The Detroit native told the publication she mentally prepared herself for an enthusiastic performance prior to rehearing a sex scene for the film - the problem was, her performance came out too enthusiastic.

Cut! Actress Judy Greer, 41, (L) told People on the set of her movie Wilson with Woody Harrelson, 55. The two were seen in this shot from the film, which was released in March

Greer said she told herself, 'Im not gonna be shy, Im not gonna be ashamed, Im gonna really do my full performance here for this rehearsal so everyone knows what Im gonna do.'

But apparently things got a bit too hot when Greer rehearsed the scene, as Craig Johnson, the director, delicately explained to the actress that her character Shelly wasn't supposed to be that over-the-top.

The 5ft10 beauty said Johnson told her, 'I dont think shes that into it,' at which point she realized she might have overacted a tad.

Oops! Greer said that after the rehersal, she was too embarrassed to even confront Harrelson

'And I was like, "Oh my gosh, never again. Im so embarrassed. Im so mortified,"' Greer recalled.

The actress, who's also been in films such as Lemon, All We Had and Jurassic World, said it was too awkward to talk to Harrelson about the rehearsal. She added, 'I was trying to pretend like it never happened.'

The movie, which also starred Laura Dern and Cheryl Hines, hit theaters earlier this spring, taking in $653,951, according to BoxOfficeMojo.
She played Phoenix in the X-Men films.

And Famke Janssen proved she still has a superheroine physique in her fifties as she went for a stroll in a mini dress after getting pumped at a gym in New York on Sunday.

The beauty's dedication to exercise certainly seems to be paying off if her fabulous form following her sweaty session is any guide.

Shanks for the memories: Famke Janssen showcased her stunning stalks as she left a gym in New York on Sunday

The lithe 51-year-old Dutch filly took great delight in showcasing her stunning stalks, which looked impressively toned, thanks to her pleasingly high hemline.

It was the most impressive feature of a chic number that boasted appealing black and white stripes.

Meanwhile canny Famke has admitted she would be more than happy to play Phoenix again on screen, conceding it has been quite the money-spinner.

She said: 'Jean Grey is a part of me. I would definitely come back to play her whenever they ask me.

Natural beauty: The Dutch actress was wearing virtually no makeup after her session

Earning her stripes: The Dutch filly was in fine form as she trotted along in her flattering dress

Rearly impressive: Famke was looking great from almost every angle

'It's the gift that keeps on, kept on giving.

'I think we're done, but it was really great while it lasted and it lasted for a long time.

Famke appeared in all three of the original X-Men films, and was killed off in the third, 2006's The Last Stand.

However she returned to the role for cameos in 2013's The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past the following year.

Literally stopping traffic: The cunning beauty used a crosswalk as she made her way to the other side of the road
She's the Australian model who has appeared in magazines and on runways all over the world.

And on Monday, Ashley Hart was enjoying a well-deserved holiday in Mykonos, Greece, sharing several Instagram photos from her trip.

Stunning in a skimpy purple bikini, the 27-year-old glamazon showcased her impressively toned figure.

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Wish you were here? On Monday, Australian model Ashley Hart was enjoying a well-deserved holiday in Mykonos, Greece, sharing several Instagram photos from her trip

'I don't even know what to caption here....#Mykonos @kasiaz_ @kazjames Happy Birthday you legends!!! #10yearreunion,' she wrote.

Posing in front of picturesque blue water without a cloud in sight, Ashley channeled her inner girl power, proudly holding up her friend's arm.

Covering up her tiny two-piece, Ashley effortlessly threw a $700 Camilla With Love kaftan across her slender shoulders.

Model behaviour! In another Instagram holiday snap, the stunner was pictured solo while showcasing her slim frame in the same bikini

The tanned beauty styled her blonde hair loosely. and accessorised with delicate gold necklaces and aviator sunglasses.

In another Instagram holiday snap, the stunner was pictured solo while showcasing her slim frame in the same bikini.

Holding her hair back, Ashley posed while looking up at the blue sky with her long, toned legs stealing the spotlight.

Sister act! The Australian beauty was also joined by her older sister and former Victoria's Secret model, Jessica Hart

The Australian beauty was also joined by her older sister and former Victoria's Secret model, Jessica Hart.

Lounging around by the pool, the genetically-blessed siblings sizzled in the candid photo while surrounded by friends.

Jessica, who set off for the European adventure yesterday, took to her Instagram Story to share her excitement.

Moving on? Jessica, who set off for European yesterday, took to her Instagram Story to share her excitement. it comes after she reportedly split from billionaire beau Stavros Niarchos lll

Before take-off, Jessica shared a photo of an Australian and US passport along with two boarding passes.

Earlier that day, it was reported that Jessica and her billionaire partner Stavros Niarchos lll had split.

Meanwhile, her second boarding pass pictured appeared to belong to oil heir and party boy, Brandon Davis.
Jennie Garth is setting the record straight about her supposed 'feud' with Beverly Hills, 90210 costar Tiffani Thiessen.

The 45-year-old star explained how a tongue-tied moment got taken way out of context while talking with Us Weekly on Sunday.

While appearing on RuPaul's Drag Race, it seemed like the Dancing With The Stars alum and 90210 castmate Tori Spelling threw shade at Thiessen by referring to her as 'That which we don't speak of.'

Garth clarified, telling Us the clip came from 'a really weird editing situation' and that she was in no way poking fun at the White Collar starlet.

Not what I said! Jennie Garth (left) is setting the record straight about her supposed 'feud' with Beverly Hills, 90210 costar Tiffani Thiessen (right), explaining that a tongue-tied moment on RuPaul's Drag Race got misinterpreted as a rude comment about her former castmate

In early May, Jennie appeared on Drag Race besides costar and close pal Tori Spelling, where the pair judged a challenge dubbed '9021-Ho.'

During the contest, the Illinois native got tongue-tied when talking about a contestant dressed like Theissen's conniving Beverly Hills character Valerie.

'As Ti --, how do you say it?' Garth blurted, appearing to stumble over Tiffani's name.

Speak no evil! Rumors of a renewed feud between the 90210 castmates emerged after Jennie and Tori Spelling appeared to call Tiffani 'That which we don't speak of' during a 90210 themed episode of RuPaul's Drag Race. Above Tiffani and Jennie are seen in 1995 together

Tori then appears to chime in saying, 'Just say, "That which we don't speak of,"' which was quickly mistaken for a dig at the Saved By The Bell beauty.

While Garth seemed to grimace at the mere mention of Tiffani in the clip, she called the moment 'a really weird editing situation' and revealed she was actually trying to refer to the queen - who she said had a particularly difficult drag name.

Jennie 'swore to God' that she wasn't throwing shade at her former costar in the clip.

I swear! During her Us interview Jennie 'swore' she was referring to the queen who was playing Tiffani's character Valerie and that 'really weird editing' made it look like she was being rude to her former castmate while appearing on RuPaul's Drag Race in May (above)

They're still friends! Jennie said she watched the episode with fellow guest judge and pal Tori Spelling who was also confused by how 'different' their comments came across after editing. The former costars and IRL friends are seen June 2017 above

'Tori and I watched it and we were like, "What?" [at the clips editing.]

'...I swear to God I was referring to the queen that was playing the character of Valerie and she had a really fancy name like Doolarey.

'I couldnt remember [the Drag Queen's name] and it looked different than it came across.'

The mother-of-three told Us she and Tiffani are still on good terms and that the pair actually crossed paths not to long ago, which Jennie called 'great.'

Grown apart: While Jennie said she and Tiffani were on good terms, Thiessen publicly said the pair had 'a falling out' which really 'hurt' the starlet

Though Garth seemed to be looking on the bright side, Thiessen has been open about the pair's past friction.

Speaking to Howard Stern in 2015 on his radio show, Tiffani said 'We had a falling out and we grew apart,' explaining 'I was the one who was hurt, let's just say that. I was the one who was hurt.'

Tiffani joined Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1994 in its fifth season while Jennie starred as Kelly Taylor from the show's inception.
He's been spending time in New Zealand filming the latest installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise.

But before departing the country on Monday, Tom Cruise made a visit to the multi-million dollar Scientology headquarters in Auckland.

The 55-year-old actor, who is a devout follower of the controversial religion, appeared in awe at the super-structure, which was opened in January.

Cruise-ing by! Tom Cruise was seen checking out the recently-opened $16 million Scientology Headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand on Monday before he flew out of the country

Tom was dressed up for the occasion, wearing a dark suit paired with a white collared shirt.

However, the father-of-three still managed to look Hollywood cool, leaving the top of his shirt unbuttoned and adding a pair of stylish shades.

At one point, the Top Gun star flashed his megawatt smile as he greeted church members inside the facility's foyer.

In awe: The devout Scientologist beamed as he toured the outside of the building

Animated: Tom was spotted pointing at outside details of the headquarters, which opened in January after an extensive refurbishment

Clearly happy to be in the presence of fellow Scientologists, Tom was seen shaking hands with a church member, behind a sign that read: 'Take Your Free Personality Test Here'.

While touring the outside of the heritage-listed building, located in the suburb of Grafton, the Oscar-nominated actor was flanked by two men and a woman.

One of the men was seen brandishing a large camera, however it was unclear whether Tom's acquaintances were members of his security detail or church officials.

Posse: While touring the surrounds of the building, the Oscar-nominated actor was flanked by two men and a woman.

Smile! One of the Tom's acquaintances was seen brandishing a large camera

Happy to be there: The Top Gun star flashed his megawatt smile during the visit

According to the New Zealand Herald, volunteers at the Scientology centre wear 'black waistcoats and pressed collared shirts', outfits similar to those that Tom's companions were seen wearing.

The Risky Business star seemed clearly impressed with the headquarters, often looking up and pointing at parts of the building - which was first constructed in 1844.

It was previously reported that Scientologists bought the site for $10 million in 2007, before it underwent an extensive $6 million upgrade.

Welcome! Tom was given a warm reception as he entered the foyer of the lavish building

VIP visit: Tom has been in New Zealand filming Mission: Impossible 6 and was seen at the centre on his final day in the country

Nice to meet you: Tom looked Hollywood cool in stylish sunglasses and a shirt that was left unbuttoned at the top

New Zealand website Newshub has also priced the headquarters at $16 million.

According to the Herald, the headquarters now feature a sauna and a 'Purification Centre', designed to rid 'toxins, pesticides and drugs lodged in the fatty tissues of the body'.

A Church of Scientology spokesperson told the newspaper that such toxins may block spiritual progress.

Following the visit, Tom was whisked away in a silver BMW four-wheel drive, and was later spotted boarding a private jet.

Fancy features: The headquarters now features a sauna and a 'Purification Centre'

Looking up: Tom appeared close to his minders as he inspected the facility

Whisked away: Later, Tom was seen emerging from a BMW as he boarded a private plane out of New Zealand

The star flew out of New Zealand on the same day, after wrapping Mission: Impossible 6.

Taking to Twitter after his visit to the Auckland Scientology headquarters, Tom wrote: 'Thank you to the amazing people of New Zealand! I've had a great time filming the next Mission: Impossible here.'

It's not the first visit to a Scientology centre in the Asia-Pacific that Tom has enjoyed in recent months.

In May, he was in Sydney for the premiere of The Mummy, where he paid a visit to Scientology's new Australasian headquarters, located in the suburb of Chatswood.

Lavish: The New Zealand Herald reports that Scientologists bought the site for $10 million in 2007, before it underwent a $6 million upgrade

'Thank you to the amazing people of New Zealand': Tom Cruise posted a tweet before he departed the country on a private jet
They've had their ups and downs since first being romantically linked in 2009.

But on Sunday, Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus looked more loved-up than ever, with the Hunger Games star taking to social media to gush about his pop star fiancee.

Posting to his Instagram account, 27-year-old Liam shared a black and white image of the celebrity couple.

'My little angel and I': Liam Hemsworth (left) wasn't shy about his love for fiancee Miley Cyrus (right) as he shared a photo of the celebrity couple on Instagram on Sunday

The Australian-born actor wrote alongside the photo: 'My little angel and I.'

The pair seemed to be enjoying a relaxing moment on the couch together as they casually smiled for the selfie.

The younger brother of Chris Hemsworth looked handsome in a simple white Carhartt T-shirt and sunglasses.

Miley, 24, cut a casual figure, opting for a comfortable-looking top while tying her hair back in a ponytail.

Flex appeal! Liam also showed off his ripped physique in several shirtless snaps that day

How's the serenity? The Hunger Games actor also went shirtless as he posed for a photo in an outdoor tub wearing a pair of black board shorts

It seems his love for Miley wasn't the only thing Liam wanted to show off over the weekend.

He also posted several shirtless Instagram photos of himself while flaunting his washboard abs.

In one snap, Liam looked the picture of happiness as he chilled out with his eyes closed in an outdoor tub wearing black board shorts.

Brief attire: Liam captioned the shirtless images, 'Here's to ice baths and flexing in tiny shorts'

On-again, off-again: Liam and Miley have experienced their fair share of ups and downs since first being romantically linked in 2009. Pictured in Australia in April 2016

Other snaps featured the Independence Day: Resurgence actor parading his ripped physique in the colourful swimwear.

'Here's to ice baths and flexing in tiny shorts,' he captioned the photos.

Liam and Miley began an on-again, off-again relationship after falling in love while filming The Last Song in 2009.

After splitting in 2013, It is understood they had rekindled their engagement by early 2016.
She's the best-selling author who has been a close confidante to George Clooney over the years.

And now Kathy Lette, 58, has spilled the beans on her pal's newest role as father to twins Ella and Alexander alongside his wife Amal on Monday's installment of Lorraine.

The Australian writer - who recently hit headlines for considering hiring a sex worker for her Autistic son Julius - revealed that the loved-up couple are feeling out of this world with their new arrivals.

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Gushing: Kathy Lette, 58, has spilled the beans on her pal's newest role as father to twins Ella and Alexander alongside his wife Amal on Monday's installment of Lorraine

Speaking on the ITV morning stalwart, she divulged: 'Well look theyre in planet parent now, we probably won't see them for a year but they did email us the day they were born.

'They are so happy, they are so far above cloud nine, they're waving to the Mir space station. Love in stereo, what could be better?'

Aside from gushing about her pals and their new bundles of joy, she couldn't help but share what a great dinner guest the Oscar winner is, all the while inviting Lorraine over for tea.

'They are the loveliest couple,' she gushed. 'I know I said you must come over but when George Clooney comes for dinner, he clears the table and stacks the dishwasher. She's (Amal) fabulous.'

'Planet parent': Speaking on the ITV morning stalwart, she divulged: 'Well look theyre in planet parent now, we probably won't see them for a year but they did email us the day they were born'

Happy: The Australian writer - who recently hit headlines for considering hiring a sex worker for her Autistic son Julius - revealed that the loved-up couple are feeling out of this world with their new arrivals

Dinner date: Aside from gushing about her pals and their new bundles of joy, she couldn't help but share what a great dinner guest the Oscar winner is, all the while inviting Lorraine over for tea

In the month since George and his wife Amal welcomed the birth of their twins Ella and Alexander, they've been keeping a low profile at their Berkshire home.

But the Casamigos tequila founder's offsprings got their first taste of travelling in style on Wednesday, when they joined their parents for a private jet ride to Milan.

Their trip to Italy, where George has owned a home in Lake Como for several years, comes as it's been reported that the family may be moving out of their stunning 20 million property in Sonning-On-Thames, Berkshire.

Following the June 6 birth of Elle and Alexander, the star has been increasingly worried about the level of security in their homes, according to Life&Style.

Concerns: Their getaway comes as it has been reported that George is said to be considering relocating from the English countryside to Los Angeles as he fears for the safety of wife Amal and their newborn twins

Doting dad: Following the birth of Ella and Alexander last month, the doting new dad, 56, has reportedly been increasingly worried about the level of security in their homes

A source told the publication that George had received threats in the past, whilst he was concerned that his wife's work as an international human rights lawyer could make her a target.

'He doesnt feel like Amal and the twins are safe living in the English countryside,' the insider explained.

'As soon as Amal found out she was pregnant, he hired former Secret Service agents to assess all his properties and make recommendations for improvement.'

Distressing: A source said George had received threats in the past, whilst he was concerned that his wife's work as an international human rights lawyer could make her a target

George wed Amal, 39, in 2014, and bought their sprawling 7.5 million home in the English countryside later that year.

They have reportedly spent an additional 12.5 million on the sprawling estate, including building a nanny's quarters.

As well as their English manor and Studio City pad, the pair also own two villas in Laglio, Italy and a holiday home in the Mexican beach location of Cabo.

Proud parents: The couple became parents last month, as Amal gave birth to a girl, Ella, and a boy, Alexander on June 6 at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

The couple became parents last month, as Amal gave birth to a girl, Ella, and a boy, Alexander on June 6 in the exclusive Kensington Wing of London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Amal's mother Baria Alamuddin recently gushed over the couple's new arrivals, saying they are 'stunningly beautiful babies'.

In an interview with People magazine, she recalled the moment she first set eyes on the newborn twins and revealed: 'Seeing these two angels, these stunningly beautiful babies cuddled together...

'And seeing the joy on Amal and Georges faces, its one of those deeply felt beautiful feelings you cant express in words.'
Rob Kardashian let loose on social media last week, accusing his ex-girlfriend Blac Chyna of sleeping with other men and using him for his money.

And Kris Jenner was brushing off the drama to holiday with her boyfriend Corey Gamble in Portofino, Italy, heading out for dinner together on Sunday night.

The 62-year-old momager and her 36-year-old partner were sartorially in sync as they enjoyed an evening stroll.

Taking a break: Kris Jenner was brushing off the drama to holiday with her boyfriend Corey Gamble in Portofino, Italy, heading out for dinner together on Sunday night

Kris stunned in a white polka dot dress which clung to her figure, set off with a matching caped jacket.

She pulled her look together with some statement accessories, including a beaded bag and hoop earrings.

The star matched her scarlet heels to her bright red lipstick, adding a pop of colour to the look.

Corey opted for a white polo shirt and a pair of black trousers as they headed out for the evening.

Glamorous: Kris stunned in a white polka dot dress which clung to her figure, set off with a matching caped jacket

Red hot: The star matched her scarlet heels to her bright red lipstick, adding a pop of colour to the look

Kris has yet to comment on the scandal with reports she's 'angry' at her 29-year-old son for his vulgar and illegal actions.

Earlier in the day, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was seen enjoying a late lunch at the famous Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes.

'She was in good spirits and happily greeted everyone who came and said hello,' a source told DailyMail.com.

'Kris was so relaxed and really enjoyed her lunch with friends. The whole Rob and Chyna debacle looked to be the furthest thing from her mind.

He's in trouble: Jenner is said to be very angry with Rob after he posted nude photos of his ex fiancee Chyna on Instagram. He also shared photos of her before she went in for cosmetic surgery; seen in March 2016

'Other diners were commenting on how great she looked and how happy she was with her boyfriend.'

Jenner is said to be very angry with Rob after he posted nude photos of his ex fiancee Chyna on Instagram. He also shared photos of her before she went in for cosmetic surgery.

Rob's choices could land him in jail because in the state of California there are strict laws against posting 'revenge porn.'

Blac Chyna's attorney revealed they are 'exploring all legal remedies' against Rob.

The 30-year-old shared several nude photographs of his on-off girlfriend on Instagram as he accused her of cheating on him with eight men in less than a month.

But Kardashian's Instagram meltdown may have broken California's 2013 revenge porn laws where it is considered a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

This is not legal: The 30-year-old shared several nude photographs of his on-off girlfriend on Instagram as he accused her of cheating on him with eight men in less than a month

Police officials say they have not yet received any criminal report.

But Chyna's attorney, Walter Mosley, said he is already investigating potential legal action.

'I am exploring all legal remedies and protections available to my client at this time in attempts to best advise her on how she may want to proceed,' he told People.

'Revenge porn is illegal in CA and it certainly appears to me that Rob has violated this criminal law,' LA lawyer Lisa Bloom has said.

Bloom, who recently won a victory for her client Mischa Barton after her ex posted revenge porn of the actress, said that even the fact that Chyna 'liked' one of the images on Instagram does not affect her case.

Legal brass: 'Revenge porn is illegal in CA and it certainly appears to me that Rob has violated this criminal law,' Chyna's LA lawyer Lisa Bloom has said; seen in LA on Thursday

Courts must prove is that he had possession of a private image of an 'intimate body part of another identifiable person' and intentionally posted it online with the intention of causing distress. The distribution of the image then must lead to the victim's distress.

A text message exchange, Kardashian posted online, makes it clear that he had asked Chyna to take and send him the intimate picture - telling her she was beautiful and he needed it to masturbate to.

At no point did he ever mention in that exchange that he would share that picture with millions.

The little one: Rob and Chyna share daughter Dream, seen here in a Snapchat clip from this week

'Kardashian's conduct epitomizes 'revenge porn'  a jilted ex unable to handle rejection and jealousy in a mature way who aggresses by sexually exposing another individual,' Bloom said.

Not only could Kardashian be facing six months in jail and a $5,000 court fine, the revenge porn also opens him up to a lawsuit from his ex.

Bloom believes that the mother-of-two could get millions if she sued for damages, if she got a sympathetic jury.

Kardashian's Instagram page was a blocked hours after he began his rant about Chyna, and posted the naked pictures, before he moved to Twitter.

He claims Chyna sent him the picture on July 4 before sleeping with another man.

'This is from Chyna yesterday to me. I never been so disrespected in my life. I just bought her 250K of jewelry yesterday. This woman is so disrespectful and I don't care,' he wrote.
She plays one of the most popular - and feared- characters in TV phenomenon, Game Of Thrones.

But Emilia Clarke has dropped a hint that her iconic character will not survive the eighth and final series of the fantasy drama, in a new interview with Rolling Stone.

The actress, 30, who plays icy haired dragon mother turned queen Daenerys Targaryen, ruled out returning in any capacity once the final season is finished.

Bombshell: Emilia Clarke has dropped a hint that her iconic character will not survive the eighth and final series of the fantasy drama, in a new interview with Rolling Stone

Acclaimed character: The actress, 30, who plays icy haired dragon mother turned queen Daenerys Targaryen, ruled out returning in any capacity once the final season is finished (pictured with Nathalie Emmanuel)

She said: I mean, I have no doubt there'll be prequels and sequels and who knows what else. But I am doing one more season.'

And then that'll be it.

The London-born star, didn't clarify whether she was simply walking away from the role that made her a star or whether the Khaleesi character was being killed off.

As avid fans of the TV series know, producers are not afraid to kill off high-profile characters.

But she did say, there will be a 'shake-up' of (her) identity when the show ends.

Final curtain: She said: I mean, I have no doubt there'll be prequels and sequels and who knows what else. But I am doing one more season.' And then that'll be it.

Heroine: Emilia has attracted millions of fans all over the world for her portrayal of the fearless and merciless Daenerys

Feisty: Emilia, got her breakthrough role after leaving drama school at age 23, and famously stated she did the funky chicken and robot dance in her audition

She said: It makes me emotional to think about.

It's my beginning, middle and end - the single thing that has changed me most as an adult.

Emilia, got her breakthrough role after leaving drama school at age 23, and famously stated she did the funky chicken and robot dance in her audition.

And despite her stellar performance, which has seen her nominated for Emmy, Screen Actor Guild and Critics Choice awards, she confessed to fearing she would be axed in the early days of the series.

Fear! I was just petrified! I genuinely was so scared - I was so fresh out, a year and a bit, so I'd done a couple of little things, but this was the first proper thing that I'd ever done,' she explained.

Glamour: And despite her stellar performance, which has seen her nominated for Emmy, Screen Actor Guild and Critics Choice awards, she confessed to fearing she would be axed in the early days of the series

Fighter: Emilia said of her breakthrough role, It's my beginning, middle and end - the single thing that has changed me most as an adult'

I was just thinking at any moment they would fire me, and at any moment they'd be like, 'Just joking, take the wig off.

Emilia has had a busy 2017 so far as she is also set to appear in the untitled Star Wars prequel about Han Solo.

There is no word yet as to who Emilia will play in the film, set for release in 2018, but she did appear in a promotional shot for the film released in February.

Next chapter: Emilia has had a busy 2017 so far as she is also set to appear in the untitled Star Wars prequel about Han Solo

The star was keeping tight-lipped about the plot twists in season seven, which premieres on Sky Atlantic on July 17.

The final season is expected to air sometime in 2018.

But she did reveal that it would clear up some unresolved questions fans may have about the series.

'It's a really interesting season in terms of some loose ends that have been tied, some really satisfying plot points, some things where you're like, 'Oh, my God. I forgot about that!'
He sparked a connection with Camilla Thurlow while appearing on the ITV2 reality series.

And although things didn't work out for Love Island hopeful Craig Lawson broadcaster Lorraine Kelly truly told it how it is while he appeared on Monday's episode of her morning show, telling him he was 'mugged off'.

The personal trainer had arrived as a latecomer to the Island and was one of six new boys to enter the Love Island villa when the original islanders had been separated.

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'Mugged off': Although things didn't work out for Love Island hopeful Craig Lawson broadcaster Lorraine Kelly truly told it how it is while he appeared on Monday's episode of her morning show, telling him he was 'mugged off'

The male islanders had been moved into Casa Amor and were forced to live with five new girls, while a bevy of new guys replaced them in the show's original pad.

Craig had made a beeline for Camilla on his arrival, admitting he only had eyes for her after watching the show before making his debut.

He became a shoulder to cry on for Camilla, following her heartbreak over being dumped by Jonny Mitchell, but while she did seem keen on things progressing between the duo at first, she soon cooled off any prospect of romance.

Shortly after re-coupling with Craig, Camilla told the reality star that she was still 'hurt' over her previous failed relationship with Jonny and it was holding her back from moving on with somebody new.

Grafting: Speaking about his time on Lorraine, Craig - who's motives with Camilla were questioned by fans - insisted that his feelings for the Scottish beauty were real

Flirt: The personal trainer had left an impact on newly jilted Camilla in the Love Island villa, after 'lifting her spirits' with his compliments following her failed romance with Jonny Mitchell

Speaking about his time on Lorraine, Craig - who's motives with Camilla were questioned by fans - insisted that his feelings for the Scottish beauty were real.

He began: 'My feelings were genuine in the villa, if someone doesn't want you.you have to block it out in the end. I cant be a love sick puppy.

Yet, when asked if there could be any possible romance once the show comes to an end, he explained that she would have to put in the ground work.

'No, no, no, if she approached me then that's a different story,' he shared. 'I think I made my feelings clear inside the villa.'

Real: Speaking about his time on Lorraine, Craig - who's motives with Camilla were questioned by fans - insisted that his feelings for the Scottish beauty were real

It was at that point that Lorraine used one of the most used sayings on this year's series to describe his situation, which ultimately left him red-faced.

She said: 'It's horrible getting mugged off, is that what they say?' Quick to respond, Craig insisted: 'I didn't look at it like that.'

While in the villa, he was criticised by his ex partner Sian Dilley - who he shares a one-year-old son with - for entering the series without telling her or their child but he cleared up the reports.

'No, you know what I dont, and Im really glad you mentioned that because we did split up eight months ago,' he continued. 'Not a lot of people know that. It made it sound like we had just split up and I left my kids and that wasnt the case.

Ground work: Yet, when asked if there could be any possible romance once the show comes to an end, he explained that she would have to put in the ground work to woo him

Grafting: The personal trainer had arrived as a latecomer to the Island and was one of six new boys to enter the Love Island villa when the original islanders had been separated

Raging: While in the villa, he was criticised by his ex partner Sian Dilley(pictured) - who he shares a one-year-old son with - for entering the series without telling her or their child but he cleared up the reports

'We split up eight months ago and you are sworn to secrecy before you go on the show. My son with her is one-year-old, he wouldnt know the difference if I told him anyway so

Continuing, he said: 'And believe it or not I couldnt fit him in my suitcase to take him otherwise I would have done - he would have probably got me more girls on there anyway!

'No I mean, obviously it was sad coming out to that and I didnt mean to upset her in any way and I wish her all the best - she is an amazing mum.

'I dont want to take that away from her, but at the same time, it wasnt how it was made out. It was made out like I done it out of spite or I picked up and left my wife and kid which just wasnt the case.'
Blac Chyna is filing for a restraining order against ex-boyfriend Rob Kardashian, claiming the reality star had put his hands on and cyber-bullied her during their time together.

And it has now been reported by TMZ that the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star's lawyer is set to appear in court this Monday to reveal that Rob will refrain from 'bullying' Blac Chyna on social media.

The reports come after Rob took to social media last week to fire off a number of shots at his ex, posting nude pics of her and calling into question her faithfulness as well her honesty, sobriety and abilities as a parent.

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Going to court: It has now been claimed by TMZ that Rob Kardashian's lawyer is set to appear in court this Monday to reveal that Rob will refrain from 'bullying' Blac Chyna on social media

According to TMZ, Rob will be represented by Robert Shapiro, who successfully defended O.J. Simpson alongside Rob's late father Robert Kardashian Snr.

The main reason for the court hearing is allegedly to discuss custody arrangements for Rob and Chyna's baby daughter Dream.

Shapiro will also be stating that Rob will refrain from posting pictures of Chyna online in future, as well as sharing her personal and medical information.

MailOnline has contacted Rob's representatives for comment.

Lawyer: According to TMZ, Rob will be represented by Robert Shapiro, who successfully defended O.J. Simpson alongside Rob's late father Robert Kardashian Snr

Meanwhile, Blac Chyna was snapped meeting with her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, at her Los Angeles home Sunday to film a segment for GMA.

The duo were interviewed by correspondent Linsey Davis and discussed Chyna's ex Rob Kardashian's revenge porn attack earlier this week, which she confessed left her 'devastated'.

A report by Page Six on Sunday revealed key parts of the interview - which airs on Monday - and quotes Chyna telling Davis: 'I was devastated, of course. Im like, how could somebody, like, post these pictures of me? And Im like "Wow, okay".

Speaking: Blac Chyna has spoken to GMA about the revenge porn attack from ex Rob Kardashian saying she's 'devastated' that he posted intimate photos of her

Reassuring: Chyna, 29, hugged her attorney Lisa Bloom, 55, on Sunday as the pair met up at the salon owner's LA home to do the inter view

'This is a person that I trusted. I confided. I felt comfortable, you know, with even sending these pictures and even talking to him about certain things, you know,' she added.

Chyna also talks about what initially attracted her to Rob, who was reclusive at the time they started dating.

She told Davis that she liked how sweet he was and that she thought he just needed a friend that didn't 'ask questions or judge'.

Firebrand: Bloom has made clear she's waging legal war against revenge porn and that they will be filing a restraining order against Kardashian

'And I was just always there for him. And thats what kinda, like, attracted me. We just had good times together.' she said.

The meeting came two days after it was revealed the 29-year-old salon owner will be filing for a restraining order against her ex, claiming the reality star had put his hands on and cyber-bullied her in their time together.

Chyna, whose real name is Angela Renee White, wore her blonde locks down and had on a black pantsuit for her meeting with the legal eagle, who boasts other celebrity clients such as Mischa Barton and Kathy Griffin.

'This is a person that I trusted. I confided. I felt comfortable': Page Six published some of Chyna's quotes from the interview on Sunday ahead of its airing on Monday

The Washington D.C. native, who shares an eight-month-old baby daughter named Dream with the 30-year-old sock designer, looked to be in good spirits as she smiled while chatting with her counsel in the front yard of her Southern California home.

Chyna's working relationship with Bloom comes just days after she was at the center of a social media attack from Rob.

Last Wednesday, he posted several nude photographs of his on-off girlfriend and accused her of cheating on him with eight men in less than a month.

Relaxed: Chyna looked cool and carefree as she embraced her attorney after a difficult series of days

The bitter online rant on Wednesday sparked a furious response from Chyna who accused Rob of beating her.

Their feud began when Rob posted an image of his on-again off-again girlfriend wearing no underwear on Instagram Wednesday morning.

He claims Chyna sent him the picture on July 4 before sleeping with another man.

Even when his Instagram account was shut down amid the brouhaha, Rob took his vitriol for his child's mother to Twitter, continuing his diatribe.

Helpful: Upon joining Chyna's team, Bloom publicly warned Kardashian about the legal consequences of posting more naked images of his ex

The mother-of-two, who also has a four-year-old son named King Cairo with rapper Tyga, responded in saying that Rob had 'beat [her] up and [acted like] it never [happened].'

Bloom made her presence known Friday in issuing a statement that announced the restraining order filing, in addition to giving Rob a preview of Chyna's legal complaints against him.

Bloom wrote, 'Mr. Kardashian, you are now on notice: revenge porn is illegal,' adding, 'Cyberbullying your ex is harassment.'

Mover and shaker: Bloom has been involved in a number of high-profile cases with celebs, including Mischa Barton and Kathy Griffin

Reassurance: Bloom is slated to return to court in LA this week to follow up on Chyna's request for a restraining order

Bloom went on to say that Chyna, who ended their fling months back, has every right to live as she chooses, and their high-profile legal move is in response to 'an important women's rights issue, as too many women and girls have been slut-shamed by exes.'

She added, 'Your attempts to shame and control her are hereby rejected.'

Bloom said her next stop will be Monday at Los Angeles Superior Court, to pursue further legal remedies to ensure Rob acts 'like a grownup toward the mother of his baby.'

Chyna and Rob started dating early 2016 and were engaged and expecting their first child by that spring.

After months of being on and off they split in February this year but still put on an amicable display on social media over the following months, sparking rumors of reconciliation.

On July 2, days before Rob's social media tirade, Chyna declared herself single and happy.
He's played Agnes son Rory on hit production Mrs Brown's Boys for 26 years.

But Rory Cowan has decided to quit the show in a shock move, but refuses to give the reasons why.

The actor, who performed for the last time at Londons O2 on Sunday night, told the Irish Daily Mail that he has been unhappy for some time.

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'I haven't been happy for TWO years': Mrs Brown's Boys star Rory Cowan (second from right) has quit the hit show after 26 years... but says he won't reveal the reason why

Rory said: 'I'm not going into details about why I was unhappy. I did the final show, packed my stuff into a small Waitrose plastic bag and just left the venue'

He said: 'I hadnt been happy working for the Mrs Browns Boys company for the last 18 months to two years.

'I feel that 26 years is enough so I decided it was time to go. I told Brendan [O'Carroll, the writer and actor] on June 16 about my decision to leave.

'Thats when I handed in my notice.

He said: 'I feel that 26 years is enough so I decided it was time to go. I told Brendan [O'Carroll, the writer and actor, pictured ] on June 16 about my decision to leave'

'I was supposed to leave at the end of that week, but Brendan said that would be impossible and asked if Id stay on until the end of the London O2 gigs. So I agreed to that.'

Mrs Browns Boys started off as a stage show before being picked up by the BBC and becoming a TV smash hit.

It first aired on the channel in 2011 to huge acclaim and a movie, called Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie, was released three years later.

Rory said he went for dinner with friends in London after the show but said there had been no backstage party at the O2 because he 'left the way I wanted to go'.

'I'm not going into details about why I was unhappy. I did the final show, packed my stuff into a small Waitrose plastic bag and just left the venue.'

The actor says he has no plan as to what he will do next.

He said: 'I'd love to do something like a weekend radio show but we'll see what comes down the line," he said. For now I'm going to take a little time off.'
MasterChef Australia's Eloise Praino was eliminated on Monday's episode after plating up 'bitter' honeycomb and 'grainy' panna cotta in an elaborate pressure test.

After their lacklustre 'reinventions' of the classic beef wellington on Sunday, Ben, Eloise and Diana found themselves battling it out in the pressure test elimination.

Former contestant Kylie Millar, who has worked in some of the best kitchens in Australia, made a triumphant return to the MasterChef kitchen as she set one of the most difficult and elaborate 'pressure tests' in the show's history.

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See ya! MasterChef Australia 's Eloise Praino (pictured) was eliminated on Monday's episode after plating up 'bitter' honeycomb and 'grainy' panna cotta in an elaborate pressure test

Underwhelming: Eloise's version (pictured) of former contestant Kylie Millar's 'The Nest' dessert was ruled the weakest of the three cooks in the challenge

They were tasked with making Kylie's formidable dessert, The Nest, which features an outer layer of parsnip skin and toasted marshmallow bark and obulato - a fine rice paper film sweetened with sugar syrup.

Inside, the experimental dessert had an egg yolk, cured in sugar and salt with some of the yolk extracted and replaced with a rum and vanilla caramel.

Under the egg yolk, there was a coffee kombucha scoby and a macadamia, parsnip and butter solids panna cotta, while a golden syrup honeycomb was drizzled around the edge.

Taskmaster: 2012 contestant Kylie Millar (right), made a triumphant return to the MasterChef kitchen as she set one of the most difficult and elaborate 'pressure tests' in the show's history

Learning curve: Ben, Eloise and Diana were tasked with recreating Kylie's formidable dessert, The Nest, a dish which features an intimidating amount of ingredients and steps

The trio were given three hours and 15 minutes to prepare and plate the elaborate confection and Eloise was behind the eight ball from the beginning.

As Ben and Diana dove straight into their preparations, Eloise wasted valuable minutes perusing the recipe.

'I already know that I'm behind the others because I spent so long reading the recipe at the beginning. If I don't finish, I'm going to be going home, so I need to motor,' she said.

Behind schedule already! As Ben and Diana dove straight into their preparations, Eloise wasted valuable minutes perusing the recipe

Whoops! Things went south for Eloise with her panna cotta being too thick, but she seemed to pull things back together before spoiling her parsnip bark and honeycomb

Things went south with her panna cotta as well, with the consistency being too thick. However, she seemed to pull things together for the rest of the cook.

But Eloise quickly fell back into her slump as the parsnip bark was overcooked and her honeycomb was too dark.

'The honeycomb was a bit of a disaster, but I think I've salvaged some nicer pieces from around the edges,' she said.

In the plating stage, Eloise managed to split two egg yolks with the third proving to be the charm.

Underwhelming: 'The honeycomb was a bit of a disaster,'but I think I've salvaged some nicer pieces from around the edges,' Eloise said at the end of the cook

Third time lucky! In the plating stage, Eloise managed to split two egg yolks with the third proving to be the charm

Kylie was critical of Eloise's plating and her panna cotta was deemed 'grainy'.

'I think the problem with the whole dish is the flavour profile is completely different to yours. So there's a lot of bitter, dark flavours,' judge Gary Mehigan said to Kylie.

'This bark from the parsnip, my piece certainly has been pushed too far, so it's bitter.'

Despite Ben plating up a dessert that Matt Preston described as 'torrid', Eloise was ruled the weakest of the three, while Diana delivered an almost flawless cook.

'We're going to miss you, you little pocket rocket,' Matt said as he bid farewell to Eloise.

Not close enough: Judge Gary Mehigan (pictured) was critical of Eloise's effort
They've been married for ten years - but Holly Willoughby and her husband Dan Baldwin still appear to be very much in the honeymoon period.

The couple could barely keep their hands off one another as they watched Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks perform in Hyde Park over the weekend.

At one point, Holly, 36, perched on the shoulder of her man, as she gazed at him lovingly, before he wrapped his arms around her tenderly to watch the set.

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Stand by your Dan! Svelte Holly Willoughby put on a VERY loving display with her husband as they cuddled up at the final day of the British Summer Time festival on Sunday

The look of love: The couple could barely keep their hands off one another as they watched Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks perform in Hyde Park

Holly looked svelte in a colourful sun dress on Sunday, which she wore with a pair of flat tan studded Valentino sandals.

Her blonde locks were tied in a plaited up-do which framed her pretty features.

Handsome television producer Dan stuck to a white T-shirt and jeans as he giggled with his beautiful presenter wife.

Sweet: Holly looked svelte in a colourful sun dress on Sunday, which she wore with a pair of flat tan studded Valentino sandals

Close: Both she and Dan appeared to be having a lovely time as they giggled and held hands throughout the day

Date day: The television presenter tenderley stroked her man's arm as they watched the concert

Holly and Dan are parents to Harry, eight, Belle, six and Chester, two.

The beauty told The Sun in 2016 why she and her husband get on so well.

She said: 'We're very honest with each other, we listen to each other. I love him and he loves me.

'We respect each other and we probably drive each other round the twist. But we give each other space for that as well.'

Capturing the moment: Holly couldn't help but snap some selfies of herself with her man as they made memories

He has her heart: Holly couldn't help but giggle as Dan made her laugh at various points

Stroke: Holly couldn't seem to get enough of her husband of a decade as she continued to cuddle him

She continued: 'Dating is so shallow these days. Everyone is just swiping away. But if Tinder was available when I was dating, I probably would have used it.'

Meanwhile, Holly commanded attention on her arrival to the music festival, as she flaunted her plentiful bust and accentuated her newly-slender frame.

Holly looked just incredible in the summery design that boasted a vibrant colour block pattern on one side.

Stunning: Holly, 36, looked simply sensational as she attended the final day of British Summer Time in her colourful dress

Gorgeous: The This Morning presenter commanded attention as she stepped out in a vibrant wrap-over dress that stole a look at her plentiful bust and accentuated her slender frame

Her frock featured skimpy spaghetti straps and a low-cut neckline, cinching in at the waist to accentuate her svelte physique, before billowing out into a full skirt.

She opted for a subtle make-up to complete her evening attire and finished off her look with a slick of rose pink lipstick across her lips.

Appearing in high spirits, Holly was beaming from ear-to-ear as she made her way into the music event that has been taking place in Hyde Park over the last two weekends.

Taking a moment: At one point, Holly rested her head on Dan's shoulder as she flashed her personalised handbag

I'm with the band... maybe: The couple flashed their VIP wristbands, no doubt a perk of Holly's job

Complementing: The couple wore similar yellow framed sunglasses for their day out together, with Holly choosing Ray-Bans

Happy: Dan didn't seem to mind Holly's constant cuddles one bit and stroked her arm as she rested on him

Friends in high places: Dan and Holly stood in the VIP section next to Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones

Stevie Nicks joined Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on stage for a duet of Stop Draggin' My Heart Around at the event.

The Fleetwood Mac legend and the US band recorded the collaboration in 1981 and performed it midway through their headlining set at London's Hyde Park for the first time in more than 18 years.

Petty, 66, introduced Nicks as an 'honourary' member of the group as she walked onto The Great Oak stage.

A little treat: They guzzled down a couple of drinks as they continued to watch the performances

Giddy: They seemed to go down rather well as well as they appeared in high spirits

She can't get enough of him: Phillip Schofield's sidekick wrapped her arms around Dan once again

Dream guy: She craned her neck back towards Dan as she reveled in the moment

Paying tribute to his bandmates on the band's 40th anniversary, the I Won't Back Down hitmaker told the sun-kissed crowd: 'It's great to be here. It's has been far too long, and this beautiful London summer is amazing.

'We are celebrating our 40th year together ... these people [his bandmates] have been in my life a long time and somehow we are still together. We are probably closer than family.'

Petty and the Heartbreakers pulled out all of their biggest hits including Free Fallin' and earning To Fly.'

No diary clash here: No doubt the pair were thrilled to both have a day off work together

Checking in on him: Holly couldn't peel her eyes away from Dan

It's a bling thing: She flashed her enormous sparkler during the day out together

The good-looking couple had non-stop smiles on their faces

Earlier in the day, Nicks played her own set opening with her song Gold and Braid before closing with Fleetwood's 1975 classic Landslide.

The set featured many songs from the iconic 70s group; Gypsy, Dreams, Gold Dust Woman and Rhiannon.

The 69-year-old star also performed her hit with her bandmate Lindsey Buckingham, Crying in the Night, from 1973.

Before singing the number, Nicks recalled how the track meant she 'didn't have to be a waitress anymore'.

And they're off: Holly and Dan were later seen leaving by the A-list exit

Home again: No doubt they were keen to get back to their lovely brood

How do they do it? After being out for hours, Holly and Dan still looked picture perfect

No diva: Holly was closely followed by Dan as they headed off

Stunner: She strode off ahead as she showed off her golden glow

She then reminded festival-goers to keep dreaming as 'dreams do come true'.

She continued: 'And 44 years later ... so if you ever fear that dreams don't come true, they do.'

Nicks said that her BST show will be one 'heartfelt' memory she will never forget.

She said: 'This is one big, heartfelt memory that I, Stevie, will take with me forever.'

Meanwhile, the event no doubt came as a welcome distraction for Holly who has found herself topic of conversation, thanks to her recent weight loss regime.

While Holly has wowed fans with her results, she has found herself subject to some criticism from her social media followers, who have questioned her on where her 'bust' and 'curves' have gone.

Beauty: She opted for a subtle make-up to complete her evening attire and finished off her look with a slick of rose pink lipstick across her lips

Smile: Appearing in high spirits, Holly was beaming from ear-to-ear as she made her way into the music event that has been taking place in Hyde Park over the last two weekends

And as the furor around her body shape continued, Holly was left unimpressed when Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha had commented that she was 'disappearing' live on air.

However, many more fans have been blown away by Holly's weight loss and have been urging her to reveal her secrets when it comes to staying in shape. They penned: 'You look so amazing! Would love to know your amazing weight loss secrets!; What have you been doing to stay so trim!?; I need those legs.'

Holly, meanwhile, was joined by fellow presenter and former Strictly Come Dancing star Laura Whitmore at British Summer Time.

Party's over: On Monday, Holly was back at work on This Morning where she was pictured outside the studios

Denim dreams: She slipped into a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt as she hopped onto a motorbike

See you later: She gave a quick wave before going on her way

Laura cut a demure figure in a chic polka dot mini dress that she teamed with a pair of strappy black espadrilles.

Despite the elegant design of her frock, Laura - who is often a regular on the festival circuit - still teased a look at her slender pins underneath, thanks to its semi-sheer material.

But making sure to avoid any possible wardrobe blunders, the former MTV star had sported a thigh-grazing black slip underneath her dress.

She wore her lighter locks down past her shoulders in a blow-dried style and finished off her ensemble with glamorous make-up and a personalised metallic handbag that had her initials 'L.W' emblazoned across the front.

Celebrity pals: Holly had been joined by fellow presenter and former Strictly Come Dancing star Laura Whitmore at British Summer Time

Elegant: Laura cut a demure figure in a chic polka dot mini dress that she teamed with a pair of strappy black espadrilles

Chic: She wore her lighter locks down past her shoulders in a blow-dried style and finished off her ensemble with glamorous make-up and a personalised metallic handbag

She was in the stands to see the likes of The Lumineers and Stevie Nicks take to the stage.

Clad in an all-black ensemble Stevie performed a series of her hits for the huge crowds that had gathered as British Summer Time comes to a close.

Headlining the festival on its final day had been Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, while The Killers had closed the show the night before.

Kings of Leon also had a headlining set at the festival that spans over six days, along with Justin Bieber and Phil Collins.

Fun-filled day: She was in the stands to see the likes of The Lumineers and Stevie Nicks (pictured above) take to the stage
They sparked wedding rumours after sharing photos of themselves hanging out in Las Vegas last month.

And now it seems fans won't let go of the idea that Bindi Irwin, 18, and her boyfriend Chandler Powell, 20, could be tying the knot soon.

After the wildlife warrior posted a throwback Instagram snap of the couple on Monday, her followers soon started asking: 'When is the wedding?'

'When's the wedding?' It seems fans won't let go of the idea that Bindi Irwin (right) and her boyfriend Chandler Powell (left) could be tying the knot soon

Shortly after sharing a photo of herself and Chandler's recent airport reunion, Bindi's Instagram fans began asking about their nuptials.

'So when is the wedding?' wrote an eager fan. Another asked the same question, before adding: 'So glad you have found your soul mate.'

One of Bindi's followers wrote cheekily: 'If you two want to tie the knot, I'm an ordained minister... just saying.'

'So glad you have found your soul mate': After Bindi posted a throwback Instagram snap of the couple on Monday, her followers soon started asking: 'When is the wedding?'

Wedding on the cards? Rumours about the young couple's 'wedding' began circulating in June when they were pictured spending time together in Las Vegas

Rumours about the young couple's 'wedding' began circulating in June when they were pictured spending time together in Las Vegas.

It was speculated at the time they had secretly tied the knot at one of the city's famous late-night chapels.

Meanwhile, Woman's Day reported that same month that marriage was definitely on the cards for the two lovebirds.

'Bindi has no doubt Chandler is the man she wants to marry,' a source said.

'Bindi has no doubt Chandler is the man she wants to marry': Meanwhile, Woman's Day reported that same month that marriage was definitely on the cards for the two lovebirds

However, a representative for Bindi and Chandler later denied the rumours.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia in June, a spokesperson said: 'They are not married and not planning on getting married any time soon.'

The couple have been dating for over two years. They first met in November 2013 when Bindi gave the professional wakeboarder a tour of Australia Zoo.
She had been shooting a movie in Canada over the past few weeks.

But Eva Longoria found time for a girls night with her friends in Beverly Hills on Sunday.

The Desperate Housewives star, 42, looked chic in tight white pants and a loose-fitting pink top, which she paired with elegant pink strappy sandals.

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Girls just wanna have fun: Eva Longoria, 42, looked chic in tight white pants and a loose-fitting pink top for a girls night with her friends in Beverly Hills over the weekend

The light summery ensemble showed off the actresses curves with the tight jeans, but she remained classy in the flowing blouse.

She paired the ensemble with a string of white pearls around her neck and accessorized with large earrings.

The actress also insured her stilettos, which featured large beads perfectly complemented the rest of the outfit as well.

Eva, who is married to Jose Baston, 49, wore her caramel highlights in loose waves around her shoulders and opted for full glam with her makeup.

Fun times! She looked happy to be spending time with her girlfriends as the three of them shopped in Beverly Hills

She looked happy to be spending time with her girlfriends as the three of them shopped in Beverly Hills.

Eva had been spending quite a bit of time in Canada over in June filming the remake of the 1987 classic Overboard with co-star Anna Faris.

She was back in American for 4th of July with friends though as she shared a photo of herself decked out in red, white and blue for the big day.

Back in America: The Desperate Housewives star spent the 4th of July decked out in red, white and blue

Eva stars as Theresa, while Faris, best known for her role in the Scary Movie films, plays the lead role of Kate.

The film is a remake of the 1987 classic, starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell - which follows a wealthy woman who falls off her yacht, and is saved by a carpenter she had previously rejected.

In the new version, Spanish heartthrob Eugenio Derbez plays spoiled playboy Leonardo, who loses his memory after falling overboard, but is saved by Faris.

Little else is known about the film and its characters, but it is set for release in 2018 - 31 years after the original blockbuster.
She's is currently in Japan for a series of cooking demonstrations for miso brand Marukome.

And Miranda Kerr was sharing the love as she showed off her cooking skills in Tokyo on Monday.

The Australian supermodel, 34, looked glowing as she took to the stage for a culinary demonstration.

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Have a heart! Miranda Kerr was sharing the love as she showed off her cooking skills in Tokyo, Japan on Monday at a promotional event for miso brand Marukome

The brunette beauty wore a playful knee-length pink frock with a high collar and a pink star pattern.

She matched the dress with a pair of white heels, a gold watch on her left wrist and a diamond sparkler on her ring finger.

Miranda styled her shoulder-length hair in waves and wore light foundation, a subtle blush, and eyeliner for the event.

Twinkle twinkle: The Australian supermodel, 34, wore a playful knee-length pink frock with a high collar and a pink star pattern

The look: Miranda styled her shoulder-length brunette hair in waves and wore light foundation, a subtle blush, and eyeliner for the promotional event

The catwalk queen appeared to be in her element as she showed off her cooking talents on the stage.

Sharing the stage with a Marukome representative and a life-sized mascot, Miranda seemed to be enjoying the promo event.

While appearing to be in a playful mood, Miranda was all business when it came time to turn up the heat.

Multi-talented! Sharing the stage with a Marukome representative and a life-sized mascot, Miranda seemed to be enjoying the event while showing off her culinary skills

Holding a microphone in her left hand, while preparing ingredients with her right, Miranda displayed a deft culinary skill.

Miranda married 27-year-old Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel in an intimate ceremony in Los Angeles in May.

She is one of Australia's most successful modelling exports and began her career after winning the 1997 Dolly model search competition.
Kourtney Kardashian arrived back in Los Angeles on Friday after a romantic trip to the South Of France with her boyfriend Younes Bendjima, 24.

But the 38-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star seems to be missing the vacation plenty as she has shared several flashback photos from the dreamy escape.

And Monday was no exception as the mother-of-three posted a fun photo to Instagram where she was sitting on a white Vespa. 'Baby, we should hit the south of France,' the reality TV star captioned the photo.

A look back: Kourtney Kardashian shared an image from her trip to France on Instagram on Monday

Dreamy: The mother-of-three posted a fun photo to Instagram where she was sitting on a white Vespa. 'Baby, we should hit the south of France,' the reality TV star captioned the photo

The image could have been a postcard as Kourtney looked lovely while sitting on the two-wheeler.

She wore a white tank top that showed off her white lace bra and added black micro shorts.

White sneakers looked fresh out of the box.

Another look back: On Saturday the star shared another flashback photo, this one sort of NSFW. The sister of Kim and Khloe let her black sequined gown ride up high on her leg showing off her bottom as she sat on a chair

Behind her was an overflowing tree with pale purple flowers. The Vespa was parked against a beige building with white window sills and the ground was covered in worn bricks.

On Saturday the star shared another flashback photo, this one sort of NSFW.

The sister of Kim and Khloe let her black sequined gown ride up high on her leg showing off her bottom as she sat on a chair while next to what looked like a vodka tonic.

That Kardashian life! Kourtney at luxury villa on adults-only St Tropez trip

While in Europe, Kourtney shared several images that made her look like she was starring on Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous.

She was seen on the grounds of her luxurious St Tropez mansion.

'Do You Do You Saint-Tropez?' asked Kourtney as she wore a white tank top with long-sleeved shirt and short shorts.

Nice collection: Here the siren showed off the Dior items she picked up

A second photograph showed the 38-year-old kneeling on the floor, apparently without any clothing on the lower half of her body, looking through a selection of designer goodies.

'So Christian Dior me from my head to my toes...' she bragged.

Living it up: The reality star has shared her vacation exploits to social media

What a feast! The eldest Kardashian shared a picture of her decadent breakfast; she and Younes can be seen tucking into the food in the mirro

Brunch spot: The mansion was certainly a fabulous space

But over the weekend the magic was over as Kourtney returned to the grind of her daily life in Calabasas.

As soon as she got back to the states, the icon had to throw a fifth birthday party for her daughter Penelope.

She shared images of Penelope with her cousin North, who is the daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

She was also seen taking her little girl out on a shopping trip.
Derek Hough had 'the time of his life' lifting his teal bikini-clad girlfriend Hayley Erbert on Friday during his sister Julianne's wedding festivities in Idaho.

The 32-year-old groomsman and his 22-year-old ladylove recreated the iconic lift featured in the finale of the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze.

The Dancing with the Stars duo easily managed the tricky strength move on the lawn beside a lake at the Coeur d'Alene Resort near his family's home.

Romantic: Derek Hough had 'the time of his life' lifting his teal bikini-clad girlfriend Hayley Erbert on Friday during his sister Julianne's wedding festivities in Idaho

Iconic: The 32-year-old groomsman and his 22-year-old ladylove recreated the lift featured in the finale of the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze

Derek and Hayley's impressive display of muscle tone, balance, and chemistry drew a crowd, as well as another pair's lift attempt.

The two-time Emmy-winning choreographer also got on his back and lifted the former So You Think You Can Dance competitor by the pelvis with his strong legs.

Erbert is from Kansas and has served back-up dancer duties for Hough's World of Dance colleague Jennifer Lopez, Paula Abdul, Wiz Khalifa, Fall Out Boy, and Carrie Underwood.

The former pageant princess first fell for the Hairspray Live! actor sometime after joining the dance troupe of his Move Live On Tour back in 2014 with the 28-year-old blushing bride.

Jump! The Dancing with the Stars duo easily managed the tricky strength move on the lawn beside a lake at the Coeur d'Alene Resort near his family's home

Dance-filled nuptials: Derek and Hayley's impressive display of muscle tone, balance, and chemistry drew a crowd, as well as another pair's lift attempt

Strong: The two-time Emmy-winning choreographer also got on his back and lifted the former So You Think You Can Dance competitor by the pelvis with his strong legs

Upside down! Erbert is from Kansas and has served back-up dancer duties for Hough's World of Dance colleague Jennifer Lopez, Paula Abdul, Wiz Khalifa, and Fall Out Boy

Oops! The former pageant princess first fell for the Hairspray Live! actor sometime after joining the dance troupe of his Move Live On Tour back in 2014 with the blushing bride

Derek revealed on the November 30 episode of the Ellen DeGeneres Show: 'I see myself married with kids within the next five years'

'If you would have asked me about [marriage] a year ago or two years ago, I probably [would have said], "Nah, I'm not really looking,"' Derek said on the November 30 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

'But I'm kind of in that place now in my life - kind of a transition. I see myself married with kids within the next five years.'

At one point, Hayley precariously balanced two legs on Hough's shoulder and thigh for a daring acrobatic pose.

The impressive strength move showcased Erbert's incredible six-pack abs and strong core as a professional hoofer.

Sideways? At one point, Hayley precariously balanced two legs on Hough's shoulder and thigh for a daring acrobatic pose

Climbing him like a mountain: The impressive strength move showcased Erbert's incredible six-pack abs and strong core as a professional hoofer

Physicality: The brunette beauty has been on DWTS since season 21, and she'll resume the show's Summer Tour on Monday night at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville

Beefcake: The six-time Mirror Ball Trophy winner flaunted his 5ft10in form, chiseled chest, and bulging biceps in little more than blue swim trunks

The brunette beauty has been on Dancing With the Stars since season 21, and she'll resume the show's Summer Tour on Monday night at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

The six-time Mirror Ball Trophy winner flaunted his 5ft10in form, chiseled chest, and bulging biceps in little more than blue swim trunks.

Derek previously romanced India de Beaufort, Shannon Elizabeth, Cheryl Cole, Lauren Conrad, and Julianne's bridesmaid Nina Dobrev for six weeks in 2013.

On Saturday, Julianne finally tied the knot with Toronto Maple Leafs centre Brooks Laich after a nearly two-year engagement as 200 guests cheered them on.

Amicable exes: Derek previously romanced India de Beaufort, Shannon Elizabeth, Cheryl Cole, Lauren Conrad, and Julianne's bridesmaid Nina Dobrev (2-R) for six weeks in 2013

Congrats! On Saturday, Julianne finally tied the knot with Toronto Maple Leafs centre Brooks Laich after a nearly two-year engagement as 200 guests cheered them on

Hough told ET on June 27: 'It's gonna be like, a week-long event. It's gonna be amazing. I think I will be making a little speech...there [will be] plenty of surprises'

'It's gonna be like, a week-long event. It's gonna be amazing,' Hough told ET on June 27.

'I think I will be making a little speech. There's always surprises with my family that aren't planned, so there [will be] plenty of surprises.'

On June 29, NBC renewed the I Believe in You director's dance competition World of Dance for a second season.

'Yep! Season two baby! It's happening!' Derek - who boasts 3.4M social media followers - gushed on Instagram.

'Yep! Season two baby! It's happening!' On June 29, NBC renewed the I Believe in You director's dance competition World of Dance for a second season

'It's still very much part of my future plans': But it's unclear when Broadway audiences will get to see Hough perform in producer Harvey Weinstein's revival of Singin' in the Rain due to 'lack of available theaters' last year

Graceful: The American Ninja Warrior contestant was all set to play 'popular silent film star' Don Lockwood, which was famously brought to vivid life onscreen by Gene Kelly in 1952

'So incredibly thankful and happy to see the amazing art form that is dance succeed!'

But it's unclear when Broadway audiences will get to see Hough perform in producer Harvey Weinstein's revival of Singin' in the Rain due to 'lack of available theaters' last year.

The American Ninja Warrior contestant was all set to play 'popular silent film star' Don Lockwood, which was famously brought to vivid life onscreen by Gene Kelly in 1952.
Stephanie Davis has confronted Love Island reject Shannen Reilly McGrath about an alleged affair with Jeremy McConnell.

The former Hollyoaks star reportedly unleashed a tirade of angry messages on the reality blonde after she was spotted out with Stephanie's ex on Thursday night - a mere 72 hours after a violent bust-up between the on-off couple.

To fight fire with fire, Stephanie is said to have then deliberately flirted with Dan O'Doyle - Shannen's ex and Jeremy's pal - in an attempt to make him jealous.

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Raging: In the latest twist in the Jeremy and Stephanie Davis saga, the former Hollyoaks star reportedly slammed Love Island's Shannen Reilly after she was spotted with McConnell

On Monday, The Sun shared an angry message exchange between Stephanie and Shannen, during which the reality star is accused of lying about their tryst.

Claiming that she 'has proof' of their liaison, Stephanie blasts Shannen for 'being dishonest', and claims she is 'breaking up a home'.

Apparently relieving Jeremy of any responsibility, she adds that he has 'sold her down the river'.

Out together on Thursday: The Big Brother star, 27, and the reality star, 23, were spotted leaving a club together

In the furious tirade she tells Shannen to tell her the truth 'girl to girl', before concluding: 'Just know I have you a chance. F***** it. Got all the proof I need and more. Liar. Bye bye.'

MailOnline has contacted Shannen's representative for comment.

Meanwhile, the publication also reports that Stephanie resorted to flirting with Shannen's ex Dan O'Doyle, who is also pals with Jeremy.

A source said: 'Steph's been sending these flirty tweets to Dan  she even like a picture of him grabbing his crotch in a video.

Pastures new? To add to the messy situation, Stephanie reportedly went on to flirt with Dan O'Doyle- the ex of Shannen and pals with Jeremy, in an attempt to make him jealous

'Jeremy thinks the whole thing is laughable, Steph used to say she hated Dan and that she didn't want Jeremy seeing him because he was a bad influence because of his criminal past.

Last week he suffered a broken nose and fractured eye socket following a shocking brawl with ex-girlfriend Stephanie, while she suffered five fractured ribs.

And Jeremy was sporting two black eyes as he headed on a night out with Love Island's Shannen in Dublin on Thursday.

No doubt keen to put the incident behind him, the 27-year-old Irish model seemed in good spirits as he surrounded himself with a bevvy of blondes.

Bruised: Jeremy was sporting two black eyes as he headed on a night out with Love Island's Shannen Reilly McGrath in Dublin on Thursday

Jeremy's outing came after his Stephanie unveiled the full extent of her injuries, in a bid to implicate him in the violent brawl.

The former Hollyoaks star, 24, displayed her five fractured ribs, broken nose, a black eye - as well as excruciating looking bruises all down her arms and legs in the pictures.

Stephanie - who shares son Caben-Albi, seven months, with Jeremy - was arrested on suspicion of GBH last Sunday, for her part in the incident.

Following her arrest, Jeremy told MailOnline that Stephanie was pregnant with their second child.

Recalling the build-up to their brawl, he said: 'She just told me that she was pregnant. I was pretty shocked as it wasn't planned, but to be honest I was excited.

'She told me that she was going to have a scan at the hospital later that afternoon. The pregnancy was not planned and given our history together took me by surprise. I was pleased, but still in a bit of a shock.'

Jeremy has since claimed their 'toxic relationship' is over for good with no chance of any reconciliation.

He claimed their fight began immediately after the pregnancy announcement, saying: 'Steph then looked at my phone and saw that I was following some other woman. She just went mental at me and kicked off.

'She was going mental I had not even met this woman but was just following her. She would not listen and stormed off to go to the pub and refused to go to the scan'.

He said he followed Stephanie to a local pub near to the Royal Chase Hotel in Enfield where they were staying.

Shocking: Jeremy's outing came after his ex-girlfriend Stephanie Davis unveiled the full extent of her injuries following their blazing hotel brawl

Bruised: Jeremy suffered a broken nose and fractured eye socket following the hotel room brawl

'We were in the pub and having a few drinks. I had two or three and so did Steph which I thought was off as she was pregnant. She was also smoking and I told her a pregnant woman should not drink and smoke.

'She told me 'it was her life and she could do as she wanted... She was screaming and shouting and being abusive. 'She would not listen and for five to ten minutes just kept screaming at me.'

Stephanie was arrested and taken to Enfield Police station. She was later rushed to hospital and released at 3am on Tuesday morning after being bailed until July.

Photos of the star arriving at a friend's house showed her with scratch marks on her neck, face and nose and blood on the sleeve of her grey track suit top.

In one photo she protectively clutched her stomach.

Exes: Jeremy (pictured) has claimed Stephanie is pregnant following their shock hotel brawl. The couple share son Caben-Albi, seven months

Is she pregnant? Photos of the star arriving at a friend's house showed her with scratch marks on her neck, face and nose and blood on the sleeve of her grey track suit top

Friends claimed the row began when McConnell smashed Davis's phone which contained treasured photos of their son.

However, he insists he did not harm the former actress, explaining: 'There is no way I touched her. She was the one who attacked me. I did not punch her and touch her.'

Two months ago Stephanie had talked about having a second child with heavily tattooed Jeremy and even talked about marriage.

But since they began seeing each other having appeared on Big Brother they have been involved in a stormy relationship.

Jeremy has spent time in rehab and Stephanie has previously spoken about how drink and drugs has affected their relationship.
Reports of a six-week affair with Sarah Harding in 2012 rocked his world when it came to light recently.

And Danny Dyer put the drama to one side, as he was spotted for the first time filming for the soap EastEnders alongside co-star Lisa Faulkner.

The 39-year-old British actor - who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter on the BBC soap - looked in the zone as he held onto his script to proceed filming.

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Resuming work: Danny Dyer, 39, put his recent drama to one side as he was spotted for the first time filming for the soap Eastenders on Monday

Danny was dressed to impress for his on-screen portrayal in a fitted navy waistcoat and skinny blue jeans.

He was joined by Lisa who looked who put on a leggy display in a tiny pair if blue denim shorts and a breezy white top.

Resuming work duties for Eastenders will come as a welcome distraction for Danny after rumours of a 'wild and sexual' six-week affair with Sarah Harding in 2012.

The reported fling happened after the filmed for the 2012 flick Run for Your Wife together.

Summer chic: He was joined by co-star Lisa Faulkner who looked who put on a leggy display in a tiny pair if blue denim shorts and a breezy white top

Troublesome times: This comes after rumours Danny enjoyed a 'wild and sexual' six-week affair with Sarah Harding in 2012 after the filmed for the 2012 flick Run for Your Wife together

A source told The Sun: '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.

'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.

A source told The Sun: 'For a while they were head over heels and had a wild sexual relationship. He fell in lust with her'

'He was back in touch with pals who weren't a good influence': The shocking revelation comes just days after it emerged his wife Joanne, 40, 'sent him packing' from their home

The shocking revelation comes just days after it emerged his wife Joanne, 40, 'sent him packing' from their home.

It was reported earlier this month that Danny has been living in a hotel in Hertfordshire while he films BBC soap EastEnders, despite only living 19 miles away.

However the Mirror now reports that he was kicked out by his wife, when she discovered he was texting friends who she deemed a bad crowd.

A source told the paper: 'Jo looked at his phone and found he was back in touch with a group of pals who were not a good influence.

Tough: Danny previously stayed at the same hotel alone in 2015 after claiming the show had 'rinsed the life out of him'

'She was furious and sent him packing. It's the people that hang around him which cause him problems.'

Danny previously stayed at the same hotel alone in 2015 after claiming the show had 'rinsed the life out of him'.

Ahead of filming, Danny spent some quality time with his daughter Dani, 20 and her pal's baby girl.

Danny- who is known for his hardman exterior on the soap - was in a great mood as he sweetly bonded with the cherubic youngster, as well as enjoyed quality time with his daughter.

He's got a softer side! Meanwhile Dnany looked every inch the family man as he spent the day with his daughter Dani and her pal's adorable young daughter on Sunday
It was revealed they separated back in May.

And now it appears Joanna Krupa, 38, is moving forward with her divorce from Romain Zago.

The Real Housewives of Miami star filed legal documents claiming the marriage is 'irretrievably broken,' according to TMZ.

Done deal: Joanna Krupa, 38, and estranged husband Romain Zago officially filed for divorce in Miami on Monday, claiming the marriage is 'irretrievably broken' and have signed a marriage settlement

The couple have already figured out all the details and have signed a marital settlement agreement.

According to the site, both parties have agreed not to seek spousal support from one another and the couple filed the petition together.

Of the divorce Krupa told DailyMail.com: 'Its been an interesting day but its all good. Were on great terms and Im very grateful Romain is supporting me right now. We are on great terms, we talk more than ever.

'Were best friends and not much has changed. Im very grateful to have Romains support and we respect our ten years together.'

Her estraged husband also has a very positive outlook on their split as he said: 'Its very strange because its almost like were better friends now than we used to be. We have each others back just as much as we used to do.

'We just signed the divorce, we went to lunch together and it feels like were still together. Its a very strange and unprepared situation  were both shocked. That opens the doors for one day, who knows, we get back together. You never know, right? Maybe we get back together after one year. Nothing is impossible in our case.'

Amicable: According to TMZ, both parties have agreed not to seek spousal support from one another and the couple filed the petition together (pictured July 2016)

The Real Housewives Of Miami vet and the nightclub king of Miami have been apart since December, according to E! News, but the split is amicable and they remain friends.

'They just grew apart,' a source told the site. The beauty did not spend her birthday in late April with him and last week she stepped out in LA without her wedding rings on.

The couple, who married in 2013, wed in Carlsbad, California and maintained a residence in Miami.

Joanna, who is a big part of the Hollywood scene, also has a place in Los Angeles.

The couple were last seen together in November 2016 before splitting in November.

Bi-coastal: Joanna, who is a big part of the Hollywood scene and loves to share racy pictures on Instagram, also has a place in Los Angeles

Cover girl! The model got her starts posing for FHM, Shape and Maxim, then went on to take the cover of Playboy magazine (seen here in March)

The model got her starts posing for FHM, Shape and Maxim, then went on to take the cover of Playboy magazine.

Since autumn 2010, Krupa has hosted and served as the head judge on the Polish version of Top Model.

She also appears on the Real Housewives of Miami.
Lena Dunham is selling 169 pieces from her wardrobe to raise money for Planned Parenthood.

The Girls star is giving her full 70 percent share of the sale price of the outfits on the RealReal consignment website to the nonprofit organization, which provides reproductive health care.

She told the New York Times: 'I realized I had been carrying around a lot of c**p, both internally and externally.'

Charity: Lena Dunham is selling 169 of her wardrobe pieces, including the Elizabeth Kennedy gown that had been part of her Met Gala look this year, in aid of Planned Parenthood

According to Lena: 'I always thought I was going to hoard all my clothes for my future daughter, and now I understand, especially being a woman with a reproductive illness [endometriosis], I may end up with an adopted son, I may end up with a daughter who doesn't identify with her gender at birth.

'You can't live for the future that does not yet exist. I have to take all this good fashion fortune I've had and spread it ... The clothes for me brought back a lot.'

She's reminisced: 'I was like: "There's a paparazzi picture of me eating a quesadilla in that!" I don't want to remember, but there it is.'

This outfit not on sale: She told the New York Times : 'I realized I had been carrying around a lot of c**p, both internally and externally'; seen in June

The pieces vary from a size four to a size 12 and each will feature a note from Lena or the designer about the significance of the outfit, with prices starting at $35.

She added: 'I like being a woman who's not typical Hollywood size putting beautiful designer things out into the world ... I've gotten this reputation as someone with notoriously bad style.'

Her view is that 'the fashion blogs enjoy a bit of a roast of me. I don't mind; I've always thought the worst dressed were the best dressed.'

And Lena chose to support Planned Parenthood, an organization close to her heart, because she feels it is a 'very challenging moment to be a woman in America.'

'I don't mind': Her view is that 'the fashion blogs enjoy a bit of a roast of me'; seen in June

She said: 'It's a very, very challenging moment to be a woman in America. Planned Parenthood's never been more essential.'

To hear her tell it: 'The work that I've done with them has really become front and center to my life, really as important to me as my art in a lot of ways.'

Among the outfits she's put up on sale are what she wore on election night last year, a Mother Of Pearl dress in which she made a Daily Show appearance, and the Elizabeth Kennedy gown that had been been part of her Met Gala look this year.
She is currently sunning herself on a family holiday in Ibiza.

And Alessandra Ambrosio showed off her rock hard abs in a purple bikini as she enjoyed a relaxing day by the beach on Monday.

The Brazilian beauty, 36, wore blue and pink streaks in her hair as she walked down the seafront on the Spanish Island.

Fun in the sun: Alessandra Ambrosio showed off her rock hard abs in a purple bikini as she enjoyed a relaxing day by the beach on Monday

The Victoria's Secret model's skimpy look was given an exotic feel with cowrey shells, which were attached to the straps of her bikini top and the sides of her bottoms.

The straps of Alessandra's bikini top met in the middle of her back, forming a triangle shape around her scapulae.

The model's low-slung bikini bottoms also showed off Alessandra's lower back tattoo of a cat sitting on a crescent moon.

She shielded her head from the blistering sun with a large straw hat, which featured a patterned band.

Splashing around: The Victoria's Secret model bikini top met in the middle of her back, forming a triangle shape around her scapulae

Island life: The Victoria's Secret model's skimpy look was given an exotic feel with cowrey shells, which were attached to the straps of her bikini top and the sides of her bottoms

A splash of colour: Alessandra wore blue and pink streaks in her hair as she walked down the seafront on the Spanish Island

The relaxed model wore her hair in two loose braids, letting her fluorescent streaks fall over her chest.

Alessandra accessorised with two necklaces and bracelets on both wrists as she walked towards the sea.

The natural beauty also wore a delicate anklet on her right leg.

Cute inking: The model's low-slung bikini bottoms also showed off Alessandra's lower back tattoo of a cat sitting on a crescent moon

Cleaning up: Alessandra later bent down to wash her hands in the salty waters before returning to her husband

Fun look: The relaxed model wore her hair in two loose braids, letting her fluorescent streaks fall over her chest

Praise the lord: An exuberant Alessandra raised her hands in mock delight as she sat beside her husband Jamie Mazur

Loving gesture: The Brazilian beauty placed her hands on Jamie's chest as she lay beside her chilled out beau

The model stepped into the shallow water and splashed around to cool off.

She later washed her hands in the salt water and returned to her group to lie on a sun lounger.

Alessandra sipped on a beverage through a straw as she listened to one of her friends.

Taking a sip: Alessandra sucked on a beverage through a straw as she listened to one of her friends

Soaking up the sun: Alessandra appeared to be having a ball on the family holiday and was in high spirits as she sat by her friends

Shady lady: The model shielded her eyes with a pair of mirrored aviator sunglasses and accessorised with bracelets

Alessandra, who sat with her husband Jamie Mazur, exuberantly punched the air and lovingly placed a hand on her beau's chest.

The model later covered up in a powder blue sarong and held a pink patterned bag in her hand as she stood up in the seating area.

Alessandra shares daughter Anja, with, and son Noah, five, with Jamie, who she began dating in 2005.

The look of love: Alessandra shares daughter Anja, with, and son Noah, five, with Jamie, who she began dating in 2005
He had surprised fans by choosing to shave off his entire head of hair.

But shocking the masses once more, Spencer Matthews took to Instagram on Monday to reveal he has now dyed his brand new buzz cut peroxide blonde.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 27, appeared to embrace the bold move, nonchalantly telling his 557k followers that he 'fancied a change' when it came to his 'do.

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Bold move: Spencer Matthews, 27, shocked fans by unveiling his new PEROXIDE BLONDE buzz cut on Instagram on Monday

Spencer uploaded a selfie to reveal his brand new look - that has him resembling his best pal Jamie Laing even more so.

The duo had chosen to shave their heads together, but it hadn't been just a case of 'anything you can do, I can do better', as it appeared to be an attempt to further their chances while appearing on Channel 4's Hunted.

The series follows people - including celebrities - trying to flee from 'hunters' and adopting a battle-like tactic in order to do so. And it seems the boys' felt ridding themselves of their usual locks would help them go incognito.

They had been filming the series over the last few weeks, before Spencer had jetted overseas to Italy to make his first major catwalk debut for Dolce & Gabbana's latest show.

Remind you of anyone? He nonchalantly said he 'fancied a change' when it came to his bonce, but fans were quick to liken him to his BFF Jamie Laing who has also recently shaved his head

Matching: The duo had chosen to shave their heads together, but it hadn't been just a case of 'anything you can do, I can do better', as it appeared to be an attempt to further their chances while appearing on Channel 4's Hunted

Feeling inspired from his trip, that saw him share the runway with Pixie Lott's fiance Oliver Cheshire, it seems Spencer chose to revamp his image.

Penning alongside the snap of his newly-blonde bonce, Spencer said: 'Back from Italy and fancied a change...'

Cutting a quirky figure in the shot, Spencer was clad in a printed shirt and designer shades.

His new look certainly didn't go unnoticed on the photo-sharing site, but it seemed to garner mixed reviews from the reality star's fans.

'You really suit dark hair': Not all fans were in favour of Spenny's new look, while others suggested his BFF Jamie now dyes his hair darker like Spencer's once was

While some were all for his edgy new look, others insisted the aspiring model suited his darker tresses better. One fan wrote: 'Nooo!! Sorry but that's not a good look! You really suit dark hair! X

'That's not a good look,' a second fan penned, while another seemed won over by his lighter tresses. They posted a series of heart-eyed emojis and claimed: 'Suits you sir!!'

Others were quick to comment on Spencer's now very apparent likeness to his BFF Jamie, with one fan suggesting that Jamie now dyes his hair darker.

They joked: 'Now Jamie's gotta dye his brown.'

Drastic measures: It seems the boys' felt ridding themselves of their usual locks would help them go incognito as they tried to escape the show's professional hunters

Keen? While it's not yet known what Spencer's girlfriend Vogue Williams thinks of his lightened look, she hadn't seemed to mind when he initially decided to ditch his long tresses

While it's not yet known what Spencer's girlfriend Vogue Williams thinks of his lightened look, she hadn't seemed to mind when he initially decided to ditch his long tresses.

Shortly after Spencer's trip to the salon, Vogue had posted a photo of herself and her beau - clearly ecstatic to be reunited with him after two weeks apart.

The Irish model and Spencer have been dating for seven months, after first meeting on The Jump earlier this year. Spencer had gone on to win the show, while Vogue was forced to quit before the competition had even got underway, after suffering a nasty injury.

Things between the couple have been going from strength to strength ever since, and it was recently revealed that they are now 'seriously considering' moving in together.

Reports had claimed that Vogue had already joined Spencer in his West London residence, but a source told MailOnline: 'Vogue and Spencer aren't currently living together, but it is something they are seriously considering for the future.'
Shia LaBeouf was back at work on the Savannah set of The Peanut Butter Falcon on Monday two days after his latest brush with the law.

The troubled 31-year-old sported a burly beard beneath his faded red cap, dirty T-shirt, and denim cut-offs for the scene.

The Daytime Emmy winner plays a down-on-his-luck crab fisherman called Tyler in the eccentric adventure flick from directing duo Tyler Nilson & Mike Schwartz.

Action! Shia LaBeouf was back at work on the Savannah set of The Peanut Butter Falcon on Monday two days after his latest brush with the law

In character: The troubled 31-year-old sported a burly beard beneath his faded red cap, dirty T-shirt, denim cut-offs, and Converse low-tops for the scene

Acting gig: The Daytime Emmy winner plays a down-on-his-luck crab fisherman called Tyler in the eccentric adventure flick from directing duo Tyler Nilson & Mike Schwartz

At one point, Shia acted in a scene with Alabama rapper Yelawolf, who reportedly plays a shady rocker called Ratboy in the movie.

When filming began June 19 on The Peanut Butter Falcon, the filmmakers shared a grassy snap captioned: 'Good first day with these two.'

Zack Gottsagen makes his big-screen acting debut as Zak, 'a young man with Down syndrome runs away from home to chase his dream of becoming a professional wrestler.'

Fifty Shades' Dakota Johnson (as Eleanor) and two-time Oscar nominee Bruce Dern (as Carl) also appear in the Mark Twain-inspired drama.

Quiet on the set! At one point, Shia acted in a scene with Alabama rapper Yelawolf (M), who reportedly plays a shady rocker called Ratboy in the movie

When filming began June 19 on The Peanut Butter Falcon, the filmmakers shared a grassy snap captioned: 'Good first day with these two'

Road movie: Zack Gottsagen (L) makes his big-screen acting debut as Zak, 'a young man with Down syndrome runs away from home to chase his dream of becoming a professional wrestler'

Filmmakers and cast: Fifty Shades' Dakota Johnson (M) and two-time Oscar nominee Bruce Dern (not pictured) also appear in the Mark Twain-inspired drama

LaBeouf's sighting came two days after his sixth arrest - this time for obstruction, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness.

Shia was taken into custody around 4 a.m., and was released later Saturday from Chatham County Detention Center after posting a $3,500 bond, the Chatham County Sheriff's Office said.

'Shia approached someone for a cigarette [in City Market downtown]. When the person said no, they say he started swearing in front of women and kids,' police told TMZ.

'He was told to leave but refused and became aggressive toward an officer.'

Latest mugshot: LaBeouf's sighting came two days after his sixth arrest - this time for obstruction, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness

'I am not famous anymore': However, Hollywood seems to always forgive Shia for his unhinged public persona whereas actresses of his ilk would likely never work again after even one arrest

The American Honey actor is also being sued by bartender David Bernstein of Jerry's Famous Deli for 'assault and defamation' for another boozy incident on April 5.

And the 'metamodernist' was previously charged with misdemeanor assault and a harassment violation after a scuffle during his January 26 rally against Donald Trump in Queens.

However, Hollywood seems to always forgive Shia for his unhinged public persona whereas actresses of his ilk would likely never work again after even one arrest.

The Even Stevens alum will next play tennis pro John McEnroe opposite Sverrir Gudnason's Bjorn Borg in Janus Metz's drama Borg vs. McEnroe, which hits UK theaters on September 22.
Lindsay Shookus appears to be enjoying her new city.

The former New York resident, 37, was beaming as she headed to a studio in Los Angeles on Monday.

This comes after People claimed the pretty blonde SNL producer has moved into her boyfriend Ben Affleck's home, which is down the street from the Pacific Palisades mansion he used to share with Jennifer Garner.

Happy in Cali! Lindsay Shookus was beaming as she headed to a studio in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon

Bizzy babe: The TV executive, who became insta-famous last week when news broke she was serious with Ben, looked as if she was ready for a meeting

The TV executive, who became insta-famous last week when news broke she was serious with Ben, looked as if she was ready for a meeting.

Lindsay wore a black minidress with a denim jacket over her shoulders.

Shookus added pretty pink flats that had straps around her ankles and she carried a black bag.

She already has an assistant? The looker was accompanied by a man who wore a shirt-sleeved shirt and grey slacks with sneakers

The looker was accompanied by a man who wore a shirt-sleeved shirt and grey slacks with sneakers.

'They are spending time together in L.A. Lindsay is staying at Bens new house,' a source told People.

'They had dinner at Giorgio Baldi on Thursday. They arrived in a limo. They looked happy. They had a quick dinner and then returned to Bens house,' the source added.

UsWeekly claims the two have been seeing each other 'on and off' for over two years.

Happy Benny: 'They are spending time together in L.A. Lindsay is staying at Bens new house,' a source told People. Here he is seen in October 2016

'Ben and Lindsay started their affair in 2015. They were not casually dating  they were having a full-blown affair,' an insider said.

'They were sleeping together, sending each other cute texts and meeting up whenever they could.'

Which means the relationship was happening as Ben was still married to his wife of ten years Jennifer Garner.

UsWeekly claims that Jennifer and Lindsay's ex-husband Kevin Miller were both heartbroken when they found about the affair in 2015.

Once happy homestead: This is an aerial shot of the Pacific Palisades home where Ben used to live with Jennifer; she still resides there with the kids

Too close for comfort: Ben is now living in this home, with Lindsay, which is just down the street from Jennifer's estate, it has been claimed

However, a source close to Ben denied the claims, insisting the couple have only been dating for three months.

'Lindsay was not what led to the end of their marriage. They had a ton of other problems' the insider said.

Dailymail.com has contacted Ben's rep for comment.

Co-parenting: Ben and Jennifer took their three children - Violet, 11, Seraphina, eight, and Samuel, five - to a 4th of July party on Tuesday

Meanwhile, a separate source revealed to UsWeekly that Jennifer is 'OK' with Ben and Lindsay's romance and explained that the actress knew about the relationship and chose to go on vacation with her ex last month.

The duo took a trip to the Caribbean together with their three children - Violet, 11, Seraphina, eight, and Samuel, five - ahead of July 4.

The entire family was also spotted attending the 4th of July Parade and festivities in Brentwood on Tuesday.

Jennifer looked to be in great spirits when taking her three kids to church on Sunday in LA.

No frowns here: Garner appeared to be in good spirits as she was seen heading to church in Los Angeles on Sunday
Roxy Jacenko has been enjoying a lavish break in Bali with her two children and husband, Oliver Curtis.

But all good things must come to an end, and on Monday night the PR maven and her brood spent their last night in the paradise.

The 37-year-old shared a spate of images from the final hours of her holiday.

Final hours: Roxy Jacenko has been enjoying a lavish break in the luxury Alila Villas Uluwatu resort with her two children and husband, Oliver Curtis

Beaming in one photo, the blonde wore a low cut black dress as she posed with her daughter Pixie, 5.

She captioned the image, in which a smiling Pixie is wearing a bright red ribbon in her hair: 'Bali nights @fsbali w @pixiecurtis'.

In another photo, Pixie and Hunter, 3, stared out over their glorious vista alongside their luxury digs.

Roxy captioned the image: 'My little buddies  @huntercurtis14 & @pixiecurtis'.

Yet another photo showed Hunter in the doorway of what appears to be the family's luxurious villa at the Four Seasons Resort Bali At Jimbaran Bay.

Nice view: Pixie and Hunter, 3, stared out over their glorious vista alongside their luxury digs

Nice digs! Yet another photo showed Hunter in the doorway of what appears to be the family's luxurious villa

When on vacation: Roxy and daughter Pixie made use of the luxury resort's facilities

And despite the tropical setting, the mum of two hasn't strayed from her rigorous workout regime.

Roxy looked ultra fit in an Instagram snap on Sunday, that saw her flaunting her incredibly toned midriff in a skimpy crop top and workout shorts.

A later image saw Roxy making use of the resort's home gym that features stunning grassland views.

Abs-olutely ripped! Despite the tropical setting, the mum of two hasn't strayed from her rigorous workout regime.

Working on that bod: A later image saw Roxy making use of the resort's home gym that features stunning grassland views

One fan wasn't surprised to see the blonde beauty working out, writing: 'Trust you to be at the gym on your holiday!'

The family had been on their first vacation, since husband Oliver Curtis' release from prison.

Oliver served 12 months at Cooma Prison, for conspiracy to commit insider trading.
Ariel Winter donned her favorite Daisy Dukes to grab coffee-to-go with her boyfriend Levi Meaden in Studio City on Monday.

The 19-year-old actress - sporting glasses and waist-length burgundy hair extensions - paired her denim 'panties' with a lavender corseted top and black lace-up booties.

The Smurfs starlet has been inseparable from the Canadian 29-year-old for the last eight months, and the couple celebrated their first anniversary on May 11.

Back at it! Ariel Winter donned her favorite Daisy Dukes to grab coffee-to-go with her boyfriend Levi Meaden in Studio City on Monday

Signature style: The 19-year-old actress - sporting glasses and waist-length burgundy hair extensions - paired her denim 'panties' with a lavender corseted top and black lace-up booties

Still going strong: The Smurfs starlet has been inseparable from the Canadian 29-year-old for the last eight months, and the couple celebrated their first anniversary on May 11

On Thursday, Ariel shared an Instagram snap of herself holding a glass of Jack Daniels while visiting Ranchmans Cookhouse & Dancehall in Calgary (where the drinking age is 18).

'Startin' off Stampede with my old pal Jack,' the teenage homeowner - who boasts 4.3M social media followers - wrote.

'First #stampede with the lovely Meaden family!'

Winter (born Workman) has already received the approval of Levi's mother Chris, who happily posed with her during the Calgary Stampede festivities.

'Startin' off Stampede with my old pal Jack!' On Thursday, Ariel shared a snap of herself holding a glass of Jack Daniels while visiting Ranchmans Cookhouse & Dancehall in Calgary (where the drinking age is 18)

'First #stampede with the lovely Meaden family!' Winter (born Workman) has already received the approval of Levi's mother Chris, who happily posed with her during the Calgary Stampede

Monday also marked the 45th birthday of the Modern Family starlet's Colombian castmate, Sofia Vergara.

On May 10, ABC renewed the mockumentary series, in which Ariel plays Caltech student Alex Dunphy, for a ninth and 10th season to premiere this September.

The four-time SAG Award winner 'could not be more excited' that A24 and DirecTV have acquired the North American distribution rights to her film, Dog Years - according to Deadline.

'Happy birthday @sofiavergara! Love you!' Monday also marked the 45th birthday of the Modern Family starlet's Colombian castmate, Sofia Vergara

Congrats! On May 10, ABC renewed the mockumentary series, in which Ariel plays Caltech student Alex Dunphy, for a ninth and 10th season to premiere this September

Winter seems to have adapted the style (and hair color) of her wildchild-turned-chauffeur character Lil in the road trip drama also starring Oscar nominee Burt Reynolds.

The aspiring federal prosecutor graduated from Campbell Hall School last year, and she had planned on beginning her pre-law studiesat UCLA this fall.

Meanwhile, Meaden has two thrillers due out this year - Kurtis David Harder's Incontrol and Jordan Anthony Greer's Alice in the Attic.

Release coming: The four-time SAG Award winner 'could not be more excited' that A24 and DirecTV have acquired the North American distribution rights to her film, Dog Years
'Terrified' Blac Chyna has just been granted a temporary restraining order against the momager's son, Rob Kardashian.

But 61-year-old Kris Jenner was still away from home in St Tropez, France on Monday as claims emerged that Rob threatened to turn a gun on himself during the volatile relationship.

The smiling mum-of-six emerged from her hotel, dressed for a late afternoon of shopping with friends, just as Chyna appeared in court in New York.

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Still smiling? Kris Jenner emerged in St Tropez on Monday night, just as claims emerged that Rob Kardashian had threatened to use a gun on himself during his time with Blac Chyna

Kris, who is currently vacationing with younger boyfriend Corey Gamble, couldn't be missed in bold, zebra trousers.

She stuck to a signature black palette and kept sunglasses tipped on the edge of her nose as onlookers spotted her moving through the affluent coastal resort, going door to door at high end shops.

The businesswoman is grandmother to Chyna's second child, Dream, the daughter she shares with reality star Rob, Kris' only son.

In a dramatic turn of events, Chyna was granted a temporary restraining order against Rob in court on Monday morning.

What's ze-brablem? Kris looked bold in animal print trousers, worn with her signature black layers

Sipping on a cooler: She seemed to be trying to distract herself while away

Blac appeared at a New York courthouse just before 8:30am with her lawyer Lisa Bloom, who filed papers claiming that her client was 'terrified' of Kardashian.

That terror stems from the gun incident and also details a series of incidents that occurred on April 8, 2017, when Blac Chyna claims that Kardashian beat her in front of her 4-year-old son King and ripped a bedroom door of its hinges.

Blac Chyna submitted both video and photographic evidence of this incident.

That attack happened at around the same time that King's father, Tyga, split with Rob's half-sister, Kylie Jenner, after thee years of dating.

In court: Blac Chyna appeared at a New York court on Monday morning with her attorney Lisa Bloom (left) as she was granted a temporary restraining order against Rob

Family: She was speaking out for the first time since her ex posted nude photos and harassing messages about her on social media (pictured Rob and Blac Chyna with daughter Dream on Father's Day)

The documents have been filed following a very public outburst from Rob, via social media on Thursday.

Rob posted explicit pictures of the mother of his child on his Instagram page, which had been privately sent to him during their relationship.

He accused her of cheating on him on multiple occasions and threatened to take away their daughter Dream.

Still smiling: Kris is currently away on vacation with boyfriend Corey Gamble

Turning a blind eye: The momager was shopping with friends

Immediately after the outburst, it was believed that the Kardashian family were concerned for seven-month-old Dream and the irreparable damage it could have on her.

According to TMZ, the reality family believe that the 'unacceptable' furore would have a 'long-term impact', especially with reference to his claims that Blac Chyna 'had a baby out of spite' to get back at her ex Tyga.

A source said: 'They are ashamed the war has become a public spectacle and hurting the family name.

That's one way to distract yourself: Kris was seen visiting Roberto Cavalli

Shopping up a storm: She was seemingly out all afternoon shopping

'Even worse than damaging the brand, family members worry Rob and Chyna are hurting 7-month-old Dream.

'In particular they cringed when Rob posted, "She had a baby out of spite" to get back at Tyga. They say this is the kind of stuff a child will see later and it can cause long-term damage.'

Currently, Rob's sisters are spread across the globe, from Kendall in Mykonos, Greece to Kylie in London and Kourtney in St Tropez, where Kris is.

The only siblings who seem to be nearby are Rob's fourth and fifth sisters Khloe and Kim.

All smiles: She was well protected, thanks to her high profile
She's reportedly moved into Ben Affleck's home.

And on Monday, Lindsay Shookus and the actor, 44, stepped out together for a morning beverage run in Brentwood, California.

Ben and the Saturday Night Live producer, who shared a sweet moment on their way out of the shop, have been seeing each other 'one and off' since 2015, according to UsWeekly.

Happy: Lindsay Shookus and the actor stepped out together for a morning beverage run in Brentwood, California on Monday

News of their relationship became public last week.

For their morning day date, the former New York resident flashed her legs in a classic black dress, adding white trainers.

The TV executive, 37, wore her blonde locks loose and went makeup free.

Ben, who grinned ear to ear, dressed in casual wear, opting for jeans and a black shirt.

Looking good: Ben and the Saturday Night Live producer, who shared a sweet moment on their way out of the shop, have been seeing each other 'one and off' since 2015, according to UsWeekly

Staying close: News of their relationship became public last week

The happy duo gazed into each other's eyes as they headed back to their car.

US Weekly's insider said that Ben and Lindsay 'were not casually dating' but 'having a full-blown affair' since 2015.

However, a source close to Ben said that they've only been dating for three months.

'Lindsay was not what led to the end of their marriage. They had a ton of other problems,' the insider said.

According to E! News the duo are 'in the early stages' of their relationship, adding that 'it's more than a summer thing.'

A sweet moment: For their morning day date, Lindsay flashed her legs in a classic black dress, adding white trainers

'They are spending time together in LA. Lindsay is staying at Ben's new house,' People's source revealed.

On Thursday, Ben and Lindsay stepped out for a romantic dinner at Giorgio Baldi.

E! reported that they enjoyed each other's company inside the Los Angeles restaurant.

The website claims that they 'were very intimate and touchy the entire dinner' and had lobster and several pasta dishes during their date.

In conversation: Ben, who grinned ear to ear, dressed in casual wear, opting for jeans and a black shirt

Content: The TV executive, 37, wore her blonde locks loose and went makeup free

Earlier this month, they spent time together in London, where Ben was working.

They enjoyed a number of dates, including seeing Sam Mendes' play Ferryman in the city and dinner at Gymkhana Indian restaurant in Mayfair, reports US Weekly.

She also stopped by the set of Justice League where Ben was filming re-shoots.

Bliss: Earlier this month, they spent time together in London, where Ben was working; seenon Monday in Brentwood, CA

Lindsay was previously married to Kevin Miller, a former SNL producer; they have one child together.

Ben and Jennifer announced their separation in summer 2015, after 10 years of marriage.

The former couple, who filed for divorce in April, have remained amicable.

They have three children: Violet, 11; Seraphina, eight; and Samuel, five.
L-R: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the President of the European Council Donald Tusk and US President Donald Trump speak at the beginning of the third working session of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, northern Germany, on July 8, 2017

World leaders made concessions on trade and climate language to Donald Trump Saturday at the end of the most fractious and riot-hit G20 summit ever, in exchange for preserving a fragile unity of the club of major industrialised and emerging economies.

But the gesture opened the door for others, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning that Ankara was now leaning towards not ratifying the landmark Paris climate accord.

Erdogan's threat brought further disarray to a summit that was marred by bilateral quarrels and strife over climate protection and trade.

And in one of the weekend's more bizarre scenes, Trump raised eyebrows by leaving a discussion and letting his daughter Ivanka take his place.

In a departure from final summit declarations that tend to outline consensus on issues that range from fighting terrorism to financial governance, the extraordinary conclusion this year spelt out differences on core issues.

It acknowledged Trump's decision to take the United States out of the 2015 Paris deal and clearly stated Washington's wish to continue using and selling fossil fuels that are a main driver of global warming.

The declaration also stated for the first time the right of countries to protect their markets with "legitimate trade defence instruments" -- wording that essentially gives Trump wiggle room to push on with his "America First" policy.

The nationalistic stance has set him on collision course with many of America's allies, who warned Trump against an isolationist path and starting a trade war.

G20 Hamburg summit

"Where there is no consensus, the communique spelt out the discord," said host Chancellor Angela Merkel.

- 'Problem' with Paris deal -

But with Trump determinedly leading the US out of the climate accord ratified by 153 countries, Erdogan said he was leaning towards not completing the ratification process.

"After that step taken by America, the position that we adopt is in the direction of not passing it in parliament," Erdogan said.

He also suggested some other, unidentified G20 countries had a "problem" with the agreement.

Thomas Bernes from the think-tank Centre for International Governance Innovation described the final declaration as a "masquerade".

Violent protests on the sidelines of the conference disrupted the movements of delegates and drew criticism of organisers

"When compared to the G20 dynamic since the London summit in 2009, it's a step back: a clear signal against protectionism to fight the financial crisis becomes a mixed signal."

- Trail of destruction -

If the meetings within the tightly secured venue were anything but harmonious, outside chaos and violence gripped Germany's second city.

Ten minutes' walk from the summit, charred road barricades, trashed shops, debris and shattered glass bore testimony to an anarchic Friday night of street clashes between protesters and police, when commandos chased militants who hurled rocks from rooftops.

The clashes blocked US First Lady Melania Trump at her residence on Friday, forcing G20 organisers to completely alter a programme for spouses of visiting leaders.

On Saturday, thousands of anti-riot cops were again on guard, as helicopters hovered overhead, with tens of thousands of demonstrators on the march.

Fresh clashes erupted early Sunday in the streets of Hamburg following the end of the G20 summit, with protesters setting fire to a number of vehicles and police reporting more officers injured and more arrests.

- Trump vs. Putin -

US President Donald Trump raised some eyebrows by allowing his daughter Ivanka to substitute for him in one discussion

Within the summit walls, world leaders were dancing a delicate diplomatic waltz, with discord not only dogging the main G20 conferences, but also adding tension to bilateral asides.

Host Merkel herself admitted that "deep differences" remain with Erdogan after they met on the sidelines of the summit.

But it was Trump's first head-to-head with Russia's leader President Vladimir Putin that stole the show.

A day after Trump slammed Moscow's actions in Ukraine and Syria, the two men had a "robust and lengthy exchange" about allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

But Tillerson, who was present at the meeting that ran for two hours and 15 minutes, also said the two alpha-male leaders "connected very quickly" with "very clear positive chemistry".

Trump said Saturday that the tete-a-tete was "tremendous" while Putin gave an upbeat assessment of what it meant for future ties.

"There is every reason to believe that we will be able to at least partially re-establish the level of cooperation that we need," Putin said.

After scoring at his Russian encounter, Trump turned to another thorny meeting, this time with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missile test announced this week was the key issue, with Trump warning Thursday that Pyongyang's military sabre-rattling would bear "consequences".

Entering into talks, Trump told his Chinese counterpart that "something has to be done" on North Korea.

In a summit with its fair share of odd and awkward moments, it was Ivanka's appearance at one discussion alongside Xi, Merkel and Erdogan that caused the biggest stir.

Historian Anne Applebaum took to Twitter to denounce what she described "an unelected, unqualified, unprepared New York socialite" being seen as "the best person to represent American national interests."

Merkel though sought to play down the case, saying that it is "in line with what other delegations do".
Palestinian activist Issa Amro, accused of inciting violence, arrives for a hearing at the Israeli-run Ofer military court in the occupied West Bank

Prominent Palestinian activist Issa Amro went on trial in an Israeli military court Sunday on accusations of inciting violence, charges rights groups call a bid to silence him.

The trial began at the Ofer military court in the occupied West Bank, but was adjourned until October 22 after two witnesses testified.

Amro is the founder of Youth Against Settlements, a campaign group in the city of Hebron in the West Bank.

In June 2016, he was charged with 18 counts, some dating back to 2010, according to Amnesty International.

Speaking to reporters outside the court, the 37-year-old called the trial a "joke" and said he had no trust that Israel's military justice system would treat him fairly.

His lawyer Gaby Lasky told reporters the "Israeli military cannot stop non-violent demonstrations with weapons, so they're doing it through criminalisation of ... freedom of speech and freedom of demonstration."

An Israeli military spokesman has said evidence would be presented that Amro had "taken part in riots, attacks on soldiers, calls to violence, and prevented security forces from doing their work".

Two soldiers took the stand on Sunday and testified about a demonstration on February 26, 2016.

Amro and Fareed Al Atrash, another activist, are said to have "incited violence" in that demonstration.

"I think we proved it wasn't an illegal demonstration and it was not a violent demonstration, and incitement is not carrying slogans" critical of Israel's occupation, Lasky told reporters.

Amnesty International has said the charges against Amro do not "stand up to any scrutiny."

"If he is convicted, we will consider Issa Amro a prisoner of conscience," Amnesty's Magdalena Mughrabi said previously.
Members of Iraq's federal police force wave Iraq's national flag as they celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on July 9, 2017 after recapturing the city

The Iraqi military's hard-fought victory over the Islamic State group in Mosul marks a defining moment not just for them. It is also a key win for the US doctrine behind it.

Instead of putting large numbers of American boots on the ground, the US-led strategy in Iraq and Syria has been a non-stop air campaign combined with continual training and advising for proxy local forces.

Pentagon officials say the outcome is clear -- three years after collapsing as flag-waving jihadists swept across their country, Iraq's security forces have become a battle-hardened army that prevailed in a brutal urban fight.

"Training works," said one senior US military officer who was deployed to Iraq from 2015-'16. It "has enabled the Iraqis to take back their country."

It's a far cry from when then-Pentagon chief Ashton Carter said in May 2015 that the Iraqi military "showed no will to fight."

When IS attacked in 2014, the Iraqi security forces had grown weak under then-prime minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Troops turned and ran, often without a fight, dumping precious US-provided weaponry and vehicles as they fled.

"It was stunning," the military official said.

"Even ISIS had to have been surprised at how rapidly the Iraqi army utterly just fell apart."

The skills they'd learned under previous US tutelage from 2008-2011 centered on fighting an insurgency -- not stopping a fast-moving jihadist army.

"We needed an army that could fight conventionally," the official said.

The decision to use a few hundred US troops and other Western military experts to train local fighters stems partly from the Iraq War, which saw more than 4,400 US troops die.

A US public wary of additional deployments did not want Barack Obama recommitting more combat troops.

- New skills -

A girl in Mosul flashes the victory sign as she stands with Iraq's federal police forces celebrating the recapture of the city from IS troops on July 9, 2017

Obama ordered air strikes and pursued a strategy -- known in the Pentagon as "by, with and through" -- to train local forces.

In the summer of 2015, coalition advisers started instructing Iraqis on conventional warfare -- fighting in small units, setting up defenses, how to breech minefields and so on.

By the end of that year, the Iraqis began striking back at IS, including with the recapture of Ramadi.

As of this month, the coalition had trained about 106,000 Iraqi security forces, including 40,000 Iraqi troops, 15,000 police, 6,000 border guards, 21,000 Kurdish peshmerga, 14,000 from the elite Counter Terrorism Service and another 9,500 "tribal mobilization forces."

The toll has been brutal, with thousands of Iraqi forces killed.

But since anti-IS operations began in Iraq and Syria in 2014, only 11 US troops have been killed.

The US military is trying a similar strategy with Afghan security forces in their fight against a resurgent Taliban.

- 'Only horse we had' -

For Brian McKeon, a senior Pentagon policy official at the end of the Obama administration, the strategy worked, though not as quickly as had been hoped. The battle for Mosul first began on October 16, 2016.

Once the decision was made to work "by with and through partners... it was the only horse that we had to ride," McKeon said.

"It has taken longer than might have been assessed at the beginning but that's not really unusual. No plan survives first contact and you never know where it's going to go, given the large number of variables in a war."

The strategy of supporting a proxy army will become increasingly important as the United States shies away from full-on deployments.

For John Spencer, a scholar at the Modern War Institute at West Point, the fight for Mosul has been "the biggest modern case study foreshadowing what (urban) war is going to be like in the future."

Iraq's federal police members the national flag as they celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on July 9, 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city

"It's kind of the ultimate end of that scale where you build an army, a police force, and a counterterrorism force that are capable of fighting, and you send only a few hundred troops and air support to help," he said.

The United States is employing the same tactic in Syria, where commandos have trained a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces to tackle IS.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis calls it the "era of frequent skirmishing," when local forces will be key in repelling non-state groups such as IS.

"We will do it by, with and through other nations," he said in a recent interview with CBS News.

Though the fight against IS isn't over, Canadian Brigadier General Dave Anderson, who oversees the training of local forces for the US-led coalition, said he was confident Iraqi forces would never again face a rout such as 2014.

"I had a very senior Iraqi tell me that, 'We're an ancient society and a brand new country; born in 2012, we've had a near-death experience in 2014.' That's actually a good lens through which to look at it," he said.
Syria's opposition insists that President Bashar al-Assad must step down as part of any political solution to the war, but the government says Assad's fate is not up for discussion

Syria's government and opposition meet Monday for a seventh round of UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva with little expectation of a breakthrough to end the six-year conflict.

The Geneva process has been increasingly overshadowed by a separate track organised by regime allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey.

And on Sunday, a ceasefire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan began in southern Syria, the latest agreement reached outside the Geneva framework.

In principle, the new round of negotiations will focus on four so-called "baskets": a new constitution, governance, elections and combating "terrorism".

The last talks had ended in May with little progress towards ending a war that has killed more than 320,000 people since it began in March 2011.

UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said afterwards that "important gaps remain... on major issues," and that time constraints had stymied progress.

Syria's opposition insists that President Bashar al-Assad must step down as part of any political solution to the war, but the government says Assad's fate is not up for discussion.

Still both sides are expected to participate once again, with Yehya al-Aridi, a spokesman for the opposition High Negotiations Committee, telling AFP he had "modest expectations".

- UN welcomes ceasefire deal -

The Geneva talks began in 2014, and have continued intermittently despite a dearth of results.

Since January, they have been increasingly overshadowed by a separate process held in Astana and organised by Russia, Iran and Turkey.

The three countries agreed in May to set up four "de-escalation zones" in Syria, though they have so far failed to agree details necessary to implement the plan.

Meanwhile, US, Russian and Jordanian officials have agreed a ceasefire in southern Syria that began on Sunday and covers three provinces included in one of the "de-escalation" zones.

De Mistura's deputy Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi has said the ceasefire deal "helps create a suitable atmosphere for the talks".

"We hope that an agreement will be reached for the other areas that have been discussed as soon as possible and this will lead to significant support for the political process," he added.

- Geneva vs. Astana -

Syria's opposition fears the Astana talks are a way for regime allies to control the negotiation process.

By attending the Geneva talks, Aridi said, the opposition hoped to preserve the track.

"The goal is to maintain some momentum for a political solution in light of Russia's attempts to divert attention to Astana, which it wants to design and shape as it wishes," he told AFP.

Syria analyst Sam Heller, writing for the Century Foundation think-tank, said the opposition and its backers viewed Geneva as "a chance for smaller tactical wins and a vessel for a possible future deal".

"It's also about keeping an internationally recognised political process shaped by key opposition backers, rather than ceding the negotiating space to the rival Astana negotiations track, over which Russia has presided."

Washington, once a key opposition backer and peace process partner, stepped back from involvement in the diplomatic process after President Donald Trump took office in January.

But its involvement in the south Syria ceasefire raises the prospect it may be re-engaging in a limited fashion.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said American and Russian officials had discussed "other areas in Syria that we can continue to work together on".

And in Washington, a senior State Department official said both countries had a role to play in ending Syria's conflict.

"If there's going to be a resolution of the conflict in Syria, we both need to somehow be involved in it."
A car loaded with belongings of a displaced Syrian family drives past destroyed buildings in a rebel-held area of the southern city of Daraa on May 9, 2017

Syrian government forces launched an attack on rebels in a southern province on Monday despite a ceasefire, but state media said the assault was against the Islamic State group.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the assault in Sweida province began in the morning, almost 24 hours into an internationally brokered ceasefire.

"The regime started an attack on the area northeast of Sweida city, backed by air strikes," the monitor said, reporting clashes between government troops and rebel fighters on the ground.

One of the targeted groups, the Ahmad al-Abdo Army, said "fierce fighting" was ongoing.

Regime forces "launched a big attack today, with huge columns of armoured vehicles and with Syrian air cover," said Firas al-Munjed, the group's communication head.

Both he and the Observatory said regime forces had captured a string of hilltops and villages along the border between the provinces of Sweida and Rural Damascus.

But Syrian state media named those same positions as territory that government forces had captured from IS.

"Our forces and allies captured several areas, villages, hilltops and commanding positions in the eastern countryside of Sweida after eliminating large numbers of IS terrorists," said the official SANA news agency.

The clashes come as a ceasefire for southern Syria negotiated by the United States, Russia and Jordan entered its second day.

So far, the deal announced Friday has brought quiet to most of the three provinces covered: Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida.

But in addition to the Sweida clashes, there have been other limited violations according to the Observatory, including regime shelling and exchanges of fire with rebels in Daraa.

In Quneitra province, there were also reports of sporadic machinegun fire from both sides, though there were no casualties in any of the incidents, the monitor said.

Sunday's ceasefire went into effect just ahead of new peace talks in Geneva.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has congratulated Iraq on its declared victory over the Islamic State jihadist group in Mosul

Iran has congratulated Iraq on its declared victory over the Islamic State jihadist group in Mosul and offered its help to rebuild the devastated country.

"Congratulations to brave people and Government of Iraq upon liberation of Mosul," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote late Sunday in a tweet.

"When Iraqis join hands, no limits to what they can achieve."

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was in Mosul Sunday, officially marking the end of a difficult campaign to retake the city, where IS declared its self-styled caliphate three years ago.

Other Iranian officials were also quick to welcome the victory, Iraq's biggest yet against the jihadists.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (C) visits liberated Mosul, officially marking the end of the campaign to retake the city

It was a "great achievement in the path to ending the presence and savage actions of the criminal Daesh (IS) group against the Iraqi nation", said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in messages to Abadi and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's most revered cleric.

"The government, armed forces and the brave nation of Islamic Iran... are prepared to offer aid to the displaced and injured in the war and help rebuild the cities and vital infrastructure in the country," official news agency IRNA quoted Shamkhani as saying.

Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan and the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, also congratulated Abadi, saying they were ready to boost defence and security ties with Baghdad.
Austria had barred Turkish Economy minister Nihat Zeybekci from entering the country to attend a rally

Austria said Monday it had barred Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci from entering the country to attend a rally marking the anniversary of last year's failed coup attempt in Turkey.

"He has been barred because his visit was not planned as part of a bilateral exchange, but was about his public appearance at an event marking the coup attempt," foreign ministry spokesman Thomas Schnoell told AFP.

Zeybekci's attendance would have represented a "danger for public order", he said.

The foreign ministry did not say when the rally was due to take place.

The move came three days after the Dutch government warned Turkey against sending its deputy premier, Tugrul Turkes, to address a rally in the eastern Netherlands this week to mark the abortive coup.

Ties between Ankara and the European Union have been strained over the crackdown that followed the July 15 2016 attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Earlier this year, several countries including Austria and Germany banned pro-Ankara rallies ahead of a controversial referendum in April on granting Erdogan sweeping powers.

Turkish ministers had been heading to Europe to whip up support for a "yes" vote among millions of Turkey's voters who live abroad.

Some 360,000 people of Turkish origin live in Austria, including 117,00 Turkish citizens. Many are believed to be pro-Erdogan supporters whose vote helped him win the referendum.
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is pressing home his authority ahead of key polls next year

Cambodian ruling party MPs on Monday voted to effectively sever ties between the beleaguered opposition and its figurehead, as Prime Minister Hun Sen presses home his authority ahead of key polls next year.

In a legal amendment, lawmakers agreed to ban political parties from "using the voice, images or written documents... of convicts prosecuted in criminal or civil cases for political interests," according to a draft of the clause seen by AFP.

The move appears to directly target the opposition's self-exiled former leader Sam Rainsy, who has a string of convictions in Cambodia that he says are politically motivated.

Rainsy has already resigned from Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), but still plays a behind the scenes role for an opposition that aims to end Hun Sen's three decade rule in next year's general election.

The tweaked law also bans parties from "openly or tacitly conspiring with convicts" with the threat of suspension for up to five years or even abolition by the courts.

The amendments still need approval from the senate and the King's assent -- both formalities.

Opposition lawmakers boycotted the parliamentary vote, decrying the amendments as politically motivated.

In a Facebook post on Sunday ahead of the vote, Rainsy accused Hun Sen of being afraid of him, "to the extent that just my name, photo, voice or even my shadow causes him insomnia".

In last month's local elections the CNRP used images of Sam Rainsy on party banners.

Rainsy has been at the forefront of the kingdom's opposition movement for two decades.

Hun Sen faces crunch national polls next year and has dramatically ramped up his rhetoric in recent months.

Last month he called on critics to "prepare coffins" and warned he would eliminate "100 or 200 people" if stability was threatened.
Pro-Islamic State gunmen have waged a seven-week battle for the Philippine city of Marawi, considered the Muslim capital of the largely Catholic Philippines

Children and hostages are being forced to fight alongside pro-Islamic State gunmen waging a seven-week battle for a Philippine city, the country's military said Monday.

Militants seized Marawi, considered the Muslim capital of the largely Catholic Philippines, on May 23 in a bid to create an IS province, and over 100 remain holed up in the city despite intense military efforts to oust them.

Some of the extremists are teenagers who may have been recruited and trained to use guns when they were still children, said Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla, a military spokesman.

"We continuously get disturbing narratives from (escaped residents) that children as well as hostages are being employed in the firefight," Padilla told reporters in Manila.

Casualties among children and civilians forced to take up arms could not be ruled out, Padilla said.

"As disturbing as it is, our troops are doing their best to avoid any casualty among these children that are being employed," he said.

"But in the event... they bear arms and are involved in the fighting, there is nothing much that we can do. Similarly to the hostages who are being forced."

Shortly after seizing Marawi gunmen took at least a dozen hostages, including a Catholic priest. Some of the estimated 300 other civilians still trapped in the area may have also been taken captive, said Padilla.

The military earlier said civilians had been forced to help the gunmen by carrying supplies and ammunition, bearing their wounded and even helping them loot the city.

More than 500 people have been killed in the fighting, including 89 soldiers and police, 39 civilians and 379 militants, according to figures released by the government on Monday.

Nearly 400,000 civilians have fled their homes.

Daily air strikes and artillery barrages against militant snipers who control tall buildings have left Marawi's central business district a ghost town.

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte last month vowed to "crush" the militants but several government-set deadlines to end the conflict have already been missed.

The fighting also prompted Duterte to declare martial law over the entire southern Philippines.

Padilla on Monday expressed hope that the fighting would soon be concluded.

"We continue to gain headway with our operations on the ground," he said.
A policeman and two civilians have been wounded in shootings in a Shiite-majority province in Saudi Arabia, police said Monday.

Qatif, an eastern province in Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has been hit by a string of attacks over the past week, some of them deadly.

Police said an off-duty officer was wounded late Sunday when gunmen opened fire on his car as he was driving by private farmland.

And two civilians were admitted with gunshot wounds early Monday to a hospital in Qatif's town of Awamiya, police added.

All three are in stable condition.

Violence over the past week has gripped Qatif, where two policemen were killed in two separate bombings targeting their patrols on Tuesday and Thursday.

Two more policemen were wounded in a Saturday attack.

Last month, three people, including an officer, were also killed in bombings in the area.

Saudi authorities have said they are treating the bombings last week as "terrorist crimes" and have blamed drug and arms traffickers for unrest in the area.

Residents have accused police of opening fire on civilians and give a higher death toll.
A view of Okinoshima island, which was inscribed at the 41st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Poland on July 9

A men-only island in Japan where women are banned and male visitors must bathe naked in the sea before visiting its shrine, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The tiny landmass of Okinoshima is permanently manned by a Shinto priest who prays to the island's goddess, in a tradition that has been kept up for centuries.

Limited numbers are permitted to land on the island in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) -- this year it was 200 -- for a yearly festival that lasts just two hours, but they must adhere to strict rules.

Most importantly, they must be men, but they must also strip off and take a purifying dip in the ocean before they are allowed to set foot on the sacred ground of the shrine.

Despite its inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage list -- often the prelude to a leap in tourist numbers -- shrine officials say they are now considering banning future travel for anyone apart from priests, partly out of fears the island could be "destroyed" by too many visitors.

Devotees purify themselves with sea water before entering Okinoshima island, which was inscribed at the 41st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Poland on July 9

"The island has sometimes been said to ban women, but in principle anyone but the priests who pray there for 365 days a year is barred from entering," said a spokesman.

The ban on female visitors specifically "has nothing to do with discrimination against women," the official told AFP by phone.

It is considered dangerous for women to travel by sea to get to the island and the shrine will not change the centuries-old rule, he said.

"It is meant to protect women, the birth-giving gender," he added.

The island, which sits off the northwest coast of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, was an important window for foreign trade in Japan since ancient times, forming part of a trade route that linked the archipelago to the Korean peninsula and China.

Thousands of gold rings and other valuable items have been found there.

"These treasures are believed to have been offered to the gods in order to pray for national prosperity and the safety of marine traffic," says the website of Munakata Taisha, the shrine which owns Okinoshima.

UNESCO's heritage committee considered 33 sites for the prestigious status at its annual gathering in Poland.

This September 30, 2016 picture shows Okitsugu shrine of the Munakata Taisha at Okinoshima island, some 60 kilometres from Munakata city, Fukuoka prefecture

On Sunday it also accepted Taputapuatea, a portion of the "Polynesian Triangle" in the South Pacific thought to be the last part of the globe settled by humans, to the list.

It also added Britain's Lake District -- muse for artists from William Wordsworth to Beatrix Potter -- and the Valongo wharf in Rio de Janeiro where slaves from Africa first arrived in Brazil.

UNESCO's World Heritage list includes over 1,000 sites, monuments and natural phenomena that are of "outstanding universal value" to humankind.

It includes treasures such as Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the Taj Mahal in India, and the rock-carved city of Petra in modern-day Jordan.
Syria's opposition insists that President Bashar al-Assad must step down as part of any political solution to the war, but the government says Assad's fate is not up for discussion

The UN's Syria envoy said Monday that the stars may just be beginning to align for peace after six years of savage conflict as the latest round of talks began in Geneva.

Staffan de Mistura ruled out any breakthrough at this week's negotiations to end a war that has claimed more than 320,000 lives and displaced more than half of Syria's population.

But he pointed to a new ceasefire brokered with US and Russian help, covering three provinces in southern Syria, as one source of hope.

He said other hopeful signs were the creation of "de-escalation zones" elsewhere and the recapture of Mosul by Iraqi forces from the Islamic State (IS) group, whose geographic spread had become a prime ingredient in Syria's combustible mix.

"There is a higher potential than we have seen in the past for progress," the UN envoy told a news conference after the first day of the talks, which he is chairing, alternating between meeting Syrian government delegates and representatives of three opposition groups.

Disappointment has come all too often as various peace initiatives came to naught since a revolt first erupted against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, the Swedish-Italian diplomat conceded.

"But what I can tell you is that we are seeing several stars coinciding in a certain direction, both on the ground, regionally and internationally."

Beyond the human and physical devastation wrought in Syria, the financial cost of the conflict was laid bare in a new World Bank report on Monday.

Cumulative losses to gross domestic product since Syria's conflict erupted "have been estimated at $226 billion, about four times the Syrian GDP in 2010", the report said.

De Mistura and delegates in Geneva were at pains to play down expectations for the seventh round of negotiations, which are set to end Friday with further rounds already scheduled for August and September.

In principle, the Geneva negotiations focus on four so-called "baskets": a new constitution, governance, elections and combating terrorism.

Yehya al-Aridi, a spokesman for the opposition High Negotiations Committee, told AFP he had "modest expectations" as this round of talks opened.

The opposition insists on Assad's departure from power, but that is a red line for his delegation led in Geneva by Syria's UN ambassador.

De Mistura, however, anticipated "incremental development" this week and said the "homework" was being done for the launch of a more ambitious peace process, "maybe much sooner than we are thinking".

On the ground, Syrian government forces launched an attack on rebels in one of the ceasefire provinces on Monday, but state media said the assault was against IS and de Mistura said such incidents amounted only to "teething trouble" for the truce.

The ceasefire was brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan, and announced after talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Hamburg.

- Geneva vs Astana -

UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said as he arrived for the latest peace talks: "We will work very hard."

De Mistura said the endorsement of the two "superpowers" lent more hope to this initiative after previous failures, and he also denied that a separate dialogue under way in the Kazakh capital Astana could undermine the UN process.

The Astana track is being coordinated by Assad allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey. They agreed in May to set up four de-escalation zones in Syria, although they have so far failed to agree the details necessary to implement the plan.

By attending the Geneva talks, Aridi said, the opposition hoped to preserve the UN-supervised track which began in 2014.

"The goal is to maintain some momentum for a political solution in light of Russia's attempts to divert attention to Astana, which it wants to design and shape as it wishes," he told AFP.

Washington, once a key opposition backer and peace process partner, stepped back from involvement in the diplomatic process after Trump became president in January.

But its involvement in the south Syria ceasefire raises the prospect it may be re-engaging in a limited fashion.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said US and Russian officials had discussed "other areas in Syria that we can continue to work together on".
India began holding naval exercises with the United States and Japan off its south coast

India began holding naval exercises with the United States and Japan off its south coast on Monday, seeking to forge closer military ties to counter growing Chinese influence in the region.

The exercises come as Indian and Chinese troops face off in a remote and strategically sensitive part of the Himalayas where India, China and Bhutan meet.

India has a longstanding territorial dispute with its northern neighbour, which is also expanding its naval presence in the region.

It is the fourth consecutive year Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) has taken part in the Malabar Exercise, conducted annually by the US and India in the Bay of Bengal since 1992.

In a statement, the US said the exercises had "grown in scope and complexity over the years to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific".

The US navy is fielding the USS Nimitz, the world's largest aircraft carrier, for the drills which go on til July 17.

China has stepped up its activities in the Indian Ocean in recent years, building ports in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The area also features heavily in Beijing's new One Belt One Road initiative to revive ancient trade routes from Asia, which has caused concerns in New Delhi.

Troops from the two nuclear-armed neighbours have for weeks been engaged in a stand-off on a disputed section of land high near what is known as the trijunction, where Tibet, India and Bhutan meet.

China has alleged that the Indian troops are on its soil, but both Bhutan and India say the area in question is Bhutanese territory.

The maritime exercises come weeks after US President Donald Trump declared that ties between Washington and New Delhi had "never been stronger" as he held his first talks with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Beijing already claims large swathes of the resource-rich South China Sea and East China Sea, putting it in competition with Japan and other countries in the region.
South Korean protesters hold placards showing portraits of former "comfort women". The plight of the so-called "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II is an emotional issue that has marred ties

South Korea intends to build a museum in memory of wartime sex slaves for Japanese troops, a government minister said Monday, re-igniting perennial tensions in the two neighbours' relationship.

The plight of the so-called "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II is a hugely emotional issue that has marred ties between the US allies for decades.

Mainstream historians say up to 200,000 women -- mostly from Korea but also other parts of Asia including China -- were forced to work at Japanese army brothels across the region during the 1939-1945 conflict.

"We are planning to build a 'comfort women' museum in Seoul," said new gender equality minister Chung Hyun-Back at a shelter for a shrinking number of survivors, who now number only 38 in total.

The "House of Sharing", in a rural area south of Seoul, has a memorial hall but Chung said the country needed a museum in the capital with better public access.

She did not elaborate on when it will open or what kind of materials it will display.

But it is likely to worsen the relationship between Seoul and Tokyo, two US allies whose co-operation Washington needs as Donald Trump seeks to address the threat from nuclear-armed Pyongyang.

Japan maintains that there is a lack of documentary proof that the women were forcibly made to work at the brothels.

In late 2015, under now-ousted president Park Geun-Hye, Seoul and Tokyo reached what they described as a "final and irreversible" agreement under which Japan offered an apology and a one-billion yen ($8.6 billion) payment to South Korean survivors.

Critics of the accord, including some survivors, say the deal did not go far enough in holding Japan legally responsible for wartime abuses during its 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.

Tension escalated further after South Korean activists refused to remove a statue of a girl erected in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul to symbolise the victims of sex slavery.

Tokyo has pressed Seoul to remove it, but activists have since put up more statues -- including one outside the Japanese consulate in Busan.

Tokyo recalled its ambassador in protest in January, and he did not return for three months.

New South Korean President Moon Jae-In has repeatedly voiced criticism of the 2015 deal, suggesting a potential push by Seoul to renegotiate it.

Monday's comments came after South Korean researchers last week unearthed what they described as rare footage of the sex slaves during the war.

The 18 seconds of film, discovered at the US national archive and believed to be taken in 1944, shows a group of seven women standing in front of a hotel used as a Japanese military brothel in Songshan, China.

They were not named, but some of them were identified as the same women featured in another rare photo showing Korean comfort women, according to researchers at the Seoul National University.
Bearded dragons -- which take their name from the scales under their head that resemble a beard -- are popular pets due to their hardy and tame nature.

Malaysia has foiled an attempt to smuggle dozens of bearded dragon lizards and tortoises into the country from neighbouring Thailand to be sold as pets, authorities said Monday.

Two Thais and one Malaysian were arrested as they drove an SUV with the animals hidden inside, according to local border security chief Syed Basri Syed Ali.

Authorities found 58 bearded dragons and eight African spurred tortoises.

Both animals are popular pets in Malaysia but it is illegal to bring them into the country without the correct permits.

If found guilty of breaking wildlife protection laws, the trio -- who were arrested Thursday -- could be jailed for up to 10 years, said Syed Basri.

Kanitha Krishnasamy, acting regional director for wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic, told AFP the discovery could help investigators probing pet smuggling.

"This case could potentially uncover connections to the exotic pet trade that appears to be booming in Malaysia," she said.

African spurred tortoises are kept as pets due to their reputation for having a pleasant temperament. The world's third-largest tortoise, they are classified as "vulnerable" by protection group the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Bearded dragons -- which take their name from the scales under their head that resemble a beard -- are popular pets due to their hardy and tame nature.
A popular seaside resort largely untouched by a six-year civil war, Latakia became a haven for those escaping Syria's second city, so much so that part of it was even dubbed "Aleppo Beach"

For years as fighting raged in Syria's Aleppo, property agent Saer Daqaq had fleeing residents knocking at the door of his beachside offices, seeking refuge in his flats in coastal Latakia.

A popular seaside resort largely untouched by the country's six-year civil war, Latakia became a haven for those escaping Syria's second city, so much so that part of it was even dubbed "Aleppo Beach".

But since fighting for Aleppo ended last year, Daqaq's offices just steps from the waters of the Mediterranean have been much quieter.

With the army's recapture of Aleppo in December, many displaced residents are now finally heading home after years away, though others who have set up businesses or whose homes are destroyed are staying put for now.

With their faded white paint, the apartment blocks in northern Latakia's "Blue Beach" area have hosted thousands of Aleppans who fled fighting in the country's former economic powerhouse.

They were once so numerous that the area was informally rechristened "Aleppo Beach", but since the army's recapture of the city, demand for flats to rent has plummeted.

"Between 40 percent and 50 percent of them have gone back," said Daqaq.

Up to 700,000 Syrians displaced from Aleppo city and the surrounding province once lived in Latakia, but more than 30 percent have now left, the local governorate says.

"In the last six months, not a single family from Aleppo has come to rent an apartment, whether for a month or a year," said Daqaq, 42, sporting a close-cropped beard.

The area "is half empty", he told AFP, before returning to a game of cards with his friends.

- No guarantees of work -

Apartment blocks in Latakia, here shown on July 7, 2017, have hosted thousands of Syrians who fled fighting in Aleppo

On the balconies of apartment buildings, tarpaulin sheets bearing the logo of the UN refugee agency UNHCR have long replaced curtains, and tangles of electrical wires hang haphazardly at building entrances.

Latakia's population nearly doubled with the arrival of displaced residents from across Syria after the war broke out in 2011.

The economy of the town, a regime stronghold like its surrounding province of the same name, previously depended mostly on its sea port and status as a beach resort.

But it was transformed by the arrival of so many displaced people, including Aleppans with the money to open small or medium-sized business in the area.

"Most of them brought their business with them: bespoke dressmaking, shoemaking, clothes shops, businesses. And some of them bought land and factories," said Daqaq.

Those businesses have provided some displaced people with a reason to stay on in Blue Beach.

On the ground floor of one of the buildings that has been transformed into a shoemaker's workshop, 22-year-old Talal relaxes on a weekend with other workers.

"At least here I have a job," said the young man originally from Bab al-Nayrab in formerly rebel-held east Aleppo.

"If I went back to Aleppo, there's no way to guarantee I'd have work," he said.

Other displaced Aleppans in Latakia simply have no home to return to because of the destruction caused by the fight for the city.

- 'Our house was flattened' -

A Syrian woman stands looking at destroyed buildings in Aleppo's formerly rebel-held Shaar neighbourhood on January 21, 2017, a month after government forces retook the city from rebels

Um Muhammed lives in a modest three-room apartment in the area with her husband and four others.

She sleeps in the living room, which is furnished with only a mattress and an old sofa, while the other family members share the two remaining rooms.

It's a far cry from her traditional home in Aleppo's Shaar neighbourhood, in the formerly rebel-held east, with its pretty patio and five large rooms.

That home, which she has not seen for more than four years, is just a memory now.

"Our house has been flattened," Um Muhammed said, her hair covered by a white headscarf.

"My sons went to inspect the house and the ceiling has literally collapsed on top of the furniture. The floor tiles have been shattered. It's not remotely habitable."

She can hardly believe that the coastal region they once used to visit for family trips has become their place of exile.

"We used to really enjoy ourselves before when we came to the beach in Latakia. Today we weep for our homes, our sons, our dead," she said.

Um Qassem, a former resident of Aleppo's Old City, is also staying in the seaside city for now.

Her family relies on the salaries of a son and two daughters employed in Latakia to pay rent, which at between $50-100 a month in the coastal city is a major sum for Syrians today.

But she has little expectation of returning home soon with her four children.

"I went once to check the house. There's not a bedroom left and everything has been looted," she said.

"It we went back, we'd have to start from scratch."
This file handout photo released by the Liu family and taken on October 22, 2002 shows Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo (L) and his wife Liu Xia in Beijing

China's cancer-stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo is in a critical condition, the hospital treating him said Monday, raising fears about his life a day after Western doctors said there was time to take him abroad.

The First Hospital of China Medical University in the northeastern city of Shenyang said Liu's tumour has grown and his liver is bleeding.

The hospital said in a statement on its website that it is preparing for the possibility of taking the 61-year-old democracy advocate into emergency care if necessary, adding that "Liu's family members have been informed of the above circumstances".

China has come under international pressure to let its most prominent dissident go abroad, but Chinese doctors said over the weekend that Liu was too sick to travel.

But two foreign physicians, American oncology expert Joseph Herman from the University of Texas' MD Anderson Cancer Center and German doctor Markus Buchler of Heidelberg University, visited Liu on Saturday and said he could still leave the country.

Beijing has come under fire from human rights groups over its treatment of Liu and for waiting until he was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer in late May to release him from prison on medical parole.

Liu was arrested in 2008 after co-writing Charter 08, a bold petition that called for the protection of basic human rights and reform of China's one-party Communist system.

He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2009 for "subversion". At the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo in 2010, he was represented by an empty chair.
Indian officials in Uttar Pradesh raid an illegal liquor manufacturing unit last year. Bootleg liquor is widely consumed across India, where a bottle is sometimes sold for less than a dollar.

A dozen people have died after drinking toxic homemade alcohol in Uttar Pradesh state, police said Monday, the latest incident of bootleg booze killing Indian drinkers.

Police in the northern state said victims complaining of severe stomach pain fell seriously ill after consuming a batch of illicit moonshine last Thursday.

"Twelve persons have died after (the) consumption of spurious liquor," Ajay Kumar Sahni, the police chief in Azamgarh district, told AFP.

Police arrested 21 people, including the main suspect behind the toxic brew, he added. At least four other victims were still in hospital undergoing treatment.

Authorities in the state dismantled 30 backyard moonshine operations, seized 1,100 litres of illegal liquor and destroyed 10,000 litres (2,640 gallons) of the hooch, the Press Trust of India reported.

In response, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath suspended eight district officials, including three police officers, for neglect of duty, according to PTI.

Bootleg liquor is widely consumed across India, where a bottle is sometimes sold for less than a dollar.

Deaths are frequently reported, with bootleggers often found adding methanol -- a highly toxic form of alcohol sometimes used as an anti-freeze -- in their brews to increase its strength.

If ingested, methanol can cause blindness, liver damage and death in larger concentrations.

In 2015, more than 100 people died in a Mumbai slum died after drinking illegal moonshine.

Of the estimated 5 billion litres of alcohol drunk every year in India, around 40 percent is illegally brewed, according to the International Spirits and Wine Association of India.
Pakistan has been battling Islamist and nationalist insurgencies in mineral-rich Balochistan, the country's most restive province, since 2004, with hundreds of soldiers and militants killed in the fighting

A bomb Monday killed a police chief and his guard, and wounded 11 others in a southwestern Pakistani town bordering Afghanistan, officials said, the latest attack to strike the restive area.

The bombing took place in Chaman, a tense border town in southwestern Balochistan province, which has seen many bombings and extremist attacks in the past.

"Senior police officer Sajid Khan Mohmand and his guard were martyred, and 11 others were wounded in the bomb blast," Balochistan government spokesman Anwar Kakar told AFP.

He said according to initial reports the bomb was planted on a roadside in a motorcycle, which exploded when Mohmand's vehicle passed by.

Two senior government officials confirmed the attack and casualties, saying police were targeted.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Tribal rebels, Taliban and other militant groups have carried out attacks against security forces in the province recently.

Pakistan has been battling Islamist and nationalist insurgencies in mineral-rich Balochistan, the country's most restive province, since 2004, with hundreds of soldiers and militants killed in the fighting.

Bordering Iran and Afghanistan, it is the largest of Pakistan's four provinces, but its roughly seven million inhabitants have long complained they do not receive a fair share of its gas and mineral wealth.

A greater push towards peace and development by Pakistani authorities has reduced the violence considerably in recent years.
Sri Lanka radical monk Maagalkande Sudaththa said hardline Buddhists were mobilising Sri Lankans from the majority Sinhalese ethnic group to resist a new power-sharing arrangement being drafted by the government

Sri Lanka's hardline monks on Monday broadened a growing campaign by the Buddhist clergy against the government, threatening street protests if the island's Tamil minority is granted greater autonomy.

Radical monk Maagalkande Sudaththa said hardline Buddhists were mobilising Sri Lankans from the majority Sinhalese ethnic group to resist a new power-sharing arrangement being drafted by the government.

"Monks are going from district to district to educate their followers about the dangers of the proposed constitution," Sudaththa told reporters in Colombo.

Last week the government vowed to enshrine in law a promised power-sharing agreement in Sri Lanka's Tamil-majority northern and eastern regions in exchange for a lasting peace.

President Maithripala Sirisena has stated he wants to prevent a repeat of the bloody separatist war that claimed 100,000 lives on the tiny island between 1972 and 2009.

The 225-member national parliament is currently drafting the legislation, but hardliners have vowed to take to the streets before the measures take effect.

"About 70 percent of MP's are asleep in parliament when important issues are discussed," Sudaththa said, accusing many of them of being "uneducated."

Sudaththa is an ardent supporter of firebrand monk Galagodaatte Gnanasara, who is on bail after being accused of hate speech and stoking violence against Sri Lanka's tiny Muslim population, the second largest minority after Tamils.

Nearly 70 percent of the island's population is Buddhist and the monks, who hold huge sway, have generally opposed any political concessions to Tamils.

The mounting opposition from the Buddhist clergy is seen as a challenge to Sirisena, also a Buddhist from the Sinhalese majority, who is committed to ethnic unity.

Hardline Sinhalese oppose a federal system that would ensure more political power for Tamil Sri Lankans.

The island's Tamils took up arms in 1972 against what they claimed was entrenched discrimination in education and employment.

These grievances expanded into a full-fledged war with the Tamil Tigers, a guerrilla rebel group, eventually controlling a third of Sri Lanka before being crushed in May 2009.

The brutal suppression of the Tigers movement caught civilians in the crossfire, with government forces accused of war crimes including the murder of at least 40,000 Tamil civilians.

Sirisena was elected to power partly on the back of support from Tamils, after he pledged reconciliation and promised investigations into war-time atrocities.
Amin al-Nasser, chief executive of state oil company Saudi Aramco, says oil and gas will long remain at the heart of the energy mix, as the transition to renewables will be long and complex

Oil and gas will remain central to the world's supply of energy for decades to come, despite a surge of interest in renewables, the chief executive of giant producer Saudi Aramco Amin Nasser said Monday.

Oil major bosses and energy ministers are meeting at the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul, with the outlook clouded by low crude oil prices and exacerbated by the drive towards renewables which have driven down investment to record lows.

Nasser stressed the need to ramp up investment in underlining the continuing energy importance of oil and gas.

"Financial investors are shying away from making much needed investment," he said, warning that without higher investment levels "energy transition and energy security may be fatally compromised."

Meanwhile, the decision announced last week by Volvo to phase out petrol-only cars from 2019 in favour of electric has also sent ripples of concern around the industry.

The chief of the Saudi Arabian energy giant said that there is "widespread agreement" that even as the world moves to greater use of renewables over fossil fuels, "petroleum will continue to be the heart of the energy mix."

He said that while "expectations for alternatives are through the roof" history shows that energy transitions to different sources tend to be "long and complex processes".

"The renewables still have major challenges, they do not compete with oil. It takes a long time for new fuels to seize market share," he said, noting that electric cars would also still need time to take off.

With the global economy forecast to grow sharply as populations increase, he said it is a "mistaken assumption that alternatives will be rapidly deployed".

"Rising demand for all sources of energy -- with oil and gas at the heart of the mix -- will be the reality for decades to come," he said.

Nasser said that despite the clear importance of oil and gas in the future energy mix, the outlook was harmed by the tens of billions lost in deferred and cancelled investment since the current spate of low oil prices began.

The downturn has blown a major hole in the budgets of key OPEC and non-OPEC producers reliant on robust oil prices for healthy finances.

"New discoveries are also on a major downward trend," Nasser added.

He confirmed that to counter the sliding investment trend, Saudi Aramco plans to invest some $300 billion in the coming years. The kingdom is also planning to part privatise the energy behemoth, although Nasser did not refer to this in his speech.
Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah (C) and Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz (R) on July 10, 2017 attend a ceremony in Jalamah, near the northern West Bank city of Jenin

Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz made a rare appearance by a high-ranking Israeli official in the occupied West Bank on Monday to sign an agreement on electricity with the Palestinian Authority.

Steinitz attended the ceremony in Jalamah near the northern West Bank city of Jenin alongside Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah.

They announced a boost in electricity supply in the area that comes with a payment guarantee from the Palestinians and unveiled a new substation.

The ceremony was held with a top adviser to US President Donald Trump, Jason Greenblatt, set to hold another round of meetings in Israel and the Palestinian territories in the coming days.

Trump's administration has urged Israel to take measures to improve the Palestinian economy as he seeks ways to restart peace talks.

"Of course we hope to achieve peace and security; it is important for all nations -- but meanwhile it is important also to improve the infrastructure," Steinitz said.

Hamdallah said "we do not want to depend on Israel forever".

"We are about to build a power plant in Jenin that will generate 450 megawatts in the Jenin area. I hope this power plant will start operating in 2020."

But the ceremony came in stark contrast to a severe electricity shortage in the Gaza Strip, the other Palestinian territory run by Islamist movement Hamas.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, whose Fatah party is based in the West Bank, has sought to pressure his rivals from Hamas in recent months notably by withholding payments for electricity.

Israel recently reduced its supply of electricity to the Gaza Strip after Abbas slashed the payments.

The cut left the impoverished territory of more than two million people with as little as two hours of mains electricity a day.

As an interim measure, Egypt stepped in to deliver fuel to Gaza's sole power plant, but Hamas at the weekend accused Abbas's Palestinian Authority of blocking fuel payments to Egypt.

- 'Like a nightclub' -

Hamdallah on Monday said "in 10 years, we have spent more than $15 billion from the Palestinian state's treasury on Gaza while Hamas collects the revenues and spends it on itself and not on the people".

Israeli Major General Yoav Mordechai, head of the defence ministry unit that coordinates civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, said Gazan leaders had electricity "at home, like a nightclub, but why don't they put the people (before themselves)?".

Those who can afford it have generators to power their homes and businesses in the Gaza Strip.

Israel coordinates with the Palestinian Authority, but not Hamas, which it considers a terrorist organisation and has fought three wars since 2008 with Palestinian militants in Gaza.

This file photo taken on June 11, 2017 shows a Palestinian street vendor standing behind his stall in front of the beach in Gaza City during a power outage

The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli blockade for a decade, badly damaging the enclave's economy, and its crossing with Egypt has also remained largely closed in recent years.

UN officials have called for the blockade to be lifted, citing deteriorating humanitarian conditions, but Israel says it is necessary to prevent Hamas from importing weapons or materials that could be used to make them.

Monday's agreement will lead to an increase in electricity supply to the West Bank's Jenin area by 60 megawatts, officials said.

The West Bank relies almost completely on Israel for its electricity supply and payment disputes have led to blackouts in the past.

Such visits by an Israeli minister are extremely rare.

In May, Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon met Hamdallah in Ramallah.

Before that, no Israeli member of the internal security cabinet had met a Palestinian official in a West Bank city since 2000, an Israeli official said.
Apple on Monday said it would invest nine billion Danish kroner ($920 million, 810 million euros) in a data centre in Denmark, its second in the country to run entirely on clean energy

Apple on Monday said it would invest six billion Danish kroner ($920 million, 810 million euros) in a data centre in Denmark, its second in the country to run entirely on clean energy.

Ground-breaking at the plant in Aabenraa, which will employ between 50 and 100 people, will start in the final quarter of 2017, with construction due to be completed in early 2019.

The facility will help to handle data from iMessages, answers from the voice-activated assistant Siri and song downloads from iTunes, Apple's director for the Nordic countries, Erik Stannow, said.

Supercomputers at data centres generate large amounts of heat, which requires high levels of electricity for cooling.

Easy access to 100-percent renewable energy and the reliability of the Danish grid motivated the decision, Apple said.

The US electronics and online services giant invested a similar amount in a data centre in Viborg, northern Denmark, in 2015.

The firm has contracted with an energy supplier to provide more than 30 megawatts of wind-generated electricity.
Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga says he wants to kickstart the economy, end poverty and boost the country's manufacturing sector

Mongolian businessman and martial arts expert Khaltmaa Battulga was sworn in as president Monday, vowing to revive the flagging economy and pursue relations with countries outside its giant neighbours Russia and China.

Battulga inherits a $5.5 billion International Monetary Fund-led bailout intended to stabilise the economy of the debt-laden country and lessen its dependence on China, which purchases 80 percent of Mongolia's exports.

In his inauguration speech, Battulga pledged to "stand for equally beneficial foreign relations" and to pay "special attention to the 'third neighbour policy'" -- a push toward strengthening Mongolia's partnerships with the US, Japan, Germany and other countries beyond its two powerful neighbours.

The opposition Democratic Party (DP) candidate, who was elected with 50.6 percent of the vote in a runoff last Friday, said he wanted to kickstart the economy, end poverty and boost the manufacturing sector.

The billionaire property tycoon and world champion in the Soviet martial art Sambo ran a populist campaign that was linked to simmering anti-China sentiments.

At one rally last month, Battulga supporters accused anti-Battulga protesters of being "mixed Chinese", and a video circulated on social media purporting that opponent and parliament speaker Mieygombo Enkhbold of the ruling Mongolian People's Party (MPP) has Chinese ancestry.

The Chinese foreign ministry noted this element of the campaigns on Monday while congratulating the new president on his election victory.

"During the election, certain politicians made some untrue and irresponsible remarks," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said during a regular press briefing.

"We express concerns about this."

Battulga also promised to "fight against the selling of public service positions," which Enkhbold and other MPP officials had been accused of doing.

Battulga replaces Tsakhia Elbegdorj, also of the DP, after the outgoing president served the maximum two four-year terms.
Members of the Iraqi federal police forces celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on July 10, 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over "brutality and terrorism" in Mosul on Monday, announcing his forces had ended the Islamic State group's rule over the country's second city.

Standing with members of the security forces, Abadi hailed the retaking of Mosul -- where IS dealt Iraqi troops a devastating defeat three years ago -- as a key moment in the war against the jihadists.

"Our victory today is a victory over darkness, a victory over brutality and terrorism, and I announce here... to the whole world today the end and failure and collapse of the mythical terrorist Daesh state," Abadi said in a televised address from west Mosul, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"These operations were carried out by Iraqi planning and success and implementation," Abadi said, while also thanking "all the countries that stood with Iraq in its war against terrorism."

Dozens of members of the security forces erupted into cheers after he spoke, dancing and waving flags and their weapons as they celebrated.

The US-led coalition that backed the Mosul offensive and is supporting another assault on IS's Syrian bastion Raqa hailed the victory, but warned it did not mark the end of the war against the jihadists.

"This victory alone does not eliminate (IS) and there is still a tough fight ahead. But the loss of one of its twin capitals and a jewel of their so-called caliphate is a decisive blow," said Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the commander of the international anti-IS operation.

"Now it is time for all Iraqis to unite to ensure (IS) is defeated across the rest of Iraq," Townsend said.

US President Donald Trump also praised the victory, saying it was a signal that IS's "days in Iraq and Syria are numbered".

But rebuilding the shattered city of Mosul and helping civilians will be a huge task, and aid groups warn that Iraq's humanitarian crisis is far from over.

- Devastation in Old City -

Mosul's Old City in particular has been devastated, with many buildings reduced to little more than concrete shells and rubble littering the streets.

Abadi said that as well as continuing to tackle IS, Iraq had other challenges including "the mission of stabilisation and the mission of building".

Iraqi forces were earlier on Monday still fighting to eliminate the last pockets of IS resistance in Mosul, with jihadist fighters surrounded in a sliver of territory in Mosul's Old City.

Soldiers armed with machineguns and sniper rifles fired from atop ruined structures in the Old City, and air strikes sent plumes of smoke rising over Mosul's historic centre.

Staff Lieutenant General Sami al-Aridhi, a senior commander in the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, said earlier that Iraqi forces were still engaged in "heavy" fighting with the remnants of jihadist forces, but that the battle was near its end.

After Abadi spoke, Aridhi said "searching and clearing" still had to be done, but that major operations were finished.

A picture taken on July 9, 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City

Iraqi forces launched their campaign in October to retake Mosul, which was seized by the jihadists during the mid-2014 offensive that saw them take control of large parts of Iraq and neighbouring Syria.

Army, police and special forces, backed by waves of US-led air strikes, seized the eastern side of the city in January and launched the battle for its western part the next month.

The fight grew tougher when security forces entered the densely populated Old City on the western bank of the Tigris River, which divides the city, and intense street-to-street fighting followed.

The cost of victory has been enormous: much of Mosul in ruins, thousands dead and wounded and nearly half the city's population forced from their homes.

The United Nations has said 920,000 people fled their homes during the Mosul operation, and while some have returned the vast majority remain displaced.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrives in the al-Tayaran neighborhood of Mosul on July 9, 2017 to meet with military commanders after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city

- 'Nothing to go back to' -

Amnesty International on Tuesday called for a commission to investigate crimes against civilians in Mosul by all sides in the battle to liberate the Iraqi city from jihadists.

"The horrors that the people of Mosul have witnessed and the disregard for human life by all parties to this conflict must not go unpunished," said Lynn Maalouf, director of Middle East research at Amnesty International.

The UN refugee agency said it could be many months before civilians are able to return to their homes.

"Many have nothing to go back to due to extensive damage caused during the conflict, while key basic services such as water, electricity and other key infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, will need to be rebuilt or repaired," said the UNHCR.

Twenty-eight aid groups working in Iraq issued a joint call for international support for rebuilding efforts and urged authorities not to press civilians to return.

Iraqi civilians flash the sign for victory as they celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on July 9, 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city

"Remaining insecurity; lack of basic services; explosive hazards contamination; and damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure -- including schools and hospitals -- all continue to pose barriers to return," said the statement signed by groups including the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam and Save the Children.

IS has lost most of the territory it once controlled, and the coalition is also aiming to oust the jihadists from their Syrian stronghold Raqa, which is under assault by US-backed Arab and Kurdish forces.
An oil refinery on the outskirts of Doha, the capital of Qatar, whose State-owned Qatar Petroleum will launch a joint venture with French energy giant Total this week

State-owned Qatar Petroleum and French energy giant Total will formally launch a 25-year joint venture to develop the Al Shaheen oil field this week, the companies said Monday.

The North Oil Company, to be launched on Tuesday, will be made up of a 70 percent stake from QP and a 30 percent stake from Total, which is taking over operations from Maersk Oil, according to a statement released by Qatar Petroleum.

The site it will develop is located some 80 kilometres (50 miles) off Qatar's northeast coast and lies over the North Field, one of the world's largest oil and gas fields.

While the contract was announced last year, the launch comes amid the worst crisis to hit Qatar, the world's largest exporter of natural gas, in years.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain last month cut diplomatic, political, and economic ties with Qatar, which they accuse of supporting Islamist extremism.

Qatar denies the charges.

Despite its regional isolation, Qatar has said it can survive what it has called a "blockade". Qatar Petroleum last week announced it would increase natural gas production by 30 percent by 2024.

Central bank Governor Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saoud al-Thani also told US media at the weekend that Qatar has $340 billion in reserves to weather the crisis.

The signing of the Total contract also comes amid reports that Saudi Arabia and the UAE may pressure international companies to either do business with them or with Qatar.

The deal comes in the same month that Total defied US pressure to sign a multi-billion gas contract with Iran on July 3, the first by a European firm with Tehran in more than a decade.
Yemeni children infected with cholera receive treatment at Sabaeen Hospital in the rebel-held capital Sanaa, on June 13, 2017

A cholera outbreak in Yemen has now surpassed 300,000 suspected cases, the Red Cross said Monday as the war-torn country reels from disease as well as the threat of famine.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said the cholera epidemic "continues to spiral out of control" since it erupted in April.

"Today, over 300,000 people are suspected to be ill," it said in a Twitter post. ICRC spokeswoman Iolanda Jaquemet said the death toll now stood at more than 1,700.

ICRC regional director Robert Mardini said about 7,000 new cholera cases were being recorded daily in the capital Sanaa and three other areas.

The collapse of Yemen's infrastructure after more than two years of war between the Saudi-backed government and Shiite rebels who control Sanaa has made for a "perfect storm for cholera", according to the World Health Organization.

Cholera is a highly contagious bacterial infection spread through contaminated food or water.

Although the disease is easily treatable, doing so in Yemen has proved particularly difficult. The war has left less than half of the country's medical facilities functional.

The WHO's own figures for the outbreak list 262,649 suspected cases and 1,587 deaths as of July 2, in 21 of 23 Yemeni governorates. It is expected to update those numbers shortly.

The battle against cholera has caused aid groups to pull resources away from fighting malnutrition among Yemen's war-weary people, raising the risk of famine as they struggle to find funds, a UN official warned last week.

Jamie McGoldrick, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, said much of the $1.1 billion (966,000 euros) in aid pledged by donor governments in April to deal with the hard-pressed population's needs had yet to be disbursed, leaving relief agencies struggling to get their hands on new money.

"Humanitarian organisations have had to reprogramme their resources away from malnutrition and reuse them to control the cholera outbreak," he said in Sanaa on Thursday.

"And if we don't get these resources replaced, then using those resources for cholera will mean that food insecurity will suffer.

"We're trying to do our best, but it's very much beyond what we can cope with."

About 17 million people -- two-thirds of Yemen's population -- are uncertain of where their next meal will come from, according to the World Food Programme.
All settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law, as is formal annexation of land seized during war

Israel's intelligence minister proposed on Monday to annex five settlements into the Jerusalem municipality.

Yisrael Katz said residents of the settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank would be able to vote in Jerusalem municipal elections but the settlements would still not be under full Israeli sovereignty.

For most of the world, the status of Jerusalem is still to be negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians, though the Israeli government considers the city its undivided capital.

Some of the settlements are more than 10 kilometres (six miles) from Jerusalem.

"Those settlements, those towns -- Maale Adumim, Gush Etzion, Givat Zeev, Beitar Illit and Efrat -- will become part of Jerusalem but without changing their status -- without putting the Israeli sovereignty on those places," Katz told reporters.

Around 150,000 people live in the communities, he said.

Simultaneously around 100,000 people living in Palestinian neighbourhoods outside the Israeli wall surrounding the city would become part of a new municipality within the framework of a "greater Jerusalem", Katz said.

The move would make Jerusalem's official demographic balance significantly more Jewish.

All settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law, as is formal annexation of land seized during war.

Most Israeli politicians think the largest settlement blocks in the West Bank will become part of Israel in any future peace deal.

"I am a hawk, but a clever hawk, a humanitarian hawk," Katz, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rightwing Likud party, said.

He said the bill would be discussed this week by the cabinet, but did not as yet have the full support of Netanyahu.

The far-right Jewish Home party has proposed unilaterally annexing Maale Adumim on the outskirts of Jerusalem into Israel, a move that would draw firm condemnation from the international community.
For the past two years, Yemen has been wracked by a civil war between Shiite Huthi rebels and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab military coalition

Britain's High Court ruled on Monday that UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia are "lawful", after campaigners argued the weapons were used to violate international humanitarian law in bombing Yemen.

"We have concluded that the material decisions of the secretary of state were lawful. We therefore dismiss the claim," Lord Justice Burnett said at the court in London.

He added it was not established that there was "a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law".

Half the evidence presented in the case was heard in secret after the government argued it could not be heard in public for national security reasons.

Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), the non-profit organisation behind the legal challenge, said they are pursuing an appeal.

Amnesty International described the ruling as a "deadly blow for Yemenis," while Save the Children said the evidence showing the Saudi-led coalition had repeatedly violated international humanitarian law in Yemen "is overwhelming".

"It has been documented by UN reports, by aid groups on the ground and by credible human rights organisations," it said in a statement.

For the past two years, Yemen has been plunged into a civil war between Shiite Huthi rebels and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab military coalition.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 8,000 people have been killed in the conflict -- most of them civilians.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has described Yemen as the "largest humanitarian crisis in the world".

Mark Goldring, Oxfam's chief executive, said that despite the ruling, "there is a clear moral case for the government to suspend its sales".

"It must now put its diplomatic weight behind a search for peace," he added in a statement.

Saudi Arabia is Britain's largest trading partner in the Middle East, with exports of more than 6.5 billion ($8.4 billion, 7.4 billion euros) in British goods and services to the country in 2015.

The government welcomed the court's ruling, with Prime Minister Theresa May telling parliament on Monday that it shows the UK operates "one of the most robust export control regimes in the world".

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox added that the government "will continue to defend the decisions challenged" if the CAAT appeals.
Iraq has declared victory in Mosul, with its forces fighting to eliminate the last pockets of IS resistance after months of difficult battles that have left much of the key northern city in ruins

India on Monday announced it will send a top minister to Iraq in an effort locate dozens of its missing citizens after Mosul was all but recaptured from the Islamic State group.

Thirty-nine Indian labourers have been missing, believed taken hostage by IS, since the militant outfit overran Iraq's second largest city in 2014.

There has been no word on their fate since but New Delhi has insisted that without information otherwise, the Indian construction workers are still considered alive.

An Indian foreign ministry spokesman said all possible avenues for locating the missing nationals would be explored now that the city had been liberated by Iraqi forces.

Iraq has declared victory in Mosul, with its forces fighting to eliminate the last pockets of IS resistance after months of difficult battles that have left much of the key northern city in ruins.

The Indian spokesman said junior foreign minister V K Singh would travel to the Kurdish city of Erbil to coordinate the search efforts.

"The Ambassador of India to Iraq and our Consul General in Erbil have been instructed to continue the efforts to locate them on priority," he said in a statement.

Iraqi authorities had extended their cooperation to help find the missing workers, the spokesman added.

The Indians labourers were employed by the Baghdad-based Tariq Noor al-Huda construction company.

The workers were trying to leave battle-ravaged Mosul when they were intercepted by insurgents soon after they stormed the city in June 2014, reported Indian media.

More than 10,000 Indians fled Iraq amid the upsurge in violence in 2014, including dozens of nurses who were held briefly by suspected IS militants in Tikrit and Mosul before being allowed to return home.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday announced that his forces had retaken Mosul from IS after a months-long battle that killed thousands of civilians and forced nearly a million people from their homes.
Turkish opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, seen releasing a dove during Sunday's huge Istanbul rally, Monday visited jailed lawmaker Enis Berberoglu, whose plight his month-long "justice march" highlighted

Turkish opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu on Monday visited a jailed MP in an Istanbul prison, a day after finishing a nearly one month long "justice march" in a show of solidarity with the detained lawmaker.

Kilicdaroglu, head of the secular Republican People's Party (CHP), visited journalist-turned lawmaker Enis Berberoglu in his prison in the Istanbul district of Maltepe, a party spokesman told AFP.

Berberoglu was arrested last month for leaking classified information to an opposition newspaper and Kilicdaroglu immediately began a foot march from Ankara to Istanbul to protest his plight.

The march culminated in a rally on Sunday that attracted hundreds of thousands of people, the biggest event that critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have staged in years.

"Berberoglu found the march 'impressive' and thanked the party leader," the CHP spokesman said. "He is writing a book," he added, without elaborating on its content.

Kilicdaroglu walked 450-kilometres (280 miles) in 25-days, with the march becoming a rallying point for all those protesting against alleged injustices under Erdogan.

About 50,000 people have been arrested under Turkey's state of emergency, imposed after last July's failed coup, and another 100,000 have lost their jobs, including teachers, judges, soldiers and police officers.

"People who have committed no sin, who have absolutely no link to terror, people who are wrongly accused are being put in jail, hurting the conscience of society," Kilicdaroglu was quoted as saying by Turkish media after the meeting with Berberoglu.

"Enis is one of these people," he added.

The government dismissed the march as a stunt but the police did not impede its progress and also provided security for the final rally. Erdogan has so far not commented on the magnitude of Sunday's giant meeting.
The slaughter of cows, which are revered by Hindus, and the possession or consumption of beef is banned in most Indian states, with some imposing life sentences for breaking the law.

A government-run laboratory in western India has developed portable "beef detection kits" that will allow police to quickly determine whether meat is that of an illegally slaughtered cow, an official said Monday.

The slaughter of cows, which are revered by Hindus, and the possession or consumption of beef is banned in most Indian states, with some imposing life sentences for breaking the law.

"We have been working on beef detection kits for the past eight months and these will be distributed to Maharashtra and Mumbai police in August," K.Y. Kulkarni, director of the Maharashtra state governments Forensic Science Laboratories, told AFP.

Kulkarni said the new kits were based on the ELISA method, where colour changes of samples identify a substance. Police would just need to pour a sample into the kit and it would change colour to identify whether it was bovine meat or not within 30 minutes.

At present it can take several days for a laboratory to identify the source of meat through traditional DNA tests, leaving cattle traders languishing in jail, often innocently, while the outcome of tests are awaited.

Kulkarni said the kits would cost 8,000 rupees ($123) each. A spokeswoman for police in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, refused to confirm whether the force would be receiving the kits when asked by AFP.

The announcement comes as India reels from a spate of vigilante murders in recent months, especially targeting Muslims for allegedly killing cows or consuming beef.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently condemned murder in the name of protecting cows but critics say vigilantes have been emboldened by the election in 2014 of his right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party.

They accuse the government of being more concerned with the lives of cows than humans.

"Awful case of misplaced priorities. We have nothing more important to spend state resources on? Beef detection kits!," Indian opposition lawmaker Shashi Tharoor tweeted following reports of the beef detection kits in local media.
Rap star Jay-Z, seen here performing last November in Ohio, is broadening his return to music after concentrating on business projects in the past few years

Rap mogul Jay-Z on Monday announced a tour across North America, extending his return to music after releasing an introspective and widely acclaimed album.

Jay-Z, who has devoted the past several years to business projects, will open the tour October 27 in Anaheim, California, and play a total of 31 dates across the United States and Canada through December, promoters said in an announcement.

The rapper will preview his tour with two previously announced headlining sets in September -- Made in America, a Philadelphia festival that will partially raise money for charity, and The Meadows festival in New York.

Jay-Z last toured in 2014 in a series of shows with his wife, pop superstar Beyonce.

The tour announcement comes 10 days after Jay-Z released his 13th studio album, "4:44," highlights of which include the rapper apologizing to Beyonce for infidelity and supporting his mother as she comes out as lesbian.
An Egyptian policeman stands guard in this file picture taken on January 25, 2017

Egyptian police killed six militants who allegedly adhered to the Islamic State group's beliefs when a gunfight erupted Monday during a raid on their Nile valley hideout, the government said.

The militants opened fire on the police as they approached the hideout in Dairut, a town in the southern province of Assiut, the interior ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page.

The police were acting on intelligence that "a group of terrorists who adhere to the beliefs of the Islamic State group were hiding in a residential apartment in uninhabited buildings", it said.

When the six militants opened fire, the police shot back and killed them.

The militants were using the hideout as "an organisational base and to prepare to carry out a series of terrorist operations within the southern provinces," said the ministry.

The police found a bomb, five automatic weapons, ammunition, military uniforms, and "educational publications containing the concepts and slogans of the (IS) group," it added.

IS has been leading a deadly insurgency that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 and cracked down on his supporters.

While IS has been operating mainly in North Sinai, they have also carried out attacks in other parts of the country, including Cairo.

The jihadists have been increasingly targeting Christians in their campaign as well.

Groups other than IS have also carried out attacks in Egypt targeting policemen and judges.

Gunmen on Friday shot dead a National Security Service officer as he was leaving his home north of Cairo.

The militant group Hasam claimed responsibility.

On Saturday, the interior ministry said police killed two senior Hasam members in a shootout near Cairo.
Syria's six-year conflict has ravaged its infrastructure and caused losses to its economy of $226 billion, according to estimates published by the World Bank

Syria's six-year conflict has ravaged its infrastructure and caused losses to its economy of $226 billion, according to estimates published by the World Bank on Monday.

The devastating war has killed over 320,000 people and displaced more than half the country's population since it began in March 2011.

The World Bank said the destruction ran much deeper than death tolls or infrastructure damage alone could capture.

"The war in Syria is tearing apart the social and economic fabric of the country," World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa Hafez Ghanem said in a statement.

"The number of casualties is devastating, but the war is also destroying the institutions and systems that societies need to function, and repairing them will be a greater challenge than rebuilding infrastructure -- a challenge that will only grow as the war continues," he said.

The World Bank report found that cumulative Gross Domestic Product losses since Syria's conflict erupted "have been estimated at $226 billion, about four times the Syrian GDP in 2010."

The body estimated that the conflict had damaged or destroyed 27 percent of Syria's housing stock and about half the country's medical and educational facilities.

Those calculations were based on cross-checked satellite imagery of certain cities and areas and extrapolated based on a conflict intensity model.

The World Bank found an average of 538,000 jobs had been lost annually between 2010 and 2015. It said more than three in four Syrians of working age -- or about nine million people -- were neither employed nor enrolled in any form of school or training.

"The long-term consequences of this inactivity will be a collective loss of human capital leading to a shortage of skills in Syria," it said.

The damage to the health sector has also had devastating effects, with the World Bank saying more people were estimated to have died from deficiencies in the medical system than directly from fighting in the war.

"The breakdown of the systems that organise both the economy and society, along with the trust that binds people together, has had a greater economic impact than the destruction of physical infrastructure," the World Bank said.

The report estimated that if the conflict were to end this year, GDP could regain 41 percent of its pre-conflict level within four years.

That figure shrinks however for each year the conflict continues, the institution found.
US newsstands are increasingly rare as readers turn to online platforms for information

The US newspaper industry on Monday warned of a "duopoly" in online news by Google and Facebook, and called for legislation that would relax antitrust rules allowing collective negotiations with the internet giants.

The News Media Alliance said that because Google and Facebook dominate online news traffic digital advertising, "publishers are forced to surrender their content and play by their rules on how news and information is displayed, prioritized and monetized."

A statement by the association of some 2,000 media groups said news organizations "are limited with disaggregated negotiating power against a de facto duopoly that is vacuuming up all but an ever-decreasing segment of advertising revenue."

The group, formerly known as the Newspaper Association of America, includes large dailies like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal as well as hundreds of smaller media groups and regional news organizations.

The request comes amid a prolonged slump in traditional print news, as readers increasingly turn to online platforms.

News Media Alliance president David Chavern, writing in a Wall Street Journal commentary, said that the internet platforms "distort the flow of economic value derived from good reporting."

He said Google and Facebook account for more than 70 percent of the $73 billion spent each year on digital advertising, and they eat up most of the growth, with nearly 80 percent of all online referral traffic coming from the two firms.

"But the two digital giants don't employ reporters. They dont dig through public records to uncover corruption, send correspondents into war zones, or attend last nights game to get the highlights," Chavern said.

"They expect an economically squeezed news industry to do that costly work for them."

Facebook and Google, which share some revenue with news organizations on certain platforms, have been stepping up efforts to help media groups with grants and other programs.

Facebook's head of news partnerships, Campbell Brown, said in a statement to AFP: "We're committed to helping quality journalism thrive on Facebook. We're making progress through our work with news publishers and have more work to do."

Google said in a statement: "We want to help news publishers succeed as they transition to digital. In recent years we've built numerous specialized products and technologies, developed specifically to help distribute, fund, and support newspapers."
"Let's not leave Soros the last laugh," says a poster bearing the image of US billionaire George Soros, in this picture taken in Szekesfehervar, Hungary on July 6, 2017

Israel has backtracked after calling on Hungary to halt a poster campaign targeting George Soros, saying it stands against anti-Semitism but that criticism of the US billionaire is also legitimate.

On Saturday, Israel's ambassador in Budapest Yossi Amrani issued a statement criticising the poster campaign that Jewish leaders say stoked anti-Semitism.

The posters show a large picture of the Hungarian-born Jewish emigre laughing, alongside the text: "Let's not leave Soros the last laugh", a reference to government claims that the 86-year-old wants to force Hungary to allow in migrants.

The campaign is the fourth media blitz by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government this year against Brussels or Soros for their alleged attacks on Hungary's hardline anti-immigration stance.

Since the latest posters appeared on billboards and at public spaces last week, several incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti daubed on them have been reported.

"It's our moral responsibility to raise a voice and call on the relevant authorities to exert their power and put an end to this cycle," Amrani said in a statement.

"I call on those involved in the current billboard campaign and those responsible for it to reconsider the consequences.

"At the moment, beyond political criticism of a certain person, the campaign not only evokes sad memories but also sows hatred and fear."

But late Sunday -- reportedly at the request of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office -- Israel's foreign ministry issued a separate "clarification".

Israel's right-wing accuses Soros of backing human rights groups critical of the government.

Netanyahu, who heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in his country's history, is also to visit Hungary on July 18, the first such trip by an Israeli premier since the EU member's transition from communism in 1989.

"Israel deplores any expression of anti-Semitism in any country and stands with Jewish communities everywhere in confronting this hatred," the foreign ministry statement said.

"This was the sole purpose of the statement issued by Israel's ambassador to Hungary.

"In no way was the statement meant to delegitimise criticism of George Soros, who continuously undermines Israel's democratically elected governments by funding organisations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself."

Soros's Open Society Foundations had not immediately responded to a request for comment.
Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab and his daughter Malak seen leaving a Manama court on February 11, 2015

A Bahraini court on Monday sentenced prominent human rights activist Nabeel Rajab to two years in jail after finding him guilty of spreading "fake news", a judicial source said.

The source, quoted by the official BNA news agency, said Rajab was convicted "of disseminating false news, statements and rumours about the internal situation of the kingdom that would undermine its prestige and status".

The verdict, which the source said can be appealed, was immediately condemned by Bahraini and international human rights watchdogs.

Rajab, 52, was sentenced in absentia as he has been hospitalised since April, said the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.

It denounced the verdict, saying Rajab had been sentenced "for speaking to journalists" and that he had "spent over a year in pre-trial detention, largely in solitary confinement".

"His lawyers state he was denied basic fair trial guarantees," the group said in a statement.

The judicial source said, however, that "all legal guarantees" were provided to Rajab and that his lawyer was present for the proceedings.

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei of the Bahrain Institue strongly condemned the ruling.

"This outrageous sentence against someone speaking the truth exhibits the brutality of the Bahraini government and its heinous crimes and that of its kangaroo court," he said.

Amnesty International also denounced the decision, saying it exposes a "relentless campaign" by authorities in Bahrain "to wipe out dissent".

"Imprisoning Nabeel Rajab simply for sharing his opinion is a flagrant violation of human rights, and an alarming sign that the Bahraini authorities will go to any length to silence criticism," said Amnesty's secretary-general Salil Shetty.

"Bahrains government and judiciary have once again tightened their chokehold on freedom of expression and branded him a criminal," Shetty was quoted as saying in a statement.

Rajab had been arrested multiple times in recent years over protests that the government said were unauthorised.

The Shiite activist was pardoned for health reasons in 2015 before being rearrested in June 2016.

He also faces trial for a series of tweets criticising a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, with a hearing due on August 7, according to the Bahrain Institute.

It said he faces up to 15 years if convicted in that trial.

Sunni-ruled Bahrain has been the scene of frequent protests and clashes with police since security forces quelled Shiite-led nationwide protests that called for political reforms in 2011.
A high school student scored an exclusive interview with Pentagon chief Jim Mattis after an aide of President Donald Trump inadvertently exposed the defense secretary's cell phone number.

The Washington Post in May ran a photo of Trump and his bodyguard Keith Schiller walking outside the White House, with Schiller clutching a bunch of papers.

Sharp-eyed readers noticed that atop the papers was a yellow sticky note that said 'Jim, Mad Dog, Mattis' along with a phone number.

Scroll down for video

Teddy Fischer, a sophomore from Mercer Island High School, saw the number and called Mattis with an interview request

Mattis surprised the high school student by taking time for a 45-minute interview for his school newspaper. Mattis is seen above awaiting the arrival of Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed during an honor cordon ceremony at the Pentagon July 10

Retired four-star Marine general Mattis has been nicknamed 'Mad Dog' by some in the media and by troops that served under him.

The newspaper quickly took the photo down but not before Teddy Fischer, a sophomore from Mercer Island High School saw the number and called Mattis with an interview request.

'I called it to see if it was him, because I was pretty curious if this is actually his number or is it kind of a joke,' Fischer told the King 5 local news channel in his home state of Washington.

He didn't leave a message but went on to text an interview request.

To his surprise, Mattis called back and agreed to schedule an interview, which ultimately would last for about 45 minutes.

What followed was a far-ranging conversation across political topics and history.

'I called it to see if it was him, because I was pretty curious if this is actually his number or is it kind of a joke,' Fischer told the King 5 local news channel in his home state of Washington. He didn't leave a message but went on to text an interview request, seen above

'Especially if you study history, you realize that our country has been through worse,' Mattis said when asked what advice he would give a current high schooler scared about what they see on the news.

When asked why he had chosen to call Fischer back, Mattis said it was partly because he too comes from Washington state.

'I've always tried to help students because I think we owe it to you young folks to pass on what we learned going down the road so that you can make your own mistakes, not the same ones we made,' Mattis said.

The full transcript of the interview can be viewed at the high school's The Islander newspaper.
Avi Gabbay, an ex-businessman who is running as a candidate for the leadership of Israel's Labour party, talks to journalists in Tel Aviv on July 10, 2017

Israel's main opposition Labour party voted for a new leader Monday as it seeks to regain waning influence and win back supporters who have drifted toward centrist and right-wing candidates.

The runoff election sees two candidates with sharply different political backgrounds: Amir Peretz, a longtime politician and former party leader; and Avi Gabbay, an ex-businessman who joined Labour only months ago.

Some 52,000 party members are eligible to vote in the runoff, with polls open from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm (0800 to 1800 GMT). The election is expected to be close.

By around 6:00 pm, voter turnout had reached some 36 percent, according to a party official. Results were expected to be announced around 9:30 pm.

The candidates advanced to the runoff by beating five others in last week's first round, with Peretz winning 32.7 percent and Gabbay 27.1 percent.

The vote saw current Labour chairman Isaac Herzog garner only 16.7 percent for a third-place finish, a rapid fall in popularity after leading the party in the last general elections in 2015.

Herzog has faced a barrage of criticism over his attempts to negotiate for his party to join Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition and over Labour's slide in opinion polls.

Israeli politics has seen a shift rightward in recent years, with Netanyahu and his Likud party in power since 2009.

Centrist parties such as Yesh Atid and Kulanu -- which Gabbay was a member of until recently -- have also benefited at the expense of Labour.

The country's last Labour prime minister was Ehud Barak from 1999 to 2001.

Ahead of the 2015 elections, Labour joined forces with Tzipi Livni's Hatnua to form the Zionist Union, which won 24 seats in the 120-seat parliament to become the largest opposition to Netanyahu's government.

Supporters of the two candidates in the runoff hope their backgrounds will widen Labour's support.

Both are of Moroccan descent, rare for a leader of a major party in Israel, and may be able to increase support for Labour among Mizrahi Jews -- those of Middle Eastern or North African origin.

They also both support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

But beyond that, Peretz and Gabbay have little in common.

- 'Mirror image' -

Peretz, 65 and with a trademark salt-and-pepper moustache, is a veteran politician, former trade union leader and ex-defence minister.

He was previously head of Labour from 2005-2007 and is the longest serving member of the Knesset, or parliament.

His first stint as leader ended after he was accused of failing in his post as defence minister during the 34-day war against Lebanon's Hezbollah militia in 2006.

Amir Peretz, pictured in 2013, is a longtime politician and former Labour party leader

Peretz however later saw redemption, gaining praise for having pushed for the development of the Iron Dome missile defence system, now seen as an indispensable part of Israel's military infrastructure.

He has received backing from Herzog and other party insiders in the runoff.

"We will work to heal the society and the divisions caused by Netanyahu," Peretz said on his Facebook page, while also pledging to act "immediately to relaunch the peace process."

Gabbay, 50, is seen as a fresh face, having formerly headed Israeli telecommunications firm Bezeq before joining politics. He has never been a member of Israel's parliament.

In 2014, he joined forces with former Likud minister Moshe Kahlon to form centre-right Kulanu.

Kulanu won 10 seats in the 2015 general elections and joined Netanyahu's coalition, with Gabbay appointed environment minister despite not being a parliament member.

He quit in 2016 in protest at the appointment of hardliner Avigdor Lieberman to head the defence ministry, saying the move was against Israel's security interests and would deepen societal divisions.

Gabbay announced only in December that he was joining the Labour party. Barak, the ex-prime minister, has announced his support for Gabbay in the runoff.

After polls opened on Monday, he said on his Facebook page that he would bring "hope and change" while injecting new life into the party.

The party's voters will be faced with a stark choice.

"Amir Peretz's advantage lies in his rich political experience," Nahum Barnea wrote in Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

"That is also a weakness: Over the course of his many years in politics, Peretz has won himself quite a few enemies. Avi Gabbay is Peretz's mirror image: new, fresh and inexperienced."
Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu, pictured in 2005, was jailed in 1986 for disclosing the inner workings of Israel's Dimona nuclear plant to Britain's Sunday Times newspaper

Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu received Monday a suspended two-month prison sentence and community work after a Jerusalem court decided against imprisoning him for a misdemeanour from over four years ago.

The 62-year-old former nuclear technician was jailed in 1986 for disclosing the inner workings of Israel's Dimona nuclear plant to Britain's Sunday Times newspaper.

He spent more than 10 years of his sentence in solitary confinement.

Upon his release in 2004, Vanunu was slapped with a series of restraining orders, forbidding him from travel, contact with foreigners or speaking to media.

He has twice been jailed for breaking those orders.

In January, Vanunu was convicted of meeting with two US nationals in Jerusalem in 2013 without having permission to do so.

Vanunu had been cleared of two other charges, one of which related to an interview he gave to Israel's Channel 2 television in 2015.

In his ruling on Monday, magistrates court Judge Yaron Mientkavich noted that in the time since, the supreme court "softened" the prohibition to allow Vanunu to speak with foreigners, though Vanunu's incriminating conversations would have been a felony even under the new guidelines.

Mientkavich gave Vanunu a suspended two-month sentence, as well as 120 hours of community service.

At a sentencing hearing earlier this year, Vanunu had told AFP he was confident he would not return to prison.

Israel is the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, refusing to confirm or deny that it has such weapons.

Israel has refused to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or to allow international surveillance of its Dimona plant in the Negev desert of southern Israel.
Rwanda's President Paul Kagame says he wants stronger ties with Israel at talks with Israel's president and prime minister

Rwandan President Paul Kagame called for bolstering relations with Israel on Monday during a visit reflecting a warming of ties between the Jewish state and Africa.

In July 2016 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Rwanda as part of a four-nation Africa trade and security tour aimed at boosting ties and in June this year he joined West African leaders at a summit in Liberia.

"Ever since the prime minister's visit to West Africa last year, Israel has continued to follow through on its commitments and objective of scaling up engagement across Africa," Kagame said.

"This is a very positive trend which can only be welcomed and merits our support," he added as he met Israeli Prime Minister Reuven Rivlin and Netanyahu at Rivlin's Jerusalem residence.

Kagame said that cooperation between Israel and African nations "has blossomed in many areas," including in technology, agriculture, energy and security.

"We are looking forward to reinforcing our cooperation with Israel on common challenges and issues of mutual interest," he added.

On Monday Netanyahu said the Jewish and Rwandan people share a "great bond".

"We, who witnessed the greatest holocaust in history, you who witnessed perhaps one of the most recent ones, never again," Netanyahu said.

He thanked Kagame for enabling Israel to "return to Africa".

"You were the indispensable bridge on which we marched to make our return to Africa, step by step, with very sound advice, very, very wise counsel," Netanyahu said.

Rivlin said Israel and Rwanda "are two nations who understand the horror of genocide" and who are "working together to solve some of the biggest issues facing humanity: water and food security".

Israel sees African countries as potential allies, particularly at the United Nations and other international bodies, where it is regularly condemned over its occupation of the West Bank and blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Rwanda is one of the countries receiving illegal African migrants who are actively encouraged to leave Israel, a move rights activists say can endanger their lives.
Avi Gabbay, ex-businessman and political newcomer, is elected head of Israel's opposition Labour party taking 52 percent of the votes in the runoff against longtime politician and former party leader Amir Peretz

Avi Gabbay, who won Monday's runoff election to head Israel's opposition Labour, is a political newcomer with a business background who supporters hope will galvanise his beleaguered party.

Gabbay beat longtime politician and former party leader Amir Peretz 52-47.

He had surprised observers when reaching second place in the first round of the Labour election after joining the party in December, just months after quitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

The soft-spoken 50-year-old had humble beginnings as the seventh of eight children born to a family that emigrated from Morocco to a poor neighbourhood in southern Jerusalem.

He joined a prestigious intelligence unit during his mandatory military service and rose to the rank of major before leaving the army.

He later studied economy and business at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is married and has three children.

His career began in the finance ministry's prestigious budget department, where he worked for some four years before moving to Bezeq, a major Israeli telecoms company.

He eventually rose to become its director general.

In 2014, he joined forces with former Likud minister Moshe Kahlon to help form Kulanu, a centre-right party.

Kulanu won 10 seats in the 2015 general elections and joined Netanyahu's coalition, with Gabbay appointed environment minister.

Gabbay stood out in the party by opposing a controversial major offshore gas deal with a US-led consortium, which he said did not reflect the interests of the Israeli public.

He quit his post as minister in 2016 in protest at the appointment of hardliner Avigdor Lieberman to head the defence ministry, saying the move was against Israel's security interests and would deepen societal divisions.

Gabbay left Kulanu and joined Labour a few months later, saying on his website the new party was a natural choice since it was "a true alternative to the government" and committed to the entire Israeli public.

- Demilitarised Palestinian state -

As a minister, Gabbay was not outspoken on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, traditionally a key topic for a contender of the leadership of one of Israel's largest parties.

He holds centrist positions on the issue, calling for a demilitarised Palestinian state alongside Israel.

His vision includes land swaps that would leave the large Israeli settlement blocs in place.

On his website, Gabbay also notes the importance of improving the economic situation in the Palestinian territories and the need to curb "extremist Islamist elements" there.

"The conflict can be resolved," he wrote, but to do so "we need brave and determined leadership that's not engaged in spins, incitement and dividing the people".

Gabbay's background in business and centrist politics, as well as his Moroccan background, could be part of his appeal to Labour voters eager to increase its reach after decades of decline in influence.

But critics from within the party questioned the newcomer's credentials.

It was "pretentious and hard to accept that a person who just yesterday joined the Labour party wants to head it," former Labour minister and director general Uzi Baram told public radio.

Gabbay was described in an opinion piece in the Yediot Aharonot newspaper as "a cuddly looking man whose innocent and bewildered appearances conceal a sharp and shrewd businessman".

His potentially wide appeal could also threaten the political competition from left and right, some analysts say.

"The Likud, (Yair Lapid's centrist) Yesh Atid, Kulanu and (left-wing) Meretz all really really don't want @GabbayAvi to be elected tomorrow," Labour lawmaker and Gabbay supporter Shelly Yechimovich wrote on Twitter.

"Not the only reason to vote for him, but a great reason by itself."
A member of the Ku Klux Klan looks on during a rally, calling for the protection of Southern Confederate monuments, in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 8, 2017.

Even if the US extreme right and white nationalism are enjoying a revival under President Donald Trump, the Ku Klux Klan -- which rallied in Virginia last weekend -- is a mere shadow of its once-powerful former self.

"Today the Klan is mostly a collection of small, disjointed groups, with no central leadership, very little stability," Oren Segal, director of the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, told AFP.

"These Klan groups tend to form and dissolve very quickly, there are very few groups that have a long history of existence, and in general the Klan is not a particularly healthy white supremacist movement," he said.

The images of men in traditional white robes at Saturday's rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, dredged up fearsome memories of the burning crosses, public lynchings and vast torchlit parades of the Klan's heyday.

In fact, only around 40 members of the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan actually showed up for the gathering, vastly outnumbered by hundreds of anti-racist counter-protesters.

The "Knights" wanted to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E Lee, the commander of the pro-slavery Confederate forces in the US Civil War, from a municipal park. But their speeches and denunciations were drowned out by the boos and jeers of protesters.

Still, experts insist the extreme right is on the rise in the United States, emboldened by Trump's victorious president campaign.

- Race debate-

The far-right's resurgence comes at a time "when we are having important conversations about race," said Robin Lenhardt, director of the Center on Race, Law and Justice at Fordham Law School.

Police escort members of the Ku Klux Klan past protesters following a rally calling for the protection of Southern Confederate monuments in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 8, 2017.

She points to the mass incarceration of African-Americans in the country's prisons, the abuse of minorities by police, including frequent high-profile shootings, as among the sensitive issues that some conservative white Americans would rather sweep under the carpet.

And there is also the issue of the Confederate flags and monuments still scattered across the South, which have been increasingly challenged since a self-declared white supremacist went on a killing rampage in an African American church in South Carolina two years ago.

"These monuments stand as markers or efforts to memorialize a period when white supremacy reigned," she said.

At the end of June, a group of white nationalists even organized a public gathering in the heart of Washington, close to the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King once made his celebrated "I have a dream" speech.

"There has been an awakening," Richard Spencer, a sworn enemy of multiculturalism and a leader of the self-proclaimed "alt-right" movement told the assembly there.

- KKK gnawed away by 'alt-right'-

The "alt-right" has the wind in its sails right now, and is trying to draw together under its flag all the disparate elements of the white American nationalist identity, which it says is under threat from globalization and immigration.

Against that backdrop, the KKK is seen as a much more archaic organization.

"Klans are very much seen as sort of an older generation white supremacy, so they are not attracting young members to the degree that they were many years ago," said Segal. "They suffer from a lack of cohesion."

"Much of their activity is putting fliers on people's lawn, which in many ways is a sign of weakness, not a sign of strength," he said.

A counter-protester holds up a sign before a Ku Klux Klan rally

At its peak in the 1920s, the Klan had some four million members, was well organized and wielded considerable political clout, with its tendrils even reaching at times into law enforcement agencies.

These days, it can muster only about 5,000 to 8,000 members, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors extremist groups
Iraqis celebrated in the capital Baghdad after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory in the battle to retake the embattled northern city of Mosul, the country's second-largest, from the Islamic State (IS) group

President Donald Trump on Monday hailed the "victory" of Iraqi forces over the Islamic State group in the northern city of Mosul.

The retaking of the devastated city after nearly nine months of fighting signals the jihadist group's "days in Iraq and Syria are numbered," Trump said in a statement, praising Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Earlier Monday, Abadi declared a victory over "brutality and terrorism" in Mosul, after his forces ended the Islamic State group's rule over the country's second city.

Abadi hailed the recapture of Mosul -- where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the creation of the group's self-styled "caliphate" three years ago -- as a historic moment in the battle against the extremists.

The US-led coalition that backed the Mosul offensive is supporting another assault on IS's Syrian bastion Raqa.
Supporters of Israeli politician Avi Gabbay celebrate after he was elected leader of Israel's main opposition Labour Party in the coastal city of Tel Aviv on July 10, 2017

Israel's main opposition Labour party voted in former businessman Avi Gabbay as its new leader Monday as it sought to regain waning influence and win back supporters.

Gabbay, who only joined the party in December, took 52 percent of the votes in the runoff against longtime politician and former party leader Amir Peretz, Labour said in a statement.

"To anyone who doubted the vitality of Israeli democracy, to anyone who eulogised the Labour party," he said in his victory speech to hundreds of jubilant supporters in Tel Aviv, "this night is their answer."

"This night we celebrate a victory, and after this night, there will be a day of hope for Israel," he said.

"Tomorrow, on Tuesday, the journey toward the election to change the Israeli government begins," he said.

Nearly 59 percent of Labour's 52,505 members voted in the contest for leadership of the veteran party, which was seeking a new face to boost its standings in the polls.

The candidates advanced to the runoff by beating five others in last week's first round, with Peretz winning 32.7 percent and Gabbay 27.1 percent.

That vote saw current Labour chairman Isaac Herzog garner only 16.7 percent for a third-place finish, a rapid fall in popularity after leading the party in the last general elections in 2015.

Herzog has faced a barrage of criticism over his attempts to negotiate for his party to join Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition and over Labour's slide in opinion polls.

In a statement following the vote, Herzog -- who had endorsed Peretz ahead of the runoff -- congratulated Gabbay on his "impressive victory" and said he would stand by him "to help strengthen Labour and change the government".

Gabbay, who cannot be opposition head as he is not a member of parliament, asked Herzog to retain the position in his victory speech.

Israeli politics has seen a shift rightward in recent years, with Netanyahu and his Likud party in power since 2009.

Centrist parties such as Yesh Atid and Kulanu -- which Gabbay was a member of until recently -- have also benefitted at the expense of Labour.

The country's last Labour prime minister was Ehud Barak from 1999 to 2001.

- 'Hope and change' -

Ahead of the 2015 elections, Labour joined forces with Tzipi Livni's Hatnua to form the Zionist Union, which won 24 seats in the 120-seat parliament to become the largest opposition to Netanyahu's government.

Supporters of the two candidates in the runoff had hoped their backgrounds would help to widen Labour's support.

Both are of Moroccan descent, rare for a leader of a major party in Israel, and they may be able to increase support for Labour among Mizrahi Jews of Middle Eastern or North African origin.

They also both support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

But beyond that they have little in common.

Ex-businessman Avi Gabbay, won the leadership of Israel's Labour party at electipn runoffs beating longtime politician and former party leader Amir Peretz

Gabbay, 50, is seen as fresh face, having formerly headed Israeli telecommunications firm Bezeq before joining politics. He has never been a member of Israel's parliament.

In 2014, he joined forces with former Likud minister Moshe Kahlon to form centre-right Kulanu.

Kulanu won 10 seats in the 2015 general elections and joined Netanyahu's coalition, with Gabbay appointed environment minister despite not being a parliament member.

He quit in 2016 in protest at the appointment of hardliner Avigdor Lieberman to head the defence ministry, saying the move was against Israel's security interests and would deepen societal divisions.

Gabbay announced in December that he was joining the Labour party. Barak, the ex-prime minister, has announced his support for Gabbay in the runoff.

After polls opened on Monday, he said on his Facebook page that he would bring "hope and change" while injecting new life into the party.

- 'Mirror image' -

Peretz, 65 with a trademark salt-and-pepper moustache, is a veteran politician, former trade union leader and ex-defence minister.

He was previously head of Labour from 2005-2007 and is the longest serving member of the Knesset, or parliament.

His first stint as leader ended after he was accused of failing in his post as defence minister during the 34-day war against Lebanon's Hezbollah militia in 2006.

Peretz later saw redemption, however, gaining praise for having pushed for the development of the Iron Dome missile defence system, now seen as an indispensable part of Israel's military infrastructure.

"We will work to heal the society and the divisions caused by Netanyahu," Peretz said on his Facebook page, pledging to act "immediately to relaunch the peace process".

Voters were faced with a stark choice.

"Amir Peretz's advantage lies in his rich political experience," Nahum Barnea wrote in Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

"That is also a weakness: Over the course of his many years in politics, Peretz has won himself quite a few enemies. Avi Gabbay is Peretz's mirror image: new, fresh and inexperienced."
Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims trek over mountain trails to reach Amarnath caves, around 3,900 metres (12,800 feet) above sea level, in Indian Kashmir every year

Militants killed six Hindu pilgrims and wounded 14 others Monday in Indian-administered Kashmir, police told AFP, after their bus came under attack.

India's Central Reserve Police Force, which provides security for the two-month long annual pilgrimage, said gunmen first opened fire on a security checkpoint but no injuries were reported.

"Militants further attacked the pilgrims' bus at Batingu (six civilians killed and 14 injured) and escaped towards Arwani," the CRPF said in a statement.

The police force added the pilgrims were from the western Indian state of Gujarat.

A New Delhi based security official, speaking anonymously, told AFP that security personnel were exploring "all the angles including suspected Islamists".

Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims trek over mountain trails to reach Amarnath caves, around 3,900 metres (12,800 feet) above sea level, in Indian Kashmir every year.

The devotees worship the natural ice formation at the caves as a symbol of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction.

"Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on the peaceful Amarnath Yatris (pilgrims) in Jammu and Kashmir," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter.

"India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and the evil designs of hate," Modi added.

The pilgrimage has previously been the target of militants, with more than 30 pilgrims killed in 2000.

The state's former chief minister Omar Abdullah urged "every right thinking Kashmiri" to "unequivocally" condemn the attack.

"This is a moment for us to define ourselves. Are we willing to ... take a stand. No terror and murder in our names," Abdullah tweeted.

Kashmir, divided between India and Pakistan since 1947, is one of the most heavily militarised spots on earth with a long history of conflict.

The mountainous region is home to dozens of armed groups fighting for independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, head of All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference, a political coalition opposed to the Indian rule of Kashmir, also condemned the attack.

"As the unfortunate news of the Yatris killing reaches us leadership and people of Kashmir are deeply disturbed and saddened and strongly condemn it," Farooq said on Twitter.

Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state, has since 2014 been governed by the pro-India People's Democratic Party in an unpopular coalition with Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Analysts say this has intensified public opposition to Indian rule in Kashmir.

Tensions have also been high around the first anniversary of the death of charismatic rebel leader Burhan Wani, who was shot dead by security forces on July 8 2016.

The death of the 23-year-old, who had built up a big following on social media, sparked a huge outpouring of grief in Kashmir.
Founded in 1882, the Chicago Stock Exchange is one of the oldest in the country

Eleven US legislators are urging regulators to block a Chinese takeover of the niche Chicago Stock Exchange, according to a letter sent Monday.

The letter called on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to reject the sale of the small exchange to a group of investors led by the Chinese company Chongqing Casin Enterprise Group (CCEG).

"As you know, the Chinese government dominates all sectors of society and consistently fails to abide by international agreements," they wrote.

And "given the ongoing concerns with the severe lack of transparency in China, we have substantial concerns related to the SEC's ability to monitor and regulate owners of CCEG," according to the letter signed by Republican and Democratic members of the House.

While foreign owners of a national stock exchanges historically have agreed to fully comply with US laws, CCEG and its foreign affiliates have failed to grant US regulators "power to monitor or regulate their activities" on the Chicago Stock Exchange.

The SEC is expected to announce its decision by August 9.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) -- which can block foreign takeovers on national security grounds -- already gave the go-ahead to the deal first announced in February 2016.

Founded in 1882, the Chicago Stock Exchange is one of the oldest in the country. It employs 75 people and, according to news reports, handles 0.5 percent of the stock trades in the United States, a market that totals some $22 trillion.

Contacted by AFP, the Chicago Stock Exchange declined to comment.
Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees competes in the final round of the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida, on July 10, 2017

Aaron Judge launched a series of moonballs into the outfield bleachers as the New York Yankees rookie smashed his way to victory in MLB's All-Star Game home-run hitting contest on Monday.

The 25-year-old Judge made it look simple, out-slugging Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano 11-10 in the Home Run Derby final ahead of Tuesday's All-Star Game at Marlins Park in Miami.

Judge dominated the competition, with one of his shots sailing 513 feet to left field. He hit several others over 500 feet.

"I was a little nervous going into it," Judge said. "It was an incredible experience. They all felt good. I enjoyed every minute of it."

Defending champion Giancarlo Stanton was the crowd favourite but he exited early. Stanton was eliminated in the opening round, 17-16, by Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, quashing any chance of a marquee matchup with Judge.

In the semi-finals, Judge defeated Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger 13-12, and Sano got past Sanchez 11-10. Judge's power display included using all fields, hitting several upper-deck homers to straightaway centre and the opposite field.

Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox becomes the first pitcher to make back-to-back All-Star appearances

Judge, who leads the majors with 30 homers, ousted fellow rookie Bellinger, who was taking pitches from his father Clay Bellinger, a former major league hitter.

Judge is the first rookie and fourth Yankee to win the home run contest, joining Robinson Cano (2011), Jason Giambi (2002) and Tino Martinez (1997).

The home run contest is part of the glitz and glamour that surrounds the annual All-Star Game which this year will feature Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale and Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer as the starting pitchers.

Sale becomes the first pitcher to make back-to-back All-Star appearances following his start for the American League last year while playing for the Chicago White Sox.

The 28-year-old is also the first pitcher to make consecutive starts since Arizona's Randy Johnson achieved the feat for the National League in 2000-01.

Sale was traded in December to the Red Sox and is currently 11-4 with a 2.75 ERA and a major league-leading 178 strikeouts in 127 2/3 innings this season.

Scherzer, 32, is making his second All-Star start following an appearance in 2013 when he pitched a perfect inning. Scherzer was playing for the Detroit Tigers at the time.

Scherzer, who becomes only the fifth pitcher to start All-Star Games for both leagues, is 10-5 with a 2.10 ERA and 173 strikeouts this season.

In-form Los Angeles Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw has a 14-2 record this season but is unavailable for the All-Star Game after pitching in Sunday's win over the Kansas City Royals.

National League manager Joe Maddon meanwhile unveiled his batting line-up on Monday, with Colorado's Charlie Blackmon leading off followed by Miami's Stanton as designated hitter.

Washington's Bryce Harper is third, ahead of San Francisco's Buster Posey.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - In a story July 7 about a white former Oklahoma police officer accused of killing his daughter's black boyfriend, The Associated Press reported erroneously on the length of jury deliberations. Attorneys involved in the case say the deliberations lasted 2  to three hours, not four hours.

A corrected version of the story is below:

3rd mistrial in case of ex-cop accused of killing black man

For the third time in less than a year a jury has deadlocked and forced a mistrial in the murder case of a white former Oklahoma police officer accused of killing his daughter's black boyfriend

By JUSTIN JUOZAPAVICIUS

Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. (AP) - For the third time in less than a year a jury deadlocked on Friday and forced a mistrial in the murder case of a white former Oklahoma police officer accused of killing his daughter's black boyfriend, astonishing prosecutors and frustrating the boyfriend's family.

Judge Sharon Holmes declared in the case former Tulsa police officer Shannon Kepler. He was accused of fatally shooting 19-year-old Jeremey Lake in August 2014, not long after Lake started dating Kepler's then-18-year-old daughter, Lisa. Attorneys involved said the jurors deliberated for 2  to three hours.

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said he was shocked that a mistrial was declared after such short jury deliberations.

"I've never encountered a dynamic like this in 25 years of practice," Kunzweiler said after the mistrial was declared. "In my opinion, there should be some compulsion placed on jurors to reach a verdict."

Defense attorney Richard O'Carroll did not return a telephone message seeking comment.

Holmes had instructed jurors that they could convict Kepler of first-degree murder or the lesser charge of manslaughter. Manslaughter carries a sentence of four years to life in prison, while the sentence on a first-degree murder conviction is life in prison.

The jury deadlocked 6-6, but Kunzweiler said it was unclear if the breakdown was six for conviction and six for acquittal or six for murder and six for the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Kepler, who retired from the force after he was charged, was a 24-year-police veteran who said he was trying to protect his daughter, who had run away from home and was living in a crime-ridden neighborhood. Defense attorney Richard O'Carroll said Lisa had been in and out of a homeless shelter after her father prohibited her from bringing men into his house.

Kepler told investigators he was acting in self-defense because Lake was armed, but police didn't find a weapon on Lake or at the scene. Lake's aunt said her nephew was reaching out to shake Kepler's hand to introduce himself when Kepler fired.

Pam Wilkins, Lake's aunt, said his extended family is deeply frustrated by the third mistrial.

"But I'm not giving up hope," she said. "We're believing in God and justice for Jeremey."

Jurors in Kepler's previous two trials, in November and February, deadlocked 11-1 and 10-2 in favor of guilt and Judge Sharon Holmes was forced to declare mistrials. Although they couldn't agree on the murder charge, jurors in the first trial convicted Kepler of recklessly using his firearm.

Lake's killing was among a series of fatal shootings of black people by Tulsa-area law enforcement officers in recent years.

On June 9, two white Tulsa County deputies and a black Tulsa police officer shot and killed Joshua Barre, a mentally ill black man who wielded two large knives as he walked down a Tulsa street. A deputy tried to subdue Barre with a stun gun just outside a convenience store, but it had no effect. Fearing for the customers' safety, the deputies and police officer opened fire, killing him as he tried to enter the store.

A jury on May 17 found white Tulsa police officer Betty Jo Shelby not guilty of first-degree manslaughter in the Sept. 16, 2016, death of Terence Crutcher, 40, shot shortly after Shelby arrived on a street to find Crutcher's SUV stopped in the middle of the road. Shelby testified that she was afraid because Crutcher didn't obey her commands and appeared to reach inside his SUV. Prosecutors told jurors that Shelby overreacted, noting that videos from a patrol car dashboard and a police helicopter showed Crutcher had his hands in the air and did not have a weapon.

In 2016, former Tulsa County volunteer sheriff's deputy Robert Bates was sentenced to four years in prison for second-degree manslaughter in the April 2015 death of Eric Harris, 44, who was unarmed and restrained. Bates, who is white, has said he confused his stun gun with his handgun. That shooting led to the temporary suspension of the reserve deputy program after a report found poor training of the volunteer officers, a lack of oversight, and cronyism. Bates is appealing his conviction.

The shooting involving Kepler was four days before a white police officer fatally shot an unarmed black teenager in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson on Aug. 9, 2014.

Michael Brown's killing touched off months of protests and became a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement, which decries police violence against minorities and calls for greater transparency from law enforcement officials, especially in cases that involve officer-involved shootings.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - State election officials voiced doubt Saturday that adequate security measures can be adopted before 2018 elections to safeguard against the possibility of a foreign government interfering in U.S. elections.

That's according to attendees at a weekend gathering of the National Association of Secretaries of State, whose conference was held amid an uproar over a White House commission investigating President Donald Trump's allegations of voter fraud and heightened concern about Russian attempts to interfere in U.S. elections.

The Department of Homeland Security said last fall that hackers believed to be Russian agents targeted voter registration systems in more than 20 states. And a leaked National Security Agency document from May said Russian military intelligence had attempted to hack into voter registration software used in eight states.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft looks at notes during a voter registration meeting at the the National Association of Secretaries of State conference, Saturday, July 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

But both Republican and Democratic Secretaries of State, who are responsible for carrying out elections in many states, said they have been frustrated in recent months by a lack of information from federal intelligence officials on allegations of Russian meddling with the vote. They say that despite the best efforts by federal officials, it may be too late in to make substantive changes.

"I'm doubtful," said Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, a Democrat. "We shouldn't feel like we've been tied to a chair and blindfolded ... It's very hard to help further instill public confidence that you know what you're doing if you don't have any information."

The conference in Indianapolis, which began Friday, is being attended by officials from 37 states. The FBI and Homeland Security attempted to allay fears by holding a series of closed-door meetings Saturday on voting security.

"This is a new thing and it takes a while to get things running and everybody talking," said Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a Republican. "I think this is something we will build on and it will get better over time."

There is no indication so far that voting or ballot counting was affected in the November election, but officials are concerned that the Russians may have gained knowledge that could help them disrupt future elections.

The gathering took place while Trump was in Germany for the Group of 20 summit, which included a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said Saturday that he thinks Trump accepted his assurances that Russia didn't meddle in the U.S. presidential election.

It also comes one week after the commission investigating Trump's allegations of election fraud requested voter information from all 50 states, drawing bipartisan blowback. The request seeks dates of birth, partial Social Security numbers, addresses, voting histories, military service and other information about every voter in the country.

Trump has repeatedly stated without proof that he believes millions of fraudulent ballots were cast in the November election, when he carried the Electoral College but lost the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The commission was launched to investigate those claims and is being chaired by Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who sent the information requests.

"I do think that this is an odd time to be forming a national database of some kind if we're so concerned about security," said Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill, a Democrat.

The U.S. does not have a federalized voting system, relying instead on 9,000 different voting jurisdictions and more than 185,000 individual precincts. Officials believe that makes it difficult for hackers to have any major effect on the vote. If Kobach succeeds in obtaining the information he seeks, it could gather voter data for the entire U.S. in one centralized place.

Kobach was not in attendance at the weekend event and could not be reached for comment, prompting Democrats to reiterate their skepticism of the commission's intent. They expressed concern that the information could be used to justify stringent new voter security procedures making it more difficult for people to cast a ballot.

Dunlap, who is a member of Trump's commission, says Kobach's push for the voter data "spooked" people because it impacts "how individual citizens feel about their sovereign right to democratic self-governance."

That includes some of Kobach's fellow Republicans.

"We still have some questions that need to be answered that only Kris Kobach can answer," said Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, a Republican who has yet to determine whether his office will release the data. "I don't think he made a good decision in this effort because of the way he chose to go through with it."

It remains unclear exactly how the data will be used for. Pence spokesman Marc Lotter said the commission will look for potential irregularities in voter registrations and advise states on how they can improve their practices.

But many secretaries of state say all or parts of the requested data are not public in their states. Some Democrats have said the commission is merely trying to provide cover for Trump's unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have said they will refuse to provide the information sought by the commission. The other states are undecided or will provide some of the data, according to a tally of every state by The Associated Press.

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Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed.

Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap speaks during a voter registration meeting at the National Association of Secretaries of State conference Saturday, July 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

FILE - In this March 15, 2016, file photo, people line up to vote in the primary at a precinct in Bradfordton, Il. State election officials from across the U.S. are gathering this weekend in Indianapolis amid an uproar over a White House commission investigating allegations of voter fraud and heightened concern about Russian attempts to interfere with last fall's election. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla speaks during a voter registration meeting at the National Association of Secretaries of State conference Saturday, July 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams speaks during a voter registration meeting at the National Association of Secretaries of State conference Saturday, July 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos speaks during a voter registration meeting at the National Association of Secretaries of State conference Saturday, July 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson reads notes that were handed out on voter registration during the National Association of Secretaries of State conference, Saturday, July 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
El Paso, Texas, is caught in an immigration conundrum.

The summer heat has reduced the river separating El Paso from Juarez, Mexico, to a dry, brown plain, allowing hundreds of people to run across the riverbed recently to embrace their relatives and take pictures. The four-minute visits were approved by border authorities on both sides, as part of an event called "Hugs Not Walls."

Meanwhile, each night El Paso's jail - under contract with the federal government - takes in hundreds of immigrants awaiting deportation.

In this Saturday, June 24, 2017 photo, Erendira Fraire, right, rushes over to greet her mother, Esperanza Mata Lara whom she had not seen in 21 years during a brief meeting in the Rio Grande riverbed as part of the "Hugs Not Walls" family reunification event on the U.S-Mexico border. Fraire traveled from Chicago while her mother traveled from Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico for the four-minute encounter. (Rudy Gutierrez/The El Paso Times via AP)

"It sends mixed messages," said El Paso County Commissioner Vincent Perez, who wants to end the county's detention contract with the U.S. Marshals Service. "Our local jails can be used to enforce federal immigration law if they're brought in by Border Patrol and ICE," referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Trump administration's immigration crackdown and a new Texas effort to aid federal agents have forced El Paso to grapple with whether its county jail is being used to facilitate policies its residents vigorously oppose. Most El Paso residents trace their heritage to Mexico, and many U.S. citizens born and raised in Texas' largest border city have family on the other side of the Rio Grande. El Paso's leaders say they have great sympathy for immigrants living in the U.S., legally or not, and yet the city plays an important role in the enforcement of immigration laws.

The U.S. Marshals typically use El Paso's jail space to hold inmates awaiting federal court hearings in El Paso, most of them from the surrounding region, as part of a longstanding agreement with the county. Top local officials and some advocates say detaining immigrants in El Paso is more humane than pulling out of the contract. They argue those who are held locally have better access to lawyers and their families instead of pushing them to distant county jails or private detention facilities. Two facilities that might take inmates in El Paso's place are more than 80 miles away, making them nearly inaccessible to families without a car or a driver with a license.

"We are fighting for ending immigrant detention, but this proposal doesn't accomplish that," said Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights, the El Paso-based nonprofit group that organized the "Hugs Not Walls" event.

"If they cancel the contract, what is going to happen with those immigrants in El Paso County?" Garcia said. "They're going to take them somewhere else."

El Paso is also among the cities and civil rights groups that are suing the state over its new law targeting so-called sanctuary cities. The law requires police officers to ask about a person's immigration status during routine stops. Police chiefs and sheriffs who don't cooperate with federal requests to hold criminal suspects without legal status for possible deportation could be charged with a crime.

Federal judges in San Antonio and Austin heard arguments in the case in June. Those suing the state are seeking to stop the law before it would go into effect in September. The state is backed by the Trump administration, which sent a lawyer to argue in support of the law at one hearing.

The law was especially unpopular in El Paso, nearly 600 miles west of the state Capitol. El Paso's population is more than 80 percent Latino. But of the cities and counties suing Texas, El Paso takes by far the most federal inmates on contract in its county jail - typically around 700 people on a given day.

That fills one-third of El Paso County's available jail space and supports hundreds of jobs at the sheriff's office. According to figures provided by Perez, the contract brought in $21 million in revenue during the last fiscal year. It's next up for renewal for an additional three years in 2018.

Based on his study of the inmates' cases, Perez estimates that about 90 percent were arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol and ICE. Around 70 percent are charged with crimes related to re-entering the U.S. illegally after a previous deportation or similar immigration-related offenses, he said, as distinguished from someone facing a deportation order.

But so far, Perez is alone on the county commission. His motion at a June 12 meeting of the commissioners' court to end the contract did not get a second commissioner's support and failed without a vote.

Wiles, one of the officials named in the lawsuit against the state, said that in addition to keeping the inmates near advocates and their families, the contract also supports jobs in the sheriff's office that would otherwise go to private companies "where profit is the bottom line."

"We're facilitating the criminal justice process in the best possible way, under the circumstances that we have," Wiles said.

He argued the contract with the marshals is a separate issue from the Texas anti-sanctuary law, which he said places an unfair burden on his office and gives sheriff's deputies authority that should belong to federal immigration agents.

"Even though I'm not going to stand in the way of federal agents doing their job, I don't want to do their job," Wiles said.

El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar, the county's top administrative official, attended a previous "Hugs Not Walls" event and continues to study the jail contract. Escobar is an outspoken critic of state and federal immigration priorities, and called current system immigration laws "terrible."

But Escobar said El Paso still needs to work with other law enforcement agencies when appropriate.

"This is a very different question about a population that will be housed somewhere," she said. "Until we change the laws and get to the root cause, this is a reality. We can either make it worse, or not."

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Follow Nomaan Merchant on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nomaanmerchant .

In this Saturday, June 24, 2017 photo, members of the U.S. Border Patrol and Juarez State Police pose for a photo together at the "Hugs Not Walls" event inside the Rio Grande riverbed on the U.S.-Mexico border. Families separated because of deportations were given four minutes to come together in the middle of the dried up Rio Grande riverbed. (Rudy Gutierrez/The El Paso Times via AP)

In this Saturday, June 24, 2017 photo, Martha Aguilar greets sons Juan Francisco Loya, left, and Oscar Loya, right during a "Hugs Not Walls" event inside the Rio Grande riverbed on the U.S.-Mexico border. Aguilar lives in El Paso while her sons live in Juarez, Mexico. The meeting took place for four minutes. Aguilar had not seen Juan Franciso for eight years and Oscar for twelve years. (Rudy Gutierrez/The El Paso Times via AP)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Police in North Texas say a driver who led officers on a chase after a robbery brought along an unexpected passenger: his infant child.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (http://bit.ly/2tWM4xU ) that 19-year-old Quardrion Atkins and two other teenagers were arrested Saturday.

Police in Arlington say the three are accused of robbing an apartment Friday night and a home on Saturday, after which they led police on a short chase in an SUV. Authorities say Atkins' child was in the vehicle.

Police say each of the three suspects will face two counts of aggravated robbery.

Arlington police spokeswoman Vanessa Harrison says Atkins will also be charged with endangering a child. The Arlington jail confirmed Atkins was in custody Sunday but said no defense attorney was listed in his records.

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Information from: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, http://www.star-telegram.com
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Monday:

1. TRUMP'S SON SAYS HE MET WITH KREMLIN-LINKED LAWYER

Donald Trump Jr. says he met with the Russian attorney shortly after his father clinched the Republican nomination, hoping to get information damaging to Hillary Clinton.

Iraqis celebrate in Tahrir square while holding national flags as they wait for the final announcement of the defeat of the Islamic state militants, in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, July 9, 2017. Backed by the U.S.-led coalition, Iraq launched the operation to retake Mosul from Islamic State militants in October. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

2. IRAQI LEADER PRAISES TROOPS IN STREETS OF MOSUL

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi hails the army for driving Islamic State militants from most of the city, but the militants still hold small patches of ground west of the Tigris River.

3. WHO SAYS INITIAL OBAMACARE REPEAL, REPLACE PLAN IS PROBABLY 'DEAD'

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., both say the draft GOP bill to replace the nation's health law has little chance of passage.

4. WHAT'S THE AIM OF NATION'S FIRST 'OPIOID COURT'

The court in Buffalo, N.Y., seeks to get abusers of the potent drugs into treatment within hours of their arrest in order to keep them alive.

5. TILLERSON PRESSES RUSSIA TO REDUCE TENSIONS IN UKRAINE

The U.S. Secretary of State also says that American and European sanctions would remain in place until Moscow reverses course in the region.

6. BLACK HOMEOWNERS STRUGGLE AS US HOUSING MARKET RECOVERS

African-Americans aren't sharing in the recovery, even as whites, Asian-Americans and Latinos slowly see gains in home-buying, research shows.

7. NKOREA: US PRACTICE BOMBING RUN IS A PROVOCATION

Pyongyang says the run by two U.S. B-1B bombers on the Korean peninsula is a dangerous move raising the risk of nuclear war.

8. SYRIA TRUCE BEGINS, TRUMP EYES COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA

Trump calls for expanded cooperation with Russia, as a cease-fire brokered by the two powers and Jordan for southern Syria came into effect.

9. HOW SAILORS, CONSERVATIONISTS HELP KEEP WHALES SAFE

The sport of sailboat racing and nonprofit groups are floating new guidelines aimed at reducing collisions with the marine mammals.

10. MLB ALL-STARS COME TO FLA. WITH SPORT STRUGGLING IN THE STATE

Despite their successes, The Rays and Marlins have had trouble developing a robust fan base in the state.

President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn upon arrival the White House in Washington, Saturday, July 8, 2017, from the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Three San Francisco UPS drivers who were killed by a co-worker last month were remembered Sunday for their kindness and dedication to their jobs.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/2uZMyzZ) about 300 people attended the memorial at City Hall for Wayne Chan, Mike Lefiti and Benson Louie.

On June 14, UPS driver Jimmy Lam fatally shot the men and wounded two other co-workers during a meeting before the day's deliveries. He then killed himself in front of police.

Retired UPS employee Michael Campino said Chan and Louie were always willing to help him translate when he dealt with Chinese-speaking customers. Lefiti was remembered for his gregarious personality.

The drivers' union, which organized the memorial, said few drivers have returned to the building in Potrero Hill after witnessing the fatal shootings.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) - Dozens of rebellious inmates set fire to the maximum security prison in Guyana's capital Sunday, destroying most of the building while they exchanged gunfire with police and soldiers, authorities said. At least one officer was killed.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan said Sunday night that security forces had regained control of the prison, but firefighters were still dealing with the blaze.

President David Granger later reported that an officer died at Georgetown Hospital while being treated for a gunshot wound to the chest. He said officials were still trying to determine if anyone had died in the fire, though he feared there could be more dead.

"There must be some because of the nature of the fire," Granger said.

He also said officials were unsure if there were other serious injuries. Before the president spoke, state television NCN said eight people, some of them guards, had been taken to the hospital for treatment.

Ramjattan said officials were investigating what led to the unrest at Camp Street prison. "We have heard that there might have been breakouts but we don't want rumors," he said.

He said plans were being made to move the prisoners elsewhere. "Removing the prisoners is paramount as well as getting the fire under control. This is a very unfortunate incident," he said.

Last year, 17 inmates died when they were trapped in their cells by a fire that they had started to protest against conditions in the prison and long delays in their trials.
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Police in northern Vietnam have seized nearly 3 tons of ivory smuggled from South Africa in the latest action taken against the illegal trade.

Thanh Hoa provincial police said the ivory was found in boxes on a truck stopped by police early Saturday morning. The account posted on the police website quoted the truck driver as saying he was hired to transport the ivory from southern Dong Nai province to the capital Hanoi.

Police declined to give further information on Monday.

In this Saturday, July 8, 2017 photo, a policeman weighs a piece of ivory smuggled in from South Africa, in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam. It was part of nearly 3 tons of ivory smuggled from South Africa seized by police in the latest action taken against the illegal trade. (Trinh Duy Hung/Vietnam News Agency via AP)

Last year, nearly 7 tons of ivory were seized in Vietnam's southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh city.

Vietnam is one of the world's major transit points and consumers of ivory and rhino horn. It bans hunting of its own dwindling population of elephants.
HONOLULU (AP) - A Honolulu official is proposing stationing armed park rangers at city parks, where homeless encampments are common, because of a growing amount of trash and safety concerns.

Residents have taken issue with piles of trash and smell they say come from homeless encampments, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported (http://bit.ly/2tDBo4N) Sunday.

Jen Tema, who lives in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu, said she avoids passing through lookouts at Diamond Head Monument because of the overwhelming stench coming from the area.

Her son no longer surfs at the lookouts because of feces left in the water by homeless campers and her kids need to wear shoes instead of slippers over fears of discarded drug needles and used condoms on floors at parks, Tema said.

City Councilman Trevor Ozawa wants residents to vote on a 2018 City Charter amendment to place armed park rangers in city's biggest parks. The proposed rangers would be able to address illegal camping, littering and vandalism and enforce no-smoking policies.

"We continue to see enforcement issues, continue to have issues with our homeless population in our parks, and need to make our children's safety a priority," he said. "We need to continue exploring ways of keeping our park users safe and our facilities free of vandalism and destruction."

The city already has an unarmed park ranger program in place at Kapiolani Park, Hanauma Bay and the city's most-used park, the Ala Moana Regional Park, said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. City park employees also have a new shift that runs from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

He wants to work with Ozawa to continue improving conditions, but thinks armed park rangers would be an unnecessary expense.

Instead Caldwell plans to ask the next Honolulu Police Department chief to create a division dedicated to homeless concerns.

"We are addressing the issue of people getting too comfortable in one place," Caldwell said. "There's no doubt that we are spending a lot of money addressing a very small population that continues to cause significant impacts at our parks and in Waikiki."

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Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, http://www.staradvertiser.com
BEIJING (AP) - Shares in both China's state-owned shipping company, COSCO, and Orient Overseas (International) Ltd. surged Monday after COSCO agreed to buy its smaller rival for $6.3 billion.

The merger will form a new Asian shipping giant, helping COSCO compete as a wave of consolidation in the industry creates a handful of huge global competitors.

By mid-afternoon Monday, COSCO's shares traded in Hong Kong had jumped 6.1 percent while Orient Overseas' shares soared 20.8 percent.

FILE - In this June 26, 2016 file photo, the COSCO Shipping Panama cargo ship, top, heads towards the new Cocoli locks, part of the new Panama Canal expansion project, as it cruises past another cargo ship passing through the old Pedro Miguel locks, in Panama City. Shares in both China's state-owned shipping company, COSCO, and Orient Overseas (International) Ltd. have surged after COSCO agreed to buy its smaller rival for $6.3 billion. The merger will create a new Asian shipping giant. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, File)

COSCO, with 311 container ships, ranks among the global industry's top five competitors. Orient Overseas, controlled by the family of former Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa, is in the top 10.

The transaction is subject to antitrust review by Chinese, European and U.S. authorities, according to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

The filing said COSCO will pay $10.07 per share (HK$78.67), a premium of 38 percent over Orient's Friday share price on the Hong Kong Exchange. The total price tag for the deal will be $6.3 billion (HK$49.2 billion).

The shipping industry has been struggling amid sluggish global trade and falling rates. Danish shipping firm Maersk acquired Hamburg Sud, a German company, in December, while French shipper CMA CGM bought Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines last year.
North Korean soldiers gathered in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang to celebrate the test launch of North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missile. The North's ICBM launch, its most successful missile test to date, has stoked security worries in Washington, Seoul and Tokyo as it showed the country could eventually perfect a nuclear missile capable of reaching anywhere in the United States.

In other images from the Asia-Pacific region last week, Philippine senator and boxer Manny Pacquiao reacted after losing to Jeff Horn of Australia in a WBO welterweight world title fight in Brisbane, Australia.

A boy dried clothes outside of his partially submerged home in floodwaters in Burgaon, India. Heavy rains since the start of India's monsoon season have triggered floods and landslides in parts of the remote northeastern region.

In this Thursday, July 6, 2017, file photo, soldiers gather in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, to celebrate the test launch of North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missile two days earlier. The North's ICBM launch, its most successful missile test to date, has stoked security worries in Washington, Seoul and Tokyo as it showed the country could eventually perfect a reliable nuclear missile capable of reaching anywhere in the United States. Analysts say the missile tested Tuesday could reach Alaska if launched at a normal trajectory. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin, File)

The Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, sailed into Hong Kong to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army garrison's presence in the semiautonomous Chinese city and former British colony.

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This gallery was curated by Associated Press photo editor Shuji Kajiyama in Tokyo.

In this Thursday, July 6, 2017, file photo, soldiers watch fireworks in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, to celebrate the test launch of North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missile two days earlier. The North's ICBM launch, its most successful missile test to date, has stoked security worries in Washington, Seoul and Tokyo as it showed the country could eventually perfect a reliable nuclear missile capable of reaching anywhere in the United States. Analysts say the "Hwasong 14" missile, tested Tuesday could reach Alaska if launched at a normal trajectory. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin, File)

In this Tuesday, July 4, 2017, file photo, people walk past a TV news showing an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un while reporting North Korea's missile test which landed in the waters of Japan's economic zone (EEZ) in Tokyo. North Korea claimed to have tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile in a launch Tuesday, a potential game-changing development in its push to militarily challenge Washington - but a declaration that conflicts with earlier South Korean and U.S. assessments that it had an intermediate range. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

In this Thursday, July 6, 2017, file photo, a visitor uses binoculars to see the North Korea side from the unification observatory in Paju, South Korea. South Korean jets and navy ships fired a barrage of guided-missiles into the ocean during drills Thursday, a display of military power two days after North Korea test-launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

In this Sunday, July 2, 2017, file photo, Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines reacts after his loss to Jeff Horn of Australia, during their WBO World Welterweight title fight in Brisbane, Australia. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard, File)

In this July 5, 2017, file photo, an Indian boy dries clothes outside his house, partially submerged in flood waters at Burgaon, 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of Gauhati, Assam state, India, Wednesday, July 5, 2017. Heavy rains since the start of India's monsoon season have triggered floods and landslides in parts of the remote northeastern region, causing at least 20 deaths, authorities said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath, File)

In this Friday, July 7, 2017, file photo, the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, sails into Hong Kong for port call, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) garrison's presence in the semi-autonomous Chinese city and former British colony. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

In this Thursday, July 6, 2017, file photo, Tibetans children watch others dance as they wait for their turn to perform during celebrations marking the 82nd birthday of their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at a Tibetan settlement in New Delhi, India. Thousands belonging to Tibetan community waved white scarves and banners, lit incense and prayed for the Dalai Lama's long life as he turned 82 on Thursday. The Dalai Lama is currently visiting the Jokhang Gonpa, a Buddhist monastery, built in Ladakh in the Indian portion of Kashmir. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

In this Tuesday, July 4, 2017, file photo, a woman and a child look at the scene as a boatman takes tourists for a ride around the water lily plants on Beihai Park in Beijing, China. Beihai Park, once an imperial garden, is now a popular tourist spot in China's capital. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

In this Sunday, July 2, 2017, file photo, Kashmiri villagers offer funeral prayers near the body of Bashir Lashkari, a local rebel commander during his funeral in his native village of Souf, 75 kilometers (46 miles) south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir. A woman and a young man were killed and several other people injured during anti-India protests and clashes in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Saturday following a counterinsurgency operation by government forces that killed two rebels in the disputed region, police said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan, File) )

In this Tuesday, July 4, 2017, file photo, Philippine Air Force officers and enlisted personnel stand at attention amidst heavy rain as they listen to President Rodrigo Duterte during the 70th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Air Force at Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga province, north of Manila, Philippines. In background are two of the new FA50 fighter jets which were acquired from South Korea. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)

In this Tuesday, July 4, 2017, file photo, Thai workers remove a Buddha statue at a shop in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, July 4, 2017, in preparation for the upcoming Buddhist Lent. Buddhist monks return to their monasteries to study the teachings of Lord Buddha during the three-month long Buddhist Lent, which starts on July 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)

In this Saturday, July 8, 2017, file photo, young Buddhist nuns pray at the famed Shwedagon Pagoda during the Full Moon of Waso, in Yangon, Myanmar. July 8 in 2017 marks the anniversary of Buddha's first sermon on the Four Noble Truths and also marks the beginning of Buddhist Lent, a three-month period when monks return to their monasteries to study Buddha's teachings. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw, File)
BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Parliament on Monday set itself on a collision course with Britain, making a damning assessment of British proposals on EU citizens' rights after the U.K. leaves the European Union.

The legislature indicated it would be using its power of veto on the negotiations if Britain did not become more lenient on the rights of EU citizens living in the country, a further indication of how tough the two-year negotiations are expected to become.

In a letter Monday to EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, the group said EU citizens in Britain would be looking at "nothing less than relegation to second-class status," adding that the U.K. proposals made on June 26 do not "respect the principles of reciprocity, symmetry and non-discrimination."

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May walks through the door to greet Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at 10 Downing Street in London Monday July 10, 2017. The British and Australian prime ministers are holding bi-lateral talks. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)

Citizens' rights in each other's nations are considered the first issue that both sides must settle.

"It is clear we will not approve any deal which diminishes the rights of EU citizens in the U.K. or U.K. citizens in the EU," Guy Verhofstadt, the EU Parliament's chief Brexit official, told the AP.

Even though Barnier is leading the negotiations for the EU as a whole, the European Parliament still has a veto right on any deal. So Verhofstadt's words carry power and should boost the standing of Barnier when he meets with his British counterpart David Davis next week.

British Prime Minister Theresa May had first floated her ideas on protecting the rights of each other's citizens at an EU summit in late June. The U.K. proposal offers EU nationals who have lived in Britain for at least five years - as of an unspecified cut-off date - "settled status," with the right to live, work and access benefits. The estimated 3 million EU nationals in Britain would all have to apply individually for permission to stay, and it's unclear what the plan would mean for those who have been in the U.K. for a shorter time.

The other EU leaders were halfhearted at best about what May called a "generous" offer on protecting the rights of EU citizens.

After carefully studying the details, the EU Parliament's Brexit Steering Group was much more definitive and said too much of Britain's optimistic talk was just a smoke screen. It indicated it wouldn't be good enough for the legislature.

"The rights of EU citizens in the U.K. will be reduced to a level lower than third country nationals in the EU," the letter to Barnier said.

"The aspirational language used in relation to rights as important as the right to health or the recognition of diploma and professional qualifications does not provide the much-needed guarantees."

"Above all," the four-page letter brimming with scathing comments added, EU citizens in Britain would have "no life-long protection."

The EU parliament wants citizens from both sides to receive "fair treatment" and their rights "given full priority in the negotiations."

Alongside citizens' rights, the Brexit negotiators will first have to address the substantial bill that Britain will have to pay to quit the EU and the problems surrounding the border in Ireland.

The withdrawal process of Britain from the EU should be completed by March 2019, meaning negotiators only have up to the fall of 2018 to agree, not only on the disentanglement of the country but also on setting up a new relationship.

The EU has said once there is "sufficient" progress on such withdrawal issues as the rights of citizens, it could start talks simultaneously on a new relationship and a trade deal.

The difficulties already surrounding the first issue indicate that it could become a tough job.
KUWAIT CITY (AP) - The Trump administration tossed aside its aversion to mediating a weeks-long Persian Gulf dispute Monday, as the top U.S. diplomat flew to the region hoping to corral Qatar and its neighbors into negotiation. The new approach isn't without diplomatic risk, thrusting America into the middle of an Arab squabble at a time President Donald Trump had hoped the U.S. allies would be uniting against terrorism.

On his first foray into shuttle diplomacy since becoming secretary of state, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will hop between Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia from Monday until Thursday, testing ways to break an impasse that has persisted despite Kuwaiti mediation efforts. The crisis has badly damaged ties between several key American partners, including hosts of two major U.S. military bases, threatening counterterrorism efforts.

Tillerson landed in Kuwait City late Monday and was greeted at the airport by the Gulf country's foreign minister, who chatted with Tillerson in the searing Kuwaiti sun and shared a traditional Arabic coffee. On his first day in the country, Tillerson also met with Kuwait's ruler, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson gestures as he delivers a speech at the World Petroleum Congress, hosted by Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, July 9, 2017. Council President Jozsef Toth, who described Tillerson, who is from Texas, as "a man born with oil in his veins" before presenting him with the Dewhurst Award, named after the founder of the congress. The former ExxonMobile chief expressed his gratitude and said he misses "colleagues, partners and competitors" in the oil industry. (AP Photo)

"We are trying to resolve an issue that concerns not just us but the whole world," Sheikh Sabah told the visiting U.S. diplomat.

Tillerson, noting that the Kuwaiti ruler would be visiting Washington in September, told his host that Trump looked forward to greeting him personally.

Washington is worried the dispute is hampering Trump's bid to combat international terrorist financing. U.S. officials said Tillerson doesn't expect an immediate breakthrough, which they warned could be months away. Rather, they said, he wants to explore possibilities for sparking negotiations.

"We've had one round of exchanges and dialogue and didn't advance the ball," senior Tillerson adviser R.C. Hammond said.

For the U.S., there are risks in getting so intimately involved in the spat among Gulf neighbors, reflected in Tillerson's initial reluctance to play a central mediating role. Alienating either side of the conflict could pose broader challenges for U.S. priorities in the region, including the fight against the Islamic State group and other extremists.

Lori Plotkin Boghardt, a Gulf expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the U.S. has had some success in recent years persuading Qatar to take action against terrorist financiers. She said if the U.S. appears to be siding with the Saudis and the others, the Qataris could respond by reverting to old habits.

"If they feel a decrease in support from their neighbors and a bit more challenging relationship with the U.S., will they provide additional support to dangerous actors in the region, as part of their security strategy?" Plotkin Boghardt said.

She added of Tillerson: "He's putting his reputation as secretary of state on the line."

Qatar has rejected 13 demands of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt to restore diplomatic relations and end a blockade they've imposed on the small, gas-rich monarchy since early June. They include Qatar shutting down the media network Al-Jazeera, cutting ties with Islamist groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, limiting ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country.

Hammond said that the package of demands, as issued by Qatar's neighbors, was not viable, but said there were individual items on the list "that could work." Hammond would not elaborate on which demands Qatar could meet, but said concessions from the others would be required.

"This is a two-way street," he said of a dispute among parties who each have been accused of funding extremists in some way. "There are no clean hands."

U.S. military interests are at stake, too. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, which patrols Gulf waters with a close eye on Iran. Qatar hosts al-Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East and hub for the U.S.-led anti-IS coalition operations in Iraq and Syria.

The specifics of Tillerson's shuttle travel, including exact dates for each stop, were still in flux on Monday and not immediately announced.

His mission nevertheless signals a reluctant acceptance of the critical mediation role the United States could play, particularly as some believe Trump may have precipitated the crisis by siding publicly with Saudi Arabia during a visit to Riyadh in May. Trump then pointing out that numerous Arab leaders had complained to him about Qatar.

The administration had been insisting Qatar's rift with its neighbors was a "family" dispute that should be resolved without a significant U.S. role. Tillerson himself made clear his reluctance to get deeply involved, although he met in Washington with senior officials from the feuding countries.

After no apparent progress, the State Department warned last week that the dispute could drag on for weeks or months and "could possibly even intensify."

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Lee reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writer Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report.
BEIJING (AP) - China says the United States has apologized for mistakenly describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as the leader of Taiwan.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Monday that China asked the United States for an explanation of the mistake, and the U.S. said it was a technical error and corrected it.

In a statement issued Saturday about a meeting in Germany between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump, the White House press office described Xi as president of the Republic of China, the formal name for Taiwan. Communist China, led by Xi, is called the People's Republic of China.

The issue is particularly sensitive because Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of its territory.
PARIS (AP) - The French parliament is beginning debate on a special measure that would make it easier, and quicker, for President Emmanuel Macron's government to redesign the nation's labor rules, one of the most divisive promises of his presidency.

The bill that lawmakers begin reviewing on Monday would allow the government to avoid what would surely be lengthy, heated debate. The bill is controversial, and far-left lawmakers have called it the "mother of battles."

France's jobless rate has hovered around 10 percent for years, and Macron has vowed to bring it down by the end of his five-year term. He insists on the need for more flexible labor laws making it easier to, for instance, hire and fire.

Details of the labor reforms are to be unveiled in late August.
ISLAMABAD (AP) - An official investigation into corruption allegations against Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family has found a "significant disparity" between their declared wealth and known sources of income.

Sharif, who has previously denied allegations of abusing his authority to enrich himself, has been under pressure since documents leaked in 2016 from a Panama-based law firm disclosed that his family had offshore accounts.

Sharif and members of his family have appeared before a team appointed by the Supreme Court to investigate their offshore companies. Sharif has faced corruption allegations since coming to power in parliamentary elections in 2013.

Pakistani police officers stand guard near boxes carrying evidence in an anti-graft probe, as it arrived at the Supreme Court in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, July 10, 2017. Pakistani officials said Monday that the probe into corruption allegations against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family is over and that the investigators have handed over their report to the Supreme Court. Talal Chaudhry, a spokesman for Sharif's ruling party ruling party, denounced the probe as part of a "conspiracy" aimed at removing the premier from office. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

"There exists a significant disparity between the wealth declared by the respondents and the means through which the respondents had generated income from known or declared sources," the report said, according to a partial copy released to reporters.

At one point the report refers to the "irregular movement" of cash gifts and loans from companies based in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Britain to Sharif, his son and companies linked to them.

The report suggests that the courts pursue action based on a 1999 accountability law intended to help stamp out corruption. But the final decision rests with the Supreme Court, which will take up the case next Monday.

A minister from Sharif's ruling party dismissed the report, saying its findings were "unsubstantiated."

"The report contains no substance of corruption, tax fraud or any wrongdoing," said Ahsan Iqbal, the minister for planning and development.

Talal Chaudhry, a party spokesman, denounced the probe as part of a "conspiracy" aimed at removing the premier from office.

The opposition seized on the allegations, however, with cricket legend-turned-opposition leader Imran Khan calling on Sharif to "immediately step down."

The Supreme Court meanwhile put Pakistan's leading Jang newspaper group on notice for publishing a front-page story Monday suggesting it was based on content from the report, which had not been made public when the story came out.

The head of the investigation team told judges the paper's report was false, according to several lawyers who were present at Monday's court session. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Daniyal Aziz, a senior leader from the ruling party, gives a news conference outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, July 10, 2017. Pakistani officials said Monday an anti-graft probe into corruption allegations against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family is over and that the investigators have handed over their report to the Supreme Court. Aziz said they will issue a comprehensive response after examining the report. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Rescue workers in Tennessee have recovered the body of a woman who disappeared during flash flooding at Cummins Falls State Park.

Emergency officials tell local news outlets the body of 73-year-old Peggy McDaniel was recovered Friday afternoon from the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River near Cookeville.

She had been missing since Wednesday afternoon, when Jackson County EMA Director Keith Bean says emergency officials responded to the park after a flash flood rushed through. About 40 people were rescued.

On Thursday, the body of 45-year-old Lisa Michelle Hillian was found by rescue crews. Bean says Hillian had been searching for McDaniel, but wasn't part of the official search party.
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - A call by the Israeli ambassador to Hungary for an end to the billboard campaign against George Soros wasn't meant to "delegitimize" criticism of the Hungarian-American billionaire, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

The ministry's statement was in response to a Facebook post by Ambassador Yossi Amrani, who said the Hungarian government's billboards not only evoke "sad memories, but also sow hatred and fear."

The ministry said the "sole purpose" of the ambassador's statement was to express Israel's rejections of anti-Semitism and support "Jewish communities everywhere in confronting this hatred."

This photo taken Wednesday, July 5, 2017 in Budapest, Hungary, shows an anti-Soros campaign reading "99 percent reject illegal migration" and "Let's not allow Soros to have the last laugh". The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities is asking Prime Minister Viktor Orban to immediately end the political ad campaign targeting Hungarian-American investor and philanthropist George Soros. (AP Photo/Pablo Gorondi)

"In no way was the statement meant to delegitimize criticism of George Soros, who continuously undermines Israel's democratically elected governments by funding organizations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself," the ministry said.

Soros, a liberal philanthropist who survived the Holocaust, supports groups that Israel's hawkish government views as unfairly harsh toward the Jewish state or favoring Palestinian viewpoints.

The ads, part of a campaign underscoring the government's anti-migration policies, show a smiling Soros, who is a supporter of migrants, along with the caption "Let's not let Soros have the last laugh."

They have been criticized for playing into anti-Semitic stereotypes, which has been denied by the Hungarian government.

Soros has become an increasing target of government criticism before the April 2018 election in Hungary.

Parliament recently passed legal amendments which could force the Budapest-based Central European University, founded by Soros in 1991, to leave the country or close. Stricter rules also have been adopted for civic groups, which get more than around $26,600 from abroad. Some of them, including advocates of asylum-seekers, are supported by Soros' Open Society Foundations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Hungary next week.
VIENNA (AP) - Burdening already strained bilateral relations, Austria on Monday denied a Turkish government minister's request to enter the country to mark the anniversary of the failed presidential coup in Turkey - a move Ankara described as anti-democratic.

Austria's Foreign Ministry said Turkish Economics Minister Nihat Zeybekci is being denied entry because the government believes his sole purpose is to appear publicly in front of his countrymen, which could threaten "public order and security in Austria."

Turkey criticized the decision. A foreign ministry statement said obstruction of Zeybekci "to participate in the commemoration of people martyred or injured while trying to protect democracy in the face of the treacherous coup attempt, proves that Austria is not sincere in its approach to defending democratic values."

Austria's foreign ministry said that Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz continues to condemn both the attempted coup on July 15 and the "massive wave of detentions" and the clampdown on freedom of opinion and the media that followed, adding Zeybekci is welcome should he want to come on official bilateral visit.

Austria is among the strongest critics in the European Union of Turkey's human rights record and was the first to call for the end of talks with Ankara on Turkish EU membership. Kurz, who has good chances of becoming Austria's next chancellor in October general elections, has been particularly hard on Turkey.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - David Letterman is coming back to your living rooms thanks to Sen. Al Franken.

The two men have teamed up with the Emmy Award-winning series "Years of Living Dangerously" and Funny or Die to create a series of shorts in which they discuss everything from carbon emissions to Letterman's retirement beard.

The six 5-minute episodes of "Boiling the Frog with Senator Al Franken" will begin rolling out Monday on funnyordie.com and its Facebook page, with one episode launching each week.

Franken said the goal is to bring more attention to the issue and to fight back against President Donald Trump, who he says disregards science to put the interests of the fossil fuel industry ahead of the safety of the planet.
FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) - Authorities say a University of North Alabama police officer is on leave after shooting a woman during a traffic stop.

The TimesDaily of Florence reports the confrontation occurred about 3 a.m. Sunday in the northwest Alabama city.

A statement from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says the shooting occurred during a traffic stop. A driver allegedly tried to run over an officer and then fled the scene.

The officer fired multiple shots, striking the vehicle. A photo from the scene show a red car crashed into a utility pole.

Florence police Lt. Brad Holmes says an officer got the woman out of the car, and paramedics took her to a hospital. There's no immediate word on her condition.

State police will investigate the shooting.

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Information from: TimesDaily, http://www.timesdaily.com/
MILAN (AP) - The Italian Fashion Chamber is sponsoring an exhibit that traces 40 years of ready-to-wear from its inception in 1971 through 2001.

The exhibit of clothes, sketches and photography will open in Milan's Palazzo Reale during womenswear preview shows next February.

W Magazine editor Stefano Tonchi, one of the creators, said at a presentation Monday that the exhibit will open with the seminal Milan runway show by the late Walter Albini, often identified as the beginning of Italian ready-to-wear.

Editor of the fashion monthly magazine, W Magazine, Stefano Tonchi, attends a news conference in Milan Italy, Monday, July 10, 2017. The Italian Fashion Chamber is sponsoring an exhibit that traces 40 years of ready-to-wear from its inception in 1971 through 2001. The exhibit of clothes, sketches and photography will in Milan's Palazzo Reale open during womenswear preview shows next February. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Tonchi said the exhibit will end in 2001, the year Gucci was taken over by the French conglomerate Kering, marking a new era in fashion during which finance has wielded increasing influence.

The exhibit will also mark the 60th anniversary of the fashion camera.

Carlo Capasa, head of the Italian Fashion Chamber, attends a news conference in Milan Italy, Monday, July 10, 2017. The Italian Fashion Chamber is sponsoring an exhibit that traces 40 years of ready-to-wear from its inception in 1971 through 2001. The exhibit of clothes, sketches and photography will in Milan's Palazzo Reale open during womenswear preview shows next February. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
BERLIN (AP) - German prosecutors say they've opened an investigation into employees of Porsche, which is a unit of Volkswagen AG, and an American subsidiary over the possible manipulation of diesel emissions.

Stuttgart prosecutors said Monday they are investigating suspicions of fraud and making false claims. They said that the investigation is against persons unknown who were employed by Porsche and a U.S. unit which it did not identify.

Prosecutors elsewhere in Germany are investigating alleged wrongdoing at Volkswagen and Audi, another of the German automaker's units.

FILE - In this March 15, 2013 file photo the company logo of German car manufacturer Porsche is pictured prior to the annual news conference in Stuttgart, Germany. German prosecutors say they've opened an investigation into employees of Porsche, which is a unit of Volkswagen AG, and an American subsidiary over the possible manipulation of diesel emissions. Stuttgart prosecutors said Monday, July 13, 2017 they are investigating suspicions of fraud and making false claims. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader,file)

Volkswagen has acknowledged equipping about 11 million cars worldwide with software that sensed when cars were on test stands and turned emission controls up, then turned the controls off during every day driving to improve performance.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Authorities in Serbia and Croatia warned citizens to stay out of the sun and drink a lot of water Monday during a heat wave that has hit the Balkans this week.

The spate of extreme weather sent the temperatures soaring toward 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and brought warm winds to some areas.

A large fire erupted on the outskirts of the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica, threatening suburban homes. Firefighters used water-dropping planes to battle the blaze.

A female hippopotamus named Julka swims with her one month old as yet un-named calf, in Belgrade Zoo, Serbia, Monday, July 10, 2017. Hot weather has set in with temperatures rising up to 38 Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) in Belgrade. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

In Belgrade, the Serbian capital, authorities placed water tanks in the city center. Workers at the Belgrade Zoo have been cooling birds with water and feeding fresh vegetables and fruit to other animals.

Zoo employee Jozef Ezvedj says most animals spend hot days quietly in the shade.

Beaches along the Adriatic coast were full of tourists despite the heat warnings. Several small fires also have been reported.

A zookeeper sprays water onto a parrot to help keep the bird cool at Belgrade Zoo, Serbia, Monday, July 10, 2017. Hot weather has set in with temperatures rising up to 38 Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) in Belgrade. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Spanish airline Iberia has vowed to stop asking new employees to take pregnancy tests after it was slapped with a fine of 25,000 euros (22,000) for discrimination.

The airline, which formed an alliance with British Airways in 2010, said the test 'was only done to guarantee that they (women) did not face any risks', an argument that sparked an outcry over sexism.

Iberia denied it rejected pregnant women for jobs, saying it had contracted five women who were expecting a baby last year to different roles.

It is the latest embarrassment for Willie Walsh, the chief executive of parent company IAG. Last month, he moved to defend another of the group's airlines, British Airways, following an IT shutdown which left 75,000 bank holiday passengers stranded - insisting criticism of the firm was 'unfair'.

Spanish airline Iberia has vowed to stop asking new employees to take pregnancy tests after it was slapped with a fine of 25,000 euros (22,000) for discrimination

Since the beginning of 2016 Iberia said it has moved 60 female employees to alternative roles to fit in with their pregnancies.

'Iberia never ceased to hire a woman because she was pregnant if she met the requirements for the position,' the airline said.

The airline's use of pregnancy tests was discovered after a probe last year by labour inspectors with the regional government of Spain's Balearic Islands. The body fined Iberia in June.

Iberia can appeal against the fine, a spokesman for the regional government said.

It is the latest embarrassment for Willie Walsh (pictured), the chief executive of parent company IAG

Health Minister Dolors Monstserrat said she 'rejected' Iberia's practice of requiring new employees to take a pregnancy test.

'Maternity can in no way be an obstacle for access to a job,' she told reporters.

Many people took to social media to dismiss Iberia's claimed justification for having required women to take pregnancy tests.

Of Iberia's roughly 16,000 workers, 46 percent are women, the company said, adding that 71 per cent of its cabin crew are women.
TAKOMA PARK, Md. (AP) - A helicopter from Joint Base Andrews landed in a field in the Washington suburbs after a maintenance light came on during a training mission.

Andrews spokesman Tech Sgt. Robert Cloys said by telephone that the UH-1N Iroquois landed Monday morning in Takoma Park as a precaution after the light came on. The field in the Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., where the helicopter landed is about 13 miles (21 kilometers) northwest of the base.

Cloys says a maintenance crew headed to the scene to check the helicopter and clear it to return to the base. He says no injuries were reported.
UNIONTOWN, Ohio (AP) - A man with a history of confrontations with police shot an officer four times while he was responding to a domestic violence call before another officer returned fire and killed him, investigators said.

The veteran Uniontown officer who was injured, Sgt. David White, underwent surgery and was in stable condition Monday, but he faces more procedures and a long road ahead, police said.

The shooting happened Sunday night after Ryan Probst's sister called 911 to report a domestic disturbance at a home in Uniontown, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of Akron.

CORRECTS CREDIT TO STARK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE - This undated photo provided by the Stark County Sheriff's Office shows Uniontown Sgt. David White. White was shot four times while responding to a domestic violence call on Sunday, July 9, 2017. The suspect, Ryan Probst, was killed after police returned fire, investigators said. White underwent surgery and was in stable condition Monday, but he faces more procedures and a long road ahead, police said. (Stark County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Probst was alone in the house when officers arrived and began shooting, hitting White four times, Stark County Sheriff George Maier said. Probst was killed when another officer returned fire, he said. It all happened very quickly, he said.

Officers had dealt with Probst before Sunday night, the sheriff said. Probst had a history of confrontations with police, and officers had removed guns from the home in the past, the sheriff said.

Probst was convicted of aggravated menacing in 2014, and he was charged with aggravated menacing in 2012, but that was reduced to disorderly conduct, court records show.

A neighbor, Ron McMorrow, said the 28-year-old Probst was raised by his grandparents and alternated living at his grandparents' home and with his wife and their 3-year-old daughter in a house across the street.

"I hate to see something like that happen. Now she's going to be without a husband, the kid isn't going to have a father," McMorrow said. "It's terrible."

Police Chief Harold Britt said White has spent 25 years in law enforcement and started working with the department in 2002.

This undated photo provided by the Stark County Sheriff's Office shows Ryan Probst, a man with a history of confrontations with police. Probst shot an officer several times on Sunday, July 9, 2017, while he was responding to a domestic violence call before another officer returned fire and killed him, investigators said on Monday. (Stark County Sheriff's Office via AP)
XALAPA, Mexico (AP) - Authorities in the Mexican state of Veracruz said Monday that they were investigating the killing of a Honduran video journalist who had sought refugee status in Mexico.

In a statement, the state prosecutor's office said Edwin Rivera Paz was shot to death Sunday in the town of Acayucan. It said the body was identified by a relative.

Raul Otoniel Morazan, Honduras' consul general in Veracruz, called in an interview with local media outlet e-veracruz.com for all levels of the Mexican government to get to the bottom of the killing. A request for comment from the Honduran Embassy in Mexico City was not immediately answered.

In this July 2, 2017 photo, Veracruz state police man a standing roadblock on a highway leaving Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. Despite President Enrique Pena Nieto's promises of a safer nation when he came to power five years ago, the violence is outpacing even the darkest days of the drug war launched by his predecessor. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Marta Sanchez Soler, coordinator of the Mesoamerican Migrant Movement, a nonprofit group supporting migrants travelling through the region, said in a statement that Rivera fled Honduras after his colleague Igor Padilla was killed.

Padilla was shot in January by four men in police uniforms in the northern Honduras city of San Pedro Sula. Padilla had covered crime and also hosted a humorous television show, and Rivera was his cameraman.

It was not immediately clear how long Rivera had been in Acayucan. The town lies on a heavily used route for Central Americans fleeing violence. The migrants are preyed on by organized crime groups and Veracruz is one of Mexico's most violent states.

The number of people applying for refugee status in Mexico more than doubled last year and is predicted to double again this year as Central Americans increasingly view it as a viable place to escape the gang violence in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

On Sunday, Mexico's Roman Catholic Church decried the rising number of homicides across the country.

"This is not a single corner of this country where Mexicans can feel safe and live in peace," the Mexican Council of Bishops said in an editorial.

The council's statement was published the same day that prosecutors in Baja California Sur state said the bodies of two men and a woman were left in a car in the once-peaceful resort of Cabo San Lucas. All three apparently had bullet wounds.

The twin resorts of Los Cabos have been hit by a wave of grisly slayings in recent months.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz said Sunday they had identified the bodies of three women aged 17, 19 and 26 who had been missing since May 1. The bodies were found in a clandestine burial pit in the Veracruz township of Atzacan.

In May, Mexico recorded its highest monthly murder total in at least 20 years. In 2011, the previous worst year, homicides were concentrated in states like Chihuahua, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas.

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Associated Press writers Christopher Sherman and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - Wayne Rooney believes his return to Everton can revive his international career with England.

Rooney, who has 119 caps and a record 53 goals for England, was left out of the most recent squad in June for matches against Scotland and France, with coach Gareth Southgate saying there were forwards in better form.

The 31-year-old Rooney had to accept a reduced status at United last season in Jose Mourinho's first year in charge but moving back to Everton - 13 years after leaving Goodison Park - signals a fresh start and should see him start more matches.

England soccer star Wayne Rooney, right, holds an Everton shirt with his new manager Ronald Koeman during the press conference at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England Monday July 10, 2017. Rooney returned to his original club Everton from Manchester United. (Nigel French/PA via AP)

"I am focused on playing well for Everton," Rooney said at his presentation on Monday. "If I do that, then Gareth Southgate will have a decision to make whether he puts me back in the squad.

"Hopefully, my performances will be good enough for Everton and he won't be able to ignore me."

Rooney said he left United because he "needed to play games."

"It hadn't gone stale . but I know I am at my best when I am playing games consistently. I spoke with Jose and I knew it was the right time to leave and go and play somewhere else.

"It is obviously frustrating. My whole career I have played and it was the first time I didn't play and I was on the bench. It is not me, I need to play football."

Everton last won a trophy in 1995, when a nine-year-old Rooney was in the crowd at the old Wembley Stadium to watch his team beat United in the FA Cup final.

"We want to keep pushing and be successful and bring trophies to the club," Rooney said.

"I always play like I have got a point to prove. I am not coming into a retirement home. I am ready to play, I want to win, I want to be successful at this football club."

Sitting alongside Rooney, Everton manager Ronald Koeman said he was impressed by the player's "ambition" and "desperation" to come back to Goodison.

Koeman has spent 90 million pounds on new players this offseason but felt he was missing someone with Rooney's experience and leadership.

"That experience to win titles is something really important for Everton," the Dutch coach said. "That is one of the reasons we tried to bring Wayne back."

Rooney sometimes played as a midfielder for United over the past two seasons but will play in an "offensive" position at Everton, Koeman said.

"He can be the No. 10 behind the striker, he can have the free role off the left, he can be the 9 (main striker), be the 7 (on the right)," Koeman said. "Those are the positions where Wayne will play."

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Steve Douglas is at www.twitter.com/sdouglas80

FILE - In this Saturday, April 17, 2004 file photo, Chelsea's Geremi, behind falls as Everton's Wayne Rooney appeals for a foul, during their English Premier League soccer match at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground in west London. Wayne Rooney has left Manchester United to rejoin Everton after 13 years at Old Trafford, it was announced on Sunday, July 9, 2017. Everton says Rooney signed a two-year contract.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, file)
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - A court has given a former Romanian mayor a four-year suspended prison sentence for illegally selling state-owned beaches.

The Bucharest Court of Appeal convicted and sentenced former Constanta mayor Radu Mazare on Monday after one of Romania's longest-running corruption trials. Mazare served as mayor of the Black Sea port from 2000-2015.

His trial began in 2008. Mazare can appeal.

FILE - In this photo taken on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, Radu Mazare, former mayor of the Black Sea port city of Constanta, attends an electoral rally in Bucharest, Romania. A court has given a former Romanian mayor a four-year suspended prison sentence for illegally selling state-owned beaches. The Bucharest Court of Appeal convicted and sentenced former Constanta mayor Radu Mazare on Monday, July 10, 2017 after one of Romania's longest-running corruption trials. Mazare served as mayor of the Black Sea port from 2000-2015. (Octav Ganea/Mediafax via AP) ROMANIA OUT

Another Constanta politician, Nicusor Constantinescu, received a three-year suspended sentence.

Prosecutors say from November 2002 to July 2005, Mazare, Constantinescu and others illegally sold state-owned beaches and seafront property to aides and others. They said the maneuvers cost Romania 114 million euros ($130 million.)

The flamboyant Mazare frequently dressed up as Che Guevara and other figures. He apologized to Jewish groups after wearing a Nazi uniform to a 2009 fashion show.
OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on wildfires across the U.S. West (all times local):

8:30 p.m.

A Northern California wildfire has destroyed 37 structures, at least some of them homes. The figure is up from 17 destroyed structures previously reported by state fire officials.

Carole Grassie, recovering from recent knee surgery, rests outside an shelter for wildfire evacuees on Sunday, July 9, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. Authorities issued a mandatory evacuation notice for Grassie's neighborhood Saturday evening as strong winds drove the fire through several communities leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

However, the blaze weakened significantly Monday and waves of the thousands of Oroville residents whose homes were evacuated at the fire's peak were being allowed to return.

Officials say five more structures were damaged by the wildfire north of Sacramento that has burned 9 square miles (23 square kilometers) and is 40 percent contained. They would not say how many of the burned structures were homes.

It's among several large wildfires burning around California and throughout the West.

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4:15 p.m.

A Northern California man learned his home is still standing when he returned from evacuating from a wildfire zone.

Chuck Wilsey told The Associated Press on Monday that he's relieved, but cautious, and is already planning for the next evacuation should it come. Wilsey says he's keeping his trailer attached to his truck and telling his daughters to gather prized possessions they couldn't get the first time around.

Others were not as lucky. One home was gone except for its chimney. Another was nearly destroyed, with gnarled appliances and a burned-out car the main remnants.

Wilsey was among thousands who had evacuated from a wildfire near Oroville. The blaze has destroyed at least 17 structures, but authorities could not say how many of those were homes.

The fire has burned 9 square miles (23 square kilometers).

Further south, at least 3,500 people remain evacuated as two fires raged at separate ends of Santa Barbara County.

Firefighters are battling blazes across the U.S. West and in Canada.

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1:30 p.m.

California fire officials are warning residents in wildfire areas to get out immediately if authorities issue evacuation orders.

Bennet Milloy, spokesman for the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Monday that officials had to send in three engine crews to rescue a person who ignored weekend orders to leave as flames approached mountain homes. Milloy says officials will always try to save human lives, but the effort can sometimes drain resources needed elsewhere. He says three engines can protect up to 20 homes.

Milloy says crews fighting a 9-square-mile (23-square-kilometer) fire near Oroville in Northern California are contending with steep terrain, soaring daytime temperatures and the possibility of renewed winds.

In Southern California, at least 3,500 people remain evacuated as two fires raged at separate ends of Santa Barbara County.

Firefighters are battling blazes across the U.S. West and in Canada.

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11 a.m.

A wildfire ignited by lightning in Canada's remote Yukon Territory has crossed the U.S. border into Alaska, while another nearby fire in Alaska has crossed into Canada.

Fire managers said Monday a 140-square-mile (364-square-kilometer) fire is straddling the border near an old Alaska Native settlement of Old Rampart, about 20 miles west of the border. Alaska fire spokesman Sam Harrel says no structures are threatened by that fire.

Harrel says another Alaska wildfire triggered by lightning earlier this month several miles to the north crossed the border into Canada and is threatening an old historic settlement there.

Yukon Territory fire spokesman George Maratos says fire crews have shored up protections around the site, including protective burning and clearing brush and debris.

He says no injuries have been reported.

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10:30 a.m.

When Chuck Wilsey was ordered to evacuate this weekend as a wildfire roared near his ranch home in Oroville, California, he was ready.

Wilsey says he started keeping his truck and camper loaded with supplies in February after anxiously watching a creek on his property swell during winter rains that prompted thousands to flee when spillways in the nation's tallest dam began crumbling.

He's one of about 4,000 people who evacuated as flames raced through foothills in the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Sacramento.

Crews are making progress on that fire and two major blazes burning in Santa Barbara County.

Authorities are hopeful some Oroville evacuees will be able to return Monday.

The fire has blackened 9 square miles (23 square kilometers) of grass. It's 35 percent contained.

The area burning is southeast of Oroville, where dam spillway damage led to temporary evacuation orders for 200,000 residents downstream.

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9:30 a.m.

The fight against a wildfire that temporarily forced the evacuation of hundreds of people near the resort town of Breckenridge, Colorado, is winding down.

Firefighters had built containment lines around 85 percent of the blaze as of Monday, and residents of nearby homes were no longer on standby to evacuate. Crews and equipment were starting to be sent to other fires burning around the western U.S.

In Arizona, residents who fled the rural community of Dudleyville, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Phoenix, over the weekend because of a wildfire were allowed to return home.

Pinal County authorities say the evacuations were lifted Sunday evening after crews stopped the growth of the fire, which has destroyed three homes.

In New Mexico, firefighters are mopping up a wildfire that sent up a tall plume of smoke from mountains overlooking Albuquerque late last week.

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7:30 a.m.

Slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds are helping California firefighters as they battle several wildfires that have forced thousands to flee their homes.

California's fire protection agency says crews are making progress on a blaze that swept through grassy foothills in the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Sacramento. About 4,000 people remain evacuated, but authorities are hopeful some will be able to return Monday.

The fire has blackened 9 square miles (23 square kilometers) of grass. It's 35 percent contained.

In Southern California, at least 3,500 people evacuated as two fires raged at separate ends of Santa Barbara County. The largest has charred more than 45 square miles (116 square kilometers) of dry brush and is threatening more than 130 rural homes. It's 15 percent contained.

About 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the south, a 17-square-mile (44-square-kilometer) blaze shut down State Route 154 and sent weekend campers scrambling for safety. It's just 5 percent contained.

Josh Cornelison kisses girlfriend Sharon Reitan as she shows evacuation shelter volunteers video of their burned home on Sunday, July 9, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. A wildfire leveled their home, as well as several neighbor's residences, as it burned though a mountain community Friday. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

This Saturday, July 8, 2017, photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows a large fire whirl developing from erratic winds near Tepesquet Road in a wildfire east of Santa Maria, Calif., in Santa Barbara County, Calif. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP)

This photo provided by KEYT-TV shows a warped satellite dish in the ruins of a structure at Camp Whittier east of Cachuma Lake after a wildfire in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (John Palminteri/KEYT-TV via AP)

This photo provided by KEYT-TV shows smoke looming above Broadcast Peak behind a fire break along a ridge line east of Cachuma Lake in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (John Palminteri/KEYT-TV via AP)

This photo provided by KEYT-TV shows the smoldering entrance to a campground at Cachuma Lake after a wildfire swept through in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes and forcing thousands to flee. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (John Palminteri/KEYT-TV via AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) - A meeting between President Donald Trump's eldest son and a Russian lawyer during the presidential campaign occurred at the behest of a Moscow-based singer with family ties to Trump's businesses, according to a participant in the talks. Donald Trump Jr. acknowledged Monday he made time for the meeting hoping to get information about Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The circumstances surrounding the meeting, and a report by The New York Times late Monday that Trump Jr. was told ahead of time that the source of the information was the Russian government, fueled new questions about the Trump campaign's possible ties to Moscow, which are being scrutinized by federal and congressional investigators.

The Times reported that Trump Jr., who was a key campaign adviser to his father, was told the Russian government was behind the information on Clinton in an email from music publicist Rob Goldstone. The Times cited three unnamed people with knowledge of the email.

FILE - In this May 8, 2017 file photo, Donald Trump Jr. speaks in Indianapolis. President Donald Trump's eldest son acknowledged Monday, July 10, 2017, that he met a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign to hear information about his father's Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

The report is the first public word that Trump Jr. took the meeting with the understanding that he would be presented with damaging information about his father's political opponent and that the material could have emanated from the Kremlin.

Goldstone spoke to The Associated Press earlier Monday to confirm he had set up the meeting on behalf of his client, Emin Agalarov, but he did not disclose the contents of the email described by The Times. Goldstone did not immediately respond to attempts to contact him Monday night.

In a statement, Trump Jr.'s New York-based attorney Alan Futerfas called the Times report "much ado about nothing," though he acknowledged his client had received an email from Goldstone to set up a meeting with the purpose of passing along damaging information on Clinton. His statement did not dispute the Times report on the email.

Futerfas said Trump Jr. was not told the specifics of the information and nothing came of the meeting. "The bottom line is that Don, Jr. did nothing wrong," Futerfas said in the statement, noting that the younger Trump hasn't been contacted by any congressional committees or Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office.

The White House referred questions to the president's son. Mark Corallo, a spokesman for President Donald Trump's outside legal team, would not comment on the Times story, reiterating only that Trump "was not aware of and did not attend the meeting."

Earlier Monday, Trump Jr. tried to brush off the significance of the meeting, tweeting sarcastically, "Obviously I'm the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent ... went nowhere but had to listen."

Trump Jr. also said on Twitter he was willing to work with the Senate intelligence committee, one of the panels probing possible campaign collusion, "to pass on what I know."

Lawmakers on the committee from both parties said they indeed wanted to talk with the president's son. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the panel "needs to interview him and others who attended the meeting." Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., agreed, saying, "Based on his own admissions, this is an attempt at collusion."

The sequence of events that led to the June 2016 meeting highlighted the tangled web of relationships that investigators now are sorting through.

The president's son said the meeting was arranged by an acquaintance he knew through the 2013 Miss Universe pageant Trump held in Moscow.

Trump Jr. initially didn't name the acquaintance, but in an interview with the AP, Goldstone confirmed he set up the meeting on behalf of Agalarov. Goldstone said the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, stated that she had information about purported illegal campaign contributions to the Democratic National Committee that she thought Trump Jr. might find helpful.

Goldstone said Trump Jr. agreed to squeeze the meeting into a tight schedule.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Monday the Kremlin doesn't know Veselnitskaya and "cannot keep track" of every Russian lawyer who holds meetings in Russia or abroad. Although she has not been publicly linked with the Russian government itself, Veselnitskaya represented the son of a vice president of state-owned Russian Railways in a New York money-laundering case settled in May before a trial.

A staff member at Veselnitskaya's firm told the AP on Monday that she was unavailable for comment.

During his visit to Moscow, Trump spent time with Agalarov, appearing in a music video with him and several contestants in the pageant, which Trump owned at the time. Agalarov's father, Aras, is a Russian developer who sought to partner with Trump on a hotel project in Moscow and tried to set up a meeting between Trump and Putin during the Miss Universe contest.

According to The Washington Post and several other media accounts, the elder Agalarov paid Trump $14 million to $20 million to stage the pageant in Moscow. But Aras Agalarov was unable to persuade Putin to meet with Trump. Putin canceled the session, sending a Trump a friendly letter and a lacquered box in appreciation, the Post has reported.

On Monday, Goldstone said the Trumps and the Agalarovs stayed in contact after the pageant, and Emin Agalarov asked him to reach out to the Trumps to broker the June meeting with Veselnitskaya.

Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and now White House senior adviser, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort attended the meeting. Goldstone said he and a translator also participated.

During the meeting, Goldstone said, Veselnitskaya made comments about campaign funding "that were not specific," and then turned the subject to a discontinued Russian adoption program and the Magnitsky Act , a bill passed in 2012 that allows the U.S. to impose sanctions on Russians for human rights violations.

Goldstone said that at one point during the meeting, Trump Jr. or Kushner said, "Can we get to the point?" And later, after Veselnitskaya had finished her presentation, Trump Jr. said, "Is that it?"

"The whole thing was really vague," Goldstone said. He said he and Trump Jr. were the last to leave the room, and "I turned to him and said: 'I'm really embarrassed. I don't know what that was."

Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts.

Over the weekend, Trump Jr. initially omitted any mention of Clinton from his account of the meeting, describing it as a "short introductory meeting" focused on the disbanded program that had allowed American adoptions of Russian children. Moscow ended the adoptions in response to the Magnitsky Act sanctions.

A day later, Trump Jr. acknowledged he was told beforehand that Veselnitskaya might have information "helpful" to the Trump campaign, and was told by her during the meeting that she had something about Clinton.

"No details or supporting information was provided or even offered," he said. "It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information." He said there was no follow-up after the meeting and his father was unaware it happened.

Foreign nationals are prohibited from providing "anything of value" to campaigns, and that same law also bars solicitation of such assistance. The law typically applies to monetary campaign contributions, but courts might consider information such as opposition research to be something of value.

Bradley A. Smith, a former Bill Clinton-appointed Republican Federal Election Commission member, said that based on what's known about the meeting, Trump Jr.'s actions are unlikely to be considered illegal solicitation. "It's not illegal to meet with someone to find out what they have to offer," Smith said.

But Larry Noble, a former general counsel at the Federal Election Commission, said the situation "raises all sorts of red flags."

"You do not want your campaign to be involved with foreign nationals, period," said Noble, now senior director at the Campaign Legal Center.

The New York Times first reported the lawyer's meeting with Trump Jr. and the meeting's prospect of negative information about Clinton. Trump Jr.'s acknowledgment that he hoped to get information from her on Clinton only came in response to questions from the Times.

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Moody reported from New York. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Mary Clare Jalonick, Andrew Taylor and Stephen Braun in Washington, Julie Bykowicz in Baltimore and Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON (AP) - From the North comes an army of ice zombies. From the East, an armada led by the "Mother of Dragons." In the South, an evil queen plots world domination.

The world of Game of Thrones may not sound much like our own. But after watching HBO's hit series for six seasons, we've found some striking similarities.

The lords, ladies and common folk of Westeros are confronting some familiar-sounding problems: Only the wealthy seem stay afloat financially, no matter how reckless they are. Gridlock, infighting and incompetence define the government. Many in power turn a blind eye to the existential threat of climate change.

FILE - In this file image released by HBO, Emilia Clarke appears in a scene from "Game of Thrones," as the menacing, white-haired Daenerys Targaryen, aka Khaleesi, aka "Mother of Dragons." Even in a world with magic, dragons and deadly supernatural White Walkers, HBO's popular show has plenty of economic lessons to teach. (HBO via AP, File)

As fans count down the days to the HBO series' seventh season, scheduled to begin July 16 in the United States and July 17 in the United Kingdom, The Associated Press is looking at the show through a unique lens: Its economy.

Listen to our new online audio series, "The Wealth of Westeros." Every week, we'll be diving into the latest plot twists and analyzing the economic forces driving the story.

Even in a world with magic, dragons and deadly supernatural White Walkers, the popular show has plenty of economic lessons. Here are five key takeaways:

- THE IMPORTANCE OF BANKS

Most fans know about the Iron Bank of Braavos. It's so secretive and powerful that Goldman Sachs looks like an investing club for elderly retirees by comparison. But rather than open a branch in Westeros, the Iron Bank operates across the Narrow Sea in Essos. This effectively leaves all of Westeros without a major bank - which makes it harder to save money, borrow for wars or even invest in businesses that would hire and innovate.

After the 2008 financial crisis, many Americans naturally thought of bankers as villains. But Westeros shows the trouble of a world without financiers or transparent lending - debts forever build for governments, while few citizens are able to invest in themselves.

- STAGNANT ECONOMIES WERE THE NORM FOR CENTURIES

In the United States, the economy is growing at only 2 percent, instead of its post-World War II average of 3 percent. That's sparked political controversy and contributed to the rise of politicians like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders.

Westeros wishes it was so lucky.

Westeros appears to have made zero economic progress over several centuries and have arguably regressed. During 300 years in the United States, people got indoor plumbing, electric lights and cars. But Westeros' experience is much closer to human history. Data tracked by the late economist Angus Maddison suggests that growth in Western Europe from 1000 to 1500 AD averaged a barely there 0.3 percent a year.

- MAGIC ISN'T HELPING INNOVATION

Westeros has seen little technological progress over its previous 8,000 years. That's strange because developing airplanes or ballistic missiles would be a natural counter to a fearsome beast like Drogon, the biggest dragon on Game of Thrones.

"The existence of these weapons should spur an offsetting arms race," says Lyman Stone, an economist who has written extensively about the show.

But in Westeros there appears to be a shortage of proven technology, let alone research for new tools. No one appears to have mass produced Valyrian steel or dragonglass - two materials that can kill the ghostly White Walkers from the North.

- WHERE VIOLENCE OCCURS, GROWTH SLOWS

In Game of Thrones, entire societies live mostly by plundering others.

Adam Smith, the godfather of modern economics, says violence in medieval societies killed off growth. Anyone who thrived, he noted, would become a target for parasites like the Greyjoys.

Barry Weingast, a political scientist at Stanford University and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, found that the poorest 10 percent of nations experience a coup, on average, nearly every year.

Of course, some wars can lead to faster growth by sweeping away old social and economic structures and spurring innovation. But that hasn't happened in Westeros. The same families - the Starks, the Tyrells, the Lannisters - have held onto the bulk of wealth and power for centuries.

-THEY'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT

There's an army of ice-zombies coming with the White Walkers, but most of the lords and ladies of Westeros can't be bothered. They're too busy with jousting tournaments, pleasure houses and fine wine - or scheming to grab the Iron Throne for themselves.

Economists call this a "collective action problem" - a situation in which everyone faces the same threat, but no one individual has an incentive to address or even admit the problem. Those who let others sacrifice to solve common problems are called "free riders."

Charli Carpenter, a political scientist at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, has called Game of Thrones "a collective action story."

"Planetary forces are moving slowly but inexorably toward climatic catastrophe as the infighting among kings and queens distracts them from the bigger picture," she wrote in the journal Foreign Affairs in 2012.

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Follow Christopher S. Rugaber on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChrisRugaber

Follow Paul Wiseman on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PaulWisemanAP

Follow Josh Boak on Twitter at https://twitter.com/joshboak

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Listen to the 'Wealth of Westeros' audio series: https://soundcloud.com/user-186673023/sets/wealth-of-westeros-the-economy
LACONIA, N.H. (AP) - The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is investigating a complaint from the Freedom from Religion Foundation that participants in an agency-sponsored hunter safety class held at a church were given religious flyers.

Laura Ryder, the department's hunter education supervisor, tells The Laconia Daily Sun (http://bit.ly/2sHLoIU) it's not clear who handed out the flyers at the Heritage Free Will Baptist Church in Laconia. The flyers included prayers and information about services. Ryder said materials in the classes are supposed to pertain strictly to hunting.

"This is a first," Ryder said. "We're reviewing everything that happened and are handling it like a personnel matter."

Messages were left Monday for Pastor Joel Nason, who was the lead instructor for the April class.

Representatives of the foundation, which describes its mission as protecting the constitutional principle of separation of church and state, sent a letter last month complaining about the handouts. One was titled "How can I become God's child" and gave the advice: "Admit that you are a sinner."

Their letter, dated June 28, said, "The State of New Hampshire has no business holding workshops of vital importance to hunting safety that berate attendees as 'sinners,' etc. Such a misuse of a state function for sectarian, proselytizing purposes is disgraceful."

Nicola Whitley, a spokeswoman for the department, said Monday the department can't comment further.

"I can assure you that the hunter education classes are taught from a set curriculum and all instructors are trained and certified," she said in an email. "They are instructed to use only the official curriculum. We have 480 volunteer instructors teaching hunter education, which is required to get a hunting license in New Hampshire. Approximately 5,000 people are certified every year through these classes."

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Information from: The Laconia Daily Sun.
Ashton Kutcher had a quick explanation after a tabloid questioned why he was seen out and about with a mystery woman recently: She was his cousin.

Kutcher on Sunday responded to a Star magazine article headlined, "Hey Ashton! Who's the girl?" The article included pictures of Kutcher and a woman entering a private jet and noted it wasn't his wife, Mila Kunis.

Kutcher posted a picture of the article on Twitter and added: "You should have heard how upset Mila was that I spent the day with our cousin." He also apologized to his aunt, saying, "These magazines lack integrity."

FILE - In this Nov. 19, 2016, file photo, Ashton Kutcher speaks at a panel during the Airbnb Open Spotlight at The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. Kutcher explained tweeted a quick explanation on July 9, 2017, after a tabloid questioned why he was seen out and about with a mystery woman recently; it was his cousin. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)

A representative for American Media, which owns Star, didn't immediately return a request for comment.

Kutcher and Kunis have two children together. They married in 2015.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Almost 80 years ago, Lilly Cassirer surrendered her family's priceless Camille Pissarro painting to the Nazis in exchange for safe passage out of Germany during the Holocaust.

For nearly 20 years, the Jewish woman's heirs have been trying to get it back.

On Monday the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the family is entitled to its day in court as it makes its case as to why Spain's Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum should hand over a painting that has been a centerpiece of its $2 billion collection since 1993.

FILE- This May 12, 2005 file photo shows an unidentified visitor viewing the Impressionist painting called "Rue St.-Honore, Apres-Midi, Effet de Pluie" painted in 1897 by Camille Pissarro, on display in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. A Jewish woman's acceptance of a settlement from the German government for the Pissarro painting looted from her by the Nazis did not bar her grandchildren from suing to try to get the masterpiece back, a U.S. federal appeals court said Monday, July 10, 2017. (AP Photo/ Mariana Eliano, File)

"It was a very, very good result," the family's attorney, David Boies, said of the court's reversing a 2015 ruling dismissing the family's lawsuit. "It sent a strong message that even public authorities cannot take possession in bad faith of stolen property and then somehow gain title to it simply over the passage of time."

The museum's attorney, Thaddeus J. Stauber, said Spain remains confident it will eventually prevail, adding the museum did indeed acquire the work in good faith.

In Monday's ruling, however, the appeals court concluded the museum previously failed to establish that it did not know the painting was stolen when it acquired it from Baron Hans-Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, scion of Germany's Thyssen steel empire and one of the 20th century's most prominent art collectors.

The painting, "Rue St.-Honore, Apres-Midi, Effet de Pluie," is a stunning Impressionist oil-on-canvas piece Pissarro created in 1897 while living in Paris.

Lilly Cassirer's father-in-law acquired it directly from the artist's dealer and passed it on to her and her husband when he died.

Both sides generally agree on what happened next:

Lilly Cassirer was forced to sell the painting to a Nazi-appointed Berlin art dealer for the equivalent of $360 and exit visas for herself, her husband and her grandson in 1939. She got the visas, but the Nazis kept the money.

By the end of World War II, the work had vanished. The German government, believing it was lost, paid Cassirer $13,000 in reparations in 1958.

In 1999 a friend of her grandson, Claude Cassirer, who had fled Germany with Lilly, saw a photo of the painting in a catalog and contacted him. He quickly learned it was hanging in the museum in Madrid.

"He was completely stunned because we thought the painting was gone," his son, David, told The Associated Press last year.

He added that the family went through diplomatic channels to ask for the painting's return but was rebuffed.

"What they basically said was, 'Go ahead and sue us,' " he recalled angrily on Monday.

After Claude Cassirer died in 2010, his son took over the litigation. He said he's hopeful Monday's outcome will lead to the work's return. He's not sure what the family would do with it, although he said he believes it should be displayed publicly. It has been appraised at more than $30 million.

Thyssen-Bornemisza acquired the work for $275,000 in 1976 from a New York gallery owner. It had been sold and resold by various U.S. collectors before that.

The baron eventually turned his collection of more than 700 paintings over to Spain, which created a nonprofit foundation to run the museum it named for him.

"As the Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza acquired the painting in good faith in 1976 and the foundation, in turn, acquired the painting in good faith in 1993 - where it has ever since been on display to the public - we remain confident that the foundation's ownership of the painting will once again be confirmed," Stauber said in an email Monday.

Cassirer disputes that, saying it should have been obvious to museum officials by the 1990s that they had acquired a Nazi-looted work. "They had very sophisticated curators and experts that certainly were seeing my family's gallery label on the back of this painting," he said.

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Associated Press Writer John Rogers reported from Los Angeles.
Firefighters on Monday made progress against wildfires burning across numerous states in the hot, dry West.

That included California, where slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds helped firefighters as they battled several wildfires that have forced thousands to flee their homes in both ends of the state.

Here's a closer look at the fires burning in the western United States and Canada.

CalFire firefighter Jake Hainey, left, and engineer Anna Mathiasen watch as a wildfire burns near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. The fast-moving wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills destroyed structures, including homes, and led to several minor injuries, fire officials said Saturday as blazes threatened homes around California during a heat wave. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

CALIFORNIA

An estimated 4,000 people have evacuated their homes as flames raced through foothills in the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Sacramento. The Oroville fire has blackened 9 square miles (23 square kilometers) of grass. It's 35 percent contained.

In Southern California, at least 3,500 people evacuated as two fires raged at separate ends of Santa Barbara County. The largest fire has charred more than 45 square miles (116 square kilometers) of dry brush and is threatening more than 130 rural homes. It's 15 percent contained.

About 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the south, a 17-square-mile (44-square-kilometer) blaze shut down State Route 154 and sent weekend campers scrambling for safety. It's just 5 percent contained.

"The sky sure is brown," said Therese Vannier of Goleta, California, in Santa Barbara County, on Monday. She said falling ash covered vehicles with a white powder. "The ash makes our eyes sting so bad," Vannier said.

"People are walking around covering their faces and wearing masks," said Dana Ross of Goleta.

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COLORADO

Firefighters are making progress battling wildfires burning in Colorado. As of Monday, crews have been able to build containment lines around 85 percent of the fire that forced the evacuation of hundreds of people near Breckenridge last week.

In northwestern Colorado, a wildfire burning near Dinosaur National Monument is 40 percent contained. Portions of the 20-square-mile (52-square- kilometer) Peekaboo Fire has spread into steep, rocky terrain without a lot of fuel.

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ARIZONA

In Arizona, rain has helped firefighters working a wildfire in mountains overlooking Tucson while also creating unsafe conditions for the crews.

Fire management officials say monsoon rains "hit the bullseye" Sunday, dropping more than 1 inch of rain in one area of the Santa Catalina Mountains. However, the rain also caused flooding and washed out roads and was accompanied by lightning, forcing firefighters to pause their work.

The fire has burned 42.6 square miles (110.3 square kilometers) of grass, brush and timber since starting June 30. Its cause is under investigation. It is 51 percent contained.

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MONTANA

Crews are gaining the upper hand on a fire burning south of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in north-central Montana.

The July fire has burned more than 16 square miles (43 square kilometers) in the Little Rocky Mountains and has threatened the surrounding towns of Zortman, Landusky, Hays and Lodgepole.

The fire was 50 percent contained Monday morning. Crews were working to protect structures in the four towns while reinforcing fire lines and trying to prevent it from spreading to the reservation.

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IDAHO

A wildfire burning in southwestern Idaho has grown to about 62.5 square miles (100.5 square kilometers) overnight, forcing the closure and evacuation of Bruneau Dunes State Park. Officials say the blaze is expected to grow because of the extremely dry and windy conditions surrounding the area.

Officials suspect lightning may have caused the fire on Sunday just southeast of Bruneau. The Owyhee County sheriff's office evacuated the park Sunday evening.

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BRITISH COLUMBIA

A crew of 21 firefighters from New Brunswick is headed across the country to help battle forest fires in British Columbia. At least 220 fires are burning and more than 8,500 people have been forced from their homes, including about 1,500 ordered out of 100 Mile House, British Columbia, on Sunday night.

Julien Bourque of Rogersville, New Brunswick, said he's eager to help. "They have quite a few fires there and seem pretty busy, so they need help from other provinces," he said.

The New Brunswickers are among about 300 firefighters being sent to British Columbia from other parts of the country. The Canadian Armed Forces is already helping residents affected by evacuations and airlifting emergency workers and equipment.

This Saturday, July 8, 2017, photo released by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows a Santa Barbara City Fire vehicle on Highway 154 in the Whittier fire east of Cachuma Lake in Santa Barbara County, Calif. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP)

Josh Cornelison and Sharon Reitan rest outside an evacuation shelter for people affected by a wildfire on Sunday, July 9, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. The couple lost their home as the Wall tore through a mountain community Friday. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Josh Cornelison kisses girlfriend Sharon Reitan as she shows evacuation shelter volunteers video of their burned home on Sunday, July 9, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. A wildfire leveled their home, as well as several neighbor's residences, as it burned though a mountain community Friday. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A wildfire burns on a mountain in the distance east of Cache Creek, British Columbia, early Monday, July 10, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying homes and forcing thousands of residents to flee. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Firefighters battle a wildfire as it threatens to jump a street near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Flames from a wildfire consume a shed near Oroville, Calif., on Sunday, July 9, 2017. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

This photo provided by KEYT-TV shows a warped satellite dish in the ruins of a structure at Camp Whittier east of Cachuma Lake after a wildfire in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (John Palminteri/KEYT-TV via AP)

The remains of mobile homes destroyed by a wildfire are seen in Boston Flats as a fire burns on a mountain near Ashcroft, British Columbia, Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes and forcing thousands to flee. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

This photo provided by KEYT-TV shows smoke looming above Broadcast Peak behind a fire break along a ridge line east of Cachuma Lake in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (John Palminteri/KEYT-TV via AP)

A plane drops retardant while battling a wildfire near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. The fire south of Oroville was one of more than a dozen burning in the state as firefighters worked in scorching temperatures to control unruly flames. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

The remains of mobile homes destroyed by wildfire sit at a trailer park in Boston Flats, British Columbia, on Sunday, July 9, 2017. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

A wildfire burns on a mountain in the distance behind a house that remains standing on the Ashcroft First Nation, near Ashcroft, British Columbia, late Sunday, July 9, 2017. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Workers repair power and telecommunication lines damaged by wildfire as a fire burns on a mountain near Ashcroft, British Columbia, Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes and forcing thousands to flee. (Darryl Dyck /The Canadian Press via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) - A Chicago police officer and two former officers pleaded not guilty Monday to conspiring to cover up what happened the night a white officer killed a black teenager by shooting him 16 times.

Joseph Walsh, David March and Thomas Gaffney are accused of quickly coordinating their stories to protect themselves and other officers following the 2014 death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. The men said little during the brief hearing, which marked their first court appearance since being indicted last month.

The indictment alleges the officers lied when they reported the teen aggressively swung a knife and tried to get up, while still armed, after he was shot by Officer Jason Van Dyke. But police dashcam video shows the teen was walking away from officers with a small knife by his side when he was shot.

Chicago police officer Thomas Gaffney , left, and former Chicago police officer Joseph Walsh depart the Cook County Courthouse after their arraignment on state felony charges of conspiracy in the investigation of the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald, Monday, July 10, 2017, in Chicago. The indictment marks the latest chapter in the history of a police force dogged by allegations of racism and brutality against the city's black residents. Both pled not guilty on all charges. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

The video - which wasn't publicly released until a year after the shooting - also shows that Laquan was spun to the ground as Van Dyke repeatedly fired. Van Dyke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, and the city agreed to pay Laquan's family $5 million.

Walsh and March, who as a detective concluded the shooting was justified, have left the Chicago Police Department. Gaffney is still on the force but, per department policy, was suspended because of the felony indictment.

If convicted of the most serious charge, official misconduct, the men could face up to 5 years in prison.

Cook County Judge Diane Cannon allowed the men to stay out of jail Monday by ordering them to be finger printed but releasing them on their own recognizance. Cannon, a former prosecutor, was assigned to the case after another judge quickly recused herself without explanation earlier Monday.

In 2015, Cannon acquitted a Chicago police commander who was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after allegedly shoving a gun down a suspect's throat. Local activists who attended Monday's hearing didn't call on Cannon to recuse herself, saying they were confident in special prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes' judgment.

Holmes, who was appointed last year to lead an investigation into Laquan's shooting, declined through a spokeswoman to comment after the hearing. Walsh, March and Gaffney also didn't comment after the hearing.

Walsh's defense attorney, Tom Breen, said he was confident his client would get a fair trial and be found not guilty. Attorneys for Gaffney and March left the courthouse without talking to reporters.

In a statement released with the indictment, Brown Holmes said the officers and others "coordinated their activities to protect each other and other members of the Chicago Police Department." She said the officers went so far as to ignore contrary evidence and failed to try to interview key witnesses.

The indictment wasn't a surprise, given a special prosecutor was appointed and the city's police superintendent announced he was pushing to have seven officers fired for what they wrote in their reports.

Still, such charges are rare against law enforcement officers, and the indictment was especially jarring because it revealed a concerted effort to create a narrative to protect Van Dyke.

Former Chicago police detective David March arrives at the Cook County Courthouse for his arraignment on state felony charges of conspiracy in the investigation of the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald Monday, July 10, 2017, in Chicago. The indictment marks the latest chapter in the history of a police force dogged by allegations of racism and brutality against the city's black residents. March pled not guilty on all charges. (AP Photo/G-Jun Yam)

Former Chicago police officer Joseph Walsh, left, and Chicago police officer Thomas Gaffney, right, depart the Cook County Courthouse after their arraignment on state felony charges of conspiracy in the investigation of the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald Monday, July 10, 2017, in Chicago. The indictment marks the latest chapter in the history of a police force dogged by allegations of racism and brutality against the city's black residents. Both pled not guilty on all charges. (AP Photo/G-Jun Yam)

Former Chicago police officer Joseph Walsh, left, and Chicago police officer Thomas Gaffney, right, depart the Cook County Courthouse after their arraignment on state felony charges of conspiracy in the investigation of the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald Monday, July 10, 2017, in Chicago. The indictment marks the latest chapter in the history of a police force dogged by allegations of racism and brutality against the city's black residents. Both pled not guilty on all charges. (AP Photo/G-Jun Yam)

Former Chicago police detective David March departs the Cook County Courthouse after his arraignment on state felony charges of conspiracy in the investigation of the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald Monday, July 10, 2017, in Chicago. The indictment marks the latest chapter in the history of a police force dogged by allegations of racism and brutality against the city's black residents. March pled not guilty on all charges. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit accusing President Donald Trump's commission investigating election fraud of failing to comply with a law designed to ensure public accountability.

The lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Washington says the commission held its first meeting without notifying or making the meeting open to the public. The lawsuit says the commission also failed to make meeting records public. The ACLU says that violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The lawsuit also says the commission is improperly stacked with individuals who've supported Trump's statements on illegal voting.

Department of Justice spokesman Ian Prior wrote in an email that the office is reviewing the complaint. He declined futher comment.

The commission's request for the release of voter data has prompted other lawsuits.
CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on the indictment of a Chicago police officer and two former officers stemming from the death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald (all times local):

4:45 p.m.

A new judge is overseeing the case of a Chicago police officer and two former officers accused of conspiring to cover up what happened the night a white officer shot a black teenager 16 times.

Cook County Judge Diane Cannon was appointed to the case Monday involving Joseph Walsh, David March and Thomas Gaffney. The case stems from the 2014 death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

Cannon is a former prosecutor who, in 2015, acquitted a Chicago police commander who was charged with aggravated battery for allegedly shoving a gun down a suspect's throat.

Local activists who attended Monday's hearing didn't call on Cannon to recuse herself, saying they were confident in the judgment of the special prosecutor in the case.

The prosecutor, Patricia Brown Holmes, was appointed last year to lead an investigation into Laquan's shooting. She declined comment Monday.

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12:30 p.m.

A Chicago police officer and two former officers have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to cover up what happened the night a white officer shot a black teenager 16 times.

Joseph Walsh, David March and Thomas Gaffney made their first court appearances Monday since being indicted last month on charges stemming from the 2014 death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

The indictment alleges the officers lied by saying Laquan aggressively swung a knife and tried to get up, while still armed, after he was shot by Officer Jason Van Dyke. Dashcam video released a year later showed Laquan was walking away when he was shot.

The judge freed Walsh, March and Gaffney on their own recognizance Monday. If convicted, they could face prison time.

Van Dyke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

___

6 a.m.

Three Chicago police officers are scheduled to be arraigned on charges that they conspired to cover up the actions of a white colleague who fatally shot a black teenager 16 times.

The three haven't been arrested and are being allowed to show up at the hearing Monday on their own accord.

The indictment alleges that the officers lied when they said 17-year-old Laquan McDonald "aggressively" swung a knife and tried to get up from the ground while still armed after he was shot on Oct. 20, 2014.

Officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder in the death. He has pleaded not guilty.

The indictments mark the latest chapter in the history of a police force dogged by allegations of racism and brutality against the city's black residents.
CINCINNATI (AP) - A prosecutor's investigation into the suicide of an 8-year-old Ohio boy whose mother says he was bullied at school has been closed, with no action expected.

The Hamilton County prosecutor's office said Monday it accepts the coroner's conclusion that nothing in a recent review into Gabriel Taye's Jan. 26 death was found that would add to the original suicide finding.

Authorities opened Gabriel's grave in June to remove an electronic tablet buried with him to see if it might provide additional information about what led to his death.

The family's attorneys say the prosecutor told them no criminal charges will be brought and they are disappointed the latest review didn't provide more answers as to why Gabriel killed himself.

The attorneys' statement says their investigation is continuing.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley is urging the international community "to stand together" and call on Myanmar's government to cooperate with a U.N. mission charged with probing alleged abuses by military and security forces, including against the minority Rohingya Muslim community.

Hailey said Myanmar officials recently announced that the government would deny visas to members of the U.N. Human Rights Council's fact-finding mission.

She stressed in a statement that "no one should face discrimination or violence because of their ethnic background or religious beliefs" and it's important that the government allow the mission to do its job.

The Rohingya face severe discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and were the targets of inter-communal violence in 2012 that killed hundreds and drove about 140,000 people from their homes to camps where most remain.
Tens of thousands of peaceful protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against the G20 summit in Hamburg, hours after masked rioters clashed with police, burned cars and looted businesses.

Marching on a route close to where some of the worst violence unfolded overnight, protesters chanted, sang, danced and played music as world leaders wrapped up their two-day summit in the German port city.

An eclectic crowd of families pushing baby carriages, Kurdish groups, Scottish socialists and anarchists waving flags and shouting anti-capitalist slogans progressed through the city accompanied by thousands of police officers.

Protesters on the streets in Hamburg. (Michael Probst/AP)

Despite the mayhem on Friday night and Saturday morning, many officers patrolling the march removed their helmets and appeared relaxed as the huge crowds passed by.

Organisers said some 78,000 demonstrators participated, while police estimated the crowds at 30,000.

The big gathering came after aggressive riots overnight in the citys Schanzenviertel neighbourhood, which is only a few hundred yards away from the summit grounds.

Hundreds of special riot police went into buildings to arrest rioters wearing black masks from rooftops while being attacked with iron rods and Molotov cocktails.

Some of the carnage in Hamburg. (AP)

About 500 people looted a supermarket in the area as well as smaller shops. Cars were torched and street fires lit as activists built barricades with garbage cans and bikes.

German chancellor Angela Merkel expressed shock and anger about violence and uninhibited brutality that broke out in Hamburg.

There is not the slightest justification for looting, arson and brutal attacks on the life of police officers, she said, adding that the security forces had carried out excellent work and thanked them on behalf of all the summit participants.

A shop destroyed by G20 protesters. (AP)

A few thousand rioters, some of them from elsewhere in Europe, created havoc in the city. They battled riot police for two consecutive days and nights, expressing rage against capitalism and globalisation and calling for open borders to let all refugees enter Europe.

Their anger was not so much focused against US president Donald Trump or other leaders, but directed against police as symbols of authority.

Police arrested 143 people, and 122 activists were temporarily detained.

Some 213 officers were injured since the protests started on Thursday night. Police and firefighters said they did not have information about how many protesters and other civilians were hurt.

Hamburg, Germanys second-largest city, has a strong radical left scene and many critics had warned well before the summit that its dense streets would be almost impossible to control and clashes would be likely.

However, German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said any criticism of the location of the meeting misjudges cause and effect.

These were unbounded violent excesses out of a desire for destruction and brutality, he added, explaining that police and judicial authorities must take a tough stance against such crimes and that the arrests were appropriate.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has hailed his first face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump, saying he thinks the US leader accepted his assurances that Russia did not meddle in last years American presidential election.

Mr Putin added that their conversation could serve as a model for improving ties between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters after the two-day G20 summit ended, Mr Putin said he and Mr Trump had a long discussion about the allegations of Russian interference in last years election which have dogged the Trump presidency.

The Russian leader said he reiterated his well-known position that there are no grounds for the allegations.

He asked many questions on the subject, I tried to answer them all, Mr Putin said.

It seems to me that he has taken note of that and agreed, but its better to ask him about his attitude.

Mr Putin said his answers were detailed and covered his discussions on the election meddling issue with representatives of the previous administration, including former president Barack Obama.

But he would not reveal details of his exchange with Mr Trump, saying the conversation was confidential.

He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers, Mr Putin said.

The Russian president said that a working group on cyber security he and Mr Trump agreed to create should help prevent such election controversies in the future.

What is important is that we agreed that there should be no uncertainty in that sphere, he said.

We agreed with the US president to create a working group and work jointly on how to ensure cyberspace security, how to ensure the fulfilment of international legal norms in that sphere and prevent meddling in internal affairs of Russia and the US.

We believe that if we work that way, and I have no reason to doubt it, there will be no such allegations.

Russian president Vladimir Putin with US counterpart Donald Trump (Marcellus Stein/AP)

Mr Putin also praised his US counterpart as a strong negotiator who quickly grasps various issues.

As for relations on personal level, I believe we have established them, Mr Putin said.

Trumps TV persona differs sharply from the real man. He is a very straightforward person, grasps precisely what his interlocutor says, quickly analyses and responds to questions or new elements of the discussion.

The Russian leader said his talks with Mr Trump offered a model for rebuilding Russia-US ties, which have plummeted to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and other disputes.

I think that if we develop our relations in the same way, there is every reason to believe that we would be able to at least partially restore the level of interaction that we need, Mr Putin said.

He particularly hailed the US-Russian deal on a cease-fire in south-western Syria announced on Friday as a step toward ending the hostilities.
A father used his bare hands to smash through a window in a bid to rescue his three children and their mother from a house fire that claimed their lives, a senior firefighter has said.

Fire crews found the man, named locally as Zubair, trying to get into the small terraced house in Rosamond Street, in Bolton, at around 9am on Saturday.

He had managed to escape the blaze through a first floor window but his two boys and a girl, all under the age of 13, and the woman were still inside, Tony Hunter said.

Mr Hunter, assistant county officer with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), said the man was distraught.

We found a man who had jumped from the first floor window, straight through the window on to concrete, he told the Press Association.

He got up and then was smashing his hands through the glass of the ground floor window. He was breaking the windows with his hands. He was covered in cuts.

He was absolutely distraught, screaming (that) his wife and children were in there.

At Rosamund Street in Bolton with @gmpolice who have just confirmed a woman and 3 children have tragically died this morning in a house fire  Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) July 8, 2017

Mr Hunter said it took four firefighters and specialist equipment to break the front door down. When crews got inside they found devastation.

He said: It was a very intense fire  the plaster had come off the walls. That was on the ground floor so you can imagine what it was like on the first floor.

They made their way up in no visibility whatsoever, fighting the fire as they were going up the stairs and located the three children and mother and then had to carry them down.

I spoke to crews when I got there  they were very emotional about it.

Dreadful news coming out of Bolton today. My thoughts are with the family, their friends & the whole community. https://t.co/QpsP8B8oMh  Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) July 8, 2017

Paramedics and fire crews gave the victims CPR but one of the children was pronounced dead at the scene and the woman and two other children died later in hospital.

The man, who an eyewitness describes as hammering on the door of the terraced house, is being treated at a hospital and is in a stable condition.

Mr Hunter said it would be some time before the cause of the blaze was known, although Greater Manchester Police said it was not thought to be suspicious.

Our deepest condolences go to the family and the community. We will be in the local area in the coming days reassuring residents. https://t.co/ewjTZ2nudr  Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) July 8, 2017

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Bridge, from GMPs Bolton borough, appealed for witnesses.

He said: These are utterly heart-breaking circumstances and our thoughts go out to anyone affected by this tragic incident.

This appears to be a family home and we have been working to inform loved ones of this awful loss.
Britain could remain subject to European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings during a Brexit transition period but will eventually leave its jurisdiction, Theresa Mays most senior minister has suggested.

Damian Green said Leave backers voted to leave the ECJs purview to restore parliamentary sovereignty and a failure to deliver that would leave them feeling the UK has not left the European Union.

The First Secretary of States intervention came after three Tory former ministers hit out at the Prime Ministers ECJ "red line".

Damian Green

But Mr Green told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: "Its not an ideological determination, its what people voted for in the referendum, the Brexit side won.

"If we said now were going to stay inside the single market which will mean that the European Court will decide some basic questions that happen inside this country, I think people would feel that we hadnt left the European Union."

At the weekend, former attorney general Dominic Grieve and ex-education secretary Nicky Morgan attacked Mrs May for refusing to allow any role for the ECJ after Brexit.
Zimbabwe secured a one-day international series win at a Test-playing nation for the first time since 2001 as they defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets in the deciding match in Hambantota.

With the five-match series locked at 2-2, the Zimbabweans survived a dramatic collapse to complete a historic success by chasing down the Sri Lankans 203 for eight with more than 11 overs to spare as opener Hamilton Masakadza made 73 to go beyond 5,000 one-day runs for his country.

The last time Zimbabwe defeated a Test-playing nation in a one-day series on foreign soil was when they beat Bangladesh 16 years ago, and this outcome speaks volumes of a Sri Lankan side struggling in a transitional period.

Angelo Mathews could only score 24 as Sri Lanka fell to a shock series defeat

Their batting let them down as they were restricted to just over 200 having had double-century opening partnerships in each of the previous two ODIs, with Niroshan Dickwella following up back-to-back tons with just three to be one of six Sri Lankans dismissed for single figures.

Sikandar Razas three for 21 in 10 overs set the tone and that was built on by a 92-run opening stand between Masakadza and Solomon Mire, and though Zimbabwe lost six wickets for 38 runs, they eventually got over the line thanks to Razas unbeaten 27.
Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has praised the emergency services who responded to the London Bridge terror attack, saying "thank you so much for everything you have done".

Joined by his British counterpart Theresa May as part of his UK visit, they spoke to those who dealt with the aftermath and were affected by last months terrorist outrage, in which three knife-wielding attackers went on an eight-minute murderous rampage.

They were met outside Southwark Cathedral by Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick and Commander Dean Haydon before being introduced to a number of first responders.

Speaking to those from the Met, British Transport Police and London Ambulance Service, Mr Turnbull could be heard asking one female paramedic about her time in London.

After a brief chat, he added: "Thank you so much for everything you have done."

Eight people, including two Australians, were killed and scores of others injured in the atrocity on Saturday June 3 which saw three knifemen mow down pedestrians on London Bridge with a van, before stabbing people in Borough Market with 12-inch knives.

Wearing fake suicide vests, all three attackers, Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot and killed by police in a hail of bullets at the scene.

Mrs May, Mr Turnbull, Ms Dick and Commander Haydon visited the renowned London food market to speak to some of the businesses affected by the attack, where they were swamped by a crowd of tourists eager to get close.

Outside Paul Wheeler Fresh Supplies, the stand by which the attackers were shot, owner Paul Wheeler spoke to both prime ministers about how it has been since the incident and the support they have had.

The 51-year-old told the Press Association: The Australian PM seems all right, I told him he had brought the Australian weather with him, and I thanked the Commissioner, just to say about the boys who were here on the night and after.

Federico Fugazza of Argentinian food stand Portena told them how his staff barricaded themselves in behind a metal shutter, and watched the attack unfold.

PM and @TurnbullMalcolm visited the site of the London Bridge attack to pay tribute to the victims, two of whom were Australian. pic.twitter.com/baLyBKudGX  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) July 10, 2017

The 41-year-old said: They were really exposed but somehow they stayed safe, and there was a customer inside  we were lucky. The prime ministers were thankful of that, and in a way proud of how most people reacted and how everyone tried to stay safe and together.

Mr Turnbull, whose first official visit to the UK as prime minister will also include an audience with the Queen, insisted that terror would be defeated.

We say to these killers, to these terrorists that seek to change the way we live, we will not be cowed. We wont change the way we live. We will defy you and defeat you.
A Brexit-backing Conservative MP who described the prospect of leaving the European Union with no deal as the real n***** in the woodpile has been suspended from the parliamentary party.

Prime Minister Theresa May said the comment by Anne Marie Morris was completely unacceptable and she was having the whip withdrawn.

I was shocked to hear of these remarks, which are completely unacceptable. I immediately asked the chief whip to suspend the party whip, Mrs May said.

Language like this has absolutely no place in politics or in todays society.

Anne Marie Morris has Tory whip suspended for using n-word when discussing Brexit - PM says language has no place in politics or society  Arj Singh (@singharj) July 10, 2017

Ms Morris caused a storm of protest after her comments  at a meeting of Eurosceptics at the East India Club in St James Square in central London, organised by the Politeia group  came to light.

The MP for Newton Abbot said her comment was entirely unintentional, adding: I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused.

In an audio clip obtained by the Huffington Post, she is heard saying: And then we get to the real n***** in the woodpile which is in two years what happens if there is no deal?

Anne Marie Morris' comments are outrageous and totally unacceptable - @GwynneMP https://t.co/Fyktx1CUoS  Labour Press (@labourpress) July 10, 2017

According to the website she made the remark while discussing what financial services deal Britain could strike with the EU after Brexit.

Labours national campaign co-ordinator Andrew Gwynne said Ms Morriss comments were outrageous and totally unacceptable.

While the Conservative Party has tabled a debate on Wednesday to apparently discuss and condemn abuse of candidates in the General Election, these comments prove their hypocrisy, he said

If you are a Tory and you are not calling for the expulsion of Anne Marie Morris, then you are an apologist for racism. The end.  Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) July 10, 2017

Outgoing Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: This disgusting comment belongs in the era of the Jim Crow laws and has no place in our Parliament.

I am utterly shocked that this person represents the good people of Newton Abbot.

Even if she misspoke this is the nastiest thing Ive heard an MP utter since Lord Dixon Smith uttered the same awful phrase a few years ago.

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas tweeted: Appalling, adding: No place in our politics for racism, full stop.

Appalling. Should have the whip removed immediately. No place in our politics for racism, full stop. https://t.co/khnbjFUVGi  Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) July 10, 2017

The incident is a further blow for Mrs May, reducing her official tally of Conservative MPs in the Commons by one.

The Prime Minister is already reliant on a deal with Northern Irelands Democratic Unionists to prop up her Government after seeing her majority wiped out in last months General Election.
TASHKENT, July 5 (Reuters) - Uzbekistan has no plans to rejoin a post-Soviet security bloc led by Russia, Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov said on Wednesday, indicating the country's policy would remain the same despite a leadership change.

A former Soviet republic of 31 million, run by strongman president Islam Karimov from 1989 until his death last September, Uzbekistan has had a rocky relationship with Moscow, and by extension the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).

It suspended its membership in the bloc between 1999 and 2006 and then quit it altogether in 2012.

Following Karimov's death from a stroke and pledges by his successor, former prime minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to develop a strategic partnership with Russia, some have wondered whether Tashkent would rejoin the military alliance.

But, answering a question about it in a televised interview on Wednesday, Kamilov said, "The question of renewing our CSTO membership is not on the agenda ... There are no plans to discuss or review this matter in the future."

Russia has used the CSTO, along with the Eurasian Economic Union, another regional bloc focused on trade, to project influence across most of the former Soviet Union. It regards Central Asia as an area of strategic interest.

But only three out of the region's five nations - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, whose combined populations are smaller than that of Uzbekistan - are CSTO members. (Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Larry King)
By Saleem Shaikh and Sughra Tunio

LARKANA, Pakistan, July 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Mohammad Aslam has finally found a way to give his family relief from extended power cuts. In February this year he installed a 300-watt solar power generating system on the roof of his house.

In Pakistan, power outages scheduled by the countrys strained public electric utilities frequently hit households, lasting as long as 10 hours a day in towns and cities and up to 16 hours in rural areas.

The situation is worst during the brutally hot summer months, when air-conditioners often overload the national grid.

Buying solar panels to create power at home might seem an obvious way to bridge the gap. But although the panels have been available since 2014 in Aslams town of Larkana, in the southern province of Sindh, the 35-year-old entrepreneur waited two years before finally installing one.

Cost wasnt the problem. Instead, he said, he was put off by rumours that solar panels would actually make things worse.

Unscrupulous local utility officials, he says, told him that the dark-coloured solar panels, built to absorb the suns rays and convert them to electricity, would increase the ambient heat in the buildings they were attached to, pushing the temperature indoors even higher.

According to Aslam, the officials even said that the growing use of solar panels was to blame for the more frequent and intense heat waves that Pakistan has experienced - something scientists say is entirely untrue.

Climate change and worsening extreme heat is instead driven largely by a huge expansion in the use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas since the start of the industrial revolution, they say.

"I discovered it was a fake rumour only after I installed the solar system on the insistence of my friend, a graduate in electric engineering," Aslam told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview.

His friend assured him that the rumours were just a trick by utility company employees bent on discouraging wide-scale adoption of solar energy adoption in order to safeguard their jobs.

Tariq Mehmood, general manager of the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), a public power utility, said he was not aware of any IESCO employees spreading rumours.

"Our power utility has nothing to do with (any rumours) and disowns them. People shouldnt believe them," Mehmood said in a telephone interview.

`A GREAT RELIEF

Aslams new solar home system - two solar panels, four ceiling fans, four energy-saving lights and a rechargeable battery - cost him $500.

During the day the system powers the ceiling fans and stores enough electricity in the battery to run the fans and lights for six or seven hours at night if the grid electricity supply goes off. The battery can recharge in sunlight in three hours.

"We have fans and lights (that) remain on whenever power outages hit us. What makes me more happy is that my family feels a great relief thanks to it," Aslam said.

Abdul Karim, a solar panel retailer at the Aabpara electronic market in Islamabad, Pakistans capital, said prospective customers often mention having heard the rumours that solar panels add to heat problems.

"To prove these rumours wrong, often I have to take them to the rooftop of my shop to show them the solar system that powers my shop," Karim said. "Then many buy solar systems from me."

As solar home systems become more affordable, many households see them as an alternative to trying to get a new electrical connection via the public power utilities.

According to Mir Ahmad Shah, executive secretary of the Pakistan Renewable and Alternative Energy Association, public utilities that control power distribution and supply fear that the gradual adoption of solar energy will make people less reliant on the national grid.

"Employees of the public power utilities are hampering this growing shift to solar energy through rumours, because they fear the growing adoption solar energy systems will lead to overall revenue decline from new connection applications," Shah said.

CASH FOR SERVICE?

Retired Pakistan Railways employee Raja Jameel said he was unsuccessful in getting a grid connection two year ago for his new home in Ghouri, a rural locality on Islamabads outskirts.

"What (finally) worked in a matter of a few hours to get what I was denied for nearly four months was a $50 bribe to a superintendent of IESCO," Jameel said in an interview.

He said he believes that in some utility companies, employees responsible for approving new power connections try to dissuade potential solar adopters by spreading false rumours about the panels, largely because they do not want to lose potential bribes for approving new grid connections.

Jameel plans to build a second storey onto his home to rent out, but he says he will install a 2-kilowatt solar home system to power it, rather than begging for a new power connection from the utility.

IESCOs Mehmood said that although the utility had periodically received complaints from customers about bribe-taking, it had taken steps to reduce the problem.

"IESCO management has controlled (bribe-taking) through a strong online public complaint redressal system established a few years ago. Besides, we have made the process of sanctioning and issuing new electricity connection systems more transparent and hassle-free," Mehmood said.

In an interview outside the Parliament building in Islamabad, Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali did not deny that power distribution companies, including IESCO, have had problems with corruption, but said the government took all complaints regarding such matters seriously.

"We have a zero tolerance policy regarding bribery in the public power utilities across the country," Ali said.

The minister added there is a robust complaints mechanism, and that any employees found to have been corrupt are demoted or dismissed. (Reporting by Saleem Shaikh and Sughra Tunio; editing by James Baer and Laurie Goering :; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate)
By Terje Solsvik and Ole Petter Skonnord

OSLO, July 10 (Reuters) - Norwegian metals firm Norsk Hydro will take full ownership of aluminium products maker Sapa by buying a 50 percent stake from conglomerate Orkla , the companies said on Monday.

The transaction values Sapa, at 27 billion Norwegian crowns ($3.24 billion) on a debt-free basis.

"Sapa will enable us to assume global leadership, establish a platform for growth, and provide responsible operations and sustainable solutions for the future low-carbon economy," Hydro Chief Executive Svein Richard Brandtzaeg said.

While Hydro itself produces primary aluminium from scratch, Sapa cuts, presses and shapes the metal, making it a key supplier to aircraft makers, automotive firms and the construction industry.

"The combination will make Hydro the only global company in the aluminium industry that is fully integrated across the value chain and markets," Hydro said.

Hydro predicted it would see annual synergies of 200 million crowns, and that the deal would immediately be accretive to earnings and secure strong cash generation.

Jointly owned by Orkla and Hydro since 2013, Sapa has 22,400 employees and in 2016 recorded sales of 53 billion crowns.

Orkla had previously said it would eventually sell its stake, either directly to Hydro or through an initial public offering.

"For Norsk Hydro, we consider the transaction to be consistent with the strategy to be an integrated aluminium player," Pareto Securities wrote in a note to clients, adding the transaction valued Sapa 3.6 percent below its own forecast.

Completion of the transaction is subject to approval from competition authorities in Brazil, Canada, China, Turkey and the European Union, and is expected in the second half of 2017, Hydro and Orkla said.

Danske Bank wrote in a note to clients that the regulatory risk to the deal was low.

"For Orkla, the sale is a natural consequence of our strategy of becoming a focused branded consumer goods company," Orkla Chief Executive Peter Ruzicka said in a statement.

Hydro said it was committed to retain its investment grade rating after the purchase, and that its dividend policy would be unchanged.

"The transaction will be financed through cash positions and issuance of bonds in Norwegian and international markets," it said.

"Hydro will maintain its dividend policy of returning 40 percent of net income over the (business) cycle, with NOK 1.25 per share seen as a floor in 2017," it said.

Orkla separately said it would pay a special dividend of 5 Norwegian crowns per share when the deal closes.

The firm has shed several large businesses in recent years, including breweries and chemicals making, but will continue to build up its remaining operations through acquisitions and investments.

"We find it positive that Orkla is finally selling," Danske Bank analyst Martin Stenshall wrote in a note to clients, adding the price Hydro would pay was 1.9 percent above his estimated valuation of Sapa.

Danske Bank reiterated a "hold" recommendation on Orkla's shares.

Hydro shares traded 1.4 percent higher for the day at 0726 GMT, while Orkla rose 1.8 percent.

($1 = 8.3418 Norwegian crowns) (Editing by Niklas Pollard and Jason Neely)
SOFIA, July 10 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

SEGA - Bulgaria's general directorate for fight with organized crime can now extract information from some of the most popular mobile applications like Viber, Facebook messenger, Whatsup, Skype and others, the directorate said

-- A crane, wchich had to dismantle a monument in the capital Sofia centre was lit, interior ministry said. The decision of the Sofia Municipal Council to remove the monument in front of the National Palace of Culture dates back to 2014 but was repeatedly appealed to the court by its author. The Socialist Party - the largest opposition party in Bulgaria, the Union of Bulgarian Artists, the Union of Architects voiced against the demolition of the monument and staged a protest rally in June (Trud, Standart, Monitor, Sega)

CAPITAL DAILY - Bulgarian economy will grow by 3.7 percent this year, Raiffeisen Bank's economists forecast.
LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Burberry investor Royal London Asset Management expressed continued concern about corporate governance at the British luxury brand and said it would vote against the company's pay report.

Royal London holds a 0.5 percent stake in Burberry, whose executive pay policies have faced persistent investor criticism.

The asset manager also said it would vote against the re-election of Chairman John Peace and of the remuneration committee chair Fabiola Arredondo at Burberry's annual shareholders' meeting on Thursday.

"While the board has made some improvements since the last shareholder rebellion three years ago, the chaotic response to several remuneration issues this year has heightened our concerns about poor corporate governance at Burberry," Ashley Hamilton Claxton, Royal London's corporate governance manager, said in a statement on Monday.

Back in 2014 nearly 53 percent of votes cast at its annual shareholder meeting opposed the board's remuneration report.

Hamilton Claxton criticised only a slim reduction in the bonus of former chief executive Christopher Bailey despite a 21 percent fall in 2016-17 profit, as well as awards to new finance chief Julie Brown, poor board oversight and the firm's new reporting structure.

Marco Gobbetti succeeded Bailey as CEO on July 5, but Bailey remains president and chief creative officer.

Shareholder bodies have also been critical of Burberry's remuneration policies.

Burberry declined to comment.

The firm said last month that it wanted to announce a successor to Peace by the end of 2018.

It is due to give a trading update on Wednesday, ahead of Thursday's meeting.

Shares in Burberry, up 8 percent this year, were 0.2 percent higher at 1,614 pence at 1110 GMT, valuing the business at 7 billion pounds ($9 billion). ($1 = 0.7763 pounds) (Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Susan Fenton)
By Alexandra Ulmer

CARACAS, July 10 (Reuters) - Venezuela's state oil producer, PDVSA, said in a statement it is guaranteeing "legal security" for all foreign companies in the leftist-run nation, rebuffing a government adviser's suggestion that their operations could be nationalized.

The statement, which was distributed to its joint venture partners and which Reuters saw, comes after a prominent government-allied lawyer said a new legislative body could rewrite parts of the constitution to ensure the state has full ownership of the oil industry.

The new "constituent assembly" would supersede other institutions and has sparked fears that President Nicolas Maduro's unpopular administration could take aim at joint venture partners, which include large oil companies Chevron Corp and Rosneft.

But PDVSA, whose full name is Petroleos de Venezuela, was quelling fears that a more radical wing of the ruling Socialist Party could be out to nationalize companies, as late leader Hugo Chavez did a decade ago.

PDVSA "guarantees legal security to investors, partners, and others," the statement read. "In the case of joint ventures, PDVSA has honored and will continue to honor the legal norms that allow the possibility of doing business with private companies."

Venezuelan oil laws enacted under Chavez allow for minority participation of private companies in oilfield joint ventures, and numerous companies formed such partnerships despite nationalizations in the sector.

PDVSA did not directly mention the comments by Hermann Escarra, a constitutional lawyer and candidate for the constituent assembly. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

BRUISED OIL INDUSTRY

Nationalizing oil ventures would worsen a severe drop in production in Venezuela, home to the world's largest crude reserves. That would hurt the country's already ailing coffers, which depend on oil sales for more than 90 percent of their revenue.

And PDVSA has been offering more stakes in joint ventures to foreign companies, including key Russian ally Rosneft and ONGC Videsh, the overseas investment arm of India's top explorer, Oil and Natural Gas Corp, as it tries to minimize operating costs, Reuters has reported.

So, some observers see Escarra's comments as political show, and instead anticipate fire sales ahead.

"In our view once the Constituent Assembly is in place and Chavismo feels that is settled, it will aggressively seek to sell stakes in projects," said Raul Gallegos, an analyst with the consultancy Control Risks.

Still, as Venezuela's political crisis worsens, a half-dozen oil industry sources consulted by Reuters said the situation was becoming more uncertain.

Companies may curtail investments as they await clarity on the July 30 vote for the constituent assembly, which Maduro's foes have denounced as a bid to consolidate dictatorship via a sham election.

"Imagine justifying to your board of directors that you put more money into Venezuela when there was an announcement from the president's top adviser that he was going to nationalize companies," said Francisco Monaldi, fellow in Latin American energy policy at the Baker Institute in Houston.

"This will pour cold water (on investments)." (Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Steve Orlofsky)
DAR ES SALAAM, July 10 (Reuters) - Tanzanian President John Magufuli said on Monday he has signed into law new mining bills which require the government to own at least a 16 percent stake in mining projects.

The laws, which also increase royalties tax on gold and other minerals, were passed by parliament last week despite opposition from the mining industry body.

Magufuli reiterated on Monday that no new mining licences would be issued until Tanzania "puts things in order" and that the government would review all existing mining licences with foreign investors.

"We must benefit from our God-given minerals and that is why we must safeguard our natural resource wealth to ensure we do not end up with empty mining pits," Magufuli told a rally in his home village in Chato district, northwestern Tanzania.

The president has sent shock-waves through the mining community with a series of actions since his election in 2015, which he says are aimed at distributing revenue to the Tanzanian people.

The new mining laws, which were fast-tracked through parliament, raise royalties tax for gold, copper, silver and platinum exports to six percent from four percent.

They also give the government the right to tear up and renegotiate contracts for natural resources like gas or minerals, and remove the right to international arbitration.

"I would like to thank parliament for making the legislative changes. I signed the bills into law the same day Parliament concluded its session on July 5," Magufuli said.

Passage of the new legislation also followed months of wrangling between the government and the country's biggest gold miner, London-listed Acacia Mining Plc, over mining contracts after Magufuli decided in March to ban exports of gold and copper concentrates to push for the construction of a domestic mineral smelter.

Magufuli said on Monday that talks between Tanzania and Barrick Gold Corp., Acacia's majority owner, would begin in two days to try to resolve allegations of tax evasion against Acacia.

Tanzania accused Acacia of tax evasion in 2016 in a case that is ongoing.

Acacia, which denies all allegations, said on July 4 it was seeking an adjudicator to resolve its dispute with the Tanzanian government.

Tanzania is also pushing for the mandatory listing of mining companies on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) by August as part of measures aimed at increasing transparency and spreading wealth from the country's natural resources.

Other major foreign-owned mining companies in Tanzania include AngloGold Ashanti and Petra Diamonds.

(Reporting by Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala; editing by Elias Biryabarema and Susan Fenton)
By Tom Finn

DOHA, July 11 (Reuters) - The United States and Qatar signed an agreement on Tuesday aimed at combating the financing of terrorism, as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Doha to try to end a month-long rift between Western-allied Arab states.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and allying with the Gulf Arab states' arch-foe Iran, allegations Doha denies.

Tillerson said the agreement signed with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, had been under discussion for weeks.

"The agreement which we both have signed on behalf of our governments represents weeks of intensive discussions between experts and reinvigorates the spirit of the Riyadh summit," Tillerson said at a joint news conference with Sheikh Mohammed.

U.S. President Donald Trump met representatives of Arab states during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May.

"The memorandum lays out a series of steps that each country will take in coming months and years to interrupt and disable terror financing flows and intensify counter terrorism activities globally," Tillerson added.

The four Arab states boycotting Qatar said later on Tuesday that sanctions would remain in place until it met their demands and that they would keep a close eye on the tiny Gulf monarchy's efforts to fight terrorism funding.

In a joint statement released in their state media, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said they appreciated U.S. efforts in fighting terrorism but that they would closely monitor Qatar's behaviour. nL8N1K25FM

Sheikh Mohammed said the agreement was not linked to the crisis with the four Arab countries, which the United States fears could impact its military and counter-terrorism operations and increase Iran's influence in the region.

Tehran has sent food supplies to Qatar and allows the country's carrier to fly through its airspace.

Qatar denies it supports militant organisations and says the boycott is part of a campaign to rein in its independent foreign policy.

"Today, the state of Qatar was the first to sign the executive programme with the United States to fight terrorism financing," Sheikh Mohammed told the news conference.

Tillerson said the agreement includes milestones to ensure both countries are accountable through their commitments.

"Together the United States and Qatar will do more to track down funding sources, will do more to collaborate and share information and will do more to keep the region ... safe," Tillerson said.

Egypt later said at a meeting of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State in Washington that the coalition should not include member states that supported terrorism, like Qatar.

A U.S. official who had knowledge of the deliberations at the meeting later said "the other working group countries dismissed the Egyptian demand".

"Terrorism is a global problem that requires a global response - and we all have work to do," the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

DIPLOMACY

Accompanied by Kuwaiti mediators, Tillerson flew to Doha on Tuesday for talks with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, over the crisis. He said he was due to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with officials from the four Arab countries.

On Monday, he and British National Security Advisor Mark Sedwill met with officials from Kuwait in order to patch up the row among the Western-allied countries.

Following those discussions, the United States, Britain and Kuwait urged all parties to resolve their dispute quickly through dialogue, Kuwait state news agency KUNA reported.

Kuwait's ruler, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, expressed "bitterness" on Tuesday over what he described as an unprecedented rift in the Gulf, but said he intended to push ahead with mediation efforts.

Foreign ministers from the four Arab states leading the boycott of Qatar will meet with Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Wednesday.

Coming from some of the most influential powers in the dispute, the plea for a negotiated solution may be aimed at an earlier refusal by Qatar's adversaries to discuss renewing ties with Doha until it first acquiesced to a list of demands. They include closing the Al Jazeera TV channel, shutting a Turkish military base in Qatar and downgrading ties with Iran.

Qatar hosts Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East, from which U.S.-led coalition aircraft stage sorties against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed support for Saudi Arabia in the dispute. (Writing by Noah Browning and Sami Aboudi; Additional reporting by Yara Bayoumy in Washington, and Ahmed Abouelenein and Mostafa Hashem in Cairo; Editing by Catherine Evans and James Dalgleish)
Vatican, (Daily Mail), 8 July 2017 - Pope Francis warned world leaders at the G20 summit against forming dangerous alliances that could harm migrants and the poor.



Francis said, I worry about very dangerous alliances among powers that have a distorted vision of the world: America and Russia, China and North Korea, Putin and Assad in the war in Syria in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.On Friday, Francis reminded world leaders of the 30 million people trapped in conflict and famine, especially in Africa and Yemen.



He also called Europe the richest continent in the whole world and urged it not to close off its borders.In May, in the presence of top EU leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Francis asked: What has happened to you, the Europe of humanism, the champion of human rights, democracy and freedom?
Bangladesh will showcase the remarkable progress it has made in the agriculture sector when Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena visits the country between July 13 and 15, Bangladesh High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Riaz Hamidullah said at an interview ahead of the presidential visit.

President Sirisena will be visiting one of our agricultural research institutes. When former President Chandrika Kumaratunga visited Bangladesh in May, she showed great interest in innovative rice cultivation and visited our institutes, the High Commissioner said.

President Sirisenas interest in agriculture, especially rice cultivation, is natural as he hails from the Polonnaruwa District in North Central Sri Lanka.

Like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh too experiences droughts and floods frequently. But Bangladesh has found several channels to overcome the challenges posed by natural disasters through what High Commissioner Hamidullah calls climate adaptation techniques.

Bangladeshi farmers in flood-prone areas are now using a variety of rice which can remain submerged without getting damaged for as many as seven days. They also use rice varieties which can withstand drought and salinity, he said.

"Bangladesh, which has reached self-sufficiency in rice, can sell rice to Sri Lanka. But it has not been approached yet. However, it is ready to share its know-how on rice cultivation with Sri Lanka and has made an offer to the provincial administrations"



Bangladeshs Northern Districts were once its rice bowl. But due to persistent drought conditions, the rice bowl has had to be shifted to Southern Districts. In the North, farmers have taken to non-water guzzling crops like maize. Besides being edible, maize is used to produce animal feed which sustains animal husbandry. However, all is not lost for rice cultivation in the North. We have been able to reduce the use of water in rice cultivation by half -- from 3,500 to 1, 800 litres per kilo. This technique can be used in the dry zones of Sri Lanka like in the Northern Province. However, the Southern Bangladeshi districts face another kind of problem which is salinity. To beat that, our scientists have developed a rice variety, the envoy said.

Sri Lanka is short of rice and has to import this item frequently to meet its demands. After the failure of the recent Yala crop, the government is going in for an immediate import of 100,000MT of rice either from Pakistan, India or Myanmar, 100,000MT from Thailand and 100,000MT from Indian

private traders. Bangladesh, which has reached self-sufficiency in rice and had supplied 40,000MT free-of-charge to Sri Lanka during the recent floods, can also sell rice to Sri Lanka. But it has not been approached yet. However, it is ready to share its know-how on rice cultivation with Sri Lanka and has made an offer to the provincial administrations.

Our offer has been seized by the Eastern Province Chief Minister, the High Commissioner informed.



Feeding a galloping population

Bangladeshs food production had increased from 10 million tons in 1972-73 to 39 million tons in 2015/16, although in the same period, arable land had decreased from 9.8 million to 8.27 million hectares due to urbanisation.

Since rice is the staple food of the Bangladeshis, the importance of rice production is greater than that of other food crops. The population of Bangladesh is increasing by two million a year, and to feed it in 2020, 27.26 million tons of rice will be required.

But production of this magnitude has to be achieved with less land than what is available now. Hence, productivity has to go up from the current 3.47 tons per hectare to 3.74 tons/ha. To step-up production, Bangladeshi farmers are given subsidies for fertilizer, fuel and electricity. Agro-machines are sold with a subsidy of 50% to 70%. Farmers are also entitled to relief and rehabilitation in case of crop loss due to natural disasters.

Production of rice has galloped because of the adoption of High Yielding Varieties (HYV). But these require extensive irrigation and heavy input of chemical fertilizers. Irrigation has increased from 12.46% in 1980-81 to 78% in 2014-15. And the use of chemical fertilizers is high.

Sri Lanka however will face a snag in regard to the use of chemical fertilizers. There is opposition in the island to the use of chemical fertilizers, which are said to cause Chronic Kidney Disease in certain parts of the island, especially in President Sirisenas North Central Province.

Apart from rice, Bangladesh has excelled in the production of other crops too. According to the FAO, it is the 5th largest producer of horticultural items in the world, and the 4th largest in mango cultivation. In inland fisheries, it is 4th or 5th. There is much that Bangladesh can share with Sri Lanka in these fields, Hamidullah said.

SL to import 300,000MT of rice following Yala crop failure

Bangladesh donated 40,000MT of rice to SL during recent floods

Bangladesh ready to share know-how on rice cultivation

Offer seized by Eastern Province CM

Bangladesh having rice varieties to withstand drought, salinity



Disaster preparedness

Bangladesh is keen to share with Sri Lanka its disaster preparedness system, which it has assiduously and painstakingly worked out since 1990-92 through the trial and error method, the High Commissioner said.

We have been able to greatly reduce human and cattle loss by putting in an administrative structure which gets activated the moment disaster warnings are received. The structure, which exists in every district, comprises designated officials as well as identified and trained local volunteers. These swing into action as per very detailed Standing Orders. Bangladesh remains among the top 20 countries in the list of disaster-prone countries. Disasters cannot be stopped. But we in Bangladesh have learned to live with them in a way that we lose the least, he said. At the grassroots level, local volunteers are given a yellow jacket, bicycle and a torch, and each volunteer is assigned a certain number of households in a defined area to take charge of. The moment a cyclone of a certain intensity is announced, these volunteers fan out to their designated areas, and urge the people to evacuate to pre-built cyclone shelters with separate shelters for men and women.

If someone refuses to move, the volunteers are allowed to beat them up to get them moving! Hamidullah remarked to indicate the seriousness with which the task is viewed.

The disaster preparedness system has worked so well that the last cyclone Mora resulted only in five deaths in place of the thousands who would perish earlier, he added.



(P.K. Balachandran is a senior Colombo-based journalist writing on the countries of South Asia. He can be contacted on pkbalachandran11@gmail.com and P.K. Balachandran @pkbchandran on twitter)
Turning down requests by the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) to be reappointed as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC), Prof. Carlo Fonseka cited his medical condition as the reason to do so.

Referring to the GMOA strikes, Prof. Fonseka said he would not approve of strikes which demanded the extension of his term as the SLMC Chairman.

Please do not resort to a strike because of me, he said to GMOA executive committee members who met him at his residence this morning.

However, Prof. Fonseka pledged to support the GMOA even though he would not be actively engaged in the SLMC office.

Meanwhile, Prof. Fonseka stressed that the standard of medical education should not be diluted at any cost and said that the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) should be immediately abolished if it cannot adopt the necessary standards. (By Thilanka Kanakarathna)

Video by Susantha
"Indeed, many of those recent problems stem from the decisions taken during the Rajapaksa presidency -- that does not mean they were all bad decisions"

During much of his political life, ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa was a shrewd street fighter. Recently he has also proved what an accomplished puppeteer he is too. In many recent incidents, ranging from the mini-riot in Hambantota over the proposed export zone, to SAITM and the recent ill-advised intervention by the Mahanayakas, Mr Rajapaksa has had a hand in exploiting minor grievances and escalating them into crisis proportions. Indeed, many of those recent problems stem from the decisions taken during the Rajapaksa presidency -- though that does not mean they were all bad decisions. What is disingenuous however is that Mr. Rajapaksa is now behaving as if he was born yesterday and is instigating the people against those very decisions. Poor souls who have now been taken for a ride by the born-again Mr Rajapaksa could well have been offered a free ride in a white van, had they chosen to challenge those decisions during the Rajapaksa presidency. Even the Mahanayakas were careful not to cross the red line with him. In 2010, after the arrest of General Sarath Fonkseka, the Mahanayakas planned to convene a Sanga convention to highlight their concerns over the mistreatment of the war-winning former army chief and the erosion of democracy in the country. After one ominous telephone call from Mr Rajapaksa, who allegedly threatened to split an existing Nikaya into two, Buddhist high priests abandoned all plans and went into a half decade of hibernation.

Recently, they appeared to have been woken up by a courier from the ex-president.



The Rajapaksas and their cronies ought to be in courtrooms defending themselves against the alleged deeds of fraud, corruption, nepotism, white-vanning and attacks on the media. Instead, they are ruling the streets. Their actions no longer resemble a desperate reaction by a disgruntled, marginalized lot who try to stay relevant. Theirs is a far more sinister plot to make the country ungovernable and ride to power in the ensuing anarchy. He and his cronies are exploiting the very freedoms that were guaranteed by the new government in an effort to discredit those freedoms and to make the people nostalgic about his authoritarian past.

"At the Cabinet meeting the the President had lamented that the Govt. had failed to prosecute any of the big fish of the former regime"

However, the success of the Rajapaksas and their cronies has much to do with the complacency of the current government to rein in the ex-president. At the Cabinet meeting held last week, President Maithripala Sirisena lamented that the government had failed to prosecute any of the big fish of the former regime. He claimed that senior police officers of the Financial Crime Investigation Division have confided in him that some senior government ministers were preventing the police from digging into allegations of corruption blamed on the inner circle of the Rajapaksas. He alleged that there exists an agreement between some senior members of the current administration and Mr Rajapaksa to protect the latter from legal action. He pointed out that the Chief of Staff of the former President, Gamini Senerath has not been charged even after his driver in a statement to the police revealed that sack loads of public money were transported illegally under his instructions. He said that the former presidential secretary Lalith Weeratunga in a statement over the distribution of Sil cloth among voters has told he was acting under the instructions of ex-president Rajapaksa. But, Mr Rajapaksa has not been charged, nor has he been questioned, the President noted.

That the president himself is now airing disappointment over the inability of his own government to hold the Rajapaksas accountable tells a lot. There may be several explanations for the governments failure. Some senior UNP ministers believed that the arrest of the Rajapaksas would have caused political instability. That may be why Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe once asked the police not to arrest Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Many people-including this writer, believed that sparing Mr Rajapaksa from legal action would tame his destabilizing influence and encourage him to go into political retirement. However, such notions have been proved wrong. Mr Rajapaksa is way too ambitious, still popular and can cause a lot of harm.

Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake, who was once accused of being the mysterious person behind the phone call to the IGP inquiring about a court appearance of one particular Nilame, has assured that police and law enforcement authorities are free of political interference to carry out their duties. Even if Minister Ratnayake does not interfere, some agencies of the government, such as the Attorney Generals Department are loaded with senior officers loyal to the former regime. That would mean after one point, investigations would not move forward, without a manifest interest by the government. Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa who himself is charting a separate path these days does not inspire confidence in the eyes of many people.

The other explanation is far more sinister; vested political calculations of the influential UNP members are blamed on the governments apparent go-soft approach towards the Rajapaksas. They may prefer to protect the former president, hoping disarray in the SLFP and its potential break-up across the loyalties to the incumbent president and his predecessor would be electorally beneficial to the UNP. That may be logical thinking under most circumstances, but with Mr Rajapaksa, that is wishful thinking. Mahinda Rajapaksa is a lot smarter than the UNP bigwigs who plot to use him as a cats paw. It would not be long before Mr Rajapaksas alleged UNP benefactors find themselves at the receiving end.

The President has told the Cabinet ministers, that if the Attorney Generals Department, police and other investigation agencies were brought under his purview, he would catch the culprits within three months. This proposition has been roundly criticized by the social media warriors, who have raised concerns that the move would lead to concentration of power in the hands of the President. That is a genuine concern. Also, bringing those agencies and institutions directly under the purview of the president is ill advisable for that would give it the appearance of a witch-hunt. Mr Rajapaksa would love to play the victim. However, if the current status quo does not produce results, something has to be done to avert further erosion of public confidence in the investigations into the past acts of fraud and corruption and other mischief.

In the absence of a clear commitment from many members of the government, the president will have to take a special interest to see that investigations would lead to some tangible results. A presidential oversight would also discourage many interested parties from sabotaging investigations.

A government minister was on record as saying that if the Rajapaksas are brought to book, much of the current protests would stop. He is probably right. After all it will show that there is a government.



Follow RangaJayasuriya @RangaJayasuriya on Twitter
Donald Trump Jr. has made a potentially damaging New York Times report much, much worse.

The Times on Sunday reported that the presidents eldest son was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton before meeting with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in New York on June 9, 2016.



As Times reporters Jo Becker, Matt Apuzzo and Adam Goldman explained, Trump Jr.s motivation for agreeing to the meeting points to the central question in federal investigations of the Kremlins meddling in the presidential election: Whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians.

The accounts of the meeting represent the first public indication that at least some in the campaign were willing to accept Russian help.



Paul Manafort, the campaigns chairman at the time, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trumps son-in-law and adviser, also attended.



The report looks bad for the president, even though his private legal team told the Times that Trump did not participate or even know about the meeting. Trump has a go-to playbook in situations like these: cast doubt on the credibility of unnamed sources (five, in this case) and cry, Fake news!

But Trump Jr. took that strategy off the table with a stunningly incriminating first response.



The rest of Trump Jr.s statement is an attempt to minimize the value of what the lawyer actually told him. The outcome of the meeting is beside the point.



Trump Jr.s attempt to obtain information from a Russian lawyer that could harm Clinton seems likely to alarm investigators, regardless of whether the effort proved successful.

By Callum Borchers

(c) 2017, The Washington Post  Jul 10, 2017
Preparing the new constitution has taken center stage during the past few days with contradictory statements being made as to the very need of a new constitution, whether there is a mandate to hold a referendum, and the current status of the constitution making process. In the light of the looming confusion Daily Mirror spoke to Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne PC to clarify the concerns raised and to untangle the intricacies related to constitution making. MP Wickramaratne is a member of the Steering Committee appointed by the Constitutional Assembly for the drafting of a new constitution. He was also a member of the team that drafted the Constitution Bill of 2000.

Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi

Excerpts of the interview:



What is the current status of the constitution making process?

The steering committee has been meeting and we have been having a draft interim report for a few months. Some parties wanted more time for internal discussions and also for discussions between parties. Now that has happened and now most parties have clear positions on the various issues. Im not allowed to reveal details of the discussion. But I can tell you that last week the Steering Committee met thrice and we are now discussing the draft interim report, clause by clause. We have finished almost half of the report. We hope to finish the rest in the month of July. Hopefully there will be an interim report within the next few weeks.



Is there a draft constitution prepared?

We cant prepare a draft- a legal draft- unless there is an interim report. If we have an interim report then we know where its going. Then we can start preparing a rough draft and finalize it. May be on some issues we can have alternate formulations drafted and depending on the final decision we can produce the draft constitution.



The Joint Oppositions parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardane said that a draft constitution has been presented at a seminar at BMICH. What do you think of this?

I myself was involved in the organizing of that conference. We supervised its organizing. I can tell you that the only documents that were distributed were the parliamentary resolution for the setting up of a constitutional assembly in all three languages. This was distributed in the morning and in the afternoon we distributed copies of the six subcommittee reports which are already in the public domain.

I can say with responsibility that not a single document was distributed apart from that. But I have seen critiques by various people. They have referred to some of the clauses that are found in the draft interim report and that draft interim report was made available only to the 21 members of the Steering Committee. Those Steering Committee members represent political parties. Within those respective political parties that draft interim report would have been used. Among themselves they would have discussed. If anything has been leaked it can only go from a member of the Steering Committee because we didnt give it to anybody else.



It seems that there is a delay in the constitution making process. Why is this so?

I dont think we need to go like an express train. At the same time too much delay also defeats the purpose because the more we come to the end of the term of parliament, the more closer to the next elections, and other political factors come into play. This is what happened in the 1995/2000 process. Although we finally came up with a very good draft constitution-which is probably the best weve had from my perspective  it got delayed. Finally the bill was presented to parliament in August 2000, just few weeks before the dissolution. By that time the UNP and the SLFP were worried about what was going to happen at the elections, and that is one reason I think the UNP didnt want to support, because that would have given the Peoples Alliance a disadvantage at the next elections.



Is the government looking at the 2000 draft constitution in the current constitution making process?

On certain issues yes, but not on all. What could have been done in 2000 cant be done today. Some issues are still relevant. Some have to be looked at in the light of what has happened since then. For example, the violence is no more and the armed separatists have been convincingly defeated. But the nature of the conflict hasnt changed. Finally its about sharing governmental power. That hasnt changed.



Ven. Rathana Thero has said that the people havent given the government the mandate to effect constitutional reforms that would require a referendum. What are your views on this?

I was involved in the drafting of the manifesto of the common candidate. Soon after he emerged and was recognized as the common candidate, he signed a pledge at Viharamahadevi Park with nearly fifty organizations. This was done in public. It called for comprehensive constitutional reform and called for the complete abolition of the Executive presidency. Within a couple of days, the JHU(Jathika Hela Urumaya) had signed its own MOU with the President. That is where they had said that nothing that would call for a referendum would be included. That is a matter between the President and the JHU. We arent a party to that.

Then we started drafting the election manifesto. Earlier the plan was to have a comprehensive change as far as possible, and have a referendum. But then the political reality regarding the necessity to hold a general election soon emerged. If we had to wait for a referendum, dissolution would have taken another two or three months. So it was decided that constitutional reform at that stage would be done without a referendum. That was only because we had to hold general elections. Dont forget that the Maithri-Ranil government which was formed on January 09 didnt even have a simple majority in parliament. So people were yearning for a parliament with a majority, at least a simple majority.

Its for this hundred-day programme that we said that we wouldnt go for a referendum. If any other interpretation is given, that will be a betrayal of the peoples wishes. During the elections, the President very clearly said that this is the last Presidential election and he himself wont contest for the elections again. This meant that there would be further constitutional changes including devolution, electoral reform for most of which we would need a referendum. What can be done without a referendum would be very little. Are these people saying that we only promised to do a wee bit? Just tinker with JRs constitution. Other people can say that, but the President isnt saying that because he made a promise, and later at Maduluwawe Sobitha theros funeral, he made it clear that the executive presidency will be abolished. How can the executive presidency be abolished without a referendum? So these are people who for various reasons dont want a referendum. I think that apart from the constitutional requirement, you should have a referendum to have comprehensive reform. My own view is that getting the peoples approval for constitutional change would give legitimacy for that new constitution.

"There are people who dont want a new constitution. The main plan of the January 08 change was to abolish the executive presidency and ensure the democratization of the state"



Look at the resolution that Parliament passed for the setting up of the Constitutional Assembly. That resolution very clearly said that there would be a referendum. The only issue that remained was whether it would be a new constitution or whether it would be a mega amendment of the present constitution. But on the issue of the referendum the resolution is very clear. In fact the original resolution which was presented to the parliament on January 09, 2016 was amended later to accommodate certain views expressed by the SLFP, the JVP and various other parties. This resolution was passed without a division in parliament. Even Rathana Thero didnt object to it. So we have parliamentary approval and if anybody says that theres no mandate for a referendum, why are they opposed to getting the peoples approval for a new constitution? That is the ultimate mandate. Sovereignty in this country lies with the people. What we say is let us ask the sovereign. If they dont approve the constitution, well accept it.



But then wouldnt the whole constitution making process render useless?

That is assuming that people will reject it. I dont think so. There are people who dont want a new constitution. The main plan of the January 08 change was to abolish the executive presidency and ensure the democratization of the state. I have no doubt that almost everybody who voted on January 08 will vote for the new constitution once the main parties agree. To that must be added the large chunk of SLFP votes which went to Mahinda Rajapaksha on January 08 and who are now with Sirisena. There is a sizable Left crowd who will vote for a new constitution. The Left cant afford to oppose the new constitution. This is what we have been fighting for.



The Mahanayake Theros of the three Nikayas have declared that theres no need for a new constitution. Is this the position of the entire Sangha community?

I dont think so. Since then there have been airing of voices from the Maha Sangha itself to the contrary. I saw a statement made by an Anunayake Thero who queried why we are preparing a birth chart for a child who hasnt been born? Even I dont know what the final contours of the constitution are. I only have a vague idea as to what the new constitution contains. We havent even agreed on an interim report, so how can you say that we dont need a new constitution? Certainly we are duty bound to consider the views of the Mahasangha as much as we are duty bound to consider the views of any other group of citizens.



People arent very familiar with referendums. How can we ensure that people in the grassroots level will go and vote at a referendum?

We have an example of a very vigorous campaign during the Chandrika period. I was part of that campaign. In the first public opinion survey done in 1996 we found that only 28% supported devolution. But after that vigorous campaign by 1998 the numbers had risen up to 60%. So what is needed is a campaign. People arent fools. Not everybody would know the details of the constitution. But they have a sense. The same question was asked from me by people in the run up to the Presidential elections-whether all what were saying about democracy would be understood by the people. What is needed is to sensitize the opinion makers in this country. This is what we did before January 8. We didnt go to each an every village. We had no time. We got the opinion makers on our side and the rest followed.

But for that you need consensus between the two main parties (UNP and SLFP). Now that the TNA is taking a realistic and sensible position it makes it easy. We are very happy that the JVP is taking a positive attitude towards constitutional change. This is a party which took arms against Provincial Councils. Today they say that if the executive presidency is abolished, if there are meaningful electoral reforms and if there is devolution, they have no problem. That is a big plus.



If we go for a new constitution without changing the entrenched clauses (clauses which require a referendum) do we still need a referendum simply because its a new constitution?

Yes, because of the peculiar wording of Article 83. It says that any amendment of those entrenched provisions would require a referendum. That means that even changing a comma would necessitate a referendum. Widening the scope of the right to freedom from torture or strengthening it, for example, would require a referendum. These are also lessons in constitution making- how we should in future not say any amendment, but only further amendments which are inconsistent with the principle laid down in that particular provision should necessitate a referendum when entrenching clauses.



If a proposal that is disputed is included in the draft constitution, at what stage can it be challenged?

We have to go by the present constitution. Rightly or wrongly, the present constitution provides for the entire bill to be presented before the people, not provisions. So provisions will have to be discussed earlier. Finally a citizen votes for or against the bill. I dont think that I will agree 100% with the clauses. But overall if I am happy with it, I will vote for it.



If you arent happy with one clause can you appeal to the Supreme Court?

If the Cabinet of Ministers certifies that this is a Bill to be presented to the people at a referendum following a two thirds majority, then the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction. We go to the sovereign and the sovereign is the people.



Article 16 undermines the supremacy of the Constitution and has violated peoples rights which would have otherwise been protected by the fundamental rights chapter. Would this clause be repealed by the new constitution?

That is a matter under discussion. I cant tell you whether it will be repealed or not. Today there is consensus that all existing laws should be read subject to the new fundamental rights chapter. For example, in the Crown Lands Grants bill where you grant crown land to the state land, in the matter of succession, its discriminatory against women because the eldest son is preferred. But the sensitive area is personal laws. As far as Kandyan law is concerned, I havent heard any voice saying that Kandyan laws must be preserved as they are. They also have discriminatory provisions. Regarding the Tesawalamai Law, I have spoken to Tamil leaders. They say that most of the provisions can survive a challenge on the basis of equality. Im not an expert on Tesawalamai Law. There may be one or two provisions which will have to be removed. But even from the Tamil people (and Im subject to correction) theres no one saying that if there are discriminatory provisions they should be retained. The problem is with the Muslim Personal Law. There is a vigorous debate within the Muslim community itself. If the Muslim community can come to an understanding before the elections, so much the better.



Why is it important to have judicially enforceable socio-economic rights, childrens rights and womens rights?

Well, otherwise they are only declaratory. People who are opposed to these rights say that people can decide at an election. But then what happens between elections? Are we letting MPs and the executive to decide on anything between two elections? Take the case of South Africa. The judges have been very very careful. Since there are no ESC rights both in India and Sri Lanka, we have been using the equality provision to decide on matters relating to health, education etc. Its now that the judges can go berserk. If you take the South African Constitution there are four limitations. One is that its only access. Then the State is only required to take reasonable measures. Its progressive realization of the right and should be within available resources.

Would ESC rights, childrens rights and womens rights be heard in a Supreme Court just as fundamental rights?

As far back as 1990 the World Conference on Human Rights recognized the indivisibility of rights. So theres no reason for ESC and other rights to be given a lesser status than civil and political rights.

Wouldnt it increase the backlog of cases?

Thats why the Sub Committee on Fundamental Rights has suggested that the Court of Appeal should sit in the provinces and original jurisdiction related to fundamental rights should be exercised by the Court of Appeal. You can appeal to the Supreme Court, but with leave so that not every case will end up in the Supreme Court.

How will the new constitution address power devolution?

At the end of this year it will be the 30th Anniversary of the 13th Amendment. Next year we will complete 30 years of provincial councils. So we have 30 years of experience as to how the provincial councils work. The Chief Ministers and the leaders of the Opposition came together before the Steering Committee and the various sub committees, and told us about their experience. The Governor can override any decision of the provincial public services commission. The secretaries are appointed by the Governor. Even the President of this country has no power to override the decisions of the National Public Services Commission. In many provinces-not all- the Governors have been using the power of appointment and disciplinary control of officials to wade into the territory of the Chief Minster. They want that removed, but theyre not saying that they should be obtaining that power. They are only asking to present it to the independent public services commission. We are proposing independent public services commissions at the Provincial level appointed on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council at the center.

We are now discussing the draft interim report clause by clause, and we have finished almost half of the report

I dont think we need to go like an express train. At the same time too much delay also defeats the purpose

What can be done without a referendum would be very little.

Are these people saying that we only promised to do a wee bit? Just tinker with JRs constitution?

Getting the peoples approval for constitutional change would give legitimacy.

We havent even agreed on an interim report, so how can you say that we dont need a new constitution?

We are proposing independent public services commissions at the Provincial level appointed on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council.

New provision to give the center the power to intervene in the provinces in the Provincial councils where there is a clear and present danger to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.



In the making of national policy on devolved subjects Chief Ministers and leaders of Opposition have asked to obtain their views and let there be a participatory process, and national policy not to be declared through cabinet decisions and circulars. If national policy is to be followed and made binding on provincial councils, such national policy should be legislated in the nature of framework legislation. This happens in many countries. Then any provincial statute will be read subject to that national policy. No state can be made which is inconsistent with that declared national policy. Not only declared, but adopted by Parliament because its finally Parliament that has legislative power.

We are all doing this within the proposed structure of the state, which will be an undivided, indivisible Sri Lanka. The sovereignty of the people wont be divided as in a federal or quasi-federal state. The ultimate authority would be in a central legislature. Theres a proposal to also have a second chamber which I think is a very good idea. So it will be the central legislature that will make or change the constitution and where applicable the people will express its position at a referendum.

Were also including a new provision in the Constitution to give the center the power to intervene in the provinces in the Provincial councils where theres a clear and present danger to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country. This is a power that isnt provided in the present constitution. When the Varadaraja Perumal incident took place, because the constitution doesnt provide for dissolution of the provincial councils in such circumstances, special legislation had to be brought. These special legislations can be taken away tomorrow by a simple majority.

How do you see the road ahead to introduce the new constitution?

I have very high hopes. We have the potential of a two thirds majority. I know some people will return to the Rajapakshes. From what Ive heard there are people in the Joint Opposition who want to join the government. There are some who will vote according to their conscience. Unlike in Brexit or Columbia we go to the people at a referendum after a two thirds majority. When you go armed with a two thirds majority I dont think there is any reason to fear.
The Frontline Socialist Party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Hela Urumaya, Joint Opposition and several trade unions today pledged their support to the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) to form a new alliance to abolish the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM).

In a press briefing where four political parties, trade union representatives and student unions participated, the GMOA announced the means of defeating Health Minister Rajitha Senaratnes alleged move to violate the Medical Ordinance and establish the SAITM by forming the new alliance, called SAITM Virodi Jana Pawra.

Representatives of the unions in the fields of health, electricity, petroleum, education, water, postal, ports, transport had participated in the event.

Meanwhile, GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Naveen De Soysa said they would hold a national convention to gather all the anti SAITM protesters on July 20.

He said the new alliance would carry its fight until the government abolishes the SAITM.

Dr. De Soysa warned the government that they would take stern action if the government moves further with its stance to continue the SAITM.

He said the Government has two choices left which is to safeguard the SAITM and watch it topple or abolishes the SAITM and remain in power.

It was learnt that the GMOA has formed the countrys biggest alliance with the biggest private and public trade unions and political parties. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
resident Maithripala Sirisena has reportedly made an interesting statement at last weeks Cabinet meeting on his governments anti-corruption drive. He is reported to have told his ministers that if the Attorney Generals Department and the Police Department were brought under his purview he would, within three months, bring to book all those involved in high profile corruption, which was alleged to have taken place during the previous regime.

In a country where the executive presidential system of governance is still in force and when the executive president laments that things are not progressing as he would have preferred and that he did not have the necessary tools to correct the situation; the ordinary people would have been perplexed as to who was governing the country.

On the other hand this is an indictment at its highest level against the ministers  the Justice Minister and the Law and Order Minister -- who handle the institutions that the President had referred to in his statement at the Cabinet meeting. However, the question remains as to whether, the President, as the leader of the country, had not monitored the progress of those ministries during the past two and a half years of his yahapalana government or has forgotten that he was still the executive president even though he and his comrades-in-arms had promised the people to abolish the executive presidency soon after coming to power?

Nevertheless, going by the statements made by the leaders of this government, including the President during and after the 2015 presidential and parliamentary elections with regard to penalizing those who robbed the public coffers and about the eradication of corruption during their tenure, the Presidents complaint is justifiable. As far back as October 2015 the government members had said that millions of dollars had been stashed by the leaders of the former government in banks in Dubai and that US and India were assisting the Sri Lankan Government to investigate the questionable transactions and reveal the details of the secret bank accounts. In May 2015 the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had issued a statement saying that the FCID had filed a B-report informing the Kaduwela Magistrates Court that they had begun investigating a complaint that US$48 million invested in the Steel Corporation and US$190 million invested in the Marriot Hotel in Dubai belonged to him.

The then foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera had said in May 2015 that the government was getting the backing of four foreign nations to trace US$18 billion allegedly siphoned off by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family during their decade in power. So, what happened to those investigations? Now the onus rests with the leaders of the government to prove what they said. If they do not or cannot do so the allegations would be tantamount to the former rulers being defamed and the action taken against them would be seen as a witch-hunt.

According to reports the President had also stated at the last weeks Cabinet meeting that if Mahinda Rajapaksa came back to power again, none of the UNPers were going to be touched. Does he mean that investigations against the former rulers have to be carried out as otherwise his life is in danger or as he had once described, he and his family would be sent six feet under? This cannot be the basis for any investigation. The only basis for any investigation should be the merit and substance of the cases.

The President and the other leaders of the government vowed during and after the 2015 elections to allow the law to take its course without being influenced or interfered by anyone during the tenure of the yahapalanaya government. But oddly enough he now says that the path taken by the law has been influenced by the UNP and that he too could influence it if the relevant institutions were brought under his purview.
From left: Takeshi Kimura  General Manager, Toshiba TEC Singapore, Malik Edwin  Head of Marketing/Assistant Vice President John Keells Group, Philip Wu  Regional Manager, Toshiba TEC Singapore and Aaron Wong  Country Manager, Toshiba TEC Singapore

John Keells Office Automation (Pvt) Ltd has yet again proven itself to be a true game changer by securing the Diamond Award for the fourth consecutive year at the Toshiba Annual Distributor Meeting 2017 held in Singapore.

JKOA was recognized for its exceptional performance within FY2016/17 during which the company sold a record number of digital multi-functional copiers to their reputable clientele across Sri Lanka.

JKOA saw a 25 percent increase YOY for overall copier sales in 2016 while Toshibas color copier range recorded a staggering 30 percent growth in sales. Given its efficiency and cost effectiveness, the companys Managed Print Solution business which debuted in 2014 saw a sharp increase in demand within the year in review.

Commenting on the achievement, Head of Marketing at JKOA and Assistant Vice President of the John Keells Group, Malik Edwin said: We are thankful to our loyal customers for their continued trust and our island wide dealer network for their unstinted support and I would be failing in my duty if I dont give the due credit to our progressive sales and service teams island wide for their dedication towards upholding the companys Diamond status in terms of sales. Our vision is to continue providing affordable, reliable and cutting-edge solutions to our customers which we believe will help them further increase efficiency and cut down on costs.

He further elaborated that JKOA intends to invest more on training their staff in the latest technology and aims to launch their new customer module within the current financial year to ensure that the customer receives a premium service aided by technology.

JKOAs record sales achievements were also well recognized with the companys staff and dealer network, where they were rewarded with fully paid trips to Vietnam and Dubai respectively.

JKOA has been the sole distributor for Toshiba digital multifunction copiers since 1992 and is also the authorized distributor for a plethora of reputed global office automation solutions.

JKOA is synonymous with innovation and has earned a reputation for itself as the most efficient service provider in the country since inception, offering unmatched warranty services, product support and assistance in relation to repairs and maintenance.
Tim Castree, Global CEO of MEC and GroupMs NewCo today announced that Namalie Herath, General Manager, MEC Sri Lanka will take on the role of CEO of the newly combined MEC and Maxus 'NewCo' agency in Sri Lanka when it launches in January 2018.

Namalie will lead a new team in the NewCo agency which will include the very best talent from both MEC and Maxus.

Namalie has led MEC Sri Lanka since 2013, playing an instrumental role in transforming the business into a modern, digitally-led agency. She also steered MEC through its exponential growth in 2015 / 2016, adding a significant number of new clients to the agencys portfolio.

The new role is effective January 2018.

Tim Castree, CEO of MEC and NewCo commented: Were merging Maxus and MEC to form a brand new billion dollar revenue media, content and technology agency, dubbed NewCo for now. With such ambition, comes a need for brilliant talent to lead and inspire, and so todays news is very exciting for us. Under Namalies leadership, I am confident that we have the right team in place to truly blend the best of MEC and Maxus and make NewCo Sri Lanka a formidable future-facing agency.

Namalie Herath

Namalie, a Graduate of the University of Colombo, started her career as a Media Planner at JWT in 1992. Moving to Bates Strategic Alliance as a founding team member, she created and led the media operation for the agency. Namalie Joined GroupM in 2013 as the General Manager of MEC.

Namalie has gained extensive experience from having worked on many brands throughout her career; both local and multinational, and across many industries.

Namalie actively supports the empowerment of women, children and youth in society through her involvement in multiple industry and professional organizations. She passionately believes in actively maintaining a work/life balance, and treasures time with her husband and three children.
As old as civilization itself the Sri Lankan Gem Industry currently ranks with those of Myanmar, Brazil, South Africa and Thailand as one of the worlds most prominent gem-bearing nations. Swathed in the myth, legend, religion and the occult of Sri Lanka, gemstones, precious and semi-precious, have enriched the islands economy, culture and reputation since about the year 543 BC.

Gemstone mining in Sri Lanka is mostly from secondary deposits. The gravels yield sapphires, rubies, cats eyes and other chrysoberyls, spinels, garnets, beryl, tourmalines, topazes, quartz and many other gemstones. In Sri Lanka, gem-bearing gravels known as illam are some of the richest in the world. Blessed with geological conditionsmade up of the ideal blend of chemistry, heat, pressure, time and weathering, the island is a veritable nature-made gem laboratory. Besides the well-known Pangaea, which existed about 300 million years ago, there were several other supercontinents in the Earths early history, their assembly and break up cycle helped form most of the worlds gem deposits. A number of these cycles are linked to the formation of gems in Sri Lanka. Most of the countrys gem deposits are in an area known as the Highland Complex, extending northeast to southwest and containing high-grade metamorphic rocks.

Sri Lanka boasts a true mine-to-market industry, both domestically and for export. A fascinating aspect of this is the harmonious and productive blend of tradition, experience and modernization. Mining is done primarily by use of traditional methods, and is small-scale by choice and design as such mines are considered to be less harmful to the environment and a more stable source of employment for more people. Pit, river and mechanized are the three types of mining practiced in Sri Lanka. Manual labor is the primary method used in mining. The National Gem and Jewelry Authority is the regulatory body responsible for the issuance of mining licenses and ensures that all related processes are conducted according to the set standards and rules. The NGJA is particularly strict when it comes to the requirements for mechanized mining. This strategy fortifies the continuous employment of 60,000 to 70,000 gem miners.

Gem cutting (lapidary) is another area in the trade where the traditional meets the modern in Sri Lanka. Centuries of experience in cutting and polishing continue alongside new technology and design models. The time-honored art of reading rough and orienting stones is integrated with the growing demand of the global market for exact calibration, well-balanced proportions and high quality polish. Thus the Sri Lankan lapidary industry consists of a fascinating blend of high-powered techniques, utilizing some of the worlds greatest expertise in the orientation of rough, and a growing precision cutting and re-cutting sector that maintains the strictest of tolerances.

The trading sector combines knowledge and experience acquired over centuries with modern global business models and the latest trends and fashions. Today Sri Lanka is the proud producer of a number of famed gems such as,

The Blue Giant of the Orient

The Queen Marie of Romania Sapphire - purchased in 1921 by King Ferdinand I of Romania for his consort, Queen Marie.

The Logan Blue Sapphire

The Blue Belle of Asia

The Empress Maria Alexandrovna Sapphire

The Bismarck Sapphire

The Star of India  one of the worlds largest star sapphires

The Star of Lanka

The Star of Bombay

The Rosser Reeves Star Ruby  the largest fine quality star ruby in the world

The Midnight Star Sapphire

The Eye of the Lion  this chrysoberyl cats eye is the largest cut example in the world

Hope Cats Eye  the biggest chrysoberyl cats eye in the world

The Star of Ceylon

The Star of Adam

The Maharani Cats Eye

And the sapphires and diamonds ofQueen Emma of the Netherlands' sapphire parure tiara, as well as the blue Ceylon sapphire in Diana, Princess of Wales engagement ring that is now worn by the Duchess of Cambridge.

Approaching fast, the FACETS International Gem & Jewelry Exhibition is the perfect place to experience the Sri Lankan Gem Industry in all its glory, with many of the countrys leading Gem experts as well as international dealers present under one roof.
In the wake an allegation levelled against Perpetual Treasuries chief Arjun Aloysius that he had interfered with a witness who was supposed to testify at PCoI, a Presidents Counsel today represented Mr. Aloysius to protect his interests at the inquiry.

At the previous sessions, the Pan Asia Bank Deputy General Manager testifying before the PCoI said Mr. Aloysius had requested his support at the proceedings prior to him giving evidence.

It was revealed that Nihal Fernando PC, who has been appearing for Perpetual Treasuries Ltd, was not protecting the personal interests of Mr. Aloysius at the PCoI.

Thus Presidents Counsel Kalinga Indatissa yesterday requested permission to appear for Mr. Aloysius according to the second limb of Section 16 of the Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Act. The request was allowed by the PCoI. (By Shehan Chamika Silva)
Foreign Minister of Qatar has briefed Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake on the latest developments in the Gulf crisis and the illegal measures taken against Qatar, the Gulf Times reported today.

Minister Karunanayake, who was in Doha along with a Sri Lankan delegation, met Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani yesterday.

Meanwhile, Minister Karunanayake also called on Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday.

Talks dealt with relations between Qatar and Sri Lanka and means of enhancing them in addition to the latest developments in the region, the Gulf Times said.
Realising the potential destruction by nuclear weaponry, the world has finally fathomed the need to ban nuclear affairs. As such, July 7, 2017 marked a historical day for humanity, as 122 nations including Sri Lanka ratified the first-ever Nuclear Ban Treaty (NBT).



Following both World Wars, several global initiatives came into effect in a bid to ban the testing and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. These include conventions such as the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water (1963), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (1996), the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968) and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005).

Nevertheless, none of the above legislature supported the total ban of nuclear weaponry nor worked towards eliminating such material from earth. States and non-state parties to nuclear-related conventions have hitherto been amassing and testing modern, advanced nuclear weapons which are a thousand times more powerful and destructive than the ones used by the US to attack Japan in 1945.

The US dropped its mighty nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent beings, severely damaging natural resources and destroying vehicles and buildings to smithereens. Even after 70 years, many generations suffer the aftermath of the grisly attack. If a nuclear war were to take place in the present day, one would be unable to assess the level of damage it would bring.

"Even though Sri Lanka is not a nuclear power, the country has been in the forefront of nuclear and disarmament initiatives. Sri Lanka has been a signatory for the aforementioned conventions, and has assumed leadership from the very inception"



However, the growing influence of the civil society on international peace and humanitarian space was witnessed during the past few decades. Its successful efforts to suppress in-discriminatory constituents and to regulate conventional weaponry have given leadership to ban Anti-Personnel Landmines through the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention - APMBC (1997), Cluster Bombs through the Convention on Cluster Munitions  CCM (2008) and regulating of conventional weapons through the Arms Trade Treaty  ATT (2013).

In addition to this, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities UNCRPD (2007), an effort to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, came into being

Inspired by APMBCs efforts to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities UNCRPD (2007) was formed. The civil society played a pivotal role in UNCRPD negotiations.

The APMBC, CCM, ATT and CRPD are by far the most effective conventions at the UN. Lately, the civil society led the campaign to ban nuclear weapons and engaged in negotiations with governments and UN agencies, thus giving birth to the Nuclear Ban Treaty.

Even though Sri Lanka is not a nuclear power, the country has been in the forefront of nuclear and disarmament initiatives. Sri Lanka has been a signatory for the aforementioned conventions, and has assumed leadership from the very inception. At one time, Sri Lanka was called the Champion of Disarmament.

Sri Lanka always followed a non-aligned foreign policy to achieve this success. This has never hindered its bilateral and multilateral ties with its neighbours such as India and Pakistan, or even nuclear powers like the USA, Russia and China.

From 2005 onwards, Sri Lanka had not acceded to any disarmament convention, claiming that the country was engaged with protracted armed conflict with the LTTE until 2009. During warfare, several countries have acceded to the above conventions to gain benefits, and these include supporting peace initiatives. Even after the war, Sri Lanka did not accede to any disarmament convention, but the previous government had agreed to accede to conventions like the APMBC and CCM. However, they were not able to accede to any such condition.

With the change of government in January 2015, there is renewed hope for Sri Lanka that the country will accede to the above conventions. Representatives of the Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines (SLCBL) met President Maithripala Sirisena in December 2015 and explained to him the significance of Sri Lankas accession to the APMBC and CCM and the ratification of the CRPD. They also presented him with related publications. Later in February 2016, the country ratified the CRPD and in March the same year, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to support Sri Lankas accession to the APMBC. Both actions were well-received by the local and international community, but Sri Lanka has yet to accede to the APMBC.

Sri Lanka recently voted for the NBT, breaking more than a decade of closed-door policies in a world of disarmament. If Sri Lanka accedes to the APMBC and CCM with other conventions in September this year, President Sirisena will be the first Head of State to deposit more than three conventions -- NBT, APMBC and CCM -- at the UN Secretary Generals office during the UNGA meeting in New York. Apart from the various other benefits, this will make a pathway for Sri Lanka to become a soft power in the region as well as to bring back the old glory of being a Champion of Disarmament. This golden opportunity will not occur in the foreseeable future for any other leader or country and Sri Lanka should not miss this opportunity.
The Japanese government through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide a Rs.60 billion concessional loan to Sri Lanka for rural infrastructure development and water supply projects.

The Sri Lankan government has decided to implement the rural infrastructure development project in emerging regions and Kalu Ganga water supply

expansion project.

Accordingly, the Japanese government has agreed to provide a concessional loan of Japanese Yen 12,957 million (Rs.17.4 million) to develop livelihoods through improvement of basic infrastructure, such as rural roads, medium and small size irrigation and rural water supply facilities in Northern, Eastern, North Central and Uva Provinces.Further, the Japanese government has agreed to provide a concessional loan of Japanese Yen 31,810 million (Rs.43 million) to implement first phase of Kalu Ganga water supply expansion project to provide safe water and increase water supply efficiency in the southern area of the Western Province.



Western Province comprised of Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts is the centre of Sri Lankas economic and social activities with relatively developed infrastructure facilities.

However, the coverage of pipe borne water supply in Kalutara District is approximately 37.1 percent and recorded as the lowest in Western Province.

Moreover, due to recent rapid urbanization, it is estimated that the service population of the current Kalu Ganga water supply system will be increased by 45.8 percent from 2015 to 2025.

In order to respond to an increasing demand, augmentation of the Kalu Ganga water supply system and non-revenue water reduction remains imperative.

The exchange of notes of the above projects was signed between the two governments during Sri Lankan Prime Ministers visit to Japan in April this year.
Deputy Minister Elizabeth Thabethe receives a luxury Ayurveda gift pack from SPA Ceylon Nishantha De Alwis. South Africa Tourism CEO Sisa Ntshona, High Commissioner Sunil De Silva and Commercial Secretary at Sri Lanka High Commission Kapila J. Kumara are also in the picture

Saitex is considered as Africas largest international products sourcing exhibition that is held annually.

Sri Lanka Tea Board, Fresh Tea Pvt Ltd and Spa Ceylon Luxury Ayurveda from Sri Lanka participated at this years exhibition.

With a view to popularize Ceylon Tea brand in the continent, the Tea Board had tea tasting opportunities for the participants and handed over tea samples. The attending VIPs were also provided the opportunity to sample varieties of Ceylon Tea, and were gifted with tea samples.

The highlight of Sri Lanka pavilion was the lighting of the traditional oil lamp by the chief guest of Saitex, South African Tourism CEO, South Africa Tourism Deputy Minister Elizabeth Thabethe, at the invitation of High Commissioner Sunil De Silva. South Africa Tourism CEO Sisa Ntshona and Saitex Director Brad Hook, were also invited to light the

oil lamp.

The Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) provides an opportunity for businesses to network with other suppliers in South Africa and in the region.

A large number of exhibitors both from Southern African region and from other countries were present in this years event. The Sri Lankan exhibitors were highly satisfied with the firm inquiries received for its products from South African importers and distributors who visited Saitex 2017. The three-day event successfully concluded on June 27th.
World leaders made concessions on trade and climate language to Donald Trump Saturday at the end of the most fractious and riot-hit G20 summit ever, in exchange for preserving a fragile unity of the club of major industrialised and emerging economies.



In a departure from final summit declarations that tend to outline consensus on issues that range from fighting terrorism to financial governance, the extraordinary conclusion this year spelt out differences on core issues.



It acknowledged Trumps decision to take the United States out of the 2015 Paris deal and clearly stated Washingtons wish to continue using and selling fossil fuels that are a main driver of global warming.



And in one of the weekends more bizarre scenes, Trump raised eyebrows by leaving a discussion and letting his daughter Ivanka take his place.



But the gesture opened the door for others, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning that Ankara was now leaning towards not ratifying the landmark Paris climate accord.

Where there is no consensus, the communique spelt out the discord, said host Chancellor Angela Merkel.



The declaration also stated for the first time the right of countries to protect their markets with legitimate trade defence instruments -- wording that essentially gives Trump wiggle room to push on with his America First policy.



The nationalistic stance has set him on collision course with many of Americas allies, who warned Trump against an isolationist path and starting a trade war.

HAMBURG AFP

July9, 2017
The Moneragala police had arrested a schoolboy who broke into a trading shop on six occasions and robbed it of cash.

Area residents had spotted the activities of the student on CCTV cameras fitted next to the trading shop and had apprehended him. They had proceeded to tie him to a lamppost to frighten him before handing him over to the police. They said the student, 15, would be produced in court soon.

IP Deshapriya was conducting further investigations into the case which came under Moneragala SSP Sujith Wedamulla,(Prasanna Pathmasiri -Lunugala)
Cigarette company Phillip Morris may soon have to cough up $50 million in legal fees after losing its bid in getting the Australian government to get rid off plain packaging laws.



The Permanent Court of Arbitrations new ruling delivered over the weekend, had brought the six-year legal battle to an end with the huge payout favouring the government.



In 2011, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard had introduced the worlds first plain packaging laws.Her efforts received a huge backlash with many tobacco companies taking the matter all the way to the Australian high court.



However, the bid failed and a verdict favouring the government was handed down in 2015.



Fast forward two years on, the court now wants Phillip Morris to cover the legal costs of the case, which includes an undisclosed amount in arbitration fees as well.The Sydney Morning Herald said while the legal cost was a closely guarded secret, it estimates the amount to be around $50 million.

In its defence, the Australian government said that its claim was justifiable to cover cost of its lawyers, outside counsel, expert reports, witnesses, and travel and accommodation.

(Daily Mail), 9 July 2017
The tourist arrivals to the Maldives edged up 0.3 percent year-on-year (YoY) to 93,491 visitors in May with weak arrivals from China and Europe but somewhat being compensated by the increased arrivals from South and Southeast Asia.



The largest market of Asia and the Pacific grew 3.3 percent YoY attracting 49,664 tourists to the Maldives.



In Northeast Asia, the Chinese market contracted 7.1 percent YoY generating 23,225 tourists to the Maldives, while the Japanese market fell 5 percent YoY contributing 2,081 tourists to the archipelago. The Korean market grew 5.3 percent YoY to 3,154 arrivals.



From the Southeast Asia region, the markets in Malaysia and Thailand grew 22.7 percent and 27.1 percent YoY, respectively. The Malaysian arrival records reached 2,097, while 2,529 Thai nationals arrived in the Maldives.



From South Asia, Indian arrivals to the archipelago grew 21.7 percent YoY to 8,092 tourists.

The European regional market for the Maldives contracted 1.5 percent YoY to 35,739 tourists. German arrivals fell 13.8 percent YoY to 8,742 tourists while arrivals from the UK fell 1.4 percent YoY to 7,151 tourists.



The Russian arrival figures increased 15.8 percent YoY to 3,564 visitors, while Italian arrivals increased 14 percent YoY to 3,131 tourists. French arrivals fell 5.5 percent YoY to 2,161 tourists.

Arrivals from the America increased 22.6 percent YoY to 4,214 tourists, with more than a half of them coming from the US.



The Middle East market, which contributed little to outbound tourism in general during May due to the Ramadan period, contracted 40.9 percent for the Maldives, contributing 2,725 visitors.



Arrivals to the Maldives from January through May 2017 reached 572,318 tourists, growing at a pace of 5.8 percent YoY.



Europe was the largest market for the Maldives for the first five months of 2017, with 290,968 tourists, and growing at 10.4 percent YoY, while Asia and the Pacific was the second largest market, growing 0.2 percent YoY and bringing in 232,824 tourists, half of whom were from the Chinese market, which fell 9.1 percent YoY.



The duration of stay for tourists visiting the Maldives increased marginally to 6.4 days during the first five months of 2017, compared to 6.3 days YoY. The occupancy rate at hotels were 65.3 percent during the five months, falling from 67.8 percent YoY.



Sri Lankas Aitken Spence, John Keells and several other operate resorts in Maldives. (CW)
The friendly neighbourhood Tuk-Tuk found itself in a spot of trouble last week, when the United States Embassy issued a travel advisory to US Citizens travelling in Sri Lanka warning them against errant trishaw drivers. It advised US citizens maintain situational awareness of increasing incidents involving trishaw drivers, especially in Colombo, inappropriately touching female passengers. In a security message posted in their website, the embassy published a guideline for female US citizens to adhere to when visiting Colombo, such as avoid travelling in trishaws alone in Colombo- If you have to travel alone (especially at night) use a company that tracks your ride rather than trishaws and make sure family members or friends know your travel plans, the statement said. Many of the reported incidents occurred at the end of a ride, the embassy stated, encouraging travellers to use registered companies providing trishaw taxi services. Travellers opting to use tuk-tuks were requested to note the registration plate before boarding and also to snap a photo of the driver. In an island where public transportation is a burdensome affair, tuk-tuks are the preferred choice of travel for many who opt to travel safe and free. Stepping out into rush hour traffic, one could see dozens of women hailing trishaws to get home in the evening hours, regardless of advisories issued. The travel advisory issued by the US embassy ruffled a few feathers, with many questioning the safety of women travelling alone in trishaws. The Daily Mirror spoke to several representatives concerned with the issue, to elaborate on the matter.

Conspiracy to disrupt local trishaw services

All Island Three Wheel Owners Association, Sudhil Jayaruk

Speaking on the advisory issued by the US embassy Chairman of the All Island Three Wheel Owners Association, Sudhil Jayaruk said that the Association cannot accept such statements. We have been in service of hundreds of passengers for decades. There have rarely been any reports of women being harassed by trishaw drivers in the country and local officials have never made any statements as such. Therefore we question the grounds on which this statement was made, Jayaruck said.

Foreign women who visit our country are respectable women. But there are also women who misbehave and expect the driver to encourage their behaviour. A foreign woman being harassed in a trishaw is unheard of. But the tourism industry on the other hand is plagued with misdeeds and we have heard of countless reports where foreigners have been harassed or even murdered. Why are trishaw drivers being targeted? he questioned.

In my experience as a three wheel driver, I have met foreign women who expect the driver to engage and encourage in various illicit activities. If the driver is coerced by the passenger, it cannot be the fault of the driver. Jayaruck added however that it was the responsibility of the driver to act in a responsible manner faced with such a situation where the passenger makes unethical demands.

Sudhil Jayaruck states that the US Embassy has made this statement on baseless allegations. If there were such reports, there is a tourist police in every major city, where the officers have acted in unbiased and fair way. The police have assisted countless foreigners who were in need and resolved their issues promptly.

Therefore we need evidence and an account of the incidents where they claim that women have been harassed by three wheeler drivers, or else they should rectify or withdraw their statement he said.

Jayaruck is of the belief that an external force is at play in a masterful plan to disrupt the local trishaw services.

"A foreign woman being harassed in a trishaw is unheard of. When such statements are made, the message is spread around the world, and it is a disgrace"



When such statements are made, the message is spread around the world, and it is a disgrace. Other countries pay attention and take similar precautions. We admit that there are drug peddlers, pimps and criminals who also drive three wheelers to aid their activities. However I view this statement as an attempt to disrupt trishaw services in the island. This is an incident where the embassy has made the allegations or complaints public. There are powerful countries which have deployed their taxi services in Sri Lanka. This is an act of the taxi mafia. It is not unheard of and there have been similar reports from other countries where these international taxi operators were engaged in similar conspiracies.

In his comments Jayaruck also stressed on the need for government intervention.

This is precisely why we have demanded for regulations to be implemented. We have sought the intervention of the Minister of Transport to discuss this issue with the US embassy. They should realise that there are close to 800,000 trishaw drivers in the island and any attempt to disrupt their income would result in grave consequences,

Jayaruck warned, adding that the association would resort to trade union action if a favourable solution is not agreed upon.

Regulatory mechanism being formulated

National Council for Road Safety (NCRS)

Chairman Dr.Sisira Kodagoda

The Daily Mirror also approached the National Council for Road Safety (NCRS) Chairman Dr. Sisira Kodagoda, to query his stance on the issue.

As soon as the issue was brought to my attention, I sought an audience with several representatives of the trishaw drivers unions. We discussed their concerns. I have to admit that there are shortcomings in local trishaw drivers. Several incidents have been reported especially during evenings that were brought to our attention. All passengers will not agree with demands of a trishaw driver and disputes can take place. However, we have requested for more information from the US embassy, providing a detailed account of such instances, Dr. Kodagoda said.

The US embassy has a responsibility to inform the Foreign Affairs Ministry, or the Transport Ministry if such issues were brought to their notice. As far as I know, they have not reported to either of the ministries and have directly issued this message to the media. In this instance, the US embassy has taken responsibility to warn their own citizens, Dr. Kodagoda elaborated.

The NCRS Chairman insisted that there is a pertinent need to address these issues.  We have requested information from the embassy reasoning the statement to rectify these problems. There are drivers who engage in the taxi service as a part time activity. A system is being formulated to address this issue to identify part time drivers. I will submit a letter to the embassy secretary, requesting more information and reasoning to rectify the issue. We have to assure the safety of all passengers of the country, regardless of their gender or nationality, he said.

"The US embassy has a responsibility to inform the Foreign Affairs Ministry, or the Transport Ministry if such issues were brought to their notice. As far as I know, they have not reported to either of the ministries and have directly issued this message to the media. In this instance, the US embassy has taken responsibility to warn their own citizens"

It is evident from comments we gathered that issue does not lie in the quality of trishaw drivers, but the absence of a mechanism to monitor and regulate trishaw drivers. In the 2017 budget speech delivered by the then Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, it was noted there was approximately 1.3 million three wheelers operating on our roads. The vacuum in the regulatory mechanism has resulted in the industry growing haphazardly he added. Despite his proposal to introduce a regulatory mechanism and the issuing of a gazette with new rules to come into effect by April, we see no positive change on the streets. It is unfortunate that authorities are reminded of the requisite regulation of this trusted and reliable mode of transport, only when a blanket warning is issued by a foreign embassy.

A problem of the authorities own making

All Island Three wheeler Drivers Union, Lalith Dharmasekara

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, the All Island Three wheeler Drivers Union President Lalith Dharmasekara said that he will not give any validity to the US statement.

We have dealt with such issues since 1999. Our association has brought countless proposals not only to the Western Provincial Council but the consecutive governments and ministers of transport, to regulate the trishaw drivers profession.

There have been various recommendations, gazette notifications and committees and advisory panels established since then, promising to champion the rights of the trishaw driver. Decades have lapsed and we still have no framework to regulate the industry, Dharmasekara lamented.

In 2009, when Nandana Gunathilake was the Tourism Minister, the tourist friendly tuk-tuk concept was launched. Trishaws drivers were identified and trained. They had to complete a course where they were taught English. They were given hospitality service training and their trishaws were branded as a tourist friendly tuk-tuk.

We were identified as a vital part of the hospitality industry and were a part of such programmes. But all our efforts, time and motivation have been wasted and it was yet another abandoned project Dharmasekara said.

"In 2009, when Nandana Gunathilake was the Tourism Minister, the tourist friendly tuk-tuk concept was launched. Trishaws drivers were identified and trained. They had to complete a course where they were taught English. They were given hospitality service training and their trishaws were branded as a tourist friendly tuk-tuk"



The President of the union charged that the present government was no different as they have not implemented any of their promised changes. All top officials have been boasting that they would bring about change, the very next day. Gazettes were printed at the beginning of this year stating that regulations would come into effect by April. Six months have lapsed and nothing has happened,

Whatever regulation there is, it has been created by us. We introduced metrers as a self-regulatory measure. The Consumer Affairs Authority admits that they have no power to address the grievances of the commuter. This is why I cant accept charges of harassment. Such negative publicity is not healthy and this would result in detrimental consequences. We have made our stance clear and demanded for regulatory authorities to every tourism minister during the last two decades. Trishaws were a promotional tool the government intended to use in the tourism industry. Today, trishaws have become the very reason causing negative attention to the islands tourism industry. It is high time that the government realised the importance of regulations and take our demands seriously. The advisory issued by the US embassy is a result of complete ignorance by authorities and we cannot be held responsible for this, Dharmasekara opined.

The Daily Mirror also found several messages posted on the popular travel website tripadvisor on the forum of safety and travel in tuk-tuks. Among the many positive experiences of travellers using tuk-tuks for their journeys, the concerns raised were mostly about foreign travellers being fleeced by drivers. The website also had a post about travelling in Sri Lanka in trishaws with a special guide for women. Other popular travel websites such as Lonely Planet also had forums for discussion on the same topic, where travellers felt that scams were a more severe problem than their safety. Several attempts to contact officials at the Ministry of Tourism, to query their stance on the issue, failed.
Joint Unemployed Graduates' Unions (JUGU) today staged a protest march in front of the Fort Railway Station to Presidential Secretariat demanding solutions for their unemployment. However, the protest march was stopped at the entrance to the Lotus Road. The road between the Ceramic Junction and NSA Roundabout towards Lotus Road up to Galle Face Green was temporarily closed due to the protest march.

Pix by Kushan Pathiraja
A Sub Inspector and a Police Constable, attached to the Point Pedro Police Station, who were arrested in connection with the shooting which an individual was killed when an illegal sand transporting vehicle was shot at by the Police, were remanded till July 24 by the Pont Pedro Magistrate Court today.

The lorry carrying sand was shot at by the Police yesterday at in the Manalkadu area in Point Pedro after it drove through a police checkpoint disregarding police orders to stop.

A 25-year-old Yogarasa Dinesh, resident of Nelliadi was killed in the shooting.

Police said SI Shiwarasa Sanjeewa and PC Mohammad Mubarak were suspended following the incident.

Police said a tense situation had arisen following the incident but police managed to bring the situation under control.

Several people are reported to have damaged the goods in the sub inspectors house. Police said two people were arrested in connection with the attacks.

IGP Pujith Jayasundara has dispatched a Special Investigation Unit (SIU) led by an ASP to Jaffna to investigate the incident.(DS)
When one fine day a Union minister rises to say: It is our misfortune that we give too much importance to English medium, and that we should learn, the rashtra bhasha Hindi as most people in the country speak this language, he says that with complete ignorance of the politics of the Hindi belt that he blindly used to win that chair, and also of how this identity of the Hindi-speaking majority was created and is nurtured.

The only reason we speak Hindi in the North is because it was developmentally coerced down our throats. We never loved it or thumped our chests while speaking it. We cribbed about it, the same way some of the people now crib about English, that how it is being forced on you, or how speaking it is erroneously considered a sign of refinement or education, and how it must be stopped.

That is exactly what was done and is still being done in all the villages and towns of the so-called Hindi belt.

I have grown up in Mathura, and have lived in Gajipur, Bareilly, Chandigarh, Ganganagar and nowhere have I spoken what you might call Hindi; until I and others like me were reprimanded and caned regularly in our schools for speaking our mother tongue, our matra-bhasha.

It continued until we started speaking Hindi with such fluency and clarity that anyone meeting us for the first time could immediately recognise that we belong to the Hindi belt. But in reality we never actually did.

My mother tongue is Braj bhasha, the same tongue Meera sang in and the disciples of Kabir and Rahim wrote down their couplets in. It's the same language Krishna grew up speaking or Khusro fell in love with.

It has got its own culture, its own music, art and literature. I grew up in the Braj region, and I spoke Braj and so did my family and my relatives and my friends and everyone I knew around. I didn't speak Hindi.

When I came to school, that was a big problem. Speaking any regional language, be it Braj, Khadi Boli, Nepali or Bhojpuri, is considered a sign of illiteracy and lack of refinement in modern India.

In the small-town schools, we went to study in, we were the uncultured lot who came from uneducated homes; we were desperately waiting to be groomed. The first part of grooming was to erase the touch of our own languages from our baby tongues.

In a similar way, even today many a language is dying in our small towns under the influence of Hindi. Every day the number of people who speak the diaspora of languages which are the inherent tongues of North India are shrinking, because unlike as for Tamil and Odiya, nobody fought for them.

The shaming one experiences in this country for speaking ones vernacular is not only established (and propagated) by schools and the society, but is also viciously thrown in by peer groups.

Hindi is just a good political language. Photo: Reuters

When I, a young boy in my first and second standard, would utter words like bussat (for shirt), choon (for flour), piyau (for water stations)  which were quintessentially vernacular, my friends would look down at me as if I came from an obscure tribe that they couldnt recognise.

That shaming is then imbibed by the kids leading to a lifelong aversion of talking in the vernacular, as if as it will break away the sheen of their class. Hindi in the rural and small towns was the modern Sanskrit, the sign of intelligentsia and elitism. The same space as we moved to larger towns and cities was replaced by English.

Hindi zealots fight that Hindi is a combination of all these regional languages. That it's the mother of all these dialects, that Braj-bhasha is just another form of Hindi, and that's how it binds us all. Sorry but, no!

My language is Braj, and if I start speaking Braj the way it's spoken back home you will not understand a single iota of the whole conversation. Similarly, if a girl from Haryana starts speaking in any of the multiple dialects of her state, the only thing you'll say in reply is "kya (why)?" Then tell me, what is this Hindi Belt or the Hindi Heartland that we repeatedly refer to?

Even if all these vernaculars use the same grammatical rules, it doesnt turn the area into one homogenous language group. You might call it an ethnic group, but that would only go on to show how hollow this Hindi fanaticism is. And if you dare call all these languages Hindi, then what actually is Hindi?

Also, why in censuses I, a Braj-Bhasha speaker, am considered a native speaker of Hindi even though it is a second language to me? While people speaking Tamil or Malayalam are not counted as the native speakers of that language.

Hindi is not our national language or even a state language. It's just a good political language and that's how it has always been used, initially to bind people in a movement, later to morph a large chunk of a votebank. The same way a religious identity of Hinduism is being created around a religion which is actually a loose segregation of sects, and for some a chamber of horrors.

Even the fact that 41 per cent of the population speaks Hindi as per the 2001 Census is a mass illusion created by clubbing all the numerous dialects, all of which are very much distinct from each other.
Native Americans believed butterflies to be of the spirit world. If someone whispered a message to a butterfly, it could carry the message to a loved one on the other side.

If those releasing butterflies took that suggestion from Hospice of Central PA Chaplain Alan Echard to heart, then there are many messages on their way.

The live butterfly release was held Sunday afternoon at the amphitheater at Thornwald Park in Carlisle. The ceremony included inspirational readings and a message from Echard.

Today is about remembering those we said goodbye to, said Gil Brown, president and CEO of Hospice of Central PA.

Funds raised from the butterfly release are used for the four largest needs at the hospice. The first of these is charity care.

Weve never turned a patient away because they dont have insurance or the ability to pay for end of life care, Brown said.

Hospice also uses the funds for special care for those who need it. Palliative massage, for example, assists those with physical discomfort, while music therapy can help those with physical, emotional and spiritual pain.

Not every family communicates around words. Sometimes its around shared memories of music, Brown said.

The funds will also be used for bereavement care, which includes childrens bereavement camp that is available to those who have not previously been associated with hospice, as well as community awareness activities.

Brown said new programs will be developed in the coming year to facilitate conversations that will help people think about medical care at the end of their life.

During the ceremony, Echard talked about the parallel between the life of the butterfly and what the loved ones of those in attendance may have gone through after being diagnosed with an illness. Its also symbolic of the journey through grief experienced by those who have lost loved ones.

They (the butterflies) serve as a symbol of the transition that our loved ones went through on their hospice journey, Echard said.

Those in attendance were given a Painted Lady butterfly temporarily housed in an envelope. The butterflies came from Massachusetts, some 370 miles away from Carlisle.

Participants were then invited to stand and release their butterflies from the envelopes as soft music played in the background.

Merritt Reitzel attended the ceremony with her family as they remembered her father and her grandmother.

Its something to communicate and send our love, she said.

Children also released butterflies from a large, decorated butterfly house. These butterflies were released on behalf of families who could not attend the days ceremony.

Joyce Wilder, a volunteer with the hospice, assisted the children with releasing the butterflies.

Its such a blessing to be able to help families, she said. Hospice gave to my family so I like to give back.

Wilder said people often sign up for hospice in a loved ones last days, but suggested that those interested should sign up sooner since hospice can serve up to six months and sometimes longer with programs that assist both the patient and the families.

Theres so much more hospice can do, she said.
On April 1, 2015 U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and codefendant Salomon Melgen were indicted on 22 felony counts of fraud, bribery and related offenses.

Now, finally, after over two years of Menendez serving as a member in good standing of the Senate Democratic Caucus while under indictment, the trial is set to begin.A last-ditch attempt for yet another delay was rejected by Judge William Walls and the trial date is Sept. 6, 2017.

Menendez delayed the trial by more than two years by arguing that his efforts to intercede on behalf of Melgen with respect to visas for his girlfriends, a Medicare billing fraud investigation, and a Dominican port security contract were all official Senate actions that were protected by the Constitutions speech and debate clause.That argument failed at the district court and on appeal to the Third Circuit; Menendez appealed to the Supreme Court but they declined to take it up.

In the meantime, Melgen has been convicted of 67 counts of Medicare fraud for a scheme that looted $105 million from taxpayers and faces 15 to 20 years in prison if his sentence is not reduced.Melgen allegedly bribed Menendez to scuttle an investigation into precisely this fraud scheme, one of the central allegations in the upcoming trial.

The media, which has largely ignored the whole sordid affair since the initial burst of coverage around the indictment, will soon be forced to confront the daily spectacle of a sitting U.S. senator standing trial.Democratic corruption will come under a microscope.

Menendez is innocent until proven guilty, but there is a strong likelihood that his upcoming trial will indeed prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Then what?

If Menendez is convicted but refuses to resign, the Senate Ethics Committee should act as quickly as possible to recommend expulsion, and if necessary the full Senate should vote on expulsion.

That course of action would be appropriate according to the standard set by the Democratic Senate Caucus itself as recently as 2008, when it issued a press release with the headline: A Convicted Felon Is Not Going to Be Able to Serve in the United States Senate.

And as precedent shows us, Democratic Leader Harry Reid said, a convicted felon senator will face an ethics committee investigation and expulsion, regardless of his appeals process.

This is not a partisan issue, Reid added.

He was talking about Ted Stevens, a Republican, and to the credit of Republicans they strongly agreed he should resign or be expelled.

But will Democrats change their tune if the felon senator is one of theirs?Its hard to doubt that they will.

If the trial takes about a month, which is typical in such cases, a verdict could come by late September or early October.The Senate will be deep into appropriations, debt ceiling, tax reform, and possibly still health care.The gubernatorial election in New Jersey will be about a month awaywith inauguration to follow in January.The temptation to stall will be irresistible to many ethically flexible Democrats.

Senate expulsion requires a two thirds vote.The last two times the Ethics Committee recommended expulsion were of Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (D-NJ) in 1982 and Robert W. Packwood (R-OR) in 1995and both resigned before an expulsion vote was taken by the full Senate.

If Democrats rally behind a convicted felon to allow him to continue to serve in their Senate caucus, they should be forced to do so in a floor vote.A failed expulsion vote would expose Senate Democrats as complicit in corruption, bribery, and the defrauding of taxpayers when it serves their political interests.

Phil Kerpen is the president of American Commitment and the author of Democracy Denied. Kerpen can be reached at phil@americancommitment.org.
Government launches 4 digital initiatives to push e-education

Published: July 10, 2017

President Pranab Mukherjee on the occasion of Guru Purnima launched four major digital initiatives in to push e-education. They are Swayam, Swayam Prabha, National Academic Depository and National Digital Library. All these digital initiatives are operational under Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development.

Key Facts

Swayam: It an indigenously designed massive open online course (MOOC), It will host all the courses, taught in classrooms from 9th class till post-graduation and can be accessed by anyone, anywhere at any time. It aims to bridge the digital divide for students in e-education.

Swayam Prabha: It will provide high quality educational contents, developed by experts, through 32 DTH (direct to home) Television Channels with an aim to bring uniformity in standards of education. It will cover diverse disciplines of all levels of education in various languages. It will be available to all and will be having new content of 4 hours to be telecasted 6 times a day.

National Academic Depository: It is a digital depository of academic awards for authenticating all certificates issued by institutions. NAD will directly integrate with Boards/Universities which issue Certificates which will be verified, authenticated, accessed and retrieved in a digital depository for purpose of employment, higher education, and loans.

National Digital Library: It is a large online library containing 6.5 million books. It provides free access to many books in English and the Indian languages.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2017

Topics: Digital India  Education  Government Schemes  National  National Academic Depository  National Digital Library  SWAYAM  Swayam Prabha

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India, US and Japan navies kick off 2017 Malabar Exercise

Published: July 10, 2017

India, Japan and United States (US) navies have kicked off 2017 MALABAR trilateral naval Exercise near Chennai in Bay of Bengal. This year it is the 21st edition of the naval exercise.

In this edition of the exercise, total of around 15 warships, two submarines and scores of fighter jets, surveillance aircraft and helicopters from three navies will take part.

Key Facts

The 8 day long Malabar 2017 exercise consists of both ashore and at-sea activities. This year operations of the exercise include anti-submarine warfare, familiarization with inter-operability between maritime forces, search and rescue and seizure missions and many other drills.

One of the main goals of this edition of the exercise is submarine-hunting. The goal carries subtext given the ever-increasing and regular operation of Chinese Navy submarines in the Indian Ocean.

This year, two aircraft carriers from India and US and a Japanese helicopter destroyer form part of the warships that will join the naval drills.

Participants from US Navy include the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz with embarked Carrier Air Wing 11; guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton; guided-missile destroyers USS Howard, USS Shoup and USS Kidd; a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft; and a Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine.

From Indian Navy, aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is participating for the first time. Two Kamorta class anti-submarine warfare corvettes, two Shivalik class frigates and tanker INS Jyoti are also participating. The Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSD) ships JS Izumo and JS Sazanami are participating in the exercise.

Background

Malabar Exercise began as an Indo-US bilateral naval drill in 1992. Since then it is held annually. Japan had formally joined the exercise as a permanent participant in 2015. The primary aim of this multilateral exercise is to increase interoperability amongst the three navies and develop common understanding of procedures for Maritime Security Operations and deepen defence relations. In 2007, the exercise also saw participation of Australia and Singapore. All the participating nations in the exercise have clarified earlier that the Malabar series is not aimed at any specific country.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2017

Category: Defence Current Affairs

Topics: Defence  India  Japan  malabar exercise  Naval Exercises  US

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Mumbai: India Television industrys veteran actress Kamya Punjabi is one person who is not afraid to express her thoughts in public. Known for not mincing her words, Kamya took to Instagram to show her solidarity with the women-centric, rebellious film Lipstick Under My Burkha in the most explosive way imaginable.

I'm happy that Lipstick Under My Burkha will release soon: Prakash Jha

In an attempt to break free from the clutches of this society that is allegedly unforgiving towards women, Kamya posted a picture of her bareback, holding the a lipstick. She wrote: They Said that dont be that woman The that other woman..the divorced woman .. the single mother woman .. But I am that woman ..Every time I put in my lipstick on, I smile. because I am being true to myself . Whether the world agrees or not I have made my own dont.. Dont you.

The actress, however, removed the photo later.

Recently, she was in the news for releasing an unfinished short film Hum Kuch Keh Naa Sakey with the late actress Pratyusha Banerjee, who was close friends with Kamya. The film sums up Pratyushas allegedly troubled relationship with boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh.

Talking about the short film, which she directed and also acted in (as a narrator), Kamya had earlier told a website, It's been produced by a common friend of mine and Pratyusha, Neeru Nikhat. She called me a few days ago and said that let's do something about this movie, let's release it online. And I was like Yes, we should." "Whatever we earn from this movie, I will be handing it all over to Pratyusha's parents. So I thought of releasing the movie in a better way since the purpose of the movie is so good. What's there in the movie I would want everyone to see and then tell me about it. We couldn't shoot the entire movie with Pratyusha. The climax part was left and before we could shoot for that, Pratyusha herself got her real life's climax done. We had shot for it almost every night. People need to realise that it is okay to talk about your issues rather going through them alone, I want people to know this.
Pawan Kalyan is currently busy shooting for Trivikram Srinivas's untitled next. The incident took on the sets of the this movie in Hyderabad.

Mumbai: Pawan Kalyan, who is currently shooting for Trivikram Srinivass untitled film, lost his cool and lashed out at a comedian who was reportedly a part of Nithiins film A..Aa.

The Power Star went on to ask the unnamed comedian to stay within his limits.

Pawan Kalyan and Trivikrams special gesture

Neither the name of the comedian nor the reason behind their heated exchange of words is known yet. Although the concerned person was on the set of Trivikrams next, we dont know if he is also a part of it.

Pawan Kalyan and wife Anna Lezhneva to be parents again!

The film will see Pawan Kalyan playing the role of a software professional and is shooting his bit currently in Hyderabad, which also stars Keethy Suresh and Anu Emmanuel.

On July 19, the entire cast and crew of the film will fly down to Europe for a 20-day schedule.
Esha's look is inspired by the 70s bombshells- Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi.

Mumbai: Looking the part is half the battle won, or so it is believed. Esha Gupta took over a dozen screen tests to crack her badass bombshell avatar in Milan Luthrias 'Baadshaho', inspired by the 70s bombshells- Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi.

Esha Gupta, who was last seen in 'Rustom', tried several hair and make-up permutations and combinations of which the best got the nod from director Milan Luthria, who wanted his leading lady to look sexy despite the badass vibe to her character.

The films stylist and director Milan suggested Esha to alter her hair colour and try on coloured lenses. Esha admits that its probably the highest number of tests she has ever undergone to crack her look in a film.

Well, we surely agree that her hard work has paid off!
Mumbai: Actor Dileep and his actor-filmmaker friend Nadhirshah got arrested by the police on Monday, July 10, for allegedly being involved in the Malayalam actress abduction case.

According to a portal, the duo has been arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy and on the basis of new evidences.

Reportedly, they were taken into custody on Monday morning and were being interrogated at an undisclosed location by the investigation team.

The portal further reports that the Kerala Chief Ministers office has also confirmed their arrest.

The Malayalam actress was attacked and allegedly assaulted inside a moving vehicle in February this year.

Dileep had earlier maintained that he is innocent in the case, and held absolutely no relation to prime accused Pulsar Suni.

Though the actor had long rumoured to be involved in the criminal act, his name came to the forefront after a letter from Sunil's aide written to Dileep from jail accusing him of masterminding the entire turn of events was leaked.

The actor and his director friend Nadhirshah had launched an official police complaint of blackmail, after audio clips of a phone call purportedly made by Sunis aide to Dileeps manager asking for ransom or have Dileep embroiled in the scandal had been released.

The duo was then interrogated for a mind-numbing thirteen hours.

We gave detailed statements on my complaint to the police and I am happy at the way the police are going forward in the case, Dileep had told the reporters.
KOCHI: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the conspiracy in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a female actor has gained fresh leads in the case with the prime accused Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni stating that he had contacted both Nadirshah and Appuni, a close personal aide of actor Dileep, from Kakkanad jail. Pulsar Suni revealed this during the custodial interrogation held by the cops on Thursday. In the light of this information, the probe team plans to hold a fresh round of detailed questioning of Nadirshah, Appuni and a few others connected with the film industry.

The police also collected statements from film artiste K.S. Prasad and film producer Anto Joseph on Thursday. The probe team also found that the phone used by the accused inside the jail was a stolen one. Sources said the phone owned by a resident of Salem in Tamil Nadu had gone missing from Coimbatore in October last year. The phone was within the location of a tower near the Kakkanad district prison since April. It was recovered by the cops from the residence of Anil aka Masthiri Sunil, a native of Kottayam, who shared the cell of Pulsar during his incarceration in Kakkanad jail. The probe team has already found that Vishnu, another cell mate of Pulsar, was instrumental in smuggling the phone inside the prison.

Pulsar Suni told reporters that he had been subjected to torture by the police and said his earlier statements had done him immense damage. On repeated questions by reporters, he said a magistrate should be called to record his dying declaration. Mr B.A. Aloor, counsel for Suni, has filed a petition before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kakkanad seeking either to cancel the police custody of his client or the permission to visit him every day while in custody. The petition has been filed after the accused complained about being tortured in police custody, Mr Aloor said. The court has issued a notice to the investigating officer. The petition is slated to be heard on Friday. The Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, meanwhile, declined a petition by the defence counsel to view the visuals of the crime, citing that it would compromise the secrecy of the same.
Findings also offer new evidence in a debate about how decision-making in self-control situations unfolds (Photo: Pixabay)

Washington DC: Eat wisely, as it may tell a lot about you. A study has recently revealed that people, who choose unhealthy food over healthy food in real time, had a lower self-control to resist temptation.

Researchers from Ohio State University in Columbus, USA watched in real time as people's hands revealed the struggle they were under to choose the long-term goal over short-term temptation.

But for those with higher levels of self-control, the path to the healthy food was more direct, indicating that they experienced less conflict.

"Our hand movements reveal the process of exercising self-control," said co-author of the study Paul Stillman.

"You can see the struggle as it happens. For those with low self-control, the temptation is actually drawing their hand closer to the less-healthy choice," Stillman added.

They involved 81 college students, who made 100 decisions involving healthy versus unhealthy food choices.

In each trial, they clicked a "Start" button at the bottom of the screen. As soon as they did, two images appeared in the upper-left and upper-right corners of the screen, one a healthy food (such as Brussels sprouts) and the other an unhealthy one (such as a brownie).

People who moved the cursor closer to the unhealthy treat (even when they ultimately made the healthy choice) later showed less self-control than did those who made a more direct path to the healthy snack.

The results showed that those who chose the candy bar at the end of the experiment were those with lower self-control.

"The more they were pulled toward the temptation on the computer screen, the more they actually chose the temptations and failed at self-control," Stillman noted.

Those with lower levels of self-control had mouse trajectories that were clearly different from those with higher self-control, suggesting differences in how they were dealing with the decisions.

"This mouse-tracking metric could be a powerful new tool to investigate real-time conflict when people have to make decisions related to self-control," he said.

The findings also offer new evidence in a debate about how decision-making in self-control situations unfolds, Stillman said.

The research will appear in the journal Psychological Science.
This owes to the high rate of late detection of TB, mostly when it gets worse, says Dr V Ranjith, a senior paediatrician.

Chennai: The introduction of new techniques, 500 CBNAAT machines for TB diagnosis, GeneXpert, new drugs such as Bedaquilline and expansion of diagnostic facilities to 628 laboratories in the country notwithstanding, tuberculosis has led to 4.8 lakh deaths in India this year.

The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) promised improved TB surveillance strategy and effective strategies to reach TB patients, but the Annual TB Report 2017 released recently shows a rise in the number of cases among children.

Though the proportion of children among new TB patients was six percent in 2016, it has seen a surge this year, with late diagnosis being the prime cause. In spite of specialised devices and techniques being employed in diagnosing paediatric tuberculosis, diagnosis in children is the main problem as per the annual status report of RNTCP.

Pulmonologists and paediatricians mention about the absence of appropriate samples and decentralised capacity to get appropriate samples to test for TB as a challenge in TB detection in children.

There are non-specific symptoms for the detection of TB in children, which makes diagnosis a bit difficult. We have to rely on chest X-ray mostly as other invasive techniques such as Gastric Lavage and GeneXpert are difficult to perform on small children for sample collection, says Dr Murugan, a senior pulmonologist.

Doctors from The Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine at Tambaram Sanatorium said that the method of diagnosis varies in children from adults as the diagnosis is carried out in adults by sputum detection AFB but as children are not capable of producing sputum, it is not possible.

Children cannot be diagnosed with TB through the sputum technique as they swallow it generally. We have to carry out invasive techniques to detect TB by extracting acid from the stomach through a tube. As it is a complicated technique, this cannot be performed on children mostly. This owes to the high rate of late detection of TB, mostly when it gets worse, says Dr V Ranjith, a senior paediatrician.

When contacted, State TB officials said, TB Control programme has expanded the scope of using CBNAAT for paediatric TB diagnosis and has been made available at all government centres. We hope that it will improve TB case detection in children.

Control programme: Patients uninformed of financial grants

The Union Health Ministry grants financial aid to TB patients under the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP), but patients remain unaware of such benefits.

It is not only the patients but also the medicos providing healthcare facilities for TB patients who seem to be ignorant of the fact that TB patients are given such benefits along with free TB treatment.

As per RNTCP, a financial grant of Rs 1,000 is provided monthly for a period of two years to the patients suffering from multi drug-resistant TB. And TB in-patients below poverty line are provided this grant through State Tuberculosis Centers by Union Health Ministry. But most of the TB patients in the city are ignorant of these facts and are not given any such benefit.

Following the Union government's declaration to make Aadhaar card mandatory for the beneficiaries of the programme, the issue came into light as patients were asked to enrol in Aadhaar.

Doctors at government hospitals, members of various doctors associations, pulmonologists and thoracic medicine doctors at government hospitals in the city do not have the information and hence denied the patients the financial benefits given under RNTCP.

G.Ram, who underwent treatment for TB at Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine said, I have not received any communication from the hospital that any kind of monetary help will be given. I underwent treatment for around nine months, and have remained an outpatient for a long period, but only free treatment and food was given at the hospital, no money was received by me.

Agreeing with Ram, V.Manoj, relative of a TB patient at the hospital, said, My father has been admitted in the hospital for around seven months now, but we have not availed cash under any government scheme. Hospital has provided with food and treatment, but cash was never transferred to our bank accounts.

Officials at District TB office seeking anonymity, said that the money was sent directly to the bank accounts of patients by the Union Ministry and denied their involvement in handling the monetary grants.

Aadhaar compulsory for RNTCP?

The recent notification on RNTCP says that an eligible individual can avail the benefit of financial grant needs to possess Aadhaar card for easy identification and for easy record of beneficiaries of the scheme.As per the officials, Aadhaar linking would ensure proper record of beneficiaries, and was therefore, mandatory. The government's notification mandates enrollment for Aadhaar lastly by August 31, 2017 to avail the benefits.

However, officials at the State TB office said, "Aadhaar is not mandatory as many patients don't possess Aadhaar cards. We are giving away the financial money by direct transfer of money to their accounts Aadhaar is just an added document that is accepted if patients possess it.
Malala Yousafzai, the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate celebrates her birthday on July 12. World celebrates Malala Day to raise awareness and to help girls get their right to education. Acknowledging her contributions lets peep into the lives of some other champions of womens education.

1 The World Economic Forum global gender gap report in 2010 ranked this country 129 out of 134 countries, and the only country to score a zero for female political empowerment. Yet, it houses the worlds largest women-only university spreading over eight million square metres. Identify the country.

2 She is the widow of former South African president Nelson Mandela and of Mozambican president Samora Machel. She is the only woman in history to have been first lady of two separate republics. She is a renowned international advocate for women and childrens rights for many decades. Who is she?

3 The Princess, a Medley, is a long poem published in 1847 highlights the story of a princess who withdraws from the world of men to form a college for women. This was written on the backdrop of the founding of Queens College, London, Britains first college for women, in 1847. Identify the poet.

4 This is a digital platform powered by an organisation connecting girls to inspiring educational content in 60 countries and 26 languages. It is developed in partnership with Facebooks Free Basics initiative. NIKE Foundation is the main promoter of this movement. Identify it.

5 Camfed (Campaign for Female Education) is an organisation working in Africa that tackles poverty and inequality by supporting girls to go to school and succeed. They have supported over three million children in five countries to stay in school. Who is the founder?

Answers:

1. Saudi Arabia

(Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University)

2. Graca Machel

3. Alfred Tennyson

4. Girl Effect Mobile (Girl Effect is the independent non-profit organisation behind the movement)

5. Ann Cotton

Readers question

Q. She was born in 1858 in a Brahmin household in Karnataka. She was a doyen of womens education and made a plea for improvement in educational syllabus of Indian women before the Lord Ripons Commission. Her book, The High Caste Hindu Woman was path-breaking. Identify the woman.

Send in your answers to info@deccanmail.com
An illicit Internet pharmacy was found in Surat, Gujarat, in 2015 which was in the process of delivering three courier parcels.

Hyderabad: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has said that illicit Internet pharmacies are being used for trafficking drugs with the help of shady courier services.

It has also confirmed that there is an emergence of a new psychoactive substance, mephedrone, popularly called Mcat, that is being widely prescribed and sold over the Internet. The drug was included in the list of psychotropic substances in 2015 with Delhi, Maharashtra and Goa being found to be the top sources.

NCB, in a report submitted to the government, said, The emergence of illegal websites established in the USA, Europe and other countries offering unregulated trade in a range of prescription medicines over the Internet has taken firm root in India, with India becoming a prime supplier. These online pharmacies transmit orders from paying customers to agents in India who procure the medicines from either legitimate or illegitimate sources before dispatching them to customers by mail and by courier.

According to NCB officials, the sheer volume of international post makes it impossible to screen every parcel and hence a majority of illegal consignments pass by undetected by the authorities.

Internet pharmacies are usually highly vulnerable and keep the identity of organisers veiled. We have been making at least one bust every year over the last several years, said an NCB official.

An illicit Internet pharmacy was found in Surat, Gujarat, in 2015 which was in the process of delivering three courier parcels. We seized alprazolam, methylphenidate powder, zolpidem tablets, tramadol powder, stidonafil and tapentadole tablets at the premises of Provizer Pharma & Swastik Herbal Care, Surat. Similar busts were made in other areas and five persons were arrested, he said.

TS Drug Control Administration deputy director T. Kailasam said, The Centre is examining a proposal to regulate Internet pharmacies. At the state level, no action is being taken.

AP DCA assistant director K. Rajabhanu said, There are no specific guidelines or rules at this moment for Internet pharmacy. As Internet is vast it is difficult to control it.

According to the NCB, involvement of foreign operatives has been noticed in setting up clandestine laboratories that make drugs and this indicates that India is being used by international criminal networks for the illicit manufacture of amphetamine type stimulants and methamphetamine.

The NCB along with the Telangana state police had earlier busted an illegal lab at Rampally in Keesara mandal on the outskirts of the city. They seized methamphetamine and arrested five persons.

The NCB had earlier stated that drugs were coming in from Brazil. In August 2015, NCB had arrested a South African woman who had concealed 51 small capsules in her stomach and a big one in her private parts.

Trafficking of heroin from southwest Asia to India is gaining ground as is trafficking of hashish and cannabis from Nepal to India. Diversion of precursor chemicals and other controlled substances as well as pharmaceutical preparations and prescription drugs containing psychotropic is an increasing operation.

Illegal operation
The Chaitanyapuri police registered a case against TRS corporator Jinnaram Vittal Reddy for allegedly threatening and attacking a local man who was constructing a building. Counter complaints were lodged and counter cases have been registered.

Hyderabad: Criminality in politics doesnt seem to have abated much. In 2017, so far, four criminal cases have been booked against TRS corporators.

The cases are serious land grabbing, kidnap, assault and attempt to murder.

Cases have been registered against the corporator or an immediate family member. Corporators, irrespective of the party they belong to, are frequently involved in the illegal structures racket in the city.

They allegedly appoint private agents who identify upcoming structures, legal or illegal, and demand money from the builders to allow work to go on.

The amount of the bribe they demand depends on whether building permission has been granted or the structure is illegal. They also try to protect illegal buildings when GHMC staff wants to demolish them.

In most cases registered against corporators, the charge is that they have intervened in construction activity, and land and money settlements.

A case was registered in 2017 against the TRS Chaitanyapuri corporator Vittal Reddy, who allegedly demanded a bribe from a person who was constructing a building.

Mr Reddy threatened that all the GHMC permissions would be cancelled if he failed to pay a bribe of Rs 10 lakh.

The buildings owner lodged a police complaint against Mr Reddy and cases have been filed against the corporator under IPC Sections 324 (causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 385 (putting person in fear of injury), 447 (punishment for criminal trespass and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).

Part of the problem is that men with a criminal history are elected as local representatives by political parties.

Fifteen of the 150 corporators have criminal antecedents, and they belong to the TRS and the MIM, the two major winners in the civic polls last year.

As many as 72 candidates with a criminal past contested the polls, and 17 got elected nine from the MIM and eight from the TRS. The Congress and the TD-BJP winners have no criminal history.
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He thought of resorting to robbery to raise money, and discussed it with his two friends who were earlier arrested for theft. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: A 19-year-old short filmmaker and his two friends, who had police records, were arrested by Malkajgiri police for their involvement in house burglaries. Police recovered electronic equipment worth around Rs 2.3 lakh from the suspects, identified as short film-maker K. Rahul Dev, B. Harshath Saireddy and M. Naveen.

Rahul Dev used to make short films and upload them on social media websites. but ran into debts. He thought of resorting to robbery to raise money, and discussed it with his two friends who were earlier arrested for theft.

As per their plan, the trio committed thefts in two houses in Kushaiguda and Jawahar nagar police stations.

Based on credible information, police nabbed them while they were trying to dispose of the stolen goods. Police arrested the trio and seized three laptops, an LCD television and two mobile phones, all worth around Rs 2.3 lakh from their possession.
Clashes broke out between two groups in Garhwal district's Satpuli town over 'offensive' picture of the Kedarnath shrine on Facebook posted by a minor (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Dehradun (Uttarakhand): In yet another upheaval caused due to a social media post, clashes between two groups took place in Garhwal district's Satpuli town.

Tension gripped the town when a minor boy allegedly posted 'offensive' picture of the Kedarnath shrine on Facebook.

Seeing the sensitivity, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and District Magistrate (DM) rushed to the spot.

Recently, in a similar incident, clashes broke out between two groups in West Bengal's Basirhat over an 'objectionable' Facebook post.

Tensions previal in Basirhat where communal violence broke out last Monday.

The Centre had to press in 400 paramilitary personnel to ensure normalcy in the region.

Central and state BJP leaders, along with other state party MLAs were stopped from entering Basirhat post violence.
Both the central and state governments are elected by the people. Then why is the central government conspiring against a state government,? Mamata said.

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre of smuggling in foreigners from across the international border to perpetrate violence the state.

Banerjee asserted that the international border was for the Central government to look after, but the Centre instead was "opening the gates and letting outsiders enter the country to conspire and cause violence."

"You (Centre) had opened up the border and let them enter the state and now you are asking the state to submit report. It's because we are in the government that we have been able to keep the people calm despite such conspiracy against us," she claimed.

"Both the central and state governments are elected by the people. Then why is the central government conspiring against a state government? Why are they spreading lies against a state? I want an answer to this," Banerjee said while speaking at a programme here.

She also claimed her state was getting no cooperation from the Centre in any matter."I am very saddened to say that there has been non- cooperation from them (Centre). Despite the court order, no force has been deployed in Darjeeling," she added.

Reiterating that West Bengal has never supported division among people, the TMC supremo went on to accuse the Centre of doing so.

"We (West Bengal) do not want to create division among people. Delhi does that but not West Bengal. Delhi has to follow West Bengal in how to progress forward with every religion if they want to be in power," she said. Banerjee also said a politics of dividing West Bengal was being played out and the BJP was behind it. "Playing divisive politics in West Bengal will not be an easy task. We have a history of that. There have been people who are coming from outside the state and trying to instigate riots here," she said hinting at outsiders' hand in Darjeeling hills unrest and Baduria riots.

The BJP has been using social networking sites to spread lies using purported photographs in spreading riots in West Bengal, she further said.
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday summoned Rajya Sabha MP and daughter of RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadavs daughter Misa Bharti under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

On Saturday, ED conducted raids at three Delhi farmhouses of Misa Bharti, her husband and a firm linked to them, in a money laundering case probe.

Sleuths of the central probe agency swooped on the farmhouses in Ghitorni, Bijwasan and Sainik Farms areas in New Delhi early on Saturday.

The farmhouses are linked to Bharti, her husband Shailesh Kumar and M/s Mishail Printers and Packers Private Limited.

Two more premises are under the scanner of the agency and can be searched later, an ED official said.

The searches were connected to a money laundering probe being conducted by the agency against two brothers, Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain, and others who are alleged to have laundered several crore rupees using shell companies.

The Jain brothers were arrested by the ED under provisions of the PMLA.

One of the firms that the arrested duo dealt with was M/s Mishail Printers and Packers Private Limited. Bharti and her husband are alleged to have been directors of this firm in the past.

The agency said it was detected that 1,20,000 shares of M/s Mishail Printers and Packers Private Limited were bought during 2007-08 at a rate of Rs 100 per share by four shell companies - M/s Shalini Holdings Limited, M/s Ad-Fin Capital Services (India) Pvt. Ltd, M/s Mani Mala Delhi Properties Pvt. Ltd., and M/s Diamond Vinimay Pvt. Ltd.

These 1,20,000 shares, it said, were bought back by Bharti at Rs 10 per share.

The ED had also arrested Rajesh Agarwal, a Chartered Accountant allegedly linked to Bharti, who provided accommodation entries (black funds) of about Rs 60 lakh to M/s Mishail Printers and Packers Private Limited.

The firm, it said, was registered at 25, Tughlaq Road in New Delhi till the shares were bought back by Bharti. In 2009-10, the address was changed to Bijwasan, it added.
Rahul Gandhi on Monday defended his meeting with Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui, saying his job requires him to be informed on critical issues. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Monday defended his meeting with Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui, saying his job requires him to be informed on critical issues.

The Congress had earlier on Monday claimed that the two did not meet, however, about six hours later it did a major flip-flop and said that not only did Rahul meet Luo, but the Bhutanese envoy as well.

Later, Rahul took to Twitter to defend his meeting with the Chinese envoy and said, It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador.

If Govt is so concerned abt me meeting an Amb,they shld explain why 3Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on, he tweeted along with a screenshot of an article about three BJP ministers visit to China.

If Govt is so concerned abt me meeting an Amb,they shld explain why 3Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on pic.twitter.com/4FCuu9SiAe  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

He also took a pot shot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2014. And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India, he tweeted.

And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India pic.twitter.com/THG4sULJJC  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Earlier on Monday, the Chinese Embassy in Delhi first posted and later removed a statement on its website saying that the two met after the Congress denied it as "fake news".

Surjewala, in a series of tweets, said some news channels were running "fake news" on Rahul's alleged meeting with the Chinese Ambassador.

"A wanting to be 'Bhakt' channel will not question 3 Union Ministers visiting China or PM's bonhomie & praise at G20 yet run fake news!

This comes amid a lengthy standoff between the Armies of the two countries on Line of Actual Control adjoining Sikkim on India's eastern border.

New Delhi has expressed its serious apprehensions over Beijing constructing a road in the Sikkim sector of the LAC.

India claims Sikkim border as part of its territory, while China has said that the area falls on their side as per the 1890 treaty signed between British and China.

Consequently, China suspended the annual Kailash Manasarovar yatra and conceded that the decision to suspend the pilgrimage was due to the border scuffle.

It also alleged that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim sector of the Indo-China border. Beijing has accused New Delhi of violating a convention signed in 1890 between Britain and China relating to Sikkim and Tibet.
Nizamabad: The officials in Nizamabad district are gearing up to retain the first place in the state in the implementation of the Telanganaku Haritha Haram programme. Last year, the district stood in the first place for successful implementation of the green initiative.

For the third phase of Haritha Haram programme, the district set a target to plant 1.85 crore saplings. The forest department is conducting a series of awareness programmes for the officials, elected representatives and others to ensure successful plantation of saplings.

To improve the survival rate, which is at 69 per cent now, to more than 90 per cent, the officials announced initiatives like Rs 18.75 towards digging the pit and Rs 3.63 paise for planting each sapling in the district. For protection of each sapling, `5 will be paid per month. To engage water tankers, the hire charges will be paid.

Agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy suggested that fruits saplings be grown in forest areas as it would help monkeys return to the forests from residential areas. He also directed the urban and rural local bodies to give preference to avenue plantations on highways and other main roads.
New Delhi: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday assured the Sikkim government that the Centre will ensure the security of National Highway 10 which is facing crisis of essential commodities in the wake of protests and counter-protests over the demand for Gorkhaland in neighbouring West Bengal.

During a telephonic conversation with Sikkim chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, the home minister discussed the security situation in the state and areas neighbouring West Bengal. Mr Singh also directed Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi to coordinate with the West Bengal administration and ensure the safety, security and smo-oth traffic on NH 10, which connects Silig-uri in West Bengal with Sikkim capital Gangtok.

I assured him that the Centre will ensure the safety and security of NH 10 and do everything possible to save people of the state from any misery, he tweeted. Reports said traffic bet-ween Siliguri and Gangtok was affected as drivers of West Bengal-registered vehicles stopped plying to Sikkim.

There have been several incidents reported in the past week when Sikkim-registered trucks were vandalised and looted by unidentified miscreants in Siliguri. There have also been reports of Sikkim-bound taxis, buses and private vehicles being targeted by anti-social elements in Siliguri.
Delhi BJP leader Nupur Sharma shared picture of the 2002 Gujarat riots as that of the violence in West Bengal's Basirhat (Photo: Twitter @NupurSharmaBJP)

New Delhi: Delhi BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma came under fire from Twitter users for allegedly passing off a picture of the 2002 Gujarat riots as that of the violence in West Bengal's Basirhat.

"Since trolls spent a sleepless night covering-up Basirhat violence, sharing media pics of the riots. Hope they report this to @WBPolice too," Sharma posted on the micro-blogging site and attached an image of charred vehicles along with it.

Since trolls spent a sleepless night covering-up Basirhat violence, sharing media pics of the riots. Hope they report this to @WBPolice too pic.twitter.com/CFW5P4xqB4  Nupur Sharma (@NupurSharmaBJP) July 9, 2017

The twiterrati, however, pointed out to her that the image was from 2002 and accused her of spreading a rumour.

A defiant Sharma said the photo reflected the reality of Bengal, irrespective of the place.

Some of the Twitter users tried to draw the attention of the Delhi Police towards the tweet and demanded that she be arrested.

"Requesting @WBPolice to take my tweet as a Complaint against @NupurSharmaBJP for her fake and provocative posts and Arrest her immediately," said a Twitter user.

"Can't trust any BJP handle these days. Films, old riots all is being passed off as Bengal," said another.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj assured Amarinder Singh of all possible efforts by her ministry to bring back the Indians who were kidnapped by ISIS from a construction site in Mosul.. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Chandigarh: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday assured Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh that her ministry was making all-out efforts to trace 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, who had been held hostage in the Iraqi city of Mosul since 2014.

Reacting to reports that the families of the hostages were trying to locate their kin after the liberation of Mosul from ISIS forces by Iraq, Amarinder on Monday called up Swaraj to seek her intervention.

The chief minister told her that the families of the hostages were keenly awaiting the return of their kin following ISIS' defeat and needed the central government's support in bringing them back.

Swaraj assured Amarinder of all possible efforts by her ministry to bring back the Indians who were kidnapped by terror group ISIS from a construction site in Mosul.

She said Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) V K Singh had been sent to Iraq to coordinate with its government and facilitate the return of the Indians stuck there, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

The Union minister said she had also directed the Indian embassy to extend all help to the stranded people from the country.

Air India officials at the airports had also been instructed to facilitate their return, said Swaraj, adding that her ministry had activated all available sources to trace the missing Indians.

Amarinder said the state government would take all steps to enable them to get back to their homes once they return to India.
Guntur: Telugu Yuvata activists staged protest and burnt the effigy of YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Lodge Centre in Guntur on Sunday.

The TD activists objected to the remarks of Mr Jagan against TD national president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu about corruption in the government. They termed Mr Jagan as yuvaraja (prince ) of corruption and raised slogans against him.

TD Guntur district secretary Sk Lal Vazir called Jagan a corruption king and predicted that people will teach a befitting lesson to Jagan for his corruption thro-ugh their voting power.

Telugu Yuvata leader R. Sai Krishna objected to the publishing of Emperor of Corrup-tion book by the YSRC and claimed there was no corruption in the TD.
The Ste. Genevieve County Sheriffs Department is investigating an issue concerning the county jail after the department was notified by a third party on July 5 of reported inappropriate contact between inmates.

Sheriff's department Major Jason Schott said the occurrence was between a female inmate and a transgender inmate.

Once the incident was reported to us, the sheriff's office separated both parties while the investigation is going on, said Schott.

Schott explained that the sheriff's office is regulated by the federal law for the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). The standard that regulates the sheriff's office when accepting and performing the intake of a transgender inmate is PREA Standard 115.42.

It states at the time of intake, the inmate indicates that they view themselves as female or male, explained Schott. They will request the appropriate gender they identify as to conduct the intake process with them. Once the intake process is complete, they will be placed into the general population block of the gender they identify with.

Schott stressed they are only placed into the block they identify with after several questions and reviewing past incarceration history.

We have housed transgenders before in the past and will continue to house them when they are brought in, said Schott. By PREA law we cannot refuse to take a transgender. We have followed our policy and procedures, as well as the PREA rules and regulations on every transgender that has been housed at the sheriff's office.

When asked if the department would have to evaluate any protocols, Schott said no because they are following the federal guidelines.

PREA Standard 115.42 is a Federal Law, which we cannot, nor any other agency that houses prisoner's in the United States can, deviate from, said Schott.

Both inmates were being housed in the same pod when the incident occurred.
New Delhi: Union Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh will travel to Erbil, Iraq, later on Monday to locate and bring back the 39 Indians reportedly kept in Mosul as hostages of the ISIS.

The official spokesperson also said that "As soon as the announcement of liberation of Mosul was made by the Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi, the government has activated various channels for locating those Indians. Iraqi authorities have conveyed that all cooperation would be extended in this regard and instructions have been issued by them to all relevant Iraqi agencies for the same."

Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh will travel to Erbil later on Monday and the Ambassador of India to Iraq and the Consulate General in Erbil have been instructed to continue the efforts to locate the 39 trapped Indians on priority.

The 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, had been held hostage by the fighters aligned to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in the Iraqi city of Mosul since 2014.

The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier said on Friday that 39 Indians taken hostage in the Iraqi city of Mosul are in the captivity of fighters aligned to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, are alive.
Security person stand guard after militants opened fire on the Amarnath Yatra in which some pilgrims were killed many injured in Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. (Photo: PTI)

Srinagar: Seven Amarnath pilgrims, including six women, were killed and at least 12 others wounded when a bus they were travelling in was caught in a crossfire between militants and the Jammu and Kashmir police in southern Anantnag district on Monday evening.

This is the worst attack on the Amarnath Yatra since 2000.

Jammu and Kashmir Police tweeted a list of 19 people who have been injured, with details of their injury.

"The bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat was attacked at around 8.20 pm near Khanabal. The bus was not a part of the official yatra convoy, which was provided with heavy security," police said.

Officials said the militants first attacked a police bunker at Botengo in Anantnag, about 56 km south of Srinagar, at 8.15 pm.

The fire was retaliated and there was no report of injuries, they added.

The militants then targeted a police naka party at nearby Khanabal, to which the policemen retaliated and a tourist bus was caught in the crossfire.

A statement by the J&K police in Srinagar corroborated it, saying that soon after the unsuccessful attack on the policemen at Botengo, the terrorists fired on a police naka near Khanabal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was personally monitoring the situation, strongly condemned the dastardly attack and said India would never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks. He said he had spoken to governor NN Vohra and chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and promised all possible help from the Centre.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also spoke to Vohra and Mufti.

Pained beyond words at the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath yatris in J&K. The attack deserves the strongest condemnation from everyone, Modi tweeted.

Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured, he added.

My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

In yet another tweet, the PM said: India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate.

India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley termed the attack the most reprehensible act, and said, This incident should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism.

Terrorist attack on #AmarnathYatra is the most reprehensible act. My condolences to the bereaved families.(1/2)  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) July 10, 2017

This incident should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism. (2/2)  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) July 10, 2017

As part of the tight security arrangements for this years yatra, the authorities had said no vehicle carrying pilgrims would be allowed to move after nightfall. Also, it was said no yatri vehicle would be allowed to cross the Jawahar Tunnle beneath the Pir Panjal range, that connects the states Jammu region with the Kashmir Valley, after 3.30 pm.

This has been done so that the yatris reach the Baltal base camp within seven hours from the tunnel. They dont have to make a night halt midway, the officials had said.

While a tight security umbrella was put up for the yatra, the Jammu and Kashmir government made foolproof arrangements for the smooth conduct of the event, involving almost all its departments and agencies, the officials added.

They had said in view of the security situation in the Valley, a multi-layered security arrangement manned by the Army, CRPF, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Jammu and Kashmir police was provided for the safe passage of pilgrims right from their entry into the state at Lakhanpur.

The CRPF personnel, apart from performing route duties, were deployed for area-domination during the pilgrimage, the officials said.
Chennai: Allegedly depressed over being abused by his maths teacher, a Class-12 student jumped off the first floor of the school building near Basin Bridge on Monday morning. While the boy, in a video message from the hospital where he is undergoing treatment, blamed the teacher, the school management maintained that the boy slipped from the staircase and got injured.

The injured student has been identified as M.Santosh Kumar (16), studying in the Hindu Union Committee Higher Secondary School, a government aided school. On Monday morning, he was in his Maths class when the teacher allegedly abused him.

The boy had excused himself from the class in the pretext of drinking water and jumped from the first floor onto the bicycle stand near the school entrance, a police officer said. The boy was immediately rushed to a government hospital nearby and was shifted to a private hospital, police said.

The school management refused entry to mediapersons initially. Speaking to mediapersons, Chella Pandian, a representative from the school maintained that the boy slipped from the staircase and injured himself.

However, the boy, in a video message clearly blamed Maths teacher Raman for his decision. The teacher had questioned the boy for shifting from his usual place. He asked me why I was sitting there. He then abused me and came to hit me. So, I got upset and jumped, Santosh said.

The student also further blamed the teacher of being abusive to all students. I don't want to tell on record the abusive language he used, Santosh said. Basin Bridge police have registered a case and are investigating.
New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi landed in a major political controversy on Monday when it turned out that he had quietly met Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui last Saturday (July 9), a day after Mr Gandhi had criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence on China amid the face-off between the armies of the two nations in the Doklam area of Bhutan, which China covets.

The Congress initially did not disclose that there had been such a meeting. The cat was let out of the bag unwittingly by the Chinese embassy, which posted a message on its website briefly that a meeting had taken place on July 8, only to remove it subsequently. But it was too late by then, as journalists had already taken screenshots of the embassy website.

As political pressure mounted, an embarrassed Congress, which obviously did not want to publicise the meeting for some reason, had to finally acknowledge that it had taken place. The party then chose to downplay it, terming it a courtesy call, and pointed out that Mr Gandhi had met the Bhutanese ambassador as well. Mr Gandhi then took to Twitter to launch a frontal attack on the government, saying it was his job to be informed on critical issues, and also asking the government why three ministers had visited China recently, and questioning Mr Modis move to sit on a swing with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Ahmedabad in 2014 .

It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese ambassador, ex-NSA (Shiv Shankar Menon), Congress leaders from the Northeast & the Bhutanese ambassador... I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India, Mr Gandhi hit out, referring to a picture of Mr Modi with the Chinese President on a swing.
in case a fever continues for more than three days with rashes on the body with intense headache, make sure to consult a doctor. (Representational image)

Has the BBMP, lethargic and caught in the official quagmire as it is, failed to protect the people of Bengaluru even as dengue reaches epidemic proportions? Though the city has reported 1,389 confirmed cases of the viral fever since January, the city administrators have not taken up fogging and other preventive measures seriously. The laxity could prove costly as doctors warn that prevention is the only cure for the deadly disease.

The dreaded dengue has caught Bengaluru in its grips, and the numbers are alarming. Since January, 1,389 confirmed cases of dengue have been reported from private hospitals from different parts of the city, the BBMP records state.

Recently, Deccan Chronicle also reported the death of 14-year-old Padma from Magadi taluk in Ramanagara, who had been afflicted with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), triggered by dengue. Only last month, with the city already recording over 400 dengue cases, the BBMP had scaled up its prevention and surveillance activities.

But obviously, the Palike has not covered all areas in the city under its prevention activities. Surabhi from HSR Layout says, We have not seen any fogging or larvae surveillance activities in our colony. She got areas in and around her house fogged, shelling out Rs 2,500 from her pocket. I recovered from dengue only recently and I cannot take the risk of falling ill again and leaving the health of me and my family at the hands of BBMP, she says.

Dr Pavan Mangalore, an internal medicine consultant at a private hospital, agrees that the dengue numbers are going up. Every day, we admit around seven to eight patients, of them at least one is critical. Along with the numbers, the critical nature of the disease too has gone up, he says. Undoubtedly, the mosquito, Aedes aegypti  a day biter and fresh water breeder, which infects the people, has been creating havoc across the city.

Dr B.G. Prakash Kumar of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Program, Health and Family Welfare Services, agrees that there has been an increase in the numbers as compared to last year. There is a slight increase in the numbers, but we are predicting the numbers to go down in the coming month," he said, adding that the government is taking proper measures and spreading awareness about dengue control. "We are also making efforts to sanitise abandoned stone quarries by filling them with construction debris. We are also involving village heads to control the spread of the fever at their level," he said.

On the cost of treatment hitting the roof and the plight of the common man, Dr Chikkanarasappa Reddy, Assistant Professor of Paediatrics, Bowring Hospital, says, Sadly, the dengue mosquito does not differentiate between the rich and the poor. Of course, the disease burden is high for both the rich and poor. But among the economically weaker sections as the awareness and education is low on prevention, we see such a large number of dengue positive cases.

Dr S.M. Prasad, professor of paediatrics, Ambedkar Medical College, and president of Bangalore Adolescent Health Academy, advises awareness among the public to bring down the numbers. Individuals, families and communities should be involved in local vector-control activities. The government cannot employ enough people to search every backyard to identify and destroy mosquito breeding sites. But what it can do it take up proper surveillance, timely fogging and awareness activities and it goes a long way in bringing down the numbers, he says.

Symptoms

Severe abdominal pain or persistent vomiting, red spots or patches on the skin, bleeding from the nose or gums, vomiting blood or blood in stools, drowsiness or irritability, pale, cold or clammy skin or difficulty breathing.

Diagnosis

Clinical diagnosis is made by the health care professional based on a constellation of signs, symptoms and clinical laboratory findings (e.g., CBC, platelet count).

Laboratory diagnosis is specific for dengue and is made through testing of a blood sample.

Prevention can be at 2 levels

Personal level: Do not wear half sleeves and shorts during monsoon. Use mosquito repellant creams or nets at home. Ensure there is no source of mosquito breeding in and around your home or workplace.

Community level: Don't let water stagnate in containers, coolers, tyres and broken pots etc. Half broken tender coconut randomly discarded is found to be a very good breeding site.

What to do when one has high fever in this season

Normally, the monsoon season brings with it several kinds of viral infections and fevers. Most of them are largely harmless and abate after a week or so. However, the fever might well indicate dengue in some cases and it is important to be always on the guard against it. So, in case a fever continues for more than three days with rashes on the body with intense headache, make sure to consult a doctor.

CDC guidelines for prevention

The most effective way to prevent dengue is to prevent mosquito bites and control mosquito populations.

Just a few infected mosquitoes can cause large outbreaks of disease in the community. Effective mosquito control requires community support.

Insect Repellents: use insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-methane diol. Always follow label instructions.

Mosquito proof your home, inside and out: Install or fix screens on windows and doors; do not prop open doors, allowing mosquitoes to fly in. If you have air-conditioning, use it.

Drain and dump standing water found in containers inside and around the house: pet dishes, flower pots, vases, buckets, tires, cans.

If containers cannot be drained or dumped out, cover them so that mosquitoes cannot get inside to lay eggs.

Weekly, wash out containers with a brush or sponge to remove mosquito eggs.

The Symptoms of Diagnosis are similar to many other viral diseases, so is not specific. The environmental management of Mosquitos, water-logging, and proofing house for mosquitos will prevent Dengue fever.

Surveillance has brought down H1N1 cases: Health Dept

Some 15 H1N1 deaths and 2,341 swine flu cases have been reported already across the state. Two deaths have occurred within BBMP limits. The Health Department agreed that the surveillance team should have collected the blood samples much earlier and the treatment could have been started on time. The full analysis of H1N1 deaths also revealed that the age group was mainly between 20 and 55 years with many of them having comorbid conditions like uncontrolled diabetes and chronic asthma. "Our surveillance and health education teams have been directed to spread awareness on H1N1 with the target population having diseases with comorbid conditions to prevent deaths," says Dr Shalini Rajneesh, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare.

Junior health assistants were instructed to strictly follow up all these suspected and positive cases to prevent further deaths. The action taken by them was monitored on a day-to-day basis which resulted in controlling the cases. Also, no deaths were reported since April and the numbers have come down drastically, informs Dr Mohammed Sharif, Research Officer, National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme.

The city has recorded some 827 H1N1 cases since January with BBMP limits again taking attention to the need for awareness, education and surveillance measures.

The virus spreads from human to human. It typically spreads when an infected person sneezes in the open and scatters the virus in the air. It also spreads when we touch or shake hands with infected people or touch objects like doorknobs, tables, chairs in public places that may have been infected, says Dr Rini Banerjee, Consultant, Infectious Disease, Columbia Asia Referral Hospital, Yeshwanthpur who advises that people who work in extremely crowded places and come in contact with an overcrowded environment on a regular basis are at extreme risk. "So are the people who use public transport daily. Children, pregnant women, elderly population, people with diabetes and chronic obstructive lung diseases are more susceptible to severe conditions of H1N1 and should get themselves tested at the earliest, she adds.
Zika, which is transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquito, and common symptoms of it include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes.

Chennai: The first case of Zika virus (ZKV) in Tamil Nadu was reported on Monday, after a 27-year-old male from Krishnagiri district in Tamil Nadu was tested positive for ZKV. The patient was suffering from mysterious fever since June 26. He was admitted as outpatient at a public health centre on June 29, where he was tested for typhoid, swine flu, malaria, dengue and other viral fevers, which turned negative. When tested for Zika, reports turn-ed positive and were confirmed through reports from National Institute of Virology, Pune, said Health secretary J. Radhakrishnan.

At a review meeting held on Monday, Health Minister C Vijaybaskar reiterated that adequate treatment facilities are available to treat ZKV infection in the State. He said, The patient has completely recovered and is doing well. There is no need to panic as Tamil Nadu has enough facilities to diagnose and treat Zika virus infections. Even the PHCs are equipped to handle the ZKVcases.

Health Department authorities said that source reduction within five sq km has been done after the case was reported in Krishnagiri.

The fever monitoring system was testing all suspected cases at King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research, Chennai.

Zika, which is transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquito, and common symptoms of it include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes.

Zika is reported to harm vision if children get infected. However, WHO, in its recent analysis report, said that the global risk assessment has not changed as Zika continues to spread geographically to areas where competent vectors are present. Although a decline in cases of Zika virus infection has been reported in some countries, vigilance needs to remain high.
Thiruvananthapuram: Google has justified the display of hot pictures while searching for South Indian Masala.

According to Google, the search results are delivered on the basis of previous search history and patterns. Hence the phenomenon.

The irony is that while the search for South Indian Masala delivers steamy pictures of buxom women, the search for North Indian Masala throws up varieties of spices and north Indian dishes.
Smoke flaring from a huge pile of plastic waste set on fire at Lanco Hills on Monday. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: A huge pile of domestic garbage was set on fire at Lanco Hills in Manikonda village, raising smoke and causing great inconvenience to the neighbourhood. The fire that started around noon continued to burn till evening. Officials from Lanco reached the place and extinguished it.

Garbage burning was banned by the National Green Tribunal in December. The Tribunal has directed that a fine of Rs 5,000 to be collected from the offenders if a small pile is burnt and Rs 25,000 if a large garbage dump is set on fire.

Locals said garbage burning is a major problem. Over one lakh residents inhabit the area but only an informal garbage collection system exists and private parties that collect the waste don't bother to segregate it.

Our repeated attempts to segregate waste and decompose it have been in vain as no authority supports us, says a local resident Madhulika Choudhary.

We informed panchayat officer, Padmaja Rani and the collector. Garbage is burnt daily in at least 10 different places, sometimes even on the main roads, said Mr Sitarama Daas, president of Federation of All Colonies Resident Welfare Association of Manikonda, Puppalguda and Nenkampur.

In March this year, a huge landfill of waste was set on fire in the area. The Pollution Control Board was intimated, but to this date there has been no public report on whether the guilty was nabbed or fined.
An amount of Rs 25,000 will have to be paid as environmental compensation by the violator for each incident of bulk waste burning and Rs 5,000 in case of simple burning.

Hyderabad: The Telangana state government has imposed a ban on short-life Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and chlorinated plastics in the state.

It has also banned burning of waste in open places after being directed to do so by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in December last year.

An amount of Rs 25,000 will have to be paid as environmental compensation by the violator for each incident of bulk waste burning and Rs 5,000 in case of simple burning.

The draft notification on PVC and chlorinated plastics was issued on Monday and makes it clear that there will be a complete ban on usage of short life PVC and chlorinated plastics.

Objections and suggestions will be entertained over the next 60 days and should be addressed to the member secretary, Telangana State Pollution Control Board, Paryavaran Bhavan, A-3, Industrial Estate, Sanathnagar, Hyderabad-500018.
Once the darling of the media, the ever smiling Union minister for programme implementation and planning D.V. Sadananda Gowda is now keeping the media at arms length. His surprising reason: They do not write about good things. Therefore, I think I should keep a distance from them, explains Mr Gowda. As railway minister and now as programme implementation programme minister, he oversees the Centres allocation to Karnataka. In an interview with DC, he was unusually hard on CM Siddaramaiah. Here are excerpts.

You topped the list of MPs who successfully implemented the Adarsha Grama Yojana. How did you make it possible?

This is not an ordinary infrastructure development programme. Development of roads and drainage can take place under any infrastructure project. We have to empower people in the village selected for this programme. In Byatarayanapura, we gave sewing and photo copy machines to people. Besides, families got cylinders under Ujjwala scheme. Thanks to companies like Infosys Foundation, ITC and Embassy Group I spent CSR funds upto Rs 20 crore. Farmers were given sheep which they bred and they are now ready to give sheep back as gifts. I helped flower vendors and pushcart sellers get funds under Mudra Yojana from various banks. I tried to change the face of the village picked up under this programme.

The complaint against Indian politicians is that they focus on development of areas where their party is strong and ignore the demands of voters identified with rival parties?

I was not involved in the selection of villages. In the past, I had entrusted experts from IIT and zilla panchayats with the task. And the villages chosen were all Congress villages. I did not discriminate so all are happy now. Now I am focusing on organizing job melas to get jobs for young boys and girls from eight standard to ITI certificate holders.

While participating in a programme last week, railways minister Suresh Prabhu had reeled out figures which are astonishing. Karnataka got so much money after the NDA government came to power...

(smiles)..When Khargeji (Mallikarjun Kharge) was railway minister, he gave Rs 713 crore to the state and during my turn, I gave Rs 1,714 crore. Then again, we got over Rs 2,000 crore in the last three years. When I was railway minister, I sanctioned 21 trains of which 19 were made operational.

But CM Siddaramaiah has been claiming that Karnataka got a raw deal from NDA government. None of you counter his view.

(smiles) We made a booklet and distributed it. (pauses) But the media will not write about such issues. Mr Ananth Kumar and Yeddyurappaji are good at aggressive politics. They attack rivals but I do not. I am the last man to do that. I pass political comments. I prefer to attack my rivals with sugar coated words. As opposition leader, I did the same in the Council. During the budget discussion I showed how the CM was wrong which Mr Siddaramaiah himself admitted. Similarly, when RDPR minister H.K. Patil gave wrong information about sugar factories in Punjab, I countered with proof for which he later apologized.

The question was about central funds. Mr Siddaramaiah and his cabinet colleagues have been complaining about the step-motherly treatment meted out to Karnataka. Recently, they expressed dissatisfaction over funds released for drought relief work.

(laughs..) Why does our CM keep speaking about injustice? Its something interesting. (pauses) Frankly speaking, he is the most depressed and disappointed CM. He is now clear about his future, he will not return to power. Till the day he is there in the CM seat, he will indulge in such campaigns. We are busy doing meaningful work. Once poll campaign starts, we will enter the arena. We will show our communication skills. We have our biggest trump card, PM Modi. Vision, hard work, transparency, cooperative federalism, Mr Modi has done so much. He has clarity. His style and strategy will wash away CMs programmes and rhetoric.

The CM does not carry a negative image, he does not suffer from anti-incumbency. Besides he has an aggressive and positive style of politics. How can you create a negative situation now?

You might be right in your view. (smiles) You remember what happened in UP. Till six months before the polls, Akhilesh Yadav was ahead. He was sure to come back. Wasnt it? You know what happened in the end.

UP is different from Karnataka. Mr Yadav had to face dissent. Here Mr Siddaramaiah has no such issues.

No other party has so much internal dissent as the Karnataka Congress has. You have seen how he got home minister Dr G. Parameshwar removed. The latter had to quit not because of one-man-one-post principle. The CM did not want him in cabinet. His attitude is simple: If I am heading the government, it should be mine and there should be no seniors. You are saying the Congress is in the pink of health. Why does it have so many working presidents? One for north and the other for south. Isnt it odd? They may as well appoint one for east, west and central Karnataka too. The state Congress has more than 10 groups.

You speak like BJP is free from internal squabbles..

Yes we did have them. The differences vanished as fast as they surfaced. It was an aberration.

Many inside BJP say because of tussle, the party lost morale?

I was party president for four and a half years. I know how things happen in BJP. Mr Yeddyurappas fiery speeches and his state tours have given a clear direction. And as I said earlier, Modis administration will give us an edge.

But the CM is on a mission to woo Lingayats and Vokkaligas..

For four years, you break their legs and ribs and now you come forward to give them free ICU treatment. (smile) People are good at analysing this. They still remember some of the welfare programmes of Mr Yeddyurappa which are above caste lines. Schemes like Bhagyalakshmi and Bicycle schemes are still remembered. His statewide tour and Dalit outreach programme have been successful. Siddaramaiah will go the Akhilesh way. Dr Parameshwar has decided that no matter what happens to the party, this man (Siddaramaiah) should not become CM again. Mr Kharge is the only leader who is happy because he managed to get a berth for his son in the council of ministers. Senior leaders H.K. Patil and D.K. Shivakumar are nowhere to be seen. You have seen how Mr (Janardhan) Poojary has been speaking. Mr Vishwanath has left the party. On this day, if the Congress weighs ten grams, we weigh ten kg.

Isnt Dalit outreach programme of your party a poll gimmick?

People do not think like that. Yes, I agree there was a time when Dalits did not back us. The community gave a very big push to Mr Modi and his work. When Mr Yeddyurappa goes to a Dalits house, many call it a drama. But now, thousands of party workers go and stay at the houses of Dalits for 15 days under Vistaraka programme. I am going to Chikkamagalur and staying in a SC mans house. You mark my words, you will see the change of perception soon.

It is ironic that Sri Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji of Pejawar Math, who supported the Hindutva cause, was booed and abused by your partymen for hosting an Iftar?

Hosting iftar was a defining moment. A good gesture I would say. But allowing them to do namaz inside the math was not taken in the right spirit. I too had expressed my displeasure to the Swamiji but he defended his position.

Your frontal organizations and their leaders abused the pontiff. Is it fair?

No, I do not accept it. Insulting the swamiji was not fair. He is one of the tallest saints of the Hindu community. In politics, we differ and then we join hands. Why cant have differences with the Swamiji and respect the pontiff later.
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I often regret the inertia amongst the Indian public. This inactiveness is visible even among elected leaders. Why? Or rather a more intriguing question would be how? I would try to address both these queries in due course as I proceed further to talk about the toast of the town the ensuing presidential elections of 2017. Pranab Mukherjee has been a seasoned politician from the old Congress school and thus he could bring the dignity to the coveted office also.

Some of his speeches in last five years would be remembered as words of wisdom of a statesman who has worked closely with leaders like Indira Gandhi.

In 2002, in the height of anti-Muslim mayhem in Gujarat, the BJP had fielded missile scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Now it is the turn of a dalit Ram Nath Kovind. The nomination by the BJP-led NDA comes at a time when there have been a series of anti-dalit incidents either in the name of sheer politics or cow vigilante in both the states Prime Minister Narendra Modi is directly associated with Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. He hails from Gujarat and at present he is an elected MP from UPs famous pilgrim town Varanasi.

For the first time two dalit leaders will be fighting against each other. The united Opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, has rightly tried to hit at those who are trying to play the July 17 presidential polls as a dalit versus dalit battle.

Whether one likes it or not, the contest this time for countrys First Citizen talks of a different kind of politics that has come in and largely due to the Modi factor.

An overwhelming section of India did not vote for Mr Modi in 2014. Hence, there is little to dispute that an overwhelming section of Indians would like to oppose

Mr Modi tooth and nail too. That way even Oppositions battle is against Mr Modi and not Mr Kovind, a low profile politician, per se.

That way one must hasten to add here that despite Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) walking out from the Opposition camp at least for the presidential elections it goes to the sagacity of Congress president Sonia Gandhi that she could keep the Opposition unity and also name a candidate.

There are certainly merits in the candidature of Ms Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker and also a dalit leader from Bihar. A woman and a dalit Bihar ki Beti as rightly described  has certainly put some pressure on the JD(U) camp. Mr Kumar, may be in the time to come, may have to regret his decision of siding with the choice of Amit Shah and Mr Modi.

In terms of efficiency and more suitability respected Ms Kumar, a former IFS official and former Lok Sabha Speaker, has an edge. Numbers can be against her, but maturity in democracy has often challenged the number games.

Having said this it is imperative to look at the merits in opposing

Mr Modi and the candidature of Mr Kovind. First, Mr Modi and Mr Shah hardly gave seriousness to the episode of so-called consultation with Opposition parties. The Opposition leaders said they believed in the government and the ruling BJP version and thus did not expect announcement of candidates name in isolation.

But what was at play is the sheer political shrewdness of Modi-Shah duo whereas the requirement was some kind of statesmanship and frank interaction as was the case during Atal Behari Vajpayees tenure. But statesmanship in politics cannot come all of a sudden.

Now I focus on basic questions of why and how Indian inertia is linked to this years presidential elections and more importantly how the elected MPs and MLAs should be careful about their decision while exercising their right to vote for choosing the First Citizen of India.

Mr Modi is alleged to be running an autocratic style of system. Like all dictatorships, which are often curiously similar in their modus operandi,

Mr Modi-led dispensation also gives short thrift to truth. Over the last three years, he has tried to push for one kind of politics wherein there is a sustained toxic campaign against Muslins and even Christians.

So when truth is a casualty, Mr Modi is hardly in a position to gauge through the media and otherwise on what is really peoples choice on the next Rashtrapati. Therefore, his way of functioning is actually imposing someone from the top and this must be resisted. This is what I have been trying to emphasise.

Like every authoritarian ruler, yet again, the Modi-Shah duo has been trying to look for legitimacy to their politics. Even as we in the Opposition camp would not like to admit, the UP mandate has boosted their confidence. A no-contest presidential election would have given them another opportunity.

Hence, all the credit must be shared by

Mrs Gandhi, the Left and other Opposition leaders for fielding a formidable candidate in the form of Ms Kumar.

The numbers may not be in their side, but there are enough merits in the case being build up by the Opposition camp that there has to be an ideological contest as

Mr Kovind is also a RSS-loyalist and also that Opposition parties led by the Congress with the support of hardcore anti-BJP, the Left parties need to sustain a strong anti-BJP or for that matter an anti-Modi politics till 2019.

In fielding Ms Kumar, it is true that Mrs Gandhi and other Opposition leaders have put some pressure on the JD(U) leadership. Despite being a dalit and a woman, I have said earlier Ms Kumar is also a seemingly more qualified leader than the NDA nominee.

For her part, former Lok Sabha Speaker and united Opposition candidate for presidential polls

Ms Kumar sought to take the battle to the ruling combine NDAs camp and said that capability and experience must always supersede every other consideration while choosing the person for the high office of President of India.

The post of the President carries the responsibility of safeguarding and defending our constitutional principles... It transcends the considerations of caste, religion or region. The post is not symbolic; it articulates, in the fullest sense, the basis of our electoral philosophy that capability and experience must always supersede all other considerations, Ms Kumar said in a statement.

Its in a way a case of calling spade a spade. Thus, it all remains to be seen how things span out even as stated above numbers are in the side of Modi-Shah duo.

I am not expecting miracle. But politics is all about giving it a democratic fight. The office of President of India requires to ensure that citizens liberties are not in peril. The beauty of our democracy lies in the strength of the Indian Constitution.

Ms Kumar and the Opposition camp has made right moves by launching the campaign from Sabarmati Ashram, the hub of activities associated with Gandhian values. It is important for the country.

We are set for a dalit President yet again. K.R. Narayanan was first dalit leader at that office and thanks to his long Congress association he was at the Rashtrapati Bhavan by his merits. Can the BJP speak with similar confidence in days to come?

Atrocities against dalits have been taking place mostly in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Mr Kovind comes from one state (UP) and he was governor of another Bihar. In Mr Modis native state of Gujarat also crimes against dalits make for around 160 per cent.

In the ultimate analysis, apart from constitutional safeguards, time and again, people have to bank on the courage and vigilance of masses. In a presidential election the power to be vigilant rests with members of the electoral college. MPs and MLAs know it well that no party whip would be applicable as this election process goes through a secret ballot. They can press the button according to their conscience.

The writer is a former chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Electronics Development Corporation and founder, Prof. G.V. Sudhaker Rao Foundation.
Bengaluru: With his family in strife following grandson Prajwal Revannas stunning statement on suitcase culture dominating in the Janata Dal(S), party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda rushed to douse the flames saying the crisis had blown over as he had asked Prajwal to apologise to his uncle and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Prajwal, who was upset that the Hunsur Assembly seat in Mysuru he had been eyeing, was handed over to new entrant A.H. Vishwanath on a platter, had hit out at the leadership (read party state president and his uncle Kumaraswamy) with his remark that 'suitcase' or money determined everything in JD(S). Prajwal is the son of Kumaraswamy's brother and MLA, H.D. Revanna.

Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Mr Gowda said he held a meeting with Prajwal who, he claimed, had realised his mistake.

I told him I would be writing a letter. He said I could issue a notice, if I desired. I advised him to reply to the letter and tender an unconditional apology. I have asked him to meet Kumaraswamy and apologise for the comment, Mr Gowda said.

Stating that both Nikhil (Kumaraswamy's son) and Prajwal were the same to him, Mr Gowda said, I told Prajwal he had lost credibility as a promising youth leader. He was responsible for the present situation. He has been going around with some of his friends, who posted these comments on social media. I cannot tolerate indiscipline in the party, Mr Gowda said.

He downplayed Kumaraswamy going missing for two days after Prajwal made the statement and said he had gone to Singapore for a check-up.

We have a family friend, Dr Rangappa, in Singapore. He had asked Kumaraswamy to come down and get his health checked, Mr Gowda explained.

Referring to the violence in Dakshina Kannada district, he said the stand taken by both national parties was wrong and added that his party would organise a peace march from strife-torn Bantwal to Mangaluru.
In a subcontinent dominated by Pakistan-India conflicts, the short, sharp Sino-Indian war of 1962 remains rather neglected, with little analysis of how it helped shape the region into what it is today. The recent stand-off at the Doklam plateau, and the inevitable parallels that are being drawn, makes it worthwhile to take another look at this conflict. The road to the 62 war starts in Tibet  in fact, it starts because of the road to Tibet. No sooner had Mao Zedong proclaimed the People Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 that tro-ops were sent to conquer this land, via a road that passed from the western Chinese province of Xinjiang through Aksai Chin and on to Tibet.

When a Tibetan uprising took place in 1959, this was again the route Chinese reinforcements took. The revolt failed and the Dalai Lama fled to India where he was granted asylum, much to Chinas chagrin. Soon after, India starts to strengthen its position along the McMahon line, the border between Indian and China. In particular it expands its positions in Ladakh, which borders Aksai Chin.

To the Chinese, this potentially threatened a crucial supply route to Tibet, and thus their hold over it. Then there was the fact that India was a Soviet ally, and though China and the USSR shared the communist ideology, a cold war waged between the two nations. Pressed on its long border with the USSR, China saw India was a potential threat that needed to be whittled down at some point, and that point came in 1962. The Chinese struck in force, one Army moving into Ladakh and another striking across the McMahon line from Tibet at four points.

Unprepared and underequipped, with primary units deployed against Pakistan, the Indian forces were hopelessly outmanned and outmatched. The shock was such that a larger invasion was feared, but Beijing then announced a unilateral ceasefire, withdrawing to maintain a strategically favourable position along the sprawling border. Up until then, Pak-China relations had been cordial but wary, and no warmer than Sino-Indian relations in the days of Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai. After all, Pakistan was a card-carrying capitalist US ally, and China had fought a bloody war against the US in Korea in the 1950s. Moreover, China also had territorial claims on parts of Azad Kashmir, and Tibet and Korea had demonstrated Chinas willing-ness to take decisive action to secure its interests. The build-up to 1962 changed this.

When the war ended with India being militarily and diplomatically humiliated, Pakistan was quick to conclude a border treaty with China in 1963. Justifying the deal, then foreign minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said Pakistan would not like to see the tantrums and crisis [that marked the dispute] between the PRC and India. The lessons learned by Pakistan were that (a) disputes with China were to be avoided, (b) this state was a potential hedge/ally against India and (c) that the Indian Army was not as strong as it had seemed during its capture of Goa. This latter conclusion was crucial, as the idea of the Indian Army being susceptible to strategic surprise played a significant role in the calculations that led to the 1965 war. The war also seems to have led to a feeling that China might overtly aid Pakistan in a future conflict with India.

While this proved untrue, it was something that New Delhi also feared, and there was much speculation in India at the time that the Sino-Pak border agreement had secret military clauses too. For India, while this war resulted in military humiliation, it served to unify the nation. On the international front, Anglo-American military aid given to India after the war brought India closer to the West, while simultaneously souring Pakistani attitudes towards its Western allies. Ayub Khan asked them to abandon the aid-India programme.

Consequently, when the US protested at the signing of economic and trade agree-ments with China, the complaints were shrugged off. When Zhou Enlai was invited to visit Pakistan in 1964, the US protested again to no avail. Pakistani officials adopted a clear pro-Beijing line, quest-ioning the value of a Western alliance that couldnt resolve the Kashmir dispute. Trends and attitudes were established in this period that have marked the dynamics of the subco-ntinent ever since, and the alliances and enmities of today can be said to find their genesis in 1962.
 Gau rakshak saab hain?

 Nahin, lynch pe gayen hain!

(Is the cow protector in?  No, he is out to lynch.)

Black humour deals with the utterly unacceptable. But if lynching is the new normal (and I dont think it is yet), it hasnt become so overnight. For years, we have prepared the ground for this brazen brutality that thumbs its nose at the law of the land. Back in 2004, Akku Yadav was lynched in a Nagpur court by a mob of furious women and men. We were shocked, but not unhappy. The dreaded serial rapist, extortionist and ruthless goon had been pally with the police, thus escaping the law for decades. We are all guilty, thundered a crowd of enraged women, challenging the court to punish them. A horde of lawyers sprang up in defence, pointing out that the attackers were actually victims. It was not murder, it was social justice. Sure enough, 10 years later, all the accused were let off. We smiled in relief.

Overburdened courts at the mercy of a corrupt administration, crooked officers and callous police often fail to deliver justice. Then there is political expediency. Whether it is denying Shah Bano the paltry maintenance her husband should have paid her, or concluding that an offender should be sent to the gallows as that is the only way that the collective conscience of society would be satisfied, or practically legitimising the demolition of the Babri Masjid by treating the disputed land as the birthplace of Ram, our courts have off and on failed our secular democracy as well.

This encourages desperate people to take the law into their own hands. Once a free-for-all is established procedure, you dont need a real reason, or a real criminal to deliver instant justice  you can accuse and kill just about anybody. Its the Because I Can age. Its cool to be able to do what you want, and not pay for it. There is no accountability. And no need for truth. You can say and do anything at all. So every day you hear of lynchings somewhere or the other, usually Muslims or dalits killed on a whim by Hindu goons. Amazing how we have been sprouting Hindu goons everywhere  in villages and cities, on highways and trains, in and around the nations capital.

But the BJP government cant take full credit for this Make in India phenomenon  this mushrooming of violence has been incubating for years. Only now theres a brazen shamelessness about it, a belief that every wrong will be accepted in the name of majoritarianism. As Hindus in Hindustan we can do as we please. And you, the weak, the minority, the downtrodden, the powerless, will have to bow to our every wish. We will beat you to a pulp if you dont. Because we can. This is the change. This fall from the civilised norm of the strong protecting the weak, to the savage approach of the strong flaunting its domination of the weak. Traditionally, our sectarian harmony has been encouraged by cultural constructs like Hindu-Muslim bhai bhai, where the Hindu is the protective big brother to the Muslim younger brother. Over time, we have deliberately moved away from that relationship.

Besides, years of dumbing down of the media gently robs society of its ability to think clearly. An increasingly, the aspirational media that encourages a culture of instant gratification and a me-centric worldview gives us tunnel vision and erases sentiments like empathy, sympathy, generosity or even fairness. Meanwhile, the social media engineers social realities. Its reach is wide and instant, and it can propagate ideas like never before. In the hands of unscrupulous people, it swiftly changes perceptions of ourselves and our fellow citizens, and directs rage and hatred towards the chosen other  usually Muslims.

Like the photo of a beaten and bloodied couple in Bangladesh or a still from a Bhojpuri film showing a woman being disrobed by leering gangsters, which are being passed around right now as proof that Hindus are being attacked and Hindu women molested in West Bengal. Circulating fake news and accusations on social media is all you need to drum up mob violence and riots. An increasingly violent society where might is right and justice is a distant dream is numbing our senses. We have grown so used to the violent rape and murder of little children, that we fail to perform the basic duty of an adult  that of protecting the young. So Inayatullah Khan, 12, can be lynched by a mob in Jharkhand, and hanged from a tree, along with Mohammad Majloom, a cattle trader. And Hafiz Junaid, 16, can be lynched in a train as fellow passengers join in.

How dreadfully hollow is a society that can kill children in public with impunity? This is the real danger. The danger of our much-treasured pluralistic, protective social fabric being ripped apart to make us a hollow society that acts as an easy receptacle for values that go against everything that our democracy is built on. A hollow society that you can pour fascism into and wait for it to set and shape up nicely. Governments come and go, but a fascist society stays with us, within us.

This is what we are standing up against. Not in My Name is not just a distancing from the horrendous acts of violence orchestrated by the Hindu right, it is the first step to stopping the rot that has set in over decades. We now have our back to the wall. The very concept of India as a pluralistic democracy with equal rights and freedoms for all is under direct attack. We need to push for justice every time there is an attack. We need to fix accountability. Because this time our collective conscience will only be satisfied if we can dislodge the fascism poured into us and return to the India we were born to live in.
The observation in a study by Harvard University that India could be the growth pole, growing at 7.7 per cent till 2025, comes as little surprise. For over a year, India had been the fastest growing economy, second only to China. This has now changed. With Chinas economy slowing, India has edged China out of the number one position. China has taken a pause after its breathtaking double-digit growth for several years, and its leaders are trying to cool the economy. Its scorching investment pace in real estate created a housing bubble, and its infrastructure investments led to an oversupply, with investments getting stuck. Lucky for China, its Communist Party bosses know their survival depends on the economys success, so they are taking correctional steps.

The tailwinds for India are very favourable for sustained growth, with the devastating impact of demonetisation behind us and the Goods and Services Tax yet to reveal its full impact. The economy is set to get a push from a favourable monsoon, increased expenditure on infrastructure development, growth of the real estate sector, consistent consumption demand and private investment finally coming in. Indias growth will also get support from global economies that are picking up pace. This supports exports from countries like India and other emerging economies. Indias exports have seen an uptick too as exporters have learnt to diversify into several sophisticated and complex areas like chemicals, vehicles and some electronics. This is a significant shift from the purely traditional exports like textiles, leather and tea.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis various programmes to push economic growth and entrepreneurship have given a further impetus to growth and employment. One of the most significant factors of the PMs growth impulse is the Skilling India programme. This will further help Indias workforce to expand its capabilities into new products and more complex products needed by the importing countries. India of course needs to spend more on research and development. Its expenditure on this is far lower than China; and the government and the private sector must recognise this if India is to maintain its number one position. As the saying goes: uneasy lies the head that wears the crown!
It was never a secret that there is a Pakistan-China axis which operates at Indias expense. This has been evident from the long-held Chinese view that the demarcation of the Sino-Indian boundary in the western sector (Ladakh) would not be an independent exercise but would follow the settlement of the India-Pakistan conundrum in Kashmir. The cloak of civility over this softly-stated proposition slipped off Sunday with the Chinese Communist Partys propaganda machinery suggesting that if India as a third party could come out with troops in defence of Bhutans interests (in keeping treaty obligations going back decades) in the eastern Himalayas, China too could intervene in the Kashmir Valley with soldiers on Pakistans behalf.

This might not happen tomorrow. However, China has already been engaged in a troop buildup in the guise of road building in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It is only half a step from there to backing jihadis from the Pakistan side, or even Pakistani regulars, as they make trouble for Indian soldiers on the Line of Control.

Taking full advantage of the military standoff between India and China on the tri-junction with Bhutan, the Pakistanis exploited Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wanis death anniversary on July 8 to aid the freedom struggle in Kashmir. Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif and Army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa both made deferential remarks about the slain Wani as Pakistani troops shelled the LoC, drawing a sharp Indian response. Lets face it. A two-front war is closer to being real than we think. For starters, this calls for a policy to bring internal tranquility to the Kashmir Valley.
Richard Branson, the owner of Virgin Airlines (possibly one of the best airlines in the world), showed a very focused mind as he listed his priorities, which were about improving himself, his need to interact with others and to get his business going by opening more Virgin Record stores and buying material for his record studio  the Manor.

As a list-maker myself, I am fascinated with other peoples to do lists. My lists, however, always get mixed up with household tasks as well as work, so you might find a very important meeting listed next to a list of groceries! It will certainly appear cryptic to someone reading it 30 years later. But as a 22-year-old, Richard Branson, the owner of Virgin Airlines (possibly one of the best airlines in the world), showed a very focused mind as he listed his priorities, which were about improving himself, his need to interact with others and to get his business going by opening more Virgin Record stores and buying material for his record studio  the Manor.

As per the slightly oddly-written list published in the media  Mr Branson would have liked to:

1. Learn to fly

2. Look after me, you, boat

3. Entertain everybody with me

4. Invite nice people back

5. Start getting the small house together at the Manor

6. Start buying odds and sods for The Manor

7. Work with me on projects/sort me out

8. More shops to be found

He has a self-confessed love for lists, but it works for him as he achieved many of the ambitions found in this list made decades ago. There might be some wish-fulfilment hidden in list-making. Just look up to do lists you made as a teenager or later, and you will be surprised to find how many you have achieved. I found my diary, which I had written when I was a 10-year-old, where I had written down my ambition to be an author, and 40 years later I have achieved my childhood dream. Hopefully, you will have achieved your dreams faster!

Wimbledon is here and so are strawberries! But July is turning into a real scorcher as parks turn into beaches with people stripping down to the bare minimum  there are more bare bodies on the grass than flowers. Some beaches with real sand have been created as well: one on South Bank which is immensely popular with children  imaginatively placed next to the river Thames, just in case you cant afford to travel.

All British hopes are focused on Andy Murray, who reportedly had health problems in the past few weeks. At one stage, there were four British players beyond the first and even the second round. But two have fallen by the way. We still have the gorgeous Jo Konta, who is advancing in the womens section and, of course, our Andy. Meanwhile the UK-India Year of Culture 2017 is marching on. There was a reception at the Indian high commission where Sanjoy Roy, the master of all at the Jaipur Literary Festival, welcomed us all to another gathering of artistes participating in the Year of Culture, opening the summer season. Indian high commissioner Y.K. Sinha was the affable host as always and all had a good time.

We also had the launch of another UK-India initiative at the beautiful new hotel The Lalit, opened a short while ago in London by its very talented owner Jyotsna Suri. If you havent been there you are really missing something  the hotel has an old-world charm and grandeur created through carefully collected artefacts  many of them from India. This was the launch of a book called Winning Partnership: India-UK Relations Beyond Brexit  the brainchild of Manoj Ladwa, who is one of the best bridges between our two countries. The book has contributions by former diplomats such as Michael Arthur who was British high commissioner in India as well as Patricia Hewitt, a former Cabinet minister, who has done a lot for UK-India business relations. On the Indian side, ambassadors Ranjan Mathai and Asoke Mukerji have made their contribution. London mayor Sadiq Khan, himself a son of an immigrant of Pakistani origin, gives his view on why India-UK relations are vital. Jyotsna Suri has shared her views on the crucial role the hospitality industry can play in this relationship. Lord Meghnad Desai has also contributed to the book, and he along with the other authors met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and gave him a copy of the book.

As India turns 70, we celebrate all those who turn 70! And so the 70th birthday celebrations of Dr Rami Ranger, arranged by his daughters, at the Grosvenor Hotel fits well into this agenda. Rami is a very well-known figure on the Indo-British circuit in the UK, and he is also a trustee with us at the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust. Cabinet minister Sajid Javid was among those who paid rich tributes to what Rami had done for the country and the communities. The guests included Lord Bilimoria and Lord Suri as well as Baroness (Sandy) Verma.

For me, Rami has a particularly poignant connection because his father was killed in 1947 in Multan while trying to save 600 students during the Partition riots. Yet Rami never gave up, and built a huge business. It is inspirational stories like his that are so important for us, while setting up the Partition Museum at Town Hall, Amritsar.
To overcome the need for investigators to travel far and wide to gather evidence from infected computers after a cyberattack, a Kaspersky Lab expert has developed a simple tool that can remotely collect vital data without risk of its contamination or loss. Named BitScout, the tool can build a swiss-army knife for the remote forensic investigation of live systems and has been made freely available for all investigators to use.

In most cyberattacks, legitimate owners of compromised systems fall victim to unidentified perpetrators. Victims usually agree to cooperate and help security researchers find the infection vector or other details about the attackers. However, it is a longstanding concern among forensic researchers that the need to travel long distances to collect crucial evidence such as malware samples from infected computers can result in expensive and delayed investigations. The longer it takes for an attack to be understood, the longer it is before users are protected and perpetrators identified. However, the alternatives have either involved expensive tools and knowledge of how to operate them, or the risk of contaminating or losing evidence by moving it between computers.

To solve the problem, Vitaly Kamluk, Director of Kaspersky Labs Global Research and Analysis Team in Asia Pacific (APAC) has created an open-source digital tool that can remotely collect key forensic materials, acquire full disk images via the network or locally attached storage, or simply remotely assist in malware incident handling. Evidence data can be viewed and analyzed remotely or locally while the source data storage remains intact through reliable container-based isolation.

The need to analyze security incidents as efficiently and swiftly as possible is increasingly important, as adversaries grow ever more advanced and stealthy. But speed at all costs is not the answer either  we need to ensure evidence is untainted so that investigations are trusted and results can be qualified for use in court if required. I couldnt find a tool that allowed us to achieve all of this, freely and easily  so I decided to build one, said Vitaly Kamluk.

Kaspersky Lab experts work closely with law enforcement agencies across the world to help in the technical analysis of cyber investigations. This gives them a unique insight into the challenges LEA personnel face when fighting modern cybercrime. The cybersecurity landscape is now so complex and sophisticated that investigators need tools that can adapt and scale to the demands of the job. BitScout is a good example of this. It can be adjusted to the particular needs of an investigator, and improved and upgraded with additional features and custom software. Most importantly it comes free of charge, based on open-source solutions and is fully transparent: instead of relying on third party tools with proprietary code, experts can use the Bitscout open-source code to build their own swiss-army knife for digital forensics.

The list of BitScout features includes:

Disk image acquisition even with un-trained staff

Training people on the go (shared view-only terminal session)

Transferring complex pieces of data to your lab for deeper inspection

Remote Yara or AV scanning of offline systems (essential against rootkits)

Search and view registry keys (autoruns, services, plugged USB devices)

Remote file carving (recovering deleted files)

Remediation of the remote system if access is authorized by the owner

Remote scanning of other network nodes (useful for remote incident response

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If the claims of the data breach are true, it would be a large setback for the Indian telecom entrant's aggressive push led by Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani.

India's newest telecoms entrant, Reliance Jio, said it was investigating claims of customer personal data being leaked onto a website called "Magicapk."

"We have informed law enforcement agencies about the claims of the website and will follow through to ensure strict action is taken," a Jio spokeswoman said early on Monday, adding the data on the website appeared to be "unauthentic."

She added the company's subscriber data was safe and maintained with the highest security.

Users have been registered on the Reliance Jio network using a 12-digit Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) provided number, commonly known as the 'Aadhaar' number.

The 'Aadhaar' number, which works on similar lines as Social Security numbers in the US, is unique to every Indian citizen and stores biometric and demographic data of the user at a centralised database.

If the claims of the data breach are true, it would be a large setback for the Indian telecom entrant's aggressive push led by Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, which added 3.9 million subscribers to its network in April.

Many users complained on Twitter about personal information of millions of Jio users being publicly available on Magicapk.com, in what appears to be the first of its kind large-scale data breach of an Indian telecom operator.

The website, when accessed by Reuters, flashed a message saying: "This Account has been suspended."

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Police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye confirmed on his Twitter feed that eight people had died, adding that the blast left 50 wounded. (Photo: Representational/File)

Nairobi: A hand grenade blast killed at least eight people and wounded about 60 others in a bar at Shinya in northern Burundi, local officials and police said Monday.

"Still unidentified criminals threw a grenade last night around 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) into a group of a dozen people having a drink on Shinya hill in Gatara district," said the local administrator, Devote Ndayizeye.

"Six people died on the spot and 66 others were injured, of whom 10 are in a serious condition," she added, stating that most victims had been taken to hospitals in the region.

"Two other people among the badly wounded died of their injuries once they were already in hospital," Ndayizeye said. She noted that all casualty figures were provisional.

Police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye confirmed on his Twitter feed that eight people had died, adding that the blast left 50 wounded. "An inquiry is in hand to identify the culprits, but no leads, whether political or a land dispute as is often the case or anything else, has been given priority up until now," a police source said.

Grenade attacks of this nature, targeting bars and other places where people gather, have been a sporadic feature of life in the small, densely populated country for many years.

There has been an upsurge in violence since President Pierre Nkurunziza put himself up for a deeply disputed third term in office in April 2015 and was re-elected the following July, two months after putting down a military coup bid.

Nkurunziza, the former leader of a rebel group, was first elected in 2005, two years after the end of a decade-long civil war in which an estimated 300,000 people perished.

The government and opposition each blame the other for attacks that have increased in frequency since April 2015, while nobody claims responsibility.

The attacks have claimed between 500 and 2,000 lives according to the varying estimates of UN agencies and humanitarian organisations. Some NGOs report hundreds of cases of torture and forced disappearances, while more than 400,000 people have fled into exile.
The mainstream media and leaders of the opposition Democratic Party, including some of the top aides of former US President Barack Obama, criticised Ivanka for this. (Photo: AP)

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday strongly defended his daughter Ivanka Trump, who has come under fire for sitting on her father's chair during a G20 meeting in Germany last week, saying what she did was "very standard".

Ivanka briefly sat on her father's chair during a G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, while Trump was meeting other world leaders.

When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

The mainstream media and leaders of the opposition Democratic Party, including some of the top aides of former US President Barack Obama, criticised Ivanka for this.

Trump has slammed such criticism as politically motivated. He has accused the media of having double standards on this issue.

"If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!" Trump said.

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother,as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the host of the G-20 Summit last week, has said that it is for the host country to decide who would represent them.

"The delegations themselves decide, should the president not be present for a meeting, who will then take over and sit in the chair," Merkel said.

"Ivanka Trump was part and parcel of the American delegation, so that is something that other delegations also do. It's very well known that she works at the White House and is also engaged in certain initiatives," Merkel told reporters during a news conference.

Besides being Trump's daughter, businesswoman Ivanka, 35, is also a senior and one of the closest advisers to the US President.

In the last six months, she has been involved in several key initiatives of the Trump administration in particular those related to women and entrepreneurship.

She is slated to visit India later this year to attend the eighth edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. She would be leading the American delegation.
Washington: President Donald Trump believes Russia was not alone in interfering with the US elections and other countries such as China and North Korea too have meddled in American polls over the years, one of his top aides said on Sunday.

"(Trump) said they (Russians) probably meddled in the election. They did meddle in the election. The one thing that he also says, which drives the media crazy, but its an absolute fact, is that others have as well, and thats true. China has, North Korea has, and they have consistently over many, many years," White House Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus, told Fox News.

"He believes that Russia probably committed all of these acts that weve been told of, but he also believes that other countries also participated in this," Priebus said.

His stance was in contrast to the US president who has appeared hesitant to blame Russia but has acknowledged others may be involved, saying "nobody really knows for sure."

He has tweeted that Putin "vehemently denied" interfering in the presidential election during their first face-to-face encounter at the G20 Summit on Friday.

Priebus, however, said Trump "absolutely did not believe" Putins denial. Russia, he asserted, is not off the hook on the issue, but the Trump administration is not going to forgo progress on other issues simply because they differ on this.

"What it means is that we need to move forward with things like a ceasefire in Syria, which is going to save a lot of lives," he said. "It means we need to move forward with working together with ISIS. We need to move forward with working together in resolving the conflict in Ukraine."

Responding to a question whether the US was isolated at the G20 Summit in Germany on the issue of climate change, Priebus said Trump defended Americas interest.

"Does the president have any trouble when hes one against 19?" the White House chief of staff was asked.

"The president has made it very clear that he doesnt believe the Paris agreement is fair. Now, you say its a disagreement. Its really not a disagreement on the environment. Its a disagreement on the Paris agreement itself, and the fact that we dont want to be hamstrung by an agreement thats going to hurt the American worker across the country that the president has pledged to support," he said.
Washington: President Donald Trumps eldest son is appearing to acknowledge that he took a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign to hear information about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump Jr. on Twitter said the meeting went nowhere but had to listen. He also downplayed the Trump Tower meeting, noting in a tongue-in-cheek fashion that it's common for members of campaigns to seek damaging information about opposing candidates.

Mr Trump Jr.s tweet is the latest shift in his explanation of the meeting first reported by The New York Times. He had initially said the meeting focused on a disbanded Russian adoption programme. A day later, he acknowledged he took the meeting because he was told the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, might have information helpful to the Trump campaign.

After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms Clinton, Mr Trump Jr. said in a statement to the Times. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

The Presidents son said he gathered that the adoption issue was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting.

This is the most direct suggestion so far of a possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and the first indication that someone from President Trumps inner circle met with Russians during the campaign, The Washington Post said.

The meeting was also attended by the then Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Mr Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is now a senior White House adviser. In his statement, Mr Trump Jr. said he had asked Mr Manafort and Mr Kushner to attend, but did not tell them what the meeting was about.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the Presidents lawyer, said that the President was not aware of and did not attend the meeting, according to the Times.

Russia has been accused of hacking and influencing last years election in Mr Trumps favour. On Sunday, two days after his first meeting as president with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr Trump tweeted: I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. Ive already given my opinion......
The Indian Army, however, said in one such incident of specific targeting by unprovoked shelling of civilian areas by Pakistan on Saturday, Havildar Md Shaukat, a serving soldier, and his wife died while he was at his home during leave. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Islamabad: The Indian Army on Monday rejected Pakistan military's claim of killing four Indian soldiers during cross-border firing yesterday, saying it had not suffered any casualties this month.

"Pakistan army has been violating the ceasefire on a regular basis. It has deliberately targeted civilian areas during these across the Line of Control firing incidents," an Indian Army spokesperson said in New Delhi.

The Indian Army has not suffered any casualty in the month of July in these unprovoked ceasefire violations, the Army spokesperson said.

"As a mature and accountable institution, the Indian Army keeps the public informed of casualties suffered through an established and transparent system. In case of occurrence of fatal casualties, tribute is paid to the soldier through the official Twitter handle and Facebook page. State funeral is also organised as a mark of respect," the official said.

The Indian Army, however, said in one such incident of specific targeting by unprovoked shelling of civilian areas by Pakistan on Saturday, Havildar Md Shaukat, a serving soldier, and his wife died while he was at his home during leave.

The Indian Army response came after the Pakistani military claimed that it had killed four Indian soldiers and destroyed two Indian checkposts being used to target civilians.

The Pakistan army claimed that its firing came in response to alleged "unprovoked firing" by India yesterday, "targeting innocent civilians".

It claimed that the Indian firing resulted in the death of five of its citizens. The Pakistan army also released a video dated July 9 to substantiate its claim.

"Pakistan army befittingly responded on July 9, causing substantial losses to men and material. Two Indian Army posts firing on innocent civilians have been destroyed. Four Indian soldiers killed," Army Spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor tweeted, while sharing the video.

The Pakistan army will continue to protect civilians from "unprovoked Indian aggression" at all costs, he said.
Security agencies have cordoned off the area and determining nature of the blast. (Photo: File/Representational)

Lahore: A powerful bomb blast occurred near the Friendship Gate on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman left six people dead and 13 injured on Monday.

An emergency alert has been issued in all the nearby hospitals.

The blast occurred near Boghra Road, prompting rescue and law and enforcement agencies into action and they rushed to the spot.

Security agencies have cordoned off the area and determining nature of the blast.

The border crossing between the town of Chaman and Spin Boldak is the second most important crossing on the Afghan-Pakistani border.

Further details are awaited.
Islamabad: In order to restore peace in the region, Pakistan wants to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, Sartaj Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs said.

Aziz's remarks came amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC).

He also accused India of increasing the tension on the LoC to divert attention from the human rights violations in Kashmir, The News International newspaper reported.

He claimed that in the last one year, India had committed 450 LoC violations, killing many innocent people.

Aziz said that Pakistan wanted to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir so that the peace could be restored in the region.

At the same time, Aziz said Pakistan would continue political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris, until they achieve freedom from India. He said India could not suppress the vigour of Kashmiris for freedom.

India being a democratic country should give chance to the people of Kashmir to decide their future course, he said.

If referendum could be held in Italy and Britain, then why not in Kashmir, he asked. Aziz claimed that if plebiscite was held in Kashmir no Muslim would decide to live with India.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj lashed out at her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz for "not showing the courtesy to acknowledge" her letter about a visa for Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage.

Meanwhile, Swaraj also denied that a medical visa was rejected to a Pakistani cancer patient on the basis of deteriorating ties between the two countries.
Islamabad: In a setback to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a Supreme Court ordered probe panel in its final report on the Panamagate on Monday recommended filing of a corruption case against him and his children after finding significant disparities in their income and actual wealth.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Sharif familys business dealings in its report recommended that a reference (corruption case) should be filed against Mr Sharif and his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, as well as daughter Maryam Nawaz.

The JIT submitted it 256-page report to the Supreme Court of Pakistan two months after it was formed in the light of the courts order in Panama Papers case.

The report highlighted irregular movement of huge sums of money in the form loans and gifts between Mr Sharif and his youngest son from various companies set up in Saudi Arabia UK and UAE. It said the role of off-shore companies is critical as they have been identified to be linked with their businesses in UK.

The JIT also said the respondents were unable to provide substantive evidence of a reliable money trail, used to buy expensive properties in London.
What do you look for in a smartphone now that they all look just the same? Many may say the camera is key, and now the new version of Nokia hopes to stand out by putting Carl Zeiss lenses in its phones.



HMD Global, which has licensed the Nokia brand from the Finnish telecoms giant, has signed an exclusive deal with Zeiss, the high-end lens and optical systems maker.



Its the latest of a number of partnerships signed by HMD as it attempts to revive the brand that once dominated the mobile phone industry.



Zeiss lenses, coupled with its expertise in imaging, will feature in all Nokia smartphones in the future - though they are not in the N3, N5 and N6, Nokias first new Android phones, which go on sale next month.



Florian Seiche, HMDs president, told me the companys whole business model was based on strategic partnerships and the key thing about Zeiss was the two companies had shared values of quality and craftsmanship.



Mobile industry guru Ben Wood, of CCS Insight, thinks this is a smart move.



The camera is now so central a feature of any smartphone - for many its their primary camera, he told me. It sends the message that HMD is really serious about quality.



It might seem strange that Zeiss should choose to partner with what is for now a tiny niche player in the mobile industry. But its a measure of how assiduous HMD has been in building on old relationships with the Finnish brand - Nokia was in a partnership with Zeiss until it sold its ailing smartphone division to Microsoft.



In the final years of that alliance, they produced some outstanding innovations, including the 41 megapixel Nokia 808 Pureview, which raised the bar for other manufacturers even if it failed to revive the mobile companys fortunes.



But Mr Wood cautions that the world has moved on, with other companies copying Zeiss innovations such as optical image stabilisation.



Current cameras have many of the features they pioneered with Nokia, and theyve gone further, he said.



Look at the 960 frames per second super slow-mo on the Sony Xperia XZ Premium or the dual lens technology on the iPhone 7- thats what they have to compete with.



One phone that certainly does not boast that kind of feature is the Nokia 3310, the retro device HMD Global relaunched as a way of getting the brand talked about again.



It certainly succeeded, and reports suggest that sales have been very healthy - but now HMD Global wants to change the subject.



Forget cheap and cheerful throwaway phones, Nokia is where you will now turn for a premium smartphone experience with advanced imaging technology you cant get anywhere else. That is the message from HMD Global - lets see if anyone listens.


External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today expressed dismay over lack of courtesy shown by her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz, who has not even acknowledged her personal letter requesting for a Pakistani visa for Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother.



However, she assured Aziz that any Pakistani national seeking a medical visa to travel to India with his recommendation will be given the visa immediately.



In a series of tweets, Swaraj said, "I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals."



She said a visa application was pending for Indian national Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan.



"I wrote a personal letter to Mr Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Mr Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she tweeted.



Jadhav, 46, was allegedly arrested by Pakistan in the restive Balochistan province last year. He has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism.
At least two militants were killed along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowgam sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district on Monday as army foiled an infiltration bid after Pakistan resorted to the indiscriminate firing to push in ultras.



Sources said on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday troops guarding the LoC noticed the movement of a heavily armed group of militants trying to infiltrate into Indian territory under the cover of darkness in Nowgam sector.



As the troops challenged the infiltrators, they opened fire and tried to hide in nearby forests. The army tightened to cordon around the area and in the morning a massive search operation was launched and contact was established with the hiding militants," they said and added that two militants have been killed in the encounter.



Sources said the operation is still underway as additional reinforcement from other army units have been rushed to the area and vast forest area has been cordoned off. General Officer Commanding 19 Infantry Division R T Kalita said bodies of two militants have been recovered and the operation was going on.



A senior army officer said the deployment of additional troops on the LoC along the traditional infiltration routes in north Kashmir this year seems to have paid dividends as a number of ultras have been killed at the entry point itself. "Over 25 infiltration attempts have been foiled in the recent months and nearly 50 ultras have been killed along the LoC," he said.



"With additional troops, the army has placed ambush parties at new locations and places which militants and their guides don't know till they are trapped. It has helped in bringing down infiltration levels," the officer said and added the Army has now received inputs that Pakistan may try to push the militants through the Gurez area which is jointly guarded by Army and the Border Security Force (BSF).
In a rare incident of its kind, Jammu and Kashmir police arrested a resident of Utter Pradesh, who was allegedly part of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) module in the Valley involved in attacks on security forces and bank robberies cases.



Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan said they busted a LeT module by arresting Sandeep Kumar, alias Adil, son of Ram Sharma, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh and Muneeb Shah of Kulgam district in south Kashmir.



From attacks on army convoys to weapon snatching and bank robberies, Sharma assisted LeT to stabilise their module in south Kashmir. The IGP said Kumar was a close aide of slain Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Bashir Lashkari and was involved in the militant attack on policemen in Achabal that left six cops, including a SHO dead on June 16.



Sundeep was with Bashir Lashkari when the latter was killed during an encounter (on July 1). He was staying with Bashir in the same house where the encounter happened, the IGP said in a press conference, here.



Khan said that Kumar was detained for questioning after he was rescued from the house where Bashir Lashkari was killed. During the investigation, it was revealed that Sandeep, along with other individuals, hatched a criminal conspiracy to provide shelter and transport terrorists for carrying terror strikes. The investigation is in progress, he said.



The LeT took the help of Kumar to loot ATMs and carry bank robberies in south Kashmir. Kumar had arrived in Kashmir in January this year to loot ATMs taking advantage of the situation in the Valley. He got away for long as the suspicion never fell on him owing to the fact that he was a non-local.



Over a period of time, Sandeep became a hardened militant. He was also involved in cases of weapon snatching, the IGP Khan said and added Kumar is a criminal and got in touch with LeT through one Shakoor of Sopore.



It is for the first time in 28 years of insurgency that any person from non-Kashmiri man has been found to be involved in terror in the Valley. Sources said police was now trying to find out whether any other non-local was part of this or any other module.



The involvement of a non-Muslim and a non-Kashmiri in militant activities in the Valley is a cause of huge concern. We apprehend some more criminal minded people from outside state may have joined the terror organisations, a senior police officer said.
The RJD on Monday threw its weight behind embattled Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and rejected the demand for his resignation after he was made an accused in a case being probed by the CBI.



A meeting of top party leaders and legislators also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of trying to fix RJD president Lalu Prasad with the help of the government machinery.



JD(U), meanwhile, broke its silence on the issue of CBI raids on premises linked to Lalu and his relatives, with party veteran Sharad Yadav dubbing it an attempt to frustrate the efforts of forming a grand alliance of Opposition parties at the national level to take on the NDA.



The RJD Legislature Party met in Patna on Monday in the presence of Lalu, his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi and their two sons Tejashwi and Tej Pratap  both ministers in the Nitish Kumar government, and rejected outright the BJPs demand for the deputy chief ministers resignation following the raids on Friday.



Although Chief Minister Nitish has not publicly spoken about the raids in connection with handing over the maintenance of two railway-run hotels to private parties reportedly in return for a prime piece of land to Lalus family in Patna, senior RJD leader Jagdanand Singh said the two spoke over the phone on Sunday night.



Singh said Nitish called up Lalu, but refused to divulge what transpired during the telephonic talks.

The case relates to the period when Lalu was the railway minister.



Apart from Lalu, Rabri and Tejashwi have been made accused in the case. Meanwhile, amid reports of a rift in the JD(U)-RJD alliance, Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai said in the national capital that his MLAs would lend outside support to the Nitish Kumar government in the event of a split in the states ruling coalition, if the partys central leadership so decides.



Rai, who met BJP chief Amit Shah earlier in the day, said the party would extend support to Nitish only to prevent Bihars slide into anarchy and not be a part of the government.




Social activist Teesta Setalvad today failed to get any relief from the Supreme Court in a case in which she is accused of having a role in the illegal exhumation of bodies of some victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots.



The apex court said it would not be necessary to adjudicate on merits the plea filed by her against the Gujarat High Court order refusing to quash the FIR lodged against her at a police station in Panchmahal district regarding exhumation of the bodies from a graveyard near river Panam.



A bench, comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy, said it would be appropriate for Setalvad to seek the remedy before the trial court where the charge sheet has been filed.



"When charge sheet is there, can't you go and raise all these questions before the trial court," the bench asked senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Setalvad.



"It is not necessary to adjudicate the matter on merits," the bench said while disposing her appeal against the high court order while giving her the liberty to approach the trial court.



Sibal said though the charge sheet has been filed, no offence has been made out against Setalvad in the case.



Earlier, the Gujarat government, in its affidavit, had justified its probe against Setalvad in the case saying she had actually planned and executed the digging of the graves without any permission in 2006.



It had claimed that during the probe in the case, it had emerged that "Teesta Setalvad, the petitioner herein, was the main accused, who actually planned and executed this operation of digging of graves near Pandarwada through her staff."

The government had said the other accused have claimed innocence and blamed Setalvad for instigating them to carry out the exhumation, which is a penal offence.



It had said the exhumation of the dead bodies without permission of the competent authorities constituted an offence under sections 192 (fabricating false evidence), 193 (punishment for false evidence, 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 120-B criminal conspiracy), 295(A) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 297 (trespassing on burial places) of the IPC.
Pakistan wants to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, so that peace can be restored in the region, Sartaj Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, has said.



Aziz's remarks came amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC).



He also accused India of increasing the tension on the LoC to divert attention from the human rights violations in Kashmir, The News International newspaper reported.



He claimed that in the last one year, India had committed 450 LoC violations, killing many innocent people.



Aziz said that Pakistan wanted to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir so that the peace could be restored in the region.



At the same time, Aziz said Pakistan would continue political, moral and diplomatic support of Kashmiris until and unless Kashmiris achieve freedom from India. He said India could not suppress the vigour of Kashmiris for freedom.



India being a democratic country should give chance to the people of Kashmir to decide their future course, he said.



If referendum could be held in Italy and Britain, then why not in Kashmir?, he asked.



Aziz claimed that if plebiscite was held in Kashmir no Muslim would decide to live in India.
China today refused to acknowledge the interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the side-lines of the G-20 summit at Hamburg last week, insisting that no "bilateral meeting" took place between the two leaders.



India too has not described the interaction, which included a handshake, as a "bilateral meeting" but said that "a range of issues" were discussed by the two leaders. The Indian side has said that the interaction lasted five minutes.



Faced with a barrage of questions by reporters on how China viewed the interaction, Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang would only say repeatedly that no bilateral meeting took place.



"According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meetings," he said.



"On the side-lines of the G20, President Xi also presided over the informal BRICS leaders meeting. Prime Minister Modi and other leaders of the BRICS countries also attended that event", he said.



Asked again if the meeting did not happen at all, he said: "So my answer is that the two heads of state of India and China did not hold any meetings on the side-lines of the G20 summit in Hamburg."



China's insistence on the set-piece wording, and its refusal to waver from it, apparently was aimed at reiterating its view made clear before the Hamburg meeting: that the "atmosphere was not right" for a meeting between the two leaders due to the standoff between the two militaries at Doklam area in Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers.



China has been calling for immediate withdrawal of the Indian troops from the area.



He was also asked about a photograph tweeted by the India's Ministry of External Affairs showing the two leaders in conversation with interpreters, Geng stuck to his stand.



"As I said many times, the two state leaders of India and China did not hold any bilateral meeting ... But President Xi chaired the informal BRICS meeting during which Prime Minister Modi was also present".



Asked whether the standoff at Doklam was discussed, Geng said, "on the border issue, we reaffirmed that the Indian side should withdraw their border personnel to the Indian side.



On the boundary standoff issue, Geng said: "We demand the Indian side to withdraw their border personnel on to the Indian side of the boundary. This is the precondition for the any meaningful dialogue", he said.




The Indian Army response came after the Pakistani military claimed that it had killed four Indian soldiers and destroyed two Indian checkposts being used to target civilians.



The Pakistan Army claimed that its firing came in response to alleged "unprovoked firing" by India yesterday, "targeting innocent civilians".



It claimed that the Indian firing resulted in the death of five of its citizens.



The Pakistan Army also released a video dated July 9 to substantiate its claim.



"Pakistan Army befittingly responded on July 9, causing substantial losses to men and material. Two Indian Army posts firing on innocent civilians have been destroyed. Four Indian soldiers killed," Army Spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor tweeted, while sharing the video.



The Pakistan Army will continue to protect civilians from "unprovoked Indian aggression" at all costs, he said.

The Indian Army today rejected Pakistan military's claim of killing four Indian soldiers during cross-border firing yesterday, saying it had not suffered any casualties this month."Pakistan Army has been violating the ceasefire on a regular basis. It has deliberately targeted civilian areas during these across the Line of Control firing incidents," an Indian Army spokesperson said in New Delhi.The Indian Army has not suffered any casualty in the month of July in these unprovoked ceasefire violations, the Army spokesperson said."As a mature and accountable institution, the Indian Army keeps the public informed of casualties suffered through an established and transparent system.In case of occurrence of fatal casualties, tribute is paid to the soldier through the official Twitter handle and Facebook page. State funeral is also organised as a mark of respect," the official said.The Indian Army, however, said in one such incident of specific targeting by unprovoked shelling of civilian areas by Pakistan on Saturday, Havildar Md Shaukat, a serving soldier, and his wife died while he was at his home during leave.
US President Donald Trump today strongly defended his daughter Ivanka, who has come under fire for sitting on her father's chair during a G20 meeting in Germany last week, saying what she did was "very standard".



"When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!," Trump tweeted.



Ivanka briefly sat on her father's chair during a G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, while Trump was meeting other world leaders.



The mainstream media and leaders of the opposition Democratic Party, including some of the top aides of former US President Barack Obama, criticised Ivanka for this.



Trump has slammed such criticism as politically motivated. He has accused the media of having double standards on this issue.



"If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!" Trump said.



German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the host of the G-20 Summit last week, has said that it is for the host country to decide who would represent them.



"The delegations themselves decide, should the president not be present for a meeting, who will then take over and sit in the chair," Merkel said.



"Ivanka Trump was part and parcel of the American delegation, so that is something that other delegations also do. It's very well known that she works at the White House and is also engaged in certain initiatives," Merkel told reporters during a news conference.



Besides being Trump's daughter, businesswoman Ivanka, 35, is also a senior and one of the closest advisers to the US President.



In the last six months, she has been involved in several key initiatives of the Trump administration in particular those related to women and entrepreneurship.



She is slated to visit India later this year to attend the eighth edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. She would be leading the American delegation.
In a bid to enhance the maritime security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific, a joint naval exercise -Malabar 2017- involving navy and air force personnel of India, the United States and Japan began on Monday in the Bay of Bengal off Chennai coast.



Malabar 2017 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises that has grown in scope and complexity over the years to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific.



The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training.



While ashore in Chennai, training will include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, explosive ordnance disposal, helicopter operations, and visit, board, search and seizure operations.



The at-sea portions conducted in the Bay of Bengal are designed to advance participating nations' military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.



Events planned during the exercise include liaison officer professional exchanges and embarks, a photo exercise, submarine familiarisation, high-value unit defence, air defence exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface warfare exercises, communications exercises, search and rescue exercises, helicopter cross-deck evolutions, underway replenishments; gunnery exercises and anti-submarine warfare.



Participants from the US Navy include the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz with embarked Carrier Air Wing 11, the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton, guided-missile destroyers USS Howard, USS Shoup (DDG 86), and USS Kidd, a Poseidon aircraft; and a Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine.



Indian, Japanese and US maritime forces have a common understanding and knowledge of a shared working environment at sea.



Each iteration of this exercise helps to advance the level of understanding between our Sailors, and we hope to be able to continue this process over time.



The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships JS Izumo and JS Sazanami will also be participating in the exercise
With the opposition parties all set to corner the Yogi Adityanath government on alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the state, the budget session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly beginning from Tuesday is likely to be stormy.



Besides the law and order situation, the opposition parties would also be raising alleged failure of the state government to clear the cane arrears of the farmers and shortage of power.



Sources said that the opposition parties were also likely to raise the arrival of truckloads of stones at Ayodhya for the construction of the Ram Temple and seek an explanation from the state government.



''This government has failed completely on the law and order issue.... The crime graph has shot up drastically under the Adityanath regime,'' said Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Gobind Chaudhary.



He said that even the police personnel were being assaulted under this government.



BSP leaders also said that their party would be raising the issue of attacks on the dalits in different parts of the state besides issues related to the farmers.



The recent killing of five people in Raebareli, the murder of a sub-inspector in Bijnore and death of over a dozen people after consuming hooch in Azamgarh were also likely to be taken up by the opposition parties.



A meeting of the BJP legislature party was held here on Monday to chalk out the strategy to counter the opposition attack. ''We are ready to counter any issue which is raised by the opposition....the government has initiated several measures for the welfare of the people...we will be highlighting our achievements,'' said a senior BJP leader here.



The budget for the ongoing financial year would be presented in the house by the state finance minister Rajesh Agarwal on Tuesday. Sources said that the government might announce some new schemes in the budget.




Under the MoU, Mumbai First and British Council will initiate projects and activities to work towards an all-around achievement in two key areas that will positively impact the citizens of MMR region  education and culture.





In terms of education, the initiatives will be aimed at the enrichment of teaching skills as well as quality improvement of low-cost private English medium schools in MMR. Professional development and language proficiency training programmes will be introduced to focus on improving teaching skills and learning outcomes. These programmes will be conducted face to face and digitally, with government primary and secondary school teachers across MMR. The new schools will focus on developing the school leadership, 21st-century core skills of learners and quality in the classrooms. Both organisations will also explore the possibility of joint awards for schools that meet the set quality standards.





The other critical aspect of the MoU would be to support the creative and cultural economy of the MMR to promote the region as a preferred destination for tourists coming to India. There will be initiatives to take the diverse range of music of Mumbai to a global audience through Mix the City Mumbai project, which features recordings of performances by Mumbai musicians curated online. The collaboration will seek installations to be placed in public spaces across the city, creating multiple sites where people will be able to become a part of the citys rich musical heritage. The initiative will also include exchanges throughout the year between UK and Indian artists, organisations and the public through collaborative projects designed to nurture talent and promote wider cultural dialogue.





Alan Gemmell, OBE Director India, British Council, said, We're delighted that in Prime Minister Modi's UK-India Year or Culture, we can deepen our connections with the city through a new partnership with Mumbai First. For almost 70 years we have helped put education and culture at the heart of the UK's relationship with Mumbai. Through our collaboration with Mumbai First we will build on recent successes like Mix the City Mumbai - a digital cultural initiative showcasing the sights and sounds of the city with people all over the world - and our support to almost 10,000 teachers in municipal schools





Shishir Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Mumbai First said: This collaboration is in line with our vision to transform Mumbai / Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) into a world-class safe city, one of the best places in which to live and do business in. It will be a critical milestone in impacting the lives of people through initiatives around education, creativity and culture empowering them and making MMR a better place to live, work and play for the citizens.

The British Council India on Monday signed a MoU with Mumbai First to collaborate and work together in the areas of education, tourism, art and culture for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
With fossils and DNA, scientists are piecing together a picture of humanitys beginnings, an origin story with more twists than anything you would find at the movie theatre. The expert consensus now is that Homo sapiens evolved at least 3,00,000 years ago in Africa. Only much later  roughly 70,000 years ago  did a small group of Africans establish themselves on other continents, giving rise to other populations of people today. To Johannes Krause, the director of the Max Planck Institute for Human History in Germany, that gap seems peculiar. Why did people not leave Africa before? he asked. After all, he observed, the continent is physically linked to the Near East. You could have just walked out.



A comprehensive picture



In a recent study published in Nature Communications, Johannes and his colleagues report that Africans did indeed walk out  over 2,70,000 years ago. Based on newly discovered DNA in fossils, the researchers conclude that a wave of early Homo sapiens made their way from Africa to Europe. There, they interbred with Neanderthals. Then the ancient African migrants disappeared. But some of their DNA endured in later generations of Neanderthals. This is now a comprehensive picture, Johannes said. It brings everything together.



As a graduate student in the mid-2000s, Johannes travelled to museums to drill bits of bone from Neanderthal fossils. In some of them, he and his colleagues managed to find fragments of DNA that they could study. The vast majority of our genes are in a pouch in each cell called the nucleus. We inherit so-called nuclear DNA from both parents. But we also carry a small amount of DNA in the fuel-generating factories of our cells, called mitochondria. Years ago, Johannes and his colleagues started their search for ancient Neanderthal genes in a fossil by looking for mitochondrial DNA. After discovering mitochondrial DNA in some fossils, they later managed to find nuclear DNA.



The genes held some surprises. For example, bits of DNA in living people of non-African ancestry come from Neanderthals. When modern humans expanded out of Africa, they seem to have interbred several times with Neanderthals. Those children became part of human society, passing on their genes. But a finger bone and a tooth from a Siberian cave called Denisova left Johannes and his colleagues with a baffling puzzle. Inside those fossils, the scientists found sequences of mitochondrial DNA that were not human or Neanderthal, but something else  a distant branch of the family tree.



Later, the researchers recovered the nuclear DNA from the Denisovan finger bone, which showed Denisovans and Neanderthals were more closely related to each other. As scientists found ancient DNA in more fossils, our history has come into sharper focus. Scientists now estimate that the common ancestor of modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans, lived between 5,50,000 and 7,65,000 years ago. About 4,45,000 to 4,73,000 years ago, that common ancestors descendants split into two lineages. One eventually led to modern humans, while the other led to Neanderthals and Denisovans.



After years of investigation, however, Johannes still did not understand why the nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA of Neanderthals seemed to have different histories. The former pointed to a link with Denisovans, the latter to humans. In 2013, one of Johannes graduate students, Cosimo Posth, examined a Neanderthal fossil from a German cave called Hohlenstein-Stadel. He was able to reconstruct all of its mitochondrial DNA.



Parting ways, genetically



Cosimo estimated that the Neanderthal fossil was 1,20,000 years old and that it belonged to a branch of the Neanderthal family tree with a long history. He and his colleagues determined that all known Neanderthals inherited their mitochondrial DNA from an ancestor who lived 270,000 years ago. The common ancestors of Neanderthals and Denisovans spread across Europe and Asia over half a million years ago. Gradually the eastern and western populations parted ways, genetically speaking. In the east, they became Denisovans. In the west, they became Neanderthals. The 4,30,000-year-old fossils found at the Spanish cave, Sima de los Huesos, captures the early stage of that split. At some point before 2,70,000 years ago, African humans moved into Europe and interbred with Neanderthals. Their DNA entered the Neanderthal gene pool.



Over many generations, most of that new DNA disappeared. But the mitochondrial DNA survived, passed down from mothers to their children. In fact, eventually all the Neanderthals inherited it, for some reason discarding the mitochondrial DNA that the species once had. Cosimo said it was possible that early members of our own species moved from North Africa into Europe. Supporting this idea was the discovery reported recently of fossils of Homo sapiens in Morocco dating back 3,00,000 years. But Cosimo said it was too soon to rule out another possibility: that these migrants belonged to another species in Africa closely related to us that scientists have yet to document.



The New York Times



CRUCIAL FINDINGS


With the 'Brahmin' outfits taking to streets to protest brutal killing of five members of the community in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareilly district, about 90 kilometres from here, apprehension of a possible backlash from the community has triggered alarm bells in the BJP.



The incident has also brought two senior ministers of the Yogi Adityanath cabinet face-to-face putting the government as well as the BJP in an awkward situation.



Hundreds of members of the 'Brahmin' community on Sunday held demonstrations in the state capital to register their protest against the Raebareilly massacre. The demonstrators, were led by several 'Brahmin' outfits, slammed the state government for its alleged inaction in the matter and demanded immediate arrest of the accused persons, who belonged to the 'Yadav' community.



According to the sources, the members of the community also held demonstrations at many districts in protest against the killing.



Reports said that some members of the community also shaved their heads as a mark of protest.



Two senior ministers in the government Swami Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak traded charges on the incident accusing each other of ''patronising'' the rival parties involved in the incident.



While Maurya said that the victims were ''hardened criminals'' and were ''punished'' by the local villagers, Pathak slammed Maurya and said that it was an attempt to influence the investigation.



Amid the face off, the BJP finds itself in a quandary. Its 'Brahmin' leaders have criticised Maurya for defending the culprits. ''Such remarks may affect our support base in the community,'' remarked a senior state BJP leader here.



Yogi Adityanath had, soon after the killings, announced a compensation of Rs. five lakh each to the next of the kin of the deceased, and directed the police officials to nab the culprits.



Five people, all of whom belonged to the 'Brahmin' community, were brutally killed by members of 'Yadav' community at Apta village in Raebareli last month. While three of the victims were shot dead, two others were burnt alive in their vehicle, according to the police. The incident was said to be the fall out of a political rivalry between the two groups.



The accused persons, who were supporters of the village 'pradhan' (panchayat chief) had chased the victims when they tried to escape and set their vehicle ablaze after shooting three people dead.
Its a curious thing to see a group of early whale foetuses up close - to see beings so small that have the potential to become so big. But what really strikes you, especially in those initial developmental stages, is how familiar the forms look. How like an early human foetus, they appear. This is something you see time and again in vertebrates, not just with mammals, says Richard Sabin, the Natural History Museum (NHM), UKs top whale expert. You see these similarities in the early developmental stages and its really not until youre halfway through the gestation  which for a humpback whale is around 11 months  that you start to see the things that make that foetus

characteristically the species that it is.



Richard has a remarkable sequence of seven humpback foetuses that hes going to put on display for the NHMs major summer exhibition on cetaceans. They go from what is essentially just a ball of cells thats perhaps only a few weeks old, all the way through to a specimen that appears to be a perfect humpback in miniature. This larger foetus, about half a metre in length, is probably seven to eight months into the gestation period. It has everything you would expect to see in a humpback, including those long, tell-tale pectoral flippers with their nobbly tubercles.



The specimens were collected at the beginning of the 20th century by scientists who had been sent to the Antarctic to gather data on the activities of the whaling fleets. Their role was to understand the biology, the movements, and the ecology of whales. Its an awkward feeling knowing that these foetuses were taken from harpooned pregnant humpbacks. Somehow you have to console yourself with the recognition that the acquired data was ultimately what shut down that bloody industry. There is a story with every specimen and it may not be a very comfortable story, but it is something we have to acknowledge, says Richard. The thing to remember is that the data we get from these specimens we actively use for marine conservation purposes now.



Recently, a Swiss-led team used old whaling data to show how species had shrunk in size in the 40 years prior to the stocks collapsing. This trend signal, the team said, could be used to warn of imminent disaster in other hunted wildlife groups.



What have we learned from foetuses, specifically? A lot of it seems about evolutionary biology. One thing we see in these humpbacks is the development of tooth buds at around four-to-five months into gestation. Theyre then reabsorbed to allow the baleen to start to develop, explains Richard. The baleen are the keratin plates that hang from the upper-jaw and filter the humpbacks prey. So, we know from the study of these foetuses, that there was a time when all cetaceans were toothed and that baleen are a relatively recent development. And weve only just found the fossils that back that up.



The exhibition will have more than 100 specimens from the museums collections on display. The exhibition will impress upon visitors the huge diversity of whales, dolphins and porpoises. It will explain their relatively short evolutionary journey, from being land animals 50 million years ago to becoming the well-adapted ocean-dwellers we know today. And it will describe how they move, how they breathe, and how some echolocate to find their prey. We want people to realise that as well as being mammals like us, they also have complex culture like us, says Richard. This is a very new area of study that has accelerated in just the past 10 years through observations, through genetic information and the data coming from museum specimens.


Distressed families of the 39 Indians, mostly Punjabis, held hostage in the city of Mosul since 2014, now see a hope of the return of their loved ones after the Iraqi government on Sunday announced that the city of Mosul has been retaken from the Islamic States (IS).



Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday spoke to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on the issue of safe return of the Indian construction workers, whose families living in Punjab have been spending days and nights fearing the worst. Swaraj assured Singh that her ministry was making all-out efforts to trace and facilitate the return of the 39 Indians from Mosul. Sushma said General VK Singh (retd) had been sent to Iraq to coordinate with the Iraqi government to facilitate the return of the Indians stuck there.



According to Singh, Sushma conveyed to him that her ministry had activated all available sources to trace the missing Indians who were last heard of hiding in a church in Mosul. Multiple channels have been activated to bring them back to India.



The news of Iraqi forces regaining Mosul from IS forces has come as a glimmer of hope for families in Punjab. Harbhajan Kaur of Amritsar said her 26-year old son Harsimranjit Singh went to work in Iraq in 2013. She said ever since his capture in 2014, there has been no communication from him. Families have met Sushma Swaraj several times to persuade the ministry to go out of the way to evacuate the youth. Seema of Majitha in Punjab, whose husband Sonu is also among those held hostage, said, I just want my husband to return safely. I now see hope, Seema said.



The CM informed Sushma Swaraj about the doleful plight of the families of the hostages. Swaraj, the CM said, has directed the Indian embassy to extend all help to the stranded Indians. Air Indian officials at the airports have also been instructed to facilitate their return. While Sushma had held several meetings with the families of the hostages over the months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also has been raising the issues with other countries in the middle east region.


The Pakistan Rangers today handed over 78 Indian prisoners, mostly fishermen, to the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Wagah Border after they were released from a jail in Karachi.



A Rangers' official told PTI that 77 Indian fishermen and one other Indian prisoner were handed over to the BSF after verification of their immigration papers.



Indian prisoners were handed over after a parade that concluded at dawn, the official said.

The Indian fishermen, who were released from Karachi's Landhi jail, yesterday were brought here by a train this afternoon.



"We received the fishermen at the Lahore railways station and brought them to Edhi Foundation and served them food. We have also presented them with a pair of shalwar kameez and Rs 5,000 as gift," Edhi Foundation spokesman Younis Bhatti said. He said the fishermen were later transported to the Wagah border by bus.



Most of the fishermen handed over to the BSF had completed their sentences at the Landhi jail. They had been held for crossing into Pakistani waters inadvertently.



About 298 Indian fishermen are still languishing in the Sindh province of Pakistan, media reports said.

Indian fishermen often languish in jail in Sindh even after serving their terms because of bureaucratic hurdles


According to a report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), seven people were killed in various flood-related incidents in Goalpara, Golaghat, Jorhat and Lakhimpur districts.



With this, the total number of people losing their lives in this year's flood-related cases has gone up to 33, including seven in Guwahati.



In the worst-affected Lakhimpur, three persons were killed in the last 24 hours in drowning and landslide cases.



At Nowboicha area, Kanak Gogoi (50) drowned, while a couple Krishna Bahadur Dorji (55) and Sulemaya Dorji (45) were killed in landslide in the Narayanpur area.



In Jorhat district, two kids - Binod Bhuyan (4) and Munu Bhuyan (6) - died due to drowning in Teok area, ASDMA said.



Bijoy Bhuyan (54) also died due to drowning at Bokakhat in Golaghat, while another minor Sagar Das (12) drowned at Matia in Goalpara.



The ASDMA said more than 12.55 lakh people are suffering at present in Lakhimpur, Darrang, Jorhat, Golaghat, Cachar, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Karimganj, Sonitpur, Majuli, Barpeta, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Morigaon, Chirang, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Kokrajhar and South Salmara districts.

Till yesterday, 4.87 lakh people were affected in the latest wave of floods in the state.



Most of Kaziranga National Park is under water, leaving some animals dead and some moving to nearby highlands.



Some animals were killed by speeding vehicles on the National Highway 37, which passes through the Park.



Forest guards have started patrolling in boats, specially during night, with the help of other agencies like Assam Police and Special Task Force to save the animals from poachers.



The ASDMA said 2,053 villages are under water at present and more than 1.05 lakh hectares of crop areas have been damaged.



The worst-affected is Lakhimpur, where over 2.92 lakh people have been affected by the deluge, followed by South Salmara with more than 2.5 lakh sufferers.



In Guwahati also, water logging and landslide incidents have been reported, but there is no casualty.



Authorities are running 148 relief camps and distribution centres in 11 districts, where 18,295 persons are currently taking shelter.



Government has distributed 2,523.70 quintals of rice, 461.11 quintals of dal and 130.34 quintals of salt among the flood victims, the ASDMA said.



Across the state, 4,48,803 animals and poultry have been affected by flood waters.



Due to impact of the floods, many roads, embankments and bridges have been damaged in several districts, including Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Majuli, Biswanath, Barpeta, Dhemaji, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Karimganj, South Salmara and Nalbari.



Currently, the Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, along with Dibrugarh, Goalpara and Dhubri towns.



Other rivers like Subansiri at Badatighat in Lakhimpur, Dikhow at Sivasagar town, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, Puthimari at NH Road Crossing in Kamrup, Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta, Barak at Badarpurghat in Karimganj and Kushiyara at Karimganj town are flowing above the danger mark.



The flood situation in Assam turned critical with seven people losing their lives in a day today, affecting over 12.55 lakh people across 20 districts in the state.
At least seven people were killed and 16 injured when suspected militants attacked a bus ferrying Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag district of south Kashmir on Monday.



The attack took place around 8.30 pm at Batengoo, 56 km from here, when the bus was en route to Jammu from the Pahalgam base camp. Following the incident, mobile and broadband services were suspended across Kashmir.



The bus, however, was neither part of the main convoy nor registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board. The main convoy is escorted by the CRPF. So far, no militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack. The PRO of CRPF, Rajesh Yadav, confirmed the toll and said at least two policemen are among the injured. All the victims are from Gujarat.



The Ministry of Home Affairs tweeted that Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti regarding the attack and asked the state government to ensure immediate treatment to the injured.



In Ahmedabad, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that he was in touch with Mehbooba. We are in touch with the Centre, J&K government and the armed forces. We shall get bodies of the deceased via a special air force plane on Tuesday, he said. The 40-day long annual pilgrimage began via two routes  Pahalgam and Baltal  amid tight security on June 29.



In view of the reports that militants may try to disrupt the pilgrimage, the government had mobilised a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 -40,000 troops, including the police, the army, the Border Security Force and the CRPF.



IGP (Kashmir) Muneer Khan had warned the army, the CRPF and the range DIGs in a letter last month that militants were planning to target policemen and pilgrims.



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, Khan had stated in the letter.


The decks have been cleared for the setting up of Reliance aerospace park at Mihan in Nagpur.



The board of approval for the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) under the Union Ministry of Commerce, last week, okayed the Reliance Aerostructure Ltds proposed Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park with related infrastructure facilities and services. The board was headed by Union Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia.



The aerospace park will be home to the joint venture company set up by Reliance and French major Dassault Aviation to execute the Rs 30,000- crore offset programme linked to the sale of 36 Rafale fighter jets to the Indian Air Force.



The first of the Rafale jets is expected to be inducted by 2019. In the first phase, the Mihan park will be built on a 104-acre land, while the second phase will cover an additional area of 185 acres, a company official said.



The park with a proposed investment of Rs 6,500 crore is expected to generate more than 10,000 highly skilled jobs.



It will also be home to the facilities of Thales, Daher and Strata among others. The proposed projects in the first phase include production of aircraft, electronic warfare systems, radars, unmanned aerial vehicles, and maintenance repair and overhaul for commercial aircraft.



There would also be a large number of small and medium companies to support the big projects. The construction is expected to start by the end of July with production starting in the first quarter of 2018.



Reliance will co-develop the park with the Maharashtra Airport Development Company, which is the nodal agency for developing the Mihan SEZ project.


Alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative Sandeep Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, who was arrested in Jammu & Kashmir on Monday, may have converted after coming into contact with militants in the Valley.



Police have detained Sandeep's mother and sister-in-law (brother's wife) from their house at Ankit Vihar colony in Muzaffarnagar town. They are being questioned by the intelligence sleuths, said a police official in Muzaffarnagar.



Sources said that Sandeep's brother Praveen Kumar Sharma, who was an auto driver in Haridwar town in the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand, was also likely to be taken into custody and questioned by the police.



Praveen was said to be on his way to Muzaffarnagar, sources said. Sandeep may have converted. It is a matter of investigation, a senior police official here said adding that he had no criminal record in Muzaffarnagar.


Uttar Pradeshs BJP government is bracing for a possible backlash among the Brahmins, as the community held widespread protests on Sunday over the killing of its members in Raebareli.



Two senior ministers in the Adityanath Cabinet also squabbled in public over the killings, causing further embarrassment to the saffron party.



Led by several outfits, a large number of Brahmins converged in Lucknow on Sunday to register their protest over the killings.



They slammed the state government for not acting immediately and demanded the arrest of the perpetrators, who belong to the Yadav community.



Besides Lucknow, Brahmins also held demonstrations in several districts. Reports said protesters shaved their heads to register their outrage over the massacre.
Amid the India-China military face-off in western Bhutan, RSS leader Indresh Kumar has argued for the freedom of Tibet and liberation of the holy Kailash Mansarovar.



Kumar, a patron of the Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch (India-Tibet Cooperation Forum) or BTSM, also said China posed a greater security threat to India than Pakistan did.





He made these statements at a meeting of the national executive committee of the BTSM at Agra, Uttar Pradesh, on Saturday. Currently, China poses more threat to India than Pakistan. Therefore, the current governments stand in respect to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lamas recent visit to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh has made it clear that India is no longer afraid of China, a report on the official website of the Central Tibetan Administration (or the Tibetan Government in Exile) quoted Kumar as saying.



The CTA or Tibetan Government in Exile is based in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. Kumars comment came on the 20th day of the face-off between the soldiers of the Indian Army and Chinas Peoples Liberation Army on Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan.



The face-off started after Indian Army personnel went to Doklam Plateau, a disputed territory along the Bhutan-China border, on June 18 to stop the Chinese PLA personnel from constructing a road, which would have altered the status quo in the India-Bhutan-China trijunction boundary point.



Kumar was quoted saying that the people of India should socially, morally and politically support the Tibetans struggle for the end of Chinese occupation. We must also support spiritually in prayers Tibbat Ki Azadi (freedom of Tibet) and Kailash Mansarovar ki Mukti (liberation of Kailash Mansarovar), he said.



The two-day conclave in Agra saw more than 400 participants from across India. The event was also attended by at least two parliamentarians of the ruling party, including Ram Shankar Katheria and Chaudhary Babulal.



The RSS leaders call for freedom came after Chinas state-owned media warned that clamour for the freedom of Sikkim from India could grow in the communist country in the wake of the current face-off.



China had angrily reacted to the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal Pradesh in April and even warned India that it would take necessary measures to defend its territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests in response.
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The Opposition will discuss on Tuesday a series of names, from Mahatma Gandhis grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi to former Supreme Court judge Justice Gopal Gowda, for a joint vice presidential candidate.



Names of former Chief Justice of India Justice T S Thakur and former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court Justice A P Shah are also doing the rounds.



Several Opposition leaders said a discussion would take place at a meeting convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.



A source said Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah, a former minister in the Narendra Modi government, has also personally reached out to the Opposition over the past week, seeking their support for pushing her candidature. However, her name has not attracted much traction among the Opposition parties.



Eighteen parties, including the JD(U), which broke ranks with the Opposition over the Presidential poll, are expected to attend the meeting.



However, senior leaders like Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will skip the meet.


Personal details of 120 million Reliance Jio SIM users were hacked and posted on a website, reports said on Monday. The website, magicapk.com, has since been suspended.



Jio denied any security breach, and said the details appeared inauthentic. Bengaluru-based security researcher and ethical hacker Anand Prakash carried out a reality check and said he was able to access information about a couple of numbers.



My mother had bought a Jio SIM recently. When I probed, the site displayed the exact date of purchase and other details. It worked again when we tried a friends number, he told DH.



A couple of months ago, Prakash said, he had noticed a post offering to sell user data from an unnamed Indian telecom company. It was on a hidden network called the dark web. This network is accessed by hackers and others proficient with the technology, he explained.



He then dismissed it, thinking it was fake. But with Sundays incident, I see a link, he said.

The person behind the post was ready to sell the data for about Rs 13 lakh. The complete authenticity of the database is still in doubt as verifying all of it means shelling out the amount in Bitcoin secret currency, he said.



With email IDs and Aadhaar numbers being associated with the SIM cards, a breach triggers many fears. The errant website was pulled down late on Sunday.



The leak might have happened either because the backend sotware was tweaked or the data compromised, Prakash said. With no data protection laws in place in India, unlike in the US, a leak cant even be handled legally, in his view.



A Jio user in Bengaluru is aghast. A friend tried the website. He could find my details. With details like fingerprints and even our retina scans attached with the Aadhaar numbers, I cannot explain the horror, he said.



Vulnerability spotter



Anand Prakash hails from Rajasthan, and lives and works in Bengaluru. He is the first Indian to top Facebooks White Hat hackers list, and has successfully detected security loopholes in Twitter, PayPal and Uber. He is described as a bounty hunter as companies reward him handsomely for helping them identify vulnerabilities they must urgently fix.



What was leaked?



The website magicapk.com reportedly showed full names, Jio numbers, email IDs, and details about when the numbers were activated and what verification ID was used to activate the numbers. Aadhaar numbers were spared, according to some reports.



Jio statement



Reliance Jio responded to the news with a denial: We want to assure our subscribers that their data is safe and maintained with highest security. Data is only shared with authorities as per their requirement. We have informed law enforcement agencies about the claims of the website and will follow through to ensure strict action is taken.
Herman Cook Volkswagen in Encinitas is celebrating a big birthday this month and is planning a party to commemorate it.

The dealership, at 1435 Encinitas Boulevard, has been in business for 50 years since Herman Cook opened it in 1967.

Cook  who began working for Riviera Volkswagen of Manhattan Beach in 1956 and came to Encinitas with his family in 1966  acquired the land, near Encinitas Boulevard and El Camino Real. San Diego County officials predicted the area to be the hub of the booming city, said Cooks son, Dennis Cook.

We all kind of lucked out, and it turned out to be a great location, said Dennis, who has served as president and owner of the dealership since his dad retired in 1980. In the early days, Encinitas Boulevard, which was then called San Marcos Road, was a two-way road and El Camino dead-ended there. It didnt go south. South was nothing but sagebrush and cacti.

Now, the area is adorned with businesses and is a high-traffic area in Encinitas.

Dennis said he has also continued to support the city, having served as president of the Encinitas Rotary Club and served as both the chairman and a member of the Board of Managers at the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA.

The community is changing, he said. Its not the sleepy little surf town that it once was. But there are still a lot of people who have lived here for a long, long time and were fortunate a lot of those people continue to do business with us.

Dennis, who has worked at the dealership since he was 13, said the dealership is now serving third and fourth generations of the same families. People come back because of the business family-friendly environment, he said.

Both of Dennis sons work at the dealership as part owners, making the business a true family affair that Dennis hopes to extend to the customers.

We want you to come in here and feel like youre being treated like youre a member of the family, Dennis said. Youre not just a number. We dont subscribe to a lot of the tactics that corporate-owned stores use to try and sell cars. We want to respect everybody. When they leave, after they buy a car, we want them to have great, big smiles on their faces, not horrible headaches.

Herman Cook Volkswagens Yelp page supports Dennis thoughts about his business.

One user wrote in February that this dealership does everything possible to make it a hassle-free process.

Dennis said he enjoys working in the car business because he believes car buying should be enjoyable, and not an inconvenience.

I enjoy being with people, he said. Usually people dont come to a car dealership because theyre really happy to spend a lot of money. Its not the first choice of someones discretionary income. When someone comes in and says they were afraid to come buy a car, and were able to find a car that meets their needs and have them leave smiling, thats a real rewarding thing for me.

He considers Volkswagen vehicles to be reliable and ever-evolving to keep up with modern technology, while still staying true to the German engineering and being a step above their competition, both in the fit and finish of the car and in the quality of the car.

Herman Cook Volkswagen will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a public event on Saturday, July 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the dealership. Featured activities include a Vintage Volkswagen car show, with vehicles from 1967 or older, as well as free food and drinks, raffles and kids games.

For more information, visit cookvw.com.

 Business spotlights are developed through this newspapers advertising department in support of our advertisers.
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The A50 near Derby was closed for about six-and-a-half hours today after a serious crash.

A collision happened on the eastbound carriageway shortly before 2.55pm between its junctions with the A6 to Derby and Alvaston and the A5132 to Swarkestone Bridge, Melbourne and Swadlincote.

Traffic monitoring service Inrix said that one vehicle had overturned. The police said there were reports of casualties but were unable to confirm how many vehicles were involved or the extent of any injuries.

Highways England announced at 9.20pm that the road had reopened.

Advice on the Highways England website had said earlier that the A50 was not expected to reopen until at least 1am.

Initially, the road was closed in both directions, with the closure affecting traffic heading towards the M1, on Swarkestone Bridge, and the slip road for the A514. The westbound carriageway had been closed to allow the air ambulance access to the scene but it reopened just after 4pm.

Speaking shortly after the incident happened, a police spokesman said: "We're attending reports of a serious collision on the A50.

We were called to the A50 just before 3pm. The incident is on the eastbound carriageway but the westbound carriageway is also closed at this time while an air ambulance is at the scene.

"Please avoid the area as we expect this stretch of the A50 to be closed for some time."

Witnesses to the crash were asked to call Derbyshire police on 101 quoting incident 571 of July 10.

Motorists across Derby were reporting hours of delays. One driver said the traffic in Chellaston was a "nightmare" and described it as "bumper to bumper".

And one passing driver from Derby said the accident happened only seconds before he passed the scene.

He said: There was no traffic - only what had stopped immediately behind. The car had rolled over several times and we saw the dust as we approached the bend. It was awful. My wife dialled emergency services and I could see someone leave their car and run towards the scene.

IT services and security company Neuways has an office which overlooks the roundabout at Junction 3 of the A50.

Martin Roberts, of Neuways, said at the time: "There's traffic as far as the eye can see, it's moving very slowly. It goes back for probably two miles at least, and has been like it for some time now."
THE family of a Derby man who died after being given contaminated blood by the NHS is one of 300 families of victims who are suing the government.

David Hatton was 41 when he died in April 1998. He was a haemophiliac who contracted HIV and hepatitis C from blood that the NHS had purchased from abroad. His family have been fighting for almost 20 years to have those responsible named and shamed.

Minutes of meetings held in 1980 and 1981 show that officials consciously put patients at risk. The documents reveal that patients were given contaminated blood for at least five years after health officials became aware of the danger. More than 2,000 people died as a result and an estimated 4,700 more are today living with the effects.

According to the minutes, scientists knew that the blood was dangerous and planned to use victims as guinea pigs to develop a new test for hepatitis.

The minutes  which are likely to play a central role in a major civil action lodged at the High Court this week  show that officials knew that at least 50 patients a year were becoming infected with hepatitis but the supply of contaminated blood was not stopped until 1986.

The scandal centres on the use of clotting agents for patients with haemophilia who, in the 1970s and 1980s, were given a product called Factor VIII, which was extracted from donors' blood.

The NHS imported Factor VIII from the US, where it was often taken from high-risk groups including drug addicts, prostitutes and prisoners.

David Hattons daughter, Katie Walford, of Darley Abbey, said: We cannot make sense of their actions then, nor their actions now. It continues to be a battle of profits over people. The longer it takes them to admit defeat and grant us an inquiry, the worst they will look to the general public. It is their mistake and gross neglect that has lead to thousands dying.

Any person would want someone who killed a member of their family to stand trial. Hiding behind our government is shameful. We just want justice for my father and the other victims.

Theresa May is now under pressure from six opposition leaders to order a Hillsborough-style inquiry into the scandal. The joint cross-party letter voices allegations of a cover-up and claims that victims medical details were tampered with to hide the real cause of their infections.

The letter is signed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and five others, including Nigel Dodds, the leader at Westminster for the Democratic Unionist Party, whose MPs the Prime Minister relies on to prop up her minority government.

It reads: We believe those affected have a right to know what went wrong; and why. Whenever public disasters of this kind take place, Government has a fundamental duty to support those affected in getting the answers they need; to disclose everything they know; and to ensure that officials are called to account for their actions. We regret that for many decades the victims of the contaminated blood scandal have been denied this right.
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Derby County have been linked with a number of players this summer, the most recent names cropping up are Hull Citys Tom Huddlestone and Leicester Citys Tom Lawrence.

Huddlestone is a product of the Rams academy, and left the club in 2005 to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

He went on to spend eight years at White Hart Lane, before moving north to join Hull in 2013 where he has been since.

After Hulls relegation from the Premier League, and a new manager at the helm in the form of Leonid Slutsky, Derby are reportedly interested in bringing the 30-year-old back to Pride Park.

(Image: Getty Images)

Most fans are optimistic about the signing of Huddlestone, with Kev Elkin saying Would have him back any day. Come home @Huddz8.

While Chris Hudson added: We have had a Tom Huddletone size hole in our midfield since Tom left us originally. Will be a great addition.

And Zak Dilks simply said: Come home @Huddz8.

Another name that has been linked with a move to Derby is Leicester Citys Tom Lawrence, who spent last season on loan at Ipswich Town.

The 23-year-old scored 11 goals in 38 appearances for The Tractor Boys, but is currently being reportedly linked with a 7m move to Pride Park.

The majority of people are in favour of Derby signing the Wales international, with Mark Heath saying Tom Lawrence to Derby for 10m apparently. Too rich for Towns tastes, but a great signignf for the Rams if it happens.

Will Kitchen did his research on the Leicester forward and added: Just seen some strikes by Tom Lawrence on Youtube, looks decent.

And Rams fan Danny Cooke added: All Im bothered about at the min is Tom Lawrence.
By Maryse Zeidler

8 July 2017

(CBC News)  The province of British Columbia has declared a state of emergency, as wildfires burn out of control throughout most of the Interior.

The extended weather forecast is calling for continued hot, dry weather, with risks of thunderstorms in many parts of the province, the province said in a written statement Friday.

The declaration gives emergency resources special authority to deal with the fires.

Wildfires burning out of control across the Interior have prompted the evacuation of at least one airport, two hospitals, an entire town and hundreds more homes throughout the region.

The B.C. Wildfire Service said 138 new fires started throughout the province on Friday, many of them started by lightning. [more]
Blog Hinangai

While there is much discussion in Guam about the economic benefits of increasing the islands military presence, the damages/dangers that they represent are rarely mentioned. This blog, a supplement to the Peace and Justice for Guam Petition, is meant to counter that by providing information about the US military in Guam, with the hopes of steering policy away from a dangerous unilateralist course to more sustainable notions of regional development and a strengthening international solidarity.
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CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  U.S. officials have released an early plan for what could become one of the biggest natural gas fields in the nation.

The Normally Pressured Lance Field in western Wyoming could eventually cover 220 square miles and have as many as 3,500 wells.





. . .
Trumps Son Met With Russian Lawyer After Being Promised Damaging Information on Clinton

President Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton before agreeing to meet with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, according to three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.



The meeting was also attended by his campaign chairman at the time, Paul J. Manafort, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Mr. Manafort and Mr. Kushner only recently disclosed the meeting, though not its content, in confidential government documents described to The New York Times.

Source: NY Times...Ms. Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer invited to the Trump Tower meeting, is best known for mounting a multipronged attack against the Magnitsky Act.The adoption impasse is a frequently used talking point for opponents of the Magnitsky Act. Ms. Veselnitskayas campaign against the law has also included attempts to discredit the man after whom it was named, Sergei L. Magnitsky, a lawyer and auditor who died in mysterious circumstances in a Russian prison in 2009 after exposing one of the biggest corruption scandals during Mr. Putins rule.Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/09/...prod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
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Iraq's armed forces on Sunday celebrated victory over the Islamic State, marking the formal lifting of nine-month-old siege by the Islamic terrorists that had left much of Iraq's second-largest city in ruins, killed thousands of people and displaced nearly a million. Dressed in a military uniform, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reached Mosul on Sunday to congratulate troops who were reported to be still mopping up the last pockets of resistance. There were apprehensions that the Iraqi forces could still be facing suicide bombers and guerrilla attacks for weeks even as the military began securing the last alleyways of the old city from Islamic State. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's dream of building a caliphate may be over for now, but Mosul is still not free from dangers as there could be ISIS sleeper cells, suicide bombers and even mine traps. And, with the whole city in ruins, it is unlikely that civilians can return and normalcy be restored. The Islamic State no longer controls significant territory in Iraq where it can harbor foreign fighters or exploit resources, like oil and its core narrative - building an actual state - is in tatters. But it is far too soon to feel comfortable, especially in the absence of a strategy for the day after Daesh. The Iraqi state is not secure yet as the ISIS still holds on to vast tracks of Iraq, including other cities and towns in the country. ''It's going to continue to be hard every day,'' reports quoting Col Pat Work, the commanding officer of the Second Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, which is carrying out the American advisory effort. ''Iraqi security forces need to be on the top of their game, and we need to be over their shoulder helping them as they move through this transition to consolidate gains and really sink their hold in on the west side,'' Colonel Work said as he rolled through the streets of west Mosul recently in an armored vehicle. ''ISIS will challenge this.'' While more than 30 per cent of the eastern part of the old city is in ruins, Western Mosul, especially its historic relics, where the Islamic State made its last stand, is in ruins. The ISIS denied the Iraqis real victory when they wiped out the Grand al-Nuri Mosque and its distinctive leaning minaret from the skyline in a recent act of barbarity when they packed it with explosives and brought it down as government troops approached. The war may be over in Mosul, but 676,000 of those who left the western half of the city have yet to come back, according to United Nations data. Victory also came at great cost, with about a thousand deaths among the Iraqi security forces, many hundreds of civilians killed, some inadvertently by American airstrikes. At least seven journalists were killed, including two French correspondents and their fixer, an Iraqi Kurdish journalist, in a mine explosion in recent weeks. As Maj Gen Sami al-Aradi, a commander of Iraq's special forces, said the forces have been fighting for each meter, literally. And it took almost nine months to end the war.








Rahul Gandhi meets Chinese, Bhutanese envoys amid Chinese aggression

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is reported to have secretly met envoys of China and Bhutan at the height of the ongoing Sino-Indian border tension in Doklam, a move that th3e Congress party has failed to explain.

The Congress vice-president met Luo Zhaohui over the weekend though the Congress kept the place and time of the meeting secret.

After keeping the meeting secret for days, Congress media head Randeep Surjewala opened up and admitted that the meeting indeed took place and said Gandhi also met the Bhutan ambassador to India.

The party, however, downplayed the meeting and did not specify its venue or time.

Surjewala termed it a "courtesy call" and said envoys of G5, as well as neighbouring countries, keep meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the vice-president from time to time.

"Be it the Chinese ambassador (Luo Zhaohui) or Bhutanese ambassador (Vetsop Namgyel) or former national security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, Rahul Gandhi met all three of them. Nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls to term them an event like the sources of the ministry of external affairs are attempting to do," he said.

Surjewala said Rahul and other opposition leaders are "fully aware of our national interests" and are concerned about the "grave situation" on the Indo-Chinese border as well as "the situation arising in Bhutan as also in Sikkim".

Some media reports, meanwhile, said the Chinese embassy today posted the information of Gandhi meeting Zhaohui on its website but later retracted it.

Earlier in the day, the Congress had denied media reports as "fake news" that Rahul Gandhi met a Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui amid the China-India border standoff at Doklam in Sikkim.

China and India have been engaged in the standoff in the Doklam area near the Bhutan tri-junction for the past three weeks after a Chinese Army's construction party attempted to build a road.

Doka La is part of Bhutan, which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.
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Well beyond the problem of fake news, which at least tried to pose as news, these posts are pure opinion, outburst and excess.**There is nothing about these posts that even remotely compares to news reporting  and thats why they are popular. At a moment in U.S. history where*trust in the news is at a record low, we are seeing the growing power of individuals outside of traditional media circuits who have built a following by suggesting that their voices are more authentic and more accurate than those*of the so-called liberal, elitist, majority-silencing news.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is urging small business owners to prepare themselves for the excessive payment surcharge ban that will apply to all businesses from 1 September 2017.

The new law limits the amount that a business can charge customers for use of payment methods such as EFTPOS (debit and prepaid), MasterCard (credit, debit and prepaid), Visa (credit, debit and prepaid) and American Express cards issued by Australian banks. It came into effect for large businesses last year.

Small businesses that choose to impose payment surcharges should review their surcharge levels to ensure they are compliant when the ban starts applying to them in under two months, said ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper.

Businesses can only pass on to customers what it costs them to process a payment such as bank fees and terminal costs. For example, if your cost of acceptance for Visa Credit is one per cent you can only surcharge one per cent on Visa credit card payments onto your customers.

Small businesses will shortly be receiving information from their bank, which will help them to calculate appropriate surcharges when accepting debit and credit cards. The ACCC has also published a fact sheet so business owners can better understand their obligations.

Banks are required to send businesses merchant statements which clearly set out the business costs of acceptance for each payment method. The ACCC urges businesses to follow up with their bank if they have not yet received these statements, Dr Schaper said.

Passing on the cost of processing debit and credit card payments is not mandatory for businesses and the ban has no effect on those that do not impose a payment surcharge.

In the lead up to last years excessive surcharging ban on large businesses, many reviewed and amended their surcharging practices to reflect the costs to the business and we hope small businesses will do the same, Dr Schaper said.

Background

The ACCC has been given new powers to enforce the ban.

A surcharge will be considered excessive where it exceeds the permitted cost of acceptance, as definedby the Reserve Bank of Australia.

The RBAs website also provides detailed information for businesses about the Standard, including how businesses can identify and quantify those costs that can be passed on to a consumer as a surcharge.

Payment types that are not covered by the ban include BPAY, PayPal, Diners Club cards, American Express cards issued directly by American Express, cash and cheques.

See also: Small retailers urged to trial not surcharging ahead of ban on excessive fees
You don't have to like the animals that you show at the Linn County 4-H/FFA Fair, but it helps.

That's what got Dallas Headley involved for the first time this year. The Lebanon 10-year-old loves pigs  his aunt raises them  and was looking for a way to take care of a pig or two of his own.

His mother suggested 4-H and helped connect Dallas with Cascade Livestock 4-H of Lebanon. Dallas ended up raising a gilt, Ruth, and a barrow, Pliny, for his first 4-H project.

"I knew they would be my best friends," he said. "My favorite thing to do with them, if you kneel down they tackle you and lick you."

"It is going to be hard to say goodbye."

Dallas' entries are among more than 1,000 total for this year's fair, according to an estimate by Andrea Leao, the 4-H program coordinator. The fair brings youngsters together from all over the mid-valley to auction their animals, show off their cooking and their artwork and fiber arts efforts, and spend time hanging out with one another.

The public is invited to come check out each 4-H or FFA group's work. Today is livestock move-in day, complete with some vet checks and weigh-ins. Interviews and judging also take place for the static exhibits, such as artwork.

The FFA awards ceremony is Friday, the 4-H ceremony is Saturday, and everything wraps up with the market livestock auction. This year's auction has been scheduled for a new time: 2 p.m. Saturday.

Leao said she encourages people to come see all the exhibits, especially the special section for children ages 5-8, who can join the noncompetitive Cloverbud program and put up their own displays.

My goal is for people to get the idea that 4-H can be for everybody," she said. "We can find something for everybody.

Most groups spent Sunday setting up their stalls in advance of livestock move-in day. For Isabel Sayer, 13, of Sweet Home, that meant decorating the area to be used by her group, Calapooia Critters, for goats.

This is Isabel's fourth year showing at the fair, and it's been goats each time. "They're easy," she explained. "They're not super heavy. You can control them."

Isabel doesn't exactly make the goats her best friends  in fact, selling them at the auction is her favorite part  but she's happy for the balance they add to her college bank account. She plans to raise more next year. "I'm going to do it until I'm too old to," she said.

Cameron Robertson can relate. The 16-year-old Albany youth raises swine through Valley Wranglers 4-H and has for the past seven years. An older brother in 4-H got him started, but he kept coming back all on his own.

Cameron said he encourages anyone to get involved in 4-H, through any hobby they might enjoy. "You don't have to do animals," he said.

Being in a 4-H club looks great on college applications, Cameron said. Plus it's good for learning leadership, responsibility and discipline. If you don't take good care of your animals and they don't make the cut  or worse yet, don't make it at all  you're simply out all the time, money and effort you've already put in.

"If they die, then tough luck, it's however much, down the drain," Cameron said.

The clubs and FFA programs are also a good way to learn about where your food comes from, which is the best part for Maddie Neuschwander, 16, of Shedd. Her favorite part of the fair is answering questions from small children who want to know about her animals.

"It's fun to teach them more about agriculture. I really feel it's important to teach them, and the community," she said. "If you don't, they're not going to understand or respect the ag industry."

Maddie also loves showing her favorite animals: cows. Her room is covered with cow decorations and she even has her own cow costume "Best $39 I ever spent"  but for the first time this year she'll be showing a new animal as well, a chicken for FFA.

And yes, she agreed, you don't have to like them to show them.

"I'm scared of chickens and it will be fun to see overcoming a fear," she said with a shrug. "We have chickens at school and my FFA adviser said, 'You're showing a chicken.' And I said, 'Yes, ma'am.'"
Salesforce on Wednesday announced the Sales Cloud Lightning Partner Relationship Management app as a replacement for partner portals and electronic data interchanges that lack modern features such as built-in mobile, social analytics and AI capabilities.

The PRM app has an interactive Guided Setup Wizard that lets channel managers configure, customize and deploy the app in days. It manages lead distribution, deal registration and marketing development funds, and it automatically assigns partners into meaningful tiers for targeted promotions and customized content. It also has AppExchange Components such as Xactly and NetExam.

Among Sales Cloud Lightning PRMs Features:

Lightning CMS Connect, which lets channel managers drag and drop existing website content, graphics and videos to keep branded partner experiences up to date;

Einstein Content Recommendations, which use machine learning to recommend files such as logo graphics, product placement instructions, and pricing documentation for a new product; and

Channel Marketing Automation, which lets companies build, track and analyze email campaigns using the Salesforce Marketing Cloud, to deliver 1:1 customer journeys on any device.

Sales Cloud PRM is all about making your partners an extended part of your sales team and giving them the tools and information needed to accelerate deals, said Greg Gsell, senior director of Salesforce sales cloud product marketing.

Its a turnkey app  built entirely on the Salesforce Intelligent Customer Success Platform, which includes Service Cloud, he told CRM Buyer. Service Cloud helps companies globally  deliver intelligent, conversational customer service.

Partners account for one third of the average companys revenue, and more than two-thirds of revenues for companies in high-tech, manufacturing and telecom, Salesforce has found.

Salesforces Rationale

PRM is not new, noted Rebecca Wettemann, VP of Nucleus Research.

Whats new is Salesforces approach, which brings a modern UI and AI capabilities to PRM, she told CRM Buyer.

The app gives customers the advantages of Salesforces workflow automation and other tools for partner management, not just community collaboration, Wettemann said.

It will improve partner stickiness for users, because in a cloud world, partners can switch alliances more easily and quickly, she pointed out. Providing them with modern tools and more ready access to support will make switching less attractive.

Partner relationship management used to just be lead distribution, but now companies must deeply engage with partners to drive channel success, noted Gsell. You need PRM blended with CRM to deliver a great experience.

Manufacturing companies are placing increasing emphasis on customer relationships, customer service, and new technologies such as AI, because technology makes it easier for customers to switch, said Salesforce.

Einstein can help partners with content recommendations, and I can see it progressing to suggest optimum product and solution bundles, observed Cindy Zhou, principal analyst at Constellation Research.

Target Market

The PRM app is for any company or industry  looking to increase partner engagement and deal velocity within their channel sales organizations, Gsell said.

Manufacturing, high-tech and telecoms have the highest amount of revenue coming from indirect channels such as resellers, distributors and partners, Constellations Zhou told CRM Buyer.

The PRM app simplifies the setup process and minimizes the need for IT support for companies to help their partners get up and running fast, she said.

Accessing the latest information on products or solutions, marketing materials and sales team training via mobile devices is becoming increasingly critical, Zhou noted, and the PRM apps one-stop-shop solution can lead to increased sales and faster deal cycles.

The apps strengths are mobile engagement for partners, a clean UI, and integration with CMS, learning management systems and compensation, Zhou said.

However, at US$25 per member per month, it could be challenging for companies with broad networks of partners, resellers, distributors and dealers to enable, she cautioned.

Other companies, such as Microsoft Dynamics, SugarCRM and Zoho, have partner enablement portals that are due for a refresh, Zhou pointed out. There will be more announcements to come.
Uber Technologies on Monday lost its second-most-important executive in a shakeup stemming from an internal investigation into sexual harassment charges. The changes at the top reportedly could include the temporary loss of Ubers founder and chief executive, Travis Kalanick.

Emil Michael  who served as the companys senior vice president of business and a key lieutenant to Kalanick  is out.

I can confirm that Emil Michael is no longer with the company, Uber spokesperson Matthew Wing told the E-Commerce Times. I have no additional comment beyond that.

Toxic Environment

The Michael ouster came at a critical juncture in the companys short history. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder reportedly has presented findings of his investigation into corporate culture at the firm, following reports of widespread sexual harassment.

Holder, now a partner at the law firm of Covington & Burling, presented his findings to the Uber board, according to multiple reports, and those findings will be made public Tuesday. Among the recommended changes are a leave of absence for Kalanick, widely blamed for fostering a problematic corporate culture at the firm.

From all accounts its just an incredibly toxic environment, said Rebecca Lindland, executive analyst at Kelley Blue Book.

When youre building a company thats still relatively new, you cant grow with that kind of toxic environment very long, she told the E-Commerce Times.

Thumbs Down

The shakeup follows months of reports that Uber operates like a Silicon Valley version of Game of Thrones, with employees pitted against each other for the sake of pleasing management.

There have been numerous complaints from female engineers who said they were victims of sexual harassment. Further, they were subjected to high-level efforts to sabotage their work and drive them out of the company when they complained, according to reports.

The recent turmoil followsrevelations made earlier this year by former Uber engineer Susan Fowler, of a series of sexual harassment and discrimination efforts against her and other female employees. Fowler essentially was driven out of the company and given poor performance reviews when she left, she claimed.

At the time, Uber already had been under fire for bypassing a wildcat strike at John F. Kennedy International Airport in protest of the Trump administrations travel ban. Kalanick also had been called out for joining the new administrations business advisory council, but later stepped down.

Federal officials had begun looking into the companys controversial greyball software, which allegedly was used to avoid tracking by authorities in Portland, Oregon, and other cities.

Uber is in need of a major reset, because its internal culture has put the firm at risk of self-destructing, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

The situation at Uber is odd, at best, especially in the ways it illuminates the thin line between innovative and pathological behavior, he told the E-Commerce Times. Over the past few months, the company and its executives, including its CEO, have regularly stepped over that line and essentially brought greater scrutiny and the possibility of punishment onto themselves.

Uber has taken several recent steps to address its sexual harassment and overall corporate culture problem.

Housecleaning Efforts

About 20 Uber employees were terminated in connection with an internal investigation that uncovered 215 allegations of sexual harassment or gender bias at the company, the Perkins Coie law firm reportedly disclosed last week. A spokesperson referred the E-Commerce Times questions to Uber.

Uber last week announced that Frances Frei, a professor of service management and the senior associate dean for executive education at Harvard Business School, had been hired as senior vice president, leadership and strategy, and would act as a partner to Ubers human resources officer Liane Hornsey.

The company also named Nestle SA executive vice president Wan Ling Martello to its board of directors, adding another female executive to the board. Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington previously was the only woman on the board.

The full Holder report is expected to be made public on Tuesday, when employees will learn how the company aims to move forward and regain its footing.
As Uber reels from the fallout of a sexual harassment scandal that led to this weeks ouster of Travis Kalanick and several of his top executives, the company faces twin dilemmas: how to clean up its corporate work environment and restock its executive ranks; and how to maintain credibility with its customer base and core team of street level drivers.

(Photo credit: Dan Taylor / Heisenberg Media Travis Kalanick

Uber controls more than 80 percent of the domestic ride-sharing market, by many estimates, and it competes strongly in major cities around the world. However, rival firms like Lyft, Juno and others have taken advantage of Ubers recent turmoil and are nipping at its heels. Their goal is to take its drivers, woo its customers, and step out of the way while Ubers corporate image disintegrates.

While the search for a new executive team continues, Uber must focus on three things, according to Roger Lanctot, director of automotive connected mobility at Strategy Analytics. It must 1) continue to attract customers; 2) continue to recruit quality drivers; and 3) develop a positive relationship with local regulators  a battle Uber has had to fight every time it has entered a new market.

The battle for passengers and drivers  thats a hearts-and-minds kind of thing, Lanctot told TechNewsWorld. People are just feeling icky about using Uber. Theyre feeling just enough that theyre changing patterns of using Uber to using another local alternative.

Rebuilding the Brand

Lyft and other rivals have been winning the battle to attract talent, said Lanctot, because the perception among ride-sharing drivers is that Uber fosters a hypercompetitive culture that makes drivers feel like they are on their own without much support, while Lyft, on the other hand, gives a sh*t about quality and service.

For example, Lyft last month unveiled new incentives to make it easier for drivers to control their work life and make more money. Scheduled pickups  which Lyft claims its the first in the industry to offer  give drivers up to seven days warning about a customer appointment. Lyft also unveiled Power Zones in 17 cities, which allow drivers to get paid more for driving in particular areas during certain hours. Further, Lyft now offers a new app just for drivers.

While Uber was in the throes of its executive shakeup, Lyft earlier this week quietly doubled the default tip options for passengers on rides costing US$25 or more. Tip options now default to $2 to $10 on the more expensive rides from the old $1 to $5, and passengers also can opt for custom tips.

Lyft recently entered a partnership with autonomous vehicle firm nuTonomy, with plans to pilot its technology in Boston. The firm, founded by CEO Karl Iagnemma and Emilio Frazzoli, has been testing its autonomous vehicle technology in Singapore since the summer of 2016.

Ubers harassment scandal has not impacted the core product of the company, argued Steven Polzin, director of mobility policy research at the University of South Floridas Center for Urban Transportation Research.

However, it has seriously damaged the companys brand and attractiveness to investors and potential employees, he said.

My perception is that the shenanigans regarding governance of Uber have most impacted their business reputation with investors, and their credibility as a future IPO or place of employment for talent, Polzin told TechNewsWorld.

Its likely Uber will face a more difficult time with government regulators in the future, he said, given the companys damaged reputation for employee relations, corporate culture and leadership.

I do think the cumulative pressure on Uber will have an impact, as regulators are less likely to be intimidated and/or bullied going forward, Polzin said.

Saving Drivers

While the focus in recent days largely has been on Ubers corporate culture, there is another area where the company needs to tighten things up significantly, and thats with its still critically important base of ride-sharing drivers. Along with its astronomical growth, Uber has faced numerous battles with drivers. Many have complained over workplace rules and compensation issues, and they have sought union protection in key cities, including New York and Seattle.

Uber on Tuesday sent an email announcing a series of compensation and work rule changes geared toward improving its relationship with its core group of drivers, who are critical to the companys current business model.

The company unveiled plans to allow drivers to receive tips, with the new policy initially changing in Seattle, Houston and Minneapolis. Additional cities will be added over the next several weeks, and the system will expand nationwide by the end of next month.

Riders will have the option of tipping the driver when asked to rate their experience using the mobile app, and will be given up to 30 days to add the tip to their charges.

The launch of in-app tipping followed an April ruling by New Yorks Taxi and Limousine Commission to require the option after the Independent Drivers Guild, which represents 50,000 ride hail drivers, launched a public campaign to change Ubers policy.

Uber also announced that it would pay drivers a cancellation fee if customers canceled trips after more than two minutes  down from five minutes. Also, after two minutes of waiting for customer pickups, drivers will earn a per-minute rate

Uber announced the addition of injury protection insurance through Aon, which covers driver injuries and lost revenue. It also introduced additional perks toward its Quest driver incentive program, which gives drivers bonuses for reaching a certain number of trips in a given time period. The new incentives enable drivers to cash out their earnings instantly and allow all trips to count toward Quest.

Despite those actions, Uber has still failed to address core driver issues on the ground, said Leonard Smith, director of organizing at the Teamsters Local 117 in Seattle.

Everything that weve seen so far points to direct employees at Uber, he told TechNewsWorld. We havent really heard about drivers issues.

Uber exercises direct control over how much drivers make, yet claims they are independent contractors, Smith said.

After factoring in the costs of operation and the amount of money drivers have to pay back to Uber, some drivers are only bringing home $3 an hour, he maintained, noting that the majority of people we work with are struggling to put gas in the car.

Restoring Faith

In terms of Ubers upper ranks, the damage to executive recruiting and corporate branding likely require Uber to look for talent outside the company, said Karl Brauer, executive publisher for Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book.

It reflect how much people had lost faith in Travis, he told TechNewsWorld.

Bringing in a strong female candidate, Brauer suggested, would go a long way toward sending a message that Ubers upper ranks understand they have a problem that needs to be addressed.




US pork producers urge Trump to ink trade deal with Japan just like EU

US pork producers have renewed their call on the Trump administration to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement with Japan.

Their latest clamor came on the heels of the announcement on Thursday, July 6, that the European Union and Japan have reached agreement in principle on a trade pact.

"The United States must quickly finalise a trade deal with Japan if it wants to maintain that important market," said Ken Maschhoff, president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

"We can't stand by while countries around the world negotiate agreements that give them a competitive advantage over American products", he added.

A pork producer from Carlyle, Illinois, Maschhoff urged Trump to "make America great again by expanding our market access to Japan-an economically and strategically important ally-through an FTA".

NPPC wants a Trans-Pacific Partnership-type deal with Japan. Under that trade agreement, which the pork organisation strongly supported, Japan's tariffs on pork, which are determined through a so-called gate price system, would have been nearly eliminated.

Economist Dermot Hayes of Iowa State University estimated that US pork exports to Japan would have increased exponentially under TPP, creating more than 5,000 new US jobs.

"Producers are very dependent on exports," Maschhoff said. "Last year, were exported 26 percent of our total production, and those exports added more than $50-representing 36 percent of the $140 average value of a hog in 2016-to the price we received for each animal marketed. We can't afford to lose exports in our No. 1 market".

Japan is the highest value market for US pork exports. Last year, Japanese consumers purchased almost $1.6 billion worth of US pork products, which are in demand in Japan despite tariffs and other import measures that limit market access for it.
Skretting to build state-of-art shrimp feed plant in Ecuador





Aquaculture feed maker Skretting is set to build a new state-of-the-art shrimp-feed mill worth US$65 million in Duran, Ecuador.

The facility will have an annual capacity of 470,000 tonnes of feed, Skretting said, adding that construction is scheduled for completion in 2019.

Ecuador is one of the world's leading shrimp producers with an increasing export trade to many key markets including the US, Asia and Europe.

"We were the first company to provide Ecuador with an aquaculture-specific feed plant. Alongside this industry commitment, Skretting has also benefitted from more than 25 years of health and nutrition research and development and is working closely with many of the country's shrimp farmers, which has given us invaluable local insight into the market's particular needs and ambitions", said Carlos Miranda, general manager of Skretting Ecuador.

He said the new plant comes at the ideal time for the country's booming shrimp farming industry, which continues to capitalise on the unprecedented demand for high-quality, responsibly produced shrimp products.

The 3.5-hectare plant will be constructed in phases-incorporating the latest technological and environmental advancements-that will gradually scale up Skretting Ecuador's shrimp feed production. The first phase is expected to be finished within the first half of 2018.

The facility, the Nutreco-owned company said, will ensure that Skretting can continue to meet the fast-growing demand in both Ecuador and Peru for premium-quality shrimp feeds.

Miranda said that farmed shrimp is Ecuador's second-largest non-oil export and plays a vital role in the country's economy. "The increasing professionalism of the industry is mirrored by the steady rise in its demand for higher quality feeds and the introduction of new, automated feeding system technologies that Skretting is promoting in Ecuador and its export markets".
By Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank

President Hoyer

During my last stay in Tallinn some weeks ago for a meeting in advance of Estonia taking on the rotating presidency of the EU Council of Ministers next month. I was told that they have a saying in Estonia: you cannot cook a thicker soup around one edge of the pot. This is a wise reference to cooperation and shared resources: if you contribute, you contribute for all, and your share will be proportional to the contributions of everyone involved.

In the current inward-focused political climate, it is tempting to view external activity by the European Union, and consequently by the EU Bank, through one of two lenses: a zero-sum game; or charity. Both are wrong: they distort the reality of why countries do well to invest beyond their borders.

Our challenges are global

The European Investment Bank is the largest supranational borrower and lender in the world. The EIB Group, which includes the European Investment Fund, delivers annually over EUR 8 billion in financing outside the EU  with EUR 9 billion expected in 2017. The Bank has been increasing its external activity in line with evolving EU global priorities and contributes to a number of sustainable development goals, notably in the areas of climate action, migration and mobility, sustainable growth and jobs, trade and economic prosperity.

The soup metaphor is a helpful image when you think about climate action, for example. Climate change does not stop at country borders, no wall will contain it. In order to limit global warming to the 2 degrees agreed in the UN accord at the Paris meeting in 2015 we need to reduce the CO2 released all over the world. When it comes to climate change, one cannot boil a thicker soup, say, in Pittsburgh than is being enjoyed in Pyongyang, or Paris, for example  although one could water down the meal for everyone on the planet.

This is not just about positioning the EU as the global leader in the fight against climate change. A nice example of what the EIB is doing can be found on the Maldives Islands. Their entire territory is less than 5 metres above sea level, so they are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rising as a result of climate change. In the past, the islands have been reliant on oil being shipped over great distances. This made electricity extremely expensive, with a result that 35% of GDP was spent on it. The EIB is helping finance a EUR 175 million project to install solar photovoltaic plants there, on strong structures high above the ground so as not to be affected by sudden storms and flooding. In this way the project contributes to the resilience of the Maldives energy supply, helps the country adapt to climate change and to mitigate some of its effects, lessens emissions by increasing the use of green energy, and  last but not least  makes huge economic sense.

Another similar example comes from the South Pacific island republic Vanuatu, where the EIB financed an innovative wind farm whose wind turbines can be folded over and secured to the ground. After cyclone Pam, which blew over the islands at 320 km/h, had passed, the turbines were cranked back up without significant damage. Again, adaptation, climate change mitigation, and sensible economics working together.

Investments without borders

But the soup thickens. The wind farm at Devils Point in Vanuatu is operated by a subsidiary of Frances Engie. Today trade and investment are as global as the problem of climate change. Naturally, where the entities receiving funding are incorporated makes a difference, but growth can, and mostly does, overcome borders. By supporting foreign direct investment to tap new markets, by lending to a large network of European clients globally, the EIB Group bolsters Europes competitiveness and, at the same time, brings substantial economic interest to partner countries. Fostering economic development around the world also contributes to global trade, creating new opportunities for European firms to import and export. We also spur innovation back home  allowing for the exchange of novel practices, ideas and know-how with far-flung corners of the world and encouraging the best talent to emerge and contribute to solutions for our global future challenges. Even when we invest in space technology, and things do not get much more external than that, we recognize it having a direct impact in our own back yard. This is the case with our recent EUR 30 million investment with a small, family-owned, innovative space technology company called OHB System in Bremen, Germany. There is no doubt that that investment will have an immediate impact inside the EU in terms of growth, jobs and competitiveness; but in the longer term, research, development and innovation are bound to have impact across the world.

But coming back down to earth: in the neighbouring countries of the EU, EIB investments bring about even more specific, and mutually beneficial, effects. Financing transport and energy connections supports the security of supply of energy on both sides of the border  and creates the physical prerequisites for trade. These economic ties facilitate exchange and cooperation just as much as competition. They are not measured by tallying points for which country wins or loses. They are not part of a zero-sum game.

In those countries preparing for EU accession, such as the Western Balkans, EIB investment contributes to the implementation of the EUs enlargement policy and accelerates the economic development of these countries by supporting their transition to fully functioning market economies, capable of coping with competition and market forces. In addition to opening new markets for EU companies worldwide, EIB investments in this region play an important part in the actual enlargement of the internal market itself. Investing in the infrastructure of the enlargement countries, including through the hallmark EIB expertise also helps them meet and adopt EU standards in every area of the economy.

Given the magnitude of the financing gap, the recent paradigm shift from the exclusive use of budget resources for grants to their partial deployment as guarantees for loans is a smart way of using and leveraging the scarce public resources available for development. It also illustrates why investment should not be seen as charity. For nearly 60 years, EU budget funds for external policies have been complemented by long-term investment from the EIB in local private sector development, infrastructure and climate action. With the adoption of the Agenda 2030 and the revised European Consensus on Development, there is increasing recognition that adding loans and financial instruments to traditional aid and grants can make the economy more credible and competitive for additional investors, helping catalyse more funds. Our goal should be to attract private sector investment and remove obstacles for additional financiers to join in. The success of the Investment Plan for Europe  the so-called Juncker Plan  has encouraged the EU, including the EIB Group, to extend the concept of using budget resources as guarantees outside the Union, including through the envisaged External Investment Plan. Loans can be successfully combined with grants or, for example, first-loss pieces to funds investing in what private sector investors view as riskier combinations of geographies and sectors. This can help focus investment where it is needed most and where it is most likely to deliver a positive impact.

Beyond financial returns

The impact of our investment goes beyond economic benefits. The economic relations established with the Banks financing and technical assistance help strengthen the EUs shared values such as gender equality, for example. We strongly believe advancing equality is an imperative because it increases individual freedom. However, it can also contribute to faster economic growth. Investment can also help further the rule of law, security, mutual accountability, and increased exchange and understanding among all parties involved.

Investment outside our borders can be a proactive measure to alleviate the risk of social and political unrest in the countries where it takes place. Resilient economies where growth is robust and inclusive  especially in terms of providing equal employment opportunities  are less likely to experience social unrest, conflict, and massive migration.

The EIB is now stepping up its activities on this front, as it is already implementing the Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI) on the ground to improve the ability to absorb and respond to shocks and crises in the Western Balkans and the EUs Southern Neighbourhood countries. An example of such shocks could be the effects of adverse weather circumstances arising from climate change, but also large inflows of refugees from war-torn areas that suddenly exert major pressure on the public services of these countries. By way of example, the EIB has provided a loan which was combined with EU investment grants in favour of the Wadi Al Arab Water System II project in Jordan aimed at addressing a water scarcity in the country that is further exacerbated by the dramatic influx of Syrian refugees. The system will provide an additional 30 million cubic metres of drinkable water per year in areas estimated to have an urban non-refugee population of around 1.47 million people, and housing around 163 000 refugees.
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Shades of quickly fading blue  the decline of the Tory tradition in Canada since the 1980s (Part Six) By Mark Wegierski

Gad Horowitz, a well-known social democratic Canadian political philosopher, made (a considerable number of years ago) an absolutely amazing criticism of multiculturalism, and defence of English-Canadian nationalism. ...[O]ur national politicians are afraid to challenge the professional ethnics and the provincial empire builders who perversely demand for their groups a status similar to that of the French. The continuation of our strong emphasis on regional and ethnic differentiation perpetuates fragmentation, prevents the emergence of any clear Canadian or English Canadian identity, and leaves the door wide open for Americanization... Instead of giving the French alone a special status, we are disintegrating the country by giving all ethnic groups and provinces special status. Canada may never be a national community because of the French presence. English Canada can be a national community, but only if our image of Canada is transformed from a political union of provinces and tribes into a political union of two communities, one English and one French. We must have the courage to combine accommodation of the French particularism with resistance to intra-English particularisms... Most mosaic celebrators take the line that the very nothingness of Canada is its most praiseworthy characteristic. "How wonderful to live in a country that has no flag." How wonderful to live in a non-nationalistic nation, a nation that is not a nation, "a land of many cultures"... When this way of talking is not fake, it is literally nihilistic... The whole ideology of the mosaic came into being not so much to justify cultural diversity as to justify the absence of a national community embracing that diversity. We have only the pluribus, not the unum. The mosaic ideology is not needed to preserve the diversity; it is a weak and often insincere apology for the absence of unity. What differentiates us from the Americans is not our cultural diversity -- they have it too -- but our failure to develop a national community... If an overarching English Canadian national community existed, the ethnic and regional particularisms would evaporate, with no regrets and little nostalgia... The mosaic preserves nothing of value. It is literally nothing. It is the absence of a sense of identity, the absence of a common life which can be shared by the English-speaking regions and tribes of Canada... If the situation can be saved...English Canadian intellectuals...must become self-conscious nation builders, as "survivance" conscious as the Quebecois. [emphases in Gad Horowitzs original text] Canadian Political Thought, H.D. Forbes (ed.), (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1985), pp. 361-363. The fact that a well-known left-wing thinker stands very "far to the right" of all of today's major political parties, on the issue of Canadian nationalism, may show in what a dislocated direction Canada has evolved. Following the trail of Horowitzs argument, it could be argued that English-speaking Canada was, in its history and founding, a traditionally British, considerably tory-oriented society -- both in the wider sense of having a British political culture, institutions, and general temperament, with a respect for traditional institutions and "peace, order, and good government"; and in the narrower sense of being predominantly founded by persons who (regardless of their points of origin -- the Thirteen Colonies, England, Scotland, Wales, or Ireland) identified themselves as British in both the general and ethnic sense. It could be argued that the main roots of Canadian nationality lie in the United Empire Loyalists -- the men and women who remained loyal to their Sovereign, and consequently rejected the American Revolution, preferring exile in comparative penury to life in a society which, as they saw it, placed a greater value on money, than on virtue, honour, and faith. The toryism of the Loyalists was similar in some ways to the traditional Catholic conservatism of Quebec -- a society suffused with the spirit of Catholic Christendom -- of piety, charity, faith, and honour. Together, the French and British communities hoped to persevere and preserve some measure of their noble traditions on the North American continent, a task which has proved largely impossible. The conservative alliance of the British and the French in Canada persisted in its most pristine form until 1896. Subsequently, Canada became characterized by an ever more centrist consensus focussed on the Liberal Party of Sir Wilfrid Laurier and of Mackenzie King (the longest-serving Canadian Prime Minister). It has been argued in earlier articles, that the developments after 1963 have marked an overturning of the traditionalist-centrist consensus  indeed, the creation of a New Canada  which could be called Canada Two. It could be argued that the two main, highly tragic mistakes of the British North Americans or British Canadians were as follows. Firstly, there was their inability to properly distinguish between the more general and the purely ethnic aspects of their identity, which has, it could be argued, allowed the mosaic ideology to eventually undermine most of the more authentic notions of Canada. Secondly, there was their inability to reach a proper constitutional accommodation with Quebec (which most likely would have been some form of "dualism"), in which a traditional Quebec would have usually acted in support of, and not mostly in opposition to, the interests of the general polity. In a well-considered conceptualization to undercut the excesses of multiculturalism in Canada, Gad Horowitz has suggested that Britishness is a so-called political nationality  which can (one would guess if there are still assimilative pressures being exercised)  be adopted by persons of any ethnicity or religion. Thus, calling Canada a British-inspired society is not inherently a vehicle for unwarranted exclusion. Jack Granatstein, one of Canadas leading historians, has said on television (TVO  The Agenda with Steve Paikin) that the real Canadian ideal is that Canada welcomes immigrants without prejudice but does require that they work at becoming successful here, and strive to become, in considerable measure, Canadians. Sir John A. Macdonald, Canadas first and possibly greatest Prime Minister, had said, declaring his allegiances, A British subject I was born, and a British subject I will die. Gad Horowitz, a very thoughtful social democrat, is remarkably daring in his description of what he sees as the main Canadian predicament since the 1960s. Nevertheless, the ideas he puts forward, and the suggestions he makes, do seem impossibly remote from current-day Canadian understandings. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home
The crisis of integrity-deficient science By Paul Driessen

The epidemic of agenda-driven science by press release and falsification has reached crisis proportions. In just the past week: Duke University admitted that its researchers had falsified or fabricated data that were used to get $113 million in EPA grants  and advance the agencys air pollution and environmental justice programs. A New England Journal of Medicine (NJEM) article and editorial claimed the same pollutants kill people  but blatantly ignored multiple studies demonstrating that there is no significant, evidence-based relationship between fine particulates and human illness or mortality. In an even more outrageous case, the American Academy for the Advancement of Sciences journal Science published an article whose authors violated multiple guidelines for scientific integrity. The article claimed two years of field studies in three countries show exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides reduces the ability of honeybees and wild bees to survive winters and establish new populations and hives the following year. Not only did the authors own data contradict that assertion  they kept extensive data out of their analysis and incorporated only what supported their (pre-determined?) conclusions. Some 90% of these innovative neonic pesticides are applied as seed coatings, so that crops absorb the chemicals into their tissue and farmers can target only pests that feed on the crops. Neonics largely eliminate the need to spray with old-line chemicals like pyrethroids that clearly do harm bees. But neonics have nevertheless been at the center of debate over their possible effects on bees, as well as ideological opposition in some quarters to agricultural use of neonics  or any manmade pesticides. Laboratory studies had mixed results and were criticized for overdosing bees with far more neonics than they would ever encounter in the real world, predictably affecting their behavior and often killing them. Multiple field studies  in actual farmers fields  have consistently shown no adverse effects on honeybees at the colony level from realistic exposures to neonics. In fact, bees thrive in and around neonic-treated corn and canola crops in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and elsewhere. So how did the Dr. Ben Woodcock, et al. Center for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) field studies reach such radically different conclusions? After all, the researchers set up 33 sites in fields in Germany, Hungary and England, each one with groups of honeybee or wild bee colonies in or next to oilseed rape (canola) crops. Each group involved one test field treated with fungicides, a neonic and a pyrethroid; one field treated with a different neonic and fungicides; and one control group by a field treated only with fungicides. They then conducted multiple data analyses throughout the two-year trial period. Their report and Science article supposedly presented all the results of their exhaustive research. They did not. The authors fudged the data, and the peer reviewers and AAAS journal editors failed to spot the massive flaws. Other reviewers (here, here and here) quickly found the gross errors, lack of transparency and misrepresentations  but not before the article and press releases had gone out far and wide. Thankfully, and ironically, the Woodcock-CEH study was funded by Syngenta and Bayer, two companies that make neonics. That meant the companies received the complete study and all 1,000 pages of data  not just the portions carefully selected by the article authors. Otherwise, all that inconvenient research information would probably still be hidden from view  and the truth would never have come out. Most glaring, as dramatically presented in a chart thats included in each of the reviews just cited, there were far more data sets than suggested by the Science article. In fact, there were 258 separate honeybee statistical data analyses. Of the 258, a solid 238 found no effects on bees from neonics! Seven found beneficial effects from neonics! Just nine found harmful impacts, and four had insufficient data. Not one group of test colonies in Germany displayed harmful effects, but five benefitted from neonics. Five in Hungary showed harm, but the nosema gut fungus was prevalent in Hungarian beehives during the study period; it could have affected bee foraging behavior and caused colony losses. But Woodcock and CEH failed to mention the problem or reflect it in their analyses. Instead, they blamed neonics. In England, four test colony groups were negatively affected by neonics, while two benefitted, and the rest showed no effects. But numerous English hives were infested with Varroa mites, which suck on bee blood and carry numerous pathogens that they transmit to bees and colonies. Along with poor beekeeping and mite control practices, Varroa could have been the reason a number of UK test colonies died out during the study  but CEH blamed neonics. (Incredibly, even though CEHs control hives in England were far from any possible neonic exposure, they had horrendous overwinter bee losses: 58%, compared to the UK national average of 14.5% that year, while overwinter colony losses for CEH hives were 67-79% near their neonic-treated fields.) In sum, fully 95% of all the hives studied by CEH demonstrated no effects or benefitted from neonic exposure  but the Science magazine authors chose to ignore them, and focus on nine hives (3% of the total) which displayed harmful impacts that they attributed to neonicotinoids. Almost as amazing, CEH analyses found that nearly 95% of the time pollen and nectar in hives showed no measurable neonic residues. Even samples taken directly from neonic-treated crops did not have residues  demonstrating that bees in the CEH trials were likely never even exposed to neonics. How then could CEH researchers and authors come to the conclusions they did? How could they ignore the 245 out of 258 honeybee statistical data analyses that demonstrated no effects or beneficial effects from neonics? How could they focus on the nine analyses (3.4%) that showed negative effects  a number that could just as easily have been due to random consequences or their margin of error? The sheer number of no effect results (92%) is consistent with what a dozen other field studies have found: that foraging on neonicotinoid-treated crops has no effect on honeybees. Why was this ignored? Also relevant is the fact that CEH honeybee colonies near neonic-treated fields recovered from any adverse effects of their exposure to neonics before going into their winter clusters. As super organisms, honeybee colonies are able to metabolize many pesticides and detoxify themselves. This raises doubts about whether any different overwintering results between test colonies and controls can properly be ascribed to neonics. Woodcock, et al. should have discussed this, but failed to do so. Finally, as The Mad Virologist pointed out, if neonics have negative impacts on bees, the effects should have been consistent across multiple locations and seed treatments. They were not. In fact, the number of bee larval cells during crop flowering periods for one neonic increased in response to seed treatments in Germany, but declined in Hungary and had no change in England. For another neonic, the response was neutral (no change) in all three countries. Something other than neonics clearly seems to be involved. The honest, accurate conclusion would have been that exposure to neonics probably had little or no effect on the honeybees or wild bees that CEH studied. The Washington Post got that right; Science did not. US law defines falsification as (among other things) changing or omitting data or results, such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record. Woodcock and CEH clearly did that. Then the AAAS and Science failed to do basic fact-checking before publishing the article; the media parroted the press releases; and anti-pesticide factions rushed to say the science is settled against neonics. The AAAS and Science need to retract the Woodcock article, apologize for misleading the nation, and publish an article that fully, fairly and accurately represents what the CEH research and other field studies actually documented. They should ban Woodcock and his coauthors from publishing future articles in Science and issue press releases explaining all these actions. The NJEM should take similar actions. Meanwhile, Duke should be prosecuted, fined and compelled to return the fraudulently obtained funds. Failure to do so would mean falsification and fraud have replaced integrity at the highest levels of once-respected American institutions of scientific investigation, learning and advancement. Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of Eco-Imperialism: Green power - Black death. Home
My Pilgrimage, Chapter Twenty-One: The Easily Corruptible Disaster Of The United Nations New World Order! By Michael Moriarty

Ive been an eternally square American patriot for my entire life! Oh, early on in my career, I believed that I had to be a Liberal because I was an actor! You werent a true artist of any kind in America unless you were, as they say, on the Left. I sympathized with that catch-all for Marxists and foolishly well-intended artists in America for a certain period of my life. Having trained in Sixties London, England, when the raging John Osborne was well all the rage, I could understand his resentment in a former Empire that was collapsing rapidly. That was until I crossed cocktail party paths with John Osbornes bitter self in Manhattan. In the wake of a lost empire, it was fashionable for bitter Brits to largely blame The American Cultural Empire! Id already faced a down-the-nose superiority from the teachers Id learned to endure in London. Then, to top it all off, there were the wittily arch comments for four years from the renowned British Director, Sir Tyrone Guthrie, at his theatre in Minneapolis. How nice for you, Mr. Moriarty, to have had the chance to study in another country where there are only superficial similarities of language! Theres a culture gap; then theres downright contempt for what was at the time, the most powerfully successful nation on Earth: The United States of America. Little did I realize at the time it happened, that the assassination of John F. Kennedy was, indeed, the beginning of the end to Americas Cultural Empire! America, or rather an American or, perhaps, a cabal of Americans, chose to kill their own President as much out of jealousy as out of any remotely possible justification. I experienced the entire nightmare of 1963s November while studying in London. I knew for certain that I would no longer be returning to the America I had left. Things

had grotesquely

begun

to change What have things come to, after over forty years of profoundly untrustworthy Presidents of the United

States?! With the exception of the patriotic Ronald Reagan and now the President who vows to make America Great Again, Donald Trump?!



What happened to American leadership?!?! Both political parties, the Dems and the Republicans, have leadership that want to hand the United States over to The New World Order! GLOBALIZATION!!! The very thing that is being protested vehemently in Europe during the efforts of the G20 Conference to create a New World Order.

The New World Orders Popularity Im lifting the same finger at both The New World Order and the United Nations that demand to run such a nightmare. Most of voting America threw the same finger at The New World Order by electing Donald Trump. These young folks being drenched in the photo are not protesting Donald Trumps arrival in Hamburg! They are protesting The New World Order!! God willing, they will be ultimately successful. And The Know-It-Alls, such as Angela Merkel, after helping to destroy their own nations with utterly suicidal immigration policies, smile smugly at the arrival of President Trump. Not even Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was quite that commandingly certain about handing the Sudetenland over to a Nazi New World Order.

Neville Chamberlain on steroids! Thank God we have an American President at the G20 whose heroes are obviously more like General George Patton than World War II Frances Edouard Daladier! Michael Moriarty is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in the landmark television series Law and Order from 1990 to 1994. His recent film and TV credits include The Yellow Wallpaper, 12 Hours to Live, Santa Baby and Deadly Skies. Contact Michael at rainbowfamily2008@yahoo.com. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@MGMoriarty. Home
The personal information of about 30,000 customers of the South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb was recently exposed when a Bithumb employees home computer was hacked, according to Yonhap News.

While Bithumb says no passwords were stolen, Yonhap reports that some customers lost funds as a result of the attack.

Brave New Coin reports that the exposed data included customer names, mobile phone numbers and email addresses.

Bithumb is one of the largest bitcoin exchanges in the world. While its not yet clear how much money may have been stolen, Brave New Coin reports that the amount is quickly reaching into the billions of Won.

Customers say theyve been targeted by voice phishing attacks, in which attackers call victims by phone posing as Bithumb executives, and try to leverage the data they already have to gain access to victims accounts.

Compensating Users

In a statement published last, Bithumb promised to pay 100,000 Won (approximately $86.50) to all members whose personal information was exposed  and to reimburse all losses for anyone who suffered additional damages.

High-Tech Bridge CEO Ilia Kolochenko told eSecurity Planet by email that Bithumbs response seems both professional and ethical, and could serve as a good example for other companies. However, it would be too early to calculate overall damages right now, as attackers could probably breach other machines and get additional information, he said.

And Imperva security group manager Ben Herzberg said its particularly notable that the stolen data was already outside of the companys control, on an employees personal computer.

This also brings [up] the question of data security in companies and the ability of employees to take sensitive information with them when theyre at home, Herzberg said. Part of this is due to the rapidly changing work environment where employees get more remote access to company resources, which poses a challenge to IT security departments.

The Risks of BYOD

The breach should serve as a reminder that Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies arent just needed for smartphones and tablets  only 36 percent of employees received corporate-issued laptops last year, a Gartner survey of 9,592 respondents in the U.S., U.K. and Australia found, while just 23 percent of employees surveyed said theyre provided with corporate-issued smartphones.

Usage of personally owned devices in the workplace is nothing new, but the survey results confirm that this trend has become a new workplace standard, Gartner principal research analyst Mikako Kitagawa said in a statement. Two thirds of survey respondents said that they use a personally owned device or devices for work.

A separate Strategy Analytics survey of 1,200 IT decision makers found that one third of companies dont manage corporate information on personal liable devices at all.

Strategy Analytics executive director of enterprise research Andrew Brown said in a statement that cost savings from BYOD are not comparable to the financial damage and reputational that can be incurred as a result of lost or stolen data and the security implications that a data breach entails.

Bithumb has learned that lesson in spades.
Nevada Realtors are teaming up with Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the state to collect school supplies for students served by the clubs throughout the state.

The drop off location for local donations is the Elko County Association of Realtors office at 557 W. Silver St., Suite 201A.

The summer school supply drive is being organized by the Nevada Association of Realtors and its LeadershipNVAR Class of 2017 to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Nevada.

LeadershipNVAR, NVARs signature program for personal and professional growth, is promoting the drive as part of its annual class project. Realtors are donating a wide array of school supplies, including backpacks, pencils, erasers, folders, three-ring binders, notebooks, markers, dictionaries, crayons and other school supplies to designated locations around the state.

Like last years class, LeadershipNVAR is working with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a partner charity for the National Association of Realtors.

The current LeadershipNVAR class of 15 Nevada Realtors includes members from Las Vegas to Minden and from Reno to Elko. Las Vegas Realtor Stephanie Dibbs-Mangual, a 2017 LeadershipNVAR class member and project leader, said Realtors have a rich history of giving back in their communities, and LeadershipNVAR continues to promote that ideal.

This drive is a big challenge to our leadership class and our Realtor friends across the state, she said. It will be exciting, too. Our class fully intends to get to work and promote the value of these donations. We want to bring many smiles to the children who thrive in these clubs and the staff that works tirelessly to help kids.

For more information, visit www.NVAR.org.
The political turmoil in Washington and controversial legislation in Texas has Ramiro Cavazos busy rattling cages in D.C. and Austin these days, lobbying against policies he says are bad for business.

As CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Cavazos is at the forefront of the fights against the sanctuary cities bill and transgender bathroom legislation in Texas, as well as the broader rewrite of U.S. trade rules with Mexico and Canada.

Cavazos, 55, is on his second go-around as the chambers CEO.

He served from 1987 to 1990 and is in his ninth year back at the same job after working as the city of San Antonios economic development director and operating the Levi Strauss Foundation in the interim.

He runs a staff of 17 and a $2.5 million budget that operates programs ranging from small-business advocacy and leadership development to promoting STEM education at the middle school level, preparing Latinas for public office, finding business opportunities internationally and testifying before state and federal governmental bodies on issues that affect San Antonio companies.

The San Antonio Express-News recently sat down with Cavazos. Heres an edited transcript of the discussion:

More Information Quick facts on Cavazos How do you typically start your day: I wake up every morning about 6:15 a.m. with our boys. This morning they went to camp, so I dropped them off about 8:30, and I picked up a coffee at a Starbucks and a banana on the way in to work for my first meeting at 9. That's my usual routine. I'm not a big breakfast person. What book are you reading now: "Latino Talent" by Dr. Robert Rodriguez (John Wiley & Sons Inc.) Favorite restaurant: Il Sogno Osteria First job: Grocery sacking at Weslaco Valley Mart, making $2.30 an hour Passion or hobby outside of work: Travel with family for pleasure If you had to choose an entirely different career in an entirely different industry, what would it be: Saxophone jazz musician See More Collapse

Q: What issues is the chamber trying to influence?

A: Weve been very busy in Austin this year, specifically fighting the bathroom bill, Senate Bill 6, the travesty that it is and what the potential damage could be to Texas business and the hospitality and tourism industry. Ive been in Austin about 20 times, physically, testifying. We have been sending letters and we have been busy with communications with our elected officials.

We also have been fighting Senate Bill 4, the sanctuary cities bill, ensuring we do not legalize racial profiling, which that bill would end up doing.

Its been mainly advocacy and letter writing and physically showing up to testify.

The other thing weve been doing is looking to re-establish the North American Free Trade Agreement on the federal level, advocating with our senators and our congresspeople. We dont need a border adjustment tax thats been proposed by this administration in Washington. We know theres a wall already there, and theres enough funding going to secure the border.

Q: How exactly does the chamber try to influence policies?

A: We are meeting directly with members of the Trump administration who are responsible for opening the discussions for NAFTA. Were doing this quietly. We also are submitting testimony and language for NAFTA.

We are working closely with our partners in San Antonio, other chambers, the city, the county, to physically write the drafts of what we would like to have included in that. A big part of that is cross-border trucking. It needs to be fully implemented. We also need a guest worker program in there. We do not have enough workers in the U.S. for a lot of these jobs.

Weve had meetings with Sen. (John) Cornyn, with Congressman Will Hurd. Weve been meeting with the (Texas) secretary of state, Rolando Pablos. He is in charge of economic development for the state of Texas. Weve had meetings with Sen. Ted Cruz. Luckily he signed on with a letter with other senators to continue with NAFTA.

We think a big part of our strategy is one-on-one meetings. We met with Jennifer Korn with the White House. She is assistant to the chief of staff. She is someone who is Hispanic, from California. Shes been tapped to be the liaison with organizations such as ours to develop the strategy for trade agreements.

These happen mainly at offices. Weve had some lunches at restaurants to break down the barriers since many of these folks are brand-new and we want them to be comfortable. So we usually meet where they want to meet.

Most of these meetings are done face to face in offices, but also in informal settings to make sure we develop relationships with one another and that they realize that as progressive-minded people on trade that we are very easy to work with and that we have good ideas and that they understand we want to grow the economy.

Q: How do you feel about the staff mix at the Hispanic Chamber?

A: We have 17 full-time positions. We are funded by small-business owners. Many (staffers) are millenials, and I have great hope for the future because we train them here. We give them the development they need.

Oftentimes, when they move on, they go to work for one of our members. My challenge as CEO is always to reload and fill positions that are vacant.

Q: Is the chamber trying to find a permanent home, perhaps its own building?

A: We pay enough rent at Pearl that we could own our own building. We love being here at Pearl. We might be in the market to build our own building or buy a building in the future. I hope that would not take us away from our core mission. If we find the right opportunity or if our members see something, well take a look at it. We have two more years left on our lease here at Pearl.

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.

Our neighbors at the Nature Conservancy have been great. They are our landlords. We sublease from them the space they had leased originally 10 years ago. Were going to have some conversations soon with the board, do our five-year strategic plan on what we want to do to be ready for the next two years because we definitely need to get ahead of the curve.

Q: Have you ever experienced failure of some kind in your career, and how did you recover from it?

A: Back in 1993, I ran for City Council. I threw my hat in the ring for City Council District 7. I was 31 years old, and I jumped in so late that I really didnt give myself a chance. Nowadays, to run for office, you need to start early. I wasnt from San Antonio. I grew up in the (Rio Grande) Valley. I had been here about eight years. I made it to a runoff and lost to a businessperson named Bob Ross.

I wasnt prepared to lose it. I had never really lost at anything or failed at anything. It broke my heart that I had failed. For about a year or two, I was healing. I thought I had done something wrong or that I was a bigger failure than I thought. But in fact it made me stronger to realize that as my first failure I could recover from it. I realized that you learn from your failures.

I thought I had let my friends down and let the community down, but it opened greater opportunities for me because being an elected official is not necessarily part of my destiny. It allowed me to do so many other things in the political realm without being a politician. That was my first failure, and I was able to overcome it mainly by leaning on friends.

dhendricks@express-

news.net
NEW YORK  Wayne Tracker cannot be forced to testify under oath. He does not exist.

But the man who used the Tracker alias, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, can be questioned  and is increasingly expected to be  as New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman expands a sweeping investigation into whether Tillersons former employer, ExxonMobil, misled investors about the effect of climate change.

Schneidermans office considers the nations chief diplomat a central figure in a case that pits the Democrat against a Texas energy giant and has divided attorneys general nationwide. Republican state prosecutors from South Carolina to Utah, like Exxons legal team, accuse the New York attorney general of abusing the power of his office to score political points with his liberal base on a politically explosive issue.

It is unclear whether Schneiderman will force Tillerson to answer questions under oath, but he said he has the legal authority to question the secretary of state, who served as Exxons CEO until joining President Donald Trumps administration.

We havent gotten to the point where thats necessary, but yeah, we have the legal right to conduct depositions. I dont know that were going to have to get to Mr. Tillerson, but sure, Schneiderman said when asked whether he has the right to question Tillerson.

Schneidermans nonchalant tone does not reflect the intensity of the case or his offices expectation that it will likely lead to Tillerson. But in an investigation that has already spanned 18 months and forced Exxon to release roughly 3 million internal documents, the confrontation could be several months or even years away.

Schneiderman opened the Exxon investigation in November 2015, shortly after reaching a settlement with another fossil fuel giant, Peabody Coal. In that case, Schneidermans office determined that Peabody misled shareholders, regulators and the public about the companys financial risks related to climate change.

Now Schneiderman is using the subpoena power of his office to determine whether Exxon did the same.

His office says the investigation has already uncovered Exxons significant potential investor fraud, including evidence that Tillerson may have approved accounting discrepancies.

After being forced to produce internal communications about the effect of climate change on its business, Exxon earlier this year acknowledged that Tillerson used the Wayne Tracker alias during email communications. The company says the alias was created to help the former CEO avoid a flood of messages after environmental activists obtained his actual email address.

Most of the Tracker emails have been permanently deleted, Exxon says, citing the companys regular practice of destroying emails after a certain period of time. Exxon officials testified that the company allowed several months of Tillersons emails to be deleted even after Schneidermans office flagged them for preservation.

For now, Exxon says that many of the messages can be retrieved by collecting emails from those he communicated with.

Exxons legal team features Ted Wells, who has represented tobacco giant Philip Morris and drugmakers Merck and Johnson & Johnson. Wells declined an on-the-record interview request, but he lashed out at Schneiderman in aggressive terms during a recent court hearing.

He cast Schneiderman as an ambitious politician stuck in a lengthy and expensive fishing expedition. For Schneiderman to conclude his years-long investigation without bringing a formal lawsuit against Exxon, Wells said, would deeply disappoint his liberal supporters before his 2018 re-election.

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.

This is not a normal investigation. It is a political witch hunt, Wells told the judge. They cannot clear Exxon. The attorney general cannot be in a position of clearing the largest fossil fuel oil company in the world.

The position is backed by Republican attorneys general in 12 states, led by Texas Ken Paxton, who filed a friend-of-the-court brief late last month in a related federal case brought by Exxon to try to block Schneidermans investigation. They argue that the attorneys general in New York  and Massachusetts, which is also probing Exxon  are abusing their power to prove a political point about climate change.

At the same time, U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, is using his congressional subpoena power to seek documents from the New York attorney generals office detailing communication with environmental groups. Smith also wants to depose Schneiderman, an order that the New York Democrat is ignoring.

In a statement, Schneiderman slammed efforts to delay and distract from the investigation and vowed to continue searching for as long as it takes to get to the bottom of what really happened at Exxon.

His office will depose nine Exxon witnesses in the coming weeks in a series of lower-level depositions in a chain that is ultimately expected to lead to Tillerson. The State Department declined to comment on Tillersons involvement in the Exxon probe. The secretary of state, nominated by the Republican Trump, has retained a private attorney to represent him in the matter.

The judge presiding over Schneidermans investigation, New York Supreme Court Justice Barry Ostrager, has been critical about both sides behavior.

If youre asking me to state on the record that Exxon has behaved in an exemplary manner, I decline to do so, Ostrager said in a recent hearing. If Exxon is asking me to state on the record that the New York AG has proceeded in an exemplary manner, I decline to do that also.
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In the smoky interior of an old building on the East Side, Pastor Shetigho Agbuke bestows blessings upon those in need.

Lit by sunlight gleaming through overhead windows, she sits on a dusty wooden platform at Redeemers Praise Church and welcomes those who live in poverty, are without homes and seek to scrub away their sins.

With a dab of olive oil, she anoints their foreheads, aching backs and feeble joints. Agbuke, a licensed counselor, listens without judgment, leaning forward in a plain black chair, absorbing their pain, which mirrors her own struggles.

God sent me to the people in this area, said Agbuke, 64. I want them to be blessed, to help them come out of poverty, prostitution and drug addiction. Whatever the need, we want to help.

Secrets within

Agbuke, clad in the colorful garb and headdress of her native Nigeria, ministers daily to her ever-changing flock, many who pore over Scriptures like others consume best-selling novels.

In 2010, with her savings, Agbuke bought the long-empty building at 107 Pine St. thats symbolic of many souls in her congregation  broken, but still standing.

The pastors documents from the sale say the church dates to 1900; Bexar County appraisal records indicate that the structure there now was built in 1950. Whatever its antecedents, the ragged building, lifted above the ground on concrete risers, sheltered its share of secrets.

During the first nondenominational services, Agbuke smelled a burnt odor coming from the walls. Several members removed the drywall paneling and found thick wooden walls saturated with soot and smoke. When workers removed the dropped ceiling, the remains of dead raccoons, snakes, birds and cats rained upon the floor.

There was a different sight outside. Prostitutes lingered along the sidewalk. Motorists steered fine, shiny cars to the curb of nearby streets to score drugs from corner dealers. Police sirens echoed in neighborhood streets throughout the day.

Fellow pastors tell stories of how, armed just with faith, Agbuke would surprise drug dealers with home-cooked food and on-the-spot sermons.

Helping hands

The church is many things to many people.

For alternate pastor Felicia Armstead, the church has been a blessing.

I thank God for Shetigho, she said recently as Agbuke ministered to a woman in a wheelchair. He has strategically placed her here in San Antonio. She will come here and pray and lay before God. You can see a hope rise up in people.

The church is also a food pantry, open from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. each Saturday, when Agbuke and a crew of volunteers welcome folks dealing with all kinds of circumstances. For the past five years, Pastor Warren Beemer and the San Antonio Food Bank have provided fruit, vegetables, snacks and canned goods that line the long folding tables.

Nobody knows it, but shes a giant in this city, Beemer said. Shes not a Johnny-come-lately. She didnt start this yesterday.

More than 40 people filed into the sanctuary one recent Saturday, signing their names to a list that volunteer Debbie Bruder later called. One by one, they filled bags and boxes with food they stretch to the last crumb.

Bruder, 62, has volunteered at the church for the past five years.

My heart is here, she said. When I come do this, I feel so close to Jesus. Its just a feeling you get.

The spirit of helping spans all ages, Bruder said, noting that volunteers include a 15-year-old boy who helps serve the food.

Often among the stream of homeless and visitors are a hand-holding couple, married for 50 years, who have had to choose between buying medicine or food. Many of the people who come are grandparents raising grandchildren.

Before the food is distributed, Agbuke offers a sermon of hope to people sitting in orange banquet chairs that serve as pews.

Praise him for his mighty acts, she shouted, as her voice blended with a chorus of Amen and hand claps. We praise you today, and we thank you.

On this Saturday, after the sermon, Jeanette Webb, 60, pulled a metal grocery cart behind her as she stopped and sifted through the mounds of produce on one of the tables. A graduate of Haven for Hope, the citys shelter for the homeless, Webb has worshipped at the church for the past three years.

She chatted with Gregory Abrahams, 69, who drew glances because of the Chihuahua perched on his shoulder like a bird settled in a nest. Abrahams, who said he teaches at San Antonio Theological College, admires Agbuke for her work, especially that she doesnt talk above her congregations heads and always stresses that they dont have to remain in the condition they are in.

She speaks to their spirits, Abrahams said. If youve been blessed, be a blessing to others.

Christian childhood

Throughout her life, Agbuke has found joy in comforting others with the faith that has helped her navigate through her own struggles.

Agbuke recalled that as a child in Nigeria, her parents couldnt afford to take care of her. When they left to work in Lagos, her maternal grandmother raised her, instilling in her a love for the Lord, a discipline that is the core of her life.

As a child, she decided that one day she would devote herself to others as a full-time Christian.

When she is in a crowd of different races, Agbuke doesnt see color. The seeds for that were sown in 1967 by nuns in Benin City, Nigeria, who were her teachers. During the Biafran War, she had to step over the bodies of dead combatants in the streets as she walked to church near their convent. What struck her was how similar the dead looked; whether black or white, the slain soldiers skins had the same pallor of death.

At night, during heavy shelling, she joined classmates under their bunk beds, seeking cover as the nuns had taught them.

She excelled at her studies and went on to higher education, graduating from the University of Lagos with a bachelors in psychology, and she later earned a masters. She met her husband at the university. Agbuke said she worked at Mobil Oil and became the highest-paid woman in the oil industry in Nigeria. After 12 years with the company, she moved to San Antonio in October 1990 to join her husband, who had moved here for his job.

Faith sustained her during the years of working at an insurance company in the day and studying at night. It steeled her resolve when she applied to get a doctorate in counseling at the University of Texas at San Antonio and learned that she didnt have enough credits to seek the degree. She had to retake courses for a masters degree in counseling first.

It was faith that helped her survive the end of her 25-year marriage. And it was faith that she passed to her three children, all with successful lives of their own and whom others praise for carrying on her teachings.

Thats where my strength comes from, she said. Its in the presence of God and loving God and my kids.

Shokare Nakpodia, founder of DreamWeek, is Agbukes brother. He said his sister, the eldest of 12 children, has always gone out of her way to make sure that others understood the beauty of life. He recalled how she would carry him on her back when he was ill as a child.

It was her brother who pointed out the church to Agbuke. She immediately said, Thats the building Ive seen in my dreams.

After she bought it, he became concerned when he found out she walked the streets of the high-crime area and anointed the curbs with olive oil to spread the power of her faith.

Im proud of her as my eldest sister, Nakpodia said, and shes shown me there are many ways to love ones neighbor and your purpose is to encourage and help others. When things are down for me, her prayers comfort me.

Planning for the future

Agbuke said she plans to remodel the church and restore it to Gods grace. She envisions a day when there will be a new sanctuary, a pantry, a nursery and a youth room. There are plans to install a bathroom and shower for the people who live on the streets. And a prayer room, where she can counsel those in need of healing and redemption.

As a member of Bridging the Gap, a local nonprofit, she found pastors and other leaders who offered to shore up the bones of the chapel and build amenities for the church. Former director of Daily Bread Ministries and homebuilder Chuck Farmer, Pastor Jimmy Robles, Pastor Gene Loeffler, Sal Mendez and Beemer, are part of her reconstruction planning team.

One of the members, Pam Espurvoa Allen, executive director of Eagles Flight Advocacy and Outreach, said Agbukes dreams became the groups project.

The work she does is extremely important, especially where the church is located, Allen said. She goes throughout this city, helping and praying for so many people, now its time to rally around her. I just love this lady. I adore her.

The church restoration will be a satisfying result for her parishioners, Agbuke said, but theres a segment of folks shell miss.

Three years ago, she noticed the absence of police sirens and the arrival of new neighbors. She also observed that the prostitutes and drug dealers had moved away.

Her fellow pastors credited her church for their departure. But Agbuke didnt see it as a positive. She never wanted them to disappear, she said; she wanted to minister the word to them. She wanted them, as they were, to join her congregation on a path to promise and possibilities.

And she continues to pray that, wherever they are now, they will one day find their way back to her church.

vtdavis@express-news.net
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WASHINGTON  Stepping into an increasingly complex relationship between President Donald Trump and U.S. allies in Europe, Kay Bailey Hutchison might be expected to soothe a few nerves.

The former Texas Longhorns cheerleader and Houston television reporter is returning to the national stage as Trumps pick for ambassador to NATO. Hutchison comes with foreign policy chops developed over 20 years in the U.S. Senate, mostly in national security and military affairs posts that took her to conflicts around the globe.

Where Trump once questioned the alliances relevance and demanded that Western European allies spend more on their common defense, Hutchison has praised it as our most important security alliance.

Theirs, Republican analysts say, is more of a difference of style than substance.

Known for a genuine, warm presence in the Senate, Hutchison also is described by close associates as a tireless and tenacious advocate. Shes an iron fist in a velvet glove, said former Hutchison staffer David Beckwithall, a retired GOP strategist in Austin.

Shes relentless, and therefore shes effective, said former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, a Texas Republican, who served with her in her early years in Washington, the 1990s.

Close observers also say a certain delicacy will be needed.

Senate confirmation is all but assured later this month. But Hutchison, 73, will be serving a president who has come under international scrutiny over his avowed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has challenged NATO interests from Ukraine to Syria.

It comes at a very tricky time, said Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak, a former Hutchison press aide. In terms of Russias aggression and interest in undermining NATO, its a bit of a delicate job.

As a candidate, Trump called NATO obsolete. As president, he has challenged member nations to meet commitments to spend at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense.

Trump since has backed off his assertion about NATO obsolescence, but he raised eyebrows on both sides of the Atlantic in May when he gave a speech in Europe that failed to include an expected endorsement of NATOs Article 5 commitment to a common defense.

Some observers interpreted that as a weakening of U.S. commitment to the 29-nation military alliance. But Trump explicitly endorsed Article 5 in early June. Among those showing signs of relief was Hutchison, who praised Trump on Twitter the next day: Article 5 holds together the greatest military alliance in the history of the world! @potus right to reaffirm @NATO commitment!

The turnaround did little to reassure Trump critics on foreign policy.

The flip-flop, from deliberate omission to eventual endorsement, reinforces the perception that Trump does not actually have deep-seated beliefs about these things and that he does not understand the implications of his own words, said former CIA analyst Paul Miller, associate director of the Clements Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Miller was one of 122 Republican foreign policy experts who signed an open letter opposing Trump in last years GOP presidential primaries. Last week, he expressed some optimism in Hutchisons pick as a NATO emissary.

I hope Hutchison and the other public servants in government assure our allies that the U.S. is bigger than one office, and counsel them not to view Trump as representative of the country as a whole, Miller said

She also comes with the endorsement of James Baker III, secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush, who presided over the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Shes always had a sharp mind, political savvy and a strong work ethic, Baker said. She is an excellent choice.

The White House declined to make Hutchison available for an interview.

While Hutchison hails from the old establishment wing of the Republican Party  the side that had strong reservations about Trumps candidacy  those closest to her see the makings of an effective partnership with Trump.

Shes been in government and shes not new to how things work on the world stage, said longtime friend Jeanne Phillips, who served as President George W. Bushs U.S. permanent representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a position that comes with the rank of ambassador.

She will be a smart and fair messenger for both points of view, leading to better understanding, said Phillips, now a top executive for Hunt Consolidated. She understands the NATO side, and thats going to be helpful to the administration to have an experienced person there. And she will also understand the presidents views, and that will be helpful to NATO.

Some see little difference between Trumps complaint about NATO countries defense spending and what past U.S. administrations have said, albeit far less loudly.

Hutchison, as a member of Senate committees on armed services, intelligence and defense appropriations, was no stranger to the bipartisan U.S. call for a bigger European contribution to the alliance.

She was always somebody who was very cognizant of what the allies were contributing, said David Davis, who served as a military aide and chief of staff to Hutchison. She always has been adamant that everyone in the alliance needs to pay their fair share, and that it needs to remain a strong military alliance, not a political alliance, not a social club, but a militarily capable alliance.

While fully committed to NATO, Hutchison also used her perch in the Senate to press the Pentagon on whether it would be more cost-effective to bring some military training and deployment functions back home, possibly even to Texas.

Hutchison earned a reputation as a tough but practical negotiator in the Senate, working both sides of the aisle. She is a consummate team player, Gramm said. She knows how to get things done by dealing with people. Those are exactly the skills that will be required.

She made few enemies in the Senate, a testament to a measured tone even on some of the most hot-button issues of the day. In Texas, social conservatives faulted her for a mixed record on abortion rights, an issue that then-Gov. Rick Perry  now Trumps energy secretary  used against her in a bitter 2010 gubernatorial primary fight.

Perry and Hutchison, now widowed and practicing law, are believed to have patched things up. Political observers, however, will be watching to see how Hutchinson, the most senior female Republican senator by the end of her Senate tenure in 2012, will navigate the brash side of Trump.

In an MSNBC interview in April last year, Hutchison said Trump was wrong to attack Hillary Clinton on gender and needed to stay more focused on issues and experience.

The context that hes using, personal attacks on his opponents, both Republicans as well as Democrats, is just the wrong attack right now, Hutchison said. It is time for him to start talking substance, and I thought his foreign policy speech was a step in the right direction. And I think we dont need any more of these personal, little slights.

Hutchison, an early backer of Jeb Bush for president, also said at the time that she wasnt sure if she could come to support Trump.

She eventually came around, as did much of the GOP establishment, which came to see Trump  running as a populist outsider intent on draining the swamp in Washington  as more conducive to Republican domestic and foreign policy goals.

Hutchisons selection as NATO ambassador in many ways is seen as a gesture of goodwill toward a skeptical establishment that questioned Trumps campaign pivots from foreign policy adventurism and isolationism.

It also is seen as a gesture to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil chief who is known to have battled White House staffers for control over State Department and diplomatic posts.

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said Tillerson and Hutchison have maintained a close friendship in Texas that will play into their partnership on foreign policy. I think thats why she got picked for this assignment, he said.

Tillerson wants to put his own people in the State Department, McCaul said, noting that Trump rejected Tillersons first pick for the No. 2 job at State, Elliott Abrams, who had served Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush but had questioned Trumps fitness to be president.

Hutchison, who helped Tillerson prepare for his nomination hearings, will not be the first foreign policy hand to come from outside the Trump camp. She follows former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who supported Sen. Marco Rubio in the GOP presidential primaries. Haley is now the U.S. ambassador to the U.N.

Like Haley, Hutchison will be expected to translate the presidents more unguarded pronouncements into the language of diplomacy, which may mean delivering messages with more persuasion than bluster.

She will have to be the diplomatic enforcer of his policy, McCaul said. But I cant think of a better person to do that.  Her style is very different, obviously, from the president. He is very outspoken, says whats on his mind. Kay will be more the diplomat.
A trial beginning today in San Antonio to determine the constitutionality of Texas 2013 redistricting maps is expected to set the stage for changes to state and congressional districts ahead of the 2018 election.

Judges Orlando Garcia and Xavier Rodriguez of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and Judge Jerry Smith of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will not hear opening arguments but will go straight into hearing evidence from a number of plaintiffs, according to court records. Evidence about the state House maps is expected first, followed by evidence about the congressional maps, records show.

The trial comes as part of a lawsuit filed in 2011 by civil rights groups and voters who accuse the state of suppression of the minority vote. In a pair of rulings earlier this year, the same panel found that the Legislatures 2011 maps violated federal law.

The state has been operating under temporary court-ordered maps drawn in 2013. With the trial at hand, elections administrators around the state hope to avoid the confusion of 2012, when Texas was forced to delay primary races in the wake of the legal challenge by civil rights groups and minority advocates to the congressional and the Texas House districts drawn in 2011.

In a 2-1 ruling March 10 in which Smith dissented, the judicial panel ruled that the GOP-controlled Legislature knowingly discriminated in 2011 when it drew three of the states 36 congressional districts: District 23, represented by Will Hurd, R-San Antonio; District 27, held by Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi; and District 35, represented by Lloyd Doggett, D-San Antonio.

In April, in another 2-1 ruling, the same judges found that lawmakers in 2011 redrew state House districts to intentionally dilute the clout of minority voters, both statewide and in districts that included Bexar, El Paso, Nueces, Harris, Dallas and Bell counties. Smith was the lone dissenter again.

The office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, citing Smiths dissent in the rulings, has argued that questions about 2011 are moot because the 2011 maps are no longer in effect.

Lawyers from his office have argued in court and in court filings that the 2013 maps already pass constitutional muster because they were ordered by the panel.

The plaintiffs, which include civil rights groups, along with Latino and African-American legislators and congressional members, argue that the discrimination in the 2011 maps carried over to the 2013 maps currently in use, with boundaries identical for two of the congressional districts, the 27th and 35th.

Voters should not be required to vote in unconstitutional and illegal plans for a third election cycle, said Jose Garza, a San Antonio lawyer representing the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.

In analyzing Texas redistricting woes, Michael Li with the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law wrote in a recent blog post on the centers website that the latest redistricting battle comes in the wake of an unprecedented decade of growth for the states nonwhite communities.

Of the record 4.3 million people Texas gained between 2000 and 2010, nearly 66 percent were Latino and 22 percent were African-American, wrote Li, director of the Brennan Centers Democracy Program. This growth was responsible for Texas gaining four additional congressional seats in the reapportionment after the 2010 census  in fact, Texas white population growth was too slow by itself to have netted Texas even a single new seat.

Despite this growth, minority advocates say Texas not only failed to create enough new electoral opportunities for Latinos and African-Americans in its legislative and congressional plans, it also intentionally packed minority voters into districts or alternatively divided minority communities between districts to dilute their power in favor of the states Anglo population, according to Lis analysis.

The claims before the three-judge panel contend that both the 2013 maps were intentionally discriminatory and that they violate the Voting Rights Act by failing to create a sufficient number of minority opportunity state House and congressional districts, according to filings by some of the plaintiffs. The panel is to take up claims of gerrymandering based on ethnicity. However, it will not take up claims of partisan gerrymandering because it denied those earlier this year.

Once the court rules on the 2013 plans, the stage will be set for a redrawing of Texas state House and congressional maps for the 2018 elections because the full extent of problems with the maps will have been determined, Li wrote in his analysis. A ruling will set the stage for the court to consider bail in of Texas back into preclearance coverage under Section 3 of the Voting Rights Act  something a federal court can do if it finds that a state intentionally discriminated, according to Li.

The trial will center on a number of claims specific to the 2013 maps.

Among the most significant is a claim that the state intentionally discriminated when it enacted the 2013 maps.

Texas maintains that there was no discriminatory intent in adoption of the 2013 plans because it was merely making the court-drawn interim plans permanent (with a handful of tweaks to the state House map).

The plaintiffs allege, however, that the rushed and secretive process used to adopt the plans  as well as that the state ignored both statements from the court that the interim plans might not resolve all problems in the 2011 maps and subsequent rulings by the court finding substantial evidence of discriminatory intent  show that the states intent in 2013 was to lock in as much discrimination as possible. Additionally, the plaintiffs claim that discriminatory intent from the 2011 plans carries forward to the 2013 plans.

The court will need to decide whether the changes it made in its interim plan to Hurds district were sufficient to remedy what the court found was intentional dilution of the Latino vote in the 2011 configuration of the district, according to Li.

To remedy vote dilution, Li wrote, various plaintiffs contend that an additional minority opportunity district needs to be created in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to complement Congressional District 33, a coalition district added by the court in the interim plan that became the states 2013 map. This would give the Dallas-Fort Worth area three minority districts in total. Some of the plaintiffs argue for creation of new Latino or coalition congressional districts in Harris and Fort Bend counties.

Latino plaintiffs are also challenging the redrawing of state House District 90 in the 2013 map, contending that it diluted Latino voting strength, Li wrote. The plaintiffs also argue that additional Latino districts could be created in Dallas, Harris, Tarrant, Nueces, Fort Bend and Bell counties.

In a trial brief filed recently, lawyers for the state said no credible evidence supports a claim that the Legislature intentionally discriminated on the basis of race by enacting the 2013 congressional or state House maps.

The state also said the plaintiffs gerrymandering claims fail because they cannot meet their burden to prove that ethnicity was the predominant factor in the 2013 Legislatures decision to enact the 2013 maps.

Lawyers for the state also argue that the plaintiffs cannot meet their burden to prove vote dilution in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
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BOERNE  Motorists entering Teal Trading and Developments gated property off Turkey Knob Road in eastern Kerr County cant get very far before an invisible barrier blocks their progress toward Texas 27.

The impediment is a non-access easement recorded in 1998 that surrounds 9,246 acres along the border of Kerr and Kendall counties, including much of the Champee Springs Ranches subdivision, and 660 acres there belonging to Teal.

The one-foot wide easement, which critics call a spite strip, has survived repeated legal challenges since 2006, most recently last week.

The 4th Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld a 2015 trial court ruling in a suit Champee Springs residents filed against Teal, finding that the easement is valid, legally enforceable and binding on Teal.

Were very pleased with the decision, said Jason Khattar, president of the property owners association in Champee Springs, a large-lot subdivision of about 70 homes off Ranger Creek Road. Were hopeful that after approximately 11 years, that the end of litigation is within sight.

No decision on whether to fight on has been made by Teal, which wanted the easement terminated so it can unify its land within the easement  called Privilege Creek Ranches  with about 1,200 acres of adjoining property it owns outside the easement.

The ruling is under review, said Richard Mosty, attorney for Teal, which acquired the land through foreclosure in 2009 from BTEX Ranch LP., which had proposed a subdivision there called Boerne Falls Ranch.

The 4th Courts ruling was also welcomed by Kendall County officials, who sued BTEX in 2006 to block the firm from crossing the easement with a road linking Lane Valley Road to Turkey Knob, creating a shortcut from the Center Point area to Interstate 10 north of Boerne.

The non-access easement is intended to protect (Champee Springs) property rights  in particular to prevent the roads that they use to get to and from their property from becoming burdened with traffic from residents of other subdivisions, Don Allee, attorney for Kendall County commissioners, said by email Wednesday.

Under a settlement struck between BTEX and Kendall County, the firm agreed to install a gate at the entrance to its development planned off Turkey Knob and to have an average lot size there of at least nine acres.

Champee Springs also sued BTEX, and Teal intervened in that dispute, which was severed from the BTEX-Kendall County litigation prior to the county settling.

A visiting judge granted Champee Springs a summary judgment against Teal in 2012, but the 4th Court of Appeals reversed that ruling and remanded the case back to Kendall County.

BTEX failed to appear at the two-day bench trial in 2015 before state District Judge Keith Williams, prompting a default judgment against it.

Among Teals trial witnesses was Kerr County Judge Tom Pollard, who asserted the easement violated county subdivisions rules, despite past approvals by county commissioners for Privilege Creek Ranches plats that were all certified as meeting county rules.

The 4th Court noted, The evidence shows Kerr County had been on notice of Champee Springss intent to enforce the Non-Access Easement since 2006, but never intervened in an attempt to enforce the regulations and policy Judge Pollard claimed it violated.

Williams ruled the easement was legal, valid and enforceable, rejecting Teals arguments that the easement violated public policy, was disclaimed by signees of a 1999 replat and/or was void as an unreasonable restraint on property use.

He also found BTEX liable for $44,313 in plaintiffs attorney fees, and ordered Teal to pay $255,935 in plaintiffs attorney fees.

Randy Richards, the attorney for Champee Springs, praised the thoroughness of the 4th Courts 53-page decision that affirmed Williams ruling.

I think it would be very difficult for them to get anything changed or overturned with this opinion, he said.

Richards noted his clients have never objected to residents of Privilege Creek, the Teal subdivision planned inside the easement, from using their subdivision roads. Although some lots there have been sold, few if any houses have been built, officials say.

The fight has been over Teal trying to have access to and from Turkey Knob Road for the rest of the property it owns in Kerr County, which would involve crossing and violating the 1-foot, non-access easement, he said.
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El Paso is caught in an immigration conundrum.

The summer heat has reduced the river separating El Paso from Juarez, Mexico, to a dry, brown plain, allowing hundreds of people to run across the riverbed recently to embrace their relatives and take pictures. The four-minute visits were approved by border authorities on both sides, as part of an event called Hugs Not Walls.

Meanwhile, each night El Pasos jail  under contract with the federal government  takes in hundreds of immigrants awaiting deportation.

It sends mixed messages, said El Paso County Commissioner Vincent Perez, who wants to end the countys detention contract with the U.S. Marshals Service. Our local jails can be used to enforce federal immigration law if theyre brought in by Border Patrol and ICE, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Trump administrations immigration crackdown and a new Texas effort to aid federal agents have forced El Paso to grapple with whether its county jail is being used to facilitate policies its residents vigorously oppose. Most El Paso residents trace their heritage to Mexico, and many U.S. citizens born and raised in Texas largest border city have family on the other side of the Rio Grande. El Pasos leaders say they have great sympathy for immigrants living in the U.S., legally or not, and yet the city plays an important role in the enforcement of immigration laws.

The U.S. Marshals typically use El Pasos jail space to hold inmates awaiting federal court hearings in El Paso, most of them from the surrounding region, as part of a longstanding agreement with the county. Top local officials and some advocates say detaining immigrants in El Paso is more humane than pulling out of the contract. They argue those who are held locally have better access to lawyers and their families instead of pushing them to distant county jails or private detention facilities. Two facilities that might take inmates in El Pasos place are more than 80 miles away, making them nearly inaccessible to families without a car or a driver with a license.

We are fighting for ending immigrant detention, but this proposal doesnt accomplish that, said Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights, the El Paso-based nonprofit group that organized the Hugs Not Walls event.

If they cancel the contract, what is going to happen with those immigrants in El Paso County? Garcia said. Theyre going to take them somewhere else.

El Paso is also among the cities and civil rights groups that are suing the state over its new law targeting so-called sanctuary cities. The law requires police officers to ask about a persons immigration status during routine stops. Police chiefs and sheriffs who dont cooperate with federal requests to hold criminal suspects without legal status for possible deportation could be charged with a crime.

Federal judges in San Antonio and Austin heard arguments in the case in June. Those suing the state are seeking to stop the law before it would go into effect in September. The state is backed by the Trump administration, which sent a lawyer to argue in support of the law at one hearing.

The law was especially unpopular in El Paso, nearly 600 miles west of the state Capitol. El Pasos population is more than 80 percent Latino. But of the cities and counties suing Texas, El Paso takes by far the most federal inmates on contract in its county jail  typically around 700 people on a given day.

That fills one-third of El Paso Countys available jail space and supports hundreds of jobs at the sheriffs office. According to figures provided by Perez, the contract brought in $21 million in revenue during the last fiscal year. Its next up for renewal for an additional three years in 2018.

Based on his study of the inmates cases, Perez estimates that about 90 percent were arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol and ICE. Around 70 percent are charged with crimes related to re-entering the U.S. illegally after a previous deportation or similar immigration-related offenses, he said, as distinguished from someone facing a deportation order.

But so far, Perez is alone on the county commission. His motion at a June 12 meeting of the commissioners court to end the contract did not get a second commissioners support and failed without a vote.

Wiles, one of the officials named in the lawsuit against the state, said that in addition to keeping the inmates near advocates and their families, the contract also supports jobs in the sheriffs office that would otherwise go to private companies where profit is the bottom line.

Were facilitating the criminal justice process in the best possible way, under the circumstances that we have, Wiles said.

He argued the contract with the marshals is a separate issue from the Texas anti-sanctuary law, which he said places an unfair burden on his office and gives sheriffs deputies authority that should belong to federal immigration agents.

Even though Im not going to stand in the way of federal agents doing their job, I dont want to do their job, Wiles said.

El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar, the countys top administrative official, attended a previous Hugs Not Walls event and continues to study the jail contract. Escobar is an outspoken critic of state and federal immigration priorities, and called current system immigration laws terrible.

But Escobar said El Paso still needs to work with other law enforcement agencies when appropriate.

This is a very different question about a population that will be housed somewhere, she said. Until we change the laws and get to the root cause, this is a reality. We can either make it worse, or not.
I grew up in beautiful Northumberland. For those whove never beenwhy not?! Its a land of castles, coastlines and sweeping landscapes that have inspired everyone from Tolkien to George R. R. Martin. You can also get some of the finest fish n chips anywhere in the land!

Louise Ross

I used to be a barrister. Before I realised life was too short to spend most of it wearing a suit, I was a regulatory lawyer in London. I drafted long, boring pieces of advice and never dreamed that one day Id be writing murder mystery novels instead.

I love to dance and Ill listen to any kind of music (almost). When Im writing, I like to play motivational music in the background and my current favourite is the Rocky IV soundtrack  its a classic!

I enjoy observational humour. When I lived in London, going along to the Comedy Club was one of my favourite things and, nowadays, I try to inject some humour into the characters in my stories to provide light relief from some of the grittier elements.

I was offered a traditional publishing deal, but turned it down to self-publish through Amazon KDP instead. It allows me to maintain creative and economic control of my business and Ive been very fortunate that it has worked out for me.

Im mother to a three-year-old bundle of fun called Ethan. I wrote my first book Holy Island while I was expecting him and after he was born. When the book went on to become a UK #1 bestseller, I was sure it was thanks to him and the ray of sunshine he brought to my life.

My husband is the J in LJ Ross. No success is ever achieved without a little help from friends or loved ones, and Im no different! I chose to write under the pen name L J as a gesture of permanent thanks to James, who encouraged and supported me in pursuing my dream to write and continues to put up with all my creative moods and gives me honest feedback, which is invaluable!

Im a big fan of vintage crime fiction. As you might expect from a writer of mystery novels, I was first inspired by Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler and Jim Thompson. I try to weave locked room or closed community mysteries in my DCI Ryan novels because I enjoy the cosy claustrophobia that allows a reader to feel like they are another character in the story.

I hardly ever make detailed notes. The approach writers take to their work can be vastly dissimilar, ranging from detailed planning or the use of specialist software, to a good old-fashioned notebook. In my case, I prefer to write a short synopsis of the story arc I intend to write. If Im unable to summarise the plot in a few paragraphs, I know it is unlikely to be a good storyline as I havent managed to sell it to myself, let alone a reader.

When Im not reading or writing, my other favourite pastimes are painting and watching old, black-and-white movies like Hitchcocks classic adaptation of the Daphne du Maurier novel Rebecca. I would love to have a small studio space one day with plenty of light, where I dont have to worry about damaging the carpet with oil paint!
ELKO  More than 240 personnel are fighting a fire north of Interstate 80 between Elko and Wells, in an effort to keep it from spreading to structures.

The Tabor Flats Fire quickly expanded after it was started Saturday by an unknown cause. It was listed at 150 acres on Saturday night but exploded to 7,000 acres by Sunday night and 25,000 acres by Monday afternoon.

Firefighters are continuing construction of control lines, stopping the spread of the fire to the east and minimizing threats to structures through line construction and mop up, stated the Bureau of Land Management. Multiple residences are threatened if fire spreads.

The Tabor Flats blaze was among eight fires that had crews scrambling over the weekend, including one north of Battle Mountain that also could threaten structures.

A fire in the Roosters Comb range near Izzenhood Ranch has burned 25,000 acres after being started Sunday by lightning. Sixteen smokejumpers and four federal engines responded to the blaze.

The fire was listed at 15 percent contained Monday.

The fire has been burning very quickly through grass and sagebrush. Strong winds have been pushing the fire east and threatening ranches, mining and power station infrastructure and sage grouse habitat, stated the BLM.

On Monday night, crews were trying to keep the fire west of Boulder Valley Road and south of the 2016 Hot Pot fire scar.

At 10 p.m. the fire was spotted in Boulder Valley, reported the BLM. Ccrews are working to safely engage the fire and put in containment lines. Over 200 firefighting personnel are actively fighting the fire. 

The largest blaze in the district  the Dry Gulch Fire in northeastern Elko County  was held to an estimated 64,000 acres after burning for an entire week. The cause of that fire is under investigation.
Ive worked at the House of Commons for sixteen years. I took the job because the long recesses that we used to get (but, sadly, dont any more) allowed me time to write. However, it took me seven years to realise that my workplace would be a brilliant setting for a novel. I started writing The Threat Level Remains Severe in 2008. It took five years to write and five years to get published.

Rowena Macdonald by Nick Kaplony

Ive never read Harry Potter  My creative writing students are always amazed by this. No disrespect to JK Rowling, but I feel I need to read War and Peace first, as well as all the other classics I havent yet got round to.

I feared publishing this novel might get me sacked  but, so far, Im still in my job and, as far as I can tell, my colleagues dont hate me and those that have read my novel all say they liked it.

Working at the House of Commons has taught me that you get pleasant and unpleasant people across the whole political spectrum. I have to be politically neutral in my job. The ability to see other viewpoints and understand people I dont agree with politically has also been useful in my writing career, in terms of creating characters.

I originally trained as a journalist and worked on the Sussex Express, a local paper based in Lewes  but gave up journalism to become a writer, as journalism took up too much of the same energy. I knew I couldnt do both.

I decided I wanted to be a writer after winning a short story competition just after leaving university. My story was entitled One Bottle of Stolichnaya and was inspired by my summer job working as a delivery driver for Oddbins in Brighton. A single bottle of Stolichnaya vodka was the weekly order of an old lady who lived near the seafront. Being an Oddbins driver was one of the best jobs Ive ever had. I loved driving around the Sussex countryside and I got to see inside a lot of posh houses, which, being incorrigibly nosy, I really enjoyed.

I worry about what my family will think about my work. Especially my mum and aunt. Publishing a novel is unnervingly exposing. Especially the sex scenes. Not that Ive ever had sex in a stationery cupboard.

After giving up journalism,I lived in Montreal for a year  and worked cash-in-hand as a waitress, bar-tender and life model. This experience fed into Smoked Meat (Flambard Press), an interlinked collection of short stories all set in Montreal, published in 2011, which was shortlisted for the Edge Hill Prize.

Im currently in treatment for bowel cancer  I was diagnosed in February this year. It was a horrible shock and incredibly bad timing as Threat Level was about to come out and Ive got a two-year-old daughter, but Ive been receiving fantastic treatment at Barts Hospital and Ive been told Ill be cured, so I feel relatively lucky, all things considering. Im hoping to be done with treatment by January next year.

So far, having cancer is not the worst thing thats ever happened to me  its not as bad as some relationship break-ups Ive been through and its certainly not as bad as depression, which Ive also suffered from. However, if you ask me in six months time, after Ive been through the rest of my treatment, I may have changed my mind about this.

The Threat Level Remains Severe by Rowena Macdonald is published on 10th July by Aardvark Bureau (8.99 paperback)
Joe Sutherlands debut stand up show Model/Actress will be at the Pleasance Courtyard  for the month of August so we caught up with him to find out a bit more about the man behind the microphone.

Joe Sutherland

Please tell us about your brand of comedy.

Chic, silly, dirty, smart and stupid all at once.

What can audiences expect from your new show?

Stand-up, sketches, videos, costume changes and tantrums. It's a show about self-confidence, the Spice Girls and homophobia.

Which comedians have been your biggest influence since you decided this was your path?

Lily Savage, Sarah Silverman, Katherine Ryan, Tim Key.

What random things make you laugh in everyday life?

Anything my brothers do. Theyre all much funnier than me, but not as pretty.

Please tell us about your best and worst moment on stage so far.

Best - performing this show! Ive been doing work-in-progress versions of it for about six months and Ive been blessed with absolutely delicious audiences who have enjoyed my Geri Halliwell material as much as I do!

Worst - Performing to the staff of a really hipster magazine. They came along to a really small gig to see their colleague try stand-up for the first time (hack, Stewart Lee wannabe) and they just relentlessly heckled the other 3 acts. They were all really posh trust fund kids pretending to be working class and I dont think Ive ever hated so many people at once.

Do you still get nervous when you do a gig?

Only if the crowd is all one type of person and I feel outnumbered. Like if its all soldiers on an army base, or a corporate gig for construction managers, or a gay bar full of only men. The best gigs have at least two of every kind of person, like Noahs Ark.

Why is Edinburgh Fringe Festival such a great platform for comedians?

Because you get to meet and perform to SO many people who give you their time. How wonderful is that? If I sell ALL my tickets (and thats a big IF) then that means 1,320 people will have taken a punt on me and given an hour of their lives to hear my little show. So long as theyre not pricks, I will add each and every one of them on Facebook.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at the Fringe?

Sara Pascoe, Reg D Hunter, Nina Conti, Ellie Taylor, and I love finding people from other countries that Ive never heard of. If it werent for the Fringe I would never have found out that Australia produces the best comedians in probably the whole world and puts the UK to shame.

What is your advice to aspiring comedians?

Dont listen to any advice.

What is the oddest heckle you've ever received?

Dont get me started on Beyonce

What is next for you?

Taking over the world. Obvs.

Joe Sutherlands debut stand up show Model/Actress will be at the Pleasance Courtyard  That for the month of August for tickets go to www.edfringe.com
Skepta has been in the studio with Sir Mick Jagger.

Skepta

The Grime superstar shared a professional photograph of the pair taking a break from working, with the 'Shutdown' hitmaker leaning on a wooden wall with a cigarette in hand.

The Rolling Stones rocker can be seen sporting a funky blue shirt pointing at something across the room.

The picture is simply captioned: "@skeptagram and @mickjagger in the studio. Photo by @shaneaveli (sic)"

It's not yet known whether what they are working on is for a Rolling Stones album or Skepta's next offering, which might not be for some time.

The 34-year-old rapper - whose real name is Joseph Junior Adenuga - says he is more focused on protecting the planet than preparing material for the follow-up to 2016's critically-acclaimed 'Konnichiwa'.

He previously said: "I haven't been working on my next album at the moment, but what I have been doing is working on how I'm gonna do good for what's happening on Earth at the moment. At every stage of my life, I've always wanted to do good for Earth. When I was a kid I used to stop bullies. I'd get so angry when I saw people being bullied I'd be like 'stop doing that to him!'"

Meanwhile, the Rolling Stones will reportedly earn 2 million from a new record.

The veteran rockers reportedly had their contract renewed by their label Universal, and frontman Sir Mick and guitarist Keith Richards, both 73, have recently been in recording studios in London and New York working on new material.

The group - which also includes Charlie Watts, 76, and 70-year-old Ronnie Wood - are reportedly planning to release a live compilation album in time for this Christmas, and then a new studio LP will follow to coincide with the end of their upcoming European tour.

A source said: "Both Mick and Keith would rather be carried off stage in a coffin than give up their great love - writing and making music.

"They were experimenting in the studio earlier this year, and everything just gelled. They ended up with around 15 tracks which they have cut down to album-length, and when the label execs heard it they were thrilled.

"Age is no barrier to brilliant music, and there is no doubt the new stuff will sell."
'Peaky Blinders' series four has finished filming in Liverpool.

Peaky Blinder's series four wraps (c) Twitter

The official Twitter account for the hit BBC Two crime drama shared a picture of a clapperboard with "that's a wrap" written across it on Monday afternoon (10.07.17).

The caption reads: "That's a wrap! #Peaky Blinders 4 (sic)"

The board also had a touching tribute to late crew member Graeme Livingstone, who tragically passed away in a motorcycle crash in Northern Ireland in June.

Further down the board, it simply reads: "RIP Graeme" with a red heart before it.

One character not returning for round four is Finn Shelby [Harry Kirton] as he recently took to Twitter to announce he was bowing out.

He wrote on the micro-blogging site: "I got the golden Rap on Peaky yesterday. It went so quickly. As always, such an educational and joyful experience. You are going to love it. (sic)"

Meanwhile, 'Game of Thrones' star Aidan Gillen is set to star in the show, but details of the 49-year-old actor's character are yet to be unveiled.

Charlotte Riley, who appeared as Cillian Murphy's on-screen former lover May Carleton in the production, is set to return for the forthcoming follow-up after she left the show in the second season, although it is unknown how she will react to the news Cillian - who plays Tommy Shelby - has married Grace Burgess [Annabelle Wallis].

The series has been helmed by director David Caffrey and showrunner Steven Knight.

The fourth instalment is expected to hit screens later this year.
Bobst, a leading supplier of equipment and services to packaging and label manufacturers, and Radex, a start-up company owned by multiple stakeholders with a long track record in the field of DOD inkjet digital printing, have opened a joint venture, Mouvent, a new company in Switzerland, focussed on digital print using pioneering digital technology.Mouvent will become the digital printing competence centre and solutions provider of Bobst. The company, which is comprised of 80 employees, will focus on inventing and delivering the future of digital printing. Central to the digital innovation at Mouvent is an ingenious digital printing technology developed by Radex, which is based on a highly integrated cluster and represents a quantum leap for the industry. Thanks to its intelligent and compact design, it will be the centrepiece of revolutionary new machines developed by Mouvent for a wide variety of markets such as textile, labels, corrugated board, flexible packaging, folding carton and more.

Bobst, a leading supplier of equipment and services to packaging and label manufacturers, and Radex, a start-up company owned by multiple stakeholders with a long track record in the field of DOD inkjet digital printing, have opened a joint venture, Mouvent, a new company in Switzerland, focussed on digital print using pioneering digital technology.#

Along with digital printing presses, Mouvent offers a fully integrated, complete solution; it develops, engineers, tests, and industrialises digital printers based on the Mouvent Cluster, it writes the software around the printers, develops inks and coatings for various substrates, as well as providing a full servicing offering.The company is promising a new standard in inkjet label production cost and quality, in ink pricing, head durability, quality, and machine performance. Its first machine that has been launched is an innovative, highly productive digital printer for textiles, which prints with up to eight colours, and there is a full product pipeline to follow. The innovative cluster design is the base building block for all systems, current and in development.Mouvent printers are the smallest digital printers, closer to desktop printing than to traditional analogic printers like flexo, making them very compact, light-weighted, and easily accessible. The modular, compact system allows easier settings and start-up with less fine adjustments required resulting in a productivity boost. The compact design has many other benefits, including smaller footprint, faster change-over, simple implementation and low cost.Simon Rothen, CEO of Mouvent said, We are very excited to start rolling out the pipeline in the months ahead. Today is the announcement of an exciting journey of bringing large-scale digital printing to various industries. The digital printing solutions offered by Mouvent will present new opportunities for all sorts of companies, bringing more flexibility, unmatched productivity, shorter time to market and infinite variation, all with a very compact and energy efficient design. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Wholesale textile shop owners in Erode have joined agitating retailers in their protest against the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The wholesalers are observing the third day of their three-day strike beginning July 8. Retailers have pulled their shutter down since July 7 opposing GST on the industry at various stages of production.

According to the striking traders, the GST is levied in the range of 5 per cent to 18 per cent at all stages of textile production which considers dyeing, bleaching, colouring and stitching involved in turning a yarn into a fabric as separate segments. As a result, the total of all taxes would work out to over 23 per cent on an average. This would result in sharp increase in both the material and the production cost, and would adversely affect all the small and medium players in the textile industry.

Erode city has more than 10,000 retail shops and over 300 wholesale textile shops. Each day of strike would entail a loss of Rs 30 crore for these traders.

Wholesale textile shop owners in Erode have joined agitating retailers in their protest against the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The wholesalers are observing the third day of their three-day strike beginning July 8. Retailers have pulled their shutter down since July 7 opposing GST on the industry at various stages of production.#

Weavers across Erode are already on strike for over a week. The GST will add not less than 25 per cent taxes on our produce against the existing zero percentage, they said.

Erode produces handloom and powerloom products costing more than Rs 900 crore every month. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
SPGPrints, a leader in digital textile printing systems, is doubling the size of its digital ink production facility at its Boxmeer, Netherlands, headquarters for the second time in two years. Scheduled to open in the final quarter of 2017, the expanded1000 square metres production facility is part of an 8 million capital investment programme.This will also include the building of the new experience centre, dedicated to driving innovation in digital textile printing.The expanded facility is in close proximity to both SPGPrints research and development laboratories, and the corporate headquarters so that communication chains are short and decisions can be made quickly. When the facility is completed, at least ten new positions per shift will be created, providing an employment boost for the local economy.

The investment in the ink plant expansion is another step towards SPGPrints goal of making digital the mainstream printing technology for textile applications. For more than 30 years, the company has, through its innovation, led the textile industry in digital technologies, and is poised to continue that commitment.

SPGPrints subsidiary company, Veco B.V., of Eerbeek, Netherlands, develops precision metal parts for a wide range of markets, including the design and production of nozzle plates for inkjet print heads. The synergy enabled by the relationships with the major suppliers for print heads in the textile market means that inks and print heads can be designed to work optimally, and deliver the best technologies to the customer.



Jos Notermans, commercial manager digital textiles at SPGPrints said, The combination of research and development, print head expertise, close relations with print head suppliers, and our ink manufacturing capability gives SPGPrints a unique position in the textile market. The increase in the volume of our ink production means that we will continue to be able to serve the expanding digital textile printing market that we have helped to build over the last three decades. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Fans of both Dr. Shivarajkumar and Sudeep were very eager to know when the two stalwarts would face each other on screen in the movie, The Villain. The answer seems to have been given by the director of the movie, Prem.

Presently, the film team of The Villain is in London. Sharing a picture from London, Prem has posted that the team is now in London to shoot for the remaining sequences in the movie. He has said, "The two Legends are getting together in London."

All this while, the film team of The Villain was busy shooting for Kichcha Sudeep's part in the movie. Since Dr. Shivarajkumar was a part of the shoot for movie Mass Leader, he was unable to join the team in London. Hence, the team completed their Bangkok schedule of shoot.

Now that Shivanna has finished off all his commitments and that he is free, the team has flown to London to shoot for their schedule there. Apparently, both Kichcha Sudeep and Dr. Shivarajkumar are in London too, along with the team.

Interestingly, this is the first time Kichcha Sudeep and Dr. Shivarajkumar will be seen sharing screen space together for a movie. Having completed the Bangkok schedule, the film team had taken a break until Shivanna was free. Now that he has joined the team for the first time, the shoot is all set to commence.
Beyhadh Goes Gone Girl Way

In Gone Girl too, Amy fakes her death. She makes the police believe that she was murdered and Nick, her husband was responsible. Amy does this, to take revenge on Nick as he would be cheating on Amy!

Similarity Between Gone Girl & Beyhadh

In the movie too, Amy would have written a diary, in which she mentions Nick might kill her! In the show too, Maya would have written a diary, but Saanjh would find it.

Police Gets The Diary

In the dairy, Maya would have said that she would kill anyone who would come in between her and Arjun. Saanjh burns the diary, while the police comes on time and reads it!

How Maya Writes The Diary To Trap Arjun

A flashback is shown, where Maya is seen writing the diary against Arjun saying he doesn't give food. She would also have asked the watchman for the food. The watchman gives statement against Arjun

Maya Traps Arjun

All the evidences are against Arjun. Apparently, this will be master plan of Maya to trap Saanjh and Arjun! The same way Amy planned to trap her husband Nick!

Vaishnavi Dhanraj To Enter The Show

Vaishnavi Dhanraj will be entering the show as prosecutor-lawyer. According to the latest spoiler, prosecution makes cheap allegations about Arjun and Saanjh having an affair.

Arjuns Case Weakens

Arjun loses his cool and raises his hand to slap the lawyer! This will weaken Arjun's case and the prosecutor will use this as a tool to prove Arjun guilty.
Alka Kaushal, who was seen on popular shows Swaragini and Qubool Hai, has apparently been sentenced to two years in jail by the Malerkotla District Court. The actress has been sent to jail in a cheque bounce case.

According to reports in Amar Ujala, Alka and her mother had borrowed Rs 50 Lakhs from an acquaintance. The money was borrowed with the promise of teleserial-making. When asked about the money, Alka gave 2 cheques of 25 Lakhs each, which bounced.



There were even reports that Alka has been hospitalised as she is a blood pressure patient. But Alka's brother Varun Badola was quoted by Bollywood Life as saying, "No, I am not aware of her being in hospital. It can be that she is feeling little unwell. She is presently in Delhi."

Varun also informed that they are challenging the order in a higher court. He said, "Our legal team is working on the matter. It takes a couple of days for petition to reach High Court and we should get a clearer picture by the evening."

According to reports, previously too, Alka was sentenced to jail for two years in 2015, but the actress had filed a petition against it in Sangrur Court. Now, Sangrur's district court has upheld the order of Malerkortla court!
-- Smart tourism platform connects merchants and partners from across the world with Alipay users -- Alipay-based marketing services allow merchants to reach potential clients at lower cost with higher conversion rate -- Agreements with official authorities in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Singapore bring smart tourism solutions to local merchants



HANGZHOU, China, Sept. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alipay, the world's largest online and mobile payment platform, operated by Ant Financial Services Group ("Ant Financial", "Ant"), recently announced an upgraded smart outbound tourist service platform at a meeting of ecosystem partners from over 20 countries and territories in Beijing.



The platform connects Chinese tourists with merchants, airports, travel agencies and other Alipay partners, giving users access to intuitive local offers and services, and merchants the ability to target potential clients.



"With 98% of outbound Chinese tourists owning a smartphone, there is a clear opportunity for a mobile-based ecosystem to deliver a truly 21st Century travel experience," said Carl Su, Vice President of Ant Financial, at the 2017 Global Smart Tourism Ecosystem Summit in Beijing earlier this week. "Alipay's smart tourist service platform connects all kinds of overseas merchants with the right Chinese tourists, even before they depart. Merchants find that our digital platform lowers marketing cost and improves conversion rate, while tourists find that access to local services and products is easier than ever before."



Alipay's outbound service platform allows users to download merchants' coupons before or during their trip. Over 160,000 coupons are downloaded by users every day, among which 60% are redeemed when users pay via Alipay overseas.



Based on analysis of user preferences, Alipay recommends nearby merchants and even tips on itineraries. By paying with Alipay, users gain Alipay membership points that can ultimately gain them access to anything from better exchange rates and discount rates, to VIP lounge access at the airport.



The outbound tourism service platform also allows merchants and travel agencies to keep in touch with their customers online after the trip.



Alipay Expands Merchant Network in Nordic countries and Singapore



Alipay continues to expand its merchant network to provide better services for Chinese tourists wherever they travel. The payment platform is now accepted by more than 10 million merchants across China and by bricks-and-mortar shops in 33 countries and territories.



In September, Alipay signed Memorandums of Understanding with Finpro, Svensk Handel, and Scandinavian Tourist Board to promote Alipay's smart tourism solutions to local merchants across the highly cashless Nordic countries. Alipay and the Singapore Tourism Board have also started to cooperate in the areas of data, marketing, service and products, which will deliver benefits to both Chinese tourists and local merchants in the near future.



In Singapore and Finland, Chinese tourists can now enjoy local experiences by relying only on their smart phones. Over 80% of Singapore's taxis provide Alipay as a payment option. Alipay is also accepted at over 2,000 merchants, including Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Universal Studios Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore Zoo, department stores under Metro and Robinsons, and a series of hawker centers. Instant tax refunds via Alipay will soon also be available at Changi Airport.



In Finland, Chinese tourists can use Alipay to shop in-flight, on cruises, and pay for saunas. The convenient payment experience starts when a Chinese tourist books his or her flight ticket and hotel room online, and continues with shopping on Finnair flights between China and Helsinki. On the ground in Finland, Chinese tourists can access everything from bus trips and sightseeing in Helsinki to shopping, dining, and even meet the Moomin in Naantali or Santa Claus up in Lapland. In-cabin sales on Finnair flights between China and Helsinki have doubled since Alipay's service was launched in January 2017.



About Alipay Operated by Ant Financial Services Group, Alipay is the world's largest mobile and online payment platform. Launched in 2004, Alipay currently has over 520 million active users and over 450 financial institution partners globally. Alipay has evolved from a digital wallet to a lifestyle enabler. Users can hail a taxi, book a hotel, buy movie tickets, pay utility bills, make appointments with doctors, or purchase wealth management products directly from within the app. In addition to online payments, Alipay is expanding to in-store offline payments both inside and outside of China. Over 10 million brick-and-mortar merchants now accept Alipay across China. Alipay's in-store payment service is covering more than 30 countries across the world, and tax reimbursement via Alipay is supported in 24 countries and regions. Alipay works with over 250 overseas financial institutions and payment solution providers to enable cross-border payments for Chinese travelling overseas and overseas customers who purchase products from Chinese e-commerce sites. Alipay currently supports 27 currencies.



About Ant Financial Ant Financial Services Group is focused on serving small and micro enterprises, as well as individuals. With the vision "bring the world equal opportunities," Ant Financial is dedicated to building an open ecosystem of Internet thinking and technologies while working with other financial institutions to support the future financial needs of society. Businesses operated by Ant Financial Services Group include Alipay, Ant Fortune, Zhima Credit and MYbank.



For more information on Ant Financial, please visit our website at www.antgroup.com; or follow us on Twitter @AntFinancial.



Media Enquiries



Ant Financial Xinyun Yang xinyun.yang@antfin.com +86 138 1689 6301

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SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) announced updates to the settlement agreement for a class-action lawsuit concerning improper retail sales practices following a July 8 order from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granting preliminary approval.



With the court's preliminary approval of the settlement agreement, Wells Fargo and the plaintiffs are preparing to issue notices that will provide information about the process for making claims.



'We are pleased that the court found the settlement to be fair, reasonable and adequate. This preliminary approval is a major milestone in our efforts to make things right for our customers,' said Tim Sloan, Wells Fargo's President and Chief Executive Officer.



Wells Fargo expects this settlement to resolve substantially all claims in 10 other pending class actions that allege unauthorized accounts were opened in customers' names or that customers were enrolled in products or services without their consent.



Within the next three months, broad outreach to current and former customers will begin, and notices will be issued to potential class members that will provide information about the process for making claims, and customers who believe they should be included in this settlement will be able to submit claims. The settlement agreement is subject to final court approval, which will be required before payments are made to class members.



The class-action settlement will add another option for customer remediation and contributes to Wells Fargo's ongoing work to make things right for customers who were impacted by improper retail sales practices.



Wells Fargo's customer remediation efforts include: $3.26 million in remediation amounts previously paid under the stipulated judgment with the Los Angeles City Attorney and under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency consent orders, covering the period May 2011 - mid-2015; $1.8 million in additional payments to customers nationwide, from September 8th, 2016 to May 31st, 2017, through Wells Fargo's ongoing complaints process and free mediation services;



A voluntary review of accounts from 2009 - 2010 to determine possibly unauthorized accounts and associated harm, and providing remediation to customers impacted by improper retail sales practices during those two years, as well as from January 2011 to September 2016, as required by the consent orders.



Wells Fargo expects to complete the review process and commence remaining remediation for all these additional periods by the end of the third quarter 2017.



The settlement agreement sets aside funds for a total of $142 million for customer remediation and settlement expenses. It includes a process to compensate customers for increased borrowing costs due to credit-score impact associated with a potentially unauthorized account.



In addition, the amended settlement agreement includes a provision designed to ensure that sufficient funds are available to compensate all claimants. In the unlikely event that the $142 million settlement total is not enough to reimburse customers for unauthorized account fees, compensate customers for harm to their credit, pay attorneys' fees and expenses, and have at least $25 million left over to distribute to all class members, Wells Fargo will contribute additional funds to the settlement.



The settlement class will consist of all persons who claim that Wells Fargo opened, without their consent, a consumer or small business checking or savings account or an unsecured credit card or line of credit or enrolled them, under certain circumstances, in Identity Theft Protection services, in each case between May 1, 2002 and April 20, 2017.



After attorneys' fees and costs of administration, class members will be paid first for out-of-pocket losses, such as fees incurred due to unauthorized account openings. Amounts remaining after out-of-pocket losses will be split among all claimants, based on the number and kinds of unauthorized accounts or services claimed.



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MONTREAL (dpa-AFX) - Members of Unifor Local 1075 in Thunder Bay have ratified a new three-year collective agreement with Bombardier Inc. (BBD_B.TO, BBD_A.TO) that ensures continued smooth production of transit vehicles at the facility. 'Unifor members are proud to build transit vehicles for Toronto and other cities, and this new contract is fair to them while helping ensure that smooth production continues,' Unifor National President Jerry Dias said. The new collective agreement includes a seven-day work week for key work stations at the plant and new classifications for Bombardier Academy Trainers. Unifor Local 1075 President Dominic Pasqualino said such provisions will help with production of vehicles at the plant, including the new streetcars being rolled out by the Toronto Transit Commission. The new collective agreement also includes a general wage increase of 10 cents per hour a year for production workers and 30 cents per hour for skilled trades, as well as pension increases each year and a fold in cost of living allowance. There are also increases to eye glasses and other benefits. 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.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Today's Daily Dose brings you news about Alnylam Pharma's phase III ATLAS program for Fitusiran in patients with hemophilia A and B; Elite's pivotal bioequivalence fed study for reformulated immediate release version of SequestOx; Entellus' acquisition of privately-held Spirox; Inotek's disappointing results from phase II Fixed-dose Combination trial of Trabodenoson for the treatment of glaucoma and Peregrine's 1-for-7 reverse stock split.



Read on...



Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALNY) and Sanofi Genzyme have initiated a phase III clinical program for Fitusiran in patients with hemophilia A and B.



The phase III program, dubbed ATLAS, is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Fitusiran in three separate trials, including patients with hemophilia A and B with or without inhibitors and patients receiving prophylactic therapy.



The ATLAS studies are expected to enroll approximately 250 patients across three separate trials namely, ATLAS-INH, ATLAS-A/B and ATLAS-PPX, conducted at over 100 clinical centers around the world. The top-line data from the ATLAS trials are expected in mid-to-late 2019.



ALNY closed Friday's trading at $84.08, up 1.34%.



Shares of Elite Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ELTP.OB) slid over 42% on Friday, following the Company's decision to pause its pivotal bioequivalence fed study for reformulated immediate release version of SequestOx and seek clarity from the FDA before deciding on the next steps.



SequestOx is Elite's investigational immediate-release oxycodone with sequestered naltrexone abuse-deterrent opioid product for the management of moderate to severe acute pain where the use of an opioid analgesic is appropriate.



The pivotal study evaluated the relative bioavailability and bioequivalence of the modified formulation of SequestOx to the original formulation of SequestOx and to a comparator product under fed conditions. The study also evaluated the Tmax of a reformulated SequestOx compared to the original SequestOx formulation and a comparator product under fed conditions.



A key objective for the study was to determine if the reformulated SequestOx had a similar Tmax to the comparator when taken with a high fat meal.



According to the study results, the mean Tmax of SequestOx was 4.6 hr with a range of 0.5 hr to 12 hr and the mean Tmax of the comparator, Roxicodone, was 3.4 hr with a range of 0.5 hr to 12 hr.



Commenting on the study results, Nasrat Hakim, President and CEO of Elite Pharma said, 'We were hoping for better and more decisive results for the reformulated immediate release version of SequestOx. We remain positive with respect to Elite's abuse-deterrent and generic pipeline. We will see the results of our hard work over the next six to twelve months.'



ELTP.OB closed Friday's trading at $0.11, down 42.44%.



Entellus Medical Inc. (ENTL) is all set to acquire Spirox Inc., a privately-held ENT medical technology company, for $25 million in cash and 3.4 million shares of Entellus common stock, plus additional contingent payments over four years based on revenue growth.



Spirox develops, manufactures and markets LATERA Absorbable Nasal Implant, a minimally invasive option for ENTs and facial plastic surgeons to treat nasal airway obstruction.



Commenting on the acquisition, Robert White, President and Chief Executive Officer of Entellus noted that nasal airway obstruction impacts as many as 20 million people in the US with nearly one million people undergoing some type of surgical procedure each year, and of the surgically treated nasal obstruction patients, over 70% may benefit from lateral wall interventions and can be effectively treated with the LATERA implant.



Entellus also announced preliminary second quarter 2017 revenue results and updated full year 2017 revenue guidance.



For the second quarter of 2017, the Company expects revenue to range between $21.9 million and $22.1 million, reflecting growth of 17% to 18% over the second quarter of 2016.



Looking ahead to full year 2017, Entellus has raised its revenue outlook to $91.5 million to $94.5 million range from its prior expectation of $86.0 million to $89.0 million range. The updated 2017 revenue outlook represents growth of approximately 22% to 26% over 2016 revenue.



ENTL closed Friday's trading at $15.89, down 3.76%.



Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corp. (ITEK) plunged in extended trading on Friday after its phase II Fixed-dose Combination trial of Trabodenoson for the treatment of glaucoma did not produce the desired results.



According to the trial results, the addition of Trabodenoson to Latanoprost offered no clinically meaningful advantage in eye pressure reduction over Latanoprost alone.



The Company also announced that it is exploring strategic alternatives, and has engaged Perella Weinberg Partners as a financial advisor to assist with the strategic review process.



ITEK closed Friday's trading at $1.73, up 1.47%.



Shares of Ocular Therapeutix Inc. (OCUL) were down 25% on Friday, following a report suggesting that the Company's product candidate Dextenza, proposed for treatment of ocular inflammation and pain following cataract surgery, is unlikely to be approved.



The FDA decision is slated for July 19, 2017. The U.S. regulatory agency had refused to approve Dextenza last July, raising concerns pertaining to manufacturing process and controls.



Will the second time be charm for Dextenza?



OCUL closed Friday's trading at $7.12, down 25.05%.



Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s (PPHM) common stock will open for trading on July 10, 2017 on a 1-for-7 reverse split-adjusted basis.



The reverse split will reduce the number of shares of outstanding common stock from approximately 315 million to approximately 45 million, noted the Company.



PPHM closed Friday's trading at $0.60, down 4.27%.



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SHENZHEN, China, 2018-01-08 09:34 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. ("Lexin" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:LX), a leading online consumer finance technology platform for educated young adults in China, today announced that the underwriters of the Company's initial public offering (the "IPO") have exercised their over-allotment option in full to purchase an additional 1,800,000 American depositary shares ("ADSs") from the Company for the IPO price of US$9.00 per ADS, less an underwriting discount and commission of US$0.63 per ADS, or a net price of US$ 8.37 per ADS. Total proceeds to the Company from ADSs sold in the IPO, including the 12,000,000 ADSs sold initially and the 1,800,000 ADSs sold pursuant to the over-allotment option, were approximately US$$115,506,000, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting offering expenses payable by the Company. Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C., BofA Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank Securities and China Renaissance acted as lead bookrunners for the offering and ICBC International acted as co-manager. About LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. ("Lexin" or the "Company") is a leading online consumer finance platform for educated young adults in China. As one of China's leading financial technology companies, Lexin integrates its e-commerce-driven online consumer finance platform, Fenqile, with advanced risk management technologies, the Company's Dingsheng asset distribution and fund matching technology platform, and the Company's Juzi Licai online investment platform for individual investors, to create a comprehensive consumer finance ecosystem. The Company utilizes technologies including big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence to enable the near-instantaneous matching of user funding requests with offers from the Company's more than 30 funding partners, which include commercial banks, consumer finance companies, and other licensed financial institutions. By serving the credit needs of China's educated young adults, Lexin helps its more than 20 million registered users to enjoy a better quality of life through the use of better credit. For more information, please visit http://ir.lexinfintech.com For investor and media inquiries, please contact: LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. IR inquiries: Tony Hung Tel: +86 (755) 3637-8888 ext. 6258 E-mail: IR@lexinfintech.com Media inquiries: Limin Chen Tel: +86 (755) 3368-8788 ext. 6993 E-mail: liminchen@lexinfintech.com ICR Inc. Media inquiries: Edmond Lococo Tel: +86 (10) 6583-7510 E-mail: Edmond.lococo@icrinc.com
At the International Publishing Forum held on 19 July 2017 at the HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair, Dr Elvin Lee, Chairman of Hong Kong Publishing Federation, underlines the historic challenge facing book publishers posed by the Internet.



HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Billy Ng Tel: +852 2584 4393 Email: billy.km.ng@hktdc.org

HONG KONG, July 20, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Book publishing is facing increasing challenges posed by the Internet, which has become the font of most reading and knowledge in the digital era. The trend and possible solutions were discussed at a 19 July seminar held during the 28th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair.Entitled "Crisis or Opportunities - Latest Global Trends of Publishing," the International Publishing Forum was jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Hong Kong Publishing Federation.Sharing valuable insights into the latest trends and the future of the publishing industry were three East-meets-West industry insiders: Victor Wang, co-founder of Beijing-based seed fund ZhenFund and leading Chinese mainland private education provider New Oriental Education & Technology Group; Florian Poppe, former Production Director of Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd; and Zhao Zheng-min, Chairman and General Manager of the China Times Publishing Company in Taiwan and Chairman of the Taipei Book Fair Foundation.Opening the forum, Dr Elvin Lee, Chairman of the Hong Kong Publishing Federation, underlined the historic challenge the Internet poses to book publishers. "The industry must find new ways to reach the new generation of readers," he said.The Harry Potter magicA famous collector of rare books, Mr Wang pointed to the Harry Potter phenomenon as a possible inspiration. He argued that the success of the Harry Potter franchise stemmed from its uniqueness, which publishers initially failed to identify.He reminded the packed audience that only after eight other publishers rejected The Philosopher's Stone did Bloomsbury offer author JK Rowling a meagre GBP 2,500 (about HK$25,000) advance for its publication. The series has since been translated into 67 languages, giving rise to highly successful films, video games and hundreds of products estimated to be worth as much as US$25 billion, making Ms Rowling among the most translated authors in history, and the world's first billionaire author."It's about being different, unique and finding a niche market; understanding the public mood and creating products for it," said Mr Wang. "In the end, publishing is a business, and in order to succeed, you have to serve readers and connect with them."Going placesWhen it comes to connecting with readers, Lonely Planet did it better than most, inspiring a generation to backpack the world with step-by-step advice from its iconic 1970s and 80s guides, such as Across Asia on the Cheap and South East Asia on a Shoestring. But those glory days were before the Internet, smartphones and laptops, said the brand's former Production Director, Mr Poppe.Acquired initially by the British Broadcasting Corp (BBC) and subsequently by the United States-based NC2 Media, Lonely Planet remains the world's leading travel media company, extending from travel guide books to its own TV channel, magazines and an online community of millions worldwide. However, today's world travellers no longer depend on once-ubiquitous travel guides to find their way around the world and the market is dwindling, said Mr Poppe."We're all more seasoned travellers these days and information on the Internet is free on Google and TripAdvisor with tips on Snapchat," he said. "It's a crowded market."Mr Poppe said the Chinese mainland tourism boom offers the greatest potential, while travel publishers should explore "cross-platform" initiatives, such as packaging guide books with mobile applications and handy waterproof destination maps that travellers can keep in their pockets and unfold for general information at a glance. "Travel is always growing," he said. "The question is how publishers can appeal to the younger generation?"Lower costs and prices, wider distributionMeanwhile, Mr Zhao lamented the publishing industry's significant slump in Taiwan. "When there's a bestseller, the writer becomes famous. Nobody knows or respects the publisher," he noted.In his discussion on "timing and sizing-up the situation," along with prospects for Chinese language and literature platforms, Mr Zhao said that the industry "must adapt" to the new era. Citing a recent survey indicating that the average Taiwan reader spent six hours a day online, he recounted an anecdotal question on the types of books they read. "The answer was Facebook and Notebook," he said. "It used to be a joke, but it's not now."To counter the trend, Mr Zhao suggested reducing publishing costs and book prices, as well as wider and more creative distribution channels; from novel events and exhibitions to book fairs and celebrity involvement. "We have to be more reader-oriented," he said. "It's about redefining the old and the new market. It used to be said that content was king, or the writer was king. But today the reader is king, so we need to change our mindset."But great potential remains, he said, not least in the "huge" Chinese-language market of 1.5 billion, representing about a quarter of the world's population. Ultimately, he insisted: "Books will never become extinct. They're irreplaceable."A strong international line-up of speakers are scheduled to speak at upcoming seminars and forums during the week-long Hong Kong Book Fair. The 19-25 July event, happening at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre features a record 670 exhibitors from 37 countries and regions.Hong Kong Book Fair Website: www.hkbookfair.com/enPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/2gM8j3YMedia Registration:Media representatives wishing to cover the event may register on-site with their business cards and/or media identification.To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tcAbout HKTDCEstablished in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdcTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdcLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
The solar PV giant announced the commercial operation of four solar PV power plants in Japan in the first half of 2017Canadian Solar, a vertically integrated Tier-1 Chinese solar firm, has announced that since the beginning of the year it has successfully connected to the grid 52.5 MWp of solar PV plants across Japan, including the 47.7 MWp Mashiki plant, the 2.4 MWp Yamagata Asahimachi plant, the 1.3 MWp Shizuoka Tashiro plant and the 1.1 MWp Saitama Shiroishi plant. As its biggest project in the country to date, the Mashiki plant achieved commercial operation in June 2017. Under a 20-year feed-in-tariff contract signed with Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. at the rate of JPY36.0 ($0.32) per ...

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.
BONN (dpa-AFX) - SoftBank Group Corp. (SFTBF.PK) said that it plans to increase its stake in Sprint Corp. (S) through open market transactions or otherwise. SBG does not intend to increase its ownership of Sprint outstanding common stock to 85% or more as a result of these purchases. Masayoshi Son, Chairman & CEO of SBG and Chairman of Sprint, said, 'We are entering an era where billions of new connected devices and sensors will come online throughout the United States. Continuing to own a world class mobile network is central to our vision of ubiquitous connectivity. Sprint is a critical part of our plan to ensure that we can deliver our vision to American consumers and we are very confident in its future.' On November 4, 2017, Sprint announced that discussions regarding a potential merger with T-Mobile (TMUS) have ended without an agreement being reached. Separately, Sprint and Altice USA (ATUS) announced a new multi-year strategic agreement. Under the terms of the agreement Altice USA will utilize Sprint's network to provide mobile voice and data services to its customers throughout the nation, and Sprint will leverage the Altice USA broadband platform to accelerate the densification of its network. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 7, 2017) - Augusta Industries Inc. (TSXV: AAO) (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Marcon International Inc. ("Marcon"), has been awarded contracts with various departments of the United States government for the supply of instrumentation and equipment. The aggregate value of the new contracts entered into in August is $782,703.00. The current pipeline of orders, including these new contracts, is $1,842,098.00 as of August 31, 2017.

"The Corporation is pleased that it continues to enter into new agreements with various entities of the United States government," stated Allen Lone, President of the Corporation. " We are still focusing on adding more contracts to our Sales pipeline and continue to develop our relationship with our clients for future opportunities."

About the Corporation:

Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Marcon International Inc. ("Marcon") and Fox-Tek, the Corporation provides a variety of services and products to a number of clients.

Marcon is an industrial supply contractor servicing the energy sector and a number of US Government entities. Marcon's principal business is the sale and distribution of industrial parts and equipment.

FOX-TEK provides world leading solutions to various sectors including the oil and gas industry. With non- intrusive technologies including: fiber optic sensors and electric field mapping systems; we are able to accurately measure changes that could negatively impact our client's operations.

Augusta Industries Inc.

Allen Lone

President, CEO (905) 275-8111 Ext 226 atlone@fox-tek.com

The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimates of future events. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements are detailed from time to time in the Corporation's periodic reports filed with the Ontario Securities Commission and other regulatory authorities. The Corporation has no intention or obligation to teupda or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
DUNSTABLE (dpa-AFX) - Hotel and restaurant group Whitbread Plc (WTB.L) announced Thursday the appointment of Adam Crozier, currently the Senior Independent Director, as Chairman. He succeeds Richard Baker, who will be retiring from the Board at the next financial year end, February 28, having completed nearly nine years service on the Board, including the last four years as Chairman. Crozier joined the Whitbread PLC Board in April 2017 and became Senior Independent Director in September 2017. Crozier was Chief Executive of ITV plc from April 2010 to June 2017. Prior to ITV, he was Chief Executive of Royal Mail, where he led its modernisation and transformed it from a heavily loss making position to profitability. He has also been CEO of The Football Association between 2000 and 2002 as well as joint CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi from 1995-2000. Crozier said, 'Whitbread has two great brands in Premier Inn and Costa, with 50,000 colleagues delivering terrific customer service every day. We have a very strong management team and an exciting plan to continue to deliver growth in our core UK businesses, whilst developing our international business through growth in Germany, China and Costa Express.' 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.
HAYWARDS HEATH, England, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Smarter Business Limited has acquired Business Advisory Service Limited (BAS Energy), effective as of 4th July 2017.

Smarter Business Ltd announces its latest acquisition Business Advisory Service Ltd, trading as BAS Energy.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/533985/Smarter_Business_Logo.jpg )



(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/533984/BAS_Energy_Logo.jpg )



BAS Energy is a multi-disciplinary energy brokerage providing consultancy, energy management, procurement and utility connections to the UK business sector, the acquisition of which brings great value to the Smarter Business brand and ultimately its customers.

This purchase is in line with Smarter Business's plans to grow both organically and through acquisition. Furthermore, this acquisition now positions the group as one of the biggest Energy Brokers in the UK, with over 250 staff and a resulting customer base of over 40,000 clients, placing contracts with a customer spend in excess of 20 million per month.

Smarter Business CEO, Bradley Wingrave says that BAS Energy's attributes will help to further extend the core of the Smarter Business group's offerings.

"Acquiring BAS Energy forms part of our expansion and diversification plans. We continue to drive the business forward, in line with our stated objective of expanding into other areas of business including recently deregulated water services, facilities management, energy efficiency and other business essential services. This wide range of services will deliver further substantial savings to all our customers.

The purchase of the company by Smarter Business will allow BAS Energy to provide these additional key services to their customers.

Chairman, Mark Read said "We have an exciting future ahead and are pleased that this latest acquisition will uniquely position us to ultimately be the one-stop-shop for all UK Businesses, big or small in reducing overheads across a full range of core business necessities"

Editors notes: http://www.Smarterbusiness.co.uk

Smarter Business offers a brokerage service for UK companies to compare and advise alternative suppliers for a wide range of general business overheads including, Gas, Electricity, Water, Insurance and Telecoms. Smarter Business is able to advise both SME and large Corporate clients. Smarter Business's mission is to help dramatically reduce its customers overheads. It operates under the following brands: Smarterbusiness.co.uk/b4benergy.co.uk/bas-energy.co.uk/Cub Wales etc
WASHINGTON, DC -- (Marketwired) -- 07/10/17 -- The Chamber of Digital Commerce, the world's largest trade association representing the blockchain industry, is hosting Congressional Blockchain Education Day this Tuesday. Chamber member companies will spend the day meeting with Members of U.S. Congress, Senators and their staffs to bring awareness to the importance of blockchain technology.

The day will also include a smart contracts briefing at 12:00pm in Rayburn House Office Building 2020 featuring a technology demonstration by Symbiont, the technology partner for the Delaware Blockchain Initiative.

Members of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus will address the national gathering of entrepreneurs at a cocktail reception in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center Atrium at 5:00pm.

"A growing number of enterprises are experimenting with blockchain as a secure and transparent way to digitally track the ownership of assets, opening new opportunities for cross-organizational collaboration and imaginative new business models," said Microsoft Principal Program Manager, Blockchain Engineering, Craig Hajduk. "Microsoft's vision is to help companies thrive in this era of secure multi-party computation, delivering open, scalable platforms and services that any company, from ledger startups to governments, health organizations to global banks, can use to create new value."

"We are delighted that so many of the Chamber's members are flying in to Washington, D.C. to meet with and help educate our legislators and their staff on this breakthrough and potentially multi-trillion-dollar technology," said Chamber of Digital Commerce Founder and President Perianne Boring. "We're honored that participants will have the opportunity to hear directly from Members of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus."

Credentialed press is invited to attend the smart contracts briefing and reception. Please contact Marie Knowles to register.

About the Chamber of Digital Commerce

The Chamber of Digital Commerce, headquartered in Washington, DC is, the world's largest trade association dedicated representing the digital asset and blockchain industry. For more information, please visit DigitalChamber.org or follow us on Twitter: @ChamberDigital.

Contact:

Marie Knowles

Marie@digitalchamber.org

(c:) 202.422.2589




Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) today announces that it has purchased, through PSH's agent, Jefferies International Limited ("Jefferies"), the following number of PSH's ordinary shares of no par value (ISIN Code: GG00BPFJTF46) (the "Shares"):

Date of purchase: 10 July 2017 Number of Shares purchased: 45,766 Shares Highest price paid per Share: 1,115 pence 14.37 USD Lowest price paid per Share: 1,106 pence 14.26 USD Average price paid per Share: 1,110.18 pence 14.31 USD

PSH intends to cancel these Shares. The net asset value per Share related to this Share buyback is USD 17.73 GBP 13.61 which was calculated as of 30 June 2017. After giving effect to the above Share buyback, PSH has 238,996,430 outstanding Shares. The prices per share in USD were calculated by Jefferies.

The number of PSH Management Shares and the 1 special voting share (held by PS Holdings Independent Voting Company Limited) has not been affected.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170710006238/en/

Contacts:

Media

Maitland

James Devas, +44 20 7379 5151

Media-pershingsquareholdings@maitland.co.uk
MONTREAL, CANADA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/10/17 -- Champlain Financial Corporation ("Champlain") is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with Lantic Inc. ("Lantic") to sell L.B. Maple Treat ("LBMT") for $160.3 million. Rogers Sugar Inc. (TSX: RSI) ("Rogers"), a Canadian corporation, wholly owns Lantic, which operates cane sugar refineries in Montreal, Quebec and Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as the only Canadian sugar beet processing facility, in Taber, Alberta.

Headquartered in Granby, Quebec, LBMT has two bottling plants in Quebec, the world's top maple syrup harvesting region, and another plant strategically located in Vermont. The corporation is supported by distribution centres in eastern and western Canada, the US and Australia.

Champlain acquired LBMT in 2015 with a consortium of investors that included Daniel Cousineau, businessman and President of L.B. Maple Treat and set the company on a course solidifying its position as the industry leader via solid organic and acquisitive growth, while continuing to maintain a firm dedication to quality and customer service.

"It's been a real privilege to work with the management of LBMT over the past couple of years in helping to build and strengthen the platform. Although our departure from the business and industry is bittersweet, we're thrilled that the ownership remains in strong local hands determined to continue to grow the company on the worldwide stage from right here in Quebec," said Scott Jackson, Partner of Champlain Financial Corporation.

"We are thankful to Champlain for helping set us on a winning path. We are very excited about our future, as Lantic truly is a perfect fit for LBMT. We will continue to operate our business separately from the Granby headquarters while enjoying Lantic's support and collaboration. Our strong relationships with more than 1,400 maple syrup partners / producers who are dedicated to harvesting the highest quality maple syrup in the world and the support of the Federation des producteurs acericoles du Quebec, make us confident in our ability to meet the challenges of continued growth with the quality, reliability and flexibility our customers have come to expect," said Daniel Cousineau, President of L.B. Maple Treat.

"We are very proud to have LBMT and its employees join the Lantic family. Our Montreal-based company is celebrating its 125th anniversary and has a long-term vision and perspective with regards to its operation. LBMT has a long-standing history of delivering high-quality products to sophisticated customers who expect the best-a tradition we look forward to furthering and building upon. Their expertise and industry leadership will allow us to diversify into the large and growing maple syrup market in rapid fashion," commented John Holliday, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rogers Sugar Inc. and Lantic Inc.

Champlain and LBMT were advised by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP on this transaction. Lantic/Rogers was advised by TD Securities Inc. and Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP. The transaction is subject to customary closing and regulatory conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of this calendar year.

About L.B. Maple Treat

Recognized as a pioneer in the maple syrup industry, L.B. Maple Treat began serving customers in 1975 with a vision of offering an unparalleled level of reliability, flexibility and customer service. Our customers and partners have access to an extraordinary portfolio of products, distribution and production capabilities across North America, Europe and Asia, with the help of our over 160 employees. Our crops are carefully managed by more than 1,400 maple syrup producers who are dedicated to harvesting the highest quality of pure maple syrup. The company owns the L.B. Maple Treat, Uncle Luke's, Highland Sugarworks and Great Northern brands.

About Champlain Financial Corporation

Champlain Financial Corporation, a Canadian private holding company based in Montreal, Quebec, operates a private investment portfolio, currently with a series of investments throughout Canada. Champlain's core focus is to serve as a value-added partner in providing equity capital, financing and operational management expertise for small and middle-market companies aspiring to grow within and beyond Canada.

About Lantic Inc. and Rogers Sugar Inc.

Rogers Sugar Inc. is a corporation established under the laws of Canada. It holds all of the common shares of Lantic Inc., which operates cane sugar refineries in Montreal, Quebec and Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as the only Canadian sugar beet processing facility, in Taber, Alberta. Lantic Inc.'s sugar products are marketed under the "Lantic" trademark in eastern Canada and the "Rogers" trademark in western Canada and include granulated, icing, cube, yellow and brown sugars, liquid sugars and specialty syrups.

Contacts:

Mr. Daniel Cousineau

President

L.B. Maple Treat Corporation

(450) 777-4464

www.lbmapletreat.com



For all Communication and Media Inquiries:

Mr. Pierre Boucher

Partner, Executive Vice-President

MaisonBrison Communications Inc.

(514) 731-0000, ext. 237

www.maisonbrison.com




ASCO recommends MammaPrint for clinical high risk, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, to inform decisions on withholding chemotherapy

ASCO recommends MammaPrint as currently the only genomic test to be used to guide treatment decisions for 1-3 lymph node positive early-stage breast cancer patients

Revised ASCO Guidelines mark the fourth positive international guideline update for MammaPrint in 2017, recognizing the highest level of clinical evidence provided by MINDACT

Agendia, Inc., a world leader in personalized medicine and molecular cancer diagnostics, announces that the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has today published revised early-stage breast cancer guidelines in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, titled The Use of Biomarkers to Guide Decisions on Adjuvant Systemic Therapy for Women with Early Stage Invasive Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Practice Guideline.1

This focused update is dedicated exclusively to Agendia's MammaPrint 70-Gene Breast Cancer Risk-of-Recurrence Test andwas triggered by the practice-changing data from the randomized, prospective, phase III MINDACT trial which was published in August 2016.2

In a significant update to the 2016 guidelines, the ASCO panel identified MammaPrint as currently the only genomic test to be considered to inform treatment decisions in women with estrogen receptor-positive or progesterone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer with lymph node negative, or one to three positive lymph nodes who are at a high clinical risk of recurrence. For these patients, MammaPrint is now recommended by the ASCO Guidelines to inform decisions on withholding adjuvant (post-surgery) systemic chemotherapy due to its ability to identify patients with a good prognosis with limited chemotherapy benefit.

This is the first time that ASCO has recommended a genomic test to inform treatment decisions in withholding chemotherapy for lymph node positive patients, for whom lymph node involvement often causes them to be classified at high clinical risk and requiring chemotherapy. It is noted that such patients "should be informed that a benefit of chemotherapy cannot be excluded, particularly in patients with greater than one involved lymph node."

Dr William Audeh, Chief Medical Officer at Agendia said:

"This is a significant update to the ASCO guideline and testament to the clinical utility of the MammaPrint test as demonstrated in the MINDACT trial. MammaPrint is the only breast cancer genomic test that has been validated in a truly clinically high risk (luminal B) cohort of patients, providing physicians and their patients with unique genomic information to help personalize how their treatment is managed. The ASCO panel stated that reduction of overtreatment is an important goal, and confirmed the utility of MammaPrint in achieving this.

"This is the second guideline update for MammaPrint in three weeks. Based on MINDACT, both ASCO and the St. Gallen panel have now endorsed this test for both lymph-node negative and lymph node positive patients. Indeed, each of the four guidelines which included a review of the published findings of this unique trial so far this year have added or expanded their recommendation of MammaPrint," said Dr. Audeh.

Mark R. Straley, Chief Executive Officer at Agendia said:

"I am very pleased to see MammaPrint recommended by the updated ASCO guidelines. This will enable a whole new group of lymph-node positive patients to benefit from genomic testing, and not have their complex treatment decisions based entirely on clinical factors alone. At Agendia we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for early-stage breast cancer patients. ASCO's recommendation is a powerful force in helping to extend the benefits of MammaPrint to reach many more women."

MammaPrint is currently the only genomic breast cancer risk-of-recurrence test backed by level 1A prospective, randomized evidence to support the de-escalation of chemotherapy in patients who are classified as clinically high risk. As stated in the ASCO guidelines, "the reduction of overtreatment in patients with early-stage breast cancer is an important goal [] such a reduction would likely have the greatest societal and individual impact in patients with ER/PgR-positive disease."

The ASCO guidance on the use of biomarkers in early-stage breast cancer supports the position of the recently-published biennial 2017 St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Guidelines that there is "no role for gene testing in clinical pathological low risk cases"3, which are mostly node-negative, lower grade and smaller tumors (high estrogen receptor-positive, grade 1-2 and less than or equal to 2 cm).

MammaPrint was recognized as being supported by the highest level of clinical evidence by both the German Gynecological Oncology Group (AGO) and the European Group on Tumor Markers (EGTM) in March 2017. The test is also recommended for use in other important oncology practice guidelines including those of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and several national guidelines in Europe.

You can access The Use of Biomarkers to Guide Decisions on Adjuvant Systemic Therapy for Women with Early Stage Invasive Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Practice Guideline from the Journal of Clinical Oncology here: http://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.2017.74.0472

1 Krop I, Ismaila N, Andre F et al. Use of Biomarkers to Guide Decisions on Adjuvant Systemic Therapy for Women With Early-Stage Invasive Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Focused Update. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2017.74.0472 Journal of Clinical Oncology published online before print July 10, 2017

2 Cardoso F, van't Veer LJ, Bogaerts J et al. 70-Gene Signature as an Aid to Treatment Decisions in Early-Stage Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med 2016; 375: 717-29.

3 Curigliano G, Burnstein H, Winer E et al. De-escalating and Escalating Treatments for Early Stage Breast Cancer: The St. Gallen International Expert Consensus Conference on the Primary Therapy of Early Breast Cancer 2017. Ann Oncol 2017 mdx308.

Ends

About MINDACT

The Microarray In Node-negative and 1 to 3 positive lymph node Disease may Avoid ChemoTherapy (MINDACT) trial (EORTC 10041/BIG 3-04) is an independent, prospective, randomized, phase III, controlled clinical trial that investigated the clinical utility of MammaPrint, when used in conjunction with standard clinical pathological criteria, for the selection of patients unlikely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.

From 2007 to 2011, 6,693 women who had undergone surgery for early-stage breast cancer enrolled in the trial, across 112 centers in nine countries. The results were published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine in August 2016.

About MammaPrint

MammaPrint is an in vitro diagnostic test, performed in a central laboratory, using the gene expression profile of breast cancer tissue samples to assess a patients' risk for distant metastasis. MammaPrint is cleared by the US FDA and carries the CE Mark which certifies that the test complies with the quality standards set by the European In Vitro Diagnostic Directive, enabling the use of the test in the European Union. MammaPrint is indicated for use by physicians as a prognostic marker only, along with other clinical-pathological factors. The test is not intended to determine the outcome of disease, nor to suggest or infer an individual patient's response to therapy.

About Agendia

Agendia is a privately held, leading molecular diagnostics company that develops and markets genomic diagnostic products, which help support physicians with their complex treatment decisions. Agendia's breast cancer tests were developed using an unbiased gene selection by analyzing the complete human genome. Our offerings include MammaPrint, a 70-Gene Breast Cancer Risk-of-Recurrence test, and BluePrint, a Molecular Subtyping Assay that provides deeper insight leading to more clinically actionable breast cancer biology.

In addition, Agendia has a pipeline of other genomic products in development. The company collaborates with pharmaceutical companies, leading cancer centers and academic groups to develop companion diagnostic tests in the area of oncology.

For more information on Agendia or the MammaPrint and BluePrint tests, you can visit Agendia's patient site at www.KnowYourBreastCancer.com or the corporate site at www.agendia.com.

Follow Agendia, Inc. on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to keep up-to-date with the latest news.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170710006417/en/

Contacts:

Media Contacts:

Instinctif Partners

Daniel Gooch / Lynne Trowbridge

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7866 7905

Email: agendia@instinctif.com
Dubin Clark & Company, a Boston, MA-based middle market private equity firm, raised over $100m for its second fund.

Limited partners of DCCP Fund II include endowments, pensions, insurance companies, fund-of-funds, family offices and high-net-worth individuals.

Founded in 1984, Dubin Clark & Company seeks control equity investments in business services, niche manufacturing, and specialty rental businesses with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $2m to $10m (smaller for add-on investments).

Led by Managing Partners Tom Caracciolo and Brent Paris, DCCP II has already made four platform investments including:

 BBJ Rentals, Inc., a provider of special event linen rental products and services to weddings, social and corporate events nationwide

 CE Rental, Inc., a full-service special event rental company servicing the Mid-Atlantic region

 Advanced Pavement Group Corp., which specializes in the maintenance and repair of commercial parking lots and related areas for property managers and owners of apartment complexes, strip malls and other commercial and retail establishments

 Daystar Products International, Inc., an automotive performance aftermarket parts manufacturer of lift and leveling kits and component parts for off- and on- road trucks, Jeeps, and multi-purpose vehicles.

The firm has more than $270m under management.

FinSMEs

10/07/2017
Side, a France-based short-term job matching startup, raised an additional $5.7m funding round.

The round was led by Xavier Niel with participation from Connect Ventures, Fly Ventures, TheFamily, Aglae Ventures, Jacques-Antoine Granjon and others.

The company intends to use the funds to continue to expand operations.

Co-founded by Gaspard Schmitt, Hugo Michalski, David Benzaken, and Pierre Mugnier, Side provides a SaaS based marketplace for allows students to work for companies for some days or weeks and companies to scale their workforce for product launch or peak season. The platform, which also manages administrative tasks including billing clients, collecting payments and paying people, has been used by over 600 companies in London, Paris and Lyon.

FinSMEs

10/07/2017
Air India has decided to do away with non-vegetarian meals in domestic economy class, according to media reports. Economy passengers on international flights will, however, get non-vegetarian meals.

The move is aimed at a cutting costs of the airline, which has an accumulated loss of Rs 50,000 crore, the reports said.

We have decided to serve vegetarian meals in our economy-class seats on domestic flights, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani has been quoted as saying in a report in The Hindu.

Another spokesperson of the company has told The Times of India that the decision has been a conscious one and it is aimed at reducing wastage and improving catering service, apart from cutting costs.

Another reason cited is it will avoid mix-ups, wherein a vegetarian gets served a non-vegetarian meal. This has happened a few times earlier, says The Hindu report.

Indianexpress.com reports that though the decision was taken in December last year, the implementation took time due to lack of consensus.

Whatever the reasons given by the airline, there is surprise and outrage over the airline's decision. It has to be noted that the decision comes at at time when vegetarianism is being forced down upon Indians by the government. There is also pressure to ban beef across the country.

It is also likely to be a bad business decision for Air India, a company which does not have the best reputation when it comes to onboard services.

Mahesh Y Reddy, secretary-general of Air Passengers Association of India, has pointed out to The Hindu that even low-cost carriers give passengers food options.

"Air India should have conducted a passenger survey before taking this drastic step, and it should immediately withdraw the decision," he has told the newspaper.

There is outrage on Twitter too.

Only veg food on Air India.

Next, flight attendants to speak only Hindi.

After that, stand for national anthem before flight take-off. #BMKJ  Madhu Menon (@madmanweb) July 10, 2017

Air India is unable to sort veg and non-veg boxes accurately. But is to be trusted to fly people. https://t.co/L19wo7hBoQ  Veena Venugopal (@veenavenugopal) July 10, 2017

So Maharaja also got scared of lynching. #AirIndia  Scarecrow (@make_itpossible) July 10, 2017
Anand Mahindra's tweet seeking apology for the rude sacking of an employee, though admirable, glosses over the problems faced by Tech Mahindra in particular and the IT sector in general.

The incident shows the heightening stress in the sector that is taking a toll on the self-esteem of the employees, both the engineers and some very experienced ones at that, besides on the management front, too.

Firing employees, irrespective of experience, is not a new phenomenon in the IT sector. There are sacking orders executed by top majors in the IT sectors that could be seen as inhuman in the context of best practices.

What is becoming evident and clearer in the public forum is the manner in which the employees are being asked to leave. Case in point: A fresher joined an IT company in Chennai in 2011-12 after paying Rs 1 lakh as bond. The agreement stated that if he left the companys services within a year or if the company terminated his services, either which way, the employee had to forfeit the bond to the company. Eight months after joining the firm, the employee was sacked with no reasons offered. When he reported to work, the security at the gate took away his ID card and asked him to go home as his services were terminated. He approached Fight for IT Employees (FITE), a union that has taken shape in Chennai and is awaiting registration. FITE is fighting the case in court.

Mass layoffs in IT

The IT industry is going through a churn with automation, stricter visa rules in the US, Singapore and Australia among other countries, coupled with the rapid pace of technology. This is one of the reasons for mass layoffs in the sector. "Around 100,000 employees are expected to be laid off by the year-end. So far, 50-55,000 employees have been sacked or asked to leave," said an analyst.

Assocham, the country's apex trade body, had cautioned about the IT sectors prospects in April: "Aggravated by rising rupee leading to lower realizations for software exports, the Indian IT firms may be forced to displace work force. In that case, the chances of layoffs are real."

With rapid change in technology, IT firms cannot afford to go by outdated human resources (HR) practices that make hiring and firing a closed-door affair. Thanks to social media, the acidic tone of HR is being felt by anyone eavesdropping on the conversations (see below) or by employees putting out their angst naming and shaming the IT majors they worked for.

Traditional HR practices cannot work anymore when you fire an employee, reiterates Sanchit Vir Gogia, chief analyst, Founder and CEO of Greyhound Knowledge Group, a global strategy and transformation research, advisory and consulting group. With social media gaining increasing traction with regard to hire-fire policy of the Indian IT sector, HR policy needs to undergo a transformation, says Gogia.

Why do companies take to this threatening attitude when asking employees to leave? One of the reasons for it, says Vinod AJ, general secretary, FITE, is that the company wants to avoid paying compensation to employees and also because simply there is no employee incompetency to report about. What else can they do than fire an employee on the spot, asks Vinod.

Anand Mahindras tweet is just a mere apology, says Vinod AJ. What will it do for the employee? The job is not going to be offered back, he says.

But that is the reality of the sector. With almost 60 percent of Tech Mahindras -- just like the other Indian IT majors -- projects comes from the West where a severe slowdown and protectionist policies are dampening business prospects, revenues and bottomlines of the companies are hit.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to reveal the amount of money it received in demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in two weeks, according to a report in The Economic Times, citing a source.

Though eight months have passed after demonetisation, the central bank has not yet revealed the number of banned notes it received through bank deposits despite many Right to Information (RTI) queries.

According to an ET report, the banking regulator will be forced reveal the amount as part of the calculation of its balance sheet for the year ended 30 June, 2017. The RBI will be holding a meeting with its auditors later this month to discuss and decide the figure, the report said.

The central bank usually declares its dividend to the government in August. In order to arrive at the amount to be paid to the government, the RBI has to add up the lower denomination notes that were not demonetised with the new notes and net it with the notes returned, the report said.

On 11 February, RBI Governor Urjit Patel had said that the central bank is still counting the notes that it received, hinting that it could be a long wait for people to know the amount of old currency notes that were deposited post-demonetisation.

"The number that we should now divulge should be a verified one and congruent with the complex accounting. There are tens of thousands of bank branches and 4,000 currency chests," Patel had said after the RBI board's meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

"Given that the window is open till March 31 and June 30 at lower level, we need to be careful and try that this is a number which is not a mere estimate but a verified number -- both physically and in the accounting sense," Patel had said.

Resident Indian citizens, who were abroad during 9 November to 30 December 2016, were allowed to exchange the demonetised notes up to 31 March, 2017, and non-resident Indians up to 30 June, 2017.

The last time the RBI gave an update on the notes was as of 10 December 2016, when it said as much as Rs 12.44 lakh crore were deposited.

There were 17,165 million pieces of Rs 500 notes and 6,858 million pieces of Rs 1,000 notes in circulation on 8 November, 2016, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement of demonetising the two high denomination notes.

The total amount of high denomination currency circulating in the system on that day was, thus, Rs 15.44 lakh crore (Rs 8.58 lakh crore in Rs 500 notes and Rs 6.86 lakh crore in Rs 1,000).

In April, Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) headed by Congress leader KV Thomas had questioned the RBI governor and deputy over demonetisation.

According to a PTI report, the RBI told the PAC it does not know the "exact number" of junked currency notes that were in circulation and it is still "reconciling" the number of notes that were deposited back. It is to be remembered that an additional 72 days have passed after prime minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

"The exact number of Specified Bank Notes (SBNs) withdrawn from circulation is being worked out," the central bank said in a written submission to the PAC.

RBI Governor Urjit Patel along with Deputy Governor R Gandhi and other senior functionaries appeared before the PAC, headed by former union minister and senior Congress leader K V Thomas, for oral evidence on 'Review of Monetary Policy'.

(With PTI and IANS)
New Delhi: The government on Monday announced amendments to the regulatory processes governing the domestic cruise tourism industry.

"The Ministry of Shipping, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, has announced reforms to the regulatory processes governing the cruise tourism industry in the country," an official statement said.

The objective is to revolutionise the sector, which has a high employment generation potential, by simplifying the rules and procedures pertaining to various aspects of cruise port operations like security, immigration and customs.

According to Special Secretary, Shipping, Alok Srivastava, the promotion of cruise tourism requires not just improvement in infrastructure but also uniformity, transparency and predictability in the procedures followed by multiple government organisations.

"In other words, ease of doing business is critical for the success of cruise tourism," he said.

The reforms are based on the recommendations of a global consultant engaged by the ministry to draw up an action plan for providing a customer friendly and hassle free logistics process for the cruise tourism industry and develop an enabling ecosystem necessary to promote and sustain cruise shipping in India, the statement said.

Some of the key recommendations which can be immediately implemented are single window system for all pre cruise requirements for cruise operators like entry of vehicles, personnel and guides electronically doing away with checking of registration, licence papers of vehicle at each time.

Create a separate dedicated approach road and entrance to the cruise terminals. A uniform and consistent security procedures by CISF at all ports.

Providing adequate security and access to the port for passenger overnight and visiting local venues and use of technology for clearances, providing passenger manifest to CISF and doing away with manual time consuming process were also recommended.

Besides, the consultant recommended for "no face to face check after disembarking formalities". Security checks for embarking passengers would be done only once and joint collaboration between the Bureau of Immigration and CISF and redesign the existing procedure to give a pleasant experience to the cruise tourists visiting India.

"It also recommended Standard Operating Procedures to be framed for training and education of the personnel carrying out the process for better handling of passengers. Implementation of green lane/red lane at existing terminals with random custom checking as is done in the airport."

Declaration of only limited items of inventory of the cruise ships in place of the existing requirement of having the complete inventory for all the stocks in the ship was also one of the recommendation, the Ministry said.

A committee has been set up to work out the modalities and requirements for implementing the above recommendations in a time bound manner, it said.
In a bid to help businessmen and industrialists clear their doubts and confusion over the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Indian Industries Association has established 20 helpdesks in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Uttarakhand.

The IIA has also created a knowledge bank on its website, where businessmen, traders and industrialists can go through different aspects of the GST, post their query and get a prompt answer from the experts in their inbox.

"IIA has constituted a group of experts, which will answer to all queries pertaining to GST being raised by businessmen and industrialists on its website http://www.iiaonline.in. So far, IIA has conducted nearly 200 workshops for industrialists on GST, and such workshops will continue," IIA National President Sunil Vaish told PTI.

IIA is an apex representative body of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) with a membership base of about 6,500 businesses. It has network of more than 40 chapters spread in most of the industrialised districts of UP, Delhi, Uttarakhand and surrounding states.

"The most important task at this point of time is to give elaborate information about GST to traders, businessmen and industrialists in a simplistic way, so that they could understand various nuances and provisions of GST. This will also help them to run their business in a better and efficient manner, and there is no roadblock to the traders, businessmen and industrialists," Vaish said.

He further informed that IIA has established 20 helpdesks, where a team of experts will answer queries

pertaining to GST raised by traders, businessmen and industrialists. "There is a lot of confusion and rumours regrading GST among the traders, businessmen and industrialists related to small and medium industries, which will be answered by the helpdesks," the IIA president said.

"If the industrialists are unable to come to the IIA office, then they can visit the knowledge bank created on GST on the IIA's website, go through different aspects of the GST, post their query and get a prompt answer from the experts in their inbox," Vaish informed.

Apart from this, the IIA has also asked its office bearers to organise seminars and other interactive programmes on GST, so that all the doubts related to GST could be cleared at the earliest.
Resign or else face the sack. Human Resource (HR) professionals in the information technology services companies seem to be using cruel means to lay off employees, as is evident from the leaked telephonic conversation between a IT professional in Tech Mahindra and an HR executive.

For the uninitiated, the IT sector in India is witnessing a churn due to various reasons, including a slowdown in key markets and protectionist policies in major economies. Estimates say about 2 lakh jobs will be lost in the sector by March 2018.

The truth is that for the employees and the companies, there is no escaping the fact they will have to deal with a lot of heartburn. But then, the companies have to deal with the difficult phase in a matured manner, which definitely is not the Tech Mahindra way.

Firstpost spoke to HR experts on the issue. Given below are their ideas to deal with the situation better:

Breaking the news

There surely are better ways to communicate to an employee that she is no longer needed in the organization  not because of performance issues, but because the company hired more than it should have or the demand-supply of projects for the company has whittled down making it unreasonable to keep many employees in its fold. It should never sound like a threat, similar to what Tech Mahindra HR issued to its staff, for instance.

Rules apply to both employer and employee

When a candidate is hired by any organisation, the former signs an agreement which stipulates the terms and conditions of employment. It states the notice period to be served in case the employee wishes to leave or pay up if she does not want to serve the notice period. If the company chooses to sack the employee, a similar notice period applies.

There are rules in the country that an employee and an employer can approach if either of them dishonor the agreement, says Rituparna Chakraborty, president, Indian Staffing Federation, and also vice-president and co-founder, Teamlease Services.

There is no way you can make the news that an employee has to leave the companys payroll sweet but it can certainly be made less bitter by being compassionate. There is no way the company can have the bulk of employees it cant sustain as it will impact its bottom line adversely. But the company should be very careful about its communication. Be sensitive and compassionate. If you can, give the employee a notice period or cash to support herself when she is without a job, suggests Chakraborty.

HR should be supported by counsellors

The role of human resources is bereft of emotion and is characterised by staccato and practicality. An HR person is only performing a duty as instructed by the management, says ShivaKumar N, business head, RPO, Teamlease Partners  a human resource service company.

Anshul Prakash, partner, Khaitan & Co, where he heads employment and labour practices, says that whether one or ten or 10,000 employees are to be sacked, the approach has to be a subtle mix of empathy and sensitivity. An employee is attached to the firm until his last day and may become arrogant and angry when she is told that her services are no longer needed, he says.

When a company takes a threatening posture in such a situation, it does not bode well for the firm. Good will counts for the company image, too.

Have a one-on-one with employee

The idea is to have a more structured approach instead of asking people to leave the organisation overnight, says Prakash.

One must concentrate on the employees paper trail while making the way out for exit. Have a one-on-one discussion with the employee, says Prakash. He suggests the company should come clean to the employee about its reasons, and that from an employment perspective should convey that it has no option other than to ask the employee to leave.

Give an option to the employee after stating the reasons for your (employers) move to ask the former to leave. Adopt an approach of an option instead of issuing a threat. Have a phased-out operation instead of giving a jolt to the employee. Build up the scenario with the employee about the companys prospects, says Prakash.

The employee has been in the organisations employ after having cleared the latters stringent rules of employment. When the employee is sacked without any reference to performance matrix  as is the case with many IT majors in the country for some time now, it is important the company tells the employee that it cannot afford to keep her in its payroll as it cannot offer incentives, promotions and any such hikes.

The employee will feel terrible then too, but the blow of severance is softer, says Prakash.

Outplacement program is an option, too

A few multi-national companies have an outplacement programme. What it does is offer to support the employee through a skill upgradation program, for instance, or a study program that will equip the employee to upgrade his resume.

An outplacement company can organise employees to reach their performance threshold. The outplacement firm can help a sacked employee understand his/her potential, capabilities, achievements and work towards enhancing them. The employees former employer can pitch for counselling and professional agencies to help the employees they are sacking, says Shivakumar.

Of course, there is a cost involved for the company. But that is a human way of dealing with such a situation and no company should avoid this approach because of cost measures, he points out.

So though the company has to fire 10 or 15 employees daily as an exercise to be undertaken to cut costs, the HR cannot be expected to be empathetic. But if freelance counsellors or psychiatrists were hired for a short period to break the news to the employees with politeness and empathy, it would make the severance a little less painful, say analysts.
Actor-filmmaker Andy Serkis has teased his big screen adaptation of The Jungle Book as much more savage than Disney's recent re-imagining of the classic story.

The 53-year-old star has directed a motion capture interpretation of Rudyard Kiplings 1894 book for Warner Bros Pictures but the release date was moved from 2016 due to Disney bringing out their own live-action version based on the studios classic animation.

Serkis film will now hit cinemas in October 2018 and he has promised audiences will be in for a different experience if they see his beastly adventure which focuses on man cub Mowgli fight for survival against the tiger Shere Khan, reported Contactmusic.

"We were neck and neck for some time. And the fact of the matter is we probably could've come out in cinemas closer together. But the decision was why do that? I saw their film, and its great, but ours is a completely different take. Ours is much more savage. There are no songs, and its not meant for young families."

In Serkis' film, Christian Bale plays black panther Bagheera, Cate Blanchett as anaconda Kaa and Benedict Cumberbatch is the villainous Shere Khan, while Mowgli will be played by Rohan Chand. Serkis, besides directing the film, has also given voice to the bear Baloo.

Serkis' film titled Jungle Book: Origins was initially set to release on 6 October 2017, but was later pushed a year later to 19 October 2018, thus giving the Warner Bros adaptation a good separation and breathing space from Disney's 2016 rendition, The Jungle Book, which hit the theatres on April 2015. It was a major box-office hit.

Speaking to Vulture about the film during Cannes 2017, Serkis said,"Its a PG-13, more a kind of Apes movie, a slightly darker take, closer to Rudyard Kiplings. Its great to scare kids in a safe environment because its an important part of development, and we all loved to be scared as kids, so we shouldnt overly protect them. Kids are so sophisticated, and that is why our Jungle Book is quite dark.  Its a story of an outsider, someone who is trying to accept the laws and customs of a particular way of living and then has to adapt to another culture, a human culture, which of course he should be able to adapt to, because this is what he is. So its about two different species and their laws and customs, and neither are entirely right."

(With inputs from PTI)
Following Anuya last week, Ganja Karuppu is the next contestant to be evicted from the house in the second week of elimination. While Anuya's elimination was an easy guess, this week was a tie between Ganja Karuppu and Bharani, since Oviya is too sweet and lovely a candidate to be expelled from the house. The fact that Bharani has won the overwhelming love of the audiences proves that he is the most misunderstood character, combating his inner demons and a promise - that he won't get angry and hit anyone - made to his wife.

Unlike Anuya, Ganja Karuppu received a slight emotional farewell from the inmates. His entertaining imitations of Namitha will be certainly missed. "I genuinely felt Bharani will be eliminated. I have started to like Ganja Karuppu more," Raiza told Namitha.

Finally, 'Jallikattu' star Julie stands up to Harathi's harassment

The episodes 6 and 7 unmasked Harathi and Gayathri's sheer hate for Julie, who finally decided to stand up against their never-ending harassment. Julie raged with unabating fury and engaged in a verbal duel with Harathi, whose doltish arguments were defended by house captain Gayathri.

Other contestants, especially Aarav and Sakthi, have begun to feel that Harathi and Gayathri are needlessly pestering the hapless Julie, who is seen pacified by Oviya. "Julie is naive. I think Harathi and Gayathri feel threatened by her presence in the house. They don't miss any chance to trigger her emotions. It eventually makes her protest," Sakthi observed carefully.

"Harathi is a like a snake. She spells venom with her words," Aarav told Oviya, who seconded him. Julie broke down and sobbed like a child. She packed her bags and asked Bigg Boss to send her home immediately before she came to terms with the reality.

Oviya expresses her love to Aarav

The blossoming romance between Aarav and Oviya is the highlight of the last episode.

"You have not even congratulated me for surviving elimination this week. I think you just have a crush on me, no? But, my love is true. I'm really in love with you. But, if you are not interested, I'll let it go," Oviya told Aarav, who, as usual, was reticent about his feelings. Aarav says he is quite upset about Ganja Karuppu's elimination and that he's surprised by the decision of the public.

Enjoyable Tamil tongue-twisters task and Ganesh Venkatraman's hilarious imitation of 'Paruthiveeran.'

As a hilarious luxury budget task, Bigg Boss gives colloquial Tamil tongue-twisters to the housemates to practice and tell correctly without seeing anything, and Snehan is assigned to oversee the activity. Oviya's cute method of practicing the tongue-twister by crooning it like a song won hearts, including the show host Kamal Haasan who said she bowled him over with her nonchalance.

Ganesh Venkatraman's imitation of Karthi's body language and dialogue from the movie 'Paruthiveeran' left viewers in splits. "It's difficult to get the local language spoken in a particular region. That's why 'Madras Baashai' is one of the toughest languages to converse," Kamal Haasan said and broke into his iconic 'Madras' tongue for a few minutes, which was a treat to the ears.

Julie reconciles with Harathi and Gayathri

Julie tries to reconcile with Harathi and Gayathri and agrees that some of her remarks in the verbal tussle were uncalled for. Gayathri avoids talking to Julie, who feels disturbed about the way things have turned out. "I always considered you like my sister. That's why I advised you patiently whenever you did something wrong. But, you failed to understand me. This is not the Julie I knew. Unless you prove me again that you're a nice girl, I won't talk to you," Gayathri told Julie.

"The moment I entered this home, you said that I'm 'fake.' It did hurt me. But I didn't care to bother. Then, you kept repeatedly telling me that I'm not true to my conscience. I left my nursing job, yes. I do miss profession. Why did you have to pinpoint it every time? But, I felt that I let out some words in haste. I'm really sorry about it," Julie told Harathi, who dismissed her approach to reconnecting.

"You won only because of Thala Ajith"

Housemates are assigned a fresh set of challenges: to dance, sing and enact a drama. Oviya, Aarav, Gayathri and Sakthi's dance performance to the track 'Jing Chikka Jing Chikka' from Ajith's Veeram stole the show. Snehan fittingly presented the team with an award. While everyone appreciated their performance, Harathi said, "You guys won only because of Thala Ajith. It's Thala Song, after all."

Sakthi lost his temper and got irritated with Harathi's overbearing attitude. "If you don't appreciate us, it's okay. But, don't demean our efforts."

It's evident now that Harathi will be one of the contestants who will be voted for elimination this week by housemates. Her statements have ruffled the feathers of a handful of inmates, who have openly spoken out against her.

Even Kamal Haasan took funny potshots at Harathi's judgemental behavior. "You keep asking Julie about her profession. Why can't be a celebrity if she was a nurse? I was an actor during the beginning stages of my career. Then I plunged into screenwriting and direction," said Haasan.
Taapsee Pannu, who shot to fame after acting opposite Bollywood's megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the super-hit movie Pink, subsequently followed by a stellar performance in the critically acclaimed Naam Shabana, is in the news these days as she has landed herself bang in the middle of a murky controversy.

Recently, in a candid chat with the comedy group East India Company (EIC) the actress spoke out against the inherently sexist portrayal of women in the film industry, pertaining specifically to the cinema of the South, where female actors are shown in a sensual light and are mostly meant to add to the 'eye-candy' quotient of a movie by default.

Used for purely ornamental purposes, Pannu felt that she is now in a position where she can call this act out. Her comments were obviously in hindsight.

Pannu ridiculed Telugu filmmaker K Raghavendra Rao (incidentally the man that was the sole reason behind her big break into the world of movies, having launched the actor in the Telugu movie Jhummandi Naadam in 2010) over his specific interest in exploring the navels of his heroines to make for a sensuous experience for moviegoers.

If I knew about this in my research before Id gone to the South I wouldve worked on my navel. I clearly didnt. The first day, they started with a song itself. And they are shooting a song which is the obsession over midriff. The director who launched me is known to have the Midas touch in terms of launching actresses. He has launched Sridevi, Jayasudha at that point. So it was his 105th movie with me, said Pannu according to a report by The Indian Express.

The actor was also taken aback when a coconut was thrown at her bare midriff (instead of the usual flowers and fruit that have been thrown at actor's like Sridevi in the past). Pannu failed to understand the sensuality of this act, according to the same Indian Express report.

Thereafter, her comments went viral with the upcoming actor receiving a lot of flak from Raghavendra Rao supporters and the general audience that enjoys southern cinema. People spoke out in anger, calling her 'ungrateful', a 'hypocrite' and a 'backstabber', having found her higher calling in Bollywood and forgetting her south roots.

This is the video that has been causing all the controversy



What is interesting however, is that before Pannu made the comments about the fixation that the film industry has in portraying their female actors in solely one light (sexual), the same panel of people, including Taapsee herself, made misguided rape jokes with regard to domestic help.

The supposedly 'witty' quip came after someone said that he is 'refused sex for three months' if he doesn't open the house door for the maid every morning to let her in.

"Sex with the maid?" one of the men that were a part of the video said, followed promptly with giving the man the notorious title of 'Shiney Ajuha', the Bollywood actor who was infamously accused of having assaulted his domestic help back in 2009.

This banter seemed to go down well with Pannu and the rest of the members of EIC and it evoked rich laughter from everyone present, including Pannu  who somehow couldn't see what was wrong with making jokes about a person who has been sexually exploited, especially one from the lower strata of society that hardly has any means to counteract the problem.

The actor has recently posted a video on her official Facebook page apologizing for the remarks that she made on the show, after she received major flak for her comments. Pannu is seen apologizing and saying it is not "in her upbringing" to have spoken badly about someone, and that the entire time she thought she was poking fun at herself.

Watch Taapsee's apology video here



With the same actor possessing such wildly different stances and reactions to female exploitation in its different forms, one wonders what Pannu's actual standpoint is.
New Delhi: Social activist Teesta Setalvad on Monday failed to get any relief from the Supreme Court in a case in which she is accused of having a role in the illegal exhumation of bodies of some victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The apex court said it would not be necessary to adjudicate on merits the plea filed by her against the Gujarat High Court order refusing to quash the FIR lodged against her at a police station in Panchmahal district regarding exhumation of the bodies from a graveyard near river Panam.

A bench, comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy, said it would be appropriate for Setalvad to seek the remedy before the trial court where the charge sheet has been filed.

"When charge sheet is there, can't you go and raise all these questions before the trial court," the bench asked senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Setalvad.

"It is not necessary to adjudicate the matter on merits," the bench said while disposing her appeal against the high court order while giving her the liberty to approach the trial court.

Sibal said though the charge sheet has been filed, no offence has been made out against Setalvad in the case.

Earlier, the Gujarat government, in its affidavit, had justified its probe against Setalvad in the case saying she had actually planned and executed the digging of the graves without any permission in 2006.

It had claimed that during the probe in the case, it had emerged that "Teesta Setalvad, the petitioner herein, was the main accused, who actually planned and executed this operation of digging of graves near Pandarwada through her staff."

The government had said the other accused have claimed innocence and blamed Setalvad for instigating them to carry out the exhumation, which is a penal offence.

It had said the exhumation of the dead bodies without permission of the competent authorities constituted an offence under sections 192 (fabricating false evidence), 193 (punishment for false evidence, 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 295(A) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 297 (trespassing on burial places) of the IPC.
New Delhi: A group of around 10 people allegedly thrashed a 22-year-old man on suspicion that he was a cattle thief in south Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan area, the police said.

Iftikaar Alam was passing through the area in a pick-up truck on 7 July when a concrete mixer truck blocked its way. When Alam got down to see if anyone was there in the truck, some 8 to 10 men surrounded him, the police said.

Sensing danger, the driver of the truck fled the spot, but the men caught hold of Alam and beat him up. They even made some remarks about his religion, the police said.

Locals residents told the police that Alam was a buffalo thief and that they had seen him near their animals. Alam told the police that he he had seen some buffaloes tied nearby.

The matter was settled amicably after Alam's employers arrived there and told the men he was their employee.

However, a case was registered in the matter after Alam's brother approached the police around after 36 hours. Alam alleged that the police had earlier refused to register a case. The police said he had earlier denied medical examination.
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Cattle dont eat non-vegetarian food. So it somehow makes sense when Air India decides to stop serving non-vegetarian food for cattle class flyers.

For those who are unaware of the snobbishness that goes around in the flying circles, those travelling economy are derisively called the cattle class. The reason should be obvious: They buy cheap tickets, sometimes booking tickets when those discount offers are on, and the way they troop in and out of aircraft gives the distinct impression of a herd in motion. Of course, some travelling in the business or executive categories believe they lack in class.

From the decision of Air India, it is apparent that they consume a lot of non-vegetarian food served during the flight, which they shouldnt. Its a big financial burden on the airline which, according to some media reports, has been piling up losses to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore every year on an average. Once the travellers in the economy class on all domestic flights are made to change their eating habit, the balance sheet would look much better. Earlier, it had stopped serving non-vegetarian food to the class if the flight duration was less than 90 minutes.

Without hard numbers it is difficult to contest Air Indias decision, however, one can be certain that it reinforces the class bias already in the minds of some higher class flyers. Of course, they paid more for their tickets. But the airline never made food a point of differentiation between separate categories of domestic travellers. It would certainly have made more moral sense if it had stopped serving non-vegetarian food altogether for all. The national carrier would have appeared more even-handed that way.

It goes without saying that sitting comfort and food have always been redeeming features of an airline that manages to get almost everything else wrong. An accumulated loss of Rs 50,000 crore plus a debt of similar magnitude reveal that not everything is fine with the national carrier. It is not without reason Niti Aayog recently suggested its privatisation. The same recommendation has been doing the rounds for quite some time now. Yet, for the ordinary traveller flying Air India has mostly been an experience, food being an essential part of it. Without a taste of non-vegetarian the experience would stand curtailed for many like him. He wouldnt mind shifting to rival carriers which make no distinction between travellers on the basis of food they consume.

A better idea for the airline perhaps would have been to stop serving food altogether across classes and providing it to those paying for it. Certain airlines are already doing it, managing costs well in the process. If it calls for adjustment in ticket prices it should not be a problem. The option of snacks in place of complete meals would not be a bad idea too, considering all may not exactly be in the mood for it. This would take some sheen off the carrier as the most hospitable in the country, but in times of mounting losses and cost-cutting it can take the call.

One really wonders how much money the airline would be saving by making non-vegetarian food inaccessible to certain travellers. It would indeed do much better by sticking to its primary role as a carrier: Taking people from point A to point B with little compromise on punctuality. IndiGo has been doing much better by focussing on this aspect only, and cutting down on non-core frivolities. Kingfisher sunk, some would argue, by trying to make air travel a king-style experience.

For now, lets shed a few tears for the delicious chicken dishes we are going to miss on Air India flights. Also, the fact that some, a few rows away, enjoying it.
By Poorvi Kulkarni

Aurangabad and Latur (Maharashtra): "Pashu an shetkari ekaach vargaatle na? He samplyaashivaay yaanchee smart city chee yojana kashi yashasvi honaar?" (For the government) aren't animals and farmers in the same category? How will their Smart City project be realised if both are not destroyed?)

This was a Facebook post last month by Maharudra Mangnale, farmer, author and journalist from Shirur-Tajband village in Latur district in south-central Maharashtra. The irony was directed at the tightening of restrictions on cattle markets and what this would do to the farmer.

There is a ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter in Maharashtra, extended on 4 March, 2015, to bulls, bullocks and calves. On 23 May, 2017, the Centre notified new rules banning the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Why is this increasing squeeze on the cattle market for slaughter making Marathwada's farmers anxious? IndiaSpend travels through the rural hinterland looking for answers. It looks at why small landholders and landless farmers who own a major share of the state's livestock need the freedom to sell unproductive animals to make cattle-rearing viable.

The next part will take a close look at the work cycle of two farmers in Marathwada to understand the place cattle occupy in it.

Marathwada is a marker of India's current agricultural distress: 77 percent of farmers have no more than five acres of land, the region has experienced three years of drought over the last decade, its rural per capita income is Rs 90,460, or Rs 12,547 less than the national average.

Cattle rearing and trade form an integral source of farm livelihood in this region. Cattle are essential for agricultural work but there are also 1,614 village-level dairy cooperatives in Marathwada, third highest among the state's six divisions. Annual milk procurement from these societies was around 20 million litres in 2016.

However, there is one important fact about the economic life cycle of cattle whether they are used for milk or agricultural work: It only lasts for about 15 years of their 25 to 30-year life span.

Source: Food and Agriculture Organisation; Sheep and goat breeds of India & Guidelines for slaughtering, meat cutting and further processing, United Nations, India Council of Agricultural Research & Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Agritech Portal

Farmers, thus, need to be able to sell unproductive cattle. This is especially the case with poor farmers who need to raise money to buy productive cattle and sustain milk procurement or farming. In times of distress, droughts for example, cattle sale helps small farmers raise money for sustenance.

To tend to old and unproductive bovines and arrange fodder and water for them is impractical for small and marginal farmers of dry Marathwada. Small landholders and landless farmers account for major share in ownership of livestock, according to the 2015-16 report of the union department of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries.

So the new restrictions are making cattle rearing increasingly unviable. Slaughter traders are having to shut down businesses and farmers are giving up on dairy farming in Marathwada, IndiaSpend investigations found.

The new rules mandate a tangle of official procedures that threaten to cripple the thriving livestock markets which are intrinsic to rural Maharashtras agrarian culture.

New rules complicate cattle sale process

Maharashtra governments Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) run 196 livestock sub-yards within the 300-odd markets that operate in the state. While some animal markets function within the premises on designated days where other agricultural produce is traded, others are located in more interior areas regulated by gram panchayat (village council) bodies.

The APMC grants licences to animal traders to purchase and transport animalscow, buffalo, bull, bullock, calf, goat, sheep etcthat are brought to the market. At present, any person can bring an animal to the market for display and sale. A minimal market licence fee of Rs 10 is charged from the purchaser only if a transaction is made.

The only documentation required in a sale is an entry by an APMC or gram panchayat official in a register after the sale. A basic receipt stating the names and addresses of the buyer and seller, the sale price and the animals details is issued.

Under the latest rules, cattle sale will become a far more complicated process. It will involve the formation of two committeesone at the district level and another at the local body-levelto carry out a more stringent regulation of market activities.

Members of these committees, unlike the elected members of APMCs, will be appointed by the state government. They will hold discretionary powers to inspect every animal entering the market. They can stop the entry and sale of unfit animals as well as seize animals from their owners in cases of cruel treatment, according to sections 11, 12 and 13 of the recent Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017.

We oppose every law that destroys this current free access to market, limited regulation and freedom of trade, said Seema Narode, western Maharashtra president of the womens front of the Shetkari Sanghatana, a farmers organisation.

The rules are not only arbitrary and detrimental to farmers, but are also removed from ground realities of current trade practices, Narode said.

"In western Maharashtra where milk production is a flourishing occupation for farmers, many own jersey (cross-bred) cows which produce greater quantities of milk. But, male calves of these cows cannot be used for agricultural purposes, she added. There is no option for us but to sell them."

Leather industry and butchers comprise a huge number of buyers of male calves of cross-bred dairy cows.

The story of a cattle market that had to shut shop

APMCs weekly animal market in Udgir town of Latur district recorded a slight sag in sales in the year 2016-17 and first quarter of 2017-18. Sales had steadily soared in the period between 2010-11 and 2015-16 owing to the successive droughts. Farmers in distress often sell cattle to tide over a crunch.

Source: Data collected from APMC, Udgir

NOTE: *Figures available up to December 2013; **Up to June 15, 2017

Cattle rearing in the region has declined because of two reasons, according to officials: An increase in the use of machines for farming and a fall in the number of traders who purchase animals after the 2015 ban.

Around 10-12 cattle traders who operated out of the market here dont work here any longer because of the growing hassles they face in transporting cattle, said BM Patil, APMC secretary, Udgir market.

The situation appears to be equally worrying for farmers in Vidarbha.

An animal market that gathered at Sawal Mendha village in Bhainsdehi taluka of Baitul district in Madhya Pradesh stopped operating nine months ago. Sawal Mendha borders Amravati district in Maharashtra and served as a market for cattle-rearers within a 30-km radius in Akola, Amravati and Buldhana districts of the state.

Those who went to the Sawal Mendha market to trade their animals are now forced to travel 50-90 km to a livestock market in Paratwada village in Amravati district, said Satish Deshmukh, a farmer from Panaj village in Akot taluka of Akola district.

Around four months ago, a few Muslim traders were also threatened and beaten up when they were transporting cattle. No FIR (first information report) was lodged, said Deshmukh, who is also a member of Shetkari Sanghatana. The situation is becoming increasingly tense and difficult.

On 26 May, 2017, two men were thrashed for possessing beef by seven gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) in Malegaon taluka of Washim district.

The country witnessed 63 crimes of attacks by cow vigilantes, including 28 deaths, across the country in the past seven years, as IndiaSpend reported on 28 June, 2017. And 97 percent of these attacks occurred after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government came to power in May 2014.

People fear that they will be booked under false cases. I have decided to not nurture cattle until this law is in place, said Mangnale.

In times of distress, as we said, small farmers usually sell their cattle to deal with the crunch. When farmers are themselves in debt and committing suicides, they dont have the financial capacity to tend to old cattle and bury them after they die. It is expensive to hire a JCB and dig a pit, said Mangnale.

Govt assistance doesnt reach enough farmers

In 2016-17, Aurangabad districtone of the three districts in Marathwada with the highest bovine populationinsured 15,891 cattle. The cattle population of the district stands at 676,180, according to the 2012 livestock census.

Demand for insurance policy is huge. The target given to us was 5,000 cattle. We exceeded it, said BD Chaudhari, assistant commissioner, animal husbandry department, Aurangabad division.

Insurance is given to the cattle owner if the cow, buffalo or bull dies within one to three years of registration for the policy. The amount is estimated by the veterinary doctor depending on the animals prevailing market rate and health at the time of registration.

Chaudhari admitted that availability of fodder remained a bigger challenge in the region. A state policy that allows distribution of fodder seeds to farmers had up to 2,000 beneficiaries in the year 2015-16 in Aurangabad district. But, this is clearly inadequateof the 529,861 landholding farmers in the district, 83 percent have less than 2.5 acres of land and it is not enough to raise fodder.

Because the seeds are provided on 100 percent subsidy , a limited number of beneficiaries are selected every year based on budget availability, said a livestock development official from the Aurangabad zilla parishad (district council).

Cattle markets are a tradition that need to continue

Livestock exhibitions and markets are a part of Maharashtras agrarian tradition. Hundreds of cattle of indigenous varieties are displayed and traded every month at these events.

A case in point is the 50-year-old bull market, one of the largest in Marathwada, in Hali-Handarguli village, 22 km from Udgir town in Latur district. It functions for eight months between the Dussehra festival (October) and the kharif sowing season (June) every year. The market is known for its Deoni and Lal Kandhari breeds of bulls which are known and prized for their strength and capacity to work in peak summer temperatures.

Are these exhibits and markets also not a part of our tradition? asked Shankar Anna Dhondge, former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator from Nanded, countering the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sanghs (RSS) narrative of protecting gauvansh (cow dynasty) for its sacredness.

But, cattle commerce in the Hali-Handarguli market, which operates Saturday to Monday, has now fallen considerably. On 29 May, 2017, just before the market closed for the sowing season, only three buffaloes were available for sale against at least 100 earlier, according to locals.

The legal perspective (on cattle slaughter) itself is flawed. Farmers do not anyway trade productive cattle for slaughter, said Mangnale.

Traders say that animal markets in Nalegaon, Deoni and Udgir in Latur districts Udgir taluka bordering Karnataka might have to shut down completely if the Centres new notification is implemented. Section 8 of the proposed law states that no animal market can be organised within 25 km of a state border.

The law is made by those in cities, who know nothing about raising cattle, added Dhondge. What will those who cannot take care of their own elderly parents and leave them in old age homes tell us about taking care of our old cattle?

Moreover, Section 14 of the new rules also prohibits traditional practices such as painting of horns and decking animals with ornaments for being cruel and harmful.

"The law is made with a sense of how animals are kept in a factory. What does the government know how much we care for our animals?" Mangnale added.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the appeals of two doctors and four policemen including an IPS officer challenging their conviction by the Bombay High Court in the sensational 2002 Bilkis Bano case, saying there was "clear-cut evidence" against them.

A bench of Justices SA Bobde and L Nageswara Rao, while rejecting their appeals, said the trial court had unreasonably acquitted them.

"You all have been unreasonably acquitted by the trial court in the case despite there being clear-cut evidence against you," the bench said while dismissing three appeals.

IPS officer RS Bhagora, currently serving in Gujarat, was recently convicted along with four other policemen by the high court, overturning the trial court order acquitting them.

The Bombay High Court had on 4 May reversed the trial court verdict acquitting Bhagora and others and upheld the conviction of 11 people (one convict is dead) in the Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder case.

One policeman Idris Abdul Sayed has not appealed against his conviction.

Counsel for Bhagora said he was unnecessarily caught in the web of circumstances and had no direct role in the incident.

The bench, however, refused to go into the matter saying Bhagora was the supervising officer in the case and everything happened under his nose.

Advocate Shobha, appearing for Bilkis Bano, opposed the appeals of the convicts.

The high court bench had convicted seven persons, five policemen and two doctors -- under sections 218 (not performing their duties) and section 201 (tampering of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The apex court had on 30 May refused to stay the conviction of Bhagora.

A vacation bench of Justices AK Sikri and Deepak Gupta said there was no urgency for hearing the matter as the convicted officer had already undergone the sentence.

A special court had on 21 January, 2008 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment 11 men for raping Bilkis and murdering seven of her family members in the aftermath of the Godhra riots, while acquitting seven persons including the policemen and doctors.

The convicts later approached the Bombay high court challenging their conviction and sought to quash and setting aside of the trial court.

The CBI had also filed an appeal in the high court seeking harsher punishment of death for three of the convicted persons on the ground that they were the main perpetrators of the crime.

According to the prosecution, on 3 March, 2002, Bilkis Bano's family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots and seven members of her family were killed.

Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gang raped while six other members of her family managed to escape from the mob. The trial in the case began in Ahmedabad.

However, after Bilkis expressed apprehensions that the witnesses could be harmed and the CBI evidence tampered with, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Mumbai in August 2004.

The convicts had challenged the order on three main grounds  that all evidence in the case was fabricated by CBI, that Bilkis gave birth to a child after the incident, proving that she could not have been gang raped, and the failure to find the bodies of some of her family members which proved that they were not killed.
Cambodia: The Cambodia's National Assembly has passed a bill barring political parties from having links with convicted criminals, a move aimed at keeping the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party from capitalising on its association with its popular former leader, Sam Rainsy.

The longstanding leader of the opposition movement, Sam Rainsy, was sentenced to five years in prison in absentia in December, last year for posting a fake government pledge to dissolve the Southeast Asian country's border with Vietnam.

Rainsy was convicted of criminal defamation and similar offenses by courts generally seen as politically biased. He resigned from his party leadership and membership in February 2016 after a law was passed making parties liable for dissolution if their leaders had criminal convictions.

Following which, Rainsy forced into self-exile and under pressure from the mounting number of court cases brought against him.

The Monday amendments of the law on political parties was boycotted by the opposition, but passed unanimously by all 66 lawmakers present from the ruling Cambodian People's Party. The amendments need approval from the ruling party-controlled Senate, a simple formality.
Jammu: The Pakistan Army targeted villages and forward posts along the LoC in Poonch sector with mortars and small arms fire overnight, damaging a trade facilitation centre and police barracks.

"There was overnight heavy firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Poonch district. It continued till 0100 hours on Monday", a police officer said.

In the shelling, a trade facilitation centre and police barracks were damaged, the officer said. On Sunday, the Pakistan Army fired from small arms, automatic weapons and mortar bombs on villages and Indian Army posts along the LoC in Poonch district.

There have been 23 incidents of ceasefire violation, one BAT attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June in which four people, including three jawans, were killed and 12 injured.
New Delhi: The central government is extending all possible help to the Northeast which is facing floods and landslides, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said on Monday.

"Most of the Northeast is devastated with floods and landslides. The Centre is extending all possible help, including manpower, for relief and restoration," he said.

Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are facing floods and landslides due to incessant rains in last couple of days.

Landslides, triggered by torrential rains in Manipur, have severely affected transport links to the landlocked state with buses and goods and fuel carriers stranded on national highways.

As many as 15 districts of Assam were affected by the current floods which marooned 4.86 lakh people.

So far 26 people have lost their lives due to the floods, which have also hit 41,239 hectares of crops.

The state government has set up 90 relief camps where 17,740 people have taken shelter.

On Sunday, concerned over the grim flood condition in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and took stock of the prevailing situation in the state.

The prime minister also assured him of all central help.
In dealing with the stand-off with New Delhi over the T-Junction (meeting point of India, Tibet and Bhutan), the main plank used by Beijing is its "sovereignty" over the land. But whose sovereignty is Beijing talking about? If it's Bhutan's sovereignty, China had an agreement to not disturb the status quo while boundary talks are continuing between the two countries. But China actually did the opposite  it violated the agreement by design and at a time when it coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington, because of perceived threats to China's own expansionism.

Major General Vetsop Namgyel, Bhutan's ambassador to India, told the media, "The PLA (People's Liberation Army) started construction of a motorable road in the Doklam area towards a Bhutanese army camp at Zomphlri. We are in boundary resolution talks with China and have written agreements that pending final boundary settlement, peace and tranquility will be maintained along the boundary, and that both sides will refrain from unilaterally altering the status. Bhutan has conveyed to China that road construction is not keeping with the agreements between two countries. We have asked China to stop the construction and refrain from changing the status quo. Doklam is near the tri-junction, and is part of boundary talks between Bhutan and China."

So when China talks of sovereignty, it should be noted that Bhutan had to issue a demarche on the issue, asking Beijing to restore status quo in Doklam. The demarche, a formal statement, was served through the Chinese embassy in Delhi on 20 June, since Bhutan and China do not have diplomatic relations.

China has had designs on the Doklam plateau even though it is the private property of the King of Bhutan. For past several years, PLA troops have forcibly intruded into this area, staying put for an hour or so, and telling Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) troops to vacate the plateau, claiming it as Chinese territory. The mere fact that a vastly bigger country like China is indulging in such antics against a peaceful neighbour like Bhutan shows the extent to which Beijing will stoop to, to occupy territory illegally, slicing it off like a salami, just like it's done with India.

China's annexation of Tibet, Manchuria, Xinjiang and parts of Mongolia are all well-documented. It also wants to capture the Doklam plateau because it overlooks Chinese posts in Chumbi valley of China-Occupied Tibet (CoT). But for India, the strategic importance of Doklam lies in the fact that it not only overlooks the sensitive Siliguri corridor, but also because its occupation by China will turn the flanks of India defences in Sikkim, making them vulnerable.

China is a geopolitical bully that annexed 38,000 kms of Aksai Chin just to give depth to its western highway, but wants India to not react to its blatant move of building a road outflanking Indian defences in Sikkim. The unarmed reaction by Indian troops in pushing the PLA soldiers was witnessed by the world. When Indian troops strongly objected to the move, PLA soldiers destroyed two Indian bunkers in retaliation near the Lalten post, and also arbitrarily announced closure of the pilgrimage route to Kailash-Mansarovar via Nathu La.

A batch of pilgrims were earlier held up at Nathu La, with China fabricating a lie that the route beyond was disrupted by landslide. The landslide in Sichuan province of China occurred later on 25-26 June.

The route via Nathu La for the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage goes through CoT, and was agreed to by Chinese President Xi Jinping during Narendra Modi's visit to China in 2014, and a formal agreement between the two countries was signed in September 2014. Chin's act of stopping the pilgrims at Nathu La amounts to breach of agreement. Perhaps it also can be viewed as a silent form of terrorism, akin to Pakistani terrorists attempting to block the Amarnath Yatra.

China had earlier claimed Tawang on grounds that Tibetans visit the ancient Tawang monastery, but in 2005, it expanding this claim to 90,000 sq km, to seek out the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh. But what about the enclaves of Minsar (Men ser), near Lake Mansarovar (Ma pham), used by Indian pilgrims of all communities, and the Bhutanese enclave of Tconsists of Darchen (Dar chen), Labrang, etc. near Mount Kailash (Gangs rin po che, Ti se) again used by Bhutan and Indian nationals for periodic pilgrimages, especially when Mount Kailash is the abode of Lord Shiva as per ancient mythology?

China timed the road construction activity to the Doklam plateau deliberately to coincide with Modi's visit to the US knowing fully well that Indian troops will be forced to react, giving an excuse to China to snub India by closing the pilgrimage route to Kailash-Mansarovar via Nathu La.

China is also hopping mad that without India joining the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), its economic viability is under a cloud. But then it did go ahead with the CPEC project completely bypassing India's strategic, security and territorial sensitivities, especially considering CPEC runs through PoK, which is Indian territory.

Ironically, the current standoff is next to Nathu La, which the PLA was forced to abandon for three days in 1967. The State-controlled Chinese media is now insisting that India "needs to be taught the rules". This is perhaps because Jinping is steeped in the colours of Deng Xiaoping. China should remember that China under Xiaoping invaded Vietnam in 1979 "to teach Vietnam a lesson", but instead learnt a lesson themselves. Jinping was then secretary in the Chinese ministry of defence. Again during the 1986 Sumdorong Chu incident, Xiaoping threatened to "teach India a lesson", but eventually had to retreat.

China has backed Pakistani terrorism, even protecting Masood Azhar at the United Nations, but faced a blow when the US designating Syed Salahudeen as a "global terrorist" and exposing the Hizbul Mujahideen, If China is worked up that Pakistan is getting cornered and that terror may affect the CPEC, as some voices in China are being raised, it is China's own doing. As for the standoff, it is likely to continue for some time. India would obviously remain resolute, but what India must do is continuously target the $60 billion bilateral trade imbalance in China's favour. Chinese media will as usual say that it does not matter much, but that is again another lie, better known to the Chinese pundits.

The author is a retired lieutenant-general of the Indian Army
New Delhi: The CBI on Monday told a special court here that the copies of the charge sheet and other documents have been handed over to the accused, including Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, in a coal scam case.

The CBI told this to Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar who had earlier taken strong objection to non-supply of the papers by the central probe agency. The judge then posted the matter for further hearing on 26 July.

The court had on 25 May granted bail to five accused named by the CBI in its supplementary charge sheet in the case which pertains to the allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand.

Those granted the relief were Jindal Steel's adviser Anand Goel, Gurgaon-based Green Infra's vice-president Siddharth Madra, Nihar Stocks Ltd Director BSN Suryanarayan, Mumbai-based KE International's chief financial officer Rajeev Aggarwal and Mumbai's Essar Power Ltd executive vice-chairman Sushil Kumar Maroo.

The names of these five persons were given by Suresh Singhal, a chartered accountant, who was chargesheeted by the CBI as accused in the case but had later turned an approver.

The court had summoned the five new persons as accused after taking cognisance of the supplementary charge sheet filed by the CBI on 24 March.

Besides Jindal, the case also involves former minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao and ex-Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda as accused.

CBI had alleged that Koda had favoured Jindal group firms  Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd (GSIPL)  in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand.

All the accused have denied the allegations levelled against them and said there was no evidence to show that there was any conspiracy during the coal block allocation process.

The CBI recently filed another charge sheet against Jindal and five others, including Goel and Maroo, for allegedly cheating the government by misrepresenting facts to get the Madhya Pradesh based Urtan North coal block. They have been summoned as accused for 4 September in the case
Darjeeling: Fresh violence on Sunday erupted in Darjeeling hills prompting the state government to call the army back on the streets as Gorkhaland supporters torched a police outpost, a toy train station and clashed with the police at two places.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), spearheading the agitation for a separate state carved out of West Bengal, claimed that two youths were killed in police firing and rejected chief minister Mamata Banerjee's offer of talks.

The police, however, said they did not have any report of firing.

Banerjee appealed for peace and said that the government was ready for talks with the hill parties, but peace has to be restored first.

In a statement on Sunday, the GJM, however, said the doors for talks with Banerjee and the state government are "closed forever".

It said it was willing to holds with the Centre on the issue of Gorkhaland. "If the Centre calls for talks on Gorkhaland, we will go," it said.

The GJM also said while the Basirhat riots had drawn the attention of national parties, the month-long unrest in Darjeeling had failed to attract them.

"We sincerely ask the leaders of the political parties are we in India," the statement said.

The police burst teargas shells and baton-charged activists of the GJM and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) who attacked the security personnel at Sonada and Chawkbazar in the hills.

Two columns of the army comprising around 100 personnel were deployed at Sonada and Darjeeling in the wake of fresh violence, defence sources said.

The chief minister said, "The government has shown enough restraint in the interest of the people of the hills."

She accused the Centre of "deliberate and total non-cooperation" and alleged that it's refusal to send CRPF personnel, as demanded by the state government, had led to the present situation in the Darjeeling hills where the indefinite shutdown entered day 24.

In New Delhi, Union home ministry sources said 11 companies of paramilitary force personnnel were sent to Darjeeling by the Centre, including one company consisting of women.

The West Bengal government has its own security forces like the Eastern Frontier Rifles and the state armed police and both have several battalions, they said, adding that it was not deploying these forces and instead blaming the central government.

GNLF spokesperson Neeraj Zimba claimed that a youth Tashi Bhutia was shot dead by the security forces last night when he had ventured out to purchase medicines at Sonada.

But a police officer said, "We don't have any report of police firing as of now. We are looking into the incident. We can give you details later."

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Shamim, when asked about the firing said, "It will be known only after the inquiry."

The GJM and other hill parties have lodged a police complaint accusing the force of killing the youth.

"The youth was killed by the police without any reason. His body has bullet injuries. We demand that the policemen involved be punished," GJM leader Binay Tamang said.

As news of the death spread, hundreds of Gorkhaland supporters came out on the streets and raised slogans against alleged "police atrocities".

They clashed with the police and set on fire a police outpost at Sonada and the toy train station of the Darjeeling-Himalayan Railways, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

A GJM leader claimed that another youth identified as Suraj Sundas was killed in police firing during clashes between the police and the protestors at Chowkbazar area here during the day.

The police, however, denied the charge.

The GJM leader claimed that Suraj was caught in the midst of the clashes and was killed when the police fired on the protesters.

The Centre had said yesterday that it was keen to hold tripartite talks with the GJM and the West Bengal government to end the agitation.

With food supply severely hit due to the indefinite strike, the GJM and various NGOs distributed food amongst the people.

Barring medicine outlets, all shops, schools, colleges remained closed. Internet services remained suspended for the 21st day.

The police and the security forces patrolled the streets and kept a vigil on the entry and exit routes.
New Delhi: A man, convicted of repeatedly stalking a 10-year-old girl, has been sentenced to nearly 20 months in jail by a Delhi court.

The court, which awarded the jail term to 30-year-old Suraj holding him guilty of repeatedly stalking the minor girl, also said it was a common occurance that people tend to watch 'tamasha' (drama) at a crime scene and do not help the police in its investigation.

While holding him guilty of stalking the Class 5 student whenever she used to get out of her home to go to school or market in an east Delhi locality, the court relied on the victim's testimony as her neighbours or the passers-by had kept themselves away from the probe.

The man, who was in custody since 24 July, 2015, was sentenced to imprisonment for a period he has already spent in jail during the trial as the maximum punishment prescribed under law for his offence was three years.

The girl had complained of four acts of stalking by the man on different dates when he tried to lure her by showing currency notes and trying to induce her by giving some snacks.

The man was granted bail in March this year.

"It is a judicially noticeable fact that public persons try to avoid police proceedings and generally do not participate in criminal cases by going to the police station and courts.

"They are ready to see 'tamasha' (drama) at the spot but do not cooperate with the police authorities. In such a situation, the statement of the investigating officer that he asked some passers-by or neighbours to join the investigation and they refused, cannot be disbelieved," Additional Sessions Judge Ashwani Kumar Sarpal said.

The child's mother had lodged a complaint with the police in Geeta Colony in July 2015 that Suraj used to follow her daughter repeatedly. She had once raised an alarm after spotting him stalking her daughter and called the police.

The court said the child has mentioned four specific instances which clearly showed that the man was stalking her and had said it could be presumed that he was doing this act with sexual intent.

"The testimony of this victim cannot be disbelieved merely on the ground that no specific date, time or place is mentioned where accused stopped her and offered to provide eatable thing. It cannot be expected from a little child of 10 years to remember all these details minutely," the court said.

It said that non-examination of any other eye witness, the child's friends who were with her at the time of these incidents, was not sufficient to discard the victim's statement.

"The non-examination of the complainant, being the mother of the victim or any other eye witness in the present situation, becomes immaterial when the testimony of the child is reliable and convincing. I find no ground to reject the testimony of the victim," the judge said.

During trial, the man denied the allegations against him but chose not to examine himself or any other witness in his defence.
Ed. Nalbandian: "EU has been and will remain Armenia's trusted partner" (video)

Statement by Minister Nalbandian at the Informal Ministerial Meeting of Eastern Partnership in Chisinau Dear Andrei, Dear Johannes, Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you, Andrei, for hosting us in Chisinau and for offering yet another opportunity for the exchange of views before the upcoming Brussels Summit. On many occasions we have underlined the importance of the Riga Joint Declaration, its four main areas of cooperation, principle of differentiation and other provisions that have guided our efforts within the Eastern partnership during the past two years. Armenia has registered sound achievements: Horizon 2020, COSME, launching negotiations on the Common Aviation Area Agreement, as well as the Creative Europe, that we intend to finalize soon, but first of all, the new Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement that we initialed and plan to sign in Brussels this November. Armenia and the EU have finalized the Partnership Priorities for 2017-2020 and tomorrow in Yerevan we are going to start the talks on the Single Support Framework of the EU assistance to Armenia for the same period. Among the pending issues I would mention the launch of the Visa Liberalization Dialogue. Facilitating and intensifying the mobility and people to people contacts has been put in the core of the Eastern Partnership and should continue to remain as such. In terms of the future of our cooperation, I would like to refer to the ideas expressed by Johannes at the Ministerial meeting in Luxembourg, specifically, the ones related to the expansion of the TEN-T network, harmonization and reduction of the roaming tariffs and funding the development of the Small and Medium Enterprises of partner countries in local currencies. I believe that these proposals can be integrated in the agenda of our future cooperation, which I hope will be equipped with many other productive programs. I would also like to recall the 20 deliverables for 2020 document. It is indeed a programmatic plan of action, that outlines the prospects of cooperation within the Eastern Partnership. It goes without saying that drafting of the Final Declaration is one of the most challenging tasks ahead of us in preparations of the Summit. Armenia stands ready to contribute to the meaningful document that will reflect the true spirit of cooperation and direct our efforts for the years to come. The agreed language of the Riga Declaration may serve as a basis for overcoming contentious issues as they arise. I share the opinion of those colleagues who believe that there is no need to poison the atmosphere of the upcoming Summit with the issues that we all know can block the consensus. Ladies and Gentlemen, The successful cooperation with the European Union has contributed to the Constitutional reform process and parliamentary elections held in Armenia this April, that were praised by our partner countries and specialized international organizations. Armenia is committed to continue the reforms. The European Union has been and will remain our trusted partner in these processes. Armenia appreciates the partnership with the European Union and looks forward to the future fruitful cooperation. Thank you.
Washington: White House chief of staff Reince Priebus has said that US president Donald Trump believes that apart from Russia, other countries like North Korea and China too interfered in the country's 2016 presidential election.

On "Fox News Sunday", Priebus was asked to clarify what went down when Trump confronted Russian president Vladimir Putin about the election hack when the two met at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, last week.

Priebus said that "no matter what, Trump still believes Russia tampered with last year's race".

However, the Kremlin said that Trump accepted Putin's denial of wrongdoing, while Trump officials insisted the US president pressed Putin for answers.

"(Trump) said they (Russia) did meddle in the election. The one thing that (Trump) also says, which drives the media crazy, but it's an absolute fact, is that others have as well. And that's true," Priebus said.

"China has, North Korea has and they have consistently over many, many years. So, yes, he believes that Russia probably committed all of these acts that we've been told of, but he (Trump) also believes that other countries also participated in this," he said.

It was the first time that an official in the Trump administration formally accused the two nations of interfering in the election, backing up claims from Trump that "other countries" joined Russia in its digital interference.

However, Priebus did not cite any evidence to back up his claim.

It was not clear if he was speaking only about the 2016 election or whether he meant China and North Korea had a hand in other elections, too, Fox News reported.

Later, the White House said in a statement that Priebus "was addressing hacking generally, not election manipulation".

"China and North Korea have long histories of malicious cyber activity directed at US entities, including government, industry and academia," the statement said.

At least four US intelligence agencies had concluded that Russia led a series of cyberattacks on the 2016 election with the apparent aim of giving Trump an edge over Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.

But none of the intelligence reports officially said China or North Korea played a part in that, calling into question where Priebus got his information, the report said.

Both nations had been accused of major cyberattacks on the US before, but not for elections.
Beijing: China on Monday said that President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "no bilateral meeting" on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, after India had claimed the two leaders discussed "a range of issues".

"According to my information, the two said leaders did not hold any bilateral meeting," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said when asked about the issue discussed between the two.

Geng said Xi chaired an informal meet of BRICS leaders during which Modi was present.

He said the withdrawal of troops from Doka la was the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between both sides.

On Saturday, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson refused to elaborate on the "range of issues" discussed by Modi and Xi during their informal conversation in Hamburg.

"We have tweeted that the two leaders discussed a range of issues. A range of issues means a range of issues. I don't want to add anything further...I leave it to you to draw your conclusion," Baglay said.
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Panaji: Several gravestones in a Christian cemetery in Curchorem town of South Goa were allegedly vandalised by unidentified persons, police said on Monday.

According to Curchorem police inspector Shivram Vaingankar, the incident took place Monday night.

"Several gravestones were damaged by miscreants last night at the Guardian Angel Cemetery. The CCTV camera which was installed at the gate of the cemetery was also found broken," he told PTI on Monday.

Police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with the cemetery attack.

Vaingankar said one of the locals had seen a man running out of cemetery at around 4.30 am. "We are working on various leads," he said.

Goa has witnessed a spate of attacks on religious symbols since the beginning of this month. At least nine Holy crosses and a temple have been defiled since 1 July leading to heightened police presence in several areas of South Goa district.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had given strict instructions to the police to increase patrolling around sensitive places in the state.

Two platoons of India Reserve Battalion were also deployed in South Goa to help local police in patrolling susceptible areas.

Local police stations were also asked to form Special Investigation Teams (SIT).

So far, police have failed to make any breakthrough in the nine desecration incidents, all from South Goa.
Srinagar: The contest for the country's highest office is a battle between two ideologies, the opposition's presidential nominee Meira Kumar said on Monday claiming that the "principles and ideologies" on which the country is based were facing danger.

Kumar, who met leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana, to seek support, said in Srinagar on Sunday that the opposition wanted to make the presidential poll an election of principles.

"These are the principles which are close to my heart and to the hearts of most of the people of this country. India is united because we believe in these principles. There are so many religions in the country, so many cultures, ideologies and languages, but despite that, the country is united only because of these principles," she said.

Kumar claimed that the presidential poll was an opportunity to stop a danger that is lurking against the "principles and the ideologies" on which the country was based.

"Since some time now, a danger is lurking on these principles and ideologies and if that is not stopped immediately, then it is possible that the coming days will be lost in the dark," she claimed.

Kumar said that she had written letters to all the members of the collegium  the MPs and the MLAs  irrespective of their parties asking them to listen to the voice of their conscience and support her.

In Chandigarh, Kumar said that she had respect for rival NDA contestant Ram Nath Kovind, but the upcoming election was a battle of two ideologies.

"Earlier, the presidential election used to be a fight between two individuals. For the first time, it is going to be a contest between two ideologies," 72-year-old Kumar said. To a query, she said it was a "sad situation" that the presidential poll was being dubbed as a 'Dalit vs Dalit' contest.

"When an election to the highest office is being held, the Dalit issue is being raised. Earlier, the capabilities, merits and achievements of the two candidates used to be discussed and no one talked about their caste," she said. Kumar lamented that since the battle this time was between her and former Bihar governor Kovind, both of whom were Dalits, nothing else was being discussed but their caste.

"We are in the 21st century and India wants to become a modern country. But, this kind of a mindset is a mismatch when it comes to the aspirations of a modern nation," she said.

Kumar said India always stood up against communalism and casteism. "But now, we have been seeing that these (communalism, casteism) are being promoted and therefore, we are worried. We feel that the coming days are going to be dark," she added.

Asked about Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar not supporting her, Kumar replied that "this happens in life and most often in politics that some friends have such thinking".

Asked if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was supporting her candidature, Kumar answered in the affirmative. "We are getting their support," she said. She refused to comment on Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's assertion that the opposition should have announced its candidate for the presidential poll before the ruling NDA saying, "What can I say to this?"

In Chandigarh, Kumar met the Congress MLAs and MPs from Punjab and Haryana to seek their support for the 17 July presidential poll.

She was accompanied by senior Congress leaders Salman Khurshid, Asha Kumari, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar and Haryana Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Kiran Choudhary.

In Kashmir, Kumar addressed a joint meeting of legislators and senior leaders of NC and Congress. CPM MLA MY Tarigami was also present at the meeting.
Srinagar: The army on Monday foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector of north Kashmir, killing two militants.

"Suspicious movement was noticed along the LoC in Naugam sector last night and the terrorists were tracked till dawn, when they were challenged by troops," an army official said.

He said in the ensuing gunfight, two militants have been killed so far as the operation was in progress.

On 10 June, a militant was killed as the army thwarted an infiltration attempt along the LoC in Gurez sector of Bandipora district in north Kashmir.

A defence spokesman had said that multiple attempts made by Pakistan army to push armed infiltrators across the LoC were foiled by the troops at Machhil and Naugam sectors in Kupwara district, Gurez in Bandipora district and Uri in Baramulla, resulting in the killing of seven militants early in June.

In Poonch district, on 12 June, the army had again foiled an infiltration bid along the LoC.

With inputs from PTI
In what seems as a major breakthrough in anti-terror operations for security forces in the Valley, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) module in south Kashmir which was active and was responsible for several bank robbery cases and looting ATMs.

We have busted a module involved in a series of sensational crimes, including terror crimes in south Kashmir," Inspector General of Police (IGP), Munir Khan told reporters. "Two individuals Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, and Muneeb Shah, a resident of Kulgam in south Kashmir were arrested," PTI quoted him as saying.

The latest development assumes significance as probably for the first time in the state's militancy-infested history, the arrested kingpin of the module is a non-Kashmiri. Khan said that Sandeep was arrested from Muzaffarnagar, after the police received intelligence inputs that Sandeep was in the same house where Lashkar militant Bashir Lashkari had taken shelter.

Lashkari was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Anantnag on 1 July. Khan also added that he was also part of the group that ambushed SHO Feroz Ahmed Dar and five other policemen in June.

Recently Bashir Lashkari was eliminated. Sandeep Sharma a non local was in same house where Lashkari took shelter:Munir Khan,IGP Kashmir pic.twitter.com/8B0X2oZvnZ  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

He(Sandeep) was a criminal, he got in touch with Lashkar through one Shakoor of Sopore: Munir Khan,IGP pic.twitter.com/sEFKLoMBwu  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

Sandeep Sharma, son of Ram Sharma from UP was apprehended from Muzaffarnagar. Lashkar has become hub of criminals: Munir Khan,IGP pic.twitter.com/csiD7X6sBT  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

To the locals he(Sandeep) used the name Adil. He lived with two identities: Munir Khan,IGP Kashmir  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

According to the police, Sandeep came to Jammu and Kashmir for the first time in 2012. Sandeep worked as a welder in the state in the summers, while in the winters, he would go outside the valley, especially to Patiala.

While working in Punjab, he came in contact with one Shahid Ahmad, a resident of Kulgam, who was also working in Punjab. In January this year, he came to the valley and planned to loot ATMs and other robberies in south Kashmir," PTI quoted police as saying.

Four people  Sandeep, Muneeb, Shahid and Muzaffar Ahmad  stayed in a rented accommodation in Kulgam for carrying out criminal activities.

Police further added that the group later met with a militant Shakoor Ahmed from Sopore, who put them in touch with LeT operatives. These operatives took Sandeep's help in looting banks and ATMs across south Kashmir.

While focussing on the modus operandi of the module, Khan said that Sandeep accompanied Lashkar militants in looting four ATMs across the state. Khan also added that Sandeep and the rest of the module shared the booty among them.

While Sandeep began with looting banks and ATMs, the police claimed that Sandeep also became a hardened terrorist, adopting the name Adil, and accompanied militants in at least three operations. Khan particularly pointed out that Sandeep was at the spot where Dar and five other militants were killed on 16 June.

Police said that LeT militants exploited Sandeep's non-Kashmiri credentials to the hilt, as he did not need any identity proof to travel across the state. Khan slammed the Lashkar as a "hub of criminals" and that they have been using non-Kashmiri criminals for looting banks.

Notably, bank robberies and ATM loot increased manifolds after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1,000 notes on 8 November 2016.

With inputs from PTI
Srinagar: More than two months after Kashmiri youth Farooq Ahmad Dar was tied to the bonnet of an army jeep and paraded around the street, the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Monday gave its verdict on the case, terming the act 'illegal' and directing the state to pay the victim a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

Twenty-six-year-old Dar was tied to the bonnet of an army jeep allegedly by Major Leetul Gogoi of 53 Rashtriya Rifles on 19 April when the by-elections for the Srinagar parliamentary constituency were being held. Gogoi had later paraded Dar through the streets in order deter stone pelters and had held him at an army camp before handing him over to his family.

The action, though criticised by several human rights activists and political parties including separatist groups, was hailed by the Indian Army as a precaution against stone pelters. In fact, Gogoi was awarded a commendation by Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat.

SHRC chairperson, Justice Bilal Nazki, who delivered the judgment on Monday, criticised the action stating that even the law doesnt permit to handcuff a convict.

As far as law of protection of human dignity is concerned the law of this country as a general principle doesnt permit even chaining and handcuffing of a person including convicts, how can one approve of making an innocent person a human shield and parading him in chains tied to the jeep for hours," the human rights commission observed.

The Commission also observed that Farooq was subjected to torture and humiliation" besides being "wrongly confined".

The judgment came over two months after the case came to light and drew widespread condemnation from the political parties both mainstream as well as separatists in Kashmir.

Nazki informed through the judgment that "it is also medically established that Dar didnt suffer only humiliation publicly, but also suffered trauma which resulted into psychological stress which may remain with him for rest of his life."

The Commission directed the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Dar for humiliation", "physical and psychological torture", and wrongful restraint and confinement.

"The order shall be complied by the state government within six weeks time," the report observed, adding that the chief secretary of the state shall file compliance report before the commission within the same period.

The commission's order said that a police report accepted that Farooq was tied to the bonnet of an army vehicle and used as a human shield.

"There cant be any debate as to whether the treatment given to Dar was in violation of human rights or not. There are laws in this country and international laws which prohibit such a treatment even to a convict. Such a treatment of human being cant be accepted by a civilised society," it observed.

Dar was lifted by the Army on 9 April when polling was being held for the Srinagar parliamentary seat, the commission observed, while noting that incidents of stone pelting were reported in the jurisdiction of police station Beerwah. Farooq, accompanied by a local resident, Hilal Ahmad Magray, had proceeded to village Gampora to offer condolence and had reached Utligam, and it was from there that the army lifted him and tied to the bonnet of the vehicle, it said.

Dar had filed the case with the SHRC through Mohammad Ehsan Untoo, human rights activist and chairman of International Forum for Justice and Human Rights.

The army conduct has been draconian in the case and they have trampled the human rights of a innocent man. No action is taken against the officers by the concerned authorities and it is shameful that the office is being shielded, when ideally he should have been behind the bars. The police have already registered a case of wrongful confinement," Untoo said, while demanding strong action against the army officials involved in the case.
The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed Jammu and Kashmir government to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to Farooq Ahmad Dar, a shawl-weaver, who was tied to the front bumper of a military jeep by an army major, and used as a human shield against stone-pelters in central Kashmir in May this year, NDTV reported.

"The state government should provide 10 lakh compensation to the victim, Farooq Ahmad Dar," SHRC chairman Justice Bilal Nazki observed, The Hindu reported. The SHRC, however, refused to direct the Indian Army in the case saying, "It doesnt have jurisdiction over the army."

The compensation was for the "humiliation, physical and psychiatric torture, stress, wrongful restraint and confinement" that he underwent, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) observed in its judgement.

"I have no doubt in my mind that Farooq Ahmad was subjected to torture and humiliation, besides (being) wrongly confined," the judgement issued by Nazki said.

He observed that the action led to trauma, resulting in psychiatric stress "which may remain with him for the rest of his life".

"For the humiliation, physical and psychiatric torture, stress, wrongful restraint and confinement, the commission thinks it appropriate to direct the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the victim," the SHRC said.

The commission directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to comply with the direction within six weeks.

The judgement is recommendatory in nature and would need the approval of the state government for implementation.

"The chief secretary of the state shall file a compliance report before the commission within the same period," the ruling read.

The judgement came on an application moved by Ahsan Antoo, chairman, International Forum for Justice and Protection of Human Rights.

It was reported that Major Nitin Gogoi from the 53-Rashtriya Rifles had used Dar as a human shield during the bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on 9 April.

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat had backed Gogoi's action saying that in a dirty war, innovation is needed. Gogoi was also awarded the Army' chief's commendation card for his action.

Dar, who had filed a complaint against the army had said in May that he expected little from any institution, including the State Human Rights Commission.

A Firstpost report had noted that Dar, a resident of Chill-Brass in the Budgam district had voted on 9 April during the Srinagar bypolls amid violence that had left eight people killed.

The report further quoted Dar as saying that he had left home along with his cousin, after casting his vote, to attend the funeral procession for one of his relatives in Gaumpora village.

"When the duo reached Utilgam, a village near Gaumpora, the army stopped them and tied Dar to the front bumper of the jeep as it patrolled villages, apparently serving as a human shield against stone-throwing crowds," the report said.

Dars case of being used a human shield had drawn condemnation from people across the ideological lines in the Valley. Although this was not the first time the army had used human shields, the pictures and videos of Dars ordeal had created public outrage.

With inputs from PTI
Srinagar: People called him Adil, but his name was Sandeep Kumar Sharma. He knew how to offer prayers in a mosque and recite some verses from the Quran.

He was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday after it busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba module. Sharma, a resident of Muzzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, moved to Kashmir in 2012 after he came in contact with a Kashmiri businessman in Patiala, sources in the valley said.

For the last six months, he has been based in Kulgam district, obstensibly working as a welder, but actually looting ATMs.

The 28-year-old man, who figured in militant chat groups as 'Adil', came close to the Lashker-e-Taiba terror group when he helped terrorists loot several ATMs in the valley.

Soon Sharma had learnt how to offer 'namaaz' at mosques and recite the 'Kalima', an oath of allegiance to the religion. But he did not convert to Islam, the sources said.

From looting ATMs, he soon moved to joining terrorist operations, they said.

He was a part of the terror group which carried out strikes at the army at Lower Munda, which led to the death of a personnel, the killing of Achabal SHO Feroz Dar and of five other policemen.

Sharma became close to Bashir Lashker, the LeT terrorist who was killed recently, after he helped the terror group steal Rs 20 lakh from various ATMs in South Kashmir, the sources said.
Human Rights Watch on physical abuse against Sasna Dzrer

Human Rights Watch issued a statement in connection with the beatings of members of Sasna Dzrer group entitled Armenia: Ill-Treatment Reports Mar High-Profile Trial. Here is the full article of Human Rights Watch: (Yerevan)  Four members of an armed opposition group in Armenia, on trial for serious crimes, have alleged that police beat them in custody, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities have an obligation to conduct a prompt, thorough, and effective investigation into the alleged beatings and hold to account those responsible for any ill-treatment. The defendants variously suffered cuts and bruises on their faces, heads, abdomens, backs, and legs in beatings they say took place on June 28, 2017. The men are among 32 being prosecuted in two groups for crimes, including the killing of police officers, committed during the violent takeover of a police station in Yerevan, Armenias capital, in July 2016. Ill-treatment of detainees is strictly prohibited in all circumstances  its that simple, and no amount of anger at the crimes these men are charged with, or tension at the trial, can justify physical abuse of the defendants, said Giorgi Gogia, South Caucasus director at Human Rights Watch. The authorities have a clear-cut obligation to promptly and thoroughly investigate and bring those responsible to justice. At a June 28 hearing at Yerevans Erebuni Nubarashen district court, a police officer prevented one of the defendants, Areg Kyureghyan, from passing a note to his lawyer. Kyureghyan and other defendants protested the interference, and defendants and officers argued. Police then removed Kyureghyan and two other defendants, Mkhitar Avetisyan and Smbat Barseghyan, from the courtroom. Lawyers for Kyureghyan, Avetisyan, and two other defendants, Arayik Khandoyan and Gagik Yeghiazaryan, said that police then beat the four defendants in the courts basement. Human Rights Watch spoke to three of the mens lawyers. Avetisyans lawyer, Inessa Petrosyan, said that police threw Avetisyan to the ground in the courtroom during the argument. Then police took Avetisyan and Kyureghyan into a basement holding cell with Khandoyan. Avetisyan told his lawyer that after the police took the men into the cell, approximately 10 police entered and beat the three defendants. Police beat Avetisyan on his head, back, and arms. Petrosyan saw bruises on her client when she visited him the next day. Khandoyans lawyer, Ara Gharagyozyan, told Human Rights Watch that policemen beat Khandoyan in the same cell. Authorities had kept Khandoyan out of the June 28 hearing after the judge denied his participation for six hours as punishment for courtroom infractions at a previous hearing. He was kept in the basement holding cell for return to the trial later. Gharagyozyan met with Khandoyan on the evening of June 28 and saw bruises all over his body. Khandoyan said he had a severe headache and was dizzy. Gharagyozyan requested that Khandoyan be transferred to a local hospital for treatment. As of July 5, he had not received treatment. Human Rights Watch was unable to confirm whether he has since received treatment. Lusine Hakobyan, Yeghiazaryans lawyer, said her client, who was in a separate cell, heard screams from men he recognized as his co-defendants and called for officers to stop beating them. Police then entered his cell and beat him. Hakobyan visited Yeghiazaryan the following day and saw injuries consistent with beatings: bruises on his arms and lips, and cuts on his face. She also said that he limped due to pain in his right leg. On June 29, representatives of Armenias Human Rights Ombudsman visited Avetisyan, Khandoyan, and Yeghiazaryan in detention and documented injuries consistent with beatings. The ombudsmans office shared the findings with the General Prosecutors Office and called for an immediate investigation. Kyureghyans lawyer, Musheg Shushanyan, said in a June 28 statement to the media that police also beat his client in the cell with Avetisyan and Khandoyan. Police beat Kyureghyan in the face, chest, abdomen, back, and legs. Human Rights Watch was not able to reach Shushanyan for an interview. The lawyers stated that officials at the remand prisons, where the defendants are being held during trial, examined the four men after they were brought back from the court and documented injuries. The Prison Monitoring Group, a civilian advisory body to the Justice Ministry, on June 29 tried to meet with some of the men at the Nubarashen prison, but prison authorities refused, saying that under orders from investigators, the men are not allowed visitors. The four men have been on trial since June 8, together with 10 other leading members of the Founding Parliament radical opposition group. They are variously charged with a range of crimes, including killing three police officers, hostage-taking, destruction of property, and weapons theft in conjunction with the July 2016 attack on the police station and subsequent two-week standoff. The gunmen demanded release of their jailed leader and resignation of President Serzh Sarkisyan. The men eventually surrendered. In a separate ongoing trial, 18 men face similar charges related to the police station takeover and hostage crisis. Both trials are being held in the Avan and Nor-Nork district court building to accommodate the large number of defendants and visitors. Armenia is a party to multiple human rights treaties, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, that require it to ensure effective investigations and appropriate prosecutions and punishment of officials responsible for serious violations of human rights, including ill-treatment. On July 3, in response to the allegations of police beatings, the Special Investigative Service of Armenia, a government agency responsible for investigating crimes committed by law enforcement officials, initiated an investigation into whether officials had exceeded their authority. However, police officers alleged to have been involved in the beatings are still on duty in the courtroom. Pending the investigation, any officials under investigation should not undertake any duties related to the trials and the defendants, Human Rights Watch said. It is positive that the authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident, Gogia said. But to be credible, the investigation has to be effective, meaning that it needs to be thorough, impartial, and capable of identifying abusive officials and bringing them to justice.
Bhopal: The spate of farmer suicides in Madhya Pradesh continues unabated. Three farmers committed suicide in the last two days under pressure from banks and moneylenders, taking the number of farmer deaths to 45 in 28 days.

A debt-ridden farmer on Sunday killed himself by jumping in front of a train in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district.

Tekram Kurmi, 48, was the owner of six acres of land in Pipariya village under the limits of Garhakota police station. Tekram owed money to the bank and moneylenders besides his crop was also ruined, his family said.

Tekram went for a walk on Sunday morning, after which his family was informed that he killed himself by jumping in front of a train near Girwar railway station.

RN Tiwari, the officer in-charge of Garhakota police station, confirmed that the farmer committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. He, however, said the reason behind the suicide was not yet known.

He said the Government Railway Police (GRP) is investigating the case.

Similarly, Jhalkan Singh, 33, consumed insecticide on Saturday in Vidisha under the limits of Garhakota police station. The farmer, who owned 11 acres of land, was upset after his crop got destroyed and also his failure to pay back debt.

Shakuntala Bamnia, officer in-charge of Kurwai police station, said he had met Jhalkan's wife Rani but she did not talk about any debt.

It is suspected that Jhalkan committed suicide as his wife often remained sick. The couple has a three-year-old daughter.

Another farmer Maniram, 45, consumed insecticide on Friday in Ghusgawan village in Morena district. He was admitted to a local hospital initially and then taken to Gwalior for treatment but he died later.

Maniram's family said he was upset as he had a Rs four lakh debt and had failed to pay a Rs 50,000 electricity bill.

Sub Divisional Magistrate (Revenue) Pradeep Tomar told the media the reason behind the suicide was not yet known.

Earlier, on 5 July, three farmers committed suicide.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh has categorically ruled out waiving of farmers' loans.

Farmers in Madhya Pradesh had launched a protest last month demanding better prices for their produce and debt relief.

On 6 June, five protesting farmers were killed in police firing in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district, while one injured farmer died later.

Though the protest was called off following the government's intervention, farmers have been ending their lives over debt and other problems.

To pay tribute to the farmers killed in Mandsaur, farmers' leaders began the 'Kisan Mukti Yatra' on 6 July with the assistance of social institutions.

The Yatra will pass through six states and reach Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 18 where the farmers' leaders will speak on the "anti-farmer policies" of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.
Imphal: The body of an Indian Army soldier with a gun shot wound in the head was found on Monday morning in Manipur's Bishnupur district. The soldier was from the 4 Assam Regiment, an official said.

Suspected militants gunned down the army Havildar identified as Moirangthem Herachandra of Moirang Khunnou on Sunday night, informed police sources said.

The police said that a manhunt has been launched, but no arrests have been made yet. No insurgent group has claimed responsibility for the killing.

Herachandra's body with a bullet injury in the head was found on Monday morning from a canal between Kwak Siphai and Nachou.

Police and forensic experts shifted the body to a government mortuary in Imphal for an autopsy.

Herachandra was posted in a camp at Molcham in Chandel district. He was on leave and was staying at his home for a few days, the official said.

There have been a number of ambushes in Manipur, in which a number of army and central paramilitary forces personnel have been killed or wounded.

In the past some insurgent groups had alleged excesses on the civil population by army and central forces personnel.
Imphal: Five militants including a woman belonging to different separatist outfits were arrested from various places in the Imphal Valley, a senior police officer said on Monday.

A police team along with women personnel arrested "an active member" of the proscribed outfit United National Liberation Front (UNLF) from her residence at Warukok Awang Leikai in Thoubal district on Saturday, the officer said. She has been identified as 29-year-old Mutum Sumila Chanu.

In another development, police arrested a member of the banned terrorist outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (Lamyanba Khuman) and seized one .32 mm pistol with magazine, five live rounds and one Chinese-made hand grenade from his possession on Saturday.

Based on the disclosure of the arrested militant identified as Thoudam Premkumar Singh (30), one of his associate known as Md Manir Khan was also arrested from his residence at Oinam Sawombung.

Acting on a tip-off, police arrested two militants belonging to Kuki National Front (Indian) on Saturday morning from Langol Games village in Imphal West district.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the duo identified as Seiboi Vaiphei (30) and Sanglian Neisial (43), were involved in extortion activities from the general public and government employees, said a police officer.
Shillong: Meghalaya legislator Julius Dorphang, accused of raping a minor girl, has been appointed a member of two Assembly panels, evoking a strong opposition from a women's group.

Dorphang, who is lodged in Shillong jail and facing trial in the case of raping a 14-year-old girl, was appointed a member of the Committee of Privileges and the Committee on Subordinate Legislation.

The Meghalaya Assembly had issued a notification on the constitution of various committees on 7 July.

Opposition independent legislator Saleng A Sangma, who is the Chairman of the Committee of Privileges, said that it was the Speaker's prerogative to appoint members of the House to various Assembly committees.

"It is the Speaker's prerogative. I have nothing to comment on it," Saleng told IANS.

IANS was unable to reach Speaker Abu Taher Mondal for comment.

The other members of the Committee of Privileges include Winnerson D Sangma and Dikkanchi D. Shira (both from the Congress) and United Democratic Party legislator Paul Lyngdoh.

Dorphang, who is supporting the ruling Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government has also been appointed to the Committee on Subordinate Legislation headed by Nationalist Congress Party legislator Sanbor Shullai.

The other members include Saleng Sangma, United Democratic Party legislator Titosstarwell Chyne and Hill State People's Democratic Party legislator Phlastingwell Pangniang.

The Civil Society Women's Organisation (CSWO) has strongly opposed the appointment of Dorphang as member of the Assembly panels.

"We strongly oppose this appointment... is this what Meghalaya government awarding the alleged rapist instead of speeding up justice for the victim," CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing said.

Earlier this year, the Meghalaya Police had charge-sheeted Dorphang and five others in a case of human trafficking and sexual abuse of the minor girl.

Dorphang has been charge-sheeted under Section 5(c)/(1)/6 of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, for "committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault by a public servant and committing the same more than once".
Do women deserve to get a day off on their first day of period?

A Mumbai-based digital media company has given this query enough thought to announce a 'First Day of Period Leave' policy for all its women employees. They can now opt to stay at home on the first day of their menstrual cycle without the stress of going to work.

Culture Machine, which has over 75 female employees and runs the YouTube channel Blush, introduced this policy.

In a Facebook video, the company said the leave policy is an attempt to fight taboos surrounding menstruation in India.

First day is obviously a not-so-comfortable day for most. Its time we face the reality. This is not an embarrassment. This is part of life, Devleena S Majumder, president of the company's human resources says in the video.

Along with coming up with this policy, the company plans to send a petition to the Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi and the Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar, to appeal for a similar leave policy in companies across the country. The petition so far has garnered 22,409 supporters, according to change.org.

If implemented, this leave will comes as a relief to scores of working women across the country who have to overcome their period pains every month to go to work. 'First day of period' will serve as a valid reason to not come to office.
Mumbai: The Mumbai school principals' association is mulling to issue an "appeal" to students to avoid buying goods that are 'Made in China'.

The decision by the principals comes in the backdrop of the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Dokalam area in Sikkim sector.

"It is not an order but an appeal to students, who are going to be the future citizens of our country. I think it was necessary to take such steps as a support to our leaders," Mumbai School Principals' Association secretary Prashant Redij said on Monday.

"We have prepared a draft regarding the same. Once it is approved by all members of the association, we will circulate it in schools in the Mumbai metropolitan region," he said.

There are around 1,500 schools in the region as part of the association.

"We are checking the legal aspects of our appeal as it is not an order but an appeal. We are making it (the appeal) because we think, at our level, we should do something to counter the China's stand on our borders," Redij said.

Asked about the international trade agreements and their obligation on the Indian government which might come in the way of putting a ban on one country's goods, he said, "I do not understand it in-depth but I am aware of the fact that a blanket ban is impossible."

"I also want to know how can we maintain trade relations when the same country is creating troubles on our borders unnecessarily," Redij said.

"In schools, we teach history to students, about the India-China war, how our the country suffered from it and then students use 'Made in China' products to write the answers. It is ironical, hence we have decided to make an appeal," he said.

"There will be no compulsion on any of the students to stop buying or using Chinese goods. It is going to be an individual choice or family's decision. No school will push or pursue these issues. We are making an appeal and nothing more than that," Redij said.

China and India have been engaged in the standoff in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction for the past three weeks after a Chinese Army's construction party attempted to build a road.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.
After the railway police reportedly laughed off a complaint from a 22-year-old Mumbai woman who was flashed and masturbated at by a man in a Dadar-bound train, railway minister Suresh Prabhu ordered an enquiry and promised action against any errant officers.

Prabhu tweeted:

Have ordered enquiry in the matter.Strict action will be taken against the guilty https://t.co/8bYODQY0OK  Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) July 9, 2017

The incident took place on 15 June. However, after the woman took to Facebook and wrote about her experience, the story went viral.

On 15 June, the woman was travelling home after meeting her friends in Borivali. Boarding a Dadar-bound local, she sat in ladies' compartment which was separated from the handicapped compartment by just a railing.

A woman was seated on her left, and five other woman were also in the compartment. The alleged flasher, who was in the handicapped compartment, was facing the lady seated to her left.

The woman wrote in her Facebook post:

"I'm looking at my phone and I see him waving at the girl through the railing. He's put his hands through and has reached half the distance to the girl's face. I cannot hear him, I'm wearing headphones. I reduce the music, out of curiosity and also to see whether she needs help, I do not turn. Looking down at my phone, I hear him calling her m******d. I heard it at least six times in the 30 seconds I listened. I looked at him, our eyes met and I looked down again (sic)."

The woman wrote that the lady initially ignored the man, perhaps thinking he was mentally challenged. However, he turned to face me and repeated the action, she wrote.

The man then allegedly flashed her and began masturbating in full public view. She claimed he also threatened her with rape.

She further wrote:

"When Kandivli came, the man got out of the compartment and started walking towards the doors of the ladies compartment. Six women who could easily take him down, started yelling. I stood up and walked towards the door. He told me he would rape me. I told him to do it. (I only did so because I knew he wouldn't and because the time permitted me, so did the space.) (sic)"

The woman added that she called the railway police helpline, but her plea was laughed off by the man on the other end of the phone.

"I told the person on the line all the details. The train was just approaching Kandivli. Which compartment, what time. All of it. Then I told him that this person had also called us what he did. And then the person on the helpline laughed. He found it funny. I asked him whether they'd pick this person up at Kandivli. He cut the call (sic)."

After the post went viral, deputy commissioner of police (Western Railway) Purushottam Karad promised to look into the matter, The Times of India reported.

"We have to check which helpline the woman commuter made the call to. There are two helpline numbers: One is railway police and the other is Railway Protection Force (RPF). We will talk to the woman," Karad told The Times of India.
Ahmedabad: Amid a string of attacks on members of the minority community allegedly by cow vigilantes, a Muslim man in Gujarat has announced to sit on a 48-hour fast from 20 July to "spread the message of cow protection and communal harmony".

Twenty-seven-year-old Jabar Jat, a cattle rearer from Ludbaay village of Nakhatrana taluka in Kutch district, would launch the fast outside the collector's office in Bhuj, over 300 kilometres from here.

In a letter sent to the collector recently, he demanded that the government provide 'gauchar' (grazing land) in each taluka of Kutch district, so that cows don't have to eat plastic and garbage.

Jat, who himself owns 16 cows, also demanded that the government provide subsidy on the purchase of bullocks. He also wants the government to provide 50 percent subsidy to all the cow shelters (gau-shala).

"Though we are Muslims, we respect cows as much as Hindus do. We are pained to see a stray cow eating garbage. In Kutch, a large number of Muslims have been rearing cows for livelihood since centuries. However, attempts are being made in recent times to portray Muslims in a bad light in the name of cow protection," Jat said.

"Hence, to spread the message of communal harmony as well as that of cow protection, I have announced to sit on a two-day fast from 20 July.

"I want the government to do something concrete for the conservation of stray cows. The government should buy cow dung and urine from farmers to encourage them in keeping even non-milching cows," he said.

On the recent incidents of lynching allegedly carried out by cow protectors in some parts of the country, Jat advised them to rear cows if they were concerned about the animal.

"I wonder why gau-rakshaks (cow protectors) never say or do anything for cows, which are dying due to consumption of plastic and garbage. Instead of just attacking innocent people, these gau-rakshaks should rear at least one cow each, if they are at all concerned about their protection," he added.
Nagpur: Eight youths, who had gone for a picnic to the picturesque Vena Lake near Nagpur, drowned when they fell off a boat while clicking selfies, police officials said on Monday.

The officials said two persons managed to swim to the shore.

Nagpur Guardian Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, who visited the accident site said that the small boat carried 11 persons when the tragedy struck on Sunday evening.

"According to preliminary information available from the police, the youths were clicking selfies on their mobiles when the tragedy occurred," Bawankule told the media.

The police said that while clicking selfies, the youngsters were allegedly moving around, changing their positions and one was giving different poses, which may have caused the boat to rock and go off balance.

Two youths and the boatman managed to swim safely to the lake shore. Two bodies were recovered earlier on Monday morning and a search is on for the other victims.

The local police and National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), fire brigade and surrounding villagers are engaged in the rescue operations at the Vena Lake, a popular picnic spot around 23 km on the outskirts of Nagpur, officials said.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday asked devotees participating in the kanwar yatra not to play "vulgar" film songs and appealed to people to refrain from gambling on Diwali. Those participating in the annual pilgrimage should not "show off" during the festive season, he said in Gorakhpur.

The state home department came out with a long list of dos and don'ts for the 'kanwariyas' who began there tough journey on the first day of the auspicious Hindu month of 'sawan'. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government here wanted to ensure that the month-long yatra in which pilgrims walk barefoot with pitchers of the holy Ganga water from Haridwar to Shiva temples in their native towns and villages, would not be disrupted in any form, an official said.

Use of DJ's has been completely banned. No loud speakers or public address system would be allowed between 10 pm and 6 am. In the day time too, the pilgrims need permission to do so, he added. "Kanwar yatra is about to begin. Playing of vulgar film songs and DJs do not go with religious feelings. Also, it is improper to indulge in gambling after worshipping Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali," he said.

The chief minister, who visiting the city, located near the India-Nepal border, said India and Nepal are "two bodies and one soul" and there is a need to impart skill development training to people residing on both the sides of the frontier.

The Adityanath government has asked all 'kanwariyas' to carry valid ID cards  voter cards, driving license or Aadhaar  so that their identity could be ascertained during routine checking. This has been done to prevent any terror threats. The official told IANS that the devotees have also been asked not to play any song that was offensive to other religions and communities.

At a skill development training programme organised by the Sashastra Seema Bal, Adityanath said, "We have to give a befitting reply to those who are trying to target India by making Nepal their centre. From this point of view, it becomes extremely important to give training to Nepalese people."

The intelligence agencies have alerted the state police of a possible terror plan to disrupt the 'yatra'. The police was put on high alert. Drones have been deployed to keep the Kanwar Yatra in focus. Prohibitory orders under section 144 have also been clamped in all districts and town on route of the Kanwar Yatra.

The pilgrims have also been cautioned against changing their routes as it could lead to communal tension. The Kanwar Yatra in the past have been subject of much disdain from the people given the incidents of violence, vandalism and traffic snarls, especially on the NH-24 connecting Ghaziabad to New Delhi.

Additional traffic constables have been deployed to ensure smooth traffic.

With inputs from agencies
Pakistan is seeking a dialogue with India and wants to resolve all outstanding matters, including the Kashmir issue, through talks, a senior Pakistani leader has said.

Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's advisor Sartaj Aziz on Sunday said Islamabad wanted to restore peace in the South Asian region and would continue extending "political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris until they achieve freedom from India".

According to The News International, Aziz said, "India will have to give freedom to Kashmiris".

He said that Indian atrocities in the Kashmir Valley had reached the peak after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani's death last year during clashes with Indian security forces.

Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had on Monday denied that India was rejecting medical visa applications of Pakistanis and asked Aziz to respond to her letter seeking travel permission for the mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav who is on a death row in that country.

In a series of tweets, the minister said Aziz should not hesitate to write a recommendation for Pakistanis seeking medical treatment in India.

The remarks come amid media reports in Pakistan that the Indian Embassy in Islamabad had rejected the medical visa application of a 25-year-old Pakistani tumour patient who was to travel to India for treatment.
New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee will visit Dehradun on Monday to inaugurate the annexe of Ashiana, the presidential retreat.

The Ashiana Annexe comprises 12 low-cost dwelling units constructed to accommodate officers and staff of the Rashtrapati Bhavan during presidential visits there, a press release issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said on Sunday.

The main restored and renovated building of Ashiana was inaugurated by the president on September 27 last year. The Ashiana, situated on Rajpur Road of Dehradun, consists of the main building, annexe, upper stables and lines, and lower stables and lines with associated roads and pathways.

Built originally as bungalow of the commandant of the president's bodyguard, it was revived by the president after long years of disuse.

KR Narayanan was the last president who stayed there in March 1998. The technology used for renovation was sustainable, cost effective, green and environment friendly with provision of disaster resilient features.

Treated water is safely discharged for irrigation and non-drinking usage to ensure good health and well being of the residents, the release said.
Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had separate meetings in Istanbul with visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, as the two NATO allies are sharply divided over Syria.

The top Turkish and US officials did not make any statement to the press prior to their meeting on Sunday, but the state-run Anadolu Agency said the latest developments in Syria, counter-terrorism efforts and the Qatar row dominated their discussions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkey, annoyed at US continued arming of the Syrian Kurdish militia and involving them in the battle for Raqqa, the stronghold of the Islamic State group in Syria, has been reportedly making preparations for a military offensive against Afrin, a Kurdish-held canton in northwestern Syria.

Erdogan had a closed-door meeting with Tillerson on Sunday evening, Turkish media said.
China isn't an indomitable economic force of the world anymore. Its growth is slowing. There are troubles brewing with the economy. The dragon is certainly vulnerable to global shocks, the evidence of which has emerged time to time in the past. Finally, China's position as the worlds manufacturing hub and a major exporter to the world is inseparably linked to maintaining its image internationally. These are reasons enough for China not to escalate tensions with India, its neighbour and a hard-to-ignore emerging economic powerhouse.

Going on a full-fledged war with India, over a small piece of land that doesnt offer any long-term tactical or economic advantage to China, will be its big mistake.

For China, India is no longer a vulnerable, debt-laden neighbour that it was back in the 1990s. India has grown over years, has repaired its domestic fundamentals and now possesses capabilities in the areas of exports, manufacturing like any major country in the world. India has significantly strengthened its relevance among the regional groupings.

True, the Indian economy has its share of economic problems  a weak banking sector, complex land and labour laws and still shaping modern tax structure. But, despite these inadequacies, India is gaining the worlds attention for its future growth prospects. As against China's ageing population, India has a younger demography and the country is slowly laying the framework through a series of economic reforms to prepare itself for future growth path.

A recent Harvard study, testifies this. According to the study, India has emerged as the economic pole of global growth by surpassing China and is expected to maintain its lead over the coming decade citing that it is particularly well-positioned to continue diversifying into new areas, given the capabilities accumulated to date. Further, according to the Harvard Universitys Center for International Development (CID) growth projections, India will feature on top of the list of the fastest growing economies till 2025 with an average annual growth of 7.7 percent.

"The economic pole of global growth has moved over the past few years from China to neighbouring India, where it is likely to stay over the coming decade," the CID research suggested, adding that Indias growth prospects are now better to also due to the economy diversifying its export base to include more complex sectors, such as chemicals, vehicles, and certain electronics, the growth projection pointed out.

There are three specific reasons why China's economy managers should think twice before nodding in agreement with military for another war with India.

One, there is a high cost involved for the Chinese economy, particularly its manufacturing sector. It will face major setbacks on the trade front should it choose war with India. Right now, China has a positive trade balance with India. Total volume of bilateral trade stands at about $71 billion. In the last year, China exported goods worth $ 58.33 billion while Indian entities shipped out only over $ 11.76 billion. Clearly, China has an advantageous position in trade with India, which it wouldnt want to spoil.

Second, Indias growing dominance in the world economy and its strengthening diplomatic relations with world powers makes it a bad idea for China to confront India attracting international attention. As the above mentioned Harvard study points out, the world has begun to take a strong note on Indias growth prospects and want to engage in a mutually benefitting relation with Indians. If the Sikkim standoff escalates to a war situation, China will certainly suffer on the trade relations with Indias friends and partners in trade. The question China should ask itself is whether winning the Doklam plateau where India and Bhutan have clear geographic dominance is worth risking its ambitions to grow as a major economic power in the east and hurting own economy.

Third, China is in the midst of expanding its economic reach in South Asia through its much-hyped China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is critical to its One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative. A significant chunk of investments (at least $ 50 billion so far) have already gone to this project by Chinese companies. India has already expressed its displeasure to China on CPEC plan lay out since it crosses through the contentious part of Kashmir, which is occupied by Pakistan and claimed by India. One of Indias neighbor, Sri Lanka too has spoken in favour of India on this issue saying it is difficult for India to accept the CPEC since it passes through the 'heart of Indian interests'. China will further risk the fate of CPEC and OBOR in the event of a war with India.

In the event of a war, China's gains vis-a-vis the cost it will have to pay economically will be far too lower. Needless to say, India too will face a jolt in the economy. The point here is Chinese economy managers have a good reason to sit across the table with the warmongers in that country to think over the economic consequences of a war in a matured fashion. A war wont benefit any side.
Even as the Sikkim border standoff between India and China continues and the Indian Army readies for the long haul, the Narendra Modi government on Wednesday allowed the Tibetan government in exile  on the eve of the Dalai Lama's 82nd birthday  to perform rituals on the shores of Ladakh's famed Pangong Lake along the disputed boundary with China and pray for the long life of their leader according to a report in The Economic Times.

China reacted sharply. In an editorial published in the state-run Global Times on 9 July, Beijing warned New Delhi to refrain from playing the 'Dalai Lama' card:

"When the Indian government attaches great importance to its relationship with China, it keeps a tight grip on anti-China political activities on its soil. However, when it is dissatisfied or has conflicts with Beijing, the Tibet card is played up. But India may overestimate the influence of Tibetan exiles. With the rise of China and as Tibet becomes better off, Tibetan independence runs counter to the will of Tibetans. The space for Tibetan separatists has been largely squeezed as more Western countries have snubbed the Dalai Lama. The Tibet card is gradually losing its value. If New Delhi is pulling the strings of the Tibetan exiles' political act of flag-hoisting, it will only have burned itself."

But has India really played the Dalai Lama card? Some would argue that it has and the timing is suspicious. After all, the two countries have been engaged in a standoff for the past three weeks after a Chinese army's construction party attempted to build a road in the Sikkim sector of the border.

While India has claimed the area is under its jurisdiction, China has said the area "undoubtedly" is located on its side of the border as per the 1890 Sino-British Treaty.

And the Dalai Lama has long since been a thorn in China's side. He most recently angered them by joking that some Chinese hardliners were missing parts of their brains.

However, a closer examination of India's relationship with the Dalai Lama seems to prove otherwise. As this Firstpost article points out: "The Dalai Lama, as a young man, challenged China. His rebellion was put down swiftly and he fled to India and set up a government in exile. Though China has long accepted the one-China policy, Delhi welcomed the Tibetan monk and set him up in Dharamshala, albeit forbidding him from indulging in any political activity."

The Firstpost article further points out that although the Dalai Lama recently visited Arunachal Pradesh, it wasn't his first visit. In fact, the Manmohan Singh government allowed the Tibetan leader to travel to Arunachal as recently as November 2009. And despite loud protests from China before the visit, things settled afterwards and soon it was business as usual.

Why the conflict over Pangong Lake and Sikkim?

India and China differ on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which passes through the Pangong Lake. India has accused China of illegally occupying a part of the lake, at the eastern end of which lies Tibet.

The lake saw conflict during the 1962 war. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) personnel on boats often cross the LAC and intrude into territory claimed by India, The Economic Times reported.

Of the 3,488 kilometres-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-kilometre section falls in Sikkim. Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

China has suspended the annual Kailash Manasarovar yatra, claiming that this was due to the border standoff and alleging that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim section of the Indo-China border.

With inputs from agencies
The current deadlock with China at the Doka La area in the Sikkim sector is one fight India cannot afford to lose. It isn't just about the strategic vulnerability of the Siliguri Corridor (which is no doubt of serious concern), it is equally about India's standing as a major power which underwrites insurance to smaller nations within its sphere of influence to balance China's hostile revanchism. And finally, it is also about the writ of liberal democratic order over authoritarianism. China's rise poses a unique threat to the world in terms of value sets that a superpower brings to the table to shape the world around it. The threat to Asia is obviously graver.

The stakes are high and deep. China knows it too, which is why its belligerence is touching new highs (or lows, if you will) every day. While India's response has so far been fairly circumspect, China has been indulging in a game of dangerous brinkmanship. Short of sounding the war bugle, China has opened several fronts to bully India into submission. A military conflict looks unlikely at this stage but that possibility appears directly proportional to the length of this impasse.

A new front was opened on Sunday when Beijing's state-controlled media hinted at the possibility of Chinese troops entering Jammu and Kashmir through Pakistan and even cross the Line of Control (LoC) into the Indian territory if New Delhi doesn't back off from Doka La and let China continue with its road-building exercise in the disputed area.

This is as naked a threat as it gets and crosses one of India's most sensitive red lines. Though China has been merrily constructing roads and building infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir as part of its China Pakistan Economic Corridor, at least publicly it has referred to Kashmir dispute as a bilateral issue between Islamabad and New Delhi.

But now, the mask is off. Through an intensification of psychological warfare, China is now signaling that it is willing to barter a largely peaceful bilateral tie with India in exchange for strategic gains in the tri-junction which will eventually enable it to: a) make Tibet the economic hub of Himalayan frontier, and b) hold incontrovertible advantage over Indian army in the Sikkim sector.

Writing for Global Times, Chinese think tank fellow Long Xingchun argues that India's logic of entering China's "established territory" through Bhutan exposes New Delhi to a similar risk.

"Even if India were requested to defend Bhutan's territory, this could only be limited to its established territory, not the disputed area. Otherwise, under India's logic, if the Pakistani government requests, a third country's army can enter the area disputed by India and Pakistan, including India-controlled Kashmir", said Long who also serves as the director of the Center for Indian Studies at China West Normal University.

He goes on to argue that were such an eventuality to occur, India can expect no help from international community (read the Untied States) because they value their transactional relationship with Beijing more.

"At present, though the US and other Western countries have the intention to contain China through supporting India, they have a wide range of common interests with China. Therefore, Western countries cannot unconditionally stand on the side of India about India's incursion into China's territory," writes the scholar.

This scaling-up follows China's move (once again through its state-controlled media) to fuel insurgency in Sikkim and Bhutan. On Sunday, Global Times carried another article where it claimed to be quoting a 'Bhutanese blogger' who had some very unflattering things to say about India's relationship with Bhutan.

"It is true that within Bhutan, there are Indian military presences as declared by India. And yes, Bhutanese Army is trained by India and even funded by India. But all this is not for defence of Bhutan. It is for the security of India. In the defence strategy plan of India against China, India counts on Bhutan's ability to secure her international borders with China. So Indian military is in Bhutan for defence of India. And likewise Indian Army's recent action at Doklam Plateau has nothing to do with Bhutanese national interest or with Bhutanese Security Force at Doklam," writes Wangcha Sangey, ostensibly "a legal consultant from Bhutan".

China opened another front when it, rather strangely, issued a travel advisory through its embassy in New Delhi on Saturday, asking its citizens to be careful about personal safety in India. A Chinese foreign ministry official told PTI that it was an "advisory", not an "alert" (which is more serious) but even so, it doesn't explain why China is issuing travel advisories for India where its citizens face no threat, and not Pakistan, where two of its nationals were recently abducted and murdered.

And last in the series of threats, no less potent, is Chinese media's warning to New Delhi on Tibet. The Tibetan-government-in-exile's move to unfurl Tibetan 'national flag' in Ladakh has predictably raised China's hackles. Though there has been no evidence of India's involvement, it didn't stop Global Times in one more editorial to write that "although the involvement of New Delhi remains unclear, we hope they did not send any signal of approval," said a report in Times of India.

Kashmir, Tibet, Sikkim-Bhutan are an essential part of China's 'string of threats' strategy against India. If we study the linear progression of the current conflict, some inferences are revealed. One, China has no wish to vacate the territory without at least some concessions on India's part. Two, towards that end, it is ready to indulge in competitive risk-taking secure in the knowledge that it has a deeper ability to absorb strategic shocks than India. Three, China believes India is running out of options.

This brings us to India's response to the standoff. New Delhi has so far not budged from its ground at Doka La, neither has it engaged China in a competitive shouting match. It has signaled to China that it wishes to solve this impasse diplomatically, not militarily. As a de-escalatory measure, India's tactics are apt. But does India possess any policy of compellence? Can it force China to behave in a certain way that suits its end instead of reacting to Chinese moves?

While the army is locked in a standoff, New Delhi has gone ahead and signed a deal with Vietnam in the disputed South China Sea to drill for oil. Reuters reports that this week Vietnam granted ONGC Videsh a two-year extension to explore oil block 128, part of which covers the "nine-dash line which marks the vast area that China claims in the waterway, a route for more than $5 trillion in trade each year." Reuters quoted an ONGC official as saying that the move is more strategic than commercial because there is only "moderate potential" for oil and "Vietnam also wants us to be there because of China's interventions in the South China Sea".

China and Vietnam have been engaged in an intense standoff on competing maritime claims over South China Sea and India has of late been supplying Hanoi with military and strategic equipment including naval patrol boats, surveillance satellites, training services and is slated to transfer more vessels and missiles under a $500 million defence deal that Narendra Modi government signed with Hanoi last year, the report says. In the battle of unequals, Vietnam obviously leans heavily on India.

India has now only woken up to the fact that it can no longer avoid its responsibility as a security guarantor in the Indian Ocean region (IOR) where many countries expect it to play a larger role. Towards that end, India's move to invite the heads of 10 ASEAN nations for Republic Day celebrations (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) is a welcome sign. It indicates a willingness to be creative.

As a Times of India report points out, "Republic Day 2018 will be the first time ever that so many leaders will together be chief guests at the parade which showcases India's military might."

In yet another signal that India, under the Modi government, is taking its 'Act East' policy seriously, New Delhi recently pulled out all stops to "make Myanmar military chief's eight-day visit here a resounding success with top-level meetings, visits to defence establishments and a series of banquets", according to another Times of India report.

This sends out several messages at once. One, India is ready to equip Myanmar with military equipment to neutralise the Chinese threat. Two, New Delhi is ready to lead an 'ASEAN conglomerate' against China's rapid expansionism in IOR. And three, the larger point, is that India feels increasingly confident about facing up to China and is no longer willing to play a diffident role.

It becomes clear, when we see these developments not as isolated incidents but as a concerted effort, why this latest standoff at Doka La was waiting to happen. China feels that the Modi government is too assertive and needs to be taught a lesson. India is signaling that if Beijing wants to play, New Delhi is ready.
Beijing: India must pull back its troops from Doklam to avoid serious consequences, China's state-owned news agency Xinhua has said.

In a comment, it said that it was India, not China which was sneaking around the Sikkim sector border where armies of both countries have been engaged in a standoff.

The agency also said in the name of defending its "ally" Bhutan, India had deployed its troops on Chinese territory, and sought to remind India of the consensus in the international community to respect borders.

"The Indian military's trespass into Chinese territory is a blatant infringement on China's sovereignty, which should be immediately and unconditionally rectified," it said, noting that ever since Indian soldiers "crossed into Chinese territory" and "obstructed work on a road" in the Doklam area in June, China has lodged a series of protests demanding India pull back its troops immediately.

"India should rectify its mistakes and show sincerity to avoid an even more serious situation creating more significant consequences."

"In order to illegally install its troops on Chinese soil for as long as possible and achieve a fait accompli, India firstly claimed its border had been encroached by China. After realising its own false allegation was ridiculous, it changed its tone to its actions to be in the name of 'protecting' Bhutan," it said.

It contended that if India cannot honour a long-standing agreement and correct its mistakes in a timely manner, "how is it supposed to win the trust of its other neighbors, including Bhutan?"

It went on to accuse India of going further in "this regional paternalism" by "resorting to groundless assumptions and accusations that China's construction of the road near their common border would have serious security implications".

Stressing China has every right to build the road within "its sovereign territory", the Xinhua piece said that over the past few years, it is actually India that has been "sneaking around the Sikkim section of the India-China border".

Citing the 1962 conflict when "India's military suffered a bitter defeat" it criticised Indian defense minister Arun Jaitley for asserting that 'India in 2017 is different from India in 1962', saying he should "not ignore China's unwavering and consistent stance which has continued over the last five decades and its firm belief in the international justice that no country can pursue its security at the cost of another country's sovereignty".

"The withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam remains a precondition for bilateral peace, and China will take all necessary measures to ensure its territorial integrity.

"After all, the country should be fully aware of the legal consensus upheld by all members of the international community, that respecting the borderline is the bottom line for sustained peace," it held.
Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Monday expressed dismay over lack of courtesy shown by her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz, who has not even acknowledged her personal letter requesting for a Pakistani visa for Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother.

We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national Mrs.Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan /5  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

against whom they have pronounced a death sentence. /6  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

However, she assured Aziz that any Pakistani national seeking a medical visa to travel to India with his recommendation will be given the visa immediately.

She said a visa application was pending for Indian national Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan.

"I wrote a personal letter to Mr Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Mr Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she tweeted.

I wrote a personal letter to Mr.Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. /7  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

However, Mr.Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter. /8  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

Jadhav, 46, was allegedly arrested by Pakistan on spying charges from the restive Balochistan province in 2016. He has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism.

Swaraj's tweets come in the background of a request made by a Pakistani woman to the external affairs minister asking for her help in getting an Indian visa after her visa application was reportedly rejected by the Indian embassy. Faiza Tanveer, 25, is suffering from a recurrent ameloblastoma, an oral tumour which is aggressive in nature. She planned to visit the Inderprastha Dental College and Hospital (IDCH) in Ghaziabad and paid Rs 10 lakh in advance for treatment, according to a Pakistani media report.

But the Indian High Commission in Islamabad rejected her medical visa application, the report said. Tanveer's mother claimed that her application was rejected because of deteriorating ties between the two countries. That forced Tanveer to take to social media to move Indian authorities.

Swaraj seems to allude to the woman's case as she put out a series of tweets seemingly aimed at Aziz:

I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. /1  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country. /2  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals. /3  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country. /4  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

Tanveer in several tweets over the past couple of days had urged Swaraj to intervene. She had also posted her photo and a video that showed her tumour. In one of the tweets, she said, "Please help me save my life mam plz (sic)," and tagged Swaraj in the tweet. In another tweet, Tanveer said, "Sushma g please help me (sic)."
Chandigarh: Hundreds of personnel from central security forces and the Haryana Police were stationed along the Haryana-Punjab border on Monday in view of the road block protest by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

Traffic on highways linking Punjab with Haryana was moving smoothly on Monday.

Senior Haryana Police officers were stationed at all five protest points since early morning.

Security personnel in riot gear, riot-control vehicles and other equipment were put up at all points to maintain law and order.

The INLD leaders and activists were expected to gather at these five places later to stop vehicles from Punjab from entering Haryana under its 'Road Roko Aandolan'.

The vehicles would be stopped at five places - the Lalru-Chandigarh stretch on National Highway-1, Ambala-Shambhu border on NH-1 (Delhi-Ambala-Amritsar road), Narwana-Dhanauri border, Ratia-Budhlada road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad district and Dabwali in Sirsa district.

Indian National Lok Dal workers, protesting over Sutlej-Yamuna Link issue, blocked Delhi Chandigarh National Highway at Sadopur border pic.twitter.com/xFDDYP9IJH  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

Emergency vehicles, like ambulances, would be exempted from the protest, INLD leaders said.

INLD General Secretary Abhay Singh Chautala would go to all five protest points on a helicopter.

The INLD was seeking immediate construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab to bring more water to Haryana.

Authorities in Punjab have decided not to send buses from state-run companies to Haryana on Monday as a precautionary measure.

"As a gesture of goodwill towards the people of Punjab, our workers have made arrangements for flowers which would be given to commuters from Punjab," Chautala said earlier.

"The workers would also urge the commuters to pressurise the Punjab government to complete the construction of SYL canal," he added.

The police was likely to divert traffic on some routes in the wake of the protest.
Beirut: Syrian government forces launched an attack on rebels in a southern province on Monday despite a ceasefire, a monitor said, but state media said the assault was against the Islamic State group.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the assault in Sweida province began on Monday morning, almost 24 hours into an internationally brokered ceasefire.

"The regime started an attack on the area northeast of Sweida city, backed by air strikes," the monitor said, reporting clashes between government troops and rebels on the ground.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said the groups under attack have received support from the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State.

He said the regime had captured a string of hilltops and villages in the area.

But Syrian state media named those same positions as territory that government forces had captured from Islamic State.

"Our forces and allies captured several areas, villages, hilltops and commanding positions in the eastern countryside of Sweida after eliminating large numbers of Islamic State terrorists," state news agency SANA said.

The clashes come as a ceasefire for southern Syria negotiated by the United States, Russia and Jordan entered its second day.

So far, the deal announced on Friday has brought quiet to most of the three provinces covered: Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida.

But in addition to the Sweida clashes, there have been other limited violations according to the Observatory, including regime shelling and exchanges of fire with rebels in Daraa.

In Quneitra province, there were also reports of sporadic machine gun fire from both sides, though there were no casualties in any of the incidents, the monitor said.

Sunday's ceasefire went into effect just ahead of new peace talks in Geneva.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy on Monday urged the Central government to allocate to Tamil Nadu the entire 2,000 MW power to be generated from the third and fourth nuclear power units to come up in Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district.

Union Minister of State (Independent charge) Piyush Goyal met Palaniswamy at the state secretariat in Chennai on Monday.

During the meeting, Palaniswamy urged Goyal to allocate the 2,000 MW power to be generated from the third and fourth 1,000 MW nuclear power units of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant and also provide evacuation lines up to nearby sub-station.

Palaniswamy also requested Goyal to expedite the bidding process and allocate a separate coal block for Cheyyur Ultra Mega Power Project, provide a dedicated inter-state green energy corridor at the earliest for sale of surplus power, and abolish frequency linked penalty.
Seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed while twelve including three policemen were injured after militants attacked a yatri bus and a police party in Anantnag along the Jammu-Srinagar Highway in south Kashmir on Monday, media reports said. One of those injured is in a critical state.

IGP Munir Khan confirmed the toll and said 12 others including security men were injured in the attack. Internet services in Kashmir have been blocked after the attack.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh are taking stock of the situation. Condemning the attack, Modi tweeted, "Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in Jammu and Kashmir" but "India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and the evil designs of hate".

Defence minister Arun Jaitley termed the terrorist attack on Amarnath Yatra as "the most reprehensible act", PTI said.

The Amaranath yatri bus was from Gujarat, government sources revealed. The Jammu-Srinagar Highway has been closed after the attack.

#FLASH: Terrorists attack police party in Bantigoo area of Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/wylwQOrzBV  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

#BREAKING Attack on Police party: Cops were escorting pilgrims when they were fired on. @islahmufti with more details. pic.twitter.com/TyQ0aN4U7T  News18 (@CNNnews18) July 10, 2017

According to police officials, the militants attacked an armoured car of the police at 8.20 pm on Monday, PTI reported. When the police fired back, the militants fled, firing indiscriminately, the official added. "In the firing by militants, seven people, five of them women, were killed, and another seven injured," the official confirmed. The injured have been taken to the Army Base Hospital in Srinagar.

Visuals from the hospital where injured #AmarnathYatra pilgrims have been admitted in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag post terror attack. pic.twitter.com/lqjL6fetfd  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

The bus had come from Sonamarg. The pilgrims were on their way back after visiting the Amarnath shrine.

"Some gunshots were heard on Jammu-Srinagar Highway near Batengoo," a police source told IANS.

Reports from the area said the firing took place near Khanabal chowk (which is nearly a kilometre away from Batengoo) and the firing was still on. The area has been cordoned off and a manhunt has been launched to nab the terrorists who escaped after the attack, India Today reported.

According to CNN-News18, the police were escorting the pilgrims when the militants opened fire. However, both India Today and IANS said that the bus was travelling without any escort. The police also claimed that the bus driver had violated rules for the pilgrimage, which states that no yatra vehicle should be on a highway after 7 pm.

NDTV said that the bus was reportedly not a part of the main yatra convoy and was not registered with the shrine board.

The main yatra convoy is escorted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has now rushed troops to the spot. The report said that around 1.2 lakh pilgrims have registered themselves this year.

A CRPF statement also said the bus was not part of the official yatra and not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board, IANS said.

Eyewitnesses told India Today that no one was accompanying us. "We fled and ran till Khanabal Chowk," they told the newspaper.

Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh has ordered a probe on how the bus was allowed. "Security is withdrawn at 7.30pm, we are probing how the bus was allowed," he told India Today

According to NDTV, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah condemned the incident and said the attack on yatris was tragic and terrible. His son, Omar Abdullah voiced the fears plaguing pilgrims this year.

A report by News 18 said, in a letter sent to the army, CRPF and range DIGs, Khan had written, "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."

The report said that security forces suspect the operation was carried out jointly by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. There were reportedly three assailants, and one of them, Ismail, arrived on a motorbike and emptied two magazines on pilgrims.

The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants & unprecedented force presence. https://t.co/NUkScKdGfl  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 10, 2017

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said the attack was "an assault on our values and traditions". State minister Naeem Akhtar said, " First time pilgrims have been targeted and this is a dark chapter in Kashmir's history."

Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that pilgrims have always been respected guests of the state.

As the unfortunate news of the Yatris Killing reaches us leadership & people of #Kashmir are deeply saddened &strongly condemn it. To us ...  Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) July 10, 2017

Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee reacted to the tragedy saying terrorism is unacceptable anywhere in the world. Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Waheed Para said, "This is the worst form of terrorism." Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi also condemned the attack saying that India will never be intimidated by terrorist cowards. "I share the pain and anguish of families who lost loved ones in the terror attack on innocent Amarnath Yatris today," he tweeted. In another tweet, Gandhi termed the incident as a major security lapse, saying:

This is a grave & unacceptable security lapse. The PM needs to accept responsibility and never allow it to happen again  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Congress president Sonia Gandhi also asked for investigation into lapses in security.

Sonia Gandhi expresses sorrow over the #Anantnag attack targeting #AmarnathYatra pilgrims, asks for investigation into lapses in security. pic.twitter.com/SvsZJ8qx0M  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh condemned the attack, IANS reported. "It is not just an attack on the pilgrims, but an attack on the composite culture of the nation. As far as the Government of India is concerned, we have a policy of zero tolerance against terror, whether it is local or from across the border," he said.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad termed the attack "unfortunate", and added that the militants will have to "pay through their nose". He also spoke to the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.

On Sunday, special prayers were held near the Pahalgam base camp of the annual Amarnath yatra, marking the commencement of the pilgrimage.

The Amarnath Yatra via Pahalgam in south Kashmir is the shorter route as against from Baltal via Sonmarg in Gandarbal district. However, for both routes, pilgrims have to travel through south Kashmir, which is simmering with anger against India and the security forces.

With inputs from agencies.
Lucknow: A team of the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Monday left for Srinagar to interrogate Muzaffarnagar resident Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a member of militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who has been arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police.

Another ATS team has left for Muzaffarnagar to collect information on Sharma.

"According to information received from the Jammu and Kashmir police, Sandeep Kumar Sharma's involvement has been found in many cases. To collect additional inputs, teams have left for Jammu and Kashmir and Muzaffarnagar," Inspector General (IG), ATS, Aseem Arun said.

Sharma was nabbed from the same house where LeT commander Bashir Lashkari was killed on 1 July.

He lived in a rented accommodation in Kulgam with three others  Muneeb Shah, who has also been arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police, Shahid Ahmad and Muzaffar Ahmad.

It was here that they met hardcore LeT terrorist Shakoor Ahmad, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Munir Khan, told reporters in Srinagar earlier in the day.

The IGP said Sharma was involved in criminal and militant activities and became a "hardcore terrorist in the sense that he accompanied the LeT terrorists in three actions", including the one on 16 June, in which six police personnel were killed in south Kashmir.
New Delhi: Union minister Venkaiah Naidu on Monday rejected the Jammu and Kashmir human rights panel's directive for providing Rs 10 lakh compensation to Farooq Ahmad Dar, who was used as a "human shield" by the army during a bypoll in the state.

There is no question of giving compensation to stone pelters, he said.

Naidu said Major Leetul Gogoi, who tied Dar to a jeep to ward off stone-pelters during the bypoll in April this year, saved lives of Election Commission officials and police personnel, and the entire country "appreciates" that.

"I do not agree with them. Pelting stones is inhuman, hurting army personnel is also inhuman. I do not know how this order has been given. We are not in agreement with their attitude. There is no question of giving compensation to people who pelt stones. I have no sympathies for such people," Naidu said at the sidelines of an event.

Stone pelting is being done at the behest of "people from outside" which has been exposed by a "sting operation by some TV channels", the Minister for Information and Broadcasting said.

The Jammu and Kashmir human rights commission on Monday directed the state government to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to Farooq Ahmad Dar.

The compensation awarded to Dar is for the "humiliation, physical and psychiatric torture, stress, wrongful restraint and confinement" that he underwent when he was tied to the bonnet of an army vehicle to ward off stone pelters, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) observed in its judgement.
Kolkata: Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Monday said there is a "reason to worry" over the communal violence that has engulfed pockets in Basirhat sub-division of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district.

"Why is it happening? Is it because someone is inciting it? There is reason to worry over this," Sen told a television channel in kolkata when asked about it.

The celebrated economist is in the city to attend the screening of a documentary on him by director Suman Ghosh.

Violence erupted between two communities at Baduria on 3 July night over a Facebook post by a youth.

While he was soon arrested, violence broke out with mobs attacking shops and houses, torching vehicles, including those of police, and putting up road blockades.

Several police personnel sustained injuries as the violence to spread to various pockets under Basirhat sub-division.
Melbourne/New Delhi: It may sound strange but scientists are generating evidence to show that the solution to eliminating dengue lies in breeding mosquitoes that are incapable of transmitting dengue, and possibly chikungunya and even zika.

Several research groups globally are engaged in developing new vaccines, drugs and are even breeding genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes to combat dengue, but with little success. The approach developed by scientists at Monash University in Melbourne is radically different. It involves using a naturally occurring bacteria called Wolbachia which when present in Aedes aegypti mosquito reduces its ability to transmit dengue.

Wolbachia is rather ubiquitous bacteria  present in 60 percent of 5 million insect species, but strangely not in Aedes aegypti mosquito which harbours and transmits dengue virus. Scientists have transferred Wolbachia (extracted from fruit flies) into Aedes aegypti  not by any genetic engineering but by injecting it into to mosquito eggs and then breeding such mosquito lines.

They have shown that Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes dont transmit dengue because the dengue virus cant replicate itself due to Wolbachia. And if enough number of such mosquitoes multiply in the environment, dengue transmission in a given area can possibly be halted.

The approach has generated huge interest in dengue-endemic countries, including India. Earlier this year, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) signed an agreement with Monash University to work on the new approach in India. Research is on at the Pondicherry-based Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC) and if it proceeds as planned, the first trial of Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes could begin in India as early as 2018. Field trials are on since 2011 in Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil and Colombia.

We seed wild mosquito populations with Wolbachia in areas where dengue is endemic. This is done through controlled releases of Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes that then breed with wild mosquitoes. Our prediction is that if Wolbachia  which is passed on from one generation to another through insects eggs  can establish in wild mosquito populations in an are,a then it reduces transmission of dengue among humans,Professor Scott ONeill, director of the Institute of Vector-borne Diseases at Monash University, said.

The studies so far have shown that the method can be deployed successfully and that Wolbachia can sustain itself in mosquito populations without any need for continued replenishment. We are now developing methods for low-cost, large-scale application across urban areas. Our first city-wide trial began in 2014 in northern Australia and we hope to undertake further large-scale trials in Indonesia and Brazil, said Prof ONeill. A key objective of trials in large areas is to directly measure the reduction in dengue following the release and availability of Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes in a city.

Wolbachia is safe to humans, animals and the environment, scientists say. It is safe to humans because Wolbachia is already in our food chain, and it is commonly found in fruit flies, butterflies, moths and species of mosquitoes other than Aedes aegypti. Second, our approach does not alter naturally occurring population profile of mosquitoes, so there is no fear of other vectors replacing mosquitoes, he added.

Safety and risk assessment studies conducted by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) of Australia have not found any risk. Wolbachia cant be passed to humans and other mammals. In the Monash lab, volunteers let caged Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes bite them for 15 minutes periodically, and they have not shown any sign of Wolbachia or antibodies in their blood.

At VCRC in Pondicherry, research is focused on developing a local Aedes aegypti strain carrying Wolbachia by a series of backcrossing experiments involving Australian strain, wMel Aedes aegypti, and local wild Aedes aegypti strains. Laboratory experiments will be carried out to confirm that our strain carries all the properties (with respect to maternal inheritance, incompatibility and resistance to local dengue and chikungunya viral strains) of the Australian strain, explained Jambulingam Purushothaman, director, VCRC.

Once this is done, a laboratory cage experiment will be carried out to test the ability of the resultant strain to replace local Aedes aegypti mosquito. This is a proof-of-concept experiment and by the end of the study we would have characterised local strain of Aedes aegypti carrying Wolbachia and standardised methods for its mass rearing, he added. Pilot scale trials could begin sometime in 2018.

The Wolbachia approach is different in many ways from Genetically modified mosquito approach, which is also being experimented in India. Genetically modified mosquitoes are supposed to suppress Aedes aegypti populations as genetically engineered male mosquitoes could render wild female mosquitoes unable to reproduce, and thus eliminate the wild population. It requires the release of huge numbers of Genetcally modified mosquitoes and needs reapplication over time.

On the other hand, Wolbachia approach does not tinker with population dynamics of wild mosquitoes and needs the release of a smaller number of male and female mosquitoes with Wolbachia. Over a period of time, the percentage of mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia increases and remains high without any further releases.

Prof ONeill is hopeful the Wolbachia method could help combat several vector-borne diseases in near future. We believe this technology works for other diseases  Zika, Chikungunya, Yellow fever  which are all transmitted by the same vector.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday directed government officials to implement the crop loan redemption scheme sincerely for the benefit of small and marginalised farmers in the state.

He issued the direction during a video conference with magistrates and divisional commissioners.

Any laxity will be dealt with seriously, the chief ministers said.

On the occasion, the chief minister inaugurated the Kisan Rin Mochan portal and asked all district magistrates to upload land and Aadhaar-related information of the beneficiary farmers on the website in the next 10 days.

The Agriculture department has been directed to report district-wise development on a daily basis to the chief minister's office.
Putting an end to all speculation, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday confirmed that he had, in fact, met with Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui.

"It is my job to be informed on critical issues," Rahul said on Monday, as he admitted to meeting the Chinese ambassador, ex-NSA official Shiv Shankar Menon, and Bhutanese Ambassador Vetsop Namgyel.

Going on the offensive, Rahul demanded an explanation from the central government as to why three senior Indian ministers, including Prakash Javadekar, had visited China while the border tensions with the neighbour country had escalated.

The Congress vice-president also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being friendly with Chinese president Xi Jinping during the G20 Summit.

Tweeting a picture of Xi with Modi on a swing, he said, "And for the record, I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India."

Amid the standoff between India and China at the border tri-junction with Bhutan, Congress had earlier on Monday said that Rahul had met the ambassadors of the neighbouring countries on 8 July in New Delhi.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had said that envoys of G5, as well as neighbouring countries, meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the vice-president from time to time.

"(Rahul) Gandhi met all three of them. Nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls to term them an event like the sources of the Ministry of External Affairs are attempting to do," he had said.

It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

If Govt is so concerned abt me meeting an Amb,they shld explain why 3Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on pic.twitter.com/4FCuu9SiAe  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India pic.twitter.com/THG4sULJJC  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Earlier, a News18 report had pointed to a post on the Chinese Embassy's website that had said that the two "exchanged views" on the "current bilateral relations" between the two nations. The Embassy website has since deleted the post.

Surjewala, however, had denied such media reports on Rahul's meeting with Zhaohui as "fake news". He had also alleged that the report was planted by the External Affairs Ministry and Intelligence Bureau sources.

Congress social media head Ramya had also questioned why the prime minister did not flag the border issue with Xi, during last week's G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.

The reports come in the wake of India's face-off with Chinese troops in Doka La, a disputed territory between China and Bhutan. Tensions from the long-drawn standoff have been rising as Beijing stated that Xi will not be meeting Modi at the G20 Summit.
The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday issued notices to top central and state officials in connection with a political meeting addressed by BJP chief Amit Shah within the Dabolim International airport premises on 1 July.

The court issued notices to the secretary of civil aviation ministry and the Goa chief secretary, among others, asking them to submit a written explanation within three weeks.

Justice FM Reis and Justice Nutan Sardessai issued the notices following a petition by a city lawyer, who had alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party meeting by Shah was held at the Goa airport, which is operated from an Indian Naval Base.

The petitioner had alleged that Shah's meeting was illegal and conducted in contravention of laws.

"Notices have also been issued to Goa director general of police, Goa airport director and deputy commandant of central industrial security force asking them about how the meeting was conducted at an airport," petitioner Aires Rodrigues told reporters in Panaji on Monday.

The petition sought a thorough probe into the manner in which the meeting was allowed to be conducted at the airport which functions out of an Indian Naval Base INS Hansa, the petitioner said.
Amid speculations that the Bihar Mahagathbandhan is going through a frosty phase, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has dealt another blow to the Opposition's unity talk by deciding to skip the joint meeting to be held in Delhi.

According to a report in NDTV, Nitish is likely to skip the Opposition parties' meet to pick the vice presidential candidate in the upcoming presidential polls. The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday in New Delhi, will be attended by 17 Opposition parties and will be chaired by Indian National Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The report, however, stated that Nitish is likely to nominate another senior leader, preferably Sharad Yadav, to attend the meet on his behalf.

Nitish has worked out the perfect alibi to excuse himself from the meeting on account of the Janata Dal United (JD(U)) legislators' meeting that he is scheduled to chair in Patna on Tuesday.

Nitish had earlier created flutters by breaking ranks with his allies  Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress  to support National Democratic Alliance presidential pick Ram Nath Kovind. The rumours had rocked the Bihar grand alliance, forcing JD(U) leaders to come out with clarification that Nitish's support to NDA in the presidential polls was a one-off incident and that the grand alliance was rock solid.

Nitish had also defended his stand stating that his support for Kovind was owing to the fact that he was his state's governor, and that he wouldn't stymie his chance of becoming the next president by supporting another candidate. He had also said that the Opposition took too long in choosing a candidate. The Congress, however, is all set to trump BJP this time by announcing its vice presidential nominee before the saffron party to woo Nitish's support.

Meanwhile, Nitish, who is reportedly unwell, had also cancelled all public engagements scheduled for Monday, but political pundits continue to see his moves in a political light. The ties within the Mahagathbandhan are also strained over Friday's CBI raids on Lalu Prasad Yadav's family homes and the subsequent FIR naming him and his family members. The CBI FIR also names Lalu's son Tejashwi Yadav, who is the deputy chief minister of Bihar. The Opposition in Bihar has lapped up the opportunity to demand his resignation.

While Congress and RJD had extended their support to Tejashwi, with Lalu's party announcing that Tejashwi wouldn't resign, Nitish is, however, reportedly upset with Tejashwi's decision to not step down as the deputy chief minister. A source told NDTV that it was the prerogative of the chief minister to remove or keep a minister in the cabinet.

Nitish had returned to Patna on Sunday after spending three days in Rajgir, away from Patna where the political climate had heated up following the CBI raids. However, the Bihar chief minister has so far given no signals to clarify his party's stand on the issue.
The recent CBI raids on the business interests of Lalu Prasad Yadav and sons have set off a chain of events that could culminate in the political decimation of the Congress and the end of the RJD, at least as a family-owned enterprise.

Ironically, it is Nitish Kumar who may end up dismantling the two parties and their dynasties before the next Lok Sabha polls, helping, intentionally or otherwise, the BJP in annihilating its arch rivals.

The Yadav family is in deep trouble because it has actually made the mistake of owning up a controversial transaction, linking it to not just to Rabri Devi but also to half of his clan and political scion Tejashwi.

A chain of transactions establishes that the Yadav family is the ultimate beneficiary of a controversial land transaction in Patna. According to the CBI, the land in Patna, measuring around two acres, was transferred to the Yadavs by Harsh and Vinay Kochar, whose firm was allegedly favoured by the Ministry of Railways under Lalu Yadav. The land, according to the CBI, was transferred to Delight Constructions, a private limited company that was later converted into a partnership between Rabri, Tejashwi and Tej Pratap, as a quid-pro-quo by Kochars.

Establishing a quid-pro-quo deal takes a lot of time. But, such is the maze of shady transactions involving the land deal that the Yadavs would find it difficult to throw the CBI off their trail. And this is where the problems for the RJD parivar begin.

Several years ago, when Lalu Yadav was chargesheeted in the fodder scam, he was able to keep the dynasty and the party alive by transferring power to his wife and gradually to Tejashwi. But he may not have this luxury again.

The Patna land deal not only involves Rabri Devi and the two sons but also his daughters Ragini and Chanda, who were directors in Lara Projects Private Limited, the company that was later turned into a partnership firm.

What does this imply theoretically? The involvement of the Yadav clan in the deal means that if the CBI is able to prove its charges, half of the RJD parivar may get chargesheeted, and, later, indicted or jailed, a possibility that could lead to their disqualification from contesting polls. If that happens, it would certainly be the end of the Yadav dynasty in Bihar.

But, the clear and present danger for the Yadavs is from their ally and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He has called a meeting of the JD(U) on Tuesday in a bid to build pressure on Tejashwi to resign as deputy chief minister till his name is cleared. According to several reports, Kumar doesn't want the taint of corruption on his government and is eager that Tejashwi goes on his own, without forcing the chief minister to take action. Meanwhile, RJD leaders met on Monday and later in a press conference announced that Tejashwi will not resign despite the corruption charges levelled against him.

Ever since the CBI raided Lalu Yadav's home and offices, Kumar has been silent. Unlike the Congress, which called the raids political vendetta, Kumar has been watching the drama unfold, leaving his partners guessing.

Analysts believe Kumar is getting ready to snap ties with both the Congress and the RJD before the next elections. He is aware of the risks of being associated with a scam-tainted partner, a label that would be detrimental to his image of Sushashan Babu. But, before he walks out of the Mahagathbandhan, he would have ensured that the Yadavs die a slow political death and face the CBI probe.

So, how does this impact the Congress?

The end of Mahagathbandhan would certainly be the end of the Opposition's plan to stop the BJP from returning in 2019. In the 2014 elections, a divided Opposition fared miserably in the Lok Sabha, with the JD(U) winning just two seats, the RJD four and the Congress drawing a blank. The united Opposition hopes to repeat its 2015 Assembly election performance in 2019, taking away a large chunk of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar from the BJP. But, if the Mahagathbandhan dies and, more importantly, if the JD(U) joins the NDA, the Opposition can bid goodbye to Bihar. The Opposition parties, even if they join hands, would be left to vie for the 31 percent Yadav and Muslim voters, leaving them with very little chance of repeating 2015.

Both the Yadavs and the Congress need Kumar's unwavering support to survive the current cycle of setbacks and avoid a rout in the next election. With Kumar maintaining a deafening silence and biding his team for the decisive move away from the Mahagathbandhan, the future looks bleak for Lalu and sons and the Congress.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar on Monday came out in support of their leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family after the CBI raids at the former Bihar chief minister's homes on Friday. The RJD leaders met on Monday to discuss various issues and in a press conference held later decided that Lalu's son and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav will not resign despite the corruption charges levelled against him

"We are being hounded by the BJP and the RSS for exposing the central government's failures. But we will not be cowed down. We will continue to fight BJP and RSS," said senior RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui.

Tejashwi Yadav will not resign as Deputy CM: RJD after party meet #Bihar  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

One of the many issues that were on agenda at the RJD meet on Monday was to counter Opposition's call to sack Tejashwi from the Cabinet. Several MLAs supported Lalu and his family. A report in India Today quoted RJD MLA Arun Yadav who said that Tejashwi should continue as deputy chief minister and even projected him as the next Chief Minister of Bihar.

"There is no need for Tejashwi Yadav to resign. He is the next Chief Minister of Bihar. CBI raids have been conducted to demoralise Lalu Yadav... manner in which freedom fighters gave a call of Quit Indian to Britishers, similarly we are also giving a call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to quit India", said Arun Yadav.

Another MLA Lalit Yadav also supported Tejashwi and appealed to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar not to sack him. He asked, "Why is Uma Bharti continuing in PM Modi's cabinet despite being chargesheeted in the Ayodhya case. We want Nitish Kumar not to sack Tejashwi Yadav". RJD leaders also added that Nitish should not act in haste and rather wait for a formal charge against Tejashwi.

Meanwhile, a report in NDTV quoted sources close to Nitish and said that the Bihar chief minister was not too happy with Tejashwi's decision to not step down as the deputy chief minister. The source further told NDTV that it was the prerogative of the chief minister to remove or keep a minister in the Cabinet. Congress apparently has backed Nitish on this, the report added.

Nitish will meet with JD(U) legislators on Tuesday amid reports of strained ties in the Bihar grand alliance. The meetings are expected to end speculation on the future of the Bihar alliance and shed some light on JD(U)'s formal stand on the issue.

So far, Nitish and his party have maintained a stoic silence on the issue. After Friday's CBI raids, BJP raised the pitch to sack Tejashwi, who is also under the CBI scanner.

Nitish cancelled a public interface event and the subsequent press conference lined up on Monday, citing health reasons, however the move has triggered speculation that he is avoiding the media on the alleged strained ties within the Mahagathbandhan.

However, various media reports suggested that the JD(U) has been scrambling to put together a strategy to push back to the Opposition's mounting pressure. The ideal solution in this case would be if Tejashwi himself offers to resign on moral grounds, JD(U) sources reportedly said, The Indian Express article reported.

With inputs from agencies
The Congress party's flip-flop on Rahul Gandhi's meeting with Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui indicates yet again that the grand old party is rudderless. It remains clueless about what position to take in public even when it directly concerns the Congress vice-president.

The party first denied that the Chinese ambassador met Rahul. Its communication department in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala who is believed to be close to the party vice-president termed it "fake news" and called the television channels which aired the news as "bhakts". The party later, however, made an embarrassing U-turn and confirmed Rahul's "normal courtesy meeting" with the Chinese envoy.

The two contradictory statements came from the same person  Surjewala. To his credit, he remained completely unfazed throughout the gaffe.

It all began with a brief posted on the official website of the Chinese Embassy on Monday stating: "On 8 July, Ambassador Luo Zhaohui met with Rahul Gandhi, vice-chairman of the Congress party and exchanged views on current Sino-Indian relations." Meanwhile, according to a Firstpost Hindi report, the embassy website has since deleted the post.

As soon as the news hit the headlines, the Congress party spokespersons went on an overdrive to deny it. Anyone who understands the functioning of political parties would know that spokespersons would not dare to call the news "fake" or "planted" or aired by "bhakts" without the clearance from Rahul or some other top boss. Similarly, the volte-face on the issue came from the top. It can't be the doing of only the spokespersons.

Moreover, after Congress denied Rahul's meeting with Luo Zhaohui, the Chinese embassy deleted the post.

This is what Surjewala tweeted in the morning, hours before he had to confirm the meeting:

Before MEA & IB sources plant news with 'Bhakts', they should reverify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours.2/n  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 10, 2017

A wanting to be 'Bhakt' channel will not question 3 Union Ministers visiting China or PM's bonhomie & praise at G20 yet run fake news!  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 10, 2017

The Congress party does not realise that its afternoon bravado of "what's wrong with Rahul Gandhi meeting with Chinese envoy" and counting the names of Union ministers who recently visited China to enhance bilateral cooperation fails to cut ice. The Congress once again made a mockery of its leader and the party. The problem for Rahul was perhaps the timing of the meeting. On 7 July, he had tweeted lampooning Narendra Modi, "Why is our Prime Minister silent on China?"

Why is our Prime Minister silent on China?  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 7, 2017

Amid the border standoff and with some Chinese officials warning India of severe consequences, the Congress vice-president met the Chinese envoy. Nothing wrong in that. Despite the tension on the border, Modi did have a brief meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

Only Rahul can explain why he wanted to be so secretive about his meeting with the Chinese envoy. He has to explain why the party denied the meeting and later decided to confirm it, landing itself into yet another controversy. What transpired in the meeting is anybody's guess.

A few years ago, Rahul's meeting with then American envoy Timothy Roemer generated enough controversy in domestic politics. In December 2010, WikiLeaks revealed that the Congress vice-president told the latter that Hindu extremist groups could pose a greater threat to his country than Muslim militants.

Jason Burke wrote in The Guardian: "Gandhi, who is considered a likely prime ministerial candidate, warned Timothy Roemer that though there was evidence of some support for (Islamist group Lashkar-e-Taiba) among certain elements in India's indigenous Muslim community, the bigger threat may be the growth of radicalised Hindu groups, which create religious tensions and political confrontations with the Muslim community".

It is perhaps why the Congress went on an overdrive to stress that Rahul was mindful of the national position and standoff at the Indo-China border.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged the political parties in the Darjeeling hills to return to the path of peace and sit with the government for talks.

"The government is ready for talks with the hill parties, but peace has to be ushered in. The government has shown enough restraint in the interest of the people of the hills. Peace has to return to the hills," she said here.

"If peace returns in the next 10-15 days, I can call the hill parties for talks. But, let us restore peace first," she added.

Banerjee said schools and colleges remained closed in Darjeeling, the people there were not getting enough food and other essential commodities and alleged that the leaders of the hill parties, however, were getting their supplies "from Sikkim and Nepal".

The state government, she added, would send food to the people of the hills.

The chief minister accused the Centre of "deliberate and total non-cooperation" in the matter and alleged that its refusal to send CRPF personnel, as demanded by the West Bengal government, had led to the current situation in the Darjeeling hills, where an indefinite shutdown, called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and backed by the other political parties in the hills, entered its 24th day on Monday.

"The Darjeeling problem had erupted on 8 June and a month has passed since. Had the CRPF personnel been sent in time, this would not have happened," she said.

Banerjee claimed that as the state police did not have enough personnel to tackle the situation in the hills, the assistance of the central forces was sought.

"The Centre sent seven companies, out of which three were from the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). They have been completely inactive. They can only wield lathis with no power," she said.

Banerjee alleged that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre had "perpetrated" the problems in Kashmir and was now "trying to destabilise" the hills.

"The Centre must cooperate. The state will also. Politics and governance are different," she said.

The chief minister claimed that certain decisions of the Centre such as demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) were nothing but "big corruptions".

"These will be exposed once the BJP is not in power," she claimed.
Panaji: The opposition Congress on Monday demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should probe recent incidents of desecration of religious places in Goa.

"I demand CBI inquiry into desecration of religious places. Whether it is a religious structure of Christians, Muslims or Hindus, such attacks cannot be tolerated," Goa

Congress chief Shantaram Naik said in Panaji.

He was speaking to reporters after meeting state Director General of Police Muktesh Chandar.

Police department is capable of investigating these cases but is likely to get "pressurised", Naik claimed.

"The CBI, being a neutral agency, would be able to investigate these cases better," the Congress leader said.

Several gravestones were damaged by unidentified persons at Curchorem in South Goa district yesterday night.

At least nine holy crosses and a temple have been vandalised by unidentified persons in South Goa district since July 1.

Naik also criticised chief minister Manohar Parrikar for not handing over the charge of home department to some other minister before leaving for the US.

The Congress wasn't against his foreign tour, but since he left amid incidents of attack on religious places, Parrikar should have handed over the responsibility of home department to somebody, Naik said.
Darjeeling has been on the boil ever since the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government decided to make Bengali language compulsory in schools. The decision infuriated the native Nepali-speaking Gorkha population in north Bengal, as the demand for Gorkhaland gained renewed traction.

On 15 June, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) called for an indefinite shutdown to seek a separate Gorkhaland state, which continues till date. In turn, the state government also suspended internet services after the shutdown. While the deadlock between the state government and the protesters has affected the day-to-day lives in the tourist town since June, the last few days, especially, has also seen a rise in violence across the hills.

5 July

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists clashed with police in Kalimpong district. The clash was triggered by pelting of stones and bottles at the police by GJM youth supporters who were participating in a rally in support of Gorkhaland, forcing the police to fire tear gas and use batons to disperse the protesters. A ticket counter of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation was also set ablaze by GJM activists in Kalimpong.

While police denied firing at protesters, the GJM claimed that police fired several rounds, injuring three activists including an ex-army official.

GJM supporters also hurled petrol bombs at a TMC party office in the town, after which firefighters were immediately called in. However, by the time they arrived, the ground floor of the party office had already been gutted completely.

6 July

The GJM called for an all-party meeting on the Gorkhaland issue, which was attended by all parties of the Darjeeling hill. After the meeting, the parties decided to continue with the indefinite shutdown. The parties stated that people want it to go on till their dream of a separate Gorkhaland state is achieved.

"There was intense debate on whether to continue the shutdown or not. But most of the members of the GMCC were in favour of continuing the shutdown. People of the hills want this to continue till the dream of Gorkhaland is achieved," Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh president Sukhman Moktan told PTI.

7 July

The Darjeeling crisis reached the Calcutta High Court, with the court asking the Centre whether it was serious about quelling the protests. "Given the geo-political area in which it lies, doesn't the Centre think this agitation be quelled immediately?," asked acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre while hearing a plea for restoration of normalcy in the Darjeeling hills.

The division bench of acting Chief Justice Mhatre and Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty directed the West Bengal government officials to sit with the Ministry of Home Affairs to sort out the requirements for paramilitary forces on the basis of ground conditions.

Expressing displeasure at the state and the Centre sparring over the requirement of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) in the restive Darjeeling hills, the bench observed, "The situation can improve only if both of you sit together and sort out the issues."

The court asked the Centre and the state government to reach a meaningful understanding over CAPF requirement before 11 July, when the matter would be heard next.

On the same day, the central government said that it was keen on holding tripartite talks with the GJM and the West Bengal government to end the ongoing agitation in the Darjeeling hills.

"We want to hold dialogue with the agitating organisations to ensure peace returns to Darjeeling. In the talks, the West Bengal government's presence is necessary as law and order is a state subject," a home ministry official said.

The development came just four days after the GJM asked central government to initiate a dialogue on the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland, saying the current agitation was not a mere law and order problem.

8 July

In an attempt to bring back normalcy in violence-affected areas in West Bengal, a group of people, including retired army generals, ambassadors and judges, met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and sought his intervention.

The delegation included Justice (retd) SN Dhingra, former Delhi commissioner of police RS Gupta, former Sikkim DGP RK Handa, Maj. Gen. (retd) Dhruv Katoch and former ambassador Vidyasagar Verma.

Meanwhile, GJM activists went on a rampage after Tasi Bhutia (30) died during a sudden flare up at Sonada in Darjeeling district in which a number of vehicles were vandalised allegedly by Gorkhaland activists.

"An innocent Gorkhaland supporter has been shot dead... We are deeply hurt and shaken to the core," GNLF leader Neeraj Zimba had said.

However, the police denied the allegation. Backing the police, state tourism minister Gautam Deb had said,"The allegation that Bhutia died in police firing is completely false."

Two government offices, including one belonging to the Food and Supply Department, were also vandalised in Darjeeling.

As news of the death spread, hundreds of Gorkhaland supporters came out on the streets and raised slogans against alleged "police atrocities".

They clashed with the police and set on fire a police outpost at Sonada and the toy train station of the Darjeeling-Himalayan Railways, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The police had to use teargas shells against GJM and Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) activists, who attacked the security personnel at Sonada and Chawkbazar.

With a rise in violence, the army was redeployed across the hills. Two columns of the army comprising around 100 personnel were deployed at Sonada and Darjeeling in the wake of fresh violence, defence sources said.

Mamata government's long-standing friction with the Narendra Modi-led Centre was clearly visible as the state government accused the Centre of "deliberate and total non-cooperation" and alleged that its refusal to send CRPF personnel, as demanded by the state government led to the crisis. However, the home ministry said that 11 companies of paramilitary force personnel were sent to Darjeeling, including one company consisting of women.

9 July

The Gorkhaland protests also affected Sikkim badly, as National Highway 10, the state's only link to India, came under attack from protesters. Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling spoke to the home minister over the prevailing situation. Singh assured the Sikkim government that the Centre will ensure the security of the national highway.

Singh also directed Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi to coordinate with the West Bengal administration and ensure the safety, security and smooth traffic on NH 10, which connects Siliguri in West Bengal with Sikkim capital Gangtok.

The protests also reached the national capital as supporters of the Gorkhaland movement marched to Jantar Mantar to reinforce their demand for a separate state and the immediate imposition of President's Rule in West Bengal.

"The West Bengal government is treating common people like terrorists and killing them. The central government should remove paramilitary forces and terminate the services of the Director General of Police," GSSS president Kiran BK told PTI.

Even as sporadic incidents of violence and arson rocked Darjeeling following a pro-Gorkhaland activist's death allegedly in police firing, the ruling TMC blamed "foreign hand" for the unrest while slamming BJP for trying to "break" the state.

"The central government has been on a non-cooperation mode with the state and some of the central agencies are interfering, which is against the federal structure. There is a conspiracy to disturb Bengal and the international borders of the state. We have on several occasions requested for the deployment of the central forces. Had they been deployed timely, the current situation could have been avoided,"Mamata said at the state secretariat Nabanna.

Dubbing the pro-Gorkhaland agitation as "pre-planned" and "planted," Mamata added, "Some of the foreign forces which have good relations with the BJP have indulged in the agitation in Darjeeling."

While Mamata appealed for peace and said that the government was ready for talks with the hill parties, the GJM, however, said the doors for talks with Banerjee and the state government are "closed forever".

With inputs from agencies
Nandakumar: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre of smuggling in foreigners from across the international border to perpetrate violence the state.

Banerjee asserted that the international border was for the Central government to look after, but the Centre instead was "opening the gates and letting outsiders enter the country to conspire and cause violence."

"You (Centre) had opened up the border and let them enter the state and now you are asking the state to submit report. It's because we are in the government that we have been able to keep the people calm despite such conspiracy against us," she claimed.

"Both the central and state governments are elected by the people. Then why is the central government conspiring against a state government? Why are they spreading lies against a state? I want an answer to this," Banerjee said while speaking at a programme.

She also claimed her state was getting no cooperation from the Centre in any matter.

"I am very saddened to say that there has been non-cooperation from them (Centre). Despite the court order, no force has been deployed in Darjeeling," she added.

Reiterating that West Bengal has never supported division among people, the TMC supremo went on to accuse the Centre of doing so.

"We (West Bengal) do not want to create division among people. Delhi does that but not West Bengal. Delhi has to follow West Bengal in how to progress forward with every religion if they want to be in power," she said.

Banerjee also said a politics of dividing West Bengal was being played out and the BJP was behind it.

"Playing divisive politics in West Bengal will not be an easy task. We have a history of that. There have been people who are coming from outside the state and trying to instigate riots here," she said hinting at outsiders' hand in Darjeeling hills unrest and Baduria riots.

The BJP has been using social networking sites to spread lies using purported photographs in spreading riots in West Bengal, she further said.
Amid reports of strained ties in the Bihar grand alliance, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav have called separate meetings of legislators of their respective parties to decide their future course on the situation arising out of the Friday's CBI raids on Prasad and his family.

Nitish will chair a meeting of the Janata Dal United (JD(U)) legislators on Tuesday, while Prasad is scheduled to huddle up with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders later on Monday, according to The Indian Experss. The meetings are expected to end speculation on the future of the Bihar alliance and shed some light on JD(U)'s formal stand on the issue.

So far, Nitish and his party have maintained a studied silence on the issue, especially when the BJP is out cornering the Bihar government and raising the pitch to sack deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, who is also under the CBI scanner.

Nitish had returned to Patna on Sunday after spending three days in Rajgir, away from the Bihar capital where the political climate had heated up following the CBI raids on the RJD chief and his family. However, the Bihar chief minister has so far given no signals to clarify his party's stand on the issue.

Nitish has even cancelled a public interface event and the subsequent press conference lined up on Monday, citing health grounds, however the move has triggered speculation that he is avoiding the media on the alleged strained ties within the Mahagathbandhan.

However, various media reports suggested that the JD(U) has been scrambling to put together a strategy to push back to the Opposition's mounting pressure.

The ideal solution in this case would be if Tejashwi himself offers to resign on moral grounds, JD(U) sources reportedly said, The Indian Express article reported.

However, a report in The Financial Express, stated that even though Nitish wants Lalu to take a call on Tejashwi's future in the Bihar Cabinet, he will not refrain from sharing his views with his alliance partner. The RJD has so far maintained that there was no need for Tejashwi's resignation.

Another report in Hindustan Times, suggested that back channel parleys were already underway as leaders of ruling grand alliance are negotiating an amicable middle path to deal with the situation arising from Tejashwi's name cropping up in the FIR relating to graft charges.

"The RJD emissaries are reported to have tried to impress upon JD (U) leadership to accept the line that the CBI FIR against Yadav should be accepted as politically motivated case, instead of being treated as a direct case of corruption," the report reads.

Congress, another ally in the grand alliance has already extended its supported to the RJD chief and his family, accusing the BJP of "conspiring to bulldoze secular parties" by misusing the state machinery. "We are with Lalu. We understand this conspiracy by the BJP," Congress' Sadanand Singh told IANS.

However, matters are far from simplified for the JD(U), with its former ally BJP constantly reminding the ruling party of it's zero tolerance policy on corruption, questioning whether Nitish had a different pair of lenses to view opponents and allies.

"Now it is high time Nitish Kumar breaks his silence," said BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi, who has welcomed the CBI raids on Lalu Prasad's residence and 12 other places over a fresh case of alleged irregularities in awarding tender for the maintenance of hotels. He reminded the press that it was Nitish Kumar, who had raised this corruption case first time in 2008.

The CBI has registered the case against Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Tejaswi Yadav, former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Managing Director P.K. Goyal, and Lalu Prasad's confidante Prem Chand Gupta's wife Sujata on allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

In the same year, the hotels were transferred to the IRCTC. Lalu Prasad was the railways minister between 2004-09.

With inputs from agencies
"He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words," said Elbert Hubbard, the American philosopher and author of Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great.

If you want to test the trueness of Hubbards observation, come to Bihar, where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar finds himself hanging between the devil and the deep see in the aftermath of CBI raids on the properties of Lalu Prasad Yadavs kith and kin. And look how it is silence  and silence alone  that has come to his rescue. So far!

Indeed, the Bihar chief minister, who is trying his best to be eloquent in silence, is faced with a Hobsons choice. If he allows deputy chief minister and Lalu's son Tejashwi Yadav to continue in his cabinet, his 'politics of image' takes a beating. And if he doesnt, the Mahagathbandhan experiment might be blown away into oblivion. Who knows?

Little wonder than that, for the past four days, the chief minister hasnt spoken a word on either the CBI raids or the FIR that was registered against his deputy. He conveniently spent three days recuperating in the otherwise serene Buddhist environment of Rajgir. And when he returned to Patna, he carried back with him the golden silence befitting a wise, old monk.

Scribes in Patna werent surprised on Monday when they were told by an official spokesman of the Janata Dal (United) that Nitish Kumars Lok Samvad programme, during which the chief minister generally interacts with members of the media, also stood cancelled. It was clear that Nitish wouldnt speak a word. At least for now.

There is yet another reason why the chief minister is using the power of silence as a political tool at this juncture: he wants both the BJP and the RJD to remain on tenterhooks. This way, Lalu and company can remain as an ally even as the BJP keeps waiting tantalisingly for Nitish to take a call in favour of the saffron grandstanding.

To understand Nitishs predicament better, you need to be aware of the ground-realities in Bihar: his JD (U) is a weaker political force compared to the BJP and the RJD. But he enjoys his weakness, thanks to the fact that none of the other two players can ever think of coming to power without him. You need to bring him over to your side to win elections. When the BJP courted him, he headed the NDA government. And when Lalu joined hands with him in 2015, the Mahagathbandhan government came into existence.

Apart from this enviable positioning of the JD(U), there is another factor that influences Bihar politics: its Nitishs image. He is known as the "Sushashan Babu", who is popular among women, extremely backward classes and, of course, Kurmis. Lalu, who happens to be the uncrowned king of Muslim-Yadav vote bank, knows that complete backward consolidation is just not possible without Nitishs active cooperation. And BJP knows that they cant make much headway with only upper caste votes. Its simple political arithmetic.

But the chemistry between the two leaders has lately developed complex snags. Besides, wishes are not horses. Adding to the chief ministers discomfiture, the RJD on Monday made it clear at a formal party meet that Tejashwi shall not oblige the BJP by putting in his papers. Abdul Bari Siddiqui, a close confidant of Lalu, said: "We are being hounded by BJP and RSS for exposing the central government's failures. But we will not be cowed down. We will continue to fight BJP and RSS.

But unruffled by all this, the chief minister still thinks that time is not yet ripe for him to take a clear position on the burning issue. One of his trusted ministers from Congress, Ashok Choudhary, has come to his rescue as reported by NDTV: Nitish is not in good health. You shouldnt read between the lines. He will break his silence once he recovers.

In an equally significant development, Nitish has decided to skip the meeting of the Opposition parties called to decide their vice presidential candidate in New Delhi on Tuesday. Remember, he had not taken part in the meeting that was held to field a joint opposition presidential candidate last month either.

What remains to be seen, however, is whether Nitish will attend his own party meet at Patna on Tuesday. If he does, chances are that the clouds of uncertainty would dissipate away from the sky over Bihar.

But who knows?

For the moment, Nitish seems to have found solace in the words of Leonardo da Vinci: Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.
Shimla: The opposition's presidential nominee, Meira Kumar, on Monday met the Congress MPs and MLAs from Himachal Pradesh and urged them to use their "conscience" while voting in the 17 July election to the country's top constitutional post.

"Earlier also, the members had exercised their conscience during the presidential contest between Neelam Sanjiva Reddy and VV Giri," she told the Congress lawmakers.

The former Lok Sabha speaker, who was accompanied by senior Congress leaders including Salman Khurshid, Ambika Soni and Anand Sharma, claimed that she had the support of 17 parties in the presidential election.

She alleged that the ruling BJP had become "intolerant" towards the different ideologies, religions, eating habits etc. in the country.

"India has been a perfect example of unity in diversity as the people of the country follow various religions, ideologies, cultural ethos and values. But, this multi-religious system is being marginalised and the people are

looking at us to raise their voice," the five-time Lok Sabha MP told reporters later.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh assured Kumar that the Himachal Congress Legislature Party (CLP) would stand behind her as she was the "most deserving candidate" for the post of president.

The BJP-led NDA's presidential nominee, former Bihar governor Ram Nath Kovind, is scheduled to visit Shimla on 13 July to seek the support of the MLAs and MPs of the ruling bloc.

The presidential election is scheduled to take place on 17 July and the counting of votes will be taken up on 20 July.
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the biggest religion is to serve the needy.

The chief minister said this at a programme organised on Sunday for the dedication of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghs (RSS) Sewa Prabhag website "Sewagatha", which highlights the good work done by citizens.

"The biggest religion is to serve the needy. Good works of assisting people should be highlighted. Information about it will encourage people. This will strengthen their good values and pave way for positive environment in the society," Chouhan said.

The chief minister also praised RSS' vision of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the whole world is one family). "RSS is a nationalist organization with a huge heart. This organisation creates citizens who live for the society. Swayamsevaks dedicate themselves totally towards service to enlighten the society," he said.

Lauding the services of organisations like 'Matruchhaya' and 'Anand Dham' which are serving children and old-age people here, he said that feelings of self-reliance and harmony among the inhabitants there results in spiritual joy.

Such works should be widely publicised as it eliminates disappointment, Chouhan said.

He expressed hope that the website will energise and inspire people to do good work.

RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi said the culture of service is instilled in Indian lifestyle. Here, service to human is equal to service of God, he said.

He said needy persons must be served with a feeling of brotherhood after understanding their anguish and weakness.

"Service done with such feelings always bear good results," Joshi said.

He said there are a huge number of people who are victims of faulty social beliefs, unstable lifestyles, who live in far-flung areas, and who are deprived of their basic social rights. He also expressed hope that the website will inspire people to come forward to serve others.

Sewagatha website editor Vijay Lakshmi described the objectives and nature of the website and collection of gathas (stories).

Website creator Swapnil Parkhiya while highlighting the technical aspects of the website also informed that apart from being mobile-friendly, it can be shared on Facebook and Twitter.
After reports had emerged early on Monday about Congress denying that its vice-president Rahul Gandhi had met with Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on 8 July in New Delhi, the Grand Old Party has taken a complete U-turn.

Amid the standoff between India and China at the border tri-junction with Bhutan, Congress said that Gandhi had, in fact, met the ambassadors of the neighbouring countries. The party downplayed the meeting and did not specify its venue or time.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala termed it a "courtesy call" and said envoys of G5, as well as neighbouring countries, keep meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the vice-president from time to time.

"Be it the Chinese ambassador (Luo Zhaohui) or Bhutanese ambassador (Vetsop Namgyel) or former national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, Gandhi met all three of them. Nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls to term them an event like the sources of the Ministry of External Affairs are attempting to do," he said.

Surjewala said Rahul and other Opposition leaders are "fully aware of our national interests" and are concerned about the "grave situation" on the Indo-Chinese border as well as "the situation arising in Bhutan as also in Sikkim".

Earlier, a News18 report had pointed to a post on the Chinese Embassy's website that had said that the two "exchanged views" on the "current bilateral relations" between the two nations.

The Congress, however, had denied such media reports as "fake news". Surjewala had earlier said that the news channels were running "fake news" on Gandhi's alleged meeting with Zhaohui.

The channels "will not question three Union Ministers visiting China or prime minister's (Narendra Modi) bonhomie and praise at G20. Yet run fake news", Surjewala said. He alleged that the report was planted by the External Affairs Ministry and Intelligence Bureau sources.

"They should reverify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours," Surjewala said. Congress social media head Ramya said the issue was not if Gandhi met the Chinese envoy and questioned why the prime minister did not flag the border issue with Chinese president Xi Jinping, when the two leaders met last week at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.

"While Chinese incursions were happening, this meeting took place and the weak PM didn't deem it necessary to speak about the issue," she wrote on Twitter and posted a picture of Modi with Xi Jinping at the summit. "Even if Congress vice-president had met the Chinese Ambassador, I don't see it as an issue, but the PM not flagging it in private or public is an issue," Ramya added.

These remarks came in the wake of a face-off with Chinese troops in Doka La, a disputed territory between China and Bhutan. Tensions from the long-drawn standoff have been rising as Beijing stated that Chinese president Xi Jinping will not be meeting Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit.

India has currently pushed in more troops in a "non-combative mode" to strengthen its position in an area near Sikkim, where its soldiers have been locked in a standoff with Chinese troops for almost a month now in what has been the longest such impasse between the two armies since 1962.

Ohh! And 'Bhakts' are precluded from questioning this doublespeak too. We forget-two BJP mouthpieces & sundry wannabe's get a script! pic.twitter.com/KfrofnNh6Z  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 10, 2017

The Congress party also expressed its concerns over rising infiltrations along the border with China.

Meanwhile, according to a Firstpost Hindi report, the Embassy website has since deleted the post.

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday said it will boycott the all-party meeting called by the parliamentary affairs minister on 16 July on the eve of the Monsoon session of Parliament.

However, the party will send its representative to a meeting of leaders of all political parties called by Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan the same evening.

The boycott decision comes amidst the recriminations between the TMC and the BJP over the recent violence in West Bengal which is ruled by the former.

"The TMC has decided to boycott the all-party meeting," party leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien said on Monday about the customary meeting that the parliamentary affairs minister calls on the eve of a Parliament session.

Such a meeting is traditionally held to discuss how that particular session could be run smoothly and the prime minister also joins it.

At the same time, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee will attend the meeting called by Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan in the evening of 16 July, O'Brien added.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party, along with the Congress and the Left parties, had earlier boycotted the midnight event organised by the government in Parliament on 30 June for rollout of the GST.

On Tuesday, the TMC will attend a meeting of 17 opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, in New Delhi to finalise the candidate for the 5 August vice-presidential election.

During that meeting, "We will raise four-five issues," said O'Brien.

The issues the party is likely to raise are related to demonetisation, the effect of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rollout, farmers' suicide and "the members of the ruling party attempting to incite communal passion and destroy the federal structure of the country", he added.
New Delhi: Union minister Venkaiah Naidu on Monday questioned the "secrecy" over the meeting between Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui, an interaction that has raised eyebrows in the political circles.

The Congress first denied in the morning that Gandhi met the Chinese envoy and then made a U-turn hours later.

"The Congress leader met the Chinese ambassador. What is so secret about it? They should make it public. Why should they try to hide it?" Naidu told reporters in reply to a question on the sidelines of an event.

Gandhi took to Twitter in the evening to defend his meeting with the Chinese envoy and said it was his job "to be informed on critical issues", referring to the India-China stand-off.

He said if the government was concerned about his meeting with the Chinese ambassador, they should also question the three Union ministers who are "availing Chinese hospitality when the border stand-off is on".

Gandhi also posted on his Twitter handle a photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping sitting on a swing to take a dig at the government.

"And for the record, I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India (sic)," he tweeted, referring to Chinese president's visit to Gujarat in 2014.

Reacting to this, Naidu said there was no need to respond to such comments.

"Diplomatic relations, meeting foreign dignitaries... There is a procedure, there is a practice and it is transparent.

"The prime minister, as the head of the government ... Whenever he goes out for an international conference ... on the sidelines, he meets the heads of the States, holds discussions, and sometimes there is only meeting and greeting. What is there to criticise? I am not able to understand," he said.
New Delhi: Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi hit out at the West Bengal government on Monday for the recent riots and said "unconstitutional" elements were sometimes more effective than the constitutionally-elected Trinamool Congress (TMC) dispensation in the state.

The minister of state for minority affairs said the Centre was at present studying a high-level committee's report on establishing institutes to combat educational backwardness of minorities and would take steps accordingly.

The panel had observed that Muslims were the "most disadvantaged" when it came to education and suggested setting up a three-tier educational infrastructure to address the issue.

"Lack of harmony works as a speed-breaker in the way of progress. I sometimes find that, in West Bengal, activities of unconstitutional anti-social elements are more effective than the constitutionally elected government there. There is need to control such elements," Naqvi said.

The minister made the comment on the sidelines of a workshop on inspecting authorities of Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) in New Delhi.

On the government-appointed panel's observations, Naqvi said the report was being studied.

The panel had recommended the creation of infrastructure to proffer education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels by opening 211 schools, 25 community colleges and 5 national institutes.

"Unfortunately, Muslims lagged behind educationally post-Independence. Hence, our focus over past three years has been to empower them educationally. We don't want any child to be left without education," he said.

Among others, Naqvi said, the government had decided to launch a scheme like Tehreek-E-Talim (campaign for education) aimed at educating every child from the community.

He also reiterated the MAEF's decision to offer Rs 51,000 marriage assistance per head to those girl students who completed their graduation, availing the ministry's scholarship named after Begum Hazrat Mahal.

Naqvi said the Modi government was moving ahead for "transformation through transparency and efficiency" and hence, the inspecting authorities, a posse of retired government officials, has been roped in to give the MAEF feedback on the implementation of its schemes.

The inspecting authorities, he said, would work as "watchdogs".

"This would help us. Hence, we have finalised 280 inspection authorities initially. These include people from technical, administrative, educational background. They will give us feedback about our various schemes," he said.

Life though had returned to normal in riot-hit Baduria town and adjacent areas of North 24 Parganas district on Monday after communal violence broke out over a Facebook post earlier this week.
Kolkata: The Congress on Monday said that a party delegation will visit the communal violence-hit Baduria in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday as the situation there has now normalised.

"The situation in Baduria is normal now. So, there is no reason for not going there. We would send a party delegation there on Tuesday to assess the condition of affected families in the region," state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.

Chowdhury said his party's North 24 Parganas district leadership has handed over a letter to the district authorities, seeking permission to visit the violence-affected areas.

Taking a swipe at the state administration for not letting the team in Baduria on 7 July, the Congress leader said political activities were important in the region to bring back the normal democratic environment.

"Political activities and engagements are necessary to bring back normalcy in the region. The police unnecessarily barred us from going there. We wanted to assure the locals of safety and tell them that we are with them in their tough times," Chowdhury added.

The situation in the riot-hit Baduria town remained peaceful on Monday as no untoward incidents had been reported so far, the police said.

The shops were open and people came out on the streets amid tight security and vigil by the state police and paramilitary forces.

Clashes broke out between the members of two communities in Baduria last week after a provocative social media post went viral.

Although the youth involved with the social post was arrested and the post deleted, trouble broke out and spread to several areas, with trees felled to put up road blockades, vehicles, including those of police, and houses torched, and shops damaged.

A few police personnel were injured in the clashes and the central government rushed 400 paramilitary personnel to the area to control the situation.
Kolkata: The BJP on Monday met West Bengal governor KN Tripathi and demanded that the Centre should immediately impose President's rule as the law and order situation in the state has "completely broken down".

"Today, we met the governor and informed him about the grim situation in the state. The state government in collaboration with anti-national elements is directly responsible for the complete breakdown of the law and order situation. We have requested the governor to talk to the central government and send the recommendation for imposition of President's rule in the state," state BJP president Dilip Ghosh told reporters after the meeting.

The BJP's demand follows the communal clashes in North 24 Parganas district and the ongoing turmoil in Darjeeling hills.

It also demanded that all families affected in the riots be compensated by the state government.

The BJP took out a procession from their state party office in central Kolkata during the day demanding immediate arrests of those involved in the riots and restoration of peace in Baduria and Darjeeling Hills where a movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland is on.

Ghosh rubbished allegations by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee that the Centre is not cooperating with the state government.

"This is a complete lie. It was the central forces which helped her to come down from the hills when the agitation first started. The Centre has extended all help. In Baduria, the Centre wanted to send more forces but it was the state government which declined," he said.

He accused West Bengal government of pursuing "politics of appeasement" with an eye on the minority votes in the state.

"The incident at Baduria in North 24 Parganas district is a clear example of appeasement politics. The houses and other property of Hindus were burnt and looted but the police was standing as a mute spectator," Ghosh said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has voiced his readiness to shuttle among the Gulf countries as a diplomatic crisis over Qatar continues unabated, the media reported.

The Turkish leader spoke of his plan to travel to the Gulf region while on his way home from a two-day G20 summit that ended on Saturday in Hamburg, Germany.

"I may have special traffic after July 15," Erdogan was quoted as telling the journalists aboard his plane by the Hurriyet Daily News on Saunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I want to visit the region once again. We might contribute to the re-establishment of dialogue with a visit to the region. We are planning to visit Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in particular."

Turkey is working to mark the first anniversary of a coup attempt by some in the military on the night of July 15 last year that was foiled just hours later but left 249 people dead.

Ankara has stood behind Doha in the ongoing diplomatic row, in which Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and some other Muslim countries cut off their diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a blockade on it early last month.

Qatar has refused to accept a list of 13 demands put forward by Riyadh and its allies, including the closure of a Turkish military base, prompting the four countries to threaten further political, economic and legal steps against Doha.

Erdogan said he discussed the Gulf crisis with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hamburg, and stressed the need for a solution through dialogue.

The Turkish leader said his planned visit to the Gulf should not be taken as a mediation effort.

"Kuwait has undertaken the role as the mediator," he said. "We support Kuwait's mediation efforts. What I mean (by this visit) is to contribute to the re-establishment of dialogue between the parties," he said.
London: Britain's Theresa May will promise to fight on as prime minister and pursue bold domestic reform despite her diminished authority in a speech this week relaunching her leadership after 12 tumultuous months in power.

As her minority government prepares to start the difficult task of passing Brexit through parliament, May will remind Britons of her promise to build a fairer society, seeking to repair a reputation damaged by an ill-judged snap election.

Almost one year on from her first day as Prime Minister  a job she took on in the chaotic aftermath of Britain's shock referendum vote to leave the European Union  May will urge voters and political opponents to help her "tackle the injustice and vested interests that threaten to hold us back".

"My commitment to change in Britain is undimmed," May will say on Tuesday according to advanced extracts from her speech.

May called the unscheduled election on 8 June in an attempt to cash in on high poll ratings and win support for her plan to make a clean break with the EU in 2019. But the gamble backfired when voters stripped her of a majority in parliament and forced her party into a deal with a small Northern Irish party to prop up a minority government.

"In this new context, it will be even more important to make the case for our policies and our values, and to win the battle of ideas both in Parliament as well as in the country," May will say.

May's ability to carry on as prime minister and drive divisive Brexit legislation through parliament with only a fragile majority behind her has been persistently questioned since the election. The first stage of the Brexit process will come later this week when a key piece of legislation, which translates EU law into British law, is presented to parliament.

On Sunday, a lawmaker from the pro-EU Liberal Democrats, Britain's fourth largest party, said he thought Brexit might not happen because the divisions over how to achieve it were too great.

But May's position seems secure for now, with colleagues preferring to see her start Brexit talks rather than topple her and risk the whole government collapsing  a scenario that could let a resurgent opposition Labour Party into power.

Employment Report

May will make the appeal for national backing at the launch of a report into how the government should protect workers affected by a shift to different employment models, including the 'gig economy' championed by the likes of Uber and Deliveroo.

The report is a key element of May's plan, announced in 2016, to address dissatisfaction expressed at the EU referendum by millions of working class Britons who felt left behind by capitalism and disenchanted with the political system.

May was criticised by opponents last month for setting out an unambitious legislative agenda for the next two years, unveiling a programme shorn of flagship social reforms and heavily focused on delivering Brexit.

In Tuesday's speech, she will seek to refute the idea that her lack of a majority in parliament and the huge workload generated by Brexit will limit the government's reform ambition.

"At this critical time in our history, we can either be timid or we can be bold," May will say. "We will act with an unshakeable sense of purpose to build the better, fairer Britain which we all want to see."
Benghazi: The decomposed bodies of 19 Egyptian migrants were found in the Libyan desert overnight after the truck in which they were smuggled into the country overturned, the Red Crescent said Monday.

The bodies were buried in a cemetery near the Libyan border town of Tobruk, the organisation said.

It was unclear when the Egyptians died but their bodies were in a state of decomposition when found in a desert area near Tobruk in Libya's remote east.

Meanwhile a security official in Tobruk said a search was underway for a group of 29 other Egyptians reported missing by authorities in their country.

Since the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi, Libya has been riven by chaos, making it the main gateway for African migrants heading for Europe on dangerous Mediterranean crossings.

Human traffickers have exploited the instability to boost their lucrative but deadly trade. Egyptians have travelled to Libya for decades, to look for jobs in the oil-rich North African country or to use it as a transit route to Europe.

Since January 1,00,000 migrants have made the perilous sea journey to Europe, around 85,000 of them arriving in Italy from Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration. The United Nations says more than 2,200 migrants have died this year attempting to make the crossing.
London: Britain's defence minister Michael Fallon praised Iraq on Monday for defeating the Islamic State group in Mosul but warned that more has to be done to combat the jihadists.

Earlier on Monday Iraq announced victory against Islamic State in the northern city, the country's second largest, from where the group declared a self-styled caliphate three years ago.

Battles have raged for months, leaving thousands dead and wounded, while nearly a million people have fled.

"I congratulate Prime Minister (Haider) Abadi, and the Iraqi forces who have been fighting on the ground with great bravery and care against a brutal opponent," Fallon said in a statement.

"Daesh has total disregard for innocent civilian life and we should welcome their defeat in a city that was ground zero for their so-called caliphate," he added, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

As part of Britain's involvement in the US-led coalition against the jihadist group, Fallon said British forces had struck 750 targets in the battle for Mosul.

But "there is still more to do" around the city and in the broader region, Fallon said.

"This barbaric group remains dug in west of the Euphrates and clearing operations in and around Mosul will be needed because of the threat from improvised explosive devices," he added.

As the Iraqi prime minister visited troops in Mosul on Monday, gunfire and explosions were still audible.

Islamic State holds territory elsewhere in Iraq and in Syria, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are battling to oust the jihadist group from its stronghold Raqa.

The coalition against Islamic State launched military operations in the two countries in mid-2014, while Iraqi forces launched their campaign to recapture Mosul in October.
London: Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has appointed her first black equerry, a senior staff member in charge of assisting the royal household.

Ghanaian-born Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah from the Household Cavalry will take charge of one of the most important roles in the 91-year-old monarch's household.

The Afghanistan war veteran, known as TA to his friends, is thought to be the royal family's first black equerry, a role that requires immense discretion, The Sunday Times reported.

The 38-year-old moved to the UK from Ghana with his parents in 1982 and later studied at Queen Mary University of London and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Since then his illustrious military career has involved joining the Blues and Royals and becoming the first black British Army officer to be commissioned into the Household Cavalry.

He acted as an escort commander for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, in 2011 and in the same year commanded the Blues and Royals taking part in Trooping the Colour, the Queen's birthday parade.

It is understood that he is in a transition phase with the current equerry, Wing Commander Sam Fletcher, and will start in the role later this year.

According to staff policy published by Buckingham Palace in its annual report: "The household aims to employ the best people from the widest available pool of talent...irrespective of gender, race, ethnic or national origin".

Twumasi-Ankrah lives in London with his wife who works at the Victoria and Albert Museum and their two daughters.
Islamabad: The Indian Army on Monday rejected Pakistan military's claim of killing four Indian soldiers during cross-border firing on Sunday, saying it had not suffered any casualties this month.

"Pakistan Army has been violating the ceasefire on a regular basis. It has deliberately targeted civilian areas during these across the Line of Control firing incidents," an Indian Army spokesperson said in New Delhi.

The Indian Army has not suffered any casualty in the month of July in these unprovoked ceasefire violations, the Army spokesperson said.

"As a mature and accountable institution, the Indian Army keeps the public informed of casualties suffered through an established and transparent system.

In case of occurrence of fatal casualties, tribute is paid to the soldier through the official Twitter handle and Facebook page. State funeral is also organised as a mark of respect," the official said.

The Indian Army, however, said in one such incident of specific targeting by unprovoked shelling of civilian areas by Pakistan on Saturday, Havildar Md Shaukat, a serving soldier, and his wife died while he was at his home during leave.

The Indian Army response came after the Pakistani military claimed that it had killed four Indian soldiers and destroyed two Indian checkposts being used to target civilians.

The Pakistan Army claimed that its firing came in response to alleged "unprovoked firing" by India on Sunday, "targeting innocent civilians".

It claimed that the Indian firing resulted in the death of five of its citizens.

The Pakistan Army also released a video dated 9 July to substantiate its claim.

"Pakistan Army befittingly responded on 9 July, causing substantial losses to men and material. Two Indian Army posts firing on innocent civilians have been destroyed. Four Indian soldiers killed," Army Spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted, while sharing the video.

The Pakistan Army will continue to protect civilians from "unprovoked Indian aggression" at all costs, he said.
China's cancer-stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo is in a critical condition, his hospital said Monday, raising fears about his life after Western doctors said there was time to take him abroad.

The First Hospital of China Medical University in the northeastern city of Shenyang said Liu's tumour has grown, his liver is bleeding and he has kidney problems.

The hospital said in a statement on its website that it is preparing to take the 61-year-old democracy advocate into emergency care if necessary, adding that "Liu's family members have been informed of the above circumstances".

But human rights activists decried the hospital statement as a delay tactic to prevent Liu from getting his wish of going abroad, where they say he would be free to speak out.

The Germany embassy, meanwhile, voiced "deep concern" about the leak of a video showing a gaunt-looking Liu in his hospital bed while the German and American doctors talk to his wife, Liu Xia, and Chinese physicians.

Decrying a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality, the embassy said in a statement that "certain authorities have evidently made audio and video surveillance recordings" of the weekend visit "against the expressed wishes of the German side".

"It seems that security organs are steering the process, not medical experts. This behaviour undermines trust in the authorities dealing with Mr. Liu's case, which is vital to ensure maximum success of his medical treatment."

China has faced international pressure to grant its most prominent dissident complete freedom and let him leave the country since he was transferred from prison to the hospital after being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer in late May.

The two foreign cancer specialists examined Liu on Saturday and said Sunday he could still safely leave the country, contradicting their Chinese counterparts.

But US oncology expert Joseph Herman from the University of Texas' MD Anderson Cancer Center and German doctor Markus Buchler of Heidelberg University warned in a statement that "the medical evacuation would have to take place as quickly as possible".

The video shows one of the foreigners, apparently Buchler, telling Liu Xia that the Chinese doctors had made a "very nice gesture" by inviting them to help and that they "are very committed to the treatment of ... your husband".

Liu moves his head during the conversation while the American doctor strokes his wife's back.

Rights groups question motive

Human rights activists said the hospital's latest statement shows the government is dragging its feet.

Amnesty International's China researcher Patrick Poon said the government wants to avoid any embarrassments ahead of a key Communist Party congress later this year. The meeting is expected to boost President Xi Jinping's grip on power.

"Allowing Liu Xiaobo and his family to go abroad would risk giving Liu Xiaobo the opportunity to talk to media and other supporters about his views on China's human rights situation," Poon told AFP.

Hu Jia, a Beijing-based activist and friend of Liu's, said the statement may be in response to the foreign doctors' conclusions.

"This is a way of slowing down the process. It doesn't show the patient's situation has deteriorated to the point of falling off a cliff."

Hu voiced concerns that if there is further delay, Liu may fall into a coma and never go free.

About 30 protesters staged a sit-in outside China's liaison office in semi-autonomous Hong Kong on Monday, chanting "free Liu Xiaobo!".

Asked whether Liu would be allowed to leave the country, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters: "This is not a diplomatic question. It's China's internal affairs. We oppose any country interfering with China's internal affairs using these so-called individual cases."

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Berlin hopes Beijing will make a "humanitarian gesture (for Liu) and his family."

For his wife

Liu was arrested in 2008 after co-writing Charter 08, a bold petition that called for the protection of basic human rights and reform of China's one-party Communist system.

He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2009 for "subversion". At the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo in 2010, he was represented by an empty chair.

Another dissident close to the family, Ye Du, said Liu Xiaobo wants to go abroad for the sake of his wife, Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest since 2010.

"It's his personal wish to go abroad, because Xiaobo is very clear about his current situation -- which is that if he doesn't get out now, then he has no way to obtain freedom for his beloved wife Liu Xia," he said.
Kabul: Six female students from war-torn Afghanistan who had hoped to participate in an international robotics competition in the United States this month will have to watch via video link after their visas were denied not once, but twice.

The girls wanted to show the world that Afghans can also construct a hand-made robot, but out of 162 teams participating, the Afghan team was the only one to be denied visas.

Fourteen-year-old Sumaya Farooqi says when they were first rejected after having made the 800-kilometer (500-mile) journey to the US.

US embassy in Kabul said they "applied again for the U.S. visa and we were rejected again."

The US State Department declined to comment on why the girls' visa applications were denied, citing a provision that prohibits discussing individual cases.
Brussels: The European Union has hailed the defeat of the Islamic State group in Mosul as a "decisive step" in fighting terrorism but called on Iraqis to work together to improve their country.

Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi earlier announced that pro-government forces had retaken the second city from Islamic State after a months-long battle that killed thousands of civilians and forced nearly a million people from their homes.

"The recovery of Mosul from the hands of (Islamic State) marks a decisive step in the campaign to eliminate terrorist control in parts of Iraq and to free its people," the EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and its aid commissioner Christos Stylianides said in a joint statement on Sunday.

But they urged Iraqis to pick up the pieces of their country, parts of which were easily overran by Islamic State three years ago.

"It is now essential that a process of return and the re-establishment of trust between communities begins, and that all Iraqis are able to start building a shared future," they said.

Islamic State still controls swathes of western Iraq including much of the desert Anbar province and rival forces, which largely cooperated against the jihadists in Mosul, are expected to compete for a share of the spoils.

Abadi himself has faced accusations of incompetence and corruption in his government, and followers of popular cleric Moqtada Sadr have staged large protests in Baghdad calling for electoral reform.
Brussels: The European Parliament's group on Brexit negotiations has made a damning assessment of British proposals on EU citizens' rights after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, a further indication of how tough the two-year negotiations are expected to become.

In a letter Monday to EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier and seen by The Associated Press, the group said "the UK does not respect the principles of reciprocity, symmetry and non-discrimination." Furthermore, it said that under the UK proposals made on 26 June, EU citizens in Britain would be looking at "nothing less than relegation to second-class status."

Citizens' rights in each other's nations are considered the first issue that both sides must settle. Even though Barnier is leading the negotiations, the European Parliament still has a veto right on any deal.

Recently, Barnier had said that Britain cannot enjoy "frictionless" trade with EU partners after it leaves the union. He took a tough position on the Brexit negotiations, warning there will be "negative" consequences no matter what.

He said the consequences would be even worse if the EU and Britain can't agree on departure terms, and there's no "reasonable justification" for failing to reach a deal. He insisted, however, that the EU isn't trying to punish Britain for voting to leave.
Washington: US president Donald Trump on Monday strongly defended his daughter Ivanka, who has come under fire for sitting on her father's chair during a G20 meeting in Germany last week, saying what she did was "very standard".

"When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!," Trump tweeted.

When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

Ivanka briefly sat on her father's chair during a G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, while Trump was meeting other world leaders. The mainstream media and leaders of the opposition Democratic Party, including some of the top aides of former US president Barack Obama, criticised Ivanka for this.Trump has slammed such criticism as politically motivated. He has accused the media of having double standards on this issue. "If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!" Trump said.

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother,as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the host of the G-20 Summit last week, has said that it is for the host country to decide who would represent them.

"The delegations themselves decide, should the president not be present for a meeting, who will then take over and sit in the chair," Merkel said.

"Ivanka Trump was part and parcel of the American delegation, so that is something that other delegations also do. It's very well known that she works at the White House and is also engaged in certain initiatives," Merkel told reporters during a news conference.

Besides being Trump's daughter, businesswoman Ivanka, 35, is also a senior and one of the closest advisers to the US president.

In the last six months, she has been involved in several key initiatives of the Trump administration in particular those related to women and entrepreneurship.

She is slated to visit India later this year to attend the eighth edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. She would be leading the American delegation.
Beijing: India will have "burned itself" if it has allowed Tibetan exiles' political act of flag-hoisting along the India-China border in Leh, a Chinese daily has warned.

An article in the Global Times warned India to act "prudently" given the ongoing border row in the Sikkim sector.

The article came in the wake of the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile Lobsang Sangay reportedly unfurling the Tibetan national flag on the banks of Pangong lake in Ladakh last week.

India and China have a dispute over the alignment of the Line of Actual Control which passes through the Pangong Lake, located at over 14,000 feet.

"If New Delhi is pulling the strings of the Tibetan exiles' political act of flag-hoisting, it will only have burned itself. Both border issues and the Tibet question concern China's core interests and China won't yield to provocations," the commentary said.

"It's the first time the Tibetan exile administration in northern India has flown the flag at this location." it added.

"The timing of the flag-hoisting on Indian territory has sparked wide speculation over whether the Indian authorities instigated the political activity of Tibetan separatists to exert pressure on China.

"Although the involvement of New Delhi remains unclear, we hope they did not send any signal of approval," it said.

"When the Indian government attaches great importance to its relationship with China, it keeps a tight grip on anti-China political activities on its soil. However, when it is dissatisfied or has conflicts with Beijing, the Tibet card is played up. But India may overestimate the influence of Tibetan exiles.

"Given the ongoing border spat, the Indian government should act prudently to avoid escalating tensions. It has the responsibility to control Tibetan exiles and their anti-China activities on Indian soil.

"New Delhi should think more about how to de-escalate the border face-off at this moment," it said.
Georgetown (Guyana): One prison officer was killed and seven others were injured during a jailbreak in South America's Guyana that saw inmates set fire to the facility and four prisoners escape, authorities said.

Chaos broke out at the colonial-era maximum security prison in the capital city of Georgetown after inmates obtained firearms and took control of the facility, with police and fire officials initially unable to enter the compound.

Prisoners set the facility ablaze in an effort to distract guards, public security minister Khemraj Ramjattan told journalists, calling the escapees "very serious criminals."

Eight police officers were injured, one of whom died during treatment for a gunshot injury to his chest.

Heavily armed soldiers had taken up strategic positions around the facility in the former British colony, home to just over 750,000.

Police commissioner Seelall Persaud said authorities in neighboring Suriname were on high alert in the search for escapee Royden Williams, who was sentenced to death in February for killing eight people, and Uree Varswyck, whose trial for robbery and murder was pending.

The identities of the other inmates who fled were not immediately known.

Prison chief Gladwin Samuels said there were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths among prisoners.

A number of inmates also caused havoc at a prison officer's club building opposite the jail after being escorted there, smashing bottles of alcohol that they poured onto clothing before igniting it.

Ramjattan said more than 1,000 inmates had been relocated to the yard of another prison compound.

Some 300 of them would be transferred to other facilities, he said, as authorities figure out where to hold the others.
Tehran: Iran has congratulated Iraq on its declared victory over the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Mosul and offered its help to rebuild the devastated country.

Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted late Sunday congratulating the people of the neighbouring country.

Congratulations to brave people & Government of Iraq upon liberation of Mosul. When Iraqis join hands, no limits to what they can achieve.  Javad Zarif (@JZarif) July 9, 2017

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was in Mosul on Sunday, officially marking the end of a difficult campaign to retake the city, where IS declared its self-styled caliphate three years ago.

Other Iranian officials were also quick to welcome the victory, Iraq's biggest yet against the jihadists.

It was a "great achievement in the path to ending the presence and savage actions of the criminal Daesh (IS) group against the Iraqi nation", said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in messages to Abadi and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's most revered cleric.

"The government, armed forces and the brave nation of Islamic Iran... are prepared to offer aid to the displaced and injured in the war and help rebuild the cities and vital infrastructure in the country," official news agency IRNA quoted Shamkhani as saying.

Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan and the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, also congratulated Abadi, saying they were ready to boost defence and security ties with Baghdad.
Mosul: Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi visited Mosul on Sunday, hailing his forces for securing "victory" over the Islamic State (IS), their biggest yet against the jihadists.

Abadi's office said he was visiting "liberated" Mosul to congratulate his "heroic fighters", but the premier later indicated he would only declare victory once final pockets of resistance were cleared.

"Victory is certain, and what remains of Daesh is surrounded... and it is just a matter of time for us to announce the great victory to our people," Abadi said in a statement, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

The delay "comes out of my respect and appreciation for our... forces that are continuing the clearing operation," he said. "There are just one or two pockets of Daesh remnants left," and "the major victory is in hand," the premier added.

That victory comes at an enormous cost: much of Iraq's second city in ruins, thousands dead and wounded, and nearly a million people forced from their homes. Enormous challenges lie ahead, not just in rebuilding Mosul but in tackling the continued presence elsewhere of IS.

Photographs showed Abadi dressed in a black military uniform and cap, shaking hands with police and army officers. His office said Abadi met commanders in Mosul and issued a series of orders on "sustaining victories and eliminating the defeated remnants" of IS, as well as "establishing security and stability in the liberated city."

'Victory for all Iraqis'

Iraqi forces waved flags and flashed victory signs after Abadi arrived in the city.

"This victory is for all Iraqis, not just for us," Mohanned Jassem, a member of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, told AFP at the police base where Abadi met commanders. Jassem, who fought in most of the other main battles of the war against IS, said Mosul was the toughest.

"I took part in fighting in Ramadi and Tikrit and Salaheddin and Baiji and Al-Qayyarah... but the fighting here in (IS's) stronghold was the most violent," he said, an Iraqi flag draped over his shoulders.

IS swept across much of Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland in a lightning offensive in mid-2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" straddling Iraq and neighbouring Syria. Imposing its brutal interpretation of Islamic law, the group committed widespread atrocities and organised or inspired deadly attacks in Iraq, Syria and abroad.

A US-led coalition launched military operations against IS in Syria and Iraq in mid-2014, carrying out a campaign of air strikes against the jihadists and sending advisers to work with local ground forces.

French President Emmanuel Macron was among the first world leaders to offer his congratulations. "Mosul liberated from Daesh," he tweeted. "Homage from France to all those, with our troops, who contributed to this victory."

'Decisive step'

British defence secretary Michael Fallon congratulated Abadi and the "Iraqi forces who have been fighting on the ground with great bravery". The European Union called the victory "a decisive step in the campaign to eliminate terrorist control in parts of Iraq".

IS has lost most of the territory it once controlled, and the coalition is aiming to oust the jihadists from their Syrian stronghold Raqa, which is under assault by US-backed Arab and Kurdish forces.

Iraqi forces launched their campaign to recapture Mosul in October, seizing its eastern side in January and launching the battle for its western part in August. But the fight grew tougher when security forces entered the densely populated Old City on the western bank of the Tigris River, which divides the city.

In recent days, security forces have killed jihadists trying to flee their dwindling foothold in Mosul, as Iraqi units fought to retake the last IS-held territory near the Tigris. Earlier Sunday, Iraq's Joint Operations Command said security forces had killed "30 terrorists" trying to escape across the river.

Even in the final days of the battle, thousands of civilians remained trapped inside the Old City and some of those who fled arrived grief-stricken after losing relatives in jihadist sniper fire and bombardments.

Not yet 'the death knell'

The United Nations said Sunday that 9,20,000 civilians have fled their homes since the battle for Mosul began autumn of 2016.

"It's a relief to know that the military campaign in Mosul is ending. The fighting may be over, but the humanitarian crisis is not, Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, said in a statement.

The recapture of Mosul will also not mark the end of the threat posed by IS, which controls territory elsewhere in Iraq and is able to carry out frequent bombings in government-held areas.

In Iraq it holds towns including Tal Afar and Hawijah in the north, as well as territory in western Anbar province. It also continues to hold significant territory in Syria, including in Raqa, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are battling to oust the jihadist group after penetrating its fortified historic centre.

While the loss of Mosul is a major blow to the jihadists, it is not a fatal one. "We should not view the recapture of Mosul as the death knell for IS," said Patrick Martin, Iraq analyst at the Institute for the Study of War.

"If security forces do not take steps to ensure that gains against IS are sustained for the long-term, then IS could theoretically resurge and recapture urban terrain," he said.
Tokyo: The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Japan's south has risen to 20, local media reported on Monday, as rescue teams continued their search for survivors.

Swathes of Kyushu  the southernmost of Japan's four main islands  have been left devastated after overflowing rivers and torrential downpours swept away roads, houses and schools this week.

Thousands of people have been evacuated to makeshift shelters in school gyms and public buildings, but many remain stranded, with emergency services battling through thick mud and rain to try to reach them.

Some 250 people were still cut off by Monday, the Kyodo news agency said. Collapsed bridges and waterlogged ground on steep hillsides were hampering rescue efforts, according to media.

A total of 20 people have died while more than 20 remain unaccounted for in the Fukuoka and Oita prefectures, Kyodo reported.

The government was doing its "utmost" to recover those missing or stranded, chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga earlier said in a rare weekend press conference.

Five people were in critical condition, Suga said, with the government still trying to ascertain if their injuries were a result of the severe weather.

Television footage showed rescue helicopters held up at a makeshift heliport unable to fly because of the downpours, while people prayed for the safety of their family members.

More than 50 centimetres of rain deluged parts of Kyushu in 12 hours on Wednesday, prompting the Japan meteorological agency to warn of possible significant damage.

Rains have continued intermittently since, with up to 22 centimetres recorded in Fukuoka in the past 72-hour period.

Japan's weather agency Monday warned of continued heavy rains and mudslides in northern Kyushu.
Washington: The Iraqi military's hard-fought victory over the Islamic State group in Mosul marks a defining moment not just for them. It is also a key win for the United States doctrine behind it. Instead of putting large numbers of American boots on the ground, the United States-led strategy in Iraq and Syria has been a non-stop air campaign combined with continual training and advising for proxy local forces.

Pentagon officials say the outcome is clear  three years after collapsing as flag-waving jihadists swept across their country, Iraq's security forces have become a battle-hardened army that prevailed in a brutal urban fight. "Training works," said one senior United States military officer who was deployed to Iraq from 2015-'16. It "has enabled the Iraqis to take back their country."

It's a far cry from when then-Pentagon chief Ashton Carter said in May 2015 that the Iraqi military "showed no will to fight."

When Islamic State attacked in 2014, the Iraqi security forces had grown weak under then-prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. Troops turned and ran, often without a fight, dumping precious United States-provided weaponry and vehicles as they fled.

"It was stunning," the military official said. "Even Islamic State had to have been surprised at how rapidly the Iraqi army utterly just fell apart."

The skills they'd learned under previous United States tutelage from 2008-2011 centered on fighting an insurgency  not stopping a fast-moving jihadist army.

"We needed an army that could fight conventionally," the official said.

The decision to use a few hundred United States troops and other Western military experts to train local fighters stems partly from the Iraq War, which saw more than 4,400 US troops die.

A US public wary of additional deployments did not want Barack Obama recommitting more combat troops.

New skills

Obama ordered air strikes and pursued a strategy  known in the Pentagon as "by, with and through"  to train local forces.

In the summer of 2015, coalition advisers started instructing Iraqis on conventional warfare  fighting in small units, setting up defenses, how to breech minefields and so on.

By the end of that year, the Iraqis began striking back at Islamic State, including with the recapture of Ramadi.

As of this month, the coalition had trained about 106,000 Iraqi security forces, including 40,000 Iraqi troops, 15,000 police, 6,000 border guards, 21,000 Kurdish peshmerga, 14,000 from the elite Counter Terrorism Service and another 9,500 "tribal mobilization forces."

The toll has been brutal, with thousands of Iraqi forces killed.

But since anti-Islamic State operations began in Iraq and Syria in 2014, only 11 US troops have been killed.

The US military is trying a similar strategy with Afghan security forces in their fight against a resurgent Taliban.

'Only horse we had'

For Brian McKeon, a senior Pentagon policy official at the end of the Obama administration, the strategy worked, though not as quickly as had been hoped. The battle for Mosul first began on 16 October, 2016.

Once the decision was made to work "by with and through partners... it was the only horse that we had to ride," McKeon said.

"It has taken longer than might have been assessed at the beginning but that's not really unusual. No plan survives first contact and you never know where it's going to go, given the large number of variables in a war."

The strategy of supporting a proxy army will become increasingly important as the United States shies away from full-on deployments. For John Spencer, a scholar at the Modern War Institute at West Point, the fight for Mosul has been "the biggest modern case study foreshadowing what (urban) war is going to be like in the future."

"It's kind of the ultimate end of that scale where you build an army, a police force, and a counter-terrorism force that are capable of fighting, and you send only a few hundred troops and air support to help," he said.

The United States is employing the same tactic in Syria, where commandos have trained a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces to tackle Islamic State.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis calls it the "era of frequent skirmishing," when local forces will be key in repelling non-state groups such as Islamic State.

"We will do it by, with and through other nations," he said in a recent interview with CBS News.

Though the fight against Islamic State isn't over, Canadian Brigadier General Dave Anderson, who oversees the training of local forces for the US-led coalition, said he was confident Iraqi forces would never again face a rout such as 2014.

"I had a very senior Iraqi tell me that, 'We're an ancient society and a brand new country; born in 2012, we've had a near-death experience in 2014.' That's actually a good lens through which to look at it," he said.
One reason North Korea is the world's most dire nuclear hotspot is that among the most important players, even allies and semi-allies have different desires and priorities. An enemy to some, a bulwark to others, a frustration to all, with decades of unfinished business colouring the picture in ways unique to each nation.

North Korea's successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile 4 July heightened tensions that have been building for decades, leaving the world scrambling for an answer to containing Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

Below, Associated Press journalists who cover the standoff from both Koreas, Japan, China and the US explain how each country hopes it is resolved.

North Korea



North Korea has made no secret about what its demands are. Nothing is more important to the North's ruling regime than its own survival. To that end, it wants Washington to abandon its "hostile policy" aimed at forcing the country into collapse.

In concrete terms, Pyongyang wants direct talks toward a peace treaty to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, which was halted after what was supposed to be a temporary armistice. Signing a treaty would also mean formal recognition of North Korea by the US government and entail some sort of a security agreement guaranteeing Washington will not attack the North.

In the interim, the North wants an end to huge military exercises the US holds each year with South Korea. Pyongyang says it ultimately wants to see the Korean Peninsula reunited. Its often-repeated demand is for Washington to stay out and let Koreans decide their own fate.

Though actually achieving any of these demands would be tremendously difficult, and seems to be growing more difficult every year, North Korea has been quite consistent in what it claims to want.

And as long as its leaders feel vulnerable, it's not likely to give much ground.

 Eric Talmadge, the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief since 2013

United States

The top US priority, apart from defending South Korea as a treaty ally, is to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons: Meaning the North's weapons.

The administration of President George HW Bush seemed to set the stage in September 1991 when he announced the withdrawal of all naval and land-based tactical nuclear weapons, including from South Korea. Pyongyang not only persisted in its nuclear ambitions but in recent years has accelerated its program and all but closed the door to denuclearisation.

That has put added  even urgent  emphasis on the other US priority: stopping the North from developing a nuclear weapon capable of hitting US soil, while also defending South Korea and Japan, which already are within range of the North's shorter-range missiles. That is why Washington resists talk by China and Russia of halting military exercises with South Korea in exchange for concessions by the North, or withdrawing any of the approximately 28,500 US troops based permanently on the peninsula.

Washington sees little point in negotiating a formal end to the Korean War, which was halted in 1953 with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, because it sees far greater urgency in the nuclear issue.

 AP national security writer Robert Burns in Washington, who has covered the Pentagon and US national security issues since 1990

South Korea

The ultimate dream for South Korea is clear: A unified Korean Peninsula, led by Seoul and its values.

The problem, of course, and the source of seven decades of animosity and bloodshed, is that North Korea harbors a mirror image of that ambition. In the short term, what South Korea wants depends entirely on who you ask.

That group of elderly men in camouflage and combat boots who are burning an effigy of North Korea's dictator on a Seoul street won't have the same goals as the North Korea sympathizer who slashed the face of US ambassador Mark Lippert in 2015.

After a decade of hard-line conservative rule, the current government in Seoul is headed by liberal President Moon Jae-in, who wants North Korea to stop conducting nuclear and missile tests so he can begin to implement an engagement policy.

That doesn't look likely to happen any time soon.

Most South Koreans support the presence of the 28,500 US troops in their country, as long as crime isn't a problem. They look with unease at North Korean provocations, but seem to worry far less than the rest of the world about Pyongyang's threats to annihilate the South.

What they really want is for the economy to soar.

 Foster Klug, AP's bureau chief in Seoul, who has covered the Koreas since 2005

China

As the closest thing to what North Korea might call an ally, China is under greater pressure than any nation to curb the regime's provocations and set it on a path to a long-term resolution of the standoff. Yet Beijing insists it doesn't have that kind of influence with Pyongyang, and has largely rejected calls to curtail two-way commerce that accounts for an estimated 90 percent of the North's foreign trade.

At the same time, Beijing would like to return to the period in the last decade when it received kudos for hosting six-nation talks in which the North's representatives sat down with the US and others to discuss steps toward ending its nuclear program in return for incentives.

With no prospects for an immediate return to negotiations, China has instead been pushing for a "dual suspension" in which the North temporarily halts its nuclear and missile tests while South Korea and the US put large-scale war games on hold. That could facilitate talks, calming the situation and preserving the status quo whereby North Korea continues to act as a buffer between China and the pro-US South.

China's relations with Pyongyang may be in deep freeze, and the North's actions could spur rivals US and Japan to responses that could work to China's disadvantage. But ultimately, the specter of a North Korean collapse is far, far scarier to the rulers in Beijing.

 Beijing-based AP correspondent Christopher Bodeen, who has reported on China for more 15 years

Japan

As a staunch American ally, Japan cooperates closely with Washington and backs it in stepping up pressure on North Korea to counter the growing threat from its missile and nuclear programs.

Japan, a non-nuclear state and home to 50,000 American troops, relies on the US "nuclear umbrella" under a bilateral security treaty as a deterrent, and is wary of any escalation in military tensions in the region. It seeks to avoid becoming embroiled in US military actions but is taking a leadership role with the US and South Korea in lobbying other countries, especially China and Russia, to enforce economic sanctions against the North.

Given its proximity to North Korea, Tokyo has sought to exert leverage through diplomacy, such as six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program, and its own bilateral efforts to get Pyongyang to repatriate Japanese citizens who were abducted by North Korea. More than a dozen Japanese nationals kidnapped and taken to North Korea decades ago to be trained as agents are still believed to be alive, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made their safe return home one of his top priorities.

While an actual attack could bring disaster, the North Korean threat lends Abe leverage in drumming up public support for a stronger military and missile defense systems.

 Tokyo-based AP correspondent Mari Yamaguchi, who covers Japanese defense and politics
Jerusalem: The Israeli military says troops have shot and killed a Palestinian assailant who attacked a soldier at a West Bank traffic junction.

The army says the Palestinian attempted to ram his car into the junction on Monday. He then jumped out of the vehicle with a knife and lightly wounded a soldier standing nearby. It says forces shot and killed the attacker.

The violence was the latest in a wave of fighting that erupted in September 2015. Since then, Palestinian attackers have killed 43 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings, shootings and attacks using cars to ram into troops or civilians.

During that time, Israeli forces have killed over 250 Palestinians, most of them said by Israel to be attackers while others were killed in clashes.
Islamabad: A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the Panamagate graft case against Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family on Monday submitted its final report to the Supreme Court.

Members of the JIT arrived at the apex court amid tight security provided by the Islamabad Capital Territory Police and large cardboard boxes labelled 'Evidence' were carted into the court.

Besides other evidence, the report consists of the statements of Prime Minister Sharif, his brother and Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif; his children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Sharif and son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar.

A three-judge bench comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ejaz Afzal is hearing the JIT.

The six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s. It has also probed several serving and former officials in connection with the case.

In 2016, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October 2016 on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis.
Islamabad: A joint investigation team probing the Panamagate graft case against Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's family will submit its final report to the Supreme Court on Monday.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

Besides other evidence, the report will include statements of Prime Minister Sharif; his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif; his children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Sharif and son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar.

The JIT has also probed several serving and former officials in connection with the case. A three-judge special bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal, Justice Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan will examine the final report and decide further course of action.

Security has been stepped up in and around the court.

Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis.
Paris: A 42-year-old Frenchman suspected of plotting attacks with two Belgian brothers was charged with terror offences Sunday, a judicial source said.

The suspect was identified as Salah Ghemit, who was known to authorities before his arrest, and was charged with arms possession and having links to extremist groups, the source said.

Ghemit is believed to be connected to Akim and Khalid Saouti, two brothers charged in Brussels on Wednesday with belonging to a "terrorist group". They were believed to be planning an attack with a large stash of weapons including Kalashnikov rifles.

The pair, arrested in the Brussels suburb of Anderlecht, are brothers of convicted jihadist Said Saouti, a member of the Kamikaze Riders, a notorious bikers' club based in the Belgian capital.

Last year, Saouti was jailed for six years for recruiting people to jihadist organisations and supporting the Islamic State group on social media.

A source close to the probe said authorities feared the three men were planning "an imminent attack in France or Belgium."

The French suspect has previously been jailed four times for acts of violence and theft and was put under surveillance after leaving prison in May 2015 where he was believed to have been radicalised.

He was then observed making several trips to Belgium, where he met the Saouti brothers with all of them seen handling bags at a garage in Anderlecht.

One of the bags they were seen handling was found at the French suspect's home, containing several kilos of jewels, the source said. Investigators also found jihadist propaganda and footage of suicide attacks on his computer.

Investigators from a joint Franco-Belgian operation had on Wednesday confirmed arresting a 42-year-old man just outside Lille on suspicion of links to the Kamikaze Riders who was planning a "violent attack". France and Belgium have suffered a string of deadly attacks claimed by the Islamic State group in recent years.
Manila: Children and hostages are being forced to fight alongside pro-Islamic State gunmen waging a seven-week battle for a Philippine city, the country's military said Monday.

Militants seized Marawi, considered the Muslim capital of the largely Catholic Philippines, on 23 May in a bid to create an Islamic State province, and over 100 remain holed up in the city despite intense military efforts to oust them.

Some of the extremists are teenagers who may have been recruited and trained to use guns when they were still children, said Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla, a military spokesman.

"We continuously get disturbing narratives from (escaped residents) that children as well as hostages are being employed in the firefight," Padilla told reporters in Manila.

Casualties among children and civilians forced to take up arms could not be ruled out, Padilla said.

"As disturbing as it is, our troops are doing their best to avoid any casualty among these children that are being employed," he said.

"But in the event... they bear arms and are involved in the fighting, there is nothing much that we can do. Similarly to the hostages who are being forced."

Shortly after seizing Marawi, gunmen took at least a dozen hostages, including a Catholic priest. Some of the estimated 300 other civilians still trapped in the area may have also been taken captive, said Padilla.

The military earlier said civilians had been forced to help the gunmen by carrying supplies and ammunition, bearing their wounded and even helping them loot the city.

More than 500 people have been killed in the fighting, including 89 soldiers and police, 39 civilians and 379 militants, according to figures released by the government on Monday.

Nearly 400,000 civilians have fled their homes.

Daily air strikes and artillery barrages against militant snipers who control tall buildings have left Marawi's central business district a ghost town.

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte last month vowed to "crush" the militants but several government-set deadlines to end the conflict have already been missed.

The fighting also prompted Duterte to declare martial law over the entire southern Philippines.

Padilla on Monday expressed hope that the fighting would soon be concluded.

"We continue to gain headway with our operations on the ground," he said.
Kiev: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Russia on Sunday to take the "first step" to ease the bloody separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, which Kiev and the West believe is being fuelled by Moscow. Tillerson said that sanctions will remain in place against Russia "until Moscow reverses their actions".

"It is necessary for Russia to take the first step to de-escalate the situation in the east part of Ukraine," Tillerson said as he made his first visit as Washington's top diplomat to Kiev.

"We are disappointed by the lack of progress under the Minsk agreement," he added at a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko after they held talks.

Tillerson's visit to Ukraine followed a first face-to-face meeting between President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin on Friday at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

The conflict as well as Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 have pushed ties between Moscow and the West to their lowest point since the Cold War.

"We do call on Russia to honour its commitments," Tillerson said on Sunday, referring to a peace deal aimed at halting the conflict between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russia rebels.

Tillerson urged the Kremlin "to respect the ceasefire, by pulling back the heavy weapons and (allowing) the OSCE (pan- European security body) to carry out their responsibilities" under the deal struck in February 2015.

More than 10,000 people have been killed since the pro-Russian insurgency began in April 2014, which Kiev and the West accuse Moscow of orchestrating.

The US and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Russia, though Moscow has denied backing the rebels.

"The US and EU sanctions on Russia will remain in place until Moscow reverses their actions," Tillerson stressed.

Efforts to secure a peace deal have foundered as the fighting has dragged on, and neither side appears prepared to make concessions. Tillerson said he had appointed a special envoy to allow Washington to be more involved in a peace process overseen by Germany and France. Poroshenko hailed US involvement and reiterated his commitment to seeking a negotiated peace deal.

"Most of all we want peace in Ukraine. We firmly adhere to our commitments," Ukrainian leader said.

Tillerson also commented on another key bone of contention between Trump and Putin at the G20: allegations of Russian interference in US election campaign, in favour of the Republican candidate. On Friday, Trump broached the issue with the Russian leader in Hamburg, and Putin denied it.

"In all candidness we did not expect an answer other than the one we received," Tillerson told reporters in Kiev on Sunday. "What we agreed on the cyber front is to explore a framework ... on how to deal with these very complex issues of cyber threats, cyber security, cyber intrusions," he added.
Washington: Donald Trump's eldest son has said that he met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer shortly after his father clinched the Republican nomination, hoping to get information helpful to the campaign.

A New York Times report Saturday citing advisers to the White House briefed on the encounter said Trump junior agreed to the meeting after being promised information damaging to Hillary Clinton.

The June meeting at Trump Tower with attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya involved Trump junior, his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, who was then the campaign chairman.

The existence of the meeting was disclosed only recently to government officials and confirmed on Saturday by representatives of Trump Jr. and Kushner following a separate Times report.

In a statement Sunday Trump Jr. did not confirm that the information he was promised would be damaging to Clinton.

But he said he was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant who he was told might have information that would be helpful to the campaign.

Trump junior said that during the meeting the attorney claimed to have information that "individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee" and supporting Clinton.

"No details or supporting information was provided or even offered," Trump junior said. "It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information." He said no details or supporting information was ever offered, and that his father was unaware of the meeting.

On Saturday, Trump junior had described the same gathering as "short introductory meeting" during which the three discussed a disbanded program that used to allow US citizens to adopt Russian children. Russia ended the adoptions in response to American sanctions brought against the nation following the 2009 death of an imprisoned lawyer who spoke about a corruption scandal.

He said that the attorney turned the conversation to the adoption of Russian children, and that he believed that this was the "true agenda" of the meeting and that claims about damaging information had been a pretext for the encounter.

"I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office," Trump junior said in the statement. Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's legal team, said only, "The president was not aware of and did not attend the meeting."

Unlike Kushner, Trump junior does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts. The newspaper said the meeting was disclosed in recent days to government investigators filed a revised version of a form needed to obtain a security clearance. His attorney has previously acknowledged that Kushner's first security clearance submissions were incomplete and contained errors.

Manafort also recently disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators, the newspaper said. The newspaper said Veselnitskaya is known for her attempts to undercut the sanctions against Russian human rights abusers. The Times also said her clients include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United

States at the time of the meeting.
Istanbul: Tens of thousands of Turkish opposition supporters on Sunday massed in Istanbul to mark the end of a nearly month-long march protesting alleged injustices under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a rare challenge to Turkey's powerful leader.

A sea of people filled the vast shoreside square in Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul for the rally celebrating the culmination of a 450-kilometre "justice march" from Ankara to Istanbul by Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

The rally is by far the biggest by the opposition seen in Istanbul since the mass May-June 2013 demonstrations against Erdogan's rule sparked by the planned redevelopment of Gezi Park in the city.

Kilicdaroglu began the 25-day trek to protest the arrest of one of his MPs and it rapidly grew into a major march protesting alleged injustice under the state of emergency imposed following last year's July 15 failed coup.

"Nobody should think this march is the last one. It's the first step!" Kilicdaroglu told the crowds who roared back with the cry "Justice!".

"Everyone should know very well that 9 July is a new step, a new history... a new birth," he added.

Usually, only Erdogan himself can mobilise crowds on this scale with glitzy rallies and the president himself had in the past held mass meetings for supporters in the Maltepe meeting area.

The government has dismissed the march as a bothersome stunt while a riled Erdogan has accused Kilicdaroglu of siding with "terrorists" and the 15 July plotters.

But Turkish security forces did nothing to impede the march's progress and 15,000 police officers were deployed to ensure safety at the rally.

CHP officials told AFP that the numbers at the rally could be as high as over two million but this could not be immediately confirmed.

Supporters have compared the trek of the slightly built, mustachioed 69-year-old with Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi's famous Salt March of 1930.

The CHP leader reached the outskirts of Istanbul on Friday and was joined by tens of thousands forming a vast file along the road despite blistering heat.

Kilicdaroglu had launched the march from Ankara after his party's lawmaker Enis Berberoglu, a former journalist, was sentenced to 25 years in jail on charges of leaking classified information to a newspaper.

The rally ground is near Berberoglu's prison in the Istanbul district of Maltepe. Kilicdaroglu had said he wants no CHP insignia at the

rally, only "Justice" slogans and pictures of modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

The opposition chief has dressed every day modestly in a white shirt, dark trousers, with a hat to protect him from the sun. He rested at night in a caravan.

At the rally the huge stage, flanked by pictures of Ataturk and the Turkish flag, had only a single word printed on its canopy  "Adalet" (Justice)  in giant letters.

About 50,000 people have been arrested under Turkey's state of emergency imposed after last July's failed coup and another 1,00,000 have lost their jobs, including teachers, judges, soldiers and police officers.

"We marched for justice, we marched for the rights of the oppressed. We marched for the MPs in jail. We marched for the arrested journalists. We marched for the university academics dismissed from their jobs," said Kilicdaroglu. "We marched because the judiciary is under a political monopoly," he added.

Kilicdaroglu has strongly condemned the failed coup bid  blamed on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who denies the charges  but has been bitterly critical of the scope of the state of emergency.

In the latest crackdown, Turkish police on Wednesday detained Amnesty International's Turkey director and other activists on charges of membership in a terror group sparking a new uproar among rights advocates.

Kilicdaroglu said he was against both a "one man regime" and Gulen. Turkish police this week detained six suspected members of the Islamic State extremist group planning a bomb attack on the march. But the CHP said it was a routine operation, and was not related to the justice march.
The United Nations (UN) is concerned about continuing terrorist attacks on educational institutions and the militarys use of schools, especially in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Balochistan, a report of the UNs review of Pakistans social, cultural and economic rights says.

The UN has urged the Pakistani government to completely ban the military use of schools and to endorse the Safe School Declaration, a report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) shows during a periodic review of the country.

CESCR is a body of 18 independent experts that monitors the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by state parties and usually meets twice a year in Geneva.

A particular area of concern is Balochistan where attacks are carried out by nationalist, sectarian and Islamist armed groups on schools and universities, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says in its report to the UN committee as part of the evaluation exercise.

According to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, between 2009 and 2012 there have been at least 838 attacks on schools in Pakistan.

Though the UN body recognises the efforts made by the Pakistani government to close down radical madrassas, it is concerned that some madrassas provide no education other than the Quran and that some textbooks and curricula for Sindh and Punjab contain stereotyped images of religious and ethnic minorities.

Hazara students have difficulties reaching Quetta because of the large number of sectarian killings along the route and, therefore, public transport operators dont allow Hazaras on board because of danger to other passengers, HRW reports. It is concerned about the right to education for the Hazaras in Quetta and Balochistan.

"Despite hundreds of attacks on teachers, students, schools, and universities, the Pakistan government has not successfully prosecuted the perpetrators in most instances," HRW writes.

In Swat, after its military offensive, the Pakistan Army forced the Taliban to vacate the schools, but ended up occupying them instead. Although most schools have now been vacated, around 20 schools were still under military use in Swat as of December 2016, the report adds.

HRW documented reports of 96 school attacks in Pakistan in 2012 alone, most of which were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the FATA. Additionally, there were at least 78 targeted attacks on schools, teachers, and students in 2013 while 360 schools were destroyed in the FATA, 166 schools in North Waziristan Agency, 139 in Khyber Agency, and 55 in South Waziristan Agency in 2015.

The use of child suicide bombers by the Taliban and other extremist armed groups also continued in 2015, HRW says.

There are well-documented reports of police abuse of Afghan refugees: What HRW calls a policy of punitive retribution following a Tehreek-e-Taliban attack in December 2014 which need to be immediately investigated, the UN report says.

Currently, there are 1.5 million Afghan refugees and one million Afghans seeking asylum in Pakistan making it the second largest refugee-hosting country globally.

The UN committee also urged the government to ensure that all registered Afghan refugees are allowed to stay in the country until it is safe for them to return or resettle in another country and to reopen the registration procedure for unregistered Afghans as well as to extend the Proof Residence (PoR) cards that will expire on 31 December.

There is a very high proportion of poor in the country, especially in certain regions, like Sindh, FATA and Balochistan, where people face additional obstacles like a very low level of birth registration and often delayed registration, which seriously limits persons without birth certificates from enjoying their economic, social and cultural rights.

Combined with poverty, there is a very low level of public funding, particularly around employment, social security, housing, water and sanitation, health and education, "which cannot be justified by high levels of defence expenditure". For instance, public health spending, an important indicator of a government's commitment to the implementation of the right to health, currently stands at 0.45 percent of the GDP, says Amnesty International's submission on Pakistan.

The tax-GDP ratio of Pakistan is very low, and that the tax regime of the state party characterised by limited tax base, non-progressive tax system and heavy reliance on indirect taxes, is also a matter of concern to the economic rights experts.

The insufficient framework legislation to provide for the protection of all women, particularly Hindu and Christian women, in relation to marriage, divorce, custody and inheritance, is a matter of concern to the global body: It recommends that legislation be adopted in line with international norms and standards. It is also concerned that the practice of forced conversion of non-Muslim women and forced marriage continue and recommends that the state party prohibit forced conversion without consent.

The UN experts also recommend that certain other laws and practices be brought in line with international standards like the West Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Act of 1962: Which permits polygamy and provides that a daughter is entitled to receive only half as much inheritance from her parents as her brother receives: and the Qanun-e-Shahadat (Law of Evidence) that stipulates that the value of womens court testimony is half that of a male witness.

Despite measures taken by the government, the UN experts are concerned at the prevalence of corruption and the magnitude of corruption cases involving high-level officials.

There are repeated reports of abduction, killings and intimidation of human rights defenders, particularly those fighting for economic, social and cultural rights, allegedly committed in some cases by state agents, including members of military intelligence services, the report says.

It recommends that the Pakistani government in its next periodic report provide comparative annual statistical data disaggregated by sex, age, geographical location, disability, religion, and other status to better monitor the progressive realisation of the covenant rights.

The periodic review of six state parties, including Pakistan, was carried out between 29 May through 23 June in Geneva.
Washington: Congress is still trying to send President Donald Trump his first unqualified legislative triumph, nearly six months after Republicans grabbed full control of Washington.

Now, lawmakers are returning from their 4 July recess with an added objective  averting some full-blown political disasters.

The GOP campaign to repeal Democrat Barack Obama's health care law is bogged down in the Senate and flirting with collapse.

Efforts to pass a budget are stuck, there's no tax code overhaul package, spending bills are in limbo and it's unclear how leaders will find the votes to avert a federal default.

The difficulties flow from Republican divisions. Collectively, the problems are threatening to sink top GOP priorities and undermine the party's ability to show it can govern effectively.

Lawmakers have three weeks of work before an August recess. Some Republicans are making noise about shortening that respite, but doing so would be a step shy of sacrilege on Capitol Hill.

It took the House several tries to pass its bill aiming to annul much of Obama's health care law.

Now, senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is struggling to find GOP votes for a similar package replacing that 2010 statute with one easing insurance coverage requirements, cutting Medicaid, erasing penalties on people not buying insurance and repealing tax increases on the well-off.

McConnell, R-Ky, unexpectedly called off a pre-recess vote on the measure  which he'd written privately  as it became clear it would lose. With Democrats arrayed unanimously against him, McConnell needs at least 50 of the 52 GOP senators to vote yes or witness the mortifying crumpling of his party's high-decibel pledge to uproot Obama's law.

McConnell has been calibrating changes that might win over worried Republicans, but there's no sign he's made progress. Two GOP senators, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John McCain of Arizona, issued dire forecasts on Monday, saying the initial bill is probably "dead."

Revisions under consideration would lessen the bill's Medicaid cuts, boost spending for programs combatting drug abuse, fatten health care subsidies for low earners and make it easier for insurers to sell skimpier, lower-cost policies.

A vote is expected no earlier than the week of 16 July.

McConnell has said if the measure flops, he'd push a narrower bill propping up ailing health insurance marketplaces.

Republicans are stuck on a fiscal blueprint for the coming budget year, with disputes between conservatives and moderates over how deeply to cut programs like food stamps.

None of the 12 annual spending bills financing federal agencies is finished.

Disagreements have slowed work on a tax overhaul. And no one knows what bargains will be needed to assure autumn passage of a bill extending government borrowing authority and avoiding a crushing federal default.

House speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters Friday that he'd "prefer" to pass the budget in July, suggesting it might linger until fall, adding to Congress' late-year mountain of work.'

Some conservatives in Congress, meanwhile, want to include measures to cut spending as part of any extension of the government's borrowing authority.

But treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin reiterated on Monday on ABC's "This Week" that the administration prefers a straightforward extension, without including contentious agreements on spending cuts.

Mnuchin also knocked down a report last week that Trump administration adviser Steve Bannon has floated a tax increase on the wealthiest households as a way to pay for tax cuts for middle-income Americans.

"I've never heard Steve mention that," Mnuchin said on This Week. He added that the increase is not part of the administration's tax plan.

Bannon's proposal to raise the tax rate for Americans earning nearly $ 420,000 to 40 percent or higher was reported 2 July by the website Axios.

The administration is aiming to release its full tax plan by September, Mnuchin said, and hopes to pass it into law by the end of the year. So far, the administration has issued a one-page summary of broad principles for tax reform, but few details.

The GOP congressional leadership and the Trump administration have struggled with the issue of how to offset the cost of tax cuts.

Mnuchin said the administration's plan would pay for itself, if about $ 2 trillion in increased revenue resulting from faster economic growth is included.

Yet congressional budget scorekeepers may not agree that tax cuts would produce such growth.

Under congressional budget rules, tax cuts can be passed by the Senate with a simple majority, but only if they don't increase the deficit after 10 years. That would allow Republicans, who have 52 Senate seats, to pass the bill without any Democratic votes.
Kuwait City: Kuwait Airways has said that a ban on laptops and tablets in the cabins of its US-bound flights had been lifted by Washington.

"Now our passengers flying from Kuwait International Airport to New York will be able to use all of their personal electronic devices," the emirate's flag carrier said on Twitter Sunday.

Now our passengers flying from Kuwait International Airport to #JFK in #NY will be able to use all of their personal electronic devices. pic.twitter.com/qXWd9gHS8d  Kuwait Airways (@KuwaitAirways) July 9, 2017

The United States in March barred all electronic devices larger than a mobile phone in the cabins of direct flights to the US from 10 airports in Turkey, West Asia, and North Africa, only allowing them in hold luggage.

The ban was brought in after intelligence officials learned of efforts by jihadists from the Islamic State group to produce a bomb that could be hidden inside such devices.

For the same reason, Britain also banned similar-sized electronics from the cabins of direct flights from six countries.

Etihad Airways Sunday became the first airline to benefit from the lifting of the ban, with flights from the airline's base in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi no longer affected.

Dubai-based Emirates, Turkish Airways, Qatar Airways, and Saudi Arabia's national airline have all said their passengers are now allowed to bring personal electronics on board direct flights to the US.
Caracas: Venezuela hit its 100th day of anti-government protests on Sunday, amid uncertainty over whether the release from prison a day earlier of prominent political prisoner Leopoldo Lopez might open the doors to negotiations to defuse the profound crisis gripping the country.

Lopez was placed under house arrest immediately after his surprise release from a military prison. Still, the gesture  the most visible sign of conciliation since protests erupted 1 April 

triggered speculation over the prospect of talks between the opposition and the embattled leftist government of Nicolas Maduro.

Three months of street protests have exacted a rising toll of death and destruction. The protests continued on Sunday, as 2,000 people marched in eastern Caracas, wearing T-shirts with Lopez's face and carrying banners that read, "One hundred days and I continue to rebel against tyranny."

Meantime, thousands of government supporters marched in the center city, many wearing the revolutionary red of the "Chavista" movement.

Lopez's release was welcomed  sometimes with calls on Caracas to do more  by several other Latin American countries, Spain and the United States.

Lopez, leader of the Voluntad Popular (Popular Will) party and a leading symbol of anti-Maduro resistance, emerged after his release from prison looking fit and happy -- though wearing an ankle bracelet to allow authorities to monitor his movements, his family said.

He pumped his fist in the air, unfurled the Venezuelan flag and told supporters: "Yes, we can!"

"I maintain my firm opposition to this regime," Lopez said in a statement read by a leader of his party. "I reiterate my commitment to fighting until Venezuela's freedom is won."

Maduro, in televised remarks on Saturday, called for a message of "peace and rectification" from Lopez, "because the nation wants peace."

But a defiant-sounding statement from the MUD opposition coalition said Lopez's release was not so much "a concession by the regime" as the result of "the insistent street pressure that Venezuelans have exercised for 100 days, and from international solidarity with our struggle."

Analysts said it seemed significant that the government had agreed to release a man it once termed "a monster," while Lopez had accepted house arrest after insisting he would leave prison only with full freedom and once all opposition members were free.

One analyst, Luis Vicente Leon, said the government hoped to lower tensions in the face of a serious risk of destabilization, while the moderate opposition wanted to avoid "suicide in a lose-lose situation."

While negotiations now appear possible, he added, they would require concessions sure to be unpopular with extremists on either side. "No one voluntarily offers to sacrifice their head," he said.

Lopez, a 46-year-old Harvard-educated politician, was imprisoned for more than three-and-a-half years for allegedly inciting violence by calling for anti-government protests.

His release has been a key demand of Venezuela's opposition and the international community, amid an intensifying political confrontation aimed at forcing the unpopular Maduro to hold early elections.

At least 91 people have died since 1 April in clashes between protesters and security forces over moves by the courts and the government to strip the National Assembly of power, delay elections and rewrite the constitution.

The Supreme Court said it had ordered Lopez's move to house arrest for health reasons, calling it a "humanitarian measure."

In Madrid, Javier Cremades, Lopez's Spanish lawyer, underscored that "all of Leopoldo Lopez's civil and political rights must still be restored" and all political prisoners must be freed.

Foro Penal, an NGO, puts the number of political prisoners at 433. The government insists they are in jail for acts of violence.

The US State Department called Lopez's release "a significant step in the right direction," but said more such steps are needed.

Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), a severe critic of the Maduro government, said the release provided an "opportunity for reconciliation."

The former mayor of a Caracas municipality, Lopez was an early champion of street protests to force political change as oil-rich Venezuela spiraled into a severe economic and political crisis after the death of Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

The government blamed Lopez for a months-long outbreak of anti-government protests in 2014 that left 43 people dead. He was sentenced to nearly 14 years in prison on charges that his defense said were manufactured and politically motivated. Since then the crisis has deepened.

On Wednesday, pro-government militants wielding sticks and pipes stormed the opposition-held National Assembly and beat lawmakers, injuring at least five. Maduro condemned the violence and said he had ordered an investigation.
London: British prime minister Theresa May acknowledged the "reality" of her weakened position Monday by appealing to other parties to help implement Brexit, as she sought to relaunch her year-old premiership.

One month after losing her parliamentary majority in a snap election, the Conservative leader said she was still committed to "bold action" to fulfil her promises of change.

But as fresh rumours swirled of plans to oust her, May accepted that "the reality I now face as prime minister is rather different" than it was.

Her comments came in excerpts of a speech due to be delivered on Tuesday, the anniversary of her winning the Conservative Party leadership race after last year's referendum vote to leave the EU.

"In this new context, it will be even more important to make the case for our policies and our values, and to win the battle of ideas both in parliament as well as in the country," May will say.

"So I say to the other parties in the House of Commons... come forward with your own views and ideas about how we can tackle these challenges as a country."

May has been struggling to maintain her authority since the 8 June election, which she called three years early only to lose seats, leaving her with a minority government.

'Dead in the water'

The Mail on Sunday reported that former Conservative chief whip Andrew Mitchell had told a private meeting of MPs that May was "dead in the water" and must quit.

Justice secretary David Lidington said this and other rumours were the result of politicians enjoying "too much sun and too much warm Prosecco" at summer parties.

May's de facto deputy Damian Green insisted on Monday that her call for cross-party cooperation was a "grown-up way of doing politics".

May had been accused of stifling dissent over her plans to take Britain out of Europe's single market, end jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, and leave the bloc without a deal in place.

But members of her cabinet have been increasingly outspoken since the election, particularly finance minister Philip Hammond, who favours a more conciliatory approach amid fears of the damage a clean break could do to business.

A new cross-party parliamentary group was launched on Monday calling for the "closest possible relationship" with the EU and demanding that "all options are kept on the table" in the negotiations, which began last month.

It is co-chaired by opposition Labour MP Chuka Umunna and Conservative former minister Anna Soubry, both outspoken pro-Europeans, and backed by the smaller Liberal Democrats.
Geneva: A cholera outbreak in Yemen has now surpassed 300,000 suspected cases, the Red Cross said on Monday as the war-torn country reels from disease as well as the threat of famine.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said the cholera epidemic "continues to spiral out of control" since it erupted in April.

"Today, over 300,000 people are suspected to be ill. More than 1,600 have died," it said in a Twitter post.

#Yemen's cholera epidemic continues to spiral out of control. Today, over 300,000 people are suspected to be ill. More than 1,600 have died. pic.twitter.com/YFiaNyujlk  ICRC (@ICRC) July 10, 2017

ICRC regional director Robert Mardini said about 7,000 new cholera cases were being recorded daily in the capital Sanaa and three other areas.

The collapse of Yemen's infrastructure after more than two years of war between the Saudi-backed government and Shiite rebels who control Sanaa has made for a "perfect storm for cholera", according to the World Health Organization.

Cholera is a highly contagious bacterial infection spread through contaminated food or water.

Although the disease is easily treatable, doing so in Yemen has proved particularly difficult. The war has left less than half of the country's medical facilities functional.

The WHO's own figures for the outbreak list 262,649 suspected cases and 1,587 deaths as of 2 July, in 21 of 23 Yemeni governorates. It is expected to update those numbers shortly.

The battle against cholera has caused aid groups to pull resources away from fighting malnutrition among Yemen's war-weary people, raising the risk of famine as they struggle to find funds, a UN official warned last week.

Jamie McGoldrick, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, said much of the $1.1 billion (966,000 euros) in aid pledged by donor governments in April to deal with the hard-pressed population's needs had yet to be disbursed, leaving relief agencies struggling to get their hands on new money.

"Humanitarian organisations have had to reprogramme their resources away from malnutrition and reuse them to control the cholera outbreak," he said in Sanaa on Thursday.

"And if we don't get these resources replaced, then using those resources for cholera will mean that food insecurity will suffer.

"We're trying to do our best, but it's very much beyond what we can cope with."

About 17 million people  two-thirds of Yemen's population  are uncertain of where their next meal will come from, according to the World Food Programme.
The United Auto Workers filed petitions Monday to force a unionization election at a Nissan Motor Co. plant in Mississippi after a yearslong pressure campaign to build support.

Sandra Hightower of the National Labor Relations Board confirmed that the board received the UAW's election petition in its New Orleans office.

The UAW declined comment but has scheduled an event Tuesday at its office near the plant in Canton, just north of Jackson. That union has long struggled to unionize foreign-owned auto plants across the South, and Monday's move sets the stage for a key showdown.

The union has worked for years to build support for a vote among the 6,500 workers at the complex. They and community allies also have pushed Nissan to stay neutral in a vote, claiming the company has intimidated workers. The labor board has backed some of those claims in litigation that remains pending.

Nissan spokeswoman Parul Bajaj reiterated the company's stance that workers get to choose whether they have a union but management opposes representation.

"While it is ultimately up to our employees who will represent them, we do not believe that UAW representation is in the best interest of Nissan Canton and its workers," Bajaj said.

The pro-union campaign has sought to link support for the union with civil rights for African-Americans. Workers at Nissan's plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, rejected the UAW in 1989 and 2001 votes, but no election has been held at the Mississippi plant in Canton. The Mississippi campaign has featured support from NAACP and actor Danny Glover, as well as a rally this March headlined by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent and former Democratic presidential candidate.

Bishop Thomas Jenkins of New Dimensions Church in Jackson recorded a video and spoke at a Sunday workers meeting at the UAW office. He said he has long advocated for better wages and working conditions in Mississippi.

"We've been talking about this for a long time," Jenkins told the AP in a phone interview Monday. "It's time to go forth."

The union lost a vote among all workers at Volkswagen AG's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but then won a vote among 160 maintenance workers. That was the first-ever win for the UAW at a foreign-owned auto plant in the American South. German-based Volkswagen had refused to bargain with those workers, saying representation decisions should be made by the entire hourly workforce.

Hightower said the UAW had asked to represent all production and maintenance workers at the plant, a group that could also include contract workers employed by two other companies. She said the labor board would seek to schedule an election "as soon as possible." However, she noted that pending unfair labor practice complaints filed by the UAW could block the vote. The UAW filed a new round of charges June 26.

Thirty percent of workers must sign petitions seeking an election. Hightower could not immediately say how many workers have signed.

"We have a pile of paper," she said. ___ Follow Jeff Amy at: http://twitter.com/jeffamy . Read his work at https://www.apnews.com/search/Jeff_Amy .
Abercrombie & Fitch is no longer up for sale, a development that isn't sitting well with investors hoping for white knight to rescue the struggling teen retailer.

Shares plunged 21 percent to a 17-year low Monday.

Abercrombie said in May, after closing dozens of underperforming stores, that it was it in talks with several parties about a potential deal. The company said Monday that it has ended all such negotiations.

More people are shopping at lower-cost, fast-fashion stores like H&M and Forever 21, and that has wreaked havoc on one-time mall mainstays like Abercrombie. Aeropostale Inc., Wet Seal and others have already sought bankruptcy protection. Sears last week, after years of closing stores and retrenching, said it would close another 43 unprofitable Sears and Kmart locations. It said earlier this year that in was unclear if it had enough cash to stay in business through the end of the year.

Hudson's Bay Co., which owns Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord and Taylor, said last month that it was cutting thousands of jobs in North America as sales slump.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co., based in New Albany, Ohio, said that sales remain strong at its surf-inspired Hollister brand and is continuing to work on improving the performance at Abercrombie. In the first quarter, sales at established Hollister stores rose 3 percent, but they slumped 10 percent at Abercrombie.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co said on Monday it terminated talks about a potential sale following a review, sending the teen apparel retailer's shares down more than 10 percent in premarket trading.

The company had said in May it was in talks with several bidders regarding a potential sale, a day after Reuters reported that the retailer was working with an investment bank to field takeover interests from other retailers.

Rival American Eagle Outfitters Inc and private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management were working on a joint bid, the Wall Street Journal reported in May.

Abercrombie, along with other teen apparel retailers, has been hurt by fierce competition from fast-fashion retailers such as H&M and Inditex's Zara as well as from online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc.

Abercrombie, which has reported falling quarterly sales since 2014, said in May it expects to shutter about 60 stores in the United States in the year ending January 2018.

Up to Friday's close, Abercrombie's shares have fallen 14.5 percent since Reuters reported that the company was fielding takeover interests.
While the retail industry has largely shifted to online in recent years, Tom McGee, CEO of the International Council of Shopping Centers, believes there is room for different kinds of product consumption.

I think in a couple years well stop talking about online vs. physical and well talk about retail and retail will be you know multiple channels but theyll really operate in a really synergistic way, McGee said during an appearance on the FOX Business Network Monday.

At the forefront of the industry is Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), which is launching its third annual Prime Day from 9 p.m. Monday to 3 a.m. Wednesday  a 25% longer window than it was last year.

Despite Amazons success, McGee says it does not completely dictate the industrys future.

Amazon has had incredible success but you know Amazons an $80 billion retailer in North America$80 billion compared to almost $5 trillion of retail sales, I mean theres a huge amount of sales that happen in this country that dont happen because of Amazon but Amazon is clearly influencing the industry and driving it to change.

Leading the increased shift towards online sales are Millennials, who are continuing to demand more cost effective and convenient ways to purchase goods.

Im bullish on the industry in the long-term because of demographics, because you have this huge Millennial generation thats going to age into their prime consumption years, McGee said.

The shift to digital retail will also have a long-term effect on malls as retail bankruptcies continue to rise. The most recent bankruptcies come from The Limited (NYSE:LB), True Religion (NASDAQ:TRLG), Wet Seal (NASDAQ:WTSL), hhgregg (OTCMKTS:HGGG), RadioShack (OTC:RSH), rue21 (NASDAQ:RUE) and Payless (NYSE:PSS). Despite the retail doomsday headlines in the news lately, McGee says that change is not necessarily a bad thing.

Theres been 3,000 store closures that have been announced but theres been 2,000 store openings that have been announced as well so I think theres clearly change going on in the industry, nobody should dispute that but I am optimistic about the health of the industry, McGee said.
Meet Tony. For years, Tony worked in a plant that manufactured industrial gases. He started working at the plant in 1979, joining the Teamsters after deciding, like many who worked there, that becoming part of the union, and participating in its pension plan, was a smart financial decision.

The plant, which used processes that were dangerous in retrospect, according to Tony, eventually declined into technological obsolescence. Newer, safer processes became the standard for producing the gases that his plant produced. After a long career, he retired from the plant, and at 58 years old, he and his wife now work at Sam's Club and continue to save diligently for retirement through Wal-Mart's 401(k) program.

It's a good thing Tony and his wife saved, and continue saving, because the pension he was promised when he started making contributions as a gas plant worker 38 years ago may not be available to him for much longer. In fact, his pension, part of the Central States Pension Fund, is facing a financial crisis of its own.

He receives reminders of the pension's problems through frequent mailings. The fund most recently wrote him to say that it is in "critical and declining" status, a label ascribed to pension plans that are expected to be insolvent in as little as 10 to 20 years, but Central States could be insolvent in less than eight years, failing by 2025.

If nothing is done, pension payments to participants could simply stop as the plan's assets slowly bleed out and government-organized pension insurance programs become insolvent under the burden of failed pension plans.

How the plan fell apart

The Central States Pension Fund covers workers and retirees from a variety of industries, but most of its retirees are truck drivers who worked for one of the thousands of trucking companies that once dominated American highways.

Though the trucking industry is as important as it has ever been to the way goods are shipped, its economic fortunes have faded since 1980, when the industry was deregulated. The passage of the Motor Carrier Regulatory Reform and Modernization Act of 1980 removed many of the barriers that restricted competition and buoyed profits.

The excess profits enjoyed by the trucking industry up until 1980 were more representative of a competition-free bubble than a normal competitive environment. An article written by Thomas Gale Moore, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, explained the unique protections afforded to the trucking industry by earlier legislation, which made them exempt from anti-monopoly laws.

Alongside deregulation and decreased profitability, declining union membership also weighed on Central States and other pension funds' participation levels. Whereas as many as 60% of truckers in regulated corners of the industry were union in the 1970s, only 12% were union members in 2006.

Non-unionized transportation outfits were enabled by deregulation to publish lower rates and compete on price, scoring more business from costlier unionized service providers. After all, trucking is largely a commodity; price is paramount to winning business. And non-unionized shops simply had the better price, which was a big problem for pension plans that rely on union participation.

Central States feels the brunt

The decline of the trucking industry's profitability had a pronounced impact on the Central States Pension Fund, which relied on the industry to supply it with cash from working truckers to pay the benefits it promised to those who had retired. By 1984, just four years after trucking was deregulated, the pension was paying out more in benefits than it received in contributions. Investment income made up for the shortfall, but only temporarily.

Central States is a multi-employer plan, which means that it serves as a pool into which employees of multiple companies pay in. The contributions are commingled, and the payouts are a collective liability. This type of plan is commonly found in fragmented industries with hundreds or thousands of smaller operators. The trucking industry, once made up of thousands of mom and pop shops, was a natural fit.

But Central States began to fall victim to an issue that plagues many multi-employer plans: When companies that participate in the plan fail, they cease to make payments into the program, but the payments to retirees, who were promised years of consistent monthly checks after retirement, keep on flowing. In effect, less cash comes in, but the same amount goes out.

The failure of trucking businesses around the country has left financial scars for Central States. An analysis by Boston College revealed that of the 50 largest employers that participated in the pension plan in 1980, only four were still around in 2014. It wrote in its 2014 analysis that "roughly 50 cents of every benefit dollar goes to pay benefits to 'orphaned' participants, those left behind when employers exit."

Large, healthy, and profitable employers have also bought out of the Central States Pension Fund, exacerbating its financial problems. In 2007, the delivery company United Parcel Service paid $6.1 billion to exit the fund, an amount determined sufficient to pay for the pension payments to UPS retirees who were drawing from the fund. When UPS bought out, Central States was already in poor shape. After the UPS payment, Central States was funded between 70% and 75%, according to a 2008 estimate.

The UPS exit is representative of the unique issues that multi-employer plans face. UPS' $6.1 billion payment to exit the fund might have covered the liabilities owed to its former employees, but there are still many more employees who were "orphaned" by the failure of their employers and need to be accounted for.

Compounding the issue of financial weakness, the 2007 exit of UPS from the plan proved untimely. Just months after UPS bought out, partially by transferring holdings of the S&P 500 index to the pension, stock and bond prices plummeted as the Financial Crisis unfolded, and thus the pension had to sell assets near their lows to fund payouts to retired workers.

A broken backstop

Anyone who participates in a pension has insurance from a government agency known as the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). The agency collects a small premium for each person who participates in a pension, and in turn, it promises to pay benefits to pensioners of failed plans, often at a reduced rate. An illustrative example on its website shows that workers who earned 30 years of service in a multi-employer plan can collect a maximum of $12,870 per year from the PBGC -- far less than many pensions originally promised to pay.

In effect, the PBGC is to pensions payouts what the FDIC is to bank deposits. It offers limited coverage with promises to pay out a reduced, but non-zero amount, to pensioners who are part of a failed system, just as the FDIC only protects bank deposits up to $250,000 per account.

For years, the PBGC operated at a surplus, taking in far more than it ever paid out. In fact, up until 2004, it was in the black virtually every single year.

However, as the baby boomer generation continues to reach retirement age, the PBGC is expected to make good on the liabilities of more pension plans that overpromised and underdelivered. Multi-employer plans like Central States are most likely to experience problems making good on their promises. In its most recent annual report, the PBGC estimated that its multi-employer liabilities tallied more than $60 billion, the bulk of which stems from nearly $59 billion it estimates it will have to pay in "financial assistance to 103 multi-employer pension plans that were probable to receive PBGC assistance in the future."

Even as stock prices have recovered from their Financial Crisis lows, estimates suggest that the PBGC could become insolvent as soon as 2025. Central States, by far one of the biggest and most troubled multi-employer plans, would put PBGC on fast-track to insolvency. In simple terms, the surpluses earned by the PBGC through 2004 were an illusion, as the agency simply underpriced the risk of pension failures.

Only recently has the PBGC increased its rates to reflect the increased probability that multi-employer plans run into trouble. Rates more than doubled from $12 per multi-employer plan participant in 2014 to $26 in 2015. In 2017, the rate increased to the current level of $28. At this point, it seems as though the rate increases are simply too little, and far too late.

Pensions get approval to slash benefits

In 2014, Congress passed a law that would allow pensions to do the once unthinkable: cut benefits to current recipients in order to stave off a crisis.

The law opened the possibility of a multi-tiered cut to benefits based on retirees' current age. Those who are 80 or older, or who receive disability-related pension payouts, couldn't have their benefits cut. Those who are aged 75 to 79 would have to tolerate some cuts. For those who are younger than 75, it was open season -- that group would experience the most substantial reductions.

For what it's worth, Tony, who is 58 years old, was supportive of a plan that would cut his benefits if it meant that payments would be made for longer. "Something is better than nothing," he opined.

Tony isn't being hyperbolic; for him, getting nothing is a very real possibility if Central States and the PBGC become insolvent. The letters he receives about Central States frequently refer to its financial problems in troubling language. He read aloud to me a recent letter that said his benefits, and the benefits of more than 400,000 people in the plan, could be "ultimately reduced to virtually nothing" if cuts were not made to the benefits of current recipients.

Tony's favorable view of cuts designed to elongate the life of the plan isn't necessarily a popular one among other participants, who see a cut to their benefits as an impossible solution. When Central States Pension Fund proposed deep cuts to pensions -- some as large as 50% for younger retirees -- Teamster members rallied to fight the reduction. The Department of Treasury ultimately struck down Central States' plan to cut benefits.

On the Teamster.org website, Teamsters general president Jim Hoffa referred to the Department of Treasury's decision against benefit cuts as a victory:

The Teamsters Union wants to have its cake and eat it, too. The Teamsters don't want benefit cuts, but they want the payments to continue in perpetuity.

To make up the shortfall, one Teamster proposal suggested funding troubled multi-employer pension plans with a "$30 billion legacy fund over 10 years, paid for by closing two tax loopholes used almost exclusively by the super-rich to avoid paying taxes."

UPS also opposed benefit reductions, as its 2007 buyout included a clause that would put it on the hook for billions of dollars of supplemental payments if Central States ever lawfully cut benefits to its retirees who were left in the program. The final language in the bill carved out UPS employees from cuts, putting them last in line for reductions, a win for UPS that came from aggressive lobbying on the issue.

What can we really do?

Hundreds of multi-employer pension plans could fail. The designated backstop, the PBGC, is almost certain to fail, too. That leaves taxpayers, through government legislation, as potentially the funding source of last resort for multi-employer pensions on the brink of insolvency.

Some argue that a "bailout" by the Federal government is justified, given it would provide a safety net to millions of Americans in retirement. To be sure, it isn't fair that millions of workers will receive less than they were promised (or potentially nothing), but there are few "fair" ways to fund insolvent pensions, given that a small minority of Americans participate in them.

A government bailout, even if it is paid for by closing tax loopholes for the ultra-rich, shifts the benefit to a select group of pension participants. If taxes are raised on the top 0.1%, for example, why should pension participants, not the other 99.9% of taxpayers, enjoy the benefit?

Perhaps the bigger issue is that a full taxpayer-provided backstop might encourage pension plans to make even greater promises they can't afford, knowing that the taxpayer will make good on its impossibly high promises.

The issue has stumped lawmakers and participants alike, but one thing is clear: There will be a real impact for millions of Americans who paid into a failed system.

Over the phone, Tony spoke to me so calmly and clearly about the issue it felt as though he had tossed it around in his head hundreds of times before.

He summed up the challenges succinctly, stating that "it's disappointing to find out, at this point at my life, that money that had been taken out of my paycheck every week is not going to be available for me when I need it most."

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Updated

The media industry is asking Congress to provide an antitrust exemption so publishers can seek better terms with tech giants like Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) and Google.

Facebook and Alphabetas (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google hold significant leverage over publishers that rely heavily on popular search engines and social-media platforms for online traffic. The News Media Alliance, an industry trade group, said Monday itas seeking the ability for publishers to negotiate as a group with online platforms, specifically Facebook and Google.

aLegislation that enables news organizations to negotiate collectively will address pervasive problems that today are diminishing the overall health and quality of the news media industry,a said David Chavern, president and CEO of the News Media Alliance, which represents national and local publications. aQuality journalism is critical to sustaining democracy and is central to civic society. To ensure that such journalism has a future, the news organizations that fund it must be able to collectively negotiate with the digital platforms that effectively control distribution and audience access in the digital age.a

The news industry has been hit with declining print readership and a loss of advertising revenue as it has moved online.

The outlets want stronger protections for intellectual property, support for subscription models and a bigger share of the online advertising market. Google and Facebook combined will account for 60 percent of the U.S. digital advertising market this year, according to the research firm eMarketer.

The news alliance says it would need an exemption from antitrust law to negotiate as a group. But getting Congress to pass an exemption is likely to be difficult.

In a statement, Facebook Head of News Partnerships Campbell Brown said the company is acommitted to helping quality journalism thrive on Facebook.a

aWeare making progress through our work with news publishers and have more work to do,a Brown added.

Google said it wants to ahelp news publishers succeed as they transition to digital.a

aIn recent years weave built numerous specialized products and technologies, developed specifically to help distribute, fund, and support newspapers. This is a priority and we remain deeply committed to helping publishers with both their challenges, and their opportunities,a Google said in a statement.

Last month, in a separate issue, Google was fined a record $2.7 billion by the European Union. Antitrust regulators said Google didnat give consumers enough choice when it directed users to its own shopping platform.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Houston, Texas-based oilfield services company Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) said Monday it has seen a surge of new job openings this year thanks to an increased demand for fracking in the United States.

The company is hiring about 100 new employees each month to keep pace with demand in west Texas and has expanded its workforce in the region by more than one-third, to 2,700 employees, the companyas head of operations in the Permian Basin Chris Gatjanis told the Houston Chronicle. Halliburton has had to extend its search for employees beyond Texas, into neighboring states and beyond.

Halliburton did not immediately respond to FOX Businessa request for comment.

The companyas stock is down more than 21% so far this year as the price of oil has been slightly volatile. Since falling below the $50 per barrel level in March, prices have steadied out in the mid-to-upper 40as, trading around $44.50 per barrel on Monday. Concerns still exist over a global supply glut despite an OPEC agreement last month to extend production cuts into 2018asparked in part by increased U.S. production.

Following 24 weeks of increases, U.S. energy firms had 763 crude rigs as of July 7, the highest oil drilling rig count in more than 2 years, Baker Hughes said last week. U.S. oil production has increased more than 10% since mid-2016, according to Reuters.

President Donald Trump has put a big emphasis on making America energy independent, even rebranding the push to increase oil, natural gas and other resource production as making America aenergy dominant.a

"An energy dominant America will export to markets around the world, increasing our global leadership and our influence," U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said during a press briefing earlier this month.
Boeing (NYSE: BA) is well known for its hugely popular 737, as well as its 747, first introduced in 1970, and its 787 Dreamliner. But there's also a new, 400-seat aircraft -- the 777X -- that's still on the drawing board, and it's predicted to become the biggest-selling airplane in the market after its first delivery in 2020.

Investors cheer when Boeing beats out rival Airbus for lucrative contracts as it generates more revenue and higher profits. At the Paris Air Show just last month, Boeing crushed Airbus by announcing commitments for 437 new airplanes compared to only 182 for its rival.

Big things, small packages

The big seller was the 737 MAX family of aircraft, which scored 418 commitments from buyers, mostly for the new 737 MAX 10, though Boeing also received 125 commitments for the 737 MAX 8. The rest of the commitments were for the 787 Dreamliner.

Notably absent were orders for the iconic 747, which underscores why Boeing is phasing out the aircraft.

In its latest "Current Market Outlook," which forecasts industry demand out to 2036, Boeing eliminated a separate callout for very large aircraft that previously contained the 747, choosing instead to merge it into a combined "medium/large passenger widebody" category.

Boeing says the planes aren't selling (Airbus says likewise in relation to its A380 airplane) because few carriers have the capabilities and routes to handle planes with more than 400 seats. The 747 is a 400-seat aircraft, but can be configured to cram as many as 660 passengers onto a single plane. In fact, Boeing only has 23 747s in its backlog of airplanes, the fewest of any of its aircraft, and it produces just one plane every two months. Obviously it's not committing many resources to it.

Flying into turbulence

Airbus was quoted as mocking Boeing's decision to abandon the market. "They would do that," said Airbus sales chief John Leahy, according to IndustryWeek. "The 747-8 isn't selling. We have no intention of sharing that market with them." Airbus noted it remains committed to producing very large airplanes because of growing passenger traffic and congestion on routes.

That still might be a foolish stance to take since Airbus didn't sell a single A380 last year, and Boeing doubts it will be able to sell the remaining 107 aircraft that Airbus has in its backlog. Indeed, Airbus is struggling to maintain production of the 550-seat model at one per month, and its biggest deal at Paris was for 100 A320neo (short for "new engine option") single-aisle jets.

That's where Boeing sees most of the market moving. In its long-range forecast, it sees single-aisle planes accounting for 72% of all aircraft deliveries in 2036, valued at $6.1 trillion.

Firing up production

Boeing plans on grabbing more than its share of that market. It's churning out 42 737s per month and has a backlog of 4,500 orders, making it the most in-demand aircraft in Boeing's fleet. Even though they're the cheapest planes Boeing produces, it makes up in volume what it gives up in price. Not surprisingly, the 747 is one of its priciest aircraft (though not the most expensive), but with few sales, it really doesn't matter what they cost.

Below are the production rates for each family of aircraft Boeing produces, its order backlog, and the average price of each family of plane.

As noted, the 737 is the cheapest of its aircraft, with the 737-700 going for just $82.4 million. The most expensive? The 777-9, which retails for $408.8 million.

The needs of the airline industry are not static, but dynamic, as can see by Boeing's outlook, which forecasts 4,200 fewer planes needed than last year's report suggested. The number of single-aisle jets needed is also lower.

One thing that doesn't change? Boeing's leadership role in delivering the latest, most technologically advanced aircraft in the market.

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Rich Duprey 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.
Honda (NYSE:HMC) said Monday the death of an individual in Florida last year is the 11th fatality connected to defective airbag inflators made by Takata.

The unnamed person was conducting repairs inside a 2001 Honda Accord on June 18, 2016, in Hialeah when the driver-side airbag deployed. The individual, who was not the owner of the vehicle, died the next day from injuries. The company said the person was using a hammer while the ignition switch was in the on position. The airbag inflator ruptured after it deployed.

It remains unclear if the cause of death was the ruptured inflator or the deployed airbag coming into contact with the hammer, according to Honda.

The Japanese automaker said the 2001 Accord in Hialeah was included in multiple recalls and a safety campaign related to a defective airbag inflator on the drivers side.

Honda has recalled more than 11 million vehicles equipped with Takata airbags, part of a widespread recall covering more than 40 million vehicles in the U.S. General Motors (NYSE:GM), Ford (NYSE:F), Fiat Chrysler (NYSE:FCAU), Toyota (NYSE:TM) and other automakers have also issued recalls for Takata airbags that may explode when deployed.

Honda has confirmed 11 deaths and more than 150 injuries in the U.S. Including a death that occurred in a Ford Ranger truck, automakers have linked a total of 12 deaths to Takata airbags. Another five deaths were disclosed globally.

Although the defect sent Takata into bankruptcy last month, automakers dont anticipate any disruptions to the supply of replacement parts. Key Safety Systems, a Michigan-based auto supplier, plans to acquire Takata. Honda says it currently has sufficient supplies to repair all vehicles subject to the open recall.
As volatility continues to grow thanks to the current political environment, many investors are turning their focus to gold. Consequently, now seems like a good time to get to know the industry leaders a little better. For example, one may assume Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY) earns its keep by dealing in the yellow metal; however, the company also deals in silver and copper. Whereas it reported $1.79 billion in sales for fiscal 2016, gold sales accounted for $1.47 billion -- 82% of overall revenue -- according to its annual report; revenue from copper sales and silver sales were 11% and 6%, respectively.

This is just a glance, so let's dig in deeper and learn how prominently the sale of gold plays in the company's portfolio.

Perusing the portfolio

Of Yamana's six gold-producing mines, Canadian Malartic is the company's only operating asset in the Great White North, but the company certainly doesn't leave it out in the cold. The mine -- in which Yamana holds a 50% interest and Agnico Eagle Mines (NYSE: AEM) holds the other 50% -- is one of the largest gold-producing mines in Canada. According to Yamana's 2016 annual report, Canadian Malartic was Yamana's largest gold-producing mine in fiscal 2016.

And thanks to higher throughput and recovery rate, the mine achieved record annual production: 292,514 gold ounces. For context, El Penon was the company's second-most productive mine, reporting 220,209 gold ounces.

Of course, how much gold is produced is relative to the expense of digging it out of the ground. Although management doesn't break out the earnings generated by gold for each mine, one can gain some insight into the mines' profitability by examining their all-in sustaining costs (AISC). In this regard, Chapada, located in Brazil, produces the highest margin. In fiscal 2016, Chapada reported co-product AISC of $478 per gold ounce. Canadian Malartic generated the second-highest margin; it reported AISC of $795 per gold ounce. Chapada's superior profitability becomes even more apparent from another perspective: It reported a total cost of sales per gold ounce sold of $489 while El Penon -- next lowest -- reported a total cost of sales per gold ounce sold of $1,019.

Lastly, we can gain another perspective on how Yamana makes its money by extending our perspective beyond just gold. Taking into account all minerals produced at the mines, El Penon contributed the most -- $381 million -- to the company's top line in fiscal 2016. But the bottom line belongs to Canadian Malartic. Excluding non-cash charges, it reported a gross profit of $188 million.

A golden horizon

Just as the yellow stuff contributed the most to the company's earnings in 2016, it will presumably continue to play a prominent role in the years ahead. Because of decreased production at El Penon, management expects a year-over-year decrease in gold production in fiscal 2017. Looking farther out, though, management foresees growth from an estimated 940,000 ounces in 2017 to 1.1 million ounces in 2019.

The company's growth will come primarily from the commencement of gold production at projects that are currently in development -- not through acquisitions. The project that plays most prominently in this outlook is Cerro Moro, which management believes will emerge as its next cornerstone mine. According to management's estimates, Cerro Moro will produce 80,000 ounces of gold in 2018, when it begins production; moreover, management expects the mine to yield gold production of 130,000 ounces in 2019. Further demonstrating its importance, Cerro Moro is expected to be one of the company's more profitable mines, averaging AISC less than $600 per gold ounce in 2018 and 2019.

Besides Cerro Moro, Yamana has two other projects near completion that will help the company grow its gold-production. Suruca is expected to contribute approximately 40,000 ounces annually to Chapada's gold production when it commences operations in 2019. Moreover, gold production is expected to increase at Canadian Malartic, when the Barnat extension commences operations in 2018.

Investor takeaway

Playing supporting roles, silver and copper sales pale in comparison with how much money Yamana makes from gold. Although Canadian Malartic -- the company's lone operation in the country -- is one of the most prominent players in its portfolio, it's the companies assets in Brazil which contributed the most -- 39% of total revenue -- in fiscal 2016.

Because the company is solely relying on organic growth in the near future, it's important for investors to monitor the development of Cerro Moro. Once the project commences operations, look for it to achieve management's estimates for gold production in 2018 and 2019. But, more importantly, confirm that the mine's AISC are less than $600 per ounce, for failure to achieve success at Cerro More could greatly detract from what management foresees as a lustrous future.

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German authorities are investigating employees of Porsche and a U.S. subsidiary, as a probe into Volkswagen's (OTC:VLKAY) alleged diesel emissions cheating continues.

Stuttgart prosecutors said Monday they are investigating suspicions of fraud and making false claims. They said that the investigation is against persons unknown who were employed by Porsche and a U.S. unit which it did not identify.

Prosecutors elsewhere in Germany are investigating alleged wrongdoing at Volkswagen and Audi, another of the German automaker's units.

Volkswagen has acknowledged equipping about 11 million cars worldwide with software that sensed when cars were on test stands and turned emission controls up, then turned the controls off during every day driving to improve performance.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Spain's Iberia airline has decided to scrap a pregnancy test for new employees after it was fined 25,000 euros ($29,000) by a regional government for discrimination.

The airline said in a statement Monday that the test had been purely a precautionary measure taken in the interest of the baby and future mother, and denied that it rejected pregnant women for jobs.

The decision came after the Balearic Islands' regional labor department fined the company following an inspection last year.

Iberia said it had contracted five pregnant women last year and actively backed a policy of employing women.
Teslas (NASDAQ:TSLA) sales in Hong Kong came to an abrupt halt after the city eliminated a tax break on the electric car makers vehicles, adding to Wall Streets concerns heading into the automaker's critical Model 3 launch.

Like other governments, Hong Kong offers a tax subsidy on certain electric vehicle purchases. But Hong Kong capped its program in April, effectively raising the price tag on Teslas pricey Model S and Model X. Sales subsequently disappeared. Zero new Tesla models were registered in Hong Kong in April, according to government data cited by The Wall Street Journal.

The slowdown followed a big sales month in March, as shoppers sought to get ahead of the tax change. The Wall Street Journal said 2,939 Teslas were registered during the month, nearly double the number of vehicles registered in the second half of 2016.

Teslas hiccup in Hong Kong highlighted investors recent jitters over demand for the Model S and Model X. Last week, Tesla disclosed fewer deliveries than expected in the second quarter, igniting a selloff of the companys shares.

Also, Tesla expects the Model 3 to help the company surpass the 200,000 sales mark, at which point the U.S. governments $7,500 tax credit on electric car purchases phases out.

Tesla ticked 0.4% higher to $314.34 in Monday trading, recovering from an intraday low of $303.13.

In a statement, a Tesla spokesperson noted that revenue in China tripled between 2015 and 2016 even though the country offers no incentives and imposes a tariff on imported vehicles.

Tesla welcomes government policies that support our mission and make it easier for more people to buy electric vehicles, however, our business does not rely on it, the spokesperson said.

Tesla added that it believes the Hong Kong market will be strong in the long-term, saying its to be expected that demand will be impacted in the period immediately following the change.

Tesla is coming off a rough week in which General Motors (NYSE:GM) retook the lead as the most valuable U.S. automaker. In addition to disappointing second-quarter deliveries, the Model S didnt qualify for a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and Volvo announced plans to make only electric and hybrid vehicles by 2019.

Goldman Sachs analysts cut their price target to $180 from $190. The investment bank said flattening sales of the Model S increase the odds that Tesla could miss its Model 3 goals.

The Model 3, Teslas first vehicle for the mass market, has begun to roll off assembly lines in California. Tesla employees will be the first customers to take delivery of the small sedan, which has a starting price of $35,000 before tax incentives.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted a photo of the first production version of the Model 3 on Twitter (NYSE:TWTR).
Westar Energy and Great Plains Energy, the parent company of Kansas City Power & Light, are proposing a new plan to merge, after Kansas regulators scuttled an earlier deal.

The two companies announced a deal Monday to form a utility with a combined equity value of $14 billion and holding all of the current companies' operations, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported .

The announcement comes after the Kansas Corporation Commission in late April denied a proposed $12.2 billion sale of Topeka-based Westar to Great Plains Energy Co., which is based in Kansas City, Missouri. The KCC said the cost was too high, would leave the combined utility financially weaker than the separate companies and could cost jobs in Kansas. Westar is the largest utility in Kansas.

Under the deal, each Westar Energy share could be exchanged for a share in the new company. Great Plains shares would be worth about 60 percent of a share in the new company. No transaction debt would be incurred and no cash would be exchanged, the companies said in a news release.

"We are pleased to announce a revised agreement with Westar Energy that we believe directly addresses regulatory concerns with our originally proposed transaction, while increasing the long-term value and upside opportunity for our shareholders, customers, communities and employees," said Terry Bassham, CEO of Great Plains who will be CEO of the combined businesses.

The new, as-yet-unnamed company will provide electric utility service to about 1 million Kansas customers and nearly 600,000 customers in Missouri. The corporate headquarters would be in Kansas City.

If the merger is completed, Westar Energy shareholders will own approximately 52.5 percent and Great Plains Energy shareholders will own about 47.5 percent of the combined company.

"The logic of combining these two companies is compelling," Mark Ruelle, president and chief executive officer of Westar Energy, said. "We are confident we have addressed the regulatory concerns with our originally proposed transaction. We appreciate the Commission welcoming a different way to combine these two companies, preserving the unique value available only through this particular business combination."

The new merged company would not lay off any employees and it would keep at least 500 jobs in Westar's Topeka headquarters for at least five years, according to the news release.

___

Information from: The Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal, http://www.cjonline.com
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Monday against President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and the presidents election commission over an alleged lack of transparency, claiming the commission failed to comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

The commission held its first meeting without notice or making it open to the public. This process is cloaked in secrecy, raising serious concerns about its credibility and intent. What are they trying to hide? Theresa Lee, a staff attorney with the ACLUs Voting Rights Project, said in a statement on the groups website.

The ACLU says the commission will hold a meeting on July 19, which will be made available to the public via livestream, but admitted to having a prior meeting conducted via telephone that the public was not given advance notification about. The ACLU asserts that the contents of this meeting were not made available to a broader audience, in violation of the law.

As for the president himself, the ACLU claims he established the commission for the purpose of providing a veneer of legitimacy to President Trumps false claim that he won the popular vote in the 2016 election  once millions of supposedly illegal votes are subtracted from the count. That purpose is evident in the composition of the Commission, which is stacked with individuals who have endorsed the Presidents false statements about the popular vote, according to the lawsuit.
Hillary Clintonas daughter Chelsea stepped into the controversy over President Trump's daughter Ivanka taking her father's seat at a G-20 meeting, firing back after the president said on Twitter Monday morning that people would have supported the decision had it been made by Hillary.

Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not. https://t.co/4ODjWZUp0c  Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) July 10, 2017

Clinton was responding to a post the president sent out earlier Monday morning, defending his daughteras presence at the meeting.

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother,as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

Ivanka sat in for President Trump while he stepped out to speak with leaders from Japan on Saturday, he said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was at the meeting and has also met Ivanka on multiple occasions, said having someone sit in for a world leader is common practice when that person cannot be present.

"Ivanka Trump belonged to the American delegation, so that is in line with what other delegations do. And it is known that she works at the White House and carries responsibility for certain initiatives," Merkel said on Saturday, according to the Associated Press.

President Trump echoed Merkelas sentiments Monday morning, pointing to the German Chancelloras tweet as validation of the practice.

When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

However, others perceived Ivankaas presence as out-of-step with normal practices. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia under President Obama, tweeted the picture with the comment: aThis is strange. Very strangea.

The tweet featuring the photo of Ivanka at the meeting in Hamburg, Germany was first posted Saturday, but has since been deleted. As part of the administration, Ivanka has attended a number of meetings with her father and is often present for important events held at the White House. She was also invited by Merkel to attend the W-20 summit in April and is seen as a champion of workforce modernization and womenas rights.
Miis Bridal and Tuxedo, a Texas shop which was owned and operated by an elderly Thai couple, was raided and shut down by the IRS on Saturday after the couple allegedly evaded taxes.

According to Dallas News, the IRS claimed the couple intentionally made cash deposits just shy of the $10,000 limit in 2005, 2008 and 2010. The couple disputes owing the government money, which the IRS says totaled more than $30,000 before the raid and auction.

IRS asset seizures have been controversial before, and according to Reason, the IRS has seized $17 million in assets over the past two years from small businesses.

The Thangsongcharoen couple was asked to provide a $10,000 check to the IRS within two hours of the auction of their wedding gowns, which were valued at more than $615,000 according to the suit.

The lawsuit also claims that the IRS lowered the value of the assets to $6,000 so they could justify selling them rather than storing them, which would only be worthwhile for assets valuing above $10,000. This meant each dress was auctioned off with a reduced value of $4.

The auction sold all of Miis Bridal and Tuxedos asset in only four hours.

The couple, who established their business in 1983, sued the federal government in March for more than $1.8 million for seizing their assets without convicting them of a federal crime.
Former President Barack Obama will attend his first formal political event this week since leaving office in January  a redistricting fundraiser sponsored by Democrats.

Obama will headline the event, which will be hosted at a private residence in Washington, D.C. on Thursday by former Attorney General Eric Holder, who is head of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), the group confirmed to FOX Business Monday.

The National Democratic Redistricting Committee is proud to have the support of President Obama as we work to undo gerrymandering and create fairer representation in our democracy, Holder told Politico, which also reported that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will be in attendance as well.

The NDRC aims to re-galvanize Democratic Party efforts to win back Congressional seats and the presidency in the coming election years through redistricting; with a specific focus on 2021 when states redraw their Congressional and state legislative lines, according to the groups website. The NDRC frames itself as an initiative to undo GOP gerrymandering.

While President Obama has largely remained out of the spotlight since leaving office 6 months ago, as previously reported by FOX Business, he was offered $400,000 in April to speak at a Wall Street conference run by Cantor Fitzgerald later this year. The health care conference is expected to take place in September, where the former president has reportedly signed on to be the keynote speaker. While avoiding any large-scale appearances, Obama has thrown small jabs at President Donald Trump and spoken out in favor of ObamaCare, which Republicans are currently attempting to dismantle in Congress.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson traveled to Kuwait Monday for the first in a series of talks aimed at mediating the ongoing dispute between Qatar and a coalition of neighboring Arab states that accuse the tiny Gulf nation of supporting extremist groups.

Tillerson met with Kuwaits foreign minister upon landing. Kuwaiti officials have attempted to broker talks between Qatar and the coalition, which includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Tillerson is also expected to travel to Saudi Arabia and Qatar by Thursday.

The Qatar crisis has badly damaged ties between several key American partners, including hosts of two major U.S. military bases, threatening counterterrorism efforts.

Washington is worried the dispute is hampering Trump's bid to combat international terrorist financing. U.S. officials said Tillerson doesn't expect an immediate breakthrough, which they warned could be months away. Rather, they said, he wants to explore possibilities for sparking negotiations.

"We've had one round of exchanges and dialogue and didn't advance the ball," senior Tillerson adviser R.C. Hammond said.

Qatar has balked at attempts by the Arab coalition to negotiate a solution to end the dispute, Reuters reported. Qatars central bank says it has $340 billion in reserves as a bulwark against an extended embargo.

For the U.S., there are risks in getting so intimately involved in the spat among Gulf neighbors, reflected in Tillerson's initial reluctance to play a central mediating role. Alienating either side of the conflict could pose broader challenges for U.S. priorities in the region, including the fight against the Islamic State group and other extremists.

Lori Plotkin Boghardt, a Gulf expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the U.S. has had some success in recent years persuading Qatar to take action against terrorist financiers. She said if the U.S. appears to be siding with the Saudis and the others, the Qataris could respond by reverting to old habits.

"If they feel a decrease in support from their neighbors and a bit more challenging relationship with the U.S., will they provide additional support to dangerous actors in the region, as part of their security strategy?" Plotkin Boghardt said.

She added of Tillerson: "He's putting his reputation as secretary of state on the line."

Qatar has rejected 13 demands of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt to restore diplomatic relations and end a blockade they've imposed on the small, gas-rich monarchy since early June. They include Qatar shutting down the media network Al-Jazeera, cutting ties with Islamist groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, limiting ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country.

"We will work with Kuwait and see if we can hash out a different strategy," Hammond said, adding that the demands weren't viable, at least as a package. "Individually there are things in there that could work."

Hammond would not elaborate on which demands Qatar could meet, but said concessions from the others would be required.

"This is a two-way street," he said of a dispute among parties that each have been accused of funding extremists in some way. "There are no clean hands."

The primary U.S. concern is halting extremist financing to hold gains being made against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria and stop a string of deadly attacks that have hit in Europe and elsewhere. At the G-20 summit, Europeans voiced particular concern to Trump and Tillerson about Gulf crisis affecting their security efforts, according to Hammond.

"The patience of the world has changed," Hammond said, noting British and German foreign minister visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the past week to try to resolve the crisis quicker.

A resolution could have ripple effects as well, he said, including reducing Iran's influence and ability to support extremists. Iran has been building closer ties with Qatar and is sending food and other supplies there to make up for products the Arab embargo has kept out.

U.S. military interests are at stake, too. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, which patrols Gulf waters with a close eye on Iran. Qatar hosts al-Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East and hub for the U.S.-led anti-IS coalition operations in Iraq and Syria.

The specifics of Tillerson's shuttle travel, including exact dates for each stop, were still in flux on Monday and not immediately announced.

His mission nevertheless signals a reluctant acceptance of the critical mediation role the United States could play, particularly as some believe Trump may have precipitated the crisis by siding publicly with Saudi Arabia during a visit to Riyadh in May. Trump then pointing out that numerous Arab leaders had complained to him about Qatar.

The administration had been insisting Qatar's rift with its neighbors was a "family" dispute that should be resolved without a significant U.S. role. Tillerson himself made clear his reluctance to get deeply involved, although he met in Washington with senior officials from the feuding countries.

After no apparent progress, the State Department warned last week that the dispute could drag on for weeks or months and "could possibly even intensify."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., agreed to meet with a Kremlin-linked lawyer during the 2016 election campaign after being promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton, the New York Times reported on Sunday, citing three advisers to the White House.

Trump's then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also attended the meeting at Trump Tower on June 9, 2016, two weeks after Trump won the Republican nomination, the Times reported.

In a statement quoted by the Times and later made available to Reuters and other media outlets, Donald Trump Jr. acknowledged meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.

"After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton," the statement said. Clinton was the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.

"Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."

Trump Jr. said Veselnitskaya then turned the conversation to the adoption of Russian children and a U.S. law blackisting Russians linked to alleged human-rights abuses.

President Trump was "not aware of and did not attend" the meeting, Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's legal team, said in an emailed statement.

Trump Jr. said he was asked to attend the meeting "with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign" at the request of an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

"I asked Jared and Paul to attend, but told them nothing of the substance," he said.

"The meeting lasted approximately 20 to 30 minutes," he said. "As it ended, my acquaintance apologized for taking up our time. That was the end of it and there was no further contact or follow-up of any kind. My father knew nothing of the meeting or these events."

The New York Times report said Trump Jr. was promised damaging information about Clinton before agreeing to meet with the lawyer. It cited three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.

The Times first reported on the meeting on Saturday, after which Trump Jr. issued a statement confirming that it took place, but made no mention of the Clinton aspect.

Representatives for Manafort and Kushner did not respond to requests for comment.

Allegations of the Trump campaign's ties to Russia have cast a shadow over Donald Trump's first five months in office.

A federal special counsel and several congressional committees are investigating possible contacts between the campaign and Russian representatives as part of a larger probe into allegations that Moscow meddled in the election.

The June meeting was the first confirmed private meeting between members of the president's inner circle and a Russian national, the Times reported, citing confidential government records and interviews with people familiar with the documents.

The revelations come after President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the allegations of election meddling during the summit of leaders from the Group of 20 major economies in Hamburg, Germany.

The Kremlin has denied U.S. intelligence agencies' conclusion that Moscow tried to tilt the election in Trump's favor, using such means as hacking into the emails of senior Democrats.

Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Peter Cooney and Chris Reese)
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expressed hope Monday that Americas relationship with Turkey will improve amid recent tensions over Syria and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans crackdown on government dissenters.

"I think our relationship here in Turkey which has been under some stress for some time, I hope we are beginning to put it on the mend," Tillerson told diplomats during a trip to Istanbul, Turkeys capital city. "I think we're beginning to rebuild some of that trust that we lost in one another, they lost our trust to a certain extent, we lost theirs, so I think we are working very hard to rebuild that level of trust and that is the basis for any relationship."

Despite their status as NATO allies, the United States and Turkey have experienced a series of diplomatic clashes in recent months. In May, the U.S. State Department condemned the actions of Turkish security officials who clashed with protesters outside Turkeys embassy in Washington D.C. during Erdogans trip to meet with President Donald Trump.

U.S. officials have been critical of the methods Erdogan has used to consolidate power since a failed coup attempt in 2016, which include arrests of purported political dissidents and journalists. Separately, Erdogans government has criticized Americas support of Kurdish rebels during the conflict in Syria, as well as what it perceived to be a tepid condemnation of the coups plotters.

This is an extraordinarily important relationship to the United States for many, many reasons that you would well understand from a security standpoint to the future economic opportunities as well and the important geography just by luck of Mother Nature that the citizens of Turkey occupy at this crossroads of the world," Tillerson said. "So it's important for so many reasons which is why we must put the relationship on the mend, re-establish it on the proper basis and strengthen it going forward and I think we're taking the first steps in that regard."

Turkey believes the Kurds want to establish an independent Kurdish state that would threaten its sovereignty and has vocally protested their arming by the United States in their fight against Syrian President Bashar Assad.

On the potential for a ceasefire in northern Syria, Tillerson noted the arrangement that was announced on Friday at the G-20 summit in Germany.

"We're making some progress down in Syria, we're hopeful that we can replicate that with Turkey on some areas in the north part of Syria," he said. "So we're going to be working hard on all those issues and I think, I hope that will also form a basis for improving the trust as well."

U.S. officials were cautious about Tillerson's optimism, noting Ankara's hardline antipathy for the Kurdish groups that Washington sees as key to destroying the Islamic State group. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the sensitive matters, said talks with the Turks were in their very early stages.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
While President Donald Trump and his administration have promised to crack down on steel imports, missed deadlines and unreleased impact analyses have left doubt over the completion of another area of the White Houses ambitious policy agenda.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had initially intended to finish a report on foreign steel tariffs by the end of June, however, Ross is still awaiting a report from the Pentagon on what effect such taxes could have on national security.

White House officials have hinted that tariffs still are coming. Asked on "Fox News Sunday" over the weekend if the president planned to impose sanctions on foreign steel, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus responded: "My guess is that he will because he promised he would."

There are trade-offs from taxing foreign steel that include higher prices for consumers and manufacturers that rely on steel, as well as strained relationships with trade partners. Supporters of the tariffs say the move would help crack down on excess steelmaking by China. Opponents say it would raise prices for consumers and manufacturers that turn steel into cars, furniture and other products.

Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, supports higher steel tariffs but notes that the initial timeline set by the administration was "very ambitious." He says that tariffs could help domestic steel mills while encouraging other countries to take similar moves against China.

Paul said that some officials and advocacy groups have slowed the process to fine-tune the policy, while others are hoping that a slower pace of discussions will derail the debate. He said he trusts that "at the conclusion of the process, there will be a well thought-out rationale for whatever relief is provided."

In April, Trump asked the Commerce Department to launch an investigation into whether foreign steel imports posed a threat to national security, on the grounds that the American military relies on steel for airplanes, ships and other equipment. Steel also goes into roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.

The investigation reflects the administration's determination to use existing trade laws more aggressively to combat what it sees as unfair practices by U.S. trading partners. Restricting steel imports, it reasoned, would help restore U.S. manufacturing jobs and reduce an American trade deficit that came in at $502 billion last year.

The administration's trade team is heavy with steel industry veterans: U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer represented U.S. steelmakers as a Washington trade attorney. As a private investor, Ross, the commerce secretary, bought and turned around several bankrupt steel companies.

But the Pentagon is also providing its own input on the issue while the Commerce Department's report has yet to be finalized.

Many of the steel industry's troubles can be traced to low prices resulting from massive overproduction by China, which churns out nearly half the world's steel. In 2016, China produced more than 808 million metric tons of steel, nearly 50% of the worlds total output, according to the World Steel Association. By contrast, the United States produced less than 79 million metric tons, or 4.8% of global output.

But the United States has already put up big barriers to Chinese steel imports. So any restrictions or tariffs on steel would land elsewhere  on U.S. ally Canada (which supplies 17 percent of U.S. steel imports), Brazil (13 percent) and South Korea (12 percent).

In March, President Trump signed an executive order targeting countries that have unpaid anti-dumping duties and another ordering an investigation into how steel dumping impacts U.S. industries and the national deficit. The Trump administration hasnt stopped at steel either. Aluminum and lumber have also been added to the administrations watch-list.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Lawmakers returned from recess Monday morning to a clear message from President Donald Trump: Get to work on health care.

I cannot imagine that Congress would dare to leave Washington without a beautiful new HealthCare bill fully approved and ready to go!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said last week he was working on revising the bill, but said plan B was still on the table if Republicans couldnat gather the necessary support. McConnell said that if the broader effort fails, he may turn to a smaller bill with quick help for insurers and consumers and negotiate with Democrats.

Meanwhile, multiple senators and even the president himself, have indicated support for repealing ObamaCare first and replacing at a later date.

Backing for the initial measure eroded during the weeklong July 4 break as many senators heard from constituents angry about the GOP bill and the prospect of rising premiums.

"We don't know what the plan is," said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., on Sunday. "Clearly, the draft plan is dead. Is the serious rewrite plan dead? I don't know."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said it may now be time for Republicans to come up with a new proposal with support from Democrats.

"I think my view is it's probably going to be dead," McCain said of the GOP bill. If Democrats are included, he said, it doesn't mean "they control it. It means they can have amendments considered. And even when they lose, then they're part of the process. That's what democracy is supposed to be all about."

Signaling his pessimism as well, Sen. Chuck Grassley wrote on Twitter late Saturday that Republicans will lose their Senate majority if they don't pass health care legislation. The Iowa Republican said the party should be "ashamed" that it hasn't been able to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

"WE WONT BE ASHAMED WE WILL GO FROM MAJORITY TO MINORITY," he tweeted.

The White House, anxious for a legislative victory on health care, insisted that it fully expects a GOP repeal and replace bill to pass in the coming weeks that will fulfill Trump's pledge to end Obamacare. Democrats have ruled out negotiating with Republicans unless they work to fix the law, not repeal it.

"Whether it'd be before August recess or during August recess, the president expects the Senate to fulfill the promises it made to the American people," said White House chief of staff Reince Priebus.

At least 10 GOP senators have expressed opposition to the initial bill drafted by McConnell. Republicans hold a 52-48 majority and Democrats stand united against the bill, meaning that just three GOP defections will doom it.

Cassidy, an uncommitted senator who encountered upset voters this month at a Baton Rouge town hall, rated the chances of Republicans passing broader legislation in the next three weeks at "50-50." He cited questions about the impact on coverage and cost in a revised conservative plan being circulated by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

Cruz's plan, which aims to lower premiums for healthy people, has drawn support from the White House and some conservatives in the House, which would have to approve any modified bill passed by the Senate. But his proposal has limited appeal to Republican moderates such as Grassley, who told Iowa Public Radio that it may be "subterfuge to get around pre-existing conditions."

Cassidy and Priebus appeared on "Fox News Sunday," Cruz spoke on ABC's "This Week" and CBS' "Face the Nation," and McCain was on CBS.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Ford F-150 Raptor went crashing into a backyard pool in San Diego, Calif. after the driver of the car  a 68 year-old male  stopped by his kids house to drop something off. His wife, who stayed in the car, was the only passenger on the harrowing ride on Friday.

2017 FORD F-150 RAPTOR TEST DRIVE

After the driver got out, the truck began to roll down a hill with the woman trapped in the vehicle. The Raptor went crashing through two sets of fences before it ultimately ended up in a backyard pool with the drivers wife still trapped inside.

Bystander Gabriel Mejia heard the incident from a few houses over and sprang into action. The Good Samaritan saw the car submerged in the pool with a woman trapped inside and acted quickly by smashing the truck window with a brick to retrieve the woman.

IT WASNT ITSY BITSY, BUT SPIDER CAUSES FLORIDA CAR CRASH

The Drive reported that the woman had been treated by Sand Diego Fire-Rescue at the scene and then transported to a local hospital for further treatment.

Instagram posts show the truck landed on its side in the pool with the passenger side on the pool's bottom.
The journey began on July 1 at 11:30 p.m. PT and didnt end for another 51 hours and 47 minutes.

Jordan Hart and Bradly DSouza departed from Redondo Beach, Calif. in a 2015 Tesla Model S with New York, NY as their final destination. They were out to set a new record for the fastest transcontinental drive in an electric car.

And they did it.

The idea of using electric cars for the coast-to-coast Cannonball Runs has gained some ground in the last few years with the increasing number of charging stations across the country.

WATCHING A TESLA TECH PULL A KITTEN OUT OF A BUMPER WILL WARM YOUR HEART

Hart and DSouza credit their record-breaking performance to a little bit of luck. Hart told The Verge in an email: "We hit essentially zero traffic jams, only [four] minutes of inclement weather, and arrived in NYC on a holiday to find the streets almost empty/devoid of traffic.

Both Hart and DSouza posted to social media throughout their trip to prove they were stopping in certain cities along the way. They had video footage  which was both date and timestamped  of the entire trip as well as notarized witnesses at the start and finish of their journey.

It wasnt easy for the duo to decide on when and where to stop and eat and how they would break up their sleep schedule. "We were VERY focuses on our run and only stopped to eat once," Har said. "Even then we told the staff what we were doing and were in and out of the restaurant in about 15 minutes. The rest of the time was healthy low glycemic snacking and a strict nap schedule for whoever wasnt driving."

JOHNNY AND LONI UNSER GIVE THEIR TOP TIPS FOR ROAD SAFETY

Another challenge that they faced was when to use the car's air conditioning, as it drains the battery, which made it tricky crossing the desert with temperatures reaching north of 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

The previous record was set in 2016 by a group of three drivers who also used a Tesla Model S. The new record holders are both Tesla owners and say they know how to squeeze everything they can out of the car.

But the goal of this trip was not to just break the record. The pair also wanted to raise awareness for victims of human trafficking. They received 50 donations totaling a few thousand dollars.
Donal Logue's ex-wife has taken to social media in the hopes of sending a message to their missing child, Jade Logue.

16-year-old Jade went missing on Monday afternoon at Barclays Center in New York City. Neither Logue nor his ex-wife, Kasey Smith, have heard from their child since.

RELATED: 'Gotham' Star Donal Logue Says Teenage Child Has Gone Missing

"Jade We miss you. Your family wants you home. If at all you're able to read this KNOW we want you home. I love you baby," Smith wrote on Twitter. "We miss/love you terribly. Please contact us come home. You are my hero."

RELATED: Donal Logue Thanks Supporters for 'Love & Prayers' as Search for Missing Child Continues

Logue first announced that his child had gone missing on Tuesday in a since-deleted tweet, which read, "Missing yesterday at 2PM Barclays Center/Fort Greene Brooklyn: my child, Jade Logue. 6'2" 180 lime green hoodie dark green military parka."

The NYPD is asking for the public's help in locating Jade. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or for Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then entering TIP577.
Blac Chyna claimed in court documents on Monday her ex-fiance Rob Kardashian hit her in the thigh earlier this year, knocking her down and leaving her bruised. The model stated in the documents she had trouble walking after the alleged altercation on April 17, and she is scared to be around Kardashian.

The two share a 7-month-old daughter named Dream.

"Rob has been violent with me in the past and I am afraid to be around him," Chyna, whose real name is Angela White, wrote in court documents filed Monday in Los Angeles.

Blac Chyna, who starred in an E! reality show with Kardashian about their turbulent relationship, was granted a temporary restraining order against Kardashian on Monday, barring the star from contacting her or coming within 100 yards of her home, car and workplace. Kardashian is also prohibited from posting any photos online of Chyna or their daughter.

The restraining order will remain in place until an Aug. 8 hearing.

The couple headed to court after Kardashian posted explicit images of his ex-fiancee on social media last week.

Chyna's attorney, Lisa Bloom, called the hearing as "a complete and total victory.

The ruling came less than one week after Kardashians explicit and profane tirade on social media, which led to his Instagram account being shut down.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner James E. Blancarte sealed exhibits in the case, citing their explicit nature. Bloom has accused Kardashian of cyber bullying.

Blancarte said his primary concern was the former couple's infant child. Bloom said in court that nannies would handle custody transfers while the order is in place.

Kardashian did not appear at Monday's hearing. His lawyer Robert Shapiro apologized on his client's behalf outside the courthouse.

"We apologize and have offered our regrets for what has taken place over the past couple of days," Shapiro said. "And now we move forward to do one thing and one thing only: Whatever's in the best interest of the child.

He said the former couple remains focused on their daughter, who he said is currently being cared for by Kardashian.

"They're working this out among themselves as good parents," Shapiro said.

He said Kardashian agreed to the issuance of a temporary restraining order.

Outside the courthouse, Chyna said, "First and foremost, I want to thank the judge for granting me this restraining order to protect me and I want to (get) back to co-parenting Dream."

Kardashian and Chyna announced their engagement in April 2016.

Kardashian is the younger brother of Kim Kardashian and appeared on several seasons of the family's reality series, "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Johnny Depp and his ex-managers are still in a tense legal battle after a preliminary hearing on Monday morning in California.

During the hearing, Judge Teresa A. Beaudet ruled the actor's lavish spending that became tabloid fodder plays no part in the case that alleges Depp's ex-team mismanaged his finances.

Depp claims his ex-managers put him in a dire financial situation. Meanwhile, The Mandel Group -- his former team -- say they warned Depp repeatedly that his over-the-top lifestyle was causing him to spend well beyond his means. The judge ruled the promissary fraud case against Depp will continue, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Depp's lawyer told Fox News while the hearing was underway, "This is important because it supports what we have been saying from the start, that these smears against Johnny are not defenses to what the Mandels' are accused of in our complaint, they are just smears."

Depp claims Joel Mandel and his group caused him to go into debt while Mandel has stated in court documents Depp was spending a staggering $2 million per-month.

According to a June Variety report, Depp spent $30,000 on wine, $200,000 on private planes, $150,000 on full time security, and $300,000 for his 40-person staff each month. He also spent $4 million on a failed record label.

Legal documents obtained by Deadline also revealed that Depp refused to begin flying commercial after his business manager Mandel pleaded with Depp to take it easy on the holiday spending.

Depp responded to Mandels email the next day.

But, regarding the plane situation I dont have all that many options at the moment, he wrote. A commercial flight with paparazzis in tow would be a f--king nightmare of monumental proportions.

Depp then pleaded, What else can I do??? You want me to sell [some] art??? I will. You want me to sell something else??? Surewhat???... Other than that, I got bikes, cars, property, books, paintings, and some semblance of a soul left, where would you like me to start???

The lawsuit also claimed Depp paid more than $75 million to buy and maintain 14 homes, including a French chateau and a chain of islands in the Bahamas.

Depp also spent heavily to buy a 150-foot yacht, fly on private jets and cultivate collections of fine art and Hollywood memorabilia requiring 12 storage facilities to maintain, the lawsuit said.

On Monday, according to The Hollywood Reporter, both Depp's team and The Mandel Group were stating they had the upper-hand following the hearing.

"This was a good day for Johnny Depp," another lawyer for the actor told The Hollywood Reporter.

Meanwhile, The Mandel Group's attorney noted, "Today's ruling was a clear victory for The Management Group because the Court ruled in favor of our fraud claim. We intend to file an amended cross complaint for declaratory relief. All of the issues regarding Depps extravagant spending continue to be fully included in the case."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bridget Marquardt was once the girlfriend of Hugh Hefner and the star of E!s hit reality TV series, The Girls Next Door, but the Playboy pinup told Australias The Morning Show Monday that she hasnt heard from her ex in years.

He told me there was always an open door, but I heard that thats not quite true lately, explained the 43-year-old model. I called and tried to go to the mansion earlier this year but Im just getting the run around.

However, things werent always this way between Marquardt and the 91-year-old magazine mogul. She said the two stayed in touch for a while after she left the mansion in 2009.

KENDRA WILKINSON SAYS PLAYBOY MADE A BIG MISTAKE

I was still going back to some of the parties. Occasionally, my boyfriend [Nick Carpenter] and I would go back, she said. I was still in touch with Hef  and then we kind of lost contact.

The Playboy founder may see things differently between the two.

"To be frank with you, this is a bit silly," a rep for Hefner told Fox News. "Hef holds nothing, but the fondest memories of his time spent with Bridget and he continues to wish her all the best in her new life."

Hefner married 31-year-old Playmate Crystal Harris in 2012.

Marquardt has also been dealing with other personal woes. The model received unwanted news after she and Carpenter thawed her eggs, which she had frozen nine years ago.

None of my eggs survived, she admitted. It was devastating for me. All this time I thought I had an amazing insurance policy, but it didnt work out. I thought I was doing the smart thing and the right thing, and I do still think it was. It just didnt work out for me.
True Blood actor Nelsan Ellis family said on Monday that the star died Saturday from heart failure due to complications from his withdrawal from alcohol.

Elliss family released a statement through manager Emily Gerson Saines to The Hollywood Reporter stating: Nelsan has suffered with drug and alcohol abuse for years. After many stints in rehab, Nelsan attempted to withdraw from alcohol on his own. According to his father, during his withdrawal from alcohol he had a blood infection, his kidneys shut down, his liver was swollen, his blood pressure plummeted, and his dear sweet heart raced out of control.

The Illinois-born actor died at age 39 after four days in the hospital, according to the statement from his family.

'TRUE BLOOD' ACTOR'S DEATH: HOW HEAVY DRINKING CAN DAMAGE HEART HEALTH

The American Addition Centers says cutting off alcohol cold turkey should not be done without a medical supervisor present or it could cause health problems, even lead to death.

Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal, as the brain and central nervous system experience a rebound after being suppressed by alcohol repetitively for an extended period of time, according to American Addiction Centers. Sudden removal of the central nervous system depressant can be life-threatening.

Ellis family statement ended with: Nelsan was ashamed of his addiction and thus was reluctant to talk about it during his life. His family, however, believes that in death he would want his life to serve as a cautionary tale in an attempt to help others.

The actor, who studied at Oxford University and Columbia College in Chicago before attending Julliard, famously played the role of Lafayette, a gay short order cook, on the HBO drama from 2008 to 2014. More recently, Ellis appeared in the CBS detective series Elementary. He was also a playwright and a stage director.

WHAT CAUSES HEART FAILURE?

HBO released a statement stating the network was extremely saddened by Ellis death.

Nelsan was a long-time member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of True Blood, the statement said. Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The EU is eyeing a potential target to use in retaliation against President Trumps proposed steel import tariff: the U.S. bourbon industry.

Per The Guardian, commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU would "react with counter-measures" within days against U.S. agricultural exports should Trump impose import tariffs on Chinese and German steel.

The U.S. bourbon industry was specifically called out, and for good reason: 20 percent of the United States' $654 million spirit exports to the EU last year came from bourbon whiskey sales.

At the G20 summit Friday, Juncker added that he hoped the EU could avoid such retaliatory measures, but said "we are in an elevated battle mood.

The bourbon industry is largely based in Kentucky, but WEKU reports that the pinch such taxes could bring would be felt much further. "Anything, not just trade, but anything that impacts Kentucky bourbon affects a lot of different spin-off industries," says Kentucky Distillers' Association president Eric Gregory.

Nearly all bourbon produced in the US (95 percent) comes from Kentucky in an industry that employs over 17,000. The Guardian reports that Trump won nearly 63 percent of the vote there in the election (not to mention it's home turf to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell).

"This is a really important industry to Kentucky, so people will not be happy that this in the air," says Susan Reigler, president of the Bourbon Women Association.

Bourbon can only be produced in the US (as tequila is only made in Mexico, or champagne in France), and Gregory vows to "promote, protect, and elevate its success around the world." (In other liquor news, Southern Comfort has added a surprising ingredient.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: "Bourbon Industry May Pay for Trump's Proposed Steel Tariff."
True Blood actor Nelsan Ellis died Saturday from heart failure, due to complications from a withdrawal from alcohol, his family said.

Ellis family released a statement describing how the 39-year-old actor attempted to withdraw from alcohol on his own. Ellis then suffered from a blood infection, kidney failure, a swollen liver, low blood pressure and heart failure, his family said.

'TRUE BLOOD' ACTOR'S DEATH: HOW HEAVY DRINKING MAY DAMAGE HEART HEALTH

But can you die from alcohol withdrawal?

According to American Addiction Centers, attempting a cold-turkey or at-home detox from alcohol can be risky and even life-threatening.

The withdrawal occurs when heavy drinkers cut back their alcohol intake.

Alcohol is poisonous to the human body, Dr. Robert Schwartz of the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine told LiveScience.com. Consuming alcohol can cause changes to a persons metabolism and central nervous system.

Your body develops a homeostasis with alcohol, Schwartz said. As soon as you take it away, youre upsetting that balance.

Once a body reliant on alcohol no longer has the substance, that body will go through a series of changes.

'TRUE BLOOD' ACTOR DEAD AT 39: WHAT CAUSES HEART FAILURE?

The body will experience withdrawal effects similar to what Ellis experienced: high blood pressure and a swollen liver. Bodies can also experience anxiety, agitation, vomiting, dehydration, tremors and can even experience hallucinations and seizures.

A hangover, for example, is a form of alcohol withdrawal, Cyndie Dunkerson, a clinical supervisor at a detox and rehab center, told NBC News.

If alcohol works as a sedative for people and helps them to relax, alcohol withdrawal does the opposite of that, according to Dunkerson.

FOR MEN, HEAVY DRINKING MAY DAMAGE HEARTS OVERTIME

Withdrawing from alcohol doesnt have to be fatal, Dunkerson said, but very often it is. Lucida Treatment, a rehabilitation center in Florida, suggests to detox through a rehabilitation facility, rather than attempting to withdraw on your own.

Addicts can attend both inpatient and outpatient treatment centers where there are medically-monitored rehab programs available.
Charlie Gard, a terminally ill infant in Britain, is receiving international attention as his parents are seeking an experimental treatment they hope could help their son, whose rare type of "DNA depletion" condition usually results in death in the first few months of life. But what causes this condition, and why does it have such devastating effects on the body?

Charlie was born on Aug. 4, 2016, and has been hospitalized at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London since October, according to The New York Times . The 11-month-old cannot breathe on his own, has seizures, and is blind and deaf, the Times reported. His parents want to take him to the United States for an experimental treatment, but his doctors have disagreed, saying that the treatment would not help and would only extend Charlie's suffering. Instead, the hospital concluded that the most humane thing to do would be to remove Charlie from life support.

CHARLIE GARD: PARENTS OF ILL BABY SAY 'HE DESERVES A CHANCE' AT TREATMENT IN US

The case has renewed the debate about parents' rights to seek treatment for their children. Several British courts have sided with the hospital, and the child's life support was set to be withdrawn on June 30. However, his parents have since said that the hospital has postponed the withdrawal in order to give them more time to say goodbye to their child, according to The Guardian .

Encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome is caused by mutations in genes that help maintain the DNA found inside the mitochondria (cells' "powerhouses") that turn nutrients into energy and have their own set of DNA.

In Charlie's case, the mutation is in a gene called RRM2B, which is involved in creating this mitochondrial DNA, according to the National Institutes of Health. The mutation leads to a reduction in the amount of mitochondrial DNA, and prevents the mitochondria from working properly.

The condition affects many organs in the body, but particularly the muscles, brain and kidneys, which have high energy demands, the NIH says. It can cause muscle weakness, microcephaly (a smaller-than-normal head size), kidney problems, seizures and hearing loss. Weakness in the muscles used for breathing can lead to serious breathing problems and, in Charlie's case, required that he be placed on a ventilator.

The condition is extremely rare; prior to Charlie's case, only about 15 infants worldwide were reported to have this particular form of mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, according to the NIH.

CHARLIE GARD'S DISEASE AND LEGAL CASE: AN EXPLAINER

Symptoms typically start very early in life; Charlie started showing signs when he was just a few weeks old, the Times reported. And babies with this condition typically do not survive beyond infancy. In a 2008 review of the cases of seven infants with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome due to mutations in the RRM2B gene, all died before they reached 4 months old.

There is no cure for the condition, and treatment consists of managing symptoms, such as providing nutritional support or using a ventilator to aid with breathing, according to a review from the University of Washington.

Charlie's parents have said that they want their son to have an experimental treatment called nucleoside therapy, an unproven treatment aimed at the DNA materials that his cells can't produce. This treatment has previously been used on patients with a less severe form of mitochondrial DNA depletion, known as a TK2 mutation, according to the Times. However, the therapy has never been used on someone with RRM2B mutations. And even the doctor who initially agreed to help the Gards seek this treatment later acknowledged that the therapy was unlikely to help Charlie, because the baby was in the late stages of the illness.

Recently, the Bambino Gesu children's hospital in Italy asked if Gard could be transferred to its facility for care, but Great Ormond Street Hospital declined to move Gard, citing legal reasons, according to The Washington Post. U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also said that it is "right that decisions continue to be led by expert medical opinion, supported by the courts," in line with the child's best interests, according to Press Association, a U.K.-based news agency.

Original article on Live Science .
Actor Nelsan Ellis, who starred on the HBO show "True Blood," has died of heart failure at the age of 39. But what causes this condition?

On Saturday (July 8), Ellis' manager, Emily Gerson Saines, told The Hollywood Reporter that the actor had died "after complications with heart failure."

Heart failure means the heart muscle can't pump enough blood to meet the body's normal demands, according to the National Institutes of Health. This can happen when the heart either doesn't fill up with enough blood, or doesn't pump blood with enough force to the rest of the body.

'TRUE BLOOD' ACTOR NELSAN ELLIS DIED OF HEART FAILURE DUE TO ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL, FAMILY SAYS

Heart failure can develop as the result of other conditions that damage or overwork the heart muscle, causing it to weaken, according to the NIH. Saines did not specify the reason for the actor's heart failure, but a number of conditions can lead to heart failure, including the following:

Coronary heart disease: This is a condition that occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries and reduces blood flow to the heart. It is the most common cause of heart failure, according to the Mayo Clinic. Coronary heart disease can increase the risk of a heart attack, in which a blood clot blocks blood flow to the heart. During a heart attack, the heart may suffer damage that leads to a weakened heart muscle, the Mayo Clinic says.

Diabetes: The high blood sugar levels found in people with diabetes can, in some cases, damage and weaken the heart muscle, leading to heart failure, according to the NIH.

High blood pressure: In people with high blood pressure, the heart has to work harder than normal to pump blood, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Over time, the overworked heart muscle may become larger but also weaker, leading to heart failure.

Heart valve problems: The heart's valves help keep blood flowing in the correct direction, but if there is damage to the valves, the heart needs to work harder to keep blood moving, according to the Mayo Clinic. Several conditions can cause heart valve problems, including defects present at birth, a heart infection or coronary heart disease.

Cardiomyopathy: When the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick or rigid, a person is said to have cardiomyopathy, according to the NIH. But many factors can cause cardiomyopathy, including alcohol or cocaine abuse; exposure to certain toxins, such as heavy metals; or viral infections of the heart muscle. People may also inherit certain genetic mutations that put them at risk for cardiomyopathy.

Abnormal heart rhythms: If anything goes awry with the hearts rhythm, heart failure can result. For example, if the heart beats too fast or irregularly, it has to work harder than normal. Over time, this may cause the heart muscle to weaken, according to the Mayo Clinic. If your heart beats too slowly, it may not pump enough blood to the body, which can also lead to heart failure.

Congenital heart problems: These are heart problems that a person is born with. In some cases, the heart or its chambers don't form correctly, which means the heart has to work harder to pump blood, the AHA says.

In a statement about Ellis' death, HBO representatives said, "We were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Nelsan Ellis. Nelsan was a long-time member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of [the character] Lafayette [Reynolds] will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of True Blood. Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO."

Original article on Live Science.
President Trump has accused former FBI director James Comey of illegality in leaking memos that may have contained classified information. If it is true that the leaked Comey memos  laundered through a law professor in an effort to pressure Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein into appointing a special counsel  contained classified information, who will investigate Comey? Surely the Special Counsel, Robert Mueller, Comeys friend who he helped get appointed, could not conduct a credible investigation. Nor could Rod Rosenstein, who made the appointment. Will yet another special counsel have to be appointed to conduct an investigation of Comeys leaking?

On the basis of what we now know, it does not appear that Comey committed a crime. What he did, if the allegation turns out to be true, is remarkably similar to what he investigated with regard to Hillary Clintons improper use of a private email server. Both Clinton and Comey were sloppy in their handling of classified material and both deserve to be criticized for their negligence. But neither crossed the line into willful criminality. Of course, Hillarys enemies argue that she did cross the line. And Comeys enemies will argue the same as to his conduct. But judged by a uniform standard, neither should be prosecuted for what appear to be honest mistakes.

We dont know at this point whether the Comey memos actually contained information that is classified, and even if so, was it so designated before or after Comey disclosed it? We also dont know the level of classification, if any. What we do know is that Comeys claim that he was entitled to leak the memos because he was a private citizen is bogus. The memos contained information he obtained as a government employee and the memos were the property of the government. If they contained classified information, he was not entitled to leak them without prior approval.

What we do know is that Comeys claim that he was entitled to leak the memos because he was a private citizen is bogus. The memos contained information he obtained as a government employee and were government property. If they contained classified information, he was not entitled to leak them.

President Trump was quick to tweet that Comeys actions were so illegal. That is, of course, what Trumps critics are saying about his actions, and those of his family, his campaign aides and his transition team members. Both sides are rushing to judgment when it comes to criminalizing the political acts of their opponents. Both sides seem to believe that if something done by their opponents is wrong , it should be criminal. But thats not how our system of justice works. For something to be criminal, it must be explicitly prohibited by an existing criminal statute. There must be a criminal act, accompanied by a criminal intent. Moreover, the law must be clear and unambiguous. These salutary rules are designed to protect Democrats and Republicans alike. But they are being abused by Republicans and Democrats alike in the short term interest of partisan advantage.

Perhaps the most extreme example of stretching the law to target an individual for a political sin is the recent statement by lawyer and law professor Richard Painter directed against Donald Trumps son, who attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer who suggested that she might provide him with negative information about Hillary Clinton. This is what Painter said: This was an effort to get opposition research on an opponent in an American political campaign from the Russians, who were known to be engaged in spying inside the United States. He suggested that Trumps son might be guilty of treason and should be in custody. But the Constitution specifically defines treason, providing that its definition is exclusive and limited. Here is what it says: Treason against the United States shall consist only levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. (Emphasis added) This definition clearly does not cover an effort to get opposition research from the Russians. But the Constitution doesnt seem to matter to those who are convinced that any wrongful action must also be criminal.

Back to the Comey leaks. It is unlikely that there will be any investigation, except perhaps an internal one by the Justice Department. Comey should be rebuked by the Justice Department for violating their rules, but there is not enough evidence at the moment to warrant the appointment of another special counsel. Nor is there enough to conclude, as President Trump hastily did, that Comeys misconduct was so illegal.
At the White House male staffers earn more on average than female staffers. That is not news.

However, it is ammunition for those looking to take a shot at President Donald Trump using the charge that this administration doesnt care about women. But a closer look at the White House wage gap reveals that the Trump Administration  like other recent administrations  pays women fairly.

On Friday, the White House sent its annual staff report to Congress on the 377 people working there including their names, titles, and salaries. Real estate investor Reed Cordish along with Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner earn nothing. Reince Preibus, Kellyanne Conway, Steve Bannon and almost 20 others maxed out the salary ceiling earning $179,700.

CNN decided to analyze this years White House salary data (a curious decision since they had not analyzed the previous administrations staff data). They found that the average salary among male staff was nearly $104,000 compared to $83,000 for female staff. The Trump White House pays women 80 cents for every dollar they pay men. Whats worse, this is 2 cents bigger than the reported national average pay gap.

CNN leads us to the conclusion that President Trump is a bad boss for women. But he is not the first President to preside over a pay gap in his White House. Despite President Obamas rhetoric about equal pay for equal work, he couldnt close the 13 percent wage gap in his office for most of his term. In fact, women earned less than men on average at the White House all eight years of the Obama Presidency.

Men earned more working under other Democrats as well. Hillary Clintons presidential campaign, Senate office, and the Clinton Foundation all had gender pay differences. Michelle Obamas White House office paid men significantly more as well.

According to analysis by the Washington Post in 2009, women earned $72,700 on average and men earned $82,000. By 2014, both men and women earned about $6,000 more on average, but a $10,000 gap persisted ($78,400 for women and $88,600 for men). By President Obamas final year in office, all salaries had declined on average ($76,928 for men and $68,658 for women), and the gap remained.

Men earned more working under other Democrats as well. Hillary Clintons presidential campaign, Senate office, and the Clinton Foundation all had gender pay differences. Michelle Obamas White House office paid men significantly more as well.

In all of these instances, and in the economy at large, men earn more than women on average. But importantly, this is not primarily due to sex-based discrimination.

Calculating averages conceals the nuances of the pay at the White House and in the workforce at large. The White House data dont show that men and women working in the same jobs are getting unequal pay. They do show that there are more men working in higher-paying positions. An apples-to-apples comparison of positions at the Trump White House confirms what previous White Houses have said: there is equal pay for equal work.

That is an important clarification, because it demonstrates what is happening in the broader economy. The oft-cited Department of Labor statistic that women earn only 79 cents of what men make provides an incomplete picture. It compares the average salaries of all men and women with full-time jobs, but averages miss factors that can have a significant impact on the wage differences.

When the Department of Labor controlled for other factors such as occupation, the number of hours women and men work, and the time women they take off from the workforce, the difference in pay shrinks to a few cents.

This is not to say that sex-based wage discrimination never happens. But it is clear that discrimination is not the primary driver of the wage gap. Discrimination is illegal and has been since 1963, and violators should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

If we want to start a serious conversation about opportunity and pay for women in the workforce, including at the White House, we should stop pretending that the wage gap is evidence of discrimination. Its not.
Hillary Clinton, thanks to James Comey, escaped criminal prosecution for violating the Espionage Act.

Now it is Comey who may have violated that same law. If he did, will Comey escape prosecution, courtesy of his good friend, Robert Mueller?

The fired FBI Directors legal predicament comes as The Hill reports that Comey authored seven memorandums reflecting the contents of his conversations with President Trump and that four of the memos have been determined to contain classified information.

If this is true and Comey kept these documents in his personal possession upon leaving government service and conveyed some of them to another individual without authorization, then it would appear that he committed multiple felonies under the Espionage Act.

It is a crime to mishandle classified information: 18 USC 798 and 1924 prohibit a government official from removing a classified document from its proper place of custody to a location which is unsecure and disclosing it to an unauthorized person. Is this what Comey did? It sure looks like it.

How can Mueller discharge his responsibilities in a fair, objective and impartial manner? Will the mentor investigate and, if warranted, prosecute his protege? Doubtful.

Hillary Clinton, as Secretary of State, stored 110 emails containing classified information on her home computer server, an unauthorized place. Yet, Comey misinterpreted the criminal statute by claiming she did not intend to violate the law. This is not the legal standard, as any knowledgeable lawyer will tell you. Clinton was never indicted, though she should have been.

David Petraeus, former Director of the CIA, was not so fortunate. He pled guilty to removing classified documents to his personal residence where he stored them in an unsecured drawer. He also gave them to his biographer who was not authorized to receive them.

John Deutch, also a former CIA Director, agreed to plead guilty to keeping classified material on his unauthorized laptop computer, but was pardoned by President Bill Clinton just days before the formal charges were filed.

Comey insists the information contained in the memo he gave to his lawyer friend who leaked it to the media was unclassified. If true, it is not a violation of the Espionage Act. But if Comey gave his friend, Columbia University Professor Daniel C. Richman, any of the four documents containing classified information, then he committed one or more crimes.

Richman now claims he received four memos from Comey, but none were marked classified. The good professor may not realize that the marking in no way determines its classified status. The content dictates classification, as Fox News Chief Intelligence Correspondent Catherine Herridge has consistently pointed out.

Importantly, if Comey maintained these four documents in his personal possession, as his Senate testimony suggests, then he may have committed at least four more crimes in the same way that Clinton, Petraeus and Deutch did. Again, it is a felony to keep documents containing classified information in an unauthorized place, such as your personal possession, home or private unsecured computer.

As explained in an earlier column, Comey likely violated another law. All of his memos are, unquestionably, government property under the Federal Records Act and the FBIs own Records Management regulations. They were composed by him in the course and scope of his employment as the Director of the FBI. In meeting with President Trump, Comey was not acting as a private citizen. Both Congress and the FBI agree on this obvious point.

Therefore, the memos were not Comeys to keep in his possession. It is a crime to convert government property to your own personal use and then give it to another person. 18 USC 641 makes it a felony to steal, sell or convey such property to someone else without permission.

Comeys conduct and whether it constitutes numerous crimes should be investigated by Special Counsel, Robert Mueller. Yet, that is not likely to happen. Why?

In a previous column, I described in detail how Mueller and Comey have been long-time close friends, allies and partners. They have enjoyed a mentor-protege relationship.

This is precisely why Mueller should have disqualified himself from serving under the special counsel statute (28 CFR 600.7 and 28 CFR 45.2). His strong relationship to Comey creates a genuine conflict of interest and, at the very least, the appearance of impropriety.

How can Mueller discharge his responsibilities in a fair, objective and impartial manner? Will the mentor investigate and, if warranted, prosecute his protege? Doubtful.

The prospect of prejudice and favoritism this case presents is anathema to the fair administration of justice.

The American people expect and deserve something better than a legal charade.
The response by election officials to the recent request for election data from the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity reminds me of Shakespeares Macbeth, who famously declared, It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

The idiot in Shakespeares play is life. The fool in the modern-day equivalent is anyone who thinks politicians dont already have access to the data requested, and much more. I know: We make the collection of election data our business. And what we legally collect on voters  a data set as large as any electoral data volume in the country  far surpasses the commissions simple request.

Secretaries of State among the many states began publicly objecting to the commissions request last week. The purveyors of outrage smelled a conspiracy. The Trump administration must have been hatching a sinister plot. Why would they want massive amounts of voter data, if not to manipulate it for political purposes?

But lets be clear about what they are requesting: data that is widely public in the fifty states, accessed by GOP and Democrat political consultants every day, even those that work for secretaries of state (at least in states where they run for office).

That data  party registration or primary voting history, general election history, home addresses, and dates of birth  is not exactly a state secret. A simple public information request will yield this information and more in most jurisdictions. Thousands of candidates get this information. As do journalists.

A study of the 2008 election by Just Facts estimates there were 5.7 million illegal votes cast. It is just common sense that a commission that aggregates statelevel data in one central database will finally uncover how much voter fraud is taking place in America.

Ever wonder why you get more political mail the more you vote in elections? Because candidates and campaigns have access to your voter history. How do they know where to find you? They have purchased your address.

Why did you get an absentee ballot request if you are 65 or older? Because they have your date of birth. Any political mail consultant worth his or her salt has accessed this information for decades.

But modern political data mining is so much more extensive today. We know what magazines you subscribe to, and what it says about your political leanings.

We know if you regularly purchase arugula you are more likely to support ObamaCare than if you stick to iceberg lettuce.

We collect thousands of data points, all for the intent of creating voter models that predict voter behavior.

We do this to determine the best targets for a candidates message. It often saves them time and resources when they know the precise targets for their electoral pitch.

Those who object to the commissions request on the grounds of privacy are engaged in a cunning canard and hoisting their own petard. None of the information requested is private.

I think the real reason for many of the objections is, as Vice-Chair Kris Kobach has stated, the Commission will be unable to effectively measure the extent of voter fraud in America if the states refuse to make the information available. For those who harvest fraudulent votes, officials having that information at hand to measure the extent of voter fraud is of concern to them. It should be.

The Obama Administration refused to aggregate state-by-state data at the federal level, making it harder to determine the number of deceased individuals registered to vote, as well those who should not be voting for other reasons, such as felons or aliens.

A study of the 2008 election by Just Facts estimates there were 5.7 million illegal votes cast. Whether you agree with that study or not, it is just common sense that a commission that aggregates statelevel data in one central database will finally uncover how much voter fraud is taking place in America.

As Kobach proclaimed, maintaining the integrity of American elections is essential to the health of our republic. Its also crucial to giving voters confidence that elections will not be stolen.

Voters should not be asking whether their public data will be manipulated by a presidential commission  to the extent they are concerned about this, that data is used every day already by candidates and consultants  but why officials do not want to cooperate in cracking down on voter fraud.

Every fraudulent vote cancels out a legal vote of an American citizen. Why wouldnt we stop this if we could?

The fomenters of outrage are trying to play us for the idiot, directing their sound and fury at the wrong target, for perverse purposes: they do not want to cooperate in rooting out voter fraud all across America.

Thats the purpose of the commission. Its a worthy one. And we should be asking critics just what they have against targeting voter fraud.
The west is the best sang Jim Morrison on The Doors first album. He didnt seem to be talking about Western culture (though with Morrison, who knows?).

But when President Trump sang the same tune at his recent speech in Polandand he was most certainly praising Western cultureyoud think he wanted to reintroduce slavery, based on the reaction of his critics.

Jeet Heer in The New Republic responded: "Trump is defining the West not based on ideals like democracy and liberty, but atavistic loyalties to territory and shared kinship.

Did Jeet hear the entire speech? For instance, did he miss the line where President Trump said above all, we [....] share the hope of every soul to live in freedom?

Its true the president often referred to the ties that bind U.S., Poland and NATO nations in generalkind of makes sense when youre speaking in Warsawbut the highest ideals he spoke of were universal.

I have no doubt that these critics have significant disagreements with Donald Trump. But that doesnt give them the right to caricature his speech, and then argue against the caricature.

Peter Beinart in The Atlantic wrote: The West is a racial and religious term. To be considered Western, a country must be largely Christian (preferably Protestant or Catholic) and largely white..."

Trump did draw lines in his speech, opposing Russian aggression and radical Islamic terrorism (and government bureaucracy), but what he saw as desirable knew no specific racial or religious boundaries.

As he noted, The West became great not because of paperwork and regulations but because people were allowed to chase their dreams and pursue their destinies. Pursuing dreams can happen anywhere, as long as the people are free.

And later, he stated some of the basic notions that made the West special, such as the rule of law and the right to free speech and free expression.

True, he spoke out in favor of faith, but no particular faith. If citizens enjoy the other freedoms Trump mentions, the faith he refers to is one that is voluntarily chosen.

Eugene Robinson declared in the Washington Post: "If the president read a few history books, hed know [....] that Europe rose to dominance not by erecting walls, but by opening itself to the rest of the world -- its resources, products and people.

I dont know what books the president has read, but while he believes in certain limits on immigration (and Im guessing so does Robinson, just different limits), the world envisioned in the Warsaw speech is an open and curious one, not afraid of challenges.

As Trump put it, we debate everything. We challenge everything. We seek to know everything so that we can better know ourselves.

(As for products and resources, while the President isnt happy with certain trade treaties, the speech Robinson is criticizing was in favor of greater trade: America is eager to expand our partnership with you. We welcome stronger ties of trade and commerce as you grow your economies.)

In Slate, Joshua Keating decided Trumps speech will be discussed as an offensive broadside against the worlds nonwhite, non-Christian population.

I guess it will if the Joshua Keatings out there have anything to say about it.

I have no doubt that these critics have significant disagreements with Donald Trump. But that doesnt give them the right to caricature his speech, and then argue against the caricature.

Trump seems to believe in the basic values of Western culture as we understand them today. The differences his critics have with him are mostly over his particular policy prescriptions.

Beinart et al. would do better to honestly take on the points Trump raises, rather than question his motives and call him names.

If they did that, they might even discover they actually agree with Trump on some things. The horror!
It is a tale of two New Yorkers. Donald Trump goes to Germany to defend Western civilization and promote economic growth. Bill de Blasio goes to Germany to throw verbal Molotov cocktails and promote socialism.

One is the leader of the free world, the other is a great pretender.

The mayor was in full Putz mode as he abandoned his City Hall post to join the anarchists, socialists and violent leftists trying to disrupt the G-20 summit. In the history of low moments in New York politics, de Blasios stunt stands out.

His decision to join an international rabble marked by vandalism and violence to protest Trump, the head of his own country and a citizen of his own city, shows where the mayors heart is.

To continue reading Michael Goodwin's column from the New York Post, click here.
President Trump tweeted Sunday evening that a proposed "Cyber Security unit" operated by the U.S. and Russia "can't happen," an apparent reaction to criticism of the idea by Democrats and Republicans.

Trump announced in a Twitter post Sunday morning that he had discussed the idea with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. He said that the U.S. and Russia would work together to ensure that "election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded."

The U.S. intelligence community has concluded that Russia attempted to interfere in the 2016 election campaign. Russian state actors have been linked to Wikileaks, which published stolen emails belonging to the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.

The cybersecurity unit drew widespread ridicule from lawmakers, including two of Trump's rivals for the Republican nomination last year.

"It's not the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but it's pretty close," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told NBC's "Meet The Press."

Graham also said that Trump has "a blind spot" when it comes to Russia, "and to forgive and forget when it comes to Putin regarding cyberattacks is to empower Putin and that's exactly what he's doing."

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., compared the idea on Twitter to "partnering with Assad on a `Chemical Weapons Unit,"' a reference to Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime's use of chemical weapons against its own citizens.

Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the move was "like the guy who robbed your house proposing a working group on burglary."



And Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the ranking member of the House intelligence committee, told CNN's "State of the Union" that expecting Russia to be a credible partner in any cybersecurity initiative "would be dangerously naive for this country."



"If that's our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow," he said.

However, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley stood up for the initiative, arguing that working with Russia on cybersecurity "doesn't mean we ever trust Russia. We can't trust Russia and we won't ever trust Russia. But you keep those that you don't trust closer so that you can always keep an eye on `em and keep them in check."

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also defended the plan on ABC's "This Week," calling the initiative a "very important step forward."

"What we want to make sure is that we coordinate with Russia, that we're focused on cybersecurity together, that we make sure that they never interfere in any democratic elections or conduct any cyber security," Mnuchin said. "I think is a very significant accomplishment for President Trump."

There was no immediate comment from the White House or lawmakers Sunday on Trump's apparent about-face.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Chinese scholars slammed White House aides Monday after confusing the country Chinese President Xi Jinping leads with the formal name of the government on Taiwan that Beijing does not acknowledge.

The header of the transcript issued Saturday described Xi as president of the Republic of China. Xi leads the Peoples Republic of China, which was founded in 1949 after the Republic of China forces fled to the island of Taiwan during a bloody civil war. The mistake was in the transcripts header only.

China's Foreign Ministry said the White House apologized for the error, saying it was a technical mistake.

Beijing may dismiss the lapse as a technicality, but it is indicative of how the White House operates under President Donald Trump and is not conducive to China-U.S. relations, said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at China Renmin University.

"It is basic knowledge for those working in diplomacy, yet this isolated incident shows how incompetent the White House staff are, how casual they are, and how poorly coordinated they are," Shi said. "It will only make the Chinese people look down upon the American government for it to make such a low-level mistake."

Wang Dong, associate professor at the school of international studies at elite Peking University, said he believes the error was not intentional, but still revealed a lack of capacity in Trump's foreign policy team while key positions remain unfilled.

"It shows the deficiency in the professionalism on the part of the White House staff in terms of diplomacy," Wang said. "The mistake itself may not affect China-U.S. relations, but the White House should draw a lesson from it to improve its work flow. It's a politically sensitive mistake that should not have occurred."

The White House altered the transcript to read simply President Xi of China.

The latest reference to Taiwan is especially sensitive because of moves by Trump over the island that have drawn Beijing's ire.

Upending long-standing diplomatic protocol, Trump took a congratulatory phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in December and questioned the wisdom of the "one-China policy," under which Washington maintains only unofficial relations with Taiwan.

Last month, to Beijing's indignation, his administration approved a $1.4 billion arms sale to the island.

Almost six months into office, Trump has yet to fill thousands of government positions and his White House staff in particular has been faulted for poor organization.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The White House on Monday adamantly defended President Trump's eldest son against a new wave of scrutiny after he acknowledged meeting a Russian lawyer who promised damaging information on Hillary Clinton during the campaign.

Don Jr. did not collude with anybody to influence the election, Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters at an off-camera briefing. Bottom line is Democrats had a weak candidate.

Donald Trump Jr. on Sunday acknowledged the June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer who has links to the Kremlin.

Trump Jr. has remained defiant and isnt apologizing for the meeting, while the White House has presented a united front in defending the presidents son. However, Fox News has confirmed that lawyer Alan Futerfas has been hired to represent Trump Jr. in connection with the Russia probes.

On Monday night, The New York Times reported that Trump Jr. had received an email prior to the meeting in which he was allegedly told that the material being offered was part of a Russian government move to assist his fathers candidacy, according to three people familiar with the email.

The email sent to the president's son came from Rob Goldstone, a former British tabloid reporter who worked to coordinate the June 2016 meeting, the paper said.

Earlier Monday, Trump Jr. used a sarcastic tweet to mock The New York Times reporting on the meeting.

Obviously I'm the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent... went nowhere but had to listen, the presidents son tweeted.

The reports, though, were causing new headaches for the Trump family with regard to congressional investigations, as a senior Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Monday the panel should now question Trump's eldest son.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told reporters that "our intelligence committee needs to interview him and others who attended the meeting" as part of the panel's probe into Russian interference in last year's election and possible collusion between Russian officials and the Trump campaign.

New York Sen. Charles Schumer also wants the president's son to explain his actions before Congress.

"Donald Trump Jr. must also testify before the committee to explain why three (people) of the highest level of the Trump administration thought it was appropriate to meet with a Russian source to receive information about a political opponent," Trump said.

The Times published a series of reports on the meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, leading to varying explanations from the Trump team. Trumps eldest son initially said it was primarily about allowing Americans to adopt Russian children and mentioned nothing about Mrs. Clinton.

He later acknowledged he was told the Russian individual might have information helpful to the campaign.

During the meeting, Trump Jr. said in a statement, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton. But he said her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense and it became clear that she had no meaningful information.

He said, She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act. It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting.

Trump Jr.s meeting is the first confirmed private meeting between members of President Trumps inner circle and a Russian national.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller as well as multiple congressional committees are investigating whether Russia interfered in the election in addition to possible collusion with the Trump campaign.

Fox News' Lesa Jansen and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A federal probe into allegations that Sen. Bernie Sanders wife fraudulently obtained a nearly $10 million loan for a land expansion at a Vermont college has intensified, with prosecutors reportedly calling a state official to testify before a grand jury.

The federal investigation is focused on actions by Jane Sanders in 2010, when she was president of Burlington College.

At the time, she sought a multi-million dollar loan for a new campus on 33 acres along Lake Champlain. Sanders reportedly told college trustees and bank lenders that the college had millions of dollars in donations that could be used to repay the loan.

But The Washington Post reported Monday that trustees said they discovered many of the donors had not agreed to the amounts or the timing of donations listed in materials Mrs. Sanders provided.

She had sought a $6.5 million loan from Peoples United Bank to buy tax-exempt bonds issued by a state agency, and a $3.65 million second mortgage from the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Burlington.

FBI PROBE OF BERNIE SANDERS' WIFE BASED ON 'FACTS AND FIGURES,' VERMONT GOP OFFICIAL SAYS

In order to secure the money, Sanders submitted a spreadsheet that attempted to show appropriate parties that the school had $2.4 million in confirmed pledges, grants, and other funds to repay the debt.

But a complaint raising questions about these pledges was first filed in January 2016 by the law firm of diGenova and Toensing. Partner Brady Toensing, a former Donald Trump presidential campaign official, wrote the complaint.

His involvement has led Sen. Sanders to blast the probe and scrutiny as a "pathetic" and political attack.

But Toensing, vice chairman of the Vermont Republican Party, last week made allegations similar to those detailed in the latest Post report.

In order to get those loans, she had to confirm guaranteed donations of $2.6 million, Toensing said on Tucker Carlson Tonight last Thursday. Of that $2.6 million, the school was only able to collect about 25 percentand of the confirmed donations, three of the donors have come forward to say that the school overstated their pledge amounts.

Toensing said that the Catholic Church and Vermont taxpayers were harmed in the alleged collection of funding.

SANDERS BLAMES REPUBLICANS FOR FBI PROBE OF WIFE

Government investigators reportedly suggested that the investigation is focused solely on Jane Sanders and the alleged bank fraud, and not on the independent Vermont senator.

Sanders spokesman Jeff Weaver denied the allegations, and confirmed that Jane Sanders hired a law firm in the spring in an effort to thwart any efforts by the Trump Justice Department to use the investigation as a way to block a potential 2020 opponent.

While the Obama administration was in office, I dont think anyone thought that these baseless allegations warranted hiring a lawyer, Weaver told The Post. But with Trump and [Attorney General] Jeff Sessions at the helm, thats a very different situation.

Last week, Sen. Sanders told CNN that his wife was perhaps the most honest person I know.

Sadly we are in a moment where parties not only attack public officials, they have to go after wives and children, Sanders said on CNN. You know, this is pathetic and the way politics is in America today.
House lawmakers are pushing to grant legal U.S. residency to terminally ill British baby Charlie Gard and his family so they can seek treatment in America -- a development that comes as a London court granted the family a brief reprieve.

Lets give him a fighting chance, Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, told "Fox & Friends."

Gard suffers from a form of mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage.

His parents want him to be sent to the United States for experimental therapy -- Wenstrup and Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., say they'll introduce a bill to grant the family legal permanent residence, presumably easing their path to seeking life-saving treatment in the U.S.

The London court put a little more time on the clock Monday, giving Gard's parents until Wednesday afternoon to submit new evidence their son should receive experimental treatment that could save his life.

Judge Nicholas Francis said a new court date has been set for Thursday.

The decision follows an emotionally charged hearing in London where Connie Yates, Gards mother, reportedly wept openly and the childs father, Chris Gard, yelled at a barrister representing the hospital that wants to take their 11-month-old son off a breathing machine.

The case has captured international attention, including the sympathies of Pope Francis and President Trump -- who tweeted last week that if the U.S. could help, we could be delighted to do so.

Great Ormond Street Hospital, which initially had pushed to turn off Gards life-support system, applied for the hearing because of new evidence relating to potential treatment for his condition.

The new evidence came from researchers at the Vaticans childrens hospital and another outside London. The Pope also said the Vaticans hospital was willing to take Gard and that he hoped Gards parents could be allowed to care for their child until the end.

As the debate plays out on both sides of the pond, Wenstrup and Franks said in a joint statement that their bill will support Charlies parents' right to choose what is best for their son, by making Charlie a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. in order for him to receive treatments that could save his life.

Should this little boy be ordered to die  because a third party, overriding the wishes of his parents, believes it can conclusively determine that immediately death is what is best for him? the lawmakers asked. When government is able to overrule a parent or guardian in determining a patients best interest, every vulnerable patient is put at risk. We offer Connie Yates and Chris Gard our heartfelt support as they seek to care for their son.

According to The Washington Post, New York Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center have offered to admit Gard and give him the experimental treatment, pending emergency FDA approval. The hospitals have also offered to take the medication to London and provide doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital as well.
President Trump on Monday defended his decision to have his daughter Ivanka sit in his place during a G-20 meeting last week -- calling the move "standard" and suggesting Chelsea Clinton never would have faced such criticism subbing for her mother.

Ivanka Trump's role at the G-20 caused a social media frenzy after a photo surfaced showing her sitting beside British Prime Minister Theresa May and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump critics mocked the president for letting his daughter represent him on the world stage.

But President Trump fired back on Monday.

When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees! he tweeted, followed by a hypothetical.

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!

German Chancellor Angela Merkel indeed defended Ivanka on Saturday, saying it was very well known that she worked at the White House and was engaged in certain initiatives.

Trump Counselor Kellyanne Conway also noted on Fox & Friends that Ivanka Trump is an adviser at the White House.

This is an administration with Ivanka Trumps help thats empowering women in the workforce, trying to get child care tax credit and family leave through the tax code to help families struggling making those obligations met, Conway said, adding that Ivanka has been encouraging other nations to invest money in these programs as well. Thats the news coming out of this, not the fact that she did a standard thing by taking her fathers seatthe presidents seatfor a short time.

Chelsea Clinton responded to the presidents tweet later Monday morning saying: "Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not."
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for more than two hours during a summit in Germany on Friday  and the two had a lot to talk about.

From foreign affairs to Russia's involvement in the U.S. presidential election, the two leaders discussed many topics as their conversation stretched nearly an hour and a half longer than the scheduled 35-minute timeframe.

We look forward to a lot of very positive things happening, with Russia and the United States and for everybody concerned, Trump said at his meeting with Putin.

Putin later said that many issues have piled up, including Ukraine, Syria, some bilateral and other issues.

Here are some of the topics Trump and Putin covered during their first face-to-face meeting.

Election meddling

Trump immediately pressed Putin on the allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, administration officials said after the meeting.

The president pushed Putin on multiple occasions  Putin denied involvement, as I believe he has done in the past, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

TRUMP PRESSES PUTIN ON SYRIA, US ELECTION MEDDLING IN FIRST MEETING

The two agreed this was a substantial hindrance to the ability to move the Russian, U.S. relationship forward, he also said.

Russias foreign minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters following the meeting that Trump accepted Putins assurances that Moscow didnt meddle in the election.

Following the G-20 meeting, Trump tweeted that he "strongly pressed" Putin "twice" about the meddling.

He vehemently denied it. Ive already given my opinion, Trump said.

Trump added that he and Putin also discussed forming a cybersecurity unit together so that election hacking [and] many other negative things will be guarded and safe.

Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia! Trump tweeted.

Syria

The U.S. and Russia announced an agreement for a cease-fire in southwest Syria to take effect July 9, according to the Associated Press.

Lavrov said Russian military police will monitor the cease-fire. He said the deal was brokered by Russia, the U.S. and Jordan. Moscow and Washington will ensure the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access, Lavrov said.

Tillerson described the deal as the first indication of the Trump administration and Russia being able to work together in Syria.

TRUMP, PUTIN G-20 HANDSHAKE IGNITES TWITTER FIRESTORM

Do we have the same objectives in mind? By and large, our objectives are exactly the same, but how we get there, we each have a view, Tillerson said.

While Russia has backed Syrian President Bashar Assad, the U.S. has supported opposition forces  making Syria one of the more contentious issues between the two nations.

Trump tweeted on July 9 that the ceasefire seems to be holding.

Many lives can be saved, he said.

North Korea

Trump and Putin had a pretty good exchange on how to deal with the threat of North Korea, Tillerson also said.

However, the secretary of state added that the Russians see it a little different than we do.

MELANIA TRUMP BLOCKED BY G-20 PROTESTERS LEAVING GERMAN GUEST HOUSE

Tillerson noted that Russias ultimate goal mirrors what the U.S. wants: the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. He said the differences are the tactics used to achieve that goal but would not elaborate.

North Korea successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. for the first time earlier this week  adding a new stress for the Pentagons missile defenses.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The media buildup cast the Trump-Putin meeting as a momentous occasion on par with the old Reagan-Gorbachev Cold War summits.

That turned out to be sheer hype. While the meeting in Germany stretched for two hours, it wasnt a big, orchestrated, multi-day affair where agreements are hammered out in advance.

And for the press, that drained much of the drama, once the pundits got done with the silly ritual of analyzing the handshake and the body language.

The headlines generally reflected the only issue the press really cared about: Trump Asks Putin About Meddling in U.S. Election, as the New York Times put it.

There had been so much pregame punditry that Trump would duck the issue, or gloss over it to avoid offending his Kremlin pal, that the matter-of-fact headlines were actually a win for the White House. Trump raised the issue right off the bat, though his critics expressed amazement that he would agree to team up with the Kremlin on cybersecurity after what happened in 2016.

There was dueling spin over how that went down. Rex Tillerson said Trump had pressed Putin on the issue on more than one occasion. Sergei Lavrov said Trump had accepted Putins denials that Russia was involved.

Since it all unfolded behind closed doors, we dont really know for sure--except that the two men apparently agreed to move on.

We do know that there was discussion about Syria, which yielded a partial cease-fire agreement.

The truth is that the slog of diplomacy often lacks the drama of political movies. The two presidents were undoubtedly feeling each other out, testing each others mettle, seeing whether they can do business.

The press set the expectations bar pretty low for the 45th president, viewing Putin as a ruthless, KGB-trained manipulator and Trump as the impulsive, inexperienced rookie more interested in tweeting trash about John Podesta than drilling down on global issues.

But after a speech in Poland that was widely praised except for a few liberal pundits, Trump came out of the one-on-one unscathed. News analysts shifted their focus to Trump pushing an "isolationalist" approach at the G-20. He is challenging our European allies on trade, NATO and climate change, just as he said he would during the campaign. For the Beltway press, isolationism is kind of a dirty word.

The media depiction of his foreign policy is such that even if Trump walked away with a draw, thats an accomplishment for the White House.
Its been nearly 500 days since the presidential election, but even still, President Trump and Hillary Clinton havent stopped their bickering.

Once friends  Clinton was even a guest at Trumps third wedding in 2005  the two New Yorkers havent left their squabbling behind in what was a volatile campaign season.

Heres a look at the jabs Clinton and Trump have taken at one another since Nov. 8, 2016.

March 17: 494 days since the election

In a lengthy Facebook post, Clinton sought to clarify remarks she made about voters, particularly women, who cast their ballot for Trump in 2016. In particular, she said men pressured white women to vote for Clinton.

During an interview last week with an Indian news publication, I was asked about 2016, and whether Trump is the virus or a symptom of something deeper going on in American society. Like most Americans, people overseas remain shocked and dismayed at what they are witnessing daily, Clinton said.

Clinton said she understood that many people were upset over her misinterpreted comments and stressed that there are women in the U.S. who question whether powerful women do have the ability to be leaders.

I know this because even I spent parts of my life wondering if I could achieve the same as male leaders, and a lot of that insecurity stemmed from my gender and how society views women, she said. When I was serving in various roles in public life, I was always more popular when I was working for or defending a man then when I was out there on my own. Thats the point I was making, in an effort to explain to an audience some of the many dynamics that have gone into these tumultuous last few years.

In her post, Clinton continued with a jab at Trump and his iconic slogan.

As I said throughout the campaign, Trumps message was dark and backwards looking, she wrote. I dont need to list the reasons, but the foundation of his message, Make America Great AGAIN suggests that to be great we have to go back to something we are no longer. I never accepted that and never will.

March 10: 487 days since the election

While on a trip to India, Clinton sat down for an interview during the India Today Conclave 2018 conference in Mumbai and castigated the president.

She accused Trump of having quite an affinity for dictators and said he really likes their authoritarian posturing and behavior.

And as for her election loss more than a year ago, Clinton said the Democratic Party does not do well with white men or married, white women.

And part of that is an identification with the Republican Party, and a sort of ongoing pressure to vote the way that your husband, your boss, your son, whoever, believes you should, she told India Today editor-in-chief Aroon Purie.

She added that Trump ran a backwards campaign that appealed to misogynists and racists. His campaign slogan  Make America Great Again  was looking backwards," she added.

She claimed Trumps message to voters was: You know, you didn't like black people getting rights, you don't like women, you know, getting jobs. You don't want, you know, to see that Indian American succeeding more than you are.

"I won the places that represent two-thirds of America's gross domestic product, Clinton continued. So I won the places that are optimistic, diverse, dynamic, moving forward.

March 5: 482 days since the election

In a tweet, Trump accused the Obama administration of launching an investigation into his campaign in order to help Clinton  or Crooked H, as he called her  win the election.

Why did the Obama Administration start an investigation into the Trump Campaign (with zero proof of wrongdoing) long before the Election in November? Trump said. Wanted to discredit so Crooked H would win.

Unprecedented. Bigger than Watergate! Plus, Obama did NOTHING about Russian meddling, he continued.

Feb. 28: 477 days since the election

Linking to a Washington Post report detailing a testimony from Adm. Michael S. Rogers, the head of U.S. Cyber Command who also directs the National Security Agency, Clinton warned in a tweet the Russians are still coming.

Rogers recently told the Senate Armed Services Committee that were probably not doing enough to deter Russians from interfering in future elections, including the 2018 midterms.

Our intelligence professionals are imploring Trump to act. Will he continue to ignore & surrender, or protect our country? Clinton asked.

Feb. 23: 472 days since the election

During his speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., Trump called out the crooked media and the crooked candidate, referring to Clinton.

His remark led the crowd to begin chants of lock her up, a common refrain at Trump campaign rallies.

Jan. 12: 430 days since the election

After reports surfaced that Trump lamented immigration from s---hole countries, Clinton took aim at the president in a tweet. She lambasted his ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesnt look like him.

The anniversary of the devastating earthquake 8 years ago is a day to remember the tragedy, honor the resilient people of Haiti, & affirm Americas commitment to helping our neighbors. Instead, were subjected to Trumps ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesnt look like him.

A day prior, Clinton retweeted conservative commentator Bill Kristol.

Two weeks ago a 26-year old soldier raced repeatedly into a burning Bronx apartment building, saving four people before he died in the flames. His name was Pvt. Emmanuel Mensah and he immigrated from Ghana, a country Donald Trump apparently thinks produces very subpar immigrants, Kristol tweeted.

Jan. 11: 429 days since the election

In an early morning tweet, Trump called Clintons missing emails into question.

Did Dems or Clinton also pay Russians? Where are hidden and smashed DNC servers? Where are Crooked Hillary Emails? What a mess!

Jan. 7: 425 days since the election

On Twitter, Trump quoted parts of a column by the New York Posts Michael Goodwin, which had praise for the current administration and criticism for Clinton.

Goodwin said in his column, as Trump quoted, that the mere thought of Clinton in the White House, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice.

Jan. 6: 424 days since the election

Trump slammed Clinton and others who questioned his intelligence in a series of weekend tweets. He said his former opponent went down in flames.

Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence, Trump said.

Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try), Trump continued. I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius  and a very stable genius at that!

Jan. 5: 423 days since the election

A scathing, tell-all book about the Trump White House hit the shelves, and the president used his former opponent to criticize the media coverage of it.

Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad!

Dec. 31: 418 days since the election

On New Years Eve, Trump said a Clinton presidency would have lowered the value of stocks by 50 percent.

If the Dems (Crooked Hillary) got elected, your stocks would be down 50% from values on Election Day, Trump said in a morning tweet. Now they have a great future  and just beginning!

Dec. 11: 398 days since the election

In Seattle, Wash., to discuss her book What Happened, Clinton blamed her presidential loss, in part, on Russian hackers influencing social media and massive voter suppression, the Seattle Times reported.

She also said Trump doesnt just like Putin, he wants to be like Putin.

Dec. 2: 389 days since the election

After Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in regards to its investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election, Trump compared Flynns situation to that of Clintons.

"So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday 'interrogation' with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times  and nothing happens to her? Rigged system, or just a double standard?" Trump tweeted.

Clinton, too, took digs at Trump while she was at a Teen Vogue summit in California.

Speaking to Black-ish star Yara Shahidi, Clinton addressed the presidential debate when Trump stood closely behind her as she moved around the stage, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

She also discussed some of the things Trump said about her, particularly him calling her a nasty woman.

All of that stuff he did didnt end up hurting him that much because men are given a much broader range of emotions to demonstrate their authentic feelings, Clinton said.

Nov. 18: 375 days since the election

Trump encouraged Clinton to get on with [her] life while he also seemingly encouraged her to run for president again.

Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time. She just cant stop, which is so good for the Republican Party, the president tweeted. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years!

Nov. 17: 374 days since the election

In a video for the progressive Mother Jones website, Clinton questioned the legitimacy of Trumps presidency.

I think there are lots of questions about its legitimacy, the former secretary of state said. She also suggested that she believes Trumps campaign colluded with Russian officials to win the election.

Nov. 3: 360 days since the election

Trump again castigated the DNC and Clinton over allegations that the party colluded with Clinton to hand her the nomination.

Everybody is asking why the Justice Department (and FBI) isnt looking into all of the dishonesty going on with Crooked Hillary & the Dems, Trump said on Twitter. New Donna B book says she paid for and stole the Dem Primary. What about the deleted E-mails, Uranium, Podesta, the Server, plus, plus

People are angry. At some point the Justice Department, and the FBI, must do what is right and proper. The American public deserves it!

The real story of Collusion is in Donna Bs new book. Crooked Hillary bought the DNC & then stole the Democratic Primary from Crazy Bernie!

Trump also noted that Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.  who he referred to as Pocahontas  answered in the affirmative when asked by CNN if she believed the DNC was rigged in favor of Clinton.

Nov. 2: 359 days since the election

Former interim DNC chairwoman Donna Brazile claimed that the party rigged the primary in favor of Clinton over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. In response, Trump alleged that Clinton broke campaign finance laws and is guilty of money laundering.

Donna Brazile just stated the DNC RIGGED the system to illegally steal the Primary from Bernie Sanders. Bought and paid for by Crooked H, Trump said. This is real collusion and dishonesty. Major violation of Campaign Finance Laws and Money Laundering  where is our Justice Department?

Later, in an interview with Fox News The Ingraham Angle, Trump continued to criticize the DNCs apparent involvement with Clinton.

Oct. 19: 345 days since the election

Trump used news about a controversial Obama-era 2010 uranium deal to blast the media  using Clinton to do so.

Uranium deal to Russia, with Clinton help and Obama Administration knowledge, is the biggest story that Fake Media doesn't want to follow! Trump tweeted.

Oct. 18: 344 days since the election

In response to the revelation that Comey drafted a statement about the Clinton email investigation months before the probe was completed or he even interviewed her, Trump blasted both his former FBI director and former opponent online.

As it turned out, James Comey lied and leaked and totally protected Hillary Clinton. He was the best thing that ever happened to her, Trump said.

He also implied that the letter Comey wrote exonerating Crooked Hillary Clinton was obviously a fix.

Oct. 16: 342 days since the election

Trump said he would like to see Clinton challenge him in 2020.

"I was recently asked if Crooked Hillary Clinton is going to run in 2020," Trump tweeted. "My answer was: 'I hope so!'"

Trump later reiterated his desire for Clinton to run during a press briefing in the Rose Garden. He also criticized her for sticking up for professional athletes who have chosen to kneel during the national anthem in a sign of protest.

Oct. 13: 339 days since the election

While discussing the multiple sexual assault and harassment allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, Clinton said there is someone admitting to being a sexual assaulter in the Oval Office.

The really sad part of the campaign was how this horrific tape, what he said about women in the past, what he said about women during the campaign, was discounted by a lot of voters, Clinton told the BBC.

Clinton was most likely referring to the infamous Access Hollywood tape from 2005 that caught Trump bragging that he could do anything to a woman because of his status. He also said he could grab them by the p----.

Trump later apologized for his comments and chalked them up to locker room talk.

Sept. 21: 317 days since the election

When Trump met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the Asian leader used a word that Trump liked to hear  deplorable. Using a translator, Moon said North Koreas actions were deplorable.

I am very happy that you used the word 'deplorable,' Trump said. I was very interested in that word.

In Clintons new memoir about the presidential election, she blamed her use of the word deplorables to describe Trumps supporters, in part, for her loss.

Sept. 13: 309 days since the election

As Clinton began her book tour across the country, promoting her memoir of the 2016 election, Trump dusted off his favorite campaign nickname for her.

Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing [sic]) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Trump said.

The deplorables came back to haunt Hillary. They expressed their feelings loud and clear, he continued in another tweet. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game!

While Clinton apologized for calling Trump supporters deplorable at the time, she defended her use of the word in an interview with CBS News.

I thought Trump was behaving in a deplorable manner. I thought a lot of his appeals to voters were deplorable. I thought his behavior, as we saw on the Access Hollywood tape was deplorable. And there were a large number of people who didnt care. It did not matter to them, Clinton said.

As the Daily Caller noted, the deplorable comment came almost a full month before the Access Hollywood tape was released.

July 24: 258 days since the election

Trump addressed approximately 40,000 people in West Virginia for the annual Boy Scout Jamboree  and couldnt resist taking a few jabs at Clinton.

He told the crowd that the reason he won Michigan was because he worked hard there unlike Clinton.

You know, my opponent didnt work hard there because she was told  she was going to win Michigan, Trump said.

Trump also repeated his questions about the investigation into possible collusion between the Russian government and his campaign during the presidential election continues.

So why arent the Committees and investigators, and of course our beleaguered [Attorney General Jeff Sessions], looking into Crooked Hillarys [sic] crimes & Russia relations? Trump tweeted.

July 22: 256 days since the election

Trump asked on Twitter why a special counsel or the attorney general isnt investigating more alleged crimes committed by Comey and Clinton.

In his tweet, Trump referenced the emails deleted from Clintons private server she used during her tenure as secretary of state.

In an additional tweet, Trump again compared his sons publishing of emails pertaining to a meeting with a Russian lawyer to Clintons own handling of her email server.

July 16: 250 days since the election

As Trumps son is criticized for meeting with a Russian lawyer who was supposed to have damaging information about Clinton during the presidential campaign, Trump defended his son on social media  while still criticizing his former opponent.

Hillary Clinton can illegally get the questions to the Debate & delete 33,000 emails but my son Don is being scorned by the Fake News Media?

Former CNN commentator and interim Democratic National Committee chairwoman Donna Brazile admitted in March 2017 to sharing debate questions with the Clinton campaign ahead of the primary town hall event.

July 12: 247 days since the election

On Twitter, Trump railed on the alleged double standards for Democrats.

Why arent the same standards placed on the Democrats, Trump tweeted. Look what Hillary Clinton may have gotten away with. Disgraceful!

July 10: 244 days since the election

As Trump came under fire for allowing his daughter, Ivanka, to sit in his place during a meeting at the G-20 summit, the president attempted to turn the tables on Clintons own daughter.

In a tweet, Trump alleged that if Clinton would have let daughter Chelsea Clinton sit in for her, the media would have heralded the decision.

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!

Chelsea Clinton got in on the feud and responded on social media.

Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not, she said.

May 31: 204 days since the election

After Clinton placed the blame of her presidential loss on a variety of reasons  misogyny, Facebook and the Democratic National Committee, to name a few  Trump took to Twitter.

Crooked Hillary Clinton now blames everybody but herself, refuses to say she was a terrible candidate. Hits Facebook & even Dems & the DNC, Trump tweeted.

Clinton fired back less than an hour later, mocking Trump for an erroneous but viral tweet he sent earlier in the day.

People in covfefe houses shouldnt throw covfefe, she said.

May 26: 199 days since the election

Clinton didnt miss an opportunity to criticize the president while she delivered the commencement address at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

When people in power invent their own facts and attack those who question them, it can mark the beginning of the end of a free society, Clinton said. That is not hyperbole; it is what authoritarian regimes throughout history have done  They attempt to control reality.

May 24: 197 days since the election

Clinton harshly condemned Trumps proposed budget plan after she was honored by the Childrens Health Fund, a nonprofit in New York City. Clinton said Republican lawmakers are mounting an onslaught against the needs of children and people with disabilities, women and seniors.

The budget shows an unimaginable level of cruelty and lack of imagination and disdain for the struggles of millions of Americans, including millions of children, she said. None of us can remain silent in the face of these attacks.

"It hurts the well-being of children," Clinton continued. "It's time to send a resounding message that we will not stand for this attack on the most vulnerable among us."

May 3: 176 days since the election

Focusing on national security threats from North Korea, Clinton criticized Trump for his penchant for tweeting.

"If [Trump] wants to tweet about me I'm happy to be the diversion because we've got lots of other things to worry about. And he should worry less about the election, and my winning the popular vote, than doing some other things that would be important to the country," Clinton said at an event in New York City.

May 2: 175 days since the election

Clinton took a jab at Trump during a television interview as he continuously focused on his loss of the popular vote in the election.

He should worry less about the election and me winning the popular vote and more about other things, the former secretary of state said.

Remember, I did win more than 3 million votes than my opponent, Clinton added.

She also said that shes now a private citizen and part of the resistance.

April 23: 166 days since the election

Trump seemed to continue to compete with Clinton for the popular vote.

New polls out today are very good considering that much of the media is FAKE and almost always negative, Trump tweeted. Would still beat Hillary in popular vote.

Trump then cited an ABC News/Washington Post poll that he said showed almost all stand by their vote for Trump.

March 29, 2017: 141 days since the election

In one of her first public speeches since she lost the election, Clinton excoriated the Trump administration without actually using Trumps name.

Of Trumps policies, Clinton encouraged the women gathered to resist, insist, persist, enlist.

These are bad policies that will hurt people and take our country in the wrong direction, she said.

Dec. 23: 45 days since the election

Trump quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin to express his opinion on his former opponent.

Vladimir Putin said today about Hillary and Dems: In my opinion, it is humiliating. One must be able to lose with dignity. So true! Trump tweeted.

Dec. 21: 43 days since the election

Trump criticized Clintons campaign style in a tweet, arguing that she focused on the wrong states.

Campaigning to win the Electoral College is much more difficult [and] sophisticated than the popular vote, Trump said. Hillary focused on the wrong states!

Nov. 27, 2016: 19 days since the election

Trump claimed that Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million people because millions of people  voted illegally.

In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally, Trump, then the president-elect, tweeted.

Fox News Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From his handling of a probe into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to his investigation into Russian meddling in the election, former FBI Director James Comey has long been a punching bag for President Trump.

After Comey left the FBI, Trump accused him of leaving the agency in "tatters." And as Comey released his explosive tell-all book, Trump called for the former FBI boss to be "prosecuted" for allegedly leaking information and lying under oath to Congress.

"He is a weak and untruthful slime ball who was, as time has proven, a terrible Director of the FBI," Trump said in April. "It was my great honor to fire James Comey!"

But while Trump has publicly hit the nations former chief investigator hard, his public opinion throughout his presidency and campaign hasn't been all bad.

Criticism

On Comey's Capitol Hill testimony

On Dec. 7, Comey testified behind closed doors, despite previously seeking an open hearing. He was expected to answer a variety of questions  from his decision not to recommend any criminal charges against Hillary Clinton for her private server scandal in 2016 to the FBI's investigation into potential Russian collusion during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Comey tweeted days before his testimony that it was "hard to protect [his] rights without being in contempt," so he agreed to "sit in the dark." House Republicans apparently weren't satisfied at the conclusion of Comey's questioning and indicated they may want to bring Comey back, according to reports.

Trump, too, was clearly frustrated.

"It is being reported that Leakin' James Comey was told by Department of Justice attorneys not to answer the most important questions," Trump tweeted afterward. "Total bias and corruption at the highest levels of previous Administration. Force him to answer the questions under oath!"

On Clintons emails

Trump has often tweeted about Comeys involvement in the FBIs investigation into Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state, saying his handling of the probe has left the FBI in tatters.

Hillary and the Dems loved and praised FBI Director Comey just a few days ago. Original evidence was overwhelming, should not have delayed! Trump tweeted in October 2016.

Before Comey was officially sacked, Trump said Comey was the best thing that ever happened to Clinton because he gave her a free pass for many bad deeds.

After the FBI confirmed Comey had drafted a statement about Clinton before the investigation was completed, Trump took to Twitter to lambast the former FBI chief even more.

Wow, FBI confirms report that James Comey drafted letter exonerating Crooked Hillary Clinton long before investigation was complete. Many people not interviewed, including Clinton herself, Trump tweeted. Comey stated under oath that he didnt do this  obviously a fix? Where is Justice Dept? Trump tweeted.

As it turned out, James Comey lied and leaked and totally protected Hillary Clinton. He was the best thing that ever happened to her! he said.

He's also said Comey, along with others, have "committed many crimes."

On Comeys firing

Trump fired Comey on May 9, 2017 and sent his FBI chief a short, impersonal letter to make him aware of his termination.

Trump predictably took to Twitter to defend the firing.

James Comey will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI," Trump said the morning after the firing.

Comey lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike. When things calm down, they will be thanking me! Trump added.

On the Russia investigation

Comey told Trump that he was not under investigation by the FBI, Trump said in a May 2017 interview with NBC News.

I said, if its possible would you let me know, am I under investigation? He said, You are not under investigation, Trump said.

When asked if he was angry with Comey over his investigation into Russias meddling in the presidential election, Trump just said he want[s] somebody thats competent to lead the FBI. He added that he is a big fan of the FBI.

Trump reportedly called Comey crazy and a nut job during a conversation with Russian officials in the Oval Office the day after Comeys firing, according to The New York Times.

I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job, Trump said according to a document of the meeting obtained by the Times. I faced great pressure because of Russia. Thats taken off.

And when it comes to his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Trump has denied asking Comey to stop his investigation into potential wrongdoing.

I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie! Trump tweeted on Dec. 3.

On Comey's memo

As Comey has promoted his new memoir, titled "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership," Trump called the former FBI head a "slimeball" and dubbed him "Slippery James Comey."

"Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Trump said on social media.

He also criticized the book for not answering certain questions, such as: "how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail), why did the DNC refuse to give [Clinton's email server] to the FBI (why didn't they TAKE it), why the phony memos," among other things.

Trump has also denied asking Comey for his loyalty, something Comey detailed in his memoir.

On stopping government leaks

Trump has several times expressed his disappointment with Comey and the FBI not being able to stop national security leakers  and even accused the former FBI boss of leaking as well.

The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security leakers that have permeated our government for a long time. They can't even find the leakers within the FBI itself. Classified information is being given to media that could have a devastating effect on U.S. Trump tweeted in February 2017.

Trump also threatened Comey against leaking, himself, information to the media.

James Comey better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press, Trump tweeted.

His tweet came after The New York Times reported Trump asked for Comeys loyalty during a private dinner, which Comey declined to give. The New York Times cited sources who said they knew about the details of the dinner through Comey.

Later, after Comey told Fox News the memos he shared with his legal team did not constitute a leak of classified information, Trump took to social media to call him "either very sick or very dumb."

Is everybody believing what is going on. James Comey cant define what a leak is. He illegally leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION but doesnt understand what he did or how serious it is. He lied all over the place to cover it up. Hes either very sick or very dumb, he wrote.

Praise

On Clintons emails

While the president eventually castigated Comeys handling of the probe into Clintons private email server, Trump initially praised him for investigating Clinton at all.

It took a lot of guts, Trump said in October 2017 of Comeys decision to reopen the Clinton investigation.

I have to give the FBI credit. That was so bad what happened originally, Trump said after the FBI did not recommend charges be brought against Clinton by the Justice Department.

It took guts for Director Comey to make the move that he made in light of the kind of opposition he had where theyre trying to protect her from criminal prosecution, Trump said.

I was not his fan, but Ill tell you what  what he did, he brought back his reputation, Trump continued.

He also encouraged Comey then to hang tough.

On the Russia investigation

In prepared remarks released ahead of Comeys testimony in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2017, Comey confirmed reports that Trump asked the FBI to lay off his former national security adviser as the department investigated Russias influence on the 2016 presidential election. But Comey also confirmed that he did reassure the president that Trump was not under investigation.

Trump was pleased by Comeys admission.

The president is pleased that Mr. Comey has finally publicly confirmed his private reports that the President was not under investigation in any Russian probe, Trumps lawyer said in a statement. The President feels completely and totally vindicated. He is eager to continue to move forward with his agenda.
Four bone-sniffing dogs were brought last month to the Pacific island of Nikumaroro in an effort to find traces of the spot where Amelia Earhart may have died 80 years ago, according to an exclusive National Geographic report.

The dogs, all border collies, were part of an expedition sponsored by The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) and the National Geographic Society.

Earhart disappeared  along with her navigator Fred Noonan  on July 2, 1937, on their way to Howland Island, which is 350 nautical miles northeast of Nikumaroro.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, like a bone or DNA, Andrew McKenna, who has participated in several TIGHAR expeditions to Nikumaroro, told National Geographic. He said the dogs, trained specifically in forensics, were brought to the island in an effort to find that proof.

The canine expedition comes as a retired federal agent says he has discovered what he believes is the first photographic evidence of Earhart alive and well after crash-landing in the Pacific Ocean during her attempted round-the-world flight. He says he didn't initially capture the significance of the image until years later.

The black-and-white photo is of a group of people standing on a dock on Jaluit Atoll in the Marshall Islands, including one who seems to be a slim woman with her back to the camera. A new documentary airing Sunday on the History channel claims the figure is the famed aviator who disappeared 80 years ago this month.

Retired U.S. Treasury Agent Les Kinney said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press that he was looking for clues surrounding Earhart's disappearance in the National Archives in College Park, Maryland, when he found the photograph in 2012 in a box filled mostly with text documents from the Office of Naval Intelligence but "didn't really look at it carefully" because he was looking over thousands of documents and images.

In 2015, he took another pass at the photo. "I looked at it and I went, 'I can't believe this!'" He asked his wife to come over and pointed to the seated person, asking if it seemed to her to be a man or a woman. "She said, 'It's a woman!'" His search led him to identify the ship seen at the right apparently pulling Earhart's plane wreckage on a barge.

The image is at the heart of the two-hour "Amelia Earhart: The Lost Evidence," which argues that Earhart, along with navigator Noonan, crash-landed in the Japanese-held Marshall Islands, where they were picked up by the Japanese military and held prisoner.

In the documentary, that photo is subjected to facial-recognition and other forensic testing, such as torso measurements. Experts on the show claim the subjects are likely Earhart and Noonan.

Others aren't convinced, including Dorothy Cochrane, a curator at the National Air and Space Museum and an expert on women in aviation. She said Thursday the blurry image isn't conclusive. "I cannot say definitively that this is Amelia Earhart. That doesn't mean that it might not be, somehow. But you can't say that just through the image the way it is."

The disappearance of Earhart and Noonan on July 2, 1937, in the Western Pacific Ocean has been the subject of continuing searches, research and debate.

The longstanding official theory is that the famed pilot ran out of gas and crashed into deep ocean waters northwest of Howland Island, a tiny speck in the South Pacific that she and Noonan missed.

Other theories have claimed Earhart made an emergency landing on a flat stretch of coral reef off what was then known as Gardner Island, southwest of Howland, although bone fragments found on the island were inconclusive. An Australian researcher once proposed that wreckage spotted by members of his country's military years ago on a Papua New Guinea island could be hers.

Kinney, who started his career as a naval intelligence agent, said the photograph he found was in a batch of documents collected by U.S. sources in anticipation of the 1944 invasion of the Marshall Islands. "This was a mistake. This was never meant to be there," he said. The National Archives verified Thursday that the image is from its holdings and was in a file "unrelated to Earhart."

While the photo is undated, Kinney strongly believes it was taken in July 1937, and he is convinced it shows Earhart and Noonan, based on other evidence including physical landmarks and islanders' recollections.

Kinney said the presence of two Caucasians on Jaluit Atoll prior to World War II was very unusual. The man's distinctive widow's peak seems to match Noonan's. As for the figure with her back to the camera: "You have one that has a striking resemblance to Amelia Earhart from the back, including the short hair."

Kinney suspects the pair may have been picked up by a fishing boat and handed over to Japanese authorities, who initially may have had no intention of keeping them. That may explain why there are no handcuffs or restraints in the photo.

"At the moment in time that you're looking at the photograph, everything is very good there. I don't think that Noonan or Earhart had any indication whatsoever that they were not going to be shortly released," he said.

Though Cochrane isn't convinced, she respects Earhart as a heroine who took chances and was a role model for women. "It would be great to solve it and I'm happy that people are still interested in her, so we'll just see where it goes," she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
First place in the recent Texas City Jaycees Tackle Time competition was claimed by a massive hammerhead shark that broke the previous state record.

Tim McClellen brought in the shark twice his size. Weighing in at 1,033 pounds, McClellans catch broke the previous Texas state record for a hammerhead shark of 871 pounds.

FISHERMAN REELS IN HAMMERHEAD SHARK OFF FLORIDA BEACH, DRONE VIDEO SHOWS

The shark was brought in as part of the annual fishing competition, which ran from June 30th  July 9th this year. President of the Texas City Jaycees, Blake Carroll told Fox News the ten days long competition is the biggest fundraiser of the year. It enables the club to put on community events throughout the year and raises funds for the entire year through the competition.

SHARK BITES BOTH LEGS OF SWIMMER OFF POPULAR FLORIDA NUDE BEACH

The Texas City Jaycees are in their 55th year but the Jaycees have been around a lot longer than their chapter says Carroll. The Texas City chapter has been involved in the tournament for years, and now will be remembered for having caught the largest hammerhead shark recorded by the state of Texas.

A tiger shark weighing in at 964 pounds took second place, and another weighing 817 pounds took third in the sharks category.
A New Mexico man was arrested for allegedly beating his girlfriend and threatening to kill her  after Amazons Alexa called police, authorities said.

Eduardo Barros, 28, became angered with his unidentified girlfriend while housesitting in Tijeras, about 15 miles east of Albuquerque, and the dispute suddenly turned physical on July 2, authorities said.

During the assault, Barros waved a gun and threatened to kill the woman before he allegedly asked: Did you call the sheriffs?

The question was inadvertently picked up by the smart speaker and the voice-powered virtual assistant recognized the phrase as a command  prompting it to call 911, Bernallillo County Sheriffs Department

Deputy Felicia Romero confirmed to The Post on Monday.

AMAZON ECHO VS. GOOGLE HOME IN A VIRTUAL STANDOFF

Its unclear whether the speaker was connected to an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot device, but the Alexa virtual assistant was connected to a landline in the home, Romero said.

The violent ordeal unfolded after Barros allegedly got upset over a text message the woman received and accused her of cheating on him, KRQE reported.

Barros told her she was not going anywhere and he was going to kill her, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by The Post. When 911 called her phone, Barros saw the caller ID and threw [her] to the floor. Barros then kicked her while on the ground at least 10 times in the face and stomach. Barros told [the victim] he could not believe the cops had been called and he was not going back to prison and that she knew he was a felon. [The victim] stated she thought she was going to be killed or shot.

Responding deputies managed to remove the woman and her unidentified daughter from the home. She received minor injuries during the incident, but was not hospitalized. Her daughter was not harmed, Romero told ABC News.

HOW TO LISTEN TO EVERYTHING AMAZON ECHO HAS EVER HEARD

Barros, a convicted felon, was later taken into custody after a crisis negotiation team and a SWAT team were called to the residence. He was ordered held without bail on charges that include possession of a firearm, aggravated battery and false imprisonment.

The unexpected use of this new technology to contact emergency services has possibly helped save a life, Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales III told ABC News. This amazing technology definitely helped save a mother and her child from a very violent situation.

This story orginally appeared on the New York Post.
Need to travel 400 miles in eight minutes? Just hop in a Hyper Chariot pod, which uses roller coastertype technology akin to Elon Musks proposed Hyperloop train and will be able to travel up to 4,000 miles per hour.

The carsized pods (which can hold up to six people) would travel through airless ultra high performance concrete tubes using highgrade vacuum technology to travel at five times the speed of sound. The tubes will be lined with solar panels and would use cryogenically-chilled superconductors to create quantum levitation.

Of course, youll have to wait over twenty years to ride one. The company claims its pods will be fully operational by 2040 and there are currently plans for a proof of concept demonstrator, called The Velocitator," costing between $75 million and $100 million, to be unveiled in 2021.

The announcement comes a few years after Elon Musk announced the similar Hyperloop concept. According to Hyper Chariot, their train will be lighter, faster and more efficient than the Hyperloop. The Hyper Chariot would use smaller, 400pound pods for transport, while the Hyperloop weighs 20 tons and is more like a bus. Hyper Chariots pods would travel through concrete tubes and will interchange like cars on a freeway network, while the Hyperloop would travel through a steel tube on a single track. Hyper Chariot also plans for their tubes to be smaller at about five feet wide, whereas Hyperloops tubes are the width of a street.

The company also isnt nervous if the Hyperloop rolls out first.

Who sends something in a tube first isnt necessarily the winner here, Hyper Chariot cofounder Joanna Garzilli told Fox News. Its about who can best commercialize evacuated tube transport in a way that is personalized, cheap and useful for your average blue-collar worker. We want to be the first to make our investors money back off of real revenue.

Based in Santa Monica, the company plans on operating worldwide. They are currently scouting locations for their threemile, 400mph Velocitator demonstration in various places around the country (including Las Vegas and Medley, Florida) and hope to have a transport system in the States.

The goal here is to build in every country and every state to the same diameter tube and use the same patented maglev [magnetic levitation] interchange system so we can connect the whole world at much higher speeds at a later date, Garzilli said.

Engineer and USC professor James Moore isnt so sure such a transport system could work in the U.S. due to the high cost, which Hyper Chariot estimates to be $25 million per mile. By comparison, Musks Hyperloop cost is $64 million per mile.

I like science as much as the next engineer, and emotionally I want maglev trains to be relevant, Dr. Moore told Fox News. However, they are not relevant in North America because conventional passenger trains are not all that relevant, largely because of the cost of the infrastructure per seat mile. Conventional highspeed rail is even worse in this respect, and the increase in travel demand from a higher level of service wont recover the cost of the resources needed to offer conventional high speed service.

Moore was also dubious that a terrestrial transportation system offering speeds of 4,000 miles per hour will exist 22 years from now. He also believes such a system would offer no survivability if something were to go wrong, and would effectively have to be error proof.

An accident involving a vehicle moving at 4000 mph would not leave much behind to repair, but focusing on a 4000 mph accident is overkill, he said. We cant afford to build high volume evacuated tube systems reliable enough to accommodate terrestrial speeds of [even] 400mph, [and] I dont expect we will be able to 22 years from now.

Hyper Chariot stated that human error would be eliminated because everything would be automated via computer. The company also plans on only using the pods to transport cargo for at least a year until people are allowed on.

Were focused on hiring the top engineers in the world and recognize that no customers will be entering 1,000mph+ tube lines before everything has been rigorously tested and insured for use, Garzilli explained. Our technology eliminates close to 99% of the reasons that we have accidents today. There are no moving parts so were dramatically reducing chance of mechanical failure.

And as to whether or not the Hyper Chariot transports will be rolling out 22 years from now, Garzilli said You dont get there unless you set the goal.
Your email was blocked, weve contacted an HR representative.

This message could go a long way towards weeding out some of the sexual explicit messaging in the workplace, most recently highlighted by a New York Times report.

Although it would by no means block all suggestive comments that occur in the workplace, there is a way to make an artificial intelligence (AI) become more aware of what is happening in the digital realm. This could happen as employees increasingly use workplace tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, send emails using a corporate server or text using company-managed apps.

AI services in the workplace already can analyze workers e-mails to determine if they feel unhappy about their job, says Michelle Lee Flores, a labor and employment attorney. In the same way, AI can use the data-analysis technology (such as data monitoring) to determine if sexually suggestive communications are being sent.

RANSOMWARE: WHAT IS IT?

Of course, there are privacy implications. In terms of Slack, it is an official communication channel sanctioned and managed by the company in question. The intent is to discuss projects related to the firm, not to ask people out on a date. Flores says AI could be seen as a reporting tool to scan messages and determine if an innocuous comment could be misinterpreted.

If the computer and handheld devices are company issued, employees should have no expectation of privacy as to anything in the emails or texts, she says.

When someone sends a sexually explicit image over email or one employee starts hounding another, an AI can be ever watchful, reducing how often the suggestive comments and photos are distributed. Theres also the threat of reporting. An AI can be a powerful leveraging tool, one that knows exactly what to look for at all times.

More than anything, AI could curb the tide. A bot installed on Slack or on a corporate email server could at least look for obvious harassment issues and flag them.

Dr. Jim Gunderson, an AI expert, says he could see some value in using artifical intelligence as a reporting tool, and could augment some HR functions. However, he notes that even humans sometimes have a hard time determining whether an off-hand comment was suggestive or merely a joke. He says sexual harassment is usually subtle -- a word or a gesture.

HOW AI FIGHTS THE WAR ON FAKE NEWS

If we had the AI super-nanny that could monitor speech and gesture, action and emails in the workplace, scanning tirelessly for infractions and harassment it would inevitably exchange a sexual-harassment free workplace for an oppressive work environment, he adds.

Part of the issue is that an AI can make mistakes. When Microsoft released a Twitter bot called Tay into the wild last year, users trained it to use hate speech.

Though artificial intelligence has become more prevalent in recent years, the technology is far from perfect. An AI could wrongly identify a message that is discussing the problem of sexual abuse or read into a comment that is meant as a harmless joke, unnecessarily putting an employee under the microscope.

But still, there is hope. Experts say an AI that watches our conversations is impartial -- it can flag and block content in a way that is unobtrusive and helpful, not as a corporate overlord that is watching everything we say.
NASAs Juno spacecraft will make history Monday when it flies over Jupiters famous Great Red Spot.

The Spot is a 10,000-mile wide storm that has been monitored since 1830, according to NASA. Junos flyby will be humanitys closest look at the huge feature. The spacecraft entered Jupiters orbit on July 4, 2016.

"Jupiter's mysterious Great Red Spot is probably the best-known feature of Jupiter," said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, in a statement. "This monumental storm has raged on the solar system's biggest planet for centuries. Now, Juno and her cloud-penetrating science instruments will dive in to see how deep the roots of this storm go, and help us understand how this giant storm works and what makes it so special."

NASA'S NEWEST PHOTO OF JUPITER WILL BLOW YOUR MIND

Juno is expected to reach the point in its orbit closest to Jupiters center at 9:55 p.m. EDT Monday, at which time it will be about approximately 2,200 miles above the planets cloud tops. Some 11 minutes and 33 seconds later, the spacecraft will be over the vast storm, passing 5,600 miles over the Red Spots cloud tops.

A spokeswoman for NASA told Fox News that raw images of Great Red Spot taken by the spacecrafts JunoCam are expected to be downlinked and available approximately Friday July 14.

Juno celebrated its one-year-anniversary within Jupiters orbit at 10:30 p.m. EDT on July 4, 2017, chalking up around 71 million miles in orbit around the gas giant. The spacecraft has come as close as 2,100 miles of Jupiters cloud tops during its flybys of the huge planet.

NASA'S JUNO SPACECRAFT ENTERS JUPITERS ORBIT

Juno launched from Cape Canaveral on Aug. 5, 2011. Early science results from the mission portray Jupiter as a turbulent world, with an intriguingly complex interior structure, energetic polar aurora, and huge polar cyclones, according to NASA.

Jupiter is mostly composed of hydrogen and helium surrounding a core of rocks and ice, according to Space.com.

In recent years observations by the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed that the storm in Jupiters atmosphere is shrinking.

NASA'S JUNO PROBE NOW ORBITING GAS GIANT JUPITER

In 2015 NASAs New Horizons spacecraft made a historic flyby of Pluto after traveling 3 billion miles on an epic journey that lasted more than nine years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
A massive worldwide cyberattack over the weekend crippled government and infrastructure in more than 150 countries  including Britains hospital system and Germanys railways  in what is expected to be the largest online extortion attack ever recorded.

Rob Wainright, director of the Netherlands-based Europol, called the global reach of the attack unprecedented and beyond what we have seen before.

At the moment, we are in the face of an escalating threat. The numbers are going up, Wainright said. I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn on their machines on Monday morning.

Hundreds of thousands of computers were infected by the ransomware cyberattack  in which hackers extorted users for currency to unencrypt their data  in more than 150 countries, according to the BBC.

While this weekends attack could be the largest to date, cyber crime has been on the rise in recent years, according to a 2016 report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, a global professional services organization that deals in cybersecurity and privacy, among other issues.

PwCs study found that the number of cyber security incidents across all industries increased by 38 percent in 2015  the biggest increase in 12 years.

MORE VICTIMS EXPECTED MONDAY IN MASSIVE 'WANNACRY' CYBERATTACK

Cyber criminals are becoming more industrialized and more organized, Derk Fischer, a partner with PwC in Germany who deals in the delivery of cyber security assessment and consulting services, said in a statement. What were seeing is the emergence of a new kind of industry sector that thrives on the complex connectivity that characterizes the Internet.

And a 2016 report from Verizon and security company McAfee found that cyberattacks involving ransomware increased 50 percent. Among those targeted by ransomware attacks, government organizations are the most frequent, the report found, followed by health care businesses and financial services.

Elections

A 2016 White House audit found that the U.S. government was hit with more than 77,000 cyber incidents in the fiscal year 2015  a 10 percent increase from the previous year.

And the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said last year that the number of cyberattacks targeting industrial control systems for automated industrial machines is on the rise, Business Insider reported.

But it was the hacking of the Democratic National Committees emails that is perhaps now one of the most infamous and disputed cyberattacks in recent U.S. history. U.S. intelligence officials have accused the Russian government as the catalyst behind the hackers in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election.

There shouldnt be any doubt in anybodys mind. This was not something that was done casually, this was not something that was done by chance, this was not a target that was selected purely arbitrarily, Adm. Michael S. Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency and commander of United States Cyber Command, said at a postelection conference, according to The New York Times. This was a conscious effort by a nation-state to attempt to achieve a specific effect.

WHAT IS WANNACRY RANSOMWARE

Russian officials have denied involvement.

While one type of cyberattack isn't necessarily more dangerous than another, what seperates the DNC hack from WannaCry ransomware attack over the weekend is the scale of the more recent hack, renowned cybersecurity expert and George Washington University professor Dr. Diana Burley told Fox News.

"The attack on the DNC was specifically to get information," Burley said. "This particular attack, at least what we've seen so far, is not related to stealing information per se, but rather gaining control over people's systems so that they could then ransom back access to them."

"It's all dangerous  whether we're talking about stealing information or locking people out of systems and computers. It's all a problem," she continued.

Cybersecurity experts also linked Russia to the hack into the campaign of French President Emmanuel Macron. Just as the midnight deadline that halts campaigning in the French election passed, tens of thousands of internal documents and emails from Macrons campaign were released, including some from personal Gmail accounts, according to The Guardian.

Experts believe the hackers behind the cyber breach are linked to those behind the DNC leaks, the Guardian reported.

Blackouts

Russia, too, was blamed for darkening the Ukrainian capital of Kiev in December 2016  though through a different type of cyberattack.

Power supplier Ukrenergo said at the time that an analysis indicated a premeditated and multi-level invasion, according to Reuters.

Marina Krotofil, a lead cybersecurity researcher who assisted in the investigation into the power outage, said the incident was intentional but not meant to be on a large scale.

WHAT IS RANSOMWARE?

They actually attacked more but couldnt achieve all their goals, Krotofil said.

The 2016 blackout that lasted for more than an hour was harkened to another attack in 2015 that left 225,000 people in the dark in western Ukraine. Then, in what Reuters called the first-of-its-kind cyberattack, hackers were also able to damage power distribution equipment which complicated power restoration efforts.

That attack was widely blamed on Russia by Ukrainian security services.

Ukranian President Petro Poroshenko also blamed the 2016 outage on Russia and alleged that the neighboring country was waging a cyber-war, the BBC reported. Aside from the blackout, Poroshenko alleged hackers had targeted state institutions about 6,500 times at the end of 2016.

Acts of terrorism and sabotage on critical infrastructure facilities remain possibly today, he said.

GLOBAL RANSOMWARE ATTACK HITS 'LIMITED NUMBER' OF US COMPANIES, DHS SAYS

However, in the global WannaCry attack over the weekend, Russia was one of the countries that fell victim. Kaspersky Lab, a Russian antivirus company, reported that Russia was the hardest hit in the first wave of attacks as it infected more computers there than anywhere else, according to The New York Times.

Infrastructure

For nearly a decade, a hacking group in Shanghai reportedly breached more than 100 U.S. companies and stole valuable data, according to a 2013 report.

The hacking  which was billed as one of the largest hacks at the time  was conducted by a group called the Comment Crew and ATP1 linked to the Chinas Peoples Liberation Army who stole data from 2006 to 2014, Wired reported.

Comment Crew focused on companies that are instrumental to American infrastructure, including information regarding the U.S. power grid, gas lines and waterworks, the New York Times reported, citing a detailed study of the hacking group by Mandiant, a U.S.-based computer security firm that directly implicated China in the cyber breach.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM RANSOMWARE

According to Wired, the hackers used tried-and true methods to obtain access to victims information, including spear phishing emails and custom digital weapons.

They employ good English  with acceptable slang  in their socially engineered emails, Mandiant said in the report. They have evolved their digital weapons for more than seven years, resulting in continual upgrades as part of their own software release cycle. Their ability to adapt to their environment and spread across systems makes them effective in enterprise environments with trust relationships.

Chinese officials denied involvement in hacking, the New York Times reported.
An American Airlines flight that was slated to travel from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., was delayed on Sunday due to a reported smell of urine coming from the cabin.

The flight that was scheduled to leave from Los Angeles International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., was reportedly delayed for more than four hours, according to Los Angeles Patch.

Classic @AmericanAir -- after 14 hr flight from Sydney w/3 exhausted kids, LAX-IAD flight delayed hours because...plane "smells like urine."  Dana Milbank (@Milbank) July 9, 2017

VIDEO SHOWS FLYER WITH LOOSE DOG YELLING AT FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Dana Milbank, a columnist for the Washington Post, tweeted from the airport that the flight was delayed because the plane smells like urine.

Later, the columnist tweeted: Urine-free plane now promised after 2.5 hour delay. Sarah Lee pound cake offered as consolation.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT ON DELTA FLIGHT BROKE WINE BOTTLE OVER MANS HEAD, FBI AGENT SAYS

Flight 2645 from LAX to Dulles was delayed due to a cabin cleanliness issue, Leslie Scott, an American Airlines spokeswoman, told Fox News.



We brought in a new aircraft and the flight has since departed approximately 4.5 hours late, Scott said. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.
Early on Friday morning, an American tourist vacationing in Greece was beaten to death by a group of bar patrons on the resort island of Zakynthos.

Barkari Henderson, 22, had been accosted by a mob outside a Zakynthos bar after an argument over the placement of his drink, reported Kathimerini, an English-language Athens news outlet. The Austin, Texas resident died after suffering fatal head injuries in the attack.

Police have arrested at least eight people involved in the beating, including six Serbian nationals, a 34-year-old Greek man and a 32-year-old British man of Serbian origin.

AMERICAN TOURIST, 22, BEATEN TO DEATH ON GREEK ISLAND, 8 ARRESTED

The mayor of Zakynthos, Pavlos Kolokotsas, says municipal officials and local police officers are re-evaluating their efforts to crack down on rowdy bar behavior, but locals have long been critical of the islands disorderly tourism industry and sex-fueled attractions.

In 2008, for instance, Matthew Cryer, a 17-year-old from Sheffield, England, died outside a drinking establishment in the Zakynthos village of Zante. The original police report claimed Cryer had drank himself to death  his family, however, insisted that he had been killed by four of the staff. A Greek court eventually decided in 2014 that the four men would not face legal action, according to the BBC.

Also in 2008, Reuters reported that 15 British citizens  along with six Greek citizens  had been arrested after partaking in an oral sex competition on Zakynthos Laganas Beach. At the time of the arrests, police said the tourists had been paid to compete, and the ensuing footage was released on the Internet.

BEYOND KIDNAPPING, TOURISTS FACE MOUNTING CRIMINAL THREATS WORLDWIDE, EXPERTS WARN

The Independent, too, shared a statement from a Zakynthos-based doctor who said he frequently investigated rape complaints from women who came in so drunk, they couldn't remember when or if theyd had sex that evening.

Visitors and their drunken exploits/crimes arent only confined to Zakythos or its touristy village of Laganas, either. The Guardian reported that locals to Malia, in Crete, Faliraki, in Rhodes, and Cavos, on Corfu, have also seen their share of rowdy resort-goers, including the 2008 incident in which six British tourists to Malia beat a shop-owner who requested that they drive slower around their resort, and four Northern Irish men who gang-raped another English tourist that same year, while filming the act on their phones.

Oddly enough, some of the rowdier revelers to the Greek islands post pictures of themselves during or after a night out, often bragging about how hard they partied on vacation.

What is wrong with the British? Crete police officer Yiannis Kyriakakis asked The Guardian following those crimes. 'Why can't you have fun calmly?

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

A reporter for Vice Greece wrote in 2014 that locals are expected to ignore the tawdry behavior of tourists from Britain, Germany, Australia and Italy, so as not to affect tourism dollars. ([Laganas has] become a Mecca for sexually depraved English tourists, wrote Vice.) But some, like a group in Cavos, have tried to fight back by posting embarrassing photos of the drunken tourists on Facebook, in an effort to shame future visitors into behaving, according to the Daily Mail.

It may prove more difficult to ignore such behavior following Hendersons murder, which has since prompted a response from the U.S. State Department.

"Greek police in Zakynthos notified the U.S. Embassy of the death of a U.S. citizen in the early morning hours of Friday, July 7," the department told Time in an official statement. "We are in communication with authorities and providing consular assistance to the deceased citizens family."
Airport security screeners at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport reportedly failed 95 percent of security tests conducted earlier this month  an alarming finding at one of the nations busiest airports.

Agents from the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General regularly pose as travelers and attempt to bring prohibited items such as weapons, explosives or drugs into the secure areas of American airports. The covert group, known as the Red Team, tried their luck at the Minneapolis airport, smuggling various contraband through security.

The team reportedly breached security successfully 17 out of 18 times.

TSA ANNOUNCES PAT-DOWN POLICY FOR FLIERS WHO REFUSE NEW TECHNOLOGY

Similar tests are reportedly conducted at airports across the country  but the findings normally are not made public. The results at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport were leaked late last week.

"The tests are designed to drive improvements in screening procedures and employee performance, a TSA spokesman told Fox News. What is important to remember is that checkpoint tests represent but one element of a security process that includes both seen and unseen measures that begin when the reservation is made and concludes at destination arrival.

The poor performance in Minneapolis harkens back to April 2016 when sources told Fox 9 that the same airport failed 9 out of 12 tests.

A year earlier, Melvin Carraway, the acting administrator for the Transportation Security Administration, was removed from his post following the revelation that across the country, TSA agents failed to detect more than 95 percent of potential threats during tests carried out by undercover agents.

MORE TSA OFFICERS HEADED TO AIRPORTS THIS YEAR

Red Team testing of the aviation security network has been part of TSA's mission advancement [since 2002], then-Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson wrote in a statement responding to the reports of massive security failures back in 2015.

In addition to reassigning Carraway, Johnson promised more random testing, ordered additional training for TSA officers and directed TSA administration to immediately revise its standard operating procedures for screening to address the specific vulnerabilities identified by the Inspector Generals testing.

Each year, the TSA releases a review of the previous year, revealing how many firearms were discovered during TSA screenings in airports across the U.S.

Of the 738,318,264 passengers screened by TSA officers in 2016, there were 3,391 firearms found in carry-on bags at checkpoints. Of those, 83 percent were loaded.

TSA HASN'T IMPROVED SINCE FAILING 95 PERCENT OF SECURITY TESTS



Amount of firearms discovered by TSA in 2016

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL): 198

Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW): 192

George Bush Intercontinental Airport - Houston (IAH): 128

Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX): 101

Denver International (DEN): 98

Orlando International Airport (MCO): 86

Nashville International (BNA): 80

Tampa International (TPA): 79

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS): 78

Salt Lake City International (SLC): 75

According to the TSA, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport tops the list of firearms discoveries for 2016, with a total of 198 firearms. Dallas/Fort Worth International comes in at No. 2, with 192 firearms, followed up by George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston with 128. Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Denver International, Orlando International, Nashville International, Tampa International, Austin-Bergstrom International and Salt Lake City International also made the list.

The most recent Week in Review put out by the TSA covered the week of June 19  June 25, just prior to Independence Day. That week, 59 firearms were found at TSA checkpoints across the U.S. as well as inert blasting caps (detonators), fireworks and knives.

None of these items are permitted in the secure area of the airport or inside the aircraft.
A man swimming off a popular clothing-optional beach in Florida on Sunday was bitten on both legs by a bull shark.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Felipe Lay said the unidentified man was swimming in the afternoon off Haulover Beach when he was attacked, according to WPLG-TV. Haulover Beach is 9 miles north of Miami Beach.

Miami-Dade Fire Fescue Ocean Rescue lifeguards said they became aware of a shark in the water and immediately alerted beachgoers to get out of the water. Officials said the shark was 4-to-5 feet long.

SHARK BITES OF NORTH CAROLINA WOMAN'S ARM

The man, who was able to get out of the water and get aid from lifeguards, was taken to Aventura Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The American Association for Nude Recreation describes the clothing-optional portion of Haulover Beach beach as "one of the greatest success stories in North American nudism that "attracts thousands of nudists on warm afternoons."

GREEK ISLAND WHERE AMERICAN KILLED KNOWN FOR DEBAUCHERY, VIOLENCE

Officials said the shark attack is the first reported at Haulover Beach.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Maryland man arrested in the strangulation of his stepfather allegedly took selfies next to the body and posted the photos online before he was taken into custody, according to reports.

Navar Beverly, 38, was arrested in the death Saturday of 65-year-old Rodney Pinkney in a home in Bowie, WRC-TV reported.

Cops found the photos on a Twitter account and took them down, WJLA-TV reported.

What were seeing in terms of conditions and what were seeing in terms of social media, its disturbing, Prince Georges County Police Chief Hank Stawinski said.

Cops said Beverly fled the scene after the murder.

'It's disturbing.'  Police Chief Hank Stawinski

Beverly left Pinkneys body in the garage, WJLA reported, citing police.

Officers found Beverly at a mall in a neighboring town and a vehicle chase ensued, leading back to Bowie.

Beverly was caught after his car stalled and he tried to flee on foot, according to the station.

The station reported that Beverly was arrested for murder years ago.

The Maryland Gazette reported that Beverly was charged with killing a 23-year-old man in Prince Georges County in 2004.

The disposition of that case was not known.
An Arizona man naked and on drugs has been arrested wandering near a Walmart store in Tempe.

Robert Kanoff, 49, was taken in by local authorities just before 11 p.m on July 4 after receiving a call about a man donning nothing but shoes, having been dropped off by two people who thought it would be funny for him to be naked, a police spokesperson from the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office stated.

POLICE ARREST MAN FOR ALLEGEDLY THREATENING SEN. FLAKE'S STAFF

SUSPECT IN ASSAULT ON DELTA FLIGHT HEADED TO COURT

Kanoff, who admitted to having taken drugs earlier and walking through Walmart, was reportedly charged with indecent exposure, public sexual indecency and possession of dangerous drugs. Court records show that just a week earlier the suspect had completed a court-mandated drug program after being arrested in January 2016 for drug possession.

He appears no longer to be in custody.


A teenage staffer at a Colorado ranch described waking up Sunday morning to find a black bear gnawing on his head  and trying to drag him away.

The 19-year-old, identified only as Dylan, told Fox 31 Denver he "woke up to a crunching sound and me being drug" out of his sleeping bag at Glacier View Ranch near the town of Ward, 48 miles northwest of Denver.

"I thought it was a dream at first, then I realized it wasnt," said Dylan, who quickly realized that the crunching sound was the bears teeth biting into his skull.

Dylan said the bear dragged him about ten feet out of his sleeping bag as he struggled to free himself.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill told the Associated Press the teen punched and hit the bear while other staffers who were sleeping nearby yelled and swatted at the wild animal, which eventually left, she said.

I grabbed a hold of the bear by his ear and I found his eye and I was poking it. It just let go of me and I was able to get away, Dylan said.

&nbsp;

The bear took off, but not before leaving Dylan with gashes on his head that required nine staples to close. No other injuries were reported.

Dylan and the other staffers were near teepees where 12- and 13-year-old campers were sleeping.

Dylan teaches wilderness survival at the camp, which is owned by the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh Day Adventists. He told Fox 31 that his survival skills saved his life.

""Make sure you dont have food in the camp. We didnt. But still. Except me. I must have smelled really good or something," he joked.

Black bears aren't usually aggressive but have attacked several people in the West in recent weeks.

A woman and her dogs were attacked on Tuesday after they apparently surprised an adult bear and her cub in a huckleberry patch in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.

Last month, black bears killed two people in Alaska in separate attacks.

Sixteen-year-old Patrick "Jack" Cooper of Anchorage was killed after he got lost and veered off a trail during a mountain race south of Anchorage. Mine contract worker Erin Johnson of Anchorage died and her co-worker was injured in a mauling about 275 miles northeast of Anchorage.

Black bears will defend their young and have been known to paw and bite tents with food inside. After the Colorado attack wildlife officers did not find any food that would have attracted the bear so they have set bear traps in the area and plan to continue a search for the bear with scent dogs on Monday.

The bear's behavior was so atypical that any bear found in the traps in the next few days will likely be euthanized and officials will test later to see if it was the same bear involved in the attack using DNA evidence, Churchill said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from KDVR.com.


A woman who stopped to help a crash victim is speaking out after her good deed led to her getting carjacked.

It happened early Saturday morning on I-4, near Daytona Beach, when the victim - who did not want to be identified - says she saw a crash.

"All I saw was dust as I was pulling up," she said. "I started pulling over because of all the debris in the road."

The woman says she dialed 911, then heard people calling for help.

"They kept yelling, 'My sister is hurt! My sister is hurt!' and I saw the person on the ground. So I just proceeded, of course, it's instinct to get out. I closed the car door and the next thing I know, within 60 seconds, it just all... they were piling people into the car and were into a shoving match."

BICYCLIST HIT-AND-RUN IN TENNESSEE CAUGHT ON VIDEO; SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR ARRESTED

The woman told the Volusia County Sheriff's Office that three people got into her car and they brought the injured woman with them.

She says she tried to grab the steering wheel to keep them from driving away, but she couldn't hold on.

Now, deputies are searching for her Mustang convertible and the men who stole it.

"It was my only form of transportation for myself and my family to get to our jobs," she said.

The woman says she wants her carjackers to pay.

"[I want] them brought to justice, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," she said.

Deputies say the car the suspects left behind at the scene had been reported stolen.

READ MORE FROM FOX 35 ORLANDO.
A Hawaii-based U.S. Army soldier was arrested over the weekend after allegedly attempting to provide military documents and a drone to the ISIS terror group.

Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang, 34, was arrested late Saturday night by an FBI SWAT team at the Schofield Barracks in Honolulu, the FBI said.

FBI Special Agent Jimmy Chen alleged in an affidavit that Kang tried to give classified and unclassified military documents and a drone to undercover agents and informants whom he believed would pass the information on to ISIS. Kang is also accused of attempting to teach the group combat techniques.

Most notably, Chen alleged that Kang swore an oath of loyalty  known as bayat  to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Saturday, shortly before his arrest. After doing so, Kang allegedly told an undercover agent that he wanted to use his rifle to "kill a bunch of people."

The FBI said it believes that Kang, a member of the 25th Infantry Division and a trained air traffic controller, was a lone actor and is not associated with others who may present a threat to Hawaii.

In a statement following Kang's initial appearance in federal court, FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Delacourt emphasized that no military documents ever made it into terrorist hands.

Chen's affidavit says that Kang admitted trying to transfer classified documents to ISIS, but claimed the information was "old and no longer posed any harm to the United States."

Kang has been under investigation by the U.S. Army and the FBI for over a year, according to Delacourt. The affidavit says the Army reported Kang to the FBI in August 2016 after "it appeared that Kang was becoming radicalized."

The affidavit alleges that Kang had a history of "threatening statements." At one point in 2012, Kang's security clearance was suspended after he was reprimanded repeatedly for "threatening to hurt or kill other service members, and for arguing pro-ISIS views while at work and on-post." The document claims Kang's clearance was reinstated the following year after he complied with "military requirements stemming from the investigation."

The document did not elaborate further.

The affidavit also alleges that during the course of the investigation, Kang told an informant that he wanted to pour Drano into the eyes of a civilian who had taken away his air traffic controller's license.

Kang also allegedly told the informant that Omar Mateen, the gunman who killed nearly 50 people at an Orlando gay bar in June 2016 "did what he had to do." He also allegedly said "America is the only terrorist organization" and that he "believed in the mass killing of Jews."

Kang, a Hawaii native, enlisted in the Army in December 2001, months after the 9/11 terror attacks. He served in Iraq from March 2010 to February 2011 and Afghanistan from July 2013 to April 2014.

Kang's father, Clifford, said that his son may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his tours overseas.

"He's a great kid. He's not real outgoing, he's never been, but neither was I," Kang told Hawaii News Now. "But other than that he's a great kid, a normal kid who grew up in Waimanalo."

Clifford Kang also told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that his son began studying Islam during one of his deployments.

'Im kind of stunned to tell you the truth," Kang's father told the paper. "I never heard of him being with ISIS."

Read more from Hawaii News Now.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, Jake Gibson, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A state lawmaker is proposing stationing armed park rangers at Honolulu city parks, where homeless encampments are common, because of a growing amount of trash and safety concerns.

Residents have taken issue with piles of trash and smell they claim come from homeless encampments, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Sunday.

Honolulu city Councilman Trevor Ozawa wants residents to vote on a 2018 City Charter amendment to place armed park rangers in the citys biggest parks. The rangers would be able to address illegal camping, littering and vandalism and enforce no-smoking policies should the bill come to pass.

"We continue to see enforcement issues, continue to have issues with our homeless population in our parks, and need to make our children's safety a priority," Ozawa said. "We need to continue exploring ways of keeping our park users safe and our facilities free of vandalism and destruction."

The city already has an unarmed park ranger program in place at Kapiolani Park, Hanauma Bay and the city's most-used park, the Ala Moana Regional Park, said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. City park employees also have a new shift that runs from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Jen Tema, who lives in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu, said she avoids passing through lookouts at Diamond Head Monument because of the overwhelming stench coming from the area.

Her son no longer surfs at the lookouts because of feces left in the water by homeless campers and her kids need to wear shoes instead of slippers over fears of discarded drug needles and used condoms on floors at parks, Tema said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An Oregon woman will likely receive 3 years of probation after smuggling booze aboard a commercial flight last year and licking and groping a fellow passenger, according to court documents.

Heidi McKinney, 27, of suburban Portland, was arrested May 8, 2016, after the Alaska Airlines flight from Las Vegas landed at Portland International Airport. The victim at the time told authorities she had been touched on the breast and genitals by another female passenger.

A federal grand jury originally indicted McKinney on a charge of abusive sexual contact. She ultimately pleaded guilty in March to assault with the intent to commit a felony and will be sentenced in U.S. District Court Monday afternoon, KOIN-TV reported.

Miss McKinney did so with the intent to humiliate and harass the victim, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Sinha said at U.S. District Court in Portland in March. (She) both made contact with victims body, including her inner thigh, and made a series of profane and lewd statements to the victim.

Shortly after taking a plea deal in March, McKinney was found unconscious and intoxicated at a local bar, according to court documents obtained by KOIN. The 27-year-old eventually completed an inpatient treatment program in June.

At the time of the May 2016 incident, court documents say McKinney first took her seat in the victims row and placed her hands on the female passengers chest, allowing her hands to linger there uncomfortably.

After the plane took off from Las Vegas, prosecutors said McKinney pressured the victim to drink liquor that was smuggled onto the plane, then threw the bottle into the victim's lap. The 27-year-old began licking the victim's ear, court documents say, before grabbing her hands and attempting to place her hands on the victim's crotch 3 separate times.

The physical abuse culminated with McKinney climbing on top of the victim and telling the victim that she wanted to [redacted], according to court documents obtained by KOIN.

Prosecutors said the victim remains deeply traumatized by the unprovoked aggression, and will suffer from the assault the rest of her life.

Prior court documents obtained by The Associated Press show McKinney was convicted of drunken driving in 2008 and 2015. Her fiance told jail officers after the plane incident that McKinney does not metabolize alcohol like most people and this is what happens, records show.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read more from KOIN.
Investigators probing the 2010 unsolved disappearance of an Oregon boy scoured a heavily forested area on Sunday searching for clues in the case.

A search-and-rescue team looking for Kyron Horman combed through an area about 5 miles from Skyline Elementary School in Portland, Ore., collecting several items -- none of which appeared to be related to the disappearance -- the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office told Fox News.

"We want to ensure we leave no stone unturned," Multnomah County Sheriff spokesman Lt. Chad Gaidos said of the new search, which was conducted in an area investigators had not examined before.

"This wasnt based on any new information," said Gaidos, though he stressed the case remains active. He added: "Its an investigation that will stay near and dear to our hearts until theres an answer."

RELATED: Oregon boy Kyron Horman's 7-year disappearance leads to new FBI billboards

Horman was 7 years old and a second-grader when he disappeared on June 4, 2010, in rural northwest Portland -- sparking the largest search-and-rescue operation in the state.

Horman was last seen alive by his stepmother, Terri Horman, who told investigators she dropped the boy off at school to attend a science fair that morning.

Terri Horman -- who now lives in California and goes by her maiden name, Terri Moulton -- has never been named a suspect in the case and denies harming the boy. However, the child's mother, Desiree Young, has said she believes Terri is responsible for her son's disappearance.

Young was not immediately available for comment when contacted Monday.

Over the years, intense searches for the boy -- who would now be 14 -- have come up empty, and no arrests have been made in the case.

In May, the FBI launched a digital billboard campaign to draw attention to Oregons biggest missing persons case, running billboards showing Kyron's age-enhanced image in the cities of Portland, Salem, Bend, Corvallis and Medford.

"My son is the reason I get up every day and fight to bring him home,'' Young said in May at an event in Salem, Ore., marking National Missing Children's Day. "I want to see him smile again. I want to hear his laugh and, most of all, I want to feel his hug. I will never give up.''

"I appeal to the people or persons that have that bit of information that they may not feel is relevant to contact law enforcement,'' she said, the Oregonian newspaper reported. "Some days the hope that our child will come home is all that keeps us going. It's our job as parents to keep our child's case in the public eye and keep hope alive so the public keeps looking for all missing children.''
While lawmakers in Alaska have doubled down on calls for improved U.S. defense in the wake of a North Korea ICBM test, some have appeared to shrug off the threat seemingly posed by the rogue regime.

Im worried about moose, not missiles, Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz told The Washington Post in a story published Saturday. Bears, not bombs.

Todd Sherwood, an attorney who served more than a decade in the U.S. Air Force, told the newspaper that if North Korea would to attack, the U.S. military reaction would probably be severe. He downplayed the threats cast by Dictator Kim Jong Un.

Im more worried about whether Im going to fall off my paddleboard on an Alaska glacier lake this summer, he said. And Im not all that worried about that.

According to The Washington Post, Alaskas past may have something to do with its mellow response to the possibility of an attack from North Korea. An Alaskan town was bombed in 1942 during World War II and in the same week Japan occupied two Aleutian Islands. Alaska was also on alert during the Cold War with its incredibly close proximity to Russia. Some Alaskan homes still have fallout shelters.

Though some may shrug off the threat, lawmakers are still taking steps to bolster defenses.

Today, Alaskans awoke to disturbing news that North Korea tested a missile that some experts say may be able to reach Alaska in the near future, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said last week. Now more than ever, its imperative for Alaskans and the rest of the nation that we be prepared.

A bill introduced in May by Sullivan and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, would incorporate 28 ground-based inceptors across the U.S., 14 of which would be located in Alaska. An interceptor moves towards its target based on tracking data, and is assumed to destroy the target by force of impact to neutralize its nuclear explosive power; it could be launched if given notice of a missile headed towards the U.S.

The Pentagon has a total of 36 missile interceptors in underground silos on military bases in Alaska and California, and is expected to increase that to 44 by the end of the year.

According to Professor Bruce Bechtol of Angelo State University in Texas, the missile North Korea launched could hit the U.S. if positioned at a standard launch angle.

Ive been saying for months that its no longer if but when Kim Jong-Un will get the ability to strike U.S. cities with a nuclear missile, Sullivan said prior to the ICBM launch.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A New York City judge is under fire after freeing without bail a man police say tried to steal an officer's gun--just days after the assassination of a Bronx cop.

Cops say Kurdel Emmanuel, a mentally-troubled 29-year-old man, tried Saturday to wrestle the gun from a female officer who fought him off in a Brooklyn precinct house.

WNBC-TV reported that when Emmanuel was interviewed after his arrest he told police he wanted to kill a cop.

On Sunday, Emmanuel appeared before Brooklyn Judge Loren Baily-Schiffman on assault, attempted robbery and attempted criminal possession of a weapon charges.

Prosecutors requested a $250,000 bond. Instead, Baily-Schiffman released him on his own recognizance.

Her decision outraged police union leaders, according to reports.

They pointed out that Bronx officer Miosotis Familia was killed in an ambush Wednesday. The gunman was another mentally troubled man who said he wanted to go after cops. That man Alexander Bonds was killed fleeing the shooting.

This is a sickening display of carelessness or callousness by a judge who should be fully aware of the similarity in the circumstances between this thugs crime and the assassination of police officer Miosotis Familia, Patrolmens Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch, said, according to WPIX-TV. We have seen too often the unbalanced act out against NYC police officers with deadly effect.

Ed Mullins, who represents NYPD sergeants, told the New York Post that Emmanuel would have killed police officers if he managed to wrest the gun away from the officer.

Emmanuel was home with his stepmother Sunday after the arraignment, the paper reported.

He has mental-health issues, the woman said, according to the paper. The problem you have is you have someone who is not well, and you can still get conflicting stories.

The judge declined comment to WNBC and hung up on a Post reporter.

It wasn't clear why Baily-Schiffman was handling criminal arraignments.

She normally hears lawsuits not criminal matters, according to NYC Office of Court Administration records.

She is now listed as an acting Supreme Court Justice but for many years was on the bench in civil court where legal disputes involving less than $25,000 are heard.
The Minnesota police officer who was acquitted in last year's fatal shooting of black motorist Philando Castile will receive $48,500 as he leaves the suburban department that employed him at the time of the killing, according to a separation agreement announced Monday.

Jeronimo Yanez will be paid the money in a lump sum, minus applicable deductions and withholdings for state and federal taxes. Under the five-page agreement released through a public records request, the Minneapolis suburb of St. Anthony also will pay Yanez for up to 600 hours of accrued and unused personal leave pay. The agreement, which has Monday's date, doesn't say how much time he has accrued.

His annual salary at the time of the July 6, 2016, shooting was more than $72,600, not including overtime pay, according to documents released by the city.

Yanez shot Castile, a 32-year-old elementary school cafeteria worker, several times 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 Castile's girlfriend, who was in the car along with her then-4-year-old daughter, livestreamed its gruesome aftermath on Facebook.

Yanez, 29 and Latino, was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges in June. On the day of the verdict, the city announced the "public will be best served" if Yanez were no longer an officer. The city said Monday that the agreement "ends all employment rights" for Yanez.

"Since Officer Yanez was not convicted of a crime, as a public employee, he would have appeal and grievance rights if terminated," it said in a statement. "A reasonable voluntary separation agreement brings to a close one part of this horrible tragedy. The City concluded this was the most thoughtful way to move forward and help the community-wide healing process proceed."

Under the agreement, the city is released from lawsuits by Yanez. He was given 10 days to consider and sign the agreement and has 15 days to rescind it in writing. The agreement noted the official "date of separation" as June 30.

Yanez wrote his initials and Monday's date on each page of the agreement and signed the last page along with the city manager. Yanez had been with the St. Anthony department since November 2011.

Castile's uncle, Clarence Castile, said he's glad Yanez will no longer be an officer.

"He should be in jail," the uncle said. "He's like a fish that wiggled his way off a hook. ... Hopefully he won't be able to get a police job in the United States. Because he's a poor example of a police officer."

Yanez's acquittal led to days of protests, including one in St. Paul that shut down Interstate 94 for hours and ended with 18 arrests. At a recent city council meeting, residents of St. Anthony called on the city's mayor to resign.

After the trial, Castile's mother, Valerie Castile, reached a nearly $3 million settlement with the city, precluding a wrongful death lawsuit.

The Associated Press examined several high-profile fatal police shootings and found severance or separation agreements for officers to be unusual. In some cases, officers were fired outright. In many cases where charges were not brought or officers were acquitted, they have remained on the job.

In the August 2014 shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was unarmed and black, Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson did not receive a severance package when he resigned. Wilson was not charged in Brown's death, which led to months of sometimes violent protests and became a catalyst for the national Black Lives Matter movement. At the time of Wilson's resignation in November 2014, the St. Louis suburb said it had cut ties with Wilson and he would not receive any additional pay or benefits. Wilson's attorney said he chose to resign after threats were made against the police department.

Chicago officer Dante Servin resigned last year just days before a hearing to determine if he should be fired for the 2012 shooting of Rekia Boyd, an unarmed 22-year-old black woman. Servin, who was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, has since asked for disability pay for post-traumatic stress disorder. A decision on whether he qualifies for that pay, which could amount to tens of thousands of dollars, is pending.

David Larson, an employment law professor at Mitchell-Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, said reaching a voluntary separation agreement can be simpler than firing a public employee like Yanez. Most collective bargaining agreements require several steps before someone can be dismissed. And if a dismissal is contested, there can be a lengthy grievance and arbitration process.

"Given the emotion that's been involved with this and the public protests, St. Anthony is probably saying the most important thing to us is to wrap this up as quickly as we can," Larson said.
A Missouri couple has been charged after the man admitted he uses a stun gun to discipline his wife's three toddlers.

According to a probable cause statement, 21-year-old Shelby Crabtree of Springfield told a baby sitter she didn't report 22-year-old Gale Epple's actions to authorities because she feared the state would remove her 2-year-old daughter and 1-year-old twins.

The sitter contacted police after she spotted bruises on the children. Police say she secretly recorded Epple saying he knows he shouldn't use the stun gun on the children, but that it doesn't hurt.

The Springfield News-Leader reports Epple was charged Friday with three counts of child abuse or neglect. Crabtree is charged with three counts of child endangerment.

Online court records don't show they have attorneys to speak for them.

___

Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com
Authorities in Pennsylvania are searching for four young men who were reported missing in a period of about a week in the Philadelphia suburbs in an incident believed to involve foul play, an official said.

The four men have been identified as 22-year-old Mark Sturgis, of Pennsburg; 21-year-old Tom Meo, of Plumstead; 18-year-old Dean Finocchiario, of Middletown and Jimi Tar Patrick, 19, of Newtown Township.

Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub was asked during a news conference Monday afternoon if he believed foul play was involved, to which he replied "I sure believe there is."

When asked further why he believes foul play was involved, Weintraub said it was due to "information that I know i can't share."

"I just have to go wherever the evidence takes me," he said.

Earlier in the day, Weintraub said "it's all hands on deck" as authorities, including the FBI, investigate "all possible leads."

"Right now, the focus of the investigation is to determine their whereabouts, and if we can bring them home safely," Weintraub said.

Weintraub would not say if the men were believed to be in danger, but that authorities are treating the case "as a criminal investigation at this time" until more is known.

There are a number of ongoing searches under way in connection to the case, according to Weintraub.

Pennsylvania State Police conducted a search at a home in Solebury Township Sunday evening when they located a vehicle belonging to one of the teens in a garage, FOX 29 reported.

Law enforcement agencies have since converged on a multi-acre property along Route 202 near Aquetong Road in Solebury, located about 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia, which Weintraub said has "investigative relevance."

"We're getting a lot of strong indications we need to focus our resources on this property," he said.

A second car belonging to Sturgis was found in a shopping center parking lot Monday morning, according to FOX 29.

According to Weintraub, Patrick was reported missing on July 5, and has had no contact with family or friends since. Sturgis, Meo and Finocchiaro were last seen on July 7.

Investigators said the men are possibly friends, but it is unclear if there is any other connection between them. Officials are also looking to acquire cellphone records from the four men, while monitoring for credit and debit card use.

Two of the men, Sturgis and Meo, are longtime friends who work in construction for Sturgis' father, Mark Potash. Another man, 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro, is a mutual friend of theirs, Potash told The Associated Press. Potash said did not know where his son was heading or what he was doing before he disappeared Friday.

At this point, I just ask for your patience and your prayers for these four young men, Weintraub said. Please let us do our jobs so we can see as to the whereabouts of these four men.

Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 215-297-8201 or submit tips to the Bucks County Crime Watch website.

Read more from FOX 29.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jury selection began Monday for a retrial of four men accused of conspiring against the government when they joined an armed protest with Cliven Bundy on his Nevada ranch in 2014.

Eric Parker, Scott Drexler, Steven Stewart and Ricky Lovelien were present during a tense confrontation in Bunkerville between Bureau of Land Management agents who were trying to seize cattle from Bundy.

The case centers around constitutional issues including free speech and land and gun rights. The U.S. attorneys office for the state of Nevada would not comment on pending litigation.

The retrial follows a mistrial that occurred this past April when jurors couldnt decide on the first group of defendants in a three-tier case.

Two defendants pleaded guilty last year were found guilty during the first trial, but jurors still didnt determine 50 of the 60 counts that were brought up leaving four men with no verdict. Prosecutors initially separated the case into three groups based on culpability with a total of 17 defendants. The first trial involved conspirators deemed the least responsible.

No shots were fired in the armed standoff, but the indictment claimed protesters pointed guns at federal agents. The federal indictment said Bundy was under a 1998 court order demanding he remove his cattle from federal lands. Bundy and his supporters said they believed the government was far too encroaching, violating their free speech and gun rights.

The Bundys and their group, I see that, thats key, but the group of protestors theyre going after so aggressively, thats where I have trouble making the connection,  said Ron Bamieh, a former Justice Department prosecutor who questions the federal governments strategy.

Bamieh added there are significant political implications as a jury is chosen in this case. There are going to be some people who are like wait these guys are white nationalists who are against the government, we dont support that. Theres going to be other people who are going to say no, these are patriots who are opposing the federal government that is overreaching completely and limiting these other people rights.

Cliven Bundy, his sons Ammon and Ryan, and two other defendants are due for trial later this year. Prosecutors phased out separate trials since it would be logistically impossible to try 17 people at once.
Get a roof, get a gun!

Thats the pitch Alabama roofers are using to attract customers, promising them a free AR-15 rifle in a video ad that has created big buzz on the Internet, FOX 13 reported.

Zach Blenkinsopp, of Decatur-based Digital Roofing Innovations, along with co-owner Chris McGuire created the 1-minute ad to attract new customers to their business.

The video shows Blenkinsopp putting on his roofing gear, which he takes from the back of his car, as he tells viewers: Im not here to talk to you about roofing  Im here to talk to you about AR-15 rifles. If you sign up for a new roof with Digital Roofing Innovations, you are going to get you a free AR-15 rifle after we complete the roof.

Blenkinsopp and McGuire told WIAT that they dont have a big budget for marketing, so the do-it-yourself advertising campaign seemed to make the most sense.

'I knew it would invoke emotion.'  Chris McGuire, of Digital Roofing Innovations

"I posted this in extremely conservative Facebook groups, extremely liberal Facebook groups, because I knew it would invoke emotion, McGuire told WIAT.

McGuire said that while critics are taking aim at the ads for promoting violence, its legal to get a free gun for buying a roof.

When the duo completes a roof, the customer will be given a voucher for a gun, and will have to go through all the same background checks as if they were buying their own guns.

"You get to choose what you believe in and if people don't like it then we don't care. We're going to continue to do our business and take care of our customers," Blenkinsopp told Fox 13.
A U.S. Army soldier has been accused of shooting and killing his wife and a New York state trooper after a domestic dispute Sunday night, police said.

Army Staff Sgt. Justin Walters, 32, was charged about 4 a.m. Monday with first-degree murder for killing the trooper, Joel Davis, and second-degree murder for killing his wife, Nichole Walters. The Afghanistan combat veteran surrendered to police without incident.

Davis, 36, responded to a call of shots fired at a home in Theresa, near the Canadian border, about 8 p.m. Sunday, New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said. Davis was outside the home and getting out of his cruiser when he was shot once. Another trooper responding to the shooting found Davis in a roadside ditch.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MOM ACCUSED IN STABBING DEATHS OF CHILDREN, HUSBAND SMILES IN COURT

Davis was taken to the hospital but died an hour later.

Nichole Walters, 27, was found dead inside the home. A friend of the mother told The Associated Press he was shocked about the deadly shooting. Jerry Mikels said he didn't think Justin Walters was capable of killing his wife, who was a stay-at-home mom taking care of their toddler son. The couple met when she was finishing high school and he was heading to business school, according to Mikels.

A second woman, who lived in a shed on the property, was also shot and suffered non-life threatening injuries, WWNY reported.

Walters is an active duty U.S. Army infantryman who is stationed at nearby Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division, police said. He has served there since joining the Army in 2007. Walters was deployed to Afghanistan for one-year tours with the 10th Mountain Division's 1st Brigade in January 2009 and March 2011.

Davis, of Evans Mills, graduated from the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy in 2013, according to WWNY. He originally was assigned to the Troop D Watertown barracks before receiving his current assignment at the state police barracks in Philadelphia, just outside Fort Drum.

Davis is survived by his wife and three children.

BICYCLIST HIT-AND-RUN IN TENNESSEE CAUGHT ON VIDEO; SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR ARRESTED

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement Monday morning that "the entire New York family grieves" for Davis.

"Trooper Davis served as a member of the New York State Police for four years and his death is yet another sad reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face each day in order to protect our communities and serve the residents of this great state," Cuomo said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A former U.S. Special Forces soldier said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be charged with treason after giving a former Al Qaeda militant, who severely injured him and killed a fellow soldier in an attack in Afghanistan in 2003, millions of dollars in a settlement announced earlier in the week.

Former U.S. Special Forces Sgt. Layne Morris told the Toronto Sun on Saturday that Canada is going to regret giving Omar Khadr about $8 million.

I dont see this as anything but treason, Morris told the newspaper. Its something a traitor would do. As far as I am concerned, Prime Minister Trudeau should be charged.

The Canadian-born Khadr was 15 years old when he was captured by U.S. troops following a firefight at a suspected Al Qaeda compound in Afghanistan. Khadr threw a grenade that left Morris blinded and killed Army Sgt. First Class Christopher Speer. Khadr was taken to Guantanmo and charged with war crimes by a military commission.

Khadr pleaded guilty in 2010 murder and other charges and was sentenced to eight years. He returned to Canada two years later to serve the remainder of his sentence and was released in May 2015 pending an appeal of his guilty plea, which he said was made under duress.

The Canadian Supreme Court ruling held that Canadian intelligence officials obtained evidence from Khadr under "oppressive circumstances" such as sleep deprivation during interrogations at Guantanamo and then shared that evidence with U.S officials.

Morris questioned the legitimacy of the deal and wondered why the Canadian government would give money to someone who attacked Americans as well as Canadians.

The fact is Chris Speer and myself were fighting with Canadians in Afghanistan, he said. We were alongside the PPCLI (Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry). There was a Canadian flag flying along with the American flag at our base there, so its quite a thing that now Canada is giving millions to a guy who would attack a compound where Canadians were serving.

Trudeau has defended the deal despite the backlash.

"The charter of rights and freedoms protects all Canadians, every one of us, even when it is uncomfortable," he told reporters at the G-20 summit in Germany Saturday. This is not about the detail of the merits of the Khadr case. When the government violates any Canadian's charter rights, we all end up paying for it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Russian strategic bombers on Wednesday struck the Islamic State group in Syria with cruise missiles, the military said.

The Defense Ministry said that Tu-95 bombers launched Kh-101 cruise missiles on IS facilities in the area along the boundary between the Syrian provinces of Hama and Homs. The ministry said three ammunition depots and a command facility near the town of Aqirbat were destroyed.

It said the bombers flew from their base in southwestern Russia and launched the missiles at a distance of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the target.

Russia has waged an air campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad since September 2015. The Russian military has used the campaign to test its latest weapons, including long-range cruise missiles, in combat for the first time.

Meanwhile, a two-day round of Syria cease-fire talks in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, ended without conclusive results. The Syrian government and the opposition blamed each other for the failure to reach agreement.

The negotiations, brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran, were to finalize specifics related to so-called de-escalation zones, including their boundaries and monitoring mechanisms. But the talks failed to produce a deal, with the parties agreeing only to set up a working group to continue discussions.

"We so far have failed to agree on de-escalation zones, but we will continue efforts to achieve that goal," Russian envoy Alexander Lavrentyev said after the talks, according to Russian news reports.

Lavrentyev said that Russia plans to deploy its military police to help monitor de-escalation zones and called on Kazakhstan and other ex-Soviet nations to also send monitors. He said police will have light arms to protect themselves.

Lavrentyev also noted that the involvement of the United States and Jordan would be essential for setting up a de-escalation zone in southern Syria near the border with Jordan.

Syria's warring sides have held four previous rounds of talks in Kazakhstan since January, in parallel to the U.N.-brokered peace talks in Geneva. Neither process has made much progress. A cease-fire declared in May, has been repeatedly violated.

___

This story has been corrected to show the style for cruise missile designation is Kh-101.
The most senior Vatican cleric to ever be charged in the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal returned to Australia on Monday to stand trial in his home state on charges alleging he sexually assaulted multiple people years ago.

Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis' top financial adviser, avoided waiting media when he arrived at Sydney Airport on a flight from Singapore. He had declined to comment in Singapore over the weekend as he made his way home from Rome.

The 76-year-old cleric is due to appear in a court in the Victoria state capital Melbourne on July 26 on what Victoria Police described as multiple counts of "historical sexual assault offenses"  meaning crimes that generally occurred years ago. There is no statute of limitations on such crimes in Australia. Police said there were multiple complainants, but have released no other details.

Pell is free ahead of his court hearing, during which he can formally apply for bail.

When police announced the charges last month, Pell vowed to fight the allegations, saying: "The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me."

On Monday, the Sydney archdiocese said the cardinal had made multiple stops on his journey to Australia to avoid long-haul flights, based on the advice of his doctors. Last year, Pell said he was too ill to make the long flight back to his home country to testify before a government inquiry into how the Catholic Church and other institutions have responded to child sex abuse allegations.

"When he was told of the charges by Victoria Police, Cardinal Pell said in Rome he totally rejected the allegations, was completely innocent of the charges and would return to Australia to vigorously defend himself and clear his name," the archdiocese said in a statement. "Cardinal Pell will not be making further comment other than to say he is grateful for the numerous messages of support he continues to receive."

Pell has taken a leave of absence to fight the charges in Australia and has said he intends to return to the Vatican to continue his work as a prefect of the church's economy ministry.

The pope thanked Pell for his "honest" work and collaboration, and said he would wait for Australian justice to run its course before making a judgment himself.

For years, Pell has faced allegations that he mishandled cases of clergy abuse as archbishop of Melbourne and, later, Sydney. But more recently, Pell himself became the focus of a clergy sex abuse investigation, with Victoria detectives flying to the Vatican to interview him last year.
The ongoing legal conflict surrounding the Turkish governments seizure of dozens of properties from the Syriac Orthodox Church has left the religious minority fearing for their survival in the land where it all began.

Authorities recently appropriated hundreds of thousands of square meters of land  including at least two 1,500-year-old working monasteries  on the premise that their ownership deeds had lapsed. An appeal against the confiscation by the Mor Gabriel, a 5th-century monastery and one of the oldest still functioning in the world, was dismissed in May by a government commission tasked with liquidating the assets.

Our churches and monasteries are what root Syriacs in these lands; our existence relies on them, Kyriakos Ergun, the chairman of the Mor Gabriel Monastery Foundation, told Middle East news website Al-Monitor. While the country should be protecting this heritage, we instead see our culture is at risk.

For years, the titles to the properties had been indexed in Turkey's national land registry as belonging to the villages inhabited by Syriacs. But in 2012, the greater municipality of the southeastern city of Mardin was established and the Syriacs' legal status  as well as their capacity to own property  was said to have dissipated.

As a result of the change, numerous monasteries and churches  as well as graveyards  have subsequently been given over to the state Treasury and then to the Department of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), a prominent state institution which presides over Muslims religious facilities.

The land tussle has many within the Syriac community, who often referred to as Assyrians, deeply concerned about their future in the place in which their ancestors have resided from as far back as their arrival from ancient Mesopotamia in 3500 B.C.

CHRISTIAN DIASPORA FEAR THEIR RELIGION WON'T SURVIVE IN ITS BIRTHPLACE

TURKISH OPPOSITION LEADER ENDS 25-DAY MARCH, RALLIES BACKERS

Leaders of several Assyrian organizations in the U.S and Europe have issued statements this week condemning Turkeys seizure of Assyrian religious properties. A joint statement from the heads of the three most prominent organizations  Assyrian Universal Alliance USA, American Mesopotamian Organization USA and Restore Nineveh Now Foundation USA  requested that the U.S government, along with the United Nations and international human rights groups, demand that Turkey stop this policy of religious and ethnic intolerance and immediately return the monasteries and churches to their rightful owners.

The Syriacs, deemed the oldest indigenous minority of Turkey, were once a large ethnic group in the Ottoman Empire but their numbers dwindled as a result of alleged mass murder and deportation at the hands of the Young Turk government and Kurdish tribes during the Seyfo Genocide from 1914 to 1920.

Death toll estimates have varied, but it is believed that 150,000 to 300,000 perished.

However, according to news and information site Catholic Culture, the Turkish government has not yet moved ahead with the property seizures and officials have declared that the properties will not be confiscated if the Syriac Orthodox Church can present and register certifiable evidence of ownership.

According to the 2017 report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USIRF) while the Turkish government has increasingly restricted a broad range of human rights, especially in the aftermath of the failed July 2016 coup detat attempt, it has nevertheless taken some positive steps to improve religious freedom conditions in Turkey.

The report indicates that the government has returned properties expropriated from religious minority communities and provided dual citizenship to Greek Orthodox Metropolitans so they can participate in their churchs Holy Synod, but notes that all religious groups are subject to state controls limiting their rights to maintain places of worship, train clergy, and offer religious education.
A Canadian landlord who was fined $12,000 for wearing shoes in a Muslim tenant's home said he felt "humiliated" by the harsh penalty levied by a national human rights tribunal.

In an interview with the Toronto Sun, John Alabi, 52, of Brampton, recounted how he went above and beyond trying to accommodate the Egyptian-born couple who lived in the apartment for two months  just to be slapped with a steep fine for the shoe incident.

"I go beyond all that. I just see everybody as human beings like me. Thats why I took them in," Alabi told the Toronto Sun in May. "We got along. And then all of a sudden Im a racist?"

MUSLIM ACTIVIST SUGGESTS RESISTING TRUMP IS A 'FORM OF JIHAD'

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario ordered Alabi in April to pay the tenants $6,000 each after he failed to take his shoes off in the bedroom were the couple prayed while he was showing the home to potential renters. The couple, who moved into first floor of the home in December 2014, terminated their lease on Feb. 28, 2015.

The tribunal also said Alabi "harassed" the couple and "created a poisoned housing environment." Though he would give them 24-hour notice of the showing, he would often fail to provide a 5-minute warning, according to the Toronto Sun.

"I was humiliated, I was made to feel I have no rights, I was made to feel that Im not wanted in society," Alabi said. "I feel powerless. They rented my place for only two months. Two months! Its just not fair."

JORDAN, KUWAIT CARRIERS LIFT LAPTOP BAN ON US FLIGHTS

Alabi told the news site the couple never had an issue when he wore his shoes in the home to do repairs. Then they filed a grievance eight months after the last incident, the Toronto Sun reported.

"I have been victimized, Alabi said. "They are using their religion to victimize me."

The couple even found a Facebook post on Alabi's page to help their case. The landlord claimed he doesn't have the money to pay the fine on top of legal fees.

"I dont have the money. I work very hard. If they go into my bank account right now, I dont have $12,000 there," Alabi said, adding that he has rented the space for 15 years to help pay his mortgage.

Last week news site Rebel News Service launched a crowdfunding page to help Alabi pay for the fine.
A British judge told the parents of terminally ill baby Charlie Gard Monday that they had until Wednesday afternoon to submit what he called "new and powerful evidence" demonstrating that their son should be kept alive to receive experimental treatment.

Judge Nicholas Francis set the deadline ahead of a second hearing planned for Thursday afternoon at the Royal Courts of Justice in London following a dramatic day in a case that has attracted the attention of Pope Francis and U.S. President Donald Trump, who tweeted last week that if the U.S. could help, we would be delighted to do so.

"There is not a person alive who would not want to save Charlie," Judge Francis said, according to The Sun newspaper. "If there is new evidence, I will hear it. If you bring new evidence to me and I consider that evidence changes the situation  I will be the first to welcome that outcome."

Charlie, aged 11 months, suffers from a rare mitochondrial disease and has brain damage. His parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, want him to travel to the U.S. or Italy to receive treatment known as nucleoside therapy, which has shown success in reducing the symptoms of some types of mitochondrial disease.

Standing in the way is London's Great Ormond Hospital and an independent guardian appointed to represent Charlie, who have argued that the infant's life support system should be switched off and he should be allowed to die with dignity.

Parents in Britain do not have the absolute right to make decisions for their children. It is normal for courts to intervene when parents and doctors disagree on the treatment of a child. The rights of the child take primacy, with the courts weighing issues such as whether a child is suffering and how much benefit a proposed treatment might produce.

Judge Francis had agreed with the hospital in April, ruling that Charlie had irreversible brain damage.

However, the hospital applied for Monday's court hearing because of "new evidence relating to potential treatment for his condition."

Grant Armstrong, representing Charlie's parents, said there was "encouraging" evidence from researchers at the Vatican's children's hospital about the experimental treatment.

Last week, New York-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan said it would "admit and evaluate" Charlie for treatment, providing that the baby could be transported safely to the facility.

"There are 18 children currently on this treatment," Connie Yates told Sky News before the hearing. "One of them wasn't able to do anything and now she's riding a bike."

However, lawyers for the hospital told Judge Francis they were struggling to find any proof that nucleoside therapy would help Charlie's condition. According to court documents, the treatment has never been used on either mice or humans with the suggested type of mitochondrial disease from which Charlie suffers.

Those claims prompted Chris Gard to interrupt proceedings and yell at one of the hospital's lawyers, "When are you going to start telling the truth?"

"They're lying to you," Yates added, addressing the judge.

"We're not saying Great Ormond Street is a bad hospital but they don't have a specialist for his particular condition," Yates had told Sky News. "We don't see what's dignified about him dying - we think it's dignified that he has a chance at life and if it doesn't work then we'll let him go."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
German prosecutors say they've opened an investigation into employees of Porsche, which is a unit of Volkswagen AG, and an American subsidiary over the possible manipulation of diesel emissions.

Stuttgart prosecutors said Monday they are investigating suspicions of fraud and making false claims. They said that the investigation is against persons unknown who were employed by Porsche and a U.S. unit which it did not identify.

Prosecutors elsewhere in Germany are investigating alleged wrongdoing at Volkswagen and Audi, another of the German automaker's units.

Volkswagen has acknowledged equipping around 11 million cars worldwide with software that sensed when cars were on test stands and turned emission controls up, then turned the controls off during every day driving to improve performance.
The Latest on the White House misidentifying Chinese President Xi Jinping as the leader of Taiwan (all times local).

4 p.m.

China says the United States has apologized for mistakenly describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as the leader of Taiwan.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Monday that China asked the United States for an explanation of the mistake, and the U.S. said it was a technical error and corrected it.

In a statement issued Saturday about a meeting in Germany between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump, the White House press office described Xi as president of the Republic of China, the formal name for Taiwan. Communist China, led by Xi, is called the People's Republic of China.

The issue is particularly sensitive because Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of its territory.
Iraqi forces have retaken Mosul from the Islamic State, more than three years after the terror group overran the city in June 2014, the US-led coalition announced Monday.

"The global Coalition fighting ISIS congratulates Prime Minister al-Abadi and the Iraqi Security Forces on their historic victory against a brutal and evil enemy, Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, said in a statement. Make no mistake; this victory alone does not eliminate ISIS and there is still a tough fight ahead. But the loss of one of its twin capitals and a jewel of their so-called caliphate is a decisive blow."

U.S. Central Command said there are still areas of Mosul that must be cleared of explosive devices and there are possible ISIS fighters in hiding, but Iraqi forces now firmly have control of the city.

The coalition said during ISIS occupation of Mosul, militants destroyed many of the citys religious and cultural treasures, brutally murdered thousands of civilians and used mosques, schools and hospitals as bomb-making facilities.

Speaking Monday from a small base on the edge of Mosul's Old City, where heavy clashes had been under way for days, Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Iraqi forces had achieved victory "by the blood of our martyrs."

He has made similar announcements in recent days despite ongoing clashes, and visited Mosul on Sunday to congratulate Iraqi troops.

The U.S.-backed Iraqi forces launched a massive operation to retake Mosul in October, and in recent days they had confined the remaining militants in an area measuring less than a square mile.

The battle for Mosul killed thousands and displaced more than 897,000 people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


A rescue mission has been called off for two experienced mountain climbers that attempted to climb Pakistans Nanga Parbat, also known as Killer Mountain, after an avalanche last month.

Alex Gavan, a Romanian climber, had lost radio contact with climbers Alberto Zerain and Mariano Galvan, near the Mazeno ridge of the mountain. He then realized they had run out of food and prompted the search.

RIGHTS GROUPSAYS PAKISTAN AMONG LEADING EXECUTIONERS

In the photos you see the tracks of the climberssuddenly end at the avalanche fracture line and do not appear anywhere after the fracture line," Gavan said.

The two climbers chose a daring route to ascend the 26,660 feet tall Nanga Parbat via the eight-mile Mazeno Ridge, which had been scaled successfully only once before.

Just where the avalanche debris is was their last GPS location, Gavan told Reuters.

PAKISTAN TEST-FIRES SHORT RANGE BALLISTIC MISSLE

Rescue efforts were called off when the final helicopter flew over the ridge on July 1. Photographic evidence shows that there had been an avalanche within the preceding eight days.

The team will search on the Mazeno Ridge of the Nanga Parbat, where the missing climbers are believed to be buried under an avalanche, Karakorum Expeditions spokesman Mehboob Ali said.
Dakota Lawson wants to be a doctor when she grows up.

She knows about the cells that make up the human body. Shes done experiments showing reaction rates between molecules at a university lab. Dakota can name bones and knows the difference between states of matter.

Dakota is only 7 years old and in the second grade. Shes a student in Amie Canters second- and third-grade class at the Merit School in Stafford and through Canters curriculum, has been able to explore the profession that appeals to her.

I really like that we do experiments, she said. My older brother goes to another school and I tell him all about what we are doing. He doesnt get to experiment like we do.

Next, Dakota wants to learn about magnetism.

Canters class, called Advanced Concepts for a Better Future, takes accelerated students and helps them delve deep into the subject matter.

Last year, the concept was government, and students met with mayors, Gov. Terry McAuliffe, watched the Virginia General Assembly in session, met local representatives and went to the White House.

You should have seen them, Canter said. Meeting the governor, you would think they were at a rock concert. They were so excited.

This past school year, students wanted to learn about being doctors, so they dissected sharks, talked with doctors at Mary Washington Hospital and learned chemistry with professors at the University of Mary Washington. In the classroom, students have their own lab coats.

Next year, the class will focus on global studies. That means studying mythology, comparative religion, diplomacy and the culinary styles of different nations. On one of their field trips, they plan to visit an Ethiopian restaurant in Washington, D.C.

It helps them focus and drives their interests, Canter said. It helps them determine what path they might take later in life.

Canter wants to bring her curriculum to a larger audience. She is offering free training for local teachers this summer, is presenting her paper at the London International Conference on Education this December and wants Virginias Department of Education to consider offering her training in an official capacity.

She said her program has the potential to bring high-quality education to all elementary school students, creating long-term benefits.

She said programs like private school vouchers are short-term solutions that put public schools at a disadvantage and fail to benefit all students. Altering the way public school officials think about education is ambitious but will pay dividends later, she said.

To do that, Canter assesses students individually and helps them work toward their personal goals.

She knows thats made possible by her small class size of less than 15 students. Canter has worked in public schools in North Carolina and said she felt limited by not being allowed to deviate from the states Standards of Learning baseline.

She felt that moving to a private school setting was necessary to boost her ideas for advanced teaching.

Some of her other students are also focusing on careers. Gavin Wheeler wants to be a zoologist after learning about medicine.

Marlee Howell want to be a chemistry professor after studying with UMWs assistant professor of chemistry Leanna Giancarlo.

Giancarlo and Canter met about two years ago, when Canter reached out to see if anyone would do science with students. They have worked together four times now, teaching advanced concepts to second and third graders.

Giancarlo said teaching students about advanced concepts should start young, when their minds are still open to learning science. She said shes seen interest drop off in middle school for many children, so sparking a love of science early is important.

With Canters students, Giancarlo has performed experiments on inter-molecular reaction rates and a polymer creation lab that was Harry Potter-themed.

The students are also reading Harry Potter books and learning Latin. Giancarlo said she was impressed not only with their interest in science, but the connection they made between Latin and character names in the Harry Potter series, some of which hearken back to the dead language.

They are forming these amazing critical thinking skills, she said.

Giancarlo saw that as well during an exercise in which she asked the students to imitate the three forms of matter.

She said they were thoughtful enough to organize themselves in a tight group when pretending to be a solid but wiggling a little because atoms are always in movement. When they imitated a liquid, they moved farther apart. And as a gas, they zipped around the room.

When kids learn science at a young age, they see all the things they can do with it and realize its a way to ask your own questions, she said.

Giancarlo said students in Canters class are advancing faster than others shes worked with in a standard curriculum. She does think Canters concepts could work with larger groups of students.

As a student in traditional public school system in Florida, Canter said she thought teaching methods could be improved. So she came up with her own classroom style tha focuses on more than just curriculum.

She encourages students to make class rules that they are more likely to follow because they had a hand in creating them. They also earn points for rewards, giving them something to work toward.

I want to be a part of a movement in education that says its OK to be different, she said.
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European scientists advising the EU Commission about the safety of weedkiller glyphosate have rejected claims they deliberately overlooked research which linked the product to cancerous tumours in rodents.

The suggestions were made in a letter sent in late May to EU Commission president Jean Claude Juncker by campaigning scientist Christopher Portier, who also works as a consultant for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

See also: Glyphosate makers angry key data ignored in cancer claim

In his letter, Dr Portier points out that, since raw data reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has been made public, he found eight instances where rodents showed increased tumours following exposure to glyphosate.

These were not included in the assessment [of carcinogenicity] by either Efsa or ECHA, he wrote.

This suggests that the evaluations applied to the glyphosate data are scientifically flawed and any decisions derived from these evaluations will fail to protect public health.

A lack of transparency had also eroded public trust in public health decisions, he added.

Robust defence

But Efsa and ECHA have defended their opinions that glyphosate does not pose any risk of humans developing cancer  and insist their methodology is robust.

In a reply to Dr Portier, the two bodies state their original assessments considered all relevant findings and that the full study reports were available to those responsible for the assessment.

Specifically, they say the evidence around tumours in rodents does not imply that glyphosate is carcinogenic as they showed no dose response, no consistency across multiple animal studies and the incidences of tumours were within the historical control range.

Overall, Efsa and ECHA are of the opinion that all the findings on the chronic rodent carcinogenicity studies referred to in your letter have been adequately considered and we see no need for our evaluations to be revisited, they said.

The clarification comes as the EU Commission prepares to release proposals for a 10-year extension to the licence for glyphosate, with a first discussion by member states in the standing committee for plants, animals, food and feed due on 19 July.

This is likely to trigger another political debate about the safety of the product and the need to retain it as a tool for modern farming.

A final decision is likely to be made in Brussels towards the end of the year, when the current licence runs out.
A combine harvester has been parked outside the Department of Agriculture in Dublin city centre to mark the sixth day of protest by Irish farmers over compensation payments.

Four members of the Irish Farmers Associations (IFA) Grain Committee have been refusing to leave government offices since 5 July after a meeting on the terms of a inclement weather compensation scheme.

The four farmers  IFA Grain Committee chairman Liam Dunne, from Kildare, James Hill, from Wicklow, Peter Lynch, from Donegal, and Kieran McEvoy, from Laois  started their protest after it emerged that farmers will receive just 5,000 (4,385) each.

See also: 10% of Scottish farmers kept waiting for full BPS payments

Under EU state aid rules, the maximum the Department for Agriculture could pay farmers who lost crops in the 2016 harvest as a result of dire weather is 15,000 (13,155).

Still waiting

Speaking from the combine harvester, Mr Dunne said the cap was completely unjustified.

We came here on Wednesday and we asked for a meeting with the minister and he said he would think about meeting with us next week, he said.

So we said we would wait, and we are still waiting and we are going to wait until we get the meeting and we get this situation finalised.

IFA president Joe Healy had welcomed the announcement last week by agriculture minister Michael Creed of a financial support scheme for farmers who lost crops in the 2016 harvest because of poor weather, although he said it was long overdue.

While the IFA was unhappy with the 15,000 limit, we accepted that it was non-negotiable, as it was an EU rule.

The very least we would accept is that the 15,000 state aid rule be back on the table. We cant ignore this sector  its very, very, important to Irish agriculture. We cant go away and we wont go away.

Dire situation

Mr Healy said the four farmers occupying the building were not due to benefit from the scheme themselves and were solely acting in the interest of the relatively small  but hugely affected number of farmers that would benefit.

A spokesperson for the department for agriculture said it was trying to facilitate a meeting with the IFA as soon as possible.

Notwithstanding approval by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the outline of a crop-loss compensation scheme, the final terms and conditions and application process for such a scheme are yet to be finalised.
There currently are 93 Fisher Houses in the United States and in Europe with plans for more.
Oct. 28, 1922  June 29, 2017

Robert Bob Joseph Shine, 94, of Corvallis passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 29, 2017.

He was born on October 28, 1922 to William John and Vaneta B. Linten Shine. Robert was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he attended and graduated from grade and high school.

Bob worked one and a half years as a Machinist in the Naval Ordinance before joining the U.S. Marines in 1942. After serving three years in World War II, Bob attended Purdue University for one year.

Bob married Catherine M. Schone from Fort Wayne, Indiana on January 1, 1945 and moved west to Oregon in August of 1946 where he attended Oregon College of Education in Monmouth, graduating with Bachelors of Science and Masters of Science degrees.

In September 1949, Bob went to work for Greater Albany Public Schools as a teacher; first at Sunrise Elementary School. After three years as a teacher, Bob became principal and worked at various other grade schools in the area. Bob worked 33 years before retiring in June 1982.

He moved to LaPine in 1983 where he enjoyed woodworking, snowmobiling, and visiting kids/grandkids, returning to Albany in 2001.

Bob was an active member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign War, the Eagles, and Moose Lodge.

Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 63 years, Catherine M. Shine; and son Robert Michael.

He is survived by his children/spouses, Kevin/Jerri, Tim/Judy, Kathleen/Greg, Tracy/David, and Brendan/Wendy; 17 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.

A Rosary will be said on Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home. A Mass will be celebrated on Friday, July 14, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Marys Catholic Church in Albany.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Marys Catholic Church or Evergreen Hospice House, Albany, by sending to AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home, 805 Ellsworth St. SW, Albany, OR 97321.

Online condolences may be shared with family at www.aasum-dufour.com.

Roberts family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Evergreen Hospice House for their exceptional care and loving kindness.
Here are updates on stories that we have been tracking:

Tiny home development

The story: Nathan Light Wilson and Tor Stuart-Barstad, the founders of Tiny SMART House LLC in Albany, announced plans last summer to develop a neighborhood of ultracompact homes in Monroe. Dubbed Brickmill Meadows, the 28-acre development was slated to have 200 lots for tiny houses as well as a swimming pool, walking paths, a common area with laundry machines and other shared facilities, and even a brewpub.

The latest: According to Monroe City Administrator Rick Hohnbaum, the Brickmill Meadows project is dead and will not be built. Phone calls to project developer Nathan Light Wilson seeking additional details have not been returned.

Bennett Hall

County building

The story: Benton ounty is planning to remodel its Public Services Building at 530 N.W. 27th Street. The $7.6 million project is necessary because the building has become increasingly crowded in recent years as the countys main health clinic has expanded to accommodate a major influx of patients driven by a variety of factors, including the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion. As part of the expansion plan the county sought variances on sidewalk and planter strip infrastructure requirements.

The latest: The Land Development Hearings Board, a three-person subset of the Corvallis Planning Commission, held a public hearing on the request at its June 21 meeting and unanimously approved the variances.

James Day

Eclipse portal

The story: A total solar eclipse will hit the mid-valley on Monday, Aug. 21. It will be the first total eclipse in North America in 38 years, although a 1991 version passed through Hawaii and Baja California (cloud cover ruined the experience in Hawaii). Mid-valley emergency emergency preparedness officials are projecting thousands of visitors will come to Benton County for the event.

The latest: Benton County and the city of Corvallis have teamed up on web portal with information on the eclipse, contact numbers, safety tips and more. Here is the link: https://www.co.benton.or.us/midvalleyeclipse.

James Day
A Scio teen has been charged in a car chase Saturday that led to a Benton County Sheriffs Office vehicle crashing into a minivan not involved in the chase.

Liv Shaela Breanne Lanning, 19, is being held in the Linn County Jail on charges of reckless endangering, reckless driving and eluding in a vehicle, along with traffic violations.

Benton County Sheriff Scott Jackson said Lanning exceeded 100 miles an hour at times during the chase, which began at 4:39 p.m. when a Benton deputy reportedly saw her run a red light.

Jackson said the chase started in Corvallis and ended in Lebanon when Lanning stopped the vehicle, which had been reported stolen, and fled on foot.

The Gazette-Times initially reported that two were arrested in the chase; Jackson said Sunday that Lannings passenger was not arrested following the incident.

Jackson said the Linn County Sheriffs Office would be investigating the crash involving the Benton deputy, who was turning onto Knox Butte Road from Highway 226 when he collided with the minivan. Jackson said no one was injured in the crash. Following the Linn County investigation, Jackson said his office would be investigating the crash and would re-evaluate their practices during pursuits to increase safety.

Its never good to involve a civilian in a traffic crash, he said. It could have been much, much worse.

Court records show Lanning pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of reckless driving and attempting to elude police stemming from an incident in Linn County last October. She also has pleaded guilty in April to an unlawful possession of methamphetamine charge in a separate incident earlier this year.
When the news broke that the Supreme Court partially allowed Trumps travel ban to go ahead, it confirmed my deep fear that the unpredictable Supreme Court might break Trumps losing streak vis-a-vis the lower courts. And it did.

As an American citizen of Somali descent who proudly calls Oregon home, the news has particularly hit home for me. Although I can travel within and outside of the United States freely, I still feel targeted and humiliated insofar as the Supreme Court upheld major parts of Trumps Travel Ban 2.0.

Mind you, this bad news does not stop me from joining millions of fellow Americans who celebrated the American tradition of political freedom on July 4. But it allowed me to protest a blatantly anti-American policy.

Thus far, the intensity of debate on this issue seemed to have been revolved around whether Trump's executive order was a Muslim ban, a travel ban or extreme vetting." However, one thing was crystal clear: the key ingredients which unite the banned countries. They are all majority Muslim nation whose citizens neither carried out any successful attack on American soil nor offer any interest for President Trumps business empire.

Before I get into how millions of people, the overwhelming majority of whom innocent, are discriminated against by this travel ban, let us revisit Americas history of welcoming the oppressed, the impoverished and millions of political or economic refugees, including my own family who found this country to be a beacon of hope.

This executive order reverses, however, or at the very minimal, deals a huge blow to the longstanding American tradition of welcoming the persecuted. It completely stops all refugees from entering the country for up to 120 days. For years, I took it for granted that America will always and forever remain hospitable and provide hope for people like my family. I was wrong. As refugees, my family applied for resettlement from many countries, but the United States answered our call. Thankfully, it was perhaps the happiest moment in our lives when we learned that we were traveling to JFK International Airport to permanently settle in the United States of America with my family members.

Under Trumps ban, my family would not have been welcome. In fact, there are thousands of families like my own who are currently in the process to arrive here. But their hopes have been shattered by this cruel policy. So many vulnerable women and children will see their dreams completely wiped out with a stroke of a pen.

The inclusion of refugees in the ban further undermines Trump's claim that it serves any security purpose. That is because refugees are the most well-vetted category of immigrants. The process is lengthy and thorough and involves several government agencies. Examining the identity of 9-11 hijackers, San Bernardino shooters, the failed British shoe-bomber and the plethora of homegrown radicalism, there is no evidence that any citizen of any of the six banned countries were involved in any of those. In fact a recent study in the University of Chicagos Journal of Politics found that there is no link between terrorism and immigration.

Even though as a naturalized U.S. citizen, I am not subject to the ban, the thought of this happening to people who had done nothing wrong other than being born in my native country and five majority Muslim nations, makes me feel its impact and humiliation in ways that are personal.

I hope rationality prevails rather than scapegoating the poor and weak. I also hope that we rise above justifying extreme measures, such as torture, wars and draconian and irrational laws that target entire populations and nations.

The refugee ban will make the United States look weak, fragile and heartless  and it trashes a longstanding American tradition of welcoming refugees and immigrants.

I am grateful and lucky to be living in Corvallis. A community that is both welcoming and safe for me and my family. I wish I could say the same thing about the entire nation.
LGBT celebration and demonstration : Hundreds of thousands celebrate Christopher Street Day in Cologne

Cologne The largest European Christopher Street Day in Europe again turned into a huge street party, but was also a demonstration. Everyone is delighted about the right to marry, but they also agree there is still much to do.

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Many - mostly heterosexuals who have come across it by chance - say the Cologne Christopher Street Day (CSD) is better than Carneval. CSD is more than a political demonstration; it is a commercial street party, a series of events, a visitor magnet, a party. It is the CSD in Europe. And it is an important celebration for many lesbians, gays, bisexual, transsexual and intersex people. They can be who they want during CSD, especially those from older generations who long had to hide away and deny who they were. At CSD, people celebrate being seen.

With the quashing of sentences against gay men, who once were prosecuted under paragraph 175 of the penal code, and the legalisation of gay marriages, there is lots to celebrate this year. And that is what Petra Fischer, 40, and her partner, Cordula Moers, who is a year older, are doing. Sitting on Sunday afternoon on a meadow with their four-year-old daughter Lucie, they, like the many visitors, are watching the parade. Along with three other lesbian couples, they have been thinking about getting married since same-sex marriage was legalised. Then we definitely want to celebrate with a big party, says Fischer. The pair are also considering adopting another child.

Some from mainstream society may ask: Homosexuals can marry now. What more do they want? Drag queen Anna Bolikha, who has come to CSD in Cologne from Mainz says: When you put on a dress as a man and go out onto the street, you quickly notice where the problems are. She is wearing a flower in her long, black wig and sparkly orange nail polish. Verbal abuse is still the least worrying thing you encounter. On the night same-sex marriage was legalised, glass bottles were thrown at friends.

Discrimination, bodily as well as verbal harm and stereotypes are still widespread, as Jurgen Piper, who works as an educator at Anyway, knows. Anyway is a youth centre in Cologne especially for young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and transsexual. Piper would like more educational work in schools. We need meetings to break down prejudices, he says. It is only in this way that young heterosexual people will learn that a lesbian or transsexual fellow pupil is completely normal.

Skyler Rosing, 17, has had to experience that this is often not the case. He is a trans man, so was born with a female body. He wants to begin hormone therapy soon. Some teachers refuse to use my new name, says Rosing, who is from Cologne and taking part in CSD for the third time. The student also thinks the laws in Germany have some catching up to do. Many obstacles are put in your way when you want to change your name and your status. He criticises the process as being expensive and very bureaucratic. Gender-neutral names are also not allowed. Someone called Kim must have a second name that indicates his sex.

The 17-year-old thinks this should all change and that is why he is taking to the streets on Christopher Street Day  like around 30,000 other demonstrators.
Skoda Greenline: Auf Sparsamkeit getrimmt

Der Fabia ist unter den Greenline-Modellen mit 3,4 Liter Diesel auf 100 km der Sparmeister. Foto: Werksfoto

Beim Preis-Leistungs-Verhaltnis machen Skoda-Modelle von jeher eine gute Figur. Jetzt sind sie auch noch besonders umweltfreundlich unterwegs.

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Beim Preis-Leistungs-Verhaltnis machen Skoda-Modelle von jeher eine gute Figur. Jetzt sind sie auch noch besonders umweltfreundlich unterwegs. Die tschechische Volkswagen-Tochter hat namlich fur alle funf Baureihen je eine Version auf auerste Sparsamkeit getrimmt und sie mit dem Namenszusatz "Greenline" gekennzeichnet.

Bereits seit 2008 konnten die Modelle Fabia, Roomster, Octavia und Superb mit verbrauchsmindernder Technik geordert werden. In der zweiten Greenline-Generation prasentieren sich daruber hinaus jetzt auch das SUV Yeti und das Flaggschiff Superb Combi als besonders kraftstoffeffizient.

Alle Greenline-Varianten sind mit mindestens sechs Airbags, Klimaanlage, Audioanlage mit CD- und MP3-Player, Bordcomputer sowie Leichtmetallfelgen ausgestattet; bei Octavia und Superb sind auerdem auch Lederlenkrad und Parksensoren serienmaig. Die Preise reichen von 16 980 Euro fur den Fabia Greenline bis zum 27 950 Euro teuren Superb Combi Greenline.

"Greenline" kombiniert verschiedene Modifikationen an Fahrzeug und Antriebsstrang und entspricht dem, was bei VW "Blue Motion" und bei der spanischen Schwester Seat "Ecomotive" heit.

Als wichtigste Manahme sind die Sparmodelle mit einer Start-Stopp-Automatik ausgestattet, die den Motor immer dann abschaltet, wenn der Fahrer vor einer roten Ampel, an einer Bahnschranke oder im Stau in den Leerlauf schaltet. Das Triebwerk wird wieder gestartet, sobald die Kupplung getreten wird. Das System arbeitet erfreulich direkt; Verbrauchssenkungen um bis zu 0,8 Liter im Stadtverkehr sollen damit moglich sein.

Daruber hinaus verfugen die Oko-Varianten uber ein System zur Bremsenergie-Ruckgewinnung, rollwiderstandsarme Reifen und eine Schaltempfehlung. Der hochste Gang des manuellen Funfganggetriebes ist besonders lang ubersetzt. Zusatzlich wurden aerodynamische Optimierungen an Karosserie und Unterboden sowie eine Anpassung des Motorsteuergerates vorgenommen.

Die Greenline-Technik ist an zwei direkteinspritzende Turbodiesel-Motoren aus dem Volkswagen-Regal mit 1,2 und 1,6 Liter Hubraum gekoppelt. In den Modellen Fabia, Fabia Combi und Roomster kommt der 1,2-Liter-Dreizylinder mit 55 kW/75 PS zum Einsatz, dessen maximales Drehmoment von 180 Nm bei 2 000 U/min erreicht wird. Damit mutieren Fabia und Fabia Combi zu absoluten Sparmeistern mit einem Normverbrauch von nur 3,4 Litern Diesel je 100 Kilometer bei 89 Gramm CO2-Aussto pro Kilometer; sie sind noch einmal deutlich verbrauchsgunstiger als in der ersten Generation.

Die vom Fabia abgeleitete Hochdachversion Roomster gonnt sich in der Greenline-Version im kombinierten Verbrauch 4,2 Liter Kraftstoff je 100 Kilometer (109 g CO2/km). Mit dem 1,6-Liter-Vierzylinder sind die Greenline-Versionen von Octavia und Superb - jeweils als Limousine und Combi - sowie der frontgetriebene Yeti besonders sparsam unterwegs. Das Aggregat leistet 77 kW/105 PS und stellt sein bestes Drehmoment von 250 Nm zwischen 1 500 und 2 500 U/min zur Verfugung.

Wie der kleinere Motor harmoniert auch der groe Selbstzunder gut mit den Sparmodellen und ist ausreichend durchzugsstark, wenn auch nicht besonders leise. Selbst der 4,84 Meter lange und immerhin 1,5 Tonnen schwere Superb Combi wirkt mit dem 77 kW-Aggregat nicht untermotorisiert.

Wie die Limousinen-Variante konsumiert er im kombinierten Verbrauch lediglich 4,4 Liter Diesel je 100 Kilometer, die CO2-Emissionen liegen bei nur 114 g/km - beeindruckend fur ein Fahrzeug dieser Klasse. Dabei ist der tschechische Lademeister mit einer Hochstgeschwindigkeit von 190 km/h durchaus flott unterwegs und beschleunigt in 12,6 Sekunden auf 100 km/h.

Noch umweltschonender prasentiert sich der kompakte Octavia Greenline. Er wartet mit einem durchschnittlichen Kraftstoffverbrauch von nur 3,8 Liter je 100 Kilometer und 99 g CO2/km auf, der Kombi kommt auf 4,2 Liter und 109 g/km. Von null bis 100 km/h vergehen 11,4 Sekunden, maximal 192 km/h sind moglich.

Beim Fahrverhalten fordert die grune Vernunft kaum Kompromisse. Der genugsame 1,6-Liter-Selbstzunder mit Turboaufladung und Direkteinspritzung zieht muhelos an und erlaubt eine ruckfreie, leicht untertourige Fahrweise.

Einen neuen Bestwert in seinem Segment markiert auch der Yeti Greenline. Ihn gibt es nur als Fronttriebler mit einer um funfundzwanzig Millimeter reduzierten Bodenfreiheit. Trotz groer Stirnflache begnugt sich das kompakte SUV im Normverbrauch mit 4,6 Liter Diesel je 100 Kilometer (119 g CO2/km).
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.
kacylee at 10-07-2017 08:28 AM (5 years ago) (f)

A man who robs in Hijab, has been apprehended and put in custody in Niger state. Facebook user, Jonpaul Oshioke Umoru, who shared the story alleged that thats the latest prank employed by Handset robbers after dark in the state. They wear hijabs, trail you from behind to portray a feminine character, and whilst you let down your guard, they catch up and strike at any resistance.

A man who robs in Hijab, has been apprehended and put in custody in Niger state. Facebook user, Jonpaul Oshioke Umoru, who shared the story alleged that thats the latest prank employed by Handset robbers after dark in the state. They wear hijabs, trail you from behind to portray a feminine character, and whilst you let down your guard, they catch up and strike at any resistance. Heres what he wrote;



Heres what he wrote; Quote PUBLIC NOTICE!!!

Dwellers of 3 Arms Zone, Eastern bypass/Maitumbi Axis,Minna in Niger State Pls take heed, there is a latest prank used by Handset robbers after dark, they wear hijabs and trail you from behind to portray a feminine character whilst you let down your guard, they catch up and strike at any resistance.

Nemesis caught up with this one yesterday, he has since been apprehended and put in custody.







Post Reply I have been reporting for several years now and I am very interested in visual news reportage with strong inclusion of photos and video multimedia. Posted: at 10-07-2017 08:28 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero
bayonel3 at 10-07-2017 09:55 AM (5 years ago) (m)

Mr. Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe is sick and has gone to Singapore for treatment or what local media say is routine medical check-up. President Mugabe on Friday left the country for Singapore for a routine medical check-up, Africa Review quoted local media. The 92-year-old Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, on Thursday in Harare maintained that even though his party would choose a successor, he planned to contest the next election in 2018. The paper said the veteran ruler is expected back in Zimbabwe midweek. President Mugabes medical trips to the Southeast Asia city state have become more frequent in recent years. His previous visit was in May, also said to be for a routine medical check-up. In 2011 and 2014 he had eye surgery in a hospital in Singapore.

Mr. Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe is sick and has gone to Singapore for treatment or what local media say is routine medical check-up. President Mugabe on Friday left the country for Singapore for a routine medical check-up, Africa Review quoted local media. The 92-year-old Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, on Thursday in Harare maintained that even though his party would choose a successor, he planned to contest the next election in 2018. The paper said the veteran ruler is expected back in Zimbabwe midweek. President Mugabes medical trips to the Southeast Asia city state have become more frequent in recent years. His previous visit was in May, also said to be for a routine medical check-up. In 2011 and 2014 he had eye surgery in a hospital in Singapore. President Mugabe now walks with difficulty and sometimes dozes off during meetings. His health has been the subject of increased speculation in recent years and authorities in March arrested two journalists over a report alleging that he was in bad shape

In 2016, the government had to deny that he had died abroad during his annual vacation. President Mugabe has declined to name a successor and his ruling Zanu-PF party has been riven by factionalism for years. Despite President Mugabes advanced age, the party last year endorsed him as its candidate for the 2018 General Election. The leader is not the only African president currently abroad for treatment for an undisclosed condition. Some other African leaders have also taken ill, including President Muhammadu Buhari, who is currently recuperating in London. Angolas President Jose Eduardo dos Santos recently spent a month in Spain for medical treatment and on Monday officials announced that he had gone back for what was described as a private visit.

Mugabe was born 21 February 1924 and became is a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who has been President of Zimbabwe since 1987. He previously led Zimbabwe as Prime Minister from 1980 to 1987.He chaired the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) group from 1975 to 1980 and has led its successor political party, the ZANU  Patriotic Front (ZANUPF), since 1980. President Mugabe now walks with difficulty and sometimes dozes off during meetings. His health has been the subject of increased speculation in recent years and authorities in March arrested two journalists over a report alleging that he was in bad shapeIn 2016, the government had to deny that he had died abroad during his annual vacation. President Mugabe has declined to name a successor and his ruling Zanu-PF party has been riven by factionalism for years. Despite President Mugabes advanced age, the party last year endorsed him as its candidate for the 2018 General Election. The leader is not the only African president currently abroad for treatment for an undisclosed condition. Some other African leaders have also taken ill, including President Muhammadu Buhari, who is currently recuperating in London. Angolas President Jose Eduardo dos Santos recently spent a month in Spain for medical treatment and on Monday officials announced that he had gone back for what was described as a private visit.Mugabe was born 21 February 1924 and became is a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who has been President of Zimbabwe since 1987. He previously led Zimbabwe as Prime Minister from 1980 to 1987.He chaired the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) group from 1975 to 1980 and has led its successor political party, the ZANU  Patriotic Front (ZANUPF), since 1980.

Post Reply I scour the world wide web to bring you interesting stories from around the globe. [email protected] Posted: at 10-07-2017 09:55 AM (5 years ago) | Hero
Alleged New Photos Of Aisha & Buhari in London + Latest Details On The President's Health Status

clarajancita at 10-07-2017 09:57 AM (5 years ago) (f)

Alleged new photos of President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha, where they were pictured in London where they were pictured in London has emerged online. It Was reported last week that Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, the wife of the President, arrived London on Wednesday morning to see her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari who has been in the British capital for over 60 days on extended medical vacation.

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, had left Addis Ababa in Ethiopia on Tuesday night where she attended the meeting of Organization of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA).

Alleged new photos of President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha, where they were pictured in London where they were pictured in London has emerged online. It Was reported last week that Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, the wife of the President, arrived London on Wednesday morning to see her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari who has been in the British capital for over 60 days on extended medical vacation.Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, had left Addis Ababa in Ethiopia on Tuesday night where she attended the meeting of Organization of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA). Meanwhile, some photos emerged online some hours ago, alleging that Aisha Buhari later met her husband and that he is recovering fast and may return to the country soon.

However it seems that the photos circulating on social media might be old images of the president and his wife.

Meanwhile, some photos emerged online some hours ago, alleging that Aisha Buhari later met her husband and that he is recovering fast and may return to the country soon.However it seems that the photos circulating on social media might be old images of the president and his wife. Quote "These photos were circulated today for propaganda purposes making it seem @aishambuhari met with Buhari. Photos taken pre-2015," wrote on the photos.

The publication also alleged that Aisha is not even staying with her husband at Abuja house in London where the president is recuperating, adding that she stays in a rented apartment and visits Buhari when allowed.

See Tweets posted online by SR on the latest development.







wrote on the photos.The publication also alleged that Aisha is not even staying with her husband at Abuja house in London where the president is recuperating, adding that she stays in a rented apartment and visits Buhari when allowed.See Tweets posted online by SR on the latest development.

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 10-07-2017 09:57 AM (5 years ago) | Hero

Mykie010 at 10-07-2017 10:25 AM (5 years ago)

(m) I never see this kain thing bf,where a country's president is missing and the country is in total chaos ,yet holding onto power. Posted: at 10-07-2017 10:25 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac I never see this kain thing bf,where a country's president is missing and the country is in total chaos ,yet holding onto power. Reply

starzx at 10-07-2017 10:31 AM (5 years ago)

(f) THEY ARE JST FOOLING THEMSELVES.ALL THIS FOOLISHNESS FOR MONEY AND POWER! CAN U IMAGINE HW PEOPLE SELL THEIR DIGNITY FOR VANITY!. Posted: at 10-07-2017 10:31 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming THEY ARE JST FOOLING THEMSELVES.ALL THIS FOOLISHNESS FOR MONEY AND POWER! CAN U IMAGINE HW PEOPLE SELL THEIR DIGNITY FOR VANITY!. Reply

sandra78 at 10-07-2017 10:35 AM (5 years ago)

(f) Muhammadu Buhari the King Nebuchadnezzar is finished........He will gradually turn to an animal very soon Posted: at 10-07-2017 10:35 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Muhammadu Buhari the King Nebuchadnezzar is finished........He will gradually turn to an animal very soon Reply

euwilliams at 10-07-2017 10:44 AM (5 years ago)

(f) Whatever,, 2015 or 2017 let him get well Posted: at 10-07-2017 10:44 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Whatever,, 2015 or 2017 let him get well Reply

alao333 at 10-07-2017 03:03 PM (5 years ago)

(m) Baba buhari fast recovering is my prayers. Posted: at 10-07-2017 03:03 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Baba buhari fast recovering is my prayers. Reply

kacylee at 10-07-2017 06:46 PM (5 years ago)

(f) na them sabi the drama they are performing , all i know when the time comes truth will definately prevail I have been reporting for several years now and I am very interested in visual news reportage with strong inclusion of photos and video multimedia. Posted: at 10-07-2017 06:46 PM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero na them sabi the drama they are performing , all i know when the time comes truth will definately prevail Reply

tegonwa at 10-07-2017 07:36 PM (5 years ago)

(m) Aisha Asians bring him back.We love him so much that we cry over his inability to share in this hunger and poverty which we suffer here in Nigeria.So hopeless. Posted: at 10-07-2017 07:36 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Aisha Asians bring him back.We love him so much that we cry over his inability to share in this hunger and poverty which we suffer here in Nigeria.So hopeless. Reply

schmit at 10-07-2017 07:55 PM (5 years ago)

(f) Hmmmm Posted: at 10-07-2017 07:55 PM (5 years ago) | Hero Hmmmm Reply

osayan1 at 11-07-2017 11:47 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Posted: at 11-07-2017 11:47 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Reply

osayan1 at 12-07-2017 02:43 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Back to Back photo Posted: at 12-07-2017 02:43 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Back to Back photo Reply

ruthie at 13-07-2017 10:36 AM (5 years ago)

(f) HE IS RECOVERING ..THANK GOD Posted: at 13-07-2017 10:36 AM (5 years ago) | Hero HE IS RECOVERING ..THANK GOD Reply

tegonwa at 13-07-2017 10:40 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Quote from: alao333 on 10-07-2017 03:03 PM Baba buhari fast recovering is my prayers.

.Lol I'm Sure Lai Mohammed Has Informed Him About Ur Prayers.Jusk Keep Praying Ok. Posted: at 13-07-2017 10:40 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac .Lol I'm Sure Lai Mohammed Has Informed Him About Ur Prayers.Jusk Keep Praying Ok. Reply

BournIdentity at 26-07-2017 07:44 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Posted: at 26-07-2017 07:44 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero Reply

Simms at 26-07-2017 07:18 PM (5 years ago)

(m) From what we we know so far of Buhari's illness. Either Buhari has been certified ready to leave London anytime from now or everything is fake. No qualified Doctors in UK will allow many people especially those from Nigeria to visit someone so ill. Any slightest infection will kill this man over night. I am 100% sure that Buhari will not be allowed to meet so many different people at this stage unless he is ready to fly back to Nigeria today which I doubt. I wish him well anyway. Posted: at 26-07-2017 07:18 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming From what we we know so far of Buhari's illness. Either Buhari has been certified ready to leave London anytime from now or everything is fake. No qualified Doctors in UK will allow many people especially those from Nigeria to visit someone so ill. Any slightest infection will kill this man over night. I am 100% sure that Buhari will not be allowed to meet so many different people at this stage unless he is ready to fly back to Nigeria today which I doubt. I wish him well anyway. Reply
Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy.
Strikes Continue in Effort to Defeat ISIS in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, July 9, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 25 strikes consisting of 75 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 18 strikes consisting of 26 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed two ISIS oil separator tanks, two oil tankers and a wellhead.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, four strikes destroyed 11 ISIS oil stills, three oil-still tanks, three oil tankers, an oil separator tank, a wellhead, and a pump jack.

-- Near Raqqa, 12 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units and destroyed seven fighting positions, two vehicles, a front-end loader, an ISIS communications tower and communications equipment.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of 49 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Huwayjah, one strike destroyed an ISIS fuel point.

-- Near Beiji, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed a tactical vehicle and a bunker.

-- Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

-- Near Mosul, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units; destroyed 21 fighting positions, six improvised bombs, four medium machine guns, three staging areas, two rocket-propelled grenade systems and a vehicle-borne-bomb facility; and damaged six fighting positions.

-- Near Rawah, a strike destroyed a vehicle-borne bomb.

Additional July 7 Strikes

Officials today also announced results of nine July 7 strikes for which details were unavailable at the time of yesterday's update:

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, a strike destroyed an ISIS media facility.

-- Near Raqqa, Syria, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed five fighting positions, an improvised-bomb factory and a vehicle-borne bomb; and damaged 15 fighting positions.

-- Near Mosul, Iraq, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit; destroyed four medium machine guns, four fighting positions, four garages, three ISIS-held buildings, two vehicles and a weapons cache and damaged four fighting positions and two garages.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.

Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect.

For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

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Qatar setting up committee to pursue compensation for Saudi-led blockade

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 9, 2017 1:21PM

Qatar says it is establishing a committee to pursue compensation claims arising from an unprecedented blockade imposed against the Persian Gulf country by four Arab countries, dubbed as the siege states, led by Saudi Arabia.

Qatar's Attorney General Ali bin Fetais al-Marri announced the news during a press conference in capital Doha on Sunday, adding that the Compensation Claims Committee would be overseen by himself and senior officials from the ministries of foreign affairs and justice.

"This committee will receive all claims, whether from the public sector, private sector or individuals," he told journalists.

Marri added that potential plaintiffs such as Qatar Airways, banks or individuals, including Qatari students, who have been expelled from the countries where they were studying, would be able to file claims over the "siege" in Qatari courts or those abroad, including in Paris and London.

The unprecedented crisis in the Persian Gulf region unfolded on June 5, when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt severed ties with Qatar, officially accusing Doha of supporting "terrorism" and destabilizing the Middle East, allegations that Qatar says are unjustified and stem from false claims and assumptions.

To further pressure Qatar, Saudi Arabia has totally closed its land border with its tiny neighbor, through which much of Qatar's food supply crossed. Iran and Turkey are now providing Qatar's required food supplies.

On June 22, the so-called siege countries urged Qatar to abide by a 13-point demand list if it wanted the crippling blockade lifted. The defiant Doha government has strongly refused to comply with the demands, calling them "unrealistic, unreasonable and unacceptable." In return, the four countries vowed to impose further sanctions on Doha.

The demands included shutting down the Doha-based Al Jazeera broadcaster, scaling back cooperation with Iran, closing the Turkish military base in Qatar, and paying an unspecified sum in reparations.

The punitive measures against Qatar drew condemnation from rights groups, including Amnesty International, which says the diplomatic dispute has been toying with thousands of lives.

Last month, Doha's National Human Rights Committee said the sanctions had already violated the rights of nearly 140 Qatari students studying in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

The coordinated move against Doha is spearheaded by Riyadh, which often manages to have its vassal states fall into line. Saudi Arabia itself is known as the main sponsor of the violent Wahhabi terrorists it has accused Qatar of supporting. Some analysts believe the Saudi anger is rather because Qatar acts more independently of Riyadh, including in its relations with Iran.

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Mongolian Opposition Candidate Wins Presidential Runoff Vote

July 09, 2017

A former martial-arts expert and opposition candidate has won a runoff election for Mongolia's presidency, results from election officials show.

The Central Election Commission on July 8 said Battulga Khaltmaa of the opposition Democratic Party had 50.6 percent of the vote against Enkhbold Miyegombo from the ruling Mongolian People's Party (MPP), who had 41.1 percent. About 8.3 percent of the votes were abstentions.

The runner-up conceded defeat, thanking supporters and saying he would "respect and accept the presidential results."

"Although the MPP couldn't succeed in this election, the cabinet will keep working to complete our agenda of overcoming the financial crisis for the well-being of our people," he said.

Election officials said more than 1.2 million people voted in the country's seventh presidential election. Turnout was 60.5 percent.

The president-elect, who ran on a populist, anti-China platform, told reporters that "I will start work straight away to resolve the economic difficulties and make Mongolians debt free as I promised."

Battulga, a real estate tycoon, has vowed to utilize Mongolia's mining wealth to get the country out of debt.

Mongolia has negotiated a $5.5 billion International Monetary Fund-led bailout to help stabilize the economy and ease its dependence on China, which buys about 80 percent of Mongolian exports.

The campaign was marked by scandal, with both candidates being accused of financial irregularities.

Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/mongolia-presidential-election- ulan-bator-battulga/28604024.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.

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Azerbaijan Accuses Armenia of 109 Karabakh Truce Violations in Last 24 Hours

Sputnik News

10:27 09.07.2017

According to Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry, Armenia has violated the ceasefire regime in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region 109 times over last 24 hours.

BAKU (Sputnik)  Armenia has violated the ceasefire regime in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region 109 times over last 24 hours, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said on Sunday, amid recently escalated tensions between the sides to the conflict.

"The defense ministry announces that Armenian armed forces violated the ceasefire regime across the contact line 109 times in last 24 hours, using mortars (60- and 120-millimeter, three shells)," the ministerial statement said.

Azerbaijan's Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh proclaimed its independence in 1991, triggering a military conflict that led to Baku's loss of control over the region. The violence between Azerbaijani and Nagorno-Karabakh forces escalated on April 2, 2016, leading to multiple casualties. The sides agreed to a ceasefire on April 5, but clashes have continued.

In a recent incident, on Tuesday, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said that the Azerbaijani village of Alkhanli was shelled, which resulted in the deaths of two people as well as the civil property damage. The unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh republic's Ministry of Defense pointed out that its forces opened retaliatory fire against Azerbaijan's multiple rocket launcher firing positions, and put all the blame on Baku.

 Sputnik

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US Raises Pressure on Kashmir Militants Fighting India

By Madeeha Anwar July 09, 2017

The U.S. State Department has declared Syed Salahuddin, the Pakistan-based chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, as a "global terrorist," and imposed new sanctions aimed at suppressing his organization, one of the major militant groups fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir.

The State Department said the militant leader poses "a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals, or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States."

The U.S. acted just hours before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had his first face-to-face meeting with President Donald Trump at the Oval Office in late June.

Here's what is known about Salahuddin and his militant group, Hizbul Mujahideen.

Who is Syed Salahuddin?

A native of Indian-administered Kashmir, Syed Muhammad Yusuf Shah, known as Syed Salahuddin, is the current chief of Hizbul Mujahideen (HuM) and operates from Pakistan.

Salahuddin, 71, joined the decades-long militancy in Kashmir after losing a legislative assembly election in 1987. In 1989, he moved to the Pakistani side of Kashmir, joined Hizbul Mujahideen and soon took over as chief of the militant group. A year later, he framed the constitution of HuM and since then has been leading the largest Kashmiri separatist movement.

Salahuddin also heads an alliance of over a dozen militant groups in Kashmir called the United Jihad Council (UJC), which says it fights for the right of self-determination for the residents of Kashmir.

According to the India Express, Salahuddin has "played a key hand in fueling militancy in Kashmir over the last 27 years." He is known for supplying arms and training young recruits and sending them to Kashmir for militant activities, the Mumbai-based newspaper added.

Why a 'global terrorist'?

The State Department said sanctions against Salahuddin were justified because he is, and has been, "a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States."

"In September 2016, Salahuddin vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict," U.S. diplomats said.

HuM is one of the major militant groups fighting Indian troops in Kashmir and also is blamed for attacks on Indian Army targets outsiode the Vale of Kashmir.

Pakistan has criticized the U.S. for declaring Syed Salahuddin a terrorist, contending the State Department's decision is an effort to please India and to undermine the efforts of Kashmiri people fighting for their legitimate rights.

Pakistan defends 'legitimate struggle'

Islamabad maintains that the militants fighting New Delhi's rule in Kashmir are involved in a legitimate struggle for freedom and self-determination.

"Over the past year, the world has witnessed an intensification of the brutal policies of repression being pursued by the Indian occupation forces," said Pakistani foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria. "Despite this relentless state terror, the Kashmiris remain undeterred and unbowed."

"This decision has not been taken by the United Nations. We are not bound to implement U.S. decisions," said Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistani prime minister's adviser on foreign affairs.

"We will continue moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris," Aziz said last week at a forum for Kashmiri journalists in Islamabad.

History of Kashmir Dispute

The Kashmir conflict emerged right after Pakistan and India gained Independence from British rule in 1947.

India controls a larger portion of the Himalayan region of Kashmir than Pakistan. Both neighbors claim Kashmir in its entirety as an integral part of their territory.

Militants operate on both sides of the conflict, and India and Pakistan consistently blame each other for allowing terrorists to use their territory to plot and carry out cross-border attacks.

The two South Asian powers have gone to war over Kashmir three times: at the time of partition, in 1947, and later in 1965 and 1999. Since both India and Pakistan now have nuclear weapons, the element of risk in such conflicts has now risen exponentially.

What is Hizbul Mujahideen?

Founded in 1989 in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, Hizbul Mujahideen - 'the Party of Holy Warriors' - is considered to be the largest militant group in Kashmir. It has been been branded a terrorist organization by India, the European Union and the United States.

Hizbul Mujahideen reportedly was established to counter the separatist group Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, which advocated for complete independence of Kashmir rather than unification with Pakistan.

HuM has always advocated for merger of all of Kashmir, including the portion now under India's control, with Pakistan.

The militant group still has a large number of operatives on both sides of Kashmir, but its numbers have been shrinking. Hizbul Mujahideen was estimated to have around 10,000 members in 1990, but that figure had declined to 1,500 by 2011.

The group has a women's wing, Banat-ul-Islam. It also operates the partisan media outlet Kashmir Press International.

Many other active militant groups

Over a dozen militant separatist groups are fighting in Indian-held Kashmir. Most of them are based in the Pakistani-administered portion of the Kashmir Valley. India has repeatedly blamed the groups for inciting violence in Kashmir, and the issue has kept the relationship between India and Pakistan tense for decades.

Last year, at least 17 Indian army personnel were killed and over two dozen injured in militant attacks on an Indian army headquarters near the national border with Pakistan. New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, one of the UJC groups, for carrying out the attack.

Indian security forces in Kashmir have been accused by rights groups for widespread violations of human rights, including indiscriminate arrests and torture.

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Trump Says He Twice 'Strongly Pressed' Putin on US Election Meddling

By Ken Bredemeier July 09, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he twice "strongly pressed" Russian President Vladimir Putin about Russia's meddling in last year's U.S. election and it was now time to "move forward in working constructively" with Moscow.

In a string of Twitter comments after returning to Washington from the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, Trump noted that Putin vehemently denied any role in interfering in the election and that he and the Russian leader "discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe."

Key Republican lawmakers, however, immediately ridiculed Trump's idea of working with the Russians on a cybersecurity pact. Senator Lindsey Graham said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that it was "not the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but it's pretty close."

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in Kyiv that Russian interference in the November election remains an impediment to better relations between the two countries. White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told Fox News that Trump "absolutely did not believe" Putin's denial of the election meddling.

Trump said in one tweet that he had "already given my opinion" on the election interference. He apparently was referring to the assessment he offered last week at a news conference in Warsaw, where he said, "I think it was Russia and I think it could have been other people and other countries. Could have been a lot of people [who] interfered."

Trump is facing months of investigations of allegations that his campaign colluded with Russian officials to help him win the White House and that he possibly obstructed justice by firing James Comey, then the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, while he was leading the agency's Russia investigation.

Numerous congressional probes are underway, as is a criminal investigation headed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, another former FBI chief.

'A great success'

Trump called the summit of the leaders of the world's largest economies "a great success for the U.S.," saying he had "explained that the U.S. must fix the many bad trade deals it has made" and that its deals would be reworked.

He made no mention of the European Union's major trade deal with Japan announced last week, or that the other 19 countries at the summit voiced their opposition to Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 international accord reached in Paris to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years.

Trump claimed as a success his agreement with Putin on a negotiated cease-fire in parts of Syria that he said would save lives in Syria's unending six-year civil war for control of the Middle Eastern country.

'Fake news'

But in his tweets, the U.S. leader also returned to two of his favorite themes, attacking the mainstream U.S. news media and opposition Democrats.

He said "Fake News" had overstated the number of American intelligence agencies that had concluded that Russia meddled in the election to boost Trump's chances of defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state, saying it was 17 when it was actually four.

Trump, as he did overseas, questioned why his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, did "NOTHING when he had info" about the Russian election interference in August, three months before the election.

Weeks after the voting, Obama, in response to Moscow's election interference, expelled 35 Russian diplomats and closed two Russian compounds that the U.S. said had been used for intelligence gathering.

Trump said he and Putin did not discuss the sanctions and that "nothing will be done" about them until "problems" with Russia's military involvement in Ukraine and Syria "are solved."

Trump also claimed that the FBI and Central Intelligence Agency were rebuffed 13 times in seeking to examine computers at the Democratic National Committee that were hacked into by Russian interests.

The anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks subsequently released thousands of emails of Clinton's campaign chief John Podesta, many of them showing embarrassing behind-the-scenes efforts by Democratic operatives to help Clinton win the party's presidential nomination.

Clinton has blamed the almost daily release of the emails in the weeks leading up to the election as one reason why she lost, even as national polls said she would win.

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Tillerson Travels to Kuwait in Hopes of Brokering Qatar Deal

By VOA News July 09, 2017

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson travels to Kuwait Monday to try to help broker a deal between Qatar and its Gulf neighbors.

Kuwait has tried to mediate a resolution between the small monarchy on the Arabian Peninsula and its neighbors, but has been unsuccessful so far.

Tillerson met with top Qatari and Kuwaiti officials late last month in an effort to end the escalating standoff, but he is apparently taking a more hands-on role in the negotiations with his trip to Kuwait. The secretary of state has emphasized the need for all parties to exercise restraint to allow for productive diplomatic discussions.

Gulf neighbors cut ties

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have imposed trade and diplomatic embargoes on Qatar. The Saudi-led group has suspended all relations with Qatar and has accused the oil-rich nation of supporting extremist groups and destabilizing the region, claims Qatar has denied.

The Gulf states have also shown no willingness to ease their 13-point list of demands, which includes calls for Qatar to downgrade its relations with Iran and close the Qatari-state-funded Al-Jazeera news network.

"We believe that this could potentially drag on for weeks. It could drag on for months," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said last week, about the row among the Gulf states.

Trump weighed in

After his first trip abroad to Saudi Arabia, U.S. President Donald Trump, weighed in on the Qatar crisis, albeit in a way that contrasted his views with those of his secretary of state.

"The nation of Qatar unfortunately has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level," Trump said last month, "and in the wake of that GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] nations came together and spoke to me about confronting Qatar over its behavior."

After the Saudis and their neighbors instituted a land, air and sea blockade of Qatar, Iran and Turkey promised to help the Qataris weather the diplomatic crisis.

US bases

Tillerson said in a statement: "Our role has been to encourage the parties to get their issues on the table, clearly articulated, so that those issues can be addressed and some resolution process can get under way to bring this to a conclusion."

Qatar hosts the largest U.S. military base in the region, Al Udeid Air Base, while Bahrain, which is allied with Saudi Arabia in its anti-Qatar stance, is home port for the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

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Russia: North Korea tested medium-range missile not intercontinental

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 9, 2017 9:9PM

Russia has said that North Korea did not fire an intercontinental ballistic missile in its recent test despite the US's insistence that it did.

"A Voronezh-type radar station deployed in the Irkutsk region monitored the launch of the Hwasong-14 medium-range ballistic missile (IRBM) from North Korea, which flew a distance of 510 kilometers (317 miles) in 14 minutes, reaching an altitude of 535 kilometers (332 miles), before landing in the Sea of Japan," read a letter sent to the UN's secretary general and the chairman of the Security Council by Russia on Sunday.

The letter included a detailed illustration showing the missile's trajectory and flight path.

Last week, North Korea announced that it had successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which Pyongyang claimed could "reach anywhere in the world."

US intelligence agencies insisted the missile was most likely a new ICBM with an estimated range of 5,500 kilometers and capable of hitting Alaska.

After the test, a fierce debate broke out at the UN Security Council in which the UN's assistant secretary-general backed the US assessment that the Hwasong-14 missile possess the technical characteristics to be called an ICBM.

"According to these parameters, the missile would have a range of roughly 6,700 kilometers [4,163 miles] if launched on a more typical trajectory, making it an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) according to a widely used definition," said the UN official.

Unsettled by North Korean missile and nuclear programs, the US has adopted a war-like posture, sending a strike group and conducting joint military drills with North Korea's regional adversaries Japan and South Korea.

The US also recently deployed an advanced missile system on South Korean soil to counter potential threats from the North, angering Pyongyang.

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We will eventually have success on North Korea, Trump tells Xi

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 9, 2017 3:38AM

US President Donald Trump says it may take longer than expected to deal with North Korea and its nuclear program but eventually there will be "success".

"As far as North Korea is concerned, we will have, eventually, success. It may take longer than I'd like. It may take longer than you'd like. But there will be success in the end one way or the other," Trump told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday as they held talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany.

Trump also told the Chinese leader that he appreciated actions he had already taken regarding the issue of North Korea.

The Chinese president for his part said that Beijing was committed to resolving the issue through diplomatic means.

Xi underlined the importance of talks with North Korea, and said the Chinese navy will join next year's US-led Pacific Rim military exercises.

North Korea announced on Tuesday it had successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which Pyongyang claimed could "reach anywhere in the world."

US intelligence agencies said the missile was most likely a new ICBM with an estimated range of 5,500 kilometers (3,400 miles), capable of hitting Alaska.

After the test, Trump threatened North Korea with "consequences," saying he was considering a "severe" response to Pyongyang's "very bad behavior."

And, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said the American military "remains ready" for conflict with North Korea following the test.

"I do not believe this capability in itself brings us closer to war because the president's been very clear, the secretary of State's been very clear, that we are leading with diplomatic and economic efforts," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon on Thursday.

The Trump administration has repeatedly said in recent months that all options are on the table, and has deployed a strike group and a nuclear-powered submarine to the region in a show of force.

But President Trump has also expressed confidence that the Chinese leadership will help resolve the issue of North Korea, which has threatened the US with a nuclear attack in case of a direct military action.

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China Has No Military Contacts With North Korea Amid Escalating Crisis

Sputnik News

06:53 09.07.2017(updated 14:18 09.07.2017)

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) does not currently maintain any contacts with the North Korean military amid escalation of crisis on Korean peninsula, local media reported Sunday, citing senior military official.

BEIJING (Sputnik)  North Korea has carried out a number of missile launches and nuclear tests in recent months, all of which are considered to be in violation with the UN Security Council resolution. Pyongyang's provocations are also seen as a threat by its neighbors, Japan and South Korea, and their allies.

"No, currently we do not have any contact or ties with the DPRK militarily. In the past we did, we had a lot of contact and exchanges. I think this reflect a kind of change in our relationship for the reasons known to all. China is right now united with the international community to seriously honour UN resolutions, and we hope we eventually may find a solution to these problems," Sen. Col. Zhou Bo, director of the Center for International Security Cooperation of the Chinese Defense Ministry, said in an interview with Channel News Asia.

He also noted that the North Korea wanted direct talks with the United States, adding China is helping this dialogue.

North Korea has carried out a number of missile launches and nuclear tests in recent months, all of which are considered to be in violation with the UN Security Council resolution. Pyongyang's provocations are also seen as a threat by its neighbors, Japan and South Korea, and their allies.

 Sputnik

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Germany starts pulling out troops from Turkish base

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 9, 2017 2:49PM

German defense authorities have finally ordered the start of withdrawal of troops from a base in southern Turkey after the two countries failed to settle disputes on how Berlin could access the base.

A German defense ministry spokesman said Sunday that the pull-out had begun earlier in the day, adding that a German air tanker refueller left Incirlik for a new air base in Jordan.

The official said that German tornado jets were scheduled to be deployed in the Jordanian base by October. He said the jets were due to keep operating out of Incirlik at least until the end of July as Germany continues to contribute to an alleged military fight against Daesh in Iraq and Syria, an operation which is led by the United States. German authorities would move the necessary material to Jordan in the meantime, the official added.

The Turkish government confirmed that the withdrawal of German troops had began, with an official saying Germany's defense minister had informed her Turkish counterpart about the day the action could start at a recent summit of NATO alliance in Brussels.

The German parliament approved the pull-out of troops from Turkey last month after Turkey refused to allow Germany lawmakers to visit German military personnel at Incirlik.

Turkey and Germany have been locked in a number of diplomatic disputes, including Turkey's way of handling the aftermaths of a failed coup in July last year, which has sparked massive criticism in Germany.

Turkey's refusal to grant access to German lawmakers came after Berlin blocked visits and speeches by senior Turkish officials to members of Turkish diaspora in Germany ahead of an April referendum in Turkey. Turkey is also critical of Germany over the country's alleged support for suspected coup plotters and outlawed Kurdish militants.

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Iraqi PM announces victory over Daesh terrorists in Mosul

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 9, 2017 12:38PM

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced final "victory" over the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Mosul after eight months of combat against the extremists, which has left parts of the country's second largest city in ruins.

"The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (Prime Minister) Haider al-Abadi, arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the great victory," a statement from his office read on Sunday.

According to Iraqi sources, government authorities are planning a week of jubilation across the country after the formal declaration of victory in Mosul.

The recapture of Mosul, located some 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad, would mark the effective end of Daesh in the Arab country.

Daesh Takfiris, cornered in a shrinking area of the city, had vowed to "fight to death." The militants had resorted to sending veiled women bombers among the thousands of wounded, malnourished and fearful civilians, who were fleeing heavy clashes between government troops and the terrorists.

Earlier on Sunday, spokesman for the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, Brigadier General Yahia Rasoul, told state-run al-Iraqiya television network that soldiers from the Nineveh Liberation Operation had killed 30 militants attempting to get away by swimming across the Tigris.

The media bureau of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command also announced in a statement that Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) members had regained full control of al-Maidan neighborhood in the Old City of Mosul.

Separately, Arabic-language Shafaaq news agency, citing unnamed security officials, reported that government forces had advanced in the last few square meters held by Daesh terrorists in western Mosul, and took over Qaleyyat and Shahwan districts.

In the run-up to the liberation of Mosul, Iraqi army soldiers and volunteer fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units, commonly known by their Arabic name, Hashd al-Sha'abi, had made sweeping gains against Daesh since launching the Mosul operation on October 17, 2016.

The Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January after 100 days of fighting, and launched the battle in the west on February 19.

An estimated 862,000 people have been displaced from Mosul ever since the battle to retake the city began eight months ago. A total of 195,000 civilians have also returned, mainly to the liberated areas of eastern Mosul.

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Iraqi PM Visits Liberated Mosul To Celebrate Victory Over Islamic State

RFE/RL July 09, 2017

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi congratulated the country's armed forces for the victorious eight-month battle to liberate Mosul from three years of being ruled by the extremist group Islamic State (IS).

"The commander in chief of the armed forces [Prime Minister] Haidar al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and Iraqi people for the great victory," the prime minister's office said in a statement marking Abadi's July 9 visit to the war-torn city.

A photo on Abadi's official Twitter account showed him dressed in a black military uniform and cap as he arrived in Mosul to announce the recapture of the city.

"Mosul liberated from [IS]: France pays homage to all those, who alongside our troops, contributed to this victory," French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted.

Backed by a U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi soldiers launched the Mosul operation in October.

They fought their way across the city from its eastern flank before engaging in heavy fighting to take the western side and eventually the Old City, where Islamic State rebels staged a last stand.

The battle for Mosul, the largest city the militants controlled, has taken a heavy toll, killing thousands of civilians and forcing almost one million people from their homes, according to the United Nations.

Officials warned that while the main battle for Mosul was over, the militants may still launch sporadic attacks from areas in and around the city where IS still has pockets of control.

"Situation not resolved, but we are monitoring," the Reuters news agency quoted U.S. National Security Council spokesman Michael Anton as saying when asked whether the battle for Mosul was complete.

While celebrating "the removal of the death cult from Mosul," British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said, "this barbaric group remains dug in west of the Euphrates and clearing operations in and around Mosul will be needed because of the threat from improvised explosive devices."

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iraq-mosul-abadi- recaptured-islamic-state/28604521.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.

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Mosul Completely Liberated by Iraqi Armed Forces From Daesh - PM

Sputnik News

15:28 09.07.2017(updated 17:57 09.07.2017)

The Iraqi Armed Forces completely liberated the country's capital from Daesh terrorists, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Sunday.

Iraq's Prime Minister Haider Abadi arrived in the Iraqi city of Mosul on Sunday to declare the city's liberation from the Daesh terrorist group, media reported.

The prime minister has congratulated Iraqi armed forces on the victory against Daesh terrorists, the Rudaw news agency reported.

"The commander in chief of the armed forces (Prime Minister) Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the great victory," said a statement from his office.

In 2014, Daesh captured vast territories in Iraq and Syria, declaring the establishment of a caliphate in the seized areas. Mosul has served as the terrorists' headquarters in Iraq since then. The operation to liberate the city began in October 2016.

Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi declared the recapture of Al Nuri Grand Mosque in Mosul and an end to the so-called Islamic caliphate.

 Sputnik

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Fighting Continues as Iraq Celebrates Victory Over IS

By Heather Murdock July 09, 2017

Inch by inch, house by house, Iraqi forces continue to fight remaining Islamic State militants in Mosul even as officials celebrate victory. The battle is now in such tight quarters that coalition airstrikes against IS targets shake Iraqi-held buildings.

Soldiers described the final fights as the most brutal in the battle with Islamic State militants, as they entered houses where militants hide out in suicide vests.

As the sun faded in Mosul on Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's convoy departed the "liberated city of Mosul." Some excited-looking locals gathered to commemorate his visit, their mobile phone cameras at the ready.

Fighting to the death

The vast majority of Mosul is controlled by Iraqi forces, with the militants penned inside an area of only about 200 square meters. Iraqi soldiers said the remaining fighters are zealots; most are not Iraqis, and for them every battle is fought is to the death.

"They shouted at us, 'Get out of this Muslim land, infidels!" Barak Razaq, an Iraqi special forces soldier, said on the frontlines Sunday. "Then we saw them wearing suicide vests. We threw grenades at them and retreated and then called for an airstrike."

Soldiers estimated there are between 100 and 150 IS members still fighting in Mosul, and said they are focusing now on taking as many of the remaining militants alive as possible. They expect the battle to end completely in the coming days, and then will move on to other cities and towns controlled by IS, in addition to fighting "sleeper cells" they believe are hidden among Mosul's civilian population.

"We are using a different kind of grenade now," said First Lieutenant Mohammad Sahab, standing on a pile of rubble near the swollen body of a dead IS fighter. "They are meant only to wound."

In a nearby house used as a makeshift base, three men sit against a wall with their hands tied behind their backs. They are rail-thin, and one man looks like he urinated on himself. Another appears to be silently praying.

Fighters pretend to be refugees

"These are Daesh," soldiers said, using the pejorative Arabic expression for the so-called Islamic State group. "They say they are not, but our snipers could see them fighting. They only threw down their weapons and pretended to be refugees when they knew they would die."

One of the men, Mashan, says he came to Iraqi forces because there was no food or water. He looks confused when asked if he supported IS when they arrived in his area. "They never gave us anything," he said.

A few kilometers from the battlefront, the city is in ruins and teams of men search for the dead and the wounded. "This is a city of ghosts," one Iraqi Army ambulance driver said, complaining that there are so many bodies to transport, it gives him little time to search for the living. The smell of death is everywhere.

"Even in six months, people won't come back," he adds before rushing off to show some men where there civilians' bodies to remove.

Thousands of civilians have been killed in this battle and 900,000 people have been forced to flee their homes. Vast swaths of Mosul and the surrounding towns and villages have been abandoned, and many people say they never feel safe going home.

Will it ever feel safe again?

And while no part of Mosul is as thoroughly destroyed as the Old City, neither has any part left untouched by nearly three years of IS rule and almost nine months of all-out war.

In parts of East Mosul, completely recaptured by Iraqi forces in January, recovery is more promising. Shoppers crowd the streets, some of which are newly paved, mostly picking through wreckage left by airstrikes. The government has restored electricity and water supplies in much of the city.

West Mosul is largely destroyed, but soldiers hope rebuilding will begin as soon as the battle ends.

"Just a few more days and we will have a party," Lieutenant Sahab said as his soldiers fired at nearby IS targets. "We will go swimming in the Tigris River."

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Libya's General Haftar in UAE for talks on military 'cooperation'

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 9, 2017 3:45PM

Libya's eastern commander Khalifa Haftar has met with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) leaders for talks on military cooperation despite UN criticism of the Persian Gulf country's meddling in Libya's internal affairs.

According to the UAE's official WAM news agency, Haftar held talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Saturday on "joint cooperation between the two countries... in combating extremism and terrorist organizations."

Haftar, the head of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA), has visited the UAE regularly in recent months.

The latest visit comes days after Haftar's forces announced the retaking of the second city Benghazi from rivaling militia operating across the troubled region.

The announcement came on Wednesday shortly after LNA was able to break the final pockets of resistance in Libya's second city and overtake the seafront district of Sabri using heavy artillery fire. Littered with burnt cars and debris from destroyed buildings, Sabri has been reduced into a ghost town following the deadly clashes of the past few weeks.

Haftar does not recognize the authority of Tripoli-based UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), instead backing an alternate government based in the country's east.

In June, the United Nations Security Council accused the UAE of breaching an arms embargo on Libya by sending attack helicopters, attack aircraft, and armored vehicles to troops commanded by self-styled General Haftar.

According to the report, the UAE provided Haftar's LNA with helicopters, including a Russian-made Mi-24 Hind gunship, and a single-engine light attack plane.

More than 90 armored personnel carriers and more than 500 other vehicles had also been transferred from the UAE to the LNA in the eastern city of Tobruk in April 2016 with assistance from Saudi Arabia, the report added.

The report also said the Mi-24 Hind was operating alongside the US-produced light attack aircraft AT-802i.

The UN report further said that the air power provided by the UAE by making the mentioned aircraft available to Haftar's troops had allowed them to advance and capture larger areas of eastern Libya.

It was not clear if and what measures would be taken against the UAE for the breach of the international arms embargo.

The strengthening of Haftar's forces could complicate efforts by Libya's neighbors, Algeria and Tunisia, to find a political solution to the Libyan conflict.

Libya has faced a power vacuum since a US-led NATO military intervention resulted in the downfall of its longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country has been grappling with chaos and the emergence of numerous militant groups, including Takfiri terrorist group Daesh.

Haftar was an ally of Gaddafi but joined the Libyan revolution against the dictator in 2011.

The country now has two governments, one based in the capital, Tripoli, and the other based in the far east, in the city of Tobruk. The government in Tripoli is internationally recognized but both Haftar and the eastern-based parliament refuse to recognize it.

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Trump denies discussing Russia sanctions with Putin

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 9, 2017 4:33PM

US President Donald Trump says Western economic sanctions against Russia were left out of the discussion during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Sanctions were not discussed at my meeting with President Putin," Trump tweeted Sunday. "Nothing will be done until the Ukrainian & Syrian problems are solved!"

The two leaders met for the first time on the sidelines of annual G20 summit in Germany's Hamburg on Friday, in a meeting that Trump said was "tremendous."

The US and its allies in the European Union have imposed a series of economic sanctions against Russia over its alleged role in the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

The two sides have also been at loggerheads over their military intervention in Syria.

While Russia has been hitting terrorist positions across Syria on a request from Damascus, the US-led coalition has been refusing to coordinate its airstrikes with the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has openly aided groups fighting to topple him.

The meeting showed Trump' determination to expand ties with Moscow, something he reasserted in his Sunday tweets.

Hailing a new Syria ceasefire deal between Washington and Moscow, Trump wrote "it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!"

The push for a closer cooperation with Putin raised eyebrows in Washington, where Trump's critics on both sides of the aisle have been pressuring him to go after Moscow over its alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential vote.

Democrats and major Republican figures alike have accused Russia of running a series of high-profile cyber attacks to change the outcome of the November 8 election.

Some Democrats have taken the allegations to another level, saying Moscow directly intervened to help Trump win.

Trump said Sunday that he addressed the issue in the meeting and Putin "vehemently denied" the accusations.

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded," he said.

Putin said later in an interview that Trump was satisfied with his answers on election hacking.

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Trump Says He Didn't Discuss Sanctions At Hamburg Meeting With Putin

RFE/RL July 09, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump says he did not discuss sanctions during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hamburg earlier this week.

"Sanctions were not discussed at my meeting with President Putin," Trump tweeted on July 9.

"Nothing will be done until the Ukrainian & Syrian problems are solved!" he added in the tweet.

Putin and Trump met face-to-face for the first time in the German port city on the sidelines of the summit.

Originally scheduled to last 35 minutes, the talks lasted for two hours and 15 minutes as the two leaders discussed the wars in Syria and Ukraine, the crisis over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, cybersecurity, and Russia's alleged election meddling.

While Trump has repeatedly called for improving ties with Moscow, his administration has continued to publicly maintain pressure on Russia -- including with sanctions -- over its seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and backing of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Those punitive measures were introduced under Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, who had a visibly icy rapport with Putin and whose administration was loathed by the Kremlin.

Trump's administration has also been dogged by the U.S. intelligence conclusion that Russia meddled in the U.S. election.

Both the U.S. Congress and the FBI are investigating the hacking and contacts between associates of the U.S. president and Russian officials, and any serious push for detente with Moscow would almost certainly face stiff resistance from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Washington.

Putin and Trump discussed the issue during their meeting, but appeared to come away with different impressions of the talks.

Putin said after the meeting that Trump seemed to agree with Russia's position that there were "no grounds" for accusations of meddling.

Trump tweeted on July 9 that it was "time to move forward in working constructively with Russia," while on the topic of Russian interference in the November U.S. presidential election, he wrote "I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it."

Trump added in the tweet that he's already given his opinion on the topic, a likely reference to his statement at a July 6 news conference in Warsaw ahead of the G20 summit when he said that "nobody really knows for sure" who interfered in the election.

"I think it was Russia and I think it could have been other people in other countries," he said in the Polish capital when asked about the issue.

However, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was present during the Putin meeting in Hamburg, has given a differing account of what transpired, saying on July 8 that the issue was "something that may be an intractable disagreement at this point."

He added that Trump pressed Putin "on more than one occasion" about Moscow's involvement in the U.S. election, and that Putin had denied any interference by the Kremlin in the election.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/28604601.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.

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U.S. Security Chief Says Syria Cease-Fire 'Important Step' As Area Residents Await Start

RFE/RL July 09, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump's security adviser says a cease-fire about to take effect in southwest Syria is an "important step" toward eventual peace throughout the country.

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster on July 8 said that "at noon local time tomorrow, a de-escalation zone in southwest Syria will begin to take effect."

He called the cease-fire "a priority" for the United States and that the Trump administration is "encouraged by the progress made to reach this agreement."

"The United States remains committed to defeating [Islamic State], helping to end the conflict in Syria, reducing suffering, and enabling people to return to their homes. This agreement is an important step toward these common goals," he said.

The decision to impose a cease-fire zone was announced July 7 at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hamburg, Germany, and involves the United States, Russia, and Jordan.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the cease-fire would be supervised by Russian military police "in coordination with the Jordanians and Americans."

Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 8 told a news conference in Hamburg that the cease-fire deal was the result of the United States altering its stance and becoming more pragmatic about the situation there.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the agreement "is our first indication of the U.S. and Russia being able to work together in Syria."

The cease-fire is to cover the provinces of Daraa, Sweida, and Quneitra in the southwest along the border with Jordan.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a day ahead of the start of the cease-fire that the areas involved were relatively calm except for sporadic shelling by Syrian government forces on two villages in the Daraa region.

Separately, Russia, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's six-year civil war, has been in talks with Turkey and Iran over four so-called "de-escalation zones" in Syria. A decision on the exact makeup of the zones and on which forces will monitor them has yet to be finalized.

Similar cease-fires between the government and rebel forces have broken down in the past.

Along with Russia, Iran also backs Assad, while the United States and Turkey support differing rebel groups fighting Assad's government.

The civil war in Syria broke out in 2011 when Assad cracked down on antigovernment protesters.

More than 310,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the conflict and millions have been displaced.

With reporting by AFP, TASS, dpa, and ABC

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/syria-mcmaster- lavrov-ceasefire-russia-united-states- jordan-daraa/28604026.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.

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Tillerson Marks Failed Turkish Coup Anniversary

By VOA News July 09, 2017

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has marked the anniversary this week of last year's failed coup coup in Turkey, praising the courage of the Turkish people in defending democracy but failing to mention the widespread government crackdown that has followed since.

Speaking Sunday at an oil conference in Istanbul, Tillerson recalled the brief, unsuccessful attempt last July 15 to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He also said the United States sees Turkey as a partner in its push for greater energy security in the region, and "looks forward to engaging with Turkey on projects that will increase global energy security."

"We're all here in Istanbul at a momentous time," Tillerson said. "Nearly a year ago, the Turkish people - brave men and women - stood up against coup plotters and defended their democracy. ... The Turkish people exercised their rights under the Turkish constitution, defended their place in a prosperous Turkey, and we remember those who were injured or died in that event."

The coup failed when thousands of Turks took to the streets, answering President Erdogan's call to resist the attempt to topple him, which was led by renegade members of the military. More than 240 people, many of them civilians, died that night, which was marked by pitched battles in Ankara between branches of the police and army.

Since last July, more than 100,000 people have been fired or suspended from their jobs in Turkey's civil and private sectors, and the Erdogan government has jailed more than 40,000 others on a variety of charges alleging they were involved in anti-government activities. Many of the prisoners have not yet been brought to court to answer the accusations against them; many also have complained of abuse and ill-treatment during the time in custody.

The Turkish government justified the moves as necessary to preserve order. Human-rights groups have said the president and his supporters used the coup as a pretext to quash dissent, and that prison authorities have denied medical care and adequate food and resorted to torturing detainees in some instances.

Even as Tillerson spoke Sunday at the opening ceremony of an oil conference, tens of thousands of Turks were in the streets of Istanbul for an opposition rally.

Tillerson, the former chief executive officer of ExxonMobil Corporation, received an award from the congress of the World Petroleum Council recognizing his work in the industry for more than four decades.

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Massive Istanbul Crowd Protests Erdogan's Crackdown on Rights

By Ken Bredemeier July 09, 2017

Tens of thousands of people massed in Istanbul Sunday to protest Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's crackdown on critics of his government in the wake of last year's failed military coup.

The demonstrators chanted "Rights, Law, Justice" in support of the main opposition leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who was completing a 450-kilometer walk from the capital Ankara after a lawmaker from his party was imprisoned in June.

It was the biggest protest in several years against Erdogan, whose government has arrested more than 50,000 people and dismissed at least 100,000 civil servants he has characterized as supporters of the aborted coup. Turkey claims the coup was led by a cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who has been living in self-imposed exile in the United States for nearly two decades. Gulen denies any involvement.

The 68-year-old Kilicdaroglu's 25-day march at first drew modest support, about 1,000 people who walked alongside him. But the crowds swelled in recent days as he neared Istanbul.

Kilicdaroglu, the head of the secularist Republican People's Party, said that his march "cast off a shirt of fear" of Erdogan's rule. "If only there was no need for this march and there was democracy, media freedoms, if civic society groups could freely express their opinions."

Erdogan criticized Kilicdaroglu when he embarked on the march, saying justice should be sought in parliament, not on the streets.

The Turkish opposition says that Erdogan's government has been moving toward authoritarianism, while the Turkish leader says that the crackdown on rights is necessary to thwart security threats to the ruling government.

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Top US diplomat says Russia must reduce tensions in eastern Ukraine

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 9, 2017 3:25PM

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called on Russia to end the violence in eastern Ukraine and says that American and European sanctions would remain in place until Moscow reversed policy in the region.

In a joint press conference on Sunday with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kiev, Tillerson said Washington's primary goal is restoring Ukraine's "integrity and sovereignty."

"It is necessary for Russia to take the first steps to de-escalate the situation in the eastern part of Ukraine," Tillerson told reporters. "This is necessary for us to make any movement."

The top US diplomat also said Washington would explore ways of changing the status quo in the Ukraine crisis, and said Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election has prevented better ties with Moscow.

His surprisingly blunt language came just two days after presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had their first face-to-face meeting during the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

Ukraine's eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations in April 2014 to crush pro-Moscow protests there.

The government in Kiev and pro-Russian forces signed a ceasefire agreement in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, in September 2014. The warring sides also inked another truce deal, dubbed Minsk II, in February 2015 under the supervision of Germany, France and Russia.

Russia accuses Ukraine of violating the ceasefire deals.

The Ukraine crisis has left almost 10,000 people dead and over 23,000 others injured, according to the latest figures provided by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

"We do call on Russia to honor its commitments that were made under the Minsk accords and to exercise influence over the separatists in the region that they have complete control over," Tillerson said.

"The US and EU sanctions on Russia will remain in place until Moscow reverses the actions that triggered these particular sanctions."

The US and its allies in the European Union have imposed a series of economic sanctions against Russia over its alleged role in the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

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Tillerson Delivers Blunt Message to Russia During Ukraine Visit

RFE/RL July 09, 2017

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivered a blunt message to Russia during a trip to Kyiv on July 9, saying the Kremlin must take the first step to ease tensions in Ukraine and that sanctions against Moscow will remain until it does so.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called Tillerson's visit to Kyiv a "powerful" signal of U.S. support for his country since it came right after this week's Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hamburg.

At a joint press conference in the Ukrainian capital on July 9 following their talks, the two men announced that the newly named U.S. special envoy for the war in eastern Ukraine, Kurt Volker, will stay on in Kyiv for several days to push for implementation of the Minsk agreements on ending the conflict.

Tillerson said the United States was disappointed with the lack of progress in implementing the 2-year-old Minsk agreements and placed the lion's share of the blame on Russia.

"It is necessary for Russia to take the first step to de-escalate the situation in the east part of Ukraine," Tillerson said.

"We do call on Russia to honor its commitments that were made under the Minsk accords and to exercise influence over the separatists whom they do hold complete control over," Tillerson said. "And we call on [Russia] again to immediately call on their proxies to cease the violence that is ongoing in east Ukraine."

He said that when U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on July 7 on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany, they discussed "what is to be done about the Russian behavior of nonadherence to the Minsk agreements and nonimplementation of clear and straightforward steps as to the deoccupation of Ukraine."

The war in Ukraine, Tillerson said, was "planned and launched from Moscow."

He also reaffirmed that Washington would not lift sanctions against Russia until Ukraine's territorial integrity was restored. He emphasized that the restoration of Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty was "the primary U.S. goal."

In a post on Twitter at nearly the same time, Trump said that "sanctions were not discussed" at his meeting on July 7 with Russian President Putin and that "nothing will be done until the Ukrainian & Syrian problems are solved."

Tillerson also urged Kyiv to "continue economic and anticorruption reforms."

The war in eastern Ukraine between Kyiv and separatists receiving political, economic, and military support from Russia has taken more than 10,000 lives since it began in early 2014.

Tillerson departed Ukraine late on July 9, arriving shortly thereafter in the Turkish capital, Ankara, where he held talks with his counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, and was scheduled to meet later with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, officials from both countries said.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tillerson-ukraine-poroshenko- kyiv-united-states/28604023.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.

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US has Told Russia to De-escalate Ukraine Eastern Violence

By Nike Ching July 09, 2017

During his first official visit to Kyiv Sunday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the U.S. has told Russia it must take the first steps to de-escalate violence in Eastern Ukraine.

"I've been very clear in my discussions with Russian leadership on more than one occasion, that it is necessary for Russia to take the first steps to de-escalate the situation in the east part of Ukraine, in particular by respecting the cease-fire by pulling back the heavy weapons and allowing the OSCE observers to carry out their responsibilities," Tillerson said, speaking alongside Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko after the two met to discuss ways to help end the conflict in eastern Ukraine and support its ongoing reform efforts.

"As long as the parties commit themselves to these goals I'm confident we can make progress," Tillerson said, referring to the Minsk agreements - a cease-fire deal that Moscow and Kyiv agreed to in 2015.

Ukraine negotiations

Tillerson has named former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker to serve as Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations.

Volker, who was traveling with Tillerson to Ukraine, will also engage regularly with all parties handling the Ukraine negotiations under the so-called Normandy Format  Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine.

In an interview with VOA's Ukraine service recently, Volker laid out his vision on Ukraine: "We need to have Ukraine, which is a sustainable, resilient, prosperous, strong democracy, so that it would be attractive to the regions in the East, and [be the place]where disinformation and propaganda attacks don't really have much traction."

Although Tillerson is seeking to rebuild trust with the Russians, Washington dismissed speculation that it will cut a deal with Moscow over Kyiv.

"There certainly is no intent or desire to work exclusively with Russia," a senior State Department official said earlier this week. "This is a multiparty issue, resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine. "

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the U.S. would not be backing away from concerns of Russia's support of rebels in eastern Ukraine.

"We believe that the so-called rebels are Russian-backed, Russian-financed, and are responsible for the deaths of Ukrainians," Nauert said Thursday in a briefing. "We continue to call upon the Russians and the Ukrainians to come together."

Make clear support for sovereignty

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst told VOA on Friday that Tillerson should make it clear of "U.S. strong support for Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity, U.S. recognition that Russia is conducting a war in Ukraine, and U.S. willingness to provide necessary support."

Herbst said he expects Poroshenko to bring up the massive Russian cyberattack against Ukraine during Sunday's meeting with Tillerson, and the U.S. "has a great deal to learn" for what Ukraine has done to counteract these Russia attacks.

"I suspect we will see more cooperation in the future," Herbst added.

Tillerson had told U.S. lawmakers that the United States should not be "handcuffed" to the 2015 Minsk agreement in case the parties decide to reach their goals through a different deal.

Senior officials later clarified that Washington would "not exclude looking at other options" as the U.S. is still fully supportive of the Minsk agreements.

"The Minsk agreements are the existing framework," a senior State Department official said. "There is no better option out there."

The so-called Minsk II agreement is a package of measures to alleviate the ongoing conflicts, including a cease-fire, between Moscow-backed rebels and government forces in eastern Ukraine. It was agreed to by Ukraine, Russia and separatists in February of 2015.

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Concise letters  250 words or fewer  on topics of local interest will receive first consideration for publication. All letters are subject to editing for language and clarity.

Mailing Address: Letters to the Editor, The Register & Bee, 700 Monument St., Danville, VA 24541

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Two Danville utility workers were injured Monday morning during an explosion outside the Intertape Polymer Group plant on Eagle Springs Road in Pittsylvania County.

The explosion occurred around 11 a.m., said Jason Grey, director of utilities.

The workers  Charles Sutton and David Ward  suffered burns. Sutton was flown directly to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Ward was transported to UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Sutton was treated and released, Danville Public Information Officer Arnold Hendrix stated in a news release. Information on Ward was not available Monday afternoon.

Sutton and Ward were working on the wiring for future needs at the plant when the explosion occurred. Grey said the cause of the explosion was not immediately known.

Intertape Operations Manager Mike Jones said the work performed by utilities workers was related to an expansion at the plant. Intertape, which manufactures carton-sealing tape and stretch film, is installing new equipment, he said.

The explosion left a portion of the plant without power, which was expected to be restored by Monday evening.

Ringgold Volunteer Fire and Rescue responded to the incident.

We will work with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other authorities to determine the cause, Grey said in the statement.

Mondays explosion followed a fatal incident in which Samuel Thompson, a 63-year-old employee of Danville Power and Light, died Thursday morning while working on a power line on Applewood Drive in Pittsylvania County.

Thompson and a co-worker were responding to a power outage in the area. Thompson was in an elevated bucket truck when the electrocution occurred.

Jennifer Rose, Virginia Occupational Safety and Health safety director with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, said an on-site inspection is taking place regarding last weeks incident.

The department has up to six months to complete the case and may issue citations if warranted, Rose said.

The city is required to report the hospitalizations to VOSH/DOLI, Rose said. She said she did not yet have information on Mondays incident.

Danville Utilities provides natural gas, water, wastewater and telecommunications services in Danville and distributes electricity to approximately 42,000 customer locations in a 500-square-mile service territory covering Danville, the southern third of Pittsylvania County, and small portions of Henry and Halifax counties.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada Carbon Inc. (the Company) (TSX-V:CCB), (FF:U7N1) was recently informed of the decision of Quebecs Agricultural Board (the Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Quebec or CPTAQ) to suspend its review of the Companys CPTAQ application until December 31st, 2017 due to ongoing legal proceedings regarding the validity of municipal zoning by-laws applicable to the Miller Project area. The CPTAQ indicated that it would resume its review of the Companys application thereafter.



While this decision could potentially impact the Projects permitting timeline, it does not affect the Companys ongoing exploration activities or the merits of the Companys application before the CPTAQ. The Company has mandated its external legal counsels to seek a review of the CPTAQ decision and anticipates that the CPTAQ will reconsider this matter shortly. In the meantime, the Company continues to work with its environmental consultant BluMetric Environmental in order to gather environmental data required for its upcoming environmental permit applications in connection with the Miller Project.

It should be noted that the legal proceedings to which the CPTAQ decision refers are directed solely against the Municipality of Grenville-sur-la-Rouge. Canada Carbon Inc. is involved in these proceedings as an intervenor (mise-en-cause) because a certificate of conformity was issued by the municipality confirming that the Miller Project complies with the municipal zoning by-laws. The CPTAQ and a local extraction company are also involved as intervenors in these proceedings.

In the context of these proceedings, a preliminary motion for safeguard order was filed by one of the Plaintiffs, Mr. Marc-Andre Le Gris, and was summarily dismissed by the Superior Court of Quebec, with costs. In this interlocutory judgement rendered on June 9th, 2017, the Superior Court concluded that the municipal by-laws were adopted in compliance with the applicable legal requirements and are now deemed to be valid given the absence of a timely legal challenge by the Plaintiffs. The Court also noted that the evidence presented by Mr. Le Gris does not support in any way his allegation of bad faith on the part of the municipality, and that in any event graphite mining activities are not subject to municipal zoning by-laws.

The hearing on the merits of Plaintiffs proceedings is scheduled to take place in February 2018 and will be based essentially on the same allegations that were unambiguously dismissed by the Court in June. In this context, the Company is confident that a similar conclusion will be reached by the Superior Court further to this hearing.

Canada Carbon has established a dedicated page on its website to host final environmental and other assessment reports, which will be updated as new information becomes available. The Miller Project Reports page can be accessed from the website home page, or by opening this link: https://www.canadacarbon.com/miller-project-reports. The Company will provide periodic updates via newspaper ads and flyers delivered to GSLR residents, and will hold further public meetings from time to time as the results of the Project feasibility study are made public and the quarry and mine permit applications are considered.

CANADA CARBON INC.



R. Bruce Duncan

CEO and Director

Contact Information

E-mail inquiries: info@canadacarbon.com

P: (604) 685-6375

F: (604) 909-1163

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect managements current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com).
It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Metals Corp. (the Company) (TSX:III) reports that forest fires in south central British Columbia are threatening the homes of many employees who live in the Williams Lake area, and impacting operations at the Mount Polley mine site, located 56 km northeast of Williams Lake. Many of the roads used to access the mine site are currently closed. Employees who have been able to report for work have been reassigned to maintain mill operations at the expense of mining operations, which have significantly reduced. Should critical supplies such as fuel not be available due to road closures, the mine may be forced to suspend operations.

Many Red Chris employees also live in the Williams Lake area, and have been evacuated from their homes or are on evacuation alert. With the temporary closure of the Williams Lake airport, Red Chris charter flights from Williams Lake to Dease Lake have been cancelled. We are reorganizing our crews and adjusting charter flights into Dease Lake to maintain staffing levels at the Red Chris mine.

About Imperial

Imperial is a Vancouver based exploration, mine development and operating company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns the Red Chris, Mount Polley and Huckleberry copper mines in British Columbia. Imperial also holds a 50% interest in the Ruddock Creek lead|zinc property in British Columbia.

Forward-Looking Information and Risks Notice

Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect Company management's expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, specific statements regarding: lower production at the Mount Polley mine if employees are unable to access the mine site due to road closures; possible evacuation of local Mount Polley employees and their families; and the possible suspension of operations at Mount Polley mine if critical supplies are not received at the mine site. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "outlook", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", 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" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. In this document certain forward-looking statements are identified by words including "guidance", "expectations", "targeted", "plan", "planned", "estimated", "calls for" and "expected". By their very nature forward-looking 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 the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of mineral resources; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; accidents; dependence on key personnel; labour pool constraints; labour disputes; availability of infrastructure required for the development of mining projects; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; that additional required financing may not be available to the Company on terms acceptable to the Company or at all; that the Company may not receive its requested waivers of certain financial covenants contained in its credit facilities and other loan documents and could be found to be in default; counterparty risks associated with sales of our metals; changes in general economic conditions; increased operating and capital costs; perils such as fire and flood; and other risks of the mining industry as well as those factors detailed from time to time in the Company's interim and annual financial statements and management's discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review on sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, 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 statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.



Company Contacts

Brian Kynoch | President | 604.669.8959

Andre Deepwell | Chief Financial Officer | 604.488.2666

Steve Robertson | Vice President Corporate Affairs | 604.488.2669

Gordon Keevil | Vice President Corporate Development | 604.488.2677

Sabine Goetz | Shareholder Communications | 604.488.2657 | investor@imperialmetals.com


After qualifying yesterday Sergio Perez said that Force India needed a double points finish and that's exactly what the team achieved on Sunday, with the Mexican finishing P7.

Force India's race weekend got off to a rocky start on Friday with both drivers struggling for speed in free practice, but qualifying delivered a substantial improvement and a good foundation for Sunday.

Perez's afternoon was spared any drama as he avoided the first lap commotion at Turn 1 and settled into a consistent and competitive race pace although it was far from clear sailing around the hills of Spielberg.

"Finishing seventh is a great result for the team and a nice reward considering how difficult this weekend has been for us," Said Perez.

"We struggled in practice, but come qualifying and the race we were quite strong and we came home with some good points.

"It wasnt the easiest of races for me. I made a good start, but I lost places to both Esteban and Lewis [Hamilton] at turn one. Thankfully I was able to pass them both at Turn 3 and regain my starting position.

Perez struggled with his Ultrasoft tyres in his first stint but the second half of the race saw the Mexican's Supersoft-shod car regain some consistency.

"I suffered from a lot of front graining in my first stint, but after the pit stop I was able to settle down into a rhythm, even though it wasnt enough to attack Grosjean.

"We had very similar pace to him so we couldnt get any closer. It has been a difficult weekend, but we recovered well and we can be happy with the outcome.

"Now our focus shifts to Silverstone. I really cant wait to try these 2017 cars on the fastest track on the calendar."

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Teaching cops, firefighters and prison workers to recognize and know how to handle people with mental illness is a big part of the efforts to reduce suffering and death at the hands of law enforcement. Less talked about is the mental health of the cops, firefighters and prison workers themselves.In the last two years, the number of suicides among firefighters exceeded the number of deaths in the line-of-duty, according to Jeff Dill, a retired firefighter who is chief executive officer and founder of the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance.The stats are just as sobering among corrections officers. Preliminary results of a survey for the California Correctional Officer Health and Wellness Project reveal that 65 percent of correctional officers in that state have at least one symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder and one in nine of the 8,600 respondents acknowledged having suicidal thoughts. These survey results confirm what the California Correctional Peace Officers Association found in 2013: The suicide rate for its members was about 50 percent higher than for the general population.In these kind of jobs, human tragedy comes with the badge. For the most part, though, departments are doing too little to help their public protectors deal with the stress and trauma of it all.We see people die in our daily life, says Andrew Shannon, public information officer for the Code Green Campaign, which offers peer counseling and other support services to firefighters and emergency medical personnel nationwide.Stress levels are also heightened by lack of sleep. For workers in his field, Shannon says 48-hour shifts are not uncommon.We get sleep time, but its interrupted, he says.Mass shootings and natural disasters have become more common, likely worsening the emotional impact on police, firefighters and paramedics. Dill initially founded the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, a counseling service for firefighters, in 2008, after seeing the impact that Hurricane Katrina had on the emergency response workers.When they came back, they talked about seeing a lot of horrific things, he says.But even when departments reach out to their stressed employees, Dill says they dont always reach back. There can be a reluctance, for several reasons, to take advantage of the help thats offered.If someone is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, their job may be threatened, says Dill.The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides some protections for someone who is fired due to a PTSD diagnosis, but the ADA only protects people who can perform "essential job functions with or without a reasonable accommodation." In practice, this clause leads many cases to be contested legally, and each case requires its own assessment -- even if individuals are in the same department, says Alisa Arnoff, a partner at Scalambrino & Arnoff, LLP, a labor and employment firm, which has represented both firefighters and fire departments.Admitting that you have mental health problems also runs counter to long embedded cultures in fire departments, police departments and prisons that frown on showing personal weakness. When you put on a first responder uniform, youre expected to be brave, strong and courageous -- giving help and not asking for help, says Dill.Regardless, some places are starting to focus more attention on the mental health of people hired to protect the public.In Stockton, Calif., police learn to talk about their feelings and are encouraged to seek peer support or see therapists as part of the department's wellness program. Phoenix is often cited for its Friends Helping Friends program, which offers firefighters counseling and resources to deal with issues like drug and alcohol abuse, depression, family problems and stress. Oregon has established a project to support correctional officer mental health, and New York is undertaking a survey similar to the one that was just completed in California.
Columbus, Ohio

Shelby County, Tenn.

Detroit

If theres one issue that draws sympathy and action from both political parties, its the nations infant mortality rate, which is one of the worst in the developed world.In fact, the United States even trails behind developing countries like Cuba. According to the CIA for every 1,000 births in America, nearly six babies die before their first birthday.The infant mortality rate is a good, albeit tragic, indicator of the overall health of a community. If many women arent giving birth to healthy babies, it may, for example, signify a widespread drug problem among expecting mothers. The most common causes of infant mortality in America are complications stemming from low birth weight, premature birth, unsafe sleep environments and exposure to secondhand smoke.In the past decade, several cities with high infant mortality rates have spent money and resources trying to get them down. But despite their efforts, babies are still dying in these communities more often than one would expect for a developed nation.Columbus, Ohio, provides a stark example of how difficult it can be to address this issue. Since the city made it a priority, the infant mortality rate has actually gone up.In 2015, the city launched CelebrateOne -- a campaign to target eight neighborhoods with high rates of infant mortality. Since then, the infant mortality rate rose from 7.7 deaths per 1,000 births to 9 deaths per 1,000 births. Most disappointingly, most of the uptick was for sleep-related deaths -- something CelebrateOne focused on preventing.Erika Clark Jones, the new executive director of CelebrateOne, says the city only had money for the campaign through the end of 2015. Additionally, the city didn't deploy a key part of its strategy, community health workers, until June 2016.We have to be driving that safe sleep message all of the time," says Jones. "We need to be constantly reminding them and holding events to keep it in moms minds."Despite their lack of progress so far, Jones is cautiously optimistic about the future. Her team has an ambitious set of goals that includes reducing the rate of unsafe sleep deaths by 31 percent by the end of the year and an overall 40 percent reduction of infant mortality by 2020.We know our goal is aggressive. Were trying to build in the supports to improve the upstream stuff, she says.But it's not enough to simply throw money at the problem. Practitioners say it has to be targeted to the right people, places and programs. The main drivers of infant mortality are well-known to experts, but they can differ depending on the region.When Shelby County, Tenn., Mayor Mark Luttrell was elected in 2010 and dug into health data, he found that teen pregnancies and smoking were among the biggest contributors to infant mortality.Studies have shown that pregnant teens are more likely to smoke and carry sexually transmitted diseases; their young age also puts them at higher risk of complicated pregnancy and premature birth.In 2003, Memphis infant mortality rate was higher than that of Saudi Arabia and Venezuela -- nearly 15 deaths per 1,000 births. But by focusing on teen pregnancy and smoking, the city has been able to cut its infant mortality rate in almost half. At 8.2 deaths per 1,000 births in 2016, it dipped to its lowest level ever, though it's still above the national average.We regularly look at data and adjust our approach, says Alisa Haushalter, director of Shelby Countys health department. Now, the city is focused on promoting breastfeeding, which the World Health Organization says reduces infant mortality , and getting fathers more involved in raising their babies.When Kimberlydawn Wisdom was appointed surgeon general of Michigan in 2003, she knew she wanted to address the city's high infant mortality rate. But she didnt just want to start another educational campaign that would be forgotten or write another grant for a program that might go underutilized.Every time an administration changes and people leave their posts, the rate climbs back up. Let's tackle this in a sustainable way, she recalls thinking.Wisdom, now the senior vice president of community health at the Henry Ford Health System, which oversees Detroit's infant mortality program, discovered that the city had 100 programs dedicated to infant and maternal health. "But they were undersubscribed," she says. That's the bad news. The good news is that "it wasnt like we didnt have the resources."So she rerouted some of those resources to create a community health program. PSAs and billboards, she says, are useless unless someone links mothers and fathers to the right program -- in person. Thats where community health workers come in.Community health workers are ultimately the secret sauce to make that connection to different programs; it isnt going to happen organically, says Wisdom.A community health worker is an advocate, often from the place theyre serving, who understands the health disparities and barriers to care that are specific to the community. Their ultimate goal is to help improve new and expecting mothers' overall well-being in ways that a traditional doctor doesn't -- like securing transportation to the clinic and improving eating habits.Wisdom did ultimately use grant money to kick off the community health worker program, initially called Sew Up the Safety Net. It has since been rebranded to the Women-Inspired Neighborhood Network.Detroit still has a long way to go. The city's 2015 infant mortality rate (at 13.3 deaths per 1,000 births) was one of the highest in the country. But Wisdom is encouraged.In 2012, 323 women were matched up with a community health worker throughout their pregnancy and the babys first year. There were no deaths. In the most recent group to be matched, starting in April 2016, there so far have been no deaths. And, 100 percent of the mothers are breastfeeding.These women have been having outstanding health outcomes, says Wisdom.
The Trump administration has picked the head of the Georgia Department of Public Health to run the Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, the Department of Public Health commissioner since 2011, was formally announced Friday, a week after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported she was expected to be President Donald Trump's pick to run the agency."I am humbled by the challenges that lie ahead, yet I am confident that the successes we've had in Georgia will provide me with a foundation for guiding the work of the CDC," Fitzgerald said.U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, a former Georgia congressman, said, "Having known Dr. Fitzgerald for many years, I know that she has a deep appreciation and understanding of medicine, public health, policy and leadership _ all qualities that will prove vital as she leads the CDC in its work to protect America's health 24/7."Gov. Nathan Deal, who thanked Fitzgerald "for her tireless work to promote the health and well-being of Georgia's citizens," quickly named Dr. J. Patrick O'Neal as the interim commissioner of the state's Department of Public Health.O'Neal, the director of health protection for the agency, has overseen more than a dozen programs at DPH, including epidemiology, infectious disease, immunization, emergency preparedness efforts and the Georgia Public Health Lab. He previously practiced emergency medicine for 29 years at DeKalb Medical Center.Fitzgerald, trained as an obstetrician-gynecologist, succeeds Dr. Anne Schuchat, who became the CDC's acting director in January after Dr. Tom Frieden resigned. The role is one of the most prominent in public health.The position does not require Senate confirmation.Fitzgerald inherits several immediate concerns and vexing long-term problems. Health officials have warned of a potential resurgence of the Zika virus, even though cases of the mosquito-borne illness have dropped sharply since last year. And the agency is the target of deep spending cuts under Trump's budget proposal. His budget draft would have cut the CDC's spending by $1.2 billion, which health experts warned could hamper the agency's disease-fighting efforts and immunization programs. Frieden called them "unsafe at any level of enactment."Lawmakers in May ended up approving a small funding increase for the CDC over last year's levels, but some of that money was taken from an internal account that previously provided Georgia with roughly $20 million a year for immunization programs and other initiatives.Fitzgerald is no newcomer to politics. She served as a health care policy adviser to U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and U.S. Sen. Paul Coverdell, both Republicans. She twice ran unsuccessfully for Congress, in 1992 and 1994, both times as a Republican. Gov. Zell Miller appointed her to the state Board of Education in 1996 when he remade the board in hopes it would get along with the state's first Republican state school superintendent, Linda Schrenko. The chairman of that new board was Johnny Isakson, who is now Georgia's senior U.S. senator.Fitzgerald has led the Department of Public Health since Georgia lawmakers carved it out as a separate agency after decades of consolidation with other departments. She has maintained a quiet profile in her post, which oversees a $671 million agency, though at times the job has put her in the spotlight.She was the face of the Deal administration's effort to combat the spread of the Zika and Ebola viruses, and she helped reduce wait times for a program that provides lifesaving medications to thousands of uninsured Georgians with HIV or AIDS.Fitzgerald drew headlines for a decision to rescind a job offer to a California physician initially offered a job as a North Georgia health director after reports surfaced about controversial sermons he made condemning gay rights and the theory of evolution.She also came under fire after Deal said in late 2014 that he was comforted that Fitzgerald said "water kills the Ebola virus." She later pointed to media reports that showed Ebola can only survive a few minutes in water, but she acknowledged once the virus "gets in your body, it's mean."Gingrich, who remains close to Fitzgerald, called her "smart, hardworking and deeply committed to fighting for sound public policies.""I can't imagine anyone who would work harder or more intensely to help the American people in the vital role the CDC plays," he said.Isakson, a member of the Senate committee that oversees the CDC, said Fitzgerald is a good fit for the job."The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is on the front lines of protecting Americans from outbreaks of dangerous diseases, like the Ebola and Zika viruses," Isakson said. "Much of the CDC's work involves partnerships with local public health authorities, and Dr. Fitzgerald's experience overseeing a multitude of health programs throughout Georgia's 159 diverse counties makes her an excellent choice to manage this critically important agency."
Drug companies asked a federal judge on Thursday to throw out Maryland's new prescription drug price gouging law, saying the state's first-in-the-nation measure is both unconstitutional and vague.A trade association representing generic drug firms filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court on Thursday challenging the law, which takes effect in October and allows Attorney General Brian E. Frosh to prosecute some manufacturers that impose "unconscionable" price hikes.The lawsuit uses the same legal arguments laid out by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan last month in a letter objecting to the legislation and explaining why he chose to let it become law without his signature.The price-gouging bill was passed by the Democrat-led General Assembly with near unanimous support this year and only governs off-patent and generic drugs, not branded medications protected by patent laws.Chip Davis, CEO of the Association for Accessible Medicines, said Maryland's law will have a chilling effect on drug makers who have to set prices without knowing whether Frosh will decide they've crossed a line.Davis said companies faced with changing market conditions may decide to stop manufacturing a medicine altogether rather than risk adjusting prices and face litigation from the state. And because manufacturers' sales to wholesalers take place outside of Maryland, Davis argued the law effectively controls drug pricing for the entire country.Those two issues form the basis of the association's lawsuit seeking an injunction from the U.S. District Court for Maryland.First, the drug makers argue that since policing medicine prices here affects prices in other states, the law steps on the federal government's authority to regulate interstate commerce. Second, they argue that the term "unconscionable" is not well defined, and being prosecuted under it would violate the companies' constitutional right to due process."No one supports 'price gouging,'" said Jeff Francer, the association's attorney. But companies deserve clarity, he said. "The highway doesn't have a sign that says, 'please drive at a reasonable speed.' The sign gives you a number and you know whether you're speeding or not."A spokeswoman for Frosh declined to comment on the litigation. The attorney general pressed the legislature to approve the law as an expansion of his power to prosecute consumer protection matters. Frosh's assistant attorney generals deemed the measure constitutional.Lobbyist Vinny DeMarco, CEO of the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative, also pressed for the legislation and criticized drug firms for attacking "a desperately needed law.""It's very sad that the governor gave ammunition to the drug companies to challenge that law," DeMarco said. "Maryland has the authority and responsibility to protect its citizens from price gouging."Hogan has said he is "very supportive" of keeping down prescription drug costs, but criticized the law for not addressing patented medicines and medical devices that are often more expensive than generics. In his May 26 letter raising constitutional concerns about the law, Hogan said "the legislation does have a laudable goal."His spokesman on Thursday declined to comment on the lawsuit.The complicated law applies to generic or off-patent drug makers that manufacture a medicine at least three other firms also make. If those conditions apply, companies can't impose a significant price increase without justifying it to the attorney general, who can ask a judge to order that the price increase not take effect. Violating the law carries a $10,000 fine.Advocates say the law was tailored to cover the most essential drugs that people can't live without. As examples, advocates point to price increases in the injectors for the heroin antidote Naloxone, albuterol-sulfate that is commonly used to treat asthma, and EpiPens that treat severe allergic reactions.The generics trade association, however, questioned the policy behind the law, pointing out that the generic drug industry has been instrumental in driving down the cost of many common medicines."Do we want to be picking on the part of the pharmaceutical industry that is helping consumers?" Francer asked.Baltimore County Del. Eric Bromwell oversaw negotiations over the bill in the House of Delegates. On Thursday, the veteran Democratic lawmaker was unmoved by the threat of a lawsuit."I agree that there's other bad parties responsible for the high cost of drugs, and I plan to get a lot deeper into that in this upcoming session and sessions in the future," Bromwell said. "If they're maintaining that we didn't cover the entire pharmaceutical industry, then clearly we have more work to do."
State election officials voiced doubt Saturday that adequate security measures can be adopted before 2018 elections to safeguard against the possibility of a foreign government interfering in U.S. elections.Thats according to attendees at a weekend gathering of the National Association of Secretaries of State, whose conference was held amid an uproar over a White House commission investigating President Donald Trumps allegations of voter fraud and heightened concern about Russian attempts to interfere in U.S. elections.The Department of Homeland Security said last fall that hackers believed to be Russian agents targeted voter registration systems in more than 20 states. And a leaked National Security Agency document from May said Russian military intelligence had attempted to hack into voter registration software used in eight states.But both Republican and Democratic Secretaries of State, who are responsible for carrying out elections in many states, said they have been frustrated in recent months by a lack of information from federal intelligence officials on allegations of Russian meddling with the vote. They say that despite the best efforts by federal officials, it may be too late in to make substantive changes.Im doubtful, said Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, a Democrat. We shouldnt feel like weve been tied to a chair and blindfolded ... Its very hard to help further instill public confidence that you know what youre doing if you dont have any information.The conference in Indianapolis, which began Friday, is being attended by officials from 37 states. The FBI and Homeland Security attempted to allay fears by holding a series of closed-door meetings Saturday on voting security.
Description

 GIS - 10 July, 2017: Mauritius has and will always have a special place in my heart stated Chinese Ambassador Li Li following his meeting with the Prime Minister on Friday 07 July, 2017.

The Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China, Mr Li Li, paid a farewell call on the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, at the Treasury Building in Port Louis and highlighted that the meeting was very cordial.

Ambassador Li Li underscored that the last four years have been very fruitful in terms of bilateral cooperation between Mauritius and China. The ties between the two countries have strengthened and now deeper and more meaningful links are developing so as to address the future challenges, he added.

He recalled that both the financial and tourism sectors have known positive developments and for a sustainable cooperation between the two countries exchange of personnel programmes remains high on the agenda.

He concluded by stating that China will continue to support Mauritius in the ongoing projects.
Description

GIS - 10 July 2017: The education of girls and young women should cease to be an eristic matter subject to controversy or disputation. The African Renaissance can only be built on the conviction that the story of African girls and young women should no more be narrated sotto voce.

The Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, made this statement this morning at the launching of a Forum on Strategies for retention of girls and young women in educational systems, at the Intercontinental Hotel, in Balaclava. The forum is conducted by a panel of resource persons from the AU, CIEFFA, UNESCO, WomHub, and UNICEF. Some 70 foreign delegates and 50 Mauritian participants are attending.

In her opening address, the Minister Dookun-Luchoomun, spoke of the need for leveraged actions so that both, boys and girls have the possibility to be active participants in fashioning the destiny of our countries. Mauritius fully subscribes to the idea that any theme that places girls and young women at centre stage should sit high on the national agenda, she said.

Mauritius has made considerable progress in terms of access of girls to education, equity of treatment and inclusion. In Mauritius, we hardly need to talk of retention when girls are known to outperform boys and are self-motivated enough to pursue their education path to the hilt, she said. Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun enumerated some factors that contribute to this fact namely, the advantage of being a small country with a declining population; and the powerful demand for education universally seen as an instrument for social mobility and economic take-off.

However, the Minister conceded that Mauritius still faces numerous challenges as regards STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The trend in Mauritius, as elsewhere in Africa, is the disproportionate number of women as compared to men, both in STEM subjects in academia and in employment. It is, therefore, important to come up with strategies to attract more girls and young women in the STEM and TVET fields and work towards ensuring gender parity in the field of science and sustaining that parity once it is attained, she pointed out.

For her part, the Coordinator, African Union (AU), the International Centre for Girls and Womens Education in Africa (CIEFFA), Dr Rita Bissoonauth, stressed that if gender equity and equality is to be achieved and if full participation of all segments of African human resources is to be ensured, all training fields should be mobilised and made accessible to all.

We should accept the educational and professional choices of the women who wish to give themselves the capacity, knowledge and skills, she added.

About the Forum

The three-day event is organised jointly by the AU, the CIEFFA and the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research. The objectives are to address the challenges that impede the retention of girls and young women in education systems, and find solutions so as to bring about real and sustainable changes.

Discussions will focus on: accessibility of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) for girls and young women in Africa; women in STEM  challenges and perspectives; gender stereotyping in TVET  assessing the facts, challenging the myths; legal and institutional environment to support right to quality education for girls and young women; higher education and gender sensitivity to increase retention rate among young women and quality acquisition; identifying gender-sensitive contents in teaching and learning resources.
Description

GIS  10 July 2017: Mauritius, joining the international movement to fight tax evasion and base erosion, has signed the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Headquarters in Paris last week. Mauritius, joining the international movement to fight tax evasion and base erosion, has signed theat the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Headquarters in Paris last week.

The Multilateral Convention, also known as the Multilateral Instrument (MLI), will cover 23 of the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements of Mauritius, namely with Barbados, Belgium, Republic of Congo, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Guernsey, Italy, Kuwait, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Monaco, Oman, Qatar, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom.

Mauritius will also engage on a bilateral level with the remaining 19 treaty-partner countries to modify and conclude the non-covered agreements by the end of 2018. The treaty-partner countries are Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Egypt, India, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Mauritius has also actively participated in the Ad-Hoc Group set up by the OECD to work on the drafting of the Multilateral Instrument as recommended under Action 15 of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Report.

As a trusted and fully collaborative international financial centre of substance, Mauritius has always adhered to internationally accepted norms and standards.

It is recalled that in June 2015, Mauritius signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, jointly developed by the Council of Europe and the OECD. Mauritius is equally a member of the Early Adopters Group committed to the early implementation of the Common Reporting Standard on the automatic exchange of financial account information.

Moreover, the country was the first in Africa to have signed up to the Intergovernmental Agreement with the United States for the implementation of the Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act.
(TNS) -- State information technology experts are stepping up their role in the effort to replace an outdated computer system that serves the state Department of Taxation.After months of complaints from the public and state lawmakers about the new system, Gov. David Ige this week named state Chief Information Officer Todd Nacapuy as executive sponsor of the $60 million Tax System Modernization, or TSM, project.The new computer system generated so many complaints that the Legislature this year stopped the flow of new funding into the project. Lawmakers refused a request from the Ige administration for an additional $18 million to continue the computer changeover.Lawmakers also transferred a half-dozen of the key tax department staff involved in the project to the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, where they work under Nacapuy.Unhappy lawmakers also passed House Bill 1414, requiring the state auditor to investigate and report back on the problems with the new tax system, but Ige has signaled he likely will veto that bill.Ige did not mention any of those developments in his written announcement this week that Nacapuy will now lead all technical aspects of the tax computer system changeover. That shift is designed to ensure the project successfully implements and fully leverages modern best-practice processes and technology toward stated goals, Ige said in his written statement.Nacapuy, who reports directly to the governor, will oversee the work of consultant Fast Enterprises, which is implementing the new system, and has set up similar systems in 21 other states. Nacapuy will also receive what are called independent verification and validation reports from another consultant hired to monitor the progress of the tax project, Ige announced.We recognize overhauling such a large, complex system affecting virtually every Hawaii taxpayer is not easy, but the benefits are clearly worth the investment and immense effort, Ige said in his written statement. We have the right team in place and are positioned to succeed.House Finance Committee Chairwoman Sylvia Luke, who has been an outspoken critic of the rollout of the new tax system, said Iges announcement is a step in the right direction.She added, The Department of (Taxation) doesnt have the right approach and right personnel to address the technical IT issues. Its not a tax collection issue. Its an IT issue.Many of the complaints from the public focused on the launch last August of the second phase of the computer system, which shifted general excise taxes, hotel room taxes and motor vehicle rental taxes from the old system to the new. Users complained they were unable to register with the new system to pay their taxes, and the call center set up to help the public was overwhelmed.The tax department has so far spent more than $18.7 million on the project, which Nacapuy said is large, complex and critically important because it involves all state tax collections. His role is to help the tax department address problems that cropped up in the first two phases of the project, he said.The biggest focus here is on the constituents, he said. His department will focus on the technical aspects of the project to improve some of the customer service aspects of the TSM project, he said.The project schedule calls for individual income taxes to be shifted over to the new system next year, and for the final phase of the project to launch in July 2019.2017 The Honolulu Star-AdvertiserVisit The Honolulu Star-Advertiser at www.staradvertiser.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS)  With a heat wave continuing to bake California and the rest of the West, wildfires forced nearly 8,000 people to dash for safety Sunday as flames destroyed homes and threatened thousands of structures across the state.Along the Central Coast, firefighters battled two major blazes on opposite ends of Santa Barbara County. Efforts Sunday focused on protecting mountain peaks that hold crucial communication and electrical infrastructure, including a high-voltage line that carries power to Santa Barbara and neighboring cities.The Alamo fire, near Highway 166 in northern Santa Barbara County, was the largest active fire in California and was 15% contained after burning more than 37 square miles as of Sunday evening, according to the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. At least 200 people were forced to evacuate a remote area east of Santa Maria, and about 1,000 firefighters from Los Angeles and across the state rushed to help control the flames, Cal Fire said.About 35 miles to the south in Santa Barbara County, more than 3,500 people have fled the Whittier fire near Lake Cachuma, which was burning just north of Goleta. The blaze scorched just over 12 square miles and burned 20 structures on both sides of Highway 154, according to officials with Los Padres National Forest.That fire, which started about 2 p.m. Saturday, initially trapped some 80 campers at the Circle V Ranch Camp. But U.S. Forest Service firefighters reached the group later that day, said Capt. Dave Zaniboni of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.On Sunday, firefighters were aided by slightly lower temperatures  nearby Santa Ynez saw a high of 91, compared to 106 on Saturday  and favorable winds blowing in from the Pacific that halted the fires spread downhill toward Goleta. The blaze was moving east and west along the Santa Ynez Mountains into areas that were badly burned by two wildfires in the last decade, limiting the available fuel."It will act as a good buffer," said Jim Harris, deputy fire chief for Los Padres National Forest.Harris said the firefighting effort in Santa Barbara County is in need of additional hotshot fire crews with the kind of rugged engines that can navigate the steep dirt terrain where the fire is burning on the south-facing mountain slopes.A third blaze in the Central Coast, the Stone fire, ignited Sunday just before 2 p.m. about 30 miles east of Morro Bay, according to Cal Fires unit in San Luis Obispo County. The fire quickly grew to 340 acres and threatened numerous structures, and was just 10% contained Sunday evening, officials said.Meanwhile, thousands of evacuees holed up in cars and shelters over the weekend, awaiting word if they were allowed to return home.Sarah Gustafson, who moved from Washington to California seven months ago, lives in the shadow of the Santa Ynez Mountains down a winding road between Lake Cachuma and San Marcos Pass, just off Highway 154.She was getting her tires changed on the Santa Barbara side of the mountains Saturday when she saw a pillar of smoke rise on the other side of the range. She panicked: Her six beloved cats were trapped at home."It was my worst-case scenario," said Gustafson, who works at a veterinary hospital. "I wasn't home, I wasn't able to get there and I had to evacuate."Once her tires were secure, she navigated around road closures and made her way over the mountain range as the fire exploded from 300 to more than 3,000 acres in a swath of forest that fire officials said had not burned since 1955."It was terrifying," she said. "The sky was orange and black. You could see flames up on the ridge. When I got home it was smokey with ash."She managed to cram her six cats  Severus, Malfoy, Mama, Smee, Nibbles and her kitten, Gidget  into containers, then into her Toyota sedan. She spent the night in the parking lot of a shelter set up at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara with her cats, a portable DVD player and Season 6 of The Simpsons to keep her company.Fernando Salazar, a biologist from Colombia, and his daughter Veronica Salazar, who recently graduated from MIT, didn't know what to make of the smoke plume at first. The pair darted up the hill from Santa Barbara to a campground in Los Padres National Forest to retrieve their camping gear."It was an inferno," Salazar said. "The sky was beautiful, the sun was red."The pair had seen Yellowstone, Yosemite and points in between during their road trip. "And we end it with a fire," he said.Elsewhere across California, more than 4,000 people were under a mandatory evacuation order as the Wall fire tore through nearly eight square miles and destroyed 10 structures in a remote part of Butte County, roughly 60 miles north of Sacramento.The blaze was threatening an additional 5,400 structures, prompting Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency and devote additional resources to the firefighting effort there.Four people have been injured by the Wall fire, which was 17% contained late Sunday, Cal Fire said. The fire was actively burning, pushing toward the northwest and southwest and leaving another 7,400 people under evacuation warnings, the agency said.In some places, firefighters contended with harsh heat. The Winters fire in Yolo County, which registered a high temperature of 104 degrees on Sunday, burned 2,269 acres and was 85% contained, officials said. No more evacuation orders were in place, and the cause of the blaze that ignited Thursday afternoon remained under investigation.Panzar reported from Goleta and Hamilton from Los Angeles.javier.panzar@latimes.commatt.hamilton@latimes.com2017 the Los Angeles TimesVisit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS)  Gov. John Bel Edwards' new chief of staff, Mark Cooper, has years of experience in something that Louisiana is highly accustomed to: disasters.From catastrophic hurricanes to historic floods to man-made disasters like the Deepwater Horizon explosion and massive oil spill, the state has found itself in a nearly continual cycle of crises in recent years. And that's not even counting the cycle of budget emergencies.Cooper  who previously served as head of Louisiana's disaster management agency; worked in California on response to Los Angeles riots, earthquakes and wildfires; and most recently was the senior director of global emergency management for Wal-Mart, the world's largest private employer  sees one silver lining to disasters: They bring people together across partisan lines to do what's best.He said he hopes that translates to the increasingly volatile political climate that he's entering in Louisiana, where Edwards, a Democrat, has often butted heads with the Republicans who dominate most other aspects of state government."It doesn't matter to me whether you are a Republican or Democrat," Cooper said in a recent interview with The Advocate in his fourth-floor office in the State Capitol, just steps away from Edwards' office. "My goal is to help the citizens of Louisiana."In Louisiana, the governor's chief of staff has traditionally played a powerful role in guiding the state's policies and politics.Cooper, a Republican, is in an unusual position, working for a Democratic governor in a deep red state. Edwards is the only statewide elected Democrat, and Republicans hold majorities in both the House and Senate."I have seen this in the governor: He wants to lead from a bipartisan perspective," Cooper said. "To bring in someone with different viewpoints from him is an advantage."It remains to be seen how Cooper's role will shape up, particularly as the governor navigates a pitfall-filled political landscape, most notably illustrated in the ongoing public feud he has engaged in with a defiant House Republican leadership.Louisiana has traditionally given governors the unusual power of dictating their own legislative leaders. However, when Edwards took office, Republicans in the House rejected Edwards' choice and named their own House speaker. In the year and a half since then, that initial rift has widened as House Republican leaders have pushed back against Edwards' plans for shoring up the state's finances through increased revenue."I'm maybe not your traditional type of chief of staff, and I'm still trying to feel that out," Cooper said. "I kind of see myself as the Capitol whisperer; I'm not the one that is going to be out there to cut people down."Cooper started his job just as the Legislature ended a special session to deal with the state's short-term budget and just before it started its regular session, which closed without much effort to plug the state's looming $1 billion-plus shortfall when a temporary sales tax hike expires next year.Cooper has, so far, not drawn much attention publicly, though the announcement of his hiring raised some eyebrows, given that he was previously part of Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration. Edwards frequently criticizes his Republican predecessor's handling of the state's finances, in particular.Cooper served under Jindal as executive director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, a Cabinet-level position that placed him as a close adviser to Jindal during hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008; the BP oil spill in 2010; and other disasters and preparation needs the state experienced between 2008 and 2011, when Cooper left to take a job at Wal-Mart's corporate headquarters in Arkansas.Edwards said he sees Cooper as being "an invaluable part of this team since his first day.""Having joined the administration in the thick of a budget debate, he immediately hit the ground running  working with Republicans, Democrats and independents  to find areas of agreement to better Louisiana," Edwards said."Most importantly, Marks previous experience with the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness was a tremendous asset when Louisiana faced severe weather over the last several months. I know that, going forward, he will continue to forge the relationships this administration needs to be successful."Cooper said he's comfortable working across party lines in his new role because Edwards, a devout Catholic and former Army Ranger, is more conservative than many Democrats. In a similar bipartisan gesture, Edwards also tapped Republican Jay Dardenne, a former lieutenant governor and GOP candidate for governor, as his commissioner of administration when he took office.But Cooper's hiring marked a sharp departure from Edwards' previous chief of staff.Cooper replaced the retiring Ben Nevers, a former Democratic state senator from Bogalusa who is well known and highly respected among his former colleagues in the State Capitol, where he served in the Legislature for 15 years.During a state Senate subcommittee hearing on the state's flood recovery, Sen. Bodi White, R-Central, joked that Nevers, a calm and fatherly figure, had been sent to represent the Governor's Office because members of the committee liked Nevers and would be more gentle in questioning him about the federal funds the state had received.In the most recent regular legislative session, Edwards proposed a slate of large tax proposals, but none gained traction  the latest example of how he's faced pushback from conservative leaders.Lawmakers have publicly acknowledged that they suspect the Legislature will be called into another special session before next year's regular session in March, though Edwards has recently said he will not call one if he doesn't think there is enough consensus to be productive.The Legislature cannot take up certain tax measures in regular sessions in even-numbered years, so any action to whittle away at the shortfall would have to take place at a special session."I think at the end of the day, we've got to do what's right for this state," Cooper said of his approach to policy.Cooper said he missed public service and had always yearned for a more executive-type role not strictly focused on disaster preparation and response. But disasters are, perhaps not surprisingly, what have brought Cooper and Edwards together.Cooper and Edwards, a former state lawmaker whom Cooper didn't know during his previous stint in Louisiana government, first met at a National Governors Association meeting last year. Cooper said he found Edwards to be down-to-earth, and he later admired Edwards' leadership through the state's tumultuous year.Just months after Edwards took office, Louisiana was under the glare of the national spotlight for a series of events that sent the governor into disaster response mode: Floods washed over much of north Louisiana in March 2016. A black man was killed in an altercation with white Baton Rouge police officers in July. Two weeks later, a Missouri man traveled to Baton Rouge and carried out an ambush attack on law enforcement, killing three officers and wounding three more. Catastrophic floods swept the capital area in August.By the time Edwards' first year in office ended, 56 of Louisiana's 64 parishes had received federal disaster declarations at some point."I was very interested. You have a Democrat in a very red state," Cooper said. "What really sold me on his leadership abilities is how he responded to the floods and the shootings last year."Cooper and his wife, Sandra, a schoolteacher from Minnesota, have three children  one son who is a sophomore at LSU, and a son and a daughter in high school.An older daughter died suddenly in 2000 at the age of 5 because of a heart issue  something Cooper says has made his family strong."My wife and I have been through a lot," he said. "We're very resilient as a couple."Cooper said they often share the story of their loss with other grieving families. "It's a terrible fraternity to be a part of," he said. "But you learn it's good to talk to others who have been through what you've been through."Though he's had stints in California and Arkansas, Cooper considers himself a proud Louisianian and an ambassador for LSU, in particular. He was known among his Southern California friends as a long-distance cheerleader for the Tigers, talking up the school so much that a friend's child is now enrolled there.Born in South Dakota, Cooper and his family moved to Bossier City when he was young, ironically as the state was experiencing massive flash floods."They felt they had found the promised land," Cooper said of his family.His father retired from Barksdale Air Force Base but died a short time later, when Cooper was just 12.His mother liked Louisiana and the community the family had become a part of in Bossier City so much that she decided the family would stay there, and Cooper said he thrived as a youth attending public schools, being involved in the Boys State program and eventually ending up at LSU, which felt like a world away at a time when the trip to Baton Rouge could take six hours by car.Cooper's interest in Louisiana politics led him to work for the annual Boys State program, which encourages high schoolers from across the state to take an interest in politics. He also worked for the Legislature and even as a graduate assistant for one of the state's top economists, LSU's Jim Richardson.He said he still has several friends in northwest Louisiana and recently attended his 35th high school reunion."When you come back to Louisiana, it's like you have never left," he said.Cooper said he wants to be a part of flipping the narrative of people fleeing Louisiana for better opportunities elsewhere."People come from all over and fall in love with this state," he said. "You can't measure it in a ranking.""I'm still in awe every day that I walk into this Capitol," Cooper said of the 34-story skyscraper in downtown Baton Rouge. "I hope that never changes."2017 The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La.Visit The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. at www.theadvocate.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) -- Columbus took its biggest step onto the national stage a year ago when it was dubbed America's Smart City.The distinction came with a big prize. The city received a $40 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and another $10 million from Vulcan Inc. to turn Columbus into the test track for intelligent transportation systems.It also came with a ticking clock: four years to follow through on a wide-ranging proposal and produce data showing what pieces succeeded or failed.A year later, autonomous vehicles, universal fare cards and hundreds of electric vehicle charging stations haven't yet materialized. But officials say the city has made progress, even if you can't see it on the streets."I think a lot has been accomplished in the last year, but it's been more of the internal workings," said Michael Stevens, Columbus' chief innovation officer.The internal workings didn't exist in Columbus before it won the grant.The city signed grant agreements with the federal government in August and with Vulcan in April. It spun off Smart Columbus from the Department of Public Service and paired up with the Columbus Partnership, a collection of the city's private-sector executives, to run the program at the Idea Foundry in Franklinton.Those two groups split responsibilities, though they work together. The city's primary job is to make sure it fulfills the promises made for the $40 million federal grant. The Partnership is handling a lot of the plans around promoting electric vehicles as required by the $10 million grant from Vulcan.They've also spent time rounding up other commitments and partnerships that total more than $500 million. About $23 million of that is cash.It includes about $262 million in related projects, such as American Electric Power's plan to install "smart meters" in homes, and $218 million in research commitments. Some of those projects already were in the works but dovetail with Smart Cities.The goal is to sustain the initiative beyond the four-year grant period."It's the first 10 feet of a 10-mile race," said Mark Patton, the Partnership's vice president overseeing Smart Columbus. "It's going to play out over years."Some of the related projects are likely to be among the first to hit the streets. For example, the Central Ohio Transit Authority plans to update its fare boxes in the fall to accept payment with a cellphone or "smart" card that can be loaded with money on the internet.COTA already was planning that $6.5 million project, but it aligned with the Smart Columbus plan to produce a fare card that works across multiple forms of transportation, including buses, bike shares and others, CEO Curtis Stitt said.More electric vehicle charging stations likely will start popping up soon, too. The seven-county central Ohio region has 118 stations now, but Smart Columbus plans to add 305 by the end of the grant.Patton said he already is working with members of the Columbus Partnership to convert their fleet vehicles to electric and to create incentives for employees to buy electric cars. They could provide better parking and charging stations to encourage workers to buy electric, he said.The "demonstration projects" the city promised in its grant application are moving slower. During 2017 and 2018, the city will turn ideas such as autonomous shuttles at Easton, universal fare cards and a clearinghouse for transportation data into projects it could eventually produce.The so-called integrated data exchange has never been produced before, Stevens said, and Smart Columbus has to figure out how to build it.Smart Columbus should start purchasing equipment needed for the projects in 2018. They will do internal testing and start projects in 2019 and 2020, he said.Stevens acknowledged that some of the projects are going to fail, and Smart Columbus has to provide the data and process to the government so it can either replicate them elsewhere or avoid the same mistakes. Parts of the plan have been evolving even as the city works with the U.S. Department of Transportation because of rapid changes in technology, he said."You don't want to use Betamax when everyone else is using VHS," he said.
California has a long history of being aggressive about improving air quality, and for good reason. Researchers from MIT released data in 2013 documenting that California has the nation's worst health impacts from air pollution, accounting each year for about 21,000 of the country's 200,000 early deaths attributable to dirty air. Of course, air pollution affects millions more in other ways, resulting in emergency-department visits for cardiovascular and respiratory problems as well as restricted-activity days and time lost from work and school.And it would appear that, much like lead contamination, there are no safe levels of air pollution. A Harvard University research team's study published last month in thefound significant evidence of adverse effects related to exposure to particulate matter and ozone at concentrations below current national standards.How much more aggressive does California need to be? Clearly, it has a way to go. Despite decades-long regulatory efforts that often have served as a model for other states and the nation, California still has seven of the nation's 10 most-polluted metropolitan areas and 11 of the worst 25 cities, according to the American Lung Association's 2017 State of the Air report Southern California has the state's worst air quality, and the city-owned ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are the region's largest source of smog-forming air pollution. Although the ports have been operating for more than a decade under a joint Clean Air Action Plan , progress hasn't been adequate to mitigate the pollution caused by the thousands of ships that pass through the port every year as well as locomotives and cargo-handling equipment operating there.Efforts to tackle the ports' emissions are ratcheting up significantly under an agreement signed in June by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. Their new Clean Air Action Plan establishes far-reaching goals to "advance clean technologies and other efforts to move toward the goal of zero emissions" with specific targets of zero-emission cargo-handling equipment by 2030 and zero-emission trucks by 2035.It's a gargantuan undertaking that seems likely to have impacts far beyond California: Together, these two ports handle some 37 percent of all imports into the country arriving in containers. "Our ports are the engines that power our economy," Garcetti said. "They must also be the forces that drive our region toward a greener, more sustainable future."The L.A. and Long Beach efforts fall within the scope of the broader statewide 2016 California Sustainable Freight Action Plan to modernize the state's freight-transport system while reducing pollution. California's huge freight system is responsible for one-third of the state's economic product and jobs: Freight-dependent industries accounted for over $740 billion in gross domestic product and more than 5 million jobs in 2014. Reducing carbon dioxide and other emissions in this sector is critical to meeting the state's new, aggressive targets for lowering greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 to combat climate change.Efforts to combat climate change and reduce air pollution are intertwined, of course. And, asmagazine's Justin Worland recently pointed out, "no place in the country stands to benefit more than California" from targeting sources of emissions such as power plants, factories and vehicles. Whether California's new state and regional efforts will have an impact beyond its borders remains to be seen, but if history is a guide the odds are good that that they will.This column was originally published by Governing
(TNS) -- When Kris Kobach of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity sent out a letter asking all 50 states to provide the federal government with detailed information on every voter in the nation in hopes of combatting election fraud, experts say he may have unwittingly opened a new gate for the bad actors of the cyberworld.By calling for states to provide the names, addresses, birthdays, partial Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers and other personal information for the more than 200 million people who have been registered to vote since 2006, Kobach could be setting up a one-stop shop of personal information that would be a treasure trove not only for shady online entrepreneurs, but also for identity thieves and criminal hackers.If youre a hacker, if youre Vladimir Putin, if youre someone trying to disrupt elections, now instead of having to break into 50 databases, you have to get into just one, said Jesse Melgar, a spokesman for California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. Its a hackers dream and a cybersecurity nightmare.California has refused to turn over any voter information. Kobach has stated that 14 states and the District of Columbia are refusing to turn over the information In his letter released June 29, Kobach, who is the secretary of state in Kansas, said the commission was looking only for public information from the states.Whatever a person on the street can walk in and get, thats what we would like, Kobach, the commissions vice chairman, told CNNs Anderson Cooper last Friday.But even basic information like a voters name, address and date of birth is going to be enough to cause problems, said Matt Bishop, a computer science professor at UC Davis and co-director of the universitys computer security laboratory.If hackers want a whole lot of information on a whole lot of people so they can sell it, this is it, he added. The federal government is doing most of their job for them.Kobach said that the information would be used to fully analyze vulnerabilities and issues related to voter registration and voting. President Trump put together the commission after complaining that millions of illegal votes cost him a popular vote victory in November, a view seconded by Kobach.The one-size-fits-all letter takes an all-encompassing view of what may be considered public, asking for such clearly private information as the last four digits of voters Social Security numbers, which not one state so far has agreed to provide.It seems unbelievable that anyone would ask for this information, said Natalie Tennant of the Brennan Center of Justice at New York University School of Law. Everyone knows you dont give out your Social Security number, so why insult state officials by asking?Kobach has said that even his own state, Kansas, isnt allowed to provide those Social Security numbers.Its not just identity thieves who would be looking for even partial Social Security numbers, Bishop said.How many companies confirm your identity by using the last four digits of your Social Security number? he asked. If that ever becomes public, people can use that information to impersonate you to your phone company and other groups and do things to mess up your life.That public information  and the rules for who gets it and how it may be used  vary widely among the states. California, for example, provides a voters name, address, gender, party identification and which elections they have voted in. But that information typically can be used only for political or academic purposes, Melgar said.If someone came in off the street and asked for the information, wed ask why they wanted it, he added. And we dont provide anyone with a Social Security number, drivers license number, criminal history or date of birth.Public Data is a California company that collects voter information from the state, combines it with other publicly available demographic statistics and then sells that information to about 900 different customers, including political campaigns, universities and grassroots organizers. But the company has to follow the states rules governing the data, which include no business use.If a group of Realtors came by and said they wanted that information to help sell homes, wed send them away, said Paul Mitchell, vice president of Public Data.California and other states are concerned that Kobach plans to use the information from the states to put together national rules making it easier to bar people from voting. A nationwide voter database could open the way to more challenges for people looking to register, which could keep eligible voters from casting ballots, said Tennant, who was West Virginias secretary of state from 2009 to 2017.What also worries election officials is Kobachs promise that any documents that are submitted to the full commission will also be made available to the public, although he said in a new letter Wednesday that those documents would not include the raw voting lists, which the commission would de-identify, or detach a voters identity from the data, before releasing them publicly.That still leaves problems, though, because the government would continue to store the complete voting lists, Bishop said.If theyre not going to make it all public, how do they store it? he asked. The federal government doesnt have a great record of protecting its data.If the full voter data the commission has asked for did get out, either by public release or by hacking, Bishop said, calling that a disaster would be like saying the Titanic bumped into something.Access to the most sensitive information that states are being asked to provide would be found money for the bad guys and grifters of the cyberworld.A combination of Social Security numbers and dates of birth, along with full names and addresses, could be used to peel apart likely passwords and other online information by identity thieves, said Mitchell of Public Data.Those concerns have been enough to persuade many voting officials to move cautiously when it comes to complying with Kobachs data request.California is standing by its refusal to provide Kobach and his committee with any voter information, and there doesnt seem to be anything the federal government can do about it.As it stands now, the letter is a request, said Melgar of the secretary of states office. Its not a mandate. Its not a subpoena. And we dont feel comfortable about providing any information when theres no statement about what its going to be used for.
Developer of M.E.Doc tax reporting software IT-expert has issued an update providing for safe usage of the software, IT-expert has said on its Facebook page, referring to CEO Olesia Bilousova.

"Today we officially handed update 190 to the cyber police. It removes backdoor from our product. After its check the cyber police department would present its conclusions. I hope to launch it tomorrow," she said on July 7.

M.E.Doc posted an announcement for the users of the Ukraine authorized digital key certification center on its website.

"If you have suffered from the attack and lost the keys, we propose to reissue them for free in any regional office of the Ukraine authorized digital key certification center. To ensure the safe receipt and further use of the electronic digital signature we recommend that you contact the director of the company personally," it says.

When applying to a representative office, it is necessary to submit new applications in electronic form (.pck format) and in paper form signed by each of the subscribers.

It is also necessary to provide the constituent documents for the enterprises and a document certifying identity and a power of attorney. It is also necessary to block previous certificates.
Ukraine boosts gas inventories to almost 12 bcm since end of heating season

Ukraine has increased gas inventories in underground storage 47.3% since the end of the heating season, according to operational data from Ukrtransgaz.

The inventories amounted to 11.929 billion cubic meters (bcm) on July 8, up from 8.1 bcm on March 22.

The current inventories are 21.5% more than on July 8, 2016 (9.821 bcm), 2.1% less than on July 8, 2015 (12.188 bcm) and 17.7% less than on July 8, 2014 (14.486 bcm), according to Interfax-Ukraine calculations.

Ukraine injected 389 mcm of gas into underground storage from July 1 through July 8, 2017 (48.63 mcm a day on average), compared with 49.88 mcm a day on average in June and 51.86 mcm a day on average in May.

If Ukraine injects about 50 mcm a day into underground storage in July-September 2017, it would enter the 2017/2018 heating season with about 16 bcm in storage. It had 14.7 bcm in storage when the 2016/2017 heating season began in mid-October 2016.

At the end of February 2017, Yuriy Vitrenko, the director for business development of Naftogaz Ukrainy, forecasted that as far as gas storage is concerned, the company would pursue the same conservative plans for the upcoming heating season as it did for the 2016/2017 heating season.

Ukraine imported 34.958 mcm of gas on July 8, 2017, of which 23.359 mcm from Slovakia, 7.395 mcm from Hungary and 4.204 mcm from Poland. In general, Ukraine imported 278.8 mcm of gas from Europe on July 1 through July 8.

Gas production in Ukraine on July 8 was 56.344 mcm, of which Ukrgazvydobuvannia produced 41.804 mcm, Ukrnafta - 2.656 mcm and other companies - 11.884 mcm. Overall production on July 1 through July 8 was 449.7 bcm.

Transit via Ukraine's gas transport system was 2.101 bcm in the period July 1-8 or 262.6 mcm a day on average.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, Andriy Parubiy has called on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to consider the question of depriving Russia of its veto right at the UN Security Council.

"I've called the UN to deprive Russia of its veto right at the UN Security Council. The aggressor has no right to decide at the UN on the state it has attacked," he wrote on Twitter on Sunday evening.

At their meeting in Kyiv on Sunday, July 9, Parubiy and Guterres discussed, among other things, the humanitarian situation in Donbas and Crimea. The Ukrainian parliament speaker thanked the UN Secretary General for the humanitarian assistance provided to Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that Ukraine will focus on the implementation of important reforms in order to meet the standards of NATO member states.

"I'd like to emphasize once again that this does not mean that we will immediately apply for [NATO] membership. Absolutely not. This means that we need to hammer out a real reform road map, a program of our cooperation, to intensify our efforts to achieve the necessary standards. And to do this, we need assistance and cooperation with our NATO partners," Poroshenko said at a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission in Kyiv on Monday.
President Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin last week was a big win ... for Putin.

Not only did Trump pronounce himself honored to meet Putin, who leads a criminal, murderous regime, but he agreed to move on from Russia's meddling in our 2016 presidential election.

And Trump keeps making it all worse with his post-G20 tweets.

At 4:50 a.m. Sunday, when he should have been sleeping off jet lag, the president issued this:

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe. Questions were asked about why the CIA & FBI had to ask the DNC 13 times for their SERVER, and were rejected, still don't have it. Fake News said 17 intel agencies when actually 4 (had to apologize). Why did Obama do NOTHING when he had info before election?"

The "impenetrable Cyber Security unit" suggestion created an uproar. Would Trump really order U.S. intelligence agencies to work with the Russians? The idea is an insult to our agencies and would potentially threaten our national security by giving Russians access to U.S. methods and capabilities.

The reaction, naturally, was overwhelming negative in our country (the Russians were probably delighted). Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio and John McCain expressed derision.

But Trump's Treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, called it a swell idea.

Trump then undercut Mnuchin with another tweet late Sunday afternoon:

"The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't-but a ceasefire can,& did!"

So he floated this notion of working with Putin to make everything "guarded and safe" even though he knows it can't happen? Does Trump know how stupid he makes himself look when he does this? How embarrassing it is to the United States?

The rest of his early Sunday tweet was also absurd:

"Questions were asked about why the CIA & FBI had to ask the DNC 13 times for their SERVER, and were rejected, still don't have it."

Does he mean "questions were asked" during his meeting with Putin? Why would he discuss with Putin what our intelligence agencies did or didn't do?

For the record, John Brennan, who was CIA director at the time, denied yesterday that the agency asked the Democratic National Committee to do anything. The CIA doesn't do domestic intelligence. In any case, what's the point of Trump's statement? Were he and Putin colluding to try to fix blame on the DNC or FBI? It sounds like it to me. That dodge is a gift to Putin.

Trump's claim that only four intelligence agencies found that Russia interfered in our election is no vindication for his position that "nobody knows" whether Russia did or didn't. Those four are the principle intelligence agencies  the CIA, FBI, NSA and DNI. The president should read their assessment, rather than believe Putin's denials.

Graham said yesterday that Trump has a "blind spot" when it comes to Russia. I disagree. Trump has a reason for being so chummy with Putin. I hope Robert Mueller's investigation will tell us what that reason is and expect that it will.
GREENSBORO  Thanks to a $7,500 grant from Cone Health and the Cone Health Foundation, Greensboro Farmers Market, Inc. will continue its partnership with the Guilford Community Care Network (GCCN) Orange Card Program.

This partnership will provide funding for GCCN participants to purchase fresh foods at the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market, which is open 7 a.m. to noon Saturday year round and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday through Dec. 20.

GCCN is a non-profit program of community supporters that coordinates health care services for low-income or uninsured individuals in Guilford County.

Orange Card beneficiaries will receive $10 in tokens weekly to shop the Market for fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, meat (lamb, beef, pork, poultry, seafood) and honey.

"The pilot program, which began in November, has exceeded our expectations. Through this generous and important support grant from the Cone Health Foundation, we are currently able to provide fresh healthy foods to 80 Guilford County families a week," said Lee Mortensen, executive director of the market.

Food security for those in need is important to our staff and board of directors," said market board chair Margaret Winslow. "Greensboro Farmers Market devotes significant resources to the programs we coordinate at the market (SNAB/EBT double matching funds, WIC, Senior Nutrition and hosting Farmers Foodshare donations stations). We are committed to exploring additional ways the market can address fresh food access challenges in our community.

The market is seeking additional funds to sustain the orange card program year-round.

We are thrilled with the results of this program partnership which integrates access to healthy and affordable food options to the patients we serve into their health care plan," said Lisa Duck, executive director of Guilford Adult Health Inc. "Orange Card participants have said physicians are prescribing the Orange card at the market program as they recognize the correlation of better health through healthy eating.

The Orange Card pilot program was launched in late November 2016 with a $7,000 grant from Cone Health Systems Foundation. The program benefits Guilford County residents and local farmer vendors. Affiliated agencies that have referred clients include The Mustard Seed Project, Partners for Community Care, Cone Health Sickle Cell, Cone Health and Wellness, ESP Interactive Resource Center, World Church Service, TAPM Eugene, Family Services and others.
Winston-Salem  A federal judge has given preliminary approval to a $142 million settlement addressing the fraudulent customer accounts scandal that has shadowed Wells Fargo & Co. for nearly a year.

Judge Vince Chhabria, of the Northern District of California, wrote Saturday that the class-action lawsuit settlement, initially announced March 28, would guarantee classwide compensation for actual damages. He also said the settlement provides a better process for claimant input and court oversight prior to final approval.

The case is Shahriar Jabbari vs. Wells Fargo. Attorney fees will be deducted from the settlement amount.

At least 1.5 million potentially fraudulent customer checking and 623,000 credit-card accounts were opened by branch employees and managers in customers names, primarily in the Los Angeles and Arizona markets.

The bank has said it cannot rule out that 38,722 unauthorized customer accounts were established in North Carolina and 23,327 in South Carolina

The bank and the plaintiffs lead law firm, Keller Rohrback LLP, expect to send settlement notices in October to affected current and former customers. Potential class members can go to www.WFSettlement.com, or call 866-431-8549 for more information.

Chhabria set a fairness hearing for 10 a.m. Jan. 4.

Chhabria said he believes the settlement addresses the concerns of several parties requesting an intervenor role in the lawsuit. He said Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law claims made by some are dubious.

Wells Fargo acknowledged April 21 the scandal dates back nearly 15 years to May 2002. As a result, the bank agreed to pay an additional $32 million as part of the class-action settlement.

We are pleased that the court found the settlement to be fair, reasonable and adequate, said Tim Sloan, who became Wells Fargos president and chief executive in a ripple effect from the scandal after John Stumpf resigned abruptly in October as chairman and chief executive.

This preliminary approval is a major milestone in our efforts to make things right for our customers, Sloan said. It further ensures each customer impacted by an improper retail sales practice has every opportunity for remediation.

Sloan said the settlement is in addition to our direct efforts to review accounts and provide remediation. These efforts are fundamental to restoring trust with all our stakeholders and building a better Wells Fargo for the future.

The bank expects the Jabbari settlement to resolve substantially all claims in 10 other pending class actions that allege unauthorized accounts were opened in customers names or that customers were enrolled in products or services without their consent.

The increased settlement amount is on top of the $185 million the bank agreed Sept. 8 to pay to resolve regulatory complaints.

Wells Fargo said it already has paid $3.26 million in remediation amounts affecting judgments reached with the Los Angeles City Attorney under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency consent orders. Those funds cover the period of May 2011 through mid-2015.

The bank has made an additional $1.8 million in payments to customers for the period of Sept. 8, 2016, through May 31, 2017, through its online complaints process and free mediation services.

Wells Fargo said it expects to complete the review process and provide remaining remediation for all additional periods by Sept. 30.

Derek Loeser, a partner at Keller Rohrback and lead attorney for the plaintiffs, called the settlement groundbreaking in that it provides substantial monetary benefits and first-of-its kind credit repair damage to customers.

Chris Marinac, the managing principal of FIG Partners LLC of Atlanta, a financial services firm, has said the enhanced settlement is not a large figure relative to its earnings stream. But, Marinac added, It is a wise decision to move forward and put (the scandal) behind the company.

The boards investigation determined that the banks decentralized run it like you own it attitude toward its community banking unit was at the root of the scandal that significantly stained the banks once-sterling reputation.

The board determined that an insular community banking division, led by Carrie Tolstedt, and top executives devotion to aggressive customer cross-selling practices formed the culture that enabled the practices to take root. For decades, the community banking unit operated in a decentralized system, with limited oversight from senior executives.

The board officially put the bulk of the blame on Tolstedt, who was described retroactively as fired with cause, and on Stumpf.

The board increased the amount of executive compensation clawbacks from Stumpf and Tolstedt by an additional $75 million. The total executive compensation clawback has risen to more than $180 million.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has expressed the Alliance's support of the Ukrainian state and stressed the need for the full implementation of the Minsk peace agreements on Donbas.

"We are also here to demonstrate NATO's solidarity with Ukraine and our firm support for the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of your country," Stoltenberg said at a Ukraine-NATO Commission meeting in Kyiv on Monday. "Russia has maintained its aggressive actions against Ukraine. But NATO and NATO Allies stand on your side. NATO Allies do not, and will not, recognise Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea."

According to the Secretary General, NATO is concerned about ongoing fighting in Donbas.

"And we remain concerned by the security situation in Eastern Ukraine, which has already cost thousands of lives," he said.

The Minsk agreements must be fully implemented and OSCE monitors be granted full, safe and unhindered access to the whole of Ukraine, he added.
July 10, 1925

Jury selection took place in Dayton, Tenn., in the trial of John T. Scopes, a high school science teacher charged with violating state law by teaching Darwins Theory of Evolution. Scopes was convicted and fined, but the verdict was overturned on a technicality. The law had been passed in March and made it a misdemeanor punishable by fine to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals. William Jennings Bryan, a three-time Democratic presidential candidate, volunteered to assist the prosecution.

The defense was supported by attorney Clarence Darrow. According to History.com, Judge John Raulston destroyed the defenses strategy by ruling that expert scientific testimony on evolution was inadmissible. ... Darrow changed his tactics and as his sole witness called Bryan in an attempt to discredit his literal interpretation of the Bible. ... After eight minutes of deliberation, the jury returned with a guilty verdict. ... Raulston ordered Scopes to pay a fine of $100, the minimum the law allowed. ... In 1927, the Tennessee Supreme Court overturned the Monkey Trial verdict on a technicality but left the constitutional issues unresolved until 1968, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a similar Arkansas law on the grounds that it violated the First Amendment.
North Carolina Republicans appeared to fall just short in Tuesdays General Assembly elections of gaining large enough majorities to override Gov. Roy Coopers vetoes on their own. But their seat gains eroded further the Democrats ability to block bills on abortion and other highly contested legislation. The Senate GOP increased their seats to the number needed to have a veto-proof majority. But Speaker Tim Moore said that House Republicans were one seat shy of a similar threshold. Moore said Wednesday he's confident House Republicans can get help from Democrats in an override. But that could be more difficult on abortion restrictions, which Cooper and other Democrats campaigned against.
In North Carolina, it is a crime to lock a dog in a hot car. The law is General Statute NC 14-363.3  confinement of animals in motor vehicles. Depending on the condition of the animal, violation of this law can be a felony under N.C. Article 47, Cruelty to animals.

Please call 911 if you see a dog locked in a car in the heat. Ask the operator to send a police officer, an animal control officer or a firefighter immediately. Video the entire scene, including the cars license plate. Ask the police to file charges against the offender.

The only way we can save these animals from such cruelty and possibly death is to prosecute those mistreating them.

Ellen Hunter

Greensboro
We see that America can have no peace with terrorists. Many other nations are divided and constantly fighting against each other, but nobody is fighting to bring peace unto these nations.

Why is America demanding that Israel be divided for peace between them and Palestinians? Israels constantly attacked by Palestinians and terrorists seeking total domination over Israel. Should America be divided into many parts to bring peace unto America? Palestinians wont stop their attack on Israel until they have total control of Israel. America will have constant fighting between people until one group has total control over everyone else.

Christ said that nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom until the Lords return. No peace agreement will stop this fighting. America should fight with Israel against the actions of Palestinians and terrorists. Should your home and family be sacrificed for the promise that terrorists wont attack? America asks that Israel do this with Palestinians, who have broken their promises many times.

America should fight with Israel and not against Israel. Were suppose to be allies and not nations of confrontation. Tell your congressmen how you feel.

Boyd Thomas

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Todays search engines are one of the primary paths to content experiences on the web. Shopping, research, directions and questions all pass through Google (and to a lesser extent Bing and Yahoo) as the entry point to solutions-seeking. Generally, the experience is the destination, and search engines have done a fine job of channeling users to the precise experience theyre looking for.

What if, however, the end result could be reached earlier, circumventing todays path? Changes in paths to consume content and experiences have emerged through technologies that offer a glimpse into what search may look like in the not-so-distant future.

Related: How Google Has Changed the World

With Google Answers and Google My Business data dominating in search results, and providing data and answers to the user directly after they search, it eliminates the need for a user to click through to a website. While this might not be a delightful or engaging content experience, a very distinct need is being addressed through answers and data delivery right in the search engine results pages. Consequently, disruptive technology companies (Google being one of them) have plans to delight in other ways -- almost certainly changing the search landscape as we know it.

Human language search

Were currently witnessing the rise of voice search on our personal devices. The results are simple answers and data, similar to what we see displayed visually via Answers boxes and Google My Business. An interesting trend that has emerged since Siri and Cortana came on the scene is our human language search approach to the way we query. Speaking to our devices in the same way we speak to a barista or store clerk, this behavior has followed us back to our keyboards when we search on desktop and mobile. This suits search engines well, as we tend to be clearer with our intent and context when we search this way versus the old-school Boolean method.

Anything more detailed than your device returning simple answers or asking for a next step, however, will require better familiarity between the user and the search engine. If were to expect the disappearance of the keyboard and rely on voice completely, machine learning and personalization will need to evolve. At the very least, well be tethered to something that forces us to select the next step for the foreseeable future, even if we speak to them like other humans. With Google Lens visual search, however, all bets may be off.

Related: 4 Reasons Why Amazon's Product-Search Dominance Matters

Digital personal assistants

Google Home, Amazon Alexa and others have taken search results a step further, neatly bypassing displayable data with answers, weather data and news being read aloud, versus a query, click or scroll. Commands to purchase can also be made through a digital personal assistant. What this means, however, is that chasing ownership of the top three results in search engines will be a thing of the past. When digital personal assistants are fed search results from the top spot, position one will be the only relevant position to own.

Shopping may be a different story altogether if your device prioritizes results from its own ecosystem over rival search engines. Looking at how Amazon manages its Alexa devices today is just a preview into online shoppings future.

Related: Everything You Can Do With Amazon Alexa

Everything in-platform

As Google has evolved to meet the needs of users by limiting options and providing quick rewards directly in results pages, so have other complementary (and at times competitive) platforms.

Facebook Instant Articles and Google AMP dont take users too far away from the originating platform source, enabling them to return to whatever they were doing before something caught their eye. Solutions like Facebook Store integrate products for an in-platform shopping experience, tightening the gap between product discovery and purchase, while directing users away from Googles fairly limitless shopping mall of possibilities.

WeChat takes it a few steps further. What began as a messaging platform in China has become a robust social, commerce and payments ecosystem without a U.S. equivalent. Taking a taxi to dinner via WeChat can include hailing a ride, route sharing, messaging a photo from the cab and splitting payments all in a single platform. Meanwhile, the U.S. industry is still too fractured for full social and payments integration, meaning customers have limited social sharing in their ride sharing apps. In Ubers current state, it just doesnt seem realistic to pull a menu attached to your restaurant destination like it is in WeChat.

But, to think that before Uber and Lyft we would have Googled for a local taxi company, visited its website for a phone number and manually dialed to speak to a human is remarkable. And its paved the way for introducing something like WeChat in the U.S., or at the very least, for a powerhouse like Facebook to integrate social media, services and payments that limits the necessity for some types of search behavior in the future.

Related: Whether You Buy Online or in Stores, Google Will Know

Hyper-personalization

If youre interested in how organic search will be impacted next, look to other digital marketing channels for the blueprint. In paid media, we see search and display ads based on demographics and browsing history. Programmatic display, beacon technology and more advanced targeting gets even creepier. In organic search today, we see results based on location and past purchases we may have made. Googles search algorithm has brought us what the engines consider the most relevant results, but those results are rarely individualized in any meaningful way.

Moving past simple targeting, machine learning and platform integration can deliver results to users on an absolute personal level. Imagine data from walled-in ecosystems like Facebook and a news site on the open web feeding data into Googles organic algorithm to address our queries personally. Marketers are using beacon technology to know we were just at Starbucks and location data to know its about to rain in order to serve up the perfect ad creative. Its only a matter of time before similar collections of intelligence can answer the what should I do today in New York? query with a relevant result that wont have you over-caffeinated and caught in the rain.

Related:

How Changes to the Way We Search Will Impact Businesses

EU Fines Google $2.7 Billion for 'Abusing Dominance'

Google Reveals What We Were Most Curious About in 2016



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service has confirmed that a Russian serviceman who was heading to Transdniestria was detained on the Ukrainian border over a month ago.

"The situation took place back in early June," Ukrainian State Border Guard Service spokesman Oleh Slobodian said.

"Valery Georhiyovich Voitenko, born in 1954, a citizen of Ukraine, came to a Ukrainian border-crossing checkpoint at about midnight and produced a Ukrainian passport. A senior border guard officer of the second control line doubted the purpose of this person's visit (he produced a telegram from Transdniestria stating that his mother is seriously ill and gave confusive information about data in his passport)," Slobodian said on Facebook on Sunday night.

Officers of the State Border Guard Service's operative units came to the checkpoint for detailed questioning of the suspicious person.

The man was asked to produce the content of his pockets and luggage. He produced a cell phone, which contained photos of rallies held in Donetsk and Luhansk, money and bus tickets.

"A detailed examination of the suspect's belongings revealed a secret pocket in the suspect's jacket. A piece of paper with background information and telephone numbers of Transdniestrian senior officials and people from Russia, the Order of the Red Star, a smart phone and flash cards were taken from the secret pocket," Slobodian said.

The photo and video materials from the smart phone prove that the detainee had earlier visited the DPR and the LPR, where he met with the command of DPR and LPR armed units, he said.

The border guards had identified the man, Slobodian said. "The man is Valery Gratov, a colonel of the Russian Armed Forces, born in 1952, whom the Russian special services planned to make 'deputy' state security minister of Transdniestria," he said.

The detainee was handed over to officials of the Ukrainian Security Service, Slobodian said.
Email marketing is still king of the digital marketing and advertising space. However, given the great strides that the affiliate-marketing sector has taken over the past two decades, it could soon usurp email's coveted position at the top of the heap.

Related: What Makes An Affiliate Site Profitable?

Affiliate marketing -- in which online retailers pay commissions to other sites for traffic or sales prompted by those others' referrals -- has come a long way from its humble beginnings.

Before Amazon popularized the concept in 1996, William J. Topin, founder of PC Flowers & Gifts, had already set himself up nicely by starting his own affiliate-marketing campaign.

By 1993, PC Flowers & Gifts was bringing in annual revenue north of $6 million dollars.

Since J. Topin and Amazon, this performance-based marketing strategy has spread and evolved into an industry of its own. Over the years, we have witnessed many marketing models, such as CPM (cost per impression), CPC (cost per click), CPA (cost per action) and pay per sale. Programs like Google AdSense, Clickbank and Amazon Associates, meanwhile, have come on the scene as affiliate marketers leveraging big-data analytics to optimize their marketing efforts.

Affiliate marketing, in fact, is now a mainstay in the world of online marketing and advertising. Advertisers increasingly prefer using it to running ads themselves; the fact that many people now use ad blockers only serves to establish affiliate marketing's importance.

Indeed, using this strategy helps advertisers cut costs on their marketing budgets while leveraging the promotional channels of marketers (publishers) to ring in conversions and sales.

Affiliate networks

One of the most important victories of the affiliate marketing industry came in the form of the introduction of affiliate networks. This affiliate marketing structure is simple in its aim: It acts as a bridge, a meeting point for publishers and advertisers to meet and conduct business as seamlessly as possible. It's sort of like a Fiverr for internet marketers and advertisers.

Before, affiliate networks, advertisers and publishers had to find one other on their own -- a tiresome and costy task compared to how affiliate networks today broker these relationships. Affiliate networks are virtual marketplaces that offer advertisers access to a pool of publishers (or potential affiliates) to choose from, and vice versa.

Why these networks succeed

Affiliate networks work: The vast majority of advertisers today -- a whopping 83 percent ,according to a survey by the Forrester Group -- use them to secure deals with publishers, and there are many reasons why.

One reason is that online consumers have become more critical of online content, which means that they've increasingly come to value content offering what they perceive gives them the greatest relevance and engagement.

Advertisers know what content their audience needs and can create it themselves. However, they have quickly discovered that trying to create and distribute such content on their own can seriously deplete their resources without having the desired return on investment.

Affiliate networks, therefore, make it easy for these advertisers to link up with relevant publishers. Advertisers can outsource the bulk of their content-marketing responsibilities to these publishers while gaining a larger targeted audience that would have been inaccessible without that publisher relationship.

What's in it for the publishers? The simple answer is revenue. According to this Business Insider report, commissions from affiliate marketing endeavors are the fastest avenue of revenue growth for publishers, making up 15 percent of their revenue -- thanks to those affiliate networks making access to deals easier.

The future

So, how are affiliate networks positioning themselves for the future? In our fast-paced and constantly evolving digital world, it's suicide for any business to sit and bask in its previous success. Affiliate networks understand this and are constantly tweaking their offerings to remain relevant and enticing to publishers and advertisers alike.

According to the above-mentioned Forrester Group survey, publishers particularly love to seek affiliate deals through networks that are global in their perspective. Affiliate networks are responding by seeking to broker exclusive deals with global brands in order to sweeten the deal for publishers and to stand out.

Where startups fit in

The need for networks to constantly adjust and tweak their offerings has left the door wide open for newcomers to the industry to establish and perhaps gain some market share from industry heavy-weights, like ShareASale and CJ Affiliate.

A recent example is Alexander Bachmanns admitad, a known European affiliate network that has recently expanded aggressively into North America and Asia. The company is obviously seeking to position itself as a technologically preferred option, as it works on developing technological priorities in the area of fraud prevention, fingerprint and cross-device tracking, ad-block technology and more.

Publishers and advertisers still have to be wary, though, of these networks, both new and old, as they experiment with new technology and features to improve what they have to sell.

Related: The Affiliate Marketing Model: A Blueprint for Success in the Gig Economy

One thing, however, is sure: Affiliate networks are here to stay and will only get bigger as they improve their offerings and assume more marketing responsibilities and market share from other affiliate programs.

Related:

3 Great Ways to Make Money on the Side

Why Affiliate Networks Are So Important to Online Affiliate Marketing

How Social Media Marketing Generated $7 Million in Affiliate Sales for This Entrepreneur



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko welcomes NATO's recent steps to enhance security in the world.

"I'd like to say that the weight and the role of NATO are growing even more amid new challenges international security is facing in the context of the events happening around Ukraine," Poroshenko said at a Ukraine-NATO Commission meeting in Kyiv on Monday.

He says that this is Russian aggression that has prompted NATO to take a number of measures to strengthen security in the region. "I can even say that NATO has awakened and this has given the Alliance a new lease of life. The allies have become even more convinced of the need to join hands for mutual protection and of the importance of increasing defense spending and expanding their global footprint," the president said.

Poroshenko sees symbolism in Ukraine's welcoming NATO partners now as a country that has legislatively defined its accession to NATO as one of the foreign policy priorities.
The Shameville cocktail: gin, lime, curacao, and angostura. Photo: Liz Clayman

Mothers Ruin became a downtown favorite by smartly toeing the line between a highbrow cocktail bar and a lowbrow dive. Six years into its run, the bar is still consistently packed. Owners Richard Knapp and T.J. Lynch have clearly hit on a formula that works, and theyre sticking to it at their new East Village bar, Loverboy. (While it isnt named for the bad 80s band or the Patrick Dempsey movie, Knapp says the actor gets to eat for free.) After a quiet soft opening, theyve now settled into the roughly 950-square-foot corner spot. With its floor-to-ceiling accordion windows and adjacent bar, its a nice addition to the summer-drinking circuit.

The idea behind Loverboy is straightforward: The unpretentious feel and good drinks of Mothers Ruin, but with pizza by the slice and pie. Instead of having people leave the bar to get slices elsewhere, the duo decided to serve it themselves. As Knapp explains, I think its because were geniuses. For the cocktails (all $12), expect constant rotation (driven, Knapp says, by boredom). There will be a slushie, of course, which right now means a tequila-and-watermelon drink called Douche Bigalow. Other drinks include the Diamond Lies (vodka, lemon, honey, soda, and orange bitters) and the Drunk Zealot (rum, lime, Demerara, and Montenegro).

The pizza part of the equation is still forthcoming, as Con-Ed hasnt turned their gas on yet. For the time being, theyre using induction stoves and electric equipment to serve a ten-dish menu from consulting chef Nick Pfannerstill (previously the chef de cuisine of Dovetail), with dishes like fried calamari with togarashi spice and a chicken-parm sandwich. Of the pizza, the recipe for which he collaborated on with Pfannerstill, Lynch says, Our style is called awesome pizza. Thats the culinary definition. More specifically, he describes it as a square-style with a thicker crust thats not quite Sicilian-thick. In the meantime, heres a look at the other offerings.

The Douche Bigalow cocktail: tequila, Pimms, watermelon, pineapple, and citrus. Photo: Liz Clayman

Chicken-parm sandwich with olives and chips. Photo: Liz Clayman

The Soren Beerkegaard: whiskey, Aperol, lemon, cinnamon, and Kolsch. Photo: Liz Clayman

Loverboy Caesar salad with anchovy bread crumbs. Photo: Liz Clayman

Fried calamari with togarashi and nori mayo. Photo: Liz Clayman

Beets with burrata, arugula, and toasted baguette. Photo: Liz Clayman

The space. Photo: Liz Clayman

Loverboy, 127 Ave. C, at E. 8th St.; 917-202-0599
These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales.
The Nokia 6 started getting the latest security update last week, making it the first device to get the July patch. The roll out, however, was limited to Taiwan and Hong Kong. That changes now, as the update has started hitting units in China as well.

Aside from the security patch and a camera-related fix, the update - reports say - also includes a new feature: optional support for Google services. This effectively means that, post update, users can install and use Google Play on their units.

The update arrives as version 00CN_3_31A, and weighs in at 380MB.

Via
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The United States has assured its Ukrainian partners that sanctions against Russia will not be lifted until Ukrainian territory has been liberated, and the Minsk peace agreements on Donbas have been implemented, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.

"We have also discussed the sanctions in detail, and there has been confirmation that lifting the sanctions is out of the question if the Minsk agreements have not been implemented and Ukrainian territory has not been liberated," Poroshenko said at a joint briefing with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Kyiv on Sunday.

The two officials also touched on the issue of the Russian occupation of Crimea.

"Mr. Secretary of State has assured me that Crimea always remains on the agenda and the issue of securing territorial integrity and ending the illegal annexation of Crimea is also a firm condition for lifting the sanctions from the Russian Federation," Poroshenko added.

"U.S. and EU sanctions on Russia will remain in place until Moscow reverses the actions that triggered these particular sanctions," Tillerson said in turn at the briefing after the bilateral meeting.




Haiti - Politics : TNH makes production partnerships in the South





Within the framework of the National coverage, the National Television of Haiti (TNH) which has resumed broadcasting its programs on the department of the South https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21407-haiti-politic-the-tnh-broadcast-again-in-the-south-department.html and in order to ensure a better presence in the South, for a sustained production, Gamall Jules Augustin, the Director General of the TNH went to Les Cayes to establish production partnerships between the TNH and several regional television stations.



He spoke with the managers of Radio Tele NAMI of Les Cayes, Radio Tele Univers (Tele 6), Radio Tele MACAYA and Radio Tele Labrise. At the end of this meeting, the leaders agreed on the principle of partnership of production, with the TNH. It should be noted that these production partnerships will replace the needs of technicians and correspondents of the TNH. On-site, these stations will help, especially during shooting and editing periods where TNH technicians can use the infrastructures of these media to finalize their tasks, but above all, these stations will contribute to the coverage of major events (Cultural, natural, political...)



Through these partnerships, TNH intends to improve its regional production and to experiment a genuine national information network from the Center to the Regions and vice versa.



After the South, Grand'Anse will be the next department to receive signals from the TNH.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21407-haiti-politic-the-tnh-broadcast-again-in-the-south-department.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21000-haiti-politics-tnh-national-coverage-within-60-days.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20937-haiti-politics-towards-a-national-coverage-of-the-tnh.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20809-haiti-politics-towards-the-modernization-of-the-national-radio-of-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20628-haiti-flash-roadmap-of-the-minister-of-culture.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20554-haiti-news-zapping.html



HL/ TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Politics : MHAVE proposes to Taiwan to create Startups in Haiti





Stephanie Auguste, Minister of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE), recently received the visit of the Ambassador of China (Taiwan) accredited in Haiti Guillaume Cheng-Hao Hu.



The Minister Auguste took advantage of this courtesy visit to solicit the contribution of Taiwan in the various projects of MHAVE. The transfer of knowledge of the Taiwanese scholars back to Haiti was the focus of discussions.



During these exchanges, Stephanie Auguste proposed to the Taiwanese diplomat to create Startups in Haiti for these young experts, structures that will not only create new jobs but also and above all attract new investors.



Ambassador Guillaume Cheng-Hao Hu took note of the requests and reiterated his country's willingness to continue its cooperation with Haiti in several areas and commended the Haitian Government for its efforts to improve the living conditions of the population in Haiti.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - NOTICE : The National Office of Identification offers online services





The General Directorate of the National Office of Identification (ONI) informs the population in general of the launch of a web portal from which services are available 24/7.



From this portal whose use and services will be free during the first 15 days of its posting, citizens can begin the registration process to obtain a National Identification Card (CIN), perform a simple updating of their biographical data, request a certificate, check the status of a CIN application, request a reprint of a CIN, etc...



Businesses, institutions, embassies and other governmental and non-governmental organizations can also access it to authenticate and validate a citizen.



Sign in today at : https://services.oni.gouv.ht/portal/



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2017/07/09 | Source

JYJ Park Yoo-chun is getting married.

Advertisement

He is getting married to the granddaughter of the chairman of Namyang Dairy Industry. His wedding pictures will be taken in Europe.

Park Yoo-chun is done with the military on the 26th of September and the wedding was initially set for the 10th of September, but it's been postponed to the 20th. Park's release date was pushed back because of the sexual harassment issues that occurred last year.

Wedding pictures will be taken in Europe. Greece will be the background for their wedding pictures and they will do a little bit of traveling in the meanwhile. The bride-to-be posted pictures on her SNS saying she's going on vacation in a month.

Park Yoo-chun's wedding will be held in private.
Championing Grower Champagnes

By Derek Morrison

The Good Wine Shops second annual Grower Champagne Month this June saw a swathe events dedicated to celebrating these artisanal scale wines. Co-founder Derek Morrison explains why they do it, what its all about and how he is looking to grow this initiative for next year.





The aim of Grower Champagne Month was to champion the most exciting artisanal Champagne producers and present them in the marketplace through a fantastic program of events to help them get more deserved recognition and exposure. These impressive wines are not so new to us in the trade or press, but for the average consumer most are practically unknown. Ultimately these are unique wines with personality made by real people with great stories to tell, but these producers rarely have the marketing budget or free time to promote themselves extensively.

We try to avoid getting into a misleading House vs Grower debate as both are critical weaves in the fabric of Champagne. Many Growers still sell some of their grapes to the Grand Marques, or are directly employed by other estates, which funds the production of their own wines. To separate the groups so divisively is unfair to both, and misses the bigger point, which is that we can celebrate a group without needing to detract from others.

Both Grand Marques and Growers are capable and proven at crafting exceptional wines, and conversely both are guilty of releasing ordinary or unimpressive bottlings. We dont look to perpetuate a false divide, merely to celebrate the inspiring efforts of many people crafting some of the worlds most exciting wines available today. Veuve Clicquot and Ruinart are recognizable to almost anyone, and there is no reason that Pierre Peters, Eric Rodez, or Ulysse Collin shouldnt deserve a similar place in any wine lovers lexicon.

In some ways, its like comparing a rock concert at Wembley Stadium to your favourite local venue for up and coming musicians. Weve been known to sing along with the hits on the radio, but in June we prefer to hum the tunes of the next Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, or John Lennon of the Champagne world.

We love Champagne, and we love sharing the stories of this amazing network of growers. There is no real united voice to champion this group in the UK, so we thought there was an opportunity to create a platform for all businesses in London to promote these deserving wines in a unified way.

We wanted to make this rewarding for other businesses to get involved. The bigger and more successful we can make this campaign, the easier it will be to attract growers to visit from France next year and subsequent years.

Bigger and better events with more winemakers seems like a recipe for everyone to win, especially thirsty consumers after some great value Champagnes. We realize June can be a critical time of year in the vineyard for growers, but felt that commercially it is the best time of year to host these events as consumer demand for fizz begins its crescendo into summer.

We created a new website for the campaign, www.drinkgrowerchampagne.co.uk, as well as the official hashtag #DrinkGrowerChampagne to link all social media activity. Any Instagram content using #DrinkGrowerChampagne automatically feeds into the main page of the website, so customers and other businesses have been using the hashtag to show off wines as they enjoy them. So far there are hundreds of posts from Champagne lovers all over the world.

The website exists as a central hub for the campaign to advertise events and link to partners, supporters, and champagne grower profiles, and will remain active throughout the year as plans for 2018 will soon commence. All other businesses are welcomed and encouraged to submit their own events or promotions to list on the website for free, as the site is a tool to be utilized by anyone looking to share the enthusiasm for these wines.

More information on the campaign, events, partners, and ways to get involved are available online at: www.drinkgrowerchampagne.co.uk.

Thanks again to all who participated this year, and we hope many more merchants and restaurants will get involved next year.



About The Good Wine Shop

The Good Wine Shop is an award winning independent wine merchant and current Independent Champagne Retailer of the Year 2017. It has two shops in Kew and Chiswick in West London and sells wine and spirits through its website: http://www.thegoodwineshop.co.uk
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that Ukraine is beginning a discussion with NATO on a membership action plan.

"We consider it necessary to start discussing the membership action plan, and today we've clearly stated this, and our proposals as for the discussion have kindly been accepted," Poroshenko said at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv on Monday.

Ukraine doesn't meet NATO accession criteria at the moment, he said.

"We have a plan for these three years, through 2020. We know clearly what to do. It's the first time Ukraine has a clear road map of what is to be done and when, and when Ukraine will meet the criteria, when reforms are implemented," he said.

Stoltenberg said NATO would continue supporting Ukraine on its path to closer relations with the Alliance and assist it in pursuing reforms and switching to NATO standards.

It is solely for the NATO members and Ukraine to decide on NATO membership when the time is right, he said.
ra Burke, a 23-year-old from Perth, has claimed she was dismissed from her job as a flight attendant after falling down a flight of stairs at the Emirates training college in Dubai.Burke was wearing her uniform's red heels when she fell and was forced to take time off work to recover from injuries to her back, leg and ankle. Moreover, her foot was placed in a cast and then a moon boot, and she was forced to spend her final days on probation in doctors' appointments.Before her fall, Burke had spent almost six months working on flights to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.Despite being praised by her colleagues for her "amazing communication skills" and professionalism, Burke did not pass her probation period.I fell down an entire flight of stairs severely injuring my back and tearing a ligament in my ankle while at work, and the company covered it up, said Burke.The company initially supported her, paid her Dubai medical costs and told her to "take care of [her]self.Burke claims she was then told to prepare herself for a 50/50 chance she would be fired after a panel met to decide her fate.An Emirates manager allegedly told Buke that it's policy that the company will give her a representative from HR and that she is not allowed to be present during the meeting.As her former colleagues graduated in April, Burke was told her contract had been terminated because she had taken excessive approved leave and sick leave.A few weeks after the accident Emirates fired me and told me that my accident was NOT classed as a workplace accident but instead a freak accident, she said.I wasnt allowed to defend myself or appeal the decision and there are no unions in Dubai that I could turn to for help.I was heartbroken and the saddest I have ever been. I was injured, alone and vulnerable.An Emirates spokesperson said while they cannot comment on particular past or present employees, the panel thoroughly reviews all aspects of a crew member's performance prior to any decision being made".
>Katherine Kaspar, CEO of Kinetic Super, discusses how HR professionals can better engage Australian contingent workers on superannuation matters and contribute to their financial wellbeing.The flourishing gig economy in recent years has undeniably contributed to the rise of the contingent workforce in Australia, with this group of employees projected to grow to 35 per cent by 2020, representing around 3.2 million workers. This trend is seen across a broad range of skilled professionals, with millennial workers leading the charge.While much has been discussed around how HR professionals can attract the best contingent workers, Im keen to draw the attention to the financial wellness of this workforce segment, particularly relating to their super savings.It doesnt come as a surprise that super isnt exactly a top-of-mind topic for many Australians. Even less so for contingent workers whose priorities are often more about securing their next work stint than thinking about how to build their retirement savings through super.By the very nature of their role, contingent workers frequently switch jobs or sometimes take extended career breaks. This means they could accumulate multiple super accounts over the course of their working lives, especially if they didnt notify past employers about their existing chosen super fund.Having multiple super accounts often means having to pay multiple fees and insurance premiums, and this can really start to add up and eat into super balances, particularly for contract workers who move from one job to another over a short period of time. The rule of thumb is each individual generally only requires one super account. Where choice of fund is available, its a good idea that HR professionals inform their contractors that they are entitled to choose where their employer pays their super contributions into, and this can help avoid creating unnecessary multiple super accounts.Increasingly, more and more super funds offer purpose-built products designed to meet the unique needs of various employee groups. This includes Kinetic Supers introduction of insurance cover that maximises members protection at times when they can afford it and switching it off when they cant.The Government also recognises that our workforce is ever-evolving, with people having different work patterns across their lives. With this in mind, the Government has introduced a number of changes to improve the flexibility of the superannuation system, which came into effect on 1st July: Allowing more Australians to claim a tax deduction for personal superannuation contributions made to an eligible fund, irrespective of their employment arrangements; Encouraging partners to make contributions to their low-income spouses superannuation by extending the eligibility for individuals to claim a tax offset for these contributions; Removing barriers to innovation in the creation of retirement income products by extending the tax exemption to other products such as deferred lifetime annuities; and From 1 July 2019, allowing individuals to access their unused concessional caps so that those with interrupted work arrangements and low superannuation balances can make catch up superannuation contributions.Getting Australians to proactively take charge of their financial futures through superannuation savings is an ongoing task for the whole industry. That said, HR professionals do have a role to play in contributing to the financial futures of contingent workers by encouraging them to stay connected to their super and that they can choose where their super goes so they can take their chosen fund with them to every job.Source: Ben Eubanks, Associate HCM Analyst, Brandon Hall Group (2015). http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20170327/pdf/43h257jj3l34r2.pdf Kinetic Superannuation Ltd (KSL) (ABN 14 056 917 303 AFSL 222590 RSE L0000352) is the Trustee of Kinetic Superannuation Fund (KSF) (ABN 78 984 178 687 RSE R1000429) which includes Kinetic Smart Pension (KSP).This information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision about Kinetic Super you should obtain and consider the Kinetic Super Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Incorporated Information, and also consider your personal circumstances including any implications of the transfer on you personally (such as loss of benefits and fees or costs that may arise). For a copy of the PDS, call us on 1300 304 000 or visit the Kinetic Super website, kineticsuper.com.au
The monthly value represents a 27 per cent increase from the previous year and brings the cumulative increase for the first five months of the year to 18 per cent. The value of imports to the country, meanwhile, rose by 16 per cent to almost 5.3 billion euros in May, the preliminary data indicate.

Finland generated roughly 5.5 billion euros worth of exports in May, according to preliminary data released by Finnish Customs.

Finnish Customs on Friday approximated that the trade balance showed a surplus of 290 million euros in May and a deficit of 750 million euros between January and May, 2017.

Both of the figures signal a substantial improvement from the previous year, as the balance showed a deficit of 175 million euros in May and one of almost 1.4 billion euros between January and May, 2016.

The spike in the value of exports is attributable mainly to ship and aircraft deliveries that took place in May, even though increases were recorded also in the exports of metal, forest, transport, and electric and electronics industry products.

Imports, in turn, increased across all major import categories with the sole exception of pharmaceutical products.

Finland in May recorded a year-on-year increase of 32 per cent in exports to other member states and one of 19 per cent to non-member states of the European Union, according to the preliminary data. Its imports crept up by 10 per cent from other member states and by 25 per cent from third countries.

Finnish Customs also highlights that exports to all key trading partners increased or, at least, stayed at the level of the previous year in May. Exports, it says, grew especially to Germany, the United States and the Netherlands but also to Russia and China. Imports, in turn, increased especially from Russia, Poland and China but also from Sweden and Germany.

Decreases were recorded in the value of imports from both the United Kingdom and the United States.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Markku Ulander  Lehtikuva
Juhana Brotherus, the chief economist at the Mortgage Society of Finland (Hypo), on Friday stated in an economic review that the decreasing working-age population is making it more difficult for businesses to find new employees and driving up the demands of trade unions for wage hikes.

A growing number of experts have expressed their concerns about the shrinking working-age population in Finland.

The demands for higher wage hikes have already been stepped up. The round of union-specific talks this autumn could wipe out the growth projections for the year in addition to the relatively positive legacy of the competitiveness pact, he wrote.

Finland had a working-age population of almost 3,300,000  equivalent to 60 per cent of the entire population  at the end of 2016, according to Statistics Finland. The number of working-age people is projected to decrease by well over 100,000 by 2030.

Roger Wessman, an economist at Bastiat Consulting, warned that the demographic development could thrust the country into a downward spiral. The unfavourable age structure, he pointed out, will force an ever-smaller number of earners to cover the costs of the welfare system, thus making the country a less attractive alternative for people looking for employment opportunities abroad.

One possible solution is to promote employment-based immigration, according to Wessman.

In Germany, the share of working-age people has begun to grow in recent years, even though also the Germans are ageing at a rapid rate. Accelerating employment-based immigration is the primary underlying factor. Foreign workers share of the labour force has grown rapidly in recent years. Today, foreigners represent a tenth of all employees in Germany, he highlighted in his blog.

Finland should take action to develop itself into a similarly attractive destination for the increasingly mobile global workforce.

Wessman estimated that the relatively low levels of employment-based immigration in Finland are attributable mainly to the country's remote location and language barrier. Such obstacles, however, should only place further emphasis on the importance of efforts to attract employees from all around the world.

A similar argument was made by Olli-Pekka Paasivirta, the chairperson of the Federation of Green Youth and Students in Turku.

Finnish employees are not superior to foreign ones. Employment creates prosperity and well-being, and that is in the best interests of all of us. The labour input of someone who has moved here from abroad is just as important as that of a Finn. We should be pleased if someone moves to Finland and contributes to funding our societal functions, he stated in a blog on Puheenvuoro.

He pointed out that the decreasing number of working-age people is eroding the funding base of the welfare society and is making it all but impossible to take advantage of certain growth opportunities.

Promoting employment-based immigration is a great way to overcome challenges arising from population ageing. Employment-based immigration can be promoted by political decisions, but ultimately people will move to Finland of their own free will. Finland must become an attractive country to work and build a new life. Discriminatory attitudes towards people of foreign backgrounds are certainly one factor reducing the appeal of Finland, commented Paasivirta.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Anni Reenpaa  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
NATO will continue to provide Ukraine with practical support, including equipment that will help investigate cyber security incidents, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said.

"NATO will continue to provide Ukraine with practical support. Today, we reviewed our Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine. Through ten different Trust Funds, NATO Allies have pledged almost EUR 40 million to support Ukraine. In areas such as command and control, cyber defence and medical rehabilitation. We are now working to provide Ukraine with satellite communications equipment. In recent days, we have delivered state of the art cyber defence equipment, helping key government institutions, to better investigate cyber security incidents and to protect themselves from cyber attacks, such as those we saw recently," Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv on Monday.
PLANS for 30 new homes off Kennylands Road in Sonning Common have been opposed by the parish council even though the site is in the villages neighbourhood plan.

Councillors are worried that if the proposal by T A Fisher for the 1.5-hectare site is approved it could encourage development of a neighbouring field, which includes the Alpen Rose orchard.

The Theale companys outline planning application includes a spur road at the southern edge of the site to enable refuse lorries to turn around but councillors fear that it could be used to link up with the other land.

Councillor Stan Rust, who lives in Kennylands Road, said the sour road should not be built.

We think its saying we will go into the neighbouring field next, he said. I think the refuse vehicle could drive in backwards with a small turning point further up the road. It does not have to be done like this.

Councillor Leigh Rawlins said: The spatial strategy in the neighbourhood plan is very clear that vast development should not be happening. Alpen Rose should not be developed.

Diana Pearman, who lives in Kennylands Road, said T A Fisher had previously agreed to build only 22 homes on the site, as recommended in the neighbourhood plan.

She said: We went to great lengths, with talks and discussions, to get a commitment in writing and it has all been dismissed.

Im extremely concerned by the details in this application. I do not think outline applications should be allowed in areas with made neighbourhood plans.

That took five years of work. Why should we do it if the developers are going to ride roughshod over it?

Paul Mullin, also of Kennylands Road, said: Trying to fit 30 houses on there is nonsense. We agreed to 22 and that was voted for by 94 per cent who agreed at the referendum.

T A Fisher has amended its orginal plans to include more two-bedroom affordable homes, new paths and bigger street parking bays.

Katherine Myles, the agent for the developer, said: A consultation took place after we submitted our application with feedback from council officers, the parish council and residents.

We have done a considerable amount of work in the last four months. We had meetings and made amendments which are what are being considered.

It has been suggested this application disregards the neighbourhood plan, which sets out the site for only 22 dwellings. The attempts to restrict the number of dwellings to 22 is contrary to advice from South Oxfordshire District Council.

The parish council unanimously recommended thaqt the application is refused.
STUDENTS at Shiplake College took part in a concert with members of the Queens own Band of the Household Cavalry.

Hundreds of people attended the event in a marquee in front of the college.

The concert was organised by the colleges director of music Richard Curran after students visited the band at an open day in Kensington in November. The pupils, who were joined by students from Gillotts School in Henley and Queen Annes School in Caversham, spent the morning in a workshop with the band planning the music they were to perform in the afternoon.

Pupils from Shiplake and Peppard Primary Schools, St Marys School in Henley and Hemdean House in Caversham also attended. Mr Curran said: We had a great morning and felt like we wanted to establish a link, starting with this musical extravaganza. We are looking to further this connection and to have an even bigger spectacle next year.

Captain James Marshall, musical director of the band, said: We want to give youngsters a career option by getting them to sit and perform next to musicians and get a take on life as a military musician. We also want to foster music in young people because theres less and less going on in this country.

If we can do anything to assist in bringing music to young people, who are our future, we want to do that.

About 20 members of the 60-strong band attended the evemt, while the rest were at the changing of the guard ceremony in Windsor.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko says Russia is doing everything possible to make the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine leave the territory of Ukraine.

"We do not accept Russia's attempts to create extremely dangerous security conditions for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, trying to create the condition [for them] to leave the occupied territory. No, we do not accept that," Poroshenko said at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv on Monday.

According to him, the work of the OSCE monitors is important in the context of providing objective and independent information about the situation and should be done 24/7.

"I am absolutely confident that our efforts and the results reached at the G20 summit for the next phone conversation and a possible summit in the Normandy format will give a very careful optimism about progress in the next months," the president said.
The Kinahan cartel has stepped up its bid to take out top target James 'Mago' Gately.

Gardai have discovered a "sinister" CCTV plot to kill the 30-year-old criminal.

The ruthless Kinahan gang is believed to have been behind an attempt to block a CCTV camera that covers an area used by the Hutch gang enforcer to sneak into his home. Officers suspect it had been covered by thugs who plan to murder the criminal on behalf of the cartel.

Blinded

It has been described by sources as a "sinister development" in the capital's deadly feud that has so far claimed 12 lives. Det- ectives have removed carpet that was covering the city council camera on Dunne Street flats in the capital's north inner city.

Sources said that gardai are investigating whether the camera had been 'blinded' by junior associates of the cartel, who are understood to be planning another murder attempt on Gately.

While Gately is believed to be hiding out in Northern Ireland after surviving an assassination attempt in May, he previously used the flat complex as a "safe passage" to his family home in the Portland Row area.

The camera that was covered focuses on the route he takes when visiting his home, said sources. It is one of many cameras in the area but the only one that has been targeted.

"The interference with that camera is being viewed as a sinister development," said a source last night. "As soon as gardai were notified, they went to the flats complex and got the camera working again."

Last month, the Herald revealed that gardai were investigating whether dissident republicans were involved with the Kinahan cartel in May's botched murder attempt on Gately.

A man in his 50s was questioned at his Co Louth home about the murder attempt outside the Topaz Garage in Clonshaugh, north Dublin.

Gardai believe the criminal supplied a vehicle that was used in the shooting.

When armed detectives raided his home, they seized his car, which was taken away to be examined by a forensics team.

The arrested man has long-standing links to the dissident republican movement and has previous convictions for firearms offences.

Gately was shot up to five times, including once in the neck. However, four shots were lodged in his bullet-proof vest, saving his life.

Gately was driving a Ford Mondeo with northern registration plates when he was shot. He had walked out of the busy filling station only moments before.

Gardai believe that the Lexus pulled up beside Gately as he got into his car.

He spent a number of days being treated in Dublin's Beaumont Hospital.

Such were the fears of another attack that members of the Armed Support Unit (ASU) patrolled the Beaumont area until Gately was discharged.

Foiled

Since his release, he has been keeping a low profile.

In April, he survived another credible threat to his life after gardai foiled a murder plot that was at an advanced stage.

So far, 12 people have been shot dead as part of the ongoing Hutch/Kinahan feud.

The latest of these was on May 31, when father-of-two Michael Keogh was gunned down in the north inner city.

Keogh (37) was not considered a major criminal but associated with members of the Kinahan cartel.

A number of interventions by gardai have prevented further shootings by both sides.
The pier at Teelin, from which the two men set out. They died in a boating accident and their bodies were recovered yesterday

Two friends died in a boating accident only weeks after they were rescued by the coast guard in the same area.

The bodies of the two men were recovered yesterday following a search off Glencolmcille in west Co Donegal.

It is understood they got into difficulty fishing in "notorious" waters and drowned.

One of the men was last night named locally as Rimantis Barauskas (56), who lived in Oldcastle, Co Meath. It is understood he was a regular visitor to Donegal.

His 40-year-old companion lived in Co Longford. The two men, both Lithuanian nationals, sailed from Teelin Pier on Saturday.

Alarm

The alarm was raised by locals after the two men did not return.

Mr Barauskas' body was discovered washed up on the rocks at Malinbeg at about 10.30am yesterday.

The second man's body was later spotted at sea by Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter R118 from Sligo and recovered from the water by the crew of Bundoran lifeboat.

It has emerged that the friends were involved in a rescue operation on the same five-metre rigid inflatable boat (RIB) in the same area only four weeks ago.

A source told the Herald they ran out of fuel near Raithlin O'Birne Island, just off Malinbeg, a month ago.

"The tail of the boat was hitting the island and they were taken back to shore. They had run out of fuel," the source said.

It is understood Mr Barauskas was not wearing a lifejacket but there was a life jacket on the second body.

There were also two inflatable jackets on the boat.

The bodies were taken to the morgue at Letterkenny University Hospital where a post-mortem examination will be carried out today.

A Malin Head Coast Guard spokesman said: "Gardai called us this morning at 11am. A body was found on the shoreline by a farmer. His land runs down to the shore.

"But it was inaccessible, so the gardai requested the coast guard recover the body.

"We tasked Killybegs Coast Guard and after that we got a call from the boat owner in Teelin saying they left after lunch on Saturday and their car was still parked at Teelin Pier but there was no sign of the boat.

"We commenced a search with rescue helicopter 118 from Sligo, Arranmore lifeboat, Bunbeg Coast Guard and Bundoran lifeboat.

"With the helicopter, it fairly quickly spotted the second body.

"Bundoran lifeboat recovered the body and took it back to Teelin and handed it over to gardai."

Glencolmcille parish chairman Brendan Byrne said: "We offer our deepest sympathy to the grieving families.

"It's the most tragic thing we experience in our community.

"However, we must remind people to be careful on the seas in areas they are not familiar with.

"The coastline off Malinbeg and Glencolmcille and around Raithlin O'Birne Island is very dangerous.

"The waters are treacherous. I'm not a seafarer, but those that know the sea know there are various currents."
The Irishman injured during the first San Fermin bull run took time out from a stag party to risk his life, keeping his decision from his wife.

Electronics engineer Stephen Tighe (39), from Nass, decided to head to Pamplona and run with the bulls for the first time on Friday after travelling to the northern Spanish city of Bilbao for a party with 15 friends.

The group had planned to see the three-day Bilbao BBK Live rock and pop festival, which ended on Saturday and featured a headline performance by Depeche Mode.

However, Stephen spent most of his weekend in hospital after colliding with another runner and suffering chest injuries.

Speaking to the Herald last night, Stephen said he was doing well and was recovering from his injuries.

"I'm 100pc and I'm out of hospital," he said.

All-clear

It is understood Stephen only told his wife the gravity of the situation after being admitted to hospital.

He was planning to return to Ireland after being given the all-clear to leave hospital following his unexpected 48-hour stay.

The keen sportsman, who once swam between Alcatraz and San Francisco, broke off from his trip to Bilbao to head to Pamplona with a thrill-seeking pal.

He told before leaving his hospital bed how he was trampled by the pack of bulls after falling to the ground near the start of the half-mile course.

He told a local newspaper: "With everyone running at the same time, it was very difficult to move.

"I don't think I'll be able to go to the BBK but it would have been a shame not to have come to Pamplona when I was so close."

Stephen, who went to hospital after feeling pain in his chest, added in his short hospital interview: "My wife just said to me when I told her, 'why did you do that?'.

"At least it's not serious and I can tell the story."

Last month, Stephen and a pal took on a daredevil swim through shark-infested waters from the notorious prison island of Alcatraz to San Francisco.

That adventure was all done in aid of charity.
Beaches in Majorca have been troubled by shark sightings this summer

top Irish holiday hotspot Majorca is on high alert after a new shark sighting.

Police were sent to the area around Cala Mayor, near Palma, after being told a blue shark had been spotted at about 7am yesterday. They were not able to find it in an initial sweep of the coastline with lifeguards on jet skis.

None of the beaches in the area were closed.

The alert was sounded amid rumours that the blue shark killed after being captured last month was not the same one that forced the closure of a string of Majorca beaches, including Cala Mayor.

Witnesses said the fish put down by experts from Palma Aquarium after it was taken ashore with an injury from a hook looked smaller than the one blamed for the panic along the coast from Illetas near Palma Nova to Can Pastilla.

Pictures showed terrified bathers running out of the sea on June 24 as a blue shark believed to be about eight feet long headed towards families.

Three beaches were closed briefly over two days but no one was hurt.

Englishman Tim Prottey-Jones, who filmed the shark seen at Illetas beach, claimed after authorities announced it had been captured that he thought the one he caught on film was a different shape and colour.

The musician told journalists: "I'm not really sure if the authorities have captured the correct shark, to be honest. The one they seem to have caught is not like the one I saw on the beach. I would say the shark I saw was about six feet long, but this one appears much smaller.

Attack

"It also seemed a lot darker in colour, but I'm no shark expert so it could have been a trick of the light.

"They have obviously found the shark very quickly - if they have found it."

A blue shark was blamed for an attack on a swimmer off an Ibiza beach in May, which left him needing hospital treatment.

The Spanish pensioner was treated for a two-inch gash to his hand after being bitten off the beach at Playa d'en Bossa.
Police in the UK are investigating after a horrified Dublin student found a hidden camera and microphone in the cubicle of her university's toilet.

The device was discovered in the women's toilet at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) on the second floor.

The Dubliner, who does not want to be named, found the covert camera positioned behind the sanitary bins and toilet bowl within one of the cubicles.

It was covered by a layer of duct tape, making the device almost impossible to detect.

The camera was found on June 27, but it is not known when it was smuggled in or how many female students have been secretly filmed. The young woman who made the shocking discovery took to social media to express her outrage.

"I am absolutely sickened posting this, but everyone needs to know and be aware this s**t is going on," she said.

"Today in LJMU Avril Robarts Library second-floor toilets, I found a camera taped into a corner behind the sanitary bins and toilet bowl in a toilet cubicle.

"A few others girls mentioned seeing the duct tape, but didn't think anything of it. My curiosity got the better of me and I peeled it off the wall and found this."

The Irish national added that she informed the university's security, along with contacting the police.

Another female student at LJMU told the Herald that she felt violated following the discovery.

"I use the toilet all the time at LJMU," she said.

"Girls talk about private stuff. It's disgusting that the camera and microphone were found. It's vile.

"I tweeted it and a lot of my friends went mad. It's a horrible situation and we all feel violated."

Merseyside Police confirmed to the Herald that it is taking the matter very seriously.

However, no arrests have yet been made.

"Merseyside Police can confirm that at 4:50pm on Tuesday, June 27, we received a report from security staff at Liverpool John Moores University that a covert camera had been found in the ladies' toilets in the Avril Robarts Library on Tithebarn Street," said a spokesperson.

Enquiries

"The camera was found by a female student who handed it to the university's security staff.

"Officers from Merseyside Police's High Tech Unit are examining the camera and enquiries are ongoing.

"They are taking it very seriously."

Numerous attempts were made to contact the university.

The Herald understands that it is co-operating with the police in relation to the ongoing investigation.
Stoltenberg urges Russia to pull out troops from Donbas, stop supporting militants

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has urged Russia to withdraw troops from Donbas and to end its support to militants there and to end cyber attacks.

NATO has said on multiple occasions that Russia should pull forces out of eastern Ukraine, stop supporting the militants operating in that area, and end any attempts to destabilize Ukraine by means of cyber attacks, which is an element of hybrid warfare, Stoltenberg said.

NATO would continue to support Ukraine, Stoltenberg said at a meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman in Kyiv on Monday.

NATO will not recognize the annexation of Crimea, he added.

Groysman thanked NATO for its unwavering support for Ukraine.

Stoltenberg said earlier on Monday that NATO would supply Ukraine with equipment, which could help identify sources of cyber attacks.
Former Ukrainian President, currently Ukraine's envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine Leonid Kuchma has met with U.S. special envoy Kurt Volker to discuss the situation in Donbas and the prospects of further contacts.

"The meeting participants discussed the settlement of the situation in Donbas. Leonid Kuchma noted the role and active position of the U.S. in the settlement of the Donbas situation and thanked him for the principled position and support of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty," Darka Olifer, press officer for Kuchma, said on Facebook on Monday, attaching a relevant photo.

The meeting participants stressed that a steady lasting ceasefire and the solution of the entire range of security issues is a key thing "without which there can be no progress in the settlement of humanitarian, political and social issues."

"The parties agreed to maintain further contacts on a permanent basis," Olifer said.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appointed former U.S. envoy to NATO Kurt Volker special representative on Ukraine on July 7.
BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: 10:10 p.m. -- The Bristol Tennessee man charged in a fatal shooting Saturday has been captured.

At 10 p.m., Johnny Royston Jr. was caught on Emmett Road in Sullivan County, according to the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office.

No additional information is being released at this hour.

....................................................................................................

The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office believes that Johnny Royston Jr. could be driving a stolen 2004 black Nissan Sentra with the tag "LOWES6"

The car may have blue tape on the left taillight, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Royston is still considered armed and dangerous.

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. -- The manhunt continues for the man wanted in connection to a homicide case in Sullivan County, Tennessee.

Sheriff Wayne Anderson told the Bristol Herald Courier Monday morning that that Johnny Royston Jr. is now considered a suspect and is wanted for second-degree murder in the death of 44-year-old Rowdy Yates, who was found shot at a home on Eatons Private Drive early Saturday morning.

Royston was last seen Sunday night around 9 p.m. at the Shell gas station near Interstate 81's Exit 5, according to the Bristol Virginia Police Department, but took off and has not been seen since.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Johnny Royston Jr. is asked to call 911 immediately or the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office.
I am encouraged by the new leadership in Bristol, Virginia, by having Kevin Mumpower being our mayor. He has been criticized for trying to run the city like a business. The city of Bristol should be run like a business. Until you own your own business, you have no idea about the tough decisions you have to make to get your business to be successful. Your employees look to you to keep your business going, so they will still have jobs. However, the only way a business can succeed is for those employees to perform their duties, which they are being paid to do. If they cannot perform those duties, they need to shape up or ship out, as the old saying goes.

Yes, the city of Bristol Virginia is going through some hard times right now, but many times, you have to go through the bad to get to the good. Tough changes have been made, and more are to come. When we get a new city manager, I feel that person needs to be someone from outside our area, who is willing to live in Bristol, Virginia, and tell us what we need to hear rather than what we want to hear to improve our city.

When looking for that person, thorough research needs to be done through social media and all over the internet to ensure no rocks are left unturned in checking out that person's background before hiring them.

I am encouraged by Randy Eads and what he can do for our city and wish him the best. I hope he does not get overwhelmed with his tasks ahead of him. With everyone's help and cooperation, the city of Bristol will again be a good place to live.
Nearly 80 PA people have been charged for Jan. 6 riot. Three are dead.

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Under President Donald Trumps leadership, the US took another major step toward establishing itself as a rogue state on June 1, when it withdrew from the Paris climate agreement. For years, Trump has indulged the strange conspiracy theory that, as he put it in 2012, The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive. But this was not the reason Trump advanced for withdrawing the US from the Paris accord. Rather, the agreement, he alleged, was bad for the US and implicitly unfair to it.

While fairness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, Trumps claim is difficult to justify. On the contrary, the Paris accord is good for America, and it is the US that continues to impose an unfair burden on others.

Historically, the US has added disproportionately to the rising concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and among large countries it remains the biggest per capita emitter of carbon dioxide by far  more than twice Chinas rate and nearly 2.5 times more than Europe in 2013 (the latest year for which the World Bank has reported complete data). With its high income, the US is in a far better position to adapt to the challenges of climate change than poor countries like India and China, let alone a low-income country in Africa.

In fact, the major flaw in Trumps reasoning is that combating climate change would strengthen the US, not weaken it. Trump is looking toward the past  a past that, ironically, was not that great. His promise to restore coal-mining jobs (which now number 51,000, less than 0.04% of the countrys nonfarm employment) overlooks the harsh conditions and health risks endemic in that industry, not to mention the technological advances that would continue to reduce employment in the industry even if coal production were revived.

In fact, far more jobs are being created in solar panel installation than are being lost in coal. More generally, moving to a green economy would increase US income today and economic growth in the future. In this, as in so many things, Trump is hopelessly mired in the past.

Just a few weeks before Trumps decision to withdraw from the Paris accord, the global High-Level Commission on Carbon Prices, which I co-chaired with Nicholas Stern, highlighted the potential of a green transition. The Commissions report, released at the end of May, argues that reducing CO2 emissions could result in an even stronger economy.

The logic is straightforward. A key problem holding back the global economy today is deficient aggregate demand. At the same time, many countries governments face revenue shortfalls. But we can address both issues simultaneously and reduce emissions by imposing a charge (a tax) for CO2 emissions.

It is always better to tax bad things than good things. By taxing CO2, firms and households would have an incentive to retrofit for the world of the future. The tax would also provide firms with incentives to innovate in ways that reduce energy usage and emissions  giving them a dynamic competitive advantage.

The Commission analysed the level of carbon price that would be required to achieve the goals set forth in the Paris climate agreement  a far higher price than in most of Europe today, but still manageable. The commissioners pointed out that the appropriate price may differ across countries. In particular, they noted, a better regulatory system  one that restrains coal-fired power generation, for example  reduces the burden that must be placed on the tax system.

Interestingly, one of the worlds best-performing economies, Sweden, has already adopted a carbon tax at a rate substantially higher than that discussed in our report. And the Swedes have simultaneously sustained their strong growth without US-level emissions.

America under Trump has gone from being a world leader to an object of derision. In the aftermath of Trumps withdrawal of the US from the Paris accord, a large sign was hung over Romes city hall: The Planet First. Likewise, Frances new president, Emmanuel Macron, poked fun at Trumps campaign slogan, declaring Make Our Planet Great Again.

But the consequences of Trumps actions are no laughing matter. If the US continues to emit as it has, it will continue to impose enormous costs on the rest of the world, including on much poorer countries. Those who are being harmed by Americas recklessness are justifiably angry.

Fortunately, large parts of the US, including the most economically dynamic regions, have shown that Trump is, if not irrelevant, at least less relevant than he would like to believe. Large numbers of states and corporations have announced that they will proceed with their commitments  and perhaps go even further, offsetting the failures of other parts of the US.

In the meantime, the world must protect itself against rogue states. Climate change poses an existential threat to the planet that is no less dire than that posed by North Koreas nuclear ambitions. In both cases, the world cannot escape the inevitable question: What is to be done about countries that refuse to do their part in preserving our planet?

Joseph E. Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate in economics, is University Professor at Columbia University and chief economist at the Roosevelt Institute. @Project Syndicate, 2017

The views expressed are personal
Nestled in a bylane and away from the hustle and bustle of Delhis chaotic Paharganj area, lies a quaint Jewish oasis where weary Israeli travellers stop by to feel at home.

At the corner of the bylane, dotted with bilingual  English and Hebrew  commercial signboards, a flight of stairs takes visitors to a world, which could well be mistaken for a traditional household in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.

Welcome to Chabad House, a rendezvous point, a community centre and a watering hole, all rolled into one, for Israelis to meet, greet and eat together, and after Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to that country, the place is brimming with excitement.

From weary tourists to people visiting India for business purposes, they come first to the Chabad House and seek guidance for hotel and lodging facilities in Delhi as much as for socialising with fellow countrymen, says Rabbi Akiva.

Travellers, who are visiting other parts of India and transiting through the city, also come here just to experience a slice of Israel. They pray, eat kosher food, share Israeli snacks, celebrate Jewish festivals and make merry, he adds. And the centre is indeed a home away from home, the room on the first floor of the House, replete with Jewish paraphernalia.

Rabbi Akiva takes his seat surrounded by a library of books on Judaism stacked up against the walls while kippah- wearing men perform tefillah (Jewish prayer) in one corner. In another part of the room, a group of backpackers chat up, share Bamba (famous Israeli snack) and exchange pleasantries, before moving to their hotel rooms or the next destinations.

Nitzan Zeira and Shir Arzuan, two friends from Tel Aviv, who stopped by at the Chabad House before travelling to Dharamsala, are super excited that Modi became the first Indian PM to visit my country.

We Israelis have been travelling to India in good numbers, and we really hope that after Modis visit, the tourist influx from India to our side would go up, Zeira says. I left Tel Aviv for Delhi, the day the Indian PM arrived there. During my stay here, I read about and saw pictures on Internet of his (Modis) meeting with our PM (Benjamin Netanyahu) and the Jews of Indian-origin there. I felt very happy. The visit would surely bring the two countries closer, says Zeira.

Inside the Paharganj Chabad House. After the 26/11 terror attack, the Chabad House has been provided with round-the-clock police security. (Photo courtesy: Mayank Austen Soofi)

During the visit, Modi had also met 11-year-old Moshe Holtzberg, the Israeli child who lost his parents in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, a gesture that has warmed the hearts of Israelis, from Delhi to Tel Aviv.

For us, this was the most touching gesture from India. More so, because Moshes parents  Rivka and Gavriel Holtzberg  were killed by terrorists at the Nariman House (Mumbais Chabad House), where they were serving as its emissaries, Akiva said. After the terrorist attack, the house has been provided with round-the-clock police security.

A Chabad House is a community centre for disseminating traditional Judaism by the Chabad movement. These houses are run by a Chabad Shaliach (emissary), his wife  a Shlucha  and his family.

Rabbi Akiva is the Shaliach at Paharganjs Chabad House. We moved two places in the vicinity before settling here off Main Bazaar Road. It was established in 1993, the first in Delhi. A second one came up some years ago in Vasant Vihar, he says.

The atmosphere inside the House is very homely, as his three little daughters play with guests, while Akiva and his wife offer them hospitality and guidance to feel at ease in a new country. Giant portraits of the Rebbe, the late leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, adorn the walls on the first floor, and the second floor, which houses a restaurant offering Jewish cuisine.

The Chabad House is a part of a Jewish community network, headquartered in Brooklyn in New York. Around the world there about 5,000 such houses while in India the number is close to 20, including at Manali, Pushkar, Dharamsala and two in Delhi, adds Akiva, who moved to India six years ago from Israel.

Outside in the street of bustling Main Bazaar, a mid-air hanging vinyl-made signage in Hebrew points towards the Chabad House in the bylane, while many shops and tour operators display bilingual advertisements.

It is like a Little Israel and most of the foreign tourists coming here are from that country. This is the peak season and from Delhi, they mostly move to Leh, Ladakh, Dharmasala or Manali as their next destination, explains Anil Bhardwaj, who runs a tour agency from his office near the House.

Delhi is their transit point, but economy accommodation and a Chabad House at the heart of this place, make Paharganj very attractive to them. In my travel agency, on an average 20 Israelis are booking tickets on a given day, and sometimes that number swells to 60, he says.

In the streets, an Indian is likely to bump into a Israeli national, among other foreigners, he says. Guest houses and hotels are packed with Israelis tourists.

Close to 90% of our guests are Israelis. We display bilingual signage and notices (English and Hebrew) for their benefit, says a staffer at the reception of Ajay Guest House, as he shows the booking register with Israeli crowding the nationality column.

Twenty-three-year-old Dor Pinhas, after serving in the Israeli Defence Force, has come to India on a maiden visit. Chabad House makes me feel Im in Israel. It is like home, we get our culture and our food and language and people.

Ruth Slashman, a Jewish woman, who moved to Jerusalem from Washington few years ago, visited the House, to seek help in finding a good hotel and Rabbi Akiva guided her to a place in Connaught Place.

We are thrilled that Indian PM visited Israel. Not many Indians know about Israel, but I think it is a good thing in a way, as they do not have any bias or prejudice about it. I really hope now, after Modis visit, Indians will begin to look at Israel from a different perspective and choose it as their travel destination, says Slashman.

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Bollywood celebs including Akshay Kumar, Huma Qureshi and Shekhar Kapur, among others, spoke out against the Monday evening terrorist attack on the Amarnath pilgrims and called it a cowardly act.

At least seven pilgrims were killed and several wounded when suspected militants attacked police vehicles escorting Amarnath yatris at two different places in Anantnag district of Kashmir on Monday. One of the attacks took place at Botengoo in Anantnag.

The pilgrims were travelling on a bus and along with them several of the policemen were also injured.

Attack on innocent #AmarnathYatra pilgrims is a low of another level! Angry and sad...prayers for all those affected.  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) July 10, 2017

The attack on #AmarnathYatra pilgrims is deplorable... shame on the perpetrators and hope justice is delivered swiftly.  Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) July 10, 2017

For years Kashmiri Muslims have helped Hindu brothers undertake #AmarnathYatra.Shame on terrorists. We will not let hate win#UnitedWeStand  Huma Qureshi (@humasqureshi) July 10, 2017

Again a terrorist attack. On innocent pilgrims that wanted nothing but blessings of Lord Shiva. Time for action. Not words #AmarnathYatra  Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) July 10, 2017

Dastardly act. Attacking pilgrims? Is this what it's come to? Must be condemned unequivocally - by all.#AmarnathYatra  Gul Panag (@GulPanag) July 10, 2017

Such a tragedy. Angry and very sad. The perpetrators must know that they belong to no religion. They are murderers. #AmarnathTerrorAttack  Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) July 10, 2017

A tragic night ! Time for the nation to stand together and defeat the sinister designs of the terrorists to divide us.  Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) July 10, 2017

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A chance to work with Bollywood veteran Sridevi, and that, too, in her 300th project, is something that many would see as their dream debut. That dream came true for Delhi girl Vani Sood, who is part of Sridevis latest release, the thriller Mom, directed by Ravi Udyawar.

How did it happen? I was sitting at home when I got a call from the casting director of Mukesh Chabra Casting Company. He said, Boney Kapoor is making a movie and you have been shortlisted as one of the friends (of Sajal Alis character) for it. I was shocked and surprised when I got to know that Id be working alongside big names such as Sridevi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Akshaye Khanna, and Adnan Siddiqui, says Sood, a graduate of Gargi College, South Campus, Delhi University.

Vani had earlier auditioned for a role in the Aamir Khan film Dangal while the talent scouts were on the campus of Sri Venkateswara College, also under Delhi University. Though that didnt work out, the casting agents had her contact details and had seen her work. That is how she made it to the Mom shortlist.

I felt butterflies in my stomach, literally! recalls Vani. We shot two sequences  one in Shri Ram College of Commerce last year and the other one in Bangkok this year. The scene in Bangkok was a party sequence, picturised on Kooke Kawn, a song sung by Sukhwinder Singh with AR Rahman as the music director. It was one of the best memories of my life, something that will stay with me forever, says Vani.

Vani Sood (right) poses with actor Sridevi (centre) during the shoot of Mom, Sridevis 300th film.

What Vani loved about the experience was the complete movie vibe that she got. We had our own vanity vans which used to take us to the sets. From getting ready before AD calls (a film shoot term) and shooting all night to packing up at seven in the morning and heading to the hotel while listening to old Bollywood hits, it was a surreal experience. I made great friends on the set, too! she says.

We were filming a classroom scene, and when I saw Sridevi step into the classroom, it was unreal! I had to repeatedly tell myself that it wasnt a dream; I was actually getting to work with the same woman who played Hawa Hawai in Mr India

Asked to name the best part of being in Mom, Vani instantly says that it was when she shared a scene with Sridevi. She was thrilled when she got to know that her otherwise short role included a scene with the veteran actor. I play Ritu, a friend of Sajal Alis character (Sridevis daughter on screen). We were filming a classroom scene, and when I saw Sridevi step into the classroom, it was unreal! I had to repeatedly tell myself that it wasnt a dream; I was actually getting to work with the same woman who played Hawa Hawai in Mr India, says Vani.

She adds When [Sridevi] used to walk [on to the sets], the whole atmosphere used to change. Everybody could feel her presence, but that didnt dim her charming and disciplined personality. She taught me how to improvise my lines, my expressions, and how I could make it look more natural. It was amazing how such a senior actor taught us such important things without any fuss. What also really impressed me was that she used to see her scene and correct it even if the director approved it, by saying, I can do better. I will give another shot!

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Telecom major Bharti Airtel today said it will invest Rs 2,000 crore over three years under Project Next to revamp customer touch points and enhance subscriber experience.

Under Project Next, Airtel will revamp its stores, launch mobile handset protection schemes, allow transfer of unused mobile data to next month for postpaid users and pooling of postpaid plan within a family, Bharti Airtel MD and CEO (South Asia) Gopal Vittal told reporters here.

The company, which is locked in an intense battle against operators like Reliance Jio and Vodafone, said it will launch several digital innovations to step change the simplicity and interactivity of its customer experience.

On the rollout of VoLTE (Voice over LTE), Vittal said it is in the works and the company is conducting trials in five cities.

He added that the company will be able to take VoLTE everywhere in the country in later part of the year.
An Indian-origin businessman has bid to build a new terminal and the controversial third runway at Heathrow airport that promises to reduce the cost of current estimates by up to 6.7 billion.

Arora Group, a private hotel and property company of Surinder Arora, which has decades of experience operating inside and around the airport, commissioned a review of Heathrow Airport Limiteds plans, and said there were cheaper and better solutions to expand Heathrow.

British Airways, the largest client of Heathrow, supported the proposals of Arora, who arrived in Britain as a teenager from India and went on to build a hotel and property construction empire.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways owner IAG, said: The government should look closely at Aroras proposal as it would significantly reduce costs.

The Theresa May government gave the green signal to the third runway at Heathrow (instead of Gatwick) in October 2016, after successive governments had postponed a decision for a decade, triggering the resignation of a Conservative MP opposed to the runway on environmental grounds.

Aroras is one of the proposals being considered by the Department of Transport. It was submitted during the recent consultation after a review by a team of infrastructure and aviation experts.

The expansion of Heathrow is considered vital to the continuing growth of Britains economy and to meet ever-growing demands from international air traffic. The third runway is expected to add billions to the economy, besides creating thousands of jobs. Construction is likely to begin in 2020.

The Arora Group said the breakdown of the 6.7 billion savings include a 1.7 billion saving to the terminal design and taxi-way system; not going ahead with the expansion of terminal 2 (saving of 1.1 billion); not building the 1.0 billion passenger transit system for airside passengers, branding it unnecessary while airlines believe it is not needed for their passengers.

By adopting Aroras key improvements plus other changes such as improving parking proposals and reducing the site area by 20%, which significantly reduces demolition and groundworks required, the cost of the scheme would be reduced in total by 5.2bn without significant amendments to the Governments North West Runway plans, the group said.

Its proposal added that a further 1.5 billion savings can be found in addition to the 5.2 billion savings by avoiding the M25 construction project which the group views as more than just a financial issue as it creates almost a decade of major inconvenience to commuters on the UKs busiest motorway, totalling 6.7 billion savings.

Located in west London, Heathrow is one of the largest employers in the area - many Indian-origin people are employed at various levels in the airport. The Indian community in the area has welcomed the third runway, whose construction will impact the major two adjoining highways, M25 and M4.

Arora said: We want passengers to be at the heart of our plans and the current monopoly at Heathrow, which over-charges airlines and in turn raises fares for passengers, is not the right model for the future. Heathrow needs competition and innovation which puts passengers and airlines at the heart of the expansion project.

One of the options we have proposed to Government includes a possible shift of the runway so that it does not impact on the M25 and M4, as we know the M25 junction being affected threatens the deliverability of the whole project.

We appreciate this is a politically sensitive issue but it is merely an option with additional savings of 1.5bn, whereas the rest of our proposals save up to 5.2bn without the need to amend the runway location.

A Heathrow airport spokeswoman said: Heathrows expansion proposals are supported by the government and have widespread cross-party political, business and union support. Some of the options we are looking at sound similar to those suggested in this submission, and we will welcome views on these in the public consultation later this year.

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The government has approved American e-commerce major Amazons proposed $ 500 million investment in retailing of food products in India, an official said.

The proposal was pending before the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) which has been abolished now.

Hence, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) gives the green signal to the proposal.

As per the proposal, the company will open a wholly- owned subsidiary in India to carry out the business. It will stock food products and sell online.

Currently, the government permits 100% direct investment (FDI) in the food processing sector. As per norms, a foreign company can open a wholly-owned subsidiary in India to retail food products produced and or manufactured in the country by way of opening stores or online.

The government had received investment proposals from three companies - Amazon, Grofers and Big Basket - worth $ 695 million for retail of food products.

While US-based retail giant Amazon is one of the major e-commerce players in India, Grofers and Big Basket are into online grocery space.

Amazon has proposed to invest around $ 500 million in retail of food products.

The government last year allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) through approval route for trading, including through e-commerce, in respect of food products manufactured and produced in India.

In 2016-17 (April-December), the food processing sector in the country received FDI of $ 663.23 million.

The Union Cabinet last month decided to wind up the 25- year-old FIPB, which had been vetting FDI proposals requiring government approval, to expedite the clearance process.

Under the new mechanism, proposals related to retail sector is being approved by the commerce and industry ministry.
Niti Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya made a strong case for shifting workers from agriculture to industry and encourage small enterprises to grow big with a view to accelerate economic growth.

He further said that at the aggregate macro level, bringing about rapid growth is most critical as no major success in poverty alleviation is likely to happen without it.

If we set the output per worker in agriculture equal to 1, then output per worker in industry is 5 and that in services 3.8.

In other words, even at the current productivity levels in each sector, moving one percentage-point workers out of agriculture into industry can increase the GDP by 1.5 per cent, Panagariya said, while addressing the National Conference of Chief Secretaries.

Observing that the underemployment is probably the biggest economic challenge India faces, he said, Our enterprises are excessively small and they have remained so.

Panagariya said that raising productivity requires creating a policy environment that will help our enterprises grow bigger.

We must specifically look for policies that keep the enterprises small. Micro must grow into small, small into medium and medium into large, he said.

The Niti Aayog vice chairman pointed out that the level of per-capita income limits the scope for redistribution.

Citing example, Panagariya said Bihar has far less room for redistribution than Kerala, but even Kerala has limits to how far it can rely on redistribution.

Politically, redistribution is lot more feasible if the overall income is growing rapidly, he noted.

The Niti Aayog vice chairman stressed that if India wants to increase the total expenditures on education, health and infrastructure then the counry has only two options.

We either cut expenditure on something else or increase the GDP. Unfortunately, our ability to cut the expenditures on items other than education, health and infrastructure is extremely limited.

Therefore, raising the GDP is the only practical option, he suggested.

Stating that in the government, each ministry is focused on the details of what it must do and how it can best do it, Panagariya said, While desirable, this has the unintended side effect of the neglect of the overall strategy and direction of the economy.

It is essential for us therefore, to step back and pay attention to the broader strategy, he stressed.
Indias newest telecoms entrant, Reliance Jio, said it was investigating claims of customer personal data being leaked onto a website called Magicapk.

We have informed law enforcement agencies about the claims of the website and will follow through to ensure strict action is taken, a Jio spokeswoman said early on Monday, adding the data on the website appeared to be unauthentic.

She added the companys subscriber data was safe and maintained with the highest security.

Users have been registered on the Reliance Jio network using a 12-digit Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) provided number, commonly known as the Aadhaar number.

The Aadhaar number is unique to every Indian citizen and stores biometric and demographic data of the user at a centralised database.

If the claims of the data breach are true, it would be a large setback for the Indian telecom entrants aggressive push led by Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, which added 3.9 million subscribers to its network in April.

Many users complained on Twitter about personal information of millions of Jio users being publicly available on Magicapk.com, in what appears to be the first of its kind large-scale data breach of an Indian telecom operator.

The website, when accessed by Reuters, flashed a message saying: This Account has been suspended.
I woke up earlier than usual that morning. Gradually, when I regained my senses, I felt another sound apart from the sound of the air-conditioner that had broken my slumber. The sound has a unique rhythm and melody. It ebbs and flows and follows a pattern. It was the sound of falling rain. When I sat down in my balcony with a cup of tea, Sunday was standing before me in all its hypnotic beauty.

Close to four decades ago, my late sister had penned a poem called Yayati. In it Yayatis son Yadu gently chides his father: Barish mein bheegne ki umra hoti hai pita (Father, is there a specific age to get drenched in the rain?). Really? Why put an age constraint over an enjoyable pursuit? I ventured out as I was. The park was full of water and the pitter-patter of rain. Trees brimming over with happiness, the dancing grass and the rain gripping them into a long, languid embrace.

Often, during my morning walk, I notice snakes and feel afraid.

I want to reach the middle of the park but clad in slippers and shorts I would make ideal fodder for a snake. I am reminded of an old adage that says the only difference between an animal and human being is that an animal is driven by emotion and the human being by his intelligence. I am momentarily jolted but the rain is enticing me and the grass beckoning me from a distance. I am transported back to my childhood. We never stopped ourselves then. Why should I do that today? Let me move forward.

There is a bench built on a slope in Meghdootam Park. I lie down on the bench. The rain is singing a lullaby and the clouds wearing a cloak of darkness. When the cauldron of worldly thoughts within me goes cold, I fall asleep. After some time, when I open my eyes, it appears Ive just gotten up from my mothers lap. When did I feel so energetic the last time round? I dont burden my brain and keep lying there. The combination of the rain, my drenched body, the lush surroundings and the hazy moisture goes on for some time.

When the rain took a break for an interval, while returning home, I realised that in the mad rush of our daily schedules, weve cut ourselves away from nature.

Being cut off from nature equals being cut off from oneself. A person separate from his own self is the worlds most unfortunate refugee. Our world is increasingly getting full of such people. Its impact is showing. At the beginning of this decade, Taiwanese researchers discovered, in two schools, that children were becoming myopic. According to a report in The Ophthalmology Journal, these researchers asked the school management to encourage children to play in an open playground. The results were positive. One year later, the children playing in the open stood out distinctly from the book-worms. As many as 17.5% of the kids who preferred being indoors were myopic, while the figure was significantly lower at 8.41% in kids who played outdoors.

The question is, what kind of future does a planet full of myopic people have?

A long time ago I had read a Michigan University report in Psychological Science. The researchers sent the selected group of children to two destinations. The first group was sent to areas full of greenery and the other to fashionable, yet crowded malls. When the groups returned, the researchers found out that the retention power of the children who returned from green areas had enhanced by 20%, even as those who returned from crowded areas showed no improvement. Clearly the computer in the hand of every person in form of a mobile phone has snatched away a lot from them. This includes their sleep and peace.

We are living in a world full of restless and dissatisfied people.

That day, while getting drenched in the rain, I was thinking that the health market is booming. If some vendors are peddling recipes for a size-zero body, others are giving a guarantee for six-pack abs.

Modern-day Hercules and Venus dont take birth these days, they are created. When uniqueness is sold in the market, it creates aberrations. If I talk just about India, the manner in which the number of mental patients is growing is a matter of concern. Health ministry statistics say the number of patients in this category had reached 5 crore at the end of 2005.

Rather than adding to this list, it is better that we return to nature. Dont wait any longer. The rain is waiting for you outside.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief Hindustan

letters@hindustantimes.com
It is that time of the year when most undergraduate colleges in India are nearing the end of the admission process. Hundreds of thousands of exam-weary high-school students, with many a harassed and anxious parent in tow, will have learnt of their fates. There will be winners, having gained the colleges and the courses of their choice, alongside those compelled to make do with plan B. A good chunk, however, will also find themselves left out in the cold. Others will explore greener and costlier education pastures overseas, while there will also be many herded into for want of a better term  degree granting shops.

The transition from high school to college in India, as we have begun to realise, is at bursting point -- not merely in the sense of not having enough quality institutions for the demographic youth bulge, but mostly over the rising despair about the kind of students being produced by our schools. If one goes by the percentage of marks, then it appears that a good number have barely made an error over the course of a punishing three-hour exam. This includes, surprisingly and especially for my generation on the wrong side of the 40s, in subjects such as literature, history and the range in the social sciences. One remains in wonderment over how objective such subjects can possibly be? And how remarkable can the grading be that it seems to discover only the infallible, year after year.

And yet, India is also plagued by the growing problem of the educated unemployable. According to some studies, only one out of four graduates coming out of engineering and professional colleges in India are found suitable for employment. That number drops to one out 10 when it comes to general education. Many of our engineers and those freshly minted out of the vast network of universities have poor abilities to frame problems, suffer from grim language skills and suffer from the most basic crisis of comprehension. Inadequacies and failings that can all be unambiguously traced to poor education, something that may be worse than having no education at all.

Among policy makers and corporate honchos these days, there is a lot of talk about the urgent need to harness employability among Indian graduates through curriculum changes, adoption of global best practices, deepening industry-university links, soft skill training and so on. But none of these would address the problem that lies at the core of the Indian education system  rote learning.

The education system we have built over the years rewards anything but knowledge acquired over the years spent in a school or a college. From the time a child enters the school, he/she is taught to believe the result of an examination is more important than how it is achieved. A 17-year-old budding historian is tested on his ability to recall and remember events rather than evaluate and analyse the social, political or economic implications of the same. What good will memorising mathematical and scientific formulae do if an aspiring scientist or engineer fails to apply them to the world around her? That is why even the best of schools in India fare worse compared to the average-rated schools in the OECD countries. That is why no one any longer speaks of Indias youth bulge as a demographic dividend. It is, as we speak, fast turning out to be a liability of monstrous consequences in the time to come.

It is time we launched an all-out war on rote learning. It is not going to be easy, for undoing our reliance on rote learning would mean outcomes that will be financially overbearing and politically unpopular. It would require courage and perseverance of the kind we demonstrated when we made universal basic education a fundamental right. Now is the time to redefine the ambitions of the Right to Education Act, which must mean right to quality education.

(The author is the Chief Content Officer, Hindustan Times. He tweets as @RajeshMahapatra)

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(Xiaomi photo)

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi posted record-high quarterly smartphone sales in the second quarter of this year, the company announced Friday.

Xiaomi's smartphone shipments reached 23.16 million in Q2, surging 70 percent compared with Q1, according to Xiaomi chairman and CEO Lei Jun, who said that the company is once again embarking on a rapid growth trajectory.

Lei attributed the rebound in smartphone sales to enhanced investment in research and development, integration of online and offline retail as well as growing overseas expansion.

The company released its first smartphone chip Surge S1 in February, becoming the fourth company in the world capable of producing both smartphones and chips.

In Q2, Xiaomi increased cooperation with other platforms which helped it rank number one in terms of smartphone sales on e-commerce platforms JD.com, Tmall, and Suning during the mid-year online shopping festival in June.

Meanwhile, the company has been expanding its offline presence, with 123 Mi Home stores open across China as of July 7.

Xiaomi's revenue in India in the first half of the year went up 328 percent year on year, becoming the second top brand overall in the Indian smartphone market, according to Lei.

Competing for global market share represents the third wave of opportunity that will shape the Chinese smartphone industry, following the first wave of urban Chinese smartphone adoption and the second wave of new smartphone users from China's third and fourth-tier cities, Lei pointed out.

Xiaomi will need to hire thousands of research and development professionals for its smartphone business in the next 12 months and further bolster its innovation capabilities, according to Lei.

He said he is confident in the company achieving its revenue goal of 100 billion yuan (14.71 billion U.S. dollars) for the year and it aims to ship 100 million smartphones in 2018.
A 16-year-old Muslim boy, whose allegedly offensive Facebook post triggered communal violence in Uttarakhand, has been sent to a juvenile home for 14 days. The decision was taken by the juvenile board at Pauri Garhwal on Monday, police said.

Police said there had been no overnight violence in Satpuli, a quaint town some 150kms from state capital Dehradun in the Pauri Garhwal district, and warned social media users to not spread rumours or inflammatory messages.

The police have been deployed in the town and so far the situation is under control. The minor was held last evening and was produced before the juvenile board which has sent him to juvenile home for 14 days Jagat Ram Joshi, superintendent of police, Pauri Garhwal, told HT over the phone. The official said one local resident Jagdamba Dangwal filed police complaint under Section 295 (a) of the Indian Penal Code (deliberate act to outrage religious feelings) and Section 66A of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

The market in the town opened on Monday morning amid uneasiness among locals. It has a small market that connects parts of Garhwal hills.

On Sunday morning, communal tensions gripped the small town after activists of ABVP and Bajrang Dal vandalised a vegetable shop belonging to the family of a minor boy who allegedly posted an offensive picture of the Kedarnath shrine on Facebook.

Satpuli has no history of communal tension. Some five Muslim families were residing in the town for several decades and that the accused boy belonged to one of them, police said.

ENDS

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A Delhi court has set aside a two-month jail term awarded to a man convicted for rash driving and released him on probation after noting that he took two injured persons to a doctor after the incident.

The court, while releasing Gramin Sewa driver Pradeep Tanwar, 47, on probation for one year, said he deserved an opportunity to reform himself as the judicial system is based upon reformative method.

According to the prosecution, on October 18, 2013, the complainants Anup Singh and Kuldeep, were going home near Fatehpur Beri in southwest Delhi when a Gramin Sewa vehicle, driven by Tanwar, hit them. Due to the impact, the victims sustained grievous injuries. However, the driver took them to a clinic for treatment.

The court released Tanwar on probation on a bond of Rs10,000 with one surety of like amount while directing him to maintain peace and good behaviour.

During this period of probation, he shall abstain from any illegal activity and shall keep peace and good behaviour and on failure of appellant to comply with the terms and conditions of probation bond, he shall undergo the sentence as prescribed by trial court, said Special Judge Savita Rao.

The court also asked him to pay a compensation amount of Rs5,000 each, payable to both the victims, failing which he shall undergo the sentence as awarded by a trial court.

A magisterial court had held Tanwar guilty of offences under sections 279 (rash driving), 337 (endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Motor Vehicle Act and sentenced him to jail for two months.

The convict, in his appeal against this order, contended that rash and negligent driving was not proved and there was no witness in the case.

The sessions court, however, refused to accept this contention. It upheld his conviction but modified the jail term and released him on probation.
Around 27,000 forms of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) housing scheme were sold till Monday from bank counters across Delhi, according to the data by the land owning agency.

A senior official of DDA said that besides selling the forms offline, lot of people are showing interest in buying the forms online as well. More than 1,20,000 users have visited the section of DDAs website where online registration is done, since the launch of scheme, he added. The last day for registration is August 11.

The DDA launched its housing scheme 2017 on June 30, offering more than 12,000 flats that cost anything between Rs7.07 lakh and Rs1.26 crore.

DDA is yet to compile a figure on how many people have registered for the scheme and brought forms online.

The present trend suggests that the number might be lower this time as in 2014 housing scheme, In which more than 17 lakh forms were purchased and 10 lakh people had registered themselves for the scheme.

This is also because only serious buyers are showing interest this time due to the forfeiture clause, he said.

The clause states that if a prospective buyer surrenders his application before the draw date, no money will be deducted from his or her registration fee. If a buyer does so after the draw but before the issue of a demand letter, 25% of the registration fee will be forfeited.

In pics | What the costliest flat in DDA housing scheme 2017 looks like

If the flat is surrendered within 90 days of the issue of the demand letter, 50% of the fee would be cut. Beyond that time, the entire registration fee will be forfeited.

DDAs housing commissioner JP Agarwal said: One of the main reason behind several flats being rejected last year was unserious buyers or brokers applying for the scheme and later returning it because there was a sudden dip in real estate market. This time we want even if the number of people applying are low, only serious buyers should step in.

He said that it is just the start of the scheme and people generally show more interest after two weeks.

Meanwhile, in order to make it easy for prospective buyers to visit DDA flats before applying, DDA will be uploading the names of contact persons (engineer) on the website.

We had uploaded the detailed address but we were still getting inquiries of people for contact persons so that they can see the flats from inside. Therefore, the decision was taken, said an official.

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Buoyed by the success of its e-rickshaw service in Noida and Ghaziabad, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is planning to extend the service to commuters in the national capital.

The service, aimed at providing last-mile connectivity to Metro users, will have high-tech e-rickshaws fitted with CCTV cameras and GPS to ensure added safety for passengers, especially women commuters. The e-rickshaws will be allowed to cover a radius of about 4 kilometres around Metro stations and are designed differently in style than the usual ones that are plying on city roads.

The proposal for this was in June put up before lieutenant governor Anil Baijal, who asked other stakeholders to study the feasibility of the service. We hope the service will help mitigate the mushrooming of unorganised transport mediums such as e-rickshaws and Gramin Sewa services in Delhi-NCR, which not only block the entry-exit points of Metro stations, but also create pollution, a DMRC official said.

Delhi has over one lakh e-rickshaws but only 35,000 are legal. They not only cause traffic jams, but also are safety hazard both for passengers and the owners, a government official said. Apart from this, Delhi lacks legal charging points and some cases of owners getting electrocuted while charging them at their houses have surfaced recently.

Challenges

The DMRC said that implementing the project in Delhi is not going to be easy. In the National Capital Territory area, movement of e-rickshaws is banned on 236 roads. Of the 129 Metro stations in Delhi, only at 17 stations, the e-rickshaws are not included, said a Metro official.

The DMRC has requested for permission to run e-rickshaws by aggregators or multiple registrations. Permission for advertisement and exclusivity in the operating areas has also been sought. The transport department and the Delhi Police need to give their go-ahead now, the official said.

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If you meet the cutoff under the third list at Delhi University colleges but have not taken admission yet, then you should rush as admissions at morning shift colleges will close at 1pm and at evening shift colleges will close at 7pm.

Monday is the last day of admission under the third cutoff list, admission under which was started on July 7. The fourth list is expected to be released on July 12.

Under the third cutoff list there are still options available with many Delhi colleges in popular honours courses such as economics, BCom, English, political science, history and mathematics.

Colleges such as Hindu, Hans Raj, Ramjas, Kirori Mal, Miranda House, Sri Venkateswara, LSR, IP College for Women, and Daulat Ram still have seats left in the popular courses.

Students meeting the cutoff under the third list will be given admission till 1pm and 7pm today for morning and evening shift colleges respectively. We advise students to reach college on time with all documents, said a DU official.

For document verification and approval for admission, the timings at morning shift colleges are 9.30am to 1pm and for evening shift colleges it is 4pm to 7pm.

Commerce and Economics

Under the third cutoff list, Economics (hons) is closed at nine colleges, including Sri Ram College of Commerce. But it is available at colleges such as LSR, Hindu, Hans Raj, Ramjas, Kirori Mal, Sri Venkateswara, IP College for Women, and Daulat Ram. The highest cutoff is at LSR at 97.5 per cent and lowest is at Sri Aurobindo Evening at 91.5 per cent.

BCom (hons) is closed at 11 colleges including, SRCC, Hindu, and LSR.

But it is open for admission at colleges such as Hans Raj, KMC, Ramjas, Sri Venkateswara, IP College for Women, and Daulat Ram. The highest cutoff is at Hans Raj at 96.75 per cent and lowest is at Aditi Mahavidyalaya at 89.5 per cent.

Humanities

English (hons) is closed at four colleges  Dyal Singh, Gargi, Mata Sundri and Satyawati College Evening. The highest cutoff is at LSR at 97 per cent and lowest is at Zakir Hussain College Evening at 88 per cent.

History is closed at 18 colleges, including Gargi, Hindu and LSR. But it is available at colleges such as Kirori Mal, Hans Raj, LSR, Miranda House, Ramjas, Sri Venkateswara, and IP College for Women. The highest cutoff is at KMC at 95 per cent and lowest is at Swami Shraddhanad at 84 per cent.

Political Science is closed at 14 colleges, including Hindu and Kamla Nehru College. The highest dip for the course is at SGTB Khalsa, where it dropped from 97.25 per cent to 95.25 per cent.

But colleges such as LSR, Ramjas Miranda House, Kirori Mal, Sri Venkateswara, and IP College for Women will give admission in the course. The highest cutoff is at LSR at 97.25 per cent and lowest is at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College Evening at 85 per cent.

Sciences

Mathematics is closed at 13 colleges, LSR and KNC. But it is available for admission at colleges such as Hindu, Hans Raj, Miranda House, KMC, Sri Venkateswara, IP College for Women, and Daulat Ram. The highest cutoff is at Hindu at 96.75 per cent and the lowest is at Vivekananda College at 90 per cent.

Physics is closed at nine colleges, including Gargi, Hans Raj and Hindu. But it is open for admission at colleges such as KMC, Ramjas, Miranda House, Daulat Ram, Sri Venkateswara.

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With admissions approved to approximately 73% of the seats at DU colleges, the last day of admissions under the third cutoff list drew to a close at the Delhi University on Monday.

The fourth cutoff list is to be released on Thursday, however, the qualifying percentage requirement is not expected to drop by more than a mark or two for most popular courses at sought after colleges.

DU has around 56,000 seats at its 60-odd constituent colleges.

Admission to almost 41,000 seats have been approved. Of these, around 37,000 students have paid their fees, said a DU official, who works with the admissions committee. Students, whose admissions have been approved, have until noon on Tuesday to pay their admission fees online.

However, seats for popular course choices may still be available under the fourth list in many colleges. While colleges like Kamala Nehru College are likely to close admissions to most popular courses and others like Ramjas College claimed that they are yet to collate data on the availability of seats, some institutes still have few seats left in sought after courses like BCom (Hons), BA Programme, English (Hons), and History (Hons), among others.

Miranda House has filled over 90% of their seats by the end of the third cycle of admissions. Though they still have a few seats left for courses like English (Hons) and BA Programme, the percentage point requirement is not expected to drop significantly in the fourth list, with most courses seeing no more than a 0.2% point drop.

The cutoff for English (Hons) will either remain the same or be reduced by one mark, said Pratibha Jolly, principal, Miranda House.

Though History is expected to be closed at Miranda, few seats are still available at Lady Shri Ram College. LSR had closed admissions to History (Hons) under the third list, alongwith 17 other colleges such as Gargi and Hindu, but seats are now available because of withdrawals.

LSR also has seats for honours programmes in Psychology, English, Journalism, and Philosophy. However, these courses will also not see a drop of more than 0.25% points in the fourth list, according to Suman Sharma, the principal, while adding that they have had to deal with over admissions in the past.

Sri Venkateswara College, which had all of its courses other than Chemistry and Sanskrit (Hons) open under the third list, will probably have a fourth list for most of its courses, other than English (Hons). They may even have a few seats left for Economics (Hons), which was closed at nine colleges including Sri Ram College of Commerce, under the third list.

We have filled around 888 seats, out of our available 1,089. We have around four or five seats for BCom (Hons). We also have around 20 seats each for BCom and BA programmes, said Venkat Kumar, the admission convenor of the college. The cutoff for the general category here too is not likely to drop by more than one mark, however, for certain reserved categories the cutoff may drop by upto 2% points, added Kumar.
A 26-year-old woman from Manipur was grievously injured after she fell out of a moving auto while trying to fight off while trying to resist a snatching bid in south Delhis Lajpat Nagar on Sunday night.

The woman skid and her face hit the road near the Moolchand flyover. She broke her teeth and received injuries on her face, limbs, and abdomen. She was admitted to AIIMS Trauma Centre and later discharged.

Romil Baaniya, deputy commissioner of police (southeast), said, We have registered a case of robbery and are looking for the snatchers.

Read: Snatchers arrested in Delhi mostly first timers, school dropouts

The snatching took place close to the spot, where a similar incident took place on December 29, 2016, in which a 39-year-old woman from Darjeeling was injured and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital for over 15 days.

In the present case, the woman employed in the credit card division of a private bank was returning to her rented flat at Malviya Nagar in Delhi when the crime took place around 8pm. Her cousin, who didnt want to be named, told Hindustan Times that around 7pm, she had gone to Maharani Bagh market to buy a mobile phone.

After buying the phone, the woman withdrew some money from an ATM and then hired an auto to reach home. Around 8pm, when the three-wheeler descended the Lajpat Nagar flyover, two men on a motorcycle started riding parallel to the auto. The woman was sitting on the left side. The womans friend said the pillion rider suddenly tried to snatch the womans bag.

Since my friend was clutching on to the bag, she tried to fight them but they were speeding. The biker then gave a final tug with such a force that she fell out of the auto, said the womans friend.

The bikers managed to flee with the bag that contained an iPhone, ATM cards, identity cards and a little over Rs 2,000 in cash. She, however, managed to retain her new phone that she used to call her father in Manipur despite bleeding profusely.

Read: In west Delhi, snatching bid goes wrong twice, two nabbed

Seeing her condition, the auto driver panicked and offered to drop her to Safdarjung Hospital. However, the driver was so nervous that he lost track and reached Munirka. The woman sought help from men in Munirka.

One of them called the police and the woman was rushed to AIIMS Trauma Center in a police van. Her friends have alleged that there was a delay of over five hours in the treatment and she was discharged only after preliminary medical aid.

We returned to the hospital again on Monday afternoon when my cousin complained of severe pain, the womans cousin said.
Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal wrote to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday saying that he was surprised by the CMs perception that the elected government was not made aware of work done on resolving traffic bottlenecks.

In his letter, Baijal informed Kejriwal that not only the minutes of the review meetings on the issue were endorsed to the secretary of transport minister, but PWD minister Satyendar Jain has also attended two related meetings over the issue. Baijal said all these facts were also mentioned in his previous letter to Kejriwal.

In response, Kejriwal wrote back to Baijal the next day assuring his complete cooperation for resolution of the issue but informed that he and his ministers had no knowledge of the entire matter.

The statement about the elected government being kept in dark does not appear to be borne out as per facts which were detailed in the letter to the chief minister, wherein it was informed by the L-G that the minutes of the very first meeting he chaired to review the submissions of the six task forces on March 28, 2017 were endorsed to the secretary to minister (transport). In that meeting, it was decided to identify four or five pilot corridors for immediate action, a statement from the L-G office said.

As such, the chief secretary convened a meeting on May 3, 2017 wherein five pilot corridors were identified and an action plan was laid out for each of these. A copy of the minutes of this meeting too was endorsed to the secretary to minister (transport), it added.

Subsequently, an official said, the L-G chaired another meeting on May 16, focusing especially on just two pilot corridors.

The minister (UD/PWD) not only attended the meeting but also gave useful suggestions. A copy of minutes of this meeting was again endorsed to his secretary. The PWD minister also attended the meeting held on June 6, 2017 to review the action taken in pursuance of the order of the Delhi High Court of Delhi in W.P.(C) No. 4999/2017 Manu Mishra vs. GNCTD & Ors. This fact was clearly mentioned in the previous letter of the L-G to the Chief Minister dated July 5, the statement said.

Officials said it is in this background that the L-G expressed surprise that the chief minister and his ministers did not have any knowledge of the issue, despite so much work having been done in the last six months, and that too with the minister attending meetings or being informed from time to time, besides the issue itself getting so much of media coverage.
Recent reports that Hauz Khas Village might be a target of terrorist attack and that there might be a ban on ladies nights  this second report was later denied by Delhi Police  has caused a situation of uncertainty and loss of business for restaurateurs, and a less relaxed atmosphere for revellers. Hauz Khas Village aka HKV, the go-to place for party crowds and foreigners in the city, is facing a lockdown. The increased presence of security personnel because of the threat perception has led to a decline in the number of people visiting Hauz Khas Village.

We got in touch with HKV-based restaurateurs, and with women who are, or used to be, party regulars there, for their take on the situation.

We should carry on, but with caution, say restaurateurs

Such situations have led to a decrease in customers. But I dont think theres anything to panic about. Theres a terror threat every day now  thats the sad reality of our lives. Look at Europe, theres a terror attack every day there. The only thing we can do is carry on with our lives and stay vigilant. These war-mongers want us scared and locked inside our own home, and we shouldnt let them.

Joy Singh, owner of Raasta restaurant in Hauz Khas Village

The number of people coming to Hauz Khas Village for dining in has decreased. However, people ordering food has increased. Its true that people dont feel safe coming to Hauz Khas Village, but thats the case everywhere. I believe its imperative to do things that we like. We should not stop living our life the way we want to.

Rachit Goil, owner of Cravity restaurant in Hauz Khas Village

Restaurateurs, residents welfare associations, and the police need to work together to ensure that peoples freedom to enjoy [themselves] is not taken away. Such situations create panic. And this panic has led to a decline in [the number of] people visiting the place. While handling these situations, the police should not create panic. People should just carry on and not be scared. However, they should be vigilant and obey rules as well.

Abhishek Marwah, owner of Hi5 restaurant

It is not the same anymore, say students

Earlier, when we went out partying or chilling with friends, we felt carefree. But thats not the case anymore, especially in Hauz Khas Village. We still go there, but were extremely cautious, as we dont feel safe anymore. I never go alone. I always go with my group. Such situations create fear.

Soumya Joshi, student, 19

Ive been going to Hauz Khas for years now. Delhi has always been on the radar for terrorists. I dont see the need to panic. While going out, one needs to be on ones guard these days. Security has been increased and thats okay. But no one should create panic.

Samiha Singh, student, 19

Everybody knows that Hauz Khas Village is not a safe place, especially for a woman. Now, its facing a terror threat and that makes it worse. I used to go there earlier, but now I rarely go. We need to understand that the police are just doing their job. We should just let them and not create panic.

Shubhi Singh, working professional, 22

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The Supreme Court on Monday imposed a fine of Rs 1.32 crore on a businessman who flouted an earlier court order directing industries to move out of residential areas.

A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar also sent the trader, Sanjay Gupta, to jail for 10 days. People do not care about court orders. From tomorrow onwards people will care. You have two options either you pay a hefty amount and spend some time in jail or you dont pay anything and spend a long time in jail, the bench, also comprising Justice DY Chandrachud, said.

Gupta accepted the first option, which was to deposit a fine that was computed on the basis of Rs 1 lakh per month. Since, the pulses manufacturing unit continued for 11 years after the Apex court verdict, the fine amount was calculated at Rs 1.32 crore.

The court order came on a contempt petition filed against Gupta and public officials by the residents of Barwala village, northwest Delhi, who alleged that the businessman did not shut down the operations of his two units in the area despite the court in 2004 stating that no industry can function there. The petitioner accused government and civic agency officials of colluding with Gupta.

In his defence, Gupta submitted to the court that he had three units in the area and one of them was relocated to Bawana after an alternative plot was earmarked to him under the relocation scheme. No substitute was provided to him for the other two plots.

The contempt petition against Gupta was filed in 2012. The same was, however, dismissed in 2014 for want of prosecution. But the petitioner revived it in 2015, much after Gupta had closed the units, his lawyer told HT.
Chinas negotiation with Bhutan on the border dispute is beneficial for the latters sovereignty, while Indias involvement is an act of surrendering sovereignty to another nation, said a Bhutanese expert.

Wangcha Sangey, a legal consultant for the Bhutanese news portal bhutannewsnetwork.com, posted an article denouncing Indias involvement in the Sino-Bhutanese border dispute, adding that the Bhutanese army at Doklam would not rely on their Indian counterparts stationed at the Sikkim section of the boundary to solve the problem.

Sangeys remarks come on the heel of the Indian defense ministers accusation that Chinese troops should not intrude into Bhutanese territory, adding that the issue is related to Indias security.

Refuting such groundless criticism, Geng Shuang, Chinas Foreign Ministrys spokesperson reiterated that Doklam has always been part of China and is under effective jurisdiction without any dispute.

In fact, it is the Indian side who takes protecting Bhutan as an excuse to justify its boundary-crossing and entry into China and makes an issue of the Doklam area so as to hold back the China-Bhutan boundary negotiation. We once again urge the Indian side to immediately pull all of the troops that have crossed the boundary back to its own side before the situation gets worse with more serious consequences, Geng said.

Sharing the same opinion, Sangey questioned Indias intention in hyping up the boundary dispute, adding that India also settled with Bhutan, but the latter was possibly in no position to negotiate and so had to accept Indias claims.

Bhutan is more vulnerable to a takeover by India than by China. [The country] has no access to the outside world except through India. And moreover, Bhutanese economy and commerce are totally dependent on India. Due to such geopolitical constrictions, Bhutan probably had to accept no matter where India decided to lay the Indo-Bhutan international boundary pillars. Thus the [determination of boundary between India and Bhutan] is quiet and quick when one makes decision for two sides, Sangey wrote.
A Delhi court has acquitted a man of the charge of raping his nine-year-old daughter after his wife admitted in the court that she had registered a false rape complaint against him to teach him a lesson.

The court granted the relief to southwest Delhi resident Amarjeet noting that his wife did not support the case of the police during the course of trial.

An FIR was registered against Amarjeet in Dabri police station on the basis of the statement of his wife. She had alleged that on July 6, 2014, around 5.30 pm, she had gone in the neighbourhood leaving behind her husband and daughter in the house. When she returned, she found that her husband had disrobed their daughter and was trying to rape her. Following her complaint, Amarjeet was arrested. He pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

The wife, however, told the court that as the accused Amarjeet quarrelled and beat her and her child in an inebriated condition, she lodged a complaint against him to teach him a lesson.

The daughter, appearing as a witness in the court, said that on the date of the incident, her father had returned home under the influence of alcohol and beat her mother. So her mother registered the complaint. The girl refused that her father had removed her clothes and tried to rape her.

During her medical examination, no external injury was found on her. Her internal medical examination could not be conducted as her mother refused for it.

The girls brother, another witness, also did not support the case of the prosecution. He admitted in the court that his father had not committed any wrong act with his sister.

For the failure of the material witnesses to support the case of the prosecution, it is evident that the prosecution has miserably failed to bring home the guilt of the accused, said the court.

Amarjeet was acquitted of the offence under Section 18 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

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Raped and thrashed, allegedly by an off-duty Uber cab driver, the 38-year-old woman did not want to report the crime to the police. She did not expect anyone to believe her story as she could neither remember the rapists identity, nor the address where she was raped. The woman had been suffering from memory loss. But it was her pain, that forced her to visit a hospital and police learnt of the case from the doctors.

It took less than a minute for the attending doctor to identify that it was a case of sexual assault. The hospital authorities immediately alerted us, said Nupur Prasad, DCP (Shahdara), who led the investigating police team.

The DCP immediately sent a team to the hospital to interact with the woman minutes after she visited the hospital on Thursday. The 38-year-old victim confided in the police that she had been brutalised, but couldnt offer any help with the suspects name and address. The top Delhi cops of the East district were informed.

All she could say was that she had been picked from Karkardooma Court premises by a man who had offered to help her get a job as a house help as she was desperate for a job. She had been taken in a car on a long drive, but she did not know whether in Delhi or outside it.

The police team, led by a woman officer, urged her to recollect anything that the driver may have mentioned to her. Having lost much of her memory about the crime, she tried hard to recollect before mentioning Gokal Dham Society. She had been taken to the suspected rapists home in this locality.

Read: How safe are you in Delhi?

The police struggled to track this locality. Police sources said they checked east Delhi areas and then the other parts of the national capital for any such neighbourhood before focusing their attention to the neighbouring Noida and Ghaziabad.

One small society named Gokal Dham was found located near the Hindon river in Ghaziabad, said Ravindra Yadav, Joint CP (Eastern Range). Since it was a small society, the police took the victim there to launch a physical search. The woman was soon able to recollect and identify the building in which she had been taken.

Police barged into the house to find Kamal, the 45-year-old rape accused inside. The rape victim pointed him out to us. We arrested him, said the DCP.

An Uber spokesperson, meanwhile, said that the company was yet to be contacted by the police. Whats been described is deplorable and something no one should ever go through. Once approached, we will cooperate with local authorities to support their investigation and proceedings in any way possible, said the Uber spokesperson.
The Group of Twenty (G20) major economies of the world failed, for the first time, to have a full consensus on their joint statement. The United States put in a note of dissent regarding support for the Paris agreement on climate change. This was pathbreaking in a negative sense for two reasons. One, the G20 was created by Washington and the US willingness to undermine the credibility of this multilateral forum does not bode well for the bodys future. Two, the need to tackle climate change was one of the bedrock international understandings of recent times. Fortunately, the Trump administrations scepticism has at least led the other member-states to strengthen their commitment to Paris.

It is not the first time the US or some other major power has decided to set itself apart from the rest. But it is rare for them to do so on something as fundamentally important as climate change. More worrying is that US President Donald Trump seems willing to sacrifice his countrys long-term credibility influence in return for the most symbolic of actions to keep his voter base back home pleased. This almost the opposite of what strategy means and how a superpower is supposed to act. However, it also says something that the Paris agreement is likely to go ahead without US involvement and if local governments in the US put up enough resistance, Mr Trumps defiance may not make much difference.

The future of multilateralism itself is now unclear. Talk of a German-Chinese axis or some other combination of middle powers taking a global leadership role proved overblown. Instead, temporary coalitions around specific issues were formed but often the same countries found themselves on opposite sides in regard to some other global problem. India, for example, supported Paris but was happy at the US-inspired clause in support of clean fossil fuel technology. Germany, Japan and China were on the same side on free trade but not much else. If the US continues to regress in multilateral diplomacy, this may be the future of international cooperation and governments like India should adjust accordingly.
In a response to a 2015 petition filed by one Satyaprakash, who wanted mandatory voting to be enforced in India, the NDA government told the Supreme Court last week that exercising ones franchise is the fundamental right of every citizen but not a duty. The government relied on the 255th Law Commission Report, which says electoral right of the voter includes the right to vote or refrain from voting at an election. The Representation of People Act, 1951  the law that governs elections  too talks of right to vote rather than a duty to vote.

The idea of compulsory voting in India has been rejected time and again on the grounds of practical difficulties. However, the issue of compulsory voting is bigger than being just a legal issue. The idea has political ramifications too. So, legal arguments aside, there are political reasons to keep away from the notion of compulsory voting. Political scientists say democracies need to accommodate dissent and diversity of views. This includes the option of disengagement, rights to abstain from participating, if people believe voting is erroneous, undesirable, unnecessary or immoral.

It has often been argued that compulsory voting will improve political participation. But empirical evidence and experience of countries with compulsory voting suggest otherwise. The Australian experience with compulsory voting has revealed the notion of donkey voting - where when voters were forced to vote - they voted for the candidate whose name was on the top of the candidates list.

A comprehensive Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance Study reveals that the difference in voter turnouts between the 28 countries with compulsory voting provisions in their statute books and the 171 countries without such provisions is 7.37%. So, increased participation does not guarantee quality participation or does not make a democracy with compulsory voting more vibrant.

There is also a real fear that compulsory voting may lead to more vote buying by candidates especially in a country like India, where we have seen instances of  cash-for-vote scams  where legislators were bought over by money power. Making voting compulsory also kills the option of not voting as a protest. Nobody disputes the benefits of higher and informed voter turn-out for democracy, but instead of taking the compulsory route for wider participation of people in the election process  technology can be harnessed to achieve this end.
The state government will take a call on whether it will allow Sri Guru Ram Das Medical College (SGRD), Amritsar, to convert all 75 government-quota MBBS seats into management quota on Tuesday. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)-run institute has 150 seats, with 75 in the government (general) quota and 75 in the management/minority quota. The fee for minority/management quota is around Rs 40 lakh. This is about four times the cost (around Rs 10 lakh) of a seat in the government quota.

On Tuesday, additional chief secretary, higher education, SK Sandhu, will hold a meeting on the issue with officials from Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, the nodal agency for NEET counselling, and the SGRD.

Tuesday is also the last day for candidates to register themselves online for admission in medical and dental courses. Counselling is scheduled for July 17. Till now, 8,000 applications have been received.

The decision needs to be taken as early as possible so that students are clear on the status of the seats in the SGRD, a senior BFUHS official said.

If the SGRD is allowed to scrap the government (general) quota), those having no reservation or those who are not in the NRI quota will not get admission at the institute. Already, 75 seats in the government quota had 12 seats reserved for NRIs. Of the 63 seats left, 25 are reserved for Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Handicapped. So, a general category student was fighting for only 38 of 150 seats at the institute. These seats will also go, if the government quota is scrapped.

The management quota also has 12 seats reserved for NRIs.

BFUHS HAD DENIED NOD

BFUHS has maintained that the SGRD is yet to get status of a medical university and thus seats in government quota cant be scrapped. On July 1, the institute had moved the BFUHS, asking for its nod. This was even as it announced the conversion of its government quota MBBS seats into management quota.

If the SGRD is allowed to scrap seats, those candidates who could have been admitted under the government quota on merit will be deprived of the same. A lower-ranked candidate will get in as he can afford the higher fee, a BFUHS official.

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Nearly 8,00,000 teachers and staff working in colleges, universities and institutions run by the Centre and state governments are set to get a pay hike in the range of 22-28%.

The Cabinet is set to take up a UGC panels recommendation in this regard this month itself, sources said, adding that it is most likely to sail through.

A decision on allowances will be taken up later, a senior HRD ministry official said.

As per the proposal, an assistant professors entry pay would jump by Rs 10,396 with a grade pay of Rs 6,000 while that of an associate professor will rise by Rs 23,662.

The last pay hike for teachers was implemented in 2006. Several teachers associations of various universities and colleges have been threatening to go on strike over the delay in implementation of the seventh pay commission even after the UGC panel submitted its report in February this year.

The pay revision will benefit faculty and staff in state government-funded colleges and universities, at central universities, and other centrally funded technical institutions such as IITs, NITs, among others.

Centrally-funded technical institutions will have a separate pay structure and a different pay panel has suggested increasing their salary structure, but the proposals are being considered together, officials said.

The pay hike is likely to cost approximately Rs 70,000 crore over a period of three years, and this would be shared equally by the Centre and states, sources said.

The government had last year constituted a pay review committee, headed by UGC member VS Chauhan, which had submitted its recommendations earlier this year. Following this, the HRD ministry formed a committee to review the recommendations.

As per the recommendation, the existing system of assessing annual performance of teachers has also been revised, keeping in view suggestions from various stakeholders. For instance, the current point system is likely to be replaced by a grading system.

The Committee has also suggested linking grants to universities to the vacant posts filled by them and qualified individuals to be able to make direct entry at both associate and professor levels.

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New Delhi The spread of technology, telecom penetration and Internet gives India the opportunity to bridge the divide in education in terms of access and quality which must be seized, President Pranab Mukherjee has said.

He was speaking at the inauguration of three digital initiatives in the education sector - Swayam, Swayam Prabha and National Academic Depository by ministry of human resource development on Sunday.

Digital technology enables good teachers to directly teach large number of students who are not physically present in classes. ICT solutions offer an interactive learning experience through which students in remote parts of the country can benefit from lectures of the top teachers, he said.

Swayam and Swayam Prabha are digital classrooms the contents of which can be accessed either through Internet or direct-to-home service, respectively.

National Academic Depository will have education certificates of every student in digital form which will ease the process of verification and also do away with the chances of forgery.

Through Swayam, courses will be offered through digital classrooms with study material available online in videos. It will be available free of cost, though students wanting certifications will be registered and offered a certificate on successful completion of the course for a small fee, the Swayam website states.

Students will have opportunity to ask questions which will be answered in real time. Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian has also prepared a series of lectures on the Indian economy for Swayam and Swayam Prabha.

The students will be assessed through proctored examination and the marks and grades secured in this exam could be transferred to the academic record of the students, according to the website.

Swayam Prabha will tap into the potential of Direct- to-Home Service, enabling setting up of a dish antenna for about Rs 1,500 to access 32 digital educational channels run by the HRD ministry.

Every day, there will be new content for at least four hours which would be repeated five more times in a day, allowing the students to choose the time of their convenience, Additional Secretary in UGC Pankaj Mittal said.

The course content will cover almost every aspect of education in various fields from class nine onwards and preparatory courses for institutes like IITs.

The quality of teaching and learning process is the heart of higher education. We have seen huge difference in the quality of attainment levels in higher education between the urban and rural areas, between the states and between institutions within a state, he said.

Mukherjee said there are large numbers of students who study in vernacular languages whereas most of the knowledge is still in English.

I call upon you all, being the leaders of the higher education system, to make concerted efforts to bridge this gap, he said.
Exactly a year ago, a video clip of seven Dalits being flogged by gau rakshaks for skinning a dead cow in Gujarats Una taluka went viral, sparking national outrage. The Dalit protests that followed did not stop even after chief minister Anandiben Patel stepped down within a month of the incident.

As Gujarat heads for crucial assembly elections later this year, will Una still be a rallying point for the opposition that has blamed the ruling BJP for rising crimes against Dalits? The flogging incident may be a big blot on the states Dalit history, but at just 7% of the states population they may not count for much in these polls, say political pundits.

A revisit to Mota Samadhiyala village, 20 km from Una town in Gir Somnath district, gives an indication of the flux the Dalits find themselves in.

For the last one year, 18-year-old Ashok Sarvaiya, one of the seven who were thrashed publicly on 11 July 2016, has failed to settle down as a daily wage labourer at nearby construction sites.

Mari paase koi kaam na thi (I have no work), says Ashok. Before the 11 July incident Ashok and his family subsisted on their traditional job of skinning dead cattle, like most Dalits in Una and its adjoining villages, for generations.

His neighbours say the teenager is yet to get over the humiliation of that day.

Every time we talk about the July 11 incident, he gets uncomfortable and runs away, says Balu Bhai Sarvaiya, Ashoks uncle. Balu, his two sons, Ramesh and Veshram, and two nephews Ashok and Bechar, were among the victims.

The outburst that followed the Una flogging was seen as a turning point in Dalit politics of Gujarat, more so as it came within six months of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemulas suicide in Hyderabad University. The states Dalits decided to boycott all traditional cattle skinning work in protest.

The Una protests captured the national imagination. A new generation of Dalits has emerged as faces of the protests, says Nirjhari Sinha, convenor Jan Sangharsh Manch.

Discrimination against lower castes was always there in the region, but the anger spilled over after the Una incident. We too want to lead a respectful life. We want to get rid of the menial jobs that we have been made to do for generations, says Jitu Sarvaiya, 23, the only Dalit from the village to complete a BTech degree.

Post the Una episode, Dalits have also faced socio-economic blockade from upper castes for refusing to dispose dead cattle.

The government though denies this. We have not received any complaint of boycott from the community. Security has not been an issue for any community in Gujarat, says social justice minister Sambhaji Chauhan.

For the present dispensation at the Centre and the state, protecting cows is an issue, they do not care about Dalits even as they scream sabka saath sabka vikaas, says Jignesh Mevani, face of the post-Una Dalit movement .

To mark the Una flogging anniversary, Mevanis Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch is organising a week-long march Azaadi Kooch for land rights in north Gujarat.

Still, the Dailt disenchantment may not dent the ruling BJP in the polls: First, Dalits comprise only 7% of Gujarats population. Second, they have traditionally voted for the Congress.

In the local polls held in December 2016, the Congress won nine of the 11 district panchayats in Saurashtra region, under which Mota Samadhiyala village falls.

History shows the BJP has won past elections without the support of Dalits. The Una incident was significant, but its impact on elections would be minimal, says Ahmedabad-based political scientist Achyut Yagnik.

The Dalit consolidation may help the Congress, but several villages in Una are also looking at another option, Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Behanji (Mayawati) is our goddess. The Una episode got national prominence because she raised it in Parliament, says Jitu Sarvaiya.

(With inputs from Hiral Dave in Ahmedabad)

In a few months, PM Narendra Modis home state goes to the polls in what is being billed as one of the most important tests for the BJP before the general elections in 2019. HT travels to five of Gujarats most important cities and through them examines some of the issues that are shaping the poll campaign.

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Rumourmongers in Jharkhand could be externed for inciting communal tension in the state battling a string of mob attacks since May, mostly over the suspicion of cow slaughter and beef trade.

Police are going to identify such people or groups that post or share inflammatory messages on social media, primarily WhatsApp, and charge them with legal sanctions in the Jharkhand crime control act of 2002.

A punishment stated in the law is to banish offenders from their districts.

We have instructed all the 24 districts to prepare a list of rumourmongers. The individuals or groups will be externed from their districts, additional director general of police (operations) RK Mallick said.

The step was conceived to preempt minor clashes turning into communal flare-ups because of reactionary falsehood circulating on social media.

Last month, an altercation between two groups over some louts harassing a woman in Ranchi was given a communal colour on social media. Earlier, a Muslim rickshaw driver gave a religious tint to a road rage and two communities almost came to blows in the state capital.

Besides, four Muslim cattle traders were lynched in May on the suspicion of ferrying cows for slaughter, leading to a flare-up.

Similar back-to-back attacks happened in June when cattle vigilantes beat a Muslim trader to death in Ramgarh, and a dairy farmer was thrashed and his house torched in Giridih after a cow carcass was found near his home.

The slaughter of cows, an animal considered sacred by most Hindus, is banned in Jharkhand but seldom strictly implemented before. Self-styled cow protection groups are trying to enforce the ban and this is leading to vigilante injustice undermining the governments authority.

East Singbhum, one of the worst-affected districts that recorded nine deaths over rumours on WhatsApp, arrested at least 15 rumourmongers in the past month.

Many people have been identified and charged with provisions in the crime control law, district police superintendent Anoop T Mathew said.

Police in Hazaribag, about 90km from Ranchi, were the first to seek expulsion of 20 people accused of spreading communal tension through fake social media posts and doing illegal beef trade.

The list was sent to the deputy commissioner on Saturday. It is necessary to identify the culprits. They were a threat to law and order, police superintendent Anup Birthare said.

Hazaribagh police sent two young Muslim men to jail for allegedly sharing sensitive messages in a WhatsApp group this June.

All district administrations have issued warnings that people found sharing or posting provocative content on social media will be arrested and face criminal charges.

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India began holding naval exercises with the United States and Japan off its south coast on Monday, seeking to forge closer military ties to counter growing Chinese influence in the region.

The exercises come as Indian and Chinese troops face off in a remote and strategically sensitive part of the Himalayas where India, China and Bhutan meet.

India has a longstanding territorial dispute with its northern neighbour, which is also expanding its naval presence in the region.

It is the fourth consecutive year Japans Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) has taken part in the Malabar Exercise, conducted annually by the US and India in the Bay of Bengal since 1992.

In a statement, the US said the exercises had grown in scope and complexity over the years to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific.

The US navy is fielding the USS Nimitz, the worlds largest aircraft carrier, for the drills which go on til July 17.

China has stepped up its activities in the Indian Ocean in recent years, building ports in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The area also features heavily in Beijings new One Belt One Road initiative to revive ancient trade routes from Asia, which has caused concerns in New Delhi.

Troops from the two nuclear-armed neighbours have for weeks been engaged in a stand-off on a disputed section of land high near what is known as the trijunction, where Tibet, India and Bhutan meet.

China has alleged that the Indian troops are on its soil, but both Bhutan and India say the area in question is Bhutanese territory.

The maritime exercises come weeks after US President Donald Trump declared that ties between Washington and New Delhi had never been stronger as he held his first talks with Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Beijing already claims large swathes of the resource-rich South China Sea and East China Sea, putting it in competition with Japan and other countries in the region.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi confirmed on Monday his meeting with Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui as he took to Twitter to clear the confusion created by party colleagues over the interaction.

It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador, he tweeted.

The confusion after the Congress denied in the morning and then accepted hours later a media report on Gandhis meeting with Luo.

The television news channel said the two discussed bilateral relations in the context of the ongoing military stand-off between the two Asian giants near the Sikkim border.

If Govt is so concerned abt me meeting an Amb, they shld explain why 3Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on, Gandhi said.

He posted a link of a news article on Union minister Prakash Javadekars visit to Beijing.

He also took a swipe at Prime Minister, posting two reports, one with a picture of Narendra Modi with Chinese president Xi Jinping on a swing and another on 1,000 Chinese soldiers entering India.

And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India, the Congress leader said.

In his response to the news channels report, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala clarified that not much should be read into the meeting since envoys of various nations meet the party president and vice president as a courtesy.

Also, he said Gandhi not only met the Chinese and Bhutanese envoys but also and former national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon.

A wanting to be Bhakt channel will not question 3 Union Ministers visiting China or PMs bonhomie & praise at G20 yet run fake news! he tweeted.

In the morning, the confusion escalated after the Chinese embassy said the two met but removed the statement from its website a while later.

Read | India shouldnt involve in two-front conflict with China, Pak: Chinese media

The two sides exchanged views on the current China-India relations and other business. Counsellor Zhou Yuyun attended the meeting, the statement read.

The flip-flop didnt go unnoticed.

The confusion has ended up making a story where none was needed. Its not a crime to meet the Chinese or PM Modi wouldnt have meet Pres Xi, National Conference leader and Congress ally Omar Abdullah tweeted.

The confusion has ended up making a story where none was needed. It's not a crime to meet the Chinese or PM Modi wouldn't have meet Pres Xi. https://t.co/9cIlRTTFeQ  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 10, 2017

Gandhi questioned on Friday the Prime Ministers silence on the impasse in Doklam, located at a narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan.

Why is our Prime Minister silent on China? he asked on Twitter.

China has accused Indian soldiers of trespass and preventing its soldiers from building a road in the Doklam region, which is claimed by Bhutan.

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A 35-year-old Accredited Social Health Activist (Asha) was allegedly gangraped by two acquaintances while she was returning home from the district hospital, after facilitating a delivery, in Bihars Araria district, 300 km north-east of Patna on Saturday.

The police, on Sunday, registered an FIR against six persons on the basis of the victims complaint. The victim was sent for medical examination.

Passersby who heard the screams of the abducted Asha worker on the Binodpur-Nandanpur road under Bounsi police station of the district, later took her to the district hospital where the police recorded her statement.

The victim told the police that the accused, whom she knew, raped her at a secluded place after she was abducted while returning home on foot from a delivery call at the district hospital. The delivery took place on Saturday evening and she left for home, about 10km away, on a shared autorickshaw.

I was walking after disembarking from the auto close to my home, when six persons, four of whom I recognised, stopped me and forced me to a bamboo thicket. Two of them then raped me, while four others stood guard, she said.

Sub-divisional police officer Kumar Devendra said, An FIR has been lodged against six persons on the basis of the victims complaint. Four persons - Rustam, Quddus, Etwari and Sohrab - have been named accused. Two other accused are unnamed. The police have initiated raids to arrest the accused.

He said Medical examination has been conducted and we are waiting for the findings to initiate further action.

The Narpatganj primary health centre (PHC) was shut down following strike after a mob, alleging medical negligence, recently assaulted doctors and paramedics. Two female doctors resigned from service after their repeated demand for security on the hospital premises fell on deaf ears.

The incident involving the Asha worker is being seen as a setback to governments initiative to promote institutional delivery in the area.
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the appeals of two doctors and four policemen including an IPS officer challenging their conviction by the Bombay high court in the sensational 2002 Bilkis Bano case, saying there was clear-cut evidence against them.

A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao, while rejecting their appeals, said the trial court had unreasonably acquitted them.

You all have been unreasonably acquitted by the trial court in the case despite there being clear-cut evidence against you, the bench said while dismissing three appeals.

IPS officer R S Bhagora, currently serving in Gujarat, was recently convicted along with four other policemen by the high court, overturning the trial court order acquitting them.

The Bombay high court had on May 4 reversed the trial court verdict acquitting Bhagora and others and upheld the conviction of 11 people (one convict is dead) in the Bilkis Bano gangrape and murder case.

One policeman Idris Abdul Sayed has not appealed against his conviction.

Counsel for Bhagora said he was unnecessarily caught in the web of circumstances and had no direct role in the incident.

The bench, however, refused to go into the matter saying Bhagora was the supervising officer in the case and everything happened under his nose.

Advocate Shobha, appearing for Bikis Bano, opposed the appeals of the convicts.

The high court bench had convicted seven persons -- five policemen and two doctors -- under sections 218 (not performing their duties) and section 201 (tampering of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The apex court had on May 30 refused to stay the conviction of Bhagora.

A vacation bench of Justices A K Sikri and Deepak Gupta said there was no urgency for hearing the matter as the convicted officer had already undergone the sentence.

A special court had on 21 January, 2008 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment 11 men for raping Bilkis and murdering seven of her family members in the aftermath of the Godhra riots, while acquitting seven persons including the policemen and doctors.

The convicts later approached the Bombay high court challenging their conviction and sought quashing and setting aside of the trial court.

The CBI had also filed an appeal in the high court seeking harsher punishment of death for three of the convicted persons on the ground that they were the main perpetrators of the crime.

According to the prosecution, on March 3, 2002, Bilkis Banos family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots and seven members of her family were killed.

Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gangraped while six other members of her family managed to escape from the mob. The trial in the case began in Ahmedabad.

However, after Bilkis expressed apprehensions that the witnesses could be harmed and the CBI evidence tampered with, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Mumbai in August 2004.

The convicts had challenged the order on three main grounds - that all evidence in the case was fabricated by CBI, that Bilkis gave birth to a child after the incident, proving that she could not have been gangraped, and the failure to find the bodies of some of her family members which proved that they were not killed.
The BJP is willing to extend outside support to the ruling Janata Dal (United) in Bihar if coalition partner RJD pull out of the government.

If there is a political crisis in Bihar, then BJP may give outside support to JD(U), state BJP president Nityanand Rai said on Monday evening.

He has been opposing any coalition with chief minister Nitish Kumars party. But his latest remarks indicated a growing closeness between the two former alliance partners.

The two parties were allies for close to 17 years before parting ways in 2014 after the BJP made Narendra Modi its prime ministerial candidate.

Read | Cracks in Grand Alliance after RJD rules out Tejashwi Yadavs resignation

Rai said in the morning that the people of Bihar wanted to know from the chief minister how much time he would need to remove RJD chief Lalu Prasads sons  Tejashwi and Tej Pratap  who are ministers and face corruption charges.

If he fails to do so, the BJP would have no alternative but to go to the public to expose the CM, he said.

The BJP has also announced a statewide movement on the issue. We are waiting for the CM to break his silence. In a day or so, we will decide our move, Rai said.

The BJP leadership announced that it would take to the streets if Kumar failed to either obtain the resignation of deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad in the wake of the CBI filing an FIR against him in a corruption case, or drop him from his council.

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The Goa bench of Bombay High Court on Monday issued notices to the civil aviation ministry and the Goa chief secretary and three others in connection with the political meeting addressed by BJP national president Amit Shah at the Dabolim international airport on July 1.

These notices were issued after a city lawyer filed a petition in the high court on July 8 alleging that the political meeting which was attended by 2500 people was illegally held in a prohibited area and violated several laws.

These notices were issued by Justices FM Reis and Nutan Sardessai.

Speaking to the media after notices were issued in the case, petitioner Aires Rodrigues said, Notices have also been issued to Goa director general of police, Goa airport director and deputy commandant of the CISF asking them about how the meeting was conducted, at the airport.

The petition seeks a thorough probe into the manner in which the meeting was allowed at the airport which functions out of an Indian Naval Base INS Hansa. The High Court gave the respondents three weeks to explain.

When the petition was filed, BJP state president Vinay Tendulkar had said that the meeting was an unannounced one.

We didnt organize any meeting. People came as per their wish to meet Amit Shah, he had said.

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Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday the recent incidents of communal violence in Dakshina Kannada district, where an RSS member and Social Democratic Party of India worker were killed by unidentified men, had hurt the state government.

A member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Sharat Madiwala, was stabbed on July 4 in BC Road, in Dakshina Kannada district, and succumbed to his wounds on July 8. On June 21, SDPIs Ashraf Kalai was hacked to death in Bantwal in the district.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with top police officials in the city, Siddaramaiah, who also holds the home portfolio, said the incidents were being stoked by certain elements.

For the past three months, incidents like stabbing have taken place in the district. Some organisations are involved in these incidents, and we need to keep a watch on communal goondas, the chief minister said.

Siddarmaiah said the perpetrators of the violence had not yet been arrested and all efforts were being made to ensure that the law and order situation in the district returned to normal. It does not matter if it is the Popular Front of India, the Sri Rama Sene, Bajrang Dal, RSS or the SDPI, we will take action, he added.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure have been in place in the district for over a week. Siddarmaiah said the police would come down on anybody who violates these orders.

We will hold a peace meeting in the district, which has always been known as being peaceful, except recently, Siddaramaiah said.

State unit president of the Congress G Parameshwara said that state Bharatiya Janata Party president BS Yeddyurappa must instruct the various wings of the Sangh Parivar to back down for peace to return to the district.

Prohibitory orders will be in force until July 11 in Puttur, Sullia, Belthangady and Bantwal in coastal Dakshina Kannada district following recent communal clashes in some areas, police earlier told news agency Press Trust of India.

The orders were initially enforced in Bantwal from May 27 following skirmishes between two groups. Later, it was extended to the four taluks as the violence spread. The murder of SDPs Kalai at Benjanapadavu in Bantwal further escalated the tension forcing authorities to extend prohibitory orders.

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The Congress has denied a media report suggesting that party vice-president Rahul Gandhi met Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Saturday.

A wanting to be Bhakt channel will not question 3 Union Ministers visiting China or PMs bonhomie & praise at G20 yet run fake news!, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted on Monday.

Before MEA & IB sources plant news with Bhakts, they should reverify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours, he said in another tweet.

The report had suggested that Gandhi and the Chinese envoy discussed the present bilateral relations in the context of the Sikkim stand-off.

Indian and Chinese border troops are locked in a standoff in the Donglang region, near the Sikkim border, which is controlled by China but is also claimed by Bhutan.

Gandhi had on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modis silence on the standoff with China. Why is our Prime Minister silent on China? he had asked on Twitter.

Will the plants & sources of 'Bhakts' falsify this news too?Oh! It's wrong to speak about BJP Govt & Ministers!4/n https://t.co/QB2B1OCoL9  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 10, 2017

Will 'Bhakts' look at this news too? Or do they promise, based on plants, that 'conversation is dead'? 3/n https://t.co/pU320sC1Oc  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 10, 2017

The main opposition party had earlier said the Narendra Modi governments foreign policy was defined by the Prime Ministers search for holiday destinations and photo opportunities instead of serving Indias interests.

His foreign policy is defined by hyperbole and empty rhetoric. He believes, falsely, that talking tough in election rallies is the same as being tough on China on the diplomatic front, the party said in an article posted on its website.

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Congress, which suffered humiliating defeats in last few elections, on Monday presented a united face at the farmers convention in Lahaar, evoking the Dabra spirit of 1993, and promising to fight for the farmers of the state in the next assembly elections scheduled next year.

The party also released a 12-point charter of demands, including loan waiver, remunerative price for farm produce and GST-free farm inputs.

The Dabra spirit is the Holy Grail for the Congresss unity in the state. In 1993, late Madhavrao Scindia, initiated a conclave of senior Congress leaders in Dabra, a small town some 45 km from Gwalior, just before the 1993 assembly elections where they managed to bury the hatchet and succeeded in coming to power defeating the BJP.

In presence of former Union minister Kamal Nath and AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh among others, Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Congress chief whip in Lok Sabha, launched a scathing attack on chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the death of six farmers. It is a murder of democracy. This is not Shivraj government, but a Shavraj (dead body) government, Scindia said.

Accusing Chouhan of being insensitive, he said, Instead of visiting the families of the farmers who had died in the firing, the CM made them travel 400 km to Bhopal to request him to break his fast, Scindia said.

Indicating that farmers cause would be one of the main planks of the Congress in the next assembly elections, Scindia said, A hundred years ago, Mahatma Gandhi had started the Champaran movement for farmers rights and now a new movement is starting from Lahaar and would lead to the formation of a farmers government in the state.

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being insensitive towards the farmers, he said, Not once in his numerous tweets has be condoled the death of the farmers. The farmer is suffering and the PM is enjoying himself in foreign countries.

With the Congress high command yet to decide on the face of the election campaign in the state, Digvijaya Singh brought in an element of drama when he pointed towards the dias and said, It is from among those sitting here that the next chief minister of the state will be chosen. However, he ruled himself out of the race.

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After three successive days of violence, Darjeeling was calm on Monday with no incidents of violence reported during the day.

However, on Sunday night, miscreants had set fire to a guest house of Ramam hydel project at Lodhama, a forest guest house at Rishihat and a gram panchayat office at Pulungdung.

West Bengals ruling Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, got another jolt when their hill committee spokesperson Pravin Gurung resigned to support the movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

On Tuesday, the Gorkhaland Coordination Movement Committee will meet in Mirik to formulate the strategy for the future.

The current phase of unrest began on June 8, when Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters clashed with police and the administration had to seek help of the army to restore law and order. Six persons have lost their lives so far, allegedly to bullets fired by security forces.

A few groups of outsiders, some of them armed, are roaming around the hills, destroying government property. Some locals are also offering them shelter, district magistrate Joyoshi Dasgupta told HT.

Disputing her statement, GJM leader Binay Tamang claimed, No outsider is involved in our movement.

On Saturday, the hills lapsed back into the grip of violence as three persons were killed -- two in Darjeeling and one in Sonada, 20km from Darjeeling town.

Agitators turned Darjeeling town into a virtual battle zone setting fire to police booths, a police station, a toy train station at Sonada, government offices and fought pitched battles with the security forces. Several police and CRPF personnel were injured in the clashes.

Dasgupta said on Monday that if the agitators maintain peace, the administration can be lenient even if they dont have permission for such gatherings. But if they turn violent, policemen indeed have the right to defend themselves.

Referring to the crisis of LPG cylinders in the hills, the district magistrate said the distributor has refused to supply unless security of the transport vehicles is ensured. The administration is carrying out checks in Siliguri to ensure alcohol is not carried up the hills.

The hills are under the grip of an indefinite bandh since June 15. Internet services have been banned since June 19.

Meanwhile, parts of national highway 10 that connects Sikkim and Siliguri through Kalimpong is in precarious condition due to incessant rainfall and landslides.

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Vijay Mallya, who was held guilty of contempt, failed to appear before the Supreme Court on Monday prompting the bench hearing the case to adjourn the matter.

The court will now hear the plea on Friday.

The Centre was not represented before a bench headed by Justice AK Goel, which then asked solicitor general to provide his assistance in the case on July 14.

As per the last court order, the government had to produce Mallya who was held guilty of contempt on a plea filed by the State Bank of India-led consortium of banks on May 9. It was alleged that the businessman had failed to furnish details of his Indian as well as offshore assets. Mallya had to appear before the court to argue on the quantum of punishment.

Mallya is currently in United Kingdom where he is facing extradition proceedings. On the last hearing, the Indian government was left embarrassed after the UK court expressed surprise that India had not provided enough evidence to extradite Mallya. India was given more time to present documents to support its case.

If convicted for contempt in India, Mallya can be sent to jail for up to six months. The fine amount is, however, just Rs 2,000.

Mallya, in a hearing on April 26, 2016, had, through his counsel, said: If I come, I will be taken to Tihar Jail. When my liberty is at stake, how can you expect me to come back.

(With agency inputs)
The Union government has asked 10 animal husbandry centres to establish sexed semen production facilities to boost milk productivity and tackle the problem of unwanted male calves arising from cow slaughter bans in many states of the country.

Sexing technologies allow farmers to control the gender of the calf. Scientists believe the use of sexed semen will result in the birth of nine females to every male because farmers prefer milk-producing cows to bulls.

Other countries get rid of unproductive male calves by culling them for meat. However, this is not an option in many states of India, said a scientist at the Central Frozen Semen Production and Training Institute in Bangalore (CFSP&TI) on the condition of anonymity.

Bulls have become a burden on farmers because growing mechanisation in agriculture has made them near-redundant in the fields. They are often abandoned on the streets, where they loiter and eventually starve to death. The environment ministrys recent rules banning the sale of cattle for slaughter at cattle markets will only aggravate the problem.

Industry sources say installing a sexed semen facility could cost about Rs 200-300 crore over a five-year period. In 2016-17, the agriculture ministry earmarked Rs 500 crore for promoting sexed semen technology in the country. Increased government funding for production will help make doses available to farmers at a reasonable cost.

Narayan Hegde, an advisor at the BAIF Development Research Foundation, believes that the establishment of sexed semen production facilities will benefit Indian farmers to a great degree. If farmers are able to ensure the birth of more females, it will boost milk production and agricultural income, he said, adding that BAIF also plans to set up a sexed semen production facility of its own.

The sexed semen will be used to artificially inseminate cows. Around 30% of the cattle in India are artificially inseminated using regular semen, where the chances of birthing a male or female are almost equal.

According to the agriculture ministry, there are 300 million bovines in the country. Of these, only 85 million give milk while the rest  including 84 million males  are unproductive. Through the sexed semen programme, the animal husbandry department aims to add six million cows of a superior variety to the milch herd every year.

The CFSP&TI  which comes under the department of animal husbandry in the ministry of agriculture  is one among the 10 centres that plan to establish sexed semen production facilities. Each of these laboratories will produce two lakh gender-specified doses of semen from indigenous bull and buffalo breeds every year.

Calls for global expressions of interest have been issued by the centres. This will be followed by calls for tenders, and the companies that win them will have three months to set up the laboratories. However, nobody seems to know by when the doses will be ready for distribution.

Around 30% of the cattle in India are artificially inseminated using regular semen, and the chances of birthing a male or female are almost equal. (Reuters photo)

We are only taking baby steps. The technology is proven, but there are ethical issues involved, the CFSP&TI scientist said. Ultimately, this amounts to tinkering with nature. Widespread use of the semen will dramatically change the sex ratio of Indian cattle.

India is the largest milk producer in the world. Its total milk production was 155.5 million tonnes in 2015-16, divided almost evenly among buffaloes and cows. However, the demand for milk is expected to cross 200 million tonnes by 2021-22.

However, a couple of major hurdles stand in the way of adopting the sexed semen technology.

Firstly, the costs are prohibitive and farmers in India may not be ready for it. A dose of sexed semen comes with a price tag of Rs 1,500 while a similar amount of conventional semen costs about Rs 50.

At present, this technology is used only by a few rich farmers who can afford to purchase the doses from foreign companies. These doses come from males of foreign breeds. Opening labs in India will mean producing the doses in India with indigenous bull and buffalo semen.

One of the main reasons for the high cost of sexed semen is the fact that a single US company holds the patents for the most advanced and trustworthy sorting technology. Sexing Technologies (ST Genetics), legally registered as Inguran LLC, has a monopoly over the sexed semen market. We are the only company that has the technology right now, a senior official at Sexing Technologies said. If anyone wants to set up a lab, they will have to use our technology.

Though the company has been selling sexed semen in India for the past five years, only recently did it see a spurt in orders for their doses. The demand has always been there, the Sexing Technologies official said. We are keen on entering the Indian market and setting up a lab there.

As the company does not sell or lease out the technology, the labs would be run and managed by Sexing Technologies employees. Their monopoly is facing a legal challenge in the US.

The firms technology involves introducing semen cells to a fluorescent dye that reacts differently to female X chromosomes and male Y chromosomes, thereby allowing them to be identified and sorted. Sexing Technologies claims that their sperm has a 90% chance of producing the desired sex.

However, experts say that anybody who invests in the technology will be doing so at a risk. Crores of rupees would become akin to spilt milk if farmers do not readily adopt it.

The ST Genetics official explained that comparing the cost of sexed semen with that of conventional unsorted semen was misguided because the net benefit would depend on the income generated by the female heifer over her lifetime. Farmers cannot envision its benefits now. They would be grabbing this technology if they only knew how much it will help them, said Hegde.

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Malana village in Himachal Pradesh, famous for its premium quality hashish, has just become off limits for tourists after its presiding deity Jamlu ordered the closure of all guest houses and restaurants to protect local culture and traditions.

The deitys diktat came on the heels of a meeting of the villages own parliament which concluded that outsiders thronging their village were a threat to their culture. The parliament comprises an upper house called Jayeshthang and a lower house called Kanishthang. Villagers invoked Jamlu after the parliament met.

Villagers in Malana invoke Jamlu through a chosen medium  in this case an oracle, who then conveys to them what the deity said. Devotes believe Jamlu responds to all kinds of queries.

The deity did not want any of the villagers to rent out their property for running guest houses and restaurants. He has forbidden everyone from doing this, and those violating his orders will have to bear the brunt of his curse, Malana panchayat pradhan Bhagi Ram told HT on the phone.

Corroborating the development, district tourism officer in Kullu, Rajnish Gautam, said, I learnt that the deity has forbidden the villagers from running guest houses. The restaurants and guest houses have to be registered with state governments tourism departments office in Kullu.

There are nearly a dozen guest houses in the village with a population of 4700.

Inhabitants of Malana known as the Malanis have a distinctive dialect called Kanashi, which is different from the others spoken in the Kullu region. Malana is an isolated village in the Parvati Valley and its reclusive inhabitants are said to be descendants of soldiers of Alexanders army.

A few months back, the village had banned photography because villagers felt that visitors clicking pictures were portraying Malana as a hub of narco-tourism.

Its unfortunate that cannabis trade has defamed our village. People of this village have their own culture and beliefs, said Mahila Mandal pradhan Ram Kali, adding that they have been struggling to shed this cannabis tag.

Vivek Mohan, winner of a national award for his critically acclaimed documentary on Malana, said, Malana managed to preserve its culture due to two factors: devotion to Devta Jamlu and its geographical isolation. Now both are getting diluted due to the Malana hydro project and mobile telephony. Their devotion to the devta is keeping them together, but how long will it be before it becomes a cosmetic ritual.

Traditionally, inhabitants of this land-locked village used to make baskets, ropes and slippers from hemp. But in the late 1980s, the visiting foreigners taught the villagers to extract the intoxicating resin from cannabis.

Though successive governments have tried to wean the villagers away from narcotic trade, there is no other cash crop to rival cannabis in Malana. The maize and potatoes grown by the villagers do not fetch handsome returns.

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The Jammu and Kashmir police said on Monday they arrested an Uttar Pradesh man who allegedly helped Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) attack army convoys, snatch weapons and loot lakhs of rupees.

This is likely the first such arrest of an Indian LeT operative outside the Kashmir Valley. Most of the groups members come from the Valley, Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, police say.

Police said Sandeep Kumar Sharma moved to Kashmir in 2012 for work and would travel to Punjab during the winter for alternative employment.

But he returned in January with plans to rob ATMs, and made contact with LeT militants through local informants and allegedly became an associate of notorious LeT militant Bashir Lashkari, police added.

He allegedly planned at least five cases of ATM loot worth lakhs of rupees earlier this year. He was also allegedly a part of LeT teams that attacked an army convoy in Qazigund, snatched weapons in Anantnag and attacked a police party at Achabal in which six cops including a station house officer (SHO), were killed, J&K police chief Muneer Khan said. The Valleys police have reached out to their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh for further investigation.

Of course, he (Sharma) is a militant. Criminal elements are now joining the militants for their own goals. terrorists of Lashkar used him very frequently in carrying out nefarious activities, Khan told a packed audience in Srinagar on Monday morning.

Police said Sharma  who was presented for photographs with a black cloth covering his face -- used an alias of Adil and had the advantage of not being from the state and his car having UP-registration number plates. Along with Sharma, police also arrested one Muneeb Shah of Kulgam, a part of the same Lashkar module.

The arrest comes amid growing turmoil in the Kashmir Valley that has seen mounting militant attacks and civilian unrest over the past year. The arrest is expected to usher in strict scrutiny of people coming to work in Kashmir from other parts of the country.

Certainly its a challenge. Its a new scenarioWe have to be careful about all workers coming into Kashmir from other parts of India. In most cases, characters or antecedents are not known, so we have to go for in-depth verification, added Khan.

The police said they first came across Sharma during a July 1 encounter in Dialgam during a four-hour operation to rescue 17 civilians taken hostage by militants. Khan said the police then questioned him to find out what he was doing there.

On further inquiry by police, it was revealed that Sharma along with other individuals hatched a criminal conspiracy leading to providing shelter, ferrying of terrorists from one place to other for terror strikes and actively participating in terrorist activities, the police press note added.

Police said Sharma and others allegedly received LeT terrorists and dropped them at different sites in south Kashmir. He also allegedly concealed weapons looted from police guards in a vehicle and shifted them to different locations.

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Uttar Pradesh police detained on Monday the 60-year-old mother and sister-in-law of alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Sandeep Sharma, who was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir.

A police team went to the suspected terrorists home in New Ankit Vihar Colony of Muzaffarnagar and took his mother, Premwati, and sister-in-law Rekha into custody.

It was not clear why they were detained. Investigators are apparently questioning them.

Elder brother Praveen Sharma, a taxi driver in Haridwar, said after the suspects arrest that he should be shot dead if he has links with the Pakistan-based group behind terrorist attacks in Kashmir and the 2008 Mumbai carnage in which 164 people were killed.

We were not aware that he had links with LeT. We are ashamed of his act, he said.

He has done a shameful act. Whatever punishment the government gives to him, our family will not protest. Even if the government decides to shoot him we will support it, he told reporters.

Praveen apparently was informed about six months ago by a police officer from Kashmirs Anantnag about his brothers arrest in some case.

But he didnt go there as the brothers havent spoken to each other for three years, a source said.

Sandeep alias Adil joined a private company and drove an auto-rickshaw for some time after finishing high school in his village, Mustafabad. Five years ago, he and a cousin went to New Delhi to search for jobs and a contractor in the city sent him to Kashmir.

He allegedly planned at least five cases of ATM loot worth lakhs of rupees earlier this year. He was also allegedly a part of LeT teams that attacked an army convoy in Qazigund, snatched weapons in Anantnag and attacked a police party at Achabal in which six cops including a station house officer (SHO), were killed, J&K police chief Muneer Khan said. The Valleys police have reached out to their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh for further investigation.

Of course, he (Sharma) is a militant. Criminal elements are now joining the militants for their own goals. terrorists of Lashkar used him very frequently in carrying out nefarious activities, J&K police chief Muneer Khan told a packed audience in Srinagar on Monday morning.

Sources said he hasnt contacted his family since 2014.

According to senior superintendent of police Anant Dev Tiwari, the suspected terrorist has no criminal history in Muzaffarnagar.

Police teams initially went to Mustafabad on the outskirts of Muzaffarnagar to find the family.

Villagers there informed them that the family of Ramesh Sharma, the father, left the place more than a decade ago. The property was sold off seven years ago.

After the patriarchs death, the family rented a house in New Ankit Vihar Colony.
People who killed the gau hathyara (cow killer) in Rajasthan should be honoured, Chhattisgarhs Sanskrit Board chairman  a post deemed as equivalent to cabinet minister rank  has been heard saying in a video that has gone viral.

Swami Parmatamanand reportedly made the statement at an event titled Virat Hindu Sammelan in Ambikapur district on Sunday, but he did not name Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer who was assaulted in Alwar on April 1 and died two days later.

Parmatamanand could not be immediately reached for comment on his speech during which he is heard saying, Mere Ved mein likha hai ki gau hatyare ko sheeshe ki goli se maaro... kshama na karo. Aur Rajasthan mein jisne uss gau hatyare ko mara, uska swagat karo Chhattisgarh mein bula ke (It is written in Vedas that those who kill cows should be killed. Those who killed the cow killer in Rajasthan should be invited to Chhattisgarh and honoured).

He is also heard questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement that killing people in the name of gau bhakti (cow worship) is unacceptable.

The video of Swami Parmatamanand on social media

Parmatamanand is heard saying, How can the prime minister say that gau rakhshaks are criminals? Kuch gau rakshak gunde ho sakte hain... par humare Bajrang Dal aur sabhi gau sewak gunde nahin hain (How can the prime minister say that cow protectors are criminals? It is possible that a few are goons... but our Bajrang Dal and all those who serve cows are not).

He is also heard saying that English schools should be banned in the country. Mein ek din ka pradhan mantri banta toh saare English schools band kara deta (I would close all English schools if made prime minister for a day).

Incidentally, the state government is yet to notify cabinet minister rank for Parmatamanand. He took charge as the Sanskrit Board chairman in May and the notification hasnt come so far, said a government official who did not want to be named.

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India, Japan and the US on Monday kicked off their trilateral Malabar naval exercise featuring 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines, seeking to forge deeper military ties amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

USS Nimitz, the worlds largest aircraft carrier, will figure in the five-day exercise in the Bay of Bengal involving the US, Japanese and Indian maritime forces that is aimed at achieving deeper military ties between the three nations.

The 21st edition of the Malabar exercise, conducted ashore and at-sea, assumes significance as it is being held at a time when China has become more assertive and the forays by their submarines in the Indian Ocean region have increased. China has stepped up its activities in the Indian Ocean in recent years and is building ports in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

It also comes amid the current military stand-off between the armies of India and China in the Sikkim section and Beijing ramping up its naval presence in the South China sea.

I would like to say that the strategic message to China is the exact strategic message that we are sending to Canada or to Republic of Korea or to Australia or to any other maritime force, US Navy Commander Rear Admiral William D Byrne Jr said when asked by newsmen whether the exercise was intended to send any strategic message to China.

Operating together and practising together is a good thing. It is because -- we are better together and we learn from each other. We know who we are and what is our capability. That is the strategic message to the entire world. I think, we are setting a great example here in Malabar (exercise) 2017, he told reporters after the inauguration of the Naval Exercise off the coast of Chennai.

Responding to a query whether the exercise had anything to do with the standoff in Sikkim, Indian Flag Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, HCS Bisht said, it has nothing to do with Malabar Exercise.

The process of Malabar exercise starts a year before (its scheduled beginning) and the initial planning takes place six months in advance. The stand-off you are talking about has got nothing to do with the Malabar exercise. Through this exercise we learn from each other, he said.

Bisht reiterated that the joint naval exercise would focus on the mutual learning, sharing of best practices and enhancing the inter-operability among the three countries.

As many as 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines from the three countries are taking part in the Naval exercise, an Indian official said.

To a query on the conduct of Malabar exercise vis-a-vis the situation prevailing around North Korea, Admiral Byrne said, There are certainly global threats. Malabar is not focused on any specified threat. It is directed towards three countries India, Japan and United States. It is not directed towards any specific country or threat.

Besides USS Nimitz (CVN68), guided missile cruise ship USS Princeton (CG59), guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a Poseidon P-8A aircraft as well as a Los Angeles fast-attack submarine will take part in the naval drills.

Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ships JS Izumo (DDH 183), JS Sazanami (DD1 13) along with Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa and INS Vikramaditya will also participate in the exercise, an official press release said.

The exercise would include professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare.

Medical operations, damage control, explosive ordinance disposal, helicopter operations and anti-submarine warfare would also take place.

The at-sea exercise includes events such as submarine familiarisation, air defence exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface ware fare exercises, communication exercise and search and rescue operations.

Indian, Japanese and the US maritime forces have an understanding and knowledge of shared working environment at the sea, the release said.

The joint naval exercise is a demonstration of a commitment of all three nations to address common maritime challenges across the spectrum of operations and will go a long way in enhancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region for the benefit of the global maritime community.
Thousands of commuters had a tough time on Monday as supporters of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the principal opposition party of Haryana, blocked the movement of vehicles entering the state from Punjab. INLD workers disrupted traffic at five places on busy roads connecting Punjab and Haryana, including the highways at the Shambhu border, Lalru near Ambala, Moonak, Dabwali in Sirsa, as part of their six-hour protest over the contentious Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

The turnout of protesters at the symbolic road blockades was lower than expected at most protest sites except Dabwali. However, the police in the two states diverted traffic at several places, leading to chaos and causing huge inconvenience to people who were forced to take detours and travel through narrow village roads.

The state-owned Pepsu Road Transport Corporation had also suspended its buses on the Delhi and Haryana routes as a precautionary measure in the wake of the protest.

Both Punjab and Haryana had made heavy police deployment and the protest passed off peacefully. No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the two states.

Our fight is for getting Haryanas share of river waters from Punjab through the SYL for the farmers and people of the state. The centre must execute the order of the Supreme Court in the matter, INLD leader Abhay said while addressing his party workers at Lalru. He threatened to escalate the protests in case of further delay in implementation of the court decision.

SHAMBU BARRIER FORCIBLY SHUT

At Shambhu border, hundreds of INLD activists converged in the morning, forcibly closing the toll collection barrier and disrupting traffic coming from Punjab. INLD MP Dushyant Chautala was leading the protest.

No government vehicles and buses were allowed to enter the state whereas the movement of private vehicles was also curtailed for hours. The INLD workers were seen giving flowers to passengers of private vehicles requesting them to tell the Punjab government to implement the apex courts decision on SYL.

The Punjab police, as advised by their Haryana counterparts, diverted the traffic from Rajpura and Fatehgarh Sahib while buses were allowed to operate through link roads. On the Rajpura-Ambala road, it was a curfew-like situation as no private vehicle, except medical ambulance services, were allowed to enter or cross the state border.

In Haryana also, district administrations had made elaborate arrangements, deputing police personnel on every nook and corner and diverting traffic at many places.

There is no ban on the entry of vehicles in Punjab, but the police diverted our vehicle from the National Highway-1 to a link road via Indri, forcing us to travel about 20-km extra to reach Chandigarh, said businessman Sumit Kumar.
A day after Iraqi forces freed the city of Mosul from ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), the families of Punjabi youths, missing since June 2014, on Monday failed to make any contact with them or get clue about their whereabouts.

The terror group is believed to have kidnapped 39 youths, most of them from Punjab.

The anxious families said they have been calling the ministry of external affairs (MEA) for updates about the youths and one of them was told that minister of state for external affairs Gen VK Singh (retd) is being sent to Iraq to trace the Indians and facilitate their return.

Talking to HT, Gurpinder Kaur of Bhoewal village in Amritsar who is waiting for the return of her brother Manjinder Singh, said, I called the MEA office and was told about VK Singhs visit. We have no other information. We are just looking up to the MEA to make efforts and bring back all 39 missing since June 2014.

She thanked Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh for speaking to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj who assured him that all efforts were being made to trace the Indians and even her junior minister Gen VK Singh (retd) was sent to Iraq to coordinate with their government.

I along with many other families have been trying to call on their phone numbers in Iraq we did not get through. We have havent spoken to them since June 2014, she added.

Harbhajan Kaur of Babbowal village in Amritsar, whose son Harsimranjit Singh is one among the missing youths, said, Some families contacted the MEA and we were told that Indian government has sent its representatives to Iraq. We are hopeful that the Indians will be back soon. We have gone through a lot of ordeal in the last three years. Our hopes now are on the MEA.

The families have met Sushma Swaraj at least 10 times. Last time, they met her in June and were told that all the men were safe in Mosul.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said on Monday he met Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui as he took to Twitter to clear the confusion created by his party colleagues over the interaction.

It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador, he tweeted.

The confusion caused embarrassment to the party as its chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala denied in the morning any such meeting. But he accepted by afternoon that Gandhi met Luo on Saturday.

Surjewala was responding to a television news report that said the two discussed bilateral relations in the context of the ongoing military stand-off between the two Asian giants near the Sikkim border.

For his part, Gandhi tweeted: If Govt is so concerned abt me meeting an Amb, they shld explain why 3Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on.

He posted a link to a news article on Union minister Prakash Javadekars visit to Beijing.

He took a swipe at the Prime Minister, posting a report on Chinese soldiers entering India with a picture of Narendra Modi with Chinese president Xi Jinping on a swing.

And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India, the Congress leader said.

In his response to the news channels report, party spokesperson Surjewala clarified that not much should be read into the meeting since envoys of various nations meet the party president and vice president as a courtesy.

Also, he said Gandhi not only met the Chinese and Bhutanese envoys but also and former national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon.

A wanting to be Bhakt channel will not question 3 Union Ministers visiting China or PMs bonhomie & praise at G20 yet run fake news! he tweeted.

In the morning, the confusion escalated after the Chinese embassy said the two met but removed the statement from its website a while later.

The two sides exchanged views on the current China-India relations and other business. Counsellor Zhou Yuyun attended the meeting, the statement read.

The volte-face didnt go unnoticed.

The confusion has ended up making a story where none was needed. Its not a crime to meet the Chinese or PM Modi wouldnt have meet Pres Xi, National Conference leader and Congress ally Omar Abdullah tweeted.

Gandhi questioned on Friday the Prime Ministers silence on the impasse in Doklam, located at a narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan.

Why is our Prime Minister silent on China? he asked on Twitter.

China has accused Indian soldiers of trespass and preventing its army from building a road in the Doklam region, which is claimed by Bhutan.

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The Jammu and Kashmir police has arrested an Uttar Pradesh resident who was an active part of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group that killed a sub-inspector and five other police personnel in south Kashmir in June, a senior official said on Monday.

We have busted a module involved in a series of sensational crimes, including terror crimes in south Kashmir, said inspector general of police (IGP), Kashmir, Munir Khan.

Two individuals, Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, and Muneeb Shah, a resident of Kulgam in south Kashmir were arrested.

Some new things as far militancy in Kashmir is concerned have come to the surface during investigations into the looting of banks and ATMs, he said.

Investigations have revealed the angle of criminals who are involved in militancy and how they are being used by militant outfit LeT, how they are plundering and looting the banks and ATMs and funding militant outfits as well as themselves, said Khan.

Sandeep was nabbed from the same house where Lashkar- e-Taiba commander Bashir Lashkari was killed on July 1. His arrest led to Shah being caught.

We apprehended Sandeep during the encounter in which notorious militant Lashkari was eliminated. It raised the fingers of suspicion. We were surprised to see a non-local sitting in the same house where Lashkari was taking shelter, so we decided to go further.

The IGP said investigations revealed that Sandeep had come to the Kashmir valley in 2012 and worked as a welder in Srinagar in the summers. In the winter, he would leave the valley and go to Patiala.

While working in Punjab, he came in contact with one Shahid Ahmad, a resident of Kulgam, who was also working in Punjab. In January this year, he came to the valley and planned to loot ATMs and other robberies in south Kashmir.

Four people -- Sandeep, Muneeb Shah, Shahid Ahmad and Muzaffar Ahmad -- stayed in a rented accommodation in Kulgam. It was here that they met LeT terrorist Shakoor Ahmad, the IGP said.

That was the beginning of all these criminal activities. The militants utilised the services of Sandeep for looting ATMs and the booty was shared, he added.

According to police, Lashkari and his group were involved in the brutal killing of sub-inspector Feroz Ahmad Dar and five other policemen in the Achabal area of south Kashmir on June 16.
The Official Picture of ICOLD

An award was presented to the Chinese designer of the Three Georges Dam, Zheng Shouren, at the 85th Annual Meeting of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) in Prague, Czech.

Zheng is the general designer of the Three Gorges Damthe worlds largest dam. During the award ceremony, ICOLD President Anton Schleiss praised Zhengs remarkable contribution to modern dam building techniques and the long-term behavior of dams.

ICOLD is the most authoritative organization on large dams. It was founded in 1928 and has National Committees from about 100 countries with approximately 10,000 individual members.
The hassled residents of Kathua area blocked Jammu-Pathankot national highway for around three hours on Monday, over the erratic power and water supply by the state government.

The residents of Rajbagh in Kathua district came out of their homes and blocked the highway, raising slogans against the state government and deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, who holds the power portfolio. The blockade caused jam on the highway, leading to long queues of vehicles stranded for hours on both sides of the strategic highway.

The residents alleged that for the past few months, the area is getting irregular power supply, with long and unscheduled power cuts. The locals pointed out that this is also affecting the supply of drinking water in Kathua and its adjoining areas.

Locals castigated officers of both the water and electricity departments and the local representatives for failing to ensure regular supplies, despite repeated pleas. We demand permanent solution to the problem, they said.

However, the dharna was lifted after the intervention of police and administration, who assured that their grievances will be taken up with the departments concerned for early redressal.
At least seven pilgrims returning from the remote Himalayan shrine of Amarnath were shot dead and several wounded when militants fired on their bus as well as a security vehicle in Anantnag district of Kashmir on Monday, police said.

All the victims were from Gujarat, state chief minister Vijay Rupani told reporters, pointing to a possible targeted strike against a chartered bus from that state. Five of the dead were women.

The attack occurred at Batengoo at about 8.20pm when 60-70 pilgrims were returning from Baltal, one of the base camps of the pilgrimage, to Jammu. Batengoo is 65 km south of Srinagar.

Read | Crime against humanity: PM, Sonia, Jaitley condemn attack on Amarnath pilgrims

Officials said the bus was neither registered with the Amarnath shrine board nor part of a convoy. It was moving after sunset, which is not allowed because of security restrictions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack as cowardly, saying India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and evil designs of hate.

In a series of tweets, he also said: The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone.

India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

Just weeks ago, intelligence agencies had warned that militants were planning to target 100 policemen and as many Amarnath pilgrims to trigger communal violence, prompting the authorities to deploy more than 40,000 troops to protect the twin routes of the 40-day pilgrimage.

Read | Internet services suspended in Kashmir ahead of awareness campaign

Police said the militants attacked a security check post before moving to target the pilgrims bus. They said the toll could rise as some of the 18 wounded were critical. The injured also included several policemen.

SDS Jamwal, inspector general of police in Jammu, said no decision has been taken yet to suspend the yatra from Jammu.

#WATCH Visuals from Anantnag attack site: 2 Amarnath yatra pilgrims killed, many injured after terrorists attacked their bus in Batingu(J&K) pic.twitter.com/DZORy6DWvE  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

Reacting to the attack, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi tweeted: This is a grave & unacceptable security lapse. The PM needs to accept responsibility and never allow it to happen again.

State chief minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed deep shock and anguish over the killings. It is a gruesome attack not only on unsuspecting guests but a brazen attack on Kashmir and Kashmiriyat and all of us shall have to rise against this scourge of violence.., she said.

Attacks on Amarnath pilgrims August 1, 2000 -- More than 30 killed by militants at Pahalgam base camp July 20, 2001 -- 13 people were killed and 15 injured in an attack by militants at Sheshnag, halfway along the route to the cave-shrine. Six pilgrims and five porters were among the dead. August 6, 2002: Nine pilgrims were gunned down and 30 others injured while they were sleeping at Nunwan camp near Pahalgam.

Kashmiri separatist leaders also condemned the killing. In a joint statement, they said the incident went against the very grain of Kashmiri ethos.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants and unprecedented force presence.

This year, police used drone-mounted surveillance cameras, jammers, dog squads, bullet-proof bunkers, satellite tracking devices and other gadgets to secure the pilgrimage in view of increased militancy and violence in Kashmir.

Read | Akshay Kumar and other Bollywood celebs condemn terrorist attack on Amarnath pilgrims

The base camps in Pahalgam and Baltal are in Anantnag and Ganderbal districts. Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 metres, 46km from Pahalgam and 14km from Baltal.

The Amarnath pilgrimage has come under attack by militants three times in the past, including the massacre of 30 people in Pahalgam on August 1, 2000. The government had held the Lashkar-e-Taiba responsible for that attack.

(Additional reporting by Hiral Dave in Gujarat)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to RJD MP Misa Bharti after it recently conducted raids against her and her husband in connection with a Rs 8,000 crore money laundering case.

Bharti, daughter of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, has been asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case in New Delhi tomorrow, officials said on Monday.

She has also been asked to bring along documents, including those related to her personal finances, they said.

Her husband Shailesh Kumar is also expected to be summoned.

On July 8, the central probe agency had raided three Delhi premises of Bharti, Shailesh and a firm allegedly linked to them in the money laundering probe involving shell companies.

Read | JD(U) says BJP cant break Bihar Grand Alliance, RJD rules out deputy CM Tejashwi Yadavs resignation

The ED action came a day after the CBI had raided multiple premises of the RJD chief and his family in a corruption case.

Three farmhouses of Bharti, her husband and one registered in the name of Mishail Printers and Packers Private Limited were searched by the ED.

The agency now wants to question Bharti and confront her with certain documents seized by it.

The latest summons and searches are connected to the Rs 8,000 crore money -laundering probe being conducted by the ED against two Delhi-based businessmen brothers -- Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain -- and others who are alleged to have laundered several crore of rupees using over 90 shell companies.

The Jain brothers were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate earlier under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

One of the firms that the brother-duo dealt with was Mishail Printers and Packers Private Limited. Bharti and her husband were allegedly directors of this firm in the past.

The agency said it was detected that 1,20,000 shares of Mishail Printers and Packers private limited were bought during 2007-08 at a rate of Rs 100 per share by four shell companies -- Shalini Holdings Limited, Ad-Fin Capital Services (India) Pvt. Ltd, Mani Mala Delhi Properties Pvt. Ltd, and Diamond Vinimay Pvt. Ltd.

These 1,20,000 shares, it said, were bought back by Bharti at Rs 10 per unit.

The ED had also arrested Rajesh Agarwal, a Chartered Accountant allegedly linked to Bharti, who provided accommodation entries (black funds) of about Rs 60 lakh to Mishail Printers and Packers Private Limited.

The searches, they said, are part of investigations to unravel these links which allegedly routed black money using the shell companies in question.

Read | Congress shift towards Lalu alters equations within ruling grand alliance

Shell companies are firms set up with nominal paid up capital, high reserves and surplus on account of receipt of high share premium, investment in unlisted companies and no dividend income or high amount of cash-in-hand.

The ED is the third central body probing the alleged financial irregularities by the Lalu Prasad family after the CBI and the Income Tax department which recently attached benami assets worth about Rs 180 crore (market value) in its investigation against them.
Pashu an shetkari ekaach vargaatle na?He samplyaashivaay yaanchee smart city chee yojana kashi yashasvi honaar? (For the government) arent animals and farmers in the same category? How will their Smart City project be realised if both are not destroyed?

This was a Facebook post last month by Maharudra Mangnale, farmer, author and journalist from Shirur-Tajband village in Latur district in south-central Maharashtra. The irony was directed at the tightening of restrictions on cattle markets and what this would do to the farmer.

There is a ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter in Maharashtra, extended on March 4, 2015, to bulls, bullocks and calves. On May 23, 2017, the Centre notified new rules banning the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Read more | Cattle trade rule has nothing to do with states cow slaughter laws: Jaitley

Why is this increasing squeeze on the cattle market for slaughter making Marathwadas farmers anxious? In this two-part series, IndiaSpend travels through the rural hinterland looking for answers. It looks at why small landholders and landless farmers who own a major share of the states livestock need the freedom to sell unproductive animals to make cattle-rearing viable.

The next part will take a close look at the work cycle of two farmers in Marathwada to understand the place cattle occupy in it.

Marathwada is a marker of Indias current agricultural distress: 77% of farmers have no more than five acres of land, the region has experienced three years of drought over the last decade, its rural per capita income is Rs 90,460, or Rs 12,547 less than the national average.

Cattle rearing and trade form an integral source of farm livelihood in this region. Cattle are essential for agricultural work but there are also 1,614 village-level dairy cooperatives in Marathwada, third highest among the states six divisions. Annual milk procurement from these societies was around 20 million litres in 2016.

However, there is one important fact about the economic life cycle of cattle whether they are used for milk or agricultural work: It only lasts for about 15 years of their 25 to 30-year life span.

Farmers, thus, need to be able to sell unproductive cattle. This is especially the case with poor farmers who need to raise money to buy productive cattle and sustain milk procurement or farming. In times of distress, droughts for example, cattle sale helps small farmers raise money for sustenance.

To tend to old and unproductive bovines and arrange fodder and water for them is impractical for small and marginal farmers of dry Marathwada. Small landholders and landless farmers account for major share in ownership of livestock, according to the 2015-16 report of the union department of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries.

So the new restrictions are making cattle rearing increasingly unviable. Slaughter traders are having to shut down businesses and farmers are giving up on dairy farming in Marathwada, IndiaSpend investigations found.

The new rules mandate a tangle of official procedures that threaten to cripple the thriving livestock markets which are intrinsic to rural Maharashtras agrarian culture.

New rules complicate cattle sale process

Maharashtra governments Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) run 196 livestock sub-yards within the 300-odd markets that operate in the state. While some animal markets function within the premises on designated days where other agricultural produce is traded, others are located in more interior areas regulated by gram panchayat (village council) bodies.

The APMC grants licences to animal traders to purchase and transport animalscow, buffalo, bull, bullock, calf, goat, sheep etcthat are brought to the market. At present, any person can bring an animal to the market for display and sale. A minimal market licence fee of Rs 10 is charged from the purchaser only if a transaction is made.

The only documentation required in a sale is an entry by an APMC or gram panchayat official in a register after the sale. A basic receipt stating the names and addresses of the buyer and seller, the sale price and the animals details is issued.

Under the latest rules, cattle sale will become a far more complicated process. It will involve the formation of two committeesone at the district level and another at the local body-levelto carry out a more stringent regulation of market activities.

Members of these committees, unlike the elected members of APMCs, will be appointed by the state government. They will hold discretionary powers to inspect every animal entering the market. They can stop the entry and sale of unfit animals as well as seize animals from their owners in cases of cruel treatment, according to sections 11, 12 and 13 of the recent Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017.

We oppose every law that destroys this current free access to market, limited regulation and freedom of trade, said Seema Narode, western Maharashtra president of the womens front of the Shetkari Sanghatana, a farmers organisation.

The rules are not only arbitrary and detrimental to farmers, but are also removed from ground realities of current trade practices, Narode said.

In western Maharashtra where milk production is a flourishing occupation for farmers, many own jersey (cross-bred) cows which produce greater quantities of milk. But, male calves of these cows cannot be used for agricultural purposes, she added. There is no option for us but to sell them.

Read more | The Modi govts new cattle trade ban may not pass legal test

Leather industry and butchers comprise a huge number of buyers of male calves of cross-bred dairy cows.

The story of a cattle market that had to shut shop

APMCs weekly animal market in Udgir town of Latur district recorded a slight sag in sales in the year 2016-17 and first quarter of 2017-18. Sales had steadily soared in the period between 2010-11 and 2015-16 owing to the successive droughts. Farmers in distress often sell cattle to tide over a crunch.

NOTE: *Figures available up to December 2013; **Up to June 15, 2017 (Source: Data collected from APMC, Udgir)

Cattle rearing in the region has declined because of two reasons, according to officials: An increase in the use of machines for farming and a fall in the number of traders who purchase animals after the 2015 ban.

Around 10-12 cattle traders who operated out of the market here dont work here any longer because of the growing hassles they face in transporting cattle, said BM Patil, APMC secretary, Udgir market.

The situation appears to be equally worrying for farmers in Vidarbha.

An animal market that gathered at Sawal Mendha village in Bhainsdehi taluka of Baitul district in Madhya Pradesh stopped operating nine months ago. Sawal Mendha borders Amravati district in Maharashtra and served as a market for cattle-rearers within a 30-km radius in Akola, Amravati and Buldhana districts of the state.

Those who went to the Sawal Mendha market to trade their animals are now forced to travel 50-90 km to a livestock market in Paratwada village in Amravati district, said Satish Deshmukh, a farmer from Panaj village in Akot taluka of Akola district.

Around four months ago, a few Muslim traders were also threatened and beaten up when they were transporting cattle. No FIR (first information report) was lodged, said Deshmukh, who is also a member of Shetkari Sanghatana. The situation is becoming increasingly tense and difficult.

On May 26, 2017, two men were thrashed for possessing beef by seven gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) in Malegaon taluka of Washim district.

The country witnessed 63 crimes of attacks by cow vigilantes, including 28 deaths, across the country in the past seven years, as IndiaSpend reported on June 28, 2017. And 97% of these attacks occurred after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government came to power in May 2014.

Read more | Centre hasnt banned cow slaughter or beef sale, only mass sale, says Kerala HC

People fear that they will be booked under false cases. I have decided to not nurture cattle until this law is in place, said Mangnale.

In times of distress, as we said, small farmers usually sell their cattle to deal with the crunch. When farmers are themselves in debt and committing suicides, they dont have the financial capacity to tend to old cattle and bury them after they die. It is expensive to hire a JCB and dig a pit, said Mangnale.

Govt assistance doesnt reach enough farmers

In 2016-17, Aurangabad districtone of the three districts in Marathwada with the highest bovine populationinsured 15,891 cattle. The cattle population of the district stands at 676,180, according to the 2012 livestock census.

Demand for insurance policy is huge. The target given to us was 5,000 cattle. We exceeded it, said BD Chaudhari, assistant commissioner, animal husbandry department, Aurangabad division.

Insurance is given to the cattle owner if the cow, buffalo or bull dies within one to three years of registration for the policy. The amount is estimated by the veterinary doctor depending on the animals prevailing market rate and health at the time of registration.

Chaudhari admitted that availability of fodder remained a bigger challenge in the region. A state policy that allows distribution of fodder seeds to farmers had up to 2,000 beneficiaries in the year 2015-16 in Aurangabad district. But, this is clearly inadequateof the 529,861 landholding farmers in the district, 83% have less than 2.5 acres of land and it is not enough to raise fodder.

Because the seeds are provided on 100% subsidy , a limited number of beneficiaries are selected every year based on budget availability, said a livestock development official from the Aurangabad zilla parishad (district council).

Cattle markets are a tradition that need to continue

Livestock exhibitions and markets are a part of Maharashtras agrarian tradition. Hundreds of cattle of indigenous varieties are displayed and traded every month at these events.

A case in point is the 50-year-old bull market, one of the largest in Marathwada, in Hali-Handarguli village, 22 km from Udgir town in Latur district. It functions for eight months between the Dussehra festival (October) and the kharif sowing season (June) every year. The market is known for its Deoni and Lal Kandhari breeds of bulls which are known and prized for their strength and capacity to work in peak summer temperatures.

Are these exhibits and markets also not a part of our tradition? asked Shankar Anna Dhondge, former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator from Nanded, countering the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sanghs (RSS) narrative of protecting gauvansh (cow dynasty) for its sacredness.

But, cattle commerce in the Hali-Handarguli market, which operates Saturday to Monday, has now fallen considerably. On May 29, 2017, just before the market closed for the sowing season, only three buffaloes were available for sale against at least 100 earlier, according to locals.

The legal perspective (on cattle slaughter) itself is flawed. Farmers do not anyway trade productive cattle for slaughter, said Mangnale.

Traders say that animal markets in Nalegaon, Deoni and Udgir in Latur districts Udgir taluka bordering Karnataka might have to shut down completely if the Centres new notification is implemented.

Section 8 of the proposed law states that no animal market can be organised within 25 km of a state border.

The law is made by those in cities, who know nothing about raising cattle, added Dhondge. What will those who cannot take care of their own elderly parents and leave them in old age homes tell us about taking care of our old cattle?

Moreover, Section 14 of the new rules also prohibits traditional practices such as painting of horns and decking animals with ornaments for being cruel and harmful.

The law is made with a sense of how animals are kept in a factory. What does the government know how much we care for our animals? Mangnale added.

(Published in arrangement with IndiaSpend.com)
A man sought external affairs minister Sushma Swarajs help to rescue his wife, who is facing torture in Saudi Arabia.

Macha Ravi said that his wife, who works in Saudi Arabia was being allegedly tortured and was also confined in a bathroom for four days.

The woman is a resident of Hyderabad.

He also appealed to the central government and Swaraj to get her back.

I request Sushma Swaraj and central government to rescue my wife and bring her back to India, from Saudi, Ravi told ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned on Monday the killings of seven Amarnath pilgrims, saying he was pained beyond words and India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and the evil designs of hate.

At least seven pilgrims from Gujarat were killed and several wounded when militants fired on their bus as well as a security vehicle in Anantnag district of Kashmir on Monday, police said.

Heres how political leaders reacted to the attack:

Arun Jaitley

Terrorist attack on #AmarnathYatra is the most reprehensible act. My condolences to the bereaved families, defence minister Arun Jaitley tweeted. This incident should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism.

Rahul Gandhi

I share the pain & anguish of families who lost loved ones in the terror attack on innocent Amarnath Yatris today, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

Amit Shah

I pray for the families of those who have lost their lives and wish speedy recovery to the injured, BJP national president Amit Shah. Cowards responsible for this barbaric act will not be spared.

Sonia Gandhi

The attack on the devotees of Lord Shiva is a crime against humanity. The entire nation is in shock, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said in a statement.

Omar Abdullah

The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants & unprecedented force presence, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah

Mehbooba Mufti

It is a gruesome attack not only on unsuspecting guests but a brazen attack on Kashmir and Kashmiriyat and all of us shall have to rise against this scourge of violence, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said.
India has exposed itself to Beijings interference in J-K by sending troops to Donglang: Chinese state media

India has exposed itself to Chinas interference in Jammu & Kashmir by sending Indian troops to disrupt Chinese soldiers from building a road in the Donglang region, the state media said on Sunday. If Pakistan requests, a third country can dispatch soldiers to the Valley, said an article in the nationalist tabloid Global Times, adding that Indian soldiers invaded Chinas Donglang (or Doklam) to serve Indias interests, not Bhutans. Even if India were requested to defend Bhutans territory, this could only be limited to its established territory, not the disputed area. Otherwise, under Indias logic, if the Pakistani government requests, a third countrys army can enter the area disputed by India and Pakistan, including India-controlled Kashmir, said an article written by an academic. Read the story here.

Iraq declares victory in Mosul, but no word on 39 Indian hostages

After a battle that lasted nearly nine months and caused the displacement of an estimated 920,000 people, the Iraqi government announced on Sunday that its army had retaken the city of Mosul from the Islamic State (IS). The fall of Mosul brings hope and trepidation to the families of 39 Indian construction workers who were taken prisoner in the city in 2014. The relatives of the abductees are asking the Indian government to secure their return. Read the story here.

Communal tension grips Uttarakhand town after offensive FB post on Kedarnath

Communal tension gripped an Uttarakhand town on Sunday as activists of Bajrang Dal and other right-wing organisations vandalised a vegetable shop belonging to family of a minor boy who allegedly posted an offensive picture of the Kedarnath shrine on Facebook. Police said additional forces were sent to Satpuli town, in the states Garhwal district to prevent further flare-up. Reinforcements were sent from nearby Kotdwar city and district headquarter Pauri, superintendent of police (SP) Jagatram Joshi said, adding they have zeroed in on the minor boy who shared the post. Read the story here.

Hindus in Bengal should respond like they did in Gujarat: BJP MLA

A controversial BJP legislator from Hyderabad has called upon Hindus in West Bengal to strike back at communal elements like they did in Gujarat in 2002. In a video that has gone viral party MLA T Raja Singh said Hindus in Bengal should respond to people involved in communal violence just like the Hindus in Gujarat did. Otherwise, Bengal will turn into Bangladesh soon, he said. The Bengal tigers should wake up and unite in order to protect themselves. Read the story here.

Fresh violence, arson in Darjeeling amid funeral march of 3 Gorkhaland supporters

Fresh attacks on public property were reported in the Darjeeling hills on Sunday as arsonists torched an abandoned police outpost and barracks, while pro-statehood supporters held a peaceful march with the bodies of three men killed in alleged police firing. Army soldiers have taken position on rain-clad roads and squares, replacing West Bengal policemen and paramilitary troopers. The state government called in the military just a week after it was withdrawn from the restive hills. Read the story here.

Communal tension in Sehore: 20 houses set afire after girl elopes with youth

At least 20 houses of Muslims were set afire on Saturday night after a minor Rajput girl went missing in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh. A 16-year-old Rajput girl of Chhipaner village of Sehore went missing after her school on July 4. Later, villagers registered a complaint at the local police station alleging that a Muslim youth had kidnapped her, sparking communal tension in the village. On Saturday evening, people of Hindu community allegedly attacked the houses and torched 20 houses in Chhipaner and neighbouring Narayanpur villages, police sources said. Read the story here.

NYT reports that Trumps son met Kremlin-linked lawyer

President Donald Trumps son Donald Trump Jr. agreed to meet with a Kremlin-linked lawyer during the 2016 campaign after being promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton, the New York Times reported on Sunday, citing three advisers to the White House. The Times quoted a statement from Donald Trump Jr. in which he acknowledged meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. ClintonHer statements were vague, ambiguous and made no senseIt quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information, he said. Commentators have slammed Trump Jr for meeting the lawyer. Read the story here.

Republicans slam Trumps idea of forming cyber security unit with Russia

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he and Russias president had discussed forming a cyber security unit, an idea harshly criticised by Republicans who said Moscow could not be trusted after its alleged meddling in the 2016 US election. Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio of Florida blasted the idea. Its not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but its pretty close, Graham said while Rubio tweeted While reality & pragmatism requires that we engage Vladimir Putin, he will never be a trusted ally or a reliable constructive partner. Read the story here.

Dont play with fire: North Korea warns of nuclear tipping point over US bomber drill

North Korea lashed out at a live-fire drill the US and South Korea staged in a show of force against Pyongyang, accusing Washington of pushing the peninsula to the tipping point of nuclear war. The allies held the rare live-fire drill as tensions grew over the peninsula following the Norths first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test held last week. The Norths state-run Rodong newspaper accused Washington and Seoul of ratcheting up tensions with the drill, in an editorial titled Dont play with fire on a powder keg. The US, with its dangerous military provocation, is pushing the risk of a nuclear war on the peninsula to a tipping point, it said, describing the peninsula as the worlds biggest tinderbox. Read the story here.

Evin Lewiss 125* powers West Indies to nine-wicket win against India

Evin Lewis scored his second career century, which also was his second against India, to lead West Indies to a resounding nine-wicket victory in the one-off T20 International at the Sabina Park on Sunday. Lewiss ton was the sixth fastest in T20 Internationals and came off just 52 deliveries, helping WI chase their third biggest target in T20Is. India had set hosts West Indies a target of 191 runs. Read the story here.
Patients coming out of doctor Kaseed Alis chamber in violence-hit Trimohini area of Basirhat town are carrying, apart from the medical prescription, advice on communal harmony.

Ali and his compounder Deboprasad Boiragi are working together for nearly 35 years. Ali has made it a point to tell each of his patients that Boiragi has been no less than a family member and any loss to him would have been a personal loss to the Ali family.

Over the last five days, I was always tense about his familys security. I told the local leaders from my community to ensure his safety. Fortunately, since I have been practising here for the past 45 years, the leaders took my advice seriously and Debus family is safe, Ali said.

I find no difference between Debu and my two sons. I consider his wife as my own daughter-in-law and his kids as my own grandchildren, Ali says.

Boiragi said a doctors chamber is the right place to spread the message of communal harmony.

We are telling everyone how our professional engagement led to emotional bonding between two families and this was normal for Basirhat. It is not that patients are unaware of these facts. But it is time we remind each other of the true character and traditions of Basirhat, Boiragi said.

Close to his chamber is a medicine shop run by Benoy Krishna Pal, who was horrified by the violence at Trimohini. He even planned on leaving the town with his family, until a Muslim friend, Gazi, asked him not to.

However, Gazi refused to take any credit.

I did not do anything special to be thanked for. Anybody would have done the same to save a childhood friend. We are like brothers, he said.

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Muslims are the educationally most disadvantaged community among the minorities, a panel formed by a government-funded agency has said, advocating a three-tier model to tackle the educational backwardness.

The panel has recommended that the communities be empowered through a three-tier model of institutions--central schools, community colleges and national institutes. It suggests creation of infrastructure to proffer education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels by opening 211 schools, 25 community colleges and five national institutes.

It has suggested the proposed schools could follow the Kendriya Vidyalaya or Navodaya Vidyalaya pattern while the community colleges may be based on open access model.

When contacted, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told PTI the recommendations are in line with the government campaign to empower the minorities educationally.

We are currently studying the report. We will figure out the components which can be easily implemented. We will try to implement the do-ables from the next academic year, he added.

On December 29 last year, the Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) had formed the 11-member committee with Afzal Amanullah, former secretary with the government, as its convenor.

The MAEF is a non-profit and non-political social services organisation funded by the ministry.

The educationally most disadvantaged community among minorities in India are the Muslims. They are lagging behind in literacy, enrolments and in successful completion of courses at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, the committee has observed in the report.

According to the 2011 Census data, literacy rate among Muslims was 68.53 per cent against the national average of 72.98 per cent. The difference in enrolment rate for Muslims (74 per cent) and the remaining population (83 per cent) is also sharp, the panel said.

We feel the three-tier model...would have a very positive and salutary effect in tackling the educational backwardness of the minorities and getting their children into the mainstream where they become proud contributors to the development of our nation, it said.

The committee has suggested national institutes-- different from the university system and IITs/IIMs-- should be established through an Act of Parliament.

It has proposed establishing 211 central schools: one in each minority concentrated block of the 167 identified minority-dominant and concentrated districts.

The remaining 44 are proposed to be established in minority-dominant and concentrated cities.

The schools should have sufficient infrastructure like buildings, classrooms, library, laboratory and facilities such as mess, it has recommended.

They will be co-educational, will give free education and follow the CBSE curriculum from class I to XII with three streams of education - arts, science and commerce.

The community colleges will charge low tuition fees and are proposed to provide tertiary education opportunities in arts, commerce, science and skill-based courses like health sciences, hospitality, textile and leather technology, fashion designing and media industry.

The community colleges would be set up one each in 25 states and enhance the employability of its students, the reports has said.

The national institutes are proposed to be set up for providing education in areas such as science and technology, health and allied sciences, architecture planning and design, climate change and disaster management and renewable energy and food security.

These will offer programmes of masters, doctoral and post-doctoral levels and their research infrastructure is envisioned to be at par with international standards, it has suggested.
Former Nagaland MLA Khriehu Leizietsu has refused to become the CMs advisor, an appointment made by his chief minister-father Shurhozelie, in a bid to douse the rising dissidence in the ruling NPF party.

On Monday, two days after a majority of the ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF) legislators revolted against his undemocratic father, Khriehu let the chief minister know he was not interested in the job.

I am writing this letter with reference to the government notification dated June 27, 2017, appointing me as advisor to the chief minister. While appreciating you for appointing me as advisor, I convey my regret that I will not be able to accept the assignment given to me due to my other pressing public engagements, Khriehu said in a note to his father.

NPF legislators in the anti-Shurhozelie camp headed by former chief minister TR Zeliang questioned Khriehus refusal 13 days after his appointment, triggering a fresh round of dissidence in Nagaland.

But the Shurhozelie camp termed Khriehus decision as a sacrifice, his second in less than 30 days.

Last month, Khriehu resigned as MLA from Northern Angami-I assembly seat to enable his father to contest. Shurhozelie is not an elected member of the 60-seat Nagaland assembly and needs to win the bypoll on July 29 to continue as the chief minister.

Khriehus decision to decline the post of the CMs advisor is seen as a move to douse the fire of dissidence within NPF. But the Zeliang camp has not shown any signs of coming to a compromise.

The MLAs do not feel secure under the present chief minister ahead of the state assembly elections next year, Zeliang said, before leaving for Delhi on Sunday to meet Prime Minster Narendra Modi and Union home minister Rajnath Singh.

The NPF is an ally of BJP in the state.

Zeliang and more than 30 NPF legislators had checked into a resort in Assams Kaziranga early Saturday morning in a bid to topple Shurhozelie.

The opposition Congress too has been cross with Shurhozelies filial affection.

State Congress chief K Therie said: Khriehu had in June resigned as MLA on health grounds. So was he fit enough to be made an advisor a few days later? His appointment was a shameless act of nepotism.

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The political turmoil in Bihar, which started last week with the CBI registering an FIR against deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, continued on Monday as the RJD MLAs, at a party meeting here, expressed their full support for the younger son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

Drawing strength from the endorsement of the party line by 80 RJD MLAs, the largest single block in the 243-member Bihar assembly, the RJD remained firm Tejashwi would not resign as deputy CM, in the wake of an FIR instituted against him by the CBI.

The opposition BJP, too, remained as vociferous in its demand that the Yadav scion should quit or be sacked by CM Kumar.

As such, the ball remained firmly in the court of the chief minister to take a call on the future of the scion of the RJD first family, who the BJP wants sacked as deputy chief minister, in the wake of his implication by the CBI in what has come to be known as land for railways hotels scam.

All eyes are now set on a crucial JD (U) meeting slated for Tuesday. Though, the meeting was initially to be attended by district office-bearers to review the membership drive, at the last moment, all state executive members have been asked to attend the meeting.

This clearly signals the current political scenario will be discussed at the meeting. I think, by Tuesday evening the scenario will be clearer, said JD (U) leader familiar with the developments.

While rhe RJD leaders meeting was underway at Lalu Prasads house next door, chief minister Nitish Kumar remained closeted with his trusted ministers for several hours. at his western Patna home to arrive at a solution acceptable to both sides.

Government sources said that Kumar held parleys with party state president Bashistha Narain Singh, JD (U) ministers Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh and party Rajya Sabha MP R C P Singh.

JD (U) sources admitted that the 18-month old alliance was passing through a turbulent phase. The CM is definitely caught between his zero tolerance against corruption policy, on the one hand, fear of the alliance breaking midway, said a senior party leader.

Realising it was a Catch 22 kind of situation, JD (U) spokespersons have maintained complete silence on the matter at hand. Even the JD (U) state president refused to entertain media persons. Such was the information gap that there was neither any denial nor acceptance of talks being held between the CM and the RJD chief.

The developments have left the JD (U) leadership worried for the toll they may take on CM Kumars image of a leader committed to good governance and intolerant of corruption. A quick resolution of the matter is the need of the hour, said a party functionary.

Adding to the confusion were the comments of former JD (U) president Sharad Yadav, who reportedly backed the RJD while talking to a news agency in New Delhi.

Yadav told ANI that Lalu Prasad was an integral part of the united opposition. The tirade has been unleashed against Lalu Yadav and his family because the BJP wants to break opposition unity, but this will not happen. We will remain united, he reportedly said.

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Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will skip the oppositions meeting scheduled on Tuesday to discuss the vice-presidential election amid the undercurrent of tension between the Lalu Prasads Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal(United).

Kumars decision to stay back in Patna, where he has called a meeting of his partys lawmakers, indicate that he is not keen to hold a meeting with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi over Bihar affairs.

Gandhi had invited Kumar for talks in what was largely seen as an effort to act as a mediator between Kumar and Prasad, who is facing new charges of graft.

The elections to choose the next vice-president will be held on August 5. The incumbent, Hamid Ansari, completes his term on August 19.

Ironically, it was Kumar who mooted the initial idea for a united oppositions candidate but later switched over to support the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJPs) candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the presidential election to be held on July 17.

His absence in the oppositions meeting on the vice-presidential election is also an indication that Kumar may prefer to side himself with the ruling dispensation, which has a comfortable winning margin.

MPs of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha vote to elect the VP candidate.

Sources close to Kumar told the Hindustan Times that the Bihar chief minister is sending clear feelers to the BJP by skipping meetings and supporting the NDAs nominee in the presidential poll, in case his government faces uncertainty over scam charges on Prasad and his family members.

The JD(U) was the most trusted partner of the BJP for 17 years but it Kumar broke the ranks following Narendra Modis selection as the prime ministerial candidate before the 2014 general elections. In the last assembly elections in 2015, Kumar and Prasad came together and scored a massive victory over the BJP.

As Prasad and his family got mired in graft charges, Kumar has clearly started maintaining a distance with Prasad. Kumar, known for his clean image and anti-corruption stand, had even supported Modis demonetisation drive.

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In a goodwill gesture, the Pakistan government on Monday released 78 Indian Nationals which included 77 fishermen into the custody of the Border Security Force (BSF).

The Indian nationals spent different terms in Pakistani jails before they were handed over on the Wagah-Attari joint check post by the Pakistan Rangers.

It is great to be back home but I feel that lenient view must be taken by the forces for fishermen. The fishermen go into the sea to earn livelihood and there is no clarity in water about border crossing, said Ram Safar, one of those who was sent back.

Similarly, Sanjay Kumar, another fisherman, said that it is unfair to put fishermen behind the bars as they just go into sea for work. Both the countries must release them immediately after verification, he added.

Most of the fishermen hailed from Gujarat and were lodged in Landi Jail of Karachi.

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Pakistan wants to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, so that peace can be restored in the region, Sartaj Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs adviser on foreign affairs, has said.

Azizs remarks came amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC).

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday she was yet to hear from Aziz on a letter asking for a visa for the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian naval officer sentenced to death by a military court in that country.

Swaraj said the visa application of Avantika Jadhav who wanted to meet her son in Pakistan was still pending.

Aziz also accused India of increasing the tension on the LoC to divert attention from the human rights violations in Kashmir, The News International newspaper reported.

He claimed that in the last one year, India had committed 450 LoC violations, killing many innocent people.

Aziz said that Pakistan wanted to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir so that the peace could be restored in the region.

At the same time, Aziz said Pakistan would continue political, moral and diplomatic support of Kashmiris until and unless Kashmiris achieve freedom from India. He said India could not suppress the vigour of Kashmiris for freedom.

India being a democratic country should give chance to the people of Kashmir to decide their future course, he said.

If referendum could be held in Italy and Britain, then why not in Kashmir?, he asked.

Aziz claimed that if plebiscite was held in Kashmir no Muslim would decide to live with India.
China on Monday sought to play down a brief conversation Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping had on the sidelines of the recent G20 summit, saying the two did not have a bilateral meeting.

Technically, China is correct but the fact is the Indian side didnt claim the two leaders held a bilateral meeting, which is usually a structured and previously agreed engagement.

I can tell you there was no bilateral meet between President Xi and PM Modi in Germany, foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told a regular media briefing when asked about the meeting.

The conversation between the two leaders at an informal gathering of BRICS leaders on the margins of the G20 Summit in Hamburg on July 7 lasted about five minutes and made headlines. It came against the backdrop of a tense standoff between troops of the two countries along Indias northeastern frontier.

Chinas denial of something that didnt happen is being seen as yet another attempt by Beijing to make its displeasure known over the face-off in Donglang or Doklam region.

According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meeting (on the sidelines of the G20 summit), Geng said, adding Xi chaired the informal meeting of BRICS leaders that was attended by Modi and others.

Repeatedly denying the bilateral meeting, Geng also didnt mention the conversation the two leaders had.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay had on July 7 tweeted a photo of the two leaders smiling and shaking hands. He said Modi and Xi had a conversation on a range of issues.

At d BRICS leaders' informal gathering @ Hamburg hosted by China, PM @narendramodi and President Xi had a conversation on a range of issues pic.twitter.com/ervZw46PH0  Gopal Baglay (@MEAIndia) July 7, 2017

The link to the standoff was not hard to draw, as Geng again said the withdrawal of Indian troops from Donglang, the Chinese name for the region, was a precondition for resolving the military impasse.

Responding to a question about Indian media reports that soldiers were prepared for the long haul in Donglang, Geng said the reports, if true, revealed Indias true intentions.

If (the reports) are true, then that only proves that the illegal trespass by the Indian side is organised and deliberate. They intended to destroy and damage the status quo at the boundary area of China and India. So how can diplomatic solutions happen under such circumstances? he said.

We stressed many times that we urged the Indian side should withdraw their troops back to the Indian side of the boundary. This is the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between the two sides.

Geng added: The diplomatic channel remains unimpeded, we hope the Indian side can take concrete measures. Now the Indian side is violating the international conventions (and) norms and we demand (India should) bring back their troops as soon as possible.

China has accused Indian soldiers of trespass and preventing its troops from building a road in Donglang, which is under Chinese control but claimed by Bhutan.

The region 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.

Geng contended China has the right to construct roads in the region. Chinas road construction in Doklam is normal construction on our territory which is legitimate, reasonable and lawful, he said.

Chinese state media has also claimed that India planned the trespass to coincide with Modis meeting with President Donald Trump to convey to the US that New Delhi is ready to check Chinas rise.

Modi met Trump on June 26, ten days after the standoff began.
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) presidential candidate Meira Kumar on Sunday said her party was fighting against the surge of communalism in the country and it was a battle between ideologies and not individuals.

Kumar was in Chandigarh on Sunday to garner support from Congress MLAs and MPs from Punjab and Haryana. She claimed support of 17 political parties in the country, adding that she was in regular touch with them.

She separately met Haryana and Punjab MLAs along with their election in-charges Salman Khursheed and Asha Kumari. State unit presidents Sunil Jakhar (Punjab) and Ashok Tanwar (Haryana) were also present.

The voting for the presidential polls will take place on July 17.

Kovind was in Panchkula 10 days ago to meet BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLAs and MPs from Punjab and that of the BJP and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) from Haryana.

The Congress has 77 MLAs in Punjab, 15 in Haryana while two are of the Janhit Congress. In Haryana, the party has one MP in the Lok Sabha and two in the Rajya Sabha. In Punjab party has four MPs in the Lok Sabha and three in the Rajya Sabha.

Asked about support from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has 20 MLAs in Punjab, Kumar said she has written to all political parties, including AAP, for support. So far the AAP is indecisive on the issue. the partys coalition partner Lok Insaaf Party (LIP), which has two MLAs, has announced support to the NDA candidate.

After getting elected, Meira Kumar will show mirror to the NDA government, Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said.

Kumar said she was glad that both the UPA and NDA chose Dalits as their presidential candidates but was unhappy over the fact that the ruling party was projecting it as a fight between two individuals. She refused to comment on why the UPA took so much time to nominate her as a candidate.
The local police is still clueless about a case of rape and murder, where the naked body of school girl was recovered from isolated woods in Kotkhai of Shimla district. Anger over the crime is sweeping the villagers and suburbs in the affluent apple-growing area.

The police team is camping at the crime spot since four days but has been unable to gather clues and specific leads to solve the rape and murder case. Police sent a dog squad along with forensic experts to gather circumstantial evidences, hoping for a breakthrough in the case, but is largely clueless.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh has sanctioned a Rs 5 lakh compensation to the minor victims family.

The police announced to set up a special investigation team (SIT) to crack the case. We have constituted an SIT of inspector general (IG) Southern range SZH Zaidi, additional superintendent of police (rural) Bhajan Dev Negi, deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Theog Manoj Joshi, and station house officer Kotkhai.

I will monitor the probe from time to time, said director general of police (DGP) Somesh Goyal. Police have collected evidence from the spot where the body was recovered. Now there are no chances of evidence collection due to the rainy season, they said. Additional SP Bhajan Dev Negi said, Investigation is on. We have collected evidence and have interrogated over a dozen people.

However, the police have failed to establish the crime spot. A police officer, requesting anonymity, said, We dont know if the minor was raped and murdered at the place where the body was recovered from or not. Police do not have idea whether the culprit was one or more. We are banking upon mobile tower signal.

PUBLIC OUTRAGE

The incident has sparked public outrage in the district. People in Kotkhai staged protests and demanded police to solve the case within ten days or hand it over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In Shimla, a social outfit submitted a memorandum to governor Acharya Dev Vrat, saying that the state has failed to probe such cases in the past. This is an issue concerning women safety. We want CBI probe as state investigation agency is unable to catch the culprits, said a kin of the victim.

Shimla legislator Suresh Bhardwaj-led BJP delegation met DGP Somesh Goyal and submitted a memorandum. The state has failed to maintain law and order situation. The chief minister is busy with his own cases and there is no one to look after the rising crime situation, said Bhardwaj.

HP COPS WILL PROBE BETTER THAN CBI: CM

The CM said that it is a serious issue. Police is investigating the matter. Our police is better to solve this case than the CBI, he said, adding, The compensation cant bring back the girl but the amount is to assist the family.
Taking her love story to a logical conclusion, Varsha Sahu aka Revolver Rani finally got married to Ashok Yadav at a temple in Hamirpur, 65 km from here on Sunday.

Varsha shot into limelight when she stormed into the wedding pandal brandishing a pistol and kidnapped her lover who was getting married to another woman in Maudaha in Bundelkhand on May 15.

On Sunday, the marriage of the duo was solemnized at the Mata Chaura temple by the head priest. Hundreds of people accompanied the couple to the temple amid bhangra beats.

I am ecstatic. I had to struggle a lot to make this day happen, said a beaming Varsha, dressed in a yellow sari.

First, I had to kidnap Ashok from his wedding and then I had to ensure his release from the Hamirpur district jail, she said.

Ashok came out of the jail on July 4 after he was granted bail in a case of cheating the family of the girl he was marrying in Bhavani village had filed. Varsha was outside the jail to receive him and they left together announcing they would marry soon.

Interestingly, the local unit of the Shiv Sena made all the arrangements for the temple wedding and food that was served to the guests.

In fact, Shiv Sena state president Ratan Brahmchari announced the launch of an NGO that would support girls ditched by their lovers.

We have named the NGO as Revolver Rani and it will be headed by Varsha. It will help girls like her in reuniting with their lovers, said Brahmchari.

The couple hit the headlines when Varsha, in a true filmy style, kidnapped Ashok when he was moments away from marrying the woman his family had chosen for him.

Read more: UP groom denies he was abducted at gunpoint from wedding by his lover

The 27-year-old groom had even performed the Jaimal ritual (wherein the bride and bridegroom garland each other), and was just about to take the customary saat phere (seven sacred vows), in the presence of hundreds of guests.

Varsha, witnesses recall, had put a revolver on Ashoks head, leaving him with no choice but to go with her. The duo was discovered in Banda 48 hours after the incident.

Later, it emerged that Ashok, a contractual employee with a government hospital, was in a live-in relationship with Varsha for eight years. And she could not come to terms with his decision to marry another woman.

After the kidnapping incident, Laloo Yadav, the father of the girl with whom Ashok was to get married, registered a case against him for cheating his family by not disclosing his relationship with Varsha and calling off the marriage at the last moment.

The police arrested Ashok and sent him to jail.

Ashoks family did not press any charges against Varsha but also refused to bail him out. It was Varsha who arranged for his bail and finally married him on Sunday after his release.

A few of Varshas relatives attended the marriage but none from Ashoks family showed up. The groom, though, said he was happy to marry Varsha. We will start afresh, he said.
Soon after the Congress Presidential candidate Meira Kumar left for Chandigarh, the partys infighting was brought to the fore again as chief minister Virbhadra Singh and state party chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu overtly attacked each other.

After the Congress Legislator Party (CLP) meeting, the CM questioned the working and efficiency of Congress in the state. Is there an organisation (in Congress) in the state, he questioned.

While Sukhu reacted sharply to Virbhadra casting aspersion on the organisation. he said, As far as the CMs comment that organisation is not visible in the state, I would like to clarify that the unit at the district, block and booth level not only exist, but are functioning towards improving the partys prospect in elections.

Had we won three seats of the four falling in CMs Shimla rural segment, we would have formed the municipal corporation House, said Sukhu. He refrained from commenting on Major Vijai Singh Mankotias comments against Virbhadra.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and in-charge for party affairs in Himachal, Ambika Soni, who accompanied Kumar, however, parried questions on intra-party squabble in Congress. I will not comment on this. I have only come here to seek vote for Meira Kumar, said she, adding that she will soon visit the state to take stock to the party affairs.

BONDING OVER TEA

Transport minister GS Bali, who was absent during Meira Kumars press briefing, later strolled on Shimlas Mall Road with Major Vijai Singh Mankotia and CPS Rajesh Dharmani. Bali, Dharmani and Mankotia later visited the state tourist corporation-run Ashiana restaurant for a cup of tea.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said she was yet to hear from Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz on a letter asking for a visa for the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian naval officer sentenced to death by a military court in that country.

Swaraj said the visa application of Avantika Jadhav who wanted to meet her son in Pakistan was still pending.

The minister tweeted:

I wrote a personal letter to Mr.Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. /7  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

The minister is fairly active on Twitter and has come to the rescue of medical visa-seekers, students and Indians tweeting for help on many occasions.

Over the past couple of days, a Pakistani woman suffering from oral cancer has been tweeting, asking for Swaraj to intervene after her visa application was reportedly rejected by the Indian embassy.

I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India, Swaraj said, adding Azizs recommendation were needed for giving medical visa to Pakistan nationals.

I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country, she tweeted, saying those with recommendation letters would be granted visa immediately.

However, Mr.Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter. /8  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

In May, India said Pakistani nationals seeking urgent medical visa would have to furnish a letter of recommendation by Aziz so as to be sure such requests were genuine.

Many of these requests are made directly to Swaraj on social media and by emails, which makes it difficult for Indian officials to ascertain whether these are authentic.

That decision came in the backdrop of India challenging in the International Court of Justice Pakistans decision to hang Jadhav.
Following the recent Sikkim standoff and the finger-pointing between China and India, the Chinese public and media outlets have once again taken notice of their long-neglected neighbor, with many experts calling for a better understanding of Indias current power.

Indias [power] should be assessed dialectically. It would be wrong to prettify or look down on our neighbor. Instead, we should objectively analyze Indias pros and cons, Lin Minwang, a professor at the Institute of International Studies of Fudan University, told Xiakedao, a public WeChat account operated by the Peoples Daily.

According to Lin, China might be the most unpopular country in the eyes of many Indians. Most elites in India hold negative opinions of China, while the public is simply indifferent to their rising neighbor.

The hostile feeling is mutual. According to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2016, in the wake of Sino-Indian territorial disputes and growing economic competitions, about six-in-ten Chinese (61 percent) hold a negative opinion of India, while 36 percent of Indians voice an unfavorable view of China, as they are concerned about the competitive strategic challenge posed by China.

In response to such deep misunderstanding between the two nations, experts in China suggest that both the public and the authorities should analyze Indias national conditions and its power objectively, adding that such practice can be beneficial for solving the current disputes.

Indias disadvantage

In terms of economic development, India can be counted as a leading power. Compared to China, Indias manufacturing industry only accounts for over 20 percent of its economy. The reason is that in the 1980s, while China focused on its opening policy and economic reform, India attached more importance to its service industry, said Lin.

According to experts, Indias failure in promoting its manufacturing industry has led to a serious trade deficit with China. In 2016, the total trade volume between China and India was around $70 billion, a number that was even less than that between China and Vietnam. Experts said that India does not have much that China needs, while Chinas products are more welcomed by Indian market.

Its too late for India to develop its manufacturing industry. The trend is AI, so the need for manpower will decline. Under such circumstances, Indias huge population may become less an advantage and more a factor that undermines the countrys social stability, as a low employment rate may occur, Lin added.

Some people believe that India will surpass China in the long run, as India is a democratic country. But after years of development, India has lagged behind even further. Though Indias economy can grow, its development may stop when it surpasses Japan to become the worlds third largest economy, as many of its social problems will occur by then, Lin said. The reason why China can realize its modernization swiftly is because its society was reshaped completely and there was no historical burden for its development, but India preserves its original social formation, which has significantly blocked its way to modernization.

A strong rival

Despite Indias disadvantage in terms of economy, the countrys military capability and overseas talent pools are some strong points that China should not ignore, said experts.

Its hard to evaluate Indias military power, as the country has not fought any war in the past few decades. But Indias weaponry is quite good, as both Russia and U.S. have sold it better weapons and equipment than to China. As the worlds biggest importing country of weaponry, India has good ties with those countries, Lin said.

In addition to its advanced weaponry, oversea Indians are more united than Chinese. According to Lin, a statistics showed that among 50 scientists who seem likely to one day win the Nobel Prize, 20 of them are from India. Indian occupation in the Silicon Valley has also shown that the country enjoys great overseas talent pools.
The Supreme Court lifted on Monday the stay on admissions to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), NITs and other colleges, bringing relief to thousands of students who took the joint entrance examination.

The court had on Friday put on hold admissions to IITs, National Institutes of Technology and other colleges over the awarding of bonus marks in JEE, an all-India examination taken by aspiring engineers.

Dismissing petitions challenging the award of grace marks, a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra also directed the institutes to give an undertaking that such an error would not be repeated.

IITs will have to give an undertaking and develop a mechanism that such mistakes will not recur and ensure that no such situation arises in which bonus marks will have to be awarded to all the students, the bench said, adjourning the case for a hearing in October.

Bonus marks were awarded to all students who wrote the exam for admission to engineering colleges after printing errors were found in the question paper. In a petition, two students had sought a direction to IIT-Madras to revise the list of successful students without giving them bonus marks.

A 2005 Supreme Court verdict was cited when the bench had stayed the counselling that was underway then. However, on Monday the court said the ruling did not apply in the IIT case because only 10,000 students were involved in that case.

In the present case there are 1.56 lakh students who have taken the examination, the bench said. On a careful study of that verdict we found there was no negative marking, while here there was negative marking for wrong questions attempted by the students.

The top court restrained the high courts from entertaining petitions regarding counselling and admission through IIT-JEE (Advance) 2017.

Attorney General KK Venugopal assured the court that IITs will devise a mechanism to avoid a repeat of such a situation. The court was informed that 33,307 students had taken admission, deposited fees and attending classes. Only 31 seats of the general category were left and it was difficult to re-evaluate answer sheets, the bench was told.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for some candidates, argued students who attempted the question correctly were set to lose out vis-a-vis those who answered it incorrectly. Those who attempted it wrongly are set to gain, he said.

Sibal said if the rank list was not quashed, it would affect around 4,000 students who would be out of the highly competitive examination. The IITs denied any mala fide act. Bonus marks were awarded to students across the board after an experts body comprising representatives of various institutes met twice and took the decision.

Venugopal pointed out there was negative marking for every unsuccessful question. There may be some students who opted not to answer the said vague questions fearing negative marking, he said, justifying the grant of bonus marks.

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An army jawan on Monday found dead with bullet injury in Bishenpur district, police said.

The jawan was identified as 37-year-old Moirangthem Herachandra. His body was found in a canal located at the vicinity of Nachau and Kwaksiphai in Bishenpur district by the locals who informed the police.

The body had a bullet injury on the forehead, said a senior police officer.

The police said Herachandra was posted at Chandel district and was currently on leave.
Cracks in Bihars ruling alliance appeared to deepen on Monday over differences on how to combat corruption charges against deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, even as senior coalition partner Rashtriya Janata Dal backed him and ruled out his resignation.

The RJDs 80 MLAs in Patna unanimously decided to back Tejashwi and his father, party chief Lalu Prasad, who are facing charges in an alleged land-for-hotels scandal that saw the Central Bureau of Investigation raiding their homes and other properties last week.

The meeting praised the work of Tejashwi there is no instability in the coalition government. The BJP is trying to destabilise it, said senior RJD leader and state finance minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui, blaming the BJP for CBI raids on Lalus residence last week.

Read | BJP willing to support Nitish Kumars JD (U) if RJD pulls out of alliance in Bihar

The storm of corruption allegations  and fierce demand by the BJP for Tejashwis resignation -- has put the spotlight on chief minister Nitish, who has had several run-ins with the RJD since coming to power two years ago.

The raids on Lalu and his family came at a time when his ties with Nitish are fraying over the latters drift towards rival Bharatiya Janata Party and its presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

Throughout the day, Nitish was huddled with top party leaders and senior ministers, and a JD(U) meeting  comprising all state executives -- scheduled on Tuesday is expected to announce the partys stand on the issue.

This clearly signals the current political scenario will be discussed at the meeting. I think, by Tuesday evening the scenario will be clearer, said a JD?(U) leader familiar with the developments.

JD (U) sources admitted the 18-month old alliance was passing through a turbulent phase.

The CM is definitely caught between his zero-tolerance against corruption policy, on the one hand, (and) fear of the alliance breaking midway, said a senior party leader.

Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai told TV news channels on Monday said the party will back Nitishs government from outside if the RJD and Congress withdrew from the ruling alliance.

Although Nitishs Janata Dal (United) has remained silent on Tejashwis resignation, it has backed Lalu on the raids and said the BJP wont succeed in breaking the Grand Alliance. The chief minister himself decided to skip an Opposition meet to fix the vice-presidential candidate on Tuesday, and decided to send senior leader Sharad Yadav instead  a repeat of the move before a similar Opposition meet to decide its presidential candidate last month.

A possible meeting between Nitish and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday didnt take place either. The Congress is said to be tilting towards Lalu.

Nitish is said to be uncomfortable with the growing influence of Lalus family on the coalition and the shadow the graft charges have cast on his brand of politics, built on a promise of clean and corruption-free governance.

RJD leaders downplayed reports of the rift and former MP Jagadanand Singh said Nitish had spoken to Lalu on Sunday night but didnt elaborate on the contents of the conversation.

The CBI registered a case last week against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi and other officials for allegedly illegally awarding hotel maintenance contracts to private firms when the RJD chief was the railway minister.

Nitish  who has 71 MLAs  joined hands with Lalu before the 2015 assembly polls to stave off a BJP victory. But the Grand Alliances sweeping victory was followed by months of public rift between senior leaders of both parties, though Lalu and Nitish have never come out in public with any differences.
The movement of traffic remained normal in the early hours of Monday following the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leaders threat to block the entry of vehicles coming from Punjab to Haryana to protest delay in implementing Supreme Courts ruling over Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal water issue.

The INLD leaders had said that they will block the Punjab traffic at five entry points of Haryana including busy NH1 and NH 22 from 9am to 3pm. However, the traffic movement remained smooth till the filing of this report.

The Haryana police have made diversion points in Pehowa of Kurukshetra and Cheeka of Kaithal district to divert traffic from Punjabs Patiala and Sangrur districts.

As of now the traffic movement is smooth. We have made arrangements of alternative routes to divert traffic from Shambu barrier via Patiala and Pehowa, said Shamsher Singh, a police constable monitoring traffic at Pehowa- Devigarh- Patiala road.

As per the sources, district administrations of Haryana have made elaborated arrangements to ensure the smooth movement of traffic from neighbouring state of Punjab and heavy police deployment have been put in place to deal with the situation.

However, INLD leaders said that they will block 5 entry points of national highways connecting Haryana and Punjab in Ambala, Jind and Sirsa districts, which may lead to heavy traffic diversion on entry points from Punjab at Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts.

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Road and rail traffic was affected in Tripura on Monday as the Indigeneous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) party leaders and supporters launched an indefinite blockade for Tipraland statehood.

The IPFT is demanding carving out Tipraland state from the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council at Khumulwung in West district, about 23 km from state capital Agartala.

The blockade is a part of our long-standing statehood demand. Our movement will be peaceful, said IPFT chief NC Debbarma.

The IPFT had carried out a 24-hour blockade of NH-8 and railways last year to press for Tipraland. The IPFT claims the indigenous community has seen little development under the Left Front government, which chief minister Manik Sarkar has been heading uninterrupted since 1998.

Police stepped up security at Khamting in Barmura Range of National Highway 8 (NH-8), where IPFT activists launched the blockade at 6am. The highway connects Tripura to the rest of the country through Assam.

Railway authorities decided to terminate the Sealdah- Agartala Kanchanjungha Express at Badarpur following the strike. Rail passengers faced even more trouble as several trains in Assam were disrupted due to a rail roko agitation called by All Assam Koch Rajbanshi Students Union.

Vehicles stayed off NH-8 and no violence was reported from the blockade site. The Left Front government slammed the IPFT. CPM state secretary Bijan Dhar said the Tipraland demand was not democratic.

The IPFT is losing importance in the hill areas and their Tipraland movement is a desperate attempt to hold on. We oppose the stir and urge them to withdraw it.

Dhar added, IPFT leaders met DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) minister Jitendra Singh, who is also minister of state in Prime Ministers Office (PMO), in May and then announced the blockade. It is clear that the BJP is backing them.

The IPFT dismissed the CPM allegation that the BJP was supporting its statehood movement. The IPFT has indicated it will withdraw the blockade if the Centre agrees to call for either a bipartite or tripartite meeting to consider its statehood demand, among others.

Last month, the IPFT had extended support to the Gorkhaland movement and held rallies. Most parties in Tripura, including other indigenous groups, have opposed the blockade.

The dissident faction of IPFT led by Rajeswar Debbarma described the blockade as a conspiracy to help the CPM.
Underemployment is probably the biggest economic challenge that India faces right now, NITI Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya said on Monday.

Panagariya, who was speaking at the Aayogs day-long conference of state chief secretaries in New Delhi, said rapid growth can be achieved by moving workers out of agriculture to industry and from smaller enterprises to bigger ones.

His remarks come at a time when the three-year-old Narendra Modi government is facing a barrage of criticism on jobless growth. Panagariya had last month said the claims were somewhat bogus in his defence of the government.

Underemployment is probably the biggest economic challenge we face as many as 44.2 crore workers or 91.2% of the total were employed in agriculture or enterprises with nine or fewer workers, he said.

He said excessive employment in agriculture (46.9%) with lower output (18%) was slowing growth, and tackling that is the way to achieving growth.

At the aggregate macro level, bringing about rapid growth is most critical  no major success in poverty alleviation is likely without it, the economist said.

If we set the output per worker in agriculture equal to 1, then output per worker in industry is 5 and that in services 3.8, he said. In other words, even at the current productivity levels in each sector, moving one percentage-point workers out of agriculture into industry can increase the GDP by 1.5%.

The Aayog vice chairman said that the governments at the Centre and the states need to create a policy environment for enterprises to grow larger.

Remember that if we want to increase the total (public plus private) expenditures on education, health and infrastructure, we have only two options: we either cut expenditure on something else or increase the GDP. Unfortunately, our ability to cut the expenditures on items other than education, health and infrastructure is extremely limited, he cautioned. Therefore, raising the GDP is the only practical option.

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Minister of state for external affairs VK Singh will leave for Erbil, the capital city of Iraq, late on Monday as the government steps up efforts to trace the 39 construction workers who were abducted from Mosul three years ago.

India has a consulate in Erbil, about 90 km from Mosul, which was reclaimed by the Iraqi military from Islamic State on Sunday.

Singh will be coordinating the efforts to locate and release the Indian workers, most of them from Punjab.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has assured Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh that Air India officials at the airports had also been instructed to facilitate their return. The chief minister said he was hopeful the Indians would be back home soon, now that Mosul was no longer in the control of IS.

Family members of the abducted workers have urged the Indian government to speed up the efforts for the release after Mosul was liberated.

As soon as the announcement of liberation of Mosul was made by the Prime Minister of Iraq, the government activated various channels for locating those (39) Indians, external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said.

The Ambassador of India to Iraq and Consul General in Erbil have been instructed to continue the efforts to locate them on priority. Iraqi authorities have conveyed that all cooperation would be extended in this regard and instructions have been issued by them to all relevant Iraqi agencies for the same, the spokesperson said.

He termed the liberation of Mosul from Islamic State an important milestone in the global war on terror, and said India welcomed it.

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Bordering districts in Bihar, adjoining West Bengal, are keeping close tabs on social media, besides activities on ground.

The Katihar district magistrate (DM) on Monday issued a fresh public advisory, asking the masses to refrain from posting inflammatory messages, which could potentially disturb communal harmony in the region.

The advisory was issued after district magistrate Mithilesh Mishra issued a somewhat similar order to his officers on July 3, asking them to keep a close watch on social media, especially WhatsApp groups, in which many were participants.

The action comes close on the heels of recent disturbance in Baduria in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district. Tension arose in Baduria after a Facebook post showing objectionable images linked to the Prophet and Kaaba Sharif in Mecca went viral, following which a mob vandalised shops and homes, and set fire to vehicles, triggering retaliatory attacks.

Fearing the communal flare in West Bengal to spread, intelligence agencies had put on alert adjoining districts of Bihar.

Last week two instances were reported in which a few messages on social media were potentially disturbing. We arrested one youth and action is being taken in both the cases, Mishra told HT.

I have asked my officers who are part of many WhatsApp group not to remain mute spectators to any disturbing messages. Today, through a general order, I also laid down etiquettes on how administrators and participants of WhatsApp groups were expected to behave, laying down the broad dos and donts, added Mishra.

Katihar superintendent of police SM Jain said, We have galvanised our cyber cell to nail anti-social elements on social media platforms.

The Purnia police had recently registered an FIR against a boy in connection with an instigating Facebook post against the local JD(U) MP Santosh Kumar.

Station house officer (SHO) of the Purnia sadar police station, Awadhesh Kumar, said: We have slapped certain non-bailable sections under the Information Technology Act against the arrested youth.

Araria and Kishanganj police administration are also on their toes. Last month, a 17-year-old boy was taken into custody by Kishanganj police after he posted his photograph on Facebook with the comment Pakistan Zindabad.
After seven months of its operation, Aashayein  the shop selling products made by the Jaipur Central Jail inmates  has been closed temporarily. Reason: After implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the jail authorities do not have clarity over the pricing issues of the products made by the inmates.

At present, theres not much clarity over the pricing issues of the products after the implementation of GST. We are waiting to get more information on the issue before resuming the sales, director general of police (prisons) Ajit Singh told HT.

The Aashayein showroom in the Jaipur central jail showcases a large array of products, both utility items as well as art works, which are made by the prisoners during their stay in the jail. According to the police, in the last six months, the shop registered a sale of more than 5 lakh, before it was closed due to the confusion over GST.

The jail officials said that it was not clear that products made by inmates fall under which category. Under the GST, various tax rates have been fixed for different categories of goods and services. The products sold at the jail shop are not made by any factory and these are made by prisoners. Thats why we are not sure whether we come under GST or not, said Singh.

The money raised from the sale of products at the jail shop is spent on the welfare of prisoners. They also get wages for making the products. We will resume the sale once we get some clarity about GST and the tax rates levied on the products, if we come under it, said Singh.

Aashayein, the first-of-its-kind initiative in the state, was inaugurated in January this year.

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Jhalawar district stood first in family planning in Rajasthan for the second year in a row, recording more sterilisations than the target through effective monitoring and handing out smartphones and sarees as sops.

Chief minister Vasundhara Rajes home district had topped the state in the financial year 2015-16 with 8410 sterilisations against the target of 8347 (99.25%).

In the 2016-17 financial year, the district registered 8795 sterilisations, exceeding the target of 8703 (102%), said Jhalawar chief medical and health officer (CMHO) Dr Sajid Khan.

In all, 270 male sterilisations (non-scalpel vasectomy) and 8525 female sterilisations (laparoscopic tubectomy) were done in 2016-17. said Khan.

This is for the first time a district has grabbed top position in meeting sterilisation targets in the state for two consecutive years.

On the measures adopted to achieve the first rank, Khan said, District collector Dr Jitendra Kumar Soni took daily meetings with medical health department officials to monitor family planning camps. Every day, he sought information about sterilisations and camps from field staff through WhatsApp.

The department focused on carrying out sterilisation of couples having two kids -- 70% of the serialised were such couples.

The department attained 92% of the target in February; the scheme for giving android 4G smartphones and sarees was launched in March to push sterilisations to meet the target in the last month of the 2016-17 financial year, Khan said.

In March, smartphones were given to 200 men who opted for sterilisations and sarees to around 250 women in Jhalawar district.

Non-android phones were given to men last year (2016), but this year 4G smartphones were handed out.

MK Foundation, a non-government organisation, funded the purchase of smartphones and sarees. A sum of 2.50 lakh was spent in giving phones and sarees this year, Khan said.

The men and women who underwent sterlisations were also given a cash award of 2000 and 1400 under the state government scheme.

Apart from sterilisations, intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD), postpartum intrauterine contraceptive Device (PPIUCD), oral pills and condoms were promoted to take Jhalawar to the top position, the CMHO said.

We owe the success to paramedical staff, doctors and surgeons of the district.

On the World Population Day on Tuesday, chief minister Raje and state health minister Kalicharan Sarraf will felicitate the Jhalawar collector, CMHO, and deputy CMHO Dr ML Meena in the state capital.
Wang Yinji, a farmer in northwest China who has been battling desertification for 18 years, is being joined by an increasing number of people.

Wang and his family are known for battling desertification in Hongshui Village, Changcheng Township of Wuwei City, in northwest China's Gansu province.

The village was threatened by advancing sand in the last century. To defend his village, Wang and his family in 1999 moved to live in the desert. After years of efforts, he has planted 8,000 mu (533 hectares) of trees.

Wang Yinji

Wang has been so devoted to his work that he barely had time to attend to his son. In 2005, the boy fell ill, but Wang was busy pressing sand and planting trees. It was until one month later that Wang took him to hospital, only to find out that his son had advanced brain tumors.

Before passing away, the boy begged Wang to bury him in the desert so that his soul could assist him to protect the oasis.

Wangs determination is attracting wide public attention with more people joining the battle against desertification. On June 28, over 60 volunteers from the provincial capital, Lanzhou, came to assist Wang press sand and plant more trees.
A former Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, who has a criminal record of stabbing people close to him, stabbed his nephew to death in West Bengals Nadia district on Monday after he allegedly spat with a loud noise to humiliate him.

Pijush Biswas, 22, died on the spot, while murder accused Gopal Biswas, in his late 40s, is on the run.

The incident occurred at Baghakhali village under Tehatta police station in Nadia district, 73 km from state capital Kolkata.

Both the accused and the deceased, who had a poultry business, lived in the same compound and their rooms were separated by just a wall.

Gopal has stabbed people earlier too. In 2008, he stabbed his father-in-law and was jailed for two years. Luckily, his father-in-law survived the attack.

Three months ago, he attacked his elder brother and Pijushs father, Hiralal Biswas. Hiralal alleged that he filed a police complaint but no action was taken.

Sources said that Gopal has such a short temper that his wife does not stay with him.

The killing occurred after a brawl following an incident of spitting. We have filed a case of murder against Gopal Biswas. He is absconding, said Birendra Kumar Pathak, inspector-in-charge of Tehatta police station.

Locals said that after waking up on Monday morning, Pijush went to wash his face, when he spat with a noise that attracted his uncles attention.

Gopal alleged that his nephew did it deliberately to humiliate him.

A quarrel ensued and Gopal brought out a dagger from his home and stabbed his nephew, killing him on the spot.
Kolkata Police on Monday registered two non-bailable cases against Nupur Sharma, a BJP spokesperson in Delhi, for sharing on social media a photo of the 2002 Gujarat riots and claiming it to be an image captured during the communal violence at West Bengals Basirhat last week.

The cases were registered at Gariahat and Regent Park police stations under five sections of the Indian Penal Code. Both police stations received complaints from citizens, said a senior police official.

On Sunday, a Hindu man was arrested from Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district by the Cyber Crime Cell of Kolkata Police for posting a still photo from a Bhojpuri movie and passing it off as an image captured at Baduria in North 24 Parganas. The photo showed a group of men (actually actors) trying to molest a woman (an actress). This photo, too, was shared by several BJP leaders.

On Saturday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a judicial inquiry headed by a retired judge of the Calcutta high court over such fake news.

The purpose of this inquiry is to identify those who instigated the violence and spread fake news on social media, using clippings and stills from a movie and of violence that took place in other places, even Comilla in Bangladesh, Banerjee said.
Soon sanitary napkin vending machines and eco-friendly incinerators for disposal of the used pads will be installed on the premises of girls and women hostels in all universities and colleges.

The move is aimed at promoting menstrual hygiene among women and adolescent girls as well as a step towards accomplishing Swachh Bharat Mission.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) suggested the name of HLL Lifecare Limited, a government of India public sector enterprise under administrative control of ministry of health and family welfare for installing the machines.

The estimated cost for one set of machinery is  49.646 that will be directly linked to the Solid Waste Management component of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

An official said it was observed that in view of social taboo associated with sanitary napkins, a majority of girls and women feel embarrassed and hesitate to go to conventional stores to buy the pads leading to unsafe practices.

These vending machines will ensure an effective and convenient mode for any time access to the sanitary napkins. The purpose is to promote safe and hygienic sanitary practices among the women and girls, the official added.

In a letter to all head of institutes, the UGC asked the institutions to approach the Ministry of Urban Development.

It also said that it was imperative to promote menstrual sanitation and proper disposal of menstrual waste by creating awareness, encouraging every woman to use eco-friendly incinerators and promoting research for a biodegradable alternative.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) workers took out bicycle rallies throughout the state on Sunday to protest against the Yogi Adityanath governments decision to demolish cycle tracks constructed by his predecessor Akhilesh Yadav.

The cyclists, wearing SPs red caps and red T-shirts, had altercations with the police in most of the cities.

Wherever the SP workers came out on the streets, the administration deployed police force to prevent any law and order problem.

The SP cyclists rode bicycles in all the cities including Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Ghaziabad and Noida where the SP government had constructed bicycle tracks, said SP chief spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary.

The cyclists covered SPs cycle tracks in their protest routes.

In Lucknow, a face-off between police and cyclists took place near the Lucknow Metro office in Gomti Nagar.

State president of Chhatra Sabha Digvijay Singh Dev and police had an altercation. The police detained him and others for over two hours. Some women cyclists like Pooja Yadav and Jahnvi were also detained, said Chaudhary.

Last Sunday, urban development minister Suresh Khanna had announced in Bareilly that the government would demolish all bicycle tracks that were constructed on narrow roads and caused traffic congestion.

Read more: Cycle tracks built in Samajwadi Party regime to be demolished

In Allahabad, the cyclists also carried out a signature campaign at Chandra Shekhar Azad Park and Civil Lines.

Samajwadi Party has been protesting against the government decision. Reacting to the decision, SPs national president Akhilesh Yadav announced that on returning to power his government would construct more tracks, promote bicycle tourism and if a cyclist died in a road accident, his family would be given a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

Chaudhary said the Akhilesh government had constructed bicycle tracks keeping health and environmental aspects in view. However, the BJP government had evil eyes on all the public interest works, he alleged.
The Hindu month of Shravan begins on July 10, and is celebrated across the country with puja and offerings made in the name of Lord Shiva  the god of destruction.

Believers observe fast on every Monday during this month and decorate Shiva temples with flowers.

According to Hindu mythology, when the gods and demons were churning the ocean (samudra manthan), poison came out in the month of Shravan. As with all gifts from the ocean, this too had to be accepted, though none wanted to. Lord Shiva consumed the poison  even though he was not a part of the churning  to help out the gods and held it in his throat, which turned it blue. To douse the poisons effect, the grateful gods offered water, and devotees today too offer water to the Shivlinga with the same belief.

Shiva consumed the poison to help out the gods and held it in his throat, which turned it blue.

According to another school of belief, Monday fasts in this month ensure good prospective husbands for unmarried girls and good health for husbands of married women. They believe Parvati observed fast for the entire month of Shravan before Lord Shiva was impressed and married her.

Shravan is also the month when pilgrims go on kanwar journeys. The destination for kanwar journeys are Shiva temples and are ideally done on foot. The most popular destinations are Kashi Vishwanath (Uttar Pradesh) and Deoghar (Jharkhand). Shiva devotees carry holy water from the river Ganga, which hangs on their shoulders with the help of wooden lathis called kanwar.

The month ends with Raksha Bandhan, the festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.

How to observe the fast of shravani somvaar (Shravan Monday)

Devotees fast for the entire day and worship Lord Shiva, offering water (jalabhishek), sandal paste or powder, dhatura (flowers and fruits of a poisonous flowering plant), belpatra (leaves of golden apple). Some devotees also gather in nearby temples and sing bhajans in honour of Lord Shiva and Parvati.

During the month of Shravan, Shiva devotees carry the holy water of Ganga hanging on their shoulders with the help of wooden lathis called kanwar. (Sunil Ghosh / HT Photo)

Madhu Shravani

This is one of main festivals of Mithilanchal (Bihar) that celebrates the marital bond. Women observe fast for 15 days starting from Naag Panchami and abstain from salt during the period. They worship Goddess Gauri offering belpatra, flowers and prasad. The devotees pray for getting the same husband for seven lives. Women also dress up for the occasion and wear new clothes and new bangles.

Haryali Teej

Married women celebrate this festival on the Tritiya of Shukla Paksha. They dress up and worship idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati seeking marital bliss.

Sisters tie silk thread around the wrists of their brothers and pray for their well being on Raksha Bandhan. (Prabhas Roy/HTphoto)

Raksha Bandhan

The festival that marks the end of Shravan celebrates the bond between sisters and brothers. Siblings and cousins dress up for the occasion. Sisters tie a silk thread around their brothers wrists and pray for their well being. In return, the brothers bring them gifts and promise to protect them and always be there for their sisters.

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For more than 2.4 lakh Mumbai students vying for seats in the first-year junior college (FYJC), the first admission merit list will be declared. This list, however, is only for those who applied in the general category.

Here are 10 things you need to do after the list is declared:

1. Log in into the admissions portal, where you can check whether you have been allotted a seat in this round.

2. You may receive an SMS from the education department, informing you about your admission status.

3. If you are allotted a seat in the college of your choice, then it is mandatory for you to accept. If you dont, you will be disqualified from the admission process.

4. From July 11 to 13, you can finalise your seat by paying the full fee between 10am and 5pm at the college allotted to you.

5. If youre assigned a college that wasnt your first preference, then you can either confirm your admission or wait for the next round. But, there is no guarantee that you will be assigned a better college in the next list.

6. From July 15 to 18, you can make changes to the colleges or streams you listed in your application form, from 10 am to 5 pm. You can also complete your application form.

7. On July 20, the second merit list will be declared at 5pm. You can pay fees from July 21 to July 24.

8. If you are still unhappy with the college allotted to you, or have not been listed, you have another chance to change your college preferences or streams on July 26 and July 27.

9. A third merit list will be released on July 29 at 5 pm. Pay your fees between July 31 and August 1. Changes to application form can be made on August 3 and 4.

10. On August 6, the fourth and final merit list will be declared at 5pm. You can pay full fees between August 7 and 8. FYJC classes will begin on August 9.

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Women pet owners living at an upscale housing complex at Nerul, Navi Mumbai, found packets containing lewd photographs at their doorsteps on May 28. Some of these photographs featured dogs, they complained.

The women told the NRI police they were being harassed by a few unidentified members of the same society for the past few months. After the women complained to us, we registered a case against the accused, said Shahaji Jadhav, senior inspector, NRI police station.

The society allegedly put up a notice on February 28, asking residents to boycott the women as their love for animals was causing inconvenience to others. The list featured the womens names, telephone numbers and email IDs.

The society put up the same list on Saturday.

If the womens pets are inconveniencing society members, they should discuss the matter openly. Sending packets containing pornographic photos is not the answer. Investigations are ongoing, he said.

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The Azad Maidan police are looking of two men who stole Rs4.94 lakh from a senior citizen on Thursday.

Raghuram Shrinivas Aaichal, 70, works for a private firm. He was asked by his employer to withdraw cash from three banks in south Mumbai. Aaichal stays in a rented apartment at Kamothe in Navi Mumbai.

An officer from Azad Maidan police station said, Aaichal left his residence at 10.30am and withdrew Rs7.94 lakh. He took a bus for CST from Pedar Road.

Aaichal claims that he heard two passengers talk about someone dropping their money.

He said that the two passengers who were seated behind him, were talking about money, which had been left behind in the bus, but he didnt bother to look behind because he thought it was a trap, added an officer. He thought that looking behind would confirm that he had a lot of cash with him and he may be robbed.

After he got off the bus, he checked his bag and found some money missing from his bag.

Aaichal informed his employer about the incident and reported it to the Azad Maidan police station, who registered a complaint. A case was lodged under Section 379 (punishment for theft) of the Indian Penal Code. The police have formed teams to nab the culprits.

An officer said, We know the names of the two men sitting behind Aaichal. We have informed our sources and are trying to catch them.

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Government railway police (GRP) officers registered a complaint after a 22-year-old woman from Bengaluru posted on Facebook, saying a man masturbated at her on a local train on June 15.

The woman said she called a helpline, but the official who answered just laughed.

Her post was circulated widely, prompting the GRP to not only start tracing the man, but also the official who did not take the womans complaint seriously.

We are verifying the complainants call records to find out who she called, said Purushottam Karad, deputy commissioner of police (GRP).

Police said they were examining CCTV camera footage of Borivli and Kandivli railway platforms, where the man boarded and alighted from the Churchgate-bound train.

On Thursday, the woman said she had boarded a train from Borivli at 2pm after meeting her friends. She wanted to alight at Dadar, where she planned to catch a Mulund-bound local. She entered the ladies compartment, in which six women were seated, and started listening to music.

The woman said she heard a man in the adjacent handicapped compartment verbally abusing one of her co-passengers. When she made eye-contact with him, he began abusing her too.

When the man began masturbating, she asked her co-passengers for the railways helpline number.

Before she could dial, the train stopped at Kandivli station, where the accused alighted and approached the ladies compartment.

He then threatened to rape her, before leaving abruptly. When she called the helpline and asked an official if he would nab the accused at Kandivli, he cut the call instead of promising to take action, reads her post.

Read the full text of her Facebook post here:

Im sitting in the train, going back home after meeting friends who live in Borivali. Im in the ladies compartment, there are about 6 other women. Im sitting on the side that can see the handicapped section of the train, but with railings in between. On my left, there is another girl. We both are listening to music. In the handicapped section is a man. Im looking at my phone and I see him waving at the girl through the railing. Hes put his hands through and has reached half the distance to the girls face. I cannot hear him, Im wearing headphones.

I reduce the music, out of curiosity and also to see whether she needs help, I do not turn. Looking down at my phone, I hear him calling her madarchod. I heard it atleast 6 times in the 30 seconds I listened. I looked at him, our eyes met and I looked down again.

There are many mentally challenged people who travel on the train regularly and Im used to many of them cursing, so I thought him to be one of them and let it go.

The split second where our eyes locked, he took the chance to come to me. He came to my side of the compartment and put his hands through just like he had done before.

He called me the same, another 6-10 times.

I looked up, and just kept looking at him for 20 seconds. Thinking of what I should do.

Meanwhile, he puts his hand down, whips out his penis and grins at me, he starts masturbating. For those who know me also know that I have seen this too many times. Maybe that prepared me to do what I tried next. I was rational, calm.

And I asked the other women to tell me the police helpline and also yelled that this man was showing me his privates.

They gave me the helpline. I had just run out of credit in the morning, so the girl he was waving at first gave me the phone. I called up the helpline.

The next paragraph is a summary of that conversation:

I told the person on the line all the details. The train was just approaching Kandivli. Which compartment, what time. All of it.

Then I told him that this person had also called us what he did. And then the person on the helpline laughed. He found it funny.

I asked him whether theyd pick this person up at Kandivli.

He cut the call.

Im not sure what happened. When Kandivli came, the man got out of the compartment and started walking towards the doors of the ladies compartment. 6 women who could easily take him down, started yelling. I stood up and walked towards the door. He told me he would rape me. I told him to do it. (I only did so because I knew he wouldnt and because the time permitted me , so did the space.)

Learnings :

1. Our helplines. Do they really help? Or is equality for women just a trend for marketing and PR?

2. Rape is supposed to scare me. Stop being scared by it. Stop making it a big deal. Somewhere there, it will stop.

Dont take me wrong.

Rape IS a big deal. But physically, mentally for the pain it causes. not because the honor of this society lies in my vagina. Not because I will be SCARED by the prospect because my life will be ruined.

I once even called a suicide helpline that didnt pick up. The irony.
As the border standoff between India and China continues, activists and residents of Andheri are planning a silent protest at the Air Cargo Complex at Sahar. Their aim: boycott Made in China goods.

Members of the NGO Watchdog Foundation and several citizens said they would urge Customs and importers not to clear goods from China.

Godfrey Pimenta, the NGOs trustee, said the intention is to create awareness and send a message of patriotism among masses. We are not forcing anyone to boycott. We are merely asking importers to stop clearing and forwarding imports. We want to send the right message by doing this, Pimenta said.

The protestors also plan to appeal to the government to ban all Made in China goods and instead, encourage manufacturing in India. The NGO said will hold another protest on Saturday, where it plans to destroy imported Chinese products.

But traders said avoiding all Chinese goods will be difficult. The chairman of Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry and Trade (CAMIT), Mohan Gurnani, told HT, It is not possible to avoid using all China-made items. But as an act of nationalism and in public interest, we need to encourage manufacturing goods in our own country.The director-general of the Indian Merchants Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Arvind Pradhan, said, We should encourage consumption of Indian products to boost our economy. As Indians, we should be aware that by buying products Made In India, we are helping our nation. Both CAMIT and IMC, however, said it will be difficult to compete with Chinese products, as they are cheaper.
Iraqi people gather on the Tahrir Square in Baghdad, capital of Iraq, to celebrate the victory in the battles against the Islamic State (IS) militants in Mosul, on July 9, 2017. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday said the victory in the battles against the Islamic State (IS) militants in Mosul is guaranteed and it is a matter of time to defeat the extremist militants and "declare great victory" in the city. (Xinhua)

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul on Sunday and congratulated the armed forces for their victory over Islamic State after 266 days of fierce battles, which finally liberated Mosul from IS and ended its three-year rule.

Iraqi soldiers and civilians in Mosul cheered and jumped for joy on Sunday over their historic victory over the Islamic State and hailed the liberation of the city.

Liberating Mosul from the occupation of Islamic State (IS) is seen as a great victory for Iraq's anti-terror war, though the war-torn country will face grave challenges of national reconstruction and reconciliation.

Mosul, the capital city of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh and the second largest city, had been taken as the de facto capital of the Islamic State.

It was in Mosul that IS leader Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared in 2014 the establishment of Islamic State, a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. The fall of Mosul symbolizes the total collapse of IS in Iraq.

The victory opened doors for the much-needed reconstruction and national reconciliation, as desired by most Iraqis after suffering from wars and conflicts for so long.

The liberation of Mosul is a great victory in the anti-terrorism war. It broke the backbone of the terrorist groups and demolished the self-declared Islamic State in Iraq, civilians in Mosul said.

The victory in Mosul will pave the way for national reconstruction and reconciliation in the post-IS Iraq, they stressed.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will save 20% of the imported pothole-fixing material for Ganpati festival, the period when it receives the maximum number of complaints about bad roads.

Recently, the civic body bought 38 tonnes of pothole-fixing material worth Rs70 lakh from Austria and Israel.

Of the 38 tonnes bought from the international agencies, 7.6 tonnes will be saved for Ganesh Chaturthi. We are flooded with complaints during the festival season as heavy idols are brought into the city, resulting in wear and tear on roads, said a civic official.

The BMCs move to buy expensive pothole material was prompted by the rap it got from the Bombay high court in 2016 for the pothole-ridden roads.

The high court had asked the BMC to consult experts from the Indian Institute of Engineering and the Central Road Research Institute to ensure that a better quality material is used to fill the potholes.

In 2016, the civic body tested materials from about seven international agencies to repair potholes. It tested materials worth Rs50,000 from each agency before shortlisting two agencies  Smart Age Products from Israel and Eco Green Infrastructure Development from Austria.

A civic official from the roads department said that 80% of the imported material would be distributed among the 24 wards in the city as per their requirement.

He said that the special material will be used only for craters which surface after heavy rain. Till then, we will ask the wards to use the material prepared at our asphalt plant, the official said.

The cold mix, which the civic body uses to repair potholes, washes away during heavy rains.

Last year, Ganesh mandals slammed BMC for the craters across city roads. This year, the 10-day festival will start on August 25.

After heavy rains last week, the civic body found more than 500 bad patches on city roads.

We are trying to repair most bad patches during the dry spell, the official said.

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Outside: A confusion of pedestrians dodging footpath hawkers and cars dodging potholes on a road packed with autorickshaws. Inside: Hundreds heading your way in a mad rush.

Everything about Andheri station spells chaos, especially the part of SV Road that leads to it.

Its a clear problem. The SV Road is an arterial link running through the western suburbs and to Andheri station, which thousands of commuters from areas nearby use to get to work and back. They come on bikes, cars and autorickshaws to board trains to places as far off as Churchgate. And, commuters from the other side take autorickshaws from the station to reach offices in Andheri, via SV Road. But, a road bearing this load is poorly maintained  full of potholes, has no facilities for pedestrians and is constantly jammed.

One reason for the jam is pedestrians. As hawkers selling clothes and food occupy footpaths, those walking to the station are forced on to roads. This slows vehicles.

Sudhir Badami, a traffic expert, said, 44% of the population on this road are pedestrians. It becomes difficult for motorists to make their way as hawkers are edging pedestrians off footpaths.

There are also too many vehicles on this stretch as motorists dont want to take the narrow and crowded Andheri subway towards WEH. Adding to the mess is the hundreds of autorickshaws. There is always a jam here said Shweta Khanolkar, who says she wants to take the bus, but ends up hailing an autorickshaw. Buses are crowded.

Improving public transport is one way out. Badami suggested mini BEST buses. These can carry more people than autorickshaws and are compact enough to move through by-lanes, so fewer people will take autos. Other ways out include freeing up footpaths and improving roads.

The question is: Why have authorities not found a way to unclog this stretch, which for years has been struggling to deal with jams caused by the presence of an important railway station.

It gets worse. Another mode of public transport  the Metro line  is now adding to the trouble.
The Mumbai crime branch arrested a 20-year-old construction worker from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly raping a speech-and-hearing impaired girl, 14, in Borivli in September last year.

The worker, Akhilesh Basantu Basfur, was brought from Vishrampur village in Uttar Pradeshs Maharajganj district to Mumbai on Saturday.

The incident came to light on December 6, 2016 when the girl complained of abdomen pain, and she was taken to hospital. During check-up, doctors learnt that she was four months pregnant. Her parents filed a complaint in Borivli police station.

As the girl is speech-andhearing impaired, it was very difficult to get clues about the suspect. Joint commissioner of police Sanjay Saxena was informed about the case and contacted several organisations which work for speech-and-hearing impaired people, said police inspector Chimaji Adhav of Unit 11. The police roped in an organisation to communicate with the girl. Using the sigh language, she told the organisation that the man, who allegedly raped her, worked at a construction site, said the police.

We enquired with several private developers, supervisors and labours at construction sites and learnt about Basfur who fled to Uttar Pradesh without informing anyone, said the officer.

The police immediately sent a team to Basfurs native place. He was handed over to the Borivli, said Adhav.

Basfur came to Mumbai around two years ago to earn aa livelihood and found a job at a construction site in Borivli, said the officer. The girl also lived in the same locality.

Taking advantage of her disability, Basfur raped her, said another police officer.

He fled to Uttar Pradesh after he came to know that she was pregnant, said the officer.
Farmers outfits in Maharashtra on Monday resumed their protest, demanding a blanket loan waiver and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, which recommended a minimum support price at levels 50% more than the production cost. The outfits started an awareness rally from Nashik which will cover all major districts before concluding in Pune on July 23.

Farmers leaders said that they wanted to create awareness among farmers before a full-fledged agitation.

The loan waiver is a joke and farmers are very upset with it. The rally is to protest against the government that has been cheating farmers by making false claims, said Ajit Nawale coordinator of the steering committee of farmers outfits.

Raju Shetti, MP and chief of Swabhimani Paksha, said he was unhappy as farmers demands (their) were not fulfilled. It seems the government is in no mood to discuss the issue with farmers, hence we have decided to take our protest ahead, said Shetti, who was in Nashik to attend the rally. He was joined by other leaders who are part of the national-level farmers agitation that was launched on July 6 from Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh.

The awareness march will cover Thane, Palghar and other neighbouring districts on Tuesday. It will cover major districts Konkan, central Maharahastra, Vidarbha, Marathwada and western Maharashtra in the following days, said Raghunath Dada Patil, farmers leader.

After the rally, we will resume our agitation if the government doesnt accept our demands, he added.

The farmers stand is likely to create more trouble for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government, which is already facing financial distress.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on June 24 had announced that the state would write off the loans of 89 lakh farmers, terming this move historic. The government has also set a cap of Rs1.5 lakh a farmer  this means the loans of around 40 lakh farmers will be completely written off.

Following opposition, the state government recently extended the scope of the waiver package said any farmer who had taken loan between April 2009 and June 2016 were eligible from the loan waiver. Earlier, the cut-off date was April 2012. Farmers outfits and opposition parties, however, have criticised the government over the loan waiver conditions, saying that it would leave a significant number of farmers out of the net.

Farmers went on strike on June 1 for the first time in the history of the state. It was followed by violent protests at many districts, which forced the state government to announce loan waivers.

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Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to provide women an injectable contraceptive for free.

The states public health department launched a programme called Antara on July 10 to offer women an injection of Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), a birth-control hormone. According to state health officials, the injection, a safe means of birth control, is effective for three months. Dr Archana Patil, additional director of the state family welfare bureau, state health department, said, It will help women who are not able to convince their partners to use contraceptives. The availability of the injections may help reduce the maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate in the state, added Patil.

The injection is supposed to be used within a week from the day a womans menstrual cycle starts. Currently, the injections are available for free at public health facilities in Mumbai, Pune, Raigad, Nandurbar, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Sangli, Ratnagiri and Beed.These injections will help in birth spacing, CK Mishra, secretary, ministry of health and family welfare.

However, health activists fear that public hospitals may overuse the injections as they are the easiest means of birth control. Dr Arun Gadre, a gynaecologist associated with Jan Swasthiya Abhiyan, said, I am worried that women will be offered the injections without proper counselling. One of its drawbacks is that once it is administered and a woman experiences side effects, there is no way to retract it.
The Versova police have booked ad filmmaker Shwetabh Chandra Varma, 42, in connection with a domestic violence case filed by his estranged wife. The police said they would soon summon Varma for questioning.

According to the Versova police, Varmas wife Priti Bangera, 26, an actress, approached them on Saturday. Bangera and Varma married four years ago. The couple does not any children, the police said. The police have filed a first information report under section 498 A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code.

Varma refuted domestic violence allegations and told HT, We have been staying under the same roof for almost three years. She has filed for divorce a year ago. We continue to live in our respected space in harmony. How can a domestic violence case be registered against me now? Does that make sense? I respect the honourable court and the truth shall prevail.

Senior inspector Kiran Kale of Versova police station said, She has alleged that Varma physically and mentally tortured her. A sub-inspector is investigating the case.

The police said that Bangera had to go through a medical test to ascertain if she was physically abused. Kale refused to divulge details about allegations .

READ

One in five women who had complicated childbirth faced physical abuse during pregnancy: Study

I still love him. Have filed for domestic abuse, not divorce: Mandana Karimi
The Bombay high court on Monday directed Maharashtra government to explain why there was delay in registration of FIR in Manjula Shetye murder case.

A division bench of justice RM Savant and justice Sadhana Jadhav also sought explanation on why the FIR was based on complaint lodged by another inmate of Byculla jail and not the jail officials.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Malad resident Pradeep Bhalekar raising concern over poor food quality in jails across Maharashtra.

According to him, the quality of the food served in jails in very poor and Shetye was brutally assaulted and tortured to death after she complained about bad quality food at Byculla prison.

Bhalekar sought an inquiry into the purported corruption in food supplies in jails in Maharashtra.

He also sought an application against the six staff members of Byculla jail who have been arrested on the charge of murdering Shetye.

During the course of hearing on the PIL, Bhalekars lawyer, advocate Niteen Satpute alleged the FIR was registered 36 hours after Shetye died.

He alleged the post-mortem report was manipulated, as according to him while the FIR mentions 7pm as the time of her death, the postmortem states 6.30pm.
Atithi devo bhava was the phrase this 27-year-old used to convince foreign tourists in Mumbai that he wanted to be their friend. Once he gained their trust, he would then invite them to have the best cup of coffee in Mumbai at nearby cafes. After they drank the spiked drink and fell unconscious, he would loot their valuables and flee.

One such cheap cup of coffee, however, proved to be costly for Israel citizen Metan Shalom Juria, 35. Juria had come to Mumbai for business and left his hotel on May 25 to see the Gateway of India.

He couldnt bring himself to say no to a friendly face when the con man, who introduced himself only as Sonu, took him to a nearby restaurant and bought him coffee. Hours later, when Juria woke up, he found his wallet and passport missing.

He then approached the Marine Drive police, who registered a complaint against the man. Police began investigating, using a sketch based on Jurias description.

They told all the police stations to keep an eye out for con men at Mumbais famous tourist spots. Acting on a tip-off by the Marine Drive police, the Tardeo police arrested Ayyaz Ahmed Niyaz Ahmed Shaikh on Friday. He was remanded in the Marine Drive police custody on Sunday.

More than eight cases of robbery have been registered against him. There are also cases registered against him in Agra and Hyderabad, said police.

Officers said Shaikh targeted mostly elderly tourists and couples who came to see Marine Drive promenade or Gateway of India. He befriended them, saying it was his duty to be a good host as they were Indias guests.

After they drank his spiked beverages and fainted, he would loot them. We have arrested Shaikh. He appeared before the court and was remanded in police custody till July 12, said an officer from the Marine Drive police station.

The police are investigating how many tourists Shaikh looted in Mumbai.
With two arrests on Monday, the police claimed to have cracked the murder case of Mumbai model Kritika Chaudhary, 26, whose decomposed body was found at her Andheri residence on June 12.

The two accused are Shakeel Naseem Khan, 33, a resident of Nalasopara and Badshah Basudas Makmalal, 40, a resident of Govandi.

According to police, Khan, who knew Chaudhary for more than a year, was arrested last year for drug peddling.

He is a delivery man for a major drug peddler arrested earlier this year.

The police said Kritika would buy MD or Meow Meow from Khan. Last year, she bought drugs worth Rs6,000 from Khan and did not pay him, they added.

The murder took place when Khan went to Chaudharys home with Makmalal for recovery, said police.

A heated argument allegedly took place over payment. In a fit of rage, Khan hit her on the head with a brass knuckle, according to police

One of the accused also left behind his bloodstained shirt at the spot which helped police.The accused were hiding in Malwani and then in Panvel, from where one of them was arrested

The police said the accused also robbed Chaudharys gold jewellery, as suspected by her brother Deepak. The accused have been sent in police custody for a week.

The police have ruled out the involvement of her ex-husband. According to the statement given by her watchman, she entered the premises with two men around 2.30am on June 8.

The murder came to light on June 12, when a foul stench started emanating from her room. She was found in a semi-nude state, lying on her bed with a towel wrapped around her face.
The police recently arrested a man for cheating a woman from Mumbai of 4.35 lakh by promising her a loan.

According to the Chembur police, the woman wanted a loan of Rs12 lakh. The accused, Rajesh Dhadwe, 37, who met her two years ago, promised to get the loan sanctioned, said a police officer.

Dhadwe took money from the woman at regular intervals as processing and other charges for loan formalities.

Tired of the delay, the woman finally approached the police. Dhadwes aide, Nitin Salgaonkar, 40, is still at large, said police.

Read more: Mumbai man cheated of 19,000 in telemarketing fraud

Police said Dhadwe used to scout for people in need of loan. He used to approach Salgaonkar for the paper work. The duo made fake documents to get the loan passed, said the officer.

The officer said if a finance company refused to pass a loan for lack of collateral, they used to prepare fake documents showing that the person seeking loan owned a shop. As Salgaonkar was arrested in 2015, Dhadwe could not go ahead with the complainants loan formalities. Salgaonkar is out on bail and we are looking for him, said the officer.

Dhadwe has been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 420 (cheating) and 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust).

Read more: Man arrested near Mumbai for cheating elderly

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After RAK Marg police booked a yoga instructor for allegedly molesting his student, a court granted him bail.

The woman asked police to register a complaint after her instructor sent her vulgar text messages and said he wanted to teach her meditation in private so she could attain enlightenment.

The womans husband told police that the instructor had been teaching his family every Sunday for the past six years.

We were impressed by the instructors yoga technique, said the husband. He would flirt with women, but we thought it was innocent, he added.

Two months ago, the guru started telling the mans wife that he loved her. When she objected, he that he was just testing her self-control.

When I told him that I would complain, he threatened me, said the husband.

Police said four more women complained against the accused. They are trying to ascertain if he harassed even more.
As the border standoff between India and China continues, many schools in Mumbai plan to tell students to boycott Chinese-made school stationery and other products.

The Mumbai Principals Association (MPA), which represents schools following the state board curriculum, in its recent executive committee meeting, decided to dissuade parents and students from purchasing 'Made in China' water bottles, tiffin boxes, pencil boxes, sketch pens, measurement rulers, writer pads and erasers. The principals believe this symbolic protest will inculcate a feeling of patriotism among the students.

Principals from around 1,600 to 1,700 state board schools in the city are associated with MPA. Redij said there won't be any compulsion on students or parents to 'boycott" Chinese products. "There won't be any ban on Chinese products. Rather, we will make an appeal to the parents and ask them to think about this issue," he said.

"China is creating troubles for India. It continues to oppose India's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. At a time when the country is dealing with problems in Jammu and Kashmir, it has raked up the border issue in Sikkim to distract the country. The Chinese media is instigating people against the country. In such a situation, why should our money go to China?" said Prashant Redij of MPA.

Read more: Sikkim standoff: Many Chinese citizens feel New Delhi provoking Beijing

" All the schools teach patriotism  some more, some less. But the patriotism cannot be taught just through the history of Shivaji Maharaj," he added.

The principals refuse to believe their actions might escalate an already tensed situation on Sino-India border. "It's not a political stunt, but a step in the direction of patriotism. We are not enemies of China, but if our soldiers are being killed, why should we support it?" he said.

However, it may not be feasible for students and parents to avoid Chinese-made products, which are available in abundance, at a much low cost than the domestically manufactured product. Besides, not all academicians feel this is the right approach to educate students. "We are dealing with children having impressionable minds. So, instead of working with an agenda, we should make such topics part of the curriculum. This is a populist, propagandist approach and it doesn't work with children. The students should, instead, be taught to think critically and independently," said Avnita Bir, principal, RN Podar School, Santacruz.

Read more: Sikkim standoff: China is angry because India has changed the rules of the game
A man was killed in an accident involving three cars, including a Lamborghini, on Noida Expressway on Saturday afternoon.

According to police, the accident took place around 2pm when a Swift Dzire hit a Lamborghini while changing lane abruptly. The driver of the Lamborghini car swerved to his left trying to evade the Dzire car. In the process, he hit a Maruti Eeco van, which was following him. The van driver lost control over the car which toppled several times before falling into a drain along the expressway.

Vedpal Singh Pundir, station house officer of expressway police station, said, The Maruti Eeco driver was critically injured in the accident and died before we could take him to a hospital. The victim is identified as 28-year-old Asad Ahmed, a resident of Mandawali in Delhi.

The entire incident is captured on CCTV camera installed near Sector 135 on the expressway.

#WATCH CCTV Footage of collision between cars near Noida Expressway in sector 135, one dead. #UttarPradesh (July 8th) pic.twitter.com/j9zo66zVdy  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 9, 2017

The footage shows how the driver of the Dzire car, in the extreme right hand lane, suddenly changed lanes. It hit the Lamborghini, which was closely following it in the adjacent lane. The driver of the Lamborghini turned slightly to its left, hitting the Maruti Eeco van in the next lane.

Even though both the Dzire car and the Lamborghini sped away, the Eeco van toppled over several times and fell into a drain along the Expressway (not visible in the available CCTV footage).

A police officer said, The Swift Dzire driver fled the spot and was later arrested from Khurja in Bulandshahr.

The three cars involved in the accident were going from Greater Noida to Delhi.

The victims relatives had registered an FIR against the driver of the Swift Dzire only. However, we are also investigating the role of the driver of the Lamborghini in the accident and whether they were racing on the Expressway, said Pundir.

Abdul Rauf, the nephew of the victim, said, My uncle worked at a nursery in Greater Noida and was carrying saplings in the van when the accident took place. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Meerut divisional commissioner Dr Prabhat Kumar has on Monday initiated an investigation into an alleged scam involving 210 hectares of land in Nalgarha village in Noida. The land had been the hideout of freedom struggle hero Bhagat Singh.

Bhagat Singh is said to have made bombs in Nalgarha, where many members of Subhash Chandra Boses Indian National Army also lived. The Noida authority is slated to develop a 40-acre Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park in this village, located along the Noida Expressway.

It is alleged that the government officials had sold 210 hectares of prime government land illegally to land mafia. I have directed the additional district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar to collect details of this land in next one month, said Kumar.

Kumar held a meeting with Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate BN Singh and several other officials on the issue at the Yamuna Expressway authority office. The divisional commissioner has appointed additional district magistrate Kumar Vineet to collect details regarding this land, which is estimated to be worth Rs 2,000 crore.

As per directions, I will conduct a physical survey of the 210-hectare land in Noidas Nalgarha village. It means I will collect details as to who has possession of this land and what is the nature of the disputed site, said Vineet.

A 72-year-old woman, Manjit Kaur, has filed several complaints demanding a probe into the land scam. Manjit is the daughter-in-law of freedom fighter Karnail Singh, who worked with Bhagat Singh and Bose.

Many influential villagers in nexus with government officials sold the government land for housing. They want to develop residential projects on this government land, Kaur alleged in a complaint.

Following the complaints, Gautam Budh Nagar administration had, in April 2016, started a probe into the matter, but nothing came out so far. Now, the Meerut divisional commissioner, who is also Yamuna expressway authority chairman, wants the probe to finish in a time-bound manner.

Deputy Director of Consolidation (DDC) of the land is already probing into this case to verify who sold the government land. As per records, the land belongs to Nalgarha village panchayat. I have directed the DDC to dispose of this case in next one month. And by that time, physical verification of the land will also be done. We will then identify the officials and persons who sold the land, so that we can take appropriate action, said the divisional commissioner.

After a physical survey, the district administration will evict illegal occupants on this land.

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The white colour Lamborghini car that was involved in an accident on Saturday on Noida Expressway, which resulted in the death of a 28-year-old man, did not stop after the accident and zoomed towards Delhi, police said on Monday.

We are yet to identify the Lamborghini involved in the accident. We are trying to trace the supercar through CCTVs and are also running the vehicle database search, said Expressway police station in charge, Vedpal Singh Pundir.

In the 7-second video footage captured by a CCTV camera on the Expressway at Sector 135, the driver of the Swift Dzire car is clearly seen suddenly deviating from his lane to his left and hitting the Lamborghini. To avoid major impact, the Lamborghini too swerved to its left hitting the Maruti Eeco van, which lost control and flipped a several times before falling into a drain, killing its driver.

#WATCH CCTV Footage of collision between cars near Noida Expressway in sector 135, one dead. #UttarPradesh (July 8th) pic.twitter.com/j9zo66zVdy  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 9, 2017

There are also apprehensions that the Lamborghini and Swift Dzire were racing against each other on the Expressway, which could have resulted in the fatal accident. The police dub it as hypothetical as the Swift Dzire driver, Monish Khan, who was later arrested from Khurja in Bulandshahr, has admitted of his mistake of abruptly deviating from his lane.

There could be instances when the Swift Dzire and the Lamborghini overtook each other on the Expressway, but that cannot be clubbed with the crash that resulted on Saturday afternoon. However, we will probe all possible angles that have translated into fatal accident, said Pundir.

The police said that since the Lamborghini was also involved in the crash, it should have stopped. However, that did not happen.

Noida city SP Arun Kumar Singh said, The CCTV visuals clearly shows that the Swift Dzire driver was at fault. However, we are also trying to trace the Lamborghini.

Meanwhile the 28-year-old Asad Ahmed, who was killed in the fatal accident,is survived by his wife and 15-day-old baby girl. He worked at a plant nursery in Greater Noida and was transporting saplings when the accident took place.
Malabar 2017, the trilateral joint naval exercise, which began on Monday and brings together the navies of India, Japan and the United States, was tentatively mooted in 1992 on Prime Minister PV Narasimha Raos watch. The first exercise took place in 1994 as a bilateral with the US Navy. At the time it created political ripples for the two estranged democracies were engaging in a joint military exercise, albeit at a modest scale.

Domestically, the political opposition to this move came because of the negative symbolism associated with the US, especially the US Navy. The coercive role played by US Navys seventh fleet, led by anti-aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, in the Bay of Bengal , during the 1971 Bangladesh war was still fresh on Indias mind.

Since 1994, the Malabar exercise has been institutionalised in a progressively robust manner and both nations see a certain value addition in sustaining this engagement. In 2007, the scope of Malabar was enhanced and the high-point was a five-nation multilateral naval exercise that brought on board three other nations  Japan, Australia and Singapore.

However this display of multilateral naval cooperation off Okinawa heightened Chinas anxiety index and more problems were created wherein Beijing issued demarches to the nations concerned. Both India and the US sought to assuage Chinese concerns and the Malabar exercise was cut short.

In January 2015, India and the US upgraded Malabar formally to include Japan.

The geopolitical subtext of the Malabar exercise is complex and multi-layered. At one level, it denotes the growing level of interoperability between the navies of the US and India, and this is distinctive for India has steadfastly refrained from joining any formal military alliance.

The Indian Navy  despite its diminutive Cinderella status (in relation to the other two services) came onto the global radar in 1988 when its ships were the first to respond to an attempted coup in the Maldives. Anecdotal recall has it that then US President Ronald Reagan, when apprised of this development was supposed to have asked: India has such a capable navy? The subsequent Cactus mop up by the Indian Army and Air Force drew accolades globally.

It took the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union for India to review and reset its relationship with the US. An astute Rao encouraged a hesitant bureaucracy that had been nurtured in an anti-American ecosystem to engage with Washington.

The naval component of the Kicklighter proposals, which suggested comprehensive military-to-military cooperation became the Malabar joint exercises and signalled an intent on both sides to sustain a professional level of interaction despite their asymmetry in capability.

One could make a case that the Malabar exercise represented the gradual security outlook liberalisation of the Indian octopus and that Rao in an unobtrusive manner provided the trigger pulse not just for economic liberalisation, but also for a strategic re-orientation of the insular Indian world view.

The resilience of the Malabar exercise is reflected in the fact that though India-US relations plummeted as far south as is possible after the May 1998 nuclear tests, the two sides picked up the naval thread after 9/11 and India provided escorts for US ships in the Indian Ocean at the time.

The deeper geopolitical salience of the exercise is about joint stewardship of the maritime domain  the traditional global commons. It is instructive to note that the concept of a global common has now been extended to include the cyber and space domains and in many ways the Malabar exercise is a symbol of the depth of such collective endeavour.

The US with its qualitative technological profile is the lead global navy  and there is no other nation in the next 10 places. China is seeking to bridge the naval gap with relation to the US with a heightened sense of urgency and anxiety, and this is often reflected in its reaction to the Malabar exercise. Hence its irate response in 2007 and subsequently signals have been conveyed by China to both Australia and Singapore to desist from donning the Malabar hat.

The current stand-off in the Dokalam plateau is one strand of the troubled India-China relationship. But for now it is evident that Delhi is not seeking to play the Malabar card and stoke Chinas imagined anxieties about a democratic naval/maritime coalition that will bring alive the Malacca dilemma first outlined by then Chinese President Hu Jintao in 2003.

Malabar 2017 will have three carriers participating  the US Navys Nimitz (the worlds largest carrier), the INS Vikramaditya, and a Japanese helo-carrier and a nuclear submarine. While interoperability is at the core of such exercises, Malabar will burnish Indias credibility in the maritime domain and punctuate the Indian Ocean region in a manner that prioritises collective effort to secure the first of the three global commons.

Whether this can be extended to other maritime domains remains to be seen.

C Uday Bhaskar is director, Society for Policy Studies, New Delhi

The views expressed are personal
PATNA The BJP leadership announced here on Monday that it would take to the streets, if chief minister Nitish Kumar failed to either obtain the resignation of deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, in the wake of the CBI filing an FIR against him in a corruption case, or drop him from the council of ministers.

BJP insiders told HT the state party leadership would chalk out a detailed strategy on the issue after knowing the outcome of chief ministers meeting with JD(U) leaders and legislators on Tuesday.

If Nitish Kumar fails to drop Yadav from his cabinet, the BJP would go to people to expose the CM, who had earlier announced that there would be zero tolerance of corruption in his government, said senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

Now, Kumar has to decide whether he wants to side with corruption, or morality, he added.

Modi said now that an FIR has been lodged by the CBI against the deputy CM on corruption charges, the chief minister should break his silence on the matter and announce his decision. People of Bihar are also waiting for his pronouncement on this matter, he said.

On senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadavs statement that the central agencies actions against RJD president Lalu Prasad and his family were a ploy to break the Grand Alliance, Modi reminded him that he, along with others, had submitted a memorandum in 2008 to the then PM Manmohan Singh, demanding action on this very issue.

The JD(U) leaders had accused Prasad of favouring a private party in lieu of three acres of land in Patna being transferred to the Delight Company, which later came to Lalus family, he said, adding, Now, Sharad Yadav is attacking the central agencies for taking action against the RJD president on the same issue.

Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai said the people of Bihar wanted to know from the chief minister as to how much time he would need to remove brothersTejashwi Prasad Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, against whom serious charges of corruption have been levelled, from his cabinet.

If he fails to do so, the BJP would have no alternative but to go to the public to expose the CM, he said.

Asked when would the party launch the statewide agitation on the issue, Rai said, We are waiting for the CM to break his silence. In a day or so, we will decide on our move.

Reacting to the decision of the RJD legislature party that it would not seek resignation from Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, senior BJP leader and former president of the party Mangal Pandey said, We did not expect otherwise from the RJD.

Now we are waiting to hear from the CM. Then we will be free to take our course. We will take to the streets in support of our demand, said Pandey.

QUOTE

If Nitish Kumar fails to drop Yadav from his cabinet, the BJP would go to people to expose the CM, who had earlier announced that there would be zero tolerance of corruption in his government.

 Sushil Kumar Modi, senior BJP leader

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A Kashmiri migrant, whose allotment of a booth for business purposes in Sector-11 was cancelled by the Chandigarh administration for delay in paying the requisite fee, has finally got relief from the Punjab and Haryana high court.

The high court bench of chief justice SJ Vazifdar and HS Sidhu has now directed the UT administration to allot the said booth to the petitioner Rattan Lal Matoo, who due to illness could not deposit the fee on time.

While quashing the UTs booth cancellation order, the court observed that a practical and sympathetic view ought to have been taken by the authorities, especially considering the nature of the scheme and Matoo having undergone medical treatment during this period. The HC further held that the UT had powers to condone the delay in payment.

In June 2010, Matoo had filed an application for allotment of booth under a scheme for rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants who left their homes due to unrest. He had been alloted the booth through a draw of lot.

However, soon after getting the allotment letter, he fell ill and remained admitted in a hospital in Jalandhar. Due to his ailment, Matoo could not follow up on the allotment. After a period of six months, he offered to pay the requisite amount of Rs 11,000. However, this plea was rejected by the UT administration.

The HC in this case also took note of similar prior instances where it was held that if a prayer for extension of time is bonafide, its rejection, for fear of creating precedents or problems in future, is in essence, a negation of the power conferred to extend time and condone delay.

In a 2011 judgment, a high court division bench had said that the rights of a party, if tenable, cannot be held hostage to administrative perceptions of creating precedents, or problems in future.
A civil terminal since 1967, the Chandigarh airport had to make do with a single flight to Delhi for nearly four decades before it finally got wings. In the last 10 years, the airport traffic has grown exponentially from 1.5 lakh passengers in 2006 to 18 lakh now. The number of destinations has also soared from one to 11 with two international destinations as well.

Much of this growth, both in terms of footfall and diversity in air connectivity, came after the construction of a plush 1400-crore giant terminal in Mohalis Jheourheri village in October 2015.

The Punjab and Haryana high court also helped it take off globally by goading the authorities to make Chandigarh airport international or use it for wheat storage.

Thanks to this, the airport has flights to Dubai and Sharjah, which have been running houseful for nearly 10 months now.

Last year also saw the addition of many new domestic routes, connecting the Chandigarh region with destinations as varied as Srinagar and Leh in the north, the touristy Jaipur in the west, the cosmopolitan Pune in the southwest and the IT hubs of Hyderabad and Bengaluru in the south.

The way the airport is expanding, it has a great future. It bodes well both for the country and the region, be it in terms of connectivity or business, gushes airport CEO Suneel Dutt, who has seen it from its infancy.

FLIGHT GROWTH 2006: 1 2008: 2 2010: 14 2013: 18 2017: 38

EYES ABROAD

Although quite happy with the domestic destinations offered by the airport, it is new international ports that will really tickle the footloose Punjabi traveler. The region that sends a large number of people overseas, both for leisure and work, is looking forward to destinations such as Bangkok and Singapore, which will make it easier to go globetrotting without a mandatory trip to the busy Delhi airport. Though on the airport agendaevery few months, the Air India announces a flight to either of these destinationsthese two flights are yet to take off.

Direct flights to Goa, Kolkata and Chennai are also eagerly awaited in the domestic sector.

Although Dutt said these flights are in the pipeline, officials feel that Air Indias disinvestment plans may affect its flights from Chandigarh. And even if it pushes through with its plans, the proposed flights are not expected to take off before October or November. Air Indias local manager Gian Singh Tomar, however, did not share any details.

A section of the officials also believes that private lobbies in Delhi are scuttling the citys international connectivity. Around 30% to 35% traffic at the IGI airport in New Delhi comes from the Punjab region alone. Any improvement in Chandigarh airports connectivity will have a direct bearing on the Delhi traffic, said an official.

The Punjab and Haryana high court also helped Chandigarh airport take off globally by goading the authorities to make Chandigarh airport international or use it for wheat storage.. (Keshav Singh/HT)

ROOM FOR MORE

Almost 20 months into its operation, the new terminal has ATMs inside as well as outside the premises. The number of money exchange counters has also gone up.

But the airport lacks good eateries in the waiting areas on departure and arrival floors. Bhupesh Gupta, a regular flyer from Panchkula, says the airport needs some coffee bars and restaurants as most people have ample time at hand before boarding international flights.

Suneel Dutt said this demand will be met soon as they have awarded a contract to a master concessionaire to develop, build, operate and maintain the food and beverages outlets at important locations in the airport.

Apart from this, the concept of duty-free shopping too has not taken off here. Sources said the airport had issued tenders to call interested bidders for these shops in May but received a very poor response. Fresh tenders are expected to be floated soon.

CONNECTIVITY CURBS

While the new terminal in Mohali is bringing distant cities closer, its new location has led to connectivity issues with Chandigarh and Panchkula. In a recent passenger feedback survey at the airport, most respondents sought shorter connectivity to the airport from Chandigarh. At present, the road from Tribune roundabout is Chandigarhs shortest route to the international airport, which is around 25 km away from the Sector 17 Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT).

From Panchkula too, the distance to the terminal is more or less the same as people from the township hit the Zirakpur-Patiala road before taking the Mohali expressway to the airport.

The UT authorities have reportedly hired the services of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to prepare a feasibility report for providing a shorter route to the airport. The administration is also considering the possibility of providing a route beneath the existing runway of the international terminal located on the Chandigarh side, which can curtail the distance by 10 Km. The airport CEO, however, refused to give any comment saying that it is UTs administrative call.

LANDMARK YEARS

2008: Connectivity to Mumbai was the first major step that let the airport fly beyond Delhi and attracted several private airlines. This growth coincided with the citys overall economic growth

April 2011: The decade old terminal in Chandigarh was revived with modern facilities, leading to a big boost in domestic traffic. But international flights did not operate from this terminal despite the fact that it was declared custom airport.

October 2015: A new terminal was made operational in Mohalis Jheourheri village two months after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

September 2016: The long wait for international flights got over when IndiGo and Air India started flights to Dubai and Sharjah, respectively, following the Punjab and Haryana high court intervention.

(Part-I of a special series by Hindustan Times on Chandigarh airport)

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The Punjab police have decided to deploy two anti-riot companies at the Shambhu barrier on Monday in the wake of the Haryanas main opposition party Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) giving a call to stop the entry of Punjab government vehicles in Haryana to press for the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

It is at the Shambhu barrier that traffic from Punjab enters the neighbouring state on the Grand Trunk (GT) road. Punjab has already decided not to ply government-run buses to Delhi and other routes in Haryana as a precautionary measure to avoid any standoff.

Punjab police officials said unlike the previous INLD protest when heavy force was deployed and the border was sealed, there is no such need this time since the planned protest will take place in Haryana and, therefore, the security of vehicles and flow of traffic will be the neighbouring states responsibility.

Deputy inspector general (DIG), Patiala range, Sukhchain Singh Gill said the Punjab police will focus on ensuring law and order situation. As the protest is taking place in the territory of Haryana, the onus of safety of vehicles and ensuring smooth flow of traffic lies with them. We will deploy force as a preventive measure so that no protester can cross over to Punjab. The deployed personnel will help if traffic is diverted.

He said the Punjab police are in constant touch with their Haryana counterparts and will chalk out a joint strategy to tackle any situation that may emerge.

The INLD has announced to block traffic at the Shambhu barrier, Lalru near Ambala, Dhanauri near Narwana, on the Ratia-Buddlada road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad and Dabwali in Sirsa. INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala, who is leading the protest, will visit all five places on a chopper.

Punjab police have worked alternate routes to divert traffic through link roads, which connect with Haryana through various villages. Executive magistrates have been asked to reach the Haryana border to order lathi-charge or any other action if the INLD workers try to cross over to Punjab or damage property.

Senior Haryana police officials also visited the Shambhu barrier and took stock of the situation. Haryana has moved additional forces in Ambala to thwart any traffic disruption by INLD workers.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted the monsoon to hit Chandigarh on July 10. But will the meteorological (Met) department get it right this time?

Earlier, the IMD had said monsoon will reach Chandigarh and surrounding areas on June 28-29, then on July 4, before giving the revised date of July 7. But both the predictions went wrong.

This is the third time since 1987 when monsoon has been delayed. In 1987, rains hit the region on July 27. In 2002 and 2004, the monsoon reached the city on July 4 and July 8.

Monsoon advanced in most parts of Haryana by July 2 and it is likely to reach the city within 2-3 days, but due to changes in wind pattern, we could not see further monsoon advancement in the region, said Surender Paul, director, IMD, Chandigarh.

He said the country has complex atmospheric system and there are numerous factors which affect monsoon.

From Monday onwards, the weather will change. Sky will turn cloudy and there is a likelihood of rain as well. Most likely, monsoons will reach the city in the next 48-72 hours, Surender Paul said.

Sultry weather conditions prevailed in the region on Sunday in the absence of any significant rainfall activity. Last year, the monsoon had entered the region July 2.

CAUSE OF WORRY

Delayed monsoon can also lead to rise in dengue cases, say experts.

Anti-malaria officer, Chandigarh, Gaurav Aggarwal said: Intermittent rainfall is conducive for mosquito breeding. Hence, we have to be more alert during such time period.

Researchers have found that breeding of aedes aegypti (dengue causing mosquito) is not restricted to monsoon. Before rains, it breeds in water tanks, water containers and coolers, but as it starts raining, mosquitoes move out to the open spaces to breed. The dengue virus is not limited to any particular season, provided they get stagnant water, hot and humid weather.

However, no new dengue case has been reported this season. No new dengue has been reported from the last three weeks. However, if monsoon gets delayed and city receives intermittent rains, dengue cases can come up, he said.

However, the peak season is after the rains (September) as the virus needs time to complete its life cycle.

It rained few days ago which has led to dampness in the air and has increased humidity. Such weather conditions are apt for mosquito breeding and might lead to increase in the number of dengue cases, said Surender Paul.

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The court of judicial magistrate Ashok Kumar Chauhan has remanded Punjabi Poet Surjit Gag to judicial custody till July 24.

Police had arrested Gag for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of a community by using derogatory language against first Sikh master Guru Nanak in a poem he posted on his Facebook page.

A case under Section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered on the complaint of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib gurdwara manager Ranjit Singh.
One would have thought that after the tremendous success of Baahubali, Anushka Shetty wouldnt be short of film offers. However, this is not the case. Anushka Shetty, who was supposed to star with Prabhas in the upcoming movie Sahoo, has now been dropped from the film. According to a report by Bollywood Life, the actor has been dropped because she couldnt lose the required weight for her character. The report also suggested that Anushka was working to get in shape but she was still 5 to 8 kg overweight.

Anushka had gained weight when she got injured while filming Baahubali. The DNA and Scoopwhoop also reported that producers of the movie are now facing difficulty finding her replacement for the film. The producers had also approached Katrina Kaif in the past but Katrina rejected the role as she wasnt aware about the popularity surrounding Prabhas. The movie is directed by Sujeeth and will release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malyalam in 2018.

Here is the teaser trailer:

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Best remembered for his commercial stint in Ajay Devgn-starrer Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010), actor Naved Aslam is currently enjoying the success of his latest short film, The Benefaction. Directed by Nikhat Powell, the film has been receiving a great response at film festivals.

The film is about a mans tryst with karma. I play Rishi, a cab driver, who is working hard to save money to cure his daughters illness and pay the EMI of his cab. The movie has been screened at various film festivals across the globe, says Naved.

The 29-minute film has won several awards such as Best Short Film at GIIFFA (Global Impact International Film Festival) 2017, Honorable Jury mention at 7th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, Best Screenplay award at the 6th Bangalore Short Film Festival, Official selection at Miami Independent Film Festival and Official Selection at Central Florida Film Festival and more.

Recently, Naved was also seen in an Assamese feature film, Xhoixoboite Dhemalite (Rainbow Fields), which has won the Best Foreign Film Award at the Hollywood International CineFest 2017. Written and directed by Bidyut Kotoky, the film also stars Victor Banerjee and Dipannita Sharma. The film is directed by a friend, and I think if someone believes that I fit in a role then I should oblige and play it, provided it is a good film,

Interestingly, Naved charged just a rupee as his remuneration of this film. I have seen how much Bidyut struggled to get this film together. I am an actor and would love to get paid well. However, I dont mind letting go off or reducing my remuneration if the budget of the film is low or the team is short on money. I dont do films, which do not appeal to me. I have never done a film only because the money is good.

Soon, Naved will also be seen in a web series, tentatively titled Smoke. The movie is about the Russian mafia in Goa. It is shot in Morjim (Goa) and has an excellent team of actors comprising Neil Bhoopalam, Kalki Koechlin, Tom Alter and the likes. I have most of my scenes with Tom. We have shot the first season and are awaiting the launch.

Now that he has done a couple of regional films, will he venture into the Marathi film industry? Well, I have tried to speak in Assamese, so why not Marathi? I have watched most of Umeshs (Kulkarni; director) films and liked them. There have been some great content-driven films here and I hope to get some offer soon.

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After five months of intense drama and suspense, Kerala Police on Monday arrested Malayalam actor Dileep n connection with the alleged abduction and rape of a popular south Indian actor in Kochi.

The woman actor who was returning after a shooting assignment was abducted and sexually assaulted on a moving car by a criminal gang on Feb 17. They let her go after three-hour ordeal and threatened to release the video if she approached the police.

During the attack the main accused Pulsar Suni had told the victim that he was given a quotation (like a supari crime) and he was forced to do this. However the gutsy actor complained and the police arrested all accused directly involved in the crime. But there were strong speculations that they carried out the dirty job at the behest of someone.

State police chief Loknath Behra confirmed the arrest of Dileep. He said the police have got clinching evidence to prove the involvement of the actor. Two weeks back the SIT probing the case had questioned the actor for more than 13 hours. His director friend Nadirsha and manager Appunni will also be arrested.

Last month, Dileeps name surfaced in a jail inmates letter who shared the cell with Suni. Since then, Dileep has been facing a lot of heat. While Suni and his accomplices were arrested within a week of the kidnapping, police stumbled upon the conspiracy angle last week.

The entire conspiracy was hatched almost a year back. The actors phone calls with some of the accused really nailed him. Preliminary investigation shows personal enmity behind the entire incident, said a senior police officer adding that actor will be produced before a magistrate later in the night.

The case took a new turn two weeks back after Dileep filed a police complaint alleging that one of the jail inmates of the main accused (Pulsar Suni) Vishnu had threatened to cough up Rs 1.50 crore immediately or else he would reveal his role in the conspiracy. Mobile phone was smuggled inside the jail by one of the friends of the main accused.

The SIT had secured details of phone calls Suni made from the jail. He reportedly called Nadirshah at least thrice and one of the calls lasted more than eight minutes. Suni made another call to Dileeps manager Appunni. Later the police found that the audio record of the phone call submitted by Dileep was heavily edited.

The SIT later recovered a two-minute video clip showing the brutal sexual assault on the victim. Later DNA examination of sperm marks on the dress the actor confirmed the involvement of the main accused. Later SIT also raided Kavya Madhavans (Dileeps second wife) house and cloth outlet in Kochi.

According to police sources Suni, a hardcore criminal involved in more than 20 cases, refused to cave in after intense questioning. Later the police reportedly sent another criminal to his cell as his cellmate and he became pally with him and divulged details of the larger conspiracy behind the crime. Later the police pieced together evidence and revealed the plot with a filmy touch.

A timeline of the abduction and rape case:



Feb 17: A south Indian actor abducted, molested and photographed in a moving car near Kochi. She was let off after three-hour ordeal and assailants threatened to make video public if she approached police.

Feb 18: The gutsy actor files a complaint. Driver of the car Martin arrested. SIT formed.

Feb 24: Main accused Sunil Kumar alias Pulsar Suni and his accomplice Vijesh arrested while planning surrender.

Feb 26: No conspiracy in attack, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Big hue and cry alleging sabotage of the probe. No headway in probe.

April 16: Actor Dileep and friend Nadirshah approach police complaining blackmail threats. Police sat over their plaint.

June 20: Sunis letter to actor Dileep asking for money and audio of blackmail call from jail surface.

June 28: Police grill Dileep, his manager Appunni and Nadirshah for 13 hours. Police say no clean chit to Dileep.

June 30: Police raid Dileeps wife Kavya Madhavans online apparel store in Kochi.

July 1: Photos of Pulsar Suni with Dileep surfaces. Dileep earlier claimed he never met him and has no connection with him.

July 2: DGP Loknath Behra expresses concern over delay and asks the SIT to speed up probe

July 11: Actor Dileep and friend Nadirshah arrested

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It upset many, including actor Sridevi, when the news of her rejecting the role of Rajmata Shivagami in Baahubali went viral. Filmmaker SS Rajamouli now regrets making a statement about Sridevi being too demanding when his team approached her for the Baahubali franchise.

Sridevi had reportedly asked for a hefty fee for the role that eventually went to actor Ramya Krishnan. Speaking on a regional chat show, Rajamouli had revealed in May 2017, After hearing series of wishes from her (Sridevi), our team got fed up. We also thought that it would be above our budget to meet her demands. Then we approached Ramya Krishnan and she proved herself [to be] fantastic. We now feel [that] we were lucky that we dropped the idea of having Sridevi in our film.

Sridevi has spoken about being shocked and hurt by SS Rajamoulis interview. (Viral Bhayani)

Looking back at what he had said, Rajamouli has now been quoted by DNA as saying, One thing is for sure. I shouldnt have discussed the details on a public platform. Thats a mistake. And I regret it.

In June, during the promotions for Sridevis latest Bollywood film, Mom, the issue resurfaced when Sridevi was asked for her comment. I was shocked and hurt by his interview. Rajamouli is a calm and dignified person. I was very happy to work with him. But, the way he spoke about the issue made me feel very sad, she said in an interview to the channel, NTV Telugu.

Talking about her starry demands for working in Baahubali, Sridevi added, People would have sent me packing if I was like that. I dont know if the producer wrongly told Rajamouli that I made all these demands, but it is not in good taste to speak like this.

Rajamouli, who regrets the entire episode, is all praise for Sridevis contribution to regional films down South. I have huge respect for Sridevi ji as a flag-bearer of the southern film industries in Mumbai for many years. I wish her all the best. And I wish Mom a big success. The trailer looks very intriguing and promising, he further said in his interview to DNA.

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The UN cultural organization added an ancient temple site in Cambodia to its world heritage list, the government said on Sunday, bringing the number of heritage sites in the Southeast Asian country to three. Sambor Prei Kuk, or temple in the richness of the forest in the Khmer language, located 206 km (128 miles) north of the capital Phnom Penh, is home to numerous temples, ten of which are octagonal.

Some of these elements, including lintels, pediments and colonnades, are true masterpieces, UNESCO said on its website. UNESCO said the area had been identified as Ishanapura, the capital of the ancient Chenla Empire, a Khmer civilization that flourished in the late 6th and 7th centuries and preceded the Khmer Empire.

Its remains cover an area of 25 square kilometers. The site has become increasingly popular with foreign tourists. The decision of the UNESCOs World Heritage Committee is another massive pride for the nation, the Ministry of Culture of Fine Arts said in a statement on Sunday.

Tourist arrivals in Cambodia rose 5 percent to five million last year. About 5.5 million tourists are expected to visit the country this year. Two other sites in Cambodia already have heritage status, including the popular Angkor Wat in Siem Reap province where parts of the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider film were shot.

Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear, an 11th century temple on the border between Thailand and Cambodia. (Shutterstock )

Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear, an 11th century temple on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, were listed as World Heritage Sites in 2004 and 2008, respectively. Sambor Prei Kuk was added to the list on Saturday along with other sites in China and India.

Tibetan rights groups criticized UNESCOs decision to extend world heritage status to an extensive plateau area in a heavily Tibetan area, saying it reinforces Chinese control of the region.

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Okinoshima, a sacred island in south-west Japan that bans women and here male visitors must strip naked before going ashore, has been declared a Unesco world heritage site.

The island, located midway between the south-western main island of Kyushu and the Korean peninsula, was once the site of rituals to pray for maritime safety and a centre for relations with China and Korea that stretch back as far as the fourth century, reports the Guardian.

The 700-square-metre island, along with three nearby reefs and four other related sites were given world heritage status at the UN bodys annual summit in Krakow, Poland, on Sunday, bringing the number of Japanese cultural and natural sites on the list to 21.

A Shinto priest holding a ceremony at Okitsugu shrine of the Munakata Taisha in Okinoshima island (AFP)

Priests from Munakata Taisha, a group of Shinto shrines, are in principle permitted to travel to worship at the islands 17th century shrine, Okitsu.

In addition, up to 200 men are allowed to visit only once a year, on May 27, to honour sailors who died in a nearby naval battle during the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese war.

Devotees purifying themselves with sea water before entering Okinoshima island, (AFP)

Before they go ashore, they must observe centuries-old rituals, including removing their clothes and undergoing misogi - bathing naked in the sea to rid themselves of impurities.

They are prohibited from taking home mementoes, including small objects such twigs, pebbles and blades of grass, the Guardian quoted the islands website as saying.

The reason for the ban on women has never been publicly stated, but one theory - which extends to other aspects of Japanese culture cites the Shinto belief that menstrual blood is impure.

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Brett Davies paced up and down the sloping sands of Kokrobite beach in Ghana, organising surfers from 20 different countries at his annual international competition. Along the beach, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) west of Accra, dotted with dug-out fishing boats, Rastafarians were selling T-shirts and small children were playing in the sand.

Davies, 42, is leading the push to bring surfers to the West African nation as a way to help boost the countrys under-developed tourism sector. The British national already runs a surf school at Kokrobite and has helped to bring surfing to Busua, near the border with Ivory Coast.

The greatest thing about surfing in Ghana is that we have uncrowded world-class waves that appeal to the beginner and intermediate market, he told AFP. Most well-known destinations are very localised and very intimidating to the average surfer.

At the competition, which was held last month, local reggae boomed from the speakers stacked in the corner of a car-park. In the water, Emmanuel Ansah cut across the breaks, deftly manoeuvring his board, trying to catch the eye of the judges sitting on a wooden platform, looking out to sea.

The 19-year-old from Busua started surfing five years ago and described his first time on the waves as like having a new girlfriend. I was so happy, he said. Now he, too, wants to see Ghana become a surfing destination in its own right -- and one day represent the West African nation at overseas competitions.

Surfers finish their semi-final set, during the annual international surf day competition on Kokrobite Beach, Ghana. (AFP)

Untapped potential

According to the World Bank, 897,000 international tourists visited Ghana in 2015. In comparison, just over 1.1 million went to Kenya and 8.9 million travelled to South Africa. But the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates numbers for Ghana could jump to nearly 1.3 million this year and more than 2.0 million by 2027.

In the last few years travel and tourism have directly contributed $1.3 billion to Ghanas economy -- the equivalent of about 3.0 percent of gross domestic product. Tourism generally focuses on natural attractions like waterfalls and national parks, historic slave forts and cultural activities.

But with some 550 kilometres of unspoiled coastline, watersports on the Atlantic Ocean, off the palm tree-lined golden sands, are being seen as a major draw. Surfing has a huge potential, said Ghana tourism specialist Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey. We have not developed our beaches.

Surfers do flips as they wait to compete in the international surf day competition in Kokrobite Beach, Ghana. (AFP)

We have not done anything, its a raw opportunity for anyone who wants to come. Attracting surfers is seen as a good way to bring in middle-income earners to Ghana, plugging a growing gap between budget travellers, volunteers and those on business.

Development plan

The high cost of flights and accommodation in Ghana has been blamed for deterring tourists. A stay at a standard three-star hotel in the capital can set travellers back $100 (88 euros) a night, while flights even within West Africa can be eye-wateringly expensive.

The head of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Kwesi Agyemang, said there are plans to start targeting different interest groups and improve regulation. The authoritys work includes targeting other countries for visitors. The governments National Tourism Development Plan in 2012 noted there were completely virgin beaches in Ghanas Western Region because of lack of access.

The Marine Drive Tourism Investment Project aims to develop nearly 100 hectares (250 acres) of the shoreline with hotels, shopping malls, theme parks, an office and casino. In the 2017 budget, Ghanas finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta said tourism could help address soaring levels of debt and high unemployment.

Ghana, once celebrated for its rapidly growing economy, saw rates of growth slow to some 3.6 percent in 2016 -- the lowest in two decades and well down on 14 percent in 2011. Davies accepted that government help was needed but, whatever happens, he will be encouraging people to ride the waves.

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Even after the recapture of Mosul, the Islamic State group still holds significant territory in several Iraqi provinces and has the ability to carry out attacks in government-held areas.

Here are some of the key areas still controlled by the jihadists, the recapture and control of which pose political as well as military challenges:

Tal Afar

A town located between Mosul and the Syrian border that had an estimated population of around 200,000 before IS seized it in the summer of 2014.

Tal Afar was a Shiite Muslim-majority enclave in the mostly Sunni Muslim area with an overwhelmingly Turkmen population before its capture by IS.

Tal Afar itself is going to be a bit like Mosul, its going to be... sort of a quite conventional clearance operation, said Michael Knights of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

But the issue of which forces will participate, and who will control it after it is retaken, are potential sources of conflict.

Shiite militia insistence on controlling the Turkmen (town) of Tal Afar juxtaposed with US and Turkish refusal to allow the Shiite militias to participate are among the conditions that could lead to conflict in the future, said Patrick Martin of the Institute for the Study of War.

Hawijah

A town in Iraqs Kirkuk that is the centre of a large IS-held area in a province that is otherwise controlled by Kurdish forces.

Security forces entered an anti-government protest camp in the Hawijah area in April 2013, sparking clashes that killed dozens, a key event in a surge in violence in Iraq that culminated in an IS offensive that overran swathes of the country the following year.

Political challenges are preventing the Hawijah operation from starting, Martin said.

The convergence of Iraqi Kurdish forces, who seek to control Kirkuk and its oil resources, Iraqi Shiite militias who seek to prevent Kurdish separatism and Iraqi government forces could lead to instability in recaptured Kirkuk, he said.

Hawijah is part of a threat complex that is an island of ungoverned space in the middle of north-central Iraq. And its a complicated, big, long-term problem, Knights said.

He said clearing Hawijah will likely be left until last.

Western Anbar

IS holds a string of territory along the Euphrates River valley in Anbar province, including the Al-Qaim area on the Syrian border.

While Iraqi forces have recaptured Ramadi and Fallujah, the two main population centres in Anbar, this territory closer to the border with Syria will be difficult to defend once recaptured.

Holding the border and preventing (IS) infiltration of western Anbars expansive deserts with limited manpower will be a serious challenge for Iraqi forces, Martin said.

Knights agreed. Syrian border areas are really dangerous areas where IS could throw... a tank company over the border and just overrun you and smash you to bits if youre not careful.

Successfully defending the small border forts in western Anbar will require sensors on the border to detect intruders and military forces that can respond quickly on the ground or with air strikes, Knights said.

Government-held areas

Iraqi forces have retaken three cities and numerous towns and villages from IS, but the jihadists still have a presence in government-held areas and are able to carry out frequent attacks on civilians and security forces personnel.

By the time we liberate all these openly (IS)-controlled areas, theyre gonna have a whole bunch of re-clearing to do, said Knights.

He gave Diyala province -- where IS has undergone a resurgence since the provinces announced recapture in 2015 -- as an example of what may happen in other areas.

ISs predecessor, the Islamic State of Iraq, was also dealt major military setbacks in past years, but widespread Sunni Arab anger with the government combined with the Syrian civil war to set the stage for its resurgence.

While IS has suffered a series of military defeats, Iraq will have to successfully navigate issues including political reconciliation with Sunnis and reconstruction of recaptured areas to head off future conflict.
It is China, and not India, that should worry about its security in view of New Delhis growing defence ties with the US and Japan, the Chinese state media said on Monday, talking about the border standoff between the two neighbours.

The fear that Beijing could attack the corridor connecting Indian mainland to its northeast was ridiculous, the state-run China Daily said, as it red-flagged the 10-day Malabar naval exercise that India, US and Japan kicked off on Monday in the northern Indian Ocean.

India fears that if China completes the road, it could facilitate a possible Chinese attack on the narrow strip of land that connects Indias northeast states with its mainland. This is ridiculous, the editorial said, referring to the Siliguri corridor. And, no country can pursue its security at the cost of another countrys (Bhutans) sovereignty, it said.

The border guards of the two countries have been in an almost month-long standoff in the Doklam region located at the narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan, with the three countries barely separated by mountains and passes.

China has accused Indian soldiers of trespass and preventing its soldiers from building a road in Doklam, or Donglang for Chinese, which is close to the Sikkim border on Indias northeast and is claimed by Bhutan.

China and its state media have aggressively taken up the border impasse, with some analysts even threatening an all-out war. New Delhi has said little except that Beijings move to build the road had serious security implications for India.

India was raking up Donglang to hold back the China-Bhutan boundary negotiations, the English-language newspaper said.

Bhutan doesnt have diplomatic ties with China and the dispute has persisted despite 24 rounds of negotiations.

The newspaper also wrote about the Malabar war games. The 10-day drills, started 23 years ago, are being held in the northern Indian Ocean, where China is looking to expand its presence.

Officially, China says there is no problem as long as the war game it is not directed at another country. But the editorial had a different take.

China should be concerned with the exercise as well as India buying weapons from Washington.

It also talked about the US clearing the sale of a military transport aircraft to India and a $2-billion deal for surveillance drones, saying it is China that should feel security concerns, given the importance of the Indian Ocean for its trade and oil imports.

The Trump administrations decision to sell 22 unmanned Guardian naval drones caused concern in China as it will allow India to watch on whole of the Indian Ocean.

A similar sentiment was expressed by scholar Lin Mingwang in the newspaper.

While visiting the United States two weeks ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi managed to sell the idea that New Delhi is a key defence partner of Washington and it can serve as a counterweight to Chinas rise, Lin, who is from the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai, wrote.

It was clear that India was ready to serve as an ally of the US rather than be a swing power that honoured independent, non-aligned diplomacy.

Beijing should remain vigilant against New Delhis moves while urging it to withdraw its troops from the Chinese territory, he said.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday backtracked on his push for a cyber security unit with Russia, tweeting that he did not think it could happen, hours after his proposal was harshly criticized by Republicans who said Moscow could not be trusted.

Trump tweeted this on early Sunday.

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

The idea appeared to be a political non-starter. It was immediately scorned by several of Trumps fellow Republicans, who questioned why the United States would work with Russia after Moscows alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

Its not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but its pretty close, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told NBCs Meet the Press program.

Ash Carter, who was U.S. defense secretary until the end of former Democratic President Barack Obamas administration in January, told CNN flatly: This is like the guy who robbed your house proposing a working group on burglary.

Trumps advisers, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, had recently sought to explain Trumps cyber push.

Mnuchin said on Saturday that Trump and Putin had agreed to create a cyber unit to make sure that there was absolutely no interference whatsoever, that they would work on cyber security together.

But Trump returned to Twitter on Sunday to play down the idea, which arose at his talks with Putin at a summit of the Group of 20 nations in Hamburg, Germany.

The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't-but a ceasefire can,& did!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

He then noted that an agreement with Russia for a ceasefire in Syria can & did happen.

Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona acknowledged Trumps desire to move forward with Russia, but added: There has to be a price to pay.

There has been no penalty, McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CBS Face the Nation program according to a CBS transcript. Vladimir Putin ... got away with literally trying to change the outcome ... of our election.

Trump argued for a rapprochement with Moscow in his campaign but has been unable to deliver because his administration has been dogged by investigations into the allegations of Russian interference in the election and ties with his campaign.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the matter, including whether there may have been any collusion on the part of Trump campaign officials, as are congressional committees including both the House of Representatives and Senate intelligence panels.

Those probes are focused almost exclusively on Moscows actions, lawmakers and intelligence officials say, and no evidence has surfaced publicly implicating other countries despite Trumps suggestion that others could have been involved.

Moscow has denied any interference, and Trump says his campaign did not collude with Russia.

Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told CNNs State of the Union program that Russia could not be a credible partner in a cyber security unit.

If thats our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow, Schiff added.

Separately, U.S. government officials said a recent hack into business systems of U.S. nuclear power and other energy companies was carried out by Russian government hackers, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH RUSSIA

Trump said he strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it.

He added: We negotiated a ceasefire in parts of Syria which will save lives. Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!

In Trumps first attempt at ending the six-year Syrian civil war, the United States, Russia and Jordan on Friday reached a ceasefire and de-escalation agreement for southwestern Syria. The ceasefire was holding hours after it took effect on Sunday, a monitor and two rebel officials said.

Any joint U.S.-Russia cyber initiative would have been a different matter. Depending how much it veered into military or espionage operations, it could have faced major legal hurdles.

Language in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act prohibits the Pentagon, which includes the National Security Agency and the U.S. militarys Cyber Command, from using any funds for bilateral military cooperation with Russia.

Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, also noted restrictions on sharing information with Russia that would clearly prohibit offering Moscow a sense of U.S. cyber capabilities. Russia would be similarly adverse to revealing its capabilities to the United States, he noted.

It just will not happen, McFaul told Reuters.
The European Union on Sunday hailed the defeat of the Islamic State group in Mosul as a decisive step in fighting terrorism but called on Iraqis to work together to improve their country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi earlier announced that pro-government forces had retaken the second city from IS after a months-long battle that killed thousands of civilians and forced nearly a million people from their homes.

The recovery of Mosul from the hands of (IS) marks a decisive step in the campaign to eliminate terrorist control in parts of Iraq and to free its people, the EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and its aid commissioner Christos Stylianides said in a joint statement.

But they urged Iraqis to pick up the pieces of their country, parts of which were easily overran by IS three years ago.

It is now essential that a process of return and the re-establishment of trust between communities begins, and that all Iraqis are able to start building a shared future, they said.

IS still controls swathes of western Iraq including much of the desert Anbar province and rival forces, which largely cooperated against the jihadists in Mosul, are expected to compete for a share of the spoils.

Abadi himself has faced accusations of incompetence and corruption in his government, and followers of popular cleric Moqtada Sadr have staged large protests in Baghdad calling for electoral reform.
Seventy firefighters battled a large fire in a building in Londons popular Camden Lock Market in the early hours on Monday, the London Fire Brigade said.

The emergency service said it had also sent 10 fire engines to the scene, near a nightclub and a covered market. Firefighters have brought the fire under control now.

The #CamdenMarket fire is now under control but crews will be damping down into the morning  @CamdenJohnny Latest: https://t.co/WYOasMBp2a pic.twitter.com/nWEgvv0ZMb  London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) July 10, 2017

There were no reports of any casualties.

The first, second and third floors, plus the roof, of a building within the market are alight, the London Fire Brigade said on Twitter.

The Brigades 999 Control Officers have taken multiple calls to the highly visible blaze and people are asked to avoid the area, it said on Facebook.

Images shared on social media showed tall flames and a burnt out building at the north London market, which is popular with Londoners and tourists.

The fire was moving very fast, witness Joan Ribes, 24, told the Press Association.

He said the fire was flying through the air to the surrounding areas.

People were watching, but we were scared the building could explode at any time since there are restaurants with kitchens nearby, he said.

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said they were called to a fire at 00:07 am (local time).

We sent a clinical team leader and our Hazardous Area Response Team to the scene.

We have not treated any patients, and we remain at the scene, she said.
Qatar has $340 billion in reserves including holdings of its sovereign wealth fund that could help the Gulf country to weather the isolation by its powerful Arab neighbours, central bank governor Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saoud al-Thani told CNBC. This is the credibility of our system, we have enough cash to preserve any..kind of shock, he told the news channel in an interview published early on Monday on its website.

Al-Thani said the central bank has $40 billion in reserves plus gold, while the Qatar Investment Authority has $300 billion in reserves that it could liquidate.

Qatari stocks have weakened and the riyal has been volatile in the spot market since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of backing terrorism. Dona has denied these allegations.

Qatar has already had a good and unique system. We have laws established against all these kinds of terrorists , al Thani told CNBC. We work with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and other institutions to establish our laws and audits and reviews.

We have no challenges, we welcome those to review all our books, they are open, he added. Al-Thani said while the central bank has noticed fund outflows from some non-residents, the amounts werent particularly significant.

There is more coming in, he said, confirming that inflows are exceeding outflows.

He said long-term contracts in the gas and oil sectors were not seeing any disruptions.

Rating agency Moodys Investors Service earlier this month changed the outlook on Qatars credit rating to negative from stable, citing economic and financial risks arising from the ongoing dispute between Qatar and the Saudi-led alliance.

Despite the market ructions, economists say Qatar, the worlds top liquefied natural gas exporter, has taken a number of measures such as a planned boost in gas output and new transport routes to weather the crisis.
Indias bloated self-assertiveness made it infringe on Chinas sovereignty and New Delhi had levelled false allegations and accusations against Beijing to serve its hegemonic ambitions, a stinging commentary from the official Chinese media said on Monday evening.

The commentary, released by the official Xinhua news agency , said India first levelled false allegations about Chinese encroachment of its territory but later changed the tone to say Indian troops had gone into Doklam (or Donglang) region to protect Bhutan.

The piece by Xinhua was the latest in a series of articles and opinion pieces in the state media criticising India for the three-week-old standoff at the strategic tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China.

India has said its troops acted in coordination with the Bhutan government to prevent the construction of a road by Chinese troops in the Donglang or Doklam region, which is claimed by Thimphu. China has accused Indian troops of trespassing into its territory.

The commentary made specific reference to defence minister Arun Jaitleys comment that the India of today is different from what it was 1962, when it was defeated in a border war by China.

Bluffing about a potential clash that could be similar to that 55 years ago when India's military suffered a bitter defeat, Indian Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said, India in 2017 is different from India in 1962, implying the country's improved military strength and bloated self-assertiveness, the commentary said.

It added: On the other hand, Jaitley should not ignore China's unwavering and consistent stance which has continued over the last five decades and its firm belief in the international justice that no country can pursue its security at the cost of another country's sovereignty.

The commentary said that since the Indian soldiers crossed into Chinese territory and obstructed work on a road in Doklam in June, China had lodged a series of protests demanding that India immediately pull back its troops. However, New Delhi views both the incident and its actions quite differently, it said.

In order to illegally install its troops on Chinese soil for as long as possible and achieve a fait accompli, India firstly claimed its border had been encroached by China. After realising its own false allegation was ridiculous, it changed its tone to its actions to being in the name of protecting Bhutan, it added.

India, who calls Bhutan an ally, said it had intervened on behalf of its neighbour, yet the true subtext is the South Asian giant wants to maintain and expand regional hegemony, it said.

The Doklam area, under Chinese control, is claimed by Bhutan.

But the commentary said: The Doklam area has long been recognised as Chinese sovereign territory with a clear history and legal basis, so there is absolutely no reason for India's incursion.

The commentary made no mention of what India has argued and expressed concerns about.

New Delhi has said it reached an agreement with Beijing in 2012 that the tri-junction boundary points between India, China and third countries will be finalised in consultation with the concerned countries. Any attempt to unilaterally determine the tri-junction points is a violation of this understanding, the external affairs ministry said last week.

The ministrys statement added that India and China had also reached an understanding in 2012 on the basis of the alignment of the boundary in Sikkim sector and that the finalisation of the frontier was being discussed by the Special Representatives on the border issue.
Chinese experts have warned India against two-front conflict with China and Pakistan, the latest in a series of belligerent statements that have appeared in the media on the month-long border standoff between the two countries.

In the last few days, the Chinese state media, which has aggressively taken up the border impasse, has raked up the Kashmir dispute to send a message to India.

Aside from the border spat with China, India was also embroiled an exchange of fire along the Kashmir border with Pakistan, the Global Times said on Monday.

Both India and Pakistan accused each other of initiating the incident on Saturday that caused civilian deaths on both sides of their controlled border in Kashmir, the newspaper said, quoting reports from India.

It would not be a good idea for India to open two fronts, it said, adding Indian troops that entered Chinese territory were yet to retreat to their side.

China has nothing to do with the situation in Kashmir, but it would be unwise for India to engage in two conflicts at the same time, Lin Mingwang from the Institute of International Studies at Shanghais Fudan University told Global Times.

This the second time in as many days that the Chinese media tried to add a Kashmir dimension to the impasse in Doklam, a region located at the narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan.

China accuses India of trespass and preventing its soldiers from building a road in Doklam, or Donglang as the Chinese call it.

On Sunday a scholar wrote in the English-language tabloid that if Pakistan were to request, a third country could dispatch soldiers to the Kashmir Valley the same way India had intervened on behalf of Bhutan.

Talking to the state media and citing a safety advisory issued by the Chinese embassy over the weekend, experts also said the current tensions made India an unsuitable destination for Chinese to travel or do business in.

China is Indias biggest trading partners outside the EU, with the balance heavily tilted in favour of Beijing. The bilateral trade has grown 10 folds over the last decade to $71 billion.

On the travel advisory, the newspaper said it was issued because the Chinese government was taking precautions.

The current tension makes India an unsuitable destination for Chinese to travel or do business in, which is why the Chinese embassy in India warns that the situation has already had an impact on normal exchanges between the two countries, Hu Zhiyong from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences said.
India will burn itself if it uses the Tibet card to exert pressure on China amid the military standoff in the Sikkim sector, Chinese state media said on Monday while referring to the hoisting of the Tibetan flag on the shore of a lake in Ladakh.

Quoting the Indian media, the Chinese media said the Tibetan national flag, a pro-independence symbol adopted by the Tibetan government-in-exile, was unfurled on the shore of Bangong lake, known as Pangong lake in India, near the Sino-India border.

The lake in Ladakh is considered strategic as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the line that defines the boundary, cuts through it.

It's the first time the Tibetan exile administration in northern India has flown the flag at this location, the nationalistic Global Times tabloid said in an article. If New Delhi is pulling the strings of the Tibetan exiles' political act of flag-hoisting, it will only have burned itself. Both border issues and the Tibet question concern China's core interests and China won't yield to provocations.

The article added, When the Indian government attaches great importance to its relationship with China, it keeps a tight grip on anti-China political activities on its soil. However, when it is dissatisfied or has conflicts with Beijing, the Tibet card is played up. But India may overestimate the influence of Tibetan exiles.

The article also warned: Given the ongoing border spat, the Indian government should act prudently to avoid escalating tensions. It has the responsibility to control Tibetan exiles and their anti-China activities on Indian soil.

The tabloid said New Delhi should think more about how to de-escalate the standoff. China is India's biggest trading partner. For India, with a vast population living in poverty, peace and opportunities of development are of vital importance. New Delhi cannot afford to mess up the China-India bilateral relationship, it added.

Tibetans living in exile in India and the communitys spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, are particularly sensitive issues for China.

China was furious when the Dalai Lama visited Arunachal Pradesh  claimed by Beijing as south Tibet  in April. The government summoned Indian envoy VK Gokhale to protest the visit and severely criticised the Indian government.
Two gunmen opened fire at a womans gender reveal party near Cincinnati, wounding the expectant mother, who said she lost the baby.

Colerain Township Police Chief Mark Denney said 22-year-old Autum Garrett, of Huntington, Indiana, was killed, and eight people including the pregnant woman and three young children, ages 8, 6 and 2, were injured in the shooting Saturday night.

The pregnant woman later told WXIX-TV that she lost her child, a boy, after being shot in the leg.

Denney said friends and family gathered for a party to learn the gender of the pregnant womans unborn child when the gunmen opened fire with handguns in the living room of the home.

The two gunmen, who fled on foot, have not been identified or arrested. Denney declined to discuss details of the investigation into the shootings.

There were no indications of a forced entry by the gunmen, who entered the house through the front door, Denney said. He said it was unclear why the victims were shot.

We dont know if they were targeted, or this was intended for someone else, Denney said.

Colerain Township called in the Cincinnati Police Department to process the crime scene, which included a search of the home after police obtained a warrant.
A senior Pakistani police official, his guard and a civilian were killed and 11 others injured on Monday in a bomb attack in the countrys restive Balochistan province.

The bombing took place in Chaman, a tense border town in the southwestern province, which has seen many bombings and extremist attacks in the past.

Although initial reports suggested the blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device, sources later said it was a suicide attack targeting the vehicle of the police officer.

District Police Officer (DPO) Killa Abdullah Sajid Mohmand, who was critically wounded in the blast, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

The DPO, his guard and a civilian were killed while another 11 people were injured, police spokesman Shazada Farhat said.

Farhat said police found a badly destroyed motorcycle at site of the blast.

An emergency has been declared in hospitals and law enforcement and rescue officials have been dispatched to the site of the incident.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has strongly condemned terrorist attack on police convoy.

Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar and Balochistan home minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti also condemned the attack. Nisar sought a report probing the incident.

Chaman is considered a sensitive town in Balochistan as it shares a border with Afghanistans volatile Kandahar province.
Many parents have noticed positive changes in their children after they attended Pan's classes.

"My son started to greet everyone he met politely, and his grades went up," said Reyihangul Yassen, 45. Her son Kawusab Ashan, 8, has been receiving tutoring from Pan for a year and a half.

Reyihangul runs a small grocery store with her husband. All parents in the neighborhood know about Pan and trust her, she said. "Sometimes we can only pick up Kawusab from Pan's after the shop closes at midnight. She never complains and is always very supportive," Reyihangul said.

"The classroom, which doesn't have nice desks and chairs like those in my school, is like a second home for me. Grandma Pan truly cares about us," Kawusab said.

Pan is currently tutoring more than 30 children between age 6 and 11. She knows all their names, what grade they are in and what their parents do.

She also enjoys visits from former students. Many of them have attended and some have graduated from universities.

In July, Abubilajan Wushor, a former student of Pan who is attending the University of South China in Hunan province, returned to Shule during summer vacation. He offered to teach the children English.

"It's the least I can do. It is great to be in the same classroom with Pan again," he said.

For Pan, reunions are sweet. "I feel empty without the children. They are a part of my family," she said.
The Supreme Court ordered the opening of a criminal case against the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistans chairman after a panel probing the alleged offshore assets of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs family submitted its final report on Monday.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court swung into action after receiving the report from the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that examined allegations of money laundering.

Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan chairman Zafar Hijazi had been accused by a federal investigation agency of tampering records to favour Sharifs family.

The bench also ordered a contempt of court notice to be issued to the Jang Group, a leading media house, for a story published in its The News daily that speculated on the findings of the JIT.

Citing sources close to the JIT, The News had reported on Monday that the panel had not held the prime minister responsible for any wrongdoing, though it linked Sharifs sons Hussain and Hassan to some questionable financial transactions.

The bench also took notice of statements made by public and political figures regarding the case and sought transcripts of all speeches made in the past 60 days by members of the ruling PML-N party.

It ordered that the name and institution of the individual responsible for leaking a photo of Hussain Nawaz appearing before the JIT should be made public.

Members of the JIT arrived at the Supreme Court amid tight security. Large cardboard boxes labelled Evidence were carted into the court as the members of the panel made their way into the courtroom.

The Supreme Court took up the matter after it was petitioned by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding disclosures in the Panama Papers leaks about offshore assets owned by Sharifs three children.

PML-N spokesman Daniyal Aziz said his party believed the JITs report was dead on arrival and still-born. The party believes the statement of former Qatari premier Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani regarding the purchase of offshore assets by the Sharif family should be part of the evidence, he said.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry expressed hope the Supreme Courts order would be upheld. Calling for an end to this mudslinging competition, he called for a separate case of perjury to be registered against the SECP chairman who, he said, should give up the names of the people who made him perjure himself.

There was no official word on the findings of the six-member JIT, which was appointed by the Supreme Court.

Leaders of the PML-N went into a huddle to frame a plan of action following the submission of the report. Sharifs daughter Maryam Nawaz, who was named in the Panama Papers leaks, had called the JIT a conspiracy against democracy.

A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had been split 3-2 while ordering the formation of the JIT on April 20. The head judge and one more had ruled against the premier in their dissenting notes.

The JIT had been asked to investigate the money trail behind the purchase of several flats in London owned by Sharifs children. The JIT, headed by Federal Investigation Agency additional director general Wajid Zia, also included representatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence.

The JIT questioned seven members of the Sharif family, including the prime minister. His elder son Hussain appeared before the panel six times while younger son Hassan appeared thrice. Others who were quizzed were Sharifs daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Muhammad Safdar Awan, Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and finance minister Ishaq Dar, who is related to the Sharif family through marriage.

The Sharif familys prime defence witness  Qatari Prince Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, who supported the Sharifs money trail through two separate letters  did not appear before the JIT.
A policeman and two civilians have been wounded in shootings in a Shiia-majority province in Saudi Arabia, police said on Monday.

Qatif, an eastern province in Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has been hit by a string of attacks over the past week, some of them deadly.

Police said an off-duty officer was wounded late Sunday when gunmen opened fire on his car as he was driving by a private farmland. Two civilians were admitted with gunshot wounds early Monday to a hospital in Qatifs town of Awamiya, police added. All three are in stable condition.

Violence over the past week has gripped Qatif, where two policemen were killed in two separate bombings targeting their patrols on Tuesday and Thursday.

Two more policemen were wounded in a Saturday attack.

Last month, three people, including an officer, were also killed in bombings in the area.

Saudi authorities have said they are treating the bombings last week as terrorist crimes and have blamed drug and arms traffickers for unrest in the area.

Residents have accused police of opening fire on civilians and give a higher death toll.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faced a fresh challenge on Monday as a panel that investigated corruption allegations against his family recommended the opening of a new case after finding disparities between their sources of income and actual wealth.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed by the Supreme Court to probe revelations in the Panama Papers leaks about the Sharif familys offshore assets submitted its final report after a two-month-long investigation during which it quizzed Sharif and members of his family.

The report was not made public but the influential Dawn newspaper said the JIT had found glaring disparities between the Sharif familys sources of income and its assets.

The report, parts of which were circulated in the media, said: Failure on the part of all respondents to produce the required information confirming known sources of income is prima facie tantamount to not being able to justify assets and the means of income.

The report added there was a significant gap/disparity between the declared sources of income and wealth accumulated by Sharif, his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.

The report suggested the National Accountability Bureau, the countrys main anti-corruption watchdog, should open a reference or case against Sharif and his three children under the provisions of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance of 1999.

The Supreme Court had taken up the matter after it was petitioned by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party regarding disclosures in the Panama Papers leaks about offshore assets owned by Sharifs three children.

After receiving the JITs report, a three-judge bench the court ordered the opening of a criminal case against Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan chairman Zafar Hijazi, who had been accused by a federal investigation agency of tampering records to favour Sharifs family.

The bench also ordered a contempt of court notice to be issued to the Jang Group, a leading media house, for a story published in The News daily that speculated on the findings of the JIT.

Citing sources close to the JIT, The News reported on Monday that the panel had not held the prime minister responsible for any wrongdoing, though it linked Sharifs sons to questionable financial transactions.

The Supreme Court said the petitioners and Sharifs family would be provided copies of the JITs report. It also directed the counsel of both sides to appear in court on July 17 for the next hearing of the case.

According to the Dawn, the JITs report stated that the financial structure and health of companies in Pakistan linked to the Sharif family do not substantiate their wealth.

The report also alleged there was irregular movement of huge amounts in shape of loans and gifts from companies based in Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates to Sharifs family and Pakistan-based companies.

The JIT, which had investigated the money trail behind the purchase of several flats in London owned by Sharifs children, was headed by Federal Investigation Agency additional director general Wajid Zia. It also included representatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence.

The JIT questioned seven members of the Sharif family, including the prime minister. His elder son Hussain appeared before the panel six times while younger son Hassan appeared thrice. Others who were quizzed were Sharifs daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Muhammad Safdar Awan, Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and finance minister Ishaq Dar, who is related to the Sharif family through marriage.

This is not the first time Sharif has faced such accusations. During his first term as premier, then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan had dismissed Sharif in 1993 after accusing him of corruption and of unleashing a reign of terror against his political foes.
To immigrant miners, federal draft officials were the enemyand it was time to pitch battle.

On the night of November 5,1863, between 20 and 30 men shuffled through the crisp Pennsylvania foliage to the home of George K. Smith, a mine owner and operator living in the tiny coal-patch town of Audenreid. Their faces were blackened to conceal their identities, but their angry mutterings betrayed their vengeful intentions.

A rap at the door and the growling of the family dog alerted Smiths fearful wife that something was amiss. One of the two men standing in her doorway said he had a letter that had to be delivered personally to her husband.

After Mrs. Smith told them her husband was sick and could not be given the letter personally, one of the men, Long John Donohue, pulled out a pistol and fired a shot inside the house. In an instant, the rest of the men rushed into the room.

George Ulrich, who worked in Smiths colliery store, was staying in the home that night at the request of Mrs. Smith, who was concernedrightly, as events now showedfor her husbands safety. Armed with a revolver, the store clerk fired several shots, wounding Donohue in the hand and dropping another intruder with a shot to the leg.

Overmatched and outgunned, Ulrich fell with a bullet in his thigh. But the commotion roused Smith from his sickbed. As he entered the room, a single shot cracked, striking Smith in the head and killing him instantly. More shots were pumped into the mine owners lifeless body.

Their mission accomplished, the mob of assassins trudged back to their dreary, company-owned homes. The Smith murder, not tried in the courts until a decade later, was one of the opening blows in a chaotic period that left a trail of blood throughout the coal regions of central and eastern Pennsylvania during the war years.

Being a mine owner and operator made Smith a much-despised man among the destitute miners. And the Civil War brought another factor into play that further fueled their hatredthe governments military draft. One newspaper writer said the draft had converted the coal region into a perfect hell.

Ordering the immigrant German and Irish miners to serve in the Federal Army and fight in a war they knew or cared little about proved too much for many of them to endure. They were paid just 50 cents for a backbreaking day of work as it was, and when a mine boss collaborated with military authorities as Smith had, their rage was doubled.

Smith wrote his own death certificate the moment he supplied work rolls to Union draft officials. Captain E.H. Rauch, the deputy provost marshal, injudiciously said that when he was in Beaver Meadow serving draft notices, Smith had given him a detailed map showing where each of the drafted men lived.

When Rauch reached the mining village of Audenreid, he and his assistant began serving draft notices while the rest of his troops were treated to a plug of tobacco and some refreshment at Smiths company store. After the notices were served, Smiths wife pleaded for the soldiers to remain, predicting there would be bloodshed as soon as they left.

In 24 hours, the prediction became a tragic reality in her own home.

As early as 1862, rebellious bands of miners were becoming known throughout the coal regions for encouraging desertions, interfering with recruiting, interrupting mining operations and attacking Union loyalists. The coal trade suffered a number of blows; men who left to fight created a shortage of skilled men to work the mines, and a devastating flood in June 1862 further hampered production.

After the National Conscription Act was passed in August, individual states were forced to draft men as a means of filling their quotas when the specified number of volunteers fell short. The plan in Pennsylvania, adopted that autumn, called for a male census upon which the quota for each county was based. There were two classes: One was for married men between the ages of 20 and 35, and bachelors 35 to 45; the second was for married men between 35 and 45. Allowances were made for men who had previously volunteered. Some counties used election rolls to find who was eligible for the draft; others looked to employee work records such as Smiths. After the list of conscripts for each district was drawn, the men selected went immediately to their respective county seats and boarded trains to the state capital in Harrisburg.

Anti-draft leaders swung into action, traveling from colliery to colliery to encourage miners to stop work and join them in marches on other mines. From this rebellious group emerged a secret band of terrorists known as the Buckshots, later known by a more infamous namethe Molly Maguires. Mine bosses the Buckshots targeted were given short advance warning. On the day of reckoning, the proposed victim would receive an ominous notice posted on his door, complete with a picture of a coffin and two crossed pistols.

One of the first incidents occurred in Audenreid 17 months before George Smith was murdered. On June 14, 1862, plans were discussed at a public meeting for upcoming Fourth of July celebrations. But many in the anti-Union crowd felt anything but patriotic. A breaker boss named F.W. Langdon was upset when Jack Kehoe, a miner from Shenandoah, Pa., insulted the American flag. Kehoe was Schuylkill Countys delegate to the Ancient Order of the Hibernians, a secret fraternal Irish organization, and was widely known as a leader of the miners. When Langdon got separated from his friends, he was stoned by a mob and died of his wounds three days later.

December 20 brought an outbreak of trouble in Cass Township, Schuylkill County, another hotbed of anti-Union sentiment. The Buckshots there boasted that at short notice they could rally 3,000 men to stop operations at the collieries. Armed with shotguns, muskets, revolvers and rifles, they divided themselves into two parties and went to the mines.

With guns and pistols pressed so close to the heads of the engineers that the muzzles bruised the flesh, they were commanded to draw the fires on pain of death if they refused, the Miners Journal in the county seat of Pottsville reported. They attacked and beat in the most outrageous manner some 15 persons connected with the works and in one instance beat a stranger who had no connection whatever with the colliery.

The Buckshots are dictating what other men who are satisfied with their wages shall work at; and beating unarmed men. If these high-handed outrages are permitted to go unchecked, property in the county will depreciate in value, and life will be more unsafe than it is among the savage guerrillas in the south.

The year 1863 opened with more violence in Schuylkill County, where James Bergen of Coal Castle was murdered in his home by five strangers January 2. Some said the assailants cheered for Confederate President Jefferson Davis as they escaped the crime scene. Another gang boldly stopped a train with new recruits in the town of Tremont. Protection was promised for any new draftees who wanted to leave the train cars and return to their homes. Many took the Buckshots offer and skedaddled.

With the industrialized North in a wartime mode, coal output could not be hindered. Trouble in the coalfields first sounded alarm bells in Harrisburg, and concern soon spread to the War Department and ultimately to President Abraham Lincoln.

Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin kept Washington informed of developments, and dispatches were exchanged between Harrisburg and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Curtin urged caution, realizing that with anti-war sentiment on the rise, open conflict could have a bad effect on the rest of the country. Alexander McClure, a political ally of both Curtin and Lincoln and the states assistant adjutant general, said, Lincoln was desirous of course to see the law executed, or at least to appear to have been executed. McClure interpreted that to mean the draft quota in the troubled Schuylkill County coal region be declared filled. To avoid more confrontations, McClure announced that the county had furnished sufficient volunteers.

Meanwhile, Catholic Bishop James Frederic Wood of Philadelphia visited the troubled areas, encouraging the rowdies to do their duty under the law as good citizens. Other ministers in the area sounded the same duty first theme from their pulpits.

But the ignorant miners have no fear of God, the state authority or the devil, warned Maj. Gen. Darius Couch, head of the Department of the Susquehanna. A strong military power under the general government alone keeps matters quiet. In making an appeal to Washington for Federal troops, Captain Charlemagne Tower, provost marshal of Schuylkill County, said Smiths killing is not a murder, it is rebellion.

Captain A.A. Yates, who headed a troop of invalid soldiers based in Beaver Meadow, encountered resistance while serving draft notices in this area; he said people were afraid to tell where any of the drafted men lived. In approaching one mine, Yates men came under fire from a rebel miner serving as a picket. And they were told 300 to 400 miners were massed two miles away at Jeanesville, prepared to surround and bushwhack any soldiers who tried to serve draft notices.

With reinforcements from nearby Hazelton, Yates managed to assemble a joint force of 130 men. They found the streets quiet when they marched into town, but in half an hour, a mob began to grow on the sidewalk. Yates ordered the streets cleared, which was done in five minutes; one stubborn Buckshot suffered a saber wound in the process. Houses were then searched and a wagonload of arms and ammunition confiscated, among them some U.S. muskets.

The wives of mining officials in Beaver Meadow, concerned for their husbands safety, pleaded that the soldiers remain. One woman said a ruffian had earlier fired a musket ball among a group of children playing in the town, but no one was injured.

In early November 1863, Couch visited the strife-torn coal region, which was policed only by invalid troops and a few home guards, to assess the threat. Acting on Couchs fresh reports, the War Department decided to send in the 10th New Jersey, a regiment of just over 500 men. After arriving on November 12, companies were dispatched to Beaver Meadow, Audenreid, Tresckow, Jeanesville, Yorktown, Hazelton and Mauch Chunk (present-day Jim Thorpe).

The 10th New Jersey quickly began netting suspects; by late November, nearly 100 were arrested and sent to Reading for trial before a military commission.

The Irish gangs threatened to resist all soldiers brought against them, Charles A. Coward of Company G said in a letter. Before we came here, a peaceable citizen could not safely live here.We were all taken out with loaded guns to mine No. 3. Two more companies of our regiment came up from Beaver Meadow to assist; they went to the other mines in the neighborhood. Four men were taken from the company (among them was myself) and double-quicked about three-eighths of a mile to a back entrance to the mine and ordered to let no one come out. The rest of the men then waited at the main entrance, and as the miners came out, having finished their days work, they were inspected. If their names were on a list of outlaws, they were put in custodyif not they were released. In this manner, about 30 were caught.

Coward placed full blame for the problems on the Irish. Hanging is entirely too good for them, he said.

The military trials began in Reading in January 1864, but were moved to the strategic coal-shipping town of Mauch Chunk the next month. The trials rated front-page coverage in The New York Times.

A man named Charles Dugan was tried for conspiracy to resist the draft and other charges. John Sherman, a foreman in the Jeanesville mines, testified he had overheard Dugan say a party was going out to resist the draft and that they would rather die at home than fight for Abe Lincoln. According to Sherman, Dugan said they intended to tear down the house of provost marshal Major Ario Pardee and demolish half of Hazelton.

In another incredible revelation, Dugan told of a plan to attack Yates invalid soldiers patrolling the coalfields at Beaver Meadow, capture their guns and march with the arms to Scranton and overpower troops stationed there. They would then raise a cavalry and infantry troop made up mostly of miners and reinforce Confederate General Robert E. Lee during his invasion of Pennsylvania.

Another witness said he had heard suspect Peter Dillon ridicule the soldiers during a resist-the-draft meeting in Tresckow, calling them the white slaves of Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin and Abe Lincoln. He said the president had broken the U.S. Constitution and therefore the people as a mass had a right to resist the draft.

The verdicts brought by the commission ranged from fines to prison terms, including sentences of hard labor. The more high-profile cases were decided later during the dramatic Molly Maguire trials of the 1870s. It was not until then that Pinkerton detectives cracked the secret society, sending Jack Kehoe to the gallows for the 1862 murder of F.W. Langdon, and James McDonnell and Charles Sharp to meet the hangman for the November 1863 murder of George K. Smith.

Author Jim Zbick was associate editor of the Leighton, Pa., Times News when this article was originally published in the March 1992 edition of Americas Civil War. For further reading, see Wayne C. Broehls The Molly Maguires, or John Y.

Originally published in the January 2013 issue of Americas Civil War. To subscribe, click here.
The Rebels won at Valverde the biggest battle fought in the Southwest but they couldnt secure a coast-to-empire.

Mesa del Contadero, a 300-foot-high mass of black volcanic rock, rose up over the northern end of a punishing New Mexico desert. Since at least the 17th century, the desolate stretch of ancient lava flows, sand and creosote bushes was known as Jornada del Muertothe journey of death. It wasnt an ideal spot for Henry Hopkins Sibley to make a stand for the Confederacy, but the brigadier general had little choice. His Texas volunteers had come nearly 800 miles from San Antonio to the outskirts of Fort Craig, a well-provisioned Union post along the Rio Grande. Now, in February 1862, snow and sleet whipped the Rebels so hard as to almost pelt the skin off our faces, wrote Ebenezer Hanna, a 17-year-old private in Sibleys Brigade. Forage for their horses and cattle was non-existent, and the men were ill-equipped for a winter campaign.

The Confederacy helped itself to the southern half of New Mexico Territory in the summer of 1861, creating its own Territory of Arizona. Sibley believed the rest of New Mexico could be brought under Rebel control and, with the aid of sympathetic Westerners, the South would build an empire that stretched all the way to the Pacific.

Sibley had 2,590 men in his Army of New Mexicothe 4th, 5th and 7th Texas Mounted Volunteers and the 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles. Reconnaissance determined it would be foolhardy to launch a frontal assault on Fort Craigs superior defensive position. Our only hope of success, Sibley reported, was to force the enemy to an open-field fight.

That was just what Union Colonel Edward R.S. Canby hoped to avoid. Canby lamented the fact that more than half of his 3,800-man force comprised hastily mustered, inexperienced local volunteers and militia, many of whom were native New Mexicans who spoke little or no English. Having no confidence in militia and but little in the volunteers, Canby said, he watched the Rebel moments warily until it became clear that Sibley was forcing us to attack him upon ground of his own choice.

Sibley was obviously going to try to cross the Rio Grande at the Valverde fords, just north of Mesa del Contadero. The Yankees had to defend Valverde, or the Rebels would simply bypass Fort Craig and move on Albuquerque and Santa Fe uncontested.

At dawn on February 21, Union advance cavalry passed west of the mesa to the lower ford of the river. Meanwhile a slightly larger force of Texans skirted the mesas eastern edge and stopped at a thick stand of cottonwood trees near the upper ford, where they watered their horses for the first time in more than 24 hours. It was the last quiet moment of the day.

Battle lines formed quickly as both sides rushed reinforcements to Valverde. Despite their recent privations, the Rebels had the advantage. Entrenched in a dry riverbed and with the cottonwoods for cover, Confederate artillery kept Major Thomas Duncans cavalry in check near the lower ford. To clear the way for Union artillery to cross to the east bank of the river, hundreds of infantrymen waded through the chest-deep Rio Grande as the lowering desert sky spit snow.

By afternoon, Captain Alexander McRaes four-gun battery and two guns detached from the 10th U.S. Infantry were in position east of the river. More Union troops including the 1st New Mexico Volunteers under legendary frontiersman Christopher Kit Carsoncame up in support. Pressure mounted on the thinning Confederate lines, where men were desperate for water. Corporal John Poe of the 4th Texas recalled, Our eyes sank back, our tongues swelled, our brains reeled.

But Canby did not press his advantage. Fearing that a frontal assault was too risky, he instead ordered a wheel maneuver. With McRaes battery as a pivot point, the Yankees would circle to the right and roll up the Confederate left.

Then Colonel Thomas Green of the 5th Texas made one last attempt to win the day: The Rebels would charge the Union battery. When the words Up, boys, and at them! were given, said Lt. Col. William Scurry, 4th Texas, straight at their battery of six gunswent our brave volunteers.

The Yankees were stunned. Within minutes, the Rebels captured the entire battery and forced a retreat to Fort Craig. Sibleys Brigade had driven the enemy from the field and would soon push on to Albuquerque. But by May, the dream of a Pacific empire was dead. Writing from Texas after a disastrous spring campaign, Sibley declared, except for its political geographical position, the Territory of New Mexico is not worth a quarter of the blood and treasure expended in its conquest.

Christine M. Kreiser is a senior editor for Americas Civil War.

Originally published in the January 2013 issue of Americas Civil War. To subscribe, click here.
Is JPAC Missing in Action?

An internal review of the Joint Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC) program, created to retrieve the remains of soldiers missing from previous wars, has drawn allegations of dysfunction and mismanagement, according to an AP report. Retrieving and identifying remains of fallen soldiers has been a formal Department of Defense obligation since 1973.

Soldiers unaccounted for from Vietnam were JPACs initial focus, but its commitment has since expanded to include all soldiers unaccounted for in World War II and subsequent conflicts, including the Cold War. The numbers are staggering: 83,000 are missing in total, the vast majority, more than 70,000, from WWII.And the successes have been precious and few: Since the early 1970s, JPAC has identified or accounted for a total of 1,910 service members, 999 of them involving service in Vietnam.

Although the Pentagon has not made public the results of its review, major shortcomings of the program were evident in a mandatory review completed by the Government Accounting Office in July 2013. That report found poor organizational structure, poor integration of resources, lack of case prioritization, duplicated efforts and lack of authority to pursue leads across all areas of command.

The program may be suffering substantial growth pains due to the daunting scope of its goals, the complexity of its task and the growing array of forensic techniques, such as DNA testing and examination of dental records, skeletal remains and personal belongings. The lengthy investigations that lead researchers to excavate a particular site have also played a role.

The missions shortfall is most pronounced in finding remains of missing WWII vets, only about half of which are deemed recoverable.According to Ed Ross, a former director of the Defense Prisoner of War Missing Personnel Office, the sad truth is that most of the recoverable remains have been recovered.

Congress has demanded that JPAC increase the number of remains identified each year to 200 in 2015, a goal that seems to ignore the many variables that lead to a successful identification. In 2012, remains of 69 soldiers were identified.

War Refugees Found Living in Jungle

An 82-year-old man and his adult son were discovered living in a treehouse deep in the jungle of central Vietnam this past summer, 40 years after war drove them from their home. The father, Ho Van Thanh, allegedly fled the village of Tra Kem in shock with his then 2-year-old son Ho Van Lang after a mine exploded near their house, killing his wife and two other sons. In August locals gathering wood spotted the pair behaving oddly and called officials, who found them 25 miles in the jungle wearing only loincloths fashioned from tree bark.

Now that the pair is reunited with family members and housed, authorities face questions of whether they can force the two to live in their former village against their will. My uncle wants to escape my house to go back to the forest, so we have to keep an eye on him now, Thanhs nephew, Ho Ven Bien, told the Herald Sun.

VA Finds Postwar AO Exposure

In a decision likely to have wide repercussions, the VA awarded disability benefits to Paul Bailey, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served postwar flying a C-123 that had carried out missions disseminating Agent Orange in Vietnam, according to a report in the Washington Post. The decision carries great weight because it is the first time the agency has approved benefits for postwar exposure without the veteran first pursuing approval from the Veteran Board of Appeals. Bailey, who is ill with cancer, had been denied disability benefits at a local VA center, which contended it did not have approval to grant benefits based on postwar Agent Orange exposure.

A separate story, from McClatchy news, reported evidence that manufacturers of Agent Orange were aware as early as 1964 of potentially damaging effects of exposure to dioxin in the herbicide. Both Dow and Monsanto contend they made the defoliant under federal contract and according to military instructions, however, and are thus shielded from liability.

Honor Flight Takes Vets to The Wall

A special one-time Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight carried a group of 115 Vietnam veterans from Wisconsin to see their memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 2the first time the Honor Flight program has been extended to Vietnam vets. Oshkoshs Experimental Aircraft Association hosted the flight during AirVenture 2013 as part of its Salute to Veterans activities. The flight also served to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the end of the war and to thank all Vietnam vets for supporting the Honor Flight program. Through 2012, Honor Flight has transported more than 98,500 World War II veterans, free of charge, to Washington, with many Vietnam veterans serving as escorts.

Veterans for the Yellow Ribbon flight were chosen from across the state of Wisconsin through a lottery for which there were more than 500 applicants. The participating vets received a warm welcome at Reagan National Airport and paid their respects at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. During their visit to The Wall, many were visibly overcome with emotion.

You can see the names but you can also see your reflection in the wall. Youre with them again, Vietnam veteran Duane Canon told Chris Hibben of Snap 180 Media, which had exclusive rights to film the event. The 23-minute documentary, Yellow Ribbon, can be viewed at www.snap180.com.

Originally published in the December 2013 issue of Vietnam. To subscribe, click here.
A long and bitter rivalry took a harsh turn among the rival groups that left 28 people dead. An investigation will soon be carried out to know about the actual circumstances that prevailed during the fight.

The situation turned bitter in maximum security wing of Las Cruces prison in the Acapulco city when a fight broke between two rival groups in the prison. The victims of the fight were beaten to death and stabbed. According to reports from BBC, an investigation will be soon carried out. Acapulco city is famously known as a drug production city and is also the biggest city in Guerrero state. It is considered one of the most violent areas of Mexico.

Roberto Alvarez, a state security spokesman said that dead bodies were recovered from all the areas of the unit which also included the area meant for conjugal visits and the kitchen. He further said that it seemed like no weapons were used to kill the people. The investigation which has been ordered will focus on both the prisoners and the prison staff. He believes that the incident sparked due to a prolonged and bitter war between the rival groups that existed within the prison.

The army and the federal police are now providing security outside the prison as the area is now swarming with more than 2,000 prisoners. According to reports, May was the most horrible month for Mexico as the statistics revealed that 2,186 homicides were carried out in a single month alone.

The government records have revealed that the counting from December 2006 to May 2017 amounts to approximately 1888,567 murders, which were carried out in the region. Acapulco city was once a popular tourist destination in Mexico but then, the area saw an increase in violent behavior as a result of a fight among the criminal gangs to gain control over the illegal activities. The city is now known to be the deadliest city of Mexico.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
On June 14, I flew from Ibiza to the sweltering heat of Barcelona for my fifth visit to the Sonar festival. This time out, Sonar offered no less than 140 acts across musical performances across nine stages. For good measure, it had 157 activities and projects at Sonar+D, with more than 400 speakers and exhibitors. The festival had a 61,000-strong crowd at Sonar by Day, with a similar number heading to Sonar by Night.

We landed on an early flight and straight away I made my way to Sonar by Day, which was incredibly well organised. My accreditation was sorted very quickly and within 20 minutes of arriving, I was at my first panel.

First on the agenda was checking the Open Music Initiative, a collaborative international endeavour to find an open-source standard for music metadata, allowing for the fair distribution of music royalties and licence fees to artists and publishers. Richie Hawtin and Resonate founder Peter Harris were among the speakers. We Are Europe, meanwhile, hosted a series of informal Q&As with people like Dimitri Hegemann (founder of Tresor Berlin) and digital strategist Bas Grasmayer.
Who: Rodrigo Davila, the Miami-based director of wine and spirits for Texas de Brazil, which has a location in Houston at 822 Town and Country Blvd., Suite 100, in City Centre. A 2002 graduate of Florida International University, where he earned an advanced mastery-of-wine-and-beverages certificate and an undergraduate degree, Davila has had a hand in Texas de Brazil wine lists that have won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence each year since 2006.

What: 2016 Conde Valdemar Rose

Why: Although this pink wine from Spain's Rioja region lies outside the restaurant's wheelhouse - its focus, obviously, is South America - Davila takes special pleasure in recommending a new Spanish Rioja or Chilean merlot that surprises his guests and "plays a memorable part in their dining experience." In this particular case, he adds, "nothing says summer like a glass of rose." Bodegas Valdemar is a five-generations-old wine-making family business that has been named as one of Rioja's best for the past 25 years by Wine & Spirits magazine. The rose, 75 percent garnacha and 25 percent viura - the grapes are all estate grown - offers, Davila says, "a balance between crispness and fruitiness and has a nice acidity that makes it very versatile, pairing beautifully with our lobster bisque, our Moqueca (a traditional Brazilian coconut fish stew) and our many cuts of churrasco-style grilled meats."

Price: $9 for a glass, $36 for a bottle at Texas de Brazil

Dale Robertson
Immigration agents have reported being assaulted far more often in the first six months of 2017, as they carry out policies that have increased both detentions and deportations nationwide.

U.S. Border Patrol agents reported more than 550 assaults on law enforcement officials in the first part of the year, up from 300 last year, Acting Chief Carla Provost recently told members of Congress.

Meanwhile, officers who patrol the interior of the United States for Immigration and Customs Enforcement have seen 20 assaults so far this year, compared to only six in 2017, according to information provided by ICE to the Houston Chronicle.

Last month alone, two immigrants were prosecuted in Texas federal courts for recent assaults on border patrol agents.

Miguel Cabrera Rangel, 54, was convicted in June of punching and striking a border patrol agent with a flashlight after the agent went to investigating a report of undocumented aliens on a ranch near Hebbronville in 2016. The agent suffered a concussion and a broken nose, according to information released by the Department of Justice.

Cabrera Rangel fled, but was later captured aboard a fishing boat in Copano Bay and convicted after a two-day trial in Laredo.

Separately, a 24-year-old woman from Matamoros was sentenced in June to 21 months in prison for 2016 assaults of border patrol agents and a detention guard.

Maribel Tejeda Fomperosa was arrested after wading across the Rio Grande into the United States in October 2016, federal prosecutor say. She was placed in a holding cell, where she assaulted one border patrol officer who was attempting to restrain her and spat at a second agent. She was arrested for those assaults when she assaulted a corrections officer, court records show.

Currently, agents assigned to Texas' Rio Grande Valley sector are being told to take extra care while patrolling the border across from Reynosa, where stray rounds from Gulf Cartel-related gun battles on the Mexican side have injured agents.

Further from the border, ICE agents too have also seen violence increase, according to information provided by Houston-based ICE Spokesman Gregory Palmore. This year's total of 20 reported assaults is far less than the border patrol's - but even one bad incident can prove deadly, Palmore said.

"ICE leadership recently announced that administrative arrests have increased almost 40 percent, which expose officers to greater risks and threats, but the agency is dedicated to conducting immigration enforcement humanely, respectfully and with professionalism," ICE officials added in an emailed statement.

At least twice this year, ICE agents have shot civilians during arrests - including a March shooting of an unarmed legal permanent resident in Chicago that has sparked controversy. In that incident, ICE reported said the agent "attempted to make an arrest" when a second person "pointed a weapon toward agents."

The agent fired his gun, wounding a 53-year-old legal permanent resident.
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AUSTIN - It's the zombies that freak everybody out.

Months ago at the Ferguson Unit, a state prison north of Huntsville long known as one of Texas' tougher lockups, a convict doing 30 years for drug trafficking "flipped out" and started yelling and swinging wildly at correctional officers and other convicts.

"His eyes was as big as my fist," said one veteran correctional officer, who quickly summoned backup to the cellblock disturbance. "I knew it was '2,'" prison lingo for K2, a synthetic marijuana that now reigns as fastest-growing drug contraband in Texas' massive prison system.

"The 2 makes them crazy and crazy strong," the officer said, speaking anonymously because prison policies prevent him from speaking publicly. "It took a bunch of us to take him down. He was like a zombie. It was scary."

More and more, other prison officials confirm, that scene has become routine in Lone Star lockups as front-line corrections officers battle what they say seems like a rising tide of K2 use. It's a trend being played out nationally, as well, that officials say endangers the safety of convicts and prison staff.

So far, no prison deaths have been attributed to K2 in Texas, authorities said.

More for you Kush crackdown

Dangerous drugs

In recent letters to the Houston Chronicle, convicts report that a growing number of prisoners are overdosing from the drug - though prison statistics do not confirm that, perhaps due to the difficulty in validating its presence through standard drug tests.

"K2 is the new drug of choice, inside and outside of prison," said Bruce Toney, inspector general for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the detective force that busts illegal activity inside Texas' 110 state prisons - the nation's largest state-run system.

"It used to be marijuana or something else. Now it's K2."

Targeted crackdowns

Of the 950 contraband busts inside Texas prisons between January and mid-June, 477 involved illegal drugs - and 268 of those, more than half, were for possessing K2, according to state statistics.

Last year, 560 of the 1,015 drug-contraband cases - slightly less than half - involved K2

State investigators both inside the prison system and out blame the growing problem with K2 on its cheap price and the fact that routine drug screens fail to detect its presence. Its chemical makeup is routinely changed by overseas manufacturers to avoid detection, according to authorities. Its multitude of names rivals the variety of ingredients. One of its more common product names is Kush.

Texas' prison system conducts random drug tests on convicts and staff at a cost of about $10 each. More extensive screening tests that detect K2 can cost over six times that amount, officials said.

The Legislature made K2 illegal in September 2015. Before that, authorities said it was even harder to bust anyone - even convicts - for possessing it.

But in the past two years, prison officials say they have launched a continuing series of targeted crackdowns on visitors and guards who are smuggling it to convicts and on inmates who pay up to $500 an ounce to have it smuggled in to them.

Its cost on the street: about $20 an ounce.

Generally, K2 is a mixture of spices, herbs and shredded plant material that is sprayed with a synthetic compound similar to the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

It is also available in clear liquid form that, in prison, can cost from $800 to $1,000 an ounce - perhaps even more in some units. On the street, the same liquid in many areas sells for $100 or more an ounce, officials said.

By contrast, cellphones - which not so many years ago were the hottest prison contraband - sell inside Texas' state lockups for $350 to $1,000.

Crooked employees

Officials say the prisons in the Huntsville area have been the source for the majority of the K2 busts in the past two years, though it is turning up elsewhere. They attribute the high bust rates to the targeted crackdowns, sometimes based on snitches. Investigators believe that large amounts of K2 come from the Houston area because it is an overseas importation point.

For their part, four correctional officers at units in Huntsville, Gatesville and Abilene acknowledged the rising prevalence of K2. They blamed much of the problem on relatives and friends of convicts because they smuggle it in on visitation days. The officers concede that some of their fellow guards are probably sneaking it in, as well, to make extra money on the side.

In recent months, prison investigators said they have conducted searches and busts on visitation days at several prisons as well as by searching prison employees' vehicles in random parking lot sweeps.

Prison police say they have also recently busted wives, cousins and children of convicts - even a grandmother - for trying to smuggle K2 into East Texas prisons. Once, prison screeners found K2 concealed in a baby's diapers on a visitation day.

Toney said authorities are serious about cutting off the supply inside prisons: "If you're trying to bring it in, if you throw it out on the grounds for someone else to bring it in, we're gonna catch you and you're gonna be wearing matching uniforms with the person you came to see."

The problem goes way beyond Texas.

In recent months, numerous state and federal prison officials across the United States have acknowledged growing problem in their systems with K2, as have prison officials overseas in England and other countries.

State drug and prison investigators said the K2 epidemic first began about five years ago, as local police began addressing overdoses on so-called synthetic marijuana that was available for sale in convenience stores and head shops.

'It's scary'

State poison control centers in Texas and other states soon reported a spike in overdoses, serious illnesses and deaths from K2 and related substances. Texas lawmakers outlawed it in 2015.

But police across Texas have continued to report continuing issues with K2 overdoses, including among homeless people.

Lance Lowry, president of a Huntsville union that represents correctional officers, recalled one shift a few years ago when he was working in an Huntsville-area prison.

"Three guys went off about the same time and overdosed after smoking K2," he said. "One guy was on the floor in a medical emergency. One was spaced out of his mind. The other one was fighting us and everyone else. It took eight or nine officers to get him under control."

"It's crazy. And it's scary."
AUSTIN - He was called "Absent Abbott" for his hands-off approach in this year's legislative session that ended in disarray a month ago.

But as a July 18 special session approaches, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is taking a decidedly different approach. Rather than let the legislative process run its course, with gentle nudges along the way to get what he wants, the governor is evolving into a detailed tactician striving to ensure the 20 conservative issues he has proposed will be passed in the form he wants. He's lining up House and Senate sponsors for each of the bills, negotiating the wording and suggesting the choreography of how they could be moved through the Legislature.

It is a rare move by Texas' top elected official to be so hands-on in directing the legislative process, for an office that is among the weakest in the nation, as far as its constitutional powers go. But Capitol insiders and political experts agree that what is being characterized as micromanaging by Texas' CEO could carry little political risk, even if many of Abbott's agenda items do not pass.

"Besides vetoing bills after the Legislature goes home, this is one of the areas where the governor really does have power - and Abbott is exercising that now in a way we haven't seen in some time," said Jerry Polinard, a political scientist at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley who has studied the machinations of Texas' executive branch for more than 40 years. "He seems to be executing the process very skillfully, very smart, and I think it will pretty much end up in a win-win for him."

'Governor-driven'

Almost daily for the past two weeks, Abbott's office has announced bill sponsors for each agenda item - Senate and House authors - after what looked to be a stumbling start for his priority list, when advocacy groups quickly declared war on many of the items and House Speaker Joe Straus likened the agenda to a room full of horse manure, suggesting that lawmakers should be focusing any summer efforts on better funding for public education.

Drawing the most opposition: the controversial bathroom "privacy" bill, school choice for special-needs students, more abortion restrictions, property-tax reform and new limits on cities to regulate local businesses and property owners.

Only one bill so far seems set for smooth passage, a so-called "sunset" measure that will keep in operation the state agencies that regulate doctors and several related medical professions, though leaders in both legislative chambers seem concerned it's approval could become a pawn in political games over the other bills.

For his part, Abbott has been clear that he wants all 20 items approved by the time the special session ends Aug. 17. He once went so far as to say lawmakers would be "lazy" if they didn't approve his agenda at the rate of about one bill per day.

"This is clearly a governor-driven session, certainly a novel approach from what we've seen in the past," said Houston state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, the Senate GOP leader and confidant of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who was recruited by Abbott to author a property-tax reform bill along with Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton. Both lawmakers carried similar legislation that failed to pass during the regular session that ended May 29.

More Information The issues: The chances Current handicapping of items on the Legislature's special session agenda: Sunset legislation for five medical regulatory agencies: Will pass. Teacher pay increase of $1,000: Good chance to pass. Flexibility in teacher hiring and retention: Uncertain; some teacher groups may oppose. Commission to study school finance reform: Likely to pass. Property tax reform: May pass; many cities and local taxing entities strongly oppose rollback election provisions. New caps on state and local spending: Likely to pass. Prevent cities from regulating tree-cutting on private land: Uncertain; strong opposition from cities expected. Prevent local governments from changing development rules midway through construction projects: May pass; strong opposition from cities expected. Speeding up local permitting processes: May pass; strong opposition from cities expected. Annexation reform that requires a public vote of the areas to be annexed: May pass; strong opposition from cities expected. Privacy/bathroom bill: Unlikely to pass; strong opposition from outside groups, including the Texas business lobby, could bring a thumbs-down again in the House. Prohibit union dues from being collected with government paychecks: Uncertain; Senate support is there, but opposition heavier in House. Prohibit local governments from funding abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood: May pass; opposition from pro-choice groups and local activists. Pro-life insurance reform: Likely to pass; opposition from anti-abortion groups and others. Stronger abortion reporting rules: Likely to pass. Strengthen patient protections relating to do-not-resuscitate orders: Likely to pass. Crackdown on mail-in ballot fraud: Likely to pass. Extending the maternal mortality task force: Passage expected. Source: Houston Chronicle research By the numbers 20: Number of issues Gov. Greg Abbott wants to see addressed during the special session 30: Maximum number of days that a special session can last. This session is set to begin July 18 and could run until Aug. 17. See More Collapse

"The governor is putting this session together piece by piece to get the outcome he wants," Bettencourt said. "He's clearly trying to get consensus on the bills before the session starts, so they'll get through."

During the constitutionally-required, 140-day legislative session that began in January, Abbott outlined his top priorities and then left the legislating to lawmakers, with the usual behind-the-scenes nudges to make sure they accomplished most of his intent. His top priorities passed, but the sunset bill - a key bill - was held hostage in the Senate over the bathroom bill and property-tax reform, and because an alternative died in a procedural meltdown late in the session in the House.

Ground work

Abbott, clearly angry about the failure, announced within days he would call lawmakers back into a summer special session - and that he planned to make them work, releasing a list that was quickly cheered by conservative Republicans and decried by most everyone else.

Even before the regular session ended, Capitol insiders confirmed, Abbott and his aides were quietly mapping their strategy for a special session.

In the weeks since, Abbott and his top aides have been meeting in person and in conference calls with lawmakers in both the Senate and House - Republicans and Democrats - who support one or more of the agenda items, as well as nearly 75 special-interest advocates, political and grassroots activists and trade associations.

That process for the most part has not directly involved Patrick and Straus - who are widely known to personally dislike each other - as Abbott aides hope to move the agenda ahead to passage, according to lawmakers and Capitol aides.

By Friday, the sponsors of the bills on Abbott's agenda included both Republicans and Democrats - many in the leadership of both chambers - in a sign that seemed to confirm Abbott's strategy could work. In addition, the announcements were accompanied by statements of support for the various bills by the announced sponsors.

"We must do more to keep our best teachers in the classroom, especially in our highest-need campuses," said Rep. Joe Deshotel, a Beaumont Democrat. He has agreed to support a bill to increase teacher pay and give school administrators greater flexibility to recruit and retain the best teachers in Texas public schools - and fire the bad ones. Deshotel chairs the House Select Committee on Ports, Innovation and Infrastructure.

"We must let our teachers know how much we value their hard work and the impact they make on our children."

State Rep. Richard Raymond, a Laredo Democrat who chairs the powerful House Human Services Committee, also has signed on.

"I have introduced legislation several times, including during this past regular session, calling for a pay raise for teachers," he said in a statement released by Abbott's office. "I absolutely agree with Governor Greg Abbott's decision to put this item on the agenda. Teachers deserve it."

Straus criticizes

Abbott aides noted that the sponsor list includes members of both House and Senate leadership teams, a move they hope will clearly signal support across political fault lines in both chambers where delays in passage of the bills could develop.

Without a doubt, the political reckoning of the two Republican-controlled legislative chambers is far apart. The Senate is tea party conservative while the House, where Democrats are more than a third of the 150 members, tends to be more centrist conservative on many issues.

While Patrick has publicly called Abbott's list of priorities a "big and bold special session agenda which solidly reflects the priorities of the people of Texas," Straus has made it clear he dislikes some of it. Two weeks ago, he compared it to a pile of horse manure during a San Antonio speech to school board members from across the state, where he opened his remarks with a story, often told by President Ronald Reagan, about a boy who surprised his psychiatrist by getting excited about "a room full of horse manure."

"With all this manure, there must be a pony in here somewhere," Straus quoted the boy as saying. "So I'm going to take the optimistic approach to the special session and keep looking for that pony."

He urged the education officials to complain often and loudly to their hometown lawmakers to prioritize public education - at one point, branding the House as the legislative chamber that "still believes in public education" - and took swipes at Patrick and the Senate for supporting school vouchers, the controversial bathroom bill and property-tax reforms that school districts have complained will hurt their ability to fund key programs.

In meetings with supporters and lawmakers, Abbott aides have hinted strongly that if they don't get what they want from the special session, they will call lawmakers back for another.

'Put-up-or-shut-up time'

While Abbott has been working behind the scenes to guarantee passage of most, if not all, of his conservative agenda, opponents insist they have a strong shot at defeating many of the proposals.

"Abbott can plan all he wants to, and the Senate will probably go along, but we're counting on the House to be the voice of reason on a number of the issues," said Gabe Ferrer, an Austin advocate who opposes the state taking more control from cities - on sanctuary cities and other issues.

Chuck Smith, chief executive officer of Equality Texas, an advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Texans that opposes the bathroom bill, echoed the sentiment: "The House tends to be a more deliberative body."

At the same time, conservative activists who say they are networking with the governor's office are just as intent on getting most, if not all, of Abbott's agenda passed into law.

"The grassroots will be looking at everything the Senate and House will be doing," said Dale Huls, a board member of the Clear Lake Tea Party, echoing sentiments of other conservative activists. "The special session has taken away the hiding places where some Republicans were during the regular session, where they thought some of the best votes were the ones not taken.

"This is now put-up-or-shut-up time."
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ISTANBUL - Tens of thousands of Turks came out in force in an Istanbul suburb on Sunday in a direct challenge to their president as they called for an end to a state of emergency that has been in place since a failed coup in July 2016.

The mammoth protest - organized by the opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP - was a rare display of public dissent in a country where tens of thousands have been jailed as part of a systematic post-coup purge of dissidents and other government opponents. Even small demonstrations in central Istanbul have often been met with a harsh police response. But Sunday's rally, which organizers claimed drew more than a million people, marked a triumphant end to a march started by opposition leaders in Ankara three weeks ago.
WASHINGTON - Vice President Mike Pence has been courting scores of the country's most influential donors, corporate executives and conservative political leaders over the past several months in a series of private gatherings and one-on-one conversations.

The centerpiece of the effort is a string of dinners held every few weeks at the vice president's official residence on the grounds of the Naval Observatory in Washington. Pence and his wife, Karen, have presided over at least four such soirees, and more are in the works.

Each has drawn roughly 30 to 40 guests, including a mix of wealthy donors such as Chicago hedge fund manager Kenneth C. Griffin and brokerage firm founder Charles Schwab, as well as GOP fundraisers and executives from companies like Dow Chemical and military contractor United Technologies.

The guests and their families collectively donated or helped raise millions of dollars to support the Trump-Pence ticket in 2016, and some are viewed in Republican finance circles as likely supporters for two new groups created to advocate for President Donald Trump, Pence, their legislative agenda and congressional allies.

The dinner guest lists were curated in part by two of Pence's closest advisers, who have also played important roles in starting the new political groups, America First Policies and America First Action. Pence has appeared at recent events outside his official residence with prospective donors to the groups.

The off-site events and dinners at Pence's residence underscore the vice president's outreach to donors for an administration led by a president who dislikes courting contributors. Pence's activities have fueled speculation among Republican insiders that he is laying the foundation for his own political future, independent from Trump.

Pence's aides point out that he also has dinners at the residence for groups other than donors, including members of Congress, world leaders, military families, civic leaders and friends. They cast the donor dinners as an effort to build support for the administration's agenda, not for Pence personally.

"Mike Pence is the ultimate team player and works every day to help the president succeed," said Robert T. Grand, an Indianapolis lawyer who helped raise money for Pence's campaigns in Indiana for Congress and for governor. Grand attended a dinner at the vice president's residence in June.

"Any administration, past and present, has an interest in getting to know folks," he added. "If you're an incumbent president and vice president, then that's part of what you do."
Gary Coronado/Staff

Paul Revere's fictionalized warning, "One if by land, and two if by sea," should include "three if by air" to encompass all the threats to our nation's borders today. But when President Donald J. Trump talks about border security, he's usually focused on just land borders. One of his major campaign promises was that he would build a wall along the southern border of our nation to keep out "bad dudes," to be paid for by Mexico, or so he claimed.

It's true that checkpoints between Mexico and Canada are heavily frequented border crossings. But we also have more than 100,000 miles of coastlines, and protecting our nation on the seafront presents different challenges that the Trump administration has given too short a shrift.
The environment

Regarding "EPA watchdog? (Page A14, Friday), the editorial very cleverly divided "people who work in certain government jobs into three categories: attack dogs, lap dogs and watch dogs" then categorized EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt as an attack dog when Oklahoma's attorney general, who has morphed into "a lap dog for the very industries he's supposed to regulate."

I think it fair to apply your categories to classify environmentalists, former President Obama, the EPA and state attorney generals during Obama's eight-year reign. Obama took office as a quintessential attack dog with a goal of ending fossil fuels, especially coal, as viable energy sources. Alternate energy sources were his wave of the future.

Obama then ceded the attack dog role to the EPA which obliged by appointing Al Armendariz to head up District 6 including Texas. After wreaking havoc for about two years, Armendariz was forced to resign when a video surfaced in which he said "in order to get the attention of other companies he would follow the tactics of Roman soldiers: select a couple of companies and 'crucify' them."

With EPA serving as his attack dog Obama became environmentalists' lap dog siding with them even when it meant opposing organized labor with his Keystone Pipeline ruling. State attorney generals in states bearing the brunt of EPA's heavy-handed regulations had two choices: sit on the sidelines as watch dogs to watch as their industries were overregulated or counterattack EPA regulators and the Obama administration, a role where they were true underdogs.

Neil Stovall, Houston

Forensic science

Regarding "Progress squandered in forensic science" (Page A17, Wednesday), the Justice Department's decision to do away with the National Commission on Forensic Science is unfortunate and means there is no longer an independent monitor of the quality of science used in federal trials. During its tenure, the NCFS helped ensure innocent people were not convicted based on "junk science."

The NCFS's demise, however, makes Houston and Texas national models for forensic science reform. At the state level, the Texas Forensic Science Commission oversees crime lab protocols, investigates incidents of negligence or misconduct by lab analysts and recommends best practices. Its work has raised the overall quality of forensic science statewide.

Here in Houston, our city leadership has created one of the only truly independent crime labs in the country, the Houston Forensic Science Center. Since 2014, the lab has been operated by scientists - not police or prosecutors - and has been overseen by a board of directors made up of diverse citizen volunteers. Independence has allowed the lab to foster a scientific research culture, increase productivity and operate transparently. Most impressive, HFSC has implemented a unique, sustainable blind quality control testing system in multiple disciplines, allowing it to gauge analysts' skills and evaluate scientific processes.

No matter what happens in Washington, Houstonians can be proud we have city and state leaders who still care about the quality of forensic evidence introduced in Texas courtrooms.

Nicole B. Casarez,chair, board of directors Houston Forensic Science Center, Inc.
Catch shares in marine fisheries is a concept unfamiliar to most people, and it is probably completely alien to most hunters and anglers in this country. It is a system of wildlife management that bestows some percentage of a public marine resource, like red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico, to private businesses for free, to use and sell for their own profit. It was thought that by giving away ownership rights to individuals, the fishery would consolidate and ultimately become easier to manage. While the same number of fish would be caught, the benefits of funneling access to the resource through fewer entities was thought to remove some of the uncertainty in the industry and thus would be worth the price of privatizing a public resource for free.

While catch shares are still the darling of some fisheries economists, there is a growing backlash against this management tool worldwide for a variety of reasons. At the heart of these complaints is fleet and wealth consolidation, extraction of public wealth for private profit, and failure to capitalize share-cost into production costs.

Within the past two years, two small-scale fisheries organizations, the World Forum of Fisher Peoples and the World Forum of Fish Harvesters and Fish Workers came out in opposition to a large World Bank investment initiative centered around rights-based management. These small-scale fisherfolk organizations oppose "ocean grabbing" because it destroys communities and consolidates the fleet and the fishery wealth in too few hands. In addition to these grassroots resistance efforts, there have been several scholarly articles published that state that the only real guaranteed output from catch shares is capacity reduction through consolidation. And while reducing capacity is the key to reducing overfishing, it is not a sufficient condition to improving biological outcomes. In other words, there is no guarantee that stock will be conserved, but a definite guarantee that the industry will shrink, generally damaging coastal communities.

Beyond the consolidation problem, as we've seen in the Gulf red snapper commercial sector, these systems create "quota barons" who pay their harvesters laborer wages in order to increase their profits or lease out their quota to other fishermen or new entrants. First-generation quota holders paid nothing for the public resource, and this failure to capitalize the share value as a cost in the production of fish by quota holders is actually distorting quota markets and changing incentives. When the quota is given away to the first generation of fishers at the inception of a catch share, the subsequent generations of fishermen essentially become fishery sharecroppers forever.

Here in the energy capital of the world, it is especially difficult to believe an agency of the federal government gives public resources away for free to private businesses, but that is exactly what NOAA Fisheries is doing, and all while under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Unlike the auction system that governs just about every other public resource - oil and gas, timber, airwaves - all of the resource "rents," or profits, that should belong to the American public from our shared marine fisheries and should be generating wealth for years to come get stripped out by a small number of people who forever lock those values up in private bank accounts.

To address this issue, catch-share systems in American fisheries should be reconsidered from the top down. At the very least, these rights should be of limited duration and should be auctioned off regularly. Judging from the backlash coming from other parts of the world and in our own country, it would be entirely appropriate to question whether strong individual rights given away for free have any place in the management of our public resources.

Gentner is president of Gentner Consulting Group and worked eight years as a senior research economist for the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Four new faculty members have been added to the staff at Texas County Technical College.

Carolynne Linn, Joanna Patillo, Sonya White and Sue Hudson are four women, the institution said, who come from diverse backgrounds and bring something unique to the TCTC faculty.

Linn BSN, RN received her BSN from Thomas More College in Cincinnati, Ohio. Before coming to TCTC, Linn worked for Phelps County Regional Medical Center.

She will teach the practical nursing course at TCTC. I hope not to just be a part of the next generation of nurses through educating them, but also by instilling in them a love of learning throughout their nursing career, said Linn.

Patillo RNC, BSN earned her degree at Missouri State University and is currently continuing her education in their master of science in nursing-nurse educator program. Patillo brings great work experience to the TCTC faculty, including her time as a registered nurse at the University of Missouris Women and Childrens Hospital, registered nurse at Medical Solutions and more recently, an instructor at MSU-West Plains. Patillo has a passion for nursing and is enjoying her time in the classroom with students.

White is TCTCs general education science instructor, covering microbiology and anatomy as well as physiology I and II. White received her bachelor of science in biology and medical technology from SBU and her master of business administration from William Woods University.

White spent 13 years working in the lab at Texas County Memorial Hospital and is excited to share her perspective from the medical field.

Hudson BSN, RN has been in the nursing field for 18 years and recently transitioned to become a nurse educator. She earned her bachelor of science in nursing from MSU and is continuing her education to receive a master of science in nursing-nurse educator degree.

Hudson had the intent of teaching at TCTC for only the summer semester in May 2016, but fell in love with teaching and decided to continue her time at TCTC. I hope to instill a never stop learning attitude (in the students), and I look forward to being a part of each students nursing journey, Hudson said.

TCTCs fall semester begins Aug. 28. The admissions staff is currently accepting applications for the August 2017 LPN program and the May 2018 Accelerated LPN to RN program. For more information about TCTC or its programs, call 417-967-5466.
A Houston man faces domestic assault charges after allegedly punching a woman while arguing over pills.

Jamie A. Bolden, 33, of 319 Chestnut Street in Houston, also faces another charge for possessing the pills while being processed at the jail, according to the Houston Police Department.

Responding officers to reports of a screaming woman on July 1 said the victim came running to their vehicle with fresh blood on her face and clothing as well as what appeared to be an open wound on her forehead. The woman initially said while arguing with Bolden as he tried to take her purse, she had fallen and struck her head on a plant stand. She later said he had punched her.

Police arrested Bolden later that afternoon while responding to reports of a fight at a Houston gas station. Bolden was involved in the incident with another male.

Bolden told police he and the victim had argued over a syringe that he wanted from her. He said he did not strike her.

Authorities re-interviewed the victim at Texas County Memorial Hospital and photographed her injuries. The victim said Bolden grabbed for her purse after she refused to give him her medication. She said he slapped her and then punched her.

Bolden was taken to the Texas County Jail for a 24-hour hold pending application for a warrant. While being processed, jail personnel discovered a metal canister of pills and contacted Houston police. The responding officer said there were 27 blue pills that appeared to be ones he had taken from the victim after allegedly assaulting her.

Bolden was subsequently charged with delivery or possession of a controlled substance at a jail without a written prescription.
The Houston Heralds website introduced new technology Monday that greatly enhances print advertisements to create an online presence.

Publisher Brad Gentry said the new format  seen at local.houstonherald.com  turns print advertisements into a digital business profile and adds a page that is hosted in a local directory. Additionally, the ad is easily accessible on computer desktops, mobile and tablets.

Directory

How does it work? The print ad is uploaded to the Heralds system. A search engine optimized page is included with the ad on the Heralds website, making it available for search engines, such as Google, to read. All of this allows the ad to be found more easily. The more print ads run, the higher the business shows up in Google.

A directory widget also appears on the Heralds homepage, making search easy by readers looking for products and services from businesses in the region.
The G20 Summit will be held soon in Hamburg, Germany. Given the groundbreaking achievements made in terms of innovation, structural reform, development, trade and investment last year in Hangzhou, China, the world now has shifted its focus on the approaches of the Hamburg Summit to implement the previous results and make new contribution to the strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth of the world economy.

The world economy now continues to grow, with positive signs having been shown in both developed countries and emerging markets. In other words, the world is now in the best economic situation since the international financial crisis.

However, the global economic growth is still fragile, with emerging uncertainties including rising tide of anti-globalization and trade protectionism.

In addition, G20 has also been challenged by problems such as intensified policy differentiation of its members and the different pace of each member in implementing previous G20 promises. The organization also has to improve its mechanism and draw a clearer picture of its future development.

Now G20 is still the best platform for major economies to conduct cooperation on global economic governance. The organization should stay true to its original intention and make joint efforts to cope with challenges, in a bid to bring the world economy back to the right track of stable growth.

Economic globalization, a natural outcome of historical development, has boosted economic growth, social progress and cultural exchanges. Economic globalization has brought substantial conveniences and benefits, and it is not wise to take the current difficulties and challenges its facing as an excuse to reject it.

Against the trade and investment downturn and the growing trend of anti-globalization, the G20 should keep advocating the construction of an open global economy, oppose protectionism, and facilitate trade and investment which serves as an engine for economic growth.

The G20 should continue to pursue innovative growth and long-term governance. Given the hard-won growth momentum, each country should continue to promote innovation, boost new industrial revolution and digital economy, so as to achieve strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth of the world economy.

G20 is a mechanism that enables both developed economies and emerging markets to discuss global economic affairs on an equal-footed basis, and its development is of great significance to the world economy. In retrospect, the organization has never stopped its contribution to the global economy since its first summit. The fruitful results achieved in Hangzhou last year were significant public products provided by China to promote global economic governance. Now its time for Hamburg to present the world with its wisdom. Lets wait and see.

(The author is the director-general of the Department of International Economic Affairs under Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
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Watches are not rocket science. Or are they? Watches are not rocket...

Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well, thats a shame, because with some watches, youll need one to understand how to tell the time. Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well,...
As a large employer we believe we have a responsibility to take a lead on issues that are important to our staff and also to our customers, said Antony Welton, HR director of Vodafone New Zealand.

We know we are at our best when our people are at their best and being an inclusive workplace is an important part of achieving that, he added.

Kirstin Te Wao, Vodafone New Zealands diversity and inclusion lead, agreed with Welton and said the company was actively encouraging a deeply embedded culture of inclusion.

Over the past year Vodafone New Zealand has established an LGBT+ employee network, the Vodafone NZ Rainbow Whanau, whose purpose is to support and celebrate our Rainbow community while helping Vodafone have a better understanding of working with the LGBT+ employees, said Te Wao.

Over the next year, the Rainbow Whanau will contribute to training of staff helping LGBT+ customers, updating internal systems to include non-binary titles and gender options as well as acquiring the Rainbow Tick, an accreditation mark that recognises organisations who practise safe and inclusive environments for our Rainbow colleagues.
A majority of hotel markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council of countries reported year-over-year performance declines during Ramadan 2017.

Most major hotel markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council reported performance declines when comparing Ramadan 2017 with Ramadan 2016, according to preliminary data from STR.

STR compared the 2017 dates of 26 May through 25 June with the 2016 time period of 6 June through 6 July. Muscat, Oman, was the only market analyzed that reported an increase in revenue per available room (+8.7%). The markets 19.4% increase in occupancy outweighed a 9.0% drop in average daily rate (ADR).

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was the only other market that did not report a significant decline in RevPAR, although performance was nearly flat as a decline in ADR (-1.5%) countered an uplift in occupancy (+1.2%).

According to STR analysts, growing hotel supply and geopolitical issues are affecting the regions performance. School terms also factored into performance resultsSaudi Arabias school term finished earlier, while school in some countries continued through the Ramadan period.

Makkah, Saudi Arabia, reported an 8.8% decline in RevPAR, which was primarily the result of a 7.9% drop in occupancy to 74.3%. STR analysts note that key religious tourism source markets, including Egypt and Indonesia, are currently facing currency devaluations against the Saudi Arabian Riyal, making it less affordable for potential visitors from those nations to embark on pilgrimages.

Also of note, Qatar reported an occupancy decrease of 7.2% and a drop in ADR of 8.3%.

STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com.

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 2022 Hospitality Trends
Sojerns latest Destination Report delves into the inbound and outbound trends for the United Kingdom and France to help travel marketers plan more effective campaigns.

Thanks to world-class food, culture, and adventure, the United Kingdom and France are global travel and tourism leaders. Britains tourism industry, for example, is forecasted to be worth over 257 billion by 2025. Travel marketers, conversely, want to attract French and British travellers and their spending power.

Sojerns latest Destination Report: A Focus on the United Kingdom and France, delves into inbound and outbound trends to help travel marketers plan more effective campaigns. Heres a sample of what we uncovered:

Travellers to the UK and France, whether they come from inside or outside of Europe, plan their trips early

Europeans are known for shorter trip durations, which usually means a shorter lead time. But even they plan travel to the UK and France well in advance. There is only a 4% increase in the percentage of non-European travellers with a lead time of over 30 days compared to European travellers. The UK and France have slightly higher global average lead times of 73 and 67 days, respectively.

Sri Lanka appeals to British and French travellers while the US, Cuba, and Iceland decline

We see Sri Lanka increase in interest for French and British travellers. Sri Lanka rises five and eight spots, respectively, on our list of biggest rising countries.

On the other hand, the US, Cuba, and Iceland decline in French and British travel intent. The strong US dollar makes travel to the US pricier than it once was, which could explain this drop. Increasing American interest in Cuba may put off French and British travellers. They may feel that these developments would change the authentic Cuban experience. Finally, Icelands status as off the beaten track may now be well worn.

France and the UK rising as inbound destinations

If you thought it was impossible for these countries to be even more popular, think again. The UK rises two spots as a top destination for both Western Europe and Latin America from last year. Middle Eastern travellers also show a stronger intent to travel to the UK this year.

On the other hand, France climbs the rankings for North American and East and South Asian travellers. This is extremely positive to see. These regions saw declines in travel intent to France following the terror attacks in November 2015.

Want even more travel trends? Download the entire report now.

About Ashley

Ashley is Sojern's Marketing Manager, EMEA & APAC and works in the London office. Originally from Canada, she's been living in London for over four years, and is actively trying to fill all the pages in her passport. She has never met a cheese she didn't like.

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 2022 Hospitality Trends
The data revolution in Africa is characterised by increasing amounts of data now being produced at faster speeds, by more actors (beyond the State) deploying various technologies and innovations than ever before. This revolution, is also characterised by greater dissemination and analytical capabilities through new technologies and social media.

Last week, data enthusiasts, government representatives, civil society representatives and corporate honchos gathered in Nairobi for the 'High-Level Meeting on Data for Development in Africa'. Convened by the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD), the meeting, sought to "amplify the voices of African governments, regional bodies, private sector, and civil society partners across the region and the world, to ensure that data becomes part of the infrastructure for sustainable development, while showcasing the new partnerships, projects, and institutions that are leading the way".

Several key themes and messages emerged from the meeting. Various governments made commitments (albeit vague and too broad) that seek to address the barriers that get in the way of getting data through reducing inequality, improving access to technology, investing in required expertise and technical competence, introducing legislative and policy frameworks to address privacy concerns, and scaling up successful innovations. The commitments covered the fields of business, agriculture, civil registration, health, migration, and data capacity.

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Source: UN.ORG

In addition, twenty-three innovative projects from civil society organizations, academia and the private sector also showcased partnerships and initiatives that contribute to achieving and monitoring progress of the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals. These innovations, projects and partnerships covered the various ends of the data and technology spectrum. Kenya's leading telco, Safaricom, also highlighted the role private sector actors can play in integrating the SDGs within their businesses.

Emphatically, to ensure that data works for the people of Africa, catalytic action to strengthen data as a critical component of the infrastructure of sustainable development is needed. Governments, academia, private sector players and civil society organizations must therefore forge unique partnerships that are backed by strong political will to ensure that effective coordination and collaboration translates into concrete actions. These collaborations and partnerships should be forged across boundaries and disciplines; include both small and large-scale interventions; and capitalise on Africa's digital renaissance.

As a demonstration of this political will, several governments in Africa are blazing the trail in numerous ways. For instance, the Government of Senegal now considers investment in data as important as it would treat investment in physical infrastructure such as roads. In Ghana and Sierra Leone, more policy-makers and legislators are now using data to inform their work and make planning is continuously evidence-based.

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Despite the progressive developments, several cautionary statements are worth noting. Firstly, data is not a silver-bullet to addressing present development challenges and/or problems. To be transformative, use of data and evidence must include political agency and citizen mobilization. Thus, while data may highlight important development cleavages, it may not guarantee change if not used appropriately within the various political contexts. 'Everyone Counts', a new global initiative by CARE, KWANTU and World Vision (that was also showcased in the meeting) seeks to contribute to this agenda.

Secondly, there is need for data 'experts' to move beyond the chronic obsession with big numbers to ensure greater inclusion of marginalised and vulnerable segments of the population. Achieving this will require a 'business unusual' approach that devises better data collection methodologies and technologies that must collect more and better than ever before. This 'new' data should then be used together with administrative and open data to ensure that 'no one is left behind'.

Thirdly, the utility of citizen-generated data is still contentious - especially within state institutions. Increasing the value of this data must therefore involve standardization of data collection tools and methodologies across the board (to the extent possible), making consideration for ethical approvals, subjecting this data to quality audits and triangulation, as well as adhering to quality assurance standards.
Chris McGrath via Getty Images

Abdullah fled Saudi Arabia where gay men face the death penalty to seek protection in Britain. But he was left living on the streets of Manchester in freezing December weather when the Home Office refused him the emergency support he was entitled to and so desperately needed.

"It was horrible to be on the streets. I would just try to find an empty corner somewhere. It was very cold. I would try to sleep next to a big AC unit that would give out some heat. I saw people trying to steal from other homeless people on the street. That made me feel unsafe. I was tired and afraid," he said.

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He found a homeless charity where he could get a free breakfast and lunch. Friends would give him bus tickets so he could claim the discount vouchers for McDonald's or Burger King meals.

The Home Office refused his application for emergency accommodation three times because they did not believe he was homeless. Another organisation referred him to Refugee Action. We found him a bed in a night shelter and challenged the Home Office's decision to refuse him support. He was then finally able to move into emergency asylum accommodation after three weeks on the streets and then onto longer term support while his claim was processed. Abdullah now has refugee status, but is still searching for somewhere permanent to live.

Refugee Action has published new research that shows Abdullah's case is not unusual.

The report - based on analysis of more than 300 cases - shows some of the most vulnerable people seeking protection are being wrongly denied assistance or are suffering long delays to get the support they're entitled to.

A failure by the Home Office to follow its own guidance for supporting those seeking asylum in Britain is making vulnerable people homeless and leaving them unable to feed their families.

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Every day our caseworkers see people who have fled conflicts and persecution enduring extreme poverty. Many haven't eaten a proper meal in weeks and are living on the streets of our towns and cities.

This is despite legislation setting out the Home Office's duty to prevent people seeking asylum falling into destitution and hardship while their claims are processed, an often-lengthy period when most people have no right to work.

Our analysis of 315 cases shows that individuals and families at risk of homelessness are waiting an average of nearly two months (58 days) for housing and the small amount of money (just 5.28 a day) they are entitled to for essential living costs, such as food, clothing and transport.

Some wait far longer. One man from Eritrea was left without support for almost 10 months - he was granted refugee status before he was granted asylum support.

More than half of people in crisis, who like Abdullah were in desperate need of a roof over their head and a proper meal, had their application for emergency support refused. But the vast majority (92%) were approved when people challenged the decision, causing huge stress and uncertainty.

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Our research exposes the appalling treatment of families and individuals who have escaped war and persecution abroad, only to be badly let down here in Britain.
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"... that's according to Charles Darwin, at least.

The idea that stupidity results in an inappropriate level of confidence isn't particularly new, but it wasn't until the 1990s that we finally got a name for it. When McArthur Wheeler confidently robbed two banks in broad daylight, with his face covered in lemon juice, police were baffled - as was Wheeler himself; when apprehended all he could say was "but I wore the juice!"

As it turned out, Wheeler thought that lemon juice could be used as invisible ink, and would therefore make his face invisible to security cameras - he even conducted an experiment that "proved" this. The problem was that Wheeler was an idiot, and all his experiment did was contribute to his huge overestimation of his own competence. This insane level of stupidity and overconfidence inspired the study, by David Dunning and Justin Kruger, into why some people are too stupid to realise how stupid they are, and the Dunning-Kruger Effect was born.

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If you didn't know the name before now, you've definitely seen it in action. Examples of the Dunning-Kruger Effect are everywhere: it's what convinced a reality star and his supporters that he could be president; it's why that tosser at work can never admit he's useless (it's never your fault, is it Neil?!); and it's what convinced Stoph Demetriou he could do an hour-long solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe.

OK, let's nip the whole talking about myself in third-person thing in the bud. When I was researching for my show, Stoph Demetriou: The Dunning-Kruger Effect, one thing that stood out for me was the focus on overconfidence. Because it stands to reason that if people are high on confidence, then they will be low on self-doubt.

The self-delusion that comes from overconfidence is a powerful thing - and we're in the middle of a narcissism epidemic so there's a lot of deluded self-confidence about. I think most of us are told that we can do anything if we just believe in ourselves - but that's not really enough, is it? Belief is what you tend to have in lieu of actual knowledge. No amount of belief is going to make me successfully carry out open-heart surgery, negotiate Brexit or accurately describe Finland. I'm just not qualified in those fields, but a lack of qualification doesn't stop some people, even though Finland is very big place and is notoriously difficult to describe.

And there's nothing wrong with having a healthy bit of self-confidence and believing in your ability, but it doesn't make up for the fact that sometimes our ability just isn't high enough. For every Donald Trump or Kanye West that were carried to dizzying heights by their self-confidence alone, there are plenty of Rod Hulls who asked Emu to hold the ladder.

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The thing is, everybody is unskilled in lots of areas. For most people this is where that little voice of paranoia pipes up and helpfully points out that you can't really do something, you don't know what you're talking about or, in my case, that you might be making a tit of yourself. Although productive paranoia can be useful in making you question your actions, it does seem quite cruel that the thing that makes you strive to be better is also the thing that makes you overthink every decision and hate yourself a little... my dad and paranoia have a lot in common.

So, while confidence and paranoia in moderation can be good, too much self belief means you get caught robbing a bank with no form of disguise, too much self-doubt can mean you never even attempt to rob a bank at all... and that could have really been your calling in life.

What's become clear during my research for my Fringe debut is just how far people can go with blind self-delusion -and that means that I'll continue to ignore the voice of paranoia in my head (even if it's quite productive sometimes.)

Wise move? I'll let you know. But honestly it could benefit everyone to embrace self-delusion a little bit more. It seems over-confident idiots have the run of the place right now - they're reaping all of the awards while everybody else feels the pain of their idiocy.

As the philosopher Bertrand Russell (who I literally only heard of about two minutes ago) stated, "One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision." So basically ignorance is bliss, and if you can't beat them, join them.

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1. Everything online is blocked

If you've been living under a rock, or if you've never given China much thought (which is fair enough) then you may not know that almost everything is blocked in China. Facebook? Instagram? Snapchat? Google? Yeah... those don't exist. Want to keep in contact with family and friends whilst away? I'm afraid those cool geo-based Snapchat filters you were looking forward to on the Great Wall just won't happen. An email via Hotmail or a quick message on Whatsapp will do the trick. You've been warned... but there is a way around it so keep reading!

2. Squat toilets

Last summer, several friends of mine headed out to China to teach English and, since I had just spent the past four months living there, I was their point of call. One thing I forgot to mention was squat toilets. The only places in China that have Western toilets are major tourist attractions (the Chengdu Panda place does, for example), airports, hotels and really fancy shopping centres or restaurants.

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3. Tissues and hand sanitiser

Take your own toilet paper when you're visiting a public toilet. Very fancy restaurants and shopping centres will provide it, but even then this isn't always the case. Take a pack of tissues and a bottle of anti-bacterial gel and you'll be a happy bunny.

4. Chinese manners

In China, unlike in the UK and other Western countries, it's acceptable to spit on the floor. You'll see this everywhere in China - on the streets, on buses, on trains, even in restaurants sometimes! It's horrible, but be aware that it happens. Males will also be smoking. A lot. Smoking is allowed everywhere in China - inside buildings, at bus stops, in clubs, even in train carriages.

5. So. Many. People.

It's a no-brainer really, when you consider just how populated China is, but you will still be shocked at how many people there actually are. You think London's tubes during rush-hour are bad? Streets and crowded tourist places aside, the sheer amount of people in China only mean something else - queues. And a lot of them. Be prepared!

6. People will stare

Unless you're adopted and physically look Chinese like me, chances are you will get goggled at whilst in China. Ever wondered what it was like to have people fall off their bikes from staring at you? Ever wanted to experience 'fame'? Well, you've come to the right place. The majority of Chinese citizens have never even left their own province, let alone the country. The only time they see a non-Chinese person is on the TV and internet. When you come along, "Christmas" (or in their case, the Spring Festival) has come early for them.

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7. Cash $$$

While there are ATMs readily available in the more developed cities, there are none in sight as soon as you move to the rural areas. It's also worth noting that Western cards generally won't work in card machines unless you have Union Pay. Be safe and ensure you have enough cash to cover your costs.

8. The Chinese like to eat everything!

So you've been invited round to your Chinese colleague's house or apartment for dinner? That's great! Just don't pull a face or be shocked when platefuls of chicken feet and pigs' noses are placed in front of you. It's probably worth double-checking what you're eating or you may be in for a big surprise!

9. People don't speak English

Unless you go to the Westernised cities, like Beijing and Shanghai, chances are that the majority of Chinese people you will come across don't speak English. Learning some basic Mandarin will really come in helpful: a 'hello' ( pronounced 'nee how') or 'thank you' ( pronounced kind of like 'sheeay sheeay') will be appreciated. The number one app you must download is called Pleco (a dictionary and phrasebook app). Pleco even lets you write in Chinese characters if you're comfortable with writing. The best part? You don't need the internet to use it.

10. POLLUTION!

I don't know the exact figure, but a large part of China is heavily polluted. Because of this, particularly in Beijing, you'll see a large amount of people wearing face-masks. These have filters and protect you from inhaling the harmful air. If you're heading to Beijing, make sure you buy one. If you're heading anywhere else, check the pollution levels online beforehand to see if you need a mask.

11. And finally, get a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

Following on from point number 1... there is a way to get around the infamous Great Firewall in China. You can do this with something called a Virtual Private Network (VPN). If you're only in China for a couple of days, or a week, then just download a free version on your phone. If you're in China for longer, there are paid alternatives. I opted for ExpressVPN, meaning I had a VPN on both my laptop and phone and paid options tend to be more reliable. I'd definitely recommend paying for one if you plan on using your laptop whilst visiting.
The measure was introduced by Justice Minister Heiko Maas (Social Democratic Party--SPD) and was passed with the votes of the Grand Coalition parties, the right-wing Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social Union (CDU-CSU) and the SPD.

The Network Enforcement Act is a major attack on freedom of expression in Germany. It turns giant corporations such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube into prosecutors, judges and juries determining what is and is not permitted on the Internet. If these firms fail to delete alleged manifestly unlawful statements within 24 hours and less manifestly unlawful items within seven days, they face fines of up to 50 million euros [$US 57 million].

The short deadlines for the removal of allegedly unlawful content, under the threat of horrendous fines, will facilitate the erasure of legitimate statements of opinion. The user whose entry is deleted must merely be informed about the erasure. Any refusal to accept deletion then involves a lengthy and costly legal action during which time the deletion remains in effect.

A regulation on the authority empowered to act for platforms, which collaborates with government institutions, has been tightened up. If the responsible authority fails to comply with a request for information within 48 hours, then fines are applicable. This is to ensure that deleted utterances--which the provider must store--can also be effectively prosecuted.

In addition, platforms will be required to provide information on who wrote the controversial statements. The government claims this will make it easier to pursue lawsuits. In fact, it is an invitation for all kinds of stalking, bullying and intimidation of political opponents. A provision allowing for judicial oversight changes little in this respect. Any input by those persons whose data is demanded is not provided for--the platform operator merely has to inform the victim of censorship. In practice all it requires is a request from a lawyer to justify judicial approval.

Until now establishing that an utterance was insulting, disparaging or slanderous was often the subject of a lengthy legal dispute. Not infrequently, charges and legal cases have been used to criminalise or silence personal or political opponents and critics. In numerous cases the Federal Constitutional Court has ruled--not always consistently--in favour of the importance of free expression and discussion.

In view of the extremely short deadlines and large penalties, it is clear how corporations like Facebook or Google will respond to reports of allegedly criminal content: deletion. A serious examination of whether or not the assertion is actually unlawful or punishable is neither possible nor intended, given the time limits and draconian fines. Any sharp, critical, polemical, ironic or satirical contribution on a social network can then disappear immediately following a denunciation.

The law is such an obvious attack on freedom of expression that even the Scientific Services of the Bundestag (WD) referred in an opinion to a constitutionally unjustified interference with the basic right of freedom of expression. The parliamentary jurists warned that there are already considerable difficulties involved in the conceptual delimitation of illegal content to be deleted and criminally false reports (fake news).  Guidance, examples or references to examples of obviously unlawful or criminal content are not specified in the draft law.

In other words, a law that lacks any concrete basis or justification has been rushed through parliament. When asked, government officials could not name a single example of criminal fake news.

In fact, the issue is not about hate speech or fake news--and it is certainly not about opposing the far right. The issue is censorship of the Internet. Broad sections of the population have lost confidence in the capitalist parties and the bourgeois media and are using the Internet and social media to inform themselves and exchange information. The ruling elite increasingly regards this as a threat.

Hate crimes--an all-embracing concept in the current law--which cannot be effectively combated and persecuted, represents a great danger to the peaceful coexistence of a free, open and democratic society, the law states. The American presidential election is cited as an example. After the experience in the US election campaign, the fight against criminally false reports (fake news) has assumed high priority in social networks in the Republic of Germany.

The fact that such a far-reaching law has been enforced so quickly within the space of a few months, and in the face of broad criticism, reveals the extent to which the powers that be in Germany feel under pressure. They are responding to growing political and social discontent as they have always done in the past--with the erection of a surveillance and police state.

All of the parties in the Bundestag are on board. The Greens abstained in the vote, mainly because they had not been involved intensively enough in preparing the law. The process up to now has not been good. It was not good that you first had internal discussions without the involvement of the parliament, declared Green Party spokeswoman Renate Kunast. This has nothing to do with the level and seriousness required.

The Left Party voted against for the same reasons, while making clear in the Bundestag debate that it approved the general direction of the legislation. Of course, Mr. Maas is right: there are problems with hate and false news and the role played by social networks as platforms. But these did not just crop up yesterday, and they must be taken very seriously. It is precisely for this reason that a serious and thorough examination of possible solutions is necessary, declared Petra Sitte, parliamentary manager of the Left Party in the Bundestag.

Source: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017/07/05/pass-j05.html
Egypts Prime Minister Sherif Ismail has renewed a nighttime curfew in designated areas of North Sinai just days after a deadly attack that killed dozens of army personnel.

According to state-run news agency MENA, the curfew runs from Tal Rafah in the eastern part of Sinai to the international border at Rafah, and from Halal Mountain until Ouga on the border.

An announcement in the Official Gazette stated that the curfew runs from 7 pm until 6 am the following day, except in Al-Arish city and on the international road, where it runs from 1 am to 5 am, or until further notice.

The decision by Ismail comes just a few days after Egypts parliament approved an extension of a nationwide state of emergency for three months starting July 10.

On Friday morning, Egypts military announced that dozens of army personnel were killed and injured in an attack involving car bombs that targeted a security checkpoint near Rafah in North Sinai. The statement said that the army killed 40 militants in the attack.

The military has not provided a further breakdown of casualty figures.

Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Security forces have been battling an Islamist insurgency for several years in North Sinai, with militants killing hundreds of security personnel.

Egyptian troops have also killed hundreds of militants during operations in the border region.

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Today, Pitroda is an evangelist for the global smart-city movement, a role he dons under his nonprofit think tank called The People for Global Transformation. The think tank, with offices in Boston, Paris and New Delhi, is advising mayors and implementing pilot projects in cities in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, India and the Middle East. It was one of the organizing partners of Cities for Life Paris 2016 , a global summit on inclusive, smart and resilient cities held in Paris in November 2016.

Sam Pitroda, 75, is best known as the technology whiz who transformed Indias telecommunications industry to make connectivity widespread and affordable some three decades ago. Armed with a veritable carte blanche from Rajiv Gandhi, Indias prime minister in the mid- to late 1980s, he went on to lead technology-focused missions in water, dairy, literacy and immunization, among others.

Although Pitroda is rooted in technology, he is convinced that in order to be smart, cities first must be happy cities with a strong emphasis on non-violence. They also have to be made ready for technology infusion with empowered mayors and the right governance structures, he says. Technology introduced blindly and without those enabling mechanisms is doomed to fail and waste precious public resources, he warns. He draws upon his experience in India and interactions with mayors from around the world to offer guide posts for building tomorrows smart cities in an interview with Knowledge@Wharton.

An edited transcript of the conversation follows.

Knowledge@Wharton: Youve been called the man who connected India, the father of Indias telecom revolution. Youve led technology missions in literacy, dairy, water, immunization and oilseeds. Could you talk about how you identify and define a problem, and find solutions that technology could provide?

Sam Pitroda: As I was growing up in a small little tribal village in India, I realized that we had very little of electricity, radio, television and telephone. But I realized more of that when I came to America [52 years ago], because I had never used a telephone [earlier]. I had never seen television before coming to America. And I saw that technology could be a great social leveler, second only to death. I realized that technology could put two unequal human beings on equal footing.

I also realized that the best brains in the world are busy solving problems of the rich who really dont have problems to solve. And as a result, problems of the poor really dont get the right kind of brain power. So when I went back to India and I had an opportunity to give a presentation [in 1981] to Mrs. [Indira] Gandhi (Indias then-prime minister), my main thesis was that connecting India would change the face of India. India is such a diverse country, a huge country, with multiple languages, religions and cultures, and all of that requires India to be connected. We are in an era where digital technology will hopefully help us connect India. But none of us then had a vision of the internet or mobile telephony. We were still focused on land lines.

The idea was to build the human capacity in software and digital technology. It was about changing the mindset, telling people that telecom is not just an urban luxury, but it is also a rural necessity. Telecom requires not just getting equipment from abroad, but also requires human capacity to be able to understand and build [the necessary] software and hardware. The idea was to focus on indigenous development.

Telecom was the entry point for me because I knew it a little better [than other technologies]. After having worked on telecom for three years, working with [then-Prime Minister] Rajiv Gandhi and building confidence in myself, in the team, and in the system, I felt it was time to take technology closer to people. Telecom was already on auto pilot with C-DoT and C-DAC (the Centre for Development of Telematics and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, which Pitroda helped set up in 1984 and 1988, respectively). So we decided collectively to look at basic challenges related to water, literacy, immunization, etc. We were importing billions of dollars worth of cooking oil. So we thought [that]  we should be able to convince our people to change to oil seeds [cultivation]. Then [we focused on] milk production. We were still not the biggest producer of milk in the world. Now we are.

We felt these were the areas which required technology intervention. Technology was more an entry point as opposed to [being] an end point. We thought we could enter the system through technology to deliver benefits to a large number of people, and through that, bring about organizational changes, and changes in attitudes, systems, processes and priorities. Our idea was to use government institutions with public/private partnerships, get NGOs and get everybody [else] excited to solve the problem in terms of a mission.

For example, all those who were concerned about water would come together on a water mission, and those who were concerned about literacy would come together on a literacy mission. It was a national program that would empower, encourage and motivate a large number of people at the local level, in villages, districts and cities to solve local problems. The goals were, for example, to install thousands of water pumps, eradicate smallpox, eradicate polio, get immunizations, [boost] vaccine production systems, and set up cold chain equipment. These are all massive programs which require technology intervention. We had the political will from Rajiv Gandhi to go do these things, and thats how we dreamed of this big canvas.

Knowledge@Wharton: How far has India come since then?

Pitroda: We have come a long way. These things cannot be measured in terms of 30% or 70% [achievement] because you are building a nation. People dont realize that building a nation is a very complex process, especially in a democratic country.

We are too focused on technology and all of that and not paying enough attention to fundamentals.

No one ever thought that India would go from two million telephones in 1984 to a billion telephones in 2017. Even we had no idea. We have come a long way on connectivity. Of course there is a lot more work still to be done. Along with that, we could generate $150 billion worth of software services exports every year. Building the software services industry has given us foreign-exchange confidence and global recognition, and our own large multinational companies like TCS, Wipro and Infosys.

We have today $350 billion worth of surplus (Indias foreign exchange reserves were $378 million in end-May 2017, according to TradingEconomics.com). We never could dream of that.

But does this mean we have really solved all the problems? No, because [Indias] population has doubled in that time period (between 1981 and 2017) from 650 million to 1.3 billion. In literacy, we have come from 30% to 75%. In immunization, we have eradicated polio. We are the largest producer of polio vaccines, [and in fact,] we are the largest producer of vaccines in the world. In water, we have a long way to go, but we did eradicate guinea worm, we sensitized people on [setting up] water testing labs, on fluoride [treatment], excess iron removal, etc. We also have sensitized our people to move towards privatization, liberalization and globalization. It was part of the package.

Knowledge@Wharton: What are the top challenges policy makers face when they try to create business cases for smart-city projects?

Pitroda: Smart city is one concept that has been, to some extent, oversold and under-understood. It is not about sensors and gadgets and software and more routers and more IBM equipment. A smart city [endeavor] is more about building a happy city. We are not saying that existing cities are dumb, but we need to use technology to create an environment where people are better off in terms of pollution, traffic, education, health, jobs, living conditions and cultural spaces. All of these are very important aspects of building a happy city, including security. But the idea is not to bring more cameras and more police and more guns. The idea is to build better communities.

For example, we have built cities where people drive a half an hour to work. Thats not smart. Why cant we design cities where people walk to work? But because of the car industry, and because of the Western model, everybody said, Oh, thats okay, we can drive 30 minutes to work. And there are traffic jams everywhere. People who live in the north work in the south. People who live in the south work in the north. It doesnt make sense.

Then we come to organizational issues. How are we organized in the city? What resources do we have in the city? We can do so much without any technology input today. Of course, technology will help a great deal. But lets go see what we can do with what weve got and not jump into technology. By bringing technology to the existing systems, youre going to create chaos, because the systems are not designed to adapt to new technology. We waste resources on technology if we are not equipped to handle the external input that technology brings.

When people talk about a hundred smart cities in India, they have no clue as to what they are saying. Theyre naive. If you cannot empower the mayor of the city, how do you build it? [What about] organizational autonomy, freedom and flexibility? If you dont allow your cities to raise money of their own for projects, how do you get cities to fund them? You have not really created autonomy for your cities. If you dont do that, theres no way you can bring technology to solve your problems.

Before we bring in technology, we need to look at how we organize our communities. Why cant people live on the second floor and work on the first floor? Why cant we create communities where they are responsible for their schools, parks, teachers and doctors, and not somebody from [New] Delhi?

Essentials of Smart Cities

Knowledge@Wharton: Do you see developed countries like the U.S. having already sorted out some of these problems?

Pitroda: No. There are many problems that are even tougher [to solve] in the U.S. because of exclusion. U.S. society is more exclusive [than others]. Ive lived in Chicago for 52 years. The south side of Chicago has not changed at all in those 52 years. Violence. Drugs. Lack of employment. All kinds of crime. Prostitution. [All of those have] increased. Why? What does a smart city have to do with [those issues]?

In every city, we need to focus on inclusion and build local communities that bring trust, confidence in each other, and harmony. We dont do that and then we wonder why theres violence. It is because we have isolated people.

The first [aspect] is inclusion. Cities need to be inclusive. If cities are not inclusive youll have violence, and other problems. Inclusion is not just of minorities or about gender equality, but also in opportunities, education, health and employment opportunities.

Secondly, cities have to focus on human needs. How are we providing to the city all of the basic supplies, whether it is electricity, water, food, transport or whatever? Then you need to promote local economies. Why should a tomato travel 1,400 miles before it gets to your table? Why cant we grow tomatoes locally? What can we do locally and what do we need to do globally? Those issues need to be very clearly articulated and understood. We have technology today for vertical farming. Can cities grow their own food as much as possible? Can cities teach [residents] how to eat properly so you dont have problems with obesity and diabetes?

Then [we come to] the issue of non-violence. None of the cities promotes non-violence. There is very little conversation about non-violence in the cities, [or] in schools, colleges, universities and government forums. There are conversations on violence, but not on non-violence, which is very strange. How could you build smart cities and happy cities if you dont have a conversation on non-violence?

Knowledge@Wharton: Could you elaborate on that? How could cities go about promoting non-violence?

How could you build smart cities and happy cities if you dont have a conversation on non-violence?

Pitroda: Lets take schools. Do we ever have a conversation in schools with children about non-violence? Non-violence doesnt mean just [curbing the use of] guns; it is violence at home, violence with the family, violence against women, violence with the other children, violence in the neighborhood. In many places there is violence going on and people just walk by, and nobody would care. We are too focused on technology and all of that and not paying enough attention to fundamentals.

Empowering Mayors

Knowledge@Wharton: At the summit you organized on smart cities in Paris, what were some of the issues that came up in terms of empowering mayors?

Pitroda: Mayors everywhere need to be given more and more power. It has to do with decentralization. It has to do with distributed architecture. Telecom in the last 15 years changed [connectivity in India] because of distributed architecture. It took us 115 years to get to a billion phones because there was centralized architecture  one big telephone switch, and 100,000 lines. Then came mobile phones and every pole had a telephone switch  [that is] distributed architecture. That changed affordability, scalability and sustainability.

The power industry hasnt learned its lesson from the telecom industry. Power is still centralized. There is no distributed power. The basic problem is we have the wrong architecture for power now. It was okay in the early days, but the technology has changed. We need distributed power architecture. Why should my power come from 500 miles away? These are the issues cities need to address.

Knowledge@Wharton: What could be done to remove obstacles to funding for smart city projects?

Pitroda: We need independence for cities to raise their own money, and take on the responsibility. If they can raise money, they should be able to spend that money for the public good. That model works in the U.S. and everybody should adopt that model. In other places people will just not be honest enough. There wont be enough openness; there wont be enough transparency. You need all of that. Everything goes hand in hand.

Knowledge@Wharton: Do mayors have to focus on monetizing smart-city investments at a fairly early stage in the investment cycle to be able to attract subsequent rounds of funding?

Pitroda: Of course. With any project, even if its traffic management, youve got to be able to show a benefit. Lets take cars. If I were to design a city from scratch tomorrow, I would say transportation would be free for everybody. Youll be able to order automated cars from your cell phone, go wherever you want to go and leave [them at the destination]. Today, for 90% of the time, cars are parked either at home or in parking lots. You dont need that. You need a few cars in the city that are constantly moving 24 hours a day. You dont need parking lots. You dont need a garage at home. You dont need a drivers license in a sense. You dont need insurance. Thats the future, when you talk about smart cities.

Knowledge@Wharton: How could that pay for itself if it is going to be free?

Pitroda: People will pay tax. Today I pay my motor vehicle bill, so Ill pay my car tax. Im doing it indirectly. [Today,] Im heating my garage. [With free transportation], I dont need a garage. I dont need to pay for parking every time I go into the City of Chicago. Why do I need so many parking lots in the city? Sell that land. Youll make millions out of selling parking lots. In many U.S. cities, parking lots take up half the floor space.

Knowledge@Wharton: You would replace all that with mass public transportation?

Pitroda: Yes. Even if you dont have mass public transport, everybody should be able to order a car and go wherever they want. You could say that at minimum youre given 100 miles a day, or 50 miles a day or 10 miles a day, or whatever. You pay your tax accordingly. If you have a car all day, then you pay more tax.

Knowledge@Wharton: What would be the hallmarks of an ideal governance structure in smart cities?

Pitroda: The organizational architecture has to be in tune with the information technology. It cannot be hierarchical. It has to be a flat organization, and it has to be project-based and not in vertical silos.

Mission-driven Approaches

Knowledge@Wharton: How could smart-city projects survive political changes?

There is more to life than money. Friends. Family. Environment. Peace of mind. Time to enjoy literature. Travel.

Pitroda: All of the projects would be based on a technology mission kind of approach. Everything would be a mission.

The developed world can learn from [Indias] technology missions. A study done by the United Nations on Indias technology missions said every country should have missions to get things done because missions require missionary zeal, dedicated staff, funding, time-tables, measurable milestones, and missions get completed after a while.

Knowledge@Wharton: What is your next big transformative project?

Pitroda: Well, Im 75. I dont need to do anything [more]. Im happy with life. Ive had a great journey. I have a wonderful family, a wife I have been married to for 51 years, great children, and two great grandchildren. So I dont need to really look [any more] for peaks.

But I have to be busy. So Im building five or six companies because I still want to be technically active. [For example,] Im building [a project with] Stanford University on using satellite images to predict agricultural yield. Im writing books. My next book is on redesigning the world. I want to begin a new conversation at a global level. All of the stuff we are doing is obsolete. It doesnt make sense to build a world like this. We are creating more inequality, we are going to have more tension, we are going to use technology for the wrong stuff and people will remain poor and few will become so rich. We publish a list of the 400 richest people in the world all the time. But we dont publish a list of the 400 best teachers, the 400 best doctors, or the 400 best journalists. Its all about money, money, money, money. Today Gandhi is more relevant than ever before.

Knowledge@Wharton: Youve talked about happiness and about how the world measures success by the wrong yardsticks. Bhutan uses a gross happiness index. Would you recommend that to other countries?

Pitroda: You find your own index. But the point is, Dont judge me based on GDP, GNP and how much money I have in the bank. How do you value my children? I may not have a billion dollars, but if I have a billion dollars and my children were on drugs, what does it mean? You decide.

If you want to go after money and spend your entire life and fight to have cash in the bank, great, thats your life. But there is more to life than money. Friends. Family. Environment. Peace of mind. Time to enjoy literature. Travel.

I think we will see a world where transportation will be free, telecom [today] is almost free, food would be free, people will not have 40-hour workweek jobs, and we will have a lot more time for cultural and personal activities. Thats the world I would like to create.

Knowledge@Wharton: And well live in a non-violent society.

Pitroda: Absolutely. Why should I fight with you? Gandhi talked about it. He lived with it. Why cant you and I learn to love everybody? It can be done. People are jealous. People are competitive. We are taught to be competitive. Come on, we dont have to be competitive; we ought to be collaborating. But thats what people teach in schools, to be competitive. You have a national competitive council (the Competition Commission of India). You dont have a collaborative council. Its crazy.

Source: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/smart-cities-need-happy-ones/
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Letter: Skate Park's Sign of the Times

To the Editor:



One of the first things that John Barrett did when he became mayor was to change the road signs from "Entering No. Adams" to "Entering North Adams." He felt that because Williamstown that had more letters than North Adams, but it wasn't abbreviated, then North Adams shouldn't be abbreviated either. And he's right.

In speaking with Dan Bosley about this recently, he said that a mindset like this instills pride in a community when it has an identity



This is relevant today because North Adams just opened the coolest skate park in Western Massachusetts and right in front, in capitol letters, it reads N ADAMS. That's not even an abbreviation of North Adams, it's a misspelling of North Adams.



When this was posted on social media recently, two camps formed. One camp made up of predominately long-term, native baby-boomers of North Adams who grew up spelling every word out properly were hurt by it and the other camp made up of a younger generation, some native to North Adams and others not, who grew up misspelling words for convenience sake felt that it wasn't a big deal.



Well it is a very big deal if you lived in North Adams through the dark years in the 1980s, when Phil Grande stated that they should flood North Adams so that Williamstown can have waterfront property, or in the 1990s, when Yankee Magazine wrote, "North Adams  the gateway to nowhere." Then just last month when the kids' artwork got painted over on Marshall Street. And now N ADAMS.

David Willette

North Adams, Mass.

David Willette is an outdoor writer and on the board of directors of the Hoosic River Revival. He was born and raised in North Adams.
Hinds Sets Community Outreach Events for March

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The staff of state Sen. Adam G. Hinds, D-Pittsfield, will host two community outreach events during March.

The senator's staff will be available to meet with constituents in the communities of Huntington and North Adams on Wednesday, March 18, for this month's staff office hours from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

North Adams City Hall, 10 Main St.

Stanton Hall, 24 Russell Road, Huntington

Appointments are not necessary but can be booked in advance by calling the Pittsfield office at 413-344-4561 or the Williamsburg office at 413-768-2373. These office hours provide an opportunity for those seeking assistance with state agencies or programs to speak with Hinds' constituency services staff in person.

All residents of the senator's Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Senate District are invited to participate in these sessions if they have an idea, question or comment about state government they wish to share, or if they require assistance from the senator's constituent services team. Everyone is welcome.

Appointments are not necessary but can be booked in advance by calling the Pittsfield office at (413) 344-4561 or the Williamsburg office at (413) 768-2373. These office hours provide an opportunity for constituents seeking assistance with state agencies or programs to speak with the senator's staff in person.

Since early 2017, Hinds' district team, A.J. Enchill and Jon Gould, have held monthly roving office hours outside of their primary work locations in an effort to increase office accessibility for every constituent no matter where they reside. Enchill is based in the senator's Pittsfield office and Gould splits his time between Pittsfield and Williamsburg.

Last year, the senator's district staff traveled to 19 towns and met with hundreds of local officials and residents in Adams, Alford, Blandford, Charlemont, Chester, Cummington, Heath, Lanesborough, Lee, Lenox, Middlefield, Monroe, New Marlborough, Peru, Plainfield, Rowe, Washington and Windsor, Westhampton, West Stockbridge while Senator Hinds participated in public forums throughout the Senate District.
Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has telephoned his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim El-Gaafari to offer his congratulations on Iraq's victory against Daesh in Mosul, the Egyptian foreign ministry said on Sunday evening.

In an official statement, foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said Shoukry stressed Egypts commitment to standing by Iraq in its fight against terrorism as a part of ongoing efforts by Egypt to rid the region of terrorism.

On Sunday, Iraqs PM Haider Al-Abadi declared that Iraqi armed forces had been victorious against Daesh in Mosul, nine months after a campaign was launched to drive Daesh out of the city.

The battle for Mosul  by far the largest city to fall under the militants' control  has left large areas in ruins, killed thousands of civilians and displaced nearly one million people.

During Sunday's phone call, El-Gaafari extended his condolences to Egypt over the killing of dozens of army personnel and police in attacks in North Sinai over the weekend.

The ministers also discussed regional developments, as well as ways of boosting cooperation between the two countries, both bilaterally and through a coordination of stances on regional issues.

Abu Zeid added that preparations were underway for the upcoming round of Iraq-Egypt consultations at the foreign-minister level, as well as a high-level joint committee meeting headed by the prime ministers of the two countries.

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Egypt will see high temperatures on Tuesday, with Cairo set for a high of 39 degrees Celcius and a low of 26, weather experts said on Monday.

Egypts Meteorological Authority told state-run news agancy MENA that high temperatures are expected nationwide, at their highest in the southern and eastern parts of the country.

Temperatures in the coastal city of Alexandria will range from 31 to 25 degrees Celsius.

The Red Sea resort city of Hurghada will see a high of 39 and a low of 28, while temperatures in Sharm El-Sheikh in South Sinai will range from 40 to 28.

On the Mediterranean Sea, there will be moderate waves, reaching 1 to 1.5 metres in height, while waves on the Red Sea will be between 2 and 2.5 metres.

The Meteorological Authority generally advises citizens to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun during the summer, especially between 12 pm and 3 pm.

It also advises people to drink lots of liquids and to do any swimming in the early morning hours or a little before sunset, to avoid intense sun rays.

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JK Rowling has revealed that she has written a secret manuscript which has yet to see the light of day.

But Harry Potter fans will be disappointed to learn that the work, a political "fairytale", will likely never be published - as it is scrawled onto a party dress.

The "book", which she penned two years ago for a fancy-dress birthday party, now hangs in her wardrobe alongside more conventional clothing.

"The theme of my 50th birthday, which I held at Halloween even though that's not really my birthday, was come as your own private nightmare," she told US broadcaster CNN.

"I went as a lost manuscript. And I wrote over a dress most of that book. So that book, I don't know whether it will ever be published, but it's actually hanging in a wardrobe currently."

The author revealed the existence of the unusual manuscript after being asked by CNN's Christiane Amanpour about plans to write a political book for children.

Rowling said the fairytale "wasn't political in a sort of party political sense" and hinted she may never publish it.

She was speaking to the broadcaster about Lumos, the charity she founded in 2005, which calls for an end to the institutionalisation of children.

The author said she felt compelled to do something after reading a newspaper article about children living in cages in a Czech orphanage.

"I'm flicking through the Sunday paper and I saw [a picture.] I see it in my memory. It was a very disturbing image of a very small boy screaming through chicken wire," she said.

"I stopped and I thought, if the story is as bad as the picture looks, then you have to do something about it. I was just appalled and horrified."
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Filming on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom  AKA Jurassic World 2, AKA Jurassic Park 5  has completed, members of the cast and crew posting celebratory messages on Twitter.

This is a wrap for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, wrote director Juan Antonio Bayona. What a journey! Thank you to everyone that made it possible.

Producer Frank Marshall first teased a forthcoming end to production last week, thanking crew in both London and Hawaii where filming was taking place.

Colin Trevorrow, who directed the first Jurassic World and co-wrote the sequel, congratulated Bayona, the cast and crew, posting an image of the director with his face between a dinosaurs teeth.

Last month, the official title was revealed along with a poster featuring Jeff Goldblums iconic character Dr. Ian Malcolms line Life finds a way as the tagline. Goldblum will  as well publicised  be returning to the franchise.

Chris Pratt returns once more as lead protagonist, the actor saying of the film: [Fallen Kingdom] is going to be a scarier version, a little bit darker, and will continue to expand and carry the story forward in a way that is really unexpected and you wouldn't have imagined.

Other details to have been revealed include the return of the Dilophosaurus (AKA the petrifying frilly one) and Rexy the T-Rex (from Spielberg's original).

Films to get excited about in 2017 Show all 13 1 /13 Films to get excited about in 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi Director: Rian Johnson Rian Johnson Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Lupita Nyong'o Plot: No details yet, but it will continue directly on from Rey coming face-to-face with Luke at the end of The Force Awakens. Release Date: 15 December 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Thor: Ragnarok Director: Taika Waititi Taika Waititi Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban, and Mark Ruffalo Plot: Story details are minimal as of now, but Thor's third return to screen has already been teased to feature a loose adaptation of the famous 'Planet Hulk' storyline. Release Date: 27 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 You Were Never Really Here Director: Lynne Ramsay Lynne Ramsay Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Alessandro Nivola Plot: A war veteran's attempt to save a young girl from a sex trafficking ring goes horribly wrong. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Annihilation Director: Alex Garland Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A biologist's husband disappears. She thus puts her name forward for an expedition into an environmental disaster zone, but does not quite find what she's expecting. The expedition team is made up of the biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a surveyor. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Wonderstruck (image from Far From Heaven) Director: Todd Haynes Cast: Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, and Amy Hargreaves Plot: The story of a young boy in the Midwest is told simultaneously with a tale about a young girl in New York from fifty years ago as they both seek the same mysterious connection. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Mother (image of Darren Aronofsky) Director: Darren Aronofsky Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, and Ed Harris Plot: A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Killing of a Sacred Deer (image from The Lobster) Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Alicia Silverstone Plot: A surgeon forms a familial bond with a sinister teenage boy, with disastrous results. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Blade Runner 2049 Director: Denis Villeneuve Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Robin Wright, and Jared Leto Plot: Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Release Date: 6 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Lady Bird (image of director Greta Gerwig) Director: Greta Gerwig Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Lucas Hedges Plot: The adventures of a young woman living in Northern California for a year. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara (image of director Steven Spielberg and star Mark Rylance) Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Mark Rylance, Oscar Isaac Plot: The Kidnapping Of Edgardo Mortara recounts the story of a young Jewish boy in Bologna, Italy in 1858 who, having been secretly baptized, is forcibly taken from his family to be raised as a Christian. His parents' struggle to free their son becomes part of a larger political battle that pits the Papacy against forces of democracy and Italian unification. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 How to Talk to Girls at Parties Director: John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell Cast: Elle Fanning, Ruth Wilson, and Nicole Kidman Plot: An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets two young inhabitants of the most dangerous place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Dark Tower Director: Nikolaj Arcel Nikolaj Arcel Cast: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, and Tom Taylor Plot: Gunslinger Roland Deschain roams an Old West-like landscape in search of the dark tower, in the hopes that reaching it will preserve his dying world. Release Date: 28 July 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Suburbicon Director: George Clooney George Clooney Cast: Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Josh Brolin, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A crime mystery set in the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, where the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect family turns to blackmail, revenge and betrayal. Release Date: 24 November

Also starring Bryce Dallas Howard, B. D. Wong, and James Cromwell, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom reaches cinemas in June 2018.
Egypt's Minister of Environment Khaled Fahmy has commented on recent sightings of whale sharks in the Red Sea, saying that the presence of such animals in the area is normal at this time of the year.

"The whale whark appeared at the same time last year, but this time citizens dealt with it in a friendly way and took photos with it," Fahmy said.

He said the whale shark  known to local fisherman as the "bahloul"  is listed as a threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The whale shark is the largest species of fish. It is a filter-feeder, eating plankton, and is harmless to humans.

Several whale sharks were spotted in the Red Sea in July last year. The sightings occured at three locations: at Port Ghalleb, in the Fanous area, and between the Geftoun islands, according to the management of Red Sea wildlife reserves.

Hunting the whale shark is prohibited in Egypt, with the animal seen as an important part of the Red Sea ecosystem, which is the habitat of several rare and endangered marine species.

Fahmy also commented on the large numbers of jellyfish that appeared along country's North Coast last month. He said the ministry dealt with the problem quickly in cooperation with other Medeterranean nations, relying on analysis of scientific data.

"The phenomenon is under control," Fahmy said, "and is low compared with known international rates."

He said that no beaches would be closing due to jellyfish infestations.

Last month, Egypt's Ministry of Environment said that it had formed a committee to investigate an unseasonable infestation of jellyfish along the North Coast, with the phenomenon spoiling the vacations of thousands of people celebrating the Eid holiday, according to a statement on the ministry's Facebook page.

Several people reported being stung by the jellyfish, while others were afraid to enter the water. Photos of the jellyfish washing up on the shores of the North Coast 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 which has been found in the Mediterranean since the 1970s.

This jellyfish is usually found on the coastlines of Egypts Arish, Port Said and Damietta, but has recently extended to the western North Coast area, a phenomenon that demands further research, the statement added.

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That is the best weve ever played that song beams Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler at the conclusion of the calypso funk of Here Comes the Night Time, smile visible from every vantage point in tonights makeshift inner city venue. The Grammy-winning Montreal collective have often made being in the worlds biggest indie-rock band look like terribly hard work, but having loosened up as much as their sound in recent years, it seems the joy is being felt onstage as well as off it.

And what joy. Their stirring shows, from basement clubs to the top of festival bills, are often more akin to a spiritual experience than mere pop gig. Tonight was one of those nights.

The ungainly Butler and wife Regine Chassagne lead a nine-strong troupe of multi-instrumentalists who at various points swap roles, climb monitors, edge into the crowd and even wander offstage (several times Butlers brother Will plays behind a screen, his outline a silhouette). It looks like chaos about to collapse in on itself. It is utterly electrifying.

Their early anthemic indie rock remains a touchstone, but its still startling to see the juxtaposition between the themes Arcade Fire delve - outsiderdom, adolescence, suburban struggle, the fear of a dystopian society - and the inclusivity of the songs. Sometimes it stops you in your tracks: it is truly subversive to get 8,000 people to bellow working for the church while your family dies at the top of their lungs, as happens during 2007s Intervention.

But then thats the visceral instinct Arcade Fire stir. This is serious music, played with adrenalin shot intensity by a would-be rabble of eccentrics. It is truly something to behold. Songs like early single No Cars Go sweep you up; simple wordless refrains, the oldest trick in the pop manual, sound so euphoric as if to make you feel 10ft tall when deployed on Tunnels and Wake Up, the highlights from 2004s unimpeachable debut Funeral.

New songs from forthcoming fifth album Everything Now show their songwriting chops remain intact. Continuing on from the James Murphy-produced, dance-inflected sound of 2013s Reflektor, opener Everything Now - the sound of Abba reimagining Cant Take My Eyes Off You - forgoes their usual bombast for a lighter touch. Creature Comforts might have a slightly queasy lyric about their own music saving somebody from suicide, but tonight it grooves like LCD Soundsystem jamming with Trent Reznor.

Having grown into their festival headliner status, Arcade Fire retain an acute sense of occasion: Butler couldnt be more effusive towards Manchester if he was directly quoting Tony Wilson. He praises the crowd for not being scared in the face of the recent terror attack. By way of appreciation, they slip a snippet of New Orders Temptation into the already New Order-y Afterlife before closing with a beautifully slight take on Joy Divisions Love Will Tear Us Apart, letting the synth line drift airlessly into the night. Coming after the emotional wallop of the main set, it left more than a few people misty-eyed.


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As the unmistakable James Brown sample faded on his opening song, Get Down, signalling a brief lull in the otherwise constant hurling of plastic cups of water among a sweltering crowd at an airless Finsbury Park, a broad smile spread across Nass face.

I f***ing love this place, he said.

If this was not a genuinely held view, it certainly felt like one.

That the most notable member of QBs finest should be booked for a festival like Wireless was mildly surprising in itself.

While one of the greatest MCs in hip-hop history unquestionably has the stature for an event of any size, he has not seen sustained mainstream success as a solo artist for around 15 years. With only a fraction of his audience aged 30 or older, and many much younger, inducing the level of widespread enthusiasm he might hope for was never likely to be straightforward.

The opening part of his set was built around the timeless masterpiece that is his debut album, Illmatic, from the urgent yet transcendent New York State of Mind through the breezy nihilism of Lifes a B*tch.

Inspired by Scarface, possibly the hip-hops most beloved movie, The World Is Yours seemed to retain a touch more resonance, Nass labyrinthine lyrics combining perfectly with a beat that is quintessentially Pete Rock.

While it will never rank among the most critically acclaimed of his singles, the instantly recognisable Lauryn Hill vocals on If I Ruled the World contributed to what was predictably one of the rappers most well-received numbers on the night.

There was a return to Illmatic with the jump-up classic Half-Time, before a version of Ain't Hard to Tell in which the key sample was expanded to feature an interpolation of Michael Jackson's Human Nature that was understandable, if unnecessary.

Glastonbury 2017 Show all 48 1 /48 Glastonbury 2017 Glastonbury 2017 Ed Sheeran woos the crowd during his Pyramid Stage performance on the final day of the festival, 25 June 2017 PA Glastonbury 2017 PC Small wearing a fairy costume sits on top of her horse Sedgemoor who is wearing garlands as she and her colleague interact with the public at Glastonbury, 25 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Barry Gibb performs on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 AFP/Getty Glastonbury 2017 Festival-goers queue to charge their mobile phones at the Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Rag'n'Bone Man performs on day 4 of the Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Jamie Cullum performs on the Pyramid Stage during day 4 of the Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Musician Jarvis Cocker plays a DJ set from a wooden tree structure in the Greenpeace are at Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters performs at the Glastonbury Festival, 24 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 One of the 'Lords of Lightning' harnesses high-voltage electricity in a performance during the Metamorphosis Show in the Arcadia area at the Glastonbury Festival, 24 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Katy Perry performs on day 3 of the Glastonbury Festival, 24 June 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn addresses the crowd alongside Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis on the Pyramid Stage as he makes a guest appearance at the Glastonbury Festival Site, 24 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn meets festival goers as he visits the Green Fields at the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton, 24 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Craig David performs on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, 24 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Gabrielle Aplin performs on the Other Stage during day 3 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm, Pilton, 24 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Lights illuminate the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm at night in Pilton, 23 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 The Flaming Lips perform on The Park Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, 23 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 People gather to watch the Arcadia landing show at the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton, 23 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Lorde performs on day 2 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm, 23 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Thom Yorke of Radiohead performs on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset, South West England, 23 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim of the XX perform on day 2 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 23 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Former Labour MP Ed Balls attends Glastonbury Festival on 23 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Dua Lipa performs on the John Peel Stage on day 2 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 23, 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Revellers dance as they listen to Circa Waves perform on the Other Stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in Britain, June 23, 2017 Reuters Glastonbury 2017 Festival goers at Glastonbury Festival Site on June 21, 2017 in Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 Reuters Glastonbury 2017 Festivalgoers watching Blossoms on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, at Worthy Farm in Somerset PA Glastonbury 2017 EPA Glastonbury 2017 Actor Johnny Depp poses on a Cadillac before presenting his film The Libertine, at Cinemageddon at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival Reuters Glastonbury 2017 Fans cheer as American actor Johnny Depp makes his entrance at Cinemageddon during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, near Pilton, Somerset EPA Glastonbury 2017 US actor Johnny Depp attends the Cinemageddon event as part of the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts 2017 at Worthy Farm EPA Glastonbury 2017 Cineramageddon ushers Daisy Peters (left), from Shepton Mallet, and Tamsin Walton, from Pilton, before an appearance by Johnny Depp for a screening of The Libertine, during the Glastonbury Festival PA Glastonbury 2017 Festival-goers pose at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts 2017 at Worthy Farm on 22 June EPA Glastonbury 2017 Revellers sleep in front of a food stand at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival on 22 June, 2017 Reuters Glastonbury 2017 An aerial view of the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset on 22 June, 2017 PA Glastonbury 2017 People gather to watch the sun set as temperatures reach record levels at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton on 21 June, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 Festival goers enjoy themselves as the gates open at the Glastonbury Festival amid heightened security at Worthy Farm in Pilton Getty Glastonbury 2017 A festival goer arrives at Glastonbury Festival Site on 21 June in Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 A festival goer at Glastonbury Festival Site on June 21, 2017 in Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 Festival goers enjoy themselves as the gates open at the Glastonbury Festival amid heightened security at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 21, 2017 near Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 Festival goers at Glastonbury Festival Site on June 21, 2017 in Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 Revellers sing and dance by the Stone Circle at Worthy Farm in Somerset Reuters Glastonbury 2017 Festival founder Michael Eavis arrives to attend a screening of film maker Julian Temple's Glastonbury documentary Getty Glastonbury 2017 People attend a screening of film maker Julian Temple's Glastonbury documentary being shown at the new night time area Cinemaggedon on June 21, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 People attend a screening of film maker Julian Temple's Glastonbury documentary being shown at the new night time area Cinemaggedon on June 21, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 People gather to watch the sun set as temperatures reach record levels at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 21, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 The sun sets at the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm in Pilton on 21 June, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 Fireworks illuminate the night sky at the end of the first day at the Glastonbury Festival on 21 June Getty Glastonbury 2017 A reveller smokes by the Stone Circle at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival on June 22, 2017 Reuters

Damian Marleys introduction to the stage provided a universally welcome surprise, injecting new energy into renditions of two of the pair's biggest releases off their joint album, Distant Relative, before ambling back off stage.

The energy remained during the relentless Made You Look, the crowds exuberance reflected in an increased flurry of water-hurling.

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Following the Mobb Deep legends untimely death a few weeks ago, it was inevitable Nas would honour his fellow former Queensbridge resident, collaborator and friend, Prodigy.

If the tribute was heartfelt, the audiences reaction to the opening verse of Shook Ones was possibly the biggest of his set  a reminder that while Nasir Joness place in the hip-hop hall of fame is unassailable, he has never really produced an anthem with a similar level of crossover appeal (albeit one largely created, in this case, by its use in an Eminem film).

Perhaps the clearest sign of the imbalance in the age demographics of the crowd came in the muted reception to Live at the Barbeque, the era-defining Main Source joint on which Nas announced his rare talents to the world in that explosive opening verse.

While such indifference may be upsetting for the relatively tiny number of those of us in the crowd dancing like it was still 1991, ecstatic simply to be witnessing a re-enactment of one of the genres truly historic moments, it could hardly come as a source of astonishment given most people were probably here to see The Weeknd.

Recommended The Weeknd proves his star is still on the ascent at the O2 Arena

Nevertheless, whether they fully appreciated it or not, the crowd was treated to a final display of the 43-year-olds extraordinary lyricism and delivery with the climactic One Mic.

Unfortunately the headline set was rather hit and miss. The Weeknd offered songs spanning his mixtape days  for the original XO fans  to his latest album, Starboy.

Despite having three full albums and three mixtapes to call on, it felt like the Canadian artist  real name Abel Tesfaye  was playing it safe.

Not that this appeared to matter to most of those watching, as they sang along to every word with the man who sounds like he has an Auto-Tune built in to his voice box.

Perhaps its to be expected from The Weeknd in 2017, but his hour on stage was spent on somewhat pedestrian songs such as Rockin and show-closer The Hills.

While both making decent album tracks, they were unfortunately the soundtrack to hundreds of attendees leaving early to avoid queues at Finsbury Park station.

The energy and mystique that won so many fans isnt all missing, though: Often and Earned It displayed Tesfayes undeniable vocal talent and ear for a catchy hook, while Six Feet Under proves that while The Weeknd has a formula, he manages to execute it to a pretty high standard.
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It had been four long, and decidedly less flamboyant, years since Brandon Flowers last brought The Killers to London.

But our capital city has a special place in the frontmans heart and from the moment he bounded onto the stage wearing a pink leather jacket reminiscent of the Hot Fuss glory days amid a shower of confetti, it was clear that this would be a welcome home party to remember.

The Man, the first single from the upcoming fifth album Wonderful Wonderful, proved a sufficiently banging opener despite being mere weeks old, with Flowers ironic strutting and gyrating eliciting whoops from all corners of the sold-out Hyde Park gathering.

Then came three big-hitters, Somebody Told Me, Smile Like You Mean It and Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine (I know what youre doing here! remaining the most satisfying Killers lyric to scream en-masse, rivalled only by I got soul but Im not a soldier from All These Things That Ive Done), before a costume change to a black jacket with glittery lapels heralded a return to the heartland rock of Sams Town.

The man who sings This River Is Wild does not wear a pink leather jacket, quipped Flowers, before delighting hardcore fans of the bands back catalogue with the underrated album track, which had won out over Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll in a Twitter poll to decide what they would play earlier in the day.

Human was teased with a stripped-down piano verse, before Bling (Confessions of a King) built to its anthemic climax and led into the full-band version of the Day & Age favourite.

This headline appearance  a UK festival exclusive bar their secret set at Glastonbury in June  had sold out quicker than any British Summer Time show since The Rolling Stones in 2013. Hearing the euphoric crowd sing along to every word was evidence why. The Killers bring the hits. They arent too cool to play what they know we want to hear and they have never been ashamed of aiming high. They smile. They have a good time on stage  and its infectious.

Glastonbury 2017 Show all 48 1 /48 Glastonbury 2017 Glastonbury 2017 Ed Sheeran woos the crowd during his Pyramid Stage performance on the final day of the festival, 25 June 2017 PA Glastonbury 2017 PC Small wearing a fairy costume sits on top of her horse Sedgemoor who is wearing garlands as she and her colleague interact with the public at Glastonbury, 25 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Barry Gibb performs on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 AFP/Getty Glastonbury 2017 Festival-goers queue to charge their mobile phones at the Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Rag'n'Bone Man performs on day 4 of the Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Jamie Cullum performs on the Pyramid Stage during day 4 of the Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Musician Jarvis Cocker plays a DJ set from a wooden tree structure in the Greenpeace are at Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters performs at the Glastonbury Festival, 24 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 One of the 'Lords of Lightning' harnesses high-voltage electricity in a performance during the Metamorphosis Show in the Arcadia area at the Glastonbury Festival, 24 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Katy Perry performs on day 3 of the Glastonbury Festival, 24 June 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn addresses the crowd alongside Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis on the Pyramid Stage as he makes a guest appearance at the Glastonbury Festival Site, 24 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn meets festival goers as he visits the Green Fields at the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton, 24 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Craig David performs on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, 24 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Gabrielle Aplin performs on the Other Stage during day 3 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm, Pilton, 24 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Lights illuminate the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm at night in Pilton, 23 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 The Flaming Lips perform on The Park Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, 23 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 People gather to watch the Arcadia landing show at the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton, 23 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Lorde performs on day 2 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm, 23 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Thom Yorke of Radiohead performs on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset, South West England, 23 June 2017 AFP/Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim of the XX perform on day 2 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 23 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Former Labour MP Ed Balls attends Glastonbury Festival on 23 June 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Dua Lipa performs on the John Peel Stage on day 2 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 23, 2017 Getty Images Glastonbury 2017 Revellers dance as they listen to Circa Waves perform on the Other Stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in Britain, June 23, 2017 Reuters Glastonbury 2017 Festival goers at Glastonbury Festival Site on June 21, 2017 in Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 Reuters Glastonbury 2017 Festivalgoers watching Blossoms on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, at Worthy Farm in Somerset PA Glastonbury 2017 EPA Glastonbury 2017 Actor Johnny Depp poses on a Cadillac before presenting his film The Libertine, at Cinemageddon at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival Reuters Glastonbury 2017 Fans cheer as American actor Johnny Depp makes his entrance at Cinemageddon during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, near Pilton, Somerset EPA Glastonbury 2017 US actor Johnny Depp attends the Cinemageddon event as part of the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts 2017 at Worthy Farm EPA Glastonbury 2017 Cineramageddon ushers Daisy Peters (left), from Shepton Mallet, and Tamsin Walton, from Pilton, before an appearance by Johnny Depp for a screening of The Libertine, during the Glastonbury Festival PA Glastonbury 2017 Festival-goers pose at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts 2017 at Worthy Farm on 22 June EPA Glastonbury 2017 Revellers sleep in front of a food stand at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival on 22 June, 2017 Reuters Glastonbury 2017 An aerial view of the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset on 22 June, 2017 PA Glastonbury 2017 People gather to watch the sun set as temperatures reach record levels at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton on 21 June, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 Festival goers enjoy themselves as the gates open at the Glastonbury Festival amid heightened security at Worthy Farm in Pilton Getty Glastonbury 2017 A festival goer arrives at Glastonbury Festival Site on 21 June in Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 A festival goer at Glastonbury Festival Site on June 21, 2017 in Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 Festival goers enjoy themselves as the gates open at the Glastonbury Festival amid heightened security at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 21, 2017 near Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 Festival goers at Glastonbury Festival Site on June 21, 2017 in Glastonbury, England Getty Glastonbury 2017 Revellers sing and dance by the Stone Circle at Worthy Farm in Somerset Reuters Glastonbury 2017 Festival founder Michael Eavis arrives to attend a screening of film maker Julian Temple's Glastonbury documentary Getty Glastonbury 2017 People attend a screening of film maker Julian Temple's Glastonbury documentary being shown at the new night time area Cinemaggedon on June 21, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 People attend a screening of film maker Julian Temple's Glastonbury documentary being shown at the new night time area Cinemaggedon on June 21, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 People gather to watch the sun set as temperatures reach record levels at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 21, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 The sun sets at the Glastonbury Festival 2017 at Worthy Farm in Pilton on 21 June, 2017 Getty Glastonbury 2017 Fireworks illuminate the night sky at the end of the first day at the Glastonbury Festival on 21 June Getty Glastonbury 2017 A reveller smokes by the Stone Circle at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival on June 22, 2017 Reuters

Given how many songs are in demand, three could have been skipped from the set list: A Dustland Fairytale and This Is Your Life were met with a more subdued response, while their cover of Joy Divisions Shadowplay is always slick but comes at the expense of some of their own crowd-pleasing songs (Bones to name but one key omission).

Still, this set was a masterclass in connecting with an audience and, as The Killers closed the night with a pumped-up powerhouse rendition of their song of a generation, Mr Brightside, not one person was ready to go home.
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Rain Dove is no ordinary model.

At 6ft 2in, with muscular arms, broad shoulders and 32DD breasts, the self-proclaimed gender capitalist doesnt conform to either mens or womens body standards, but that hasn't stopped her from storming the industry.

Now, the 27-year-old is appearing in international magazine spreads, walking major catwalks and using her platform to change how we see gender through the medium of clothes.

Growing up in a small community in Vermont, Dove wasnt aware that she looked different to the other girls and it wasnt until she became a firefighter that she realised people were mistaking her for a man.

The male firefighters asked me to rate the women with them. I realised very quickly that I didnt want to be the ugly woman in a room full of men so I went along with being a man for the next 11 months the model told Yahoo Style.

Pursuing a degree in genetic engineering, Dove fell into the world of modelling by mistake. After losing a bet with a friend she ended up having to go to a casting call for Calvin Klein which turned out to be for mens underwear.

Three months later, she assigned her first ever modelling job and has since walked at New York fashion week on both mens and womens runways.

With a body that defies societys expectations of gender, Doves appearance allows her to beautifully straddle the line between mens and womenswear and she has quickly become a vibrant spokesperson for LGBTQ issues.

As such, the groundbreaking model dedicates her Instagram to raising awareness of gender neutrality by posting images of herself dressed in mens and womens versions of the same outfit.

My strength does not come from my clothing, Dove writes.

No matter what I wear whether my choice or not- I guarantee I will still be me. Because I'll be damned if I let something as simple as Cloth be my shackles.

We are stronger than fabric.
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For something thats supposed to be enjoyable, drinking wine involves an awful lot of rules. Dont drink red wine with fish. Make sure you hold the glass by the stem. Never fill your glass to the brim. And, even if youre about to pass out from heat stroke, dont even think about plonking a few ice cubes in your wine unless you want to seem horribly gauche. Its enough to make you reach for a gin and tonic.

But, some wine experts are questioning whether sticking some ice cubes into your Sauvignon Blanc is such a crime after all.

Wine etiquette is full of stuck-up, toffee nosed twaddle and in my view starts from the wrong perspective, ie with big swiping generalisations and no consideration to what people like, argues David Moore, the owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Pied-a-Terre in central London tells The Independent.

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If you want ice, have ice. I regularly enjoy an iced up white wine, and buy a good value bottle to do that.

Even Moet & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot, those purveyors of fancy Champagne, have recently released wines which they encourage drinkers to serve on the rocks.

In fact, as Tom Harrow, the co-founder of Honest Wines explains, there is a historical precedent for icing wine.

Whilst I wouldnt recommend diluting your Grand Cru Montrachet with a few cubes there are other circumstances where it shouldnt be such an issue, he says.

We add ice  well, some do  to whisky, and soda to brandy, and the ancient Greeks and Romans insisted on watering down their wine. 20:1 is mentioned in Homers Odyssey, which seems excessive; 4:1 was more common, rather like Pimms to ginger beer ratio.

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The sticking point is, however, when a wine becomes too fine to be cooled down with ice. The ice will of course eventually melt and dilute the flavours and aromas of the drink.

Putting ice cubes in a well made, balanced wine just to cool it down is lazy, warns Ruth Spivey, wine expert and founder of Wine Car Boot.

The climate you are in is also key when mulling over whether to ice or not to ice, argues Richard Ellison, the founder of Wanderlust Wine. He suggests theres just no use enduring a lukewarm wine when its too hot to think anyway.

As a passionate wine lover who imports it for a job, even I have been known to add ice to wine in certain scenarios. Late last year in Cambodia on holiday I was served a bottle of room temperature Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand in a scorching 32 degree heat. They then brought ice. This is one time I didnt even bother to argue with the concept.

Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Show all 11 1 /11 Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures Vegan winemakers Freya - In pictures

Harrow chimes: In baking weather like weve recently enjoyed I would happily sacrifice a degree or so alcohol in favour of extra refreshment. In fact I would argue that any white or pink that is 13.5 per cent will probably benefit from a cube or two in hot weather.

Wine from regions like the Rhone in France, such as the white Chateauneuf, white Cotes du Rhone, can also be a little too powerful for some and could be watered down a little to taste adds Ellison.

If a bottle needs to be chilled sharpish, but is too high quality to water down, Ellison suggests wetting a paper towel, wrapping it around the bottle and putting it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. This make-do freezer jacket will cool the wine quicker. And, if possible, plan a little in advance to avoid relying on faddy gadgets and needlessly fussy methods.

Most of our lives are cluttered enough and most people dont need more faddy gadgets, however handy, says Ellison. Other more complicated and elaborate methods that seem a bit silly include having brine water with bags of ice poured in. Dissolving the salt in the water lowers the freezing temperature and cools the bottle faster. Its elaborate but it does work  you can chill wine or champagne down to perfectly cold in less than 10 minutes.

But Id argue why not just add some frozen raspberries or blueberries instead? The wine is just as cold but without it being diluted, he adds.

So, for anyone grabbing a bottle of supermarket plonk on the way home from work, which lets be honest is most of us, Spiveys advice is clear: If the wine is horrible and youre unable to change it for something better, a couple of ice cubes could well make it more palatable  the colder the wine the less you can taste.
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Evelyn Dolo saved a teenage girls life but not out of goodwill alone, she says.

A traditional birth attendant for more than 15 years in the small Liberian village of Zahmboyee, Dolo was summoned one night to help the teenage girl deliver her baby. Dolo rushed the girl to the nearest hospital, about 25 miles away, where she was immediately taken into surgery.

A cesarean section saved both the girl and her babys life, says Zlangbah Dahn, head of obstetrics and gynecology at Ganta United Methodist Hospital.

Dolos objectives in the case were twofold: she was racing to save the girls life but she was also compelled to rush to the hospital under the rules of her village. Rather than deliver womens babies at home, birth attendants in many villages are required to bring pregnant women to health centres or face penalties. In Dolos village failure to comply would have meant a payment to the town elders of 5,000 Liberian dollars (around 40), a gallon of palm oil and a tub of cooked rice.

Recommended Northern Irish law made woman carry foetus with fatal defect to term

The local policy essentially forces women to give birth in health centres by threatening financial penalties  a practice aimed at curbing maternal deaths. In Liberia 725 women die for every 100,000 live births  among the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world.

The practice is not a national policy regulated by the Ministry of Health, although the Liberian government does encourage women to give birth in health facilities as part of its push to lower maternal deaths in childbirth. Instead, it varies from one community to the next. In some villages the fine is much lower or offenders must pay in cattle. In others, the nearest health clinic levies the fine rather than the town leaders.

A Big Belly business poster encouraging women to discuss the option of going to a hospital when they are pregnant (Nicholas D. Kristof/The New York Times)

Local clinicians say they are seeing more women deliver in hospitals as a result. Its working, Dahn says. Home births still happen in the village but more birth attendants are bringing women here.

Experts in the US, however, fear the practice might deter those who deliver at home from visiting a hospital or a clinic for other healthcare. It is also unclear if the practice actually saves more mothers lives.

This is a very complex issue and something like a penalty is a blunt instrument, says Lynn Freedman, director of Columbia Universitys Averting Maternal Death and Disability programme. I dont think it gets countries or their populations where they want to be.

Coercive measures can set up negative associations with the healthcare system, she explains. It could make mothers who deliver at home reluctant to bring their children to clinics for vaccines or other care, fearful that they might be treated as delinquents who broke the rules.

The idea of using fines to enforce certain maternal health behaviours is not a new concept but it is fairly rare. Punitive measures to get women to deliver in hospitals have also cropped up in villages in Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi and the Philippines, Freedman says.

Other countries, including Nepal, Cambodia and India, have incentive programmes rather than coercive measures. In India, where the government gives women cash to deliver in a hospital or a clinic, institutional deliveries increased to 49 percent in 2010 from 20 percent in 2005.

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Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. 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The goal of these programmes is twofold: to ensure a woman has easier and quicker access to a C-section if she needs it, but also for her to be assisted by a trained midwife rather than a traditional birth attendant.

While traditional birth attendants have historically played an important role in supporting pregnant women in rural areas, they may be untrained and may sometimes follow dangerous practices. In Liberia, some birth attendants will roll a pestle on the mothers stomach to try to push the baby out, says Eunice Josiah, a registered midwife at a health clinic in Boegeezay. The practice can rupture the womans uterus, endangering the lives of both the mother and child.

Another problem is that birth attendants do not have the surgical tools that a health centre can provide. For example, if a woman is in obstructed labour, where the baby cannot exit the uterus, a birth attendant cannot perform a C-section. By the time the woman reaches a hospital, it is often too late.

That was the case for a woman from a rural village called Yarnee. She went into labour on a Friday and continued the process at home for three days before someone suggested she should go to a hospital, says Dr Mamady Conde, the only full-time practising physician in that county. That was when she and her brother began the nearly two hour walk through narrow footpaths in the forest, followed by an hour-and-a-a-half canoe ride to Cestos, the city where the nearest hospital was. By the time the canoe reached the shore, the woman had died, says Conde.

Dr Jeffrey Smith, an obstetric gynecologist who is vice president for technical leadership at Jhpiego, a not-for-profit health organisation based at Johns Hopkins University, said women and their babies who arrive at a clinic can get better access to ambulances that can take them to the nearest surgical centre.

You have a minute, maybe three minutes, to resuscitate that baby if its not breathing at birth, he said. Being in a facility reduces the critical response time if there is an emergency.

But these theoretical benefits do not always translate to the field. In India facility deliveries spiked after the cash-incentive program but there was no meaningful difference in maternal mortality rates.

Facilities cannot just exist as buildings, Smith says. If more women are coming into clinics, then those places need to have increased staffing and supplies to care for them.

If you double the workload but dont change the number of staff or the capacity of the health system, you have the potential to anger people and increase instances of disrespect and abuse toward the patient, adds Smith.

A clinic in Boegeezay is working to address that concern. While it fines birth attendants 750 Liberian dollars for a home delivery, it is also trying to provide better care to make women want to deliver there.

The clinic has a maternal waiting home, where mothers can stay near the end of their pregnancy, eliminating the risk that they may go into labour in a village too far from emergency care. Each woman is given her own room and bathroom, as well as meals, free of charge.

The clinic also works with community health workers who are trained to help expectant mothers develop a birth plan that details how they will save money and arrange transportation to reach the clinic in advance of their delivery.

 New York Times
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It may be the most palatable advice you will ever get from a doctor: Have a glass of wine, a beer or a cocktail every day, and you just might prevent a heart attack and live longer.

But the mantra that moderate drinking is good for the heart has never been put to a rigorous scientific test, and new research has linked even modest alcohol consumption to increases in breast cancer and changes in the brain. That has not stopped the alcoholic beverage industry from promoting the alcohol-is-good-for-you message by supporting scientific meetings and nurturing budding researchers in the field.

Now the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is starting a $100m (77.6m) clinical trial to test for the first time whether a drink a day really does prevent heart attacks. And guess who is picking up most of the tab?

Five of the worlds largest alcoholic beverage manufacturers  Anheuser-Busch InBev, Heineken, Diageo, Pernod Ricard and Carlsberg  have so far pledged $67.7m to a foundation that raises money for the NIH, according to Margaret Murray, the director of the Global Alcohol Research Programme at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, which will oversee the study.

The decision to let the alcohol industry pay the bulk of the cost has raised concern among researchers who track influence-peddling in science.

Research shows that industry-sponsored research almost invariably favours the interests of the industry sponsor, even when investigators believe they are immune from such influence, says Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University who is the author of several books on the topic, including Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health.

The international effort to study the benefits and risks of alcohol will recruit nearly 8,000 volunteers age 50 or older at 16 sites around the world, starting at medical centres in the United States, Europe, Africa and South America. Participants will be randomly assigned to quit alcohol altogether or to drink a single alcoholic beverage of their choice every day.

The trial will follow them for six years to see which group  the moderate drinkers or the abstainers  has more heart attacks, strokes and deaths. The study organisers admit it will be a challenge to recruit volunteers, who will not know in advance whether they will be assigned to abstain or be required to drink. Those in the drinking group will be partly reimbursed for the cost of the alcohol.

The claim that moderate drinking is better than abstinence has never been fully investigated (Getty) (Getty Images)

George F Koob, the director of the alcohol institute, says the trial will be immune from industry influence and will be an unbiased test of whether alcohol in moderation protects against heart disease.

This study could completely backfire on the alcoholic beverage industry, and theyre going to have to live with it, says Koob. The money from the Foundation for the NIH has no strings attached. Whoever donates to that fund has no leverage whatsoever  no contribution to the study, no input to the study, no say whatsoever.

But Koob, like many of the researchers and academic institutions playing pivotal roles in the trial, has had close ties to the alcoholic beverage industry. From 1999 to 2003, Koob served on the medical advisory council of the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation, now called the Foundation for Alcohol Research, an industry group that also provided him research grants of up to $40,000 a year between 1990 and 1994, according to John Bowersox, a spokesman for the NIHs alcohol institute.

Indeed, many of those involved in the study have financial links  either personally or through an institution  to alcohol industry money.

Harvard University, the hub of the clinical trial, has a long relationship with the alcoholic beverage industry. In 2015 the university accepted $3.3m from the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, a group founded by distillers, to establish an endowed professorship in psychiatry and behavioural science. Harvards School of Public Health also came under fire in 2005 when a professor teamed with Anheuser-Busch to promote the health benefits of beer, and Anheuser donated $150,000 to fund scholarships for doctoral students.

One of the trials principal investigators, Dr Eric Rimm of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, has acknowledged through various financial disclosures that he has been paid to speak at conferences sponsored by the alcohol industry and received reimbursement for travel expenses. He says it had been at least eight or nine years since those events, and he has no current relationship with the alcoholic beverage industry.

Dr Diederick Grobbee, another principal investigator, who is based in the Netherlands and is in charge of clinical sites outside the United States, said in a telephone interview that he has received research money from the International Life Sciences Institute, an industry group that supports scientific research.

In Baltimore, the trial will be run by Dr Mariana Lazo-Elizondo of Johns Hopkins, who received research grants in 2013 and 2014 totaling $100,000 from the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation. She declined to be interviewed.

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The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests  but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty

In Copenhagen, the lead researcher will be Dr Lars Ove Dragsted, who disclosed in a scientific paper last year that he has conducted research at institutions that received industry support. He has not responded to requests for comment.

The Barcelona study arm will be run by Dr Ramon Estruch, who in February helped lead a Wine & Health conference in the wine region of La Rioja, Spain, that was supported by the wine industry. Estruch recently refused to disclose his financial conflicts of interest to The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs and has not responded to requests for comment.

The principal investigator of the new study, Dr Kenneth J Mukamal, a Harvard associate professor of medicine and a visiting scientist at the School of Public Health, says he has never received funding from the industry. Mukamal, who has published dozens of papers on the health benefits of alcohol consumption, says he was not aware that alcohol companies were supporting the trial financially.

This isnt anything other than a good old-fashioned NIH trial, he says. We have had literally no contact with anyone in the alcohol industry in the planning of this.

A spokeswoman for Pernod Ricard, one of the beverage firms that has pledged money to pay for the study, says company officials signed on because they were impressed by the ambitious scale of the trial.

Weve never seen a study of such scope or calibre, says Sandrine Ricard, deputy director for corporate social responsibility for Pernod Ricard. She noted that the businesses will have no say in the research and dont want to have any say. Were hoping the results nevertheless are going to be good, she says. And were optimistic they will be.

Gemma R Hart, vice president for communications at Anheuser-Busch, says the company has been investing heavily in efforts to promote responsible drinking, and has an interest in generating research to guide evidence-based approaches to changing consumer behaviour. Its part of our overall commitment to reducing the harmful use of alcohol, says Hart.

Though the company is helping to fund the trial, Our role is limited entirely to the funding we provided, says Hart. We have no role in the study. We will learn the outcome of the study when everybody else does

Scientists first floated the hypothesis that moderate alcohol consumption is good for ones health nearly 100 years ago, when a Johns Hopkins scientist published a graph showing that modest drinkers lived longer than not only heavy drinkers, but also abstainers.

Critics of the alcohol hypothesis say moderate drinking may just be something that healthy people tend to do, not something that makes people healthy.

Despite the heart-healthy hypothesis, plenty of studies have linked moderate drinking to more health problems. One study found an increased rate of atrial fibrillation among moderate drinkers. And a 2017 report on breast cancer from the American Institute for Cancer Research determined there is strong evidence tying consumption of a single serving of alcohol a day to an increased risk of both pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer.

Proponents of the moderate alcohol hypothesis, on the other hand, pointed to alcohols anti-clotting effects and its apparent ability to raise the level of good cholesterol to help explain its benefits.

The new trial defines moderate drinking as one serving a day, defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits. The definition is significantly lower than what has typically been considered a moderate level of drinking for men, which has long been defined as up to two servings a day. Moderate drinking for women has been defined as one serving a day.

The recruits will be men and women aged 50 or older, all of whom either have cardiovascular disease or are at high risk for developing it. Problem drinkers and individuals who have never consumed alcohol will be ineligible, as will be certain women at high risk for breast cancer and people with certain medical conditions. Investigators have not determined how they will verify that participants are sticking to their regimens of one drink a day or no alcohol at all.

The study has several limitations. Adverse events related to alcohol, including car accidents, major falls, heart conditions, alcohol abuse and new cancer diagnoses will be tracked, but the study is not large enough or long enough to detect an increase in breast cancer.

And while the investigators goal is to recruit an equal number of men and women, and analyse results by gender, Mukamal says the trial most likely will not be able to detect gender differences unless they are pronounced.

The lack of focus on gender differences related to alcohol consumption has drawn criticism. It is already known that women metabolise alcohol more slowly than men, and that heart disease in women is different from how it is in men. Women respond differently than men to many medications because of differences in body fat, size, liver metabolism and kidney function.

In addition to the higher risk of breast cancer linked to alcohol, studies have shown women are more susceptible than men to the toxic effects of alcohol on the liver for any given dose.

As currently planned, the alcohol trial makes the assumption that men and women are the same biologically, and thats not true, says Dr Anne McTiernan, a physician and researcher at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, who was one of the authors of the American Institute for Cancer Research review on breast cancer. This sort of thing has been a problem in some NIH studies for a long time.

Art Caplan, the director of medical ethics at the NYU School of Medicine, says the role of the industry should be disclosed when the results eventually are disseminated to the public. People will react differently if it says the study is sponsored by NIH or sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, he says.

The concern, he said, is that any findings supporting the benefits of alcohol could easily be misinterpreted. If there is some health benefit for people over 50 from one drink a day, many people will just hear that alcohol is good for you, and some will say, I can drink all the beer I want, he says.

 New York Times
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The Vatican has outlawed the use of gluten-free bread for Holy Communion. The ruling must be followed by 1.2 billion Catholics around the world wheat intolerant worshipers will be disappointed to hear.

At the request of Pope Francis the announcement was made in a letter to bishops by Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

It is for the Bishop as principal dispenser of the mysteries of God, moderator, promoter and guardian of the liturgical life in the Church entrusted to his care to watch over the quality of the bread and wine to be used at the Eucharist, Cardinal Sarah wrote.

Roman Catholics believe that the bread and wine served at the Eucharist are converted into the body and blood of Christ through a process called transubstantiation

The Cardinal added that bread must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition.

However, low-gluten bread with enough protein in the wheat to make it without additives will be allowed.

Roman Catholics believe that the bread and wine served at the Eucharist are converted into the body and blood of Christ through a process called transubstantiation. The belief commemorates Christs sacrifice of himself on the cross.

According to the new ruling, bread if made from or even mixed with a substance other than wheat does not constitute valid matter for confecting the Sacrifice and the Eucharistic Sacrament.

The Cardinal wrote that the ruling was needed as a result of Eucharistic bread now being bought from supermarkets and even over the Internet, rather than only being made by people in the religious community.

It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances, such as fruit or sugar or honey, into the bread, the Cardinal stipulated.

The validity of bakers also came into question with the Cardinal stating that bread should be made by people distinguished by their integrity, according to the letter issued last month.

Ancient articles of faith: Catholic antiquities Show all 7 1 /7 Ancient articles of faith: Catholic antiquities Ancient articles of faith: Catholic antiquities 617987.bin Ancient articles of faith: Catholic antiquities 617981.bin  The Walters Art Museum Baltimore Ancient articles of faith: Catholic antiquities 617982.bin  The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Ancient articles of faith: Catholic antiquities 617983.bin  Musee National du Moyen Ages - Thermes de Cluny, Paris Ancient articles of faith: Catholic antiquities 617984.bin  The Trustees of the British Museum Ancient articles of faith: Catholic antiquities 617985.bin  The Cleveland Museum of Art Ancient articles of faith: Catholic antiquities 617986.bin

Other specifications included that the wine must not be soured and can only be natural, from the fruit of the grape, pure and incorrupt, not mixed with other substances.

It is altogether forbidden to use wine of doubtful authenticity or provenance, he added.

Australian celiac Eryn Isaac, a youth minister at St. Pauls Catholic Church in Calgary, told CBC News: I think that's why the Catholic Church has stood as long as it has.

It's because it keeps its tradition  and sometimes it can be very difficult to follow, but I think that they're just trying to keep strong in a society that is kind of turbulent, she added.
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Just 100 companies are responsible for more than 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions over the last three decades, new research has revealed.

The Carbon Majors Report, from the Carbon Disclosure Project, found that just 25 of those companies are the source of more than half of greenhouse gas emissions since 1988  the year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established.

The most polluting investor-owned companies on the list are ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron, while state-backed Saudi Aramco, Chinas coal industry and Russias Gazprom have been the top three greenhouse gas emitters overall.

Recommended Theresa May fails to raise Paris climate change accord with Trump

Chinas coal industry, which is dominated by a collection of state-owned or managed firms, has emitted an estimated 14.3 per cent of the worlds industrial greenhouse gases since 1988. The report takes entities these together, making them by far the biggest contributor to man-made climate change. Saudi Aramco is next on the list, having contributed 4.5 per cent, followed by Gazprom with 3.9 per cent.

By 1988, companies knew or should have known of the destabilising effects of their products on the environment, the CDP says. Nonetheless, most companies have expanded extraction activities significantly in the time since, while non-carbon primary energy sources, such as renewables, have seen relatively very little investment.

If fossil fuels continue to be extracted at the same pace as between 1988 and 2017, global average temperatures would soar by 4C by the end of the century, according to the report.

Climate scientists have repeatedly warned that an increase above 2C could lead to catastrophic and potentially irreversible changes to the worlds weather and ecosystems, including large-scale species extinction, flooding and food scarcity.

CDP urges investors in publicly traded fossil fuel companies to exert pressure on those firms by both private dialogue and public shareholder resolutions. Public companies are responsible for a fifth of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that investors can have significant influence on climate change, the report says.

Investors themselves face risks from the continued backing of fossil fuels and should ensure that companies analyse the effect of climate change scenarios on their business as well as creating transition plans for a low-carbon economy and investing in new technologies, CPD says.

The organisation, which is funded by private benefactors, governments and companies compiled its list mostly using publicly available data, attributing all the fossil fuels burned in industry to the producers that originally extracted them.

Our purpose is not to name and shame firms, our purpose is to provide transparency and call attention to the quite extraordinary fact that just 100 companies played a crucial role in the problem, said Pedro Faria, technical director of the Carbon Majors Database, which collected the information for the report. Its obvious they have a share of responsibility in the solution.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

Oil and gas companies have made some movements on green investments. Shell chief executive, Ben Van Beurden said on Monday that his firm plans to spend up to $1bn a year on its renewable energy division.

In some parts of the world we are beginning to see battery electric cars starting to gain consumer acceptance while wind and solar costs are falling fast, Mr Van Beurden said in a speech in Istanbul, Bloomberg reports.

All of this is good news for the world and must accelerate, while still offering opportunities for producers of fossil fuels, he said.
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On the rise and no longer laughing, stocks of English wine have enjoyed a record year.

Independent English wine producers have defied ridicule to register 132m in turnover from 2015-2016, an all-time high, according to new research by online business finance supermarket Funding Options.

Although not traditionally viewed as serious competition to more established wine-growing regions, English wine has become a major growth industry in recent years. Its latest turnover figures represent an increase of 16 per cent on the previous year, while the sector has nearly trebled over the last five years, the study shows.

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Funding Options says greater national and international recognition has helped overcome consumer scepticism and increase prices. In May 2017, Norfolk-based Winbirri Vineyards Bacchus 2015 wine was named the worlds best white wine in the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards.

Wine makers are also capitalising on the growing popularity of boutique British alcohol production and increased sales are encouraging more producers to enter the market. The latest statistics from HM Revenue and Customs show a record 64 new wine producers obtaining a licence for wine production in 2016.

Conrad Ford, founder of Funding Options, said that English wine is now being ranked alongside French and German vintages, but added that producers must increase investment and capacity to keep pace with growing demand. This would help growers looking to the export market as a result of the falling pound, he said.

Wine growers need to reduce restrictions on production and capacity to ensure consistent, sustainable growth in the long-term, said Mr Ford.

The fall in the value of sterling serves to showcase exactly how producers need to be able to increase capacity to react quickly to changing market conditions.

In an industry with expensive, advanced machinery, a lack of sufficient funding, particularly for many smaller and medium-sized producers, can restrict volume capacity.

However, many wine growers will not fit the risk profile for larger high street banks when looking for lending to increase production. Winemakers need to look at all the options open to them for funding when looking to grow.

Although the UKs climate is inhospitable to producing quality red wine, the south of England has established a reputation for sparkling white wine. French champagne house Taittinger recently planted a vineyard in Kent, the county that is home to Englands leading winemaker Chapel Down.

There are 502 vineyards in England and Wales with production reaching five million bottles a year, according to English Wine Producers.
Egypt's Ministry of Interior said on Monday that police have killed six "terrorists" affiliated with the Daesh militant group during a raid on an abandoned apartment building in Upper Egypt's Assiut governorate.

The raid in Dayrot town centre was aimed at eliminating a terrorst cell before it was able to conduct attacks, and was based on intelligence from Homeland Security, the ministry said.

The militants were killed during a shootout with police personnel, who seized large amounts of guns, ammunition and counterfeit military uniforms.

The raid is the second in recent weeks in Assiut governorate, with the interior ministry also claiming to have killed seven terrorists involved in attacks on Christians and churches.

The ministry announced the killing of 14 militants on Saturday near Ismailia governorate after dozens of army personnel were killed or injured in an attack in North Sinai.

Security forces in Giza also said that two members of the Hasm terrorist movement were killed in a shootout on Sunday in 6th of October City, a suburb of Greater Cairo.

Egypt is battling a militant insurgency that is mainly concentrated in the restive northern part of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

However, militants have also struck elsewhere in the country, including the captial, often targeting police and army personnel.

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The World Bank said it will start a fund to finance women entrepreneurs, an idea it developed in tandem with Ivanka Trump, the daughter of the US president.

The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative will make more than $1bn available to improve access to capital for women, the Washington-based development institution said Saturday. The fund will provide technical assistance and invest in projects and programmes that support women and women-led small- and mid-size businesses, said the World Bank, which bankrolls development in poor countries.

The fund cements the World Banks ties to the Trump family at a time when President Donald Trumps administration has questioned the wisdom of financing poor countries and emerging markets with US cash. In its budget proposal, the Trump administration called for cutting funding for the World Bank and other multilateral development lenders by $650m over three years.

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Empowering women economically is a moral issue, but its also a critical economic issue, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said in prepared remarks. No country, organisation, or economy can reach its full potential and meet the challenges of the 21st century without the full and equal participation of women and men.

Trumps daughter, who works in the White House as an adviser to her father, told reporters on a conference call that she wont play a fundraising role but will be a very strong advocate for the fund.

The World Bank will be the trustee of the fund, which will be overseen by a governing committee representing the donors. The governing panel will have its first meeting in October, the bank said.

The bank targeted $200m in grants from donor countries and $800m from financial institutions and commercial contributors. However, the contributions will significantly exceed that amount, according to the development lender.

Bloomberg
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You should read Japan's message to Britain on Brexit, first published in September 2016. Especially if you supported Leave. It's a brutal, lengthy, detailed dissection of all the potential economic damage leaving the EU will do to the UK.

The message is addressed to everyone in Britain, not just some government official in Theresa May's Department for Exiting the European Union. Its title is "Japans Message to the United Kingdom and the European Union."

The 15-page document is also startling because it isn't couched in vague, political spin. The only thing we "know" about May's Brexit strategy is "Brexit means Brexit." May has given no further details about what her government is trying to achieve.

The note from the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in contrast, is a list of specific concerns and demands. In sum, it says, we have invested a huge amount of money in Britain. And you guys are screwing it up. Do you want us to withdraw all our cash, companies and investments? Because we can make that happen if you guys don't wake up to reality!

To quote the letter (emphasis ours):

"There are numerous Japanese businesses operating in Europe, which have created 440,000 jobs. A considerable number of these firms are concentrated in the UK. Nearly half of Japanese direct investment intended for the EU in 2015 flowed to the UK ... we strongly request that the UK will consider this fact seriously and respond in a responsible manner to minimise any harmful effects on these businesses."

The most startling aspect of the note is contained in a series of text boxes. "Actual requests from Japanese businesses are listed in the boxes under the headings below," the letter says. One of those boxes says Japanese banks may leave if Britain cannot maintain an EU-like economic relationship (emphasis ours):

"If Japanese financial institutions are unable to maintain the single passport obtained in the UK, they would face difficulties in their business operations in the EU and might have to acquire corporate status within the EU anew and obtain the passport again, or to relocate their operations from the UK to existing establishments in the EU."

And then there is a bucket of cold water for everyone who wants to reduce immigration (as May herself does). Companies can't survive without flexible immigration, the Japanese say. In fact, immigration should be increased, they say:

Seriously, read the whole thing here.

Read more:

 This chart is easy to interpret: It says we're screwed

 How Uber became the world's most valuable startup

 These 4 things could trigger the next crisis in Europe

Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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Todays Google Doodle honours Swedish aristocrat and scientist Eva Ekeblad (1724-86) on the 293rd anniversary of her birth.

Ekeblad was a countess whose breakthrough experiment in extracting starch from potatoes to make flour paved the way for vodka distillation  a cause for celebration across Europe.

Here are five things you need to know about this extraordinary lady.

1. Ekeblad came from noble origins

Born Eva De La Gardie on 10 July 1724, the future agronomist was the daughter of statesman Count Magnus Julius De La Gardie and Hedvig Catharina Lilje, known for hosting influential political salons.

Raised in comfort among the nobility, Eva was married at just 16 to Count Claes Claesson Ekeblad, a Councillor of the Realm. The couple had one son and six daughters over the course of their 31-year marriage and divided their time between Mariedal Castle and Lindholmen Castle, Vastergotland, both estates wedding gifts to Eva from her father.

Her sister-in-law, Catherine Charlotte De La Gardie, was also an interesting character: inventing a smallpox vaccine and intervening to stop Sweden's last witch trial in Dalarna in 1758.

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2. Her experiments with a culinary oddity led to a major breakthrough

Charged with the management of her familys land - where she attained a reputation for being firm but fair in her dealings with both bailiffs and peasantry - Ekeblad began experimenting on potatoes in 1746.

The root vegetable was then a considerable novelty in Sweden having only been introduced to society in 1658. It was rarely grown outside of the greenhouses of the gentry and even then intended only for animals. The possibility of its use in brandy production had been raised in parliament in 1741 but how precisely this tantalising prospect might be attained remained unknown.

Operating from her kitchen, the countess quickly deduced that the foodstuff could be cooked, crushed and dried to make flour and therefore distilled to make clear spirits  a discovery that soon sparked a craze for potato-based vodka, and much drinking, across northern European.

3. She was the first woman admitted to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Ekeblad submitted her findings to the Swedish Academy in 1746 and was rewarded by becoming its first female member when the full significance of her breakthrough was understood.

Evas work helped solve Swedens recurrent food crises as potatoes were now being used to make alcohol, therein reducing dependence on other staple cereals like oats, rye and barley and freeing them up for use in baking bread to feed the hungry.

The innovation reduced the risk of famine and relieved a terrible strain on the rural poor.

Archaic gender by-laws saw Ekeblads membership of the society downgraded to honorary status in 1751, although she would remain its only female inductee for 200 years until nuclear physicist Lise Meitner was admitted in 1951.

The academy has more recently appointed its first female president, however, with organic chemist Christina Moberg ascending to the role in 2015.

4. Ekeblads other innovations tackled the prevalence of dangerous chemicals in the home

Following her success, Eva Ekeblad turned her attentions towards easing other domestic tasks. She discovered a means of using soap to bleach cotton, yarn and other textiles in place of toxic dyes and later deployed her knowledge of potato flour to advocate its use in place of lead in cosmetics, a bid to reduce the latter compounds harmful impact on the skin.

5. Eva Ekeblads later years were spent as an influential courtier

After the death of her husband in 1771, the renowned scientist took on a number of roles within the royal court in Stockholm. She served as lady in waiting to Queen Sophia Magdalena, as Mistress of the Robes and as governess to Crown Prince Gustav IV Adolf, whose birth she witnessed.

Increasingly bedridden with ill health, Eva Ekeblad died at Mariedal in 1786, aged just 61, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy that has guided Western culinary customs ever since.
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A man has been arrested in connection with an acid attack on an aspiring model and her cousin.

John Tomlin was held on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent over the alleged attack in Beckton, east London, on 21 June.

The 24-year-old handed himself in at a police station and was being held in custody, Scotland Yard said.

Resham Khan and Jameel Muhktar, 37, were attacked by a man throwing acid through their car window on Ms Khan's 21st birthday.

Both suffered life-changing injuries in the attack that took place just after 9.10am on Tollgate Road.

In the days afterwards, Ms Khan said: "I'm devastated. I keep wondering if my life will ever be the same."

Resham Khan in hospital following an acid attack on 21 June (Gofundme)

In a Facebook post, she stressed he did not want the incident to "fuel a division among people".

"There will always be a sick and twisted minority ... make peace with each other and the world," she said.

Mr Mukhtar has said he feels "emotionally wrecked" and "in continuous pain".

Jameel Muhktar, 37, speaking to Channel 4 News in hospital following an acid attack on 21 June (Channel 4 News/YouTube)

In an emotional interview with Channel 4 News, Mr Mukhtar described the feeling as "like somebody's ironing me 24/7".

Scotland Yard said their investigation into the incident was continuing.

Press Association contributed to this report
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An expectant mother suffered a miscarriage after two people burst into a party to announce her baby's gender and opened fire.

The woman was shot in leg as the gunman sprayed bullets in the house in Colerain, Ohio. She lost the baby as a result.

Another 22-year-old woman was killed and three young children were injured, before the gunmen fled on foot, police said.

Recommended At least 28 injured after multiple shooters open fire at US nightclub

She was identified to local media as Autum Garret, from Huntington in Indiana.

"We're not sure if (the suspects) were allowed in or they forced entry at this point," said police Chief Mark Denney Denney. "We don't know who the suspects are and why they did this."

Partygoers were watching a film when the men started shooting, according to local media reports.

"There's a whole lot of people here shot," one witness told a police dispatcher, in a frantic call.

He added: "I just seen two people walk by. I looked outside, next thing I know they just ran in and just started shooting."

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Detectives from Cincinnati have opened a murder investigation into the incident. No arrests have yet been made.

A gender reveal party often involves the expectant parents and their gathered guests learning the soon-to-arrive baby's gender at the same time.

At some point a pink or blue is revealed by opening a box that's full of balloons in one of the colours.
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A British man who is wanted for murder in the US, has lost his 14-year-long legal battle against extradition.

Phillip Harkins, 38, has been fighting against a transfer to America to face the charge since 2003.

It is thought to have been Britain's longest-running extradition case.

But the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg rejected his final appeal, saying his rights would not be breached if he was jailed without parole in Florida.

Mr Harkins, who is originally from Grenock in Inverclyde, was charged with the murder of 22-year-old Joshua Hayes, who was shot and killed during a drugs-related robbery in 1999. He denies being involved in the killing.

Released on bail in 2002, he returned to Scotland.

But he was subsequently jailed for dangerous driving after killing a 62-year-old woman in a car crash in his hometown.

US authorities then sought his extradition for the 1999 murder of Mr Hayes, beginning a lengthy legal battle which has twice been through the British courts and up to European Court.

Responding to the judgement, Mr Hayes's mother Patricia Gallagher told BBC News: I really don't understand how he was ever allowed to file that many appeals. That's way too many and he said he's a victim, and he's not.

She said her son's death had been real rough on her grandchildren, who had been brought up without a father.

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My Josh has two grandchildren that will never get to know him, she said. We keep Josh very much alive here. He'll always be carried in my heart and my head.

Prior to the ruling, US prosecutors assured UK authorities they will not seek the death penalty for Harkins were he convicted,

But his lawyers argued that life imprisonment without the possibility of parole was in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Strasbourg court previously ruled against Harkins, but he was allowed to make a second appeal in 2015.

The Grand Chamber of the court said the course should not be opened again, meaning US authorities are free to go ahead with the transfer.
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The Church of England has called on the Government to officially ban gay cure therapy, which sees homosexuality as a fixable condition.

During a private members motion (PMM), the General Synod overwhelmingly backed a motion calling for the practice to be outlawed.

The "therapies" can involve a variety of techniques including nausea aversion therapy and even electric shock treatment.

Those who carry out the treatment are not usually medically qualified, and most professionals consider the therapies harmful.

They are available privately and although they are not officially available on the NHS, campaigners claim there are instances where people seeking counselling are being referred on the NHS to those who practice conversion therapy.

Given that many practitioners are non-medically trained religious leaders, it is imperative that the Church of England is unequivocal in its condemnation of such harmful practices, it said in a statement.

Jayne Ozanne, an LGBT campaigner who underwent the therapy herself, presented the motion.

She said: I call it abuse. I believe it is spiritual abuse. It (sexual orientation) is a very delicate area that only true professionals should be dealing with. And they wont try to change peoples sexual orientation, they will help them try to deal with it.

What people dont understand is that you can enter this sort of practice willingly because you think it is the right thing to do because you have been told it is what God wants. It is only years late that the impact becomes apparent.

Gay marriage is one of worst threats in 500 years, says Church of England Show all 6 1 /6 Gay marriage is one of worst threats in 500 years, says Church of England Gay marriage is one of worst threats in 500 years, says Church of England Pg-2-church6-getty.jpg Getty Images Gay marriage is one of worst threats in 500 years, says Church of England Pg-2-church1-getty.jpg Getty Images Gay marriage is one of worst threats in 500 years, says Church of England Pg-2-church2-getty.jpg Getty Images Gay marriage is one of worst threats in 500 years, says Church of England Pg-2-chuch3-getty.jpg Getty Images Gay marriage is one of worst threats in 500 years, says Church of England Pg-2-church4-ap.jpg AP Gay marriage is one of worst threats in 500 years, says Church of England Pg-2-church5-getty.jpg

Leading figures in the Church of England are backing the motion, including the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu and the Bishop of Liverpool, Paul Bayes, who said: As the world listens to us, the world nears to hear us say that LGBT orientation and identity is not a crime it is not a sickness, And LGBT orientation and identity is not a sin.

He added: We must distinguish between an ascetic and a therapeutic approach.

The UK should be leading the world in the fight to ban gay conversion therapy, he said.

The motion was signed by the Royal College of GPs as well as the UK Council for Psychotherapy, and the Church of England has now officially endorsed it.

But the organisation Christian Concern condemned the motion for being brought on a purely emotional basis.

Its chief executive Andrea Williams said: Firstly, the talk of gay conversion therapy is highly loaded and provocative. There are very many Christian counsellors and spiritual directors, as well as vicars and lay pastoral workers, who meet regularly with Christians with same-sex attraction. They do so because the person has come to them, and because they want to explore their sexual desires within the framework of the Bible and Christian discipleship.

The former family law barrister added that she believed the evidence presented by Ms Ozanne, which claimed that many people who undergo such forms of therapy go on to attempt suicide, was flawed.

Mz Ozanne told the Synod that her conversion therapy had resulted in two breakdowns and two spells in hospital.

The final vote, after a series of amendments, was 298 to 74 in favour of the Church supporting the motion.

Conservative MP Mike Freer, who is gay and regularly speaks out on gay rights, led a debate in Westminster Hall in 2015 calling for the practice to be banned in the UK, but no further action has been taken by the Government.

33,000 people signed a petition calling on the Government to ban the practice this May, but 100,000 signatures are usually required before a petition is considered for debate in the main chamber.

The Department of Health claimed it had already taken the necessary steps to prevent the practice of gay conversion therapy in the UK.
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The Lake District has been awarded Unesco World Heritage status, placing it alongside wonders of the world such as the Grand Canyon, the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal.

The decision was made at a meeting of United Nations cultural body Unesco in Krakow, Poland, where 33 different sites were under consideration.

The region was praised by the committee for the inspiration that its natural beauty has provided for generations of writers and artists including childrens author Beatrix Potter and poet William Wordsworth, who described the lakes as "the loveliest spot man hath found".

The 885-square-mile beauty spot becomes the 31st place in the UK and its overseas territories to make the list, having bid for the recognition since 1986.

Other UK sites on the Unesco list include Stonehenge, Durham Castle and Cathedral, the city of Bath, the Tower of London and the Giants Causeway.

In pictures: The Lake District Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: The Lake District In pictures: The Lake District The Lake District Yew Tree Farm, built in 1693, was owned by Beatrix Potter and was used as the location for Hill Top in the film 'Miss Potter' starring Rene Zellweger In pictures: The Lake District The Lake District Boat trips ply Windermere In pictures: The Lake District The Lake District Wordsworth moved to picture-perfect Dove Cottage in Grasmere in 1799 with his sister Dorothy In pictures: The Lake District The Lake District Amble around picturesque, man-made Tarn Hows In pictures: The Lake District The Lake District The Barnsgate Brewery is attached to a Lake District legend, the Drunken Duck in the hills above Ambleside In pictures: The Lake District The Lake District Water feature: Bassenthwaite is the only 'official' lake Stewart Smith In pictures: The Lake District The Lake District Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon in their BBC2 series 'The Trip' visited LEnclume in Cartmel

The committee suggested the impact of tourism be monitored and requested improvements be made in the conservation of the area, which is visited by around 18 million people a year.

It is home to Englands largest natural lake  Windermere  as well as its highest mountain, Scafell Pike.

Lord Clark of Windermere, chair of the Lake District National Park Partnership which put together the bid, described the decision as momentous.

A great many people have come together to make this happen and we believe the decision will have long and lasting benefits for the spectacular Lake District landscape, the visitors we welcome every year and for the people who call the National Park their home, he added.

Helen Maclagan, culture director at the UK National Commission for Unesco, said the Lake District was a priceless and irreplaceable asset not only to the UK but to humanity as a whole.

The bid was formally entered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Historic England and was the UK's only submission in 2016.

Recommended Benidorm makes unlikely bid for Unesco World Heritage status

Steve Ratcliffe, director of sustainable development at the Lake District National Park, said the application had been a long time in the making and he was incredibly proud of the landscape which has been shaped by nature, farming and industry.

He told the committee: The Lake District now becomes an international and global property and we look forward to working with you and our communities to make sure this site inspires future generations around the world.

Nigel Wilkinson, managing director of Windermere Lake Cruises, said he was hopeful the Unesco status would benefit the area.

What we really hope is it will act as an economic driver and will grow the value, not the volume, of tourism by giving people more... reasons to make day visits and sustained visits," he said.

Harriet Fraser, a writer and patron of Friends of the Lake District, said: It's the most beautiful district but it has a very deep culture which is largely hill farming but also conservation.

John Glen, minister for arts, heritage and tourism, said: The Lake District is one of the UK's most stunning and ancient landscapes and I am thrilled it has been granted World Heritage Site status.

It is a unique part of the world that combines a vibrant farming community with thousands of archaeological sites and structures that give us an amazing glimpse into our past.

This decision will undoubtedly elevate the position of the Lake District internationally, boosting tourism and benefiting local communities and businesses.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency is in south Cumbria, said: This is fantastic news for our area, and for the local tourist economy.

This well-deserved status is a formal recognition of the outstanding natural beauty of the Lake District, and will help to further promote our area as the UK's leading rural tourist destination.

However, it is vital that the Lake District remains a viable place for local people to live.

This decision is about protecting and promoting the natural and cultural heritage of our area, and must not be used as an excuse to freeze in aspic our vibrant rural communities.

The Lake District must be a place where local people can afford to live, raise a family and find work so that rural communities can thrive.

The Press Association contributed to this report
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Record numbers of teachers are being banned from the classroom for sexual misconduct, The Independent can reveal.

A third of teachers struck off last year were involved in sex-related cases, and in the highest numbers for three years, according to exclusive new figures.

More were banned for sexual misconduct last year alone, than were forced out of the profession because of alcohol, drugs or violence in total during the last five years.

In some cases, teachers used apps like Snapchat and WhatsApp to send inappropriate messages to pupils.

The NSPCC children's charity called the figures alarming and warned of the damaging effects of abusing childrens trust.

Documents released to The Independent under the Freedom of Information Act show 42 teachers were handed prohibition orders because of sexual misconduct in 2016-17, up from 31 the year before and 35 in 2014-15.

In one recent case, a teacher in Wiltshire  34-year-old Nathan Jones  was found to have asked a child to send him an explicit image of herself over Skype. He also asked if she had a webcam so they could engage in sexual activity.

Reports of hearings in other cases published within the last few months include the following incidents:

A supply teacher in Doncaster took a pupil home for three- and four-way sexual activity. Francoise Jenkins, 45, also paid another person approximately 13,000  partly so he would cover up her relationship with the girl.

Dean Richard Johnson, 52, admitted contacting a pupil through Facebook, buying her underwear, inviting her to his classroom for sex and recording them together on a camera bought with school funds. In 2015, he was separately convicted at Guildford Crown Court of possessing extreme pornography and jailed for eight months, suspended for two years.

John Flatley, 30, sent sexual Snapchat messages to a female pupil after attending a prom at a school in south-west London. These included: A vibrator or dildo would u like both? and Well you do love ur bed so u might as well spoil me with snaps.

Education adjudicators said they found the persistence and suggestiveness of WhatsApp messages sent by Grant Foyle, 29, a drama teacher in Basingstoke, to a male pupil very disturbing. They included reference to matters of sexuality including experimentation [and] threesomes.

The way the infractions are categorised has changed. Sexual misconduct and breach of boundaries/trust were counted together until 2014-15, preventing a direct comparison of the number of bans for specifically sexually-motivated misconduct for those years.

However, 65 teachers were banned for either sexual misconduct or breach of boundaries in 2016-17. This was the highest combined rate in five years, up from 53 in 2015-16, and 59, 28 and 51 in the preceding years.

The National Council for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), an executive agency created in 2013 to improve academic standards, provided figures for the last five financial years. Cases are referred by employers, police, members of the public, the Disclosure and Barring Service and others.

In that time, 25 teachers were banned over alcohol or drugs, while 14 were struck off for violence. Eleven were removed from the profession over indecent images between 2014 and 2017.

An NSPCC spokeswoman told The Independent: Children should be safe at school and with their teachers, so these figures are very alarming.

Teachers and other adults supervising young people build up trust through their close contact every day.

So it is particularly damaging when that trust is abused or broken and sexually inappropriate behaviour takes place.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show 42 teachers were banned for sexual misconduct last year (The Independent)

Laura Higgins, operations manager at the UK Safer Internet Centre, told The Independent: If people want to get access to children when they shouldnt, they will take up professions that allow them to have contact with young people.

Obviously theres been a massive rise in the use of mobile phones. That may lead to more risky behaviour.

Head teachers and governors must ensure there are safeguards throughout every bit of the school and right through the recruitment process, Ms Higgins said. Safeguarding children should be at the centre of everything that a school does  and in most schools, it is.

She clarified: Newly qualified teachers do get training about appropriate use of social media. Most schools these days have acceptable use policies, adding she thought training had improved in recent years. Theres a lot less naivety.

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Amanda Brown, assistant general secretary at the NUT, told The Independent: People have said that they believe that sometimes theres not enough focus on behaviour issues and behaviour training [during initial training].

But when it comes to issues in school, we would put a lot of focus on there being really clear processes at school level.

That would go for social media and e-safety as well as other kinds of safety issues. Its for schools to make sure that they have proper procedures in place.

It means being clear with teachers about how their relationships with pupils, and pupils families, should be conducted, she said.

Of the apparent rise in cases, she added: Weve been saying for a long time that we think its really important that those policies, both from Government and schools, are embedded properly and people know how to use them.

It could be that thats embedded more. Child protection is so much more in the news generally. Thats a positive thing.

Ms Brown said some 250 NUT members approach the union each year for help with accusations against them. Most cases involve the alleged use of force  breaking up a fight or preventing children running in corridors  and she added that only a tiny proportion end in a criminal conviction or an unprofessional conduct ruling.

Young people worried about the issues outlined in this story can talk to NSPCCs Childline on 0800 1111, while adults can call the charitys helpline on 0808 800 5000.
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Government officials who favour leaving the nuclear body Euratom are morons, according to the former campaign director of Vote Leave, who also criticised the truck loads of crap ideas from Theresa Mays first nine months in office.

Dominic Cummings, who was one of the most prominent back-room operatives in the Vote Leave campaign during the EU referendum, launched the tirade on Twitter, suggesting it was near-retarded on every dimension to want to leave the nuclear body.

It comes after the former Conservative culture minister Ed Vaizey and the senior Labour MP Rachel Reeves used a joint article in the The Sunday Telegraph to condemn the decision to pull out of Euratom, the European civil nuclear regulator, which is underpinned by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

But according to Sky News, at least eight Conservative MPs are also on the side of Ms Reeves and Mr Vaizey, giving the opposition the numbers required to defeat the Government on the issue.

In the joint article, they wrote: We have been a leading member of a treaty many people have not heard of: Euratom. Though little known, it plays a vital part in many areas of our everyday life.

Although the treaties relating to Euratom are separate to those keeping Britain in the EU, the agency requires members to be under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which Ms May has insisted the UK must withdraw from as part of Brexit.

It is unclear how the UK will replace the procedures and regulations currently managed by Euratom. These cover the transportation of nuclear materials around Europe. Britain is a major producer of enriched uranium, which is used in nuclear fuel, and exports much of the material to other EU countries. The UK Government also owns a third of Urenco, the European uranium-enrichment company.

Unless new treaties relating to the transportation of nuclear materials between Britain and the EU are agreed quickly, the UK could run out of nuclear fuel within two years, meaning nuclear power stations would be unable to produce energy.

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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

Mr Cummings, who was also a special adviser to Michael Gove, also urged those in the Cabinet, including Boris Johnson and Mr Gove, to urge the Prime Minister leaving Euratom is unacceptable bullshit and must be ditched or she will be.

He continued: Use first fortnight of August to ditch truck loads of crap ideas foisted on us by shambolic 1st 9 months of May government, reboot."
Egypt and France are set to launch naval military exercise Cleopatra 2017 on Monday, which will run for several days on Egyptian territorial waters in the Mediterranean and Red Seas.

In a statement on Monday, the Egyptian armed forces said the training encompasses several units and naval machinery, including Egyptian and French Mistral helicopters, a number of frigates, rocket launchers, aircrafts that discover and combat submarines and Egyptian F-16 fighter jets.

"The training is in the framework of supporting distinguished relations and enhancing cooperation and exchange of experience between the armed forces of each country," the statement read.

"[The naval exercise] emphasises the strategic and military partnership and cooperation between Egypt and France," it added.

The training activities include planning and management of joint offencive and defencive combat operations, inspection of suspicious vessels, transportation exercises, reception and departure of helicopters from the roofs of units, training on the security of naval units using air defence weapons and the maritime landing of personnel and equipment on the coast.

In 2016, Egypt carried out 30 joint military exercises with 20 Arab and African countries, and European countries including France and Russia.

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The Government is not breaking the law by continuing to sign off the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, the High Court has ruled.

Activists from Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) had brought a legal challenge against the department in charge of arms control after British arms continued to flow to the autocracy despite it conducting a bloody military campaign in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has been accused by the UN and other observers of killing large numbers of civilians, including through the reported bombing of hospitals, schools, and weddings, in its neighbouring country, where it is intervening against Shia Houthi rebels.

Recommended Saudi air strikes kill at least 25 in attack on Yemen market

But the court ruled: The open and closed evidence demonstrates that the Secretary of State was rationally entitled to conclude  [that] the Coalition were not deliberately targeting civilians,  Saudi processes and procedures have been put in place to secure respect for the principles of International Humanitarian Law  [and that] the Coalition was investigating incidents of controversy, including those involving civilian casualties.

Lord Justice Burnett told the Court that it had not been established that there was a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Amnesty International said the ruling was a deadly blow to Yemeni civilians, while Oxfam said there was a clear moral case to suspend sales.

The court heard both closed and open evidence over a period of three days earlier in the year. The judgment issued by the Court on Monday suggests that evidence given by the Government in closed court  and thus not made public  was crucial to the final decision. The Court said the evidence cannot be referred to in open court for national security reasons.

This secret evidence presented by the Government is said by the court to have included Saudi Arabias fast-jet operational reporting data, high-resolution MoD-sourced imagery and UK defence intelligence reports and battle damage assessments. The judgment summary said the MoD and FCOs analysis has all the hallmarks of a rigorous and robust, multi-layered process of analysis and that the evidence presented by the campaigners was only part of the picture.

The organisation that brought the legal challenge said they would appeal the decision. Andrew Smith of CAAT said: This is a very disappointing verdict, and we are pursuing an appeal. If this verdict is upheld then it will be seen as a green light for Government to continue arming and supporting brutal dictatorships and human rights abusers like Saudi Arabia that have shown a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law.

Every day we are hearing new and horrifying stories about the humanitarian crisis that has been inflicted on the people of Yemen. Thousands have been killed while vital and lifesaving infrastructure has been destroyed.

This case has seen an increased scrutiny of the Governments toxic relationship with Saudi Arabia. It is a relationship that more than ever needs to be examined and exposed. For decades the UK has been complicit in the oppression of Saudi people, and now it is complicit in the destruction of Yemen.

Since the bombing of Yemen began in March 2015, the UK has licensed 3.3bn worth of arms to the Saudi regime, including 1.1bn worth of ML4 licences, which relate to bombs, missiles, and other explosives.

Yemenis stand on the rubble of houses destroyed in a suspected Saudi-led coalition air strike in Sanaa on June 9, 2017. Four civilians, including two teenagers, died 'in a strike by the coalition that targeted a civilian house behind the presidential palace in the south of the capital', a medical source said (AFP)

Nabil Alsharafi, a managing partner at the NGO Safer Yemen, which is based in the countrys capital Sanaa, said the current UK Governments policy will only fuel the conflict.

It will inspire and encourage those dropping bombs on civilians to continue their human rights violations, he said.

People here are not blind to the situation. They know the UKs stance on arms sales and their support for the Saudi-led coalition which is killing Yemenis every day.

This is one of the worst humanitarian crises since the Second World War and more weapons coming into such a troubled region does not bode well.

Members of a Saudi armed unit during a parade in Mecca (Getty Images)

Just five minutes ago when we were reading the news about the High Court decision we also saw the jet fighters circling low around the city again. This is what we are dealing with and we are afraid it will continue now for a long time.

Documents revealed during the course of the judicial review showed that the top civil servant in charge of the Export Control Organisation had recommended a halt to sales, but that ministers had not taken up this advice.

Theresa May last week said she looked forward to deepening our close bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia, while Michael Fallon said earlier this year that he wants British companies to sell more weapons to the country.

Rosa Curling of law firm Leigh Day, which represented CAAT during the case, said that all the evidence we have seen from Yemen suggested the risk of humanitarian law breaches is very real.

The situation in Yemen Show all 14 1 /14 The situation in Yemen The situation in Yemen Houthi supporters trample on a US flag during a gathering mobilizing more fighters into several Yemeni battlefronts, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen People carry the coffins of men, who were killed in the recent Saudi-led airstrikes during their funeral, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen AP The situation in Yemen Pro-government fighters give food to Yemeni children on the road leading to the southwestern port city of Mokha. Yemeni rebels are putting up fierce resistance in a key Red Sea port city where they are encircled by pro-government force Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni stands in front of a graffiti protesting US military operations in war-affected Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen. According to reports, US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen A Yemeni female fighter supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, takes part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen Yemeni female fighters supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, take part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A boy shouts slogans next to pro-Houthi fighters, who have been injured during recent fighting, during a rally held to honour those injured or maimed while fighting in Houthi ranks in Sanaa, Yemen Reuters The situation in Yemen Balls of fire and smoke rise from a Houthi-held military camp following alleged Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy looks on as Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy sits amidst the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa AFP/Getty The situation in Yemen Marine One with US President Donald Trump flies with a decoy and support helicopters to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William 'Ryan' Owens who was killed in Yemen Getty Images The situation in Yemen US President Donald Trump aboard the Marine One to greet the remains of a US military commando killed during a raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen on Sunday, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, US Reuters

Green MP Caroline Lucas said the judgment doesnt give any moral justification for [the Governments] utterly unethical actions when it comes to arms sales and that a change in the law was desperately needed.

While the strict legal verdict is that arms sales can continue, the only morally justifiable way forward would be an immediate arms embargo to Saudi Arabia, she said.

A Government spokesperson said: We welcome this judgment, which underscores the fact that the UK operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world.

We will continue to keep our defence exports under careful review to ensure they meet the rigorous standards of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.
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The Governments 12-month immigration amnesty offered to Grenfell Tower survivors has been branded a trap by a leading human rights group.

Liberty accused the Home Office of luring in undocumented survivors at their most vulnerable to harvest their data, before exposing them to the same cruel policies it inflicts on other undocumented migrants.

The group accused the Government of exploiting the situation to gather data for future immigration control.

They added that the amnesty was a false promise which will leave undocumented survivors unable to access the care they need.

This policy lures undocumented Grenfell survivors in at their most vulnerable, gets their data on file, gives them a brief reprieve, then exposes them to the same inhumane policies the Home Office inflicts on other undocumented migrants  enforced destitution, denial of basic services and the constant threat of detention and removal, said its director, Martha Spurrier.

The only way to ensure undocumented survivors can access the help and support they so desperately need is to grant them a permanent amnesty. It is the least this Government can do.

Theresa May U-turned on a promise not to carry out immigration checks on Grenfell fire victims last week, leaving survivors who need help at risk of deportation if they come forward.

The Prime Minister pledged in Parliament not to use the tragedy as an excuse to check residents immigration status, but ministers confirmed anyone wanting help must register with Home Office officials and be subject to normal immigration rules after 12 months.

Downing Street confirmed to The Independent that what happens to survivors at that point would depend on their circumstances.

The amnesty was offered after Labour and groups advocating for the survivors said the precarious immigration status of some of the residents was stopping them from coming forward.

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

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott branded the approach as grotesque and expressed concern that it would stop people from coming forward for support.

She said: "The partial amnesty is limited to 12 months, which does not go far enough. Some victims have literally lost everything in this horrific tragedy: all their possessions, homes and loved ones. The idea that on top of this they could be deported later is grotesque.

"To access all the support they need without fear of deportation, any survivors concerned about their status must be given indefinite leave to remain. Otherwise, they may just disappear off the grid."

It comes as police said 350 people are believed to have lived in the west London tower, but 14 were not there when the building went up in flames on 14 June.

Recommended I understand why the Grenfell Tower residents are so angry

Authorities said 255 people escaped and 80 are still estimated to have died or are missing. Officers said they do not expect the death toll to rise much further.

Detectives also revealed the tower was made up of predominantly one and two bedroom flats, which would account for the lower than expected occupancy.

Previous estimates put between 400 and 600 people living inside the tower.
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Employers will reportedly have to prove their workers can earn above the minimum wage under proposals to be unveiled in a Downing Street review into modern employment practices in Britain.

The report by Matthew Taylor, a former policy chief to Tony Blair and chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts, is expected to formally recommend a series of protections for gig-economy workers with insecure jobs at app-based firms such as Uber and Deliveroo.

Commissioned by Theresa May shortly after she became Prime Minister last summer, the independent review examined how employment practices need to change in order to keep pace with modern business models.

While it stops short of recommending that all workers in the gig economy should be entitled to the minimum wage, according to the BBC, the review will outline a structure obliging companies to prove that a worker can earn at least 1.2 times the present national living wage of 7.50 an hour.

A leaked draft of the report suggests Downing Street should introduce a new category of people, dependent contractors, who are eligible for workers rights but are not workers. It suggests that people in this category should be able to earn that national minimum wage if they desire.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the report will add that sick leave and paid holidays should be extended to this group, which are treated as full-time employees but without the same rights.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, Mr Taylor said the ambition of the report is for all work to be fair and decent and enable people who want to develop their skills to be able to. Workers should be treated like human beings, not cogs in a machine, he said.

Mr Taylor continued: Every few years as patterns of work changes, we have to refresh the law to represent that. We can do better providing people with satisfaction.

At the launch of the review on Tuesday, the Prime Minister is expected to say: A year ago, I stood outside Downing Street for the first time as Prime Minister, and I set out the defining characteristics of the Government I was determined to lead.

A belief that at the heart of that change must lie a commitment to greater fairness in our country as we tackle the injustice and vested interests that threaten to hold us back, and make Britain a country that works for everyone, not just a privileged few.

I am convinced that the path that I set out in that first speech outside No 10, and upon which we have set ourselves as a Government, remains the right one.

That is why I am so grateful to Matthew for the report he is publishing. Because the issues it confronts go right to the heart of this Governments agenda and right to the heart of our values as a people."
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Britain must be ready to fight cyber-wars against the mayhem coming from Russia, the former head of GCHQ has warned ministers.

The Government will have to push back against Russian state activity, in the same tough way as the leaders of Germany and France have promised, Robert Hannigan said.

Asked if Russia is a threat to Britains democratic process, he replied: Yes, there is a disproportionate amount of mayhem in cyberspace coming from Russia, from state activity.

President Macron and Angela Merkel have called this out recently  attacks on major democratic institutions right through major organised cyber-criminal groups, many of which are based in Russia.

Mr Hannigan added: Starting to talk about it is good - calling it out. Improving our defences is obviously really important.

But ultimately people will have to push back against Russian state activity and show that it's unacceptable.

Asked, on BBC Radio Fours Today programme, how this could be done, he said: It doesn't have to be done by cyber retaliation but it may be that that is necessary at some time in the future.

It may be sanctions and other measures, just to put down some red lines and say that this behaviour is unacceptable.

The warning steps up an alert issued by Whitehall officials last year, when they acknowledged that Russia is waging a campaign of propaganda and unconventional warfare against Britain.

Moscow has been blamed for concerted attempts to undermine the UK through fake espionage, misinformation, cyber attacks and fake news.

The operations are thought to be part of a broader drive by the Putin regime to destabilise the West.

Sir Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, has admitted the UK and its Nato allies must now compete on the cyber battlefield as much as they do in conventional air, land and sea warfare.

Earlier this year, he said Britain was doubling its investment on defensive and offensive cyber warfare to 1.9bn.

However, the Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said such efforts were being undermined by skills shortages and a chaotic lack of organisation.

The Government needed to raise its game, it said in a pre-election report, arguing the handling of personal data breaches did not inspire confidence in its ability to take swift, coordinated and effective action in the face of higher-threat attacks.
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Theresa May is on collision course with teachers after it emerged their pay rises will remain capped at 1 per cent as the Government sticks firm to its austerity programme.

The decision comes amid mounting pressure on the Prime Minister to abandon the pay cap after new research suggested nearly a quarter of those who have qualified in the teaching profession since 2011 have left the job.

Announcing the move to stick to the cap, the Education Secretary, Justine Greening, said the Government has accepted the recommendation of the School Teachers Review Body (STRB), which said there should be a 1 per cent increase for all pay ranges.

In a written statement, Ms Greening said the recommendations, due to be introduced in September, are consistent with the Governments 1 per cent public sector pay policy.

A DfE spokeswoman said: We recognise and value the hard work of teachers which is why we have accepted the pay deal proposed by the independent STRB, in line with the 1 per cent public sector pay policy. This will ensure we continue to strike the balance between being fair to public sector workers and fair to taxpayers.

But Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), described the announcement as a missed opportunity that the Government will come to regret as teach recruitment and retention crisis gets worse.

He continued: Teachers pay increases have fallen behind inflation by 13 per cent since 2010 while this public sector pay policy has been applied. This latest pay announcement will mean that figure increases to over 15 per cent. The pay being offered to newly qualified teachers would be over 3,500 higher if the pay cap had never been applied and schools would have far fewer difficulties in recruiting new graduates.

The Governments attack on national pay scales and its pursuit of performance related pay at a time of funding cuts in schools has meant that teachers are increasingly unlikely to get pay progression either. The result is that the Governments own figures show that average pay for classroom teachers has only gone up by 300  less than 1 per cent  since 2010."

Inflation jumped unexpectedly to 2.9 per cent in May, its highest level in almost four years.

Downing Street said the Government would consider potential wage increases  beyond the cap imposed by the former Chancellor George Osborne  on a case-by-case basis after a string of cabinet ministers signalled backing for an end to the blanket 1 per cent cap on all public sector workers, which is due to remain in place until the end of the decade.

But the decision to keep the cap will be seen as a sign that the Government intends to stick to its austerity plans, despite pressure after a better-than-expected election result for Jeremy Corbyns anti-austerity Labour, which has pledged to scrap the cap.

In 2016 the STRB said a pay increase significantly higher than 1 per cent was required in the current Parliament in order to recruit and retain enough teachers over the coming years. But the then-Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, decided not to act on this advice.

Last week firefighters were offered a 2 per cent increase, leading to the Fire Brigades Union describing the public sector pay cap as dead in the water. Unlike teachers, however, the fire service is not covered by a pay review body and is subject to collective bargaining through a joint national council.

Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, criticised the Government for putting out the recommendation later this evening than had been expected. Todays late release of the STRB report is yet another example of Theresa May's Government attempting to bury bad news, she wrote on Twitter.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said: For many teachers, this marks the seventh successive real-terms cut in their pay. We will not be able to attract the best and brightest to teaching if we constantly cut their pay.

Last week, Mrs May told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions that upcoming recommendations from review bodies  including the STRB  would be "very carefully considered".

But she also left little doubt her position chimes with that of Chancellor Philip Hammond, who has warned a relaxation of pay restraint would require extra borrowing or tax rises to avoid increasing the deficit.

Jeremy Corbyn accused her of recklessly exploiting the goodwill of public servants by continuing with a policy which delivers a real-terms pay cut to millions of workers.
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Theresa May has accused Jeremy Corbyn of failing to condemn threats against Conservative election candidates  just minutes after asking for his help to stamp it out.

The Prime Minister said she was surprised that the Labour leader had not spoken out in the days since the shocking intimidation on the campaign trail was revealed.

The accusation is certain to infuriate Mr Corbyn, who has repeatedly condemned abusive behaviour by Labour activists in the past.

It risks further bad blood between the two leaders, even as an enfeebled Ms May appeals for the parties to work together to confront the big challenges facing Britain.

Ironically, only today, the Prime Minister listed new sanctions to curb threats or intimidation of prospective MPs as an area where cross-party working was needed.

Downing Street is to hold a review of criminal and election law, after Tory MPs including Sarah Wollaston and Sheryll Murray revealed the abuse they had suffered.

But, minutes later, at a Downing Street press conference, Ms May was asked if she was concerned that Jeremy Corbyn has failed to condemn the actions of some of his supporters.

She replied: On the issue of bullying and harassment that has taken place of candidates and MPs, I call on all party leaders to condemn that.

There is no place for that activity in our democracy. Im surprised at any party leader who is not willing to condemn that. Frankly, we should stand together on this.

Speaking alongside the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, the Prime Minister added: People should be able to stand for election, we should be able to conduct elections without people fearing as to what is going to happen to them.

In the Commons last week, Ms Murray revealed that opponents had carved swastikas into her campaign posters and urinated on her office door.

Ms Wollaston, the chairwoman of the Commons Health Select Committee in the last Parliament, said a masked man had covered her office with graffitied insults in an attempt to force me out of town.

Earlier, Ms May claimed her past record showed she could work effectively with other parties and achieve the broadest possible consensus.

I did it as Home Secretary on counter-terrorism measures, like the Investigatory Powers Act, working with other political parties to ensure that we got that legislation right.

I did it on the Modern Slavery Act, working with other parties to ensure that that went on to the statute book.

The claim will be strongly disputed  and the Prime Minister ducked a question about whether Brexit was an issue on which she was willing to compromise. The Prime Minister also sidestepped a question about whether she favoured lifting the public sector pay cap.

Alongside her, Mr Turnbull said Australia wanted to seal a free trade agreement with the UK as soon as possible after Brexit was completed.

As Britain moves to completing its exit from the EU, we stand ready to enter into a free trade agreement with the UK as soon as the UK is able to do so, he said.

Once Brexit is achieved, we look forward to speedily concluding a free trade agreement. At the same time, we are looking forward to the early conclusion of a free trade agreement with the EU.

Mr Turnbull said he hoped the EU deal could be finalised before the expected date of Brexit in March 2019.
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Theresa Mays deputy has said the Prime Ministers call for ideas from other parties is grown-up, but then went on to attack a string of Labours policies.

Damian Green said voters wanted to see parties working together, but seconds later could not stop himself criticising the oppositions plans to increase public sector pay and scrap tuition fees.

It comes ahead of a speech in which Ms May will plead with other parties to work constructively with the Government. Critics say the speech demonstrates her weak position in the wake of the election.

Talk of a challenge to her leadership persisted this morning despite the Prime Ministers attempts to relaunch her administration following the G20 summit.

First Secretary of State Mr Green told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Politicians of all parties are invited to contribute their reports, their ideas, thats a grown-up way of doing politics.

I think a lot of your listeners would think, actually, if politicians just said, why dont we just do this about a particular national issue, rather than just sit in the trenches and shell each other, then we might actually have better government and thats what the Government is talking about.

Mr Green was then asked whether he was prepared to join forces with Labour in plans to increase public sector pay, something that a series of other cabinet ministers have also voiced support for.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA 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 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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 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Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. 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But he appeared to suggest that on that particular issue, working together would not be possible. He said: In that instance, clearly what you need to do is balance the need to be fair with public sector workers with the need to be fair to taxpayers as well, and in particular maintain the downward pressure on deficit that we need to have.

Pressed again, he said: This is a matter obviously for the Chancellor in the Budget.

Then he was asked whether there was scope to work with Jeremy Corbyn on tuition fees, which Labour wants to scrap.

Instead of pointing to areas of the policy where there may be common ground, Mr Green claimed the oppositions plans were unaffordable.

In her speech tomorrow Ms May will look back over her year in Downing Street and insist she was right to assess the Brexit vote as a call for great national change.

 Theresa May on Paris agreement and Donald Trump's state visit

But after a month of speculation about her future, Ms May will also apparently acknowledge the Conservatives fragility in the House of Commons.

She is to say: I say to the other parties in the House of Commons ... come forward with your own views and ideas about how we can tackle these challenges as a country.

We may not agree on everything, but through debate and discussion  the hallmarks of our parliamentary democracy  ideas can be clarified and improved and a better way forward found.

Labour said the speech showed the Government had completely run out of ideas.

Ms May's speech on Tuesday is being seen as an attempt to relaunch her premiership after the humiliation of the election result and the need to strike a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party to prop up her administration in the Commons.

It comes after weekend reports of a plot to oust her by allies of Brexit Secretary David Davis.

Former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell, who ran Mr Davis's unsuccessful 2005 leadership bid, sought to play down claims he told a private dinner that the PM had lost her authority and was dead in the water, saying the account of the gathering was overheated.

Mr Green rejected suggestions Mrs May could be challenged.

He told Sky News: I'm saying that there is no credible plot going on. There is nothing like that going on.

The Prime Minister is determined to carry on to lead the party and the country for many years to come and the overwhelming majority of Conservative MPs are behind her in that.
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Conservative MP Anne Marie Morris has been suspended from the Conservative party after she was taped using the phrase n****** in a woodpile in a discussion about Brexit.

She is far from the first politician to get in trouble for using the exact same phrase in recent years, however, with a number of Conservatives using the racist slur in recent years.

1) Anne Marie Morris MP, 2017

The most recent culprit used the phrase at the private East India Club in London, and was taped doing so. The MP for Newton Abbott said that not getting a Brexit deal would be a n****** in a woodpile. She later she had not intended to use the phrase and apologised for any offence caused.

2) John Townend MP, 1993

In 1993 then Tory MP for Bridlington in Yorkshire John Townend used the phrase openly on the BBCs Westminster Live programme on a Wednesday. 37 MPs signed an early day motion criticising his used of language. In 2001 Townend later accused Labour of wanting to turn the UK into a mongrel race.

3) George Gardiner MP, 1993

Another Tory MP immediately leapt to John Townends defence and used the phrase himself. George Gardiner, MP for Reigate, tabled an amendment to the critical early day motion arguing that he was amazed that anyone could see the honourable Member for Bridlington's choice of words as racist; and commends him for expressing himself in terms that ordinary people can understand.

4) Lord Dixon-Smith, 2008

While David Cameron was Tory leader frontbencher and peer Lord Dixon-Smith used the phrase in the House of Lords chamber and apologised, saying he had left my brains behind. He added that the phrased had slipped out without thinking.

5) Councillor Gerry Forsbrey, 2012

The second most recent known scandal over the phrase happened after Spelthorne Tory councillor Councillor Gerry Forsbrey said: I dont want to be the n***** in the woodpile. He later said it was an old fashioned phrase and that people may well take offence at the language.

6) Councillor Robert Fraser, 2010

In May 2010 councillor Robert Fraser, a Conservative on Leicestershire County Council, used the phrase during an annual meeting of the Ratby & District Conservative Association at the Bulls Head Public House in Ratby, according to complaint documents from the council. The council found that he had brought it into disrepute.

7) Councillor Peter Edwards, 2014

Peter Edwards, a Tory councillor in Bath, used the phrased on BBC Radio Bristol's drivetime show while talking about the Horseworld centre. The local politician said it was "not his intention to cause anyone any offence".

8) Councillor David Viney, 2001

David Viney, a councillor from Plymouth and the Tory nominee for the city's Lord Mayor, referred to himself as a "n***** in a woodpile" in a meeting with trade unions in April of that year, according to the local Plymouth Herald newspaper's archive.

And one Labour

The Conservatives arent the only party to have had their politicians use the phrase, though they seem to use it far more than anyone else. One Labour councillor in 2009, Ronnie Calvin, used it in Cumbria County Councils offices in Kendal.

I was tired and aching with a bad back after a long journey from Whitehaven. Somebody reported me and the county council has taken the moral high ground, he told his local newspaper at the time.
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Donald Trump has backtracked claims that he and Vladimir Putin would work on an impenetrable cyber security unit hours after the US President promoted the idea.

The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't, Trump said on Twitter.

He added that an agreement with Russia for a partial ceasefire in Syria can & did happen.

A total of 13 hours before, he had tweeted, Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded."

The suggestion was met with widespread criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said: "It's not the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but it's pretty close."

Another Senate Republican, Marco Rubio of Florida, said on Twitter: Partnering with Putin on a 'Cyber Security Unit' is akin to partnering with Assad on a 'Chemical Weapons Unit.'

Former Defence Secretary Ash Carter said it was like the guy who robbed your house proposing a working group on burglary.

Russian operatives were the chief suspects behind a breach at power plants across the US, penetrating energy and nuclear company business networks, as well as hacking the Democratic National Committee servers last year. Mr Putin denied the allegations.

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. 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Mr Trump talked with Mr Putin for around two and a half hours at the G20 summit in Hamburg.

The President reportedly took Mr Putins word that Russian operatives had not carried out what multiple US intelligence agencies described as a campaign of influence last year.

He vehemently denied it, wrote Mr Trump.

Reince Priebus, his chief of staff, insisted that Mr Trump had not believed Mr Putin, while Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked why the President would broadcast his opinion either way.

 Trump meets Putin for first time since winning presidency

After the meeting, Mr Putin said Mr Trump seemed satisfied with the answers about meddling in the election.

When Mr Putin was asked by journalists why the White House had not confirmed Mr Trumps belief that Russia had not attempted to manipulate the election.

Well ask the White House to fix that, he joked.

Mr Trump also announced that sanctions were not discussed with the Russian leader, and nothing will be done until tensions in Ukraine and Syria were resolved.
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Donald Trumps oldest son Donald Jr and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with a lawyer connected to the Kremlin during the 2016 election campaign after being promised damaging information on Hillary Clinton, a new report from the New York Times says.

Three White House advisers briefed on the meeting, alongside two other sources with knowledge of the meeting, confirmed the news that those members of the Trump campaign were keen on hearing about compromising information on Ms Clinton from the Russian-connected sources.

Mr Trump Jr and Mr Kushner were accompanied by Paul Manafort, who was the campaign manager for Mr Trump at the time.

This is the first time that reports have indicated that members of the Trump campaigns inner circle met with Russian officials during the campaign, though it is unclear if the meeting actually yielded the promised damaging information.

Mr Trump Jr confirmed that the meeting had taken place, but said he had met with the lawyer at the request of a friend.

After pleasantries were exchanged, he said in a statement, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

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

He indicated that he then changed the subject to adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act, an American law that blacklists Russians suspected of committing human rights abuses.

A statement from the Presidents lawyers said that Mr Trump was not aware of the meetings, and was not present at the meetings.

The news comes as a special prosecutor, Robert Mueller, expands his investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election, and after the United States government formally accused Russia of having worked to tip the election in Mr Trumps favour.

Mr Trump has adamantly said that he was not involved in the Russian meddling, and that it was undertaken solely by the Russian government, or perhaps some other source. He discussed the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week when the two world leaders met for the first time in person as presidents.

A statement from the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, said that the discussion had not been around the 2016 election.

Ms Veselnitskayas clients include a high ranking government officials son, as well as state-owned businesses.

The meeting was disclosed to government officials recently, after Mr Kushner filed a revised statement noting any contacts he may have had with foreign sources during the campaign. Mr Kushners representatives said that he had not mentioned the meeting before because of an error in the paperwork.

The news of the meeting between the Trump staffers has already drawn further scrutiny to the Trump campaigns Russia dealings. Representative Adam Schiff, a top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee  one of the panels investigating the Trump campaigns potential ties to Russia  said that the revelations mean that he will want to interview the implicated members of the Trump campaign as part of his investigation.

A spokesman for Mr Trump's legal team said the President was "not aware of and did not attend" the meeting.
According to the national survey, 8.3% of students drink alcohol

Nearly 7.7 percent of the high school students in Egypt abuse drugs whereas 8.3% drink alcohol, Egypt's Ministry of Social Solidarity said on Monday.

In a conference to inaugurate a counter-addiction and addiction treatment fund, assistant to the Minister of Social Solidarity Amr Osman said that the results came from a national survey of high school students in Egypt, which covered smoking, narcotics and alcohol use.

Port Said, followed by Assuit were the governorates with the highest rates of drug abuse, according to the survey findings.

Minister's assistant Amr Osman also said at the conference that hashish was the most common drug abused by students, accounting for 58.9 percent of illicit drug use, followed by marijuana, or as it is known in Egypt "Bango" at 28.5 percent and Tramadol at 22.8 percent.

Regarding cigarettes, Osman said that 73 percent of the students who smoke buy their cigarettes by themselves in direct violation of the law.

The smoking age in Egypt is 18 years old.

The survey showed that 28.5 percent of tobacco useres smoked cigarettes only, while 21.3 percent smoked water pipes or shisha only and 50.03 percent smoked both.

The survey showed that 53 percent of the students see a connection between alcoholic drinks and happy occasions whereas 33 percent of them felt that alcoholic drinks are connected to meetings with friends.

Of those who used alcohol, Red Sea governorate recorded the highest percentage of students drinking, followed by Cairo governorate.

8.2 percent of male students, compared to 2 of female students in high school drink alcohol according to the survey.

According to the survey, 53.5 percent of the students who drink said that they drank on special occasions only whereas only 12.6 percent said that they drunk to forget their problems.

Egypt is Muslim majority country and Islam prohibits drinking alcohol.

The legal drinking age in Egypt is 18 years old for beer and 21 years old for wine and spirits.

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One year after law enforcement officers in Texas and Louisiana were ambushed by gunmen who said they were retaliating to high profile fatal police shootings nationwide, critics of Black Lives Matter are still trying to pin responsibility on the movement.

In a new lawsuit filed on Friday, an unidentified Baton Rouge officer blamed DeRay Mckesson, Johnetta Netta Elzie and three other prominent Black Lives Matter leaders for inciting and encouraging violence at demonstrations across the country.

More specifically, it claims the movement and rhetoric of its leaders inspired a decorated ex-US Marine sergeant to unleash a torrent of bullets upon Baton Rouge police on 17 July 2016, leaving three officers dead and another three injured  including the plaintiff, identified only as Officer John Doe Smith in the lawsuit.

The officer, a 42-year-old father of two, who worked in law enforcement for 18 years, was left permanently disabled when bullets struck his abdomen, shoulder and head during the methodical ambush by 29-year-old Gavin Long at a convenience store.

Long, who was black, and was killed by police in a shoot-out, had written in a suicide note that his actions were a necessary evil intended to create substantial change within Americas police force. He said he felt compelled to bring the same destruction that bad cops continue to inflict upon my people, upon bad cops as well as good cops in hopes that the good cops (which are the majority) will be able to stand together to enact justice and punishment against bad cops.

The attack came 12 days after a different shooting in the same city, when a white Baton Rouge police officer shot and killed Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, outside a convenience store. A day later, another black man, Philando Castile, was fatally shot during a traffic stop by a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota.

Black Lives Matter protests erupted across the country, including a peaceful one on 7 July in downtown Dallas. But it turned deadly, too, when an army veteran, Micah Johnson, ambushed law enforcement officers who were overseeing the demonstration route. Five Dallas officers were killed and seven more were wounded.

Before he was killed in a stand off with police, Johnson told negotiators he was angry over the shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota and wanted to kill white police officers.

Ten days after Dallas, Long drove to Baton Rouge from Kansas City, Missouri, and continued the bloodshed on Sunday morning.

The new Baton Rouge lawsuit claims that Longs ambush attack may not have happened if Black Lives Matter leaders had not incited violence among their followers, even though an exhaustive investigative report determined that Long had not attended any of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Baton Rouge after Sterlings death and that he believed protests were a waste of time.

Mr Mckesson and his fellow activists were responsible for the unidentified officers injuries because they incited disdain, hatred and violence against police at protests, on social media and in news interviews, according to the lawsuit. It said Black Lives Matter seized upon the fatal police shooting of Sterling by a Baton Rouge police officer to further incite its followers to take action against police.

Local news outlets reported that the description of the officers injuries match those of East Baton Rouge sheriffs deputy Nick Tullier, who nearly died in the shooting and remains hospitalised at a rehabilitation facility in Houston.

The officer has endured more than 16 abdominal surgeries and suffered extensive brain damage that has impacted his communication abilities, according to the lawsuit. He is still under constant threat of infection in his remaining wounds.

While there is no way to know how far (the officer) will progress back to normal life, he is definitely permanently disabled, the lawsuit says.

The complaint asks for at least $75,000 in damages.

This is quite a world, Mr Mckesson told Associated Press on Friday when he was made aware of the lawsuit. He later told CNN that he was confident the lawsuit has no merit. Ms Elzie declined to comment.

This lawsuit is the second to be filed against Mr Mckesson by a Baton Rouge police officer; both were filed by attorney Donna Grodner. In the previous lawsuit, Ms Grodner argued on behalf of another unnamed officer that Black Lives Matter and Mr Mckesson were responsible for injuries the officer sustained during protests that took place in Baton Rouge after Sterlings death.

Mr Mckessons attorney asked a federal judge to throw out that lawsuit, arguing that Black Lives Matter is a social movement, not an organisation, and therefore cannot be sued. The judge has not yet decided whether to dismiss the case.

Mr Mckesson and other protesters arrested during the July demonstration in Baton Rouge last year later sued the city and local law enforcement agencies, but agreed to settled. Charges were never brought against 98 of the 190 people arrested at the protests, including Mr Mckesson.

Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Show all 21 1 /21 Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Police officers patrol Airline Hwy Getty Images Police officers shot in Baton Rouge A law enforcement helicopter is seen near the scene where police officers were shot in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge A Baton Rouge Police officers patrol pours water on his head on Airline Hwy Getty Images Police officers shot in Baton Rouge East Baton Rouge Police officers patrol Airline Hwy Getty Images Police officers shot in Baton Rouge President Obama speaks at a press conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington. Obama remarked on the shooting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in which three officers were killed and three more wounded by armed suspects Getty Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers block off Airline Highway near the scene of a fatal shooting of police officers in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Police officers patrol Airline Hwy Getty Images Police officers shot in Baton Rouge A police helicopter flies near the scene of a fatal shooting of police officers in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge East Baton Rouge Police officers patrol Airline Hwy Getty Images Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers block off a road after a shooting of police in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers block off Airline Highway near the scene of a fatal shooting of police officers in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge A law enforcement helicopter is seen near the scene where police officers were shot in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Law enforcement vehicles block access to Airline Highway REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge A police helicopter flies near the scene of a fatal shooting of police officers in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers block off a road near the site of a shooting of police in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers block off a road near the site of a shooting of police in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers arrive near the site of a shooting of police in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers block off a road after a shooting of police in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers block off a road after a shooting of police in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Police officers block off a road after a shooting of police in Baton Rouge REUTERS Police officers shot in Baton Rouge Authorities talk to the driver of a car near an area where several officers were shot while on duty less than a mile from police headquarters AP

On Sunday, another lawsuit was filed against Baton Rouge and Louisiana law enforcement agencies on behalf of 13 protesters and two reporters arrested during the demonstrations, alleging excessive use of force and civil rights violations, BuzzFeed News reported.

David Roland, the director of litigation at the Freedom Centre of Missouri, told PBS News Hour that he was concerned civil lawsuits blaming Black Lives Matter and its leaders for the actions of individuals loosely affiliated  if affiliated at all  with the movement could threaten the first amendment.

Its easier to dissuade protests, to chill speech, using the threat of a civil suit at least in some ways, Roland told PBS. It cant result in someone going to jail, but it can result in them being bankrupt.

 The Washington Post
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An Australian reporter has delivered a scathing analysis of Donald Trumps performance at the G20 summit.

Chris Uhlmann, political editor of the government-funded Australian Broadcast Corporation, argued the US President was isolated and friendless at the international summit and has no desire and no capacity to lead the world.

During the searing takedown, which was delivered on the ABCs political program Insiders and rapidly went viral, he claimed his disastrous foreign policy had pressed fast-forward on the decline of the United States.

Speaking on Sunday from the G20 conference in Hamburg, Mr Uhlmann said President Trump was the biggest threat to the values of the West.

He was an uneasy, lonely, awkward figure at this gathering and you got the strong sense that some of the leaders are trying to find the best way to work around him, the journalist said in the two-minute clip.

Where was the G20 statement condemning North Korea which would have put pressure on China and Russia? Other leaders expected it, they were prepared to back it, but it never came.

Iran's 'Trumpism' contest Show all 10 1 /10 Iran's 'Trumpism' contest Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images

Mr Uhlmann said Mr Trump was fixated with burnishing his celebrity and had diminished his own nation to the benefit of Russia and China.

"We learned that Donald Trump has pressed fast-forward on the decline of the United States as a global leader. He managed to isolate his nation, to confuse and alienate his allies and to diminish America," he said.

Its the unscripted Trump thats real: a man who barks out bile in 140 characters, who wastes his precious days as President at war with the Wests institutions like the judiciary, independent government agencies, and the free press.

The reporter added: Mr Trump is a man who craves power because it burnishes his celebrity. To be constantly talking and talked about is all that really matters ... and there is no value placed on the meaning of words, so what is said one day can be discarded the next.

Before joining ABC in 1998, Mr Uhlmann was a seminarian, security guard, and a journalist with The Canberra Times.
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Donald Trump has said his daughters prominent role at a G20 meeting of world leaders was very standard, in response to criticism of the move.

Apparently referring to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Trump claimed Angela M agreed it was normal for Ivanka Trump to fill in for her father at the meeting.

The US President argued that if Hillary Clintons daughter Chelsea had filled in for her mother at the G20, she would not have come under such heavy fire.

Recommended Ivanka Trump and World Bank to start fund for women entrepreneurs

According to a photograph of the G20 event, Ms Trump accompanied her father to a session at the Hamburg summit and later sat in his seat next to Ms Merkel, Theresa May and other world leaders. She did not say anything, however, according to reports.

A White House official later told US television network CNN: Ivanka was sitting in the back and then briefly joined the main table when the President had to step out.

Ms Trump serves as an unpaid adviser to the President in the White House and handles issues such as paid family leave and womens empowerment.

The US President said on Twitter on Monday: When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!

He later tweeted: If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!

Ms Clinton, 37, who was a regular presence during her mothers presidential campaign last year, quickly responded to Mr Trumps comments.

Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me, she wrote on Twitter. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not.

After the meeting, Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters told MSNBC Ms Trumps presence at the meeting does not make good sense.

Here you have the President of the United States at the G20, representing us as the leader of the free world, and so hes going to play politics and give his daughter a chance to have a place in the sun and to be seen at a very important meeting that she knows nothing about, she said.

Zerlina Maxwell, a former director of media for Ms Clintons presidential campaign, told MSNBC: Its completely inappropriate. What qualifications and experience does Ivanka Trump have in her background that should put her at the table with world leaders like Theresa May and Vladimir Putin?

She added that the incident was evidence of inherent corruption in Mr Trumps administration.

Iran's 'Trumpism' contest Show all 10 1 /10 Iran's 'Trumpism' contest Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images

Although it is commonplace for leaders to be replaced in meetings by officials when they have other commitments, it is unusual for their places to be taken by family members.

But Ms Merkel played down the significance of the move, telling a news conference: The delegations themselves decide, should the President not be present for a meeting, who will then take over and sit in the chair.
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Donald Trumps eldest son may have already confessed to a crime in his statements about a newly-revealed meeting with a Russian lawyer, according to a legal analyst and former Justice Department official.

Donald Trump Jr has admitted he met last summer with a Russian-lawyer said to be close to the Kremlin, after being informed she had damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms Clinton, he said.

Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

Since Mr Trump Jrs admission to the New York Times, there has been feverish discussion as to whether this was proof of collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, that the Presidents opponents claim took place.

On Monday morning, Mr Trump Jr, 39, who now heads the Trump Organisation with his brother, Eric, and oversees his fasther's business interests, dismissed the news of his meeting as a big yawn.

Obviously Im the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent, he said sarcastically, on Twitter. went nowhere but had to listen.

 Donald Trump Jr is spearheading a campaign against gun laws

But at least one analyst has claimed that Mr Trumps eldest son may have already admitted to committing a crime in his comments about the meeting with lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya. I think the main thing is what Donald Trump Jr admitted to in his statement, said Matthew Miller, a security and legal analyst for MSNBC and former spokesman for the Department of Justice.

It is a crime to solicit or accept anything of value from a foreign national in a campaign. Now, the thing of value has never come up in this context before because weve never had a campaign like this that potentially colluded with a foreign government, he said on the network's Morning Joe show.

But in other contexts, in bribery cases and extortion cases, a thing of value doesnt have to be money. It has to be something tangible, but not money. it could be potentially accepting information. Hes potentially confessing in his statement to committing a crime.

Mr Miller said he believed that special prosecutor Robert Mueller, who is currently heading a federal probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russias alleged effort to interfere with tithe 2016 election, would want to examine the statements made by Mr Trump Jr.

The only way to trust what any of these people say is to put them in the grand jury, put them under oath, said Mr Miller.

If Donald Trump Jr has the kind of shifting statements to a grand jury as he did to the New York Times, hell go to jail for that.

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 revelation came as Mr Trump returned to the US from the G20 meeting in Hamburg, where he met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin for more than two hours. The Trump administration said the President had pressed Mr Putin over its alleged interference in the election, and the Russian leader had denied it.

On Saturday, Mr Putin claimed that Mr Trump accepted his answers. He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers, he said.

He added: I believe it would not be entirely appropriate on my part to disclose details of my discussion with Mr Trump. He asked, I answered him. He asked pointed questions, I answered them. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with those answers.

Mr Trump said on his meeting with Mr Putin: Sanctions were not discussed at my meeting with President Putin. Nothing will be done until the Ukrainian & Syrian problems are solved.
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An intrepid high school newspaper has landed an interview with Defence Secretary James Mattis after calling his leaked mobile number.

In May 2017, the Washington Post ran a photo of Donald Trump's bodyguard Keith Schiller walking with the President, carrying papers that showed a note on top with Mr Mattis' number scrawled on it.

Though the paper took the photo down quickly after realising the accidental exposure, Teddy Fischer - a second year student and staff reporter at Mercer Island High School in Washington state - saved the image.

Teddy called Mr Mattis and was granted an interview along with his editor Jane Gormley by the Defence Secretary himself, who spent his early years in Washington state.

Ms Gormley almost did not believe Teddy's claim, but Mr Mattis then called back three times to schedule a date and time for the conversation.

The Islander newspaper ran three accompanying pieces, including one of Teddy's personal experience and Ms Gormley's reflections.

I speak the same to high schoolers, college grads, or congressmen...Ive found high schoolers to be plenty bright, Mr Mattis said.

So, Ive always tried to help students because I think we owe it to you young folks to pass on what we learned going down the road so that you can make your own mistakes, not the same ones we made, Mr Mattis said in the interview.

Questions covered a wide range of topics from political ideologies, future military conflicts, foreign diplomacy, global development, and Isis.

Ms Gormley wrote about Mr Mattis: "[he is] a history buff enshrining himself in history. Through teaching and reaching out to students like Teddy, hes sharing history, and the wisdom hes gained in creating it, as its being made."
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The United States has apologised for mistakenly describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as the leader of Taiwan, China has said - with Chinese scholars suggesting the error shows a lack of competence in the White House.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China asked the United States for an explanation of the mistake, and the US said it was a technical error. Washington apologised and corrected the error, Mr Geng said at a daily news briefing.

In a statement issued Saturday about a meeting in Germany between Mr Xi and President Donald Trump, the White House press office described Mr Xi as president of the Republic of China, the formal name for Taiwan. Communist China, led by Mr Xi, is called the People's Republic of China. The issue is particularly sensitive because Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of its territory.

Recommended Artist Ai Weiwei urges China to release political prisoner Lui Xiaobo

It is basic knowledge for those working in diplomacy, yet this isolated incident shows how incompetent the White House staff are, how casual they are, and how poorly coordinated they are, said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at China Renmin University. It will only make the Chinese people look down upon the American government for it to make such a low-level mistake.

The gaffe has gone largely unreported in China because the local media have no motivation to mock Mr Trump, Mr Shi said.

Wang Dong, an associate professor in the school of international studies at elite Peking University, said he believes the error was not intentional but still reveals a lack of capacity in Mr Trump's foreign policy team while key positions remain unfilled.

It shows the deficiency in the professionalism on the part of the White House staff in terms of diplomacy, Mr Wang said. The mistake itself may not affect China-U.S. relations, but the White House should draw a lesson from it to improve its work flow. It's a politically sensitive mistake that should not have occurred.

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 mistake occurred in the introduction to the statement and was not in the actual text. By Monday, the White House had altered the statement to read simply President Xi of China.

During a 2006 state visit to Washington by then-Chinese President Hu Jintao, a White House announcer said the national anthem of the Republic of China would be played, instead of the People's Republic of China. The correct anthem was used.

Other actions by Mr Trump toward Taiwan have drawn Beijing's ire.

Upending long-standing diplomatic protocol, Mr Trump accepted a congratulatory phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in December and questioned the wisdom of the one-China policy under which Washington maintains only unofficial relations with Taiwan. Then last month, to Beijing's indignation, his administration approved a $1.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which separated from mainland China in 1949 during a civil war.

Almost six months into office, Mr Trump has yet to fill thousands of government positions.

Associated Press
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The Russian lawyer who met Donald Trump Jr and allegedly offered to supply damaging information about Hillary Clinton, is apparently linked to a firm that helped compile the notorious dossier of wild and unproven allegations about the US President.

The Presidents eldest son said he met lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, after being told she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms Clinton. He said it soon become clear she had no such information and rather wanted to press him about her effort to overturn the Magnitsky Act, a US law that blacklists several Russians linked to the 2009 murder of another Russian lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky.

A spokesman for the Presidents legal team told The Independent they now believed Ms Veselnitskaya and her colleagues had misrepresented who they were and who they worked for.

In a statement, Mark Corallo added: Specifically, we have learned that the person who sought the meeting is associated with Fusion GPS, a firm which according to public reports, was retained by Democratic operatives to develop opposition research on the President and which commissioned the phony Steele dossier.

Fusion GPS, which is based in Washington DC and was established by former Wall Street Journal reporters Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch, found itself in the spotlight earlier this year after it emerged it was behind an oppo research dossier containing unproven and often salacious allegations about Mr Trump.

The company had originally been hired by Republican rivals of Mr Trump during the primary campaign. After he secured the party's nomination, the company was instead paid by Democratic financial supporters of Ms Clinton. In the summer of 2016, GPS hired former British intelligence agent, Christopher Steele, to help their work.

Mr Steele once headed MI6s Russia desk and left in 2009 to form his own London-based consulting firm, Orbis.

 Ex-MI6 agent behind Trump Russia dossier breaks silence

Among the unverified information that Mr Steele provided for Fusion and which which was later shared with US intelligence and senior politicians, among them then President Barack Obama, was that Mr Trump had been compromised by Russias FSB spy agency during a trip to Moscow in 2013.

The dossier, which was published by BuzzFeed and denounced by Mr Trump as fake news, claimed Mr Trump was secretly filed with Russian prostitutes in a sting operation in Moscows Ritz-Carlton hotel.

The developments come as special prosecutor Robert Mueller is heading a federal probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign team and Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 election.

The Associated Press said Ms Veselnitskaya, who was once married to a deputy transportation minister of the Moscow region, was a largely unknown figure until she began to represent the son of a Russian official in a major money-laundering trial.

It said her company, Kamerton Consulting, defended Denis Katsyv, the son of a vice-president of state-owned Russian Railways who was charged with money-laundering in the United States over a case tied to a massive Russian tax-fraud scheme. The case against Mr Katsyvs company, Prevezon, was settled in New York in May for some $6m, three days before it was to go to trial, the AP said.

The news agency said US investigators suspect the Cyprus-registered company, bought upscale New York City property with some of the proceeds from a $230m Russian tax-fraud scheme brought to light by a Sergei Magnitsky, the lawyer with investment advisory Hermitage Capital, who later died in prison. The US passed the Magnitsky Act in 2012 to target those Russians allegedly behind Mr Magnitskys death.

The act has reportedly been a source of deep anguish to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who responded by ending American adoptions of Russian children.

Mr Veselnitskaya has for several years been leading a campaign to have the act overturned. As part of her effort she allegedly hired GPS Fusion. A complaint filed last year claimed that GPS Fusion headed the pro-Russia campaign to kill the Magnitsky Act.

Earlier this year, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley asked the US Department of Justice to launch an investigation into Fusion GPS.

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

Fusion GPS is the company behind the creation of the unsubstantiated dossier alleging a conspiracy between President Trump and Russia, Mr Grassley wrote in the letter. It is highly troubling that Fusion GPS appears to have been working with someone with ties to Russian intelligence - let alone someone alleged to have conducted political disinformation campaigns as part of a pro-Russia lobbying effort while also simultaneously overseeing the creation of the Trump-Russia dossier.

At the time, Fusion said it was not required to register as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Fusion did not respond to inquiries on Monday. In a statement to the New York Times, which originally revealed the meeting behind Mr Trump Jr and Mr Veselnitskaya, the firm said: Fusion GPS learned about this meeting from news reports and had no prior knowledge of it. Any claim that Fusion GPS arranged or facilitated this meeting in any way is false.

Reports suggest the meeting between Mr Trump Jr and Ms Veselnitskaya was brokered by British music publicist, Rob Goldstone, Mr Goldstone told the Washington Post he had arranged the meeting at the request of a Russian client and had attended it along with Ms Veselnitskaya. Mr Goldstone has been active with the Miss Universe pageant and works as a manager for Emin Agalarov, a Russian pop star whose father is a wealthy Moscow developer who sponsored the event there in 2013.

Ms Veselnitskaya coould not be contacted. However, in a statement to the Times she said: Nothing at all about the presidential campaign [was discussed at the meeting. I have] never acted on behalf of the Russian government never discussed any of these matters with any representative of the Russian government.


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Donald Trump threatened to spend millions of dollars of his own money against a Republican who criticised him, two sources familiar with the comments have claimed.

Insiders told Politico that Mr Trump has spoken openly of spending $10m out of his own pocket to defeat Arizona Senator Jeff Flake in the 2018 midterms.

The Senator was critical of Mr Trump throughout his campaign, especially following the release of Access Hollywood footage that showed the then-candidate bragging about sexual assault. (Politico sources say Mr Trump is particularly sensitive about the response to this tape, and still scolds Chief of Staff Reince Priebus for criticising him in the aftermath.)

Recommended Trump slams Comey again after revelations of Russian lawyer meeting

Mr Flake has also criticised Mr Trumps actions as president, clashing with the leader on issues such as immigration and international trade. He is also one of the most outspoken critics of the GOP's plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, which threatens to leave 22m more people uninsured by 2026.

It is perhaps no surprise, then, that Mr Trump has reportedly threatened the Senator's seat before.

In a meeting with GOP senators last July, Mr Trump reportedly told Mr Flake: You've been very critical of me."

When the Senator refused to back down, The Washington Post reports, Mr Trump threatened to attack him publicly and predicted he would lose his re-election bid.

Months later, at an Arizona election rally, Mr Trump made his threat to spend $10m against him.

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

Reelection has always been uncertain for Mr Flake, who only narrowly won his seat in 2012. He is already facing a challenge from former state Senator Kelli Ward, an ardent Trump supporter, and may attract more. A February poll from Political Marketing International showed Ms Ward leads him in the polls by a margin of seven per percent .

The Senator has readily acknowledged the precariousness of his position, telling the Post: If I wanted an easier path through the primary, then I would line up more with where the president is.

But I think if youre an elected official, youve got to do what you know whats right, he added. Itll be a tougher path than I could have had, would have had, but I think Ill get there.

Mr Flake has recently started fundraising with other Republican Trump detractors, such as former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former President George W Bush.

But if an April town hall is any indication, Mr Flake may have to step up his fight against the President even more if he wants to keep his seat.

"When do you feel like you'll have the backbone or conviction to put country over party and impeach him? one constituent asked about Mr Trump.

"Can you please take your job more seriously, senator? asked another. We would appreciate it.
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Artist Ai Weiwei has called for the release of Chinas most famous political prisoner, Liu Xiaobo.

A longtime friend of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, who was recently diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, Mr Ai urged Beijing to free Lui who has been held since 2009.

The political dissident was jailed for his role in the conception of Charter 08, a pro-democracy document that called for an end to one-party rule.

I think the government should release him. This is a historic mistake, Mr Ai told The Guardian.The government should just release him and have a better record  because this is going to be remembered by the whole world."

He added: They [must] admit that this was a horrible mistake To sacrifice the best people in this nation  the best minds in this nation  and to put them in such a horrible situation. That is what they continue to do now and it is unacceptable.

Liu has requested treatment for his condition overseas. He has been seen by German and American specialists in China and they confirmed he was in the final stages of the disease.

But Shang Baojun, Mr Liu's former lawyer, said the political prisoner wanted to go abroad.

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 First Hospital of China Medical University said on its website that the cancer had spread to his entire body.

Mr Liu had accumulated a large amount of abdominal fluid and his condition was "quite serious," it added.

The hospital said last week that doctors had ceased giving him cancer-fighting drugs over concerns they were further weakening his liver.

However, in recognition of his condition, Mr Lius younger and older brothers as well as their wives were being allowed to visit him.

"I think the authorities are in crisis mode. They too are not sure if Liu Xiaobo will pass away soon because his condition is quite obviously worsening," Hu Jia, a family friend, said.

Chinas treatment of one of their most renowned political prisoners and only Noble Peace Prize winner, has been condemned worldwide.

There have been numerous calls for his release on account of his current condition.

The United Nations spokeswoman Liz Throssell said the organisation should be given access to Mr Liu.
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An Indian man reportedly fatally shot his wife after she was late in serving him dinner.

Ashok Kumar, 60, returned drunk to his home in Ghaziabad, near Delhi and demanded food from his wife, Sunaina.

When the 55-year-old refused to serve him immediately, a fight broke out between the couple, their son is said to have told police.

Mr Kumar became infuriated at the delay, his son Rinku, 32, told The Times of India, adding that he had threatened her with the gun before shooting her.

Ms Kumar was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Authorities said Mr Kumar had confessed to the shooting after his arrest.

Rinku told the newspaper that his children were asleep in the other room.

Around 9pm, my father returned home drunk and asked my mother for dinner around 11pm. A quarrel broke out between them as my mother refused to serve food immediately, he said.

Infuriated over the delay, my father whipped out a gun and threatened her. I, my wife and [my brother] Tinku tried to intervene. But he opened fire and the bullet hit my mother on her head. She collapsed at the spot."

Police officer Rupesh Singh told the BBC that Mr Kumar used to drink every day and his wife had wanted to talk to him about his habit, but he wanted dinner immediately.

He got frustrated with the delay and shot her, the policeman said.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will start a four-day visit to Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Gulf Arab leaders, the State Department announced.

Tillerson's trip appeared aimed at finding a breakthrough in the crisis over sanctions imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia and its allies.

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An 18-year-old girl has died in Nepal after she was bitten by a snake while being forced to stay in a shed because she was on her period.

According to local officials, Tulasi Shahi was bitten twice by a venomous snake and died on Friday morning in the western Dailekh district.

Local mayor Surya Bahadur Shahi told AFP: She survived for seven hours after the snake bite but died because medical treatment was delayed.

The ancient Hindu custom of prohibiting women who are menstruating or have just given birth from taking part in normal family activities and having contact with men of the household because they are deemed impure is known as chhaupadi.

The practice, which is common in the western part of Nepal, was outlawed in 2005. However, local organisations say many other deaths associated with the practice are likely to go unreported.

Local media say Shahis family took her to the village shaman for treatment, rather than transporting her to a hospital.

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

Police were able to confirm a girl had died, but were not able to offer further details on the cause of death.

Some remote Nepalese communities believe they will suffer bad luck, such as natural disasters, abrupt death of animals, and illnesses, if women are not banished to huts or cowsheds when they menstruate. On top of experiencing isolation, they are prohibited from drinking milk and given less food to eat while they are on their period.

Two women died at the end of 2016 in separate incidents linked to the custom. One 15-year-old girl died of smoke inhalation after she lit a fire for warmth after being banished to a shed. The other womans cause of death is not known.

While activists argue the governments ability to counter such customs has been inadequate, officials claim overhauling archaic, culturally entrenched attitudes cannot take place over night.
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Tobacco giant Philip Morris is being forced to pay millions of dollars in legal fees to the Australian government, after its case against plain packaging laws failed.

In 2011 the country banned logos and distinctive colours from cigarette packaging - a law which Philip Morris looked to overturn through a constitution challenge.

After a six-year legal battle, the country's Permanent Court of Arbitration published its ruling against the company and told it that it must cover the costs of the the governments court fees and expenses.

Although the exact cost is being kept secret and was redacted from the 's ruling, it is believed the bill could be as high as $50 million (29.5 million), The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Philip Morris Asia began its legal battle in 2012, which the court criticised for being an abuse of rights.

The Australian government said its claim was modest and only a small proportion of what the corporate giant had sought in damages, The Guardian reported.

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

Philip Morris claimed the governments costs were unreasonable for a legal team that consisted primarily of public servants.

But the court ruling said: "The Tribunal does not consider that any of these costs claimed by the respondent were unreasonable and should not have been incurred.

"In making this assessment, the tribunal also takes into consideration the significant stakes involved in this dispute in respect of Australia's economic, legal and political framework, and in particular the relevance of the outcome in respect of Australia's policies in matters of public health."
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A British newspaper editor has been arrested in Dubai following the killing of his wife.

Francis Matthew, 60, editor-at-large of Gulf News, was being questioned by police over the death of Jane Matthew, 62, at their home in the Middle Eastern city.

He was taken into custody after calling police to the house, where officers found his wife's body.

Mr Matthew was editor of the paper from 1995 to 2005 and has been a prominent reporter and commentator in the Gulf since the 1980s.

Gulf News staff were said to have been stunned by his arrest.

Jane Matthew was found dead at the home she shares with her husband in Dubai (Facebook)

"We are shocked and saddened at this tragedy," said Abdul Hamid Ahmad, editor-in-chief of the English-language daily.

Mr Matthew remained in police custody on Monday evening, Mr Ahmad told The Independent.

He said he "will not speculate" on the cause of Ms Matthew's death, adding: "Francis is in police custody and we have no comments to offer.

"Neither police nor the prosecution has made a statement. The authorities are investigating her death.

"We pray to the Almighty that her soul rests in peace and that the family is given the strength and patience to overcome this very difficult situation.

"Gulf Newss thoughts and prayers are with the family. We request that the family be given the privacy they need to cope with their grief.

Mr Ahmad told the Daily Mail he had met Ms Matthew on a number of occasions and described her and her husband as "very happy".

The couple lived in Jumeirah, an upmarket residential area on Dubai's seafront that is popular with expats. They married in Chippenham, Wiltshire, in 1985.

Ms Matthew was found fatally wounded with a "sharp tool", reported local newspaper Khaleej Times.

Their son John was reported to have travelled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to try to visit his father in custody.

Mr Matthew continued to write regularly for Gulf News, including a weekly column, after stepping down as editor. He also often appeared as a commentator on Gulf TV stations.

"He is a well-respected journalist, known for his keen insight into the Middle East," Mr Ahmad said.

"Both Francis and Jane have played a very active role in the British expatriate community over the past 30 years."

A staff member at the paper told Arab TV station Al Arabiya that Mr Matthew was "absolutely the last person I can think of who is a prototype who could kill his wife".
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A British man has been charged with murder after an American graduate was beaten to death by up to 10 people outside a bar in Greece.

Bakari Henderson, 22, from Austin, Texas, died after a brawl which broke out in the early hours of Friday morning in Laganas, a tourist resort on the island of Zakynthos.

A 32-year-old British bouncer of Serbian origin and a Greek barman, 34, have been charged with his murder

Mr Henderson graduated from a business degree at the University of Arizona in May and was in the resort working on a photo shoot to launch a clothing line.

Bakari Henderson, 22, was beaten to death by up to 10 people (Facebook)

"Bakari loved spending time with family and friends, travelling and meeting new people," his family said in statement. "He was a big thinker and enjoyed coming up with new business ventures.

"Bakari was an inspiration to all he met. He loved life and lived it to the fullest."

He suffered fatal head injuries after a fight broke out between a group of Serbian men and a group of Americans, according to reports in Greek media.

The brawl appears to have erupted after petty dispute over a drink placed on someone else's table, a police source told newspaper Kathimerini.

About 10 people reportedly set upon Mr Henderson, throwing him onto the road before punching and kicking. He was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.

Some of the attackers were thought to have been wearing brass knuckles, the Daily Mail reported.

Six Serbian men have also been arrested in connection with Mr Henderson's death.

Just hours before the killing officials in Zakynthos, also known as Zante, were said to have met with local police to discuss cutting down violence on the island, which has a reputation for alcohol-fuelled brawls.
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Iraq's Prime Minister formally declared victory over Isis in the northern city of Mosul, saying their defeat marks the "collapse" of the self-proclaimed caliphate.

"I announce from here the end and the failure and the collapse of the terrorist state of falsehood and terrorism which the terrorist Daesh announced from Mosul," Haider al-abadi said in a speech shown on state television, using an Arabic acronym for Isis.

His Iraqi government is greatly strengthened by its defeat of Isis which three years ago launched the Caliphate in the wake of its unexpected capture of Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq. Iraqi security services could not have succeeded militarily without being able call in air strikes at will to destroy any Isis defensive positions. This has led to very heavy civilian casualties and immense destruction. .

Mr Abadi has hitherto refused to work on a political plan for Mosul after the defeat of Isis, probably calculating that his leverage would be much greater after victory than before and that of the Kurds will be much less.

For several years after the US invasion of 2003, the Kurds were central players in controlling Mosul where there was a substantial Kurdish minority. They also took advantage of the Isis advance in June 2014 and the collapse of Baghdad government forces to seize territories long disputed between them and the Arabs.

Iraqi security services could not have succeeded militarily without being able call in air strikes, which have led to very heavy civilian casualties and immense destruction (Reuters/Thaier Al-Sudani)

The offensive to recapture Mosul could only be launched in October last year after there was an agreement on what would happen between the Iraqi and Kurdish leaders, orchestrated by the US.

This probably caught Isis by surprise because relations between Baghdad and Erbil had been very cool. The US was then expecting the battle to take the city would last two months rather than the nine months it has in fact taken.

The Iraqi government, which is essentially Shia, must now decide how it will cope with the largest Sunni Arab city in Iraq which it has always seen as an obstacle to its rule. The fall of Mosul is not just a defeat for Isis but for the Sunni Arabs, who were the dominant community in Iraq before the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, although they were only a fifth of the population.

A large part of the officer corps of the Iraqi army came from Mosul and the Iraqi defence minister came from the city.

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

The US says that the reconstruction of essential facilities in Mosul will cost at least $1bn (780m) and there is no provision for this in the Iraqi budget, which is already under strain because of low oil prices.

Much of the oil revenue is spent on paying salaries and pensions for seven million public employees and or paying for the war. Shia political leaders in Baghdad are unlikely to give priority to rebuilding a city they have always seen as being the heart of Sunni resistance.

Overall, the fall and devastation of Mosul is only the latest and most calamitous event for the Sunni Arabs of Iraq. Their other main cities such as Ramadi, Fallujah, Tikrit and Baiji have all been badly damaged by war.

At least 900,000 people from Mosul city are in camps, but those from the Nineveh Plain east of the city find that they are not being allowed back to their home villages, many of which are being bulldozed. The battle for Mosul has opened the door to ethnic and sectarian cleansing and counter-cleansing, as the winners in the war seek to create a new political landscape.
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A Palestinian toddler in the occupied West Bank has died from complications arising from an incident in which tear gas canisters were fired by the Israel Defence Force (IDF) into his home earlier this year, the Palestinian Authority has said.

18-month-old Abdul Rahman Barghouti of Aboud, near Ramallah died of asphyxiation on Friday after being hospitalised on 19 May, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Monday.

According to Palestinian news agency Wafa, a protest in support of hunger striking Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails turned violent, leading soldiers to fire tear gas canisters at the crowd.

Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation Show all 8 1 /8 Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation westbank_1024x768.jpg EPA Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation 5431774.jpg AFP/Getty Images Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation 5431776.jpg Bassam Almohor Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation 5431775.jpg Getty Images Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation 5431777.jpg Getty Images Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation 5431778.jpg Bassam Almohor Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation 5431779.jpg Getty Images Tales from the West Bank: Palestinian Raja Shehadeh chronicles life during occupation 5431780.jpg Getty Images

Soldiers... randomly fired a large volume of tear gas at civilian homes, it said, which penetrated the Barghouti family home.

Emergency services were blocked from reaching the child by Israeli army jeeps, Palestinian Ministry of Health spokesman Osama Najjar told al Jazeera, meaning medics were forced to attend to the child on foot before they were able to transfer him to hospital in Ramallah.

The child was later transferred to Hadassah hospital in Israeli-controlled West Jerusalem.

A spokesperson for the Israeli army said that Abdul Rahman "was said to have been exposed to gas that risked his health. The child was treated and released from the hospital after a week and a half."

 Israel approves spending millions in West Bank settlement security

On Friday, the day of his death, the child was brought by his family to the settlement of Halmish with no pulse. A paramedic in the settlement determined his death once he arrived. There is no known relationship between the two cases.

In 2015, an eight-month old baby died after inhaling tear gas during clashes in Beir Fajjar, a village near Bethlehem. Ramadan Mohammad Faisal Thawabta was treated at the scene but died before medics could transport him to hospital.

At least 32 Palestinian children were killed as a result of violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem in 2016, human rights group Defence for Children International (DCI) has claimed, making last year the deadliest for Palestinian youth for a decade.

Nine children have been documented as killed by the IDF or Israeli settlers so far in 2017, DCI says.
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Despite reports to the contrary, the Great Barrier Reef really is not dead yet. Last week, Unesco resolved not to add it to its endangered list, notwithstanding fears that it would (and even with surprising additions such as Vienna). And in fact, as travellers who still have not ticked it off their bucket list will be happy to hear, locals on the ground say that there is plenty of life left in the world's largest barrier reef.

That is notwithstanding the back-to-back bleaching events that occurred along the reef in 2016 and 2017, in which the waters that envelope this natural wonder not only overheated but stayed hot through winter, effectively stopping the coral from spawning (which is how it reproduces and thrives). Adding in the effects of Cyclone Debbie, which made landfall in the Whitsunday Islands and at Airlie Beach in March this year, and there is no doubt that the reef has been taking a battering lately.

 Great Barrier Reef at 'terminal stage' after latest coral bleaching data

To be honest, we're in uncharted waters, says Doug Baird, a marine biologist and the environment and compliance manager for the Quicksilver Group, Australia's largest Great Barrier Reef cruise company. Were sitting together on the Cairns Esplanade, one of the main jumping-off points for tourists to visit the reef.

What were seeing here is the effect of back-to-back bleaching events, he says. But I believe it is not quite as bad as people have been saying. Remember, when you are talking about something as large as the Great Barrier Reef, you are talking about something bigger than the United Kingdom.

In fact, the Unesco World Heritage-designated Great Barrier Reef Marine Park  which supports about 40,000 jobs in the region  stretches 1,430 miles, extending south from the northeastern tip of Queensland down to just north of Bundaberg. It includes 3,000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays, 1,625 types of fish and much more. Its sheer vastness is one of the reasons Baird insists the reef is hanging tough, despite the well-publicised hits it has recently taken.

Bleached coral on the Great Barrier Reef (Queensland Tourism)

We find there are quite large differences between individual reefs  even in different zones of the same reef, he says. You can jump in in one place and see quite a lot of evidence of bleaching. Then you can swim 50m either way and get into a patch of reef where theres really no evidence of bleaching at all. So the effects are really patchy on an individual basis. Unless youre actually looking at every single reef, theres going to be an element of generalisation.

Ben Hales, captain of the Reef Encounter, a luxury mini cruise ship, agrees. There has been a noticeable effect of coral bleaching in the last two years, he says. But around the part of the reef we visit, they said 92 per cent is dead, and that is simply not true. It is bouncing back.

The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Show all 17 1 /17 The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst The fish are still living around the reef Reef Encounter Cruises The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Underwater at the Great Barrier Reef Quicksilver Group The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Underwater at the Great Barrier Reef, May 2017, showing healthy coral alongside bleached coral Jenny Peters The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Underwater at the Great Barrier Reef showing a bleached coral Queensland Tourism The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst The iconic heart reef at the Great Barrier Reef Queensland Tourism The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Underwater at the Great Barrier Reef Mark Geddes/Quicksilver Group The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst There's still beauty to be found Reef Encounter Cruises The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef Queensland Tourism The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Great Barrier Reef coral garden Queensland Tourism The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst An aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef Queensland Tourism The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst The Quicksilver Silversonic ship departing for the Great Barrier Reef from Port Douglas, Australia Quicksilver Group The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Underwater at the Great Barrier Reef Reef Encounter Cruises The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Reef Encounter Cruises The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Reef Encounter Cruises The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Reef Encounter Cruises The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Reef Encounter Cruises The Great Barrier Reef at its best - and worst Jenny Cheetham getting to grips wth the reef Reef Encounter Cruises

Hales helms his 42-passenger ship around the major dive and snorkelling reef sites of Norman, Saxon and Hastings  all located in the Coral Sea on the outer edge of the continental shelf between Cairns and Port Douglas.

After spending three days on board, scuba diving at all of those sites (which Ive visited several times in the last 20 years), I saw a mix of thriving corals and woefully bleached ones  a new sight for me, each colourless section telling the story of its recent history.

But it is not all doom and gloom. I also saw plenty of marine life: tropical fish, sea turtles, sharks, rays and other underwater creatures. And Jenny Cheetham  the ship's purser and onboard marine biologist  thinks the reef has not yet reached the point of no return.

The coral can recover, it can survive, she says. But I think there needs to be a global-scale cleanup. And I think it has to come from a higher level, from the government, to really make a lasting change.

Bleached and still colourful coral sit side by side on the reef (Jenny Peters)

There are many factors, including global warming, the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (which goes into the oceans) and the ocean acidification from things like farming nearby, where the fertiliser goes into the water.

Annastacia Palaszczuk, Queenslands premier, promises the regional authorities are on the case. Her government has allocated A$1.1 billion (nearly 650m) to help with the repair. She is also spearheading a state shift to renewable energy sources  authorities hope to meet a 50 per cent target by 2030, investing more than A$2 billion (more than 1.1bn).

But she says it is not just up to them. Everyone has to play their part. We are part of a world community and the Great Barrier Reef is not just a national icon; it is an international icon that must be protected.

According to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, some of the key initiatives of the 24 important research studies currently funded and being conducted include creating an early warning stress test for coral reefs, which alerts scientists to problems on a reef before any physical signs are visible; developing a sunscreen for the reef using biodegradable surface films to stop damaging heat and light from penetrating the water over the corals; and studying the genomes of Red Sea corals to understand why they survive and thrive at higher water temperatures than those at the Great Barrier Reef.

The idea of protecting and helping the reef to survive is a relatively new one, Baird explains. Up until now the marine park authority and scientists tended to look at the reef as something that could look after itself, he says. The thinking was that it is big enough, the sheer scale would keep it resilient and robust enough to bounce back.

But now we know it needs help to survive. The good news is that there is work going on looking at how we can help the reef, and a lot of people now believe that we need intervention strategies to try to help the reef. So a lot of what is happening now is what we call assisted evolution  looking at strategies for restoration and repair, rather than just managing the marine park.

So in short, there is still hope. And as for that bucket list, should the Great Barrier Reef still be on it?

There is a lot of life out there! says Ben Hales. Doug Baird agrees.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most stunning experiences in the world, he says. There are still beautiful areas out there. And once people come here, we try to give them the facts and information about it all  what's causing the problems, what were doing to solve them and the fact that they can actually make a difference themselves.

It can often overwhelm you, this whole idea of climate change. But if everyone tried to reduce their carbon footprint, the sheer physics of scale would make a difference to the Great Barrier Reef and beyond.
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Every week, Jack Sheldon from Jacks Flight Club selects a flight deal from the UK for Independent readers that you cant afford to miss. This week: Cuba for Christmas from 350  and how to knock that price down even lower.

KLM is currently offering an incredible opportunity to visit Cuba this autumn or winter, with options and dates over Christmas for under 400 return from a dozen airports all over the UK. Cuba's dry season begins at the end of November, so it's a rare price during peak season  as well as covering always-pricey Christmas travel dates. Typical high-season fares to Havana will run you at least twice this price  think 650-850 over the Christmas holidays!

How to book

Either directly with the airline, which will be slightly more expensive but removes the middle-man, or with an OTA (Online Travel Agent), which will often offer lower fares, but less flexibility in terms of date changes and cancellations. I recommend Momondo when searching for an OTA. Here are some of the return fares we were able to find from each city:

Birmingham (BHX) - 350

Southampton (SOU) - 350

London (LHR) - 362

London City (LCY) - 378

Edinburgh (EDI) - 378

Glasgow (GLA) - 378

Leeds (LBA) - 389

Manchester (MAN) - 348

Newcastle (NCL) - 382

Norwich (NWI) - 427

Aberdeen (ABZ) - 418

Bristol (BRS) - 417

Cardiff (CWL) - 419

When to fly

Availability is scattered throughout autumn and early winter, so I recommend using the Google Flights calendar tool, which will help you locate the best dates. For Christmas-time fares, I recommend setting your departure date between Dec 11-15th and return dates between Dec 26-28th.

When to book

With cheap fares, there is never a guarantee how long this will last, but I think KLM may keep these fares low for 2-3 more days.

Pro tips

KLM is a phenomenal option to fly with from the UK as it covers not only major airports, but also smaller ones, making regional departures very easy.

Many international airlines such as Hawaiian Airlines and Singapore Airlines try to drive tourism to their base by offering free extended stopovers for anyone flying through their home country/state. KLM's pricing system takes it one step further by often pricing fares even lower for any Brits wanting to get a day or two in Amsterdam on the way to a long-haul destination. If flying with KLM through Amsterdam, don't hesitate to change your itinerary to a 'multi-city' trip and you will often see fares drop even lower. In this particular case, you can fly from Birmingham on 13 December, spend a couple of days in Amsterdam and catch a direct flight to Cuba on the 15th, with a simple single-stop return after Christmas on the 27th, all for 315. That's an incredible price for a full-service airline.
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A South African tourist was hospitalised in Amsterdam after she was pushed down a flight of stairs in Amsterdam by her Airbnb host.

Filmmaker Sibalhe Nkumbi, who is studying in Europe, was in Amsterdam to review a friends art exhibition when the incident - which was caught on video  took place on Saturday.

She was checking out of her Airbnb late when the host lost his temper and threw her down the stairs. He had been summoned by his wife.

In the video, he can be heard shouting, Out, out, before pushing her down the stairs.

We knew we were late, she said in a video posted to YouTube today, having been discharged from hospital. We heard the bell ring. The lady was clearly upset... she said this is not acceptable, you need to pack and leave now. I apologised profusely for us being late.

Nkumbi says she and her companions were in the middle of leaving when the woman returned with her husband, who was visibly angry and, she says, abusive.

I remembered asking, Why are you being so emotional, we are leaving, she says.

She says that he called them you people and said you are not the queen you think you are this is not Africa.

Any person of colour that reads this and has witnessed racist attacks you know when it happens to you, she says. And the perpetrator always makes sure they say something vague so they cant prove anything.

If this had been a white person, I can guarantee you this would have turned out differently.

She says that she resolved to say nothing and was leaving quietly, when the man moved to grab her as she passed him on the stairs. She realised he was about to throw her down.

As I was gripping against the wall hes trying to get me to his position and eventually I lost my grip and thats when I flew down.

Recommended Black woman sent to back of the plane on American Airlines flight

She says he had tried to do the same thing to her colleague, but she held onto the rail and told him not to touch her.

I dont remember how it happened, she says. I woke up in hospital, in pain. And then I got the video of the story. Everyone was freaking out, the police came to question me.

Nkumbi says she sustained a concussion, has a large bump on the back of her head and is bruised across her face and body. On the video, she shows large bruises all over her arms that she says were caused by the mans grip.

I come from South Africa where youd expect that because racism is visible, she says to the camera. But to come here and get attacked like that, I didnt expect that at all. I am actually quite disappointed... People are people.

The Independent contacted one of Nkumbis travelling companions, but did not get a reply. Another member of the group told Times Live that they had been instructed not to talk to the media.

Airbnb could not confirm the arrest of the man in the video, but Director of Diversity and Belonging David King told The Independent, Nobody should ever be treated like this and it will not be tolerated.

He added: "Appalling and unconscionable behaviour against members of our community runs counter to everything Airbnb stands for. Our CEO Brian Chesky and I are reaching out to the affected guests. We will take the strongest actions we can against such abhorrent conduct, including banning people for life from our platform and assisting law enforcement with their investigation and potential prosecution."
The United States is starting to rebuild trust that was lost in its relationship with key NATO ally Turkey after a series of disputes, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday after meetings with Turkish leaders.

Tillerson had held several hours of talks the day earlier with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, hoping to smooth out the two countries' ties.

He acknowledged that the United States' relationship with Turkey had "been under some stress for some time."

"I hope we are beginning to put it on the mend," he told staff members at the US consulate in Istanbul in a speech to wrap up his two-day visit.

Turkey's relations with Washington plummeted in the final months of Barack Obama's administration but Ankara has hoped for an improvement under President Donald Trump.

But ties are still being eroded by disputes ranging from Syria to the extradition of the alleged organiser of last year's failed coup to the fate of a US pastor jailed in Turkey since October.

Tillerson, a former Exxon Mobil chief, said he believed that each time he met Erdogan "things are getting a little better in terms of the tone between us."

"I think we're beginning to rebuild some of that trust that we lost in one another, they lost our trust to a certain extent, we lost theirs. "So I think we are working very hard to rebuild that level of trust and that is the basis for any relationship," he said.

But Turkey is furious that Trump has continued and even expanded Obama's policy of supporting the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) as the main fighting force on the ground in Syria against Islamic State (IS) jihadists.

Ankara 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.

But Washington is openly arming the YPG and the group is heavily involved in the US-backed operation to oust IS jihadists from their stronghold of Raqa.

But Tillerson said Washington hoped it could "replicate" the success of the anti-IS operation in Raqa in some areas in northern Syria in cooperation with Turkey. He did not elaborate further.

"I hope that will also form a basis for improving the trust as well," he said.

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As the peak holiday season gets under way, police, the Foreign Office and the travel industry are telling British holidaymakers to be alert to terror attacks.

A four-minute film is released today depicting a firearms attack at a hotel. In June 2015, 30 British people died when a lone gunman attacked a hotel at Sousse in Tunisia, and elements from that horrific atrocity have been incorporated into the film. It includes an image of a woman lying apparently slain.

The film urges holidaymakers to run, hide, tell: run away from the shooting; if that is not possible, then find as safe a hiding place as possible; and when it is safe to do so, tell the police.

The central message was first launched by UK police in December 2015 after the attacks in Paris in which 130 people died.

Lord Ahmad, the Foreign Office Minister for National Security and Counter Terrorism, said: I encourage people to watch this film before they go away. While there is no specific information that British holidaymakers will be targeted this summer, it sets out some simple steps we can all take to minimise the impact of an attack if one does take place.

The national coordinator for the Governments Protect and Prepare initiative, detective chief superintendent Scott Wilson, said: We want people to think of this in the same way they do the safety film airlines show before take-off. They dont expect anything bad to happen but it is a sensible safety precaution to show people what to do.

Abta, the travel association, is coordinating training for staff working at home and overseas on how to spot suspicious items and activity, and what to do in the event of a major incident. So far 23,000 staff have received the training.

As The Independent has revealed, the odds of a British tourist becoming a fatality have never been lower  largely as a result of improvements to road safety in Spain and other popular destinations.
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With its largely pedestrianised centre, cobbled streets and Habsburg architecture, Vienna is usually high on the list for city breaks packing a historical punch.

But Unesco has added the Austrian capital to its World Heritage in Danger list, citing new building works that will impact on the city skyline.

At the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee  which began on 2 July and finishes on Wednesday  Unesco ruled that new developments will impact adversely the outstanding universal value of the [Historic Centre of Vienna].

The committee singled out the project that is expanding the Vienna Ice-Skating Club, renovating the Vienna Konzerthaus and rebuilding an InterContinental hotel complete with events space near the iconic Ringstrasse. Construction is due to begin in 2019.

The project has already had to rethink its plans, reducing the planned height of the main tower by three storeys, making the building more elegant than originally projected, and demolishing the existing InterContinental hotel and rebuilding it to a smaller scale.

But Unesco stated that it regrets that the project fails to comply fully with previous Committee decisions, notably concerning the height of new constructions, which will impact adversely the outstanding universal value of the site.

The List of World Heritage in Danger is designed to be both a warning and an encouragement to take corrective action. Unesco states that: Typical threats that lead to danger listing include armed conflict, natural disaster, unplanned urban developments, poaching and pollution.

Viennas city centre, or Innere Stadt, traces its history back to Roman and Celtic times. Parts of its medieval fortifications are still visible, though its the Baroque architecture from its time as the centre of the Austro-Hungarian empire that the city is best known for today.

Looped by the famous Ringstrasse boulevard, the historic centre was inscribed on Unescos World Heritage List in 2001. It now joins 54 other sites on the endangered list, including Afghanistan's Minaret of Jam and Aleppo and Damascus.

A spokesperson for the Vienna Tourist Board told The Independent: While we regret that Vienna has been added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger, we do not expect repercussions in regards to tourism. Vienna remains one of the most beautiful and attractive tourist destinations worldwide, not least due to the fact that the city has always placed significant emphasis on the value of its historical heritage while simultaneously transforming into a modern metropolis. Nothing will change in this respect in the future.
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Cornwall hit the headlines this weekend for all the wrong reasons, with the news that a group calling themselves the Cornwall Republican Army has claimed responsibility for a fire at Rick Steins restaurant in Porthleven, promised to target second home owners, and even threatened that they have a female suicide bomber ready to die for the cause.

Although nobody is saying this is reasonable, obviously, with growing tension between locals and tourists in popular places from Barcelona to Bodmin, perhaps 2017 should be the summer of remembering to tread lightly and practise responsible travel.

Beyond the cream teas and idyllic views, there are serious problems in Cornwall around poverty, inequality and opportunities for local residents. Tourism, of course, is the pulse of the Cornish economy  but there are ways to stimulate local coffers rather than let them stagnate. You may be happy shopping at Tesco at home; but on holiday, you might want to recalibrate your behaviour to contribute a little more.

Having lived in Cornwall most of my life, spent many a summer working in the tourist industry and currently managing a holiday cottage, heres my five-pronged plan for making your stay one that works for Kernow as well as for you.

Stay local

Second homes are a huge issue in Cornwall, of course  but equally, holiday lets are what allow a lot of locals to earn money. Cottage rentals can be what keeps some farms afloat; they also allow other people to remain in Cornwall by providing an income that theyd otherwise have to move out of the county for. Its possible, as a tourist, to rent a cottage without contributing to the problem  but do try to check whether its owned locally or if its a second home sending your money the other side of the Tamar. Also, to be really responsible, think about the location  a remote rental, or one in a purpose-built location for tourists, is doing much less damage to local communities than staying in a cottage in the middle of a village (Mousehole, Port Isaac, anywhere chocolate-box pretty) which is no longer thriving because half the houses are empty outside of summer season.

Buy local

Cornish high streets are clinging on, and it makes a difference if you buy from them instead of ordering a supermarket delivery. There are some fantastic farm shops in Cornwall  like Trevathan near Port Isaac and Boscastle Farm Shop near Tintagel. At other locally-owned places youll find the shelves stacked with Cornish produce (like local jam at Delicia in Wadebridge and Vickys Bread at Country Store Health Foods in Redruth - which also has a brilliant vegan and vegetarian cafe). Theres even a mini supermarket filled with local brands, the Great Cornish Foodstore, in Truro. Instead of buying a supermarket sandwich, spend an extra 50p on a pasty from a local bakery instead.

Eat local

Cornwalls food scene is going from strength to strength, but instead of automatically chowing down at Nathan Outlaw or Jamie Olivers, spread the love with visits to smaller establishments, too. In Porthleven (where Steins place was just burned down) theres Kota, whose New Zealand owner has spiced up a typical fish restaurant; the Wheel House in Falmouth is a sweet husband-and-wife-run spot, and for a cream tea you cant do better than Carnewas near Mawgan Porth. Strong Adolfos on the A39 does delicious cakes, and as for coffee, its a tie between Relish in Wadebridge and 108 in Truro.

Drive local

Every summer, locals have to double drive-times in order to allow for tailbacks on the main roads and encounters on the lanes with people who cant drive in them. Learn to reverse, because youll need to  off the main roads, few roads have more than one lane  and prepare yourself to pull over into ditches and scrape hedges to pass each other. In a nutshell, dont be precious about your car.

Act local

The good news is staycations dont tend to bring out the worst in people that a 6am flight to a hot destination can. The bad: you may speak the same language, but youre still going into other peoples communities. Some light tourist irritation I have dealt with over the years: people complaining at me about lack of mobile reception, complaining that theres a smell of manure right next to the farmyard, taking dogs to crap on residents lawns and verges, parking cars on village greens, hiring the cafe where I used to work for a private party and trashing the toilets. The good thing about the countys tourism explosion is that the Hooray Henry vibe is largely gone. The bad is that bad manners cross all boundaries.

Ed Costa is a pseudonym

Click here to find hotels in Cornwall
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In Hamburg, birthplace of his favourite food item, Donald Trump had warm words for his favourite female politician. Oddly, it wasnt Angela Merkel, his hostess, or our own Lame Duck Boudica, Theresa May.

Im very proud of my daughter Ivanka, declared 45th US President at the G20 summit, always have been from day one... If she werent my daughter, itd be so much easier for her. It might be the only bad thing she has going, if you want to know the truth.

Of course we want to know the truth. We always do, though whether Trump is the go-to guy for that is a matter of opinion. George Washington had a stronger reputation in the field (Trump would have framed the cherry tree for suicide), and he was phobic about nepotism.

In the spring of 1789, Washington told friends he would discharge his duties with that impartiality and zeal for the public good which ought never to suffer connections of blood, and that he would not be in the remotest degree influenced by motives arising from the ties of blood.

 Theresa May on Paris agreement and Donald Trump's state visit

So had he been in Hamburg a few days ago, he might not have asked a daughter to join Merkel, May and the Chinese President Xi Jinping at the top table, were he driven from the room for some reason.

But the fact of it isnt the interesting thing about Ivankas preferment. With Trump, could anything on the nepotistic front come as a shock? The one surprise is that the tangerine huckster hasnt tried to do a Francis and Clare Underwood from House of Cards by installing his life partner, That Thing On His Head, as VP.

No, the intriguing thing about that picture of Ivanka in such stellar company is the source of it. In what looks suspiciously like a cheeky game of diplomatic Knock Down Gingerov, it was tweeted (and quickly deleted) by a Russian emissary, Svetlana Lukash.

Within hours of Trump reportedly accepting Vladmir Putins solemn word that he has never interfered in American politics, here was Russia brazenly interfering in US politics. For Putin will surely have known how incendiary that photo would be in the States  and no underling would have tweeted it without express or tacit permission.

G20 Protesters take Hamburg Show all 8 1 /8 G20 Protesters take Hamburg G20 Protesters take Hamburg German riot police use water cannons against protesters during the demonstration during the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany REUTERS G20 Protesters take Hamburg German riot police clash with protesters during the demonstrations during the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany REUTERS G20 Protesters take Hamburg Riot police move in through the smoke from a smoke bomb during the "Welcome to Hell" rally against the G20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany AFP/Getty Images G20 Protesters take Hamburg Riot police use water cannon to put of burning bins as a protester runs off after the "Welcome to Hell" rally against the G20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany AFP/Getty Images G20 Protesters take Hamburg Protesters throw beer bottles as they shield themselves from water cannon spray during the "Welcome to Hell" rally against the G20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany AFP/Getty Images G20 Protesters take Hamburg A firefighter works at the scene where a number of cars burnt down during the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany REUTERS G20 Protesters take Hamburg The interior of a burnt down car is seen as firefighters work in the background during the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany REUTERS G20 Protesters take Hamburg German police remove a protestor who is blocking a street at a demonstration during the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany REUTERS

Who can say if he had any motive beyond indulging his mischievous streak. But if he intended to use the Ivanka row as a diversionary tactic, it worked brilliantly. Here we are fixating on Trumps monarchical indulgence of his relatives when the real story of this summit was something more significant.

The old world order is collapsing with startling speed. With Trump promoting US insularity even more aggressively than his kids, most obviously by withdrawing from the Paris climate change accord, the free world is leaderless.

The contempt shown to him by Merkel, Macron and others in Hamburg was matched by Trumps undisguised contempt for Merkel and impatience with Xi. Now that hes rebooted the Putin bromance, his only friends are the Russian tyrant and the pitiful May, whom he promised a quick trade deal (well see about that) after she chickened out of rebuking him for withdrawing from the climate accord. And in the time of Brexit she would hardly be a friend worth having even if she wasnt so likely to be gone by October.

With America joining Britain in the death-spiral to isolationism, the free world begins to look for leadership to the unfree world, in the unlovely shape of China. However gruesome the paradox, geopolitics abhors a power vacuum, and unless and until the EU becomes a federal superstate, China will be the only candidate to replace the US not just as the worlds largest economy but leading power.

The notion of China democratising itself sufficiently to assume that role seems as distant as that of the EU moulding itself into a monolithic economic and military superpower. The world will be an incredibly dangerous place while this vacuum persists, and the earliest it could be filled is January 20 2020 when a new US President might (or God forbid might not) be inaugurated.

In the meantime, look forward to more nepotistic merriment, with Ivanka winning the $600m contract to supply US Army uniforms, Donald Jnr replacing Ulysses S Grant on the $50 bill, Eric made US Masters champion by executive order after shooting 197 and 212 in the first two rounds at Augusta, and 11-year-old Barron and his two favourite teddies given permanent situation room chairs in place of the National Security Adviser and a couple of four-star generals.

Only that nebbish Tiffany will continue to be overlooked, according to top DC sources. Far from being very proud of her from day one, the President wouldnt date her even if she wasnt his daughter.
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As the unelected, utterly unqualified Ivanka Trump sat in on a G20 meeting on Partnership with Africa, Migration and Health between Theresa May, the Chinese President Xi Jinping and just downwind of Angela Merkel this weekend, I was reminded of some useful advice I heard last November after her fathers election. We must keep on, no matter what, remembering things are not normal. No matter how normal the weirdness begins to seem.

As our discombobulation limits are stretched baggy, we should remember that President Trump doing things like rattling away on Twitter, settling personal and political scores left, right and centre is undignified, dangerous and weird. It is not acceptable.

Nor is it acceptable for the POTUS to set his country against the free press. We should keep on finding the energy, although were exhausted, to flobber our nostrils at President Trump meeting President Putin on Friday for a chat about all those nasty electoral rigging rumours (which didnt happen, Trump has Putins word) only then to announce talks of an impenetrable cyber-security unit so that election hacking and many other negative things, will be guardedand safe.

And onto this list of things that should not become regular or moot we should write in Sharpie permanent marker: Ivanka Trump sitting in for her father Donald Trump at top level political meetings. The G20 summit is not the 4-7pm drive time slot on BBC Three Counties Radio. Its not OK to have someone sit in if the main event needs a break.

 Ivanka Trump plays significant role standing in for Donald Trump at G20

Nevertheless, to my eyes, observing footage of Ivanka and Donalds double act at the G20, the way they tackle receptions and photo-calls, there was a real sense that Trumps day-to-day survival leans heavily on his daughter. Trump, woefully out of his depth, needs Ivanka by his side. In a world of being misunderstood, she gets him.

In a crowded room of frenemies, Ivanka flits around fragrantly explaining things in his ear, smoothing over silences with her charm and acting as a buffer for his social awkwardness. Regardless of how you feel about Ivanka, she is a bloody great wingman.

Still, at the G20, as Ivanka hovered gingerly over President Trumps impromptu chats with world leaders, the pair reminded me of that point when my ageing father could no longer be trusted to go to the Post Office alone to buy postage stamps without causing light mayhem involving at least three serving staff. He needed me to keep things breezy and on track. Except in Trumps case the stamps are the Paris climate agreement, and the serving staff are Russia and China, and the light mayhem is global environmental Armageddon.

If the President of The United States chivvying his daughter into tense, top-level talks is worrying, theres an argument that him being prohibited from taking her could be graver.

The added dilemma with criticising Ivanka Trump for her recent coups such as dining with President Xi Jinping at Aprils Mar-a-Lago Summit is that Ivanka Trump is a female and a self-identifying feminist. To argue that Ivanka won her place at the G20 table unfairly is in turn to argue that every other man in the room gleaned power fairly, squarely and on merit. All feminists know deep down that this isnt true either.

 Ivanka Trump: 'I leave the politics to other people'

We do know that if Hilary Clinton, as Secretary of State, had ever let her daughter Chelsea Clinton sit in a top-level meeting while she had a little break, Donald Trump would have squawked about it so long and hard during the debates hed practically have laid an egg. We also know things are viewed more seriously or negligently when powerful women do them.

But the greatest problem with criticising Ivanka is that she positions herself as a sharp-elbowed feminist with her own girl power-based entrepreneurial website, and the grit to sit on a W20 womens empowerment summit panel with Christine Legarde. Jeer and scowl at her if you like, but Ivanka Trump and her fans will not take this lying down.

Citizens United chairman David Bossie said yesterday that left-wing criticism for Ivanka was not beneficial to women. "These feminists are feminists in name only. They're only feminists when it affects their chequebook, Bossie said on Fox News. They don't fight for women across the board. They never have,

With irony Bossie, in insulting modern feminism, was proffering an argument that third-wave feminists tie ourselves in knots with constantly. White feminists dont care about black feminists! we hurl at each other. And leftie feminists dont care about Tory women! And those rich empowered wimmin dont care about poor ones either! And so on and so forth and vice versa, and on we go, fighting the battle of who cares less.

 Ivanka Trump: I have been shocked by the level of 'ferocity' and 'viciousness' against my father

Todays feminism is very confusing, wholly incendiary and totally exhausting. And its even more tiring now that Ivanka Trump and her chums are on board.

Bossie went on to say about todays militant females: If you agree with them, they are on your side and they will fight for you. If you are not on their side, they will demean you in the most ugly terms.

I want, dearly, to say here that Bossie is a deluded, out-of-touch fool and the patriarchy should wind its neck in, but, well, I cant quite keep a straight face. He has a point.

My sense is well never quite stop Ivanka Trump sitting in for President Donald Trump, as there will never be a feminist consensus on whether its awful or actually quite awesome. Ivankas visibility is inspiring millions of little girls to reach higher. To reach for what and at whose expense is debatable  but shes not vanishing anytime soon.
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Thirty-one years on from the disaster, the thought that Chernobyl might be getting solar renewable energy leaves me feeling a little perplexed.

Green energy should be explored more on all fronts but if people are to be employed at Chernobyl, what about the health risks? I'm not convinced that this is totally a good idea. Remnants of the nuclear fallout persist there to this day and that in turn can still harm animal and human life forms.

Effectively this deal, although possibly well meaning, could do more harm than good. And while I wouldn't want to stop the development of solar energy anywhere, I think we, and those people involved in the decision making process, should think about the consequences of their actions.

David Murphy

Address supplied

Solar energy is the best option

Ukraine is in talks to build a 969m solar energy plant at the derelict Chernobyl nuclear reactor site. In the meantime, the cost of Hinkley Point nuclear plant has risen by another 1.5bn to over 20bn, and will undoubtedly rise further.

Has anybody ever considered that solar energy plants might be the better option?

Sarah Pegg

Seaford

More appreciation for nurses

I am student nurse in my final year studying in Northern Ireland and I am currently on placement on a very busy hospital ward. I absolutely love nursing and the work we do. I feel very lucky and privileged to be able to care for people and have them put their trust in me.

However, I have found that a majority of nurses have lost heart, they are fighting to stay positive, caring and compassionate. This is not to do with them as individuals but the ongoing fight to get more resources to meet the physical demands of the job. I am constantly used as a staff member and feel I am not learning what I should be. The staff do not have time to show me the ins and outs I need to know for becoming a qualified nurse in a few months.

I live independently, therefore I have rent and bills  I receive 430 a month from the NHS. This just covers my rent. So I work an extra 24 hours a week (sometimes more) on top of that to cover my living expenses. I am working 72 to 84 hours a week. It is so emotionally and physically demanding. The hope that things may get better when I qualify keeps me going, but opinions and conversations with NHS staff do not reflect this.

There is a huge shortage of nurses at the minute and it is no wonder. We are overworked, underpaid and not appreciated. It is true that I did not choose nursing for the money, not one bit of me. There are a million other professions and jobs that I could have done, however nursing is a calling and I believe it is the vocation for me. I just wish there was a brighter light shining on it and that a little appreciation was shown.

Forever hopeful student nurse

Address supplied

Lie detectors for politicians

I read with the interest the article on the use of lie-detector tests by the intelligence services to check on the truthfulness of their sources.

I can see real value in these gadgets being used on politicians. That really would bring in transparent government!

Bernard Cudd

Address supplied

Not business as usual anymore

Theresa May has called for consensus and conciliation with other parties. How strange that she showed no such concern for maturity until she lost her majority. How strange that immediately after the election, there was no humility, no consensus, just business as usual.

Peter Cave

London W1

Brexit is just like a marriage divorce

Lawyers make money out of divorce because people are not rational about an emotional process. Likewise with Brexit. On one side there are people who find anything impinging on national sovereignty wholly repugnant and who are optimistic about picking up the pieces after Brexit. On the other side there are people for whom sovereignty provokes few emotions and who see far more to be lost than gained by upsetting the apple cart.

As in divorce both sides are right, even if they are irreconcilable. A Brexit that regains total sovereignty will be enormously disruptive to a great many people and businesses. There will be many losers but in time a new economy can take shape and there will be winners. Is it worth it? Only if you are so in love with sovereignty, whatever that might be, that you are prepared to suffer, and inflict, the pain. Remainers find it hard to believe that anyone can think it is worthwhile, but for centuries people have died for sovereignty.

The emotions will continue to run high and the Tories will fracture on it. Being half in or half out would mean a lot of pain for no gain. The only way out for both the Tories and Labour will be another referendum in a years time. The committed Brexiteers will fight tooth and nail if they see their dream slipping away, but they were never a majority. A more amenable Europe and an influx of new voters will lead to a 60:40 vote to remain. There will be a new democratic will of the people and the whole ghastly episode will be put behind us, until next time.

Jon Hawksley

Address supplied
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The ongoing war in Yemen is often referred to as a forgotten war. The victims are many, with over 10,000 killed, but their names are rarely shared in the UK and their stories are seldom told.

There have been atrocities committed on all sides of the conflict, but most of the deaths have been caused by the Saudi-led bombing campaign  a bombardment that has been armed, fuelled and supported every step of the way by successive UK governments.

This morning the High Court rejected a Judicial Review brought by Campaign Against Arms Trade. The Review had called on the Government to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen, pending a review into if the sales are compatible with UK and EU arms export law. The verdict is deeply disappointing, and we are pursuing an appeal against it.

On paper, UK arms export criteria are very clear in saying that if there is a clear risk that UK arms might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law (IHL) then an arms sale should not go ahead.

If this criteria is to be applied properly then it must surely stop the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, a country run by a regime that has one of the worlds worst human rights records and that has been widely accused of grave IHL violations in Yemen.

 Michael Fallon claims Saudi Arabia is only 'defending itself' when attacking Yemen

If the ruling is not overturned then it will be regarded by Whitehall and Westminster as giving a green light to continue arming and supporting brutal dictatorships and human rights abusers, including Saudi Arabia. It will be regarded as permission to continue selling arms for use in war zones like Yemen, and into fragile and unstable political situations around the world.



The message that it will send to the Saudi military is even worse. It will tell them that they can continue exactly as they are in their brutal bombardment, which has already led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and the destruction of vital and lifesaving infrastructure.



Those deaths include the 140 people who were killed by the Saudi bombing of a funeral last October. As horrifying an assault as this was, it was not an isolated incident. It was one of many that have hit civilian targets. The last two years have also seen Saudi forces accused of turning a busy marketplace, a refugee camp and multiple schools and hospitals into the sites of massacres.



As the House of Commons committees for Business, Innovation & Skills and International Development said in a report last year, it seems inevitable that any violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by the coalition have involved arms supplied from the UK.



Despite these terrible attacks, the arms sales have continued. In the two years since the bombing began, the UK has licensed 3.3 bn worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia. Right now, UK made fighter jets are being flown by UK-trained military personnel and dropping UK-made bombs on Yemen. The UK is not just a bystander in this war, it is an active participant.



These bombs have fallen on a country that was already the poorest in the region, and where more than 1500 people have already been killed in the worst cholera outbreak in the world. The UN estimates that up to 5000 new people are being infected with the deadly disease every day. Medecins Sans Frontieres confirms that this has been exacerbated by the war and the terrible damage done to health infrastructure across the country.



A devastating report by UNICEF found that a child is dying every ten minutes from preventable causes, in a humanitarian catastrophe that is among the worst in the world.



Our Judicial Review was originally given permission to proceed last June. Since then the situation in Yemen has become immeasurably worse, with many more being killed or having their lives uprooted. Who knows what misery will be inflicted between todays verdict and our appeal if it is granted?



Regardless of the damage it has done and the pain it has caused, the Saudi military will almost certainly be among those invited to London this September for Defence and Security Equipment International, one of the biggest arms fairs in the world. While there, they will be courted by civil servants and arms company reps who will be rolling out the red carpet for them and touting for further business.



One positive outcome of our legal case to date is that it has led to an increased scrutiny of the Governments toxic relationship with Saudi Arabia. It is a relationship that needs to be examined and exposed more than ever, particularly when investigations by the Guardian suggest that Saudi royalty has been involved in funding, or at least willingly ignoring, links to violent groups in the UK.



Recent polling shows that two thirds of the UK is opposed to arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the recent election saw every opposition party with MPs, except the DUP, which didnt mention it, standing on manifestos that explicitly called for an end to arms sales to Saudi Arabia.



That opposition needs to be mobilised. It is vital that the legal battle continues in the courts, whatever the final verdict it will set a very important legal precedent. However, there is also an important political campaign to be fought. These arms sales, and the devastation they have caused, has been done in all our names. Its time to stop it for good.



Andrew Smith works for Campaign Against Arms Trade
22pc of those surveyed said a transition period of longer than three years was needed. Stock picture

Only 2pc of companies in the UK support leaving the European Single Market and Customs Union without a deal and relying on World Trade Organisation rules for trade, according to a survey from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

The survey, which was carried out one month after the UK general election, found that just over one in three businesses in the UK would prefer that Britain remain in the Single Market and Customs Union.

Meanwhile 28pc said that they would prefer that Britain negotiate a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement and a customs agreement.

"There is near universal consensus that a deep and comprehensive agreement is needed. 'No deal' isnt seen as a viable option," Dr Adam Marshall of the BCC said.

Should the UK leave the EU without an agreement in place then WTO rules would apply.

Under WTO rules, the UK would be forced to pay tariffs on goods and services which it exports to the EU. For items such as beef and dairy, the tariffs can be as high as 50pc or 60pc.

Read more: Latest Asian bank opts for Frankfurt over Dublin

When respondents were asked about what type of transition period would be best for their business, almost one in two said a transition period of three years, while 22pc said a transition period of longer than three years.

Only 17pc said that no transition period was needed.

"By more than three to one businesses want a transition period on the way to a final agreement with the EU. This is critical to prevent firms facing the prospect of repeated, costly adjustments to new trading conditions," Dr Marshall said.

Dr Marshall concluded by saying that getting transition arrangements on the negotiations agenda as quickly as possible would give business confidence to press ahead.

Over 2,400 companies took part in the survey, 91pc of whom are small and medium size enterprises. Of those surveyed, 25pc operate in the manufacturing sector, while 75pc operate in the services sector.
Carberys Dubliner Original Red manufactured in Ballineen was among the cheeses awarded gold medals at the 2017 British Cheese Awards

Carbery cheeses won two gold, one silver and three bronze medals at the 2017 British Cheese Awards which took place at the Royal Bath & West show, in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England.

Manufactured in Ballineen, Carberys Dubliner Original Red and Reduced Fat White Mature Cheddar both won gold; Carbery Reduced Fat White Extra Mature Cheddar won silver while Mature White Cheddar, Red Leicester and White Reduced Fat cheese types won bronze awards in their relevant classes.
Farmers are growing increasingly concerned about losing their homes to the Fair Deal scheme and are seeking legal advice to transfer their homes to their heirs at a much younger age.

Aisling Meehan, an agricultural solicitor from Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare, said she receives calls from farmers in their 50s and older, looking for solutions to stop the State claiming assets if they need nursing home care in future.

Ms Meehan (35) said that she's advising farmers to transfer their homes into the next generation's names but she said this has to be done five years before they go into a nursing home.

Many are doing this in their 50s, when the adult heir is in their 30s.

The tax consultant, who specialises in agricultural law, said there's "less" she can do for older farmers in or about to go into a nursing home, as the State looks for assets in a person's name as far back as five years.

"Some people can be very distressed," Ms Meehan told the Irish Independent. "Especially if they hear from friends or relatives affected by this (the scheme).

"If a person is in their 60s or 70s and if they have the mental capacity and want to transfer their farm, you can act on that instruction, but if the person is in need of nursing home care already or within the next five years, there's less that can be done."

Ms Meehan said the Fair Deal system was "unfair" and she encouraged farmers to "protect" themselves by researching the matter well in advance of their most senior years.

"It goes back to the fact that farmers are asset rich and cash poor," she said.

"The farm can potentially be sold to pay (for care) and to avoid that, a lot of farmers transfer their farms to the younger generation, so if they need care, their assets aren't taken into account, but they (the State) can look at assets from the previous five years so you need a clean five years.

"It's the only real alternative - farmers don't want to work all their lives, pay tax and lose their farms, which also often provide not only a home but an occupation to the next generation."

It costs around 2,000 to transfer a home and two solicitors are needed - one for the heir and the other for the property owner. Some farmers also ensure they avoid stamp duty by transferring their farms to the heir before they turn 35, Ms Meehan added.

Under the HSE Fair Deal scheme, a person makes a financial contribution towards their care and the State pays the balance.

A person's financial situation is assessed to see how much they have to contribute towards nursing home fees. Assets, including property and savings, are examined, when assessing the applicant's financial situation. It's also possible to apply for a Nursing Home Loan to defer making the contribution based on a home or other property.

Ms Meehan said: "With a farm, if it has to be sold, it might be difficult for the younger generation who may live there.

"The Fair Deal ought to be linked to PRSI contributions and a person pays for a nursing home over a period of years.

"No one expects this money to come from nowhere to care for the elderly, but there should be some fairness involved."

Meanwhile, Health Minister Simon Harris has said he plans "to provide more support" to farmers and small business owners by looking at issues surrounding their assets.

"I'm very much of the view that we need to take action in relation to farmers and small business owners but that has to be done in the context of a normal budgetary process," he said.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday an important opportunity was wasted at last week's failed Cyprus talks, and warned it was unacceptable that energy companies were taking part in what he called irresponsible measures by Greek Cypriots.

"It is impossible to appreciate that some energy companies are acting with, and becoming part of some irresponsible measures taken by, Greek Cypriots. I want to remind them that they could lose a friend like Turkey," Erdogan told a petroleum conference in Istanbul.

Erdogan did not name the companies. Last month, Cyprus issued a maritime advisory for a natural gas drill from July to October in a step opposed by Turkey, which challenges the divided island's jurisdiction to search for hydrocarbons.

Erdogan also stressed that hydrocarbon sources in waters around Cyprus should belong to all sides on the island.

"What we expect from anyone who takes sides in the developments in Cyprus is that they should refrain from steps that might pave the way for new tensions in the region," he said.

Total <TOTF.PA> won an offshore exploration licence from Cyprus for drilling this year.

When asked by Reuters at a petroleum conference in Istanbul whether drilling by the company could alienate Turkey, Arnaud Breuillac, president of exploration and production at Total said the company had "no concerns".

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The IFA protest at the Department of Agriculture entered its sixth day today, marked with the arrival of a combine harvester.

IFA initially welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed of 1.5m in of a financial support scheme for farmers who lost crops in the 2016 harvest due to dire weather conditions.

However, the IFA is now protesting over the 5,000 limit per individual tillage farmer in the scheme. Four farmers have occupied the offices since last Wednesday and today IFA President Joe Healy drove the combine harvester around the corner from the Shelbourne Hotel to the front of the Department of Agriculture where he addressed the protesters from the combine.

The emergency fund is worth an estimated 1.5m and is set to open for tillage farmers in parts of the country hit by poor weather during last years harvest.

The Crop Loss Compensation scheme will make a maximum of 5,000 available to up to 300 private tillage farmers.

A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture confirmed the new scheme but said it will only support private tillage farmers whose damaged crops had no commercial value and where upwards of 30pc verified crop loss volume occurred.

This was a challenging scheme to put tougher in terms of quantifying and verifying dreadful losses to farmers

It will be a maximum payment of 5,000 per applicant with a ceiling of 200 per hectare. It will be limited to a max area of 25 hectares per applicant, said the spokesperson.

According to IFA, approximately 245 farmers lost up to 3.032m on grain and 1.073m on straw.
Cyber security was ranked eighth among the 12 biggest specific risks facing Reckitt Benckiser Group in its last annual report. That danger became real when the consumer goods giant was hit by the Petya attack last month.

Reckitt said this will probably cost it 2pc of second-quarter sales, some of which will never be recovered. It's tempting to see this as an unlucky one-off. That would be too kind.

The British company was already beefing up its systems before Petya hit and the expert view is this was a particularly malicious attack. Other multi-nationals suffered too. Nevertheless, Reckitt is a blue-chip firm with considerable resources. It has just spent $18bn (15.7bn) in cash on its latest acquisition - baby formula producer Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. Investors can reasonably expect that an organisation of this stature should be in the group of big companies not affected by these events.

Investors don't know if it was exposed because an employee breached internal protocols - say by wrongly opening an attachment - or whether its systems have a particular vulnerability. The attack disrupted its manufacturing and distribution across "multiple markets", leading to failed shipments to customers. Some factories still aren't back to normal.

Reckitt needs to be transparent about what went wrong as soon as possible, while not offering up anything that would compromise the business. Investors need to know how preventable this was. The same goes for the other large companies affected. It would be inexcusable if Reckitt's or anyone else's failings came down to using outdated operating systems, simple software 'hygiene' or poorly implemented protocols.

The cost here is manageable. Based on 2016 second-quarter performance, the hit would be about 45m (50.8m) before adjusting for any benefit from sterling's devaluation, although Reckitt is indicating the impact on full-year sales will be greater. Part of the sales disappointment is linked to separate problems in India.

But this cannot be brushed aside easily. There will be a price to pay to remedy the failings. What's more, the attack is yet another 'one off' after problems in Korea and with new product launches, as Kepler Cheuvreux research notes.

As activists hover around the consumer goods sector, management should be on guard. You can get away with disappointments when things are going well. But the Reckitt story has lost its mojo. This will be the worst start to the year for Reckitt on record, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Each acquisition makes the group more complex, creates distractions and makes it much harder to manage.

Stock has sharply under-performed the FTSE 100 and the Stoxx 600 consumer goods index over the past 12 months.

By Reckitt's own admission, the Mead Johnson deal could take at least five years to cover its cost of capital. Some say 10.

Breakneck acquisitions, share price under-performance and operational ball-dropping. Any activist building a case for shrinking Reckitt might well gain traction. (BloombergView)
Today, the Anglo-Swedish company is the second-largest drug concern in the UK, with its shares quoted in sterling on the London Stock Exchange, but it reports in dollars. Stock picture

Readers of this column, cursed with a good memory, will know that we have an inordinate fondness for big pharma on this page. Today we are analysing the giant AstraZeneca corporation.

Three years ago Astra saw off a controversial bid by its US rival Pfizer. The bid and its rejection left a legacy which had an impact on both sides of the Atlantic.

The British fretted about the loss of a global life-sciences giant. The US authorities were unhappy that Pfizer was trying to escape its tax net. Sweden then got in on the act when the powerful Wallenberg family rowed in for Astra and it ended up a win for Europe.

Today, the Anglo-Swedish company is the second-largest drug concern in the UK, with its shares quoted in sterling on the London Stock Exchange, but it reports in dollars. It operates in more than 100 countries, with 59,700 employees - of whom almost 9,000 are in R&D - and has a market cap of 65bn (74bn).

To date, the company's focus has been on oncology, cardiovascular and respiratory medicines. Its stated priority is to make up ground in the field of immunology.

Readers may need to remind themselves that AstraZeneca's origins date back to the mid-1920s.

Following a merger between British Dye Stuffs, Brummer Mond and Nobel Explosives, one of the great industrial corporations of post-war Britain, Imperial Chemical Industries, was formed. If ever there was a superstar of the business world, ICI was it. In the 1950s and '60s, it managed to invent everything worth inventing in this part of the world (and was chaired for a long time by Paul Chambers, one of the inventors of the PAYE system, no less).

Zeneca was spun off by ICI while it was fighting off an unwelcome bid in the early 1990s and subsequently merged with the Swedish business equivalent, Astra.

There is no denying that the company has been through challenging times.

At the time of the bid from Pfizer, Astra's pipeline was not significant and the patent cliff loomed for several of its blockbusters drugs.

However, since the failed bid, management has been galvanized into action.

It has revitalised its R&D and expanded its pipeline of medicines by acquisitions. Recently, the CEO, Pascal Soriat, stated: "Three years ago, the company had money but not enough projects, today it has lots of projects but not enough money to fund them all."

Today it has lots of promising medicines. These include a compound that has been effective for breast and ovarian cancers.

It has developed a multi-billion-dollar prospect for lung cancer, an asthma drug and a diabetic medicine for type-two sufferers.

Analysts are of the opinion that the company's pipeline of drugs could add $10bn to its sales. Soriat believes that the company's sales could reach $45bn by 2023.

Analysts were sceptical but its recent good results have changed that.

Financial results were in line with expectations. Revenues were down 7pc to $23bn. Sales declined by 10pc but were cushioned by revenues of $1.7bn from licensing, both of its existing drugs and clinical trials.

Operating profits showed a surprising jump of one fifth to $4.9bn but are still a long way off the $13bn in 2010. The group's shares trade at 51, up 30pc on the year.

Investors are extremely chuffed to see a 24pc improvement in earnings per share, which is now almost treble that of three years ago.

They are also pleased that in spite of difficult years, it continued to pay a consistent dividend.

A source of relief is the pipeline of medicines replacing some of the fast-expiring blockbusters.

AstraZeneca is a defensive stock not unlike gold and utilities and useful in a downturn. I think it could be a better bet than sovereigns in the bank vault.

Nothing in this section should be taken as a recommendation, either explicit or implicit, to buy any of the shares mentioned
Air France-KLM Group has signalled that a turnaround which began early this year is continuing as summer bookings rise, and tourists from Asia and the US return to France after staying away in 2016.

French tourism had been hit hard by a series of Islamist terror attacks.

"The second quarter is good and the bookings for this summer are also quite positive compared to last year," ceo of Air France-KLM Jean-Marc Janaillac said in an interview at the Rencontres Economiques conference in Aix-en-Provence, calling the increase in bookings "healthy" while declining to give further details.

Air France-KLM is only just recovering from the collapse in travel that followed terrorist attacks on cities including Paris and Nice over the past two years. In the first quarter, ticket-price declines were almost halted and demand for profitable business-class seats surged.

"We suffered from terrorist attacks, especially in 2016, but we have recovered this year. Visitors from the States and China and Japan are coming back," Mr Janaillac said. "This year we came back to the situation of two years ago and a bit more. We are quite hopeful that during the next year we are going to keep on increasing our visitors from overseas."

Air France-KLM will report June traffic bookings today, with second-quarter results on July 28.

Mr Janaillac, who took the helm of the airline a year ago, has a mandate to improve profit after years of losses and a series of costly strikes.

The surge in traffic comes as the company is waiting for its main pilot union to give its opinion on a plan that includes the creation of Boost, a temporary name for a new, lower-cost long and medium-haul carrier. The SNPL union is consulting its members on the plan and will announce the result on July 17.

In December, Mr Janaillac gave a downbeat assessment, warning against the challenges of weak margins, rising fuel prices and high debt. Air France-KLM shares have more than doubled this year.
Powerful US airline unions have failed to demonstrate how Norwegian Air International's (NAI) launch of services from Ireland to the United States will lower working conditions for pilots and cabin crew, the US Department of Transportation has argued in court filings.

The American unions have asked a US court in Washington to overturn the decision that paved the way for Norwegian to launch low fares flights from Europe to the US earlier this month.

In a searing submission filed with the US Court of Appeal on Friday evening and seen by the Irish Independent, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) said unions opposed to allowing Dublin headquartered NAI to launch flights between Europe and the United States had provided no more than "speculative" arguments to the court that are "at odds with the information in the administrative record".

In a hugely controversial move in the US last December, the then Obama administration granted NAI a permit to fly between the EU and America under the Open Skies agreement.

NAI had been established in Ireland by parent Norwegian Air Shuttle, enabling the carrier to avail of rights under that Open Skies agreement not available to Norwegian carriers.

Open Skies allows any EU-based airline to fly to any destination in the US from anywhere in the EU, and vice versa.

But NAI had to battle for four years to secure the permit as intense lobbying by US aviation unions and politicians delayed the NAI's application.

The delay in granting the permit eventually led last year to the European Commission warning that the issue could prompt a wider trade war between the EU and the United States.

Appeal

The unions that have taken the appeal, including the Airline Pilots' Association, the Association of Flight Attendants and the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association, represent about 100,000 members.

They have argued that Norwegian Air Shuttle only established the Irish unit to skirt stricter Norwegian labour laws and previously claimed that the airline would hire cheap Asian crews for transatlantic services, undermining other carriers on the hugely profitable sector.

Norwegian has consistently denied the allegations, however.

The unions want the court of appeal to rescind the granting of the permit, or to have it reviewed.

NAI launched its flights between Ireland and the US just over a week ago.

In its submission, the DOT, now part of the Trump administration which is less committed to free trade, weighed in heavily in favour of retaining the Norwegian flights.

"Although petitioners (unions) do not explain their theory of causation, it appears to be premised on an assumption that existing carriers that provide service between the United States and foreign locations will pay less and provide less desirable conditions of employment to their own pilots and flight crews as a result of increased competition, or conversely, that existing carriers will lose market share on existing flight routes, thus forcing pilots and other air crew members to work for Norwegian Air instead of a higher-paying competitor," the DOT said in its submission to the appeals court.

"Each step of this attenuated causal link is speculative, and at odds with information in the administrative record."

It adds: "To the contrary, information in the administrative record suggests that the increased demand for pilots and flight crew, and employees' strong bargaining position, could result in higher wages and improved working conditions."
In her last book, Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg wrote about the importance of having the right spouse. In a chapter called Make Your Partner a Real Partner she argued: "I truly believe that the single most important career decision that a woman makes is whether she will have a life partner and who that partner is." It was a statement that begged some questions. What about the multitude of other decisions a woman might choose to make at one time or another? What about the women who are single at various points over the course of their lives? It whitewashed over a more complicated reality; and Sandberg's restricted view of women's experience was one of the book's main flaws.

Two years on, Sandberg experienced the sort of tragedy that leaves many women unpartnered, when her husband, David Goldberg, collapsed at the gym while they were on holiday. They had been one of Silicon Valley's golden couples, she the COO of Facebook, he the CEO of SurveyMonkey. But their wealth and success were not enough to ward off tragedy. Goldberg's death, caused by cardiac arrhythmia, occurred when he was just 47 and Sandberg 45; the couple had two children, aged seven and 10.

Option B is a kind of Lean In for the distressed and grieving. It is a project as much as it is a book; readers are invited to visit the website Optionb.org and click through to Facebook communities focusing on resilience, family problems and bereavement. It's co-authored by Adam Grant, a psychologist based at the Wharton Business School in Pennsylvania. Before Goldberg's death he and Sandberg had already collaborated on a series of articles published in The New York Times about equality (sample title: How Men Can Succeed In The Boardroom And The Bedroom).

Yet it's written in Sandberg's voice with a single "I" narrating the text, and this proves to have been a good idea. Sandberg, as we encounter her here, is a modest and likeable character. Her personal tragedy provides a structure, while Grant's scientific data gives weight to the account.

There's little doubt that Sandberg's abrupt introduction to widowhood was brutal. She was hanging out by the pool at their friend's fiftieth birthday party in Mexico when she began to wonder where her husband was and went to look for him in the gym. "We found Dave on the floor, lying by the elliptical machine [cross-trainer]," she writes, "his face slightly blue and turned to the left, a small pool of blood under his head." Sandberg gave him CPR, then his brother tried, and then a doctor, followed by a frantic trip to the nearest hospital in an ambulance. It was too late. Sandberg flew back to California, tasked with telling her children their father was dead.

She recalls how her daughter walked out of the house with a friendly, "Hi Mom." Her son realised instantly that something was wrong. "Why are you home?" he asked. "And where's Dad?" Though Sandberg is a billionaire, her tragedy is an ordinary one. That said, Option B introduces readers to the most elite of circles. Celebrities and billionaires, who seem unnervingly benign, populate the account. Elon Musk, the inventor and engineer, invites Sandberg and her children to watch an attempt by his company SpaceX to land a rocket at sea. Malala Yousafzai (who provides a blurb for the book) visits her to talk about her fight to give girls access to education. Mark Zuckerberg plays a major supporting role, flying Sandberg to a beach so she could experience something she had never seen with her husband. When she began to feel upset, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, comfort her. This isn't name-dropping. It simply represents Sandberg's life.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Facebook features as another intriguingly benign presence - a place where feelings can be expressed and an ideal venue for them. "I did not truly understand how important Facebook could be to those suffering from loss until I experienced it myself," Sandberg writes.

Sandberg observes in the book's opening that: "We also know that not every story has a happy ending." But by its end, she is dating again, and there's a feeling of the circle closing (even if she makes clear that she still misses her husband). A woman suffering from an eating disorder recovers; and a man whose brother died in an accident grows up to work at McKinsey [management consultants].

In a sense, the story that Option B tells is a profoundly American one, in which grief itself can function in the service of capitalism. Referring to a Facebook employee who decided to tell colleagues she had breast cancer, she notes that "this openness made their work more efficient Being more open personally led people to be more open professionally."

Option B is likely to achieve the same wild popularity of Lean In, and it contains plenty of valuable insights. What's missing, though, is a portrayal of ambivalence. Anecdotes about people who lived less than glittering lives after hardships or of failure that leads to more failure (not success) are conspicuous for their absence. Achieving what it sets out to do, Option B is about overcoming challenges and powering through.
Red Rock star Cathy Belton has told fans that her character is in for a rough ride when the series returns to TV3 in the autumn.

The cast members of the gritty drama are currently on a summer break, but have already filmed the episodes that will air up until December.

Cathy, who plays tough-talking Patricia Hennessy, has said her character struggles as her personal and professional lives end up in tatters.

"Things get very rough for Patricia Hennessy next year," she said.

"She's in for a very rough time. She owned the college that was on fire and she has leases on loads of property.

"Business-wise, she doesn't make very good decisions, as well as a lot of stuff happening with her family."

Patricia has been at the centre of much of the action since the start of Red Rock, being the matriarch of one of two feuding families, the Hennessys and the Kielys.

The Galway actress described her work on the show as an "emancipating experience".

"It's very freeing playing her," she said.

"It's great to play someone strong. It's also really challenging - you have to be careful not to make her one-dimensional. This is a woman with a heart."

Red Rock began airing on BBC One last year and it has also been sold to Amazon Prime, making it available for viewers in the US to watch.

Fans were glued to their TV screens at the end of series three, which saw crooked cop Rory and Gda Sharon Cleere put their feelings for one another aside for a dramatic face-off.

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Cathy said she was happy the show had moved to a one-hour episode each week that aired after the watershed.

She added that the decision had allowed the show to explore more mature storylines.

"We had some big story- lines and new characters coming in. It's been a joy from beginning to end," she said.

"It took the turn last year going to nine at night and it kind of freed up the writers to write darker storylines.

"I was lucky because I did another series for RTE that will come out next year, so I got to go between the two of them."
A garda car outside at Riverside apartments, Poddle Park, Kimmage after a tragedy involving a young child. Photo: Tony Gavin

A young child has died after being discovered with suspected knife wounds in Dublin's southside this evening.

The tragic incident occurred at an apartment block in the Kimmage area at approximately 7pm this evening.

Expand Close Riverside apartments, Poddle Park, Kimmage where a tragedy involving a young child happened this evening. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook

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Emergency services were called and discovered the child, believed to be a three-year-old boy, with suspected stab wounds.

It's believed the child was found in an upstairs bedroom.

An adult female (early 40s) was also injured in the incident was found downstairs and has been taken to St. James Hospital where her condition is described as serious.

The woman and child are of Iranian descent and the woman is believed to work in a Dublin hopsital.

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The discovery was made when Gardai were called to a house in Poddle Park. The infant was pronounced dead at the scene.

The State Pathologist has been notified and the Garda Technical Bureau bas been requested to examine the scene. The scene is currently preserved.
Hopes are running high in Sudan that US President Donald Trump will decide this week to lift Washington's sanctions on Khartoum, despite rights groups calling for the decades-old embargo to be maintained.

"The time is right for permanently lifting the sanctions on Sudan," senior Sudanese foreign ministry official Abdelghani Elnaim told AFP ahead of the end of a review period on Wednesday.

"We are counting on President Trump to take this courageous decision that will make not just the people of Sudan, but all of Africa, happy."

Washington imposed a complex set of economic sanctions on Sudan in 1997 for its alleged backing of Islamist militant groups. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was killed in a US commando raid in Pakistan in 2011, was based in Khartoum from 1992 to 1996.

Washington also justified the embargo with accusations of scorched-earth tactics by Khartoum against ethnic minority rebels in war-torn Darfur.

Barack Obama eased the sanctions before leaving office in an attempt to improve ties with Sudan whose leader President Omar al-Bashir is accused of genocide charges related to the conflict in Darfur.

However, he made the permanent lifting of sanctions dependent on Khartoum's progress in five areas of concern during the six-month review period.

The concerns -- known as "five tracks" -- include improved access for aid groups in conflict areas, an end to support for rebels in neighbouring South Sudan, an end to hostilities in the conflict zones of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan, and counter-terrorism cooperation with US intelligence agencies.

Trump can lift the sanctions permanently, extend the review period or fully re-impose the embargo.



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An Estonian man charged with conspiracy to murder a friend of the Hutch family has been further remanded in custody.

Gardai from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau supported by members of the Special Crime Task Force, Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Unit raided a premises in west Dublin on the morning of April 4. Three men were arrested as part of an investigation into the Hutch-Kinahan feud.

Imre Arakas (58) with an address at Sopruse, Tallinn, Estonia, was charged on April 6 last and then remanded in custody.

He is accused of conspiring with others not before the courts to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and April 4. The offence is under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

He faced his eighth hearing on Wednesday when he appeared at Cloverhill District Court.

He was further remanded him in custody to appear again July 19 next. At his first hearing, on April 6, a court was told he made no reply to the charge and due to the nature of the charge a bail application could only be made in the High Court.

He has not yet indicated how he will plead to the charge.

Legal aid was granted following submissions that he was unemployed and unable to pay for a lawyer.

The other two other men arrested in connection with this investigation have been released from Garda custody without charge. A file is being prepared for the DPP.
The number of people using public transport has increased by 21 percent (stock image)

The driver and staff of a Luas tram that hit a woman over the weekend are being offered help in dealing with the tragedy.

A woman in her 50s, who is understood to be from Dublin, died after she was hit by a tram on the Red Line in Rialto at around 12.30am on Saturday.

The incident took place along St James Walk, just past the Fatima Luas stop, city-bound.

Gardai have launched an investigation into the accident.

A spokesperson for Luas operator Transdev said normal procedure was being followed in the case, which includes an investigation by the Railway Accident Investigation Unit (RAIU).

Asked if the driver on duty had been given leave, she said the staff were being offered help.

An area of the road was sealed following the accident, to allow for the Garda investigation. A community representative called the safety of the service in the area into question.

"There are a number of pedestrian crossings on the linear park. At night it's very dark and it isn't particularly well lit.

"If you don't know the area you could easily ramble out accidentally," said Damien Farrell, of the New Children's Hospital Residents Forum.

He expressed sympathy and concern for the victim and her family, as well as the Luas and emergency services employees involved.

"We'd be used to the area, but it is very dangerous. This has really brought it home for us because a lot of the residents would have grandchildren and you really have to keep an eye on them at that junction."

Anyone who may have witnessed the accident or who may have information is asked to contact Kilmainham garda station on 01-666 9700, the Garda Confidential Line, 1800 666 111, or any garda station.

In May, the family of Yao Webster (35), who was killed in a Luas accident, was awarded 548,000.

A Luas tram, which was travelling on the Red Line towards Tallaght, collided with a silver BMW car coming from the direction of the quays towards Parnell Street. The car had broken a red light.

After being hit by the tram, the car spun out of control and into Ms Webster, who was on the footpath outside the Leprechaun Museum.
The UN's Syria envoy said Monday that the stars may just be beginning to align for peace after six years of savage conflict as the latest round of talks began in Geneva.

Staffan de Mistura ruled out any breakthrough at this week's negotiations to end a war that has claimed more than 320,000 lives and displaced more than half of Syria's population.

But he pointed to a new ceasefire brokered with US and Russian help, covering three provinces in southern Syria, as one source of hope.

He said other hopeful signs were the creation of "de-escalation zones" elsewhere and the recapture of Mosul by Iraqi forces from the Islamic State (IS) group, whose geographic spread had become a prime ingredient in Syria's combustible mix.

"There is a higher potential than we have seen in the past for progress," the UN envoy told a news conference after the first day of the talks, which he is chairing, alternating between meeting Syrian government delegates and representatives of three opposition groups.

Disappointment has come all too often as various peace initiatives came to naught since a revolt first erupted against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, the Swedish-Italian diplomat conceded.

"But what I can tell you is that we are seeing several stars coinciding in a certain direction, both on the ground, regionally and internationally."

Beyond the human and physical devastation wrought in Syria, the financial cost of the conflict was laid bare in a new World Bank report on Monday.

Cumulative losses to gross domestic product since Syria's conflict erupted "have been estimated at $226 billion, about four times the Syrian GDP in 2010", the report said.

De Mistura and delegates in Geneva were at pains to play down expectations for the seventh round of negotiations, which are set to end Friday with further rounds already scheduled for August and September.

In principle, the Geneva negotiations focus on four so-called "baskets": a new constitution, governance, elections and combating terrorism.

Yehya al-Aridi, a spokesman for the opposition High Negotiations Committee, told AFP he had "modest expectations" as this round of talks opened.

The opposition insists on Assad's departure from power, but that is a red line for his delegation led in Geneva by Syria's UN ambassador.

De Mistura, however, anticipated "incremental development" this week and said the "homework" was being done for the launch of a more ambitious peace process, "maybe much sooner than we are thinking".

On the ground, Syrian government forces launched an attack on rebels in one of the ceasefire provinces on Monday, but state media said the assault was against IS and de Mistura said such incidents amounted only to "teething trouble" for the truce.

The ceasefire was brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan, and announced after talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Hamburg.

De Mistura said the endorsement of the two "superpowers" lent more hope to this initiative after previous failures, and he also denied that a separate dialogue under way in the Kazakh capital Astana could undermine the UN process.

The Astana track is being coordinated by Assad allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey. They agreed in May to set up four de-escalation zones in Syria, although they have so far failed to agree the details necessary to implement the plan.

By attending the Geneva talks, Aridi said, the opposition hoped to preserve the UN-supervised track which began in 2014.

"The goal is to maintain some momentum for a political solution in light of Russia's attempts to divert attention to Astana, which it wants to design and shape as it wishes," he told AFP.

Washington, once a key opposition backer and peace process partner, stepped back from involvement in the diplomatic process after Trump became president in January.

But its involvement in the south Syria ceasefire raises the prospect it may be re-engaging in a limited fashion.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said US and Russian officials had discussed "other areas in Syria that we can continue to work together on".

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Naval Service crews may be given a bigger role in combating the criminal gangs netting huge profits from people smuggling and exploiting migrants in the Mediterranean.

Defence Minister Paul Kehoe is carrying out a review of the part being played by the Naval Service in rescuing the migrants.

He is also seriously considering a proposal that the Irish should switch from its existing deployment with the largely humanitarian-focused Operation Pontus to Operation Sophia, which is the EU's mission to prevent illegal trafficking in the Mediterranean. That review has been under way for the past couple of months but is thought to be close to a conclusion.

The Naval Service flagship LE Eithne first deployed to the Mediterranean in May 2015. Since then, five Naval vessels, including LE Niamh, LE Samuel Beckett, LE Roisin and LE James Joyce, have all taken part in Pontus.

In 2015 and 2016, there were three separate missions each year, mainly concentrated on the summer months when migrant crossings are most frequent. Each mission usually lasts for nine to 12 weeks.

Since deploying with Pontus, the Naval Service crews have rescued a total of 16,808 people. The LE Eithne returned to the Mediterranean in May.

Although the performance of the crews has given a boost to all Defence Forces personnel and added to Ireland's standing as a leading contributor in the overseas mission, senior Naval Service officers believe Ireland could benefit even more by taking part in Sophia.

This mission is mandated to disrupt the people smuggling and trafficking operations.

It contributes to information exchange and the implementation of the United Nations' arms embargo, and supports building up the capacity of the Libyan coastguard and navy.

It also identifies, captures and disposes of vessels and other assets used, or suspected of being used, by migrant smugglers or traffickers, and disrupts the criminal gangs by countering their activities, preventing further loss of life at sea and reducing the suffering and exploitation of migrants.

A decision to allow the Naval Service to take part in Sophia is subject, as in most overseas missions, to the triple-lock mechanism, which means UN, Government and Dail approval must be given before it can go ahead.

Ireland would be part of a 25-state response to the migrant crisis by countering the trafficking gangs.

As part of a multi-lateral mission, the Naval Service would also benefit from access to a wider range of information and intelligence, which would enhance the security of deployed personnel and assets.

It would also help increase the professional capacity of the crews across a range of naval skills.

The LE Eithne currently has 70 naval personnel on board, along with two medics from the Army and Air Corps.
Ciara Twomey is being treated for her injuries in a Thai hospital

A YOUNG Irish student is recovering in a Thai hospital after suffering serious injuries in a freak quad bike accident.

A special fundraising appeal has been launched for Ciara Twomey (22) from Bantry, Co Cork who was badly injured in the quad accident in a remote part of Thailand.

Ciara had to undergo emergency surgery to her eye.

She is now being treated in a Thai hospital but her friends are determined to help get her transferred back to Ireland.

A special Fundandseek page has been launched for Ciara and it has already raised more than 22,000.

More than 450 people have donated to support the appeal.

Ciara is a general nursing student from Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT).

She was enjoying a holiday with friends in Thailand when the freak accident occurred.

Her friends pointed out that Ciara will require further treatment and reconstructive surgery.

They are determined to help raise funds to offset the costs now facing Ciara and her family both for her transfer home and her future treatment.

"This is a difficult, expensive and challenging road ahead for Ciara," a friend posted on FundandSeek.

"We urgently need to raise funds to assist in Ciaras care, travel and recovery."

"Ciara is a beautiful, kind young girl with her whole life ahead of her - she is loved dearly by all and we are devastated that this has happened to our girl."

Her friends and classmates said they are determined to do everything they can to help get Ciara safely home to Ireland.

For more information or to donate please visit here.
Crowds gathered last night on the pier at Teelin in west Donegal where two men left on their boat on Saturday evening Photo: North West Newspix

Two men who died after they got into difficulty fishing in "notorious" waters had been rescued by the Coast Guard in the same area just four weeks ago.

The bodies of the Lithuanian nationals were recovered yesterday following a search off the coast of Glencolmcille in the west of Co Donegal.

The weekend tragedy happened after a 56-year-old married man and his 40-year-old friend sailed from Teelin Pier on Saturday.

The alarm was raised by locals after the two men did not return to the pier.

The 56-year-old man was last night named locally as Rimantis Barauskas, who lived in Oldcastle, Co Meath. It is understood he was a regular visitor to Donegal. His companion lived in Co Longford.

Mr Barauskas's body was found washed up on the rocks at Malinbeg around 10.30am yesterday.

A short while later, Raimundas Jezdauskas, understood to be aged in his 30s, was found in the water by an Irish Coast Guard crew searching the sea close to Malinbeg.

Mr Jezdauskas had been living in Ballymahon, Co Longford and they are believed to have travelled to Donegal for a fishing trip.

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Whatsapp The mens bodies were recovered from the sea off Malinbeg. Photo: North West Newspix

It has emerged the men were involved in a rescue operation on the same five-metre rigid inflatable boat (RIB) in the same area just four weeks ago.

A source confirmed to the Irish Independent the two men had run out of fuel near Raithlin O'Beirne Island, just off the coast of Malinbeg, a month ago.

"The tail of the boat was hitting the island and they were taken back to shore. They'd ran out of fuel," the source said.

It is understood the body washed ashore wasn't wearing a lifejacket but there was a lifejacket on the second body. There were also two inflatable jackets on the boat.

The bodies were removed to the morgue at Letterkenny University Hospital where a post-mortem examination will be conducted today.

Shane McCrudden, deputy officer with the Killybegs Coast Guard, said rescuers identified the boat as identical to one on which four people were rescued.

He said: "There were four people on the boat the first time. They had run out of fuel and two of them were without lifejackets. We issued a stern warning to them about being cautious at sea."

Mr McCrudden added that the sea became rough on Saturday night. "Those waters are notorious," he said. Gardai said the boat was washed ashore on to rocks.

A Malin Head Coast Guard spokesman said: "Gardai called us this morning at 11am. A body was found on the shore line by a farmer. His land runs down to the shore.

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"But it was inaccessible, so gardai requested the Coast Guard recover the body. We tasked Killybegs Coast Guard and after that we got a phone call from the boat owner in Teelin saying they left after lunch Saturday and their car was still parked at Teelin pier but there was no sign of the boat.

"We commenced a search with rescue helicopter 118 from Sligo, Arranmore lifeboat, Bunbeg Coast Guard and Bundoran lifeboat.

"With the helicopter, it fairly quickly spotted the second body and Bundoran Lifeboat recovered the body and took it back to Teelin and handed it over to gardai."

Local Brendan Byrne said: "We offer our deepest sympathy to the grieving families."

He added: "It's the most tragic thing we experience in our community.

"But we must remind people to be careful on the seas in areas they are not familiar with.

"The coastline off Malinbeg and Glencolmcille and around Raithlin O'Beirne Island is very dangerous.

"The waters are treacherous. I'm not a seafarer but those that know the sea know there are various currents that converge in this area and the sea is very strong."
I wasn't expecting to write about abortion again so soon - I like to keep things varied - but during the fallout from the recent case of a teenage girl who was locked inside a psychiatric unit instead of being given an abortion she was entitled to, there was lots of talk about how our system handles such cases. And yes, I said cases.

I was talking about this with another GP and he said something I simply can't get out of my head. Many GPs, like most obstetricians I know are pro-choice, often having come from a pro-life background because of our age - but having seen the reality for women through our work, we've changed position. We don't have the luxury of the ivory towers like politicians - we have to look distressed pregnant women in the eye and actually deal with them.

And what he said was this. Last year he had contacted a psychiatrist to ask about an abortion assessment for a young woman who was pregnant and suicidal, and the psychiatrist had responded, not by agreeing to do one - but by saying he could instead "get her a place in a home for nine months". Nine months!

And why this has stayed in my head was this - that psychiatrist actually believed that was perfectly reasonable. He believed it was reasonable that instead of assessing and facilitating a young woman in getting an abortion she was legally entitled to (in Ireland abortion is permissible under The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act for pregnant suicidal women) she could be put away in a home for nine months instead - like that was no big deal.

He believed that was so reasonable that he could say it out straight to her GP - as if that GP would surely think it was reasonable too. Doctors mostly don't suggest care plans for patients to other doctors that they don't think are acceptable - so he clearly thought this was fine.

And that's why it's stayed with me - because it gave me insight into the mindset that allowed young women to be locked into Magdalene laundries and county asylums for generations in this country.

People thought it was reasonable. And some people still think it's reasonable today.

We like to look back on that era and believe Ireland was a different country in the bad old days of Ann Lovett and mother and baby homes and forced adoptions. But in Ireland now we have pregnant teenage girls sectioned, we force rape victims to continue with pregnancies they don't want until an early C-section can be carried out on them, and we keep brain-dead women on ventilators - forcing their families to watch their loved ones' bodies break down and be denied a decent burial - so an utterly hopeless pregnancy can be continued at all costs.

That psychiatrist viewed - just as the European Court of Human Rights said the legal system of Ireland viewed (in its recent verdict against Ireland on how we treated a pregnant woman with a fatal foetal abnormality) - women as reproductive instruments. Reproductive instruments! That's the nub of it. And he thought that was perfectly reasonable. I suspect he's never thought of things any other way. Never thought how it might be to be a young, suicidal woman in a home for nine months until she gave birth and could be released. And I'm pretty sure he didn't care much what happened next. Job done, pregnancy completed. Reproductive instruments!

Whether that suicidal woman could cope with being a parent was irrelevant. And if she couldn't - sure she could give the child up for adoption or fostering. Isn't that how we always handled such things? Didn't that work out fine? Wasn't that perfectly reasonable too?

So I'm going to say this once very clearly. Doctors, irrespective of their personal position on abortion or any other matter of conscience that affects the treatment of patients, if they aren't willing to provide care or assessment to a woman for personal reasons, they are still obliged to send them on to a doctor who is.

And by the way - that way of viewing women, the whole sticking them in a home thing - that's not the high moral ground. It's not reasonable. It's entirely shocking.

@ciarakellydoc
A little over-hyped: the Volvo XC60 is a real looker and premium class but not perfect

I returned to Donegal for a few days' holiday at the end of last month, exactly a year after visiting the county for the first time as the guest of the Wild Atlantic Way marketing initiative.

We and Sam the dog returned to Rathmullan House on the banks of Lough Swilly on the opposite side to Buncrana, which most impressed us last year.

We returned at our own expense after being guests of the WAW last year. And it didn't disappoint again, although the weather once more failed to rise above mediocre.

One year it will, so we can live in hope.

Last year for our trip to the north-west, we were testing the new Volkswagen Tiguan SUV which since then has been rather over-shadowed by its siblings in Audi and SEAT.

The Audi Q5 is a really lovely premium SUV which is a joy to drive but begins to be frighteningly expensive as the options are added in.

At the other end of the scale, the SEAT Ateca is a truly excellent buy - more sporty and stylish than the Tiguan and better value. I have tried diesel and petrol and the latter suits the Ateca better, giving the car a refreshing lightness of touch.

This year for our sojourn, we were testing the new Volvo XC60, which is a lovely looking and ultra-safe SUV with some very intelligent crash-avoiding tech on board.

There are some annoyances; the rear doors should open wider, the sat-nav is temperamental and took us way out of our way on more than two occasions and there's a fair bit of road noise in an otherwise well-built and sturdy car.

Yet some might think that the XC60 is over-hyped. Its driving didn't deliver in the same way our hotel on the banks of Lough Swilly did. The driving is confident but the steering feel is rather limp and the automatic gearbox didn't have the immediacy I wanted, yet once it eventually kicked in, it delivered in spades.

The XC60 has been a massive success since its launch nine years ago. It now has a real premium class cabin and the overall Volvo architecture is a winner.

The last version was one of the best-selling premium SUVs and Volvo's top-earner, and this one will do better, despite my caveats.

The test model was very well accessorised but did cost 60,045 which pits the car against Mercedes and BMW, if not with a slight premium.

The former especially is building some of the best cars in the world now but there is a certain cache about the Swedish marque, but then I was for many years a committed Saab man.

We had a good holiday and did a lot of driving in some pretty bad weather.

It was good to be cocooned in such a safe car as the XC60.

*****

Volvo made news last week when it announced plans to build only electric and hybrid vehicles starting in 2019, making it the first major automaker to abandon cars and SUVs powered solely by the internal combustion engine.

This is very laudable but the whole dynamic of a car can change with extra weight being added, so the company should tread carefully.

The move came in the same week that France said it would outlaw the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040. The move to electric can only gather pace which puts up all sorts of challenges in tax revenue, the future of petrol stations, infrastructure and the possibility of a nation's transport fleet being compromised by cyberattacks creating massive power surges.

Meanwhile, I read in the Daily Telegraph that an economist at Stanford University has predicted that virtually all new cars on American roads within a decade will be self-drive electric vehicles. And he isn't alone in this prediction.

The main reason lies in lithium-ion, the key component of car batteries. The cost of this material has fallen by 73pc since 2010 and is forecast to fall further. By 2025, this falling cost will make electric vehicles cheaper than internal combustion engines. Sam Hall, a senior researcher at Bright Blue, believes that rather than reach for regulation like France, governments should be accelerating this market-driven transition through incentives and infrastructure investment.

A transport system dominated by electric vehicles requires a different refuelling infrastructure. Government loan guarantees could unlock the necessary private investment for this by lowering financing costs.

Many experts believe charging will take place at home or at work, when vehicles are stationary for long periods. So planning guidance should encourage new properties to have charging facilities.

The only reason Macron's government has been able to propose a total ban is because markets are on course to deliver this outcome in any case.
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John Downing Opinion New British prime minister Rishi Sunaks succession proves an important milestone in British political inclusivity

There is an old saying in British politics that goes: The right looks for converts while the left seeks out traitors. It comes to mind when one reflects upon the election of Rishi Sunak as the UKs first non-white prime minister in a party traditionally seen as most opposed to mass immigration and the dilution of national identity via multiculturalism.
One of four men arrested for sending thousands of dollars to the late Al-Qaeda propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki pleaded guilty Monday to supporting terrorists and plotting to kill the US judge in the case.

Yahya Farooq Mohammad, 39, is one of two India-born brothers who came to the United States to study engineering in Ohio but formed a small cell to support jihadist activities, the indictment said.

He and his brother, Ibrahim Mohammad, joined with two US citizens, brothers Asif Ahmed Salim, and Sultane Room Salim, to raise funds for Awlaki, a US-born imam who was killed in a 2011 US drone strike in Yemen.

A leader of Al-Qaeda's Yemen branch, Awlaki is credited with inspiring hundreds of supporters to join the jihadist cause.

Yahya Farooq Mohammad traveled to Yemen in July 2009 where he handed over $22,000 to a courier for Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Neither he nor other members of the group ever met with meet Awlaki.

The four were arrested in 2015 for providing material support to terrorists. A year later, Yahya Farooq Mohammad was also charged with offering an undercover FBI agent $15,000 to kidnap and kill US District Judge Jack Zouhary.

In a plea deal, Mohammad is expected to receive a prison sentence of 17 and a half years. The other three charged in the case have pleaded not guilty.

"Conspiring to have a judge killed is not the way to avoid being prosecuted," said FBI special agent Stephen Anthony.

pmh/jm

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Ekaterina of Hanover and Prince Ernst August of Hanover leave after their church wedding in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Ekaterina of Hanover and Prince Ernst August of Hanover leave after their church wedding ceremony in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Ekaterina of Hanover and Prince Ernst August of Hanover leave after their church wedding ceremony in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Ekaterina of Hanover (L) and Prince Ernst August of Hanover leave after their church wedding ceremony in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Ekaterina of Hanover and Prince Ernst August of Hanover leave after their church wedding ceremony in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Ekaterina of Hanover and Prince Ernst August of Hanover leave after their church wedding ceremony in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Ekaterina of Hanover leaves after her church wedding with Prince Ernst August of Hanover in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Prince Christian (2nd L) of Hanover, his wife Alessandra de Osma (L) and Chantal Hochuli (R) leave after the church wedding of Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Ekaterina of Hanover in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Charlotte Casiraghi arrives for the church wedding of Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Ekaterina of Hanover in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Ekaterina of Hanover (C) is helped in a carriage next to her husband Prince Ernst August (L) after their church wedding ceremony in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Pierre Casiraghi, son of Princess Caroline of Hanover (L), his wife Beatrice arrive for the church wedding of Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Ekaterina of Hanover in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Pierre Casiraghi, son of Princess Caroline of Hanover (L), his wife Beatrice and his sister Charlotte Casiraghi arrive for the church wedding of Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Ekaterina of Hanover in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

Ekaterina of Hanover (L) and Prince Ernst August (R) of Hanover leave after their church wedding ceremony in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017. Prince Ernst August of Hanover did not give in to the injunctions of his father and married his fiancee Ekaterina Malysheva, a fashion designer of Russian origin. / AFP PHOTO / RONNY HARTMANNRONNY HARTMANN/AFP/Getty Images

Prince Ernst August Jr of Hanover didn't let his father's opposition stop him from getting married on Saturday.

The prince wed Russian fashion designer Ekaterina Malysheva in a low-key civil ceremony on Thursday before pulling out all of the stops in a lavish celebration at Hanover Market Church at the weekend.

Expand Close Ekaterina of Hanover and Prince Ernst August of Hanover leave after their church wedding ceremony in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Ekaterina of Hanover and Prince Ernst August of Hanover leave after their church wedding ceremony in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017

However, just days before the wedding Prince Ernst's father, Prince Ernst-August V, publicly opposed the marriage and reportedly didn't attend either ceremony.

Speaking to German newspaper Handelsblatt the 63-year-old, who is married to Princess Caroline of Monaco, reportedly said his decision to publicise his disapproval "was not easy for me, because it concerns my son. But I am forced to do so in order to preserve the interests of the House of Hanover and the property, including cultural property, which has been its property for centuries.

"I continue to hope that my son will eventually think of the best interests of our family and yield. I am ready for discussion and reconciliation."

The ceremony on Saturday featured a traditional guard of honour and horse-drawn carriage, while the bride wore a stunning gown designed by Sandra Mansour.

Expand Close Prince Christian (2nd L) of Hanover, his wife Alessandra de Osma (L) and Chantal Hochuli (R) leave after the church wedding of Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Ekaterina of Hanover in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Prince Christian (2nd L) of Hanover, his wife Alessandra de Osma (L) and Chantal Hochuli (R) leave after the church wedding of Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Ekaterina of Hanover in Hanover, central Germany, on July 8, 2017
I'm in a loveless marriage. Me and my wife of almost 14 years have drifted apart.

From day one I think we were doomed. I'm a couple of years older than her and I met her when she was in university and I was working. We dated for a while but I always had my eyes open for someone better to come along. Even while she was at college I was kind of playing the field.

We split up a few times but ended up married. I've been unfaithful to her a number of times and it all boils down to sex. I love sex but she doesn't. She just lies there. No emotion or no love. She is unaware of my infidelities or so I think. I masturbate to porn almost every day. My wife and I haven't had sex in a long time now. I've tried everything to convince her to get our sex life back on track but to no avail. Am I wrong in seeking sex outside the marriage?

I want her to suffer because I'm suffering. My friends at work have told me to dump her. I've tried getting her to move out but no.

I think we had sex twice in the last year and that was because I practically begged or even forced her into it. We don't speak. We don't communicate. She has her life, I have mine. I have tried to convince her to try to save the marriage but if I'm honest I think I want out more than she does at this stage. But I can't be seen to say it as my family would disown me.

I have a girl I see on occasions. My wife would know her but not as a friend. This girl gets a kick out of the fact that we are lovers and that my wife is unaware. I also slept with this woman when I was younger. We have sex and I give her money, but not for the sex. I just give the money because I feel she needs it. She's not wife material but good for a bit of fun when I need it and she is a willing participant.

I would consider myself a good lover and a kind person. My wife and I have kids together and I think they are the most important part. If I thought they'd be OK then I would leave tomorrow.

I hate my wife - she has tried to control me for years and I can't handle it. There's times I've almost struck her too but held back. She has no money. She has a menial low-paid part-time job which could never support her and the children and she could never make the payments on the house we live in.

What should I do? Should I use what money I have to set up the kids and their mother financially for the future and ensure they will be OK? Or will I pay off my house and fight her for custody?

Am I wrong doing this? I'm still relatively young and I want to be happy in my life. I would hate to think that my wife would benefit financially from me. I bought the house. I pay the mortgage. I paid off the loan for her car. I feel as though I'm paying for everything but getting nothing in return.

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Is it wrong for me to expect sex? I don't need love. If I got sex once a week I would be happy enough to carry on. I know it's not perfect but it's OK. Please can you give me a bit of guidance?

I also think I could have married someone nicer. Someone prettier that I'd be happy to be seen with - my wife has slipped a bit over the years. Gained weight and gotten very old looking. I think if I could go back in time that I'd have chosen better. This may sound cruel but it's how I feel. I have plenty of offers from interested women for sex.

A couple of my friends have suggested moving abroad for work and I am considering this too. I can honestly say that if I had sex more often that I'd live as I am for the foreseeable future.

Mary replies: I have had many letters lately from dissatisfied women so I am very glad to be able to print one from the male perspective. However, I had to read your letter over and over again because I couldn't make sense of it, and then I realised that there are a lot of contradictions in it which need to be addressed.

Overall you seem to be very dissatisfied with your wife - you feel you could have done better, she has let herself go over the years, she has no money and a menial job, you even go so far as to say that you hate her. So why on earth would you want to have sex with her - to say nothing of why would she want to have sex with you if she knew all of this?

I do not believe that if you had more sex in your marriage you would be happy. You have plenty of offers from other women for sex and have availed of some of these. This doesn't appear to have made you guilty, and I'm not making any judgment here, but why would you not continue to have sex with other women while keeping your marriage going if sex once a week is all you need?

Your friends' suggestion that you go abroad for work would probably work well for you, but it would not really solve anything as your wife would think she was still married to you while you would be viewing it as an escape.

Ultimately, there would be a showdown because you would probably find somebody else and want to get out of the marriage. You are still young and would have to be thinking long-term.

As I understand it, any money or property you have is owned by you both equally, despite who actually earned the money, so it is not a question of you deciding what to do. If you were to separate, and in time divorce, this would all have to be settled by the courts.

So it is not really a question as to what you would do with your money and your house, but rather what is the best solution for all concerned, particularly the children.

I think separating may well be the path that would be the most honourable and make you the happiest, and in time your family would get used to the idea. However, I can't speak for your wife as I haven't heard her side of the story.

One final point - of course you are paying for sex with the girl with whom you have it. I doubt that you would give her money if you happened to bump into her in the street and had a chat. Half of the money you give her belongs to your wife. I'm sure she would have her own views on the charity you are dispensing.

You can contact Mary OConor anonymously by visiting www.dearmary.ie or email her at dearmary@independent.ie or write c/o 27-32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1. All correspondence will be treated in confidence. Mary OConor regrets that she is unable to answer any questions privately.
Wildlife rangers were searching on Monday for four lions which escaped from South Africa's main national park, officials said.

The male lions escaped from the Kruger National Park, a main tourist attraction, on Sunday night and were last spotted at Matsulu village, South African National Parks said in a statement.

The area around Kruger contains villages and farms which raise cattle, putting livestock as well as people at risk of attack.

In May, the agency captured five lions that broke free from the same park. In 2015, a lion named Sylvester crawled under an electric fence at another park and went on a three-week, sheep-killing spree before he was caught by rangers while taking a nap.
Donald Trump has backtracked on his plans to create an impenetrable cyber security unit with Russia hours after discussing the idea with President Vladimir Putin.

The leaders recently came face to face for the first time at the G20 summit in Germany where they announced they had negotiated a ceasefire in southern Syria.

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After the meeting, Trump tweeted: Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded  and safe.

However, shortly after posting the tweet  which was heavily mocked  Trump appeared to drop his plans of a partnership with Putin in another tweet, which said: The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesnt mean I think it can happen. It cant-but a ceasefire can,& did!

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The initial tweet drew widespread ridicule from the public and politicians, including Republican Marco Rubio who likened the partnership to Syrian president Bashar Assad and use of chemical weapons against his own citizens.

However, the US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley defended the prospect, arguing the idea doesnt mean we ever trust Russia. We cant trust Russia and we wont ever trust Russia.

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Trump said hed strongly pressed Putin about Russias involvement in meddling with the 2016 US election, referring to US intelligence agencies conclusions Russian hackers tried to sway the election in Trumps favour. Trump said Putin vehemently denied the claims, though didnt reveal whether he believed the Russian president.

Putin said the US president had accepted his denials, saying: He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers.

But White House chief of staff Reince Priebus later said: The president absolutely didnt believe the denial of President Putin.
Donald Trump has dropped his plan to work with Russia to create "an impenetrable cyber security unit' soon after discussing the idea with Vladimir Putin.

The U-turn came after the two presidents had their first face-to-face meeting in Germany, and the two sides announced they had brokered a ceasefire in southern Syria that went into effect on Sunday.

After the meeting, Mr Trump tweeted: "Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded ... and safe."

However, the idea drew widespread ridicule and Mr Trump later tweeted: "The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't - but a ceasefire can, & did!"

Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina had been among the critics, saying: 'It's not the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but it's pretty close."

He said when it comes to Russia, the president has "a blind spot" and added: "To forgive and forget when it comes to Putin regarding cyberattacks is to empower Putin and that's exactly what he's doing."

Another Senate Republican, Marco Rubio of Florida, said on Twitter: "Partnering with Putin on a 'Cyber Security Unit' is akin to partnering with Assad on a 'Chemical Weapons Unit.'"

Mr Trump's former presidential rival was r eferring to Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime's use of chemical weapons against its own citizens."

Former defence secretary Ash Carter said it was "like the guy who robbed your house proposing a working group on burglary".

And Adam Schiff, the senior Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said expecting Russia to be a credible partner in any cybersecurity initiative "would be dangerously naive for this country".

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, defended the idea, arguing that working with Russia on cybersecurity "doesn't mean we ever trust Russia. We can't trust Russia and we won't ever trust Russia. But you keep those that you don't trust closer so that you can always keep an eye on 'em and keep them in check."

Mr Trump said after meeting Mr Putin at the G20 summit in Hamburg that "it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia".

But he avoided the question of whether he accepts Mr Putin's denial that Russia was responsible for meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

In a series of tweets Mr Trump said he "strongly pressed" Mr Putin twice over Russian meddling during their meeting on Friday.

Mr Trump said Mr Putin "vehemently denied" the conclusions of American intelligence agencies that Russian hackers and propagandists tried to sway the election in the tycoon's favour.

But Mr Trump would not say whether he believed Mr Putin, tweeting only that he has "already given my opinion".

Mr Trump has said he thinks Russia probably hacked the emails of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton staffers, but that "other people and/or countries" were probably involved as well.

He said before the meeting: "Nobody knows for sure."

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters in Germany on Friday Mr Trump had accepted Mr Putin's assurances that Russia had not meddled.

Mr Putin said on Saturday he left the meeting thinking that Mr Trump had believed his in-person denials.

"He asked questions, I replied. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with the answers," Mr Putin said.

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus then said: "The president absolutely didn't believe the denial of President Putin."

He said Mr Trump had spent a "large part of the meeting on the subject," but wanted to move onto other topics.

Secretary of state Rex Tillerson, the only other American official in the room, said Mr Trump's conversation with Mr Putin on election meddling went "about the way we expected" and that the most important thing was to make sure it never happens again.

AP
The Lake District has been named as a World Heritage Site, Unesco has announced.

The region, in north-west England, joins sites including the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon and Stonehenge on the prestigious list.

The culture organisation tweeted: Just inscribed as @UNESCO #WorldHeritage Site: The English Lake District.

Lord Clark of Windermere, who chaired the Lake Districts bid, said the decision to recognise the regions culture, art and literature, as well as its landscape, was momentous.

He said: It is this exceptional blend which makes our Lake District so spectacularly unique and we are delighted Unesco has agreed.

A great many people have come together to make this happen and we believe the decision will have long and lasting benefits for the spectacular Lake District landscape, the 18 million visitors we welcome every year and for the people who call the National Park their home.

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A Unesco committee in Krakow, Poland, backed the national park, in Cumbria and home to Englands highest mountain Scafell Pike, which was among 33 nominations of sites all over the world.

The bid was formally entered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Historic England and was the UKs only submission in 2016.

John Glen, minister for arts, heritage and tourism, said: The Lake District is one of the UKs most stunning and ancient landscapes and I am thrilled it has been granted World Heritage Site status.

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It is a unique part of the world that combines a vibrant farming community with thousands of archaeological sites and structures that give us an amazing glimpse into our past.

This decision will undoubtedly elevate the position of the Lake District internationally, boosting tourism and benefiting local communities and businesses.

The region is known for its soaring fells as much as its expansive lakes, including Englands longest, Windermere, and deepest, Wastwater.

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The Lakes also boasts sites of historical importance such as King Arthurs Round Table, said by English Heritage to be a neolithic earthwork henge believed to be the legendary monarchs jousting arena.

And it was an inspiration for some of the countrys most beloved writers including Beatrix Potter, who owned Hill Top Farm, and poets William Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge and John Ruskin.

The UK now has 31 World Heritage Sites including the city of Bath, the Tower of London, Canterbury Cathedral and the Giants Causeway.

Tim Farron MP, whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency is in south Cumbria, said: This is fantastic news for our area, and for the local tourist economy.

This well-deserved status is a formal recognition of the outstanding natural beauty of the Lake District, and will help to further promote our area as the UKs leading rural tourist destination.

However, it is vital that the Lake District remains a viable place for local people to live.

This decision is about protecting and promoting the natural and cultural heritage of our area, and must not be used as an excuse to freeze in aspic our vibrant rural communities.

The Lake District must be a place where local people can afford to live, raise a family and find work so that rural communities can thrive.
The men distributed hundreds of thousands of child porn images on the dark web

Two perverts are facing jail for setting up a chat room on the dark web to distribute hundreds of thousands of child porn images.

Brett McBain, 51, and David Buckley, 54, admitted founding now defunct #TheOtherPlace in 2014, describing it as "a channel for the respectful appreciation of youthful beauty" when in reality its sole purpose was to share indecent images.

Over two years, self-styled "King of the Castle" McBain posted links to some 200,000 indecent images via the chat room and Buckley posted more than 30,000.

McBain, from Balham, south London, has pleaded guilty to 10 charges relating to the distribution of indecent images while Buckley, of Goole, East Yorkshire, has admitted a single charge of conspiring to distribute images with him.

The court heard they met through another similar channel on the dark web before they decided to set up their own version.

Mitigating, Dominic Thomas said McBain was an alcoholic who was "glad" to be arrested to "sort himself out".

Throughout, he thought his co-conspirator Buckley was a 24-year-old woman, the lawyer said.

Rina Hill, for Buckley, described him as a solitary man with alcohol and drug issues.

She said: "Mr Buckley maintains the real buzz and thrill for him in his interest in this channel was in the fact his persona as a woman meant that others gave him a lot of attention and made him feel less lonely."

Recorder Brian Altman QC will sentence the men at the Old Bailey on Monday.
A Tunisian man accused of brutally murdering an elderly couple in their Austrian home last month was a supporter of the Islamic State jihadist group, police said Monday.

But police spokesman David Furtner told AFP the case was being treated as a "double murder" and not a jihadist killing.

"We currently don't believe that it was an IS-motivated murder or terror attack," Furtner said.

"It seems the man radicalised himself but there is no third party who ordered him to carry out the killings and IS has not claimed responsibility."

The suspect attacked the couple in the northern city of Linz on June 30, slitting the 85-year-old woman's throat before stabbing and beating her 87-year-old husband to death.

The brutal nature of the killings shocked many in the country.

Police said the man knew the victims, having regularly delivered their groceries from a shop run by his wife, and believed the elderly couple had links to the far right.

The latest investigations show that he became increasingly radicalised last year and recently swore allegiance on his Facebook page to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The suspect, who moved to Austria about 30 years ago, harboured resentment against society as well as Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), according to police.

"He felt he was always badly treated here because he is a Muslim and blames the FPOe for whipping up negative feelings toward foreigners", Furtner said.

While Austria has been spared the major attacks that have hit other European countries including France, Britain and Germany, a relatively high number of Austrians have left to wage jihad abroad.

The interior ministry estimates that 300 have left or tried to leave to fight in Syria or Iraq -- a figure that is proportionately high in a population of 8.7 million.

Most of those accused of jihadist links in Austria have been of Chechen or Bosnian origin.

There is no indication that the man suspected of murdering the couple had travelled abroad to fight alongside extremist groups.

Austrian authorities have bolstered anti-terror operations since 2014, with 14 people arrested on suspicions of IS links in January raids in Vienna and Graz, the country's second-largest city.

Austria is gearing up for legislative elections in October, which are being closely fought between the social democrats, conservatives and the far right.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attend the Womens Entrepreneurship Finance event during the G20 leaders summit in Hamburg, Germany. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria

US President Donald Trump was ridiculed by his own party yesterday after saying he planned to work with Russia on a cyber-security unit to prevent hacking of future elections.

Tweeting after his first meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the weekend, Mr Trump said now was the time to work constructively with Moscow, pointing to a ceasefire deal in south-west Syria that came into effect yesterday.

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe," he said on Twitter following their talks at a summit of the G20 nations in Hamburg.

Republican senators Lindsey Graham, an influential South Carolina Republican, and Marco Rubio of Florida, who opposed Mr Trump for their party's presidential nomination, blasted the notion.

"It's not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but it's pretty close," said Senator Graham, saying that Mr Trump's apparent willingness to "forgive and forget" stiffened his resolve to pass legislation imposing sanctions on Russia.

Mr Rubio said on Twitter: "While reality & pragmatism requires that we engage Vladimir Putin, he will never be a trusted ally or a reliable constructive partner.

Expand Close Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Istanbul. Photo: REUTERS / Facebook

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"Partnering with Putin on a 'Cyber Security Unit' is akin to partnering with (Syrian President Bashar al) Assad on a 'Chemical Weapons Unit'," he added.

Mr Trump argued for rapprochement with Moscow in his campaign but has been unable to deliver because his administration has been dogged by investigations into the allegations of Russian interference in the election and ties with his campaign.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the matter, including whether there may have been any collusion on the part of Trump campaign officials, as are congressional committees including both the House and Senate intelligence panels.

Those probes are focused almost exclusively on Moscow's actions, intelligence officials say, and no evidence has surfaced publicly implicating other countries despite Mr Trump's suggestion that others could have been involved.

"I don't think we can expect the Russians to be any kind of a credible partner in some kind of cyber security unit," said Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

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"If that's our best election defence, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow," Mr Schiff added.

Separately, US government officials said that a recent hack into business systems of US nuclear power and other energy companies was carried out by Russian government hackers.

Mr Trump said he had raised allegations of Russian interference in the election with Mr Putin.

"I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion..."

He added: "We negotiated a ceasefire in parts of Syria which will save lives. Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!"

The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia for its 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Mr Trump appeared to contradict his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who told reporters Mr Trump had told Mr Putin that several US lawmakers were pushing for additional sanctions against Russia.
German prosecutors have opened an investigation into employees of Porsche, which is a unit of Volkswagen AG, and an American subsidiary over the possible manipulation of diesel emissions.

Stuttgart prosecutors said they are investigating suspicions of fraud and making false claims.

They said that the investigation is against persons unknown who were employed by Porsche and a US unit which it did not identify.

Prosecutors elsewhere in Germany are investigating alleged wrongdoing at Volkswagen and Audi, another of the German carmaker's units.

Volkswagen has acknowledged equipping about 11 million cars worldwide with software that sensed when cars were on test stands and turned emission controls up, then turned the controls off during everyday driving to improve performance.

AP
Wildfires have swept across wide areas of the western US and Canada, destroying homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and staff at a California camp ground.

In northern California, a wildfire swept through grassy foothills in the Sierra Nevada and destroyed at least 10 structures and threatened more than 750 homes.

The blaze about 60 miles north of Sacramento grew rapidly to more than seven square miles and was nearly 20% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"It made a huge run last night," fire spokeswoman Mary Ann Aldrich said. More homes were destroyed but fire officials have not had a chance to assess the damage. Instead, they were focused on protecting structures while battling the fire in hot, sometimes windy conditions.

"It's far from out, we're going to be here for several days if not more," Ms Aldrich said.

The area burning was about 10 miles south of Oroville, where spillways in the nation's tallest dam began crumbling from heavy rains this winter and led to temporary evacuation orders for 200,000 residents downstream.

Authorities said the fire sent hundreds of people fleeing from their homes.

In s outhern California, residents and campers were sent scrambling as two fires exploded in size at separate ends of Santa Barbara County.

Crews were getting a break from slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds on Sunday as they battled the pair of blazes that destroyed structures and closed a highway.

One of the fires grew to 12 square miles, traversing a mountain range and heading south towards coastal Goleta.

"The plan is to hit it with air tankers to keep it from moving to the south and to the east," said county fire Captain Dave Zaniboni. "There's less heat and less wind, which makes things a little easier."

There was minimal containment and flames shut down State Route 154, which is expected to remain closed for days. At least 20 structures burned.

About 90 children and 50 counsellors were stuck on Saturday at the Circle V Ranch and had to take shelter until they could be safely evacuated.

Crews were also using an air attack against another blaze about 50 miles north that exploded in size to 37.5 square miles. About 200 rural homes east of Santa Maria were evacuated after the fire broke out on Saturday and was fed by dry gusts.

In Colorado, firefighters built containment lines around about half the wildfire that forced the evacuation of hundreds of people near Breckenridge. The fire has not spread since it broke out on Wednesday and was still less than a square mile on Sunday.

In rural Arizona, fire officials said three homes were among 10 buildings that were burned. The wildfire there has led to the evacuation of the entire town of Dudleyville, about 100 miles south east of Phoenix.

A wildfire burning near Summer Lake in south-central Oregon has destroyed a hunting cabin and an outbuilding.

In Nevada, fire officials ordered evacuations for a wildfire near the area where another blaze has already burned for days.

In Canada, firefighters were contending with more than 200 wildfires burning in British Columbia that had destroyed dozens of buildings, including several homes and two airport hangars.

The three biggest fires, which ranged in size from five to eight square miles, had forced thousands of people to flee.

AP
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Teenage beauty queen and model Sofia Magerko live streamed her own death on Instagram as she filmed herself and a friend drinking and driving in Ukraine. Sofia, winner of a local beauty contest along with her friend Dasha Medvedeva were driving at speed and drinking alcohol when their BMW car smashed head-on into a lamp post.

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The former beauty queen died immediately while her friend who was driving the vehicle died on the way to the hospital. The duo were in high spirits drinking from bottles moments before the horrific accident with one of them saying to the camera: 'Hi boys.' The girls were laughing and joking, saying how much they 'enjoyed life' seconds before the crash which killed them.

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The excruciating sound of the car crashing into the lamp post was heard on the footage before it suddenly went black at the moment of impact. Soon afterwards the bystanders arrived at the scene, discovering the lifeless body of the young beauty queen.

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The 16-year-old, who won a beauty contest in her hometown posed for the camera with her friend moments before their lives were tragically cut short. Disturbing pictures from the scene show the mangled wreckage of the BMW car in the Kharkiv region of the country. The police confirmed the tragic death but did not give a reason for the crash.
The higher committee of the Egyptian National Theater Festival unveiled new shows and prizes in a press conference on Sunday, as it gears up for its 10th annual edition kicking off 13 July and running through 27 July. The festival's official opening will take place at the main hall of the Cairo Opera House.



The 10th edition honours late renowned theatre critic, academic and writer Nehad Selaiha, who passed away earlier this year.

Differences have always occurred among state, independent and amateur theatre troupes. By honouring the late Selaiha we affirm that all types of theatre performers act as one Egyptian theatrical movement, just as she always saw them, said festival manager and president of the Theater House Ismail Moukhtar at the presser.



Festival sections include an official competition comprised of 20 competing performances produced within the past year.

The festivals judging committee is comprised of Egyptian-Kuwaiti theatre critic Alaa El-Gaber, writer Mahmoud El Salamony, artist Ferdous Abdelhamid, art professor Rania Yehia, director Nasser Abdel-Moneim, professor and critic Mohamed Zaema, young cinematographer Rami Benjamin, and artist Fadi Fokeh.

The programme also includes the Critic Article Contest, in which young critics submit articles analysing and reviewing a festival play, and are awarded by a jury of critics. Critics on the jury include Mohamed El-Roby, Mahmoud Naseem, Alaa Abdel-Aziz, Mohamed Samir El-Khateeb, and Heba Baraka.

The 10th edition will also feature Special Theater, a segment which sheds light every year on street theatre. "Next year the focus will be on children's theater," said festival president Hassan Attia.

The street performance will feature three performances including Zaaboba in the Windward from Suez governorate, Loss by Iraqi group Bablyon and Halm (Dream) by Karkouk theatre group, Attia told Ahram Online.

The president explained that many participants in the festival come from other governorates, but that it is hard for the festival to feature performances in other governorates due to lack of funds for transportation and group accommodation.

Attia also revealed in the press conference that with a focus on theatre in the Arab world, the festival has chosen the UAE as this years guest of honour.



Another segment called Selected Performances (Edged Performances, previously) will feature plays that participated in previous competitions.



The winning play from Selected Performances will be chosen by the audience, President of the National Center for Social Studies and member of the festivals higher committee Nesreen El-Boghdady announced at the conference.

We plan to raise a generation that has a taste for theatre and spreading culture, El-Boghdady said.

A theatre without an audience is no theatre; plays are the most privileged form of art as they receive instantaneous feedback from live audiences, the president told Ahram Online.



She said that audiences would be surveyed during the Selected Performances for their preferences, evaluation of service, which scripts they enjoyed and their favourite performers.



The newly-announced award stirred controversy among participants at the press conference, prompting some to withdraw from the competition.



Audience evaluation is important, although it has upset some directors. In my point of view this attitude indicates that they create works for themselves not for their audiences, young critic and member of the festivals higher committee Rana Abdel-Kawy told Ahram Online.



The General Authority for Cultural Places will be providing 100 books for each performing group as a gift -- a new aspect of this years edition. The gift includes theatre manuscripts and theatre-themed books.

Attia explained that TV channel DMC will also be screening six short films, each approximately two minutes, about the lives of honoured figures in theatre, as well as a 40 minute documentary about the life of Nehad Selaiha.



The closing ceremony will feature an open discussion with remarks from critics. It will aslo include a round table discussion on the effect of the 23 July revolution on the Egyptian theatrical scene and the role of theatre in shaping political and cultural platforms afterwards, according to poet and playwright Mohamed Boghdady.



The Higher Committee of the Egyptian National Theater Festival is composed of Attia, Abdelkawy, El Boghdady, director and college professor Gamal Bakout, Boghdady, president of the Theater House and festival manager Ismail Moukhtar, president of Arts Academy Ahlam Younis and chairwoman of the Cairo Opera House Inas Abdel Dayem.

Also on the committee are president of the Egyptian National Authority for Books Haitham El Hag, president of the Cultural Production Affairs Sector Khaled Galal, president of Cultural Development Fund Ahmed Awad, and president of the National Center for Theater Emaad Saeed.



For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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The power of social media. How many times have you heard this phrase being passed around like a plate of appetisers at a dinner party? Over the years, a few websites such as Facebook, Twitter, even Whatsapp  collectively known as social media  have seeped into the deepest corners of the idea and at times led to disasters implications. West Bengals current state of violence ratifies the saying, proof is in the pudding.

BCCL

It all started on June 30 in Bhaduria, when a Hindu teenager published an offensive post about Prophet Mohammed on Facebook. The boy was arrested, but following the post, a mob came for the boy and attacked the 17-year-olds Uncles home, setting it on fire.

Two days later, the violence spread from Bhaduria block of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district to Basirhat, which lies 100kms from the capital of Kolkata. Here, at least one person has died and several others been injured. On July 4, paramilitary forces were deployed to maintain peace.

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On Saturday, West Bengals Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee pointed fingers at BJP, blaming them for stirring tension in the state. Hours after this accusation, in the North Dinajpur district, there were clashes between workers of the BJP and Mamatas own Trinamool Congress Party.

Violence has become commonplace in the state in the last one month and half. The Gorkha Community in Darjeeling began protesting after the CM proposed making Bengali compulsory across the entire state. Tensions there escalated on Saturday and at least three people were killed in police firing.

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Also read: As Protests Over Gorkhaland Reach Delhi, Here's What The People From The Hills Are Demanding

Communal riots in this small village is a first  Hindus and Muslims have otherwise always lived in harmony in the states North 24 Parganas district. For now, the violence has calmed down  shops have reopened and daily life has resumed in both Bhaduria and Basirhat. But a sense of unease remains.
Residents of Delhi who are unable to have surgeries at any government hospital in the city can now get free surgery in 48 private hospitals without having to worry about huge bills. The bills, for which no upper limit has been set, will be paid by the Delhi government. "We lay emphasis on health and education, there will be no dearth of funds for this scheme," CM Arvind Kejriwal said.

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A patient needing surgery which cannot be performed at a government hospital within 30 days or if the hospital doesn't have infrastructure can be referred to a private hospital. The free surgery can be conducted within a fortnight.

The patient needs to submit residence proof with the OPD slip (containing referral to the private hospital) with an authorisation form (available at the hospital) to the nodal officer of the Delhi Arogya Kosh from where she will get the authorisation letter allowing treatment at the private hospital.The hospital administration will assist the patients' family in the process.

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The overburdened government hospitals in Delhi cannot conduct surgeries within a fortnight even when patients are in a critical condition -some patients get a surgery date one year from the date of recommendation. The free surgery scheme was mooted against this backdrop.

"A patient can choose any of the hospitals among the 48 empanelled ones for the surgery," health minister Satyendra Jain said.Among the private hospitals are Max Hospital, ILBS Hospital, Batra Hospital, Medanta Medicity, Jeevan Nursing Home, Delhi Heart and Lung Institute, Maharaja Agrasen Hospital located in Delhi NCR. The free facility is, however, available only for 52 types of specified surgeries, like a heart bypass, laparoscopic gall bladder surgery etc.

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Kejriwal hailed the scheme -the third big scheme in the health sector within one year after free medicines in government hospitals to free medical tests in private hospitals -as historic. "A revolutionary change is taking place in Delhi's health sector. Good health services and education are no longer the privileges of the rich in Delhi," Kejriwal said.

For a government which spent 14 percent of its budget on health last year, the aim is higher. "Within a month we will launch a scheme to provide free treatment at private hospitals to victims of road accidents, acid attacks and people who suffer burn injuries," said Jain. Unlike free surgery to residents of Delhi, the accident scheme will be open to all. The only condition will be that the accident should have taken place in Delhi.

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Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said the Delhi government is focused on health and education because they are the foundation of a country. He, however, asked the doctors to be cautious about the misuse of the free surgery scheme.

Critics of the scheme say that rather than referring patients to private hospitals, the government should focus on hospitals' capacity building. "Infrastructure development needs years, but a patient needs immediate treatment," the CM said after launching the scheme."With infrastructure development, we want to hold all surgeries in government hospitals in future," he said.

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BJP said the free surgery scheme is "an attempt to divert the attention of the media from the allegations of corruption levelled against Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues recently by former AAP minister Kapil Mishra".

"It is an attempt to divert the attention of the people from the cases of corruption. It seems that this scheme to provide health services through the private hospitals will be a new opportunity for corruption," Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said, adding the scheme has been announced in haste, without making proper preparations.
Delhi's infamy as India's rape capital was reinforced when three brutal sexual assaults came to light on Sunday.

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Two of the survivors are minors and the third a mentally challenged woman.

A 36-year-old widower was arrested for allegedly raping an eight-year-old girl in front of his teenage daughter at a railway colony gym in central Delhi's Kamla Market. Another eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her father's friend near Connaught Place.

In the third incident, a 38-year-old mentally challenged woman was allegedly raped by a cab driver who picked her up from east Delhi and lured her to a remote location on the pretext of offering a her a job. The accused has been arrested. Read More

1. Amid Lynching Of Muslims In Name Of Cow Protection, This Muslim Man Will Fast For Gau Raksha

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At a time when mob lynching by self-proclaimed cow vigilantes has created an atmosphere of fear, a Muslim man from Kutch has come forward for the cause of the cow protection.

Making a unique bid for cow protection, Jabar Jat (27) from Kudbay village of Nakhtrana taluka has announced that he would sit on fast for 48 hours beginning July 20 at Kutch district collectorate. Read More

2. Reckless Swift Dzire Driver Causes Major Mishap On Noida Expressway, 1 Dead In Accident Involving A Lamborghini

A man died in a crash involving three cars running at Noida Expressway on Saturday afternoon. The cars in question also included one Lamborghini. According to police the accident took place around 2 pm on Noida Expressway near sector 135 when a Swift Dzire car hit a Lamborghini while changing the lane abruptly.

Taken aback by the sudden attempt to change the lane, the driver of the Lamborghini swerved to his left trying evade collision with Dzire. But this process, the Maruti Eeco car coming from behind collided with Lamborghini. The van driver lost control and it toppled several times before falling into the drain. Read More

3. Chhattisgarh Legislator Chooses Govt School Over English Medium Schools For His Sons Education

A legislator from Chhattisgarh got his son admitted to a government school in the district of Jashpur only to become yet another example of government officials who are becoming pivotal in shifting the spotlight from fancy private schools to more humble Hindi-medium government schools. This followed soon after an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the same state sent his 5-year-old daughter to a government school. Read More

4. We May Have Just Identified The Gene That Causes Depression

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Researchers in the US may have identified the gene that plays a critical role in either amplifying or reducing your stress levels; paving another way to tackle and treat mental health disorders.

Globally, depression affects over 300 million people annually. Nearly 800,000 die in suicides every yearit is the second-leading cause of death among people between the ages of 15 to 29, the study said.

The findings revealed that the gene, known as Slc6a15, is found in both animals and humans. By simply altering the levels of this gene in the brain, depression could be triggered in mice, or can make the mice more resilient Read More

4. Sushma Hits Out At Aziz After Pak Denied Kulbhushan Jadhav's Mother Visa Despite Her Recommendation

AFP

A day after a Pakistani woman sought External Affair Minister Sushma Swarajs help for medical visa for cancer treatment, Swaraj hit out at his Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz saying he hasnt shown courtesy to aknowledge her letter for Pakistan Visa for Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother.

I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. I am sure Mr Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country. All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals," Sushma Swaraj said in a series of tweets. Read More
Every year we amend our travel plans trying to escape the unnecessary tension that cloaks mountains during monsoons - landslides, heavy rains, who wants that? But despite everything, these nature-related-calamities do affect the lifestyle of those who live here.

Just like every year, Arunachal Pradesh stuck between massive landslides and torrential rains, leading to a lot of tension. The current situation put many lives in danger, which is why the Indian Air Force intervened.

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One such operation by IAF that was aimed to rescue people who were lost in this natural disaster turned out to be quite fatal for its own officers.

Meet Wing Commander Mandeep Singh Dhillon, who died in an unfavourable accident on 4th of July, was India's true braveheart. The IAF officer was one of the brightest stars in a chasm full of twinklers.

He has accomplished over 18 years of flying experience where he's conquered a variety of challenging situations.

On 4th of July we lost a brave air warrior in a tragic helicopter crash during a flood rescue op in Arunachal Wg Cdr Mandeep Dhillon. RIP pic.twitter.com/JzmlKjeja8  Aviator Anil Chopra (@Chopsyturvey) July 8, 2017

Unfortunately, this operation, which could have been one of the many events he so easily succeeded, turned out to be the last one. Officer Mandeep was on a landslide-hit evacuation mission in Arunachal Pradesh jungles.

The IAF officer had already rescued 169 people on 5 sorties and was on his 6th sortie to Sagalee village when the weather exacerbated beyond managing any hold of it.

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Mandeep and the team gathered that the weather isn't appropriate to carry civilians and decided not to risk their lives. It is then when they flew without any people on board but within minutes after taking off the ground station lost contact with them.

Later it came to everyone's notice that the helicopter has crashed and we've lost everyone onboard. Along with Wing Commander Mandeep, we've lost flight engineer, a policeman from Arunachal Pradesh, and Flight Lieutenant Singh in the ill-fated Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv.

"We are deeply hurt and shocked by the news. It is an irreparable loss. He was to achieve great success in the IAF given his intelligence and young age. This unfortunate incident has cut the dream short." said one of Wing Commander Dhillon's neighbours, H S Puri, a retired engineer from the Military Engineering Service (MES).

timesofindia

The demise has shocked everyone who's ever known Mandeep, for they knew that he was a man of sheer excellence. An alumnus of the Rashtriya Indian Military College in Dehradun and the National Defence Academy or NDA, he was a long-distance runner and has won almost every run he's ever participated.

His kin and acquaintances claim that he was a true leader who stayed loyal to his duties till his last breath.

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"Wing Commander Dhillon has 18 years of experience. He has flown in many difficult terrains and has been part of challenging missions. He was arguably one of the finest helicopter pilots. From icy mountains to the jungles of Arunachal Pradesh, he volunteered to go on any mission," said a senior IAF officer who asked not to be named, reports The Times Of India.

Thousands of people at the Indian Air Force and some hundreds in Patiala are breaking into helpless tears, but there's only so much we can say in the honour of a man who's served the country selflessly.

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The officer is now survived by his father, mother, wife, a young daughter and a son. His last rites were performed in Tezpur on Sunday.
If you ever thought that having debates, writing articles, sharing poignant social media posts will turn out to be conducive to people understanding 'period-pain', you were slightly wrong.

Pinterest

With the advent of social media, a lot of women, media organisations, individual blogs along with a variety of content produced by anonymous artists began addressing the acceptance of menstruation and difficulties associated with it.

Thanks to all of that because two Indian organisations have decided to give paid leaves to their female employees. Cool, right?

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Culture Machine in Mumbai recently launched a video wherein they surprised their female employees with the good news. The video that seemed like an impromptu gift began with them asking what it's like to have periods.

You can totally see floods of joy gushing on their faces when they are told that they can take a paid day off. The video states a classic example of bliss, and I am sure is driving loads of applauses from women around the country.

Another company in the same league is Gozoop, a digital marketing organisation. All the female employees working for this organisation will also get a paid leave on the first day of their period.

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This particular organisation not only regards medical issues but also supports employees in case of educational needs. They intend to share educational expenses, give a month long paid leave to explore professional expertise, and a force shut down on New Year's and Valentine's - is this heaven or what?

The idea retracts years and years of fatal inhibition and ignorance by men and society that fails to recognise the deadly pain. Everyone who's ever gone through period can vouch that they're not unicorn farts and rainbows.

Pinterest

They're a punch in your shin, another and another one. The endless headaches, body ache, nausea, head rushes, cramps, and a constant state of denial.
A current Cabinet member on Monday confirmed that controversial Greek Yanisdid, in fact, present a voucher payment plan to ministers back in 2015, near the climax of shambolic negotiations with creditors in the first half of that year.
Three edifices from the Mameluke, Ottoman and Ayyubid eras were inaugurated Monday in Historic Cairo after intensive restoration

Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany along with Cairo Governor Atef Abdel Hamid and other high-ranking government officials and foreign ambassadors flocked to El-Moez street in Medieval Cairo to inaugurate three Mameluke, Ayyubid and Ottoman edifices.

Before cutting the red ribbon, the dignitaries, along with Archbishop of St. Catherine's Monastery Demitry Demianos, stood for a moment of silence on the stairs of the Sabil-Kuttab of Mohamed Ali in memory of the Egyptian officers and soldiers who were killed in a terrorist attack on Friday in Rafah, North Sinai.

Other officials present included Local Development Minister Hesham Al-Sherif as well as the ministers of culture and religious endowments and directors of foreign archaeological institutes in Egypt.

The inauguration tour started by the Sabil-Kuttab (public water fountain and Quranic school) of Khesru Pasha before moving to the Qubbet (Dome) Nagm El-Din Ayyub and finally Mohib El-Din El-Tayeb Hall.

"Restoring these three monuments was part of a national campaign launched by the Ministry of Antiquities in 2015 to restore 100 monuments in Historic Cairo," El-Enany told Ahram Online.

He added that the newly inaugurated edifices are the first batch of a restoration campaign that includes seven monuments. The four still being restored include Maqaad Mammay Al-Seify, Al-Salihiyya Madrassa (school) Saeed Al-Saadaa Khanqah and the Abul Dahab monumental complex.

The ministry has allocated EGP 9 million to restore these seven.

Mohamed Abdel-Aziz, director-general of Historic Cairo Rehabilitation Project explains that the first three monuments were like other Islamic ones in heavily populated areas like Al-Moez street: suffering from ill use by area inhabitants, excess subterranean water leaking in, and cracked walls.

Now after two years of work, he said, the edifices have regained their original grandeur.

The sabil-kuttab of Khesru Pasha is one of the most beautiful Ottoman sabils with a sabil on the first floor and the kuttab on the second.

Al-Sultan Al-Saleh Negm El-Din dome is a rare example of a significant period in Egyptian Islamic history, when the Mamelukes took the Egyptian throne from the Ayyubids.

The dome, he explains, was built by Shagaret Al-Dor as a burial place for her husband Al-Sultan Negm Al-Din, the last Ayyubid ruler. It consists of a large hall with a wooden sarcophagus in the middle and two other halls holding a kuttab and a small mosque.

Sherif Fawzi, coordinator of the El-Moez street project, said that the Moheb Al-Din Abul-Tayyeb Hall was originally the reception hall of a palace built during the 14th Century. During the 1940s, the palace was severely damaged when work began on Beit Al-Qadi road. The hall was the only section left intact in the stunning palace.

Today, it is a vast square visitor hall with a large mashrabiya facade. A marble water tap decorates the center and overhead is a fine wooden ceiling ornamented with colourful foliage and geometrical drawings. To the left is a small passage leading to a bathroom with a vaulted ceiling.

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According to reports, that the leaders of All Progressives Congress leaders have met over the crisis between the Presidency and the Senate on the appointment of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu.

It was gathered that the party had intervened in the crisis and would declare its position before the end of this week.

A Presidency official, who confided in one of our correspondents, said that those who attended the meeting, which was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, included the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; the Deputy National Chairman, North; Senator Lawal Shuaibu; the National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni; the National Treasurer, Mohammed Gwagwaruwa; and the National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso.

The source, who did not give the details of the meeting, stated, Our party leaders have met with all the gladiators. I met on Friday with some of the party leaders who attended the meeting. I guess they will be speaking on the outcome soon.

The Presidency source also disclosed that it was the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who contacted the acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, after the Senate passed the latest resolution on Magu.

According to the Presidency official, Saraki expressed his readiness to attend any fence-mending meeting if there was any.

To be fair to the Senate President, he was the one who contacted the acting President shortly after their resolution  to express his willingness to attend any meeting organised to find a lasting solution to the matter and he attended, the source said.

But a National Assembly source said the meeting between the acting President and the Senate President on Thursday night was at the instance of Osinbajo.

The source said the Senates resolution on Tuesday compelled Osinbajo to invite Saraki to a meeting.

The source said, A meeting took place between Saraki and Osinbajo. The acting President actually reached out to the Senate President after the lawmakers sent a strong signal to the Presidency.

The acting President seems to have realised the implication of what he said. He was literally begging at the meeting that nobody should heat up the polity; that what he said was only a reaction to what Mr. Femi Falana said. Also, note that if the acting President did not want to see Saraki, the Senate President would not have gone there.

It was learnt that the party leaders were also using back channels to reach out to the feuding party members.

A top ranking APC official, who pleaded anonymity in order not to escalate tension, noted that the issue at hand had not yet reached a point where the party would intervene but said it may soon convene a meeting to be jointly attended by the two arms of government.

The source said, We are intervening to prevent things from getting out of hand. We are using back channels to reach out to the executive and the members of the legislature.

We dont want individuals to take advantage of the situation to advance their personal agenda. Egos are bruised and we must do everything to de-escalate tension.

For now, we are reaching out to both parties to get them to avoid making public statements capable of exacerbating the situation; we will take it up from there.

The source further explained that the decision of the partys National Working Committee to meet with its governors, at least, once a month had greatly improved relations.

He said the same approach was being adopted to ensure that the party, the executive and the legislature were on the same page on national issues.

When asked if the partys leaders met with the executive and the legislature over the weekend, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, in response to a text message on Sunday said no.

But a presidential aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, said, Consultations are still at infancy. There is really nothing to tell at the moment.

Abdullahi told The PUNCH on Saturday that contrary to insinuations in some quarters, there was no rift between the executive and the legislative arms of government.

The spokesman, in a telephone interview in Abuja, on Saturday, that what appeared to be a disagreement between the two arms of government presented the nation with an opportunity to strengthen democracy.

Abdullahi said, There is no face-off. For me, I would like to look at the positive side and the positive side is that the more of this type of situation we have, the more the opportunity we have to test our constitution.

Osinbajo had, in an interview in April ruled out the possibility of President Muhammadu Buhari replacing Magu, whose nomination was rejected by the Senate twice.

He had said he aligned himself with the argument of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, that Senate confirmation was not needed for the EFCC chairman based on the provisions of Section 171 of the constitution.

Osinbajos statement drew the ire of Senators, who on Tuesday, threatened to withhold all requests for confirmation into executive positions from the Presidency.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Senior Special Assistant to the acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, on the telephone did not yield positive result as of the time of filing this report on Saturday.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has been given an ultimatum by Southern leaders to implement the report of the 2014 National Conference.

The leaders, who arrived at this resolution at a meeting held in Lagos, also implored Mr. Osinbajo to facilitate and allow the 36 states assume their status as federating units, as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution.

The meeting was convened by leaders from Southern Nigeria including a former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Victor Attah; Afenifere chieftains, Ayo Adebanjo and Femi Okurounmu; and a former managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission, Timi Alaibe.

Others are Tony Uranta, Joseph Eva, Bassey Henshaw and Afenifere spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin.

The president of the forum, Albert Horsfall, was also in attendance.

The forum also handed Mr. Osinbajo an ultimatum, urging him to inform the zone of the Nigerian governments plans to protect southerners residing in the North.

The call came against the backdrop of an October 1, 2017 deadline issued by a northern group, Arewa Youths, purportedly asking the Igbo to leave the region.

The forum insisted it will not tolerate any threat or attack against any part of the South, stressing that any attack against any part of the zone would be regarded as an attack against the entire region.

According to the forum president, Mr. Horsfall, a former director general of the State Security Service, SSS, southern leaders will not tolerate any threat and would ensure that any attack against the South will get the response it deserves.

Mr. Horsfall, who noted that Southern leaders were unhappy that no action had been taken by the Federal Government on the threat, said Mr. Osinbajo must inform Nigerians of the governments actions and plans to protect southerners living in the North.

He said, We are disconcerted that, up till now, no action appears to have been taken regarding the October 1 threat issued by Arewa youths.

We, therefore, demand that (Mr.) Osinbajo inform Nigerians of what actions and steps has been taken to protect the Igbo and all Southerners who live in the North against the the threats of the Arewa youths.

We reiterate that any threat or action against anyone from the South will be treated as a threat or action against all Southerners.

Speaking further, the forum urged the Acting President to act on his statement on restructuring, saying it was an integral part of the ruling partys manifesto.

We note with gratitude, a statement by the acting president, that the issue of restructuring will be addressed soon and we urge him to follow his statement with immediate action by acting on the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference.

The issue of restructuring and change was an integral part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) manifesto. We want the 16-point agenda that was submitted by the South-South delegation, submitted in their meeting with the acting president to be acted upon immediately, to avoid youth restiveness and sustain the current peace.

There is an urgent need to restructure Nigeria to achieve true federalism. We will not be distracted by individuals who claim ignorance of what restructuring means or those who try to imply a non-existent sinister plan to break up Nigeria because of the demand for restructuring. We affirm our commitment to the unity of Nigeria and also, insist on the urgent need to restructure Nigeria, to achieve true federalism.

For the avoidance of doubt, restructuring is a return to the constitution of independence which our founding fathers bequeathed to us. That constitution allowed the states autonomy in the management of their affairs.

The forum explained that the states will be federating units, with its own rights to have their own constitution, adding that they will equally have control over their resources and make agreed contributions to the federal government for general services.

We will identify those areas of our Constitution which should allow for effective administration in the states, it said.

It is important that action be commenced immediately, to ensure that the entire changes are implemented by December 2017.

Commenting on the activities of armed Fulani herdsmen and proliferation of Fulani armed settlements in the South, the forum called on the Nigerian government to nip their activities in the bud.

We want to alert the international community and we also want the FG to take appropriate actions against them.

We want the FG to make an official statement on this and take appropriate action to put them in check, it said.

Source: (Premium Times )
The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has ordered the dismissal of four police officers found guilty of extorting money from members of the police.

According to a statement released today by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit(PCRRU), Abayomi Shogunle, the affected police officers attached to the Ijebu-Ode area command in Ogun state are;

(1) AP. No 122800 Inspr. Mufutau Olaosun, (2) F/No. 366127 Sgt. Adebayo Temitope, (3) F/No. 455593 Cpl. Bakare Taiwo and (4) F/No. 455554 Cpl. Adesoye Ayokunlehin. They were charged, tried and found guilty in an Orderly Room conducted at the Area Command Headquarters, Ijebu-Ode for two offences against discipline as provided for in Paragraphs E (iii) Discreditable Conduct and C (ii) Corrupt Practice under the First Schedule of Police Act and Regulations Cap. P19. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

According to the statement, on the 12th of June, 2017 the Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU) received a complaint via WhatsApp number 0805 700 0003 which states thus; Good morning sir, My name is (Withheld), living in ijebu ode, on Wednesday afternoon I went to withdraw money from the bank and am been sent by my boss when going back to the office some policeman car just double cross me and collect my phone telling I stole the phone I should follow the to the station and the took me to igbeba police station here in ijebu asked me to do frog jump from outside to a room, which I did to afford being beating.

After gotten there they started calling a internet fraudster which I told them am not that am an (withheld) and they started beating slapping me and forcing me to write a statement which they are the one telling me what to write and after that they collected 50,000 from me( from my boss money which I went to withdraw before ealizing me. Sir thats my story. All this are not good and policeman are meant to protect us but this nowadays police officer have turn this to another thing by using their power to ride civilians, maltreating and harassing civilian.

The officers name who headed the squad are been called which I overhead are name: one is Omo Alaja while the second is called AY but dont know the name of the other 2 officer. Please sir you have to stop this kind of officer because they are taking this to far The complaint was immediately registered, Tracking Number #PCRRU451591issued and investigation initiated.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Igbeba Division, Ijebu-Ode was mandated to commence an enquiry straightaway. The policemen were identified and it was discovered that they apprehended the complainant on 7th June, 2017 without any reasonable cause and extorted the sum of Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) Bail Money despite the #BailisFreecampaign before he was eventually released same day.

The extorted N50,000 was subsequently recovered from these unethical policemen who were armed in plain clothes on the day of the incident. Their action is contrary to the directives of the Inspector-General of Police and unacceptable. According to the statement, necessary disciplinary measures were initiated against the erring policemen.

They were found guilty as charged in an Orderly Room trial after the presentation of witnesses and exhibits. Punishment of dismissal from service was recommended by the Adjudicating officer and proceedings reviewed by the relevant Nigeria Police Force (NPF) authorities. The punishment of dismissal from service has been upheld with immediate effect and all NPF uniforms and accouterments including warrant cards (ID cards) issued to the men have been retrieved with all dismissal procedures completed. The complainant was also handed back his N50,000 with an apology a day after he lodged the complaint.

The elated man after receiving his money thanked the PCRRU, he said Great job you people are doing right there, thank you for the prompt response.

Members of the public are advised not to resort to self-help when faced with case of police misconduct, but are enjoined to report such to the PCRRU for resolution.

PCRRU is available 24/7 via the following channels; Phone Calls Only: 08057000001, 08057000002 | SMS/WhatsApp Only: 08057000003 | BBM:58A2B5DE | Twitter: @PoliceNG_PCRRU | Facebook: www.facebook.com/PolicePCRRU | Email: [email protected] OR [email protected]

Source:( Linda Ikeji )
Wife of former President, Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs Patience Jonathan, has accused the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu, saying he wrote a letter to the British High Commission in Nigeria, asking the British Government not to issue her with a visa.

Mrs Jonathan said this in a petition written by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) & Co. which was addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

Patience said the British Government subsequently investigated her and found her not wanting and thereafter issued her with a visa.

The petition, which was signed by G.I. Abibo (SAN), read in part, In February 2017, the EFCC through its acting Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, made a spurious report against our client to the United Kingdom authorities and other international bodies  all in a grand design to forestall the renewal of her visa and other travel documents.

The allegations against our client by the EFCC were duly investigated by the UK authorities and other international bodies who found the reports baseless and thereupon issued the visa and other travel documents to our client.

Patience said the EFCC had gone after her relatives including her older brother, Chief Aseminaso Kalama, for no just cause.

Besides, Mrs Esther Oba, Patiences relative, had also been declared a person of interest by the commission for allegedly operating a bank account with $429,381.87 (N135,255,289.05) for the former Presidents wife.

Patience said the Nigeria Police Force and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency had also joined the EFCC in intimidating and harassing her family, adding that the three agencies had searched her properties at least five times.

She added, On November 3, 2016, the EFCC physically raided and attacked the premises of our client and her relations situated at 2 Igbeti Street, Maitama, Abuja, in the absence of the occupants of the house, carting away valuable items.

On November 30, 2016, the same premises were raided by the officials of the NDLEA with a lorry load of over 50 operatives under the guise of searching for drugs kept in the house. This raid was carried out in the absence of the occupants of the said house. Our clients house was broken into and vandalised.

On January 4, 2017, the EFCC again broke into the said house claiming to be looking for foreign currencies stashed therein. This was done in the absence of the occupants of the house and without any search warrant. The operatives raided the house and took away whatever they fancied.

The anti-graft agency commenced investigation on Patience in March 2016. Although she had never been invited by the commission, several bank accounts linked to her with a total sum of about N15bn had been frozen while properties worth about N3bn had been seized by the commission.

All attempts to speak with the spokesman for the EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, proved abortive as he did not respond to repeated calls put through to his telephone.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The death of late Maitama Sule has been described as touching by the Former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar on Sunday.

Abubakar, who said this in Kano when he paid a condolence visit to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, stressed that the elder statesmans death was a great loss to Kano and Nigeria as a whole.



He said that the former diplomat was a complete gentleman and good citizen who dedicated his life to the unity, progress and development of Nigeria.

The former head of state said that death had left a big vacuum that would be hard to fill, considering the sincerity of the deceased who he noted served humanity well.

Abubakar, also who condoled with members of the bereaved family and the state government, prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest.

Responding, Ganduje said the deceased as simple, friendly and someone who carried everybody along, irrespective of differences.

He described the late Sule as a role model who all Nigerians should be proud of.

Source: (PM News )
A Nigerian woman who recently got married to her husband has been convicted in the US for planning and murdering the man so she can take his $100,000 life insurance money.

The Nigerian wife of a Cleveland firefighter was convicted Friday of soliciting his death to collect on insurance money, Cleveland News reported.

The woman identified as Uloma Curry-Walker was found guilty of aggravated murder, conspiracy, felonious assault and other charges in the Nov. 3, 2013 slaying of her then-husband of four months, William Walker.

Before the sad incident, Friday would have been the couples 4-year anniversary.

According to the report, the guilty woman cried bitterly as she was being sentenced. Curry-Walker cried as the verdict was read and a Cuyahoga County sheriffs deputy placed her in handcuffs. It was the first sign of emotion the 45-year-old showed throughout two weeks of testimony.

Jurors reached their verdict after deliberating for less than two hours.

Curry-Walker now faces a maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Common Pleas Judge Sherrie Miday set Curry-Walkers sentencing for Aug. 8.

Explaining how she was caught, Prosecutors said Curry-Walker had run tens of thousands of dollars into debt through credit cards and loans, some of which she had taken out in Walkers name. As she sunk nearer and nearer to financial ruin, prosecutors said, she plotted Walkers death to collect on his $100,000 life insurance policy.

Curry-Walker paid about a $1,000 down payment to her daughters boyfriend, Chad Padgett, who went to his cousin, Chris Hein. After an initial failed attempt at Walkers life in October, Hein reached out to Ryan Dorty to carry out the killing.

All four, including Curry-Walkers daughter, pleaded guilty, testified against her at trial and said the plot began with her.

Curry-Walker and Walker had just bought a house in Madison Township and were packing up their Lampson Road house to move the night he was killed.

Curry-Walker sent her husband out to get food from McDonalds for her about 8:30, prosecutors said. Cellphone records show that she, her daughter and Hein placed several phone calls and text messages in the minutes leading up to the killing. Padgett and Dorty went with another man to the house and Dorty waited near the garage with a pistol that Hein had gotten.

When Walker came back home, Dorty ambushed him and shot him four times as he was unlocking the side door near the driveway. Walkers keys were still in the door, prosecutors said.

Curry-Walker placed a frantic 911 call at 8:35 p.m. to report her husband had been shot in the driveway.

Her daughter, who was 17 years old at the time of the killing, testified that she was riding in a car with Curry-Walker and Padgett when her mother first brought up the plot.

Curry-Walker told Padgett to have the shooter pull Walkers pocket out of his pants, to make the killing look like a botched robbery, the daughter testified.

The daughter also said her mother told her that no one would believe I would hire a bunch of kids to kill someone when I know people that could.

Curry-Walker showed no emotion as her daughter pinned the plot on her.

Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Blaise Thomas compared Curry-Walkers conspiracy to a scene from the 1981 movie, Body Heat, in which a lawyer, played by William Hurt, hires an arsonist played by Mickey Rourke to help him commit the perfect murder and kill his girlfriends rich husband. Rourkes character cautioned that there are 50 ways to screw up the perfect crime.

If you think of 25 of them, youre a genius, he says. And you aint no genius.

What Curry-Walker didnt realize, Thomas said, was that Walker had not finalized switching his life insurance policy into her name from the name of his ex-wife, who actually got the payout in the months after Walkers death.

Curry-Walker ended up having to give away most of their belongings and moved to North Carolina to stay with a relative. Prosecutors hinged much of their case on Curry-Walkers actions in the weeks and even seconds after Walkers murder.

Thomas showed jurors a photograph of the blood-soaked white T-shirt that Walker was wearing when he was killed, and pointed out that a Cleveland firefighter who was one of the first emergency workers to get to the scene testified that Curry-Walker had no blood on her.

Is it reasonable to expect that a loving wife is going to be there cradling her fatally shot husband? Thomas asked.

Thomas had said in opening statements that Curry-Walker had left Walkers ashes and other personal belongings in her car in Cleveland when she went to North Carolina. The car got repossessed and investigators found the box containing Walkers ashes in the backseat. But trial testimony showed that Curry-Walker actually left the box in a drawer in an apartment, and her daughters father took the ashes into the car to turn them over to police.

Curry-Walker then watched as the dominos started to fall, Thomas said. First investigators arrested Dorty. Then as police closed in on the conspiracy, her own daughter flipped and agreed to testify against everyone, including her mother and Padgett, with whom she had an infant at the time.

Curry-Walker penned a confession letter the day before she turned herself in to police, in which she said she killed Walker because he was abusive.
Police in the Philippines are investigating the death of Ogbe Micah, a student of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, who was allegedly stabbed to death by his room-mate, another Nigerian, following a heated argument.

Colleagues of the deceased told PREMIUM TIMES that they still do not know what led to the fight on Friday.

I dont know much about his roommate who stabbed him because he is not our student. He has been arrested by the police in Las Pinas and the incident is being investigated, a student said.

This paper understands that Mr. Ogbeh was among 2,500 Nigerians who underwent a seafarers training organised by NIMASA in Philippines between 2011 and 2015.

The training is a component of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme, an intervention programme designed to address the manpower requirements in the countrys maritime sector.

It involves a three-year academic work and a one year compulsory training on board a ship.

Mr. Ogbeh, a father of one, had finished his three-year academic work at the Lyceum of Philippines University (LPU), Batangas City, but could not complete the second phase of the training due to delays by NIMASA to provide a shipping company for the scholars.

Since we graduated in October 2015, Ogbeh and the rest of us have been waiting to be called by NIMASA to complete the one year training in a ship but we have not heard from them. Without that you cannot get your certificate or get work, a colleague of the deceased said.

In a bid to complete his course, Ogbeh went back to the Philippines to look for a shipping company on his own. It was during this process that he met his roommate and squatted with him in his apartment before the ugly incident happened, the student added.

Some of the students who decried how theyve been abandoned for two years, urged NIMASA to fix them into shipping companies so they can complete their training.

Source: ( Premium Times )
Police operatives invigilating the selection examination into the fifth regular degree programme of the Police Academy, Kano have arrested a prospective candidate for tendering a forged JAMB result at POWA International School, Abuja.

The suspect, Akaya Williams, was arrested at the examination centre during the screening exercise on Saturday when he presented a forged JAMB result to enable him to sit for the examination, the FCT police spokesman, Manzah Anjuguri, said in a statement on Sunday.

To meet up with the 180 cut-off mark for the examination, the suspect who originally scored 150 in his JAMB result allegedly altered his result to the 180 cut-off point to qualify for the examination.

The exhibit recovered included the altered JAMB result and the original copy of the result; investigation is ongoing on the case and the suspect will be charged to court on conclusion of investigation, the police disclosed.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
A family of eight members have been confirmed dead in Suleja following the heavy downpour which lead to flood that displaced many homes and caused deaths in Suleja, Niger State, on Sunday.

According to reports, the head of the household was said to have survived but his two wives and six children were not lucky.

According to NAN many families were affected with household effects floating in the water, while many people struggled to bale water out of their houses.

Mohammed Mohammed, the District Police Officer in-charge of Division A Police station in Suleja, could not confirm the casualty figure but said his men had visited the flood scenes.

The flood affected many people who built their houses along the river bank; many houses have been destroyed with unconfirmed number of deaths recorded.

Police are providing security around the scene so that hoodlums will not cart away victims property especially those lying outside, he said.

He promised to furnish more details on the incident.

The National Emergency Management Agency was not also able to give details.

Meanwhile, Abdulkareem Samanja, the Village Head of Hayin Nasarawa-Iku in the nearby Tafa Local Government Area decried the loss of property.

He said he was still awaiting report from ward heads on the incident.

At Suleja General Hospital, Musliu Mohammed, a 17-year-old boy, recovered from the flood and brought into the hospital by sympathisers, was placed on admission

Source: (NAN)
Nigerian Musician and youngest son of afrobeat Legend, Fela Kuti has reacted to a viral photo of Africas richest man, Aliko Dangote and his friends celebrating by calling them bloodsuckers .

Seun said that they were a combined group of people who had a combined debt of a combined debt of 2.5 trillion Naira and lived lavish lifestyles paid for by taxpayers.

He wrote on Instagram ;

I see people trying to put a positive spin on this image but what I see is a group of people with a combined debt of 2.5 trillion Naira( as just released by Amcon) which is used to buy a lavish lifestyle and paid for by tax payers. How can people owe sooo much and still be allowed to keep all their luxury while the tax payers are footing the bill. Yall can celebrate these blood suckers but I have NO LOVE!!!! #naijaresistance

Source: Yabaleftonline
Stroud, ON (July 10, 2017)- After running into issues in the first feature, Rick Spencer-Walt rebounded for a top-five in the second 35-lap event.

Starting on pole for the first feature, he dropped back to second on the start. The third lap did not play out fairly, as contact from another competitor resulted in a broken suspension part, sending Spencer-Walt behind the wall and out of contention.

With the repairs made, Spencer-Walt started the second feature from the rear of the field in 18th. He would miss a pair of wrecks on the first two attempts to start the event, allowing him to move up three spots to 15th. On the restart, he got by Paul Maltese to move up to 14th, followed by missing a spinning car for the third caution at Lap 5 to move up to 13th.

Restarting just outside of the top-10, he made his way up to ninth, followed by going three-wide with Brittney Gresel and Thayne Hallyburton for eighth at the halfway mark. It worked out in his favor, as he was able to clear both for the position over the next two laps. He then moved up another spot to seventh when a fellow competitor headed down pit road on Lap 19 with a problem just before the fourth caution.

Restarting inside the top-10 this time, he continued to move forward, making his way up to fifth by Lap 22. Spencer-Walt would then take Taylor Holdaway and Chris Morrow three-wide at Lap 28, completing the pass to take the third spot. Though as he completed the pass, the caution flew for Latimer stopping in turns three and four with a problem; as a result, he would have to restart fourth.

Restarting fourth, he battled side-by-side with Morrow for the third position, clearing him with four laps to go. He was able to track down Gord Shepherd for second, and get alongside him on the last lap, but unable to complete the pass as he crossed the line in third.

The top-five continues to add to this seasons results, though, marking the eighth podium finish in 15 features this season.

Walt Motorsports is proud to be supported by Gohydrovac.ca, Jim Wilson Chevrolet, Frame Shop Huntsville, Auto Trim Design, Heidis RV, HOTC, Greensteelroof.ca, Crowe Bros, RCP Dyno and Tuning, Speedy Auto Machine, Bent by Kent, SportsClip, Pizzaville Alcona, Speedy Glass Orilla, EPIC Racewear, Byers Equipment, and Orser Technical Services.

Keep up with Rick Spencer-Walt and Spencer-Walt Motorsports by liking their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Walt-Motorsports/524817640964689?fref=ts and following Rick Spencer-Walt on twitter at https://twitter.com/Rwalt31.

Press Release by Ashley McCubbin/AM Marketing  ashleymccubbin17@gmail.com
Peterborough, ON (July 10, 2017)- Canadas Toughest 1/3-Mile Paved Oval hosted the years second Summer Toonie Night presented by Pepsi on Saturday, July 8 with the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun, Jiffy Lube Mini Stock, Thunder Car and Organics & Glass Late Model divisions. Also on the card at Peterborough Speedway was the first ever National Qualifier for the Trailers Plus Eastern Ontario Legends, with three guaranteed starting spots for the U.S. Legends Asphalt Nationals to be run October 13 to 14 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring up for grabs.

Feature race action got underway with Connor Parkes and Jessen White leading the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun teams to the line for their 20-lap main event. Griffin Powell  who took the checkered flag at the Chase for the Colours event less than a week earlier, took control of the event with just three laps complete. With former track champion Ryan Oosterholt glued to his rear bumper, the past Autumn Colours Classic title-holder took the win. Parkes, Jake Kelly and Corey Strawn  making his first career start, completed the top five.

With 20 laps to settle the score, Tyler Park and Dan Archibald brought the Thunder Car division from the staging area. Archibald took the lead from his outside front row starting spot and the pack had started lapping the backmarkers near the halfway point. The driver of the #07 led from green flag to checkered over Miles Tyson, Anthony & Fedele DiBello, with James Townsend taking fifth spot.

Bryan Mercer and James Horner paced the Organics & Glass Late Model field to the Great Canadian RV green flag to kick-off their 25-lap feature tilt. From the drop of the green flag, Ryan Kimball set his sights on the front of the pack and worked past Horner into the second spot. 2009 track champion Amanda Balson took the third position with eight circuits complete, as the pack caught the tail-end of the field a lap later. A mid-race yellow flag may have slowed his charge, but there was no keeping Bryan Mercer from his first main event of the year. Tyler Betts and Horner completed the fast five.

Matt Haufe and former champion Adam Cuthbertson brought the Trailers Plus Eastern Ontario Legends Series teams to the stripe for a 30 lap A main. Cuthbertson took the lead early, but surrendered the top spot to Haufe a lap later. The races first yellow flag with six laps on the scoreboard slowed the pace, with Cole McFadden moving into second spot on the restart. Brad Haufe took a hard tumble in turn two, as the lap counter showed 10 complete. The driver was okay, but the #17 ride was unable to continue. Matt Haufe built-up a six-car length lead, as the pack started to work through lapped traffic just past halfway. Not even a pair of late race yellows could keep the former go-karter from his sixth straight win. Robin Jongen, Cole McFadden, Kevin Foisy and Cuthbertson completed the top five.

Front row starters Dan Demers and Ember Junkin introduced the crowd to the Jiffy Lube Mini Stock pack for 20 laps of excitement. Junkin would use some girl power to take an early lead, as Rob Harwood moved into the runner-up spot. Ryan Oosterholt moved into the lead of the fast-paced final feature of the night as the lap counter showed eight complete. Even with James Townsend looking for a way around, the former track champion held on for the win. Kevin Strutt, Junkin, and Neil Hannah chased the lead duo across the line.

Heat wins for the Trailers Plus Eastern Ontario Legends Series went to Matt Haufe, Adam Cuthbertson, Cole McFadden and Kevin Foisy. Malcolm Pops MacDonald, Connor Parkes, Sean Kennedy and Jeremy Kelly took the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun qualifiers. The father and son duo of Fedele and Anthony DiBello each win a pair of Thunder Car preliminary rounds. Tyler Betts, Ryan Kimball, James Horner and Amanda Balson won the Organics & Glass Late Model heats, while Kris Khan with a pair, Ryan Oosterholt and Dan Demers claimed Jiffy Lube Mini Stock checkered flags.

Bullring bullet points: In support of the Millbrook & District Lions Club, the 50/50 draw paid $1272.00 to Rick Bovilloli of Port PerryA full moon could have contributed to some unusual incidents. During pre-race practice, Baden Powell made hard contact with the retaining wall in the second turn. His 4Fun car was heavily damaged, but other than a cut on his knee, the driver was unhurt. In a Mini Stock crash, Donovan Price and Kent Missons came together on the exit of the fourth turn. Price was upset, but uninjured and used a borrowed ride in the nights main event. Missons was taken to hospital by family members and has a sprained ankle. Andrew McFadden was forced into the grass during an ELOS qualifier and when he came back onto the track, his #02 machine was collected by rookie Dawson Drimmie. McFadden was finished for the night, while Drimmie took the main event green flag and retired for the night.

Canadas Toughest 1/3-Mile Paved Oval continues its 50th Anniversary Season Saturday, July 15th. Racing will feature a 50 lap A main for the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun division, along with the home track Thunder Cars and Organics & Glass Late Models. The Trailers Plus Eastern Ontario Legends and Ontario Modifieds Racing Series powered by Torque Builders Inc. will also be part of the show, with King of the Hill timed spectator laps at intermission. Pit gates will open at 3:00, with the general admission grandstands unlocked at 5:00 and the first green flag at 6:00.

Full schedule details and the latest 50th Anniversary Season news can always be found by logging onto www.peterboroughspeedway.com, liking the Peterborough Speedway page on Facebook or following the track on Twitter. Fans can also download the free app on their Smartphone.

Prepared by: Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com, www.facebook.com/clarkemotorsports

613.968.6410
Last week we reported on the unannounced inspections conducted by the European Commission as part of a probe into alleged cartel activity in the Irish motor insurance industry  now it is being suggested the issue boils down to haulage insurance.Aside from raiding the premises of Insurance Ireland, officials also took material from the offices of insurance brokers Marsh and Aon in Dublin, according to The Irish Times. It also cited Campion Insurance and Wright Insurance Brokers as among the affected firms.Explaining last weeks raids, the European Commission said in a statement that it has concerns the involved insurers and brokers may have engaged in anti-competitive practices in breach of European Union antitrust rules. But the daily also shone the spotlight on insurance for lorries and trucks.It noted how the Irish Road Haulage Association previously raised the issue of higher coverage costs for locally registered and insured trucks. Premium increases of up to 100% were reportedly seen in a span of one year.According to the report, the average cost of covering a truck in Ireland was at 5,000  higher than the UKs 3,000 and Polands 2,000. As for the cost of motor premiums in general, a surge of about 60% in the past three years has prompted consumer groups and politicians in Ireland to demand an investigation.
Arthur J Gallagher has announced the new CEO for its Australian operations.Sarah Lyons will take on the role following an extensive recruitment process to replace Andrew Godden who has led the business since 2014.Lyons, who was previously managing director of Australian broking at the firm, will take on the top job leading approximately 900 employees throughout the country.Sarah has played an impressive role in successfully turning around the performance of the Commercial Broking division over the past 18 months, achieving significant gains in organic growth, retention and operational improvement, Steve Lockwood, managing director, AU/NZ at AJG said.In May, it was announced that Godden would step down from the business and join BMS Group as CEO of its Australian operations.Lyons said that the business is at a positive point in its history with ambitions to become the largest, and most admired, brokerage in the country.There is a terrific wealth of talent across the team and I am confident we are heading towards bigger and better things, Lyons said.Over the past three years we have built a strong executive team and I look forward to working with them to progress the great initiatives we have planned in the months ahead.
Coverforce has announced that it has completed a 50% shareholding acquisition of Leed Insurance Group.The acquisition, which took effect on 1 July, will see the Leed management team continue to manage and operate the Perth-based business with Con Manetas, CEO, staying with the firm.Coverforce will provide the business with financial and administrative support, it has been announced, as Leed plans to embark on an aggressive acquisition growth strategy.The business will be rebranded as Coverforce Leed Insurance Broking as an interim step towards the firm adopting the Coverforce brand in Western Australia.Jim Angelis, CEO of Coverforce, praised the 32-year-old brokerage and said that the deal will allow Manetas and the firm to realise the significant opportunities this partnership can deliver.Manetas, who will also join Angelis and Tony Goldsmith, CEO of Coverforce Partners, on a Coverforce subsidiary board to assist with further expansions, said that joining a firm with a national scope will help the business.This partnership provides us with significant opportunities and is an excellent strategic fit for us, Manetas said.
Ensurance has announced that its UK subsidiary has agreed partnerships with Swiss Re and XL Catlin, alongside receiving coverholder status from Lloyds.



The subsidiary, which was formed as a managing general agency, specialises in construction and engineering and has partnered with the international giants on new products.



The firm has agreed to an exclusive partnership with Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, which allows Ensurance to offer a range of construction and engineering products in the UK, targeting contracts up to 100 million (AU$169 million).



The partnership will also provide the UK arm of the business with security backing to offer the broker market bespoke Ensurance products. The deal will allow Ensurance to write business up to triple the sum insured amount that other insurance firms can accept.



Meanwhile, with XL Catlin, the partnership will initially provide an exclusive bespoke construction insurance product to high net worth UK domestic clients.



This product will be sold through brokers but Ensurance can also embed the policy through insurers that offer home and contents cover, meaning the product can be sold directly.



Stefan Hicks, Ensurance MD, said that the deals with such recognisable names in the industry are a game-changer for its business in the UK and Australia.



Not only has the company successfully expanded from the Australian market into the UK market in a short period, but by partnering with Swiss Re Corporate Solutions we will now receive significant exposure globally, Hicks said.



The firm has also received coverholder status which will allow it to issue insurance documents on behalf of Lloyds syndicates.



Ensurance now has two Lloyds coverholder companies, one in the UK and in Australia, as the firm looks to tap into the scale of the Lloyds market.



This allows the company flexibility to use different Ensurance centres to expand our footprint wider, using our Lloyds bespoke products, into global regions, Hicks continued.





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Ensurance shakes up $40 billion insurance market

Ensurance Underwriting posts strong growth


Lloyds has announced the launch of its inaugural industry diversity survey, which aims to measure diversity and inclusion progress across the Australian insurance industry.The 2017 Insurance Industry Diversity Survey will provide industry-wide benchmarks and statistics on diversity and inclusion throughout the general insurance sector and provide insights on workplace inclusion on broad demographic areas such as gender, languages, ethnicity, mental health, and sexual orientation along with attitudinal feedback.The survey will be independently hosted by Macquarie Bank, who will also compile results for release at the Lloyds Dive In Festival, which will be held both in Australia and around the world in September.Insurance companies are increasingly aware that diversity and inclusion needs to be a strategic priority, Chris Mackinnon , Lloyds general representative in Australia and chair of the Dive In 2017 organising committee said.There is a wealth of evidence proving more diverse companies are better placed to win top talent, and to improve customer engagement, employee satisfaction and overall decision-making.With estimates pegging the number of people employed by the insurance industry in Australia at 60,000, a look into the make-up and diversity of the industry is long overdue.Measuring progress and understanding the opportunities that diversity and inclusion offers for all businesses is critical, Eoghan Trehy, head of the insurance broking segment for Macquarie Business Banking said.Its important to identify the areas which need addressing and generate new ideas, and we understand the important role benchmarking research has to play in obtaining the data businesses need to make informed decisions.The survey, which closes on August 5, can be accessed here
The South Carolina Department of Insurance has set a deadline for auto insurers in the state to meet the requirements of recently passed moped safety legislation.

The new moped law, which took effect July 1, amends South Carolinas motor vehicle law to include mopeds in the definition of a motor vehicle and requires owners of mopeds to register them with the South Carolina DMV.

The main purpose of the new law is to allow for intoxicated drivers to be prosecuted for drunken driving. Moped owners must now obtain a special moped license, which can be suspended if a moped operator is arrested for driving under the influence.

But there are also implications for auto insurers writing business in South Carolina, even though moped operators are not required to maintain auto liability insurance. Though mopeds are now classified as motor vehicles under the new law, they are still excluded from the definition of an individual private passenger automobile and do not have to meet state auto insurance requirements.

However, mopeds are now included in the definition of a motor vehicle for the purposes of uninsured and underinsured motor vehicle insurance coverages.

Mopeds are not included in the definition of a motor vehicle for any [insurance] purpose other than uninsured and underinsured motor vehicle coverages, according to a bulletin from SCDOI.

In other words, insurers must provide uninsured or underinsured motor vehicle coverage that includes compensation for losses resulting from accidents involving mopeds and cannot deny coverage in the event of an accident involving a moped.

South Carolina automobile insurance policies issued or renewed on or after Nov. 19, 2018 must provide uninsured and underinsured motor vehicle coverage that includes compensation for losses resulting from accidents involving mopeds.

SCDOI said in its bulletin that auto insurers must submit any form, rate, and rule filing changes as a result of the new law by June 1, 2018 via its SERFF filing system.

Topics Carriers Legislation Auto South Carolina
A Pennsylvania doctor has surrendered to federal authorities to spend up to seven years in prison for his part in an insurance fraud scheme involving a defunct drug laboratory.

Fifty-five-year-old John Johnson, of Hollidaysburg, surrendered Friday after his conviction on charges of tax fraud. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Johnson received more than $2.3 million in kickbacks for referring patients to Universal Oral Fluid Laboratories from 2011 to 2013.

The drug labs building is now vacant and up for sale.

Acting Western Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney Soo Song says the object of referring patients to the lab was to receive cash payments.

Five years of Johnsons seven-year prison term will run concurrently with an unrelated sentence imposed by a federal judge in Florida for a $172 million insurance fraud scheme.

Information from: Tribune-Review

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Fraud Pennsylvania
The insurer of Londons Grenfell Tower, where at least 80 people died in a devastating fire, raised its estimate for property and liability insurance claims to 50 million pounds ($65 million) on Friday [July 7].

British police have said the final death toll from the blaze that gutted the 24-story apartment block on June 14 may not be known until next year and the government has appointed a retired judge to lead a public inquiry into the disaster.

Norways Protector Forsikring the insurance provider for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which owns the building, also said it had been aware Grenfell Tower had been refurbished during the insurance underwriting process.

It said it had considered this renovation, which was criticized by some residents, as a positive step.

Asked whether the company was aware at the time that the cladding used for the tower block was potentially flammable, Protector Forsikrings chief executive Sverre Bjerkeli told Reuters: We must let the investigation run its course.

Protector Forsikring said in its second-quarter earnings that it estimated gross claims would total 50 million pounds ($65 million), doubling a previous 25 million pound forecast.

Figures are preliminary, uncertain and will include both property, liability and other potential related costs, it said.

Protectors previous estimate was for claims of 20 million pounds to cover the building itself, with the remainder covering additional expenses such as alternative housing for residents.

It provided no breakdown of the updated figure, but it has previously said the cost would largely be covered by reinsurance through Germanys Munich Re, which declined to comment on Friday.

Britains Jardine Lloyd Thompson, which was the insurance broker for Grenfell Tower, has previously said it was working closely to assist its client in the case.

For Protector itself, net property and liability claims relating to the fire are not expected to change from a first estimate of 2.5 million pounds, Bjerkeli said.

Before the fire, Protector Forsikring had rated the borough of Kensington and Chelsea as a good customer for the insurer.

The client is better than the London average, the London average is better than the UK average and the UK average is better than Scandinavia, Bjerkeli said.

This assessment was based on data the company has gathered during 10,000 visits of properties in Britain, Bjerkeli said, adding that he remained confident in the countrys public sector and the firm would maintain its UK growth strategy.

Britain said on Wednesday it was sending in a task force to help run the local authority, which has been struggling to cope with the aftermath of the fire.

Kensington and Chelsea has been criticized by victims relatives and survivors for its handling of the disaster and its leader quit last week.

Prime Minister Theresa May promised that all residents would be offered good temporary homes in the local area within three weeks, but that deadline passed on Wednesday and while 139 families had been offered homes, only 14 had been accepted and just three had moved in.

($1 = 0.7717 pounds) (Additional reporting by Tom Sims in Frankfurt, writing by Gwladys Fouche; editing by Alexander Smith)

Related:

Topics Carriers Claims London Funding
Floods and storms cost the global economy more than $5 billion in June, with most of those losses generated in the United States, according to an Aon catastrophe report.

In the U.S., large hail, tornadoes, straight-line winds and isolated flash flooding all contributed to an aggregated economic loss expected to exceed US$3.0 billion, said Impact Forecasting, Aon Benfields catastrophe model development team.

Of that total, public and private insurance entities were expected to cover at least US$2.0 billion, said Impact Forecastings June 2017 Global Catastrophe Recap report.

The most significant event from a financial perspective occurred on June 11 across parts of the upper Midwest, where a series of powerful and fast-moving thunderstorms left a trail of damage in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, the report said.

Among the hardest-hit areas was the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan region, where substantial wind and hail damage affected homes, businesses, and vehicles. Insurance payouts from this event alone were likely to approach US$1.0 billion, while the overall economic cost was estimated at around US$1.4 billion.

Costly impacts resulting from severe convective storms were not solely confined to the United States in the month of June, said Adam Podlaha, global head of Impact Forecasting, in a statement.

Parts of Europe  notably Germany  incurred a significant cost resulting from large hail as the industry continues to get a better handle on using catastrophe models to further understand impacts from the peril, he added. Lightning was also the primary cause of several major wildfires in South Africa; expected to result in one of the costliest payouts for a natural disaster in the local industrys history.

Meanwhile, major flooding impacted at least nine provinces in southern China during June, killing at least 31 people and impacting more than 130,000 homes. The catastrophe was caused by torrential downpours associated with the annual Mei-yu rains.

Chinas official Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) listed aggregated economic losses at more than US$2.4 billion, which resulted in the flooding becoming the costliest individual global natural catastrophe in the month of June.

The report went on to list other natural peril events that occurred during June, including:

Thunderstorm activity in Europe peaked on June 22, when a particularly violent outbreak caused significant losses to German insurers, estimated at 400 million (US$455 million).

Torrential monsoonal rainfall caused devastating floods and landslides in Bangladesh and neighboring northeast India, causing at least 169 fatalities.

Other flood-related events in Asia (including China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and India) resulted in a combined death toll of at least 312 people.

Additional significant floods occurred in Central America, Chile and Western Africa.

Strong thunderstorms affected Western Cape in South Africa, where the region was previously suffering from severe drought. However, the greatest damages occurred after lightning strikes prompted several catastrophic fires. Published reports indicated that the local insurance industry could face payouts approaching ZAR4.0 billion (US$305 million); one of the costliest events in the regions history.

The combination of extreme heat and dry thunderstorms led to one of the deadliest wildfires in Portuguese history, killing 64 people and destroying hundreds of homes and businesses. Local government indicated that economic losses may reach 497 million (US$565 million).

Two tropical storms made separate landfalls in North America: Beatriz in Mexican state of Oaxaca and Cindy in the US Southeast. Damage costs from each event were largely negligible.

An offshore magnitude-6.3 earthquake damaged more than 1,100 homes on the Greek island of Lesbos.

Resources:

Source: Impact Forecasting/Aon Benfield June report

Related:

Topics Catastrophe USA Flood Windstorm China Aon
China is likely to name a senior Communist Party graft-buster to oversee the insurance sector, people familiar with the matter said, a signal that the countrys ongoing crackdown on irregular business practices in the financial industry may be set to escalate.

Yang Xiaochao, secretary general of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), is the leading candidate to head the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC), three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The top CIRC job has been vacant since April, when former chairman Xiang Junbo was put under investigation for suspected serious disciplinary violations, a phrase that usually refers to graft.

Yang, 58, is an associate of Wang Qishan, the current head of the Communist Partys CCDI, the countrys main anti-graft body. Wang is also a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the countrys top leadership body.

Yang, a native of the eastern city of Nanjing, headed the Beijing financial affairs bureau from 2008 to 2013, and was the citys top auditor when Wang was mayor of Beijing. Yang was named the citys vice mayor in 2013.

Two of the sources described Yang as the front runner to head the insurance regulator.

The CCDI did not respond to a faxed request for comment.

Neither the CIRC nor the State Council Information Office, which doubles as the spokesmans office for the cabinet and the party, replied to faxed requests for comment.

Yangs appointment is not yet guaranteed. Senior leadership appointments in China can be subject to last-minute change.

It was not immediately clear when an announcement would be made.

None of the sources was willing to be identified given the sensitivity of the matter.

Slew of Arrests

President Xi Jinping has undertaken a sweeping campaign against graft since assuming power in 2012.

In recent months, officials have sharpened their focus on risky business practices in the banking and insurance sectors, announcing a slew of arrests, sanctions and new regulations.

Corruption in the financial sector should be resolutely investigated and punished, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in a speech dated March 21 that was published in April, hours after Xiangs detention was announced.

Those caught in the anti-graft net include Yang Jiacai, who was removed from his position as assistant chairman of the countrys banking regulator, and Wang Yincheng, former vice chairman and president of state-controlled Peoples Insurance Co (Group) of China, whose case was referred for prosecution, according to the CCDI.

Last month, Wu Xiaohui, the chairman of Anbang Insurance Group Co., which has made a series of headline-grabbing acquisitions, including the 2015 purchase of New Yorks Waldorf Astoria hotel, was detained by authorities.

Chinas next insurance regulator will face the thorny task of clamping down on risk in a sector that has seen its assets nearly double to 15.1 trillion yuan ($2.22 trillion) in the three years ended in 2016. If it doesnt tread carefully it could destabilize the industry.

In recent months, CIRC has issued new regulations and sanctioned a handful of insurers for issuing short-term, high-yield products after they used the proceeds to finance long-term investments, including taking sizable stakes in listed companies.

Sales of so-called universal life insurance products dropped 59 percent year-on-year during the first five months of 2017, the CIRC reported in June.

Others who have been under consideration for the top CIRC post include Zhou Mubing, chairman of Agricultural Bank of China Ltd and a former vice chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, financial industry sources said earlier this year.

($1 = 6.8028 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Writing by Matthew Miller; editing by Tony Munroe and Martin Howell)

Related:

Topics Legislation China
Managing general agency and surplus lines insurance broker, J.M. Wilson, has hired Joni Linhart as transportation underwriter in their Carmel, Indiana, office.

Linhart is responsible for quoting new and renewal transportation risks, and serving independent insurance agents in Indiana.

She has more than nine years of industry experience. Most recently, Linhart worked at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. She has earned her Certified Insurance Service Representative designation.

J.M. Wilson is headquartered in Portage, Mich.

Source: J.M. Wilson

Topics Underwriting
Republicans expressed increasing pessimism on Sunday about the prospects for the healthcare bill in the U.S. Senate aimed at rolling back Obamacare as lawmakers prepared to return from a week-long recess.

One prominent Republican lawmaker, Senator John McCain, said he thought the Republican bill would probably fail.

My view is that its probably going to be dead, McCain, said on the CBS program Face the Nation, adding that Republicans, who narrowly control the chamber, would likely need to work with Democrats on a healthcare bill.

President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Sunday to put pressure on Republicans to stay the course.

For years, even as a civilian, I listened as Republicans pushed the Repeal and Replace of ObamaCare. Now they finally have their chance! he tweeted.

The Senate bill, which faces unified Democratic opposition, has been further imperiled during the recess, when Republican senators have had to return to their states and face constituents strongly opposed to the measure. Senators return to Washington on Monday.

The Senate bill keeps intact much of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, former Democratic President Barack Obamas signature legislation, popularly known as Obamacare, but strips away most of its funding.

It repeals most Obamacare taxes, overhauls the laws tax credits and ends its Medicaid expansion. It also goes beyond repealing Obamacare by cutting funding for the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled beginning in 2025.

At least 10 Republican senators have opposed the bill in its current form, but many more have criticized the legislation or said they are undecided. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy said on Sunday the draft bill was undergoing a serious rewrite.

Clearly, the draft plan is dead, he said on Fox News. Is the serious rewrite plan dead? I dont know. Ive not seen the serious rewrite plan.

Critics have derided the bill as a giveaway to wealthy Americans who would see some tax increases rolled back. Opponents also warn that the legislation would cause millions of poor and sick Americans to lose healthcare coverage.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which assesses the impact of legislation, estimated 22 million people would lose health insurance over the next decade under the Senate bill. In a separate report, it found the proposal would cut government spending on Medicaid by 35 percent come 2036.

CRUZ: FAILURE NOT AN OPTION

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said on Fox News on Sunday that Trump expected Congress to pass a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare before lawmakers leave Washington for their August recess.

A spokesman for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Senate leadership was continuing to work with Republican senators and the CBO on the legislation, but did not comment on McCains remarks or the bills future.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz said on Sunday that failure to pass the bill was not an option and that the Senate effort must focus on lowering premiums. He pointed to an amendment he offered that is being scored by the CBO.

Cruzs amendment would allow insurers to offer plans that do not comply with Obamacares mandate that they charge sick and healthy people the same rates and cover a set of essential health benefits, such as maternity care and prescription drugs, as long as they also offer plans that do comply with the regulations.

Cruzs amendment has drawn support from conservative senators and groups, who say the amendment will help lower premiums. But moderate Republicans and outside critics say it will erode protections for people with pre-existing conditions and make their insurance unaffordable.

McConnell has said he plans to hold a vote on the legislation, which needs the support of at least 50 of the Senates 52 Republicans, before a six-week recess that begins on July 29. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed its version of a bill overhauling healthcare in May.

Yet McConnell himself voiced doubts on the Senate bills prospects last week, telling a luncheon in his home state of Kentucky that if Republicans fail to pass a repeal of Obamacare, they may need to work with Democrats to shore up private health insurance markets to keep them from collapsing.

(Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici, Caren Bohan and David Brunnstrom; Editing by James Dalgleish and Peter Cooney)

Topics Legislation Politics
Texas struggled through its driest year in history in 2011. Four years later was its wettest ever.

The Mississippi River rose to all-time-high flood levels in 2011. In 2012, its second-lowest.

After a six-year drought that made agricultural irrigation a political hot potato, Northern California experienced nearly double the normal rainfall this year, beating the old mark set in 1983.

As the planet warms, a less ballyhooed new normal is emerging in weather extremes. With deluge following dust, the record book is becoming increasingly difficult to rely on for those who study the weather. The seesaw from one record to its opposite also has problematic implications for water management, storm preparedness and even national security.

We might be wandering into an area where history might be a bystander, said Mike Anderson, Californias state climatologist. That gets a little scary because historys here to provide context.

All of this is playing out as the Trump Administration announced the countrys withdrawal from the Paris treaty, aimed at trying to slow climate change.

Hydrological extremes  floods and droughts  are the most dangerous aspects of global warming because they lead to food and water shortages and that can lead to armed conflict, said Kerry Emanuel, an atmospheric science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.

The U.S. Department of Defense counts floods, droughts and high temperatures as climate-related security risks, according to a July 2015 report. The U.S. has seen nine billion-dollar weather and climate disasters so far this year, including two floods and a freeze that brought the total to near-record levels, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a report Friday.

Of the 12 hottest years on record, 11 have occurred since 2003 and the only one outside that range was 1998, according to the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, North Carolina. From 2014 to 2016, world records were set for the hottest year, with each 12-month period breaking the mark set by its predecessor.

Water Cycle

With a warmer climate, we certainly expect that extremes at both ends of the water cycle will increase  floods and droughts, said Kevin Trenberth, distinguished senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.

The atmosphere can hold about 7 percent more moisture for every 1 degree Celsius the worlds temperature rises, Trenberth said.

In places where its not raining, theres extra heat that goes into drying and exacerbating drought and wildfire, he said.

The rains in Texas and neighboring Oklahoma set records for monthly downpours. Oklahoma City had its all-time wettest month in May with 19.48 inches of rain; 7.1 inches came on a single day, May 6, National Weather Service records show.

In Memphis, the Mississippi River reached its second-highest crest in May 2012  12 feet above flood stage. The river dropped 57.89 feet in height over the course of the next year.

California Snowpack

Across the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Californias snowpack was the lowest on record in 2015, according to the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology. In April, it was 21 times larger, with individual sites that set records, the National Weather Service said. Last month, there was still snow on the peaks.

In a warm world you swing out a little further, Anderson said. It may not leave you enough time to adapt.

The end of Californias drought was celebrated. Not so much the ensuing flooding, which damaged the Oroville Dam spillway in Northern California. With extremes, maintenance becomes more difficult because dams, levees and spillways designed to handle the worst nature can dish out every once in a while now face common occurrences, Anderson said.

It means that you cant estimate how high to build a dike or whatever you want to do based on past observations, said Friederike Otto, deputy director of the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University in the U.K.

The U.K. has also experienced extremes. In 2010, the country recorded its coldest winter in 100 years, according to the U.K. Met Office, which forecasts weather and studies climate. Five years later came the mildest.

This is the world were living in, Anderson said. Youve seen enough now that this gets to where we need to start paying attention and figure out where the consequences are.

The following infographic was prepared by NOAA:

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics California USA Flood
Experts say the mild Texas winter hampered this years peach crop in parts of the state.

The North Texas harvest appears to be bountiful, but growers in some other areas of the state faced challenges, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Jay Hutton, with the Hutton Peach Farm in Weatherford, said the family planned to be selling fruit on Saturday at the Parker County Peach Festival.

Its been a great year, said Hutton, 28. Weve had multiple varieties that all set this year.

Peach trees require a certain number of chill hours to grow, flower, and develop properly, according to Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. While there were enough chill hours in North Texas, orchards farther south and east had issues, officials said. Plants that dont get enough chill hours are slow to leaf out, leading to poorly developed fruit or no fruit at all.

For Marty Mika, H-E-B grocery chains business development manager-produce, the lack of a peach crop in parts of Texas has meant searching for the summer fruit on both the East and West Coasts. The grocer has peaches in stores from South Carolina and California and plans to have them from Washington state later this summer.

Its been a challenging year, Mika said. I really feel for the Texas peach folks. It seems like theyve had more challenging years than not.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Texas Agribusiness
A new law in Mississippi requires everyone in a car, truck or SUV to buckle up. And, it will have the practical effect of banning people from riding in the beds of pickup trucks.

Starting Saturday, Mississippi is joining the majority of states that require seat belt use for all people in a vehicle, front seat and back. Violation carries a $25 fine, under the law that started as Senate Bill 2724 .

Previous Mississippi law required seat belts for people in the front seat, and children younger than 7 in the back.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain said that Highway Patrol officers will start writing tickets to people who ride in the cargo area of trucks without wearing a factory-installed seat belt. Although the law does not specifically mention the beds of pickup trucks, it does say every passenger must wear a seat belt that was installed when the vehicle was made.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Mississippi
The earthquake that hit Montana last week was the strongest in more than half a century, according to the experts.

The quake sent bartenders jumping over bars, food falling off grocery store shelves and awakened residents and dogs more than 30 miles from its epicenter.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage from the magnitude 5.8 earthquake that hit at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, but the eight patrons at the Wilderness Bar in Lincoln headed for the doors as stools and glass bottles started falling over.

I just jumped over the bar and pretty much landed in a guys lap, bartender Sheri Deluca told the Great Falls Tribune.

At the nearby Wheel Inn Tavern, bartender Lisa Large said the power went out and bottles flew off the shelves.

It slopped all the grease outta the fryer, she told the Missoulian. The kitchens a mess right now.

Food was knocked off grocery store shelves in Lincoln and Helena.

Mike Stickney, a seismologist at the Earthquake Studies Office with the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology in Butte, said the quake was probably the strongest in Montana since October 1964 and was located along the axis of the intermountain seismic belt.

Stickney does not believe the quake was seismically linked to the recent swarm of more than 1,100 smaller earthquakes in and around Yellowstone National Park over the past two weeks.

The initial earthquakes epicenter was about 6 miles southeast of Lincoln, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A magnitude 4.9 quake rattled the same general area about five minutes later.

The USGS noted seven other quakes ranging from magnitude 3.5 to 4.4 in the area over the next four hours. Three others followed, with the most recent being a magnitude 3.7 quake at 9:27 a.m.

The USGS received reports of people feeling the initial earthquake throughout Montana and into Idaho, Washington, Wyoming and Canada.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Earthquake
Two major wildfires in California that have forced nearly 8,000 people out of their homes are among numerous fires in the Western U.S. that have barreled across the baking landscape, destroying property.

About 4,000 people evacuated and another 7,400 were told to prepare to leave their homes as fire swept through grassy foothills in the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles north of Sacramento, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Sunday.

The fire has burned nearly 4 square miles, injured four firefighters and destroyed at least 10 structures, but that number is expected to rise, fire spokeswoman Mary Ann Aldrich said.

The area burning was southeast of Oroville, where spillways in the nations tallest dam began crumbling from heavy rains this winter and led to temporary evacuation orders for 200,000 residents downstream.

It leaves you feeling like you cant catch a break, said Sharon Reitan, who sought shelter at an evacuation center with her boyfriend Sunday night.

They were in Oroville on Friday afternoon when the fire broke out and roads to their hillside home were blocked. They later saw photographs of their home burned to the ground.

The road that we live on was hit hard, Reitan said. Were in shut down mode right now, its so devastating.

The fire was 20 percent contained. It was one of 14 wildfires across California that about 5,000 firefighters battled Sunday.

In Southern California, at least 3,500 people evacuated as two fires exploded in size at separate ends of Santa Barbara County and a third one threatened homes near a town in San Luis Obispo County.

One of the fires grew to 12 square miles, traversing a mountain range and heading south toward coastal Goleta.

There was minimal containment, and flames shut down State Route 154, which is expected to remain closed for days. At least 20 structures burned, but officials didnt say if they were homes.

The fire broke out near a campsite and sent hundreds of campers scrambling, including about 90 children and 50 staff members at the Circle V Ranch who had to take shelter until they could be safely evacuated.

Amayah Madere told KCBS-TV she was in the pool when a counselor told the children to get out and change in a hurry. She said they waited in a dining hall while firefighters fought the fire and the counselors sprayed down the area with water.

I prayed that if I didnt die I would go to church, and right when I prayed the firefighters came, Madere said.

Crews were also using an air attack against another blaze about 50 miles north that exploded in size to 37.5 square miles. About 200 rural homes east of Santa Maria were evacuated after the fire broke out Saturday and was fed by dry gusts

Some of the firefighters working to contain that blaze were sent to nearby San Luis Obispo County when a fire broke out Sunday and threatened numerous structures near the town of Santa Margarita. Officials said the fire burned 340 acres.

Elsewhere in the West firefighters have been able to build containment lines around about half the wildfire that forced the evacuation of hundreds of people near Breckenridge, Colo. The fire has not spread since it broke out Wednesday and was still less than a square mile Sunday.

In rural Arizona, fire officials say three homes were among 10 buildings that were burned. The wildfire there has led to the evacuation of the entire town of Dudleyville, about 100 miles southeast of Phoenix.

A wildfire burning in near Summer Lake in south-central Oregon has destroyed a hunting cabin and an outbuilding.

In Nevada, fire officials have ordered evacuations for a wildfire that is near the same area where another blaze has already burned for days.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California Catastrophe Natural Disasters USA Wildfire
Dallas, TX, July 10, 2017 U.S. Risk Insurance Group, LLC, the nations fifth largest Property & Casualty wholesaler, announced today that it has acquired IMS London American Brokerage and Underwriting Services and has named Larry Mennes President of its contract binding operations in Texas, and Stephen Vallender Executive Vice President at U.S. Risk Brokers, Inc.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, with additional offices in Dallas and San Antonio, IMS London American has been committed to providing superior underwriting and brokerage services since its founding in 2005.

Randall Goss, CEO of U.S. Risk, said, We are very impressed with the business that Larry and his team built and are excited to bring them into the U.S. Risk group of companies. The acquisition of IMS London American brings additional talent and client service capabilities to our Texas operations, and broadens our base of client retail agents served. This is our most recent acquisition since we announced our partnership with Kohlberg and Company, and continues our strategic focus on acquiring companies whose experience, resources and values complement our own.

Larry Mennes, President of IMS London American, said, We view this merger as a very positive event for our employees, carrier partners, and client retail agents. We are looking forward to being able to better serve our agents with the additional markets and products U.S. Risk has available.

About U.S. Risk Insurance Group, LLC

U.S. Risk Insurance Group, LLC (www.usrisk.com) is a leading international specialty lines underwriting manager and wholesale broker headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Operating 16 domestic and international branches, it offers a broad range of products and services through its affiliate companies, which include U.S. Risk Underwriters, U.S. Risk Brokers, U.S. Risk Solutions, U.S. Risk Financial Services, Oxford Insurance Brokers, Ltd. (UK), James Hampden International Insurance Brokers Ltd. (UK), Antarah FZE (UAE), and Abraxas Insurance A.G. (Zurich).

Media Contact

Randall Goss, Chairman and CEO

U.S. Risk Insurance Group, LLC

randall@usrisk.com

800.232.5830

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions USA Agencies Texas London
RSM Serbia will offer audit, tax advisory, valuation, consulting and legal services, while RSM Mozambique will offer audit, consulting, tax compliance and accounting as well as outsourcing services.

The addition of a Serbian office is expected to bridge gaps in Eastern Europe whilst its Mozambique division will establish an important foothold in East Africa region.

Marko Milojevic, RSM Serbia
The wave of foreign investment that followed the sweeping reform to the energy industry, which opened the door to private investment, together with a clear bet from the current administration to fund infrastructure projects through private-public partnerships, quickly exposed the lack of modern and dynamic tax restructuring rules that could encourage foreign investors to create strong partnerships with local companies and smart inbound investment structures.

President Pena Nieto made the development of Mexicos infrastructure the cornerstone of its administration, favouring an increased level of private sector participation as a means to finance infrastructure projects, but fell short in laying the tax groundwork to bolster such investments. As a result, foreign investors in Mexican infrastructure projects have been faced with tax rules that were not tailored to meet their industrys needs.

While the Mexican tax provisions do establish certain benefits for corporate restructures, which include tax free spin-offs and mergers, transfers at tax cost basis and certain tax deferral rules, these mechanisms are not always efficient as its requirements are often difficult to meet for businesses.

Similarly, the majority of treaties within the Mexican double tax treaty network have proven not to be a solution as they commonly do not contain provisions that favour tax-free restructures or, if included, are limited to very specific transactions (generally share-for-share transactions).

In practice, the big players of the energy and infrastructure industries have set the pace and have been able to lobby the tax authorities into issuing new tax rules that respond to their industries needs. This has generally been achieved through new rules issued by the tax administration service.

Specifically, a new tax rule was issued in order to grant a tax deferral for carve outs of infrastructure assets. In general terms, such rule sets forth that capital gains obtained from the sale of shares issued by a spun-off entity that received infrastructure assets subject to a government concession as a result of a spin-off, may be apportioned proportionally during the term of the concession (without exceeding 20 years), and recognised as taxable income on a yearly basis.

In order to claim such a deferral, the following requirements should be met:

The proceeds received from the sale of shares should be invested in other infrastructure projects subject to a government concession or private-public partnerships, or used for the payment of loans acquired to carry on these types of projects;

The parent company and its shareholders must not distribute dividends or profits during the two years following the sale of shares of the spun-off entity;

Dividends or profits distributed by the spun-off entity to the shareholders of the parent company must be used for the purposes listed under point one above during the two years following the sale of shares;

The shareholders of the parent company prior to the spin-off must retain 80% of the voting shares of both the parent and spun-off entities after the spin-off and not sell more than 49% of the shares of the spun-off entity; and

A notice must be filed before the tax authorities.

This new rule was issued to stimulate foreign investment in specific Mexican infrastructure projects as it allows isolating a cherry-picked asset in a new entity that may be subject to limited  new direct foreign investment without triggering all the capital gains taxes related to such transfer at once.

Non-residents that are currently looking to invest in Mexican infrastructure projects should bear in mind that the tax authorities have been constantly issuing new tax rules to allow for tax free restructurings or tax deferrals on the transfer of shares or assets, which should be analysed in detail when structuring their investments.

Oscar A. Lopez Velarde (olopezvelarde@ritch.com.mx)

Alberto Anguiano Pineda (aanguiano@ritch.com.mx)

Ritch, Mueller, Heather y Nicolau, S.C.

www.ritch.com.mx
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) covers most employer-sponsored retirement plans including SIMPLE individual retirement accounts ( SIMPLE IRAs). SIMPLE IRAs were designed to make it easy for businesses with fewer than 100 employees to set up a tax-advantaged retirement plan for their workers.

Here's a look at how ERISA rules apply to SIMPLE IRAs.

Key Takeaways SIMPLE IRAs are subject to ERISA rules, which cover most employer-sponsored retirement plans.

ERISA dictates how a plan is structured and administered.

Requirements for SIMPLE IRAs include spelling out who is eligible to participate and when, and how contributions are handled.

ERISA Requirements for SIMPLE IRAs

SIMPLE stands for Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees. SIMPLE IRAs don't have the reporting and administrative burden that qualified retirement plans (such as 401(k)s) do, and they are easier to set up.

ERISA, which was enacted in 1974, details requirements for structuring and administrating employer retirement plans. For SIMPLE IRAs, ERISA dictates which employees are eligible and how a company handles employee contributions.

Employers must clearly cite details of the plan's features within a Summary Plan Description. This document contains an explanation of employees' rights and employers' responsibilities.

ERISA allows employers some flexibility to tailor the eligibility requirements, but generally, all employees older than 21 who have put in at least one year of service must be eligible for the plan. Some employers may allow employees to become eligible sooner, sometimes even immediately.

Employee Contribution Rules

ERISA also defines key issues with regard to handling employee contributions. Salary deferral contributions for a SIMPLE IRA, for example, must be deposited in the participant's account by the end of the month following the month in which the funds were withheld from the participant's paycheck.

Self-employed individuals, even those who have no employees, are eligible to set up a SIMPLE IRA.

SIMPLE IRAs are subject to contribution limits. For 2021, employees can contribute as much as $13,500 (rising to $14,000 in 2022). Those age 50 and older can contribute an additional $3,000, which is known as a catch-up contribution (the catch-up figure applies to both 2021 and 2022).

The employer can match this amount dollar for dollar, for a maximum of 3% of the employees compensation. Or as an alternative, an employer can contribute 2% of each employee's compensation without requiring employee contributions. This is known as a nonelective contribution.

Contribution limits are higher for a SIMPLE IRA than for a traditional or Roth IRA, but lower than the limits for a 401(k). For 2021 and 2022, the annual contribution limit for traditional and Roth IRAs is $6,000 with a $1,000 catch-up contribution allowed for those 50 and older. For 2021, employees can contribute a much as $19,500 to a 401(k) (rising to $20,500 in 2022), with a catch-up contribution of $6,500 (for both 2021 and 2022).

Investment Choices for SIMPLE IRAs

Since these accounts are IRAs, employee participants have full control of the investment choices for their SIMPLE IRA. This differs from 401(k) plans where typically the employer offers a limited number of pre-screened funds from which employees may choose.

With a SIMPLE IRA, the employer chooses and files the plan using IRS forms 5304-SIMPLE or 5305-SIMPLE. The employer can either designate a particular financial institution to hold all participants' accounts or allow participants to keep their SIMPLE IRA at the financial institution of their choice.
A new study shows that about half of middle-aged people in Ireland are providing financial support to their parents, while a similar number are still giving money to their children.

The research from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing also reveals that only 3% of over 54s are actually receiving financial support from their offspring.
A prison nurse has been jailed after smuggling a mobile phone into jail and forming an "inappropriate relationship" with an inmate, police have said.

Elizabeth Hutton, 50, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to misconduct in a public office and taking the phone into jail.

Hutton's relationship with the prisoner was discovered after his cell at the Doncaster prison was searched and the mobile phone examined, South Yorkshire Police said.

Prison officers found the inmate in possession of the phone shortly after he had spent time with the defendant.

Hutton, of Kingsley Avenue, Wakefield, worked as an agency nurse at the jail between September 2015 and October 2016 but was suspended following the discovery of the phone.

A police spokesman said: "Evidence of an inappropriate relationship between Hutton and the prisoner was uncovered after the inmate's cell was searched and a mobile phone was examined."

Pc Emma Taylorson, from South Yorkshire Police's prison investigation team, said: "The public quite rightly expect high standards of conduct from those that work within our prison service.

"Hutton's behaviour was inappropriate and criminal, and I am pleased that she accepted responsibility for her crimes before a court.

"She will now spend time on the other side of jail bars as a consequence for abusing her position of responsibility."
Japans Agriculture Minister Yuji Yamamoto had concerns that the proposed removal of import tariffs would flood the market with European cheese, disrupt the supply-demand balance in raw milk and deal a severe blow to aging domestic dairy farmers. The Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives, or JA-Zenchu, held an emergency rally over the proposed deal.

However, the positions were well known on both sides. The EU wants market access for goods, especially for processed agricultural products, because the EU is responsible for half of the worlds cheese output. Also, the EU wants acceptance of graphical indicators protecting regional food brands such as Clare Island Salmon, Connemara Hill Lamb and Timoleague Brown Pudding, in Irelands case.

For Japan, the main interests are eliminating the high tariffs on industrial products, particularly cars, car components, and electronics. At the end of June, Japanese media reported on extensive phone talks between Mr Hogan and Mr Yamamoto, with the latter stating to reporters: We want the EU side to make some concessions.

A quick face-to-face meeting was arranged and Agriculture Commissioner Hogan travelled to Tokyo with lead negotiator, the Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom.

After the meeting, the trade commissioner tweeted: Hard work in Tokyo, but a lot of progress.

A statement from Phil Hogan said EU food and drink exporters will, in time, get almost complete tariff-free access to nearly all Japanese markets. The final EU-Japan free trade agreement was left for signing at the EUJapan Summit last week, in Brussels.

The deal is expected to significantly reduce the 1bn a year tariff duty paid on goods sent to Japan by EU exporters each year.

A particular focus will be Japanese customs tariffs on beef, which is close to 40%, up to 30% on cheese and 15% on wine.

While Irelands cheese and processed dairy producers will welcome the elimination of the high import tariffs, the real winners from this agreement are likely to be the pharmaceutical and medical devices exporters. Despite the regulatory barriers in selling to Japan, over 2bn worth of these life sciences products were exported from Ireland last year. The new trade agreement is scheduled to introduce mutual recognition of manufacturing standards in both countries, which will eliminate the current long and costly procedures, providing a significant boost to both indigenous and foreign owned multinational producers here.

The trade deal is also expected to open up Japans services market to EU businesses. Irelands dominant position in services exporting should receive a major boost from the lifting of non-tariff barriers, particularly by the opening up of Japans public contracts market. Considered an ambitious trade deal, the EU-Japan agreement demonstrates there is much to be gained from opening up markets with the potential to generate more jobs, reduce costs for consumers and offer wider choices in service provisions. It also comes at an important time of rising protectionist policies emanating from many countries, and offers a barometer of the appetite for abandoning austerity and returning to trade expansion measures.

Across the EU this deal will be strongly welcomed for many reasons but in particular acting as an antidote to the UKs demoralising exit.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will publish their summer economic statement on Wednesday, which will lay out the road map for the capital plan later in the year.

The Cabinet is to hold a special meeting to finally sign off on the plan ahead of its publication and Dail debate which will be held on Thursday. Key details of the plan, obtained by the Irish Examiner, include:

A dramatic rise in capital spending from 2019, driven by a balanced budget in October;

A Celtic Tiger-style plan which will see major emphasis on road building like the 1bn M20 between Cork and Limerick and other major transport projects like the controversial Metro North;

Higher education which has been starved of funds and the health service in terms of increasing capacity are also to be prioritised.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, several Cabinet ministers confirmed the desire to ramp up capital spending from next year, which will be made possible by the first balanced budget in over a decade.

A minister said: We are more confident now, given the quarterly tax returns at the end of June, than we were. We will see a big ramping up of capital spending.

European rules look like changing but that is a factor. What is absolutely guaranteed is that we will balance the books in 2018, and that the reason we do, that the space dramatically opens up from 2019.

When asked what numbers are possible, at least two ministers have confirmed spend is likely to be between 2bn-3bn a year for up to 10 years.

One said: Instead of Government having a few hundred million to play around with, we are now talking about billions over a sustained period of time and that is while being compliant with the fiscal rules.

You see once we balance the budget, the apron strings are loosened significantly. We dont have to answer to Europe at that stage.

It is not expected that the economic statement will include specific details of individual projects.

The Irish Examiner has learnt Mr Varadkar placed heavy emphasis on road building to connect rural areas and regional cities at a special Cabinet meeting last Thursday. There was a fair bit of discussion about roads and connecting rural and regional areas by road, said one minister.
The Irish Examiner can reveal that the man, who made protected disclosures about health and safety management of hazardous chemicals at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, has been summoned to appear before a Defence Forces medical board in August.

A brief report, issued prior to the board meeting, has accused the member of chronic ineffectivity due to anxiety and a work-related industrial dispute.

The Protected Disclosures Act was introduced in 2014 to protect whistleblowers from being penalised for reporting issues in their workplace.

This newspaper can also reveal that the man previously met with junior defence minister Paul Kehoe in Government Buildings, to discuss his concerns.

The man told Mr Kehoe that an Air Corps official ordered the shredding of health and safety inspection reports dating back to the 1990s. He is the second whistleblower to make such an allegation.

The claim was also made in a written disclosure submitted by a different whistleblower, in April  a statement that further named the official alleged to have ordered the reports destruction.

However, Mr Kehoe has ruled out any investigation into the documents disappearance, despite previously admitting that he could only offer speculative reasons as to why they cannot be found.

Six former Air Corps staff are suing the State, claiming their chronic illnesses are as a result of their exposure to toxic chemicals used in the course of their duties.

Opposition TDs say they have seen copies of the 1990s inspection reports, and the reports are said to show that it was long-known that the conditions at Casement Aerodrome were not up to standard.

This has prompted claims that the Defence Forces copies of the documents were deliberately destroyed to cover up knowledge of workers exposure to harmful substances.

Sinn Fein defence spokesman Aengus OSnodaigh described the development as a cause for concern.

I have written to the minister to raise my concerns and I will also be questioning Minister Keogh on this matter, in the Dail, next week, he said.

It is a sad day when somebody raising concerns about the health-and-safety issues in the Air Corps is targeted in this way.

It points to a worrying culture of cover-up and, instead of targeting the messenger, the military authorities would be better-served if they focused their efforts on addressing the major shortfalls in safety standards at Casement Aerodrome.

I immediately call on the minister, and the military authorities, to stop the dismissal process and start addressing the very serious health and safety issues which have been raised by this whistleblower and others.

The Department of Defence refused to comment.

The Department does not comment on individual personnel cases, said a spokeswoman.

The Department and Defence Forces are fully committed to compliance with the Protected Disclosures Act, 2014.

Since December, 2015, four whistleblowers have made protected disclosures to government about technicians exposure to chemicals at Casement Aerodrome.
Diarmuid Ui Duibhne was one of the central characters in Toraiocht Dhiarmada Agus Grainne, an epic of love, betrayal, and death.

The tragic tale, reinterpreted in the 2015 film Pursuit, starring Brendan Gleeson and Game of Throness Liam Cunningham, began when Diarmuid, a renowned warrior, eloped with the beautiful princess, Grainne, daughter of the High King of Ireland.

She was already betrothed to Fionn MacCumhail, then the ageing leader of the Fianna, and the couple was hotly pursued across Ireland, until Diarmuid was eventually killed by a giant boar.

It was, for many, just the stuff of legend, but, now, a new book reveals what is believed to be the ancient burial site of Diarmuid, not far from a West Cork village.

Murragh, A Place of Graves, researched and written by two local history groups, claims that the legendary Fianna warrior is buried in an ancient tumulus or above-ground burial chamber, close to a riverside cemetery between the town of Bandon and the village of Enniskeane.

Daragh OGowan, a retired lecturer, who taught Irish cultural studies at DIT, and Michael OConnell, of the Ballineen and Enniskeane Area Heritage Group, spent a year investigating the mound.

It was the subject of local folklore and was identified as the burial site of Diarmuid by historian John Windele in 1843.

The mound is believed to date from the second century AD.

The site was visited by representatives of the National Monument Service, which confirmed the mound was a tumulus.

We believe it is the tumulus of Diarmuid, because Diarmuid and Grainne are associated with this area, said Mr OGowan.

The Murragh tumulus, Mr OGowan explained, was an ancient pilgrimage site, which once had its own path. The Christian graveyard, it is believed, grew up on the existing site from about the 12th century.

John-Joe and Ursula Lyons, of the Murragh group, spent months investigating the histories of those interred in the cemetery. They discovered the graves of two members of the Third West Cork Brigade of the IRA, buried in 1921, some members of the local landed gentry, and the ancestors of many local families. All is detailed in the book.

Mr Lyons, aged 82, said he recorded the gravestones when he realised that knowledge of Murragh Graveyard was fading from local memory.

Few people even know where the graveyard is, now, he said. There was only one burial there in 2016.

Yet it dates back to the 12th century. There is a lot of interesting reading in the book  its a record of times past.

Murragh; A Place of Graves, compiled by Ballineen and Enniskeane Area Heritage Group, in association with Murragh and Templemartin Parish Group, will be launched on Sunday, July 30, at the BEDA Hall in Enniskeane.

Paperback 20; hardback 35.
Details of dire pay and conditions experienced by soldiers, sailors and airmen are contained in the report carried out by academics from the University of Limerick (UL), which has been obtained by the Irish Examiner.

The report  which took a sample survey of 603 officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and lower ranks in the Defence Forces  shows poor pay is a key issue, but working conditions and low morale are also leading to a brain drain.

Soldiers have nicknamed the privates quarters at Rathmines Barracks Hotel Rwanda  it has no hot water, broken urinals, and walls encrusted in damp.

However, they acknowledged that after 10 years of pleading, the Department of Defence has finally agreed to refurbish the barracks they describe as living in squalor.

The report found pride in the uniform and camaraderie is no longer found in newer recruits, who are struggling financially to survive.

It said privates are using leave days to save on commuting costs and have to take out loans to meet basic living expenses. Many have had to take second jobs to make ends meet and a lot are reliant on social welfare supplements such as the family income supplement.

Officers and NCOs at all levels described privates pay as shameful and an injustice to young people. They said this was directly related to the high numbers leaving the army as soon as they could for better-paid jobs elsewhere. They added that this is a false economy, given the cost of training them in the first place.

Officers, army chaplains, and the privates themselves reported financial worries giving rise to mental health issues.

Participants voiced concern that those suffering from stress often did not seek help in the Defence Forces as this may prevent them going on overseas missions.

Poorly paid young navy recruits are sleeping on ships because they cannot afford to rent a home and are trapped on a base and getting no outside social life. All ranks reported a severe shortage of officers in units.

Officers themselves said increased workloads to plug gaps, decreased job satisfaction, a diminution of mental and physical wellbeing, and decreased engagement was leading to many leaving.

The report said evidence from the focus groups shows a dysfunctional cycle of turnover developing.

Officers indicated a shortage of personnel is directly affecting their ability to engage with and train recruits.

There were also gaps in NCO ranks, which officers expressed concern at as they rely on NCOs to serve as unit glue.

The academics who compiled the report said there was widespread concern among the focus groups that the loss of experience/corporate knowledge is at a critical point and already affecting operational readiness and capability.

They said there was a leadership vacuum being experienced at unit level and clear indications that the current system of promotions in the Defence Forces has become dysfunctional.

All ranks highlighted work-life balance issues with lack of notice for travel and duties and high rates of marriage breakdowns.

Officers specifically identified the requirement to relocate frequently and the lack of notice given as a serious issue causing work-life conflict and leading many to question if the Defences Forces is a viable career.

The Wellbeing in the Defence Forces Climate Survey, carried out in 2015, also highlighted significant problems.

The UL report will be discussed by the organisation representing officers (Raco) and enlisted men (PDforra) when they meet with junior defence minister Paul Kehoe on July 13.
The location of the winning ticket seller has yet to be revealed, and the holder of the 29m winning ticket has yet to make contact with the National Lottery.

The winning numbers are 11, 20, 35, 37, and 45, bonus numbers 3m 6, and National Lottery CEO Dermot Griffin said it is vital that people check their tickets to see if they have won.

This is an incredible amount of money to win, Mr Griffin said. We have no idea if it is one player or a syndicate but we are delighted to have another Irish winner of EuroMillions. We urge all of our players to check their tickets to see if their numbers have come up.

Mr Griffin also had advice for those who find themselves in possession of the lucky winning ticket.

If somebody out there has discovered they are the winner, we advise them to stay calm, he said.

Winning this amount can be a huge shock. Make sure you get good legal and financial advice, and contact the National Lottery as soon as possible and we will guide you through the claims process and will give any support you need.

It is also important that if you do have the golden ticket to keep it safe. This is a very valuable piece of paper.

Fridays windfall is the 11th win in Ireland of the EuroMillions jackpot since it started in 2004, the second this year.

This latest win brings to over 1bn the figure for Irish EuroMillions winnings.

The most recent Irish EuroMillions Jackpot win was a work syndicate in Dublin who shared an 88.5m jackpot in January 2017.

In July 2005, Dolores McNamara from Limerick was Irelands first and biggest EuroMillions winner scooping over 115m.

This month last year, 22 colleagues from Dublin Bus won the 23.8m jackpot, and in January 2016 a syndicate of friends won over 66m, splitting the jackpot of 132,376,632.
At 45 minutes journey by ferry from Baltimore, the ferry trips to its shores is one of the longest to an island in the country  around the same time as the journey to Inismor in Co Galway or Tory Island, Co Donegal.

The distance from the mainland is the main reason that it has survived as a Gaeltacht, running as it does regular summer courses for speakers of all abilities to improve their cupla focal.

The island once had a population of more than 1,000 people but now at 120 still represents one of our most populated islands.

What to do on Cape? What not to do.

The island has a couple of superb waymarked walking trails. One winds through the eastern part of the island past a wooded area and crosses an old mass path before twisting back towards the pier.

The other brings you to the southern pier and then high above the banks of purple heather before turning back towards the pier.

There are magnificent views out to sea  here a fishing boat surrounded by gulls, there the red-socked choughs wheeling above the cliffs.

It is no accident that there is a bird observatory on the island, as Cape Clear is on the migratory route of hundreds of species and even a few visitors from Siberia and north America occasionally show up.

The observatory runs very popular courses for twitchers.

The island has a smattering of cyclists who bring their bikes across on the ferry.

They must be hardy, for the islands hills are very tough to climb.

Still, the reward of careering downhill is a good payoff. Kayakers explore its bays and caves. You can even dive to the many wrecks around the island.

All of the above are for the outdoor enthusiast.

For the indoor version there are a few fine pubs and a decent restaurant and the by-now, internationally famous storytelling festival which is foremost in keeping alive this ancient vernacular art.

The ferry from Baltimore or Schull arrives into the north harbour, which recently had a 4m pier and storm wall built to replace the older crumbling structure.

This harbour is not far from the south harbour and at some point in the distant future will eventually cleave through the rock and create two islands.

Cape Clear has been populated for at least 5,000 years and neolithic and bronze age artifacts are on display in the museum.

Further west, a ruined O Drisceoil castle from the 14th century hangs on precariously above the waves.

The museum has an impressive archive of the ODriscoll clan, which has an annual gathering in Baltimore.

It also possesses a superb collection of island artifacts, including old farm implements and even an old dresser with assorted crockery.

An excellent display and film on the history of the Fastnet illustrates the life of the lighthouse keepers.

Linking the past with the present is a display on island placenames gathered by toponymist Eamon Lankford and superbly researched in his book Cape Clear Island: Its People and Landscape. Among the hundreds of placenames he lists are those for cliffs, rocks, headlands: an com, the hollow; an cuar, the bend; an fhaill, the toothed cliff; cuas an uisce, where a stream drops down to a small inlet.

This tradition of nomenclature is kept alive by Ed Harper who runs a famous goat farm in the island. He has names for all of his goats including Oileain, Inis, Eibhir (granite), Carraig, Sgurr (jagged peak).

Harper, who is blind, has been running his goat farm since 1979 and typifies the hardiness of the islanders who are frequently cut off from the mainland in winter by towering seas and severe gales. Milking his goats here with his young German wwoofer Lovis Szymber (willing workers on organic farm) his smile and easy way bespeak a contented man.

How to get there:

From Baltimore and Schull, West Cork. Regular ferry service www.cailinoir.com

Accommodation.

Hostel; B&Bs; Airbnbs; www.yurt-holidays-ireland.com

Other:

Transport: Paddys Wagon tractor-drawn trips. Ask at pier

See www.capeclearisland.ie; www.colaistephobalchleire.ie; capeclearstorytelling.com; www.yurt-holidays-ireland.com; www.baltimorediving.com; www.aquaventures.ie; baltimoreseasafari.ie
NINETY years ago, today , then minister for justice Kevin OHiggins was murdered on his way to Sunday Mass at Church of the Assumption in Booterstown, Co Dublin.

His killing was primarily in revenge for the execution of four Republicans leaders on December 8, 1922, after the IRA had shot two deputies heading for the Dail the previous day.

Ironically, OHiggins was one of the last members of the cabinet to agree to the execution. The then government was essentially warning the Republicans that it would execute twice as many Republican prisoners in retaliation for the death of any Dail deputy.

OHiggins became a particular hate figure, because Rory OConnor, one of those executed, had been best man at OHigginss wedding the previous year. On the day of the executions, he defended them as a deterrent.

It was done coldly, OHiggins told the Dail that afternoon. It was done deliberately.

He added that it was done without personal spite, or vindictiveness, as it was the only way that representative government or democratic institutions could be maintained.

One of these men was a friend of mine, he added.

At that point, he burst into tears, and collapsed sobbing into his seat, unable to continue.

In view of the four executions following the shooting of the two deputies on December 1922, there must have been apprehension about the likely reaction to the assassination of a senior cabinet member in July 1927. That there was no violent reaction on this occasion was possibly attributable to OHiggins.

Garda Sergeant Sweeney of Blackrock went to aid of OHiggins after the shooting. I knelt beside Mr OHiggins and asked if he could make a statement, Sweeney recalled.

OHiggins replied: I was walking along Cross Avenue. Three men were waiting for me at the corner. They fired at me. One of them followed me and shot me. They were young men about 20 or 25 years; dark complexion, medium build.

Sweeney then said: I asked him if he would know them again, or did he know them, and he replied not. He then told me he was dying.

Thus, there would be no possibility of identifying them later.

I forgive my murderers, OHiggins stressed. He was brought back to his home, where he remained conscious for some before time he expired, almost five hours later.

He told his wife that he forgave his assailants.

You must have no bitterness in your heart for them, he emphasised.

Nobody was ever convicted in connection with the assassination. The security files covering the murder, which were released in 1997, showed that Charles Haughey took a particular interest in the case as minister for justice in 1963.

Peter Berry, the then secretary of the department of justice, told Haughey that the police were pretty well satisfied that one of the murderers was Mick Price, the IRAs director of intelligence. The names of other suspects read like a whos who of Irish Republicans, according to Berry.

Sean Russell, Ernie OMalley, and Sean MacBride were the chief suspects.

MacBride was arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder, Berry noted. He was able to prove an alibi.

He had gone to England on the Friday beforehand, moved on to Belgium next day, and was in Brussels on the Sunday morning of the killing. Even Eamon de Valera and Frank Aiken were under suspicion. As OHiggins lay dying, he referred to de Valera.

Tell my colleagues, they must beware of him in public life he will play down to the weakness of the people.

Next morning, the Garda Chief Superintendent Jas Brennan in Cork wrote to David Neligan, head of the Special Branch, that senator James Dowdall had warned OHiggins to be careful as he believed an attack would be made on his life by Fianna Fail people. He placed direct responsibility on Dev.

It would be most dangerous, Berry warned Haughey, to allow the official records as to the murder to be ever published. They are full of innuendo, conjecture, conclusions based on hearsay, etc, etc.

If any of those people had been involved in the shooting, OHiggins would undoubtedly have recognised them. He did not know his killers, and they were not named among the suspects in the files. It was almost 60 years later before they were named publicly. By then of course, all were dead.

Brian Looney, a future editor of the Irish Examiner, named them in the Irish Press on October 8, 1985, following an interview with Harry White, a former IRA chief of staff.

The three assailants were Bill Gannon, Archie Doyle and Tim Coughlan. They were reportedly on their way to a football game when they seized the chance to shoot OHiggins, walking alone, without a body guard.

Bill Gannon told me that he and Archie Doyle were two of the assassins, and he asked that I set the historical record straight after his death, White said. By naming them at this stage, White added, Im finishing a chapter of Irish history.

He had no qualms about the assassination of OHiggins.

As minister for justice, he ordered the murder of his former friends, Rory OConnor, Liam Mellows, Dick Barrett and Joe McKelvey in Mountjoy Jail, White said. Thats why he was killed.

Nine months later, on the 60th anniversary of her fathers assassination, Una OHiggins-OMalley, the youngest daughter of Kevin OHiggins, made a magnificent request that the anniversary Mass at the Church of the Assumption in Booterstown be celebrated for her father and his three killers.

It would have been his wish that their names should be included in the Mass, she declared.
AN average of 60 personnel of all ranks are leaving the Defence Forces (DF) every month and even though theres been accelerated recruitment, fears have been expressed that even with maximum recruitment it wont keep pace with the exodus for better-paid jobs elsewhere.

The University of Limerick report also highlights concerns that expertise is being lost and that inexperienced people are acting up, which, through no fault of their own, could lead to a calamity. This is particularly significant where high-risk military operations are concerned.

Those who took part in focus group sessions organised by the academics said the haemorrhaging is leaving the Defence Forces with significant gaps in operational capabilities.

Theyve pointed out the organisation invests a large amount of money in training recruits to a high standard, but with large turnover rates therell be no return on that investment. Respondents estimated at the current recruitment rate it would take 10 years-plus to replace the expertise which has been lost.

One senior officer claimed theyd lost more people through retirements and disillusionment than they inducted last year.

Another said: We spend enormous resources recruiting people, training them, looking after them, doing our best for them and we are losing 10% of them annually.

Both organisations which represent Defence Forces personnel (Raco and PDforra) maintain that even though there is accelerated recruitment it will not maintain the overall numbers unless retention of those currently serving is addressed immediately.

They point out that reliance on recruitment only will fail unless effective retention policies are introduced.

However, everybody surveyed agreed that pay was the biggest cause of the exodus.

You can only flog a horse so much before it will fall. These lads (privates) have to have money to pay for petrol, to pay bills, to pay childcare. They get fed up eventually and they are gone. And its the best ones who are leaving, a senior NCO said.

Another pointed out that soldiers supporting gardai on operations often watch somebody being arrested who will end up in a cell which is in far better condition than their own billets.

One senior officer said a highly skilled soldier trained to drive two-and-a-half tonne armoured vehicles left the army because hed get more working in a shop.

We cannot stand over 25% of our people being on FIS (Family Income Supplement.) This is unacceptable, he said.

Chaplains have said the number of Defence Forces lower ranks on FIS is absolutely disgraceful, and the Government had to address this issue.

There is a responsibility when someone is the last line of defence between democracy and anarchy, and people forget that. If pay was sorted I think a lot of (other) issues would be resolved, he said.

PDforra estimates that any Defence Forces member who has less than six years service and has one or more children are likely to be on Family Income Supplement.

Privates in particular are getting a very raw deal when it comes to pay.

I cant get a mortgage. We would be better off on the dole, as we would have no bills, one said.

They said that some of their colleagues were sleeping in cars as they couldnt afford the fuel to commute back and forth from home.

In 2005, 2006 and 2007 I was taking home 150 more a week than I do now. I got a mortgage (back then) on the strength of that and now I have to work two jobs to pay for that, another added.

Safety concerns

Widespread concern has been raised about the safety risks associated with the current shortages of officers and NCOs and claims this could lead to deaths in the Defence Forces.

We are already seeing it in the army  little accidents. There is going to be a big accident. Guys are so much more inexperienced. Its (a major accident) going to come and if it keeps unravelling it will come.

We fear a serious incident with a number of deaths....it could be overseas, a senior army officer said.

Members of the Air Corps told the reports compilers there was a high level of stress among officers with regard to operational safety, especially as they claimed 50% down on personnel in the technical unit.

They forecast there is going to be a huge safety issue in the Air Corps and there is a direct relationship between safety and experience.

Accidents could also happen in the Naval Service due to a lack of officers and NCOs and overstretching of resources.

We have eight ships, but we dont have enough people to man seven. There is a rumour of a ninth (ship coming). We barely have enough to man the seven...What the hell is going on here? one senior officer said.

An NCO claimed that at least 10% of sailors coming back from migrant rescue missions will apply for discharge from the force.

New recruits are also bailing out and it was pointed out that it takes five years to train a guy up to be competent at sea.

The report said there is evidence from the focus groups who took part that a vicious cycle of turnover is developing and this in turn has given rise to serious concerns regarding safety and operational readiness.

Air Corps

The report showed that living conditions were also a big concern for apprentices in this wing of the Defence Forces, with those involved in the survey citing that lack of amenities and poor standards of accommodation were demoralising. They also felt that health and safety was a big issue.

Some quotes from those interviewed included: A substandard hostel that was supposed to be renovated, Its a tinder box, it would go on fire if you put a match to it.

Another stated: Theres one washing machine for 23 people. Dryers and (other) machines have been broken for the last six months and two broken windows in the bathroom have been stuck open since October 2015, leading to freezing conditions in the winter months.

Lower ranks in the Air Corps also stated frustration connected with going through the appropriate channels to get the issues rectified as they feel nobody cares as nothing is being done about it.

They have also complained about lack of healthy options for their dinner  they pay for their food  which is described as often being fried battered fish, or rib steak in a white bun with chips.

They said a very good dinner would help and whats theyre being given contradicts the requirement for them to be fit and healthy.

Naval Service

Young recruits on dire wages, who cant afford soaring rents outside the Naval Service headquarters on Haulbowline Island, say that they are resigned to sleeping night after night on board their ships even when in port. They say as a result it provides no quality of life outside work.

The report by the academics says that for younger members of the Navy there is nothing in Haulbowline for them to do on their downtime.

Young men and women say theres no football pitch on the island and there should at least by a library and Wi-Fi to keep them occupied.

In addition, even if they get off the island to do a bit of shopping, they are uncertain of being able to get back because of the poor bus connection to base, and thus miss out on their dinner.

On a positive side junior and senior officers said supports for personnel during times of crisis were very good.

One senior officer said: If people are in trouble at home they are looked after. They can disappear and come back when the time is right, although one junior officer said he wanted to emphasise that the navy is not family-orientated.

It was pointed out that young crewmen working on migrant rescue missions get 290 a week in wages into their bank accounts, which is disgraceful considering some of the harrowing events theyve had to deal with.

If you put a private sector person into that scenario out there they wouldnt do it for anything less than 300 an hour, not to mind a week, one respondent said.

Another even compared the Navys treatment of new recruits as akin to JobBridge, which was also a sentiments aired by some middle management in the Army.

Senior NCOs in the Naval Service complained their own workload is ridiculous and they should be paid like junior managers.

They throw money at ships and wont pay the men a living wage, was another comment.
UNDER Donald Trumps presidency, the US took another major step toward establishing itself as a rogue state, on June 1, when it withdrew from the Paris climate agreement.

For years, Trump has indulged the strange conspiracy theory that, as he said in 2012: The concept of global warming was created by, and for, the Chinese, in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive.

But this was not the reason Trump advanced for withdrawing the US from the Paris accord.

Rather, the agreement, he alleged, was bad for the US and implicitly unfair to it.

Trumps claim is difficult to justify. The Paris accord is very good for America, and it is the US that continues to impose an unfair burden on others.

Historically, the US has added disproportionately to the rising concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and, among large countries, it remains by far the biggest per-capita emitter of carbon dioxide  more than twice Chinas rate and 2.5 times more than Europe in 2013 (the latest year for which the World Bank has reported complete data).

With its high income, the US is better-placed to adapt to the challenges of climate change than poor countries such as India and China, let alone a low-income country in Africa.

The major flaw in Trumps reasoning is that combating climate change would strengthen the US, not weaken it.

Trump is looking toward the past, a past that was not that great.

His promise to restore coal-mining jobs (which now number 51,000, less than 0.04% of the countrys non-farm employment) overlooks the harsh conditions and health risks endemic in that industry, not to mention the technological advances that would continue to reduce employment in the industry, even if coal production were revived.

Far more jobs are being created in solar-panel installation than are being lost in coal.

More generally, a green economy would increase US income today and economic growth in the future.

In this, as in so many things, Trump is hopelessly mired in the past.

Just a few weeks before Trumps withdrawal from the Paris accord, the global High-Level Commission on Carbon Prices, which I co-chaired with Nicholas Stern, highlighted the potential of a green transition.

The commissions report, released in May, argues that cutting CO2 emissions could strengthen the US economy.

The logic is straightforward. A key problem that is holding back the global economy today is deficient aggregate demand. At the same time, many countries face revenue shortfalls.

But we can address both of theses issues simultaneously, and reduce emissions by imposing a charge (a tax) for CO2 emissions.

It is always better to tax bad things than good things. By taxing CO2, companies and households would have an incentive to retrofit for the world of the future. The tax would also provide firms with incentives to innovate in ways that reduce energy usage and emissions  giving them a dynamic competitive advantage.

The commission analysed the level of carbon price that would be required to achieve the goals set forth in the Paris climate agreement  a far higher price than in most of Europe today, but still manageable. The commissioners said the appropriate price may differ across countries.

In particular, they noted, a better regulatory system  one that restrains coal-fired power-generation, for example  reduces the burden that must be placed on the tax system.

Interestingly, one of the worlds best-performing economies, Sweden, has already adopted a carbon tax at a rate substantially higher than that discussed in our report. And the Swedes have simultaneously sustained their strong growth without US-level emissions.

America under Trump has gone from being a world leader to an object of derision.

In the aftermath of Trumps withdrawal of the US from the Paris accord, a large sign was hung over Romes city hall: The Planet First.

Likewise, Frances new president, Emmanuel Macron, poked fun at Trumps campaign slogan, declaring: Make Our Planet Great Again.

But the consequences of Trumps actions are no laughing matter. If the US continues to emit as it has, it will continue to impose enormous costs on the rest of the world, including on much poorer countries. Those who are being harmed by Americas recklessness are justifiably angry.

Fortunately, large parts of the US, including the most economically dynamic regions, have shown that Trump is, if not irrelevant, at least less relevant than he would like to believe.

Large numbers of states and corporations have announced that they will proceed with their commitments  and perhaps go even further  offsetting the failures of other parts of the US.

In the meantime, the world must protect itself against rogue states. Climate change poses an existential threat to the planet that is no less dire than that posed by North Koreas nuclear ambitions.

In both cases, the world cannot escape the inevitable question: what is to be done about countries that refuse to do their part in preserving our planet?

Joseph E. Stiglitz, recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in economic sciences, in 2001, and the John Bates Clark Medal, in 1979, is university professor at Columbia University, co-chair of the high-level expert group on the measurement of economic performance and social progress at the OECD, and chief economist of the Roosevelt Institute. His most recent book is The Euro: How a Common Currency Threatens the Future of Europe.
Monday, July 10th, 2017 (10:01 am) - Score 854

A further 14,000+ premises in the county of Shropshire (England) look set to gain access to a superfast broadband (30Mbps+) connection over the next 3 years after the local authority selected fixed wireless ISP Airband to deliver the extra coverage under a new 11.2m contract.

So far the West Midlands county of Shropshire, which is a very challenging rural region (i.e. difficult / expensive to upgrade with new infrastructure), has struggled to deliver on the promise of its original Broadband Delivery UK contracts (Phase 1 and Phase 2a) with Openreach (BT); otherwise known as the Connecting Shropshire project.

Under Phase 1 an additional 59,000 homes and businesses were supposed to gain access to an FTTC/P based fibre broadband service by the end of winter 2016 (i.e. 93% fibre coverage, with 87% within reach of superfast 24Mbps+ speeds). So far 61,453 premises have been completed, although local fibre coverage stands at about 90% (80% for 24Mbps+ coverage), with the projects March 2017 newsletter confirming that Phase 1 has completed (here).

On top of that a smaller 5.6m extension contract (Phase 2a) was signed with BT in June 2015 (4.7m from BDUK and 900,000 from BT), which aims to add another 4,000 premises to the total by winter 2017 and should help to push fibre broadband coverage up a little bit. Take note that this excludes any work conducted under the separate Superfast Telford contract.

Since last year the local authority has also been working on a Phase 2b contract (here), which adopts the 30Mbps+ definition for superfast broadband and set aside 11.7 million of public funding from Broadband Delivery UK programme and Marches Local Enterprise Partnership. NOTE: This excludes the 2.2m from Phase 1 that will be returned by BT due to high take-up (clawback), which is said to have been ring-fenced for future broadband investment.

Back in April 2017 we heard that the Phase 2b contract had finally been awarded, which we were told would benefit an additional 16,000+ premises (i.e. 13,259 premises in the east of the county and 2,756 in the west). Unfortunately the council has since adopted a wall of silence and until today we didnt know who had actually won.

The good news is that Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) provider Airband has won the contract, which will aim to reach over 14,000 homes and businesses in the Shropshire Council area over the next three years (i.e. by mid-2020).

Nic Laurens, Shropshire Councils Cabinet Member for Broadband, said: I am delighted that we have secured a technology partner that can deliver superfast broadband to some of the most rural parts of the county. When this contract is completed, we expect 98% of premises in the council area to have access to superfast broadband. This means that even more people living, working and visiting Shropshire will be able to benefit from access to faster Internet connection speeds, enhancing their quality of life. The Connecting Shropshire programme runs until 2020 and will continue to work towards providing superfast broadband to all premises without access to it, and we remain confident in being able to achieve this aspiration.

Redmond Peel, Managing Director of Airband, added: We are delighted to have won the contract to deploy our fixed wireless network in Shropshire. Knowing how essential high-speed broadband is, we are looking forward to working with local residents and businesses to provide fast and reliable Internet connections. Our experience of building masts to deploy wireless broadband services in the Midlands, Wales, Dartmoor and Exmoor has given us extensive insight into dealing with the geographical challenges that we will come across in Shropshire. Our solution uses state-of-the-art radio technology, ensuring high-speed connections where fibre broadband is not available. Using wireless overcomes many of the speed and reliability issues that are experienced with long copper cable lengths, meaning that many who have long suffered from poor broadband due to their locality will soon be able to access speeds comparable to those of their urban counterparts.

Regular readers will no doubt note that Airband also holds a similar state aid supported contract for the joint Devon and Somerset project (here), although hopefully their roll-out in Shropshire wont suffer from the same delays as their deployment in the Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks. Clearly the council, which took a fair bit of time to do some extra checking on Airband before making todays announcement, felt as if they were able to do the job.

In terms of funding, its noted that todays contract has a value of 11.2m, which is less than the allocated 11.7m of public funding. Sadly the announcement makes no mention of what will happen to the missing 500,000 or whether any private investment was contributed (we are checking to find out more info. on coverage and funding).

UPDATE 11th July 2017

According to Airband, once the contract has completed it is expected that 98% of premises in the Council area will have access to superfast broadband. The ISP also informed ISPreview.co.uk of the exact funding split, which is as follows:

Airband  1.4m

Shropshire Council  2.24m

BDUK  5.29m

Marches LEP  2.27m
Microsoft today at a Microsoft Inspire 2017 conference made good on a promise to deliver a local instance of the Azure cloud operating environment.

Julia White, corporate vice president for Azure marketing and security services, says Microsoft views Azure Stack as a highly differentiated offering that advances the state of hybrid cloud computing. In fact, White says, Microsoft expects hybrid cloud computing to become the primary deployment approach.

We really see this as a durable long-term state versus being only a migration strategy to the cloud, says White.

Microsoft has been making available Azure Stack in a technical preview mode. Azure Stack can be acquired when purchasing a new server. The first server vendors to make available platforms configured with Azure Stack include Dell EMC, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Lenovo. Support for Cisco and Huawei platforms are expected to follow.

White says pricing for Azure Stack is based on the same per usage model as the Azure cloud service. What makes Azure Stack unique is that for the first time, IT organizations can avail themselves of a common management and security plane for platforms running on-premises and in a public cloud that is based on a common set of application programming interfaces (APIs), says White. In contrast, IT organizations up until now have been forced to deploy two different stacks of software on-premises and in a public cloud that force them to master two distinct management and security planes. That common management and security plane, adds White, spans virtual machines, Docker containers and emerging serverless computing frameworks.

White says Microsoft intends to build larger instances of Azure Stack, while relying on Azure connectivity services to connect Azure Stack to Internet of Things (IoT) gateways. White says Microsoft has no plans to build a smaller instance of Azure Stack for IoT gateways.

At its core, Azure Stack is an instance of a hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) designed to run a variety of cloud native applications. It remains to be seen how many customers will opt to deploy what amounts to a forklift upgrade to a new server environment versus continuing to run legacy Windows or Linux servers. At the same time, however, its worth noting that being able to seamlessly move workloads in and out of a public and private cloud regardless of location is a capability many IT organizations have been longing for now for the better part of a decade.
April 12, 2001 9:06: WITH two National Lottery agencies announcing awards for the London area, Mike Addelman looked at who will benefit in Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham.

MORE than 1m of Lottery cash will help voluntary and community groups in south east London.

The Community Fund will provide the bulk, with the four boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham receiving 973,056 from the total 7.6m given out.

And Awards for All also announced a 122,000 cash bonus to 33 grass roots organisations in the region out of a total of 1.3m in London.

The Community Fund grants went to seven organisations in Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham, bringing the total amount awarded since 1995 to 22m.

The Community Fund, which changed its name from the National Lottery Charities Board, distributes the money which has been raised by the Lottery to national and local charities and voluntary and community groups.

Money from the fund goes to a range of worthy causes, including supporting older people living on their own, refugees, asylum seekers and ethnic minorities.

Community Fund London chairman Anne Page said: "We're delighted to make this first round of awards as the new-look Community Fund.

"We hope the money will make a difference to these people."

The Awards For All fund provides grants of between 500 and 5,000 to community based projects including the arts, sport and heritage groups.

The fund has awarded 3,000 grants to organisations across London since it was created two years ago.

The rough ride to mobility

IT HAS been a rough ride for Lewisham Shop Mobility Scheme, which almost went under in July last year until the council bailed it out with a 12,000 grant.

It helps disabled people of all ages with their shopping but the group's survival seemed to be precariously balanced.

But now the charity is looking forward to a brighter future with the help of the 157,506 grant over three years.

Project worker Jill Bennett said: "We are absolutely delighted with the help which will mean we will be able to open seven days a week. It means absolutely everything to us and we will be able to plan a long term future."

If want to know more about the scheme, call Jill Bennett on 020 8297 2735.

Community Fund grants

BEXLEY Voluntary Service Council was awarded 94,483. The money will pay for a new post, administration expenses, staff training and travel.

Bexley Women's Aid was awarded 185,314. The grant will pay for a full time director. Pabya Ltd Youth Action 2000 was awarded 16,371. The cash will pay for refurbishing a cottage in Yorkshire into an outdoor centre.

In Greenwich, Greenwich Housing Rights Ltd was awarded 125,617. The project will now recruit more volunteers to defend public sector tenants at County Court possession hearings.

Working with Words Ltd was awarded 195,049. The grant will pay for four new roles at the centre which provides work for people with learning difficulties.

Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency Limited was awarded 198,716. The grant will pay for office equipment, part fund the salaries of staff and general running expenses.

Lewisham's Lewisham Shop Mobility Scheme was awarded 157,506. The grant will cover expenses.
Despite Israels 5th election in four years, it remains a beacon of democracy and freedom

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JERUSALEMI was on a short visit to Israel and spent time with a friend with whom I have been engaged in a 30-year argument. Elli...
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Thanks to a new state law, any nut job  er, I mean concerned citizen  in Florida can challenge what is taught in public schools, from evolution to global warming to two plus two equals four.

The law, which went into effect July 1 and not April 1, which would have been more appropriate, says any Florida resident can file a complaint about textbooks or curriculum they deem unsavory, wrong or just plain of the devil. Then, An unbiased hearing officer, not employed by the school district, would determine if a complaint has merit, requiring schools to take any controversial books or material out of the classroom, CNN reported. Previously, only parents could file complaints, which were then heard by a school board.

As with most things, not everyone agrees this is a swell idea.

The Florida Citizens for Science, a group that says it defends good science, especially in the classroom, called it bad news all around.

People who crusade against basic, established science concepts such as evolution and climate change will have the green light to bog down the textbook selection process on the local level and bully school boards into compromises that will negatively impact science education, the group wrote in a blog post.

I agree with the Florida Citizens for Science that its a bad law, but only for this reason: It does not go far enough.

Let me repeat the last part in capital letters adding exclamation points, which is what nut jobs  er, I mean concerned citizens  do when they are making a point. Also, I am standing on a soapbox and shaking my fist angrily while I type this, which is difficult but not impossible.

IT DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH!

If people who do not have kids in schools in Florida can complain about what kids are taught in schools in Florida, why cant anyone who has ever been to Florida complain about what kids are taught in schools in Florida?

It only seems fair, if not wildly ridiculous like the new law itself.

Ive visited the Sunshine State a dozen or so times over the years and dutifully supported the local economies by purchasing copious amounts of beer, buying Disney tickets and tipping well for table dances. I demand a say in what Florida kids are taught in schools.

Wait, I meant to write I DEMAND A SAY IN WHAT FLORIDA KIDS ARE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS!

And when I get it, there are going to be some big changes. First, no more of this evolution nonsense. Its just a theory, like gravity or, more than likely, a hoax, like the moon landing.

And global warming? What a bunch of malarkey. I accidentally locked myself out of the house in February when I stepped outside in my boxers to get the mail, something that will make a climate-change denier out of any rational, pantsless person at 28 degrees in about two minutes. So, thats out.

Therefore, I demand no more kickball, as well as a ban on Fonzie impressions.

I look forward in the near future to a new law on school challenges amending the new law on school challenges and trust the reasonable, rational legislators of Florida to do the right thing.

My fellow nut jobs  er, I mean concerned citizens  and I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT VISIT!
WASHINGTON  Across 25 years and five administrations, we have kicked the North Korean can down the road. We are now out of road.

On July 4, North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile apparently capable of hitting the United States. As yet, only Alaska. Soon, every American city.

Moreover, Pyongyang claims to have already fitted miniaturized nuclear warheads on intermediate range missiles. Soon, on ICBMs.

Secretary of State Rex Tillersons initial reaction to this game changer was not encouraging. Global action is required to stop a global threat, he declared.

This, in diplo-speak, is a cry for (multilateral) help. Alas, there will be none. Because, while this is indeed a global threat, there is no such thing as global interests. There are individual national interests and they diverge. In this case, radically.

Take Russia and China. If theres to be external pressure on North Korea, it would come from them. Will it? On Tuesday, they issued a joint statement proposing a deal: North Korea freezes nuclear and missile testing in return for America abandoning large-scale joint exercises with South Korea.

This is a total nonstarter. The exercises have been the backbone of the U.S.-South Korea alliance for half a century. Abandonment would signal the end of an enduring relationship that stabilizes the region and guarantees South Korean independence. In exchange for what?

A testing freeze? The offer doesnt even pretend to dismantle North Koreas nuclear program, which has to be our minimal objective. Moreover, weve negotiated multiple freezes over the years with Pyongyang. It has violated every one.

The fact that Russia and China would, amid a burning crisis, propose such a dead-on-arrival proposal demonstrates that their real interest is not denuclearization. Their real interest is cutting America down to size by breaking our South Korean alliance and weakening our influence in the Pacific Rim.

These are going to be our partners in solving the crisis?

And yet, relying on Chinas good graces appeared to be Donald Trumps first resort for solving North Korea. Until he declared two weeks ago (by tweet, of course) that China had failed. At least I know China tried! he added.

They did? Trump himself tweeted out on Wednesday that Chinese trade with North Korea increased by almost 40 percent in the first quarter, forcing him to acknowledge that the Chinese havent been helping.

Indeed not. The latest North Korean missile is menacing not just because of its 4,000-mile range, but because it is road mobile. And the transporter comes from China.

In the calculus of nuclear deterrence, mobility guarantees inviolability. (The enemy cannot find, and therefore cannot pre-empt, a mobile missile.) Its a huge step forward for Pyongyang. Supplied by Beijing.

How many times must we be taught that Beijing does not share our view of denuclearizing North Korea? It prefers a divided peninsula, i.e., sustaining its client state as a guarantee against a unified Korea (possibly nuclear) allied with the West and sitting on its border.

Nukes assure regime survival. Thats why the Kims have so single-mindedly pursued them. The lessons are clear. Saddam Hussein, no nukes: hanged. Moammar Gadhafi, gave up his nuclear program: killed by his own people. The Kim dynasty, possessing an arsenal of 10-16 bombs: untouched, soon untouchable.

What are our choices? Trump has threatened that if China doesnt help well have to go it alone. If so, the choice is binary: acquiescence or war.

War is almost unthinkable, given the proximity of the Demilitarized Zone to the 10 million people of Seoul. A mere conventional war would be devastating. And could rapidly go nuclear.

Acquiescence is not unthinkable. After all, we did it when China went nuclear under Mao Zedong, whose regime promptly went insane under the Cultural Revolution.

The hope for a third alternative, getting China to do the dirty work, is mostly wishful thinking. Theres talk of sanctioning other Chinese banks. Will that really change Chinas strategic thinking? Bourgeois democracies believe that economics supersedes geostrategy. Maybe for us. But for dictatorships? Rarely.

If we want to decisively alter the strategic balance, we could return U.S. tactical nukes (withdrawn in 1991) to South Korea. Or we could encourage Japan to build a nuclear deterrent of its own. Nothing would get more quick attention from the Chinese. They would face a radically new strategic dilemma: Is preserving North Korea worth a nuclear Japan?

We do have powerful alternatives. But each is dangerous and highly unpredictable. Which is why the most likely ultimate outcome, by far, is acquiescence.
WASHINGTON -- President Trump has performed a service of sorts to our debate over how the United States views itself and its role in the world. He has reminded the democratic left and the democratic right -- note the small "d" -- that they share more common ground than they often realize about the importance of democracy, the gifts of modernity, and the value of pluralism.

Trump has done this by articulating, fitfully and inconsistently, a dark worldview rooted in nationalism, authoritarianism, discomfort with ethnic and religious differences, and a skepticism about the modern project. He did this again during a European visit that was disconcerting both for what Trump said and for the isolation of the United States within the very "West" whose cause the president claims to champion.

His lack of constancy makes it difficult to judge exactly what he believes. We commonly describe his contradictions as the product of administration power struggles between Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller, the populist nationalists, and James Mattis and H.R. McMaster, the representatives of a more conventional approach to foreign policy.

On the days when Trump pledges allegiance to NATO and our allies, we see Defense Secretary Mattis and national security adviser McMaster as winning. When Trump veers off this course by dissing allies and going rhetorically apocalyptic, we declare senior White House aides Bannon and Miller triumphant.

Optimists about Trump insist that "the grown-ups," as Mattis and McMaster are often somewhat obnoxiously described by old foreign policy hands, will eventually limit the damage the president can cause us. The last several days should push them toward reappraising their hopefulness.

Trump's European trip, including his meeting with Vladimir Putin, was always going to be a high-wire act, given the president's unpredictability and his allergy to briefing books. For Trump, everything is personal, which means he's subject to being easily played. Foreign leaders know that flattering him is the way to his heart -- the Chinese and Saudis seemed to have understood this well -- and that his deepest commitments appear to be to his business interests.

But to the extent that Trump does have a gut instinct about the world, it seems closer to Bannon's. The president's spontaneous outbursts, his Twitter revelations, and his reactions to individual foreign leaders point Bannon's way.

Trump has spoken with far greater affection for Putin, Saudi princes and the right-wing nationalists now in power in Poland than for democratic pluralists such as Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Emmanuel Macron. At the G-20 summit, in fact, both Merkel and Macron sounded more like post-World War II American presidents than Trump did.

And the ambiguity about what Trump said during his two-hour meeting with Putin about Russian meddling in the 2016 election (the administration denied that Trump had accepted Putin's denials, as Russia claimed, but its own account of what Trump actually did tell him was hardly reassuring) only underscored the president's reluctance to confront the Russian leader on anything. "Trump gave Putin exactly what he wanted" was the headline on a commentary in the New York Times by Russian writer and dissident Masha Gessen. It was hard to deny its truth.

In his speech in Poland on Thursday, Trump did commit himself to the Western alliance, but in an otherwise gloomy, backward-looking and Manichaean address.

"The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive," Trump said. "Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it?" If we fail to defend what our "ancestors" passed down to us, Trump warned, "it will never, ever exist again."

To which one might respond: Yikes! Trump's words were remarkably similar to Bannon's pronouncements in a speech to a traditionalist Catholic group in Rome in 2014. Bannon spoke of a "Judeo-Christian West" that finds itself "in a crisis" and confronts a "new barbarity" that "will completely eradicate everything that we've been bequeathed over the last 2,000, 2,500 years."

This dire view should remind the democratic left and the democratic right that while they have disagreed on many aspects of American foreign policy over the last two decades, they share some deep allegiances. These include a largely positive assessment of what the modern world has achieved; a hopeful vision of what could lie before us; a commitment to democratic norms as the basis of our thinking about the kind of world we seek; and a belief that ethnic and religious pluralism are to be celebrated, not feared.

They also see alliances with fellow democracies as serving us better than pacts with autocratic regimes that cynically tout their devotion to "traditional values" as cover for old-fashioned repression and expansionism.

Democrats have many incentives for opposing Trump. But it's Republicans who have the power that comes from controlling Congress. Their willingness to stand up to a president of their own party could determine the future of democracy and pluralism. He is, alas, a man whose commitment to these values we have reason to doubt, and his European jaunt did nothing to calm those fears.

The Washington Post
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit [official website] on Friday dismissed [order, PDF] Hawaiis appeal to challenge the rules of the Trump administrations travel ban. The three-judge panel decided that the court did not have jurisdiction, clarifying that the question should be posed to the US Supreme Court. Hawaii was lodging an attempt to allow grandparents and certain other relatives to be classified as having a bona fide relationship, allowing them to come into the US. It is unclear what steps Hawaii might take now that the Ninth Circuit has declined to address the issue. As it stands the only relationships that are classified as bona fide connections are parents, spouses, sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, fiances and siblings.

The travel ban has been a contentious topic since the Trump administration first implemented the executive order [materials], and continues to face a series of federal legal action. On Thursday a federal judge in Hawaii denied [JURIST report] the states attempt to exempt grandparents the ban. In June the US District Court for the Western District of Washington denied in part [JURIST report] and granted in part a motion to dismiss a class action suit filed against President Donald Trump and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) [official website]. Also in June the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan 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. Earlier that same month the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled against [JURIST report] the majority of Trumps revised executive order limiting travel from six Muslim-majority countries. That ruling affirmed [JURIST report] the majority of a district court injunction in March that blocked the order from being enforced. In May a federal district court in Washington granted a temporary restraining order [JURIST report] to allow legal aid groups to continue to provide certain kinds of assistance to undocumented immigrants.
A judge for the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan [official website] on Thursday extended his ruling [order, PDF] that Iraqi nationals with orders to leave the US cannot be deported for another two weeks. The order temporarily blocks the deportation of more than 1,400 Iraqi nationals until July 24. The American Civil Liberties Union, representing the Iraqi nationals, cited [CNN report] fears of persecution, torture or even death upon return to their country. The US attorney general had argued that the district court did not have jurisdiction over the issue, instead arguing that it should be up for the immigration courts to decide.

Many of the individuals affected by this temporary stay to deportation have failed to attain travel documents from the Iraqi government because they refused to grant them papers. This ruling continues a stay of the deportation order to protect 1,444 Iraqi immigrants from deportation, first issued [JURIST report] in June. In March President Donald Trump [official profile] reached an agreement with Iraq to allow the country to allow deportees in exchange [NPR report] for removing Iraq from the list of banned countries. The country continues to argue over the legality of implementing the travel ban, though it seems that the country will finally have a ruling on the issue in the coming months. In June the Supreme Court of the United States [court website] agreed to review [JURIST report] the Trump administrations travel ban, partially lifting the temporary injunction that had blocked the bans enforcement.
[JURIST] A wounded officer in a Baton Rouge shooting [TIME report] last year filed a lawsuit [complaint] in the US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana [official website] Friday alleging that Black Lives Matter [advocacy website] and five of its leaders were responsible for inciting violence that led to the attack. The complaint lists a long timeline of events across the country connected to the Black Lives Matter movement and alleges damages greater than $75,000. According to the complaint:

At least eleven (11) police have been shot dead and at least nine (9) more wounded by BLM protesters, activists, and/or supporters. The leaders of BLM and Defendants, not only, incited the violence against police in retaliation for the death of black men shot by police, but also did nothing to dissuade the ongoing violence and injury to police. In fact, they justified the violence as necessary to the movement and war.

Black Lives Matter leaders have denied [Reuters report] any accusations that their movement promotes violence against police officers.

This suit comes a year after the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations filed suit [JURIST report] against the Baton Rouge police department for violating the First Amendment rights of protesters who were peacefully protesting the police killing of Alton Sterling. The DOJ had announced that it intended to investigate [JURIST report] the police killing of Sterling before the suit was filed last year. The movement has led to other actions around the country recently as civil rights groups in June filed a suit against Chicago for racial discrimination by the police force, and the Arizona Governor in April signed a Blue Lives Matter law [JURIST reports] to make stricter penalties for assaulting police officers.
[JURIST] Venezuelan political prisoner Leopoldo Lopez [BBC profile] was released from a military prison Saturday on house arrest after the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice ordered his release [Twitter page, in Spanish] due to health concerns. Lopez has been detained by the government since early 2014 on a 13-year sentence after being charged with inciting anti-government protests. Venezuela has been facing anti-government protests for 100 days [AP report], and the release of Lopez has raised hopes for the opposition. He was briefly seen [NYT report] in front of his home on Saturday kissing the Venezuelan flag but making no remarks to supporters as per the conditions of his release.

Venezuelas government has faced significant tension in its treatment of political opposition, especially Lopez. The EU Council in May urged [JURIST report] the Venezuelan government to release political prisoners and hold elections to end the violent protests in the country. A Venezuelan appeals court in Caracas in April 2016 upheld [JURIST report] Lopezs sentence. In March of that same year, Venezuelas National Assembly approved [JURIST report] an amnesty law that would free 77 individuals allegedly jailed for political reasons under a number of crimes such as the instigation of violence or commission of treason, but the President vowed to veto the law. In November 2016 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein called for [JURIST report] the protection of political opposition leaders associated with an assassinated Venezuelan opposition leader while he was on state with Lopezs wife, Lilian Tintori.
Dallas, TX, USA, 07/10/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

A Dallas County jury found a married father of three young children not guilty of indecency with a child. The defendant, represented by Dallas criminal defense lawyer John Helms, was accused of touching the genitals of an underage relative when she was 11 and 12 years old. Mr. Helms client could have been sentenced to prison for two to twenty years if he was found guilty. The jury took less than two hours to decide the case on June 29.

I am very grateful to the jury for their careful consideration of this case, Mr. Helms said. This has been an extremely long and difficult ordeal for my client. I am so glad he can now go home to his wife and children knowing it is over. Mr. Helms and his co-counsel, Jeff Morrow, tried the case over three days from June 27 to 29, in the 363rd Judicial District Court of Dallas County, Texas.

Indecency with a child is a Texas criminal offense more commonly known as Child Molestation. In these cases the prosecution needs to prove the victim was under 17 years old and that the molestation was either by exposure or by sexual contact. In this case, the state didnt carry its burden of proof and the jury didnt deliberate long before finding in the defendants favor.

John Helms has been a trial lawyer for more than 20 years. He is a former federal criminal prosecutor who never lost a trial or appeal. Helms is a solo practitioner with exceptional experience and expertise as a trial lawyer. Previously a partner in top-tier law firms, Helms has worked on some of the most complex cases and represented some of the largest corporations in the country.

If you or a loved one have been charged with a crime in the Dallas area, you should strongly consider hiring someone who really knows the ins and outs of the law. Contact criminal defense lawyer John Helms at (214) 666-8010 or fill out his online contact form. You can discuss your case, how the law may apply and your best legal options to protect your rights and freedom.

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John Helms

(214) 666-8010

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source: http://johnhelms.attorney/dallas-county-jury-finds-john-helms-client-not-guilty-indecency-child/

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Philadelphia, 07/10/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

Any type of personal injury can be scary, but getting injured at work is especially terrifying. When your livelihood is on the line, its normal to have a lot of questions and concerns. You may feel anxious and scared about the future. If youve been injured on the job, one of your first questions might be related to what types of benefits youre eligible to receive.

Until youre injured in the workplace, you might not know exactly how workers compensation works, or how an injured worker goes about applying for benefits. This is why its important to contact an experienced Philadelphia workers compensation lawyer.

What Types of Workers Compensation Benefits Can I Receive?

Workers compensation benefits depend on several factors. For example, the type of injury and its severity play a role in determining the benefits youre qualified to collect. This is where your lawyer will explain which types of benefits you can apply for, including:

Weekly Wages  You might qualify for wage replacement up to a specific amount.

Medical Expenses  Workers compensation will cover all medical costs arising from the injury you suffered at work. You dont have to worry about paying anything out of pocket for doctors visits, prescription drugs, surgery, rehabilitation services, or physical therapy.

Temporary Partial Disability  Even if your disability allows you to continue working, you may still be qualified to receive temporary partial disability payments through a set number of weeks.

Temporary Total Disability  You may be eligible to receive temporary disability payments for a certain number of weeks.

Permanent Partial Disability  Permanent partial disability payments are awarded to workers whose injuries leave them permanently disabled but not so much that they are unable to work. Workers who receive PPD can return to work, but usually in a modified job role or different position.

Permanent Total Disability  In some cases, a work-related injury is so bad that the worker must stop working permanently. In these cases, the worker qualifies for permanent total disability payments.

Philadelphia Workers Compensation Lawyer Discusses Working with an Experienced Lawyer

Philadelphia workers compensation lawyer Rand Spear explains, Employers work with an insurance company to provide workers compensation benefits to their employees. Its important to understand that insurance companies are in the business of making money, and its in their best interest to deny benefits whenever they can. They will likely try to show that your injury took place outside of work, or that you arent hurt as badly as you claim. This is why its important to work with an experienced workers compensation lawyer right away.

Contact a Philadelphia Workers Compensation Lawyer Today

If youve been injured on the job, dont take chances with your case. Get the benefits you deserve by speaking to a knowledgeable workers compensation lawyer as soon as you can. Get the help and peace of mind you deserve by calling Philadelphia and New Jersey workers compensation lawyer Rand Spear today at 877-GET-RAND.

Sources:

source: http://randspear.com/2017/06/26/pa-workers-compensation-lawyer-answers-types-benefits-can-get/

Social Media Tags: PA Workers Comp lawyer, Philadelphia Workers Compensation Attorney, Rand Spear New Jersey and Philadelphia workers comp lawyer

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Prosecutors on Sunday made another attempt at winning an arrest warrant for the daughter of ex-President Park Geun-hye's confidante Choi Soon-sil.

Prosecutors earlier this month sought an arrest warrant for Chung Yoo-ra, who is thought to have been a major beneficiary of her mother and Park's extortion racket.

But they only sought the warrant over charges to do with Choi wrangling illegal favors for her daughter from the prestigious Ewha Womans University. The court said there was insufficient evidence that Chung herself played a major role in her admission or that the charge is serious enough to keep Chung in jail for.

But this time prosecutors have brought out bigger guns, adding charges of concealing criminal proceeds. A prosecution spokesman said investigators discovered "fresh and significant" evidence that Chung hid W7.8 billion in alleged bribes from Samsung masked as support for her equestrian training (US$1=W1,135).

Chung allegedly bought pure-bred with the money but sold them in a rush when the scandal surrounding Park and her mother blew up last year. Prosecutors have already questioned the groom of Chung's horse and the nanny of her infant son, focusing on how the slush fund was spent.

Chung has pleaded ignorance of all charges.


Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

How do you remove your makeup? I'm sure that you've tried a lot of makeup remover sold in the market today. Can I say that this generation is so lucky because there are different types you can choose from? Facial wipes, cleansing oils, and facial foams to name a few plus a new type of cleanser- the micellar water that's been getting good reviews from beauty bloggers and makeup enthusiasts all over the world.





Biore, a very popular skincare brand in Japan finally reached the Philippine shores. The brand offers skin cleansing products that are gentle yet effective in removing makeup residue. I've known the brand since I was in college because of their nose strips and yes I'm amazed that they have a wide array of cleansing products, especially with their makeup removers. Sharing with my thoughts on Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water after the jump :)





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!





Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Facial Sheets





Cleanse and care with smooth cleansing oil and hydrating beauty essence. This is the first Biore makeup remover that I've tried last year and I'm sold because it's true to its claim of superior cleansing ability and speedy yet gentle cleaning on the face and eye area.





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Facial Sheets





Claims:

Thoroughly removes all traces of makeup including waterproof mascara without irritating or drying your skin.

Minimises repeated wiping by 50% on eyelashes, eye area, and face.

No greasy or sticky feeling after use as cleansing oil does not remain on skin.

Contains hydrating beauty essence that leaves skin moist and smooth.

100% natural fibre sheets for a softer glide on skin.





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Facial Sheets



size: 10 sheets

also available in 44 sheets and 44 sheets with case





price: 99 php (Around $1.95)

315 php (Around $6.21) and 429 php (Around $8.46)





place bought: Free

Available in Watsons and SM Beauty Stores nationwide





instructions for use: Using clean hands, gently wipe off makeup with a sheet. For removing waterproof eyeliner and mascara, gently press the eye area for one minute until the makeup dissolves.





ingredients: Water (Aqua), Isododecane, Butylene Glycol, PPG-9 Diglyceryl Ether, Dicaprylyl Ether, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Fragrance (Parfum), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-12 Laureth, Potassium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Facial Sheets



Ever since I started using makeup, I prefer makeup remover wipes because they are easy to use and easily accessible. What I love about Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Facial Sheets is the size, not too big nor too small. It's a plus for not dripping wet and has a subtle floral scent. It can remove waterproof makeup easily too. I also like that it's affordable and available in leading department stores nationwide. One of my favorites from Biore Cleansing line :)

Biore URU URU 2in1 Cleanser





This foaming facial wash is suitable for all skin types. Cut down the double cleansing step as this product can do that in just one wash. Biore URU URU 2in1 Instant Foaming Wash Cleanser combines makeup removal and facial cleansing in one step. The ultra-fine foam lifts away light makeup, penetrates deep into pores to remove all dirt, impurities, and residues.





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!! Biore URU URU 2in1 Cleanser



Claims:

Instant foam in just one pump. Convenient and time-saving.

Soft, dense foam for gentle cleansing.

With 40% beauty essence (rosehip extract, royal jelly extract, and glycerin) for Uru Uru skin (soft and moisturised).





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

Biore URU URU 2in1 Cleanser has foamy and creamy lather



size: 160 ml





price: 299 php (Around $5.90+)





place bought: Free

Available in Watsons and SM Beauty Stores nationwide





instructions for use: Can be used in both and dry condition. Pump appropriate amount of foam onto palm and massage on wet face. Rinse thoroughly with water.





ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, PPG-9 Diglyceryl Ether, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Decyl Glucoside, Alcohol, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Potassium Hydroxide, Fragrance (Parfum), Betaine, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, BHT, Royal Jelly Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

Before and after using Biore URU URU 2in1 Cleanser





Biore URU URU 2in1 Cleanser is really fun to use because of the foamy and creamy texture. I only need a single pump for light makeup. It has a rich lather and thick lather and doesn't cause friction when applying all over the face. it made my skin soft, smooth and radiant after cleansing. If you're using a heavy and waterproof mascara, you may opt to use the cleansing oil first before washing your face with this cleanser. I only wish there's a refill bag for this since the bottle is sturdy enough and will last a long time so it would be economical if they have refills instead of buying another bottle.





Biore Cleansing Oil







Gentle makeup cleansing oil that washes away stubborn makeup, even waterproof mascara. An oil-based makeup remover that has an excellent cleansing ability that makes makeup removal so quick and easy. If you apply heavy makeup every day, or you like creating makeup up pegs, this product saves time and effort removing layers of makeup. It removes waterproof mascara easily and lifts away dirt and skin impurities.





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

Biore Cleansing Oil

No greasy and sticky feeling on the skin after use.

Gentle and mild on skin.

Refreshing fragrance.

Unlike typical makeup removers, it doesn't emulsify upon contact with water thus maintaining its optimal cleansing performance at all times.





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

Biore Cleansing Oil semi-watery consistency



size: 150 ml





price: 299 php (Around $5.9+)





place bought: Free

Available in Watsons and SM Beauty Stores nationwide





instructions for use: Appy an appropriate amount of cleansing oil on face and massage gently to dissolve makeup. Rinse thoroughly with water.





ingredients: Mineral Oil, PEG-12 Laurate, Isododecane, Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Decyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 85, Glyceryl Oleate, Isostearic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Ether, Myristyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, BHT, Fragrance, Tocopherol





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

A little amount of Biore Cleansing Oil goes a long way!



I veered away from cleansing oil because I find it too thick for my combination skin. Since I don't use heavy makeup, I'm okay with cleansing wipes and facial foam cleansers. But I have to try and see if this cleansing oil lives true to the claims so I tested Biore Cleansing Oil last week. I was surprised that Biore's formulation is not heavy on my face, a little goes a long way and dissolves makeup quickly especially waterproof mascara. The only thing I noticed that it stings my sensitive eyes during application. It has a subtle fruity scent which is a plus for me because I also have a sensitive nose.





Biore Micellar Cleansing Water





This lightweight yet effective makeup remover lifts off makeup and dirt from pores, leaving skin soft and moist feeling. Micellar Water Technology dissolves and lifts off more traces of makeup including mascara and eyeliner with less tugging on skin. Biore Micellar Cleansing Water has two variants- Moist Up for dry to normal skin and Oil Contol for Oily or Combination Skin.





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

Biore Micellar Cleansing Water





Claims:

Natural Mineral Water from Northern Japanese Alps- gentle on skin.

Anti-bacterial formula- helps prevent pimples, and breakouts, and minises pores for a clearer, more refined complexion.

Enriched collagen- leaves skin softer and more supple.

Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

Biore Micellar Cleansing Water Oil Control variant has Oil Control formula- removes excess sebum and controls oil to leave skin feeling refreshed for longer.



Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

Biore Micellar Cleansing Water Moist Up variant has Hydrating formula- hydrates and leaves skin feeling soft and smooth after cleansing.



size: 300 ml

Also available in 90 ml





price: 460 php (Around $9.0+)

189 php (Around $3.70+)





place bought: Free

Available in Watsons and SM Beauty Stores nationwide





instructions for use: Pump an appropriate amount onto a cotton pad. Used soaked cotton pad to gently wipe off makeup. No rinsing required. For eye makeup, placed soaked cotton pad onto closed eyes and hold for 5 seconds before gently wiping off.





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!



Drum roll please... my newest fave! At first, I thought I broke out using this but after using this alone to remove my HG (holy grail) makeup, I found out that the culprit is the Shiseido Foundation that I'm also road-testing. Anyhoo, this makeup remover is one for the books. It's Oil-free, fragrance-free, alcohol-free, colorant free, non-comedogenic, allergy and ophthalmologist tested.





Product Review: Biore Cleansing Line- Oil Cotton Facial Sheets, URU URU 2in1 Cleanser, Cleansing Oil, and Micellar Water + GIVEAWAY!!!

See all the makeup and dirt from my waterproof mascara. Don't freak out, those are mascara fibers and not my lashes :)





What I love about Biore Micellar Cleansing Water in Oil Control Formula (for my combination skin)- its made from natural mineral water, super gentle on skin, did not break me out, no sting on my sensitive eyes, made my skin soft and supple. It has collagen, and in long time use can make pores looks smaller. Though the price may not be budget friendly, it lives up to its promise.





Biore's Newest Makeup Remover + Dear Kitty Kittie Kath Giveaway




The Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday again refused to issue an arrest warrant for the daughter of ex-President Park Geun-hye's confidante Choi Soon-sil.

Judge Kwon Soon-ho explained that the court sees no need to detain Chung Yoo-ra given her level of involvement in the corruption scandal that brought Park down.

Chung was extradited from Denmark late last month


The United States will step up pressure on China to ensure that it enforces sanctions against North Korea in the wake of Pyongyang's recent missile launch, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Sunday.

Haley said that while the United States wants to avoid conflict, it is committed to halting North Korea's nuclear drive.

"The fact that they launched an intercontinental ballistic missile test is hugely dangerous not just for us, but for so many of our friends in the world, and we've got to put a stop to it," Haley told CBS television.

"So we're going to fight hard on this. We're going to push hard not just on North Korea, we're going to push hard on other countries who are not abiding by the resolutions and not abiding by the sanctions against North Korea. And we're going to push hard against China because 90 percent of the trade that happens with North Korea is from China, and so while they have been helpful, they need to do more," she added.
KEARNEY  Same as the temperature, business was hot Sunday at Art in the Park.

At the annual Kearney Artists Guild event, vendors from Nebraska and throughout the Midwest showed their creations in 55 white tents in Harmon Park. They offered paintings of all kinds, metal creations, jewelry, pottery and much more.

Alex Olsen of Odessa stood fingering a colorful cracker holder made by Phyll Klima of Salina, Kan. Olsens mother-in-law, Lori Brede, was curious about it, too.

The piece was inspired by a chicken feeder on the farm owned by Klimas grandmother, who ran Bourns Hatchery for years. Bourn, an artist for 42 years, teaches adult education classes in Salina.

Nearby Klimas display, Sue Perez exhibited her colorful pictures of animals, done in colored pencil. She loves coming to Art in the Park from her North Platte home to sell her striking work. Some pieces, such as one of a cats face, are as large as 35 inches by 40 inches.

That one took me five months to do, Perez said. She sells at just three art shows a year, but she loves coming to Kearney because its close.

She added that the crowds are good, and its just a one-day event, which she likes.

John Younger of Minden was browsing the black-and-white ceramic creations of Megan Schroll, who came from Lincoln to exhibit her work at the show.

The crowds are very good here, Schroll said. This is her third year at Art in the Park, and she was enthusiastic about the crowds and her sales.

Beth Gardner of Grand Island, wearing a cool sleeveless dress, sat immersed in her brightly colored abstract acrylics. At the end of the afternoon, Anthony Beach of Kearney stopped by. Hes engaged to Gardners daughter Kelle.

Gardner had sold four pieces by days end, twice as many as last year, but her best year was 2015, when she sold 11 pieces, Still, she was smiling. She had a good day, she said.

The event attracted children, too, including Josie White, 6, and her sister Charlotte, 8, who were examining nearly folded piles of Art in the Park T-shirts from this year and previous years. The girls, daughters of Kaitlyn White of Kearney, are pupils at Northeast School.

One unusual product was a wooden beer tote made by Luke Batterman, who calls himself Lumberjack Luke. The wooden carrying case is designed like a six-pack and has a built-in can opener. It adjusts to standard and larger bottles.

His sister, Jessica Batterman, came from Council Bluffs to sell it and other wooden pieces at the show.

Music and food were part of the fun, too, at the show.
LINCOLN  Scam artists based in Florida are posing as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska representatives and using fake Google and Manta listings bearing Blue Crosss logo and web address, along with bogus physical addresses in Omaha, Attorney General Doug Peterson warned on Monday.

Investigators working for BCBSNE believe the scam is affiliated with an entity called Simple Health based in Hollywood, Fla., Peterson said in a press release. When contacted by phone, the scam artists collect personal information and offer insurance plans well below market value.

Simple Health victims have reported online that the company charges their credit card monthly but never provides insurance cards or proof of coverage. It also makes it difficult to cancel service.

Peterson said Nebraska consumers should be wary of calling any telephone number other than one available on BCBSNEs official webpage in order to purchase insurance. Consumers who may have been victimized by the scam can contact the Attorney Generals Consumer Protection Division at 800-727-6432.
LINCOLN (AP)  Nebraska lawmakers are looking for ways to increase mental health services in areas that lack psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors, but that could prove difficult amid a tight state budget

Nebraska has a nearly statewide shortage of mental and behavioral health professionals, but advocates say the problem is particularly bad in rural parts of the state. One senator said the solution may lie in a state-funded internship program to attract more behavioral and mental health students who are working toward advanced degrees.

Sen. John Stinner of Gering said he plans to convene different groups at hearing on Sept. 8 to see how the state might pay for such an incentive.

We have a big demand for that type of service, but were short on personnel, said Stinner, chairman of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee.

Lawmakers this year delayed spending on some state expenses and cut funding available for services aimed at people with developmental disabilities.

Providers say that a lack of mental and behavioral health services can mean that schools and police end up dealing with the problems.

Wages remain one of the biggest obstacles to keeping well-trained providers in rural areas, said Barbara Vogel, the administrator for western Nebraskas Region I behavioral health authority in Scottsbluff.

Vogel said rural areas have a particularly great need for nurse practitioners who specialize in behavioral health and are legally qualified to prescribe medication. Some areas also have a shortage of providers to treat sex offenders, she said.

Practitioners might come out for an internship, but they dont stay, Vogel said. They can get thousands of dollars more per year in eastern parts of the state with its larger population.

Many providers who stay in rural areas get swamped by the huge demand for mental and behavioral health services, said Dr. Catherine Jones-Hazledine, a clinical psychologist and owner of Western Nebraska Behavioral Health. Jones-Hazledine, who is based in Rushville, travels to eight different sites in rural western Nebraska to see patients. Once a week, she drives to a clinic in Valentine more than 100 miles from Rushville.

With most of the clinics I visit, its back to back, Jones-Hazledine said. Its very common for me to not take a lunch break.

Jones-Hazledine said some of the burden falls to primary care doctors who dont have specialized training for patients with mental health problems or addictions. Some patients travel to Scottsbluff; Rapid City, South Dakota; or Denver, Colorado for specialized treatment.

Setting aside state money for an internship program would help, but the bigger challenge is getting advanced-level interns to stay in rural areas, Jones-Hazledine said.

Jones-Hazledine said state officials should focus their incentives on students who grew up in rural areas because theyre more likely to return. Jones-Hazledine was raised in the Rushville area and returned after receiving her education at the University of Chicago and the University of Nebrsaka-Lincoln. For the last five years, she has helped with a youth camp designed to draw aspiring practitioners to rural Nebraska.

Getting them out here for a year is great, but thats not what we need, she said.

New technology can relieve some of the burden by allowing patients to talk to specialists online, said Annette Dubas, executive director of the Nebraska Association of Behavior Health Organizations. But Dubas, a former state senator, said many providers are concerned about state-funded reimbursement rates for Medicaid patients.

Nebraska is struggling to provide adequate mental health services and faces challenges in its efforts to curb binge drinking and substance abuse, according to a December report by a legislative task force. The report found the shortages were most severe in rural areas and recommended that the state set aside money for post-graduate fellowships in psychiatry for physician assistants and psychiatric nurses.

A separate University of Nebraska Medical Center assessment found that only 7 percent of Nebraska residents who abuse alcohol get treatment. Project Extra Mile has said excessive drinking costs Nebraska residents over $1.1 billion a year, $491 million of which falls on the government.
Many of Donald Trumps tweets are impulsive and repulsive, inaccurate and incendiary. But one of his recent blasts on social media was correct: My use of social media is not Presidential  its MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL.

Trump has shrewdly and successfully used social media to spread his message directly to his supporters without the messy and annoying scrutiny of mainstream journalists. In effect, hes created the TBN, the Trump Broadcasting Network. And with more than 30 million followers on Twitter alone  who can then retweet his missives to their own connections  his reach is enormous.

Trump is probably right when he says that without social media, he would not be president. The FAKE & FRAUDULENT NEWS MEDIA is working hard to convince Republicans and others I should not use social media, he tweeted, but remember, I won the 2016 election with interviews, speeches and social media. I had to beat #FakeNews, and did. We will continue to WIN!

But the larger and more critical question is what he actually says on social media now that hes president. How does he use this powerful platform to convey his policies and values?

To his core followers, hes still a hero. But to many Americans, including a growing number of Republicans, hes not winning on social media. Hes losing. Instead of elevating public discourse, hes lowering it; instead of dignifying his office, hes demeaning it.

In a recent NPR/Marist poll, 7 out of 10 Americans, with little partisan difference, agree the level of civility in Washington has gotten worse since President Trump was elected, while just 6 percent say the overall tone has improved. And Trumps vitriolic diatribes on Twitter contribute heavily to that climate of contentiousness.

In a Politico poll, 69 percent said Trump tweets too much. Fifty-nine percent called his Twitter habit a bad thing and only 23 percent called it a good thing. Even Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, concedes that hes not a great fan of Trumps tweets. The presidents repeated outbursts dominate news coverage and drain energy and attention away from his own legislative agenda.

The news media has long been a favorite target of Trumps social media machine, and lately his obsession has gotten worse. Hes pursued an inane vendetta against morning talk show hosts Joe Scarborough (Psycho Joe) and Mika Brzezinski (low I.Q. Crazy Mika). And hes repeatedly labeled CNN fake news and garbage journalism.

Trump reached a new low, even for him, when he posted an old video of himself, made to promote pro wrestling, pummeling an opponent to the ground. The foes head, however, is replaced with the distinctive CNN logo.

In the current climate, where a deranged shooter feels free to attack Republican congressmen just because of their politics, journalists rightly fear for their safety. But the presidents real goal is not to endanger journalists security  its to undermine their credibility. His tweets might seem unhinged, but theres a careful strategy behind them.

Hes trying to convince voters that they should not believe his critics. In Trumps Twitter World, there are no independent provable facts, only fake news.

We believe deeply that journalists must protect the public by preventing their leaders from doing things that shouldnt be done.

But we also believe that journalists must perform that role accurately and ethically. No cheap shots or flimsy stories.
Two Western doctors who visited ailing Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo in a Chinese hospital Saturday say it is not too late for him to travel overseas for medical treatment.

However, the doctors, one from Germany and one from the United States, said in a statement that any medical evacuation would have to take place "as quickly as possible."

Joseph Herman of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in the U.S. and Markus Buchler of Germany's University of Heidelberg said Liu and his family had asked that he be treated in Germany or the United States.

The 61-year-old Liu was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for "his long and nonviolent struggle for fundamental human rights in China" before being transferred to a hospital in the northeastern city of Shenyang for treatment of terminal liver cancer.

Number One Teaching Hospital of the China Medical Sciences University said the two doctors approved of the treatment Liu is receiving.

Liu was jailed following a conviction of "inciting subversion of state power" after he helped write a petition known as Charter 08 that called for democratic reforms in China.

He was granted medical parole to the hospital in late June.

On Friday evening, the hospital said that Liu's appetite was "quite poor" and that abdominal fluid that had built up had been drained.
More than 80 years ago, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued an executive order called the Rural Electrification and Telephone Service Act of 1936. It provided federal loans to bring utilities to expensive-to-serve and hard-to-reach rural areas.

One of the acts chief proponents was a senator from Nebraska named George Norris, who recognized the importance of electricity and phone service to the economic and social well-being of rural communities. Without service, rural America couldnt compete in a changing world.

Well, the ensuing eight decades have brought more changes. Broadband internet and cell service are todays equivalent to electricity and phone. The hurdles to bringing faster internet to rural America are almost identical to the ones in the 1930  expense and logistics. The solutions will require equal creativity and, most likely, a little federal oomph. And Nebraskans stand to benefit if this gets figured out sooner rather than later.

President Trumps recent pledge to ford the digital divide as part of an infrastructure plan is heartening, but its certainly not a straight line from a presidents lips to a Logan County farmers laptop. Ultimately it will require action on lots of governmental levels and partnerships with providers.

The need, however, is unquestionable. And its a need that should be felt by all Nebraskans, not just those who want to stream a two-hour movie in something close to two hours. All Nebraskans have a vested interest in a thriving rural lifestyle. Some want a place to go home to. Some want a place of peace. Some simply want affordable food, made possible by farmers and ranchers having access to better technology. And all will benefit by creating more places in the state where innovation and new business ideas can take root.

The Journal Stars Nick Bergin talked with rural residents who need access to faster internet for work. And what parent hasnt wanted to simply download a movie and plop the kids in front of it for a couple hour break? Slow internet seeps into so many aspects of life that many of us take our relatively reliable and speedier service for granted. Solutions in rural areas, Bergin found, are expensive or nonexistent.

Right now it may not seem that access to faster internet is a matter of life and death like electricity is. But electricity may have seemed more luxury than necessity in the 1930s. If we want a thriving rural lifestyle in Nebraska, we need to take steps now.

Lincoln Journal Star
Woman passes out at gas pump

A Kenosha woman was arrested for drug possession after she passed out at a gas pump Friday night.

An employee of the PDQ, 8800 75th St., Kenosha, flagged down a deputy, concerned about the woman. When the deputy spoke with her, according to a Kenosha County Sheriffs Department report, she gave a false name and denied taking any substances that would have caused her to fall asleep.

When the deputy searched her vehicle, however, he found drug paraphernalia used to inject heroin and several pills, including an amphetamine.

Woman reports suspicious behavior

A Kenosha woman called for help after saying she believed someone had been casing her residence and that someone had tried to enter it.

According to the police report, the woman told police she received a suspicious phone call in early June, and a few weeks later found her basement storm window on the ground. On July 3 she said she heard a loud bang at her window and saw a flashlight beam moving through her yard in the 1700 block of 37th Street. On Friday, she called police after receiving another suspicious phone call.

Attempted entry reported to home

The residents of an apartment in the 1500 block of 61st Street reported Friday night that someone tried to get into their home.

They reported a door had been damaged, but no entry made.

Alcohol suspected factor in vehicle damage

A Mount Pleasant woman was arrested early Saturday morning after someone found her yelling for help near the intersection of 11th Avenue and 65th Street.

The woman was wearing a dress, and had smears of dirt and grass on her arms and clothing. Police reported she smelled of alcohol.

She told the officer her friends had abandoned her after they went drinking at Shenanigans, and she didnt know where she was. Her vehicle had been damaged, and at one point she said she was involved in 50 accidents, and that she had stopped driving when she knew she had had too much to drink.

She failed field sobriety tests and was given a blood test to check for the presence of alcohol. She had no prior drunken driving offenses.
BRISTOL  Camille Sene had never seen anything like it before.

The pageantry of hometown floats, military vehicles, the Kenosha County Sheriffs Department color guard and the rhythmic drumming of school marching bands filled the air outside the village hall where she was standing and helping children catch candy tossed their way.

This is so cool, said Sene, a foreign exchange student from Ren, France, who was attending her first Bristol Progress Days Parade Sunday afternoon. Its cute. Im impressed. In France, we dont do anything like this.

Sene said where shes from, they do fireworks, but not a parade, on Frances independence day.

The annual Bristol Progress Days parade, is among the most popular activities of the three-day annual festival touted as the biggest small town celebration in the state. Despite road construction on Highway 45, large crowds attended its events, culminating with fireworks at dusk Sunday night.

A family tradition

Mike Saad, of Bristol, who has been playing host to Sene as she is preparing to attend Kenosha Unified high school classes this fall, said the parade is something he and his family have enjoyed each year.

Weve been coming out here for 15 years now. Its family tradition, he said. This has always been a time for the community to get together and celebrate so we get to see some of the older community members. Its a big kinda family, community get together.

Saad said Sene just arrived a few days ago and thought the gathering would give her an idea of a true hometown celebration.

For Lori Stanford, the Bristol Progress Day parade tops them all.

Its the best parade of the year, said Stanford, of Kenosha. This one is my favorite because its very family-oriented and my kids like the candy.

The candy, of course, is among the highlights for children of all ages.

Many entries in parade

Ah, this is hilarious, said Elizabeth Johnson, of Pleasant Prairie, who was enjoying the Elvis impersonator in the procession.

She said she was attending her first Bristol Progress Days parade awaiting the Kenosha Unifieds Rambler middle school marching band, where her daughter, Amy Maurina, 14, was performing.

She plays the trumpet and loves it, she said.

Mike Block, of Yorkville, Ill., couldnt wait to see his grandaughter Riley Achteroff, of Kenosha, who was in the parade with her Girl Scout troop.

Its fantastic. Were really having a good time, he said. It moves along and its entertaining and its really nice.

Katie Molinaro of Kenosha said that  while the parade is longer than most that she and her kids Hailie, 4, and Haiden, have attended  the family was having a good time.

I enjoy it. They enjoy it, she said.

Lisa Hufnagle, who played the trumpet in grade school and was in Central High Schools marching band, was also in the parade last year handing out candy and promoting her church. She said shes loving being a spectator for once.

I think its great. Im really enjoying this, she said.
President Moon Jae-in arrived home in the early hours of Monday morning, after wrapping up a six-day trip to Germany for the turbulent G20 summit in Hamburg.

Moon had a busy itinerary in the last two weeks, when he also traveled to Washington for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

He will be taking a day off to rest without meetings with his Cabinet or top aides scheduled for Monday.
Some central parts were forecast to see more than 50 mm of rain per hour. A heavy rain advisory was issued for Incheon and some parts of Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces.

Some 50 to 100 mm of rain was expected in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and western Gangwon, 30 to 80 mm in eastern Gangwon, Chungcheong provinces, inland areas of northern North Gyeongsang Province, western South Gyeongsang Province, and Jeolla Provinces, and 5 to 40 mm in other regions.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said moist southwesterly winds blowing towards Korea encounter cold and dry air in the upper layer of the atmosphere, creating conditions for sudden localized squalls across the country.

But the rains have yet to compensate for months of drought in some areas like Pohang and Mokpo.
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As a physician who left clinical medicine because of burnout and as a writer, Im drawn to stories of physicians whose professional and personal lives have improved after reasoned interventions. So my ears jumped to attention earlier this month when a colleague at a summit on physician burnout described the positive results his practice had achieved in reducing burnout. Read Pierce, MD, is interim director of the Hospital Medicine Group (HMG) and is the associate director of the Institute for Healthcare Quality, Safety and Efficiency at the University of Colorado.

Leaders in HMG, a hospital-based internist group that includes 85 physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, conducted a detailed survey three years ago as the first step in an effort to better understand the existing culture at work. The survey gathered information from frontline clinicians on engagement, satisfaction, burnout, mentorship, safety culture, and other topics. Results indicated that 45 percent of clinicians were experiencing some degree of burnout. Initially, leaders were unsure how to respond to the results, but they made a firm commitment to action, in part based on frustration with prior institutional surveys in which similar challenges were identified but little definitive change followed.

Pierce told me that the group sifted through the data and brainstormed on possible interventions. Over time, they chose 13 (an interesting number!) to take on. Here are three of them:

1. Incubating joy. The practice developed an HMG Incubator, a group headed by three physicians that focused on identifying ways to increase joy and sustainability at work. Pierce told me that the group initially assumed their work would be primarily about removing things, specifically the daily frustrations and barriers that heighten stress levels. Instead, they uncovered a hunger for whats missing  like camaraderie, quiet time, and regular access to healthy food. Rather than choosing to be free of their pager for 30 minutes of catch up time, clinicians elected to focus on redesigning their workspaces. They created a low-cost program to make healthy food available in their common workspace (avoiding the walk to and from the cafeteria made healthy snacking doable). They are currently working on ways to provide both quiet space and social space, so people can more easily rejuvenate during the day and also know where to find colleagues when they need to talk.

2. Positive mentoring. HMG did away with the typical talk-with-the-boss evaluations once a year, which historically focused on comparison with peers and what you didnt do. Instead, the group built an ongoing mentorship program. Mentors help clinicians identify their areas of professional passion and invest in growing relevant skills. Now, the typical conversation is focused on what strengths people bring to the table, what gets them excited, and how the group can help each person do more of that type of work, at work. According to Pierce, this shift has increased the sense of support and also made it easier for leaders to look for opportunities to pass along to individuals, based on the unique passions of the clinicians in the group.

3. Redesigning work processes based on core values. The group also revamped troublesome work processes. For example, the scheduling system for clinical shifts had been a growing source of friction for the physicians. There was ongoing tension between wanting a set clinical schedule well in advance yet also needing flexibility to meet other professional and personal obligations. Moreover, physicians often felt disrespected when the final schedule was released  left with the sense that schedule preferences were not taken into account fairly across the group. About 18 months ago, the group decided to change the process  and to base the redesign on the core values of the group, which include respect, collaboration, work-life balance, and ongoing improvement. A work group interviewed all the clinicians in HMG about the scheduling process. They specifically focused on how the schedule could better represent the values of the group. They drafted a set of guidelines for scheduling that includes a transparent method for building a schedule that is more equitable in balancing individual preferences and the groups needs in terms of creating a schedule well ahead of time.

Were these interventions effective? Pierce told me that in the course of three years, the burnout rate in the practice has dropped from 45 percent to the low 30s. Turnover has decreased by 50 percent. Reported psychological safety has doubled, and more than 90 percent of people now report a strong sense of collaboration with peers. I think many physician practices would love to achieve such improvement, and many physicians would be thrilled to work in a practice so committed to their professional and personal well-being.

As for this writer hungry for hopeful stories about physicians, Im excited to hear that hospitals and practices that are beginning to get it: Clinicians need better places to work to do the kind of healing we ask them to do  and that every patient deserves.

Diane W. Shannon is an internal medicine physician who blogs at Shannon Healthcare Communications.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Two B-1B Lancer strategic bombers from the U.S. conducted live-fire drills with precision-guided munitions over the Korean Peninsula on Saturday.

The drill came in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile and was conducted amid maximum publicity.

A South Korean Air Force spokesman said, "It was a strong show of force against the North's repeated firing of ballistic missiles."
* May core orders -3.6 pct m/m vs forecast +1.7 pct

* Core orders +0.6 pct yr/yr vs forecast +7.7 pct

* Capex seen crucial for economic growth

(Adds details, govt assessment)

By Minami Funakoshi

TOKYO, July 10 (Reuters) - Japan's core machinery orders unexpectedly tumbled in May, and the government downgraded the outlook for orders for the first time in eight months, raising doubts about the strength of the economic recovery.

The result is also particularly surprising given recent signs of an upswing in momentum, and suggests policymakers will have their work cut out in their quest to foster sustainable growth, especially if businesses show reluctance to invest.

Core orders, a highly volatile data series regarded as an indicator of capital spending in the coming six to nine months, dropped 3.6 percent in May from the previous month, Cabinet Office data showed on Monday.

That sharply undershot the 1.7 percent increase expected by economists in a Reuters poll, and followed a 3.1 percent drop in April.

The government cut its assessment of machinery orders for the first time in eight months, saying they are stalling in a worrying sign businesses may be turning cautious on investing.

Japanese policymakers hope capital spending will help revitalise the world's third-largest economy and pull it out of years of deflation and stagnation.

Recent data suggested momentum was picking up, though it wasn't clear if the economic recovery was broadening out.

Japan's economy expanded an annualised 1.0 percent in the first quarter on robust exports and household spending, while business confidence hit a three-year high in the three months to June.

Compared with a year earlier, core orders, which exclude ships and orders from electric power utilities, grew 0.6 percent in May, versus the 7.7 percent growth expected by economists and the 2.7 percent rise in April.

By sector, core orders from manufacturers rose 1.0 percent in May from the previous month.

Orders from the services sector fell 5.1 percent, down for a third straight month.

(Reporting by Minami Funakoshi; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim & Shri Navaratnam)
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Golds decline to near $1,200 an ounce is an attractive buying opportunity, says Standard Chartered, which looks for an eventual pickup in prices although analysts say pressure may persist in the near term. Analysts says weakness may last for a while yet due to U.S. Treasury yields, a negative short-term impact from Indias goods and services tax, and since late July marks the end of a seasonally slow period for physical demand. We think prices are more likely to gain momentum towards year-end as a more dovish FOMC [Federal Open Market Committee] rate-hiking cycle is priced in for 2018-19 and Indias seasonal demand picks up early Q4 2017, Standard Chartered says. The most significant hurdle near term is macro headwinds facing a fragile physical floor. We see Indias GST (effective 1 July) as a temporary obstacle. Concerns over the rate prompted merchants to restock ahead of the announcement in May, meaning less buying once the tax went into effect, the bank explains. Initial reports reaffirm our view that demand is likely to be weak at first as challenges over invoicing and inventory are resolved, but thereafter to recover; retailers expect most of the issues to be resolved over the next three weeks, Standard Chartered says. The 3% GST was believed to be low enough not to stoke illegal sales of gold, and even though UAE jewelers believe they can benefit from the tax differential, we think that as early seasonal demand emerges and implementation hurdles are overcome, demand should stabilize.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

FXTM: Gold Under Pressure; Bears Seem To Be Back

Gold is under pressure again Monday due to the combination of U.S. dollar strength and rising prospects for tighter global monetary policy, says FXTM research analyst Lukman Otunuga. With Junes mixed [U.S.] jobs report supporting expectations of the Federal Reserve taking action this year, bears seem to be back, Otunuga says. It will be interesting to see how prices react to the $1,200 support and if buyers use this opportunity to propel the metal higher. From a technical standpoint, the yellow metal is coming under increasing selling pressure on the daily charts. The breakdown below $1,214 may encourage a further decline towards $1,200. As of 8:41 a.m. EDT, spot gold was down $1.90 to $1,210.30 after earlier bottoming near $1,205.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Commerzbank: Outflow For Gold ETFs; Inflow For Silver ETFs

Metal flowed out of gold exchange-traded funds Friday but into silver ETFS, reports Commerzbank. Golds renewed price slide on Friday was accompanied by ETF outflows of six tones, the bank says. Outflows totaled 22.6 tonnes last week, which corresponds to the largest weekly outflow since mid-December. By contrast, silver ETFs saw inflows of nearly 74 tonnes on Friday, though this could not prevent silver falling to a 15-month low of $15.20 per troy ounce at the start of the new week.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

MKS: Gold Unable To Draw Much Support From Bargain Hunting

Gold remained under pressure Monday from the start of trade in the Asia-Pacific region. This came after recent weakness was extended Friday due to a stronger-than-forecast U.S. jobs report. Spot gold fell as far as $1,205.40 an ounce, its weakest level since March 15. The precious metal was unable to garner much interest from bargain hunters following Friday's rout, says Sam Laughlin, senior precious-metals trader with MKS (Switzerland) S.A. Initial offers on the Shanghai open tested toward $1,210 as the on-shore premium held above $10 against London pricing; however, the figure saw decent bids on Comex to withstand a further move lower, he says. It wasn't until late in Asia that we saw a further leg lower, firstly moving through$1,210, while Friday's low print provided a brief period of support before

offers overran the level. Laughlin says initial support for the metal now between $1,200 and $1,205, with the next levels below this around $1,195 and $1,180.
COPENHAGEN, July 10 (Reuters) - Denmark's EU-harmonised consumer price index (HICP) rose 0.4 percent in June from a year earlier, the statistics office said on Monday. The rate slowed from a revised 0.8 percent increase in May, and was lower than the 0.6 percent expected by analysts in a Reuters poll. The consumer price index (CPI) according to Denmark's national method rose 0.6 percent in June year-on-year, after a 0.8 percent increase in May, Statistics Denmark said. Further details in Danish available on the Danish National Statistics Office's website .

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
CAIRO, July 10 (Reuters) - Egypt expects to receive a second loan instalment worth $1.25 billion from the International Monetary Fund within the next week, Finance Minister Amr El-Garhy told private television channel CBC on Monday.

Egypt agreed a three-year $12 billion IMF loan programme in November that is tied to ambitious economic reforms such as subsidy cuts and tax hikes.

The IMF has already there is staff-level agreement to disburse the second instalment based on Egypt's reform progress but that its executive board must first meet to sign off on it.

(Reporting by Ehab Farouk; Writing by Eric Knecht; Editing by Catherine Evans)
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Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. (TSX: KL) reports second-quarter gold production was a quarterly record of 160,156 ounces, a 24% increase from the same period a year ago and 23% higher than the previous quarter. Comparative information for the second quarter and first half of 2016 includes production for the companys Australian operations prior to the completion of the merger between Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. and Newmarket Gold Inc. in November. Production at the Fosterville Mine in Australia was a record 77,069 ounces, more than double the 37,245 ounces the same period of 2016. The April-June Fosterville output mainly reflected higher grades, which averaged 17.2 grams per tonne, plus record recoveries of 94.7%, Kirkland Lake says. The Macassa Mine in Ontario produced 45,699 ounces of gold in the quarter, up 17% from the same period a year earlier. Consolidated production for the first six months of 2017 was 290,583 ounces, a 13% increase from the 257,050 ounces in the first half of 2016. The company says it remains well positioned to achieve full-year production guidance of 530,000 to 570,000 ounces of gold. Fosterville had an outstanding quartera?, beating its previous quarterly record for production by 67%, says Tony Makuch, president and chief executive officer. So far in 2017, grades at the mine have consistently come in ahead of expectation, and we are currently reviewing our block model as part of a reserve and resource update to determine expected grades going forward.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Caledonia Mining Reports Fatality At Blanket Mine





Caledonia Mining Corp. Plc (TSX: CAL; AIM: CMCL) reports a fatality occurred Friday at the Blanket Mine in Zimbabwe. An accident occurred in No. 6 shaft area, and management has notified authorities. "We take the safety of our employees very seriously at Blanket, so we are very disappointed with this fatality, says Steve Curtis, chief executive officer. I join with my colleagues in expressing our sincere condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the deceased."
RABAT, July 10 (Reuters) - Morocco's macroeconomic indicators indicate the country is ready to introduce a flexible exchange rate, but delaying the introduction is "not a problem", the International Monetary Fund said on Monday.

Morocco, the region's biggest energy importer, has been working with a technical mission from the IMF on liberalising its currency regime after a drop in global oil prices helped strengthen its finances.

Two weeks ago, Morocco's central bank postponed a planned announcement of the first phase of the reform for "a few days". The central bank gave no reason for the delay, but last week Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani said the government needed "further studies" of the liberalisation plan .

Postponing "by a few days, or weeks, is not a problem", said Nicolas Blancher, head of mission for Morocco in the IMF's Middle East and Central Asia Department.

"Morocco has been ready, as we've already said. It's a sovereign and voluntary decision the Moroccan authorities have taken as part of a long process of integrating the country into the world economy," he told reporters in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, after an IMF staff visit to Morocco.

"We don't see any big exposure to risk, we've done stress tests in the financial sector and we've seen the resistance of the Moroccan economy to external shocks," he said, adding that there was "no fundamental reason for the dirham to depreciate."

Othmani has dismissed speculation that the liberalisation plan ran into problems and denied reports that one reason for the delay was a depletion of foreign reserves by $4.4 billion in the last two months.

Central bank governor Abdellatif Jouahri has said the reform programme would not include any planned devaluation of the currency .

Blancher, who met Othmani earlier on Monday, also said it was up to Moroccan authorities whether they wanted to renew a two-year, $3.5 billion credit line agreed in July 2016 that is intended to help Morocco carry out structural reform.

(Reporting by Samia Errazzouki; Editing by Aidan Lewis, Larry King)
By Conor Humphries

DUBLIN, July 11 (Reuters) - Irish consumer sentiment surged to its highest level in 16 months in June, a survey showed on Tuesday.

It followed strong Irish economic data and signs that support in next-door Britain for a hard exit from the European Union may have weakened.

Ireland's economy has been the best performing in Europe for the last three years, dramatically cutting unemployment, but households have complained the wealth has not trickled down and Brexit -- to which Ireland is particularly vulnerable -- has hit confidence about the country's future.

The KBC Bank Ireland/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index surged to 105.0 in June from 100.5 in May, its highest level since February last year, though well below the 15-year high of 108.6 posted in January 2016.

The survey showed 52 percent of consumers expect the Irish economy to strengthen in the year ahead, the first time a majority of consumers have expressed this opinion since the British referendum last year.

KBC chief economist Austin Hughes described the surge in the main index as "slightly surprising".

"The scale of the improvement ... may reflect relief that the threat of a hard Brexit is seen as reduced because of the outcome of the recent UK election as well as reassurance from the continued strength of recent Irish economic indicators," Hughes said.

Britain's election in June deprived Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May of a majority in Britain's parliament, making it harder for her to get legislation through, including on Brexit.

Irish unemployment fell to 6.3 percent in June, down from 15 percent five years ago, while the government collected 4 percent more tax in the first half of the year than in the same period last year. The election last month of Ireland's youngest ever prime minister, Leo Varadkar, could also have had an impact on sentiment, the survey's authors said.

But while confidence around the wider economy is high, only 28 percent of consumers feel their own financial circumstances will improve in the coming year.

"This hints at a potentially troublesome disconnect between the perceptions of consumers and recent warnings about an overheating Irish economy," Hughes said.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries)
Source: Citi

Gold investors are questioning whether or not the metal can fall below $1,200 as the market is faced with significant selling pressure, and one bank says it could fall another 6%.

"The key level at $1,214, which was the double top neckline, has given way on a weekly close basis," noted the CitiFX team, led by Tom Fitzpatrick.

"The setup points towards a move to $1,133."

Gold prices have fallen under recent pressure despite finding some reprieve Monday. After falling to a four-month low overnight, August Comex gold futures last traded higher at $1,214.50 an ounce.

Citi explained that if the $1,133 level is reached, gold will fall into negative territory and support will lie near $1,121 an ounce.

Interestingly enough, back in late June when gold was trading near $1,300, a team at Citigroup suggested the metals downtrend was running out of steam.
Samsung's refurbished Galaxy Note 7 smartphone has received a good response from consumers since it went on sale Friday.

Industry sources said Sunday that the Galaxy Note Fan edition in black onyx and blue coral sold out at SK Telecom's online store within days, while some mobile stores have had trouble stocking the model.

The electronics giant ended production of the original model after a massive scandal over its combustible batteries caused a global recall.

"Consumers are interested in the refurbished device because it is as good as the original model but much cheaper," said a staffer at a mobile carrier. "It has been three months since the Galaxy S8 was launched, and the new [Note FE] is generating excitement in the market."

The Note FE is priced at W699,600, about W300,000 cheaper than the Note 7 (US$1=W1,155). It also has some of the features introduced in the Galaxy S8.

Carriers have complained about Samsung's small initial shipments. The company plans to sell a total of 400,000 units and has so far supplied 30,000 to three mobile operators -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus.
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The London Metal Exchange (LME), the worlds biggest industrial metal exchange, introduced gold and silver futures contracts on Monday, Bloomberg reported.

The venture, the first of its kind for the LME since the mid-1980s, marks a significant development in London's $5 trillion-a-year gold trade, as it offers traders more options and creates additional competition.

During the first few hours of operation early on Monday, the LMEs new gold contract logged 20 lots or 2,000 ounces exchanged, while the silver contract, each for 5,000 ounces, attracted one trade.

The futures follow the LMEs third-Wednesday date structure and will deliver into Londons unallocated, over-the-counter market, differentiating them from the LMEs normal physical delivery system, the media report said.

The commodity contracts, which have been three years in the works, are supported by giants such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Morgan Stanley, Natixis SA, ICBC Standard Bank Plc, Societe Generale SA and OSTC Ltd.

The gestation period has been longer than that of an elephant, but the baby is finally here, Bloomberg quoted Jeffrey Rhodes, founder of Rhodes Precious Metals Consultancy DMCC, as saying. Theyve been coveting this for years and having waited so long, I think theyll make it work.

The contracts highlight a push for more scrutiny, where transactions are tracked and risks are managed.

We did a radical rethink of how to make the market work in the 21st century, in light of regulatory and cost pressures, said Paul Walker, who was involved in the development of the new system.

But, not all seem to be ready to embrace the new platform. The chief executive officer of Sharps Pixley Ltd., Ross Norman, said he remains unconvinced and will not be switching from the LBMA gold auction.

I dont think the market needs yet another trading venue; what we need is consolidation, Norman pointed out. I remain skeptical whether this will get the momentum it needs.
YEKATERINBURG, Russia, July 10 (Reuters) - Russian state development bank Vnesheconombank (VEB) plans to merge two commercial banks it owns, Globex Bank and Sviaz Bank, and sell the combined lender, VEB Chairman Sergey Gorkov said on Monday.

VEB is under Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict and is selling assets.

It has been grappling with a mountain of bad debt after financing projects such as construction at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Gorkov told reporters in the city of Yekaterinburg in Russia's Urals region that Globex Bank and Sviaz Bank would be profitable this year after a long period of loss.

VEB is still finalising the process of finding a buyer for the merged banks, Gorkov said, declining to name the potential buyer.

VEB has received state support from the Russian budget. In 2016 its previous management was sacked and replaced by a team of executives, including Gorkov, from Russia's biggest lender, Sberbank .

(Reporting by Polina Nikolskaya; writing by Alexander Winning; editing by Jason Neely)
By Alasdair Pal and Esha Vaish

July 10 (Reuters) - British construction services firm Carillion's profit warning, CEO departure and dividend suspension will not have surprised many funds who saw "short" bets on its stock pay off.

Paper profits for short sellers on Monday were nearly $90 million after Carillion shares fell by more than 35 percent, Reuters calculations show. Carillion was the most heavily shorted stock on the London market according to disclosures from Britain's Finiancial Conduct Authority, with "significant" shorts -- bets amounting to 0.5 percent or more of outstanding shares -- accounting for more than a quarter of its shares at Friday's close.

Short-sellers, who sell borrowed shares, hoping to buy them back at a lower price and pocket the difference, have long targeted Carillion and Britain's outsourcing sector because of escalating costs on long-running contracts and a tough economic backdrop for several of the firm's customers. At the end of last week, some 17 funds had short positions on Carillion, totalling more than $270 million.

A build-up in accounts receivables - or money owed to the company by clients - along with a burgeoning pension deficit and a bloated balance sheet have soured sentiment on Carillion.

"They have been expanding regularly over time beyond levels that are normal for the industry and there was the major red flag that got us excited about this short two years ago," Adrien Brus, an investment analyst at Naya Capital said.

"This is a sign that they are recognising revenue in excess of the cash that they are collecting," Brus, whose hedge fund was short Carillion shares, added.

As of the end of last year, Carillion's accounts receivables stood at $1.6 billion, more than double its market value on Monday, according to Thomson Reuters data "Short interest itself remains very high so the sceptics are strong, and that is borne out in the profit warning," said David Lewis, an analyst at Markit, which tracks short-selling.

Some of the bearish bets on Carillion are long-standing.

Marshall Wace first disclosed a 0.51 percent short position in May 2013 and has the largest short bet against Carillion's peer Mitie , which issued three profit warnings in four months in late 2016 and early 2017. Marshall Wace did not respond to calls for comment.

Carillion's peers also suffered losses, with Balfour Beatty shares more than 3 percent lower, while Serco slipped by 2 percent.

Muddying the outlook for Carillion, a slide in oil prices this year has worsened the operating environment for many of its clients, making cash recovery harder still.

And with an already stretched balance sheet, any equity capital raising is likely to dilute existing shareholders.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Carillion receivables ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Editing by Vikram Subhedar and Alexander Smith)
HANOI, July 10 (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 0405 GMT.

July 10 USD/VND mid-point 22,449 USD/VND interbank 22,750/22,765 USD/VND unofficial 22,830/22,850 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.03/36.27

Interbank offered rates Overnight 1.6-2.0

1 week 1.9-2.3

1 month 2.7-3.2

3 months 3.7-4.2

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)
COLOMBO, July 10 (Reuters) - The Sri Lankan rupee edged down on Monday due to importer dollar demand amid mild selling of the U.S. currency by banks and exporters, dealers said.

The spot rupee was at 153.70/75 per dollar at 0616 GMT, compared with Friday's close of 153.60/70.

Dollar conversions by banks and exporters are not enough to meet the demand from importers, said a currency dealer, requesting anonymity.

"The market has priced in further depreciation of the rupee because of the central bank's no-intervention policy. We also see some inflows time to time, which prevents a sharp depreciation of the currency," said the dealer.

The spot rupee resumed trading on June 19 for the first time since May 5, when the central bank fixed its reference rate at 152.50.

Dealers said they expected seasonal demand for dollars to pick up from August.

The rupee has been under pressure since early this year after the central bank stopped defending the currency at a time when the island nation faces a balance of payments crisis.

The central bank is also compelled to buy dollars from the market to meet the reserve target set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under a $1.5 billion, three-year loan programme.

Sri Lankan shares were up 0.22 percent at 6,752.04, as of 0624 GMT. Turnover was 220 million rupees ($1.43 million).

($1 = 153.5000 Sri Lankan rupees)

(Reporting by Shihar Aneez; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
ZURICH, July 10 (Reuters) - The Swiss blue-chip SMI was seen opening 0.3 higher at 8,913 points on Monday, according to premarket indications by bank Julius Baer .

The following are some of the main factors expected to affect Swiss stocks:

ROCHE Pharmaceutical group Shire said on Sunday it had obtained a preliminary injunction in a Hamburg court against rival Roche over its haemophilia drug emicizumab, alleging incomplete and misleading statements surrounding the treatment. For more click COMPANY STATEMENTS * SGS said it acquired Central Illinois Grain Inspection in the United Sttes, adding 15 employees and $1 million in revenue. * Pax Anlage said its shares will be delisted on Oct. 10. ECONOMY The Swiss National Bank is due to release sight deposit data 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, July 10 (Reuters) - Here are news, reports and events that may affect Turkish financial markets on Monday.

The lira stood at 3.6122 against the U.S. dollar at 0526 GMT, little changed from 3.6172 at Friday's close.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year bond was at 10.88 percent in spot trade on Friday and fell to 10.86 percent in Monday-dated trade.

The main BIST 100 share index fell 0.54 percent to 100,084 points on Friday.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Asian stocks rallied on Monday, lifted by Wall Street's strong performance on Friday, while the U.S. dollar extended gains made after much stronger than expected June employment data. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan advanced 0.55 percent while Japan's Nikkei rose 0.7 percent. WORLD PETROLEUM CONGRESS

President Tayyip Erdogan attends the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul (0800 GMT). He will meet Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (1000 GMT) before hosting heads of state and government attending the congress. He will also meet Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov (1300 GMT), Shell Chief Executive Ben van Beurden (1400 GMT) and BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley (1500 GMT).

PROTEST RALLY

Turkey's main opposition leader told a huge protest rally on Sunday that the country was living under dictatorship and pledged to keep challenging the crackdown launched by the authorities after last year's failed military coup. INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION The Turkish Statistics Institute will announce industrial production data for May (0700 GMT).

AK PARTY NEWS CONFERENCE

Mahir Unal, spokesman of the ruling AK Party, will hold a news conference (1000 GMT).

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 (Reporting by Daren Butler)
* Third Point continuing dialogue with Nestle - source

* Board appears not keen on L'Oreal stake sale - sources

* Nestle shares pare gains made in wake of Loeb letter

(Updates with details of Nestle campaign)

By Martinne Geller and Maiya Keidan

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Activist investor Dan Loeb is keeping up pressure on Nestle by sharing views with the company as part of a regular dialogue, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Loeb's Third Point hedge fund revealed a $3.5 billion stake in Nestle on June 25, making it the eighth-largest shareholder, urging the world's largest packaged food maker to more aggressively improve returns. Three days later, Nestle addressed some of the New York-based fund's points with a 20 billion Swiss franc ($21 billion) share buyback coupled with a plan to increase leverage and prioritise acquisitions in some high-growth areas. Loeb met Nestle CEO Mark Schneider on June 2, the source said on Monday, adding that no other meetings were currently planned before a Sept. 26 investor seminar by the Swiss maker of Nescafe, Perrier and Gerber baby food.

Third Point generally agrees with the direction Nestle is heading in under Schneider, the first outside CEO in nearly a century, said the source, who declined to be identified.

But it wants to see the company act with greater urgency, including by setting a margin growth target like peers including Unilever and Danone have recently done.

Loeb's Ultra fund, which is invested in Nestle, is doing well this year. It gained 0.9 percent in June, taking its year-to-date performance to 17.2 percent, said the source.

Nestle has not publicly addressed Loeb's call for it to sell its 23 percent stake in French cosmetics giant L'Oreal , which is worth about 23 billion euros ($26 billion).

But behind closed doors, Nestle's board does not seem keen to divest the stake, which it has owned for more than four decades, the source said, confirming what other sources have previously told Reuters.

Third Point, which has not yet commented publicly on Nestle's plans, may give an update in its quarterly letter to shareholders due later this month, the source said, adding that its current plan of campaign was to keep sharing its views and talking to the company.

Last month, Third Point said that it owned roughly 40 million Nestle shares in its funds and a special purpose vehicle raised especially for the move on the company.

It started buying Nestle shares earlier this year when the stock was trading above 70 Swiss francs per share, the source said. The shares jumped 4 percent to a record high the day Third Point's letter was disclosed, but have since pared much of those gains. The stock was trading at 83.05 francs per share at 1012 GMT on Monday, up 1.5 percent. ($1 = 0.8785 euros)

(Editing by Alexander Smith)
* Third Point continuing dialogue with Nestle - source

* Board appears not keen on L'Oreal stake sale - sources

* Nestle shares pare gains made in wake of Loeb letter

By Martinne Geller and Maiya Keidan

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Activist investor Daniel Loeb is keeping up pressure on Nestle by sharing views with the company as part of a regular dialogue, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Nestle, Europe's most valuable public company, announced a 20 billion Swiss franc ($21 billion) share buyback programme last month coupled with a plan to increase leverage and prioritise acquisitions in high-growth areas as it battles slowing demand for packaged food. The move came just two days after the billionaire hedge fund manager urged Nestle to more aggressively improve returns as his Third Point fund revealed a $3.5 billion stake that made it Nestle's eighth-largest shareholder. But Nestle's plan did not address Loeb's calls for it to exit its $26 billion stake in French cosmetics giant L'Oreal or set a formal margin target of 18 to 20 percent by 2020, up from 15.3 percent in 2016. Unilever and Danone have recently set their own respective 2020 margin targets of 20 percent and more than 16 percent.

Some analysts now expect Nestle to set, or at least imply, a long-term margin target at its Sept. 26 investor seminar, when new chief executive Mark Schneider will lay out his plans.

"Third Point's stake may add urgency to margin delivery and sharpens focus on the September investor days," Liberum analysts said.

Loeb's move on Nestle comes months after Unilever fended off a surprise $143 billion takeover approach from Kraft Heinz . Both events highlight the magnitude of the trouble rocking the packaged food sector, as a new generation of consumers flock to smaller brands, leaving companies racing to improve profits through cost cuts. Nestle has a cost-savings programme but has not said how much of this will go toward raising its margins, which are at the low end of its peer group.

Improved productivity was first on Third Point's wish list, and the source, who declined to be identified, said it was the most important.

Loeb, dubbed a "constructivist" for his increasingly cooperative approach, first met Schneider on June 2, the source said, adding that no other meetings are currently planned before the September seminar, which Third Point plans to attend.

Third Point generally agrees with the direction Nestle is heading in under its new CEO, the first outside leader in nearly a century, said the source, but it wants to see greater urgency.

Aside from the share buyback, Schneider, who became CEO in January, has already scrapped a long-term sales model and announced a review of Nestle's U.S. confectionery business.

MAYBELLINE FOR MAGGI

Third Point, which has not commented publicly on Nestle's plans, may give an update in its quarterly letter due later this month, the source said, adding that its plan was to keep sharing its views and talking to the company.

It has suggested that Nestle review its portfolio, which includes more than 2,000 brands including Maggi, Gerber, Perrier and Nescafe. It wants a divestiture of the L'Oreal stake, and has floated an exchange offer whereby Nestle shareholders are offered shares of L'Oreal, maker of Maybelline make-up.

Nestle has not commented on this, but behind closed doors, its board does not seem keen, the source said, confirming what another source had previously told Reuters.

Nestle, which has owned the stake for more than four decades, has long touted it as strategic and value-creating, and a source last month told Reuters that view had not changed.

After carefully assessing all companies in the sector, including Unilever, Third Point started buying Nestle shares earlier this year, when the stock was trading above 70 Swiss francs per share, the source said, noting that Nestle had the greatest opportunity for upside.

The shares jumped 4 percent to a record high the day Third Point's letter was disclosed and the stock was trading at 82.90 francs per share at 1559 GMT, up 1.3 percent.

That stands to boost Third Point's performance, which is already outshining its rivals this year.

For example, Loeb's Ultra fund, which is invested in Nestle, gained 0.9 percent in June, taking its year-to-date performance to 17.2 percent, said the source.

That compares to an average activist hedge fund performance of 1.27 percent in June and 4.21 percent for the year, according to industry tracker Hedge Fund Research.

Since founding Third Point in 1995, Loeb has campaigned for changes at companies such as Yahoo Inc and Sothebys and famously brought his tactics to Japan via now-exited positions in Sony Corp and Seven & I Holdings . ($1 = 0.8785 euros)

(Editing by Alexander Smith)
* German yields pinned near highs despite troubled G20 meet

* Shifting rhetoric from central banks key to bond prices

* Euro zone periphery govt bond yields (Writes through)

By Abhinav Ramnarayan

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Euro zone bond yields came off multi-month highs on Monday as investors dipped their toes back into the market after the brutal sell-off of the last two weeks.

Investors dumped government bonds over the past two weeks on the belief that the European Central Bank (ECB) would unwind extraordinary stimulus sooner rather than later.

This pushed yields up to levels where they were starting to look attractive again, resulting in Monday's dip, analysts said.

"It is a retracement after a very strong move over the last two weeks," said Rabobank strategist Richard McGuire.

"With Bunds where they are, you are always going to get some buyers willing to buy (bonds with) zero risk at over 50 basis points."

The yield on Germany's 10-year government bond , the benchmark for the region, was headed for its biggest one-day fall in almost four week, down 4 basis points at 0.54 percent.

But they more than double the 0.25 percent level at which it began on June 27, the day ECB President Mario Draghi opened the door to tweaks in the ECB's aggressive stimulus policy in a speech in Sintra, Portugal. Strong U.S. employment data on Friday bolstered a feeling that central banks across the world have more reason then ever to continue to unwind the loose policy stance of the post-crisis era.

U.S. 10-Year treasury yields might trade in a 2.50 to 2.75 percent range by the end of the year, Rick Rieder, BlackRock's chief investment officer of global fixed income, said last week .

Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan offered its most optimistic view of the country's regional economies in more than a decade on solid exports and private consumption, underscoring its conviction a steady recovery is gathering momentum. "Unlike in recent years, where there was very patchy growth across the world, we are seeing a synchronised upswing in the global economy," said Alex Dryden, global market strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management.

"So while it may not be coordinated communication, I do think there's been a change in rhetoric from central banks across the world - though the ECB is the central bank to watch in the second half of the year."

High-rated euro zone bond yields were 2 to 4 basis points lower on Monday. Lower-rated Italian and Spanish government bonds performed even better, falling 5-6 bps. For Reuters Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url= <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Decision Europe: Full election coverage cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?navid=72745

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Abhinav Ramnarayan; Editing by Larry King and Ed Osmond)
Experts have warned that any U.S. surgical strike on North Korea's nuclear and missile sites could have catastrophic consequences and lead "to the worst kind of fighting," the New York Times reported last week.

A study by the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability in 2012 "concluded that an initial artillery barrage by the North focused on military targets would result in nearly 3,000 fatalities, while one targeting civilians would kill nearly 30,000 people," the daily said.

U.S. military experts told the paper that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "would only turn to such weapons if he needed to repel a full-scale invasion or felt a nuclear attack or other attempt on his life was imminent."

It pointed out that the North has positioned as many as 8,000 artillery cannons and rocket launchers along the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas "capable of raining up to 300,000 rounds on the South in the first hour of a counterattack" and "inflict tremendous damage without resorting to weapons of mass destruction."

Early detection could result in North Korea losing about 20 percent of its artillery on the first day of fighting, but it would take three to four more days for the North's entire artillery arsenal to be decimated, it said.

That would mean massive damage in South Korea, because North Korea could focus its artillery attacks over a short period. According to the Nautilus Institute, 60,000 casualties could result from the first day of attack if the North focuses its artillery on military targets in the Seoul metropolitan area, with the casualty count surging to 300,000 if the artillery lands on civilian targets.


The daughter of ex-President Park Geun-hye's confidante Choi Soon-sil has refused to testify in the bribery trial of de facto Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong.

The reason Chung Yoo-ra gave for refusing was that she herself faces trial on charges of taking bribes from Samsung.

Lee is accused of giving W43.3 billion in bribes to Park and Choi, and at least W21.3 billion of that was used to buy a purebred horse and stables for Chung in Germany. She is also accused of being a main beneficiary of other slush funds her mother and Park allegedly extorted.

Chung has been summoned to appear in the trial this Wednesday, but her attorney, Lee Kyung-jae, told reporters by text that she is still under investigation and cannot testify in a case that is "directly related to her criminal trial."

If she continues to ignore the summons, the court could forcibly haul her to the trial.

Prosecutors twice sought arrest warrants for Chung but a court declined both times, saying she presents no flight risk and is unlikely to destroy evidence at this late stage. Since then they have questioned her twice, and it remains to be seen whether they will seek an arrest warrant again.


By Nam Hyun-woo



An independent financial consumer protection agency will be established in line with the Moon Jae-in administration's efforts to put top priority on the people.



President Moon's transition team said Monday that it is considering a vast reorganization of the government's financial arms.



This includes the separation of consumer protection functions from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Many expect that eventually an independent agency will be set up to specialize in consumer protection.



An FSS official said it has yet to get relevant information, but a source familiar with the issue said the separation will be reported to Moon.



Currently, the FSS's Financial Consumer Protection Bureau is in charge of administering consumer complaints, providing counseling, mediating disputes and taking supervisory actions on improper practices by financial institutions.



The bureau was set up in May 2012.



If the bureau becomes independent, it is expected to have a stronger role and capabilities to better monitor financial firms. Its specialists will deal with consumer complaints.



This is in tandem with Moon's campaign pledges, in which he vowed to separate financial policymaking, supervision and consumer protection functions.



After Moon's inauguration in May, various scenarios have been on the lips of analysts. One was raised by the Korea Institute for the Future, a think tank for Moon's Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).



It said that on top of rearranging functions and roles between financial institutions, the FSS bureau should stand as a separate agency to better protect consumers.



Financial companies are likely to be against the idea because they worry that the measure will end up making another powerful regulator to monitor and supervise them.



"In Korea, it is very hard for daughters-in-law to love their mothers-in-law. However good they are, it would be dreadful to have two mothers-in-law, who will intervene in everything," said a financial firm official, who asked not to be named.



"The government seems to care more about breaking things rather than accelerating things in the financial industry. Many complain that the new administration just tries to regulate the industry instead of promoting business activities."



Financial firms are also unhappy with extra payments for the operation of the new consumer protection agency.



Currently, the FSS is heavily dependent on payments from financial firms for its operation. The FSS's revenue from financial firms' payments is expected to reach 300 billion won.



Should the new agency be operated as a half-private, half-public organization like the FSS, financial firms will likely have to chip in money for its operation.



"We have financially supported our mother-in-law. And we run the risk of bringing another mother-in-law with our own money. This is not good," the anonymous official said.




By Jun Ji-hye

The Kim Jong-un regime has been encouraging a festive mood after its purported successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), apparently using it as a means to propagate the North Korean system and consolidate internal unity.

According to the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Workers' Party of Korea, Monday, the North held a music and dance performance in Pyongyang, Sunday, to celebrate the latest missile test.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as well as scientists and technicians in charge of the missile development attended the event, the newspaper said.

The repressive state announced, July 4, that it successfully launched its first ICBM capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead and striking the continental United States.

South Korea, the United States and Japan, which used to downplay the North's missile capability, recently expressed their concerns in a joint statement, calling it "a ballistic missile with intercontinental range," which clearly poses a threat to the three nations as well as countries around the world.

The North's newspaper said working-level officials, who were in charge of the latest test of the Hwasong-14 missile, watched the performance sitting next to Kim. The officials included Ri Pyong-chol, Kim Jong-sik, Jang Chang-ha and Jon Il-ho.












Social media users busy deleting traces related to Middle East



By Nam Hyun-woo



Kim Ki-beom, a graduate student in Seoul in his late 20s, must get a U.S. visa for his Ph.D. studies in the United States. He has many things to worry about from finalizing his work in Korea to preparing for a new life on the opposite side of the Pacific.



With so much to do every day, he "wasted" half a day navigating through his social media sites -- not for fun -- but out of concern that he may not be able to get the visa under toughened rules.



Kim's woes are caused by the recent moves by the Trump administration, which approved plans to ask US visa applicants for details of their social media history.



"One of my friends talked about the new rule. And a visa agency also said that I should make sure that everything is right. Hence, I went through my social media track record for the past few years," Kim said.



"I found some photos in Arabic restaurants, which I instantly erased. I also checked all the articles I recommended for recent years. It was a time-consuming job."



There are disputes on whether and how the U.S. will enforce its new visa rules. Some say the country introduced a new set of regulations while others counter that the country is just strengthening its existing procedures.



The general understanding is that US consular officials can now ask for social media usernames going back five years through a new questionnaire.



Reports say that the U.S. State Department expects that about 0.5 percent of visa applicants, which would be around 65,000 a year, will have to complete the new questionnaire under the tougher visa scrutiny policy.



But one thing seems to be sure. After the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump early this year, a rising number of Koreans have been worried that their visa applications might be rejected for unprecedented reason.



In particular, they seem to worry about things regarding the Middle East. Some reportedly erased all pictures of their tours to the Middle East ahead of applying for a visa. This seems to have something to do with the Trump administration's controversial executive orders on visa bans for some Middle Eastern countries.



An official at a Seoul-based visa agency concurred.



"It is natural for visa applicants to worry about it. If his U.S. visa is rejected, the applicant would not be able enter the country for years. In this climate, who would want to take the risk of rejection?"



He added that more Koreans appear to have gotten rejected during the visa questioning process after Trump took office.



The U.S. embassy in Seoul was not available for comment.




Park Joo-sun, the interim leader of the People's Party, coughs during a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap



Leaders deny systematic fraud, but evidence points otherwise

By Jung Min-ho

Prosecutors are closing in on the leaders of the People's Party, including former presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, after pressing charges against a senior official who played a major role in his campaign.

The Seoul Southern Prosecutors' Office requested an arrest warrant for Lee Jun-seo, Sunday, on charges of knowingly allowing party member Lee You-mi to fabricate a voice recording and handing the file over to party leaders so that they could use it to attack then-rival candidate Moon Jae-in.

Based on the fake evidence, party leaders accused him of helping his son Joon-yong get a job at a government agency in 2006, when Moon was working for former President Roh Moo-hyun at Cheong Wa Dae.

It was a last-ditch tactic to change the minds of many Koreans, who were tired of favoritism following the Choi Soon-sil scandal, and to elect Ahn as the nation's next leader.

In contrast to the party's claims, the prosecution concluded that Lee Jun-seo requested Lee You-mi to gain "critical material" against Moon and deliberately skipped the fact-checking process.

Prosecutors also requested an arrest warrant for Lee You-mi's brother on charges of working with her to make the fake recording.

If the Seoul Southern District Court approves the warrants, which is scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., it will likely be a deadly blow to the party as the prosecution is expected to press the same charges against its leaders.

Politically, it is almost dead already.

According to local pollster Realmeter, Monday, its approval rating is 5.1 percent, the lowest among the five major parties. Given that it has 40 out of total 300 parliamentary seats, it is a miserable record. Some polls show it is lagging behind the Liberty Korea Party even in the Jeolla provinces, the source of most of its parliamentary seats.

In another poll, when asked about the fabrication scandal, 71.5 percent of people said they believe it was systematic deception, whereas only 13.9 percent said they think Lee You-mi did it all by herself.

When prosecutors concluded that more people other than Lee You-mi were involved, in contrast to the party's claims, party leaders accused them of toeing the line with the Moon government. But no one  except for its own members  seems to be listening.

Choo Mi-ae, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, accused leaders of the People's Party of "trampling the nation's democracy and violating its Constitution."

In its defense, Park Joo-sun, the interim leader, retorted that Choo was trying to kill the party by taking advantage of the prosecution's power.

Meanwhile, Na Yoo-in, a senior party official, announced that he will leave the party with some other members, which may be the beginning of a mass exodus.

At the party's media briefing room in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, Na said more than 400 members were seriously thinking about leaving the party.

"The party is promoting new politics while practicing gang-style old politics," he said. "We will try to find a new way."
The postman set himself on fire in front of Anyang Post Office on July 6. / Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan

A postman has died after setting himself on fire in front of his workplace.

The man, 47, doused himself with gasoline from a 500-milliliter plastic bottle and set it alight in front of Anyang Post Office in Dongan-gu, Anyang in Gyeonggi Province, at about 11 a.m. on July 6.

He was rushed to hospital with third degree burns, but died two days later.

The man, who had been a regular employee for 21 years, had told fellow workers he was upset about his delivery zones being changed.

The postmen's union says it will ask Korea Post to investigate the death.
City sees its economy take off with debt recovery

By You Soo-sun

Incheon, the port city west of Seoul, is successfully pushing ahead with economic vitalization policies, boosted by a steadfast recovery from debt that has for long caused its economy to stagger. By improving its landfill policies and developing better transportation infrastructure, the Incheon metropolitan government, led by Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, plans to rebrand itself as a cosmopolitan port city.





Yoo Jeong-bok, mayor of Incheon, in his office. / Courtesy of Incheon metropolitan government

Much of the progress has been made since Yoo took office in 2014, when the city was saddled with debt amounting to over 13 trillion won ($11.3 billion). Since then, the debt has shrunk to 11 trillion won and is expected to go down to around 9 trillion won by the end of the year. Its debt ratio has been slashed from 39.9 to 24.1 percent as of June, 2017.

Yoo has collaborated with the central government as well as other local authorities to ease Incheon's financial burden and boost its economy. Most importantly, he managed to get a government subsidy of 500 billion won, double that of 2014 and a record-high for the city on top of a budget of 2.5 trillion won.

This has contributed to the development of the city infrastructure and will be further used for promoting the welfare of its residents by creating jobs for them.

The mayor worked with other government bodies to improve its landfill and infrastructure policies. By holding multiple meetings with the Seoul city government, Gyeonggi provincial government, and the Ministry of Environment, the Incheon government now has ownership of 15.8 square-kilometers of land.

Part of it will be used as a temporary landfill, which will generate 75 billion won annually in waste commission fees. This is also expected to ease financial burden of the city as well as contribute to infrastructure development.

Yoo has emphasized his determination to boost the city's reputation by developing its transportation infrastructure.

As a part of this effort the local government is working to enhance access to and from Seoul through the construction of high-speed underground rail networks, including the Incheon-bound GTX line that will reduce the commute time between Incheon and Seoul to 20 minutes.

It is also dedicated to improving access to the sea and revitalizing 168 nearby islands. Such improvements are designed to attract more tourists and to solidify the city's identity by unifying its citizens.






South Korea's Gender Equality Minister Chung Huyn-back said Monday the government plans to set up a museum for Korean victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery in Seoul, in an apparent show of the new Moon Jae-in government's resolve to sternly deal with Japan's wartime human rights violation.

"The government plans to build the museum for the comfort women in a place easily accessible so that it can play a role as a mecca for people to remember and recall the human rights violations that the war brought," the minister said.

Comfort women is a euphemism for Asian women, mostly Koreans, who were forcibly taken to front-line military brothels to serve the Japanese army during World War II.

Chung made the remarks during a visit to the House of Sharing, a shelter for the former sex slaves, in Gwangju, east of Seoul. The visit was her first on-site activity as minister since her inauguration late last week.

The comfort women question no longer remains an issue just between South Korea and Japan, the minister said, adding it is now an international one.

It's hoped that the museum will be erected near the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, the eastern part of Seoul, the minister said, adding that the government plans to immediately start the work by securing a lot for it first."

The minister also said the government will hastily seek the listing of the comfort women as a UNESCO heritage as part of ways to expedite the museum project.












President Moon Jae-in over the weekend called the current tensions on the Korean Peninsula "the biggest crisis since the Korean War." Meeting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, he said the situation is "dangerous" and that Canada could also soon be within reach of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The "red line" set down by South Korea and the U.S. for North Korean provocations to trigger a military response has become meaningless. No matter what red line they set, Pyongyang will always cross over it. The North knows that China and Russia are not on the same page as the U.S. when it comes to delivering a firm response to North Korea's provocations.

The G20 Summit acknowledged that the South Korea, the U.S. and Japan remain pitted against the combined interests of North Korea, China and Russia over the question.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests so far and is well on its way to building an intercontinental ballistic missile, so there is no chance that it will now suddenly decide to scrap its weapons of mass destruction. As Minjoo Party lawmaker and former South Korean representative to the six-party talks Lee Soo-hyuk pointed out, any response must now be based on the assumption that North Korea will never give up its nuclear weapons and missiles.

That raises the dire prospect of bargaining with a criminal state. The international community is helpless, and the G20 Summit was unable to produce even a joint declaration criticizing North Korea's missile launch because Russia dug in its heels. South Korea must take bolder measures to protect itself or it could end up being taken hostage by its criminal neighbor.

Yet the new administration still believes it can convince North Korea to scrap its weapons of mass destruction and bring it to the dialogue table with promises of resuming cross-border business projects. Even last week, Moon made a speech in Berlin proposing a mutual halt in provocations to mark the 64th anniversary of the ceasefire agreement that halted the Korean War. The military here, meanwhile, proposed halting propaganda broadcasts across the border.

It is not only naive but downright dangerous to harbor such fantasies of winning North Korea's trust and restart talks. North Korea knows it can get its way no matter what, so it is only interested in talking to the U.S. and sees South Korea as a mere encumbrance.

Seoul needs to start preparing for the worst-case scenario in the full realization that another war is possible within a few years. Of course it needs to keep the diplomatic channels of communication open, but it finally needs to take a realistic view of the situation in hand and look for cool-headed solutions. That means first of all taking off its rose-tinted spectacles.


Liberal opposition People's Party vice floor leader Rep. Lee Un-ju, right, pauses during a party meeting at the National Assembly, Monday. Lee, who defected from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in April, accused the DPK of peddling influence in the prosecution's investigation into a fraudulent allegation involving senior People's Party members. / Yonhap



People's Party in deep crisis over fabrication sandal

By Kim Hyo-jin



The second-largest opposition People's Party continued an all-out offensive against the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Monday, following its Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae's remarks that its leaders must have been involved in the scandal of the smear campaign against President Moon Jae-in.



The party claimed Choo used her influence on the prosecution, after it requested an arrest warrant for Lee Jun-suh, a former Supreme Council member Sunday on charges of spreading false information during the election campaign.



But critics view that the party has taken it too far to contain the fallout of the scandal that has rocked the party. Some say it could face a further public backlash when the party has already suffered falling support in opinion surveys.



"The party's overly defensive move would not gain public understanding as it can be easily viewed as a mere political tactic to reclaim political ground," said Choi Jin-bong, a professor at SungKongHoe University.



Choi Jin, a professor at Sehan University and the head of the Institute of Presidential Leadership, also agreed, saying, "The party's furor at Choo is obviously its desperate move to turn the tables. It even asked for Choo's resignation from politics, stretching it maybe too far. Unless it keeps a low profile, it will only face a bigger public backlash."



The latest KSOI poll showed Sunday the support for the People's Party was put at 3.8 percentage points  a record low since it was established early last year. The respondents showed a negative response to the party's explanation about the fabrication scandal. About 72 percent said they believe the party must have been involved in the illegal act systemically.

The prospect of the party overcoming the fallout of the scandal was further dimmed after it was revealed that its deputy floor leader Rep. Lee Un-ju swore when referring to irregular workers in an interview with a reporter. She said "bitches" when asked about irregular workers at school cafeterias who have been on strike, demanding a change of their status to regular workers, according to an SBS reporter.



The DPK requested Lee make an official apology to the public, fueling tension in the ongoing strife. "It should not be regarded as a personal remark," Je Youn-kyung, a DPK spokeswoman, said.



The prosecution has investigated an allegation that Lee Yu-mi, a member of the People's Party, fabricated information used to accuse Moon's son Joon-yong of landing a full-time job at a public body in 2006 while his father worked as the senior presidential secretary during the run-up to the May 9 presidential election. It has expanded the investigation to other senior members to figure out if they had been involved in the fabrication or were aware of the flaw of the information.



While the People's Party dismissed it as a "one-man crime," the DPK leader claimed its denial was an attempt to protect its key senior members and it was a "collective" move encouraged by the party system, saying it will be willful negligence if such background is overlooked.



Following the prosecution's request to an arrest warrant for Lee Jun-suh, People's Party Park Joo-sun blasted out at Choo Monday, saying her remarks were the equivalent of a guideline to the prosecution and the matter must have been discussed at the meeting between the ruling party with the government and Cheong Wa Dae, Friday.
By Kim Rahn

South Korea and the United States are discussing a "secondary boycott" option in their effort to deal with North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Monday.

Speaking before the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Kang said the two allies have been mulling over the measure, which imposes penalties on companies or individuals in China or other countries doing business with the North, as part of countermeasures to Pyongyang's launch of an alleged intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The secondary boycott is considered one of the last-remaining, effective measures against the Kim Jong-un regime. It was used in dealing with Iran's nuclear issue and the country eventually accepted a deal.

"The U.S. seems to participating in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) discussion with a basic stance of putting maximum economic pressure on the North, either through the UNSC or on its own," Kang said. "If the U.S. is unsatisfied with the outcome of the UNSC negotiations, it may actively consider its own sanctions," she said indicating the secondary boycott.

She added the U.S. would closely cooperate with South Korea if it plans to adopt the measure.

Besides the U.S. move, the international community is seeking to include an oil embargo in a new round of sanctions on North Korea, officials said.

The suspension of its fuel supply would be the heaviest ever pressure on Pyongyang's economy and military activities along with the secondary boycott.

However, adopting the measure faces the obstacle of consent from China, a permanent member of the UNSC, as Beijing has been opposed to cutting fuel supplies to its "ally."

A ranking government official said the international community is "seriously discussing" the fuel embargo as part of additional sanctions.

"The UNSC members are talking about it," the official said on condition of anonymity. "We need to see what resolution the UNSC will adopt."
By Michael Breen





President Moon Jae-in's historic call last week for a peace treaty to replace the 1953 ceasefire and finally end the Korean War seems to be the most sensible way out of the escalating confrontation with North Korea over its nuclear weapons.



But such a course of action is fraught with complications. That is because the rivalry between the two Koreas is by its very nature a war without end. A peace treaty will be a ceasefire by another name.



That does not mean it should not be pursued. But if South Korea and its allies fail to take this underlying reality into account, they may, in pursuing peace, unwittingly increase the chances of a renewed outbreak of war.



That underlying reality appears foggy to we in the free, democratic world of changing governments who have a bad habit of disliking our internal opponents more than the distant foe and, thus prompted, think bad situations are all caused by our own last guy's policies.



Here's an example of fog. North Korea's main demand in peace talks will be that American troops leave the Korean Peninsula. On the South Korean and U.S. side, the main demand will be denuclearization. From our perspective, this would appear to be a very unreasonable exchange  in our favor. Why would North Korea surrender the ultimate deterrent  nuclear-armed countries don't get attacked  for something that is not critical for the U.S.-South Korean alliance (because the U.S. could still send in troops from overseas to help the South)? Let's do it.



If President Moon were to get acceptance from Kim Jong-un in North Korea for this exchange and persuade President Donald Trump to negotiate it (the Korean War combatants are not North Korea versus South Korea, but North Korea versus the U.S.-led United Nations), his aides would start drafting his Nobel Peace Prize lecture.



In Pyongyang, meanwhile, Kim and his generals would have hi-fiving giggling fits.



That is because, from their perspective, the victory would be theirs. They know full well that even the hint of use of nuclear weapons would mean the end of their country. The threat value is more like the proverbial revolver pointed at their own head than at the enemy. One more step and I'll shoot myself and it will be your fault. The big boulder in the road for them is America's big brotherly support for the South  almost immovable given that U.S. and South Korean forces are integrated in a joint command structure. These pesky Americans have blocked them from taking over South Korea for two generations. Nuclear weapons can be the bargaining chip to get them out the way. Genius.



This is a hard point to get across because many people on our side believe that North Korea has surrendered its desire to take over South Korea, that the dictatorship in Pyongyang is just pretending in order to appear like a tough guy in front of his people, and that the nukes are a survival strategy.



This opinion is not unreasonable. I wake up some mornings myself believing it. But it's rather like a belief that there is no God  logical, attractive, and yet, you can't really be sure. The universe and me did not just happen, did we?



But, as I say, we freedom warriors are cursed by our own impatience. We've been staring at the fact that North Korea talks aggressively, says it wants to "unify" the South, is led by a nasty dictatorship and has nuclear weapons for so long that we just naturally start to see something else.



That said, pursuing a peace treaty is a good thing. I believe  at least, I did when I woke up this morning  that aggressive engagement with realistic expectations should be our strategy. Tie the bastards down in all kinds of things  peace talks, visits by American congressmen, meetings about joint Olympic teams, discussions about a joint N.K.-S.K. dictionary, archeological digs, conferences on Dangun  just to re-direct their energies from the DMZ into misbehaving in hotel conference rooms.



This may seem cynical, but there is idealism in this approach if you see that present reality of nothing's-changed in the context of the endgame.



The Korean standoff can end and true peace come in one of two ways. Either one system wins and the other disappears, or the two sides agree not to unify but to pursue separate destinies as countries that share a history but which are now distinct.



In my opinion, either case is fine provided that the end result is a Korean peninsula that is free and democratic in a Northeast Asia that is likewise. This means that North Korea must either collapse or move in stages from ghastly nationalism to Park Chung-hee-style (Chinese-style) dictatorship and then to democracy.



Right now, we're in the ghastly stage and a peace treaty will not make the North's dictatorship collapse or see it transition into something better. It will be a new ceasefire and we should be very careful to see it as no more than that.





Michael Breen is the CEO of Insight Communications Consultants, a public relations company, and author of "The Koreans" and "Kim Jong-il: North Korea's Dear Leader."
By Lee Hyon-soo





"Age 70 has been a rarity since time immemorial." This saying originated in one of the poems from Chinese poet Du Fu. I am well past the proverbial age of 70. Where did all those years go?



Life is full of challenges, and having lived a long life is an achievement in itself. So every old man  or woman, for that matter  has a life story worth telling. Here is an old man's tale, that is, mine.



The path of my early life was strewn with adversities and tumults. Not only was I born in a poverty-stricken country, but I also bore the brunt of a succession of social upheavals caused by the Korean War, a nationwide student uprising and a military coup. Indeed, I spent my formative years in very needy and tumultuous circumstances. Nevertheless, I went round or scrambled over all obstacles that stood in my way and grew into adulthood, unscathed.



To earn a living, I joined an American bank in Seoul, but later crossed the Pacific to work for a major bank in Canada. My working life was not all smooth sailing. I stumbled along my career path from time to time but managed to keep myself from falling.



I married a woman I had a crush on and brought two children into the world. I worked hard to provide for my family. I gave my children a decent upbringing and they lived up to my expectations by learning to stand on their own feet. After I married them off, I patted myself on the back for having successfully discharged my parental responsibility.



Granted, I did not do anything great to brag about. Undistinguished though my career was, I am gratified that I had the opportunity to do tours of duty in several countries including Canada, Singapore and Japan. What's more, I had the privilege to return to Seoul after an extended absence to manage the Korean business as general manager successively for two banks  Canadian and Australian  before I retired.



Is there life after retirement? Obviously, this is a rhetorical question. Life after retirement is a well-earned reward for decades of toiling. Let me touch on what my retirement is like.



The last thing that I want as a retiree is to be labeled an opinionated and uncaring old-timer who is good for nothing, so I try to keep myself well informed on local and global issues, while endeavoring to be a good community member by doing what I can.



Reading is my favorite pastime. A voracious reader, I devour a wide range of books that I can lay my hands on. By so doing, I benefit from the great minds of the past and present. There is no end to learning.



I consider myself a freethinker, that is, one who forms opinions on the basis of reason alone. When I have opinions or thoughts that I want to share with other people, I put pen to paper and contribute my writings to newspapers. I also post my writings on various social media as well as on my own blog. I publish my writings in the belief that it is my way of contributing to society, for what it is worth.



Health is my major concern now. To stay fit, I work out regularly and go hiking and mountain-climbing as often as I can. I also take every opportunity to travel locally as well as internationally. A change of scenery helps me to recharge my batteries.



The beauty of retirement is that my time is entirely at my disposal. I am a free man in the true sense of the word and I am having the happiest time of my life. My motto? To live respected and die regretted.





The writer is a retired international banker who lives in Toronto, Canada. His other writings are posted on http://blog.daum.net/tomhslee.
By Shlomo Ben Ami





TEL AVIV  With the battles of Mosul and Raqqa dislodging the Islamic State (ISIS) from its strongholds in Syria and Iraq, and the Syrian civil war becoming a war of attrition, the Middle East's most acute conflicts are evolving fast. But that doesn't mean they will soon be resolved.



ISIS's self-proclaimed caliphate was never a state that could be driven to unconditional surrender, meaning that the battles of Mosul and Raqqa were never going to be decisive, even if they did eliminate ISIS sanctuaries. As ISIS's spread into Libya and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula underscores, there are plenty of loosely controlled areas available to be penetrated.



For now, ISIS has shifted its strategy to planning and inspiring terrorist attacks in the Middle East, Europe, and even Southeast Asia. Its next step could be to destabilize Arab regimes from within  a strategy that cannot be countered by the international coalitions now closing in on Raqqa.



This is all the more true, given those coalitions' incoherence and fragility. US President Donald Trump has based his entire Middle East strategy on Saudi Arabia's fears not just of ISIS, but also of Iran. The region's Sunni powers, emboldened by Trump's approach, have now closed ranks against both ISIS and Iran, even though they themselves are often mortal enemies.



Iran, for its part, recognizes that territories liberated from ISIS control are unlikely to be returned to their former sovereigns. It has thus been strengthening its grip in southern Syria along the border with Jordan, as part of a broader effort to build a Shia-controlled crescent stretching from Iran through Iraq (already practically an Iranian trusteeship) to Syria and Lebanon.



But Israel, a tacit member of the US-sponsored Sunni alliance, will not sit idly by and watch such a crescent take shape. Indeed, Israel has made it clear that an Iranian presence along the Golan Heights border would increase the risk of war.



The US, too, is doing its part to block Shia powers from achieving territorial contiguity from the Gulf to the Mediterranean, including by launching airstrikes in the border region shared by Iraq, Jordan, and Syria. American forces have also shot down a Syrian warplane and two Iranian armed drones operated by Hezbollah.



Iran is not the only country attempting to redraw borders to its own benefit. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an is on record explicitly supporting ISIS's challenge to the 100-year-old Sykes-Picot order, created by the British and French after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.



The Kurds  key US allies in the fight against ISIS  also want changes to the Middle Eastern map, though certainly not in the same way as Turkey. They want their own state, and to some extent, they even expect it, given their contributions to defeating ISIS. Masoud Barzani, the president of Iraq's Kurdistan autonomous region, has already announced that an independence referendum for Iraqi Kurds will be held in September.



For Turkey, preventing that outcome is a higher priority than defeating ISIS or taking down President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Erdo?an worries that, if the Iraqi Kurds gain independence, they could inspire Turkey's own Kurdish rebels, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), to revive their decades-old fight for independence. The respect that the PKK-affiliated Syrian Kurdish militias have earned on the battlefield, Turkey fears, could also legitimize the group internationally; hence Turkey's attempts to suppress it.



Given these concerns, Turkish forces already deployed in northern Syria are likely to remain there even after the fall of Raqqa, to serve as a buffer between the Kurds there and those in Turkey. But, while Turkey's concerns about Kurdish resistance are not unfounded, the chances of actual Kurdish statehood remain slim, because such a state would be wedged between four countries  Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria  that bitterly oppose it.



Russia is another key actor in today's Middle East, though the Kremlin seems to have little interest in meddling in the Sunni-Iranian showdown (much less intervening in the Turkey-PKK relationship). The Kremlin does, at the moment, share Iran's goal of ensuring the survival of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime. But, as soon as the situation is stabilized, the tacit alliance will surely dissolve into a bitter competition for political control of Syria.



In this complex context, there is little patience for added uncertainty. That is why Saudi Arabia  along with Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates  recently cut diplomatic ties and trade links with Qatar, which they accuse of destabilizing the region by supporting both Iranian proxies and the Sunni militants of al-Qaeda and ISIS. From the perspective of Saudi Arabia and its partners, it is time for Qatar to choose where it stands with regard to both Iran and the Islamists.



For now, however, Qatar is getting by with a little help from its remaining friends. Both Iran and Turkey stand ready to fill the trade void left by the Saudi coalition. Turkey has also deployed troops to its military base in Qatar.



In any case, Qatar isn't Saudi Arabia's real problem. Nor is Iran, for that matter. Using external enemies to divert attention from unresolved domestic problems is a tactic straight out of the autocrat's handbook. To turn a feudal kingdom into a modern nation-state, Saudi Arabia needs to address its internal weaknesses; it does not need more combative alliances and colossal arms deals like the one its leaders signed with Trump on his recent trip to Riyadh.



Egypt, too, needs to focus on easing severe domestic social and political strain. Only then can it assert control over the Sinai Peninsula, from which terrorist groups, including ISIS, are operating.



America's Sunni allies are drawn to Trump, partly because he has little interest in the kinds of democratic reforms that his predecessor Barack Obama used to push. But if they continue on their current path, they may end up facing sociopolitical explosions at home  and deepening conflicts abroad.





Shlomo Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister, is Vice President of the Toledo International Center for Peace. He is the author of Scars of War, Wounds of Peace: The Israeli-Arab Tragedy. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate.
G20 meeting shows complex power games on NK challenge



The just-ended G20 meeting exposed the complex power games that blocked even an iota of consensus on North Korea's long-range missile and nuclear weapons threats.



Ironically, this is a lesson in point for President Moon Jae-in _ there is no quick fix for the North Korean challenge.



Rather, preventing it from getting worse should be a priority, which requires a good working relationship with the parties involved.



In that sense, Moon has taken a good first step.



With Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Moon agreed to resume "shuttle diplomacy" for frequent summits. The two confirmed their differences on Japan's wartime sex slavery.



With Russia's President Vladimir Putin, he shared mutual understanding about the peaceful resolution of the North Korean problem. Moscow objected to additional sanctions.



With China's Xi Jinping, he found ways of not focusing on their thorniest issue _ Seoul's decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, which Beijing views as an existential threat.



Moon also used the G20 platform to let his peace approach be known to the world, although with mixed results.



China and Russia thwarted the inclusion of North Korea's threat in a summit statement but hostess German Chancellor Angela Markel discussed it during a closed-door discussion among leaders.



On the sidelines of the multilateral summit, Moon had dinner with U.S. President Donald Trump and Abe and issued a strong condemnation against the North in connection with its last week test-firing of what it claimed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).



Despite the North's provocations, Moon also declared his proposal for an inter-Korean summit to discuss a peace treaty with a more practical package including family reunions.



He showed his sense of balance to rebut his critics who saw him as soft on the North, when he observed that Korea is at a most critical moment after the 1950-1953 Korean War during his summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.



One key development in the Hamburg meeting is revelation of a multi-polar age that the world is entering. Previously, this multilateral meeting served as the showpiece of Pax Americana. Now, the U.S. has tumbled and joined the ranks of China, Russia, Europe and others.



For Moon, this is a challenge and at the same time a chance.



It is a challenge because Korea as a middle power should maintain its current alliance with the U.S., while putting no less importance on the promotion of relations with emerging powers such as China. If not adroitly handled, it could backfire.



It is a chance because the changing dynamics can provide Korea with a new bigger role in reshaping the world.



Moon can make a difference for the better.




By Lee Min-hyung





Galaxy Note Fan Edition

Samsung Electronics' repackaged Galaxy Note 7 smartphones are selling rapidly, as customer loyalty to the flagship device remains strong despite its disastrous recall last year, according to telecom industry officials, Monday.

The Galaxy Note Fan Edition (FE) is drawing enthusiastic responses, with some of its colors  such as black onyx and blue coral  selling out at major retail stores only two days after the device hit shelves last Friday.

Officials attributed its popularity to the Note's brand power as a large-screen smartphone. Samsung is set to sell only 400,000 Note FE devices here for 699,600 won ($606.34).

"We expect the limited Note FE to run out of stock as early as this month," a telecom industry official said. Its sales figure has so far been almost on par with Samsung's latest Galaxy S8 premium handset, he said.

"Note fans have driven the robust sales," said the official. "On top of that, its price is very attractive, compared with other flagship Android counterparts on the market."

However, the official did not say whether Samsung will also market the products overseas.

The Galaxy Note series has topped the list of Samsung's most expensive handset lineups every year, whose price hovers around one million won.

The Note 7, launched last year, was priced at 988,900 won. But with the device mired in a scandal over faulty batteries, Samsung scrapped production and sales for good.

In March, Samsung announced its plan to sell repackaged Note 7 phones equipped with a downsized battery and updated software. The move also came amid growing calls for the firm to deal with the ill-fated handsets in an environmentally-friendly way.

A source from the mobile industry said that the "limited edition marketing" has also played a key role to attract more customers. Samsung said no additional FE devices will be available when they go out of stock.

"The marketing strategy has worked well, encouraging a number of customers to buy the handset quickly," said the source who asked not to be named.

Samsung Electronics launched the Note FE by using unpackaged Note 7 stockpiles, as part of its efforts to be more environmentally responsible.

The company also plans to sell some recalled Note 7 parts for test materials. They include camera modules and chips. It also pledged to sell other recyclable components  such as copper, nickel, gold and silver  from the remaining Note 7 devices.

The Note FE comes with a string of updated functions including the artificial intelligence (AI) software, Bixby, which were not available at the Note 7. The device also uses the same user interface as the S8 and S8 Plus. The FE sells in four colors of gold platinum, silver titanium, blue coral and black onyx.
"The size of the decline is shocking," the Yomiuri said, citing the 61 percent support that Abe's government had just two months ago. "While Prime Minister Abe repeats 'deep regret,' the public's distrust is growing more than ever."

According to the Yomiuri poll, which was taken July 7-9, support for Abe's government fell to 36 percent, down 13 points from mid-June, while disapproval rose to 52 percent, from 41 percent. NTV's poll showed support fell to 32 percent, while NHK's showed it dropped to 35 percent.

Experts say a slew of scandals, including a major one involving Abe, and the railroading of key legislation have hurt the prime minister's popularity, leading to his Liberal Democratic Party's heavy losses in the July 2 Tokyo assembly elections.

Results published Monday from a weekend poll by the liberal Asahi newspaper showed support for Abe's Cabinet at 33 percent, down seven points from a week earlier, while disapproval stood at 47 percent, up five points. Polls by the conservative Yomiuri newspaper and NTV, both known as pro-Abe, as well as public broadcaster NHK showed similar results.

With his government's approval ratings sinking to their lowest level since he returned to power in 2012, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he will reshuffle his Cabinet next month as he looks to rebound from his party's recent crushing defeat in Tokyo municipal elections.

Abe, traveling in Europe after the G-20 summit, told reporters Sunday that he would reshuffle his Cabinet in early August. The Cabinet is expected to replace some of the ministers criticized for problematic remarks and scandals.

Defense Minister Tomomi Inada is among those expected to be removed. Inada most recently came under fire over her remark at an election rally in which she sought support from her ministry and the Self-Defense Force for a ruling party candidate, allegedly violating laws stipulating neutrality of civil servants and the military.

In the absence of significant center-left alternatives and strong rivals in his party, Abe's tenure as prime minister is not under immediate threat. But Abe - in his second stint as prime minister, having previously served in 2006 and 2007 - now has to watch out for any development in a major ongoing scandal in which he is alleged to have helped a friend gain government approval for his new veterinary school.

On Monday, a former top education ministry bureaucrat told a parliamentary hearing that Abe's office had significant influence over the school approval. Though Abe was not present, the hearing was apparently a compromise by his party, which has repeatedly refused to hold one, following the July 2 election defeat.

"The decision-making process was in parts extremely unfair and murky," Kihei Maekawa, former vice education minister, said Monday. "Clearly there was an influence by the Prime Minister's Office."

Maekawa said an Abe aide urged him to speed up the approval to meet the targeted school opening of April 2018, adding that he was speaking on behalf of Abe because "the prime minister cannot say this from his own mouth."

Officials in Abe's government denied distorting the approval process, saying it was part of their deregulation effort.

The veterinary school scandal is the second alleging that Abe or people close to him sought to influence the opening of new schools. Earlier, Abe's wife, Akie, was alleged to have used her influence in a school opening for an ultra-nationalistic Osaka educational group that she was closely associated with.
Electronics exports return to growth

From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-07-07 13:34

China's electronics exports rebounded to an annual growth rate of 12.5 percent in the first five months, compared with a 3.6 percent fall a year earlier, the industry regulator said yesterday.



The manufacture of consumer electronics such as smartphones and TVs maintained steady growth while production of integrated circuits surged more than 25 percent, said the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

In the first five months, the growth in electronics manufacturing reached 13.9 percent, up 4.9 percentage points from a year ago. The ministry gave no value for exports and production, only percentages.

The electronics manufacturing and export sector has become better and healthier, with increased volumes and improved profitability, the ministry said.

China produced 564 million smartphones in the first five months, a 7.5 percent growth year on year.

Huawei, Oppo and Vivo have become top five global smartphone vendors behind Samsung and Apple. They have also expanded overseas, which boosted manufacturing and exports.

Other products such as personal computer sand TV also maintained steady growth in the period. The integrated circuit sector soared 25.1 percent from a year earlier.
China rejects Indias border excuse

From:Agencies | 2017-07-07 13:39

CHINA said yesterday that it was absurd for India to use the excuse of Chinese road-building to cross their border, and accused India of militarizing its side of the frontier.



A stand-off on a plateau next to the mountainous Indian state of Sikkim, which borders China, has raised tensions between the neighbors.

Indian guards crossed into Chinas Doklam region early last month and obstructed work on a road on the plateau.

Troops from the two sides then confronted each other close to a Chinese valley that separates India from Bhutan.

India has said it had warned China that construction of the road near their common border would have serious security implications.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, speaking at a daily news briefing, again urged India to withdraw its personnel to avoid there being an even more serious situation creating even more serious consequences.

Geng said China did not understand what reason India had for believing the road was a security risk, and that China had every right to build roads in its own territory.

It was ridiculous for India to cross the border on the pretext of concern over the road, he said.

Over the past few years its actually been India that has, in the Sikkim sector of the China-India border, been building a great number of facilities and deploying a large number of forces, Geng said.

In some areas they have been building military facilities including fortifications, he said.

I dont know whether India has considered Chinas security concerns while doing these things.

China accused India of taking the protection of Bhutan as an excuse to legitimize its incursion.

Indias intention is very clear, which is to use the so-called security concern as well as protecting Bhutan as a pretext to cross the China-India boundary at the Sikkim section and enter the Chinese territory of Doklam, Geng said.

By creating disputes in Doklam, India intends to obstruct border negotiations between China and Bhutan, Geng said.

China and Bhutan started border negotiations in the 1980s, and have held 24 rounds of talks.

China observes relevant agreements with Bhutan, and Chinas activities in Doklam have not violated any bilateral agreement nor disrupted the status quo, he said.

China has the willingness to solve the issue in diplomatic ways and peaceful means once India withdraws its troops from Chinese soil, Geng said.
The police department received a 9-1-1 call around 2:30 p.m. Sunday about an armed man who had barricaded himself inside the U.S. Post Office, 501 W. 8th Street. As officers were on the way, a caller said the man was holding several postal employees as hostages. That turned out not to be true.

Officers talked with the man and one of his co-workers by telephone. Shortly afterwards, the co-workers were able to exit the facility. The man refused to surrender to the officers and a standoff ensued.

The Rolla Police Departments Crisis Negotiation Team and SWAT Team went to the post office. Negotiators tried to contact the man but he refused to talk. Several hours later, after not hearing anything from inside the building, the SWAT Team entered the building and found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The man was Benedict J.G. Benito, 33, of Rolla.

Investigators talked to postal employees who were in the building. They said Benito did not point his gun at them, threaten them in any way, or hold them hostage.

This incident is still under investigation. Anyone having information about this incident or Benito can contact Rolla Police Detective Derrick Dillon at (573) 308-1213, or may remain anonymous by calling the Rolla Police Departments Confidential Tip Line at (573) 364-0111.
China has shown potential and attractiveness as the worlds largest emerging market in light of its economic performance in the first half of this year, said Jia Kang, chief economist from China Academy of New Supply-side Economics.

He made the remarks at a symposium on Chinas economy chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on July 6. Five experts and entrepreneurs from different fields also participated.

Chinas economy in H1 remains positive

Jia Kang mentioned the excavator index, which uses 200 million big data sources per day to indicate the countrys performance in infrastructure construction.

China of Sany Heavy Industry, Chinas leading machinery manufacturer, created the index on excavators operation rate, and Jia said data in 2016 proves the sales in the gloomy construction machinery industry has been picking up.

The index in February predicted a growth rate of 200-250 percent in construction machinery sales this year.

A series of growing leading indicators present a stable and raising economic growth in the first half year, Jia said.

He also said China has made great progress in employment, based on the fact that nearly 5.99 million urban jobs were created from January to May.

An increase of 13 million new jobs each year is an incredible task for most countries, well-known financial economist Shen Liantao said.

Shen said Chinas economic performance can be credited to the governments campaigns of promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, the Internet Plus strategy and Made in China 2025.

Chinas transformation in new technologies is faster than other countries, Shen cited from a European report.

Innovation and entrepreneurship counts for economic growth

To keep a stable economic operation and development, China must go through with the mass entrepreneurship and innovation movement to forge new engines, said Chen Xian, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Mass entrepreneurship and innovation is a fundamental strategy, not a temporary expedient, Chen said. The essence of innovation is trial and error, and extensive trials bring about greater success.

Chen cited a viewpoint in the book The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley, saying that government undertakes a more important role than people think in innovation.

Chen just visited Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and he mentioned that the entrepreneurial ecosystem there is diversified, suggesting that the government should attach more importance to building the mass innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, in areas including administrative reform and public service supply.

I will be grateful if you could offer systematic comparative analysis report on entrepreneurship ecosystems across China, Premier Li said.

Enterprises report solid performance

Liu Mingzhong, chairman of Sany Heavy Industry, told Premier Li that his enterprise had 165 percent growth in revenue in the first half year, ending three years deficit. Wang Wei, chairman of SF Express, a major delivery company in China, said their business volume in the first five months increased by 21 percent, higher than the same period last year.

Thanks to government policies in promoting real economy, our capacity in science and technology was greatly enhanced by encouraging innovation, said Liu. Thats why we could stop loss and begin sound development.

Wang attributed their success to government efforts in streamlining administration, delegating powers and improving services. Cutting approval items brought great benefit to enterprises, thus stimulating market vigor and creating more job opportunities, he said, adding that they have a total of 420,000 employees right now.

We encourage everyone to innovate, while the company will support good ideas and make investments. The self pick-up locker is an example, which was first introduced by employees from SF Express and has been rapidly popularized nationwide.

It seems that your company is an incubator for innovators, said Premier Li.

Wang agreed, adding that he was surprised by the Premiers thoughts. He thought a lot about technological innovation, Internet Plus and the prospects of industries, which impressed me so much.

Yin Qi, founder and CEO of Face++, a frontrunner in AI, was the last to present at the forum. Although with a history of only six years, his company has been included in the 50 Smartest Companies, a report by the MIT Technology Review, which is used for forecasting the future of leading companies in different industries.

His opinion on AI was praised by Premier Li, who expressed his excitement in seeing the success of the young generation.

I never expected a meeting at the State Council could be so lively, said Yin. The Premiers questions impressed me. He knows the field very well.
Premier Li Keqiang on July 6 hosted a meeting with experts and entrepreneurs on current economic performance and suggestions about future economic work.

The Premier affirmed the countrys stable economic performance with good momentum in the first quarter, and dispelled worries about whether the momentum can be sustained in the second quarter.

The stable growth is not only reflected in GDP, but also in employment, he said.

Sufficient employment, increasing income and continuously improving environment can prove the economy is running at a reasonable range, the Premier said.

In the second quarter of the year, the unemployment rate for 31 major cities is higher than that of the first quarter, as well as the same period last year.

Meanwhile, Chinas economic structure is optimizing, the Premier said.

In the first half, we continued to deepen reforms and push structural adjustments under proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, he said.

Key economic data show consumption has become the major growth driver, contributing 77.2 percent to GDP growth in the first quarter from 47 percent in 2013.

Added value in the service sector accounted for more than half of GDP, and the proportion is still increasing, which is a very profound change amid economic transformation, said the Premier.

New driving forces are emerging, he said.

These new industries and new business formats will play a major role in boosting employment, a change wed really be glad to see, the Premier said.

Keep a close eye on global uncertainties

Uncertainties are increasing in the world situation. Premier Li urged the country to be better braced for difficulties and changes ahead as it has become increasingly integrated into the global economy.

In the first half of this year, investment, especially effective investment, has turned for the better than last year. But private investment still falls short, despite a rebound in growth rate, compared with that of fixed asset investment.

Financing difficulties faced by small and medium-sized enterprises should also be addressed with more effective measures, as it concerns not only employment, but innovation as well.

Overall financial risk still exists, but is controllable, said the Premier.

There are concerns over financial leverage. But as I look at it, the countrys personal savings rate stands at 40-50 percent, the highest in the world. And as for those companies with high debts, we have to pay more attention, he said.

Maintain steady growth in second half of the year

We have to focus on the following priorities in a bid to keep steady economic growth in the second half of this year, said the Premier.

First, macroeconomic policies and market expectations need to be stabilized. Believing makes it so. Therefore, its very important to manage expectations in a market economy, and policies play a guiding role in this respect.

It is widely agreed upon that consistent macroeconomic policies help stabilize market expectations. At the same time, though, we still need to make well-timed adjustments, he said.

For instance, we have to consider how to make it more targeted while keeping proactive fiscal policy, how to make full use of surplus budgetary funds, and how to keep a sound and stable financial market under current prudent monetary policy. 

Second, further streamline administration, cut taxes and reduce fees to create a more competitive business environment, the Premier said. The value added tax reform is now in full swing, and has helped bring down more than 2 trillion yuan in taxes and fees during the past few years.

Its not enough, said Premier Li.

We have to continue our efforts to ease the burden of companies, in particular by cutting transaction costs caused by government red tapes, and boost their competitiveness in the international arena, he said.

Third, encourage entrepreneurship and innovation to cultivate new growth drivers. In the new round of technological reform, we see a lot of changes in our demand which has become more varied and customized, the Premier said.

Another trend is that large companies become more integrated with small and medium-sized enterprises. Such cooperation will greatly bolster development and provide mutual benefit.

Industrial revolution creates opportunities as well as challenges. We have to seize the chance to transform government functions and administration models to face up to it, he said.

The Premier said he heard an economist mention a European report that said Chinas technological upgrading, such as the Internet Plus strategy, outstrips other countries in the world.

As a frontrunner, the country also has to step up efforts to promote structural adjustment, accelerate the shift in driving forces, and bolster economic development, he noted.

The Premier said he strongly believes the country can continue keeping steady growth to better achieve the full-year economic goals this year, maintaining a medium-to-high level of growth while realizing a sound and sustainable development in the long run.
PRESS RELEASE

Congressional Sabotage Efforts Go into High Gear after Trump-Putin Meeting

July 9, 2017 (EIRNS)Efforts within the U.S. Congress to sabotage any improvement in U.S.-Russian relations were well underway long before President Trump met with Russian President Putin on July 7 in Hamburg, Germany, but those efforts clearly ratcheted upwards after the meeting. Within hours of the meetings conclusion, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) announced that he will be sponsoring an amendment to the 2018 defense authorization bill to "punish" Russia for its supposed violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The amendment, entitled "Russia Arms Trade Limitation Act," would authorize sanctions on individuals who help Russia develop major weapons systems, as well as state sponsors of terrorism that buy such weapons. The Hill notes that the authorization bill already has a provision warning that if Russia violates the treaty and fails to comply within 15 months of the bills enactment, the United States "would no longer be legally bound by the treaty as a matter of domestic law."

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) took particular exception to Trumps apparent acceptance of Putins denial of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, claiming that this showed that the Congress had to pass the pending Russia-Iran sanctions bill. That bill passed the Senate 98-2 but is hung up in the House over technicalities.

"Rather than decisively confronting the Russian President head on, the President seemed to acquiesce to Putins denial, almost certainly paving the way for future Russian interference in our elections,"

Schumer said in a statement. "Its clear that President Trump is not willing to be the guardian of American interests when it comes to dealing with Putin."

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) has been talking about impeachment for months and declared that she will now "take the gloves off" against Trump, in an interview published by the New York Times on July 7. After the Trump-Putin meeting, she went on MSNBC to blast Trump, claiming that "America is getting played" by Trump and by Putin.
PRESS RELEASE

Putin Press Conference at G20 Emphasizes His Meeting with Trump Was a Good Start on Improving Relations, Progress on Syria

July 9, 2017 (EIRNS)Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a wide-ranging press conference at the conclusion of the G20 summit in Hamburg on July 8. In it he answered questions about his lengthy bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he described as "a very down to earth and direct person" who "analyzes things pretty fast." Putin said that

"I think that if we build our relations in the vein of our meeting yesterday, there are good reasons to believe that we will be able to revive, at least partially, the level of interaction we need."

Asked if Russian-U.S. relations can be pulled out of deep crisis, Putin said: "I very much hope so, and it seems to me that we have built certain prerequisites for this."

On the infamous issue of supposed Russian "interference" in the U.S. Presidential election, Putin stated:

"The U.S. President asked me this question directly, and we discussed it. And this was not a single question, there were many, and he gave much attention to this issue. Russias stance is well-known and I reiterated it. There is no reason to believe that Russia interfered in the U.S. election process.... I answered all of his questions as far as I could. I think he took note and agreed. But it would be better if you asked him about what he thinks about it."

Putin was very strong on the progress made on Syria, stating that the deal on the southern de-escalation zone "is one of the breakthroughs we have made in our work with President Trump. This is a real result of cooperation, including with the United States.... The fact that active military operations have ceased, the fact that we are now discussing de-escalation zones is a huge step forward."
PRESS RELEASE

Russia Expert Stephen Cohen: Trump May Emerge as an American Statesman

July 9, 2017 (EIRNS)Stephen Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University, in an interview with Fox News Tucker Carlson on July 7, said that the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which had taken place shortly before the interview, was "potentially the most fateful" U.S.-Russian summit since World War II. "The reason is that the relationship with Russia is so dangerous and yet we have a President who mightve been crippled or cowed by these Russia-gate attacks on him and yet he was not," Cohen said. "He was, I think, politically courageous. It went well. They did important things and this will be astonishing to be said, I know, but I think, maybe today we witnessed President Trump emerging as an American statesman. I think it was a very good day for everybody."

Cohen said that the headline he would put on the meeting is: "Potentially historic new detente, anti-Cold War partnership begun by Trump and Putin, but meanwhile attempts to sabotage it escalate."
PRESS RELEASE

U.S.-Russian Brokered Ceasefire in Southern Syria Begins, Appears To Be Holding

July 9, 2017 (EIRNS)The U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire in southern Syria officially began at noon local time, today (09:00 GMT/UTC). In a statement issued late yesterday, H.R. McMaster, President Donald Trumps national security advisor, said that such de-escalation zones, such as the one agreed on in southern Syria by the U.S. and Russia, "are a priority for the United States, and were encouraged by the progress made to reach this agreement." He reported that Trump had discussed the agreement with "many world leaders" before leaving Hamburg, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"The United States remains committed to defeating ISIS, helping to end the conflict in Syria, reducing suffering and enabling people to return to their homes. This agreement is an important step toward these common goals."

By all news accounts, the ceasefire was holding as evening fell in the three provinces of Quneitra, Daraa, and Suwayda where it took effect. Officials of armed groups in Quneitra and Daraa reported calm and even the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that "calm was prevailing" with no air strikes or clashes in the southwest since the truce began, reported Reuters. A source in Damascus told Sputnik that "no evident ceasefire violations in southwestern Syria have been registered." Though the Syrian government has issued no statements on the ceasefire agreement, it had already implemented a ceasefire of its own in the southern provinces before the July 4-5 meeting in Astana on the implementation of de-escalation zones agreed on by Russia, Turkey and Iran.

During his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before leaving Hamburg yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin credited him with a major role in helping to improve the situation in Syria. According to the Kremlin transcript, Putin told Erdogan that

"it is largely owing to your stand that the situation in Syria has changed significantly for the better. The terrorist groups have suffered a major blow, and the settlement has seen major progress."

Erdogan replied that "I am confident that our joint efforts with Russia with regard to the developments that have occurred are a clear example for the regions nations and for the entire global community." Expectations are "naturally running high," especially on Syria he added, later.
PRESS RELEASE

President Trump Meets with President Xi on the Sidelines of G20

July 9, 2017 (EIRNS)President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a substantive bilateral meeting at the end of the G20 in Hamburg. The meeting was very friendly and lasted an hour and a half, and was only cut short by President Trumps departure schedule.

Speaking to reporters at the beginning of their talks, President Xi said,

"I am glad to meet with President Trump again in Hamburg. We had a very successful meeting in Mar-a-Lago in early April. After that, we had several phone calls, we built a close contact. For the past three months, our teams have worked on the consensus we reached and have pushed for exchange and cooperation in order to attain new progress. We started the first round of the China-U.S. Diplomacy and Security Dialogue. And the 100 Days Economic Action Plan has achieved early results. Both sides also keep close communication regarding the international and regional issues. Of course, we also see the sensitive issues remain in China-U.S. relationship. There is a lot of work needed to be done."

While noting differences they had on a number of issues, Xi said

by strengthening the cooperation between China and the U.S., it benefits the world peace and prosperity, and it is also in the interest of Chinese, Americans, and people around the world. Wed like to work with the U.S., and steadily stay in the right direction to develop the China and U.S. relationship. We should mutually respect each other, mutually benefit each other, and explore areas of cooperation."

In his reply, Trump said,

On behalf of the United States, I would like to just say that its an honor to have gotten to know you. We are developing, and have developed, a wonderful relationship. I appreciate the things that you have done relevant to the very substantial problem that we all face in North Koreaa problem that something has to be done about. And Im sure that whether its on trade or whether its on North Korea, or any of the many things that we will be discussing, we will come to a successful conclusion. Trade is, as you know, a very, very big issue for the United States now, because for years, and certainly over a long period of time, many things have happened that have led to trade imbalances. And were going to turn that around. And I know that China in particular, which is a great trading partner, we will be able to do something that will be equitable and reciprocal.

Trump also touched briefly on North Korea, where there has been considerable press hype about Trumps alleged disappointment with Chinas efforts to get North Koreas leader to bring down the tension.

As far as North Korea is concerned, we will have, eventually, success. It may take longer than Id like. It may take longer than youd like. But there will be success in the end one way or the other,

Trump said.
For years, news organizations have had little recourse but to cede more distribution and advertising dollars to Facebook and Google, even agreeing to give away articles in the hopes the wider digital audience will pay off in the long run.

But as profits continue to decline in journalism, news media executives have decided time is running out to make a change.

An industry trade group called the News Media Alliance  which counts the Los Angeles Times parent company Tronc, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and scores of smaller newspapers among its members  is calling on federal lawmakers to grant the industry an exemption from antitrust rules to negotiate collectively with the technology giants.

Advertisement

By banding together, news outlets would have more leverage against two companies that command more than 70% of the $73-billion digital advertising industry in the U.S. By comparison, newspaper ad revenue in 2016 amounted to $18 billion, down from $50 billion a decade ago, according to the Pew Research Center.

The message from the News Media Alliance is simple: Good reporting is time-consuming and expensive  and more important than ever at a time when the Internet is awash with questionable news, opinion and hoaxes.

Facebook and Google dont employ reporters: They dont dig through public records to uncover corruption, send correspondents into war zones, or attend last nights game to get the highlights. They expect an economically squeezed news industry to do that costly work for them, David Chavern, president and chief executive of the News Media Alliance, wrote in an opinion piece published Sunday in the Wall Street Journal.

The only way publishers can address this inexorable threat is by banding together, Chavern wrote. If they open a unified front to negotiate with Google and Facebook  pushing for stronger intellectual-property protections, better support for subscription models and a fair share of revenue and data  they could build a more sustainable future for the news business.

Facebook and the News Media Alliance didnt respond Sunday afternoon to requests to comment. Google said in a statement it wanted to help publishers transition to digital.

We remain deeply committed to helping publishers with both their challenges, and their opportunities, the search giant said.

Its unclear how difficult it would be for the alliance to circumvent antitrust rules that were designed to prevent companies from becoming over-dominant  something newspapers havent been accused of in decades.

Regulators, Chavern argued, havent been particularly strict with Facebook, which recently saw the number of its monthly users soar to 2 billion worldwide, and Google, which accounts for upwards of 80% of Internet searches. They allowed Google to vault to the top of the online ad market by approving the acquisitions of ad exchanges Doubleclick, AdMob and AdMeld. Facebook was also permitted to purchase two major competitors, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Newspapers may control an outsized level of influence in public discourse, but their financial prowess is puny compared with Google and Facebook, which enjoy market capitalizations of $649 billion and $434 billion, respectively. News Corp., which owns the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, stands at $7.55 billion, the New York Times Co. at $2.78 billion and Tronc at $409 million.

The unique role news media continue to play in American politics and history makes it crucial to ensure a fairer fight for revenue between news publishers and these massive information gateways, Chavern said. Today, antitrust laws are insulating Google and Facebook from market forces. News publishers are committed to unleashing those forces to defend their investments in great journalism.

Times staff writer Paresh Dave contributed to this article.

david.pierson@latimes.com

Follow me @dhpierson on Twitter

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A start-up investor used his power for sexual gain. Now the tech industry is challenging the power dynamic
CBS S.W.A.T. reboot will take on the Trump years, #BlackLivesMatter, says Shemar Moore By Meredith Blake Stephanie Sigman and Shemar Moore (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Dont let the funky theme song or the 70s origins fool you. While technically a remake  of both the original series and the subsequent 2003 film based on it  CBS upcoming cop drama S.W.A.T. is very plugged into the current moment, according to its cast and creators. In the series, former Criminal Minds star Shemar Moore plays a native Angeleno who runs a tactical unit for the LAPD and finds his loyalty torn between his fellow officers and the community in which he was raised. As co-creator Aaron Rahsaan Thomas told reporters Tuesday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour, the series was inspired by his experiences growing up in Kansas City, which have helped him understand both sides of the raging debate over police violence. I grew up in a neighborhood that had a very complicated view towards police officers, said Thomas, who created the series with veteran showrunner Shawn Ryan. On one hand, a 12-year-old kid who was a neighbor of mine was shot and killed by a police officer. On the other hand, another neighbor of mine was an actual police officer. Moore, best known for his long run on the CBS procedural Criminal Minds, noted the diversity of the cast and creative team and added that, while the show is primarily designed to entertain, it will also resonate politically. Were taking on the Trump years, he said. I dont care who you voted for. Its just whats happening today. Its Black Lives Matter. As much as some people dont want to hear it, its All Lives Matter. Its not just black versus blue or black versus white. Its every ethnicity. Its fear. Its racism. Its terrorism. Its subject matter of today. Ryan, who created the groundbreaking drama The Shield, about corrupt Los Angeles police officers, said he was excited about the chance to examine the often charged relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Los Angeles is such a diverse, amazing community, and seeing an officer who kind of lives in the city and sort of sees the people that are being policed as humans and as neighbors and as friends was really important to me. Facebook

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Netflix getting A Little Help from Carol Burnett By Libby Hill What do you get when you pair up a living legend with a bunch of little kids? Comedy gold, if Netflix has its way. The online streaming service announced Monday that comedy icon Carol Burnett will be returning to television with A Little Help With Carol Burnett, an original unscripted series that pairs Burnett with children to tackle lifes dilemmas. Someone once asked me how old I am inside, Burnett said in a statement Monday. I thought about it and came up with, Im about 8. So its going to be a lot of fun playing with kids my age. Kids ages 4 to 8 will join Burnett as celebrities and everyday folks bring their real-life problems to the show to get advice in front of a live studio audience. Were thrilled Carol is bringing her unique sensibilities to Netflix, Bela Bajaria, the services vice president of content acquisition, said in Mondays announcement. Carol is truly a legend in the entertainment industry with unprecedented success and fandom across TV, film and the stage, and we are both honored and excited to work with her. A Little Help With Carol Burnett will be produced by Dick Clark Productions and is the companys first Netflix project. This is the second television project announced this year for Burnett, 84. In February, ABC ordered a pilot for the multi-camera comedy Household Name, starring Burnett, though the series has not been picked up in its current iteration. Debuting in 2018, A Little Help With Carol Burnett will feature 12 half-hour episodes. Facebook

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Ken Burns explains why his Vietnam War documentary is more relevant than ever By Libby Hill Ken Burns in Beverly Hilton on Sunday. (Richard Shotwell / Invision) History doesnt repeat itself, Ken Burns told a room of journalists gathered Sunday at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour in Beverly Hills Were not condemned to repeat what we dont remember, Burns explained. Its that human nature never changes. Its a curious statement from the storied documentarian, particularly given his latest project, the 18-hour, 10-part documentary series The Vietnam War, directed with Lynn Novick. But just because humanity isnt trapped in a constantly repeating cycle doesnt mean that the echoes of modern strife arent plentiful throughout the upcoming PBS series. This is a story about mass demonstrations all across the country against the current administration, Burns said in response to a question about what the youth of America will find relevant in The Vietnam War. About a White House obsessed with leaks and in disarray because of those leaks, about a president railing against you, the news media, for making up news. Its about asymmetrical warfare, which even the mighty might of the United States Army cant figure out the correct strategy to take, and its about big document drops of classified material thats been hacked, that suddenly is dumped into the public sphere, destabilizing the conventional wisdom about really important topics and accusations that a political campaign reached out to a foreign power at the time of a national election to influence that election. This is the film we started in 2006, and every single one of those points are points about the Vietnam War having nothing to do with today, Burns concluded. By creating a fully-formed picture of Vietnam, Burns hopes to shed light on the rancor and alienation defining this present moment, he explained. For Novick, the thematic relevance only serves to help teachers who have long struggled in tackling the Vietnam War. Weve had great response from teachers already that the Vietnam War is difficult to teach because its controversial and unsettled history and theyre looking forward to using the film in the classroom, Novick said. Those resonances that Ken is talking about, those will be assignments for students. Were not going to have to work very hard with teachers to come up with those themes, and students are curious about whats happening now. The Vietnam War premieres Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. PDT Facebook

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Goodbye, MTV Moonman trophy. Hello, Moon Person By Emily Mae Czachor MTVs token space cadet just scored an identity revamp  and gender didnt make the cut. In a recent interview with the New York Times, MTV President Chris McCarthy said the networks iconic Moonman trophy has been discontinued. From now on, the metallic figurine  whose impenetrably opaque helmet has become the unofficial face of MTVs Video Music Awards  will go by Moon Person instead. Because who knows whats really going on beneath that lacquered astronaut getup, anyway. Why should it be a man? McCarthy told the Times. It could be a man, it could be a woman, it could be transgender, it could be nonconformist. This new development is just the latest installment in MTVs string of efforts to do away with gender norms during its awards proceedings. The network eliminated gender-specific categories at its MTV Movie & TV Awards earlier this year, where all nominees were placed in neutral categories (i.e. best actor in a show, best actor in a movie). And the network isnt going to stop there. McCarthy also announced a new MTV reality series  still in development called We Are They about a group of gender-nonconforming young adults coming of age. With Katy Perry hosting, the VMAs will broadcast from the Forum in Inglewood on Aug. 27. Heres the full list of nominees. Facebook

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Sam Shepard: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, actor and ... avant-garde drummer? By Randall Roberts Sam Shepard in 2014. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Sam Shepard, whose death at 73 was announced on Monday, will be remembered for his cross-discipline versatility. As a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, he penned classic off-Broadway plays including True West, Buried Child and Fool for Love. An Oscar-nominated actor, he starred in films including Days of Heaven, The Right Stuff, Crimes of the Heart and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. To fans of underground music, however, Shepard served a lesser-known role as the drummer for seminal New York avant-garde folk band the Holy Modal Rounders, with whom he performed on the crucial late 1960s albums Indian War Whoop and The Moray Eels Eat the Holy Modal Rounders. The band is best known for its song If You Want to Be a Bird, which plays during the classic scene in Easy Rider in which Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson roar down the highway on their motorcycles. Thats Shepard playing drums as Rounders founders Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber whoop and yowl. It was in his capacity as a percussionist, in fact, that he drew the attention of a young Patti Smith, who, in her 2010 memoir Just Kids, recounted their first early 70s meeting at seminal music club the Village Gate. Escorted to the club by Todd Rundgren, who had just issued his album Runt, Smith described the Holy Modal Rounders set as like being at an Arabian hoedown with a band of psychedelic hillbillies. I was fixed on the drummer, who seemed as if he was on the lam and had slid behind the drums while cops looked elsewhere. Smith, who at the time was freelancing for Crawdaddy magazine, introduced herself to this drummer, who said his name was Slim Shadow. The two started hanging out, wrote Smith, describing his tales as being even taller than mine. He had an infectious laugh and was rugged, smart, and intuitive. In my mind, he was the fellow with the cowboy mouth. Only later did she learn Slims real identity when a friend pulled her aside after seeing them at a restaurant together. As recounted in Just Kids, Smith wrote that her friend asked, What are you doing with Sam Shepard? Sam Shepard? I said. Oh, no, this guys name is Slim. Honey, dont you know who he is? Hes the drummer for the Holy Modal Rounders. No, corrected her friend, Hes the biggest playwright off-Broadway. He had a play at Lincoln Center. He won five Obies! Once she learned of his reputation and acclaim, Smith and Shepard continued to see each other -- despite his being married at the time -- and eventually collaborated on a play called Cowboy Mouth. Smith described telling him of nervousness at writing for the stage, which she had never done. But Shepard urged her on, Smith wrote, telling her that you cant make a mistake when you improvise. Replied Smith: What if I screw up the rhythm? You cant, Shepard explained. Its like drumming. If you miss a beat, you create another. 7:15 a.m. Updated to correct the title of Smiths memoir, Just Kids, and to identify the Holy Modal Rounders co-founders, Stampfel and Weber. Facebook

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Lady Gaga subpoenaed in producer Dr. Lukes lawsuit against pop singer Kesha By Randall Roberts The ongoing offstage drama between the pop singer Kesha and her former producer Dr. Luke has entangled another platinum superstar: Lady Gaga. On Saturday, attorneys for Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, issued a statement regarding their attempt to depose Lady Gaga about relevant conversations she may have had with Kesha. The artist, who was born Kesha Sebert, is the subject of a defamation suit filed in New York by Dr. Luke stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct, which the producer vigorously denies. The statement reads: Dr. Lukes counsel served a subpoena on Lady Gaga because she has relevant information regarding, among other things, false statements about Dr. Luke made to her by Kesha. This motion has become necessary because Dr. Lukes counsel has not been able to obtain, despite repeated request [sic], a deposition date from Lady Gaga. The protracted legal battle between Dr. Luke, left, and Kesha has brought Lady Gaga into the fray. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images) Representatives for Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, said in a statement issued to The Times on Monday morning: As Lady Gagas legal team will present to the court, she has provided all of the relevant information in her possession and is at most an ancillary witness in this process. Dr. Lukes team is attempting to manipulate the truth and draw press attention to their case by exaggerating Lady Gagas role and falsely accusing her of dodging reasonable requests. Among the information Lady Gaga has provided are copies of text messages that were, according to a report on TMZ, heavily redacted. Lady Gaga has been a vocal Kesha supporter. Last year, Gaga wrote about her peers plight in an Instagram post: The very reason women dont speak up for years is the fear that no one will believe them or their abuser has threatened their life or life of their loved ones/livelihood in order to keep their victim quiet and under control. What happened to Kesha has happened to many female artists, including myself, and it will affect her for the rest of her life. The news comes at a particularly crucial moment for Keshas career. On Aug. 11, she will release her highly anticipated new album, Rainbow. The record, featuring songs such as Learn to Let Go, will arrive via Dr. Lukes imprint, Kemosabe, a situation Kesha sought to avoid in a 2014 lawsuit of her own, which she later dropped. Facebook

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Ride on, genius: Celebrities mourn the loss of Sam Shepard By Emily Mae Czachor Acclaimed actor and playwright Sam Shepard died July 27 at age 73. (Charles Sykes / Associated Press) Sam Shepard  Oscar-nominated actor and critically acclaimed playwright, author, screenwriter and director  died on July 27 after suffering complications from ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease). When news of his death broke Monday morning, Twitter erupted with posts to mourn, honor and remember one of show business beloved renaissance men. View Instagram post This story was updated with additional reactions. Facebook

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Macaulay Culkin got his first tattoo with goddaughter Paris Jackson, and its a match By Emily Mae Czachor For Paris Jackson, getting inked is nothing out of the ordinary. With more than 50 tattoos already under her belt, the 19-year-old daughter of late pop king Michael Jackson collects body art like postage stamps. According to E! News, the budding actress got her latest over the weekend: an understated sketch of a red spoon, just below the crook of her left arm. A new tattoo might be old-hat for Jackson, but it wasnt for Macaulay Culkin, Jacksons 36-year-old godfather -- and first-time tattoo patron -- who emerged from West Hollywoods Tattoo Mania with a matching spoon on his own forearm. Though neither Jackson nor Culkin spoke to the meaning of the double-inking, the design is supposedly meant to represent a kind of chronic struggle. And thats not the only news that Culkin made recently. The Internet nearly lost its collective mind last week when a new photo emerged of the Home Alone actor looking healthy and happy. E! News even declared that Culkin definitely just won 2017s greatest makeover. Your eyes aren't deceiving you. Macaulay Culkin definitely just won 2017's greatest makeover (thus far, at least). https://t.co/IdKjxii5KZ pic.twitter.com/SOAuSx57oU  E! News (@enews) July 27, 2017 Facebook

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Alex Jones products are almost as bad as his conspiracy theories, says John Oliver By Meredith Blake Over the last year, conspiracy theorist and influential radio host Alex Jones has come under intense scrutiny for his fringe beliefs, most notably his claim that the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School was a hoax perpetrated by the government. On Sundays Last Week Tonight, John Oliver noted that Jones status as a Sandy Hook truther qualified him for an Easy Pass to hells version of the champagne room. But he spent most of his time on a relatively overlooked aspect of Jones conspiracy empire -- the wide range of products that he sells in order to fund it. According to Oliver, Jones spends nearly a quarter of his airtime plugging InfoWars-branded merchandise, including Wake Up America Patriot coffee to Combat One Tactical Bath Wipes and a powder called Caveman True Paleo (made from chocolate and domesticated bird corpses, Oliver joked). As the comedian pointed out, it just so happens that many of the products Jones sells, often at a significant markup, purport to address the conspiracy theories with equally wild-eyed zeal. Think: water filters to remove chemicals that supposedly turn frogs gay or vitamins to boost your immunity and ward off germs from allegedly disease-ridden refugees. Jones even has his own in-house expert, Dr. Edward Group, with dubious qualifications (and equally questionable hair) to back up his various outlandish claims. InfoWars is essentially a QVC for conspiracy, Oliver argued. So in the spirit of InfoWars, Oliver decided to introduce his own personal care product, John Oliver Moisture-Armored Tactical Assault Wipes, available via Infowipes.com. The price? A mere $1 million. Worth every penny, were sure. You can watch the complete segment here. Facebook

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Vintage Casablanca poster sells for $478,000 By Trevell Anderson How much would someone pay for a vintage movie poster? Well, if that film is Casablanca, one persons answer is $478,000. Thats how much a bidder coughed up Saturday for the only known surviving Italian-issue poster for the 1942 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The poster sold through Heritage Auctions of Dallas. The buyer has just set a world record and acquired what we in the poster collecting world would equate to a masterpiece, said Grey Smith, Heritages director of vintage posters. The stunning artistry put into this poster makes it stand head and shoulders above any paper produced for the film. The poster, measuring 55.5 inches by 78.25 inches, was produced in 1946. The film opened in Italy on Nov. 21 that year, almost four years after its U.S. premiere. Featuring artwork by Luigi Martinati, the poster is considered the best of the pictures numerous advertisements, Smith said. Previous Italian-issue posters for the film have sold for as much as $203,000. A U.S.-issue of the poster has fetched $191,200. The auction featured other rare posters for the film, with a half-sheet going for $65,725, and a postwar Spanish-release poster selling for $35,850. ---------- For the Record An earlier version of this article misstated the purchase price of the Casablanca poster sold Saturday as $487,000. Facebook

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There is no Plan B for public broadcasting without federal funding, PBS president says By Libby Hill Paula Kerger, chief executive of PBS (Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images) PBS President and Chief Executive Paula Kerger wasnt pulling any punches Sunday at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour in Beverly Hills. When people say, What is the Plan B for [loss of federal funding]? There is no Plan B for that, Kerger said of the potential budget crisis public broadcasting faces under the Trump administration. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been under fire for months, with President Trumps proposed budget axing the institutions $450-million budget. Though its easy to suggest that budget cuts would threaten Big Birds livelihood, the true victims of defunding would be far more human. Kerger explained that of PBS $450-million budget, one-third goes to radio. Of the television budget, most goes to community service grants that local stations use for up to 50% of their operating budgets. PBS itself will not go away. But a number of our stations will. If you are a station for whom 30 or 40 or 50% of your funding is suddenly pulled away, theres no way you can make up that money, Kerger said. You will find big parts of the country that will suddenly be without public broadcasting. The fate of public broadcasting is currently in flux, waiting for the end of Congress August recess for resolution. Currently, the House Appropriations Committee has approved the bulk of the PBS budget, while the House Budget Committee recommended doing away with funding altogether. Budget concerns aside, Kerger also addressed other unresolved PBS matters. The second seat of PBS NewsHour has been vacant since the untimely death of co-host Gwen Ifill in November 2016, leaving Judy Woodruff as the shows sole anchor. We have encouraged [executive producer] Sara Just and Judy Woodruff and the team at NewsHour to take their time and think very carefully about who that right person [to replace Ifill] is, Kerger said. Im hopeful that they will be making an announcement sometime over the next few months of a new anchor. Kerger also announced an upcoming project aimed at inspiring the country to come together in celebration of literature. The Great American Read is an eight-part series launching in spring 2018 that explores the nations 100 best-loved books, chosen by the American people and culminating in the first-ever national vote to choose Americas Best-Loved Book. Facebook

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AMC Visionaries adds Eli Roth, Roots, Gibney for new docu-series By Meredith Woerner Robert Kirkman, left, and Eli Roth at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour in Beverly Hills. ( Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for AMC) AMC announced several additions to its upcoming Visionaries docu-series Saturday at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour in Beverly Hills. Writer-director-actor Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel) will be offering a deeper look into his signature style of genre filmmaking with Eli Roths History of Horror (working title) and Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Tariq Black Thought Trotter (founding members of The Roots) and Alex Gibney (Going Clear, History of the Eagles) will executive produce a series called Rap Yearbook (another working title). The cable network also has three other installments in development: History of Video Games, Outlaws of the Internet, and History of Martial Arts. The new Visionaries members join the previously announced programs Robert Kirkmans Secret History of Comics and James Camerons Story of Science Fiction. Kirkman and Roth were present at the AMC panel with Cameron appearing via satellite to show sneak peeks from the comics and sci-fi iterations of the series. A sizzle reel for the Secret History of Comics utilized plenty of classic panel pages and a sort of motion comic-like animation to illustrate the early days of Marvel Comics, going all the way back to the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby days. But the real treat was a collection of cameos, famous faces opining about their love of the form including Lee himself, J.K. Simmons, Kevin Smith, and Method Man, who earnestly revealed, You have to be born a comic book fan, I think. And there are plenty more talking heads to come, the AMC press release promised Patty Jenkins, Lynda Carter, Famke Janssen, Michelle Rodriguez, and Todd McFarlane. The second clip shared a look at Camerons love letter to science fiction. Today, science fiction is mainstream but it didnt used to be that way, the director explained. When I was a kid science fiction wasnt cool, but I thought it was cool. Cameron wants to focus on closing the gap between current fans knowledge of modern day sci-fi to the pioneering works of literature that inspired the blockbuster offerings of today. The Terminator and Avatar director noted that without Jules Verne and H.G. Wells there would be no Avengers, Star Wars or his own works. The series will be divided by theme -- space travel, time travel etc.-- and include appearances from Paul W. Anderson, Roland Emmerich, Paul Verhoeven, Bryan Singer, Keanu Reeves, Jonathan Nolan, David Gerrold and D.C. Fontana. When asked how their respective series would showcase diversity -- the footage screened was very male-centric -- Kirkman responded that History of Comics would have two episodes devoted to diversity. One will focus on the women who helped Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston steer the course of the hugely famous female superhero, and another highlighting people of color titled The Color of Comics. The episode explores the history of black characters, and the lack of black characters in the comic book industry, said Kirkman. which touches on the creation of Black Panther  the Marvel character  and does a really cool focus on this company called Milestone Comics that was founded by a group of African American comic book creators to create characters that appealed to them and represented them, because there was a huge lack of representation in comics even in the 90s. You wouldnt have horror without Mary Shelley and Frankenstein, Roth added. He cited the late George Romero as an example of how he wants to break down the themes within the horror genre. At the height of the civil rights movement [Romero] puts an African American as the lead of Night of the Living Dead and at the end of the movie hes shot by a bunch of rednecks. Not because of the color of his skin, but because they think hes a zombie. But you can read into the implications of that. What [Romero] was doing with using genre to explore racism was so ahead of its time. its just as potent today as it was 50 years ago. Its absolutely something were going to be discussing. Roths urgency to document the horror masters was apparent. It was the death of Scream moviemaker Wes Craven that inspired Roth to get involved in Visionaries. The panel then took a turn for the analytical when the creators were asked how their series would reflect the world today. The fact that dystopian science fiction has come back, especially in television and in movies, is very important, said Cameron. It means that in the age that we live in right now the challenges that face us are technological. Theyre science challenges: climate change, genetics, artificial intelligence, things like that. These are really on our horizon as major, existential threats. The best horror reflects whats going on in our times, said Roth. He used Jordan Peeles Get Out  which addressed modern day racial tensions as a reference. Its no accident that movie coming out right now is making over $200 million at the box office. You can tell its really resonating with people. Bouncing off Camerons dystopia revelation, Roth then turned his lens onto the current political climate, I dont think weve ever seen a cast of characters like this in our White House thats straight out of WWF wrestling in the 80s. When [Anthony Scaramucci] is coming out with things that would make Rowdy Roddy Piper in his heyday blush. This is a farce, is this actually happening? When will we start seeing this dystopian outlook on the current political climate in the movies? Possibly before Roths series, which will air sometime in 2018, after History of Comics and the Story of Science Fiction in 2017. Facebook

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President Trump got a fan letter from a young boy this week. Stephen Colbert introduced another young fan Friday By Greg Braxton Stephen Colbert, host of CBS The Late Show. (Michael Loccisano / Getty Images) White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders took time during a White House briefing this week to read a fan letter to President Trump from a 9-year-old boy named Dylan who has the nickname of Pickle. Sanders read part of the letter to reporters: Youre my favorite President ... I dont know why people dont like you. Sanders interjected, Neither do I, Dylan. The letter continued, You seem really nice. Can we be friends? Sanders assured Pickle that she had spoken directly to Trump about him, and the president would be more than happy to be your friend. Stephen Colbert on Friday brought another young fan of Trumps onstage Friday night to read her own letter during his CBS Late Show. Dear President, my name is Norah, but everybody calls me Mustard, the little girl recited. She continued, Youre my favorite current president. Norah then presented some probing questions to Trump: I was wondering, does the attorney general enjoy your full support? And how do you plan to implement the ban on transgender people currently serving in the military? Will those on active duty be called home? Sounds like a logistical nightmare. She continued, One more thing: Are you a puppet of Vladimir Putin? I love puppets! I made one at camp! Love, Mustard. The Late Show audience cheered. Facebook

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Broadways Great Comet producer apologizes for controversial Mandy Patinkin casting By Nardine Saad (Jeff Schear / Getty Images) The producer behind Broadways struggling musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" has joined the apologetic refrain for the diversity uproar that followed the decision to bring in Mandy Patinkin to replace departing star Okieriete Oak Onaodowan, who is black. The production came under fire this week following its move to replace Onaodowan, who was in the original cast of Hamilton, with Tony Award winner Patinkin in a titular role. As part of our sincere efforts to keep Comet running for the benefit of its cast, creative team, crew, investors and everyone else involved, we arranged for Mandy Patinkin to play Pierre, co-producer Howard Kagan said in an official statement posted Friday on Twitter. Kagan said they had the wrong impression of how Onaodowan felt about Patinkins casting and how it would be received by members of the theater community, which we appreciate is deeply invested in the success of actors of color  as are we  and to whom we are grateful for bringing this to our attention. We regret our mistake deeply, and wish to express our apologies to everyone who felt hurt and betrayed by these actions, he said. The legendary Broadway star dropped out of the musical on Friday after the announcement that he would be replacing the African American star was met with disdain. Patinkin was to join the cast for a limited run from Aug. 15 through Sept. 3, but declined the part because he would never accept a role knowing it would harm another actor. I hear what members of the community have said and I agree with them. I am a huge fan of Oak and I will, therefore, not be appearing in the show, the Homeland alum tweeted. Another tweet on the shows account included an apology to Patinkin for any misunderstanding and said they understood his decision to withdraw from the show. Our deepest apologies. pic.twitter.com/Mks7XLGxbq  The Great Comet (@GreatCometBway) July 28, 2017 pic.twitter.com/vSZk6K2KOV  The Great Comet (@GreatCometBway) July 28, 2017 Onaodowan, who had replaced recording artist Josh Groban in the role of Pierre earlier this month, is scheduled to continue to perform through Aug. 13, after which, he stated Friday on Twitter, he will not return to the show. It is unclear if his decision to leave the production was his own or prompted by other factors. Show creator Dave Malloy, whose musical was inspired by a portion of Leo Tolstoys War and Peace, also apologized Friday on Twitter for how everything went down and missing the racial optics of their casting decision. They had previously asked actress Brittain Ashford to step aside for the casting of better-known singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson during the summer months and they didnt anticipate that Patinkins casting would be viewed differently, Malloy said. Despite 12 Tony Award nominations, Comet only received two wins -- for set and lighting -- at the June ceremony and ticket sales ebbed when Groban departed. Malloy said that sales for shows after Aug. 13, when Michaelsons run would also end, were catastrophically low. So they decided to cast Patinkin, hoping that his star power would help boost sales, because the weird show was in desperate shape and on the brink of closing. Facebook

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Eagles, Doobie Brothers will play Classic Northwest show Sept. 30 in Seattle By Randy Lewis The reconfigured Eagles, shown during a July 15 performance at Dodger Stadium, will continue with a Sept. 30 Classic Northwest concert with the Doobie Brothers in Seattle. (Kevin Mazur / Getty Images) The EaglesClassic music festival series will continue with at least one more stop, this time in Seattle. But unlike the inaugural Classic West bill July 15-16 at Dodger Stadium, which is having a Classic East encore this weekend in New York, the added Classic Northwest show on Sept. 30 will be just a single day and feature the Eagles and Doobie Brothers only. The Classic West and East shows teamed the Eagles, Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers on one day, with Fleetwood Mac, Journey and Earth, Wind & Fire on the second day of each. Tickets for the Classic Northwest bill go on sale Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster. At the outset of the Eagles portion of Classic West on July 15, co-founder Don Henley indicated it was still uncertain how much of a future his long-running band might have absent co-founder Glenn Frey, who died last year at 67. To make the Classic West and East shows possible, the group tapped Freys son, singer-guitarist Deacon Frey, and country music star Vince Gill to handle the lead vocals on the many Eagles songs that were originally sung by Glenn Frey. In case this is our last dance, Henley told the crowd at Dodger Stadium, where he was joined by longtime bandmates Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, we want to thank all of you in Southern California for all your support. Facebook

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In her new Hulu series, Sarah Silverman wants to love America -- seriously By Greg Braxton Executive producers Amy Zvi, left, and Adam McKay, star/executive producer Sarah Silverman and executive producer Gavin Purcell at Hulus I Love You, America panel at the TCA summer press tour. (Willy Sanjuan / Invision/Associated Press) From her stand-up act to her Comedy Central series to her Twitter account, comic-actress Sarah Silverman has a long history of courting laughs and controversy. Her outspokenness and sometimes absurd, sometimes acerbic views on everything from celebrity to culture to politics, particularly President Trump and his administration, have raised eyebrows. On her upcoming Hulu series, I Love You, America, Silverman is focused more on forming bonds than being provocative. In surveying the current political landscape and the comedy shows that skewer it, Silverman says she wants to reach out to all on the political spectrum. For me, [those shows are] great, but they really connect with more like-minded people. Theyre brilliant. Theyre funny. But Im hoping to, with this show, connect with un-like-minded people, Silverman said Thursday during a panel at the Television Critics Assn.'s summer press tour in Beverly Hills. The mission of the show is that were all the same. But whats important is that its funny. Although the exact format of the show is still being refined, Silverman did reveal some elements, including a monologue, a focus group in the studio and field pieces in which she travels around the country talking to people. For example, Silverman says she plans to go to Slidell, La., to meet a family that says they have never met a Jewish person. I cant help but have preconceived notions. They cant help but have preconceived notions, said Silverman. All I can do is just try to be open and brave and go into the situation. And same for them. Although Silverman and executive producer Adam McKay didnt make any sharp criticisms about Trump at Thursdays session, they did take exception to his attacks against so-called entertainment liberals or the Hollywood elite. What is he talking about? said Silverman. Im from ... New Hampshire. Everybody out here is from somewhere else. The goal of the show will be to seek common ground and understanding, she said: Ultimately were all the same. The thesis of the show is that everybody just wants to be loved. Facebook

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Jerry Seinfeld is Forbes highest-paid comedian; Amy Schumer still only woman to crack the top 10 By Nardine Saad If Jerry Seinfeld is this years king of comedy, then Amy Schumer is the queen. The Comedy Central star once again landed on Forbes list of highest-paid comedians, the financial magazine announced Thursday. She was the first woman comic to crack the top 10 last year and remains the only woman on the list this year. The Trainwreck and Snatched star made an estimated $37.5 million between June 2016 and June 2017 thanks to her Netflix show The Leather Special, her memoir The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo and endorsement deals with Bud Light and Old Navy. That ranked the raunchy comic No. 5 on the list filled with veteran comedy heavyweights. Meanwhile, the Seinfeld and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee star shot back to the top of the list this year, earning an estimated $69 million. Seinfeld was eclipsed last year by Kevin Hart, who this year dropped to the No. 6 spot with $32.5 million. Chris Rock trailed Seinfeld for the second spot on Forbes list, earning $57 million. His record-breaking $20 million-per-special contract with Netflix paved the way for several comics, including Seinfeld, to cut lucrative deals with the streaming service, which is poised to become the go-to-destination for comedy specials. In addition to touring, those deals significantly padded the incomes of several stars on Forbes list. In the third and fourth spots, funnymen Louis C.K. and Dave Chappelle, who earned $52 million and $47 million, respectively, also made expensive deals with the streaming service to make their millions. To see Forbes complete list, click here. For the record, 10:40 a.m.: A previous headline and version of this story said that Schumer was the first woman to make the top 10 list this year. Schumer was the first woman to make the top 10 last year. Facebook

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American Horror Story: Cult gets sickeningly sweet in official poster By Libby Hill We're just beneath the surface... #AHSCult pic.twitter.com/GvnMD1KieQ  AmericanHorrorStory (@AHSFX) July 27, 2017 What exactly is beneath the surface in American Horror Story: Cult? Bees, apparently. The seventh season of FXs hit horror anthology series is slowly revealing itself via its official Twitter account. On Thursday, the series shared the official poster for the series, and it is super messed up. The poster features a deathly pale woman who happens to be missing the top of her head and, for that matter, her brain. Instead, the inside of her head is a honeycomb, replete with bees and, of course, honey. This is creepy for so many reasons. Here are a few: This poor woman has had the top of her skull removed, bringing to mind that particularly gruesome dinner scene featuring Anthony Hopkins and Ray Liotta in the 2001 film Hannibal. Even more horrifying is that this poor, sweet woman is definitely dressed like a clown. The white makeup, lines through the eyes and exaggerated ruby red lips suggest that AHS: Cult is drawing inspiration from traditional grotesque whiteface clown makeup. Think more Pennywise, less juggalo. (And if none of that is enough to scare you, please enjoy this clown dating site I stumbled across while researching all of this.) FXs American Horror Story: Cult premieres on Sept. 5. Facebook

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Stephen Colbert had some [bleeped] thoughts on Anthony Scaramuccis NSFW rant By Yvonne Villarreal (Richard Boeth / Associated Press) Stephen Colbert took a cue from incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci -- or the Mooch, as hes called -- by giving Thursdays episode of The Late Show a decidedly NSFW vibe. We got an incredible taste of unfiltered Mooch today, Colbert said during his monologue. He was, of course, referring to Scaramuccis disapproving -- and often vulgar -- comments about White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon in a New Yorker article that sent social media tongues wagging Thursday. But to even discuss the matter, Colbert had to issue a warning to CBS censors: Youre going to want to break out the extra bleeps for this one, he said before diving in. (If only we could get our ellipses to put in some overtime!) In his colorful conversation with New Yorker correspondent Ryan Lizza, which took place Wednesday night,Scaramucci was trying to get to the bottom of who leaked that he had dinner at the White House with President Trump, the first lady, Sean Hannity and the former Fox News executive Bill Shine. Scaramucci described Priebus as a  ... paranoid schizophrenic who had blocked him from the White House for six months -- prompting Colbert to break out an impression of Scaramucci. Yes, the guys paranoid, OK? He thinks his own communications director is gonna stab him in the back again, Colbert said with an exaggerated Italian accent. Front stab! he added with a knifing gesture. The New Yorker article also detailed how Scaramucci accused Bannon of seeking to build [his] own brand off the  strength of the president and made some other inflammatory remarks that we cant fully detail. So well let Colbert take it from here. Facebook

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Longtime Disney imagineer Martin Sklar dies at 83 By Richard Verrier (Jae C Hong / Associated Press) Martin Marty Sklar, the pioneering Walt Disney Co. imagineer who played an instrumental role in the design of Disney theme parks, has died, the company announced Thursday night. He was 83. During his 54 years at Disney, Sklar worked closely with Walt Disney and led the creative development of the Burbank companys theme parks, attractions and resorts around the world, including the companys ventures in the cruise business, housing development and the redesign of Times Square in New York. Everything about Marty was legendary  his achievements, his spirit, his career, Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said in a statement. He embodied the very best of Disney, from his bold originality to his joyful optimism and relentless drive for excellence. He was also a powerful connection to Walt himself. No one was more passionate about Disney than Marty and well miss his enthusiasm, his grace, and his indomitable spirit. Sklar was born in New Brunswick, N.J., and attended UCLA, where he was editor of the Daily Bruin newspaper when he was recruited to create the Disneyland News for Walt Disneys new Anaheim theme park in 1955. After graduating in 1956, he joined Disney full-time and would become Disneys lieutenant. He wrote speeches, marketing materials and a film showcasing Walts vision for Walt Disney World and the Epcot theme park in Florida. READ MORE> Facebook

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Is a happily ever after coming to The Mindy Project? By Yvonne Villarreal The Mindy Project creator/executive producer/star Mindy Kaling with executive producers Matt Warburton, left, and Ike Barinholtz at the shows Television Critics Assn. press tour panel. (Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Is there a happily ever after written in the stars for the final season of The Mindy Project? Series creator Mindy Kaling, who also plays the titular heroine at the center of the Hulu comedy, took the stage Thursday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Beverly Hills to discuss the shows swan song season. And when asked if Kalings rom-com-obsessed character, Mindy Lahiri, would get her storybook ending, the 38-year-old actress suggested it wouldnt necessarily be in the way viewers expect. I think that all of us would agree that we do have happily ever after, the connotations of it, said Kaling, who was joined onstage by executive producer and showrunner, Matt Warburton, and producer and star Ike Barinholtz (sporting a neck brace from a recent stunt gone wrong). But happily ever after isnt the same as no loose ends, she said. That everything is tied up neatly in a bow is something we arent super interested in. That side of it I think were trying to avoid, Kaling added, while also leaving the audience with the sense of feeling that it was about something and that it really was a project and that she had some growth in the end. And for fans wondering whether or how Danny Castellano (played by Chris Messina) would factor into all that, the season promises to shed some light on that. For the unitiated, Messinas Danny is Mindys former fiance and the father of her child. Messina, who hasnt been a series regular since Season 4, is set to return for multiple episodes. And while the Season 5 finale ended with Mindy marrying boyfriend Ben (Bryan Greenberg), hints were thrown that the new episodes would bring some clarity to the Mindy-Danny relationship. The one thing we can promise the audience is a little bit of clarity about where they stand, Warburton said. Its so great to see him back because weve always known theyre always going to be in each others lives  but its great to actually see what that means this season. Its complicated, added Kaling. Theyre both married to other people, so we went into that season with all of that, which makes things sort of fun and delicious. Other familiar faces set to return for the final season are Mark and Jay Duplass, Adam Pally and Glenn Howerton. Kaling, in discussing the decision to end the series, promised a good finale. The decision to end the show was our decision, and I think thats always very hard, Kaling said. It was like, God, should this be the end? ... I think right now the idea of doing a prequel or something like that just felt  we just have such a good finale. We have such a good finale that weve known about for awhile. The final season of The Mindy Project will start its rollout on Hulu in September. Facebook

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Tiffany Haddish clarifies controversial Bill Cosby remarks: Im not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf By James Reed Actress Tiffany Haddish has clarified her remarks about wanting to work with Bill Cosby. (Christina House / For The Times) A joke that Tiffany Haddish recently told The Los Angeles Times has backfired on the breakout star of the new film Girls Night. Talking to The Times Trevell Anderson, Haddish credited Bill Cosby as a comedy inspiration, seemingly unfazed by the multiple sexual-abuse allegations levied against the beleaguered, 80-year-old TV legend. I still want to work with Bill Cosby, I dont care, she told The Times earlier this month. Ill drink the juice. Ill take a nap. I dont give a damn. But seriously, I would love for him to play my grandfather in something. Her remarks raised eyebrows and ire on social media, with some fans questioning her intentions and a New York magazine story noting that the actress seems to have wandered into problematic fave territory. I've been rooting hard for Tiffany Haddish but I find nothing funny about her making light of Bill Cosby drugging women  Stephanie. (@qsteph) July 26, 2017 Twitter: "We loved Tiffany Haddish in #GirlsTrip. Sweetie is doing amazing!"



Tiffany Haddish: "I'd love to work with Bill Cosby."



Twitter: pic.twitter.com/X23DQWb2wi  hellresidentNY (@hellresidentNY) July 27, 2017 On Thursday, Haddish attempted to clarify those comments while speaking on a panel at the Television Critics Assn.'s summer press tour in Beverly Hills. What I said was a joke, she said, noting that when youre expected to be funny in promotional interviews, there are risks. Youre going to say some bad jokes. Haddish said her point had been that Im not afraid to do anything. Im not afraid of any kind of job. Im not afraid to play any kind of girl as long as it doesnt compromise my morals.... Ive been through things. Ive been victimized, she added. I dont agree with what he did or anything, but, at the end of the day, Im not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf. Thats what I was trying to say, and I was trying to do it in a humorous way. Times staff writer Sarah Rodman contributed to this report. Facebook

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Tracy Morgan thanks God, and Tiffany Haddish reflects on her success at Last O.G. panel at TCA By Sarah Rodman Tracy Morgan, left, Tiffany Haddish and Ryan Gaul of the new TBS comedy The Last O.G. at the TCA press tour in Beverly Hills on Thursday. (Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images) Thank God. Thats what Tracy Morgan had to say about what it means for the 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live alum to be returning to TV three years after the devastating accident that put him in a coma and resulted in the death of his friend James Jimmy Mack McNair. The stand-up comic and actor, whose new TBS comedy, The Last O.G. premieres Oct. 24, was full of gratitude and thoughts on starting over during the presentation for the show at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour Thursday in Beverly Hills. Executive produced by Morgan, Jordan Peele and John Carcieri, The Last O.G. chronicles the adventures of Tray (Morgan). Newly sprung from prison after serving 15 years, he has to acclimate to the changed times, his gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood and his former girlfriend (Tiffany Haddish of Girls Trip) raising the children he didnt know existed with another man. This is a show about humanity, this is a show about second chances, this is a show about redemption, said Morgan, answering a question about whether it would explicitly explore African American issues. I wanted to transcend that... I wanted to deal with humanity. Haddish, naturally, fielded several questions about Girls Trip, the new comedy film that has minted her as a star. I feel like a foster kid whos been in the system for a long time and then turned 16 and somebody adopted them and said, You can go to college and you aint got to pay no school loans or nothing,  she said of how shes been feeling in the wake of the films superb box office. Im happy! Ive been accepted finally after all these years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears. Haddish said she was looking forward to her role in The Last O.G. since its a character who has gone through a transition in her life, just as she herself has. Her fellow cast mates, including Cedric the Entertainer, good-naturedly ribbed her about becoming a diva since shes now a movie star. But Morgan noted seriously that Haddish has been nothing but a pro: She comes to work. Haddish joked: My bank account, it dont show movie star yet. Im waiting on it. They say nine months; its like a baby. Im waiting for the delivery. Morgan said it was important to surround himself with scene stealers such as Haddish and Cedric and was clearly earnest in his appreciation of his collaborators and their sensitivity to his physical needs. They make sure I sit down... they dont ask me, they [say] sit down for a little while. So Im good. Im taken care of by my people, and I love them with my heart. Facebook

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It can be TGIF every day on Hulu: The service lands popular ABC programming block in SVOD deal By Yvonne Villarreal Every day can be Friday in the 90s with help from Hulu. The streaming service announced Thursday it has signed a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution for the exclusive streaming rights to programs that were part of the popular ABC programming block known as TGIF. The announcement was made during the streaming services day of panels at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Beverly Hills. The shows under the deal include Full House, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, Step by Step and Hangin With Mr. Cooper. Nabbing the rights to Full House is particularly noteworthy considering Hulus rival Netflixs success with reviving the comedy, which is returning for a third season in September. With the Hulu deal, more than 800 episodes of the five sitcoms from the bygone family friendly lineup will be available beginning Friday, Sept. 29. These shows are more than just beloved hits, they were part of a cultural tradition to tune in every Friday night, said Craig Erwich, Hulus senior vice president of content in a statement. Facebook

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TV Academy announces which awards will be handed out during Primetime, Creative Arts Emmys By Nardine Saad Get your Emmys ballot ready  the Television Academy has announced which categories will be awarded during this years 69th Primetime Emmy Awards and the separate Creative Arts Emmy Awards. The main event will take place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sept. 17 and will be hosted by The Late Show star Stephen Colbert. Prizes will be awarded to comedy and drama series, limited series, reality competition, variety talk and sketch, television movie, acting, directing, and writing during the live telecast on CBS. HBOs Westworld and NBCs Saturday Night Live lead the nominees with 22 nods apiece, a total that includes several below-the-line categories to be doled out at the two Creative Arts Emmys ceremonies the week before. Honoring artistic and technical achievements that could make or break your play-at-home ballot, the Creative Arts Emmys will be held in the same venue on two consecutive nights on Sept. 9 and 10. Theyll be put together for one show, produced by Bob Bain, that will air on FXX on Sept. 16. The first night will cover categories that include animation, choreography, cinematography, costuming, make-up, hairstyling, documentary and nonfiction awards, editing, lighting, sound-mixing, technical direction, variety special and some writing awards. The second night will lean more heavily on front-of-the camera talent, awarding the likes of guest actors and actresses and stunt work, in addition to childrens programs, commercials, main title designs and theme music, music composition and supervision, prosthetic makeup and additional sound and editing categories. For a complete list of this years nominees, click here. Heres the complete list of the awards being handed out during the Primetime Emmys telecast: COMEDY SERIES

DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL

DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SERIES

DRAMA SERIES

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

LIMITED SERIES

REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

TELEVISION MOVIE

VARIETY SKETCH SERIES

VARIETY TALK SERIES

WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

WRITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL

WRITING FOR A VARIETY SERIES Facebook

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Kesha finds redemption in new song: The past cant haunt me if I dont let it By Emily Mae Czachor For Kesha, Learn to Let Go is not just an aptly titled track off her upcoming Rainbow LP. Its become one of my mantras over the last few years, she said in a remarkably uplifting letter that the singer published Thursday to accompany a new video for the song. (This is her new M.O., it would seem.) Learn to Let Go, which Kesha co-wrote alongside her mother, Pebe Sebert, is a heartrending chronicle of redemption. Had a boogeyman under my bed/ Putting crazy thoughts inside my head, she sings, while real home-video footage of a whimsical young Kesha cuts between clips of a grown Kesha frolicking through the forest. The chorus rings like a self-empowered anthem: The past cant haunt me if I dont let it. My mom is always telling me how you have to learn to accept that you cant try to control everything, she wrote in the letter. When you realize that you are not the one in control and you stop holding onto regrets  its liberating. Your past only has as much effect on your future as you want it to, Kesha continued. Its about embracing your past, but not letting it define you. Her new album, Rainbow, will be released Aug. 11. Facebook

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Stephen Colbert to bring animated Trump series to Showtime By Meredith Blake Stephen Colbert has ridden anti-Trump sentiment to the top of the late-night ratings. Now hes riding it all the way to premium cable. On Thursday, Showtime announced it had ordered 10 episodes of an as-yet-untitled animated series featuring cartoon renderings of the president, his family and inner circle. The satirical half-hour series, executive produced by Colbert and The Late Shows show runner Chris Licht, will debut on Showtime this fall. According to the network, turnaround on the series will be quick in order to incorporate current events. Stephen and Chris have an uncanny genius for deconstructing the world of President Trump, and this series opens a new realm for them, Showtime President David Nevins said in a press statement. Tim Luecke, who co-created the animated version of Trump who frequently appears in Late Show bits  including a recent segment from the notorious presidential suite of the Moscow Ritz-Carlton  will serve as lead animator. The announcement caps off a period of good news for Colbert, who racked up six Emmy nominations this month and will be hosting the awards in September. The recently concluded Russia Week, in which the comedian traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg, brought The Late Show its biggest margin over The Tonight Show since its premiere in 2015. While The Late Show airs on CBS, Colbert has also developed ties with his corporate cousins at Showtime. Many point to his riveting election night special Stephen Colberts Live Election Night Democracys Series Finale, which aired on the premium network, as a turning point after an uneven transition from The Colbert Report. For its part, Showtime has invested heavily in political content over the last 18 months, most notably the documentary series The Circus, from journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. Facebook

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Matt Damon gets punched right in the face in George Clooneys Suburbicon trailer By Nardine Saad  Matt Damon, Oscar Isaac and Julianne Moore star in the trailer for George Clooneys Suburbicon. In George Clooneys latest directorial effort, Suburbicon, the pleasantries of a 1950s town are undone when a home invasion exposes the communitys criminal subculture and racial tensions. And Matt Damons Gardner Lodge gets stuck in the thick of it -- defending his young son, making death threats, killing mobsters and getting popped square in his bespectacled face at the office -- as seen in the first trailer that Paramount unveiled Thursday. Did we mention this is a comedy? The dark, screwball kind from the minds of screenwriters Clooney and frequent collaborators Ethan and Joel Coen and Grant Heslov? Well, it is, in case that wasnt clear from the previous description. These animals took everything from us, a blood-splattered Gardner tells his son Nicky (Noah Jupe) at the dinner table. I have to make decisions like whats best for the family. After Gardners wife is murdered, he invites Auntie Margaret (Julianne Moore) to come live in the manicured suburban community to help with his son. Meanwhile, he gets mixed up with a loan shark that sets him on the warpath of a formidable, coffee-swilling collector named Roger (Oscar Isaac). The film is based on a script that the Coen brothers wrote years ago that Clooney found, and they agreed to have him direct it, according to Moore. Paramount acquired the U.S. rights to the film, billed as a comedy, crime and mystery, at the Berlin Film Festival last year. It will be shown at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and hits theaters on Oct. 27. Facebook

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Woody Allens Wonder Wheel to complete Amazons turn to full-service distribution By Mark Olsen Woody Allen at the American Film Institutes Life Achievement Award tribute to Diane Keaton on June 8, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Christopher Polk / Getty Images for Turner) Thursday it was announced that Woody Allens latest film, Wonder Wheel, will have its world premiere as the closing-night film at this years New York Film Festival. The film stars Kate Winslet, Justin Timberlake, Juno Temple and James Belushi in a story set around Coney Island in the 1950s. But that wasnt the only Allen item of the day. Variety reported that Wonder Wheel will also be the first film fully distributed by Amazon when it opens in theaters on Dec. 1. The company has already made fast inroads to the movie business, winning Academy Awards this year for Manchester by the Sea and The Salesman, but has up to now worked with established distribution partners such as Roadside Attractions or Bleecker Street to help get those movies into theaters. Amazon released Allens 2016 film, Cafe Society, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Steve Carell, in partnership with Lionsgate. The online giant also released Allens six-part Crisis in Six Scenes, in which he starred alongside Elaine May and Miley Cyrus, late last year via the Amazon Prime Video streaming service. The move by Amazon is yet another way the company is distinguishing itself in relation to streaming rival Netflix. Where Netflix has been seen as pulling back from theatrical distribution, opting for either extremely limited or no theatrical release at all of its titles to drive viewers to its own platform, this latest push by Amazon renews its commitment to traditional theatrical releases. The New York Film Festival slot for Wonder Wheel gives Amazon the three marquee spots at the showcase. Previously announced, Richard Linklaters Last Flag Flying will open the festival, and Todd Haynes Wonderstruck, which premiered at this years Cannes Film Festival, will show in the centerpiece slot. Other upcoming Amazon titles include Mike Whites Brads Status, starring Ben Stiller, and Luca Guadagninos remake of Suspiria, starring Dakota Johnson. Facebook

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Mick Jagger releases two new, politically charged singles By August Brown (Dave Gatley / Los Angeles Times) Mick Jagger has been looking to the past on recent albums and festival dates. But a pair of urgent new singles are firmly set in the present. On Thursday, the Rolling Stones frontman released two tracks, Gotta Get A Grip and England Lost, that describe, as he put it in a statement, the anxiety, unknowability of the changing political situation in a post-Brexit U.K. The production is resolutely modern, built on programmed drums and clanging guitar noise. The London grime artist Skepta even joins him for a verse on England Lost. Ostensibly, its about seeing an England football team lose, but when I wrote the title I knew it would be about more than just that. Its about a feeling that we are in a difficult moment in our history. Its about the unknowability about where you are and the feeling of insecurity, Jagger said in a statement. Its obviously got a fair amount of humour because I dont like anything too on the nose but its also got a sense of vulnerability of where we are as a country. The Girls actress Jemima Kirke also stars in a new clip for Gotta Get A Grip. The songs are Jaggers first new solo material since 2001s Goddess In the Doorway. Facebook

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Katy Perry to host 2017 MTV Video Music Awards By Libby Hill The MTV Video Music Awards are returning to California and getting a certified California Gurl to host. Katy Perry took to her Twitter feed Thursday to announce her upcoming gig hosting -- and performing -- at the VMAs in August. Ive been training with MTV in zero gravity, eating astronaut ice cream, and Im on a group text with Buzz Aldrin and Neil deGrasse Tyson, Perry said in a statement. Come August 27th, Ill be ready to be your MOONWOMAN! Brace for impact, kids. Perry will kick off the evening as the first announced performer for the ceremony. On Tuesday, Perry earned five VMA nominations for her video contributions over the last year, tying with the Weeknd, with only Kendrick Lamar earning more. Were thrilled to have global phenomenon Katy Perry as the host and a performer at the 2017 VMAs, said Bruce Gillmer, head of music and music talent for Global Entertainment Group, Viacom, in a statement from MTV. She is at the forefront of music culture and the perfect person to anchor this years show, which promises to be one of the most diverse and music-filled in VMA history. The 2017 MTV Video Music Awards will air from the Forum in Inglewood on Aug. 27. Find a full list of nominees here. Introducing your MOONWOMAN. Brace for impact! August 27th on @MTV @VMAs pic.twitter.com/WJsIYq7WiM  KATY PERRY (@katyperry) July 27, 2017 Facebook

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Turns out Larry David and Bernie Sanders are related! By Yvonne Villarreal Turns out Saturday Night Live was on to something when it cast Larry David to play Sen. Bernie Sanders. During his freewheeling appearance Wednesday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Beverly Hills to promote the upcoming ninth season of HBOs Curb Your Enthusiasm, David revealed that the resemblance is rooted in reality: Sanders is a distant relative. Hes in the line ... like a third cousin, or something, he said. The genealogical discovery comes courtesy of Davids appearance in an upcoming episode of the PBS series Finding Your Roots. I was very happy about that, David said. I figured there was some connection. David played Sanders on Saturday Night Live through the 2015-16 election cycle and also appeared alongside the senator on the late-night sketch show. Its the kind of family secret that David isnt ashamed to admit. I love Bernie, yes, David said. I love Bernie. Facebook

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Trumps proposed transgender military ban turns late-night into hostile territory By Libby Hill If theres one upside to the Trump administrations early-morning Twitter proclamations, its that it gives late-night shows all day to craft their reactions. Wednesday began with President Trump announcing a ban on transgender individuals serving in the United States military and ended with late-night hosts uniformly blasting the policy decision in hilarious fashion. On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert had plenty to say about Trumps tweets, which ended with an uncharacteristic thank you. Thank you? Colbert responded, shocked, before offering his own profane two-word response to the president. Colbert went on to discuss what he saw as the greatest fallacy of the presidents reasons for banning transgender soldiers: increased medical costs. Though a 2016 study funded by the Pentagon found that military medical spending on transgender soldiers would increase anywhere from $2.4 million to $8.4 million, Colbert wanted to reframe those figures. To put that number in perspective, the military spends five times as much on Viagra, Colbert explained, And if your erection lasts for more than four hours, thats too bad, because youre stuck on a submarine for the next six months. On The Daily Show Trevor Noah had similar concerns about the presidents cost-related excuse, pointing out that taxpayers are paying $60 million for Trump to travel to his various properties throughout his presidency. Noah also pondered which of Trumps generals hed consulted with, given that the Pentagon was unaware of his proclamation, suggesting that perhaps hed spoken with The General Online. Late Night With Seth Meyers also invoked the cartoon general from the car insurance commercials, when Meyers opted to turn discussion of Trumps tweets over to four of his female writers. Today it might be trans people, but tomorrow its gay people, and then the next day its black people, and after that its women, and then its immigrants, the writers pointed out, all of those groups represented between them. On The Tonight Show Jimmy Fallon had the good sense to turn over a portion of his monologue to transgender comedian Patti Harrison, who had plenty to say about Trumps Wednesday announcement. When I saw the headline this morning, at first I just read, Donald Trump bans transgender people, and I was like, Yeah, that sounds like him, Harrison deadpanned. But then I realized it was just in the military and I was shocked, because I assumed he already did that. But it was James Corden who took a completely different take on the transgender military ban, opting for a stylish and heartfelt song and dance, expressing his love and appreciation for the LGBT community. Facebook

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Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are on the road again in new song collaboration By August Brown Ringo Starrs new LP includes a collaboration with fellow former Beatle Paul McCartney. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images) Any time the surviving Beatles reunite on record is a historic occasion. But a new single from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr packs in even more classic-rock star power. Starrs new song Were on the Road Again is one of several collaborations with his former bandmate on his new LP, Give More Love. The song also has guest appearances from Joe Walsh, Edgar Winter and Steve Lukather. Its a slightly goofy ode to life on the road, as Starr boasts that, We play really tight; we play really loud and cheekily references his own song Photograph. The two Beatles last recorded together on Starrs 2010 album, Y Not, and performed McCartneys Queenie Eye at the 2014 Grammys. Starr announced the McCartney studio collaboration back in February, thanking the fellow Beatle in a Twitter post. Thanks for coming over man and playing Great bass. I love you man peace and love.  pic.twitter.com/Z5kpyLLlkO  #RingoStarr (@ringostarrmusic) February 20, 2017 Set for release on Sept. 15, Give More Love will also feature cameos from Peter Frampton, Don Was, Richard Marx and Dave Stewart, among others. You can hear Starrs new track with Paul McCartney via Rolling Stone. Facebook

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Curb Your Enthusiasm returns this fall -- and you can expect a Pirates of the Caribbean vibe? By Yvonne Villarreal Actor-creator-executive producer Larry David speaks at the Curb Your Enthusiasm panel during the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour at the Beverly Hilton. (Chris Pizzello / Invision/AP) Larry David revealed the real reason Curb Your Enthusiasm is at last returning after a six-year hiatus: People wouldnt stop bugging him about it. The Seinfeld co-creator took the stage Wednesday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Beverly Hills -- joined by his Curb cohorts Susie Essman, Jeff Garlin and J.B. Smoove and executive producer Jeff Schaffer -- to discuss the shows coming ninth season. So, why bring back the show now after all these years? Im not a misser, David told reporters. I dont really miss things, people that much, but I was missing it. I thought, yeah, what the hell. And I got tired of people asking me if the show was coming back. I couldnt get asked that question anymore and I wasnt ready to say, No, never. The often madcap and sometimes hilariously perplexing 30-minute panel -- led by Davids gruff wit and deadpans -- kicked off with a teaser for the season. There was David in a shower, David talking about constipation, David enduring the displeasure of middle-seat status on a flight. The amount of uncomfortable situations [real Larry David] has been in these last six years, Schaffer said, youre going to see it all. Its like were sitting in the Ft. Knox of awkward. As for TV Larry David, Schaffer said viewers will learn very quickly what hes been up to during the years that have passed. Once the show starts to air, it will be self-evident, he said. It goes to this really strange, fun, crazy place.... And you will never expect where it ends. The trip to that ending begins Oct. 1 when the comedy returns to HBO. The 10-episode season brings back Curb favorites like Cheryl Hines, as well as frequent faces Richard Lewis, Bob Einstein, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen. And what would a long-awaited return be without some guest stars? Elizabeth Banks, Ed Begley Jr., Carrie Brownstein, Bryan Cranston, Lauren Graham, Jimmy Kimmel, Nick Offerman, Nasim Pedrad and Elizabeth Perkins will get in on the fun. For those who still need something to pin their hopes on about what this season will entail, Garlin offered this absurdly brilliant comparison. It really thematically follows Pirates of the Caribbean. ... Its more like the last one than the first few. Facebook

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At TCA 2017, HBO defends Confederate, announces Jon Stewart special and says Deadwood movie is inching closer By Greg Braxton Casey Bloys, president of HBO programming, addresses reporters at the Television Critics Assn.'s summer press tour at the Beverly Hilton on Wednesday. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press) HBO, which has the hottest show on television with Game of Thrones, recently came under fire with the announcement of a new series called Confederate from a team that includes Game of Thrones producers D.B. Weiss and David Benioff. The series revolves around events that lead to the Third American Civil War and examines an alternate reality in which the South seceded from the Union and thus, slavery is still legal. Casey Bloys, president of HBO programming, defended the project Wednesday during the premium networks session at the summer edition of the Television Critics Assn. gathering at the Beverly Hilton. Bloys said that, in hindsight, the announcement was mishandled because it lacked the context and the vision that he received from Benioff and Weiss in discussing the series. He admitted it was misguided to believe they could simply announce a series with such a sensitive and volatile subject matter. We could have done a better job with the press release, he said. There was no benefit of context. My hope is people will judge the actual material instead of what it could be or should be or might be, he said. Well rise or fall based on that material. He added that he felt the series, rather than being divisive, would be able to advance the racial discussion. Although the topic is controversial, he said he and the producers of the show all feel this is a risk worth taking. Bloys also stressed that the depiction of slavery would not echo Gone With the Wind and would not include whips and plantations. In other major HBO news, former Daily Show host Jon Stewart will perform a stand-up special at a date and time to be announced, and host the latest Night of Too Many Stars, an all-star benefit for autism. Also, a movie reboot of HBOs western Deadwood is closer to reality. Bloys said the shows creator, David Milch, has completed a script that will please fans of the series while also being accessible to those less familiar with the show. But, he said, reuniting the large cast, which included Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane, may prove challenging. Facebook

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Two Jon Stewart comedy specials are coming to HBO By Yvonne Villarreal Jon Stewart, seen here presenting at the ESPYS, will return to HBO for his first stand-up special in two decades. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Jon Stewart will headline two stand-up specials for HBO. The news was announced Wednesday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Beverly Hills. The former Daily Show host will get a stand-up special  his first since since 1996s Jon Stewart: Unleavened aired on the network. A date and location have not been confirmed. Were excited to bring Jon to the network with this pair of specials, said HBO programming president Casey Bloys in a statement. Weve all missed his uniquely thoughtful brand of humor. Im really thrilled to be able to return to stand-up on HBO, added Stewart in a statement. Theyve always set the standard for great stand-up specials. Plus, I can finally use up the last of the Saddam Hussein jokes left over from my first special. Stewart will also host the latest Night of Too Many Stars, the all-star benefit for Next for Autism, a nonprofit organization focused on people living with autism spectrum disorder. The special will air live this fall and will take place from the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. The specials are part of Stewarts four-year deal with the premium cable network. Facebook

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Angelina Jolie talks about difficult split from Brad Pitt By Nardine Saad A-lister Angelina Jolie is adjusting to the domestic growing pains of life as a single mom  making a proper breakfast, keeping house and picking up dog poop. I never woke up and thought, I really want to live a bold life. I just cant do the other. Its the same as I cant make a casserole. I cannot sit still, she said in a sprawling new interview with Vanity Fair, in which she discussed her high-profile split from actor Brad Pitt. Ive been trying for nine months to be really good at just being a homemaker and picking up dog poop and cleaning dishes and reading bedtime stories. And Im getting better at all three. But now I need to get my boots on and go hang, take a trip, the humanitarian said of her plans to head to Africa for a mission with the preventing Sexual Violence Initiative. Angelina Jolie opens up about putting her family first, life after Brad, health issues & her most personal film yet https://t.co/nKyf4dO8ls pic.twitter.com/WkXCgWR1PV  VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) July 26, 2017 The Oscar-winning actress explained how and when her marriage devolved, though she didnt go into great detail about the breakup for the sake of their six kids. The marriage began suffering in the summer of 2016 while she was in post-production on her fifth directorial effort, First They Killed My Father, a film about Cambodias Khmer Rouge genocide, which hits Netflix in September. Things got bad, Jolie said. I didnt want to use that word. ... Things became difficult. The director became slightly defensive at the mention of the familys globe-trotting lifestyle, which reportedly had been grating on Pitt. "[Our lifestyle] was not in any way a negative, she asserted. That was not the problem. That is and will remain one of the wonderful opportunities we are able to give our children. ... Theyre six very strong-minded, thoughtful, worldly individuals. Im very proud of them. After 12 years together and a few years of marriage, Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt in September 2016. While her ex was couch-surfing, she and the kids spent nine months in a rental property before settling into a six-bedroom, 10-bathroom Los Feliz manse once owned by film legend Cecil B. DeMille. Its just been the hardest time, and were just kind of coming up for air. [This house] is a big jump forward for us, and were all trying to do our best to heal our family. The divorce filing came suddenly for the health of the family on the heels of a spat Pitt had with their 15-year-old son, Maddox. They reached a divorce settlement privately in January after battling publicly for months over custody of the kids. The Oscar-winning producer had been vilified with accusations of child abuse and having an affair with his Allied costar Marion Cotillard. But he arguably won over public opinion with his introspective GQ Style interview in May in which he admitted to sobering up after boozing too much. Last year, Jolie was diagnosed with hypertension and developed Bells palsy when nerve damage caused one side of her face to droop. She took up acupuncture to treat it. Sometimes women in families put themselves last, she said, until it manifests itself in their own health. Thats just the latest in her medical history. Following a preventative double mastectomy in 2013, she had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed in 2015, which sent her into menopause. I cant tell if its menopause or if its just been the year Ive had, she said, quipping about her dry skin and the idea that she could still be considered a sex symbol. I actually feel more of a woman because I feel like Im being smart about my choices, and Im putting my family first, and Im in charge of my life and my health. I think thats what makes a woman complete. For the record, Aug. 4, 12:55 p.m.: A previous version of this story said that First They Killed My Father would hit Netflix this month. It debuts in September. Facebook

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Caitlyn Jenner questions why Trump isnt fighting for transgender service members By James Reed (Taylor Jewell / Invision/Associated Press) There are 15,000 patriotic transgender Americans in the US military fighting for all of us. What happened to your promise to fight for them?  Caitlyn Jenner, tweeting in response to President Trumps transgender military ban announced Wednesday Read More Facebook

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Robert Pattinson confirms hes kind of engaged to singer FKA Twigs By Nardine Saad (Mike Coppola / Getty Images for People) Twilight heartthrob Robert Pattinson says hes kind of " engaged to singer FKA Twigs. The actor addressed the engagement rumors Tuesday in a direct response to shock jock Howard Sterns questioning on Sirius XMs The Howard Stern Show. Youre engaged, right? Stern said after calling the edgy English songstress his fiancee. Yeah, kind of, Pattinson, 31, responded uneasily. The Good Time star, whose relationships have been intensely scrutinized since he dated Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart at the height of the teen vampire frenzy, agreed that hes been a bit protective of his romances. Hes been dating the Water Me singer, real name Tahlia Barnett, since 2014 and theyve been rumored to be engaged since April 2015. Save for public appearances together, Pattinson has kept pretty mum about the relationship. Its one of the most frustrating things in the world because you want to be able to show off a relationship, he told Stern. You kind of get stuck in this position where you have to make decisions whether you want to let the kind of crazy people in. Pattinson was referring to the Twi-hards or, as he called them, a crack troupe of crazies who believe every decision he makes is part of some big conspiracy. To protect [the relationship] you kind of think, I want to create a big boundary between it. But then it makes it difficult for your actual relationship, he said. Additionally, Pattinson also discussed the racial disparagement his fiancee faces on social media for dating him. He tries to tune out the hate when he can, but he isnt always successful. I think its like professional trolls, he said of rude commenters. They get so addicted to kind of just wanting to cause hurt and pain on someone and its just one of the most difficult things to know how to confront. Its a faceless enemy. ... It might seem fake to them, but its definitely real in your life. Pattinson said responding to hate can just be feeding into it. It makes me feel less powerful if youre trying to attack and make it go away. Its like trying to attack a reflection in the water or something. You just look crazy, he said. Facebook

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David Letterman cringes when late-night TV hosts refer to viewers as fans By Emily Mae Czachor A profoundly bearded David Letterman made a rare talk-show appearance Monday -- one of just a handful of public ventures since the end of his run on The Late Show in 2015. Only this time, Letterman arrived as a guest. In an unusual turn of events, the former late-night host played interviewee on the season premiere of stand-up comedian Norm Macdonalds podcast, Norm Macdonald Live. The longtime pals discussed a number of matters, from Lettermans first-ever hosting gig (a game show called Wordbusters) to the time he found himself face to face with Richard Nixon. The two also discussed late-night TVs changing landscape and how Letterman never felt comfortable thinking of himself as the star of his own show. I could not possibly, and still dont, consider myself a star, because I couldnt refer to myself as a star, Letterman said. Johnny Carson was a star, theres no question of that. So for me to adopt that -- Starring Dave Letterman -- that was just ridiculous. In the same way, I always cringe a little when people refer to the folks who watch their show as their fans, Letterman added. I just think thats a little too  you know, you kind of just stepped over the line of basic humility there. Macdonald commented on late-nights packed roster of big-name hosts -- none of whom he finds particularly unique, except Conan OBrien, who he thinks has changed it up a little. On any plans for a late-night return to the host seat, Letterman told fans not to expect too much. Ive done it for 30 years, he said. I dont want to do it anymore. Watch the full episode above (warning: some profanity). Facebook

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Olivia de Havilland, 101, files motion to expedite her Feud lawsuit By Nardine Saad Olivia de Havilland at her Paris home in 2003. (Jean-Marc Giboux / Getty Images) Citing her advanced age, legendary actress Olivia de Havilland has filed a motion in her Feud lawsuit for a preferential trial date this fall. De Havillands attorneys filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, requesting that the jury trial be set in November or no later than 120 days of her motion being granted. The 101-year-old is hoping that a judge will fast track the trial during her Sept. 13 hearing date, which is just days before Feud is expected to be a big winner at the Primetime Emmy Awards. (The miniseries is nominated for 18 awards.) The Gone With the Wind star sued FX and Feud showrunner Ryan Murphy last month over her depiction in the miniseries about rival actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The two-time Oscar winner, who was played by actress Catherine Zeta-Jones on the show, makes legal claims about violations of her common law and statutory rights of publicity, her right to privacy and unjust enrichment. Based on her unusually advanced age, resulting particular susceptibility to disease, and recurring health issues, there is a substantial likelihood that she, as with anyone at this advanced age, may not survive for any extended period of time, the motion said. It is likely that if a trial preference motion is not granted, Olivia de Havilland will be prejudiced, because on the normal schedule, trial would not be set within the next 120 days. Her team also argued that because she is the sole plaintiff, De Havilland is crucial to the trial. Olivia de Havilland has a substantial interest in the litigation as a whole here as her personal statutory right of publicity cause of action does not survive her death. ... Further, should Olivia de Havilland die before her trial date, she will not be able to enjoy the benefits which she would receive in damages, the motion said. De Havillands June 30 lawsuit said the show damaged her professional reputation for integrity, honesty, generosity, self-sacrifice and dignity. She claimed that FX, Murphy and Fox producers never sought or obtained her permission to be depicted in the series and that Zeta-Jones portrayal of her in an episode about the 1963 Oscars cast her in a false, hurtful and damaging light. The defendants have not yet responded to de Havillands initial filing. According to Deadline, the Paris-based actress will not be attending the September hearing but may return to Hollywood if the trial is expedited to November. Olivia de Havilland 101: Everything you need to know as the movie legend celebrates her 101st birthday Facebook

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Despacitos Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee call out Venezuelan president for using song to push agenda By Nardine Saad Luis Fonsi, left, and Daddy Yankee. (Sergi Alexander / Getty Images) Despacito singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and co-writer Erika Ender have condemned Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro for appropriating their international hit song for political gain. The chart-topping Puerto Rican recording artists and Panamanian songwriter on Monday called out Maduro, currently the subject of violent and sometimes fatal nationwide protests over his policies, for reworking their lyrics to appeal to voters during his weekly television show on Sunday. The revision promoted the leaders plans for a controversial citizens assembly to be elected on July 30 and tasked with rewriting Venezuelas 1999 constitution and bypassing the opposition-led legislature. Our call to the Constituent Assembly only seeks to unite the country ... despacito, Maduros version said. The term despacito means slowly in Spanish and in the original version of the song refers to the singers wooing techniques. Maduros supporters swayed to the remix dressed in matching T-shirts and baseball caps that brandished campaign slogans. the Associated Press said. The president was seen clapping along to the remix while the audience danced, according to the BBC. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS, Ender wrote in Spanish on Instagram, citing a news story about Maduros use of the song. I cannot see so much pain in people I love so much. Warrior people, people with iron will. Good people, who are fighting for freedom of rights and expression. ... I love Venezuela, a land that has given me true brothers and sisters. Brothers who suffer because of the situation that exists. Ender also lamented seeing the song she co-wrote be used without permission to advertise campaigns linked to a regime that has sowed so much discontent and suffering. View Instagram post On repeated occasions, I have said how much I enjoy the versions of Despacito that have been released on a global level. However there has to be a limit, Fonsi also wrote in Spanish on Instagram. I have never been consulted, nor have I authorized the use of or the change of lyrics of Despacito for political means, much less in the middle of the deplorable situation in a country I love so much, Venezuela. He added that his music is for everyone who wants to listen to it and enjoy it, not to use as propaganda that tries to manipulate the will of the people who are crying out loud for their liberty and a better future. View Instagram post Daddy Yankee took a much more blunt approach in his post, sharing an image of a news article about Maduro with a large red X superimposed on it. What can you expect of a person who has stolen lives from young dreamers and people who are looking for a better future for their children? the reggaeton rapper wrote in Spanish. That you illegally appropriated Despacito does not compare to the crimes you commit and have committed in Venezuela. Your dictatorial regime is a mockery not only for my Venezuelan brothers, but for the whole world. With that nefarious marketing plan, you will only continue to highlight your fascist ideology, which has killed hundreds of heroes and injured more than 2,000. View Instagram post Millions of Venezuelans joined a general strike last week amid economic turmoil and a shortage of food and medicine in the country. Government opponents dealt a symbolic blow on Sunday to Maduro, casting votes in an unofficial referendum that rejected his plan for the constitutional overhaul. The government denounced the opposition balloting as illegal and seditious, according to The Times, but turnout appeared high at thousands of makeshift voting places set up throughout the country and abroad. Facebook

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Netflix invests in Matt Groenings Disenchantment By Libby Hill Matt Groening is ready to take another crack at this television thing. The creator of The Simpsons, which debuts its 29th season on Fox this fall, has a new show courtesy of Netflix. The streaming service provider announced Tuesday that it had ordered 20 episodes of Disenchantment, an adult animated comedy series set in a deteriorating fantasy kingdom. The show centers around a hard-living young princess named Bean, voiced by Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), her elf companion, Elfo (Nat Faxon), and personal demon Luci (Eric Andre). Ultimately, Disenchantment will be about life and death, love and sex, and how to keep laughing in a world full of suffering and idiots, despite what the elders and wizards and other jerks tell you, Groening said in a statement Tuesday. Matt Groenings brilliant work has resonated with generations around the world and we couldnt be happier to work with him on Disenchantment,  Cindy Holland, vice president of original content for Netflix, said in a statement. The series will bear his trademark animation style and biting wit, and we think its a perfect fit for our many Netflix animation fans. The series joins Netflixs Bojack Horseman in aiming for an audience unafraid of exploring the less-savory aspects of adulthood. Disenchantment will premiere on Netflix 10 episodes at a time, beginning in 2018. Facebook

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Broad City stars talk about the decision to bleep President Trumps name on the show By Yvonne Villarreal Abbi Jacobson, left, and Ilana Glazer of the series Broad City speak at the Television Critics Assn. press tour at the Beverly Hilton on Tuesday. (Chris Pizzello / Invision/Associated Press) Broad City creators and stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson consider the bleeping out of President Trumps name from the comedys upcoming fourth season a different kind of joke. The two appeared onstage Tuesday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Beverly Hills to discuss the new season and how they reworked the show in the wake of Trumps election. We just got to a point where in real life were talking about the current administration, were talking about Trump  and it sounds so gross every day saying it so many 
The recent discovery of 5-year-old Aramazd Andressian Jr.s remains at a Santa Barbara recreation area was a grim achievement for investigators who had spent more than two months frantically searching for the boy.

It was also a boost for Los Angeles County prosecutors, who had already filed a murder charge against the childs father without having found the body.

Authorities have not released details about the condition of the boys remains, but the discovery can only help investigators as they try to piece together what exactly led to his death.

Pursuing a murder case without having found a victims body presents a unique challenge for prosecutors. Lacking a corpse means they cant show jurors the type of powerful evidence that proves someone was beaten to death rather than killed in an accident  or tortured rather than slain in self-defense.

In a murder case, the body is the most significant piece of evidence, said Tad DiBiase, a former assistant U.S. attorney who consults for law enforcement on no body homicide cases.

Days before the boys remains were found, Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said she was confident about the decision to file a murder charge against Aramazd Andressian Sr.

Her office, she noted, has handled several no body cases with success. Four years ago, for example, a Los Angeles County jury convicted Lyle Stanford Herring for the second-degree murder of his wife, who went missing four years earlier.

And just last month, Hector Veloz, 46, was charged with killing his wife, Sandra Velasco, 52, after meeting her on June 18 at a storage unit in the San Fernando Valley, according to prosecutors. Her body has not been found.

Indeed, prosecutors in a similar position can take heart from a successful track record of winning no body murder cases in California that goes back more than 100 years. In 1879, two brothers in Monterey County were convicted of setting a man on fire and stealing his sheep, according to a list of such cases compiled by DiBiase.

Here are some other notable California no body trials through the years:

Donald Shorty Shea, 35

Although Charles Manson may be most infamous for the murder of actress and model Sharon Tate, he was also charged with the killing of Donald Shorty Shea, who went missing sometime between Aug. 16 and Sept. 1, 1969.

Shea was described by The Times as a husky bouncer, horse wrangler and Western character actor. Manson didnt get along with him because Shea was married to a black woman and Manson suspected he was to blame for a police raid on the Spahn movie ranch, a Manson hangout.

Sheas wife, Magdalene, told authorities that when she went to the Spahn ranch to look for her husband, she was told he had gone to San Francisco.

Detectives believed that Shea was hit on the head at the ranch and driven via dune buggy to a remote spot, where he was stabbed and eventually beheaded.

A witness testified that Manson boasted he had cut Shea up into nine pieces and buried him under some leaves. And Sheas wife testified that her husband would not just disappear because he had a good chance of landing a speaking part in a movie.

Manson and two members of the Manson Family, Steve Grogan and Bruce McGregor Davis, were eventually convicted in Sheas killing. Years later, Grogan led authorities to Sheas body in exchange for parole.

Charles Manson is escorted to court for a preliminary hearing in 1969. (John Malmin / Los Angeles Times) (John Malmin / John Malmin / Los Angeles Times)

Ann Mineko Racz, 42

Ann Racz was so meticulous that when she would go on vacation, she would pre-address mailing labels beforehand so she could send postcards to friends back home.

So when she went missing days after moving out of the Valencia home she shared with her husband, her friends and family were immediately suspicious. Raczs abandoned car was found at a Van Nuys airport shuttle parking lot.

Fifteen years after the woman went missing, her husband, former Los Angeles County Sheriffs Sgt. John Racz, was charged with her murder. He told investigators he had met his wife and spoken to her several times after her disappearance, but investigators were not able to corroborate his statements. A friend testified at trial that Ann Racz was scared to death of her husband.

Their eldest child testified during the trial, saying she suspected her father in the killing, according to news reports at the time.

Deputy Dist. Attys. John Lewin and Beth Silverman relied on circumstantial evidence to convince jurors of Racz guilt.

Whether you have a body or not, its clear shes dead, Lewin said in 2007, after John Racz was convicted of murder.

Eric Christopher Bechler during a court hearing in his murder case in Orange County. Bechler was convicted of murdering his wife, Pegye. (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times) (RLRobert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)

Pegye Bechler, 38

In the summer of 1997, Pegye Bechler was with her husband off the coast of Newport Beach when she disappeared.

Eric Christopher Bechler said Pegye was driving a power boat that was pulling him on a bodyboard when a wave sent him tumbling underwater. When he came to the surface, he saw the boat circling in the distance with his wife  a strong swimmer and triathlete  gone.

At first, authorities thought it was a tragic accident; but more than three years after the woman disappeared, her husband was charged and eventually convicted of murder.

Prosecutors said that Eric Bechler had bludgeoned his wife to death so he could cash in on a $2-million life insurance policy. A former Baywatch actress and model testified that Bechler admitted anchoring his wifes body with 70 pounds and throwing her overboard.

The woman, Tina New, secretly wore a wire during a dinner date, where Bechler admitted killing his wife partly for the money, partly for the kids. Bechler was sentenced to life in prison.

Relatives of of Pegye Bechler carry photos of Bechler in 2001 during the trial of her husband. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Jack Irwin, 71

Months before Jack Irwin, a Korean War veteran, went missing, he made two new friends. Marcia Ann Johnson and her partner, Judy Gellert, persuaded Irwin to add them to his trust and give them access to his bank accounts.

Johnson told authorities that she shot Irwin in the head at his Mt. Baldy cabin because he had repeatedly exposed himself to her and made disparaging comments about Gellert. Johnson then cut off Irwins head, feet and hands with a chain saw, loaded his body into her SUV, then stopped along Mt. Baldy Road, dropping body parts off at various locations.

When she disposed of Irwins head, she took it out of a plastic bag and rolled it down a hill, yelling at it for making me do this to him, she told authorities in a videotaped statement.

Gellert struck a plea bargain in exchange for testimony against Johnson, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2004. Gellert was sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years probation, and was ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution. Johnson was sentenced to life in prison.

Marcia Ann Johnson in court as she was convicted of murder in the 1999 killing of Jack Irwin. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Katrina Montgomery, 20

Katrina Montgomery, a Santa Monica College student, disappeared on Nov. 28, 1992, after leaving a party in Oxnard. Her bloodstained blue pickup truck was found abandoned in the Angeles National Forest near Sylmar the next day, but her body was never found.

It took six years for detectives to build a murder case against Justin Merriman, a skinhead gang member.

Prosecutors said that when Montgomery spurned Merrimans sexual advances, he raped her, stabbed her in the neck and beat her with a wrench to prevent her from reporting the sexual assault to police.

Two other San Fernando Valley skinhead gang members witnessed the attack but testified that they had initially been too scared to speak up. Merriman was convicted and later sentenced to death in 2001.

A 1992 file photo of Katrina Montgomery. (Unknown Photographer / Unknown Photographer)

nicole.santacruz@latimes.com

For more news on homicides in Los Angeles County, follow me on Twitter: @nicolesantacruz

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UPDATES:

1:17 p.m.: This article was updated with the name of an additional prosecutor on the Ann Racz case.

This article was originally published at 4 a.m.
Blac Chyna said Monday that she was devastated after reality star Rob Kardashian posted sexually explicit images of the model on Instagram and Twitter.

This is a person that I trusted ... I felt comfortable, you know, with even sending these pictures and even talking to him about certain things, Chyna told Good Morning America.

Her interview came as a Los Angeles court on Monday granted Chyna a temporary restraining order against Kardashian.

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Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner James E. Blancarte issued the order Monday pending a hearing set for Aug. 8. Blancarte did not detail what the restraining order restrictions would entail at a brief hearing. He said his primary concern was Kardashian and Chynas infant.

Kardashian, 30, posted the images Wednesday while accusing Chyna, the mother of his child, of cheating on him.

Lisa Bloom, one of Chynas attorneys, said the court imposed very strong and enforceable orders that barred Kardashian from coming near her client, cyberbullying her or posting anything about her online of a personal nature including photos and videos.

Revenge porn is a form of domestic abuse and it is also a crime in California and 38 other states. It is wrong, Bloom said. We are just delighted about the victory we had this morning.

Chyna spoke briefly outside the courthouse. I would first and foremost like to thank the judge for granting me this restraining order to protect me and I am just going to go back to co-parenting Dream, she said, referring to her and Kardashians daughter.

Robert Shapiro, Kardashians attorney, said he was voluntary complying with the order and was most concerned with parenting his 9-month-old daughter. Kardashian did not appear in court but Shapiro spoke to the media on his behalf.

I personally, on Mr. Kardashians behalf, apologized and offered our regrets for what has taken place in the past couple of days, and now we move forward to do one thing and one thing only, whatevers in the best interest of this child, Shapiro said

Some legal experts have said the posts could be problematic because in 2013, California lawmakers passed a law penalizing what is known as nonconsensual pornography. A violation of the law is a misdemeanor resulting in up to six months in jail.

Chyna ended her relationship with Kardashian months ago, Bloom said, and has the right to live as she chooses, work as she chooses, dress as she chooses, date who she chooses and be intimate with who she chooses.

Chyna and I both believe that this is an important womens rights issue, as too many women and girls have been slut-shamed by exes. Bloom added. It stops now. Her body, her choice. Her life, her choice. Back off.

Los Angeles County sheriffs officials, whose jurisdiction includes Kardashians residence, said they have not received any complaints about his postings. That would be required for any kind of investigation to begin. Attorneys for Kardashian did not return messages this week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Blac Chyna files for restraining order against Rob Kardashian after he posted sexually explicit images

UPDATES:

11:30 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Bloom and Shapiro.

This article was originally published at 10:30 a.m.
Pat Pope was enjoying a performance of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban at the Hollywood Bowl Saturday night when he started getting texts from his friends about the power outage.

When the Porter Ranch resident got home at 11:30 p.m., it was 86 degrees and he could hear his neighbors generators humming. Power was out all night, and Pope said he didnt get much sleep because of the heat.

It was just a nasty night for a lot of people in the Valley, he said.

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Hazmat workers try to clean a storm drain that received thousands of gallons of mineral oil, a coolant for transformers, after an explosion at a DWP station in Northridge. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Pope was among 140,000 customers in the San Fernando Valley who lost power after an explosion at a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power plant in Northridge caused a fire that burned for hours, knocking out traffic lights and stranding people in elevators.

The outages hit businesses and residents in Northridge, Winnetka, Reseda, Lake Balboa, Tarzana, North Hills, Granada Hills, Chatsworth, West Hills, Canoga Park and Woodland Hills, DWP officials said.

The loss of power came at the peak of a heat wave that pushed temperatures to 100 degrees in many parts of the Valley. Woodland Hills reported a temperature of 110 while Lake Balboa hit 107 on Saturday afternoon. Downtown Los Angeles hit a record high of 98 degrees.

By 11 p.m. Saturday, 94,000 were still without power, officials said. The agency was able to restore power to those remaining customers by 8 a.m. Sunday.

DWP spokesman Michael Ventre did not have details on where Saturdays power loss ranks in recent years, but noted its a significant outage.

It remains unclear whether the blast was related to heavy demand due to the heat wave. But it was another illustration of the citys delicate infrastructure, which has manifested itself in epic bursts of aging water works and crumbling sidewalks and streets.

A Clean Harbors hazmat official, left, and a Department of Water and Power employee look over a canal of mineral oil that came from an explosion at the DWPs Receiving Station J in the 18900 block of Parthenia Street in Northridge. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Residents of an apartment complex near the DWP plant on Parthenia Street in Northridge reported hearing an explosion at the plant just before 7 p.m. Saturday, and firefighters arrived to find a gigantic vat with as much as 60,000 gallons of mineral oil  used as a cooling agent for electrical equipment  on fire, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.

Humphrey said dozens of firefighters extinguished the flames with water and foam by 9 p.m. These were fierce flames, with smoke towering more than 300 feet into the sky, Humphrey said.

No one was injured. He said mechanical failure related to cooling equipment might have caused the explosion, though the investigation continues.

Workers could be seen inspecting the blackened transformer Sunday. The transformer yard is fenced off from the public.

Humphrey said firefighters rescued dozens of people who were stranded in elevators in buildings around the Valley.

A Department of Water and Power employee checks on transformers the day after an explosion at the Parthenia Street facility in Northridge. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Officials estimate that between 10,000 and 20,000 gallons of mineral oil were released during the explosion, said Nosa Omoruyi, a hazardous materials specialist with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Water used to douse the fire carried oil into storm drains, and officials want to make sure the drains are cleaned of any oil, Omoruyi said.

Power was shut off at the DWP plant to allow firefighters to fight the blaze.

Receiving Station J was built in the 1950s to serve the growing industrial area in the northwest valley, according to the Center for Land Use Interpretation. Its one of 21 receiving stations in the DWP network that act as a bridge between power plants and local distribution, according to agency figures. High-voltage power lines enter the grid at these stations, where the voltage is reduced and eventually sent to customers.

1 / 46 The remains of a structure and boats scorched by the Whittier fire sit along State Route 154 in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 46 The Whittier fire burns toward State Route 154 on Sunday in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 46 Hundreds of people seek relief from the hot weather in the surf Sunday along the Santa Monica Pier. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 46 Hundreds of people seek relief from the hot weather Sunday near the Santa Monica Pier. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 46 A young girl tries to outrun the hot sand near Arlington West Santa Monica memorial on the north side of the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 46 Hazmat workers inspect a storm drain after a Saturday nights explosion at a Department of Water and Power station in Northridge. Thousands of gallons of mineral oil, a coolant, were sent down drains as firefighters used water to douse a burning transformer. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 46 A man wipes his face in front of his home on Logan Street in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 46 A woman shields herself from the hot sun in 91 degree weather in Chinatown. (Christina House / For The Times) 9 / 46 Jacob Martinez, 8, of Anaheim, waits for the water to turn on after a brief break to cool off in the spray pool at Lemon Park in Fullerton, (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 46 The Whittier Fire burns on the north side of the Santa Inez Mountains near Goleta. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 46 A hot spot burns ahead of the Alamo fire near Santa Maria on Saturday, July 8, 2017. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 46 Firefighters look on as a helicopter drops water on the Alamo fire near Santa Maria on Saturday, July 8, 2017. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 46 A firefighter maneuvers his vehicle down a private road as the Alamo fire burns near Santa Maria on Saturday, July 8, 2017. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 46 Johnny Lewis, left, and his friend of over 50 years Earl Jackson, right, find refuge in the shade of an abadoned restaurant on Vermont and 54th in Los Angeles on Friday, during the regions latest heat wave. (Christina House / For The Times) 15 / 46 People brave record 110-degree temperature Friday while walking to work in West Hills in the San Fernando Valley. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 46 A visitor to Angels Gate Park in San Pedro watches the setting sun against a fiery sky at the end of a hot day in Southern California. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 46 Melissa Garcia, 6, cools off in the Reseda Park pool in the San Fernando Valley on Friday afternoon. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 46 Maricruz Garista, 17, cools off during a break from carp fishing with relatives at the Los Angeles River. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 46 People cool off in the spray pool at Lemon Park in Fullerton. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 46 The crowd waits for the water to return after a brief break in the spray pool at Fullertons Lemon Park. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 46 Kids cool off in the spray pool at Fullertons Lemon Park. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 46 A woman shields herself from the hot sun in 91 degree weather in Chinatown. (Christina House / For the Times) 23 / 46 In Chinatown, pedestrians use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun in 91 degree weather on Friday. (Christina House / For the Times) 24 / 46 Jocelyn Caravantes, 3, left, and her brother Dean, 6, play in their Boyle Heights pool on a hot afternoon while their mother, Evelyn, watches from a chair in the shade. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 46 Swimmers dive from a pier at Kings Beach in Lake Tahoe, where temperature are expected in the mid 80s today. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 46 Darin Yoon, 12, endures the late afternoon sun as he sits with his father, John, at Dodger Stadium to watch the Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks game. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 46 Daniel Garcia rides around the Rose Bowl Loop Trail on a hot day in the Southland with temperatures expected to reach triple digits on Friday. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 46 Anthony Garcia, 7, cools off at the splash pad at Rio de Los Angeles State Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 46 Firefighters extinguish a brush fire at Buena Vista Meadow in Elysian Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 46 Maribel Vasquez cleans reserved level seats in the hot afternoon sunshine hours before the Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks game at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 46 A concertgoer prepares his spot for a free concert at Eastgate Park in Garden Grove. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 46 Josh Peralta plays in water splashing in a fountain in Cathedral City, where temperature reached 118 degrees. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 46 Tina Robinson, left, and Eric Johns of Chicago beat the heat by walking under a cool mist and sipping colds drink in Palm Springs. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 46 Moises Lopez takes a water break from landscaping a San Gabriel Mission school to stay hydrated. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 46 Lincoln watches over pet owner Michelle Virney while she takes a nap to cool off in Vincent Lugo Park in San Gabriel. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 46 Surfers set a mark recognized by the Guinness World Records for the largest paddle-out on International Surfing Day. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 46 Surfers line up before attempting to set a mark recognized by the Guinness World Records for the largest paddle-out, forming the Surfing Circle of Honor on International Surfing Day. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 46 Umbrellas are required equipment while walking around Vincent Lugo Park as temperatures rise during the latest heat wave. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 46 To beat the heat, Lily Lin leads an early morning Tai Chi class at Vincent Lugo Park in San Gabriel. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 46 From left, Aaron Stevens, 11, Alida Stevens, 4, and Brian Botts, 9, wave down customers as they sale refreshments on a hot summer day in Van Nuys. We want to help people hydrate while helping ourselves, Aaron Stevens said. (Christian K. Lee / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 46 Brian Botts, left, and Aaron Stevens, right, prepare a cup of Kool-Aid for Carlos Zepeda in Van Nuys. (Christian K. Lee / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 46 Tawny Auer joins her sons Shane, left, and Carter to cool off in a pool at the aquatic center in Palm Desert, where temperature reached 115 degrees. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 46 Adrian Rosales cools off at the spray pool at Lemon Park in Fullerton. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times ) 44 / 46 Children splash in water from the spray pool at Lemon Park in Fullerton. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times ) 45 / 46 Boaters relax on Big Bear Lake as a giant plume from the Holcomb fire burns nearby in rugged terrain in the San Bernardino National Forest. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 46 Luigi, a thirsty pit bull, cools down at Genesee Avenue Park in Los Angeles. (Christian K. Lee / Los Angeles Times)

As residents switch on air conditioners to deal with the sweltering July heat, it means the region draws more power, said Rajit Gadh, engineering professor at UCLA. Substations used to transfer that energy require cooling or they can become overheated.

When temperatures rise that much, then lots of things can potentially go wrong, including the electric grid, Gadh said.

Power was out for 13 hours at Pacifica Senior Living, an assisted senior living facility in Northridge. Staffers handed out wet towels and water, and a generator kept emergency lights running in the hallways, but residents rooms remained dark, without air conditioning.

It was a bit rough, said Cristina Gutierrez, the facilitys executive director. She sent staffers to Target Saturday night to buy lanterns for residents shortly after the power went out at 7 p.m. Residents also gathered in the main entrance hall to keep cool.

It was a bit rough, Cristina Gutierrez, executive director at Pacifica Senior Living, said of the power outage. Seniors had no electricity for 13 hours. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

No staffer at Pacifica could recall another time when the facilitys power was out for 13 hours, Gutierrez said. Power was restored about 8 a.m. Sunday morning, she said.

Northridge Hospital Medical Center lost power Saturday night, and backup generators immediately kicked on until electricity was restored Sunday morning, hospital spokeswoman Christina Zicklin said. Dozens of fans and emergency lighting were used, and medical officials diverted emergency runs to nearby hospitals, she said.

Our patients were not affected other than getting a little warm, Zicklin said.

James Kostrach, 63, was having a quiet Saturday cleaning his backyard when suddenly the area sounded like a war zone, he said.

I heard blam! said Kostrach, who lives in a small house just behind the transformer yard in Northridge.

The noise drew him toward the DWP yard, where he saw a big plume of smoke and flames. Hes heard similar noises from the yard before, but nothing as loud as what occurred Saturday.

I knew that there wasnt going to be electricity, Kostrach said.

ben.poston@latimes.com

dakota.smith@latimes.com
With a heat wave continuing to bake California and the rest of the West, wildfires forced nearly 8,000 people to dash for safety Sunday as flames destroyed homes and threatened thousands of structures across the state.

Along the Central Coast, firefighters battled two major blazes on opposite ends of Santa Barbara County. Efforts Sunday focused on protecting mountain peaks that hold crucial communication and electrical infrastructure, including a high-voltage line that carries power to Santa Barbara and neighboring cities.

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The Alamo fire, near Highway 166 in northern Santa Barbara County, was the largest active fire in California and was 15% contained after burning more than 37 square miles as of Sunday evening, according to the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. At least 200 people were forced to evacuate a remote area east of Santa Maria, and about 1,000 firefighters from Los Angeles and across the state rushed to help control the flames, Cal Fire said.

Nature lends a hand in fight against three massive California wildfires >>

1 / 46 The remains of a structure and boats scorched by the Whittier fire sit along State Route 154 in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 46 The Whittier fire burns toward State Route 154 on Sunday in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 46 Hundreds of people seek relief from the hot weather in the surf Sunday along the Santa Monica Pier. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 46 Hundreds of people seek relief from the hot weather Sunday near the Santa Monica Pier. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 46 A young girl tries to outrun the hot sand near Arlington West Santa Monica memorial on the north side of the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 46 Hazmat workers inspect a storm drain after a Saturday nights explosion at a Department of Water and Power station in Northridge. Thousands of gallons of mineral oil, a coolant, were sent down drains as firefighters used water to douse a burning transformer. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 46 A man wipes his face in front of his home on Logan Street in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 46 A woman shields herself from the hot sun in 91 degree weather in Chinatown. (Christina House / For The Times) 9 / 46 Jacob Martinez, 8, of Anaheim, waits for the water to turn on after a brief break to cool off in the spray pool at Lemon Park in Fullerton, (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 46 The Whittier Fire burns on the north side of the Santa Inez Mountains near Goleta. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 46 A hot spot burns ahead of the Alamo fire near Santa Maria on Saturday, July 8, 2017. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 46 Firefighters look on as a helicopter drops water on the Alamo fire near Santa Maria on Saturday, July 8, 2017. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 46 A firefighter maneuvers his vehicle down a private road as the Alamo fire burns near Santa Maria on Saturday, July 8, 2017. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 46 Johnny Lewis, left, and his friend of over 50 years Earl Jackson, right, find refuge in the shade of an abadoned restaurant on Vermont and 54th in Los Angeles on Friday, during the regions latest heat wave. (Christina House / For The Times) 15 / 46 People brave record 110-degree temperature Friday while walking to work in West Hills in the San Fernando Valley. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 46 A visitor to Angels Gate Park in San Pedro watches the setting sun against a fiery sky at the end of a hot day in Southern California. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 46 Melissa Garcia, 6, cools off in the Reseda Park pool in the San Fernando Valley on Friday afternoon. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 46 Maricruz Garista, 17, cools off during a break from carp fishing with relatives at the Los Angeles River. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 46 People cool off in the spray pool at Lemon Park in Fullerton. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 46 The crowd waits for the water to return after a brief break in the spray pool at Fullertons Lemon Park. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 46 Kids cool off in the spray pool at Fullertons Lemon Park. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 46 A woman shields herself from the hot sun in 91 degree weather in Chinatown. (Christina House / For the Times) 23 / 46 In Chinatown, pedestrians use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun in 91 degree weather on Friday. (Christina House / For the Times) 24 / 46 Jocelyn Caravantes, 3, left, and her brother Dean, 6, play in their Boyle Heights pool on a hot afternoon while their mother, Evelyn, watches from a chair in the shade. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 46 Swimmers dive from a pier at Kings Beach in Lake Tahoe, where temperature are expected in the mid 80s today. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 46 Darin Yoon, 12, endures the late afternoon sun as he sits with his father, John, at Dodger Stadium to watch the Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks game. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 46 Daniel Garcia rides around the Rose Bowl Loop Trail on a hot day in the Southland with temperatures expected to reach triple digits on Friday. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 46 Anthony Garcia, 7, cools off at the splash pad at Rio de Los Angeles State Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 46 Firefighters extinguish a brush fire at Buena Vista Meadow in Elysian Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 46 Maribel Vasquez cleans reserved level seats in the hot afternoon sunshine hours before the Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks game at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 46 A concertgoer prepares his spot for a free concert at Eastgate Park in Garden Grove. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 46 Josh Peralta plays in water splashing in a fountain in Cathedral City, where temperature reached 118 degrees. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 46 Tina Robinson, left, and Eric Johns of Chicago beat the heat by walking under a cool mist and sipping colds drink in Palm Springs. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 46 Moises Lopez takes a water break from landscaping a San Gabriel Mission school to stay hydrated. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 46 Lincoln watches over pet owner Michelle Virney while she takes a nap to cool off in Vincent Lugo Park in San Gabriel. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 46 Surfers set a mark recognized by the Guinness World Records for the largest paddle-out on International Surfing Day. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 46 Surfers line up before attempting to set a mark recognized by the Guinness World Records for the largest paddle-out, forming the Surfing Circle of Honor on International Surfing Day. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 46 Umbrellas are required equipment while walking around Vincent Lugo Park as temperatures rise during the latest heat wave. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 46 To beat the heat, Lily Lin leads an early morning Tai Chi class at Vincent Lugo Park in San Gabriel. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 46 From left, Aaron Stevens, 11, Alida Stevens, 4, and Brian Botts, 9, wave down customers as they sale refreshments on a hot summer day in Van Nuys. We want to help people hydrate while helping ourselves, Aaron Stevens said. (Christian K. Lee / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 46 Brian Botts, left, and Aaron Stevens, right, prepare a cup of Kool-Aid for Carlos Zepeda in Van Nuys. (Christian K. Lee / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 46 Tawny Auer joins her sons Shane, left, and Carter to cool off in a pool at the aquatic center in Palm Desert, where temperature reached 115 degrees. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 46 Adrian Rosales cools off at the spray pool at Lemon Park in Fullerton. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times ) 44 / 46 Children splash in water from the spray pool at Lemon Park in Fullerton. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times ) 45 / 46 Boaters relax on Big Bear Lake as a giant plume from the Holcomb fire burns nearby in rugged terrain in the San Bernardino National Forest. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 46 Luigi, a thirsty pit bull, cools down at Genesee Avenue Park in Los Angeles. (Christian K. Lee / Los Angeles Times)

A car and house near Oroville, Calif., are engulfed in flames by the Wall fire on Saturday. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

About 35 miles to the south in Santa Barbara County, more than 3,500 people have fled the Whittier fire near Lake Cachuma, which was burning just north of Goleta. The blaze scorched just over 12 square miles and burned 20 structures on both sides of Highway 154, according to officials with Los Padres National Forest.

That fire, which started about 2 p.m. Saturday, initially trapped some 80 campers at the Circle V Ranch Camp. But U.S. Forest Service firefighters reached the group later that day, said Capt. Dave Zaniboni of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

On Sunday, firefighters were aided by slightly lower temperatures  nearby Santa Ynez saw a high of 91, compared to 106 on Saturday  and favorable winds blowing in from the Pacific that halted the fires spread downhill toward Goleta. The blaze was moving east and west along the Santa Ynez Mountains into areas that were badly burned by two wildfires in the last decade, limiting the available fuel.

It will act as a good buffer, said Jim Harris, deputy fire chief for Los Padres National Forest.

Harris said the firefighting effort in Santa Barbara County is in need of additional hotshot fire crews with the kind of rugged engines that can navigate the steep dirt terrain where the fire is burning on the south-facing mountain slopes.

The Whittier fire burns in the Santa Ynez Mountains near Goleta. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

It was my worst-case scenario.... I wasnt home, I wasnt able to get there and I had to evacuate.  Sarah Gustafson, who evacuated with her six cats

Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Deputy B. Bruening, left, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife warden Max Magleby inspect a Jeep that was abandoned and scorched by the Whittier fire along Highway 154. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A third blaze in the Central Coast, the Stone fire, ignited Sunday just before 2 p.m. about 30 miles east of Morro Bay, according to Cal Fires unit in San Luis Obispo County. The fire quickly grew to 340 acres and threatened numerous structures, and was just 10% contained Sunday evening, officials said.

Meanwhile, thousands of evacuees holed up in cars and shelters over the weekend, awaiting word if they were allowed to return home.

Sarah Gustafson, who moved from Washington to California seven months ago, lives in the shadow of the Santa Ynez Mountains down a winding road between Lake Cachuma and San Marcos Pass, just off Highway 154.

She was getting her tires changed on the Santa Barbara side of the mountains Saturday when she saw a pillar of smoke rise on the other side of the range. She panicked: Her six beloved cats were trapped at home.

It was my worst-case scenario, said Gustafson, who works at a veterinary hospital. I wasnt home, I wasnt able to get there and I had to evacuate.

Once her tires were secure, she navigated around road closures and made her way over the mountain range as the fire exploded from 300 to more than 3,000 acres in a swath of forest that fire officials said had not burned since 1955.

It was terrifying, she said. The sky was orange and black. You could see flames up on the ridge. When I got home it was smokey with ash.

She managed to cram her six cats  Severus, Malfoy, Mama, Smee, Nibbles and her kitten, Gidget  into containers, then into her Toyota sedan. She spent the night in the parking lot of a shelter set up at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara with her cats, a portable DVD player and Season 6 of The Simpsons to keep her company.

The remains of a structure and boats scorched by the Whittier fire in Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Fernando Salazar, a biologist from Colombia, and his daughter Veronica Salazar, who recently graduated from MIT, didnt know what to make of the smoke plume at first. The pair darted up the hill from Santa Barbara to a campground in Los Padres National Forest to retrieve their camping gear.

It was an inferno, Salazar said. The sky was beautiful, the sun was red.

The pair had seen Yellowstone, Yosemite and points in between during their road trip. And we end it with a fire, he said.

Elsewhere across California, more than 4,000 people were under a mandatory evacuation order as the Wall fire tore through nearly eight square miles and destroyed 10 structures in a remote part of Butte County, roughly 60 miles north of Sacramento.

A plume of smoke rises as flames from the Wall fire burn near Oroville, Calif. on Saturday. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

The blaze was threatening an additional 5,400 structures, prompting Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency and devote additional resources to the firefighting effort there.

Four people have been injured by the Wall fire, which was 17% contained late Sunday, Cal Fire said. The fire was actively burning, pushing toward the northwest and southwest and leaving another 7,400 people under evacuation warnings, the agency said.

In some places, firefighters contended with harsh heat. The Winters fire in Yolo County, which registered a high temperature of 104 degrees on Sunday, burned 2,269 acres and was 85% contained, officials said. No more evacuation orders were in place, and the cause of the blaze that ignited Thursday afternoon remained under investigation.

Panzar reported from Goleta and Hamilton from Los Angeles.

javier.panzar@latimes.com

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

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Leanne Beck did everything she could to guard against wildfire.

She and her husband Mike moved into their 40-acre refuge below Oroville Lake just after the Swedes Flat fire of 2013. Their property was right on the char line where the state had laid a backfire to stop the wildfire in its tracks.

In the following four years they cut brush and did their best to build a defensible space.

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So on Friday, Beck and her husband hung tight when Butte County deputies drove through with loudspeakers and ordered the evacuation of a large swath of mountain properties along Chinese Wall Road. On Saturday morning, Leanne and Mike stood at the top of their property and watched bulldozers cut a corral around the eastern edge of the growing fire.

But when the ridge itself exploded in flames later Saturday afternoon, the couple packed up the dogs and fled.

Weve been sitting here for three days, not knowing, and now, you dont want to know.  Leanne Beck

1 / 25 From left, firefighters Aaron Williams, Lyle Bennett Robert Larios and Captain Crawford Gunn, with San Bernardino National Forest put out hot spots Monday morning along State Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 25 A burned sign warns of fire danger at The Outdoor School at Rancho Alegre Boy Scout camp Monday morning along State Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 25 Metal boats burned in the Whittier Fire at The Outdoor School at Rancho Alegre Boy Scout camp Monday morning along State Highway 154 in Santa Barbara County. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 25 Firefighter Aaron Williams with San Bernardino National Forest works to put out hot spots Monday morning along State Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 25 A plane drops retardant while battling a wildfire near Oroville. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 6 / 25 Jim Berglund sprays water while defending his home as a wildfire approaches near Oroville. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 7 / 25 A charred desk rests outside a residence after a wildfire burned through the property near Oroville. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 8 / 25 Lake Cachuma is the backdrop for the gray ashen landscape as the Whittier fire continues to burn on the western flank on the north side of the Santa Ynez Mountains Monday afternoon along State Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 25 Little remains of the structures burned at The Outdoor School at Rancho Alegre Boy Scout camp Monday morning along State Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 25 Santa Barbara Deputy Sheriff B. Bruening, left, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife game warden Max Magleby view a jeep that was abandoned and scorched by the Whittier fire along State Route 154 in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 25 A firefighting helicopter draws water from Lake Cachuma while fighting the Whittier fire in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 25 A firefighting helicopter gets into position to make a water drop on the Whittier fire as it burns toward State Route 154 in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 25 Structures and vehicles burned at The Outdoor School at Rancho Alegre Boy Scout camp Monday morning along State Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 25 U.S. Forest Service firefighters put out spot fires from the Whittier fire along State Route 154 in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 25 The remains of a structure and boats scorched by the Whittier fire along State Route 154 in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 25 The Whittier fire burns toward State Route 154 in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 25 A smokey pall hangs over Santa Barbara from a new wildfire near Lake Cachuma. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 25 Firefighters look on as a helicopter drops water on the Alamo fire near Santa Maria. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 25 A hot spot burns ahead of the Alamo fire near Santa Maria. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 25 A firefighter maneuvers his vehicle down a private road as the Alamo fire burns near Santa Maria. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 25 The Whittier fire burns through the night near Santa Barbara. The Whittier fire and the Alamo fire. (David McNew / Getty Images) 22 / 25 Firefighters battle a wildfire as it threatens to jump a road near Oroville. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods, leveling homes in its path. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 23 / 25 Doors lay in a pile of rubble after a fire tore through a residential neighborhood near Oroville. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images) 24 / 25 A car and house are engulfed in flames as the Wall fire burns through a residential area in Oroville. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images) 25 / 25 Sean Greenlaw views his truck covered in fire retardant as a smoke plume billows in the background near Oroville. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

On Monday morning, at the Red Cross shelter in Oroville, Beck stood stunned by the news a weeping neighbor had given her. Their double-wide had been turned to cinders.

I feel like Im 102 right now, said Beck, a 60-year-old retiree whose husband still works at a software job. The couple was unsure what to do next. Weve been sitting here for three days, not knowing, and now, you dont want to know.

State emergency responders said Monday that 17 structures so far have been destroyed by the uncontained Wall fire, and five others have been damaged. Thousands of Butte County residents were under evacuation orders. Many of their properties bordered the area where residents were forced leave in winter when the spillway of the Oroville Dam threatened collapse.

We have a joke about Oroville, said Red Cross shelter manager Pam Deditch, a local resident who during non-emergencies works as a behavioral health counselor for the county. Here, its hell or high water.

She chuckled at the dark humor. Her own house is in a voluntary evacuation zone.

Some 115 people remained at the shelter Monday morning, where evacuees could watch the fires progress from the parking lot. (Fire maps showed the eastern side of the Wall fire had been stopped, but the fire remained untamed on its long western boundary, where it threatened 5,400 homes.)

As she spoke, Becks eyes began to water but she blinked back the tears and laughed at what she and her husband had grabbed when they left their house for the last time.

It was a weed cutter, still boxed, and too late to put to work cutting tall grass and brush that might help a fire take hold and spread.

Her thought at that moment: maybe I can return this.

paige.stjohn@latimes.com

For updates and more, follow @paigestjohn.

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Two major wildfires on Californias Central Coast continued to burn Monday while firefighters made progress on a third blaze in Northern California that threatened thousands of structures near Lake Oroville.

Firefighters increased containment around a fast-moving wildfire in Butte County, just south of the lake. The blaze prompted Gov. Jerry Brown to issue a state of emergency after flames destroyed more than three dozen structures and threatened 5,400 more on Sunday.

On the Central Coast, two blazes in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties have forced nearly 8,000 people to flee as flames gutted more than two dozen structures. Both fires continued to spread overnight, even as helicopters worked overtime making water drops at night, said Andrew Madsen, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service.

After a weekend of blistering heat, firefighters will face additional weather-related complications, according to the National Weather Service .

As humidity hovers between 10% and 20%, northerly wind gusts of 40 to 45 mph will sweep across the Santa Barbara County mountains and along the southern coast, leading to several hours of critical fire weather conditions, the weather service said.

A firefighter maneuvers his vehicle down a private road as the Alamo fire burns near Santa Maria on July 8, 2017. The fire has charred more than 6,000 acres in remote canyons along Highway 166, fed by dry brush and trees in an area that has not burned in many years. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Alamo fire

The massive Alamo fire, which started Thursday off Highway 166 near Twitchell Reservoir in San Luis Obispo County, swelled more than 5,000 acres overnight, and has now burned 28,926 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Flames spread into northern Santa Barbara County and forced 200 people in a remote area east of Santa Maria to evacuate.

Location San Luis Obispo and San Barbara counties Acreage 28,926 Containment 20%

The blaze, which is 20% contained, is threatening 133 structures and has destroyed one home, Cal Fire said.

More than 1,600 firefighters were tackling flames burning in steep terrain loaded with chaparral and light and flashy grass, Cal Fire spokeswoman Toni Davis said.

A marine layer and cooler temperatures on Monday helped firefighters to dig a containment line, and Cal Fire said some flames moved further down slopes into the canyons.

Firefighters were still being challenged by steep terrain, the fire agency said.

We are making really good progress with what we got, but we are being cognizant of what could happen, Davis said.

The remains of a structure and boats scorched by the Whittier fire sit along State Route 154 in Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Whittier fire

Burning north of Goleta, the Whittier fire, which is 25% contained, has destroyed at least 20 homes on both sides of Highway 154.

The 10,823-acre blaze started about 1:45 p.m. Saturday at Camp Whittier near Lake Cachuma in Los Padres National Forest and prompted more than 3,500 people to leave the area.

Location San Barbara County Acreage 10,823 Containment 25%

As flames broke out, the blaze trapped some 80 campers at the Circle V Ranch Camp, fire officials said. They were later rescued by a group of U.S. Forest Service firefighters.

The blaze grew more than 3,000 acres overnight and moved into the Santa Ynez Mountain ridge, said Madsen, the forest service spokesman.

Flames were smoldering in areas that have not been scorched since the 1955 Refugio fire, which burned for 10 days and charred 77,000 acres, he said.

The steep, rugged canyons are covered in decades-old chaparral, Madsen said.

On Monday, a shifting weather pattern pushed smoke over the burn area, shading the blaze and allowing firefighters to build containment lines on the fires edge, according to the U.S. Forest Service. By days end, the containment had jumped from just 5% to 25%.

Firefighters have also benefited from the higher humidity, which slowed the fires speed, the Forest Service said.

A plume of smoke rises as flames from the Wall fire approach Forbestown Road near Oroville, Calif., on July 8, 2017. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images) (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

Wall fire

More than 1,500 firefighters from across Northern California worked to contain the destructive Wall fire near Oroville on Monday.

With temperatures hovering at 88 degrees in Oroville, crews were pushing through the heat and plowing through rugged terrain to set a line around the fire, said Rich Brocchini, a Cal Fire spokesman.

Location Butte County Acreage 5,800 Containment 40%

The blaze, which is 40% contained, tore through 5,600 acres and destroyed more than three dozen structures. An additional five structures were damaged. About 4,000 people have evacuated their homes.

A combination of light grass, manzanita and oak trees has fueled the explosive fire, which started about 2:50 p.m. Friday off Chinese Wall Road, north of Bangor, Calif., Brocchini said.

Firefighters worked on four major tasks Monday  all involved keeping the fire away from Oroville, Lake Oroville and majors roads, he said.

Officials said the fire has reduced significantly but evacuation orders and warnings were still in place.

On Sunday night, Cal Fire said four people were injured in the fire. But on Monday, that number was revised to zero injuries, Brocchini said.

Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

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8:45 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details on the growth of fires on Monday.

This article was originally published at 11:50 a.m.
Add armed robbery to the threats facing hikers this year on the Pacific Crest Trail.

A section of the popular trail running from Mexico to Canada remained closed Monday as Kern County SWAT team members joined deputies to search for two armed men who had robbed rescuers trying to aid a distressed hiker.

The incident Saturday in the remote Piute Mountains about 85 miles north of Los Angeles occurred after hiker Charles Brandenburg became dehydrated in the scorching heat and activated a rescue device that allowed him to send text messages to authorities.

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Hikers trying to complete the 2,650-mile trail have encountered several challenges from an exceptionally wet winter that left a persistent snowpack, which has made plodding arduous and hazardous. Several hikers have been injured, and others have reported close calls scaling icy passes and fording raging rivers.

Brandenburg had left the trail for three weeks in June so the snowpack would melt more before he arrived in the rugged high Sierra Nevada. However, the delay meant hiking through extreme desert heat in the last week with diminishing options for water along the way.

I needed water really bad, Brandenburg said. I undercut it. It was a mistake on my part.

After hiking through heat as high as 110 degrees, he became extremely dehydrated Friday and began dry heaving and cramping.

He awoke 4 a.m. Saturday to beat the heat, but had only about a cup of water left and was nine miles short of his next water stop. He hiked a few miles before calling for help.

Four volunteers with the Kern County Search and Rescue team set out on foot to bring Brandenburg water and became separated, Sgt. Zack Bittle said. One pair turned down the wrong trail, where they encountered the robbers who stole their radios.

The rescuers were unharmed, but they were followed by the gunmen as they hiked back toward the Pacific Crest Trail, Bittle said. Eventually, the two men ran off.

Its extremely rare for rescuers to be assaulted, but its not unheard of. Last year, a volunteer rescuer searching for a missing hiker was shot and wounded near the South Yuba River in Northern California.

While Brandenburg waited for help to arrive, other hikers showed up and gave him water and waited with him.

What he expected would take a couple hours turned into about a 12-hour ordeal as he learned by text message about the robbery and was told to stay put until a helicopter could airlift him and the others to safety.

Brandenburg, 55, of Mendocino, said one man hid in the sparse forest while they waited for help. But he and two others werent sure how seriously to take the warning until the helicopter arrived and lowered a SWAT officer in camouflage to the ground.

Then we knew it was real, he said. It was really a trip. It was like a movie.

In addition to searching for the armed men, deputies were trying to determine Monday if the trail could be reopened.

Brandenburg decided to move to higher ground, hoping to hitch a ride to Kennedy Meadows in the Southern Sierra to resume his trek.

UPDATES:

5 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details throughout.

This article originally published at 2:20 p.m.
President Trumps immediate family and closest advisors repeatedly have made it harder for him to dismiss questions about his campaigns contacts with Moscow. Again and again, after denying dealings with Russia, they have been forced to alter their stories.

The latest example, involving Donald Trump Jr., the presidents eldest son, increased the political peril for the White House, drawing yet another family member into the public debate over Russias efforts to influence the 2016 election.

Trump Jr. had previously disavowed any campaign interactions with Russians but acknowledged Sunday that he met in June 2016 with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer who, he said, had promised information helpful to the campaign.

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The shifting stories about Russia contacts have frustrated the presidents attempts to move beyond questions about Russia and the election. The latest disclosures also provide potential new avenues for the investigation being run by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel who is looking at whether the campaigns contacts with Russians  or the failure of Trumps aides to disclose them  violated any U.S. laws.

Trump Jr. recently hired a well-known Manhattan criminal defense lawyer, Alan Futerfas. Although the hiring was publicly acknowledged Monday, neither Trump Jr. nor Futerfas said how long ago he was engaged.

On Monday, Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied that any Trump campaign officials colluded with the Russian government to influence the election, insisting that the Veselnitskaya meeting had come to light only because Jared Kushner, the presidents advisor and son-in-law, and former campaign manager Paul Manafort had amended their federal disclosure forms to mention it.

The only thing I see inappropriate about the meeting was the people that leaked the information on the meeting after it was voluntarily disclosed, she said.

In a briefing with reporters that the White House did not make available for broadcast on television, Sanders said the president only learned additional details about the meeting this weekend.

Other Trump associates who have needed to revise their accounts of meetings with Russians include Kushner, who acknowledged multiple meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and with a banker close to Russian President Vladimir Putin; Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, who admitted to failing to disclose two meetings with Kislyak; and Michael Flynn, the retired Army general who stepped down as national security advisor after admitting that he had made misleading statements about conversations with Kislyak.

Theres no doubt in my mind that there was a full court press going on by the Russians to engage with Trump, said Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, which is conducting its own investigation into Russian interference in the election.

Trump Jr.s account of his meeting suggests that well-connected Russians were reaching out to the campaign beginning at least as early as Trumps winning of the GOP nomination, using the offer of damaging information against the Democrats to gain access to the top levels of the campaign. The existence of the meeting was first disclosed by the New York Times.

In his statement, Trump Jr. denied wrongdoing. He described the half-hour encounter with Veselnitskaya, which Kushner and Manafort also attended, as brief and unproductive. And he suggested that her objective had been to enlist Trumps help in overturning a U.S. law that targets Russian officials.

Veselnitskaya claimed to have information about individuals connected to Russia funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton, Trump Jr. said in his statement, but it quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

She shifted the conversation to adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law that bars certain Russian officials from entering the U.S. and using U.S. banks, he said.

I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office, he added.

On Monday evening, the New York Times reported that Trump Jr. had been informed in an email before the meeting that the information being offered was part of an effort by the Russian government to help his fathers campaign.

Earlier in the day, Sanders, the White House spokeswoman, insisted there was less to the meeting than news reports implied.

Ive been on several campaigns and people call offering information, as I know many of you receive calls of people offering information, she said. Don Jr. took a very short meeting from which there was absolutely no follow-up.

The president returned Saturday from a brief trip to Poland and Germany, where he met with Putin for the first time since taking office. Administration officials say he asked Putin about Russian interference in the election, something Moscow and Trump have both dismissed in the past as a hoax. Russian officials said Trump accepted Putins denial.

Sanders said that in the meeting with Putin, Trump didnt dwell on allegations of Russias meddling, which U.S. and foreign intelligence agencies have said represented a coordinated campaign to tip the outcome toward the Republican.

The president heard Putins denial, and also realized that they had some very important topics that they needed to cover  Ukraine, North Korea, Syria  and decided to move on from that point of the conversation and focus on those issues, Sanders said.

He heard Putins denial, and he knew that at the end of the day, the important part was them being able to have that conversation, for him to directly ask him. He heard his answer and he moved forward with places that they thought they could work together, she said.

Further discussion on hacking may still take place with the Russian government, she said. But thats as far as it is right now.

Rather than talk more about Russia, the White House instead sought to draw attention to a report that was featured on a segment of Fox & Friends involving former FBI Director James B. Comey.

Trump, in a tweet Monday morning, incorrectly asserted that the report, first published in a Capitol Hill newspaper, showed that Comey had leaked classified information.

The report concerned seven memos that Comey wrote about his conversations with Trump. In testimony to Congress, Comey said some of the memos had been classified and others had been nonclassified. The new report said at least four of the seven were classified.

The one memo that Comey made public, acting through a friend, was not classified, he testified. No evidence has become public to contradict that, and the report Trump relied on did not suggest otherwise.

Asked if the president was accusing Comey of perjury, Sanders said: I think its something that should be investigated thoroughly.

david.cloud@latimes.com | @davidcloudLAT

michael.memoli@latimes.com | @mikememoli

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President Trumps eldest son said Sunday that he met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer shortly after his father clinched the Republican nomination, hoping to get information helpful to the campaign.

A New York Times report citing advisors to the White House briefed on the encounter said Donald Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting after being promised information damaging to Hillary Clinton.

The June meeting at Trump Tower with attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya involved the younger Trump, his brother-in-law Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort, who was then the campaign chairman.

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The existence of the meeting was disclosed only recently to government officials and confirmed Saturday by representatives of Trump and Kushner following a separate Times report.

In a statement Sunday, Trump did not confirm that the information he was promised would be damaging to Clinton.

But he said he was asked by an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant to have a meeting with someone who he was told might have information that would be helpful to the campaign.

Trump said that during the meeting, the attorney claimed to have information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Clinton.

No details or supporting information was provided or even offered, Trump said. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

He said no details or supporting information was ever offered and that his father was unaware of the meeting.

On Saturday, the younger Trump described the same gathering as a short introductory meeting during which a disbanded program that had allowed U.S. citizens to adopt Russian children was discussed. Russia ended the adoptions in response to American sanctions brought against the nation following the 2009 death of an imprisoned lawyer who spoke about a corruption scandal.

Trump said Sunday that the attorney turned the conversation to the adoption of Russian children, and that he believed that this was the true agenda of the meeting and that claims about damaging information had been a pretext for the encounter.

I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office, Trump said in the statement.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the presidents legal team, said only, The president was not aware of and did not attend the meeting.

Unlike Kushner, the younger Trump does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts. The newspaper said the meeting was disclosed in recent days to government investigators.

Manafort also recently disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators, the newspaper said.

The newspaper said Veselnitskaya is known for her attempts to undercut the sanctions against Russian human rights abusers. The Times also said her clients include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior Russian government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.
Given Donald Trumps frequent campaign promises to wipe out job killing regulations on Day One, no one should be surprised that the Trump administration is going after federal safeguards that protect consumers at the expense of corporate profits. And its no secret that new Education Secretary Betsy DeVos shares the presidents wish for fewer rules, and more freedom and money for the private sector.

But surely theres some limit to that. Even the leaders of a wholly dysfunctional administration must recognize that fraud is fraud. Out-and-out cheating, lying to potential customers, isnt just unethical. Its illegal. And the worst fraud in the higher education world during recent decades has been perpetrated by for-profit colleges that grossly overstate their graduates ability to land good jobs, that talked students into applying for loans they would almost certainly be unable to repay and that bamboozled them into signing away their right to sue should they discover how dishonestly they had been treated.

Nevertheless, in mid-June, DeVos announced that she was holding off on implementing two key Obama-era rules designed to prevent colleges from luring students into sizable loans that they would have very little chance of repaying and to provide loan-repayment relief to students who had been defrauded by bad operators in the vocational higher ed sector. DeVos said the regulations might be too burdensome for the colleges, and she wanted to look into creating a new set of rules. Last week 19 attorneys general, including Californias, sued, arguing that the administration lacked the authority to single-handedly put the brakes on regulations that had already gone through the required, extensive rule-making procedures, and aiming to force DeVos to make good on what students had been promised.

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Out-and-out cheating, lying to potential customers, isnt just unethical. Its illegal.

These colleges practices have been costly to taxpayers as well as to students, with default rates on federally-guaranteed student loans that were sky-high compared with those at other schools. Thats what happens when pricey institutions draw in low-income students who then cant find the jobs that have been rosily dangled in front of them.

Corinthian Colleges closed in 2015 after the Education Department fined it $30 million for exaggerating job-placement rates. Among its misdeeds: paying employers to hire graduates for just a few days so that they could be listed as having gotten jobs and counting fast-food workers as employees holding professional positions. ITT Technical Institutes closed in 2016 after the Education Department said it no longer would provide federal financial aid to the schools students, after allegations emerged that ITT was misrepresenting its graduates job-placement rates and providing a substandard education.

And then the federal government began the process of cleaning up the mess left behind. The borrower defense to repayment rule, which was scheduled to take effect July 1, would allow defrauded students to apply to have their federal student loans forgiven. It also would prohibit colleges from forcing students into binding arbitration when theres a dispute, eliminating the students right to seek relief in the courts. DeVos put that rule on hold, as well as announcing that she would delay implementation of provisions of the gainful employment rule that requires colleges to show that their graduates generally earn enough to pay back their student loans. If colleges cant meet that reasonable standard, their students could lose access to federal student aid, which would in effect lead to the closure of many for-profit trade schools; federal loans make up the bulk of their income.

DeVos has promised that the 16,000 students who already have filed claims for loan relief, after the collapse of Corinthian and ITT, will have their cases decided under the old rule. But the delays she announced would put off protections for anyone else until at least 2019, because of the time required for hearings and public comment.

Its of course reasonable for DeVos to review the regulations bequeathed to her by the previous administration. There have been complaints from colleges, for example, that the borrower-defense rule is written so loosely that students could too easily claim fraud where none had occurred. But the administrations deregulatory zeal seems to have blinded it to federal law, which requires agencies in most cases to go through just as open and evidence-based a process to change or end a rule as to create one.

Responsible for-profit colleges  and they exist  should support strong, protective rules; the reputation of the industry as a whole has fallen under the shadow of its worst members. Leaving the public with no protection from the predatory players within the college industry  and leaving taxpayers to pick up the tab for the defaults that would inevitably follow  would be the higher education equivalent of repealing Obamacare and leaving Americans with no health insurance at all.

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As Peter Capaldi departs Doctor Who, some hope his replacement will increase the shows diversity. After Wonder Woman was released, some were disappointed that diverse Amazons didnt receive more screen time. A recent study found that films with diverse casts do better than films with casts that are less diverse.

Whether critics are calling for more representation of women, people of color or other marginalized groups, diversity is a convenient term. It sounds positive and upbeat and inclusive. Diversity indicates more rather than less, additional options rather than fewer.

Diversity is also a euphemism. When critics from marginalized groups ask for more diversity, they are actually asking the media, employers, schools and society in general not to discriminate against them. When it takes until 2017 to get to a female-led superhero film from Marvel or DC, thats not a failure of diversity; thats sexism. When 12 Doctors have been cast since 1963 and they are all white men, thats not a failure of diversity either; thats racism (and sexism as well).

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A request for more diversity isnt really a plea to embrace stimulating heterogeneity. Its a plea to embrace minimal decency.

You catch more flies with sugar, so I understand why criticisms are phrased as add more diversity, Hollywood rather than stop being bigots, you dopes. But although it has some tactical advantages, the term diversity has some downsides as well.

The liberal goal is not to promote difference for differences sake, but to end bigotry.

For one thing, although diversity ostensibly covers everyone, in practice its used to convey the presence of non-white, non-male, non-hetero or non-cis groups. The word therefore implies that whats normal is white, male, hetero, cis. There are white guys, and there are diverse people, who are defined by their difference from the standard or norm.

Along the same lines, the term may suggest that racial or gender differences are true or foundational. As Karen Fields and Barbara J. Fields point out in Racecraft, racism takes for granted the objective reality of race. Racism says that black and white people are different in some fundamental way. Diversity celebrates that difference but also accepts it. Diversity, as used in media critiques, implies that the difference between a woman and a man is necessarily more important than the difference between two women. Diversity risks conveying that philosophically and biologically flimsy categories actually describe real differences.

The strategic use of diversity can also backfire. When critics questioned Marvels choice to cast Finn Jones rather than an Asian American actor in Iron Fist, Jones countered that the film included numerous actors of color and was one of the most diverse shows Ive ever worked on. The trailer for Black Panther prompted some on social media to mutter that it lacked diversity because it mostly featured black actors. And in academia, conservatives have bemoaned the lack of a diversity of ideas, by which they mean that universities have not hired enough conservative thinkers.

Ideological diversity may or may not be a boon  no one would benefit from more Nazi intellectuals, for example. Either way, conservatives who make these arguments are trying to co-opt a moral point by glomming on to its form and ignoring its context.

When critics or fans demand more diversity, they dont mean to suggest that all difference is good all of the time; they dont want institutions to give equal time to racists and anti-racists, or to feminists and sexists. Similarly, casting some non-white-guy actors isnt enough in itself; Hollywood narratives also have to avoid stereotypes and bigotry. Iron Fist cast some non-white actors, which was good  but it also told an Orientalist story about a white guy getting power from the mysterious East. Gone With the Wind cast Hattie McDaniel, but that didnt turn a story about the virtues of racism into an uplifting paean to diversity.

Many activists find the language of diversity useful; the fact that the term has become so ubiquitous in the mainstream is a measure of how successful its been. But as the word becomes more popular, keep in mind that the liberal goal is not to promote difference for differences sake, but to end bigotry. The whiteness and maleness of Hollywood isnt (just) wrong because it reduces the smorgasbord of possible perspectives. Its wrong because discrimination is wrong. We dont need diversity in the sense of variety. We need equality and justice.

Noah Berlatsky is the author, most recently, of The Consequences of Feminism: Women Film Directors.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook

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For a president who lies more than any of his predecessors  even Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon!  Donald Trump can also be candid to a fault. Recall how, after firing FBI Director James Comey, he blew apart the administration spin that this had nothing to do with any investigation of the Trump campaign by openly admitting that he acted because of the Russia thing. Over the weekend, he did it again  and at the most damaging time imaginable: just before the blockbuster revelations about Donald Trump Jr. exclaiming I love it at the prospect of gettnig election help from the Russian government.

Trumps aides claimed that he was tough on Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Hamburg, Germany. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Trump pressed President Putin on more than one occasion regarding Russian involvement. Anonymous U.S. officials denied Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrovs assertions that Trump had accepted Putins false assurances that Russia was not behind the hacking and leaking of Democratic Party documents last year.

But then on Sunday morning Trump took to Twitter to essentially confirm what Lavrov said: I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. Ive already given my opinion..... Yes, he did: In Warsaw, the day before his meeting with Putin, Trump opined, as he has many times before, I think it could very well have been Russia, but I think it could well have been other countries. Nobody really knows. Nobody really knows for sure.

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This is, as the British say, bollocks. We do know for sure: the FBI, CIA, NSA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a unanimous high confidence assessment in January that Russia was behind the hacking last year, and that its intent was to hurt Hillary Clinton and to help Donald Trump. Trumps misleading assertions that it was three or four intelligence agencies, not all 17, are meaningless, because there was no dissent from the other intelligence agencies. And, as former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said, We saw no evidence whatsoever that it was anyone involved in this other than the Russians.

Trump doesnt care a whit about the national interest. All he cares about is his self-interest.

Yet, despite all evidence to the contrary, Trump refuses to accept reality. In Hamburg, he even discussed with Putin an Alice-in-Wonderland proposal of forming a joint American-Russian Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded. As Sen. John McCain noted sarcastically on Sunday, I am sure that Vladimir Putin could be of enormous assistance in that effort since hes doing the hacking. The idea is so inane that by the end of the day even Trump had disowned it, leaving his Treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, who had loyally called the cyber-security partnership a very significant accomplishment for the president, twisting in the wind.

Trumps denial of Russian election-meddling is all the more startling when contrasted with his reckless promulgation of baseless claims that millions of illegal ballots were cast in the presidential election. There is not an iota of evidence to support this assertion. It is an entirely imaginary scandal manufactured by Trump because his fragile psyche cant handle the fact that Hillary Clinton won more popular votes than he did.

Yet Trump is pursuing nonexistent evidence of wrongdoing with all the powers at his disposal, setting up a voter fraud commission, headed by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, that is itself fraudulent. Pretty much every state has declined to share voter information with this politically motivated commission because doing so would violate voters privacy and could open the way to genuine large-scale fraud  imagine if hackers could break into a single database containing all of the nations voter information.

How to explain the discrepancy, with Trump ignoring a real scandal and doggedly pursuing a phony one? The answer is pretty simple: Trump doesnt care a whit about the national interest. All he cares about is his self-interest.

No matter what Donald Trump Jr. did or didnt convey to him about his meeting with a Russian lawyer last year, the president is hardly ignorant of Russian machinations. Even before receiving the full intelligence briefings on what the Russians did and it appears that the intelligence community has proof that Putin personally ordered the election meddling  he showed his awareness of the Russian role in July 2016 when he called on the Kremlin to hack Hillary Clintons emails. This is what the lawyers call guilty knowledge.

But Trump isnt mad about this assault on American democracy because he was its beneficiary. He is only mad that the fake news media, his political opponents and special counsel Robert Mueller continue to probe the Russian role. The most benign explanation is that Trump is worried that such investigations undermine his political legitimacy. The more sinister explanation is that he is worried that collusion between his campaign and the Kremlin will be exposed  something that appears more likely the more we know about Don Jr.s willingness to seek Russian dirt on Hillary Clinton. Either way, the president is not treating this with the seriousness that an attack on our democracy deserves.

Trump is effectively giving the Russians a pass, refusing to impose any sanctions beyond the inadequate steps taken by President Obama  namely kicking out a few Russian diplomats and confiscating a couple of Russian diplomatic compounds. His administration is even lobbying to water down in the House a sanctions bill passed 97-2 by the Senate.

The result of Trumps passivity is likely to encourage more such Russian assaults. James Clapper warns that the Russians are already prepping the battlefield for the 2018 election  and beyond. That may be just what Trump is counting on. Given current opinion polls, Republicans are facing a tough election next year and Trump will have trouble getting reelected in 2020. Maybe hes counting on winning, to mash up two Beatles titles, with a little help from my friends  back in the USSR.

Max Boot is a contributing writer to Opinion and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

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UPDATES:

11:36 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details related to Donald Trump Jr.
We are an American Jew and an American Muslim. Because our communities are well versed in the pain of discriminatory and exclusionary policies, we are fiercely committed to protecting, defending and upholding the American democratic ideals under threat by President Trumps travel ban.

During the Holocaust, European Jews fleeing Nazi persecution found the gates of entry barred by many countries. The Evian Conference in 1938 brought together 32 countries to discuss the increasingly dire fate of Jews, but only the Dominican Republic volunteered to take in refugees. The United States, which earlier had severely restricted new arrivals in the Immigration Act of 1924, was among those who refused to absorb Jews in need. In one of the most infamous episodes, the U.S. government turned away the St. Louis in 1939 with 900 German Jewish refugees on board, sending its desperate passengers back to the Europe they had fled to face an uncertain fate.



For the record: This article originally stated that not one country agreed to accept European Jewish refugees at the Evian Conference of 1938. Actually, the Dominican Republic did.

While Jews were the chief victims of the exclusionary policies of the United States in the 1930s and 1940s, today Muslims have been unfairly singled out.

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President Trumps executive order banning entry to people from six Muslim-majority countries, which the U.S. Supreme Court will review this fall, is quite obviously the Muslim ban that candidate Trump swore hed institute.

Drawing on our shared roots, we look on with trepidation at the risks facing our country.

For now, the Supreme Court has barely reined in the administration, permitting the admission of only those prospective arrivals proving a bona fide relationship with a close family member. Adding another layer of gratuitous cruelty, the administration has inexplicably excluded grandparents and grandchildren from that standard. And there is serious concern that the Supreme Court will let the president have his way, as it did in the notorious Korematsu decision (1944) that upheld President Roosevelts Executive Order 9066 to intern Japanese Americans. If it were to do so, it would overturn every other federal judicial judgment on the matter and empower the president to discriminate on the basis of religion.

Federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland amply chronicled the presidents discriminatory rhetoric during the campaign and after as evidence of the underlying bias in the ban. Existing immigration law holds that no person shall receive any preference or priority or be discriminated against in the issuance of an immigrant visa because of the persons race, sex, nationality, place of birth, or place of residence. In addition, the 9th Circuit found that the administration had offered no evidence that allowing entry to citizens of Muslim countries heightened national security risks. Nor did the federal government in Korematsu, yet in the feverish wartime political environment, Roosevelts internment order was upheld anyway.

We call on the greatest of our countrys traditions: its openness and tolerance for newcomers, along with its commitment to justice for all. Muslims and Jews have been part of and benefited from those traditions. Setting the stage for this noble inclusivity was the treaty of peace and friendship entered into with Morocco in 1786, one of the first and longest-standing treaties that the fledgling United States signed. In more recent times, millions of Muslims have called America their homeland, including many who have served in and sacrificed on behalf of the armed services.

Meanwhile, despite some notable lapses, Jews have considered themselves welcome in America at least from the time of President Washingtons famous letter of 1790 to the Jewish community in Newport, R.I. Washington proclaimed not only that the United States gives to bigotry no sanction, but then added: May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants.

Muslims and Jews together are derived from the stock of Abraham. Drawing on our shared roots, we look on with trepidation at the risks facing our country. The Supreme Courts decision on the legality of the travel ban will not just be a holding on an administrative matter, but a stress test of the integrity and resilience of Americas democratic institutions. Confronting the gravest internal threat to our democratic tradition in modern memory, todays Supreme Court faces a stark choice between affirming the grand American ideals of tolerance and inclusion or uprooting and betraying them.

Zev Yaroslavsky is a former Los Angeles County supervisor, a fellow at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and history department, and board member of Jews United for Democracy and Justice. Salam Al-Marayati is the president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

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With North Koreas successful intercontinental missile test last week, Americans again woke up to breathless alarm over possible military strikes and the specter of a North Korean nuclear attack -- a virtual repeat of the hype in April when it looked as if a sixth North Korean nuclear test was imminent.

Why are we so afraid of North Korea?

The media and policymakers like to remind us that North Korea produces one bombs worth of nuclear material every eight weeks. By most accounts, if nothing changes, the regime will build a nuclear arsenal able to hit the U.S. mainland in the mid-2020s.

Its also perfectly true that, with a bad decision or two, the U.S. could stumble into a devastating conflict on the peninsula that would cost millions of lives, put U.S. troops in harms way and might even spark a nuclear exchange.

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That being said, we must put the situation into proper perspective. What has been lost amid the incessant punditry, news coverage and irresponsible headlines suggesting that North Korea can already hit California, is that deterrence on the Korean peninsula is alive and well. The balance of power, moreover, strongly favors the U.S.  not North Korea.

For all its idiosyncratic behavior, outlandish threats and actions, and gruesome human rights record, the North Korean government is not suicidal.

The U.S. is the most powerful nation in the world. Our military is second to none, outspending the next eight countries combined. Our fighting men and women are the best-trained, most technically advanced force in history. We have thousands of nuclear weapons and many more precision-guided conventional bombs. Our warplanes, ships, drones and cyber capabilities are the envy of all. Most importantly, the American experiment  one committed to democratic values and the rule of law  has allowed us to become the worlds sole superpower.

In contrast, we have North Korea, a totalitarian state that consistently fails to meet the basic needs of its 23 million people. The United Nations World Food Program says 70% of the Norths citizens did not have enough food to eat in 2016. An estimated 25% of the Norths children are physically stunted. The country ranks 213 out of 230 countries in GDP per capita. The North does have a 1.2-million-man military; but an International Institute of Security Studies report found that the Norths conventional forces rely on increasingly obsolete equipment, with little evidence of widespread modernization. In other words, their equipment is old.

Who should be afraid of whom?

For all its idiosyncratic behavior, outlandish threats and actions, and gruesome human rights record, the North Korean government is not suicidal. It knows that, in a large-scale confrontation with South Korea and the U.S., the North Korean leadership and the country itself would cease to exist.

The U.S. must therefore maintain its policy of the strongest deterrence. At the same time, however, assuming the U.S. actually wants to solve this problem rather than simply contain it, we must offer more material carrots to the North  meaningful security assurances, a semblance of political legitimacy and access to the international economic system.

This more flexible approach would, in turn, assuage Chinese concerns about regime collapse in North Korea. Indeed, once convinced the U.S. had a political solution in mind, China might be more willing to wield much harsher sticks  truly crushing sanctions on food and energy, particularly oil and coal.

U.S. action cannot be driven by outdated policies, stereotypes and presidential tweets when overreaction in a high-stakes standoff could lead to catastrophic miscalculation. Above all, the U.S. must lead, and do so with confidence, not fear.

As former Secretary of Defense William Perry has said, We must take North Korea as it is, not as we wish it to be. While this is often interpreted to mean we shouldnt expect the country to comply with international standards (it wont), it also means that we cant view North Korea as a super-villain.

North Korea is a desperately poor country led by a desperately misguided regime. The threat North Korea poses is serious, but not an imminent one to the U.S. homeland. So lets not make things worse by scaring ourselves and adding to the risk of another Korean War.

Philip W. Yun is executive director of Ploughshares Fund, a San Francisco security and peace foundation. He previously served as a senior advisor to two U.S. coordinators for North Korea at the Department of State.

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To the editor: Im a scientist and not a lawyer, so I wont argue the legal claims made by attorneys from a conservative think tank. But the real magical thinking is to believe President Trumps claims that hes acting in the public interest by opening up dozens of national monuments for review. (Its magical legal thinking to say Trump cant reverse Obamas national monuments, Opinion, July 6)

Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a blatant attempt to industrialize these magnificent places, with the oil, gas, private water and logging industries as the beneficiaries.

The public is not calling for clear cutting in Giant Sequoia National Monument. It has not asked for drilling or fracking in Carrizo Plain or pumping groundwater from underneath Mojave Trails. National monuments in California and other states enjoy devoted, widespread local support.

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Ileene Anderson, Los Angeles

The writer is public lands director and senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.

..

To the editor: Lawyers Todd Gaziano and John Yoo, authors of an American Enterprise Institute paper on monuments law, argue that it is wishful thinking to believe that Trump cannot revoke or reduce national monuments designated by earlier presidents. They fundamentally misunderstand the nature of federal authority over the public lands.

The Property Clause of the Constitution vests all authority over federal property in Congress. In the Antiquities Act of 1906, Congress delegated some of that authority  power to protect objects of historic or scientific interest, including landscapes such as the Grand Canyon  to the president.

Unlike other statutes passed around the same time, Congress did not give any president the power to revoke or modify designations of presidents who came before. Under the Constitution, it is for Congress, not Trump, to correct any unwise exercise of the power to create national monuments by earlier presidents.

Are there enough votes in Congress to revoke these important contributions to Americas conservation estate? That is the question.

Bret C. Birdsong, Las Vegas

The writer is a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Law, where he focuses on environmental law.

..

To the editor: It is not surprising that the American Enterprise Institute looks with favor on allowing reconsideration by the current administration of national monuments established by past administrations, nor is it surprising that some of the monuments in western states have encountered opposition.

Even though most national parks and monuments prove to be boons to local economies, there will always be people who would deprive future generations the benefits of these pristine areas to take advantage of short-term profits.

Yet history says it all: Without national parks and national monuments, we would have no groves of coast redwoods or giant sequoias; we would have a reservoir in the Grand Canyon (as we do in the Hetch Hetchy Valley, north of Yosemite Valley); and we would have development where there never should be.

Our national parks and monuments are indeed the best ideas the country ever had. We should all hope that Trumps reconsideration will lead nowhere.

Paul Cooley, Culver City

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To the editor: Ref Rodriguez, the new charter-friendly president of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, gets it. United Teachers Los Angeles, the teachers union that opposed the new board members in the last election, does not. (A new era begins as pro-charter majority selects Rodriguez to head L.A. school board, July 6)

According to the article, Rodriguez urged his colleagues to visualize a child every time they made a decision. This is spot on. The school board needs to take this change not as an alignment with charter schools as much as an alignment with student-first decision making.

My kids, now adults, went to LAUSD schools. As a former employee of the district who went on to become a charter school principal, I can tell you that kids have not been at the center of decision-making in LAUSD.

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This change is refreshing, and I hope it will spread to other places like the struggling Pasadena Unified School District. Lets stop fighting and get to work.

Wendy Zacuto, Playa del Rey

..

To the editor: Its outrageous that the pro-charter school board members would suddenly ask for unity and to turn away from the divisive politics of yesterday when they themselves have been so truculently divisive.

In their campaigns, they indulged in the most despicable and dishonest mudslinging and negative campaigning ever seen in a school board election. They did this with millions in outside money from well-heeled charter supporters, vastly outspending their opponents.

The people who bought the election expect the new board members to deliver the LAUSD schools over to private interests. As morally bankrupt as these charter shills have demonstrated themselves to be in their election campaigns, we can only expect exactly that.

Marc Wutschke, Los Angeles

The writer is an LAUSD teacher.

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Vladimir Putin played Donald Trump like a virtuoso. There is no official record of what the two men said when they met during their extended meeting at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, last Friday, but, in the days since, the Russian president has owned the narrative while the American president has confined his comments to a series of feeble tweets.

In 2001, President George W. Bush was ridiculed for saying he looked Putin in the eye and was able to get a sense of his soul. During his first term, President Obama was scoffed at for hoping to contrive a restart with Putin and Russia. However, compared with Trump, those two presidents now seem like masters of statecraft. Trumps body language with Putin made it look as if he were eager for a back-slapping buddy to hang out with in Hamburg. And the real language may have been even more pathetic.

The glaring issue between the United States and Russia is the contention that Russian operatives extensively interfered with the 2016 presidential election. American intelligence agencies are unanimous in their insistence that it happened. Republican and Democratic members of Congress believe the findings those agencies have presented. The only person in American leadership who has repeatedly cast doubt on the evidence is Trump and he did it again only a day before his private chat with Putin.

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1 / 51 la-1491523602-y7ephyarj1-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 51 la-1491368625-0bgh58ihw8-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los angeles Times) 6 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 51 Trump inspires millions to take to the streets -- to oppose him. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 51 Cartoon caption contest winner at the DENT conference in Sun Valley, Idaho: Jon Duval, executive director of the Ketchum Community Development Corporation. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 51 Old radicals and big media descend on Selma (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 51 Horsey imagined the creation of the Ann Coulter phenomenon in this cartoon from 2007. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 51 This David Horsey drawing is a reconfiguration of a cartoon he first published in 2006. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 51 Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers, should give Cliven Bundy a call. After Sterling loses his NBA franchise and the deadbeat Nevada rancher loses his cattle, the two old racists will both need a buddy. Maybe they can team up together and open an all-white rodeo. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 51 Besides sending a chill up the spine of the international community, Vladimir Putin has accomplished one other thing by seizing Crimea and threatening the rest of Ukraine: Putin has brought back the bear. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 51 The right-wing insurrection at the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, Nev., has taken another weird turn with new revelations about the family history of Cliven Bundy. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 51 David Horsey / Los Angeles Times (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times)

That is why it is easier to believe the Russian foreign ministers account of what Trump said on the subject than it is to credit administration officials. Those officials insist that Trump forcefully confronted Putin about the election hacking and manipulation. But Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Putin denied the allegations and that Trump accepted the Russian presidents assurances.

After insisting so many times that nobody knows who hacked the election, can anyone honestly believe that Trump was suddenly forceful on the subject? Trump tweeted about his exchange with Putin, saying, I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. Ive already given my opinion.

Exactly. And that opinion has been that American intelligence experts do not know what they are talking about.

Unlike Trump, Putin was brave enough to meet with reporters following the meeting. Of the hacking issue, Putin said: I believe it would not be entirely appropriate on my part to disclose details of my discussion with Mr Trump. He asked, I answered him. He asked pointed questions, I answered them. It seemed to me that he was satisfied with those answers.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who, unlike his Russian counterpart, refused to appear on camera, stressed that Trump is ready to shift to other issues with Russia. Trump himself said that it is time to move forward. Not all Republicans are quite so eager to let bygones be bygones, though.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham characterized the Putin/Trump meeting as disastrous and said the president is hurting his own ability to govern by forgiving and forgetting and empowering the Russian leader while he throws our intelligence communities under the bus.

Trump was made to look even more naive when Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Trump and Putin had agreed to form a joint U.S.-Russia cybersecurity unit that would prevent future election interference. When criticism immediately rained down about letting the Russian fox guard the American henhouse (or polling booth), the president tapped out a tweet that pulled back from the idea, saying he did not really think it could happen.

It is pretty darn obvious that Trump really, really wants to be friends with Putin and does not actually care if the Russians are meddling in elections, here or in any other country. After all, Trump is quite pleased with how the 2016 election turned out.

And, for his part, Putin must be absolutely ecstatic. He has never had such a fan in the White House.

David.Horsey@latimes.com

Follow me at @davidhorsey on Twitter
Senate Republicans, having hit an apparent impasse in their long campaign to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, return to Washington this week in search of a way forward, with support dwindling, time running out and deep divisions within their ranks.

Options are limited as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) assesses the legislative landscape for his Obamacare replacement, which has virtually no hope of passing unless it is substantially amended.

The Better Care Reconciliation Act, which threatens to toss 22 million more Americans into the ranks of the uninsured, has been almost universally panned by patient advocacy groups, doctors and other healthcare providers. It is backed by less than 20% of the public, polls show.

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And for the last week, rank and file Republican lawmakers have faced rowdy crowds back home opposing the repeal bill.

At the same time, GOP senators return to work aware that federal intervention is needed to stabilize some Obamacare insurance markets. If not, insurance premiums in some parts of the country could skyrocket, and many Americans  especially those in rural areas  could be left with few healthcare options.

Now, with President Trump sending mixed signals on the path forward, Republicans confront the very real possibility that their promises to end Obamacare might need to be shelved in favor of a bipartisan agreement to improve it.

For seven years, they pretended like they were all committed to repeal and there were just tactical differences, said Michael A. Needham, CEO of Heritage Action, a leading conservative advocacy group.

What we learned this year is there are not tactical differences. There are large numbers of Republicans in the House and the Senate who dont want to repeal Obamacare.

Thats not the outcome Republicans had in mind when they set out seven years ago to undo President Obamas signature domestic achievement.

But as Congress resumes work this week, McConnell is under mounting pressure to develop a face-saving way out.

They need to start over, said Dr. Jack Ende, a University of Pennsylvania primary care doctor and president of the American College of Physicians.

This is a bill that takes away much needed health insurance and healthcare from the people who need it most. You cant tweak it a little here and little there.  The right strategy is to work on improving what we have.

Democrats say they are willing to work with Republicans to fix Obamacare, but only after the GOP drops its repeal campaign.

Conservatives warn that doing so would be a political disaster for the GOP, sapping enthusiasm from activists who will be needed soon to start knocking on doors and turning out votes for the 2018 midterm elections.

If this party switches from repeal of Obamacare to a bailout of Obamacare, said Needham, that is catastrophic.

McConnell, often considered an opportunistic strategist, might still be able to salvage his bill.

But even senators are unsure of his next moves. And the heathcare legislation has shown the limits of his ability to cobble together the 50 votes needed from a 52-seat Senate GOP majority. Votes are not expected until mid-July, at the earliest.

Clearly, the draft plan is dead, said Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician who has offered his own proposal.

Is the serious rewrite plan dead? he asked in an interview on Fox News Sunday. I dont know. I havent seen the serious rewrite.

McConnells efforts have been complicated by the deep divisions among Republican senators. The majority leader was forced to put off a vote on the bill last month amid opposition from both conservatives and centrists.

Whether or not we can come together, I dont know, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday on Meet the Press.

Conservatives want the most complete repeal of Obamacare possible, and they have opened a direct line of negotiation with the White House, appearing to turn Trump to their side, for now.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) back a proposal that would dramatically roll back insurance protections in the current law, allowing insurers to offer cheaper, skimpier health policies they say would drive down costs, at least for healthy consumers.

An assessment of Cruzs consumer choice plan is expected this week from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Theres no doubt this has been a rocky path, Cruz said Sunday on Face the Nation. But I continue to believe we can get this done.

But other GOP senators and advocacy groups are warning that Cruzs plan would further destabilize insurance markets by dividing healthier and sicker consumers.

Republican Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa said last week he worried that the Cruz amendment could be a subterfuge to get around Obamacares protections for those with preexisting conditions. Obviously, I would object to that, he told Iowa Public Radio.

Politically, the Cruz approach does little to help McConnell amass 50 votes for passage. Although it pleases conservatives who say the Senate GOP bill does not go far enough in ending Obamacares insurance mandates, it is almost certain to drive away more centrist Republicans.

The centrists have been most concerned about steep cuts to Medicaid. McConnells bill would slash nearly $800 billion from the governments healthcare safety net over the decade and leave millions of poor Americans without access to care. Particularly hard hit would be poorer, rural counties, many of which backed Trump last year.

In Nevada, the Medicaid cuts would leave nearly 200,000 uninsured, prompting the states Republican senator, Dean Heller, to oppose the bill.

Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), whose states rely heavily on Medicaid money to address the opioid crisis, are also opposed to the bill. They have sought tens of billions of dollars to make up for the lost funds.

One idea floated to preserve some healthcare aid would retain a 3.8% tax in investment income imposed by Obamacare on high-income households. That would maintain about $175 billion in revenue over the decade that could help with Medicaid.

But making a concession like that for centrist senators risks losing conservatives who want all taxes in the current healthcare law repealed.

McConnell has been trying to stitch together enough votes by tacking on amendments and provisions to meet the needs of both flanks of his party.

But with barely a dozen legislative days before Congress recesses for the monthlong August break  and other priorities that need action  the Senate has limited time.

Trump has further complicated McConnells task, giving mixed signals about how he wants to proceed.

Earlier this year, the president pushed to repeal the current law and replace it simultaneously, undermining the Senate Republican leaders original plan to repeal the law now and replace it in a few years.

Last week, Trump abruptly shifted positions, siding with Sens. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) who have revived McConnells original plan as their own.

That repeal now, replace later concept has long been the preferred approach of the powerful Koch network of conservative advocacy organizations and was floated again last month at the groups semi-annual retreat for wealthy donors.

The president gets our concerns. I think he shares our concerns, said Pauls spokesman. Also he wants to get to a final bill.

As the debate continues, resistance is building. Protesters have been camping out and picketing lawmakers offices. As many as a dozen Republican senators now oppose the bill, a number that will likely grow.

Theres no constituency for this bill, said one GOP aide in the Senate, granted anonymity to discuss the private assessments. If we dont vote for it, whos going to be burning up our phones?

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

@LisaMascaro

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President Trumps touting of a proposed partnership with Russia on cybersecurity drew withering reviews Sunday from lawmakers, including several from his own party, while the presidents aides were left struggling to answer questions about just how hard Trump pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin on Moscows meddling in last years U.S. presidential election.

Late Sunday, Trump appeared to back away from the cyber-partnership idea.

Trumps encounter with Putin on the sidelines of the Group of 20 economic summit in Hamburg, Germany, on Friday was his first meeting as president with the Russian leader. It came after months of controversy over Russian meddling and whether anyone close to Trumps campaign had colluded in it.

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The White House has sought to portray Trumps trip to Germany and a stopover beforehand in Poland as a solid success, despite a striking degree of U.S. isolation over climate change and trade at the G-20 gathering.

Trump returned Saturday to what promises to be a bruising new round of battles over the faltering Senate healthcare plan and fresh GOP anxiety over whether the party, which controls both houses of Congress, can notch meaningful legislative achievements by summers end.

As often happens, Trump made the job of White House underlings more difficult  this time, with a series of tweets Sunday morning in which he again seemed to equivocate on whether Russian hacking had taken place. He also revived attack lines against former President Obama and John Podesta, who ran Hillary Clintons losing presidential campaign.

Almost as soon as the Trump-Putin talks ended Friday after more than two hours of discussions, the Russians embarked on a public relations offensive. With the U.S. side staying out of camera range, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov happily informed reporters that Trump had accepted Putins denial of interference in the campaign.

Putin reinforced that narrative Saturday, saying that Trump had seemed satisfied with his protestations of innocence.

The Trump administration presented its own nuanced version, via Secretary of State Rex Tillerson: that the president had repeatedly raised the issue of online meddling with Putin and the two sides had agreed it was time to move on to other and more pressing issues, including the continuing bloodbath in Syria.

Trump himself weighed in with a series of tweets Sunday saying he had strongly pressed Putin over election interference and that the Russian leader vehemently denied it.

I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

...and safe. Questions were asked about why the CIA & FBI had to ask the DNC 13 times for their SERVER, and were rejected, still don't....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

...have it. Fake News said 17 intel agencies when actually 4 (had to apologize). Why did Obama do NOTHING when he had info before election?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

Sanctions were not discussed at my meeting with President Putin. Nothing will be done until the Ukrainian & Syrian problems are solved!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

White House officials said Sunday that Trump did not believe Putins denials, though neither he nor aides have described him pushing back against them at the time.

The president absolutely did not believe the denial of President Putin, Reince Priebus, Trumps chief of staff, said on Fox News Sunday.

Trump in his tweets avoided that point, saying only, Ive already given my opinion.

As recently as Thursday, Trump expressed doubts about whether Russia had interfered in the election, remarking in a news conference in Warsaw that I think it could very well have been Russia, but I think it could well have been other countries.

Nobody really knows for sure, he said.

Rather than repeat those doubts, Trumps tweets touted his talk with Putin about creating an impenetrable Cyber Security unit to combat abuses like hacking and online propaganda.

That prospect that left some leading Republicans scarcely able to contain their disbelief.

Its not the dumbest idea Ive ever heard, but its pretty close, said Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who called Trumps talks with Putin disastrous. Interviewed on NBCs Meet the Press, the GOP veteran added, When it comes to Russia, hes got a blind spot.

In addition to the U.S. intelligence assessment that the Russian leader personally authorized the campaign to interfere in the American vote with the aim of aiding Trump, Moscow stands accused of meddling in several European election campaigns.

Sen. John McCain, a prominent Russia hawk, was asked on CBS Face the Nation whether Russia was really likely to provide any help in combating election interference.

I am sure that Vladimir Putin could be of enormous  the Arizona Republican paused to chortle  assistance to that effort, since hes doing the hacking. Turning serious, he added, Yes, its time to move forward, but there has to be a price to pay for an attack on American democracy.

Yet another Republican senator, Marco Rubio of Florida  who, like Graham, had been an early hopeful for the GOP presidential nomination  chimed in with more fox-guarding-the-henhouse imagery. He said on Twitter that teaming up with Putin to safeguard elections would be like partnering with Syrias President Bashar Assad, who has carried out repeated strikes against his own people with banned nerve agents, in a chemical weapons unit.

Late Sunday, Trump poured cold water on the idea.

The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesnt mean I think it can happen. It cant, he said on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, Trump surrogates defended the plan as a worthy effort to bring Russia into the fold.

This is about having the capabilities to make sure that we both fight cyber [interference] together, which I think is a very significant accomplishment for President Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said on ABCs This Week.

Not surprisingly, Democratic lawmakers and former Obama administration officials found little to praise about the proposal.

We might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow, Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) said on CNNs State of the Union. Schiff, a former prosecutor, is the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

On the same program, former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter called it a page from the old Soviet-era playbook.

When confronted with something wrong, they ask for U.S. intelligence  old trick  and propose a working group, in this case on cyber, he said. But this is like the guy who robbed your house proposing a working group on burglary.

The series of tweets marked Trumps first substantive public assessment of the meeting with Putin. In them, he did not contest the Russian assertion that he had accepted Putins denials.

Priebus, in the Fox News interview, provided little more in the way of clarity. He said they [Russians] probably meddled in the election, the chief of staff told interviewer Chris Wallace. But he also believes that other countries also participated in this activity.

Former Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper has said previously that there was no evidence that the campaign of interference was directed by anyone other than the Kremlin.

As the collusion investigation reaches deeper into Trumps inner circle, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley was asked on CNNs State of the Union why Trump would not state, publicly and explicitly, that Russia had meddled in the U.S. election.

Everybodys trying to nitpick what he says and what he doesnt, but talk is one thing, actions are another, she said. He confronted President Putin; he made it the first thing that he talked about. And I think we have to now see where it goes from here.

Haley also suggested that Trump might be playing a canny long game in trying to cultivate a relationship with Putin  although she employed far tougher language about Russia than has been heard from the president.

We cant trust Russia, and we wont ever trust Russia, she said. But you keep those that you dont trust closer, so that you can always keep an eye on them and keep them in check.

Tillerson, who was visiting Ukraine on Sunday, also took a tougher line toward Moscow, saying it was the Kremlins responsibility to de-escalate the situation in the countrys eastern sector by removing its armaments and exercising control over separatists loyal to Russia.

Until then, he said at a news conference with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, sanctions would remain in place.

Column: Heres how aging baby boomers will change the impact of Californias Proposition 13 

Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report.

laura.king@latimes.com

@laurakingLAT

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UPDATES:

7:25 p.m.: This article was updated with a new tweet from President Trump.

The article was originally published at noon.
It was probably inevitable the headlines would remain focused on Russia even after President Trump returned from the G-20 meetings following a one-on-one with Vladimir Putin.

Im Christina Bellantoni. Welcome to the Monday edition of Essential Politics.

The U.S. president declared on Twitter over the weekend that he strongly pressed Putin about interference in the U.S. elections, which the Russian president vehemently denied. Whats more, Trump said the two leaders discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit to prevent against election hacking, among other things. The announcement prompted ridicule from even members of Trumps own party, before the president appeared to pull back from the idea.

The trip itself found Trump coming back to the States undeniably alone, our team wrote for the Sunday front page. More from their analysis: With the leaders final statement, it was evident that Trumps prioritization of American self-interest  on environmental agreements, trade, migration and more  left him, and thus America, often in unfamiliar isolation.

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But any news from the second foreign trip of the Trump presidency was overshadowed, yet again, with a fresh report that the presidents eldest son met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer just after his dad became the GOP presidential nominee. Donald Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting after being promised information damaging to Hillary Clinton and potentially helpful to the campaign, the New York Times reported.

With Congress returning to work after a holiday break, its a safe bet that Russia will remain a topic of conversation for the near future  and maybe longer. You can find the latest about whats happening in the nations capital on Essential Washington.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF CALIFORNIAS CLIMATE CHANGE FIGHT

Gov. Jerry Brown has been pushing to extend cap and trade, Californias landmark program to battle climate change. But now, he can count on one fewer vote. Melanie Mason reports that efforts faltered to introduce a bill in time for Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez to vote on it before he is sworn into Congress on Tuesday.

Why have negotiations dragged on? Its all due to the delicate balance Brown and lawmakers are trying to strike between reaching Californias climate goals, improving local air quality and not harming the states economy. Plus, the question of how to spend the money generated by the cap and trade auctions remains unanswered.

Well be tracking the negotiations closely. Keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed for the latest, and for dispatches from Gomezs swearing in ceremony.

BROWN INVITES THE WORLD TO SAN FRANCISCO

Brown just cant pass up an opportunity to swipe at Trumps decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord. On Thursday, he told an international audience that Americans are still committed to combating climate change, even if the federal government isnt. To cap it off, he announced plans for a global climate summit in San Francisco in fall 2018.

Trump doesnt speak for the rest of America, Brown told the Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg via a video that included German subtitles.

TRAILING HARRIS

Senators were back in their districts last week for their July 4 break, and for Sen. Kamala Harris that offered time to protest the Republican healthcare plan and to shore up her political support in the state.

On Wednesday Harris was in the Central Valley, where she met with agriculture leaders to talk about continuing problems because of the recent drought, Cathy Decker reports. The valley is among the most Republican areas of the state, and both sides were working to craft the sort of relationship that eluded Harris predecessor, Barbara Boxer.

On Monday, Harris indulged in some thinly veiled criticism of Trump at a naturalization ceremony at the Port of Los Angeles, then went after the GOP healthcare plan at a pro-Obamacare rally at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance.

CALIFORNIAS NEXT BIG ELECTION

Seema Mehta and The Times data team report that gubernatorial fundraising for a race that is a year away has already topped $25 million, with Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom continuing to dominate, according to preliminary information filed with the state.

The reporting period closed on June 30, but full disclosure reports are not due until the end of July. Candidates are required to immediately report donations of $5,000 or more, allowing a preliminary snapshot of how candidates on both sides of the aisle are faring in the money race.

What about the race to replace Newsom, and the other statewide officeholders, in 2018? Phil Willon explains whos in and whos out in Californias down-ticket contests that get way less attention, and why those jobs are influential in the state.

NOT LETTING UP IN STEVE KNIGHTS DISTRICT

Javier Panzar caught up with several protesters wearing fake neck braces as they complained about Rep. Steve Knights vote for the GOP healthcare bill.

Speaking of Republican attempts to repeal Obamacare, dont miss Mark Z. Barabak exploring why the party so far hasnt gotten it done, despite total control in Washington.

AMI BERA GETS A NEW CHALLENGER

Get ready for another political slugfest in the Sacramento suburbs. Business executive and Marine Corps veteran Andrew Grant announced he is challenging Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) for a Northern California congressional seat that has been coveted by both parties. Bera won a squeaker in November against Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, a campaign that wallowed in mudslinging and allegations of wrongdoing.

Grant said he plans to focus on the issues and hopes to sidestep the political noise coming out of Washington. Hes a newcomer to politics, but has had a career steeped in defense, national security and foreign policy, including serving in the U.S. State Department after he left the military.

WHAT TIMES READERS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT CALIFORNIAS HOUSING SUPPLY LAW

Times readers had great questions in response to our deep dive into Californias housing supply law.

They wanted to know why costs are still rising if some cities are meeting their housing goals, the causes of the housing shortage, whether new home building only benefits affluent people and why the state is involved in local development decisions at all.

Liam Dillon has the answers.

WILL POLICE BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE BECOME PUBLIC?

California lawmakers have tried for years to figure out whether the public should see footage from police body cameras. A Bay Area assemblyman is trying again, introducing legislation last week to make the videos public from officer-involved shootings and other high-profile incidents, Dillon reports.

FASTER, BETTER WIRELESS: AT WHAT COST?

Big telecommunications companies including AT&T and Verizon want to start installing 5G transmitters, the next generation of wireless infrastructure, in your neighborhood  without interference from city hall or the courthouse. They want to streamline permitting and costs to install the transmitters, which can be tiny or large, on utility poles and street lights.

Now, under a bill from state Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), local governments wouldnt have the power to deny permits if the telecoms followed the minimum guidelines required by Sacramento. But that would be a bad idea and would give residents little say in potential eyesores going up near their homes, George Skelton writes in his Monday column.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- In his Political Road Map column, Sacramento bureau chief John Myers explains how aging baby boomers could upend Proposition 13 and its effect on local revenue for schools.

-- A bill exempting Marin County from parts of the states affordable housing laws is headed to the governors desk.

-- Legislation to raise $250 million a year for low-income housing subsidies through a new real estate transaction fee cleared a key hurdle by passing the state Senate.

-- Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Asif Mahmood has launched a social media campaign in Arabic and Urdu hoping to tap into what he sees as a potentially influential pool of voters in Californias Muslim and South Asian communities.

-- Democratic engineer TJ Cox will challenge Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) in the 10th Congressional District, joining a bunch of other Democrats.

-- Ken Blackwell has been tapped to serve on the Trump administrations bipartisan voter fraud commission, despite some high-profile flubs while handling Ohios voting process.

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You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go.

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

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Trump promotes sons Justice with Judge Jeanine interview President Trump promoted via Twitter an interview with his son Eric Trump just before it aired Saturday night on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. Eric Trump on @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews now!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 Eric Trump called into the show to defend his father from criticism prompted by the first government shutdown in more than four years, as well as a series of Womens March events that saw protesters in dozens of cities take to the streets to oppose the presidents policies. .@EricTrump joined me over the phone from Mar-a-Lago ! pic.twitter.com/Hro3TzUW52  Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) January 21, 2018 Speaking to host Jeannine Piro  who is reportedly an old friend of the presidents  Eric Trump offered effusive praise for his father, ticking off glowing statistics to illustrate the strength of the U.S. economy and gains against Islamic State fighters overseas. My fathers working like no ones ever worked before to bring back this country and to fulfill his promise to make America great again, said the executive vice president of the Trump Organization. He also repeated a sentiment recently expressed on Twitter by his father: That Democratic lawmakers forced a government shutdown on the anniversary of the presidents inauguration in a bid to distract from his achievements. You look at this whole government shutdown, and the only reason they want to shut down government is to distract and to stop his momentum, Eric Trump said. I mean, my father has had incredible momentum. Hes gotten more done in one year than arguably any president in history. Facebook

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Trump tweets: a perfect day for all Women to March President Trump hailed the nationwide Womens March gatherings Saturday. On Twitter, the president called it a perfect day for all Women to March, seeming to imply that those taking part were celebrating his administrations accomplishments: Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Participants in the marches across the United States were actually seeking to deliver a powerful rebuke to Trumps policies and mount a crucial mobilization for this years midterm elections. But Trump continued to tout his administrations unprecedented success in tweets sent later in the day: Unprecedented success for our Country, in so many ways, since the Election. Record Stock Market, Strong on Military, Crime, Borders, & ISIS, Judicial Strength & Numbers, Lowest Unemployment for Women & ALL, Massive Tax Cuts, end of Individual Mandate - and so much more. Big 2018!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The Trump Administration has terminated more UNNECESSARY Regulation, in just twelve months, than any other Administration has terminated during their full term in office, no matter what the length. The good news is, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 In addition to the roll call of major American cities where womens marches took place  including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta  protesters also raised their voices in suburbs and small towns, reflecting the aim of coalescing a broad-based movement on the anniversary of Trumps inauguration to oppose the presidents stance on immigration, healthcare, racial divides and an array of other issues. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

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Trump calls shutdown a present from Democrats By Associated Press President Trump is blaming Democrats for the government shutdown  tweeting that they wanted to give him a nice present to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration: This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 That comes after Senate Democrats late Friday killed a GOP-written House-passed measure that would have kept agencies functioning for four weeks. Democrats were seeking a stopgap bill of just a few days in hopes that would build pressure on Republicans, and they were opposing a three-week alternative offered by GOP leaders. Democrats have insisted they would back legislation reopening the government once theres a bipartisan agreement to preserve protections against deporting about 700,000 immigrants  known as Dreamers  who arrived in the United States illegally as children. Trump on Saturday accused Democrats of holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration: Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Cant let that happen!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Democrats are laying fault for the shutdown on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House and have struggled with building internal consensus. In a series of tweets hours after the shutdown began, the president tried to make the case for Americans to elect more Republicans to Congress in November in order to power through this mess: Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 He noted that there are 51 Republicans in the 100-member Senate, and it often takes 60 votes to advance legislation: For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 #AMERICA FIRST!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The stopgap spending measure won 50 votes in the Senate, including five from Democrats. Although the House and Senate were in session Saturday, it was unclear whether lawmakers would take any votes of consequence. Trump had been set to leave Friday afternoon for a fundraiser at his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where he intended to mark the inauguration anniversary. But he remained in Washington and ended up scrapping his plans to attend the Saturday fundraiser. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweet casts doubt on likelihood of averting shutdown President Trump appeared to cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown Friday night in a tweet. Trump also sought to blame Democrats for what would be the first shutdown since 2013. His message came just hours before the midnight deadline by which lawmakers must pass a measure to fund government agencies, or some operations will cease. Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Despite last-minute negotiations Friday between Trump and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Congress remained deadlocked over a spending bill and the federal government was headed toward a shutdown at midnight. Senate Democrats  joined by some GOP deficit hawks and immigration allies  were set to filibuster a stopgap funding bill approved by the House on Thursday. A Senate vote was planned for 10 p.m. Eastern, and even White House officials predicted it would fail. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Lisa Mascaro. Facebook

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Trump signs surveillance law after confusing tweets By Associated Press President Trump on Friday signed a bill into law to renew a foreign intelligence surveillance program, announcing his action in the latest in a series of confusing tweets about the spy program: Just signed 702 Bill to reauthorize foreign intelligence collection. This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2018 Trumps tweet on Jan. 11 created chaos in the House just before it voted to reauthorize what is known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He linked the intelligence program to a dossier that alleges his presidential campaign had ties to Russia. That caused people to wonder if he didnt support the program that allows U.S. spy agencies to collect intelligence on foreign targets abroad. Trump and other Republicans have alleged that Obama administration officials improperly shared the identities of Trump presidential transition team members mentioned in intelligence reports. Democrats say there is no evidence that happened. Shortly before the House vote, and after conferring with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump did an apparent about-face. This vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land, he tweeted. We need it! Get smart! In his tweet announcing that he had just signed the bill, Trump wrote: This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! There are no obvious links between the dossier Trump spoke of, which includes salacious but unsubstantiated allegations against him, and the reauthorization of the spying program, or between the program and Trumps oft-repeated claims that the Obama administration conducted surveillance on Trump Tower during the presidential campaign. Facebook

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In tweet, Trump suggests that Pennsylvania trip is a political one The White House press office was once again forced to walk back a tweet from President Trump on Thursday morning after he described a trip to Pennsylvania later in the day as a political one  a statement that would force the Republican Party, not taxpayers, to pay for the journey. The White House had said Trump was going to an industrial equipment company outside of Pittsburgh to highlight the good economy and new tax cuts, making it an official, policy-oriented event. It was widely assumed that the trip had a political cast  the area is holding a special election to fill a congressional seat vacated by a Republican who resigned. Trump, by his tweet, seemed to confirm that politics was the whole purpose: Will be going to Pennsylvania today in order to give my total support to RICK SACCONE, running for Congress in a Special Election (March 13). Rick is a great guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 Trump later shared via Twitter a pair of video clips of his speech at H&K Equipment, in which he touted the tax cuts he signed into law just before Christmas and tried to turn the conversation back to his accomplishments after weeks dominated by distractions, including questions about his mental health and comments about immigration that some considered racist: Departing Pittsburgh now, where it was my great honor to stand with our incredible workers, and to show the world that AMERICA is back - and we are coming back bigger and better and stronger than ever before! pic.twitter.com/kWPgylqFzj  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 AMERICA will once again be a NATION that thinks big, dreams bigger, and always reaches for the stars. YOU are the ones who will shape Americas destiny. YOU are the ones who will restore our prosperity. And YOU are the ones who are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/f2abNK47II  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 The Republican National Committee, rather than the White House, is supposed to pay for political travel so that taxpayers are not financing party activities; for trips that combine policy and politics, parties have split the cost under past presidents. Neither the RNC nor the White House responded to emails sent Thursday asking who would pay. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement later Thursday suggesting that taxpayers would foot the bill. She insisted that Trump would be conducting government business while in Pennsylvania. Read More This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump tweets praise of Bob Dole after awarding him Congressional Gold Medal By Associated Press Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole knew the art of the deal before President Trump published the 1987 book of the same name. The two shared a stage under the Capitol dome Wednesday as Dole, 94, accepted Congress highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, for his World War II service and decades of work in the House and Senate. Trump later praised Dole in a tweet, attaching to his message a video composed of clips from the ceremony: Today, we witnessed an incredible moment in history  the presentation of Congress highest civilian honor to our friend, and true AMERICAN HERO, Bob Dole. #CongressionalGoldMedal pic.twitter.com/qNQqDLRmCk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2018 At the ceremony, the president saluted Dole as a patriot and gave tribute to Doles struggle as a veteran who worked his way back from a grievous shoulder wound he suffered in Italy. He knows about grit, said Trump. But it was Doles penchant for working across the aisle that earned him his latest award, according to the legislation. Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship, reads the legislation Trump signed in September. Some of the awards 300 recipients include George Washington and Mother Teresa, according to the Congressional Research Service. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts report that seeks to link terrorism cases with immigration By Joseph Tanfani The Trump administration on Tuesday released a report attempting to link terrorism with migration, arguing that it was evidence of the need to dramatically reshape the nations immigration system. New report from DOJ & DHS shows that nearly 3 in 4 individuals convicted of terrorism-related charges are foreign-born. We have submitted to Congress a list of resources and reforms....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 ....we need to keep America safe, including moving away from a random chain migration and lottery system, to one that is merit-based. https://t.co/7PtoSFK1n2  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The report, ordered by President Trump in an executive order last year, said that 75% of the 549 people convicted of terrorism charges since 9/11 were born outside the U.S. Administration officials called that a sign that the U.S. needs to scrap its policy of family preferences for visas, which they call chain migration, and a diversity visa lottery program. But the report did not specify how many  if any  of the convicted terrorists entered the country through those means. It also did not detail how many of the convictions were related to attacks or plans in the U.S. versus overseas and how many involved people who went to fight overseas for the Islamic State or another terrorist group. Those details were not available, officials said. The report, due last year, is being released in a highly charged moment in the immigration debate, as Trump and some Republicans in Congress seek tough new border and immigration measures in return for a deal protecting the 690,000 people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump also fired off a pair of tweets on the topic earlier Tuesday: We must have Security at our VERY DANGEROUS SOUTHERN BORDER, and we must have a great WALL to help protect us, and to help stop the massive inflow of drugs pouring into our country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The Democrats want to shut down the Government over Amnesty for all and Border Security. The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever. We need a merit based system of immigration, and we need it now! No more dangerous Lottery.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The focus of our immigration system should be assimilation, a senior administration official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition that his name not be used. He said the nation should give priority to potential immigrants who speak English, who have an education and those who are committed to supporting our values  not family members of people already here. The official said the timing of the report was coincidental. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets welcome to president of Kazakhstan By Associated Press President Trump said Tuesday that he and the president of Kazakhstan are united in a shared determination to prevent North Korea from threatening the world with nuclear devastation. Trump and President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed North Korea along with other issues during meetings at the White House. Today, it was my honor to welcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/TerYFZViax  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 Trump said Kazakhstan, once part of the Soviet Union, is a valued partner in our efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. Together we are determined to prevent the North Korean regime from threatening the world with nuclear devastation, he said, as both presidents addressed journalists between meetings. Nazarbayev noted that his country once had one of the worlds largest nuclear arsenals but voluntarily gave it up after the Soviet Union collapsed. He said his country is in talks with Iran, which was the focus of a global deal that lifted some economic sanctions in exchange for Irans curbing its nuclear program. Trump has sharply criticized the Iran nuclear deal and threatened last week to pull out soon unless other countries fix what he says are terrible flaws. Read More Facebook

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Trump falsely claims his approval rating among black Americans has doubled By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump lashed out at the news media Tuesday morning in a tweet denouncing the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion among members of his campaign team. Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the presidents tweet, but it appeared as though he was watching Fox & Friends. A short time later, Trump tweeted a headline from a report that aired during that mornings episode: 90% of Trump 2017 news coverage was negative -and much of it contrived!@foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The segment focused on the latest survey results from conservative watchdog Media Research Center, which purportedly analyzed the evening news broadcasts on ABC, CBS and NBC from Jan. 20 to Dec. 31 and found that 90% of the statements made about Trump were negative. Study: 90% of Trump media coverage in 2017 was negative pic.twitter.com/vbrwup4Drg  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 16, 2018 But believe it or not, through all this negative coverage, they did a survey of 600,000 people about how black America views this president, co-host Brian Kilmeade said. His numbers have actually doubled in approval. Trump highlighted the statement in another tweet: Unemployment for Black Americans is the lowest ever recorded. Trump approval ratings with Black Americans has doubled. Thank you, and it will get even (much) better! @FoxNews  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 But its not true. The claim appears to have originated from a misreading of data from the online polling firm SurveyMonkey, according to factcheck.org. The firm polled 600,000 Americans in 2017 and found that Trumps approval rating among blacks actually dropped from 23% early in his presidency to about 17%, as of the week ending Jan. 3. Some conservative outlets, including Breitbart, produced an average from those and other SurveyMonkey figures and compared them to the scores Trump received from black voters in the 2016 exit polls. That methodology is not sound. And since the statistics measure different things, the comparison is misleading. Facebook

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Trump goes after senator who surfaced his immigration remark By Associated Press President Trump turned his Twitter torment Monday on the Democrat in the room where immigration talks with lawmakers took a famously coarse turn, saying Sen. Richard J. Durbin misrepresented what he had said about African nations and Haiti and, in the process, undermined the trust needed to make a deal. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting, Trump tweeted, using a nickname to needle the Illinois senator. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 Trump was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects young people who came to the United States illegally as children. Members of Congress from both parties are trying to strike a deal that Trump would support to extend that protection. Trump also cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching an agreement in tweets sent earlier Monday: Statement by me last night in Florida: Honestly, I dont think the Democrats want to make a deal. They talk about DACA, but they dont want to help..We are ready, willing and able to make a deal but they dont want to. They dont want security at the border, they dont want.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 ...to stop drugs, they want to take money away from our military which we cannot do. My standard is very simple, AMERICA FIRST & MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 On a day of remembrance for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Trump spent time at his golf course with no public events, bypassing the acts of service that his predecessors staged in honor of the civil rights leader. Instead, Trump dedicated his weekly address to Kings memory, saying Kings dream and Americas are the same: A world where people are judged by who they are, not how they look or where they come from. That message was a distinct counterpoint to words attributed to Trump by Durbin and others at a meeting last week, when the question of where immigrants come from seemed at the forefront of Trumps concerns. Some participants and others familiar with the conversation said Trump challenged immigration from shithole countries of Africa and disparaged Haiti as well. Without explicitly denying using that word, Trump lashed out at the Democratic senator, who said Trump uttered it on several occasions. Read More Facebook

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Trump thanks pundit for laudatory Fox & Friends spot By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump thanked Fox News personality Stuart Varney after Varney praised Trump during an appearance on Fox & Friends. In a pair of tweets early Sunday, Trump quoted from Varneys commentary, in which he argued that Trump deserves more credit for the booming economy. The pundit, who also hosts a show on Fox Business Network, cited moves by some corporations to raise workers minimum wage or pay out one-time bonuses in response to the GOP tax cuts. President Trump is not getting the credit he deserves for the economy. Tax Cut bonuses to more than 2,000,000 workers. Most explosive Stock Market rally that weve seen in modern times. 18,000 to 26,000 from Election, and grounded in profitability and growth. All Trump, not 0...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 ...big unnecessary regulation cuts made it all possible (among many other things). President Trump reversed the policies of President Obama, and reversed our economic decline. Thank you Stuart Varney. @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 Varney was reacting to a quote from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who on Thursday called the bonuses handed down to workers pathetic in comparison to the gains corporations are expected to see from the tax cuts. In terms of the bonus that corporate America received versus the crumbs that they are giving to workers to kind of put the schmooze on is so pathetic, Pelosi told reporters. Its pathetic. Varney shot back Sunday that the bonuses, along with explosive stock market growth, are enriching all Americans. This is a huge shot in the arm, its the result of this tax cut deal and I think President Trump should get the credit for it, he said. .@Varneyco Sets the economic record straight after Nancy Pelosi calls U.S. mass bonuses crumbs pic.twitter.com/BvjIHGm3HE  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 14, 2018 The sweeping tax plan passed last month lowers the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and cuts personal income taxes. Analysts say the benefits will largely flow to corporations and the wealthy, as theyre more likely to be in positions to share in corporate profits. For instance, Wells Fargo & Co., which responded to news of the tax overhaul by announcing it will raise workers pay to at least $15 an hour, also reported that it expects to pay an effective tax rate of 19% this year, down from about 31% in previous years. That should amount to tax savings of more than $3 billion annually. On average, middle-class Americans are expected to see a very small tax cut in the near term and a tax increase after 2025, when all of the tax cuts for individuals expire. The tax cuts for corporations, however, are permanent.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer James Rufus Koren. Facebook

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Trump touts MLK proclamation in tweet, but ceremony is overshadowed by reports of racist remarks By Associated Press President Trump signed a proclamation Friday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, noting the contributions of a great American hero. Today, it was my great honor to proclaim January 15, 2018, as Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service activities in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/samlJsz1Nt  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 Overshadowing the event was mounting backlash from Trumps comments during a private meeting with lawmakers the day before. A short time after the meeting, which was called to discuss a possible immigration deal, reports emerged that Trump had asked participants why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin, the Senates second-ranking Democrat, appeared to confirm those reports on Friday. Trump did not respond Friday to several questions about the incident, including whether he actually used vulgar language to describe African nations, or if he is racist. The president said at the White House that love was central to the slain civil rights leader. Trump said the nation celebrates King for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or place of our birth, we are all created equal by God.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump criticizes Democrats in tweet calling for stricter immigration rules President Trump hit out at Democrats on Thursday night in a tweet calling for stricter immigration rules. Trump wrote that members of the party seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the border with Mexico: The Democrats seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the Southern Border, risking thousands of lives in the process. It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans. We must build a Great Wall, think Merit and end Lottery & Chain. USA!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the tweet. Earlier Thursday, Trump rejected a bipartisan compromise to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children but have temporary permits to work, attend school or serve in the military. The president drew widespread condemnation after reports emerged that he had asked participants in an Oval Office meeting about the proposal why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts bill aimed at improving border screening for fentanyl By Associated Press President Trump signed legislation Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs. Speaking at a surprise bill-signing ceremony while flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office, Trump described the bill as a significant step forward in the fight against powerful opioids such as fentanyl, which he called our new big scourge. He echoed that language Thursday in a tweet: Yesterday, I signed the #INTERDICTAct (H.R. 2142) with bipartisan members of Congress to help end the flow of drugs into our country. Together, we are committed to doing everything we can to combat the deadly scourge of drug addiction and overdose in the United States! pic.twitter.com/ELZvFol5Lo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 The legislation will pay for new portable and fixed chemical screening devices to detect and intercept fentanyl at ports of entry and in the mail, along with other laboratory equipment and personnel, including scientists. Trump has made fighting the opioid epidemic a centerpiece of his administration, though critics say he hasnt dedicated nearly enough money or resources to make a difference. Trump suggested during his remarks on Wednesday that hed like to take a more aggressive approach to the drug crisis  but the countrys not ready for what he has in mind. So were going to sign this. And its a step. And it feels like a very giant step, but unfortunately, its not going to be a giant step, because no matter what you do, this is something that keeps pouring in, he said. And were going to find the answer. There is an answer. I think I actually know the answer, but Im not sure the countrys ready for it yet, he added. Does anybody know what I mean? I think so. Facebook

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Trump applauds news that Toyota-Mazda plant is slated for Alabama By Associated Press Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda on Wednesday announced plans to build a mammoth, $1.6-billion joint-venture plant in Alabama that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. President Trump lauded the news in a tweet: Cutting taxes and simplifying regulations makes America the place to invest! Great news as Toyota and Mazda announce they are bringing 4,000 JOBS and investing $1.6 BILLION in Alabama, helping to further grow our economy! pic.twitter.com/Kcg8IVH6iA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Good news: Toyota and Mazda announce giant new Huntsville, Alabama, plant which will produce over 300,000 cars and SUVs a year and employ 4000 people. Companies are coming back to the U.S. in a very big way. Congratulations Alabama!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 Several states had competed for the project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and company executives held a news conference to announce that the facility is coming to the Huntsville area not far from the Tennessee line. Production is expected to begin by 2021. The decision to pick Alabama is another example of foreign-based automakers building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment, because the United Auto Workers union is stronger in Northern states. Read More Facebook

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Trump highlights call for border wall in tweets on visit with Norways prime minister By Associated Press President Trump praised Norways prime minister in a tweet on Wednesday after Erna Solberg became the first foreign leader to visit with the president in 2018. Today, it was my great honor to welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the @WhiteHouse - a great friend and ally of the United States! Joint press conference: https://t.co/qWR1BhfQZI pic.twitter.com/PJvwznjRCO  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Trump also shared via Twitter a video clip of a joint news conference he held with Solberg on Wednesday afternoon. In the clip, Trump responds to a question from a reporter by saying there can be no bipartisan immigration deal absent funding for his long-promised wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been seeking a solution for hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers, young people who were brought to the United States as children and are living here illegally. The United States needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. The safety and security of our country is #1! pic.twitter.com/4CFzQXb5aS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 We need the wall for security, we need the wall for safety, we need the wall for stopping the drugs from pouring in, Trump said Wednesday.  Any solution has to include the wall because without the wall, it all doesnt work. On Tuesday, Trump drew widespread attention when he said during a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers that he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. That contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill in subsequent tweets and public comments. Read More This post contains reporting from Los Angeles Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump praises Cabinet in tweet touting meeting By Associated Press President Trump promoted a meeting of his Cabinet on Wednesday, sharing via Twitter a link to a video of the session posted on the White House YouTube account. In his tweet, Trump thanked his Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country and wrote that the last year has been one of monumental achievement. I want to thank my @Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country. 2017 was a year of monumental achievement and we look forward to the year ahead. Together, we are delivering results and MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/ptXa1hAPwW pic.twitter.com/yv6RALkQf3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The former reality television star continued to dispense accolades at the meeting Wednesday, greeting reporters in the Cabinet Room by saying: Welcome back to the studio. Then he proceeded to relive a Cabinet Room session from the prior day, when he had allowed reporters and TV cameras to stick around for much of his meeting with a bipartisan group of legislators on the thorny issue of immigration. It was a tremendous meeting. Actually, it was reported as incredibly good. And my performance  you know, some of them called it a performance  I consider it work, Trump said. Trump went on to say he had received letters from news anchors calling it one of the greatest meetings theyve ever witnessed. He added that the media will ultimately support Trump in the end, because theyre going to say, if Trump doesnt win in three years, theyre all out of business. Asked for examples of letters received from news anchors, the White House said it had received private communications. It also offered a series of positive on-air comments and tweets from journalists about the unusual access to the meeting. During his remarks, Trump swung from praising his own meeting coverage to telling journalists that they were dependent on his presidency for ratings to threatening a strong look at libel laws. Still, Trump thanked the journalists in front of him, joking: Youve gotten very familiar with this room. I appreciate your nice comments yesterday. Facebook

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Trump blasts DACA ruling in tweet calling courts broken and unfair By Lisa Mascaro President Trump denounced the federal courts Wednesday as broken and unfair after a district judge in San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction keeping protections in place for so-called Dreamers. Trump tweeted: It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Trump administrations decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which has protected from deportation some 700,000 people who came to the country illegally as children. Alsup granted a request by the state of California, the University of California and other plaintiffs to stop Trump from ending DACA on March 5. The administrations decision to end DACA, which was announced in September, was based on a flawed legal analysis, Alsup wrote in his decision. Dreamers would be irreparably harmed if their DACA protections, which allow them to live and work legally in the U.S., were stripped away before the courts had a chance to fully consider their claims, he ruled. The action is the mirror image of a ruling in 2015 by a federal judge in Texas who ruled in favor of that state when it sought to block President Obama from expanding DACA to include the parents of Dreamers. Trump administration officials praised that judicial ruling. By contrast, they sharply criticized Alsups decision. Read More Facebook

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Trump thanks lawmakers for productive immigration meeting, says deal must include border wall President Trump thanked a bipartisan group of lawmakers for participating in a meeting on immigration legislation on Tuesday. Much of the discussion involved so-called Dreamers, an estimated 700,000 young people who were brought to the country illegally as children and are now facing deportation. In a tweet, Trump wrote that there was strong agreement to negotiate a bill to protect Dreamers, as well as put into place some of the reforms favored by Republicans. Thanks to all of the Republican and Democratic lawmakers for todays very productive meeting on immigration reform. There was strong agreement to negotiate a bill that deals with border security, chain migration, lottery and DACA. https://t.co/SdqAQ3aL3z pic.twitter.com/8DYHZHspAy  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 The most notable exchange of the meeting came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, asked Trump whether he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. Yeah, I would like to do it, Trump responded. The statement drew widespread attention because it contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump later backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill, tweeting that a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico must be part of any deal: As I made very clear today, our country needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Pressure has been mounting for Congress to broker an immigration deal by Jan. 19 as part of a must-pass budget package to fund the government. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump thanks officers and veterans in tweets President Trump doled out a slew of accolades Tuesday via Twitter. He thanked the nations law enforcement officers, including in his message a hashtag denoting a day of appreciation organized by a national support group for law enforcement families. On behalf of the American people, THANK YOU to our incredible law enforcement officers. As President of the United States - I will fight for you, and I will never, ever let you down. Now, more than ever, we must support the men and women in blue! #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/Qb4uxB4JRm  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trump later expressed gratitude for federal immigration agents, in particular: .@ICEgov HSI agents and ERO officers, on behalf of an entire Nation, THANK YOU for what you are doing 24/7/365 to keep fellow Americans SAFE. Everyone is so grateful!#LawEnforcementAppreciationDay

President @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/HXCpTlruVo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The president thanked veterans as he cited his administrations efforts to curb the number of veteran suicides by improving mental health treatment for the high-risk group: Today, it was my great honor to sign a new Executive Order to ensure Veterans have the resources they need as they transition back to civilian life. We must ensure that our HEROES are given the care and support they so richly deserve! https://t.co/0MdP9DDIAS pic.twitter.com/LP2a8KCBAp  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trumps tweet included photos of the president signing an executive order Tuesday directing the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to develop a plan to provide seamless access to mental health and suicide prevention resources for 12 months for members leaving the armed forces. Also on Tuesday, Trump touted a law he signed the day before designating the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a national historic park: It was my great honor to sign H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, which redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. https://t.co/Qe0b6HBFTY pic.twitter.com/QTgaqTawPT  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 And he thanked House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for sharing a video compilation comprised of clips of politicians and commentators praising the GOPs tax cut bill: Thank you @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy! Couldnt agree w/you more. TOGETHER, we are #MAGA https://t.co/QaxtqpyXTR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018  This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump hails tax bill in tweets recapping speech to farmers By Associated Press Connecting with rural Americans, President Trump on Monday hailed his tax overhaul as a victory for family farmers. Farm country is Gods country, Trump told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Trump became the first president in a quarter-century to address the federations convention. His Southern swing also included a stop in Atlanta for the national college football championship game. Cant wait to be back in the amazing state of Tennessee to address the 99th American @FarmBureau Federations Annual Convention in Nashville! #AFBF18



On my way now - join me LIVE at 4:00pmE: https://t.co/QaljAqekdD. pic.twitter.com/Wm7Io0hYT8  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Joined by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and a group of Tennessee lawmakers, Trump said most of the benefits of the tax legislation are going to working families, small businesses, and who  the family farmer. The package Trump signed into law last month provides generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families. In every decision we make, we are honoring Americas PROUD FARMING LEGACY. Years of crushing taxes, crippling regs, & corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, & millions of hardworking Americans COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN. But they are not forgotten ANYMORE! pic.twitter.com/MdYS7xnukQ  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The president vastly inflated the value of the package in his speech, citing a total of $5.5 trillion in tax cuts, with most of those benefits going to working families, small businesses and who? The family farmer. The estimated value of the tax cuts is actually $1.5 trillion for families and businesses because of cuts in deductions and the use of other steps to generate offsetting tax revenue. We have been working every day to DELIVER for Americas Farmers just as they work every day to deliver FOR US. #AFBF18 pic.twitter.com/QDH7fvFkZ7  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 From Nashville, Trump traveled to Atlanta to watch Alabamas Crimson Tide and Georgias Bulldogs face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship. We are fighting for our farmers, for our country, and for our GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. We want our flag respected - and we want our NATIONAL ANTHEM respected also! pic.twitter.com/16eOLXg6Fi  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Before departing for the game, Trump referenced his ongoing defense of the American flag and the national anthem, saying there was enough space for people to express their views. We love our flag and we love our anthem, and we want to keep it that way, he said. Facebook

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Trump tweet hails drop in unemployment rate for African Americans By Associated Press President Trump touted a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans on Monday in a tweet. African American unemployment is the lowest ever recorded in our country. The Hispanic unemployment rate dropped a full point in the last year and is close to the lowest in recorded history. Dems did nothing for you but get your vote! #NeverForget @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The rate fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Trump also hailed the development via Twitter on Saturday. His latest tweet on the topic came about an hour after it was discussed during an episode of Fox & Friends, according to Mediaite. Facebook

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Trump talks up the economy and dresses down the media in Sunday tweets With President Trump cheering from the sidelines, the White House on Sunday pressed its defense of the presidents fitness to govern, as fired former aide Stephen K. Bannon reversed course and apologized for his role in a new books explosive portrait of Trump. The presidents critics, meanwhile, said Trumps stream of taunts and insults in response to the book  Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, released last week  served only to underscore the authors unsettling portrayal of Trumps year-old presidency, depicting a leader whose own aides consider him childish, ignorant and dangerously erratic. Trump provided more ammunition Sunday morning, as he continued to attack the book via Twitter while preparing to depart Camp David for the White House: Leaving Camp David for the White House. Great meetings with the Cabinet and Military on many very important subjects including Border Security & the desperately needed Wall, the ever increasing Drug and Opioid Problem, Infrastructure, Military, Budget, Trade and DACA.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Ive had to put up with the Fake News from the first day I announced that I would be running for President. Now I have to put up with a Fake Book, written by a totally discredited author. Ronald Reagan had the same problem and handled it well. So will I!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 The most vehement defense of Trump on Sunday came from senior advisor Stephen Miller, a onetime Bannon acolyte who distanced himself from his former mentor. In a combative appearance Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Miller called the book grotesque and writer Michael Wolff the garbage author of a garbage book. Trump is known to closely monitor aides televised performances in putting forth his case, and he gleefully weighed in within moments of Millers televised clash with host Jake Tapper. CNN has long been a particular target of Trumps ire. Jake Tapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with Stephen Miller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness of this CNN flunky!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trumps reaction, however, seemed to bolster Tappers on-air depiction of Miller as using his appearance on the show to play to the president rather than addressing questions put to him. I get it  theres one viewer that you care about, the host said exasperatedly after Miller turned the discussion repeatedly to negative news coverage of the president while deflecting specific queries. Later on Twitter, Trump took up two themes that have been prevalent on his social media feeds recently. The president again went after the news media, tweeting that the recipients of his self-proclaimed most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year, which he promised earlier in the week to announce on Monday, would actually be revealed the following Wednesday: The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trump later lauded a New York Post opinion piece that compared him favorably with his predecessor, President Obama, as well as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. In quoting the op-ed, Trump initally misspelled consequential as consensual, but he deleted those tweets and re-sent the messages. His is turning out to be an enormously consequential presidency. So much so that, despite my own frustration over his missteps, there has never been a day when I wished Hillary Clinton were president. Not one. Indeed, as Trumps accomplishments accumulate, the mere thought of...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 ...Clinton in the WH, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice. This was truly a change election  and the changes Trump is bringing are far-reaching & necessary. Thank you Michael Goodwin! https://t.co/4fHNcx2Ydg  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Trump also continued talking up the economy, which has been enjoying a period of strong gains. The Stock Market has been creating tremendous benefits for our country in the form of not only Record Setting Stock Prices, but present and future Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Seven TRILLION dollars of value created since our big election win!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 In addition to Miller, other senior administration officials made the rounds of Sunday news talk shows to decry the claims made in Wolffs book. CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Wolffs characterization of Trump as averse to digesting classified briefing material was ludicrous, and the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, insisted that that those around Trump love their country and respect their president. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

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Responding to book that mocks his intelligence, Trump tweets hes like, really smart By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump declared himself a very stable genius on Twitter on Saturday and later in a televised news conference called the author of a book that questioned his mental fitness a fraud. His comments came on a bone-cold day at Camp David during a weekend retreat with top administration officials and Republican congressional leaders strategizing on the years legislative agenda, including matters such as infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and national security. Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Still, Trumps explosive rebuttal to author Michael Wolffs claims not only opened the day, but it also ensured the presidents capability to fill the highest office in the land was a topic that would not go away. In his early-morning tweets, Trump said two of his greatest assets have been mental stability, and being, like, really smart. He noted that his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, played these cards [about competence] very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try). Read More Facebook

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In morning tweets, Trump touts job numbers and takes digs at news media By Associated Press President Trump used Twitter on Saturday morning to tout a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans. He also used the tweets as an opportunity to take digs at media outlets whose past coverage he has found to be critical. The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8%, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News! And, in the Washington Post (of all places), headline states, Trumps first year jobs numbers were very, very good.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The unemployment rate for African Americans fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages. Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017  the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. In his tweet, Trump praised a report that noted the numbers, touting the fact that it appeared in the Washington Post (of all places). Minutes later, Trump renewed his attack on an ABC News reporter who was suspended last month after filing an erroneous report on Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor. Brian Ross, the reporter who made a fraudulent live newscast about me that drove the Stock Market down 350 points (billions of dollars), was suspended for a month but is now back at ABC NEWS in a lower capacity. He is no longer allowed to report on Trump. Should have been fired!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The reporter, Brian Ross, was reportedly reassigned within ABC News upon returning from his unpaid suspension. But on Saturday, Trump wrote that he should have been fired. Trumps tweets came hours before he was set to host congressional Republicans and administration officials at Camp David. The meeting scheduled to begin at midmorning Saturday was expected to touch on the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the shape of the midterm election this fall. Facebook

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Trump commends Sen. Rand Paul after he proposes eliminating all U.S. aid to Pakistan President Trump commended Sen. Rand Paul after the Kentucky Republican announced plans to introduce legislation that would eliminate all U.S. aid to Pakistan. Trump tweeted Friday night: Good idea Rand! https://t.co/55sqUDiC0s  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending security assistance to Islamabad until the country moves aggressively against local militants who have attacked U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration at the apparent inability of Pakistani authorities to rein in militants who cross out of the countrys rugged tribal areas to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson. Facebook

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Trump continues to lash out at Sloppy Steve Bannon in tweets on tell-all book By Associated Press President Trump is praising a major Republican donor family for distancing themselves from his former advisor Steve Bannon. Trump tweeted Friday: The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trump has continued to lash out at Bannon over an explosive new book that quoted his former aide as questioning Trumps competence and describing a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower among Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as treasonous and unpatriotic. On Thursday, billionaire GOP donor Rebekah Mercer issued a statement distancing her family from Bannon. Mercer is a co-owner of Breitbart, the populist website Bannon helps run. I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected, Mercer said. My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, quickly shot atop Amazons best-seller list, and the publisher moved up its release date by four days, to Friday. Trump took up the topic again on Twitter on Friday night, denouncing both Bannon and the books author, Michael Wolff, in starkly personal terms: Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Trumps message linked to a meme depicting a parody book cover titled, Liar and Phony, that featured a photo of Wolff and disparaging quotes about the author. In a tweet sent earlier Friday morning, Trump suggested the book was intended to serve as a distraction from the FBIs investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which Trump wrote is proving to be a total hoax. Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 That came amid reports that Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation. Trumps effort to keep Sessions, a vocal and loyal supporter of his election bid, in charge of an investigation into his campaign offers special counsel Robert Mueller yet another avenue to explore as his prosecutors work to untangle potential evidence of obstruction. Read More Facebook

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Trump praises the economy ahead of meetings at Camp David By Associated Press President Trump is praising the strength of the U.S. economy ahead of meetings at Camp David with congressional Republicans. Trump tweeted early Friday: Dow goes from 18,589 on November 9, 2016, to 25,075 today, for a new all-time Record. Jumped 1000 points in last 5 weeks, Record fastest 1000 point move in history. This is all about the Make America Great Again agenda! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Six trillion dollars in value created!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The president also told reporters on the South Lawn that the tax cuts are really kicking in after Congress passed a package of tax cuts at the end of 2017. And the president praised the December jobs report, which found U.S. employers added 148,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%, the lowest level since 2000. The modest but steady pace of hiring is a reassuring sign for investors who have been buoyed by the just-passed Republican tax plan and have been sending stock market indexes roaring to uncharted heights. The president is meeting with Republican congressional leaders and members of his Cabinet on Friday and Saturday to discuss the 2018 agenda. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets as Dow crashes through 25,000 By Associated Press President Trump dispatched a congratulatory tweet as the Dow Jones industrial average rose above the 25,000-point mark Thursday, just five weeks after its first close above 24,000. Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 After the Dow closed above 25,000, Trump shared a graphic depicting the stock indexs record-setting rise. MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/iONbr1DkVk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Later in the day, the president was back on Twitter, complaining that news outlets had barely covered the stock market milestone. He suggested that the strength of the economy would be the biggest story on earth, had it unfolded during the presidency of his predecessor. The Fake News Media barely mentions the fact that the Stock Market just hit another New Record and that business in the U.S. is booming...but the people know! Can you imagine if O was president and had these numbers - would be biggest story on earth! Dow now over 25,000.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The Dow broke past 1,000-point barriers in 2017 on its way to a 25% gain for the year, as an eight-year rally since the Great Recession continued to confound skeptics. Strong global economic growth and good prospects for higher company earnings have analysts predicting more gains, although the market may not stay as calm as it has been recently. The Dow has made a rapid trip since it reached 24,000 points Nov. 30, partly on enthusiasm over passage of the Republican-backed tax package, which could boost company profits this year with across-the-board cuts to corporate taxes. Read More Facebook

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Trump reacts to Fire and Fury book in tweet lashing out at author and Sloppy Steve President Trump lashed out at the author of a soon-to-be-released book about the chaotic first year of his presidency Thursday night. In a tweet, Trump called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a phony book and claimed that hed never spoken to its author, Michael Wolff. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Trump wrote. He appeared to be referring to former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, whose stunning criticisms of Trump and his circle figure prominently in the title. I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trumps tweet came hours after he had his lawyer demand that Henry Holt & Co. and Wolff stop publication the book. Instead, the publisher expedited the books release to Friday, four days before it was slated to hit bookstore shelves, in response to unprecedented demand. Published excerpts on Wednesday and Thursday whetted that appetite and roiled Washington. Bannons comments, including that it was treasonous and unpatriotic for Trumps son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort to have met in 2016 with Russians said to have dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, prompted Trump on Wednesday to rebuke his former advisor, saying Bannon had lost his mind. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Brian Bennett and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump thanks senators who attended meeting on immigration President Trump tweeted thanks to Republican senators who attended a meeting about possible immigration legislation on Thursday. In his message, Trump also listed his top priorities when it comes to any type of overhaul of the nations immigration system. Thank you to the great Republican Senators who showed up to our mtg on immigration reform. We must BUILD THE WALL, stop illegal immigration, end chain migration & cancel the visa lottery. The current system is unsafe & unfair to the great people of our country - time for change!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Trumps tweet echoed his remarks at the beginning of Thursdays meeting, when he insisted again that constructing a border wall and overhauling two legal immigration programs must be part of any deal with Democrats to protect the so-called Dreamers from deportation. Two-year deportation protections and work permits given under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begin to expire March 6 under an executive order. Trump announced in September that he was ending the Obama-era program, but told Congress to draft a law to continue protections for people brought to the country illegally as children  a group that has widespread public support. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Brian Bennett. Facebook

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Trump resumes Twitter war against kneeling NFL players President Trump has resumed his Twitter war against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice and racial inequality. In a tweet early Thursday, Trump replied to a supporter who shared a meme that appears to depict family members lying on the grave of a fallen soldier with the caption: This is why we stand. Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! Trump wrote. So beautiful....Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! https://t.co/tJLM1tvbvb  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The president has denounced players who kneel during the anthem in previous tweets. Hes also called for the firing of players who do so. His latest message came amid news that the NFL finished the regular season with TV ratings that fell nearly 10% below the previous season. Analysts attribute the drop to controversies facing the league, as well as changing viewing habits and a possible saturation point in the number of games available. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Stephen Battaglio and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump credits himself with facilitating talks between North and South Korea By Associated Press President Trump says his tough stance on nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is helping push North Korea and South Korea to talk. Trump tweeted early Thursday: With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 That assertion is in conflict with some of the presidents own statements. Last year, he ridiculed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for talking about negotiations with the North. This week, Trump seemed open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Years Day address. But Trumps ambassador to the United Nations insisted that talks wont be meaningful unless the North is getting rid of its nuclear weapons. The overture about talks came after Trump and Kim traded more bellicose claims about their nuclear weapons. In his New Years Day address, Kim repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Kim said he has a nuclear button on his office desk and warned that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike. Trump mocked that assertion Tuesday evening in a tweet. Facebook

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After disbanding his vote fraud panel, Trump still says voting system is rigged By Brian Bennett One day after disbanding his troubled voter fraud commission without any findings of fraud, President Trump continued to call the U.S. voting system rigged and said states should require that Americans have voter-identification cards. In two tweets on Thursday morning, Trump blamed the commissions failure on the lack of cooperation from mostly Democrat States that refused to hand over voter rolls because they know that many people are voting illegally. However, voting supervisors in Republican-led states refused as well, objecting on privacy and other grounds. Many mostly Democrat States refused to hand over data from the 2016 Election to the Commission On Voter Fraud. They fought hard that the Commission not see their records or methods because they know that many people are voting illegally. System is rigged, must go to Voter I.D.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 As Americans, you need identification, sometimes in a very strong and accurate form, for almost everything you do.....except when it comes to the most important thing, VOTING for the people that run your country. Push hard for Voter Identification!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Despite Trumps assertions, analysts have not found evidence of widespread voter fraud. Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after alleging, without proof, that millions of illegal votes were cast for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Trump was elected after winning a majority in the electoral college, but the nationwide count showed Clinton received nearly 3 million more votes. The commission sought personal data on voters across the country and faced mounting lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts another good day for stocks, credits tax cut By Associated Press President Trump touted another good day for the stock market Wednesday in a tweet. Stock Market had another good day but, now that the Tax Cut Bill has passed, we have tremendous upward potential. Dow just short of 25,000, a number that few thought would be possible this soon into my administration. Also, unemployment went down to 4.1%. Only getting better!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Big gains for technology and healthcare stocks helped U.S. indexes set records again Wednesday. Some analysts attributed the surge to investor enthusiasm for Trumps $1.5-trillion tax cut. All told, Wall Street analysts estimate the tax package should boost earnings for companies in the Standard & Poors 500 index by roughly 8% this year. Thats much more generous than the average tax cut of 1.6% that middle-class families will receive, according to the Tax Policy Center. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The public has been less enthusiastic about the tax law. A Monmouth University poll last month found that nearly half of Americans disapproved of it, with only 26% in support. Still, as Trump also noted on Twitter, some workers have seen a benefit: So far, dozens of companies have announced bonuses and higher minimum wages as a result of the tax cut. AT&T, Comcast, Bank of America, and American Airlines have all pledged to pay $1,000 bonuses to their employees. Some 40 U.S. companies have responded to President Trumps tax cut and reform victory in Congress last year by handing out bonuses up to $2,000, increases in 401k matches and spending on charity, a much higher number than previously known. https://t.co/bmWrwWzxMR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Investors also appear less concerned than many politicians about how the additional profits will be used. The Trump administration says it expects companies will plow much of the extra profit back into their businesses, purchasing more software, machinery, and other equipment. Those investments will make workers more productive and provide a key boost to the economys long-run growth. They should also boost wages and salaries for employees. Opponents of the tax law respond that companies are more likely to pass the windfall on to shareholders in the form of higher dividend payments and share buybacks, which raise the price of those shares still in investors hands. Previous cuts in corporate tax rates, in the United States and overseas, havent always led to higher wages. For Wall Street, its all good, at least in the short run. Most analysts take the view that either way, companies and the economy will benefit. Facebook

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Trump reacts to death of Mormon Church president By Associated Press President Trump mourned the death of Mormon Church leader Thomas S. Monson on Wednesday evening. Trump tweeted a link to a statement in which he said that Monson demonstrated wisdom, inspired leadership, and great compassion and delivered a message of optimism, forgiveness, and faith. Melania and I are deeply saddened by the death of Thomas S. Monson, a beloved President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...https://t.co/ETD3fWtfU3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 A church bishop at the age of 22, Monson became the youngest church apostle ever in 1963 at the age of 36. He served as a counselor for three church presidents before assuming the role of the top leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. After a life of church service, Monson died Tuesday at his home in Salt Lake City, according to church spokesman Eric Hawkins. He was 90. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets that Iranian protesters will see great U.S. support at the appropriate time By Associated Press President Trump continued to express support for Irans anti-government protesters on Wednesday. In a tweet, Trump commended the protesters and pledged that the United States will support them at the appropriate time. Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Trumps tweet Wednesday morning came as Iranian Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo sent a letter to United Nations officials complaining that Washington was intervening in a grotesque way in Irans internal affairs. The President and Vice-President of the United States, in their numerous absurd tweets, incited Iranians to engage in disruptive acts, the ambassador wrote to the U.N. Security Council president and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The U.S. didnt immediately respond to the letter, which maintains that Washington has crossed every limit in flouting rules and principles of international law governing the civilized conduct of international relations. At least 21 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran during a week of anti-government protests and unrest over economic woes and official corruption. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people took part in counter-demonstrations Wednesday backing the clerically overseen government, which has said enemies of Iran are fomenting the protests. Trump has unleashed a series of tweets in recent days backing the protesters, saying Iran is failing at every level and declaring that it is time for change in the Islamic Republic. Facebook

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Trump congratulates Sen. Orrin Hatch upon news of his retirement By Associated Press President Trump congratulated Sen. Orrin Hatch for an absolutely incredible career upon news of Hatchs impending retirement. In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Trump called Hatch a tremendous supporter and wrote that he will be greatly missed in the Senate. Congratulations to Senator Orrin Hatch on an absolutely incredible career. He has been a tremendous supporter, and I will never forget the (beyond kind) statements he has made about me as President. He is my friend and he will be greatly missed in the U.S. Senate! pic.twitter.com/0VjzLEeHTl  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Hatchs decision to retire from the Senate after four decades lets the Utah Republican walk away at the height of his power after helping to push through an overhaul of the tax code and persuading Trump to downsize two national monuments. Retirement also preserves the 83-year-olds legacy by allowing him to avoid a bruising reelection battle that would have broken his promise not to seek an eighth term. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweet exaggerates progress in improving veterans care By Associated Press President Trump played up tremendous progress in improving care for veterans in his first year on Tuesday in a tweet. His message linked to an Instagram video describing eight accomplishments that show Trump is fighting for our veterans. But it overstates the impact of these steps. We will not rest until all of Americas GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time. Keep up the great work @SecShulkin @DeptVetAffairs! https://t.co/ir25vW15hx pic.twitter.com/OtuzIgxMn6  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended the troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available to pay for care from private doctors outside the Veterans Affairs system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers. The departments poor budget planning caught lawmakers off guard. A fifth claim involves telehealth, a step letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasnt been completed. The VA wants authority to practice across state lines to come from legislation, not a regulation. On Wednesday, the Senate approved a telehealth measure that now goes to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited effect so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The last two initiatives make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trumps watch. Because their infractions are not detailed in public documents, the effect on veterans care is not fully known. Facebook

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Trump unleashes his first tweetstorm of 2018 By Noah Bierman President Trump clearly didnt resolve to change his Twitter habits this year. With nine disparate tweets over three hours on Tuesday morning, the first working day of 2018, Trump continued to exploit social media to be the most aggressive commentator in chief in American history. For any other president, his posts would have made for a monumental day of (mis-)statements. Yet for Trump, the series  attacks on political foes and media, provocations of foreign leaders and self-praise for events he had nothing to do with  was all but unremarkable. His Twitter barrage  sent between 7:09 a.m. and 10:16 a.m.  reflected a familiar gamut after nearly a year in office: Attacks on political foes: Nearly 14 months after his election, Trump called for the jailing of Huma Abedin, Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid (his misspelling, another occasional feature of Trump tweets). Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 In the same tweet, he disparaged the Deep State Justice Dept, headed of course by his appointees, calling on it to act against James B. Comey, the FBI director he fired for investigating the Russia thing. Diplomatic provocations: Trump again called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Rocket man, ridiculed the volatile nuclear-armed foe for recent military defections and openly speculated about potential talks between North and South Korea. Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not  we will see! Trump wrote. Later Tuesday, Trump tweeted: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Also later Tuesday, Trump tweeted an attack on Pakistan, his second in as many days, and added a new one against Palestinians: It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They dont even want to negotiate a long overdue...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ...peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Undermining media: Trump offered Congratulations! to A.G. Sulzberger, who took over as publisher of the New York Times this week. The Failing New York Times has a new publisher, A.G. Sulzberger. Congratulations! Here is a last chance for the Times to fulfill the vision of its Founder, Adolph Ochs, to give the news impartially, without fear or FAVOR, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved. Get...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ....impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent sources, and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you wont have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done! GL  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the two-part post was really yet another slam against a perceived media foe: Trump said the paper had a last chance to fulfill its journalistic mission, and accused it of relying on phony sources and substandard reporters  just days after he granted another exclusive interview to the paper. As a bonus, the tweet contained a recycled falsehood, that the paper apologized after the election for reporting on him unfairly. It didnt. Trump later said on Twitter that he would soon announce the most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year. Stay tuned! I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 oclock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 The president also tweeted a quote from Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight, which aired a segment praising Trumps first-year accomplishments. Dobbs reportedly joined Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a gala to celebrate New Years Eve. President Trump has something now he didnt have a year ago, that is a set of accomplishments that nobody can deny. The accomplishments are there, look at his record, he has had a very significant first year. @LouDobbs Show,David Asman & Ed Rollins  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Taking credit: Trump congratulated himself for policing the border with Mexico, an area where his policies and anti-immigration rhetoric are believed to have had some effect on reducing illegal crossings. Thank you to Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council for your kind words on how well we are doing at the Border. We will be bringing in more & more of your great folks and will build the desperately needed WALL! @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 He took credit for employee bonuses by companies after he signed Republican tax cuts into law last month. Companies are giving big bonuses to their workers because of the Tax Cut Bill. Really great!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the jaw-dropper was Trump congratulating himself for planes not crashing. Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 It was the safest year on record worldwide, but the American streak without commercial jet passenger deaths goes back to 2009. Trump, who has promoted deregulation as one of his top accomplishments, has not signed off on any new airline safety regulations. The White House pointed to new security screening of passengers, to electronic devices to prevent terrorist attacks and to Trumps support for privatizing air traffic control  a proposal that has gotten nowhere in Congress. Falsehoods: Trump said President Obama, in brokering the 2015 nuclear arms limitation deal with Iran, foolishly gave money to the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. He didnt. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 The nuclear deal, which included major U.S. allies as signators, released Irans own funds that had long been frozen. Trumps art of the deal: When Trump sees a big deal looming, he often blasts the other side  to gain leverage, as hes written. This week he resumes a showdown with Democratic lawmakers over funding the government and immigration protections for so-called Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Trump, who in September ordered a gradual end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, sought to shift blame for the resulting controversy, saying Democrats are doing nothing for DACA and are just interested in politics. Trump has insisted that any help for Dreamers be paired with funding for a border wall and a crackdown on legal immigration. Democrats, and some Republicans, are opposed. Read More Facebook

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In tweet, Trump suggests U.S. will withdraw financial assistance to Pakistan By Shashank Bengali Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies & deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest and asked for clarification about Trumps comments, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. Read More Facebook

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Trump continues to tweet in support of Iranian protesters By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday  and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size  were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Trump has tweeted about the protests for three days straight as Iranians took to the streets despite a heavy police presence, tear gas and scores of arrests. The defiance gained urgency after two people were reported shot to death in the city of Dorud, about 200 miles southwest of Tehran. As the conflict escalated, Iranian authorities on Sunday slapped a temporary ban on Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, which were widely used to fan protest fervor. Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Irans leaders already are casting Trumps increasingly effusive expressions of support for the demonstrators as opportunistic meddling and are painting the demonstrators as foreign pawns, adopting a strategy that some analysts say could jeopardize the legitimacy of the nascent antigovernment protests. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets condolences after Colorado deputies are shot in ambush, one fatally By Associated Press A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured. President Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost
Trump called him my African-American. But he has few kind words for the president. By Mark Z. Barabak (Mark Z. Barabak/Los Angeles Times) On the day that changed his life, Gregory Cheadle almost stayed in bed. He was tired  he traveled a lot in his long-shot bid for Congress  but asked himself: How often does a candidate for president come to the far reaches of Northern California? And why pass up a crowd and the chance to hand out more fliers? So Cheadle roused himself that June 2016 morning and secured a spot up close when Donald Trump swooped in for a rally at Reddings municipal airport. It was hot, the atmosphere was loose and Trumps patter seeming more stand-up comedy than campaign spiel. He went into one of those sidelong digressions, about protesters and an African American  great fan, great guy  and, by the way, whatever happened to him? It was then, Cheadle said, he raised his hand and jokingly shouted, Im here. Trump looked and pointed, his voice a throaty rumble. Look at my African-American over here! he exclaimed. Are you the greatest? In the days and weeks that followed Cheadle was attacked on social media and harassed by people who dug up his phone number and email address. For a time he stayed home, too nervous to venture outside. All, he said, because the media portrayed him as something he was not and never has been: a Trump sycophant. Read More Facebook

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Trump quietly signs Russia sanctions bill By Noah Bierman President Trump quietly signed legislation Wednesday that imposes new sanctions on Russia and limits his ability to remove them, according to two White House aides. Trump signed the bill without cameras or an immediate press release. He had opposed imposing new sanctions on Moscow but had little choice after a nearly unanimous Congress approved the bill, guaranteeing they would override a veto. The bill, which also imposes new sanctions on Iran and North Korea, prevents American companies from investing in many energy projects that are funded by Russian government interests. It also prevents Trump from unilaterally lifting the sanctions. It thus marked an unusual move by Congress to tie the presidents hands on foreign policy. Trump did not want to give up that leverage. But the vote in Congress was a strong sign that lawmakers do not trust Trump to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Trump has repeatedly praised, and the widening federal investigation into possible coordination last year between his presidential campaign and Moscow. Passage of the sanctions bill already has sparked a harsh reaction in Moscow. Putin announced last week that the United States would need to shed 755 personnel, including U.S. diplomats, from its embassy and consulates in Russia. President Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats, said to be spies, from the United States last December. A White House aide said a statement would be issued later Wednesday. Facebook

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Senior GOP senators serve notice: No action on healthcare at this point By David Lauter Trump administration officials continue to push the Senate to take another run at healthcare legislation, but on Monday senior Republican senators pushed back, making clear that theyre done with the topic for now. Theres just too much animosity and were too divided on healthcare, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), the head of the Senate Finance Committee, said in an interview with Reuters. I think we ought to acknowledge that we can come back to healthcare afterward, but we need to move ahead on tax reform, Hatch said. His remarks were quickly followed by others in GOP leadership positions. I think its time to move on to something else, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri told CNN. If the question is do I think we should stay on healthcare until we get it done, I think its time to move on to something else. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota also chimed in. Until someone shows us how to get that elusive 50th vote, I think its over, he told reporters. The remarks seemed a coordinated effort to respond to administration officials, including budget director Mick Mulvaney and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, who said over the weekend that they wanted the Senate to keep working on healthcare. Last week, the Senate defeated several different Republican plans to repeal all or part of the Affordable Care Act. The votes made it clear that with unified Democratic opposition to repeal, and divisions among Republicans, the campaign to overturn the law has stalled out, at least for now. Congress faces several other pressing issues that will be demanding lawmakers attention, including deadlines at the end of September to raise the federal debt ceiling and fund government agencies for the coming fiscal year. And the administration is eager to move on tax proposals, with officials rather optimistically saying they hope to see votes by November on a tax package that is not yet written. Facebook

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Good news for Atty. Gen. Sessions: Trump has 100% confidence in Cabinet By Noah Bierman To Q re Sessions, spox Sanders says Trump has 100% confidence in Cabinet. Last wk she wouldn't say if he had it in Sessions. Kelly effect?  Jackie Calmes (@jackiekcalmes) July 31, 2017 President Trump has called Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions beleaguered and even VERY weak, but Sessions seemed to get good news from the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, on Monday. Trump has 100% confidence in all of his Cabinet secretaries, Sanders said in response to a question about Sessions job status during the daily White House briefing. Last week, when speculation about Sessions was rife, Sanders repeatedly declined opportunities to provide assurances that the attorney general enjoyed the presidents full confidence. Trump himself said time will tell when he was asked last week about Sessions. The willingness to tamp down speculation about Sessions may reflect the arrival Monday of retired Gen. John F. Kelly as the new White House chief of staff. He is tasked with restoring order to the administration. Sanders also batted down reports that the White House was discussing moving Sessions to another post, as secretary of Homeland Security. That job became vacant Monday after Kelly was sworn in as Trumps new chief of staff. Sanders said the White House has had no conversations about any Cabinet members switching jobs. Republican senators have publicly opposed firing Sessions, and a couple have objected to shifting him to another post as well, given that it could appear that Trump is trying to affect the investigations of himself and his campaign in the context of Russias election interference. Trump has said publicly that his frustration with Sessions, once among his closest allies, stems from Sessions decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, an act that led to the appointment of a special counsel. Facebook

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Can Trump really cut health insurance payments for members of Congress and their staff? It would be easy By Lisa Mascaro Reeling from the failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Trump now threatens to block federal funding that lawmakers and their staff rely on to help buy health insurance. Trumps threats are not empty. The administration could simply stop the payments -- which are provided to Capitol Hill lawmakers and staff much the way many employers help pay employees monthly insurance premiums -- by dashing off new federal regulation. But the easy attack on lawmakers skims over what many say was a complicated, but fair-minded, compromise made during the Obamacare debates several years ago. Under Obamacare, if lawmakers want insurance through their employer - the federal government - they are required to buy policies through the ACA exchanges. There had been great criticism at the time, largely from opponents of the healthcare bill, that lawmakers and congressional staff should not be exempt from the law. The argument was they should have to live under it. So they did. Usually those buying individual insurance on the exchanges can apply to see if their income and geographic area allow them to qualify for a federal subsidy. For lawmakers, though, that was prohibited. Instead, they get the regular employer contribution they did before, much in the same way other workers do when their companies buy insurance. For federal workers, the government covers about 70% of the costs, about the same paid by employers in the private sector, according to Kaiser Family Foundation. The administration affirmed that federal support for lawmakers and their staffs in an Office of Personnel Management regulation issued in 2013. To cut those funds off, Trump administration could simply reverse course, and issue another regulation changing the rules. Trump appeared ready to do so in a series of weekend tweets. Why should Congress not be paying what public pays, Trump tweeted over the weekend. If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon. But such a move would likely cause an uproar in Congress. Its not just members of Congress, but also their staffs, who would have to pay full price for their insurance. Stopping Trumps action, though, seems tough. It would require Congress to pass legislation ensuring the federal payments would continue to be made. Few lawmakers would likely take up that cause. And even if Congress were able to pass a bill protecting the payments, it seems doubtful Trump at this point would sign it into law. Facebook

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U.S. hits Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with sanctions By Associated Press Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro celebrates the results of Sundays election in Caracas. (Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP/Getty Images) The Trump administration has hit Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with financial sanctions. The move comes after Venezuela held a weekend election that will give Maduros ruling party virtually unlimited power in the South American country. The Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the sanctions against Maduro in a brief statement on Monday, a day after the Venezuelan vote to elect a constituent assembly that will rewrite the constitution. A longer explanation from the White House was also expected. The administration imposed sanctions on more than a dozen senior current and former Venezuelan officials last week, warning the socialist government that new penalties would come if Maduro went ahead with Sundays election for the assembly. Facebook

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Anthony Scaramucci is out as White House communications director By Brian Bennett Anthony Scaramucci, the brash New Yorker who was announced little more than a week ago as President Trumps White House communications director, was ousted Monday before he had even officially taken the job. John F. Kelly, the newly sworn-in White House chief of staff, told Scaramucci around 9:30 a.m. EDT that he was going to be replaced, according to a person close to White House. In a statement officially announcing the move, the White House said Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. While Scaramuccis time at the center of the presidents circle was short, it was consequential, prompting the resignations of first Sean Spicer as White House press secretary and then Reince Priebus as chief of staff. The most notable firings and resignations in the Trump administration >> A former hedge fund executive on Wall Street, Scaramucci, who enjoyed media attention, also had come on strong stylistically, highlighted by a profane tirade against colleagues Priebus and Trump strategist Steve Bannon in an exchange last week with a New Yorker reporter. The abrupt shift in Scaramuccis status seemed to reflect Kellys mission to bring order to the chain of command within the chaotic administration. In getting Scaramucci to leave, Kelly was undoing Trumps own hiring decision. Scaramucci had told reporters when he was hired that he would be reporting directly to the president at Trumps request, bypassing the normal chain that would have the communications director -- like all staff -- report to the chief of staff. Scaramuccis unusually short tenure reflects a moment of extreme turbulence in the White House, which has been embroiled in infighting as it confronts low poll numbers for the president, a floundering legislative agenda and the investigations involving Russian meddling in last years presidential election. After word spread of Scaramuccis ouster, Spicer, who resigned when Scaramucci took over but was still working in the White House, walked out of his office to a throng of reporters. Is this a surprise party? he asked. UPDATE 12:15 p.m.: This story has been updated throughout with additional details and background. This article was originally published at 11:49 a.m. Facebook

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Trump swears in John Kelly, says ex-secretary of Homeland Security will do an even better job as chief of staff By Noah Bierman President Trump swore in his new chief of staff, John F. Kelly, on Monday morning, formalizing a shake-up in his top ranks that was announced Friday evening with word of the resignation of Reince Priebus. We look forward to - if its possible - an even better job as chief of staff, Trump said to Kelly, formerly the secretary of homeland security. Ill try, sir, Kelly replied. JOHN KELLY is now chief of staff. Sworn in during ceremony in Oval Office minutes ago. pic.twitter.com/dMEQ4rhpFA  Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 31, 2017 Trump is hoping that Kelly, a retired general, will retool and bring order to a White House that has struggled with low poll numbers, staff infighting, a faltering legislative agenda and an investigation into Russian election meddling and potential collusion and obstruction of justice. Yet Trump said the administration has done very well after a reporter asked what would be different under Kelly. He cited the unemployment rate, the thriving stock market and unnamed polls that, he said, show high business confidence. Were doing very well. We have a tremendous base, he said.The country is optimistic. And I think the general will just add to it. Trump praised Kellys performance at the Department of Homeland Security, where Kelly focused on immigration issues at the southern border, as record-shattering, with very little controversy. There was no word on whom the president might name to replace Kelly at the department. Trump reportedly has considered moving Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions there from the Justice Department, reflecting his unhappiness with the attorney general, but Republican senators preemptively have signaled their opposition to such a move. Facebook

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Risky investigation, stalled agenda  Trumps in trouble, so heres his strategy By Noah Bierman (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) Hosts of Southern Californias Morning Answer radio show were wrapping up a two-hour live broadcast from a white tent just outside the West Wing last week and marveling at their access to Cabinet secretaries and prominent administration figures. If youre a Trumpkin, host Brian Whitman told his listeners on AM 870, this is like fantasy camp. The White Houses daylong hospitality for Salem Radio Network, a nationwide chain of Christian and conservative stations, underscored President Trumps continued courtship of  and increased dependence on  core supporters as he confronts a stalled agenda and increasingly perilous investigations into whether his campaign colluded with Russia and he subsequently sought to obstruct the inquiries. Read More Facebook

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Obamacare vote isnt the only sign of GOP resistance to Trump By Noah Bierman In the year since Donald Trump won the Republican presidential nomination, party leaders have been reluctant to challenge a man who has formed a tight bond with conservative voters, even when he upset party orthodoxies and norms of presidential behavior. But that reticence is breaking down. A convergence of contentious issues, as well as embarrassing infighting and shake-ups at the White House, have a number of Republicans suddenly in open resistance to Trump on a number of fronts. Read More Facebook

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Trump ousts Reince Priebus as chief of staff in latest White House shake-up By Noah Bierman John Kelly (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump ousted his beleaguered chief of staff, Reince Priebus, naming Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly to replace him Friday in the latest White House shake-up as the administration struggles to emerge from bitter staff infighting and a stalled legislative agenda. Trump announced the abrupt reshuffle in three posts on Twitter hours after the Senate killed his latest plans to rewrite President Obamas signature healthcare law, dealing another harsh blow to the White House. The tweets, sent as Trump was returning on Air Force One with Priebus after a speech on gang violence in New York, caught Capitol Hill and others off guard even though Priebus stature in Trumps inner circle has been in sharp decline for some time. Read More Facebook

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Putins spokesman accuses U.S. of political schizophrenia By Associated Press Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting in Moscow on June 21. (Sergei Karpukhin / EPA) Russia urged the United States on Monday to show political will to mend ties even as it ordered sweeping cuts of U.S. embassy personnel unseen since Cold War times. President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said it will take time for the U.S. to recover from what he called political schizophrenia, but added that Russia remains interested in constructive cooperation with the U.S. We are interested in a steady development of our ties and are sorry to note that we are still far from that, he said. Peskovs statement followed Sundays televised comments by Putin, who said the U.S. would have to cut 755 of its embassy and consulate staff in Russia, a massive reduction he described as a response to new U.S. sanctions. The Russian Foreign Ministry had previously said that the U.S. should cut its embassy and consular employees to 455, the number that Russia has in the United States. Along with the caps on embassy personnel announced Friday, it also declared the closure of a U.S. recreational retreat on the outskirts of Moscow and warehouse facilities. Moscows action is the long-expected tit-for-tat response to former President Obamas move to expel 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian recreational retreats in the U.S. over reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Facebook

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White House urged to refrain from Obamacare sabotage as Trump mulls subsidy cutoff By Laura King A pair of prominent lawmakers urged President Trump on Sunday not to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, in the wake of failed Republican efforts to scrap his predecessors signature legislative achievement. But Trump urged GOP senators to try again to push through some version of repealing and replacing the law, even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said last week it was time to move on to other matters. Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway said the president would decide in coming days whether to block subsidies that are a crucial component of the existing healthcare law. Hes going to make that decision this week, and thats a decision that only he can make, Conway said on Fox News Sunday. Two of the lawmakers who blocked the Senate GOP repeal plan last week, however, criticized the administrations continued efforts to overturn the law. Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who steadfastly rejected a series of GOP healthcare measures last week, blamed the Trump administration for encouraging instability in the insurance markets by continuing the uncertainty over whether the subsidies  cost-sharing payments that reduce out-of-pocket healthcare costs for poorer Americans  would continue. Im troubled by the uncertainty that has been created by the administration, Collins said on NBCs Meet the Press. She contested Trumps characterization of the payments as an insurance company bailout. Thats not what it is, she said, calling the reduction payments vital assistance to low-income Americans. And Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said further action on healthcare should be done in a bipartisan manner and not rushed. You cannot do major entitlement reform singlehandedly, and you wouldnt do major legislative initiatives singlehandedly, she told reporters in Alaska. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) echoed Collins criticism of Trumps threat to stop making the cost-sharing payments. You know, I really think its incomprehensible that we have a president of the United States who wants to sabotage healthcare in America, make life more difficult for millions of people who are struggling now to get the health insurance they need and to pay for that health insurance, he said on CNNs State of the Union. Prior to heading out for a day at his Virginia golf property, Trump tweeted that Republican senators should press ahead with efforts to scrap Obamacare -- a day after he tauntingly exhorted them not to be quitters in the quest for a legislative victory for him. Don't give up Republican Senators, the World is watching: Repeal & Replace...and go to 51 votes (nuke option), get Cross State Lines & more.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2017 The White House budget director, Mick Mulvaney, on CNNs State of the Union, said it was official Trump administration policy that the Senate should keep working to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, eschewing an August recess if necessary. Senators, he said, need to stay, they need to work -- they need to pass something. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, while acknowledging a responsibility to follow the law -- Obamacare -- also signaled that Trump was not accepting defeat in efforts to get rid of the measure. Our goalas well as the presidents goal, is to put in place a law, a system, that actually works for patients, he said on Meet the Press, adding, You cant do that under the current structure. Facebook

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Frustrated in defeat, Trump threatens healthcare of voters  and lawmakers By Joseph Tanfani Frustrated by the failure of the Obamacare repeal in the Senate, President Trump on Saturday threatened to end federal subsidies for healthcare insurance  for Congress as well as the rest of the country. After seven years of "talking" Repeal & Replace, the people of our great country are still being forced to live with imploding ObamaCare!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017 If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017 If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon! Trump tweeted, fuming about Congress failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which he said was imploding. Such a move could cause havoc and much higher premiums in insurance markets, since many low- and moderate-income people depend on those subsidies to help cover the cost of their policies. Through a series of administrative maneuvers by Congress and the Obama administration, members and their staffs also benefit from those subsidies. Targeting congressional healthcare might score Trump some populist points with his base, but it would likely come at a cost of poisoning his relationship with Congress. Just making the threat on Saturday highlights how far things have eroded between Trump and top GOP lawmakers. And it comes a day after Trump pushed out former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, an establishment Republican who was the GOP congressional leaderships trusted liaison in the White House. Trump actually has a jarring amount of leverage over thousands of congressional staff who depend on employer health care contribution. https://t.co/lRPmrmDIJs  Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) July 29, 2017 Trumps longstanding threat to let the health insurance plans fail would come with its own political price. The federal government sends about $600 million a month to insurance companies to help cover the cost, and Trump is threatening to cut that off to allow Obamacare markets to collapse. His goal is to pressure Congress to send him a repeal bill, but so far the strategy has failed. The confidence Trump has expressed that if he followed through with the threat the fallout would land not on him but on Democrats, because they created Obamacare, is not widely shared in Washington. If health care collapses, voters will blame Trump and the GOP.



That's what happens when you control the White House and Congress. pic.twitter.com/iEjEGyapAL  Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) July 29, 2017 Facebook

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Iran condemns new U.S. sanctions, vows to pursue missile program By Ramin Mostaghim Iran defied Washington and condemned new U.S. sanctions over its development of missiles capable of being armed with nuclear warheads. We will continue with full power our missile program, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told state television IRIB on Saturday, dismissing new sanctions passed by Congress last week as, hostile, reprehensible and unacceptable. Its ultimately an effort to weaken the nuclear deal, Ghasemi said, adding, The military and missile fields  are our domestic policies and others have no right to intervene or comment on them. Iran had agreed to limit its nuclear activities under the 2015 agreement with the U.S. and other world powers in exchange for sanctions relief. Ghasemi argued Saturday that the U.S. had violated that agreement by linking the missile program to the nuclear deal and restricting Iranian banking activities in the U.S. He argued that Irans latest missile tests dont break the agreement because the weapons are defensive. The new wave of pressure on missile projects in Iran will push the Islamic theocracy into a corner, predicted Iran analyst Hojjat Kalashi in Tehran, noting that the government of President Hassan Rouhani, who was reelected in May, is coping with an economic downturn and may step back from the compromise nuclear deal. The new Iran sanctions bill, which also targets Russia and North Korea, was passed by the House and Senate this week. It would penalize those involved in Irans ballistic missile program as well as those who do business with them, impose an arms embargo on Iran and label its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps a terrorist group. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said President Trump will sign the bill. On Friday, the U.S. was joined by Britain, France and Germany in condemning Irans recent launch of a satellite-carrying rocket and warned that it violated a United Nations resolution implementing the 2015 nuclear deal. In a joint statement, they urged Iran to stop developing missiles and rockets capable of carrying nuclear warheads that have a destabilizing impact on the region. In response to a rocket launch Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on subsidiaries of an Iranian company involved in Tehrans ballistic missile program. But Nader Karimi Juni, an analyst close to Rouhanis government, said Iranian leaders dont believe the U.N. and European powers will ultimately back the U.S., and so Iran will not compromise on missile projects and will remain defiant. Facebook

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Trump jabs U.S. mayors, who push back, calling president out of touch with cities By Kurtis Lee (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) President Trump wants police to know that he  not mayors  has their back. Ive met police that are great police that arent allowed to do their job because they have a pathetic mayor or a mayor that doesnt know whats going on, Trump said Friday in a speech before police officers in Brentwood, N.Y. The comments from Trump, who in his address highlighted crime in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, drew applause from some in attendance. In a statement following Trumps remarks, the United States Conference of Mayors, a bipartisan group, released a statement pushing back against the president. The presidents comments today prove how out of touch he is with the realities of life in American cities. Mayors number one priority is  and always will be  the safety and protection of their residents, said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, the groups president. There is no daylight between the mayors of our cities and the uniformed officers who work tirelessly to keep us safe every single day. During the speech Trump called on police and immigration officials to be rough with suspected gang members in cities nationwide. In a recent interview with The Times, former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who recently launched a $200-million initiative to empower city governments and mayors, stressed the key to good governing is experience as a manager  something, he said, Trump was not. Bloomberg added that the mayors are much more in tune with the needs of residents than the federal government. You got to remember a mayor and the local city council are much closer to the public than the governor and the state legislature, or the president and the federal legislature. So if the public is in favor of something, the local officials know it and they get held responsible, he said. Facebook

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The growing parade of exits under Trump administration By Len de Groot A lot of people have left President Trumps early administration  Chief of Staff Reince Priebus was replaced Friday. The White House communications department has been the scene of many of the recent turnovers as it wrestles to craft a message sometimes at odds with Trumps frequent tweeting. At the National Security Council, there has been a leadership struggle since Michael Flynn resigned in the face of pressure over undisclosed contacts with Russia. One appointee was fired over comments he made at a private function. Others have been removed as Flynns successor, H.R. McMaster, has moved to add loyalists to the council. Here are the most noteworthy departures: Read More Facebook

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Trump urges officers and immigration officials to be rough on animals terrorizing U.S. neighborhoods By Barbara Demick ( (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)) President Trump on Friday called for police and immigration officials to be rough with suspected gang members in order to rid the country of animals he said are terrorizing communities. Please dont be too nice, Trump told police recruits at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood, a heavily Latino suburb of New York City. Like when you guys put somebody in the car and youre protecting their head, you know the way you put the hand  like, dont hit their head, and theyve just killed somebody?  You can take the hand away. He implied that he was satisfied with rough handling of suspects by the police. When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon  you just see them thrown in, rough, he said. Scoffing at calls for what he describes as political correctness, Trump also renewed his pledges to build a wall along the Mexican border. He accused the Obama administration of admitting criminals into the United States. Read More Facebook

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Analysis: In a Washington run by men, two overshadowed Republican women make their point on healthcare By Cathleen Decker In a Washington that has grown demonstrably more testosterone-fueled since President Trumps inauguration, it took two Republican women to secure the end of a long effort to repeal and replace Obamacare. They were the same two women  Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski  who had been excluded from the 13-member working group drafting the Republican bills. Nobodys being excluded based upon gender. Everybodys at the table, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had said of his all-white-males group. In the early hours of Friday, the duo was overshadowed by the more dramatic and unexpected no vote from Sen. John McCain of Arizona. There was reason for the attention lavished on McCain  a war hero and veteran senator returns to the Capitol days after a dire cancer diagnosis. But without both Collins and Murkowskis steadfast opposition, his vote would have been meaningless. Also largely overlooked: Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat who like McCain made an arduous trip to Washington despite her recent diagnosis of late-stage kidney cancer. Social media buzzed Friday with praise for the women senators from many fronts, including from men. But from many women, there was also a sense of familiarity at being ignored or taken for granted. Read More Facebook

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Clinton Foundation donor who was denied a visa settles leak case against the U.S. By Joseph Tanfani A billionaire Nigerian businessman and major Clinton Foundation donor banned from entering the U.S. two years ago on terrorism grounds has settled a lawsuit against the U.S. government. Gilbert Chagoury last year sued the FBI and other government agencies in U.S. District Court in Washington, saying he had been damaged by what he described as improper government leaks to the Los Angeles Times. The Times reported last year that Chagoury had been denied a visa to travel to the U.S. in 2015 on suspicion that he had provided aid to terrorist groups. One document, citing unverified information from an unnamed source, said that Chagoury  who is of Lebanese heritage  had funneled funds to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia and political group designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Chagoury, an ardent Lakers fan who for decades lived part of the year in Los Angeles, angrily denied that he ever provided funds for terrorism. He said the publicity forced him to sell his Beverly Hills mansion at a loss and caused a bank to close his account. A philanthropist, Vatican ambassador and longtime friend of Bill Clinton, Chagoury once was invited to the White House after contributing to a Democratic get-out-the-vote campaign. He donated at least $1 million to the Clinton Foundation. Emails released last year showed that a Bill Clinton aide pushed Hillary Clintons aides at the State Department to get Chagoury access to top U.S. diplomats. In the settlement filed in court on Friday, the Justice Department said Chagoury has never appeared on the list of Specially Designated Nationals, figures such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers who are generally barred from doing business in the U.S. The government did not grant Chagourys request for a court hearing to dispute the reports that led to his exclusion from the U.S. As I have often said, I have loved America my whole life because it was the land of freedom and justice, he said in a statement, adding that he hopes the agreement will help repair his reputation. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chagoury, who lives most of the time in Paris, has not applied for another visa, said his spokesman, Mark Corallo. Facebook

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Trump ousts Priebus, announces John Kelly as new chief of staff President Trump announced via Twitter on Friday that he had named retired Gen. John Kelly, head of the Department of Homeland Security, as White House chief of staff, replacing Reince Priebus. I am pleased to inform you that I have just named General/Secretary John F Kelly as White House Chief of Staff. He is a Great American....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017 ...and a Great Leader. John has also done a spectacular job at Homeland Security. He has been a true star of my Administration  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017 I would like to thank Reince Priebus for his service and dedication to his country. We accomplished a lot together and I am proud of him!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017 Read More Facebook

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Rep. John Delaney of Maryland to run for president By Associated Press Rep. John Delaney of Maryland says hes running for president, instead of governor or reelection, in 2018. Delaney, a Democrat, announced his plans in a statement Friday. The politically moderate banking entrepreneur is in his third term in Marylands 6th Congressional District, which includes western Maryland and a large section of Montgomery County, the states largest county. The 54-year-old is worth roughly $90 million and is one of the Houses wealthiest members. He spent about $2 million to help finance his first House race in 2012. His consideration of a possible Maryland gubernatorial bid months ago quickly drew interest in his House seat. Several candidates already have expressed interest in running for the seat. Facebook

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McCain set to head back to Arizona to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments By Kurtis Lee (Shawn Thew / EPA) Sen. John McCain is headed home. Hours after McCain spurned his party and voted in opposition to a GOP measure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the senators office announced Friday he will return to Arizona to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments for his recent diagnosis of brain cancer. McCain, 80, was found this month to have a brain tumor known as a glioblastoma. He is scheduled to return to Washington in September after his initial treatments. The glioblastoma  an aggressive type of cancer  was discovered when McCain had a blood clot removed from above his left eye. According to the Mayo Clinic, which is overseeing McCains treatment, glioblastoma is difficult to treat. After returning to Washington this week and voting in favor of opening Senate debate on repeal, McCain was among three Republicans early Friday morning to vote in opposition to a so-called skinny bill that would repeal the ACA, known as Obamacare. The move by McCain, who has served in the Senate since 1987, has drawn the ire of members in his own party and some in the right-wing media. Facebook

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McCains surprise vote doomed GOP healthcare bill, but did it open the door for Senate bipartisanship? By Lisa Mascaro Sen. John McCain is usually happy to spar with reporters, but he ducked into an elevator ahead of the Senate healthcare vote late Thursday without saying a word about how he would vote. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, though, already knew the answer. The Democratic leader had been talking with the Arizona Republican all week  four, five times a day  ever since McCain returned to work after being diagnosed with brain cancer. Earlier in the week, McCain had dramatically salvaged the stalled GOP bill by voting to begin debate, only to go on to deliver a blistering speech against his own party leaders partisan, closed-door process in crafting it. Weve been spinning our wheels on too many important issues because we keep trying to find a way to win without help from across the aisle, he told them. Were getting nothing done. Schumer and McCain have been longtime colleagues, a kind of frenemies who seem like throwbacks to an earlier era of Congress. They worked together on big legislation, including the 2013 immigration overhaul  grand ideas that seem all but impossible in todays Congress. They had plenty to discuss. About the Senate, about it working again, about working together, and about how this bill was so poor for the American people, Schumer said. And he knew that, so did half his colleagues, but he had the courage to vote no. The moment stunned the Senate when McCain stepped up to cast his vote  a single down-turned finger  dooming the healthcare bill. Audible gasps filled the galleries, which were packed with onlookers. But his vote  along with no votes from Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska  did more than shelve the long campaign to repeal the Affordable Care Act. It cracked open a new divide in the Senate, which seems to be split not so much between Republicans and Democrats, but by those senators who want to work together versus those stuck in hardened partisan tribes. Read More Facebook

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U.S. hits Iran with more sanctions in response to satellite launch By Associated Press The United States is slapping Iran with new sanctions in response to its launch of a satellite-carrying rocket into space this week. The sanctions target six Iranian subsidiaries of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group. The Treasury Department says that group is central to Irans ballistic missile program. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the sanctions illustrate deep U.S. concerns about Irans missile testing and other actions. He says the U.S. will continue countering Irans ballistic missile program, including Thursdays provocative space launch. The U.S. has said that launch flouted a U.N. Security Council resolution because the technology is inherently designed to be able to carry a nuclear payload. The sanctions come as the Trump administration continues debating its Iran policy and whether to scrap the 2015 multilateral deal that limits the development of Irans nuclear capabilities. Facebook

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Political betrayal. McCain vote against Obamacare repeal draws ire from conservative writers By Kurtis Lee (Cliff Owen / AP) Though John McCain was one of three Republicans who helped Democrats squash the legislation to repeal Obamacare, conservative media is homing in on the Arizona senator for spurning his party in the healthcare vote. Here are some of todays headlines: John McCain: Traitor to the conservative cause (Washington Times) McCain, who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, has been a staunch opponent of Obamacare, but in the end he could not support the so-called skinny repeal measure put forward by his colleagues in the Senate. In this piece, Cheryl K. Chumley, jabs McCain for his vote. For American voters expecting their Republican-dominated House, Senate and White House to honor their years of repeal promises and actually, well, repeal Obamacare, McCains thumbs-down was a face-slap moment that will be remembered in history as a textbook classic case of political betrayal, she writes. McCains odd definition of leading the fight to stop Obamacare (National Review) This article is simple  its a quick compare-and-contrast of McCains recent comments versus his vote on Friday. Last year, during a tough reelection, McCains campaign ran a television ad that boasted the senator is leading the fight to stop Obamacare. But last night his office put out a statement noting the GOP Senate bill did not offer a replacement to actually reform our health care system and deliver affordable, quality health care to our citizens. The author of this piece, Jim Geraghty, concludes: Its very difficult to characterize McCains decision as leading the fight to stop Obamacare. Thats more like leading the fight to keep Obamacare in place while you continue to look for a replacement that you like better. John McCain burns Mitch McConnell sides with Democrats (American Spectator) When McConnell, the majority leader, stood on the Senate floor Friday after the bills failure, he was clearly annoyed. McCains no vote had led to applause moments earlier from Democrats. In a move thats no surprise to anyone, John McCain voted against the embarrassingly named Skinny Repeal, voted against his party (or is it his party?) and voted to keep Obamacare going as is, writes Melissa Mackenzie. Facebook

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Meet the two female GOP senators who opposed the healthcare bill from the start By Kelcey Caulder Sen. John McCain shocked Republicans and Democrats alike with his vote early Friday morning to kill the latest Republican effort to repeal Obamacare. But McCain was not the only Republican to play a role in blocking the final version of the overhaul bill. Two female Republican lawmakers, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, also voted against the bill. Collins has opposed repeal and replace efforts from the beginning, and Murkowski has also been critical of much of what the Senate Republican leadership has proposed. Collins said it would be a big mistake for Republicans to pass legislation without trying seriously to work with Democrats to reach bipartisan solutions. Instead, she called for both parties to work together to improve the healthcare system. Murkowski and Collins were the first from their party to come out against repealing the ACA without having new, replacement legislation on the table. In statements posted on Twitter, Collins, who voted against the same proposal in 2015, said she did not think it was constructive to repeal the law without a replacement, while Murkowski encouraged senators from both sides of the aisle to work together to address healthcare issues. I will vote no on the motion to proceed to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. I voted against this same proposal in 2015. pic.twitter.com/Szuke5zYNL  Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) July 18, 2017 My recent statement on the Senate Healthcare Process: pic.twitter.com/j19Ok1KwWw  Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) July 18, 2017 The two senators were also the only Republicans to vote against opening debate on repeal of Obamacare earlier this week. Their opposition to Republican healthcare efforts has drawn a lot of criticism within the party, some of it expressed in vulgar, even violent terms. Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter said in an interview Wednesday with MSNBC: Somebody needs to go over there to that Senate and snatch a knot in their ass. A Texas congressman said the female senators narrowly avoided an Aaron Burr-style showdown with him. President Trump publicly rebuked Murkowski on Twitter for her vote. Senator @lisamurkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday. Too bad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017 Trump has not criticized Collins by name for her vote, but warned Tuesday at a rally in Ohio that any senator who votes against repeal and replace is telling America that they are fine with the Obamacare nightmare, and I predict theyll have a lot of problems. Facebook

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The current Senate GOP effort to repeal Obamacare is dead. Now what? By Noam N. Levey (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) The sudden collapse of the GOPs Senate campaign to repeal or replace the Affordable Care Act does not mean the issue disappears. Significant problems and challenges remain, particularly for Obamacare insurance marketplaces. The defeat increases the odds that Congress will begin to look at a more limited approach to shore up the current law and stabilize markets. The GOPs repeal effort may return, but in the meantime heres a look at what a temporary fix might look like: Read More Facebook

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Paul Ryan responds to the failure of the GOP healthcare bill By Associated Press House Speaker Paul Ryan said Friday that hes disappointed and frustrated by the failure of Republican healthcare legislation in the Senate. But Ryan said in a statement that we should not give up after promising for years to repeal and replace Obamacare. We were sent to Washington to fulfill the pledges we made to our constituents, the statement said. While the House delivered a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, unfortunately the Senate was unable to reach a consensus. At the same time, the speaker said that overhauling the tax code is at the top of the Houses list of priorities. He pledged to pursue historic tax reform in the fall. He issued his statement as the House prepared to leave Washington for its annual August recess. The House passed legislation repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act in May. But after a failed vote early Friday in the Senate, its not clear if GOP leaders will be able to resuscitate the efforts. Facebook

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Economic growth rebounded to 2.6% annual rate in second quarter By Jim Puzzanghera The Port of Los Angeles (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) The U.S. economy rebounded this spring after a weak winter, expanding at a solid 2.6% annual rate as consumers picked up their spending pace, the Commerce Department said Friday. Total economic output, also known as gross domestic product, for the April-through-June period was in line with analyst expectations for a bounce-back based in part on pent-up demand. The economic growth rate was more than double the 1.2% pace in the first quarter. That figure was revised down Friday from an earlier estimate of 1.4%. After the winter blues, the economy has rebounded, said Sung Won Sohn, an economist at Cal State Channel Islands. Read More Facebook

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Never mind healthcare. President Trump has made slogans great again By Mark Z. Barabak ( (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)) His promise to repeal and replace Obamacare has crashed and burned. Tax reform hasnt gotten far. The White House is in disarray, and big plans to rebuild the nations infrastructure have hit a brick wall. But there is one unimpeachable triumph President Trump can point to: Hes made great again great again. The Make America Great Again 2016 campaign slogan  limned in block letters and emblazoned on countless cherry-red ball caps  has been reimagined, repurposed and cheekily appropriated for countless pitches and commercial products. Apart from the now-familiar caps, mercantile options include aprons, beanies, beer cozys, coffee mugs, hoodies, leggings, swimsuits, T-shirts, water bottles and, for the special someone, Donald Trump Make America Great Again Womens Booty Shorts. But MAGA, as the president short-hands the phrase in Twitter posts, is also popping up in places having little or nothing to do with politics: on a catwalk at New Yorks Fashion Week, high in the sky promoting classical music in Phoenix, on the menu at an Italian restaurant in Atlanta. Read More Facebook

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If Adam Schiff is Californias next U.S. senator, he might want to thank President Trump By Mark Z. Barabak (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) The road to elected office can be long and winding and is not always paved with the best of intentions. Some politicians  think of the Kennedys or the Bush family  are born to the trade. Others are borne by tragedy. Former Santa Barbara Rep. Lois Capps succeeded her husband when he died of a heart attack. Former New York Rep. Carolyn McCarthy was spurred to run when her husband was killed and her son gravely wounded in a mass shooting on the Long Island Rail Road. Typically, though, the ascension is more methodical, one rung after the next, often with a pinch of right-place, right-time fortune thrown in for good measure. Lately that bit of luck has visited itself on Adam B. Schiff, in the form of Russian meddling and a president who hurls tweets like poison thunderbolts. Read More Facebook

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Kris Kobach says Trumps voter fraud panel will keep voter data secure. Some states arent buying it By Kurtis Lee (Jessica McGowan / Getty Images) After weeks of legal battles and bipartisan pushback from top election officials nationwide, President Trumps voter fraud commission has renewed a message for the states: Its safe to pass along your data about voters. Individuals voter registration records will be kept confidential and secure throughout the duration of the commissions existence, Kris Kobach, vice chairman of the commission, wrote in a letter sent late Wednesday to all 50 secretaries of state. Even so, by Thursday, much of the criticism that greeted an earlier request from the commission was repeated by election officials and activists, who have expressed concerns about privacy and have called the panel both a sham created by an insecure president and a tool to suppress votes. Trump  without evidence  has repeatedly alleged that 3 million to 5 million illegal votes were cast in last years presidential election. (Trump prevailed in the electoral college, while Democrat Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by about 3 million votes.) Read More Facebook

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President Trump said our guys are rougher than the violent gang MS-13. What did he mean? By Brian Bennett (SAUL LOEB / AFP ) When President Trump said this week his administration is going after bloodthirsty criminal gangs like the notoriously violent MS-13, he added a menacing flourish: Our guys are rougher than their guys. The comment raised concerns that Trump was instructing immigration agents to use excessive force when going after suspected gang members. Not so, Trumps top spokeswoman said on Thursday. I think the president means that our guys are going to do whatever it takes to protect Americans, protect American lives, protect our borders, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in response to a question about what Trump meant by rougher. Trump wants people to do their jobs, not go beyond the scope of what they should do, Sanders said. Trumps comment came during a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Tuesday night. We are throwing MS-13 the hell out of here so fast, he said, boasting that his administration is liberating towns and cities from gangs. And, well, I will just tell you this, were not doing it in a politically correct fashion, Trump added. Were doing it rough. Our guys are rougher than their guys. Trumps comment was meant to boost morale among immigration officers looking to arrest and deport gang members, said one senior administration official, who would speak only without being identified to discuss the presidents thinking. As part of Trumps crackdown on immigrants in the country illegally, he has instructed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to target a suspected gang member for deportation before that person has been convicted of a crime, said ICE director Thomas Homan. Homan joined Sanders at her daily briefing at the White House. The two spoke to preview the presidents Friday trip to Long Island, N.Y., where he will tout his administrations efforts against MS-13 and other gangs. For Trump, who grew up in Queens, recent headlines about MS-13 violence in central Long Island have hit close to home. In April, four young men were found hacked to death in a park in Central Islip, N.Y., a senior administration official told reporters Thursday night. He is a New Yorker and he knows New York, the administration official said. It is absolutely a personal issue. And he knows whats happening in New York -- and its not just Long Island -- is a tragedy and there are communities like that all across America. Facebook

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Boy Scouts chief apologizes for presidents political rhetoric at national Jamboree. Trump wont By Brian Bennett President Trump wont apologize for a surprisingly political speech this week to Boy Scouts that provoked a backlash for his attacks on his predecessor, his election rival, dissident Republicans and the news media. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered that word on Thursday, just after a top executive of the Boy Scouts of America issued an apology on behalf of the organization for allowing the political rhetoric to occur during Trumps address Monday evening at the National Scout Jamboree held in West Virginia. Michael Surbaugh, the organizations chief executive, in a statement extended his sincere apologies to those in our Scouting family who were offended by the political rhetoric that was inserted into the jamboree. He noted that the groups invitation to the president to speak was in keeping with a long-standing tradition since 1937; eight of 11 incumbent presidents have attended. But, Surbaugh wrote, we have steadfastly remained non-partisan and refused to comment on political matters. We sincerely regret that politics were inserted into the Scouting program. At the White House, however, Sanders indicated that neither she nor Trump saw any reason to apologize, or considered his remarks in any way out of line. I was at that event and I saw nothing but roughly 40,000 to 45,000 Boy Scouts cheering the president on throughout his remarks, Sanders said. I think they were pretty excited that he was there and happy to hear him speak to them, she added. Sanders said she had not seen the statement from the Boy Scouts chief. During his rambling 38-minute speech to the Scouts in Glen Jean, W.Va., Trump criticized Hillary Clinton and President Obama and singled out congressional Republicans who were not in lockstep with him on healthcare. He got much applause and supportive chants from his audience, and even credited the Scouts -- who are too young to vote -- for being among the millions who elected him. But almost immediately, the Boy Scouts organization was inundated with protests from former Scouts, parents and others angered by the presidents partisan words. Facebook

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Trumps words kind of hurtful, Sessions says, but he has no plans to resign By Joseph Tanfani President Trumps scathing criticisms have been kind of hurtful, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions said Thursday, even as he again signaled that he wants to stay on the job. He wants all of us to do our job, and thats what I intend to do, Sessions said in an interview with Tucker Carlson of Fox News. Separately, Sessions told the Associated Press that it hasnt been my best week  for my relationship with the president. He made the comment in El Salvador, during a visit to highlight joint efforts to take on the MS-13 gang. The attorney general said he hadnt met with Trump but looked forward to talking to him about it. If he wants to make a change, he has every right, Sessions said. I serve at the pleasure of the president. Ive understood that from the day I took the job. But, he said, I believe with great confidence that I understand what is needed in the Department of Justice and what President Trump wants. I share his agenda. The comments were the first this week on the subject from Sessions, who has been subjected to harshly critical tweets from Trump for three days. The president has called him weak and said he wasnt aggressive enough in going after leakers. Last week, after Trump criticized Sessions in a New York Times interview, Sessions told reporters he planned to stay on as long as it was appropriate. Sessions has seemed to redouble his attempts this week to win back the presidents favor. He announced another crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities that dont cooperate with immigration enforcement and on Friday traveled to El Salvador to highlight arrests of MS-13 gang members, both favorite topics of the president. The Justice Department also plans to address leaks next week. Sessions said his department was stepping up leak investigations. Some people need to go to jail, he said. The president has every right to ask the DOJ to be more aggressive on that, and we intend to. On Wednesday evening, after Anthony Scaramucci , Trumps incoming communications director, falsely claimed in a tweet that hed been the victim of a leak, Sessions chief spokeswoman released a statement agreeing that leaks are undermining the government and promising to aggressively pursue leak cases wherever they may lead. Trump has made it clear that he is most angry with Sessions for recusing himself from supervising the ongoing investigation into his administrations ties with Russia. But Sessions defended that decision. I understand his feeling about it because this has been a big distraction for him, he said on Fox. Im confident I made the right decision, the decision thats consistent with the rule of law, and an attorney general who doesnt follow the law is not very effective at leading the Department of Justice, he said. In the interview, Sessions reached back to Trumps campaign slogan to praise the president as a strong leader. He is determined to move this country in the direction that he believes it needs to go to make it great again, he said. Sessions has received considerable support in recent days from conservative Republicans, including many of his former Senate colleagues. On Thursday, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) went to the Senate floor to discourage Trump from moving against Sessions, saying that the Senate would not allow the president to make a recess appointment that would bypass the normal confirmation process. A recess appointment would allow Trump to appoint a person who could serve without confirmation until the start of 2019. Such appointments can only be made if the Senate formally takes a break, which senators of both parties have said they will avoid in order to prevent Trump from avoiding confirmations. If youre thinking of making a recess appointment to push out the attorney general, forget about it, Sasse said. The presidency isnt a bull, and this country isnt a china shop. 1:55 p.m.: This post was updated with additional remarks by Sessions and remarks by Sen. Ben Sasse. 5:50: This post was updated with additional quotes from Sessions interview. Facebook

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For Trump White House, cable television becomes the venue for intramural sniping By Noah Bierman President Trump and his aides love to complain about leaks from within the White House. But on Thursday, the infighting was out in the open. The incoming communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, in a morning phone call broadcast on CNN, compared the West Wing to a fish that stinks from the head down, implying that White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is responsible for at least some of the leaks. Later, Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to come to Priebuss defense and say whether Trump has full confidence in his chief of staff. Another Trump advisor, Kellyanne Conway, used a prison analogy for the broader backstabbing among aides, telling Fox News that her West Wing colleagues were using the press to shiv each other. While the knifings might suggest a new level of chaos in a White House known for it, the style is all Trump. As a businessman, he has a history of fostering rivalries among his employees. He always did sort of like competition, backstabbing, infighting kind of stuff, said Barbara Res, who spent nearly two decades as a top executive in Trumps real estate business. He set people up to do that. Trump led the charge this week, using his Twitter account and an interview with the Wall Street Journal to ridicule his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, one of Trumps first and most prominent campaign supporters. By Thursday, both Priebus and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson were seeing their fates publicly debated, less than a week after Sean Spicer was forced out as press secretary after months of speculation and presidential slights. The Priebus intrigue was amplified by Scaramucci on Twitter and in the CNN interview. He blamed Priebus for leaking Scaramuccis personal financial disclosure forms -- which are publicly available -- and suggested that Trump encouraged Scaramuccis offensive in a phone conversation the two men had just before the aide dialed into CNN. When Sanders was asked about the Scaramucci-Priebus dustup, she said that the president likes healthy competition on his staff. The president likes that kind of competition and encourages it, Sanders said. The result is a White House that increasingly suggests the presidents former way of life. As the star of a reality TV show, he fomented internal competition and firings among apprentices; their cable television appearances, meanwhile, recall the confessionals familiar to reality show fans, in which characters confide directly to the camera their anger or enmity toward others on the show. The primary attribute for a successful tenure in the Trump White House is masochism, tweeted Rick Wilson, a longtime Republican operative and Trump critic. The repeated evidence of dysfunction and the high level of insecurity among Trumps core aides help explain the White Houses inability to focus on its agenda. Trumps critics voiced suspicions on Twitter that the public staff blow-up was a deliberate distraction from the struggle in Congress to pass a healthcare bill, as well as from the ongoing investigations into potential collusion between his presidential campaign and Russia and the backlash to Trumps surprise Twitter announcement on Wednesday that transgender people will be barred from military service. But those issues also were being heavily covered on cable news. The stories that were overshadowed were those Trump was trying to promote: a deal his administration helped strike with Foxconn to build a production facility in Wisconsin, possibly creating thousands of new jobs, and nascent efforts to craft a tax overhaul plan. Facebook

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Democrats criticize financial industry backgrounds of two Trump bank regulator nominees By Jim Puzzanghera Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Senate Democrats on Thursday criticized the financial industry backgrounds of President Trumps nominees for two key banking regulatory positions, arguing they would not protect the interests of average Americans. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and others sharply questioned Joseph Otting, the former chief executive of Pasadenas OneWest Bank, and investment fund manager Randal Quarles during a confirmation hearing by the Senate Banking Committee. Trump nominated Otting to be the comptroller of the currency, a powerful regulator of national banks. Quarles has been tapped to be the Federal Reserves vice chairman for supervision, who is in charge of the Feds oversight of the nations largest bank holding companies and other regulatory efforts. The two are expected to be friendlier to the banking industry than recent Democratic appointees. Read More Facebook

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Senator warns Trump there will be holy hell to pay if he fires Sessions By Joseph Tanfani A prominent Republican Senator issued a blunt warning to President Trump not to interfere with the Russia investigation, saying any effort to get rid of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III could be the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters Thursday that there will be holy hell to pay if Trump fires Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, a favorite of conservatives who represented Alabama in the Senate for 20 years. Grahams warning was the sternest yet from Senate Republicans to Trump about the potential consequences of firing either Sessions or Mueller. The chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa), issued his own warning in a tweet Wednesday night, saying his committee would not take up a nomination of a replacement attorney general this year, which is required before the Senate can vote to confirm. Everybody in D.C. Shld b warned that the agenda for the judiciary Comm is set for rest of 2017. Judges first subcabinet 2nd / AG no way  ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) July 27, 2017 Starting with an interview in the New York Times last week and continuing with a three-day barrage of critical tweets, Trump has raged at Sessions for his decision to recuse himself from supervising the investigation into the Russian attempts to influence the election, and into whether anybody involved in Trumps campaign participated in the scheme. Trump also has bitterly complained about Mueller, whom he has accused of leading a witch hunt, and Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod J. Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller and who is now supervising the probe. Justice Department regulations say that only the attorney general, or in this case Rosenstein acting in his place, can fire the special counsel. If Sessions were gone, Trump could try to appoint a replacement willing to carry out the firing. Graham said he will introduce a bill next week that would require court review if anyone tried to fire a special counsel who was investigating the president. I think Ill get all the Democrats and I hope to get a good number of Republicans, he said, adding that the enacting such a law is not just for Trump but for any future president. We need a check and balance here. Graham said Trumps campaign to marginalize and humiliate the attorney general is not going over well in the Senate or among conservatives. He also said Trump, who has called on Sessions to investigate his former rival Hillary Clinton, has gone way beyond what is acceptable in a rule of law nation. This is not draining the swamp, he said. What hes interjecting is turning democracy upside down..taking 200-year-old concepts that were a nation of laws and not men and trying to turn it upside down. Sen. Graham: "Any effort to go after Mueller could be the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency." https://t.co/6Pd60LrGRU pic.twitter.com/EXBOwBC35C  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 27, 2017 Facebook

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Watch live: White House news briefing with Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders Facebook

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Trump administration threatens to retaliate against Alaska for GOP senators Obamacare repeal vote, news site reports By Noam N. Levey The Trump administration threatened to block federal aid to Alaska in an effort to bully one of the Republican senators opposed to the current Senate GOP push to roll back the Affordable Care Act, according to a report by the Alaska Dispatch News. The news site reports that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Wednesday called Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan with a warning that Murkowskis vote had put Alaskas future with the administration in jeopardy. According to the report: Sullivan said the call from Zinke heralded a troubling message. Im not going to go into the details, but I fear that the strong economic growth, pro-energy, pro-mining, pro-jobs and personnel from Alaska who are part of those policies are going to stop, Sullivan said. I tried to push back on behalf of all Alaskans.  Were facing some difficult times and theres a lot of enthusiasm for the policies that Secretary Zinke and the president have been talking about with regard to our economy. But the message was pretty clear, Sullivan said. The threat followed disparaging comments made by the president about Murkowski, including a Twitter attack Wednesday morning Senator @lisamurkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday. Too bad! Trump wrote. Murkowski dismissed the presidents attacks in an interview with MSNBC. Were here to govern. Were here to legislate, she said. Were here to represent the people who sent us here. And so every day shouldnt be about campaigning. Every day shouldnt be about winning elections. How about just doing a little bit of governing around here? Thats what Im here for. Murkowski and Maine Sen. Susan Collins were the only Republicans who voted against a procedural motion Tuesday to begin debating legislation rolling back the 2010 healthcare law, often called Obamacare. Sullivan, also a Republican, voted in favor of advancing the bill. Murkowski has urged a more open process to develop the legislation, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) has put together behind closed doors without committee hearings or input from Democrats. A spokeswoman for Zinke did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Facebook

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Iran angered by report that Trump wants additional nuclear inspections By Shashank Bengali Iran responded angrily Thursday to reports that the Trump administration would push for inspections of military facilities to ensure Tehran is complying with the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran will not succumb to further pressure, Hamid Reza Taraghi, a hard-line analyst who is close to Irans leadership, told The Times. Taraghi did not say whether Iran would refuse inspectors access to military facilities but insisted the Islamic Republic was complying with the agreement, which required Iran to shelve its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. President Trump has said he wants to tear up the deal and doesnt believe Iran is complying, although his administration certified it was in a report to Congress this month. The Associated Press reported Thursday that Trump was pushing for inspections of suspicious Iranian military sites, either to prove that Iran was violating the deal or force it to refuse, which could cause the agreement to collapse. Iranian officials have argued in the past that inspections of military sites would be off-limits. But under the agreement it signed with the United States and five other world powers, Iran agreed to the so-called Additional Protocol, which allows U.N. inspectors limited access to any site where illicit nuclear activity is suspected. Taraghi, a former lawmaker, said the Additional Protocol allowed for snap inspections and that international inspectors had installed closed-circuit cameras in all nuclear-related facilities. They have access to everything going on here on the ground, Taraghi said. What else do they want to know? It was not immediately clear what military sites the Trump administration was seeking to have inspected, or whether it had evidence that Iran was breaching the terms of the deal. U.N. inspectors monitoring Irans compliance had not requested access to military facilities as of July 25, according to a paper published Thursday by Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Washington. If US has good evidence of #Iran violations, then an inspection request is warranted, Fitzpatrick tweeted. A request designed to trap Iran into saying no isnt. Facebook

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Top U.S. general says Pentagon will not change policy on transgender troops until White House acts By W.J. Hennigan The nations senior military officer said Thursday that there will be no modifications to Pentagon policies for now despite President Trump social media posts declaring a ban on transgender troops in uniform. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote in a memo to commanders and senior enlisted leaders of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines that the military will continue to treat all of our personnel with respect. Dunford said Pentagon policy on transgender troops would not change until the White House has issued Trumps directive to Secretary of Defense James Mattis through formal channels  not on Twitter  and the secretarys office issues guidance on implementation to the service chiefs. Its unclear when that might happen. The unusual memo appeared intended to calm widespread confusion and concern at the Pentagon, which was blindsided when Trump wrote Wednesday that Pentagon would not accept or allow transgender troops to serve in any capacity. The presidents posts appeared to reverse a year-old Pentagon policy that allowed transgender soldiers to openly serve for the first time, and to seek sex reassignment surgery, hormone therapy and other treatments at military hospitals. Trumps surprise announcement not only marked a retreat for the Pentagon push to bar gender-based discrimination. It also was an about-face for Trump, who had repeatedly vowed his support for the LGBT community during the campaign last year. The posts raised questions about the fate of thousands of transgender service members, including some deployed overseas, and whether they would be kicked out of the military under Trumps directive. Dunfords memo appeared to address those fears, at least for the short term. There will be no modifications to the current policy until the Presidents direction has been received by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary has issued implementation guidance, he wrote. In the meantime, we will continue to treat all of our personnel with respect, he added. As importantly, given the current fight and the challenges we face, we will all remain focused on accomplishing our assigned missions. In his tweets, Trump said he had decided to bar transgender troops because the military cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Experts said neither justification was accurate or fair since the expected medical costs were negligible and transgender troops have been openly serving for the past year without disruption. The sweeping declaration drew rebuke from war veterans and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy groups, who vowed to challenge Trump in federal court if self-identified transgender service members are forced out of the military. VoteVets, a liberal military veterans advocacy group, said Thursday it had collected more than 20,000 signatures from veterans, military families and other supporters to oppose the ban. Facebook

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Analysis: Trumps war against elites and expertise By Cathleen Decker (Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images) When President Trump campaigned this spring at the Hermitage, the home of Andrew Jackson, one part of his predecessors approach got a special endorsement. It was during the Revolution that Jackson first confronted and defied an arrogant elite. Does that sound familiar? Trump asked to laughs from his audience. When Trump ally and National Rifle Assn. President Wayne LaPierre teed off six weeks later on Americas greatest domestic threats, he cited not homegrown terrorists but what he termed the three most dangerous voices in America: academic elites, political elites, and media elites. The rhetoric against elites came from two men who would seem to be card-carrying members of the club: LaPierre made more than $5 million in 2015, the most recent year for which his compensation was publicly released. Trump lived before his inauguration in a gold-plated home in the sky above New Yorks Fifth Avenue, a billionaires luxurious domain. Yet for Trump and his allies, a war on elites has been central to the campaign which put him in the presidency and has maintained the loyalty of his core voters. Trump has taken particular aim at entities that could counter his power, which has helped stoke the ardor of his political backers. Read More Facebook

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Top Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway says colleagues using the press to shiv each other By Noah Bierman White House staffers continued their angry campaign against leaks -- and each other -- as top advisor Kellyanne Conway used vivid language in a Fox interview Thursday to denounce colleagues who are using the press to shiv each other in the ribs. The comments came shortly after Anthony Scaramucci, the new White House communications director, delivered his own attack on leakers -- all but blaming Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff -- in an interview on CNN. If the Trump White House at times resembles a reality show, cable television has become the confessional booth where the players vent their anger at each other. That dynamic was on vivid display Thursday morning. Kellyanne Conway: "Now, there are leaks, and then there are people using the press to shiv each other in the ribs. Thats different." (Fox)  David Wright (@DavidWright_CNN) July 27, 2017 Conway largely backed Scaramucci without explicitly taking sides in his public war against Priebus, whom he publicly suggested leaked Scaramuccis financial disclosure forms to the press. The forms are public and available through a request. We just have to cut down on people thinking its cute and its popular and it somehow enhances their resume and their portfolio for later on to curry favor with folks who are more interested in covering the style and not the substance here, Conway said of those who leak to he press. Asked specifically whether she agrees with Scaramucci that Priebus leaked the financial forms, Conway passed on the opportunity to defend Priebus. Leakers are easier to figure out than many think, she said, perhaps ominously given Scaramuccis threats to fire suspects. This West Wing is a very small place. Facebook

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Warfare in the West Wing breaks into the open as Scaramucci takes aim at Priebus By Brian Bennett A knife fight for control of the West Wing broke into the open Thursday morning as President Trumps new communications director Anthony Scaramucci lashed out at White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus in a televised interview, accusing Priebus of leaking and standing in the way of Trumps agenda. The fish stinks from the head down, I can tell you two fish that dont stink, OK, and thats me and the president, Scaramucci said, calling in to CNNs morning show New Day. I dont like the activity thats going in the White House, he said. Scaramucci, who had said the day he was named to the White House job that he and Priebus were like brothers, drastically amended that in the interview, comparing the two of them to the brothers who, in the Bible, were the characters in the first murder. Some brothers are like Cain and Abel, other brothers can fight with each other and get along. I dont know if this is reparable or not  that will be up to the president, he said. Scaramucci on his relationship with Reince: "Some brothers are like Cain and Abel." Uh, Cain killed Abel. https://t.co/UQ8F9HiXLx  Dan Merica (@merica) July 27, 2017 President Trump has a track record of encouraging rivalries among people who work for him. Scaramucci said he had spoken with Trump for 15 minutes to go over what he was going to say before he called CNN, implying his warning to Priebus carried Trumps backing. Trump, Scaramucci said, has given me his full support and his full blessing. When Scaramucci was hired, Trump told him he would report directly to the president, bypassing the chief of staff, and setting up the clash that played out Thursday on national television. If you want to talk about the chief of staff, we have had odds, we have had differences. When I said we were brothers from the podium, thats because were rough on each other, Scaramucci said. The tension between Scaramucci and Priebus flared after Politico published a story Wednesday about Scaramuccis publicly available financial disclosure form showing he still stands to profit from his stake in an investment firm he founded. The disclosure form was available to the public because Scaramucci had been nominated earlier this year for a job at the Export-Import Bank of the U.S., and the forms become public 30 days after they are filed. But Scaramucci, in a tweet Wednesday night, seemed to imply Priebus had leaked the form to make him look bad, or knew who did, and called for an FBI investigation. He later deleted the tweet, apparently after being informed that the form was not leaked. Over the last five days, Scaramucci said to CNN, he has done a major amount of work interviewing assistants to the president and communications staff. He also had dinner with Trump on Wednesday night in addition to his phone conversation with the president Thursday morning. The two of them want everyone to know we have a very, very good idea of who the leakers are, who the senior leakers are, in the White House, he said. Scaramucci took aim specifically at Priebus for leaking details about internal White House discussions and maneuvers. If Reince wants to explain that hes not a leaker, let him do that, Scaramucci said. Scaramucci appears to be giving voice to Trumps frustration with people in the White House the president believes are slowing down policy efforts, even though Trump has shown a pattern of repeatedly stepping on his own efforts on healthcare, job creation and other initiatives with unplanned tweets on topics such as Russia, transgender troops and unfounded allegations of voter fraud. There are people inside this administration who think its their job to save America from this president, Scaramucci said. Its not their jobs ... to rein him in or do things to him that slow down his agenda. People in the Washington are back-stabbers, Scaramucci said. Im more of a front-stabbing person. Facebook

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Scaramucci tweets, then deletes, confusing statement that referred to information in Politico report as a leak By Colleen Shalby In a now deleted tweet, incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci sent out a confusing statement Wednesday night, addressing information reported earlier by Politico as a leak. The article reported on Scaramuccis financial disclosures. According to Politico, those details had been filed with the Office of Government Ethics, so its unclear what  if anything  was leaked information. Scaramuccis tweet further confused as it ended with White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus Twitter handle. Just before those characters, he noted that he intended to contact the FBI and the Justice Department. Some speculated that Scaramucci was implying that Priebus was behind the leak. But in a new tweet roughly two hours after the original, he tweeted what appeared to be a clarification, correcting a headline of news site Axios. Wrong! Tweet was public notice to leakers that all Sr Adm officials are helping to end illegal leaks, he tweeted, ending it  once again  with Priebus handle. Wrong! Tweet was public notice to leakers that all Sr Adm officials are helping to end illegal leaks. @Reince45 pic.twitter.com/AB0reseuX1  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 27, 2017 Five days ago, Scaramucci, responding to a question about reported tensions between him and the chief of staff, said he and Priebus are a little bit like brothers, where we rough each other up a little, which is totally normal for brothers. 10:15 p.m. PT: This post was originally published at 8:52 p.m. It was updated with information from Scaramuccis new tweet. Facebook

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Senate Judiciary chair fires off warning to Trump about Sessions By David Lauter Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, fired off an unmistakable warning to President Trump on Wednesday evening: Dont even think about trying to get a new attorney general confirmed this year. Trump has been publicly tormenting Jeff Sessions, appearing to want to push the attorney general into stepping down from his job. But in a tweet, Grassley made it clear that if Trump pushed Sessions out, he would have to live with an acting attorney general for a long time. Everybody in D.C. Shld b warned that the agenda for the judiciary Comm is set for rest of 2017. Judges first subcabinet 2nd / AG no way  ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) July 27, 2017 Any nominee for attorney general would have to pass through the Judiciary Committee before getting a confirmation vote, so Grassleys no way would be a formidable barrier. Grassley has been an administration loyalist on nearly all issues so far, but as a veteran senator, he has a strong independent streak and, as previous administrations have found, he can be implacable if angered. His message comes as conservative allies rally support for Sessions. Several other Republican senators have spoken out in favor of the attorney general, a former colleague who was well liked during his years as senator from Alabama. Senate Democrats already have said they would use procedural motions to prevent the Senate from formally going on a recess this summer, blocking Trump from making a recess appointment that would bypass the Senate. Republicans used similar maneuvers to block recess appointments by President Obama. If Sessions were to step down and not be replaced, Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein would become acting attorney general. Trump has been critical of Rosenstein as well as Sessions, so that option presumably would not appeal to him. Facebook

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Under fire from Trump, Sessions should stay focused on his job, White House says By Joseph Tanfani (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) In spite of a daily barrage of Twitter attacks from President Trump, the White House press secretary said Wednesday that Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions should stay focused on performing his duties as the nations top law enforcement officer. You can be disappointed in someone and still want someone to continue to do their job, Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday, hours after Trump criticized Sessions for the third straight day  this time for not replacing acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. Sessions was one of Trumps earliest and most loyal supporters, but the relationship has turned icy as Trump continues to seethe about Sessions decision to step aside from supervising the investigation into alleged Russian interference with last years election. Sessions was at the White House for meetings Wednesday, the second time this week hes visited the West Wing, but once again did not see Trump, Sanders said. Sanders did not clear up the main question surrounding Trumps strategy of publicly battering the attorney general: If the president is so unhappy, why doesnt he simply fire Sessions? Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Wednesday that Trumps apparent attempt to humiliate Sessions into quitting was a sign of weakness. To me, weakness is when you play around the edges, and you dont use the power you have, Graham said in an interview on CNN. Sanders said that Trump wants Sessions to continue to lead the Department of Justice. He wants him to focus on things like immigration, leaks and a number of other issues, she said. One of Trumps public complaints has been that Sessions hasnt been aggressive enough in pursuing leakers of classified information. In fact, the Justice Department is expected to announce next week some leak prosecutions. On Tuesday, Sessions also announced new measures to cut off some federal funds to so-called sanctuary cities that dont cooperate with immigration enforcement, another favorite issue for the president. But Sanders added that, at this point, a leak investigation would not salvage Sessions standing with Trump. I dont think thats the nature of the relationship, she said. In two tweets Wednesday morning, Trump criticized Sessions for not replacing McCabe, whose wife ran for office as a Democrat in Virginia in 2015. He suggested that McCabe had a conflict of interest in his duties as deputy director of the FBI during the investigation of Hillary Clintons handling of classified emails as secretary of State, although McCabe did not move into that job until months after his wifes campaign was over. McCabe took over the bureau as acting director when Trump fired James B. Comey in May. Sanders also declined to answer a question on why Trump did not fire McCabe himself, saying only that Trump looked forward to seeing his nominee as FBI director, Christopher Wray, be confirmed by the Senate soon. Facebook

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Trump, on Twitter, announced a ban on transgender service members. Now the military has to figure out what he means By Brian Bennett (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump surprised even the Pentagon on Wednesday morning by his unexpected announcement, via Twitter, of a ban on transgender service members. The military has not had a chance to decide how to put such a ban into effect, acknowledged Trumps top spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as she fielded numerous questions on the topic later from White House reporters. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who was on vacation, wasnt informed until Tuesday that Trump had decided to bar transgender service members from serving in any way. Sometimes you have to make a decision and once he made a decision, he didnt feel it was necessary to hold that decision, Sanders said. The president concluded, based on consultations with his national security team, that allowing transgender individuals to serve erodes military readiness and unit cohesion, she said. White House and Pentagon officials had been discussing details of medical coverage for transgender service members on active duty. But Trump went far beyond that with his series of tweets that the military will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the military. It will be up to the Defense Department to determine the specifics of the policy, including whether active-duty transgender service members will be kicked out of the military, Sanders said. Estimates of the number of current service members who are transgender range from 1,300 to about 16,000. The implementation policy is going to be something that the White House and Department of Defense will have to work together to lawfully determine, Sanders said. I would imagine the Department of Defense will be the lead on that, she added. Trumps tweets overshadowed other announcements he had planned to make Wednesday about adding manufacturing jobs to the economy and donating $100,000 of his second-quarter paycheck to the Department of Education to support science and math education. The president has expressed concerns since this Obama policy came into effect, Sanders said. She added that the president considered allowing transgender people in the ranks is a very expensive and disruptive policy. At one point, an exasp
C Dobbs, a high-end fashion boutique, will host a public grand-opening celebration Saturday for its new location at 2823 E. Coast Hwy. in Corona del Mar, the former site of the Francis Orr stationery store.

The event, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., will include refreshments, live music and giveaways.

C Dobbs, formerly known as Carol Rachelle, moved from its former space at East Coast Highway and Goldenrod Avenue.

The store, named after its owner, Carol Dobbs, will offer womens clothing from Italy, France, Denmark and the United States, plus a mens clothing line set to launch at the grand opening. It also will display works by local artists and is working to stock popular items from the stationary store, whose owner, Francis Orr, retired recently after 50 years in business.

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Job fair for military members, veterans set in Newport

The Open Hearts for Purple Hearts Foundation and VerdeWatts LLC will present a job fair for current military members, veterans, reservists and their spouses from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Newport Beach Civic Center.

Refreshments will be provided, and admission and parking are free.

Employers attending the job fair will include Toshiba, Apria Healthcare, the city of Newport Beach, Hoag Hospital, the Irvine Co., JPMorgan Chase, Microsemi, Time Warner Cable and the Newport Beach and Santa Ana police departments.

For more company information, open positions and registration details, visit openheartsforpurplehearts.org/register-veterans-job-fair.

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Local tech company honored at innovation awards

Syspro, a developer of business software that has its U.S. office in Costa Mesa, was named Private Outstanding Technology Company at the Orange County Tech Alliances High-Tech Innovation Awards at a gala Oct. 8 in Costa Mesa.

Syspro embraces technology in everything we do, Joey Benadretti, president of Syspro USA, said in accepting the award. We are about creating a culture of innovation, one that motivates our people to think and make the impossible possible. Innovation itself has to have a purpose, and Syspros mission is to give its customers the ability to be more competitive in a vastly changing market.

Syspros enterprise resource planning software is designed to help manufacturers and distributors increase profits by enhancing operating efficiency, controlling inventories and achieving sustainability goals.

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Costa Mesa firm acquires GE heat-capture assets

Probe Manufacturing Inc. of Costa Mesa announced that it has completed the purchase of the assets of General Electrics Heat Recovery Solutions business at GEs facility in Costa Mesa.

The Heat Recovery Solutions system captures waste heat from a variety of sources and turns it into electricity that users can use or sell to the grid.

This acquisition meets several of our long- and short-term strategic objectives and is designed to reinforce our strategy of utilizing our engineering and manufacturing expertise to develop and acquire energy-efficiency and other clean technologies, Kam Mahdi, chief executive of PMI, said in a statement.

The company also announced that it is changing its name to Clean Energy Technologies Inc.

From staff reports
A disciplinary board for the Episcopal Church has upheld a lower panels order blocking the bishop of the Los Angeles diocese from completing a planned sale of the St. James the Great church property in Newport Beach.

The Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno appealed to the Disciplinary Board for Bishops after an ecclesiastical hearing panel warned him in June not to sell the property before that panel reaches a decision on misconduct allegations related to a separate attempt to sell the church site in 2015.

The Most Rev. Michael Curry, the top bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, issued a similar sale-blocking order late last month.

The hearing panel, acting on a tip from a congregation member, issued its restriction not knowing whether Bruno had in fact entered a new sale contract. However, an attorney for Bruno eventually confirmed that he contracted with Newport Beach-based developer Burnham-Ward Properties in May. The price and plans for the property were not disclosed.

By contracting to sell the St. James property while the conflicts involving that property were still under review and consideration by the hearing panel, (Bruno) disrupted and interfered with the integrity of the process of the (disciplinary) proceeding, the Rt. Rev. Catherine Waynick, president of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops, wrote in a decision issued Friday. (Brunos) actions undermined what the canons intend to be a process of reconciliation.

A call to the Los Angeles diocese seeking comment was not immediately returned Monday.

The 2015 sale attempt was the focal point of a three-day hearing in March to determine whether Bruno acted deceptively and unbecoming of a clergyman when he tried to sell the property. Opponents of the effort also argued that he didnt have permission of the diocesan government to sell. The hearing panel has yet to issue a decision on those allegations.

Bruno changed the locks on the church after committing to selling the site for $15 million to Legacy Partners, a developer that wanted to raze the church to build luxury townhomes. The congregation filed an ecclesiastical complaint not long after its eviction.

The sale fizzled after Legacys investment partner dropped out, but the church remains locked. Members now worship in a community room at Newport Beach City Hall.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD
Racing dachshunds took center stage Sunday at Old World Village in Huntington Beach during a celebration of German culture.

Hundreds of people gathered at the restaurant at 7561 Center Ave. to eat free traditional German food at the 40th German Heritage Day while listening to a German-American brass band, watching folk dancers and cheering on wiener dogs as they competed on a makeshift racetrack.
One hundred women dressed to impress came together for lunch at Balboa Bay Resort to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire.

They call themselves Angelitos de Oro and the group remains one of the longest-running and loyal confederation of civic-minded local citizens dedicated to the same cause for nearly half a century.

Since its founding in 1961, more than $6 million has been raised for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Equally as important  perhaps more so  are the number of young people whose lives have been transformed.

One impressive recent statistic offered that all of the young people assisted through Big Brothers Big Sisters programs have been accepted to colleges and universities, as well as other advanced programs including military service.

On hand to welcome dedicated Angelitos attending the luncheon was organization president Sherry Bilbeisi.

Last year, Angelitos raised and donated a record sum of $360,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Bilbeisi said, garnering applause. This year we will likely surpass that record.

Among the crowd were numerous long-time advocates, including past presidents of the organization.

Patricia Allen and Donna Divine, members of Angelitos for more than 40 years, were recognized for their unwavering dedication. Joining the legacy team were many 30-year volunteers, including Brenda Currie, Trish ODonnell, GiGi Spragins, Catherine Thyen and Lois Tingler.

An elegant ladies luncheon was underwritten by donors, including Balboa Bay Club matriarch Carole Pickup and daughter-in-law Natalie Pickup.

The ladies were joined by fellow donors Teri Elliott, Shanaz Langson and Alicia Mape. The luncheon was planned with style by co-chairs Sherry Fix and Karen Taylor.

One of the significant programs supported by the Angelitos is called the Bigs and Littles.

This is a match between a high school student and a grammar school student overseen by a supportive adult.

The one-on-one relationship between the older and younger youth has produced significant results. Two local high school students were honored by Angelitos with their 2017 Angelitos Award for their volunteer servicers in the Bigs and Littles programs. Sergio Hernandez and Daisy Zambrano shared their personal experiences with the crowd, accepting the honors.

The most important item on the luncheon agenda was the announcement of the upcoming major Angelitos fundraiser known as the Shopping Card Event at South Coast Plaza.

Natalie Pickup and Georgina Jacobson will chair the effort this fall taking place Oct. 4-10, with the big preview day and luncheon being held on Oct. 3.

More than 100 stores and restaurants are slated to participate in the program offering 20% savings on merchandise and dining to guests who have purchased the $60 card entitling them to savings.

Proceeds from the cost of the card go to Big Brothers Big Sisters. The annual card event will enter its 17th year of major Angelitos support in partnership with South Coast Plaza, celebrating its 50th year anniversary.

Bilbeisi proudly presented a check for $25,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO Melissa Beck as Angelitos Marilyn Wooten, Kathy Harrison, Kathie Buchanan, Mary Allen, Colleen Manchester, Patti Boortz, Maralou Harrington, Pallie Jones, Marrilee Harris, Anne Reese, Kathy Marconi and Nanette Mayo shared in the success.

Also front and center for the event were new members of Angelitos: Allison Eastman, Christy Gallagher, C.C. Knowles, Molly McCrey, Mary Beth Molnar, Lara Srinivasan, Caroline Ward and Cari Young.

Spectators enjoy the 10th annual Fathers Day Car Show at Balboa Bay Resort

Some folks called the show Pebble Beach Concours d Elegance South.

An exhibition of some 100 vehicular entries were lined up for show on Fathers Day on top of the garage at Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Beach.

The 10th annual event, organized by Balboa Bay Club, was open to the public featuring show cars provided by club members.

Balboa Bay Club director of events Aaron Trent turned the day-long event into a family carnival.

Food stations, live music, face-painting, balloon artists and more entertained the crowd.

Sponsorship for the show came from local businesses, including Fletcher Jones Motorcars, Ferrari Newport Beach, Crevier Classic Cars, Meguiars, Volvo OC and Wells Fargo The Private Bank, among others.

Following the event, Ferrari Newport Beach  led by Tim Rogers  welcomed sponsors, entrants and VIP guests into the Ferrari showroom for a sunset cocktail reception. Awards were presented to the winning entries from the car show, which were voted on by the general viewing public.

Winners included: Marc Nebenzahl with a 1966 Corvette, Nick Clemente for a 1956 Mercedes 300 SL, Gary Almas for a 1939 Ford Coupe, and Craig Lyons for a 2016 Porsche 918.

A special honor went to Andrew Dempsey for a 1961 Lincoln Continental handed down from grandfather to dad to him. Dempsey shared that showing the car was an emotional experience for his family, as his father had recently passed.

Also honored was a 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S, labeled Sexiest Car in the show from Lamborghini Newport Beach.

B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.
What the city has planned for Mariners Mile flies in the face of new research for pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. The revitalization effort encourages responsible development projects combining multiple lots.

This redevelopment of property would mean a big stimulus for the economy of Newport Beach, yet at the same time it would also discourage transportation policies and traffic engineering practices that promote increased traffic volumes and speeds. Increased volumes and speeds would discourage a family friendly destination and a village-like feel in the heart of our town.

It is engineering malpractice to try to convince property owners, local merchants and residents that when it comes to our road that the city assumes to know more than we do. Essentially, the city would be turning Coast Highway into a Stroad, part street, part road. A Stroad is unsafe, unattractive and bad for local economies.

A Stroad is a hybrid that could create a dangerous environment, mixing a high-speed highway with pedestrians, bicyclists and turning traffic. High-speed automobiles and pedestrians shouldnt be in the same place; the result is an expensive highway that moves cars too fast to support productive private sector enterprises. In turn, this could ultimately lead to a declining tax base. If we want to build places that are financially productive, we need to eliminate stroads.

California coastal towns are now adopting two sweeping initiatives to decrease traffic lanes and increase bike lanes in an attempt to reduce vehicle speeds and collisions. These plans call for reducing traffic deaths and improving transit and bike infrastructure across the city. The focus is building strong neighborhoods and social cohesion. Why not adopt this same model for Mariners Mile?

If the city continues to pursue the expansion of PCH along with the revitalization efforts of Mariners Mile, they are guilty of engaging in a process of groupthink gone wrong. Encouraging the best form of development for Mariners Mile needs to come from the highest level of leadership and filter all the way down the chain. Change needs to come from the elected officials, who are making safety their first priority before those of speed and travel time. Most importantly, any change should include the valuable and constant input of its residents.

When children cant ride their bikes to and from school, junior guards and summer camps because the traffic speed is too dangerous, the engineering profession is not acting responsibly. Its time to stand up and demand change.

Newport Beach resident PEGGY V. PALMER is a member of the Coalition to Protect Mariners Mile.
Re. Huntington homeless advocacy group facing eviction gets more time, (July 5): The irony of the city of Huntington Beach  a compassionate city  action to evict Beach Cities Interfaith Services (BCIS) does not go unnoticed. This would be funny if it werent so sad. Apparently the reason given for the eviction of BCIS is anecdotal evidence of an increase in crime in the nearby park.

So when BCIS picks up its tent and moves to another area of the city, doesnt that just move the anecdotal crime with it? How does this solve the problem of securing housing for those in need of it? What does this mean for the many other faith communities and nonprofits that do similar work to help the 9.4% of the citys residents who live below the poverty line? Please help me understand how this action by the city is a good thing.

Pat Goodman

Huntington Beach

Districts make sense for Coast

In order to empower more democratic representation, Coast Community College District Trustees ought to be elected based on a system of district-based voting. While these officials do represent defined districts, they are voted in on an at-large basis.

Given the fact that no local government that holds citywide elections has won a lawsuit based on the California Voting Rights Act, it only makes sense to switch to district-based voting.

Not only would voters be better represented, the specific needs of each of the five districts subdivisions would be made clearer and more likely to be addressed.

Ben Miles

Huntington Beach

Political ad takes wrong approach

Although I have signed the petition to recall Councilman Scott Peotter, I would not have done so for the reasons posited in the July 7 Daily Pilot paid advertisement, which is a discredit to its own cause.

An elected council member need not reflect other peoples values or refrain from supporting his own vision of city development. Peotters high crime was trying to prevent residents from exercising their right to sign the anti-Museum House petition by burdening them with mountains of paperwork.

I still hope the petition wins, but a little bit less so now.

Tom Moulson

Newport Beach

Do not vote for negative campaigners

There is a way to maintain accountability and integrity in local government. First, it is imperative that everyone exercises his/her right to vote. The other democratic processes available to citizens who want to express disfavor with elected officials is to utilize the initiative, referendum and recall processes.

These are very important democratic tools for citizens to use to make sure that government is responsive to their wishes and needs. Additionally, I vow in future elections to never vote for a candidate who sends negative hit pieces out on the opposition candidate. This not only demeans the election process but keeps good candidates from wanting to enter the political arena.

Lynn Lorenz

Newport Beach

Healthcare should put people over profits

I found the commentary by Rep. Adam Schiff from Burbank (Why we fight for universal health care, July 9) to be thoughtful, reasoned and objective. Devoid of the usual bombast of ideology and rhetoric from both the right and the left, it said what I think most Californians feel about healthcare. Any proposed policy must do three things. It should cover our healthcare needs. It should be affordable. And it should work for both patients and providers.

Above all, it should not put profits over people. This is as personal as programs get.

We should be electing politicians and officials who strive for solutions to our problems and work for the common good. This is not happening in Congress at the present time. It has become far too partisan. We in California have the opportunity to lead the way, and our representatives should be part of the solution and not part of the problem. We need more Adam Schiffs of both parties to soberly assess what works now and what is needed to build a healthcare framework for the future that meets the three criteria mentioned above.

I cant vote for Mr. Schiff here in Orange County. But I can hopefully vote for someone like him to bring reason and responsibility to Washington. D.C.

Tim Geddes

Huntington 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.
Ride enthusiasts beat a path each summer to ride the worlds best wooden coaster in one of the most unlikely of places: a small amusement park located halfway between New York City and Boston that bills itself as the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States.

I made my pilgrimage this summer to Lake Compounce in Bristol, Conn., to ride Boulder Dash, ranked the top wooden coaster by an industry trade publication for the last four years in a row.



For the record: An earlier version of this story stated that Great Coasters International replaced the lift hill and renovated the track on the Wildcat wooden coaster. Martin and Vleminckx Rides worked on the Wildcats lift hill and track. Great Coasters International supplied the new Millennium Flyer trains.

I rode Boulder Dash twice, once in the front and again in the back. I preferred the front where I could anticipate the seemingly endless stream of airtime hills that sent me bouncing out of my seat over and over again. The back was a rougher ride with more lateral movements. The train kept up a relentless pace that whipped riders around turns and over whoop-de-do humps.

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The $6-million coaster was built in 2000 by the now-defunct Custom Coasters International and outfitted with Philadelphia Toboggan trains. The 4,725-foot-long out-and-back terrain coaster traverses a hillside covered by trees and craggy boulders on the edge of the park.

Most of the coaster is hidden from view as I approach Boulder Dash. Leaving the station, the train climbs the hillside through a canopy of trees before reaching a clearing where the track makes a sweeping 90-degree right turn. A swooping 115-foot-tall first drop shatters the calm. We race 60 mph past the station on a 2-minute journey that never lets up. The outbound trip tackles a relentless sequence of double-up hills that generate repeated negative-G airtime moments. After a 180-degree turnaround, we navigate bunny-hop hills and even more off-your-seat double-ups as the train races along the lake. The ground-hugging track rarely reaches more than 10 feet above the hillside.

Its got to be the fastest coaster from start to finish, bragged Lake Compounce general manager Jerry Brick in a phone interview with The Times. It never slows down.

Over the years, coaster enthusiasts have showered Boulder Dash with praise. Coaster Critic calls the ride relentless and thrilling. Coaster Grotto deems it simply awesome. The most common refrain from Theme Park Critic user ratings: Amazing. The only thing that makes Boulder Dash better is riding it at night when the dips and turns seem to come out of nowhere in the pitch darkness.

Boulder Dash has won the Golden Ticket award for best wooden coaster the last four years (in addition to claiming the prize in 2004). The Golden Tickets, dubbed the Academy Awards of the amusement park industry, are presented annually by the Amusement Today trade publication.

Wooden coasters tend to hold on to the Amusement Today top ranking for several years in a row. Holiday World in Santa Claus, Ind., was home to the worlds best wooden coaster from 2000 to 2003 with Raven and from 2007 to 2011 with Voyage. Thunderhead at Tennessees Dollywood held the title in 2005 and 2006. El Toro at New Jerseys Six Flags Great America was No. 1 in 2012. Phoenix at Pennsylvanias tiny Knoebels amusement park has hovered in the Top 5 since 2000.

Those six rides  Boulder Dash, Raven, Voyage, Thunderhead, El Toro and Phoenix  have dominated the Amusement Today poll since 2000. The relatively low turnover rate is in part because of the dearth of wooden coasters built on an annual basis, six or fewer per year during that period. The last big year for wooden coaster construction was in 2000, when Boulder Dash debuted. Of the 17 wooden coasters built that year, 11 of the rides have since been retired, relocated or mothballed, according to Roller Coaster Database.

History dictates that coasters start high in the Amusement Today poll and drop each successive year as newer rides debut. Boulder Dash has bucked the trend, thanks in part to a $3-million retracking during the 2007, 2008 and 2009 off seasons. Another round of retracking last winter smoothed out a few rough patches, all in hopes of keeping coaster enthusiasts thrilled and coming back for more.

Our goal is to keep it No. 1, Brick said.

The only new wooden coaster capable of knocking Boulder Dash from the top spot is Dollywoods Lightning Rod, which experienced delays and downtime during its 2016 debut. As fate would have it, this years Golden Ticket awards will be held in September at Lake Compounce and nearby Quassy park in Middlebury, Conn.

Lake Compounce traces its roots to 1846 when the park attracted picnickers, swimmers and boaters to the lake. In 1890, a carousel was added and soon after more rides were introduced.

Lake Compounces other wooden coaster, the 1927 Wildcat, also got some much-needed attention during the off season. Crews from Martin and Vleminckx Rides replaced the lift hill and renovated four other spots along the track. Millennium Flyer trains from Great Coasters International were also added.

So is Boulder Dash really the best wooden coaster in the world? To me, its a worthy reigning champion and certainly capable of retaining the title after its recent rehab.

Still need more theme park news? Check out the Los Angeles Times Funland theme park blog on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Instagram.

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The young chimpanzee with thinning hair and sad eyes stood begging, holding out her plastic bottle while chained to a tree in a desolate urban park in central Angola.

She had been there about two years. Apparently, it had not occurred to anyone to set her free.

Local residents said a man known as Morais had bought her from an animal trader for what had been his mini-zoo in the Granja Por Do Sol park in the town of Huambo and called her Leila. But the zoo went broke, and the man hadnt been seen in the area for at least 18 months.

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No one could afford to feed or care for Leila, so she began begging.

Locals gave her leftovers, sometimes rice gone too sour to eat themselves. For a laugh, some even bought her beer to see her drunk.

When John Grobler passed through town in late April, Leila lay huddled, half-starved in a smudge of shade, with a dirty red rag as a collar and eyes as empty as the abandoned cages.

She had a nasty scar on her head and her incisors had been removed, yet she still trusted humans, her only source of food.

Grobler, a freelance journalist from Namibia, at first did not have time to get involved aside from buying her a meal. There were no fruit shops nearby, so he got her chicken, chips and a soda. She poured the sweet liquid down her throat with a kind of concentrated bliss.

You know, I fed her and then I sat there and petted her, Grobler said recently in a phone interview. There was a moment when she sat and looked me in the eye, long and still, and I could see below the misery there was something there, something familiar. I knew right then I was going to help that chimp, even if I had to steal her.

According to the Jane Goodall Institute, which runs havens in Africa for rescued chimpanzees, the chimpanzee population is being devastated by the bush meat trade, the wild pet trade, wire snares and the use of chimps as roadside attractions.

There were once millions of chimpanzees across 25 African countries, but the population has dropped to about 150,000 to 250,000, the World Wildlife Fund said. They have gone extinct in countries such as Togo, Benin, Gambia and Burkina Faso.

Advocates say governments have been slow to prosecute those caught trafficking in chimpanzees  which is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species  because of widespread corruption across the region. Chimpanzees can sell for $1,000 to $10,000.

Leila, who is 4, was a baby when she was taken from the Mayombe forest in Cabinda, a narrow strip of Angolan territory notorious for poaching, illegal logging and wildlife trafficking, according to government records.

By the time Grobler came across her, she was in no shape to survive on her own. Caring for her would not be easy.

I couldnt exactly take her to the B&B I was staying in, Grobler said.

He was passing through town before a weeklong assignment and decided he would rescue her on his way back through Huambo.

Before departing, he left about $50  much more than enough to feed Leila for a week  with a cafe owner who promised to care for her.

Grobler also began looking for a permanent home for Leila. After striking out several times, he found a place that could accommodate her, the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance in Chimfunshi, Zambia, about 800 miles away.

When Grobler returned from his assignment and went to see Leila, she danced and hooted with excitement. She clutched his two gifts  fat avocados  gobbling them down with appreciative grunts. The woman he paid to feed the chimp laughed and told him Leila preferred whiskey.

Grobler bought Leila a water bucket, which she pounced on with a joyful splash. She ignored bananas he brought but ate an unfamiliar new treat, pineapple. She picked up a piece of chicken he offered and washed it carefully in her bucket but rejected it.

Grobler showed her the photographs he had taken of her on his phone. She stared at the screen like a child, mimicking every human action she saw.

By then Leila and I were good friends, he said. Shed sit on her platform swaying and looking for me. The moment I arrived shed be up on her back legs doing a happy chimp dance.

He found out about Dalene Brisley Dreyer, who ran a small animal shelter in her backyard in the capital, Luanda. She agreed to take Leila. It would buy time to arrange her transfer to the sanctuary in Chimfunshi.

He needed permits from the local head of government veterinary services to move Leila to Luanda. Grobler went to the officials office time after time. Employees there told him the man would be back  sometime.

It took days to find an SUV to transport Leila after Grobler rejected three, one with no brakes, the second with no spare and the third which looked unreliable.

Grobler spent a day vainly searching the towns industrial streets for a container that could be converted to a cage for transport.

The project began to look fanciful. Even if he could track down the official and get the papers he needed, the cost of saving Leila was more than he could afford. The car was $620 and he knew that more expenses would crop up along the way.

Then luck turned his way. A crowd of people rallied on Facebook to raise money to move her. He stumbled across the container he needed one evening on the way to dinner. He found a workshop to convert it into a cage with chicken wire.

Then he ran into the veterinary official, who was out for dinner one night. Grobler cornered him, but he was adamant the papers would take at least two weeks.

Grobler pleaded. Then he pleaded some more. Two days later, the required documents were ready.

But the driver of the SUV had disappeared.

On the eve of his departure, Grobler had to find another SUV, get the cage finished and buy some sedatives for Leila for the journey.

He woke at dawn that Friday morning in early May to the smell of fresh bread and the putter of motorcycles, jangling his nerves. Too many things could go wrong. Mostly he worried about the many police roadblocks on the 13-hour drive, any one of which could make big trouble for him, even with the right transport documents.

At the park, he fed Leila two sedatives with honey.

But then a posse of about 20 park security guards arrived and warned Grobler he could not take Leila. Another man accosted him, wanting to be paid for the beer he had bought the chimpanzee. As Grobler argued with them and tried to phone local authorities, the chimp grew agitated.

One of the guards loosened Leilas chain, and the panicked chimp fled. Grobler gave chase, afraid she would dash into the nearby slum and might be stoned. He eventually found her cowering terrified under a bush.

She stuck out her arms to me and I picked her up.

At the park, the security guards backed down, having gotten a call from their boss, who had been contacted by local authorities.

Grobler coaxed the chimpanzee into the cage and set out on the long drive. He talked his way through the police roadblocks, at times covering the cage so that police wouldnt see the chimpanzee, arriving in Luanda late at night.

He spent three days settling Leila into her temporary safe house with Dreyer. Cautiously, he removed her chain, something he had been longing to do. But she immediately dashed over a fence and stole a neighbors pot of beans. With a busy road nearby, the chain had to go back on.

At the shelter, Leila gets plenty of attention and play. She washes clothes over and over in a tub of water, and mimics the shelter staff when they sweep the yard. She rolls on a big green ball and sits on the roof, looking out at the surrounding houses. She cuddles Dreyers dachshund, Worsie, picks him up and carries him around as if he were her own.

Sorting out the import, export, veterinary and transport permits for her transfer to Chimfunshi sanctuary is expected to take several months.

Its a work in progress, Grobler said after returning to Windhoek, Namibia, his hometown. Shes getting used to an environment where she doesnt have to fight for food all the time.

On his last day in Luanda, he had picked her up and scratched her on the back of her neck and hugged her for a long time.

It was hard. Id steeled myself against it. I didnt want to get emotionally involved, he said. But that damn ape, she loves me.

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT

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This year, an army of Twitter bots emerged in South Africa, firing off a barrage of tweets that carried the same basic message: White capitalists had replaced one form of apartheid with another and were conspiring to hold black people down through economic, rather than legal, means.

The basic premise  that black South Africans remain overwhelmingly disadvantaged economically  was undeniable. But the bot campaign went considerably further.

Hundreds of Twitter accounts  all retweeting the same messages in the same order at the same moment  carried out a sexual smear campaign against editors, journalists and business executives, many of them critics of the powerful Gupta family, which is closely aligned with President Jacob Zuma. The tweets included lewd images of a prominent black female news editor, Ferial Haffajee, and a wealthy white businessman, Johann Rupert.

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Targets of the campaign were accused of being agents of #WhiteMonopolyCapital or #WMC.

Last week, the source of the Twitter campaign was revealed, and the repercussions are still rocking South Africa.

For months, Bell Pottinger, a London-based public relations company with a reputation for patching up the images of controversial clients, had denied claims that it was behind the campaign and said it was the victim of a political smear campaign.

But on Thursday, one day after a British PR industry group announced that it was looking into the allegations, Bell Pottinger acknowledged that some of the allegations against it were true and that its campaign, which had whipped up the countrys racial tension, had been offensive and inappropriate.

It confessed work was being done which goes against the very core of our ethical policies. The company apologized, fired a partner and suspended another partner and two other employees.

The company, however, did not spell out in detail how it may have controlled the Twitter bots and the crude images circulated on Twitter, nor did it respond to a Times request to clarify its role.

The campaign was widely seen as intended to deflect criticisms from Zuma and the Gupta family, which has been accused of using corrupt influence to get favorable government deals. The family denies any wrongdoing.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with South African President Jacob Zuma at the Group of 20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on Saturday. (John MacDougall / AFP/Getty Images)

A Gupta-owned company, Oakbay, had hired a Bell Pottinger partner, Victoria Geoghegan, to plan the spin campaign. Implicit was the unlikely notion that the wealthy family, which migrated from India in the 1990s, somehow represented the struggle of black businesses trying to overcome white, apartheid-era capitalists.

The campaign blew up when the South African opposition, the Democratic Alliance, accused the PR firm of sowing racial divisions and complained to the British PR industry group, the Public Relations and Communications Assn., which is investigating the complaint.

The company faced a massive backlash and recently switched its Twitter account to private to stop furious South Africans from posting criticisms and attacks.

Bell Pottinger severed ties with Oakbay in April, saying that attacks on it prevented it from representing the company properly, and soon afterward it hired a law firm to review the work done for the Gupta company.

The law firm presented Bell Pottingers management with evidence which dismayed us, a statement from Chief Executive James Henderson said. Although some allegations against the company were not true, he said, enough of it is to be of deep concern. There has been a social media campaign that highlights the issue of economic emancipation in a way that we, having now seen it, consider to be inappropriate and offensive.

Bell Pottingers role emerged after about 200,000 Gupta company emails were leaked to local media. In a country with lingering racial tension, a divided government and deep economic rifts, Bell Pottinger wanted to create a political narrative designed to rally the masses around the Guptas and Zuma.

The Gupta family is controversial because of accusations that it has enriched itself through a massive web of patronage and corruption in South African government agencies. A report by a government ombudsman last year found the Guptas had in effect captured the state, influencing government appointments and offering bribes to officials.

According to leaked emails, Geoghegan met with Zumas son, Duduzane, a close Gupta business associate, in January 2016 after outlining a five-month, $647,000 campaign via email. The plan included using an activist group to tweet and agitate about economic apartheid.

Bell Pottinger would generate material to illustrate the apartheid that still exists, she wrote, referring to the system of legally mandated segregation and repression of blacks before 1994.

The main organization that emerged at the center of the campaign was a radical Marxist group named Black First Land First, formed in 2015, which has repeatedly defended the Gupta family and Zuma.

The emails published in local media contain no evidence the organization was paid, but its campaign gained force, including recent protests outside the houses of journalists who have written critically about the Guptas, and an alleged assault on a white editor. On Thursday, members of Black First Land First threw stones at a bank, ABSA, during a protest, injuring a customer.

A court last week ordered Black First Land First not to intimidate or threaten 11 journalists or ABSA customers.

On Twitter, many South Africans expressed skepticism and disgust about the #WhiteMinorityCapital campaign.

This will hopefully clarify the genesis of the #WhiteMonopolyCapital campaign and enable us to reclaim our nation's constitutional vision https://t.co/jI0hwcauYg  Prof Thuli Madonsela (@ThuliMadonsela3) July 6, 2017

To #BellPottinger: "Sorry" not good enough. Damage is done to SA. You clearly did your homework. Now its #accountability time! #Ukufihla  OUTA (@OUTASA) July 6, 2017

On Friday, the Democratic Alliance, or DA, called on Bell Pottinger to disclose all its dealings with the Gupta family and Zuma.

Until then, their apology is nothing but a PR stunt brought on by the public pressure applied by the DA and the South African public, the party said in a statement.

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT

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President Trump called for expanded cooperation with Russia on Sunday, as a cease-fire brokered by the two powers and Jordan for southern Syria came into effect.

The cease-fire covering three war-torn provinces in southern Syria is the first tangible outcome following months of strategy and diplomacy between the new Trump administration and Russian President Vladimir Putins Moscow.

Trump tweeted that the cease-fire, which came into effect at noon Sunday, will save lives.

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Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia! he posted on Twitter shortly after the agreement came into effect.

A resident and opposition activist in Dara, near the Jordanian border, reported an uneasy calm hours into the truce.

Theres still a lot of anxiety, said Ahmad Masalmeh. Weve entered the cease-fire but there are no mechanisms to enforce it. Thats what concerns people.

Six years of fighting and siege have devastated Dara, one of the first cities to see large protests against President Bashar Assad in 2011.

It remains contested by U.S.-backed rebels and Syrian government forces supported by Russia and Iran. Large swaths of the city have been reduced to rubble by government artillery and Russian air power.

The truce also covers the Quneitra and Sweida provinces, where the government and the rebels are also fighting Islamic State militants, who are not included in the agreement.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict through a network of on-the-ground activists, reported calm across the three provinces as dusk fell Sunday.

The cease-fire agreement followed weeks of secretive talks between the U.S., Russia and Jordan in Amman to address the buildup of Iranian-backed forces, in support of the Syrian government, near the Jordanian and Israeli borders.

Israel has repeatedly said it would not allow Iran, which is a close ally of the Syrian government, to set up a permanent presence in Syria. It has carried out a number of airstrikes in Syria against suspected shipments of game-changing weapons bound for Hezbollah in Lebanon.

It has also struck Syrian military installations on several occasions this year after shells landed inside the Israeli-controlled side of the Golan Heights.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel would welcome a genuine cease-fire in southern Syria so long as it doesnt enable Iran and its proxies to develop a military presence along the border.

The Trump administration also ordered airstrikes against the Syrian government and Iranian-backed militias, in a break with Obama administration policy. The strikes, including one on a government air base in central Syria, drew only muted responses from Moscow.

No cease-fire has lasted long in the 6-year-old Syrian war, and no mechanisms have been publicly set out to monitor or enforce this latest endeavor.

It was announced Thursday on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg after a meeting between Trump, Putin and their top diplomats.

The Syrian government maintains it is fighting a war against terrorist groups. The Al Qaeda-linked Levant Liberation Committee is one of the most effective factions fighting alongside rebels in Dara.

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One Mexican town revolts against violence and corruption. Six years in, its experiment is working
In one of Mexicos most violent states, it is now illegal, essentially, for reporters to cover the violence.

New laws in Sinaloa, home to Mexicos most powerful drug cartel and where kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman sheltered for years, bar journalists from fully reporting news about crime.

It may be part of a trend fostered by the national government of President Enrique Pena Nieto to downplay news about drug wars and other violence as a way to attract outside investors.

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The Sinaloa state Congress late Thursday approved a law that will restrict journalists to official government press releases for crime information. Journalists will be banned from inspecting the scene, recording audio on site or taking any photographs or video.

Such actions would drastically limit the details available to reporters attempting to inform the public about killings, gun battles and other such common occurrences in the western Pacific state -- as well as any possible abuses by authorities.

They want only the official version to get out, said Javier Valdez, co-founder of Sinaloas most independent news source, Riodoce. This is a huge attack on the freedom of expression.

Though unclear, the new laws language also seems to clamp down on any information about security policy.

For example, this is the kind of coverage that would be banned: The Los Angeles Times in 2008 in Culiacan, capital of Sinaloa state, stumbled upon a gun battle scene in which suspected drug traffickers killed five police officers. Reporters and photographers had clear access. They could not interfere with the scene, of course, but could photograph and report it in full detail.

It was an emotional and dramatic revelation of what was happening in Mexico.

For more news out of Mexico, Latin America, follow @TracyKWilkinson


Latam Airlines has sat on the tarmac since the company was created in 2012. But its financials are starting to look better
All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced.  19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc.
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Record signing Islam Slimanis future at Leicester City could be in doubt.

Leicester are growing ever confident of wrapping up a deal to sign Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho  and that could spell the end of Slimanis time at the King Power Stadium, according to reports.

Algeria international Slimani cost City 30million in a record-breaking move from Sporting Lison last summer but the 29-year-old scored only eight goals in 29 appearances for the club.

Jamie Vardy is the undisputed main striker at City and boss Craig Shakespeare believes Iheanacho would be an ideal attacking partner, meaning Slimani, Shinji Okazaki and Leonardo Ulloa would slip down the pecking order.

According to the reports, City could be willing to off-load Slimani for a sizeable fee, while a loan move back to Sporting may not be ruled out.

(Image: Getty Images)

A 25m deal for Iheanacho could be concluded this week, with negotiations said to be agreed 'in principle'.

The 20-year-old Nigeria international made nine starts and 21 substitute appearances for Man City last season, scoring nine times and providing three assists.

City had faced competition for Iheanacho from other clubs, including Premier League rivals West Ham, but it appears Leicester are now the front-runners for his signature.
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Leicester City striker Leonardo Ulloa has been linked with a move back to Spain, but Leicester City want to keep him.

The Argentinian striker is said to be wanted by Real Betis, Getafe and Levante, according to reports in Spain.

However, City boss Craig Shakespeare is believed to want to keep Ulloa and City are discussing a contract extension with his representatives.

Ulloa went public with his desire to leave City last January, even threatening to strike after alleging that then manager Claudio Ranieri had reneged on a promise to let him go.

Three bids from Sunderland were rejected, while Galatasaray and Alaves also made approaches.

With all respect for LCFC fans, I feel betrayed by Ranieri and let down by the club. I will not play again for them, he tweeted at the time.

Ulloa was frustrated by his lack of first team opportunities under Ranieri but after Shakespeare took over the 31-year-old was drawn back in from the cold.

He made only three starts in the Premier League and only five in total, while making 19 substitute appearances, but Shakespeare is believed to be a fan of Ulloa after his performances in his first two seasons after joining City from Brighton and Hove Albion in a 8 million move in 2014.

With the impending arrival of Kelechi Iheanacho, Citys desire to keep Ulloa has raised doubts over the futures of Ahmed Musa, who City paid 16 million for last summer, and even 30 million record signing Islam Slimani.

There is interest in Musa from Premier League clubs and in Europe, but Shakespeare has said there has been no interest expressed in Slimani.

As far as I am aware there has been no interest in Islam, he said.

If there is interest then we approach that when it happens.

There have been no bids for any of our players.

Ulloa is currently with the City squad at their training camp in Velden Am Worthersee, Austria.
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The boss of My Home Move has been named 2017 conveyancing business leader of the year at the British Mortgage Awards.

Doug Crawford, chief executive of the Grove Park conveyancing specialist, picked up the award at a ceremony at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel in London.

Mr Crawford has helped turn the business into a market leader, completing more transactions a year than any other UK conveyancer.

Mr Crawford said: Im honoured to be recognised with this award for the fourth time, especially as competition for the category is always tough.

The British Mortgage Awards represents the very best across the mortgage industry and the industries that support it.

The last year has continued to challenge the property market, particularly with the pressures caused by the changes to Stamp Duty in 2016 and continued lack of housing stock across the country.

However the property industry remains resilient and, collectively, we are continuing to keep the market moving.

Since joining My Home Move in 2012, Doug has seen the company achieve year-on-year growth and revolutionised conveyancing by making the process more accessible for clients.

With the recent acquisition of Advantage Property Lawyers, he said the business was on target to complete 100,000 cases per year in 2017.

It recently relocated all of its 400 Leicestershire staff under one roof at new offices in Grove Park.
The owners of the ship and legal experts have already reached Nigeria for negotiation.
A Laois farmer is among four members of the IFA Grain Committee who have spent their fifth night occupying the Department of Agriculture offices in Kildare Street in Dublin.

The four farmers - Kieran McEvoy from Laois, Liam Dunne from Kildare who is Chairman of the IFA Grain Committee, James Hill from Wicklow, and Peter Lynch from Donegal have been staying in the Department offices each night since last Wednesday.

They are occupying the offices in protest over the details of the crisis fund for grain farmers who lost crops in the 2016 harvest due to unprecedented weather conditions.

Farmers from around the country have been coming to Dublin since last Wednesday to support the four farmers.

"These farmers don't stand to benefit from the scheme themselves, but they are an example of the resolve within the organisation," said IFA President, Joe Healy. " While we are in regular contact with the Minister and his officials, a proposal to bring the occupation to an end has yet to be found.

"In previous negotiations between IFA and the Department, we had reluctantly accepted that a limit of 15,000 would have to be applied to the scheme due to restrictive EU State Aid rules. However, the IFA was taken aback when a Department spokesman confirmed there would be a 5000 limit, Joe Healy said.
Budding food producers in Kildare now have a new facility that could help with their development.

With support from Local Enterprise Office Kildare, Acorn Kitchens, a custom built HACCP approved centre in Ballitore, was opened recently by the outgoing Mayor of the county Ivan Keatley.

Acorn Kitchens is a shared commercial kitchen designed to house food producers, caterers and independent chefs.

An initiative by entrepreneurs Tom and Luke Treacy, the facility is supported by Local Enterprise Office Kildare.

The kitchen is designed to offer value to customers, a setting to share ideas with fellow food producers and a place to grow their business from the stage of producing at home to larger scale production of their products.

The idea behind Acorn is to provide a key service to enable food producers to establish their business without the need for capital investment.

Located in the heart of Ballitore, Acorn Kitchens will provide local employment and has ambitious plans to expand the business into 2018 and 2019.

Speaking at the launch, the Mayor said that he was continuously overwhelmed and inspired by the entrepreneurial talent that I encounter on a daily basis across Kildare.

We live in an ever-changing society and our entrepreneurs provide a vision to adapt to these changes.

And he praised the Treacys, saying he expected that they would provide both direct and indirect employment with Acorn Kitchens.

It is imperative that we nurture our local business people, encourage them, and give them support through the Local Enterprise Office as they strive to succeed.

This facility, the first of its kind in County Kildare, provides an important first step for emerging and expanding food companies.

This is a unique way of providing aspiring food entrepreneurs with either long term or hourly or daily use of state-of-the-art facilities without the prohibitive cost of building their own commercial kitchen.

Entrepreneurs such as Luke and Tom are shining examples of how Kildare and Ireland can stand out and succeed in a highly competitive environment, Head of Enterprise, Jacqui McNabb added.

She congratulated the pair on this forward thinking initiative and encourage as many foodpreneurs to engage with Acorn Kitchens who can help any aspiring foodie to realise their ambition.

I also want to encourage entrepreneurs across Kildare that the Local Enterprise Office will be on hand every step of the way to provide knowledge and support.

Kildare County Council and Kildare Local Enterprise Office aims to support a community of entrepreneurs financially and by way of business advice and training as they launch and grow. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to contact Local Enterprise Office Kildare with their business needs at localenterprise.ie/Kildare.

Kildare Local Enterprise Office also offers support with export and expansion grants.

Speaking to the Leinster Leader last December, Ms McNabb exaplained: I see our core responsibility as ensuring that companies not only start, they also sustain and develop jobs. Thats really at the heart of what we do.

And while finance is really important, I put an awful lot more emphasis on the softer supports such as business advice, mentoring, on any issue  from marketing, to finance or strategy.

We can align businesses up with experts in those particular fields, she added.

We also run a series of training programs throughout the year and networking events. The training programs are different in many ways because we tailor them to business needs of the area

We do a needs assessment and we look at their needs in terms of their skills deficit in their company  and then we fund appropriate programs to fill those gaps. The LEO office should be seen as the keyhole for businesses to access services through the local authority. Our role is to be the one stop shop, the first port of call for businesses in their dealing with the local authority - and were primarily facilitators to access services.

While we link in and have relationships with all companies, the remit of the local enterprise office is primarily those under 250.
The new difribllator which was donated by Bank of Ireland to the Community First Responders (CFR) scheme in Kildare has been placed beside the ATM machine.

Described as a proud day for Kildare Town Community and especially for the CFR group., it is the first 24/7 Public Access Defibrillator for the town.

Special thanks were given online to Kildare County Council and BOI Kildare Town and the many people in the community supporting us and helping us to make this possible.

The installation was part of a commitment by Bank of Ireland to donate 15 defibrillators to CFR schemes nationwide in 2017.

The donation was made as part of Bank of Irelands, decision to continue their support of the Community First Responders schemes, given the valuable, life-saving role played by CFR trained volunteers with access to defibrillators in their local communities.

Defibrillators are small devices that are placed on the chest or abdomen and use electrical pulses or shocks to help control life-threatening arrhythmias, especially those that can cause sudden cardiac arrest. CFR schemes are community groups who work in conjunction with the National Ambulance Service as a first response unit for 999 calls for cardiac instances in the area.
North Leitrim Sinn Fein councillor, Padraig Fallon is describing the drop in the number of young people aged between 19 and 24 in the County at 11% as "a cause for grave concern".

He told www.leitrimobserver.ie the drop is at a level of almost twice that of the national average of 6%.

"The reality is that in order to halt further decline we must see investment in this region, we must see the promotion of County Leitrim at a National level. The lack of regional transport and communications infrastructure, along with the collapse in the delivery of services in rural Ireland have contributed significantly to the decline and our ability to hold on to younger generations," Cllr Fallon pointed out.

"Our Government and state agencies must developed a Rural focus along with an aggressive approach to regional economic development. We need to see a genuine commitment to the North est and Leitrim."

Cllr Fallon belives what is needed is a focused job creation plan and said the IDA has to play a stronger roler in this.

"The IDA has for the past ten years pumped approximately 60% of its investment into the Dublin and Cork regions," he noted.
Fianna Fail and Solidarity-People Before Profit TDs have spoken the most times on average in the Dail and at committees, according to an analysis of all speeches made this year.

Locally for the constituency of Sligo-Leitrim-South Donegal-West Cavan Martin Kenny of Sinn Fein is leading the pack having spoken 116 times, followed by Fine Gael Deputy Tony McLoughlin who spoke 71 times.

Fianna Fails' Marc MacSharry spoke 52 times while his party colleague Eamon Scanlon spoke 48 times, according to today's Irish Times.

In the Roscommon-Galway constituency Eugene Murphy spoke 217 times, Denis Naughten 55 and Michael Fitzmaurice 66 times.

Solidarity and People Before Profit TDs made up 7.5 per cent of spoken contributions while making up just 4 per cent of the seats in the Dail.

Fianna Fail are the only other party to have a bigger portion of speaking time than their number of seats. The main opposition party has around 25 per cent of seats, but made up 28 per cent of spoken contributions so far this year.

The analysis is taken from KildareStreet.com, a searchable database of everything said in the Oireachtas. The average number of contributions for a TD is 85.

Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny tops Fine Gaels list for most contributions made in the Dail at 228. Tanaiste and Minister for Jobs Frances Fitzgerald spoke 152 times.
The new National Cancer Strategy 2017-27 announced by the Government this week will exacerbate the neglect of cancer services for people living in the North West of the country. There are more than 300,000 living in the region and they will have to continue to travel to either University Hospital Galway or Altnagelvin in Derry for cancer treatment.

That's according to Fianna Fail TD for Sligo-Leitrim Marc Mac Sharry.

Deputy Mac Sharry commented, I am deeply disappointed by this Governments attitude to people in the North West. The original National Cancer Control Programme centralised all treatment in the major cities, and left the North West bereft of any services. People living in this region already distraught at a cancer diagnosis then face the prospect of return journeys of up to 8 hours for what should be routine treatment.

I find it hard to stomach that the Health Minister would continue to ignore patients who live in rural or remote areas, forcing them to choose between a journey to Dublin, Galway or Derry. In the strategy Minister Harris claims that the National Cancer Strategy is all about people, but I doubt the people forced to travel for hours for treatment would feel like they are best served by this programme.

Attending one of the centres of excellence for diagnosis and surgery could be acceptable if follow-up treatment like radiation therapy or chemotherapy could be provided in satellite centres like Sligo University Hospital. In fact, this is the strategy introduced in British Colombia by the original head of the NCCP Professor Tom Keane, and is the approach on which the Irish model is supposed to be based. They established a satellite centre for radiotherapy in Prince George Hospital in British Columbia to reduce travel times for treatment for cancer patients following a diagnosis.

We need to adopt a similar strategy here in Ireland to ensure that cancer patients have access to treatment locally rather than subjecting them to arduous journeys at what is already an extremely stressful and anxious time for them.
One of the things that most struck me about the arguments made by the supporters of Brexit during the EU referendum was that they seemed, in their essence, to be based on emotion. There were many arguments put forward for Brexit that presented it as a rational economic choice, but these arguments were clearly secondary, almost an afterthought, to the ones based on British exceptionalism and distrust of anything foreign.

And yet when you pressed Brexit supporters, as I quite often did, on these points and suggested that perhaps those of us supporting the EU both in the UK and in other Member States also had an emotional attachment to the project, this was pooh-poohed out of hand. It was implied that, whereas the UK was entitled to indulge its childish Anglo-centric sentiments, foreigners would bow to practicality and Brexit would prevail. This is the basic construct behind the German carmakers, prosecco argument, essentially that neither German nor Italian exporters would want to lose the trade with the UK and therefore they would put pressure on their governments to come to an agreement. Likewise, I often heard it said that Spain depended on what was called British expats for so much of its income that it would do nothing to upset the Brexit applecart.

Time has proven that these arguments are not only irrational and patronising but actually wrong. It is childish and limiting to recognise your own emotions without recognising them in others too.

Due to my background, my father was an EU immigrant, my mother was English, I grew up in Spain. Even in the early stages, I could see Brexit would pretty soon blunder right into this obstacle, that the cheap arguments being made that the EU will soon fall apart were nothing but wistful thinking, failing to take into account the psychological factors at play in other EU nations. My personal commitment to the EU project is based both on emotion and rationality, I am not shy to admit that, and so is that of the Member States.

This week German car manufacturers have made clear that they are prepared to take a financial hit in order to continue to support their own national and international project, the EU. Germany, a country that was strong enough to bring about its own personal reunification and its leader, the dauntless Ms Merkel, were never going to be intimidated by Brexiteers ersatz patriotic posturing and our worse than second-rate politicians.

France under a newly elected president is gleefully confirming its commitment to the EU project.

Likewise, Spain, immediately used the chink in the UKs armour exposed by Brexit to secure EU concessions on the future of Gibraltar. Yes, Spain also has patriotic sentiments concerning its territorial integrity. Furthermore, we should remember that if the UK quits Spain stands to take its place at the EU top table.

Thus, Brexit is not only utterly inadequate and inept when it comes to economics and finance, but also, and perhaps decisively, when it comes to emotional intelligence.

The UK governments woeful mishandling of the future of EU citizens in this country confirms this. Our government seems to believe that it can get away with treating the citizens of other powerful nations as if they were chattels, to be bartered in a hostage-taking process. The EU will not tolerate this. We need to recognise that other nations also have feelings and a sense of pride and honour, that they are just as protective of their citizens and their culture as we are of ours.

Yes, Brexit is personal for Brexiteers but it is also personal for Remainers such as myself. And, further afield, for the Member States, the economic and political well-being of the EU is also personal.

Common sense says the emotional illiteracy displayed by the UK government does not bode well for us in the negotiations.

* M P Hoskins is a new member
Dementia has been a big part of my life. Over the years I have worked with people with dementia in some of our most deprived communities in south London  Brixton, Elephant and Castle, Peckham, Old Kent Road and the surrounding (often high-rise) estates.

I have therefore felt very torn by the partys recent headlong charge for the populist line on the dementia tax. As a (naturally pretty tribal) Lib Dem of three decades standing I recognised a fantastic campaigning issue that might help claw back a few coastal retirement seats. However, I also knew that the inaccurate use of the term dementia tax (it is neither a tax nor is it about dementia) causes pain to many for whom this is not just a line in a press release but something real and near at hand. People with dementia have a cognitive impairment but they are not stupid; they can and do take in political messages. Politicians need to think of the deep distress their negative campaigning can cause to many of our 850,000 fellow citizens who are living with this disease.

During the election the party launched a Theresa May Estate Agent website that quoted the example of a lady from Runcorn who at the first symptoms of dementia had her home whipped away by the government. This achieves the triple whammy of being misleading about dementia, misleading about the current system and misleading about the (then) prospective system. If only we had moderated our language on this. For a start the dichotomy between free coronary care and paid for dementia care is false. Thanks to the voluntary sector (usually funded by health services or councils) many people with dementia get significant help and advice for free. If you are diagnosed with dementia early the stereotype of a tragic husk of a dementia victim slumped in a chair is completely untrue. There is no cure for or reversal of dementia but the NHS funds drugs which can have a plateauing effect on the symptoms of Alzheimers for many years. Lots of dementia care from MRI scans to memory clinics is completely free of charge.

Secondly, on the policy itself isnt the much eulogised Dilnot proposal for care (with a cap of 35,000) itself a kind of poll tax where very rich people pay the same as those with fairly modest assets? The original Conservative proposals meant that the richest would pay the most. Of course middle aged people like me want to hang on to the money gained by parents through the property bubble but who will pay the bill instead? And the bill is enormous  1.7 billion (at 2011 prices) to implement Dilnot and 1 billion to bring social care salaries up to the living wage just for starters. The Prime Minister was right to say that social care is on the brink of collapse. Everyone talks about public sector pay but most care assistants and dementia activity co-ordinators are employed in the private sector and are earning the minimum wage or little more. Most would be better off (and have higher status) working in entry level retail jobs.

My house is valued at double the price I paid for it 15 years ago. If I were elderly would it not be rather ingenious to let the house remain in my name until my death but use that windfall gain in value to finance my social care when I died, still leaving the last 100k for my family?

The pitiful remains of Grenfell tower overshadow all political discourse at the moment. We should all feel uncomfortable that our election campaign focused so very little on social housing but so very much on safeguarding the inheritance of the propertied and the comfortably off.

* Ruth Bright has been a councillor in Southwark and Parliamentary Candidate for Hampshire East
The first Leadership hustings will take place this Saturday in London.

Why a hustings, I hear you ask, given that there is only one candidate? Technically nominations close next Monday, so until then the advice is that we cannot assume that there will not be a contest (although, of course, the chances of a challenge are minimal).

The Social Liberal Forum Conference is holding the hustings at 1.30pm at Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PA. Vince Cable has agreed to take part. If any other candidates do come forward before Saturday then they will, of course, be invited.

Whilst any party member is welcome to attend the hustings for free, we would love it if you could sign up for the whole days conference. In the morning the theme will be The Retreat from Globalisation with some eminent speakers, while the afternoon will be devoted to more local issues including the Leadership election and a review of the General Election. You can register here: www.socialliberal.net/slfconf2017.

* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.
Scotlands Police force has been beset with difficulties since its 8 Police forces were merged into a single entity five years ago. Some of these difficulties have come to light because police officers have reported their concerns to politicians and the media. So what is the Police management plan to deal with this? Simples. Just make police officers register every single contact with politicians or journalists. If they dont they could find themselves in big trouble.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has called for the intervention of the Justice Secretary and Scottish Police Authority to ensure that the police hierarchy are not free to silence internal critics after it was revealed that new guidance has been issued within Police Scotland that will crack down on whistle-blowers.

From STV News:

Scotlands justice secretary has been urged to ensure new Police Scotland guidelines do not have a chilling effect on internal critics within the force. The new rules require officers to declare any associations they have with journalists and politicians, raising concerns they will be used to quash whistleblowing. The guidance is compulsory for all police officers and special constables, with the prospect of misconduct proceedings for anyone who breaches it. It is part of the forces latest anti-corruption strategy and aims to protect the information, assets and reputation of Police Scotland.

The General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation likened it to the sort of policy you would find in a banana republic.

Any policy that equates contact with elected parliamentarians and journalists with contact with criminals is deeply worrying. It risks being seen as an attempt to silence dissent that would not be out of place in a banana republic.

Willie said:

It was because of principled police officers and staff members that we got to bottom of the deep rooted flaws in Scotlands police service. These people should be hailed not silenced. The M9 crash, the chaos in the control rooms, the back filling of civilian roles by police officers, the near misses, armed police on routine duties. All of these issues were exposed in part through the assistance of police staff and officers who cared about the future of the police service. A declaration of media and political contacts is designed to snuff out such contacts rather than to aid transparency. The Leveson inquiry investigated these matters and we must be careful to learn the lessons but a political and media register would have a chilling effect and would enable those in charge to escape the necessary scrutiny. The Justice Secretary and Scottish Police Authority should intervene to ensure that the police hierarchy are not free to silence internal critics.

And what did the Scottish Government have to say? As so often when Police Scotland infringed civil liberties in some way, all they come out with is that it is an operational matter for the Police.

Sometimes you just have to intervene and do the liberal thing. A liberal Justice Secretary wouldnt put up with this. The SNP just doesnt get it.

When theres a problem, you fix it. You dont threaten anyone who brings it into the public domain with the sack.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
We have to plan for success. We cant sow our crops the day before harvest. In 2010, our demand for PR was dropped because it would appear to the general public to be a quixotic ditch in which to die  simultaneously esoteric and self-serving.

So we have to prepare the ground well in advance. To take every opportunity to discredit the stitch-up that passes for an electoral system in this country. Make no mistake about it  it is a deliberate stitch up; thats what weve got to ram home. It is literally a stitch-up designed to entrench establishment parties (specifically the Conservatives), conceded in exchange for allowing poorer people to vote. Thats not spin or distortion, but historical fact.

Our current system, Single Member Plurality, was a concession eventually given to Lord Salisbury by Gladstone in 1885. Why? In exchange for allowing extension of the franchise from 2 million to 5.5 million; for the first time, a majority of adult males. Prior to that, election of MPs was more community based  most communities sent 2 MPs to Parliament, while larger communities sent 3 and smaller communities just 1. A significant amount of flexibility on population sizes of communities was the norm. It was still disproportionate, but at least it was based on something  the natural community sending a variable number of MPs to Parliament.

Lord Salisburys stitch-up involved moving away from natural communities with multiple MPs towards artificial districts, each with a single MP (there were a handful of exceptions which had 2 MPs, but the Labour Government of Attlee removed those, complicit in the Conservatives stitch-up), based mainly on equalising population. The intent to try to retain some sort of natural community link was there, but has been inevitably diluted over the many redistributions since. The Conservatives calculated that it would minimise any adverse effects on them. They were right. Multimember constituencies lend themselves easily to transition to proportionality; single member constituencies do not.

Towards the tail-end of World War I, the Liberal-dominated Parliament, recognising that more voices were now needed to be heard with the rise of the Labour Party, passed legislation to take action to deal with this stitch-up: a mix of STV and AV. Despite Conservative opposition, it bounced between the Lords and Commons, being repeatedly passed by the Commons and amended by the Lords, but was lost when the next election was called. The Conservative-dominated Commons afterwards abandoned the reform.

These days, resistance to PR from both of the Big Two is endemic, due to the monopolistic lock on power it gives them: either is the only real choice to the other. Its also hugely hypocritical, and this needs to be rammed home at every opportunity.

Labour insist they believe in fairness except where it might cost them a lock on power. They prioritise their own power over fairness, every time.

The Conservatives insist they believe in choice and competition pushing up standards and that monopolies are bad except where they are the ones benefiting from monopoly. They prioritise their own power over competition, every time.

We must call them on it, again and again. We need to set the narrative on the electoral system: that the current one is a stitch-up intended to exclude other voices, recognised as not fit for purpose a hundred years ago, with electoral reform passed by Parliament  but abandoned due to entrenched interests. Again and again, we need to refer to the current system as A dodgy stitch-up. When people challenge us on that, we get to go into detail as above; if they do not, the narrative gets accepted. As soon as multimember constituencies (which can truly be based on genuine communities) are seen as more legitimate than single member constituencies (which require artificial divisions, far more divorced from real existing communities, exacerbated by frequent redrawings), were 90% of the way there.

This leads to our demand for PR not being arcane and self-serving, but us saying simply to potential Coalition partners: Are you willing to give up your stitched-up system in order to work with others?

* Andy Cooke is an ex-RAF Engineer and analyst who joined the Lib Dems after the Coalition. He has campaigned in the Richmond Park by-election, and in OxWAb and Bath in the 2017 General Election
Guernsey issues its own heat-sensitive stamps for the solar eclipse

Jul 9, 2017, 3 PM

The two Alderney stamps featuring the solar eclipse over Miami, Fla., as issued on the left, and after it has been warmed by human touch on the right.

Guernsey Post issued six stamps for Alderney to celebrate the Aug. 21 solar eclipse. The images change when the stamps are warmed by human touch. The designs show how the eclipse will occur over six coastal locations around the world, including the Unite

By Denise McCarty

Like the United States Postal Service, Guernsey Post used a heat-sensitive ink on postage stamps to mimic the upcoming total solar eclipse.

The United States issued its first postage stamp with thermochromic ink, the Total Solar Eclipse forever stamp, on June 20, two months ahead of the Aug. 21 eclipse.

On July 20, Guernsey Post issued six image-changing stamps for Alderney, the most northerly of the Channel Islands and part of the bailiwick of Guernsey.

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The stamp designs represent six coastal locations that will be treated to a partial eclipse, according to Guernsey Post. The issue is called Coastal Eclipses.

The locations are Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on the 44-penny stamp; Miami, Florida, 59p; Hamilton, Bermuda, 60p; Dakar, Senegal, 73p; Saint Anne, Alderney, 80p; and Anadyr, Russia, 90p.

Guernsey Post said, Created using heat sensitive ink, the stamps reveal full eclipses, as well as the altitude and direction of the eclipse for each location upon coming into contact with warm hands.

For example, when the 59p Miami stamp is warmed by touch, it is revealed that the altitude is 64.29 degrees, and that the direction is 242.44 degrees, west-southwest.

Bridget Yabsley, head of philately at Guernsey Post, said: We are delighted to release six stamps that celebrate this celestial event, particularly as we are able to feature Alderney, which has exceptionally good visibility for astronomical events and where the partial eclipse begins at 19.41. Stargazers on the island should cast their eyes upwards at 20.07 to enjoy the maximum view of the eclipse.

The Potting Shed designed the stamps. Joh. Enschede printed them by offset-lithography.

A souvenir sheet includes all six stamps se-tenant (side-by-side). An inscription on the sheet explains that they are thermochromic stamps and includes this warning, Keep them out of direct sunlight for colourfast longevity.

For more information, visit Guernsey Posts philatelic website.
Border Patrol agents recently rescued various individuals who entered the country illegally.

The first event occurred on Tuesday when agents at the Border Patrol Checkpoint on Interstate Highway 35 encountered a tractor trailer at the primary inspection lane. The driver was questioned regarding his immigration status and referred to secondary for further inspection of the vehicle.

A non-intrusive inspection of the tractor-trailer resulted in the rescue of 10 people inside the locked trailer who were determined to be from the countries of Mexico, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. The driver, a Cuban national, was arrested.

The second event occurred on Thursday when Border Patrol agents were working on their assigned duties at a ranch west of Laredo. The agents received a call from the Webb County Sheriff's Office of people being lost in the remote ranchlands.

READ MORE: Webb County judge, wife sued for more than $1 million over vehicle collision

With temperatures rising into the triple digits that day, Border Patrol agents along with the Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue Unit were able to rescue 6 Mexican nationals that were lost after being abandoned by smugglers. Those who were rescued were in good health and were processed accordingly.

On that same day, Border Patrol agents from the Laredo West Station received a call of people lost in a ranch west of Laredo. Agents responded to the area to search for the lost, and they were able to rescue 13 Mexican nationals that had been left behind by smugglers. A Border Patrol agent certified as an Emergency Medical Technician evaluated them, and all appeared to be in good health.

On Friday, Border Patrol agents encountered a white tractor-trailer near Tejas Loop after observing suspicious activity. As they conducted a further inspection, Border Patrol agents discovered 72 people concealed inside the locked trailer with no means of escape. As agents conducted further search of the area, they discovered 2 more people in a nearby vehicle.

All 74 people were in the country illegally. All the victims were rescued on time and were determined to be in good health. The people were determined to be from the countries of Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador. Two drivers, both United States citizens, were arrested.

Later that morning, Border Patrol agents working west of Laredo heard voices coming from the rain gutters and manholes near the Mines Road area. As agents approached the area, they searched the gutters and manholes for an exit.

RELATED: Winners crowned at 2017 Miss Southwest Texas beauty pageant in Laredo

Agents were able to rescue 8 people that were trapped inside the drain pipe and determined to be in good health. The 8 rescued were from the country of Ecuador and were processed accordingly.

"The disregard for human life in which these persons were subjected to and the inhumane conditions that they were placed in demonstrates how callous and heartless these smugglers can be," said Laredo Sector Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Gabriel Acosta. "These criminal organizations view these individuals as mere commodities without regard for their safety. The blatant disregard for human life will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle these organizations and prosecute those responsible."

To report suspicious activity, call 1-800-343-1994.
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A federal judge disqualified San Antonio attorney Mikal Watts from defending state Sen. Carlos Uresti in a criminal fraud case, saying the lawyer was too conflicted to represent the Democratic lawmaker.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad on Monday granted a request from federal prosecutors to remove Watts, saying the lawyer had a conflict of interest because he previously represented a Harlingen woman identified as a victim in the case against Uresti. Bemporad said the conflict outweighed the senators Sixth Amendment right to choose his own legal counsel.

The issue of divided loyalty is too great, Bemporad said in ruling against Uresti. U.S. District Judge David Ezra has to approve Bemporads ruling, but its unusual for a district judge to overrule a magistrate judges decision.

Uresti wasted no time finding another lawyer  what Watts called a back-up plan if he cant get the decision reversed. Arkansas trial attorney C. Tab Turner  who partnered with Watts on roughly 200 cases in the early 2000s against Firestone Tire Co. and Ford Motor Co. over defective tires that caused Ford Explorers to roll over  filed a notice with the court Monday afternoon saying he has joined Urestis legal team.

Watts, in the meantime, has 28 days to make his case to Ezra to reconsider the issue.

We respectfully disagree with the courts ruling and will appeal to Judge Ezra, Watts said after the hearing. Recognizing when the issue is one of the hardest decisions a judge has ever had to make because it is so exceedingly difficult, then constitutional rights should override the other considerations, Watts said, quoting from Bemporads ruling.

Watts had said earlier Monday that Uresti might have to retain a public defender if Ezra upholds Bemporads ruling since the court restricted the use of the senators properties in the case as part of his bail agreement. Turner will defend Uresti if Watts cant, Watts said.

The existence of a back-up plan from Arkansas does not diminish in any way the unconstitutional deprivation of Sen. Urestis counsel of choice, Watts said.

Turners bio on his law firms website said he is a trial lawyer specializing in civil litigation. It makes no mention of him doing any criminal defense work.

Tab Turner is a great trial lawyer, Watts said. One thing Ive learned is different kinds of cases does not matter. Its the ability to communicate in front of juries. He is, in my view, one of the best three lawyers in America.

If the court permits Turner to take Watts place, then Uresti wont need to retain a public defender, who are paid $129 an hour, Watts said.

In a court filing Friday, Watts added that he has already spent more than 300 hours working on Urestis case and his team of five lawyers and 12 staff members have already provided Urestis defense with immeasurable time and effort.

These prosecutions require millions of dollars to appropriately defend, Watts said during an interview.

Uresti already has been billed several hundred thousand dollars for his legal defense by Watts but has not paid for those bills, Watts said.

It is a debt that is owed, Watts said. And theres no other lawyer in town who will take a case without the expectation of being paid. Turner also intends to bill for his time and hopes to be paid following the exoneration of Sen. Uresti, Watts said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Blackwell told the court Monday that theres between $500,000 and $1 million of equity in the senators Helotes home that he can use to hire another lawyer. But Watts said Uresti might not be allowed to tap the equity in either his house or his law firms office building banks often wont do business with people under indictment.

Uresti was charged May 16 in an 11-count indictment over his involvement in San Antonio-based FourWinds Logistics, a now-bankrupt company that bought and sold frac sand. Prosecutors say FourWinds was a Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors. Uresti, who has been charged with securities fraud, wire fraud and acting as an unregistered securities broker, has disputed the charges. The Express-News chronicled FourWinds demise in August.

The lawmaker had various roles with FourWinds, including serving as its lawyer and outside general counsel for a short time in 2014. He also helped recruit investors, including Denise Cantu of Harlingen, a one-time client whom he represented in a lawsuit over the deaths of her two children. The children were killed in 2010 after a rear tire on her Ford Explorer blew out.

Uresti referred Cantus civil case to Watts law firm in return for a cut of the legal fees if they prevailed. Watts law firm handled numerous defective tire cases. Uresti obtained a $200,000 loan from Watts against fees Uresti expected to receive from Cantus settlement, Blackwell said.

Cantu ultimately received a substantial out-of-court settlement, the bulk of which she invested with FourWinds at Urestis suggestion. She lost all but $100,000 of her $900,000 investment. Uresti received a $27,000 commission on her investment. Cantu is identified as Victim 1 in the indictment.

Prosecutors allege Uresti had financial difficulties that drove him to to exploit and defraud Cantu, whom they described in a court filing as a mentally and emotionally vulnerable client.

A quick settlement was financially advantageous for the senator, prosecutors have alleged. Uresti also borrowed $25,000 from Cantu, which he later paid back.

At a June 30 hearing, Bemporad ruled that Watts had a conflict of interest because of Watts prior representation of Cantu. The judge said the criminal case against Uresti is substantially related to Cantus wrongful-death case. But Bemporad wanted more time to review the issue to consider Watts conflict against Urestis constitutional right to choose his own counsel.

Blackwell argued the right to counsel of choice does not include a right to conflicted counsel.

The public is going to watch to see if the victim gets a fair trial, and it wont be a fair trial if her former lawyer gets to confront her during the trial, Blackwell told Bemporad. Jurors will learn that Watts is Cantus former lawyer but is now taking sides by representing Uresti, a fact that will permeate the trial, Blackwell said.

Blackwell declined to comment after the hearing.

Oscar R. Alvarez, a McAllen lawyer who is representing Cantu in a civil lawsuit against Uresti, said during the June 30 hearing that she does not consent to Watts representing Uresti. Separately, Alvarez told the Express-News last month that Uresti and Cantu had an affair that occurred sometime after the settlement of the wrongful-death case in October 2012 but before she invested with FourWinds in spring 2014. Uresti has denied Alvarezs allegation.

In arguing to remain Urestis lawyer, Watts said he never spoke with Cantu during her case and only handled the technical aspects of the litigation.

Watts said in court that requiring Uresti to start over with new counsel increases the likelihood of a delay in the trial, which is scheduled to start Oct. 23. Former FourWinds CEO Stan Bates and company consultant Gary Cain are named in the same indictment.

Uresti also was indicted in a separate case for allegedly using his consulting business to split $850,000 in bribes with Jimmy Galindo, a former county judge in Reeves County in West Texas. Galindo already has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and failure to file a 2013 tax return. Watts continues to represent Uresti in that case, which is scheduled for trial in May.
The Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin has acquired two large-scale works by artist Vincent Valdez.

Painted in black and white, The City depicts a gathering of Ku Klux Klan members, including men, women and children, on a rutted rural road. The City II depicts a trash heap topped by soiled mattresses with a barrel fire burning in the foreground.

The City I received national attention when a column about the piece by Lawrence Downes appeared in the New York Times last year. The writer described the haunting image as a selfie for 21st-century America.

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A San Antonio native, Valdez currently lives in Houston. Both the San Antonio Museum of Art and the McNay Art Museum own works by him.

The City makes an attempt at revealing a number of societal threats that transcend the arena of white supremacy. These factors are deeply embedded in our American way of life, in more ways than we think or see, Valdez said via email. Ultimately, my aim is to depict and translate what I see around me, to get up and speak up. The words of Dante are forever stuck in my head, The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of moral crisis, preserve their neutrality.

RELATED: Construction begins on $16M Ruby City art museum

With the paintings going to the Blanton, Valdezs work is, in a sense, coming full circle.

In 2015, I took my parents to the Blanton to see the exhibit Witness: Art and Civil Rights in the Sixties. In the exhibition, I encountered Philip Gustons City Limits (1969) on loan from (the Museum of Modern Art). I was floored, he said. I raced home, anxious to begin working on this idea that I had mentally stored away for several years. It was time.

Two years later, placing this work into the same space that sparked an entire year of effort is a defining moment of completion. Inscribed into the lower left corner of the painting is my gratitude and respect for Guston: For P.G.

RELATED: Two new public art installations coming to the Mission Reach

The works, which were first shown at the David Shelton Gallery in Houston last year, will be on view at the Blanton from July 22 through Dec. 30. News of the acquisitions was first reported on glasstire.com.

lsilva@express-news.net
Jay-Z will bring his 4:44 Tour to Houston's Toyota Center on Nov. 8.

The rapper's new album "4:44" was released June 30 through subscription service Tidal, with a physical release a week later. Thus far the album has drawn widespread praise.

Tidal subscribers and Citi card members will have access to a presale that begins at 11 a.m. Monday, July 10. Details at Tidal's site and Citi's Private Pass site. Tickets will be available to the general public starting at 10 a.m. Friday, July 14, through Live Nation.

The tour begins Oct. 27 in Anaheim, Calif. Houston is the seventh stop on the tour.
A federal court settlement that requires Hobby Lobby Stores to pay a $3 million fine for illegally importing thousands of ancient Iraqi artifacts is casting a cloud over the much-anticipated Museum of the Bible associated with the store's owners just as the museum prepares to open near the National Mall.

Hobby Lobby president Steve Green also chairs the board of the Museum of the Bible, and the Green family is the museum's major funder. In a civil complaint filed Wednesday, federal prosecutors said that the craft store chain that Green leads had smuggled more than 3,000 items into the United States including clay tablets and seals - precisely the sort of item in the museum's collection, which contains many items donated by the Green family.

Though the items seized by the U.S. government were shipped to Hobby Lobby, not the museum, scholars say the federal case is a blot on the $400 million museum set to open in November.

"They put scholars in a situation where it becomes very ethically difficult for someone to engage in those collections in any way, other than to criticize them," said Donna Yates, an archaeologist who specializes in the study of antiquities trafficking and art crime. "Are they going to come to the museum, somebody who's doing significant Biblical research or linguistic research, where they're going to publish [about] material that's very likely to be stolen?"

The federal complaint described many layers of suspicion surrounding Hobby Lobby's purchase of 5,500 artifacts for $1.6 million in 2010: The company never met the dealer, and wired payments to seven different bank accounts. The items arrived in 10 packages at three different Hobby Lobby addresses, labeled only "ceramic tiles" and "clay tiles (sample)."

In a statement, Green said, "We have accepted responsibility and learned a great deal." Hobby Lobby said that the company made "some regrettable mistakes" because officials didn't understand the rules for properly bringing antiquities into the country.

The statement said that the craft store chain - widely associated with its 2014 Supreme Court victory ensuring that devout religious business owners like the Greens do not have to provide coverage for contraception for their employers - started collecting ancient artifacts in 2009. The pursuit of these items was "consistent with the Company's mission and passion for the Bible," Hobby Lobby said. The company said it planned to preserve the artifacts and offer them for scholars to study.

That project sounds much like the goal of the Museum of the Bible, where Green has promised to house more than 44,000 Biblical texts and artifacts to lure serious researchers and flashy interactive exhibits to attract tourists.

But for its part, the museum - a nonprofit organization which is not a subsidiary of the craft store company but is led by the same man - said in a statement on Thursday that the artifacts implicated in the federal case were never part of its collection.

"The Museum of the Bible was not a party to either the investigation or the settlement. None of the artifacts identified in the settlement are part of the Museum's collection, nor have they ever been. The Museum adheres to the current Association of Art Museum Directors standards on the Acquisition of Archaeological Material and Ancient Art, as well as guidelines set forth by the American Alliance of Museums," the museum's statement said.

It also said that the institution "aims to be the most technologically advanced museum in the world."

Robert Cooley, the vice chairman of the museum's board, said that the museum's ethical standards are different from the standards of Green, the chairman.

"The curators and the director of the collection department have professional standards they go by. The museum does not accept collections without full documented provenance and credibility records," he said. "Every item in the museum is documented."

Numerous other board members and staff members declined to comment on Thursday, directing a reporter to the museum's public relations representative.

Cooley, the president emeritus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, is an archaeologist by training himself who has supervised excavations in the Middle East.

"We maintain our standards at the museum. And if any collection, be it the Green family or any other family that donates, does not meet the standards that we require, then we do not take that collection," he said.

Candida Moss, the co-author of a forthcoming book on the Green family's rapid acquisition of Biblical antiquities and attempts to promote the influence of Christianity on public life, said that the museum has tried to distance itself from its chairman and his craft stores since the media began reporting on his antiquities acquisitions two years ago.

"The Greens remain very much involved. Green is still head of the board," she said. "The fact is, they're not as separate as they claim. Many of the artifacts will be on loan from the Green collection. There are other items in their collection that scholars are asking questions about."

Brent Clark, an Oklahoma lawyer also working on a manuscript about the Green family, agreed: "Steve Green is going to be in charge of that thing, come hell or high water." But Clark doesn't think the federal case will blunt tourist interest in the museum.

"Keep in mind the Greens are successful merchants to the middle class. They've always been marketing silk flowers and fake Christmas trees to the middle class, and it's made them rich," he said. "Their instincts tell them that thousands of people are going to get on buses in Cincinnati, Ohio, to go see it, and they're probably right."

It's the university researchers who are most likely to be dissuaded from coming to the museum.

"Individual scholars will have to ask themselves to what extent are they willing to be complicit," Moss said.

Yates, the art crime expert, said that many major journals of archaeology research refuse to publish articles based on artifacts whose provenance can't be proven, and researchers won't be willing to do work that they can't publish.

Several scholars, including Yates, said the federal complaint filed Wednesday left them convinced that Hobby Lobby had willfully ignored their own lawyers and other experts, not just that the company had been unaware that they might be importing looted Iraqi goods.

"Basically everyone should be suspicious of any antiquity for sale without a provable history," Yates said. "Dealers should be telling people that it's kind of an obvious thing. When we're talking about Iraq, it's even more obvious. That this stuff is dodgy, it's not news. It's a known thing in the market. If an object doesn't have a history that proves that it is legal, you just assume that it is illegal, because it probably is."

Joel Baden, Moss's co-author, said that the Green family's interest in buying thousands of ancient artifacts likely spurred bad actors in Iraq to steal the items in the first place.

"If Hobby Lobby is willing to buy them, people will be willing to loot for them because there's a market for them," he said.

The federal settlement requires Hobby Lobby to send thousands of items back to Iraq. But in many respects, the damage is already done.

"The absolute most important thing for an archaeologist is context. And that's exactly what these antiquities have lost," Yates said. "We may not be able to tell if this one came from a whole library, or this was kept in a temple, or they were individual records. We've lost absolutely all of that information. All we have are the little tattered remains of what's written on the tablets."

"It's a huge loss," she continued, "and all of us could benefit from this information, learning about ourselves and our past."
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Air Force Lt. Col. Matthew S. Cantore of Guilderland has earned a first prize Gen. George C. Kennedy Writing Award at the Naval War College, Newport, R.I.

Cantore, son of Anthony and Ann Cantore of Guilderland, also earned a master of arts degree in national security and strategic studies as a distinguished graduate from the college.

He earned the Naval War College Foundation sponsored writing award for his paper, "The High Frontier in Dispute: China's Challenge to U.S. Preeminence in Space."

Cantore is a 1994 graduate of Guilderland High School and a 1998 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs. He has also earned a master of science in international relations from Troy University in Troy, Ala.

His next assignment will be as airpower strategist, Checkmate Division, Directorate of Air, Space and Cyber Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

He has commanded the Air Force's 3rd Space Experimental Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colo., and previously served on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon.

He has earned a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, four Air Force Commendation Medals, an Air Force Achievement Medal, a Joint Meritorious Unit Award, six Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, an Air Force Organizational Excellence Award and a Combat Readiness Medal.

Final flight

New York Army National Guard helicopter pilot Chief Warrant Officer 5 Charles Rodda of Johnsonville, an Iraq War veteran, has ended his 31-year military career in high fashion with a traditional "Final Flight" landing ceremony at New York National Guard Headquarters in Latham.

Rodda was greeted by colleagues and family. The event included a "wet down" of the pilot and the aircraft during return to the flight facility underneath arches of water thrown by Albany International Airport fire trucks.

Rodda served as an instructor pilot in the UH-60 Blackhawk and UH-72 Lakota helicopters flown by the New York Army National Guard.

He has flown 5,787 hours in the UH-1 "Huey" helicopter, the AH-1 Cobra helicopter gunship, the UH-60 Blackhawk flown in Iraq and the UH-72 Lakota light utility helicopter used for domestic operations.

Rodda wasn't always a pilot. He joined the Army National Guard in 1982 and served as a medic until 1985 when he became a helicopter pilot.

During his career he deployed to Honduras twice, as well as to Nicaragua and Iceland in support of military operations. He also played a role in the New York National Guard response to the ice storm of 1998 and tropical storms Lee and Irene in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012. He was also part of the New York Army National Guard aviation task force that responded to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005.

Rodda deployed to Iraq in 2008 and 2009 as battalion safety officer and instructor pilot with the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation.

He has also served as the state aviation safety officer and the state standardization instructor pilot.

Rodda and his wife Michelle have three children: Charlie, Jacqueline and Lily.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Lightner of Ballston Lake, also was honored during his retirement after 22 years of service.

His last assignment was with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade.

Lightner first entered the military in March 1995.

Van for Vet House

A van will be donated for use at the Albany Housing Coalition's Vet House, 180 First St., Albany, at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

H&V Collision Center is teaming up with State Farm insurance to donate the van to assist veterans in the Capital Region.

The van will help with moving veterans as they transition in and out of the Vet House, which shelters up to 28 veterans.

The donation takes place on the day of the Coalition's annual fundraiser supported by 200 motorcyclists from the Nomad Veterans Riders.

Last summer, H&V donated cars to three veterans at a Tri-City ValleyCats game, and have donated a total of 16 cars to veterans and families and individuals facing special challenges.

News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com.
Down Moms of Laredo traveled to San Antonio for a full-filled day Saturday.

Eighteen families went to Morgan's Wonderland, the world's first accessible theme park for people with disabilities. The outing provides more than just a day full of fun. It gives children the opportunity to be a kid, said Yazmin Charles, one of the three executive directors of the organization.

"It gives kids the opportunity to enjoy themselves like every other child," Charles said.

Charles founded the organization with Cindy Rubio and Amber Rodriguez in 2016. Down Moms of Laredo will celebrate their anniversary in September. The mothers came to together to create the organization after many discussions over their children's needs.

READ MORE: 5 stunning homes with pools that just hit the Laredo market

"If we don't teach our community about what Down syndrome is and if we don't raise awareness in that specific topic our community is always going to close the doors on our children," Rubio said. "Sometimes the community didn't know how to approach us. It's more like they didn't know and not so much that they were closing the doors on us. Since we started this past year it has been so successful. Everything we've done has been done with raising awareness in mind, that's our number one priority."

Since its inception, the organization has brought opportunities to all individuals with Down syndrome by promoting awareness and resources. Charles regarded the organization as a blessing since every event will be held on an annual basis, therefore presenting individuals with opportunities to socialize.

Trips like the one to Morgan's Wonderland, Rubio said, help the children become more social and comfortable within their own community.

"When we come back our kids can go ahead and feel comfortable to go bowling, swimming or other typical activities that are offered here in our community because of that opportunity that we're bringing out to them," Rubio said.

While the day trip to the theme park presents an inclusive opportunity, it is also a day of celebration. Rodriguez said the 48 hours following her daughter's birth were filled with fear, as she had to undergo a slew of surgeries.

RELATED: Winners crowned at 2017 Miss Southwest Texas beauty pageant in Laredo

Now as her daughter approaches her second birthday, Rodriguez said she wants to celebrate her health.

"This past year we've been hospital free," Rodriguez said. "So definitely the fact that she's well enough for us to be able to go and take this trip, it's a celebration of her health."
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Sydney Salinas and Macady Mcblain radiated as they each took their first walk as 2017 Miss Southwest Texas and Miss Southwest Texas Teen.

Salinas and Mcblain were among 30 contestants competing in the Miss Southwest Texas beauty pageant Saturday at the LISD Performing Arts Center auditorium. Before being crowned, Salinas and Mcblain took the stage in activewear/swimwear, evening gown and answered an onstage question.

About 10 years ago Salinas was bit by the pageant bug and hasn't stepped off the stage since. Throughout her experience she has learned perseverance.

READ MORE: 5 stunning homes with pools that just hit the Laredo market

"There's been so many times where I wanted to give up but not giving up has led me to the crown now," Salinas said.

Both beauty queens will go on to compete at the Miss Texas Teen and Miss Texas pageants. Salinas, who is currently enrolled at Laredo Community College studying business, said she's looking forward to compete in Miss Texas, a dream of hers since she first began pageants.

Mcblain first entered the pageant world last year with a community competition and walked away Val Verde Teen. Now, as the 2017 Miss Southwest Texas Teen, Mcblain expressed her eagerness to give back to the community.

RELATED: 88 behind-the-scenes photos from Miss Laredo 2017

"I love doing service and especially since this is a bigger community, there's going to be so many more opportunities and so many more places to take my platforms," Mcblain said. "I'm super excited."

In addition to their crowns, Mcblain and Salinas both snagged the award for best evening gown. Salinas also won Most Photogenic and Best in Swimwear award.
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Webb County and the District Attorney's Office are sticking to two different sets of facts regarding the denial of a requested salary for the hiring of two investigators.

Attorneys representing the Webb County Commissioners Court filed a response to a lawsuit brought by District Attorney Isidro "Chilo" Alaniz, claiming Alaniz misrepresented facts in his filed pleadings.

Alaniz filed suit last month against Commissioners Court, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina and Commissioners John Galo and Wawi Tijerina, alleging the court is compromising his office's commitment to public safety by failing to set a fair salary that allows for the hiring of experienced investigators.

In its response, the county denies the allegations in Alaniz's petition.

The response further says Alaniz's facts in the case misrepresent the actual course of events surrounding an alleged refusal to place the salary issue on the Commissioners Court agenda for a second vote.

In April, the District Attorney's Office requested commissioners approve the hiring of Clemente Camarillo, former United ISD police chief and Michael Wu, a Laredo police detective who retired in 2016, at salaries of $58,147. Two commissioners and Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina voted against the motion due to the suggested salaries not matching the county's implemented wage scale.

"The monies in question in this case were already part of the Webb County District Attorney's Office 2016-2017 Budget. The item proposed by the (district attorney) was and is a justifiable reallocation of funds within his budget. There is no reasonable basis to have denied the request," District Attorney's Office Spokeswoman Yanira De Leon said in a statement.

READ MORE: Trial date set for Laredo man accused of fondling 13-year-old

Prior to the Condrey plan being adopted, department heads and elected officials were allowed to hire employees at a salary determined at their discretion, according to Judge Tijerina.

"The Condrey Plan is a policy that sets a pay scale for all positions, saves the county money and ultimately brings greater accountability to the county," Judge Tijerina said in a statement.

He added: "Mr. Isidro Alaniz has stated that the positions he wishes to fill will not cost the county any additional money. However, what he fails to see is that it also does not save the county any money  which is why the Condrey Plan was implemented."

With nine upcoming trials within the next few months, De Leon says the criminal investigator positions are critical reinforcement for the office.

"In addition to these positions not costing the County any additional monies, the Criminal Investigator positions are critical for prosecution and trial preparation.

The DA's Office is at the forefront of Community, Safety and Security. These actions by Commissioners Court are obstructive and compromise community safety," De Leon said.

Judge Tijerina says he finds it odd that Alaniz has not made these positions available at the salary amount set forth in the budget.

"He took it upon himself to hand-pick two senior investigators and to set their salary without formally going through the application process. By doing this, it denies other qualified candidates from applying for the position and having a fair chance at getting employed.

By failing to publicly post these positions and refusing to follow County policy, Alaniz, himself, is obstructing and compromising community safety, not Commissioners Court. I encourage him to post these positions publicly at the amount set forth in the budget in order to open these to a pool of applicants and be fair to the public," Judge Tijerina said in a statement.

Alaniz is requesting the 49th District Court issue a writ of mandamus, commanding the Commissioners Court to recognize Clemente Camarillo and Michael Wu as employees of the District Attorney's Office and to pay their respective salaries as determined by the District Attorney, within the approved budget.

A writ of mandamus is a written order from a higher court to a lower court, or to a government official, office, or corporation, commanding that a specified thing be done.

Open Meetings Act

Alaniz alleges Commissioners Court violated the Texas Open Meetings Act because the county judge refused to place the salary issue on the agenda for a second vote.

He is requesting the district court enter declaratory findings establishing that the Commissioners Court violated the Texas Open Meetings Act by refusing to post the item requested by Commissioner Jesse Gonzalez.

"On May 16, 2017, Commissioner Jesse Gonzalez, agreed to sponsor and place the hiring of the two senior investigators on the agenda for the meeting on May 22, 2017.

On May 17, 2017, the Webb County Judge arbitrarily ordered that Commissioner Gonzalez's item be removed from the agenda. The DA's Office alleges this was a violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act," De Leon said.

According to the county, Gonzalez never requested the item be placed on the agenda.

"Rather, after discussions with Commissioners Court staff, Commissioner Gonzalez understood that the motion had already been denied and it would be unnecessary to vote on the exact same agenda item a second time unless some fact had changed from the prior vote," the county's response states.

RELATED: 5 stunning homes with pools that just hit the Laredo market

Gonzalez told LMT after inquiring about placing the item on the agenda, he was made aware that it didn't fall under the guidelines of the Robert's Rules of Order, which dictates that in order for the same item to be brought forward again it needs to be done so by the court members who voted in the majority.

In this case, Gonzalez was in the minority as he and Commissioner Jaime Canales voted in favor of the investigators' requested salaries.

According to Alaniz's petition, Robert's Rules of Order violates the Texas Open Meetings Act, which provides that any commissioner is able to place items on the agenda.

The county believes there is no violation of the Open Meetings Act, according to its response.

"The District Attorney is not entitled to place items on the Commissioners Court agenda nor can he bring such an allegation on behalf of a member of the Commissioners Court. Therefore, there was no Open Meetings Act violation," the response states.

Gonzalez said he is not about to go against the system that the county already has in place and believes Robert's Rules of Order provides some type of order to the county's proceedings.

Requesting dismissal

The county is requesting the court dismiss Alaniz's lawsuit, alleging the court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction over Alaniz's claims against the defendants because they are immune from suit.

Alaniz's petition fails to properly invoke any supervisory jurisdiction over the Webb County Commissioners Court, according to the county.

"Under Texas law, a suit against a government official or employee in his official capacity is generally treated as a suit against his government employer ... pursuant to the doctrine of sovereign immunity, governmental entities, including the Texas counties, are generally immune from suit," the response states.

Further, the county references case law that finds determining the reasonableness of a salary "is an objective test and does not hinge on the district judges' subjective belief that the salary range is unreasonable."

Commissioners Courts decisions are reviewable only upon showing abuse of discretion or lack of jurisdiction, according to the case law.

The Texas Government Code says "a prosecuting attorney shall fix the salaries of his assistant prosecuting attorneys, investigators, secretaries, and other office personnel, subject to the approval of the commissioners court of the county or counties composing the district."

Wawi Tijerina and Galo declined to approve the investigators' hirings because the salaries did not match the salary levels of the county's implemented Condrey plan, according to the lawsuit.

MORE FROM LMT: District attorney files lawsuit against Webb Co. commissioners alleging unreasonable salaries

Alaniz gave notice of withdrawal from the Condrey plan on April 27. He then submitted a standard request to employ the investigators at the set salary of $58,147.

"On May 9, 2017, the Commissioners Court replied with a letter and memorandum of counsel denying the request. The Commissioners Court conceded that the District Attorney had authority to withdraw from the Condrey plan; however the Commissioners Court also claimed that the Condrey plan was nevertheless part of the county budget and that the District Attorney could not hire the investigators except at the salary set by Commissioners Court, which was $44,535.15," the petition states.

Alaniz says the $44,535.15 salary makes it impossible for him to hire experienced investigators and doesn't create a competitive pay system.

"Over time, as current investigator's retire, the District Attorney will have a considerably less-experienced corps of investigators, consisting mostly or entirely of new hires supervised by persons whose sole experience has been working for the District Attorney as investigators," his petition states.

The case is scheduled for an initial court hearing Aug. 29 in the 49th District Court.

Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court Nathan L. Hecht assigned Senior Judge W.C. Kirkendall, a visiting judge, to preside over the case after 49th District Court Judge Joe Lopez voluntarily recused himself.
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Work on the Grand Parkway, which circles the entire Greater Houston area beyond the 610 Loop and Beltway 8, continues with the next portions of construction beginning soon in Liberty and Chambers counties, according to Omar DeLeon, engineer in the Liberty County office for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

"It's a $1.4 billion project," said DeLeon, adding that the parkway will be 180 miles long once completed.

"It in essence is a third avenue outside of the Greater Houston Area," he said.

TxDOT recently opened one of the segments of the Grand Parkway in Montgomery County. Anyone traveling on US 59 can exit onto it in Porter.

"We're getting ready to start segments H and I," said DeLeon.

Segments H and I span across Harris, Montgomery, Liberty and Chambers counties and connect to US 59 N to US 90, which in turn is connected to I 10 East, then to FM 1405 and finally SH 146 in Chambers County.

"Sometime mid-July we will issue that notice to proceed," said DeLeon.

DeLeon also discussed the US 59 corridor project, beginning first with the portion of the highway south of Cleveland.

This portion has limits from the Montgomery County line to the south end of the Cleveland bypass. DeLeon says the plan is to widen the main lanes to three lanes in each direction, construct northbound and southbound frontage roads and construct an overpass at County Road 381 and the SH 105 connector. The anticipated letting date is September 2018.

The portion of the highway that sits north of Cleveland has limits from the north end of the Cleveland bypass into San Jacinto County. TxDOT has a preliminary schematic and is communicating with the local public on this portion of the project. There is no anticipated letting date at this time.

In other news, Chamber President Carl Williamson took a moment to explain a new program called Cleveland Stars. The program, according to Williamson, is designed to recognize people who have done some good for the Cleveland community.

This month's Cleveland Star is Cleveland ISD police officer Pamela Minchew, who recently stopped a passenger on board a Southwest Airlines flight from attempting to open an emergency exit midflight.

"That would put terror in my heart," said Williamson.

Williamson presented the Cleveland Star to Minchew at the luncheon to honor her actions and bravery in protecting the other passengers of the plane.

"Fortunately for us she works in Cleveland, Texas," said Williamson.
Alone and in pain, Tulasi Shahi encountered a poisonous snake.

The Nepali woman had been banished to her uncle's cowshed as per the "chaupadi" tradition, a centuries-old practice common among Hindus in the western regions of Nepal, though it was outlawed in 2005. Some communities there consider women "impure" while they are menstruating. These women are prohibited from daily activities and left isolated in sheds with straw floors for the duration of their periods.

Shahi was bitten on the head and leg while banished, the mayor of the local district, Surya Bahadur Shahi, told CNN. It was unclear whether he was related to the woman.

Her family members tried to treat her with home remedies before taking Tulasi Shahi to a clinic near Dailekh, which did not have antivenin. Recent monsoon rains have flooded the area, making a trek to a distant hospital difficult.

She died seven hours later, CNN reported.

"If she was given proper treatment, she would have survived," said Shahi's cousin Kamala Shahi, a government health worker, according to the New York Times. "She died because of superstition."

Shahi, whose age has been reported as 19 by CNN and 18 by the Times, is the latest Nepali woman to die from events related to the chaupadi practice, which has been condemned by the United Nations and global health organizations as cruel treatment of women, often in unsanitary conditions.

Roshani Tiruwa, a 15-year-old girl, died in December from smoke inhalation after she lighted a fire in the hut where she was banished while menstruating.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had called for an end to chaupadi a month earlier, after the death of a 21-year-old woman.

Chaupadi has survived global outcry. A 2015 State Department report on human rights in Nepal, citing a government survey from 2010, found that 50 percent of women ages 15 to 49 in the midwestern and far-western regions of the country practice chaupadi. One in five women in the country as a whole reported the practice.

Legislators agreed to a provision to fine and potentially jail family members if a woman dies after being forced into the practice, the Himalayan Times reported in February.

Chaupadi can be disruptive to the lives and families of women and affects women of all social strata. They are barred from cultural events; cannot touch people, cattle, some foods; or milk cows or buffalo for fear of contaminating the milk, a 2011 U.N. bulletin said.

The Times of India reported on a 2011 survey that found that barely 1 in 10 women in India used sanitary pads during their periods, while others used alternatives such as ashes and sand.

The survey found that nearly 1 in 4 Indian women dropped out of school after they began to menstruate.
China's government has told telecommunications carriers to block individuals' access to virtual private networks by Feb. 1, people familiar with the matter said, thereby shutting a major window to the global internet.

Beijing has ordered state-run telecommunications firms, which include China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, to bar people from using VPNs, services that skirt censorship restrictions by routing web traffic abroad, the people said, asking not to be identified talking about private government directives.

The clampdown will shutter one of the main ways in which people both local and foreign still manage to access the global, unfiltered web on a daily basis. China has one of the world's most restrictive internet regimes, tightly policed by a coterie of government regulators intent on suppressing dissent to preserve social stability. In keeping with President Xi Jinping's "cyber sovereignty" campaign, the government now appears to be cracking down on loopholes around the Great Firewall, a system that blocks information sources from Twitter and Facebook to news websites such as the New York Times and others.

While VPNs are widely used by businesses and individuals to view banned websites, the technology operates in a legal gray area. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology pledged in January to step up enforcement against unauthorized VPNs, and warned corporations to confine such services to internal use. At least one popular network operator said it had run afoul of the authorities: GreenVPN notified users it would halt service from July 1 after "receiving a notice from regulatory departments." It didn't elaborate on the notice.

It's unclear how the new directive may affect multinationals operating within the country, which already have to contend with a Cybersecurity Law that imposes stringent requirements on the transfer of data and may give Beijing unprecedented access to their technology. Companies operating on Chinese soil will be able to employ leased lines to access the international web but must register their usage of such services for the record, the people familiar with the matter said.

"This seems to impact individuals" most immediately, said Jake Parker, Beijing-based vice president of the US-China Business Council. "VPNs are incredibly important for companies trying to access global services outside of China," he said.

"In the past, any effort to cut off internal corporate VPNs has been enough to make a company think about closing or reducing operations in China. It's that big a deal," he added.

China Mobile Ltd., the Hong Kong-listed arm of the country's biggest carrier, declined to comment. Representatives for publicly traded China Telecom Corp. and China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd. couldn't immediately comment. The ministry didn't immediately reply to an email seeking comment.
Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, said in a statement Sunday that a Russian lawyer with whom he met in June 2016 claimed she could provide potentially damaging information about his father's likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

He said he had agreed to the meeting at Trump Tower in New York because he was offered information that would be helpful to the campaign of his father,then the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

At the meeting, which also included Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Trump's then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, the Russian lawyer opened by saying she knew about Russians funding the Democratic National Committee and Clinton, the statement said.

Donald Jr. said that her comments during the meeting were "vague, ambiguous and made no sense" and that she then changed the subject to discuss a prohibition that the Russian government placed on the adoption of Russian children as retaliation for sanctions imposed by Congress in 2012.

Donald Jr. said his father "knew nothing of the meeting or these events," and the campaign had no further contact with the woman after the 20- to 30-minute session.

The president's son did not disclose the discussion when the meeting was first made public by the New York Times on Saturday and did so only on Sunday as the Times prepared to report that he had been offered information on Clinton at the session.

The revelations about the meeting come as federal prosecutors and congressional investigators explore whether the Trump campaign coordinated and encouraged Russian efforts to intervene in the election to hurt Clinton and elect Trump. Hackers began leaking emails stolen from the Democratic Party in July 2016, and U.S. intelligence agencies have said the effort was orchestrated by Russia to help elect Trump.

The meeting suggests that some Trump aides were in the market to collect negative information that could be used against Clinton - at the same time that U.S. government officials have concluded Russians were collecting such data.

Trump officials have vigorously denied they colluded with Russia in any way.

In his statement, Donald Jr. said he did not know the lawyer's name, Natalia Veselnitskaya, before attending the meeting at the request of an acquaintance. He said that after pleasantries were exchanged, the lawyer told him that "she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton."

"No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information," he said, saying he concluded that claims of helpful information for the campaign had been a "pretext" for setting up the meeting.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's lawyer, said Trump was unaware of the meeting and did not attend it.

Neither Manafort or his spokesman responded to requests for comment Sunday evening. Lawyers for Kushner also did not respond to requests for comment Sunday. On Saturday, a Kushner lawyer, Jamie Gorelick, said her client had previously revised required disclosure forms to note multiple meetings with foreign nationals, including the session in June with Veselnitskaya. "As Mr. Kushner has consistently stated, he is eager to cooperate and share what he knows," Gorelick said.

In his statement, Donald Jr. said he was approached about the meeting by an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

He did not name the acquaintance, but in an interview Sunday, Rob Goldstone, a music publicist who is friendly with Donald Jr., told The Washington Post that he had arranged the meeting at request of a Russian client and had attended it along with Veselnitskaya.

Goldstone has been active with the Miss Universe pageant and works as a manager for Emin Agalarov, a Russian pop star whose father is a wealthy Moscow developer who sponsored the pageant in the Russian capital in 2013.

Goldstone would not name the client. He said that Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss ways that Trump could be helpful about the Russian government's adoption issue should he be elected president.

"Once she presented what she had to say, it was like, 'Can you keep an eye on it? Should [Trump] be in power, maybe that's conversation that he may have in the future?' " Goldstone said.

In the Sunday interview, Goldstone did not describe the conversation about Clinton or indicate that he had told Trump Jr. he could provide information helpful to the campaign. He did not respond to a second request for comment late Sunday. Likewise, a spokeswoman for Donald Trump Jr. did not respond when asked if Goldstone was the acquaintance to whom the president's son was referring.

His role in the meeting has not been previously reported.

Veselnitskaya's client roll includes individuals and companies close to the Kremlin. She has for the past several years been a leading advocate around the world to fight Magnitsky Acts, sanctions intended to rebuke Russia for human rights abuses. The acts are named for a Russian lawyer who died under mysterious circumstances in a Moscow prison.

She did not respond to requests for comment from The Post but told the Times in a statement that she had never acted on behalf of the Russian government and that the meeting included no discussion of the presidential campaign.

The meeting occurred during a period of intense focus on the Magnitsky sanctions. Four days after the Trump Tower session June 9, Veselnitskaya was in Washington attending a House Foreign Relations Committee hearing that discussed sanctions and other aspects of U.S.-Russia relations.

That evening, a film critical of the Magnitsky sanctions - and the story behind it - showed at the Newseum. On June 15, Veselnitskaya was featured on the Sputnik News website criticizing the sanctions and its leading advocate, William Browder, a financier who left Russia a decade ago amid concerns about corruption, including that exposed by the lawyer and auditor he had hired, Sergei Magnitsky. Magnitsky died in a Russian prison under mysterious circumstances in 2009 after exposing a corruption scandal.

Browder led the lobbying for the Magnitsky Act's passage in 2012, a vote that infuriated Putin, leading the Russian leader to retaliate by halting American adoption of Russian children. The adoption issue is frequently used as a talking point by opponents of the Magnitsky Act, said Browder.
Heavy rain is moving into the Montgomery County area, and the pattern of storms could last into the week, according to the National Weather Service.

About 2 inches of rain has fallen in Conroe since 5 p.m. Sunday, and other reports indicate some areas near Montgomery have experienced more than 3 inches of rain. Montgomery Fire Department is reporting many flooded streets, mostly in the Walden neighborhood. Other first responders are reporting high water along Research Forest in The Woodlands. Readers are reporting on Twitter that portions of Texas 105 near Lake Conroe are flooded as well.
Asleep in the mountains northwest of Boulder, Colo., a teenage camp counselor was awakened Sunday morning by a loud crunching sound.

The noise was the sound of large teeth scraping against his skull, he told Denver ABC-affiliate KMGH. A black bear, the teen realized, was trying to pull him out of his sleeping bag by his head.

"It grabbed me like this and pulled me, and then it bit the back of my head and dragged me," the teen, identified only by his first name, Dylan, told KMGH. "When it was dragging me, that was the slowest part. It felt like it went forever."

Fellow staffers and campers were roused by the commotion and tried to scare the bear away as Dylan fought back. The bear dragged Dylan about 10 feet, then dropped him and walked away.

Dylan was taken to the hospital. His injuries weren't life threatening. Authorities are searching for the bear, which will likely be euthanized, according to the Associated Press.

The teen is a counselor at Glacier View Ranch, a camp owned by the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh Day Adventists, the AP reported. According to the camp's website, the conference hosts seven weeks of summer camps for youth ages 7 to 18. The camps feature zip lines, go-carts and canoeing, "all in a safe, Christ-centered atmosphere."

The ranch confirmed the attack on its website, and said it would not cancel the rest of the summer's camps. About 100 children and teens are expected to attend.

Campers that Dylan was supervising over the weekend had asked if they could spend the night under the stars, sleeping by the camp's lake. Dylan relented.

He told reporters he teaches wilderness survival at the camp.

How fortuitous. One of the tips experts recommend for surviving a bear attack is to fight back.

Dylan's experience follows other troubling reports of bear attacks, including two fatal maulings in Alaska a day apart last month.

On June 18, Patrick "Jack" Cooper, a 16-year-old from Anchorage, was killed by a bear after he veered off a trail during a mountain foot race south of the city, according to the AP. A day later, Erin Johns, a 27-year-old contract worker for Pogo Mine died in a mauling 275 miles northeast of Anchorage. Her 38-year-old co-worker was also injured.

Authorities told the AP they were baffled by the uptick in bear attacks, although the numbers can fluctuate from year to year. Dylan said his experience hasn't changed his attitude toward bears. In fact, he was back at camp - sporting fresh scars - when he talked to reporters.

"I'm not afraid of the bears. I'm not afraid of sleeping outside anymore. You just have to be aware and respect the animals," Dylan said.
Almost six years ago, in September 2011, Jon Underwood held his very first "death cafe" in the basement of his home in east London. He put out tea and cake, and had people gather to talk about death, mortality and the finitude of life.

That first cafe, inspired by the ideas of Swiss sociologist Bernard Crettaz, who developed the concept of "cafe mortels," has since spawned a worldwide movement. Thousands of death cafes have been held in over 50 countries, including the United States. Other than to talk about death, the cafes had no specific agenda. Anyone could join, whether or not they were religious, superstitious or spiritual.

Then, on June 27, Underwood died suddenly from an undiagnosed leukemia. He was 44.

The abruptness of his death came as a huge shock, especially to his closest family. But Underwood's philosophy of life and death is also a strange source of comfort at this devastating time, said his sister Jools Barsky.

"There is a bizarre irony about dealing with the sudden death of my brother who devoted his life to raising our awareness about the fact [that] life is short and unpredictable," Barsky wrote in an email to The Washington Post. "Whilst in some ways the irony is unimaginably horrible, in others it is strangely helpful."

"Jon was uniquely and unusually aware that life is short and appreciated his life fully, reflecting on this through daily practice," wrote Donna Molloy, Underwood's widow, in a blog post shortly after his death.

"He lived every day reflecting very consciously on the fact that none of us know how long we have and [focused] completely on being present in, and making the most of every minute," Molloy added.

Underwood, who was constantly searching for spiritual meaning, was keen to instill his philosophy of life and death in his family.

"He would often say 'well Jools, you never know, you could be dead tomorrow!' " Barsky told The Post. She added that Underwood "pushed me very hard, sometimes what felt like too hard, to really take advantage of every opportunity and experience."

In the face of this "indescribable" shock and grief, Barksy said, "there is a strange comfort in knowing that he would have been able to handle it."

Barsky pointed to a 2013 interview in which Underwood was asked whether people were more afraid of their own death or the death of loved ones.

Underwood replied that the death of his wife and children scare him the most. "But that's not to say that I'm not scared of dying - I am!" he added. "But doing this work has given me confidence that whatever happens I will respond with openness and resilience. I know I will cope."

"Understanding that he felt like this is really useful for us too right now!" Barsky said.

Underwood's funeral was held Thursday, July 6, at the Jamyang Buddhist Centre in London, where he had worked as a manager since 2000.

The death of Underwood will not spell the end of Death Cafe. As per Underwood's request, his sister and his mother, Sue Barsky Reid, will continue his work on the Death Cafe movement. Barsky emphasized that however the movement proceeds, it must be "very carefully considered and approached in a thoughtful way."

"This must be a way that Jon would have approved of and that holds true to the core principles of Death Cafe of allowing people to talk about death in a safe space with no agenda, alongside tea and food [and] delicious cake," Barsky said.
Step by step, the Trump administration is walking back policies and rules in higher education that its predecessor said were needed to protect students who rely on federal funding to pursue a degree.

Supporters say the Education Department under President Donald Trump is restoring balance after overreach during the Obama administration led to punitive regulations and aggressive policing that threatened the stability of schools and student loan companies. But consumer advocates say they fear Trump is unraveling years of work to ensure borrowers are placed ahead of profits.

Through the first half of the year, the department led by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has withdrawn, delayed or announced plans to revamp more than a half dozen Obama-era measures involving federal student aid.

"The U.S. Department of Education's illegal refusal to implement these protections means that more students will continue to drown in debt, while taxpayers foot the bill," said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, D.

What started as a slow chipping away of Obama administration directives has turned into full-fledged overhaul of regulations.

In March, the department announced schools would be given more time to appeal poor reviews under what is known as the "gainful employment" rule, which threatens to withhold student aid from vocational programs whose graduates consistently end up with more debt than they can repay.

By June 14, the department announced an effort to rewrite the rule entirely. Weeks later, DeVos said schools would be given another year to comply with certain provisions and tell students how their programs are performing.

"The secretary's priority is to put students' needs first, and the department is committed to doing just that," said department spokeswoman Liz Hill. "Every step taken to reduce regulatory burdens or to enter a negotiated rulemaking process is done with the best interests of students in mind."

Another much-debated rule is "borrower defense to repayment," which erases federal loans for students whose colleges used illegal or deceptive tactics to get them to borrow money to attend. On the books since the 1990s, the rule was revised last year to speed up and simplify the claims process and shift more of the cost of discharging loans onto schools.

Before those changes could take effect July 1, DeVos suspended them last month and said she would convene a committee to reconsider the matter. That led Healey and 18 other Democratic state attorneys general to file a lawsuit Thursday seeking to prevent any delay of the updated borrower-defense rule.

DeVos said her action will have no impact on tens of thousands of pending claims, but some borrowers say the process has already ground to a halt.

In early January, Jessica Madison received a notice from the department approving the forgiveness of $19,000 she amassed in debt for a paralegal program at Everest College in Clearwater, Florida, a for-profit school that was operated by now-defunct Corinthian Colleges. The notice, reviewed by The Washington Post, said the debt would be discharged within 60 to 120 days, but it was not.

Instead, Madison said the government has been garnishing her paycheck to recoup the debt. She said she has struggled to repay the money since leaving Everest in 2009 because it took her nearly three years to land a full-time job.

"I wasn't able to have power for weeks because my checks couldn't cover the bills," Madison said. "This has put me in a deep hole that is taking long to crawl out of."

Hill declined to discuss Madison's case. But the department spokeswoman said "too many students . . . have gotten caught up in a convoluted and confusing process set up by the previous administration."

"It is our aim to make sure students are protected from predatory practices, taxpayers are protected and universities and colleges have clear, fair and balanced rules to follow," she added.

Hill said the department has discharged debt for nearly half of the 16,453 approved claims it inherited from the Obama administration. About 64,000 remaining applications for relief, some three years old, are still under review.

Consumer lawyer Toby Merrill said the tedious process of approving individual claims is exactly why the Obama administration included automatic loan discharges for groups of defrauded students.

For-profit colleges contend that the Obama administration's initiatives were designed to cripple their schools. DeVos has voiced sympathy with these complaints, calling the gainful-employment rule "overly burdensome and confusing" for schools.

But advocates of the rule say it protects students from shoddy programs and high loan-default rates. Ninety-eight percent of the programs that failed to meet the standards outlined in the rule are offered by for-profit colleges.

Rewriting the gainful-employment and borrower-defense rules is part of a broader effort at the department to reduce regulation.

DeVos said last month that a regulatory reform task force is scrutinizingover 150 rules and more than 1,700 pieces of policy guidance. Many could be targeted for repeal or modification.

"If you had to summarize the actions that we've seen so far from the Department of Education, it's an effort to reduce the federal footprint," said Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education.

The council, which represents college and university presidents, had been skeptical during the Obama administration of what it viewed as a trend toward federal micromanagement of schools.

The task force is co-chaired by Robert Eitel, a former attorney at for-profit college operator Bridgepoint Education, who is now senior counsel to DeVos. Critics say the task force is failing to account for the views of students.

"At no point are they asking for the input of student loan borrowers or people enrolled in college," said Alexis Goldstein, senior policy analyst at the progressive Americans for Financial Reform. "The common theme here is enriching a certain number of private actors at the expense of protections for borrowers."

Goldstein cited DeVos' withdrawal of three Obama-era memos designed to strengthen consumer protections for student loan borrowers. One required the department to consider a loan servicer's record, including consumer complaints and state investigations, before awarding a contract.

"It was a straightforward memo," Goldstein said. "Getting rid of it just paves the way for student loan companies that have committed abuses against borrowers to continue on."

Department spokeswoman Hill said the directives contained "shifting deadlines, changing requirements and even regulations that contradicted themselves." She said the department "retained all of the meaningful borrower protections" in its amended service contract.

But therevisedcontract stripped out a requirement that the company have specialists on hand to aid people in delinquency, a feature meant to stem loan defaults.

DeVos frames the changes she has made as necessary alterations to complex policies. Not only does she want to recast Obama-era regulations, she also has suggested that Congress should consider scrapping the Higher Education Act of 1965 and starting over.

"It doesn't make a lot of sense to simply amend a 50-year-old law," DeVos said in June to the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. "Adding to a half-century patchwork will not lead to meaningful reform. Real change is needed."

There are no signs that Congress will act on that recommendation. But it seems clear that the administration is seeking to shift the federal role in higher education. What's not clear is the end goal. For all of the measures that have been repealed, the department has been short on the specifics of replacements.

"The early moves seem to be responsive to industry pet peeves," said Rohit Chopra, the former student loan ombudsman at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "It's just not clear to me what's the vision."
Local News, National & World News, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: July 10 2017

Sixteen Attorneys General Argue That Trump Administration Too Narrowly Interprets Close Familial Relationship  Harming States Residents, Institutions, And Economies.

New York, NY - July 10, 2017 - Today, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, leading a coalition of sixteen Attorneys General, filed an amicus brief in the Hawaii travel ban litigation, supporting Hawaiis pending motion for injunctive relief in federal district court.

Last week, Hawaii filed a motion in State of Hawaii and Ismail Elshikh v. Donald Trump, et al. to clarify the scope of the injunction that partially blocks the travel ban. Attorney General Schneiderman led this same coalition of Attorneys General in filing an amicus brief in support of Hawaiis first motion. While the district court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined for procedural reasons to address that first motion, the Ninth Circuit observed that Hawaii could seek injunctive relief from the district court. Late Friday, the plaintiffs filed a motion to enforce, or alternatively, to modify the district courts preliminary injunction. Todays amicus brief filed by the coalition of Attorneys General supports that new motion.

Since January, Attorneys General have been on the front lines  going into courts around the country and marshalling our resources to fight President Trumps anti-Muslim travel ban, said Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Well continue to do what it takes to protect our communities and our states from this unconstitutional, unlawful, and un-American ban.

Click here to read the full amicus brief , which was signed by New York, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

The Supreme Court left the injunction in place in part, preventing the enforcement of the ban against people with a close familial relationship to persons in the United States. The Attorneys General argue that the Trump administrations narrow interpretation of close familial relationship  which excludes grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and siblings-in-law  improperly and arbitrarily excludes from the protection of the injunction family members who fall squarely within its meaning and purpose, in violation of the Supreme Courts directive.

Amici have a strong interest in plaintiffs challenge to this Executive Order because many of its provisions have threatenedindeed, have already causedsubstantial harm to our residents, communities, hospitals, universities, and businesses while courts continue to adjudicate the Orders lawfulness, the Attorneys General wrote.
Local News, Travel & Local Attractions, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: July 10 2017

Brooks: "I will continue to closely monitor the situation and advocate for any improvements that will make this burdensome commute easier."

Seaford, NY - July 10, 2017 - Senator John E. Brooks joined Long Island Railroad commuters Monday morning, July 10, at the Senator John E. Brooks joined Long Island Railroad commuters Monday morning, July 10, at the Seaford station as the LIRR Summer-of-Hell kicked off. Senator Brooks spoke with commuters, railroad employees and others during the morning rush hour about how the summer track work affected them.
A photo released by the Islamic States Wilayah Khorasan from the Tora Bora Mountains.

The Islamic States Wilayah Khorasan (or Khorasan province) has released a new set of photos documenting its battles against the Taliban in the Tora Bora Mountains and the nearby area. The region garnered worldwide attention in late 2001, after Osama bin Laden and many of his men retreated to an al Qaeda base in the mountains. It could have been bin Ladens last stand, but the al Qaeda founder escaped and continued to manage an international network of subordinates until early May 2011, when he was finally killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

In June, press reports indicated that Wilayah Khorasan had captured bin Ladens cave complex in Tora Bora from the Taliban. It was a supposedly high-profile win for Baghdadis men at a time when they are losing ground in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. CBS News cited a broadcast in Pashto on the so-called caliphates local radio station, which trumpeted the territorial gain.

In mid-June, the Islamic States Naba magazine also carried an article on the campaign. Naba claimed that Wilayah Khorasans members sought to dispel any misgivings about their intentions after the Taliban had previously warned people in the area about the self-declared caliphate.

The Taliban denied that Abu Bakr al Baghdadis loyalists held the ground in Tora Bora, according to press reports. However, Wilayah Khorasans offensive in early June forced the Afghan government to respond after locals forged an alliance with the Taliban to fight the caliphates representatives.

The Taliban is battling the Afghan government and its Western allies on multiple fronts throughout Afghanistan. This allowed the Islamic States arm, which has far fewer fighters, to take advantage of a neglected front, as its enemies were preoccupied elsewhere.

At first, villagers sided with the Taliban to push Wilayah Khorasans forces back in Tora Bora. The Taliban reportedly controls much of the area, but didnt have enough men on hand to respond to the assault on its own.

Lacking a significant deployment in the area, the Afghan government eventually decided to provide more arms to eager villagers and tribesmen. Voice of America (VOA) reported on July 7 that the Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) is arming dozens of local men in the Pachiragam district of Nangarhar province, which shares a border with Pakistan.

We have enlisted 300 local uprising members in the Pachiragam district who have been equipped and will soon start their activities, Attaullah Khogyani, the Nangarhar governors spokesperson, told VOA earlier this month. The National Directorate of Security will finance them and provide them weapons. (A previous Afghan government-led effort had reportedly recruited several hundred locals to man checkpoints in Pachiragam.)

We ask the government to support us, provide us with arms and equipment. We will fight IS [Wilayah Khorasan] more effectively, VOA quoted a tribal elder named Malek Sherzai as saying.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State continues to advertise its battles with the Taliban in Tora Bora and elsewhere. It makes for good propaganda, as the organization rejects the legitimacy of all jihadists who refuse to bend their knee to Baghdadi.

Yesterday, Wilayah Khorasan released a set of photos purportedly documenting an assault on apostate Taliban positionson the outskirts of Tora Bora. Some of the images can be seen below.

Wilayah Khorasan has repeatedly highlighted its fighting against the Taliban, even as it has lost ground in Nangarhar to US soldiers and their Afghan allies. As of early 2016, the groups safe haven in the province consisted of approximately nine districts. But this was reduced to just three districts by the end of the year, according to the US military.

Wilayah Khorasan has a much smaller footprint than the Taliban, but it is still capable of launching large-scale attacks in Afghanistans cities. And as the fighting in Tora Bora shows, it has also been able to take advantage of gaps in the complex, multi-sided Afghan war to suit its own purposes.

The Islamic States Wilayah Khorasan released the photos below purportedly documenting its battles with the Taliban near the Tora Bora Mountains. Some of the images show spoils recovered during its raids. Two photos of beheaded men are not reproduced, but were part of the original photo set.

Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for 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.
Resolute Support, NATOs mission in Afghanistan, took the time and energy to refute a false claim by the Islamic State Khorasan Province that it killed two American soldiers in an IED attack in Nangarhar province on July 7 (the two soldiers were wounded, not killed). However, Resolute Support has ignored numerous fake Taliban reports of American soliders killed, including one from yesterday.

Just yesterday, the Taliban, in a statement on its official propaganda website, Voice of Jihad, claimed it killed four American soldiers in a rocket attack on the Afghan National Army Corps headquarters in Gardez, the provincial capital of Paktia. However, no American soliders have been reported killed or even wounded in an attack in Paktia yesterday. Resolute Support has not taken the time or effort to refute that Taliban statement.

And based on recent history, you should not expect Resolute Support to do so.

In fact, since the beginning of May, the Taliban has issued 11 official statements on Voice of Jihad where it has claimed to have killed 45 American soldiers, including a general (note: the beginning of May was chosen as a start date as it coincides with the beginning of Operation Mansouri, the Talibans latest spring offensive; there are dozens of other false casualty reports stretching back through 2016). Resolute Support never challenged any of these Taliban claims (listed below), all which are untrue.

Yet, when the Islamic State Khorasan Province wrongly says it kills Americans, Resolute Supports public affairs branch immediately jumps into action to knock it down. Why this happens is anyones guess. However, it has become abundantly clear over the past year that Resolute Support has expended an inordinate amount of time and energy battling the Islamic State both militarily and in the public relations sphere, while also downplaying the efforts of the Taliban, al Qaeda, and their allies.

This is not to say that the Islamic State is not a threat in Afghanistan; it is. But the reality is that it is a minor threat when compared to the Taliban. Islamic State Khorasan Province controls a handful of districts in Nangarhar and small pockets in a few provinces in the north, while the Taliban controls or contests almost half of Afghanistan.

False Taliban reports of Americans killed since the beginning of May:

July 9, 2017: 4 invaders killed in attack on ANA Corps in Gardez

June 12, 2017: Powerful IED destroys US tank, 5 invaders killed

June 6, 2017: 4 invaders killed and wounded in Garamsir ambush

May 31, 2017: Jalalabad blast kills and wounds 5 American invaders (2 Americans killed, 3 wounded)

May 29, 2017: 2 Americans; 1 NDS agent killed in Nangarhar

May 25, 2017: 10 U.S invaders, 32 local soldiers killed in Kunduz

May 24, 2017: US general, 18 local puppets killed in Kunduz

May 19, 2017: 4 U.S invaders killed in countrys north

May 14, 2017: 4 U.S invaders, 4 local commandos killed in Parwan

May 2, 2017 3 U.S invaders, 3 commandos killed, 6 hurt in countrys east

May 1, 2017: Martyr attack kills 6 American aggressors in eastern Afghanistan

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.
NATOs Resolute Support has issued a short statement denying that two Americans were killed while fighting the Islamic States Wilayah Khorasan (or ISIS-K). The jihadists claimed yesterday that they had repelled an attack by the apostate Afghan Army and the Crusader American Forces in Afghanistans Nangarhar province, which has been Wilayah Khorasans hub.

The soldiers of Tawhid [monotheism] stood up against them using various types of weapons and rockets, killing 10 murtaddin [apostates] and injuring others, the self-declared caliphates statement reads. Likewise, an SPG-9 round destroyed an American Cougar vehicle and killed 2 Crusaders along with 3 Afghan soldiers.

However, Resolute Support says the Americans were not killed, but instead wounded two days earlier, on July 7.

As is usually the case, the ISIS-K claim of killing 2 US Soldiers in Nangarhar Province over the weekend is false, US Navy Captain William K. Salvin, the Resolute Support spokesman, said in a statement released today. Two service members were wounded on July 7th and were medically evacuated out of theater for treatment.

Although Wilayah Khorasans statement was apparently wrong about the Americans fate, it appears that another significant engagement took place.

In April, three American service members were killed during operations against the Islamic State branch in Nangarhar. [See FDDs Long War Journal reports: American soldier killed fighting Islamic State in Afghanistan and 2 American service members killed fighting Islamic State in eastern Afghanistan.]

That same month, the US dropped the MOAB, the GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast (also known as the mother of all bombs) in Nangarhars Achin district. Afghan officials initially said that the explosion caused 36 Islamic State casualties, but subsequently increased their estimate to 94 killed, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). The Islamic State has claimed that there were no casualties from the bombing.

Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for 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.
Lifestyle / Gastronomy

Jul 10, 2017 | By Staff Writer













Food and sex are, in fact, two sides of the same coin. The eggplant and peach emojis are the new birds and bees. Images of glorious food have been hash-tagged with #foodporn 127.2 million times on Instagram. Orgasm and foodgasm? Same thing, says Spoon University: eating and having sex engages your brain, uses your senses, are basic need(s), and starts with an attraction.

While food is innately sexual, we can all agree that not all restaurants are deemed sexy. Except Eat Me. Eat Me in Bangkok is one of those restaurants that oozes sex appeal  from its brilliant (ok, cheeky) title and dark, sultry interiors to the oh-so pleasurable dishes. Located along Phiphat Soi 2 on Convent Road, the three-storey dining temple has a sleek, resort feel, thanks to the earth colour palette with black industrial finishing, clean lines, and the lush greenery scattered around the space.

If youre here for some darn-good drinks and nibbles, make yourselves comfortable at the ground floors outdoor courtyard if its not too warm out. For dinner, youll be escorted to the alluring, dimly-lit dining room on the second floor, where tables are set in beige tablecloth, white napkins, and luxurious tableware and walls are decorated with provocative artworks by Bangkoks leading contemporary art gallery H Gallery. On our visit, one wall was lined with intriguing photographs of half-naked Asian women to add to the chilled-out, seductive vibe. Go on, linger a while longer if you want: the kitchen and bar run til 1am every day.

















Before our food arrived at the table, we readied our tastebuds with a couple of new-ish cocktails  launched in March this year  from the Sip Some Thai section of the drinks menu. Mixologist Buntanes Pop Direkrittikul uses actual Thai ingredients such as shallots, ginger, green chilli paste, and, of course, lime, in these cocktails, so they taste almost like the real thing. And no, theres not a tom yum-inspired drink in sight. Our spicy and delicious Laab-Moo, a Isaan minced pork dish originating from Northeastern Thailand, is made with vodka, mint, shallot, cilantro, roasted rice and comes topped with a crispy, fragrant strip of Serrano ham. The Mieng Khum, served with a snack comprising of a betel leaf filled with roasted coconut shavings and tamarind paste, is another must-try.

With regards to chef Tim Butlers food, theyre modern, bold and fresh. The ingredients are top-notch, and, even better, sourced with sustainability in mind. Natural flavours are elevated  not masked  with just-right seasonings. We started with some tangy, palette-opening pan-seared sea scallops with green mango and shima aji tartar and heirloom tomato salad, followed by an amazing bowl of sea urchin rice, and a double spicy lemongrass chicken cooked to perfection. From the dessert menu, we had a heart-stoppingly good passionfruit pavlova with banana and whipped cream, and a rich, smooth flourless dark chocolate cake thats to die for.

There are a lot more sexy-sounding dishes on the menu wed love to try, like the duck confit, wagyu short rib and the Austalian salt bush lamb rack, but our stomachs were full and our lives, pretty much complete. Eat Me is the kind of restaurant that youll return again and again for your favourites, but also come back for when youre keen for something to shake up tastebuds. Succulent meats, fresh seafood, heirloom vegetables, satisfying sweets and ace cocktails  theyve got everything. And youll leave this hot spot of a restaurant feeling quite contented.

Eat Me, 1/6 Soi Phiphat 2, Convent Rd., Bangkok, Thailand, +66 022 3809 31.
And the concert! One of my best childhood friends had VIP tickets so we enjoyed front row seats! And what a concert it was, that started on time! The Ohio Players - what energy, what professionalism, real old school music and boy, did they deliver! For 90 minutes they sounded like they were in a recording studio and for 90 minutes, I was moving and grooving, at the Martinsville Speedway! Our party of four had a blast!

It was nice to see the story in Tuesdays paper about Mr. Mondays flags. I didnt know some of that history and I appreciate Mrs. Knowles including that in. I also appreciate Mr. Monday preserving the history of this country and reminding people of it. Too often, we can forget where we come from. Those flags represent the battles fought, the people who gave their lives for this country. Why is it that we can forget that stuff? In the classroom, kids learn about it for a week and then the teacher is forced to move on. No, I dont blame the teachers. If they dont cram all this stuff in, their kids wont be ready for the tests. Thats who I blame, those politicians in Richmond who make teachers focus on all these tests. Now kids dont know who Betsy Ross is, they dont even know there ever was another flag, other than the one they see today. Its disgusting. I also just want to say thank you to the Bulletin for putting in a story like that on July 4. Too many other places just made Tuesday another day. It was a special day, celebrating our freedom and it was nice to see that recognized by at least one place.
One of the Boston Bruins' biggest offseason priorities still remains unresolved, as the Black and Gold have yet to ink restricted free agent David Pastrnak to a contract extension.

Pastrnak is due for a hefty pay raise going into the 2017-18 campaign, with the 21-year-old winger making major strides in third pro season. The Czech native ranked second on the Bruins in both goals (34) and total points (70) last season -- setting new career highs in the process.

While Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has noted multiple times that locking up Pastrnak is a top offseason goal for the club, he added Sunday at Warrior Ice Arena that both parties are not currently close on a new contract.

"No," Sweeney said in regards to progress made on a new deal. "Just had some talks this week with his group and hopefully that will lead to a resolution at some point in time, in the near future, but we have no timeline."

Finalizing a contract extension with Pastrnak will not only allow the Bruins to shore up a budding top-line winger for the foreseeable future, it will also likely dictate the resources available to Boston for the remainder of the offseason.

Currently, the Bruins have $12.9 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly. Based on market prices and Pastrnak's recent track record, it seems likely that the winger is in line for a new deal amounting to between $6-7 million per year -- amounting to close to half of the Bruins' remaining cap space this year.
EAST LONGMEADOW -- The well-intentioned act of donating money to a cause doesn't always breed results.

That's why Cheri Brady of East Longmeadow and seven others will spend a month in remote villages in Nepal to find out the residents' needs, and what solutions would best serve the communities.

"I don't want to assume to know how to best help them, they would know the best," said Brady, who founded the nonprofit Heart Mantra Foundation, Inc., which provides aide to Nepalese villagers. "Sometimes good money goes to waste because it's not spent in a way that best helps the people."

Brady, a nurse practitioner, first came in contact with villagers from the Dolpo and Mustang villages in Nepal in 2008, when she volunteered at a refugee camp in northern India for ethnic Tibetans fleeing the Chinese regime, which has occupied a once sovereign Tibet since 1951.

During that and subsequent volunteer trips, Brady realized that people from the mountainous regions of Nepal are often at the mercy of their environment, as some are unreachable at certain times of the year due to snow and other natural obstructions.

A 2015 earthquake was devastating to the people of Dolpo and Mustang, who largely live off the land. Rather than blindly give to a fund, Brady spoke to people knowledgeable of what villagers needed most to recover from the disaster. After doing her due diligence and learning most of the community's livestock had died, she raised money to buy villagers a cow, which provided them with milk and allowed them to get their farming back on track.

"I want to help the people there, but I want to make sure that the help is good help," Brady said. "Sometimes if you just give money away, you don't know where it's going."

As the team spends a month trekking through the region, a large focus will be to figure out ways to help villagers maintain their traditional lifestyle, Brady said.

"Helping the people in Dolpo and Mustang is one of the most effective ways of preserving their Tibetan way of life," Brady wrote in a fundraising email. "This culture is of unbroken Zhang Zhung ancestral lineage! Without help, they are at risk of losing their unique Tibetan culture within a few generations due to their extreme poverty and lack of resources to sustain cultural support within the villages."

Those interested in donating to Heart Mantra, Inc. may send a check to P.O. Box 62. East Longmeadow, MA. 01028, or email Brady at cheribrady@aol.com.
Wheres Vietnam in the global value chain?

VietNamNet Bridge - Ten years ago, the risk for Vietnam was that it might miss the glbal integration train. Today, the question is where is Vietnam in that train?

















The rice sorrow can be explained by the theory about the production value chain. Farmers determine which rice varieties to grow, while they cultivate and harvest rice in traditional ways.

On May 25, Vibiz, a website of Yoilo Global, released the results of its survey, saying that 64 percent of rice available in the market is Vietnams but is labeled with foreign brands.The survey also found that 53 percent of consumers like foreign rice sourced from Thailand, Cambodia and Japan, despite the fact that Vietnam is a big rice grower and that there are 67 rice varieties, but only 21 are given Vietnamese names.Vietnams rice doesnt bear its true name in foreign markets: importers buy Vietnams rice and then label the rice with their brands to sell at supermarkets in their markets, or export to third countries.The rice sorrow can be explained by the theory about the production value chain. Farmers determine which rice varieties to grow, while they cultivate and harvest rice in traditional ways.

Harvested rice is sold to merchants, who then sell to export companies. Since merchandise rice is mixed, the quality is not high and exporters have to lower selling prices to attract buyers.



This means that the phases of the rice production value are implemented separately which dont have close links.



In other words, Vietnam still cannot build up a completed value chain for its rice, though rice is a key export item.



According to Dao The Anh from MARD, some Vietnamese companies now export rice which bear their own brands.



Co May and Nep Cai Hoa Vang, for example, have relatively high selling prices. The growers of the rice have to build up the material growing areas of their own and follow strict requirements in farming and harvesting.



Citing the story of Co May as a bright spot in Vietnams rice industry, Anh said the company sent staff abroad to learn about market demand and then place orders with farmers.



This is a good way for the long term, Anh said, adding that farmers need support from the State, while businesses need a reasonable policy which allows them to exploit their advantages.



According to OECD, the added value of the foreign invested economic sector in the manufacturing sector accounts for 48.8 percent of Vietnams total export turnover, while the domestic added value content in export still accounts for 12.7 percent only.



A figure was mentioned during PMs Nguyen Xuan Phucs visit to the US several days ago that Vietnam can pocket only $22 from every pair of shoes sold for $100.





RELATED NEWS

Local firms urged to dive into global value chain

Supply chain the new battleground

Thanh Mai
BROCKTON - Two men were gunned down outside a Brockton bar early Sunday morning. Both men ended up in Boston hospitals with serious but apparently non-fatal gunshot wounds.

Brockton police told the Brockton Enterprise that what started as a fight inside Max's Blues Cafe at the corner of Field and North Monticello streets, spilled out onto the street and then gunfire.

At least 25 shots were fired by two gunmen in the 1:47 a.m. shooting, witnesses told police.

Officers found one of the wounded men lying in the street in front of the club. He was bleeding heavily and was transported to Brockton Hospital. The second victim was taken to the hospital in a private car. Both were later transferred to Boston hospitals.

One of the wounded men was involved in the fight, while the second man was apparently in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Police are continuing their investigation.
A family from the United Kingdom is working to raise funds to transport their newborn to Boston for life-saving surgery.

Oliver Cameron, born on January 31 this year, has a Cardiac Fibroma, or a mass in the left ventricle wall of his heart. Immediately after his birth, father Tim Cameron says his son was rushed to neo-natal intensive care because he was not breathing. Since his birth, Oliver has had three episodes due to the rare tumor in his heart.

In Oxford and Southampton in the U.K., where Oliver has been treated, Cameron says surgeons have no expertise in removing a Cardiac Fibroma.

After researching solutions, Tim Cameron and his wife Lydia Cameron found that Boston Children's Hospital has seen the highest success in surgically removing such tumors. He sources a study that shows from 1990 to 2013, the surgical team at BCH saved all 20 patients it received with the same heart condition.

"As the NHS are unable to offer this to Oliver we are desperate to raise sufficent funds to take him to Boston for this life saving treatment so that our beautiful little man has the chance of a long and happy life," Cameron wrote on a A GoFundMe page set up to fund medical treatment. "We can't thank you enough for helping to give him the biggest gift of a chance at life."

The GoFundMe page is accepting donations to help raise what the family says is more than $190,000 necessary to allow Oliver to undergo surgery at Boston Children's. So far, the fundraising web page has raised more than $110,000 from more than 2,000 donors.
AMHERST -- Even without the University of Massachusetts and other colleges in session, police still answered 169 calls over the weekend -- including a K-9 search of a cemetery for a man accused of slamming and shattering a glass door at the Spoke.

Police will issue a summons on a vandalism charge for the 29-year-old Amherst man, who allegedly got into a verbal altercation with staff at the North Pleasant Street bar after they refused to serve them.

The man is accused of slamming the door when he left, shattering the glass.

Staff from the Spoke chased the suspect into the West Cemetery, according to a police report.

Police brought in K-9 Marvin but failed to find the suspect. Staff, however, know the man and his identity was confirmed through his credit card.

Officers over the weekend also responded to five noise complaints resulting in court charges.

At about 11 p.m. Friday police warned a crowd gathered at 10 Tyler Place about the town's noise bylaw after they received a call about a loud party and yelling.

Less than two hours later, police returned because the party was still going on.

A 20-year-old Boxborough man will face charges in court for violating both the towns noise and nuisance house bylaw.

Police are also issuing a summons for a 21-year-old Berlin man for violating the towns noise bylaw after officers responded to a loud house party on Sunset Court.

When police arrived, they found loud voices and music and the street littered with cups and beer cans. The tenant will face charges, police said, because of the underage drinking and because he was not cooperative in ending the party.

Police also issued a warning to a party on Pelham Road where about 200 gathered after a caller reported loud yelling on the front yard. The tenant was cooperative, police said
SPRINGFIELD - The lack of funding for a high-speed rail study in the state budget is "a disservice" to the city and Western Massachusetts as a whole, said Springfield City Council candidate Victor Davila in a statement on Sunday.

The study's main champion was state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow. He wants to study the feasibility of connecting Boston to Springfield by high-speed rail, and rallied dozens of supporters at Union Station last month as part of his effort to include the money in the budget.

State House negotiators, meeting behind closed doors, dropped Lesser's proposal from the $40.2 billion state budget sent to Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday. The study was included in last year's budget, but vetoed by Baker.

Davila, a candidate for Springfield City Council at-large, said this latest decision "ignored the interests" of people in the Pioneer Valley.

"A high-speed rail system can transform the region's economy by making jobs available that otherwise would not be within reach of residents that don't have reliable transportation," said Davila. "This is an imperative study that must be approved."

Lawmakers approved a $1.5 million study to consider connecting North Station and South Station, two major transportation hubs in Boston. Davila said this study "adds insult to injury" for people in Western Massachusetts who feel ignored by Beacon Hill.

He said that all major civilizations throughout history, "from the Romans to the Egyptians, from the Aztecs to the Mayans," could move people in and out of cities quickly and efficiently. If Springfield is to thrive economically, he said, it must be able to do the same.

Lesser's plan earned support from more than two dozen lawmakers, including state Sen. Don Humason, R-Westfield, and state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, D-Springfield, as well as the Greater Boston and Greater Springfield chambers of commerce.

Supporters said a high-speed rail line connecting Boston, Framingham, Worcester, Palmer and Springfield would give workers in Western Massachusetts access to higher paying jobs in expanding industries, while Boston residents could move to communities with lower costs of living.

Davila is one of 14 candidates running for five at-large seats on the Springfield City Council. The other candidates are Tom Ashe, Ernesto Cruz, Jeffery Donnelly, Albert Dziewit, Marilyn Felix, Justin Hurst, Jesse Lederman, Jynai McDonald, Kelli Moriarty-Finn, Tim Rooke, Tim Ryan, Kateri Walsh and Tracye Whitfield.
Last month, I found myself sitting next to a multimillionaire in the 56th-floor Horizon Club Lounge of the Island Shangri-La Hong Kong. He made no attempt to hide the fact that he was swimming in cash; I just wouldnt have guessed he had made it all from Bitcoin. This is how he did it.

Mr. Smithwho asked me to conceal his real namehas been traveling the world in ultra-luxurious style for the past four years. He only flies first class, stays exclusively in 5-star suites, and hasnt cooked since Thanksgiving. In the past thirty days hes visited Singapore, New York City, Las Vegas, Monaco, Moscow, back to New York City, Zurich and now Hong Kong. "Never a dull moment," he says, lifting his glass of champagne in a Gatsby-esque salute. Then he shared his story.

Jordan Bishop

Full Story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bishopjordan/2017/07/07/bitcoin-millionaire/#3ad1d83a6261
In a time when technology allows Montanas congressional delegation to host tele-town halls or live chats on Facebook, its not uncommon for elected officials to get feedback from afar in an effort to stay connected with issues at home.

But many Montana voters still prefer to do things the old-fashioned way  engaging their elected officials in person, respectfully, as they stand before a crowd answering questions.

And at least one U.S. senator from Montana agrees.

By Martin Kidston

Full Story: http://www.missoulacurrent.com/government/2017/07/missoula-tester-town-hall/
The MPA have issued an update concerning a oil leakage that happened on the 29th April 2022 and that the source of the oil spilled had been identified.

There is no more leakage of oil from the pipeline.

The origin of the leak has been identified.

A hole of about 20mm diameter was found in the pipeline.

No oil spillage observed at sea.

MPA booms and skimmer are still in position.

About 8m3 of water contaminated with oil has been recovered.

The Bunker Operator is proceeding with the repair of the pipeline.

Some minor clean-up will be effected today ( 30th April 2022).
On the morning of July 1, 1977, aboard a Cadillac donated by the funeral home, Barry Bailey was one of the two community servants that responded to the wreck on Old U.S. 70 at Shanty Town Road in Old Fort.

Forty years later, he recalled, that he and his partner arrived to find a vehicle in a ditch with something that appeared to be vomit throughout the interior.

Turned out she had a pineapple-upside-down cake in the car, and it went everywhere, Bailey said with a laugh. She wasnt hurt, but we sent her to the hospital anyway to be checked out.

That was the first call of the first day of what became McDowell County Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

And few people know the ins and outs of McDowell EMS like Bailey, who worked from that first day in July 1977 until he retired on July 4, 2007. He started his career as a medic and ended it as a shift captain.

I was the last one hired to work with that first crew, Bailey stated last week. All I had at that time was advanced first-aid training. We had 16 employees total, and six of them were EMTs. There were three shifts. We worked 24 hours on and 48 hours off.

He began taking classes for his EMT licensure in August 1977, completing it in one month, and then starting paramedic school for a year.

We tested for that in November 1978, and we all passed, said Bailey. We had to go to school on our days off from work.

He served in law enforcement for 4  years before his ambulance days and said he considered his job swap a challenge.

The first year was hard, he stated. Brenda (his wife) and I did a lot of soul searching. But the more I got into it, the more job satisfaction that came from it. I worked with and met some of the best people Ive ever known.

The work brought some of the best  and worst  times hes ever known, too.

With pride, he recollected saving lives, delivering babies and what he and his co-workers called the scientific experiments they conducted after their base, a small portion of what is now the County Administration Building, closed for business at 5:00.

We used to do things like go up and drop a water bottle off the top of the building to see what it would do, said Bailey. There are some bad memories, but there are a lot of good ones, too.

One of the worst times, he said, was the night he was shot at after responding to a call of a person with a laceration at a residence on U.S. 221 South.

I turned the flood lights on and saw a gun barrel come out the window, Bailey recalled. As soon as we stepped out of the ambulance, he fired a shot. We turned to run, and he fired another shot. Later, after law enforcement arrived and the situation calmed down, I went back to where my boot prints were when I came out of the ambulance, and there was a bullet only 18 inches away. The Lord was watching over us that night.

When Bailey began his career in the summer of 1977, there were less than 100 paramedics in North Carolina. Even at that time, McDowell was setting a standard for other counties across the state.

We were the fifth county in the state to go fully paramedic, he stated. We were a training ground for A-B Tech and Catawba Valley Community College. They would send their students to ride with us.

Today, medics might respond to as many as 25 calls a day. Bailey said they ran an average of four to five calls per day in 1977.

Six calls was a busy day for us, he said. We were learning, and, at that time, we were still growing up. We were like family. We fought, we argued, we talked, we ate together, we worked together. We were close, grew older together and, basically, helped raise each others young uns.

Today, 10 years after Baileys retirement, progression continues.

They do things today that I only dreamed of doing, he stated. But we laid the foundation for those who carry on the job today, and they are laying a foundation for the future medics yet to come.
OLD FORT

Valerie Rink Tilson, 50, of Old Fort, died peacefully at her home Saturday, July 8, 2017, following a prolonged illness.

Her loving family was with her when she passed away. She was born in New Jersey, Oct. 19, 1966. She was preceded in death by her parents, Helmut and Ruth Pearson Rink. She was enrolled in Culinary School at A-B Tech until her illness required her to quit. She made friends easily and her family and many others who came to know her are saddened at her passing and will miss her deeply.

She is survived by her birth mother and stepfather, Lynn and Bernard Goebel of Florida; her loving husband of many years, Mark Tilson of the home; her children, Nicole Detwiler, Kelsey Detwiler and husband, Brad Brown, Alyssa Fister and husband, Eryk, and Micah Detwiler; two stepchildren, Brooks Tilson and wife, Danielle and Sarah Tilson; her brother, Rob Stalvey; grandchildren, Olivia and Jaxon; and stepgrandchildren, Ian, Hayden, Austin and Jada.

A service in remembrance and celebration of her life will be held Tuesday, July 11, at 11 a.m., in the chapel of Westmoreland Funeral Home in Marion with Mark and Emily Wickham officiating.

The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until service time at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Glenwood Community Cemetery.

An online register is available at www.westmorelandfuneralhome.com.
Many of you know that mentors can open doors and help to put your career on the right track, but mentoring is about more than this. What can you expect from mentors, beyond career advice? And what do mentees and mentors really want from this relationship? Share on Pinterest Formal mentoring is making a comeback in medicine. Dr. Duncan Shrewsbury, an academic general practice (GP) resident in the United Kingdom, told Medical News Today that he gained a fantastic GP mentor after a placement at a general practice as a medical student. One life-changing example was when I was really struggling with what career to choose  pediatrics or general practice. I really loved my time in pediatrics but Id become very unhappy working in the hospital. Dr. Shrewsbury had recently bought a house with his husband and was mindful that pediatrics training could require him to rotate through different hospitals in the region, which he was unwilling to do; it would have been difficult for them as a couple. I got an email from [my mentor] saying, how are you, I havent heard from you for a while.' The timing couldnt have been better. He explained to her that his experience with hospital colleagues had led him to believe that general practice was not a good option for someone with ambition and academic aspirations. My consultant said he wouldnt give me a reference [for GP training] because it would be a waste. Although it would have been really tempting for his GP mentor to tell him to go into general practice, he says that she was very impartial. She said, What would your ideal future look like? She got me talking about whose perspective things were important from  thinking about what my husband might want and what hypothecated future might match that. After their discussion, Dr. Shrewsbury decided to start GP training. He had already begun a Ph.D. in medical education, which he found was perfectly suited to his GP work. Hes almost completed his training now, is involved with the Royal College of General Practitioners in the U.K., and combines his academic post with general practice.

Mentoring in the 21st century Until the latter part of the 20th century, academic medicine was characterized by intense, almost formal mentoring relationships, Lara Goitein, M.D., a pulmonologist from New Mexico, told MNT. Dr. Goitein recently published a Viewpoint article in JAMA Internal Medicine with her mother, Marcia Angell, M.D., in which they discussed the changes in medical education and practice that they have seen between the two different generations. Dr. Goitein explained that in the past, senior physician scientists would explicitly dedicate themselves to the cultivation of particular trainees, and the accomplishments of those trainees were taken as the success of the mentors. Physicians like Osler and Longscope in internal medicine, Halsted and De Witt Lewis in surgery, and Williams in obstetrics were famous mentors. However, during her training in internal medicine, her experience was that these close, long-term, explicit mentoring relationships were no longer the norm. She attributes this to the high-pressure environment on the wards, the high turnover of patients, and the demands of balancing research and clinical duties for faculty. Yet, she said that mentoring still exists, even if not as commonly as in earlier generations in medicine, and even if more diffused and less formal. A recent comment in The Lancet criticizes the lack of formal mentoring during most residency programs in the United States. But the authors point to evidence supporting that those with mentors make more informed career decisions, are more productive, experience less burnout, and have an improved sense of well-being. Dr. Mott Blair  a family doctor in Wallace, NC, and member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)  has mentored younger doctors and students both formally and informally through the North Carolina branch of the AAFP. Dont be shy about asking, he said. The AAFP can help to find local mentors. Dr. Shrewsbury recommended looking for someone whose opinion you value if you cannot find a mentor through your school or alumni network. If you just ask them  I could do with a bit of advice and help, can we have a cup of tea?  they do generally jump at the opportunity.

Ground rules There are some potential pitfalls for both mentors and mentees to be aware of. It is important to set ground rules at the start of the relationship, so that you know how best to contact your mentor and what support you can expect from them. A study in Academic Medicine outlined what mentors want from their mentees: Actively listen and be open to feedback.

Be respectful of your mentors time.

Come to meetings prepared with list of topics, action items, and timelines. On the flip side, this is what mentees said that they want from their mentors: Provide career guidance.

Create opportunities and open doors.

Be honest about potential pitfalls.

Provide emotional support.

Help to reflect on work-life balance. Ask yourself what you want to gain from your relationship with your mentor. Its not all about career guidance, said Dr. Shrewsbury, who trains mentors himself. Personal circumstances can be just as important. The questions can be about where your life is going. I have developed mentoring for people going through issues around sexuality and identity, he explained. By setting the ground rules, you can both know what to expect.

What makes a good mentor? Its not dissimilar to being a good GP, said Prof. Maureen Baker, former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners in the U.K. Being a good listener is at the top of the list of skills. Mentorship is about more than sticking to agreed meeting schedules and following a list of guidelines; it is about finding the right person for you to connect with who will support you through your individual journey. [He took] me on as a research assistant when he was president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Dr. Goitein said of her mentor Robert Petersdorf, M.D, a prominent infectious disease specialist. Dr. Petersdorf had trained in the mid 20th century and carried that generations focus on mentoring. He took the time to teach me a tremendous amount about health policy, writing, and, I would say, diplomacy. He also gave me guidance in my early career choices, and I have no doubt, helped to open many important opportunities for me. Every mentor will have their own style. Dr. Shrewsbury is cautious about being too directive. I try to resist giving specific advice, he explained. He aims to facilitate the process of people finding their own answers. Its easy to [say] you should do this and thats what I did when I was your age. It wont be necessarily right for them. If they generate their own action plan, its more suited to them. When Dr. Shrewsbury was struggling with his own career decision, his mentor gently challenged some of his assumptions, such as that academia would be incompatible with general practice, or that it was not challenging enough. Rather than saying thats rubbish, shed ask me Do you really think thats right? She picked up on my passion [for general practice] and created space for me to realise thats what I love, and who cares if somebody else thinks its not a very good career?
The market for Manuka honey has recently exploded, thanks to the perceived benefits of its natural antibacterial properties. But what evidence is there to support the claims? Honey has been used to treat wounds since ancient times, as detailed in a document dating back to 1392. It was believed to help in the fight against infection, but the practice fell out of favor with the advent of antibiotics. As we face the challenge of a growing worldwide resistance to antibiotics, scientists are examining the properties and potential of honey. In this article, we explore what Manuka honey is, what its properties are, and how it differs from other types of honey. We also look at the evidence available to assess whether Manuka honey really is the next great superfood.

Qualities Share on Pinterest Medicinal use of honey dates back as far as 1392, when it was used to prevent infections in wounds. The leaves of the Manuka tree, also known as a tea tree, have been known for centuries among the indigenous tribes of New Zealand and southern Australia for their healing powers. Bees that collect nectar from this tree make Manuka honey, which harbors some of healing properties. All honey contains antimicrobial properties, but Manuka honey also contains non-hydrogen peroxide, which gives it an even greater antibacterial power. Some studies have found Manuka honey can also help to boost production of the growth factors white blood cells need to fight infection and to heal tissue. Manuka honey contains a number of natural chemicals that make it different: Methylglyoxal (MGO) : This has been shown to be effective against several bacteria, including Proteumirabilis and Enterobacter cloacae.

: This has been shown to be effective against several bacteria, including Proteumirabilis and Enterobacter cloacae. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) : This is found in the nectar of Manuka flowers and converts into MGO during the honey production process.

: This is found in the nectar of Manuka flowers and converts into MGO during the honey production process. Leptosperin: This is a naturally occurring chemical found in the nectar of Manuka plants and a few close relatives.

Wound care Medical grade honey, used by healthcare professionals as part of a wound dressing, can help some kinds of wounds to heal. Experts believe that because Manuka honey has added antibacterial and healing properties, it may be even more effective. At the moment, however, there is little evidence to support the theory. A Cochrane Review looked at all the evidence available to support the use of honey in wound care. Published in 2015, the study said the differences in wound types made it impossible to draw overall conclusions about the effects of honey on healing. The study found strong evidence that honey heals partial thickness burns around 4 to 5 days more quickly than conventional dressings. There is also evidence indicating that honey is more effective than antiseptic and gauze for healing infected surgical wounds. Another study concluded that honey has rapid diabetic wound healing properties, but recommended more research to confirm that honey can be used as a first line of treatment for these types of wounds. While some research does show that honey can help improve certain conditions, more studies are needed to confirm honeys benefits for: mixed acute and chronic wounds

pressure ulcers

Fourniers gangrene

venous leg ulcers

minor acute wounds

Leishmaniasis

Antibacterial properties Antibiotics are used to prevent and treat bacterial infections all over the world. However, the bacteria the drugs are deployed to kill can adapt and become resistant. Share on Pinterest Manuka honey has antibacterial properties, and may be able to fight superbugs resistant to most standard antibiotics. This resistance is currently happening all over the world, and a growing number of infections are becoming harder to treat. This leads to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and ultimately, more deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed resistance to antibiotics as the one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development. The natural antibacterial properties of honey may be useful in this fight. In the lab, Manuka honey has been shown to be able to inhibit around 60 species of bacteria. These include Escherichia coli (E. coli) and salmonella. Some studies have shown that Manuka honey can fight so-called superbugs that have become resistant to antibiotics. These include staphylococcus aureus (MRSA-15) and pseudomonas aeruginosa. This line of investigation is still in its infancy. These have been small, lab-based tests which combined medical grade Manuka honey with antibiotics. There is still a lot of work to be done before scientists can come to a conclusion.

Other benefits There are many other potential health benefits of Manuka honey. These include: reducing high cholesterol

reducing inflammation

reducing acid reflux

treating acne There is, however, limited evidence for its use in these areas.

Using Manuka honey The medical grade honey used to dress wounds is very different from the honey sold in stores. Medical grade honey is sterilized, with all impurities removed, and prepared as a dressing. Wounds and infections should always be seen and treated by a healthcare professional. Store-bought Manuka honey can be used in the same manner as any other honey: on toast, on porridge, or to sweeten drinks. There is no clear evidence that people who consume Manuka honey in this way will notice any benefit to their health. It is not clear how the active ingredients that provide Manuka honey with its healing properties survive in the gut.
Researchers have taken an in-depth look at the function of a gene that may be linked to the development of major depression. Their findings show that its activity levels might determine our susceptibility to stress and negative stimuli. Share on Pinterest New research has found that individuals prone to depression have a low activity level of the Slc6a15 gene. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, major depression is a leading cause of disability among adults in the United States. Almost 7 percent of U.S. adults experienced episodes of depression in 2015, and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that around 800,000 suicides take place worldwide each year. Depression can affect the way a person performs even the most basic daily activities, and it can severely impact productivity and general well-being. Mary Kay Lobo, Ph.D., alongside other researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, conducted a study focusing on a gene known as Slc6a15. This gene has been thought to play an important role in the onset of depression. Dr. Lobo and colleagues set out to uncover the specifics of how this genes activity levels might affect mood swings. Their study was published recently in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Low gene expression in over-stressed mice In a previous study published in Nature Neuroscience, Dr. Lobo and collaborators had concluded that the Slc6a15 gene was most commonly found in a type of neuron located in the nucleus accumbens, which is a region of the brain largely responsible for the brains reward circuit. The neurons found in the nucleus accumbens dictate whether, and to what extent, we feel pleasure when we perform normally satisfying activities, such as eating, drinking, or spending time with friends. The nucleus accumbens works with two main neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, called serotonin and dopamine. These regulate our happiness levels and how well we handle stress. Dr. Lobo and her colleagues studied D2 neurons, a set of neurons in the nucleus accumbens that are sensitive to dopamine. They started their research by monitoring male mice susceptible to depression, focusing on the importance of the Slc6a15 gene in D2 neurons in adjusting the specimens response to intense stress. The researchers found that mice that did not naturally respond well to stress had significantly lower Slc6a15 gene activity levels in their D2 neurons when introduced to critical situations. To understand the impact of less active Slc6a15 genes versus highly active ones, the scientists also monitored mice whose Slc6a15 gene activity levels had been artificially brought down. It was observed that these mice also failed to respond well when exposed to stressful situations.
Old age often comes with physical discomfort and health problems. But new research points to psychosocial, not physical, factors as the main culprit for lower well-being in later life. Share on Pinterest New research suggests that anxiety and depression may affect seniors well-being more than physical ailments. Aging-induced physical ailments are not the primary source of lower quality of life and decreased well-being among older men and women, new research suggests. Rather, it is psychosocial factors that have the highest influence, according to the new findings. The study, which is published in the journal BMC Geriatrics, was carried out by scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), both in Germany. The team was led by Prof. Karl-Heinz Ladwig, head of the Mental Health Research Group at the Institute of Epidemiology II at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, and a professor of psychosomatic medicine at the TUM University Hospital. Prof. Ladwig and team were motivated by the lack of sufficient data on stress and emotional well-being in later life. What made the study particularly interesting was the fact that the impact of stress on emotional well-being has barely been investigated in a broader, non-clinical context, says first author Dr. Karoline Lukaschek, an epidemiologist in the Mental Health Research Group. Our study therefore explicitly included anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.

Studying subjective well-being in seniors Prof. Ladwig and colleagues used clinical data from the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA-Age) study, a large population study that, for nearly 30 years, has been investigating the health of thousands of people living in southern Germany. Of the KORA study participants, Prof. Ladwig and colleagues selected more than 3,600 men and women who were aged between 65 and 90 years. The team focused on subjective well-being (SWB), a term that scientists use to describe how people experience well-being on a personal level. By contrast, objective well-being refers to measuring a persons well-being based on objectively chosen criteria, such as financial stability. The scientists measured SWB using the WHO-5 well-being index . Designed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the WHO-5 well-being index is one of the most popular questionnaires used to assess subjective psychological well-being. SWB was calculated using the scores achieved on the index, and the results were divided in two categories: a low score (considered to be anything that is equal to or below 50, on a scale from 0 to 100) and high score (considered as anything above 50). The researchers accounted for the link between potential risk factors and SWB using logistic regression models.
Scientists have devised a simple test for an earlier and more accurate warning of returning bladder cancer than existing methods, according to research published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Researchers from the University Hospital of Lyon tested the urine of 348 bladder cancer patients for a faulty protein called TERT, and this was able to predict when the cancer was about to return in more than 80 per cent of patients. The standard method, called cytology, detected the return in only 34 per cent of patients.

The new test detected bladder cancers that had not spread to the muscle wall, earlier than cytology, potentially helping doctors to start treatment sooner and before symptoms appear.

A further benefit is that the new test distinguished cancer from urinary tract infections.

Professor Alain Ruffion, a researcher based at the University Hospital of Lyon's Oncology Institute said: "The standard cytology test needs a doctor to look down a microscope to read the results, but the TERT test is read by a machine which is simpler, more accurate and available to use straightaway. While the TERT test costs slightly more than standard cytology, it is likely to become cheaper over time."

"The fact that the test doesn't react to urinary tract infections is very interesting because it shows that it is robust and unlikely to give misleading results."

The discovery also suggests that further research is needed to understand more about the role TERT faults play in bladder cancer.

Anna Perman, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "This promising study suggests a new and more accurate early warning system to detect whether bladder cancers are likely to return. Larger trials are now needed to see if this information could help more people survive by catching bladder cancer's return at its earliest stage."

This study was supported by the French Ministry of Health (PHRC National 2006).
When it comes to psychological therapy, men are keener on support groups than are women. And, while most people don't mind the sex of their therapist, when women do express a preference, it is almost always for having a woman therapist.

That is the conclusion of research published in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology by Louise Liddon from Northumbria University, Roger Kingerlee from Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and John Barry from University College London.

The researchers surveyed 347 participants (115 men and 232 women) who have taken part in psychological therapy completed an online survey. The survey described various different kinds of therapy and asked participants how much they liked each, and their strategies for coping with psychological problems and ways they sought help were also assessed.

When the results were analysed, the researchers found that the men liked support groups more than women did and were more likely to believe that there is a lack of male-friendly options than women were. Men also used sex or pornography to cope with stress more than women did.

The majority of participants expressed no preference for the sex of their therapist, but of those who did, men were only slightly more likely to prefer a female therapist whereas women were much more likely to prefer females.

John Barry says: "We found significant differences between men and women. Women liked psychotherapy more than men did, perhaps because of its emphasis on the sharing of emotion. Men liked support groups significantly more than women did, perhaps due to the emphasis on the sharing of information."
Whenever US President Donald Trump meets a dignitary, something interesting always happens. And, his handshakes have become quite famous, even when they actually don't happen. Remember when he made headlines all over the world when he refused to shake German Chancellor Angela Merkel's hand during her visit to the White House? And how can we forget the infamous handshake with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that became the inspiration for a series of memes.

 Twitter

Trump seems to have found himself in another handshake debacle, yet again. In Poland, on a state visit, President Trump and first lady Melania Trump attended a ceremony with Polish president Andrzej Duda and his wife, Agata Kornhauser-Duda.

 Twitter

And whenever world leaders meet, there's always a lot of photos and handshakes. But it seems like the First Lady of Poland wasn't really into it. Footage of her dodging POTUS's handshake is now going viral, for obvious reasons.

 Youtube

The clip shows Donald Trump extending his hand towards Agata Kornhauser-Duda, but she straight up ignores him and moves over to Melania Trump to shake her hand. Trump narrows his eyes and is visibly uncomfortable, because he is so entitled. After Melania, she did finally shake Trump's hand, but his irritated face is forever immortalized. And rightly so!

 Youtube

Was it a handshake snub?



OR...



Is Trump's hand so damn small Poland's First Lady didn't even see it? pic.twitter.com/17F2qcD6zN  Adam Best (@adamcbest) July 6, 2017

This Trump handshake fail is the best one yet.? pic.twitter.com/mbQzw7FShO  I. H. Laking (@IHLaking) July 6, 2017

That Donald Trump snub on loop ? pic.twitter.com/1lQrzbzu7R  George Bowden (@georgebowden) July 6, 2017

Watch the awkward clip right here :
For us, festivals either mean Diwali, Holi or Sunburn and any other music or dance festival. But, it seems there are some countries who use a different dictionary for the term festival', because how else can you associate that term with these bizarre events that can, at times, be life threatening too. We understand bizarre is a subjective term and everyone holds different views about it. It is fine if you don't find these crazy, but even you will acknowledge that some of them are hilariously cringe-worthy. Ever saw someone religiously carry out a penis parade or eat a bull's testicle? Well, now you will see that. Hold on to your seats guys because our list is just getting started.

Kanamara Matsuri or Penis Festival

Talk of stranger things and Japan tops our list with 'Kanamara Matsuri', a festival where people parade carrying huge statues of pink-coloured penises. Legend has it that a jealous sharp-toothed demon fell in love with a woman and hid inside her vagina. He bit off the penises of two men she tried having sex with. Don't ask how the demon got inside her vagina because we are still in a dilemma of whether to trust the legend or our logical reasoning. Anyway, this festival happens in April and is meant to pray for fertility and create awareness on sexually transmitted diseases.

 Reuters

Festa Del Cornuto or Festival of Horns

In Italy, while some people attach love padlocks on the railings of bridges to mark their romance, others attend this festival that celebrates being cheated by their partner. If things weren't painful enough for the ones who were cheated, this festival makes it worse by rubbing salt on their wounds. But, having said that it has many takers and we are not surprised at all. If you are planning to travel to Rome in November, then go visit the town of Roca Canterano and you will find men wearing helmets with horns, parading, crying and mourning their failed relationship.

 Pinterest

Noche De Rabanos Aka Night of The Radishes

We don't think there's anyone who particularly loves radishes. Well, maybe Mexico too wasn't really fond of eating them, so they created a festival out of it. Travel to Oaxaca in December and you find carvings of radishes into puppets or sceneries everywhere. It was turned into an official festival in 1897 by the-then mayor. But folks, don't get too hungry because these radishes are not for consumption and can be as long as 50 cm and weigh as heavy as 3 kilos.

 Wikimedia

Pamplona Bull Run or Running of the Bulls

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' is one movie we have seen so many times that we can now even recite the dialogues without looking at the screenor maybe not. However, there was one particular scene which made our hearts skip a beat and that was when the three actors were running ahead of bulls fearlessly. If you slept for two more hours imagining yourself in the scene, let us tell you that it's far worse and scary in real life. But, we can't deny that the Pamplona bull festival is the most amazing and breathtaking event in the world, which everyone must give a shot at least once. It happens in July.

 Wikimedia

Boryeong Mud Festival

When it comes to skincare, don't look anywhere else but South Korea. Their make-up, cosmetics, skincare products are spot on and there are no points for guessing why they look so radiant and young. While we Indians look after our skin the whole year, on Holi we don't give a single f**k to our skin. But, in South Korea even their festivals are a way of looking after their skin. We are not kidding, in July they play mud festival in Boryeong. This idea was originated as a marketing tool for Boryeong mud cosmetics. Woah! They definitely know how to up the beauty game.

 Wikimedia

Festival For Near Death Experience

We all have heard stories of people coming back to life or encountering near death experiences, but celebrating a festival for overcoming those horrific situations is something we can't really consider reassuring. Maybe the fact that we are still alive after that close shave can be a reason enough to parade through the streets either carrying a coffin or being in one. No, it's not any death ritual, it is said to be a way to thank or pay their respect to the Saint of Death'. It happens in the month of July in Spain.

 Wikimedia (For Representation)

Eukonkanto or Wife Carrying Championship

July is truly an eventful month of the year, given that so many interesting things happen during this time. This festival is part quirky and part awesome because the only take-away from this event is beer, lots and lots of beer. If next time your woman complains about you not understanding the gravity of your relationship, take her to Finland and participate in this race where you need to carry her on your back. Watch Dum Laga Ke Haisha' if you are confused about the concept. Anyway, start looking after your wife because the beer will be equivalent to her weight.

 Flickr

Testicle Festival

For those who heard testicle and got excited for no reason, let's tell you there is no NSFW content in this point. This festival is about eating testiclesagain, no dirty thoughts; we mean animal's testicles. Now, you can go in your cringe mode. Apparently, it's quite a rage among people, but you have to be above 21 to even think about it. Other than food, there are many other games like Wet T-Shirt' contest, Big Dick' competition and Ball Eating' competition to name a few. Well, the names really had us in. Whether these games truly live up to their names can be only known if you travel to Montana in August.

 Pinterest
The moment we feel that we have seen enough, someone from some distant corner of the world pops up from behind to prove why we are too early to breathe a sigh of relief. Rituals and traditions are an imperative part of our lives and identity. While, we love some of them, there are some which we follow out of respect for our parents and elders. Having said that, we often think of our traditions to be mundane, but there are some communities in the world that have some of the wackiest and weirdest rituals which will shake your reasoning from the core.

1. Famadihana  Dancing With The Dead In Madagascar

 wikimedia

While we mourn the loss of our loved ones, the Malagasy people of Madagascar remember them in a very unusual way. And by the looks of it, it seems they have taken the word different' to a whole new level. Famadihana' or Turning of the Bones' is a funerary tradition which is celebrated once every 7 years. People open up the family crypts, bring out the bodies of their ancestors and rewrap the remains in fresh cloth. People then dance with those corpses around the tomb.

2. Bullent Ant Gloves  Satare Mawe Tribe in the Amazon

 YouTube

If growing up wasn't a painful and exhausting task already, the Amazon's Satare Mawe tribe makes it a living hell for boys so let's just thank our stars that we weren't born there. Boys, as young as 12, are made to place their hands in a glove with innumerable bullets ants inside, because that's their way of judging whether you have what it takes to become a manor not, we don't know. All we know is that a bullet ant's sting is the most painful sting in the world which can often lead to temporary paralysis. Apparently, the boys have to keep their hands in the gloves for nearly 10 minutes and have to go through this ritual 20 times.

3. Wearing A Clay Plate On The Lower Lips  Mursi Tribe from Ethiopia

 wikimedia

While some of us spend insane amount of hours and sh*t loads of money on make-up, the Mursi and Surma tribes women pay a huge price to look beautiful. For them, beauty lies in the hard clay plate they wear on their lower lips  larger the plate, the more beautiful she is considered. The moment girls hit puberty, their two lower front teeth are removed and a hole is pierced in the bottom lip that is then stretched out to place the lip plate. From the time they hit puberty, these women face so much in the name of beauty.

4. Death Ritual In The Yanomami Tribe from the Amazon

 Thinkstock/Getty Images

Cannibalism is scary, but Endocannibalism is creepy and spine-chilling to say the least and the Amazon's Yanomami Tribe performs exactly that in their death ritual. The people here consume the ashes of their deceased loved ones. That's right, they cremate the bodies and then make a soup out of their ashes and bones and drink that as a way of keeping their spirits and virtues alive in them.

5. Bride Kidnapping  Kyrgyzstan

 Thinkstock/Getty Images

While some people are still fighting for the rights of women, there are others who are busy following a tradition that celebrates the abduction and kidnapping of women. Bride Kidnapping' or Ala Kachuu' is a shocking tradition that still persists in some parts in Kyrgyzstan. Be it consensual elopement or non consensual abduction, the rules of this ritual are outright bizarre and controversial. In this tradition, the girl is abducted from her house and kept at the guy's home for days. The female relatives of the boy's family then convince the girl to marry her abductor. Because who gives a f**k about consent or choice, right?

6. Thaipusam  Body And Face Piercing

 wikimedia

Thaipusam' is an Indian tradition that celebrates the occasion of Goddess Parvati giving a spear to Lord Murugan (Lord Kartikeya), also known as the god of war. In this tradition, the devotees carry a pot of milk and pierce their bodies and faces with skewers, hooks and a trishula among other pointed objects. Some people even pierce their tongues and cheeks. Talk about body piercing? Their game is spot on. Thaipusam' is also celebrated in Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore to name a few other places.

7. Women Wearing Brass Ring Coils Around Their Neck  Kayan Tribe

 wikimedia

The women in the Kayan tribe from Myanmar have a unique beauty ritual and that is wearing multiple brass rings around their necks. The larger the number of coils, more beautiful they are. Also known as giraffe women', these girls start wearing those coils from the young age of 5 and as they grow older, the small coils are replaced with longer ones. There are many hypothetical theories behind this tradition, one of them is the desire to look more attractive and the other one is that wearing coils helps women resemble a dragon which is an important figure in the tribe's folklore.

8. A Chicken's Liver Decides The Fate Of Couples  Daur Group, China

 Thinkstock/Getty Images

In India, while we seek help from a temple priest to fix a wedding date, the Chinese people have an unwavering faith in a chicken. We are not kidding, engaged couples and families in China's Daur ethnic community, dissect chickens' livers to learn about the fate of their relationship. If the liver is found to be healthy, they can continue planning their nuptials and set a wedding date. But if the liver is not in a good condition, they will have to continue searching for a liver that is healthy.
Because you know everything is fair in love and war, and business is a kind of war too where only weapons differ, these major corporate betrayals will show you the other side of the shining coin which is quite similar to that dark side of the moon, which you never get to see.

1. The Founders

 filmsenzalimiti

It is a story of a struggling salesman Ray Kroc who one day accidentally meets Mac and Dick McDonald, two brothers who were running a burger business in the 1950s in Southern California. Starting with one franchise, Kroc eventually sits on the throne, alienating the brothers completely from the company. That Burger Point in your neighbourhood, yes that one with that red- and yellow-coloured clown mascot, has quite an interesting story behind it.

2. The Informant

 IMDb

It is a story based on a late-1990s case against the conglomerate Archer Daniels Midland. Mark Whitacre, who is also the main character in the movie, blows the whistle to FBI on the company's price-fixing tactics while being president of the company's BioProducts Division. Watch this comedy-crime film directed by Steven Soderbergh to see all the action.

3. The Social Network

 IMDb

It is your dear Facebook that they are talking about in the movie. The story revolves around the infamous lawsuit in which Mark Zuckerberg had to pay $65 million to his ex-classmates and the story also talks about the founding days of the Facebook.

4. Jobs

 Wikipedia

Did you know Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started Apple in a garage and that garage has now been declared as a historic site? Watch 'Jobs' and learn more about the clash between Microsoft's founder Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, and how Jobs was called back after being fired from his own company, Macintosh Group.

5. Duell der Bruder - Die Geschichte von Adidas und Puma

(Duel The Brothers ) - The History From Adidas And Puma

 IMDb

Did you know that Adidas and Puma were born off a sibling rivalry and brotherly betrayal? The brothers had initially founded a shoe company called Dassler Brothers, but due to fear of being sent to fight in Poland developed a lifetime dispute between them. The elder brother Rudolf with other Dassler employees left the company to start a new one named as Puma and Adolf was left with what today is known as Adidas.
Deputy Foreign Minister Terens Quick will be in Mauerbach, Austria, on 11 July 2017 to participate in an informal OSCE Ministerial Meeting.

The subjects to be discussed are:

 The fight against violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism.

 Politico-military Security.

On the margins of the Ministerial, Mr. Quick will meet with the UK Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the United Nations, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, with whom he will discuss, among other things, the Brexits impact on Greek citizens residing in the UK.

During his stay in Vienna, Mr. Quick is also scheduled to meet with representatives of the Greek communities in Austria.
Last week, I covered an event that was quite unique  in my 16 years of covering news, I had never attended anything like it. It was a ribbon cutting for new restrooms at the Main Park in Sebewaing. A Michigan Department of Natural Resources $100,000 grant helped pay for this project, and the grant was funded not by taxpayer dollars, but by leasing of federal land by oil and gas companies. Village and state officials praised this park restroom project as a great benefit to the community, as the previous restrooms were more than 60 years old and were not compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

A ribbon cutting for new bathrooms  boy, did I have some goofy ideas for headlines for this one. While the newspaper editor makes the decision on the headline, the writers are encouraged to suggest headlines for their stories. Here are of the suggestions I had floating around in my crazy mind.

"Officials flushed with excitement about new restrooms."

"Community bowled over by new park bathrooms."

"Sebewaing has new park restrooms  here's why you should give a ... well, you know."

I also thought the ribbon for the ribbon cutting would be made of toilet paper. It wasn't  it was a bit fancier than that.

All toilet-talk aside, the new park restrooms are a very cool thing. It's a project that shows how a community listens to its residents' needs and does something about it.

Two years ago, a Parks and Recreation survey was available for Sebewaing residents. The survey asked them about their top priorities for updates to the park system. The No. 1 priority  new restrooms at the Main Park.

The village didn't just sit on these survey results. They didn't simply put it on a bucket list for someday, but who knows when. Village officials took action immediately, applying for the grant and enlisting Spicer Group for assistance in the process.

Things didn't happen overnight  but they were accomplished. The old bathrooms were demolished and the new ones constructed just in time for the Michigan Sugar Festival.

The village took the residents' wishes and made them a reality. Isn't that what living in a great community is all about?

I'm impressed by the new bathrooms. Saying they are a huge improvement is a big understatement. There's even an option for moms or dads with multiple children to manage. It's large enough to fit a stroller. Cue the "Hallelujah" chorus now!

Village officials are now looking into the No. 2 priority from the survey  a walking path from the Main Park to the South Park. This could very well become reality before too long.

New restrooms may not seem like a smart investment to some naysayers. But think about it  when you go to any business  a restaurant, a store, a gas station  and nature comes a-callin', don't you appreciate it when the bathrooms are kept in good order? If they are despicably gross and stinky, that sends a smelly message to you, right? It says the business doesn't care enough to keep its restrooms nice for its customers. You can tell a few things about a business based on how well they keep up their bathrooms.

The same thing goes for park bathrooms. When you go to a park and the bathrooms are disgusting, your opinion of the community is affected by that. You might think twice about frequenting that park, especially if you have children (who commonly have a bladder the size of a pea). On the flip side, if the bathrooms are updated and clean, it gives you a good feeling that the community cares about its resources and its people.

As for the Sebewaing Main Park, I avoided the old restrooms like the plague. Those creepy things made port-a-johns look like the Grand Hotel. If I was at the park and had to go, I opted to hold it until I got home, which is relatively close. I typically could make it. Oops, did I say typically? I meant all the time. Yeah. All the time.

Now that Sebewaing has taken the plunge to create the restrooms its residents have asked for, it's time for the residents and visitors to return the favor. Please respect them and take care of them. Don't treat this community investment like yesterday's rubbish. The building itself is very well made, but like any structure, it needs ongoing TLC. So do your part to keep things squeaky clean.

A former staff writer for the Huron Daily Tribune, Traci L. Weisenbach is a freelance writer from the Upper Thumb.
Here are five news stories and events to start your week:

Former SecDef Blasts Trump's Calls for US-Russia Cyber Partnership

Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter criticized President Donald Trump's calls for the U.S. and Russia to work together on cybersecurity matters. "This is like the guy who robbed your house proposing a working group on burglary," Carter told CNN on Sunday, referring to Russian hacking of the U.S. presidential election. Trump earlier in the day tweeted that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin recently "discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded." Amid bipartisan criticism, Trump later tweeted, "The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't-but a ceasefire [in Syria] can,& did!"

Sound Off: Should the US Collaborate with Russia on Cyber?

USS Fitzgerald Heading to Dry Dock for Repairs

The U.S. naval destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), crippled after a deadly June 17 collision with the commercial container ship ACX Crystal, is set to move into dry dock in in Yokosuka, Japan, for repairs and additional assessments, the Navy said in a statement on Monday. Sailors aboard the damaged destroyer are helping to install a temporary patch on the hull beneath the water line and remove water and fuel from affected spaces, the service said. Seven sailors were killed in the accident. Their bodies were discovered in a flooded berthing compartment. A memorial service was held for one of the sailors, Carlos Victor Sibayan, Saturday in Bonita, California.

Lawmakers Back from July 4 Recess May Act on VA Choice

Via Richard Sisk at Military.com: "Congress is returning this week from the July 4 recess under deadlines for action on an array of budget issues, including funding for the Choice program at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Funding for Choice, which allows veterans flexibility in seeking private health care, will likely run out by Aug. 7 unless Congress provides a fix, according to VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin. The VA initially proposed paying for Choice with cuts in the Individual Unemployability program that is a lifeline to more than 225,000 elderly and disabled vets, but backed off after an uproar from vets and the veterans service organizations."

Despite Push from Glock, Army Says No More Modular Handgun Tests

Via Matthew Cox at Military.com: "The U.S. Army has no plans to reopen its Modular Handgun System competition, at the request of Glock Inc., to conduct more testing between the winning entry, Sig Sauer P320, and the losing bid, Glock 19, according to an Army spokesman. The MHS 'contract award speaks for itself,' Army spokesman Wayne V. Hall wrote in a July 6 email to Military.com. The statement came a day after Glock Inc. Vice President Josh Dorsey told Military.com that the service allegedly conducted 'incomplete testing' by failing to conduct the "heavy endurance testing" that is common in military and federal small arms competitions.

Soldier Gives His Medal of Honor to the Brigade He Says Earned It

Via Nancy Montgomery at Stars & Stripes: "The Medal of Honor has always hung heavily around Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta's neck. On Wednesday, he finally got to take it off. In a ceremony marking the 173rd Airborne Brigade's new memorial to all the brigade's soldiers who earned the military's highest award, the former Subway sandwich maker unfastened the medal's blue ribbon from his neck and handed it over to the brigade commander. 'It can't be with me because it's ours,' said Giunta. In 2010, for his heroic actions during an ambush in Afghanistan, he became the first living man to earn the medal since the Vietnam War."

-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.
An enlisted Marine has been sentenced to 10 days behind bars for sharing explicit photos of female troops through a private Facebook group, Marine Corps officials announced Monday.

The Marine, the first to be charged in connection with a wide-ranging scandal that spurred congressional inquiry and prompted the Corps to launch a new investigative task force, faced charges related to the non-consensual sharing of intimate photos through Marines United, a group that circulated a drive of such images.

He pleaded guilty at summary court-martial June 29, according to a Marine Corps news release, and was sentenced to 10 days' confinement, demotion by three ranks, and forfeiture of two-thirds of his pay for one month. The Corps is also moving forward with efforts to administratively separate him from the service.

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The Marine was not identified or described by rank or unit.

Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Brian Block told Military.com that a summary court-martial is considered an administrative proceeding, unlike general and special courts-martial, and that the Marine was therefore protected from identification through the Privacy Act of 1974. Defendants before summary courts-martial typically face sentences far less severe than those considered in general and special court-martial hearings, and appear before a judge only, rather than a military jury.

It's possible this will be the only court case to result from the Marines United scandal, which made headlines all over the country in March when reporter Thomas Brennan published an investigative report on the group's activities. While Marine Corps officials said the group had 30,000 members before it was internally shut down, far fewer individuals have been found to have viewed or shared the photo drive.

To date, Block said in Monday's release, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has identified 89 individuals who may have participated in explicit photo-sharing and online misconduct, though not all cases are linked to the Marines United page.

Of these persons of interest, 67 are active-duty or reserve Marines, while 22 are civilians. While NCIS continues to investigate five of the cases involving Marines, the other 62 have already been passed to relevant Marine Corps commands for punitive or legal action.

In addition to the one summary court-martial, there have been two administrative separations, seven non-judicial punishments, and 22 other adverse administrative actions, according to the release.

"These cases span beyond the Marines United Facebook page and include a spectrum of behavior," Block said in the release. "While many cases involve photos, clothed or explicit, some involve verbal remarks without images."

The task force organized by the Corps to address online misconduct and root out the cultural issues behind Marines' misogynistic behavior online remains active.

Gen. Glenn Walters, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps and current head of the task force, said in a statement that the service has for the first time formalized how it handles reports of misconduct online. These reports now go through NCIS to review for criminal activity, and on to relevant Marine Corps commands for appropriate punishment if no criminal activity is found.

All reports are also now brought to the attention of Marine Corps Headquarters.

"I think it's important to recognize that our understanding of the issue has evolved over time," Walters said in the statement. "How we handle cases today is much different and more effective as a result of what occurred with Marines United. Moving forward, we are planning to establish a permanent structure that can address all of the factors that contribute to the negative subculture that has allowed this behavior to exist."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
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...
In May 2015, then-Defense Secretary Ashton Carter questioned whether Iraqis "lacked the will to fight" after Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) were routed from Ramadi by ISIS fighters they greatly outnumbered.

On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi arrived in Baghdad to proclaim victory in the lengthy and often seesaw battle to oust the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria from its last major stronghold in Iraq, even as clusters of ISIS fighters using human shields hold out in the Old City section of West Mosul.

"The commander-in-chief of the armed forces Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people for the great victory," said a statement from his office.

"We came today to Mosul to supervise the battle that left only one or two pockets that are still under the control" of ISIS fighters, Abadi said, adding that their only option is to die or surrender.

The somewhat premature claim of victory came at immense cost. Much of the city, where ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the creation of a "caliphate" in 2014, is now rubble.

The ISF has declined to release casualty figures, but The New York Times reported that more than 1,000 were killed in the fight for Iraq's second-largest city. U.S. Defense Department figures show 43 U.S. troop fatalities in Iraq and Syria since October 2014, including 11 in hostile action.

The most recent in Iraq was that of 1st Lt. Weston Lee, 25, of Bluffton, Ga., who served with 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C. He died April 29 from wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was on patrol outside of Mosul.

More than 850,000 civilians fled Mosul during the siege that began Oct. 17, 2016, according to the United Nations and aid groups. Those who remained or were unable to flee risked being used as human shields by ISIS or being caught up in the relentless U.S. and coalition airstrikes to support the ISF.

In one three-day period in June, the U.N. reported that ISIS killed at least 204 civilians trying desperately to get out of the city. The total number of civilian victims is unknown.

The U.S. military has confirmed that at least 603 civilians had "more likely than not" been "unintentionally killed" by coalition airstrikes since the air campaign in Iraq began in August 2014.

Airwars, a non-profit organization that tracks civilian casualties from airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, has reported that more than 4,350 civilians were killed by coalition airstrikes from August 2014 to June 2017.

The turnaround that led to success in Mosul following the fall of Ramadi began under Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, and proceeded under his successor, Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend.

Townsend's boss, Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command since March 2016, served as a catalyst, authorizing U.S. troops to move closer to the front at the battalion level with the ISF in their train, advise and assist role.

Under Votel, U.S. AH-60 Apache attack helicopters went into battle in Iraq for the first time. They had previously been used to provide security for visiting VIPs.

In Ramadi, ISIS used VBIEDS, or Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices, to blow holes in ISF lines and panic the defenders. The U.S. began supplying the ISF with AT-4 shoulder-fired rockets and training them in their use to stop the VBIEDS.

The U.S. also began training ISF units in bridge building and riverine operations that were a key factor in retaking Ramadi and other areas held by ISIS.

Iraq's elite Counter-Terror Services (CTS) force, which underwent specialized training from the U.S., became the lead element for the ISF in the fierce urban combat that led to victory in Mosul. As the ISF grew in confidence, Iraqi commanders at times ignored the counsel of their U.S. advisers.

Following the retaking of Ramadi, U.S. advisers wanted the ISF to focus on Mosul. Instead, the ISF retook Fallujah to the east of Ramadi to relieve pressure on Baghdad, then went back to following the U.S. plan on the long march to Mosul in Iraq's northwest.

The train, advise and assist role for U.S. forces has been controversial since President Barack Obama authorized it in summer 2014 -- after ISIS fighters in pickup trucks swarmed into Iraq, and ISF troops fled, dropping their weapons and equipment.

Obama also barred a ground combat role for U.S. troops. He approved the start of airstrikes in support of ISF in August 2014.

In Syria, the train, advise and assist strategy floundered at the outset. At a contentious Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in September 2015, Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, then-commander of U.S. Central Command, admitted that only "four or five" of the first 54 U.S. trained so-called "moderate" Syrian fighters remained in the fight against ISIS.

Christine Wormuth, then the under secretary of defense for policy, also told the committee that there were only between 100 and 120 fighters in a program that was slated to have trained 5,400 fighters in its first 12 months at a cost of $500 million.

In a video briefing to the Pentagon from Baghdad last week, Canadian Brig. Gen. D.J. Anderson, director of Partner Force Development and the Ministerial Liaison Team for CJTF-OIR, said the coalition has trained 106,000 Iraqis -- including 40,000 for the Iraqi army, 14,000 for the CTS, and 21,000 for the Kurdish Peshmerga.

In Syria, 8,500 have been trained for the Syrian Democratic Forces, and planning and equipment is in place to train 40,000 more, Anderson said.

The partnered forces strategy has also been amped up under Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who has been authorized by President Donald Trump to set U.S. troop levels in Iraq and direct an "accelerated" campaign to defeat ISIS.

At a Pentagon news conference in May, Mattis announced "a tactical shift from shoving ISIS out of safe locations in an attrition fight to surrounding the enemy in their strongholds so we can annihilate ISIS. The intent is to prevent the return home of escaped foreign fighters."

"I want to emphasize here there has been no change to our rules of engagement and there has been no change to our continued extraordinary efforts to avoid innocent civilian casualties, despite needing to go into populated areas to break ISIS' hold on their self-described caliphate, despite ISIS purposely endangering innocent lives by refusing to allow civilians to evacuate," Mattis said.

ISIS strongholds remaining in Iraq include Tal Afar, Hawija and Qaim, but the black and white flags of ISIS are being torn down in Mosul -- with the red, white and black flag of Iraq going up in their place.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

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Job Fair in Illinois

A Veterans Helping Veterans Find a Job hiring event will take place on July 14 in conjunction with The American Legion Department of Illinois state convention. All veterans, military spouses and employers are invited to this free event. The event will take place at the Bank of Springfield Center, 1 Convention Center Plaza, Springfield, IL 62701. The job fair will be open exclusively to veterans from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., and to the general public from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Also, Boots to Business Reboot with the U.S. Small Business Administration will conduct an entrepreneurship training program for veterans and their spouses from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit the convention website.

Visit the Military.com Job Fair Finder to locate a job fair, workshop, or transition event near you.
ANN ARBOR, MI - The Ann Arbor community is mourning the death of the beloved former owner of Frank's Restaurant.

Peter G. Poulos died Thursday, July 6, after several years of illness, according to his obituary. He was 81.

Born as Ponigioti Eliopoulos in 1935 in Greece, Poulos was considered by family to be the embodiment of the American dream, according to his obituary. He came to the U.S. in 1952, and lived in Muskegon and Grand Rapids before being drafted into the Army and later retuning to Muskegon.

In 1969, Poulos moved to Ann Arbor to open Frank's Restaurant with his brother-in-law Frank Petropoulos, according to his obituary. He owned the Delta Restaurant for a period and then returned to Frank's, where he personally prepared every meal.

"Forced into retirement in July 2012 after a fall at work and fracturing his neck, Pete never had the chance to thank all of his customers and friends in the manner he had hoped for," his obituary said. "He truly valued each and every person he got to know throughout the years."

Poulos is remembered for his smile and words of wisdom, according to the obituary.

Poulos leaves behind three children and a number of grandchildren, according to his obituary. He was preceded in death by his wife of more than 50 years, Charlene, two children and three sisters.

A visitation for Poulos is scheduled for 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, July 10, at Muehlig Funeral Chapel, 403 S. Fourth Ave. in Ann Arbor, and a funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 3109 Scio Church Road in Lodi Township.
ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan made known its intention to make college affordable for in-state students when it announced the creation of the Go Blue Guarantee on June 15, offering free tuition for students whose families earned up to $65,000 a year beginning in 2018.

Making college more affordable is one reason UM received a lofty ranking in MONEY magazines annual list of the Best Colleges for Your Money, a value ranking that evaluates colleges on educational quality, affordability and alumni success.

UM was ranked No. 3 in the nation among the 711 schools MONEY evaluated on 27 factors in three categories: quality of education, affordability and outcomes. New to this year's "outcomes" category, MONEY included exclusive data from LinkedIn and Burning Glass Technologies on the market value of the most commonly listed skills for alumni.

In addition, data was compiled for the ranking from the U.S. Department of Education, Peterson's, PayScale.com and MONEY/College Measures calculations.

"One of the country's most affordable elite schools, the University of Michigan accepts less than a third of the nearly 50,000 students who apply annually," MONEY's description of UM reads. "Michiganders who get in receive an especially good deal at the school, which is one of few in MONEY's top 50 where the average in-state cost of a degree totals less than $100,000. The National Science Foundation ranks Michigan as the top public research university in terms of money spent on research and development, a position the school has held since 2010."

MONEY noted the biggest change to this year's methodology was the addition of data on schools' track records of moving low-income students into the upper middle class.

Princeton University topped the ranking for the second consecutive year, while Bernard M. Baruch College of the City University of New York made a huge jump in the rankings to No. 2.

Michigan State University was rated No. 30 in the ranking, while Michigan Technological University also made the top 100 at No. 91.
As of Monday morning, neither Detroit police nor the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office had identified the body of a man found at an abandoned home in Detroit on Friday afternoon.

Detroit Police Officer Jennifer Moreno says the body was found in a "dumpster-type" barrel placed in the garage of a vacant home on Greydale Avenue in west Detroit about 2 p.m. Friday.

It's not clear how the man died, and a homicide investigation is being conducted, Moreno said.

Relatives of 39-year-old Douglas Calhoun, a U.S. Marine and chef who disappeared after returning to his Detroit home on the 15800 block of Cherrylawn about 3 a.m. May 31, believe it may have been him, WDIV-TV, Channel 4 News reports.

The body was located less than a mile from where police discovered Calhoun's abandoned vehicle after he disappeared, according to the report.

Relatives alerted police of Calhoun's disappearance after he failed to show up for work and couldn't be contacted.

Multiple community-organized, door-to-door searches have been conducted for Calhoun and Crime Stoppers of Michigan is offering a reward up to $6,000 for information leading to the arrest of anyone involved with Calhoun's disappearance.

Calhoun is described as a 6-foot-1, 230-pound black man with a long, thick beard and a short, trimmed mustache.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers, 800-SPEAK-UP, or Detroit police, 313-596-1240 or 313-596-1616.

All tips provided to Crime Stoppers may be provided anonymously and rewards are issued when tips lead to an arrest.
Health officials in a statement issued Monday say mosquitoes tested positive for the West Nile Virus in Oakland County.

"The first mosquito pool in Oakland County tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV)," the Oakland County Health Department said in a statement Monday. "No human cases of the virus have been confirmed in Oakland County yet this year."

In May, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said the virus had been detected in three birds tested across the state, including a turkey found in Barry County, and two crows, one in Kalamazoo County and another in Saginaw County.

Two more crows tested positive for the virus in Midland County last week.

"Symptoms of West Nile virus include a high fever, confusion, muscles weakness, and a severe headache," the state agency said. "More serious complications include neurological illnesses, such as meningitis and encephalitis."

The virus is typically detected between June and September, Leigh-Anne Stafford, a health officer for Oakland County Health Division says.

Residents are urged to wear protective clothing and bug repellent while outside to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.

There were 43 serious illnesses and three deaths linked to West Nile virus in Michigan in 2016. Nationally, there were 2,038 human cases of the virus and 94 deaths reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus "is a mosquito-borne virus; mosquitoes are infected by biting a bird that carries the virus, and the virus is then spread to humans through the bite of the infected mosquito," Oakland County health officials said. "Most people who are infected with the virus have either no symptoms or experience a mild illness such as fever, headache, and body aches. However, in some individuals -- particularly the elderly -- a more serious disease causing inflammation and swelling of the brain can develop."
FLINT, MI -- Genesee County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright's promise to let Flint use a water transmission line as long as it needs could mean there's no immediate need for a federal judge to intervene in deciding the city's future water supply.

In a filing in U.S. District Court Friday, July 7, an attorney defending the city against a lawsuit filed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality says he's investigating the comments made by Wright and published in a June 28 story on MLive and The Flint Journal.

Wright said then that Flint can continue to use a 72-inch-diameter pipeline owned by the county as long as it takes the City Council to vote on a 30-year contract proposed by Mayor Karen Weaver.

The contract calls for Flint to continue purchasing pre-treated water from the Great Lakes Water Authority -- something that Weaver says is the city's least expensive and safest water option.

The DEQ filed the federal lawsuit against the city last month, claiming the council has created an imminent and substantial endangerment to the health of Flint residents by failing to approve the contract.

In part, that lawsuit claims the threat to public health exists because Flint will no longer have access to the county-owned water pipeline after Oct. 1 and could be left without a source of water -- an argument the drain commissioner's statement contradicts.

Attorneys for the state have asked District Judge David Lawson for an expedited pre-trial conference in the case, which has yet to be scheduled.

Wright said in his statement to MLive that the county "has no intention of terminating this agreement (for Flint to use the county pipeline), so long as the city of Flint continues to need use of that pipeline for water delivery to their residents ... there are no plans to sever the current agreement with Flint ..."

Michael J. Guss, an attorney representing the city, said in his Friday court filing that he is "investigating whether (Wright)is willing to continue to allow (Flint's) use of the 72-inch water main and if that will ease time constraints outlined in the (DEQ's) complaint."

The city "is concerned about a severely expedited case, because it could give the appearances of a lack of transparency and appear improper to Flint residents," the city's brief says.

The DEQ lawsuit claims that by failing to act, 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.

Although Weaver had initially planned to remain a partner in the Karegnondi Water Authority and for the city to treat raw water from Lake Huron at a city-owned plant, DEQ officials have said Flint lacks qualified staff and the money needed to properly upgrade its facilities and the water distribution system.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI - Blendon Township officials are giving residents an opportunity to support a millage that would pave three sections of local roadways.

The proposal will appear on township residents' Tuesday, Aug. 8, ballots. If approved, the proposal would increase the tax rate township properties by 2.5 mills -- or $2.50 for each $1,000 of taxable value -- for five years.

The following roads, which are currently unpaved, would be paved should the millage pass:

Baldwin Street for a two-mile stretch, from 56

88

88

"We have 50 miles of unpaved road in this township," Township Supervisor William VandenBerg said. "We use those to get school buses, fire department and other things across the area and the unpaved roads can be hard on the equipment."

If passed, the tax levy would generate about $623,000 in revenue for the township in the new tax's first year. VandenBerg estimated it costs about a half million dollars to pave one mile of road.

If passed, the millage would pay for the three projects in full. Any left over funds generated from the millage would be put in the township's road fund, VandenBerg said.

The township last asked for resident support on a similar millage in 2014, which failed.

"We've had a lot of growth in the area," VandenBerg said. "Eventually, we'll get some paved roads. But if the citizens don't want it, we'll live with that, too."
[July 10, 2017] Mobility Expert Martin Gillespie Discusses Benefits of Faster Information Sharing at South Carolina Sheriffs' Annual Conference

FAIRFAX, Va., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Salient CRGT's mobility expert Martin Gillespie spoke at the South Carolina Sheriffs' Association Annual meeting in Myrtle Beach on the uses of technology in keeping law enforcement officials safe on the front lines. The conference brought together law enforcement officials and experts to discuss the latest developments in officer safety, communications, and products. "The rapid pace of innovation in mobile technologies continues to have a tremendous positive impact on the safety of law enforcement officers on the front lines," said Martin Gillespie, Vice President of Product Development. "With increased demands on crime fighting budgets, the need for real-time decision making, and enhanced security in mobile environments, the value of secure, accurate and rapid response technology continues to prove itself as a cost-effective tool to improve officer safety. We applaud the South Carolina Sheriffs' Association and their members as they look for cost effective tools that will improve the safety of law enforcement officials on the front lines." Gillespie is a recognized leader in the mobile application development community since 1990, and also spoke to the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association Spring Meeting, outlining the continued expansion of digital technologies and the value that innovative technology advances are bringing to the law enforcement community. His deep experience in building applications across all forms of public safety communities has given him keen insight into the various challenges that come with providing critical information technology to enforcement officials out in the field. Gillespie and his team also provided hands-on demonstrations of Salient CRGT'S suite of Voyager Mbility products that have been in use for more than 15 years by thousands of mobile application users in more than 250 state, local, and federal government agencies. This leading-edge mobile technology is currently used in the states of Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington, with availability to North Carolina and South Carolina coming soon. Voyager CommandTRACKER provides personnel incident, asset management, and situational awareness wherever users are deployed, whether in the office, in vehicles or on foot. Voyager Query for Law Enforcement provides quick, secure, and accurate access to criminal justice databases such as the FBI's National Crime Information Center, the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets), and state databases. The capability to put accurate data securely in the hands of law enforcement officers and providing the ability to run a warrant right from the device saves time, money, hassle, and most importantly, lives.



For more information about Voyager Mobility products, or to inquire about a free demonstration, please visit http://www.salientcrgt.com/about-us/contact-us/. About Salient CRGT

Salient CRGT provides federal civilian, defense, homeland, and intelligence agencies with expert depth in health, data analytics, cloud, agile software development, mobility, cyber security, and infrastructure solutions. We support these core capabilities with full life-cycle IT services and trainingto help our customers meet critical goals for pivotal missions. The most innovative talent delivery model in the industry, scientifically providing exactly the right people for the customers' most pressing requirements, fuels these critical capabilities. Salient CRGT has earned a record of success with integration and operations of large-scale, high-volume solutions. On March 1, 2017, Salient CRGT completed its acquisition of Information Innovators, Inc. visit our newsroom. For additional information on Salient CRGT, please visit www.salientcrgt.com.

Tweet: @Salient_CRGT 's Mobility Expert Martin Gillespie Addresses South Carolina Sheriffs' Conference http://bit.ly/1MGSz5l View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mobility-expert-martin-gillespie-discusses-benefits-of-faster-information-sharing-at-south-carolina-sheriffs-annual-conference-300485379.html SOURCE Salient CRGT

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[July 10, 2017] Harland Clarke to Highlight Key Industry Macrotrends at Texas Bankers Association Senior Management Summit

Harland Clarke, a leading provider of intelligent solutions and operational excellence enabling clients to acquire, grow and retain customers, today announced Rick Claypoole, Vice President of Product Management, will present at the 23rd Annual Senior Management Summit hosted by the Texas Bankers Association on July 13 in Lost Pines, Texas. In his presentation, "Delivering Perfect Retail Banking in an Imperfect World," Claypoole will identify important macrotrends in banking and help executive and senior management attendees understand the opportunities these trends present. "There are several changes happening in our industry right now that carry major implications," said Claypoole. "The most successful banks will take advantage of the resulting unique opportunities to grow their revenue and jump ahead of their peers." With more than 20 years of banking experience, Claypoole's areas of expertise include credit policy, commercial finance, an product, segment and marketing management. He is known for his thought leadership and penchant for product development, having received BAI's (News - Alert) Maverick Banker of the Year Award for his innovative efforts in this area.



This presentation will answer the following questions: What are the implications of the current rate environment?

How can banks best get a handle on government, regulatory and compliance rules?

Who is the "most wanted" type of client for banks?

Is mobile baking finally on the verge of demonstrating success?

How can banks truly know how their customers feel about them?

Why is it imperative to connect each channel to your customer servicing model? For more information or to register for the Texas Bankers Association's 23rd Annual Senior Management Summit, please visit the event website.

About Harland Clarke Harland Clarke is a leading provider of quality payment solutions, multi-channel marketing campaigns, and secure data-driven lead generation and critical communications. In addition, Harland Clarke provides promotional products, call centers, and governance, risk and compliance (GRC) solutions. The company delivers operational excellence and intelligent solutions to more than 50 million consumers and 5 million small and medium sized businesses per year through its relationships with 8,500+ of the nation's leading financial institutions, large retailers, affiliate marketing companies and accounting software providers. Harland Clarke is a wholly owned subsidiary of Harland Clarke Holdings. For more information, visit www.harlandclarke.com or follow Harland Clarke on LinkedIn and on Twitter (News - Alert) @HarlandClarke. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170710006334/en/

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Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com told CNBC-TV18, "There is a process of bottoming out on and sometimes, it takes time to bottom out. I would say what you like when it was high, you should like it more. This is the place it can grow from. If I had Lupin, I would certainly add here."

"Tata Motors has returned recently from the high of Rs 600 zones to low of Rs 425. This is a reactive move, looks to me a reactive move. It tells me that the stock has come down to go up. This is the place to hold on to, this is the place to buy. It may take some time from here, but I dont see much downside. Hold on; add if you wish to," he added.

At 15:28 hrs Lupin was quoting at Rs 1,150.00, up Rs 33.25, or 2.98 percent. It has touched an intraday high of Rs 1,156.00 and an intraday low of Rs 1,119.00.
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Meeting of board of directors of our company shall be held on Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 3.30 P.M at Sahakar Bhavan, Kurla Inds. Estate, L.B.S Marg, Ghatkopar (West), Mumbai 400086 (Mumbai Office of the company) to inter alia transact the following business:1. To discuss the negotiations undertaken w.r.t. renewal/ modification/enhancement of existing credit facilities availed from Union Bank of India, Kurla West Branch and avail the same, if thought fit.Source : BSE
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Bhansali Engineering Polymers (BEPL), a leading manufacturer of a speciality polymer (ABS), is expected to benefit from a ramp-up in capacity. Resultant volume growth holds significance in the Indian market, which is greatly served by imports (40 percent). Further, the companys focus on high-margin variants, research for new products, and a debt-free balance sheet warrant investors' attention.

Companys Brief

Incorporated in 1984, Bhansali Engineering (market cap: Rs 1,150 crore) is one of the two biggest manufacturers of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) polymer. BEPL and Ineos Styrolution, together, cater to about 60 percent demand for ABS in the Indian market. Two-thirds of Bhansalis ABS products are specialty variant, serving client requirements. The company has a technical tie-up with Nippon A&L (leading ABS resin manufacturer) for future expansion plans and new variants of the ABS. Its manufacturing facilities are located at Abu road and Satnoor (MP). End-market for the companys products is the auto industry (accounting for about 50 percent of BEPL's revenues), followed by white goods industry. Key clients for the company are Maruti, Hero MotoCorp, LG and Samsung.

ABS: High margin plastic for usage in consumer durable goods

ABS is a relatively high-margin thermoplastic compared to commodity plastics like poly ethylene, poly propylene and polystyrene. It is made by polymerising styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of polybutadiene. As the proportion of all three ingredients varies, product's functional properties  strength, rigidity and shiny surface (acrylonitrile, styrene) and toughness at low temperature (butadiene)  also differ. It has its usage in automotive (dashboards), white goods, electronics and cellphone industries.

Supply deficit in Indian market provides scope for expansion

Currently, demand for ABS in Indian market is 275,000 MT and is expected to grow by close to 15 percent CAGR in the medium term. Bhansali Engineering and Ineos Styrolution have a capacity of 80,000 MT each in the ABS business constituting 58 percent of the domestic demand. Rest of the demand is catered to by imports which, in turn, are majorly general purpose ABS (low margin).

ABS manufacturing business has a high barrier at entry not only because of the investments, but also due to R&D (research and development) required for superior functional qualities and customisation. High degree of customisation is one key reason for the clients stickiness leading to long-term contracts. It is worth noting that LG Chem, one of the largest ABS producers globally, sources ABS variants from BEPL for its India requirement to meet required local functional and appearance traits.

Four-fold Capacity Expansion by 2022

Bhansali is operating at a capacity utilisation of 64 percent which is expected to reach 90 percent by the end of FY18. It is expecting a major capacity expansion from 80,000 MT to 137,000 MT per annum by the end of FY18. It is a brownfield expansion where the required capex (Rs 35 crore) will be funded through internal accruals. Additionally, the company is targeting 200,000-MT capacity near Kandla by the year 2022. Being closer to a port would also help in saving freight cost.

Chart: Ramp up in manufacturing capacity (000 MT) expected

Supply Interruption of Raw Material is Key Risk

Monomers and other raw materials used for ABS are oil derivatives and subject to fluctuation in international oil prices. Key raw materials for ABS  styrene and acrylonitrile  are imported. So, international supply and demand dynamics drive the prices of these materials. Other crucial raw material is butadiene, which has been a cause of worry in the last financial year due to limited supply. However, as per Bhansali Engineering, butadiene constitutes about 15 percent of weight of raw material and hence, relatively a lessor factor impacting cost dynamics.

Financial Projections

Based on the near-term capacity expansion plans, the company is expected to post revenue CAGR (FY17-19E) of 33 percent. Even though the company management is quite optimistic on capacity utilisation front, we estimate 70 percent utilisation (close to global average) for the added capacity in the year 2019, which is feasible in our view, on account of supply deficit in the domestic market. EBITDA margins are expected to remain in the vicinity of 11 percent based on improved product mix offsetting a relatively higher input cost. Interest expenses are expected to remain contained as the company plans to incur near-term capex from internal accruals.

Improving EBITDA Margin Profile

The companys trailing valuation multiple is elevated compared to its peer Ineos Styrolution.

This, however, has to be seen in the context of a sharp run-up in the stock price and its superior fundamentals and the growth plans. Investors got to remember that considering the future volume and earnings growth, valuations at 15.9 times 2019E earnings look reasonable. With trailing P/E at 33x, and earnings CAGR (FY17-19E) at 41 percent, PEG ratio works out at 0.8, making it still a worthwhile investment case.
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The French drug regulator has found lapses at Biocon's Bommasandra facility in Bengaluru with respect to good manufacturing practices (GMP) for activities related to three biosimilar products.

The French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety, known as ANSM, inspected the Biocon's Bengaluru plant on behalf of the European Medicine Agency (EMA) between March 13 and March 17.

EMA was reviewing Biocon's three biosimilar products  Fulphila (Pegfilgrastim), Ogivri (Trastuzumab) and Semglee (Insulin Glargine)  for marketing authorisation in European Union.

The ANSM raised 35 deficiencies, including 11 major deficiencies, concerning biosimilar products.

Moneycontrol verified a copy of the non-compliance report (NCR) posted on EMA website.

The French regulator found GMP deficiencies, environmental monitoring-training, OOS (out-of-specification) results management, cleaning validation, process validation, vendors' qualification, media fill test, cross contamination risks, batch manufacturing record, differential pressure alarms' management in classified areas, and access management in SAP for batch certification.

ANSM in its report proposed suspension of marketing authorisation and prohibition of supply of the three products until the deficiencies are resolved.

The agency said a follow-up GMP inspection is requested in order to ensure that the entire corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) plan has been implemented and finalised by the site and that a robust quality system is in place.

The French inspecting authority (ANSM) conducted pre-approval inspection audits of our Bengaluru drug substance and drug product sites related to the pending EMA Marketing Authorization Applications for Trastuzumab, Pegfilgrastim, and related to Insulin Glargine (pen assembly only)," said Biocon in a statement.

"While there were no critical observations mentioned in the final report, ANSM notified Biocon that the receipt of a GMP compliance certificate for the drug product facility will require a follow-up inspection from ANSM to verify implementation of the proposed corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs). ANSM has reviewed the proposed CAPA plan and Biocon is progressing towards completion of the implementation of these CAPAs," the statement added.

Biocon said, along with its partner Mylan, it will work with the French and European regulatory authorities with regard to the follow-up inspection of the drug product facility and the Marketing Authorization Applications with the goal of an early re-inspection.

In a related development, ANSM has issued GMP compliance certificates for Biocon's two facilities in Bengaluru that manufacture active substance of Trastuzumab and Pegfilgrastim.

"This is important as the drug substance manufacture is core to the production of the actual biologic product in GMP compliance," Biocon said.

Biocon said it is committed to ensuring the highest level of quality in all of its products.

"The regulatory expectations will generally be much higher for biotech products," said an analyst tracking Biocon, on condition of anonymity. "Biocon's hopes of launching biosimilars in highly regulated markets such as Europe and US now hinge on how quickly it will be able to respond and resolve the issues raised by the French regulator."

Biocon has teamed up with the US-based generic maker Mylan to develop five biosimilars  pegfilgrastim, trastuzumab, bevacizumab, adalimumab and insulin glargine  for regulated markets such as Europe and the US.

Pegfilgrastim is used to stimulate the level of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Trastuzumab is used in the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

Three of Biocons biosimilars including trastuzumab, pegfilgrastim and insulin Glargine are currently under review with the European drug regulator, European Medicines Agency (EMA), while pegfilgrastim and trastuzumab are now being reviewed by the US regulator.

Biocon is expected to roll out its biosimilar products in the US and Europe starting FY19.
business GST rate for farm tyres similar to earlier: JK Tyre In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Raghupati Singhania, CMD of JK Tyre & Industries assesses the impact of goods and services tax (GST) on tyre companies. Overall GST rate is the same and shouldnt effect much on the truck and bus tyre. On the agriculture tyre, it is somewhat reduced but more or less similar, he said.
FILE PHOTO: A worker checks the valve of an oil pipe at the Lukoil owned Imilorskoye oil field near Kogalym, Russia, January 25, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin/File Photo

ONGC's overseas arm OVL will bid for blocks in Lebanon's first oil and gas exploration and production licensing round, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday.

ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) was pre-qualified to bid as an operator for five offshore blocks (1,4,8,9 and 10).



Delegation from Ministry of Energy, Turkey at the India Pavilion in 22nd WPC. #IndiaAtWPC pic.twitter.com/rQ5UagA6ws

 ONGC (@ONGC_) July 10, 2017

Pradhan, who is leading a delegation to the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul, in a Twitter post, said he held a bilateral meeting with Lebanese Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil on the sidelines of the conference.

"The meeting was important in the context of @ongcvideshltd participation in the upcoming bid round for offshore gas fields in Lebanon," he said in another tweet.

Besides OVL, Lebanon has pre-qualified 12 other companies including Chevron, Total and Exxon Mobil as operators for the bid round that has been stalled for years due to political uncertainty.

More than three dozen companies have been pre-qualified as non-operators for the bid round.

These companies have to submit their bids to the Lebanese Petroleum Administration on September 15.

The blocks on offer include three bordering Israeli water.

Lebanon, along with Cyprus, Israel and Egypt, sits on the Levant basin in the Mediterranean where gas fields have been discovered since 2009.

Other companies pre-qualified as operators include Petrobras of Brazil, Total of France, Italy's Eni, Petronas of Malaysia, Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil of Norway, Repsol of Spain, Inpex of Japan, Chevron and ExxonMobil.

Non-operators include Cairn India and Cairn Energy of UK.
There appears to be a setback for Biocon as its biosimilars program hits a roadblock in Europe -- the drug products unit inspection done in March has not received the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certificate by the French regulator.

In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, CMD of Biocon spoke about the latest happenings in the company.

"The French regulatory authorities inspected us in March this year and the scope of the inspection was to cover two drug substance facilities and two drug product facilities," said Mazumdar Shaw.

Below is the verbatim transcript if the interview:

Latha: How serious are the observations. When will you be ready for the next inspection and therefore does the EU permission get postponed?

A: Let me try and explain this to you and put it in the right context so that it provides a better clarity on this inspection report.

To begin with, the French regulatory authorities inspected us in March this year and the scope of the inspection was to cover two drug substance facilities and two drug product facilities. These drug substance facilities were the facilities that manufacture Pegfilgrastim and Trastuzumab.

The two drug product facilities - 1) is a multiproduct facility that actually manufactures Trastuzumab and Pegfilgrastim and 2) is a device assembly facility that produces our Insulin Glargine Pens.

Let me now go on to say that as far as the inspection is concerned, we had several observations in the drug substance facilities and the drug product facility but not in the device facility. I want to mention here that we had no observations in the device facility that produces Glargine Pens. Now we are required to provide a corrective action, preventive action (CAPA) plan after we receive the observations from any regulatory authority. These corrective actions or CAPA plans were provided to the French regulatory authority.

We have now received a GMP approval for both our drug substance facilities which is the Trastuzumab and Pegfilgrastim drug substance facilities and this is a very important GMP approval because this is the heart of the biosimilar programme. Bio manufacturing or biologics is a very complex process and it requires robust quality systems which endorses that we have very robust quality systems.

When it comes to the drug product facilities, they have said that we will give you the GMP based on a re-inspection and the remedial measures that they have sought, we believe are very expeditiously addressable and we believe that we can seek re-inspection at an early date. So as per our understanding we do not believe that it will have a material impact on our commercialisation timeline.

Anuj: Is the date finalised and what the nature of these observations. Is there data integration?

A: There are no data integrity issues at all. I must confirm that and I must categorically say there are no data integrity issues. They have listed a bunch of inspections or observations in their report which is on the public domain and if you look at these, most of them have been addressed and complied with some of them is what we need to do these remedial measures for and that is what we will address expeditiously and I am very confident that we will be able to seek a re-inspection at an early date. What is that date. I cannot tell you because we are yet to complete the remedial measures and then we will ask them for an early re-inspection. So be a bit patient because this has just happened and as far as I am concerned yes, this re-inspection is first for Biocon but it is no unusual.

Anuj: It does no impact your US filing and US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) approvals?

A: Basically all regulatory authorities have different inspection and they take their own decisions. So I do not wish to comment on these kinds of issues.

Reema: Going ahead what is the status of filings of biosimilars in the US and even going ahead from the United States. When can we expect an approval?

A: As far as our filings are concerned, we have shared with you that as far as EU is concerned you have these three products - Trastuzumab, Pegfilgrastim and Insulin Glargine are under review and this is what we are talking about for this inspection.

As far as US is concerned, we have also filed both Trastuzumab and Pegfilgrastim, which are under review and both these products have got a target action date; one is in September and other in October this year. So that is as far as I can share.

All I would say is yes; we are addressing these corrective actions very expeditiously. We are well underway and we hope that we can ask for re-inspection at an early date.

Latha: You wouldn't worry about the Japanese drug regulator, will you? There you have already got an approval?

A: Yes but as I mentioned there was no observation even from European Medicines Agency (EMA) from the fresh regulatory opportunities on our devices facility although it was a part of the scope, so they have to mention the product but as far as we are concerned, they have inspected the Glargine device facility and there were zero observations. So that also I want to emphasize here but this is a clarity that I would like to provide.

Anuj: From your side, by when will you be ready for a re-inspection?

A: I cannot tell you right now but as I said, we will try and ask for a re-inspection as soon as possible.
Competition among states being promoted by government think-tank Niti Aayog is very useful, Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha said today.

"Competition b/w States being promoted by NITI is very useful. Can be used by States to promote competition b/w districts," the Aayog quoted Sinha in a tweet. Sinha was speaking at the national conference of chief secretaries organised by Niti Aayog today.

On the same occasion, Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya said, "Growth, job creation, shift to non-farm jobs and large firms with high productivity needed to build strong states and a strong India." Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said, "Efficiency in governance, administration alone will ensure India's worst performing district becomes the best! #CompetitiveFederalism."

According to Niti Aayog member Bibek Debroy, states need to work on rationalisation of schemes in light of 14th Finance Commission recommendations. Debroy stressed on the need for doing away with archaic statues, rules and regulations in the government. Rural Development Secretary Amarjeet Sinha termed as "welcome change" the states increasingly prioritising outcomes in rural development.

Quality Council of India Chairman Adil Zainlubhai said 15 sectors were covered last year under outcome-based reviews. In a mission towards less-cash India, Secretary for Telecom Aruna Sundararajan suggested that states need to drive the movement to achieve the government's target.

Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand talked about the need for agricultural reforms across states to address agrarian distress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to interact with chief secretaries of all states and UTs to further the spirit of cooperative and competitive federalism today.
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Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said there was "massive support" for the "very very simple" Goods and Services Tax (GST) and assured that any doubts on the new taxation regime could be addressed.

"There is massive support for GST and people are happy," the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister said in his address at a GST conference here.

"Because the other day (US President) Donald Trump acknowledged it and told (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi you are taking the country on the right path with regard to the economy," Naidu said.

On demands from certain quarters to lower the rates, the minister said, "Nothing is perfect, nothing is final. Definitely we can make changes," he said.

To back his statement, he pointed out that the 18th meeting of the GST Council had lowered the tax rate on fertilisers, revising the rate arrived upon at its previous meeting.

"There is problem for regional cinema, Tamil Nadu (theatres) also agitated, there are problems for textile and beedi (industries). Everybody will be asking for lower slabs," he said.

But these things were not unsurmountable and could be discussed and disposed of by the GST council 'which is dynamic' and which would meet from time to time, he said, adding, that doubts on GST were also being addressed.

Ministers were fanning out across the country even as 600 training classes have been held for officers in this regard, he said.

Further, the GST Council, which had representatives from both the Centre and state governments, would discuss various issues, he said.

Whatever decisions the GST council has to take has to be unanimous or by consensus or by two third majority, Naidu said.

"GST is a very very simple legislation and the prime minister doesn't want any discretion to be given to anybody, whether an officer or minister," he said.

"He wants everything to be transparent, everybody to be (held) accountable. If you do discretion, then you will be hearing stories like 2G, 3G and or some other Gs. Some G will come," he said alluding to the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Modi has launched a "war" against corruption, black money and tax evasion, Naidu said.

"At the end of the day he wants the country, common people and honest tax payer to be strengthened. He wants the poor people to benefit," he said.

Naidu denied there was any "haste" in the GST roll out.

He also recalled that the Congress leaders had batted for the tax law when the UPA was in power.
Petrol pump dealers have deferred till month-end their planned 'no-purchase, no-sale' agitation against daily revision in fuel prices on expectations that oil companies will raise their sales commission.

All India Petroleum Dealers Association, which claims to represent petrol pump operators in 23 states, had called on its members not to buy any fuel from oil companies or sell any petrol and diesel to consumers on July 12.

This was in protest against the "losses" the petrol pump dealers have suffered because of daily revision in fuel prices being implemented from June 15.

"The Petroleum Ministry has directed the oil marketing companies (OMCs) to decide on raising dealers commission by July 31," AIPDA president Ajay Bansal told PTI here.

Petrol & Diesel Rates Nov 10, 2022 Petrol Rate in Mumbai Nov 10, 2022 Current Petrol Price Per Litre 106 106 View more Diesel Rate in Mumbai Nov 10, 2022 Current Petrol Price Per Litre 94 94 View more Show

Also, the oil companies have promised to study the implementation of the daily price revision till August 15 to see if the dealers actually suffer any losses.

"In view of this, we have decided to defer the agitation till August 1," Bansal said.

Dealers say they suffer losses as they buy petrol and diesel from oil companies at one rate but the very next day rates would be cut. "Buying at x price and selling at x minus 1 is leading to huge losses for dealers," he said.

He said the OMCs have promised to devise some compensation scheme if the two months study (June 16 to August 15) throws out findings that dealers had suffered substantial loses due to daily price revision.

Prices of petrol and diesel are revised at 0600 hrs everyday since June 16 to reflect any change in international oil price in the previous day.

Previously, the revision in rate would happen on 1st and 16th of every month and was based on average international oil price and foreign exchange rate in the preceding fortnight.
The government has approved American e-commerce major Amazon's proposed USD 500 million investment in retailing of food products in India, an official said.

The proposal was pending before the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) which has been abolished now.

Hence, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) gives the green signal to the proposal.

As per the proposal, the company will open a wholly- owned subsidiary in India to carry out the business. It will stock food products and sell online.

Currently, the government permits 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the food processing sector. As per norms, a foreign company can open a wholly-owned subsidiary in India to retail food products produced and or manufactured in the country by way of opening stores or online.

The government had received investment proposals from three companies - Amazon, Grofers and Big Basket - worth USD 695 million for retail of food products.

While US-based retail giant Amazon is one of the major e-commerce players in India, Grofers and Big Basket are into online grocery space.

Amazon has proposed to invest around USD 500 million in retail of food products.

The government last year allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) through approval route for trading, including through e-commerce, in respect of food products manufactured and produced in India.

In 2016-17 (April-December), the food processing sector in the country received FDI of USD 663.23 million.

The Union Cabinet last month decided to wind up the 25- year-old FIPB, which had been vetting FDI proposals requiring government approval, to expedite the clearance process.

Under the new mechanism, proposals related to retail sector is being approved by the commerce and industry ministry.
Gaurang Shah of Geojit Financial Services told CNBC-TV18, "Purely, on the targets that we have set aside for Havells India, the targets are already in place. So, 5,000 shares IPO must have got benefit of corporate announcement and benefits. I would say at least reduce some quantity since our target is in place and possibly, you can diversify into either a public sector or a private sector bank. So one can choose from ICICI Bank or State Bank of India. I think it is prudent because on fundamentals whenever the targets are in place, it is always better to at least take, if not all than at least some part money off the table. So prudent to possibly sell some quantity and diversify."

"We have a hold recommendation on Hindustan Zinc and I think not too long ago there was a very healthy dividend payout. We do remain positive on the entire metal space and we believe that whatever is going to happen in terms of government spending, and of course the consumption theme, that is going to look quite robust. So, purely from a long term point of view, hold on to Hindustan Zinc," he added.
Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com told CNBC-TV18, "For Havells India, the trend is still intact, has not been compromised; Rs 425 is a strong support zone to work with. He is sitting on a huge profit. Best thing to do is to purely from a trading purposes, I would say have a trailing stop loss. If it is up, let us ride the trend the moment it turns, we exit. Stop loss should be Rs 425."

"India Cements expands and contracts. I would not call it a U-turn. It has seen a good expansion, so it contracted. So, I would say structurally it is still up, no sign of weakness, Rs 180-190 is a strong support zone. If one wants to enter for long term, Rs 190 would be the right way or if one wants to enter now, add it, but have a stop loss below Rs 190," he said.
AU Small Finance Bank made a solid debut on the BSE on Monday, rising as much as 52.23 percent over its issue price of Rs 358. However, the trading on National Stock Exchange delayed by three hours due to technical glitch at the exchange.

The stock closed at Rs 541.20 on the BSE, up 51.17 percent with volumes of 3.92 crore shares, after hitting an intraday high of Rs 545 and low of Rs 506.80.

It settled at Rs 525 in pre-opening trade on exchanges.

The bumper listing was on expected lines, given the overwhelming response to public issue and the hefty grey market premium.

AU Small Finance Bank is the first one to list on exchanges among small finance banks that received license from the Reserve Bank of India.

The RBI started issuing license to run Small Finance Bank after releasing guidelines in 2014. The objectives of setting up of small finance banks is to further financial inclusion by provision of savings vehicles, and supply of credit to small business units; small and marginal farmers; micro and small industries; and other unorganised sector entities, through high technology-low cost operations.

AU Small Finance Bank received a license from the Reserve Bank of India to set up a small finance bank in December 2016 and commenced operations from April this year.

AU operates in three business lines - vehicle finance; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) loans; and small and medium enterprises (SME) loans.

The Rs 1,912-crore initial public offer of AU Small Finance Bank was opened for subscription during June 28-30 and oversubscribed 53.60 times.

The public issue was an offer for sale by promoters - Sanjay Agarwal, Jyoti Agarwal, Shakuntala Agarwal, Chiranji Lal Agarwal and MYS Holdings; and investors - Redwood Investment, International Finance Corporation, Labh Investments, Ourea Holdings and Kedaara Capital Alternative Investment Fund.

Posted by Sunil Shankar Matkar
Ravindra Rao

Since 1960 when it was formed, OPEC has had an almost unbreakable grip on the global crude-oil market. OPECs decisions have played a prominent role in the global oil market and in international relations. The effect could be huge when wars or disorders led to extended interruptions in supply. Also, OPEC sets production targets for its member nations. Hence, in times of oversupply in international markets, production targets are lowered to keep crude-oil prices up. This is how OPEC has dominated the worlds crude-oil market. But, with the entry of US shale oil, the dynamics of the crude market is rapidly changing.

Since July 2014, crude prices have been falling sharply on account of rising production of US shale oil. The global oversupply glut has weighed on crude oil prices. Since then, OPEC has been unable to re-balance the oil market. In the past, when crude oil prices declined, OPEC would cut production to boost prices. This time though, such a strategy has now worked. OPEC agreed to cut production since January 1, 2017 for six months till June. But, the vast global crude stockpiles still could not be cleared. Besides, when prices increased, US production rose steeply.

Recently, OPEC extended its production-cut agreement by another nine months, till March 2018. However, markets have not been enthused since investors were hoping for a production cut of 2.5 million barrels a day. OPEC, however, decided to cut output by 1.8 million b/d. Moreover, a lack of consensus prevails among OPEC members in implementing the production cuts. Rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran is a matter of grave concern. Any escalation could derail OPECs goal of rebalancing the oil market. Recently, the Gulf Co-operation Council severed diplomatic ties with Qatar. The country is also a member of OPEC. Though Qatar is not a significant contributor in the global crude oil market, yet, given its economic clout, it is an influential OPEC member. Saudi Arabias rivalry with Iran and Qatar could create an existential risk for OPEC.

Saudi Arabias strategy to keep crude oil prices low to protect its market share has now worked. In the last couple of decades, the worlds biggest crude-oil exporter had a strong influence on other OPEC members. Since all measures have failed to propel crude oil prices, Saudi is conceding ground to its rivals. This is causing it to rapidly lose market share and influence over other OPEC members. This rift in OPEC is also because Saudi Arabia can still cope with low crude-oil prices; other OPEC members cannot. The output-cut agreements since the beginning of this year are failing. Russias oil strategy is also ambiguous.

Rising output from Libya and Nigeria is another concern for the market. Both the countries have been exempted from OPECs production cut. Libyas crude-oil output in the second week of June increased to 885,000 barrels, from 560,000 in April. The country now aims to raise crude oil production to one million b/d by end-July. Iran has been allowed to raise output to a maximum of 3.797 million b/d. The Kharg oil terminal in Iran has increased its crude oil loading capacity to eight million b/d, three times the current Iranian crude and condensate exports. In May 2017 Iran exported 2.1 million b/d. And Iraqs crude oil production in May 2017 increased to 4.42 million b/d, from 4.38 million the previous month.

Table: OPEC Crude Oil Production (tb/d)

Source: OPEC monthly report

Brazils crude-oil output in May 2017 rose by 149,000 b/d to 2.68 million b/d, due to rising output from Lula South through the P-66 unit. Oil production from Lula field in the Santos Basin would offset the continued annual declines from the Campos Basin, where production fell to a 13-month low of 1.35 million b/d. Brazil is also likely to implement other projects in the Santos Basin, P-66 in Lula South, Lula North through the P-67 unit, Tartaruga Verde and the Libra field.

OPEC shows little understanding of where it is, how it got there or where it is going. The output-cut agreements since the beginning of this year are failing. Rising production from Libya and Nigeria are offsetting the production cut. There is a rift among OPEC members regarding its crude oil strategy. As a result, OPEC faces reputational and existential risks. Moreover, increasing output from the US is a serious threat to OPEC. Unless OPEC members keep aside their differences and find other ways to tackle the global supply glut, it would lose its relevance in forthcoming years. Overall, the outlook for crude oil is bearish.
Q20. Virani brothers entered business, when their father had to sell agricultural land due to droughts and gave Rs 20,000 to his sons. They used to work at Astron Cinema, Rajkot and entered a deal with the canteen and sold prepackaged snacks. Started as a micro business it has evolved into a Rs 4000 crore company. Which company?

Suresh Sadagopan

We all think we are rational beings and we take decisions or arrive at conclusions after weighing the pros & cons of the situation. We also take into account all the data available before arriving at a decision or conclusion. But, still, many of the decisions or conclusions we take turn out to be really wrong, which leaves us scratching our heads. We wonder - Where have we gone wrong?

It is not that we may actually be wrong, but there are entrenched thought patterns which may lead us astray. We may not even be conscious of this!

We need to understand first where the biases are coming from & what some of those biases are. Only when they understand that, can it be tackled.

Hindsight Bias  We are not oracles or soothsayers. Hence, we would not be able to anticipate which events will happen or how it will unfold. But after the event, it all seems so logical and even cogently explainable. This is irrespective of how improbable they thought the event was, before it occurred.

Psychological experiments prove this. Baruch Fischhoff demonstrated this I knew this all along effect, through an experiment. Fischhoff conducted a survey on possible outcomes of Richard Nixons trip to Russia & China in 1972 and asked people to assign probabilities to various events, before the trip. When the trip was done & he went back to the same people, there were surprises in store.

Whichever event had actually occurred, people exaggerated the probability they had assigned to that event. If it did not happen, people said they always felt it would not happen (though the probability they assigned before that event was higher )! After the event, everything seems so logical & plausible, that we automatically adjust our memory to align with what is now known!

Hindsight bias has huge implications for all of us. For instance, if during a routine surgical intervention an unpredictable accident caused the death of the patient, it will most probably be believed that the doctor did not assess the situation properly & went in for a risky procedure! The benefit of hindsight & knowing the outcome alters how people perceive what the doctor had done. We come to the wrong conclusions due to hindsight bias!

There is also another bias lurking out there. Its called outcome bias.

Outcome bias  Blaming someone for a good decision which worked out badly & giving too little credit for good moves, that, with hindsight, looks all too obvious, is outcome bias in action. When outcomes are bad, people would blame the decision makers for not seeing the writing on the wall, in spite of prudent decisions that the person might have made with the information available, at the time of the decision.

This again is proved in psychological experiments. In case of 9/11 type incidents, the officials concerned seem negligent, even absolutely irresponsible after the event. CIA had intelligence inputs to indicate that Al Qaeda was planning a major attack, which went to the National Security Adviser. This was not escalated to the President, which was questioned after the event. It did not go to the President as it was one of the many intelligence inputs that CIA got and this one did not look specifically significant.

Predicting outcomes is extremely difficult as there are so many variables affecting an outcome. And yet, after the outcome is known, we all tend to judge all those who were involved in that process, based on how it turned out!

Action Bias - There is another important area where we all go wrong.

Financial advisors are expected to keep shuffling portfolios or keep doing something, in their quest to advise clients. That is why advisors who tell their clients to just stay invested or tell the clients that no changes are needed in their portfolios, are not that popular. People like action. Those that are constantly seen to be taking action are seen as dynamic & proactive. This is called the action bias.

The good advisors who advised clients against unwanted churn are not fully recognised for their wisdom, even if they ended up with good returns. The client thinks that the markets have done so well that the returns they have got would anyway have come and advisor contribution is not much (the advisor did not even suggest any actions in between and asked us to stay put). Even a very good outcome can act against a person. This is a case where outcome bias & action bias are acting in concert.

Action bias is seen even in sports. In a penalty kick, there is a penchant for the goalie to jump to the left or right without knowing the intention of the kicker. Had the goalie been standing in the middle, he would have probably saved more goals. Thats what studies suggest! The goalie does not want to be seen as slothful & the viewers equally expect him to dive to the left or right, instead of planting himself in the middle. That is the classic action bias at work!

What can we do - Knowing that these biases exist is helpful, but that knowledge by itself cannot prevent these biases from asserting themselves.

Before coming to any conclusions, one needs to examine whether it is tinged with any bias that may lead one astray. Awareness & consciousness of the biases would prevent one from stepping on the banana peel of wrong conclusions. Wrong conclusions lead to more wrong decisions. Mind does play games - but we can avoid being kicked around, if we are alert.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) will today hear the case pertaining to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on its December notification exempting real estate projects of a certain size from obtaining prior environment clearance.

NGT had last year questioned the exemption and had issued a notice to the union environment ministry seeking an explanation. The NGT has found the notification to be absurd and said that all constructions for the time being will be subject to the Tribunal's orders in the matter.

The ministrys December notification had merged green clearances for construction projects spread over 20,000 square metres to 1,50,000 sq m with building approvals. For smaller projects (less than 20,000 sq metre) it had a "self-declaration" clause that ensured issuance of permission from urban local bodies. For larger projects of over 20,000 sq metre to less than 1.5 lakh sq metre, the environmental clearance and building permission had to be given by urban local bodies simultaneously in an "integrated format."

The December amendment notification had said that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has received suggestions ensuring Ease of Doing Responsible Business; and streamlining the permissions for buildings and construction sector which is important for providing houses and for this purpose the scheme of Housing for All by 2022 with an objective of making available affordable housing to weaker sections in urban area has an ambitious target.

Earlier, an environment clearance was mandatory for construction of projects larger than 20,000 sq metres under EIA notification 2006. It had to be procured from the state environment agency or State Level Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) but the December notification permitted a developer to take it from the local municipality or the authority at the time of applying for clearance of building plans. It entrusted urban local bodies with ensuring environmental compliances, too.

The ministrys notification was challenged by a group of petitioners including the Society for Protection of Environment and Biodiversity and environment lawyer Gaurav Bansal. The group petition had said that construction projects were included in the ambit of environment ministry as urban local bodies had failed to ensure compliance of environmental norms such as rain water harvesting, solar water harvesting and solid waste management.

The petitioners had prayed for the notification to be set aside as it circumvents provisions of Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 and Environment Protection Act, 1986. The NGT had also laid down that until further orders, the development and construction projects will be subject to orders of the Tribunal. It had verbally directed the ministry not to press the notification and not to execute it in any terms which the ministry had agreed to.

Last week, a ministry statement said that any building and construction project with built-up area of up to 1.5 lakh square metre in urban areas in Maharashtra will not need a green approval from the environment and forest ministry. Local authorities such as the municipal corporations and the special planning authority will now have the powers to grant all environment approvals.

An order issued by the environment and forest ministry on Friday said: The environmental clearance for building and construction projects up to 1.5 lakh metres stands integrated with the development control regulation (DRC).

This makes Maharashtra the second state after Delhi where civic bodies will have this delegation of power as these states have incorporated these norms as part of their bylaws.

But environment experts say that this is illegal as under the law right now it is only the NGT that can grant environment permissions for projects. The ministry has failed to observe the sanctity of the judicial process, says Gaurav Bansal, an environment lawyer.

"An application has also been filed that no changes in the state byelaws can be made until the case is decided by the green tribunal," informs Rahul Choudhary, environment lawyer at Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE), India.

While steps taken to simply the environment clearance process cuts down on time, these bylaws adopted by the state authorities are not as comprehensive or as stringent as that of the EIA, says Anupam Jain, Aadjunct Associate Professor, School of Construction RICS SBEGreen Building Policy, Planning and Development.

Reducing delay is good but exempting all projects from environment scrutiny is not. The degree of detail and scientific criteria that third-party ratings such as LEED, GRIHA etc have is missing in the local byelaws," he says.

Until a proper environment cell is created in development authorities, it will make it easier for most real estate developers to bypass environmental scrutiny if the notification is allowed. The bylaws should be amended to include EIA requirements therein, except for the time-consuming survey and test requirements, adds Jain.
Foreign investment in India's e-commerce and start-up space, has contracted more than 65 percent in CY2016, according to a latest report by Kotak Economic Research based on remittance-wise company details from Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion.

The e-commerce space had contributed to more than half of last years FDI inflows in the software industry.

High valuations seem to have cautioned investors in CY2016.

A large number of high investments made in CY2015 turning bad and sustainability of the startup business models also kept the investors away.

According to the report, about 13 e-commerce companies which raised a total of around USD 3.46 billion in 2015 managed to receive just USD 1.31 billion in 2016 in FDI inflows.

Flipkart raised around USD 750 million in 2015 and USD 70.8 million the subsequent year.

Flipkarts daily losses ran up to over Rs 14 crore in the last financial year, according to an industry report. .

In 2015, the e-commerce players went all out to advertise their annual festive sale and frequent discount seasons, burning a large amount of cash in marketing and advertising.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, the CEO of Flipkart, mandated his marketing team to minimise marketing spends yet maximise impact this year after he took company's reign. This year the company raised USD 1.4 billion in foreign capital.

Ola raised around USD 957 million in 2015 only received USD 56 million as FDI in 2016. It has raised USD 404 million in 2017 so far.

"We still think its too early to write off the sector. Given medium-term positives like favorable demographics, there are still opportunities and potential to grow. Also, startups in sectors related to automation, digitization, financial technologies will gain prominence over the medium term, the Kotak report said.

The report also pointed to a few upsides in the sector. Japan's investment conglomerate SoftBank's new proposed US$ 100 billion technology fund is a silver spark.

Global e-commerce giant, Amazon is also planning to enter the Indian food retailing sector by investing US$ 515 million, which might give the industry a big push.
It is not easy to miss the glitter in his eyes, as Delhi-based tech entrepreneur Praveen Bhaniramnika talks about augmented and virtual reality. The ever-shifting pitch of his voice, few thumps on the desk now and then, swift movement of the hands his actions fail to hide his passion.

"I am a technologist not a businessman. It is Chanchal, my wife, who looks after the finances of my company," says Praveen Bhaniramka, CEO of VizExperts, a visual computing solution providing firm headquartered in New Delhi.

The company provides augmented reality solutions to defence personnel for training before they can be deployed on the ground.

Founded in 2004, VizExperts' clientele includes Border Security Force (BSF), Defense Research and Development Organizations (DRDO), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and international conglomerates such as Halliburton, AMD and SGI.

(A BSF control room display designed by VizExperts)

The company's solutions offer improved situational awareness to security forces in a 3D format.

"We create a 3D model of terrain and fields using the maps and data obtained from satellites. Currently used by Indian army and BSF, it helps our forces to know about the area before venturing into it," informs Praveen, who has a team of 120 people in Delhi and Bangalore developing these solutions.

His company also built a 24/7 operation capable control room for BSF. Using Virtual Reality (VR) technology, the company developed a decision support system with the complete 3D geospatial database of all the border assets of BSF along the western and eastern regions.

"We also created a virtual training exercise for soldiers of paramilitary forces which can be used with our GeorbIS 3D GIS platform," he adds.

Collaborating with INCOIS (Indian National Centre For Ocean Information Services), his company has developed a system which would forewarn the authorities if there is a possibility of a tsunami.

"Using data provided by sensors fit in the sea, we can predict the height and speed of the waves. It would make sure that a repeat of 2004 never happens," says the New Delhi-based entrepreneur.

Talking about his journey in the field of computer graphics, he says, "I have been passionate about graphics since my high school days," says Praveen, whose family hails from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh.

After graduating from Banaras Hindu University, he went to Ohio State University to get a PG degree in Graphics.

"My elder brother joined our family business. As I was good in studies, he encouraged me to realise my passion," says the former Silicon Graphics employee.

Talking about his former employer SGI he says that the company could not keep up with time.

SGI which was making revenue in tune of USD 4 billion in 1997, was later acquired by Rackable Systems for just USD 25 million in cash in 2009.

VizExperts has a turnover of Rs 25 crore as of now. We are planning to reach Rs 100 crore turnover by the end of this fiscal year, informs the founder of the bootstrapped company.

He also intends to expand the reach of the company by expanding is client base. The company is not seeking any investments.

Apart from New Delhi, VizExperts has three officesR&D offices in Gurgaon and Bengaluru, and one in Houston.

Talking about the future of visual computing, he expects that Augmented Reality (AR) would be a field full of unlimited potential in coming years.

It could be anybodys guess how quickly it develops. Till now, the visual computing field is following the Moores law, he concludes.

shubham.raj@nw18.com
Divi's Laboratories share price shot up as much as 20 percent on Monday after the US health regulator said it would lift the import alert imposed on unit-II at Visakhapatnam.

The pharma company had informed exchanges earlier that the US Food and Drug Administration issued an import alert under clauses 99-32 and 66-40 in March of 2017 and a warning letter in May of 2017 for Vishakhapatnam facility.

It had filed detailed responses and given updates to the Form-483 and the warning letter within the stipulated time.

Divi's, along with its external consultants, specialists and subject matter experts, had taken up appropriate remediation measures to address the concerns raised by USFDA, it said.

The USFDA had exempted 10 products from this import alert, which are Levetiracetam, Gabapentin, Lamotrigine, Capecitabine, Naproxen sodium, Raltegravir potassium, Atovaquone, Chloropurine, BOC core succinate and 2,4-wing active ester.

At 12:01 hours IST, the stock price was quoting at Rs 791.50, up Rs 111.35, or 16.37 percent amid high volumes on the BSE.

Posted by Sunil Shankar Matkar
In an interview to CNBC-TV18's Anuj Singhal and Surabhi Upadhyay, SP Tulsian of sptualsian.com shared his views and outlook on the fundamentals of the markets and specific stocks.

Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview.

Anuj: Last week when the market was declining, you were gung ho on PSU banks. But phenomenal rally playing out. Your thoughts on Punjab National Bank (PNB), Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), Canara Bank, the way some of these stocks are now running?

A: You are right and in fact two days before the expiry of the June series, I have said that across the board, all PSU banks can give you a gain of about 10 percent in July month and we have already seen a gain of more than 10 percent in some of the stocks like PNB, OBC and we have been keeping a positive view on 4-5 PSU banks, that is PNB, Bank of India, OBC, State Bank of India (SBI) and Canara Bank.

And I think maybe at that time, the kind of pessimism which was prevailing about the additional provisioning to be made in respect to the 12 non-performing asset (NPA) accounts, that was really scaring the market and actually at that point of time, I have said that the amount is not looking to be so severe because 40 percent of the provision has already been made.

And we have seen that affirmation seen coming in from the bankers like PNB and Canara Bank where in case of Canara Bank, the additional provisioning is not more than Rs 3,100-3,200 crore, while in case of PNB, it is not Rs 2,400-2,500 crore. And that too, which will get staggered over the next four quarters to get provided and it is not mandatory to have equal provision, it is discretionary that banks can stagger it all in Q4 alone.

Now if you take the situation going forward, the kind of valuations at which they have been ruling and the hopes which we have been seeing on the resolution front, for the time being, even if I keep aside the Essar Steel Gujarat matter, if you take the situation, in fact that shows the desperate attempt by the promoters to keep the company in their fold.

And they have said that they have paid an amount of Rs 3,467 crore in the last one year in the form of interest. And they have said that after March, 2016 the situation has changed dramatically and that is what my stand has been that these five steel accounts and one Amtek Auto will be seeing the quick resolutions.

In fact again media is slightly getting confused and misinterpreting on the move having initiated by the Essar Steel to Gujarat High Court. Maybe RBI having admitted of the drafting error for the notification where it is more seen as a direction to the quasi-judicial authority like National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to expeditiously resolve that which has been objected by the Gujarat High Court, rightly so.

Once that happens then situation will really be seen quite positive. And as I said, these all extra provisioning is seen to be quite minimal considering the operating profits of all these banks. In fact I am very gung ho. In fact June, as I said that I have been keeping my time horizon was till July or maybe till the month of July on all these PSU banks, but having met a target of 10 percent does not mean that the upside is not seen more from here.

Actually all these stocks were under owned, short sold and the positive news, the combination of all three factors will see the buying interest continuing in all these PSU stocks and more specially on the stocks like Canara Bank, SBI, PNB, Bank of India kind of stocks and we continue to have the positive momentum which we have given a buy call in the two days before the start of the July series.

Surabhi: We have some news flow on two pharmaceutical stocks today, Biocon getting into a bit of trouble with respect to one of their facilities with the French regulator and Divis Laboratories saying that the import alert with respect to one clause has been lifted but the plant still remains under import alert, the stock is still however, a little excited. Your thoughts?

A: Firstly, I do not think that I am too much worried on the French regulator kind of concerns having raised on Biocon. But if you see Biocon having run up so much, you cannot really expect the things to keep moving up and down and naturally, with this kind of adverse news coming in, the profit booking is bound to be seen.

But coming now, specifically on Divis Lab, which I have repeatedly again, in this last one month, three stocks which we have been holding on the buying list, if you are a compulsory buyer in pharma, then three stocks, Aurobindo Pharma, Glenmark Pharma and Divis Lab, which we have been repeatedly giving a buy call on these three stocks only in the last one month.

And we continue to have because purely on the valuation perspective, definitely, one negative getting lifted from the inspection report is definitely seen positive, but the kind of run up which we have seen also shows the technical factor plus the value buying seen having come in in the Divis Lab and we continue to have the positive bias on Divis Lab coupled with Aurobindo Pharma and Glenmark as well.

Surabhi: Your thoughts on the other news piece that developed over the weekend and you were cautioning investors about this actually even on Friday. This mega merger of sorts between the Shriram Group and IDFC, IDFC Bank. Now that those stocks have corrected about 5 percent a piece today, what is your advice?

A: I have been keeping my cautious and reserved view on this IDFC merger and if you see the development having taken place on Saturday, in fact if I just quickly come on the corporate governance also, if you really see the intimation having given by all these four companies on the stock exchanges, it just says that they will be exploring the possibility of merger within 90 days and nothing has been spelt out.

While in the press conference, the management has been categorical in respect to all the companies in respect to Shriram City Union Finance likely to get merged with IDFC, Shriram Transport Finance Corporation being kept aside in a separate way, so I do not understand whether this is really the correct corporate governance or not that whether the information have been revealed more to the media instead of intimating those to the stock exchanges, number one.

Number two, if you see the situation now going forward, in fact if you take the valuation call, maybe Shriram Transport Finance having corrected by 4-5 percent that makes a good buy because if you see the situation going forward, I think that it is very unlikely that RBI will be making a different precedent altogether where an NBFC will be allowed to run parallelly along with a bank where the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) provisions are not getting complied with and all sort of things.

So maybe I am keeping positive view on IDFC Bank going forward because that will definitely be increasing their business once the Shriram City Union Finance getting merged thought the valuation terms, and swap ratio and all have not been spelt out, but now, I will be taking a positive view on IDFC Bank and Shriram Transport going forward. But I have my so many reservations on the loose ends which we have seen existing in case of this corporate merger announcement having spelt out by both the groups.
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Raymond ended FY17 on a fairly lacklusture note. The last fiscals second half was impacted by several headwinds such as demand contraction, slower credit off-take, liquidity crunch, and a weak wedding season, all of which collectively took a toll on the companys financials.

In FY17, apparently, most of the textile segments had nothing much to cheer about either.

While Raymond partially blames demonetisation for all its woes, the H2FY17 performance doesnt seem to suggest the same. Some issues, which appear to be structural, ought to be addressed by the company to make sure that the slight momentum gain in H2 (versus H1FY17) continues.

Furthermore, the company was embroiled in a corporate governance controversy, thereby making it necessary for the management team to clear the air on the matter. The bone of contention involved talks of selling the companys Mumbai-based property to its promoters at a rate significantly lower than the market value, which would have adversely affected the shareholders wealth.

These two factors weighed on the stock so far, which witnessed a 15 percent correction in the span of a week (17 to 24 May, 2017). To soothe investor sentiment, the property deal was cancelled as promoters chose not to vote on the matter at the companys annual general meeting.

With the concerns duly addressed and the cash crunch over, Raymond seems determined to leave its past behind and chart a growth path with fabric capacity expansions, apparel/outlet launches, brand repositioning, and a slew of turnaround strategies. So what lies in store for one of Indias most renowned fabric, apparel, and lifestyle product manufacturing companies?

The suit manufacturing facility in Ethiopia, which was commissioned in June 2017, will make Raymond amongst the top five suit manufacturers in the world. The products manufactured in the country enjoy duty-free access to major international markets like Europe & United States, unlike Indian exports.

The company is banking on cost savings (subsidies, lower labour costs, availability of technical infrastructure from the Ethiopian Government) to achieve higher margins while being price competitive in international geographies. The factorys revenue potential is approximately Rs 250 crore per annum.

Secondly, a fabric manufacturing unit (for cotton shirts, linen products, denim) at Amravati, expected to be fully functional by Q3FY18, will largely cater to the companys branded apparel segment.

For the core branded fabric segment, the company plans to introduce new products and tailoring platforms, besides achieving greater market channel penetration (mainly through 300 new Raymond mini stores over the next two years).

In connection with the Made To Measure (MTM) brand, the companys strategy for FY18 includes adding more formal wear variants across categories such as jackets, shirts, suits, trousers, and shoes. Extending the geographical reach of the MTM Concierge service (set up in FY17) in Dubai to other areas in the city is also on the cards.

To create ample brand visibility for the four apparel brands (Ready To Wear, Park Avenue, ColorPlus, Parx) and enhance the companys pan-India retail presence (especially in tier 4 and 5 cities), the companys agenda for FY18 includes making the business model asset light in nature (through extensive adoption of the franchise route and omni channels), in addition to few exclusive store launches.

The companys foray into khadi products, aimed at intra-segment diversification, will commence in October 2017, thus adding roughly Rs 60-70 crore to the revenues in the current fiscal.

Raymond divested its auto forging parts and pulleys businesses to focus more on the comparatively high-margin passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle components sub-segments.

In the FMCG space, the companys objective is to promote its grooming and wellness brands (Park Avenue, Premium, KS). Efforts to turnaround operations in the hardware tools segment through product rationalization and cost optimization have been undertaken, whereas investment opportunities are being explored on the realty front.

While in terms of intention, there is no denying that the managements efforts are in the right direction, the initiatives may not move the numbers needle too noticeably in the near-term.

There will be some respite from the high cotton prices nonetheless, as improved cotton acreage across India would lead to a fall in the procurement costs of the raw material.

Although the gains from GST and completion of majority of the planned capex in FY18 should benefit the company in the long-term, absence of short-term earnings traction warrants caution in light of the steep valuations at the moment.

The street should keep a close eye on the monetization announcements of the companys Thane land and the forthcoming quarterly data before reposing the faith.
Embattled businessman Vijay Mallya, who was held guilty of contempt, today failed to make a personal appearance before the Supreme Court despite being directed to do so.

A bench comprising of Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit fixed the matter for hearing on July 14 and sought the assistance of the Solicitor General in the case.

The apex court had on May 9 held Mallya, who is presently in the United Kingdom, guilty of contempt on a plea by the consortium of lender banks, led by the State Bank of India, for his failure to furnish details of all his Indian as well as offshore assets.

It had directed Mallya to appear before it today to argue on the quantum of punishment.

The offence of contempt of court entails a maximum imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of upto Rs 2,000 or both.

India had recently asked Britain to ensure early extradition of Mallya, who is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The apex court's order had come on a plea by the consortium of banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), which had said that Mallya had allegedly transferred USD 40 million received from British firm Diageo to his children in "flagrant violation" of various judicial orders.

The banks had argued before the court that Mallya had wilfully disobeyed the orders and made "vague" disclosure about his assets.

The top court had on March 9 asked the liquor baron about the "truthfulness" of the disclosure of assets by him and the transfer of money to his children.

The bench had reserved its order on two pleas of lending banks seeking contempt action and a direction to Mallya to deposit USD 40 million received from offshore firm Diageo respectively.

The banks have alleged that Mallya had concealed the facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth Mallya and daughters Leanna Mallya and Tanya Mallya in "flagrant violation" of the orders passed by the Karnataka High Court.

In October last year, the court had rapped Mallya for not making full disclosure of his overseas properties and had asked him to do so within a month.

The bench had also pulled up Mallya for not giving details of USD 40 million which he had allegedly received from Diageo in February last year, saying it was of the "prima facie view" that proper disclosure as per its earlier order was not made.

The banks had on August 29 last year told the Supreme Court that Mallya had deliberately not made full disclosure of his assets including the USD 40 million he received on February 25 from Diageo.
An illustration picture shows the logo of car-sharing service app Uber on a smartphone.

The Delhi government's City Taxi Scheme, 2017 may result in the ban on shared rides provided by cab aggregators in the national capital.

"The scheme, which is a regulatory framework for cab services in the city, will ban shared cab rides as it is not compatible with the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988," PTI quoted the source as saying.

The scheme is being scrutinised by senior officials and is in finalisation stage after which it will be notified, a source in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government told PTI.

Cab aggregators operate with contract carriage permits that allow only point-to-point transportation with no stopovers between the origin and final destination of a ride.

In contrast, the stage carriage permit, given for public service buses, allows picking up and dropping passengers at different stops on a given route.

"The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 has no provision to allow shared rides by cabs operating under contract carriage permits. Such rides cannot be allowed unless there is a suitable amendment to the Act," added the source.
The city of Ahmedabad has become the first city in the country to make it to the list of world heritage cities. The announcement made on Saturday by World Heritage Committee is an honor for the rich historical legacy of the city which is always overshadowed by its tag has a business hub. Indeed, what makes the city unique is the ability of the six century old city to assimilate both its rich legacy along with the vibrant commercial characteristic of its inhabitants.

Established by Sultan Ahmad Shah in 1411 on the eastern bank of river Sabarmati the city was built with two aims in mind. Legend has it that the sultan wanted to build a city that could end the monopoly of trade that the nearby area of Ashaval enjoyed (the area later became a part of the city). But more importantly the Sultan wanted to build a capital that could resist invasions, particularly those from Delhi sultanate.

Mainly due to the patronage of the rulers and partially due to its strategic location between the hinder land and the ports on the western coast, the city soon developed into a business hub with its own merchant class. Thus, while most of other Indian cities owe their industrialisation to the colonial powers, Ahmedabad lovingly called Amdavad by the residents had its own merchant class and industrialised economy distinct from that of the imperialists.

The cities architecture just like its legacy shows a mixture of Hindu and Islamic cultures. Lacking the big size of some other structures Ahmedabads old architecture reveals high importance given to perfection. From various mosques to the iconic Teen darwaza the importance given to details is evident. The famous Pol houses are also an example to its age old guild based economy.

As one of the only Indian cities which had embraced modern industrial ideals without western interference the city also stood out as the center for Indias freedom struggle.
Job loss | The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the job landscape in India. According the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) about 21 million salaries employees lost their jobs during April-August. There were 86 million salaried jobs in India during 2019-20. In August 2020, the count was down to 65 million after 3.3 million jobs were gone in the particular month, mostly among the industrial workers and white collar workers, as per the CMIE. (Image: Shutterstock)

The High Court of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Monday admitted a writ petition from sacked employees of Tech Mahindra, who took the company and the Telangana government to court for asking them to quit unceremoniously.

The writ petition came after four retrenched employees claimed they were terminated unlawfully as they were in mediation with the company and labour commissioner over the manner of retrenchment.

According to the Forum of IT Professionals (ForIT), an organisation working for the welfare of IT professional since 2007 in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Justice MS Ramachandra Rao admitted the writ petition filed by four retrenched employees.

Moneycontrol has seen a copy of the writ petition.

Justice Rao on Monday issued notices to Principal Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, Government of Telangana, Joint Commissioner of Labour, and Tech Mahindra, directing them to give their responses within three weeks.

He also permitted the petitioners to serve personal notices to Tech Mahindra in this regard.

Tech Mahindra could not be immediately reached for comment.

Senior Counsel A Satyaprasad, who represented the four petitioners, informed the Court that Tech Mahindra was resorting to large scale illegal retrenchment of employees in Hyderabad, pointing out that the human resources department of the company was pressurising the employees to put in their resignations and leave the company.

Moneycontrol was the first to report last week the story of a 6:45-minute long audio clip uploaded by a Tech Mahindra employee, where an HR executive was heard asking him put in his papers by 10 am the next day or his services at the company would be terminated.

The report led to apologies from Mahindra Groups executive chairman Anand Mahindra and CEO CP Gurnani on Friday over the manner of sacking.

In this case, the four petitioners had complained to the Joint Commissioner of Labour of Telangana, Ranga Reddy, against the high handed illegal methods being adopted by the company, according to ForIT.

Even as Reddy initiated conciliation proceedings to resolve this issue, Tech Mahindra handed out termination letters to the four employees.

This action, according to the Counsel Satyaprasad, violates Section 47(2) of Telangana Shops and Establishments Act. According to the prevailing law (Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988), no employee can be terminated if there is a pending petition with the Labour Commissioner.

According to ForIT, more than 80 petitions have been filed with the Labour Commissioners office and with the Development Commissioners office, Special Economic Zone, by employees laid off from various IT companies.

In this case, two conciliatory meetings were held between the retrenched employees and Tach Mahindra on June 12 and June 30. A third meeting was to take place on July 7 but has been postponed to July 14.

ForIT expresses its happiness that the High Court has taken cognizance of the IT retrenchments by admitting this writ petition. Issuing notices to Tech Mahindra is a positive development. We, the IT employees, need to realise that there are laws that protect our livelihoods, and we should fight to retain those rights, the Forum said in a statement.
#first lady First lady meets with patients, workers at Cambodian hospitals First lady Kim Keon-hee visited two hospitals in Cambodia on Friday where she encouraged patients and workers and pledged to donate medical equipment, the presidential office said....

#football Players on World Cup roster bubble get mixed grades in final test Held on the eve of South Korea's announcement of their World Cup roster, the Taegeuk Warriors' friendly match against Iceland Friday night was the final test for a few players tryi...
West Bengals Baduria region has been on the boil for more than a week now with locals living in fear of mob violence.

Violence first erupted on July 2 in Baduriaa town in Basirhat sub-division in North 24 Parganas district near the India-Bangladesh border when a schoolboy shared a controversial picture on Facebook which allegedly hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community.

Over the past week, the focus has swung from on-ground violence to a prolonged blame game between the Centre and the Mamata Banerjee-led state government. The BJP has accused Trinamool chief Banerjee of appeasement politics to win over the Muslim vote bank.

A senior citizen died and around two dozen people have suffered injuries in the week-long communal clashes. Confrontations have also taken place between the police and angry mobs in many places.

Owing to the alleged inaction of state police, the Centre rushed paramilitary forces to the affected areas in and around Basirhat.

Villagers of Magurkhali in Baduria block have alleged that outsiders came into their village to look for the accused youth. The outsiders, who could not be identified by the locals, allegedly wreaked havoc by attacking the teenagers uncles house and set it on fire, the villagers said.

Below is the sequence of events:

June 30: A Class 11 student made an objectionable Facebook post which was considered to be in bad taste and hurting Muslim sentiments. The state government identified this incident as the root cause of the consequent protests culminating in a riot-like situation.

July 2: Protests by agitated Muslims started taking shape in and around Baduria. According to the local media, 15 police vans and shops were vandalised by protesters.

By Sunday night, the accused youth was arrested. Agitators blockaded the police station demanding severe punishment for the youth.

July 3: The agitators blocked roads all over Baduria and it was the day of Ulta Rath Yatra  a Hindu festival. Some devotees claimed on social media that Muslims had attacked their Ratha Yatra celebration.

Train services in several areas including Barasat-Hasnabad and Barasat-Bongaon lines in the north were disrupted owing to blockades. Reports of public property being damaged and communal clashes came in from places in Basirhat, Barasat and adjoining areas.

Leaders of Muslim social and political organisations tried to mediate to restore peace.

July 4: The Union Home Ministry dispatched three companies of paramilitary forces after the state sought the Centres help. The ministry asked the West Bengal government for a detailed report on the incident as well..

A public spat between the Chief Minister and Governor KN Tripathi began when Tripathi called Banerjee to speak regarding the Basirhat situation after a BJP state delegation team had visited him regarding the same.

Banerjee was outraged by Tripathi's comments regarding maintenance of law and order in Basirhat and accused him of acting like a BJP block president who was threatening and humiliating her.

Rumours and fake news flooded social media, with the police and state government warning against them to stave off further communal tension. Internet services were then suspended in affected pockets and are yet to resume.

Section 144, prohibiting assembly of more than three people, was also imposed in certain places.

July 5: Civilians in Behrampur, which adjoins Basirhat, held a peace march urging people to maintain communal harmony.

The affected areas were relatively calm, although train services were irregular. BSF personnel kept vigil in affected areas along with the local police.

July 6: A 65-year-old man died of stab wounds, keeping the tension high in Basirhat.

Agitators reportedly attacked a dargah. They also allegedly damaged Muslim houses and shops. Locals deemed it as a retaliatory attack by Hindus. Police tried hard to control the situation by using their batons and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd without success.

A Trinamool Congress politicians house and a party office were allegedly attacked.

July 7: The situation remained tense in Basirhat. West Bengal police took to Twitter to ask people not to be misled or agitated by fake information on social media.

Reports came in of a confrontation between the angry mob and police. The people were protesting alleged bias of the police towards Muslims. They accused the police of only arresting Hindus.

BJP and Congress leaders were stopped from entering the district as prohibitory orders were already imposed on the area.

Hyderabad BJP MLA H Raja Singh posted a controversial video of himself urging Hindus of Bengal to unite against Muslims taking inspiration from role of Hindus during 2002 Gujarat riots. He also warned them that unless they unite and fight the other communities, they would share the fate of Kashmiri Pandits who had to leave their homes.

July 8: One person was arrested by the Kolkata Police for allegedly sharing a still from a Bhojpuri movie on Facebook and claiming it was a picture of the riot-hit areas. The picture was of a man violently disrobing a woman in public. The chief minister said actions would be taken against people spreading rumours to incite violence and hatred.

The same day, a delegation of lawmakers, including former judge SN Dhingra, met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to seek the Centres intervention. They alleged that Hindus were being targeted in the violence.

The police claimed the situation was under control in Baduria. CM Mamata Banerjee sought a judicial inquiry into the matter.

Internet services remained suspended even as shops lifted their shutters and marketplaces showed signs of activity.
Hindu pilgrims travelling either on ponies or on foot, to the holy cave of Lord Shiva during an annual pilgrimage, in Pishutop, 114 km (71 miles) southeast of Srinagar June 25, 2012. Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims trek through treacherous mountains in Kashmir, along icy streams, glacier-fed lakes and frozen passes, to reach the Amarnath cave, located at an altitude of 3,800 metres (12,467 feet). There, devotees worship an ice formation that Hindus believed to be a symbol of Lord Shiva. REUTERS/Fayaz Kabli (INDIAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR344W6

At least seven Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were killed in a terrorist attack in Kashmir on Monday evening.

Fifteen others were injured, including two security personnel, when terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying the pilgrims in Bontengoo, near Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, around 8.20pm.

The terrorists struck when the police were escorting the bus, according to CNN-News18.



#Visuals from attack site: 2 Amarnath yatra pilgrims killed, many injured after terrorists attacked their bus in Batingu of J&K's Anantnag. pic.twitter.com/oAlXQseroo

 ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

Director General, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Munir Khan said that the attackers targeted the police and not the pilgrims.

"Seventeen pilgrims were travelling from Baltal to Mir Bazar when they were fired upon. Two pilgrims died on the spot," a senior CRPF officer told the channel. "Troops of our 90 battalion and 40 battalion have been rushed to the spot."

A police officer told PTI that the militants attacked an armoured car of the police. When the police fired back, the militants fled, firing indiscriminately.

"In the firing by militants, seven people, five of them women, were killed, and another seven injured," the official said.

Some reports suggested that there were two separate attacks, but this is yet to be confirmed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi put out a series of tweets condemning the "dastardly" attack. "India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate," he said.



Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017



Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the attack while her predecessor and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah reacted on Twitter:

The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants & unprecedented force presence. https://t.co/NUkScKdGfl Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 10, 2017

Jammu and Kashmir tourism minister Priya Sethi told CNN-News18 that the bus was unregistered and was not travelling with the convoy.

Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, called the incidents "most condemnable".

"It is not just an attack on pilgrims but an attack on the composite culture of Kashmir," he said.

The annual yatra to the Amarnath cave shrine began from Jammu last week amid tight security.

The last time pilgrims on this route were attacked was in August 2000, when militants massacred 30 people in Pahalgam in the same district as today's attack.

Kashmir has been tense this past week amid anticipation of violence on the first death anniversary of Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen commander who was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8 last year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked states to accord top priority to 'ease of doing business' to take advantage of the golden opportunity as the world wants to partner with India.

Interacting with chief secretaries of states and union territories for over two-and-a-half hour, Modi underlined the need for maximising the use of the 12-digit biometric identifier Aadhaar to improve governance and eliminate leakages in government schemes.

Observing that the whole world today has trust in India and wants to partner with it, he said, "This is a golden opportunity for us" and the states must accord top priority to improve on "ease of doing business" to attract more investments.

Modi's interaction was part of the National Conference of Chief Secretaries on the theme of "States as Drivers for Transforming India" organised by Niti Aayog.

This is the first time that the Prime Minister has addressed such a gathering at such an event.

Briefing media after the day-long meeting, Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya said the Prime Minister told the state representatives to make full use of Aadhaar platform for good governance and eliminate leakages in government welfare schemes.

Modi also asked the states to maximise the use of government's e-Marketplace (GeM) by August 15, saying it would provide efficiency, savings and transparency in government procurement.

The Prime Minister further said that good governance is the key to success for government programmes and development goals.

He said "relatively junior officers" in states must spend adequate time in field visits, so that they have first-hand information about the issues on the ground.

Panagariya said Modi also asked states to identify problems, say five, and ensure they are fully resolved.

Answering questions on farm loan waiver by some states, the Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman said states have to manage it within their budgets.

"You have to wait and see how is this handled. These are determined by state-level FRBM, and any relaxation about borrowing has to be given by central government, and given central government itself is conservative about its own fiscal, for last three years it has been following fiscal roadmap...," he said.

Chief Secretaries gave presentations on best practices in their states. These included rural development, skill development, crop insurance, health insurance, and tertiary healthcare, among others.

The Prime Minister said a team of young officers from across states should now deliberate and learn from these best practices, by visiting each state.

These will help in efficient adoption of best practices across states, Modi said.

He gave the example of monthly PRAGATI meetings, which had given a decisive push to many long-pending projects. He urged states to come out of the silos, and work cohesively with the Centre and which each other.

He urged states to come out of the silos, and work cohesively with the Centre and which each other.

Speaking on 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat', Modi said "we must always recall the factors which unite us."

Modi underlined emphasised on the importance of preserving institutional memory.

He said the writing of Gazettes by officers should be made compulsory in the districts.

Speaking at the meeting, Panagariya made a strong case for shifting workers from agriculture to industry and encourage small enterprises to grow big with a view to accelerate economic growth.

He said that at the aggregate macro level, bringing about rapid growth is most critical as no major success in poverty alleviation is likely to happen without it.

"If we set the output per worker in agriculture equal to 1, then output per worker in the industry is 5 and that in services 3.8.

"In other words, even at the current productivity levels in each sector, moving one-percentage-point workers out of agriculture into the industry can increase the GDP by 1.5 percent," Panagariya said.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today said it is his job to be informed on critical issues as he sought to defend his meeting with the Chinese Ambassador amid a border row with China.

He also took a dig at Narendra Modi saying he was not like the prime minister who was "sitting on the swing" when Chinese soldiers were entering India.

Rahul also questioned the government why three of its ministers were availing Chinese hospitality while tension along the border is on.



It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador

 Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

"It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE and the Bhutanese Ambassador," Gandhi said.

"If government is so concerned about me meeting an Ambassador, they should explain why three ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on," he tweeted.



If Govt is so concerned abt me meeting an Amb,they shld explain why 3Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on pic.twitter.com/4FCuu9SiAe  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Rahul also put out a picture of Modi in the swing with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the latter's visit to Gujarat in 2014, and said, "And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India."

Rahul's meeting with Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui has raised eyebrows and is likely to generate a political debate.
On Friday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and their son and current deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on charges of corruption.

Lalu Prasad Yadav's party the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is a coalition partner in the Bihar government. For three days now, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has not commented on these raids.

While the silence is odd, it is being seen by many as a part of Nitish's plan - of quitting Bihar's 'Grand Alliance' and returning to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Nitish Kumar has made several flip-flops in his career as a politician.

Early political positioning

Belonging to the socialist class of politicians, Nitish was an active member of the Jayaprakash Narayan movement between 1974 and 1977. During this time, he also became close to Bihar's eventual chief minister Satyendra Narayan Sinha.

In 1994, Nitish and George Fernandes came together to form the Samta Party. The part's alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 1996 and 1998 Lok Sabha elections yielded good results and established him as a leader.

In 2000, Nitish became the chief minister of Bihar for the first time. But his government lasted only eight days.

During 1998-99, Nitish served as the Union Minister for Railways and Minister for Surface Transport and later as the Minister for Agriculture in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

His party merged with Janata Dal (United) in 2003 which was also part of the NDA.

He returned as the railway minister in 2001, a position he served until the term ended in 2004.

Nitish was praised for undertaking major reforms in the Indian Railways such as internet ticketing, introduction of the tatkal scheme and opening a record number of ticketing counters.

Nitish Kumar came to power as the Bihar Chief Minister again, after JD (U) and BJP won in 2005. The alliance convincingly retained power in 2010.

Nitish got recognition for the work he did in Bihar and by early 2013, it had become clear that Narendra Modi and Nitish were the two strongest possible candidates for the NDA for the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

With a strong anti-incumbency factor looming over the Congress-led alliance in the centre, Nitish too sensed that the 2014 Lok Sabha election would be the right opportunity for the top job in Delhi, perhaps.

His calculation was simple. If the BJP is unable to get a majority by itself, they would have to rely on JD (U)'s support and look at a more "secular face" for the prime ministerial position thereby choosing him ahead of Modi.

The drift away from NDA

When Modi became the de facto prime ministerial candidate of the NDA, Nitish decided to pull-out of the alliance.

The NDA got a thumping majority and Nitish's miscalculation was exposed. After winning just two seats (a loss of 18 seats from 2009), he was forced to take moral responsibility for the embarrassing loss and resign as the Chief Minister. He was replaced by Jitan Ram Manjhi.

But, less than a year later, he returned as the chief minister to rally party members in what can be called an ugly in-fight within the JD (U), behind him after Manjhi refused to step aside.

Fearing a wipeout by the BJP, JD (U) tied-up with the Congress and rival-RJD to counter BJP.

In what came as a surprise to many, the 'Grand Alliance' won the election convincingly.

But, the relationship between the three alliance members has not been cordial.

In April 2016, Lalu Prasad Yadav called Nitish as the opposition's prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, starting speculations about a grand alliance for 2019.

The latest manoeuvre

Nitish is showing signs of abandoning his partners, even before the alliance takes off.

In November 2016, he praised the prime minister for carrying out demonetisation. Again, in June this year, his party backed BJP's Ram Nath Kovind as the presidential candidate. He chose to meet the prime minister on the day opposition leaders were to meet.

He has once again refused to be a part of the meeting to discuss the opposition's vice-presidential candidate on July 11.

And now, he has chosen to maintain silence on the CBI raids on Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and his own deputy chief minister.

He has also scrapped a public interface event and subsequent press conference scheduled for Monday.

JD (U) has 71 seats in the Bihar assembly. An alliance with the BJP which has 53 seats and five more seats held by other NDA allies can take the tally to 129, well over the halfway mark.

To many, his actions come across as political manoeuvres. In the past, like in 2014, such manoeuvring landed Nitish and his party in the dock. During other times, like in 2015, they worked well for him.

If he succeeds this time, it will certainly crash opposition's dream of a 'Grand Alliance' for 2019.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Monday questioned the "secrecy" over the meeting between Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui, an interaction that has raised eyebrows in the political circles.

The Congress first denied in the morning that Gandhi met the Chinese envoy and then made a U-turn hours later.

"The Congress leader met the Chinese ambassador. What is so secret about it? They should make it public. Why should they try to hide it?" Naidu told reporters in reply to a question on the sidelines of an event.



It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador

 Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Gandhi took to Twitter in the evening to defend his meeting with the Chinese envoy and said it was his job "to be informed on critical issues," referring to the India-China stand-off.

He said if the government was concerned about his meeting with the Chinese ambassador, they should also question the three Union ministers who are "availing Chinese hospitality when the border stand-off is on".

Gandhi also posted on his Twitter handle a photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping sitting on a swing to take a dig at the government.

"And for the record, I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India (sic)," he tweeted, referring to Chinese president's visit to Gujarat in 2014.



And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India pic.twitter.com/THG4sULJJC  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Reacting to this, Naidu said there was no need to respond to such comments.

"Diplomatic relations, meeting foreign dignitaries ... There is a procedure, there is a practice and it is transparent," he said.

"The Prime Minister, as the head of the government. Whenever he goes out for an international conference ... on the sidelines, he meets the heads of the States, hold discussions, and sometimes there is only meeting and greeting. What is there to criticise? I am not able to understand," he said.
ram_nath_kovind_President

NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind and BJP chief Amit Shah will meet the party MLAs in Gujarat on Tuesday as part of the campaign for the July 17 polls for the top constitutional post.

Shah, an MLA from Narnapura in Ahmedabad, will arrive tomorrow morning, while Kovind would land at the city airport in the evening, said a state BJP release.

Kovind will be given a grand welcome by BJP leaders upon his arrival. Shah would receive Kovind at the airport, said the release.

Both would then hold a meeting with BJP MLAs at 'Swarnim Sankul' (state secretariat) in Gandhinagar before leaving for New Delhi, it said.

Soon on his arrival, Shah would address a gathering of people associated with co-operative banks and dairies at Gandhinagar Town Hall. In the afternoon, he will address party workers at a ground in the state capital, the release said.

The opposition's presidential nominee, Meira Kumar, had visited Gujarat on June 22 to launch her election campaign from Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram.

The electoral college for presidential poll comprises all elected MPs and MLAs.
The government may introduce the Bill to ratify the ordinance to amend the Banking Regulation Act in the first week of the Parliaments monsoon session that begins on July 17.

The ordinance, promulgated in May, empowers the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and banks to initiate bankruptcy proceedings against chronic defaulters.

The amended section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act will allow RBI, from time to time, to issue directions to the banking companies for resolution of stressed assets.

In June, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that it had identified 12 accounts totaling about 25 per cent of the current gross non-performing assets (NPAs) of the banking system for immediate reference under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

The Gujarat High Court will commence hearings on the Essar Steel vs RBI on July 12.

The RBI had directed Essar Steel lenders to refer the debt-laden steel firm to National Company Law Tribunal for insolvency proceedings. Essar had moved the court against proceedings.

Also read: Essar Steel vs RBI: Gujarat High Court postpones hearing case to July 12

It had questioned the cut-off date of March 31, 2016 fixed by the RBI for selecting the 12 accounts to be filed at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under IBC.

The ordinance empowers RBI to move against defaulters under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. The code allows lenders to immediately suspend the board and strip promoters powers. It also allows an insolvency professional to take control of a corporate loan defaulter. The Code provides for a time-bound recovery of NPAs or bad loans.

Earlier, banks were hesitant to agree on one-time settlement fearing scrutiny from investigation agencies. The new law allows RBI to deal with bad loans on a case-to-case basis. RBIs oversight on specific stressed assets may prompt banks to move speedily on resolution of bad loans.

Also read: Loan defaulters beware! Modi govt notifies new Banking Regulation Act

The RBI and the government had also asked banks to impose a strict ban on any new loans to wilful defaultersborrowers who have the capacity to repay but havent. Such borrowers are also now barred from being appointed as directors on boards of companies.

The government said the bad loans have reached unacceptably high levels and urgent measures are required for their resolution

The new law also empower banks to force lingering corporate loan defaulters to forego ownership and voting rights in their companies, allowing lenders to induct new management leadership mandated to turnaround these entities within a specified time frame.

The fresh set of rules may also allow banks to separate the outstanding unpaid debt into sustainable and unsustainable parts to better restructure loans.
Deputy Prime Minister of Yemen Abdulmalik Abduljalil Al-Mekhlafi will arrive here today on a four-day visit, during which a range of issues, including enhancing bilateral ties and the safety of Indians living in the strife-torn Arab country, is likely to be discussed.

Al-Mekhlafi, who is also Yemen's foreign minister, will hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday covering the expanse of bilateral ties as well as situation in Yemen and the Middle East.

In 2015, as the situation grew out of control following a civil war in Yemen, India had evacuated 6,700 people, including the nationals of 41 countries, under 'Operation Raahat'.

The issue of safety of Indians is likely to figure in the talks between Swaraj and Al-Mekhlafi.

They are also likely to discuss the issue of containing the increasing challenge of terrorism. Terror groups like the al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are said to have bases in parts of Yemen resulting in instability in the country.

Al-Mekhlafi is schedule to visit Agra.
A baby giant panda plays at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China, January 22, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Lee TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTSWROC

Social media was recently buzzing with pictures of a giant panda-shaped solar farm built in China, with many users terming it the "cutest solar farm".

The likes of United Nations Climate Action also tweeted about it, infusing even more energy in the online panda love fest.

 UN Climate Action (@UNFCCC) July 7, 2017

pic.twitter.com/sWzab0I2sG #China builds #solar farm shaped like a panda to promote #greenenergy to #youth , able to power more than 8,000 households @UNDP

But there was one problem.

The picture that had gone viral was the artistic rendering of a farm that has recently built.

This was revealed after hoax-slaying website Snopes did a fact check and a spokesperson from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) confirmed the same.

This is how the solar farm actually looks like in real -- Panda-like but less cute than the picture doing the rounds.

A drone picture of the solar farm was sent to Snopes, and it actually looked like this

Some facts about the panda solar farm

The 100 MW Chinese solar plant built by Panda Green Energy in Datong, China is expected to cater to over 8000 households. Half of the solar farm is now connected to the city's power grid, expecting to cut 2.74 million tonnes of carbon emissions.

The farm is expected to promote youth into taking renewable energy more seriously.

The panels in the solar farm are made using darker shades monocrystalline silicon and light-coloured film solar cells to resemble a panda.

Why a panda?

The giant panda, native to South China, is the country's national animal and has for long been associated with it. Every time China sends a panda to a foreign zoo, they require an agreement that China owns the panda and its offspring. Many experts call this the "panda diplomacy."

In fact, China practises a unique form of diplomacy (called the 'panda diplomacy') in which it gifts panda to visiting foreign dignitaries. Often this procedure required an agreement to be signed stating that China owned the panda and its offspring.
The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana.
Education

Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu.

Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu.

Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events:

International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu.

EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu.

Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale  an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s  will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets  June Homecoming: Participant  $18 per person; Sustainer  $25 per person; Benefactor  $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler  Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events:

SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available  for information call 610-275-1960

Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above)

SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m.

Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  4 p.m.  computers are available during those hours.

Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863.

Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376.

Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com.

The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes:

Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at

other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020.

CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313.

The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events:

Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30.

Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301.

For Kids & Families

The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443.

Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950.

Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required.

The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950.

Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus.

Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage.

Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun.

Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train.

Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world!

Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class.

Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org.

Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583.

Community Events at the Ambler Y:

-YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register.

Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org.

Health

Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot.

The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information.

Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245.

Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net.

Spring Aquatic Programs  UDHS Pool:

-Summer is just around the corner  Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required.

 Shallow Water Aerobics  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR.

 Adult Swim Instructions  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR

-Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21.

-Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday  Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m.

-Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons.

-Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates.

Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994.

SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com.

Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org.

Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs:

FITNESS CLASSES

Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month.

Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30  9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000.

Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30  7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047.

New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30  4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325.

Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes.

Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com.

Librarytalk

Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744

www.upperdublinlibrary.org

APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS:

Storytimes: Please register in the library.

o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m.

o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m.

o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m.

o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6.

APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS:

North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee

APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS:

NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org.

One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register  contact info above.

Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744.

o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register.

Meetings:

Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m.

Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m.

Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org.

For children and teens at Blue Bell:

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m.

* May 14  Despicable Me

* June 11  Alpha and Omega

* Special Events

* April  watch for date of spring/Easter events

* April 14 at 4:30 p.m.  Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children.

* April 14 at 7 p.m.  Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided.

* April 16 at 1 p.m.  Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

* April 16 at 1:30 p.m.  Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes?

* April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button.

* April 30 through May 3  Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults.

* May  sign up for Science in the Summer

* June  sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children

* June  sign up for Summer Reading, all ages

For adults at Blue Bell:

* Daytime Book Discussion Group  fourth Tuesday, Jan  April at 1:30 p.m.

* April 26  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Night-time Book Discussion Group  third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

o April 19  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges

o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked?

*Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs

* Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class.

* Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class.

* Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m.

* Giant Book Sale, April 29  May 3

o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults!

o Held during library hours.

o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m.

o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join.

* Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series

o May 11 at 1 p.m.  Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society

* Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room.

* Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read.

* Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome.

* Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome.

*Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older.

* Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours

* Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours

* Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday!

Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library.

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* For adults:

* Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn.

* Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net

* Special Events:

* April 14 at 1:30 p.m.  Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.

* April 19 at 7 p.m.  Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m.

* April 21 at 7 p.m.  Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades.

*May 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

*May 10  Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*May 12 at 1:30p.m.  Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

*May 17  Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*June 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

Meetings and Lectures

The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833.

The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200.

The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/.

LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings.

Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org.

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org)

-Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them.

The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter.

For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps.

Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin.

Special Events

The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County.

The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065.

Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members.

Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex.

The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com.

The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org.

Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163.

The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu.

The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com.

The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net.

Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages.

13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries.

Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family.

The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler.

JPRN  Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them  Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike.

Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.

Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately.

Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways.

Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table.

Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp  Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall:

-Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store.

Music and Theater

The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220.

Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html.

Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free.

The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org

Religious News

The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276.

Reunions

St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net.

Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572.

Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779.

Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net

Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net

The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411.

Support

New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149.

PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931.

The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296.

Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656.

Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group  every other Wednesday, 7  8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support  second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner  Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers  Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information.

CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7  8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich,
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LENOIR  The Granite Falls mother charged with slaying her 12-month-old son last week has been receiving in-home services from the Caldwell County Department of Social Services since January, according to a press release.

Fridays social services statement included details about the departments contact with the Brewer family before mother Heather Ray Brewer was charged with second-degree murder.

The department received a child protective services report regarding Rodney Lee Brewer Jr. on Jan. 4, 2017, alleging concerns of improper medical/remedial care.

The department had no history of contact with the family prior, according to the release.

Upon completion of an assessment at the time, it was determined in-home services were needed to ensure continued compliance with medical and developmental services for the child, according to the release.

The services included education about child development, speech and physical therapy, community-based rehabilitation services, budgeting assistance, feeding and nutritional education and instruction, monitoring physical health, and monitoring the condition of the home, according to the release.

Social services representatives also maintained face-to-face contact with all household members.

In addition to relatives and other professionals, the department was present in the home multiple times per week during the provision of in-home services, according to the release, which led up to Brewers late June murder charge.

No further protective services reports were received by the department.

Caldwell County Sheriffs Office investigators received a report of abuse with physical injuries June 28, more than six months after social services received a report, and the infant died June 29 at Levine Childrens Hospital in Charlotte, according to a previous press release.

Brewer made her first appearance before Caldwell County District Court on Thursday morning in Lenoir on the second-degree murder charge, a Class B1 felony, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.

District Court Judge Wes W. Barkley presided over the first appearance hearing.

District Attorney David Learner represented the state, and attorney Bruce Cannon represented the defendant.

Brewers bond is set at $1 million, and the probable cause hearing will be July 27 in Caldwell County District Court in Lenoir.

Cannon said he and his client would seek a bond reduction hearing at a later date.
WASHINGTON, D.C. Members of the FBIs Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department Safe Streets Task Force are requesting the publics assistance in locating Elliott Avery Starks, 34, who is being sought in connection with the homicide of Antina Pratt, 40, of Southeast, Washington, D.C.

Starks is believed to be in either the Charlotte, Columbia or Atlanta areas.

Pratts body was found brutally stabbed multiple times on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, at approximately 3:00 p.m. on the Suitland Parkway-Buena Vista Bike Trail near the 2600 Block of Pomeroy Road, S.E.

Elliott Avery Starks is described as a black male, 165 pounds, 511, with brown eyes, a medium complexion, and black hair (balding on top). The Metropolitan Police Department holds an arrest warrant for Starks who was charged in the District of Columbia Superior Court on January 6, 2017, with premeditated first degree murder while armed. Starks should be considered armed and dangerous.

The FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force requests that anyone with information about Starks to contact the FBI at 202-278-2000 or the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to MPDs text tip line by text messaging 50411 or online at www.tips.fbi.gov.

This case is being investigated by the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force, which targets violent drug trafficking gangs and attempts to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia.

The Safe Streets Initiative is funded in part by the Baltimore Washington High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area as well as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The initiative is one of more than 150 Safe Streets Task Forces across the country that combat street gangs by combining federal, state and local police resources.

The task forces, which began in 1992 in Los Angeles and the District of Columbia, address gang activity, including drug-related crimes.
CITY TO BUY OLD FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

The First Baptist Church of Morganton voted to sell its former Church at King and Meeting Streets to the city of Morganton upon an offer of $125.000. Acting to a recommendation by the board of Deacons and a special property committee, the congregation authorized the sale at a Church conference held during the Sunday morning service.

The Church occupied the old property until the formal dedication of its new buildings on West Union Street, June 18. The original Church was constructed in 1895.

James T. Black, chairman of the Board of Deacons, presented the proposal in a congregational session over which the pastor Rev R. Knolan Benfield served as moderator.

THREE PASS STATE BOARD

Three Burke County men have passed the State board examinations for engineers and land surveyors and have been certified as engineers in training.

The three are George Clark Greene, Broughton Hospital, Morganton, Fred Albert Stroupe, Route 4 Morganton, and Gary Daniels Salvaggio, Rostan Street in Valdese.

MCINTOSH NAMED CHAIRMAN OF BOARD

The Blue Ridge Community action, Board of Directors is divided into three groups with representation from Burke and Caldwell Counties, Rev Mr. W. Flemon McIntosh Jr. of Morganton, is the new Chairman of the Board. He has been active with the Board since its beginning in 1965.He is married to the former Miss Nettie M. McGimpsey, and they have three children, Yvette a freshman at Oak Hill High School, and Willette Yvonne and Willie III, five year old twins. Working with McIntosh on the Board are Claude Erwin, vice chairman, and Mrs. W.E. Dale, secretary.

MORGANTON HAS A NEW DENTIST

Morganton has a new Dentist Dr. Clifford M. Stamper, has taken over the practice of Dr, Frank D. Pattishaw who is returning to orthodontic training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. and Mrs. Stamper are making their home on Fox Street. Dr Stamper, a native of Warrensville, has his offices in the Mull building on Collet Street. He came here from Banner Elk he had an office. Both Dr. and Mrs. Stamper enjoy hiking dogs, they have a cabin near Weaversville where they keep their palomino horse. Mrs. Stamper enjoys reading and playing the piano.

SAM ERVIN III NAMED SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE

Sam J. Ervin III, Morganton attorney and native and twice a Represenative in the North Carolina General Assembly was today appointed Court Judge for the 25 th Judicial District. The 41 year old Burke County native was named by Governor Dan K. Moore to fill a vacancy created when Judge James C. Farthing of Lenoir was picked for one of the seats on North Carolina Court of Appeals. In taking a Superior Court Judgeship, Ervin is following in the footsteps of his father Senator Sam J. Ervin Jr. who was appointed to the Superior Court bench thirty years ago in 1937 The Senator served served three terms in the General assembly in the sessions of 1923, 1925 and 1931. Ervin is a member of the law firm of Patton, Ervin and Starnes. He began his practice here in 1952 and became associated in 1957 with Frank C. Patton, now senior member of the firm. And the late John M. Mull. He graduated from Morganton High School in the class of 1943.

AMONG US MORGANTONIANS; J. GORDON QUEEN

Retrospact: Do you remember when Clint Pritchard operated a meat market near the depotand when Daniel Downey was a foreman at the Burke TanneryWhat ever becam of that wood yard at the corner of Union and Greene Streets? Oh Yes the lot was developed years and is now the site of the Burands StoreDid you know that there has always been a jewelry store in the building now occupied by Jeweler Charles G. Poteat?

Jimmy Rhyne is a volunteer at the History Museum of Burke County where the archives of the News Herald are stored.
Construction is now underway at the new Ridgeview Lodge, a 53-unit facility that will served the needs of seniors looking for affordable housing options.The development is jointly financed by the governments of Canada and Alberta, with additional funding by Ridge Country Housing, a foundation that provides administrative management for lodge and housing units for low-income seniors and families.The new complex will be replacing the existing lodge which was built in the 1960s. It is slated to feature a multi-purpose area for residents, along with a commercial kitchen, a dining area, an administration area, a salon, and many other amenities.Work on the project began in the wake of the Alberta governments release of the Provincial Affordable Housing Strategy on June 26. The initiative will increase the supply of low-cost housing and support for financially struggling Albertans, including seniors.Seniors built this province and they deserve to retire in dignity. The new Ridgeview Lodge is an example of our commitment to making life better for seniors, according to Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Seniors and Housing. We are proud to partner with the Government of Canada and Ridge County Housing on this project, as this new facility will meet the needs of many seniors in Raymond and surrounding area.
Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

A shower is possible early. Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 64F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A shower is possible early. Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 64F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Mortgage lender HSBC Finance Corp. is slashing nearly 200 mortgage-related jobs in Florida, the lender has announced.HSBC has filed a layoff notice with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. According to a report by The Tampa Bay Times, the lender will permanently cut 197 jobs at its Brandon, Fla., office in September or October. Mortgage servicing support personnel, analysts and collection specialists will be among the affected employees.This is the second round of layoffs in four months at HSBCs Brandon location. In April, HSBC cut 357 employees in what spokesman Rob Sherman called a strategic winding down of HSBC Finance Corp. HSBC Bank USA, which is a separate division, has not been affected, the Times reported.The latest round of cuts will leave HSBCs Brandon office with about 70 employees, the Times estimated.The company has been in dire financial straits in recent years, and is selling its loan portfolio, the Times reported. HSBC is also reportedly in talks to resolve a federal investigation into its sale of toxic mortgage bonds during the financial crisis, according to a HousingWire report. And last year the banking giant agreed to pay $601 million to resolve allegations that it had engaged in origination, servicing and foreclosure abuses, HousingWire reported.
Employment numbers for Midlands civilian labor force dominated the economic update presented Monday to the Midland Development Corp. board of directors.

We watch those numbers closely, said Executive Director Pam Welch.

She pointed to the May Labor Market Review issued by the Texas Workforce Commission that ranked Midland fifth among the states 26 MSAs, behind Amarillo at 3.1 percent and Austin-Round Rock, College Station-Bryan and Lubbock, each with 3.2 percent.

We still have a ways to go to reach the numbers we had in October 2014, when the civilian labor force reached 95,612, Welch said. She put the current labor force at 86,409.

Sara Harris, accounting clerk and research analyst with the MDC, told board members a drop from Aprils labor force count could have been because the commission made a regular adjustment to its figures.

She also said that it may be possible workers who had stopped looking for jobs during the oil price downturn in 2015-2016 may be encouraged to resume their job search.

Large exploration and production companies such as Pioneer Natural Resources and Occidental had largely retained their workers during the downturn, Welch said. The service companies were hard hit by the downturn but have been hiring this year as the rig count rises and oil patch activity increases.

Welch said the citys labor force and job creation depends on the price of oil. All companies are waiting to see what happens.

In the meantime, board members were told the MDC is continuing its efforts to market Midland. Tim Danielson, director of business development, reported attending the recent Institute of Food Technologists Food Expo and picking up a couple of soft leads for Midland.

Welch said aerospace and aviation continue to be a business segment the MDC is targeting, even as companies such as XCOR continue to struggle.

The MDC recently signed a deal with Cushman and Wakefield of El Paso to market Hanger A at Midland Spaceport Business Park, she said.
Mexico's army has seized more than 90 assault rifles, five grenade launchers and 30,000 rounds of ammo in northwest Nuevo Laredo, authorities said.

The Secretariat of the National Defense, known was SEDENA, said they seized the arsenal Friday in Colonia Toboganes.
A 67-year-old Odessa woman died in a one-vehicle wreck Saturday night on State Highway 349 - Tom Craddick Highway, about three miles north of Midland, according to a press release from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Kathleen Wiseman was a passenger in a Ford SUV that was westbound on SH 349. The driver began to pass a vehicle and overcorrected, and the vehicle overturned, according to the release.
'The big truck is still on ...
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After repairs to a water line break late Sunday night required shutting down its municipal water system, and in accordance with state protocol, the City of Hale Center on Monday issued a Boil Water Notice.

There isnt any need for concern, advised City Manager Dennis Burton. Everything was done correctly, and the entire system remains safe and clean. But we are required to issue this notification because we had to shut down (depressurized) the system for repairs.

Johnny Reese, Hale Centers public works director, anticipates the Boil Water Notice will be lifted within 48 hours.

We had a waterline break on the west side of town about 11 p.m. Sunday, Reese explains. The break was near the intersection of Avenue J and West Stevenson, and caused by tree roots invading the line. The break resulted in the loss of about 100,000 gallons of water, and repairs were completed about 11:30 a.m. Monday.

Theres several reasons why waterlines break during the summer, Reese explains. Heavy use can be a contributing factor since summer is when we make our largest deliveries. And then theres ground movement cause by hot days and cool nights. Its worse when the ground is wet like it has been recently. Another cause for broken water lines are tree roots, which is the case this time around.

Although waterline breaks are troublesome, the last time a break of this magnitude occurred in Hale Center was at least five or six years ago, Reese said.

In addition to notifying local and area news media of the Boil Water Notice, Hale Center posted it on its website, on Facebook and on the marque outside City Hall.

The notice, issued in both English and Spanish, reads:

Due to conditions which have occurred recently in the water system, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the water system to notify all customers to boil their water prior to consumption.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.

In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source.

When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, water system officials will notify you.

If you have questions regarding this matter, you may contact Jack Needham at 806-292-8497 or Hale Center City Hall at 806-839-2411.
Daniel Palacio says he has an idea for a startup, and the resources and money to create it. But there is a major obstacle he needs to overcome first: getting a visa to the U.S.

A rule set to go into effect next week could have lowered that hurdle for Palacio and thousands of other would-be American business builders. But on Monday, the Trump administration delayed its implementation, with an eye toward eliminating the International Entrepreneur Rule altogether.

The rule was the closest the United States has come to the startup visa Silicon Valley has long sought. It was approved by the Department of Homeland Security in January during President Barack Obamas waning hours in office. It would have allowed some foreigners to live in the U.S. while building their companies. The department expected about 3,000 entrepreneurs to qualify.

Money is not the biggest issue right now  it is the visa, said Palacio, a 31-year-old Colombian entrepreneur. There is nothing in the U.S. that specifically says, If you want to start a company and create a lot of jobs, this is the best visa for you, he said.

According to a Federal Register notice released online Monday and set to be published Tuesday, the Trump administration will delay the rules effective date until March 14 and seek comment from the public on a plan to rescind the rule.

The notice roiled many in Silicon Valley, who were looking forward to this rule as a way to make it easier for entrepreneurs to come to the U.S.  especially when countries like Canada are luring talented foreigners to their borders with more welcoming visa laws.

This is unquestionably a setback for the United States in the global race for talent, Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, an immigration advocacy group backed by some technology companies, said in a statement. We should be encouraging innovators to bring their new ideas, expertise, and unique skills to our country, rather than incentivizing them to put their talents to work for our competitors abroad.

Daniel Kravtsov, an entrepreneur from Russia working in San Francisco on an O-1 visa, which is for aliens of extraordinary ability, was hoping to use the rule to bring some of his colleagues to the U.S. Now, he said, his company is in a bind.

I dont know what I will do now, he said. Maybe well try for the O-1 for my partners, or maybe well just send them to Canada.

The day after The Chronicle first reported in June the administrations plans to delay the rule, Silicon Valley executives and investors pressed administration officials at a White House meeting on the importance of encouraging foreign entrepreneurship to the U.S.

Former AOL CEO Steve Case, who was in the meeting, said Trump economic adviser Gary Cohn and other officials in attendance seemed to understand the issue, and were supportive of what could be done to win a global battle for talent, he said.

Case said he left the meeting cautiously optimistic that (the rule) would at least be discussed. He said he was disappointed by news of the delay.

Why not just give it a try for a year? Case said. Its not a huge issue in terms of numbers. One of those (2,000) or 3,000 people may have been the next Sergey, referring to Sergey Brin, the Google co-founder who was born in Russia.

The benchmarks to qualify for the rule were high. A foreigner would have needed to demonstrate that he or she would contribute to economic growth or create jobs and show that a reputable investor has put at least $250,000 into the company. The rule would have let an individual stay in the U.S. for 30 months, with the possibility of a 30-month extension.

But critics have a problem with the rules use of so-called parole authority. In this case, the term parole means that individuals are not formally admitted into the U.S.  as they would be with a work visa such as an H-1B  but legally can stay for a temporary period.

We are pleased that the administration is rescinding this, said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a nonprofit advocacy group. We need to fix the underlying immigration policies so we dont need to create all of these add-on programs to compensate for the failures of the oversized immigration policy we are already have."

According to the notice, the rule is being delayed for reconsideration in light of a Jan. 25 executive order on immigration and border security. The order declared that the Secretary of Homeland Security must ensure that parole authority is only used when an individual demonstrates urgent humanitarian reasons or a significant public benefit.

There is widespread agreement from Democrats, Republicans, immigration lawyers and foreign entrepreneurs  that the rule was not perfect. Parole is a limiting status for foreigners, as it offers no path to permanent citizenship.

What we really need is a comprehensive immigration bill, that's where we should be dealing with these decisions, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told The Chronicle Monday.

Former U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service director Leon Rodriguez, who was heavily involved in creating the rule, said it was a last resort for the Obama administration when it couldnt get any legislative action through Congress on a startup-friendly visa.

But, he said, it was better than nothing: We have a structure for business and employment-based immigration that is full of gaps, he said. We have very imperfect pathways for individuals to come and contribute to our economy.

Despite Mondays setback, tech organizations such as the National Venture Capital Association said they plan to continue advocating for the rule.

It is hard to know how many entrepreneurs are discouraged by U.S. immigration rules. But Raya Bidshahri said that red tape deterred her from even attempting to stay in the country.

Before she graduated from Boston University in May, Bidshahri said she had concrete plans to move to the Bay Area and create an education-tech startup. But as someone from Iran, a country affected by the administrations travel ban, staying in the U.S. was becoming hard to justify.

I'm already taking a huge risk with my career as an entrepreneur, she said. And it just makes sense to have a safety net around me in terms of immigration.

So, in the end, she chose Toronto.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani
MONICA ALMEIDA /New York Times

San Antonio-based refiner Tesoro Corporation was given the green light Friday by the Carson city council in California to combine two of its refineries into the largest in The Golden State.

The $460 million project will combine Tesoros Carson refinery, which processes 257,300 barrels a day, with its refinery in Wilmington that puts out 104,500 barrels a day. The towns, and refineries, are located right next to each other.
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The Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin has acquired two large-scale works by artist Vincent Valdez.

Painted in black and white, The City depicts a gathering of Ku Klux Klan members, including men, women and children, on a rutted rural road. The City II depicts a trash heap topped by soiled mattresses with a barrel fire burning in the foreground.

The City I received national attention when a column about the piece by Lawrence Downes appeared in the New York Times last year. The writer described the haunting image as a selfie for 21st-century America.

RELATED: Fiesta, Red Bull unveil new symbol of San Antonio's signature event

A San Antonio native, Valdez currently lives in Houston. Both the San Antonio Museum of Art and the McNay Art Museum own works by him.

The City makes an attempt at revealing a number of societal threats that transcend the arena of white supremacy. These factors are deeply embedded in our American way of life, in more ways than we think or see, Valdez said via email. Ultimately, my aim is to depict and translate what I see around me, to get up and speak up. The words of Dante are forever stuck in my head, The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of moral crisis, preserve their neutrality.

RELATED: Construction begins on $16M Ruby City art museum

With the paintings going to the Blanton, Valdezs work is, in a sense, coming full circle.

In 2015, I took my parents to the Blanton to see the exhibit Witness: Art and Civil Rights in the Sixties. In the exhibition, I encountered Philip Gustons City Limits (1969) on loan from (the Museum of Modern Art). I was floored, he said. I raced home, anxious to begin working on this idea that I had mentally stored away for several years. It was time.

Two years later, placing this work into the same space that sparked an entire year of effort is a defining moment of completion. Inscribed into the lower left corner of the painting is my gratitude and respect for Guston: For P.G.

RELATED: Two new public art installations coming to the Mission Reach

The works, which were first shown at the David Shelton Gallery in Houston last year, will be on view at the Blanton from July 22 through Dec. 30. News of the acquisitions was first reported on glasstire.com.

lsilva@express-news.net
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Taco 'bout a commitment.

At the beginning of the year, San Antonio Express-News food writer Mike Sutter embarked on a project, perfectly described in its to-the-point name: 365 Days of Tacos.

To date, Sutter has visited more than 180 restaurants, cafes and food trucks to find the best tacos the Alamo City has to offer.

We sifted through Sutter's list to pare down his Taco of the Week selections from January to June to find the 10 tacos worth a spot on your San Antonio bucket list. Check out the gallery above to see which ones made the cut.

Each restaurant visited is given an overall rating:

"Worth a drive" is a place that merits a special visit.

"A solid neighborhood option" might not deserve a drive across town, but it's a spot that respectably serves its neighborhood  like many of this city's places.

"Once was enough:" This one explains itself.

Each of the top 10 tacos was given a "worth a drive" rating.

Read about all the places visited during 365 Days of Tacos on ExpressNews.com/tacos.

RELATED: S.A. foodies unite on Twitter to reveal their favorite underrated restaurants

erobinson@mysa.com

Twitter: @eeelizzzabeth
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THE CONCEPT

Upscale Japanese sushi bar and steakhouse from Arizona-based JNK Concepts. The Houston outpost, a few blocks from Highland Village, is Roka Akor's first Texas location.

THE SPACE

On the ground floor of the 2929 Wesleyan apartment tower, the 200-seat, wood-wrapped restaurant has several distinct areas, including the Roka Bar, a sushi bar, robata grill and a private dining room decorated with giant jars of flavor-infused shochu, a Japanese distilled spirit.

THE FOOD

Houston's Roka Akor has the largest steak program of any of its sister restaurants - three types of Japanese wagyu (from the Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Shiga prefectures), as well as Japanese kobe, and wagyu steaks from the esteemed Snake River Farm in Idaho. The steaks are grilled over several types of charcoal, and some sport flavor-packed Asian glazes. Meanwhile, sashimi and nigiri sushi might involve fatty tuna, blue fin tuna, big eye tuna, sea urchin, red snapper, striped jack, amberjack, fluke or freshwater eel. Hot and cold appetizers are almost too pretty to eat - the toro tartare, for example, is a disk of cubed fatty tuna festooned with flowers, crispy leaves of fried taro, and a dollop of ossetra caviar sitting atop a golden quail egg. Other entree options: salmon teriyaki, miso-marinated black cod and Korean-spiced lamb chops.

THE DRINKS

Expect a wealth of Japanese whiskey, plus an impressive shochu program and ample wine list. Cocktails include Roka signatures like the Gosotochiri (vodka, sake, elderflower liqueur, serrano chile, cucumber), plus Houston specialties such as the Backroom Deal (anejo tequila, Italian sweet vermouth, brandy liqueur, toasted tobacco leaf, vanilla bitters).

ONE MORE THING

An omakase chef's tasting option is available, two-person minimum.

THE DETAILS

2929 Wesleyan, 713-622-1777; rokaakor.com/houston. Open for lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and dinner daily 5-11 p.m. Roka Bar offers happy hour from 4:30 to 6 p.m. daily.
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HARTFORD  The lack of a state budget will soon end rental assistance for thousands of low income residents who rely on subsidized housing to keep a roof over their head, advocates warn.

This is not the way to run the business of Connecticut, said Cathy Zall, executive director of the New London Homeless Hospitality Center.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Monday brought together a group of social service advocates to highlight the impact that failing to pass a new a state budget will have on poor residents.

I invited you here today to hear how quickly this could unravel, Malloy noted, referring to lost funding for rental assistance and other affordable housing subsidies. It would be a disaster to go month to month to month without a spending plan.

Department of Housing Commissioner Evonne Klein said money for rental assistance will begin to dry up in the fall  possibly as soon as September  if the General Assembly does not pass a new budget.

Now is not the time to stand idly by, now is the time to act, Klein said. Connecticut needs, and it deserves, a reasonable, balanced budget that continues to invest in our communities and that will continue our progress.

After the Legislature failed to adopt a more than $40 billion, two year budget by the July 7 deadline, Malloy signed an executive order to keep essential services operating. But that bare bones budget will eventually lead to huge cuts in municipal aid, transportation projects and social programs, such as rental subsidies, funding for shelters and other types of affordable housing.

The executive order immediately cut about $4.5 million from the states rental subsidy program.

Malloy said Republican and Democratic lawmakers continue to work on a new budget, but noted an agreement is not yet in sight.

Im governor in a state where Republicans and Democrats dont agree with one another, and no one agrees with me, Malloy said.

The governor reissued his call to pass his short term mini budget that he said offers sufficient money to fund government until a new spending plan is hammered out.

House Democratic majority leaders have said they are waiting for unions to vote on a $1.5 billion package of concessions, a process due to wrap up July 17.

House leaders hope to work on a new budget the following day.

Evictions

Lisa Tepper Bates, executive director of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, warned that renters receiving assistance could soon be thrown out of their apartments.

The current budget crisis means that there is a real risk people who have been housed will lose the subsidies and support that help them stay housed and stable, Bates said. To risk sending them back to homelessness is terrible for them, costly for our state and bad for our communities.

Florence Villano, executive director of the Connecticut Housing Coalition, echoed the worry. We are concerned about losing rent subsidies for extremely low income and vulnerable people, she said.

Betsy Crum, executive director of the Womens Institute for Housing and Economic Development, said millions invested in affordable housing is at risk.

Connecticuts investment in its affordable housing infrastructure has leveraged hundreds of millions of private capital, all of which can be unraveled if the state's promises are not met, Crum said.

This current budget crisis puts past and future investments at risk.
MOSUL, Iraq - Iraq's prime minister entered the city of Mosul on Sunday to declare victory in the nine-month battle for control of the Islamic State's former stronghold, signaling the near-end of the most grueling campaign against the group to date and dealing a near-fatal blow to the survival of its self-declared caliphate.

On a walk through the city's eastern districts, Haider al-Abadi was thronged by men holding cameraphones as music blared and others danced in the streets.

"The world did not imagine that Iraqis could eliminate Daesh," he said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. "This is all a result of the sacrifices of the heroic fighters who impressed the world with their courage."

But in a sign of how tenaciously the Islamic State has fought, even as Abadi was touring the town the sound of airstrikes echoed through the skies and smoke rose from the last pocket of territory the militants control, thought to be no more than 200 yards long and 50 yards wide.

The confusion of that moment came as a reminder that even though a complete victory now seems assured, it has come at a tremendous price. On a walk through its oldest quarters on Sunday, the stench of bodies filled the air. Between the rubble and rebar were the arms of a young child, still wrapped in pale pink sleeves.

As he toured the city, Abadi met commanders in west Mosul who led the battle but did not make a formal speech declaring the city free of militants, though one had been expected.

The battle drawing to a close was the toughest yet in the Islamic State war, one that lasted far longer than anticipated. When the offensive was launched last October, U.S. officials were privately predicting a two-month fight, and expressed hope that mass civilian displacement and widespread destruction could be avoided.

Instead, the fight lasted for nine months, longer than the siege of Stalingrad and longer than the final Allied push into Germany in World War ll. It has cost thousands of lives, uprooted hundreds of thousands of people and shattered vast stretches of the city.

And the declaration of victory does not end the war. The Islamic State cannot now roll back the array of forces ranged against it. It is on a path to defeat in the Syrian city of Raqqa, the original capital of the militants' so-called state, where an offensive launched by U.S.-backed Kurdish and Arab forces is making progress. But that battle is still only just getting started.

Over the past three years since the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the existence of a "caliphate" in Mosul, his group has been driven out of 60 percent of the territory it once controlled in both Iraq and Syria, according to the U.S. military.

But that still leaves it in control of an extensive chunk of land spanning the border of the two countries and several other pockets, including key towns such as Hawija, Tal Afar and Qaim in Iraq and most of the entire province of Deir al-Zour in Syria.

As the battle for Mosul has demonstrated, the Islamic State is prepared to fight for every inch it holds, even as the neighborhoods its cadres lived in are destroyed around them. U.S. officials won't put a timeline on how much longer the war will last, but most analysts predict it will continue throughout this year and perhaps much of 2018.

And even after that there is the question of how and when the defeated militants will seek to regroup in the shadows of the ruined cities they have lost, to wage the kind of insurgency that fueled their rise in the decade before their conquests.

"Talk about complete military defeat is one thing. What ISIS devolves into is another discussion. Will they revert back into a terrorist organization?" asked Col. Ryan Dillon, the U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad.

"The loss of Mosul means ISIS is no longer the same, for better or worse. It's no longer the quasi-state that it projected itself to be. But everything achieved against the group is fragile. The ideology is still there, the appeal is still there, and so are the divisions that helped them take power," said Hassan Hassan, a resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy.

There is also the question of rebuilding Mosul. Many of the hundreds of thousands of people who fled the fighting to refugee camps nearby will find their homes destroyed. The scale of the misery is vast, and far from being adequately addressed.

Thousands of civilians had poured out of the Islamic State's shrinking redoubt in recent weeks, many of them in tears as they stumbled to safety. Stuck between the militants and the U.S.-led coalition airstrikes propelling the campaign to save them, many said they had spent weeks with barely any food or water. Without medical care, the wounded had died in or under their homes.

Mosul was the largest city to fall to Islamic State control. Three years after the caliphate was declared here at the medieval mosque, that building lies in ruins, after the Islamist militants blew it up as Iraqi forces moved in.

The United Nations predicts that at least $1 billion will be required to rebuild Mosul's basic infrastructure. More extensive reconstruction could cost billions more.

In parts of western Mosul, streets have been leveled. Rubble and twisted rebar are piled high through the alleyways, burying mattresses, flip-flops and other remnants of the lives Islamic State fighters built there. No one here knows how many civilians also remain under the rubble of their homes.

In the final days of the battle, commanders said militants had sent suicide bombers out among fleeing civilians and used children as human shields in the winding alleyways of the Old City.

Standing amid the ruins, Staff Sgt. Rasoul Saeed said the fight had been "incomparable."

"It is the hardest battle we have ever fought. At the end we are bogged down in alleyways, without vehicles, alone against the enemy," he said.

In Mosul's eastern districts, the first to be recaptured from Islamic State , a relative lack of damage has seen life return to some kind of normality. The sidewalks were bustling Sunday night with fast food shops running a roaring trade.

But residents said the legacy of three years of Islamic State rule would be hard to forget. "They tortured me in their prison without mercy because I once served as a police officer," said Karam Abu Taif, his voice wavering on the verge of tears.

"Everyone here has a story now," he said. "I cannot forget. We will not forget."

---

Sly contributed to this report from Beirut.
One year after law enforcement officers in Texas and Louisiana were ambushed by angry gunmen who said they were retaliating for high profile fatal police shootings nationwide, critics of Black Lives Matter are still trying to pin responsibility on the movement.

In a new lawsuit filed Friday, an unidentified Baton Rouge officer blamed DeRay Mckesson, Johnetta "Netta" Elzie and three other prominent Black Lives Matter leaders for inciting and encouraging violence at demonstrations across the country.

More specifically, it claims the movement and rhetoric of its leaders inspired a decorated ex-U. S. Marine sergeant to unleash a torrent of bullets upon Baton Rouge police on July 17, 2016, leaving three officers dead and another three injured - including the plaintiff, identified only as Officer John Doe Smith in the lawsuit.

The officer, a 42-year-old father of two who worked in law enforcement for 18 years, was left "permanently disabled" when bullets struck his abdomen, shoulder and head during the methodical ambush by 29-year-old Gavin Long at a convenience store.

Long, who was black, was killed by police in a shootout, had written in a suicide note that his actions were a "necessary evil" intended to "create substantial change within America's police force." He said he felt compelled to "bring the same destruction that bad cops continue to inflict upon my people, upon bad cops as well as good cops in hopes that the good cops (which are the majority) will be able to stand together to enact justice and punishment against bad cops."

The man's attack came 12 days after a different shooting in the same city, when a white Baton Rouge police officer shot and killed Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, outside a convenience store. A day later, another black man, Philando Castile, was fatally shot during a traffic stop by a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minn.

Black Lives Matter protests erupted across the country, including a peaceful one on July 7 in downtown Dallas. But it turned deadly, too, when an Army veteran named Micah Johnson ambushed law enforcement officers who were overseeing the demonstration route. Five Dallas officers were killed and seven more were wounded.

Before he was killed in a standoff with police, Johnson told negotiators he was angry over the shootings that week in Louisiana and Minnesota and wanted to kill white police officers.

Ten days after Dallas, Long drove to Baton Rouge from Kansas City, Mo., and continued the bloodshed on a Sunday morning.

The new Baton Rouge lawsuit claims that Long's ambush attack may not have happened if Black Lives Matter leaders had not incited violence among their followers, even though an exhaustive investigative report determined that Long had not attended any of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Baton Rouge after Sterling's death and that he believed protests were a waste of time.

Mckesson and his fellow activists were responsible for the unidentified officer's injuries because they incited "disdain, hatred and violence against police" at protests, on social media and in news interviews, according to the lawsuit. It says Black Lives Matter "seized upon" the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling by a Baton Rouge police officer "to further incite its followers to take action against police."

Local news outlets reported that the description of the officer's injuries match those of East Baton Rouge sheriff's deputy Nick Tullier, who nearly died in the shooting and remains hospitalized at a rehabilitation facility in Houston.

The officer has endured more than 16 abdominal surgeries and suffered extensive brain damage that has impacted his communication abilities, according to the lawsuit. He is still under constant threat of infection in his remaining wounds.

"While there is no way to know how far (the officer) will progress back to normal life, he is definitely permanently disabled," the lawsuit says.

The complaint asks for at least $75,000 in damages.

"This is quite a world," Mckesson told the Associated Press Friday when he was made aware of the lawsuit. He later told CNN that he was "confident" the lawsuit "has no merit." Elzie declined to comment to CNN, it was reported.

This lawsuit is the second one filed against Mckesson by a Baton Rouge police officer; both were filed by attorney Donna Grodner. In the previous lawsuit, Grodner argued on behalf of another unnamed officer that Black Lives Matter and Mckesson were responsible for injuries the officer sustained during protests that took place in Baton Rouge after Sterling's death.

Mckesson's attorney asked a federal judge to throw out that lawsuit, reported the Advocate, arguing that Black Lives Matter is a social movement, not an organization, and therefore cannot be sued. The judge has not yet decided whether to dismiss the case, according to the Advocate.

Mckesson and other protesters arrested during that July demonstration in Baton Rouge later sued the city and local law enforcement agencies and they later agreed to settled, reported the Advocate. Charges were never brought against 98 of the 190 people arrested at the protests, including Mckesson.

On Sunday, another lawsuit was filed against Baton Rouge and Louisiana law enforcement agencies on behalf of 13 protesters and two reporters arrested during the demonstrations, alleging excessive use of force and civil rights violations, reported BuzzFeed News.

David Roland, the director of litigation at the Freedom Center of Missouri, told PBS News Hour that he was concerned that civil lawsuits blaming Black Lives Matter and its leaders for the actions of individuals loosely affiliated - if affiliated at all - with the movement could threaten the first amendment.

"It's easier to dissuade protests, to chill speech, using the threat of a civil suit at least in some ways," Roland told PBS. "It can't result in someone going to jail, but it can result in them being bankrupt."
A U.S. Army soldier killed his wife and a New York state trooper outside the infantryman's home near Fort Drum on Sunday night, according to police.

Justin Dean Walters, a staff sergeant who served 10 years in the Army, lived with his wife off a county road in Theresa, N.Y. - not far from the Canadian border, and minutes from the base where he was stationed after two tours in Afghanistan.

Someone called 911 from the residence about 8 p.m., police said: Shots fired.

About 20 minutes later, New York State Police Trooper Joel Davis pulled up and parked about 75 feet from the house. He was the first of several officers dispatched to the scene.

Davis was well known in the community, State Police Superintendent George Beach later told reporters.

He had served nearly a decade with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office before becoming a state trooper four years ago, had three kids and helped run a youth baseball league.

"In these communities, our state troopers are literally our protectors," Beach said at a news conference Monday, as he explained how Davis died.

After getting out of his vehicle, Beach said, the trooper radioed that someone was firing a gun.

With a bulletproof vest on and backup troopers minutes away, he left his vehicle and walked toward the home.

Before he reached it, a police report says, Davis encountered Walters in the driveway, holding a rifle.

It's unknown what, if anything, transpired between the two men.

Walters shot Davis once in the chest, police said. The round hit his vest from the side and somehow got past the protective plate, and he fell.

A second trooper arrived no more than three minutes later.

He didn't see Davis anywhere outside, the superintendent said. But he saw Walters in the driveway, and heard gunfire.

With his own weapon drawn, the trooper stepped out of his vehicle. He spotted Davis then, dead or dying in a ditch.

But there was no more bloodshed that night. Walters raised his hands and surrendered, Beach said.

More troopers came. They found 27-year-old Nichole Walters lying dead in the driveway, shot multiple times.

Another woman - a friend of Nichole's, Beach said - had been shot on the same property, but would recover.

Davis would die at a hospital, less than an hour after he arrived at Walters' home.

A toddler in the Walters' home was taken by child protective services, according to the Watertown Daily Times.

Beach said investigators seized "a number of weapons," and didn't know which one had killed Davis or Nichole Walters.

The soldier was charged with two counts of murder - first-degree for the officer, and second-degree for his wife.

Spectrum News showed troopers leading the infantryman, shirtless and shoeless, into LeRay Town Court.

But his arraignment had to be delayed after Walters failed to answer the judge's questions.

"I'm not asking you whether or not you're guilty of this charge," the judge tells Walters in Spectrum's footage from the courtroom. "I'm simply asking you whether or not you understand why you're here."

"I do not, sir," Walters replied.

He had no lawyer, according to the court.

---

Nichole Walters, 27, met her husband around the time she graduated high school in New York, a friend told the Associated Press.

The friend said she was raising a little boy with her husband.

Military records show Walters enlisted in the Army in 2007 at age 23. He served two year-long tours in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012, during which medals indicate he probably saw combat.

Now 32, he was a staff sergeant stationed at Fort Drum before his arrest. Noncommissioned officers with his rank typically oversee a squad of fewer than a dozen soldiers in an infantry unit.

A study by the Rand Corp. estimated that 18.5 percent of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan show signs of post-traumatic stress or major depression.

But the Department of Veterans Affairs has said there is no causal link between post-traumatic stress and homicide. And it was not clear whether Walters had any mental health issues from his two Afghanistan combat deployments.

Beach said his investigators were talking to base officials about Walters' history, trying to find out whether he had mental issues - but "I don't know that conclusively."

---

Davis, 36, hailed from Evans Mills, N.Y. He left behind a wife and three children - ages 18, 17 and 13, according to the police superintendent.

After nearly 10 years with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Davis joined the troopers in 2013. He was assigned first to Watertown, then to Philadelphia - both towns in the same county.

Reached by phone, Davis' wife said the family wasn't yet ready to talk about him in public.

"He was a good husband and father," Beach told reporters in Watertown on Monday afternoon. "This will be our fourth member who has suffered fatal injuries or died from a 9-11 related illness in the last year."

"This has a terrible effect on everybody," the superintendent added.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued his own sympathies, and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff, beginning Wednesday and until Davis is buried.
Last month, attackers using a vehicle and knives killed eight people and wounded dozens more on London Bridge. Over a couple weeks later in an incident nearby, a man drove into people leaving mosques after Ramadan services, killing one and injuring 10.

And in May, a man driving in New York's Times Square plowed into a crowd during lunchtime, killing one person and injuring 22. While authorities said the incident was not terrorism, the Islamic State, inspired by the crash, used it to warn that more attacks on the nation's largest city and popular tourist destination would follow.

As terrorists overseas increasingly turn to vehicles as weapons, cities across the United States, concerned such attacks could happen here, are ramping up security in public spaces to protect areas with heavy pedestrian traffic.

"There's unfortunately almost no end to the number of times these things happen by accident and, unfortunately, it is increasing the number of times these things are happening on purpose," said Rob Reiter, a pedestrian safety expert and chief security consultant at Calpipe Security Bollards, one of the nation's top bollard manufacturers.

Bollards and security barriers, as well as increased police presence at events, are among some of the strategies cities are using to guard against such attacks. In Las Vegas, 700 bollards are being installed along the Las Vegas Strip this year at a cost of $5 million in what has been called "a matter of life and death" to protect innocent bystanders from deliberate acts to use vehicles as weapons. Although there is no specific threat, authorities said recent terrorist propaganda featuring snapshots of the Las Vegas Boulevard cannot be overlooked. Each barrier is designed to resist a 15,000-pound, 30-foot vehicle, officials said.

In New York, officials have been calling for the installation of more bollards, citing the ones that stopped the speeding sedan in the May incident. The Los Angeles City Council, meanwhile, will vote this summer on whether to direct the police department and other agencies to issue a report on mitigation methods for vehicle attacks.

Transportation planners are exploring innovative ways to use landscaping to create buffers between roadways and sidewalks. Security companies say they are being consulted on how to protect main streets.

"Big cities are realizing that they could have a mass casualty event on all four sides of an intersection at any time," Reiter said.

Attacks with vehicles used as improvised weapons became the single most lethal form of attack in Western countries for the first time last year, according to the London-based Risk Advisory Group, which keeps track of every terrorist attack worldwide. Just over half of all the terrorism-related deaths in the West were the result of vehicle-ramming attacks, the data show.

In the most deadly one, in Nice, France, a truck mowed down dozens of people celebrating Bastille Day last July, killing 87 and injuring 434. On Dec. 19, 12 people were killed and 56 injured when a man drove a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin.

In the United States, a man inspired by the Islamic State drove into students at Ohio State University last fall, then emerged with a knife, injuring 11 people.

Experts say Europe will probably continue to experience such attacks because of the ease with which they can be carried out. As countries have stepped up security and counterterrorism efforts, terrorists have found it more difficult to strike using traditional means. It is easier to rent a truck than to acquire explosives or firearms without raising suspicion.

"It is much more nebulous. It is much more spontaneous," said Henry Wilkinson, director of intelligence analysis for the Risk Advisory Group, which keeps track of terrorist attacks and provides security assessments for large events.

Views are mixed on the risk of such attacks in the United States, where so far there has been only one terrorism-related vehicle attack.

"Obviously, the United States has invested huge sums of money and time and resources into its counterterrorism program and the scale of intelligence collection and training and other things reduces the threat significantly," Wilkinson said.

The availability of firearms in the United States makes it more likely that would be the weapon of choice, he said.

A Canadian man who yelled the Arabic phrase "Allahu akbar" before allegedly stabbing an airport police officer in Flint, Michigan, last month was indicted Wednesday on charges of committing an act of violence at an international airport and interfering with airport security, in what authorities say was a possible act of terrorism. But most acts of terror on U.S. soil, including several domestic terrorist attacks, have involved firearms and explosives. The 2015 San Bernardino, California, terrorist attack, which killed 14 people and injured more than 20, was a mass shooting.

"If someone was inclined to go and carry out a terrorist attack, it seems more logical that one would use the effective way of carrying out that attack, and if given choice between using a car and a machine gun, you will probably use a machine gun," Wilkinson said.

Still, U.S. law enforcement officials say the threat of such attacks is real. In an advisory issued in May, the Transportation Security Administration alerted the nation's trucking companies about the rising risk of rental trucks and hijackings and thefts for purposes of such an attack. The agency urged vigilance as terrorist groups continue to employ the less sophisticated tactics, which can be carried out with minimal planning and training, but have potential to inflict mass casualties.

"No community, large or small, rural or urban, is immune to attacks of this kind by organized or 'lone wolf' terrorists," the TSA report said.

From 2014 through April of this year, terrorists carried out 17 vehicle ramming attacks, killing 173 people and injuring 667, the report said. While the statistics represent only a fraction of all casualties from terrorist attacks worldwide, the potential for mass casualties and difficulty for law enforcement in planning for or preventing such attacks makes them attractive for would-be terrorists.

In the 1990s, barriers were designed to protect from car bombs after the 1998 vehicle bombings at U.S. embassies in East Africa. The use of barriers, such as bollards, skyrocketed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as officials sought to protect federal buildings and increase security at potential targets, such as airports and stadiums.

The latest threat has cities in Europe, Australia and North America making new investments, from barriers along a number of bridges across the River Thames in London to retractable bollards in the tourist area of Surfers Paradise in eastern Australia. Vehicle barriers along roads around the All England club were among the enhanced security measures surrounding Wimbledon this week.

In Washington, D.C., which is filled with high-profile targets as the nation's capital, law enforcement officials would not discuss specific tactics, but acknowledged that they are pursuing various means to protect pedestrians, including the installation of more bollards on city streets.

"We are always trying to stay a step ahead of these terrorists," Assistant D.C. Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said.
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Police have added yet another charge to the Texas mother accused of abusing her children.

Sara Anne Woody, 25, of Burkburnett, near Wichita Falls, faces a felony-level charge of injury to a child with serious bodily or mental injury, according to Times Records News.

The North Texas woman has racked up nearly 30 criminal charges for allegedly abusing her stepsons. Police say she assaulted them, forced them to lick the rim of a toilet bowl covered with feces, beat one child's genitals with a belt for wetting the bed, and made them drink an apple cider-vinegar concoction in order to vomit "stolen" food.

INJURY TO A CHILD: Houston mother and boyfriend charged in 2-year-old's death

Story continues below...

Investigations into Woody began in March 2016, when Burkburnett Police said one of the children visited a Wichita Fall hospital for a lip injury. During a forensic interview with police, the victim said his stepmother hit him with a metal spoon several times.

According to Woody's arrest affidavit, she's also accused of depriving one of the children of food and locking him in a closet over night as punishment.

FIRING BACK: Grieving mother pushes back against anti-vaxxers in Facebook post

Her husband, Jonathan Darrell Woody, was arrested last year on multiple counts of child endangerment. At the time, he told police the injuries were from rough-housing.

Burkburnett Police said the father was aware of the abuse "but never did anything to stop it and told the boys to lie to police," according to The Dallas Morning News.

Click through above to see which Texas counties suffer from child abuse the most.
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A Louisiana woman who claims to be pregnant by a man who shot and killed a San Antonio police officer, and wounded another, said Saturday that she was stunned when she heard about the fatal confrontation.

"He was ready to become a father," said Shelia Landry, 22, in a telephone interview from Mandeville, Louisiana. "Andrew just needed help  he just had a substance abuse problem, but he's not a cop-killer. I have no idea how he could have done something like this."

Officers Miguel Moreno, 32 and Julio Cavazos, 36, were shot during a confrontation with Andrew Bice, 34, near San Antonio College on Thursday. Moreno and Cavazos were both taken to the hospital in critical condition. Moreno died Friday; he was the 14th officer killed in the line of duty since 2000. Cavazos is recovering.

RELATED: Gunman who shot 2 officers had extensive criminal history in Louisiana, Texas

Bice, who had a San Antonio address but was from Louisiana, died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Landry, the mother of two, said she started dating Bice in 2015 and that they became engaged last year. Her Facebook page has photos of the happy couple and her children. She said they lived together in Mandeville, where Landry works at the Waffle House.

Something had been troubling Bice, Landry said, prompting him to go to Texas, but she declined to say what it was.

He came down (to San Antonio) and he was just calling me, texting me, telling me he needed me to come down there and take care of him, Landry said in a telephone interview Saturday. I couldnt get down there because I was still saving up enough money to go.

RELATED: Gunman in fatal police shooting identified as 34-year-old from Northeast Side

In a text message Landry said she had with Bice on the day of the shooting, Bice tells Landry he is sad and that he misses her. He also tells her he is eager for her "too get here so we can go on this journey together."

Phone calls to other members of Bice's family went unanswered Saturday.

jgerlach@express-news.net

mySA staff contributed to this story
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Army Cpl. Frank Luna Sandoval left San Antonio for Korea 67 years ago next week, bidding farewell to his young wife and two babies.

On Monday, he finally came home. Around two dozen family and friends, including his two sons Alex and Frank Sandoval, greeted his return aboard Delta Airlines Flight 2132.

In better circumstances, the elder Sandoval would have walked off the plane to hugs, cheers and the promise of a big party.

But it wasnt that kind of reunion. Taken prisoner in the wars darkest days, Sandoval was only 20 when he died in captivity. Decades passed, his sons grew up and his mother remarried.

They had been told Sandoval was dead. The official notification came two years, seven months and eight days after he was reported missing in action on Feb. 13, 1951, but the yellow telegram given to his widow, Guadalupe Thompson, was no substitute for a body, a service with military honors and a bugler sounding taps.

You hear all those rumors about the North Koreans, that they  (repatriated) people, that he would be somewhere in a camp or a home somewhere in North Korea, said Alex Sandoval, 69, of Fort Worth. But then you stop to think, well, if that actually had happened that would not be good for anybody, so I just overlooked it. But I still held out hope.

In the end, they received respect.

A Joint Base San Antonio honor guard flanked his flag-draped casket it came off the jetliner and transferred it into a waiting hearse. The passengers remained seated in the plane after a flight attendant told them what was happening.

Sandoval is to be buried Tuesday at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

United Nations and communist forces had exchanged the remains of war dead in what came to be called Operation Glory in 1954. The Armys Central Identification Unit took possession of them, and those marked unknown were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

Sandovals remains were part of a box designated Unknown X-14211, and were only identified this year by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Frank Sandoval Jr. said they were able to match chest X-rays. His brother said the body was missing toes, suggesting the capture soldier suffered from frostbite.

At the airport, family and friends stood along a yellow line and watched the honor guard shuffle to the hearse as Lt. Col. Ed Haftorson, an Army chaplain, saluted in the bright summer sun. Frank Sandoval Jr., a baby when his dad left for the war, gripped a cane in his right hand and leaned on it, slowly walking away after the ceremony.

There was always the hope that he would be found and he was alive because I always kept thinking about how more or less he would be now if he was still around, Sandoval said. How do you call it  there was always hope that he was still with us.

sigc@express-news.net
Andrew Bice, the 34-year-old gunman who shot two San Antonio police officers, killing one and critically injuring the other, was laid to rest Saturday in a New Orleans cemetery.

His ashes, packaged inside a cardboard USPS box by a San Antonio mortuary, were delivered to New Orleans by his sister, Kelsea Bice, and aunt, Kathy Everett.

"It's the quietest he's ever been," Kelsea Bice joked, referring to the package resting in the backseat of her rental car, as she drove towards the Big Easy on Friday.

RELATED: Gunman who shot 2 officers had extensive criminal history in Louisiana, Texas

During the drive, the two women tried to bring some levity to the situation in which they found themselves, but they also struggled with the legacy left behind by a relative whom they remembered as deeply troubled, but kind-hearted and thoughtful.

"He did struggle with addiction, and he did struggle with depression," Everett said. "But he had one of the kindest hearts of anyone that I've ever known. I've known that boy since he was 3-years-old. The way he treated my own daughter, I mean, you would not believe the kind of person he was. But, he shot at two police officers. That's absolutely horrible. There's no explanation or justification."

Kelsea Bice, who is a nurse from Houston, said she and her brother often butted heads and lived completely different lives, but nonetheless she loved him.

"The hardest part is that he hurt another family too," Kelsea Bice said. "I personally try to find the good in every situation. The piece that I've found is that his struggle with addiction and his other demons are over, and he can live in peace. We're a very religious family. We're okay knowing he's somewhere better. He's happy again."

Kelsea Bice and Everett said the story of Andrew Bice's - and Officer Miguel Moreno's - death in San Antonio began on June 27 in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, where Bice had been living with his mother. That morning, Bice breakfasted with his mother, then hurriedly packed up all of his belongings and fled the parish without a word to anyone.

RELATED: San Antonio pauses to honor the service and life of slain SAPD officer Miguel Moreno

Kelsea Bice suspects her brother was fleeing the city because he was involved in the theft of a number of ATVs at a business next to the place of his employment. She said he got spooked after his boss had spoken with him about the thefts that Monday.

He apparently headed to San Antonio, where his father lives, though he never notified his father he would be in town. What happened between the time of Andrew Bice's arrival in San Antonio and the shootout on Thursday is unclear, but police have provided detailed reports on the events immediately preceding his death.

Moreno and Officer Julio Cavazos stopped Andrew Bice and another man, William Lawson, on Evergreen Street just north of downtown during a "directed patrol" focused on car burglary prevention.

As the officers stepped out of the vehicle, Andrew Bice opened fire, striking Moreno in the head, and Cavazos in the chin, causing the bullet to become lodged in his chest cavity. Despite his injuries, Cavazos was able to pull Moreno out of the line of fire and shoot back at Andrew Bice, striking him in the buttocks.

Andrew Bice then hobbled over to the corner of Evergreen and Howard, where he ended his own life by shooting himself in the head. He was later pronounced dead by suicide.

"The only explanation we can think of is that (Andrew Bice) was so afraid of going back to jail," Everett said, referring to his extensive criminal history in Bexar County and St. Tammany Parish. "He felt like he was cornered, and he was determined not to go to jail."

Moreno and Cavazos were transported to area hospitals in critical condition. Moreno was pronounced dead the following day, June 30, at 11:11 a.m. Cavazos underwent one successful surgery and was released from the hospital on Tuesday. He faces several more surgeries.

As Kelsea Bice and Everett transported the USPS package containing Andrew Bice's ashes to New Orleans on Friday, funeral services for Moreno were taking place on San Antonio's North Side.

RELATED: 'Last night, there was no laughing': SAPD officer describes grim mood at roll call after shooting

"No words can heal the pain and ease the hurt we all feel," said SAPD Chief William McManus at Moreno's service. "Nothing will make us feel better except faith and time. Life goes on. But it does not go on the same way for officer Moreno's family or friends, or the San Antonio Police Department."

Saturday, the day after Moreno's funeral, in which about 600 officers participated in the motorcade, Kelsea Bice and Everett joined about 50 other mourners for Andrew Bice's funeral service in New Orleans. Everett gave the eulogy. Kelsea Bice said attendees told her the funeral was "beautiful," but she couldn't say for herself, as she was "a hot mess, ugly crying the whole time."

The family asked those who knew him to make donations to the San Antonio 100 Club in lieu of flowers for his funeral.

Not present at the service, according to Kelsea Bice, was Shelia Landry, who told mySA days after the shooting that she was engaged to Andrew Bice and pregnant with his child. Kelsea Bice said Landry's claims are false and that the two were not engaged and her brother is not the father of Landry's child.

mySA has not been able to independently verify either Landry or Kelsea Bice's claims, but Landry's Facebook page did show a marked difference in tone before and after Andrew Bice's death.

"Think it maybe time for this girl to call the cops on you now," Landry posted on Facebook a week before Andrew Bice's death. "I got you right where I want you. This is going to be fun. I went twice for you now it's your turn. They coming for you, Andrew B---h Bice."

A few days after the shooting, Landry was posting mournful statuses on Facebook regarding Andrew Bice's death and speaking to several local news outlets about the couple's plans to have a child together.

Following the funeral service on Saturday, those who knew Andrew Bice gathered at a nearby New Orleans bar to remember their friend and relative, a tortured man who will be remembered in San Antonio for slaying a police officer and seriously injuring another for no apparent reason.

"We're just glad we don't have to see him struggle anymore," Everett said. "He's finally at peace and in God's arms. It's hard knowing what he did to those two officers. As a family, you just feel so helpless with it."

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

cdowns@mysa.com

Twitter: @calebjdowns
It is sometimes argued that the media should spend less time on President Trumps transgressive tweets in order to devote more attention to real issues such as North Korea. In fact, it is necessary to focus on Trumps tweets precisely because they shed light on the mind that is doing the deciding on North Korea.

It is a distasteful exercise. But we cannot look away. We need to know the state of mind were dealing with.

Trumps tweets reveal a leader who is compulsive, abusive and easily triggered. Trump describes all this as modern day presidential. Lincoln had his Gettysburg Address. Franklin Roosevelt had his Four Freedoms. But modern schoolchildren will learn the Mika bloody face-lift tweet.

What we are witnessing is an ongoing, public breakdown. And the question naturally arises: Is this the result of mental dysfunction?

Most psychiatrists are (understandably) uncomfortable with diagnosis from a distance. And the particular diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder requires significant impairment  which is a hard case to make of a figure at the pinnacle of American politics.

And yet. There are judgments that must be made about the fitness of the leaders. Citizens are under no ethical obligation to be silent when they see serious dysfunction. The main problem is the possibility that America has an unbalanced president during a period of high-stakes global testing. This is not a clinical diagnosis. It is a civic and political judgment, made necessary by the presidents own words and acts.

Much of the prudence and courage required to confront this problem will need to come from Republicans and conservatives. Where to start? How about refusing to downplay revolting lunacy?

It is not merely an occasional ad hominem for a president to employ the tremendous power of his office to target individual American citizens who oppose him. It is an abuse of power.

It is not merely uncouth for a president to tolerate, even to hint support for, violence against political opponents (Id like to punch him in the face). It creates an atmosphere of intimidation.

It is not merely exaggeration for a president to issue a series of eye-stretching lies, including that his predecessor spied on him and that a popular vote victory was denied to him by widespread electoral fraud. It indicates either a deep cynicism or a tenuous connection to reality.

It is not being coarse for a president to engage in consistent misogyny. It is a sign of a disturbing and deep-seated dehumanization of women.

Many conservatives would respond to this critique by saying, At least he fights! The question is: For what? He fights for himself  for admiration and adulation.

Trumps conservative defenders are attempting something extraordinary: to politically normalize abnormal psychology. Their sycophancy enables a sickness.

What next? Applying the 25th Amendment (containing the procedure to remove an unfit president from office) is a practical impossibility, since it involves the Cabinet turning against the president. But House and Senate Republicans should be prepared to aggressively challenge unbalanced or unhinged presidential language and decisions, rather than trying to dismiss them as simply a distraction.

And responsible officials in the executive branch  particularly at the State Department, Department of Defense, Justice Department and in the various intelligence services  may also need to provide an internal check on foolish, precipitous orders. The option here is to refuse, to defy, to resign (or be fired) and then to publicly provide the reasons.

No one really knows how to deal with this situation, which still feels more like an unnerving political novel than our political reality. Trump has led our country into unexplored territory. If this is modern day presidential, all progress moves toward the past.

michaelgerson@washpost.com
The High Court ruling that has just been passed nullifying Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC-Alliance) leader Nelson Chamisas authority has been received with mixed reactions and sentiments.

Some Zimbabweans have taken it, mocking President Emmerson Mnangagwa of having had lost the right to succeed former president Robert Mugabe as ZANU PF leader following his expulsion from the party.

They say according to the ruling party Constitution, after Mnangagwas sacking from both the party and government, it was the then vice president Phelekezela Mphoko who was the only legitimate number 2.

When Mugabe resigned according to the party Constitution Mphoko as the only deputy at that time, was the only legitimate person to take over ZANU-PF as its new leader.

By the virtue of having had been fired, Mnangagwa lost the right to succeed Mugabe, had it not been through a coup, said a former youth leader at district level who was aligned to the G40, who declined to be named.

Mugabe succumbed to pressure and resigned after a motion had been moved to impeach him. This left the both the ruling party and country to spend days on autopilot without a leader, with Mphoko on the run from the coup plotters, while Mnangagwa was in self imposed exile in South Africa.

Meanwhile, some members of the public in various social circles have since joined the fray, mocking Mnangagwa saying Mphoko is indeed the legitimate leader.

Even hardcore, thoughtless and stupid Zanu-PF members will find this High Court decision irrational and embarrassing! Lets ask the same judge to use the same gymnastics to tell us who is the legitimate president of Zimbabwe! Jonathan Moyo

Imagine if Mugabe or the G40 had gone to Court to argue that Mnangagwa had been illegally appointed President of ZANU PF in December 2017 after the violent ouster of Mugabe. It is hard to imagine any Zimbabwean Court being bold enough to rule as they have today against the MDC. David Coltart.

As the MDC, we do not recognize or respect a judgement from biased and junta controlled judiciary. Chamisa is giving the junta and its goons in the judiciary sleepless nights. ED hapana chozikwana, its just rhetoric

Those who dream of a different MDC must just form theirs, it is allowed. The MDC is the peoples project & us the people determine what happens or doesnt happen at the party. We are happy with our party. We are happy with. Patson Dzamara.

This is the same court that said a military coup was constitutional and that a sitting president could not fire a deputy president he appointed. Laughable judiciary capture!

Zanu PF through the captured judiciary cant impose a leader on MDC. Its pathetic abuse of judiciary by ED and his military cousins! Pedzisai Ruhanya

The High Court has nullified the appointment of Nelson Chamisa as the MDC president It also said the party should hold Congress within a month using 2014 structures. legal minds whats the implication for that ruling? Zenzele

Justice Esther Muremba of the Harare High Court rules that Nelson Chamisas appointment as vice president and subsequent assumption of the MDC presidency following Tsvangirai death was unconstitutional, orders party to hold extraordinary congress within a month. ZimLive

Congress here we come. This judgement will not deter us. We remain focused on. When all else has failed they then resort to using the courts to come up with the most absurd judgements. Miriam Mushayi.

The ruling had nothing to do with procedure, rather the standing of the person who brought it to court, thats not a procedural issue, is it. Also, go through Tsvangirais affidavit which was before the court. Nqaba Matshazi

What effect will the ruling have on @MDCAllianceZW resolutions made with @nelsonchamisa presiding as President? Will the upcoming Congress nullify this ruling or will the Congress nominations be challenged? Temba Mliswa

 ZW

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HT-Limited is Business Management Consulting firm, offering support in business development, human resources management and administration.HT-Limited is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management in Nigeria, with offices in Lagos, Nigeria and Accra, Ghana.We provide customized HR consulting solutions for employers looking to reduce risks and overhead costs, so more time can be spent on revenue generating activities.Keeping up to date accounts of all cash and cheque disbursementsMaintaining adequate records of all purchasesEnsuring that bills are settled promptly to avoid disruptionEntering all company transactions in the appropriate ledgers on a daily basisEnsuring that clients and candidates are invoiced as soon as service is renderedEnsure that payments are made as at when due.Ensure tithe and other external payments are made promptlyEnsure that income from other sources are collected as at when dueMust ensure that WHT and VAT certificates are collected on timeMust make provision for running expenses at the beginning of each weekMust ensure that all payments to vendors/contractors/external consultants are duly signed for on copies of such instruments and in the form providedMust have 5-7 Years working Experience on the field.A first degree in Accounting, The right candidate must be a Certified member of ICAN.He/she must be proficient in the use of an accounting package and Microsoft excel.He/She must reside within LagosApplicants should send CVs to resumes@ht-limitedng.net
Apparently Kentucky Retirement Systems, the pension fund for the Bluegrass State, is unfamiliar with Mark Twains saying, Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel, which should be updated to include, Or generate bytes by the server-load, particularly when the law is not on their side

Kentucky Retirement Systems sent us a nastygram that weve embedded at the end of this post, along with the reply from our lawyer, Jim Moody. Kentucky Retirement Systems in-house lawyer is threatening us with all sorts of unnamed horrors if we didnt take down limited partnership agreements that came from them super pronto, with a drop-dead date of last Fridaynow that theyve been up nearly a full three years.

Its a pity that we had to rouse an attorney of Moodys caliber to deal with such a half-baked ultimatum. Moody elected to give a parsimonious reply, focusing on what ought in and of itself be enough to demonstrate to them that they havent thought this through. Naked Capitalisms sources and our rights to publish these documents are protected by both New Yorks tough shield laws and the First Amendment, as demonstrated by relevant precedents.

Kentucky Retirement Systems is a contender both the title of the most corrupt and the most incompetent public pension fund in the US. Its also the most deeply underfunded, due in no small measure to its dodgy relationships with placement agents, which in turn appear to have played a role in Kentucky Retirement Systems having invested in private equity and hedge fund dogs.

More recently, it became a laughingstock among public pension funds due to a 2016 row where the new governor attempted to remove the executive director appointed by the previous governor, a move the attorney general deemed to be beyond the governors authority. The governor pulled his trump card by dispatching state police to the next board meeting and preventing the previous governors executive director from taking his seat.

One reason for the misguided missive may be lack of institutional memory compounded by an unwillingness to do basic homework. As you can see from the letterhead, Kentucky Retirement Systems now has only an interim executive director, who came in last August. Its Chief Investment Officer was turfed out in January and only an interim is minding the store. Even though Kentucky Retirement Systems announced the appointment of a Director of Legal Services effective January 1, 2017, its website lists that position as vacant, suggesting that somehow that appointment didnt stick.

Notice also that the person who signed the letter as General Counsel, Non-Advisory didnt have his own letterhead and was a staff attorney as of the end of April. An internet search failed to unearth an announcement regarding a recent appointment to the General Counsel position. Another lawyer, Robert Barnes, apparently signed Investment Committee minutes on May 16 as General Counsel. A colleague called Kentucky Retirement Systems to find out who is its General Counsel. The receptionist didnt know and referred the call to the secretary to the interim executive director, David Eager. She didnt provide an answer.

While Eager may have given Bowman a battlefield promotion to act as General Counsel with respect to certain activities, this isnt typical for how state agencies operate.

And needless to say, its also odd for the Kentucky Retirement System to be deploying resources to this end when it is so desperately underfunded that it seems unable to keep enough fax paper in its fax machine. Bowmans letter didnt provide an e-mail address, leaving fax as the only option for a prompt reply (notice the mailing date meant it was likely to, and did, arrive over the weekend preceding the 4th, which may have been intended to impede getting timely legal input). Not only did the fax number emit the sort of noise that fax machines out of paper make, there was no answer on the Kentucky Retirement Systems main number on Friday even though Moody called several times.

Why Kentucky Retirement Systems Is Hurting Itself by Calling Attention to Its Limited Partnership Agreements

Kentucky Retirement Systems threat to Naked Capitalism only makes matters worse for KRS. First, its reminded general partners that Kentucky Retirement Systems mismanagement allowed the limited partnership agreements to get out into the wild. Second, if Kentucky Retirement Systems thinks it is somehow earning brownie points with general partners by harassing us, it has that backwards too.

Weve published 26 limited partnership agreements, 23 of them in 2014, including ones by the biggest private equity managers, such as Apollo, Blackstone, Carlyle, KKR, and TPG. Not a single general partner has demanded that we remove them. Now why would that be the case when the same general partners insist that these documents contain trade secrets, which means that exposing them would do serious commercial damage to them?

First, they understand that we obtained them by legitimate means, and they cant stuff the confidentiality genie back in the bottle once it has gotten out. Second, while they could have tried asserting trade secret claims, as we pointed out, and no one has disputed, trade secrecy is a high bar and nothing in these contracts seems to come close to meeting it. The last thing the general partners want is to have their legally untested claims of trade secrecy punctured.

So theyve apparently decided that the best course of action is to call as little attention as possible to our Document Trove. Private equity insiders who know the thinking of the law firms that represent many of the top limited partners confirm that even if any client had thought about pursuing Naked Capitalism, that they would have advised them firmly against the idea.

Kentucky Retirement Systems has thus undermined the general partners strategy for containing the damage of the publication of these contracts.

Why Is Kentucky Retirement Systems Going After Naked Capitalism at Such a Late Date?

We have no idea why Kentucky Retirement Systems professes to have suddenly woken up to the fact that we published limited partnership agreements nearly three years ago. Given the fact that the system is in obvious disarray, it may well be true that some members of the revolving door leadership only learned about them recently. But it seems utterly implausible that Kentucky Retirement Systems as an institution hasnt known about it for quite some time.

Some readers with public pension fund connections have theories. One is that a very critical and well reported Huffington Post article, Kentuckys Hedge Funder Governor Keeps State Money In Secretive Hedge Funds, on June 24 got up Kentucky Retirement Systems dander and they decided they needed to generate some talking points in their favor. Here are the opening paragraphs of the story:

Kentuckys public pension system is a long-running, worst-in-the-nation disaster. Even as state workers chip in their fair share, the system suffers from years of chronic underfunding by the state. Seeking higher returns, the program, formally known as Kentucky Retirement Systems, has turned to alternative investments such as private equity and hedge funds. But those funds also carry far more risk than traditional investments in stocks and bonds  and much higher fees. The year before the states Republican governor, Matt Bevin, was elected, the pension system had 25 percent more alternative investments than its peers, 27 percent higher costs and 15 percent lower long-term returns, according to a report prepared for the pension board. As a part-owner of a hedge fund himself, Bevin said in 2015 that he didnt have a problem with the pension systems heavy reliance on alternative investments like hedge funds. But he campaigned on promises to improve the system and shore it up for the future. He hasnt. Despite the Republican Party being in total control of Kentucky state government for the first time in nearly a century, the actual policy changes Bevin has implemented or overseen have mainly ended up supporting the systems ruinous status quo. And some legislators are raising concerns that state officials  potentially including Bevin himself  could benefit financially from the system.

The story focuses on how Kentucky Retirement Systems has increased its allocation to hedge funds, troubling including ones which appear to close to the governor, as well as ones which are almost certainly charging inexcusably high fees:

Throughout the turmoil, Kentucky Retirement Systems didnt just continue to invest in hedge funds  it intensified its commitment. In May 2016, the board dumped $300 million more into four new hedge funds and increased its investment in another hedge fund, created for Kentucky by KKR Prisma, that itself invests in hedge funds. The following month, Bevin, whose spokesperson did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this article, announced that he would reorganize the entire board of trustees. By executive order, he expanded the board from 13 to 17 members and named economist John Farris as its chairman. The new structure allowed Bevin to appoint seven board members right away. Bevins appointments included two hedge fund managers. One was Neil Ramsey, the owner of Louisville, Kentucky-based hedge fund RQSI Holdings. Ramsey, along with his wife, contributed $4,000 to Bevins gubernatorial campaign and $15,000 to his inaugural committee, state records show. He also appears to own two other investment companies, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings: d.Quant Special Opportunities Fund, which late last year acquired a majority stake in another company called ZAIS Group Holdings. Neither of those firms is listed on the most recent version of Ramseys financial disclosure form, a copy of which HuffPost obtained through an open records request. Ramsey did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The other new board member was William Cook, a former director and senior portfolio manager at KKR Prisma, the company that created the fund of funds for Kentucky Retirement Systems. Cook, who retired from KKR Prisma in 2015, said he would recuse himself from any investment decisions involving his former company. This past November, as both Democratic and Republican members of the state legislature called on the pension board to divest from hedge funds, the board abruptly changed course and proposed to cut those investments in half. It would divest from 12 hedge funds altogether, and its investment in the KKR Prisma fund would return to the prior lower level. That decision was finalized in December 2016, but its not clear how much headway the pension board has made on the promise.

I strongly urge you to read this article in full. Among other things, it stresses that the KKR Prisma investment makes no sense for Kentucky Retirement Systems. Its a fund of hedge funds, which means it charges an additional layer of fees on top of those levied by the underlying hedge funds. Funds of funds are widely considered to be unattractive because all the costs make it virtually impossible to earn a decent return. A hedge fund of fund makes no sense for Kentucky Retirement Systems because it is big enough to invest in hedge funds directly and avoid the extra fees.

And thats before you get to the fact that investors, including other public pension funds like CalPERS, have abandoned hedge funds entirely or are cutting their allocations back because they are neither outperforming nor offering return profiles that are useful because they act as hedges to the rest of the portfolio.

However, the documents we published are almost entirely private equity limited partnership agreements, so its hard to see how an article about Kentucky Retirement Systems overly cozy relationship with hedgies would lead to the NC nastygram.

Another theory is that Kentucky Retirement Systems wasnt invited into a private equity deal, and was given the excuse that the general partner didnt like that some of Kentucky Retirement Systems limited partnership agreements were now public. Our private equity contacts say that if Kentucky Retirement Systems didnt get a sales pitch, the big reason would be its upheaval. General partners dont call investors in management disarray unless they really have to because their decision process becomes tortuous. A second reason for avoiding Kentucky Retirement Systems is its poor reputation. Right now, investors are clamoring to put money into private equity funds, so general partners can pick better investors.

To put it another way, even if a private equity salesman gave this excuse to Kentucky Retirement Systems, its highly unlikely to be the real reason, plus the leadership of the firm would almost certainly be unhappy to have Kentucky Retirement Systems revive our publication of limited partnership agreements as a story.

But since Kentucky Retirement Systems has managed to do just that, if anyone out there has a limited partnership agreement theyd like to send to us, particularly as with the past ones weve received, they havent signed a confidentiality agreement as a condition of obtaining it, please contact us at yves-at-nakedcapitalism.com.

In the meantime, well provide readers with any updates.
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 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under its new chair, Jay Clayton, has wasted no time in doubling down on deregulation.

From today, the agencys Division of Corporation Finance will allow all companies to submit draft registration statements relating to initial public offerings (IPOs) for review on a nonpublic basis, according to this agency press release. This new policy extends a benefit previously available only to emerging growth companies (EGCs) under the Jumpstart Our Businesses Startup (JOBS) Act to all companies.

According to a memo to clients by white shoe law firm Sullivan & Cromwell:

In particular, for IPOs and other initial registrations, an issuer must confirm in a cover letter to the non-public draft submission that it will publicly file its registration statement and non-public draft submissions at least 15 days prior to any road show or, in the absence of a road show, at least 15 days prior to the requested effective date of the registration statement. For eligible follow-on offerings, the issuer must publicly file its registration statement and non-public draft submission at least 48 hours prior to any requested effective time and date.

These new procedures will be available not only for IPOs but will also apply to most offerings made in the first year after a company entered the public reporting system.

Crucially, as spelled out in the Sullivan & Cromwell memo:

The announcement also provides additional relief relating to required financial statements for non-EGC filers. In particular, similar to the relief extended to EGCs under the JOBS Act, a draft registration statement submitted confidentially may omit financial information that the issuer reasonably believes will not be required at the time the registration statement is publicly filed. Similarly, the staff will consider requests for waivers of required financial statements made under Rule 3-13 of Regulation S-X. This is consistent with recent remarks made by Mark Kronforst, the Divisions Chief Accountant, encouraging companies to speak with the staff and noting that waivers have been granted historically in the vast majority of the cases. The staff will also consider reasonable requests for expedited processing, and issuers are encouraged to discuss their transaction timeline in advance with the staff.

Note that note that Clayton was a Sullivan & Cromwell partner until he became SEC chair , as I discussed in these previous posts, Trump Selects Jay Clayton, S & C Partner, to Head SEC and Taking on Trumps Agenda: Nine Tough Questions for SEC Chair Nominee Jay Clayton on the Eve of His Confirmation Hearings.

Interested readers can find further details in this SEC announcement, Draft Registration Statement Processing Procedures Expanded.

Unbalances SEC Mission?

The SEC has a tripartite mission: to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation, according to this basic summary, What We Do, on the SECs website.

Clayton pledged in his confirmation hearings to focus on the third objective, facilitating capital formation, as mentioned in this client memorandum that another esteemed white shoe law firm, Davis, Polk & Wardwell, wrote analyzing the new procedures.

In announcing the new policy, Clayton said:

By expanding a popular JOBS Act benefit to all companies, we hope that the next American success story will look to our public markets when they need access to affordable capital. We are striving for efficiency in our processes to encourage more companies to consider going public, which can result in more choices for investors, job creation, and a stronger U.S. economy.

Yet the new system to extend the JOBS Act benefit inevitably comes at the expense of the agencys mission to protect investors.

The rationale for the new policy is to goose a moribund IPO market. As The New York Times Dealbook column noted in S.E.C. Lets All Firms Keep Parts of I.P.O. Filings Secret:

The move by the commission follows several slow years in the market for new stocks. And fewer initial public offerings have meant fewer publicly traded companies. From a peak of 7,322 publicly traded companies in 1996, the total number of companies listed on the United States stock market has plunged by nearly half, according to research by Credit Suisse, aptly titled The Incredible Shrinking Universe of Stocks.

Is this goal worthwhile? In this short post, I wont focus on that question.

What Im more interested in examining is a second question: Can we expect the new procedures to produce the touted benefits? A brief review of the background to the JOBS Act and its failure to do what it was promised it would achieve suggests the answer to that second question is No.

Background: JOBS Act Benefit and IPOs

First, a bit of background on the benefit. This is yet another example in which the seeds for a Trump deregulatory policy were planted during the administration of his predecessor, and its roots and shoots were then well watered.

Both Yves and Bill Black have written extensively on the JOBS Act travesty. Lets review some of their previous posts so readers can better understand why extending elements of the JOBS Act indeed, doing anything other than repudiating it is such a bad idea. Not only did the legislation seriously weaken securities law protections, but it has failed to produce much in the way of the benefits promised when it was enacted.

Let me start with a short excerpt from this 2012 post from Yves, Why You Should Hate the Jumpstart Obamas Bucket Shops Act.

Obama seems determined to roll back the few remaining elements of the New Deal. As weve recounted, hes keen to cut Medicare and Social Security; he said as much in a dinner with leading conservative luminaries shortly after his inauguration. And his JOBS Act, which guts securities law protections on smaller stock offerings, is touted as a way to increase employment by helping to fund smaller businesses. In reality, the only jobs it is likely to create will be due to the resulting explosion in stock scamsters and bucket shop operators. Amar Bhide, who has written the classic, The Origin and Evolution of New Businesses, has decisively debunked the idea underlying the Obama Bucket Shop act, which is that public stock offering are an important source of funding for new businesses. The problem is, as Bhide explained, is that academics focus on the easy to study but relatively inconsequential venture capital funded companies which look to IPOs as an exit. Bhide found that only 1% of new and young businesses were funded by venture capital. Similarly, his multi-year study of Inc 500 companies found that a comparatively small portion had VC backing, and even then, many got VCs in at a late stage, not because they needed the money but having the right VCs would lead to a much bigger premium when they went public.

Next, in this 2012 post, Bill Black on How the Jumpstart Obamas Bucket Shops Act is Just Another in a Long Series of Fraud-Promoting Legislation, Bill Black summarized the recent disastrous trajectory of legislation that promotes rather than deters fraud. The JOBS Act is only one of several sorry examples Black discusses. In particular:

We are living with a public policy for financial regulation that closely resembles a ratchet. With rare exceptions immediately following fraud epidemics that become scandals, regulatory policy only moves in one direction further loosening restrictions. The more crises these failed anti-regulatory policies create, the looser the regulations become and the more severe the crises become. We are destroying our economy and other nations, particularly in Europe, are following our lead with equally self-destructive results.

Were seeing exactly this pattern recur with the latest SEC extension to the JOBS Acts loosening of IPO regulation by extending the policy pioneered in the JOBS Act to all companies.

And, I should add, this is despite evidence that the JOBS Act wasnt all that effective in promoting IPOs at all which is consistent with what Yves wrote above and is supported by Bhides research. Yves elaborated on exactly this issue in her 2016 post Quelle Surprise! SECs Make the World Safer for Fraudsters JOBS Act Does Little to Help Companies Raise Money.

Allow me to quote extensively from that post, because it raises the obvious question here if the JOBS Acts relaxation of IPO rules wasnt all that successful in helping companies raise capital, why should the SEC be doubling down on the policy? This is an especially important, since the policy isnt costless, and indeed further erodes what used to be a safe and sound securities law framework.

Over to Yves:

And indeed, as the Wall Street Journal reports today, very little has in fact been raised by companies using the new filings established by the JOBS Act. Its not hard to imagine that one big deterrent is the fact that these firms are exempt from having their financial statements audited. Honestly, you need to have your head examined if you are going to make an investment to people you do not know personally and would not (from a practical standpoint) be able to sue if you suspected misconduct. The Journal attributes the meager level of JOBS Act fundraising to the fact that many states have so-called blue sky laws that also require that securities offerings include audited financial statement. But I have to believe that at least as big an obstacle is friends, family, and professional advisors of prospective investors in these ventures warning them that the risks are far too large to justify taking the plunge. From the Journal:

Roughly a year after the passage of new rules making it easier for fledgling businesses to tap U.S. capital markets, just a handful of them have succeeded in doing so The new rules, known as Reg A+, reduce the legal and reporting requirements for making these offerings. The rules, which took effect last June, grew out of the 2012 Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or JOBS Act, aimed at spurring business growth and employment. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission, 94 companies had filed to raise a total of $1.7 billion under Reg A+ as of early June. Of those, 45 offerings seeking to raise a total of $785 million have qualified to raise funds, and just a few have actually completed their offerings Among the biggest problems for the companies trying to raise funds is that they arent prepared for the amount of marketing needed to attract a big enough pool of potential investors Many other companies have found it tougher than expected to attract investor interest. There has been some level of magical thinking, said Ron Miller, chief executive of StartEngine, an online platform that hosts Reg A+ offerings. Founders have perceived that there is this pent-up demand for investment in startup and tech companies and that investors would come out of the woodwork. The new rule very definitely is something that would work well for somebody who doesnt need it, a company with a really big brand name, said ralliBox founder David Kneusel. But it is not something that is startup-oriented.

FOIA and Unequal Access to Information

One issue raised by Davis, Polk in the client memorandum cited above is that some nonpublic information submitted to the SEC under the new system may be accessible via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request:

[B]ecause the staffs willingness to accept this new set of draft registration statements on a nonpublic basis is not grounded in statute, these draft registration statements are subject to discovery under the Freedom of Information Act by the press, competitors and others.

Now, that and others surely includes some investors. By making FOIA requests, they would thereby get access to the nonpublic information contained in the draft registration statement submitted to the SEC.

This would seem to create a two-tier system for getting access to information, with the higher tier comprising those who made FOIA requests and had early access to information submitted during the nonpublic review process, and the lower tier comprising everybody else. Such a tiered system would seem to violate a basic provision of the securities laws, as explained by the SEC in its What We Do,:

The laws and rules that govern the securities industry in the United States derive from a simple and straightforward concept: all investors, whether large institutions or private individuals, should have access to certain basic facts about an investment prior to buying it, and so long as they hold it. To achieve this, the SEC requires public companies to disclose meaningful financial and other information to the public. This provides a common pool of knowledge for all investors to use to judge for themselves whether to buy, sell, or hold a particular security. Only through the steady flow of timely, comprehensive, and accurate information can people make sound investment decisions.

It seems to me to be deeply problematic of release of investment information is staggered, given, in the first instance, to those who submit a FOIA request, and later to everyone else even if everyone has access to the information when the deal is formally launched.

Little Public Buy Side Pushback

Ive yet to see much buy side pushback against the new policy, and Im not sure why thats been the case. I cant see that having less information particularly early access to financial statements would make the job of investment managers any easier.

Perhaps some of these have cottoned onto the idea that they may be able to get information via FOIA. Im not so sure about this explanation it seems to me that banking on getting necessary timely information, using the vagaries of the FOIA process, is at best a tenuous assumption especially if, the Sullivan & Cromwell memos construal of the SEC Chiefs Accountants remarks on the SEC staffs willingness to grant waivers of required financial statements is correct.

I am surprised weve not seen more buy side squawking about the new policy.

Bottom Line

The SEC is one of the few administrative agencies that have enough commissioners now in place three out of the full component of five to conduct is business in contrast to other agencies that cannot regulate at the moment, as I discussed in this post, Business Chafes at Uncertainty Created by Unfilled Seats on Regulatory Commissions. But if this policy from the Clayton SEC is the start, thats not necessarily a good thing.

The latest policy did not emerge from a vacuum, a general phenomenon I indeed discussed in this post, in which the headline states the bottom line: Mary Jo White Leaves Behind a Weakened SEC for Trump to Weaken Further. Its useful to remind readers that the intial JOBS Act isnt something that Trump or his minions conjured up: and without the Jumpstart Obamas Bucket Shops Act in place, Claytons SEC wouldnt be able to promote its progeny.
Teen bit in head by bear wakes up to crunching sound ABC

Pair of bears join runner for a morning run near Lake Auburn Lewiston-Auburn Sun Journal

Judge approves $142-million class-action settlement in Wells Fargo sham accounts scandal Los Angeles Times

Forget an IPO, Coin Offerings Are New Road to Startup Riches WSJ (AF). AF: This seems crazy, such pure gambling and for what? I think I can answer that Yves: I also cant believe this is legal. It has to run afoul of blue sky laws.

G20

Syraqistan

Brexit

Reasons for Corbyn LRB. The coincidence of the Corbyn surge with the horror of Grenfell Tower has created the conditions  and the demand  for a kind of truth and reconciliation commission on forty years of neoliberalism. Id love to see that here.

From misery to Momentum: the strange rebirth of the Labour Party The New Statesman

Federal government officially apologizes to Omar Khadr Globe and Mail. Trudeau following in Obamas footsteps. Oh, wait

North Korea

China?

New Cold War

Democrats in Disarray

There Is No Major Good Government Leader Ian Welsh (MR).

When the appeal of a dominant leader is greater than a prestige leader PNAS

Trump Transition

Republicans Wont Stop Fighting With Each Other Bloomberg

Profiting Off Pain: Trump Confidant Cashed In on the Housing Crisis Truthdig (JT McPhee). JT McPhee: Nothing like honest context  not a mention of the other Baracks role in making this Barracks predation possible. And profitable.

Health Care

Our Famously Free Press

US police arrest left-wing protesters, far-right blooms Al Jazeera

Class Warfare

In one year, drug overdoses killed more Americans than the entire Vietnam War did Vox

Google Home Breaks Up Domestic Dispute By Calling the Police Gizmodo (CL).

Most sportsmen cheat  theyd be mad not to The Spectator

Praying Mantises Can Kill Birds and Eat Their Brains All Around the World Newsweek (RS). RS: Best anti-antidote EVAH! (Original.)

Antidote du jour (via):

Bonus video. This is sad, but the sweetness may counter the anti-antidote:

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Boosting hydrogen-powered mobility with improved auxiliary components

(Nanowerk News) The project INN-BALANCE has been officially launched on 21st of February 2017 at AYESA headquarters in Sevilla, proposing an ambitious work plan on INNovative Cost Improvements for BALANCE of Plant Components of Automotive PEMFC Systems.



The project targets at developing a new generation of highly efficient fuel cell systems by improving industrialization-ready designs of Balance of Plant (BoP) and fuel cell system components, the major goal being to reduce costs of current market products. INN-BALANCE is co-funded by the European Commission with nearly 5 M in the framework of the European Research and Innovation Programme Horizon 2020.



The consortium is composed of major automotive companies, consulting groups, research institutes and universities out of 5 European countries. During the projects 36 month each partner will bring in its expertise in developing and testing innovative solutions for fuel cell BoP components. Moreover, the project will also serve to improve and tailor development tools for integrating and testing novel components in fuel cell based vehicles.

Balance of plant components that are integrated in automotive fuel cell systems today still need refinement, in particular with regard to their integration and interaction within the system, and their manufacturing costs. INN-BALANCE therefore seeks to develop improved, well-adjusted and cost-effective BoP components that will make future fuel cell based vehicles run more efficiently. The targeted reduction of costs for BoP components will contribute to hydrogen-based mobility gaining momentum in Europe and beyond, states Dr. Alicia Arce from Fundacion Ayesa, who coordinates the project.

INN-BALANCE innovations will address the latest changes and trends in fuel cells vehicles technology, from new compressor and advanced control and diagnosis devices to e.g. new concepts of thermal management. The testing of vehicle integration and validation of the components will ensure high technological readiness and pave the way for further market exploitation. Thus INN-BALANCE will not only deliver new insights into technical aspects of BoP components development, but will also help bringing fuel cell commercialization in automotive applications to a whole new level.

INN-BALANCE receives funding of 5M Euro from the Fuel cell and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking in the framework of Horizon 2020 and is coordinated by Fundacion Ayesa, Spain. The Steinbeis 2i GmbH is responsible for the project communication activities, including the dissemination and exploitation of results.
Thank you so much President Poroshenko, and thank you so much for hosting the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission here in Kyiv today. And thank you also for the strong partnership between NATO and Ukraine. This is something we appreciate very much at NATO because we have to remember that this is a partnership where we support each other. NATO provides strong practical and political support for Ukraine but at the same time Ukraine provides support to NATO and we are very grateful for the fact that Ukraine contributes to all NATO missions and operations from Afghanistan, Kosovo, Mediterranean and also helped piracy off the Horn of Africa. So the partnership between NATO and Ukraine is a strong mutual partnership where we help to strengthen each other and Im very grateful for that and also for you personal commitment and your personal leadership in developing this partnership.

We have just discussed the situation in Eastern Ukraine. The conflict continues to claim lives. The fighting has killed more than 10,000 people, including almost 3,000 civilians. It is clear that the ceasefire is not holding and we are concerned by increasing threats against OSCE monitors. The Minsk Agreements remain the only path towards peace. Russia must withdraw its thousands of soldiers from Ukraine and stop supporting the militants, with command and control, and military equipment. NATO stands firm in our support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. We do not, and we will not, recognise Russias illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea.

NATO will continue to provide Ukraine with practical support. Today, we reviewed our Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine. Through ten different Trust Funds, NATO Allies have pledged almost forty million euros to support Ukraine. In areas such as command and control, cyber defence and medical rehabilitation. We are now working to provide Ukraine with satellite communications equipment. In recent days, we have delivered state of the art cyber defence equipment, helping key government institutions, to better investigate cyber security incidents and to protect themselves from cyber-attacks, such as those we saw recently.

Let me also add that on top of what NATO provides through the Alliance, we also encourage of course support by NATO Allies on the bilateral level and we welcome strongly the support from many NATO Allies on the bilateral level to Ukraine in different ways.

This morning, I was pleased to meet Ukrainian veterans, who benefit from our Medical Rehabilitation Trust Fund and who will represent Ukraine at the Invictus Games in Toronto.

These are just a few examples of our support. NATO Allies also provide military training to Ukrainian armed forces and every day, NATO advisors support Ukraines security and defence reforms.

I welcome the steps you, President Poroshenko, and the Ukrainian government have taken to implement key reforms and to counter corruption. We encourage you to build on this progress. These reforms are essential, to ensure security and prosperity for all Ukrainians and to bring Ukraine closer to NATO.

NATO will continue to support you on this path.

Thank you.

MODERATOR: Now we have time for questions. We have a possibility for four questions from both sides

Q: [Interpreted]: I have a question to both gentlemen, primarily to President Poroshenko but also if the Secretary General wants to add something to the answer I will be grateful. I have a question about the future format of cooperation between Ukraine and NATO. We have heard that Ukraine is not planning to apply for membership in the near future; perhaps NATO accepts this. My question is what prevents us from applying, from applying for membership in the near future, maybe even in the autumn this year? Or maybe to apply for intensified dialogue like what Georgia enjoys now. If nothing stands in the way probably we have to do this, if something stands in the way of this what are the arguments against such a move? Thank you.

PETRO POROSHENKO (President of Ukraine) [Interpreted]: Sir thank you for your question. Ukraine has clearly defined its security future, security related future. The Verkhovna Rada Parliament voted and I signed the law which states a future membership in NATO as our goal in foreign policy, and security policy. We deem it necessary and today it has been emphasized that we should start a discussion about establishing a membership action plan and our proposals at the beginning of the discussion were accepted with understanding. There is no special way towards NATO. Today I spoke at the meeting of NATO Ukraine Commission and I said clearly that when, 20 years ago 13 new countries have joined NATO, Montenegro being the latest of them. We are committed to reform, we have a clear-cut time table as to what we have to do by the year 2020 in order to meet the membership criteria because the way things stand now we do not meet these standards because over the last 20 years nothing has been done. To the contrary: laws were adopted which were pushing us away from NATO and its only for the last three years that we have made huge strides in reform and were assured that this discussion will bring us closer to relevant applications. We have a plan for these three years, we have a program for the period until 2020, we know clearly what to do. This is the first time in Ukraine when we have such a clear-cut roadmap. When Ukraine meets the criteria and the reforms are implemented and today by the way we have what we have never had in our history, more than 60 % of Ukrainians support Euro Atlantic integration for Ukraine and the government should heed this opinion of the people.

JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): Every nation has the right to decide its own path including whether it wants to be a member of a military alliance as NATO. And for NATO it is extremely important to underline that any decision on NATO membership has to be taken by the 28 members and the country which is applying for membership. No one else has the right to try to interfere or to intervene or to veto such a decision making process because it is a sovereign right of any sovereign nation to decide on its own future including whether it wants to be a member of a military alliance of NATO. The focus now in Ukraine is on reform and I welcome that because regardless of membership I welcome the fact that Ukraine is moving steadily towards meeting NATO standards and more interoperability meaning the ability to work together, Ukrainian forces and NATO forces, and to modernize Ukrainian security and defence institutions is also strengthening Ukraines ability to counter aggression we have seen in Eastern Ukraine and in Crimea. So NATO will continue to support Ukraine on the path towards a close relationship with NATO, to implementing reforms and to meeting NATO standards and then the message is that whether Ukraine is going to become a member of NATO or not is for the allies and Ukraine to decide, no one else has the right to try to veto such a process.

MODERATOR: Thank you.

Q: Secretary General, do you have any maybe fresh ideas in order how to make international pressure on Russia more effective? In order to force Kremlin to respect international law and to end its aggression against Ukraine and to restore international order and territory integrity of some of its neighbours. And Mr. President if you have new idea as well you can join, thank you.

JENS STOLTENBERG: So NATO is strongly supportive of the Minsk process, the Normandy Format, because we strongly believe that this is the best format for solving the crisis in Ukraine. Meaning that we also welcome the renewed initiatives to have new meetings and new efforts to try to make sure that the Minsk Agreements are fully implemented. Im sure that the President can also say more about the status of that process. What I can say is that I strongly underline the importance of the economic sanctions; it is not for NATO to decide on economic sanctions but NATO allies are implementing sanctions and I think it is extremely [important] to maintain the sanctions as long as Russia doesnt change its behaviour in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea and doesnt implement the Minsk Agreements. Let me also add that NATO has implemented the biggest reinforcement to our collective defence since the end of the Cold War very much as a response to the aggressive actions of Russia in Ukraine. We have tripled the size of our NATO Response Force and we have increased our military presence in the eastern part of the alliance as a response to the aggressive actions of Russia in Ukraine. The last thing I will say is that NATO provides support to Ukraine, political support but also practical support, to increase Ukraines resilience against the aggression from Russia and we will continue to do so because we do not accept that the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine is violated.

PETRO POROSHENKO: Thank you very much indeed, Mr. Secretary General. I fully support what Secretary General said. I am absolutely confident that effective solidarity and unity, European, Trans-Atlantic, global, informal of G7 is an effective instrument to keep Russia at the table of negotiation. Point number one. Point number two, we should have agreed strategy for the immediate implementation of security package of the Minsk Agreement including immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian soil, withdrawal of the Russian artillery tank, multi rocket launch system to Russia back or to put it in the sealed storage and progress for releasing the hostages. Immediate uninterrupted success of the special monitoring mission of OSCE on the whole occupied territory including and control of part of Ukrainian Russian border to be present 24/7, to stop supply new troops, new armament, new ammunition. And with that situation when we implement security package, preferably that this implementation should be guaranteed either by UN peacekeepers. Those last three years demonstrate that Russia is extremely irresponsible in implementation of security package. Or sees the permission of European Union or armed police mission of the OSCE. We do not accept the Russian attempt to create extremely dangerous security condition for the special military mission of OSCE, try to create a condition to leave the occupied territory. No, we are not accept that and an objective and independent information of special military mission of OSCE is a vital pre-condition for the implementation of security package and I am absolutely confident that our efforts and the results whats reached on the G20 summit for next phone conversation and possible summit of the Normandy Format will give very careful optimism about the progress in the next months. Thank you.

MODERATOR: ARD.

Q: First German Television ARD. Honoured Secretary General and Mr. President I want to ask about the specific new threats which are emerging, particularly the cyber attacks. We know that Ukraine in the latest two years have been a target of multiple cyber attacks and basically what experts call the first use of cyber weapon against the civilian infrastructure in Europe in general. Concerning this my question is for the honoured Secretary General. In the alliance how closely alliance looks into these incidents and in particular the last incident on 27th of June which was much bigger in scale? Is this a topic of concern and what is the strategy of alliance? And the question to President Poroshenko. Is this also a topic of concern that these attacks grow bigger in scale? Which we see on 27th of June, its done much, much wider.

JENS STOLTENBERG: We are very concerned about the increase in cyber attacks we have seen and actually this is a pattern we have seen over some time and therefore NATO has decided and we are now implementing a strong reinforcement and strengthening of our cyber defences. This is partly about defending our own networks but also partly about helping NATO allies to strengthen their cyber defences and also to work together with the partner countries like Ukraine. This is about sharing best practices, this is about exercises, this is about developing technology. We need all of that to be able to respond to a cyber threat which is very present and which is constantly changing so the defence systems we have today are not those we need tomorrow, so we have to adapt all the time. And therefore I also welcome the fact that one of the areas where we now are working more and more closely together with Ukraine is exactly on cyber defences. We will provide Ukraine or actually we are in the process of providing Ukraine with new equipment to some key government institutions. This equipment will help Ukraine to investigate who is behind the different attacks, attribution is very often a key challenge when it comes to cyber attacks and it will also help Ukraine with defending key government institutions against cyber attacks. At the same time I think we also have to understand that NATO is learning a lot from Ukraine because just experience, just many examples of hybrid warfare, cyber attacks in Ukraine provides NATO with extremely valuable knowledge and understanding. So again it is a mutual beneficial partnership when Ukraine and NATO works together in countering cyber attacks.

PETRO POROSHENKO: Thank you. I can only support and confirm that the cooperation in cyber security and counter act in cyber attack is the main field of our cooperation with NATO. You know that one of the trust fund is dedicated exactly to the cyber security and this is not only with NATO but with the, on a bilateral cooperation program with the NATO member states including the United States. The cyber attack is the key element of the hybrid warfare and we have now in evidence that the last cyber attack also provided from the Russian, organized sorry by Russian Federation. And with that situation I want to once again attract your attention that this is not only form of cooperation in a soft way exchange, in an exchange of the best practice and technologies but now we receive the hardware - our main ministers including Minister of Foreign Affairs, other ministers, our security services receive the hardware, receive the communication equipment to, not only to defend our institution from the next cyber attack but also to effectively detect and share the practice and the information. And I can confirm that within 40 minutes after launching the attack the coordination between member states, between our partners was organized extremely effective and this allow us to help us to minimize the sequences of these attack from the 27th of June and we agreed to expand our cooperation to attract more money and to make it more efficient. And this is not, was not only the topic on my today meeting with the Secretary General but also topic for the yesterday meeting with the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Unfortunately Secretary General should leave to another meeting so we should end our press conference. Thank you very much.
On 6-7 July 2017, Lieutenant General Steven M. Shepro, Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, represented NATO at the second edition of the United Nations Chiefs of Defence Conference in New York.

The United Nations Chiefs of Defence Conference brought together chiefs of defence (CHoDs) and senior military officials from more than 100 Member States as well as representatives from international organisations such the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Topics of discussions included issues central to UN Peacekeeping in an ever-evolving security environment.

This years edition, which was the first time NATO was invited to participate, focused on the common understanding of the strategic and operational environment since 2015, the ways to better address the most urgent challenges as well as Force Generation, Rapid Deployment, Mission Support, Gender Perspectives and Training. Lieutenant General Shepro acknowledged the importance of such a conference, it was good to join this important forum as NATO and the UN share a commitment to projecting international peace and stability. We share similar challenges and by working together we can be more coherent, more capable and more effective in our efforts.

The conference was also an opportunity for Lieutenant General Shepro to discuss enhanced coordination with the Military Advisor of the UN, General Loitey, Deputy Military Advisor of the UN, General Foster and the Chairman of the EU Military Committee, General Mikhail Kostarakos.

NATO and the UN have been cooperating since the early 1990s on peace-support and crisis-management operations. Enhanced cooperation with the UN  and other international actors like the EU and the OSCE  is an integral part of NATOs contribution to a Comprehensive Approach to crisis management and operations. At the 2015 Leaders Summit on Peacekeeping, the NATO Secretary General pledged to enhance support to the UN, in particular in the areas of countering improvised explosive devices, training and preparedness, supporting the UNs efforts to deploy more rapidly and working more closely on capacity building in countries at risk, both with the UN Nations and the EU.

In video-recorded remarks, the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, welcomed the participants to New York and stressed that peacekeeping partnerships had never been more pressing and relevant than today. The Secretary-General also urged Member States to contribute to the UNs objective of increasing female participation in its operations, and to integrate a gender-sensitive perspective in all their efforts.

After a moment of silence for fallen peacekeepers, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Lacroix opened the conference addressing the participants and highlighting three priorities: strengthening the planning and management of peacekeeping operations; continuing to improve on the delivery of protection of civilian mandates; and pursuing partnerships with regional and other counterparts.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ended a two-day visit to Ukraine on Monday evening (10 July 2017), during which he reaffirmed the Alliances strong political and practical support for Ukraine. Mr. Stoltenberg was in Kyiv together with the Ambassadors of NATOs North Atlantic Council to mark the twentieth anniversary since the signing of the Distinctive Partnership between NATO and the Ukraine.

Chairing a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, hosted by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the Secretary General thanked Ukraine for its many contributions to NATO missions over the past two decades, including in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mr. Stoltenberg said that since 2014 NATO has significantly increased its support for Ukraine, including with a Comprehensive Assistance Package.

At a joint press conference with President Poroshenko Mr. Stoltenberg told reporters that it was clear that the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine was not holding and he expressed concerns about mounting threats against OSCE monitors. The Secretary General reiterated that the Minsk agreements remain the only path to peace and called on Russian to pull out its thousands of troops from eastern Ukraine.

Addressing parliamentarians in the Ukrainian Rada, the Secretary General emphasised that Ukraine is a sovereign nation and has the right to choose its own security arrangements. Any decision on future membership in the Alliance would be up to the 29 NATO members. He said he welcomed that Ukraine was moving towards NATO standards.

During his visit to Kyiv, the Secretary General had bilateral meetings with Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and other senior officials. Mr. Stoltenberg also took part in the inauguration of the new premises of the NATO Representation to Ukraine, along with the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.
(Natural News) A public, K-12 Christian Academy in Alberta, Canada, has been told to stop teaching certain parts of the Bible, which can be deemed as offensive by certain groups of people. Cornerstone Christian Academy (CCA) received a warning from the Battle River School Division (BRSD) to discontinue referring to various parts of Scripture in the Bible, claiming that these passages violate fundamental human rights. Laurie Skori, CCAs board chair told NationalPost.com that the BRSD has broken our trust by talking to the media. She also said that this issue was made merely to create controversy.

The offensive passage comes from Corinthians 6:9-10, which reads, Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. In some versions, the term effeminate was replaced with men who have sexual relations with other men.

In a terse e-mail exchange between the two involved parties, the school board concluded that the school should remove any scripture that could be considered offensive to particular individuals.[particularly] any teachings that denigrate or vilify someones sexual orientation. Moreover, these texts should not be read or studied in school.

The story became international news, with many citizens claiming that such a response violated their freedom of speech and parents rights to raise their children in whatever belief they choose. John Carpay, the president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom (JCCF) wrote in a response statement that trustees enjoy the legal right to send their own kids to various schools that align with the parents beliefs and convictions. But these trustees have no right to impose their ideology on schools they disagree with. CCA chair, Deanna Margel, concurred, saying that the teaching of Scripture cannot be something people just pick and choose. Margel emphasized the importance of reading religious texts in their entirety, even if some aspects may challenge conventional sensibilities.

We need every single word there to challenge us, to call us to greater understanding. Its just so important, she said. Were talking about freedom of religion, but were (also) talking about freedom of expression. (Related: New FDA guidelines threaten religious freedoms; Holy water could be regulated as drugs and rosaries as medical devices.)

BSRD spokesperson Diane Hutchinson said that the board was compelled to make such a decision after several provisions on the protection of gender and sexual minorities were included to the Alberta Human Rights Act in late 2015. Hutchinson argued that the issue was not on religious censorship, but compassion extended towards the LGBTTQQIAAP (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, ally, pansexual) community. She focused on the increased awareness and sensitivity society gives to sexual minorities and concludes that this issue is being made bigger than it needs to be.

That said, CCA sought help from the JCCF who issued an eight-page letter to the board. The letter supposedly outlined how this prohibition  good intentions or no  were unwarranted and unrealistic.

The governments duty of neutrality, required by the Supreme Court of Canada, means that a school board cannot dictate whether verses in the Torah, Koran, New Testament or Guru Granth Sahib are acceptable, Carpay further expounded.

Members at BSRD were untouched, however, and sent a response e-mail less than eight hours later reaffirming the Boards decision. In fact, the Board went on to state that they would have a frank discussion on whether CCA was capable of respecting and abiding the provisions and guidelines stipulated by them. Hutchinson though clarified that this would not mean banning specific Bible verses from the classroom, but setting certain boundaries and whether CCA could live with them.

Nevertheless, should this argument prove to be dissatisfactory for both parties, CCA may need to find a new school board soon. This adds increased pressure to the already heated dialogue, as neither party wants to split in the middle of the year.

Sources include:

FreedomProject.com

NationalPost.com
ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended May 27, 2021 recorded a decline of 0.63 percent over the last week due to decrease in the prices of food items including chicken (14.49 percent), onions (10.61 percent), bananas (6.35 percent), sugar (0.69 percent), and wheat flour (0.10 percent), says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).



The year-on-year trend depicts increase of 16.34 percent with most of the items increased mainly chilies powder (129.95 percent), electricity for Q1 (61.62 percent), eggs (55.60 percent), diesel (38.03 percent), mustard oil (34.76 percent), gents sandal (33.37 percent), petrol (32.96 percent), match box (31.64 percent), wheat flour (27.74 percent), and chicken (25.83 percent), while a major decrease was observed in the prices of garlic (36.08 percent), onions (31.22 percent), moong (21.16 percent), potatoes (21.08 percent), and masoor (2.53 percent).



According to the latest data, the SPI went down from 150.23 points during the week ended May 20, 2021 to 149.29 percent during the week under review.



The SPI for the consumption groups up to Rs17,733, from Rs17,733 to Rs22,888, Rs22,889 to Rs29,517 and Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and for above Rs44,175 per month decreased by 0.48 percent, 0.57 percent, 0.58 percent, 0.62 percent, and 0.76 percent respectively.



During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 12 (23.5 percent) items increased, 10 (19.6 percent) items decreased, and 29 (56.9 percent) items remained constant, said the PBS in weekly SPI data.



The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices include LPG (3.36 percent), tomatoes (2.76 percent), masoor (2.25 percent), gur (1.68 percent), beef with bone (1.46 percent), gram (1.35 percent), mutton (1.32 percent), mustard oil (0.66 percent), curd (0.53 percent), Sufi washing soap (0.46 percent), milk fresh (0.36 percent), and powdered milk NIDO (0.05 percent).



According to the PBS, decrease was observed in the price of chicken (14.49 percent), onions (10.61 percent), bananas (6.35 percent), garlic (3.07 percent), potatoes (1.67 percent), eggs (0.88 percent), moong (0.78 percent), sugar (0.69 percent), maash (0.58 percent), and wheat flour bag 20kg (0.10 percent).



The commodities, prices of which remain unchanged during the period under review include rice basmati broken, rice irri-6/9 (Sindh/Punjab), bread plain, cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each, vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5 kg tin each, vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch each, salt powdered (National/Shan), chilies powder National 200gm packet each, tea Lipton Yellow Label, cooked, cooked daal, tea prepared, cigarettes Capstan 20's packet each, long cloth 57" Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, shirting, lawn printed Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, Georgette, gents sandal Bata pair, gents sponge chappal Bata pair, ladies sandal Bata pair, electricity charges for q1, gas charges, firewood whole 40kg, energy saver, match box, petrol super, hi-speed diesel, telephone call charges, and toilet soap.TAHIR AMIN




(Natural News) As Americans, most of us are proud of our country, our freedoms, our rights, our armed forces and the privileges we are afforded on a day-to-day basis. We are also prone to accept every scientific accomplishment and new discovery as proof that we are on the cutting edge of advancement, without ever questioning anything. This leads too many of us to assume that every major modern medical invention should be heralded as something that can benefit mankind, when just the opposite is often true.

Are we not patriots if we simply question Western medicine? Are we not loyal Americans if we question chemicals as the mainstream way to treat illness, disease and disorder? Have we lost faith in everything American if we study the true history of the American Medical Association (AMA) and realize its a for-profit business created over a century ago with the main goal of using chemical medicine to cover up symptoms of sicknesses while helping the pharmaceutical and vaccine industries rake in billions of dollars every year?

Allopathic medicine is defined as a system of medical practice that aims to combat disease by use of drugs and surgery in order to treat and suppress symptoms of deeper-rooted health problems. Most of the preventable diseases that overwhelm the majority of Americans today are caused by the thousands of chemicals found in food, water, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter), home cleaning products, lawn care products and personal care products.

Without the cessation of chemical consumption, covering up the health warning signs that stem from pain, inflammation, nerve disorder and cell disorder is like cutting the wire to the check engine light on your automobile and expecting the issue to simply go away.

Chemical food and chemical medicine add to chemically-driven diseases like cancer, diabetes and Alzheimers

No medicine should ever produce side effects that are worse than the condition being treated. That simply doesnt make sense. Many modern medicines are quite archaic, yet for some reason Americans have been brainwashed to believe they should be the first order of treatment when symptoms of sickness rear their ugly head. The AMA, along with the FDA, purposely declared a century ago that no food, herb or natural remedy can ever again be declared to prevent or cure any disease or disorder.

Today, some of the most lethal chemicals are used in modern medicine to purposely weaken the human immune system, create chaos for the central nervous system, and cause the mutation and uncontrolled multiplication of corrupted cells.

Chemotherapy drugs contain poisonous chemicals that were used during the Holocaust in the Nazi gas chambers. Most vaccines contain deadly mercury, infected blood from animals, genetically modified bacteria, formaldehyde, aluminum and monosodium glutamate. If vaccines are as safe and effective as the CDC claims, then why did the vaccine industry already have to pay out billions of dollars (over $3 billion so far) to the families of vaccine injured children, especially due to the flu vaccine?

Shocking statistics prove chemical medicine is a huge failure and why people who take prescription drugs are the sickest of all Americans

The United States of America, in all its glory, is the home to the third worst mortality rate by nutritional deficiencies. This is mainly caused by pesticides in food, processed food, refined sugar and chemical-based medicine. Antibiotics, chemotherapy, tap water, vaccines and prescription drugs all destroy good gut bacteria (and thus immunity), adding to this horrendous American statistic. Here are more disheartening statistics that could be mostly prevented, if the AMA, FDA and CDC would simply educate Americans about the power of chemical-free food and medicine:

 The U.S. has the second-worst rate of death from respiratory disease.

 The U.S. has the highest absolute age-adjusted mortality rate among all developed nations (that means higher rates of disease and shorter lives).

 The U.S. pays more for this detrimental medical treatment than any other country on earth.

 Nearly every other advanced country provides better health care at a lower per capita cost and has a universal health care system in place.

 The U.S. health care system provides less quality and less value than all of its international counterparts.

 American men are ranked last, and women second to last, in life expectancy among the 17 most developed (peer) countries in the world.

 The U.S. has had the highest obesity rate among high-income countries for decades.

 U.S. adults age twenty and higher have the highest prevalence rates of diabetes and high plasma glucose levels among 17 peer countries.

 The U.S death rate from heart disease is the second highest among 17 peer countries.

 U.S. adults have a higher prevalence of arthritis and chronic lung disease than European countries, the United Kingdom and Japan.

You have a choice, you know! You can choose organic food and medicine. Question anything and everything that contains chemicals. Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, said it best:

Even though doctors and health authorities try to pass off western medicine as being advanced or modern, the whole system is actually pathetically outdated and stuck in the germ theory of disease. Western medicine has yet to even acknowledge the role of nutrition in preventing disease  something that has been scientifically documented for at least the last several decades.

Sources for this article include:

ProjectCensored.org

TruthWiki.org

AntiCorruptionSociety.com

Vaccines.news

TruthWiki.org

TruthWiki.org

NaturalNews.com

BusinessInsider.com

Nap.Edu
(Natural News) Public schools are subjecting students to unwarranted mental health assessments, according to New Hampshire physician Dr. Aida Cerundolo. The doctor notes that some K-8 students in the Granite State are undergoing psychological assessments carried out by untrained, unlicensed personnel, thus raising a red flag on the use and protection of the data gathered. On top of this, the mental health assessments not only bypassed parental consent but also fail to inform parents that such tests are being conducted on their children.

The undisclosed mental health evaluations are part of the Devereaux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA), a test designed and distributed by Kaplan Early Learning Company to assess the students competencies in eight domains including: relationship skills, social awareness, optimistic thinking and self-management as well as goal-directed behavior, self-awareness, personal responsibility and decision-making.

Apart from being administered by licensed health care professionals, DESSA could also be carried out by teachers. As per Devereaux, DESSA does not require special training or certification. Thus, untrained teachers are then being tapped to conduct the evaluations and are expected to have the time and psychiatric knowledge in assessing students. This, while simultaneously preparing for high-stakes examinations.

According to Dr. Cerundolo, the teachers are slated to answer up to 72 questions about each of their many students per class. The teachers are then expected to assess each student according to certain factors such as carrying ones self with confidence and coping with insults and mean comments. However, it remains unclear how the teachers would evaluate a child who has not experience insults or bullying. The psychological evaluations reportedly aim to identify students that might require future interventions.

DESSA is there to rate students on their behaviors but then to offer intervention to improve their scores. Social awareness is one of the key competencies to ensure the students are aware and accepting of race and diversity. These software programs profit 3rd party vendors when they sell the program to your school district. The [vendor] then collects non-academic data on your child, rates your childs behaviors and attitudes, then makes more money by selling products to correct them, said Ann Marie Banfield, Education Liaison for Cornerstone Action in New Hampshire.

Mental health assessments raise alarm on misdiagnosis, privacy risks

As a response to the unwarranted mental health evaluations, an article posted on The National Pulse website argued that tests could be influenced by imminent biases of the untrained teachers, which in turn may lead to assessments that are subjective in nature. For instance, the article contends how a teacher who appreciates a lively student may rate the latter differently compared with a teacher who appreciates a meeker student. The article also argues that one teacher may inadvertently label an exuberant child as a candidate for attention deficit disorder, while another teacher with a different personality may otherwise label a quiet, introverted child as abnormally withdrawn.

Aside from the risk of misdiagnosis, the mental health assessments also raise concerns over privacy. Dr. Cerundolo notes that while psychological tests performed by licensed health professionals are guaranteed to remain confidential under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the same may not be expected when untrained teachers handle student data.

The physicians concerns over the psychological tests are shared by a few teachers in the state. In fact, one teacher in particular even reached out to Banfield to discuss her objections on completing the assessments. The teacher is especially concerned that the tests did not ask for parental consent, and that the parents were not even notified that the assessments are being carried out by untrained teachers.



Sources include:

FreedomProject.com

TruthRevolt.org

TheNationalPulse.com
Congresswoman Jackie Speier on Monday officially announced a $50,000 reward from the city of San Francisco designed to unearth any information regarding the suspect who shot and killed a college student playing Pokemon Go last year in Aquatic Park.

Calvin Riley, 20, was playing the popular game with a group of friends on Aug. 6, 2016 at about 9:50 p.m. when he was shot by an unidentified suspect. Riley's killer has yet to be found.

"It's so important to our family to have closure, to find the person that shot my baby boy in the back and make it so that he can't hurt anybody else," Kariann Riley, Calvin's mother, said.

To date, rewards mounting to $110,000 have been offered in hopes of revealing the location of the shooter. A total of $50,000 has been contributed by the family, another $50,000 has been presented by San Francisco and $10,000 has been provided by United States Park Police.

"We do know that money motivates people," Speier said. "I'm imploring persons who know about the whereabouts or information leading to the arrest of the person who committed this unspeakable crime to please come forward. This family has endured extraordinary pain."

Riley was attending Delta College in Stockton and had graduated from Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo.

In the beginning stages of the investigation, Park police officials released a sketch of the male suspect, adding that they believed he was associated with a 2013-2015 model white four-door Toyota Avalon that was seen leaving the area where the homicide occurred.

Park police on Monday provided information about additional vehicles of interest. One of those cars is a 2006-2009 black Audi A3. The other is a 2013 white, four-door Hyundai Sonata.

Anyone with information about the fatal shooting is asked to contact U.S. Park Police's tip line at (415) 561-5150 or police communications at (415) 561-5508. Callers have the option to remain anonymous.

Bay City News contributed to this report.
Family, friends, UPS employees and the greater San Francisco community gathered Sunday for a day of remembrance and healing nearly one month after a gunman opened fire and killed three workers at a UPS facility.

The community event kicked off at 2 pm. at San Francisco City Hall.

Wayne Chan, Mike Lefiti and Benson Louie were all killed at the company processing facility on June 14 when 38-year-old Jimmy Lam opened fire on his fellow employees before fatally shooting himself. Two others were also wounded.

One of the more moving moments of the memorial was a speech by Chans son, Kyle. He told the audience hes still in a daze. He recently passed his driving test, and it was difficult to deal with the fact that his father wasnt there to celebrate that event.

Kyle Chan also said his dad wont be there to help him finish restoring a car they were working on together.

Chan, Lefiti and Louie were all beloved deliverymen adored by their family members and folks on their delivery routes.

Two other drivers, Edgar Perez and Xiao Chen, also were injured in the attack. They were not at Sunday's memorial. The president of the UPS drivers local union said they are still recovering at home.



A union official earlier this month said only five of the 40 UPS workers have returned to work after witnessing the fatal shootings.
An Afghanistan combat veteran charged with killing his wife and a New York state trooper in the driveway of his home has been arraigned and ordered held without bail for grand jury action on Monday.

Justin Walters of Zeeland, Michigan was charged with second-degree murder for killing his 27-year-old wife, Nichole Walters. He was also charged for the first-degree murder of Trooper Joel Davis.

Walters, 32, first fatally shot his wife on Sunday outside their home in Theresa, in Jefferson County.

Trooper Joel Davis, 36, rushed to the scene just after 8 p.m. and was shot and killed as he approached the residence, State Police Superintendent George Beach II said. Nichole was found dead at the scene, Beach added.

Davis died about an hour later at a hospital. He leaves behind his wife and three children.

Walters surrendered to other state police troopers without further incident, police said. Beach described Walters as an active duty Army infantryman who is stationed at Fort Drum.

Defense Attorney Eric Swartz waived a preliminary hearing. He says the next appearance will be in Jefferson County Court later. He wont comment further.

The entire New York family grieves for Trooper Joel Davis, who was shot and killed in the line of duty Sunday night, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement Sunday night.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson took a brief break from his diplomatic duties on Sunday, returning to his Exxon Mobil comfort zone to bask in the glow of approval from his former colleagues in the oil sector.

Accepting a lifetime achievement award from the World Petroleum Congress, the former Exxon CEO reminisced about his more than 41 years as an oilman, calling the energy industry "marvelous" and the people in it some of the most talented in any business. He also took time to meet with Turkey's president and foreign minister.

"I miss all of you," he said wistfully to his former colleagues in the oil business. "I miss you as colleagues, I miss you as partners, I miss you as competitors."

Tillerson said he learned he would be honored with the WPC's Dewhurst Award before then-President-elect Donald Trump chose him to be America's top diplomat and thought his trip to Istanbul to accept it would be a pleasurable interruption of a fishing trip in his planned retirement followed by a "leisurely journey back home."

"It didn't quite work out that way," he said to laughter from the crowd of oil executives and top government energy officials from dozens of nations. Tillerson arrived in Istanbul after attending the Group of 20 summit in Germany and a brief visit to Ukraine. He departs Monday for what may be a week of grueling shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East.

Tillerson has been criticized for leading Exxon during a period when the company downplayed climate change and global warming but nonetheless argued unsuccessfully for Trump not to pull the U.S. out the Paris climate accord. In his acceptance speech, he mentioned the importance of protecting the environment, but spent more time extolling the economic and social benefits of energy production.

"Energy is fundamental to economic growth and prosperity, it's fundamental to lifting people out of poverty the world over," he said, adding "that it requires massive investments over long periods of time and requires enormous risk-taking and risk management."

Tillerson also made a pitch for the promotion of longstanding U.S. priorities around the world. He called rule of law and international order, respect for the sanctity of contracts and integrity "crucial elements" for success. "Whenever those elements are present, investors will make the massive investments, they'll take the risk, and they'll persevere through the challenges in order to achieve the objective," he said.

He also talked up another U.S. priority that predates the Trump administration: European energy diversification and security. He noted that Turkey will play a critical role in weaning Europe from its dependence on Russian oil and gas supplies because of its location.

"It's just a fact of geography that Turkey sits at the crossroads of vital energy resources along supply routes and routes to consumers," he said.

Before leaving the ceremony to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Tillerson paid tribute to the men and women of Turkey who stood up to last year's attempted coup, the first anniversary of which is Saturday.

"It was on that day that the Turkish people exercised their rights under the Turkish constitution, defended their place in a prosperous Turkey, and we remember those who were injured or died in that event," he said.

Tillerson and Erdogan did not speak to reporters at the start of their meeting that comes at a moment of high tension in U.S.-Turkish relations, mainly over Washington's support for Kurds in Syria.
Two teens posted images of themselves holding a firearm and threatened to use it Monday during summer classes at a northwest suburban high school, Park Ridge police said.

The teens, 12 and 15, were charged Monday with unlawful use of a weapon and disorderly conduct after police received an anonymous tip. The teens were identified by police and brought into the station for questioning before the start of classes at Maine South High School. Police say they found three guns at the home of the 12-year-old and at least one of them was confirmed as the one used in the social media threat.

Both teens will be transferred to the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center pending a hearing, police said.

Police say they believe the two teens are the only suspects and are not investigating any other people in relation to the threats.

Maine Township High School District 207 released a statement Monday afternoon about the early morning arrests.

"As a result, school officials were confident that the situation was isolated and that there was no additional threat to any Maine South student or staff member, and classes were conducted as scheduled," the statement reads.



Maine South High School is located in Park Ridge in the 1100 block of South Dee Road.
Governor Dannel Malloy wants to do more to protect residents and businesses in Connecticut from cyber-attacks.

On Monday Malloy announced a new cyber security strategy, a seven-principle approach to safety on the web.

"Sixty-five percent of our work is spent dealing with cyber security issues," Malloy said.

The governor said hackers find the state appealing because of data-rich assets like aerospace, security and health businesses.

The strategys principles are leadership, literacy, preparation, response, recovery, communication, and verification. Details are laid out on the states Connecticut Cyber Security Resource Page, where users can find information to help protect themselves from online attacks. Some things, like email filtering and password-changing, are quick steps that can make a big difference.

Just days ago, the town of West Hartfords website went down after it was hacked when the web sites provider, Granicus, was hit with a virus that affected communities across the country.

By following practices laid out in the new strategy, residents, organizations, government agencies and businesses can all better protect themselves and those who rely on their systems.

Some tips are as follows:

1. Patch devices regularly: Make sure computers, mobile device apps, and anything else connected to the internet are running the most up-to-date software/firmware security patches.

2. Use updated antivirus software: Installing antivirus software on devices is simply not enough. Ensure that the software regularly scans the devices and receives periodic updates for ongoing protection.

3. Backup important data: Cyberattacks like ransomware may even infect up-to-date systems, so it is essential to back up data on a regular basis into a separate device (or to the cloud) to ensure continues access to critical data.

4. Stay alert and informed: The most common method for malware dissemination is through phishing, which involves criminals emailing people with the intent of tricking them to either open an infected attachment or click on a link to a malicious website. If a suspicious email is received, delete it. Visit reputable cybersecurity websites to remain current on trends and alerts.

5. Notify IT provider: If any abnormal computer behavior is noticed, if a device becomes infected with ransomware, or if an individual calls offering to provide unsolicited technical assistance, call a local law enforcement agency. Be sure to dial the non-emergency number for the local police department and provide them with as many details as possible regarding the incident.

The state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the state government are also working on an action plan to better improve security throughout the state.
The population of cave-dwelling bats in Connecticut is showing no signs of improvement.

A newly updated report from the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality warns the continued absence of bats from the evening air will be a "boon to nocturnal moths and beetles that continually threaten to infest forests and crops."

Cave-dwelling bats in Connecticut and a growing number of states have been decimated by a fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome. The fungus thrives in cases and mine, growing on the bats' wing membranes and noses while they hibernate.

The populations of some cave-dwelling species have declined by 90 percent. State environmentalist did not discover any improvement this year when they inspected caves in January and February, looking for hibernating bats.

However, some cave-dwelling bats have managed to survive.
A federal appeals court on Friday dismissed Hawaii's attempt to challenge the rules created by the Trump administration for its travel ban on citizens from six majority-Muslim countries.

The state asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for an order saying the government could not omit grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other relatives of someone in the U.S. from the list of people who can still travel to the country.

A three-judge panel said the 9th Circuit does not have jurisdiction to address the issue after the state appealed a federal judge's decision to leave the government's rules in place.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson on Thursday denied Hawaii's request to clarify who is exempt, saying the question would be better posed to the Supreme Court.

Watson put President Donald Trump's revised travel ban on hold in March, and the justices partially reinstated it last month.

"Every day that passes is a day when our government is turning away human beings  from newborn children to elderly grandparents  whom the injunction requires to be admitted," attorneys for Hawaii said in their filing with the 9th Circuit.

The state attorney general's office said it was still reviewing the 9th Circuit's decision.

The Supreme Court said the president's 90-day ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen could be enforced pending arguments set for October if a visitor lacks a "credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States."

The court's majority said a close family relationship in the U.S. was required to enter the country and a spouse or mother-in-law would clearly be permitted.

The Trump administration has said the exemption would apply to parents, spouses, sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, fiances or siblings.

A U.S. Department of Justice spokeswoman said the agency declined to comment on the 9th Circuit's decision.

The department said in a court filing that its list of people exempt from the ban "hews closely" to categories defined by Congress.

The Trump administration says the travel ban is necessary to keep Americans safe until it can review the vetting process for refugees and others.
Eighty people were arrested at the U.S. Capitol complex Monday as protesters occupied the offices of various U.S. House and Senate members, demonstrating against the GOP effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Protesters were carried out of the rooms and hallways in or near the offices of Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). The Senate returned Monday from a recess, during which many lawmakers had also faced protesters in their home states.

A group of demonstrators tried pushing through the door and into a waiting area outside of House Speaker Paul Ryan's office, according to NBC News. A staffer tried to keep them out, and there was a sign on the door that read "only scheduled appointments will be admitted."

Capitol Police officers carried the protesters away from 13 different locations in the House and Senate Office Buildings, according to a statement from police. Twenty-one people were arrested in the House Office Building, and 59 people were arrested from the Senate Office Building.

Capitol Police said those arrested would be charged under a D.C. law for crowding, obstructing or incommoding.
We are now just a little more than a month away from the first total solar eclipse on the U.S. mainland since 1979.

It is also the first total solar eclipse to cross the continental United States in 99 years and will happen Aug. 21.

Hotels in the path are booked, some trips have been planned for years, this is a big deal!

Here in North Texas, we won't get the full effect. We'll see a partial eclipse as the moon covers part of the sun. The total eclipse will stretch from Salem, Oregon, to Charleston, South Carolina, and you must be in the path to see the eclipse in totality.

Cities along this path will see the moon completely covering the sun and the sun's atmosphere allowing for the corona to be seen. In North Texas, you will see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun's disk. This can last for over an hour.

The partial eclipse will happen roughly between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Texas.

NASA has created an interactive map showing you how long the partial eclipse will last your in your neighborhood.



In order to view the eclipse, you need to wear special glasses with special-purpose solar filters. Looking directly at the sun can severely hurt your eyes.

NASA recommends checking with local science museums, schools and astronomy clubs for eclipse glasses.

If you purchase them, buy an ISO 12312-2 compliant and CE certified pair of these special glasses.

You can also watch it here.



Other options for viewing include a welding mask with a No. 14 shade or darker, telescope with solar filters or pinhole projectors. Don't rely on your sun glasses, they do not offer the correct protection.

We will alter the forecast as we get closer to the event, but viewing conditions should be good at the end of August. The usual weather pattern across Texas in mid-August is a ridge of high pressure overhead allowing for clear skies.


If youre looking for an affordable house in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, experts offer two words of advice: good luck.

What was once a calling card for DFW  the relatively low cost of housing, compared to other, similar-sized markets  has quickly become a thing of the past because too many people have come calling.

I never thought I would live to see the day that this would happen, Rockwall-based Altura Homes president Donnie Evans said. That kind of scares me quite honestly.

As an example, Evans pointed to a 2,000 square foot-home his company is building in the community of Fate.

We would build a house really similar to this probably in the low $120,000s, he said. Fast forward four years later, were at $220,000 to $240,000 for the same house.

Evans and others in the industry point to many factors to explain the sharp uptick. Chief among them is an increase in the price of land on which to build a new home, as well as increased costs for labor and supplies.

According to the recently released S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, Dallas was among the top three markets in the country in terms of highest year-over-year gains; the price of the average home is up 8.6 percent from March 2016 to March 2017.

Certainly we are bumping our head on that affordability ceiling, said Ted Wilson, Principal at Residential Strategies, which performs housing market research in the Dallas-area. The builders talk about [affordability] quite a bit, so there is concern.

Wilson noted that the term affordable home in the Dallas-area has long been defined as $200,000 and below. But recent trends have shown the number of affordable homes is way down from years past.

For example, in 2007, according to Wilson, there were about 100,000 transactions in the year for homes priced below $200,000 in Dallas-Fort Worth. In 2017, Wilson said that number will be more like 50,000.

As further evidence of the lack of affordable homes on the market, Wilson added that, as recently as 2011, there would typically be 25,000 homes on the market at any given time priced at $200,000 or less. Today there are 5,000 to 6,000 homes available at that price point.

Wilson added that he does not see this trend changing anytime soon.

When you start talking about [the possibility] of a bubble, the implication is it might burst, Wilson said when asked if the current conditions are a real reflection of the market. But when you look at just the shortage that we have with respect to listing inventory and the capacity issues with new construction, we do not see any near-term oversupply in housing.

So for those who are looking for a deal, they might want to consider Evans' advice and broaden their search area.

Crandall, Kaufman, Greenville, Fate. Those are the areas you need to come into right now, he said. There is good value and they are good cities to build in.
EDITORS NOTE: Cosmo DiNardo confessed Thursday to participating in the killing of the four men, his attorney tells NBC10.



Investigators in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, are probing whether a man who is in custody on unrelated charges is linked to the recent disappearance of four young men, according to an NBC10 source and later confirmed by authorities.

Cosmo DiNardo, 20, was arrested Monday for allegedly being in possession of a 20-gauge shotgun and ammunition. An affidavit obtained by the Bucks County Courier Times says he's barred from having a gun because of his history of mental illness that includes an involuntary commitment. He is currently being held in the Bucks County Jail on 10 percent of $1 million bail.

DiNardo may be connected to the disappearance of Mark Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg, Montgomery County; 21-year-old Tom Meo, of Plumstead Township; 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro, of Middletown Township; and 19-year-old Jimi Tar Patrick, of Newtown Township, a law enforcement source told NBC10's Denise Nakano.

However, DiNardo is not considered a suspect, according to the source.

Bucks County District Attorney's Office

Detectives searched two properties in Solebury Township and one in Bensalem that are owned by DiNardo's family. The searches, which were part of the missing persons investigation, took place Sunday and Monday.



On Monday, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub called the search an "all hands on deck" situation as local and state police and the FBI look at "all possible leads." He also said that based on information that he "can't share," foul play was likely involved in the disappearance of the young men.

"We've been treating this from the outset as a criminal investigation, and nothing has deterred that to this point," he said in a press conference Monday afternoon.

Investigators continued to search a property in Solebury Township Monday night before the search ended at 10:30 p.m. The search will resume Tuesday.



There have been reports that all four men know each other. Police are trying to confirm whether that is true, Weintraub said.

Patrick went missing on Wednesday, July 5. He has not contacted family or friends or shown up for work, police said.

Finocchiaro was last seen Friday around 6:30 p.m. getting into a vehicle on Hampton Drive. He has been missing since then.

Newtown Township Police, Middletown Township Police

Sturgis was last seen leaving his home on Walt Road in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, around 6 p.m. Friday to visit his friend, Meo, in Doylestown, Sturgis' father told NBC10. Both men have been missing since then.

"This is going to be a collaborative investigation that will continue until we solve this missing persons incident," Weintraub said.

Bucks County District Attorney's Office

Sturgis and Meo are longtime friends who work in construction for Sturgis' father, Mark Potash. Finocchiaro is a mutual friend of theirs, Potash told The Associated Press.

Weintraub provided few updates during a press conference Monday afternoon, revealing only that he believes foul play was involved and that police are focusing their efforts on the multi-acre property near Aquetong Road.

"We've dedicated a ton of investigative resources there," Weintraub said.

He said they are "pretty confident" the investigation will benefit from searching that property.

Patrick stands 5 foot 10 inches tall and weighs around 150 pounds. He was last seen wearing gray shorts and a polo shirt with a multi-colored design.

Finocchiaro has brown hair and hazel eyes, standing 5-foot-9-inches tall and weighing 150 pounds.

Sturgis stands 6-foot-1-inch tall and weighs 240 pounds with black hair and a black beard. Meo stands 5-foot-5-inches tall and weighs 140 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. His 2004 Nissan Altima turned up at Peddler's Village Saturday, his father told NBC10.

Police ask anyone with information to call 215-297-8201 or submit a tip online.

The next press briefing will likely occur at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Police took a man into custody Monday afternoon after a tense, 3-hour standoff outside the Kiss 108 radio studios in Medford, Massachusetts.

The man - who police have identified as 38-year-old Richard Newton - was quickly handcuffed by officers around 4:30 p.m. after emerging with his hands up from a car that had been surrounded by police vehicles. He was taken away on a stretcher.

Major Police, SWAT Response to Kiss 108 Parking Lot

A witness told NBC Boston the man came to the area before 1:30 p.m. and asked where the iHeart radio section of the building was. He went into the building and approached a secretary. He requested that they play the song "My Axe" by Insane Clown Posse and displayed a large ax.

The man then returned to his vehicle, by which time police had arrived. He rammed a police vehicle, and then threw the axe out of the window, but it did not hit anyone.

Police try to apprehend a suspect in Medford, Massachusetts after he went into the iHeart radio building and approached a secretary. He requested that they play the song My Axe by Inside Clown Posse and displayed a large axe.

The witness said the man had several knives inside the car and was also seen drinking beer in the car.

Police continued to negotiate with him by cell phone and through the car window. At one point, he got out of the vehicle and said "I guess you're just going to have to kill me." Police attempted to Taser him, but he was able to get back in the car.

No further details have been released at this point.
Amid almost 100 days of protests in Venezuela, Florida Governor Rick Scott once again called for freedom in the country during a rally in South Florida on Monday.

"The movement for democracy and freedom cannot stop for Venezuela," Scott said during the rally at El Arepazo, a Venezuelan restaurant in Doral.

Scott is calling for the complete freedom of Leopoldo Lopez and all political prisoners in the country.

Lopez was released from prison on Saturday after more than three years behind bars, being confined to house arrest.

"We demand complete freedom for Leopoldo Lopez and for all the political prisoners," Scott said. "We demand that the Maduro regime and all the Cuban thugs helping him step down now."



"It is a tough fight. It is a difficult challenge, but we are really hopeful of finally achieving change and finally being able for Venezuelans to decide their own future, said Mario de Giovanni, a Venezuelan citizen living in South Florida.

Last Wednesday, Scott announced that he will ask the trustees of Florida's pension plan to go along with a proposal that targets businesses helping the regime of President Nicolas Maduro. He and other Florida politicians, including U.S Sen. Marco Rubio, have been highly critical of Maduro in the past few months.

Scott said Monday that at his next cabinet meeting he will propose a resolution that says any organization that does business with the Maduro regime cannot do business with the State of Florida.


A 3-year-old Orlando boy died after he was beaten with a plastic rod because he drank milk from a jug, authorities say.

Orange County sheriff's investigators say Xavier Mokarzel-Satchel was killed by his mother's roommates, 58-year-old Callene Barton and 28-year-old Lakesha Lewis.

The Orlando Sentinel reported Monday that court records show Xavier's mother, Brandi Mokarzel, was awakened Friday by Barton yelling at her son for drinking milk from a jug and eating yogurt. Investigators say Lewis grabbed a plastic rod and repeatedly hit Xavier until the rod broke.

Mokarzel told investigators she grabbed her son and took him into her bedroom, but Barton followed them in, snatched the boy by his arm and leg and threw him.

Xavier began to shake and Mokarzel called 911. When deputies arrived at the home they found Satchel "barely breathing" and "clinging to his life," Orange County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Jane Watrel said.

The toddler was taken to the hospital where he died a short time later.

"It breaks our heart," Watrel said of the boys death.



Barton and Lewis are charged with first-degree murder. Mokarzel is charged with child neglect for allegedly not reporting previous abuse by the women.

Lewis' 4-year-old son, who was also living in the apartment, was placed in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, officials said.

Jail records don't show if the women have attorneys.
A swimmer is recovering at home after being rushed to the hospital Sunday after he was bitten by a shark at Haulover Beach.



According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesperson Erika Benitez, lifeguards advised swimmers to get out of the water when they became aware of a shark lurking nearby.

While exiting the water, a beachgoer - said to be a man in his late 40's - was bitten in the lower extremities by what appeared to be a 4 to 5-foot bull shark.

"In my 20 years as a lifeguard, this is the first time a person has been bitten here at Haulover Beach, and possibly the first for Miami-Dade County," said MDFR Ocean Rescue Lt. Matt Sparling.



The man was transported to Aventura Hospital in alert and conscious condition, according to Benitez. The bite did require him to undergo surgery.



"Although these incidents are rare, we still ask beachgoers to always be aware of their surroundings," Sparling said. "Always swim near manned lifeguard towers and be sure to always heed all warnings issued by lifeguards."


Brooklyn's Prospect Park is going entirely car-free this summer, the mayor has announced.

Beginning Monday, July 17, through Monday, September 11, the park will be car-free 24/7 for the first time ever, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced.

The park's West Drive went car-free two years ago. The East Drive, from Park Circle to the Grand Army Plaza, is currently open to northbound traffic during the morning rush hour. But traffic data shows vehicle volumes there are lower during the summer months. according to officials.

The mayor says the move will help cyclists, joggers and pedestrians enjoy a safer and quieter park, and have a negligible effect on traffic outside the park.
It moves 1.37 billion passengers a year over 250 miles of rails on a system that dates to the mid-19th century -- with an 85 percent customer satisfaction rating.

It's not the New York City subway system, though -- it's the London Underground, and some think it's the model for how a metropolitan commuter system ought to run.

Londons buses are reliable, even if the traffic is bad. Ticketless boarding and the size of Londons double-decker buses help the transit system run more efficiently. There are also twice as many buses as in New York. Andrew Siff reports.

The quality of the subway system is very much on New Yorkers' minds with the "Summer of Hell" infrastructure repairs starting Monday and following a spate of massive delays in recent weeks.

For the leaders of London's transit system, the answer to running an efficient system is clear.

"I think firstly, it's about long-term investment," Mark Wild, the managing director of what Londoners affectionly call "the Tube," told News 4 New York. "The key in London is, over many years, maybe 20 to 25 years, having a very clear plan on the upgrades and really sticking to that plan."

Despite being decades older than the New York subway system, the London underground has contact-less metro cards, platform screen doors, and no doors between the train cars. Andrew Siff reports.

Contrast that with NYC Transit, where conditons have gotten so bad that Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently declared a state of emergency and launched a lucrative contest to come up with solutions.

Stuck waiting on a train? Check out our new podcast, "Listen While You Wait."

Andrew Siff is in London with London Underground managing director Mark Wild, comparing their system with the New York subway.

In declaring the state of emergency, Cuomo likened the recent transit problems to a "heart attack" that happened after years of cholesterol buildup.

The state of the subway system "is wholly unacceptable," said Cuomo last month, citing decades of underinvestment, deferred maintenance and surging ridership.

As a stop-gap, the governor is adding $1 billion to the MTA capital plan for next year. It marks a drastic about-face from two years ago when he described the MTA's capital request as "bloated."

News 4's Lauren Scala explains your commuting options, depending on how you travel.

According to Kevin Ortiz, the MTA spokesman, several initiatives are in place to improve bus service. He said that expanding Select Bus Service will reduce dwell time at bus stops, and the new fare payment system will speed up boarding. The MTA will also monitor the bus schedule closer to mitigate tardiness, he said.

We dont have direct control of road conditions on city streets. We are continuing to collaborate with DOT and NYPD to prioritize bus service as they address traffic congestion, unauthorized vehicles in bus lanes, double parked cars, and other factors that have the most direct impact on bus speeds and service reliability, Ortiz explained.

Looking for commute alternatives? Our tool will show you options by train line.

New Yorkers who find themselves in London concede that the Tube has the A train easily beat.

"As a New Yorker I don't like to admit when things are better in London, however the London Underground is cleaner and better sign-posted. I have to go with the London Underground," New York transplant Jaime Marks told News 4.
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia on Monday joined Hawaii's renewed effort to challenge the scope of exceptions to President Donald Trumps travel ban, NBC News reports.

The states have called on a federal judge in Honolulu to rule that the Trump administration wrong excludes grandparents, cousins and other relatives from obtaining visas from six Muslim countries.

The group of states, led by New York, said that people considering entering the U.S. for school or jobs will consider who will be able to visit them.

The Supreme Courts partial reinstatement of the travel ban last month ruled that only people with a "bona fide relationship" with a family member in the United States could be exempt from the ban.
A terminally ill British baby still has a chance at life thanks to attention from U.S. President Donald Trump and Pope Francis, his mother said Monday.

NBC News reports that Connie Yates, mom to 11-month-old Charlie Gard, feels the interventions have "saved his life so far. She said so on BBC Radio 4 early Monday, ahead of a court hearing to keep the baby on life support.

Charlie has a rare genetic condition that left him unable to move his limbs or breathe on his own, and while courts have said continued treatment would hurt the child, his parents have raised nearly $2 million to help bring him the United States for an experimental treatment.

"If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so," Trump tweeted last week.
What to Know The dreaded "summer of hell' has arrived for rail riders in New York and is expected to last until the end of August

Amtrak is beginning extensive repairs Monday to tracks and signals in Penn, which it owns and operates, it announced the overhaul in April

LIRR riders can expect rush hour service to be reduced by as much as 19 percent; NJ Transit is diverting some rush hour trains to Hoboken

The rush hour commute into New York got off to a quiet start Monday as workers began two months of repairs at the country's busiest train station, a project that Gov. Andrew Cuomo predicted will make for a "summer of hell."

The overhaul at Penn Station was initially scheduled for nights and weekends over a few years, but two recent derailments, and a third last week, among other problems, that spotlighted the station's aging infrastructure convinced Amtrak to accelerate the work.

Monday morning's rush began with no unusually large crowds and without any apparent major problems (though a minor garbage fire at Penn Station that spewed smoke into the LIRR concourse briefly sparked some Twitter concern).

"So far, so good," David Peter Alan, with the transit advocacy group the Lackawanna Coalition, said at NJ Transit's Hoboken Terminal. "So far more smoothly than I expected. I expected a chaotic scene."

He said that he was pleasantly surprised, but that the changes that diverted all of the trains on NJ Transit's Morris and Essex Line were stretching Hoboken's capacity to the limit.

For several hundred thousand commuters on the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit  as well as Amtrak passengers who ride between Boston and Washington, D.C.  the Penn Station work means fewer trains during peak periods, the result of track closures to accommodate the repairs.



Apart from crowding in Hoboken, the LIRR's eight park-and-ride stops appeared to be a potential breaking point, with two of them nearly full by 6:45 a.m. and one of those totally full by 8:30 a.m., the MTA tweeted. The park-and-rides were implemented as one alternative for LIRR riders needing to get to Penn.

Penn Station, which Amtrak took over in the 1970s, handles twice as many daily train movements, about 1,300, as it did then. Roughly 600,000 people pass through each day on trains and New York City subways.

"We like to think it's quiet because a lot of people did their homework," New Jersey Transit spokesman Charles Ingoglia said while standing outside the Hoboken train and ferry stations.

Ingoglia noted efforts his agency has made online and elsewhere to warn the public of the congestion that is expected when up to 16,000 commuters are added to the 23,000 people who usually flow through the Hoboken station each day.

While the commute had gone about as well as it could for most, the halls leading from NJ Transit trains to PATH trains were packed for over an hour and some people seemed bewildered at their new routine.

"A lot of confusion and too many people gathered in one space," said Lex Marshall, 35, of Morristown. "Everybody's just bumping into each other, pushing each other to get to their destination."



Ingoglia said nearly all of the passengers getting off NJ Transit trains in Hoboken were flooding into the same PATH entrance, leaving a second one much less crowded. Customers should use the other entrance as well, he said.



At least one train, the 7:23 a.m. from Mount Olive to Hoboken, was overcrowded, Ingoglia said, adding that a multilevel train would replace it.

Service has been stepped up by trains, buses and ferries in anticipation of the busier commute. PATH trains were running every 5 minutes out of Hoboken rather than the usual 7-minute interval and additional NJ Transit buses were running from Hoboken to Manhattan as well.

The work is scheduled to last through early September.

Still, the real test for the "new normal" won't come until the weather, equipment problems or police activity somewhere along the train line interrupts service.

"The measure is how good are you when things are bad," Ingoglia said.

When this summer's work is completed, rail riders will benefit from increased reliability from having up-to-date equipment in and around the station, but will still fall prey to other problems such as electrical wire failures in the tunnel between New York and New Jersey, and signal and track problems in northern New Jersey east of Newark.

Those problems will have to wait for the completion of the Gateway project, which plans to build a second rail tunnel under the Hudson River, repair damage in the existing tunnel from Sandy and make substantial improvements on the New Jersey side and in Penn Station.

That is expected to take at least another decade to complete, although federal funding for the project is in question after President Trump proposed changing a federal grant program that was supposed to be used for it.
A meeting between President Donald Trump's eldest son and a Russian lawyer during the presidential campaign occurred at the behest of a Moscow-based singer with family ties to Trump's businesses, according to a participant in the talks. Donald Trump Jr. acknowledged Monday he made time for the meeting hoping to get information about Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The circumstances surrounding the meeting, and a report by The New York Timeslate Monday that Trump Jr. was told ahead of time that the source of the information was the Russian government, fueled new questions about the Trump campaign's possible ties to Moscow, which are being scrutinized by federal and congressional investigators.

The Times reported that Trump Jr., who was a key campaign adviser to his father, was told the Russian government was behind the information on Clinton in an email from music publicist Rob Goldstone. The Times cited three unnamed people with knowledge of the email.

The report is the first public word that Trump Jr. accepted the meeting with the understanding that he would be presented with damaging information about his father's political opponent and that the material could have emanated from the Kremlin.

Goldstone spoke to The Associated Press earlier Monday to confirm he had set up the meeting on behalf of his client, Emin Agalarov, but he did not disclose the contents of the email described by The Times. Goldstone did not immediately respond to attempts to contact him Monday night.

In a statement, Trump Jr.'s New York-based attorney Alan Futerfas called the Times report "much ado about nothing," though he acknowledged his client had received an email from Goldstone to set up a meeting with the purpose of passing along damaging information on Clinton. His statement did not dispute the Times report on the email.

Futerfas said Trump Jr. was not told the specifics of the information and nothing came of the meeting. "The bottom line is that Don, Jr. did nothing wrong," Futerfas said in the statement, noting that the younger Trump hasn't been contacted by any congressional panel or Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office.

The White House referred questions to the president's son. Mark Corallo, a spokesman for President Donald Trump's outside legal team, would not comment on the Times story, reiterating only that Trump "was not aware of and did not attend the meeting."

Trump Jr. weighed in on Twitter Tuesday morning, writing, "Media & Dems are extremely invested in the Russia story. If this nonsense meeting is all they have after a yr, I understand the desperation!"

Earlier Monday, Trump Jr. tried to brush off the significance of the meeting, tweeting sarcastically, "Obviously I'm the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent ... went nowhere but had to listen."

Trump Jr. also said on Twitter he was willing to work with the Senate intelligence committee, one of the panels probing possible campaign collusion, "to pass on what I know."

Lawmakers on the committee from both parties said they indeed wanted to talk with the president's son. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the panel "needs to interview him and others who attended the meeting." Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., agreed, saying, "Based on his own admissions, this is an attempt at collusion."

The sequence of events that led to the June 2016 meeting highlighted the tangled web of relationships that investigators now are sorting through.

The president's son said the meeting was arranged by an acquaintance he knew through the 2013 Miss Universe pageant Trump held in Moscow.

Trump Jr. initially didn't name the acquaintance, but in an interview with the AP, Goldstone confirmed he set up the meeting on behalf of Agalarov. Goldstone said the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, stated that she had information about purported illegal campaign contributions to the Democratic National Committee that she thought Trump Jr. might find helpful.

Goldstone said Trump Jr. agreed to squeeze the meeting into a tight schedule.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Monday the Kremlin doesn't know Veselnitskaya and "cannot keep track" of every Russian lawyer who holds meetings in Russia or abroad. Although she has not been publicly linked with the Russian government itself, Veselnitskaya represented the son of a vice president of state-owned Russian Railways in a New York money-laundering case settled in May before a trial.

A staff member at Veselnitskaya's firm told the AP on Monday that she was unavailable for comment.

During his visit to Moscow, Trump spent time with Agalarov, appearing in a music video with him and several contestants in the pageant, which Trump owned at the time. Agalarov's father, Aras, is a Russian developer who sought to partner with Trump on a hotel project in Moscow and tried to set up a meeting between Trump and Putin during the Miss Universe contest.

According to The Washington Post and several other media accounts, the elder Agalarov paid Trump $14 million to $20 million to stage the pageant in Moscow. But Aras Agalarov was unable to persuade Putin to meet with Trump. Putin canceled the session, sending a Trump a friendly letter and a lacquered box in appreciation, the Post has reported.

On Monday, Goldstone said the Trumps and the Agalarovs stayed in contact after the pageant, and Emin Agalarov asked him to reach out to the Trumps to broker the June meeting with Veselnitskaya.

Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and now White House senior adviser, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort attended the meeting. Goldstone said he and a translator also participated.

During the meeting, Goldstone said, Veselnitskaya made comments about campaign funding "that were not specific," and then turned the subject to a discontinued Russian adoption program and the Magnitsky Act , a bill passed in 2012 that allows the U.S. to impose sanctions on Russians for human rights violations.

Goldstone said that at one point during the meeting, Trump Jr. or Kushner said, "Can we get to the point?" And later, after Veselnitskaya had finished her presentation, Trump Jr. said, "Is that it?"

"The whole thing was really vague," Goldstone said. He said he and Trump Jr. were the last to leave the room, and "I turned to him and said: 'I'm really embarrassed. I don't know what that was."

Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts.

Over the weekend, Trump Jr. initially omitted any mention of Clinton from his account of the meeting, describing it as a "short introductory meeting" focused on the disbanded program that had allowed American adoptions of Russian children. Moscow ended the adoptions in response to the Magnitsky Act sanctions.

A day later, Trump Jr. acknowledged he was told beforehand that Veselnitskaya might have information "helpful" to the Trump campaign, and was told by her during the meeting that she had something about Clinton.

"No details or supporting information was provided or even offered," he said. "It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information." He said there was no follow-up after the meeting and his father was unaware it happened.

Foreign nationals are prohibited from providing "anything of value" to campaigns, and that same law also bars solicitation of such assistance. The law typically applies to monetary campaign contributions, but courts might consider information such as opposition research to be something of value.

Bradley A. Smith, a former Bill Clinton-appointed Republican Federal Election Commission member, said that based on what's known about the meeting, Trump Jr.'s actions are unlikely to be considered illegal solicitation. "It's not illegal to meet with someone to find out what they have to offer," Smith said.

But Larry Noble, a former general counsel at the Federal Election Commission, said the situation "raises all sorts of red flags."

"You do not want your campaign to be involved with foreign nationals, period," said Noble, now senior director at the Campaign Legal Center.

The New York Times first reported the lawyer's meeting with Trump Jr. and the meeting's prospect of negative information about Clinton. Trump Jr.'s acknowledgment that he hoped to get information from her on Clinton only came in response to questions from the Times.
A man is wanted by police after a sexual assault on a visually impaired person that took place in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood Saturday night.

The victim was apparently walking with her white cane in the area of Columbus Avenue, between Centre and Cedar Streets, when she was approached by a man around 8:30 p.m. The man walked her to an undisclosed location and then sexually assaulted her.

The victim spoke to police at an area hospital later Saturday night.

Police are asking the community for help in identifying the assault suspect. If anyone noticed a female in her mid-thirties being led through the area in question during the designated timeframe, please call and report it.

The Boston Police Sexual Assault Unit can be contacted directly at 617-343-4400. To report something anonymously, call CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 800-494-TIPS or text "TIP" to 27463.
Police in Manchester, New Hampshire, are still looking for one work-release inmate after a second missing one returned to his transitional housing unit.

A Department of Corrections spokesman says 55-year-old Isthmian Aaron Smith, formerly of Enfield, New Hampshire, left his job and didn't return to the Calumet Transitional Housing Unit at first on Monday. He eventually returned at 3 p.m. and was taken to state prison in Concord.

He is serving multiple sentences on theft, operating after being deemed a habitual offender, receiving stolen property, and heroin possession.

On Friday, 41-year-old Michael Maurice Chiasson Jr., formerly of Concord, walked away from Calumet after a corrections officer questioned him about unauthorized property in his possession.

He was sentenced on a felonious sexual assault charge. His maximum release date is in 2027.
Maine's first female attorney general is running to become the state's first female governor.

Janet Mills announced Monday that she would run in the 2018 gubernatorial election, affiliate WCSH reports.

Mills, a native of Farmington currently serving her second term as attorney general, has recently sparred with Maine's current governor. Paul LePage sued her over an "abuse of power," claiming she refused to represent his administration in court cases involving President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration.

"It is no secret that Attorney General Mills and I have differing political views, but that is not the issue," LePage said in May. "The problem is she has publicly denounced court cases which the Executive Branch has requested to join and subsequently refuses to provide legal representation to the State. This clear abuse of power prevents the chief executive from carrying out duties that, in his good faith judgment, are in the best interest of the people of Maine."

"Her ideology just clouds her ability to be a good lawyer," LePage added the following day.

"I'm not obliged to carry out his political wishes, or his political agenda," Mills retorted. "This is a key part of the checks and balances that the Maine Constitution envisions."

Prior to becoming attorney general, Mills served in the Maine House of Representatives.
A motorcyclist was seriously injured after a crash involving another vehicle in Manchester, New Hampshire, Sunday evening.

According to Manchester police, the crash happened around 6:40 p.m. in the area of Candia Road by the Massabesic Traffic Circle.

Initial investigation showed a 2013 Toyota Highlander operated by a 70-year-old woman pulled onto Candia Road. The motorcycle, operated by a 30-year-old Derry man, crashed into the vehicle.

The driver of the Toyota was not injured, but the motorcyclist suffered life-threatening injuries. No names have been released.

The incident remains under investigation.
Police say a search of schools in a town has concluded and no threats were located after an administrator received a threatening email.

Wareham Police said an email was sent anonymously on Monday from someone claiming to be inside a school with a gun. Wareham High School, Wareham Middle School and Minot Forest Elementary School were evacuated and searched by police out of an abundance of caution, according to police.

No injuries have been reported, and police have found no evidence of a gunman inside any of the schools.

Each facility had summer school and other educational activities going on. Students and school officials were transported to the Gleason Family YMCA, where children will be released to their parents or guardians.

The Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT team responded, with mutual support coming from the Cape Cod Law Enforcement Council SWAT team and the Massachusetts State Police STOP team. State police also sent its air wing, K9 units and troopers from the Bourne barracks.

"We understand that the large police presence may be alarming to some, but our number one priority is that the children and school officials are safe, and we do not take any chances when it comes to that," Wareham Police Chief Kevin Walsh said in a statement. "I want to thank everyone in the community for their support and patience."

Police do not believe there is any danger to the public, Walsh added.

"This morning an email was received by a school administrator that threatened the safety of students," Wareham Public Schools said in a statement. "Buildings have been placed on lockdown as the police are in the process of searching the buildings."
The nations drug czar, as he is often known, is in Vermont, as he studies states approaches to expanding access to addiction treatment.

The two-day visit from Richard Baum of the Office of National Drug Control Policy comes in the face of rising death tolls from heroin and prescription painkiller overdoses.

The epidemic hasnt peaked yet, Baum warned at a press conference Monday at the Vermont Department of Health offices in Burlington.

Baum attended a meeting of the Governors Opioid Coordination Council as he learned about ways the state is confronting addiction to heroin and other opiate drugs.

Here in Vermont, youre pioneers, he said.

Baum praised Vermont for its focus in recent years on expanding its drug addiction treatment capacity. The state opened a center in St. Albans just last month, aiming to draw down wait lists for medication-assisted treatment in the states northwest region.

Baum also visited Burlingtons Howard Center, a major treatment provider, and had discussions with members of law enforcement and the non-profit sector engaged in turning around the opioid addiction crisis.

Overdoses of heroin, fentanyl, and other prescription painkillers killed more than 33,000 Americans in 2015 alone, Baum said. Total overdose deaths involving other drugs soared to more than 52,000 that year, he said.

The numbers for 2016 will not be finalized until later this year, but Baum said he expects overdose deaths for last year to be higher than in 2015.

Baum said Vermont is now one of only three states with treatment capacity it considers sufficient to meet the substance abuse treatment needs of its residents.

Despite that progress, the administration of Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, considers the addiction fight far from over.

One complication moving forward is that Scotts administration has to contend with an uncertain funding future for drug treatment and other Medicaid programs.

Proposed budgets out of D.C. and the push to repeal the Obama-era health system could mean the state stands to lose up to $200-million in federal funds in the year 2020, according to Vermont Human Services Secretary Al Gobeille.

That would affect every Medicaid program and it would affect this, Gobeille said of efforts to continue to deliver medication-assisted treatment to Vermonters who need it.

The budget thats been proposed in Washington, either by Congress or the president, would have a devastating effect on Vermont, Gov. Scott said. We rely heavily on Medicaid funding.

Baum, who has served under three presidents prior to President Donald Trump, told reporters he continues to advocate for states that need federal support in order to confront the addiction epidemic.

As the drug czar in Washington, I am day in and day out advocating to make sure we have the resources as a country for everyone who needs treatment, and thats what Ill keep doing, Baum said.

While Baum praised Vermont for expanding access to medication-assisted treatment, experts say the majority of people who need help with their addictions just arent seeking it.

So Baum and Vermonters on the front lines of delivering services know the challenge moving forward will be to somehow reach out better to people with addictions and work to bring them into therapy in hopes of breaking heroins grip.




Norwich Cathedral  more than meets the eye Norwich Cathedral  more than meets the eye

Norwichs iconic cathedral is a very impressive medieval building, and even more than just a wonderful place to worship. Tony Rothe spoke to The Reverend Canon Andrew Bryant, Canon for Mission & Pastoral Care, at the recent Royal Norfolk Show to find out more.
It seems more vendors are looking beyond the x86 architecture for the big leaps in performance needed to power things like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Google and IBM have their processor projects, Nvidia and AMD are positioning their GPUs as an alternative, and now Japans NEC has announced a vector processor accelerates that data processing by more than a factor of 50 compared to the Apache Spark cluster-computing framework.

+ Also on Network World: NVM Express spec updated for data-intensive operations +

The company said its vector processor, called the Aurora Vector Engine, leverages sparse matrix data structures to accelerate processor performance in executing machine learning tasks. Vector-based computers are basically supercomputers built specifically to handle large scientific and engineering calculations. Cray used to build them in previous decades before shifting to x86 processors.

It fell out of favor as x86 closed the performance gap, but NEC has a series of supercomputers called SX that really up the ante. Each CPU in the new generation, SX-ACE, can crank out 256 gigaFLOPs of performance and address 1TB of memory, which is pretty powerful.

NEC said it also developed middleware incorporating sparse matrix structures to simplify machine-learning tasks. The company said the middleware can be launched from Python or Spark infrastructures without special programming and in the same format as the machine-learning library.

NECs vector processors are aimed at processing large data sets and image analysis. It should be noted that GPUs are essentially vector processors in their own right, and there is a great deal more support for Nvidia and AMD GPUs than vendor-specific processors, although NEC reportedly made many modifications to the processing routines to speed things up.

NEC said it compared a use case in which Spark was executed in a cluster of servers while its middleware ran on the companys SX-ACE vector computer. Both platforms were running 64 cores in their clusters.

NEC introduced the Aurora Vector Engine at the International Symposium on Parallel and Distributed Computing in Innsbruck, Austria.

In June, the company announced it was investing $10 million in an Indian data analytics center that will focus on growing demand in the region for Hadoop processing and storage
Revenge attack after sexual assault allegation

A NEWBURY man who terrorised the woman who wrongly accused him of sexual assault has been jailed.

Last year a jury found Liam Mason, of The Oaks, not guilty of sexually assaulting her.

But, by then, the false allegation had already cost the 31-year-old his job as a fork-lift truck driver.

And so, late one night, after drinking heavily, he stormed round to the woman's house and began banging on the window so hard she and her mother thought it would smash.

Mike Mason, prosecuting, told Reading Crown Court on Thursday, June 29, that, as he hammered on the glass, Mason repeatedly swore while screaming: Open the door  Im going to get you. Watch your step because Im going to kill you. Be careful when you go out on your own. Im going to have you  Im not kidding.

As they cowered inside, expecting the glass to shatter any second, the pair dialled 999 and Mason was arrested.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said the incident had ruined her life, that she had had to give up work because she was now terrified of men and felt suicidal.

She added: I suffer greatly with sleepless nights or nightmares involving Liam.

Im terrified of what he will do next. Hes been telling everyone he wont let it go. Ive been physically shaking and unable to breathe.

Ive lost my confidence and have to have someone with me at all times.

I constantly check the doors and windows to make sure theyre locked.

The womans mother said in a statement that, since the incident: I cant sleep at night and dont like people walking near, or behind, me.

Mr Mason reminded the court of the need to protect the integrity of the criminal justice system and added that the defendants actions were clearly premeditated.

Mason initially denied threatening to take revenge on his accuser by making verbal threats to her on April 15 last year, but changed his plea to guilty on the day the trial was due to take place.

In addition he has one previous conviction for fraud and two for breaching the consequent court orders, the judge was told.

Kellie Enever, defending, said her client had suffered greatly as a result of the sex assault charge, despite his eventual acquittal.

She said his boss had dismissed him from his forklift driving job, telling him: Weve got women that work here  you cant continue.

The trial had strained Masons relationship with his partner, said Ms Enever and he lost friends.

She added: People think: Theres no smoke without fire.

The consequences for him were far-reaching and they continue to this day.

He just didnt think of the consequences of his actions that night.

Judge Angela Morris told Mason: Accused of a sexual assault, you allowed the criminal justice system to take its course and, at the end of it, you were acquitted.

That should have been the end of it. Unfortunately, it was not.

You took it upon yourself to go to the house and bang on the door and windows and make verbal threats to kill her and warn her to be careful because you were going to get her.

Judge Morris said she had taken into consideration the fact that this was an impulsive act born out of drunken frustration.

However, she added: If anyone should have known that they cannot take the law into their own hands, it should have been you, Mr Mason.

People must understand that if they do choose to take the law into their own hands before, during or after the criminal trial process is concluded, then the rule of law and the criminal justice system would collapse.

Mason was jailed for 12 months and ordered to pay a statutory victim services surcharge of 140.
By IANS

NEW DELHI: The Reliance Aerostructure proposal for the development of the Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park with related infrastructure facilities and services at Mihan SEZ (Nagpur) has been cleared by the Board of Approval (BoA) for special economic zone (SEZ) under the Ministry of Commerce, according to an official source.

"With the BoA nod, the Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park (DAAP) at Mihan, spread over 289 acres, will become the largest greenfield aerospace park in the country. In the first phase, development will be spread over 104 acres and the second phase will cover an additional area of 185 acres," the source said.

Business at the aerospace park is expected to exceed Rs 200,000 crore over the next 30 years.

"The aerospace park will also be home to the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited joint venture, which is presently creating the state-of-the-art integrated eco structure to execute the Rs 30,000 crore offset program linked to the sale of 36 Rafale Fighter Jets."

The construction at the aerospace park is expected to start by end of the month with production starting in the first quarter of 2018, the source said.

The aerospace park with a proposed investment by Reliance of Rs 6,500 crore is expected to generate more than 10,000 skilled jobs, pomoting 'Make in Inia' and 'Skill India' initiatives of the government.

Dassault Reliance JV has already shortlisted more than 200 vendors, mostly small and medium size enterprise to be part of the supply chain at DAAP.

Apart from the Dassault Reliance offset facility, the park will also be home to proposed facilities with Thales, DAHER and Strata amongst others.

The proposed projects in the first phase include production of aircraft, electronic warfare systems, radars, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), maintenance repair and overhaul for commercial aircraft and complete eco-system of tiered suppliers to support these large projects.

Reliance will co-develop DAAP with the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) which is the nodal agency for developing the Mihan SEZ.

NEW DELHI: The Reliance Aerostructure proposal for the development of the Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park with related infrastructure facilities and services at Mihan SEZ (Nagpur) has been cleared by the Board of Approval (BoA) for special economic zone (SEZ) under the Ministry of Commerce, according to an official source. "With the BoA nod, the Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park (DAAP) at Mihan, spread over 289 acres, will become the largest greenfield aerospace park in the country. In the first phase, development will be spread over 104 acres and the second phase will cover an additional area of 185 acres," the source said. Business at the aerospace park is expected to exceed Rs 200,000 crore over the next 30 years. "The aerospace park will also be home to the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited joint venture, which is presently creating the state-of-the-art integrated eco structure to execute the Rs 30,000 crore offset program linked to the sale of 36 Rafale Fighter Jets." The construction at the aerospace park is expected to start by end of the month with production starting in the first quarter of 2018, the source said. The aerospace park with a proposed investment by Reliance of Rs 6,500 crore is expected to generate more than 10,000 skilled jobs, pomoting 'Make in Inia' and 'Skill India' initiatives of the government. Dassault Reliance JV has already shortlisted more than 200 vendors, mostly small and medium size enterprise to be part of the supply chain at DAAP. Apart from the Dassault Reliance offset facility, the park will also be home to proposed facilities with Thales, DAHER and Strata amongst others. The proposed projects in the first phase include production of aircraft, electronic warfare systems, radars, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), maintenance repair and overhaul for commercial aircraft and complete eco-system of tiered suppliers to support these large projects. Reliance will co-develop DAAP with the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) which is the nodal agency for developing the Mihan SEZ.
ENS Economic Bureau By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI / BENGALURU : The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has cleared Amazons proposal to invest $500 million for retailing food products in India, commerce ministry sources said on Monday. The proposal had been pending before the erstwhile Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), whose functions have been transferred to DIPP.

Having secured the DIPPs nod, Amazon can now open a wholly owned subsidiary in India to carry out food retailing. The company will stock food products and sell them online.

However, when Express reached out to Amazon, the company said it was still awaiting an official communication from the commerce ministry.

We are excited by the governments continued efforts to encourage FDI in India for a stronger food supply chain. We have sought an approval to invest and partner with the government in achieving this vision, Amazon stated. Three companies including Amazon, Grofers and Big Basket had sent investment proposals to the government worth $695 million for food retailing.

Currently, the government permits 100 per cent FDI in the food processing sector. Under existing norms, a foreign company can open a wholly-owned subsidiary in India to retail food products produced and or manufactured in the country by way of opening stores or online. Amazon is the first company getting permission to bring in FDI into the food retail after the government had last year allowed 100 per cent FDI through the approval route for trading in respect of food products manufactured and produced in India.

In 2016-17 (April-December), the food processing sector in the country received foreign direct investment of $663.23 million. The government decided to scrap the FIPB to cut down on the time FDI proposals used to take to get approvals. Following the move, the commerce ministry is directly approving proposals in concern with the retail sector.

NEW DELHI / BENGALURU : The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has cleared Amazons proposal to invest $500 million for retailing food products in India, commerce ministry sources said on Monday. The proposal had been pending before the erstwhile Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), whose functions have been transferred to DIPP. Having secured the DIPPs nod, Amazon can now open a wholly owned subsidiary in India to carry out food retailing. The company will stock food products and sell them online. However, when Express reached out to Amazon, the company said it was still awaiting an official communication from the commerce ministry. We are excited by the governments continued efforts to encourage FDI in India for a stronger food supply chain. We have sought an approval to invest and partner with the government in achieving this vision, Amazon stated. Three companies including Amazon, Grofers and Big Basket had sent investment proposals to the government worth $695 million for food retailing. Currently, the government permits 100 per cent FDI in the food processing sector. Under existing norms, a foreign company can open a wholly-owned subsidiary in India to retail food products produced and or manufactured in the country by way of opening stores or online. Amazon is the first company getting permission to bring in FDI into the food retail after the government had last year allowed 100 per cent FDI through the approval route for trading in respect of food products manufactured and produced in India. In 2016-17 (April-December), the food processing sector in the country received foreign direct investment of $663.23 million. The government decided to scrap the FIPB to cut down on the time FDI proposals used to take to get approvals. Following the move, the commerce ministry is directly approving proposals in concern with the retail sector.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Prajwal Revanna, son of senior JD(S) leader H D Revanna, has apologised for his Suitcase Culture in the party comment following party supremo H D Deve Gowdas efforts to douse the political fire that has erupted within the family subsequently.

Prajwal has apologised to me for his comments. He has confessed his mistake and is repenting for it. I have asked him to apologise to his uncle and JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy. Prajwal has agreed to do so once Kumaraswamy, who is in Singapore for health check-up, returns to city, Deve Gowda told reporters here on Sunday.

Expressing his eagerness to put an end to the controversy, Gowda said Prajwal has realised the damage his statement has caused to the party.

He has caused immense pain to me and Kumaraswamy. Even Prajwals father Revanna has admonished his son. Now I wish the issue sees a happy ending with this, he said.

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy, who was upset with Prajwals comments, had offered to step down. Conveying his feelings to his father Gowda, he had requested him to assign the responsibility of leading the party to Revanna and Prajwal, sources in JD(S) said.

However, Gowda shot down the suggestion and has asked Kumaraswamy to forgive Prajwal considering he is an immature boy who is yet to come to terms with political intricacies. Gowda and other party leaders expect things to settle down once Kumaraswamy returns to city and Prajwal apologises to him, sources said.

Trying to play down the entire episode, Gowda said, When there is nobody who would give a suitcase for our party, where is the question of Prajwals statement affecting the partys fortunes? I will happily accept if someone offers a suitcase.

BENGALURU: Prajwal Revanna, son of senior JD(S) leader H D Revanna, has apologised for his Suitcase Culture in the party comment following party supremo H D Deve Gowdas efforts to douse the political fire that has erupted within the family subsequently. Prajwal has apologised to me for his comments. He has confessed his mistake and is repenting for it. I have asked him to apologise to his uncle and JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy. Prajwal has agreed to do so once Kumaraswamy, who is in Singapore for health check-up, returns to city, Deve Gowda told reporters here on Sunday. Expressing his eagerness to put an end to the controversy, Gowda said Prajwal has realised the damage his statement has caused to the party. He has caused immense pain to me and Kumaraswamy. Even Prajwals father Revanna has admonished his son. Now I wish the issue sees a happy ending with this, he said. Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy, who was upset with Prajwals comments, had offered to step down. Conveying his feelings to his father Gowda, he had requested him to assign the responsibility of leading the party to Revanna and Prajwal, sources in JD(S) said. However, Gowda shot down the suggestion and has asked Kumaraswamy to forgive Prajwal considering he is an immature boy who is yet to come to terms with political intricacies. Gowda and other party leaders expect things to settle down once Kumaraswamy returns to city and Prajwal apologises to him, sources said. Trying to play down the entire episode, Gowda said, When there is nobody who would give a suitcase for our party, where is the question of Prajwals statement affecting the partys fortunes? I will happily accept if someone offers a suitcase.
ENS Economic Bureau By

Express News Service

BENGALURU : Google has completed the testing of its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment service and is awaiting Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) approval to launch its service in the country, according to National Payments Corporation of India managing director and chief executive officer A P Hota.

Speaking at an event here on Monday, he said Facebook and Whatsapp are also in discussion with it, regarding rolling out of their UPI payment services. Quite likely Google would come first, because their testing is more or less complete. We have written to RBI seeking approval just two or three days back.

He, however, did not divulge by when RBI would give its approval.

Google, Facebook and Whatsapp are very big players Technically it is feasible, but RBI would have to take a holistic look They will have to look whether there are any risks other than the technology thing, he said. Hota said the companies were in discussion with various banks regarding the partnership for the rollout after RBIs approval.

BENGALURU : Google has completed the testing of its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment service and is awaiting Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) approval to launch its service in the country, according to National Payments Corporation of India managing director and chief executive officer A P Hota. Speaking at an event here on Monday, he said Facebook and Whatsapp are also in discussion with it, regarding rolling out of their UPI payment services. Quite likely Google would come first, because their testing is more or less complete. We have written to RBI seeking approval just two or three days back. He, however, did not divulge by when RBI would give its approval. Google, Facebook and Whatsapp are very big players Technically it is feasible, but RBI would have to take a holistic look They will have to look whether there are any risks other than the technology thing, he said. Hota said the companies were in discussion with various banks regarding the partnership for the rollout after RBIs approval.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court while hearing a case over issuing arms license to an individual stated that, one does not have a fundamental right to keep a weapon and its possession nowadays is more for "showing off" as a "status symbol" than for self defence.

The plea was moved to the High Court after it was rejected by the licensing authority and the Lieutenant Governor earlier. In the observation made by Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said "We are not living in a lawless society where individuals have to acquire or hold arms to protect themselves. The object of the Arms Act is self-defence. The grant of arms license is a privilege conferred by the Act. There is no fundamental right of an individual to hold an arm (weapon).

The petitioner had sought intervention from the court stating that he deals with Rs 2 to 3 lakhs cash on a daily basis hence needs an arm for safety.

Rejecting the contention and upholding the decision of the licensing authority court said "The amount of cash mentioned by the petitioner is only about Rs 2-3 lakh a day. Merely because an individual deals with cash of Rs 2-3 lakh a day and that also of a third party does not by itself show that there is any threat to that individual," the court said. Further that it is not his personal money that he seeking protection for but the companys so they should seek a license not that individual.

"License to hold an arm is to be granted where there is a necessity for the same and not merely at the asking of an individual at his whims and fancies," the court said further and that the petitioner has not shown any circumstance that could create a perception that there is a threat to his life.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court while hearing a case over issuing arms license to an individual stated that, one does not have a fundamental right to keep a weapon and its possession nowadays is more for "showing off" as a "status symbol" than for self defence. The plea was moved to the High Court after it was rejected by the licensing authority and the Lieutenant Governor earlier. In the observation made by Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said "We are not living in a lawless society where individuals have to acquire or hold arms to protect themselves. The object of the Arms Act is self-defence. The grant of arms license is a privilege conferred by the Act. There is no fundamental right of an individual to hold an arm (weapon). The petitioner had sought intervention from the court stating that he deals with Rs 2 to 3 lakhs cash on a daily basis hence needs an arm for safety. Rejecting the contention and upholding the decision of the licensing authority court said "The amount of cash mentioned by the petitioner is only about Rs 2-3 lakh a day. Merely because an individual deals with cash of Rs 2-3 lakh a day and that also of a third party does not by itself show that there is any threat to that individual," the court said. Further that it is not his personal money that he seeking protection for but the companys so they should seek a license not that individual. "License to hold an arm is to be granted where there is a necessity for the same and not merely at the asking of an individual at his whims and fancies," the court said further and that the petitioner has not shown any circumstance that could create a perception that there is a threat to his life.
By PTI

PANAJI: Former Indian Ambassador to the US Naresh Chandra died at a private hospital near here last night due to multiple organ failure.

He was 82.

"He was admitted to the hospital on Friday evening with complaints of fever and with myalgia (muscle pain) since three days followed with multiple episodes of vomiting and loose stools from the afternoon onwards," Shekhar Salkar, chief of clinical services at Manipal Hospital, Goa told PTI.

Chandra was then shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he suffered from a cardiac arrest at 10.15 PM on Friday, he said.

"On admission, his blood pressure and oxygenation was low, Salkar said.

The doctors were able to revive Chandra from the cardiac arrest but his organs had started failing, he said.

"On July 09 at 10.05 PM, he suffered another cardiac arrest.. Despite all the efforts the patient could not be revived and he was declared dead at 10.40 PM," Salkar said.

Chandra had served as the Cabinet Secretary from 199092 and was the Indian Ambassador to the US from 1996 to 2001. He was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civil honour, in 2007.

The hospital sources said that Chandra's body has been preserved in the morgue and his family members have been informed. The body would be flown to Delhi for the final rites.

PANAJI: Former Indian Ambassador to the US Naresh Chandra died at a private hospital near here last night due to multiple organ failure. He was 82. "He was admitted to the hospital on Friday evening with complaints of fever and with myalgia (muscle pain) since three days followed with multiple episodes of vomiting and loose stools from the afternoon onwards," Shekhar Salkar, chief of clinical services at Manipal Hospital, Goa told PTI. Chandra was then shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he suffered from a cardiac arrest at 10.15 PM on Friday, he said. "On admission, his blood pressure and oxygenation was low, Salkar said. The doctors were able to revive Chandra from the cardiac arrest but his organs had started failing, he said. "On July 09 at 10.05 PM, he suffered another cardiac arrest.. Despite all the efforts the patient could not be revived and he was declared dead at 10.40 PM," Salkar said. Chandra had served as the Cabinet Secretary from 199092 and was the Indian Ambassador to the US from 1996 to 2001. He was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civil honour, in 2007. The hospital sources said that Chandra's body has been preserved in the morgue and his family members have been informed. The body would be flown to Delhi for the final rites.
Ejaz Kaiser By

Express News Service

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Sanskrit Board Chairman Swami Parmanand came out in strong support of gau-rakshaks (cow vigilantes) and said the people who killed cow slaughterers should be honoured. A video of his speech at a Hindu Sammelan (congregation) at north Chhattisgarhs Ambikapur was circulated in social media on Monday.



Swami Parmanand also objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemning the self-styled gau rakshaks recently in Ahmedabad. On June 30 PM Modi had said that the killings in the name of cow protection is "unacceptable and Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) would not have approved of it".



"Modi ji is a protector of the Hindu religion but on what condition can he claim that gau-rakshaks are criminals. All cow protectors are not goons or anti-social", he retorted.



In the video he is heard saying, "Veda mein likha hai ki gau hatyare ko sheeshay ki goli se maaro. Kshama mat Karo. Aur jisne us gau hatyare ko mara, uska swagat karo Chhattisgarh mein bula ke (It is written in the Vedas that those who kill cows should be killed. Don't forgive (spare the cow killers). Those who killed the cow killer should be honoured).



Swami Parmanand, in conversation with the New Indian Express admitted to saying to honour those who killed the cow killers and he justified such killings, What I had said is in our Vedas which clearly say gau hatyare ko sheeshay ki goli se maro. The act is unpardonable".



To a query on whether anyone has a right to take the law into their hands, Swami Parmanand said that the government should make laws to hang those who kill cows. "If the government doesn't act then the samaj (society) can take the

correct way to punish those who kill the cows", he told the New Indian Express.



Opposition Congress expressed shock over his remark. Such people should best be ignored as creating an issue out of it offers them high importance and consequently disturbs social harmony. But I would like to know from him in

which Veda its written that gau hatyare ko sheeshay ki goli se maro, said opposition leader T S Singhdeo, who hails from Ambikapur.

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Sanskrit Board Chairman Swami Parmanand came out in strong support of gau-rakshaks (cow vigilantes) and said the people who killed cow slaughterers should be honoured. A video of his speech at a Hindu Sammelan (congregation) at north Chhattisgarhs Ambikapur was circulated in social media on Monday. Swami Parmanand also objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemning the self-styled gau rakshaks recently in Ahmedabad. On June 30 PM Modi had said that the killings in the name of cow protection is "unacceptable and Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) would not have approved of it". "Modi ji is a protector of the Hindu religion but on what condition can he claim that gau-rakshaks are criminals. All cow protectors are not goons or anti-social", he retorted. In the video he is heard saying, "Veda mein likha hai ki gau hatyare ko sheeshay ki goli se maaro. Kshama mat Karo. Aur jisne us gau hatyare ko mara, uska swagat karo Chhattisgarh mein bula ke (It is written in the Vedas that those who kill cows should be killed. Don't forgive (spare the cow killers). Those who killed the cow killer should be honoured). Swami Parmanand, in conversation with the New Indian Express admitted to saying to honour those who killed the cow killers and he justified such killings, What I had said is in our Vedas which clearly say gau hatyare ko sheeshay ki goli se maro. The act is unpardonable". To a query on whether anyone has a right to take the law into their hands, Swami Parmanand said that the government should make laws to hang those who kill cows. "If the government doesn't act then the samaj (society) can take the correct way to punish those who kill the cows", he told the New Indian Express. Opposition Congress expressed shock over his remark. Such people should best be ignored as creating an issue out of it offers them high importance and consequently disturbs social harmony. But I would like to know from him in which Veda its written that gau hatyare ko sheeshay ki goli se maro, said opposition leader T S Singhdeo, who hails from Ambikapur.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: In a first such instance, police in Jammu and Kashmir have arrested a Hindu resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh for links to militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba and accused him of being involved in many militant attacks, snatching of weapons and bank robberies in the Valley.

A Lashkar module in south Kashmir was busted by police by arresting two militants, Inspector General of Police-Kashmir, Munir Khan, told reporters, here.

The arrested militants were identified as Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil of Muzaffarnagar, UP and Muneeb Shah of south Kashmirs Kulgam district.

The IGP revealed that Sandeep was a close aide of LeT top commander Bashir Lashkari, who was killed in an encounter with security forces at Brinty Dialgam area of south Kashmirs Anantnag district on July 1.

The arrest of Sandeep Sharma, who was used frequently by the Lashkar e-Taiba, points to the blurring lines between criminality and terrorism, IGP Munir Khan said.

He said Sandeep was among the people rescued from the house, where the militants were holed-up.

"We were surprised to see a non-local in the same house where Lashkari was taking shelter," said IGP Munir Khan.

His presence in the house, where top LeT commander was hiding raised suspicion on his activities. During questioning, he confessed his association with LeT and his involvement in bank robberies in the Valley, the IGP said.

He said on Sandeeps disclosure, an LeT militant Muneeb Shah of Kulgam was arrested.

The IGP said some of Sandeeps associates (valley based) came from Patiala in Punjab to Kashmir to carry out criminal activities. The group stayed at Wanpoh in south Kashmir and got involved in different kinds of robberies including ATM looting. In these crimes, they worked in conjunction with the Lashkar.

The IGP said the involvement of non-locals in militancy was a new scenario, which they may have to deal with in the coming days.

We will investigate all non-local labourers in the Valley. We will have to go for in-depth verification of all non local labourers in the Valley, he added.

Thousands of non-locals, mostly from UP and Bihar, every year visit Kashmir to work as labourers.

Giving further details, the IGP said Sandeep had come to Kashmir in 2012 and worked as a welder here in the summers. In winters, he would go outside the valley, especially to Patiala. In Patiala, he came in contact with one Shahid Ahmad of Kulgam and conspired to commit criminal activities.

Sandeep told his interrogators that he got involved with the Lashkar in January this year after getting in touch with a militant associated with the outfit, Shakoor Ahmad. They conducted some bank robberies.

According to Khan, Sandeep and some of his associates were arrested by police at PP Mir Bazar, Anantnag in a robbery case in March this year and remained in judicial custody until he was bailed out.

Over a dozen bank robberies have taken place in Valley after demonetisation in November last year. Majority of the robberies took place in south Kashmir and police blamed militants for the crimes, saying the militant groups were facing shortage of money due to scrapping of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

Shedding light on the militant links of Sandeep, the IGP said he and other persons were providing shelter, ferrying militants for carrying out militant strikes and actively participating in militant activities.

He has confessed that on directions from LeT top commanders, he and his associates received Lashkar militants and dropped them at different sites for militant attacks in South Kashmir, he said adding, Sandeep also confessed that he had concealed weapons looted from the police and shifted them to different locations on the directions of the LeT.

The IGP disclosed that Sandeeps involvement had been established in three incidents in June: an attack on the army convoy at Lower Munda, Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national highway in south Kashmir on June 3 in which two soldiers were killed and four others injured; a incident on June 13 in which weapons were snatched from police guards deployed at the residence of a retired judge at Anchidora area in Anantnag district; and in the June 16 attack on a police party in Achabal in Anantnag in which six policemen, including an SHO were killed, and their weapons snatched.

Besides, Sandeep and his associates were involved in looting of at least five banks and ATMs in south Kashmir, Khan said.

The IGP said the involvement of non-locals in militancy was a new scenario, which they may have to deal with in the coming days.

We will investigate all non-local labourers in the Valley. We will have to go for in-depth verification of all non local labourers in the Valley, he added.

Thousands of non-locals, mostly from UP and Bihar, every year visit Kashmir to work as labourers.

SRINAGAR: In a first such instance, police in Jammu and Kashmir have arrested a Hindu resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh for links to militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba and accused him of being involved in many militant attacks, snatching of weapons and bank robberies in the Valley. A Lashkar module in south Kashmir was busted by police by arresting two militants, Inspector General of Police-Kashmir, Munir Khan, told reporters, here. The arrested militants were identified as Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil of Muzaffarnagar, UP and Muneeb Shah of south Kashmirs Kulgam district. The IGP revealed that Sandeep was a close aide of LeT top commander Bashir Lashkari, who was killed in an encounter with security forces at Brinty Dialgam area of south Kashmirs Anantnag district on July 1. The arrest of Sandeep Sharma, who was used frequently by the Lashkar e-Taiba, points to the blurring lines between criminality and terrorism, IGP Munir Khan said. He said Sandeep was among the people rescued from the house, where the militants were holed-up. "We were surprised to see a non-local in the same house where Lashkari was taking shelter," said IGP Munir Khan. His presence in the house, where top LeT commander was hiding raised suspicion on his activities. During questioning, he confessed his association with LeT and his involvement in bank robberies in the Valley, the IGP said. He said on Sandeeps disclosure, an LeT militant Muneeb Shah of Kulgam was arrested. The IGP said some of Sandeeps associates (valley based) came from Patiala in Punjab to Kashmir to carry out criminal activities. The group stayed at Wanpoh in south Kashmir and got involved in different kinds of robberies including ATM looting. In these crimes, they worked in conjunction with the Lashkar. The IGP said the involvement of non-locals in militancy was a new scenario, which they may have to deal with in the coming days. We will investigate all non-local labourers in the Valley. We will have to go for in-depth verification of all non local labourers in the Valley, he added. Thousands of non-locals, mostly from UP and Bihar, every year visit Kashmir to work as labourers. Giving further details, the IGP said Sandeep had come to Kashmir in 2012 and worked as a welder here in the summers. In winters, he would go outside the valley, especially to Patiala. In Patiala, he came in contact with one Shahid Ahmad of Kulgam and conspired to commit criminal activities. Sandeep told his interrogators that he got involved with the Lashkar in January this year after getting in touch with a militant associated with the outfit, Shakoor Ahmad. They conducted some bank robberies. According to Khan, Sandeep and some of his associates were arrested by police at PP Mir Bazar, Anantnag in a robbery case in March this year and remained in judicial custody until he was bailed out. Over a dozen bank robberies have taken place in Valley after demonetisation in November last year. Majority of the robberies took place in south Kashmir and police blamed militants for the crimes, saying the militant groups were facing shortage of money due to scrapping of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Shedding light on the militant links of Sandeep, the IGP said he and other persons were providing shelter, ferrying militants for carrying out militant strikes and actively participating in militant activities. He has confessed that on directions from LeT top commanders, he and his associates received Lashkar militants and dropped them at different sites for militant attacks in South Kashmir, he said adding, Sandeep also confessed that he had concealed weapons looted from the police and shifted them to different locations on the directions of the LeT. The IGP disclosed that Sandeeps involvement had been established in three incidents in June: an attack on the army convoy at Lower Munda, Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national highway in south Kashmir on June 3 in which two soldiers were killed and four others injured; a incident on June 13 in which weapons were snatched from police guards deployed at the residence of a retired judge at Anchidora area in Anantnag district; and in the June 16 attack on a police party in Achabal in Anantnag in which six policemen, including an SHO were killed, and their weapons snatched. Besides, Sandeep and his associates were involved in looting of at least five banks and ATMs in south Kashmir, Khan said. The IGP said the involvement of non-locals in militancy was a new scenario, which they may have to deal with in the coming days. We will investigate all non-local labourers in the Valley. We will have to go for in-depth verification of all non local labourers in the Valley, he added. Thousands of non-locals, mostly from UP and Bihar, every year visit Kashmir to work as labourers.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Monday directed the PDP-BJP coalition government in the state to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to Farooq Ahmad Dar, who was used as a human shield by army during central Kashmirs Budgam district on April 9 this year.

I have no doubt in my mind that Farooq was subjected to torture and humiliation besides being wrongly confined. It was medically also established that he didnt suffer only humiliation publicly but also suffered trauma, which resulted in psychiatric stress which may remain with him for rest of his life, SHRC chairman Justice (Retd) Bilal Nazki said in a judgement today.

He directed the PDP-BJP coalition government to pay Rs 10 lakhs as compensation to the victim.

Farooq, an embroidery artistan and resident of village Chill in Budgam, was tied to a bonnet of an army vehicle by Army Major Leetul Gogoi during bypolls to Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary seat on April 9 and paraded in over a dozen villages to prevent stone pelting.

The army vehicle had also made announcement that the stone pelters will meet the same fate.

The incident had triggered outrage in the Valley while the Army Chief General Rawat, union ministers and BJP leaders backed Major Gogoi for using Farooq as a human shield against stone pelters.

The SHRC chiefs judgement says the police report has accepted that Farooq was tied to a bonnet of army vehicle and used as a human shield by army.

There cannot be any debate as to whether the treatment meted to Farooq was violation of human rights of not but there are law in this country and international laws, which prohibit such a treatment even to a convict, read the judgement.

It said such a treatment meted to a human being cannot be accepted by a civilized society.

This Commission, however, is handcuffed to go into the conduct of army, who are allegedly responsible for the incident, according Farooq and the State police. Because of the limited applicability of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 to the State of J&K, the judgement reads.

The SHRC chief asked the State chief secretary to file a compliance report before the commission within six weeks.

The judgement is recommendatory in nature and would need the approval of the state government for implementation.

The commission was hearing an application moved by human rights activist Ahsan Untoo. Untoo is also chairman, International Forum for Justice and Protection of Human Rights.

Invoking section 1 of Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the SHRC chief chose not issue any notice to the Central government or the Armed forces.

But, the fact remains that the protection of life and liberty of the people is basic responsibility of state government even if it seeks assistance of central forces to deal with law and order situation. The responsibility of state to protect its citizens and their rights cant be diluted or abdicated, read the SHRC judgement.

It observed that as far as law on protection of human dignity is concerned, the law of this country as a general principle doesnt permit even chaining and handcuffing of any person including convicts.

The judgement questioned how one can approve making an innocent person a human shield, and parading him in chains tied to a jeep for hours.

In view of police report, Farooq has been subjected to human rights violation and therefore the J&K government cant escape from the responsibility of having failed to protect the human rights of a citizen, it said.

The SHRC judgement, however, said since the commission was not able to go into question as to whether Indian army was responsible for this act of gross human rights violations or not, the observations made in the judgement should not be taken as an expression of any opinion regarding alleged involvement of officers of Indian army.

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Monday directed the PDP-BJP coalition government in the state to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to Farooq Ahmad Dar, who was used as a human shield by army during central Kashmirs Budgam district on April 9 this year. I have no doubt in my mind that Farooq was subjected to torture and humiliation besides being wrongly confined. It was medically also established that he didnt suffer only humiliation publicly but also suffered trauma, which resulted in psychiatric stress which may remain with him for rest of his life, SHRC chairman Justice (Retd) Bilal Nazki said in a judgement today. He directed the PDP-BJP coalition government to pay Rs 10 lakhs as compensation to the victim. Farooq, an embroidery artistan and resident of village Chill in Budgam, was tied to a bonnet of an army vehicle by Army Major Leetul Gogoi during bypolls to Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary seat on April 9 and paraded in over a dozen villages to prevent stone pelting. The army vehicle had also made announcement that the stone pelters will meet the same fate. The incident had triggered outrage in the Valley while the Army Chief General Rawat, union ministers and BJP leaders backed Major Gogoi for using Farooq as a human shield against stone pelters. The SHRC chiefs judgement says the police report has accepted that Farooq was tied to a bonnet of army vehicle and used as a human shield by army. There cannot be any debate as to whether the treatment meted to Farooq was violation of human rights of not but there are law in this country and international laws, which prohibit such a treatment even to a convict, read the judgement. It said such a treatment meted to a human being cannot be accepted by a civilized society. This Commission, however, is handcuffed to go into the conduct of army, who are allegedly responsible for the incident, according Farooq and the State police. Because of the limited applicability of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 to the State of J&K, the judgement reads. The SHRC chief asked the State chief secretary to file a compliance report before the commission within six weeks. The judgement is recommendatory in nature and would need the approval of the state government for implementation. The commission was hearing an application moved by human rights activist Ahsan Untoo. Untoo is also chairman, International Forum for Justice and Protection of Human Rights. Invoking section 1 of Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the SHRC chief chose not issue any notice to the Central government or the Armed forces. But, the fact remains that the protection of life and liberty of the people is basic responsibility of state government even if it seeks assistance of central forces to deal with law and order situation. The responsibility of state to protect its citizens and their rights cant be diluted or abdicated, read the SHRC judgement. It observed that as far as law on protection of human dignity is concerned, the law of this country as a general principle doesnt permit even chaining and handcuffing of any person including convicts. The judgement questioned how one can approve making an innocent person a human shield, and parading him in chains tied to a jeep for hours. In view of police report, Farooq has been subjected to human rights violation and therefore the J&K government cant escape from the responsibility of having failed to protect the human rights of a citizen, it said. The SHRC judgement, however, said since the commission was not able to go into question as to whether Indian army was responsible for this act of gross human rights violations or not, the observations made in the judgement should not be taken as an expression of any opinion regarding alleged involvement of officers of Indian army.
Aishik Chanda By

Express News Service

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre of opening up international borders to allow infiltration of outsiders into the state to foment trouble.



She has earlier blamed outsiders for inciting trouble in Darjeeling and Basirhat. While Darjeeling borders Nepal, Basirhat shares a border with Bangladesh.



First, they open the borders to allow outsiders to infiltrate the state to foment trouble, then they ask us to submit reports, she said. Both the Central and state governments are elected bodies. Then, why is the Centre conspiring against the state? I want an answer to this, she added.



Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Trinamool Congress supremo said The leader of a country should think of developing it and not burning it. While banks are yet to recover from the hit of demonetisation, the burden of GST has been imposed on the people. Even small children need Aadhaar cards to get mid-day meals. Terrorism in the name of cow protection is going on unabated. I urge my fellow countrymen to save India, Mamata Banerjee said.



The Trinamool Congress supremo also accused the Centre of non-cooperation. Despite court orders, we were not provided requisite CRPF forces and now the Centre is asking us to remove paramilitary forces from Jangalmahal which is vulnerable to Maoists from across the state borders, Mamata Banerjee added.



Speaking on the Gorkhaland statehood agitation and Basirhat riots, she said I have always maintained that division of the state wont be accepted. But, some forces are constantly conspiring to create problems. Every religion and community has to come together to fight against these divisive forces.



After the circulation of a Bhojpuri films scene as an image of the Basirhat riots, Mamata Banerjee hit out at the misuse of social media for perpetuating riots in the state. Meanwhile, after convening a meeting on communal riots in Basirhat subdivision on Monday, Trinamool Congress leaders decided to take to the streets against the RSS starting Wednesday.



On the other hand, unidentified people burnt down a forest office at Risheehaat near Darjeeling. There have been talks of relaxing the strike for a week only for banks to replenish the ATMs and banks with money a day before the fourth all-party meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre of opening up international borders to allow infiltration of outsiders into the state to foment trouble. She has earlier blamed outsiders for inciting trouble in Darjeeling and Basirhat. While Darjeeling borders Nepal, Basirhat shares a border with Bangladesh. First, they open the borders to allow outsiders to infiltrate the state to foment trouble, then they ask us to submit reports, she said. Both the Central and state governments are elected bodies. Then, why is the Centre conspiring against the state? I want an answer to this, she added. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Trinamool Congress supremo said The leader of a country should think of developing it and not burning it. While banks are yet to recover from the hit of demonetisation, the burden of GST has been imposed on the people. Even small children need Aadhaar cards to get mid-day meals. Terrorism in the name of cow protection is going on unabated. I urge my fellow countrymen to save India, Mamata Banerjee said. The Trinamool Congress supremo also accused the Centre of non-cooperation. Despite court orders, we were not provided requisite CRPF forces and now the Centre is asking us to remove paramilitary forces from Jangalmahal which is vulnerable to Maoists from across the state borders, Mamata Banerjee added. Speaking on the Gorkhaland statehood agitation and Basirhat riots, she said I have always maintained that division of the state wont be accepted. But, some forces are constantly conspiring to create problems. Every religion and community has to come together to fight against these divisive forces. After the circulation of a Bhojpuri films scene as an image of the Basirhat riots, Mamata Banerjee hit out at the misuse of social media for perpetuating riots in the state. Meanwhile, after convening a meeting on communal riots in Basirhat subdivision on Monday, Trinamool Congress leaders decided to take to the streets against the RSS starting Wednesday. On the other hand, unidentified people burnt down a forest office at Risheehaat near Darjeeling. There have been talks of relaxing the strike for a week only for banks to replenish the ATMs and banks with money a day before the fourth all-party meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
By PTI

HYDERABAD: The city-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has developed a mobile app which can help fishermen as well as the Navy or the Coast Guard in the search of people or boats missing at sea.

The app works out `Most Probable Search Area' once it is fed the information about the point where the missing person or boat was `last seen', so the rescuers can reach there in the shortest possible time.

Not only people and boats, but the app can help in the search of 64 types of objects missing at sea. Chairman of National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board and Director General of Indian Coast Guard Rajendra Singh launched the app `SARAT' at the NMSAR Board meeting in Delhi today, INCOIS said in a release here.

INCOIS is an autonomous agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Conducting search and rescue operations at sea, which are usually needed during bad weather, is an extremely challenging task which can be compared to the proverbial `search for a needle in a haystack', INCOIS said.

The SARAT system -- its web version was out last year -- mainly enables the Coast Guard, the Navy and coastal police to minimise the time needed for search.

The app is accessible in the languages of all coastal states, so a fisherman in any part of the country can use it. "Users can select a specific point where the person or object was last seen using the app's interactive map or they can select a nearby coastal location, approximate distance travelled and bearing angle, so that the `last seen' point is calculated. "The Most Probable Search Area is then generated and relayed in map form as well as a text message," INCOIS release said.

The rescuers can feed their own GPS location to the app, and it will map out the closest route to the Search Area. The app is expected to be compatible with over 90 per cent of Android handsets in use.

"The accuracy of SARAT is validated using networks of drifting buoys and other instruments.

The SARAT system proved its mettle earlier by successfully assisting with recovery of the Indian Coast Guard's missing Dornier aircraft off Chennai in 2015," INCOIS said. "The system can predict the most probable search area for up to five days," the release said.

HYDERABAD: The city-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has developed a mobile app which can help fishermen as well as the Navy or the Coast Guard in the search of people or boats missing at sea. The app works out `Most Probable Search Area' once it is fed the information about the point where the missing person or boat was `last seen', so the rescuers can reach there in the shortest possible time. Not only people and boats, but the app can help in the search of 64 types of objects missing at sea. Chairman of National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board and Director General of Indian Coast Guard Rajendra Singh launched the app `SARAT' at the NMSAR Board meeting in Delhi today, INCOIS said in a release here. INCOIS is an autonomous agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Conducting search and rescue operations at sea, which are usually needed during bad weather, is an extremely challenging task which can be compared to the proverbial `search for a needle in a haystack', INCOIS said. The SARAT system -- its web version was out last year -- mainly enables the Coast Guard, the Navy and coastal police to minimise the time needed for search. The app is accessible in the languages of all coastal states, so a fisherman in any part of the country can use it. "Users can select a specific point where the person or object was last seen using the app's interactive map or they can select a nearby coastal location, approximate distance travelled and bearing angle, so that the `last seen' point is calculated. "The Most Probable Search Area is then generated and relayed in map form as well as a text message," INCOIS release said. The rescuers can feed their own GPS location to the app, and it will map out the closest route to the Search Area. The app is expected to be compatible with over 90 per cent of Android handsets in use. "The accuracy of SARAT is validated using networks of drifting buoys and other instruments. The SARAT system proved its mettle earlier by successfully assisting with recovery of the Indian Coast Guard's missing Dornier aircraft off Chennai in 2015," INCOIS said. "The system can predict the most probable search area for up to five days," the release said.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: NEW DELHI: As the stand-off continues at Sikkim with China over a disputed territory in Bhutan, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi held secret meetings with the ambassadors of the two neighboring countries.

And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India pic.twitter.com/THG4sULJJC  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

However, later on, Rahul defended his meeting by saying it is his job to be informed on critical issues. The Congress scion is believed to have met the ambassadors of China and Bhutan.

Later in the day, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE and the Bhutanese Ambassador.

It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

If Govt is so concerned abt me meeting an Amb,they shld explain why 3Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on pic.twitter.com/4FCuu9SiAe  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Controversy erupted early in the day when the Chinese embassys website referred to Rahul Gandhi conferring with the Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Saturday (July 8) and highlighting that they discussed current Sino-India relations.

But, soon after it, the Chinese embassy deleted its post.

Rahul Gandhi further tweeted that, If government is so concerned about me meeting an Ambassador, they should explain why three ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on.

Rahul also put out a picture of Modi on the swing with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the latters visit to Gujarat in 2014, and said, For the record, I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India.

Downplaying the meetings, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala called them a courtesy call and said envoys of neighboring countries met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the vice-president from time to time.

The Congress leader also met envoys of G5 - a group that consists of China, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, apart from India. he said.

The Congress did a flip- flop earlier in the day when they denied the meeting completely by tweeting that the news about Gandhi meeting the Chinese envoy was planted by government agencies through bhakt channels.

Surjewala said the party vice president and other opposition leaders were fully aware of national interests and were concerned about the grave situation on the India-China border as well as the situation arising in Bhutan and Sikkim.

NEW DELHI: NEW DELHI: As the stand-off continues at Sikkim with China over a disputed territory in Bhutan, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi held secret meetings with the ambassadors of the two neighboring countries. And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India pic.twitter.com/THG4sULJJC  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017 However, later on, Rahul defended his meeting by saying it is his job to be informed on critical issues. The Congress scion is believed to have met the ambassadors of China and Bhutan. Later in the day, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE and the Bhutanese Ambassador. It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017 If Govt is so concerned abt me meeting an Amb,they shld explain why 3Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on pic.twitter.com/4FCuu9SiAe  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017 Controversy erupted early in the day when the Chinese embassys website referred to Rahul Gandhi conferring with the Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Saturday (July 8) and highlighting that they discussed current Sino-India relations. But, soon after it, the Chinese embassy deleted its post. Rahul Gandhi further tweeted that, If government is so concerned about me meeting an Ambassador, they should explain why three ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on. Rahul also put out a picture of Modi on the swing with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the latters visit to Gujarat in 2014, and said, For the record, I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India. Downplaying the meetings, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala called them a courtesy call and said envoys of neighboring countries met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the vice-president from time to time. The Congress leader also met envoys of G5 - a group that consists of China, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, apart from India. he said. The Congress did a flip- flop earlier in the day when they denied the meeting completely by tweeting that the news about Gandhi meeting the Chinese envoy was planted by government agencies through bhakt channels. Surjewala said the party vice president and other opposition leaders were fully aware of national interests and were concerned about the grave situation on the India-China border as well as the situation arising in Bhutan and Sikkim.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Afraid that his father would lose his chair, Nagaland chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsus son, Khriehu Liezietsu, has refused to take a cabinet rank post which the CM had bestowed on him.

He wrote to the CM on Monday: I am writing this letter with reference to the government notification, dated June 27, 2017, appointing me as advisor to the chief minister. While appreciating you for appointing me as advisor, I convey my regret to you that I will not be able to accept the assignment given to me due to my other pressing public engagements.

His refusal, which came after 13 days since the appointment, is being perceived to be a move to quell the anger of dissident Naga Peoples Front (NPF) MLAs and to save his fathers chair. A large section of the NPF rebels was not happy that Khriehu was virtually made a minister.

While serving as a parliamentary secretary, Khriehu had resigned from the Assembly in May so that his father, who is the NPF chief but not an elected member of Assembly, could contest the July 29 by-elections from his (Khriehus) seat. Victory will ensure his continuance in the hot seat.

About a month later in June, the father returned the favours to the son by appointing him as his advisor but with pay, perks and facilities that of a cabinet minister and also with a portfolio. The decision riled a section of NPF MLAs while it drew criticism from the opposition Congress. They viewed it as an act of nepotism.

He is the chief minister as well as party president. His son has been appointed his advisor with the status of a cabinet minister. But they are not elected members. The MLAs are not happy over such monopoly nor do they feel secure under his leadership. As such, majority of them are for the change of guard, former CM TR Zeliang, who staked claim to form the government after being backed by 34 of the 47 NPF MLAs, had told New Indian Express on Sunday.

He said as the CM was functioning in an undemocratic manner, both in the government and the party, the NPF MLAs did not feel secure going to next years Nagaland elections under his leadership.

The Congress had also slammed the CM over Khriehus appointment.

This is a shameless act. It hasnt happened with any other political leader. It is only last month that he (Khriehu) resigned on health grounds. How does he suddenly become fit to be re-employed? This is nothing but nepotism Nagaland Congress chief K Therie had told New Indian Express following Khriehus appointment.

Meanwhile, over 30 rebel NPF MLAs were still camping at a resort in Assams Kaziranga. Zeliang was in Delhi and scheduled to hold a meeting with governor PB Acharya there on Monday.

GUWAHATI: Afraid that his father would lose his chair, Nagaland chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsus son, Khriehu Liezietsu, has refused to take a cabinet rank post which the CM had bestowed on him. He wrote to the CM on Monday: I am writing this letter with reference to the government notification, dated June 27, 2017, appointing me as advisor to the chief minister. While appreciating you for appointing me as advisor, I convey my regret to you that I will not be able to accept the assignment given to me due to my other pressing public engagements. His refusal, which came after 13 days since the appointment, is being perceived to be a move to quell the anger of dissident Naga Peoples Front (NPF) MLAs and to save his fathers chair. A large section of the NPF rebels was not happy that Khriehu was virtually made a minister. While serving as a parliamentary secretary, Khriehu had resigned from the Assembly in May so that his father, who is the NPF chief but not an elected member of Assembly, could contest the July 29 by-elections from his (Khriehus) seat. Victory will ensure his continuance in the hot seat. About a month later in June, the father returned the favours to the son by appointing him as his advisor but with pay, perks and facilities that of a cabinet minister and also with a portfolio. The decision riled a section of NPF MLAs while it drew criticism from the opposition Congress. They viewed it as an act of nepotism. He is the chief minister as well as party president. His son has been appointed his advisor with the status of a cabinet minister. But they are not elected members. The MLAs are not happy over such monopoly nor do they feel secure under his leadership. As such, majority of them are for the change of guard, former CM TR Zeliang, who staked claim to form the government after being backed by 34 of the 47 NPF MLAs, had told New Indian Express on Sunday. He said as the CM was functioning in an undemocratic manner, both in the government and the party, the NPF MLAs did not feel secure going to next years Nagaland elections under his leadership. The Congress had also slammed the CM over Khriehus appointment. This is a shameless act. It hasnt happened with any other political leader. It is only last month that he (Khriehu) resigned on health grounds. How does he suddenly become fit to be re-employed? This is nothing but nepotism Nagaland Congress chief K Therie had told New Indian Express following Khriehus appointment. Meanwhile, over 30 rebel NPF MLAs were still camping at a resort in Assams Kaziranga. Zeliang was in Delhi and scheduled to hold a meeting with governor PB Acharya there on Monday.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Hitting out strong on Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday used strong words against Pakistan's foreign affairs head Sartaj Aziz for not having "the courtesy even to acknowledge" her letter to him urging he grant a visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother.

We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national Mrs.Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan /5  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

In a series of tweets early morning, Sushma Swaraj that she had written a "personal letter" to Aziz on the request of Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. Swaraj said just like the letters Aziz must write for the medical visas, she, too wrote a "personal letter" to him for the grant of Avantika Jadhav's visa.

She said a visa application was pending for Indian national Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan.

However, Mr.Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter. /8  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

However, Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she said. She also said that She wrote a personal letter to Mr.Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan.

But I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Mr.Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately. /9  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India.

I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country.

But I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Mr.Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately..

Sushmas tween were came in response to reports that a Pakistani cancer patient had been denied a medical visa for her treatment in India and that her family had made an appeal to both countries.

NEW DELHI: Hitting out strong on Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday used strong words against Pakistan's foreign affairs head Sartaj Aziz for not having "the courtesy even to acknowledge" her letter to him urging he grant a visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother. We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national Mrs.Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan /5  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017 In a series of tweets early morning, Sushma Swaraj that she had written a "personal letter" to Aziz on the request of Avantika Jadhav to meet her son. Swaraj said just like the letters Aziz must write for the medical visas, she, too wrote a "personal letter" to him for the grant of Avantika Jadhav's visa. She said a visa application was pending for Indian national Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan. However, Mr.Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter. /8  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017 However, Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she said. She also said that She wrote a personal letter to Mr.Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. But I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Mr.Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately. /9  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017 I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country. But I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Mr.Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately.. Sushmas tween were came in response to reports that a Pakistani cancer patient had been denied a medical visa for her treatment in India and that her family had made an appeal to both countries.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Three militants were killed today as the Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector of north Kashmir.

"Suspicious movement was noticed along the LoC in Naugam sector last night and the terrorists were tracked till dawn, when they were challenged by own troops," an Army official said.

He said in the ensuing gunfight, three militants have been killed so far as the operation was still in progress.

The official said combing operations were being carried out in the forest area to ensure no militant from the group has managed to sneak in.

NEW DELHI: Three militants were killed today as the Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector of north Kashmir. "Suspicious movement was noticed along the LoC in Naugam sector last night and the terrorists were tracked till dawn, when they were challenged by own troops," an Army official said. He said in the ensuing gunfight, three militants have been killed so far as the operation was still in progress. The official said combing operations were being carried out in the forest area to ensure no militant from the group has managed to sneak in.
YATISH YADAV By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Indian Army is ready for the long haul in holding onto its position in the Doklam area near the Bhutan tri-junction, notwithstanding China ratcheting up rhetoric.

Indian soldiers deployed in the area have pitched in tents, in an indication they are unlikely to retreat unless there was reciprocity from China in ending the face-off. A steady line of supplies is being maintained for soldiers, officials said, signalling that the Indian Army is not going to wilt under pressure.

However, analysts feel Chinese President Xi Jinping will keep the issue alive till he decimates adversaries within his party before its 19th National Congress, likely to be held in early November.

An elite communist, Xi has successfully silenced many commoners within the party, but still fears substantial threats from Shanghai and Beijing factions led by Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, repsectively.

Analysts say Xi is trying to solidify his position by neutralising the influence of his former mentor Hus faction in the politburo, and the recent flare-up at tri-junction provides him with the much-needed opportunity to silence them.

The discomfort within Xis party and among commoners shows that Chinese aggression is not accidental. They are increasingly facing threats on a number of fronts. Global ratings by investment agencies have not been kind to the economic superpower in the recent past.

Their banks are sitting on piles of debt, threatening a financial crisis. Adding to woes, India has refused to play ball in soft power diplomacy, and even skipped the Belt and Road project. More importantly, Beijings open support to rogue nations like North Korea and Pakistan has also been coming under increased global criticism.

China had transgressed into Doklam plateau in the past by occupying Jampheri Ridge. Now, they are trying to move further by building a road in the ridgeline, which India and Bhutan have refused to acknowledge as Chinese territory.

A senior official described Chumbi Valley as a dagger thrust into India, with the tip at the tri-junction, thus posing a threat to the Siliguri Corridor, not essentially by capturing or blocking it, but by interfering with free movement by bringing it within the range of long-range artillery guns.

Meanwhile, Beijings media mouthpiece floated a dangerous possibility of Chinese interference in Kashmir.

India has exposed itself to Chinas interference in Jammu & Kashmir by sending Indian troops to disrupt Chinese soldiers from building a road in the Donglang. If Pakistan requests, a third country can dispatch soldiers to the Valley, said the article in Global Times.

(With agency inputs)

NEW DELHI: The Indian Army is ready for the long haul in holding onto its position in the Doklam area near the Bhutan tri-junction, notwithstanding China ratcheting up rhetoric. Indian soldiers deployed in the area have pitched in tents, in an indication they are unlikely to retreat unless there was reciprocity from China in ending the face-off. A steady line of supplies is being maintained for soldiers, officials said, signalling that the Indian Army is not going to wilt under pressure. However, analysts feel Chinese President Xi Jinping will keep the issue alive till he decimates adversaries within his party before its 19th National Congress, likely to be held in early November. An elite communist, Xi has successfully silenced many commoners within the party, but still fears substantial threats from Shanghai and Beijing factions led by Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, repsectively. Analysts say Xi is trying to solidify his position by neutralising the influence of his former mentor Hus faction in the politburo, and the recent flare-up at tri-junction provides him with the much-needed opportunity to silence them. The discomfort within Xis party and among commoners shows that Chinese aggression is not accidental. They are increasingly facing threats on a number of fronts. Global ratings by investment agencies have not been kind to the economic superpower in the recent past. Their banks are sitting on piles of debt, threatening a financial crisis. Adding to woes, India has refused to play ball in soft power diplomacy, and even skipped the Belt and Road project. More importantly, Beijings open support to rogue nations like North Korea and Pakistan has also been coming under increased global criticism. China had transgressed into Doklam plateau in the past by occupying Jampheri Ridge. Now, they are trying to move further by building a road in the ridgeline, which India and Bhutan have refused to acknowledge as Chinese territory. A senior official described Chumbi Valley as a dagger thrust into India, with the tip at the tri-junction, thus posing a threat to the Siliguri Corridor, not essentially by capturing or blocking it, but by interfering with free movement by bringing it within the range of long-range artillery guns. Meanwhile, Beijings media mouthpiece floated a dangerous possibility of Chinese interference in Kashmir. India has exposed itself to Chinas interference in Jammu & Kashmir by sending Indian troops to disrupt Chinese soldiers from building a road in the Donglang. If Pakistan requests, a third country can dispatch soldiers to the Valley, said the article in Global Times. (With agency inputs)
Prakash Singh By

Prakash Singh Formerly Director General of Border Security Force, and DGP Assam, and Uttar Pradesh

The terror clouds would appear to be gathering on the horizon. The al Qaeda, in a document entitled Code of Conduct for Mujahideen in the subcontinent, while detailing the dos and donts for its members, has said: All personnel of the military are our targets whether they be in the war zone or in barracks at their bases. It has added that even personnel on vacation are not to be spared. The document makes several references to Kashmir and discloses that Maulana Asim Umar, a resident of Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh, is the Emir of al Qaeda in the Indian sub-continent (AQIS).



It is significant that in Jammu & Kashmir, former Hizbul Commander Zakir Musa has floated a new outfit and openly claimed support from al Qaeda. There are reasons to believe that the AQIS is backed by Pakistans ISI and has sleeper cells in parts of the country.



The Islamic State (IS) is also spreading its wings in India, particularly in Kerala. According to figures released by the National Investigation Agency in mid-March, there have been 21 arrests in Kerala for their involvement in IS activities. Figures of arrest from other states were not insignificant: Telangana (16), Karnataka (9), Maharashtra (8), Madhya Pradesh (6), Tamil Nadu (4), Uttar Pradesh (3) and Rajasthan (2). Social media channels, messaging platforms and online jihadist discussions would appear to have attracted the youth to the ideology of the IS and even encouraged some of them to travel to Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Zakir Naiks Islamic Research Foundation is also suspected to have contributed to the radicalisation of youths.

The three districts of Kerala which are worst-affected are Tirunelveli, Kannur and Kasargod. According to a report, three IS militants from KeralaBestin Vincent, Murshid Muhammed and T K Haeezudinwere killed in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan between February and April 2017. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been repeatedly patting itself on the back by claiming that despite a sizeable Muslim population, the IS had not been able to gain a foothold in India.

But, as has been rightly pointed out, even a very small percentage of Muslims getting infected by IS ideology would mean a very sizeable number at the national-level. In a recent video, The Bilad al-Hind (Land of India), the IS has threatened to wage jihad against India, and urged all Muslims to take revenge for the injustices to Indian Muslims in Kashmir, for the demolition of Babri Masjid and for the communal riots in Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar.



Are we prepared to deal with the growing threat of terror? It is true that in the wake of 26/11, a number of steps were taken to improve the internal security of the country. However, there has been some kind of complacency since then. We have not cared to define our anti-terror policy with the result that our response to the threat continues to be ad hoc in different theatres. The anti-terror law, The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, needs to be sharpened. What British Prime Minister Theresa May said in this context is relevant for India as well: As we see the threat changing, evolving, becoming more complex, we need to ensure that our police and our security and intelligence agencies have the powers they need... If our human rights laws stop us from doing it, we will change the laws so that we can do it.



Police, the first responder to any terrorist violence, are in a shambles. The Prime Ministers vision of a SMART police (S-Sensitive and Strict; M-Modern with mobility; A-Alert and Accountable; R-Reliable and Responsive; T-Trained and Techno-savvy) never took off, thanks to the indifference of state governments. The National Counter Terrorism Centre is yet to be put in place. It is high time the internal security architecture was reinforced and strengthened to deal with the growing threat of terror, both from within and without.

prakash1959@gmail.com

Prakash Singh Formerly Director General of Border Security Force, and DGP Assam, and Uttar Pradesh The terror clouds would appear to be gathering on the horizon. The al Qaeda, in a document entitled Code of Conduct for Mujahideen in the subcontinent, while detailing the dos and donts for its members, has said: All personnel of the military are our targets whether they be in the war zone or in barracks at their bases. It has added that even personnel on vacation are not to be spared. The document makes several references to Kashmir and discloses that Maulana Asim Umar, a resident of Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh, is the Emir of al Qaeda in the Indian sub-continent (AQIS). It is significant that in Jammu & Kashmir, former Hizbul Commander Zakir Musa has floated a new outfit and openly claimed support from al Qaeda. There are reasons to believe that the AQIS is backed by Pakistans ISI and has sleeper cells in parts of the country. The Islamic State (IS) is also spreading its wings in India, particularly in Kerala. According to figures released by the National Investigation Agency in mid-March, there have been 21 arrests in Kerala for their involvement in IS activities. Figures of arrest from other states were not insignificant: Telangana (16), Karnataka (9), Maharashtra (8), Madhya Pradesh (6), Tamil Nadu (4), Uttar Pradesh (3) and Rajasthan (2). Social media channels, messaging platforms and online jihadist discussions would appear to have attracted the youth to the ideology of the IS and even encouraged some of them to travel to Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Zakir Naiks Islamic Research Foundation is also suspected to have contributed to the radicalisation of youths. The three districts of Kerala which are worst-affected are Tirunelveli, Kannur and Kasargod. According to a report, three IS militants from KeralaBestin Vincent, Murshid Muhammed and T K Haeezudinwere killed in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan between February and April 2017. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been repeatedly patting itself on the back by claiming that despite a sizeable Muslim population, the IS had not been able to gain a foothold in India. But, as has been rightly pointed out, even a very small percentage of Muslims getting infected by IS ideology would mean a very sizeable number at the national-level. In a recent video, The Bilad al-Hind (Land of India), the IS has threatened to wage jihad against India, and urged all Muslims to take revenge for the injustices to Indian Muslims in Kashmir, for the demolition of Babri Masjid and for the communal riots in Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar. Are we prepared to deal with the growing threat of terror? It is true that in the wake of 26/11, a number of steps were taken to improve the internal security of the country. However, there has been some kind of complacency since then. We have not cared to define our anti-terror policy with the result that our response to the threat continues to be ad hoc in different theatres. The anti-terror law, The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, needs to be sharpened. What British Prime Minister Theresa May said in this context is relevant for India as well: As we see the threat changing, evolving, becoming more complex, we need to ensure that our police and our security and intelligence agencies have the powers they need... If our human rights laws stop us from doing it, we will change the laws so that we can do it. Police, the first responder to any terrorist violence, are in a shambles. The Prime Ministers vision of a SMART police (S-Sensitive and Strict; M-Modern with mobility; A-Alert and Accountable; R-Reliable and Responsive; T-Trained and Techno-savvy) never took off, thanks to the indifference of state governments. The National Counter Terrorism Centre is yet to be put in place. It is high time the internal security architecture was reinforced and strengthened to deal with the growing threat of terror, both from within and without. prakash1959@gmail.com
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Sunday said the state government will implement the Supreme Court ruling on the opening of the B vault at Sree Padamanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

Our actions will be based on the Supreme Court ruling and the report by the amicus curiae, Kadakampally told reporters in Kozhikode.

I do not know why the (Travancore) royal family is opposed to the move. We will hold meetings with them and address their concerns on the issue, he said.

Kadakampally said he will meet the representatives of the erstwhile royal family in the capital on Monday to discuss the Supreme Court ruling. He said the opposition could be due to the age-old practices followed at the temple. They have the right to air their views and concerns. But so far, the government has acted only on the basis of court rulings on the issue, the minister said.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Sunday said the state government will implement the Supreme Court ruling on the opening of the B vault at Sree Padamanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Our actions will be based on the Supreme Court ruling and the report by the amicus curiae, Kadakampally told reporters in Kozhikode. I do not know why the (Travancore) royal family is opposed to the move. We will hold meetings with them and address their concerns on the issue, he said. Kadakampally said he will meet the representatives of the erstwhile royal family in the capital on Monday to discuss the Supreme Court ruling. He said the opposition could be due to the age-old practices followed at the temple. They have the right to air their views and concerns. But so far, the government has acted only on the basis of court rulings on the issue, the minister said.
A German visitor looks at ink paintings portraying Chinese people in their daily lives at the Me Collectors Room Berlin. [Photo by Cecily Liu/China Daily]

More than 70 Chinese ink paintings depicting people from all walks of life will be showcased at the Me Collectors Room Berlin, giving German audiences a unique opportunity to better understand the Chinese people through artworks.

The exhibition, named Experience China - the Most Beautiful Chinese, will be open to the public on Thursday and Friday. It is the largest ever Chinese ink painting exhibition themed on the Chinese people in Germany.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-Germany diplomatic relations. President Xi Jinping arrived in Berlin on Tuesday, before traveling to Hamburg to attend the G20 Global Leaders Summit on Friday and Saturday.

Xu Li, secretary-general of the China Artists Association, which hosts the exhibition, said paintings were chosen that depict the hard-working nature, kindness, intelligence and perseverance of the Chinese people, across different ethnic groups and in different professions.

"Paintings in the exhibition follow very traditional ink painting techniques, which are unique to the Chinese culture and steeped in history. Using traditional painting techniques to depict the lives of the Chinese people today also help show continuity in our culture," said Xu.

The exhibition presents portraits of notable figures such as Lei Feng, Qi Baishi and Huang Binhong. Lei is a 20th century soldier known for his kind heart and keenness to help others. Qi and Huang are Chinese 20th century ink painting masters, who revolutionized the practice of Chinese ink painting.

Many paintings in the collection also depict Chinese ethnic people, whose rich clothes and cultural practices have long fascinated foreign visitors. For example, one picture depicts a group of ethnic Miao girls, who wear elaborate headdresses and gowns made from fabric intricately incorporating red, blue, white and black threads. They stand against a background of mountains, because the Miao people mostly lived in Southwest China's mountainous terrains.

Meanwhile, other paintings show many activities common in Chinese culture, such as riding horses in the wild, doing threading work at home, or playing the Chinese instrument erhu. Modern city life is also shown, such as Chinese people practising ballet.

Klaas Ruitenbeek, director of the Asian Art Museum in Berlin, said: "This exhibition plays an important role in building culture bridges, it came at an important time when the German public is increasingly fascinated by Chinese culture, which is so rich and diverse."

The Asian Art Museum in Berlin hosts about 1,000 Chinese ink paintings - the largest collection in Germany. The paintings date from the Song Dynasty (420 to 479) to the present day.

Contact the writer at cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Malayalam filmstar Dileep was on Monday arrested in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent actress in Kochi on February 18. The case went through several many twists and turns, with allegations and counter-allegations cropping up. Here is a timeline of the saga as it unfolded.

February 18: A popular Malayalam film actress is abducted and sexually abused in a moving vehicle on her way from Thrissur to Kochi on February 18.

The actor files a complaint with the Police same day.

Leading Malayalam actor gets reportedly abducted and molested by former employee

February 19: Martin Antony, who drove the car, is taken into custody. Two more accused, Pradeep and Salim, are taken into custody.

Police say the operation was planned by the actresss former driver Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni, and was executed by his aide Martin.

Exclusive | Malayalam actress molestation: Here is what the FIR says about the incident

February 24: Pulsar Suni aka Sunil Kumar arrested by Police from inside a court room in Kochi amidst great drama, where he had come to surrender.

Police later arrest the sixth accused in the case Vijeesh.

After the Malayalam actress molestation, Kerala to have registry of sex offenders

Pulsar Suni tells the police his intention was to blackmail the actress after having recorded a nude video of hers. He says the mobile phone on which the video recording was made was later thrown into the backwaters of Kochi.

The search operation for the most vital evidence in the actor molestation case, the mobile phone used to record the sexual assault, however, goes in vain.

I will always get up: Malayalam actress after kidnap ordeal

April 18: Sixty days after the incident, police team file charge sheet against seven persons, including prime accused Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni.

June 24  the twist: A letter, dated April 12, purportedly written by Pulsar Suni from Kakkanad jail to actor Dileep, surfaces, bringing the case again into the limelight.

A prisoner who shared a cell with Pulsar Suni came up with new revelations, alleging that he would tell police that Dileep was involved in the conspiracy behind the abduction and molestation of the actress in February. Polices special investigation team (SIT) records a fresh statement of the actress who was sexually assaulted.

Malayalam actress abduction case: Letter from jail, blackmail allegation put focus on Dileep, Pulsar Suni

June 25  blackmail allegations: The day after Pulsar Sunis letter was leaked, actor Dileep and his friend and director-actor Nadirsha told the press that they were being blackmailed by a person on behalf of Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the case.

Dileep said he was blackmailed by a person who demanded Rs 1.5 crore and threatened that if the amount was not paid he would name Dileep as being involved in the sexual assault case.

Dileep and Nadirsha said that they had filed a complaint in this regard on April 20 itself.

Big sharks are involved; and they are out there, says Pulsar Suni

Actors Salimkumar and Aju Varghese post on Facebook in support of Dileep.

Dileep courts controversy by saying that the abducted actress and Pulsar Suni had been friends, and that she should have chosen her friends wisely.

The actress issues a statement to the media saying she was considering taking legal action against those who levelled baseless allegations against her.

Does she mean Dileep? Assaulted Malayalam actress threatens legal action

Dileep later apologises for his remarks.

June 28: Dileep and Nadirsha are questioned by Police for nearly 12 hours. Their statement is also recorded on the basis of the complaint.

The general body meeting of Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) on June 29 extends support to Dileep.

Malayalam actress assault row: AMMA express solidarity with Dileep

July 10: Actor Dileep arrested

Malayalam actress abduction case: Actor Dileep arrested

July 11: Dileep expelled from the primary membership of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) after being arrested. He was also sent to 14-day judicial custody.

21 July: High court reserves order on Dileeps bail petition

According to the prosecution, the SIT had collected sufficient materials and evidence to prove Dileeps involvement in the crime. The telephone call records and deposition of eyewitnesses confirm his role. Refuting Dileeps claim he did not know Pulsar Suni, the prosecution said the actor had met Suni more than four times at different places. Dileep had handed over `10,000 as an advance from his car to Suni to commit rape and record it.

25 July: Dileep's judicial custody extended to August 8

The Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate Court extends judicial custody of actor Dileep to August 8. The remand proceedings were conducted through video conferencing.

26 July: Police question actor Dileep's wife Kavya Madhavan

Kavya Madhavan reportedly questioned for over six hours at the ancestral home of Dileep. Many times she reportedly broke down.

31 July: Dileeps manager Appunni surrenders before the police

Dileeps manager Appunni surrenders before the Aluva police in connection with the Malayalam actress assault case. The Kerala High Court had rejected his anticipatory bail.

02 August: Police question kin of Malayalam actor Dileep in actress abduction case

Kerala Police calls the brother of Malayalam superstar Dileep's former actress wife Manju Warrier, Madhu Warrier to the Aluva Police club as part of its probe into the abduction and molestation of a popular actress earlier this year.

8 August: Dileeps judicial custody extended till August 22

Angamali magisterial court extends the judicial custody of actor Dileep till August 22, in connection with assault and abduction of a Malayalam actress.

10 August: Dileep claims conspiracy against him

Dileep told the court in his bail plea that he was an unfortunate victim of an orchestrated media campaign directed by the powerful sections of the Malayalam film industry.

11 August: Kerala HC adjourns hearing on fresh bail plea of Dileep

The Kerala High Court adjourns to August 18 the hearing on a fresh bail plea of Malayalam actor Dileep, arrested in connection with a case of plotting the abduction and sexual assault of a South Indian actress in February.

16 August: Dileep's mother writes to CM Pinarayi Vijayan, says doesn't trust investigating officials

Sarojam alleges that Dileep is a victim of a conspiracy and he would be proven innocent if investigated properly. She also says that the current investigating officers should be changed and officials without vested interests should helm the probe.

30 August: Kavya Madhavan is my Madam, says Pulsar Suni, prime accused in Malayalam actress assault case

Pulsar Suni, the main accused in the famous Malayalam actress assault case tells reporters that Kavya Madhavan, wife of actor Dileep, is the 'madam', who was linked to the case. He was being taken to the Ernakulam CJM court when he revealed the information.

02 September: Dileep gets two-hour leave from jail for father's remembrance day

The Angamaly Court which heard his petition, despite strong opposition from the prosecution that this would set a bad precedent, allowed him to take part in the function that would be held at two places near Kochi amidst full security cover.

07 September - Kerala Police summons Nadhirshah

After a marathon 13-hour questioning in June, actor-director NadhirShah was asked to re-appear before the probe team in the Malayalam actress' kidnapping case, a Kerala Police officer had said.

09 September - Court intervenes after celebs make a beeline to meet Dileep

A trial court hearing the abduction case of a popular film actress intervened after the police approached it with a complaint stating that several celebrities have been visiting superstar Dileep over the last few days and this could affect the probe.

11 September - Police officer suspended for allegedly helping Pulsar Suni

14 September - Dileep files fresh bail plea in Angamaly court

The actor files the plea citing he has completed 60 days in judicial custody and hence, is entitled to a statutory bail. In his petition, Dileep said the first remand report submitted by the investigation team said the criminal conspiracy merely involved capturing nude pictures of the actress.

16 September: Magistrate Court to hear Kavya Madhavan's anticipatory bail plea till September 18

The move comes in the wake of reports that the actress is to be arrested by detectives investigating the abduction and molestation of a leading Malayalam actress earlier this year. The investigators are said to have found clues to an acquaintance between Kavya Madhavan and Pulsar Suni aka Sunil Kumar, the prime accused in the case.

17 September: Nadirshah appears before SIT for interrogation

The interrogation of the filmmaker happens at the Aluva Police Club. On 15th, Nadirshah appeared before the investigation team but the police could not interrogate him as he developed uneasiness and the medical team declared him unfit.

19 September - Kerala High Court posts actor Dileep's fifth bail plea for September 26

Posting the matter for September 26, the High Court asked the state government to give its opinion in the case on that day.

25 September - Kerala HC rejects bail plea of main accused, Pulsar Suni

This is the third time that Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni's bail petition has been dismissed.

27 September - Superstar Dileep offered Rs 3 crore for abduction, prosecution tells Kerala High Court

The prosecution in the actress abduction case informs the Kerala High Court that arrested Malayalam actor Dileep had offered Rs 3 crore for abduction of the actress in February this year.The prosecution informed that Dileep offered Pulsar Suni Rs 1.50 crore for carrying out the abduction, and in case he gets caught in the act by the police, the compensation would be doubled.

28 September: Dileep's custody extended till October 12

Dileep, lodged in Aluva Sub-jail was not taken to the court. The proceedings of which were completed through video conferencing, according to local media reports.

03 October: Kerala High Court grants Dileep bail

The High Court observes that investigation has steadily progressed and in the final stage. Hence further detention is not needed. The Court also asks Dileep to furnish a bond of Rs 1 lakh and two solvent sureties for the like sum. Dileep should surrender his passport and appear before the investigating officer as and when required, the court says.

08 August 2018: 'Can't give videos of actress being attacked': Kerala High Court rejects Dileep's plea

The Kerala High Court turns down accused Malayalam actor Dileep's demand for a copy of the video of the abduction of an actress and her harassment

KOCHI: Malayalam filmstar Dileep was on Monday arrested in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent actress in Kochi on February 18. The case went through several many twists and turns, with allegations and counter-allegations cropping up. Here is a timeline of the saga as it unfolded. February 18: A popular Malayalam film actress is abducted and sexually abused in a moving vehicle on her way from Thrissur to Kochi on February 18. The actor files a complaint with the Police same day. Leading Malayalam actor gets reportedly abducted and molested by former employee February 19: Martin Antony, who drove the car, is taken into custody. Two more accused, Pradeep and Salim, are taken into custody. Police say the operation was planned by the actresss former driver Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni, and was executed by his aide Martin. Exclusive | Malayalam actress molestation: Here is what the FIR says about the incident February 24: Pulsar Suni aka Sunil Kumar arrested by Police from inside a court room in Kochi amidst great drama, where he had come to surrender. Police later arrest the sixth accused in the case Vijeesh. After the Malayalam actress molestation, Kerala to have registry of sex offenders Pulsar Suni tells the police his intention was to blackmail the actress after having recorded a nude video of hers. He says the mobile phone on which the video recording was made was later thrown into the backwaters of Kochi. The search operation for the most vital evidence in the actor molestation case, the mobile phone used to record the sexual assault, however, goes in vain. I will always get up: Malayalam actress after kidnap ordeal April 18: Sixty days after the incident, police team file charge sheet against seven persons, including prime accused Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni. June 24  the twist: A letter, dated April 12, purportedly written by Pulsar Suni from Kakkanad jail to actor Dileep, surfaces, bringing the case again into the limelight. A prisoner who shared a cell with Pulsar Suni came up with new revelations, alleging that he would tell police that Dileep was involved in the conspiracy behind the abduction and molestation of the actress in February. Polices special investigation team (SIT) records a fresh statement of the actress who was sexually assaulted. Malayalam actress abduction case: Letter from jail, blackmail allegation put focus on Dileep, Pulsar Suni June 25  blackmail allegations: The day after Pulsar Sunis letter was leaked, actor Dileep and his friend and director-actor Nadirsha told the press that they were being blackmailed by a person on behalf of Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the case. Dileep said he was blackmailed by a person who demanded Rs 1.5 crore and threatened that if the amount was not paid he would name Dileep as being involved in the sexual assault case. Dileep and Nadirsha said that they had filed a complaint in this regard on April 20 itself. Big sharks are involved; and they are out there, says Pulsar Suni Actors Salimkumar and Aju Varghese post on Facebook in support of Dileep. Dileep courts controversy by saying that the abducted actress and Pulsar Suni had been friends, and that she should have chosen her friends wisely. The actress issues a statement to the media saying she was considering taking legal action against those who levelled baseless allegations against her. Does she mean Dileep? Assaulted Malayalam actress threatens legal action Dileep later apologises for his remarks. June 28: Dileep and Nadirsha are questioned by Police for nearly 12 hours. Their statement is also recorded on the basis of the complaint. The general body meeting of Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) on June 29 extends support to Dileep. Malayalam actress assault row: AMMA express solidarity with Dileep July 10: Actor Dileep arrested Malayalam actress abduction case: Actor Dileep arrested July 11: Dileep expelled from the primary membership of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) after being arrested. He was also sent to 14-day judicial custody. 21 July: High court reserves order on Dileeps bail petition According to the prosecution, the SIT had collected sufficient materials and evidence to prove Dileeps involvement in the crime. The telephone call records and deposition of eyewitnesses confirm his role. Refuting Dileeps claim he did not know Pulsar Suni, the prosecution said the actor had met Suni more than four times at different places. Dileep had handed over `10,000 as an advance from his car to Suni to commit rape and record it. 25 July: Dileep's judicial custody extended to August 8 The Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate Court extends judicial custody of actor Dileep to August 8. The remand proceedings were conducted through video conferencing. 26 July: Police question actor Dileep's wife Kavya Madhavan Kavya Madhavan reportedly questioned for over six hours at the ancestral home of Dileep. Many times she reportedly broke down. 31 July: Dileeps manager Appunni surrenders before the police Dileeps manager Appunni surrenders before the Aluva police in connection with the Malayalam actress assault case. The Kerala High Court had rejected his anticipatory bail. 02 August: Police question kin of Malayalam actor Dileep in actress abduction case Kerala Police calls the brother of Malayalam superstar Dileep's former actress wife Manju Warrier, Madhu Warrier to the Aluva Police club as part of its probe into the abduction and molestation of a popular actress earlier this year. 8 August: Dileeps judicial custody extended till August 22 Angamali magisterial court extends the judicial custody of actor Dileep till August 22, in connection with assault and abduction of a Malayalam actress. 10 August: Dileep claims conspiracy against him Dileep told the court in his bail plea that he was an unfortunate victim of an orchestrated media campaign directed by the powerful sections of the Malayalam film industry. 11 August: Kerala HC adjourns hearing on fresh bail plea of Dileep The Kerala High Court adjourns to August 18 the hearing on a fresh bail plea of Malayalam actor Dileep, arrested in connection with a case of plotting the abduction and sexual assault of a South Indian actress in February. 16 August: Dileep's mother writes to CM Pinarayi Vijayan, says doesn't trust investigating officials Sarojam alleges that Dileep is a victim of a conspiracy and he would be proven innocent if investigated properly. She also says that the current investigating officers should be changed and officials without vested interests should helm the probe. 30 August: Kavya Madhavan is my Madam, says Pulsar Suni, prime accused in Malayalam actress assault case Pulsar Suni, the main accused in the famous Malayalam actress assault case tells reporters that Kavya Madhavan, wife of actor Dileep, is the 'madam', who was linked to the case. He was being taken to the Ernakulam CJM court when he revealed the information. 02 September: Dileep gets two-hour leave from jail for father's remembrance day The Angamaly Court which heard his petition, despite strong opposition from the prosecution that this would set a bad precedent, allowed him to take part in the function that would be held at two places near Kochi amidst full security cover. 07 September - Kerala Police summons Nadhirshah After a marathon 13-hour questioning in June, actor-director NadhirShah was asked to re-appear before the probe team in the Malayalam actress' kidnapping case, a Kerala Police officer had said. 09 September - Court intervenes after celebs make a beeline to meet Dileep A trial court hearing the abduction case of a popular film actress intervened after the police approached it with a complaint stating that several celebrities have been visiting superstar Dileep over the last few days and this could affect the probe. 11 September - Police officer suspended for allegedly helping Pulsar Suni 14 September - Dileep files fresh bail plea in Angamaly court The actor files the plea citing he has completed 60 days in judicial custody and hence, is entitled to a statutory bail. In his petition, Dileep said the first remand report submitted by the investigation team said the criminal conspiracy merely involved capturing nude pictures of the actress. 16 September: Magistrate Court to hear Kavya Madhavan's anticipatory bail plea till September 18 The move comes in the wake of reports that the actress is to be arrested by detectives investigating the abduction and molestation of a leading Malayalam actress earlier this year. The investigators are said to have found clues to an acquaintance between Kavya Madhavan and Pulsar Suni aka Sunil Kumar, the prime accused in the case. 17 September: Nadirshah appears before SIT for interrogation The interrogation of the filmmaker happens at the Aluva Police Club. On 15th, Nadirshah appeared before the investigation team but the police could not interrogate him as he developed uneasiness and the medical team declared him unfit. 19 September - Kerala High Court posts actor Dileep's fifth bail plea for September 26 Posting the matter for September 26, the High Court asked the state government to give its opinion in the case on that day. 25 September - Kerala HC rejects bail plea of main accused, Pulsar Suni This is the third time that Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni's bail petition has been dismissed. 27 September - Superstar Dileep offered Rs 3 crore for abduction, prosecution tells Kerala High Court The prosecution in the actress abduction case informs the Kerala High Court that arrested Malayalam actor Dileep had offered Rs 3 crore for abduction of the actress in February this year.The prosecution informed that Dileep offered Pulsar Suni Rs 1.50 crore for carrying out the abduction, and in case he gets caught in the act by the police, the compensation would be doubled. 28 September: Dileep's custody extended till October 12 Dileep, lodged in Aluva Sub-jail was not taken to the court. The proceedings of which were completed through video conferencing, according to local media reports. 03 October: Kerala High Court grants Dileep bail The High Court observes that investigation has steadily progressed and in the final stage. Hence further detention is not needed. The Court also asks Dileep to furnish a bond of Rs 1 lakh and two solvent sureties for the like sum. Dileep should surrender his passport and appear before the investigating officer as and when required, the court says. 08 August 2018: 'Can't give videos of actress being attacked': Kerala High Court rejects Dileep's plea The Kerala High Court turns down accused Malayalam actor Dileep's demand for a copy of the video of the abduction of an actress and her harassment
By PTI

BEIJING: China today refused to acknowledge the interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the side-lines of the G-20 summit at Hamburg last week, insisting that no "bilateral meeting" took place between the two leaders.

India too has not described the interaction, which included a handshake, as a "bilateral meeting" but said that "a range of issues" were discussed by the two leaders. The Indian side has said that the interaction lasted five minutes. Faced with a barrage of questions by reporters on how China viewed the interaction, Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang would only say repeatedly that no bilateral meeting took place.

"According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meetings," he said. "On the side-lines of the G20, President Xi also presided over the informal BRICS leaders meeting. Prime Minister Modi and other leaders of the BRICS countries also attended that event", he said.

Asked again if the meeting did not happen at all, he said: "So my answer is that the two heads of state of India and China did not hold any meetings on the side-lines of the G20 summit in Hamburg." China's insistence on the set-piece wording, and its refusal to waver from it, apparently was aimed at reiterating its view made clear before the Hamburg meeting: that the "atmosphere was not right" for a meeting between the two leaders due to the standoff between the two militaries at Doklam area in Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers.

China has been calling for immediate withdrawal of the Indian troops from the area. He was also asked about a photograph tweeted by the India's Ministry of External Affairs showing the two leaders in conversation with interpreters, Geng stuck to his stand. "As I said many times, the two state leaders of India and China did not hold any bilateral meeting ... But President Xi chaired the informal BRICS meeting during which Prime Minister Modi was also present".

Asked whether the standoff at Doklam was discussed, Geng said, "on the border issue, we reaffirmed that the Indian side should withdraw their border personnel to the Indian side. On the boundary standoff issue, Geng said: "We demand the Indian side to withdraw their border personnel on to the Indian side of the boundary. This is the precondition for the any meaningful dialogue", he said.

BEIJING: China today refused to acknowledge the interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the side-lines of the G-20 summit at Hamburg last week, insisting that no "bilateral meeting" took place between the two leaders. India too has not described the interaction, which included a handshake, as a "bilateral meeting" but said that "a range of issues" were discussed by the two leaders. The Indian side has said that the interaction lasted five minutes. Faced with a barrage of questions by reporters on how China viewed the interaction, Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang would only say repeatedly that no bilateral meeting took place. "According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meetings," he said. "On the side-lines of the G20, President Xi also presided over the informal BRICS leaders meeting. Prime Minister Modi and other leaders of the BRICS countries also attended that event", he said. Asked again if the meeting did not happen at all, he said: "So my answer is that the two heads of state of India and China did not hold any meetings on the side-lines of the G20 summit in Hamburg." China's insistence on the set-piece wording, and its refusal to waver from it, apparently was aimed at reiterating its view made clear before the Hamburg meeting: that the "atmosphere was not right" for a meeting between the two leaders due to the standoff between the two militaries at Doklam area in Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers. China has been calling for immediate withdrawal of the Indian troops from the area. He was also asked about a photograph tweeted by the India's Ministry of External Affairs showing the two leaders in conversation with interpreters, Geng stuck to his stand. "As I said many times, the two state leaders of India and China did not hold any bilateral meeting ... But President Xi chaired the informal BRICS meeting during which Prime Minister Modi was also present". Asked whether the standoff at Doklam was discussed, Geng said, "on the border issue, we reaffirmed that the Indian side should withdraw their border personnel to the Indian side. On the boundary standoff issue, Geng said: "We demand the Indian side to withdraw their border personnel on to the Indian side of the boundary. This is the precondition for the any meaningful dialogue", he said.
By PTI

CAIRO: Egyptian police killed six militants who allegedly adhered to the Islamic State group's beliefs when a gunfight erupted today during a raid on their Nile valley hideout, the government said.

The militants opened fire on the police as they approached the hideout in Dairut, a town in the southern province of Assiut, the interior ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page. The police were acting on intelligence that "a group of terrorists who adhere to the beliefs of the Islamic State group were hiding in a residential apartment in uninhabited buildings", it said.

When the six militants opened fire, the police shot back and killed them. The militants were using the hideout as "an organisational base and to prepare to carry out a series of terrorist operations within the southern provinces," said the ministry.

The police found a bomb, five automatic weapons, ammunition, military uniforms, and "educational publications containing the concepts and slogans of the (IS) group," it added. IS has been leading a deadly insurgency that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 and cracked down on his supporters.

While IS has been operating mainly in North Sinai, they have also carried out attacks in other parts of the country, including Cairo. The jihadists have been increasingly targeting Christians in their campaign as well. Groups other than IS have also carried out attacks in Egypt targeting policemen and judges.

Gunmen on Friday shot dead a National Security Service officer as he was leaving his home north of Cairo. The militant group Hasam claimed responsibility. On Saturday, the interior ministry said police killed two senior Hasam members in a shootout near Cairo.

CAIRO: Egyptian police killed six militants who allegedly adhered to the Islamic State group's beliefs when a gunfight erupted today during a raid on their Nile valley hideout, the government said. The militants opened fire on the police as they approached the hideout in Dairut, a town in the southern province of Assiut, the interior ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page. The police were acting on intelligence that "a group of terrorists who adhere to the beliefs of the Islamic State group were hiding in a residential apartment in uninhabited buildings", it said. When the six militants opened fire, the police shot back and killed them. The militants were using the hideout as "an organisational base and to prepare to carry out a series of terrorist operations within the southern provinces," said the ministry. The police found a bomb, five automatic weapons, ammunition, military uniforms, and "educational publications containing the concepts and slogans of the (IS) group," it added. IS has been leading a deadly insurgency that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 and cracked down on his supporters. While IS has been operating mainly in North Sinai, they have also carried out attacks in other parts of the country, including Cairo. The jihadists have been increasingly targeting Christians in their campaign as well. Groups other than IS have also carried out attacks in Egypt targeting policemen and judges. Gunmen on Friday shot dead a National Security Service officer as he was leaving his home north of Cairo. The militant group Hasam claimed responsibility. On Saturday, the interior ministry said police killed two senior Hasam members in a shootout near Cairo.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: The Indian Army today rejected Pakistan military's claim of killing four Indian soldiers during cross-border firing yesterday, saying it had not suffered any casualties this month.

"Pakistan Army has been violating the ceasefire on a regular basis. It has deliberately targeted civilian areas during these across the Line of Control firing incidents," an Indian Army spokesperson said in New Delhi.

The Indian Army has not suffered any casualty in the month of July in these unprovoked ceasefire violations, the Army spokesperson said. "As a mature and accountable institution, the Indian Army keeps the public informed of casualties suffered through an established and transparent system. In case of occurrence of fatal casualties, tribute is paid to the soldier through the official Twitter handle and Facebook page. State funeral is also organised as a mark of respect," the official said.

The Indian Army, however, said in one such incident of specific targeting by unprovoked shelling of civilian areas by Pakistan on Saturday, Havildar Md Shaukat, a serving soldier, and his wife died while he was at his home during leave.

The Indian Army response came after the Pakistani military claimed that it had killed four Indian soldiers and destroyed two Indian checkposts being used to target civilians. The Pakistan Army claimed that its firing came in response to alleged "unprovoked firing" by India yesterday, "targeting innocent civilians". It claimed that the Indian firing resulted in the death of five of its citizens.

The Pakistan Army also released a video dated July 9 to substantiate its claim. "Pakistan Army befittingly responded on July 9, causing substantial losses to men and material. Two Indian Army posts firing on innocent civilians have been destroyed. Four Indian soldiers killed," Army Spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor tweeted, while sharing the video. The Pakistan Army will continue to protect civilians from "unprovoked Indian aggression" at all costs, he said.

ISLAMABAD: The Indian Army today rejected Pakistan military's claim of killing four Indian soldiers during cross-border firing yesterday, saying it had not suffered any casualties this month. "Pakistan Army has been violating the ceasefire on a regular basis. It has deliberately targeted civilian areas during these across the Line of Control firing incidents," an Indian Army spokesperson said in New Delhi. The Indian Army has not suffered any casualty in the month of July in these unprovoked ceasefire violations, the Army spokesperson said. "As a mature and accountable institution, the Indian Army keeps the public informed of casualties suffered through an established and transparent system. In case of occurrence of fatal casualties, tribute is paid to the soldier through the official Twitter handle and Facebook page. State funeral is also organised as a mark of respect," the official said. The Indian Army, however, said in one such incident of specific targeting by unprovoked shelling of civilian areas by Pakistan on Saturday, Havildar Md Shaukat, a serving soldier, and his wife died while he was at his home during leave. The Indian Army response came after the Pakistani military claimed that it had killed four Indian soldiers and destroyed two Indian checkposts being used to target civilians. The Pakistan Army claimed that its firing came in response to alleged "unprovoked firing" by India yesterday, "targeting innocent civilians". It claimed that the Indian firing resulted in the death of five of its citizens. The Pakistan Army also released a video dated July 9 to substantiate its claim. "Pakistan Army befittingly responded on July 9, causing substantial losses to men and material. Two Indian Army posts firing on innocent civilians have been destroyed. Four Indian soldiers killed," Army Spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor tweeted, while sharing the video. The Pakistan Army will continue to protect civilians from "unprovoked Indian aggression" at all costs, he said.
By AFP

TEHRAN: Iran has congratulated Iraq on its declared victory over the Islamic State jihadist group in Mosul and offered its help to rebuild the devastated country.

"Congratulations to brave people and Government of Iraq upon liberation of Mosul," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote late Sunday in a tweet.

"When Iraqis join hands, no limits to what they can achieve."

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was in Mosul Sunday, officially marking the end of a difficult campaign to retake the city, where IS declared its self-styled caliphate three years ago.

Other Iranian officials were also quick to welcome the victory, Iraq's biggest yet against the jihadists.

It was a "great achievement in the path to ending the presence and savage actions of the criminal Daesh (IS) group against the Iraqi nation", said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in messages to Abadi and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's most revered cleric.

"The government, armed forces and the brave nation of Islamic Iran... are prepared to offer aid to the displaced and injured in the war and help rebuild the cities and vital infrastructure in the country," official news agency IRNA quoted Shamkhani as saying.

Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan and the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, also congratulated Abadi, saying they were ready to boost defence and security ties with Baghdad.

TEHRAN: Iran has congratulated Iraq on its declared victory over the Islamic State jihadist group in Mosul and offered its help to rebuild the devastated country. "Congratulations to brave people and Government of Iraq upon liberation of Mosul," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote late Sunday in a tweet. "When Iraqis join hands, no limits to what they can achieve." Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was in Mosul Sunday, officially marking the end of a difficult campaign to retake the city, where IS declared its self-styled caliphate three years ago. Other Iranian officials were also quick to welcome the victory, Iraq's biggest yet against the jihadists. It was a "great achievement in the path to ending the presence and savage actions of the criminal Daesh (IS) group against the Iraqi nation", said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in messages to Abadi and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's most revered cleric. "The government, armed forces and the brave nation of Islamic Iran... are prepared to offer aid to the displaced and injured in the war and help rebuild the cities and vital infrastructure in the country," official news agency IRNA quoted Shamkhani as saying. Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan and the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, also congratulated Abadi, saying they were ready to boost defence and security ties with Baghdad.
By ANI

MOSCOW: The Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday has warned of imminent nuclear war following the US live-fire bombing run near its border.

In a Sunday editorial of the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the DPRK accused Washington of engaging in "military provocations," designed to commence nuclear conflict in the region.

"The Korean peninsula is the largest gunpowder area in the world with the highest risk of nuclear war, and is the largest hot spot in the world where there is always a risk of nuclear war," reads the DPRK editorial, cited by RT.

"[Washington] is surely spreading into a new world war," the Rodong Sinmun editorial asserted, adding that American military moves in the region were merely an attempt to distract from U.S. President Donald Trump's "serious crisis of power" on Capitol Hill.

Pyongyang's launch of what it claimed to be its first ICBM, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held an emergency meeting and the U.S. deployed two B-18 strategic bombers to the region, Sputnik reported.

In this Thursday, July 6, 2017, file photo, soldiers watch fireworks in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, to celebrate the test launch of North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missile two days earlier. (Associated Press)

While the B-18 bombing runs were escorted by US, South Korean and Japanese fighter jets.

The Pentagon, through its Pacific Command, tweeted that the runs "demonstrated America's ironclad commitment to the defense of our allies," according to RT.

Moscow has already provided evidence to the United Nations (UN) that the missile Pyongyang launched on Tuesday was a mid-range, not a global ballistic missile.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, Pyongyang has detonated five underground nuclear bombs - one each in 2006, 2009, and 2013 and two in 2016.

MOSCOW: The Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday has warned of imminent nuclear war following the US live-fire bombing run near its border. In a Sunday editorial of the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the DPRK accused Washington of engaging in "military provocations," designed to commence nuclear conflict in the region. "The Korean peninsula is the largest gunpowder area in the world with the highest risk of nuclear war, and is the largest hot spot in the world where there is always a risk of nuclear war," reads the DPRK editorial, cited by RT. "[Washington] is surely spreading into a new world war," the Rodong Sinmun editorial asserted, adding that American military moves in the region were merely an attempt to distract from U.S. President Donald Trump's "serious crisis of power" on Capitol Hill. Pyongyang's launch of what it claimed to be its first ICBM, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held an emergency meeting and the U.S. deployed two B-18 strategic bombers to the region, Sputnik reported. In this Thursday, July 6, 2017, file photo, soldiers watch fireworks in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, to celebrate the test launch of North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missile two days earlier. (Associated Press)While the B-18 bombing runs were escorted by US, South Korean and Japanese fighter jets. The Pentagon, through its Pacific Command, tweeted that the runs "demonstrated America's ironclad commitment to the defense of our allies," according to RT. Moscow has already provided evidence to the United Nations (UN) that the missile Pyongyang launched on Tuesday was a mid-range, not a global ballistic missile. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Pyongyang has detonated five underground nuclear bombs - one each in 2006, 2009, and 2013 and two in 2016.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: In a setback to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a Supreme Court ordered probe panel in its final report on the Panamagate today recommended filing of a corruption case against him and his children after finding "significant" disparities in their income and actual wealth.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its report submitted to the apex court recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, as well as daughter Maryam Nawaz, under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance 1999.

The report, however, was slammed by the Nawaz Sharif government as "trash" with Sharif's close aide and minister for development Ahsan Iqbal in press conference with other ministers, saying they will challenge the report in the Supreme Court and will "completely expose and unveil its contradictions and falsifications".

Sharif's daughter Maryam also rejected the report, saying, "JIT report REJECTED. Every contradiction will not only be contested but decimated in SC. NOT a penny of public exchequer involved." The JIT report said the assets of all four respondents were found to be more than the sources of their income. "Significant gap/disparity amongst the known and declared sources of income and the wealth accumulated by the Respondent No. 1, 6, 7 and 8 have been observed," the JIT observed in its concluding remarks.

Respondent 1 refers to Prime Minister Sharif; Respondent 6 was Maryam; Respondent 7 Hussain; while Respondent 8 was Hassan. The report said the financial structure and health of companies in Pakistan having linkages to the Sharif family also do no substantiate their wealth. It also highlighted "irregular movement" of huge sums of money in the form "loans and gifts" between Sharif and his youngest son from various companies set up in Saudi Arabia, the UK and the UAE. The report said the role of off-shore companies is critical as they have been identified to be linked with their businesses in UK.

The JIT also said that the Sharifs were unable to provide substantive evidence of a reliable money trail, used to buy expensive properties in London. Sharif, 67, who has denied money-laundering allegations against him and his family, today held consultations with his close aides after the report was filed with the court. Sharif's close aide and minister for development Iqbal later said, "If you review this report, it has no logical argument neither it quoted authentic sources nor material, but is based on things that have no authenticity before the law. Therefore, we are rejecting this report, terming it rubbish." Iqbal, while announcing that his party will challenge the report before the apex court, said, "We not only condemn this report but will completely expose and unveil its contradictions and falsification before the Supreme Court. We will demolish this report." Iqbal said the report was based on accusations leveled by Imran and his party and there was nothing new in it.

Zafarullah Khan, another close aide of Sharif, said, "It is a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf report and not JIT report...It is Imran Nama." He said that the Supreme Court bench will consign the report to a "trash bin, where it rightfully belongs". Earlier, JIT chief Wajid Zia presented the 10-volume report along with evidence to the three-member special bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal, Justice Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan.

The court ordered that its copies should be provided to the parties in the case, including Sharif family. However, JIT chief Zia asked the court that its 10th volume of the report should not be made public as it consists of correspondence with a foreign government. The bench has adjourned the hearing till Monday.

The six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s. The JIT has also probed several serving and former officials in connection with the case. The six-member JIT included Federal Investigation Agencys (FIA) Additional Director General Wajid Zia, Military Intelligences Brig Kamran Khurshid, National Accountability Bureaus (NAB) Director Irfan Naeem Mangi, State Bank of Pakistan's Amer Aziz, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistans (SECP) Executive Director Bilal Rasool and Inter- Services Intelligences Brig Muhammad Nauman Saeed.

Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis. The JIT questioned Sharif family including the Prime Minister, his younger brother and Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, sons Hassan and Hussain, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Captain Safdar, cousin Tariq Shafi and close relative Ishaq Dar. It also probed several serving and former officials.

Meanwhile, Sharif's rival Imran told the media that the PML-N chief should resign as prime minister. "There is no need of further trial or proceedings. He should go away and should be barred from leaving the country along with other family members," he said.

ISLAMABAD: In a setback to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a Supreme Court ordered probe panel in its final report on the Panamagate today recommended filing of a corruption case against him and his children after finding "significant" disparities in their income and actual wealth. The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its report submitted to the apex court recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, as well as daughter Maryam Nawaz, under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance 1999. The report, however, was slammed by the Nawaz Sharif government as "trash" with Sharif's close aide and minister for development Ahsan Iqbal in press conference with other ministers, saying they will challenge the report in the Supreme Court and will "completely expose and unveil its contradictions and falsifications". Sharif's daughter Maryam also rejected the report, saying, "JIT report REJECTED. Every contradiction will not only be contested but decimated in SC. NOT a penny of public exchequer involved." The JIT report said the assets of all four respondents were found to be more than the sources of their income. "Significant gap/disparity amongst the known and declared sources of income and the wealth accumulated by the Respondent No. 1, 6, 7 and 8 have been observed," the JIT observed in its concluding remarks. Respondent 1 refers to Prime Minister Sharif; Respondent 6 was Maryam; Respondent 7 Hussain; while Respondent 8 was Hassan. The report said the financial structure and health of companies in Pakistan having linkages to the Sharif family also do no substantiate their wealth. It also highlighted "irregular movement" of huge sums of money in the form "loans and gifts" between Sharif and his youngest son from various companies set up in Saudi Arabia, the UK and the UAE. The report said the role of off-shore companies is critical as they have been identified to be linked with their businesses in UK. The JIT also said that the Sharifs were unable to provide substantive evidence of a reliable money trail, used to buy expensive properties in London. Sharif, 67, who has denied money-laundering allegations against him and his family, today held consultations with his close aides after the report was filed with the court. Sharif's close aide and minister for development Iqbal later said, "If you review this report, it has no logical argument neither it quoted authentic sources nor material, but is based on things that have no authenticity before the law. Therefore, we are rejecting this report, terming it rubbish." Iqbal, while announcing that his party will challenge the report before the apex court, said, "We not only condemn this report but will completely expose and unveil its contradictions and falsification before the Supreme Court. We will demolish this report." Iqbal said the report was based on accusations leveled by Imran and his party and there was nothing new in it. Zafarullah Khan, another close aide of Sharif, said, "It is a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf report and not JIT report...It is Imran Nama." He said that the Supreme Court bench will consign the report to a "trash bin, where it rightfully belongs". Earlier, JIT chief Wajid Zia presented the 10-volume report along with evidence to the three-member special bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal, Justice Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan. The court ordered that its copies should be provided to the parties in the case, including Sharif family. However, JIT chief Zia asked the court that its 10th volume of the report should not be made public as it consists of correspondence with a foreign government. The bench has adjourned the hearing till Monday. The six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s. The JIT has also probed several serving and former officials in connection with the case. The six-member JIT included Federal Investigation Agencys (FIA) Additional Director General Wajid Zia, Military Intelligences Brig Kamran Khurshid, National Accountability Bureaus (NAB) Director Irfan Naeem Mangi, State Bank of Pakistan's Amer Aziz, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistans (SECP) Executive Director Bilal Rasool and Inter- Services Intelligences Brig Muhammad Nauman Saeed. Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London. The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis. The JIT questioned Sharif family including the Prime Minister, his younger brother and Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, sons Hassan and Hussain, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Captain Safdar, cousin Tariq Shafi and close relative Ishaq Dar. It also probed several serving and former officials. Meanwhile, Sharif's rival Imran told the media that the PML-N chief should resign as prime minister. "There is no need of further trial or proceedings. He should go away and should be barred from leaving the country along with other family members," he said.
By PTI

RIYADH: A policeman and two civilians have been wounded in shootings in a Shiite-majority province in Saudi Arabia, police said today. Qatif, an eastern province in Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has been hit by a string of attacks over the past week, some of them deadly.

Police said an off-duty officer was wounded late Sunday when gunmen opened fire on his car as he was driving by private farmland. And two civilians were admitted with gunshot wounds early Monday to a hospital in Qatif's town of Awamiya, police added. All three are in stable condition.

Violence over the past week has gripped Qatif, where two policemen were killed in two separate bombings targeting their patrols on Tuesday and Thursday. Two more policemen were wounded in a Saturday attack.

Last month, three people, including an officer, were also killed in bombings in the area. Saudi authorities have said they are treating the bombings last week as "terrorist crimes" and have blamed drug and arms traffickers for unrest in the area. Residents have accused police of opening fire on civilians and give a higher death toll.

RIYADH: A policeman and two civilians have been wounded in shootings in a Shiite-majority province in Saudi Arabia, police said today. Qatif, an eastern province in Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, has been hit by a string of attacks over the past week, some of them deadly. Police said an off-duty officer was wounded late Sunday when gunmen opened fire on his car as he was driving by private farmland. And two civilians were admitted with gunshot wounds early Monday to a hospital in Qatif's town of Awamiya, police added. All three are in stable condition. Violence over the past week has gripped Qatif, where two policemen were killed in two separate bombings targeting their patrols on Tuesday and Thursday. Two more policemen were wounded in a Saturday attack. Last month, three people, including an officer, were also killed in bombings in the area. Saudi authorities have said they are treating the bombings last week as "terrorist crimes" and have blamed drug and arms traffickers for unrest in the area. Residents have accused police of opening fire on civilians and give a higher death toll.
By PTI

SEOUL: South Korea intends to build a museum in memory of wartime sex slaves for Japanese troops, a government minister said today, re-igniting a perennial diplomatic thorn in the two neighbours' sides. The plight of the so-called "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II is a hugely emotional issue that has marred ties between the US allies for decades.

Mainstream historians say up to 200,000 women -- mostly from Korea but also other parts of Asia including China -- were forced to work at Japanese army brothels across the region during the 1939-1945 conflict. "We are planning to build a 'comfort women' museum in Seoul," said new gender equality minister Chung Hyun-Back at a shelter for a shrinking number of survivors, who now number only 38 in total.

The "House of Sharing", in a rural area south of Seoul, has a memorial hall but Chung said the country needed a museum in the capital with better public access. She did not elaborate on when it will open or what kind of materials it will display.

Japan maintains that there is a lack of documentary proof that the women were forcibly made to work at the brothels. In late 2015, under now-ousted president Park Geun-Hye, Seoul and Tokyo reached what they described as a "final and irreversible" agreement under which Japan offered an apology and a one-billion yen ($8.6 billion) payment to South Korean survivors.

Critics of the accord, including some survivors, say the deal did not go far enough in holding Japan legally responsible for wartime abuses during its 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. Tension escalated further after South Korean activists refused to remove a statue of a girl erected in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul to symbolise the victims of sex slavery.

Tokyo has pressed Seoul to remove it, but activists have since put up more statues -- including one outside the Japanese consulate in Busan. Tokyo recalled its ambassador in protest in January, and he did not return for three months. New South Korean President Moon Jae-In has repeatedly voiced criticism of the 2015 deal, suggesting a potential push by Seoul to renegotiate it.

SEOUL: South Korea intends to build a museum in memory of wartime sex slaves for Japanese troops, a government minister said today, re-igniting a perennial diplomatic thorn in the two neighbours' sides. The plight of the so-called "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops during World War II is a hugely emotional issue that has marred ties between the US allies for decades. Mainstream historians say up to 200,000 women -- mostly from Korea but also other parts of Asia including China -- were forced to work at Japanese army brothels across the region during the 1939-1945 conflict. "We are planning to build a 'comfort women' museum in Seoul," said new gender equality minister Chung Hyun-Back at a shelter for a shrinking number of survivors, who now number only 38 in total. The "House of Sharing", in a rural area south of Seoul, has a memorial hall but Chung said the country needed a museum in the capital with better public access. She did not elaborate on when it will open or what kind of materials it will display. Japan maintains that there is a lack of documentary proof that the women were forcibly made to work at the brothels. In late 2015, under now-ousted president Park Geun-Hye, Seoul and Tokyo reached what they described as a "final and irreversible" agreement under which Japan offered an apology and a one-billion yen ($8.6 billion) payment to South Korean survivors. Critics of the accord, including some survivors, say the deal did not go far enough in holding Japan legally responsible for wartime abuses during its 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. Tension escalated further after South Korean activists refused to remove a statue of a girl erected in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul to symbolise the victims of sex slavery. Tokyo has pressed Seoul to remove it, but activists have since put up more statues -- including one outside the Japanese consulate in Busan. Tokyo recalled its ambassador in protest in January, and he did not return for three months. New South Korean President Moon Jae-In has repeatedly voiced criticism of the 2015 deal, suggesting a potential push by Seoul to renegotiate it.
By AFP

LONDON: Britain's Defence Minister Michael Fallon praised Iraq today for defeating the Islamic State group in Mosul but warned that more has to be done to combat the jihadists.

Earlier today Iraq announced victory against IS in the northern city, the country's second largest, from where the group declared a self-styled caliphate three years ago.

Battles have raged for months, leaving thousands dead and wounded, while nearly a million people have fled.

"I congratulate Prime Minister (Haider) Abadi, and the Iraqi forces who have been fighting on the ground with great bravery and care against a brutal opponent," Fallon said in a statement.

"Daesh has total disregard for innocent civilian life and we should welcome their defeat in a city that was ground zero for their so-called caliphate," he added, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

As part of Britain's involvement in the US-led coalition against the jihadist group, Fallon said British forces had struck 750 targets in the battle for Mosul.

But "there is still more to do" around the city and in the broader region, Fallon said.

"This barbaric group remains dug in west of the Euphrates and clearing operations in and around Mosul will be needed because of the threat from improvised explosive devices," he added.

As the Iraqi prime minister visited troops in Mosul today, gunfire and explosions were still audible.

IS holds territory elsewhere in Iraq and in Syria, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are battling to oust the jihadist group from its stronghold Raqa.

The coalition against IS launched military operations in the two countries in mid-2014, while Iraqi forces launched their campaign to recapture Mosul in October.

LONDON: Britain's Defence Minister Michael Fallon praised Iraq today for defeating the Islamic State group in Mosul but warned that more has to be done to combat the jihadists. Earlier today Iraq announced victory against IS in the northern city, the country's second largest, from where the group declared a self-styled caliphate three years ago. Battles have raged for months, leaving thousands dead and wounded, while nearly a million people have fled. "I congratulate Prime Minister (Haider) Abadi, and the Iraqi forces who have been fighting on the ground with great bravery and care against a brutal opponent," Fallon said in a statement. "Daesh has total disregard for innocent civilian life and we should welcome their defeat in a city that was ground zero for their so-called caliphate," he added, using an Arabic acronym for IS. As part of Britain's involvement in the US-led coalition against the jihadist group, Fallon said British forces had struck 750 targets in the battle for Mosul. But "there is still more to do" around the city and in the broader region, Fallon said. "This barbaric group remains dug in west of the Euphrates and clearing operations in and around Mosul will be needed because of the threat from improvised explosive devices," he added. As the Iraqi prime minister visited troops in Mosul today, gunfire and explosions were still audible. IS holds territory elsewhere in Iraq and in Syria, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are battling to oust the jihadist group from its stronghold Raqa. The coalition against IS launched military operations in the two countries in mid-2014, while Iraqi forces launched their campaign to recapture Mosul in October.
Poster of Dahufa [Photo provided to China Daily]

Film Dahufa, Chinas first movie labeling it "PG-13", has received critical acclaims from the country's animation circle in advanced screenings.

The upcoming movie, which is set to open across China on July 13, recently held a series of previews during its promotional tour.

Centering on the titular person, a short martial arts master born to safeguard the fictional Yiwei State, the tale follows his adventure to rescue the nation's crown prince in a town populated by peanut-headed humanoids.

The movie targeting adults contain some bloody, violent scenes as well as sort of soft-porn lines.

But even with these contents, the movie is reckoned to build a serious theme to examine freedom and dignity, according to some animators.

Du Jun, CEO of the hit animated franchise Kuiba's producing company Vasoon Animation, says the movie ponders over human nature.

As China hasn't adopted a rating system by ages, the producers highlight on some trailers and posters to warn the movie is not fit for audiences younger than 13 years old.

Yang Zhigang, more known for his stage name Busifan, reveals on his Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalence to Twitter, that the movie will also have two voice-over versions, respectively in Mandarin and Cantonese.
By AFP

BEIRUT: Syria's government and opposition meet Monday for a seventh round of UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva with little expectation of a breakthrough to end the six-year conflict.

The Geneva process has been increasingly overshadowed by a separate track organised by regime allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey.

And on Sunday, a ceasefire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan began in southern Syria, the latest agreement reached outside the Geneva framework.

In principle, the new round of negotiations will focus on four so-called "baskets": a new constitution, governance, elections and combating "terrorism".

The last talks had ended in May with little progress towards ending a war that has killed more than 320,000 people since it began in March 2011.

UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said afterwards that "important gaps remain... on major issues," and that time constraints had stymied progress.

Syria's opposition insists that President Bashar al-Assad must step down as part of any political solution to the war, but the government says Assad's fate is not up for discussion.

Still both sides are expected to participate once again, with Yehya al-Aridi, a spokesman for the opposition High Negotiations Committee, telling AFP he had "modest expectations".

- UN welcomes ceasefire deal -

The Geneva talks began in 2014, and have continued intermittently despite a dearth of results.

Since January, they have been increasingly overshadowed by a separate process held in Astana and organised by Russia, Iran and Turkey.

The three countries agreed in May to set up four "de-escalation zones" in Syria, though they have so far failed to agree details necessary to implement the plan.

Meanwhile, US, Russian and Jordanian officials have agreed a ceasefire in southern Syria that began on Sunday and covers three provinces included in one of the "de-escalation" zones.

De Mistura's deputy Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi has said the ceasefire deal "helps create a suitable atmosphere for the talks".

"We hope that an agreement will be reached for the other areas that have been discussed as soon as possible and this will lead to significant support for the political process," he added.

- Geneva vs. Astana -

Syria's opposition fears the Astana talks are a way for regime allies to control the negotiation process.

By attending the Geneva talks, Aridi said, the opposition hoped to preserve the track.

"The goal is to maintain some momentum for a political solution in light of Russia's attempts to divert attention to Astana, which it wants to design and shape as it wishes," he told AFP.

Syria analyst Sam Heller, writing for the Century Foundation think-tank, said the opposition and its backers viewed Geneva as "a chance for smaller tactical wins and a vessel for a possible future deal".

"It's also about keeping an internationally recognised political process shaped by key opposition backers, rather than ceding the negotiating space to the rival Astana negotiations track, over which Russia has presided."

Washington, once a key opposition backer and peace process partner, stepped back from involvement in the diplomatic process after President Donald Trump took office in January.

But its involvement in the south Syria ceasefire raises the prospect it may be re-engaging in a limited fashion.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said American and Russian officials had discussed "other areas in Syria that we can continue to work together on".

And in Washington, a senior State Department official said both countries had a role to play in ending Syria's conflict.

"If there's going to be a resolution of the conflict in Syria, we both need to somehow be involved in it."

BEIRUT: Syria's government and opposition meet Monday for a seventh round of UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva with little expectation of a breakthrough to end the six-year conflict. The Geneva process has been increasingly overshadowed by a separate track organised by regime allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey. And on Sunday, a ceasefire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan began in southern Syria, the latest agreement reached outside the Geneva framework. In principle, the new round of negotiations will focus on four so-called "baskets": a new constitution, governance, elections and combating "terrorism". The last talks had ended in May with little progress towards ending a war that has killed more than 320,000 people since it began in March 2011. UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said afterwards that "important gaps remain... on major issues," and that time constraints had stymied progress. Syria's opposition insists that President Bashar al-Assad must step down as part of any political solution to the war, but the government says Assad's fate is not up for discussion. Still both sides are expected to participate once again, with Yehya al-Aridi, a spokesman for the opposition High Negotiations Committee, telling AFP he had "modest expectations". - UN welcomes ceasefire deal - The Geneva talks began in 2014, and have continued intermittently despite a dearth of results. Since January, they have been increasingly overshadowed by a separate process held in Astana and organised by Russia, Iran and Turkey. The three countries agreed in May to set up four "de-escalation zones" in Syria, though they have so far failed to agree details necessary to implement the plan. Meanwhile, US, Russian and Jordanian officials have agreed a ceasefire in southern Syria that began on Sunday and covers three provinces included in one of the "de-escalation" zones. De Mistura's deputy Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi has said the ceasefire deal "helps create a suitable atmosphere for the talks". "We hope that an agreement will be reached for the other areas that have been discussed as soon as possible and this will lead to significant support for the political process," he added. - Geneva vs. Astana - Syria's opposition fears the Astana talks are a way for regime allies to control the negotiation process. By attending the Geneva talks, Aridi said, the opposition hoped to preserve the track. "The goal is to maintain some momentum for a political solution in light of Russia's attempts to divert attention to Astana, which it wants to design and shape as it wishes," he told AFP. Syria analyst Sam Heller, writing for the Century Foundation think-tank, said the opposition and its backers viewed Geneva as "a chance for smaller tactical wins and a vessel for a possible future deal". "It's also about keeping an internationally recognised political process shaped by key opposition backers, rather than ceding the negotiating space to the rival Astana negotiations track, over which Russia has presided." Washington, once a key opposition backer and peace process partner, stepped back from involvement in the diplomatic process after President Donald Trump took office in January. But its involvement in the south Syria ceasefire raises the prospect it may be re-engaging in a limited fashion. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said American and Russian officials had discussed "other areas in Syria that we can continue to work together on". And in Washington, a senior State Department official said both countries had a role to play in ending Syria's conflict. "If there's going to be a resolution of the conflict in Syria, we both need to somehow be involved in it."
By PTI

KHARTOUM: The United Nations said today it hopes the United States will make a "positive decision" on sanctions against Sudan for allowing more humanitarian aid access across war zones as sought.

President Donald Trump is to decide Wednesday on whether to permanently lift the US sanctions on Sudan after his predecessor Barack Obama eased the embargo in January but kept Khartoum on a six-month review period.

Obama made the permanent lifting of sanctions dependent on Khartoum's progress on five areas of concern at the end of the review period. Giving more access to humanitarian workers was one of the five conditions Obama insisted Sudan must meet before the sanctions can be lifted permanently. Today, the United Nations said there had been a "marked improvement" in humanitarian access in the past six months.

"Recent months have seen UN agencies and partners increasingly working in areas that were previously inaccessible, to carry out needs assessments and provide humanitarian assistance," said a UN statement titled "UN hopes for positive decision on US sanctions relief." It said areas now accessible also included war-torn Darfur's mountainous region of Jebel Marra -- a site of intense fighting between Sudanese government forces and rebels for years. It said access had also been possible in government- controlled areas of Blue Nile and South Kordofan states, but areas held by armed groups remained inaccessible.

Washington imposed a complex set of economic sanctions on Sudan in 1997 for its alleged backing of Islamist militant groups. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was killed in a US commando raid in Pakistan in 2011, was based in Khartoum from 1992 to 1996. Washington also justified the embargo with accusations of scorched-earth tactics by Khartoum against ethnic minority rebels in war-torn Darfur. At least 3,00,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced since a brutal conflict erupted in Darfur in 2003, the United Nations says. The conflict broke out when ethnic African rebels took up arms against Khartoum's Arab-dominated government, accusing it of marginalising Darfur. Thousands more were killed in Blue Nile and South Kordofan when similar conflicts broke out in the two states in 2011.

KHARTOUM: The United Nations said today it hopes the United States will make a "positive decision" on sanctions against Sudan for allowing more humanitarian aid access across war zones as sought. President Donald Trump is to decide Wednesday on whether to permanently lift the US sanctions on Sudan after his predecessor Barack Obama eased the embargo in January but kept Khartoum on a six-month review period. Obama made the permanent lifting of sanctions dependent on Khartoum's progress on five areas of concern at the end of the review period. Giving more access to humanitarian workers was one of the five conditions Obama insisted Sudan must meet before the sanctions can be lifted permanently. Today, the United Nations said there had been a "marked improvement" in humanitarian access in the past six months. "Recent months have seen UN agencies and partners increasingly working in areas that were previously inaccessible, to carry out needs assessments and provide humanitarian assistance," said a UN statement titled "UN hopes for positive decision on US sanctions relief." It said areas now accessible also included war-torn Darfur's mountainous region of Jebel Marra -- a site of intense fighting between Sudanese government forces and rebels for years. It said access had also been possible in government- controlled areas of Blue Nile and South Kordofan states, but areas held by armed groups remained inaccessible. Washington imposed a complex set of economic sanctions on Sudan in 1997 for its alleged backing of Islamist militant groups. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was killed in a US commando raid in Pakistan in 2011, was based in Khartoum from 1992 to 1996. Washington also justified the embargo with accusations of scorched-earth tactics by Khartoum against ethnic minority rebels in war-torn Darfur. At least 3,00,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced since a brutal conflict erupted in Darfur in 2003, the United Nations says. The conflict broke out when ethnic African rebels took up arms against Khartoum's Arab-dominated government, accusing it of marginalising Darfur. Thousands more were killed in Blue Nile and South Kordofan when similar conflicts broke out in the two states in 2011.
By PTI

UNITED NATIONS: US Ambassador Nikki Haley today ramped up pressure on the Myanmar government to accept a UN fact-finding mission tasked with investigating human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims.

Yangon officials said last week that they would deny visas to the three-person team mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate abuses reportedly committed by security forces in Rakhine state. "It is important that the Burmese government allow this fact-finding mission to do its job," Haley said in a statement. "The international community cannot overlook what is happening in Burma - we must stand together and call on the government to fully cooperate with this fact-finding mission."

Myanmar's de facto leader and Nobel prize winning democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has rejected the UN fact- finding mission, arguing that the government is carrying out its own investigation. The north of Rakhine state has been under lockdown since October, when the military launched a campaign to hunt down Rohingya militants who staged deadly attacks on police posts.

More than 90,000 Rohingya have been forced to flee their homes since last October, according to UN estimates. A UN report in February said the campaign against the Rohingya, who are denied citizenship and other rights in Myanmar, "very likely" amounted to war crimes. Haley said the violence in Rakhine continues to claim lives and that there were continuing allegations of sexual violence targeting women and children. In May, the Geneva-based rights council appointed Indira Jaising of India, Radhika Coomaraswamy of Sri Lanka and Christopher Dominic Sidoti of Australia to serve as the three members of the fact-finding mission.

UNITED NATIONS: US Ambassador Nikki Haley today ramped up pressure on the Myanmar government to accept a UN fact-finding mission tasked with investigating human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims. Yangon officials said last week that they would deny visas to the three-person team mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate abuses reportedly committed by security forces in Rakhine state. "It is important that the Burmese government allow this fact-finding mission to do its job," Haley said in a statement. "The international community cannot overlook what is happening in Burma - we must stand together and call on the government to fully cooperate with this fact-finding mission." Myanmar's de facto leader and Nobel prize winning democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has rejected the UN fact- finding mission, arguing that the government is carrying out its own investigation. The north of Rakhine state has been under lockdown since October, when the military launched a campaign to hunt down Rohingya militants who staged deadly attacks on police posts. More than 90,000 Rohingya have been forced to flee their homes since last October, according to UN estimates. A UN report in February said the campaign against the Rohingya, who are denied citizenship and other rights in Myanmar, "very likely" amounted to war crimes. Haley said the violence in Rakhine continues to claim lives and that there were continuing allegations of sexual violence targeting women and children. In May, the Geneva-based rights council appointed Indira Jaising of India, Radhika Coomaraswamy of Sri Lanka and Christopher Dominic Sidoti of Australia to serve as the three members of the fact-finding mission.
Jia's rubbings demonstrate a technique which was very popular before photography was introduced in China. [Photo provided to China Daily]

An ongoing exhibition shines light on whole-shape rubbings, a technique which creates a three-dimensional effect to show an item's shape and details on it. Liu Xiangrui reports.

More than 60 rubbings of ancient bronze ware and other relics by Jia Wenzhong, an expert on bronze ware identification and relic repairs, are on display at Prince Kung's Mansion in Beijing.

Unlike regular rubbings that only represent the surface of relics from one side, the rubbings by Jia are whole-shape rubbings, a technique that was developed nearly 200 years ago, which creates a three-dimensional effect to show an item's shape and details on its surface.

The technique used to be very popular before photography was introduced into China and was used in epigraphy, the study of inscriptions.

"For people back then who were interested in epigraphy, they usually studied the relics through paintings and rubbings. Rubbings were much more accurate than paintings, so some experts believe that without rubbings there would be no epigraphy," says Jia.

The traditional technique is still widely used and plays an important part in archaeology, the 56-year-old adds. Jia was born into a family in Beijing that for generations was devoted to repairing cultural artifacts, especially bronze ware, and he mastered the skills to create whole shape rubbings during his long relic repair career.

Among the pieces on display in the exhibition are rubbings of famous bronze pieces such as the Boju Ge, an ancient three-legged bronze vessel used for sacrifices that was unearthed in Beijing in 1974, but which dates back to the Western Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-771 BC).

The Boju Ge rubbing, which is regarded as one of Jia's representational works, was given to former French president Jacques Chirac as a present by China in 2011.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 26F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 26F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Nina Zimmer (second from right), director of Bern Museum of Fine Arts, speaks at a news conference after the arrival of the first artworks. [Photo/Agencies]

A Swiss museum director preparing for a Naziera art collection's long-awaited public unveiling later this year said Friday that her goal remains finding heirs to any works that may have been looted from Jewish owners.

Bern Museum of Fine Arts head Nina Zimmer, who took ownership of 150 drawings, lithographs and paintings this week ahead of an exhibition slated to begin in November, said research shows none of these were stolen by National Socialists.

But questions linger over the provenance of some of the collection's pieces still in Germany, where a 2012 raid by authorities on a Munich apartment produced a sensation: 1,500 long-lost works by modern masters, including Pablo Picasso, Otto Dix and Henri Matisse.

"Every restitution is a victory for us," Zimmer said in an interview, while acknowledging such provenance sleuthing remains unpredictable. "I cannot make any promises."

Additionally, the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn, Germany, is also planning to display items from the collection, which to date has produced only five works confirmed to have been stolen by the Nazis.

Four have been returned to heirs, so far, including a Matisse portrait, Sitting Woman, that belonged to Paris-based collector Paul Rosenberg.

Before its discovery five years ago, the massive trove was hidden for years in the German and Austrian homes of Cornelius Gurlitt.

His art-dealer father, Hildebrand, amassed it after being enlisted by the Nazis to sell so-called "degenerate" modern art they had seized from German museums.

Though original estimates for the collection's value topping $1 billion were likely exaggerated, experts said, the find is still spectacular.
Delays for emergency surgery were associated with a higher risk of death for patients in hospital -- and higher costs -- yet these delays were largely due to lack of operating rooms and staff, and other system issues, found a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) http://www. cmaj. ca/ lookup/ doi/ 10. 1503/ cmaj. 160576

The study was conducted at The Ottawa Hospital, one of Canada's largest hospitals, and the sole provider in the region for trauma, neurosurgery, thoracic and vascular surgery.

"Delays in emergency surgeries are a problem around the world," said senior author Dr. Alan Forster, vice president of quality, performance and population health, and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, and professor at the University of Ottawa in Ontario. "This study adds to the evidence suggesting timely access to the [operating room] is important from both the patient and care provider perspectives. Given that there are no universal standards for the time frame a patient with urgent needs should get into surgery, we set an aggressive scale for the different grades of urgency."

Researchers identified 15 160 emergency surgery patients and found that almost 19% (2820) did not reach the operating room within that time frame. In 86% of those cases with documented reasons for delay, system issues such as staff or operating room availability were the cause.

Surgical delays resulted in a higher risk of death, longer lengths of stay for patients and higher health care costs.

"We found that most delays were due to system issues, like physician, nurse, and operating room unavailability," said Dr. Daniel McIsaac, an associate scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa. "Improving personnel availability may improve access without increasing costs (at least from a hospital perspective). Furthermore, the increased resources required to have adequate nursing personnel and physical resources should be partially offset by decreased hospital costs independently attributed to surgical delay."

These findings are consistent with evidence from other countries that delays are often due to system factors.

"Although our results support the known association between delay and mortality in patients with hip fracture, they also support the generalizability of the delay-outcome association to nonorthopedic surgery, where previous findings have both supported and refuted this association," the authors write.

Dr. Forster states that these results suggest a different way of looking at how hospitals create sufficient operating room capacity is required. To ensure emergency patients can be accommodated, it is necessary to have spare capacity.

"It might seem counterintuitive, but having unused time in expensive operating rooms could save both money and lives," said Dr. Forster.

The authors note that even though the study was conducted at one centre, the findings are likely generalizable to other settings.

In a related commentary http://www. cmaj. ca/ lookup/ doi/ 10. 1503/ cmaj. 170172, Dr. David Urbach, Women's College Hospital and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, writes, "These findings will ring true for many who have worked in an operating room in a Canadian hospital. Global hospital budgets in an era of constrained public financing force surgical departments to strive for maximum efficiency; most optimize utilization of operating rooms and staff at maximum capacity for elective surgery, while assiduously avoiding any unbudgeted activity."

Urbach suggests several system-level solutions to address surgical delays while minimizing health care costs.
A new study carried out by Northwestern Medicine and Rush University Medical Center on older adults reports that a person is more likely to sleep better, with less sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome, if he has a good purpose to wake up in the morning.

The study, which was published on Sunday, July 9, in the journal Sleep Science and Practice, is the first of this kind to explain having a purpose in life specifically results in improved sleep quality and fewer sleep disturbances over a long period of time. Prior research showed that overall sleep, when measured at a particular point of time, is generally improved when one has a purpose in life.

Researchers said that even though the participants in this study were elderly people, with an average age of 79, the application of the findings to a broader public is possible.

Senior author Jason Ong, an associate professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine said: "Helping people cultivate a purpose in life could be an effective drug-free strategy to improve sleep quality, particularly for a population that is facing more insomnia. Purpose in life is something that can be cultivated and enhanced through mindfulness therapies."

He also added that sleep disturbances and insomnia increase when people get older; non-drug interventions are preferred by clinicians to improve patients' sleep. This practice as a first line treatment for insomnia is newly recommended by the American College of Physicians.

The study consisted of 823 non-demented participants between 60 to 100, from two cohorts at Rush University Medical Center. More than half of the samples were African Americans and females constituted 77% of the overall population.

Questionnaires with 10 questions on purpose in life and 32 questions on sleep were provided to the participants for answering. They were asked to rate statements such as, "I feel good when I think of what I've done in the past and what I hope to do in the future", in the survey for the purpose in life.

Sleep apnea was 63% less likely to occur in older adults who felt their life has meaning and, for restless leg syndrome, there was a 52% decrease. These patients also had moderate better sleep quality, which is a global measure of sleep disturbances. The results were similar in both whites as well as African American.

Arlener Turner, the study's first author and a former postdoctoral fellow in neurology at Feinberg said that the next step in the research should be to study the use of mindfulness-based therapies to target purpose in life and resulting sleep quality.

Having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, feeling sleepy during the day, etc., are related to poor sleep quality. Sleep apnea increases with age. It is a common disorder in which a person has shallow breathing or pauses in breathing during sleep several times per hour. These disturbances mean a person does not feel refreshed when waking up, as well as feeling excessively sleepy during the day.

Uncomfortable sensations in the leg that create an irresistible urge to move them cause restless leg syndrome. The symptoms of this syndrome are mostly exhibited during late afternoon or evening hours and are often most severe at night when a person is resting (sitting or lying in bed).
A chart that enables parents and clinicians to calculate if a baby is crying more than it should in the first three months of its life has been created by a Kingston University London researcher, following a study of colic and crying in babies from across the world.

The data is based on analysis of existing studies of almost 8,700 babies - and has resulted in the first universal chart which shows the average amount of crying in babies during the first three months, plus compares colic and crying in babies from a number of different countries.

The research found that overall, babies in the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada and the Netherlands cry the most, while babies in Denmark, Germany and Japan cry the least. Across the three months, levels of colic - defined as crying for at least three hours a day for three days a week- were highest in Canadian babies (34.1% at three to four weeks), UK babies (27% in the first two weeks) and Italian babies (20.9% at eight to nine weeks). Japanese babies had the lowest levels of colic (2.1% at five to six weeks), followed by Danish babies (5.5% had colic at three to four weeks).

Muthanna Samara, Professor in Psychology at Kingston University London, said that, not only did the findings help produce the first ever worldwide comparison, but challenged previous theories of peaks in crying.

"We found no statistical evidence for a universal increase in the duration of crying over the first six weeks of life culminating in a peak at five to six weeks of age as proposed previously, although it does show a slight increase," said Professor Samara. "Overall, cry durations were high across the first six weeks of life and then reduced significantly over the following six weeks."

He hopes that the evidence garnered by their analysis will provide a real and up to date diagnosis tool that parents and healthcare professionals can use to assess whether their baby is crying more than expected. Currently, the diagnosis for colic is based on the Wessel 3Rs criteria from 60 years ago.

"We've produced a chart based on our figures that clinicians and parents can rely on to see if their babies are crying more than average. If the baby is not crying within the expected range this may indicate that they need to seek an assessment or seek medical advice or support."

Undertaken in partnership with University of Warwick, the research looked at 28 existing studies from countries across Europe, US and Japan. Professor Samara said the data has supported other studies that provide theories on why babies in some countries cry more than others.

"One study that compared Danish and UK babies crying found that Danish parents respond more quickly when the baby cries compared to British parents," said Professor Samara. "It found that parents in the UK had less physical contact with their infants, including when their baby is crying and also when awake and settled."

"Also, in Denmark, fathers are given reduced hours to work in order to help support the mother more in those first weeks, so while we can only speculate that these factors contribute to babies crying less in Denmark - our data supports this."

The analysis also concluded that babies who were breastfed tend to cry more. Professor Samara said this is due to the fact that formula milk takes longer to break down in the stomach so breastfed babies tend to wake up more - and consequently cry more.

Ultimately, Professor Samara would like the universal chart to become widely recognized across the pediatric healthcare system and by children's charities as a tool to help diagnose crying problems in babies.

"The chart could be included in the diagnostic manuals and used by clinicians and clinical psychologists as one of the criteria to diagnose crying problems in the future, it allows us to recognize whether the baby is excessively crying or fussing according to age," said Professor Samara.

Professor Samara would also like to expand the research to include other countries, such as the Middle East and Asia, to give them a broader picture that takes in different cultures and socio-economic factors.

"There is a need for studies in other countries," said Professor Samara. "So, what's considered high levels of crying in the countries we've studied may be normal elsewhere. We need to take into account different countries and their cultures."
A new study conducted by an international team of lung cancer researchers, including Professor John Field from the University of Liverpool, have identified new genetic variants for lung cancer risk.

Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Although tobacco smoking is the main risk factor, variations in a person's genetic makeup have been estimated to be responsible for approximately 12% of cases. However, the exact details of these variations have been previously unknown.

Genotyping is the process of determining differences in the genetic make-up (genotype) of an individual by examining the individual's DNA sequence.

Largest study of this type

By gathering genotype data from different studies around the world, through the use of a special research platform called OncoArray, researchers were able to increase the sample size for this study making it the largest one of its type in the world. The Liverpool Lung Project, funded by the Roy Castle Foundation, has made a major contribution to this international project.

Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

Researchers examined the data to identify the genetic variants associated with lung cancer risk.

During the study, published in Nature Genetics, more than 29,200 lung cancer cases and more than 56,000 samples taken from people without lung cancer (controls) were examined. Researchers identified 18 genetic variations that could make people more susceptible to lung cancer and also 10 new gene variations.

Better understanding

Professor John Field, Clinical Professor of Molecular Oncology and the Chief Investigator of the UK Lung Cancer Screening Trial, said: "This study has identified several new variants for lung cancer risk that will translate into improved understanding of the mechanisms involved in lung cancer risk.

"Samples taken from the major Liverpool Lung Project, funded by the Roy Castle Foundation, was conducted by experts at the University of Liverpool, were used in this study.

"These results will help us to further improve the way we can screen for lung cancer in high-risk individuals in the UK. Further studies will help in the targeting of specific genes to influencing lung cancer risk, smoking behavior and smoking effects on brain biology."

Exciting

The co-lead of the study was Christopher Amos, Chair and Professor of Biomedical Data Science, Professor of Community and Family Medicine, and Professor of Molecular and Systems Biology at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine, and Interim Director and Associate Director for Population Sciences at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Centre. Of the study, he said: "What is particularly exciting is the magnitude of the study along with the new findings of genes influencing lung cancer which have not previously been reported.

"This study definitely leads to new ideas about mechanisms influencing lung cancer risk."
News18  Blogs  India

Can't Afford Darjeeling Unrest Amid China Stand-off

FILE. Supporters of GJM rally as they carry bodies of protesters who were killed in clashes with security forces in Darjeeling. (Image: Reuters)

China is not willing to walk away easily from the current stand-off with India. But India has to immediately settle the internal political squabble in sensitive Darjeeling lest it complicates with the stakes on the border.



A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a chance meeting in Hamburg, Germany  the first inter-action after the stand-off over construction by China in Bhutans Doklam plateau -- China created a drama by claiming that its envoy to India met Rahul Gandhi of the Congress in New Delhi and that both talked about the current Sino-Indian relations. It was a post on the Chinese embassys website. It created a political flutter after which the statement strangely disappeared from the website.



Nothing new about such flip-flops which are part of the Chinese PR armoury. Behind the stand-off  backed by belligerent verbal outbursts by Chinese media toeing the party line -- is by far Chinas boldest action to consolidate military presence right across the Indian border, in fact its closest venture towards the sensitive Chickens Neck of India in the north-east.



Notwithstanding how India sees the stand-off and tries resolving it, the political parties are busy politicizing the current unrest in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is a constituent of the NDA. The Morcha has turned the current agitation bloody and vandalized the district. The Morchas leaders including Bimal Gurung, are said to be in Sikkim, away from the clutches of the WB police. What a coincidence that the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front is also an NDA constituent.



The BJP has been trying to expand its base in the district. To that extent it has sided against the state government, roundly blaming Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the Darjeeling unrest. True that Mamata, inspired by the slow and steady popularity of the TMC in the hills, tried to hasten the Trinamools entrenchment in the hill areas. A cornered Morcha struck back. Now, it is on the verge of becoming more a movement of the people who have taken to the streets against the politics.



But this is a minor aspect of the situation compared to the China standoff that concerns Darjeeling and the repercussions for India can be dangerous and massive.



The Darjeeling district is at the quadri-junction of the North-East: India, Nepal to the west, Bangladesh to the South and East and Sikkim to the north that stands between Darjeeling and China.



Just below Darjeeling is the crucial Indias Chickens Neck  the Siliguri Corridor  which is the only access route to the Indian north-east from mainland India. The Corridor is a narrow stretch of land, located in West Bengal, with Nepal and Bangladesh lying on either side of the corridor. Bhutan lies on the northern side of the corridor.



The city of Siliguri, in the state of West Bengal, is the major settlement in this area and the central node that connects Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sikkim, Darjeeling hills, Northeast India and the rest of India.



The Siliguri Corridor was created in 1947 after the partition of Bengal between India and Pakistan, wedged between Bangladesh to the south and west and China to the north.



Between Sikkim and Bhutan lies the Chumbi Valley, a dagger-like slice of Tibetan territory. The Chinese are barely 150 km away. They have sufficient infrastructural facilities in case they eye the Corridor. The Corridor is so vital to Indian interests that choke it off and one can cut off Bhutan, part of West Bengal and all of the Indian North-East.



In this kind of a situation, China now wants to build infrastructure in the Doklam plateau. India is steadfastly opposing the move. That is the stand-off, with no side backing down. The plateau is in Bhutan, at the very tip of this dagger-like slice of Tibetan territory. China is contesting all historical facts to claim that the plateau does not belong to Bhutan. India clls the region Doka La. For Bhutahn, it is Doklam. Now China says it is part of its Dongland region. The plateau is at the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan. It has Nathu La on the west from the Sikkim Side. The last big Chinese town of Yadong, a military hub, is just a few hours away from this point.



China has quietly built-up the scenario over the last few years that eventually led to this stand-off. It ensnared Pakistan into a quid pro quo infrastructure vs land relationship. If softened Nepal with a slew of populist and financial measures. It began the One Belt One Road project to connect Europe and Africa with Asia by road. A part of this project is the China-Pakistan-Economic- Corridor which is to pass through Pak-Occupied Kashmir, the region claimed by India. China all this while began building heavy duty mountain roads connecting the Tibetan plateau with key points in Nepal and Bhutan. It tried to enter into an arrangement with Bhutan for exchanging the Doklam plateau in return for nearly anything. Bhutan disagreed. China continued the sops to Bhutan, in terms of financing education for Bhutanese in Chinese universities, jobs for Bhutanese youth and setting up other infrastructural projects. Bhutan continues to back India and vice-versa.



Having, in its opinion, secured cooperation by volition or coercion, China was ready for the stand-off with India. The foremost priority for India is to de-activate the BJP-Trinamool-Morcha politics that is causing so much bad blood in Darjeeling. The unrest only weakens the security of the region. The country can do without the drama on the domestic front as it grapples with the international front.
New Delhi/Singapore: India, the world's third-largest oil importer, will import crude oil from the United States for the first time after Indian Oil Corp bought a cargo that will be delivered in October.



The purchase comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the U.S. in June when President Donald Trump said his country looked forward to exporting more energy products to India.



IOC bought 1.6 million barrels of U.S. Mars crude, a heavy, high-sulphur grade, and 400,000 barrels of Western Canadian Select that will be delivered onboard a Very Large Crude Carrier, IOC's head of finance, A.K. Sharma, told Reuters.



PetroChina was awarded the tender to sell the cargoes and is expected to load the oil off the U.S. Gulf Coast, said a trading source with direct knowledge of the sale.



The cargo was priced on a delivered ex-ship basis, which is "very competitive" to that of Basra Light, Sharma said.



"So long as the prices remain competitive, we will buy more of the U.S. crude," he said.



IOC had to obtain special permission from the shipping ministry to buy the cargo on a delivered basis as local regulations favour the use of Indian flagged carriers for imports, Sharma said.



India is the latest Asian country to buy U.S. crude after South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Australia and Taiwan as the countries seek to diversify oil imports from other regions after the OPEC cuts drove up prices of Middle East heavy-sour crude, or grades with a high sulphur content.



Indian refiners are seeking these heavy, high-sulphur grades as feedstocks after modifications at their plants make it easier to process these types of crudes, which typically sell at a lower cost relative to other oil types. The U.S. could become an alternative source for the Indian companies for these grades.



A second Indian refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd also planned to buy its first ever U.S. crude oil cargo and has issued a purchase tender.
Kolkata: India's steel consumption grew by 4.6 per cent to nearly 21 million tonne in the first quarter of the current fiscal over the same period in 2016 while the country's steel exports jumped by nearly 66 per cent in the April-June period, a Ministry report said.



"India's consumption of total finished steel saw a growth of 4.6 per cent in April-June 2017 at 20.999 mt (million tonne) over same period of last year, under the influence of a rising production for sale," the report said.



The Ministry's study also pointed out overall consumption at 7.204 mt in June was down by four per cent over the previous month (May 2017) and was up by 5.3 per cent over corresponding month (June 2016) last year.



"Export of total finished steel was up by 65.9 per cent in April-June 2017 at 1.387 mt over same period of last year. Overall exports in June 2017 at 0.648 mt was up by 0.9 per cent over May 2017 but was up by 20.2 per cent over June 2016," said the report of Joint Plant Committee.



However, the import of total finished steel at 1.715 mt in June quarter declined by 6.4 per cent over same period in 2016.



Overall imports at 0.653 mt in June was up by 17 per cent over May and increased year-on-year by 3.2 per cent over same month last year (June 2016).



India was a net exporter of total finished steel in April-June 2017, the report said.



Production for sale of total finished steel at 26.309 mt, registered a year-on-year growth of 6.7 per cent during April-June 2017 and overall production for sale of total finished steel in June was at 8.826 mt, down by two per cent over May 2017 and up by 7.5 per cent over June 2016.



SAIL, RINL, TSL, Essar, JSWL and JSPL together produced 15.171 mt during April-June of the current fiscal, which was a growth of 14.4 per cent year-on-year, the report said.



The rest was 13.749 mt coming from the other producers, which was a growth of 0.1 per cent over same period in 2016, it added.



The Union Cabinet had given its approval to the National Steel Policy, 2017 which projected crude steel capacity of 300 mt, production of 255 mt and a robust finished steel per capita consumption of 158 kg by 2030-31, as against the current per capita consumption of 61 kg.



According to the policy, the 300 mt of steel making capacity would translate into additional investment of Rs 10 lakh crore by 2030-31.
Gulangyu island in East China's Fujian province, famous for its varied architecture and multicultural history, is included on the UNESCO World Heritage list, July 8, 2017. [Photo/China News Service]

A senior cultural official said Sunday that China should shoulder more responsibility for world heritage protection and promoting international cooperation.

With more inscriptions, comes greater responsibility and more duties, said Liu Yuzhu, head of China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

Liu's remark came after the country's Gulangyu historic international settlement was put on the UNESCO's world heritage list Saturday.

China will work closely with international organizations, promote the protection of world heritage and share its experiences, according to Liu.

In the meantime, China will continue its participation in the practices of world heritage protection, including international protection of Cambodia's Angkor Wat and helping Nepal restore a temple in Kathmandu's Durbar Square.

Liu also pledged further coordination and cooperation in protecting heritage sites with countries along the ancient Silk Road, the south Asia silk road and the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

In addition, Liu called for calm among Chinese regarding successful inscriptions, as the country still faces many problems in supervising, protecting and managing the heritage.

We should focus on improving our management, protection and preservation work, Liu said.

Gulangyu is the 52nd Chinese site inscribed on the list.
New Delhi: One person was killed following an accident on the Greater Noida Expressway involving a Lamborghini.



The accident occurred on Sunday near Noida Sector 135 and was captured by the Expressways CCTV cameras.



A Maruti Swift Dzire can be seen overtaking the Lamborghini. As it did so, it grazed the Lamborghini which veered left to avoid a collision.



The Lamborghini then hit a Maruti Eeco which was travelling alongside it, sending it crashing into the side of the road from where it rolled on into a forested area.



The Dzire, meanwhile, veered to the right and then grazed the railing. It is not clear whether the driver lost control.



The driver, said to be in his late twenties, was killed in the accident. He was reportedly declared brought dead when he was taken to hospital.



The deceased has been identified as, Arshad Ahmed, a resident of East Delhis Mandawali.



The driver of the Dzire was arrested but the police. He denied any responsibility in the crash and said he swerved into the roadside to avoid crashing into the Lamborghini. The Lamborghini was in speed and met with an accident. My car did not touch it, he said. The driver of the Lamborghini is yet to be traced.




Bengaluru: Language campaigners fighting against imposition of Hindi by the Centre are taking their campaign to the next level by trying to unite like-minded people from all non-Hindi speaking states.



A round-table seminar has been convened in Bengaluru on Saturday (July 15), for which invites have gone out to leaders from all non-Hindi States, said B Sanneerappa, spokesperson for the pro-Kannada outfit Kannada Rakshana Vedike.



In all these states, there is forced imposition of Hindi in some form or other that is going on. We want to save the languages of all these States for the future, so we have reached out the chief ministers, opposition leaders and leaders from interest-groups have been called, especially the Dravidian languages and a few others like Punjabi and Bengali, Sanneerappa told News18.



Kannada activists have been disappointed about the lack of interest shown by BJP leaders like Venkaiah Naidu (who, two weeks back, said Hindi is the countrys national language), and Ananth Kumar and Sadananda Gowda who have not supported their campaigns on #NammaMetroHindiBeda.



Another vociferous campaigner, both online and offline, Arun Javagal says that responses from these states have been good  political parties like the DMK, TDP, TRS, Shiv Sena and political heads like Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin have all welcomed the initiative.



We want to send out a strong message to people who are pro-Hindi-imposition with this event. And again, it is not against Hindi, its against Hindi imposition. Almost all the parties have agreed to send their representatives, Javagal said.



This comes as documents emerged over the last few days that show Central Government representatives visited the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) in July 2016, and insisted on Hindi usage as part of the official languages policy in Metro signages.



Karnataka Chief Secretary at the time had objected to this and written to the Union Urban Development Ministry to exempt BMRCL from the official languages policy as it is not a PSU under the Central Government, and Karnatakas share in the project is far higher than that of the Centres. This letter, however, had been ignored by the Ministry.

It is in the backdrop of all these events that the anger against Hindi imposition in local transport has been growing.



We all give taxes to the Centre. Just because Centre funds some project, they cannot discriminate against other States languages, says Sanneerappa, who says the movement could even grow into a political force by 2020.



We want to keep Hindi-high-command parties out, build a parallel to the NDA and the UPA. It is other parties that are saving our languages and identities  be it Kannada, Telugu or Tamil. We need to create an environment to usher in governments that dont foist Hindi on us, he says.



It may be early days yet for such ambitions, but the movement to unite non-Hindi States is building up.
It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Why is our Prime Minister silent on China?  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 7, 2017

On a day of flipflops on both sides, the Congress finally confirmed: Yes, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi did meet Ambassador Luo Zhaohui, but it was just a courtesy call.Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told ANI that Rahul met not just Ambassador Zhaohui but also the Bhutanese envoy - implying that he wasn't favouring Beijing - and that a controversy was unnecessary."Rahul Gandhi met not only the Chinese envoy but also ones from Bhutan and ex-NSA chief Shiv Shankar Menon. Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting the Congress president and vice-president as a courtesy call," Surjewala said.Shortly afterwards, Congress leader Manish Tewari tried to go on the offensive asking why Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping and three union ministers enjoyed Beijing's hospitality at a time of border tensions."Let me put the facts straight...if so much hype is being made about this, why did the PM meet the Chinese President especially after the Chinese said the meeting is not possible because of the standoff," said Tewari.This comes just a few hours after Congress sources rejected a post about the meeting on the Chinese embassy's website in.china-embassy.org and Surjewala himself tweeted that the news was "planted" by government agencies through "bhakt channels".Lastly, Rahul Gandhi too took to Twitter to end all speculation and said he did meet the Chinese Ambassador as 'it was his job to be informed on critical issues'.Questioning the Congress party's initial denial, Senior CPI leader D Raja said that Congress should make its stand clear on the matter."Why did they deny the reports first only to confirm later," Raja asked, adding that this happens in our political life. "Parties keep meeting envoys.... There is nothing to hide or be secretive about."The Chinese Embassy's official website, which first reported that Rahul met Zhaohui to "exchange views on the current bilateral relations" and then, hours later, deleted the post.The link on the Mandarin section of the website later took users to a 404 error page.Both sides never made it clear why they seemed to be deny that the meeting took place.Rahul Gandhi had last week questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his silence on the current standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries in Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Doklam area near the Bhutan tri-junction for the past three weeks after a Chinese army's construction party attempted to build a road.Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Doklam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region. Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.The Indian Army has said it is ready for a long haul in holding onto its position, notwithstanding China ratcheting up rhetoric against India demanding pulling back of its troops.The Indian soldiers deployed in the disputed area have pitched in tents, in an indication that they are unlikely to retreat unless there was reciprocity from China's PLA personnel in ending the face-off at an altitude of around 10,000 feet in the Sikkim section, PTI quoted official sources as saying.PTI reported that the officials sounded confident of finding a diplomatic solution to the dispute.Both the countries had agreed to a mechanism in 2012 to resolve border flare ups through consultations at various levels.The mechanism has not worked so far in the current case as the standoff near the Bhutan trijunction, triggered by China's attempt to build a road in the strategically important area, has dragged on for over three weeks.New Delhi has already conveyed to China that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with "serious" security implications for India. The road link could give China a major military advantage over India.
New Delhi: Separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir condemned the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag district tonight, saying the incident "goes against Kashmiri ethos".



In a joint statement, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik expressed grief over the killing of seven Amarnath yatris.



"The incident goes against the very grain of Kashmiri ethos. The Amarnath yatra has been going on peacefully for centuries and is part of yearly rhythm and will remain so," it said.



"Our heart goes out to the families of the bereaved and we express our heartfelt condolences," they said.
New Delhi: Observing they had been rightly held guilty of their crimes, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed appeals filed by two doctors and four policemen against their conviction by the Bombay High Court in the 2002 Bilkis Bano case.



You all have been unreasonably acquitted by the trial court in the case despite there being clear-cut evidence against you, said a bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao.



Senior police officer R S Bhagora, currently serving in Gujarat, was recently convicted along with four other policemen by the High Court, overturning the trial court order acquitting them.



The Bombay High Court had on May 4 reversed the trial court verdict acquitting Bhagora and others and upheld the conviction of 11 people (one convict is dead) in the Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder case.



One policeman Idris Abdul Sayed has not appealed against his conviction. Counsel for Bhagora said he was unnecessarily caught in the web of circumstances and had no direct role in the incident.



The bench, however, refused to go into the matter saying Bhagora was the supervising officer in the case and everything happened under his nose.



Advocate Shobha, appearing for Bikis Bano, opposed the appeals of the convicts.



The High Court bench had convicted seven persons - five policemen and two doctors - under sections 218 (not performing their duties) and section 201 (tampering of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The apex court had on May 30 refused to stay the conviction of Bhagora.



A special court had on 21 January, 2008 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment 11 men for raping Bilkis and murdering seven of her family members in the aftermath of the Godhra riots, while acquitting seven persons including the policemen and doctors.



The convicts later approached the Bombay High Court challenging their conviction and sought quashing and setting aside of the trial court order.



The CBI had also filed an appeal in the High Court seeking harsher punishment of death for three of the convicted persons on the ground that they were the main perpetrators of the crime.
Kolkata: Cornered over failing to control the situation in Darjeeling and Basirhat districts, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday blamed the Centre for letting foreigners enter India to create unrest in the state.



Addressing a public meet at Nandakumar in East Midnapore, she said, Securing border is the responsibility of the central government. But instead of strengthening border security, they are letting people from other countries enter to perpetrate violence in Bengal.



They are conspiring against us for their vested interest. They opened up the border for the perpetrators and now the Centre is asking us to submit a report (on Darjeeling and Basirhat), she said.



On the fresh bouts of violence in Darjeeling since Friday, she said it was unfortunate that the state is not getting any sort of support from the central government. Three people have been killed in clashes in the last three days, and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which is leading the demand for separate state of Gorkhaland, has refused to hold talks with her, saying it is now a closed chapter.



It is unfortunate we are not getting any kind support from the central government. Bengal is ahead in many aspects and has to reach the number one spot again. For this, we need cooperation from the Centre. But despite a court order, CRPF troops have not been dispatched to Darjeeling. We will still have to stop all trouble with our lives, she said.



The Centre has, however, refused her charge, saying it had deployed 1,100 security personnel in the town.



The CM also blamed the BJP for the communal clashes in Basirhat, saying the violence was due to its divisive politics. We will never support any division among people in this state. BJP plays divisive politics but we dont. One day, Delhi will follow West Bengal in how to keep all religion together for developmental work, she said.



She said that her government will take action against anyone posting fake images to stir the communal pot in the state. The people of Bengal will not tolerate the fact that some people are turning Facebook into Fakebook by posting fake pictures and fake news for their political ends. We respect Facebook, but not any Fakebook, she said.



Giving an example, she said that an incident in Comilla in Bangladesh was being passed off as having taken place in Bengal. Similarly, a clip from a Bhojpuri film was also shown as having taking place in Bengal to incite violence.



They are sometimes rioting, and at other times indulging in arson  this seems to be their only work. We pledge that we wont let such things happen here. Be careful of them, and do not be a part of their conspiracies, the Chief Minister said.



She added, I saw from a video clip that Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP, a sister organisation of the BJP) is giving arms training to women in Assam. Handling arms and ammunition is the work of the administration. So how can the VHP indulge in this? I can challenge them that it is illegal to do this. They want to wreak havoc on the country and destroy it.
: A Dalit gangrape victim from Agra has tweeted to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Director General of Police (DGP) Sulkhan Singh, seeking permission for mercy killing. The Opposition quickly swung into action, questioning the law and order situation in the Yogi Adityanath government.I am a Dalit girl and I was gang-raped on May 2, 2017, but no action has been taken till date. Kindly give me justice, else give me permission for Mercy Killing, the girl tweeted.The police had filed a complaint in the aforementioned case, but nobody had been arrested as yet, compelling the victim to seek permission for euthanasia. The girl has also met Justice Ram Shankar Katheria, head of SC/ST Commission, and asked for justice. Justice Katheria assured the victim of justice in the case.Reacting sharply to the incident Samajwadi Party MLC and close aide of SP National President Akhilesh Yadav, Sunil Singh Sajan, questioned the law and order situation in Yogi Adityanaths government.Speaking to News18 Sajan said, This is a result of four-month-old governments work in Uttar Pradesh that people are forced to ask for Mercy Killing in the state. The current law and order situation has absolutely gone out of the hands of the government. The sisters and daughters are not safe in Yogis regime; there are hundreds of incidents which never came in the media. The tweet of the victim girl shows the insensitivity of the government
New Delhi: A bill that will double the ceiling for tax exempt gratuities from the current Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh may be passed in the monsoon session of Parliament, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya told PTI.



An Amendment to the Payment of Gratuity Bill has to be first scrutinised by the Cabinet and Dattatreya indicated that it would soon go to the Cabinet for approval.



If the bill is passed into law by Parliament formal sector workers will be eligible to claim tax exempt status for gratuities up to Rs 20 lakh.



"This is on our agenda. It may come in this session. It will soon go to the Cabinet for approval," Dattatreya was quoted by PTI as saying.



Currently, only employees who have put in five years of service are eligible for gratuity. Also, there need to be a minimum of 10 employees for an employer to pay gratuity. Trade unions have regularly pressed the Labour Ministry to relax these conditions.



The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill deals with raising the ceiling for the maximum amount under to be tax exempt from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh. The proposed amendment is being brought to bring the maximum ceiling amount in line with the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations, which have been accepted by the government.



The relevant amendment for central government employees was notified on July 25, 2016 and the enhanced amount ceiling was made effective from January 1, 2016.



The unions were of the view that the delay of eight months for employees covered under the Payment of Gratuity Act should not result in adversely affecting the interest of the concerned employees.



The employers as well as state representatives had also agreed to the proposal of raising the amount of gratuity to Rs 20 lakh in the tripartite meeting held last month.


Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator H S Phoolka on Sunday decided to quit as the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly to continue to appear in courts for 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims.



Few days back, Phoolka, a Supreme Court lawyer, had indicated that he was ready to give up the cabinet minister status, which he enjoys as the Leader of Opposition to continue to represent the riot victims in courts, reported PTI.



He had said the Delhi Bar Council had disallowed him from appearing for the victims in several cases against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and others citing that he enjoyed an 'office of profit'.



"I have decided to quit as the Leader of Opposition in he Punjab Assembly and I have conveyed my decision to the party high command," he said.



The MLA from Dakha seat said he has recommended the names of AAP MLAs Sukhpal Khaira, Kanwar Sandhu and Aman Arora, in accordance to their seniority, to the party high command to elect the Leader of Opposition from among them in consultation with other party legislators.



The party will soon take a decision in this regard, Phoolka said. The AAP leader said that he had requested the Delhi Bar Council to allow him appear in the court for the 1984 anti- Sikh riot victims as he was fighting the cases free of charge.



"But my pleas were not accepted," he said. Phoolka said he had been fighting these cases for a long time and these had reached a very "crucial" stage.



"My presence in anti-Sikh riot cases is important at this stage that is why I decided to quit as the Leader of Opposition," he said.



Last Wednesday, Phoolka had tweeted, "Will not give up'84 carnage cases. Asking Bar Council if by giving up minister status, I can appear in these cases."



Two days earlier, he had said on the micro blogging site, "Sought permission to do '84 carnage case pro bono, Bar Council should realise, it doesn't amount to practice, rather should encourage it. Seek review."



After becoming the main opposition party in Punjab following the polls in the state earlier this year, AAP had chosen Phoolka as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.



(With PTI inputs)
Srinagar: In first of its kind case, police has arrested a non-Kashmir Hindu militant from Uttar Pradesh - Muzaffarnagar resident Sandeep Kumar Sharma - who has been found to be working for Pakistan based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba.



With Sharmas arrest, thousands of non-Kashmiris working in Kashmir have now come under police scanner.



There are lakhs of people who come to work in Kashmir from states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as daily wage labourers, masons etc. With Sharmas arrest now were going to begin identification of each outside person in the state, said a senior police officer.



At this point it isnt clear how Sharma, who has been found involved in a number of cases - killing of police officers, attacks on army convoys, weapon snatchings, bank robberies and arranging funds for LeTs South Kashmir division - came to join militancy. But police officers say theyre making significant advancements in the case.



Talking to the press in Srinagar on Monday, police said that they had caught Sharma, only by a matter of chance, as they conducting search operations near the house where LeT commander Bashir Lashkari was killed in an encounter.



He was present in a house at Brinty Dialgam where the encounter of LeT commander Bashir Lashkari took place. We recovered him from the target houses along with 17 civilian who were trapped there. But police grew suspicious to find a non-local there. We questioned him and he revealed that he was part of the bank robbery gang," said Kashmir's Inspector General of Police Muneer Khan.



He added that police are questioning him and conducting inquiries separately to identify how many other non-Kashmiris are working in terror groups as militants or their Over Ground Workers (OGW).



Police claim Sharma to be the brain behind funding of Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Toiba in the valley. He is also accused of being part of group that recently attacked an army convoy and was also found involved in weapon snatching incidents.



Sharmas arrest has led police to crack many militancy related incidents in south Kashmir, Khan told reporters.



Police said complicity of Sandeep Sharma has been found involved in an attack on Army convoy at Lower Munda Qazigund on June 3, and in some weapon snatching and bank and ATM robbery cases across south Kashmir.



Police said Sharma was also a part of many criminal conspiracies since January 2017.



Sharma said that some of his associates from the valley came from Patiala to Kashmir to carry out criminal activities. Consequently, the group stayed at Wanpoh near Anantnag and got involved in different kinds of robberies including ATM looting in South Kashmir. In these crimes, they worked in conjunction with LeT in South Kashmir, said Khan.



Police said he was earlier arrested along with some other associates in a robbery case in March 2017 but got bailed out.



He then joined Bashir Lashkeri of LET and worked as his key aid. Sharma got in touch with his old acquaintances and became part of the Over Ground worker for LeT. During the encounter, he was rescued along with other members of the family by the Police.



Police said Sandeep Kumar Sharma gave details about how his accomplices helped provide a safe refuge to militants, how they ferried terrorists from one place to other for terror strikes and in what capacity did they participate in terror attacks.



Police is now looking to broaden the base the investigations. Investigation so far conducted has revealed that LeT in league with criminal network is raising money by looting banks and ATMs in South Kashmir Range, said Khan.




New Delhi: At a time when India is debating questions around minorities rights and their place in society, chairman of National Commission for Minorities, Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi, tells News18s Debayan Roy that in a vast country like India, minorities should be identified at state level, and not nationally. Rizvi, an activist from Uttar Pradesh, has a long association with the BJP. Apart from serving in the BJP Minority Morcha, Rizvi also worked for Prime Minister Narendra Modis Lok Sabha election campaign in Varanasi. The commission was earlier headed either by retired bureaucrats or retired judges. Rizvis appointment, therefore, came as a departure from the long-held tradition. He came to limelight last month when he said that those who cheer for Pakistan during cricket matches should go and live there. In this interview, Rizvi says attacks on minorities can only be prevented if they, along with the majority, start putting their identity as Indians ahead of the religious one. Edited excerpts:



How do you define minorities in India? Whats your view on the argument to make minorities state-specific?



See Jains were not a minority before. So, in 2014, by way of a Parliament intervention, they were accorded the status of a minority. Presently, we have Muslims, Sikh, Buddhists, Christians, and Parsis as minorities. In 1992, after this Commission was set up, the main task was to protect the Constitutional rights and safeguards of the minority population. Our job is not to create a gap between the majority and the minority, but to act as a bridge. Our job is to see that if there are fears among the minorities against the government, then work needs to be done to allay such fears.



Our main work is to act as a bridge to solve the differences that may arise between the government and the minorities of the country. Coming to whether minorities should be state specific or not, I think they should be, and they should be defined according to their state-wise population. This will help in better coverage of the population.



Do you think Kashmiri Pandits should be given minority status? Or, should the minority status for Muslims in UP be reconsidered?



I believe Kashmiri Pandits should be given the status of a minority. Its my personal demand. But there are a few obstacles to this. According to Article 370 of the Constitution, the Commission cannot work in J&K. Secondly, the Kashmiri Pandits themselves have conveyed to me that they do not want to be a part of the minority and wish to maintain their current status.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently condemned cow vigilantism and said violence in the name of cows can never be justified. Unfortunately, more incidents of have been reported in recent past. How can we tackle this menace?



This is a law and order problem. Serving cows is a noble deed but killing in the name of cow is certainly not acceptable. The people who are working in the beef industry or cow meat have to understand that there is a change in the country now and they should stay away from such a profession. See, in Ballabgarh too, we have issued a notice and even deputed a member to visit the site. Our report says that a compensation amount has been paid, the injured brother will be given the job of a government driver and majority of the accused have been arrested. However, only one accused is still roaming free and for that we have formed a special investigation team (SIT). So, the government is working towards ensuring there is no breach of law and order after an incident and that justice is done.



But what about the growing fear of persecution within the community? How do we allay such fears?



This growing fear among the minorities is directly related to the kind of appeasement politics being adhered to by the politicians. The similar thing is happening is West Bengal and the root is vote bank politics. Once vote bank politics ends, these issues will also come to an end. Next, one need not be scared of the environment. These are only a few incidents. These few attacks cannot portray an image that the entire community is under threat. Society still has people who respect and care for each other. There should be no fear and everyone should remember that they are Indians first and then of any religion. Once we know this, these attacks will not happen. There is a need to move from appeasement to empowerment politics.



Does the Commission have any ideas to deal with mob lynching cases?



We have decided that we will visit different states and conduct seminars and workshops to create awareness. We will try to make the public aware of the schemes being run by the government for the benefit of minorities. We will also inform that these mobs should not take law into their own hands. This project will start from this year itself.



As we speak, communal tension is brewing in Assam. The minority immigrants now fear that if the cutoff line in the Assam Accord is made 1948, instead of the present 1971, then lakhs of them will face an uncertain future. Do you think there is a need to revisit the Assam Accord?

No, we should not revisit the Assam Accord and leave it as it is. But the ones who have landed in India from Bangladesh in the recent times and are creating law and order problems must be strictly dealt with. However, since this matter is sub-judice now, I should keep away from commenting further.



Regarding the Citizenship (amendment) Bill, why have we excluded minority groups like the persecuted Myanmar-based Rohingya Muslims of Bangladesh, Shias of Pakistan, or the battered Sri Lankan Muslims who fear for their life? What made us exclude them from the ambit for persecuted minorities to be considered for Indian citizenship?



Yes, they are certainly being persecuted and it must be looked into. This is a case of minority within minority. We are only creating further groups, whereas there should be unity in entire South Asia. This conflict between minorities with minorities has to come to an end. Further, the suppression of minority rights also needs to end. But in this case of citizenship Bill, these minorities cannot be sidelined and have to be brought into the mainstream definition. Hence, the Bill definition will also have to include them.



Vishwa Hindu Parishad recently said the NCM and Minority Affairs Ministry should be scrapped. Does this contention hold any water?



Not at all. They do not matter. Let them do their work and we will do ours. Such a thing can never happen.



How do you see the triple talaq debate? Are personal laws in need of reform?



Triple Talaq is an abhorrent practice. I completely revolt against this practice. Neither is it Islamic, nor is it in accordance with Shariat. It has no mention anywhere in Islam. The people who support it also know that it is a wrong practice. They only do not want the change may be because the government has brought the case or it is in court, but they are willing to modify Nikahnama, advise Muslims against it ans also socially boycott Muslims who resort to triple talaq. That means they agree that the practice is un-Islamic. The correct form of talaq has a total gap of nine months between the first and the final utterances in front of witnesses. This practice only arose once during the time of Caliph Umar who made an exception and allowed this divorce, and people went on to follow this practice. More importantly, Nikah Halala which was also debated, is nothing but rape and has no place in Islam.



Activist Shabnam Hashmi has returned her National Minority Rights Award to protest against the governments failure to act against lynch mob attacks. Is this Award Waapsi 2.0?



When major events happen, then such stunts are nothing but fashion. When they come to return the awards, they bring the press with them. Hence, it is nothing but a stunt, and Ms Hashmi, who is availing other benefits like a plush government accommodation, should consider returning that too if she has a lot of problem with the government and its schemes. Just because there is an incident, you cannot portray that the government and the judiciary are not doing anything.
Chennai: India, Japan and the US are set to deploy their frontline warships, submarines and aircrafts for the Malabar naval exercise that kicks off in the Bay of Bengal from Monday. With China looking to increase its presence in the Indian Ocean, the tri-nation exercise will focus on anti-submarine warfare.



Meanwhile, China expressed hope that the upcoming joint naval drill between India, Japan, and the US is not aimed at other countries.



"We have no objection to the normal bilateral relations and cooperation among relevant countries, but we hope that this kind of relationship and cooperation will not be directed at any third party and will be conducive to the regional peace and stability," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang.



Malabar is a joint exercise between India and US, which now has Japan as a permanent partner. Australia wanted to participate as an observer this year but was not included, following reservations.



With focus on anti-submarine warfare, the exercise will see Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft P8-I from India and P-8A Poseidon aircraft from the US work together.



The frontline ships set to participate in the exercise, that has evoked sharp reactions from China in the past, include India's aircraft carrier - the 45,400 tonne INS Vikramaditya - a modified Russian Kiev-class aircraft carrier, and the American 1,00,020 tonne supercarrier USS Nimitz that can carry 90 fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.



Japan is bringing along its helicopter carrier, the 27,000 tonne JS Izumo, and 6,300 tonne destroyer JS Sazanami.



India will also have a conventional submarine participating in the exercise, while the US has a Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine.



Other ships of the US Navy include guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59); guided-missile destroyers USS Howard, destroyer USS Shoup, and destroyer USS Kidd.



Besides a P8I maritime surveillance aircraft, India will also deploy two Kamorta class anti-submarine warfare corvettes - the first anti-submarine warfare stealth corvettes built in India.



Also participating from the Indian Navy will be two Shivalik class frigates - the first stealth warships built in India, two destroyers, a Kora class 1,350-ton guided missile corvette, and tanker INS Jyoti.



Malabar 2017 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises that has grown in scope and complexity over the years to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific, a US embassy statement said.



The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training.



While ashore in Chennai, training will include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), helicopter operations, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.



The at-sea portions will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal and are designed to advance participating nations' military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.



Events planned during the at-sea portions include liaison officer professional exchanges and embarks; a photo exercise; submarine familiarization; high-value unit defence; air defence exercises; medical evacuation drills; surface warfare exercises; communications exercises; search and rescue exercises; helicopter cross-deck evolutions; underway replenishments; gunnery exercises; VBSS exercises; and anti-submarine warfare, the release said.



"Indian, Japanese and US maritime forces have a common understanding and knowledge of a shared working environment at sea. Each iteration of this exercise helps to advance the level of understanding between our Sailors, and we hope to be able to continue this process over time. As members of Indo-Asia-Pacific nations, our maritime forces are natural partners, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen our bonds and personal relationships," a statement from US embassy said.



China has in the past expressed reservations over the Malabar exercise turning into a multi-lateral one.



In 2007, Australia was included along with Japan in the exercise. But concerns expressed by China led to its withdrawal.



(WIth IANS inputs)
Chennai: The US, Japanese and Indian navies on Monday began the Malabar Naval Exercise-2017 aimed at achieving deeper military ties between the three nations.



Taking part in the trilateral naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal would be US Ship Nimitz (CVN68), guided missile cruise USS Princeton (CG59), guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a Poseidon P-8A aircraft as well as a Los Angeles fast-attack submarine.



Besides, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ships JS Izumo (DDH 183), JS Sazanami (DD1 13) along with Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa and INS Vikramaditya would participate in the joint Naval exercise, an official press release said.

The 21st edition of the exercise, conducted ashore and at-sea, would include professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare.



Medical operations, damage control, explosive ordinance disposal, helicopter operations and anti-submarine warfare would also take place.



The at-sea exercise includes events such as submarine familiarisation, air defence exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface ware fare exercises, communication exercise and search and rescue operations.



Indian, Japanese and US maritime forces have an understanding and knowledge of shared working environment at sea. As members of Indo-Asia Pacific operations, the three maritime forces would look forward to continuing to strengthen the bonds and personal relationships, a press release said.



The Malabar exercise is taking place amid the military standoff between armies of the India and China in the Sikkim section and Beijing ramping up its Baval presence in South China sea.
Srinagar: Authorities on Monday night suspended Internet services in the Kashmir Valley as a precautionary measure after separatists appealed to people to launch a "Kashmir awareness" campaign on social media on Tuesday.



The move comes after terrorists opened fire on a bus full of pilgrims headed for Amarnath Yatra near Anantnag, killing at least seven, and injuring 14 others.



The administration had restored the services only on Sunday. They were snapped through Friday and Saturday in view of apprehensions of law and order problems on the first death anniversary of Hizbul 'commander' Burhan Wani.



Internet services, including mobile and broadband, have been suspended across the Kashmir Valley, officials said here. Mobile Internet services were snapped at 10 pm and BSNL broadband facility at 10:30 pm, they said.



The decision to suspend Internet services was taken at a meeting earlier in the day in view of the separatists appealing people to launch a "Kashmir awareness" campaign on social media on Tuesday, the officials said.
Thiruvananthapuram: At the end of the day, what landed Malayalam superstar Dileep in the dock was a selfie.



Early this month a photograph - a selfie taken by one of Dileep's fans - started circulating. It was of the actor at a shooting location and at a corner of the frame, waiting impatiently was Sunil Kumar a.k.a 'Pulsar' Suni, the main accused in the abduction and sexual assault of a leading Malayalam actress.



The photograph gave heft to allegations that Dileep knew Pulsar Suni well, which flew in the face of his repeated assertions that he never knew the accused.



Pulsar Suni was picked up days after the horrific incident that took place early this year, shaking the conscience of Kerala. However, his interrogation was yet to yield any results with the police on a wild chase for the pen drive that allegedly has the whole incident on video.



After the selfie came to light, Kerala Police got custody of Suni once again, and according to reports, this time he broke down and detailed a grand conspiracy that was hatched in a hotel room in Kochi to abduct the actress.



According to another unconfirmed report, police had planted an informer among Sunil and accomplices in the jail who fed the investigators with detailed information pieced together from the conversations among the co-accused.



During the initial stage of the investigation, Dileep and his close friend and actor Nadirshah, were questioned for over 12 hours by police during the initial stages of the investigation. He claimed during the investigation that he was being blackmailed by the accused to pay up Rs 1.5 crore.



Dileep was nabbed on Monday morning, but that was kept a secret, and his arrest was recorded only in the evening. Top police officials are currently interrogating him at the Alwaye Police Club near Kochi. His friend Nadirshah too was arrested.



Tales coming out of Kochi on this assault and abduction case could rival the best of crime thrillers. While it is not immediately clear why any actor would stoop to abduct and molest an actress, media speculation has it that it involves big-bulge real estate deals in booming Kochi city.



Then there are those who point out Dileeps purported enmity with the victim has more to do with his high-profile divorce with his former actor wife Manju Warier. Kerala tabloids speculated that the victim, a close friend of Manju, had played a part in Manju seeking a divorce from Dileep who was rumoured to be having an affair with another actress Kavya Madhavan. None of these reports were ever confirmed.



Dileep and Manju parted ways in 2015 and he is now married to Kavya, who in turn, has seen her name being dragged into the abduction and assault case.



Suni and his accomplices, throughout the investigation, reportedly confessed to the role of a madam as a conspirator behind the abduction. A few days ago, a team of investigators landed up at the doorsteps of the office of a private business run by Kavya, triggering another round of speculation on the identity of the madam.



The whole incident, the allegations and the investigation, also exposed the faultlines within Malayalam film industry with a few top female actors breaking away and forming a new womens collective protesting the silence of film unions in ensuring justice to the victim.



A high-profile press conference called by the powerful organization called AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) to give its version ended up as a farce with a few actors losing their cool under media fire. The president of AMMA, Innocent  an actor and now a Left-supported independent Lok Sabha MP  made disparaging remarks about female actors, and had to subsequently issue a public apology.


Ahmedabad: Police arrested a man 24 years after an arrest warrant was issued against him for smuggling arms and explosives in Gujarat.



Kadir Ahmed (65) is now the 46th arrest made by the Gujarat police for the arms landing case that was registered in Jamnagar in 1993.



A huge cache of RDX and arms, including AK series rifles, were shipped by fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim and landed at Gosabara in the coastal district of Porbander in Gujarat.



This stock of arms, was later distributed to Dawoods accomplices and other conspirators in Mumbai and other places in the country. The RDX that was landed at Gosabara was also used by Dawoods accomplices for the 1993 serial blasts that rocked Mumbai.



Of the 61 accused named in the case, 15 are still on the run.



Ahmed, who was arrested from Bijnor by a joint team of Gujarat and UP police, was produced before a magistrate and sent to police custody for 12 days.



Gujarat ATS sources said that the Mumbai police, as part of its investigation in the 1993 blasts case, had raided Ahmeds house in Bijnor on at least three occasions. They even managed to recover two AK-47 rifles that he had buried in his compound, but Ahmed managed to give police the slip every time.



Asked how could an accused evade the police for as many as 24 years, an official of the Gujarat ATS said, - Kadir Ahmed is not the only accused who had been absconding. There are still 15 accused in the Gosabara arms landing case who are on the run and these include Dawood, his brother Anees Ibrahim, Tiger Memon and others.



ATS officials said that for the past one decade or even more, there is no evidence of Ahmed being in touch with any of the other accused in the Gosabara case of the Mumbai serial blast case. We had information that he had started a readymade garments business and travelled to various cities in north and east India, but earlier attempts to arrest him had failed, an official said.




Have ordered enquiry in the matter.Strict action will be taken against the guilty https://t.co/8bYODQY0OK  Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) July 9, 2017

2 Female staff has been deployed at Security help line for makng female complainants comfortable to express their grievances @IndianExpress  Western Railway (@WesternRly) July 10, 2017

A 22-year-old student took to Facebook to recount the horror she faced on a local train in Mumbai where a man masturbated in front of her and threatened to rape her, following which the railway police allegedly refused to file a complaint.Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered an inquiry and assured strict action a day after the womans viral post triggered outrage on social media.In the post, the woman said she was travelling in the womens compartment with a friend to Mulund when she noticed a man waving at a co-passengers from the adjacent compartment separated by a safety railing.The woman said that when she made eye-contact with the man, he yelled abuses at her. She initially thought the man was mentally-challenged and thought he would stop abusing her. But the man instead unzipped his pants and started masturbating while grinning, she said.The woman said he continued to shout abuses at her and even threatened to rape her.The woman said that the railway police refused to file a complaint and laughed off her ordeal, forcing her to take to the social media.On Monday, the Western Railway tweeted that two women staff members will be deployed with the security helpline where women can register their complaints.
New Delhi: An 8-year-old girl, who was sleeping on a footpath along with her parents at Connaught Place, was allegedly raped by a sweeper, police said on Monday. The incident took place on the intervening night of July 7 and 8, they said.



The minor girl was picked up by the accused who used to work in the area. He then took her to a desolate spot and sexually assaulted her, police said. The accused, who was known to the victim's family, then dumped the girl at a nearby spot and fled from the scene.



The victim's parents later informed the police about the incident. The police has launched a hunt to trace the culprit.
The battle for India is being fought in truncated, impoverished and overcrowded Bengal. The outcome may well decide whether India will be the prison house of nationalities which was Lenins term for tsarist Russia or whether minorities like Gorkhas, Muslims and the north-easts Mongoloid tribes can live in peace with Hindus in a pluralist nation.Meanwhile,  Bengal is slowly becoming a multiple theocracy ", says Satyabrata Chakraborty, a former professor of political science at Calcutta University. He was referring to various allowances for mosques and mullahs as well as state funding of the great annual festival of Durga Puja and political patronage of Chhat Puja celebrated by Bihari labourers. This emulation of the national mix of puja and politics appears to reverse Gopal Krishna Gokhales famous "What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow." But going several steps beyond Narendra Modi politics as puja and pujas that are political, Mamata Banerjee casts her net so wide that no voter can slip through its holes. I am Hindu she proudly announced when BJP propagandists tried to keep her out of Puris Jagannath Temple, I am proud of all our religions.If despite this declaration of universalism, Nepalese settlers in Darjeeling exploded in protest it was because she tactlessly let it appear that Bengali would be taught compulsorily in hill schools. The Gorkhaland agitation is not of her making. It has been simmering since before the Morley-Minto reforms were presented in 1909 and Ms Banerjee suspects the Centres hidden hand in its sudden and violent revival. Its tempting to dismiss her talk of conspiracies to unseat her by hook or by crook but it is noteworthy that soon after the governor of Bengal, Keshari Nath Tripathi, took her to task for the outbreak of communal violence in Basirhat, Rahul Sinha, former president of the BJPs Bengal unit and currently the partys national secretary, lauded the governor, who is a veteran BJP politician, as a sainik of the Modi Bahini.Whether or not the cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed that offended Basirhats Muslims was the handiwork of a Class 11 pupil, as alleged, the disturbances seem to be settling down. Mr Tripathi may not be able to report a breakdown of law and order, which is what the chief minister suspects him of trying to do. But there is no denying that many even among those who dont owe allegiance to the saffron brigade would agree with Dilip Ghosh, the BJPs current Bengal unit president, that Mamata Banerjees minority appeasement is backfiring.Perception matters more than facts in politics, and Ms Banerjee has encouraged the general perception by allowing herself to be photographed draped in what looks like a hijab with eyes shut and holding her palms out as if at namaz. She cant join in Muslim prayers and she doesnt, but the appearance of doing so gives rise to other suspicions and accusations of favouritism.A thriving economy would have absorbed resentment on this score. But Bengal has received no investment since Ms Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress drove out Ratan Tatas Nano factory from Singur (Modi promptly housed it in Gujarat) and job generation is at a virtual standstill. Denied bread, people are regaled with the circus of Kolkatas pillars and lampposts swathed in twinkling lights (that often dont work), a replica of Londons Big Ben tower, and promises to erect a giant Ferris wheel like the London Eye. Contracts for such projects are believed to enrich the chief ministers cronies while the partys foot soldiers -- unemployed urban youths  are accused of running nefarious protection rackets with the ruling partys blessings.Sometimes they are guilty of bloomers that expose their notoriety. This happened recently when a gang turned up the home of 87-year-old Krishna Bose, a former Trinamool M.P. and mother of the well-known current Trinamool M.P., Sugata Bose, to demand why the material for some petty building repairs hadnt been bought from them. Other young men whom the Trinamool Congress enrolled as informants and vigilantes in the successful campaign to stamp out the Maoist rebellion in three Bengal districts were found jobs in a newly created special force that has done little to strengthen law and order. One reason why the Left Front came a cropper after 36 years in power was that its commendable land reforms released a new generation of young Bengalis who were no longer content to be peasant farmers but couldnt find the white collar jobs they yearned for.History might repeat itself this time with the added  and dangerous -- twist of communal animosity. Popular lore has it that Ms Banerjee pampers Muslims  allowing them to grab land and build illegally  for both votes and muscle power. Actually, Muslims lag as far behind Hindus in education and earnings as when the Sachar Committee reported on the situation, but that is not widely known. Another popular belief is that thanks to high fertility and a continuing influx from Bangladesh, the Muslim population is much more than the 27 per cent recorded in the 2011 Census. The final whispered touch is that the chief minister is not averse to eating beef.This volatile situation needs only a match to explode. With or without the Centres benediction, the BJP seems ready to provide it.
India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

Cowards responsible for this barbaric act will not be spared.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 10, 2017

Terrorist attack on #AmarnathYatra is the most reprehensible act. My condolences to the bereaved families.(1/2)  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) July 10, 2017

India will never be intimidated by these terrorist cowards  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

These terrorists are the enemies of Kashmir & Kashmiriyat @sardesairajdeep no two ways about that. https://t.co/qwoHkadVIl  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 10, 2017

Appalling! Strongly condemn the cowardly attack on Amarnath Yatris. My heart goes out to the bereaved families.May the injured recover soon. https://t.co/CBBZDkQW8o  Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) July 10, 2017

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he was 'pained beyond words' at the terror attack on Amarnath Yatris which left at least seven dead, but added that the country will never be bogged down by such 'evil designs of hate'."Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone," PM Modi tweeted after terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims at Batingu near Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir."Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone," said PM on Twitter.The PM spoke to the Governor and Chief Minister of J&K and assured all possible help."My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured," said the PM.Here is what other leaders had to say about the attack on yatris:
At least eight people are feared drowned after their boat capsized while they were doing a Facebook live in the Vena dam near Nagpur.



Police said on video evidence available, it seemed some of the passengers, mostly in the age group 20-25, gathered on one side of the boat while they were doing their Facebook live.



The boat carrying 11 people, including three boatmen, capsized Sunday evening.



"While three persons --two boatmen and a college student -- were rescued, one body was fished out in the night," said Shailesh Balkawade, SP, Nagpur Rural.



According to the officer, out of 11 people on the boat, at least eight were from Nagpur.



He said the incident was witnessed by a local who in turn alerted the police control room, following which a rescue operation was undertaken.




Pained beyond words on dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K.The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone: PM Modi  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & evil designs of hate, tweets PM on attack in Anantnag on #AmarnathYatra pilgrims  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

#Visuals from attack site: 2 Amarnath yatra pilgrims killed, many injured after terrorists attacked their bus in Batingu of J&K's Anantnag. pic.twitter.com/oAlXQseroo  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

2 Amarnath yatra pilgrims killed, many injured after terrorists attacked their bus in Batingu area of J&K's Anantnag. pic.twitter.com/0VUhq77r2u  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

: At least seven Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were killed and several injured on Monday evening when terrorists attacked a bus carrying the pilgrims in Batingu, near Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir.According to sources, the pilgrims were from Gujarat, and struck by terrorists in Anantnag at 8:20 pm. Among the worshipers who succumbed to bullet injuries, two are from Valsad, two from Dharampur, two from Pardi and one from Vansda."Seventeen pilgrims were travelling from Baltal to Mir Bazar when they were fired upon. Two pilgrims died on the spot," said a senior CRPF officer. "Troops of our 90 battalion and 40 battalion have been rushed to the spot," the officer added.Terrorists first attacked the combined checkpoint of STF, SOG and CRPF in Khannabal at around 8:15 pm, and ran towards Batingu. No loss of life or injury was reported. The terrorists, then, targeted the bus carrying pilgrims, killing six of them, and escaped running towards Arwani area. They opened fire on the camp of G/90 battalion while running away from the spot.Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement, informed that terrorists initially targeted the police bunker in Batigu. There was a retaliatory fire from the police, and there was no report of any injuries. Thereafter, the terrorists fired on a Police checkpoint near Khannabal, the CM said."The fire was retaliated. A tourist bus was hit by bullets in which about 18 tourists were injured. Among them, 6 persons died, while rest are being treated. The bus was on the way to Jammu from Baltal, and was not part of the yatra convoy," the statement read.The security forces suspect the operation was carried out jointly by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. There were reportedly three assailants, and one of them, Ismail, arrived on a motorbike and emptied two magazines on pilgrims.Jammu and Kashmir tourism minister Priya Sethi told CNN-News18 that the attack could be one of the repercussions of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani's death anniversary this year. Sethi also added: "This bus was unregistered and was not travelling with the convoy."The bus carrying these pilgrims was not a part of the main convoy and was not registered with the shrine board, and hence, was not being guarded by security forces.Minister of State Home Affairs Jitendra Singh called it the most condemnable incident. "This is indeed an attack on the composite culture of Kashmir."Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took to Twitter and condemned the attack on the pilgrims, urging the fellow Kashmiris to "unequivocally" castigate the terror attack."Every right thinking Kashmiri must today condemn the killing of the Amarnath yatris and say, unequivocally - this is #NotInMyName," Abdullah tweeted.This is the first time in the recent past that Amarnath pilgrims have come under attack in Jammu and Kashmir.The annual yatra to Amarnath had started on June 29 from Pahalgam and Baltal amid tight security arrangements on June 29. Over 6,000 pilgrims were allowed to move towards the shrine from north Kashmir's Baltal base camp while 5,000 pilgrims started moving from the Pahalgam route. A total of 1.5 lakh pilgrims had registered for this years yatra. Over 40,000 CRPF personnel were deployed to guard the route.This years yatra was being organised under the highest-ever multi-tier security setup as intelligence agencies had warned that militants were planning to target 100 policemen and as many pilgrims participating in the Amarnath Yatra.In a letter sent to the Army, CRPF and range DIGs, IGP Kashmir Zone Munir Khan had written, 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.
The Supreme Court will on Monday pronounce the quantum of punishment against wanted tycoon Vijay Mallya in a contempt case.The top court had on May 9 held the liquor baron guilty of contempt of court for transferring $40 million to his children in violation of its order.The court had also directed Mallya, who fled to the UK last year, to appear before it on July 10, Monday.India has asked Britain to ensure early extradition of Mallya , who is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.The consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) had approached the top court, saying that Mallya had allegedly transferred $40 million received from British firm Diageo, to his children in "flagrant violation" of various judicial orders.The apex court had on March 9 asked the liquor baron about the "truthfulness" of his disclosure of assets and the transfer of money to his children.The bench had reserved its order on two pleas of lending banks seeking contempt action and a direction to Mallya to deposit $40 million received from offshore firm Diageo respectively.The banks have alleged that Mallya concealed the facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth Mallya and daughters Leanna Mallya and Tanya Mallya in "flagrant violation" of the orders passed by the Karnataka High Court.The bench had also posed several queries to consortium of banks and asked it whether any criminal proceedings have been initiated against Mallya.The court had asked Mallya as to why he did not disclose the receipt of $40 million from London-based company Diageo Plc and subsequent transfer of money to trusts to which his three children were the beneficiaries.Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the banks, had contended that unless Mallya deposits $40 million before this court, he does not deserve to be heard and, moreover, he needed to appear personally as the contempt notice has already been issued.There was a specific order of the High Court that Mallya will not transfer or alienate any movable and immovable assets to any person, Divan had said.The AG had also told the court that the government is seeking deportation of Mallya from the UK.Mallya's counsel CS Vaidyanathan had said the money which came from Diageo belonged to his children and not him. The bench had shot back: "Somebody who is faced with a default of Rs 6,200 crore and suppose if he gets Rs 3,000 crore, he should have given it to repay the dues".Vaidyanathan maintained that the $40 million was not covered under the injunction order.
I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. /1  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country. /2  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals. /3  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country. /4  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national Mrs.Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan /5  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

against whom they have pronounced a death sentence. /6  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

I wrote a personal letter to Mr.Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. /7  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

However, Mr.Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter. /8  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

But I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Mr.Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately. /9  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017
Ahmedabad: The bus, which came under a dastardly terror attack on Monday evening, was from Gujarat, and all pilgrims were from the same state. The bus - GJ 09 Z 9976 - was registered in North Gujarat's Sabarkantha district, but the owner had sold the bus to one Jawahar Desai of Valsad, Gujarat.



Of the seven pilgrims -- five women and two men -- who lost their lives, two were from Valsad, two from Dharampur, two from Pardi and one from Vansda. Another fifteen sustained injuries, four of them serious wounds.



Initial reports, including Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti's statement, suggest that the bus was not registered and was not moving with the security convoy.



"Seventeen pilgrims were travelling from Baltal to Mir Bazar when they were fired upon. Two pilgrims died on the spot," said a senior CRPF officer. "Troops of our 90 battalion and 40 battalion have been rushed to the spot," the officer added.



The security forces suspect the operation was carried out jointly by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. There were reportedly three assailants, and one of them, Ismail, arrived on a motorbike and emptied two magazines on pilgrims.



Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement, informed that terrorists initially targeted the police bunker in Batigu. There was a retaliatory fire from the police, and there was no report of any injuries. Thereafter, the terrorists fired on a Police checkpoint near Khannabal, the CM said.



"The fire was retaliated. A tourist bus was hit by bullets in which about 18 tourists were injured. Among them, 6 persons died, while rest are being treated. The bus was on the way to Jammu from Baltal, and was not part of the yatra convoy," the statement read.




Indian origin British supermodel Neelam Gill thinks the fashion industry is both racist and elitist.



The Burberry model admits she gets annoyed when people assume she must have a rich family in order to have become a successful model.



"People don't realise that the industry is not only racist, it's elitist, too. When I first started modelling for Burberry I would read all the comments about me on social media," she said.



"A lot of people assumed I got the job because I had rich parents. I was like, 'Are you kidding me? I'm from Coventry. This job paid for my parents' holiday. It annoys me that people have that perception of models," she added.



And the 22-year-old claims she was told to pretend she came from nearby Leamington Spa instead of Coventry because of the different ideas people have about both places.



She told the new issue of HELLO! Fashion Monthly magazine: "When I first started modelling, people told me to say I was from Leamington, instead of Coventry. But really, what's the point?"


It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

If Govt is so concerned abt me meeting an Amb,they shld explain why 3Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on pic.twitter.com/4FCuu9SiAe  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

After a series of flipflops, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday confirmed he did meet Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui as it was his 'job to be informed on critical issues'.Rahul tweeted that he met not just the Chinese Ambassador, but also the Bhutanese envoy and former National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon - hours after his party dissed reports about it as "fake news".Taking on the BJP, which criticised his meeting the Chinese Ambassaador at a time the two countries have been engaged in a standoff in the Doklam area, Rahul, quoting a News18 report, wanted to know why '3 Ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on'.Earlier in the day, Congress sources rejected a post about the meeting on the Chinese embassy's website in.china-embassy.org and Congress Spokesperson Surjewala tweeted that the news was "planted" by government agencies through "bhakt channels". Though later he did confirm that there was a meeting.The Chinese Embassy's official website, which first reported that Rahul met Zhaohui to "exchange views on the current bilateral relations" and then, hours later, deleted the post.Both sides never made it clear why they seemed to be deny that the meeting took place.Shortly afterwards, Congress leader Manish Tewari tried to go on the offensive asking why Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping and three union ministers enjoyed Beijing's hospitality at a time of border tensions."Let me put the facts straight...if so much hype is being made about this, why did the PM meet the Chinese President especially after the Chinese said the meeting is not possible because of the standoff," said Tewari.
President Xi Jinping's meeting on Saturday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron will bring more practical cooperation between the two countries in various areas including marine products, nuclear power plants and aerospace, an analyst said.

China would like to make concerted efforts with France to continue to view the bilateral relations from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, Xi said during his meeting with Macron at the annual G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.

Xi said the two countries should deepen cooperation in nuclear energy, aerospace and other traditional areas, while exploring cooperation in new areas such as agricultural foods, finance and sustainable development, thus making the "pie" of their common interests even bigger.

The two countries should increase high-level exchanges and take into account each other's core interests and major concerns based on the principles of mutual respect, trust, understanding and accommodation, Xi said.

"The China-France relationship has become increasingly strategic under the current situation," he said.

"It is our shared historical responsibility to maintain and promote the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership."

On China's relations with the European Union, Xi said that China hopes France will continue to play a leading role and make more contributions to China-EU trade and two-way investment in order to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation.

China will earnestly fulfill its obligations in the Paris Agreement on climate change in light of its own requirements for sustainable development, he added.

Macron said that France highly values the France-China comprehensive strategic partnership and regards China as an important partner for cooperation and an important force in international affairs.

France is willing to enhance cooperation with China in a wide range of areas, including economy and trade, investment, nuclear energy, auto manufacturing and food, he said.

Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China, said China and France can expand new areas of cooperation in marine products, third-party markets, aerospace, informatization, tourism and climate change

"This is the Year of China-Europe Maritime Cooperation. China and France can cooperate in areas like marine protection, marine products, maritime disaster relief and other aspects," he said.

Zhou Jin contributed to this story.
Amid a bitter stand-off with Britain-based microchip company Imagination Technologies, Apple sent a stern message by opening an office in its proximity. The tech giant planted its flag by renting a 22,500 square-foot office in St Albans just a few miles from Imagination's headquarters in Hertfordshire village of Kings Langley, the Telegraph reported on Saturday. The company plans to use the office to develop its own graphics technology for Apple devices after it announced the termination of its partnership with Imagination.The development has led to fears in the Imagination camp that Apple will poach its talented staff. In recent months, Apple hired a string of Imagination employees, including its former Chief Operating Officer John Metcalfe. Imagination had earlier accused Apple of breaching ethics when the latter claimed that they would no longer need to pay royalties as they plan to stop using the Imagination graphics technology. The Chief Executive of Imagination, Andrew Heath had challenged Apple's claim that it will be able to develop its own technology without infringing on Imagination's technology.Imagination's technology currently forms the basis of the graphics chip featuring in every iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Disputing Imagination's claims, Apple maintained that they had sent two years' prior notice regarding the end of the partnership. "We valued our past relationship and wanted to give them as much notice as possible to adapt their future plans. We're disappointed in their response, which has been inaccurate and misleading," a spokesman for Apple was quoted as saying.According to analysts, Imagination is not a viable business without royalties from Apple. The company had put itself up for sale last month.
President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said the spread of technology, telecom penetration and the Internet offered an opportunity to bridge the divide in terms of access and quality of education. He said digital technology enabled good teachers to directly teach a large number of students who are not physically present in classrooms, and that "we should seize this opportunity with both our hands". "The digital modes are cheaper, more easily accessible, interactive, and offer flexibility for people to learn at their own pace. We need to work together to ensure that they are widely adopted for teaching," he said.Mukherjee launched, at the Vigyan Bhavan, the SWAYAM portal offering online courses and SWAYAM Prabha comprising 32 direct-to-home channels to deliver course material, and the National Academic Depository (NAD) which will facilitate online verification of certificates. SWAYAM proposes to take the best teaching-learning resources to the masses and bridge the digital divide for students who have so far remained untouched.Speaking on the occasion, the President said ICT (information and communication technology) solutions offer an interactive learning experience through which students in remote parts of the country can benefit from lectures from top teachers. While launching the SWAYAM portal, Mukherjee said he was happy that the portal has become fully functional to enable one to take courses offered by the best teachers, while remaining where they are. "Ultimately, it should lead to better attainment levels in the students. The scale and reach of this technology has been raised manifold through the 32 SWAYAM Prabha DTH channels which will help students in rural areas and remote areas where information technology infrastructure has not penetrated so well," he added.The President said the NAD would help in easy authentication of credentials issued by institutions and also help in increasing transparency and ease of operation. He called upon the participants to ensure that these initiatives are taken to their logical conclusion for the benefit of the nation. "I have always emphasised on improving the quality of teaching and learning process in higher education institutions. Mere physical expansion may provide access but without adequate infrastructure and quality faculty, the talent hidden in young minds cannot get an opportunity to blossom," the President added.Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said: "Education is the biggest power to strengthen the nation. We should take benefit of the digital revolution (by launching such programmes). There are 438 online courses registered on SWAYAM portal while SWAYAM Prabha offers 32 free DTH channels for education."
Royal Jordanian and Kuwait Airways are the latest Middle East carriers to be exempted from an in-cabin ban on laptops and other large electronic devices on flights to the United States. The Jordanian and Kuwaiti airlines join Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airline, which each last week announced a lifting of the ban. In March, the United States banned laptops and other large electronic devices on flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries -- Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey -- to tackle fears that bombs could be concealed in them. Royal Jordanian, which flies to New York, Chicago and Detroit from Amman, Jordan, lifted the ban after new security measures were adopted for U.S.-bound flights, airline President Stefan Pichler said in a statement on Sunday. State-owned Kuwait Airways, which flies from Kuwait to New York via Ireland, said the ban was lifted after U.S. officials inspected security measures on its flights.U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokesman Mike England said in an email the bans were lifted after Amman and Kuwait airports "implemented the required initial enhanced security measures."The United States announced enhanced security measures on June 29, requiring additional time to screen passengers and electronic devices for possible explosives.The new U.S. measures, which take effect within three weeks of the announcement, will affect around 325,000 passengers a day travelling on 180 airlines from 280 airports around the world, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.Airlines that fail to meet the new requirements could still face in-cabin restrictions on electronic devices.Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has said it expects the ban to be lifted on flights from Jeddah and Riyadh by July 19.Royal Air Maroc also believes it can have the ban lifted for flights out of Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport by July 19, a senior official from the state-owned airline told Reuters on July 6.State-owned EgyptAir has also been affected by the ban.
Brett Davies paced up and down the sloping sands of Kokrobite beach in Ghana, organising surfers from 20 different countries at his annual international competition.



Along the beach, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) west of Accra, dotted with dug-out fishing boats, Rastafarians were selling T-shirts and small children were playing in the sand.



Davies, 42, is leading the push to bring surfers to the West African nation as a way to help boost the country's under-developed tourism sector.



The British national already runs a surf school at Kokrobite and has helped to bring surfing to Busua, near the border with Ivory Coast.



"The greatest thing about surfing in Ghana is that we have uncrowded world-class waves that appeal to the beginner and intermediate market," he said.



"Most well-known destinations are very localised and very intimidating to the average surfer."



At the competition, which was held last month, local reggae boomed from the speakers stacked in the corner of a car-park.



In the water, Emmanuel Ansah cut across the breaks, deftly manoeuvring his board, trying to catch the eye of the judges sitting on a wooden platform, looking out to sea.



The 19-year-old from Busua started surfing five years ago and described his first time on the waves as "like having a new girlfriend".



"I was so happy," he said. Now he, too, wants to see Ghana become a surfing destination in its own right -- and one day represent the West African nation at overseas competitions.



Untapped potential



According to the World Bank, 897,000 international tourists visited Ghana in 2015. In comparison, just over 1.1 million went to Kenya and 8.9 million travelled to South Africa.



But the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates numbers for Ghana could jump to nearly 1.3 million this year and more than 2.0 million by 2027.



In the last few years travel and tourism have directly contributed $1.3 billion to Ghana's economy -- the equivalent of about 3.0 percent of gross domestic product.



Tourism generally focuses on natural attractions like waterfalls and national parks, historic slave forts and cultural activities.



But with some 550 kilometres of unspoiled coastline, watersports on the Atlantic Ocean, off the palm tree-lined golden sands, are being seen as a major draw.



"Surfing has a huge potential," said Ghana tourism specialist Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey. "We have not developed our beaches.



"We have not done anything, it's a raw opportunity for anyone who wants to come."



Attracting surfers is seen as a good way to bring in middle-income earners to Ghana, plugging a growing gap between budget travellers, volunteers and those on business.



"The gap between the low end and the high end is very huge, it's an untapped market," said Aggrey.



"It is because people aim at making profit so they hike the price or rate looking for the high-end travellers."



Development plan



The high cost of flights and accommodation in Ghana has been blamed for deterring tourists.



A stay at a standard three-star hotel in the capital can set travellers back $100 (88 euros) a night, while flights even within West Africa can be eye-wateringly expensive.



The head of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Kwesi Agyemang, said there are plans to start targeting different interest groups and improve regulation.



The authority's work includes targeting other countries for visitors.



The government's National Tourism Development Plan in 2012 noted there were "completely virgin" beaches in Ghana's Western Region because of lack of access.



They showed "great potential for development", it added.



Ghana's new government, in power since January this year, has put a fresh emphasis on tourism and wants to develop Accra's under-developed and impoverished beach front.



The Marine Drive Tourism Investment Project aims to develop nearly 100 hectares (250 acres) of the shoreline with hotels, shopping malls, theme parks, an office and casino.



In the 2017 budget, Ghana's finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta said tourism could help address soaring levels of debt and high unemployment.



Ghana, once celebrated for its rapidly growing economy, saw rates of growth slow to some 3.6 percent in 2016 -- the lowest in two decades and well down on 14 percent in 2011.



Davies accepted that government help was needed but, whatever happens, he will be encouraging people to ride the waves.



"Ghana is just about to explode due to surfing tourism and it's very exciting times for surfing in Ghana," he added.
Karachi: A senior Pakistani police official was among three persons killed on Monday when a motorcycle-borne suicide attacker targeted his vehicle in the country's restive Balochistan province.



Eleven people were also injured in the attack. Although initial reports suggested the blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device, sources later said it was a suicide attack targeting the vehicle.



The blast took place in Chaman city in Balochistan located near the Afghan town of Spin Boldak.



District Police Officer (DPO) Killa Abdullah Sajid Mohmand, who was critically wounded in the blast, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.



"The DPO, his guard and a civilian were killed while another 11 people were injured," police spokesman Shazada Farhat said.



Farhat said police found a badly destroyed motorcycle at site of the blast.



An emergency has been declared in hospitals and law enforcement and rescue officials have been dispatched to the site of the incident.



No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing.



Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has strongly condemned terrorist attack on police convoy.



Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti also condemned the attack. Nisar sought a report probing the incident.



Chaman is considered a sensitive town in Balochistan as it shares a border with Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar province.
Washington: Donald Trump's eldest son said Sunday he met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer shortly after his father clinched the Republican nomination, hoping to get information helpful to the campaign.



A New York Times report Sunday citing advisers to the White House briefed on the encounter said Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting after being promised information damaging to Hillary Clinton.



The June meeting at Trump Tower with attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya involved Trump Jr., his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, who was then the campaign chairman.



The existence of the meeting was disclosed only recently to government officials and confirmed on Saturday by representatives of Trump Jr. and Kushner following a separate Times report.



In a statement Sunday, Trump Jr. did not confirm that the information he was promised would be damaging to Clinton.



But he said he was asked by an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant to have a meeting with a person he was told might have information that would be helpful to the Trump campaign. He said he was not told the name of the person before the meeting.



Trump Jr. said that during the meeting the attorney claimed to have information that "individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee" and supporting Clinton.



"No details or supporting information was provided or even offered," Trump Jr. said. "It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."



He said no details or supporting information was ever offered, and that his father was unaware of the meeting.



On Saturday, Trump Jr. had described the same gathering as a "short introductory meeting" during which the three discussed a disbanded program that used to allow U.S. citizens to adopt Russian children. Russia ended the adoptions in response to American sanctions brought against the nation following the 2009 death of an imprisoned lawyer who spoke about a corruption scandal.



He said on Sunday that the attorney turned the conversation to the adoption of Russian children, and that he believed that this was the "true agenda" of the meeting and that claims about having information helpful to the Trump campaign had been a pretext for the encounter.



"I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office," Trump Jr. said in the statement.



Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's legal team, said only, "The President was not aware of and did not attend the meeting."



Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts. The newspaper said the meeting was disclosed in recent days to government investigators when he filed a revised version of a form needed to obtain a security clearance. His attorney has previously acknowledged that Kushner's first security clearance submission was incomplete.



Manafort also recently disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators, the newspaper said.



The newspaper said Veselnitskaya is known for her attempts to undercut the sanctions against Russian human rights abusers. The Times also said her clients include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.
Dubai: Royal Jordanian and Kuwait Airways said on Sunday passengers could take laptops and large electronic devices in the cabin on flights to the United States, the latest Middle East airlines to be exempted from a U.S. ban.



Royal Jordanian and Kuwait Airways join Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airline who each announced last week a lifting of the ban.



In March, the United States banned laptops and other large electronic devices on direct flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries -- Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey -- to address fears that bombs could be concealed in them.



Royal Jordanian, which flies to New York, Chicago and Detroit from Amman, Jordan, lifted the ban after new security measures were implemented for U.S.-bound flights, airline President Stefan Pichler said in a statement.



State-owned Kuwait Airways, which flies from Kuwait to New York via Ireland, said the ban was lifted after U.S. officials inspected security measures on its flights.



US officials did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the lifting of the ban affecting the Jordanian and Kuwaiti carriers.



The United States announced on June 29 enhanced security measures for flights to the country, requiring additional time to screen passengers and electronic devices for possible explosives.



The new U.S. measures, which take effect within three weeks of the announcement, will affect around 325,000 passengers a day travelling on 180 airlines from 280 airports around the world, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.



Airlines that fail to meet the new security requirements could still face in-cabin restrictions on electronic devices.



Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has said it expects the ban to be lifted on flights from Jeddah and Riyadh by July 19.



Royal Air Maroc also believes it can have the ban lifted for flights out of Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport by July 19, a senior official from the state-owned airline told Reuters on July 6.
Beijing: The US has apologised to China for mistakenly describing President Xi Jinping as the leader of Taiwan in a statement issued by Washington, a top Chinese official said on Monday.



Reacting strongly to the statement issued by the US after Xi and President Donald Trump met in Germany on the sidelines of the G20, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing in Beijing that the Chinese side has "lodged a solemn representation with the US".



"The US said sorry for the technical error and they made the correction," he said when asked about the faux pas by Washington.



In a statement issued after Xi and US President Donald Trump met in Germany on the side-lines of G20, the White House press office described Xi as the president of the Republic of China, the formal name for Taiwan. China, led by Xi, is officially called the People's Republic of China (PRC).



Taiwan is a sensitive issue for China as it considers it as part of the mainland under its One-China policy.
President Xi Jinping presides over a meeting of the BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg on Friday. Xi encourgaed the group to play a leading role in improving global governance and backing African nations and other developing countries.[Photo/Xinhua]

President's speech details the need for a more inclusive system to benefit all

President Xi Jinping has consistently shown China's strong commitment to act as a responsible global stakeholder by advocating an open economy and promoting multilateral trade, inclusive growth, and the digital economy, experts said.

They commented after Xi made several suggestions regarding economic growth and international trade during the first working session at the G20 summit, in Hamburg on Friday. Delegates also discussed sustainable development, climate change, and coordinating the fight against terrorism at the closed-door meeting.

On Saturday, they will discuss partnerships with Africa, digitization, employment, and female empowerment.

Experts said Xi spoke of continuing efforts to bring regions closer by removing trade and infrastructure barriers, sentiments that echoed proposals he made in January at the World Economic Forum and at the Belt and Road Initiative forum in Beijing in May.

"President Xi has spotlighted the key challenges facing all nations today," said Shada Islam, director of Europe and geopolitics at the Brussels-based Friends of Europe.

"He has illustrated that China recognizes the importance of trade liberalization, open economies, the potential of further using digitization to boost development, and meeting the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals."

Islam said it is "no secret that the world is looking at Europe and China for leadership" and noted that by mentioning the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi showed China's readiness to work with other countries to tackle major challenges.

Guido Cozzi, a professor of macroeconomics at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, said Xi's four suggestions show a very open and mature vision of how the world economy should work.

This is very reassuring, especially for Europe," said Cozzi. "Both regions benefit from openness and suffer from geopolitical, financial, and environmental risk."

Erik Berglof, director of the Institute of Global Affairs at the London School of Economics, said Xi is continuing to embrace globalization.

"His language is very close to that of the communique from Hangzhou," he noted. But Berglof said many G20 members will also be concerned about the erosion of trade openness and potential dismantling of institutions protecting openness.

Berglof welcomed Xi's idea of collective governance involving leading economies filling the vacuum created by the United States' apparent stepping back from global leadership.

Shi Shiwei, director of the research center for Europe at the Beijing-based University of International Business and Economics, said Xi's emphasis on inclusive growth addresses a major challenge to globalization  the unequal distribution of benefits.

"Xi's advocacy for the benefits of globalization to aid both developed and developing economies is important," said Shi, who said an emphasis on improving industrial capacity, economic liberalization, and climate change mitigation would also help. Shi said financial collaboration, green finance development, labor market development and equality are also important.

Contact the writers at fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
Three years ago, Amy Johnson was a full-time mother and part-time quilter just trying to accomplish one task at a time.

Now, she owns a store in Lynchburg and an online store while blogging and offering instructional videos on Craftsy.com  a creative video platform for classes on sewing, quilting, baking, and other crafts.

Sewing and quilting is really adaptable to peoples lifestyles and interest, Johnson said. Its not just about floral fabrics and fluffy animals. Ive seen quilts that depict outrage against gun violence.

As a former stay-at-home-mom of three children, Johnson, 46, said nothing got done.

I was always cleaning, cooking, changing a diaper, and as soon as youre done you have to do it again, she said. When I sewed, it stayed done and it gave me something that I felt like I was accomplishing.

About seven years ago, Johnsons husband, Eric, 46, was diagnosed with cancer. In an effort to keep her mind busy, Amy Johnson not only kept sewing but also started posting videos on YouTube of her techniques, which caught on with many students.

She adapted a technique called free motion quilting, which is typically used on an industrial-type quilting machine, to be used on an everyday sewing machine.

Its like drawing, but instead of moving your pencil over paper, youre moving your quilt underneath the needle that stays still. Its like doodling, she said. Its a popular technique, and it makes it more accessible for someone who has a sewing machine instead of paying someone else to do it on a specialized machine.

She said she would doodle designs while in the hospital with Eric.

The technique requires a special foot to use for the sewing machine, so Johnson opened an online store on her own websitecalled Amys Quilting Adventures to sell not only the foot but also thread, fabric, templates and quilting rulers.

Craftsy found Johnson when another instructor they had worked with recommended Johnson to them. Craftsy flew her to Denver to film two classes about quilting in free motion that students can purchase and watch from their home.

Then, after 30 years in business, original Sew Simple owner and founder John Heckman retired from the store on Fort Avenue in early 2016 and passed it over to Johnson, who had been working part time at the shop for a few years.

Heckman primarily repaired sewing machines for local residents and occasionally sold them as well. The Johnsons moved the store June 1 to 2414 Wards Road, next to Goodwill. They repair and sell sewing machines and related supplies, and Johnson teaches in-shop classes.

I dont consider us a quilt shop but a creative sewing center, she said. We want to equip and inspire and educate and encourage.

Maryann Keith, a longtime friend of Heckman who encouraged Johnson to take on the business, said she could tell Johnson was passionate about quilting and sewing.

She took an immediate interest in the business, Keith said. I was impressed with her. She is a good teacher, good organizer, good proprietor; shes right where she needs to be.

While working for Heckman, Johnson would rearrange the store, change displays and was constantly looking for ways to improve the shop, Keith said.

She was always making it look better and more inviting, she said. And I think that was the beginning for her.

Keith said she likes the new location of Sew Simple, the extra space it offers and the way it is organized.

Shes carrying fabric now, and that wasnt part of it before. Shes really stepping up to the plate, she said.

Tiffany Baxter, a 40-year-old who Johnson described as a young, modern quilter, said she enjoys Johnsons take on quilting because it appeals to all types of crafters no matter what their skill level is.

I was drawn to the shop because she started carrying some of the newer designer fabrics that I might have only been able to find online, she said. I learned she was carrying newer things and I was excited to see what she had available. It was better for me to shop locally instead of online.

Baxter has been making quilts for almost a decade, and when she started, she said she found a network of younger women ranging from 20 to 40 years old who were sharing ideas online.

She said she is excited for Johnson because of her fresh ideas.

I think shes trying to take on a more modern angle. Some other businesses have a more traditional outlook, and Amy is branching out and pulling in new fabrics, Baxter said. Shes offering things for beginners as well as experienced sewers.

Johnson said the biggest challenge has been learning the ropes of the business, which she said includes tons of paperwork, emails, accounting, finance and web design.

We went back and forth about acquiring the business, Johnson said. We didnt have enough knowledge of the business or have any background or money. There were a couple of times through that process that I thought it wouldnt work.

She said she is still trying to learn the business, but the shop couldnt have supported itself without her online store.

Some shop owners are worried about online sales taking over, but I think for something like quilting, those shops might have been dead long along if it wasnt for the interest generated online, she said.

She said the shop still leaves room for improvement.

It needs to grow in terms of overall revenue and profitability, she said.

In the next few years, Johnson said she hopes to expand the offerings of the shop and add one or two more employees.

Though she doesnt have much time to quilt for herself anymore, she says it is satisfying to work with needle and thread and to encourage others creativity.

Theres a need in us to create. Jobs now are tied so much to the computer or phone, and nothing is being shown for their work, she said.

Her favorite part of quilting apart from the creativity: Fabric and thread do not discriminate.

All kinds of issues can be expressed with fabric and thread. All kinds of people quilt. Its that need to work with your hands. We all have that, she said. Its exciting.
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SEA results are not everything

There is nothing wrong with proudly celebrating academic successes, but what does the continued focus of those deemed to be successful do for those who may have tried their very best but simply do not have the cognitive capacity or motivation for academic studies or even have the same long-term aspirations. In case you have forgotten let me remind you of the newspaper headline of June 8  Over 400 students are on suicide watch across primary and secondary schools. This news story sparked a lot of shock and concern amongst the population, and though there are a myriad of reasons for the increase in depression and suicide in young people, the point is that the importance placed on exam success and doing well academically is a contributor to their diminishing emotional and mental health which should not be ignored.

There have been many studies done on the matter of stress and anxiety in academic studies starting as far back as 1914 and research estimates that approximately 20 per cent of under-18s have experienced depression or anxiety (Costello et al 2003) and that suicidal thoughts are common amongst young people. Yet the unhealthy social phenomenon which perpetrates the notion that exam success defines you as a person continues.

Even the terminology used in discussing the SEA results has the potential to contribute to students stress, for example the emphasis on passing for their first choice which alludes that not doing so somehow equates to failing.

But, the reality is that there is so much more to the nations youngsters and they need to be reassured that the SEA results are not everything. There is no denying the importance of a well-rounded secondary school education that focuses on academics as well as life skills, and all youngsters should be encouraged to excel to the best of their ability. However, a one-dimensional approach that ignores the impact of variables and life consequences such as health, socio-economics, environment, parental education, geographic location is a problematic one that does more harm than good. Subliminally, the message received by many youngsters  whether intentional or not, is that a perceived lack of success at SEA means that friends and family are not proud of them and that they are doomed to a second- rate life.

Many youngsters are faced with an overwhelming plethora of challenges which can affect their academic achievements such as bullying, death and loss, physical or mental illnesses or both, abuse, addiction, fears/ phobias, problems at school. In addition which, during adolescent they begin to produce hormones that causes the changes of puberty and the onset of sexual and relationship desires so when those are compounded by the worry about exams, parental pressures, and unrealistic expectations it is no surprise that there is such a high number of them on suicide watch. Another point in relation to the SEA results is around safeguarding, and I question the necessity for publishing the results in the newspapers in an era when most people have smart phones and communication is much easier.

I was made aware of a survivor of domestic violence who is currently living in a refuge and has a restraining order against her estranged husband who feels that her safety and that of her child have been compromised because he is now able to figure out their general whereabouts using the information published. Maybe its about time for this practice to be reconsidered.

Finally, Id like to share a situation that has always stayed with me. During a class discussion, one of my fellow students was asked about his career aspirations and he replied that he wanted to be a refuse collector.

The entire class including the teacher erupted into raucous laughter, however, truth be told, he was aware of his limitations and had set himself an achievable personal goal. Needless to say he has had the last laugh because he went on to become the owner of a lucrative cleaning company.

Dr Yansie Rolston FRSA is a UK-based disability and mental health specialist advisor. She is a social strategist and trainer who works internationally at various levels of government, business and civil society. Contact her at yr@ efficacyeva.com
SEA pupils at eTecKs career day

The motivational programme is geared towards inspiring the pupils who are getting ready to enter secondary school. The career day targets primary schools within eTecKs fenceline communities as part of the companys corporate philanthropy programme. The pupils were engaged in a career segment with five members of e TecKs staff and ended with them refreshments and the animated childrens movie Captain Underpants.

During the career segment eTecKs civil engineer Samantha Roberts encouraged pupils to acquire knowledge of something new every day, while accountant Kristal Khan emphasised the importance of pupils seeking a career in a field that they love, said a media release.

Neil Willis shared his story of his passion for art and technical drawing as a youth and how it shaped his career path to being one of eTecKs property officers. The love of reading was strongly encouraged by Deedra Maharaj as it contributed towards her success in becoming a lawyer. eTecKs ICT Manager, Dwayne Farrell advised pupils to live their dreams, be persistent at their goals and have fun whilst in their pursuit.

The La Horquetta North pupils had lots to say about the career segment. Dominique Joseph stated: What I liked about the field trip was that we were encouraged to do our best even if you may not pass for your first choice school. It is not where you go but how you finish. Tiana Joseph added: I really liked that the speakers went to different schools and still became very successful. The career segment was further endorsed by student Daneque Daniel who stated: I also liked the speeches where e TecK staff shared their memories.

It inspired me to never give up, no matter what. Standard five teacher, Clayton Manick, said The various presenters did an excellent job at not only sharing but connecting one on one with students. I think that was most impacting.

Thanks e TecK for choosing our school to be part of this Career Day. The effects would truly last a life-time.
The leaders of the BRICS countries agreed on Friday to build an open world economy and improve global economic governance during an informal meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

President Xi Jinping presided over the meeting because China holds the rotating presidency of the BRICS bloc this year.

The BRICS summit will be held from Sept 3 to 5 in Xiamen, Fujian province.

Xi said in his speech that there are currently positive signs for the world's economy, with a promising future for the development of BRICS countries, and at the same time, there are also challenges ahead for the BRICS members.

He called on the member countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to establish an open world economy, maintain a multilateral trade system and push forward open, inclusive, beneficial, balanced and win-win economic globalization, thus making the fruits of economic growth accessible for all people.

The BRICS countries should unswervingly stick to the principle of multilateralism in addressing conflicts and disputes, strive to achieve peace and cooperation, and make full use of multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations to discuss international rules, he said.

In his speech, Xi highlighted the importance of the G20 in boosting international economic cooperation and improving global economic governance.

The consensuses reached at the G20 summit in Hangzhou last year and other G20 summits should be implemented to create a good environment for the development of emerging economies and developing countries, Xi said.

Xi also encouraged the BRICS countries to play a leading role in supporting developing countries, especially African nations, to help them to improve development capacity.

Saying that preparations for the BRICS summit in Xiamen are going smoothly, Xi added that he expected to make joint efforts with the other BRICS members to achieve fruitful outcomes, deepen BRICS cooperation, offer new solutions to improve global governance and contribute to global economic growth.

South African President Jacob Zuma, Brazilian President Michel Temer, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the meeting and agreed that the BRICS countries should keep the good momentum of cooperation on politics, economy and people-to-people exchanges to push forward practical cooperation of the BRICS members, according to a statement from China's Foreign Ministry.

They also agreed to work together to send positive messages in the G20, to push the international order to develop in the direction of being more just and reasonable, and to create a better environment for the development of emerging markets, the statement said.

Contact the writer at anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn
POLICE TOO POWERFUL

Saying police are overstepping their boundaries in terms of how they deal with civilians in their custody, Ali complained that this clients, held for the murders of Videsh Subar, 13, and his care giver Hafeeza Rose Mohammed, who were both found with their throats slit, have not been given their basic rights such as food and baths.

They have been in custody since last Wednesday. When police keep people in custody for seven to 15 days, they should be getting permission from the courts on a daily basis to keep them in custody, Ali said. He added the law states a suspect can remain in custody for, a reasonable period. The thing is, it is left to the discretion of the police to determine this reasonable time.

Once a lawyer has a problem over the length of time his client in custody, the only recourse he has is to file a writ of Habeas Corpus in the High Court, as was done last week which led to suspects being ordered released by a judge when they were held but not charged for the kidnapping of Puff n Stuff bakery owner Gregory Laing.

A reasonable time in this country has not been defined. Some people are in custody for two weeks and because they have no lawyer or the lawyer has filed no writ, the police remain unaccountable to anyone for what they are doing, Ali said, reiterating that even while in custody, a suspect remains a citizen with certain rights.

Asked if his clients are fearful for their lives, Ali replied, They always have a fear for their lives and they are not being given access to basic needs such regular food, baths and light. They are basically in a room within a room...so they dont know if it is night or day. He said his clients have not been charged for anything, but remain in custody.

CHANGE LEGISLATION

TT is in dire need of legislation governing how persons brought into police custody ought to be treated by police and the procedural steps to be followed in interrogating them.

The only document that speaks to the manner in which police may handle arrested persons are the Police Standing Orders.

The latter is a defunct set of guidance couched together in a module that makes reference to arrested persons having the right to access to an attorney, but not making it an offence by the police to deny arrested persons immediate access to the same legal representation, Ali said.

Under law, a suspect can be held by police for up to 48 hours without being charged. However, once it is established that the police have reasonable cause based on evidence, the police could be granted a longer time in which to continue their investigation before they charge a suspect or release them.

The Privy Council, our highest Court of Appeal, recognises the British legislation -- Police and Criminal Evidence Act which has been in existence since 1984, in the United Kingdom.

The latter speaks to persons having the right to legal representation and the consequences for denying immediate access to an attorney, Ali said.

Ali said the underlying issue was accountability by the police and justification for the course of action they undertake when treating with suspects.

There is a mindset that TT is a lawless society.

There may be truth in this comment at first glance, but the responsibility to make TT law abiding is not that of the Police Service as a body.

A law abiding society obeys the law because it recognises the need to behave in a manner that does not violate its fellow citizens, not that it will obey the law borne out of fear for the consequences of not obeying, Ali said. The argument that the Police Complaints Authority and Police Professional Standards Bureau are there to manage the posture police adopt in treating with our citizenry, is a weak one, Ali insisted.

STATE COULD BE LIABLE

Attorney Israel Khan, SC, agreed that there ought to be checks and balances in how police conduct themselves especially as the State could be left open to civil lawsuits. However, he cautioned that all complains and allegations made by detained persons first must be investigated thoroughly before conclusions and follow up actions could take place. If they are deprived of meals and baths, later on they can sue the State. But these are allegations that first have to be proved. Everyday when police arrest someone, that person complains about the food, about not being able to see their attorney, about police brutality....

they always complain, but that has to be investigated, Khan said.

Khan said Ali could make a complaint to the Police Complaints Authority and then bring an action for civil wrong committed against his clients, because all people are presumed to be innocent until proven otherwise by the courts.

Ali said he knows the nation wants blood for the Malabar murders, but the fact remains that the heinousness of the crime should never determine how police treat with suspects.

Through the years my complaints about police ill treatment of my clients while being investigated were met with unsympathetic responses from our national community. The successful prosecution of the alleged criminals in this country at the High Court is abysmal.

The reasoning behind the failure of the DPPs office to successfully prosecute is directly linked to police procedural approaches to investigation and their mismanagement by ill treating persons in custody, Ali said.

I agree criminals are deserving of punishment but, all are innocent until proven guilty, must be a rule that stands in a society that respects law and order.

The hypocrisy of TT is citizens crave lawful police action when they are personally affected.

There is no respect for the presumption of innocence and the rule of law. Until that is addressed, incidents like the Malabar murders will prevail with unabated intensity, Ali said.
Slavery, indentureship still abounds

Speaking yesterday at the St Joseph Presbyterian Churchs Holy Communion Service and Tree Planting ceremony in commemorating the church 150th years anniversary, located on the Eastern Main Road, St Joseph, Teelucksingh implored the audience to be their brothers keepers and remain true to the teachings of the Bible.

He asked the congregation if they were a grass-roots church or grass-roots Christians, and if they were giving more priority to serving on boards rather than serving God. Have we strayed from the real lessons of the Bible? Do we generally come to church to worship Christ? Or do we have some hidden agenda? If you forget this sermon today, remember the spirituality of every church is its dedication.

Why have we allowed this poor community of Bangladesh on Farm Road to exist? Christ wants us to plant trees of hope in every oppressed community of Trinidad and Tobago. He praised those, especially non Presbyterians who contributed to the church over the decades. I want us to always remember that on our anniversary, there are many non-Presbyterian Christians who felt that what John Morton and the missionaries were doing was good and something they needed to support. Reaching the milestone of 150 years is indeed a great achievement, but the church is a young branch when compared to older branch of Protestantism which is celebrating 500 years. We are connected through the mighty tree of Christianity which has been growing for 2,000 years and is watered with the blood of Christ. Among those in attendance were Canadas High Commissioner to TT Carla Hogan Rufelds and Indias High Commission to TT, Aniruddha Das
Former CEO: Clico empowered Africans

In a statement last week, he recalled CL Financial at its prime controlled $100 billion in assets in 28 companies, regionally and worldwide, in banking and financial services, energy, real estate, and manufacturing and distribution.

For the youngsters out there, I make the point that CL Financial was not owned or run by the Syrian-Lebanese community. In fact that distinction fell to the Duprey family who are of African ancestry.

Thus, the balance of economic power was markedly different from today and while the Syrian-Lebanese community was disproportionately powerful even then, they clearly did not hold as dominant a position as they do now. Dacon said the impact of the global economic crisis of 2008/9 changed the landscape dramatically, seeing CL Financial face severe cash flow woes and so seeking State help.

First agreeing to a rescue, the State then took full control of the group, running it as it saw fit and disposing of assets at their sole discretion. Saying the State rescued other firms, Dacon said uniquely the Government took full control of only CL Financial.

At a stroke, the countrys largest conglomerate moved from private African ownership to State control.

Had it been rescued and not effectively nationalised, then Mr Sabga Abouds statement might likely have been false.

Undoubtedly, the net effect of the governments method of rescue was to dramatically change the pattern of ethnic control of large parts of the economy away from the African owners. Could that have been the intention? Dacon said the shift of CL Financial to government control (plus its possible demise) has far-reaching consequences.

Aboud.
UWI graduates underemployed

He made the comments in his inaugural speech as the ninth principal of the campus during his induction ceremony held on Saturday night at the Daaga Auditorium, UWI, St Augustine.

Copeland said that he accepted the challenge to nurture their students to spot commercial opportunities and derive novel, ingenious and workable solutions to economic, societal and ecological challenges.

He said that two major initiatives of UWIs five year strategic plan is to reform the core education processes and increase access to a broader base of students and secondly innovation where they move from concepts to commercial reality. On innovation Copeland explained that they want to create spin off companies, with the first before the end of the year and one new company every two years.

Copeland said that this country needs thousands of export oriented small and micro enterprise companies. Copeland, an engineer and academic by profession and the first winner of the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for being part of the G-Pan development team, succeeds previous St Augustine Principal Professor Clement Sankat.

Copeland, also co-creator of the steelpan synthesiser called the percussive harmonic instrument (PHI), said that while Governments interest in the steelpan initiatives project was solely focused on the now decade old G-Pan he saw the project as part of a greater strategy to entrench Trinidad and Tobago as the unquestionable leader in the global steel pan industry through aggressive research, development and innovation of steelpan technology. He explained that he the steelpan as the cornerstone of a new culture of innovation-led entrepreneurship.

He said that neither the steelpan nor the PHI had realised their full market potential. He expressed hope that with this Governments renewed focus on innovation as an element of the national development strategy some consideration would be given to the steelpan industry as an opportunity for economic diversification. On his appointment as principal Copeland thanked everyone who enabled him on his journey including his lecturers at UWI, his family and late former Prime Minister Patrick Manning for his encouragement.

Copeland, whose mother was Barbadian, said he always considered himself a Caribbean man born on Trinidad. He added that he is fiercely Caribbean at heart and he felt anguish at the collapse of the West Indian Federation.

He expressed hope that one day Caribbean nations will unite under one flag and he dubbed this one nation Caribia. Copeland said that as principal he looked forward to supporting Caribbean development which was the only reason he accepted the appointment
Praise for new UWI, St Augustine Principal

Copeland was inducted as provice chancellor and campus principal at a ceremony held at the Daaga Auditorium, UWI St Augustine.

President Anthony Carmona and his wife and Chief Justice Ivor Archie were among those in attendance. Education Minister Anthony Garcia was among those paying tribute to Copeland on the night. Garcia described him as an educator par excellence who had virtually dedicated his life to the teaching profession.

He assured him that his ministry and the Government would work with him as they chart the way forward during his tenure.

Chairman of the campus council Ewart Williams in his remarks said he rejoiced that the future of the campus had been placed in capable and deserving hands and noted his impeccable academic credentials and proven leadership ability. He added that Copeland is well known for his commitment to excellence, his students and above all, integrity.

This country and our region face acute challenges of revitalising economic development as well as the social consequences that go with underdevelopment. Principal Copeland is supremely qualified and totally committed to lead the campus in an intensified effort at confronting and addressing these issues. National Gas Company (NGC) Chairman Gerry Brooks said that Copeland had distinguished himself as a visionary thinker, innovator and team builder and his assumption is principal is a source of of special pride and cause for optimism in the future of the university. Given the development challenges facing Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean, his appointment to the helm of the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies could not be more opportune. He added: In Professor Copeland, the University of the West Indies has found a respected scholar, an effective administrator and a leader in whom the arts and sciences converge. Brooks said the crucial linkage between NGC and UWI must express itself in the acceleration of research and development on themes such as monetisation of marginal gas fields, renewable energy projects including solar and wind programmers and energy efficiency.

He added that NGC welcome UWIs partnership as they explore opportunities in Ghana, Guyana, Cuba and other international jurisdictions.

President of the University of Trinidad and Tobago Professor Dyer Narinesingh described Copeland as a respected colleague who has worked tirelessly for the holistic advancement of Trinidad and Tobago and the region at large. This is evidenced by his pioneering and innovative work on the steelpan but more so in his distinguished teaching and administrative career. He said this country and the Caribbean are very fortunate to have someone of Copelands calibre who combines penetrating analytical ability, decisiveness with firmness, and a capacity for strong and clear-sighted leadership. Chancellor, UWI has chosen a person to lead the St Augustine campus, one who motivates and energises others, bringing them together in a common enterprise, and doing so with vivacity, resilience, great human warmth and deeply human values. Cave Hill Campus Principal Professor V. Eudine Barriteau said that Copeland has been appointed in a time of austerity and a need for efficiency. She added that he will have to do the multi loop corporate prance to ensure that education remains affordable and accessible.

Mona Campus Principal Professor Archibald McDonald praised Copeland as a distinguished academic and predicted that he will continue to make great gains as those before him and transform the campus into a world class institution.

He added that Copeland had proved over the years to be a leader of integrity and high standards and UWI was fortunate to have him assume he reins of leadership of the St Augustine campus.

Principal of the Open Campus Dr Luz Longsworth compared the campus to an orchestra and said that with Copeland they had a pan man par excellence as part of our orchestra to add to our team as we percuss the regions needs for development. Principal Copeland, without doubt we know that under your leadership there will be sweet music coming out of St Augustine campus.
No One Will

Ever Smash

Stuff Quite

Like He Did
Leaders representing G20 members pose for a group photo on Friday, the first day of their summit in Hamburg, Germany. The gathering continues on Saturday. [Photo/Agencies]

President Xi Jinping tells world's major economies to remain true to philosophy that navigated challenges of financial crisis

President Xi Jinping called on G20 members to remain committed to building an open global economy when he spoke at the gathering of the world's major economies in Hamburg, Germany, on Friday.

"This commitment of the G20 to build open economies saw us through the global financial crisis, and this commitment is vital in reenergizing the global economy," Xi said while discussing the global economic situation with other G20 leaders.

The president called on major economies to support the multilateral trading system, observe jointly established rules, and enhance consultation to seek solutions to the challenges faced by all economies.

"It is a great pleasure to be with you in Hamburg, the City of Bridges, to discuss ways of building a bridge of cooperation to advance our shared prosperity," Xi said.

He noted that the global economy is showing signs of recovery, thanks to the efforts of G20 members, but said it is still plagued by deep-seated problems and faces uncertainty and destabilizing factors.

"We must remain committed to openness and mutual benefit for all, so as to increase the size of the global economic 'pie'," he said.

Xi highlighted the important role innovation is playing as a new source of growth for the global economy. Countries should boost cooperation around the digital economy and jointly develop new technologies, new industries, new business models, and new products, he said.

G20 members reached important agreements on innovation and development at the summit held in Hangzhou, China, last year, he said, adding that additional concrete outcomes are expected in Hamburg.

The president also suggested a balance be struck between fairness and efficiency, between capital and labor, and between technology and employment.

"According to the prediction of the World Economic Forum, artificial intelligence will take away more than 5 million jobs in the world by 2020," he said, adding that to fix the problem, G20 members should work together to realize more inclusive global growth.

"To achieve this goal, we must ensure synergy between economic and social policies, address the mismatch between industrial upgrading and knowledge and skills, and ensure more equitable income distribution," he said.

And he urged G20 members to place more importance on cooperation in education, training, employment, business start-ups, and wealth distribution-related mechanisms.

The president also called for joint efforts to be made to improve international economic governance, by strengthening coordination of macroeconomic policies, forestalling risks in financial markets, and developing green finance.

Noting that China hosted the successful Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May, Xi said participants built a platform of cooperation to tap into new sources of growth. The commitment from that forum was highly compatible with the goals of the G20, he said.

Quoting the German saying, "those who work alone, add; those who work together, multiply", Xi called for joint efforts among G20 members to promote interconnected growth for shared prosperity and build toward a global community with a shared future.

Contact the writer at anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn
There's one person who doesn't think "dreamy mugshot guy" is so dreamy anymore: his wife. Jeremy Meeks, who gained fame for his good looks and became a model after his prison stint, is headed to divorce court after Melissa Meeks, his wife of eight years, says she was alerted to photos of him making out with a clothing heiress on a luxury yacht in Turkey, People reports. Melissa Meeks tells the Daily Mail that while she thought her spouse was working overseas, he was actually canoodling with 26-year-old Chloe Green, whose billionaire dad owns a slew of British retailers.

"I told him I didn't think the marriage could be saved," a "humiliated" Melissa Meeks says. "He agreed. The marriage is over." She also calls Green's part in this "unforgivable," noting: "She knew he was married." She adds she's not sure how to break this all to her three children, including a 7-year-old son with Meeks and an 11-year-old and 16-year-old she brought into the marriage. Meeks' latest Instagram post over the weekend, which shows the 33-year-old posing for a fashion shoot, is rife with comments, including one that reads, "How can i support someone with such low moral values," while another adds: "The public made you famous  the public will tear you back down." (Read more Jeremy Meeks stories.)
Donald Trump Jr. has revealed the real reason for his meeting with a Russian lawyer last year: He says Natalia Veselnitskaya told him she had information that could help his father's campaign. In a statement Sunday, Trump Jr. said during the June 2016 meeting, the lawyer told him "she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton," but failed to provide any details. Multiple sources tell the New York Times that Trump Jr. only agreed to the meetingwhich was also attended by Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign manager at the timebecause he had been promised damaging information on Clinton.

Trump Jr. earlier said the meeting with Veselnitskaya, which was set up by an acquaintance, was about a Russian adoption program. In his statement Sunday, he said the lawyer, who had no "meaningful information" about Clinton, soon switched focus to the adoption program and it became clear "that this was the true agenda all along." But his attempt to gain information on Clinton from a Kremlin-linked lawyer is certain to attract the attention of the Russia investigation, reports the Washington Post, which calls Trump Jr.'s statement "stunningly incriminating." According to the Election Law Blog, Trump Jr. may have violated the law on campaigns soliciting "anything of value" from foreign nationals. (Read more Donald Trump Jr. stories.)
The teenage daughter of Gotham actor Donal Logue has been found safe nearly two weeks after she went missing in New York City. The New York Police Department says 16-year-old Jade Logue was found Saturday, the AP reports. Logue had posted appeals on Facebook and Twitter to help find Jade after she disappeared on June 26. He wrote on Facebook that the "net had been flung far and wide." Jade is transgender and was previously known as Arlo Logue. Police tell ABC that Jade was found "safe and sound" but far from home, in North Carolina. A rep for Logue says Jade is safely back home and the actor is "incredibly thankful" to those who helped, especially the NYPD and the FBI. (Read more Donal Logue stories.)
Green Day are not "heartless people," and they "most likely" would have called off their performance at a music festival in Spain Friday night if they had known that an acrobat had fallen to his death just before they came on, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong says. Armstrong issued a statement Sunday defending the band's playing of a full set soon after Pedro Aunion Monroy plunged 100 feet to his death in front of horrified fans at Madrid's Mad Cool Festival, Variety reports. The 42-year-old acrobat was performing a stunt that involved a box suspended from a crane.

The band was criticized as insensitive for going ahead with their show after the between-sets death, but Armstrong says the band not only didn't know about the death, they didn't know there were acrobats performing between sets, Rolling Stone reports. "All of us were in disbelief" after the show when they heard about the death, Armstrong said. "I don't know why the authorities chose not to tell us about the accident before our concert." "What happened to Pedro is unthinkable," he said, adding that the band is "heartbroken" for his friends and family, and for anybody who had to witness the tragedy. (Read more Green Day stories.)
Every month, 18-year-old Tulasi Shahi was among Nepali women and girls banished to a "menstruation hut." This time the shunning was fatal after Shahi was bitten by a poisonous snake, the New York Times reports. Shahi's mother took her first to a shaman and then to a clinic, which didn't have the anti-venom she needed. She died on Friday, seven hours after she was bitten, per AFP. Monsoon rains had made the three-hour trip from Dailekh, in the far west, to the nearest hospital nearly impossible, per CNN. "If she was given proper treatment, she would have survived, her cousin, Kamala Shahi, tells the Times. "She died because of superstition." Although the Nepal Supreme Court outlawed the practice, called chhaupadi, in 2005, the custom still going strong in many isolated villages, where menstruating women and girls are seen as unclean and bearers of bad luck.

In May, a 14-year-old girl sent to a cow hut died from exposure to severe cold while in seclusion, per CNN. Last year, two females died during chhaupadi, including one 15-year-old who died of smoke inhalation after lighting a fire to keep warm, per Al Jazeera. Human rights groups say other deaths probably go unreported. One report found that, depending on region, 19% to 50% of Nepali women practiced chhaupadi, per the Times. The Nepali parliament is expected to take up a bill to criminalize the practice, but one activist tells Al Jazeera the government is "largely indifferent and has not put the issue as a priority." Leading writer and activist Radha Paudel tells CNN, "Our girls and women are dying and the state is turning a blind eye." (More on the girl who died of smoke inhalation.)
The United States has apologized for mistakenly describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as the leader of Taiwan, China said Monday. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China asked the United States for an explanation of the mistake, and the US said it was a technical error. Washington apologized and corrected the error, Geng said at a daily news briefing. In a statement issued Saturday about a meeting in Germany between Xi and President Trump, the White House press office described Xi as president of the Republic of China, the formal name for Taiwan, instead of the People's Republic of China. The issue is particularly sensitive because Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of its territory, the AP notes.

Chinese scholars say the mix-up shows a lack of competence. "It is basic knowledge for those working in diplomacy, yet this isolated incident shows how incompetent the White House staff are, how casual they are, and how poorly coordinated they are," says Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at the Renmin University of China. The gaffe has gone largely unreported in China because the local media have no motivation to mock Trump, Shi says. Wang Dong, an associate professor in the school of international studies at Peking University, says he believes the error was not intentional but still reveals a lack of capacity in Trump's foreign policy team while key positions remain unfilled. (Read more US-China relations stories.)
Last July, a police officer in Baton Rouge, La., was seriously injured after a gunman ambushed him and five other members of law enforcement, killing threeand now that officer is suing various arms of the Black Lives Matter movement and some of its leaders, CNN reports. The complaint filed Friday on behalf of the 42-year-old cop, listed simply as "Officer John Doe Smith," names activist DeRay McKessonarrested in Baton Rouge during a protest for Alton Sterling about a week before the attack on the officersand four other BLM leaders, per the Los Angeles Times. The suit says BLM and its leaders "did nothing to dissuade the ongoing violence and injury to police" and "justified the violence as necessary to the movement and war." Based on his age and documented injuries, John Doe Smith appears to be Nick Tullier, a sheriff's deputy and father of two, per WGNO.

And those injuries to Smith set out in the suit, which cites violence at nationwide protests, were severe: He was shot through the side of his head, abdomen, and left shoulder, leaving him with a shattered skull and constant infections in his intestinal area. McKesson tells CNN he's "confident [the suit] has no merit," while his lawyer said in a court filing to dismiss a previous suit against McKesson that BLM can't be sued because it's a movement, not an organization, per WAFB. Donna Grodner, an attorney behind both suits, countered, "If Black Lives Matter does not exist, it should not be raising money or collecting millions in donations." PBS notes Grodner's attempt to crowdfund for legal expenses was rejected by YouCaring for not "promoting harmony." She's now trying to raise money via GoFundMe (no word yet whether the site will allow it).
President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Theresa May meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]

China and the United Kingdom should enhance practical cooperation and connect their development strategies under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, President Xi Jinping said on Friday while meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May.

The countries should connect to each other's development strategies, linking such initiatives as China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), Made in China 2025, and Britain's modern industrial strategy the Northern Powerhouse, Xi said during the meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

The president highlighted the importance of China-Britain international affairs cooperation, saying the two countries should enhance coordination in global affairs, and strengthen communication in multilateral frameworks, including the United Nations, the G20, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

And they should seek consensus while setting aside disagreements, Xi stressed, adding that both countries should make pragmatic efforts to push forward bilateral ties.

Mentioning his meeting with May in September during the G20 Hangzhou summit, Xi said the two countries have boosted political trust and cooperated in all areas during the past year.

Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of ambassador-level diplomatic relations between China

and Britain, Xi said China would like to make joint efforts with the UK on pushing forward bilateral ties for the benefit of people in both countries.

The nations should stick to the principle of mutual respect and equal treatment, Xi said, adding that China and the UK should also respect each other's core interests and major concerns.

May said Britain would like to increasingly cooperate with China in such areas as finance, under the Belt and Road Initiative framework.

The two countries have lots of common interests in many areas, she said, adding that Britain would like to enhance cooperation with China in areas including trade, investment and security.

Contact the writer at anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn
Police in northern New York say a soldier stationed at Fort Drum killed his wife and a state trooper who arrived to investigate. Justin Walters, 32, is accused of shooting trooper Joel Davis, a 36-year-old father of three, as Walters approached the couple's residence in the town of Theresa about 8pm Sunday, reports CNN. Davis had been responding to a call of shots fired, and police found the body of Walters' wife, 27-year-old Nicholle Walters, inside. Justin Walters then surrendered without further incident.

Police say a second woman also was shot in the upper torso, but her wounds were not thought to be life-threatening, reports WWNY. That woman reportedly lived elsewhere on the couple's property with a man and child, but she was alone at the time. Her relationship to Walters or his wife was unclear. Walters is an "active duty infantryman" at Fort Drum, authorities said. (Read more state troopers stories.)
The weekend brought photos of Tesla's first Model 3 sedan to roll off the production line, but it wasn't all positive news for the automaker. The Wall Street Journal on Sunday posted an analysis of data out of Hong Kong that suggests just how severe an effect the reduction of a significant tax break for electric vehicles has had on Tesla. The tax break had dropped the cost of a Model S 60 to a roughly $73,000 price tag; under the new tax rules, it costs about $118,000, per Quartz, which notes that elevated price is basically the same as buying a new Mercedes-Benz there. March was the last month where the electric vehicles were available at the lower effective price. Newly purchased Teslas registered by first-time electric vehicle owners that month: 2,939. And in April: zero. And then in May: five.

Tesla said in a statement that its "business does not rely on" favorable government policies, though its securities filings note it is not immune to the effects of changing such incentives. The Journal notes Tesla is working to get its vehicles into China, citing one gloomy quote on the subject from an analyst: "Hong Kong is the fashionable China. It's not exactly painting a glowing picture for the future of Tesla in China." (Read more Tesla stories.)
The most senior Vatican cleric to ever be charged in the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal returned to Australia on Monday to stand trial in his home state on charges alleging he sexually assaulted multiple people years ago. Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis' top financial adviser, avoided waiting media when he arrived at Sydney Airport on a flight from Singapore. The 76-year-old is due to appear in a court in the Victoria state capital, Melbourne, on July 26 on what Victoria Police described as multiple counts of "historical sexual assault offenses"meaning crimes that generally occurred years ago. There is no statute of limitations on such crimes in Australia, reports the AP. Police said there were multiple complainants, but have released no other details.

Pell is free ahead of his court hearing, during which he can formally apply for bail. When police announced the charges last month, Pell vowed to fight the allegations, saying: "The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me." On Monday, the Sydney archdiocese said the cardinal had made multiple stops on his journey from Rome to Australia to avoid long-haul flights, based on the advice of his doctors. Last year, Pell said he was too ill to make the long flight back to his home country to testify before a government inquiry into how the Catholic Church and other institutions have responded to child sex abuse allegations. The pope thanked Pell for his "honest" work and collaboration, and said he would wait for Australian justice to run its course before making a judgment himself. (Read more Cardinal George Pell stories.)
Officials are saying little about the mysterious disappearance of four young men in Bucks County, Pa., this week, with investigators specifying the only connection they're aware of between the men is one of friendship. CBS Philadelphia has the timeline: Jimi Tar Patrick, described as being in his late teens, was last seen Wednesday at 6pm; no friends or family have heard from him, and he's missed work, all out of character for him. Dean Finocchiaro, 18, was next to go missing and was last seen getting into a car around 6:30pm Friday. That same night saw the last known sighting of friends Mark Sturgis, 22, and Tom Meo, 21.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on one potential development Sunday: the search of a home in Solebury Township involving a state police helicopter, police dogs, and local detectives from Solebury, Middletown, Newtown, and Buckingham townships, in addition to Philadelphia. WPVI reports that officials aren't saying anything about what drew them to the house, which WTXF describes as "seemingly abandoned." It reports a car belonging to one of the missing men was found in its garage. Police aren't commenting on whether the four might be in danger. (Meanwhile, this celebrity's missing daughter has been found.)
It's another busy morning for President Trump's Twitter feed, and one issue to which he's devoted tweets is a defense of daughter Ivanka. The Trumps caused a stir over the weekend at the G20 summit in Germany when Ivanka took her father's seat at a formal meeting. Critics called it improper, but Trump disagrees. "When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat," he tweeted. "Very standard. Angela M agrees!" The latter refers to German leader Angela Merkel, who told reporters asking about the seat switch that Ivanka "was part and parcel of the American delegation, so that is something that other delegations also do," per the Hill.

President Trump also accuses the media of a hypothetical double-standard. "If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother,as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!" he tweeted. The seat switch, during a meeting of world leaders on Africa, left Ivanka between Britain's Theresa May and China's Xi Jinping, notes the Washington Post. One of the prominent critics of the move was former NATO ambassador Nicholas Burns, who has served under presidents of both parties. Seat switches may be common, he said, but he thought it should have been the secretary of state filling in. Authority is not conferred upon family members because of the presidents position, he said. One thing Trump has yet to address Monday: Son Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign. (Read more Ivanka Trump stories.)
It's just 18 seconds long, but a new video released by South Korean researchers makes history for the worst of reasons. The clip shows Korean "comfort women" held as sex slaves by the Japanese military, reports the BBC. It's believed to be the first such film clip known to exist, though images of "comfort women" had previously surfaced in still photographs. The good news is that the video shows the women after US and Chinese troops arrived to free them in China's Yunnan province in 1944.

A research team from Seoul National University found the footage in the US National Archives after a two-year search, reports Reuters. An American soldier is believed to have filmed the scene, in which a Chinese officer talks to the women lined up in front of a building used as a brothel. Japan forced an estimated 200,000 women to work as sex slaves for its soldiers during World War II. (Earlier this year, South Korea angered Japan with a statue honoring the women.)
Divers have located human bones near the wreckage of a US bomber that crashed in the Adriatic Sea in Croatia in 1944. The discovery was made last week at the site of the crash of the Tulsamerican, the last B-24 Liberator bomber built in Tulsa, Okla., near the end of World War II, according to Croatia's state TV. "The remains of human bones have been found, but we can't say anything without further analysis," says Zadar University archaeologist Mate Parica. The wreckage itself was found at the bottom of the sea at a depth of some 130 feet near the island of Vis in 2010 after a 17-year search. Three members of the 10-man crew were killed in the crash, reports the AP.

The plane was hit after a bombing run over German-occupied Poland. It crashed into the Adriatic Sea on Dec. 17, 1944. The crew apparently tried to get the plane back to its base in Italy, but they eventually decided to ditch it in the Adriatic. An effort to recover and return pieces of the wreckage to Oklahoma for display at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum has been underway for several years. Tomo Medved, who heads Croatia's ministry for war veterans, says the US is still looking for some 200 Americans who perished in Croatia during WWII. Croatia was run by a Nazi puppet regime during the war. Medved pledged the country's cooperation. "We will launch the procedure to sign an agreement between our countries" regarding the quest to find Americans' remains, he says. (Read more WWII stories.)
G20 summit: China says there was 'no bilateral meeting' between PM Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping

New Delhi : China on Monday said that President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "no bilateral meeting" on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, after India had claimed the two leaders discussed "a range of issues".

"According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meeting," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said when asked about the issues discussed by Xi and Modi.

Geng said Xi chaired an informal meet of BRICS leaders during which Modi was present. Despite being repeatedly asked if by "no bilateral meeting" Geng meant no meeting at all, he said: "So my answer is that the two heads of state of India and China did not hold any meetings on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg."

On Saturday, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson refused to elaborate on the "range of issues" discussed by Modi and Xi during their informal conversation in Hamburg.

"We have tweeted that the two leaders discussed a range of issues. A range of issues means a range of issues. I don't want to add anything further...I leave it to you to draw your conclusion," Baglay had said.

Geng said the withdrawal of troops from Doklam was the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between both sides.

"We have urged the Indian side to withdraw troops back to their Indian side of the boundary and this is a precondition for any meaningful dialogue between the two sides."

Asked about Indian troops reportedly planning to stay put in the Doklam area of Sikkim sector, Geng said: "If the reports are true that is proof that the illegal trespass by India is organised and deliberate.

"It is intended to destroy and damage the status quo of the boundary area of China and India.

"So how can diplomatic solutions happen with consensus?" asked Geng.
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New Delhi:

Arjun Kapoor is all set to replace Akshay Kumar in Namastey London sequel, said a source quoting from newspaper Mumbai Mirror.

Namastey London starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif in the lead role was released in 2007 and was a smash hit then.

Since then fans have been anxiously waiting for a sequel and now the movie might roll early in 2018, however, this time it will star Arjun Kapoor instead of Akshay Kumar, according to a leading daily.

According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the source informed, Arjun was keen because the franchise provides a unique perspective on how Indians are looked at internationally and vice versa. But he wanted to make sure that Akshay had no problems about the franchise moving forward without him, before signing on the dotted line. Last month, Akshay and Vipul who have been close friends and have collaborated on a dozen films over the last two decades, mutually agreed to go ahead with Arjun. The film will roll early 2018 and like the original, will be shot in Punjab and the UK.

ALSO READ: 'Mubarakan': Athiya opens up on her link-up rumours with Arjun Kapoor

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New Delhi:

Katrina Kaif who is in talks for her upcoming movie Jagga Jasoos was seen in a throwback picture recently of her modelling days. Model Shamita Singha shared a throwback picture of katrina in which she is sitting along with Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The picture has captured attention on the social media.



The picture of the models is 15 years old. What has caught everyone's attention is Katrina's innocent looks in the picture.A



Shamita shared the picture on Instagram and captioned it, aAlmost 15 years ago when we all were in Libya for a fashion show and had the privilege of meeting the man Mr. Gaddafi himself! Girls! Remember this trip??aA



In the picture, other models can also be seen like Aditi Govitrikar, Aanchal Kumar and Neha Dhupia.



At the time when this picture was taken, Muammar Gaddafi was popular for being a feared dictator. Gaddafi kept female bodyguards around him called Amazonians.



No doubt, all the models look really great in the picture. This also shows that Katrina used to love travelling to places around the world.



During a recent interview, Katrina entered lane of childhood memories and told, I had quite an imaginary mind. Probably that is why I became an actress. I was not so much into comic books and all. Rather I used to watch Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music. I loved watching them again and again.aA



She finds aA lot of similarity of the genre with Jagga Jasoos that Dada (Basu) tried to create. This is one of the films that are meant to have a universal appeala Itas crafted in that way. But of course, it is quite a task to do thata Catering to a wider audience,a Katrina told IANS.

katrina kaif is currently busy promoting her upcoming film with co-star Ranbir Kapoor. Katrina Kaif is working on projects with the three Khans of Bollywood industry. The actress even recently commented that it is a coincidence that she is working with three Khans around the same time.



Katrina is working with Salman Khan on Ali Abbas' 'Tiger Zinda Hain'. She has also been in talks for a while for her upcoming movie 'Thugs of Hindostan' with Aamir Khan. The movie also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Fatima Sana Shaikh. This is a crime film directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya and is set to be released during Diwali, 2018.

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New Delhi:

Two persons were arrested by the Mumbai police on Monday in connection with the killing of struggling actress and model Kritika Chaudhary.



The decomposed body of the 27-year-old actress was found in her rented apartment in in suburban Andheri on June 12.



A senior police officer on Monday said, We have arrested two persons in this case. They will be produced in a court. The police claimed that with the arrest of the duo, the case has been cracked.



The police initially registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR). Later on, the postmortem report revealed that she died because of a head injury. Thereafter, the case was registered under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a police officer said.

ALSO READ | Kritika Choudhary death: Ex-friend reveals shocking details about the late actress

Chaudhary played a small break in Kangana Ranaut-starrer film Rajjo, which was release in 2013. She had also worked on the small screen, police said.



Chaudhary was married, but had separated from her husband, according to police sources.

With PTI inputs.

ALSO READ: 'Parichay' actress Kritika Chaudhary's decomposed body found in her Mumbai flat; murder suspected
New Delhi:

Amid the growing Sikkim standoff, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi met Chinese and Bhutanese envoys, confirmed Congress.

Defending his meeting Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said it was his duty to be informed about the critical issues such as border dispute with China.

"It is my job to be informed on critical issues.I met Chinese ambassador, Ex-NSA, Cong leaders from NE & Bhutanese ambassador, said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Earlier, the Congress party had denied reports that Rahul met Chinese ambassador amid the current border standoff in Sikkim sector.

However, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala later confirmed the news and said that meeting took place between Rahul and Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui.

Envoys met Rahul Gandhi ji, not only Chinese envoy but also Bhutanese envoy and ex-NSA Shiv Shankar Menon, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala Said.

Surjewala also said it was a regular meeting and should not be sensationalised.

Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting Congress President and Vice President time to time on (the) courtesy basis and nobody should attempt to sensationalise this, he said.

In a now deleted post, the official website of the Chinese embassy referred to Rahul Gandhis meeting with Chinese envoy on Saturday last week and they discussed current India-China border standoff.

Suggested Read: Ulterior motives prompted India to include tri-junction in Sikkim standoff, says China

The entire border row started last month after the Chinese side started building a road at the tri-junction that Thimpu and New Delhi both claim is inside Bhutan but Beijing insists is in China. India govt has conveyed the message to China that India will not allow such construction that represents a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India.

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New Delhi:

Foiling infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC), three terrorists were neutralised by Indian Army in Naugam sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

A search operation was underway in the area. Suspicious movement was noticed along the LoC in Naugam sector last night and the terrorists were tracked till dawn, when they were challenged by troops, an Army official said.

He said in the ensuing gunfight, two militants have been killed so far as the operation was in progress.

After witnessing the situation in Valley, the authorities have suspended LoC Poonch Rawlakote Bus service for one week.

J&K: Cross-LoC Poonch Rawlakote Bus service suspended for one week.  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

Also Read | J-K: Indian Army guns down two terrorists, foils infiltration bid in Kupwara's Keran sector

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Srinagar:

In a major breakthrough, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) module and has arrested a resident from Uttar Pradesh, a senior official said on Monday. The man was part of the LeT group responsible for killing an SHO and five other policeman in south Kashmir.



Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Munir Khan said, We have busted a module involved in a series of sensational crimes, including terror crimes in south Kashmir.



Two individuals Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, and Muneeb Shah, a resident of Kulgam in south Kashmir were arrested.



He said that during the police investigations into the looting of banks and ATMs, some new information on militancy in Kashmir has surfaced. It has been revealed in the investigations how LeT militants are using the criminals, who are involved in militancy, how they are plundering and looting the banks and ATMs and funding militant outfits as well as themselves, he said.



Sandeep was nabbed from the same house where LeT commander Bashir Lashkari was killed on July 1. His arrest led to Shah being caught.



We apprehended Sandeep during the encounter in which notorious militant Lashkari was eliminated. It raised the fingers of suspicion. We were surprised to see a non-local sitting in the same house where Lashkari was taking shelter, so we decided to go further.



The IGP said the probe revealed that Sandeep had come to the valley in 2012 and worked as a welder here in the summers. In the winters, he would go outside the alley, especially to Patiala.



While working in Punjab, he came in contact with one Shahid Ahmad, a resident of Kulgam, who was also working in Punjab. In January this year, he came to the valley and planned to loot ATMs and other robberies in south Kashmir.



Four peopleSandeep, Muneeb Shah, Shahid Ahmad and Muzaffar Ahmadstayed in a rented accommodation in Kulgam for carrying out criminal activities.



It was here that they met hardcore LeT terrorist Shakoor Ahmad, the IGP disclosed.



That was the beginning of all these criminal activities. The militants utilized the services of Sandeep for looting ATMs and the booty was shared, he added.



According to police, Lashkari and his group were involved in the brutal killing of SHO Feroz Ahmad Dar and five other policemen in Achabal area of south Kashmir on June 16.



(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

One person's body has been recovered whereas three others have been rescued in rescue operations after their boat capsized in Vena river in Kalameshwar tehsil, Nagpur on Sunday. On the other hand, seven people are still believed to be missing. As per the police, out of 11 people in the boat, nearly eight were from Nagpur and reportedly in the age group of 20-25.

2 teams are here for rescue ops. Few boys had come for picnic, they took fishing boat that capsized: Suresh Bhoyat, Additl. SP Nagpur Rural pic.twitter.com/Vo4NocCRuH  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

The boat carrying 11 people, including three boatmen, capsized in evening, said the police. "Seven people are feared drowned in the incident which occurred between 6 pm and 6:30 pm.

ALSO READ: Patna boat tragedy: PM Modi announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh

While three persons two boatmen and a college student were rescued, one body was fished out in the night," said Shailesh Balkawade, SP, Nagpur Rural.

Nagpur boat capsize incident, early morning #visuals, one body recovered, three rescued, seven missing, rescue operations underway. pic.twitter.com/27fsewk9fs  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

He said the incident was witnessed by a local who in turn alerted the police control room, following which a rescue operation was undertaken. The SP said efforts are on to look for survivors, if any.

READ: Video | Patna boat capsize: Death toll rises to 24, rescue operations underway

He said the cause behind the incident was not known immediately.

Nagpur boat capsize incident #UPDATE: Three people have been rescued #Maharashtra  ANI (@ANI_news) July 9, 2017

With PTI inputs

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New Delhi:

Union minister Venkaiah Naidu On Monday questioned the secrecy over the meeting between Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui, an interaction that has raised eyebrows in the political circles.

The Congress first denied in the morning that Rahul Gandhi met the Chinese envoy and then made a U-turn hours later.

The Congress leader met the Chinese ambassador. What is so secret about it? They should make it public. Why should they try to hide it Naidu told reporters in reply to a question on the sidelines of an event here".

Gandhi took to Twitter in the evening to defend his meeting with the Chinese envoy and said it was his job to be informed on critical issues, referring to the India-China stand-off.

He said if the government was concerned about his meeting with the Chinese ambassador, they should also question the three Union ministers who are availing Chinese hospitality when the border stand-off is on.

Gandhi also posted on his Twitter handle a photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping sitting on a swing to take a dig at the government.

And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India (sic), he tweeted, referring to Chinese presidents visit to Gujarat in 2014.

Reacting to this, Naidu said there was no need to respond to such comments.

Diplomatic relations, meeting foreign dignitaries ... There is a procedure, there is a practice and it is transparent.

The prime minister, as the head of the government ... Whenever he goes out for an international conference ... on the sidelines, he meets the heads of the States, hold discussions, and sometimes there is only meeting and greeting. What is there to criticise, I am not able to understand, he said.

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to meet all chief secretaries together on Monday, probably for the first time, to fast-track all-round development of states by taking a cohesive approach.

Modi will interact with Chief Secretaries of all States/ UTs in the National Conference of Chief Secretaries being organised by the Niti Aayog to further the spirit of cooperative and competitive federalism on Monday, July 10, said a statement by the Prime Ministers Office (PMO).

Chief Secretaries from 30 states/UTs along with planning secretaries, finance secretaries, health secretaries, agriculture secretaries and industry secretaries will attend the conference, it added.

The statement said the deliberations will cover a wide range of issues.

The focus will be on best practices in social and economic sectors across States.

Various developmental indicators developed by NITI Aayog, in the areas of health, education, water management and digital transformation will be discussed to measure performance and progress of States and rank them appropriately to instill healthy competition among them, it said.

In addition, interactive sessions on Agricultural Reforms, Health & Nutrition and Developmental issues have been planned, it said.

Discussions on the financial position of the states/UTs post Fourteenth Finance Commission, outcome based monitoring, DBT implementation and its progress, ease of doing business figure as key element of the agenda of the day-long National Conference, it said.

Also Read | Air India: PM Narendra Modi pushes for quick sale of airline; break-up also an option

According to sources, Niti Aayog Member Bibek Debroy will make a presentation on An analysis of financial position of states, post 14th Finance Commission. He will also speak about Re-engineering the government that can improve delivery by states.

Quality Council of India Chairman Adil Zainlubhai is scheduled to address the audience on Moving away from inputs to outcomes and their monitoring on dashboards to set the tone for outcome-based budgets and online monitoring of public finance management.

Many other issues are also set to come up for discussion, which include less-cash economy, ranking on the basis of ease of doing business, direct benefit transfer, agriculture, health and nutrition, targeting Olympic medals, promotion of electric vehicles and leveraging e-marketplace by states.

States would list out their best practices and put on table different issues handled by them in the most efficient and effective manner.

Andhra Pradesh, for one, will give a presentation on online management of outcome-based public finance system on a real-time basis. Similarly, Rajasthan will give out details on its electronically managed public distribution system, e-PDS, for efficient public service delivery under Annapoorana Bhandar Yojana.

Also Read: Fill the system with energy of 'New India': PM Modi to IAS Officers of 2015 batch

Positive impact of cash payment under a nutrition programme in Bihar and a presentation by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation on public-private partnership for setting up drinking water and sewage treatment plants are part of the broader agenda too.

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New Delhi:

Rajasthan Devasthan state minister Raj Kumar Rinwa sparked a controversy, saying that there should be a law to chop those politicians who make statements against Indian Army.

Referring to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khans statement sans taking his name, the minister said it is unfortunate that a few politicians make such cheap statement. He said there should a law in the constitution that these politicians should be chopped within five minutes who speak against Indian army personnel who performed their duties under tough conditions on the border.

#WATCH: Rajasthan Minister Rajkumar Rinwa says "there should a law to chop those politicians who make statement on Army. (July 9) pic.twitter.com/0E5NZC6b9X  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

While abusing those politicians, Rinwa said that if someone chops such politicians, no criminal case should be filed against that person.

The SP leader had kicked up a row recently with his comments that "excesses by security forces had led women in some places chopping off the private parts of Army men.

Also Read | Azam Khan's remark against army: FIR registered against SP leader for 'promoting enmity'

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New Delhi:

Senior leaders, MPs and MLAs of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday met at RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadavs residence and discussed the future course of action after an FIR was registered by CBI against Bihars deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav in connection with a corruption case.

The case is related to alleged manipulation in award of contract for maintenance of two hotels run by a subsidiary of the Indian Railways--IRCTC-- when the RJD chief was railway minister in the UPA government.

RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddqui said that a majority of MLAs are in favour of Tejashwi Yadav, and they are of the view that there is no need for him to step down from the post. He alleged that BJP is conspiring to destabilise the coalition in the state.

Tejashwi Yadav will not resign as Deputy CM: RJD after party meet #Bihar  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

Siddiqui said they also discussed strategy to make August 27 anti-BJP rally a grand success. The senior party leader said they will fight against BJP with full force.

Siddiqui said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had spoken to Lalu Prasad on Monday.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar talked to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav over the telephone yesterday: RJD pic.twitter.com/SN0IEaEg2Z  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

The RJD has 80 MLAs in Mahagathbandhan while JD (U) has 71 members in the state assembly.

On the other hand, Lalu Prasad Yadav would skip the meeting of non-NDA allies that will take place in the national capital over the possible candidate in vice-presidential poll. RJD leader Jai Prakash Yadav will represent the party in the meeting on Tuesday.

Janata Dal (United) has also convened a meeting of its legislators on Tuesday where the party could take a crucial decision over the fate of Mahagathbandhan. So far, the party has denied commenting on the crisis.

Also Read: Tejashwi Yadav accuses CM Nitish of being 'opportunistic', slams Rahul Gandhi for 'non-serious' attitude in politics

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New Delhi:

The auspicious month of Sawan, Shravan or Shraavana is considered as the holiest of months according to the Hindu calendar. The fifth month is dedicated to Lord Shiva and this year the holy month begins from Today (July 10) and will last till August 7, 2017.

All Mondays or Somwar(s) which fall during the Shravan month also called Sawan month in the North Indian states hold immense significance.

This has a special significance for devotees of Lord Shiva. Shravan begins from the first day of the full moon and ends in the third week of August, the day of the next full moon. The name Shravan is taken from the Shravan Nakshatra or star that rules the sky during the time.

Sawan Shivaratri Puja Muhurat

 Nishita Kaal Puja Time = 24:06+ to 24:48+ with duration of 41 minutes.

On 22nd, Sawan Shivaratri Parana Time is 05:41 to 15:50.

Also Read: Shravan 2017: Know Lord Shiv puja vidhi, muhurat and importance

What to Offer:

Worshippers will show their relentless devotion towards Lord Shiva by worshipping Shiva Linga with Bael Patra (leaves) flowers, holy water and milk, i.e. Falam-Toyam, Pushpam-Patram.

Mantra:

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Swami Jai Jagadish Hare

Bhakt Jano Ke Sankat

Daas Jano Ke Sankat

Kshan Men Door Kare

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Jo Dhyaave Phal Paave

Dukh Bin Se Man Kaa

Swami Dukh Bin Se Man Kaa

Sukh Sampati Ghar Ave

Sukh Sampati Ghar Ave

Kasht Mite Tan Kaa

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Maat Pita Tum Mere

Sharan Kahoon Kiski

Swami Sharan Kahoon Kiski

Tum Bin Aur Na Dooja

Tum Bin Aur Na Dooja

Aas Karoon Jiski

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Tum Pooran Paramatma

Tum Antaryami

Swami Tum Antaryami

Paar Brahm Parameshwar

Paar Brahm Parameshwar

Tum Sabke Swami

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Tum Karuna Ke Saagar

Tum Paalan Karta

Swami Tum Paalan Karta

Main Moorakh Khalakhami

Main Sevak Tum Swami

Kripa Karo Bharta

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Tum Ho Ek Agochar

Sab Ke Praan Pati

Swami Sab Ke Praan PatiKis

Vidhi Miloon Dayamaya

Kis Vidhi Miloon Dayamaya

Tum Ko Main Kumati

Om Jai Jagdish Hare

Deen Bandhu Dukh Harta

Thaakur Tum Mere

Swaami Rakhshak Tum Mere

Apne Haath Uthao

Apni Sharan Lagao

Dwaar Padha Tere

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Vishay Vikaar Mitaao

Paap Haro Deva

Swami Paap Haro Deva

Shradha Bhakti Badhao

Shradha Bhakti Badhao

Santan Ki Seva

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Swami Jai Jagadish Hare

Bhakt Jano Ke Sankat

Daas Jano Ke Sankat

Kshan Men Door Kare

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

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New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday took on Pakistans foreign affairs head Sartaj Aziz for failing to acknowledge her letter urging him to grant visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother. In a series of tweets, Swaraj launched a blistering attack on Aziz following reports in Pakistani media that India was not granting medical visas to patients from across the border. Mrs Swaraj said her government it was Aziz who was responsible for blocking medical visas for Pakistani nationals in need of urgent medical intervention in hospitals across India.

Swarajs reaction comes after a Pakistani cancer patient sought her help in getting a medical visa for her treatment in India.

Swaraj wrote on Twitter that she has full sympathies with the Pakistani nationals who are seeking medical visa for their treatment in India, but for that India requires Azizs recommendation.

I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country. /4  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

She said she had personally written a letter to Pakistans PM advisor on foreign affairs over pending visa application of Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother Avantika Jadhav to which Aziz did not show any courtesy to acknowledge her letter.

We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national Mrs.Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan /5  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

Swaraj said India will issue medical visa immediately if a patient takes his recommendation for the same.

But I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Mr.Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately. /9  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

Faiza Tanveer, 25, is suffering from a recurrent ameloblastoma, an oral tumour which is aggressive in nature.

She planned to visit the Inderprastha Dental College and Hospital (IDCH) in Ghaziabad and paid Rs 10 lakh in advance for treatment, according to a Pakistani media report.

But the Indian High Commission in Islamabad rejected her medical visa application, the report said.

Also Read: Pakistan summons Indian high commissioner for not issuing medical visas

Tanveer's mother claimed that her application was rejected because of deteriorating ties between the two countries. That forced Tanveer to take to social media to move Indian authorities.

Tanveer in several tweets over the past couple of days has urged Swaraj to intervene. She has also posted her photo and a video that showed her tumour.

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New Delhi:

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has again ditched the non-NDA parties as the leader has decided not to attend the meeting which has been called to discuss the oppositions candidate in vice presidential polls.

Kumar had skipped oppositions meeting to discuss presidential nominee last month. It is said that the chief minister was down with fever.

But, the party has called a meeting of its MLAs and MPs in Patna on Tuesday which would take place as per schedule.

On the other hand, the chief minister cancelled Monday public interface event and the subsequent press conference on health grounds, triggering speculation that he was avoiding the media in view of the recent CBI raids on the family of alliance partner Lalu Prasad.

Also Read: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar says he would attend Lalu Prasad Yadav's anti-BJP rally, if invited

Neither Kumar, nor his party, the JD(U), has commented so far on Friday's CBI raids in four cities in connection with a corruption case, in which Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi are among the accused. "The Lok Samvad programme, which was scheduled for Monday, stands cancelled due to an indisposition of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," said an official release.

Lok Samvad is a public interface programme of Kumar held every Monday. It is aimed at collecting the feedback of the people on the implementation of the development schemes and gather new ideas to strengthen 'sushasan' (good governance).

After the Lok Samvad programme, the chief minister holds a press conference.

Also Read: Ramvilas Paswan appreciates Nitish Kumar for supporting presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind, urges him to join NDA

While Kumar has maintained a studied silence on the issue of raids on Lalu's family, another ally Congress has expressed solidarity with the RJD chief and accused the central BJP government of "misusing" the official machinery.

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Washington:

The latest study has found that military sexual trauma (MST) could lead to substance abuse and alcoholism in Army personnel.

MST is defined as sexual harassment and/or sexual trauma faced during military service. It includes features of sexual harassment such as uninvited or unwanted verbal or physical sexual contact, such as attention, verbal remarks, touching, sexual coercion, sexual assault, and rape.

Both men and women are victims of sexual abuse, which can cause not only mental and physical but also developmental health issues such as substance use/abuse.

These recent findings were shared at the 40th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) in Denver.

A 2014 survey of more than half million service members estimated that more than 21,000 service members are sexually assaulted annually, said researchers Jennifer Fillo from The State University of New York at Buffalo. Research both within and outside of the military has predominantly focused on women. However, men are the victims of approximately 60 percent of annual sexual assaults in the military. Yet much less is understood about the nature and consequences of MST for men.

TRENDING NOW: Indian-American researcher invents dryer that requires no heat

Furthermore, she added, while National Guard and Reserve units make up more than 38 percent of the U.S. Armed Forces, only a few studies have concentrated particularly on their experience of MST.

We found that MST was highly prevalent - more than 16 percent of male Reserve and National Guard service members during the most recent deployment, said Fillo. MST is also associated with a more than three times greater odds of alcohol problems years after it occurs. There is considerable need for more systematic screening and intervention for MST and related problems for Reserve and National Guard service members.

Fillo stressed that is imperative for the public to be aware that MST is a serious issue for both women and men, and has long-term mental, physical and behavioural health consequences Increasing awareness of MST will hopefully decrease the stigma associated with it, she said. Sexual assault is the most underreported violent act in the US.

Currently, two-thirds of men do not complain about sexual assault faced during their military career. Effective treatments exist, but people wont get treatment if they are too afraid or ashamed to report the events to anyone.
New Delhi:

In order to protect the Earth from a future killing asteroid attack, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has planned to crash a refrigerator-sized spacecraft, which will force it to change its orbit. The spacecraft will be fired about nine times faster than the speed of a bullet into the space.



The NASA has said that it would be their first mission ever to demonstrate an asteroid deflection technique for planetary defence, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART).



"DART would be NASA`s first mission to demonstrate what`s known as the kinetic impactor technique, striking the asteroid to shift its orbit, to defend against a potential future asteroid impact," Lindley Johnson said. Johnson is the planetary defence officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The asteroid Didymos, which is based on a binary system, consists of two bodies, Didymos A (780 metres in size) and Didymos B (160 metres in size).

ALSO READ: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captures a hidden galaxy IC 342



Scheduled to be launched in 2010, DART would impact Didymos B, which is the smaller of the two bodies.



"A binary asteroid is the perfect natural laboratory for this test," Tom Statler. Statler is the programme scientist for DART at NASA Headquarters.



"The fact that Didymos B is in orbit around Didymos A makes it easier to see the results of the impact, and ensures that the experiment doesn`t change the orbit of the pair around the sun," he added.

DART would fly to Didymos after the launch. It would be using autonomous targeting system on-board to aim itself at Didymos B.



With a speed about nine times faster than a bullet, the spacecraft would strike the smaller body. To be precise, the speed would be approx. six kilometres per second.



Allowing the scientists to better determine the capabilities of kinetic impact as an asteroid mitigation strategy, the earth-based observatories would be able to see the impact and the resulting change in the orbit of Didymos B around Didymos A.



"DART is a critical step in demonstrating we can protect our planet from a future asteroid impact," the DART investigation co-lead Andy Cheng said.

ALSO READ | Alien life: Methanol molecules around Saturns moon Enceladus found for the first time

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New Delhi:

Now, you dont have to wait too long for your clothes to dry as an Indian-American researcher has invented a dryer that could easily dry clothes even without heat.



Viral Patel along with his team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee have invented a dryer that could laundry your clothes much faster. Expected to be five times more energy efficient, Ultrasonic dryer could dry a large load of clothes in about half the time.



It is a completely new approach. Instead of evaporation, its technically performing mechanical extraction of the moisture within the fabric, Patel told Knoxville News Sentinel.

ALSO READ: NASA selects Indian-American, 11 other astronaut candidates for its deep space and Earth orbit missions



Traditional dryers generally use straight-forward technology, Patel said. As air gets sucked in from the surrounding area, it travels through a heater or gas burner and into the drum where the clothes tumble around allowing the heat to absorb the moisture with the air leaving the dryer, he explained.



However, the ultrasonic dryer uses piezoelectric transducers to remove moisture: when high frequency voltage is applied to the transducers, they vibrate at a high frequency causing trapped water to leave the fabric without heat. Basically, the dryer shakes the water out of the clothes, speeding up the process.



In order to proceed towards commercialisation, GE Appliances is in the process of developing an agreement with the researchers, Patel said.



Were trying to develop the technology that has efficiency greater than or equal to the state of the art but with a competitive cost, so it can be sold on the US market because if you walk into a big box store and you want a dryer, normally the first things consumers look for is how much it costs and not energy efficiency, Patel said.



It will take at least two to five years before the ultrasonic dryers can be available in the market, he said adding GE brings the expertise in that area, which we do not have.



(With PTI inputs)

ALSO READ: Take decisive steps to end bigotry hate crimes in US, says Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi visited Mosul on Sunday, while praising his forces for their majestic "victory" over the Islamic State (IS).

"Abadi arrives in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulates the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory," his office said in astatement.

The announcement comes after a gruelling nearly nine-month battle to retake the northern city from the jihadists after three years under their rule. A photo on Abadi's official Twitter account showed himdressed in a black military uniform and cap as he arrived in Mosul to announce the recapture of the city.

The fighting did not seem to be completely over yet, withgunfire still audible in Mosul and air strikes hitting the city around the time the premier's office released the statement. The declared victory in Mosul marks an epic milestone forthe Iraqi security forces, who had crumbled in the face of an IS onslaught across Iraq in 2014.

PM Al-Abadi meets with ISF commanders and forces who led the Mosul liberation campaign pic.twitter.com/qLILtkIWch a Haider Al-Abadi (@HaiderAlAbadi) July 9, 2017

IS swept across much of Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland in alightning offensive that year, proclaiming a self-styled"caliphate" straddling Iraq and neighbouring Syria. But the jihadist group, which is facing twin offensives backed by a US-led coalition in both countries, has since lost large parts of the territory it once controlled.

PM Al-Abadi arrives in Mosul to announce its liberation and congratulate the armed forces and Iraqi people on this victory pic.twitter.com/bUtkj7z88A a Haider Al-Abadi (@HaiderAlAbadi) July 9, 2017

The Iraqi forces launched their campaign to recapture Mosul in October, seizing its eastern side in January and launching the battle for its western part in February. But the fight grew tougher when Iraqi forces entered the densely populated Old City on the western bank of the TigrisRiver that divides the city.

In recent days, security forces have killed jihadists trying to escape their dwindling foothold in Mosul, as Iraqi units fought to retake the last two IS-held areas near the Tigris.

Earlier on Sunday, Iraq's Joint Operations Command had said it killed "30 terrorists" trying to escape across the river. Even in the final days of the battle, thousands ofcivilians remained trapped inside the Old City and those whofled arrived grief-stricken after losing relatives in jihadist sniper fire and bombardments.

Around 915,000 residents have fled Mosul since the startof the battle for the city in October, the United Nations saidthis week. Iraqi forces are backed by air strikes and advisers ofthe US-led coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria since 2014. Abadi declared on Twitter late in June that "we are seeing the end of the fake (IS) state".

The recapture of Mosul will not however mark the end of the threat posed by IS, which holds territory elsewhere inIraq and is able to carry out frequent bombings ingovernment-held areas. In Syria, a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance is fighting to oust the jihadist group from the northern city of Raqa after penetrating its heavily fortified historic centre.A

With PTI inputs

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Say 'I do' with sand between your toes. Couples in search of an epic beach site for their special day will find themselves and their guests captivated by Costa Rica's seaside splendor. With close to 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) of immaculate coastline, Costa Rica is home to a stunning selection of world-renowned beaches. The combination of breathtaking white-sand, sweeping mountain views and an ideal tropical climate makes Guanacaste one of Costa Rica's most popular regions. Located in the northwestern corner of Costa Rica, the region presents a diverse geography and stunning sunset views. The neighboring beach towns offer a wide variety of water sports, excursions and restaurant optionsplenty of activities for visitors to enjoy pre and post nuptial celebrations. Beyond the wedding day, couples and guests can kick-off festivities with a fun surf lesson, enjoy a rehearsal dinner on a catamaran tour and bond while discovering the craters of an active volcano at Rincon de la Vieja National Park.

Begin your journey off the beaten path. Also on the Pacific coast is the Papagayo Peninsulaalmost 5,000 acres of remarkable land that includes tropical dry forests and several untouched beaches, which are perfect for glamping with your wedding crew. Tie the knot in a distinctive fashion. Lavish tents that hold up to fifteen guests and include many luxury amenities are available at very reasonable rates year-round.

Go green beyond the greenery. Costa Rica is a leader in sustainable tourism and established the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) to protect and preserve its natural resources. Newlyweds, who want to draw from the Pura Vida vibe, can incorporate the nature theme further by choosing CST-certified venues, working with local planning experts and accepting donations on behalf of a local organizationin lieu of wedding gifts.

Hottest new wedding trend: shared cultural experiences. Destination weddings are an exceptional way for couples to ensure their special day is inimitable. In the idyllic Costa Rica, loved ones can truly unplug and connect with nature and one another. With a variety of adventure, culinary and cultural activities, Costa Rica provides plenty for wedding parties to experience something new and delightful together. Whether your group is participating in a pre-ceremony yoga class, visiting an art museum or zip lining through the trees post-reception, Costa Rica is a distinct destination with something to please everyone.

If your dream is to take a page out of nature and get hitched in the wild, Costa Rica's varied outdoor possibilities will give you the charming wedding you've always wanted.

For more information on Costa Rica, visit www.visitcostarica.com

About Costa Rica

Nestled between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica offers visitors an abundance of unique wildlife, landscapes and climates -- meaning a trip to this Central American country is anything but run-of-the-mill. The country proudly shelters approximately five percent of the known biodiversity in the world and has become a global leader in sustainable practices. Visitors to Costa Rica enjoy a highly organized tourism infrastructure offering a broad terrain of activities and accommodations.

About Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)

Established in 1955, the Costa Rica Tourism Board (the ICT), alongside its partners in the private sector, spearheads the vital task of regulating and promoting Costa Rica's extensive tourism offerings.

SOURCE Costa Rica Tourism Board

For further information: Ines Cano, Cheryl Andrews Marketing Communications, P: 305-444-4033, [email protected]
/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR OVER UNITED STATES WIRE SERVICES/

TORONTO, July 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Crius Energy Trust (TSX: KWH.UN) ("Crius" or the "Trust"), today announced that it will issue its second quarter 2017 financial results on Monday, August 14, 2017 after markets close. The Trust will hold a conference call to discuss the results on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. eastern time.

To access the conference call by telephone, dial 647-427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191. Please connect approximately 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the call to ensure participation. A question and answer session for analysts will follow management's presentation.

A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available by following this link: Crius Energy Q2 2017 Results, or by visiting www.cnw.ca. Please connect at least 15 minutes prior to the call to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be required to join the webcast. The webcast will be archived at the above web site for 90 days.

A digital rebroadcast will be available to listeners starting at 11:00 a.m. ET on August 15 until August 22, 2017. To access the rebroadcast, please dial 416-849-0833 or 1-855-859-2056 and enter passcode 47675417#.

About Crius Energy Trust

Crius Energy Trust provides investors with a distribution-producing investment through its indirect 100% ownership interest in Crius Energy, LLC (the "Company"). With over 1.3 million residential customer equivalents, the Company provides innovative electricity, natural gas and solar products to residential and commercial customers through exclusive partnerships and direct-to-consumer marketing channels. Our unique brands offer consumers a broad suite of energy products and services including fixed and variable contracts, renewable energy, and bundled products to support their energy needs beyond what is offered by their local utility. Company growth is achieved organically with customers acquired through our diversified marketing channels and through accretive acquisitions in the deregulated energy and solar industries, where there is a significant opportunity to participate in the consolidation of market participants. The Company currently sells energy products in 18 states and the District of Columbia with plans to continue expanding its geographic reach. The Company is well positioned to deliver capital appreciation and stable, growing distributions to investors.

The Trust intends to continue to qualify as a "mutual fund trust" under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"). The Trust will not be a "SIFT trust" (as defined in the Tax Act), provided that the Trust complies at all times with its investment restriction which precludes the Trust from holding any "non-portfolio property" (as defined in the Tax Act). Material information pertaining to Crius may be found on SEDAR under the Trust's issuer profile at www.sedar.com or on the Trust's website at www.criusenergytrust.ca.

SOURCE Crius Energy Trust

For further information: Michael Fallquist, Chief Executive Officer, Crius Energy Trust, (203) 663-7545; Roop Bhullar, Chief Financial Officer, Crius Energy Trust, (203) 883-9900; Kelly Castledine, Investor Relations, Crius Energy Trust, (416) 644-1753
Infrastructure improvements conserve cultural assets and improve visitor experience.

GRAND-PRE, NS, July 7, 2017 /CNW/ - Parks Canada is responsible for protecting and presenting nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Government of Canada invites Canadians to experience nature and discover our rich and varied history.

The Government of Canada is investing $925,000 in Grand-Pre National Historic Site. The announcement was made today by Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, and President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for KingsHants, the Honourable Scott Brison.

The upgrades to the theatre and exhibits being announced at Grand-Pre National Historic Site will enable new and innovative experiences to be offered, so Canadians can learn more about our diverse heritage. The investments will also allow the completion of maintenance to the Memorial Church and Grand Pre's monuments to preserve these important cultural symbols. In addition, a replacement of the operations compound will improve the workspace for staff to support the ongoing maintenance of the buildings and grounds of Grand-Pre National Historic Site. These investments ensure that more Canadians, including youth and newcomers, can learn about our environment and cultural heritage, while experiencing the natural wonder of our treasured places.

Canada's national historic sites will play a big part in the celebration of Canada 150. This year, Grand-Pre National Historic Site opened on May 19, and will be an exciting place to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation and the 100th anniversary of national historic sites this summer. Parks Canada invites Canadians to discover cultural treasures, meaningful exhibits, and fun events at these historic places.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Government of Canada is determined to create opportunities for Canadians across Canada to participate in a year-long celebration and help shape the best that Canada can be in the future. The Government is also very pleased to offer free admission for all visitors to national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas.

Quotes

"As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Government of Canada is proud to invest in the protection and conservation of Grand-Pre National Historic Site. Through infrastructure investments at Parks Canada places, we are creating middle class jobs and sustained economic growth, while ensuring high-quality and meaningful visitor experiences for years to come. I encourage Canadians to visit Parks Canada destinations across Nova Scotia as part of Canada 150 to experience the province's natural and cultural treasures."

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

"This year, we are proudly celebrating both Canada 150 and the 100th anniversary of national historic sites across the country. Our government is committed to preserving and protecting our historic places and this investment is a further confirmation of that. This funding will go a long way to ensuring that all Canadians can experience Grand-Pre to its fullest for generations to come."

The Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for KingsHants

Quick Facts

In June 2012 , the landscape of Grand Pre, which includes Grand-Pre National Historic Site, was inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List for its outstanding universal value. These picturesque grounds offer a meaningful memorial, interpretive centre and manicured greenspace  a place to celebrate regional heritage and to bring to life the triumphs and trials of the past.

, the landscape of Grand Pre, which includes Grand-Pre National Historic Site, was inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List for its outstanding universal value. These picturesque grounds offer a meaningful memorial, interpretive centre and manicured greenspace  a place to celebrate regional heritage and to bring to life the triumphs and trials of the past. Grand-Pre National Historic Site is a monument to Acadian culture of the 17th and 18th centuries and a commemoration of both the significant contributions by, and the Deportation of, the Acadian people. An important tourist attraction and economic driving force in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley region, Grand-Pre National Historic Site welcomes more than 2,000 students and 25,000 visitors per year.

Annapolis Valley region, Grand-Pre National Historic Site welcomes more than 2,000 students and 25,000 visitors per year. Parks Canada is investing an unprecedented $3 billion dollars over 5 years to support infrastructure work to heritage, tourism, waterway and highway assets located within national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas across Canada . This investment will ensure these cherished places are protected and secured for the future.

Related Link

Backgrounder: 2017 Grand-Pre National Historic Site Announcement

Related Documents

Parks Canada

Grand-Pre National HistoricSite

SOURCE Parks Canada

For further information: Mathieu Brossard, Manager, External Relations, Northern New-Brunswick Field Unit, Parks Canada, 819-369-3916, [email protected]; Marie-Pascale Des Rosiers, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 613-462-5473, [email protected]; Media Relations, Parks Canada Agency, 855-862-1812, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.pc.gc.ca/


Indicated Resource of 2.6 Million Tonnes At 8.8% Zinc Equivalent plus Inferred Resource of 1.7 Million Tonnes At 8.2% Zinc Equivalent

VANCOUVER, July 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Hannan Metals Limited ("Hannan" or the "Company") (TSX.V: HAN) (OTCPK: HANFF) is pleased to announce a maiden resource estimate for its 100%-owned Kilbricken zinc-lead-silver-copper deposit in Ireland.

Highlights include:

Total indicated mineral resource of 2.7 million tonnes at 8.8% zinc equivalent ("ZnEq"), including 1.4 millions tonnes at 10.8% Zneq;

mineral resource of ("ZnEq"), Total inferred mineral resource of 1.7 million tonnes at 8.2% ZnEq, including 0.6 million tonnes at 10.4% Zneq;

mineral resource of This resource estimate is the first for the Kilbricken deposit, and immediately ranks it as one of the top ten base metal deposits discovered in Ireland by tonnes and grade (data sourced from the Irish Exploration, Mining Division website);

by tonnes and grade (data sourced from the Irish Exploration, Mining Division website); Two styles of mineralization are evident at Kilbricken. The upper Chimney Zone demonstrates the classic high-grade (>10% Zneq) Irish stratabound mineralization targeted by Hannan . This body has been drilled within an area of 750 metres by 200 metres and averages 12 metres thickness. The lower Fort Zone was found later than the Chimney zone and has been tested with fewer drill holes. It is structurally hosted, lower grade, but thicker, averaging 40 metres, and drilled within a 400 metre by 200 metres area.

. This body has been drilled within an area of 750 metres by 200 metres and averages 12 metres thickness. The lower Fort Zone was found later than the Chimney zone and has been tested with fewer drill holes. It is structurally hosted, lower grade, but thicker, averaging 40 metres, and drilled within a 400 metre by 200 metres area. Importantly, the initial resource is expandable at all scales, from near resource to prospect scale, and Hannan has already commenced a drill resource expansion program;

Mr. Michael Hudson, CEO and Chairman, states: "The maiden resource is an important milestone for Hannan. It demonstrates the high-grade potential of the deposit and immediately ranks Kilbricken as one of the top ten base metal deposits discovered to date in Ireland. This is significant initial achievement in a country that is ranked first in the world in terms of zinc discovered per square kilometre since the 1950's.

While this resource is substantial, it is also lies open in all directions with excellent potential for expansion. We currently have one drill rig operating a resource expansion program and we will soon be mobilizing additional drill rigs. We are able to approach our exploration and expansion programs with the benefit of extensive technical databases and an increased understanding of the controls on mineralization, providing an excellent chance for continued discovery."

Resource Expansion Drilling Update

Importantly, the initial resource is expandable at all scales, from near resource to prospect scale, and Hannan has already commenced a drill resource expansion program. The objectives of the 2017 drill program are three-fold:

To further delineate the underground potential around the current resource area as shown in Figure 1. Drilling is now ongoing within this area and initial drill results are expected within the next three weeks. To date two holes have been completed for 1,365 metres. To test conceptual and advanced exploration targets within 1-5 kilometres defined by recent structural and stratigraphic interpretation of re-processed 2D and 3D seismic data, lithogeochemistry and soil geochemistry as shown in Figure 2. Test for first order mineralization within the 40 kilometre under-tested Waulsortian host horizon that exists within Hannan's 100% owned 32,223 hectares of prospecting licences.

Tables 1, 2 and 3 below outline global indicated and inferred resources for each mineralized body as well as a breakdown of resources by location for various lower cut off grades. Figures 1 and 2 show the mineral resource areas, resource expansion targets, diamond holes and historic prospects at different scales.

Table 1: Kilbricken Deposit Indicated Mineral Resources Base Case 5% ZnEq Lower Cut Off Grade

Zone Category Cutoff Tonnes Zn% Pb% Ag g/t Cu% ZnEq% SG



ZnEq%













Chimney Indicated 5 1,369,000 5.6 4.2 66 0.1 10.8 3.5 Fort Indicated 5 1,287,000 3.7 1.4 34 0.5 6.7 3.0 Total Indicated 5 2,656,000 4.7 2.9 50 0.3 8.8 3.2

Table 2: Kilbricken Deposit Inferred Mineral Resources Base Case 5% ZnEq Lower Cut Off Grade

Zone Category Cutoff Tonnes Zn% Pb% Ag g/t Cu% ZnEq% SG



ZnEq%













Chimney Inferred 5 635,000 5.9 3.6 61 0.1 10.4 3.4 Fort Inferred 5 1,046,000 3.4 2.5 30 0.3 6.8 3.0 Total Inferred 5 1,681,000 4.4 2.9 41 0.2 8.2 3.1

Table 3: Kilbricken Deposit Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources for the Chimney and Fort Zones at Various ZnEq Lower Cut Off

Grades. The 5% ZnEq base case is highlighted.

Zone Category Cutoff Tonnes Zn% Pb% Ag g/t Cu% ZnEq % SG Chimney Indicated 4 1,444,000 5.4 4.1 64 0.1 10.4 3.4 Fort Indicated 4 1,452,000 3.6 1.4 33 0.5 6.5 2.9 Chimney Inferred 4 682,000 5.7 3.5 58 0.1 10.0 3.3 Fort Inferred 4 1,194,000 3.2 2.4 30 0.3 6.5 3.0 Chimney Indicated 5 1,369,000 5.6 4.2 66 0.1 10.8 3.5 Fort Indicated 5 1,287,000 3.7 1.4 34 0.5 6.7 3.0 Chimney Inferred 5 635,000 5.9 3.6 61 0.1 10.4 3.4 Fort Inferred 5 1,046,000 3.4 2.5 30 0.3 6.8 3.0 Chimney Indicated 6 1,291,000 5.8 4.4 67 0.1 11.1 3.5 Fort Indicated 6 790,000 4.4 1.5 34 0.5 7.5 3.0 Chimney Inferred 6 586,000 6.1 3.8 63 0.1 10.8 3.4 Fort Inferred 6 876,000 3.5 2.7 31 0.3 7.0 3.0 Chimney Indicated 7 1,173,000 6.0 4.5 70 0.1 11.5 3.5 Fort Indicated 7 407,000 4.8 1.3 43 0.8 8.5 3.0 Chimney Inferred 7 536,000 6.3 3.9 66 0.1 11.2 3.4 Fort Inferred 7 267,000 4.2 2.6 44 0.5 8.3 3.0

Note:The zinc equivalent (ZnEq) value was calculated using the following formula: ZnEq% = Zn % + (Cu% * 2.102) + Pb% * 0.815) + (Ag g/t * 0.023) with assumed prices of Zn $2587/t; Cu $5437/t; Pb $2108/t and Ag $18.44/oz.

Details of the Mineral Resource Estimate

The National Instrument 43-101 Mineral Resource estimate was calculated by Mr. Geoff Reed, MAUSIMM (CP), of Reed Leyton Consulting Pty Ltd ("Reed Leyton") from Sydney, Australia. The resource has an effective date of 10 July, 2017.

Reed Leyton estimated the Kilbricken Mineral Resource using a drill database of 222 drill holes for 118,000 metres produced by Lundin Mining Ltd, drilled from 2010 to 2012. The resource was calculated using mineralized intercepts from 76 drillholes and a comprehensive re-interpretation of the geology by Hannan. The resource does not include any 2017 drilling by Hannan.

A set of cross-sections and level plans were used to construct three-dimensional wireframe models at approximate cut-offs of 1% and 3% ZnEq for both the Chimney and Fort zones. All assays were composited, with a majority composited to two metre lengths, with a minimum half metre length. No upper cut-off was applied to zinc but an upper cut off was used for lead and copper mineralization at the Chimney zone and to lead, copper and silver at the Fort zone.

Block model grades within the wireframe models were interpolated in Vulcan by Ordinary Kriging with secondary check models by inverse distance squared. Classic density measurements (specific gravity of "SG") were performed on all samples. Indicated Mineral Resources were defined by at least 2 holes falling within a 30 metres sample distance, with the remainder of mineralization greater than 30 metres sample distance categorized as Inferred Mineral Resources.

The base case mineral resources reported above use a lower cut-off grade of 5% ZnEq or approximately US$60 per tonne net smelter return value based on potential underground mining scenarios.

The zinc equivalent (ZnEq) value was calculated using the following formula: ZnEq% = Zn % + (Cu% * 2.102) + Pb% * 0.815) + (Ag g/t * 0.023) with assumed prices of Zn $2587/t; Cu $5437/t; Pb $2108/t and Ag $18.44/oz. Equivalent recovery for all metals is assumed.

CIM definitions were followed for Mineral Resources. 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 Resources will be converted into Mineral Reserves.

A metallurgical gap analysis was performed for Hannan and reported on 30 March 2017, by Dr. Kurt Forrester of ARN Perspective Ltd, based on a report by SGS Mineral Services, Lakefield Facility, dated September 2010 and titled: "An Investigation by High Definition Mineralogy into the mineralogical characteristics of Fourteen Rock Samples from A Carbonate Hosted Base Metal Deposit, Ireland, prepared for Lundin Mining Exploration". The key finding, based on available information, is that it is likely a conventional lead-zinc flotation circuit at Kilbricken would achieve saleable mineral concentrates. Therefore, it is assumed that lead and silver will be recovered in a lead concentrate, and a separate copper circuit may be required.

About the Kilbricken Project

The Kilbricken project lies within the Clare zinc-silver-lead-copper property which consists of 9 prospecting licences ("PLs") for a total of 32,223 hectares. The project is in County Clare, Ireland, the western edge of which lies 1.5 km east of the town of Ennis.

The Property is underlain by an Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous sequence of sandstone and limestones. The stratigraphy appears simple, where units are upright and typically of consistent in thickness across the property. Syn-rift and/or later structures appear to complicate the geological framework, particularly in mineralized areas. The Lower Carboniferous sequence includes the Waulsortian Limestone, which hosts most of Ireland's important zinc-lead sulphide deposits, such as the Lisheen (pre-mining resource 18.9 Mt @ 15.0% Zn+Pb) and Galmoy (pre-mining resource of 6.2 Mt @ 12.4% Zn+Pb) deposits. This data has been sourced from the Irish Exploration, Mining Division website http://www.mineralsireland.ie/.

Two mineralized bodies are present at Kilbricken, the upper Chimney Zone and the lower Fort Zone. Both show an association with NW-SE striking extensional faults. The Chimney Zone, being the initial discovery area, has been most intensively drilled within an area of 750 metres by 200 metres, between 440-530 metres below surface and averages 12 metres thickness. Mineralization is controlled by a failed relay ramp between two extensional fault segments. It is stratabound at the base of the Waulsortian limestone. The Fort Zone was found later in the Lundin program and is drilled over an area of 400 metres by 200 metres, between 480-720 metres below surface with an average thickness of 40 metres. The mineralized body is wedge shaped and transgressive to the host rock. It follows an area of extensive dissolution of the host limestone and structurally it is located adjacent to the zone of maximum displacement of a south dipping extensional fault.

Qualified Person  Mineral Resources: The Mineral Resources disclosed in this press release have been estimated by Mr. Geoff Reed, MAUSIMM (CP), owner of Reed Leyton Consulting Pty Ltd and independent of Hannan Metals Ltd and have an effective date of 10 July 2017. By virtue of his education and relevant experience, Mr. Reed is a "Qualified Person" for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. The Mineral Resources have been classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves adopted by the CIM council on May 10, 2014. Mr. Reed, MAUSIMM (CP), has read and approved the contents of this press release as it pertains to the disclosed Mineral Resource estimates.

A National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days.

About Hannan Metals Limited (TSX.V:HAN)

Hannan Metals Limited has 100% ownership of the County Clare Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu project in Ireland, which consists of 9 prospecting licences for 32,223 hectares. Zinc remains in tight supply amidst rising demand and stagnant supply. Ireland is a leading global jurisdiction for zinc mining and exploration. It has been stated that Irish base metal ore field is ranked first in the world in terms of zinc discovered per square kilometre, and second in the world with respect to lead. In 2015, Ireland was the world's 10th largest zinc producing nation with 230,000 tonnes produced.

Over the last decade, the team behind Hannan has forged a long and successful record of financing and discovering mineral projects in Europe. Additionally, the team holds extensive zinc experience, gained from the world's largest integrated zinc producer of the time, Pasminco Ltd.

Mr. Michael Hudson FAusIMM, Hannan's CEO and Chairman, is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

On behalf of the Board,

"Michael Hudson"

Michael Hudson, CEO & Chairman

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release contains "forward-looking statements", and "forward- looking information" under applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements, which include the Company's expectations regarding future performance based on current results, expected cash costs based on the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projects of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: liabilities inherent in mine development and production, geological risks, the financial markets generally, and the ability of the Company to raise additional capital to fund future operations. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE Hannan Metals Ltd.

For further information: www.hannanmetals.com, 1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7, Mariana Bermudez, Corporate Secretary, +1 (604) 685 9316, [email protected]
EDMONTON, July 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Thousands of volunteers are joining Habitat for Humanity's 34th Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Canada to build 150 homes in celebration of Canada's 150th anniversary. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter will build alongside future homeowners in Edmonton, Alberta, and Winnipeg, Manitoba, with additional projects taking place in communities across the country.

The first day of building kicked off July 10 and will continue through July 14. Projects during the week include: 75 homes in Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan, 25 homes in Winnipeg and 50 homes in territories and provinces across Canada.

"Rosalynn and I are pleased to be bringing together volunteers to build alongside families during this year's Carter Work Project," said President Carter. "Housing affordability in Canada is at an all-time low. We are proud supporters of Habitat for Humanity and grateful to everyone who is joining us in our efforts to bring affordable housing to families across the country."

Achieving access to an affordable home is increasingly difficult for many Canadians, with 91 percent saying high costs are the biggest barrier to homeownership, according to a recent survey by PSB conducted on behalf of Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, 1 in 7 Canadian households, including 735,000 children, are in core housing need, according to data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation  meaning that too many families do not have a safe, decent, affordable place to call home.

"The homes we are building in Canada will bring much needed stability to so many families," says Mark Rodgers, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada. "We are thrilled to be welcoming President and Mrs. Carter to Canada and to see so many communities across the country coming together during this one week to help empower families through affordable homeownership."

"A stable home can unlock infinite possibilities for families," said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. "We are grateful to the many volunteers and sponsors and especially to President and Mrs. Carter for being a voice for affordable housing and working with future homeowners who are building better lives for themselves and their families."

Since 1984, President and Mrs. Carter have traveled around the world with Habitat, donating their time and voices annually to build and improve homes and raise awareness of the critical need for decent and affordable housing. Inspiring millions over the last three decades, President and Mrs. Carter have worked alongside nearly 100,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair more than 4,000 homes.

Country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will also lend their hands in Edmonton. Brooks and Yearwood, who along with the Carters were named inaugural Habitat Humanitarians, have volunteered their time, skills and voices to Habitat since 2007. In Winnipeg, long-time Habitat Canada supporter and HGTV star Scott McGillivray will be building homes with volunteers during the week.

Habitat's work is made possible thanks to the incredible commitment of our homeowners, volunteers, sponsors, donors and community partners. We would like to thank the many supporters of the 34th Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, including: City of Edmonton; City of Fort Saskatchewan; Province of Alberta; Province of Manitoba  Manitoba Housing; Dow Chemical Company; Hunter Douglas Canada; Lafarge; Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries; The Rossy Family Foundation; CGC; Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation; Floform; The Home Depot; Kristie Charitable Foundation; Lowe's; Nissan Canada Foundation; Owens Corning; Qualico; Schneider Electric; Stanley Black & Decker; Stantec; TELUS; and Wall Grain.

About Habitat for Humanity

Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 1,300 communities throughout the U.S. and in nearly 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org

About Habitat for Humanity Canada

Founded in 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national, nonprofit organization working toward a world where everyone has a decent and affordable place to call home. Habitat for Humanity brings communities together to help families build strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership. With the help of volunteers, Habitat homeowners and 56 local Habitats working in every province and territory, we provide a solid foundation for better, healthier lives in Canada and around the world. For more information, please visit www.habitat.ca.

About Habitat for Humanity Edmonton

Founded in 1991, Habitat for Humanity Edmonton is the largest Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Canada. The charitable organization is working towards a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. Their mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting home ownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. Visit HFH.org for more information.

About Habitat for Humanity Manitoba

Habitat for Humanity Manitoba is the local affiliate of a global non-profit organization that has been working since 1987 toward a world where everyone has a decent and safe place to live. HFHM has partnered with local businesses, faith groups, and thousands of dedicated volunteers to build homes for over 340 Manitoba families with over 1000 children having a better future. For more information, visit habitat.mb.ca.

SOURCE Habitat for Humanity Canada

For further information: Rowena Sara, Habitat for Humanity International, Mobile: 412-712-5848, [email protected]; Sarah Anderson Austin, Habitat for Humanity Canada, Mobile: 647-571-6405, [email protected]
HIGHLIGHTS

For the period of Thursday, June 29 to Wednesday, July 5, 2017

VIA Rail's cross-Canada services

93,000 passengers | 10% increase compared to 2016

40 million kilometers travelled | 20% increase compared to 2016

15% increase in passenger revenues compared to 2016

Busiest day: Friday, June 30

Most popular destinations: Toronto , Ottawa , and Montreal

Quebec City - Windsor corridor

84,000 passengers | 10% increase compared to 2016

15% increase in passenger revenues compared to 2016

The Canadian: Toronto  Vancouver

5,000 passengers | 47% increase compared to 2016

15% increase in passenger revenues compared to last year









MONTREAL, July 7, 2017 /CNW/ - VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) trains transported more than 93,000 travellers celebrating Canada Day between June 29 and July 5, a 10% increase compared to 2016. Over seven days, the passengers travelled a cumulative distance of 40 million kilometers, the equivalent of circling the Earth 1,000 times. Friday, June 30 was the busiest travel day of the weekend with 16,000 people taking the train. In the Quebec City  Windsor corridor, 84,500 people were on the move, mostly between Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, where 26,000, 15,000, and 12,000 passengers were welcomed respectively over this period. From June 29 to July 1 Ottawa station welcomed 7,000 people coming to take part in the Canada 150 festivities.

Lots of youths heading to Ottawa for July 1 and aboard the Canadian

Since July 1, the Canada 150 Youth Pass holders have been taking the train to discover the hidden gems of their country. Many of the Pass holders travelled to the nation's capital for Canada Day.

5,000 passengers were welcomed aboard the Canadian over the course of the week of June 29 to July 5, a 47% increase compared to 2016. This spectacular increase is attributed to the many Pass holders who celebrated the 150th anniversary of Canada through a one-in-a-lifetime experience on board this iconic train. More than 1,500 trips were taken by Pass holders on the Canadian since the start of the month.

"As Canada's national passenger rail carrier, we are honoured to serve more than 93,000 passengers while the Canada 150 festivities were in full force. The railway has been key to the economic development of this vast and magnificent country. It has also facilitated the establishment and expansion of its communities all over its territory and has brought Canadians together. At a time when passenger rail represents a smart choice for the many tourists, families, and business people, we are proud to continue the Canadian rail tradition and we are ready to work towards building a promising future," said Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and Chief Executive Officer of VIA Rail.

About VIA Rail Canada

As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and its 2,700 employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada, and safely transports nearly four million passengers annually. The Corporation was awarded seven Safety Awards by the Railway Association of Canada over the last eight years. For more information, visit: www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.

Stay connected with VIA Rail

Twitter @VIA_Rail

Facebook viarailcanada

Instagram @viarailcanada

VIA: The Blog

SOURCE VIA Rail Canada Inc.

For further information: Mariam Diaby, Senior Adviser, Media Relations, VIA Rail Canada, 514-871-6010 - 514-209-0680, [email protected], [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.viarail.ca/


TORONTO, July 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Last month, ReDev Properties announced the closing of Whitemud Crossing, located in a prime Edmonton shopping area, marking a strong ending to the quarter. The outdoor commercial real estate company believes it can maintain this momentum throughout the remainder of the year because of several ongoing projects.

"During the first half of 2017, we successfully refinanced a number of plazas, allowing us to return a portion of the funds to our partners, and greatly enhance their overall returns," said Richard Crenian, President of ReDev Properties. "This positive track will continue with property sales, renovations and several acquisitions. All will boost our portfolio for investors," he said.

On the horizon

Next quarter, ReDev Properties expects final closing deals for both Whitemud Crossing in Edmonton and Inglewood Towne Plaza, located on a main thoroughfare in St. Albert. In Q3 and Q4, the company is targeting four additional plazas for potential sale that have been renovated.

Top of the list is Daly Grove in Edmonton, which ReDev Properties bought in 2007. With a mixture of both local and national tenants, the plaza is sure to pique interest when it is listed.

Future renovations

Upgrades to Rockwood Square in Calgary will continue throughout Q3 and Q4. Located on the popular 17th Avenue SW commercial corridor, it is home to trendy restaurants and retail and currently has four floors of office space with Rexall Pharmacy as the major tenant on the lower level.

Pad sites will also be added to certain ReDev properties in order to significantly increase property values.

For more information, visit redevgroup.com

About ReDev Properties Ltd.

ReDev Properties Ltd. is a Canadian commercial real estate asset manager. Since 2001, ReDev Properties has purchased and managed over 30 commercial real estate properties in Canada. ReDev understands the key to any successful commercial real estate project is location and expert asset management. ReDev Properties carefully and diligently locates existing commercial real estate properties in markets, providing the necessary stability and future growth to ensure our assets retain and increase their value. Richard Crenian and ReDev Properties Ltd. has developed, owned and managed commercial real estate worth over Two Billion Dollars since 1981.

SOURCE ReDev Properties Ltd

For further information: For Media Inquiries, please contact Brown & Cohen Communications & Public Affairs Inc. 416-484-1132, Laura Casselman - ext. 5 or [email protected]

Related Links

www.redevgroup.com


CALGARY, July 7, 2017 /CNW/ - The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, issued the following statement today:

"It is an honour to open the Indian Village at this year's Calgary Stampede. The Indian Village has been a part of the Stampede since its inception 105 years ago and in the spirit of reconciliation, the Chiefs of Treaty 7 served as this year's parade marshals. I am encouraged by the relationships that continue to be strengthened between Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners on traditional Treaty 7 territory. The Calgary Stampede serves as an opportunity to recognize the importance and contributions of the Treaty 7 families: Kainai, Tsuut'ina, Stoney Nakoda, Siksika and Piikani.

For the 10 days of the Stampede, all visitors are welcome to view the 26 tipis representing the five nations, as well as the art, artifacts, clothing and culture that recognize the historical contributions Indigenous communities have made to the development of Canada.

By participating in the Indian Village at the Calgary Stampede, we celebrate the resilience and pride of Alberta First Nations and their unique cultures and heritage. As part of the ongoing Canada 150 celebrations, I encourage all Canadians to reflect on their role on our shared journey of reconciliation."

Additional information on the Treaty 7 natives and tribes represented can be found at www.treaty7.org.

Stay connected

Follow us: Twitter (@GCIndigenous), Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

SOURCE Government of Canada

For further information: the media may contact: Sabrina Williams, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, 613-697-8316; Media Relations, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-953-1160
Big brother Naija 2017 2nd runner up, Tokunbo Idowu popularly known as TBoss wore this skin baring bl ack dress to the after party of a...





Big brother Naija 2017 2nd runner up, Tokunbo Idowu popularly known as TBoss wore this skin baring bl ack dress to the after party of a movie premiere last weekend and some of her followers who think the outfit wasn't appropriate, called her out. See their comments on her page after the cut.












The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has pronounced curses on dreaded cult gr...

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has pronounced curses on dreaded cult group terrorizing Lagos state and its residents, Badoo.

Adeboye, speaking at the Holy Ghost Service which held at the new Arena, said: My Father, send down your fire on all every society or cult groups shedding blood of innocent Nigerians.

Send down Your fire upon every person or organisation that are making life difficult for the common people people of the nation. Father expose them and dislodge them.

The very respected cleric, also spoke on pastors who preach heresy and distort Gods word.

The reasons pastors are categorized like this is because that is the area they focus on, but at times they go to extreme.

Prosperity preachers preach prosperity in such a manner that at times they have to twist the word of God to fit their message.

Faith preachers do same. Theres nothing wrong with faith. Without faith you cannot please God.

I am a man of faith, I live by faith but I am not a faith preacher. It takes faith to come and live in this jungle with my family when it the den of highway robbers and pythons. It takes faith.

There are grace preachers who talk about grace to such an extent that it becomes ridiculous. I know that it is by grace we are saved.

I know that I am what I am today by the grace of God but I am not a grace preacher because they preach grace in such a manner that they say once you are born again you can continue committing adultery and grace will still take you to heaven. That is a lie.

I am holiness preacher. Cut me to a thousand pieces, each of the pieces will still shout be holy. And you would say; you too, dont you go to extremes sometimes? Extreme?

All that the Angels are crying from eternity to eternity is: Holy Holy Holy is the Lord. I am a holiness preacher because I discovered long ago that holiness is the master key, Adeboye stated.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ahamba, yesterday, said the issue of Biafra has acquired a new meaning which no longer represents ...

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ahamba, yesterday, said the issue of Biafra has acquired a new meaning which no longer represents only South-easterners who want an independent state.

According to him, the new meaning of Biafra reflects, protest against imbalance in Nigeria.

Ahamba made this statement in Owerri, while reacting to the current agitations in the country, especially from the South-East zone.

He said: the word Biafra is no longer for secessionists or those who want to secede, it is now a word for protest against the imbalance in Nigeria.

Because we have Biafra in the Middle Belt, South-South, South-West, North-East, among others, they all have their own name. They are those who think that they are not well accommodated in this country. To that extent, I agree with Biafra.

But he was of the view that the Igbo cannot leave Nigeria for anybody, saying: To the extent of making me leave Nigeria, I do not agree, I am not leaving this country for anybody because I have invested in it.

There is nobody who can force me out of this country because I have invested so much. Whatsoever the problem, we shall discuss it, all of us as Nigerians.

Let me tell you why the sit-at-home order was successful, they put one emotional point in it, honouring the dead, and many stayed at home to honour the dead in the Biafra/Nigeria civil war.

Let me also say this, it was the Federal Government that created the present impulse by arresting and detaining Kanu against the law. They created sympathy for him.
MOUNT HOLLY TWP. -- A Delran man was arrested Monday after police found the body of a missing Edgewater Park woman in the woods in Cinnaminson Township.

Authorities believe Sevgi Yilmaz, 39, of Edgewater Park, died of natural causes in a hotel room, but the man she was with put her body in his car and dropped it off in the woods nearby.

Murat Sahbaz, 37, of Haines Mill Road in Delran, was charged with one second-degree count of desecrating human remains, according to a release from the Burlington County prosecutor's office.

Police had been looking for Yilmaz since July 4, when her family reported they hadn't seen her since the previous day, the release said.

Investigators believe Sahbaz and Yilmaz were in a room at the Hallmark Inn on Route 130 South on the afternoon of July 3 when she died. Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood determined the cause was a brain hemorrhage, the release said.

"When Sahbaz realized she was dead, instead of contacting authorities, he placed her body in his vehicle and drove approximately three blocks before leaving her in a wooded area near Pennsauken and Calhoun streets," the prosecutor's office said. "He then moved her car close to the area where he had placed the body."

A Cinnaminson police officer spotted her car two days later and her body was subsequently found.

Collaborating with the prosecutor's office to investigate the case were police from Cinnaminson Township, Delran and Edgewater Park and the New Jersey State Police. The lead investigators were BCPO Detective Michael Reagan and Cinnaminson Police Detective Thomas Lillagore Jr., the release said.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts.
WASHINGTON  With thousands of south Louisiana homeowners receiving startling increases in the cost of their flood insurance, members of the Louisiana congressional delegation said Thursday they have run out of patience waiting for FEMA to explain what went into calculating the new rates.
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A Broadway musical which has picked up FIVE prestigious Tony Awards is coming to the Theatre Royal in Nottingham on its very first UK tour.

Titanic, based on the stories of people aboard the ill-fated ocean liner, will open in April 2018 in Southampton, from where the ship set sail for New York in 1912, before heading to Belfast - the city where the RMS Titanic was built.

The UK tour docks in Nottingham on July 2 for a week.

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1517 men, women and children lost their lives on April 14, 1912 when, on her maiden voyage, Titanic collided with an iceberg and 'the unsinkable ship' slowly sank. It was one of the most infamous disasters of the 20 Century.

Maury Yeston and Peter Stone's musical focuses on the hopes and aspirations of some of the passengers, unaware of the fate that awaits them, including the immigrants who dreamed of a better life in America to the millionaire barons in First Class.

Although the musical premiered in the UK in 2013 and ran in London for 11 weeks, it has never toured the country.

Maury Yeston said: "The idea that a troupe of actors will tour this show in the UK, birthplace of the ship, where the workers of Belfast, the cabin boys and maids and stewards from Liverpool, the officers and crew, the stokers and stevedores from the Midlands all created a miraculous floating city, means more to me than I can say.

"I am touched that, musically, Titanic will finally be coming home, sung by the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of its builders."

The musical is based on the book by Peter Stone.

The original Broadway production won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.

Ticket prices have yet to be confirmed. They will be available at trch.co.uk.
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A Nottinghamshire warehouse and storage company boss has been fined an unpaid 93,000-plus tax bill.

Chloe Scholey, of Acorn View, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, admitted ignoring two notices to pay 93,748 as a VAT security to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for her company Pink Parrot Trading, based in Somercotes.

HMRC can require companies to pay a deposit or security payment where there is a serious risk tax will not be paid, and it is a criminal offence to continue trading without paying the security.

HMRC said Scholey refused to cooperate and cancelled two interviews to establish why the money had not been paid.

She claimed she was appealing the notice but never did.

Tax records showed the company continued to trade after receiving and failing to pay the security.

Scholey admitted the offence at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court in Derby on Friday, July 7 and was fined 2,000.

Following the hearing, an HMRC spokesperson said: "No-one can expect to ignore their obligations and get away with it.

"We are determined to create a level playing field for all businesses by ensuring they play by the same rules.

"We encourage anyone with information regarding tax fraud to contact the HMRC Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887  open between 8am-8pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year."

When contacted by the Post, Pink Parrot Trading Ltd did not wish to comment.
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The parents of a baby who died in his sleep say a special monitor might have saved his life.

Nicole Pike and Ricky Plant are now campaigning to increase the use of monitors which sound an alarm if a baby stops breathing.

Their son, Ralphie Plant, died on January 16 last year after suffering from bronchiolitis - eight days after being discharged from the Nottingham Children's Hospital at the Queen's Medical Centre, reports the Leicester Mercury.

The QMC says the care provided to Ralphie was "without fault".

Last month a narrative verdict was recorded at an inquest in Loughborough which heard that Ralphie died "while suffering from bronchiolitis and having experienced episodes of apnoea".

Nicole and Ricky believe that if they had been given a special monitor to track their son's breathing they might have been able to save his life.

Nicole, from Shepshed, said: "Something needs to be put in place to make sure that if there is any question of a baby or child being at risk of apnoea they are provided with one of these monitors.

(Image: Leicester Mercury)

"They record every time a baby breathes and if they don't breathe for 10 seconds or more an alarm sounds.

"If we had had one for Ralphie I would have been able to go to him when the alarm sounded and I might have been able to save his life."

Nicole and Ricky have a new baby, Radley, now seven months old and a younger brother for Riley, three.

Radley, was born six weeks early in November last year.

He had a blocked valve in his heart and was cared for in the neonatal unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary for three weeks before being deemed well enough to go home.

(Image: Leicester Mercury)

Nicole said: "We were given an apnoea monitor.

"It was because of what had happened to Ralphie.

"It did go off a couple of times in the first few weeks and I was at his bedside but he didn't need resuscitation - just tickling a baby's toes or stirring them can stimulate them into starting to breathe again."

She added: "Radley is my rainbow baby but it still doesn't give us Ralphie back.

"It would be a fitting legacy to him to make sure apnoea monitors were more easily available to parents."

Nicole is now intending to write to all MPs asking for their backing and is also considering starting to fundraise to buy the monitors to help others.

Dr Jonathan Evans, divisional director for family health at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "After reviewing this case, the coroner's independent expert found no evidence of any omissions of our care of Ralphie and concluded that the care provided and clinical decisions were without fault.

"These findings were consistent with NUH's own internal review of Ralphie's untimely death."
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The way restaurant diners order their food from menus could be revolutionised by technology created by two Nottingham entrepreneurs.

Touch Hungry is a digital marketing company founded by friends Levi Lowther, 29, and Romero Howe, 26.

The duo specialise in innovative interactive digital menu displays, and have launched their first screen outside the Rub Smokehouse restaurant, in Broad Street, Birmingham  but more installations are planned for Nottingham, Newcastle and Beverley.

The new business, which trades as Interactive View Ltd, currently employs four staff and is based in Nash Business Centre, Basford.

Mr Howe said they came up with the idea as they were frustrated by not knowing what food looked like before ordering  so decided to do something about it.

He said: We want to ensure every restaurant in the UK has access to a digital menu platform so their customers can see digital images of food available.

We will be providing digital menus for restaurants through touch glass technology.

"This enables customers walking on the high street to stop and browse the entire main menu of a restaurant.

After setting up the company with a 20,000 investment, the duo are expecting its first year turnover to be 450,000.

They were involved in different fields previously, with Mr Lowther in e-commerce and Mr Howe in education marketing  so after some planning and research decided to put their shared knowledge together to create this company.

City centre resident Mr Howe described how the new windows in their first project at Rub Smokehouse restaurants will look.

He added: Imagine a giant tablet PC - we will be transforming Rub Smokehouse restaurants front glass window into a giant touchable 46" tablet PC screen.

We will do this without altering or adding to the external glass leaving a seamless finish and an everlasting wow type impression for all.

We have also custom built a unique style interactive digital menu which is exclusive to Rub Smokehouse orchestrating an extravagant array of foods.

Together, our customer software, and our amazing technology will completely transform the way we see restaurant menus.

Jason Rowe, managing director of Rub Smokehouse, said: "The Touch Hungry Menu system has been in place for a month now and it has given us some in sight into footfall that we didn't have before.

"The most interactive time is Sunday late afternoon early evening, which we didn't expect we thought it would be Saturday.

"This information tells us that we could aim some additional marketing at these times and generate more sales.

"As the format matures the potential is great as it is added data about walk in visitors we don't necessarily get from our website and Facebook.

"It also helps customers visualise what we do. The technology has great potential."

The new technology will mean there will be no need to ask for a traditional menu in store  which the businessmen were keen to change, as they felt frustrated going to a restaurant and looking at boring PDF menus.

Diners will be able to quickly browse the foods via the new digital menu outside the store and on their smartphones.

The start-up plans to have more features on the menu at a later date, as well as multi-language support making it easier for people to order foods without feeling embarrassed or stuck behind a language barrier.
Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic and Storm lock Dale Finucane have joined the NSW Origin camp ahead of Wednesday night's State of Origin series decider.

Tom Trbojevic, who had previously been involved in camp for Game Two, as well as Origin III 2016, returns to the extended squad ahead of the decider, while the Melbourne Storm's Dale Finucane joins the squad for the first time.

"I'm really excited. I found out after the Parramatta game at about 11 oclock and came straight into camp," Finucane told NSWRL.com.au.

"To know that I'm sort of thereabouts and in the squad fills me with confidence - and I really hope the boys go well and can win on Wednesday night.

"To be here is really exciting for me and something I'm really proud of."

Read more at nswrl.com.au
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump pledged during the campaign to help U.S. factory workers by slapping tariffs on foreign steel. But his long-awaited decision on the issue is running behind schedule and administration officials are leaving plenty of wiggle room on what direction he'll take.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross initially hoped to finish a report on tariffs last month, but his department has been holding off as the Pentagon weighs in about impact of steel tariffs on national security. The delay is an example of the difficulty Trump faces in delivering on his ambitious policy agenda  on taxes, health insurance and more  as quickly as he told voters he could.

White House officials have hinted that tariffs still are coming. Asked on "Fox News Sunday" over the weekend if the president planned to impose sanctions on foreign steel, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus responded: "My guess is that he will because he promised he would."

There are trade-offs from taxing foreign steel that include higher prices for consumers and manufacturers that rely on steel, as well as strained relationships with trade partners. The possible risks became more apparent last week at the summit of the 20 leading rich and developing nations in Germany.

Supporters of the tariffs say the move would help crack down on excess steelmaking by China. Opponents say it would raise prices for consumers and manufacturers that turn steel into cars, furniture and other products.

Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, supports higher steel tariffs but notes that the initial timeline set by the administration was "very ambitious."

Paul said that some officials and advocacy groups have slowed the process to fine-tune the policy, while others are hoping that a slower pace of discussions will derail the debate.

In April, Trump asked the Commerce Department to launch an investigation into whether foreign steel imports posed a threat to national security, on the grounds that the American military relies on steel for airplanes, ships and other equipment. Steel also goes into roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.

The investigation reflects the administration's determination to use existing trade laws more aggressively to combat what it sees as unfair practices by U.S. trading partners. Restricting steel imports, it reasoned, would help restore U.S. manufacturing jobs and reduce an American trade deficit that came in at $502 billion last year.

Many of the steel industry's troubles can be traced to low prices resulting from massive overproduction by China, which churns out nearly half the world's steel.
Bonnie Wells wanted to have her tubes tied after the birth of her first child in the early 1980s. She was having a cesarean section and planned to get a tubal ligation at the same time to avoid having a separate surgery later.

The Catholic hospital in Northwest Indiana where she delivered told her she wouldn't be able to do it there, because of religious directives, saying she could talk to an outside doctor at her six-week postpartum checkup.

At that follow-up appointment, she found out she was pregnant.

Wells' second daughter was born nine months later, with a disability that left her mostly unable to hear. Wells, unmarried and uninsured, gave her up for adoption.

Wells, of Schneider, has since reunited with her biological child, who's now married with kids of her own. But Wells said that if she could go back and get sterilized before the pregnancy she would.

"I went through a lifetime of, 'Is she OK? Did they take care of her?'" Wells, 57, said of her biological daughter. "She's going to go through a lifetime of being deaf. All they had to do was follow my instructions in the beginning."

With Franciscan Alliance, which is Catholic, and Methodist Hospitals, which is not, discussing a possible merger, both hospital systems soon could be Catholic. And the nearest secular hospital to Wells would be Community Hospital in Munster, 45 minutes away.

"My choices are pretty limited, especially if Methodist goes Catholic," she said.

Merger's potential effects on care

Residents and activists have expressed concern over the potential merger's possible limitations on medical care in Northwest Indiana. In March, Franciscan and Methodist, with hospitals in Gary and Merrillville, announced they had signed an exclusive 120-day letter of intent to discuss a partnership.

If the merger is completed, Community Hospital in Munster would be the only non-Catholic hospital in Lake County. (St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and the Franciscan hospitals in Crown Point, Dyer, Hammond and Munster all operate in accordance with ethical and religious directives outlined by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.)

"(Methodist) would be considered a Catholic hospital if that should happen and, as such, hospital officials would work with Bishop Hying, as they do now, to make sure the hospital follows Catholic health directives," said Debbie Bosak, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Gary and Bishop Donald Hying.

"This is a responsibility that all bishops take very seriously."

Besides geography, patients can't always choose which hospital system they use because of increasingly narrow health insurance networks. For instance, Community Hospital isn't in network for Managed Health Services, the only insurer expected to sell on the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) exchange in Lake County for 2018. And hospital systems like Franciscan are increasingly seeking to become the exclusive provider for insurance plans and employers.

Franciscan declined to explain what medical treatments the system permits. "Franciscan is engaged in discussions with Methodist and, until those discussions are completed, we cannot comment," said Michael Shepherd, a spokesman for Franciscan Alliance.

Residents express worry

In the U.S., 1 in 6 hospitals and as many as 1 in 3 in Indiana, now fall under Catholic health care directives, according to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union and Merger Watch, an organization that works to protect a community's access to care when a secular hospital is merging with a religious one.

Some residents of Gary, a largely Protestant city where Methodist has its other hospital campus, have reached out to Merger Watch, said Lois Uttley, director of Merger Watch. She said Catholic health care directives often are misunderstood by the general public.

"When you say no abortions would be allowed at the hospitals, most people say that doesn't affect me because I don't intend to have an abortion," she said.

"But women who become pregnant are at risk for complications and need to be aware there could be restrictions on the health care they get at their local hospital should it become a Catholic hospital system."

She gave as an example an ectopic pregnancy, where the fertilized egg attaches outside the uterus, making the fetus nonviable. Or a premature rupture of membranes, in which the woman's water breaks early in her pregnancy.

"It's a wanted pregnancy. Medically it's not just possible to save the pregnancy at that point," she said. "The woman should be immediately aided to end the pregnancy. If that doesn't happen, there's a high risk of infection. That could affect her future fertility, her ability to try again for a baby."

Activists also have noted that many people in Gary, which has a poverty rate of more than a third, would have a hard time finding transportation to non-Catholic facilities if the merger happens.

"Our communities deserve services they can afford and facilities that respect their beliefs," the Rev. Marie Siroky, a hospital chaplain who lives in Gary, wrote in a recent online article about Catholic health care directives.

At a recent town hall meeting on the merger, Methodist CEO Ray Grady discussed the possibility of putting funds aside for an independent organization that could provide reproductive services in the communities Methodist currently serves.

These types of arrangements have happened in similar mergers. In Troy, New York, for instance, a secular hospital taken over by a Catholic system got an independent license for its maternity ward to bypass the religious directives. A hospital in Seattle funded an adjacent Planned Parenthood clinic before becoming affiliated with a Catholic hospital group.

Not just reproductive care affected

For Sue Ellen Braunlin, a retired anesthesiologist and co-president of the non-denominational advocacy group Indiana Religious Coalition for Reproductive Justice, it matters where Catholic hospitals get their revenue.

"Half the money is private money. The other half is tax money," said Braunlin, who formerly worked for a Catholic hospital.

She also noted the effects on end-of-life care. For instance, the Catholic directives state: "Since a person has the right to prepare for his or her death while fully conscious, he or she should not be deprived of consciousness without a compelling reason.

"There (can be a) limit on the amount of pain medicine that can be used in palliative care," Braunlin said of the Catholic directives. "The reason is the doctrine of redemptive suffering. They actually want patients to not get rid of all their suffering because of the redemptive potential of suffering."

Catholic systems like Franciscan also don't provide any care related to gender-reassignment surgery. Franciscan sued the federal government over an Affordable Care Act rule that would have required hospitals not to discriminate based on gender identity.

"Franciscan holds religious beliefs that sexual identity is an objective fact rooted in nature as male or female persons," the lawsuit states. "Like the Catholic Church it serves, Franciscan believes that a persons sex is ascertained biologically, and not by ones beliefs, desires, or feelings."

In December, a federal judge ruled in Franciscan's favor and delayed the new policy from going into effect Jan. 1.

Franciscan also fought the Affordable Care Act mandate that required companies to cover birth control for employees. A judge granted Franciscan an injunction from the regulation.

President Donald's Trump administration has indicated it may do away with both rules, anyway.

A treatment denied

Emily Kowalski, of Hammond, was 19 weeks pregnant in summer 2015 when her water broke. She was transported to a local hospital, where she asked if she could be given a medication to induce labor. She said the medical staff told her they could not, because it was a Catholic facility and she was less than 25 weeks along. At the same time, she said they told her, her condition was so severe it would be unsafe to transfer her to another hospital.

"I wanted the baby to be born, and I wanted it to have a heartbeat, and I wanted to hold it while it died," she said. "I didn't want to torture it inside of me until it eventually suffocated itself because there was no fluid in there."

The baby was born three days later, without a heartbeat. Kowalski, now 38, developed an infection and was in the hospital for a week. She has since had two more miscarriages.

"If I could do it over again," she said, "I think I would have risked my life to leave the hospital."
At the beginning of 2016, Sears had two stores on Indianapolis Boulevard in Schererville and soon, the troubled retail giant will have none.

In April 2016, the Sears Hardware Store at 1150 U.S. 41 was shuttered.

Now Sears announced it will close its store at 120 U.S. 41 in the Town Square Shopping Center, across from Shops on Main. The company, which was once the nation's largest retailer and now is perennially on death watch, said the appliance and hardware store in Schererville wasn't profitable.

Sears announced on its website it was closing 35 Kmart stores and eight Sears stores, including the Schererville location. The stores are slated to close by October and liquidation sales will begin Thursday.

The Hoffman Estates-based retailer said employees can apply to other area Sears or Kmart stores. But fewer and fewer are still operating.

The company recently closed the Sears Appliance and Hardware Store in Valparaiso, and Kmarts in Merrillville, Chesterton and LaPorte.

"Today, we will initiate the closing of an additional eight Sears and 35 Kmart unprofitable stores as we continue to focus on our best stores and return to profitability," CEO Eddie Lampert said in a blog post. "This is part of a strategy both to address losses from unprofitable stores and to reduce the square footage of other stores because many of them are simply too big for our current needs."

Sears is trying to cut $1.25 billion in annual costs as online commerce has sapped business away from traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. Lampert said the struggling retailer is shifting focus to smaller stores because its largest format stores have been less competitive in a changing retail landscape.

"We have fought hard for many years to return unprofitable stores to a competitive position and to preserve jobs and, as a result, we had to absorb corresponding losses in the process," he said. "So, it is obvious that we dont make decisions to close stores lightly. Our efforts have been, and will continue to be, fact-based, thoughtful and disciplined, with the goal of making Sears Holdings more relevant and more competitive for our members and other constituents."

The only remaining Sears stores in Northwest Indiana are in Merrillville, Michigan City and Portage. The Region's only Kmarts are in Griffith and Valparaiso.
A few years before the Kankakee Marsh was drained in 1918, Secretary of War Major General H L Scott submited a report examining the effects and impact of draining the marsh. Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Col. W. V. Judson, compiled the information and wrote the report. Ironically, Judson was a born and bred Hoosier.

The report was to examine the proposed plan to drain the Kankakee Marsh; "with a view to devising plans for flood protection and determining the extent to which the United States should cooperate with the States and other communities and interests in carrying out such plans, its share being based upon the value of protection to navigation."

Soon after Indiana statehood in 1816, Indiana officials looked at the northwest corner of the state to what they perceived as the problem of the Kankakee Marsh. The success of the Erie Canal, built in 1825, initiated discussion to canalize the Kankakee, drain off much of the swamp and sell the newly reclaimed land for agricultural purposes. The income would be used for much needed infrastructure. Unfortunately, public and private corruption resulted in no money finding its way back to Indianapolis. Indiana came close to insolvency. This near bankruptcy ended these early thoughts of canalizing the Kankakee. However, the concept of using navigation as the reason for straightening the river with the byproduct of draining much of the marsh was not lost.

Attempts persisted to build the Kankakee Canal, even after the disaster of Indianas first attempt to channelize and drain the Kankakee Marsh. In the report, an unnamed navigation and manufacturing company spent $350,000 to build three locks and dams in Indiana and one in Illinois for commercial purposes. There was some early success, but by 1884 commerce had ceased. The limestone ledge at Momence was cited as reason of the failure. Then in 1890 Indiana allocated $65,000 to cut an 8,649 feet long, 300 feet wide and 3 feet deep excavation of the Momence limestone obstruction. The efforts had no appreciable impact. Blame was placed on Illinois for not channelizing its end of the Kankakee. In defense, Illinois saw the work performed in Indiana and concluded there were no positive results. It was projected that another $972,000 was needed for work either under construction or contemplated. The Army Corps of Engineers report concluded that a comprehensive plan for channelization of the marsh was necessary for success. By this time it was estimated nearly a third of the 400,000 acres had been reclaimed.

The report concluded: The value of protection to navigation which would be afforded by such flood protection as is desired by the people of the Kankakee Valley is in fact negative; and that as a result of the entire lack of benefit to the federal interest of navigation which the act indicates to be the measure of proposed federal contribution, the United States should not cooperate with the states and other communities and interests in carrying out any plans for the improvement of the Kankakee River.

Indiana did not heed this report. The state went on to channelize the Kankakee Marsh three years later, with the devastating results forecasted in Judsons report. Today we continue to struggle with the harmful impact of the channelization of the Kankakee Marsh.

Brigadier General William Judson passed away in 1923, five years after the Kankakee Marsh was drained, resulting in the disaster his report forecasted.
INDIANAPOLIS  The personal and corporate income tax rate increases enacted last week by the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly  over the veto of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner  could be a boon for Indiana.

"We've had a lot of businesses from Illinois looking at Indiana in the past because of our business climate," said Abby Gras, spokeswoman for the Indiana Economic Development Corp., the state's commerce department.

"We would expect that to continue as Indiana continues to focus on ensuring that we're a state that works for business."

The Illinois tax hikes, which are retroactive to July 1, boost the state's personal income tax rate to 4.95 percent from 3.75 percent, and increase the effective corporate income tax rate to 9.5 percent from 7.75 percent.

Together they are expected to raise about $4.75 billion a year in badly needed new revenue.

Combined with $2.5 billion in spending cuts, also approved last week over the governor's veto, Illinois should be on track to reduce its $15 billion backlog of past-due payments to schools, social service agencies and numerous other state vendors.

However, Illinois' personal income tax rate now significantly exceeds the 3.23 percent assessed on Indiana incomes.

The Indiana rate actually declined Jan. 1 from 3.3 percent when the last bit of former Gov. Mike Pence's 2013 tax cuts finally took effect.

Though, as Illinois boosters are quick to point out, when Indiana's county income taxes are added to the state rate there is a rough equivalence between Illinois' 4.95 percent rate and most Indiana counties.

For example, Lake County imposes a 1.5 percent income tax on its residents. As a result, they pay a combined 4.73 percent income tax rate  nearly the same as Illinois, which does not permit county income taxes.

Porter County remains a bargain with a combined state and county income tax rate of 3.73 percent. It's 4.18 percent in LaPorte County and 4.23 percent in Newton County.

Jasper County exceeds Illinois with its combined income tax rate of 6.094 percent, as does Marion County (Indianapolis) at 5 percent.

Indiana unquestionably has the upper hand over Illinois on corporate income taxes.

The Indiana rate stands at 6 percent after dropping from 6.25 percent on July 1.

It's scheduled to continue declining in quarter-point increments over the next four years until settling at 4.9 percent in July 2021.

Moreover, the Republican-controlled Indiana General Assembly has vowed not to tinker with the planned rate cuts, except possibly to make them larger or take effect sooner, giving Hoosier companies the tax certainty that many look for when hiring or planning long-term investments.

That really hasnt been an option for businesses in Illinois where lawmakers have allowed the effective corporate income tax rate, including the state's 2.5 percent personal property replacement tax, to uctuate from 7.3 percent prior to 2010, up to 9.5 percent in 2011, down to 7.75 percent in 2015 and now back up to 9.5 percent.
CROWN POINT  The Indiana Access Counselor has criticized Lake County officials for violating the state's Open Door Law by signing official declarations last spring behind closed doors.

Counselor Luke H. Britt warned members of the Lake County Board of Commissioners and Lake Council that "... binding decisions taken in secret by a governing body do nothing but erode the public's trust ..."

This rebuke came following a complaint about county officials acting, without a public meeting, to uphold their authority to require new telecommunications infrastructure be put underground.

The Indiana General Assembly acted this spring to prepare the state for an anticipated 2020 rollout of 5G wireless communication, which promises speeds up to 10 times faster than the best available 4G connections today.

However, 5G requires more antennas in more locations to work consistently.

So legislators passed Senate Enrolled Act 213 letting telecommunications companies install 5G antennas on existing utility poles, or install new utility poles in areas designated for underground utilities, with only limited need for local approval.

The legislation gave local governments a chance to prohibit new 5G utility poles  but only if they passed new resolutions before May 1 reinforcing their underground utilities authority.

The county and other local government didn't learn of the impending deadline until a few days before it was to expire.

Ray Szarmach, an attorney for the County Council, said Monday, "The state didn't give us adequate time. They cleverly left us with no way to call a public meeting to do a public vote."

Instead, county government attorneys drafted a resolution that two of the three county commissioners signed, and a declaration that five of the seven county council members signed April 29, without any public meeting, opposing the new law.

Britt said those April 29 signatures were "tantamount to a vote." The State's Open Door law requires local elected officials can only vote and take final actions on public matters at public meetings, after giving the public 48 hours advance notice.

The commissioners and council members later cast votes at public meetings in mid-May ratifying their April 29 resolution and declaration.

Britt said the subsequent public meetings and votes alleviate the harm of the resolution and declaration. He added that it is doubtful anyone suing to overturn the county actions would succeed in court.

Szarmach said the council didn't violate the Open Door Law.

"I see no difference between our declaration and everybody individually writing letters supporting the regulations. That is not tantamount to a vote," Szarmach countered.

Britt responded, "It would be fine if they did it individually and voluntarily," he said. But doing it at the prompting of their staff makes their actions illegal in his opinion, he said.

Britt said if county officials had been paying closer attention to the state Legislature they would have had time to act publicly within the Open Door Law's restrictions.

"Even so, this should not be taken as a license to take this kind of final action in the future," Britt concluded.
EAST CHICAGO  Two boaters suffered minor injuries Sunday when they were thrown from their boat after it struck submerged rocks near the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal, police said.

A 26-year-old Munster man and his 22-year-old passenger, a Hammond resident, were both taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary after the crash about 11 a.m. Sunday, officials said.

According to a preliminary report, the men were fishing and hit rocks along a wall outside the canal at a high rate of speed, said Terrie Millefoglie, a conservation officer with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Both men were wearing life jackets when they went overboard, Millefoglie said. The Munster man's legs were bruised, and the Hammond man suffered cuts to his legs.

Alcohol was not believed to be a factor, she said. Their boat was towed.

The Lake County sheriff's Marine Unit and U.S. Coast Guard assisted.
Police Chief Jerry Smith had asked for a more immediate decision earlier this spring so the department could take advantage of the availability of three Ford SUVs. The council, however, decided to bring up the purchase in formal action.
CROWN POINT  Two buildings that have been vacant for several years appear on their way to a new life.

The City Council has given final, unanimous approval to allow a day care center to operate in the long-vacant former Hallmark store at the corner of Main and Summit streets and for the Neuro Psychiatric Hospital to open in the original Veterans Administration hospital at the corner of Broadway and 93rd Avenue.

Rohit and Aemish Patel plan to open the Kiddie Academy next spring after spending $3.5 million to $4 million to renovate the building. City Planning Director Anthony Schlueter said the duo first approached the city with the proposal about four months ago.

The original plan to provide access from Main Street was rejected as too dangerous, and the city worked with the Patels and a nearby business to allow access to the Kiddie Academy from a private road on the east side of the proposed day care center.

The Kiddie Academy is a franchise that provides education in addition to day care for up to 192 children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 12 years. It will have up to 27 staff people with 13 classrooms and operate from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays. According to the companys literature, it provides children with a curriculum that exceeds state standards and services will include nutritious meals, classroom physical exercise, playground time and screen time guidance using technology from tablets and computers to digital cameras and e-readers.

Councilman Chris Retson said the Hallmark building is one of the five most asked about by residents as to when it will be reoccupied. The owners said they had planned to be open in September, but delays in getting all the needed approvals have pushed that back to early next year.

The original VA hospital was closed in 2011 when the new VA facility opened right next door. John Fulkerson, of the Hamstra Group, which is doing the redevelopment, said most of the interior of the building will be gutted for the 66-bed hospital and the exterior of the building will be improved and landscaping added.

Hospital CEO Cameron Gilbert said only one other hospital in the country provides the same services, and it is in California. Gilbert said the area has a great need for the facility, which specializes in stabilizing psychiatric patients and patients needing special medical care. Neuro Psychiatric Hospital gets many referrals from area hospitals, but the patients have to travel by ambulance to either of the hospital's locations in Mishawaka or Indianapolis.

Gilbert said almost all the patients would arrive at the new facility by ambulance, and a special entrance will be added to handle them. Most patients stay for two weeks or less and the hospital will have a staff of about 200.

With one aide for every five to six patients plus security, Gilbert said the patients do not pose a threat to the surrounding community. He said the patients are not drug addicts, but rather people with psychiatric problems that regular hospitals are not equipped to handle.

When they have completed treatment, the patients are returned to the referring hospital or other facilities. Alzheimers patients account for up to 60 percent of those referred to the hospital along with other dementia patients and those with post-traumatic brain injuries. The hospital plans to spend up to $10 million on the renovation and expects to be ready to open in 2018.

In other matters, plans by the RAW Church to use space at 901 E. Summit for concerts, church services and a tattoo parlor, approved about three years ago by the city, never came to fruition, and the council agreed to the churchs request to rescind the original variances and allow one of the units to be used as a Smoothie Shop serving fruit smoothies, shakes, prepackaged salads and other healthy alternatives.

The church holds services at another site and uses one of the units for office and storage space. The church plans to relocate the side entrance to the front of the building and add windows, parking and a sidewalk.
SCHERERVILLE  The congregation at Descent of the Holy Spirit Orthodox Church has typically had a modest size, but their devotion to God and the parish has always been strong.

That commitment led to the parish celebrating its 100th anniversary recently.

Events that led to the establishment of the parish started around the 1890s, when the earliest Carpatho-Russian immigrants settled in East Chicago.

The church's historical records show there were no Russian parishes close enough for the local families to attend services.

It was in 1913 when the Carpatho-Russians believed there were enough families to form their own church. Following fundraising and organizing, the Descent of the Holy Spirit Orthodox Church building was built in 1917 near Olcott Avenue and West 144th Street in East Chicago. The cost of construction was less than $15,000

The Rev. Lev Holowaty, the priest at Descent of the Holy Spirit, said the building was well used for 80 years. Church leaders decided to buy property in Schererville in the 1990s, and the parish in 1997 moved into its existing building on 77th Avenue in the town, Holowaty said.

Sherrie Stupic, a longtime member of the church, said Descent of the Holy Spirit has about 55 dues-paying members.

Stupic said there aren't a lot of people flocking in to join the parish, but the congregation is a close-knit group. Like the founders of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, current parishioners work hard for their church.

They really give of themselves, Stupic said.

One of the ways members generate funds for Descent of the Holy Spirit is through fish fry events. Parishioners volunteer their time to handle a variety of tasks, including cooking, serving food and cleaning up after the events are finished.

As Descent of the Holy Spirit celebrated its milestone Bishop Gregory, of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the United States, traveled to the area to preside over Divine Liturgy and participate in the other activities planned, including a banquet.

Holowaty said it was truly a blessing to have Gregory join in the celebration. The diocese has about 80 parishes in the United States and Canada, so visits from the bishop don't happen very frequently.

Holowaty also said the bishop is the church's spiritual father, and having Gregory at Descent of the Holy Spirit the week after Father's Day added to the significance of the visit.
CEDAR LAKE  The Hanover Schools Board of Trustees held a public hearing on a proposed General Obligation (GO) Bond of $2 million at a recent meeting.

The bond recommendation came from financial consultant H.J. Umbaugh as a way for the district to meet its financial obligations with regard to a planned upgrade. Hanover has scheduled improvements at its four school buildings and at the administration building.

Last month, the board approved infrastructure upgrade bids, including an oven for the Hanover High School kitchen, new carpeting at Lincoln and Jane Ball elementary schools and a new gym floor at the high school.

The board also approved a contract for video surveillance systems at the high school, middle school and both elementary schools.
CEDAR LAKE  The Hanover School Board at a recent meeting reviewed a proposed amended contract for Superintendent Tom Taylor.

The review coincided with a public hearing that drew no feedback from those at the meeting.

The board is considering an amended contract that would include a salary of $121,980, with a board-supported cost of health insurance of $21,696 through 2018. Costs beyond 2018 would depend on rates provided by the Porter County Trust.

The contract would also offer dental, vision and long-term disability insurance, as well as 20 days of paid vacation and a contribution of $9,148 annually to the Indiana State Teachers Retirement Fund.

The board expected to consider and vote on the contract formally at a later date.
LOWELL  Work is expected to begin soon on a project to repave 5 miles of streets in town.

Walsh & Kelly Inc., of Griffith, won the contract for the project with its bid of $924,963. The other bidders were Town & Country of DeMotte and Reith-Riley of Indiana and Michigan.

Engineer Craig Hendrix of SEH said the Walsh & Kelly bid was lower than expected. "You got surface for $65 a ton. That's an outstanding rate," he told the Lowell Town Council as it approved the contract.

That bid is about $232,000 less than the Indiana Department of Transportation grant amount. Hendrix said the remainder can be used for repairs to sidewalk and drainage in those areas.

It's all part of the INDOT Community Crossings grant of $1 million awarded the town in September. The town must match the 50-50 grant.

Community Crossings grants are being offered again with a July 14 date for submissions, so the council, Lowell Town Manager Jeff Sheridan and Hendrix will be readying the Lowell application.

"It's a 75 percent off sale," Town Council President LeAnn Angerman, R-2nd, said of changes in the grant program which benefit Lowell.

The state will contribute more to those communities with a population less than 10,000. The state will pay 75 percent of project costs while the town will pick up the remaining 25 percent.

Angerman is setting her sights on 171st Avenue, the east/west roadway on the town's north end which was closed for more than two months after a culvert collapsed. The roadway needs paving in a longer stretch than just the area over the culvert.

In response to Angerman's query, Sheridan said he believes it is possible that road could be paved yet this year under a 2017 Carriage Crossings grant, if approved by the state.

In another matter, the council learned earlier this year the town's zoning ordinance and map do not match, so the council, consultants and staff have been working to establish an official zoning map and update the zoning ordinance to coincide.

While it is clear both are necessary, updating the ordinance and creating the map in tandem would be a great expense to the town, Sheridan said.
MUNSTER  The town is tweaking the rules that will allow it to remain in compliance with the way the state mandates it use road funding.

In order to stay in compliance, the Town Council approved creating a new fund to help it track spending. Thanks to board action, the town will now have two funds, one of which will be known as the MVH Fund  Unallocated. This fund retains all cash balances up to June 30 of this year, and will continue to receive 50 percent of any MVH distributions due Munster. The money in this fund will be used for any expenditure that is legal under state law.
When Michael Noland expressed interest in becoming general manager of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District three years ago, among the materials the operator of the South Shore Line sent him was its 20-year Strategic Business Plan.

"They're usually laden with a lot of planners' terms, things that are not always realistic," Noland said about similar plans. But NICTD's included ambitious projects to extend the line southward, to modernize its central stretch, and to reroute its eastern end in South Bend.

"These are great projects," Noland recalled thinking. "These all make sense; these all need to get done."

Work to build support for the West Lake Corridor project, sustained by U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky for years, had picked up recently. But Noland felt a sense of urgency that didn't fit a 20-year time frame. "We have to get going now," Noland, who lives in Michigan City, thought at that time.

Those projects  the West Lake extension from Hammond to Dyer, the Double Track modernization project from Gary to Michigan City and a South Bend realignment  are all in some phase of development three years after Noland's 2014 hiring.

Noland, now president and general manager, is NICTD's second leader, having succeeded Gerald Hanas, who became the district's first general manager when it was created by the state to save the South Shore.

"Gerry led the way out of bankruptcy and was a crucial part of the railroad," NICTD Board of Trustees Chairman Mark Yagelski said. "Mike will lead it into the future."

Ripe for expansion

Noland arrived with more than a quarter-century's experience in the railroad industry.

When he graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1982, he had an offer to sell pharmaceuticals in Salinas, Kansas. "I also had the opportunity to join a brand new railroad in Chicago  Metra," Noland said.

The Chicago-area native chose to stay close to home, and began an entry-level human resources position at Metra, which had just been created during a reorganization of the Regional Transit Authority. In his early years at the railroad, he earned a law degree at John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Noland didn't have a deep connection to the railroad business at the beginning, though his attorney father had represented the EJ & E Railroad. But as a Notre Dame student Noland had spent plenty of time riding the South Shore between South Bend and Chicago.

"That was my principal way to get back and forth," he said of his college years. The ride was long, but cheap. The railroad was still rebuilding after nearly going bust in the late 1970s.

Over the next several decades, with the backing of the state, NICTD made improvements under Hanas that Noland calls "the heavy lifting."

"It doesn't always translate into the glitzy things you want to show off," he said, but "when I walked into this position, the capital infrastructure was sound. The bones of this railroad were ripe to be built on."

Transforming communities

The South Shore today, on a typical weekday, runs more than 20 trains into and out of the city, carrying about 12,000 passengers total.

The West Lake and Double Track projects, well into their planning phases, will increase the number of trains and are projected to more than double ridership.

But skepticism of the old interurban's ability to be a modern commuter railroad has been persistent. Speed  or "time to market"  is key.

"After Mike came in, in late winter/early spring (2015), we launched the Sunrise Express," NICTD Vice President for Planning and Marketing John Parsons said. "We began to see empirically we could do faster service."

The Sunrise Express leaves South Bend at 6 a.m. Eastern time and stops only at Dune Park and East Chicago in Indiana, significantly reducing travel times. A similar eastbound train leaves Millennium Station at 3:57 p.m.

Meanwhile, planning for West Lake intensified. And the idea to add a second track to single-tracked segments between Gary and Michigan City quickly came to be seen as a complementary project.

"We've got to do Double Track right away as well," Noland said rail officials decided. The projects would help make the Region "a true suburb of Chicago."

The South Bend project, which together with West Lake and Double Track would reduce travel time to Chicago to 90 minutes, began getting financial commitments this summer.

"We have the opportunity to transform our communities," he said.

A strong team

"Mike's done a fantastic job," Yagelski, a LaPorte County councilman, said, pointing particularly to Noland's communication skills in building support for the projects.

"I don't think there's a stone he didn't overturn," Yagelski said.

Noland said he's enjoyed the process of gathering support and securing financing in anticipation of submitting them to the federal government for review later this year.

The effort has included significant work locally and in Indianapolis to generate support for the projects and begin planning for the impact they could have.

The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority is a key player in those efforts.

"When Mike came into the equation, it couldn't have been a better time," RDA President and CEO Bill Hanna said.

Noland's experience operating a commuter railroad, and with "the broader aspects beyond the train," including transit-oriented development, have been crucial, Hanna said. "I think it's critical he came in when he did.

"We make a very strong team," Hanna said. "It's gratifying for us to know the projects will affect a lot of people positively."
NEW YORK - Thousands of straphangers are getting their first glimpse of the so-called "Summer of Hell" Monday as major track work gets underway at Penn Station.

Amtrak is starting the first phase of extensive repairs at the nation's busiest transit hub.

It's forcing major service changes to the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit.



Manhattan-bound New Jersey Transit trains on the Morris and Essex lines will be rerouted to Hoboken, where tickets will be cross-honored on PATH trains and New York Waterway ferries.

Long Island Rail Road service in and out of Penn Station will be reduced by about 20 percent.

Two more cars are being added to all trains to increase capacity on those that are still running.

Two trains into Penn will be canceled every weekday morning.

Thirteen westbound trains will terminate at Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn, Hunters Point in Queens, or Jamaica Station.

But three new trains will be added early in the rush hour.

In the evening, seven trains out of Penn will be canceled.

Ten more eastbound trains will originate in Brooklyn and Queens instead of Penn Station.

Two trains will be added.

There are also two new ferry routes to 34th Street in Manhattan: One from Long Island City and another from Glen Cove on Long Island.

The MTA's also creating new park and ride bus options throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Free morning subway transfers will be available to all Long Island Rail Road ticketholders at Hunterspoint Avenue, Jamaica Station and Atlantic Terminal.

As for Amtrak, trains will be rerouted to Grand Central for the first time in nearly three decades.

The first phase of construction at Penn runs through July 25.

The second phase begins August 4th and goes to August 28.

Schedule changes will be in effect until September 1.

Meantime, MTA Chairman Joe Lhota says everything is going according to plan when it comes to the agency's planned service changes.

Speaking to NY1 at Jamaica Station, Lhota says service changes to the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit are in good shape.

"While we have reduced number of trains during certain periods of time we've expanded the number of trains earlier and later. We have more than enough seats for everybody to get in to the city by train. But I will tell you it's been my recommendation for anybody who wants to change here at Jamaica and go into downtown Brooklyn at Atlantic Terminal, in the last hour it's doubled, and so people are listening and we're very very happy," Lhota said.

The chairman advises commuters to keep a close eye on MTA schedules.

He says straphangers should be prepared to switch up their routine while the construction is underway.
Thousands took part in the third annual Disability Pride Parade in Manhattan on Sunday, where participants expressed concerns about health care funding.

The event traveled from Union Square Park to a festival in Madison Square Park to show solidarity and support for those with disabilities.

"We're here because we're disabled and proud," one participant said.

In 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio declared July "Disability Pride Month" in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

While participants said rights have come a long way in the nearly three decades since it passed, they said there is still a lot of work to be done.

Many said they were worried that the Republican health care bill being crafted in Washington will cut programs for which people with disabilities depend.

"It's disastrous for the disabled for the cuts, because a lot of the people they only have Medicaid to support them," one parade attendee said.



Some of the top technology to assist those with disabilities was also on display Sunday, including OrCam, an advanced wearable technology that provides artificial vision for those who are blind or visually-impaired.

The Disability Parade also gave participants a platform to talk about issues that are most important to them, such as how to improve the accessibility of the city.

"Every train station with elevators, yes," one woman opined. "Every single station. We travel in the trains."

But they said the most important part of the Disability Pride Parade was coming together.
Colliers International has appointed David White as director of research and consulting, a newly created role at the real estate company, which also form part of the national Research and Consulting group.



The governments most senior property professional will remain in Wellington and lead the research and consulting services of the company in the capital, Colliers International national director of research and consulting Alan McMahon said.



No one understands the workings of property in the public sector better than David. We are thrilled to secure his services, McMahon said.

While his skills have been honed in the public sector in recent years, they are equally applicable in the private sector.



White will provide services to both public and private sector clients, with a particular focus on business case and policy development, property strategy, research and planning, McMahon said.



Whites property career, having joined the Treasury in 2005 and the Government property Group in 2010, has spanned institutional property investment, occupation and consultancy.



White completed Bachelor of Business and Master of Business Administration degrees at Massey University, and is currently studying towards a PhD.

I am delighted to join New Zealands leading property services company, White said.



Adding my experience will round out Colliers Internationals offer, and will I think add some real value to our services.



White, after announcing his resignation as director of the Government Property Group, will take up the new role in August.


The allegations involve an Auckland resident and associates and around 76 properties in Hamilton and Auckland.The SFO laid charges in September 2016 with all defendants pleading not guilty.The charges all relate to the allegations of loans obtained totalling in excess of $50 million. The defendants are alleged to have provided false information or documents, or withheld information from either the BNZ or ANZ to obtain loans to purchase properties in either Auckland or Hamilton.Kang (Thomas) Huang (aka Gang Wang) has been charged with individual and representative charges of Dishonestly taking or using a document, Obtaining by deception and one charge of Gifts to agent without consent.His wife, Yan (Jenny) Zhang (aka Kang Xu) faces individual charges of Obtaining by deception.Lawyer, Gang (Richard) Chen is facing one representative charge of Gifts to agent without consent and individual and representative charges of Obtaining by deception.Former bank employee, Zongliang (Charly) Jiang is facing one representative charge of Acceptance of gifts by agent and individual charges of Obtaining by deception.The defendants will appear in the Auckland High Court later this year with a trial to commence on 26 February 2018.
Ronn Torossian

On the eve of the Independence Day holiday, as millions of American families were planning time together at the beach or backyard barbecues, New Jersey residents were busy canceling plans and trying to find an alternative.

Thats because the states Governor, Chris Christie, ordered the beaches closed. Subsequent to this order, an enterprising photojournalist captured incriminating photos of Christie and his crew sunbathing on an otherwise empty beach. Most people saw this as ultimate nepotism. Meanwhile, the governors spokesman said his boss didnt get any sun because he was wearing a hat.

The internet exploded. A meme war cut Christie out of a picture and placed him in a series of other photos, some famous and others just funny. The public, accustomed to mocking the New Jersey governor for other reasons, chose to respond to his apparent poor decision by ruthlessly slamming Christie online and in print. But perhaps nothing hit as close to the bone as an editorial in CNN by editor Chris Cillizza.

After detailing the governors flippant response to reporters asking about the issue, Cillizza explains that those comments were made after Christie told reporters I didnt get any sun today Which, subsequently lead to the he wore a hat quip. Christie did earn some points for tweeting that most of the New Jersey coastal beaches were open, however, a point Cillizza concedes, which didnt make it into most coverage of the public relations gaffe. But that admission didnt stop CNN from publishing the idea that Governor Christie just doesnt care anymore.

The opinion piece cites a series of political embarrassments for the governor, including dropping out of the Presidential race, then traveling around with Trump perhaps in hopes of winding up as the vice-presidential pick or a member of the cabinet  neither happened. Named as head of the Presidential transition team, Christie was later fired by Trump, who then appointed VP Pence as his transition head.

The article goes on to point out Christies approval rating in his state was falling for multiple reasons, some having to do with the campaign, others with his contentious leadership of the state and what some called his heavy-handed style. How bad was it? Well, a Quinnipiac poll cited by CNN put Christies approval rating at 15 percent, the lowest for any governor of any state ever, according to Cillizza. Adding these facts with a few others, the piece assumes either Christie is actively trying to torpedo his political career, or he has just stopped caring. There is, of course, at least one more option, which has been heard loud and clear from Christie supporters in and out of the press. To wit, this is all much ado about nothing, that the guy got some sun and laughed it off  so what? Arent there worse things in the world?

So, has Christie really stopped caring? And, if so, what will that charge do to his political aspirations beyond the Governor's office? Will it be a benefit or a detriment to his plans to secure a spot in a presumptive second Trump administration? Or is this, yet again, more red meat for partisans who love to hate New Jerseys brash leader?

***

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR.
Ghanas Ministry of Finance has hired KRL International, which is helmed by international PR pro Riva Levinson, for an economic development push.

The west African nation expects KRL to pitch the Trump Administration, members of Congress and the donor community on potential collaboration in support of its development and policy objectives.

Job creation, public debt management and economic expansion are key areas of focus.

Levinson served as managing director of Burson-Marstellers BKSH & Assocs., where she represented the Iraqi National Congress, before launching KRL in 2007.

She has worked in African hot spots such as South Sudan but is best known as long-time advisor to Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africas first woman chief of state.

KRLs one-year contract is pegged at $300K.

Under the agreement, a two-member KRL team is to visit Ghana at least once every two months to discuss communications strategy and program results.
Agricultural News

International Beef Trade Expected to Play Increasingly Significant Role in US Beef Industry's Future

Mondays, Dr. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, offers his economic analysis of the beef cattle industry. This analysis is a part of the weekly series known as the "Cow Calf Corner" published electronically by Dr. Peel and Dr. Glenn Selk. Today, Dr. Peel takes a look at how US beef trade is evolving as recent world events continue to influence the global marketplace - in part I of his briefing, Peel spotlights imports.





"There is a growing recognition that international beef trade will play an increasingly important role in the U.S. beef industry in the coming years. Within the dynamics of global beef trade it is important to understand changes and trends in U.S. beef trade. The quantity of U.S. beef imports and exports has varied considerably over time and so has the shares of trade among major countries that trade beef with the U.S. Some of these changes are related to specific events, such as the occurrence of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in 2003, political changes or currency exchange rate impacts. Some, however, are just evolution of markets over time due to changes in production and/or demand in the U.S. and other countries. This article focuses on U.S. beef imports.







"The latest monthly trade data shows that total beef imports in May were down 1.7 percent. For the year to date, January-May, total beef imports are down 9.0 percent year over year. This follows a 10.5 year over year decrease in U.S. beef imports in 2016.







"Australia, historically the top source of U.S. beef imports, is currently the third largest source, down 24 percent in May and down 34 percent year over year for the year to date. Australia has accounted for about 29 percent of U.S. beef imports over the past decade but only represents about 21 percent so far this year. Australia will likely rebuild some market share in the coming years with herd rebuilding following the drought forced herd liquidation in 2014 and 2015. Imports of beef from New Zealand were down 14.5 percent year over year in May and are down 19.6 percent so far in 2017. New Zealand beef represents about 22 percent of beef imports so far in 2017. New Zealand has consistently averaged about 20 percent of U.S. beef imports over the past decade.







"With the year over year decline in imports from Australia and New Zealand, Canada is currently the largest source of U.S. beef imports. May beef imports from Canada were up 3.4 percent year over year but year to date imports from Canada are down 3.6 percent from last year. Canada accounts for about 23 percent of beef imports in 2017. Canada has varied as the number one, two or three source of U.S. beef imports in the last ten years. However, Canada's share of U.S. beef imports appears to have trended down some over time with the current share considerably lower than the 27 percent average over the past decade.







"The clearest and most pronounced trend in U.S. beef imports in the growing role of Mexico as a source of beef imports. In May, beef imports from Mexico were up 27.4 percent year over year and are up 29.7 percent for the year to date. Mexico, which accounted for less than 2 percent of beef imports a decade ago, increased to account for over 16 percent of U.S. beef imports in 2016 and represents 20 percent of beef imports so far in 2017.







"Imports of beef from Brazil in May were up 50.3 percent year over year and are up 34.2 percent for the year to date. However, the reinstated ban on fresh beef from Brazil in June may slow imports once again, at least temporarily. Brazil has been a distant fifth place source of U.S. beef imports over the past decade, averaging about five percent of the U.S beef import total. Brazil accounted for 5.1 percent of beef imports in 2016 and 5.3 percent so far in 2017."













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Agricultural News

Producers Invited to Attend the Oklahoma Wheat Growers' Association Convention - Register Now

The Oklahoma Wheat Growers' Association has announced that it will host its annual convention next month at the Redlands Community College Conference Center in El Reno, Oklahoma. Producers from across the state will gather to learn about the very latest techniques and strategies to enhance the quality of their crops as well as their production abilities, from a knowledgeable and well-versed slate of guest speakers.





Members of the Oklahoma State University Wheat Improvement Team will share a comprehensive review of diseases that affected producers this year and the recommended fungicide applications. They will also offer information on new varieties, ways to enhance protein content, soil fertilization options, and other topics of interest to the wheat producer. Those scheduled to present include Dr. Bob Hunger, Dr. Brett Carver, Dr. David Marburger and Dr. Brian Arnall.





Additionally, Mark Hodges of Plains Grains Inc. will give an overview of the quality aspects of this past year's harvest, with particular emphasis on wheat varieties known for ideal milling and baking qualities.





Oklahoma State University Extension Grain Market Economist Dr. Kim Anderson will also provide an outlook on the wheat market, followed by Vice President of the National Association of Wheat Growers, Jimmie Musick of Sentinel, Oklahoma who will brief attendees on activities in Washington, D.C. and how Oklahoma wheat producers' membership in the OWGA directly shapes federal policies that impact them and their operations.







The convention is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on August 3, 2017 at the Redlands Community College Conference Center in El Reno, Oklahoma. There is no charge for current members to attend, although, non-members will be charged $50 for admission, which will also cover their membership for the coming year. All growers in Oklahoma are encouraged to attend as OWGA represents the interest of all wheat producers. Early registration closes July 26th and is encouraged.







For more information about the event, you can contact OWGA's Director of Membership Services Tammy Ford-Miller at 580-233-9516 or by email.







Download a copy of the registration form online, by clicking or tapping here.







Source - Oklahoma Wheat Growers' Association

















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During a busy weekday lunch hour, Officer Dave Staskiewicz spotted Nicholas standing over a water feature at Gene Leahy Mall. The man was unkempt, as the radio and a witness had said.

Nicholas looked defeated, the embodiment of the words tattooed up and down his forearms: HARD on his right arm. LIFE on a red, swollen left arm marked by scabbed gashes.

Staskiewicz could see a box cutter in the mans pocket. This was the veteran officers third mental health call of his shift, and it would not be his last. The front-line workers in mental health care in Omaha tend to wear a badge and carry a gun.

Police officers often are the first official helpers to reach someone in crisis. The encounters can be complicated, difficult and sometimes tragic. A June 5 encounter between Zachary Bearheels, a 29-year-old Oklahoma man who family members have said had bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and police resulted in his death.

Yet 911 remains a lifeline in a fractured mental health system in which Omaha police officers find themselves de facto social workers who must balance police training with a friendly bedside manner. They must be wary but warm, direct but diplomatic. Above all, they must be incredibly patient  all while reining in their own frustrations about a mental health system that doesnt give them many options. These helpers dont feel like they can be much help.

Take a recent call involving a man who had been placed in emergency protective custody  forcible short-term mental health treatment  a total of 69 times. The most recent EPC was just the day before, and the hospital had let him go before the maximum hold time was up.

He had 69 EPCs, 12 overdoses and six BMHs, Staskiewicz said, referring to county Board of Mental Health commitments, another type of forced custody.

The guy says Nobody will help me. And I said to him Youre right. 

* * *

The death of Bearheels outside a gas station at 60th and Center Streets raised questions about how police should respond to calls about erratically behaving people.

Bearheels had been kicked off of a bus traveling from South Dakota to Oklahoma. Family members believed he was off his medication, and his mother had pleaded with Omaha police to take him to a bus station or crisis center. Officers planned to get him back on a bus. But Bearheels died after one officer used a Taser on him about a dozen times and another punched him as many as 15 times.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer called the event a failure by police and recommended the two officers be fired. He has taken steps to increase officer supervision at trouble spots, improve training and recruit more experienced officers into the roughly 800-member police force.

Still, the encounters can be unpredictable. And they happen all the time  an average of four a day through May this year, and those are just the cases serious enough to involve the County Attorneys Office. Many cases end in other ways.

Schmaderer told me police have so much contact with people in mental distress and wanted Omahans to have a better understanding of what the terrain is. So he approved my ride-along on June 29 with two officers on different shifts. The 16 hours was an experience colored by my presence. Officers couldnt go to outwardly dangerous calls, for example. And they could hop calls to take more of the ones involving the code for a mentally ill person, A-Adam.

* * *

People with mental illness can and do live perfectly normal lives and are not, by nature of their disease, inherently violent.

Staskiewiczs first call, however, showed how potentially dangerous some situations can be.

A dispatcher called out: Party in his 20s. Passed out on the front porch. At a house near 36th and E. At 8:30 in the morning. An ambulance en route.

If the man is severely drunk or high, Staskiewicz could place him in a 24-hour protective custody at detox. If he needed to go to the hospital, that could take a cop off the street for a while. If this was going to be the type of call that involved a lot of talking, it would leave other calls stacking up. The 48-year-old officer worries about police not being where they are needed.

We walked up to a potted plant-filled front porch of a house belonging to an 80-year-old and his wife to find, passed out on a chair, 26-year-old Sam. On his lap was a black bag.

GUN! said a different police officer, setting off a chain of events.

Staskiewicz quickly put the man in handcuffs. He went through his pockets and, as Sam twitched and jerked, said: Hes tweaking.

Sam was a felon. Inside the bag was a 9 mm Glock handgun reported stolen from Lincoln. Inside his pocket was a bag of cocaine.

As a paramedic checked out Sam, Staskiewicz said he was healthy as a horse.

Sam could go to the hospital if he wanted, and the cop asked if that was his preference.

Sam didnt answer. His body jerked and jolted and his head slumped.

Thats the typical reaction of a meth user, Staskiewicz said on the way to the jail where Sam was taken. He was suspected of selling cocaine to buy meth.

The call took Staskiewicz more than an hour and would have been longer, but because he was with a reporter and photographer, he left to go to his first mental health call.

What can we do for you, buddy? Staskiewicz asked a bearded man clutching a laptop on the steps of the W. Dale Clark Library.

Im just tired of people being mean to me. I just cant take it anymore! the man said in a high-pitched whine.

Staskiewicz asked him if he gets help. (Yes, at the mental health treatment center, Community Alliance.) What was his diagnosis? (Autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder, bipolar disorder.) Was he getting medications? (Yes.) What were his goals? (To go to Community Alliance later that day.)

Glaring at some rubberneckers, the man said: I can only take so much abuse.

Staskiewicz tried to redirect. Were just talking. Like two guys.

Staskiewicz helped him make a plan. Go to Community Alliance right now. Dont wait. Think about getting a job. Steer clear of the library if other people who bother him are there.

The man nodded. He got off the stairs and headed toward Farnam Street. The call was over in minutes.

Hes actually one you can talk to, Staskiewicz said.

* * *

But then came others Staskiewicz could not reach.

The first was a man who had  for the third day in a row  called police to report an incident at his house on South 13th Street. This time, he said he had cut his wife. The cutting part of this report meant more police officers on the scene more quickly even though Staskiewicz suspected  rightly, it turned out  that there was no knife and no cut wife.

In his mentality, he doesnt know whats going on. He comes up with these things in his head, Staskiewicz said.

The man stayed home, and the officer left his colleagues to write up the report. The call had started with police sirens and a rush. It ended eight minutes later with a fizzle.

Experience is everything out here, said Staskiewicz, whose 27-year law enforcement career includes eight years in the Nebraska State Patrol and 13 years as a firearms and Taser instructor at the police training academy.

Then came the lunch-hour call about Nicholas.

Staskiewicz reached the troubled-looking 21-year-old man at Gene Leahy Mall. He could see a box cutter in the left pocket of Nicholas gym shorts and wanted to wait until the second officer got there before trying to take it from him. So he just talked. He asked Nicholas questions. Do you know whats going on?

The man looked anguished. Yes, he had tried to hurt himself. No, he didnt want anyone to check out that swollen, cut arm.

Staskiewicz said quietly to me: Im making the decision to EPC him. He has cuts all over his arm. Hes a danger to himself. Were going to do this calmly without being wound up, which is our goal here.

Working quickly, the officers put Nicholas into handcuffs and took his box cutter. They went through his backpack. The other officer rubbed Nicholas back and told him: Youll be all right, man.

Nicholas protested the plan to go to the Nebraska Medical Center: I dont want THAT!

Staskiewicz said: Yeah. You kind of do.

He pulled up Nicholas record: Overdose. Five prior EPCs, the last one just three weeks ago. One Board of Mental Health commitment in May.

I tried to talk to him like the last guy, Staskiewicz said. His mind is much further gone. He tried to kill himself a month ago.

And Nicholas did have that box cutter.

Our philosophy is, if they have one weapon, they have another weapon. Sometimes these guys, theyre so damn strong, you cant control them.

At the hospital, Staskiewicz noticed that at least six officers from the southeast precinct were on mental health-related calls and another six dispatch calls were on hold, waiting for service. These calls take a lot of resources, he said. Man down 911 calls, for instance, draw two officers plus a fire engine and ambulance, he said.

An emergency room nurse took Nicholas vitals and then led him, with Staskiewicz in tow, into a special examination room where, with the push of a button, a heavy security gate dropped, blocking off the hospital computer and supplies. Nicholas was given a hospital gown and other officers helped him change.

Outside, Staskiewicz described the high legal bar for an EPC: A person must be a danger to himself or others. This is still vague and police must make a quick decision.

Realistically, I could have just left him, he said. He didnt want help. He (said) he didnt want to hurt himself.

Then, based on what he has seen on the job, he sighed and said: Hell be out tomorrow. Same thing in a different place.

* * *

Officer Staskiewicz had no time for lunch. He responded to car accidents. He drove through the Southside Terrace Homes, Omahas largest housing project. He crept down a steep, dirt hill to peer under the Q Street bridge where homeless people have dragged in mattresses and blankets and made fires.

As we drove around South Omaha, Staskiewicz wondered how many of these calls were related to loneliness.

We found a 59-year-old who had called 911 herself to say she was suicidal. She had her bag packed and was waiting on her front stairs outside her home on a street near the Omaha zoo.

I need to go to the hospital, she told Staskiewicz.

Staskiewicz suggested Lasting Hope, an inpatient mental health treatment center for adults. Lasting Hope will take people who are not drunk or high or suffering from a medical emergency.

Lucky day, he told the woman, after phoning Lasting Hope. They said theyll take you.

Staskiewicz leaned against her railing casually, like they were old friends. What made her want to hurt herself? She had dark thoughts. Did she live alone? No, but her husband works during the day. Did she have anything to live for? Yes, grandbabies.

So why do this?

I dont know, she told him. Thats why I called you guys.

* * *

The first call on the night shift with Officer Aaron Dugick involved a man with a history of being forcibly committed for mental health treatment.

Dugick was one of five officers who showed up at apartments at 35th and Cuming Streets to look for him. Like Dugick, the officers were all young. During this 4 p.m.-to-midnight shift in this northeast Omaha precinct, nearly two out of every three police officers on duty have less than five years experience, something Chief Schmaderer is trying to change.

With three years in the department, Dugick already seemed to have figured out how to read people and to defuse potentially volatile situations. He smiles a lot. He shakes hands. The 29-year-old has a bachelors degree in psychology and views people skills as a matter of relying on basic respect.

He said he sees too many vulnerable people but not enough help. Addicts can get emergency detox at Campus for Hope but have to decide to sign themselves in to long-term treatment. With the mentally ill, Dugick feels theres little he can do other than be compassionate.

He cant just go arresting people on EPCs. If someone is suicidal, then hell take that person to Immanuel Medical Center.

Otherwise, he has to take each call as it comes and make a judgment.

Thats why he and a pair of other officers left a woman alone after a burglary call where the dispatcher said: Caller sounds A-Adam.

Her duplex was tidy but cluttered with boxes and medical equipment. Fifteen times the woman had called 911 to report break-ins, and she was insistent that burglars were getting in through her front door and attic crawl space. But the front door looked fine and the attic crawl space was nailed shut. These thieves were taking her medication, and now her peanut butter!

Dugick and a pair of other officers at the scene nodded. They asked questions about family and noted that a daughter was on her way there. They pledged to drive by and watch the home more often, especially during the womans daily afternoon sojourns in a motorized wheelchair to McDonalds.

Back in the patrol car, I asked Dugick about knowing when someone needs more help than just a visit. At what point, I asked, do you call Adult Protective Services? He explained that when you go on enough calls like this, you notice things: The house was cluttered but clean. She had food and water. She has family.

Officers, he said, have to balance their role as protectors of the vulnerable with peoples basic rights.

* * *

A pair of mental health calls followed that showed how tricky the calls can be.

The first involved a 24-year-old woman with bipolar disorder and a long rap sheet who had stormed out of her mothers house, breaking the front door frame on the way out. One officer went looking for the woman. Two officers borrowed a hammer and fixed the frame well enough so the front door could open, close and lock. Officer Dugick tried to get the story.

Usually I can calm her down, the womans mother explained. She said earlier she didnt feel like herself. She had been laughing and joking. She went from one extreme to the other.

As the woman returned home, guided by an officer, she sat sullenly but agreed to return to the hospital. It saved everyone the mess of deciding to EPC or not; to book into jail or not.

Then came the call to Creighton University.

Maria, a 27-year-old, was handcuffed in front of a throng of onlookers including her father, a pair of priests and a handful of Creighton campus security officers and Omaha police officers.

She railed against being handcuffed, against the Catholic Church, against campus security guards. Plus she wanted a cigarette.

The Omaha officers walked Maria away from the audience. Dugick carried her Michael Kors bag. They uncuffed her, got her a lighter and let her smoke. For the next half-hour or so, they tried to get her into a cruiser to Immanuel Medical Center.

She pushed back. What am I being charged with? So am I under arrest? Do I have any freedoms here?

Were not tricking you, Maria, Dugick said. Youre not in handcuffs. Youre not under arrest.

Finally Maria agreed, and Officer Andrew Ray drove her to the hospital with Dugick following. Hail pounded on the patrol cars and pounded the hospital awning under which Maria and the officers stood for another 30 minutes. The officers played it cool for a while, chatting with passers-by.

But around 10:15 p.m., almost two hours after the call began, the officers had made no headway. They had begged Maria to go inside. Maria said no, and in a dress and heels, walked into the rain and the dark, away from help.

Ray turned to a pair of officers from the northwest precinct and made a prediction. You guys will get a call.

* * *

Six days after Officer Staskiewicz took Nicholas, the man wandering downtown with a box cutter, to the hospital, the cop saw him again.

He had heard a 911 call and knew by the description  white male, poufy hair, a cut on his arm, acting strange  it must be Nicholas. So he went, thinking maybe he could reach him. Nicholas was throwing things, possibly food, at a shop window in the Old Market. His arms swelling was gone, but the wound was wide open and black around the edges.

Staskiewicz tried to talk Nicholas, who is homeless, into going to the Open Door Mission or Siena-Francis House.

He didnt want to do either, the cop said. He wanted to go down by Conagra. And look for answers.

There was nothing the police officer could do.
The number of prescriptions for opioids written by health care providers declined between 2012 and 2015, the government reported Thursday, introducing a glimmer of progress in efforts to quell the worst drug epidemic in U.S. history.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said prescriptions for highly addictive painkillers such as oxycodone dropped 13.1 percent over the three-year period, from 81.2 per 100 people to 70.6.

But Anne Schuchat, the CDC's acting director, expressed tempered optimism about the first national decline in opioid prescriptions that the CDC has reported since the crisis began in the late 1990s. She said the prescription rate is still triple the level it was in 1999 and four times as much as it is in some European countries. Even at the reduced prescribing rate, she said, enough opioids were ordered in 2015 to keep every American medicated round-the-clock for three weeks.

"It looks a little bit better, but you really have to put that in context," Schuchat said in an interview. "We're still seeing too many people get too much for too long."

The overprescribing of legal opioids sparked the addiction crisis, but some addicts eventually move to cheaper or stronger drugs, especially if they run into difficulty obtaining prescription opioids. In recent years the overdose death rate from illicit drugs, such as heroin and fentanyl, has risen much faster than the rate of overdoses from medical narcotics. That means the decline in prescriptions may trigger fewer first-time addictions in the future, Schuchat said.

The improvement should be viewed "as prevention," she said. "The fewer we get started, the fewer we get addicted to opioids."

Gary Mendell, founder of the anti-drug advocacy group Shatterproof, noted "the improvements being made," citing estimates that 80 percent of opioid abusers first become addicted to prescription narcotics, not street drugs. But, he said, the reduction is "not even close to what could occur in this country."

In particular, Mendell said, prescribing practices should be measured and responded to in real time. The cumbersome CDC process of collecting data from states and counties is inefficient, he said.

"Can you imagine being on a conference call with a company and they announce data that's two years old?" said Mendell, a former hotel executive. "There's a simple saying in business: What doesn't get measured doesn't get done."

The opioid crisis appears to have left no community untouched as it's mushroomed into an epidemic since the turn of the century. Prescription opioids alone killed nearly 180,000 people from 2000 to 2015 and those overdoses, abuse and dependence on medical narcotics created an annual "economic burden" estimated at $78.5 billion, according to the new report.

In 2015, the latest year for which the CDC has released data, more than 33,000 people died of overdoses that involved an opioid, including more than 15,000 who had taken a prescription narcotic. Nearly 13,000 more were killed by overdoses of heroin.

State data and a nationwide survey conducted by the New York Times indicate that those figures may be rising sharply in 2016.

More than two million people are addicted to opioids, the government estimates. In 2014 alone, there were 1.27 million emergency room visits or inpatient hospital stays for opioid-related health problems, another government agency reported in June.

The critical shortage of treatment for people with opioid use disorder also has complicated plans by the President Trump and Republicans in Congress to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. States confronting major drug problems have resisted federal proposals to roll back Obamacare's expansion of Medicaid, which is helping to fund treatment for many people.

There are also indications that prescriptions for opioids have been dropping since 2015. In the past year, some private-sector data collectors have reported prescription declines on par with the data in the CDC report. Customers of Cigna Health Insurance, for instance, have consumed nearly 12 percent fewer opioids in the past year, according to Will Lopez, senior medical director of Cigna Behavioral Health.

The CDC report also confirmed another critical factor in the crisis: It found wide disparities in opioid prescriptions in counties across the nation. Doctors in some counties in hard-hit parts of Appalachia, the southwest and New England prescribed the equivalent of 958 to 5,543 milligrams of morphine per capita in 2015. In other locations, prescribers authorized zero to 454 milligrams in the same year.

The report also determined, as other researchers have, that opioids are more heavily prescribed in small town America, in counties with larger white populations, and in places where unemployment and Medicaid enrollment are higher. It also found that they are prescribed more frequently in counties where arthritis and diabetes rates are higher than average.

Still, those factors only explain about a third of the variation among counties, Schuchat said. "That suggests to me that clinicians may not know what the right amount of prescribing is. They may be prescribing based on custom and tradition and what they were taught" in medical school, she said.

In the last few years, medical and public health authorities, including the CDC, have been urging doctors to cut back on the number of pills, the dose and the duration of the prescriptions they offer  a turnaround from just 15 years ago, when a nationwide movement urged physicians to more aggressively treat their patients' pain. Even before the CDC issued guidelines last year, studies were warning prescribers of the dangers of dispensing too many opioids.

The data indicate that at least some prescribers are heeding the message. Nationally, prescribing peaked at the equivalent of 782 milligrams of morphine per person in 2010, declining to 640 milligrams per person in 2015.

The study also found a continued increase in long-term prescribing of opioids. The average length of prescriptions rose steadily from about 13 in 2006 to about 18 in 2015, the data show. But Schuchat cautioned that as fewer people are receiving short-term prescriptions, those who take opioids for years for chronic pain may have skewed the average. The CDC has said that there is no evidence that opioids are effective long-term and suggests that people with chronic pain, one of the most common reasons for visiting a health-care provider, seek alternatives.

"Improving the management of chronic pain is very important," Schuchat said. "There are multiple approaches. Larger-scale studies suggest that opioids, even high-dose opioids, are not in the long run effective for chronic pain, and in the long run may even be dangerous."
The Omaha school board will consider cutting ties with the firm that handled the aborted search for a new superintendent.

Board members will vote tonight on terminating the districts agreement with McPherson & Jacobson.

Marque Snow, the board vice president, said parting ways with the firm would be the first step in completing a successful superintendent search.

Snow said the objective is to get an early jump on a new search. The last one got a late start, he said, with the firm coming on board in November.

He said the board would have to decide whether to initiate a new request for proposals from search firms or whether to re-examine the firms that submitted proposals last fall.

The search to replace Superintendent Mark Evans went sour in March when all three finalists withdrew before the board could select one.

Evans subsequently agreed to postpone his retirement for a year while the board searches for his replacement.

The board originally hired Omaha-based McPherson & Jacobson last November, passing over firms from Iowa and Illinois.

At the time, board members said they thought the local firm might do the best job of selling Omaha to superintendent candidates.

Board members also cited the firms experience in a handful of large, urban districts such as Charlotte-Mecklenburg in North Carolina.

The search failed when the finalists withdrew.

Finalist Jane Stavem, an associate superintendent in the Lincoln Public Schools, said she didnt think the job was the right fit and voiced qualms with the search process.

The two other finalists  Paul Gausman, superintendent of Sioux City Community Schools in Iowa, and Khalid Mumin, superintendent of Reading School District in Pennsylvania  issued a joint statement saying that neither had engendered the support of the board.
A short jaunt off 72nd Street and less than a mile up tree-lined Main Street, a small collection of shops, offices and bars, some tucked inside old storefronts, populate Ralstons downtown.

The roads and sidewalks are in good shape. Distinct streetlights, banners with the citys branding and red brick walkways clearly mark the downtown, which is made up of several blocks to the southwest of 72nd and Q Streets.

But on a recent warm morning, there werent many people here.

The area doesnt draw much foot traffic, and some people dont even know it exists, said Shaun Dolphens, director of business development for Dolphens Signs on 77th Street and Park Drive.

People come and then they leave, Dolphens said. What if we could offer them more?

Providing visitors with reasons to stick around, which will hopefully go hand in hand with attracting certain kinds of businesses and more community events, is the aim of a new association that Dolphens, his father and about 20 other downtown business owners formed within the past year. They want in on a trend that is motivating many small Nebraska cities to prioritize downtown revitalization efforts. Plattsmouth, Ashland and the Elkhorn area have all directed resources toward improving their downtowns.

Papillions downtown is attracting new tenants and more foot traffic. Gretna is using a grant to conduct a downtown study. A developer wants to build a city center in La Vista, which has never had a downtown. Why shouldnt Ralston get in on the fun?

We just want to get people down here to see what we have and what a great little community we are, said Rick Dolphens, Shauns dad, as a place to live but also a place to shop and hang out and eat.

At present, the association is organizing more community events  like a food truck rodeo  and working to beautify the area by installing more flowerpots. The goal is to draw more people off the main thoroughfares  72nd, 84th and Q Streets  as well as to keep people in Ralston.

Sure, Omaha has everything you could need, Shaun Dolphens said. But why not stay in Ralston and support local businesses if thats an option?

In years past, the downtown has been home to a lot of services, like Dolphens Signs, a lawn mower shop, a hair salon and law offices. But lately, downtown has attracted some businesses better for foot traffic, Rick Dolphens said.

Theres popular Mexican restaurant Marias, a floral shop, a candle shop. Dolphens Signs is going to start offering woodworking and painting classes.

Mayor Don Groesser and Amy Roeder, president of the Ralston Chamber of Commerce, are working with the association to lend resources. For Roeder, that means networking.

Its about meeting people and finding that right person to be part of the community, Roeder said.

Downtown has several available buildings, she said, though she didnt have an exact number of vacancies. The good news is the infrastructure and the community are already in place; the downtown just needs to attract more business owners.

Our existing businesses that we have are wonderful, she said. But itd be nice to get some foot traffic to help get them more business.

The downtown association also worked with city leaders to adopt ordinances allowing food trucks. Mobile food vendors previously werent permitted in Ralston.

Shaun Dolphens said most employees leave downtown for lunch every day. But if they had a food truck or two available at that time, people would be more likely to stay, or even come from outside downtown to eat.

The downtown effort comes as the city deals with some upheaval at City Hall.

On June 23 the City of Ralston saw the departures of two key staffers: City Clerk Dolores Costanzo and Deputy Treasurer Ginger Boone. The resignations followed the resignations earlier this year of Police Chief Ron Murtaugh and John Yochum, who was the economic development director. Groesser said the downtown revitalization effort will not be affected by anything going on at City Hall.

Outside of the food truck legislation, city leaders havent been involved, he said.

The downtown revitalization effort is its own group, Groesser said. It has nothing to do with City Hall.

Shaun Dolphens said there are those downtown who dont want to see change, but he also doesnt think that attitude will hinder efforts.

I see the cultural shift toward bringing more businesses in, he said. Were all passionate about Ralston.
OSMOND, Neb.  Firefighters were on the scene for about eight hours putting out a grocery store fire Sunday in the heart of Osmonds downtown.

Osmond Fire Chief Marty Kruse said the call about the blaze, which broke out at Tiger Town Food & Floral Center, came in at 3:11 p.m. Sunday. The three-story brick structure is on a corner and was not open at the time.

Kruse said the grocery store itself is a total loss. There also were several inches of water in the basement of the business located to the south  the Osmond Republican newspaper  along with some smoke smell.

As firefighters arrived, smoke was billowing down the street, but no flames were present.

It was all smoke at first, Kruse said.

Almost immediately a call for help went out, and firefighters and equipment from Plainview arrived, along with responders from Pierce, Wausa and Randolph. Because of the buildings height, Pierce dispatch was called and requested the aerial truck from Norfolk, Kruse said.

The cause of the fire hadnt been announced as of Monday evening, but the state fire marshal was on hand Sunday to inspect the scene, the chief said.

A message was left Monday with the State Fire Marshals Office seeking comment on the origin of the blaze.

Kruse said the building is unsafe to enter, and a structural engineer has been called to examine it.

No one was injured inside the structure or while fighting the fire, he said. Osmond residents handed out bottled water to firefighters battling the blaze in extreme heat.

Osmond Mayor James Bessmer, who owns the business, said Monday morning that he wasnt sure whether he would be able to rebuild. Bessmer said he doesnt want to leave the town without a grocery store, but that it was too early to tell what he would do.

According to the Osmond Q125 history book published in 2015, Bessmer and his wife, Nancy, bought Tiger Town Food & Floral Center on Dec. 5, 2011.

The store was formerly Schuettlers Grocery, with Chicks Grocery located in the south portion of the store. Shortly after the business opened, a portion of the office was converted into a floral department, according to the history book.

Capt. Lannce Grothe of the Norfolk Fire Division said it took about 60 firefighters and 14 rigs about five hours to control the fire and overhaul operations.
Pete Ricketts' time as governor is coming to an end, but after spending over $3.8 million in the last 11 months, he will likely have an influence on the future of state leadership for years to come.
NORFOLK, Neb.  The water tower on Norfolks west side is slated eventually to be demolished, but one area resident would like it saved and turned into a scenic overlook.

Max Unseld of Pierce, Nebraska, said his idea would not only preserve the historic tower but also give visitors a memorable view of the area.

Unseld recently presented his idea to the Norfolk City Council.

Unseld said he believes a tower-turned-overlook would be a draw. (People) could go up there and see just as much or more than they would on a trip  and theyd still be local, he said. Theres just nothing like that around for a lot of people ... and itd be something for them to do.

Unseld said he would like to see a walkway built around the towers tank so visitors could safely get 360-degree views. The overlook could be enhanced, he said, by setting up telescopes on the walkway and adding an elevator so people of all abilities could have access to it.

Norfolk is the only one around here that would have anything like that, Unseld said. This is something we could leave to the future generation. Its a historic site, and the scenery from up there would change from sunrise to sunset. (During the) four seasons of the year, it would always look different. Its something (people) would never forget.

Renovating the tower would cost money. Unseld acknowledges that, adding that it also would have to have insurance.

I know itll probably cost quite a bit, but I know theres money around, he said.

The city plans to one day take down the water tower and replace it with a galvanized steel tower that would support the antennas now affixed to the water tower. No timetable has been set. Officials have said the city has other water storage tanks that amply supply Norfolks needs.

Norfolk Mayor Josh Moenning said he is potentially open to Unselds ideas for the current water tower, which was erected in 1964.

Its a creative idea, and we shouldnt be afraid to think big, Moenning said. There are no immediate plans to bring the tower down, so we have some time to evaluate future plans and best use.

Other communities have converted their old water towers to other uses, the mayor said. We need to consider what makes most sense in terms of potential use, public benefit, costs to repurpose and sustainability.
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WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump accused former FBI Director James Comey of illegally leaking classified information to the media, part of an angry, early-morning Tweet storm on Monday as the president faces new allegations about his 2016 campaign's contact with the Russians.

"James Comey leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media," Trump wrote, referring to the FBI director he fired in May. "That is so illegal!"

Testifying before Congress last month, Comey revealed that a Tweet by the president  incorrectly suggesting he may have had taped his conversations with Comey  prompted the former FBI director to ask a close friend to leak to the news media private memos he had kept recounting his interactions with Trump.

The president also used Twitter to push out several "Fox & Friends" clips Monday morning, including one accusing Comey of having his friend leak top secret information, and another accusing the media of not representing half of the country.

Trump's frustrated, frenzied tweets came amid reports in the New York Times this weekend that the president's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr.  as well as his son-in-law Jared Kushner and former campaign manager Paul J. Manafort  met with a Russian lawyer with Kremlin ties during the 2016 campaign, after being promised damaging information on Hillary Clinton.

The president also used Twitter to urge lawmakers to pass legislation to repeal and replace President Obama's signature health care bill before leaving for the August recess.

"I cannot imagine that Congress would dare to leave Washington without a beautiful new HealthCare bill fully approved and ready to go!" he wrote.

Senate Republicans left for the July 4 holiday after failing to hold a vote on Republican heath-care legislation. The White House has signaled that if Republicans cannot successfully pass a new health-care plan, the administration will pressure lawmakers to simply repeal the current health care law  and then, possibly, work with Democrats to write replacement legislation.
Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale has struck a reasonable balance in handling a federal commissions request for voter registration data.

Gale decided to provide the commission with information thats public record under Nebraska law, but only if the commission provides assurance that the data wont be used in ways that violate Nebraska law.

Voter information may not be used for commercial purposes under Nebraska law, for example, but such use could be a possibility if the commission publicly releases the information, en masse.

Gale rightly emphasizes that knowing how the data will be used, how it will be secured and how it might be publicly shared by the commission is vitally important.

Voter names, party affiliations and addresses constitute the data Gale would provide. Less certain is whether he would share the last four digits of voters Social Security numbers, since some Nebraska statutes allow that information to be withheld.

Its less than reassuring that the federal commission, which is tasked with investigating allegations of voter fraud, has provided no clear description of precisely what it will do with the data. All the more reason for Gale to proceed cautiously.
Volker served as U.S. ambassador to NATO from 2008 to 2009 under both former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Prior to that, he served in a variety of roles at the State Department and National Security Council.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tapped Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, to be special representative to Ukraine, as the Trump administration grapples with how to end conflict in the war-shattered country more than three years after Russias invasion.

With Volkers appointment, announced hours before President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met face-to-face for the first time, the Trump administration now has a Russia hawk with extensive diplomatic experience charged with running the day-to-day slog ending a frozen conflict.

The fact that they appointed (Volker) is a sign this administration is serious about Ukraine, John Herbst, former U.S. ambassador to Kiev, told Foreign Policy.

That seriousness could push all sides into honoring the Minsk accords, an internationally monitored ceasefire plan hastily brokered in 2015 as the conflict flared up.

Kurts wealth of experience makes him uniquely qualified to move this conflict in the direction of peace, Tillerson said in a statement released Friday. The United States remains fully committed to the objectives of the Minsk agreements, and I have complete confidence in Kurt to continue our efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine.

But his job could be made more difficult by Trump and Tillerson, who six months into office havent yet outlined a clear Ukraine strategy.

Its still a mystery as to where Trump and Tillerson are when it comes to Russia, when it comes to Ukraine, said Jim Townsend, a former senior Pentagon official for Europe and NATO policy. What will be (Volkers) marching orders? What is he supposed to do?

Volker has close ties to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a hawkish Senate heavyweight who hasnt backed down from clashing with Trump on foreign policy and defense issues. Volker is currently the executive director of Arizona State Universitys McCain Institute for International Leadership, named after the senator and his family.

Volkers appointment could also signal growing U.S. cooperation with Germany after months of chilliness. Several diplomatic sources said that during German Chancellor Angela Merkels visit to Washington in March, she asked Trump to appoint a special envoy for Ukraine. While Berlin and Washington butt heads over trade and climate change, it at least appears Merkels wish was granted on Ukraine.

Germany and France have unwillingly replaced the United States in the drivers seat when it comes to ending the Ukraine conflict. Merkel and her French counterpart championed the Minsk accords in 2015 with Ukraine, Russia and Russian-backed Ukrainian forces to bring about a ceasefire.

While the deal is a steppingstone for long-term peace and the basis of EU sanctions on Russia, its hanging by a thread. Herbst said there are 70 to 80 ceasefire violations a day on the frontlines of the conflict, mostly by the Russian-backed separatists. The conflict in Ukraine has killed 10,000 and displaced some 2 million since it began in 2014.

Tillersons new Ukraine envoy could breathe some much-needed life back into the drive for peace, whose momentum has slowed in recent years.

Unfortunately, there is some Ukraine fatigue in Europe right now. It has become accepted as a background condition in European security, said Tobias Bunde, a European security expert at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. Berlin would be quite happy if the United States would bring its power back to the negotiating table.

Volker will be the first U.S. special representative to Ukraine who holds that position exclusively. Under former President Barack Obama, then-Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland held the special envoy role. Volker, in his new role, is expected to deal primarily with Vladislav Surkov, one of Putins closest advisers.

His appointment comes after Tillerson repeatedly insisted he wouldnt appoint any new special envoys until finishing a review of the State Departments organization. Current and former State Department officials said there has been a proliferation of special envoys in recent years that duplicate the departments efforts and suck power from the regional bureaus.

While Volker navigates the maze of peacemaking on Ukraine, hell also have to walk the tight-rope of Russia politics in Washington as the Trump administration struggles to shrug off its scandals and multiple investigations into possible ties to the Kremlin.

In that sense, Volker will be a rare breed in the Trump administration, understanding how power works in the capital.

There arent many (Trump) appointees that know how to play the piano of Washington. But Kurt knows how to play the piano, Townsend told Foreign Policy.

Hes come out as a hawk against Russia and advocated in the past for sending Kiev lethal aid, something the last administration shied away from. That could soothe Washingtons European allies, who worried in the early days of the Trump presidency he could sell European security guarantees and support for Kiev down the river for some form of grand bargain with Putin.

(Volkers) appointment is reassuring, said Bunde. He wont be the guy who hands over eastern Ukraine to Russia.
LONDON  This week Im supposed to be on vacation, taking in a half-dozen Shakespeare plays in an effort to escape the sturm und drang as President Donald Trump travels abroad to Poland and Germany.

But there was something so disturbing about Trumps remarks at his first stop in Warsaw, Poland  especially as they came during the week of Americas Independence Day  that I cant refrain from weighing in. His choice of words, and of Poland as the place to deliver them, lay bare the real threat facing U.S. democracy today.

First, note the symbolism of visiting Poland first before Germany, where Trump has a testy relationship with Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom some call the new leader of the free world.

The conservative, religious, right-wing Polish government, on the other hand, has been tugging democratic Poland back toward a semi-authoritarian model that would subordinate the judiciary and the press.

Second, take note of Trumps speech in Warsaws old town square, the epicenter of the 1944 Polish uprising against the Nazis. The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive, the president proclaimed, using his typically draconian language. Do we have the confidence in our values to defend them at any cost?

But exactly what values was the president seeking to defend with his oration? It certainly was not the separation of powers or the freedom of the press that our Founding Fathers envisioned as the key to maintaining a democratic system. Not at all.

The threat that Trump was referring to was immigration: Do we have enough respect for our citizens to protect our borders? he went on. Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it?

In other words, the main danger to democracy, as far as the American president was concerned, is the hordes, presumably Muslim, that are threatening our civilization. And he was issuing this warning in a country that has taken in zero refugees.

What makes this speech so extraordinary is where the president chose to deliver it: in a country whose main power broker, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the head of the governing Law and Justice Party, has hobbled Polands constitutional court, defamed the men who led the 1980s fight for freedom from Moscow and made public media into a government bullhorn.

No wonder Trump couldnt resist launching into his interminable riff about fake media and slamming CNN and NBC yet again, while standing next to a Polish president, Andrzej Duda, who has been accused of curbing press freedoms.

In other words, in the city where the Nazis crushed Polish resistance, in a country that struggled to free itself from Soviet communist domination, the U.S. president chose to denounce American media while his Polish counterpart concurred.

The great objective of this government is to reorganize Poland into a Putin-like system, the great Polish journalist Adam Michnik told the New York Times last year. He meant a government with democratic trappings that conceals an authoritarian system underneath. First Hungary, now Poland, seem headed in this direction.

True, the Polish government is a firm supporter of NATO, because it fears encroachment by its historic enemy, Russia, next door (even if Kaczynski and Duda are leaning toward a Kremlin-like governing system). And, in Warsaw, Trump paid lip service to NATO while taking a slap at Russias destabilizing activity in the region.

But standing by Duda, Trump still refused to squarely admit that Moscow had meddled in Americas elections. And we know that the U.S. president also admires Putins tough guy image.

As a result, rather than burnishing the values of our civilization in Warsaw, Trump demonstrated how he is undermining those values from within, dumping on a free press in cahoots with a Polish leader who has undermined his own countrys democratic institutions.

Obviously, Trump is not familiar with the words of Thomas Jefferson: The only security of all is in a free press. The force of public opinion cannot be resisted when permitted freely to be expressed. The agitation it produces must be submitted to. It is necessary, to keep the waters pure.

The fundamental question of our time is not whether America keeps its borders closed but whether Americans will continue to cherish the institutions that the Founding Fathers bequeathed them. Especially when the leader of the free world doesnt seem to grasp what those values are.
One of the most disturbing lessons to emerge from the Ebola virus disease epidemic in West Africa in 2014-15 was how unprepared the world was for it.

David Nabarro, special adviser to the U.N.secretary general, told a Senate panel recently that the virus was missed in late 2013 and played down in 2014, even in July of that year when numbers of cases were doubling every three weeks. Ultimately, 11,314 people died in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

When it was over, several studies concluded that the world needs a well-funded, rapid-reaction mechanism, a firefighting team ready to deploy quickly in the face of spreading disease.

Now comes the World Bank with a novel program that could help realize the goal of rapid response to such emergency health threats and save lives. The bank has announced the issuance of $500 million in specialized bonds and derivatives that will help poor countries cope with a pandemic such as Ebola. The effort will create a trust fund, the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility, that can be quickly deployed for pandemic response.

Investors who buy the bonds and provide the trust-fund financing upfront will reap premiums but will also be taking a risk. If there is a major outbreak, the investors will lose some or all of their cash.

One big advantage is that instead of waiting around for slow-moving national governments to fund a disease response, the resources necessary for saving lives will be available quickly.

The trust-fund money will be used to respond to six viruses that are most likely to cause a pandemic, including influenza, Ebola, severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome. The financing to 77 eligible countries will be triggered depending on how far and fast a disease spreads and whether it crosses international borders.

When putting the program together, World Bank officials back-tested it against the history of the Ebola pandemic in 2014. They think that, had it been in place, money would have flowed three months sooner than it did. Of course, money isnt everything  political decisions, biomedical research, proper alerts and communication are also critical factors in a rapid response.

But having a robust fund to send in the first teams is a promising and innovative step forward by the World Bank and a worthy legacy of the Ebola catastrophe.
OT allowance reminder

In a letter the BPMS has said, with due regards, your attention is invited to the Anomalies Committee meeting held on 26.12.2016 under the Chairmanship of AS(J) Shri J Rama Krishna Rao wherein we have reflected our concern over the delay in the revision of statutory nature allowance (Over Time Allowance under the Factories Act, 1948) in defence establishments.

In turn, the AS(J) pleased and instructed to resolve the matter of the payment of Over Time Allowance as per revised pay consequent to implementation of 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

Therefore, you are requested to take necessary action so that the issue of the payment of overtime allowance in defence establishments on the revised pay of 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

Family Planning allowance abolished

Subject: Discontinuance of Family Planning Allowance for adoption of small family norms - recommendation of the7th Central pay Commission

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry's No.7/20/2008-E-IIIA dated 24-9-2008 regarding the existing rates of Family Planning Allowance (FPA) admissible to Central Government employees and to say that as provided for in para 7 of this Ministry's Resolution No.1-2/2016-IC dated 25th July, 2016, the matter regarding allowances (except Dearness Allowance) based on the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission was referred to a Committee under the Chairmanship of Finance Secretary and until a final decision thereon, all allowances were required to be paid at the existing rates in the existing pay structure (the pay structure based on 6th Pay Commission) as if the pay has not been revised w.e.f. 1st January, 2016. Accordingly, FPA was also required to be paid at the existing rates specified in the aforesaid OM dated 24.9.2008.

The decisions of the Govemment on various allowances based on the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission and in the light of the recommendations of the Committee under the Chairmanship of the Finance Secretary, have since been notified as per tie Resolution No.11-1/2016-IC dated 6th July, 2017.

As mentioned at Sl. No.60 of the Appendix -Il of the said Resolution dated 8th July, 2017, the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission to abolish Family Planning Allowance has been accepted and this decision is effective from 1st July, 2017. Accordingty, FPA Family Planning Allowance, as admissible hitherto, shall cease to exist in all cases.

These orders shall take effect from 1st July, 2017 and hence Family Planning Allowance shall stand discontinued w.e.f, 1st July, 2017.

In their application to the employees serving in the Indian Audit & Accounts Department, these orders are issued in consultation with the Office of C&AG.

Non-Practicing Allowance revised

Subject: Revision of rates of Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) in respect of Veterinary posts on the basis of the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry's OM No. 7(19)/2008-E-lllA dated 30.8.2008 regarding the existing rates of Non-Practising Allowance(NPA) admissible to veterinary posts under the Central Government and to say that as provided for in para 7 of this Ministry's Resolution No. 1-2/2016-IC dated 25th July, 2016, the question of revision of rates of allowances (except Deamess Allowance) based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission was referred to a Committee under the Chairmanship of Finance Secretary and until a final decision thereon, all allowances were required to be paid at existing rates in the existing pay structure (the pay structure based on 6th Pay Commission) as if the pay has not been revised w.e.f. 1st January, 2016. Accordingly, NPA was also required to be paid at the existing rates specified in the aforesaid OM dated 30.8.2008.

2. The decisions of the Government on the revised rates of various allowances based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission and in the light of the recommendations of the Committee under the Chairmanship of the Finance Secretary, have since been notified as per the Resolution No.11-1/2016-IC dated 6th July, 2017.

3. Accordingly, the President is pleased to decide that in modification of the existing rates of NPA as contained in the aforesaid OM dated 30.8.2008, the NPA shall now be paid at the rate of 20% of the basic pay in the revised pay structure in vogue based on the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, as contained in the CCS(RP) Rules, 2016, subject to the condition that the sum of basic pay and NPA does not exceed Rs. 2,37,500 (Rupees two lakh thirty seven thousand and five hundred only).

Conditions which will regulate grant of NPA:

(i) The term "basic pay" in the revised pay structure shall mean "basic pay" as defined in Rule 3(x) of CCS(RP) Rules, 2016, Le, "basic pay" in revised pay structure means the pay drawn in the prescribed Level in the Pay Matrix.

(ii) The NPA shall continue to be treated as pay for the purpose of computation of Dearness Allowance and other allowances, except those allowances in respect of which the applicable orders provide other wise, including calculation of retirement benefits. Dearness Allowance under these orders shall mean dearness allowance as sanctioned by the Central Government from time to time in the 7th Pay Commission-related pay structure.

(iii) NPA shall continue to be restricted to those veterinary posts for which minimum qualification of a Degree of B.V.Sc. & AH with registration in the Veterinary Council of India is required. The following conditions shall also be fulfilled as hitherto:-

(a) The post is a clinical one.

(b) The post is a whole time post.

(c) There is ample scope for private practice, and

(d) It is necessary to prohibit private practice in public interest.

4. The revised rate of NPA in terms of these orders shall take effect from 1st July, 2017.

5. These orders will not be applicable in respect of Veterinary posts under the Ministry of Railways, Defence and Department of Atomic Energy for which separate orders will be issued by the concerned administrative Ministry/Department.
Activist Teesta Setalvad to face trial in grave-digging case from 2005

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi. July 10: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand to face trial in the Pandarwada grave digging case.

The case dates back to 2005 when about 28 bodies of victimes of the 2002 Gujarat riot victims were exhumed from graveyards in the state's Pandarwada and surrounding villages in Khanpur taluk. This took place after relatives of over 40 people killed in two separate incidents at Pandarwada in Panchmahal district during the riots had asked the authorities to hand over the bodies of their kin.

In 2011, Setalvad was named in the FIR in the case filed by the Lunawada Police as an "absconding accused", after which she had approached the Gujarat High Court for relief.

A co-ordinator of Setalvad's NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace, Rais Khan, had alleged after his arrest in the case that the graves had been dug up on her orders. But Setalvad had argued that instead of naming her a witness, the state was implicating her in the case because of her work to help victims of the Gujarat riots.

Misappropriation of funds case

The Supreme Court also rejected an appeal from Teesta Setalvad for relief from charges of corruption and misappropriation of funds meant for rehabilitation of Gujarat riot victims.

The apex court earlier on July 5 reserved its order on Setalvad's plea regarding de-freezing of her bank account and the NGOs.

A division bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justice AM Khanwilkar, was hearing the arguments.

The Gujarat Government told the apex court that Setalvad had allegedly spent NGO money meant for secular education for her personal purpose, including liquor consumption.

Setalvad, rejected the Gujarat Government's allegation and told the court that the state government was harassing her and wanted to paralyze her activities.

She told the apex court, "Only Rs. 7,850 were spent on liquor over seven years and the expenditure was approved by the Ford Foundation which donated money. Is it a crime?"

Teesta, her husband and the two NGOs - Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace - approached the apex court challenging the October 7, 2015, verdict of the Gujarat High Court, which had rejected their pleas for de-freezing their personal bank accounts.

Oneindia News (with agency inputs)

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 16:59 [IST]
Amarnath yatra attack: Hizbul hand suspected says IB

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Intelligence Bureau officials suspect the role of the Hizbul Mujahideen in the attack that took place at Anantnag on Monday. It was a well planned attack meant to create panic and bloodshed, an Intelligence Bureau official told OneIndia.

The attack was planned well in advance and was meant to avenge the designation of the Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist. The Hizbul has not claimed the attack as yet.

IB officials further say that the Hizbul with the backing of Pakistan had planned and coordinated this attack. The attack was meant to be launched on a police party, but the bus came under cross fire.

The IB says that they suspect the role of the Hizbul due to various factors. The Hizbul knows the terrain better than the rest of the outfits. Moreover it wanted to convey a strong statement in the wake of the US designated Salahuddin a global terrorist, the IB official also noted.

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Amarnath yatra attacked: List of passengers on ill-fated Gujarat bus

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

There were 56 passengers on the ill-fated bus that came under terrorist fire during the Amarnath yatra on Monday. Seven persons died in the attack when the bus came under fire by terrorists suspected to be part of the Hizbul Mujahideen.

The passengers were in the age group of 24 and 64. Most of them have been rushed to hospital and are being treated for injuries.

The number of the bus is GJ09 Z9976 and it had applied for a special permit to be part of the yatra. It is however unclear why the bus was not part of the main convoy which travels under special protection from the security forces.

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A series of investigations have been launched following the attack that took place at 8.30 pm in which 7 yatris lost their lives. The police say that the situation is now under control. A massive search operation has been launched.

The passengers being treated at hospital say that they were caught unawares. They suddenly heard a burst of fire and before they could realise it mayhem had struck. They also said that most of them in the bus were asleep when terror struck. They could hear firing from both sides, they also said.

OneIndia News
Amarnath yatra terror strike despite 'specific' intelligence warning

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The attack on the Amarnath Yatra comes just a couple of days after the Intelligence Bureau had issued a 'very' specific alert in this regard. The highest level of security measures had been put in place ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra.

2 Amarnath yatra pilgrims killed, many injured after terrorists attacked their bus in Batingu area of J&K's Anantnag. pic.twitter.com/0VUhq77r2u  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

The IB inputs suggested that the 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

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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.

The input was assessed to be a HUMINT (human intelligence) and it needed further corroboration, the IGP had said in the letter. At this stage, the possibility of a sensational attack by a terrorist outfit cannot be ruled out, the police had also 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 IB had also said.

All the officers and officials deployed on the ground need to remain alert and maintain utmost vigil, the IB had also added.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 22:13 [IST]
Amarnath Yatris came under cross fire, attack meant for police

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The bus that came under attack at Anantnag had a Gujarat registration. The police however say that the bus had come under cross fire and the terrorists had originally launched an attack on the police party.

Security has been enhanced at Jammu-Srinagar National highway in Udhampur following terror attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in Anantnag. pic.twitter.com/9MKI46fglP  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

All the pilgrims were from Gujarat officials confirm. In fact this bus was almost an hour late and all the rest of the buses had passed through earlier, officials also say.

A picture of the bus' registration number has been circulated. The number of the bus is GJ09 Z9976. While one section say that the attack was specifically on the bus, the security officials say that the attack was not meant to be direct.

A series of investigations have been launched following the attack that took place at 8.30 pm in which 7 yatris lost their lives.

While two pilgrims were killed on the other spot, the others succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital, he also said. The bus was not part of any convoy and was not registered with the shrine board.

The 90 Bn and 40 Bn CRPF have been rushed to the spot. While rescue operations are the first priority a separate team has launched a man hunt for the terrorists.

The terrorists had launched an attack on the police party, but the pilgrim bus was caught in the crossfire which led to the death of the seven Amarnath Yatris. The Inspector General of Police Jammu and Kashmir, Munir Khan told this website that a group of heavily armed militants attacked the police parties in Bantegoo and Kanabal areas today.

While two pilgrims were killed on the other spot, the others succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital, he also said. The bus was not part of any convoy and was not registered with the shrine board.

OneIndia News
Annual Kanwar Yatra begins on Monday, stringent arrangements in place

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

The annual Kanwar Yatra which involves millions of pilgrims undertake a journey to the holy Ganges by foot began on Monday.

Majority of these Yatris head for holy plave Haridwar from where they collect water from the Ganges and take it back to temples in their native villages.

The UP and Delhi police have charted out a traffic plan with route diversions for the Kanwar Yatra 2017.

In the wake of massive influx of pilgrims, the entry of heavy vehicles has been closed on Dehradun-Delhi highway while the highway will remain fully closed for vehicles from July 18.

[No vulgar songs during kanwar yatra: Yogi Adityanath]

Heavy vehicles coming from Lucknow will move via Kanth, Jalalabad, Kolaghat, Mirzapur, Kalan, Usawa, Miao, Badaun, Sahaswan and Gunnaur-Naraua-Bulandshahar to reach Delhi and vehicles coming from Shahjahanpur will be diverted towards Jalalabad, said reports.

Kanwariyas taking water from river Ganga Kanwariyas take water from river Ganga in Allahabad to perform abhishek of Lord Shiva at Kashi Vishwanath temple during the holy month of Shrawan. Kanwarias carrying holy water of river Ganga The festivals run during the monsoon month Shraawan (July-August). After taking water from the Ganges river (or other nearby river that wind up in the Ganges) the pilgrims, known as kanwariya or Shiv Bhaktas, are mandated to travel barefooted and in saffron robes with their Kanwar (walking sticks used to hang the urns of water) for 105 km by various routes and usually in groups made of family, friends and or neighbors, and return to their own local or other more prestigious and larger Shiva Temples to pour Gangajal on Lord Shiva (Shiv Linga). Kanwariyas heading back home File photo of Kanwariyas after collecting holy water from Ganga in Haridwar head towards their homes during rains in New Delhi. Devotees carrying a woman in a Kanwar in Moradabad Kanwar yatra is related to the churning of the ocean of milk in the Hindu Puranas. When the poison came out before Amrita and the world started burning from its heat then lord Shiva accepted to inhale poison. But, after inhaling it he started suffering from negative energy of poison. In Treta Yuga Shiva's devout follower Ravana did meditation. He brought holy water of Ganga by using kanwar and poured it on Shiva's temple in Puramahadev. Thus releasing Shiva from the negative energy of the poison. Kanwariyas taking selfie While most pilgrims are men, a few women also participate in Yatra. Most travel the distance on foot, a few also travel on bicycles, motor cycles, scooters, mini trucks or jeeps. Numerous Hindu organizations and other voluntary organizations like local Kanwar Sanghs, the Rashtryia Swayam Sewak Sangh and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. setup camps along the National Highways during the Yatra, where food, shelter, medical-aid and stand to hang the Kanvads, holding the Ganges water is provided.

The month of Shravan is dedicated to Lord Shiva and most devotees observe a fast on Mondays during the month, as it also falls during the chaturmas period, traditionally set aside for religious pilgrimages, bathing in holy rivers and penance.

During the annual Monsoon season thousands of saffron-clad pilgrims carrying water from the Ganges in Haridwar, Gangotri or Gaumukh, the glacier from where the Ganges originates and other holy places on the Ganges, like Sultanganj, the only place where the river turns north during its course, and return to their hometowns, where they later perform abhisheka (anointing) the Shivalingas at the local Shiva temples, as a gesture of thanksgiving.

OneIndia News
Will not step down unless CM asks me to do so: Bihar Agriculture Min

Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav will not resign: RJD

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Tejashwi Prasad Yadav will not resign as Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, said Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders on Monday after the party meet.

The alliance in Bihar is going through rough patch amid corruption charges against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members. Speculations are rife that Janata Dal (United) leaders are likely to demand resignation from Tejashwi Prasad Yadav after the CBI registered an FIR against him on corruption charges.

JD(U) sources told The Indian Express that it would be an "ideal situation if Tejashwi himself offers to step down" during a meeting of RJD legislators scheduled on Monday. JD (U) leaders are expected to meet tomorrow to discuss the issue of corruption charges against Tejashwi.

An FIR by the CBI on corruption charges against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and Tejashwi for allegedly accepting a prime plot of land in Patna in exchange for awarding a tender for the maintenance of two railway hotels to two Bihar businessmen when the RJD chief was railway minister in 2006.

However, Nitish Kumar's regime has the record of sacking or accepting the resignation of leaders facing corruption charges. JD(U) sources also pointed out that five ministers had to either resign or were sacked in the last 12 years over corruption charges and political allegations under Nitish Kumar's regime.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 13:03 [IST]
Bihar's Grand Alliance on shaky wicket: Here are the numbers if govt falls

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Grand Alliance in Bihar is on a shaky wicket. The Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar is likely to call on his deputy Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to resign. The decision is being taken following the CBI raids that were conducted at several locations including the residence of Tejaswhi who is the son of RJD chief, Lalu Prasad Yadav.

A meeting of the JD(U) has been scheduled to discuss the future course of action. The JD(U) would insist that Tejashwhi would resign from the post of deputy chief minister in the wake of the CBI registering an FIR against him.

While Nitish Kumar has not yet commented on the matter in public, he feels that it would be better if the deputy CM put in his papers on his own. Sources tell OneIndia that Nitish is insistent that his deputy resigns as him continuing in office would send out wrong signals.

What the numbers say:

Any such move by the RJD could spell trouble for the government. The RJD is likely to pull out and rock the Nitish Kumar led government. If the RJD were to withdraw support to the JD(U) the Congress which is also part of the Grand Alliance will follow suit.

However in the existing scenario, the bigger trouble would be for the RJD if it withdraws support. The JD(U) can comfortably form the government with the BJP even if both the Congress and RLD withdraw support. For the RJD on the other hand, it would not be able to form the government despite it being the single largest party in the state.

The Bihar Legislative assembly has 243 seats and the magic number is 122. The JD(U) has 71 seats while the RJD has 80. The Congress on the other hand has 27 seats while others including the independents are 12 in number.

If the RLD and the Congress ally and manage to bag all the other 12 seats, then it would have 119 seats which is still 3 short of the magic number. The JD(U) on the other hand with the support of the BJP will have 124 seats, 2 more than the magic number.

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Bilkis Bano case: SC dismisses appeals of 4 cops, 2 doctors

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Jul 10: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the appeals of four policemen including an IPS officer and two doctors challenging their conviction by the Bombay High Court in the sensational 2002 Bilkis Bano case, saying there was "clear-cut evidence" against them.

A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao, while rejecting their appeals, said the trial court had unreasonably acquitted them. "You all have been unreasonably acquitted by the trial court in the case despite there being clear-cut evidence against you," the bench said while dismissing three appeals.

IPS officer R S Bhagora, currently serving in Gujarat, was recently convicted along with four other policemen by the High Court, overturning the trial court order acquitting them. The Bombay High Court had on May 4 reversed the trial court verdict acquitting Bhagora and others and upheld the conviction of 11 people (one convict is dead) in the Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder case. One policeman Idris Abdul Sayed has not appealed against his conviction.

Counsel for Bhagora said he was unnecessarily caught in the web of circumstances and had no direct role in the incident. The bench, however, refused to go into the matter saying Bhagora was the supervising officer in the case and everything happened under his nose. Advocate Shobha, appearing for Bikis Bano, opposed the appeals of the convicts.

The High Court bench had convicted seven persons -- five policemen and two doctors -- under sections 218 (not performing their duties) and section 201 (tampering of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The apex court had on May 30 refused to stay the conviction of Bhagora. A vacation bench of Justices A K Sikri and Deepak Gupta said there was no urgency for hearing the matter as the convicted officer had already undergone the sentence.

A special court had on 21 January, 2008 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment 11 men for raping Bilkis and murdering seven of her family members in the aftermath of the Godhra riots, while acquitting seven persons including the policemen and doctors. The convicts later approached the Bombay high court challenging their conviction and sought to quash and setting aside of the trial court.

The CBI had also filed an appeal in the high court seeking harsher punishment of death for three of the convicted persons on the ground that they were the main perpetrators of the crime. According to the prosecution, on March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano's family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots and seven members of her family were killed.

Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gang raped while six other members of her family managed to escape from the mob.

The trial in the case began in Ahmedabad. However, after Bilkis expressed apprehensions that the witnesses could be harmed and the CBI evidence tampered with, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Mumbai in August 2004.

The convicts had challenged the order on three main grounds that all evidence in the case was fabricated by CBI. Bilkis gave birth to a child after the incident, proving that she could not have been gang raped and the failure to find the bodies of some of her family members which proved that they were not killed.

PTI

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 18:09 [IST]
Bombay High Court pulls up Maharashtra govt over Byculla jail inmate's death

India

oi-Anusha

The Bombay High Court on Monday questioned the delay in filing of FIR in Byculla jail inmate Manjula Shetye's death case. Pulling up the Maharashtra government, the High Court sought an explanation on why jail officials failed to act until an inmate filed a complaint.

A bench comprising Justice RM Savant and Justice Sadhana Jadhav questioned the motive behind jail authorities waiting for another inmate to file a complaint instead of acting on their own. The FIR in the case has been filed on the basis of another prisoners' complaint and the court sought explanation on the same.

The court was hearing a Public Interest Petition filed by a citizen who alleged that Manjula was assaulted and murdered by jail guards for complaining about the bad food. The PIL sought an inquiry into the corruption in food supplies in jails in the state. The court was told that an FIR in the case was registered after 36 hours of Manjula's death.

The court was also appraised of the discrepancies in the FIR and the post mortem report. While the FIR claimed the time of death to be 7 PM, post-mortem reveals that it was 6.30 PM. The petitioner expressed his concerns over the possibility of manipulation during post mortem.

So far, six staff of the Byculla jail have been arrested in connection with the case. CCTV footage that was presented to the court, showed how Manjula was dragged by her hair to the barracks in the final moments of her life.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 17:16 [IST]
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Curbs under stage 3 of anti-pollution plan to continue in Delhi-NCR: CAQM

BJP leader seeks to 'save Bengal' using Gujarat riots photo

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Delhi BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma has posted a picture of the 2002 Gujarat riots as that of the violence in West Bengal's Basirhat.

"Since trolls spent a sleepless night covering-up Basirhat violence, sharing media pics of the riots. Hope they report this to @WBPolice too."

Speak-up because it is already too late! Join in at 5 PM today at Jantar Mantar #SaveBengal #SaveHindus pic.twitter.com/QU5ZT1HkUt  Nupur Sharma (@NupurSharmaBJP) July 8, 2017

However, the twiterrati pointed out to her that the image was from 2002 and accused her of spreading a rumour.

"Requesting @WBPolice to take my tweet as a Complaint against @NupurSharmaBJP for her fake and provocative posts and Arrest her immediately," said a Twitter user. "Can't trust any BJP handle these days. Films, old riots all is being passed off as Bengal," said another.

Ms Sharma, in her tweet, said the photo reflected the reality of Bengal, irrespective of the place.

"I received a flyer from organisers of Save Bengal protests and I put it out. This has woken up the people in Lutyen's Delhi who have maintained a stoic silence on Bengal till now," added the leader, " reported PTI.

BJP planning a Protest for Bengal by using the Godhra riots image from 2002. pic.twitter.com/zrIZnCflBQ  Bajwa  (@ShakkrPara) July 8, 2017

It may be recalled that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned that her government would take action against two national TV channels for showing "fake" videos and "fomenting trouble".

Violence had erupted between two communities at Baduria in Basirhat sub-division of the district early this week over a controversial Facebook post, following which a young man was arrested.

(With agency inputs)
Demand to abolish GST on Textiles; strike on for 5th day

India

oi-PTI

Erode/Ahmedabad Jul 10: Around 5,000 textile producing units and retail shops and more than 20,000 powerlooms in Erode district of Tamil Nadu remained closed for the fifth consecutive day, demanding the abolition of GST on textile goods.

The protesters, under the aegis of Erode Cloth Merchants Association, formed a Human chain in the main street here where hundreds of textile shops are located.

Meanwhile, some office bearers of the Association left for Chennai to represent their plea to the Chief Minister The traders claimed they had incurred a loss of Rs 150 crore due to the stir and that there were huge stocks of unsold textiles in their shops, godowns and factories.

However all 150 Textile shops inside the Mohammed Abdul Gani Market here functioned as usual.

In Gujarat, Textile traders in Ahmedabad launched an indefinite strike from Monday to mount pressure on the government to roll back 5 per cent GST on cloth.

The decision was taken on Sunday during a meeting of traders associated with three major textile markets in the city, including Maskati Cloth Market Association, New Cloth Market and Panchkuva Cloth Market, a release by these associations said.

"5 per cent GST on cloth is not acceptable to anyone who is in the textile business. To raise our voice against this tax, all the textile markets in the city will go on indefinite strike from tomorrow, as traders will refrain from any kind of transaction," the joint statement said.

Textile traders in Surat are already on an indefinite strike for last one week. Yesterday, thousands of traders took part in a massive rally to protest against the 5 per cent GST rate.

Union minister Parshottam Rupala today asked traders to engage in talks with the Centre to resolve the issue instead of staging protests.

"The intention of rolling out GST was to give a boost to trade and business, not to harass people. I agree that traders are agitating because they are facing some problems due to this new tax structure. But, the issue can be resolved with dialogue with the government," Rupala told reporters here today.

OneIndia News
No GST on gifts up to value of Rs 50,000 from employer: Finance Ministry

India

oi-Madhuri

The Ministry of Finance on Monday said that gifts up to a value of Rs 50,000/- per year by an employer to his employee are outside the ambit of Goods and Services Tax.

The Ministry however, further said that gifts of value more than Rs 50,000/- made without consideration are subject to GST, when made in course or furtherance of business.

''Services by an employee to the employer in the course of or in relation to his employment is outside the scope of GST,''Finance Ministry said in a tweet..

''Supply by an employer to an employee in terms of contractual agreement entered into between employer & employee,will not be subjected to GST,'' the ministry added.

Further, the ministry said that the Input Tax Credit Scheme under GST does not allow ITC of membership of a club, health and fitness centre. It follows that if such services are provided free of charge to all the employees by the employer then the same will not be subjected to GST. These services will not be subjected to GST provided appropriate GST was paid when procured by the employer.

''Same would hold true for free housing to employees,when same is provided in contract between employer & employee& is part of Cost to Compan,'' it added.

OneIndia News
How can voluntary marriage be love jihad, man tells SC

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court in which it is stated that if an adult Hindu woman converts to Islam and marries a Muslim man, it does not amount to love jihad.

Shafin Jahan from Kerala challenged the order of the Kerala High Court which annulled his marriage. He said that he had met the lady with his family in response to an advertisement posted on a marriage website in August 2016.

The marriage was challenged by the parents of the girl. The Kerala High Court however annulled the marriage calling it a product of radicalisation and love jihad. The court had also contended that the lady was influenced and indoctrinated to convert.

Jahan however argued that the lady had converted out of her own free will. The marriage took place months after she had contended, he also said. He said that the order of the HC was an insult to the independence of women in India.

OneIndia News
How Mamata spun herself into a web of minority appeasement

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

It all began at Nandigram in the year 2007. Mamata Banerjee probably for the first time realised the importance of the Muslim vote bank at that time and since then it appears as though she has been spun into a web which she is unlikely to come out of.

The rioting that takes place in West Bengal is brazen in nature. Any small incident can trigger of a riot and the recent episodes are just a testimony of that. The problem for Mamata is two fold. She has relied heavily on the 30 per cent odd Muslim vote bank in the state. This has ensured her resounding success in the elections.

While the policy of appeasement helps her politically, it has done more harm than good for the state of Bengal. The Burdwan incident was one of the most shameful chapters in the history of the state.

A bunch of people had a free run in Bengal when they sat down to make bombs meant to be used in Bangladesh. The investigations clearly showed that the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh or the JMB had sent in its cadres to India to prepare bombs. These bombs numbering over 500 were meant to be used to shake up the government in Bangladesh.

Why this incident must be called as the worst in Bengal's history is because terrorists from another country were sheltered in the state and allowed to carry out subversive activities- something that India often accuses Pakistan of.

Out of control:

Intelligence Bureau officials who kept a close watch on the Burdhwan episode say that the state machinery looked the other way while all this happened. It is not as though the Intelligence Bureau did not warn the state machinery about what was taking place.

The problem is that many powerful persons managed to have their way around and let the bomb making happen. The state administration which follows a policy of appeasement was unable to control such elements.

Where it all began:

Many have accused Mamata of appeasing the Muslim community which constitutes 30 per cent of the vote bank. She understood the importance of Muslim support during the Nandigram agitation of 2007. There was police firing during the protest and the CPI(M) recaptured the area. In all this the Muslim support for Mamata swayed in her favour.

Mamata also did took full advantage of the suspicious death of Rizwanur Rehman in 2009. It was alleged that he committed suicide after being tortured by the police in Bengal which was then ruled by the CPI(M). Rehman was turned into a hero.

She then went on to name Rizwanur's brother and Feroza Bibi, the mother of a person killed in the Nandigram violence as candidates in the 2011 poll. Both went on to win the elections.

Let us revisit the Malda incident where 2.5 lakh people under the banner of the Idara-Shariya blocked the National Highway 34 to protest against remarks made about Prophet Mohammad. The mob set several buses and police ablaze. The media had reported that in the clash several police officers were injured and one RSS activist was shot.

What was ironic was that there was no spill out following the Muzzafarnagar riots of 2013. However the Malda riots were a result of a comment that was made in January 2017. The rioting took place a month later.

In 2012, Mamata announced an allowance of Rs 2,500 each for each imam. She also extended a stipend of Rs 1,500 to the thousands of muezzins who give the call to prayers at Mosques. While the Calcutta High Court struck her decision down saying it was discriminatory in nature, she found her way around it. It was then decided that the money would be given through the Wakf Boards.

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 11:07 [IST]
India hits back, kills two Pakistan soldiers

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Indian Army struck back and killed 2 Pakistan soldiers. This was in retaliation to the Pakistan army's cease fire violation along the Line of Control on Saturday. Reports suggested that two Pakistani soldiers were killed and six others injured.

The Indian Army soldiers targeted the Hajira sector at Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The attack was launched after an Army jawan and his wife were killed and their three daughters injured in the cease fire violation.

The Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire and initiated indiscriminate firing with small arms on Saturday on India Army ports along the LoC. Sepoy Mohammad Showkat who was on leave and his wife Safia Bi were killed when a mortar shell fired by Pakistan exploded near their home. India had lodged a protest with Pakistan over this issue.

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 6:02 [IST]
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India will never get bogged down by such cowardly act: Modi on Amarnath Yatra attack

India

oi-Madhuri

Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi condemned the attack that took place in Anantnag on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims. Condemning the incident, Modi tweeted that India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & evil designs of hate.

Modi further said,''Spoke to the Governor and Chief Minister of J&K and assured all possible assistance required.''

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley condemned the terror attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims, calling it the "most reprehensible act".

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in the wake of terror attack involving Amarnath pilgrims and assured her of all support.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi condemned the killing of Amarnath pilgrims in a militant attack as a "crime against humanity" and asserted that India will not be be cowed down by such cowardly terror attacks.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag is a "blot on all Muslims and Kashmiris".

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack and said these terrorists were the enemies of Kashmir and Kashmiriyat.

NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind and BJP chief Amit Shah condemned the terror attack, with the latter asserting that "cowards responsible for the barbaric attack will not be spared".

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani termed the attack as an act of cowards and said India will never bow down to such ideology.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the terrorist attack on Amarnath yatris and said terrorism is unacceptable anywhere in the world. "Strongly condemn the attack on Amarnath yatris and the police.

Seven pilgrims were killed and 14 others, including policemen, injured when a bus of yatris was caught in a cross fire between militants and a police party in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantang district, police said. The bus was carrying pilgrims back from Baltal after performing the yatra.

OneIndia News
Inspired by TV series, Mumbai woman cooks up 'gangrape' story to 'harass' friend

India

oi-Anusha

A college student's claims of being kidnapped and gang-raped in a moving car turned out to be false, claimed the Mumbai police on Monday. The news of the student's assault on July 6 had created a storm over women safety in Mumbai.

After a thorough investigation of CCTV footage, witnesses and questioning of the girl, the police concluded that the woman cooked up the assault story to 'teach her friend a lesson'. The college student had claimed that she was pulled into a car and taken to a secluded place where three men raped her. In her complaint, the girl claimed that she was dropped off at Aksa beach from where she hailed an auto to go home.

Eight special teams were formed to crack the case and within days, the police have concluded that the women, inspired by a television show decided to create a fake rape story to trouble her friend. On examination of CCTV footages, it was learnt that the woman hailed an auto from Marve beach as against her original claims of being at Aksa.

Also, probing officials noted that the car that was mentioned by the woman did not ply on the said route when CCTV footages were scanned. The police even tracked down the driver fo the auto that the woman had hailed who identified her in return.

When questioned for the second time, the woman confessed that she had made up the story after watching a television series where a rape case witness is questioned for days at a stretch and wanted to put her friend through the same. In her original complaint, the woman had claimed that the trio that abducted her kept telling her, "we asked you to stay away from him". She has been let off with a warning, according to reports.

OneIndia News
Is Karavali becoming the new Kannur? Clash of ideologies turns bloody in Karnataka

India

oi-Anusha

The soil of communally sensitive Karavali region in Karnataka is becoming bloodier by the day. The recent attacks on Sangh Parivar workers and PFI activists in Mangaluru and neighbouring localities have got one wondering if Karavali is going the Kannur way where political murders have become common. Albeit, in Karnataka, it is more to do with ideology and affiliation with specific groups.

The coastal Karnataka region has always been communally sensitive. The region has witnessed instances of pro-Hindu and pro-Islamic organisations clash with each other. While most such instances were impromptu, recent attacks, murders are of a different kind. Planned and executed with the involvement of elements outside the State. "One thing is certain, the culture of violence, murder has been successfully implanted in Karavali districts. Unfortunately, the leaders are not foreseeing what it will lead to," said BJP leader Suresh Kumar.

Kerala political killings: What keeps Kannur's soil bloodied and red

"Culture of violence successfully implanted in Karavali"

The BJP's Karnataka unit has claimed that in the last three years at least 23 Sangh Parivar workers have been killed across Karnataka while 6 have been assaulted. Even as the BJP state unit released these numbers, another Sangh worker in Mangaluru was attacked by miscreants using a machete. This assault came a day after Sharath was bid a final farewell. The culture of stone pelting during a funeral procession, as witnessed during Sharath's funeral is a new trend in the coastal districts. Police officers believe that the involvement of people from neighbouring Kerala has a lot to do with it.

"The pattern is unmissable. At least 12 or 14 murders of Parivar workers that have taken place has the same trend. They come on motorbikes, assault with weapons and vanish. There is a common thread in all incidents. Mob clashes are successfully replaced by this individual mortal attacks and the people whose ideology you don't like are. You don't know the attackers here and you can't even identify them because they finish their work and vanish into the neighbouring state," Suresh Kumar added.

The police do not disagree. While the local police arrested a dozen persons who pelted stones during the RSS worker's funeral are unable to identify those who attacked him. "They don't seem to be locals. They would have been identified by now had they been people from the same district. By the time we start tracing them, they vanish into the neighbouring states and jurisdiction becomes an issue. Unlike Kannur, the fight here is not political, it seems communal," said a police officer on the condition of anonymity.

Kerala politics is bloodied

In Kerala, the numbers are scary. Bloody politics has been the way for Kerala especially Kannur for the last 16 years. Largely after the RSS started venturing into the districts. Between 2000 and 2016 official police records from Kerala suggest that in Kannur alone 69 political murders were reported. In 2000, the highest number of political deaths, 9 were reported from both sides, CPM and Sangh Parivar. in 2002 it was 8, another big number while 2008 recorded the highest number of 12 deaths. Since CPM's Pinarayi Vijayan government came to power in Kerala in 2016, at least 8 political deaths were reported.

Congress leaders neither accept nor reject the Kannur-parallel

Speaking to OneIndia, U T Khader, a minister in Karnataka cabinet and a leader from the Karavali said that the time was to ensure peace and not indulge in blame game. While he said that the recent incidents may have panned out like the killings in Kannur but only an investigation would put things in perspective.

"This is no time for blind blame game. Mangaluru has seen such incidents in the past and I am confident that it will return to normalcy shortly. Let me highlight that RSS worker Sharath was taken to the hospital by a Muslim friend. Now, that is the culture of Mangaluru and not the attacks," U T Khader said.

He added that the attack on Sharath was a trickle down effect of what the district had witnessed over the weeks. " 15 days ago in Kalladka, an RSS worker, Mithun assaulted a Muslim boy. The district saw a bandha but RSS opposed it. Mithun was shielded by many people and he was not arrested. Police said he was absconding but rumours of him being spotted made the rounds. Later, a Hindu Jagaran Vedike member and a PFI worker clashed with each other which led to two groups pelting stones from a temple and a mosque at each other. After a week, Ashraf, a PFI worker was murdered by a Sangh worker and after three days Sharath was assaulted," U T Khader explained. He also reiterated that the issue was between members of two organisations and not between two communities. "Are the attacks like Kannur attacks, I am not sure but let the inquiry indicate what it is all about," he said.

"Attackers from the neighbouring State"

Intelligence inputs during this year's Tippu Jayanti celebrations in Karnataka confirmed that teams from Kerala rode into Karnataka. Intelligence inputs added that the teams that arrived made their way to Kodagu, Mysuru and Dakshin Kannada. Checkpoints were set up at multiple entry and exit points near sensitive localities and the authorities ensured that no untoward incident took place.

In a letter addressed to the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje has sought an NIA investigation into the cases just like the one in RSS worker RSS murder case in Bengaluru. "The Congress government in Karnataka is absolutely cold, insensitive, cruelly indifferent, criminally negligent and irresponsible to these heinous killings,' she said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, however, without naming any organisations or groups held that those responsible will be brought to the books. He added that groups that wanted to create unrest in the State will not be allowed to do so. Sounding eerily similar to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan each time a case of political murder is reported in Kerala.

OneIndia News
J&K police statement on Amarnath yatra attack

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Jammu and Kashmir police in a release said that terrorists had initially attacked a bullet proof police bunker at Botengoo. The fire was retaliated. Initially there were no reports of injuries.

Thereafter the terrorists fired on a police naka near Khanabal, the police statement also read. The fire was retaliated. A tourist bus was hit by bullets in which 18 tourists were injured, the statement also read.

Among them six died while the rest are being treated as hospital, the police also said. The bus was on its way to Jammu from Baltal and was not part of the convoy the statement by the police also said.

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 23:36 [IST]
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J-K: 7 Amarnath pilgrims killed in terror attack in Anantnag

India

oi-Madhuri

Seven Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were killed and 12 injured in a terrorist attack. Terrorists opened fire on a bus which was not part of the main yatra convoy and was not registered with the shrine board.

The main yatra convoy is escorted by the Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF, which has now rushed troops to the spot.

Sources say that the terrorists had intended on attacking the police party. Militants also opened fire in Botengoo near joint interrogation centre of Anantnag district of Kashmir, police said.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted: "The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants & unprecedented force presence."

The Amarnath pilgrimage came under attack on August 1, 2000, when militants massacred 30 people in Pahalgam. The victims were pilgrims and local porters.

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Amarnath Yatra Attack: 7 killed, 19 injured in J

The government held the Lashkar-e-Taiba responsible for the attack.

This year, intelligence agencies warned that militants were planning to target 100 policemen and as many pilgrims of the annual yatra to the Amarnath cave shrine that began from Jammu last Wednesday amid tight multi-tier security.

"The attack may be in the form of stand-off fire on yatra convoy, which they believe will result in flaring communal tensions throughout the nation," the inspector general of police said.

The government has deployed more than 40,000 troops to protect the twin routes of the 40-day pilgrimage to the Himalayan shrine in south Kashmir.

Surveillance cameras, jammers, dog squads, bullet-proof bunkers, satellite tracking devises and other security gadgets are being used to maintain vigil in view of increased militancy-linked incidents and violence in Kashmir.

The base camps in Pahalgam and Baltal are in Anantnag and Ganderbal districts. Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 metres, 46km from Pahalgam and 14km from Baltal.

OneIndia News
Kiren Rijiju says Centre extending help to flood-hit Northeast

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Jul 10: The central government is extending all possible help to the Northeast which is facing floods and landslides, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said on Monday.

"Most of the Northeast is devastated with floods and landslides. The Centre is extending all possible help, including manpower, for relief and restoration," he said here.

Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are facing floods and landslides due to incessant rains in last couple of days. Landslides, triggered by torrential rains in Manipur, have severely affected transport links to the landlocked state with buses and goods and fuel carriers stranded on national highways.

As many as 15 districts of Assam were affected by the current floods which marooned 4.86 lakh people. So far 26 people have lost their lives due to the floods, which have also hit 41,239 hectares of crops. The state government has set up 90 relief camps where 17,740 people have taken shelter.

Yesterday, concerned over the grim flood condition in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and took stock of the prevailing situation in the state. The prime minister also assured him of all central help.

PTI
Maharashtra farmers to restart protest over 'unjust loan waiver'

India

oi-Anusha

Unhappy with the Maharashtra government's announcement of farm loan waiver, farmers in Maharashtra are all set to restart their protest from Monday. Farmer outfits are all set to demand a blanket loan waiver a day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that 36 lakh farmers would get a full waiver under the scheme.

An awareness March that will begin in Nashik on Monday will conclude on July 23 at Pune. The 13-day March is aimed at 'creating awareness against the injustices meted out to farmers in the name of loan waivers.' Ina addition to the blanket loan waiver, farmers are also demanding minimum support price of 50 percent for crops in addition to the input costs.

Farmer outfits will travel across the State before concluding the march in Pune. Deeming the 34,000 crore loan waiver 'incomplete', farmers demand that more inclusiveness in required and want the date limit of June 30, 2016, changed. Farmers demanded that the loan of those who borrowed till June 30, 2017, be waived off. The March is also aimed at demanding waiver for close to 40 lakh farmers who will not receive the full benefit of the scheme. The cap on the waiver is currently Rs 1.5 lakh per farmer.

Shiv Sena to protest too

The BJP's alliance partner in the state, Shiv Sena will also hold protests across the state on Monday seeking names of farmers who will benefit from the loan waiver scheme. Shiv Sena will hold 'Dhol Bajao' protest in all district headquarters outside banks.

The Shiv Sena is also demanding a blanket loan waiver. Party president Uddhav Thackeray had asked all MPs MLAs and district chiefs to carry out a drum beating protest outside the offices of all district central cooperative banks in the state. Shiv Sena has sought a name list of beneficiaries of the Rs 34,000 farm loan waiver scheme from all banks.

OneIndia News
Malayalam actress molestation case: Actor Dileep arrested on conspiracy charges

India

oi-Madhuri

In a new development in the Kerala actress kidnap case, Popular Malayalam Actor Dileep was arrested on Monday evening on conspiracy charges.

The probe into the February kidnapping has turned murkier ever since the name of superstar Dileep got linked in the case.

Popular Malayalam film actress was abducted on February 18, 2017, for a while on her way from Thrissur to Kochi on February 18 Friday night by some people, who reportedly took pictures of her to blackmail her.

The incident, reportedly, took place while the victim was returning from a shoot, when Sunil and Martin forcefully entered the car and tried to take her pictures.

According to police, the actress was held in the car for an hour, after which, she was dropped near her residence at around 10.30 pm.

OneIndia News
Human rights of people of Xinjiang should be respected and guaranteed: India

Meat off the menu for economy class flyers in Air India

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, July 10: Reeling under debt and cash crunch, Air India has decided to take meat off the menu for economy class flyers on all its domestic routes.

While this move is done as a cost-cutting measure by the ailing airlines, the discrimination in 'class' cannot be missed as the Maharaja continues to serve non-vegetarian to its business class flyers.

Two weeks ago, the Air India management silently cleared the proposal to stop non-vegetarian meals on board domestic flights for economy class flyers, reports India Today.

Sources in the Air India said that the decision will help save Rs 7-8 crore annually for the national carrier.

This is the second such 'cost-cutting' move by Air India in the last few months. Six months ago, the airline had struck off non-vegetarian meals on domestic flights with only economy class flyers which have a flight duration of below 90 minutes.

The recent decision by the Air India management is unlikely to go down well with the flyers. Passengers have been complaining about non-vegetarian meals missing from the on board menu.

The Air India in-flight staff is facing a tough time answering the queries of economy class flyers on denial of non-vegetarian meals when business class flyers on the same flight are having it.

Air India has clarified that egg dishes will continue to be served to economy class passengers on domestic flights, but chicken and other meat will be off the menu

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 11:26 [IST]
VK Singh to visit Iraq on April 1 to bring back the mortal remains of 39 Indians killed in Mosul

Mosul recapture: Sushma Swaraj assures to trace 39 Indians held hostage

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

New Delhi, July 10: As soon as announcement of liberation of Mosul was made by Iraq PM, the government activated various channels for locating the 39 Indians, said MEA on Monday. The External Minister Sushma Swaraj also assured all possible efforts by her ministry to bring back the Indians who were kidnapped by terror group ISIS from a construction site in Mosul.

In a series of tweets, MEA has assured that efforts are made to locate Indians in Mosul. Iraqi authorities conveyed all cooperation would be extended & instructions have been issued by them to all relevant Iraqi agencies, it said.

Further it termed the liberation of Mosul from ISIS an' important milestone' in the global war on terror and India welcomes the move.

Families of 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq three years ago are looking forward to some positive news after the Iraqi forces captured Mosul from where their kin were kidnapped by ISIS in June 2014.

Earlier on Monday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder had called up Swaraj to seek her intervention to help Idians in Mosul. The chief minister told her that the families of the hostages were keenly awaiting the return of their kin following ISIS' defeat and needed the central government's support in bringing them back.

She said that Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) V K Singh had been sent to Iraq to coordinate with its government and facilitate the return of the Indians stuck there, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said.

The Union minister said that she had also directed the Indian embassy to extend all help to the stranded people from the country.

Air India officials at the airports had also been instructed to facilitate their return, said Swaraj, adding that her ministry had activated all available sources to trace the missing Indians.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)
NCRB plans to record detailed data on lynchings, maintain statistics

India

oi-Anusha

The BJP and Congress' fight over the number of lynchings under each other's regime may come to an end if the NCRB's plan is executed. The National Crime Records Bureau is now mulling the possibility of recording, maintaining and analysing instances of mob lynching in India on an annual basis.

The NCRB projects official numbers of crimes that take place in India annually. Currently, lynching is clubbed under murder and has no separate documentation. With increasing incidents of lynching in the country and with an aim of documenting the reason for such incidents, the NCRB is now planning to maintain records of instances of lynching under a separate crime head.

To prevent exaggeration of mob lynching statistics, time NCRB creates a record

The idea that is in the planning stages is yet to be taken to the Union Home Ministry. The NCRB will begin collecting data on lynching once the proposal is formally presented to the Union Home Ministry and is approved. In 2014, the bureau had increased crime heads from 22 to 36. Once approved by the Home Minister, another revision in Crime heads will be made to make way for statistics on lynching. Currently, media reports, only those reported, are the only source of information on lynching while no official records are maintained.

Multiple instances of lynching have been making it to national headlines recently with political parties indulging in blame game. The official numbers are expected to give a clear picture of now just the number of such incidents but also the cause for the same. In many cases theft, caste, beef, witchcraft etc have been the reason behind mob lynchings. The lynching of a police officer in Kashmir along with multiple recent incidents have forced the officials to consider the necessity for such a record.

The data will also be crucial to identify core issues and form policies accordingly. The NCRB, according to a report, has been seeking inputs from different states on whether such information is collected independently. "When cases are filed, there is neither the space nor the need, in the given scenario, to make a separate note of whether it is a case of mob lynching. When 3 or more people are involved, it is considered a riot and accused are booked for murder. There is no separate data on mob lynching and perhaps, having one will help," opined a senior IPS officer.

Reports also suggested that apart from lynching as a crime head, NCRB intends to expand its performance by including statistics of selfie deaths etc.

Oneindia News
No point raising Pegasus; Opposition should not link Parliament session with polls: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Naqvi says 'One Election' is need of hour

Need to control unconstitutional elements in West Bengal, says Naqvi

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, July 10: Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday hit out at the West Bengal government for the recent riots and said unconstitutional elements were sometimes more effective than the constitutionally-elected TMC dispensation in the state.

The Minister of State for Minority Affairs said that the Centre was at present studying a high-level committee's report on establishing institutes to combat educational backwardness of minorities and would take steps accordingly.

The panel had observed that Muslims were the most disadvantaged when it came to education and suggested setting up a three-tier educational infrastructure to address the issue.

"Lack of harmony works as a speed-breaker in the way of progress. I sometimes find that, in West Bengal, activities of unconstitutional anti-social elements are more effective than the constitutionally elected government there. There is need to control such elements," Naqvi said.

The minister made the comment on the sidelines of a workshop on inspecting authorities of Maulana Azad Education Foundation in Delhi.

On the government-appointed panel's observations, Naqvi said the report was being studied.

The panel had recommended creation of infrastructure to proffer education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels by opening 211 schools, 25 community colleges and 5 national institutes.

"Unfortunately, Muslims lagged behind educationally post-independence. Hence, our focus over past three years has been to empower them educationally. We don't want any child to be left without education," he said.

Among other, Naqvi said, the government had decided to launch a scheme like Tehreek-E-Talim (campaign for education) aimed at educating every child from the community.

He also reiterated the MAEF's decision to offer Rs 51,000 marriage assistance per head to those girl students who completed their graduation availing the ministry's scholarship named after Begum Hazrat Mahal.

Naqvi said the Modi government was moving ahead for "transformation through transparency and efficiency" and hence, the inspecting authorities, posse of retired government officials, has been roped in to give the MAEF feedback on implementation of its schemes.

The inspecting authorities, he said, would work as "watchdog".

"This would help us. Hence, we have finalised 280 inspection authorities initially. These include people from technical, administrative, educational background. They will give us feedback about our various schemes," he said.

Life though had returned to normal in riot-hit Baduria town and adjacent areas of North 24 Parganas district today after communal violence broke out over a Facebook post earlier this week.

PTI
After 'The Kashmir Files', Agnihotri back with 'The Vaccine War'

NSE glitch: Finance Ministry seeks report

India

oi-PTI

The finance ministry on Monday sought a report from Sebi on the technical glitch in the National Stock Exchange's system that had led to trading disruptions.

Sources at the ministry said it was a technical problem that led to trading disruptions and there was no information about hacking.

Investors faced problems on the NSE, which had briefly stopped trading in cash and F&O (futures and options) segments. Later, trading activities resumed at 1230 hours.

Sources said Sebi is constantly monitoring the situation and this sort of problem is a serious concern for the ministry, hoping that such situations do not happen again.

The ministry has sought a report on the issue.

"Let's wait for the report. The NSE will send a detailed report to Sebi. The report will be sent to us through Sebi. We expect an interim report from Sebi by the end of the day," the sources said.

In a statement, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said it is in touch with the NSE and is closely monitoring the situation.

The NSE is the largest stock exchange in India in terms of total and average daily turnover for shares every year since 1995, as per Sebi data.

Earlier, brokers and those trading on the NSE had said stock prices did not get updated and there was also an issue in accessing the F&O segment.

A BSE spokesperson said the exchange is not facing any problems.

PTI
Peace returns to the Valley

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Peace returned to the Valley after two days of restrictions which were imposed on the event of Burhan Wani's death anniversary. Shops and establishments were open and the movement of traffic too was normal after the restrictions were lifted.

Mobile and broadband services too were restored in the Valley on Sunday night. On mobile networks, only 2G connections were available, officials said. No decision has been taken as yet to restore high-speed networks. The internet services were cut off on Thursday as a precautionary measure.

On Saturday stray incidents of stone pelting were reported, but the situation by and large remained under control. The separatists had called for a strike on Saturday, but due to restrictions, there were no incidents of violence reported. Restrictions had been imposed in five police station areas of Srinagar as well.

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 5:55 [IST]
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Chinese Embassy removes its statement Rahul Gandhi 'met' Ambassador Luo Zhaohui'

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Chinese Embassy on Monday removed its statement that confirmed Congress party Vice President Rahul Gandhi's Saturday meet with Luo Zhaohui, Chinese envoy to India .

Earlier, the Chinese embassy said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi met Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on July 8 and "exchanged views" on the "current bilateral relations".

The Congress party also today denied reports of meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on July 8, reports said.

The reports of meeting between Rahul Gandhi and the Chinese Ambassador have emerged following Congress leader's tweet questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "silence" on the current standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries in Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.

Why is our Prime Minister silent on China?  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 7, 2017

Both China and India have been engaged in an impasse in the Doklam area for the past three weeks after a Chinese army attempted to build a road. China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

China and Bhutan are engaged in talks over the resolution of the dispute in the area. India argues that since it is a tri-junction involving the three countries, it also has a say in the issue, specially in the backdrop of the 2012 agreement between special representatives of the two countries, that have till now held 19 rounds of talks.

OneIndia News
RSS leaders assaulted in Bengal

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Amidst the tensions in Bengal, a group of RSS workers were allegedly assaulted at Gosaba in Sunderbans on Sunday. The activists have decided to lodge a complaint with the police.

They alleged that an attempt to abduct them was made, but the timely intervention of the police saved them. The Indian Express reported that the RSS activists, including district Karyavaha (secretary) Sanjay Kumar Sinha, were at the home of one Shantiram Munda in Bipradaspur on the occasion of Guru Purnima when a group of people barged in and dragged Sinha out with two others, Prasenjit Mondol and Parimal Dolui.

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 8:15 [IST]
Sartaj Aziz lacks basic courtesy, didn't acknowledge my letter: Sushma Swaraj

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Sushma Swaraj, the Minister for External Affairs has hit out at Sartaj Aziz for not even having the basic courtesy to respond to her letter. She said that she had written a personal letter to Aziz, the advisor to the Pakistan Prime Minister.

She said that in the letter she had said that Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother wanted to meet him. He has not even had the courtesy to acknowledge the letter, Sushma Swaraj also added.

She further said that she is sure that Sartaj Aziz has consideration for all nationals of his country. She was speaking in the backdrop of a lady from Pakistan who sought her help for a medical visa to India.

She also insisted that all Pakistani nationals seeking medical treatment in India should get their applications vetted by Islamabad's foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz and wondered why he was not doing it.

Faiza Tanveer, 25 is suffering from cancer and she took to Twitter to seek the External Affairs minister's help. In a reply the Indian embassy said that she she could get a medical visa is the Aziz wrote to Sushma Swaraj requesting the same.

Sushma said that she sees no reason why Aziz should hesitate to give his recommendation. I have sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment, Sushma Swaraj also said.

OneIndia News
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Social media post leads to clashes in Uttarakhand

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Tension gripped the Garhwal district in Uttarakhand after violence clashes broke out between two groups over a social media post. The violence broke out at the Satpuli town after a minor boy allegedly posted an offensive picture of the Kedarnath shrine on his Facebook wall.

The incident is similar to the one that was reported at Bashirhat in West Bengal. Violence had broken out after a person had posted an offensive image on the social media.

Taking note of the sensitivity of the situation, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and District Magistrate (DM) rushed to the spot. The situation has been brought under control and prohibitory orders are in place. Investigations are on.

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 9:21 [IST]
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Terror hits Amarnath yatra: Bandh call in Jammu

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The National Panthers Party has given a bandh call in the wake of the attack on the Amarnath yatra in which seven persons died on Monday.

The party has also organised a protest at 10 am on Tuesday.

Meanwhile the Congress in a statement said that they would protest against the attack on the yatra. They would protest against the separatists and also the policies of the Nawaz Sharrif government in Pakistan.

The Congress blamed the failure of the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir and urged all its leaders to attend the protest. The protest is being organised outside the Shaheed Chowk in Jammu.

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 23:46 [IST]
My life is 1%, dear death: The spooky diary of the accused in J&K DGPs killing

Two arrested in connection with model Kritika Chaudhary's murder case

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

The Mumbai Police on Monday arrested two persons in connection with the murder of model Kritika Chaudhary. Chaudhary was found dead in her Andheri apartment on June 14.

The police had found dead at her Andheri residence in Amboli area after the neighbours informed the police that a foul smell is emanating from her flat. The cops then broke the door, which was locked from outside for the last four days, and found a decomposed body of Chaudhary.

The postmortem reports suggested that she was struck with a blunt object to the right side of the head, and that this injury was the cause of her death.

Chaudhary, who is originally from Haridwar was a residence of SRA Colony in Andheri East. Few years back, Kartika had come to Mumbai as she aspired to become a big actress in Bollywood.

The actress made her television debut with Balaji's 2011 serial Parichay. She was also a part of the film Rajjo in 2013, that starred Kangana Ranaut in the lead role. The police has registered a case and launched a probe.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 12:38 [IST]
Amarnath yatra suspended today in the wake of strike called by separatists in valley

Unfortunate that Pak regime glorifying terrorist Burhan Wani: Defence experts

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

With Pakistan attempting to project slain Hizbul militant Burhan Wani as some sort of hero, the defence matters experts on Monday criticised Islamabad and dubbed the rhetoric as 'sad and unfortunate'.

Qamar Agha, an expert on international relations, said that the MEA was quick to respond to such statements by Islamabad and said Wani should not only be condemned by India but also by the international community.

"It is very sad and unfortunate that Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif glorified Wani and dubbing him as martyr," he told news agency ANI.

Defence expert S.P. Sinha, on his part, said it clearly shows that Pakistan has linkages with these group looking to foment trouble in Kashmir.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday paid tributes to militant commander Burhan Wani, saying his death "infused a new spirit in the struggle for freedom" in the Valley.

Sharif in a message on the first death anniversary of Wani's killing said that India cannot suppress the voice of the people of Kashmir through use of brute force.

"The blood rendered by Burhan Muzaffar Wani has infused a new spirit in the freedom movement. The Kashmiri people are steadfast to take their movement to logical conclusion," he said.

Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan's political, diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiris for their right to self- determination.

Wani, a commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed in an encounter with Indian security forces on July 8 last year.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 11:52 [IST]
How Sandeep from UP became a frontman for the Lashkar in Kashmir

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

In a big revelation, the Jammu and Kashmir police said that Sandeep Kumar Sharma was part of a Lashkar-e-Tayiba module in the state. Making this revelation, the Inspector General of Police, J&K, Munir Khan said that they have arrested Sandeep from Muzzafarnagar and he is currently being questioned.

The first time that the police found about Sandeep was during the encounter with Bashir Lashkari, the dreaded Lashkar-e-Tayiba militant. Lashkar was gunned down in the encounter. It was then that they realised that Sandeep was staying with him in the same house at Batpora.

The IGP further added that the Lashkar terrorists took the help of Sandeep to loot ATMs in the state. He also said that they indulged in immoral activities in the villages.

Sandeep, a criminal from UP arrived in Kashmir in the month of January 2017. He came to the state to loot ATMs taking advantage of the situation in Kashmir. Sandeep who went by the alias Adil got away for long as the suspicion never fell on him owing to the fact that he was a non-local.

The Lashkar used him to loot ATMs. Whatever money they looted they would share with each other. Over a period of time, he became a hardened militant. He was also involved in three terror attacks along with the Lashkar. He was also involved in cases of weapon snatching, the IGP said.

Meanwhile a team of the Uttar Pradesh ATS has left for Jammu to question the accused.

Investigation:

Sandeep according to the police came to Kashmir to carry out criminal activities.

He stayed at Wanpoh and soon got involved in different kinds of robberies including ATM looting in South Kashmir. In these crimes, they worked in conjunction with LET in South Kashmir, the police also said.

He alongwith some other associates were arrested at PP Mir Bazar in a robbery case sometime in March 2017 and remained in judicial custody until bailed out.

Subsequently, he joined Bashir Laskhari and worked as his right hand man. He was present in a house at Brinty Dialgam where the encounter took place on June 1. It was in this encounter that Lashkari was killed. During the encounter he was rescued by the police.

During his questioning he revealed that he along with others had hatched a conspiracy which also included providing shelter and ferrying of terrorists to take part in terror attacks.

Cases Sandeep allegedly was involved in:

The police also arrested one Muneeb Shah of Kulgam who was also part of this module.

The J&K police listed the following cases in which Sandeep was allegedly involved:

Attack on Army convoy at Lower Munda Qazigund (NHW) on 03.06.2017 near Lower Munda opposite Tool Post Qzd.Case FIR No. 138/2017 U/S 302 RPC 7/25 Act (P/S Qazigund)

Weapon snatching incident at Guard posted at residence of Justice Attar's Anchidoora on 13.06.2017. Case FIR No. 131/2017 U/S 307 RPC 7/27 A Act (P/S Anantnag)

Attack on Police Party of Achabal on 16.06.2017 at Thajiwara Achabal in which "06" Police personnel got martyrdom. Case FIR No. 82/2017 U/S 302,397,427 RPC 7/27 A Act (P/S Achabal).

ATM loot cases:

On 18/19.01.2017 at Momin Abad Ashajipora. Case FIR 07/2017 U/S 457,380 RPC (P/S Anantnag)

On 20/21-04-2017 at K.P Road G.B Stand Anantnag. Case FIR No.66/2017 U/S 457,380 RPC (P/S Anantnag)

On 22./23-05-2017 at Larkipra SBI ATM .Case FIR No.105/2017 U/S 457,380 ,511 RPC ( P/S Anantnag)

On 30/31-05-2017 at Achabal Adda (SBI ATM) .Case FIR No.114/2017 U/S 457,380 RPC (P/S Anantnag)

On 17/18.06.2017 at Zirpora Bijbehara (SBI ATM). Case FIR No.79/2017 U/S 457,380 RPC (P/S Bijbehara)

OneIndia News
Wife shot dead in Ghaziabad over delay in serving dinner

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Ghaziabad, July 10: In a bizzare case of domestic violence in Ghaziabad, a 60- year old man allegedly shot dead his wife late on Saturday, when she delayed serving him the dinner.

The incident took place around 11.45 pm in Mansarovar Park colony in Kavi Nagar police station area.

According to the police the couple got into verbal fight around midnight on Saturday. The accused, Ashok Jaat, came home late night and was under the influence of alcohol. He then asked his 55-year-old wife Sunaina, to serve dinner but the preparations were bit delayed. When he asked her the reason, she said that she was annoyed by his actions as he had come home drunk.

Enraged by this, he slapped her and pulled out a countrymade weapon and shot Sunaina on the forehead. Sunaina, was rushed to the Sarvodaya Hospital in Kavi Nagar with a gunshot wound on her head. However, doctors at the hospital declared her dead on arrival.

The couple stayed on the first-floor portion of their residence in Mansarovar Colony, adjacent to GT Road.

Kumar used to ply a mini-truck, which he owned, along with his younger son Tinku (28). His elder son, Rinku (32), plies a private taxi.

Kumar was arrested on Sunday. During the investigation he confessed to the crime and said that he has no one to provide him food except his wife and said that his sons might not take care of him in his old age. He asked Doctors to provide the best possible treatment to his wife but she was declared dead.

OneIndia News
As Iraq takes back Mosul, no word on 39 abducted Indians as yet

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The fall of Mosul from the hands of the Islamic State has brought hope to the families of the 39 Indians who were taken hostage in 2014. The three year battle for Mosul was finally won by the Iraq Army which claimed to take over the area from the ISIS.

The latest development had raised the hopes for the families of the 39 construction workers who were abducted. It may be recalled that one of workers, Harjit Masih had managed to escape. After his escape he had addressed the media and said that the rest of them were lined up and shot. The Indian Government however did not subscribe to the view and said that all were safe.

The Ministry for External Affairs had said on June 16 that all of them were alive. We have no other information to prove that they are not alive said Gopal Baglay, the spokesperson of the ministry.

The Indian government continues to remain in touch with officials and is doing everything to secure their release. One official from Iraq is understood to have told India that the Indians are suspected to be hiding at a Church in Mosul.

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 6:23 [IST]
Beijing warns India against 'two-front conflict' with China, Pak

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Amid growing tensions at both the eastern and the western borders of the country, Beijing has warned India against "two-front conflict" with China and Pakistan, said reports.

The Chinese state media said that on one hand India is involved in exchange of fire with Pakistani troops in Kashmir region and on the other Indian troops have 'entered Chinese territory'.

The Global Times quoted Lin Mingwang from the Institute of International Studies at Shanghai's Fudan University as saying that 'China has nothing to do with the situation in Kashmir, but it would be unwise for India to engage in two conflicts at the same time'.

China maintained that India is trespassing and preventing its soldiers from building a road in Doklam. Some sections of the Chinese media also asked as to why a 'third country (India) was interferring in the matters realted to it and Bhutan.

Justifiying the travel advisory issued, a Chinese newspaper said that it was issued because the Chinese government was taking precautions. Some experts said that under the present situation India had become an "unsuitable destination for Chinese to travel or do business in".

While China and Bhutan have been involved in talks, India says that since it is a tri-junction the talks should involve all three countries. China has been asserting that it is not ready for any compromise. While China says that the ball is in India's court, India has maintained that there cannot be any unilateral approach in defusing tensions.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 15:18 [IST]
Cop killed in suicide attack in Balochistan

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

A police officer was killed and several others injured in a blast at Bogra Road in Chaman, Balochistan, on Monday.

SSP Chaman Sajid Khan Mohmand was killed in the blast which is said to be a sucide attack. Around 10-15 people were also injured in the blast, said reports.

SSP Sajid Khan suffered serious injuries in the blast and was immediately shifted to the hospital along with the other injured. Doctors termed Khan's condition critical, and moments later he breathed his last.

Security officials have cordoned off the site of the blast, even as reports suggest that some firing could be heard.

Chaman is one of the most important crossings on the Afghan-Pakistani border.

The situation in the area is tense as couple of weeks back a man, alleged to be an Indian spy, was also captured in Balochistan.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 13:04 [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

India will have to give freedom to Kashmiris: Aziz

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Islamabad, July 10: Pakistan is seeking a dialogue with India and wants to resolve all outstanding matters, including the Kashmir issue, through talks, a senior Pakistani leader has said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's advisor Sartaj Aziz on Sunday said that Islamabad wanted to restore peace in the South Asian region and would continue extending "political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris until they achieve freedom from India".

According to The News International, Aziz said, "India will have to give freedom to Kashmiris".

He said that Indian atrocities in the Kashmir Valley had reached the peak after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani's death last year during clashes with Indian security forces.

Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had on Monday denied that India was rejecting medical visa applications of Pakistanis and asked Aziz to respond to her letter seeking travel permission for the mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav who is on a death row in that country.

In a series of tweets, the minister said that Aziz should not hesitate to write a recommendation for Pakistanis seeking medical treatment in India.

The remarks come amid media reports in Pakistan that the Indian Embassy in Islamabad had rejected the medical visa application of a 25-year-old Pakistani tumour patient who was to travel to India for treatment.

IANS
US Coast Guard ship in Chennai to mark India ties

Poland chooses US firm to build first nuclear power plant

Thousands flee as wildfires destroy homes in US, Canada

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

California, July 10: Wildfires continue to burn across the western US and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground.

In Canada firefighters were contending with more than 200 fires burning in British Columbia that had destroyed dozens of buildings, including several homes and two airport hangars.

The three biggest fires, which ranged in size from 14 to 20 square kilometres had forced thousands of people to flee.

Rob Schweizer, manager of the Kamloops Fire Centre, said it had been an unprecedented 24 hours.

"We probably haven't seen this sort of activity that involves so many residences and people in the history of the province of BC," he said.

Northern California

In Northern California, a Butte County wildfire swept through grassy foothills and destroyed 10 structures, including homes, and led to several minor injuries.

Burned-out pickup trucks were left in ashes, surrounded by charred, leafless trees. The metal frame of a mobile home and a vintage stove were left standing in scorched debris at one site.

Southern California

Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday against major wildfires that have destroyed structures, closed a highway and forced evacuations.

(with agency inputs)

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 10:22 [IST]
Viral: And the fair play award goes to this laptop thief; know why

US lifts laptop ban on Kuwait airline

International

oi-PTI

Kuwait City, Jul 10: Washington has lifted a ban on laptops and tablets in the cabins of its US-bound flights, says Kuwait Airways.

"Now our passengers flying from Kuwait International Airport to in #NY will be able to use all of their personal electronic devices," the emirate's flag carrier said on Twitter yesterday.

The United States in March barred all electronic devices larger than a mobile phone in the cabins of direct flights to the US from 10 airports in Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa, only allowing them in hold luggage.

The ban was brought in after intelligence officials learned of efforts by jihadists from the Islamic State group to produce a bomb that could be hidden inside such devices. For the same reason, Britain also banned similar-sized electronics from the cabins of direct flights from six countries.

Etihad Airways yesterday became the first airline to benefit from the lifting of the ban, with flights from the airline's base in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi no longer affected.

Passengers are now allowed to bring personal electronics on board direct flights to the US, say the Dubai-based Emirates, Turkish Airways, Qatar Airways and Saudi Arabia's national airline.

PTI
US warns vessels transiting Gulf in the wake of tensions with Iran

We can withstand any financial shock, not worried about boycott: Qatar central bank

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Doha, July 10: The governor of Qatar's central bank believes the country's economy will be able to fully withstand any financial shocks brought on by the dispute in the Gulf, and welcomed outsiders to investigate its accounts and money flows.

"We're not guilty," Abdullah Saud Al-Thani told CNBC in an exclusive interview. The central banker referred to the accusations placed by other Arab nations that accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism. "We have no challenges, we welcome those to review all our books, they are open," he added.

Al-Thani said the central bank has $40 billion in reserves plus gold, while the Qatar Investment Authority has $300 billion in reserves that it could liquidate.

Qatar still finds itself excluded and singled out by its near neighbors. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain are leading a boycott against Qatar, and since last month have severed diplomatic and transport ties.

Qatari stock markets have sunk lower on the boycott and the country's currency-the riyal-has seen wild fluctuations, while credit ratings agencies have warned on a period of uncertainty for the nation.

Doha denies charges that it supports terrorism, and denies that it has allied itself with regional foe Iran. Qatar is now seeking compensation for damages from the blockade.

(with agency input)

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Story first published: Monday, July 10, 2017, 10:33 [IST]
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Samson Siasia says hes is confident of raising the 100,000 Swiss Francs (N36.4m) appeal fee demanded by the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS, before his appeal on the FIFA life ban from football and $50.000 fine over allegations of complicity in match fixing could be entertained, Completesports.com reports.

At the moment, not much has really come in. But Im confident that before this month (February) ends, individuals and corporate bodies who want to render financial assistance would be able to respond positively, Siasia told Completesports.com.

There are promises here and there. And, of course, you know the situation in the country at the moment. But I still remain optimistic, given their words of promises that at most, by this February ending, I should be able to get enough financial assistance to sort things out.

Asked about the allegations of his involvement in a match fixing, Siasia reacted sharply.

Also Read  FIFA Ban: Why We Must Support Samson Siasia By Complete Sports, Completesports.com and NaijaSuperFans.com

Thats not correct. Nigerians know me too well. How can I get involved in match fixing, knowingly or not? , he said.

What happened was that I was discussing with an agent over a job offer in an undisclosed Australian club. The job did not eventually come through anyway.

But I was made to understand later that the man had previously been associated with match fixing.

Mine was just an honest discussion for job offer which never came through in the end.

Siasia swiftly headed for the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS, in Lausanne, Switzerland, confident oof proving his innocence and getting the FIFA ban reversed.

But he has a huge 100, 000 Swiss Francs (about N36.4m) appeal fee to pay before his appeal could be entertained.

SiaOne, as the 1994 Super Eagles World Cup star is called by his fans, was initially given until October 10, 2019 to make the payment or forget his appeal.

Unable to raise the huge amount and the deadline approached, Siasia got his lawyers to move quickly to make strong case to CAS before he was given a five-month grace.

My lawyers made a strong appeal to CAS and now the case has been moved to March 19, 2020, Siasia, the Nigerias two-time Olympic football silver medal-winning coach and 2005 FIFA U20 World Cup silver medal-winning coach explained.

They are very strict this time around, but Im confident we will meet the financial demands before then.

4 Secrets To Becoming Rich  How To Get Rich From Nothing: This ebook is a must read for anyone serious about exiting the rate race. Copyright  2020 Completesports.com All rights reserved. The information contained in Completesports.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Completesports.com.


Opalesque Industry Update - NewStar Financial, Inc. announced that it has agreed to acquire Fifth Street CLO Management LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fifth Street Holdings L.P., an affiliate of Fifth Street Asset Management, Inc., a publicly-traded credit-focused asset management firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut. The estimated purchase price is approximately $16 million, net of $13 million of assumed indebtedness and will be subject to adjustment up or down based on certain working capital items as of the closing of the transaction. The acquisition will add approximately $726 million to NewStar's assets under management, increasing total pro forma AUM to approximately $7.3 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2017, subject to certain investor consents and other closing conditions set forth in the purchase agreement between Fifth Street Holdings L.P. and NewStar. The transaction is expected to be accretive to NewStar's earnings per share in 2017. FSCM was formed in 2015 by Fifth Street to manage its middle market CLO business. FSCM currently manages two CLOs backed by middle market loans and holds certain interests in its sponsored CLOs primarily to comply with regulatory risk retention requirements. Over the past eighteen months, NewStar has focused on expanding its asset management platform by launching new managed funds, acquiring investment management platforms and increasing its investment activity. This transaction is the Company's second acquisition adding to its managed assets and represents another important step in that strategy. The acquisition is highly complementary to the Company's existing middle market direct lending business and provides balance to its overall asset management platform, increasing pro forma fee-paying AUM to $4 billion, split evenly between its middle market and liquid credit strategies platforms. The transaction also adds significantly to the Company's lending capacity, allowing it to better meet the needs of its private equity clients and compete more effectively to lead new direct lending opportunities. FSCM will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of NewStar and the funds will be managed by NewStar's middle market investment team. The transaction is expected to add more than $2.5 million to the Company's run-rate fee revenue and will serve as a further catalyst to the growth of NewStar's asset management activities. "This acquisition is consistent with our strategy to expand our asset management activities in ways that add to our value proposition for institutional investors and leverage our core strengths in direct lending, securitization and credit management. This transaction also provides an attractive way to diversify our business mix, adding to fee revenue and accelerating improvement in equity returns," said NewStar's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tim Conway. "The transaction is expected to be accretive to earnings in 2017, adding predictable fee revenue derived from long-term CLO management contracts" added John Bray, NewStar's Chief Financial Officer. "We were able to complete thorough due diligence and the terms of the transaction worked well for all parties." Seward & Kissel LLP served as legal counsel and GreensLedge Capital Markets LLC advised NewStar on the transaction. About NewStar Financial, Inc.: NewStar Financial, Inc. is an internally-managed commercial finance company with $6.6 billion of assets managed across two complementary business lines - middle market direct lending and asset management. The Company's direct lending activities are focused on meeting the complex financing needs of companies and private investors in the middle markets through specialized lending groups that offer a range of flexible debt financing options to fund working capital, growth strategies, acquisitions and recapitalizations. Through its asset management platforms, NewStar also offers a range of investment products employing credit-oriented strategies focused on middle market loans and liquid, tradeable credit. NewStar is headquartered in Boston MA and has regional offices in Chicago IL, Darien CT, and New York NY. Please visit our website at www.newstarfin.com for more detailed information.
Opalesque Industry Update - The Autorit des Marchs Financiers (AMF) and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on France-Hong Kong Mutual Recognition of Funds (MRF), which will allow eligible French UCITS funds and Hong Kong public funds to be distributed to retail investors in each other's market through a streamlined authorization process. The MoU is the first agreement between a member of the European Union and Hong Kong which establishes the regulatory framework for distribution of eligible French and Hong Kong funds, which currently include general equity funds, bond funds and mixed funds. It also stipulates a mechanism for regular dialogue and regulatory cooperation thus enabling the AMF and the SFC to fulfil their respective supervisory and regulatory mandates. "This newly established bridge between France and Hong Kong constitutes an important breakthrough for the French asset management industry seeking to develop activities internationally. It reflects the attractiveness of Paris as a financial center and demonstrates that there is a demand from one of the leading markets in Asia for French asset management companies and products. We look forward to the opportunities this agreement will bring to our market, as well as to the enhanced cooperation between the AMF and the SFC to ensure that our industry players operate in a clear and robust supervisory framework and that our investors receive proper protection," said Mr Grard Rameix, the AMF's Chairman. "Promoting the development of Hong Kong's asset management industry is one of our strategic objectives. This new cooperation framework is an important milestone for Hong Kong's continuous development as an international asset management centre as it opens up the opportunity for Hong Kong funds to be sold in one of the leading markets in the European Union. We look forward to working with the AMF with our strengthened regulatory ties under the MoU," said Mr Ashley Alder, the SFC's Chief Executive Officer.
Quinacridone Pigments Market Size 2017 BASF, Sun Chemical, Clariant, Heubach, Lona Industries

Quinacridone Pigments

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Quinacridone Pigments Market Research ReportA market study  Global Quinacridone Pigments Market  examines the performance of the Quinacridone Pigments market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Quinacridone Pigments market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Quinacridone Pigments market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Quinacridone Pigments Market 2017 report includes Quinacridone Pigments market Size, Revenue, market Share, Quinacridone Pigments industry volume, market Trends, Quinacridone Pigments Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Quinacridone Pigments Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Quinacridone Pigments Market 2017:1. BASF2. Sun Chemical?DIC?3. Clariant4. Heubach5. Lona Industries6. Trust Chem7. Pidilite IndustriesFirstly, the report covers the top Quinacridone Pigments manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Quinacridone Pigments report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Quinacridone Pigments industry, Quinacridone Pigments industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Quinacridone Pigments Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Quinacridone Pigments 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 Quinacridone Pigments market revenue worldwide.Finally, Quinacridone Pigments 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
Filter Media Market Size 2017 Fluval, EHEIM, Aquarium, Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Halton

Filter Media

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Filter Media Market Research ReportA market study  Global Filter Media Market  examines the performance of the Filter Media market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Filter Media market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Filter Media market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Filter Media Market 2017 report includes Filter Media market Size, Revenue, market Share, Filter Media industry volume, market Trends, Filter Media Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Filter Media Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Filter Media Market 2017:FluvalEHEIM GmbH & Co. KGAquariumKimberly-Clark Worldwide, IncHaltonNalco Pretreatment Solutions (PTS)HYDORMAHLE Aftermarket Inc.K.J. Filtration Technologies Ltd.TROX GmbHAquaelErtelAlsopMatala Water Technology Co., Ltd.Firstly, the report covers the top Filter Media manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Filter Media report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Filter Media industry, Filter Media industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Filter Media Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Filter Media 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 Filter Media market revenue worldwide.Finally, Filter Media 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
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Special Carbon Graphite Market Report 2017

EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Special Carbon Graphite Market Report 2017

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Need a report sample or have any requirement, please contact tinaning@qyresearch.com or visit atThe Special Carbon Graphite Industry Market Research Report 2017 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Special Carbon Graphite industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Special Carbon Graphite 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 Special Carbon Graphite industry development trends and marketing channels Aare 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.In a large and developing economy, rapid changes in the industry make it necessary for professionals to keep themselves updated with the latest market dynamics. QYResearch can offer the ability to quickly respond to these changes determines the success of a business enterprise.EMEA Special Carbon Graphite market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Special Carbon Graphite sales volume (K MT), price (USD/MT), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingIBIDEN (Japan)Entegris (US)Nippon Carbon (Japan)SEC Carbon (Japan)GrafTech (US)?Graphite India Ltd (India)Morgan.........Table of contents:1 Special Carbon Graphite Overview2 EMEA Special Carbon Graphite Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application3 Europe Special Carbon Graphite (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application4 Middle East Special Carbon Graphite (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Region, Type and Application5 Africa Special Carbon Graphite (Volume, Value and Sales Price) by Players, Countries, Type and Application6 EMEA Special Carbon Graphite Manufacturers/Players Profiles and Sales Data7 Special Carbon Graphite Manufacturing Cost Analysis8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders10 Market Effect Factors Analysis11 EMEA Special Carbon Graphite Market Forecast (2017-2022)12 Research Findings and Conclusion13 AppendixRelated Reports:Global Special Carbon Graphite Market Research Report 2017Europe Special Carbon Graphite Market Research Report 2017China Special Carbon Graphite Market Research Report 2017USA Special Carbon Graphite Market Research Report 2017India Special Carbon Graphite Market Research Report 2017Korea Special Carbon Graphite Market Research Report 2017Japan Special Carbon Graphite Market Research Report 2017Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchTina| Sales ManagersEmail: tinaning@qyresearch.com Tel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Web:QYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchQYResearch 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
Traction Transformer Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast by 2021

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Traction transformer is an electrical device which is used in designing and manufacturing of railway system. It transfers the energy from one circuit to another through electromagnetic induction. It substituted the traction system run by fossil fuels years ago. It acts as an integral part of electric traction system. In terms of technology traction system is divided two major groups, DC (direct current) systems and AC (alternative current) systemsBrowse The Report:The use of traction transformer in EMUs or high speed trains has different electrical standards. The voltage lines range from 15 kV or 25 kV which is suitable for traction converters ranging 0.7 kV and 25kV. While manufacturing, quality check is performed by quality assurance departments at each stage of production. It enhances better performance in order to have reliability and energy efficiency, also ensures reduced life cycle cost and easier maintenance cost. Thus the quality check becomes essential before delivering the product into the market. Some of the organization for quality check includes IEC 60310, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and IRIS Certification.Some of the major drivers for this market are the congestions of roads due to huge traffic. People are switching over to airways to save time to reach the destination. Thereby, to ease the regularity of railway system, government has initiated projects to make high-speed trains with high power. Some of the factors restraining the market is the voltage drop or the performance degradation, which hinders the smooth functioning of the transformer system. Moreover, inadequate power supply acts as a restraining factor in the growth of traction transformer market.The replacement of usual components with power electric technology due to the new advancement by technology in the market serves as an opportunity for this market. This change is called as fourth revolution in traction technologyTraction Transformer market by types are tapped, tap changing and rectifier. The market for tapped is more compared to the rest of the types of traction market. These electric transformers have high efficiency of electric motors which convert the kinetic energy into regenerative braking system. This demand is growing with the increase in applications in electric locomotives, high speed trains, trams, and Electric Multiple Units (EMUs).Thus Traction transformer market acts as a catalyst in growth of railway transport system. The growth rate of high speed trains are expected to be high in the forecasted period.The global traction transformer market is expected to undergo steady growth in the forecasted period. Some of the major players like ABB, Siemens are trying to manufacture products which is efficient and able to differentiate with their competitors. Europe is the largest market in terms of revenue early development of electric traction technology is the main driver that contributes to the growth of this market in Europe. APAC region is the fastest growing market by revenue due to the high density population in the countries like China and India.Make an Enquiry @Some of the key players in traction transformer market are ABB (Switzerland), Alstom (France), Siemens AG (Germany), Avago technologies ltd (U.S), SPX transformer (U.S) and Schneider Electric SA (France) among others.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 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
NPK Market Research  Evolving Product, Regional & including World Players Rossosh, ZAT, ICL the projection to 2021

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A new research report is published by HTF Market Intelligence on 'World NPK Market Research Report 2021(Covering USA, EU, China, South East Asia, Japan and etc)' having 111 pages.SummaryNPK 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.Get Complete Report @Global NPK Market: Product Segment AnalysisChlorine-based compound fertilizersSulfur-basedcompound fertilizersNitro-basedcompound fertilizersUrea-based compound fertilizerGlobal NPK Market: Application Segment AnalysisWheatRiceMaizeSugar CropsFruits & VegtablesOtherGlobal NPK Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaThe Players mentioned in our reportYara (NO)Euro Chem (RU)Rossosh (RU)ZAT (PK)ICL (IL)Helena Chem (US)IFFCO (IN)Helm AG (DE)Azomures (RO)Acron (RU)Uralchem (RU)Request a sample report @NPK Expert LV)Phosagro (RU)CGC (JP)Kingenta (CN)Xinyangfeng (CN)Stanley (CN)Luxi Chem (CN)Aboolo (CN)SACF (CN)Batian (CN)Huachang Chem (CN)Hongri Acron (CN)Yihua (CN)Fengxi Fert (CN)Goldym (CN)Shindoo (CN)Yuntianhua (CN)Xinlianxin (CN)Liuguo Chem (CN)Xiyang (CN)Sinofert (CN)Wuzhoufeng (CN)Make an enquiry before buying this Report @Buy this report @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@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218 (US)
Digital Mobile X-ray Devices Market to Grow at 7.1% CAGR through 2026

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Future Market Insights, in its latest research, delivers key insights on the factors impacting the global digital mobile X-ray device market. According to the report, demand for digital mobile X-ray devices will continue to be fuelled by applications in orthopaedic- and chest-imaging. These two end-use applications accounted for 60% revenue share of the market in 2016.Key Driving FactorsIncreasing emphasis on diagnostic imaging services by various government bodies.Increasing geriatric population  according to WHO, global geriatric population will reach 2 billion by 2050Rising incidences of orthopaedic diseases and bone injuries  WHO estimates global prevalence of arthritis to between 0.3% and 1%Contractual agreements and acquisitions by manufacturersIncreasing adoption of 3D medical imaging equipment, especially in the field of orthopaedicsIncrease in the number of free standing imaging centersKey RestraintsHigh cost of clinical trials and stringent regulations have remained longstanding challenges for manufacturersLack of inadequate imaging infrastructure in developing countries. High cost associated with initial set up and installation has been identified as a major restraintIncreasing pressure on the healthcare budget in the U.S. and rising awareness among patients about the potential health impact of radiationRequest For Sample@By product type, mobile devices will continue to outsell handheld devices. In 2016, of the US$ 7.67 Bn worth of digital X-ray devices sold, 91.5% were mobile devices. However, owing to their small base size, demand for handheld digital mobile X-ray devices will grow at a higher CAGR than mobile devices.Hospitals and radiology centers will continue to be the leading end-users of digital mobile X-ray devices globally. These two end-users collectively accounted for nearly 70% revenue share of the market in 2016. According to Future Market Insights research, these two end-use sectors will continue to account for the bulk of demand for digital mobile X-ray markets during the forecast period.Region-wise Analysis and ForecastNorth America is the largest market for digital mobile X-rays globally. Demand for digital mobile X-ray devices in the region is fuelled by strong sales in the U.S.North Americas revenue share of the global market was nearly 32% in 2016. Owing to increasing demand in Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Latin America, and Japan, North America will witness a slight dip in revenue share over the forecast period.APEJ is projected to be the fastest growing market for digital mobile X-ray devices globally. The market in the region is expected to grow on account of high volume demand from China and India.The Eastern Europe digital mobile X-ray market will witness slowest growth among all regions.Send An Enquiry@Competitive Landscape AnalysisLeading companies in the global digital mobile X-ray devices market are General Electric Healthcare Limited, Siemens AG, Esaote SpA, Hitachi Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V, Planmed OY, EOS Imaging, and Toshiba Medical Corporation. These leading companies are eyeing the lucrative APEJ market to capitalise on the growing opportunities.Future Market Insights maintains a positive outlook on the global digital mobile X-ray market, projecting it to grow at 7.1% CAGR through 2026.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 :
United States Wheel Speed Sensors Market Intelligence and Product Research Report

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ReportsMonitor.com has added United States Wheel Speed Sensors Market Report 2017 to its database of market research reports.This report identifies the United States Wheel Speed Sensors market size for the years 2014-2017, and forecast of the same till the year 2022. It also highlights the market drivers, restraints, growth indicators, challenges, and other key aspects with respect to the Wheel Speed Sensors market.Download Sample Report @United States Wheel Speed Sensors Market Research Report 2017 tracks the major market events including product launches, technological developments, mergers and acquisitions, and the innovative business strategies opted by key market players. Along with strategically analyzing the key micro markets, the report also focuses on industry-specific drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges in the Wheel Speed Sensors market. This research report offers in-depth analysis of the market size (revenue), market share, major market segments, and different geographic regions, the forecast for the next five years, key market players, and premium industry trends. It also focuses on the key drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges.View Entire Report @This report focuses on top manufacturers in United States market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringBoschContinentalZF TRWAisinThe competitive landscape of the United States market for Wheel Speed Sensors is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Wheel Speed Sensors markets production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the United States market.This report segments the Wheel Speed Sensors marketOn the basis of types :Magnetic Electric TypeHall TypeOn the basis of application:Passenger VehicleCommercial VehicleFor comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, the market is analyzed across key geographies namely :The WestSouthwestThe Middle AtlanticNew EnglandThe SouthThe MidwestEach of these regions is analyzed on the basis of market findings across major countries in these regions for a macro-level understanding of the market.Some points from TOC:1 Wheel Speed Sensors Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Wheel Speed Sensors1.2 Classification of Wheel Speed Sensors by Product Category1.2.1 United States Wheel Speed Sensors Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 United States Wheel Speed Sensors Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Magnetic Electric Type1.2.4 Hall Type1.3 United States Wheel Speed Sensors Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 United States Wheel Speed Sensors Market Size (Consumption) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Passenger Vehicle1.3.3 Commercial VehicleAbout Us:Reports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform to meet the 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. 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:
High Temperature Ceramics Market Global Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast, 2014-2020

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Ceramics are covalent compounds containing metal and non-metal atoms primarily held in covalent and ionic bonds. Generally, ceramics are made by taking mixtures of earth elements, powders, water and clay. This mixture is shaped into the desired form and is then fired in a high temperature oven. Ceramics are then painted with glazes which are waterproof and decorative. At elevated temperature, ceramics have high hardness, high melting points, excellent chemical corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties. Some ceramics are good dielectrics or insulators, whereas others are good electrical or thermal conductors. Ceramics are widely used in our daily life. Glass, plates, bricks, tiles and sanitary ware are some examples of the ceramics we see every day. Ceramics can also be found in products like automobiles (sparkplug), phone lines and watches. They are even used in space shuttles and aircrafts. Ceramics can be broadly classified into two categories: traditional and advanced. Traditional ceramics include clay products such as cement and glass, whereas advanced ceramics consist of pure oxides, nitrides, carbides and many others.Advanced ceramics are widely used in industrial applications where the operating temperature is generally high or which require hard substances that can withstand great pressure. Ceramics offer various advantages compared to other materials. Ceramics are more corrosion and heat resistant than polymers or metals, stiffer and harder than steel, and have a lower density than most alloys and metals. Raw material for advance ceramics materials are plentiful, inexpensive and display wide range of properties. For automotive applications, they are used in various applications like airbag sensors, spark plugs, valves, vibration sensors, pressure sensors, oxygen sensors, thermistors, catalytic converters, ceramic rotors, ceramic filters piston rings and safety glass windshields.Request For Report Sample@The different types of high temperature ceramics include ceramic matrix composites and ultrahigh temperature ceramic coatings. Advanced high temperature materials are key components in the emerging material technologies, which are giving impetus to many industries. The global high temperature ceramics market is driven by several factors like replacement of materials for the sake of creating cost effective solutions, the growing demand for energy conservation across various industries, and government regulations to reduce greenhouse emissions.The global high temperature ceramics market is led by AsiaPacific (APAC) which accounts for over 40-45% of the total consumption by volume. The cost of high temperature ceramics in APAC is lesser than that in Europe, North America or Latin America. In terms of revenue, North America is the largest market followed by APAC and Europe. The cost of high temperature ceramics is expected to remain low for the next few years in the APAC region. Due to government regulations and incentives offered for sustainability and energy conservation, North America and Europe are expected to offer significant growth opportunities for the high temperature ceramics market.On the basis of industry applications, the global high temperature ceramics market is segmented into automotive, aerospace, chemical processing, metallurgical, power generation and others. Some of the most common applications of high temperature ceramics are afterburners, boilers, castings, exhaust stacks, flanges, furnaces, headers, incinerators, manifolds, molds and dies, ovens, heat exchangers, pumps, blowers, pipingand ducting. In the aerospace industry, high temperature ceramics are used in cutting edge applications, which require structural and chemical stability at extremely high operating temperatures. On the basis of composition, the high temperature ceramics are segmented into oxides (alumina, zirconia), non-oxides (carbides, nitrides) and composites (combination of oxides and non-oxides).Request For TOC@There are many global and regional players operating in the high temperature ceramics market especially in APAC. Some of the key participants are Morgan Thermal Ceramics, ZIRCAR Ceramics, Inc., Skamol A/S, Promat International, IBIDEN Company Ltd., Rath Incorporated, General Insulation Europe Ltd., Unifrax Corporation, and Shandong Luyang Share Co. Ltd.In future, the understanding and controlling behavior of the microstructures and properties of high temperature ceramics are expected to be key elements in research activities. This research will further increase the operating temperature limits of existing high temperature ceramics.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:
Digital Instrument Clusters Market Global Industry Analysis and Forecast Till 2015-2025

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Instrument clusters with digital displays are increasingly replacing electromechanical pointer instruments. Moreover, digital instrument clusters are poised to supersede the analog instrument clusters in the next generation vehicles. The global instrument clusters is basically categorized into three groups: digital, analog and hybrid. Analog cluster is a classic instrument panel that contains a physical dial and a needle for the speedometer. A digital instrument cluster displays all these classical instruments on the LCD, VFD or TFT-LCD screen. Such digital instrument clusters can be programmed to display the appropriate selection of virtual instruments according to the drivers preferences. A hybrid cluster is the combination of the analog and digital cluster. Furthermore, they can enhance the appeal of a vehicle with eye-catching graphics. Therefore, most of the luxury brands are seeking to differentiate their vehicles through the inclusion of digital instrument clusters. It is expected that over seven million cars will have fully digital instrument clusters by the 2018. Digital instrument clusters that offers personalization are a key selling point.Digital Instrument Clusters: Drivers & RestraintsThe key factor driving the digital instrument clusters market is substantial rise in the automobile output and its personalization. A digital instrument cluster that is reconfigurable is very appealing. Features such as distance until next charge, information on battery charge, and other driver information, can easily be displayed using a digital instrument clusters. These features are driving the market for global digital instrument clusters. Another factor driving the market for global digital instrument is consumer trend. The tablet, PC and smartphone ownership is increasing and there are opportunities to integrate these devices to drive global digital configurable instrument clusters. Furthermore, the economical and the environmental constraints upon the engine designs are driving the introduction of digital instrument clusters since the interior gains more attention from OEMs as a way to differentiate. Another features that are driving the global digital instrument clusters market includes advanced technological features such as reusability, dynamic, scalable, simple and attractiveness. Digital instrument clusters needs a larger LCD display- often 1280 x 480 pixels, thus leading to higher cost. Also, an 8 or 16-bit CPU cannot transfer that many pixels, hence the digital cluster needs a 32-bit CPU. In addition, the level of software capability needed extends beyond the traditional entrenched skill set. These factors act as restraints for the digital instrument clusters up to a certain extent.Request For Report Sample@Digital Instrument Clusters: SegmentationOn the basis of application, the global digital instrument clusters market is segmented into:SmartphoneTablet PC/Desktop/NotebooksAutomobilesOthers (Digital cameras, inverters, power suppliers, painters, car radio, LED lighting, payment terminals)The demand for digital instrument clusters in automobiles is anticipated to grow at an accelerated pace mainly due to significant growth in the automobile industry globally. Furthermore, the smartphone segment is also expected to grow at a high CAGR during the forecast period.Request For TOC@Digital Instrument Clusters: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of region North America, Asia Pacific and Japan are expected to be the dominant players as a result of growing economy in these regions. The Indian electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) industry is one of the fastest growing industry in the country, which is further boosting the demand for digital instrument clusters in the region. The global digital instrument cluster market is anticipated to grow at a steady rate in other regions of the world as a result of a slowing global economy in these regions.Digital Instrument Clusters: Key PlayersSome of the market participants in the global digital instrument clusters market are Nippon Seiki Co., Ltd., Ford Motor Company, Audi AG, Renault, Volkswagen, Kia Motors Corp., BMW AG, Jaguar Land Rover Limited, NVIDIA Corporation and Tesla Motors.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:
Laser Fiber In Medical Applications Market Expected to Expand at a Steady CAGR through 2027

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Globally, the medical laser fiber market is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing preference towards non-invasive surgeries, the dependence of medicine on diagnostics procedures and the rapid development in the laser fiber technologies. The application of laser fiber has been expanding in the last few years as there is an increase in the number of market entrants in the laser fiber market. The application of laser fibers in used in diagnostic, cosmetics, therapeutic and surgical. In addition to this miniature instruments is been preferred in most of the healthcare setting and there has been a considerable increase in the development of these instruments. There has been a rise in the number of cosmetic procedures performed and these miniature instruments help the cosmetic surgeon perform the cosmetic surgery with more ease and perfection. The presence of various laser fiber applications such as fiber optic surgical lights, endoscopes, fiber optic dental lights, fiber optic sensors and laser fiber optics.There has been an increase in the outpatient flow in the accident and emergency departments. Most of the patients visit to under some eye surgery. This has created a lot of work load on the hospital staff in addition to the healthcare expenditure. Moreover, there is a rising trend of people undergoing cosmetic surgery as there is increase in spending capacity along with the lesser need for surgery. In March 2017, Lumenis Ltd. announced the new arrival of Moses holmium technology. The device which was developed for lithotripsy and assures better stone dusting and stone fragmentation. OmniGuide Holdings, Inc. also launched its VELOCITY High Performance Fiber to provide precision cutting along with increased speed. Through this s technology surgeons can reduce the time taken for performing a particular procedure while maintaining the tissue preservation and micron-level thermal spread.Request Report Sample@Laser fiber in medical applications market has been segmented on the basis of product type, material type, specialty and region.Based on the product type, laser fiber in medical applications market is segmented into the following:Disposable laser fiberReusable laser fiberBased on material type, the laser fiber in medical applications market is segmented into the following:Thulium laser fibersHolmium laser fibersOthersBased on application, the laser fiber in medical applications market is segmented into the following:DermatologyOB/GYNPlastic SurgeryUrologyVein TreatmentOthersGeographically, laser fiber in medical applications market is segmented into regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America and Europe region is projected to maintain its lions share over the forecast period. This is due to the rising elderly population, the increasing ophthalmic issues, the improved infrastructure and the rising development of advanced technologies in the laser fiber optics. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region with the presence of huge population pool and the rising disposable income. People are more aware of the procedures available which can be done without going under the knifes.Visit For TOC@Key PlayersThe players in laser fiber in medical applications market Boston Scientific Corporation, C. R. Bard, Inc., Biolitec U.S. Inc, Olympus America,Cook Medical, ForTec Medical, International Medical Lasers, LEONI, LUMENIS and AngioDynamics Corporation to name a few.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
United States Active Food Packaging Market Size, Share, Analysis, Industry Demand and Forecasts Report to 2017

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ReportBazzar has released its latest research-based report entitled Active Food Packaging 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 Active Food Packaging market worldwide along with the key trends and latest technologies, playing a prominent role in the Active Food Packaging market growth over the next eight 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 Active Food Packaging market. Moreover, it provides dynamic and statistical insights pertaining to the market at both regional as well as global level.Get Free Sample Copy of this Report @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. Rising construction of high rise buildings is one of the primary growth factors of Active Food Packaging market.Recognizing the rising prevalence of Active Food Packaging 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 Active Food Packaging 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.Browse full report with Table of Content @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 Active Food Packaging. 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.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 Active Food Packaging 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 Active Food Packaging 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 Active Food Packaging market have been reviewed in this study.Some Points Of Table Of Content:United States Active Food Packaging Market Report 20171 Active Food Packaging Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Active Food Packaging1.2 Classification of Active Food Packaging by Product Category1.2.1 United States Active Food Packaging Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 United States Active Food Packaging Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 PVDC1.2.4 EVOH1.2.5 ABS1.2.6 Composite Material1.3 United States Active Food Packaging Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 United States Active Food Packaging Market Size (Consumption) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Dairy1.3.3 Dry Foods & Bakery1.3.4 Fish & Seafood1.3.5 Fruit & Veg1.3.6 Meat1.3.7 Prepared & Catered Foods1.3.8 Other1.4 United States Active Food Packaging Market by Region1.4.1 United States Active Food Packaging Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 The West Active Food Packaging Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Southwest Active Food Packaging Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 The Middle Atlantic Active Food Packaging Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 New England Active Food Packaging Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 The South Active Food Packaging Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 The Midwest Active Food Packaging Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 United States Market Size (Value and Volume) of Active Food Packaging (2012-2022)1.5.1 United States Active Food Packaging Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 United States Active Food Packaging Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 United States Active Food Packaging Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Active Food Packaging Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Active Food Packaging Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.3 United States Active Food Packaging Average Price by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.4 United States Active Food Packaging Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 United States Active Food Packaging Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 United States Active Food Packaging Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players/Suppliers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion in United States Market2.5 United States Players/Suppliers Active Food Packaging Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product TypeAbout 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.com
United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Market Report 2017 - BD, Omnicell, Takazono, TOSHO, Willach Group, YUYAMA, Aesynt, Cerner

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Latest Research Report titled " United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Market Report 2017 " features Key Market Players, Segments, Applications. Report Presents Global Market Survey, Growth, Challenges and Forecast.In this report, the United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets 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 splits the United States market into seven regions:- The West- Southwest- The Middle Atlantic- New England- The South- The Midwestwith sales (volume), revenue (value), market share and growth rate of Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast).Get a Sample Research PDF with TOC:United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players including- BD- Omnicell- Takazono- TOSHO- Willach Group- YUYAMA- Aesynt- CernerOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into- General ADCs- Tablet ADCs- Dose ADCs- Vial ADCsOn 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 Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets for each application, including- Hospital- Retail PharmaciesTable of Contents:2 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.3 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Average Price by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.4 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players/Suppliers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion in United States Market2.5 United States Players/Suppliers Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product TypeBrowse more details at:3 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 United States Medicine Automated Dispensing Cabinets Price by Region (2012-2017)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 Benzalkonium Chloride Market Research Report 2017

Benzalkonium Chloride Market

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In this report, the global Benzalkonium Chloride 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 Report Sample:Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Benzalkonium Chloride in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaBrowse Detail Report:Global Benzalkonium Chloride market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingFeF Chemicals (Novo Nordisk)Dishman IndiaMerck MilliporeManus Aktteva Biopharma LLPJinshan Jingwei Chemical/Taiko Palm-OleoOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoHybrid Grade Benzalkonium ChloridePure Grade Benzalkonium ChlorideInquiry for Buying Report:On 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 Benzalkonium Chloride for each application, includingDisinfectantsPreservativeOthersRequest for Customization Report:If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About us:Provue Market Research is a U.S. based Market Research & Advisory Company registered in the State of California and headquartered in Lawndale. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports services. To help clients make informed business decisions, the company offers market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries including technology, chemicals, materials, and healthcare and energy with a deep-seated understanding of many business environments. Provue Market Research provides strategic objective insights. We periodically update our marketResearch studies to ensure our clients get the most recent, relevant and valuable information. Provue Market Research has a strong database of analysts and consultants from assorted areas of expertise. We offer intelligence studies for clients covering:Market Intelligence & Market Opportunity Assessment Market Size & Segmentation Market Entry Strategy Competitor Benchmarking Pricing Intelligence Customer Intelligence Sourcing Intelligence New-Generation Products & Technologies Distribution & Sales Channel AssessmentContact Us:14715 Prairie Ave,Lawndale, CA, 90260,California USAToll Free:+18889204862webiste:Email:info@provueresearch.com
Global Automotive HVAC Technology by Technology, Application & Geography - Analysis & Forecast to 2021

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The report on Automotive HVAC Technology market is a source of expansive ideas, statistical data, and detailed information, which has the potency to ensure profit of an enterprises. It gives a basic overview of the industry which includes definition, applications, classifications, and industry chain structure. Extensive development plans and policies are discussed meticulously. There also exists a cost study and manufacturing structures with perfect explanation. The import/export, consumption and supply figures are also included in the report.The research study evaluates the existing markets past performance along with the future statistics during the forecast period based on revenue as well as volume. The study includes quantitative and qualitative analysis of various marketing segments based on key criterias. This report also mentions the epitome segment and sub-segment clubbed with reasons which supports their growth. Similarly, it mentions the drop-in segment and sub-segment with the factors hampering its growth.Get Sample Copy of This Report:The report also consists, market size, expected growth rate and share of each segment which has been evaluated and discussed at length in the scope of the research report. An in-depth analysis of market segments is provided so that readers or enterprises can make most appropriate investments and make perfect use of their money.This report studies Automotive HVAC Technology market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America and focuses on top manufacturers in the global market. They considered the production, revenue, capacity, price and market share for each manufacturer in detail.Ask for Discount on This Report at:Microeconomic and macroeconomic factors which affect the Automotive HVAC Technology market and its growth, both positive and negative, are also studied. The report features the impact of these factors on the ongoing market throughout the mentioned forecast period. The upcoming changing trends, factors driving as well as restricting the growth of the market are mentioned.Key players operating in the Automotive HVAC Technology market have been elucidated in the report. Business and financial overview of each companies are included. The keys strategies which are employed by players in the market are studied and explained. In addition, recent and upcoming developments by players and strategic expansions to gain and maintain a wider reach have been given.The Major players reported in the market include:Air International Thermal SystemsDelphi AutomotiveDensoValeoVisteonCalsonic KanseiEberspacher Climate Control SystemsGenthermJapan Climate SystemsFor More Details On this Report:About Us:MarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Contact Us:Market Size ForecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:News:
Asia-Pacific Chromatography Instrumentation Market Analysis, Share, Trends and Forecast by 2021

Orbis Research

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The Asia-Pacific Chromatography Instrumentation market has been estimated at USD 1.65 Billion in 2016 and is projected to reach USD 2.33 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period from 2016 to 2021. Chromatography is a versatile analytical technique used to separate a mixture into its individual components. Analytical chromatography is used to determine the existence and concentration of an analyte in the sample. The chromatography instrumentation techniques are used in various application areas such as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food production, diagnostics, genetic engineering, drug discovery and water analysis.Browse the report:The market for Chromatography Instrumentation is mainly driven due to rising need of biotechnological tools in biotech, pharmaceutical and other related industries, and improving R&D leading to rising need of biotechnological instruments for the purpose of experimentation, testing and analysis. But, the market growth can be constrained due to the need for skilled professionals, high cost of instruments, and alternative analytical technologies.Asia-Pacific market for Chromatography Instrumentation is segmented based on System, Consumable and Application. By System, the market is further sub-segmented into Liquid Chromatography (LC) Systems (High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Systems, Ultra-High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) Systems, Flash Chromatography (FC) Systems, Medium-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (MPLC) Systems, Other Liquid Chromatography Systems), Gas Chromatography (GC) Systems, Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC) Systems, Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) Systems, Other System Components (Autosamplers, Detectors, Pumps, Vials). By Consumable, the market is further sub-segmented into Columns, Syringe Filters, Vials, Tubing, Other Consumables. By Application, the market is further sub-segmented into Life Sciences, Food & Beverage Testing, Environmental Testing, other applications. The columns segment accounts for the larger share of the chromatography consumables market. Other application areas accounts for the largest share of the chromatography instruments market, while, Environmental testing is the second large application area.Request a sample of the report:Geographically, Asia-Pacific market for Chromatography Instrumentation is segmented into China, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia. The Chromatography Instrumentation market in the Asia-Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR, which is greatly due to increasing disposable incomes, rising food security awareness and increasing government funding on biochemical research in countries.Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Agilent Technologies, PerkinElmer, Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, Waters Corporation, Novasep Holding S.A.S., Pall Corporation, JASCO, Inc, GL Sciences, Inc., Phenomenex, Inc., GE Healthcare, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Life Technologies Corporation, Pall Corporation, Regis Technologies, Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Helena Laboratories, Phenomenex, Inc., Tosoh Corporation are the major players of Asia-Pacific Chromatography Instrumentation market.Major Points From The Table Of Contents:IntroductionResearch MethodologyOverviewDrivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Challenges Analysis (DROC)Market SegmentationGeographical AnalysisStrategic AnalysisMarket Leaders' AnalysisCompetitive LandscapeMarket Outlook and Investment OpportunitiesAbout 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
Oil & Gas Project Management Software Market (Application - Upstream and Mid & Down Stream ) Outlook 2025

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Global Oil and Gas Project Management Software Market: OverviewProjects undertaken by oil and gas companies having highly complex operations, resource management, capital management, and inventory management, among others are at the forefront of driving demand for global oil and gas project management software. These highly sophisticated and efficient software are leveraged by oil and gas companies to handle their capital projects.Oil and gas project management software have many advantages. They enable companies to properly utilize resources and keep a tab on the progress of projects. They also aid companies to understand risks and bring about compliance. Further, they help with analytics and reporting as well.Providing headwinds to the global oil and gas project management software market is the growing investments in alternate energy such as wind, solar, tidal, nuclear and water. Moreover, the yawning gap between demand and supply of oil and gas is also acting as a deterrent to the market.As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global oil and gas project management software market will likely progress slowly at a CAGR of 3.6% from 2017 to 2025 to attain a value of US$ 489.5 mn by 2025-end.Get More Information :Need for Operational Efficiency in Exploration and Production, Makes Upstream Applications Dominant SegmentApplication-wise, the global oil and gas project management software market is can be bifurcated into upstream and mid and downstream. Of the two, the upstream application segment is predicted to contribute majorly to the market on account of rising investments in upstream application. As the global oil and gas industry looks to improve upon operational efficiency of exploration and production activities and tread a path of consolidation in the face of lessening revenues through mergers and acquisitions, the demand for oil and gas project management software is only slated to increase. The mid and downstream application segment is expected to hold a comparatively smaller share of the global oil and gas project management software market.Large Reserves of Shale Catapults North America MarketFrom a geographical perspective, North America currently leads the market with maximum share. The U.S., which grosses maximum revenue in the region, is the main driver of expansion. North America is a leading region because of being home to a large number of industry players in the region and its massive shale oil reserves.Europe trails North America vis-a-vis revenue in the global oil and gas project management software market. Europe is powered primarily by the U.K. and Scandinavia region. The massive reserves of oil and gas in the North Sea and Scandinavian regions are one of the reasons for strong demand in the market. The presence of complex geological structures and pipeline network, increasing investments and exploration and production activities are said to be catalyzing growth in the region.Browse The Report :Asia-Pacific region is another key market, which is being boosted by China and other South East Asian countries as the regional information technology industry, which supports the oil and gas industry gains strength. Swift pace of urbanization and burgeoning population is also helping to boost the market. In addition, the highly connected and advanced economies of South East Asian countries along with the presence of necessary infrastructures is expected to boost the regional markets growth.Some of the key comapnies in the global oil and gas project management software market are Deltek, Inc., InEight, Inc., EcoSys Management LLC, Oracle Corp., LiquidFrameworks, Inc., AVEVA Group PLC, SAP SE, Penta Technologies, Inc., Siemens AG, IBM Corp., IFS World Operations AB, Microsoft Corp., Stormgeo Holding AS, Aconex Ltd., Coreworx Inc., and Varec, 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. 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.US Office ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
EV Charging Equipment 2017 Worldwide Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2021

ReportsWeb

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Publisher's EV Charging 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 reportCHARGEPOINTBlinkChargemasterGeneral ElectricSIEMENSEatonLevitonClipper CreekDBT USAChargemasterSchneiderNARIXJ GroupHepuBeijing HuashangAotexunUTEKBYDFor More Information About This Report:Global EV Charging Equipment Market: Product Segment AnalysisAC Electric Vehicle ChargerDC Electric Vehicle Chargeron-board chargeroff-board chargerGlobal EV Charging Equipment Market: Application Segment AnalysisResidential chargingPublic chargingOthersGlobal EV Charging Equipment Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaRequest Sample Copy At:Table of ContentChapter 1 About the EV Charging Equipment IndustryChapter 2 World Market Competition LandscapeChapter 3 World EV Charging 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 EV Charging 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
Alexandria Art Of Dentistry: A Reputable Conservative Dentistry Center In Virginia, Washington

The renowned clinic is specialized to deal with a variety of conservative dentistry issues and concerns, including gum disease, pe

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Alexandria, Virginia; 7/10/17: Under the expert supervision of certified dentist, Dr. Charles Varipapa, Alexandria Art of Dentistry continues to be the most reliable dental facility in Alexandria, VA. The renowned clinic is specialized to deal with a variety of conservative dentistry issues and concerns, including gum disease, periodontal disease, root exposure, sensitivity, missing teeth, decayed teeth, and more.Some of their dental procedures include dentures, tooth filling and restoration, bonding, extractions, root canals, and more.Dr. Varipapa has 20 years of experience in cosmetic dentistry. For years, aged patients have trusted him for a variety of common and emergency dentistry problems.Selecting the right dentist can be a daunting task. It's imperative that you take your time and choose a professional dentist who understands your needs and provides you with quality solutions, said a spokesperson at Alexandria Art of Dentistry. Dr. Charles Varipapa understands the significance of a healthy mouth, teeth and gums. Over the years, its common for people to experience dental issues due to cavities, gum and infections or simply aging. Let us help resolve your dental problems! We offer non-invasive procedures to resolve a number of dental health issues for older adults.Alexandria Art of Dentistry provides comprehensive and compassionate dentistry solutions to patients aged 55 and 80 years, in a clean, well-maintained facility. The clinic has a team of qualified, trained dentists who use state-of-the art equipment and tools to deliver effective results. In addition, they also employ cutting edge techniques and materials for conservative dental services.Going to a dentist can be an intimidating experience for many people. However, our team is dedicated to providing personalized care to every patient. The moment you enter our clinic, you feel relaxed and comfortable, added the spokesperson.In addition, the clinic formulates individual treatment plans to each patient. Treatment is based on a patients specific dental needs and condition. After initial examination, patients receive a fair estimate for their treatment. At the same time, Alexandria Art of Dentistrys staff helps patients explore payment methods that suit their financial needs.Alexandria Art of Dentistry has an easy, hassle-free process for scheduling appointments. Initial appointment is free. Individuals also gain access to free parking as well as concierge service.Headed and founded by Dr. Charles Varipapa, Alexandria Art of Dentistry has quickly become a reputed dental clinic that specializes in general, cosmetic and conservative dentistry. The clinic offers both cosmetic, general and conservative dentistry services, specializing in all fields of dental care.Website:Address: 624 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314Phone: (703) 299 9899Fax: (703) 299 - 0591
Cardamom Oil Market Overview and Analysis about Manufacturing Cost Structure: Industry Forecast Report

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Market Research Future published a Cooked Research Report (CRR) on Global Cardamom Oil Market which is estimated to grow more than 6.74% after 2022Market OverviewCardamom oil is extracted from dried cardamom through the steam distillation procedure which is used in various applications such as Food Processing, Pharmaceutical, Fragrance in Soaps and Perfumers etc. The Cardamom Oil extract is comprises various Essential Components like Pinene, Methyl Eugenol, Sabinene, Geraniol, Linalyl Acetate, Myrcene, Nerol, Phellandrene, Citronellol, Linalool, Limonene, A-Terpineol Acetate, 1, 8-Cineole, Terpinene, A-Terpineol, P-Cymene, Terpinen-4-Oil, Terpinolene, and Trans-Nerolidol. The demand for cardamom oil is significantly increasing due to its numerous benefits for Health, Skin, and Hair. It is finds wide application in Aromatherapy.Competitive analysis-The Major Key Players in Cardamom Oil Market are: Shiv Sales Corporation Aromaaz Internationa IL Health & Beauty Natural Oils Co., Inc. Nelixia Green Fields Oil Factory Aksuvital Shaanxi Guanjie Technology Co., Ltd Natures Natural India Piping Rock Health Products Llc Greenleaf Extractions Pvt LtdRequest a Sample Copy of Report @Market ForecastCardamom Oil Market has been growing with increasing Consumer Awareness about Health Benefits of Cardamom Oil and its rising application in Personal Care Products is also supporting the market growth. Increasing popularity of Essential Oil will boost Cardamom Oil sales and by 2021, cardamom oil sales will reach 4,307 tons with CAGR of 6.74%. Indian Cardamom Oil is projected to grow at CAGR of 7.99% during the forecasted period 2016-2021.Regional AnalysisGlobal Cardamom Oil Market is segmented into America and Asia Pacific along with rest of the world (RoW). Among this Asia Pacific region is dominating the cardamom oil market. In Asia Pacific region cardamom oil market is dominated by India, Indonesia, Nepal and Bhutan. After Asia pacific region Central America is the major producer of cardamom oil and this region is majorly dominated by Guatemala which is also a largest producer of cardamom in the world.Application Analysis-Cardamom Oil is made from two genre of cardamom plants i.e. Elettaria and Amomum (Subulatum/ costatum). Elettaria is also known as true cardamom or green cardamom which is mostly grows in India and Guatemala whereas Amomum is known as black cardamom or java cardamom which is mainly found in China and India subcontinent. Depend upon these two types of cardamom plants (i.e. Elettaria and Amomum), cardamom oil is segmented in to Elettaria cardamom oil and Amomum subulatum cardamom oil. Elettaria cardamom oil has the major market share and contributing more than 50% market in the year 2016. The cardamom oil market is driven by factors including rising demand for natural flavoring and coloring agent in food. Increasing demand for various purposes industrial including food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, personal care and home care product manufacturers is fueling cardamom oil market growth. Cardamom oil is majorly used in food and beverages application followed by pharmaceuticals.Rising popularity of cardamom oil uses in aromatherapy is changing the market dynamics of cardamom oil market. Manufacturers are using various promotional channels to increase awareness about health benefits of cardamom oil to increase customer base which are not aware of cardamom oil benefits.Access the market data and market information presented through more than 25 market data tables and 25 figures spread over 109 numbers of pages of the project report Global Cardamom Oil Market - Forecast to 2022Access Report Details @Market Segmentation-Global cardamom oil market is segmented by type, application and region.List of FiguresFIGURE 1cardamom OilFIGURE 2Amomum Cardamom OilFIGURE 3guatemala Cardamom Oil Sales Forecast (2016-2021), TonsFIGURE 4guatemala Cardamom Oil Sales Growth Rate (2017-2021), %FIGURE 5guatemala Cardamom Oil Revenue Forecast (2016-2021), USD MILLIONContinued..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.ContactAkash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
United States Medical Computer Cart Industrial and Market studies Report 2017

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"United States Medical Computer Cart Market Report 2017" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.Description-In this report, the United States Medical Computer Cart 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 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 Medical Computer Cart in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast).Get Sample Report With TOC @United States Medical Computer Cart market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Medical Computer Cart sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingErgotronCapsa SolutionsEnovateInterMetro (Emerson)RubbermaidParity MedicalITDAdvantechJACOStanleyVillardScott-clarkAthenaBytecCompuCaddyCuraNanjing TianaoOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoPowered Medical Computer CartsIntegrated Medical Computer CartsOn 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 Medical Computer Cart for each application, includingDoctors UseNurses UseTable of ContentsUnited States Medical Computer Cart Market Report 20171 Medical Computer Cart Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Medical Computer Cart1.2 Classification of Medical Computer Cart by Product Category1.2.1 United States Medical Computer Cart Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 United States Medical Computer Cart Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Powered Medical Computer Carts1.2.4 Integrated Medical Computer Carts1.3 United States Medical Computer Cart Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 United States Medical Computer Cart Market Size (Consumption) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Doctors Use1.3.3 Nurses Use1.4 United States Medical Computer Cart Market by Region1.4.1 United States Medical Computer Cart Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 The West Medical Computer Cart Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Southwest Medical Computer Cart Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 The Middle Atlantic Medical Computer Cart Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 New England Medical Computer Cart Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 The South Medical Computer Cart Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 The Midwest Medical Computer Cart Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 United States Market Size (Value and Volume) of Medical Computer Cart (2012-2022)1.5.1 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 United States Medical Computer Cart Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 United States Medical Computer Cart Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Medical Computer Cart Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.3 United States Medical Computer Cart Average Price by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.4 United States Medical Computer Cart Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 United States Medical Computer Cart Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 United States Medical Computer Cart Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players/Suppliers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion in United States Market2.5 United States Players/Suppliers Medical Computer Cart Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type3 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 United States Medical Computer Cart Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 United States Medical Computer Cart Price by Region (2012-2017)4 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.1 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales and Market Share by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.2 United States Medical Computer Cart Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.3 United States Medical Computer Cart Price by Type (2012-2017)4.4 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales Growth Rate by Type (2012-2017)5 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales (Volume) by Application (2012-2017)5.1 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)5.2 United States Medical Computer Cart Sales Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)5.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6 United States Medical Computer Cart Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data6.1 Ergotron6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Medical Computer Cart Product Category, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Product A6.1.2.2 Product B6.1.3 Ergotron Medical Computer Cart Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Capsa Solutions6.2.2 Medical Computer Cart Product Category, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Product A6.2.2.2 Product B6.2.3 Capsa Solutions Medical Computer Cart Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Enovate6.3.2 Medical Computer Cart Product Category, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Product A6.3.2.2 Product B6.3.3 Enovate Medical Computer Cart Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 InterMetro (Emerson)6.4.2 Medical Computer Cart Product Category, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Product A6.4.2.2 Product B6.4.3 InterMetro (Emerson) Medical Computer Cart Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 RubbermaidResearchMoz 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.Researchmoz Global Pvt. Ltd.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074
Be Part of the Big Power Debate

 The Battery Show Conference returns to Novi, MI, September 12-14, 2017 Leading OEMs and Tier 1s confirmed, including Ford, Mercedes-Benz, A123 Systems, Johnson Controls and Toyota. New for 2017: Pre-Conference Workshops delve further into complex battery technology(Novi, Michigan - Thursday July 6, 2017) The Battery Show Conference has announced a brand-new addition for 2017: the Pre-Conference Workshops on Monday September 11, 2017, taking the multi-track conference to yet another level. The morning workshop will cover Managing the Proliferation of Global Battery Testing Requirements to Ensure Access to Global Markets; workshop two in the afternoon will cover Adopting Best Practice XEV Lithium-Ion Abuse Testing For Enhanced Battery Quality. Plenty of hands-on experience will be brought to bear during this ideally staged curtain-raiser to the weeks events. A one-day pass provides access to both workshops.Delegates are inquiring in record numbers about the eighth annual Battery Show Conference, taking place in Novi, Michigan over September 12-14, 2017. Recognized globally for its forward-looking format and unmatched range and depth of content, this event promises once again to shine a strong light on quickly developing subject areas such as novel materials, cutting-edge production techniques, 48V battery architecture, XEV battery design and ESS.The diversity offered by the program is reflected in the background of the more than 150 speakers this year, including world-leading battery technologists, thermal management experts, research and science center managers, advanced materials specialists, and power and propulsion architecture developers. As NAATBatts Jim Greenberger observed directly after the 2016 conference, The key to ensuring continued success is to encourage collaboration among the many extraordinary people who have been drawn into battery technology by its promise of making the world a better place, and who form the backbone of the industry today. This is precisely what The Battery Show Conference offers, and the 2017 agenda is even more exciting than before, with speakers confirmed from Ford, Mercedes-Benz, A123 Systems, Johnson Controls and Toyota.This is an unmissable opportunity to take on board the latest developments in battery markets and hear up-to-the-minute views on groundbreaking, commercially viable technologies. Additionally, delegates can pick up new ideas to make them more effective and efficient, and benefit from North Americas premier networking event in this industry. At each turn they will gain invaluable insights from leading professionals that will boost business performance and improve every companys ROI.The global picture remains to the fore and will form an important part of the plenary session that kicks off the whole conference, starting 8:30am on September 12. Speakers will assess all the main markets, especially those in North America, Asia and Europe, in the context of cost, regulation, power demand and sustainability. Do make sure you are there from the very first minute to hear all about the latest macro trends, how they could impact battery markets and the inherent opportunities and risks for the whole supply chain.With an expected 750+ delegates, the conference brings together people from all sides of the industry, offering everyone far more than simply presentation sessions. Delegates participate fully in the whole experience, with on-stage interviews with global directors, the much-anticipated Leaders Debate, panel discussions, morning and afternoon networking refreshment break-outs, networking lunches and post-session receptions in the early evenings. This really is the complete conference package.The Battery Show is Americas biggest free-to-attend exhibition for advanced batteries. The very latest battery technology will be on display for a number of applications, from EVs and utility storage, through to bespoke mobile power applications, personal electronics and healthcare. If advanced battery technology is key to your products and services, The Battery Show will help your company stay ahead.Smarter Shows Ltd132 Queens RoadBrightonBN1 3WBUnited Kingdom
Sky Zone Trampoline Park Bounces into Cincinnati

CINCINNATI, Ohio (July 10, 2017)  Sky Zone Trampoline Park, creator of the worlds first indoor trampoline playing court, announces the July 14 opening of its second location in Cincinnati, at Anderson Towne Center. Children, teens and adults alike in Cincinnati and its surrounding communities can now come into Sky Zone Cincinnati and enjoy boundless fun and high-flying adventures.Sky Zones indoor trampoline courts are designed as a fun and fit outing for all ages, shapes and sizes. The facility spans over 20,000 square feet and will offer popular activities such as Ultimate Dodgeball, Sky Slam and SkyFit. Sky Zone Cincinnati will also feature some of the concepts latest attractions including its Challenge Zone, a section of the park that includes jousting pits, free climb and SkyLadder. They will also be introducing their Ninja Warrior Course this Fall. Cincinnatis brand new trampoline park is the perfect facility for groups seeking memorable events such as birthday parties, corporate team building, field trips and much more. Every guest is invited to HAVE FUN and FLY SAFE at Sky Zone.Sky Zone Cincinnati will hold Jump for a Cause on Thursday, July 13, from 3pm-9pm. Guests can get a sneak preview of the new Sky Zone Cincinnati and support the community at the same time. All jump proceeds from the night will benefit The Dragonfly Foundation, a local organization that is dedicated to helping young cancer and bone marrow transplant patients and their families find their strength and empower their flight. We are thrilled to work with the Dragonfly Foundation and other community partners. LaRosas Pizza and Dippin Dots have also graciously offered to participate in our special evening said Laura Knipfer, owner of Sky Zone Cincinnati and Sky Zone Springdale.Sky Zone Cincinnati is located at Anderson Towne Center, 7522 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45255. For more information, please visit SkyZone.com/Cincinnati.Since 2004, Sky Zone, LLC created and built the worlds first all-walled trampoline playing court. Sky Zone, LLC currently has over 175 franchises open across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. Sky Zone Trampoline Parks feature a wide array of fun, fit and low-impact activities ranging from Open Jump, Ultimate Dodgeball and SkyFitness classes to birthday parties, corporate events and other group outings. The franchise has been awarded various accolades, including being ranked 308 on Entrepreneurs 2016 Franchise 500 list, 273 on the 2015 Inc.s 500/5000 list, 152 on the 2014 Inc.s 500/5000 list, 55 on the Forbes Americas Most Promising Companies list, Best Gym Alternative by Vegas Seven Magazine, 2012 Locals Choice for Kids Birthday Party by Southbay Magazine and one of Entrepreneurs 2013 Fresh Concepts Livening Up Franchising.Konnect Agency888 S. Figueroa Street, Ste. 1000Los Angeles, CA 90017Emily Johnstonejohnston@konnectagency.com
US Department of Defense: Social Media Under New Management

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SMi Group has announced that Mr Brad Kimberly, Digital Engagement Chief for the US Department of Defence, has joined the speaker line-up at the 7th Social Media within the Defence & Military Sector conference in London this December.Following the successful launch of the US DoD's new Social Media Operations Center, Brad returns to host a session in this years show entitled Military Social Media: Under New Management.Speaking to SMi Group in a quickfire interview, Brad says We are under new management with a new administration, so were actively working to transition our messaging to match our new leaders priorities. Ill be talking more about this at the conference this year.When asked about recent sector-specific social media developments, Brad says live-streaming 360 video is key.Right now, were interested in doing Facebook Live 360, but we need to solve the challenge of transmission limitations. Will we have large enough bandwidth through a data provider to allow 360 videos to live stream at high quality? Depending on cellular congestion, its not as simple as using your cell phone provider.The full interview with Brad is available to view in the Download Centre atOther presentations at the conference will explore top tips and trends surrounding the reality of social media integration into defence operations led by experts from military forces from Austria, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom and the USA, as well as key decision makers from solution providers at the cutting edge of innovation such as Cobham, Fujitsu and Saab.The event will showcase fresh case studies exploring the power of social media during military campaigns such as Bundeswehr's Die Rekruten on YouTube; the Irish Defence Force's immersive video and virtual reality recruitment campaign; and how Project Cirrus showcased Fujitsu's Global Connectivity platform, which has transformed the way the Ministry of Defence collaborates with industry partners.Further information, including a full line-up and conference agenda, is available atFor more updates on the conference, follow SMi Group on @smigroupdefence and join the conversation using #milsocialmedia on Twitter.For media queries please contact Honey de Gracia at hdegracia@smi-online.co.uk.Social Media Within the Defence and Military Sector 20176-7 December 2017Copthorne Tara Hotel, London, UKAbout SMi Group:Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the worlds most forward thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at1 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7XW
ASSEMBLY UNIT Market 2017 New Investment Projects Review

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In this report, we analyze the ASSEMBLY UNIT industry from two aspects. One part is about its production and the other part is about its consumption. In terms of its production, we analyze the production, revenue, gross margin of its main manufacturers and the unit price that they offer in different regions from 2012 to 2017. In terms of its consumption, we analyze the consumption volume, consumption value, sale price, import and export in different regions from 2012 to 2017.At the same time, we classify different ASSEMBLY UNIT based on their definitions. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. What is more, the ASSEMBLY UNIT industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Request a Sample atEconomic impact on ASSEMBLY UNIT industry and development trend of ASSEMBLY UNIT industry.6. What will the ASSEMBLY UNIT market size and the growth rate be in 2022?7. What are the key factors driving the global ASSEMBLY UNIT industry?8. What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the ASSEMBLY UNIT market?9. What are the ASSEMBLY UNIT market challenges to market growth?Browse Complete Report atMajor Points of this report:1. To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the global ASSEMBLY UNIT market.2. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the ASSEMBLY UNIT market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porte five force analysis etc.3. 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.4. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective.5. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by application, product type and sub-segments.6. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market.7. 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 ASSEMBLY UNIT market.Get discount on report purchase atKey Point from Table of Contents:1 Industry Overview of ASSEMBLY UNIT1.1 Brief Introduction of ASSEMBLY UNIT2 Industry Chain Analysis of ASSEMBLY UNIT3 Manufacturing Technology of ASSEMBLY UNIT3.1 Development of ASSEMBLY UNIT Manufacturing Technology4Major Manufacturers Analysis of ASSEMBLY UNIT .5 Global Production, Revenue and Price Analysis of ASSEMBLY UNIT by Regions, Manufacturers, Types and Applications5.1 Global Production, Revenue of ASSEMBLY UNIT by Regions 2012-20176 Global and Major Regions Capacity, Production, Revenue and Growth Rate of ASSEMBLY UNIT 2012-20177 Consumption Volume, Consumption Value, Import, Export and Sale Price Analysis of ASSEMBLY UNIT by Regions20178 Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of ASSEMBLY UNIT9 Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of ASSEMBLY UNIT10 Global and Chinese Economic Impact on ASSEMBLY UNIT Industry10.1 Global and Chinese Macroeconomic Environment Analysis11 Development Trend Analysis of ASSEMBLY UNIT12 Contact information of ASSEMBLY UNIT13 New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of ASSEMBLY UNIT13.1 New Project SWOT Analysis of ASSEMBLY UNIT14 Conclusion of the Global ASSEMBLY UNIT Industry 2017 Market Research ReportPurchase Complete Report atContact Information: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. The market research industry has changed in last decade. As corporate focus has shifted to niche markets and emerging countries, a number of publishers have stepped in to fulfil these information needs. We have experienced and trained staff that helps you navigate different options and lets you choose best research solution at most effective cost.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Rat Model Market | Value Chain Analysis and Forecast 2023

Rat Model Market

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Rats are one of the most vital research tool for basic and applied research in the field of biomedical sciences and continues to develop swiftly. A growing collection of gene technology, and sequencing of the rat genome and biological conservation, place rats at the top position as a model to translate mechanisms underlying human disease progression. As a model of human disease, rat model offer a many advantages over the mouse and other related organisms. The rat is an excellent model for cardiovascular disease, predominantly for stroke and hypertension. The physiology of rat model is easier to monitor and, over time, a volume of data has developed that will take years to be replicated in the mouse. Moreover, in many cases, the physiology is more like the equivalent to human condition.The combined approaches of embryonic stem cell (ES) technologies and insertional and chemical mutagenesis have grown rat models application beyond the conventional limits. Major factor boosting the growth of the global rat model market is the growing application of rat models not only in the field of basic research, but also in applied field of drug development and discovery. Rat model applications in drug discovery include development of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of human diseases, target identification and validation, drug screening and lead optimization, and toxicity and safety screening which in turn is boosting the demand for rat model market. On the other hand, factors such as stringent regulatory framework that require precise control on use of animals in laboratories, rising concern on animal cruelty, and ethical concerns over the use of animals could negatively impact market growth.View Report The rat model market is broadly segmented on the basis of type, application and by services. The rat model market by type includes hybrid rats, outbred rats, inbred rats, immnuodeficient rats, transgenic and surgically modified rat models. The outbred rats held the largest share in the rat model market owing to the extensive application of toxicology. By application, the market has been segmented into immunology, oncology, central nervous system, cardiovascular, diabetes, and metabolism & regulation. By services, the rat model is segmented as breeding, cryopreservation, quarantine, rederivation, genetic testing, and in vivo and in vitro pharmacology services. The cryopreservation segment is expected to grow at the highest rate as it requires less investment to maintain rat strain for a longer time.Geographically, the global rat model market has been categorized into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Rest of the World (RoW). North America held the largest share in the rat model market. The dominance of the region is majorly due to the robust research activities for the development of drugs and biologics and presence of major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the region. Europe had the second largest share in the global rat model market. Germany was the leading country in Europe. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market for the rat model during the forecast period from 2015 to 2023. This high growth is primarily due to the increasing number of academic and contract research organizations in Japan, China, Australia, and India which shows an immense opportunities to companies in the rat model market. The market in Latin America and Rest of the World would witness a significant growth due to increasing public and private investment in biomedical researches, rising awareness, and flexible regulatory scenario.Some of the major players operating in global rat model market are Charles River Laboratories, Biomedical Research Models, Inc., Covance, Inc., genOway S.A., Harlan Laboratories, Inc., SAGE Labs, Transviragen Inc., Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. and others.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Rat Model Market during 2015- 2023About 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.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cerebral Oximeters Market | Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast up to 2024

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The fundamental aim of the anesthetic process is maintenance of sufficient amount of oxygen to organs and tissues, especially the brain. Though the dangers to the brain of reduced oxygen delivery and prolonged hypoxia are well documented, the brain is still the least monitored organ in the course of anesthesia. Cerebral oximeters are used to obtain cerebral oxygenation values using continuous, noninvasive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology or near-infrared spectroscopy technology.The cerebral oximeter setup includes an oximeter probe which is attached to a cable that is then connected to the cerebral oximeter monitor. Most cerebral oximeters are able to support 2 to 4 oximeter probes with their respective monitor cables. Probes are attached to the scalp of a patient using adhesive pads, where the frontal lobe is the chosen part of the scalp. Probes are composed of fiber optic light source along with light detectors. Light is released by the source in the infrared range either by light-emitting diodes (LED) or through stimulated emission of the radiation. The emitted light which is in the infrared range is able to reach the underlying cerebral tissue by easily penetrating through the skull. The light which is emitted is either redirected, absorbed, reflected, or scattered. A change is observed in the light spectrum when infrared light comes in contact with hemoglobin. The change depends upon the hemoglobin molecules oxygenation status. The light detectors present in the oximeter probes detect the reflected light once it returns toward the surface.View Report The growth of the global cerebral oximeters market is due to factors such as growth in the older population, increase in prevalence and incidence of neurological disorders, and gradual rise in the awareness levels about neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, the market growth is driven by increase in prevalence of traumatic brain injuries and sustained efforts by manufacturers to bring in technological advancements in the equipment. The demand for these devices can grow as there is a huge untreated population with neurological conditions as well as rise in demand for minimally invasive and non-invasive devices. Greater focus of the manufacturers on digitalized devices, their extended therapeutic applications, and increase in use of these devices in clinical trials are some of the opportunities that could drive the growth of the market. However, the market growth could be impeded due to high cost of the equipment. As the devices are complex, the costs associated with them are very high. Furthermore, factors such as shortage of highly trained professionals, concerns about the accuracy of the diagnostic devices, and unfavorable reimbursement policies may hinder the growth of the market during the forecast period.The global cerebral oximeters market is segmented based on product type, therapeutic application, end-user, and geography. The market in terms of product type is divided into portable oximeters and finger oximeters. Based on therapeutic application, the market is classified into traumatic brain injuries, stroke, and other therapeutic applications. In terms of end-user, the market is divided into hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centers, and others.Geographically, the global cerebral oximeters market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to have the prime share of the market. Factors such as rise in prevalence of various neurodegenerative disorders, government initiatives and support for technological advancements, well-established sales & distribution network of major neurodiagnostic companies, and ease of reimbursement for brain monitoring techniques. North America is followed by Europe in terms of market size. The market is expected to grow in Asia Pacific due to improvement in health care infrastructure, rise in disposable incomes, and increase in incidence of neurodegenerative disorders as well as health care reforms initiated by governments.The prominent players operating in the global cerebral oximeters market are GE Healthcare, Medtronic, Masimo, Natus Medical Incorporated, Omron Healthcare, Nonin Medical, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, and Spacelabs Healthcare.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Cerebral Oximeters Market during 2016- 2024About 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.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts Market | Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast up to 2024

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Coronary artery bypass graft is a type of surgery used to treat coronary heart diseases. This surgery improves blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart. According to the National Health Service (England), every year in the U.K., about 20,000 coronary artery bypass grafts are carried out. About 80% of the surgery is used to treat people aged 60 years and above. This surgery is carried out under general anesthetic. The coronary artery bypass graft is performed depending on the severity of the coronary heart disease and the narrowing of coronary blood vessels. Traditional bypass surgery involves a process where the function of the heart is taken over by a heart-lung bypass machine, the patient's breastbone is split, and the chest is cut open. In minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting, only a single three-inch incision is performed over the patient's left chest between the ribs, with no incision over the breastbone. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, a form of coronary artery bypass graft, is commonly known as beating heart bypass graft because it involves the opening of the chest bone but the heart beat is not stopped. According to the Texas Heart Institute, more than 200,000 procedures are performed in the U.S every year.Factors such as growth in number of geriatric population, increase in prevalence of cardiovascular disorder, and change in lifestyle are projected to drive the global coronary artery bypass grafts market during the forecast period. According to the WHO, 17.5 million people die each year due to cardiovascular disease, which is equal to 31% of all estimated deaths worldwide. Technological advancement is another fueling factor, which is likely to add value to the global market. On the other hand, stringent government guidelines are estimated to hinder the market growth.View Report The global coronary artery bypass grafts market has been segmented by procedure type, product type, end-user, and geography. In terms of procedure type, the market is classified into traditional coronary artery bypass grafting, off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, and minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting. The traditional coronary artery bypass grafting is performed when a major artery needs to be bypassed. In terms of product type, the market is classified into saphenous vein graft, left internal thoracic artery graft, and other arterial grafts such as radial artery, ulnar artery, gastroepiploic artery, and inferior epigastric artery. In terms of end-user, the market is classified into hospitals, specialty clinics, and ambulatory centers.In terms of geography, the coronary artery bypass grafts market is classified into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.Geographically, North America dominates the market due to product availability, technological advancement, presence of top players, and growth in number of geriatric population, which in turn is expected to drive the market during the forecast period. The geriatric population represents about 14.5% of the U.S. population. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, by 2060, the number is projected to grow to 98 million which is twice of the 2014 geriatric population in the U.S. Europe is the second leading market due to increasing number of coronary heart diseases among the population. The Asia Pacific market is expected to grow at a higher rate in the near future due to presence of high target patient pool, growth in adoption of western lifestyle, increase in government initiatives, and rise in awareness among people.The major global players operating in this market include Boston Scientific Corporation, Medtronic Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, C.R. Bard, Cordis Corporation, St. Jude Medical, Inc., Terumo Corporation, Sorin Group, and Ethicon US.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts Market during 2016- 2024About 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.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Precision Medicine Market | Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast up to 2024

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Precision medicine is an upcoming disease treatment approach which is devised based on individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person. Often the term is used interchangeably with personalized medicine, however, precision medicine is not the same as simple individualized medicine, but rather a medicine mode which combines standardization with individualization. The benefit rendered by such a treatment approach is the accurate prediction of the treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work in particular groups of people. The standard medicines available in the market, often present the limitation of a one-size fits-all approach, which may not be suitable for every individual due to genetic differences.Precision medicine is an answer to this limitation. Precision medicine is a completely new concept and technology which has been gaining momentum in the past few years, and by doing so, has become a promising domain for business investment for major pharmaceutical companies. Precision medicine makes possible the diagnosis and treatment of diseases by relying on genomics and specific biomarker techniques. A precision based approach to formulating medicine could lead to new insights into disease biology and occurrence whose applications may be population wide. By doing so it is likely to be easier for doctors to select the right drugs, optimal dose and time for medicine usage along with the least side effect. The enhancement in popularity of precision medicine in the recent past can be gauged by the increase in research pertaining to precision medicine during the past few years. For instance, in 2015, there were 1737 papers with the term precision medicine on Pubmed versus just a single paper mentioning precision medicine in 2005. Moreover, rising awareness regarding the benefits of adapting to precision medicine as promoted by the Precision Medicine Initiative by President Obama in January 2015. The overall market for precision medicine shall be driven by increase in research, coupled with unmet needs in several diseases, especially oncology. The market growth shall be bolstered by favorable government regulations and support, especially in developed countries. However, the high cost of these therapies is anticipated to restrain market growth.View Report The market for precision medicine has been segmented on the basis of type of technology, application and geography. Based on type of technology, the market has been segmented into drug discovery, companion diagnostics, sequencing, bio-informatics and big data analytics. The companion diagnostics and drug discovery segments are anticipated to lead the market in terms of revenue share owing to a greater utilization rate of these technologies in congruence with precision medicine. For instance, in 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new cystic fibrosis medication called Kalydeco (ivacaftor). The approval of Kalydeco was noteworthy since it was a precision medicine based approach which targeted one of the causal genetic mutations of the disease rather than a more traditional approach focused on symptom relief.Based on application, the market has been segmented into oncology, hematology, Infectious disease, cardiology, neurology, endocrinology and others. The others segment includes ophthalmology, nephrology, rare diseases and pulmonary diseases). The oncology segment is anticipated to witness high revenue share owing to the rise in cancer incidence, prevalence and suitability of precision medicine for the same. Patients with several forms of cancer, such as breast, lung, and colorectal cancers, as well as leukemias and melanomas, regularly undergo molecular testing as part of patient care and treatment regime, and this enables physicians to select treatments that increase chances of survival at the same time reducing exposure to adverse side effects.Based on geography, the market has been segmented into the following regions: North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to be the leading markets in the precision medicine market, owing to greater adoption to leading edge technologies coupled with a favorable legal environment created through grants and initiatives by the government. For instance, in January 2015, the President of the U.S., Mr. Barrack Obama launched the Precision medicine initiative which included an increased funding request of US$ 215 million in the 2016 federal budget. Moreover, initiatives for precision medicine research and its implementation are already underway at major centers in the U.S., which shall fuel the market growth in the region. For instance, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston Childrens Hospital, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard formed the Joint Center for Precision Cancer Medicine. This collaboration aims to create precision medicine pathways for patients with advanced cancers, thus enabling the fast development of personalized therapies.The major players operating in the precision medicine market include F-Hoffmann La Roche, Pfizer, Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals, Novartis AG, Qiagen, Inc., Medtronic, Illumina, Inc. and Quest Diagnostics.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Precision Medicine Market during 2016- 2024About 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.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
By Brett Campbell | For The Oregonian/OregonLive

Scott Palmer was stuck. The Bag & Baggage Productions artistic director had just auctioned to a patron the right to choose the annual summer Shakespeare production, and the choice was "Romeo and Juliet."

The Hillsboro theater company had staged the popular perennial 10 years earlier, and Palmer hadn't wanted to revisit it so soon. How could he do it differently?

In researching the play's history, he found "astounding" similarities to a 12th-century epic poem by one of the most famous Muslim writers in history. He read a translation of Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi's "Layla and Manjun" and was hooked. He knew he wanted to produce it.

Bag & Baggage's resulting mashup of "Romeo and Juliet" and "Layla and Manjun," which opens July 20, represents, onstage and in its creation, an unprecedented cross-cultural collaboration.

Most Shakespeare plays are based on earlier tales, and in retracing the 16th-century playwright's steps through several likely sources, Palmer discovered that Nizami's poem, itself based on Arabic folk tales, had been recounted by various European authors.

"There's no smoking gun," Palmer said, "but we do know (Shakespeare) was reading Italian sources and those were heavily influenced by Persian masterpieces from the 11th and 12th centuries. There is just no question that 'Layla and Majnun' had a powerful, although indirect, influence on 'Romeo and Juliet.' "

But Palmer soon decided staging the original 4,000-verse "Layla and Majnun" would be impractical, with its magical animals ("we didn't have a gazelle budget") and other supernatural effects. He decided to fuse the two stories.

"When you read the texts side by side, the parallels between the two tales are really astounding," Palmer said, including metaphorical references to ravens and nightingales, Romeo/Majnun's role in the accidental death of his friend Tybalt/Newfal, and much more.

Palmer also discovered big differences. "Layla is much more modern and feminist, much more headstrong and independent than Juliet," he said.

That was among several discoveries that confounded Palmer's preconceptions about Islamic culture and history, which plays a crucial role in Nizami's work. "A huge part of this process has been challenging my own assumptions and prejudices ... that have prevented me from truly understanding how connected we all are," he said.

He invited commentary from "every Muslim theater company in America" and sought advice from scholars at Columbia University and at the University of Oregon. "No Aladdin!" cautioned Oregon's Michael Malek Najjar, who teaches Arab-American theatre and performance. No flying carpets, belly dancers or genie lamps appear. But appropriate to the 12th-century Persian style and setting, the high-status Roman women, not the Muslims, are the ones who wear headscarves.

Palmer also hired Melory Mirashrafi, a Persian-American student at Linfield College and a Hillsboro High School graduate, as assistant director to help with, among other things, translation, pronunciation, insight into Persian culture and the role of Islamic faith in the characters' lives.

"Being a part of a production that celebrates the history and literature of Persia, that embraces intersectionality, the connection between the cultures of the East and West, and that shows our audiences Iranian faces that aren't painted by extremism or terrorism is absolutely crucial," Mirashrafi said. She and her brother Avesta, a Hillsboro High junior, are in the cast along with another actor of Persian descent, and their parents provided advice during rehearsals.

In one scene, for example, Palmer worried whether one character insulting another with the term "dog" would be too offensive in an Islamic setting. The Mirashrafis assured him that in the context of Christian crusaders murdering "infidel" Muslims, such gross offense was precisely appropriate.

They also helped Palmer "bring together the poetic, lush, expressive blank verse of Nizami and the iambic pentameter of Shakespeare," he said.

Palmer thinks his is the first attempt to merge Shakespeare's play with one of its main inspirations, and to frame the story as a conflict not just between feuding families but between two religions.

The process of conjoining the stories also produced something equally valuable: a creative cross-cultural collaboration. "I have discovered a large and welcoming Muslim community in Washington County that invited us to Ramadan dinners, sent people to watch rehearsals to give us feedback, offered to let us borrow prayer rugs and prayer beads, and displayed incredible openness and eagerness to bring this forward to our predominantly white middle-class audience," Palmer said.

"We wanted to start our first season in our new home with a bang," Palmer said. "It is a convenient piece of great luck that 'Layla and Majnun' is not only so beautiful and epic and perfectly suited to our Shakespeare production, but also that it gave us chance to do something that's never been done in Washington County theater before: to focus on the connections between the Muslim and Christian worlds."

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"ROMEO AND JULIET (LAYLA AND MAJNUN)"

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, July 20-Aug. 5

Where: Tom Hughes Civic Center Plaza, 150 E. Main St., Hillsboro. (Outdoor performance, bring your own seating.)

Tickets: Recommended for ages 12 and older. $20, bagnbaggage.org or 503-345-9590

An earlier version of this post gave an incorrect opening date for "Romeo and Juliet (Layla and Majnun)."
PLATTSMOUTH  A Lincoln man will spend time in the Nebraska Department of Corrections for stealing thousands of dollars of jewelry from an Eagle woman last year.

John A. Hodgson, 58, appeared in Cass County District Court on Monday morning for sentencing on one Class IV felony charge. Hodgson entered a plea to theft-receiving stolen property-$1,500 to $5,000 earlier this year. The state had originally charged him with a Class IIA felony of theft-receiving stolen property-more than $5,000.

Deputy County Attorney Richard Fedde told the court Hodgson had been living with a woman in Eagle last spring and summer. The woman noticed several pieces of her jewelry were missing in late August and asked Hodgson about it. He admitted taking the jewelry while he was addicted to methamphetamine.

Authorities discovered Hodgson had taken items with an estimated combined value of $11,915. The items included two diamond rings that weighed 11.7 grams and 4.8 grams. Hodgson also took several necklaces, earrings and video games and tried to sell them at a pawn shop in Lincoln.

Hodgson left Nebraska in early September and traveled to Las Vegas, Nev. He was arrested in Las Vegas on Jan. 3 and was transported to Cass County Jail in early February.

Fedde said the Lincoln pawn shop was notified about the situation and placed many of the stolen items on hold for the victim to retrieve. Hodgson agreed to pay $1,490 in restitution to the victim for other items that had already been sold.

Fedde said Hodgson had a lengthy criminal record that included charges in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. Two of the most serious incidents happened in South Dakota in 2004 and 2010. Hodgson was incarcerated for committing grand theft in the state in both years.

Id ask that Mr. Hodgson be sentenced to a statutory term of at least one year, Fedde said. Hopefully when he gets out he is able to get the treatment he needs for his drug addiction. That is a major issue for him.

Defense attorney Julie Bear told the court her client had been suffering from an addiction to methamphetamine for many years. She said he has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in jail and is eager to begin full-time treatment sessions.

Hodgson told the court he took full responsibility for committing the thefts. He said he was remorseful that his actions damaged his friendship with the victim, and he said he would pay restitution to her for the stolen items. He also told the court he had been sober for the past ten months and wanted to remain that way in the future.

Judge Michael Smith said Hodgsons lengthy record merited a prison sentence at the Nebraska Department of Corrections. He sentenced Hodgson to 15 months in state prison with credit for 190 days already served.

Hodgson will spend 12 months on post-release supervision after his prison sentence. He must repay $1,490 in restitution by the end of that term. He will also be required to complete moral recognition therapy courses, cognitive behavior classes and drug and alcohol treatment sessions.
With a low body count and high laugh factor, "Troilus and Cressida" is one of those tricky Shakespearean works that circles both comedy and tragedy without actually taking residence in either locale. Its thorny, dual nature is likely a leading reason many theater companies won't touch it.

(Let's get real. The language is also not pretty, the ending is vague and the eponymous lovers -- not as star-crossed as Romeo and Juliet, not as dangerous as Othello and Desdemona -- are bargain basement Bard.)

Portland Actors Ensemble deals with the difficult play the same way a parent deals with a difficult child throwing a tantrum in the cereal aisle at Fred Meyer: Take it outside.

Opening a 48th season of summer outdoor offerings, the troupe situates the Greeks-versus-Trojans drama around the towering Soldiers Memorial at Lone Fir Cemetery in Southeast Portland. There's a good wrestling ring-sized lawn for director Patrick Walsh and violence designer Kristen Mun's pile-driving, face-slamming fight sequences, which rival those in the final Season 1 episodes of Netflix's "GLOW."

Walsh takes full advantage of his arcane material, making trims and tweaks that might upset only Shakespeare superfans. He's dropped half of the dramatis personae, snipped speeches and altered the ending. The adaptations still don't fix 400-year-old textual issues. The slightly voyeuristic matchmaker Pandarus (Most Valuable Player Jim Butterfield), who pairs Troilus with Cressida, is more interesting than the couple. Those who haven't Wikipedia'd the play will still be surprised at the couple's lack of actual stage time. And the prime plot -- a grudge match between Trojan War heroes Hector and Achilles - is drawn out until sunlight dies behind the cemetery headstones.

But the production is not only a less ambiguous, energized version of Shakespeare's play -- it also highlights a prescient perception of the violent toxicity of hypermasculinity.

All of this goes down easily outdoors. With the audience stretched out on blankets and surrounded by snacks and summer warmth, the evening event is the relaxed flipside to conventional indoor Shakespeare productions that sometimes feel like frosty classrooms.

Line of the night: "Since I have taken such pains to bring you together, let all pitiful goers-between be called to the world's end after my name; call them all Pandars," says Pandarus, after hooking up Troilus and Cressida.

Strengths: Though Shakespeare restrains his title characters, Walsh uses their sparse moments as part of a larger, convincing disquisition on bullying, sexual intimidation and rape. (Verbs we still use, "hectoring" and "pander," may be rooted in the play.) One of the ways soldiers goad Achilles back into battle is by threatening Achilles' male lover, Patroclus. Theirs is probably the most clearly drawn same-sex pairing in the canon. Rather than exploiting the relationship as trendy, taboo-busting theater, the director connects the couple to the broader theme. This may not have been the Bard's intention, but it sure works dramatically.

Thanks to pratfalls by Samson Syharath (as Ajax) and witty quips from Butterfield's Pandarus, comedy streams throughout the work. That's a relief for the audience, considering the brutal tonal difference between the first and second acts.

Weaknesses: Cemetery-goers will leave with questions that have haunted critics for centuries, including: Why does Cressida fall for her kidnapper? (Is it Stockholm syndrome? Bad-boy allure?) And what was Achilles doing all that time in his tent? (Glued to the two premiere episodes of TNT's juicy Shakespeare soap "Will"?)

Memorable moments: Hector (Colton Ruscheinsky), Paris (Nik Horaites) and Troilus (Jacob Camp) jab and parry furiously as they debate whether to keep or release Helen of Troy. Landy Hite, as Aeneas, dives face-first into her part of the climatic battle royale. Is it the "Special Skills" section of a resume where an actor lists "Unafraid to eat dirt"?

Takeaway: Not just for Shakespeare completists who fear going to their graves never having seen "Troilus and Cressida," Portland Actors Ensemble's dynamic production unlocks a manuscript that's virtually new for most. And because it's rarely done and seen, there's that same, fresh thrill you experience when you stumble into an exciting non-superhero, non-franchise, non-sequel flick in the summer.

-- Lee Williams, for The Oregonian/OregonLive

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"Troilus and Cressida"

Where: Lone Fir Cemetery, 2115 S.E. Morrison St.

When: 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday through July 29

Tickets: Free; donations welcome; portlandactors.com
The federal government is giving the Oregon DMV another temporary reprieve after state lawmakers approved a plan to offer TSA-compliant driver's licenses.

The state is overdue to create licenses compliant with the Real ID Act of 2005, passed by Congress after the 9/11 attacks as an anti-terrorism measure. Residents of states not in compliance can't use their driver's licenses or other state-issued ID cards to enter federal facilities or, come Jan. 22, board commercial flights.

But the feds have offered Oregon a series of extensions as it moved toward compliance, and state officials say Oregonians aren't likely to be barred from flights until well after the new cards are available.

Senate Bill 374, signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown last week, will give Oregonians the option of paying extra for an upgraded ID card that meets the Department of Homeland Security's requirements. At some point after those new IDs are introduced, regular Oregon driver's licenses will no longer pass muster at federal checkpoints.

DMV officials say they've been assured Oregon will continue to receive extensions from the federal government if they continue working toward Real ID implementation.

The upgraded card is expected to be available around July 2020, just months before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said it will stop accepting IDs from non-compliant states and airport security checkpoints in October 2020.

But DMV officials say they expect the federal government will grant extensions that make the deadline a little less tight.

"They don't want to put a state in a position where millions of people will want to get an ID on the same day," DMV spokesman David House said.

Oregon will implement the new IDs along with a new computer system intended to reduce the DMV's reliance on paper forms and outdated digital records. That upgrade is also expected to allow Oregonians to conduct more DMV transactions online.

Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia are already in compliance with the Real ID Act. Two, Missouri and Minnesota, have been deemed out of compliance and not granted any more extensions. Minnesota, however, offers residents an enhanced ID card that is accepted.

Oregon's upgrade is coming down to the wire because the state Legislature, affronted by an unfunded federal mandate, in 2009 prohibited the Oregon DMV from spending any money to become Real ID-compliant.

The new bill puts the added costs on the cardholders, who will pay an as-yet specified fee for the Real ID compliant cards. Drivers will still have the option to obtain a non-compliant ID, but they will need to provide another form of identification to fly.

The changes required under the Real ID Act mostly aren't to the identification card itself.

Rather, it requires applicants to show documentation of citizenship or legal residency, as Oregon has since 2008. The state also must maintain copies of documents provided as proof of citizenship or residency for 10 years, and it must conduct fingerprint background check on anyone who makes state ID cards.

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

@enjus
Portland's best new food carts of 2017

By Samantha Bakall and Michael Russell

Nothing is permanent in the food cart world. Beloved pods are flipped into condos. Vandalism and theft are perennial concerns. Old favorites decide to put all their energy into growing their kombucha hot sauce line.

Wait, say that again?

The past year brought big changes for Portland's signature dining experience, including a rash of wee-hours burglaries at pods across the city in fall, yet another development proposal that could displace the original Nong's Khao Man Gai and the imminent closure of one of the city's oldest great carts. At The Original Schnitzelwich (formerly Tabor), owners Karel and and Monika Vitek plan to end their 13-year run serving Czech comfort food in downtown Portland later this month and pursue their Stinging Nettle hot sauce instead.

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And yet. As we have for more than half a decade, we spent the last month of spring canvassing the city for new carts bold enough to set their foundation on this shaky ground. And as is often the case, we came back with enough interesting options to make whittling down a final 10 a difficult task.

There were Japanese carts serving hearty curry (Coco Kare) and good ramen (Richi's), new Caribbean carts serving jerk chicken or flaky stuffed pastries (including a great Haitian cart that made our list, see below), Chinese carts adding more jian bing and hand-pulled noodles (Stretch the Noodle) or rou jia mo and beef noodle soup (Lucky Bite), a breakfast-only cart devoted to campfire dishes (Bivy) and new carts serving the diverse cuisines of Guam, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ghana and whichever rainbow-bright fantasyland sushi doughnuts come from.

Below, find our seventh-annual guide to the citys 10 best new food carts. Enjoy them while they last.

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Sarah Silbiger | The Oregonian/Oregonlive.com

No. 10: Tight Tacos

If we could take all our favorite moments over the past year at Tight Tacos -- the time the griddled tortillas were just a little crisp, the time the carnitas were crispy and super rich, the time they had fresh horchata, the time they had any aguas frescas at all, the time the al pastor was sliced off the trompo with a little sliver of pineapple (we swear this happened) -- it would have been among our top five favorite new carts. Not every visit has had moments like that, but between their investment in new cart concepts such as FOMO Chicken (see later in this list) and Kook's Burritos (they didn't ask for the controversy) the highs were enough to give Tight Tacos the 10 spot. Stick to those carnitas tacos, which we hope return to their oil-soaked, juicy best on our next visit, and dont miss the Mini Mart next door, where you'll find a surprisingly impressive beer list to BYOB with your tacos.

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Sarah Silbiger | The Oregonian/Oregonlive.com

Details

Tight Tacos: Noon to 7 p.m. daily; 935 S.E. Cesar E. Chavez; 408-386-0432; tighttacos.com



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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 9: Kayo's Tonkatsu

This year saw a bumper crop of new Japanese dishes at Portland-area food carts, including the simple curry and donburi at Alohas Coco Kare and the takoraisu and good ramen at downtown Portlands Richis. But this newcomer from the folks at Kayos Ramen Bar spoke to us, not necessarily for the silky tempura-fried tofu in its sparse veggie bento or the panko-breaded deep-fried hot dog, though both were nice, but for the tonkatsu sandwich, a thin slab of breaded and fried pork with shredded cabbage and cart-made sauce on white bread. It reminded us of a higher-class version of the mayo-spread katsu sandwiches you find at 7-Elevens from Seoul, Tokyo and Taipei, only not quite as good (few things are).

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Details

Kayo's Tonkatsu: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday; 3625 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.; 971-203-1048; Facebook: kayostonkatsu

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 8: Carlito's Cocina

At the end of June, Portland's first Puerto Rican food cart joined the rainbow accord of Latin American (and Haitian) carts at Portland Mercado, bringing with it a menu of homestyle dishes drawn from owner Karlo Prado's childhood. For now, there's a trio of mofongos -- the Puerto Rican staple of mashed green plantains stuffed with meat or veggies -- pounded to order, then filled with smoked-then-fried pork, fried chicken or a seasonal veggie in a tomato-sofrito broth; a lime-spiked ceviche with fresh fish, shrimp and mango; and an ensalada gazpacho, which in Puerto Rico is more of an avocado salad with chunks of salt cod, tomatoes, mango and orange juice. As the cart settles in, Prado said, expect to see a wider menu of fritturas, including empanadas, meat-filled plantain fritters (alcapurrias) and croquettas, and sandwiches, like the Chicago-born jibarito and tripleta, the Puerto Rican take on a Cubano.

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Details

Carlito's Cocina: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 7238 S.E. Foster Road, 702-497-6672, carlitoscocinapdx.com

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 7: Black Star Grill

Born in Ghana, Black Star Grill owner Enoch Aggrey followed a circuitous route to Portland, moving first to Japan with his missionary parents. At 14, he took a job washing dishes at a Cajun/Creole restaurant in Okinawa. By 15, he could cook the whole menu. After attending Portland State University, Aggrey now cooks West African recipes, some given to him by his mother, in a tidy black-and-white food cart parked in a gas station near his alma mater. The main attractions here are build-your-own bowls starting with plain white or jollof rice ("it's jambalaya's grandmother," Aggrey says of the subtly spicy tomato-rice dish), beautifully caramelized fried plantains and a choice of meat, including seared chicken, fried shrimp and sesame-ginger steak bites. The pineapple-ginger fizz, made with fresh-squeezed juice and ginger beer, is a reason to visit on its own. The menu doesn't go too deep into West African cuisine, and probably won't soon. Right now, Aggrey is more interested in adding personal touches. Look for his take on tako-raisu, a Mexican/American/Japanese dish of seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, lettuce and tomato over rice that he devoured as a teenager in Okinawa, to debut at The Bite of Oregon.

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Details

Black Star Grill: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 1967 S.W. Fourth Ave.; 503-930-8963; Facebook: Black Star Grill

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Sarah Silbiger | The Oregonian/Oregonlive.com

No. 6: Fine Goose

Last July, old friends Jean Broquere and Sebastien Guarderas moved from southern France to Portland to open the Fine Goose, a slate gray food cart dedicated to traditional French food. Those seasonally focused dishes include buttery croissants -- yes, croissants -- made in-cart, tender duck confit, Broqueres grandmothers ratatouille (during the summer), flaky, goat cheese-spiked quiche and simple sandwiches. The croissants are unsurprisingly limited, but if youre lucky enough to snag one of the 24 offered each day, theyre incredibly buttery and flaky, with a shiny, golden sheen. Quiche lovers (and haters) will enjoy the delicate, seasonal egg tart, here baked in a broad pan for thin, pizza-like slices. And the duck confit, cooked in its own fat until it barely holds its shape, then served over crispy, confited potatoes with onion jam, is a classic southwestern French dish yet a rare find in Portland. We want to show you can have what you have in a fancy restaurant on a paper plate here, Broquere said. We wanted to show that French food isnt just in fancy restaurants, it could be made nice and traditionally in the streets, too.

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Samantha Bakall | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Details

Fine Goose: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday; 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; 1533 N.E. Alberta St., 503-490-7027; finegoose.us

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Stephanie Yao Long | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 5: Dos Mundos

This powder blue food cart in the parking lot of a pawn shop in Newberg has been one of our favorites since we first visited last year on our 99W taco crawl. Theres a white cheddar cheeseburger, an excellent breakfast burrito and a smattering of good Mexican dishes, but the real reason to make the drive to the family-run Dos Mundos is the tacos. Here, owner Jesus Hernandez, who worked his way up through Napa Valley restaurants before stints at Newbergs Painted Lady and Allison Inn, combines traditional Oaxacan recipes with more modern techniques and flavors. Think al pastor with pineapple, chicken tinga -- a shredded chicken in a tomato, caramelized onion and chipotle sauce -- braised pork belly with a creamy avocado-tomatillo salsa and one of the states best fish tacos made with a hunk of fried Oregon rockfish done up with pico de gallo, cabbage mix, pickled onions and chipotle crema. Each is tucked into a pillowy soft handmade tortilla for a steal, at $2-$3 each. If youll be in wine country for the day, make this your go-to lunch stop.

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Stephanie Yao Long | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Details

Dos Mundos: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday; 2401 Portland Road, Newberg, 971-716-8789

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 4: FOMO Chicken

Korean-fried chicken has had a rough time in Portland. Five years after hitting "it" food status in New York and Los Angeles, it remains the territory of ephemeral pop-ups and one-night specials locally -- we still remember stopping by Koi Fusion owner Bo Kwon's short-lived Pearl District restaurant Koi Fusion @ 1 to try their KFC, only to learn it had already been dropped from the menu. Worse still, way too many restaurants feel confident calling any old wings doused in Thai chile sauce Korean Fried Chicken. Enough with that. Enter Sun Kim, who started FOMO as a pop-up at his former post, Han Ly Hwangs popular Kim Jong Grillin' cart, took it to Kwon's CartLab food court, then bought this silver food cart and stenciled it with a bright red chicken head crying a single tear. The chicken comes two ways: Boneless thighs chopped up and served over rice with cole slaw and pickled radish in fast-food-style bowls, or as whole, five-piece birds, each double-fried and tossed in either a sweet-soy garlic or a spicy-sweet gochujang paste. Both in the presentation and the ingredients, youll find distinctly American touches, including a gluten-free Southern-style fried chicken dredged in locally milled garbanzo and fava bean flour. But on an everyday basis, FOMO is the most serious attempt to bring the worlds greatest fried chicken style to Portland's masses.

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Details

FOMO Chicken: Noon to 8 p.m. daily; 113 S.E. 28th Ave.; 503-308-0258, fomochicken.com



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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 3. Le Pantry

Adrienne Harkey and Adam Merlin moved to Portland thinking they might open a restaurant, perhaps something in fine-dining similar to the places where Merlin had worked in Philadelphia, including Georges Perriers famed Le Bec-Fin. That plan proved tougher than expected. Plan B was buying the former Burrasca cart on Southeast 28th Avenue and serving a laborious menu of French dishes to a confused cart clientele. Plan C, which evolved over the past 12 months, was a mellower menu of salads and tartines alongside the occasional more-elaborate entree. In practice, that looks like carefully sourced fish, poultry and seasonal vegetables arranged in bowls or on rustic toast from Tabor Bread. On a recent visit, the menu was short, with a kale Caesar salad, some lovely fresh tagliatelle, an avocado-strawberry toast with a delicately dressed side salad and a beautiful pan-seared chicken with swiss chard and carrots both raw and tossed in hazelnut puree and as perfect dollops of a smoked carrot puree -- an impressive dish, whether from a restaurant or a cart.

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Details

Le Pantry: Noon to 8 p.m., Thursday-Monday; 113 S.E. 28th Ave.; 503-862-3583; lepantrypdx.com



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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 2: Jouk Li Jou

A fire engine red cart parked among the ROYGBIV assortment of trailers at Southeast Portlands Mercado is home to some of the city's best, and likely only, Haitian food, which draws influences from French, Spanish, Taino and African cuisines. Perennially cheerful chef and owner Mathilde Aurelien Wilson simmers thick kongo pea soup, a creamy, coconut-based soup with a savory broth and bright carrots, squash, celery and kongo peas -- a hardy, large pigeon pea. Her oxtail stew bathes thick slices of meat in a tomato-based sauce, its fat melting like butter over rice with fried plantains for crunch. The roast chicken thigh, marinated in garlic, orange sour and herbs, arrives golden brown with crisp skin over rice and beans and a head-clearing spicy cabbage slaw. Jouk Li Jou might be the only cart in the city where you can find a plate of curried goat. And its definitely the only cart whose proceeds help support a nonprofit the owner started more than a decade ago to bring basic necessities like running water and electricity to her hometown in one of Haitis most impoverished regions. And the cart is just the beginning for Aurelien, whose housemade Roselle brew, an addictive, burgundy-colored ginger-sorrel beer spiced with cinnamon, will make its grocery debut at New Seasons this fall.

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Sarah Silbiger | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Details

Jouk Li Jou: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily; 7238 S.E. Foster Road, 503-752-1986, portlandmercado.org/jouklijou

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Sarah Silbiger | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Portland's best new food cart of 2017: Gumba

At Gumba, former Bar Mingo cook Jesse Martinez and best friend Robin Brassaw planned to start by serving Italian food, then follow whatever tangent their hearts desired. What they didn't expect was the following for their fresh pastas would grow so strong they wouldn't be able to take them off the menu. Those pastas, like the $12 bowl of spaghetti that arrives firm and gilded in eggy carbonara-like sauce with blobs of stretchy cart-made burrata, fried shallots and sumac under a shower of delicate flowers and fennel fronds, are inexpensive and beautiful. The cart's signature dish might be the fresh-made pappardelle tossed in a braised short rib sugo with olives and pecorino, an earthy stunner dusted in pecorino and breadcrumbs. Elsewhere in the Italian canon, there's "pizza fritta," an enormous, Neapolitan-style street elephant ear. It's basically an inside-out, deep-fried pizza with a chewy, crisp crust stuffed with porchetta, sage, Mama Lil's peppers, pickled golden raisins and mozzarella or artichoke hearts, cascabel chile pesto and salsa rossa. A handful of globally inspired daily specials Martinez and Brassaw have been added to appease their original plan -- think Vietnamese porridge with pork belly braised in coconut water, braised and fried beef ribs tossed with fish sauce and molasses and a squid ink spaghetti with calamari -- but after too many bowls of exquisite pasta, who has room?

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Gumba/Facebook

Details

5 to 8 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday; noon to 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday; noon to 8 p.m., Sunday; recently relocated to Northeast Alberta Street and 23rd Avenue, 503-975-5951, Facebook: Gumbacart

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Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Read more

You've just met Portland's 10 best new food carts of 2017. Here, find Portland's 15 best food carts, period.
Editorial boards from The Oregonian/OregonLive and other newspapers from around the state weighed in several Legislature-related issues as lawmakers raced to pass bills in the final days of the session. Here's a look at some of those opinions in the past week:

Democrats in the Oregon Legislature are worried about plans to refer their just-passed controversial tax on health insurance and hospitals. So they're changing the rules of the referendum game to help their cause, The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board writes.

"Democrats argue a November election is too long to wait to address the financial hole created if the tax was put on hold. Instead of working harder to reach a compromise, lawmakers chose to shift the election. Moving the election to January, their argument goes, allows them to quickly dive back in to the budget during the short February session.

It's a costly decision. Scheduling a statewide election in addition to the two already required by law will cost around $3.3 million, according to Secretary of State Dennis Richardson. That's just a drop in the budgetary bucket, of course. But it's one that cannot be ignored when Democratic lawmakers have regularly complained about a lack of money.

Worse, however, the bill tosses aside the usual process requiring impartial groups to describe the measure on the ballot and in the voter's pamphlet. Instead, SB 229 gives all that power to a committee made up of four Democrats and two Republicans."

The editorial board also weighed in on the Legislature's failure to provide sufficient funding on two education-related ballot measures that overwhelmingly won voter approval. While it's reasonable for lawmakers to take into consideration how much school districts are ready to use the programs specified by Measures 98 and 99, they did not allocate enough funding to cover the need that already exists.

"Toya Fick, executive director for Stand for Children Oregon, a primary backer of the Measure 98 campaign, called the $170 million "a down payment" but warned that it is far from what will be required to help high school students. That's not hyperbole, considering that some 10,000 students a year drop out of high school in Oregon, which has the third-worst graduation rate in the country.

Similarly, Rex Burkholder, chairman of the Outdoor School for All committee, told The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board that those tasked with administering the outdoor school fund have tallied the cost of existing outdoor school programs at $30 million, $6 million more than the allocation from legislators. That means the fund won't cover current demand nor can it accommodate additional outdoor school programs from other districts that want to start a program in the next two years."

The Eugene Register-Guard marked the 50th anniversary of Oregon's Beach Bill last week with some history of the dispute that helped bring it about.

"William Hay, whose holdings included the Surfsand Motel at Cannon Beach, lit the fuse for what became a statewide explosion of support for protecting public access when he fenced off a section of sand in 1967 and declared it a private beach for his motel's guests.

At high tide, the fence acted as a barricade for anyone walking north or south on the beach, blocking it entirely, as former Register-Guard journalist Brent Walth wrote in his book, "Fire At Eden's Gate."

A bill was introduced to fix a loophole in an earlier move to protect public access, a loophole that Hay's lawyers had spotted. But the bill soon ran into trouble, in part because it threatened some lawmakers' supporters, Walth wrote.

Gov. Tom McCall fought back, the media got interested in the story and Oregonians collectively hit the roof when they learned what was at stake.

At that point, all hell broke loose in the Legislature, with lawmakers facing increasing pressure both from powerful business interests and extremely irate voters who did not take kindly to the prospect of privatizing Oregon's beaches and barring its citizens from them."

The Bend Bulletin editorial board last week called on the Legislature to grant OSU-Cascades a fair share of its bond request for expanding the Central Oregon campus. The editorial notes the oddities in how generously the Legislature has accommodated other bond requests versus the paltry $9 million in state bonding capacity for OSU-Cascades.

"The Legislature announced $1.3 billion in bonding choices Monday, dominated by projects favored by the Democrats who themselves dominated the subcommittee that made the choices. Just a few of the projects elsewhere that were winners" included $36.5 million for a graduate school building at Portland State University, $750,000 to help the Eugene Ballet Co. move to a new building and $101 million for a Multnomah County Courthouse, the editorial notes.

"With Central Oregon represented by a Republican delegation, suspicion naturally arises about the basis for these choices. But the right reason to do better by OSU-Cascades isn't related to who represents the region. It's because it's a fledgling startup that uniquely needs support at this critical time in its youth."

The Medford Mail Tribune last week criticized Rep. Julie Parrish's plan to ask voters to overturn a tax on hospitals and insurances that will help pay for the state's expanded Medicaid coverage.

"Parrish, along with other Republican lawmakers, objects to the provider tax, arguing that the costs will be passed on to customers, although the hospitals stand to get their increased tax payments back in the form of payments for treating Oregon Health Plan patients.

The wisdom of a Band-Aid tax plan to keep the Medicaid program afloat can be debated, and it would have been preferable to see lawmakers enact serious cost-containment measures and restructure the corporate tax structure to balance the budget as they initially intended. Parrish's proposed changes to state employee health coverage could have played a prominent role in that effort, and it's unfortunate that the majority Democrats paid it scant attention.

But launching a petition drive to overturn the provider tax, potentially throwing the health coverage of hundreds of thousands of Oregonians into limbo for a year, is irresponsible."
By Hanna Vaandering

For the last two decades, Oregon has been steadily turning its back on Oregon's students by disinvesting in public education. Once the envy of the nation, our schools have fallen to the bottom in nearly every category. Our class sizes consistently rank as some of the largest in the country. Our school years are some of the shortest. Critical investments like school counselors, librarians, and school nurses have been cut.

Those who have tried to invest in public education have encountered the same two realities: Oregon corporations pay some of the lowest taxes in the nation, and they will do everything in their power to keep it that way.

Last year, educators around the state collected tens of thousands of signatures to change that reality by putting a corporate tax with the revenue dedicated to funding our schools and other critical services on the ballot. After facing an unprecedented $28 million spent against it, M97 was defeated.

During that campaign, Sandra McDonough, president and CEO of the Portland Business Alliance promised that if the measure was defeated, they would help write the solution to address our woefully underfunded schools. "The day after the election, we will be at the table," she promised.

Much has happened in the eight months since then. Another school year has come and gone, but those of us working with students continue to ask: Where is the solution?

When a majority of lawmakers expressed their support for modest corporate tax reform with revenue devoted entirely for public education, the business associations once again obstructed. They rounded up enough opposition to ensure that such reform wouldn't get the three-fifths majority needed to pass.

Students have gone home for the summer, but the crisis in our schools has not gone away. With another legislative session in the books, legislators have once again failed to reform revenue.

The state schools fund is hundreds of millions short of what is needed to just stay where we are, so, once again districts will be forced to balance their budgets on the backs of students and educators.

But where is the business community? As teachers fret over the idea of another year of growing class sizes, corporations continue to enjoy their bottom of the barrel taxes. Once again, their tactics have paid off -- for them.

As Oregonians, we must find the solution that our students desperately need -- with or without the business community. A fully-funded education system can close our equity gap, raise graduation rates, and provide a 21st-century workforce. For the sake of our students, we cannot let obstruction prevail.

Hanna Vaandering is president of the Oregon Education Association.
Fire crews are still working to stop a now 2,000-acre wildfire in south-central Oregon, officials said Sunday.

The Ana Fire was reported Saturday afternoon near Summer Lake, 100 miles southeast of Bend. A level one evacuation order, alerting area residents to be prepared for potential evacuation, was issued Sunday in the 22-mile area between Summer Lake and Silver Lake, according to the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership.

As of Sunday afternoon, fire activity was largely on land managed by the Fremont-Winema National Forest and government agencies, officials reported.

Until further notice, Highway 31, which runs through the area, is closed to all through traffic to allow emergency crews access. Dry weather and increasing winds are expected in the area, risking further damage.

The 350-acre Dry Creek Fire in Klickitat County, Washington has also prompted a level one evacuation order for residents along a six-mile stretch on State Highway 141, Klickitat County Emergency Management said Sunday. There will be overnight road closures on that highway.

A fire that grew to 150 acres on the Crooked River National Grassland was reported Sunday near Madras in central Oregon. Another was reported early Sunday morning west of Sisters and spread about five acres before fire crews cut it off.

--Janaki Chadha

503-221-8165; @janakichadha
The Competition Commission of South Africa has announced its conditional approval of The Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co.'s $130 billion merger.

The decision follows similar conditional approvals from global antitrust authorities in Canada and Mexico last week and from the U.S. Department of Justice on June 15.

Dow and DuPont announced merger plans in 2015. Now with the majority of approvals secured, the companies expect to close a deal in August to combine two of the biggest chemical companies in the U.S.

Pending approval from a few remaining jurisdictions, DowDuPont would split three ways within 18 months: Material Sciences, to stay headquartered in Midland, would be the first spin-off. Agriculture and Specialty Products would be based in Wilmington, Delaware.

In South Africa, Dow distributes sunflower seeds, agrochemicals, material science products and food texturizers, the Competition Commission said in a news release on its Facebook page. DuPont distributes various seeds, including maize and sunflower seeds, and agrochemicals in South Africa.

Because the merger would likely result in less competition in South African seed markets and insecticide markets in several African regions, the Competition Commission requires Dow to make certain products available to third parties for licensing.

DuPont must divest its entire insecticide business supplied in South Africa, including associated research and development.

"Farmers will continue to benefit from the availability of these insecticides in South Africa at competitive prices from a different supplier who is neither Dow nor DuPont," the release states.

Dow also is required to register its PowerCore and Enlist biotechnology traits in South Africa within two years of merger approval.

On June 28, Dow and DuPont announced a comprehensive portfolio review for DowDuPont, for which they're working with McKinsey & Co., a management consulting firm. The companies expect the DowDuPont board to review results soon after the merger closes.

"Our review will provide an in-depth look at the portfolio mix and alignment across divisions to ensure we capitalize on all value-enhancing opportunities. The output of the review will be an immediate focus for the DowDuPont Board following merger close," Alexander (Sandy) Cutler, lead director of DuPont, said in a news release.

"If the results of our review demonstrate there is net greater long-term value creation to be realized through a change in the portfolio, it will be pursued."
EDITOR'S NOTE -- OWI means operating while intoxicated. DWLS means driving while license suspended. (MC) is for Judge Michael D. Carpenter. (L) is for Magistrate Gerald Ladwig. (B) is for Circuit Judge Michael J. Beale. (SC) is for Circuit Judge Stephen P. Carras. Sentences may vary based on previous offenses committed by the defendant. Some sentencings include other fees imposed by the state.

Kawkawlin

Andrew William Ernst, 25, allowing DWLS on May 20, $325 fines and costs (L).

Midland

Alex Wills Hocquard, 26, Crestwood Court, marijuana possession on Oct. 8, 45 days in jail with credit for two days, $125 fines and costs, driver license suspended for six months (MC).

Katlyn Anne Holland, 23, South Grey Road, failure to report traffic accident on June 4, $325 fines and costs (L).

Roger Monroe Ordway, 44, East Sugnet Road, unregistered vehicle, DWLS and no proof of insurance on May 13, $885 fines and costs (L).

Emilie Grace Rice, 23, East Wackerly Street, operating motorcycle without endorsement on May 21, one weekend in jail, $325 fines and costs (L).

Michael Joseph Slicker, 50, Westbury Drive, operating with a blood alcohol content of 0.17 or more on May 3, 180 days in jail with all but three days suspended and credit for one day, $625 fines and costs, six months probation, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed, attend Impact Weekend (MC).

Sanford

Robert Ellsworth Neve, 40, trespassing on Sept. 28, 15 days in jail with credit for time served, $125 fines and costs (MC).

Elsewhere

Aaron Aurie-Pasco Grenon, 23, Alger, drunk and disorderly on May 13, $475 fines and costs, 90 days probation, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (L).

William Richard Hickey, 20, Davison, DWLS on May 14, $425 fines and costs (L).

Allen Joseph Stroshein, 67, St. Helen, obscene conduct on May 28, $425 fines and costs (L).
Synergy HomeCare opens office

SYNERGY HomeCare of Central Illinois is happy to announce the opening of its office at 115 Susan Drive, Unit G, Normal. A ribbon-cutting ceremony through the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, followed by an open house, was celebrated May 18, 2017, with many business owners in the community.

SYNERGY HomeCare has been serving the Bloomington/Normal cities and surrounding villages and townships since May 2013. In April 2015, SYNERGY HomeCare opened an office in Champaign/Urbana. Demand for SYNERGY HomeCare services has increased, necessitating a larger office to greet caregivers and clients. With this growth, the following staff have earned new leadership roles:

Debi Calhoon has been promoted to director of operations. Debi has been an integral part of SYNERGY HomeCare of Central Illinois, assisting with operation procedures and putting systems in place that have allowed growth. Debi brought years of experience in helping small businesses get organized and position themselves for growth. Debi shares SYNERGYs passion of caring for others and finding solutions for families to help people stay in their homes or assist them if they need one-on-one care in a facility environment. Debi manages staff in all SYNERGY HomeCare offices, making sure all systems are streamlined and working efficiently.

Betsy Boge has been promoted to director of client care. Betsy is an original member of the team, assisting SYNERGY HomeCare spread the word of non-medical home care. She works with professionals in the area to share the many benefits SYNERGY HomeCare provides to folks needing extra assistance at home after surgery or an injury. She has been an active advocate in our communities helping seniors find solutions to age at home with independence and dignity. Betsy will oversee a client care community relations staff that will include the Bloomington/Normal and Champaign/Urbana areas, and coming soon, Decatur/Forsythe area.
Normal is waiting on the outcome of state legislation and to see what develops at the federal level before considering a similar resolution, said Mayor Chris Koos.

Koos said that while attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors last month he talked to leaders of other cities to see what they are doing "to kind of help mitigate what a lot of people see as a heavy-handed response to immigrants."

Illinois State University in Normal has a significant population of foreign students, and many fear going home for a visit and then being barred from returning to the U.S., Koos said.

"It's affecting immigrant students significantly applying to universities in the United States," he said.

In another matter, the council is slated to vote on whether to include bicycle lanes on East Washington Street in the city's bicycle master plan.

During recent public meetings some residents raised concerns that Washington Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, has too much traffic for bicyclists to safely navigate.

Last month, the Bloomington Planning Commission voted 7-3 to recommend amending the city's 2015 bicycle master plan to add Washington Street from Lee Street to St. Joseph Drive.
Q: I am a friend of a veteran who has serious mental health issues. His limited insurance coverage for such issues is inadequate and he periodically ends up in the emergency room for threatening suicide. He was discharged from military duty with a general discharge under other than honorable conditions. I have known him since before he entered military service and I believe that a lot of his mental health issues are related to what he experienced in the service of his country. Does the VA offer any mental health assistance for this type of veteran?

A: Discharges that are other than honorable, including a general discharge, are known as bad paper and can prevent veterans from receiving federal benefits, such as health care, disability payments, education and housing assistance. In some cases, these veterans were unjustly discharged from the military because of mental health issues. An estimated 22,000 veterans with mental illnesses have received other-than-honorable discharges since 2009. VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin recently announced that the VA would begin offering VA mental health care services to veterans with less-than-honorable discharges who urgently need it. Such veterans should contact their closest VA clinic or medical center for more information on how to access the mental health emergency services. This change in mental health care is just one of the ways that the VA is responding to the suicide crisis in the military and among veterans.

Q: I am enrolled in VA Health Care and periodically see my VA doctor for a few health issues. I have a 40 percent service-connected disability rating. I currently have applied for a VA guaranteed loan. A part of the application process requires a copy of my most recent disability award letter. I receive an award letter each December from the VA with a statement as to what my monthly compensation will be for the next 12 months. The guarantee loan program is run by the VA; why do I have to get the darn award letter? If I have to get the letter, how do I get a copy?

A: The VA is broken down into many sub-agencies that administer the individual VA programs. For security purposes and to guarantee that the VA loan guarantee administrator is actually dealing with the veteran who is applying for the program, most VA agencies do not share information between agencies. You can call the VA at 800-827-1000 to request a copy of your most recent award letter. Alternatively, if you are enrolled in Myhealthevet, you can go to the myhealthevet.gov website and print a copy.

Did you know?

The state of Illinois provides benefits to veterans that are separate from federal VA benefits. They include tax exemption/reduction for disabled veterans, veterans' preference in hiring for state jobs reporting to the governor, the Illinois Veterans Grant for college tuition and fees waiver and admission to the Illinois VA veterans' homes in Manteno, Quincy, LaSalle and Anna.

Illinois also provides for the exemption of camping and admission fees for certain disabled persons and former prisoners of war who are Illinois residents and who wish to camp in parks under the control of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Documentation of disability status is required.

Illinois does not require fishing and/or hunting licenses for disabled veterans with disability ratings from the VA of 10 percent or greater. Contact your local Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) at the Armory on South Main Street in Bloomington to apply for the disabled veteran fishing and hunting licenses.

The Illinois State Fair offers free admission on Veterans' Sunday at the state fair to all honorably discharged veterans and their family.

Cartage fees: When the federal government has furnished a headstone or marker, the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs shall pay up to the allowable reimbursement amount for the setting of such marker within Illinois. Currently, the maximum amount is $100 payable upon approval of the application.

Indigent veterans: Each county with a Veterans Assistance Commission (53 of Illinois 102 counties have VAC offices) shall provide burial for any honorably discharged indigent veteran, or their mothers, fathers, spouse or surviving spouse, or minor children, without sufficient means to defray the funeral expenses. The expense of such burial shall not exceed the sum of $900. Emergency food and transportation may also be provided in certain cases at the VAC offices. Contact your local commission for more information.
EU Launches Trade Investigation Against Turkey Following Complaint by the European Paper Industry "At a time when global free trade is under increasing pressure, the European paper industry urges the Turkish authorities to stand on the side of free trade."  CEPI. July 7, 2017 (Press Release) - Today the EU has decided to launch investigations against Turkey for breach of EU-Turkey Customs Union and WTO rules confirming the validity of a complaint lodged by the European paper industry. CEPI, the independent voice of the paper industry in Europe, presented a trade complaint (Trade Barrier Regulation (TBR)) to the European Commission on the 24 April 2017. The complaint concerned the unfair non-automatic import licensing system established by Turkey concerning, inter alia, EU exports of certain varieties of paper including office paper, books, envelopes and paper used for direct mail marketing (otherwise known as uncoated wood free (UWF) paper). This is both the first time a TBR complaint has been launched in almost ten years and first time CEPI as an industry association has lodged a trade complaint. Today's launch of this investigation is an indictment of the Turkish authorities' reluctance to maintain a level-playing field when it comes to free trade. Turkey should withdraw, in the spirit of the EU-Turkey Customs Union and its WTO commitments, any unfair trade barriers say Sylvain Lhote, Director General at CEPI. The unfair non-automatic import licensing system puts at risk over EUR150 million worth of EU exports of these varieties of paper. At a time when global free trade is under increasing pressure, the European paper industry urges the Turkish authorities to stand on the side of free trade. The paper industry already exports 22% of its entire produce outside the EU and will continue to remain an advocate for free trade and take a firm stance where this is put at risk. What can be expected next? Within a five to seven month period the Commission will now engage in a detailed investigation of the concerns raised by CEPI resulting in a report which may warrant the launch of WTO proceedings. Background to the trade complaint Following an inconclusive safeguard investigation on UWF imports in 2014-2015, Turkey extended in 2016 an existing import licensing system which targeted EUR150 million of EU exports of UWF paper products. The Turkish non-automatic import licensing system with regard to UWF paper is based on an arbitrary price threshold and creates a significant and unfair obstacle to EU-Turkey trade. As such, the contested system poses a clear violation of WTO and EU-Turkey Customs Union Agreement. The Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) is the pan-European association representing the forest fibre and paper industry. Through its 18 national associations CEPI gathers 495 companies operating more than 900 pulp and paper mills across Europe producing paper, cardboard, pulp and other bio-based products. CEPI represents 22% of world production, EUR 81 billion of annual turnover to the European economy and directly employs over 175,000 people. To learn more, please visit: www.cepi.org. SOURCE: Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) See related story:

European Paper Industry Files Complaint Against Unfair Turkish Import Licensing On EU Exports Of Office Paper - April 24, 2017
Wood Fiber Costs for U.S. Pulp Mills Decreased During 2016 and Early 2017 Wood fiber costs for pulp mills in the US Northwest have fallen faster than in other region of the US the past year, resulting in a more competitive industry sector. Despite the recent price reductions in Washington and Oregon, pulp manufacturers in the southern states continued to have lower wood fiber costs than pulp mills in the Northwest, Northeast and the Lake States in the 1Q/17. Over the past two years, fiber costs have declined by 13% in the Northwest and pulp mills in the region have become more competitive. In Q1/2017, pulp mills had only slightly higher wood fiber costs than pulp mills in the historically low-cost US South. July 10, 2017 - "Volatile" could best describe many of the North American regional market conditions in the first quarter of 2017! The volatility came in many different areas; adverse weather events, operation breakdowns, plant explosions, and idling, as well as uncertainties over looming trade policy decisions, according to the North American Wood Fiber Review (NAWFR) published by Wood Resources International. Wood flows across Canada and the U.S. northern tier of states as well as through the Pacific Northwest were impacted by weather  either too much snow (leading to transportation difficulties), or mild temperatures followed by early breakup. The declining price trend for chips and pulp logs in the Northwest that occurred during 2015 and 2016 came to a halt in early 2017 because of uncertainty about fiber availability as a result of slowdowns in harvest operations. Over the past two years, fiber costs have declined by 13% in the Northwest and pulp mills in the region have become more competitive. In the 1Q/17, pulp mills had only slightly higher wood fiber costs than pulp mills in the historically low-cost US South. Pulp mills in the Lake States and the Northeastern states continue to have the highest wood costs in the US. Wood fiber costs for pulp mills in the US South have also fallen over the past year, with average softwood pulp log prices being five percent lower in the 1Q/17 than in the 2Q/16. Prices for both softwood and hardwood pulp logs have slowly declined over the past four quarters to reach their lowest levels in three years. With several planned pulp mill maintenance outages anticipated in the 2Q/17, fiber demand will remain muted in the coming months. Increased lumber production across the South will continue to generate additional volumes of residual chips resulting in downward price pressure on both chips and pulp logs in late spring and summer. For updated information on the 2Q/17 wood fiber prices and market developments in the US and Canada, please refer to the upcoming issue of the NAWFR. Wood Resources International is an internationally recognized forest industry-consulting firm. For further information visit: www.woodprices.com. SOURCE: Wood Resources International LLC
For a lot of people (male, female, non-binary), finding clothing that's comfortable and isn't confined to a gender-specific label is no easy feat. Dannielle Owens-Reid is one of those people. For her, some clothes were too masculine and some were too feminine, and she knew too many people who were encountering the same problem. Owens-Reid is no stranger to making a difference: she's the founder of Everyone Is Gay, a platform geared towards giving LGBTQ youth advice and having honest conversations. With the launch of Radimo LA in June, the 31-year-old can now add "brand founder and curator" to her resume.



Owens-Reid's deep love for queer-owned brands, fashion and authenticity is what drove the formation of Radimo LA  but it wasn't always easy. She definitely tried, and failed, but eventually figured out a way to make the brand work: she decided the brand should be more about accessibility than anything else. Owens-Reid has essentially gathered gender neutral brands in one place. "I think clothes are inherently gender neutral, [and] we put them in a section to make people feel uncomfortable," explains Owens-Reid. "It was really a matter of getting rid of the labels and showing you how different people look in the same item of clothing." With the help of friends like Kate Nash and Gabi Gregg, she modeled the clothes on people of all shapes and sizes. In the spirit of inclusivity, Radimo LA even links out to brands that the models are wearing that aren't a part of Radimo LA.

Here, Owens-Reid fills us in on why gender neutral clothing is necessary for 2017, her amazing roster of models, and making people feel like their best selves.

How did you come up with the concept for Radimo LA?

It was a slow burn. I've had a love/hate relationship with fashion and my own personal style because I don't really know any mainstream person or publication that represents the way I want to present myself. Even now, I can't really think of anyone that looks like me or dresses how I want to dress. Every time there was a new androgynous brand, they were either too feminine or too masculine for me, and a lot of them I could never afford. I started to see style in pieces, rather than all-in-one. I stopped looking at an outfit as menswear or womenswear and instead looked at pieces overall, as if the sections didn't exist. I think we are all low-key, very impatiently waiting for a brand to appear and be perfectly gender neutral, or for our favorite brands to strip the men's and women's tags. Until every brand on Earth gets it right, I wanted to put together something more than just a line of clothing; I wanted to create something that would help people see how many options we have with what is already available. This concept was a hybrid of so many ideas: curating brands, repurposing vintage, showing off my friends looks, linking out to brands that I love, etc.

Who did you look for for style inspiration?

In life, I look in a million different places. I like Jaden Smith, Harry Styles, Vivek Shraya and Ari Fitz. For the shoot, I chose friends of mine that all have very specific styles. I also brought in my friend Lulu Bernard to style the shoot. She brought some sick pieces that we paired with the Radimo products. I really wanted to showcase each person's individual style because I felt like they all had something different to offer. I feel like one of the biggest issues we face when trying to find what feels good is not even knowing what styles exist. When I started to get interested in fashion, there wasn't much to look to in the media, even online really, so I did a lot of looking around: at my friends, strangers, anyone cool. I had my friends bring some of their favorite pieces so I can link out to those brands. If you like someone's look, [you can] shop all the brands they're wearing, not just Radimo.

That's really cool. Why make a gender-neutral clothing line?

I think clothes are inherently gender neutral, [and] we put them in a section to make people feel uncomfortable. It was really a matter of getting rid of the labels and showing you how different people look in the same item of clothing.

Why is making a gender-neutral clothing line so important in today's world?

Feeling good about the way you are presented to the world can change your entire life. If you feel good about the way you look and it aligns perfectly with how you want people to see you, you gain so much confidence. You feel better in everything you're doing because you feel great about you. People treat you differently based on how you look, so it's great to be treated in a way that feels good to you.

How did you go about selecting models and influencers to promote the line?

They are all good friends of mine! I basically did a photoshoot of my emergency contact list. I am pretty obsessed with all of my friends individually, both because they're amazing and inspiring people, and because their style is so epic. My goal is to showcase different masculine, feminine, and androgynous ways of dressing, and these are the people I know who do that very well. If they weren't my friends, they would still be my dream models.

How long did the project launch take youfrom conception to execution?

About a year and a half. My original idea was to create a line of clothing. I had maybe seven or eight pieces in mind that I was designing from scratch with a seamstress in New York. We worked together for months on samples, but things were so expensive [it was hard to] work alongside with me in LA and her in NY. I kept coming across great queer and women-owned brands that I wanted everyone to know about. I've always been obsessed with and inspired by ASOS, so I started to curation process sometime last year. This amazing photographer in San Francisco reached out and wanted to help. She took some dope shots with some of the brands stuff, but I couldn't quite communicate the vision I had for how everything was supposed to be styled. I gave up a few times and fully ended the whole process in my mind and then kind of out of nowhere everything came together. It was meeting Charlotte Patmore that really inspired me to jump in again. We were at SXSW with Kate Nash; I was Tour Managing, and she was photographing and doing video for the whole experience. Watching Charlotte find and create a photo opportunity out of literally nothing made this lightbulb go off in my head. I knew people with the right looks and talent: I just had to throw it together. I talked to Charlotte about it and she was really into the idea, so we picked a day, and I coordinated my dream cast. My friends are all creatives who travel for work, so when I say it was a miracle that they were all in town at the same time, I mean it was a legit fucking miracle presented by whoever is looking out for me. I think Dre was only free for about three hours; Nick had to run in and leave early; Charlotte and Gabi both flew out the next day; Miles got in the night before, and Lulu wasn't even meant to be available but at the last minute stayed the entire time. It came together because it was meant to: no other reason. Even finding the brand, Kidd Bell, was miraculous. One of the original pieces I started designing two years ago was a mock neck and all of a sudden here was this brand with revolutionarily inspiring mock-necks. It was like I couldn't do what I originally wanted because there was something way, way better

Have you received any stories about how much the line has influenced people? Any cool ones you can tell?

It was so moving to see the response even before the brand was launched. So many people (like myself) were sitting out here waiting for something to exist that didn't make us all feel so constrained by the clothes we want to wear. People were seeing photos on Instagram and already saying "Holy shit this is everything I've ever wanted." Once I launched, seeing so many people flip out because it was affordable was another really nice and beautiful thing to hear. It was a main goal. Access is everything.

Do you have any celeb fans yet?

I'm really lucky because a lot of my friends are very influential, so I would say, "yes," and point to all of my models. They're also my unbelievably supportive chosen family. Kate is one of the actors in GLOW on Netflix, and as I've met a few of the girls on that show, they'll ask about me. When I mention the brand, and they're like, "Oh yeah! The brand looks so amazing, how is it going?," I'm kind of like, "I just watched you cunt-punch-back-flip-power-slam someone, and you're excited about my clothing brand?" Powerful women are my weakness, so it has been a lot.

What's the end goal for Radimo LA? Do you see this clothing line evolving into something else?

The goal is to create a fashion blog and clothing brand hybrid. I want people to recognize that style is bigger than men's fashion vs. women's fashion, and to understand that we can look at brands that already exist to find looks that work for us. It's ridiculous to me that a shirt is considered "women's'' when, really, it depends entirely on what else you're wearing with that shirt or how it's styled that determines. You could argue "a shirt with flowers is feminine," and I can show you a transboy wearing a shirt with flowers who looks very masculine. I grew up in South Carolina, and I found out recently how to do the kind of research that actually helps me find the kind of clothes and styles I want to wear. I want to give people easy access to finding different styles. Radimo doesn't have every item of clothing on Earth; I don't have nearly enough plus-size options, but I do make a point to link out to good plus-size brands because at the end of the day, the point is access to the clothes that make you feel good. The goal isn't to sell all those clothes and make money off of them. I just want to let people know they exist. My life goal is to help people feel good, and whatever I have to do to make that happen, I will. In a business sense, I would really like for a huge company to buy Radimo and make me the CEO with a six-figure salary. The logistics of running a brand is really difficult for me. I have about six jobs right now, and money is tight, which means I can't dedicate a ton of time to Radimo. If I had the ability to dedicate myself to Radimo only for a month, I think I could see a ton of growth pretty quickly.

How do you want Radimo LA to change the clothing industry?

I hope everyone copies me.









Images courtesy Radimo LA
Today is the day Blac Chyna will appear in court to seek a restraining order against Rob Kardashian after he posted sexually explicit images of her online, something that the reality star is reportedly not attempting to contest.

According to TMZ Rob's lawyer, Robert Shapiro, will head down to the courthouse on Rob's behalf to the tell the judge a hearing is unnecessary because because posting intimate pictures of Blac Chyna last week was "a spontaneous reaction that [Rob] regrets."

"Rob's only concern is for the well-being of baby Dream," Shapiro told the outlet.

The restraining order will allegedly also prohibit Rob from posting any personal information relating to Chyna, especially any nude images.

New reports are also emerging that detail both Rob and Chyna have been violent with each other, Chyna is allegedly sticking by her previous claims that Rob hurt her while Rob is said to have video footage of Chyna strangling him with an iPhone cord.

Chyna appeared on Good Morning America this morning to discuss her and Rob's current situation, as well as Rob's claims that she baited him with a video of her and another man. She clarified that she never "liked" Rob's posts, an that the provocative visual of her kissing someone else was a snap response to what she describes as Rob's constant prodding.

Watch the full interview below.

Image via Getty


Just in time for Pride in London, the Church of England showed their true gay colorsor at least approved the queerness of others. During their biannual General Synod gathering in York over the weekend, the highest-ranking bishops and leaders of the Church of England elected to implement more pro-LGBT legislation within the church, including strong condemnation of a highly dangerous anti-gay practice.

During the meeting, the Church demanded an outright ban on gay conversion therapy, saying that the practice had "no place in the modern world," a statement backed by the lack of scientific evidence that proves the practice is safe and effective. The surprising, yet very necessary statement, came after two Church members shared their own experiences with conversion therapy, one which resulted in major breakdowns and a hospital stay. Bishop of Liverpool Paul Bayes said it best: "We don't need to engage people in healing therapy if they are not sick."

The Church also lovingly motioned for members to "welcome and affirm" transgender people, setting the stage for a bigger general acceptance of transgender people. Reverend Chris Newlines presented the measure, stating "I hope that we can make a powerful statement to say that we believe that trans people are cherished and loved by God, who created them, and is present through all the twists and turns of their lives."

Both proposed measures passed in a virtual landslide, with the conversion therapy ban passing with 298 votes to 74 dissenting, with 26 abstentions. If this meeting proved anything, it's that religious institutions are slowly but surely catching up with the times and seeing that pro-LGBT actions like these are necessary and beneficial for everyone.
In October Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple Enters Agreement with Denmark University for new Biogas R&D Partnership." Our report noted that Apple officially announced a 1.7 billion plan to build and operate two data centers in Europe, each powered by 100 percent renewable energy earlier in February. The facilities were planned to be located in County Galway, Ireland, and Denmark's central Jutland. Apple noted that the centers would power Apple's online services including the iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps and Siri for customers across Europe. The Copenhagen Post stated that Apple had followed up on its promise to build a data center in Denmark with an ambitious agreement with the University of Aarhus on a new biogas research and development partnership.

Today Apple announced that it will spend 6 billion Danish crowns ($921 million) on a new data center in Denmark, its second in the Nordic country to run entirely on renewable energy.

Apple said the data center would begin operations in the second quarter of 2019 in Aabenraa in southern Denmark near the German border. The center will power Apple's online services, including the iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps and Siri for customers across Europe.

Erik Stannow, Nordic manager for Apple, told Reuters in an email: "We're thrilled to be expanding our data center operations in Denmark, and investing in new sources of clean power. The planned facility in Aabenraa, like all of our data centers, will run on 100 percent renewable energy from day one, thanks to new clean energy sources we're adding," he said.

Apple's first data center in Denmark near the town of Viborg is due to begin operations later this year. Apple said a planned data centre in Athenry, Ireland, announced in 2015 had yet to begin construction. "The proposed data center is currently under judicial review," a spokeswoman said. Denmark, a leader in wind power, has abundant supplies of wind energy as well biomass energy. "The reliability of the Danish grid is one of the main reasons we will operate two sites in Denmark," Stannow said.

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Xiaomi opened their second plant in India in March and now makes a smartphone every second of the day. Xiaomi's plants are operated by Foxconn and they employ over 5,000 people. Xiaomi has one retail store at present in Bengaluru and aim to open 100 new stores over the next two years while Apple is still waiting for the Indian government to give them the green light to build their first.

Apple's CEO apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi back on June 26 that production of the iPhone SE in Bengaluru had officially begun. Let's hope that Modi pushes hard to get Apple the green light to get started on Apple Stores and assist them in being able to open a larger plant with sufficient parts. If little Xiaomi is experiencing supply shortages you can only imagine the problems Apple would face trying to ramp up production full tilt.

Patently Apple posted a report in June titled "India: Apple is digging in for their Next Mass Market War." In that report we noted that Apple's retail team have their eyes on opening their first flagship stores in New Delhi and Bengaluru.

Today we're learning that Apple is reportedly planning to open their largest Apple's Stores to date in India in terms of raw footage. The Indian report notes that the first Apple Stores in India will be between 10,000 and 15,000 square feet or roughly double the size of other global stores.

Two senior industry executives told the Indian publication that the designs would rely heavily on glass like many of Apple's new stores, like the one under construction in Chicago or Apple's classic Fifth Avenue store in New York. The stores will be the biggest single brand electronic stores in India.





On June 23 Patently Apple posted a report titled "The Indian Government wants more Details behind Apple's Investment Plan for India." The plan, if detailed to the liking of the Indian government, would open the doors for Apple to get their stores approved. As it stands now it looks as though it could be closer to 2020 before these new flagship stores launch.

The report confirms that Apple's top retail team of experts were in the country to meet realtors and mall managers to get a feel for the retail market in India. The team reportedly were made up of design, merchandising and commercial executives.

More specifically, the India publication states that Apple has signed non-disclosure agreement with various stakeholders regarding the store plans for 2020-2021. Interestingly it was revealed that Apple only plans on 4 or 5 flagship stores limited to metros over the next 5 to 10 years. The idea is that the stores will be massive and so beautiful that they'll be considered must-see tourist attractions.

About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
Russia, Turkey, Iran Fail To Agree On Details Of Syria De-Escalation Zones

07/06/17

Source: RFE/RL

Diplomats from Russia, Iran, and Turkey have failed to reach agreement on final details regarding so-called "de-escalation zones" in parts of war-torn Syria. However, Moscow's chief negotiator at a fifth round of Syria peace talks in Astana said on July 5 that the basic framework had been "essentially agreed."



Dream of Syrian children

cartoon by Mehdi Azizi, Iranian daily Shargh



"We have not yet managed directly to establish the de-escalation zones," Aleksandr Lavrentyev said after two days of meetings in the Kazakh capital.



Lavrentyev said that specifics of the zones, such as the territory they cover and what forces would participate, still "need finalizing."



He added that Turkish officials had requested additional time to coordinate their participation in the zones designed to separate rebel fighters and government troops of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.



Lavrentyev also said Russia has called on member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States to consider providing military observers for the potential de-escalation zones.



On July 4, a representative of Syria's opposition in Astana said the armed opposition disagrees with a proposal for Iran's military to monitor the areas because Iranian forces are armed combatants who fight on the side of the Syrian government's troops.



"No, we don't agree," Interfax news agency cited Yaher Abdrahim as saying. "The entire opposition does not agree to the Iranian forces' presence."



Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said Russia, Turkey, and Iran had agreed to meet in Tehran on August 1-2 in an effort to settle the outstanding disagreements on the zones. The co-sponsors scheduled the next round of Astana talks for the end of August.



Lavrentyev said ahead of the talks that he planned to meet with opposition delegates attending the session and hear "what they think about how to reach an agreement" with Assad and "how to reduce tensions."



Staffan de Mistura, the UN secretary-general's special envoy on Syria -- who attended the Astana meeting -- emphasized that the de-escalation zones are temporary measures and that a wider political solution is necessary to settle the conflict.



Besides Lavrentyev, the Astana talks were attended by Syrian envoy Bashar al-Jaafari, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hoessein Jaberi Ansari, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, and the acting U.S. assistant secretary of state for the Near East Affairs Bureau, Stuart Jones.



Negotiations over Syria's future are separated into two elements. One, in Astana, is co-sponsored by Russia, Turkey, and Iran and concerns immediate cease-fire conditions.



Talks in Geneva are sponsored by the UN and center on a longer-term political solution. The next session in Geneva will be held on July 10, officials said.



The Syrian war broke out in 2011 when Assad's government cracked down on antigovernment demonstrations.



Russia and Iran back Assad's government, while the United States and Turkey support different rebel groups.



With reporting by AFP, AP, and Interfax

Copyright (c) 2017 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Etihad Holidays has launched operations in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain to provide a wide choice of package holiday options to travelers in the four countries. The move follows the successful introduction of Etihad Airways holiday division in the UAE, UK, Germany, India and North America.

Launched in 2004, Etihad Holidays offers dynamically packaged holidays at exceptional rates at many of the worlds leading hotel brands. Guests can now book their flights with Etihad Airways and its partner airlines together with their hotel, rental car, transfers, tours and activities, with real time availability, at the best available prices.

From family, beach and luxury holidays to sporting breaks, fly drives and city stays, the choices to destinations across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia, Africa and across the Middle East are endless. Guests can design their dream holiday from the comfort of their own home on the Etihad Holidays website at - sa.holidays.etihad.com - to tailor-make packages to suit their individual needs. A team of travel professionals is only a phone call away for assistance and provides a Concierge Service for the discerning traveler.

Darren Peisley, Managing Director of Etihad Holidays parent Hala Group, said: We continue our growth across the region, ensuring a new wave of customers have access to the great range of packages and hotels on offer through Etihad Holidays. We are excited to bring to residents of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain access to great rates for over 150 destinations around the world.

The Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Stopover Programme can be combined with any Etihad Holidays package, allowing guests to break their journey in Abu Dhabi, and take advantage of the special 2-for-1 night accommodation offers in the capital of the UAE.

Etihad Holidays is part of the Hala Group which brings together supporting services for the Etihad Aviation Group that are vital to its future growth. The core components include the Global Loyalty Company, Etihad Holidays, Hala Abu Dhabi, Hala Travel Management and the Amadeus Joint Venture.
President Akufo-Addos government is about to make the biggest mistake in its first six months in power as the the New Crusading GUIDE has gathered that government is at the final stages of discussions to offer Cotecna, an attention-grabbing Swiss company that provides Testing Inspection and Certificate (TIC) services a juicy contract at the ports.



The contract is aimed at sealing the revenue leakages at the ports which West Blue Consulting and GCNet are already working on.



However, governments engagement with Cotecna, one of the DIC's whose contract was not renewed will rather open the floodgate for illegal trade at Ghana's port and cause the country to lose millions of dollars and respect in the eyes of the international community.



This is because the company has a certain reputation across the globe, earning barrages of alleged fraud-related news stories and investigations in several of the countries it has operated.



Though Cotecna has denied wrong doings in all the instances it had been accused or even some of its workers investigated over fraud related allegations, the government of Ghana may have a herculean task convincing stakeholder and the public that there is a crucial necessity to offer the company a new contract at the countrys ports and revenue points.



The information that Cotecna is lobbying to start operations in Ghana has raised eyebrows and ignited silent grumblings and murmurings among key revenue stakeholders who have told The New Crusading GUIDE that it would be superfluous to contract a new company in addition to the work being done by the Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet).



The paper has it that Cotecna is lobbying to position itself in a way that it would take over the operations of GCNet and take some of the duties of West Blue Consulting.



The company is expected to undertake its operations in Ghana with support from Nick Dansos Ghana Link which has no experience whatsoever in Single Window Operations.



This paper has gathered that some greedy persons in government and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who are likely to pocket huge sums of Dollars when the contract goes through are lobbying for Cotecna.



Fraud Case Against Cotecna



THE DAILY STAR of Bangladesh reported in 2008 that the system for pre-shipment inspection (PSI) of imports had become riddled with corruption, and plagued by tax dodging and money laundering, depriving the country of huge amounts of revenue to an extent that the sheer scale of the abuse forced the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to cancel the license of PSI company Cotecna Inspection SA.





It is not the first time Cotecna has run into problems with the NBR, which has already issued several warnings to the company and dealt out several crore taka worth of fines following probes into the Swiss group's operations. Indeed the National Coordination Committee against Grievous Offences asked the Central Intelligence Cell of NBR to take legal action against Cotecna for its alleged illegal activities back in December last year.



However, the stern action of today mocked NBR's decision to award about 50 percent import areas to a relatively inexperienced company like Cotecna that has no offices in many of the main cities in countries of the blocks assigned to it-- a major qualification for the PSI job.



NBR turned to the PSI system against a backdrop of massive corruption and harassment by a significant section of customs people, but its major move failed to live up to expectation as irregularities started with awarding of first license to 3 companies, dividing countries of import in 3 blocks.

Source: New Crusading Guide









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The Ghana Union of Traders Association ( (GUTA) has asked the President Nana Addo Danqua Akufo-Addo, to make it the priority of his government to flush out foreigners who are competing with locals in the retail business.



GUTA had raised numerous concerns at the influx of foreign businesses particularly businesses owned by Nigerians on the retail market.



The President of Ghana Medical Suppliers and Dealers Association under GUTA, Nana Kwame Amoa Nyame speaking to Abusua Dawuros Nana Ama Annor said their businesses have collapsed due to foreigners competing with locals in the retail business.



He added that the development has impacted heavily on their operations.



However, the Spokesperson for Ashanti Regional Branch of GUTA Albert Mensah Offei called on government to as matter of urgency enforce the law to flush out foreigners who are competing with locals in the retail business.



Current investment laws bar foreigners from trading in retail markets unless they bring about $1 million and employ about 20 Ghanaians.





Source: Ultimatefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A Ghanaian-born officer from the British Household Cavalry, Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, has been appointed by Queen of England, Elizabeth II to serve in her household as the first black equerry.



According to The Sunday Times, Twumasi-Ankrah was handpicked by the Queen herself from a number of potential appointees.



The position is an extremely important one with the equerry more often than not appearing with the Queen in her public appearances, a fact the Times reports could make him the most visible man by the Queens side due to the imminent retirement of Duke of Edinburgh.



38-year-old Twumasi-Ankrah left Ghana for the United Kingdom 35 years ago with his parents.



He studied at the Queen Mary University of London and the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, going on to become the first black British Army officer to be commissioned into the Household Cavalry, and fighting in the Afghanistan war.



He currently lives in London with his wife, Joanna and two daughters.



Known as TA to his close friends, Twumasi-Ankrah served as escort commander at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton back in 2011.



He also commanded a cavalry regiment of the British Army; the Blues and Royals, which took part in a ceremony at the Queens birthday parade in the same year.



Reports indicate that he will replace the current equerry Wing Commander Sam Fletcher later in 2017 and is currently going through the transition process.



Twumasi-Ankrah had earlier stated that he was honoured to have played an important role in the Queens parade having watched it on TV as a child.



I would have never imagined that one day Id command the regiment which Id fallen in love with, he said.



The appointment by the Queen is also seen as one that will help clear any perceptions about racial discrimination the Royal Household and British elite, an idea Twuamsi-Ankrah completely supports



From what Ive seen in the UK, our cultures really do mix and if Im not a good example of that I really dont know what is, he added.

Source: Daily Graphic









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The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in partnership with the Technical University of Munich, has constructed a solar-powered 4x4 vehicle.



The environmentally-friendly vehicle, meant to carry passengers and goods, was inaugurated by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the 51st congregation of the KNUST, Kumasi, on Saturday.



It was developed by the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Physics, and comes as a breakthrough as the nation searches for ways to build a more robust automobile industry.



Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Vice-Chancellor of the KNUST, said the invention was the Universitys response to living up to its core mandate of spearheading development of innovative technologies.



The solar-powered vehicle, he said, was still being tested and tried over some period with the hope of fine-tuning it in order to bring it to standard.



When completed it could become the first solar-powered 4x4 vehicle to be manufactured on the African continent.

Prof Obiri-Danso hinted that the Universitys College of Engineering, had in recent times invented an open-space fire detector, solar-powered traffic lights and drones to support the nations development processes.



He called for adequate funding of research activities of the University to enable it come out with cutting-edge technologies for the benefit of the nation.



Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who is also Chancellor of the KNUST, lauded the team of researchers who worked on the project, and expressed the hope that it would encourage the government to be more interested in resourcing the University for more of such innovations.



A total of 9, 160 post and under-graduate students passed out of this years congregation from the six colleges of the University.



This comprised the College of Science, College of Health Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Art and Built Environment, as well as the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Source: GNA









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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged that former military dictator, Sani Abacha, injected a deadly virus into Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, an Army major general who served as his Chief of Staff, while the deceased, MKO Abiola and himself were in prison.



The former president disclosed this at a dinner program organized by an inter-denominational Christian organization, Christ The Redeemers Friends International of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 39 Chapter yesterday July 8th.



According to Sahara Reporters, Obasanjo alleged that YarAdua was poisoned by Abachas killer squad, adding that he was to be next victim, but that he was saved by Gods divine grace.



Two people had earlier told me Abacha promised that three of us would not come out of prison or detention alive; myself. Shehu Yar Adua and MKO Abiola. And two of them did not come out alive. So, that I came out alive, maybe God has a purpose. And therefore if the purpose is for me to serve the people and by so doing, serve God, then so be it. Abacha claimed that I was plotting a coup. I wasnt the first to be arrested. When Shehu (YarAdua) was arrested, I tried to plead for his release. When Abacha said he didnt know about Shehus arrest, I said to him, the number two man in this country cannot be arrested without you knowing. He then said he would go and find out. In Abachas plan, he left God out of it and because he left God out of his plan, it (his government) eventually failed. There is Gods hand in the life of each and every one of us and every institution. I believe that very well.



When I was arrested, they took me to a house in Ikoyi (Lagos) and that became my abode (I was) in isolation, for three months. In the meantime, there were national and international pressures for my release, (former US) President Jimmy Carter was one of the world leaders that came to ask for my release. Some African leaders like Yoweri Museveni and Robert Mugabe came. I believe it was because of those pressures that I was released from isolation in Ikoyi where I was under house arrest.



According to the former president, one of the worst days on earth would be the day he was court-martialled and sentenced



I must say that, that day, in a split second, it felt like the worst day in my life. What flashed through my mind was that I was forever ruined. I asked myself, What did I do to deserve this? Is this what I get for serving Nigeria? But then, I told myself again that this was not done to me by Nigeria, but that one man did it for me.



Obasanjo said he and YarAdua were detained in Jos and Port Harcourt prisons because they were the best prisons in the country at the time.



I was to go to Jos (prison) and YarAdua was to go to Port Harcourt (prison). In Jos, I was visited by my colleagues, including Yakubu Danjuma, Joe Garba, Domkat Bali, many of our colleagues, and then family members and friends. Then a decision was made that I was becoming too popular in Jos prison and I had to be transferred to Yola prison which is a native authority prison and I dont need to tell you what life was there. In Jos prison, before I was transferred to Yola prison, they had decided that Shehu YarAdua and myself should be poisoned. So, they took him from Port Harcourt prison to Abakaliki. In the process, he was injected with the virus that killed him.



The same was supposed to be done to me. The man who came took me from the prison to a guest house in the GRA in Jos, said, We know you have a problem with cholesterol so I have to take your blood for a test. Then I said, Not on your life, I dont have any problem with cholesterol. I was slightly diabetic. But God had taken care of it because I was checking my blood sugar almost on a daily basis and it had become better than normal. So, I refused him (the man) touching me with anything. So, they took me to Yola and he said, when you get to where you are going, we will come again.



Obasanjo said a doctor and specialist in the prison saved him from being poisoned. The doctor was a professional man in charge of the General Hospital in Yola. He listened to my case that I needed special food because I was diabetic. He said the specialist would come to see me. The specialist turned out to be somebody from Okeogun in Oyo State. Two, he was a Baptist, and three, he had heard about me and knew me. So, he looked at me and said, Dont let anybody touch you with anything.



Within three weeks the man that came to me earlier returned again and said he wanted to take my blood. I said, No, you have to get my doctor to come and take my blood for you. That was the arrangement between me and the doctor. And my doctor came and he brought a syringe and he took my blood and gave it to him. He now asked the man, When would we have the result? The man said, Within 24 hours of my getting to Abuja.I havent heard the result until today.



Obasanjo said after his release from prison, he gave into pressure to contest for the presidency and he ended up becoming president for two terms by the grace of God. Nigeria that was a pariah state became a darling (of the world). What is the lesson for me? I developed in prison but unfortunately, I was not able to sustain it. Maybe because there was nothing else to do in prison except to pray and fast. I used to fast a lot. On three occasions, I fasted for seven days, no water, no food a unique power was given to me by God. In all these, God did not leave me alone, and I know that. I say to people that God has never let me alone nor disappointed me in spite of all. I am a sinner. It is not because of my goodness, but because of the grace of God, and the grace of God continues to abound.

Source: Linda Ikejis blog









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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged Qatar to take immediate steps to stop the maltreatment of Ghanaians in that Gulf State.



President Akufo-Addo made the call when he interacted with the Ambassador of Qatar to Ghana, H.E. Mohammed Jaber Al- Kuwari at the Flagstaff House at a ceremony to receive his credentials as the first Qatari Ambassador to Ghana.



According to Mr. Akufo-Addo, information available indicates that the people of Qatar have consistently mistreated Ghanaian nationals who travel to their country adding that it is about time that practice is stopped.



Several Ghanaians who have traveled to Qatar to seek greener pastures have narrated harrowing stories of the maltreatment they have been subjected to by citizens of that country.



President Akufo-Addo urged Ambassador Jaber Al- Kuwari to convey to the leader of Qatar, Ghanas reservations on how Ghanaians who go to Qatar to work are treated and to deal with the situation once and for all.



In his response, Ambassador Jaber Al- Kuwari promised to work with Ghanas Foreign Affairs ministry to resolve that issue.



Meanwhile, three other Ambassador designate from their respective countries also presented their credentials to the President.



The three are H.E. Mrs. A. Martine-Francoise Fossa of the Republic of Benin, H.E. Mr. Markus Nikolaus Paul Dutly, Switzerland, and H.E. Werner Senfter of the Republic of Austria.



All four Ambassadors designate were welcomed to the Flagstaff House by the Armed Forces Central Band.







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.

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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.
Two letters sighted show Adwoa Safo actually arranged for land for the construction of the Kwabenya SHS, the community day senior high school in her constituency.



The Dome Kwabenya MP has been the subject of relentless trolling on social media for claiming during a recent delegates conference of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in her constituency that she personally negotiated with the World Bank to site a public senior high school in her constituency after securing litigation-free land for that purpose.



Her move at the time, she said, had become necessary because the NDC government was putting up the community day senior high schools in only its strongholds, at the expense of constituencies like hers.



The claim has been rebuffed by the NDC who say Ms Safo was not involved in deliberations in obtaining the grant for the construction of the schools and there was no policy to concentrate such infrastructure in its strongholds.





After days of being mocked across social media, a letter purportedly written by Ms Safo on May 4, 2015 to the Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) shows the MP initiated moves to get the land for the school project.



The letter from Ms Safo read: I write to request for 20 acres of land from your outfit. This tract of land will be used for the construction of a senior high school (SHS) facility to serve the educational needs of students in my constituency who graduate from the basic schools.



There are 33 basic schools, yet there is no senior high school where pupils from the junior high schools could graduate to. We also have to our benefit three major universities: the University of Allied Sciences, Wisconsin University, and Ashesi University. This is clear evidence of a gap in the educational structure in the constituency.



I would therefore be grateful if you could grant us the said tract of land to enable the government construct a [senior high] school facility in the constituency as part of the 100 [Senior High] Schools project initiated by the government.



The lawmakers request was approved a few days later by GAEC, with its Director of Administration, Felix Adeku, on behalf of the Director-General, authorising the Ga East municipality to cede some portion of the Commissions lands for the project. Giving the directive on May 8, 2015, GAEC said: Management has approved the use of the land at the GAEC DC Primary and JHS in between the Community Library and the Israel King of the Jews for the building of a senior high school facility as part of governments intended project in the municipality.



You are kindly requested to produce a site plan on the discussed area for the project for consideration and documentation. We count on your cooperation.

Source: classfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome Kwabenya constituency Adwoa Safo has bemoaned the humiliation she has faced for claiming credit for a Community Day Senior High School built in her constituency by the erstwhile Mahama administration.



The MP has been trolled on social media by some Ghanaians and members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the past week.



According to her, what she has encountered in the past few days is one of the hardest moments of her political and professional life.



She is purported to have apologized to the former President John Dramani Mahama and the World Bank.



But before I do that, I need to apologize to Former President John Dramani Mahama, World Bank and the Ghanaian public. Knowing I have let people down is one of the hardest things to accept. Beyond all else, I have let myself down and the shame I feel is overwhelming, she said.



A letter she wrote to the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission indicates that she lobbied for the land for the construction of the school.



Below is the full UNEDITED purported apology letter:



APOLOGIES OVER COMMUNITY S.H.S. COMMENT



For Immediate Release



For a while I have wanted to pour out everything in my heart, but it is been bottled up. Out of fear, humiliation, and hurt. What I have encountered in the past few days is one of the hardest moments of my political and professional life, but I need to address this face-forward.



There are truth and some lies swarming the internet and I need to take a moment to clear the air. But before I do that, I need to apologize to Former President John Mahama, World Bank and the Ghanaian public. Knowing I have let people down is one of the hardest things to accept. Beyond all else, I have let myself down and the shame I feel is overwhelming.



My comment was only in regards to the Community Senior High School in my constituency that was built by the previous government during my tenure as Member of Parliament.



Please consider this statement to constitute an unconditional retraction of my previous statements. I would appreciate the courtesy of this apology be accepted.



Signed



Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo



Minister/MP

Source: ultimatefmonline









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Thanks to the rise of the alt-right, 2017 has been a bumper year for the phrase You just call anyone you disagree with a Nazi. Shockingly, its also been a bumper year for people doing actual Nazi shit.

Whether or not you believe its proponents have been emboldened by Trumps victory and the rhetoric he used to achieve it or not, deeply racist nationalism has seen a sharp rise globally that coincided very closely with the Trump campaign, and weve not been safe from it here in Australia.

If you hate yourself, dont value your time, and enjoy the feeling of wanting to rip your own eyes out of your skull and swallow them, Id recommend you check out dingo Twitter  Australias answer to the alt-right  for an example of the sort of shit thats being peddled by white nationalists here. Alternately, you can save yourself the time and pain and just imagine if you combined the dipshit racist memery of 4chan with a bunch of inner-city neckbeards pretending to be country larrikins  it looks like that.

Its also creeping insidiously into real life, with some highly fucked and weirdly Pokemon-themed racist posters popping up in Sydney over the weekend.

The fact that these dumbass racist fucks dont even know the difference between the naming conventions of Pokemon and Digimon notwithstanding, as you can see, this shit is fucking heinous.

The posters, which were spotted in Leichhardt and Petersham, link back to freshly made WordPress site, which made this amazing maiden post less than a week ago:

Pretty eye-opening stuff. Other than that, the blog features a weird video montage of white families and European countryside, and also a full set of the posters, which seems to suggest more have been plastered around the city.

The remaining posters go after Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Waleed Aly, and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Seemingly hitting a wall in that you cannot catch & deport a white person by their logic, they changed the slogan on Hanson-Youngs to read Gotta catch & hang them all.

The group promoting the posters describe themselves as follows on their about us page:

This is an example of an about page. Unlike posts, pages are better suited for more timeless content that you want to be easily accessible, like your About or Contact information. Click the Edit link to make changes to this page or add another page.

Not hugely helpful, I must admit.

If you see any of these posters about, feel absolutely free to tear them down or cover them up with something less fucked.

Photo: Twitter.
We can all agree that being woken up well before you planned to, sucks, but your drunken housemates rank one-night-stand noises stirring your slumber at 2am aint got shit on this Colorado teens wake-up-call via the sound of an actual bear attempting to eat his noggin.

One more time for those at the back: a dude woke up because his head was inside the jaws of a bear. A bear was trying to eat his sconce. One second asleep, next second waking to a giant mammal trying to pop open your melon with its mouth and devour the goo inside.

Only known as Dylan, the 19-year-old, a staffer at a wilderness survival camp at Glacier View Ranch in northern Colorado, was sleeping outside when he awoke at 4am to a crunching sound, which turned out to be due to the fact a black bear was chomping down on his skull.

The bear reportedly dragged Dylan out of his sleeping bag and across the ground until punches and kicks from himself and other campers forced it to drop him and flee.

The dude is amazingly doing fine after a deadly animal sunk its teeth into his skull, with only minor injuries tended to at a local hospital.

In an insanely chill interview with Denvers ABC7 News, Dylan tells of the sound of the crunching noise, [which] I guess, was the teeth scraping against the skull as it dug in.

Marks left by bear. Dylan tells us he teaches wilderness survival at #GlacierViewRanch camp clearly, no one more qualified! Story at 5p. pic.twitter.com/eDWCM323YX  Amanda del Castillo (@AmandaDTV) July 9, 2017

The wilderness survival camp is going ahead as scheduled with several bear traps deployed to hopefully, safely remove the unusually bold and dangerous bear from the area.





Dylan is also back at the camp, returning to his classes which we assume now includes, How To Not Get Eaten By Bears (Well, Not All The Way At Least).

Source: Denver7 News.

Picture: Wolfgang Kaehler / Getty.
Theres several reasons people are hyped for Christopher Nolans soon-to-be-released WW2 film Dunkirk, but youd be hard-pressed to find an article online surrounding the movie which doesnt predominantly feature the fact that former One Direction member and future father of my children, Harry Styles is, well in it.

The babin British boyband member, and more recently solo artist/sex god, is making his acting debut in the flick and in order to really solidify the chances of an entire generation of teens paying money to see a gritty period drama, Harrys been front and centre for a lot of Dunkirks press tour.

When @Harry_Styles starts clapping after you introduce yourself, the only thing you can do is BUST-A-MOVE ???? pic.twitter.com/MCtHf9dcyc  Maudie Garrett (@maudegarrett) July 9, 2017

Which is why were gonna go ahead and call bullshit on Nolan supposedly admitting in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, that he didnt really know how famous Styles was before casting him as a painfully handsome British soldier, and that it was his pure, unadulterated talent, which scored him the gig.



I dont think I was that aware really of how famous Harry was. I mean, my daughter had talked about him. My kids talked about him, but I wasnt really that aware of it. So the truth is, I cast Harry because he fit the part wonderfully and truly earned a seat at the table.



Please know that I am in no way doubting Harry Styles unquestionable acting talent. Even without having seen the film Im expecting Golden Globe/Oscar/Nobel Peace Prize buzz to be off the charts. Harry Styles is a perfect human, remember, and hes going to be such a great Dad to our three children Penelope, Kyle and Jessie Styles-Feltscheer.

Its just a bit of stretch of the imagination to think veteran director Christopher Nolan was immune to the ubiquitous knowledge that wherever Harry Styles goes, hordes of thirsty girls and guys will follow, wads of cash bunched up in their sweaty fists, ready to be hurled at anything with his face attached to it.

Theres nothing wrong with a bit of stunt casting mate, and if it results in a soaking wet Harry Styles on my screen, theres only endless praise and thanks coming your way for it.

Harry Styles Presents: Harry Styles Dunkirk, starring Harry Styles, hits Aus cinemas July 20.

Source: THR.

Image: Dunkirk / Instagram.
Kendall and Kylie Jenner have responded to the copyright infringement lawsuit lodged on Friday by photographer Michael Miller, the man who captured the iconic  and copyrighted  images of Tupac that the women so happily desecrated in their latest clothing line.

Or at least their clothing company, Kendall + Kylie, have.

In a statement, the company argue that there was no infringement or violation of anyones rights, as they had purchased the images from a company who been authorised to license them:

The allegations made are completely false, and the lawsuit is baseless. Canada Inc, the licensee manufacturer of the K + K brand, purchased a very small quantity of vintage T-shirts with performer images already on them. Only two Tupac T-shirts were sold before being pulled from distribution. Canada Inc did not copy anyones image, remove any copyright notice from any image or attempt to exploit Mr. Millers claimed right of publicity.

The duo are being sued by Miller for the use of his copyrighted images of Tupac on their misguided lets-superimpose-ourselves-on-top-of-retro-artists-that-is-a-great-idea-this-will-not-end-badly T-shirts, priced at $165. Steep.

In the complaint, Miller said that the Jenners misappropriated and wrongfully exploited his work. He is seeking any profits made while the shirts were on sale.

His lawyer Scott Alan Burroughs said that the Jenners could end up paying statutory damages of almost $200K per pic.

In their original apology, posted after threats of legal action from the The Doors and Notorious B.I.G. estates led the duo to kibosh the entire line and to remove its imagery from the internet, the sisters said that were very sorry:

These designs were not well thought out and we deeply apologise to anyone that has been upset and/or offended, especially to the families of the artists. We are huge fans of their music and it was not our intention to disrespect these cultural icons in any way.

The Jenners have not yet had anything to say about Kendalls face being splashed on Arcade Fires London tour merch last week, the proceeds of which went to Boston-based global health org, Partners In Health.

Source: Rolling Stone.

Photo: Gabriel Olsen / Getty.
Foreigner is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and they'll be doing so in Hershey on Saturday, July 15, with a little bit of help from a local high school choir.

Foreigner performs during a 2016 European tour.

The Donegal High School choir will perform the Foreigner classic hit, "I Want To Know What Love Is," with the rock band.

The collaboration is part of Foreigner's work to raise funds for music education in high schools in North America. Foreigner will donate $500 to the choir, and the choir will sell Foreigner CDs at the concert Saturday to support Foreigner's charity partner, The Grammy Foundation. The entire proceeds of the sales will go toward the initiative. (The band's latest album, a three-disc set called "Feels Like the First Time," debuted in the Billboard Top 200 at No. 43.)

Foreigner will perform at 7 p.m. at the Giant Center in Hershey, joined onstage by Cheap Trick, which is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of its debut album; and Jason Bonham, son of original Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. Foreigner also has 10 multi-platinum albums, according to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The band was founded in 1976, according to their website.
More than 100 couples gathered at Good Shepherd Catholic Church on Sunday to celebrate marriages that have lasted more than fifty years.

The Most Rev. Ronald Gainer, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, honored and blessed the couples from across central Pennsylvania that are marking their golden wedding anniversary.

Each couple was presented with a certificate from diocese honoring their 50 years of marriage
Rebecca Williamson says she made American Airlines fully aware her 14-year-old daughter has autism and is prone to seizures and behaviors such as rocking. She says she was assured her daughter could be accommodated and told not to worry.



Yet her worst fears materialized on Sunday, when she was told her daughter must get off an American Airlines flight bound for Puerto Rico for allegedly kicking a flight attendant.



Williamson, of Lower Allen Township in Cumberland County, says the incident amounts to discrimination against people with disabilities, and is another example of incidents that make parents of children with disabilities afraid to take them on flights.



"American Airlines needs to be made an example of. This not OK," she said on Monday.

American Airlines spokeswoman Victoria Lupica confirmed the basic details described by Williamson, and that the family wasn't afforded the opportunity to board the flight early as the law requires for people with disabilities. However, she says the airline believes that no discrimination occurred, and the flight captain took a justified action to protect the safety of the Williamson family and other passengers and crew. "This incident is unfortunate and I certainly apologize," Lupica said on Monday.



The incident took place Sunday night in Philadelphia, where Williamson's family planned to take an 8:20 a.m. flight to Puerto Rico for a family trip to celebrate two birthdays and a graduation. In addition to her disabled daughter, India, their party included seven others, including a 4-year-old son and a 77-year-old grandparent, Williamson said.



According to Williamson, she booked the flight about two weeks ago and at that time reached out to the airline's department that handles requests for special accommodations, detailing her daughter's disability. She said she called again on Saturday, the day before the flight, to make sure the flight crew had been informed and everything was set.



Williamson says her family expected to be able to board the flight early. But a malfunctioning airport elevator prevented them from reaching the special entry point. A member of the airport security staff was very helpful, she says, but the family was taken to the regular gate, arriving near the last call for boarding the plane and after other passengers had boarded. She said her daughter has difficulty with rushed situations. "She was a bit agitated. She doesn't understand 'we have to be on, right now'," her mother says. Williamson says she handed her cell phone to her daughter, allowing her to listen to music, which calmed her.



Williamson says she took her daughter out of her special stroller and she and an adult cousin were on either side of her as they boarded the plane. During boarding, India "extended her leg," causing a flight attendant to step aside, she says. She insists her daughter didn't aggressively or violently strike the attendant.



Lupica, the airline spokeswoman, says "there was definitely contact between the child's foot and the flight attendant's leg." However, she said the airline agrees it was not a deliberate act to hurt the attendant, who wasn't injured, and it was not "portrayed as an attack of any kind."



The rest of the family was already seated when she and India reached their seats, according to Williamson. She says she buckled India into her seat and India was smiling. They had been seated nearly five minutes when a manager came and said the pilot had ordered India off the flight. Williamson says she unsuccessfully "pleaded" with the manager, stressing her daughter's disability and stating "do you really want this in the media?"



Although it was only India that was ordered off the flight, Williamson said she had all their travel-related information, and also was unwilling to allow her four-year-old to proceed without her. So the whole family got off.



Lupica said it's her understanding the pilot made the final decision that India should get off the plane. She says it was determined that because of the rushed circumstances and the incident, and knowing the family could be put on the next flight, that it would be best for them to take the later flight. That way, they could pre-board under calm circumstances, and the airline could seat the whole family together, she said. The airline also gave the family a $200 travel voucher and food vouchers.



Back in the terminal, American Airlines staff was extremely helpful, and quickly booked the family onto the 10 a.m. flight for the same destination, according to Williamson. For the second flight, the crew seemed to be fully prepared and the boarding and flight took place without incident, Williamson says.



Lupica says the airline sees no need to discipline any employees, although she added "I know there will be conversation with the crew." She also stressed that the airline works with professionals to understand and serve the needs of people with disabilities, and says the later flight to Puerto Rico exemplifies the way employees have been trained.



However, Williamson says she was "humiliated" on the plane, and the incident has preoccupied her and ruined the trip, which was meant to celebrate the birthdays of India and her older sister, as well as the high school graduation of the older girl. She says an apology isn't sufficient. She also takes issue with Lupica's contention that the decision to remove India from the flight was based in part on being able to seat the family together on a later flight. The family was already seated together on the first flight, she says.



[Their employees] need to be trained properly. If I have to get their attention through a lawsuit I will. This is not OK," she says.

Note: This article was revised to state that the two flights were morning flights. An earlier version said they were for 8:20 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Amtrak started the extensive repairs to tracks and signals in Penn Station. The work was initially scheduled for nights and weekends over a few years, but two recent derailments and other problems that spotlighted the station's aging infrastructure convinced Amtrak to accelerate the work schedule.

For several hundred thousand commuters on the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit -- as well as Amtrak passengers who ride between Boston and Washington, D.C. -- that means fewer trains during peak periods, the result of track closures to accommodate the repairs.

Penn Station, which Amtrak took over in the 1970s, handles twice as many daily train movements, about 1,300, as it did then. Roughly 600,000 people pass through each day on trains and New York City subways.

Monday morning's rush began with no unusually large crowds and without any apparent problems.

Work at Penn Station to impact Amtrak's Keystone service

"We like to think it's quiet because a lot of people did their homework," New Jersey Transit spokesman Charles Ingoglia said while standing outside the Hoboken train and ferry stations.

Ingoglia noted efforts his agency has made online and elsewhere to warn the public of the congestion that is expected when up to 16,000 commuters are added to the 23,000 people who usually flow through the Hoboken station each day.

Service has been stepped up by trains, buses and ferries in anticipation of the busier commute. PATH trains were running every five minutes out of Hoboken rather than the usual seven-minute interval and additional NJ Transit buses were running from Hoboken to Manhattan as well.

Still, the real test for the "new normal" won't come until the weather, equipment problems or police activity somewhere along the train line interrupts service.

"The measure is how good are you when things are bad," Ingoglia said.

The work is scheduled to last through the end of August.

The LIRR is adding train cars to try and serve as many people as possible, and is urging riders to switch to subways in Brooklyn and Queens. New Jersey Transit is diverting some rush hour trains to Hoboken, where passengers can switch to trains operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, or to ferries.

Both railroads are offering discounted tickets to those most affected by the disruptions, and have devised plans that use alternative forms of transportation.

That hasn't staved off dire predictions from commuters already used to overcrowding, equipment failures and regular delays.

On Sunday, Cuomo announced that all non-emergency road construction work would be suspended from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. and that all lanes would be open on major roadways in the New York City area starting Sunday night. It was hoped that would clear major arteries for expanded bus service into Manhattan from Long Island.
Some Pennsylvania elected officials are calling for stronger cybersecurity just days after nuclear facilities across the U.S. were hit with cyber-intrusions by Russian hackers.

No facilities in Pennsylvania were impacted by the cyberattacks, according to local officials. Facilities that were targeted by the attacks had their business and administrative systems hacked. According to the Washington Post, officials say there is no evidence the hackers breached the systems controlling operations at any plants.

Neil Sheehan, spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's field office in Philadelphia, said Sunday that NRC regulations require plants to keep their critical systems separate, and to keep systems and networks associated with safety, security and emergency preparedness at plants protected from cyber attacks.

READ MORE: Three Mile Island, local plants, not part of suspected Russian hack

The cyberattacks were first reported in late June. The Washington Post reported recently that the attacks were carried out by Russian government hackers.

The attacks have raised questions about the future of cybersecurity for nuclear plants. According to the Washington Post, the hacks have the potential to be precursors to larger cyberattacks.

Issues of Russian hacking, of course, have come to the forefront of national discussion after the Kremlin appears to have been involved with attempts to meddle in the 2016 election.

President Donald Trump tweeted Sunday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had discussed creating a "cybersecurity unit" between the two countries at the G20 summit last week in Germany.

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

Several elected officials said Monday that cybersecurity should be a top priority.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Sen. Pat Toomey R-Pennsylvania, said partnering with Putin on cybersecurity was "never responsible nor plausible."

"Russia is not a friend of the United States," spokesperson Steve Kelly said. "Cyberattacks against American interests are completely unacceptable and should not be tolerated by any branch of our government."

Kelly said Toomey believes the House should pass stronger sanctions against Russia, similar to the sanctions passed by the Senate last month. Toomey was a cosponsor on the sanctions, which included items to expand and codify existing sanctions, added Congressional oversight on sanction policy and prioritized "programs for countering Russian aggression and influence."

Rep. Scott Perry, who represents much of York County and part of Cumberland County, said in a statement that Russia's hacking efforts "shouldn't be left unchallenged on the international stage."

Perry, whose committee assignments include Transportation and Infrastructure, Foreign Affairs, and Homeland Security, said the attack should be dealt with "swiftly" and that cybersecurity should be a priority for the country.

"My position has always been that Russia is overtly hostile and has actively worked to subvert U.S. interests both at home and abroad," he said.

In a statement, Rep. Lou Barletta said reports of the attacks were "very concerning," but that he is "encouraged that President Trump is committed to addressing these threats."

Barletta, who is the chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, said he is working on increasing communication and joint response plans between different levels of government and businesses.

"We need to tie in local governments and businesses with states and the federal government so that everyone is cooperating and anticipating these threats," he said.
To the sisters, it's more than an outdoor prayer chapel.

It's a peaceful protest, and it's their way of showing the land is sacred.

Lancaster Against Pipelines and the Adorers of the Blood of Christ order of Catholic nuns held a dedication ceremony this afternoon for a new outdoor prayer chapel on their land outside of Columbia.

And it's right in the middle of where the proposed Atlantic Sunrise pipeline will traverse, said Mark Clatterbuck of Lancaster Against Pipelines.

The nuns allowed the Lancaster Against Pipelines group to build the chapel in a cornfield on their land in West Hempfield Township, near a retirement community they operate.

Williams, the company that owns the pipeline, sought to take immediate possession of an easement last week to allow construction of the pipeline, telling a judge the chapel would cause "irreparable harm" to the pipeline project.

On Friday, the judge ruled that Williams had the right to seize the land through eminent domain but he held off that process until a hearing scheduled July 17 can take place.

But the sisters have a "land ethic" that guides them to honor and revere the Earth, which they shared with the crowd today.

And Clatterbuck said Lancaster Against Pipelines is prepared to hold constant vigil at the site to prevent the pipeline from going through.

About 200 people attended today's dedication ceremony amid the cornfields of Lancaster County. Some brought signs showing their opposition to the pipelines. Others brought their kids in big sunhats. But all sat in the pleasant rural acres to hear from the sisters.

Williams spokesman Christopher Stockton told Lancaster Online last week that the company respects the rights of protesters but "we view this simply as another blatant attempt to impede pipeline construction."

The proposed pipeline will run for roughly 200 miles, transporting 1.7 billion cubic feet of gas per day.
That Pennsylvania budget package? It's still a work in progress.

Talks fell short Sunday night as Gov. Tom Wolf and his Democratic allies in the legislature turned down a Republican plan of taxes and other revenue raisers designed to fill an $800 million gap in a $32 billion spending plan.

No one was characterizing Sunday's rejection as a total collapse.

But it did lay bare, for the first time publicly, a sizable list of issues that need to be tamped down before the budget can be completed.

It is now likely that the governor is going to have to act Monday on a general fund spending bill that is, at it stands, out of balance.

Wolf stayed mostly out of public view Sunday, and has not said whether he will let the spending bill take effect without his signature, on faith that the revenue deal will get worked out soon, or line-item veto certain appropriations to bring the plan into balance.

"I think from a logistical point of view, it's now becoming less and less likely that a revenue package would be passed by tomorrow (Monday) night," Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County, said Sunday night.

What all sides did agree on was the heart of the dispute: How much to borrow to close a $2.2 billion deficit; and, after the borrowing is done, the balance of recurring and one-time revenues.

"The issue is the level of new recurring revenue" that can be counted on reliably from year to year, Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny County, said Sunday night.

Republicans, Corman said, have proposed borrowing about $1.4 billion to backfill a deficit from the just-ended 2016-17 fiscal year. Corman could not say how much the remaining $800 million is from recurring sources, versus one-time sources.

Democrats say they would like to borrow less, but could be coaxed toward the GOP's target if the remaining revenue mix is appropriate. And their votes will be needed, they noted, to pass key gambling expansion and borrowing bills.

To Costa's point, some Democratic sources close to the talks said some of the GOP's revenue options included as little as $300 million in recurring revenue. Democrats want about $250 million more in that category.

Democrats have pressed, unsuccessfully thus far, for GOP consideration of a severance tax on natural gas from the Marcellus Shale, one of Wolf's original policy goals as a candidate for governor in 2014.

But, as it is, "we're just not interested in continuing to do the things that got us here," said one top staffer who asked not to be identified Sunday because he had not received authorization to speak publicly about the talks.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, stressed that Republicans aren't going to support new taxes.

The choice, he said, comes down to a roughly $250 million difference in revenue sources that the GOP plan provides several years to develop a long-term fix for, or - if these talks collapse - a $2.5 billion fiscal canyon that Wolf would presumably have to use his line-item veto authority to fix.

Ironically, the framework of a gambling expansion package that negotiators have labored over for weeks appeared to be holding up Sunday night, with about $200 million from licensing fees booked for 2017-18.

Republicans are trying to fill the rest of gap, about $600 million, with a larger share of one-time revenue sources, like fund transfers, and, in 2018-19, a borrowing from the Joint Underwriting Authority, a state-run malpractice insurer of last resort for doctors and medical facilities.

Then, within the proposed recurring revenues, Democratic sources said, there are revenue projections from items like further liberalization of the state's alcohol sales laws that would make the package even harder for Democrats to support.

One reform under consideration but not yet agreed-to, Corman confirmed, is a proposal to let the Liquor Control Board close stores that are not profitable and award agency store franchises to nearby beer distributors, who would then be selling beer, wine and liquor.

"We could save the LCB money" in operating costs, though the agency would still be the wholesale provider to the new franchisee, Corman said, estimating the gain to the state at about $50 million.

"You're just closing the store and putting it on someone else's shelves."

Corman defended the overall GOP offer, arguing that whether through one-time maneuvers or new taxes, it would generate $800 million through the fiscal year that began July 1, and again in 2018-19.

"The governor has chosen he wants more recurring revenues. I understand that," Corman said. "But we think we put a responsible package on the table that would allow us to balance the budget."

All sides were careful to temper their disappointment Sunday night, noting they expect to be back at it Monday morning to try to figure the last couple hundred million dollars.

"We're not leaving," Corman said, noting work would continue Sunday night on various budget implementation bills, like the fiscal and welfare code bills. "You've got to govern. That's the most important thing. So it is our plan to stay here until we get some sort of an agreement."
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PHOTOS: Petoskey celebrates Veterans Day 2022

Petoskey's American Legion taught local elementary students how to fold the flag during the Veterans Day ceremony on Friday, Nov. 11 in Pennsylvania Park.
U.S. unlikely to sanction venezuelan crude





Trump administration is weighing sanctions against Venezuela. Refiners say banning oil imports would hurt U.S. economy

WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 07 10 2017

The Trump administration is unlikely to ban imports of Venezuelan crude even as it considers a slate of sanctions on the country's energy sector, said a person familiar with those White House deliberations.

U.S. officials have not made any decisions on what, if any, sanctions may be imposed on Venezuela, but they have serious concerns about the impacts of a crude embargo on domestic gasoline prices and the economy as a whole, said the person, who requested anonymity because the decision hasn't been announced yet.

The administration's caution comes as refiners lobby in Washington against the move, which would choke off supplies to U.S. refineries reliant on Venezuelan crude, including those owned by Valero Energy Corp ., Phillips 66 and Chevron Corp .

The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, the largest association of U.S. refiners, has urged Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and other cabinet officials to exempt Venezuelan crude imports from a possible sanctions package.

"Sanctions limiting U.S. imports of Venezuelan crude would disadvantage many U.S. refineries, particularly those in the Gulf Coast and East Coast regions, that have optimized to utilize sour crudes produced in Venezuela," AFPM President Chet Thompson said in a letter to President Donald Trump sent Thursday.

Refiners argue that cutting off the supply would squeeze their margins and raise gasoline prices.

Venezuela was the second largest supplier of crude oil in 2016 to the Gulf Coast, with 701,000 barrels daily, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. refineries imported 24.4 million barrels of crude from the country in April. Citgo Petroleum Corp ., the U.S.-based refiner controlled by Venezuela's state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA , takes the largest share of those imports, followed by Valero, Chevron and Phillips 66.

The White House is considering sanctions against the socialist nation in light of President Nicolas Maduro's May announcement that he will seek to re-write the country's constitution. Anti-government protests in Venezuela have left at least 95 dead since April.






Libya, Nigeria to follow oil output quota soon - Kuwait



Bloomberg/Akos Stiller



Issam Almarzooq , Kuwait oil minister. Output in both countries rose amid exemption from global cuts. OPEC, allies due to meet July 24 in Russia to discuss matter.

KUWAIT/LONDON

Petroleumworld 07 10 2017

Libya and Nigeria, which have both boosted oil production since they were exempt from global cuts this year, may be asked to cap their crude output soon in an effort to help rebalance the market, Kuwait Oil Minister Issam Almarzooq told Bloomberg.

OPEC and non-OPEC producers have invited the two African nations to their committee meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 24 to discuss the stability of their production, Almarzooq said on the sideline of an energy conference in Istanbul. Almarzooq is the chairman of the committee monitoring the compliance of OPEC and non-OPEC producers with production cuts that started in January and have been extended to March.

We invited them to discuss the situation of their production, Almarzooq said. If they are able to stabilize their production at current levels, we will ask them to cap as soon as possible. We don't need to wait until the November meeting to do that, he said, referring to the upcoming OPEC meeting scheduled for November 30.

Crude sank into bear territory last month amid concerns the cutbacks by producers of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other allies are being partially offset by a rebound in production by Libya, Nigeria and U.S. shale production. Libya and Nigeria were both exempt from the cuts due to their internal strife.

The two countries came into focus after they seemed to resolve some of their political problems that had slashed their production. Libya's oil production has climbed to more than 1 million barrels a day for the first time in four years. Nigeria's output rose 50,000 barrels a day in June, according to a Bloomberg survey.

Libya and Nigeria's exemption was a collective decision, and any proposal to include them in OPEC's plans will also require a joint decision, Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo told reporters at the event in Istanbul. He said it is still too early to discuss steeper cuts by the group and its allies.

The OPEC, non-OPEC ministerial monitoring committee will discuss the impact of the output cuts on the market at the July 24 meeting, Almarzooq said. Deepening the cuts of the producers under the current agreement is not on the agenda, he said.

It is too early to discuss deeper output cuts by OPEC, non-OPEC producers participating in the agreement to curb production, Almarzooq said. We just finished the meeting in May and we need to give it more time.






This piece, titled, The New Plague, depicts life in Philadelphia in the age of COVID. Artist and educator Raphael Tiberino began painting at the age of four and has been in the spotlight as a professional creative for over 25 years.
The noose is an ugly symbol. To put it in context, it is the equivalent of the secular crucifixion. The historical significance to Christians of the cross, source of persecution, is almost identical to the historical significance for African Americans of twisted rope.

My father found this out when he traveled South to Mississippi in 1967. A white man registering black men to vote and run for public office, he heard the racist epithets and felt the spittle of little children and saw the footsteps of the KKK, visible and proud.

And he saw nooses in the trees. To my white father, it was repellent. To his black clients, it was a daily reminder of the national sickness for which there were no vaccines or legislative cures.

So I abhor nooses, and the vile, acidic effect they have on the eyes and the spirit. You don't play with them, even to make a point. Emmett Till and generations of unnamed martyrs don't deserve that dishonor.

That's why I'm angry about what I suspect happened this week on Lombard Street. Philly.com reported on Saturday that a noose had been found hanging from a tree near the old Graduate Hospital. It was haphazardly thrown, not tied to a branch, but the shape was unmistakable.

A police spokesman could not confirm who threw it there, although they had video of a white man throwing the rope in the tree, and then walking away. Tellingly, he met up with a black man and they engaged in what appeared to be conversation right after he threw the noose.

I say "tellingly" because at the very least, the color of the thrower's companion raises a legitimate question about the motive underlying the act: Why would a black man be involved, even tangentially, in a hate crime involving a noose? This isn't about the "N" word, which I've been told that blacks should be able to use with impunity, even though I, a white woman, can't. At some level, I get that.

But a noose? A murderous symbol of genocide? Why would a target of that genocide be complicit in using it?

Unless  we're being played, and instead of a hate crime, this was an attempt at agitprop from the antifa, the left-leaning groups that find relevance and a sense of mission in magnifying acts of bigotry and racism perpetrated by the right wing.

I've seen horrific inhumanity in my lifetime. I do asylum law, it's a daily thing. Christians murdered in Lebanon and Syria, lesbians raped in Russia, women beaten and forced to abort their children in Honduras, Muslims killed for helping Christians by other Muslims in Pakistan.

The world is a dangerous place, and we are not spared, we comfortable Americans, from those dangers. Hatred of "the other" exists. I heard it in my radio show the other day, when I talked about the vicious symbolism of the noose and someone brushed it off. I also heard naivete or deliberate dishonesty when another listener tried to paint the GOP as the true heroes of the civil-rights movement (uh, nice try but context is everything).

And I'm the daughter of a white man who saw nooses swinging in the trees outside of black clients' homes.

But making this incident a front-page story about "intolerable racism" is unfair, unwise and unproductive if it turns out that the hands that tied the noose were also raised in fists protesting President Trump. We don't know yet what happened. Let's wait before jumping to conclusions, because far too many of these supposed incidents turned out to be fake news. And when you cry wolf often enough, people stop listening. That is a dangerous thing, as any real victim can tell you.

So if this was a hate crime, put their racist behinds in jail.. If it was an attempt to create a "hate crime" to further the political and societal divide, double the sentence.

Playing games with murderous symbols is a national sickness, too.
Shown is the Pennsylvania Capitol building along with roses in Harrisburg on May 23, 2017. Read more

Since the annual state budget process makes it clear that Pennsylvania government has no intention of changing its evil ways, it's time to change official symbols, slogans, and such to better reflect the state of the state.

Say what?

That's right. As lawmakers and Gov. Wolf appear ready to enact yet another (late), backed-by-borrowing, kick-our-problems-down-the-road budget, we need at least a little truth in advertising.

Let's start with some official state symbols.

The state ship (yes, we have one) is the brig Niagara (War of 1812; Battle of Lake Erie), docked in Erie. Historically significant. Impressive vessel. Just doesn't tell the state's story.

Because of Harrisburg's refusal to honestly balance a budget (which just drew warnings of another bond rating downgrade) and its simply shifting deck chairs on our ship of state, the official state ship ought to be the Titanic.

Somebody lower the lifeboats.

The official state insect (yes, we have one, and it's not whichever elected official just crossed your mind) is the firefly, a.k.a. the lightning bug. Cute. Summery. But no longer appropriate.

A better choice, reflecting how our state's financial follies burden our long-suffering taxpayers, would be the deer tick. Firmly attaches itself. Sucks your blood. Remind you of any particular legislative body?

There's more.

The official state dog (yes, we have one) is the Great Dane, also known as "the Apollo of all dogs" for its strength, stature and smarts.

Think Pennsylvania's political/governmental culture fits that mold? Known for strength, stature and smarts? Sorry. That dog don't hunt.

But with our penchant for paying for what Pennsylvania needs with ever-expanding gambling, I'm thinking the best canine choice going forward is the greyhound  coming to a dog-racing track opening near you soon.

And speaking of ways to raise more money, we should rethink the state drink.

The official state beverage (yes, we have one) is milk. You know, does a body good, nature's perfect food.

Hah! New and growing access to wine, beer, and spirits  a booze-fueled state revenue-raiser  suggests the state's beverage should be a mind-numbing Pennsylvania punch.

I suggest a mix of geographically representative ingredients, say, equal parts Presque Isle cabernet (Erie County), Yuengling lager (Schuylkill County), and Bluecoat gin (Philly). Yum. Have a statewide contest to name it.

Now, in fairness, some state symbols seem perfect. Take the state tree. It's the hemlock. Not the poisonous plant, the coniferous tree. Though on second thought. 

Or how about the state bird? The ruffed grouse. Plenty to grouse about in Pa., eh? Then again, given our long-term debt, maybe a better feathered symbol would be the vulture. OK, the ruffed vulture.

I think I see some circling now.

Finally, we need a new state tourism slogan. Currently, it's "Pennsylvania. Pursue Your Happiness."

What is that? A directive? Suggestion? Encouragement to move someplace else?

Don't these clodhoppers know the pursuit of happiness is a constitutional right?

Oh, wait, they pay no attention to the state constitution. If they did, they wouldn't get per diems, pensions, or health care, since Article II, Section 8, of the Pennsylvania Constitution (you could look it up) says legislators shall get "salary and mileage" and "no other compensation whatever."

Of course, they argue that not getting perks would violate their right to pursue happiness.

Anyway, a new slogan's in order.

I've long suggested one based on political performance: "Pennsylvania. Land of Low Expectations."

But given our business climate (we were just ranked one of the worst states for business starts) and proposed fiscal fixes, maybe something more immediately descriptive: "Pennsylvania. Come for the Borrowing. Stay for the Bankruptcy."

Hey, at least we'd attract more bond lawyers.
Alison Chandra was so worried about what could happen to her son under Republican health-care legislation making its way through the Senate that she thought a little sticker shock would help lawmakers listen to her concerns.

So, in June, the Middlesex County, N.J., mother shared a photo of the bill she received from Boston Children's Hospital for the cost of treating son Ethan's rare genetic disorder. The bill, which itemized expenses totaling $231,115, of which Chandra was asked to pay $500, quickly went viral.

Chandra said Ethan's prenatal care and first two surgeries were covered by Medicaid. After that, they were able to switch onto her husband's insurance, which he gets through his employer.

Ethan, now 3, was diagnosed with heterotaxy, a rare birth defect that, among other ailments, left him with two left lungs and a stomach on the wrong side of his body.

In an essay written for Vox, Chandra said the initial response to her tweet was overwhelmingly positive, with strangers expressing shock and outrage over the costs she would have been expected to pay if she didn't have decent insurance.

"People were ready to fight for a kid they'd never met, and they were sharing their stories with me in the hopes that I'd fight for their children too," Chandra wrote.

But as the influence of the tweet grew, so did the negative response.

"It was clear that people weren't reading much past the headlines," Chandra wrote. "They came at me swinging, picking fights I'd never asked for. They called me ungrateful, a thief, a lazy mooch, an attention whore."

Chandra said the attacks became increasing personal and violent, with strangers making comments like "it would have been cheaper to make a new kid."

Here's how Chandra described a portion of the negative response she received:

"I was offered a .22 bullet, although I'm still not sure whom he meant it for, me or my child. One man took me up on the challenge I'd posed in the thread and declared that my son just wasn't worth keeping alive anymore. There was even a percentage of the comments dedicated to the belief that I was a foreigner or, worse, a terrorist, which is when I started asking news outlets to use my full name, Alison, not Ali, since people seemed unable to believe that I was in fact a white chick from New Jersey. The worst were the ones who attacked on the genetic front. Heterotaxy has no known cause, but in our case it was due to a genetic glitch, a previously unknown fault in the code of my own humanity that I passed down to my son. I don't think I'll ever come to terms with the fact that it was me who slipped the poison into his DNA, with knowing that his children (if he ever has them) will stand in front of this same 50-50 firing squad. It's been my own private heartbreak. Now strangers were tearing barely healed scabs off those old wounds and I was running out of hands to stanch the bleeding.

Despite the negative responses, Chandra said she did not regret sharing Ethan's hospital bill. She says enduring the hateful comments was worth it thanks to the response from one mother, who was finally able to get a proper diagnosis for her own son's heterotaxy because of the coverage of Chandra's story.

"It wasn't important anymore that bitter internet trolls were calling me a manipulative money-grubbing ingrate. It didn't matter that there were people fighting with each other and spouting conspiracy theories and competing to say the worst things they could fit into 140 characters in my Twitter mentions," Chandra said. "There was a mama out there whose life would never be the same."

Chandra said she never used to follow politics, but became engaged as Republicans began to push health-care legislation that would remove some of the protections guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.

The current version of the Republican health-care bill opens the door to rolling back some of the market regulations under Obamacare by allowing states to opt out of essential health benefit requirements, such as hospitalization, maternity care and mental health treatment.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 22 million people would lose coverage by 2026, under the Republican plan, mostly due to a roll-back of Medicaid expansion created by Obamacare.

"I know I'm a broken record on this, but this is literally life and death for so many kids like my son," Chandra said. "So silence is not an option."

This story has been updated to correct the name of the Affordable Care Act.
Gov. Wolf has until the end of Monday to decide what to do about the nearly $32 billion spending plan the GOP-controlled legislature sent him last week. Read more

HARRISBURG  Come Monday night, Gov. Wolf will likely find himself in the same position he did last year: deciding whether to allow a multibillion-dollar spending bill to lapse into law, even though there is no plan for how to pay for it.

Though the Republican-controlled legislature continued trying to find common ground on a revenue package Sunday, late at night it showed no sign of a deal.

Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R., Centre) said late Sunday that from a logistical standpoint, it was becoming increasingly unlikely that a revenue package would be passed by Monday night. He said the Senate would stay at the Capitol and keep working on a deal.

"It is our plan to stay here until we get some sort of agreement," he said.

Nonetheless, he said, the governor had rejected a plan he and House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R, Indiana) had delivered to him Sunday, one that would have included new revenue from expanding gambling in the state.

"It's been rejected, and no further discussions have happened since," Corman said shortly before 10 p.m. "It wasn't enough. Put it that way."

Lawmakers are running out of time. By the end of Monday, Wolf, a Democrat, will have to decide whether to sign, veto, or allow to become law the nearly $32 billion spending plan the legislature approved just before the July 1 start of the new fiscal year.

Wolf has not shown his hand. He has said only that he is optimistic the legislature will iron out differences and send him a revenue package.

"The governor continues to work with all parties to come to an agreement on a responsible package to balance the budget," spokesman J.J. Abbott said in a statement Sunday night.

Last summer, when faced with the same predicament, Wolf allowed the spending plan to lapse into law without his signature, saying he believed the legislature would swiftly deliver a revenue plan. It was a leap of faith that paid off  the legislature delivered within days. A prolonged impasse like the one Wolf faced in his first year in office was averted. This year, Wolf might be forced to decide to take the same gamble.

State law requires that the budget be balanced. Without a revenue plan, the $32 billion blueprint that the legislature sent the governor on June 30 will not be in balance, as it needs new revenue to prop it up.

Negotiators have discussed raising new dollars through a mix of borrowing, gambling expansion and, possibly, further privatizing alcohol sales. Tax-averse Republicans who control both legislative chambers view those as acceptable alternatives to raising either the personal income or sales tax, two proposals that Wolf has backed in recent years as a way to generate recurring and sustainable dollars for the state's cash-strapped budget.

A number of GOP legislators have also rejected the idea of imposing a new tax on natural gas extraction, an idea supported by Wolf, legislative Democrats, and a number of moderate Republicans, many from the Philadelphia suburbs.

The stakes are high.

Last week, Standard & Poor's warned that it was placing Pennsylvania on a negative "credit watch," a move the credit agency said reflected the state's "eroding financial position" and signs that the state would not enact a structurally balanced budget.

Wolf and Senate Republicans have said they would consider borrowing money to cover the $1.5 billion shortfall in last fiscal year's budget, the largest since the recession. House Republicans, however, have refused to say whether they support that idea.

But much of the squabbling has been over how much to expand gambling. House Republicans have backed a proposal that would legalize up to 40,000 slot-like machines called video-gaming terminals (VGTs) in bars, taverns, restaurants, and other establishments with liquor licenses.

For days, Senate Republican leaders, who are wary of VGTs, have said they will not be part of a final deal on gambling expansion. They have also said that all sides were nearing agreement on the issue and that the deal would include creating 10 satellite casinos across the state.

Those mini-casinos would be allowed to have up to 700 slot machines and 100 table games, Senate Republican lawmakers have said. The state's already licensed casinos would be given the first shot at bidding on licenses to run them, and the new casinos would have to be no closer than 25 miles from current ones.
Bucks County DA Matthew Weintraub holds up photos of four young men reported missing in Bucks County Read more

The Bucks County District Attorney's Office reported four young men missing in the county Sunday night, ranging in age from late teens to early 20s.

County investigators identified the four as Mark Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg; Tom Meo, 21, of Plumstead; Dean Finocchiaro, 18, of Middletown; and Jimi Tar Patrick, late teens, of Newtown Township.

Finocchiaro and Patrick went missing last week, according to Bucks County police, while Meo and Sturgis were added as also missing late Sunday.

A Facebook post seeking leads said Meo is diabetic and was last seen around Routes 202 and 263 near Doylestown on Friday.

State police, along with detectives from Solebury, Middletown, Newtown, and Buckingham Townships, as well as Philadelphia, along with police dogs, executed a search warrant at a home in Solebury Township around 7 p.m. Sunday as state police helicopter circled the property, near Meetinghouse and Aquetong Roads.

Fox29 reported Monday morning that the search turned up a car belonging to one of the young men.

Investigators said they were unsure how the four men are linked other than as friends.

It was unclear whether that home had any connection to any of the missing youths.

Anyone with information is being asked to call the Bucks County radio dispatch at 215-598-7121.
Gov. Tom Wolf delivers his budget address for the 2017-18 fiscal year to a joint session of the Pennsylvania House and Senate. Read more

HARRISBURG  For the second consecutive year, Gov. Wolf will allow the nearly $32 billion budget that the legislature sent to him to become law, though there is no plan for how to pay for it.

Monday's move again plunged the state into uncertainty, with questions swirling around whether the decision was constitutional and whether it will provide more fodder for a crushing credit downgrade.

For his part, the Democratic governor said he believes that just like last year, the Republican-controlled legislature will swiftly deliver a revenue package to his desk.

"In the coming days, it is my hope that the General Assembly will come together to pass a responsible solution to balance our books," Wolf said in a statement. "There are many options available to balance the budget in the long term, like those I presented earlier this year. Our creditors and the people of Pennsylvania understand a responsible resolution must take real and necessary steps to improve Pennsylvania's fiscal future."

It was clear late Monday that the legislature would not pass a revenue package by the 12:01 a.m. Tuesday deadline.

"We're just trying to keep hope alive here and get things done," Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R., Centre) said Monday afternoon of trying to reach a deal. "It's sort of a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour development."

The House and Senate were expected to convene at 11 a.m. Tuesday. After that session is over, House GOP leaders said, they could send members home, possibly for several weeks, sparking worry of another lengthy impasse. In Wolf's first year in office, the budget stalemate dragged on for nine months.

Pennsylvania's constitution requires a balanced budget, but without legislation describing precisely what revenues will prop it up, the spending plan is incomplete.

House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D., Allegheny) said he believes the governor will have to use budgetary reserves to spend money

"You can't spend what you don't have, what you haven't raised, and what you haven't provided for in real, recurring revenue that is acceptable," Dermody said after Wolf announced his plans.

State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Phila.) said he was heartened by the "tone and tenor" of discussions. But he acknowledged that a stalemate could cast doubt on the state's position and authority to spend money.

"I think right now we are in a good space, we are OK," he said. "But let's wrap this thing up."

Last year, Wolf took the same course of action and the legislature was able to deliver a revenue package to his desk within three days.

This year, negotiators are facing the challenge of closing a $1.5 billion shortfall in the fiscal year that just ended  the largest since the 2009 recession  and a projected $700 million deficit in the one that began July 1.

For weeks, talks have been mired in disagreement over proposals to expand gambling and, possibly, further privatize alcohol sales.

The idea of borrowing up to $1.5 billion also has been controversial because the state would pay back the loan using money that flows annually into a fund set up as part of the landmark settlement with tobacco companies. The fund is to be used for tobacco-cessation programs, health research, health insurance for the uninsured, and home and community-based services for older Pennsylvanians, among other services.

In the budget he unveiled earlier this year, Wolf had proposed raising new dollars through a tax on natural gas extraction and expanding the 6 percent sales tax to services that are now exempt.

But Republicans, who control both legislative chambers, have rejected the idea of a new drilling tax and have refused to increase either the sales or personal income tax.

That has left lawmakers scurrying to cobble together other proposals that can generate dollars, turning over the last few years to gambling, liquor and other "sin taxes."

The $32 billion spending plan the legislature sent Wolf last week would increase funding for public schools, early childhood and special education, and services for the intellectually disabled.

It also includes a planned merger of the Department of Corrections and the Board of Probation and Parole, as well as savings from a proposed merger of the Departments of Health and Human Services.

House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R., Indiana) said early Monday evening that the governor, to be responsible, should have struck spending lines from that budget bill, given the lack of a revenue deal.

He also noted that Wolf has not actually signed a budget since he took office in 2015.

"If you can spend $32 billion a year without a governor three years in a row, I would question, you know, where's the leadership from that office," Reed said.

Last week, Standard & Poor's warned that it was placing Pennsylvania on a negative "credit watch" that reflects the state's "eroding financial position and our view that there is a significant likelihood that the commonwealth will not enact a structurally balanced budget for fiscal 2018.".

At midday Monday, State Sen. Scott Wagner (R., York), who wants to challenge Wolf in next year's governor's race, took a break from the action  or inaction  inside the Capitol to film a quick campaign ad, posted on Facebook, aimed at the governor.

Standing in the empty space outside the Capitol where the governor parks his Jeep, Wagner asked: "Where is Tom Wolf?"

"We're in there trying to balance and pass a budget for the state of Pennsylvania  well, where's the governor?" Wagner asked, adding. "I'm standing in his parking space, and he's not here."

The governor's office said that Wolf was in the Capitol early Monday, and left the building only for a short business meeting.

Wagner, too, was out of the Capitol earlier in the day  at a campaign event, according to his campaign's Facebook page.

Wolf's campaign wasted no time pouncing on what it described as Wagner's hypocrisy.

"Like a typical Harrisburg politician, Scott Wagner was out campaigning for a new job while refusing to do the job he was elected to do," state Democratic Party spokeswoman Beth Melena said in an email, adding: "Scott Wagner is the worst Harrisburg has to offer."
Famine. Economic Collapse. A sun that cooks us. A New York Magazine story about the problems climate change could wreak on humanity is certainly designed to make an impact.

"It is, I promise, worse than you think," staff writer David Wallace-Wells promises in the first sentence of his 7,000-word piece, which quickly went viral after it was published late Sunday night. "If your anxiety about global warming is dominated by fears of sea-level rise, you are barely scratching the surface of what terrors are possible, even within the lifetime of a teenager today."

The doomsday story certainly made an impact. According to CrowdTangle, a platform that tracks social media traffic, the story has been shared on Facebook over 132,000 times, reaching the timelines of over 50 million people and the homepage of Reddit.

One climatologist, however, is throwing cold water on Wallace-Well's alarming scorched-Earth tale.

Michael Mann, a distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Pennsylvania State University and director of the school's Earth System Science Center, called out the "doomist framing" of the piece in a lengthy Facebook post, noting that there is a danger in overstating the dangers of climate change.

"The article argues that climate change will render the Earth uninhabitable by the end of this century," Mann wrote. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. The article fails to produce it."

Before you think it, Mann is no climate change denier. He is widely viewed as a leader in the field of climate change, and he's fought at the front lines of skepticism over our warming planet for nearly his entire career, writing over 200 peer-reviewed and edited publications. He was even interviewed by Wallace-Wells for his story, though he wasn't quoted or mentioned. His problem with the story isn't that it highlights climate change, it's that overstating the case makes people think it's unsolvable, and "feeds a sense of doom, inevitability and hopelessness."

Mann says the article overstates some of the science in order to paint a bleak picture of an Earth that could be uninhabitable by the end of this century. For instance, Mann points to the near-term threat of climate "feedbacks" involving the release of frozen methane, noting that the science is actually more nuanced than the article indicates and doesn't support the notion of a "planet-melting methane bomb."

Mann also has problems with a specific line in Wallace-Well's piece that claimed "satellite data showing the globe warming, since 1998, more than twice as fast as scientists had thought."

"That's just not true," Mann wrote. "The study in question simply showed that one particular satellite temperature dataset that had tended to show 'less' warming than the other datasets, has now been brought in line with the other temperature data after some problems with that dataset were dealt with."

Mann said the accounting for the new corrected data, the warming of the planet is progressing fairly close to what climate scientists predicted, which he notes "is bad enough."

"The evidence that climate change is a serious problem that we must contend with now, is overwhelming on its own," Mann wrote. "There is no need to overstate the evidence, particularly when it feeds a paralyzing narrative of doom and hopelessness."

Wallace-Wells did not respond to a request for comment, but he did respond to Mann's lengthy critique of his story on Twitter late Monday morning.
A meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer was set up at the request of Emin Agalarov, a Russian pop star whose Kremlin-connected family has done business with President Trump in the past, according to the person who arranged the meeting.

Rob Goldstone, a music publicist who represents Agalarov, confirmed on Monday that he requested the Trump Tower meeting at Agalarov's request. Emin Agalarov and his father, Aras Agalarov, a wealthy Moscow real estate developer, helped sponsor the Trump-owned Miss Universe pageant in Russia in 2013.

After the pageant, the Agalarovs signed a preliminary deal with Trump to build a tower bearing his name in Moscow, though the deal has been on hold since Trump began running for president.

Goldstone had previously told the Washington Post that he set up and attended the meeting for the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, so that she could discuss the adoption of Russian children by Americans.

The revelations about the meeting come as federal prosecutors and congressional investigators explore whether the Trump campaign coordinated and encouraged Russian efforts to intervene in the election to hurt Clinton and elect Donald Trump.

In a new statement, Goldstone confirmed what Trump Jr. himself revealed Sunday: That he enticed the then-Republican candidate's son by indicating that Veselnitskaya could provide damaging information about Democrats.

"The lawyer had apparently stated she had some information regarding illegal campaign contributions to the DNC which she believed Mr. Trump Jr. might find important," he said.

At the meeting, which also included Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and a top campaign aide, Paul Manafort, the Russian lawyer offered "a few very general remarks" about campaign funding, Goldstone said.

She then proceeded to discuss the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 U.S. law that imposed sanctions on Russia for its alleged human rights abuses. Angered over the law, Russia retaliated by halting U.S. adoptions of Russian children.

Trump Jr. has said his father was unaware of the meeting, and both he and Goldstone said there was no additional follow-up beyond the brief June 2016 session.

The involvement of the Agalarovs brings the meeting closer to both Trump's past business interests and to the Kremlin. Trump has spent time with both Emin Agalarov and his father, Aras  appearing in a music video for the Russian musician, which was filmed at the Moscow Ritz-Carlton Hotel in 2013.

Meanwhile, the Agalarovs are also close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Aras Agalarov's company has been awarded several large state building contracts, and shortly after the pageant, Putin awarded the elder Agalarov the "Order of Honor of the Russian Federation," a prestigious designation.

Emin Agalarov told the Post last year that he had spoken with Trump numerous times about the need to build stronger ties between Russia and the United States.

"He kept saying, 'Every time there is friction between United States and Russia, it's bad for both countries. For the people to benefit, this should be fixed. We should be friends,' " Emin Agalarov told the Post last year about his conversations with Trump.

A spokesman for the Agalarovs did not respond to request for comment, nor did a spokeswoman for Trump Jr.

On Monday, the Kremlin said it was unaware of the meeting between Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer purported to have information that could potentially damage Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Asked about the meeting Monday, Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters that the Kremlin does not know the lawyer, and added that the Kremlin "cannot keep track of every Russian lawyer and their meetings domestically or abroad."

Peskov, asked about Veselnitskaya by reporters on a conference call, said, "We do not know who that is."

Veselnitskaya has for the past several years been a leading advocate around the world to fight a policy imposed on Russia for human rights abuses, which have been vehemently opposed by Putin and other leading Russian officials.

Putin personally assured Trump at the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg over the weekend that Russia had not meddled in the 2016 election. Putin's comments, however, did little to change widespread views in the United States that Russia was behind the election meddling intended to help Trump.

Hackers began leaking emails stolen from the Democratic Party in July 2016, and U.S. intelligence agencies have said the effort was orchestrated by Russia.

Trump officials have vigorously denied they colluded with Russia in any way.

The president's eldest son said in a statement Sunday said that he had agreed to the meeting at Trump Tower in New York because he was offered information that would be helpful to the campaign of his father, then the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

At the meeting, the Russian lawyer opened by claiming she knew about Russians funding the Democratic National Committee and Clinton, the statement said.

Trump Jr. said that her comments during the meeting were "vague, ambiguous and made no sense" and that she then changed the subject to discuss a prohibition that the Russian government placed on the adoption of Russian children as retaliation for sanctions imposed by Congress in 2012.

Trump Jr. said that his father "knew nothing of the meeting or these events" and that the campaign had no further contact with the woman after the 20- to 30-minute session.

On Monday, the younger Trump added a bit of sarcasm against the growing scrutiny over the meeting.

The president's son did not disclose the discussion when the meeting was first made public by the New York Times on Saturday and did so only on Sunday as the Times prepared to report that he had been offered information on Clinton at the session.

The meeting suggests that some Trump aides were in the market to collect negative information that could be used against Clinton  at the same time that U.S. government officials have concluded Russians were collecting such data.

In his statement, Trump Jr. said he did not know the lawyer's name before attending the meeting at the request of an acquaintance. He said that after pleasantries were exchanged, the lawyer told him that "she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton."

"No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information," he said, saying he concluded that claims of helpful information for the campaign had been a "pretext" for setting up the meeting.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's attorney, said the president was unaware of the meeting and did not attend it.

Neither Manafort nor his spokesman responded to requests for comment. Attorneys for Kushner also did not respond to requests for comment Sunday. On Saturday, a Kushner attorney, Jamie Gorelick, said her client had previously revised required disclosure forms to note multiple meetings with foreign nationals, including the session in June with Veselnitskaya. "As Mr. Kushner has consistently stated, he is eager to cooperate and share what he knows," Gorelick said.

In his statement, Trump Jr. said he was approached about the meeting by an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

Veselnitskaya has not responded to requests for comment from The Post but told the Times in a statement that she had never acted on behalf of the Russian government and that the meeting included no discussion of the presidential campaign.

She has for the past several years been a leading advocate around the world to fight the Magnitsky Act, sanctions intended to rebuke Russia for human rights abuses. Putin reacted angrily to the passage of the act, and has since denounced it repeatedly.

The acts are named for Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian auditor who died under mysterious circumstances in a Moscow prison in 2009 after exposing a corruption scandal.

The meeting occurred during a period of intense focus on the Magnitsky sanctions. Four days after the June 9 Trump Tower session, Veselnitskaya was in Washington attending a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing about sanctions and other aspects of U.S.-Russia relations.

That evening, a film critical of the Magnitsky sanctions  and the story behind them  showed at the Newseum. On June 15, Veselnitskaya was featured on the Sputnik News website criticizing the sanctions and its leading advocate, William Browder, a financier who left Russia a decade ago amid concerns about corruption, including what was exposed by Magnitsky, the auditor he had hired.

The Washington Post's David Filipov and Natalya Abbakumova in Moscow and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.
Cadets with Montgomery County Community College Municipal Police Academy take a break in the search for clues in the disappearance of four Bucks County men, Tuesday. Read more

Several family members of four young men missing since last week waited grimly Monday afternoon as investigators and search crews descended on farm acreage in Solebury Township, Bucks County, using metal detectors and a backhoe in what authorities called a criminal investigation.

District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said Monday afternoon that he suspected foul play in the men's disappearance.

"I sure believe there is," Weintraub said at an afternoon news conference on the status of those missing, identified by county investigators as Mark R. Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg; Thomas C. Meo, 21, of Plumstead; Dean A. Finocchiaro, 18, of Middletown; and Jimi Tar Patrick, 19, of Newtown.

As search crews, including FBI agents and officers from several local jurisdictions, combed the property in the 6000 block of Lower York Road, Weintraub said investigators were treating the case "as a criminal investigation at this time until we know differently." County authorities called in the FBI to assist with the search, Weintraub said.

Records show the property is owned by Antonio, 46, and Sandra DiNardo, 47, both of Bensalem.

"The leads are incredibly hot, they're very fruitful, and we are making great progress, but there is so much more work to do," he said. "We're not going to rest until we get through every inch of that property."

Police took the DiNardos' 20-year-old son, Cosmo, also of Bensalem, into custody Monday on a February firearms charge that had been dismissed but was refiled Monday. Court records showed the younger DiNardo was being held at the Bucks County prison on $1 million bail. The charge appears to be unrelated to the disappearances.

After Cosmo DiNardo was arraigned Monday afternoon in Bensalem, his lawyer, Michael Kevin Parlow, left the police station with Antonio DiNardo. Both declined to comment, and calls to the DiNardos went unanswered.

Weintraub declined to comment on whether Cosmo DiNardo was connected to the case.

"I certainly have not spoken with him, and I cannot reveal whether our investigation has led in his direction," he said.

According to a criminal complaint filed in February for the firearms charge against Cosmo DiNardo, he "is known to be suffering from mental illness" and had previously been involuntarily admitted to an inpatient treatment facility. He had a shotgun and ammunition with him, weapons he was prohibited from having because of his admittance to the care center, according to the court document. The charge against him was dismissed in late May. The court file included a June 21 letter from from the District Attorney's Office to the Bensalem Police Department, authorizing police to reinstate the charges.

The district attorney said investigators were confident that they should keep searching the 68-acre DiNardo property, which includes a farmhouse built in 1890.

Weintraub said the search  which could go on for days  was "like finding needles in a haystack." Several police cars and a backhoe could be seen from the roadway.

Televised aerial news footage showed investigators, some with metal detectors, gathered alongside a newly planted field as a backhoe slowly lifted large chunks of concrete and moved them aside. Two portable tent canopies had been set up close to a large investigative van nearby.

Relatives of the missing men stood in the shade of trees alongside a nearby road, waiting for any reports. Some of them, including Rich and Sharon Patrick  grandparents of Jimi Patrick  conferred with law enforcement officials.

"We're not exactly sure what we're going to find there," Weintraub added.

State business records list the DiNardos as owners of a concrete contracting business, Cosan LLC, registered at their Bensalem property on the 900 block of Wayland Circle.

Sturgis' father, Mark Potash, said his son and Meo were last seen Friday. Weintraub said one of the other men also was last seen Friday and the fourth disappeared Wednesday. Investigators said they were unsure if the disappearances were linked, except that they were told all four knew one another.

Potash said his son and Meo both worked for him at his construction business.

On Saturday morning, when the two didn't show up for work, he was concerned, he said.

"I thought maybe they had a night of drinking and slept somewhere," Potash said. "That was my hope."

By mid-afternoon, Potash said he knew something was wrong. Calls to both men's phones went straight to voice mail, he said. He contacted police late Saturday.

"They are just really good kids," Potash said, describing them as hard workers.

He has no idea why his son or Meo are missing, Potash said.

"I can't even begin to imagine," he said. "At this point, as the hours pass, it seems more and more grim."

Sturgis is a phenomenal guitar player, "super intelligent," a great athlete, worker, brother, and son, according to Potash. His son, who grew up with his mother and lives with him, has three sisters and one brother.

He and Sturgis' mother have been in touch and said they are both struggling. Potash has also been in contact with the Meo family and said everyone was trying to hold it together.

"It is very difficult," he said. "I really don't know how I'm going to make it through the rest of the day. I'm going minute by minute right now."

A Facebook post seeking leads said Meo is diabetic and was last seen around Routes 202 and 263 near Doylestown on Friday.

Devin Houser, 20, of Doylestown, previously worked with Meo at Doylestown Auto & Tire. The two met about a year and a half ago and became work friends, Houser said. They had hung out a few times since and lived minutes apart, so Houser frequently gave Meo a ride home when their shifts let out. He said Meo would strike up and hold a conversation with anyone.

"He was, like, an easygoing person; he was a really nice dude," Houser said. "He'd get along with any single person."

He said those who know Meo were concerned.

"Everyone just seems stunned by it," Houser said. "No one really knows what's going on."

Eric Zigman, 19, of Langhorne, said he has been a friend of Finocchiaro's since they were students at Maple Point Middle School and Neshaminy High School. He warned about "people making ridiculous accusations" on social media "as if they know what's going on when they clearly don't."

"Nobody knows what's going on, so no one should be making any crazy accusations about the kid," he added. "Because I know him personally, and I know he's a good kid and he would not just go missing like this without saying a word to his family or close friends."

State police, along with detectives from Solebury, Middletown, Newtown, and Buckingham Townships, as well as police dogs, executed a search warrant at a home in Solebury around 7 p.m. Sunday.

Potash said Meo's car was found in the garage, near the property where police focused their search Monday.

Potash said his son's car had been found at Peddlers Village in Lahaska. Finocchiaro was last seen as he was being picked up by a fifth person, who is not missing, Potash said.

Weintraub declined to comment on whether cars were found. He said county detectives, with the help of several local police departments and the FBI., were searching several locations.

Finocchiaro has two pending criminal cases in Bucks County Court. He's facing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, simple assault, conspiracy, and harassment, stemming from arrests earlier this year.

Asked whether the four young men were still alive, Weintraub replied: "I can't say. We hope and pray that they are, but we need to go where the investigation leads us."

Anyone with information about the men's whereabouts was asked to call a tip line: 215-297-8201.

Staff writers Chris Palmer and Colton Shaw contributed to this article.
Supporters have uncovered fresh evidence to buttress their case for making the Main Line site of a Revolutionary War battle a national landmark, but ironically, a major victory they won two decades ago might have slowed progress.

To spare the land from bulldozers, in 1999 the Paoli Battlefield Preservation Fund purchased the 40-acre tract, where British forces killed at least 53 Americans and wounded more than 150 in 1777, and secured a place on the National Register of Historic Places as a site of "local" significance.

With development pressures building, pursuing that designation saved valuable time as opposed to the more-prolonged process of proving "national" significance. "We were up against the gun," Bruce Knapp, the fund's president, said.

But after advocates applied two years ago to make the battlefield a National Historic Landmark, they found they had to overcome the federal government's skepticism about so knighting Paoli when two decades before supporters had argued for its "local" importance. To make the elite list of the nation's roughly 2,500 landmark sites, the government has to deem a property significant to all Americans, such as Washington's Headquarters in Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Making the battlefield a landmark would be significant for raising grant money and local tourism.

Knapp compared his group's efforts to jump from the register's local designation to landmark status as akin to launching a space mission to Mars without first trying to land on the moon.

So his group has decided to shoot for the moon. It now is seeking a spot on the register's list of nationally significant places, using some of a nearly $60,000 grant from the American Battlefield Protection Program. Earning a place on the register's "national" list of more than 8,000 sites likely would make designation as a national landmark an easier sell. Knapp's group already would have completed most of the necessary work.

Because of the additional research his group has commissioned, historians have found hundreds of references in the 1700s, 1800s, and early 1900s to the Paoli Massacre and the battle cry that followed: "Remember Paoli!"

"The United States has a unique tradition of following this template of 'Remember Paoli,' " Knapp said, mentioning similarly formatted battle cries in the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, and the world wars.

When the fund members submitted their application to a landmark committee in March 2015, they had dreamed that the U.S. Department of the Interior would name Paoli Battlefield a landmark before the April opening of Philadelphia's Museum of the American Revolution, thus luring history buffs visiting the area.

But Knapp and his associates are a patient bunch. He said they are "amazed and pleased" with the amount of new information they have uncovered in the last several years. He said his group won't stop until Paoli Battlefield achieves national historic landmark status.

"It's part of what this site deserves," he said. "We'll keep digging up stuff."
A 52-year-old man died in South Philadelphia on Monday afternoon after a shipping container fell on his truck, according to police.

The incident happened at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, police said. Authorities did not identify the victim, but said he was pronounced dead at 12:35 p.m.

Kevin Feeley, spokesman for Greenwich Terminals LLC, said the accident took place on the Publicker portion of the Packer site, a lot where containers are sometimes taken after being offloaded.

Feeley declined to identify the victim pending family notification, but said he "was a valued 20-year employee at the terminal."

Greg Iannarelli, chief counsel for the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, said preliminary indications were that a top pick  a piece of machinery used to move containers  knocked a container from the top of a stack, causing it to fall onto the truck.

Feeley said the company was cooperating with police and federal safety officials investigating the incident.

Images from TV news helicopters showed a white pickup truck with a smashed roof sitting next to several containers.

The terminal describes itself as the largest container terminal on the Delaware River, with six berths that typically handle steel products, frozen meat, fruits, and other cargo.

New shipping services there helped boost the amount of containerized freight the Philadelphia port handled in April compared with a year earlier. And the port recently was chosen to go through its first major renovation in decades, with $300 million from the Wolf administration expected to be used to repair berths, add cranes, and double cargo handling space.

In 2011, a longshoreman, Charles DiRago, 54, died at the terminal when a tractor accidentally backed into him.
A federal investigation into a land deal led by Jane Sanders, the wife and political adviser of Sen. Bernie Sanders, has accelerated in recent months  with prosecutors hauling off more than a dozen boxes of records from the Vermont college she once ran and calling a state official to testify before a grand jury, according to interviews and documents.

A half-dozen people said in interviews in recent days that they had been contacted by the FBI or federal prosecutors, and former college trustees told the Washington Post that lawyers representing Jane Sanders had interviewed them to learn what potential witnesses might tell the government.

The investigation centers on the 2010 land purchase that relocated Burlington College to a new campus on more than 32 acres along Lake Champlain. While lining up a $6.7 million loan and additional financing, Sanders told college trustees and lenders that the college had commitments for millions of dollars in donations that could be used to repay the loan, according to former trustees and state officials.

Trustees said they later discovered that many of the donors had not agreed to the amounts or timing of the donations listed on documents Jane Sanders provided to a state bonding agency and a bank. That led to her resignation in 2011 amid complaints from some trustees that she had provided inaccurate information, former college officials said.

The land deal, the officials said, became a financial albatross for the 160-student school, contributing to its closure last year.

The questions from government investigators, as described by those who were interviewed or received subpoenas for documents, suggest the investigation is focused on Jane Sanders and alleged bank fraud, and not on her husband. But the inquiry could nonetheless create a political liability for the senator, who was a candidate for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination and is the progressive movement's most popular leader.

A spokesman for the couple, Jeff Weaver, denied wrongdoing late last week. Weaver told the Post the couple hired a D.C. law firm this spring because they allege President Donald Trump's Justice Department could use the investigation as a way to derail a potential 2020 challenger.

"While the Obama administration was in office, I don't think anyone thought that these baseless allegations warranted hiring a lawyer," Weaver said. "But with Trump and [Attorney General] Jeff Sessions at the helm, that's a very different situation."

The investigation began in early 2016 after Brady Toensing, a lawyer who was the state chairman for Donald Trump's presidential campaign, wrote to the U.S. attorney and federal bank regulators, alleging potential bank fraud. FBI agents conducted interviews last year, but the probe was not publicly confirmed until this April, when the local news outlet VTDigger.org reported that a federal prosecutor had asked that records from the college be preserved.

Last week, an attorney for the Vermont Educational and Health Buildings Financing Agency, which helped the college get financing, told The Post that its executive director was asked to testify before a grand jury in April. That is the first public confirmation that prosecutors have sought to present evidence to a grand jury.

Paul J. Van de Graaf, chief of the criminal division in the U.S. attorney's office in Vermont, cited an ongoing investigation in declining to comment on the case or on the claim that it is politically motivated. The Justice Department also declined to comment.

The crisis

Burlington College grew out of gatherings in its founder's living room in the 1970s, drawing returning Vietnam War veterans and nontraditional students. Former administrators lauded the school's small size and the opportunity for students to design their own academic plans.

Jane Sanders became its president in 2004, with the promise of boosting its profile and its fundraising. By 2010, Sanders was pushing the college to move from its storefront campus to waterfront property that belonged to the local Roman Catholic diocese.

The move would cost the college $10 million.

Jane Sanders told trustees that the college could afford it, former trustees said. She projected a surge in enrollment in the coming year and presented financial documents showing $2.6 million in "confirmed" donations, two former trustees said. The donors were identified only by their initials  presumably to protect their anonymity, former trustees said.

The board decided to pursue the land purchase in May 2010. "The board made the decision based on the information Jane provided," said Adam Dantzscher chairman of the board at the time.

The college soon got a $6.7 million loan with the help of the Vermont Educational and Health Buildings Financing Agency, which issues tax-exempt bonds for schools and hospitals.

In addition to providing the donation spreadsheets to the agency, Sanders signed a document saying the college "expects to receive pledged amounts" of about $2.27 million, records show.

"My gut was, this is biting off more than you can chew," said Charly Dickerson, one of two board members who voted no after hearing a presentation from Jane Sanders. "Their balance sheet was not all that strong."

People's United Bank bought the bond, meaning the bank became the lender. The college promised to pay the remaining $3.65 million to cover the entire $10 million purchase to the diocese over 10 years.

The donations were critical. An independent consultant warned in a report to the state bonding agency that the college's ability to repay its loans from People's United and the diocese "depends on its ability to raise sufficient capital through its capital campaign."

But only months after the college closed on the property purchase, trustees sensed problems.

"Things did not add up," Dantzscher said. "The donations were not coming in."

Trustee David V. Dunn said the college collected only about $125,000 through the summer of 2011. The trustees asked other college administrators to get in touch with donors, he said.

"What they were finding was different than what was represented," he said. "Multiple donors were saying they had never committed to those amounts."

One of the listed donations, for example, was a $1 million gift from Corinne Bove Maietta, a member of a well-known Burlington family. In fact, trustees learned, the $1 million had been intended as a bequest upon her death.

Maietta's accountant, Richard Moss, confirmed the bequest and said his client went on to donate between $50,00 and $100,000, a gift that was to be subtracted from the bequest. Moss said FBI agents contacted him in February or March for help in locating Maietta.

Maietta did not return a message from the Post.

By October 2011, the trustees asked Sanders to resign, in part because of the fund-raising flap.

For her part, Sanders touted major accomplishments in her October 2011 report to college trustees, such as providing financial aid to students, expanded academic offerings and improved accreditation. "We have come a long way over the past seven years, and we should be proud of what we have achieved," she wrote.

The aftermath

Four months after Toensing's letter last year urging the U.S. attorney's office to investigate, the college closed under financial distress, and the bank foreclosed on the property. It is unclear whether the bank lost money. People's United spokeswoman Cynthia Belak declined to discuss the deal, saying that "as a matter of policy, we do not comment on matters related to our clients."

The diocese said in a statement that it was "satisfied" with a settlement it reached with the college on repayment of the $3.65 million loan: In addition to the more than $540,000 in principal payments made on the loan, the college agreed to give the diocese $1.05 million in cash and another "$1 million investment" in a company it did not identify.

Dantzscher, the former college trustee who was among the donors on the list, said he considers himself a victim of financial mismanagement at the college.

"I would say everybody is a victim," he said. "The community, the students, the employees, the board of directors. Everybody gets hurt."

Dantzscher said he was contacted by law enforcement officials, but he declined to reveal details of the conversation. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, three other people familiar with the college's financing said they were contacted by federal authorities.

Weaver, Sanders' spokesman, said Jane Sanders was not at fault.

"Are there now going to be detractors who now want to blame Jane Sanders for all the failures that happened after she left?" he said. "Frankly, I'd be surprised if there weren't."

Weaver suggested that Bernie Sanders has been targeted by the GOP because he's a popular politician who could challenge Trump for the presidency in three years. Weaver said the allegation is "right out of the Benghazi playbook."

"But it is particularly nasty even for them  going after a political opponent's spouse," he said.

Weaver said that neither Jane Sanders nor Bernie Sanders had been contacted by law enforcement officials.

Still, Jane Sanders hired a local Burlington attorney and a D.C. law firm this spring, amid signs federal prosecutors were escalating their probe. VTDigger.org and Politico Magazine last month reported that Jane Sanders had retained counsel.

The Vermont Agency of Education took possession of the college's business records after the school's closure to ensure that graduates could still gain access to their academic files. Federal prosecutors visited the state offices in April and carried out 20 to 30 boxes of the school's business records, said Molly Bachman, general counsel for the education agency.

Also in April, the Vermont Educational and Health Buildings Financing Agency received a subpoena for records related to the land deal and all fundraising efforts, pledges and donations, according to a copy of the subpoena The Post obtained through a public records request. It is titled "grand jury investigation" and directs the bonding agency to contact a special agent with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a banking regulator. The FDIC sometimes helps federal prosecutors in investigations that involve banking.

James Foley, a lawyer for the bonding agency, said that prosecutors also issued a subpoena directing Executive Director Robert Giroux to testify before a grand jury that same month. Foley said he convinced prosecutors that Giroux would not be able to provide information beyond the 900 pages of documents the agency had supplied to the U.S. attorney's office.

In recent weeks, lawyers for Sanders have called at least three former trustees trying to learn more about the investigation, those people said. Two said they were contacted by lawyers with a Burlington firm.

"I didn't provide any answers," Dantzscher said.

Dunn, who resigned from the board in 2011, did cooperate. He said he was contacted by phone twice  most recently in the last days of June  by Jennifer Windom, a partner at the D.C. firm Robbins Russell, which represented I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who was chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney's and was prosecuted in connection with the Valerie Plame affair.

"She said her firm was representing Jane, and she was trying to get background on the issue so she can help Jane," he said.

Dunn said that although Sanders' fundraising figures were inaccurate, he believes she had good intentions.

"For me, personally, I don't believe she had malicious intent. I don't think it rose to that level," he said. "Jane had an agenda that she wanted what was best for the college, and she stretched it beyond its capabilities."
The White House has a whole new Russia headache on its hands after Donald Trump Jr. on Sunday acknowledged he met in June 2016 with a Kremlin-tied lawyer who was pitching opposition research on Hillary Clinton.

The president's son isn't apologizing for the meeting, and the White House as a whole is taking its usually defiant tone about the whole thing. But that may prove difficult for a whole host of reasons.

Below are a number of questions  perhaps starting with Monday's White House briefing.

1) Why is seeking opposition research from a Kremlin-backed lawyer not a Very Bad Thing  in and of itself?

Let's set aside, for the moment, the fact that this meeting has been kept secret for so long. And let's also set aside, for the moment, the fact that the White House has regularly denied contact with Russians and any form of collusion.

Why is this OK?

Isolated from all these other factors, this was three people very close to the then-presumptive Republican presidential nominee  Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort  granting a meeting with a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin for the purposes of opposition research.

Trump Jr. and the White House have repeatedly argued that nothing came of the meeting and that it turned out the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, didn't actually have useful information. But why does that even matter? Wasn't the intent to accept such information from a Russian national with suspect ties? And how is that different from the propaganda effort Russia engaged in during the 2016 campaign that is the subject of investigations?

Basically: Does the White House believe that it's actually OK to allow foreign nationals to influence American elections in this way?

Which brings us to . . .

2) Were there other similar contacts with Russians (or other foreign nationals)?

Was this an isolated incident, or did the Trump campaign officials engage in this kind of thing regularly? The fact that they took this meeting and they aren't apologizing for it suggests they may have been open to other, similar entreaties. So were there any?

We now know they were in the market for this brand of help. At this point, the White House should make sure it doesn't have any other such meetings or conversations with Russians.

3) What specific information was this Kremlin-tied lawyer pitching?

Given the meeting is now public and Trump Jr. insists the information was not useful, it would behoove him to tell us what Veselnitskaya was selling. That's really the only way to be sure that this information was not acted upon  that a foreign national with ties to the Kremlin didn't actually successfully meddle in the campaign with the Trump campaign's assistance.

Trump Jr. and the White House seem insistent that this information was a bust; so prove it. Their denials about contacts with Russians keep unraveling. The burden of proof is now very much on them.

4) How did President Trump not know about this?

Trump Jr. said his father "knew nothing of the meeting or these events." But again, this was three people who were closer to him and to the campaign than just about anybody else: His son, his son-in-law who is now a senior White House adviser, and the guy who was then running the campaign.

This meeting was seen as significant enough for all three of them to make a point to attend, and yet nobody shared details of the meeting with the guy whose campaign they were acting as members of? President Trump is going to have to address this.

5) Why has the White House failed to get its story straight on so many occasions? Has nobody done a forensic review?

We may one day reach a point where we can say that there was no collusion or anything untoward happening between the Russians and the Trump campaign. But if that's the case, the White House has only fueled this story with its long string of tardy disclosures and contradictory denials.

The question is why? Why are we still learning about meetings between Trump associates and the Russians months after this issue first blew up in their face with the Michael Flynn situation? Why hasn't anybody done a forensic accounting of every single possible meeting between a member of the Trump team and Russians like Veselnitskaya?

When you are treading water in situations like these, the best strategy is generally to get all the bad news out at once, and to understand the truth so you don't keep getting caught in falsehoods that make it look like you have something to hide.

There are basically two options for the White House officials here: They are trying to hide something, or they are completely derelict in dealing with  and getting out in front of  all of this.

Everything is happening so fast  or at least that's how it feels trying to follow politics these days. You've seen the headlines about President Trump and his policies  but what do they mean for Philadelphia? What does that mean for you? We've launched a newsletter to explore just that. You can sign up to get the weekly Trumpadelphia newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday.
These are times that try a White House reporter's soul. Jim Acosta hasn't kept quiet about what's been troubling his.

CNN's senior White House reporter has been frustrated by many things: the curtailment of live broadcasts of the press secretary's daily briefings; the lack of substantive answers from the administration; the alleged "blackballing" of CNN (or maybe just of Acosta), by all of the president's spokespeople, among others.

Other reporters share some of Acosta's irritation. The difference is, Acosta has been outspoken about his. At a time when CNN is under attack by President Trump and his supporters, Acosta has been fighting back.

He has said on the air that White House press secretary Sean Spicer's unresponsive answers were rendering him "just kind of useless" as a credible source; that the ever-briefer briefings have become "basically pointless"; that covering this White House has at times been like "covering bad reality television."

The other day, after Trump once again denounced CNN as "fake news" during brief remarks to the press in Poland, Acosta tweeted that the event was "a fake news conference" because the president's response was prompted by a reporter who had interviewed for a White House job.

He has repeatedly needled Spicer on Twitter, too: "I can't show you a picture of Sean," he tweeted, over a photo of his ankles, during a blacked-out briefing on June 19. "So here is a look at some new socks I bought over the wknd."

Another, on June 12: "As he often does, (Spicer) avoided taking questions from CNN today." This included a sarcastic hashtag: #courage.

Acosta's remarks aren't just blunt; they're unusual. Reporters are supposed to report, not opine. Yet Acosta's disdain has flowed openly, raising a question about how far a reporter  supposedly a neutral arbiter of facts, not a commenter on them  can and should go.

"I think I'm just covering a story, honestly," Acosta says in a call from Germany, where he has been covering the president. "When the president of the United States calls the press 'fake news' and 'the enemy of the American people,' " he adds, "I think that's when you have to get tough and ask the hard questions."

Of course, Trump and Spicer haven't held back, either. In an interview, Spicer denounces Acosta in some of the harshest terms a press secretary has used  at least in public  to refer to a reporter. "If Jim Acosta reported on Jim Acosta the way he reports on us, he'd say he hasn't been very honest," Spicer says. "I think he's gone well beyond the role of reporter and steered into the role of advocate.

"He's the prime example of a (reporter in a) competitive, YouTube, click-driven industry," Spicer adds. "He's recognized that if you make a spectacle on the air then you'll get more airtime and more clicks  If I were a mainstream, veteran reporter, I'd be advocating for him to knock it off. It's hurting the profession."

Acosta, 46, has been a prominent face at CNN for the past decade, covering the last three presidential campaigns, President Barack Obama's two terms and other major stories. He was a reporter at CBS News before joining CNN, and worked for TV stations in Chicago, Dallas and Knoxville before that. He started his broadcasting career as a radio reporter for WMAL-AM in Washington.

Despite his run-ins with Spicer and constant jeering from Trump supporters, Acosta seems to be relishing the fight. "I'm having the time of my life right now," he says. "This is the biggest story of my life. I'm like a kid in a candy store."

Acosta's clashes with the administration have such a relatively long history that it's difficult to sort cause from effect these days. Spicer effectively blames Acosta, without mentioning him by name, when he suggests that live audio and video coverage of the briefings was curtailed because of "grandstanding" by some reporters. The restrictive policy, in turn, prompted Acosta to pepper Spicer with questions about it: "Why not turn the cameras on, Sean?" he asked repeatedly on June 27. This, in turn, led to more criticism of Acosta.

Trump first mixed it up with the CNN reporter during the presidential campaign last year. Pressed by Acosta to account for his unfulfilled promise to donate money to veterans organizations, the then-Republican candidate replied acidly, "I've seen you on TV. You're a real beauty."

President-elect Trump tangled with him again in a tense exchange in January that concluded with Trump branding Acosta as "rude" and CNN, once more, as "fake news."

A curious sidelight to all this has been the relatively tepid support Acosta has received from his fellow White House journalists. Only a few have publicly spoken out in support of him. There have been no walkouts or calls for boycotting the briefings (although Acosta has suggested "collective action" to get the cameras back). The White House Correspondents' Association has confined its agitation to behind-the-scenes negotiations with Spicer and several short, general statements.

In fact, the pushback against Acosta from some quarters of the press has been more striking. On a recent Fox News segment, for example, former Fox News White House reporter Ed Henry agreed that Acosta's on-air commentary had "crossed the line" into opinion.

"He's overdoing this," Henry said, crossing the line into opinion himself. " If you're going to be a reporter and going to be a correspondent, his opinions are now no longer coming from pundits. It's coming from White House correspondents."

CNN, understandably, sees things a bit differently. "Jim Acosta is a fantastic reporter, a great White House reporter," says Acosta's boss, CNN Washington bureau chief Sam Feist.

Feist compares Acosta to Sam Donaldson, the feisty former ABC newsman, and makes no excuses for Acosta's pointed comments. "Jim is as tenacious now with Donald Trump as president as he was when Barack Obama was president," he says. "If you look at the reporting he did in the Obama White House, you'll find he's the same Jim Acosta."

In fact, Acosta didn't go easy on Trump and Spicer's predecessors; his questioning of Obama press secretary Josh Earnest and Obama himself was often highlighted in conservative media accounts and in Republican National Committee emails. During the IRS scandal, for instance, he asked Earnest whether the White House's claim that it had lost important emails was like saying "the dog ate my homework." He also pressed Obama on his characterization of ISIS as "the J.V. team" and the president's contention that he hadn't underestimated the terror organization. "Why can't we take out these bastards?" Acosta asked.

Acosta says today the president and the issues have changed. But he hasn't. "This is not a crusade," he says. "This is not partisan. This is journalism. We're trying to hold them to account.' "

Everything is happening so fast  or at least that's how it feels trying to follow politics these days. You've seen the headlines about President Trump and his policies  but what do they mean for Philadelphia? What does that mean for you? We've launched a newsletter to explore just that. You can sign up to get the weekly Trumpadelphia newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday.
First responders, shelter staff and neighbors helped rescue about 100 cats and dogs from the Delaware branch of the Brandywine Valley SPCA after a car crashed into the building and erupted in flames. Read more

A mother of five died and about 100 shelter animals were displaced this weekend after the woman crashed a vehicle into the Brandywine Valley SPCA in New Castle, Del., sparking a fire in the building.

Lataya Cooper, 33, was killed in the early morning Sunday crash. The Brandywine Valley SPCA will hold a memorial vigil on Monday for her at 5:30 at the SPCA on 600 South Street in New Castle, the shelter reported.

The building erupted in fire after Cooper crashed into the veterinary part of the shelter around 12:15 a.m. Sunday. Shelter staff, fire and emergency workers, and neighbors moved quickly to get about 100 cats and dogs out of the burning building. Three cats died, and one is being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

"It could have been even worse if not for the amazing work of the first responders and all the neighbors who worked together to get the animals out safely," said Adam Lamb, the shelter's chief executive.

The facility sustained significant damage and will be closed for an undetermined period of time, the shelter reported.

In 2016 the BVSPCA, which has its headquarters in Chester County, signed a five-year contract with the Delaware Office of Animal Welfare to provide statewide animal services.
Sgt. David White (Photo: Uniontown PD)

A Uniontown, OH, police officer was shot four times while responding to a domestic violence call Sunday evening.

Authorities said the suspect, Ryan Probst, fired several shots while standing in the front door of a home just after 9:15 p.m.

The officers fired back killing Probst, News5Cleveland reports.

The wounded officer, Sergeant David White, was out of surgery Monday morning and reportedly with good vitals. However, more procedures will be necessary, the Uniontown Police report on Facebook.
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Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) has announced that he will be introducing legislation to prevent President Trump from forming an election cyber security group with Russia.

Trump tweeted:

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

In a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, Rep. Boyle quickly moved to stop Trumps efforts, President Trumps social media statement today that he would involve Russian President Vladimir Putin in a cybersecurity effort to protect our elections defies any shred of basic human logic and common sense. Under no circumstances can we allow the Russian government to learn our strategy and techniques for defending our cyber security. This week during the congressional session, I will introduce legislation to prohibit the United States from participating in any type joint working group with Russia on cybersecurity efforts. Hiring Mr. Putin to protect our electoral process is like a group of homeowners hiring a security guard to protect them after that individual has broken into their homes.

What Trumps cyber security working group would do is provide the Russians with direct access to our election system. Putin would be able to rig future elections for the candidate of his choosing without having to go through all the hassle of hacking 50 state voting systems. Trump is proposing to hand Russia the keys to everything, which is why Congress must step in and prohibit Trump from working with Russia on any matter related to Us elections.

If the states wont allow Trump to use his presidential powers to get control of their voter data, he is going try to use his position to get help from Russia. Congress needs to say no and shoot down Trumps plan as soon as they come back to Washington.
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Trump took another step towards becoming an authoritarian who wears a military uniform and awards himself medals by incorrectly claiming that since he is president, he is no longer a civilian.

Trump tweeted:

For years, even as a "civilian," I listened as Republicans pushed the Repeal and Replace of ObamaCare. Now they finally have their chance!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

The President Of The United States is not a military officer. Under the Constitution, the Presidents commander in chief duty is considered part of his presidential duties. Commander in chief is not a separate position. The President holds no military rank and is not compensated through funds appropriated to the armed forces. Trump wasnt drafted or enlisted. He ran for a political office and won.

Donald Trump is clearly not well and appears to be suffering from the delusion that he is something other than a civilian who is serving in public office. Trump is a civilian, and the Presidents latest meltdown is another sign that he views himself as being above the law when according to the Constitution, he is not.
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President Trump accused James Comey of breaking the law and leaking classified information, but the source for his claim wasnt from the intelligence community, but from a Fox and Friends report that contained multiple factual errors.

Trump tweeted:

Report accuses material James Comey leaked to a friend contained top secret information pic.twitter.com/Hkg4cAb6o9  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) July 10, 2017

Fox and Friends described a story from The Hill, It turns out, he may actually have broken the rules. A brand-new bombshell report accuses Comey of putting our national security at risk. According to the Hill, the former FBI directors personal memos detailing private conversations with President Trump contained top secret information.

This is not true. Comey gave one memo to a friend that contained no classified info. As The Washington Post pointed out, During his testimony, Comey refers to the memo he gave to his friend in the singular  the memo. Theres no indication that he asked that one of the classified memos be leaked. In fact, his testimony  under oath, remember  was the opposite.

Trump took an inaccurate Fox News report and used to attack someone that he views as a political enemy. Trump has done this often as a candidate, and as president. The conservative media echo chamber creates false information that the president uses to attack his enemies real or imagined.

As the President Of The United States, Donald Trump could easily find out if Comey leaked classified information. The fact that Trump dropped his threat to take legal action against the former FBI Director speaks volumes. Comeys memos could be government documents or personal memos. There is an ongoing dispute over their legal classification, but Comey only gave one memo to a friend, and that memo did not contain classified information.

Conservative media is creating fake news, and Donald Trump is trying to use the presidency to legitimize it, and in the process, he is trashing the credibility of the Executive Branch of the US government.
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In a series of disjointed tweets, Trump tried to defend his daughter Ivanka taking his seat at the G 20, but he also admitted that he gave America away to Putin.

Trump tweeted:

When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother,as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

Trump admitted that he was off giving away the United States of America to Putin was Ivanka kept his seat warm. Trump supporters like to claim that social media is how Trump communicates with his supporters, but every once in a while, truth leaks out in 140 characters or less.

Hillary Clinton doesnt need her daughter to act as her minder, so that she doesnt wander off, so Chelsea Clinton would never be sitting in the meetings next to her mom at the G 20. The big point that Trump intentionally missed is that while leaders do sometimes step out, these seats are filled by senior government officials, not the unpaid daughter of the president.

Ivanka Trump is not a government official. She does not work for the United States government. There is no way that she should have taken over her fathers seat at the G 20. What Trump is doing is sabotaging the structure of the Executive Branch of the government, and substituting nepotism.

Donald Trump knows that he is giving away the United States, and what is even worse is that he doesnt care. Trump isnt just a sucker. He is selling out the United States for personal gain, as he undermines the structure of our government to turn the presidency into a part of the family business.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

A shower is possible early. Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 64F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A shower is possible early. Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 64F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
OSTRANDER  A pair of motorcycle crashes in Fillmore County left two men injured and added to the growing list of motorcycle-involved incidents.

Levi Gideon Hershberger, 35, of Preston, was on U.S. Highway 52 south of Chatfield on Wednesday when there was a "mechanical failure on the bike and it locked up the rear tire," according to the report from the Minnesota Highway Patrol.

The tire blew, causing Hershberger to lose control and crash, the report says.

He was taken by Chatfield Ambulance to a Rochester hospital with injuries that were described as not life-threatening.

Also responding to the scene were the Fillmore County Sheriff's Office, Chatfield Police Department and Chatfield Fire Department.

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On Sunday, a motorcycle driven south on U.S. Highway 63 by 61-year-old Richard Philip Cobb, of Mounds View , attempted to pass a pickup driven by 45-year-old Nicklaus Steven July, of West Concord .

The motorcycle sideswiped the pickup on the front driver's side and lost control, according to the report from the highway patrol.

Cobb, who was wearing a helmet, was taken by Gold Cross Ambulance to the Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys Campus in Rochester, where he was listed in serious condition this morning.

July was not injured, the report says.

The crash, which was reported about 9:15 a.m., occurred near Fillmore County Road 44, three miles north of the Iowa border.

Fillmore County Sheriff's deputies and members of the Ostrander Fire Department also responded to the scene.

The crashes are two of at least six in the last three weeks in Southeastern Minnesota. Four deaths have resulted from those crashes , including a pedestrian who was struck by a motorcycle while walking on a rural roadway.
BROWNSVILLE  A bicyclist collided with a car north of Brownsville, sending the cyclist to the hospital Sunday.

The 15-year-old cyclist was crossing Minnesota Highway 26 at Brookwood Drive in rural Hokah Township at about 7:49 p.m. Sunday when he failed to stop at a stop sign. The cyclist was struck by a pickup heading south on Hwy. 26, according to a report from the Minnesota State Patrol.

Neither the driver of the pickup, William Haas, 77, nor his passenger, Judith Haas, 74, both of Rochester, were injured. The cyclist, whose name has not been released, was transported to Gundersen Heath Systems in La Crosse, Wis., the state patrol reported.

Houston County Sheriff Mark Inglett said the teenager received non-life threatening injuries from the crash, mainly abrasions.
After a two-year hiatus, a favorite fundraising tool of Minnesota political parties is back.

The state's Political Contribution Refund Program returned on July 1. Under the program, individuals can donate up to $50 per year to a state candidate or political party and get that money refunded to them. The parties aren't wasting anytime getting the word out.

The Republican Party of Minnesota's website blasts the news with the words "Donate today" at the top of the page. Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan said the GOP is doing what it can to alert donors. That includes sending out a direct mailer, an email and promoting it on social media.

"There's a lot of energy and excitement about the return of it because the potential for donations is much greater than perhaps it had been in the past," Carnahan said.

Historically, Republican groups have far outpaced their DFL counterparts when it comes to use of the PCR program. In 2014, Republican groups racked up $1.1 million in donations. DFL groups had less than $672,000.

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Some Republican lawmakers oppose the program, saying it amounts to welfare for politicians. Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, is sponsoring a bill to scrap the program.

Carnahan said she understands conservatives' concerns with the program. But since it is in law, she said the party is doing its best to take advantage of it ahead of the 2018 election.

Democrats are also busy promoting the program's return. Minnesota DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin said the party has sent out emails and text messages about the rebate. The party is also investing in online advertising and calling supporters. He said the program encourages average citizens to give  something that is important in today's political climate where big donors are flooding the system with cash.

"Being able to raise (money) from a lot more small donors and average people certainly fits within our values as DFLers," he said.

Martin is also aware that Republicans have had more success with the program in the past adding, "We're hoping to change that."

Study: Link between military sacrifice, support for Trump

A new study has found a link between a community's rate of military sacrifice and its support for Trump.

Researchers with the University of Minnesota and Boston University analyzed 2016 presidential election returns. They found "a significant and meaningful relationship" between a community's level of wartime sacrifice and its support for Trump.

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"With so much post-election analysis, it is surprising that no one has pointed to the possibility that inequalities in wartime sacrifice might have tipped the election. Put simply: perhaps the small slice of America that is fighting and dying for the nation's security is tired of its political leaders ignoring this disproportionate burden," the authors wrote.

The report was authored by University of Minnesota law professor Francis Shen and Boston University political scientist Douglas Kriner.

The authors conclude that if Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin  three states critical to Trump's win  had suffered a moderately lower casualty rate, they could have flipped to supporting Clinton.

"Trump's electoral fate in 2020 may well rest on the administration's approach to the human costs of war," Shen said. "Politicians from both parties would do well to more directly recognize and address the needs of those communities whose young women and men are making the ultimate sacrifice for the country."

Walz skeptical of Putin

During a meeting in Germany with Trump last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that his country interfered in last November's presidential election. That prompted gubernatorial candidate and 1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz to tweet this: "Former KGB agent & authoritarian says he didn't attack our election? Yeah..... I think I'll trust our US Intel. Community & European allies."
Janice Rogers Brown has notified officials that she will step down from the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Judge Brown, age 68, has served on that Court since 2005.

The Wall Street Journal story says, in its headline, that Judge Browns retirement will give President Trump the opportunity to appoint a conservative to this powerful court. Hell be hard-pressed, however, to appoint a more solid conservative than Janice Rogers Brown.

The good news is that Trump will be able to appoint a much younger one  a conservative who, with luck, will hold down the seat for two decades or more.

It is not known, or at least not reported, whether Judge Brown will take senior status on the court. If she does, she will be allowed to continue hearing cases, with some limitations.

That would be a big plus. The D.C. Circuit hears a many big cases  e.g., ones involving federal regulatory authority, the powers of the executive and legislative branches, and special matters such as appeals from Guantanamo Bay detainees. It would be great if Judge Brown participates in some of these cases.
MASON CITY | The trial of a man accused in a Mason City double homicide case begins Monday in Fort Dodge.

Peter Veal, 31, Lake Mills, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the Nov. 17 deaths of Mason City residents Mindy Kavars and Caleb Christensen at a residence in the 1600 block of North Hampshire Avenue.

Veal is also facing one count of attempted murder involving a witness at the scene.

Additional charge filed in Mason City double homicide case MASON CITY  A man accused of killing two people in Mason Citys Highlands neighborhood last

Cerro Gordo County Attorney Carlyle Dalen said opening statements and testimony will not begin until Tuesday morning, regardless of what time jury selection is completed on Monday.

He said the trial is expected to last seven days.

Veal pleaded not guilty in December and was scheduled to go to trial on Jan. 24.

Mason City double homicide trial moves to central Iowa MASON CITY | A man accused in a Mason City double homicide case will be tried in Fort Dodge 

However, court proceedings were postponed in early January after District Court Judge Rustin Davenport ruled probable cause existed for a psychiatric evaluation of Veal to determine if he was able to understand court proceedings and assist in his own defense.

In early March Davenport ruled Veal was not competent to stand trial based on a report from a doctor who determined he was suffering from a mental disorder that prevented him from participating in court proceedings.

Davenport sent Veal to the Iowa prison system's licensed Forensic Psychiatric Hospital to be treated until he was able to stand trial.

Judge: North Iowa man fit to stand trial for double homicide MASON CITY | A judge ruled Tuesday that a Lake Mills man accused of murdering two people in 

Davenport ruled in May that Veal is now competent.

The trial location was switched from a Cerro Gordo County to Webster County after a defense request for a change of venue was granted, due to extensive media coverage of the case.
MASON CITY | A Mason City man was sentenced last week to nine years in federal prison for dealing methamphetamine.

Mason City man to plead guilty in federal meth case MASON CITY | A Mason City man is planning to plead guilty in a federal methamphetamine deali

Michael Adam Nalan, 33, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa earlier this year to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Nalan is accused of conspiring with others to distribute meth from April 2012 through September 2016.

Local authorities arrested Nalan on a warrant Sept. 30, 2016, in Mason City.

Police said he was found with 24 grams of meth and $28,000 in cash.

Meth suspect arrested with $28,000 cash, Mason City police say MASON CITY | A Mason City man suspected of selling methamphetamine was found with drugs and 

He is to serve five years of supervised release after his prison term ends. There is no parole in the federal system.

Nalan also paid a $100 special assessment.

A charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver was dismissed.

 Mary Pieper
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  Thousands of people in need across the state, including Buenas Sandra Jones, can have a healthy meal thanks to a donation of more than 13,000 pounds of food to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, a member of Feeding America.

We were having a really hard time being able to purchase food, and so this really helps a lot, the 60-year-old Jones said. We were having a hard time with our finances, so food was the last thing (on our minds).

Hoboken Farms donated about 7,100 pounds of sauce, and Banza donated about 6,300 pounds of chickpea pasta. That totals about 50,000 servings for people throughout New Jersey.

The food banks Southern Branch held a tasting of the pasta and sauce Monday.

Chef Stephan Johnson, of Docks Oyster House in Atlantic City, volunteered to prepare the meal.

Johnson grew up in the projects of upstate New York in a family of six, and said he understands what it is like to go without food.

I just love giving back, Johnson said. I went to sleep hungry some days. Its easy for me to come and help out.

Today, the hungry are more fortunate because of this food bank and the community, he added. So whenever as a chef I can come help out, I help out.

Jones said she is amazed at how much food the food bank gives out.

The thing that I really like the best is all of the fresh produce, Jones said. I can put it up for the winter. I can freeze it. My husband and I have to watch our diets, so we can eat all of the fruits and vegetables. Theyre much healthier for us.

Hoboken Farms says its sauces are certified non-GMO, gluten-free, low in sodium, have zero added sugar and three times the amount of olive oil as comparable products, a release from the food bank states.

Banza claims its chickpea pasta is non-GMO and gluten-free, with double the protein, four times the fiber and 40 percent fewer carbs than regular pasta, the release said.

The partnership with Banza and Hoboken Farms fits with the food banks initiative to address hunger as a health issue.

Bringing together Hoboken Farms and Banza is completely in line with our strategy to provide greater access to health choices for food-insecure households, said Richard Uniacke, vice president of the Community FoodBank of New Jerseys Southern Branch. Together we are eliminating the inequity of food access and working to make people healthier. Its a perfect combination.

Nearly 340,000 of the more than 1 million New Jersey residents who struggle with hunger are children, according to a release from the food bank.

The Press previously reported the four counties in our coverage area  Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Ocean  have the highest rates in the state of children who lack access to healthy and nutritious foods, both in quality and quantity, according to the Feeding America organization.

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey distributed more than 43 million pounds of food last year to its more than 1,000 community partners, including child and senior feeding programs, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, pantries and soup kitchens.
MASON CITY | Five North Iowa students have earned seed money from NIACCs John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center to start their own businesses.

Sadie Arickx, Rockford Senior High School; Madison Daniels, West Hancock High School; Ravyn Knecht, Charles City High School; Alyssa Tegtmeyer, West Hancock High School; and Daniel Wilbur, who is home schooled in St. Ansgar, were selected by judges to receive $500 for businesses they developed during the Youth Entrepreneurial Academy in June.

The students were among 15 who attended the week-long program, which was offered for the fifth year at NIACC to high school students interested in entrepreneurship.

Throughout the week, the students had the opportunity to network with local entrepreneurs, develop leadership skills and gain fundamental skills required when starting a business.

On the final day of the academy, they pitched their business ideas to a five-judge panel.

 Ashley Stewart
DENNIS TOWNSHIP  A 4-year-old girl died Monday morning despite efforts by emergency personnel and a water rescue last week at Lake & Shore RV Resort in Ocean View, State Police said.

The girl, identified as Kaylin Pahulick, of Levittown, Pennsylvania, was pronounced dead at 2:36 a.m. at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, according to Trooper Alejandro Goez.

Goez, a spokesman, said Kaylin had been swimming with a group of friends when the incident happened Thursday; he said the lake is unguarded.

On Thursday, medics at Cape Regional Medical Center were able to regain the childs pulse, State Trooper Lawrence Peele said previously. She was later transferred to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, police said.

Goez said troopers received a report at 1:10 p.m. of a child drowning at the campground on Corsons Tavern Road. The girl was near the resorts lake, Goez said.

He said CPR was administered at the scene and the child was taken by ambulance to the hospital in Cape May Court House.

When we pulled in, we saw an ambulance had passed us, Paul Brown, 54, of Galloway Township, said at the time of the accident. Brown was staying at the campground in his RV. From what I understand, they tried CPR on the (lakes) beach.

People frequently swim in the campgrounds lake, which is divided into bathing and fishing areas, Brown said.

Im sick to my stomach, said Brown, who has four children and a 9-year-old grandson. I cant get it out of my head.

Campground management have referred questions to a corporate office. The resort is owned by Chicago-based Equity Lifestyle Properties Inc. Representatives from the company did not immediately return a request for comment.
Sadhna Singh had just completed crisis violence training to become a member of Atlantic Countys domestic violence and sexual response teams when she got her first call to a local hospital where a victim was waiting.

A young woman  still a teenager  from Atlantic City was sitting up on a hospital bed. When she turned around, Singh saw her eyes were red, not from crying, but from the vessels bursting. It wasnt until the end of her visit that Singh realized the woman had been strangled.

Volunteer response team members encounter some of the most horrific, gruesome circumstances that result from domestic violence and sexual assault.

While they cannot arrest or prosecute abusers, or entirely rescue or protect victims from harm, they become a rock for victims in the chaos of tragedy, sometimes at a personal cost.

Almost all New Jersey counties have domestic violence response teams, made up of volunteers who respond to police stations and hospitals in the immediate aftermath of a domestic violence incident or sexual assault. They provide victims with emotional support and information on restraining orders, shelters and other options.

Since we dont meet them again, I pray and hope that God be with them and that things will get better for them, Singh said. Our job is to leave them more informed than when they came in.

Most of the cases Singh and other volunteers handle in Atlantic County take place in Atlantic City, which had 834 domestic violence-related incidents in 2015. It was more than any other municipality in southeastern New Jersey, according to data from State Police.

Donna DAndrea, coordinator of the Atlantic County team, which is organized through the Womens Center, said because Atlantic City is a transient area, sometimes victims are not from the area. In these cases, DAndrea said, volunteers and advocates make sure to connect them with resources back home.

In the most complicated situations, sometimes a volunteers job is just trying to convince a victim they need help, even when they dont see it themselves.

I had one call I went on where a woman got her head hit on a large aquarium and refused medical treatment, she said. She needed to get her face checked out and was intoxicated at the time, which was the only reason she wasnt feeling pain. I spent an entire hour convincing her to get on a gurney to go to the hospital, and she went. Sometimes, thats all an advocate is able to do.

The Womens Center holds training about twice a year for people who wish to become part of the domestic violence and sexual assault response team. It currently has about 15 members who sign up to be on call for eight-hour shifts, every day, all day.

Training helps people learn what domestic violence can look like and who can be affected. More than 40 hours of crisis response education and other work are required for volunteers to learn how to respond to people who may be physically, emotionally and psychologically abused.

Its not as simple as talking to a victim about his or her options, Singh said. Victims may have financial constraints, children may be involved and other things can prevent people from leaving their abusers.

Sometimes, people are in denial that their boyfriend, spouse, parent, child or other is an abuser and that they are a victim at all. Sometimes, victims lie to volunteers about what happened or their circumstances, which can lead to frustration, Singh said.

Ive had people say, Hes a really great guy, just not when hes drinking, or, He is a good father and he loves us, he just gets angry sometimes, she said.

The job can be draining, emotionally and mentally, experts said.

Gina Ridge, associate vice president at Center for Family Services and coordinator of Cumberland Countys response teams, warned upcoming volunteers at a training session in April that the situations they respond to could be overwhelming, so volunteers need to make sure to find ways to decompress and take care of themselves, too.

We have new staff who havent seen someone severely injured, and I always tell people we react differently when we see visuals. Were more impacted when we see a battered face, DeAndrea said. No matter how well I can prepare someone, I cant fully prepare them for the first time they will see these things.

But most of the time, Singh said, she walks away from cases knowing she provided victims with the best support and information she could. She said she always learns something new that can help her become a better advocate, and she cant picture herself doing anything else.

Its actually life-changing, Singh said. I grew up in a sheltered, beautiful life, and had the pleasure of never experiencing any of this. But this work has been life-changing. I say, you always walk away with something more than what you give up. As volunteers, that keeps it alive and purposeful for us.
A new report shows invasive cancer diagnoses in New Jersey are on the decline, which may be significant for a state with some of the highest cancer rates in the nation.

The Cancer Incidence and Mortality in New Jersey report, released by the state Department of Health last month, showed cases of invasive cancers among residents in 2014 were slightly down from 2013.

New Jersey dropped from fifth place to seventh among states in cancer rates, according to 2014 cancer statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rates remain high for breast, lung and bronchus, and colon and rectum cancers in women, while men are more likely diagnosed with prostate, lung and bronchus, and colon and rectum cancers, according to the state report.

The mortality rate for breast cancer among women in New Jersey was the lowest in a five-year span, data showed, while the mortality rate among men with prostate cancer increased between 2011 and 2014.

A recent American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Facts and Figures report indicated while New Jersey does well in several cancer-prevention categories, there could be improvements in tobacco-prevention funding, exercise and eating habits, tanning regulations and others.

Smoking, lack of exercise, poor eating habits and tanning are all linked with several kinds of cancers. Experts said as a state that capitalizes on its beaches and summer outdoor activities, people should be more conscious of how to protect themselves from disease such as skin cancer.

There were 1,359 cases of melanoma skin cancer among men and 926 cases among women in 2014, the report shows.

Cancer incidence rates were highest among white New Jersey women, but black women still had disproportionately higher rates for most digestive system cancers, cervical cancer and myelomas than white women.

Overall cancer mortality rates among New Jersey women declined from 2010 to 2013, with a slight increase in 2014. Overall cancer mortality rates for men in New Jersey continued to decline, reflecting trends seen nationally.
BOULDER, Colo., July 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clinical findings published in the peer reviewed journal Lung Cancer show that the Biodesix VeriStrat test is prognostic for outcomes in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (SCC) who are treated with afatinib (Gilotrif), atherapy developed and marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Patients with VeriStrat-Good (VS-G) classification had superior survival outcomes on afatinib compared to erlotinib. This study involved a retrospective analysis of the data from the Phase III LUX Lung 8 trial.



The present data clearly show that EGFR-TKI therapy is useful for VeriStrat-Good patients and that afatinib confers significantly better survival than erlotinib, with median overall survival of 11.5 months versus 8.9 months for the VS-G patients. While further validation studies are needed, these survival data compare very favorably with other therapies that are currently available for the second-line treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, said Dr. Glenwood D. Goss, Professor of Medicine of the University of Ottawa.

Using a diagnostic test such as VeriStrat can improve the likelihood that patients will receive optimal therapy, said David Brunel, Biodesix CEO. While immunotherapies are the preferred standard of care in second line, and an increasingly important consideration in the first line, they only provide durable benefit in a sub-set of patients and many patients progress. Based on this study, afatinib has greater activity in VS-G patients.

In the LUX Lung-8 Phase III clinical trial that compared afatinib vs. erlotinib in squamous cell carcinoma, VS-G patients had longer overall survival and progression-free survival than VeriStrat-Poor (VS-P) patients in both treatment arms, which is consistent with several previous erlotinib studies.[1] When compared across therapies, the VS-G groups median OS and PFS were significantly better for afatinib as compared to erlotinib: median OS was 11.5 months for afatinib and 8.9 months for erlotinib (HR 0.787 [0.632, 0.979 95% CI]; p=0.0312), while median PFS was 3.3 months for afatinib and 2.0 months for erlotinib. In the VS-P group, median OS and PFS were essentially equivalent: median OS was 4.7 months for afatinib and 4.8 months for erlotinib while median PFS was 1.9 months for both afatinib and erlotinib.[2] Multivariate analysis showed that VeriStrat was an independent predictor of OS and PFS in patients treated with afatinib, regardless of ECOG PS, best response to first-line therapy, age and race.

The VeriStrat Test

Biodesix VeriStrat test is a predictive and prognostic blood-based proteomic test for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The test is used to assess disease aggressiveness by characterizing host response to the tumor, classifying patients as either VeriStrat-Good (VS-G) or VeriStrat-Poor (VS-P). The test has been shown to be predictive for EGFR targeted agents in second-line treatment, after progression on or after platinum based chemotherapy. VeriStrat test results are available to ordering physicians within 72 hours.

About Biodesix

Biodesix is a molecular diagnostics company advancing the development of innovative blood tests in oncology to enable precision medicine. Biodesix discovers, develops and commercializes multivariate protein and genomic diagnostic blood tests, including the GeneStrat and VeriStrat tests that deliver results within 72 hours. The company is changing the standard of care by providing physicians with diagnostic tests for better therapeutic guidance, more accurate prognosis and enhanced disease monitoring to improve patient outcomes. At the forefront of precision medicine, Biodesix is developing new blood tests to identify patients who may benefit from immunotherapies. In addition to developing novel diagnostics independently, the company partners with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to develop companion diagnostics for use with therapeutic agents.

[1] Biodesix internal data.

[2] Glenwood D Goss, et al. Evaluation of VeriStrat, a serum proteomic test, in the randomized, open-label, Phase 3 LUX-Lung 8 (LL8) trial of afatinib (A) versus erlotinib (E) for the second-line treatment of advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lung. 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology, 52nd ASCO Annual Meeting; 37 June 2016, Chicago, IL, USA (Publication)
VANCOUVER, B.C., July 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prism Resources Inc. (TSX.V:PRS) (the Company) announces that it has entered into an agreement with AuRico Metals Inc. and AuRico Metals Canadian Royalty Partnership (together AuRico) for the sale by the Company to AuRico of its 7.5% net profit interest (the Royalty) on the "Aurora Property" and Sunday Lake Property in the Porcupine Mining District, Northeastern Ontario. The Aurora Property and Sunday Lake Property are owned by Detour Gold Corp.



The transaction is scheduled to close on or about July 20, 2017. The transaction is subject to certain customary conditions, including regulatory approval.

The purchase price for the Royalty is comprised of: (i) $750,000 in cash, (ii) that number of common shares of AuRico Metals Inc. (AuRico Shares) equal to $750,000, based on the volume weighted average price of the AuRico Shares ON THE Toronto Stock Exchange for the ten (10) trading days prior to closing of the transaction, and (iii)a contingent payment of $2,000,000 if AuRico (or a permitted assignee) receives aggregate payments in respect of the Royalty equalling or exceeding $9,000,000 during the ten (10) year period following closing of the transaction.

If the Royalty is sold to a third party purchaser within two (2) years of closing, other than the sale by AuRico of the Royalty together with one or more other similar assets, the Company shall be entitled to receive a payment equal to 15% of the excess (if any) of the consideration for such third party sale over the amount payable to the Company at closing.

Finders fees in the amount of $120,000 cash and 888,889 common shares of the Company are payable by the Company to Eight Capital in connection with the sale of the Royalty.

The Company will use the proceeds of sale to further its advanced exploration program on the Huampar project near Lima, Peru.

About Prism Resources Inc.

Prism acquired the Huampar project from Trevali Mining Corporation (TSX:TV) and Nueva Condor, a private Peruvian mining company, in July of 2016. Our priority has been to establish good community relations and agreements which are in process. More recently our focus has been for the reconstruction of the mine models and organization of the databases in anticipation of a program designed to examine the reactivation of mining production. The mining rate will be determined based on the economics provided by the current study. To that end, JDS of Mining & Energy have been contracted to carry out a PEA on the Huampar reactivation project.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRISM RESOURCES INC.

Robert W Baxter

President & CEO



For more information contact:

Robert (Bob) Baxter

Prism Resources Inc.

+1-778-928-1864

Email: bbaxter@prismresourcesinc.com

Scott M. Ross

Prism Resources Inc.

604-803-4883 Email:

sross@prismresourcesinc.com

Michelle Borromeo

Prism Resources Inc.

604-715-6845

Email: mborromeo@prismresourcesinc.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.
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ACON Investments, L.L.C. and its affiliates ("ACON") announced today that it has completed an equity recapitalization of Borden Dairy Company ("Borden" or the "Company"), one of the leading fresh fluid dairy processors in the United States. In 2013, Borden was spun-off from a multinational conglomerate into a private company called Laguna Dairy, S.A. de C.V., ("Laguna Dairy"). Following the equity recapitalization, Laguna Dairy remains a substantial equity holder in Borden. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Borden operates 13 facilities across the United States with more than 500 million gallons of annual milk processing capacity.

"Borden is an iconic brand with more than 150 years of heritage. We are excited to be partnering with Laguna Dairy and Borden's management to accelerate the Company's growth and maintain its position as a market leader," said Aron Schwartz, Managing Partner of ACON. "We think this is a powerful example of how ACON's presence in the United States and Latin America can be leveraged to create deal flow and bespoke solutions for families and strategic owners across the Americas," added Mr. Schwartz.

"This transaction confirms the value we have built during our ownership of Borden," said Steve Gorman, General Manager of Laguna Dairy. "We have been searching for the right investor and believe in ACON we have found a capital partner that will maximize the potential of Borden," added Mr. Gorman.

"Dairy is a dynamic segment and Borden is well positioned to capitalize on a wide range of exciting opportunities," said Adam Kriger, who has served as an ACON consultant and has joined Borden's Board effective as of the close of the equity recapitalization. "I look forward to working with ACON and management to formulate strategies, grow the Company with new and adjacent products and drive significant value creation." With more than 25 years of experience at world-class companies, including The Walt Disney Company, Starwood Hotels and McDonald's Corporation, Mr. Kriger brings significant expertise in formulating and driving strategic initiatives.

Concurrent with the equity recapitalization, the Company secured new debt facilities from GSO Capital Partners and PNC Bank. Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP acted as legal adviser to ACON. Dechert LLP acted as legal adviser to Laguna Dairy. Houlihan Lokey and Andrews Kurth Kenyon LLP advised Borden.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Borden

Founded in 1857, Borden is a dairy processor operating 13 facilities in the Midwest, southern and southeastern regions of the United States. The Company provides milk products to customers in the grocery, mass market, club, food service, hospitality, school and convenience store channels.

About ACON Investments

ACON Investments, L.L.C. is a Washington, DC-based international private equity investment firm that manages private equity funds and special purpose partnerships that make investments in the United States and Latin America. Founded in 1996, ACON has responsibility for managing approximately $5.5 billion of capital. ACON has professionals in Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Bogota. For more information, visit www.aconinvestments.com.

CONTACTS:

Aron Schwartz

ACON Investments, L.L.C.

(202) 386-9768

Midhat Pawlak

ACON Investments, L.L.C.

(202) 386-9767

Steve Gorman

Laguna Dairy, S.A. de C.V.

SOURCE ACON Investments, L.L.C.

Related Links

http://www.aconinvestments.com


LONDON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Advanced Combat Helmet Market: Overview



The rapid escalation of global warfare, terrorist's activities, cross border insurgencies and internal conflicts among others are increasing the need for more ballistic protective equipment. The advanced combat helmet is a modern combat helmet designed to protect soldiers head during any combat operations. The advanced combat helmet protects the soldiers from severe head injuries caused from gun shots, IED explosion, and inflammable liquids. The headgear is majorly used by military & defense forces and law enforcement agencies across the globe. These helmets are equipped with latest technologies such as night vision cameras and communication system for the ease of the soldier to combat the enemy.





Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4743090/







The major factors boosting the market for advanced combat helmet are the growing demand for the safety of the soldiers, increasing need for use of the latest technologies, and mounting security threats. The advanced combat helmet protects the military personnel and law enforcement officers from mortar shrapnel, flying glass, explosive fragments among others. The night vision cameras are incorporated into the helmet to help the soldiers and law enforcement officers to operate in the dark as well. The earphones and microphones offer the military personnel and law enforcement officers the ability to communicate with each other and also help in better understanding of situational awareness. The world is facing a rapid growth in terrorism, and security threats which has increased the risk of the life of the soldiers. This has resulted in increase in demand for helmets among the military & defense and law enforcement agencies .However apart from the increasing demand, the advanced combat helmet has few limiting factors which are hindering the growth of the market such as the high cost of the head gear, and malfunctioning of few integrated technologies. The high cost of the scratch resistant glass, Kevlar fiber, night vision cameras and communication systems is increasing the cost of the final product which is hindering the adoption of the advanced combat helmet. Moreover, it has been noticed that few integrated technologies malfunction at times, which jeopardize the on field operations. These factors are inhibiting the growth of the market for advanced combat helmet during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.



Global Advanced Combat Helmet Market: Scope of the Study



The advanced combat helmet market is segmented on basis of application and geography. The major two application segments are military & defense and law enforcement agencies. The military & defense is heavily adopting the advanced combat helmet due to increasing security threats from terrorism, border insurgencies and global warfare. The law enforcement officers are responsible for the safeguarding of the nation's internal factors from riots and conflicts. During any internal conflicts or riots, the law enforcement officers needs to be equipped with latest technology helmets to protect themselves from bullets, flying glass, and gun shots. This is boosting the advanced combat helmet market among the military & defense forces and law enforcement agencies.



Geographically, the advanced combat helmet market is segmented as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. Asia Pacific being the fastest growing market estimated during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024. Latin America and Middle East and Africa are predicted to grow at a significant rate.



Global Advanced Combat Helmet Market: Competitive Landscape



The market attractiveness analysis provided in the report highlights the major segments for investing in the global advanced combat helmet market. The report intends to help the manufacturers, suppliers and distributors to understand the market for advanced combat helmet.



The report also provides the description of different advanced combat helmet players across the globe. The company descriptions include SWOT analysis, strategies adopted by the companies to sustain in the industry of advanced combat helmet, regional presence and the financial information. The key players in the advanced combat helmet market are ArmorSource LLC, BAE Systems, Gentex Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., Revision Military, Morgan Advanced Material PLC, Ceradyne Inc., Point Blank Enterprises Inc., MKU Limited and DuPont.



The segments covered in the Advanced Combat Helmet market are as follows:



Global Advanced Combat Helmet Market, 2016-2024: By Application



Military & Defense

Law Enforcement Agencies



Global Advanced Combat Helmet Market, 2016-2024: By Geography



North America

U.S.

Canada

Mexico

Europe

U.K

Germany

Russia

France

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East and Africa

Saudi Arabia

UAE

South Africa

Rest of Middle East and Africa

Latin America

Brazil

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4743090/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

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WARSAW, Poland, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An AJC leadership delegation just concluded a three-day visit to Poland. The trip was highlighted by the group's attendance, at the invitation of the U.S. government, at President Donald Trump's historic address at Krasinski Square, the site of the Warsaw Uprising Monument.

In an affirmation of PolishU.S. ties and a strong defense of Western democratic values, President Trump stated: "Americans know that a strong alliance of free, sovereign and independent nations is the best defense for our freedoms and for our interests. The United States has demonstrated not merely with words but with its actions that we stand firmly behind Article 5, the mutual defense commitment."

AJC CEO David Harris, who led the group, was also invited to the Presidential State Dinner of the Three Seas Initiative Conference, a summit which aims to enhance relations among the Adriatic, Baltic, and Black Sea states through improving partnerships in the energy, transportation, digital communication and economic sectors. Harris and Agnieszka Markiewicz, Acting Director of AJC Central Europe, attended the dinner alongside the heads of state of all twelve member countries of the Three Seas Initiative.

Moreover, the AJC group met privately for an hour with Rumen Radev, President of Bulgaria, and had briefer exchanges with the presidents of Lithuania and Romania, all cherished partners of AJC; Marek Magierowski, Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland; Anna Azari, Israeli Ambassador to Poland; Adam Bodnar, the Polish Ombudsman; and Orsolya Kovacs, Hungarian Ambassador to Poland.

During the visit, among the principal topics discussed were: (a) President Trump's visit to Poland and the G-20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany; (b) PolishU.S. relations in the new political era; (c) PolishIsraeli relations and the forthcoming meeting in Budapest of the Israeli Prime Minister with the leaders of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia; (d) developments in the European Union; and (e) recent developments in Poland.

"This most recent trip to Warsaw reaffirmed AJC's abiding commitment to our relationship with Poland and the Polish people, and our unwavering support of the transatlantic relationship," Harris said. "From the opportunity we had to watch President Trump, as he delivered his remarks to an elated Polish audience, to the honor of meeting privately with multiple heads of state from the region, we continue to believe that the transatlantic link is an absolute necessity in today's political era."

AJC Central Europe, headquartered in Warsaw, is the global Jewish advocacy organization's fifth office in Europe, and is dedicated to seven Central European countriesthe Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


DUBLIN, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan plc (NYSE:AGN) announced additional results of a prespecified prospective pooled subgroup analysis from the two Phase 3 studies (IBS-3001 and IBS-3002), which evaluated the efficacy and safety of Viberzi in nearly 2,500 IBS-D patients, of whom 36 percent reported use of loperamide in the 12 months prior to study randomization. These data demonstrate Viberzi (eluxadoline) safely and effectively treats the IBS-D symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea irrespective of prior use of loperamide.1 These analyses also demonstrated efficacy and safety in patients with loperamide rescue medication use compared to the overall population during the two studies. The American Journal of Gastroenterology published these results, Eluxadoline Efficacy in IBS-D Patients Who Report Prior Loperamide Use, in the June issue.

"Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea is a health concern that affects approximately 16 million people,2,3 and despite the use of over-the-counter medications, many patients experience debilitating symptoms associated with the syndrome and often cycle through several options with little to no relief," said lead author Brian E. Lacy, MD, PhD, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. "These results further support the use of eluxadoline to provide significant and effective relief from abdominal pain and diarrhea, two of the most common symptoms affecting those suffering with IBS-D, regardless of prior treatment experience."

Among patients who reported prior loperamide use with inadequate symptom control, a significantly greater proportion of patients treated with eluxadoline were composite responders over weeks 1-12 compared with those treated with placebo (eluxadoline 100 mg: 27.0 percent (P<0.001) and 75 mg: 26.3 percent (P=0.001) versus placebo 12.7 percent). The most commonly reported adverse events (AEs) are consistent with the known safety profile of eluxadoline, which were nausea, abdominal pain, constipation and headache.1

"These results continue to build on the robust clinical profile that has already been established, and further underscores Viberzi as a safe and effective treatment option for patients suffering from inadequate symptom control associated with a commonly used treatment for IBS-D," said David Nicholson, Ph.D., Chief Research & Development Officer, Allergan.

About Viberzi (Eluxadoline)

Eluxadoline is marketed by Allergan in the United States as Viberzi (eluxadoline) CIV. Viberzi is a twice daily, oral medication used to treat adults with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). Viberzi has mixed opioid receptor modulator activity; it is a mu- and kappa-opioid receptor agonist and a delta-opioid receptor antagonist. Viberzi acts locally in the gut and is thought to decrease visceral hypersensitivity and control GI motility, based on nonclinical studies. Viberzi is indicated for the treatment of IBS-D in adult men and women. Please also see full Prescribing Information: https://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/viberzi_pi.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Contraindications

VIBERZI is contraindicated in patients:

Without a gallbladder.

With known or suspected biliary duct obstruction, or sphincter of Oddi disease or dysfunction; a history of pancreatitis; or structural diseases of the pancreas.

With alcoholism, alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, or who drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day.

With severe hepatic impairment.

With a history of chronic or severe constipation or sequelae from constipation, or known or suspected mechanical gastrointestinal obstruction.

Warnings and Precautions

Pancreatitis:

Pancreatitis, with or without sphincter of Oddi spasm, has been reported in patients taking either the 75 mg or 100 mg dosage of VIBERZI, including serious cases resulting in hospitalization, primarily in patients without a gallbladder. Fatal cases have also been reported in patients without a gallbladder. VIBERZI is contraindicated in patients without a gallbladder. Most of the reported cases of serious pancreatitis occurred within a week of starting treatment with VIBERZI and some patients developed symptoms after one to two doses.

In patients with a gallbladder, evaluate a patient's alcohol intake prior to starting VIBERZI. Instruct patients to avoid chronic or acute excessive alcohol use while taking VIBERZI. Monitor for new or worsening abdominal pain that may radiate to the back or shoulder, with or without nausea and vomiting. Instruct patients to immediately stop VIBERZI and seek medical attention if they experience symptoms suggestive of pancreatitis such as acute abdominal or epigastric pain radiating to the back or shoulder associated with elevations of pancreatic enzymes with or without nausea and vomiting.

Sphincter of Oddi Spasm:

There is a risk of sphincter of Oddi spasm, resulting in pancreatitis or hepatic enzyme elevation associated with acute abdominal pain (eg, biliary-type pain) in patients taking VIBERZI. Serious adverse reactions of sphincter of Oddi spasm with or without pancreatitis resulting in hospitalization have been reported, primarily in patients without a gallbladder. Cases of serious sphincter of Oddi spasm occurred within a week of starting treatment with VIBERZI and some patients developed symptoms after one to two doses.

Instruct patients to immediately stop VIBERZI and seek medical attention if they experience symptoms suggestive of sphincter of Oddi spasm such as acute worsening of abdominal pain that may radiate to the back or shoulder with or without nausea or vomiting, associated with elevations of pancreatic enzymes or liver transaminases. Do not restart VIBERZI in patients who developed biliary duct obstruction while taking VIBERZI.

Adverse Reactions

The most commonly reported adverse reactions (incidence >5% and greater than placebo) were constipation, nausea, and abdominal pain.

About Allergan plc

Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is a bold, global pharmaceutical company and a leader in a new industry model  Growth Pharma. Allergan is focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical and regenerative medicine products for patients around the world.

Allergan markets a portfolio of leading brands and best-in-class products for the central nervous system, eye care, medical aesthetics and dermatology, gastroenterology, women's health, urology and anti-infective therapeutic categories.

Allergan is an industry leader in Open Science, a model of research and development, which defines our approach to identifying and developing game-changing ideas and innovation for better patient care. With this approach, Allergan has built one of the broadest development pipelines in the pharmaceutical industry with 70+ mid-to-late stage pipeline programs currently in development.

Allergan's success is powered by our more than 18,000 global colleagues' commitment to being Bold for Life. Together, we build bridges, power ideas, act fast and drive results for our customers and patients around the world by always doing what is right.

With commercial operations in approximately 100 countries, Allergan is committed to working with physicians, healthcare providers and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help people around the world live longer, healthier lives every day.

For more information, visit Allergan's website at www.Allergan.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

Statements contained in this press release that refer to future events or other non-historical facts are forward-looking statements that reflect Allergan's current perspective on existing trends and information as of the date of this release. Actual results may differ materially from Allergan's current expectations depending upon a number of factors affecting Allergan's business. These factors include, among others, the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of FDA approvals or actions, if any; the impact of competitive products and pricing; market acceptance of and continued demand for Allergan's products; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Allergan's periodic public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Allergan's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Allergan's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2017. Except as expressly required by law, Allergan disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

________________________________________________________________________

1 Lacy, B. E., Chey, W. D., Cash, B. D., Lembo, A. J., Dove, L. S., & Covington, P. S. Eluxadoline Efficacy in IBS-D Patients Who Report Prior Loperamide Use. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2017 Apr; 112(4). 2 Grundmann O, Yoon SL. Irritable bowel syndrome: epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment: an update for health-care practitioners. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Apr;25(4):691-9. 3 US Census Bureau. USA QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. Available at https://www.census.gov/quickfacts. Accessed October 27, 2016

SOURCE Allergan plc

Related Links

http://www.allergan.com


PETAH TIKVA, Israel, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Alpha-Bio Tec, a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative implants, prosthetics and related products, will host a 2017 International Congress for the company's European and Latin American customer network. The intensive two-day event will be tailored for global dental professionals and will take place in Madrid, Spain on November 10-11, 2017.

To attend the Congress, please press here

Hosting 14 internationally-acclaimed keynote speakers from 12 countries, attendees of the Congress will have the opportunity to hear from experts in the fields of dentistry, implantology, and related specialties. And with delegates from more than 30 different countries, the Congress offers dental professionals a setting in which to share knowledge and experience, gain insights, and communicate face-to-face with peers on some of the key challenges in dentistry and implantology today.

The Congress will be focusing on one of the most important topics facing dental implantology today - the management of aesthetic challenges in implant treatment strategies. Recognizing the importance of aesthetics in addition to product quality and compatibility, Alpha-Bio Tec will be showcasing the new, innovative NeO implant system, which is not only active yet gentle to the bone, but also contributes to top-level aesthetic results. The company will also be showing its line of products that support digital solutions, including the market-winning CAD/CAM and guided surgery tool kit.

"This is going to be a major academic event," states Boaz Maayan, Alpha-Bio Tec VP Global Sales. "By bringing the world's leading authorities in dental implantology together with our customers and partner network from around the globe, showcasing our products and solutions first hand, we offer an amazing opportunity to learn and acquire industry best practices. Participants will better understand the benefits of Alpha Bio Tec's offering and share experiences on the crucial challenges implantologists face around the world."

Internationally-acclaimed experts, authors, and keynote speakers scheduled to attend the Congress include:

Dr. Devorah Schwartz-Arad (DMD, PhD)

(DMD, PhD) Dr. Henriette Lerner (DMD)

(DMD) Dr. Beatriz Vilaboa (DDS, MD)

(DDS, MD) Dr. Debora Vilaboa (DDS, MD)

Dr. Paulo Kano

Dr. Andrea Agnini (DDS)

(DDS) Dr. Alessandro Agnini (DMD)

(DMD) Prof. Dr. Gustavo Reales

Prof. Dr. Oscar De Leon

Dr. Gustavo Mazzey

Dr. Carlos A. Ayala Paz

Dr. Antonio Murillo Rodriguez

Dr. Georges Khoury (DDS)

(DDS) Dr. Miguel Stanley

For more information and registration, click here.

Contact:

Noa Shai

Marketing Communication Manager

E-mail: [email protected]



SOURCE Alpha Bio Tec
ROSEVILLE, Calif., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, announced today the winners of its annual Caregiver of the Year Awards. Always Best Care awarded nine of its caregivers at its Bi-Annual Franchise Conference in Miami last month. Since launching the annual program in 2013, Always Best Care has recognized its caregivers who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to the care of their clients and their families.

This year, Donnissha Moulden of Fallston, Maryland was named Always Best Care's National Caregiver of the Year after being honored as Regional Caregiver of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic Region. Moulden also was honored as a Regional Caregiver of the Year in 2016. Both Moulden, along with Joshlyn Smith, the 2016 National Caregiver of the Year, were both recognized at the conference in Miami.

"The Always Best Care family takes pride in recognizing its outstanding caregivers each year and the contributions they make to our company," said Jake Brown, CEO of Always Best Care. "Caregivers are the heart of what we do, and it is their commitment to caring for those in need along with their families that make Always Best Care who we are. We feel incredibly honored to award this year's winners and to thank them for their selfless, tireless work."

At the regional level, Always Best Care also honored the following Caregivers of the Year:

West Region  Martha Jones , Vacaville, California

, Southwest Region  Michael Shelby , Englewood, Colorado

, South Region  Camella Stallworth , Fleming Island, Florida

, Fleming Island, Carolina's Region  Carol McCray , Wake Forest, North Carolina

, Midwest Region  Maggie Spencer , Brookfield, Wisconsin

, New Jersey , Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Region  Veronica O'Neill , Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

, and Delaware Region  , Central Region  Annette Kramer , Mishawaka, IN

Always Best Care is one of the nation's leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services and skilled home health care. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States and Canada.

By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors, and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a client's particular physical or social needs. The hallmark services of the Always Best Care include non-medical in-home care and assisted living finder and referral services, with skilled home health care now being phased in throughout the country.

For additional information on services available through Always Best Care, or for a free consultation, please call (855) 470-2273 or visit https://www.AlwaysBestCare.com/.

About Always Best Care

Founded in 1996, Always Best Care Senior Services is based on the belief that having the right people for the right level of care means peace of mind for the client and family. Always Best Care assists seniors with a wide range of illnesses and personal needs, and currently provides more than 4 million hours of care every year. Franchise opportunities are available to individuals interested in leveraging the company's clear strategy and proven track record for delivering affordable, dependable service to seniors in their local areas.

Always Best Care also offers an exclusive program called Always in Touch, a telephone reassurance program that provides a daily phone call to seniors and disabled adults who are living alone and have limited contact with the outside world. Always in Touch is the only absolutely free national telephone reassurance program of its kind anywhere in the USA and Canada. For more information on Always in Touch, or to request an application, visit www.Always-in-touch.com.

CONTACT:

Caitlin Willard

Fish Consulting

954-893-9150

[email protected]

SOURCE Always Best Care Senior Services

Related Links

https://www.AlwaysBestCare.com


HOUSTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC) will host a conference call on Tuesday, July 25, 2017, at 7:30 a.m. CDT (8:30 a.m. EDT) to discuss its second-quarter 2017 financial and operating results. Earnings will be released after close of market on Monday, July 24. The full text of the release will be available on the company's website at www.anadarko.com.

Second-Quarter 2017 Results

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

7:30 a.m. CDT (8:30 a.m. EDT)

Dial-in number: 877-883-0383

International dial-in number: 412-902-6506

Confirmation number: 4412190

Individuals who would like to participate should dial the applicable dial-in number listed above approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled conference call time, and enter confirmation number 4412190 when prompted.

To access the live audio webcast and related presentation materials, please visit the investor relations section of the company's website at www.anadarko.com. A replay of the conference call will also be available on the website for approximately 30 days following the call.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141103/156201LOGO

Anadarko Contacts

Investors:

Robin Fielder, [email protected], 832.636.1462

Pete Zagrzecki, [email protected], 832.636.7727

SOURCE Anadarko Petroleum Corporation

Related Links

http://www.anadarko.com


Start with Your Protein Base Chicken Breast Bone-In Pork Chop 6-ounce USDA Choice Top Sirloin 8-ounce USDA Choice Top Sirloin Pick Your Topper Marinara Mozzarella Stick Topper, consisting of crispy mozzarella sticks, classic marinara sauce and parmesan cream sauce Bacon Beer Cheese Topper, made of BLUE MOON1 White Cheddar beer cheese, bacon, crispy onions and fresh green onions Cajun Shrimp Topper, including blackened shrimp, sauteed onions and savory lemon butter Finish with Two Sides Garlicky Green Beans with Bacon Steamed Broccoli Classic Fries Garlic Mashed Potatoes

"Our Topped & Loaded menu gives guests what they've always wanted  the chance to top one favorite with another to discover a creative and tasty spin on a classic," said Thomas Yun, Executive Chef of Applebee's. "For example, pairing the Chicken Breast with the Marinara Mozzarella Stick topper with a parmesan cream sauce is a deconstructed and reinvented chicken parmesan that satisfies and delights the taste buds in a way that is uniquely Applebee's."

The Topped & Loaded menu can be enjoyed anytime, but only for a limited time. For more information on this and other great deals from Applebee's, check out the online menu and stop by your neighborhood Applebee's. Price and participation may vary by location.

About Applebee's

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar offers a lively casual dining experience combining simple, craveable American fare with flair, classic drinks and local drafts. All Applebee's restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to serving their communities and offering quality food and drinks with genuine, neighborly service. Applebee's is one of the world's largest casual dining brands; as of March 31, 2017, there are approximately 2,000 Applebee's franchise restaurants in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 15 other countries. Applebee's is franchised by subsidiaries of DineEquity, Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is among the world's largest full-service restaurant companies.

Follow us:

Instagram: @applebees

Twitter: @applebees

Facebook: www.facebook.com/applebees

1 BLUE MOON is a registered trademark of MillerCoors LLC.

SOURCE Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar

Related Links

http://www.applebees.com


WARREN, Mich., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Welcome home, Texas-style! Art Van Furniture introduces Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines, a functional, family-focused collection that blends seamlessly with an array of home-decor styles. Created by the Waco, Texas, star of HGTV's "Fixer Upper," the collection features stylish yet practical furnishings and eclectic accessories that capture the spirit and authenticity of the modern farmhouse. The complete line is available online and in all Art Van Furniture stores.

"Joanna's followers delight in her keen eye and uncanny knack for breathing fresh life and relaxed sophistication into home furnishings," said Kim Yost, president and CEO of Art Van Furniture, the Midwest's No. 1 furniture and mattress retailer. "Her Magnolia Home collection celebrates her unique approach to enhancing and transforming one's home into a beautiful haven for the entire family."

Blending beauty with practicality, Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines features multifunctional pieces for every living space, such as dining tables with drawers for storage, a postman's desk-and-hutch set perfect for filling out and filing paperwork, and decorator cabinets in a range of styles and sizes. Neutral colors allow guests to mix and match pieces to customize their personal living spaces.

The collection comes in eight home-decor genres: architectural with a deconstructed style and intricate details, fun and free-spirited boho, charming farmhouse with relaxed finishes, elegant French-inspired, bold industrial with work-worn wood and aged metals, streamlined modern with a distinguished simplicity, time-tested primitive and a new twist on traditional.

For more information about Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines, visit artvan.com.

About Art Van Furniture

Art Van Furniture is the Midwest's largest furniture retailer and America's largest independent furniture retailer. The company operates more than 120 stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, including freestanding Art Van PureSleep mattress stores, Art Van Flooring stores, and Art Van Furniture franchise locations, as well as a full-service e-commerce website. Founded in 1959, the company is headquartered in Warren, Mich. Visit artvan.com for more information.

SOURCE Art Van Furniture

Related Links

http://www.artvan.com


EAST GREENVILLE, Pa., July 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Knoll, Inc., (NYSE:KNL), a leading designer and manufacturer of branded furniture, textiles, leathers and architectural and acoustical elements, recognized for innovation and modern design, today announced that Scott Cameron has been appointed Senior Vice President, Operations, a new position, reporting to Joseph Coppola, Chief Operating Officer.



Mr. Cameron joins Knoll from Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries, Inc., Protective & Marine Coatings, where he was responsible for global operations and supply chain. Mr. Cameron, who joined PPG, Canada in 1994 as a customer service manager held a range of PPG operations positions and led plants in Canada, Europe, Asia, Middle East and the United States.

Commenting on Mr. Camerons joining Knoll, Andrew Cogan, President and CEO, said, We are continuing to add depth to our leadership team. Scott brings more than 20 years of manufacturing experience to Knoll as well as deep knowledge in leading and executing lean manufacturing transformations. We look forward to his leveraging his experience as we continue to enhance our operations strategy.

In his new role, Mr. Cameron will lead the Companys manufacturing sites in North America, focusing on our lean manufacturing strategy and driving operational excellence; he will work closely with Eric Crouthamel, Vice President Manufacturing, East Greenville; Jonathan Laug, Vice President Manufacturing, Muskegon; Dan Carley, Vice President Manufacturing, Grand Rapids; Steve Sandre, Vice President Manufacturing, Toronto and their respective teams.

Mr. Cameron holds a B.S. in Commerce from the University of Toronto and an M.B.A from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario.

About Knoll

Knoll, Inc. is a constellation of design-driven brands and people, working together with our clients to create inspired modern interiors. Our internationally recognized portfolio includes furniture, textiles, leathers, accessories, and architectural and acoustical elements brands. These brands  Knoll Office, KnollStudio, KnollTextiles, KnollExtra, Spinneybeck | FilzFelt, Edelman Leather, HOLLY HUNT, and DatesWeiser  reflect our commitment to modern design that meets the diverse requirements of high performance workplaces and luxury interiors. A recipient of the National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement from the Smithsonian`s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Knoll, Inc. is aligned with the U.S. Green Building Council and the Canadian Green Building Council and can help organizations achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) workplace certification. Knoll, Inc. is the founding sponsor of the World Monuments Fund Modernism at Risk program.
PARIS, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Artprice's press release of 30 June 2017 titled "Artprice takes a major stake in the OTC Art Market which generates a volume of transactions roughly 7 to 9 times higher than the traditional art market" has triggered a powerful virtuous dynamic over the last 9 days resulting in an extraordinary number of contributor exchanges and lots of debates and interviews in the written and audiovisual media.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160228/338238LOGO )



For the record, the press release is available at: Actusnews

https://www.actusnews.com/fr/ARTPRICE/cp/2017/06/30/artprice-takes-a-major-stake-in-the-otc-art-market-which-generates-a-volume-of-transactions-roughly-7-to-9-times-higher-than-the

Hardly ever, and so for the past 20 years, has an Artprice's Art Market analysis triggered so many contributions from various corners of the art world, OTC artists, historians, sociologists and journalists.

One article that has triggered numerous comments is the one posted on Contrepoints.org by Aude de Kerros (1 million readers per month according to the publisher) without Artprice prior knowledge of this article which was discovered by the company, as everyone else, on 7 July 2017.

The article quickly became the focus of animated discussions around the themes History of the Art Market and Artprice's vision of an OTC Art Market.



Artprice has therefore decided to encourage its readers to read this online article at

https://www.contrepoints.org/2017/07/07/294178-nouveau-marche-de-lart

or by simply continuing to read this press release...

A Historic Attack on the Art Market!

Thierry Ehrmann, CEO of Artprice and ArtMarket.com, believes he can take advantage of the deficiencies of Contemporary art's closed systems by launching an "OTC Art Market"... with plenty of drum rolls, suspense and marketing.

By Aude de Kerros.

At last... The man behind Artprice, ArtMarket and the Abode of Chaos, Thierry Ehrmann, has kept his promise. He had promised a historic attack on the art market on 30 June 2017... and that is what we got. Meanwhile, after two years in the doldrums, the same market has been enjoying a few moments of glory  the Venice Biennale, the Documenta show and the Basel Art Fair... as well as a couple of new auction records.

Ehrmann's first missile is essentially a semantic one. He now calls the "Contemporary art market", the "traditional art market" which he defines and limits to the market driven entirely by the major international galleries, auction houses and museums, all "network value makers".

Thierry Ehrmann suggests that the minimum "bankable" sale price of an artwork in this environment is around $50,000. Ironically, he describes the Contemporary art market[1] not only as "traditional" but also as "reactionary", suggesting that the system ensures its own survival in what appears to be a clever application of Guiseppe de Lampedusa's famous phrase "everything must change so that everything can remain the same"...

The emergence of "Hidden Art" ...

His second semantic notion is that of 'another market', invisible, non-existent, forced into the shade by the media and institutions. He calls this 'other market' the "OTC art market", as in 'over-the-counter'.

Having accumulated years of "BigData" and conducted in-depth market research, Ehrmann estimates that this 'other market' represents a volume of transactions seven to nine times higher than the 'traditional market'. He uses the iceberg metaphor to describe the situation: annually, the traditional art market - the hyper-visible and hyper-expensive part - represents about one million transactions on the secondary market with roughly another three million generated by galleries and private sales whereas the submerged segment represents approximately thirty million transactions worldwide.

One of the world's major contemporary "Disruptors", Thierry Ehrmann has today announced that he has acquired the means to render visible and marketable, via his "OTC Art Market", all artworks systematically rejected by today's art institutions "for not qualifying as Contemporary art". And he believes this announcement will have the same impact as the blast of a bomb!

How Thierry Ehrmann became the Uber of the art world

Ehrmann's strategy is relentless. He knows what he is doing. He is perfectly acquainted with both the "traditional art market, including the Contemporary segment" and with market disruption, which he has been practicing since 2015 by making market information about artists freely available to anyone with a smartphone.

He knows that any market disruption which by-passes an intermediary generates profit. By encouraging cheaper online sales he makes galleries both unprofitable and useless, except of course those that 'network' the market prices of Contemporary art.

Ehrmann has been preparing the next stage of the assault - that of the 'general disruption' - for many years: he created an online sales-room "Artmarket.com", whose domain name he definitively acquired in 2017, and whose two words are understood all over the world.

With the purchase of Xylogic and then Blockchain he has ensured the transparency and security of the transactions chain, allowing anyone to retrace the different steps in the construction of an artist's market value.

In addition to these moves, Thierry Ehrmann has spent the last two years conducting a major study on all continents involving inventories and analyses of all the "big data" necessary for the organization of an efficient OTC market: social networks, parallel circuits, artists' sites, galleries, private museums, amateur buyers, art critics, independent art historians. He concludes that the key players in this market are indeed present and active on the Internet they just need to be organized.

Ehrmann estimates the current Internet population to consist of approximately 1.2 million living artists and 40 million potential art buyers, with interests in 325 artistic movements, using 212 different artistic techniques and mediums. These new players in the market have one important advantage: they are willing to expose themselves to market forces and, with minimal sales and marketing-related costs, their prices are much cheaper.

Now, it's time to hit the jackpot! For Thierry Ehrmann, CEO of Artprice and ArtMarket.com, these conclusions prefigure a massive opportunity for Artprice, as he believes he can take advantage of the deficiencies of Contemporary art's closed systems by launching an "OTC art market" that will capture both the supply and demand for no-bankable art: i.e. all transactions from 50 to 50,000 euros, without any aesthetic, stylistic, or genre-based discrimination... In other words, a new market that will have a "blast" impact on existing structures!

His weapon: transparency technology

His methods will not only short-circuit medium-sized galleries, administrative institutions and museums, but will also undermine the Contemporary art market's opaque section, i.e. the top of the Madoff pyramid where everything depends on confidence and relations at the same time.

Indeed, thanks to the blockchain system, which has proved its efficacy with bitcoin, Ehrmann can render the art market totally transparent via the application of this new technology.

The whole chain of value-building transactions would become visible and the art market would become a real market... with real supply and demand (the top end of the Contemporary art market is essentially a supply-driven market).

The "traditional market" is worried... and Thierry Ehrmann believes he is in pole position due to a) the backwardness and failures of the "art establishment" in the Internet field (knowledge, mastery, etc,), b) its rejection of creative diversity and c) its exclusive consideration for customers with very considerable means. He believes in the virtues of competition... in a market of 'genuine' art-lovers rather than a market of cold-blooded collectors of financial products.

An uberization of the bureaucrats...

Thierry Ehrmann is relying on a cultural revolution that is already underway and which he has carefully studied. This revolution rejects the exclusively conceptual, financial, institutional, and bureaucratic fundamentals that dominate Contemporary art in France.

Nowadays the financial, intellectual and artistic quackery in the Contemporary art world is widely known and accepted. In France, the "system" has been denounced for over three decades.

And meanwhile...the French taxpayer finances bureaucrats in Paris's rue de Valois who instructed the archivists working in its Catalogue Library (supposedly filing catalogues with monographs of artists of a certain period) to systematically trash those whose official "contemporaneity" they have not approved.

In his privately-financed quest for big data, Thierry Ehrmann has patiently done exactly the opposite. He is now in a position to short-circuit all the experts, media, university theorists, as well as the French Culture Ministry's two hundred "Creation Inspectors", whose role is to intellectually legitimize Contemporary art.

Ehrmann is gambling on the virtues of the screen.... A world in which everyone is free to appreciate and buy whatever they want, with reasonable means, without being either intimidated, looked down upon or ridiculed. A screen that also allows cultivated art fans to conduct their own research, compare prices, find gems... gems whose 'intrinsic value' may later be recognized on an authentic market in the future...

Will Thierry Ehrmann be the one, indirectly, to give the artists the opportunity to make their old dream of liberty finally come true?

It should be noted that the French notion of "Contemporary art" is itself the subject of debate. For example Christine Sourgins uses the acronym AC (art contemporain) to indicate a certain branch of conceptual "Contemporary Art" as opposed to a broader interpretation of "Contemporary art" that she believes indicates "all art produced in the current era". However, in France , the expression "Contemporary art" does not mean "all art produced in the current era", but uniquely its "conceptual segment". (c.f. Les Mirages de l'Art contemporain Paris 2005 Ed. de la Table Ronde). Translator's note: In this article, the notion "Contemporary art" is used in this more restrictive French way, referring to what some see as a Duchampian conceptual school.

About Artprice:

Artprice is listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF.

Artprice is the global leader in art price and art index databanks. It has over 30 million indices and auction results covering more than 657,000 artists. Artprice Images(R) gives unlimited access to the largest Art Market resource in the world: a library of 126 million images or prints of artworks from the year 1700 to the present day, along with comments by Artprice's art historians.

Artprice permanently enriches its databanks with information from 4,500 auctioneers and it publishes a constant flow of art market trends for the world's principal news agencies and approximately 7,200 international press publications. For its 4,500,000 members, Artprice gives access to the world's leading Standardised Marketplace for buying and selling art. Artprice is preparing its blockchain for the Art Market. It is BPI-labelled (scientific national French label).

Artprice's Global Art Market Annual Report for 2016:

http://imgpublic.artprice.com/pdf/rama2016_en.pdf

The text presented hereafter is a translation of Arte Creative's online presentation:

ARTE: A gigantic Christmas tree in the guise of a butt plug, a machine that defecates five-star meals, an icon immersed in urine and staged corpses - subversive, trash, provocative or insulting? Thierry Ehrmann, the man behind The Abode of Chaos dixit "The New York Times", an artist and the founder of Artprice, is the mouthpiece for scandal and discloses the workings of the most striking controversies in contemporary art. And scandal sells. 9 episodes are online:

http://www.arte.tv/guide/en/weekly-highlight

Discover the Alchemy and the universe of Artprice http://web.artprice.com/video , which headquarters are the famous Museum of Contemporary Art, the Abode of Chaos http://goo.gl/zJssd

https://vimeo.com/124643720

News Artmarket:

http://twitter.com/artpricedotcom

https://www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom

https://plus.google.com/+Artpricedotcom/posts

http://artmarketinsight.wordpress.com/

The Contemporary Arts Museum The Abode of Chaos on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999

The Abode of Chaos/Demeure du Chaos Contemporary Art Museum by thierry Ehrmann,author, sculptor, artist, photograph https://www.flickr.com/photos/home_of_chaos/sets/72157676803169034

Contact : Thierry Ehrmann : e-mail : [email protected]

SOURCE Artprice.com
CHERBOURG, France, July 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Naval Group (formerly DCNS) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Australia today welcomed the official opening of Australia's Future Submarine Office by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Cherbourg France.

In collaboration with the Australian Department of Defence, in what will be Australia's largest defence capital investment program in history, Naval Group and Lockheed Martin Australia will deliver to the Royal Australian Navy a fleet of 12 regionally superior submarines.

The Office is a tripartite secure facility which will house Submarine designers, naval architects and engineers who will work alongside each other on Australia's Future Submarine Program. The facility will be known as 'Hughes House', in recognition of Rear Admiral 'Oscar' Hughes, AO, RAN and his invaluable role in Australia's submarine history as Director of the Collins Submarine Project.

"Today marks an important and tangible milestone for the program as the facility allows all three partners to work together in a modern and highly secure environment to further enhance and develop the already close partnership," said Herve Guillou, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Naval Group.

"We are looking forward to establishing an Australian workforce in Cherbourg to develop the skills and understanding required to establish a regionally superior submarine and develop a sovereign Australian industrial capability."

More than 50 Australians will join Naval Group and Lockheed Martin Australia employees to progress the important work of developing a mature design of the Future Submarine. It is this collaboration along with the integral role that Australian industry will play that will underpin the ability of Australia to maintain and operate the Future Submarines with sovereignty, throughout their life.

"At Lockheed Martin Australia, we are proud to partner with the Australian Government and Naval Group to deliver a regionally superior, sovereign, sustainable submarine program," said Vince Di Pietro AM, Lockheed Martin Chief Executive Australia & New Zealand.

"This office will provide a collaboration space for the Naval Group and Lockheed Martin Australia to work closely with our Australian Government partners to provide the best possible submarine fleet to provide protection for Australia's trade and assure the nation's maritime security."

While today's announcement is the first major milestone event, the design of the Future Submarine is already well underway, as is engagement with Australian Industry. The Future Submarine Program is hosting industry briefings across all states and territories reaching more than 850 Australian companies, detailing how they can become involved.

About Naval Group

Naval Group is the European leader in naval defence and a major player in marine renewable energy. The Group's success as an advanced technology company with global reach is built on meeting customer needs by deploying exceptional know-how, unique industrial resources and an ability to develop innovative strategic partnerships. Naval Group designs and builds submarines and surface combatants, develops associated systems and infrastructure, and offers a full range of services to naval bases and shipyards. The Group has also expanded its focus into marine renewable energy. Aware of its corporate social responsibilities, Naval Group is a member of the United Nations Global Compact. Naval Group generates annual revenues of 3.2 billion and employs around 12,800 people (2016 data).

About Lockheed Martin Australia

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 800 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Related Links

http://www.lockheedmartin.com


PARKLAND, Fla., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker and Zimmerman, P.A. is proud to announce that two attorneys in the firm, including a managing partner, have been included in the 2017 edition of "Super Lawyers". This is the sixth consecutive year that Robert B. Baker has been selected to this dignified group. Partner Joshua Frachtman earned the prestigious honor of "Super Lawyers Rising Star" for the second consecutive year.

The mission of Super Lawyers is to bring visibility to attorneys who exhibit professional excellence. The attorney rating service recognizes outstanding lawyers from over 70 different practice areas based on a high degree of professional achievement and peer acknowledgement. Less than five percent of attorneys in the country are named Super Lawyers each year.

"I am very flattered that my colleagues have once again nominated me for inclusion as a Super Lawyer for 2017," said Robert B. Baker.

"It is very rewarding to know that my peers have singled me out and acknowledged my hard work," said Joshua Frachtman.

Robert B. Baker is an experienced civil trial attorney who seeks justice for clients who have suffered serious injury due to the negligence of others. Robbie earned his law degree from Boston University School of Law in 1989. He represents clients in catastrophic personal injury cases involving wrongful death, boating/cruise ship accidents, jet ski accidents, burn injuries, product liability, and serious automobile accidents. Mr. Baker has earned Florida Bar Board Certification, the highest level of recognition by the Florida Bar for the competency and experience of a civil trial lawyer. Mr. Baker is a licensed attorney in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Florida. He is licensed to practice in both federal and state court.

Joshua Frachtman joined Baker & Zimmerman, P.A. in 2012, after spending the early part of his career defending a wide range of civil issues with a focus on personal injury litigation. Joshua was born in Plantation, Florida, and grew up in Coral Springs and Parkland. After receiving his B.S. from the University of Florida, he returned to South Florida to attend law school at Nova Southeastern University. With Baker & Zimmerman, P.A., Mr. Frachtman has applied his knowledge of the techniques and strategies used by insurance companies when handling personal injury claims to achieve the best possible result for his clients who have suffered an injury.

About Baker and Zimmerman, P.A.:

At Baker & Zimmerman, P.A. every employee is a dedicated member of the team whose primary concern is defending the injured and seeking justice on behalf of our clients. We understand that no two cases are alike; therefore, no two cases are prepared the same way.

Our trial attorneys handle negligence claims involving serious and sometimes catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful death. This includes personal watercraft accidents, automobile/truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death claims, slip & fall accidents, cruise ship/boating accidents, products liability, insurance disputes/bad faith claims, drug/pharmaceutical claims, nursing home neglect cases, helicopter/plane accidents, dog bites and parasailing accidents.

We strongly believe that the key to a successful attorney/client relationship is communication. We pride ourselves in keeping our clients informed as to the progress of their cases and making ourselves available whenever necessary.

Related Links

Robert B. Baker Bio

Joshua Frachtman Bio

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKZryWMPi5g

SOURCE Baker and Zimmerman, P.A.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Biomedical, Inc., an industry leader in the development of next-generation cancer therapeutics, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for DSP-7888, an investigational cancer peptide vaccine, for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). MDS is a group of rare blood disorders characterized by abnormal development of blood cells within the bone marrow.1

Currently being studied in phase 1/2 clinical trials, DSP-7888 contains peptides to induce Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and helper T cells, which attack WT1-expressing cancerous cells found in various types of hematologic and solid cancers. The National Cancer Institute ranked WT1 as the number one priority target for cancer immunotherapy.2

Approximately 10,000 to 15,000 people are newly diagnosed with MDS in the U.S. annually.3 It is estimated that one third of MDS patients can develop acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a rapidly growing cancer of bone marrow cells.4 The FDA's ODD program provides special status and development incentives for drugs and biologics which are intended for the safe and effective treatment, diagnosis or prevention of rare diseases/disorders that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S.5

"Receiving an Orphan Drug Designation for DSP-7888 reinforces our dedication to helping address an unmet medical need for people with myelodysplastic syndrome, where other therapies are still needed," said Patricia S. Andrews, Chief Executive Officer, Boston Biomedical, Inc. "We are committed to uncovering the potential therapeutic benefit of cancer peptide vaccines, and we look forward to advancing the clinical development of this first-in-class compound."

The first clinical data for DSP-7888, from a phase 1/2 study in patients with MDS who progressed on or after first-line azacitidine (AZA) treatment, were presented at the 2016 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition. In the phase 1 portion of the study, DSP-7888 was well-tolerated in MDS patients, and the data also showed preliminary signs of clinical activity.

This is the third ODD the company has received in the last two years, and is the first one for DSP-7888.

About DSP-7888

DSP-7888 is an investigational cancer peptide vaccine containing peptides that induce Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and helper T cells, which attack WT1-expressing cancerous cells found in various types of hematologic and solid cancers. By adding helper T cell-inducing peptides, improved efficacy may be achieved compared to a killer peptide treatment regimen alone.

DSP-7888 is currently being investigated in three monotherapy studies: a phase 1/2 study in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (NCT02436252), a phase 1/2 study in pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory high grade gliomas (NCT02750891), and a phase 1 study in advanced malignancies (NCT02498665). DSP-7888 will also be evaluated in combination with bevacizumab in a phase 2 study in patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma; the study is currently recruiting patients (NCT03149003). More information on DSP-7888 and ongoing clinical trials can be found at www.BostonBiomedical.com.

About Boston Biomedical, Inc.

Boston Biomedical, Inc. was founded in November 2006 and is wholly owned by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. Boston Biomedical's mission is to develop the next generation of cancer therapeutics by creating drugs designed to target cancer stemness pathways. Boston Biomedical's innovation in drug discovery has received a number of recognitions and awards in the United States, including the Frost & Sullivan 2010 North American Drug Discovery Technology Innovation of the Year Award, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) cancer stem cell initiative grant award in 2010, and the 2011 Biotech Pioneer Award at the Alexandria Oncology Summit. The company also received the "Company To Watch" award in the 10th Annual Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards in 2013. Boston Biomedical is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Additional information about the company and its product pipeline can be found at www.BostonBiomedical.com.

Disclaimer Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's assumptions and beliefs in light of information presently available, and involve both known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Any forward looking statements set forth in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. Information concerning pharmaceuticals (including compounds under development) contained within this material is not intended as advertising or medical advice.

For general inquiries:

Boston Biomedical, Inc.

617-674-6800

For media inquiries:

Sara Baker

CHAMBERLAIN PR

212- 849-9474

[email protected]

1 National Cancer Institute. General Information About Myelodysplastic Syndromes. https://www.cancer.gov/types/myeloproliferative/patient/myelodysplastic-treatment-pdq. Accessed July 2017.

2 Cheever, M., Allison, J.P., Ferris, A.S., Finn, O.J., Hastings, B.M., Hecht, T.T. (2009) The Prioritization of Cancer Antigens: A National Cancer Institute Pilot Project for the Acceleration of Translational Research. Clinical Cancer Research. http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/15/17/5323.full-text.pdf. Accessed July 2017.

3 Montalban-Bravo G., Garcia-Manero, G., List A., Kantarjian H., Cortes J. (2016) Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Cancer Management. http://www.cancernetwork.com/cancer-management/mds. Accessed July 2017.

4 American Cancer Society. What Are Myelodysplastic Syndromes? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/myelodysplastic-syndrome/about/what-is-mds.html. Accessed July 2017.

5 FDA. "Developing Products for Rare Diseases & Conditions." http://www.fda.gov/forindustry/developingproductsforrarediseasesconditions/ucm2005525.htm. Accessed July 2017.

SOURCE Boston Biomedical, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.bostonbiomedical.com


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeking new opportunities to make CRISPR genome editing technology widely available, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has joined discussions to create a non-exclusive CRISPR-Cas9 joint licensing pool being coordinated by MPEG LA, an organization that operates patent pool licensing programs across institutions and countries. The Broad Institute has submitted key CRISPR-Cas9 patents for consideration with joint owners Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and The Rockefeller University.

A patent pool would create a one-stop shop for commercial users to license CRISPR patents without needing to navigate a complex patent and licensing landscape.

"We strongly support making CRISPR technology broadly available," said Issi Rozen, Chief Business Officer of the Broad Institute. "The Broad Institute already licenses CRISPR-Cas9 non-exclusively for all applications, with the exception of human therapeutics, where we have significantly limited the exclusivity. We look forward to working with others to ensure the widest possible access to all key CRISPR intellectual property."

MPEG LA issued a call for a worldwide CRISPR licensing standard earlier this year. In its application letter, available here, the Broad Institute expressed interest in working with MPEG LA and other CRISPR patent holders to streamline non-exclusive access to the genome editing technology.

In many cases, commercial groups must apply for licenses from multiple institutions, which a patent pool would coordinate and streamline. The US Patent and Trademark Office has issued more than 60 patents with claims to CRISPR and/or Cas9 to approximately 100 inventors from 18 applicant organizations, including to some academic institutions that have only issued exclusive licenses. The European Patent Office (EPO) has issued more than 20 such patents to approximately 30 inventors from about ten applicant institutions.

The Broad Institute, MIT, Harvard, and Rockefeller hold 22 key CRISPR-Cas9 patents in the United States and Europe. The institutions already make CRISPR tools freely available to the academic and nonprofit communities and issue non-exclusive licenses for most types of commercial research, including agriculture. For human therapeutics, the Broad Institute places limits on exclusivity through its Inclusive Innovation model, which offers one licensee exclusive use for a defined period (two years), followed by an open call for applications by other groups. In the case of CRISPR-Cas9, the two-year exclusive period has already ended. Parties interested in licensing the technology are invited to apply through the Broad website.

Although the Broad Institute, MIT, Harvard, and Rockefeller have chosen to make this application to join the MPEG LA patent pool public, such a disclosure is optional. It is not clear what other institutions may also have applied. "We hope many other patent holders will consider joining the patent pool to ensure access to CRISPR tools are open and available," Rozen said. "We believe we all share a goal of making sure that CRISPR can have the greatest possible impact to transform medicine and improve lives."

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. For further information about the Broad Institute, go to http://www.broadinstitute.org.

SOURCE Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

Related Links

https://www.broadinstitute.org


DALLAS, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of high-profile global ransomware attacks such as WannaCry and Petya, BT and KPMG have today published a new cyber security report offering practical advice to businesses of all sizes on how best to manage their security journey and turn it into a business opportunity.

The new report, "The cyber security journey  from denial to opportunity", warns businesses against falling into dangerous traps as they deal with the complexity of securing a digital enterprise. These include being stuck in 'Denial' and 'Worry' phases at one end of the spectrum, and 'False Confidence' and 'Hard Lessons' at the other end.

While the report stresses that investment in technology such as firewalls and antivirus protection is essential 'good housekeeping' practice at the start of the security journey, firms should avoid throwing money away on IT security products as a knee-jerk reaction. This is especially true for companies who have matured from the stage of 'denial' into the stage of constant 'worry', where investing in the latest technology can be viewed as the silver bullet to the problem. This common mistake can make firms a target, not just for cyber criminals, but also for over-zealous IT salespeople.

Businesses must first assess their current controls against best practice, such as the guidance issued by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), to help identify any gaps and prioritise essential areas in which to invest. Furthermore, everyone in the organization, from the board down, must take responsibility for maintaining high standards of cyber hygiene, while businesses must invest in training and raise awareness amongst staff. This can help turn employees from the weakest point in any security chain into every company's greatest asset in the fight to protect data.

Mark Hughes, CEO, BT Security, said: "The global scale of the recent ransomware attacks showed the astonishing speed at which even the most unsophisticated of attacks can spread around the world. Many organizations could have avoided these attacks by maintaining better standards of cyber hygiene and getting the basics right. These global incidents remind us that every business today - from the smallest sole trader through to SMEs and large multinational corporations - needs to get to grips with managing the security of their IT estate, as well as their people and processes. This report aims to help secure the digital enterprise by navigating businesses through their cyber security journey."

David Ferbrache, Technical Director in KPMG's cyber security practice, said: "The recent spate of cyber-attacks is keeping cyber risk at the top of the business agenda, and as such investments are being made. The business community needs to avoid knee-jerk reactions as cyber security is a journey  not a one size fits all issue, and getting the basics like patching and back-ups right matters. It's important to build a security culture, raise awareness amongst staff, and remember that security needs to enable business, not prevent it.

"Cyber threats are evolving and businesses face ruthless criminal entrepreneurs. The solution isn't jargon ridden technology silver bullets but one that involves a community effort in a world where business boundaries are vanishing. With criminals getting increasingly creative about finding the weakest link, the CISOs of the future need to care about digital risk, help the business seize opportunities and build cyber resilience."

Although cyber security issues are increasingly discussed at board level today, the report claims that those discussions are too infrequent and are treated as a separate and disconnected issue from broader operational risk. All too often, the issue of cyber security is not incorporated into the overarching business strategy.

The report also argues that overly complex IT architecture can worsen security gaps. This is especially the case if the technology deployed is too difficult to use or there's a lack of integration.

In order to address these risks and gain true leadership in cyber security, the report calls on firms to focus on good governance processes, the proper integration of technologies and to consider outsourcing some less critical aspects of their security to a trusted partner. This, combined with the sharing of intelligence, good practice and hard-won lessons among a network of peers and beyond would put the company in a position to think about cyber security differently. Namely, not as a risk which is discussed by the board perhaps twice a year, but as a business opportunity and enabler for digital transformation.

The report is available for download at http://www.globalservices.bt.com/uk/en/point-of-view/cyberjourney

For further information:

For BT:

Enquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its 24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369. All news releases can be accessed at our web site: http://www.btplc.com/News

For KPMG:

Nahidur Rahman, Senior PR Manager

T: +44 (0) 20 7694 8812

M: +44 (0)73 9376 0775

E: [email protected]

Follow us on twitter: @kpmguk

KPMG Press Office: +44 (0)207 694 8773

About BT

BT's purpose is to use the power of communications to make a better world. It is one of the world's leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed-mobile products and services. BT consists of six customer-facing lines of business: Consumer, EE, Business and Public Sector, Global Services, Wholesale and Ventures, and Openreach.

For the year ended 31 March 2017, BT Group's reported revenue was 24,062m with reported profit before taxation of 2,354m.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

For more information, visit www.btplc.com

About KPMG

KPMG LLP, a UK limited liability partnership, operates from 22 offices across the UK with approximately 13,500 partners and staff. The UK firm recorded a revenue of 2.07 billion in the year ended 30 September 2016. KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax, and Advisory services. It operates in 152 countries and has 189,000 professionals working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"), a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.

SOURCE BT

Related Links

http://www.btplc.com


WASHINGTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for a hate crime investigation of vandalism targeting a Tennessee mosque.

CAIR is also calling on President Trump to speak out against the rising level of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim incidents nationwide.

Officials with the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro say the mosque was vandalized overnight with obscene anti-Islam graffiti. Slices of bacon were also used to spell out some messages and bacon was wrapped around one of the exterior doors of the mosque. [NOTE: Anti-Muslim bigots often use pigs or pork products to intentionally offend Muslims because of the Islamic prohibition on consuming pork products.]

SEE: Islamic Center of Murfreesboro Vandalized Again

http://www.dnj.com/story/news/2017/07/10/islamic-center-murfreesboro-vandalized-again/464315001/

This mosque has been targeted by hate a number of times in recent years.

Video: Tenn. Mosque Opponents Say Islam 'Not a Religion,' Harass Muslim Journalist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydNfIr2CqI8

"This apparent hate attack on a house of worship is just the latest incident in a troubling spike of bias-motivated crimes targeting mosques and American Muslims nationwide," said CAIR Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia Director Corey Saylor. "Our nation's leaders, beginning with President Trump, need to speak out forcefully against Islamophobia and other forms of prejudice that inevitably result in such attacks."

Saylor noted that since the beginning of the year, CAIR's national office has called for investigations of possible bias motives for dozens of other incidents targeting mosques in Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Kentucky, Georgia, Arizona, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Texas, and a number of other states. By comparison, in the January-March period in 2016, CAIR recorded 19 such incidents.

Yesterday, CAIR's New York chapter called on a person or persons who left a painting of Jesus on the cross at a mosque in that state to learn what Muslims actually believe.

CAIR-NY Urges Person Who Left 'Jesus' Painting at Mosque to Learn About Islamic Beliefs

http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/14454-cair-ny-urges-person-who-left-jesus-painting-at-mosque-to-learn-about-islamic-beliefs.html

Video: CAIR-NY Calls 'Jesus' Painting Incident a Teaching Moment for Perpetrator, Community

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4njQnP6WCU

CAIR is offering Muslim community leaders free copies of its booklet, "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety."

A hard copy of the booklet may be requested through CAIR's website at: http://www.cair.com/mosque-safety-guide.html

It may also be viewed at: http://www.cair.com/images/publications/CAIR_Mosque_Safety_Guide.pdf

Earlier today, CAIR condemned racist vandalism by an apparent supporter of President Donald Trump targeting a North Carolina family. A vandal spray-painted "Trump! Get out N******!" on the driveway of the Nigerian-born couple on Friday.

SEE: CAIR Condemns Racist, Pro-Trump Vandalism Targeting North Carolina Family

http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/14455-cair-condemns-racist-pro-trump-vandalism-targeting-north-carolina-family.html

CAIR said it has witnessed an unprecedented increase in hate incidents targeting members of minority groups since the election of Donald Trump.



The Washington-based civil rights and advocacy organization urges community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: http://www.cair.com/report

CAIR recently launched an app to share critical "know your rights" information and to simplify the process to report hate crimes and bias incidents. CAIR is urging American Muslims and members of other minority groups to download the app and utilize this resource to stay informed and empowered.

For a quick download of CAIR's civil rights app, click here: http://www.cair.com/app

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

La mision de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprension mutua.

CONTACT: CAIR Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Related Links

http://www.cair.com


PHILADELPHIA, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CDI Corp. (NYSE: CDI) today announced that it was awarded a new SEAPORT task order by the U.S. Navy to provide Readiness Assistance Team (RAT) support services for Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific (CNSP).

The new task order, including all options, has a maximum value of $38 million over a five-year period. CDI will be the principal contractor to CNSP providing subject matter experts to conduct Sailor-centric engineering and combat systems training, material review, program auditing, and naval readiness support to enhance overall proficiency and material readiness. The goal is to enhance CNSP ships' readiness to conduct sustained operations at sea in support of the nation's strategic objectives.

"The Readiness Assistance Team prime contract is an important opportunity for CDI to provide service and support to our nation's warfighters," said Joseph Barbano, President of CDI Government Services. "We are extremely proud of the Navy's confidence in CDI as a prime contractor, as expressed by this important new support contract to the Fleet. Our Readiness Assistance Team members are excited to be working side-by-side with Fleet Sailors performing this vital service."

About CDI

CDI Corp. (NYSE: CDI) seeks to create extraordinary outcomes with our clients by delivering solutions based on highly skilled and professional talent. Our business is comprised of four segments: Enterprise Talent, Specialty Talent & Technology Solutions, Engineering Solutions and MRI. Our client offerings include an array of engineering design project solutions, information technology project solutions and managed services, specialty technology staff augmentation, and program and managed staffing services. Our clients are corporations in multiple industries, including energy, chemicals, infrastructure, aerospace, industrial equipment, technology, as well as municipal and state governments, and the U.S. Department of Defense. We have offices and delivery centers in the United States and Canada. In addition, we also provide recruiting and staffing services through our global MRINetwork of franchisees. Learn more at www.cdicorp.com.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including, but not limited to, statements about our revenue from contracts, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Because these 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 outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: levels and timing of spending by our clients; our performance under our contracts with clients; and our level of success in attracting, training, and retaining qualified employees. More detailed information about these and other risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), particularly in the "Risk Factors" section in Part I, Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE CDI Corp.

Related Links

http://www.cdicorp.com


SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chegg, Inc. (NYSE: CHGG), a Smarter Way to Student, today announced that it is scheduled to release its earnings results for the second quarter of 2017 ended June 30, 2017, on Tuesday, July 25, 2017, after the market close. Chegg will host a conference call to discuss the second quarter financial results at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) on the same day. To access the call, please dial 1-877-407-4018, or outside the U.S. +1-201-689-8471. A live webcast of the call will also be available at http://investor.chegg.com under the Events & Presentations menu.

An audio replay will be available beginning at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on July 25, 2017, until 8:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on August 01, 2017, by calling 1-844-512-2921, or outside the U.S. +1-412-317-6671, with Conference ID 13665784. An audio archive of the call will also be available at http://investor.chegg.com.

ABOUT CHEGG

Chegg puts students first. As the leading student-first connected learning platform, the company makes higher education more affordable, more accessible, and more successful for students. Chegg is a publicly-held company based in Santa Clara, California and trades on the NYSE under the symbol CHGG. For more information, visit www.chegg.com.

SOURCE Chegg, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.chegg.com


"The Medicaid program is essential to millions of children, especially the two million kids with complex medical conditions who need comprehensive coverage to meet their unique needs," said Mark Wietecha, president and CEO of the Children's Hospital Association (CHA). "But statistics tell only half the story. That's why children and their families from children's hospitals across the country will share their stories directly with members of Congress, so legislators can hear firsthand how vital Medicaid is to their well-being. In many cases, Medicaid helps save young lives."

Wesley Ethridge was only 6 days old when he underwent his first of five heart surgeries at Boston Children's Hospital. At 18 months of age, Wesley received a heart transplant and with it, the ability to live a life of adventure. Now as a joyful 3-year-old and proud Mainer, Wesley has hiked the hills of Big Sur, canoed beneath the shadow of Katahdin, steered across the waters of the Atlantic, and traversed the country by plane, train, and automobile.

Wesley received the right care at the right time and in the right place thanks to the Medicaid program. He is one of more than 114,000 children in Maine who count on Medicaid for their health care coverage and benefits. Boston Children's Hospital, like most children's hospitals across the nation, is a regional provider and regularly treats children from neighboring states who seek the highly specialized care only children's hospitals provide. On average, children's hospitals devote more than half their inpatient days of care (59 percent) to children assisted by Medicaid.

Under the House-passed American Health Care Act (AHCA) and Senate's BCRA, funding for children's Medicaid would be slashed by at least $43 billion over 10 years. An analysis of the AHCA by Avalere Health found Maine, for example, would absorb over $280 million of that cut to children's Medicaid funding while Massachusetts, home to Boston Children's Hospital, stands to lose over $700 million. Compared to the House AHCA reform bill, the Senate version calls for even steeper cuts to Medicaid by restricting Medicaid's funding to a slower growth rate starting in 2025.

"At their core, these bills represent a major step backward for children's health and further weakens Medicaid for pediatric health care," said Wietecha. "Congress should not consider any legislation undermining health care for tens of millions of children. Children's hospitals across the country call on senators to reject the BCRA and vote no. It's a bad bill for kids."

According to children's hospitals, Congress should be working to improve the effectiveness of Medicaid for children through thoughtful reform. A bipartisan bill introduced this year by lead cosponsors Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., the Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act of 2017 (S. 428), would improve care for children like Wesley with the most medically complex and expensive conditions in Medicaid while reducing spending through coordination of care across multiple providers and services, and easing of access to out-of-state care.

"We're interested in working with Congress on bipartisan solutions that improve care for the millions of children served by the Medicaid program," summarized Wietecha.

Children's Hospital Association is the national voice of more than 220 children's hospitals, advancing child health through innovation in the quality, cost and delivery of care.

http://www.childrenshospitals.org | www.speaknowforkids.org

Learn more about Speak Now for Kids Family Advocacy Day; read stories about the child patients coming to D.C.; and follow the families on Facebook, www.facebook.com/speaknowforkids, and Twitter, @speaknowforkids, #SpeakNowForKids.

Contacts:

Norida Torriente

Children's Hospital Association

202-753-5359 | 202-253-5058

Jessica Schultz

JPA Health Communications

202-591-4005 I 847-436-6576

SOURCE Children's Hospital Association

Related Links

http://www.childrenshospitals.org


SHANGHAI, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- China Rapid Finance Limited ("China Rapid Finance" or the "Company") (NYSE: XRF), a leading online consumer lending marketplace, today announced that it has achieved a new milestone of 20 million cumulative loans facilitated on its platform since inception.

This milestone demonstrates accelerating growth of China Rapid Finance's consumer lending marketplace, as the total number of facilitated loans has nearly doubled within only the past six months from 10.7 million cumulative loans as of the end of 2016. On a year-over-year basis, second quarter facilitated loans jumped by over 350% to more than 5 million, up from approximately 1.1 million loans in the same quarter of last year.

China Rapid Finance also continues to achieve a high rate of customer retention. Approximately 73% of borrowers on its marketplace were repeat borrowers as of March 31, 2017. The Company expects that its lower cost of acquiring borrowers, higher customer retention rate, and larger loan sizes for repeat customers will contribute to its long-term sustainable growth.

"We are well on track to continue expanding our platform as we serve the needs of our target Emerging Middle-class, Mobile Active consumers (EMMAs). They clearly enjoy our proprietary digital credit solutions," said Dr. Zane Wang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of China Rapid Finance. "Our 'low and grow' strategy starts out new borrowers with smaller, shorter-term loans and then selectively offers larger, longer-term loans to repeat borrowers that demonstrate positive credit behavior. We are well-positioned to scale with a low borrower acquisition cost of retaining high-quality EMMAs as they build their credit histories on our platform, and have the potential to serve their lifetime credit needs. As a result, our 'low and grow' model creates high customer lifetime value and a source of sustainable growth for the Company."

"In addition, PRC regulators have launched efforts to maintain high standards in the fast-growing online lending industry, to eliminate non-compliant industry players and thus to build a stable, sustainable, and healthy environment in which compliant and responsible companies will be able to thrive and grow," Dr. Wang said. "We welcome these initiatives and believe they will benefit the industry leaders such as China Rapid Finance."

China's estimated population of 500 million EMMA, who have no credit histories and substantial difficulty borrowing money from traditional banks, constitutes one of the world's largest untapped consumer credit market opportunities. The Company's differentiated "low and grow" strategy and proprietary technologies are enabling it to acquire these customers efficiently by the millions. However, China Rapid Finance seeks not merely to facilitate loans, but rather build a lifetime relationship with EMMAs.

As a pioneer in consumer credit technologies based on machine learning and big data algorithms, China Rapid Finance has developed proprietary capabilities over the past 16 years to analyze non-traditional and unstructured data from its multiple data channels. Its advanced data-driven credit assessment technologies include predictive selection technology, credit scoring technology, and automated decisioning technology. This technology advantage and vast data access enable the Company to efficiently identify and acquire the prime and near-prime EMMAs at larger scale and lower risk, making China Rapid Finance one of the world's most affordable and scalable consumer lending platforms.

About China Rapid Finance

China Rapid Finance (NYSE: XRF) operates one of China's largest consumer lending marketplaces in terms of total number of loans. On April 28, 2017, the company held its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit http://chinarapidfinance.investorroom.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "likely to" and similar statements. Among other things, quotations from management in this announcement, China Rapid Finance's financial outlook as well as China Rapid Finance's strategic and operational plans contain forward-looking statements. China Rapid Finance may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about China Rapid Finance's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: unexpected difficulties in China Rapid Finance's pursuit of its goals and strategies; the unexpected developments, including slow growth, in the consumer lending market; reduced demand for, and market acceptance of, China Rapid Finance's products and services; difficulties keeping and strengthening relationships with borrowers or investors; difficulties of expanding data and channel partnerships; potentially costly servicing activities; competition in the consumer lending market; PRC governmental regulations and policies; and general economic and business conditions in the regions where China Rapid Finance operates. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in China Rapid Finance's reports filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and China Rapid Finance undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Media Contact

Edmond Lococo

ICR Inc.

+86 10 6583-7510

[email protected]

SOURCE China Rapid Finance

Related Links

http://chinarapidfinance.investorroom.com


BEIJING and NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC), one of China's leading investment banking and financial services firms, announced today the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, ("KraneShares") a U.S. asset management firm best known for its China focused KraneShares exchange traded funds (ETFs) and innovative China investment strategies. The strategic acquisition combines CICC's extensive global research, investment and wealth management platforms with KraneShares' ETF expertise.

CICC, founded in 1995 by China Construction Bank and Morgan Stanley, was the first investment bank formed through a China-US joint venture1. Today, CICC serves corporate, institutional, government, and wealth management clients in China. With deep roots and a thorough understanding of the Chinese economy, CICC is a leading financial service provider to global clients. CICC's global shareholders include CIC, the China Sovereign Wealth Fund, GIC, a Singapore Sovereign Wealth Fund, and two global private equity firms: TPG and KKR. CICC is a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (3908).

"We are a Chinese investment bank with unique international DNA," said Mr. Mingjian Bi, Acting Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CICC. "Our entry into the U.S. asset management and ETF industry with KraneShares' platform represents a remarkable opportunity for us to provide high quality investment products and services to our clients, including individuals, advisors, and institutions, domestically and overseas. We are excited to have this opportunity to significantly grow KraneShares and the CICC business in the United States and globally."

Among its ETF offerings, KraneShares has established a dominant market leadership position in the China Internet sector with KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB), which holds some of the most innovative global technology companies including Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent2.

Additionally, KraneShares is a leading provider of financial products and education focused on accessing China's equity and fixed income markets. KraneShares was the first to issue an MSCI-linked China A share ETF in the United States3. The KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share ETF (KBA) is comprised of stocks listed on the Shanghai & Shenzhen exchanges and tracks the MSCI China A International Index.

"KraneShares is proud to join forces with CICC," said Jonathan Krane, CEO of KraneShares. "CICC and KraneShares are both singularly focused on China. We share the same mission of building a trusted bridge of financial knowledge and expertise between the United States and China. We believe the combined company will be the premier source for China investment products and research globally."

About China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC)

As China's first joint venture investment bank, China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC or "the Company", 3908.HK) was established with a strategic partnership among prestigious Chinese and international financial institutions. Since its inception in 1995, CICC has always been committed to providing high quality value-added financial services for clients. CICC has established a full-service business framework based on its research foundation for the development of investment banking, equities, FICC, wealth management and investment management. CICC is headquartered in Beijing and the Company has established subsidiaries in the PRC and branch companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen. CICC has also actively ventured into overseas markets and has established subsidiaries in New York, Singapore and London in addition to Hong Kong. CICC was successfully listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2015.

CICC US Securities, Inc. (CICC US Securities) opened its New York office in 2009. As an SEC registered broker-dealer and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), CICC US Securities is the center for all of CICC's businesses and operations throughout the Americas.

For more information, please visit www.cicc.com.

About Krane Funds Advisors, LLC

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC is the investment manager for KraneShares ETFs. Our suite of China focused ETFs provides investors with solutions to capture China's importance as an essential element of a well-designed investment portfolio. We strive to provide innovative, first to market strategies that have been developed based on our strong partnerships and our deep knowledge of investing. We help investors stay up to date on global market trends and aim to provide meaningful diversification.

For more information, please visit www.kraneshares.com.

Carefully consider the Funds' investment objectives, risk factors, charges and expenses before investing. This and additional information can be found in the Funds' full & summary prospectus, which may be obtained by visiting www.kraneshares.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

ETF shares are not individually redeemable other than in large Creation Units. Shares are bought and sold at market price (closing price) not NAV. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns.

KraneShares ETFs are registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. The Funds focus their investments primarily with Chinese issuers and issuers with economic ties to China. The Funds are subject to political, social or economic instability within China which may cause decline in value. Fluctuations in currency of foreign countries may have an adverse effect to domestic currency values. Emerging markets involve heightened risk related to the same factors as well as increase volatility and lower trading volume. Current and future holdings are subject to risk.

Narrowly focused investments typically exhibit higher volatility. Internet companies are subject to rapid changes in technology, worldwide competition, rapid obsolescence of products and services, loss of patent protections, evolving industry standards and frequent new product productions. Such changes may have an adverse impact on performance.

The ability of the KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A ETF to achieve its investment objective is dependent on the continuous availability of A Shares and the ability to obtain, if necessary, additional A Shares quota. If the Fund is unable to obtain sufficient exposure due to the limited availability of A Share quota, the Fund could seek exposure to the component securities of the Underlying Index by investing in depositary receipts. The Fund may, in some cases, also invest in Hong Kong listed versions of the component securities and B Shares issued by the same companies that issue A Shares in the Underlying Index. The Fund may also use derivatives or invest in ETFs that provide comparable exposures.

The KraneShares ETFs are distributed by SEI Investments Distribution Company, which is not affiliated with Krane Funds Advisors, LLC or China International Capital Corporation Limited.

Data from CICC, retrieved 6/07/2017 Percent of KraneShares' net assets as of 5/31/2017: Tencent: KWEB: 11.30%, KFYP: 4.81%, KEMP: 3.79%. Alibaba: KWEB: 9.55%, KEMP: 2.00%. Baidu: KWEB: 7.02%, KEMP: 1.38%. Tom Lydon , ( Mar 5, 2014 ), "A New ETF Avenue to Mainland China", ETF Trends

SOURCE Krane Funds Advisors, LLC

Related Links

http://kraneshares.com


DENVER, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cimarex Energy Co. (NYSE: XEC) today announced that it plans to report second quarter 2017 financial results on Tuesday, August 8, 2017, after market close. The company will host its quarterly conference call at 11:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, August 9, 2017.

The call will be webcast and is accessible via the Cimarex website at www.cimarex.com. To join the live, interactive call, please dial 866-367-3053 ten minutes before the scheduled start time (callers in Canada dial 855-669-9657 and international callers dial 412-902-4216).

A replay will be available on the company's website.

About Cimarex Energy

Denver-based Cimarex Energy Co. is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company with principal operations in the Anadarko and Permian Basins of the U.S.

SOURCE Cimarex Energy Co.

Related Links

http://www.cimarex.com


"We're pleased to be one of the first builders to introduce augmented reality to the digital home buying journey," said Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton Homes. "Our homes now offer custom designs, innovative features and energy efficient upgrades. We are committed to being a leader in innovation for the home building community and will continue to develop the kind of technology that will support our customers throughout the experience."

The Home Previewer app, created by Boulder, Colorado ad agency Made, lets users digitally anchor a home model from a list of model choices to the future home location using augmented reality to make it appear as if it is actually there. Once the virtual home is anchored, the user can walk up to and around the 3D rendered image to view it from different angles on its future site. Users also have the capability to take pictures of the house in its physical setting and share them with friends and family.

Clayton intends to introduce a wide variety of digital tools that will be released in the upcoming year. These tools aim to aid customers as they visit local home centers and tour homes on location with their mobile devices on hand, while making the home shopping experience fun, personal and informative. Home Previewer is the first mobile app of its kind in the manufactured home building industry. This is Clayton's second mobile app offered to date, following the 2015 release of MyMobi Home Finder, an application that shows prospective homebuyers the location and pricing of homes for sale so they can select which homes they would like to visit in person.

"We believe everyone should be able to have a beautiful, affordable slice of the world to call their own," said Clayton. "We see interactive digital tools like this Home Previewer app as one way to deliver on extraordinary experiences for our customers every day. We want our homebuyers to feel confident about the smart choice they're making."

IPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

About Clayton

Founded in 1956, Clayton is committed to opening doors to a better life and building happiness through homeownership. As a diverse builder committed to quality and durability, Clayton offers traditional site-built homes, modular homes, manufactured housing, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments. In 2016, Clayton built more than 42,000 homes. Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit claytonhomes.com.

About Made

Made is a creative, strategic and technology consultancy headquartered in Boulder. Made's clients include: Clayton Homes, Under Armour, Harley Davidson, Club Car, TaxAct, Firefox, GSV Advisors and Bright Health, among others. Made was founded in 2012 by Crispin Porter + Bogusky executives Dave Schiff (CCO), Graham Furlong (President and CSO), Scott Prindle (CTO) and John Kieselhorst (CDO). For more information, visit mademovement.com.

SOURCE Clayton
DENVER, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Computronix is pleased to announce the launch of the POSSE ePlans module  a comprehensive solution for managing all aspects of the electronic plan review and markup process. This new module is fully integrated within the award-winning POSSE software suite, and offers a level of seamless interworking between the plan review process and the plan markup tool, providing a cutting-edge solution that is completely unique in the market.

Posse logo

Plan reviewers as well as citizens will be able to file, view, review, and correct plans more efficiently and effectively. Some of the industry-leading tools and features that agencies will be able to make use of after implementing POSSE ePlans include:

Plan Reviewer Tools

Reviewing plans is easier than ever with the industry-leading Brava! viewer, which is at the core of the POSSE ePlans module. It enables reviews, markups, and plan comparisons, all within POSSE. This means that it's unnecessary to launch a separate application to use ePlans, and any comments or edits made are automatically associated with the related POSSE workflow, allowing them to be easily referenced and reported against.

Markups and corrections are easy to add using a variety of annotation and drawing tools, such as text, images, shapes, and freehand sketching. It is also easy to view, copy, and compare the markups to previous versions with side by side and overlay comparisons, which allow for comprehensive review of changes between plan versions. POSSE ePlans even supports parallel reviews, so multiple people can review the same document at the same time, without worrying about any overlap or loss of data.

Citizen Tools

The ePlans module also includes a number of features that will empower and inform builders, contractors, and other citizens involved in the planning process. Citizens will have the ability to upload document revisions at key points in the review cycle. These revised documents will be automatically categorized as new versions

In real time, applicants can view the changes that the reviewer has required, and corrections can be responded to online. As well, all customer uploaded documents can be viewed in a clearly organized system, and marked up documents can be downloaded to view revisions.

"We assembled a stakeholder group of plan reviewers to work with us in developing the POSSE ePlans solution," said Jim den Otter, Computronix CTO. "Through their feedback, and by incorporating the industry-leading Brava! review tool, we have created an integrated plan review solution unlike anything else available on the market today."

Established in 1979, Computronix has consistently provided outstanding solutions to its customers, proving its role as the North American expert in innovative regulatory and e-government software solutions. To date, POSSE government customers have won more than 15 national and international awards for business transformation and improved customer and public service. www.computronix.com

Media Contact:

Scott Meeberg

[email protected]

780-454-3700

SOURCE Computronix

Related Links

http://www.computronix.com


Exchange vows in an enchanting woodland locale. One of the country's most famous parks, Manuel Antonio, has dense rainforest vegetation that spills onto immaculate surrounding beachesoffering a refreshing milieu to the lush maze of the rainforest. A perfect spot for a timeless ceremony, Manuel Antonio offers many dreamy opportunities for your big day. Take inspiration from Mother Nature and commit to your soulmate under an elegant altar made of unique orchids not seen anywhere else in the world. Afterwards, host a luxe rustic outdoor reception under the stars. In addition, couples and their guests get access to the park's scenic trails, bubbling volcanic mud pools and more. Beyond the main event, itineraries can include a multitude of outdoor activities for the wedding party, which will not only make your festivities interactive, but also provide you and your invitees with a truly remarkable shared experience that will stay with you forever.

Say 'I do' with sand between your toes. Couples in search of an epic beach site for their special day will find themselves and their guests captivated by Costa Rica's seaside splendor. With close to 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) of immaculate coastline, Costa Rica is home to a stunning selection of world-renowned beaches. The combination of breathtaking white-sand, sweeping mountain views and an ideal tropical climate makes Guanacaste one of Costa Rica's most popular regions. Located in the northwestern corner of Costa Rica, the region presents a diverse geography and stunning sunset views. The neighboring beach towns offer a wide variety of water sports, excursions and restaurant optionsplenty of activities for visitors to enjoy pre and post nuptial celebrations. Beyond the wedding day, couples and guests can kick-off festivities with a fun surf lesson, enjoy a rehearsal dinner on a catamaran tour and bond while discovering the craters of an active volcano at Rincon de la Vieja National Park.

Begin your journey off the beaten path. Also on the Pacific coast is the Papagayo Peninsulaalmost 5,000 acres of remarkable land that includes tropical dry forests and several untouched beaches, which are perfect for glamping with your wedding crew. Tie the knot in a distinctive fashion. Lavish tents that hold up to fifteen guests and include many luxury amenities are available at very reasonable rates year-round.

Go green beyond the greenery. Costa Rica is a leader in sustainable tourism and established the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) to protect and preserve its natural resources. Newlyweds, who want to draw from the Pura Vida vibe, can incorporate the nature theme further by choosing CST-certified venues, working with local planning experts and accepting donations on behalf of a local organizationin lieu of wedding gifts.

Hottest new wedding trend: shared cultural experiences. Destination weddings are an exceptional way for couples to ensure their special day is inimitable. In the idyllic Costa Rica, loved ones can truly unplug and connect with nature and one another. With a variety of adventure, culinary and cultural activities, Costa Rica provides plenty for wedding parties to experience something new and delightful together. Whether your group is participating in a pre-ceremony yoga class, visiting an art museum or zip lining through the trees post-reception, Costa Rica is a distinct destination with something to please everyone.

If your dream is to take a page out of nature and get hitched in the wild, Costa Rica's varied outdoor possibilities will give you the charming wedding you've always wanted.

For more information on Costa Rica, visit www.visitcostarica.com

About Costa Rica

Nestled between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica offers visitors an abundance of unique wildlife, landscapes and climates -- meaning a trip to this Central American country is anything but run-of-the-mill. The country proudly shelters approximately five percent of the known biodiversity in the world and has become a global leader in sustainable practices. Visitors to Costa Rica enjoy a highly organized tourism infrastructure offering a broad terrain of activities and accommodations.

About Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)

Established in 1955, the Costa Rica Tourism Board (the ICT), alongside its partners in the private sector, spearheads the vital task of regulating and promoting Costa Rica's extensive tourism offerings.

SOURCE Costa Rica Tourism Board
ATLANTA, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CryoLife, Inc. (NYSE: CRY), a leading medical device and tissue processing company focused on cardiac surgery, announced today that 2017 second quarter financial results will be released on Monday, July 24, 2017 after the market closes. On Tuesday, July 25, 2017 the Company will hold a teleconference call and live webcast at 8:00 a.m. ET to discuss the results, followed by a question and answer session hosted by Pat Mackin, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of CryoLife, Inc.

To listen to the live teleconference, please dial 201-689-8261 a few minutes prior to 8:00 a.m. A replay of the teleconference will be available July 25 through July 31 and can be accessed by calling (toll free) 877-660-6853 or 201-612-7415. The conference number for the replay is 13665887.

The live webcast and replay can be accessed by going to the Investor Relations section of the CryoLife website at www.cryolife.com and selecting the heading Webcasts & Presentations. In addition, a copy of the earnings press release, which will contain financial and statistical information for the completed quarter, can be accessed on the Investor Relations section of the CryoLife website.

About CryoLife, Inc.

Headquartered in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, CryoLife is a leader in the manufacturing, processing, and distribution of implantable tissues and medical devices used in cardiac surgical procedures. CryoLife markets and sells products in more than 80 countries worldwide. For additional information about CryoLife, visit our website, www.cryolife.com.

Contacts:

CryoLife D. Ashley Lee Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer Phone: 770-419-3355 The Ruth Group Zack Kubow 646-536-7020 [email protected]

SOURCE CryoLife, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cryolife.com


FALLS CHURCH, Va., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CSRA Inc. (NYSE:CSRA) announced today that it will host a conference call to educate the investment community and government IT professionals on the state of cloud technology within the U.S. federal government. Federal practice leaders from Microsoft Azure and ServiceNow will join CSRA Chief Technology Officer Yogesh Khanna on the conference call beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Monday, July 17, 2017.

The conference call will be webcast to the public through a link on the Investor Relations section of the CSRA website. Analysts and institutional investors may participate in the conference call by dialing 1-877-883-0383 (domestic) or 1-412-902-6506 (international) and entering passcode 0762702. A replay of the conference call will be available on the company website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call.

About CSRA Inc.

CSRA (NYSE: CSRA) solves our nation's hardest mission problems as a bridge from mission and enterprise IT to Next Gen, from government to technology partners, and from agency to agency. CSRA is tomorrow's thinking, today. For our customers, our partners, and ultimately, all the people our mission touches, CSRA is realizing the promise of technology to change the world through next-generation thinking and meaningful results. CSRA is driving towards achieving sustainable, industry-leading organic growth across federal and state/local markets through customer intimacy, rapid innovation and outcome-based experience. CSRA has over 18,000 employees and is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia. To learn more about CSRA, visit www.csra.com. Think Next. Now.

Forward-looking Statements

All statements in this press release and in all future press releases that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements represent CSRA's intentions, plans, expectations and beliefs. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of CSRA. These factors could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements. For a written description of these factors, see the sections titled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in CSRA's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any updating information in subsequent SEC filings. CSRA disclaims any intention or obligation to update these forward-looking statements whether as a result of subsequent event or otherwise.

SOURCE CSRA Inc.

Related Links

http://www.sra.com


BUFFALO, N.Y., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, reality star, Rob Kardashian's ex-girlfriend, Blac Chyna, accused him of posting explicit images of her on social media, shedding light on the growing practice of revenge porn and sextortion.

This is NOT your online girlfriend. Scammers will use pictures similar to this to fake an identity and lure targets into online relationships.

"Revenge porn cases are typically initiated by a jilted partner after an intimate relationship ends," says Terry Evans, president of Cybersleuth Investigations Inc., a Buffalo, New York-based firm that helps victims of Internet scams. "Sextortion, on the other hand, is a form of blackmail, where criminals target victims online, engage them in a 'relationship' and then coerce them into sending explicit images."

These images are then used to extort either money or sexual favors from their targets. Since victims rarely know the true identity of the online predator, sextortion cases are often harder to prosecute than those of revenge porn.

"Revenge porn is a crime of passion, anger or jealousy," Evans says. "It typically involves a perpetrator who has a connection with the victim and is seeking to embarrass or humiliate them. In contrast, sextortion is a crime of opportunity with a focus on profit."

To successfully prosecute either a revenge porn or sextortion case, Evans notes there needs to be a reported or discovered crime, a known victim and perpetrator, and jurisdiction.

"Revenge porn usually has these elements and legislation can be quite effective," Evans says. "In sextortion cases, perpetrators target their victims on social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and hide behind fake photos and fictitious identities."

The anonymity used by perpetrators in sextortion cases makes it easy for them to hide in cyberspace, and harder for their true identity to be discovered.

"In addition, sextortion victims are often ashamed to come forward and report the crime. Some would rather die, and often do commit suicide, rather than being publicly exposed," Evans says.

Currently, 38 states have revenge porn laws and three states (Arkansas, Utah and California have sextortion laws). Last month, the Online Safety Modernization Act, a bill that aims to combat sextortion and other online crimes, was introduced to Congress by Congresswoman Katherine Clark (MA-5), Congresswoman Susan Brooks (IN-5), and Congressman Patrick Meehan (PA-7).

While Evans is hopeful that one day it will be easier to prosecute crimes such as sextortion, he hopes to assist both potential victims, and those who have been scammed, in the interim.

"I work with both men and women to validate the identity of the person they are talking to online early in the relationship in order to avoid being scammed," Evans says. "Even if a client is faced with sextortion, I assist them in identifying their predator, and reporting the crime, rather than facing continued harassment and blackmail."

Evans is available to help victims of online scams and to serve as an expert media source on topics including sextortion, revenge porn, cyberbullying, dating scams and other cybercrime topics. To arrange an interview, call 857-302-5245. For more information, visit cybersleuthinvestigations.com.

SOURCE Cybersleuth Investigations, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cybersleuthinvestigations.com


GILLINGHAM, England, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Delphi Automotive PLC (NYSE: DLPH) will release its second quarter 2017 financial results on Aug. 2 and will hold an investor call the same day at 9 a.m. (ET). The call will be hosted by Delphi's President and Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Clark and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Joseph Massaro.

A link to the live webcast of the call and presentation materials will be available on the Delphi Investor Relations website at http://investor.delphi.com/. A replay will be available two hours following the conference call.

To participate by telephone, please dial 888.486.0553 (U.S.) or 1.706.634.4982 (international) 15 minutes prior to the start time of the call and ask to be connected to the Delphi Automotive conference call. The conference ID number is 54160666.

About Delphi

Delphi Automotive PLC is a high-technology company that integrates safer, greener and more connected solutions for the automotive and transportation sectors. Headquartered in Gillingham, U.K., Delphi operates technical centers, manufacturing sites and customer support services in 46 countries. Visit delphi.com.

SOURCE Delphi Automotive PLC

Related Links

http://www.delphi.com


DETROIT, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A $345,000 grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation will be used by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy to fund a design competition that will help transform West Riverfront Park into a world-class gathering place for Detroiters and visitors alike.

"We're thrilled to receive this grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation," said Matt Cullen, chair of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy Board of Directors. "It will allow us to reach out to some of the world's most talented designers and work with them to create an iconic new destination in Detroit."

"An internationally-acclaimed design for West Riverfront Park will allow our region to dream big," said David Egner, president & CEO, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. "As a possible regional anchor, this project has the potential to improve the quality of life for residents, inspire further investment and help tie communities together, providing access for Southeast Michigan to more green space and recreation."

West Riverfront Park is a 22-acre site located between Rosa Parks Boulevard and Eighth Street along the Detroit Riverfront. For nearly 100 years, the site was privately owned and closed to the public until the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy purchased the property and opened the park in 2014. Since then, the park has become a popular destination for people to enjoy the outdoors and striking views of the Detroit and the Windsor skylines. The park has also been the site of several large-scale concerts.

Requests for qualifications have been sent to more than 80 design firms throughout the world, including several from Metro Detroit, and are due back to the Conservancy July 19. A national jury comprising representatives from the Conservancy, the City of Detroit and local and national architectural design and planning experts will review the submissions.

Eight teams will advance for interviews that will be open to the general public on August 8 & 9. Following the interviews, five semifinalist teams will receive a $30,000 stipend to develop and complete design concepts. The plans will be completed over a 10-week period, with a public exhibition on November 14 & 15. The Conservancy will then engage the two top finalists before announcing the winning concept in late November.

The Conservancy looks forward to receiving input from the general public in the firm submission and design process, much like it did in 2016 when it hosted a series of meetings designed to give people the opportunity to learn about and comment on the plans for the East Riverfront District.

"West Riverfront Park will have a profound impact on local residents and visitors for generations," said Mark Wallace, president and CEO of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy. "We have a legacy of asking people what they want to see along their riverfront. By engaging our community in the process, we can transform the regional narrative about the City of Detroit and provide people with a destination that they will embrace."

The grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is the latest in its "Healthy Communities" focus area that seeks to improve community access to public spaces, and connect those spaces geographically with other areas of funding.

In addition to the support received from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation for the design competition, riverfront planning is made possible by the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, FORD/UAW, the City of Detroit, Hudson Webber Foundation, the Knight Foundation, the Kresge Foundation and the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.

About the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy

The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 with the mission to develop public access to Detroit's riverfront and serve as an anchor for economic development. As the permanent stewards of the RiverWalk and the Dequindre Cut, the Conservancy is responsible for raising the funds needed for construction, operation, maintenance, security and programming of the public spaces located along the riverfront. The Conservancy's ultimate vision is to develop five-and-a-half miles of riverfront from the Ambassador Bridge on the west to Gabriel Richard Park, just east of the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle. Visit www.detroitriverfront.org for more information.

About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.'s devotion to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson requested that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the foundation that bears his name. The foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson's desire for the foundation's impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable, and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information, visit www.rcwjrf.org.

SOURCE Detroit RiverFront Conservancy
Shares Issued and Outstanding: 54,659,623

TSXV:DMI

OTCQX:DMIFF

2,900.62 carats sold for USD$ 810,106.26 in tender completed in April 2017

in tender completed in 3,265.07 carats sold for USD$ 702,635.70 in tender completed in May 2017

in tender completed in 2,153.13 carats sold for USD$ 338,380.59 in tender completed in June 2017

in tender completed in 8,318.82 carats sold for USD$ 1,851,122.55 ( USD$222.52 avg/ct) in fiscal Q1

KELOWNA, BC, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Diamcor Mining Inc, (the "Company") announces the results of the rough diamonds tendered and sold in the Company's first fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2017. The rough diamonds recovered, tendered, and sold during the period were from the processing of material being completed as part of the testing, commissioning, and calibration work underway on the newly expanded facilities at the Company's Krone-Endora at Venetia project in South Africa (the "Project").

On April 10, 2017, the Company announced an initial tender and sale of 2,900.62 carats of rough diamonds for gross proceeds of USD $810,106.26, resulting in an average price of USD $279.29 per carat. In a second tender and sale completed in May 2017, the Company sold 3,265.07 carats of rough diamonds for gross proceeds of USD $702,635.70, resulting in an average price of USD $215.20 per carat. In a third and final tender and sale for the quarter completed in June 2017, the Company sold 2,153.13 carats of rough diamonds for gross proceeds of USD $338,380.59, resulting in an average price of USD $157.16 per carat. This brings the total rough diamonds tendered and sold from the initial processing of material through the newly upgraded and expanded facilities for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 to 8,318.82 carats, generating gross proceeds of USD $1,851,122.55, and resulting in an average price of USD $222.52 per carat.

The first fiscal quarter rough diamond tender and sales of 8,318.82 carats represents a ~38% decrease when compared to the 13,384.72 carats tendered and sold in the Company's first fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2016. The reduction was due to limited processing completed as compared to the same period during the prior fiscal year given the testing, commissioning, and calibration work being undertaken in the current year's period. However, despite the 38% decrease in total carats sold during the current fiscal quarter, the Company achieved gross revenues of USD $1,851,122.55, only a 3% decrease when compared to revenues of USD $1,905,978.44, realized during the same period in the prior fiscal year. The average dollar per carat of USD $222.52, from the processing of material in the +1.0mm to -45mm size fractions through the Project's newly expanded facilities in the first fiscal quarter, represents a 56% increase as compared to an average dollar per carat of USD $142.40, for the same period in the previous fiscal year when the facilities processed only materials in the +1.0mm to -26mm size fractions. Rough diamonds delivered, tendered and sold in the current period were the result of rough diamonds recovered prior to May 25, 2017. Rough diamonds recovered after May 25 and until June 30, 2017 will be recorded as rough diamond inventory on-hand for the first fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2017.

Operational Update

The testing, commissioning and calibration of the newly expanded facilities at the Project continued to progress as planned during the quarter, and overall increases in processing volumes and reliability are expected moving forward. The crushing and treatment of material up to 45.0mm, and the processing of larger material through a modified and refined ultra-course large diamond recovery circuit is also now operational and expected to increase throughput capacity in this area as well moving forward. The Project's expanded sorting facilities continue to operate as planned with no major issues to report in that area. The Company previously reported that efforts were underway to reduce the total quantity of fines in material being delivered to the Main Treatment Plant through the addition of a high-frequency screening unit at the Project's In-field Dry Screening Plant. This equipment is aimed at not only enhancing the quality and pre-concentration of the material being delivered to the Main Treatment Plant, but also is expected to provide additional savings in water consumption and increased processing capacities. All operational items associated with this upgrade have now been completed and incorporated into the processing.

The combined testing, commissioning, and calibration exercises currently underway are designed to support the continued advancement of objectives consistent with the recommendations of the updated NI 43-101 Technical Report ("Updated Technical Report") filed by the Company on April 28, 2015, and to aid the Company in arriving at initial production decisions for the Project. The recovery of all rough diamonds to date are incidental to the ongoing commissioning and testing exercises performed at the Project. The above-noted testing exercises and incidental recoveries do not form part of the Updated Technical Report and therefore no general grade, price, or quality determination is intended by the Company at this time due to the nature and purpose of the processing of this material.

About Diamcor Mining Inc.

Diamcor Mining Inc. is a fully reporting publically traded junior diamond mining company which is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol V.DMI, and on the OTC QX International under the symbol DMIFF. The Company has a well-established operational and production history in South Africa and extensive prior experience supplying rough diamonds to the world market.

About the Tiffany & Co. Alliance

The Company has established a long-term strategic alliance and first right of refusal with Tiffany & Co. Canada, a subsidiary of world famous New York based Tiffany & Co., to purchase up to 100% of the future production of rough diamonds from the Krone-Endora at Venetia Project at then current prices to be determined by the parties on an ongoing basis. In conjunction with this first right of refusal, Tiffany & Co. Canada also provided the Company with financing to advance the Project. Tiffany & Co. is a publically traded company which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TIF. For additional information on Tiffany & Co., please visit their website at www.tiffany.com.

About Krone-Endora at Venetia

In February 2011, Diamcor acquired the Krone-Endora at Venetia Project from De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited, consisting of the prospecting rights over the farms Krone 104 and Endora 66, which represent a combined surface area of approximately 5,888 hectares directly adjacent to De Beers' flagship Venetia Diamond Mine in South Africa. On September 11, 2014, the Company announced that the South African Department of Mineral Resources had granted a Mining Right for the Krone-Endora at Venetia Project encompassing 657.71 hectares of the Project's total area of 5,888 hectares. The Company has also submitted an application for a mining right over the remaining areas of the Project. The deposits which occur on the properties of Krone and Endora have been identified as a higher-grade "Alluvial" basal deposit which is covered by a lower-grade upper "Eluvial" deposit. The deposits are proposed to be the result of the direct-shift (in respect to the "Eluvial" deposit) and erosion (in respect to the "Alluvial" deposit) of material from the higher grounds of the adjacent Venetia Kimberlite areas. The deposits on Krone-Endora occur in two layers with an average total depth of less than 15.0 metres from surface to bedrock, allowing for a very low-cost mining operation to be employed with the potential for near-term diamond production from a known high-quality source. Krone-Endora also benefits from the significant development of infrastructure and services already in place due to its location directly adjacent to the Venetia Mine.

Qualified Person Statement:

Mr. James P. Hawkins (B.Sc., P.Geo.), is Manager of Exploration & Special Projects for Diamcor Mining Inc., and the Qualified Person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 responsible for overseeing the execution of Diamcor's exploration programmes and a Member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta ("APEGA"). Mr. Hawkins has reviewed this press release and approved of its contents.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Mr. Dean H. Taylor

President & CEO

Diamcor Mining Inc.

[email protected]

www.diamcormining.com

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. While these forward-looking statements represent our best current judgement, they are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict and which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Further, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

WE SEEK SAFE HARBOUR

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.

SOURCE Diamcor Mining Inc.

Related Links

http://www.diamcormining.com


HERNDON, Va., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EagleForce Health, LLC, a leading provider of big data interoperability and advanced analytics, announced today that Ms. Aisling Fallon has joined the firm to lead its Risk Management Practice. This practice is designed to extend the understandings and impact of Anti-Kickback Act violations to corporate Boards of Directors, C- Suite Executives and Legal-Regulatory compliance officers. Ms. Fallon comes to EagleForce with a wealth of experience in risk modeling and compliance from Goldman Sachs where she provided essential risk management and controls to Securities and Credit Derivatives.

Additionally, her responsibilities at Goldman Sachs included preserving and enhancing the firm's assets and reputation. This experience will serve to enhance the governance and accountability within the Pharmaceutical marketplace. "Ms. Fallon's expertise will help to significantly enhance the clarity, transparency and accountability within the publicly traded Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, PBM & Pharmacy Service corporations," says Tom O'Grady, a senior corporate transaction attorney.

Ms. Fallon will employ advanced AI tools of EagleForce to model the financial risk within the industry, while also serving to convey this overarching risk to the individual corporation on a Brand Medication by Brand Medication basis. "The senior leadership within the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing sector will gain greater insights on the risk and impact of these regulatory directives from the prospective of Investors and Financial Regulators," said EagleForce Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Campbell. "Ms. Fallon's work will affect business units, divisions and other firm-wide stakeholders while serving to optimize compliance within the nation's regulatory framework."

Ms. Fallon's expertise in risk modeling and forecasting will continue to extend EagleForce Health's success in providing advanced analytics and business services to many of the top medical and pharmaceutical companies in the United States. Ms. Fallon comments: "I am excited to start this new challenge within EagleForce Health and am fortunate to be joining such a respected company that prides itself on quality service to the health community which is designed to affect all Americans."

About EagleForce Health, LLC

EagleForce Health is an Advanced Analytics Company that established its pedigree in the Defense and Intelligence sector of the government solving some of the country's biggest challenges. The Company has many patents in the area of eligibility and predictive analytics which it employs in solving some of healthcare's most difficult problems with respect to disparate data interoperability by utilizing artificial intelligence, neural computing and enhanced data modeling. For more information, please contact us or visit our website:

www.TheEagleForce.net

SOURCE EagleForce Health, LLC

Related Links

http://www.theeagleforce.net


CHICAGO, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Easterseals today announced it has received $200,000 in grants from the Comcast Foundation as part of the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund. Established in 2011, the fund supports technology programs and services that benefit children and adults, including veterans living with developmental disabilities. Assistive technologies can vary from braille-equipped handheld computer systems and voice command telephones, to height adjusted tables and augmentative communication systems  all helping individuals with disabilities to lead independent, productive lives by overcoming barriers in the home, on the job, at school or on the go.

Six Easterseals affiliates, and Easterseals' headquarters, are among the recipients selected by the Comcast Foundation through a competitive process. The chosen affiliates excel in programs that help with assessment, training and ongoing support for individuals with a disability. Services are designed to meet an individual's assistive technology needs throughout his or her lifetime.

"We thank Comcast NBCUniversal for its continued investment in assistive technology solutions that support children and adults with disabilities who want to be more actively involved in school, in the workplace and with their families," said Easterseals Executive Vice President Katy Beh Neas. "With its commitment to designing products that are accessible for everyone, Comcast NBCUniversal is a natural partner in helping Easterseals advance its support of people with disabilities."

"Technology can be a great equalizer and significantly improve the lives of people with disabilities," said Fred Maahs, Vice President of the Comcast Foundation. "We are proud to support Easterseals and its mission to help children and adults to gain more independence to live, learn, work and play in their communities."

Easterseals has allocated $80,000 in grant funds to develop a Public Service Announcement and support Make the First Five Count, a free online developmental screening tool for parents and caregivers of children aged newborn to 5 years old designed to help ensure they are meeting developmental milestones. In addition, the remaining $120,000 in grant funds will be split equally across six Easterseals affiliates to support assistive technology programs as outlined below:

Easterseals Colorado will soon celebrate the ribbon-cutting for its newly acquired two-story technology service center in Lakewood . There, Easterseals clients will be able to use hands-on assistive technology and access support services to build independence, self-reliance, and life skills with the goal of reducing barriers to employment. Additionally, Easterseals Colorado will advance its job coaching program with veterans  a one-on-one mentorship designed to not only secure employment, but work alongside clients to provide "on the job" coaching.





will soon celebrate the ribbon-cutting for its newly acquired two-story technology service center in . There, Easterseals clients will be able to use hands-on assistive technology and access support services to build independence, self-reliance, and life skills with the goal of reducing barriers to employment. Additionally, Easterseals Colorado will advance its job coaching program with veterans  a one-on-one mentorship designed to not only secure employment, but work alongside clients to provide "on the job" coaching. Easterseals Crossroads in Indianapolis is collaborating with the Rehabilitation Center of Indiana on its Brain Injury Technology Education and Support Program to run a support group for people with traumatic brain injuries. Members of the group have access to state-of-the-art equipment and assistive technology, along with expert guidance to help them navigate the cognitive challenges they experience.





is collaborating with the Rehabilitation Center of on its Brain Injury Technology Education and Support Program to run a support group for people with traumatic brain injuries. Members of the group have access to state-of-the-art equipment and assistive technology, along with expert guidance to help them navigate the cognitive challenges they experience. Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley in Illinois will expand its Augmentative and Alternative Communication Connections Peer Mentoring Program for children and teens who have verbal communication challenges and use augmentative devices to make their voices heard. Group members are mentored by those who use the same devices to communicate with the goal of building skills and self-confidence.





will expand its Augmentative and Alternative Communication Connections Peer Mentoring Program for children and teens who have verbal communication challenges and use augmentative devices to make their voices heard. Group members are mentored by those who use the same devices to communicate with the goal of building skills and self-confidence. Easterseals serving Washington, D.C. , Maryland and the Virginia area will offer assistive technology to at least a dozen young children who go to Easterseals child development centers to grow their communication and mobility skills with the goal of participating more fully in class, at home and in their communities.





area will offer assistive technology to at least a dozen young children who go to Easterseals child development centers to grow their communication and mobility skills with the goal of participating more fully in class, at home and in their communities. Easterseals Massachusetts will launch an Assistive Technology On Demand pilot program for people with disabilities who do not otherwise qualify for assistive technology services. Through the program, people can get a variety of assistive technology products on loan. Equipment will also be available to skilled nursing facilities and acute care hospitals on loan. These facilities are responsible for providing all assistive technology to in-house patients and often face difficult financial decisions between client care costs and technology costs.





will launch an pilot program for people with disabilities who do not otherwise qualify for assistive technology services. Through the program, people can get a variety of assistive technology products on loan. Equipment will also be available to skilled nursing facilities and acute care hospitals on loan. These facilities are responsible for providing all assistive technology to in-house patients and often face difficult financial decisions between client care costs and technology costs. Easterseals Washington will build a new Technology Achievement Center for people with disabilities in its Adult Day Center in Bellevue . The center will serve young adults with autism, seniors with dementia and other disabilities related to aging, and adults of any age with mobility or sensory issues. With heightened expectations of adult day centers to develop educational and vocational goals that help individuals achieve greater independence, the new Technology Achievement Center will impact the lives of nearly 100 people with disabilities at its Bellevue center. The ultimate goal is to replicate the program in other adult day programs throughout the state, specifically in Des Moines and Bremerton, to more than double the number of people with disabilities impacted.

Since 2011, the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund has empowered nearly 50,000 Americans living with disabilities by providing expanded assistive technology training and services. The grants have helped people like Tanya, an unemployed veteran who became homeless when she was evicted from her rented room. With the help of Easterseals Colorado and its Employment Training Center for People with Disabilities and Veterans funded by Comcast, Tanya built a resume, improved her interviewing skills and got a job as an HVAC Tech at the local VA hospital. Easterseals also helped her transition from temporary shelter into her own apartment -- setting up a kitchen item drive to fill her cupboards. Now, Tanya can simply enjoy her new apartment and focus on her new job  knowing she has the skills and support she needs to continue to move forward.

To date, Comcast NBCUniversal has provided more than $25 million in cash and in-kind support to help with Easterseals' assistive technology efforts.

About Easterseals

For nearly 100 years, Easterseals has been the indispensable resource for people and families facing disability. Through the work we do in communities across America, Easterseals is changing the way the world defines and views disability by making positive, profound differences in people's lives every day. For more information visit www.easterseals.com

SOURCE Easterseals

Related Links

http://www.easterseals.com


TSX: ELDNYSE: EGO

VANCOUVER, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Eldorado Gold Corporation (the "Company" or Eldorado") (TSX: ELD, NYSE: EGO) is pleased to announce the successful completion of the plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") involving Integra Gold Corp. ("Integra") (TSXV: ICG) originally announced on May 15, 2017. The Arrangement was approved by the shareholders of Integra at its special meeting on July 4, 2017 and received approval from the Supreme Court of British Columbia on July 7, 2017.

Pursuant to the Arrangement, Integra shareholders will collectively receive, for all the issued common shares of Integra that Eldorado did not already own, approximately CAD$129 million cash and 77 million common shares of Eldorado (representing approximately 10% of the total issued common shares of Eldorado, post-completion of the Arrangement).

Integra will continue as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eldorado and Integra common shares will be delisted from the TSXV as soon as practicable.

Eldorado's President and CEO, George Burns, commented, "This is a very important transaction for Eldorado and we are pleased with the votes of support from Integra shareholders. Eldorado is looking forward to expanding our growing business to Canada. Our experience in building and operating mines, combined with the experience from our new team in Quebec, will enhance our long-term growth profile and value proposition for all stakeholders."

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).

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

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 completed Arrangement.

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; 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
LONDON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EMI Shielding is done to prevent other nearby electronics devices from getting damaged due to the radiations such as EMI radiations that are emitted by electronic devices on a large scale. These emissions can alter the functioning of other devise as well as harm the user if the radiations are of higher intensity. There have been large number of developments in EMI Shielding Materials ever since they are been used.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4743082/



In the recent times, the use of better electronic devices has increased as compared to earlier times and hence there is an increase in the demand for materials that are being used for the purpose of EMI Shielding. The devices which are being used in the modern day technologies in fields such as defense, aerospace, telecommunications and automotive may result in high amount of EMI radiations which would in turn lead to the disturbance or destruction of the other devices. This provides a major opportunity for the market of EMI Shielding Materials to develop in the future as well. Asia Pacific and North America are the largest regions for the market of EMI Shielding Materials and are expected to hold a strong position in the coming days as well



The market is expected to witness development at a constant rate and is expected to find applications in more fields as well due to the inclusion of better electronic devices which are prone to high emission of EMI radiations. The market players operating are expected to increase in the later days which would provide a boost to the market of EMI Shielding Materials.



Global EMI Shielding Materials Market: Research Methodologies



The report estimates and forecasts the EMI Shielding materials market on the global and regional levels. The study provides forecast between 2016 and 2024 based on volume (million tons / kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Bn / US$ Mn) with 2015 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the 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 EMI Shielding materials 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 EMI Shielding materials 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. Furthermore, the report analyzes substitute analysis of EMI Shielding materials and global average price trend analysis.



The report includes Porter's Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the EMI Shielding materials market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users and regions 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 EMI Shielding materials between 2016 and 2024.



Global EMI Shielding Materials Market: Scope of the Study



The study provides a comprehensive view of the EMI Shielding materials market by dividing it into product, application and geography segments. The product have been segmented into material types such as conductive coatings, metals, conductive plastics, laminates and others. The applications are segmented defense, electronics, automotive, telecommunications, aerospace and medical. These segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends.



Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast consumption of EMI Shielding materials in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Market segmentation includes demand for consumption in all the regions individually.



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.



Global EMI Shielding Materials Market: Competitive Analysis



In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players' product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis team's expertise and market understanding.



The 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 include 3M, Parker Hannifin Corp, HEICO Corporation, Laird, Kitagawa Industries Co., Ltd., SAS Industries, Inc. and Marktek Inc. and Others. 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).



The global EMI Shielding materials market has been segmented as follows:



EMI Shielding Materials Market  Material Analysis



Conductive Coatings

Metals

Conductive Plastics

Laminates

Others



EMI Shielding Materials Market  Application Analysis



Defense

Electronics

Automotive

Telecommunications

Aerospace

Medical



EMI Shielding Materials Market  Regional Analysis



North America

U.S.

Rest of North America

Europe

U.K.

France

Spain

Italy

Germany

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

ASEAN

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

GCC

South Africa

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4743082/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

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ROCKVILLE, Md., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT), a national leader in the retail real estate industry, has been named a winner in three categories of the distinguished Alliance for Workplace Excellence Awards, an event that recognizes employers for their exemplary commitment to building excellent places to work throughout the United States.

For the 10th consecutive year, the Trust was a recipient of the Workplace Excellence Seal of Approval Award and the Health & Wellness Seal of Approval Award; and for the 7th consecutive year, a recipient of the AWE EcoLeadership Award.

Federal Realty was among the 54 award-winning companies that underwent a rigorous assessment process led by an independent review panel of business professional and master's and Ph.D. level students in the fields of business, industrial and organizational psychology, human resources, environmental science, public health and diversity and inclusion.

"At Federal Realty, we firmly believe that no matter how great our real estate assets are and how well-thought-out our business strategy is, if you don't have the hearts of the people who work for you, none of it comes to life," said Laura Houser, Director of Human Resources at Federal Realty. "That's why we put great focus on building a work environment that makes our employees feel valued, supported and engaged. And it is an honor to be recognized for it."

Among the benefits and programs offered at Federal Realty, employees enjoy free breakfast one day per week; free and ample parking; proximity to retail, bank and public transportation; quarterly meetings led by the CEO; fundraising opportunities; an employee stock purchase program; structured learning and development curricula; and incentive programs, including tuition reimbursement. There is also an active employee engagement committee focused on identifying opportunities and programs to drive higher levels of employee engagement, boost innovation and foster passion throughout the organization.

About Federal Realty

Federal Realty is a recognized leader in the ownership, operation and redevelopment of high-quality retail based properties located primarily in major coastal markets from Washington, D.C. to Boston as well as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Founded in 1962, our mission is to deliver long term, sustainable growth through investing in densely populated, affluent communities where retail demand exceeds supply. Our expertise includes creating urban, mixed-use neighborhoods like Santana Row in San Jose, California, Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland and Assembly Row in Somerville, Massachusetts. These unique and vibrant environments that combine shopping, dining, living and working provide a destination experience valued by their respective communities. Federal Realty's 98 properties include over 2,800 tenants, in approximately 23 million square feet, and over 1,800 residential units.

Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 49 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For additional information about Federal Realty and its properties, visit www.FederalRealty.com.

About AWE

The Alliance for Workplace Excellence (AWE) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1999 by Montgomery County, MD and Discovery Communications. Over the past 17 years, AWE has been dedicated to empowering employers to build excellence in the workplace as a means of supporting the quality of life for employees, their families, and the community at-large. AWE is dedicated to increasing the number of excellent workplaces within the business community through education and recognition, as a means to enhance the quality of life of its citizens and empower economic growth. For more information, please visit www.excellentworkplace.org.

Investor Inquires: Media Inquiries: Leah Andress Andrea Simpson Investor Relations Associate Vice President, Marketing 301.998.8265 617.684.1511 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Federal Realty Investment Trust

Related Links

http://www.federalrealty.com


WESTCHESTER, Ill., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Four more stores in the Maine Community College System (MCCS) joined the Follett Corporation family of campus stores in June 2017. Follett now operates stores at Central Maine Community College in Auburn; Southern Maine Community College in South Portland; Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle; and Washington County Community College in Calais. They join the other three Maine community college stores currently operated by Follett: Eastern Community College in Bangor; Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield; and York County Community College in Wells.

The seven colleges within the MCCS serve some 30,000 individuals each year through their degree programs and workforce development initiatives. With these new campus partnerships, MCCS faculty and students will have access to Follett's expansive inventory of affordable course material choices. Cost-saving print options include used books as well as Follett's text rental program that delivers significant savings compared to purchasing new. Follett also offers a number of digital academic tools and programs that provide affordability and learning benefits, ranging from Instant Access to lower-priced digital course materials before the first day of class, and affordable open educational resources (OER) content and courseware by Lumen Learning. New store services also include Follett's year-round buyback and price match programs.

"We're proud to serve the entire Maine Community College System of students, faculty and staff, parents and alumni," said Clay Wahl, president of Follett Higher Education. "Follett's main focus is on enhancing the community college experience, so the MCCS community can expect our campus stores to deliver great products, promote affordable course material options and celebrate the unique spirit of each campus."

Beyond course materials, Follett will refresh general merchandise offerings to be a one-stop shop for class and campus life essentials. Customers can expect a custom merchandise assortment that reflects local interests as well as national trends in supplies, technology, clothing, gifts and more. Follett's products and services will be available in the store and online through eFollett.com - the leading online source for course materials and fan wear.

For more information regarding Follett's services, please visit www.follett.com.

About Maine Community College System

The MCCS is Maine's comprehensive two-year college system, offering technical, career, and transfer programs; customized training; and lifelong learning. The colleges offer nearly 300 program options ranging from business to health care and from trades and technologies to liberal studies.

About Central Maine Community College Campus Store | www.bkstr.com/cmccstore

The Central Maine Community College Campus Store is solely devoted to serving students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and the local Auburn community  offering products and services both in-store and online at eFollett.com. The store is located in Jalbert Hall at 1250 Turner Street, Auburn, ME 04210.

About Northern Maine Community College Campus Store | www.bkstr.com/nmccstore

The Northern Maine Community College Campus Store is solely devoted to serving students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and the local Presque Isle community  offering products and services both in-store and online at eFollett.com. The store is located in the Christie Complex at 33 Edgemont Drive, Presque Isle, ME 04769.

About Southern Maine Community College Campus Store | www.bkstr.com/smccmestore

The Southern Maine Community College Campus Store is solely devoted to serving students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and the local South Portland community  offering products and services both in-store and online at eFollett.com. The store is located in the Campus Center at 86 Fort Road, South Portland, ME 04106.

About Washington County Community College Campus Store | www.bkstr.com/wcccmestore

The Washington County Community College Campus Store is solely devoted to serving students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and the local Calais community  offering products and services both in-store and online at eFollett.com. The store is located in Riverview Hall at 1 College Drive, Calais, ME 04619.

About Follett Corporation | www.follett.com

Follett is a $3.4 billion privately held company headquartered in Westchester, Illinois. As a leading provider of education technology, services and physical and digital content, Follett works with 70,000 schools and operates more than 1,250 local campus stores and 1,600 virtual stores. With the 2016 acquisition of Baker & Taylor, LLC, Follett's reach also extends into the public library and global retail markets. For more information, visit www.follett.com. For more information on our partnership with Lumen Learning, visit www.follett.com/lumen.

SOURCE Follett Corporation

Related Links

http://www.follett.com


MONROE, La., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The states of Alaska, Colorado, New York and Pennsylvania recently approved CenturyLink, Inc.'s (NYSE: CTL) acquisition of Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT).

These four states join Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia in approving the acquisition. The merger has also received regulatory clearance from Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, Texas and Puerto Rico.

"More than 20 states and territories have now approved or cleared the CenturyLink - Level 3 merger," said CenturyLink Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations John F. Jones. "The combined company will have an extensive global network with a greater range of services that will meet customers' and communities' growing bandwidth and technology needs."

Announced Oct. 31, 2016, the merger should allow the combined company to offer enterprise and wholesale customers a broader and more complementary range of services and solutions, and position the combined company to enable the advanced technology and growing bandwidth needs of its customers, including small businesses, large businesses, large multinational enterprises and government entities.

The transaction is subject to the company receiving various regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The two companies continue to expect to receive the remaining state, federal and international approvals in time to complete the merger by Sept. 30, 2017.

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is a global communications and IT services company focused on connecting its customers to the power of the digital world. CenturyLink offers network and data systems management, big data analytics, managed security services, hosting, cloud, and IT consulting services. The company provides broadband, voice, video, advanced data and managed network services over a robust 265,000-route-mile U.S. fiber network and a 360,000-route-mile international transport network. Visit CenturyLink for more information.

Forward Looking Statements

Except for the historical and factual information contained herein, the matters set forth in this communication, including statements regarding the expected timing and benefits of the proposed transaction, such as efficiencies, cost savings, enhanced revenues, growth potential, market profile and financial strength, and the competitive ability and position of the combined company, and other statements identified by words such as "will," "estimates," "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "projects," "plans," "intends," "may," "should," "could," "seeks" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond our control. These forward-looking statements, and the assumptions upon which they are based, (i) are not guarantees of future results, (ii) are inherently speculative and (iii) are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied in those statements if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the ability of the parties to timely and successfully receive the required approvals for the combination from regulatory agencies free of conditions materially adverse to the parties; the possibility that the anticipated benefits from the proposed transaction cannot be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; the possibility that costs, difficulties or disruptions related to the integration of Level 3's operations with those of CenturyLink will be greater than expected; the ability of the combined company to retain and hire key personnel; the effects of competition from a wide variety of competitive providers, including lower demand for CenturyLink's legacy offerings; the effects of new, emerging or competing technologies, including those that could make the combined company's products less desirable or obsolete; the effects of ongoing changes in the regulation of the communications industry, including the outcome of regulatory or judicial proceedings relating to intercarrier compensation, interconnection obligations, access charges, universal service, broadband deployment, data protection and net neutrality; adverse changes in CenturyLink's or the combined company's access to credit markets on favorable terms, whether caused by changes in its financial position, lower debt credit ratings, unstable markets or otherwise; the combined company's ability to effectively adjust to changes in the communications industry, and changes in the composition of its markets and product mix; possible changes in the demand for, or pricing of, the combined company's products and services, including the combined company's ability to effectively respond to increased demand for high-speed broadband service; changes in the operating plans, capital allocation plans or corporate strategies of the combined company, whether based on changes in market conditions, changes in the cash flows or financial position of the combined company, or otherwise; the combined company's ability to successfully maintain the quality and profitability of its existing product and service offerings and to introduce new offerings on a timely and cost-effective basis; the adverse impact on the combined company's business and network from possible equipment failures, service outages, security breaches or similar events impacting its network; the combined company's ability to maintain favorable relations with key business partners, suppliers, vendors, landlords and financial institutions; the ability of the combined company to utilize net operating losses in amounts projected; changes in the future cash requirements of the combined company; and other risk factors and cautionary statements as detailed from time to time in each of CenturyLink's and Level 3's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Due to these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the proposed combination or any other transaction described above will in fact be completed in the manner described or at all. You should be aware that new factors may emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to identify all such factors nor can we predict the impact of each such factor on the proposed combination or the combined company. You should not place undue reliance on these forwardlooking statements, which speak only as of the date of this communication. Unless legally required, CenturyLink and Level 3 undertake no obligation and each expressly disclaim any such obligation, to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed events or otherwise.

Additional Information

In connection with the proposed combination, CenturyLink filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC (Registration Statement No. 333-215121) which was declared effective by the SEC on February 13, 2017. CenturyLink and Level 3 have filed a joint proxy statement/prospectus and will file other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction with the SEC. CenturyLink and Level 3 began mailing the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus to their respective security holders on or about February 13, 2017. The definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, dated as of February 13, 2017, contains important information about CenturyLink, Level 3, the proposed combination and related matters. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED COMBINATION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and security holders may obtain the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and the filings that are incorporated by reference in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about CenturyLink and Level 3, free of charge, at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders may also obtain these documents free of charge by directing a request to CenturyLink, 100 CenturyLink Drive, Monroe, Louisiana 71203, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or to Level 3, 1025 Eldorado Boulevard, Broomfield, Colorado 80021, Attention: Investor Relations.

SOURCE CenturyLink, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.centurylink.com


Commenting on the upcoming conference, Dipak Golechha, Excelligence's President noted, "SPLASH is a time for like-minded educators to collaborate, incubating new ideas and recharging for the upcoming school year. This year's conference is packed with sessions designed to present cutting-edge strategies and the latest research-based educational trends to enhance the classroom and improve student performance."

Keynote speakers for SPLASH 2017 include:

Jon Gordon, best-selling author and motivational speaker who has inspired readers and audiences around the world.

Dr. Becky Bailey, award-winning author, renowned teacher and internationally recognized expert in childhood education and developmental psychology.

Debbie Silver, speaker/author/humorist who brings heartfelt insight and trademark candor to audience members all over the world.

Dr. Marcia Tate, former executive director of professional development, classroom teacher, reading specialist, and language arts coordinator.

LaVonna Roth  creator & Founder of "Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E." challenges educators to find out how to ignite the S.H.I.N.E. in their students, others and self.

Ron Chase, Frog Street CEO added, "We're especially pleased to have such a distinguished panel of speakers lined up for what will be our most highly attended conference ever. In addition to these keynotes, over 40 other featured speakers will bring fresh new ideas and approaches to take back to the classroom and re-energize teaching." On this year's roster of speakers are many well-known and beloved experts in early childhood education, including Dr. Kenneth Wesson, Dr. Pam Schiller, Mary Jo Huff, Dr. Ray Reutzel, Dr. Mike Longoria, Cleo Rodriguez, Debbie Clement, Kim Adsit, Dan Romain, Jim Gill, Dr. Marianne Gibbs, and many more.

SPLASH kicks off Thursday, July 13 with a full day of Pre-Conference activities and in-depth training workshops, followed by the Opening Concert celebration. Two main General Sessions on Friday and Saturday include a host of entertainers and live performances, including MC Stephen Fite, Don Monopoli of the Learning Station, Shawn Brown of the Super Fun Show and more. A celebration dinner in the Gaylord's Grand Texas Ballroom on Friday evening features a five-star chef-inspired banquet meal, themed ballroom and table decor, the Chinatown Band, door prizes and more.

For more information on SPLASH, including the full list of presenters, session titles, content descriptions, and conference grid, visit frogstreet.com/SPLASH.

About Frog Street Press

Founded in 1989 by five kindergarten teachers, Frog Street Press has grown to be a leading provider of comprehensive early childhood education solutions for children of ages 0  5 years to public schools, Head Start programs and early child care centers in more than 40 states, with a major presence in Texas, California and Florida. The Company equips early childhood educators with best-in-class curricular programs with proven learning outcomes, particularly in large urban cities and lower socioeconomic areas. Based on brain development research, Frog Street Press' curricular programs, books and educational materials provide intentional age-appropriate instruction that is aligned to both federal and state standards. The Company also develops engaging and interactive professional development programs, including product training, conferences and continuing education, and assessment tools to measure students' progress. For more information about Frog Street, please visit www.frogstreet.com.

About Excelligence Learning Corporation

Excelligence Learning Corporation is a leading developer, manufacturer, distributor, and multi-channel retailer of over 20,000 innovative, high-quality and grade-appropriate educational products and teaching solutions, which are sold primarily to early childhood learning centers, elementary schools, PTAs, and consumers. The company has three core divisions: Supplies (Discount School Supply and Really Good Stuff), Equipment (Children's Factory, Angeles and Steffy Wood Products), and Services (Educational Products, Inc., ChildCare Education Institute and Frog Street). With over 30 years of experience serving children, educators and parents, Excelligence's diversified portfolio of leading brands delivers quality, innovation, service and value on a global scale. Leading proprietary brands include: Colorations, BioColor, Excellerations, MyPerfectClassroom and Environments. For more information about Excelligence, please visit www.excelligence.com.

See more at: www.discountschoolsupply.com, www.reallygoodstuff.com, www.environments.com, www.childrensfactory.com, www.angelesstore.com, www.steffywood.com, www.educationalproducts.com, www.cceionline.com, www.frogstreet.com.

Media Contact:

Cassie McQueeny-Tankard

P: 800-884-3764

[email protected]

SOURCE Excelligence Learning Corporation

Related Links

http://www.excelligence.com


MINNEAPOLIS, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- General Mills (NYSE: GIS) is releasing its line-up of new products around the world to meet global demand for great taste and simplicity. Highlights include "Oui" by Yoplait, a French-style yogurt with simple ingredients like whole milk and real fruit; great tasting cereals like Apple Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Blueberry Chex; Betty Crocker "original recipe" cake mix made with seven pantry-friendly ingredients, Annie's organic cheese puffs, and super premium, indulgent Haagen-Dazs mini stick bars.

General Mills New Products Summer 2017 Oui by Yoplait Yogurt Apple Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal Blueberry Chex Cereal Fiber One Protein Nut Bars Nature Valley XL Protein Bars

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8119251-general-mills-new-product-line-up-2017-launch/

"Regardless of the changing consumer landscape, one thing remains consistent, people still want great-tasting products," said Jeff Harmening, chief executive officer of General Mills. "We're increasing our levels of innovation across the board, with a laser focus on delivering exceptional taste with simple ingredients -- whether it's pioneering new innovation like French-style yogurt in the U.S. and Haagen-Dazs mini stick bars in Europe, or renovating a classic like Betty Crocker cake mix."

The company's full portfolio of new products can be found on its blog, A Taste of General Mills. High-resolution images can be downloaded here.

General Mills has modernized its portfolio, updating products from Cheerios to Yoplait to Progresso, expanding gluten free and organic offerings, and making nutritional improvements across brands, giving people more choices than ever.

Notable products launching this summer include:

U.S.

Annie's Organic Cheese Puffs: Organic baked corn puffs in Cheddar Cheesy and White Cheddar Bunny Tail.

Organic baked corn puffs in Cheddar Cheesy and White Cheddar Bunny Tail. Apple Cinnamon Toast Crunch : Introducing the newest member of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch family made with a delicious combination of real apples and cinnamon. No artificial colors or flavors.

Introducing the newest member of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch family made with a delicious combination of real apples and cinnamon. No artificial colors or flavors. Betty Crocker Original Recipe: Betty is back to the basics. As rich and delicious today as in her original cookbook, Betty's Original Recipe has only recognizable (no artificial) ingredients you'd find in your pantry, like sugar, flour, and cocoa. Available in Golden Yellow , Chocolate Joy, and German Chocolate Delight.

Betty is back to the basics. As rich and delicious today as in her original cookbook, Betty's Original Recipe has only recognizable (no artificial) ingredients you'd find in your pantry, like sugar, flour, and cocoa. Available in , Chocolate Joy, and German Chocolate Delight. Blueberry Chex : Delivers the great fruit flavor of Blueberry in the wholesome Gluten Free Chex cereal that families know and love.

Delivers the great fruit flavor of Blueberry in the wholesome Gluten Free Chex cereal that families know and love. Fiber One Protein Nut Bars: A high protein bar with 10 grams of protein and only five grams of sugar. Comes in Chocolate Pretzel Nut and Sweet & Salty Roasted Nut.

A high protein bar with 10 grams of protein and only five grams of sugar. Comes in Chocolate Pretzel Nut and Sweet & Salty Roasted Nut. L A RABAR Nut & Seed Crunchy Bars: A first-of-its-kind bar that combines sprouted chia seeds with honey and maple to create a lightly crunchy texture. Contains 10 ingredients or fewer, Non-GMO Project verified, gluten-free, soy-free and kosher. Flavors: Maple Cinnamon , Honey Almond Cranberry, Dark Chocolate Almond.

A first-of-its-kind bar that combines sprouted chia seeds with honey and maple to create a lightly crunchy texture. Contains 10 ingredients or fewer, Non-GMO Project verified, gluten-free, soy-free and kosher. Flavors: , Honey Almond Cranberry, Dark Chocolate Almond. Nature Valley Biscuits in Coconut Butter: Sandwiching the goodness of coconut butter, each biscuit has 13 grams of whole grain. Each deliciously crispy biscuit is made with 100 percent natural whole grain oats and real toasted coconut.

Sandwiching the goodness of coconut butter, each biscuit has 13 grams of whole grain. Each deliciously crispy biscuit is made with 100 percent natural whole grain oats and real toasted coconut. Nature Valley XL Protein Chewy Bars: XL Protein Chewy Bars are made with 15 grams of protein to help you stay fuller longer. Available in Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate and Mixed Nut. Gluten Free.

XL Protein Chewy Bars are made with 15 grams of protein to help you stay fuller longer. Available in Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate and Mixed Nut. Gluten Free. Old El Paso Blue Corn Stand 'n Stuff Taco Shell : Bring fun new blue corn varietyand colorto taco night! Made with only three ingredients.

Bring fun new blue corn varietyand colorto taco night! Made with only three ingredients. Pillsbury's Best Pizza Dough: Pillsbury is taking its pizza dough out of the can. The new dough is individually rolled in clear parchment paper to make it easy to unroll, top and bake. Available in Classic and Thin Crust.

Pillsbury is taking its pizza dough out of the can. The new dough is individually rolled in clear parchment paper to make it easy to unroll, top and bake. Available in Classic and Thin Crust. Progresso Organic: Progresso is offering organic options including Organic Chicken Noodle, Organic Chicken and Wild Rice, Organic Tomato Basil, Organic Southwest Style Black Bean, Organic Savory Lentil, Organic Classic Minestrone.

Progresso is offering organic options including Organic Chicken Noodle, Organic Chicken and Wild Rice, Organic Tomato Basil, Organic Southwest Style Black Bean, Organic Savory Lentil, Organic Classic Minestrone. Yoplait Mix-Ins: Creamy, traditional-style yogurt with textured crunch, available in Coconut Chocolate Almond, Key Lime Crunch, Salted Caramel Pretzel, Very Berry Crisp, Cherry Chocolate Almond, and Mint Chocolate Delight.

Creamy, traditional-style yogurt with textured crunch, available in Coconut Chocolate Almond, Key Lime Crunch, Salted Caramel Pretzel, Very Berry Crisp, Cherry Chocolate Almond, and Mint Chocolate Delight. Oui by Yoplait: Inspired by Yoplait's Saveur d'Autrefois ("taste of yesteryear") sold in France , Oui by Yoplait is made with simple ingredients like whole milk and real pieces of fruit. Cultured with a pot set approach, you eat each serving from the glass container in which the yogurt was cultured.

Canada

Liberte Greek Crunch: Two percent milkfat Greek yogurt with premium crunchy inclusions in Greek Coconut with Dark Chocolate & Honey Roasted Almonds; Greek Sweetened Plain with Salted Cashews, Praline Pecans & Salted Almonds; Greek Vanilla Bean with Caramel, dark chocolate & salted almonds.

Two percent milkfat Greek yogurt with premium crunchy inclusions in Greek Coconut with Dark Chocolate & Honey Roasted Almonds; Greek Sweetened Plain with Salted Cashews, Praline Pecans & Salted Almonds; Greek Vanilla Bean with Caramel, dark chocolate & salted almonds. Old El Paso Thick Cut Tortilla Chips: The ultimate dipping chip, thick cut to hold up against the thickest dips.

Europe

Haagen-Dazs Frozen Yogurt Collection ( France and Spain ): Comes in plain, strawberry & macadamia nut. Available in pints and mini-cups.

Comes in plain, strawberry & macadamia nut. Available in pints and mini-cups. Haagen-Dazs Mini-Stick bars ( Europe , Australia , Asia ): Haagen-Dazs ice cream stick bars reduced in size for guilt-free indulgence. Available in Salted Caramel, Vanilla Caramel Almond, and Chocolate Almond flavors.

Haagen-Dazs ice cream stick bars reduced in size for guilt-free indulgence. Available in Salted Caramel, Vanilla Caramel Almond, and Chocolate Almond flavors. Old El Paso Mini Stand 'N Stuff Taco Kits ( France and UK): Easy-to-fill soft taco kits are perfect for bite-size appetizers and for kids. Comes in two combinations: Extra Mild Super Tasty and Sweet Chile & Garlic.

Easy-to-fill soft taco kits are perfect for bite-size appetizers and for kids. Comes in two combinations: Extra Mild Super Tasty and Sweet Chile & Garlic. Yoplait Triple Sensation and Champs de Fruit ( France ): A premium yogurt dessert with half-candied fruit layered on top of creamy Yoplait yogurt. Triple-layered with two fruit flavors (Passion/Mango, Strawberry/Raspberry, Black current/Blueberry, or Pear/Apple) or smaller Champs de Fruit containers with fruit on the top (Strawberry, Mango, Passionfruit, Blueberry).

Asia

Wanchai Ferry Sea Cucumber Shrimp Dumpling ( China ): High quality protein sea food. Shrimp and sea cucumber create a premium dumpling.

High quality protein sea food. Shrimp and sea cucumber create a premium dumpling. Yoplait Perle de Lait Drinkable ( China ): The smooth and creamy taste of Yoplait Perle de Lait into a bottle. Made from 100 percent fresh milk, free from gelatin or other thickeners. Comes in three varieties: Plain, Strawberry, and Pomegranate.

General Mills leadership will share more information about these new products and discuss the company's Fiscal 2018 plans for growth at its Investor Day event in New York on Wednesday, July 12. A webcast of the company's Investor Day presentation will be available through the Investor section of GeneralMills.com.

About General Mills

General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the world by making food people love. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2017 consolidated net sales of US $15.6 billion, as well as another US $1.0 billion from its proportionate share of joint-venture net sales.

SOURCE General Mills

Related Links

http://www.generalmills.com


ATLANTA, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK) will release results for second quarter 2017 on Tuesday, July 25th before the market opens. The same morning, the Company will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. eastern time to discuss second quarter results. To access the conference call, please go to the Investor Relations section of the Graphic Packaging website: http://www.graphicpkg.com and click on the audio webcast link. For those who need to call in from within North America, dial 800-392-9489 at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the conference call (Conference ID #61299861). Replays of the call will be available for one week following the completion of the call and can be accessed by dialing 855-859-2056.

The Company has also set Tuesday, October 24th, 2017 as the preliminary date for the release of third quarter 2017 results.

About Graphic Packaging Holding Company

Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. The Company is a leading provider of paper-based packaging solutions for a wide variety of products to food, beverage and other consumer product companies. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest producers of folding cartons in the United States, and holds leading market positions in coated unbleached kraft paperboard and coated-recycled paperboard. The Company's customers include many of the world's most widely recognized companies and brands. Additional information about Graphic Packaging, its business and its products is available on the Company's web site at www.graphicpkg.com.

SOURCE Graphic Packaging Holding Company

Related Links

http://www.graphicpkg.com


HAMBURG, Germany, July 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 5-6, the "2017 Experience China-Guangdong Cultural Tour to Europe" activities, hosted by the Information Office of People's Government of Guangdong province, were held in the cities of Berlin and Hamburg, Germany, drawing attention from local mainstream media outlets and citizens.



"Chubby Women" sculptures expressing joy and confidence

On July 6, Xu Hongfei Sculpture Exhibition World Tour, a part of the Guangdong Cultural Tour to Europe event, started off in Hamburg. A total of 16 pieces of "Chubby Women" sculptures, produced by Xu Hongfei, a world-renowned Chinese sculptor, were on display at the city's public places for 11 days, which local residents would be able to pay visits to. Among the sculptures, the trio, namely City of Music, Love in a Fallen City and Mermaid, was just made for the exhibition. Delightful somehow by seeing the oriental chubby yet graceful women, which seem to freely express themselves, visitors couldn't help to pose and take photos with the sculptures. By showing the chubby women sculptures, the sculptor aims to promote fitness, composure, harmony, optimism and confidence, which are confined to no particular culture and nation. And the exhibition, too, showed how people in Guangdong, China live an active and confident life to Hamburg's citizens.

"To merge beauty into cultural exchange and communication is a pursuit shared by humankind," said Shen Haixiong, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee of Guangdong and Provincial Publicity Chief at the event's opening ceremony. Sculpture as an art of solid materials, is a special bridge to connect cultures. The chubby women sculptures express the diverse, positive, harmonious and friendly attitude towards life the contemporary Chinese have adopted. Likewise, citizens of Hamburg could have a deeper understanding of the living environment and cultural values the modern China has.

"Literature and art, as a mirror of an era, can best represent the styles and features of an era," Shen added. An influx of outstanding works of Chinese literature and art is emerging in a move to show the nation's past, present and future days. It will facilitate the international cultural exchanges for China to bring such artistry with Chinese characteristics to the world stage.

Cultural Relics Attracting German Citizens

During the G20 summit, the exhibition, East Meets West: The Maritime Silk Road during the 13th-17th Centuries was held in the Internationales Maritimes Museum Hamburg (IMMH) and attracted local citizens and tourists. The event was a collaboration of IMMH with the Guangdong Museum and is also an important part of the "2017 Experience China-Guangdong Cultural Tour to Europe" event. According to Peter Tamm, the curator of IMMH, the exhibits are selected from the period of thirteen to seventeenth century or from the Southern Song to early Qing dynasty in China, and through themes such as trading, religions, cultural exchange, historic sites, underwater archaeology, the exhibition demonstrated China's contribution to the development and prosperity of the Maritime Silk Road and the progression of globalization.

Some 100 exhibits mainly came from Guangdong, China, ranging from porcelains, gold and silver jewels, spices, exporting paintings, silks, stone carvings, ancient books, metalwares, bamboo wares, ship models and etc.

Cultural Exchanges Leading to Great Achievements

On July 5th, the opening ceremony of "China Innovation" exhibition and the first publication ceremony of The Chinese Dream Guangdong Story series were held in Visual Arts Center of Berlin, Germany. The event shows the Beautiful Guangdong photographs and innovative products such as UAV from EHang, a high-tech company from Guangzhou. The new edition of The Chinese Dream Guangdong Story, published in Chinese and English by the Guangdong Publishing Group and the Guangdong People's Press, was released for the first time around the world. The series contains 4 books about Guangdong's open, dynamic, innovative and sharing characteristics, telling Guangdong stories from various angles and providing a window for readers around the world to better know about Guangdong.

SOURCE The Information Office of People's Government of Guangdong Province
Indicated Resource of 2.6 Million Tonnes At 8.8% Zinc Equivalent plus Inferred Resource of 1.7 Million Tonnes At 8.2% Zinc Equivalent

VANCOUVER, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Hannan Metals Limited ("Hannan" or the "Company") (TSX.V: HAN) (OTCPK: HANFF) is pleased to announce a maiden resource estimate for its 100%-owned Kilbricken zinc-lead-silver-copper deposit in Ireland.

Highlights include:

Total indicated mineral resource of 2.7 million tonnes at 8.8% zinc equivalent ("ZnEq"), including 1.4 millions tonnes at 10.8% Zneq;

mineral resource of ("ZnEq"), Total inferred mineral resource of 1.7 million tonnes at 8.2% ZnEq, including 0.6 million tonnes at 10.4% Zneq;

mineral resource of This resource estimate is the first for the Kilbricken deposit, and immediately ranks it as one of the top ten base metal deposits discovered in Ireland by tonnes and grade (data sourced from the Irish Exploration, Mining Division website);

by tonnes and grade (data sourced from the Irish Exploration, Mining Division website); Two styles of mineralization are evident at Kilbricken. The upper Chimney Zone demonstrates the classic high-grade (>10% Zneq) Irish stratabound mineralization targeted by Hannan . This body has been drilled within an area of 750 metres by 200 metres and averages 12 metres thickness. The lower Fort Zone was found later than the Chimney zone and has been tested with fewer drill holes. It is structurally hosted, lower grade, but thicker, averaging 40 metres, and drilled within a 400 metre by 200 metres area.

. This body has been drilled within an area of 750 metres by 200 metres and averages 12 metres thickness. The lower Fort Zone was found later than the Chimney zone and has been tested with fewer drill holes. It is structurally hosted, lower grade, but thicker, averaging 40 metres, and drilled within a 400 metre by 200 metres area. Importantly, the initial resource is expandable at all scales, from near resource to prospect scale, and Hannan has already commenced a drill resource expansion program;

Mr. Michael Hudson, CEO and Chairman, states: "The maiden resource is an important milestone for Hannan. It demonstrates the high-grade potential of the deposit and immediately ranks Kilbricken as one of the top ten base metal deposits discovered to date in Ireland. This is significant initial achievement in a country that is ranked first in the world in terms of zinc discovered per square kilometre since the 1950's.

While this resource is substantial, it is also lies open in all directions with excellent potential for expansion. We currently have one drill rig operating a resource expansion program and we will soon be mobilizing additional drill rigs. We are able to approach our exploration and expansion programs with the benefit of extensive technical databases and an increased understanding of the controls on mineralization, providing an excellent chance for continued discovery."

Resource Expansion Drilling Update

Importantly, the initial resource is expandable at all scales, from near resource to prospect scale, and Hannan has already commenced a drill resource expansion program. The objectives of the 2017 drill program are three-fold:

To further delineate the underground potential around the current resource area as shown in Figure 1. Drilling is now ongoing within this area and initial drill results are expected within the next three weeks. To date two holes have been completed for 1,365 metres. To test conceptual and advanced exploration targets within 1-5 kilometres defined by recent structural and stratigraphic interpretation of re-processed 2D and 3D seismic data, lithogeochemistry and soil geochemistry as shown in Figure 2. Test for first order mineralization within the 40 kilometre under-tested Waulsortian host horizon that exists within Hannan's 100% owned 32,223 hectares of prospecting licences.

Tables 1, 2 and 3 below outline global indicated and inferred resources for each mineralized body as well as a breakdown of resources by location for various lower cut off grades. Figures 1 and 2 show the mineral resource areas, resource expansion targets, diamond holes and historic prospects at different scales.

Table 1: Kilbricken Deposit Indicated Mineral Resources Base Case 5% ZnEq Lower Cut Off Grade

Zone Category Cutoff Tonnes Zn% Pb% Ag g/t Cu% ZnEq% SG



ZnEq%













Chimney Indicated 5 1,369,000 5.6 4.2 66 0.1 10.8 3.5 Fort Indicated 5 1,287,000 3.7 1.4 34 0.5 6.7 3.0 Total Indicated 5 2,656,000 4.7 2.9 50 0.3 8.8 3.2

Table 2: Kilbricken Deposit Inferred Mineral Resources Base Case 5% ZnEq Lower Cut Off Grade

Zone Category Cutoff Tonnes Zn% Pb% Ag g/t Cu% ZnEq% SG



ZnEq%













Chimney Inferred 5 635,000 5.9 3.6 61 0.1 10.4 3.4 Fort Inferred 5 1,046,000 3.4 2.5 30 0.3 6.8 3.0 Total Inferred 5 1,681,000 4.4 2.9 41 0.2 8.2 3.1

Table 3: Kilbricken Deposit Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources for the Chimney and Fort Zones at Various ZnEq Lower Cut Off

Grades. The 5% ZnEq base case is highlighted.

Zone Category Cutoff Tonnes Zn% Pb% Ag g/t Cu% ZnEq % SG Chimney Indicated 4 1,444,000 5.4 4.1 64 0.1 10.4 3.4 Fort Indicated 4 1,452,000 3.6 1.4 33 0.5 6.5 2.9 Chimney Inferred 4 682,000 5.7 3.5 58 0.1 10.0 3.3 Fort Inferred 4 1,194,000 3.2 2.4 30 0.3 6.5 3.0 Chimney Indicated 5 1,369,000 5.6 4.2 66 0.1 10.8 3.5 Fort Indicated 5 1,287,000 3.7 1.4 34 0.5 6.7 3.0 Chimney Inferred 5 635,000 5.9 3.6 61 0.1 10.4 3.4 Fort Inferred 5 1,046,000 3.4 2.5 30 0.3 6.8 3.0 Chimney Indicated 6 1,291,000 5.8 4.4 67 0.1 11.1 3.5 Fort Indicated 6 790,000 4.4 1.5 34 0.5 7.5 3.0 Chimney Inferred 6 586,000 6.1 3.8 63 0.1 10.8 3.4 Fort Inferred 6 876,000 3.5 2.7 31 0.3 7.0 3.0 Chimney Indicated 7 1,173,000 6.0 4.5 70 0.1 11.5 3.5 Fort Indicated 7 407,000 4.8 1.3 43 0.8 8.5 3.0 Chimney Inferred 7 536,000 6.3 3.9 66 0.1 11.2 3.4 Fort Inferred 7 267,000 4.2 2.6 44 0.5 8.3 3.0

Note:The zinc equivalent (ZnEq) value was calculated using the following formula: ZnEq% = Zn % + (Cu% * 2.102) + Pb% * 0.815) + (Ag g/t * 0.023) with assumed prices of Zn $2587/t; Cu $5437/t; Pb $2108/t and Ag $18.44/oz.

Details of the Mineral Resource Estimate

The National Instrument 43-101 Mineral Resource estimate was calculated by Mr. Geoff Reed, MAUSIMM (CP), of Reed Leyton Consulting Pty Ltd ("Reed Leyton") from Sydney, Australia. The resource has an effective date of 10 July, 2017.

Reed Leyton estimated the Kilbricken Mineral Resource using a drill database of 222 drill holes for 118,000 metres produced by Lundin Mining Ltd, drilled from 2010 to 2012. The resource was calculated using mineralized intercepts from 76 drillholes and a comprehensive re-interpretation of the geology by Hannan. The resource does not include any 2017 drilling by Hannan.

A set of cross-sections and level plans were used to construct three-dimensional wireframe models at approximate cut-offs of 1% and 3% ZnEq for both the Chimney and Fort zones. All assays were composited, with a majority composited to two metre lengths, with a minimum half metre length. No upper cut-off was applied to zinc but an upper cut off was used for lead and copper mineralization at the Chimney zone and to lead, copper and silver at the Fort zone.

Block model grades within the wireframe models were interpolated in Vulcan by Ordinary Kriging with secondary check models by inverse distance squared. Classic density measurements (specific gravity of "SG") were performed on all samples. Indicated Mineral Resources were defined by at least 2 holes falling within a 30 metres sample distance, with the remainder of mineralization greater than 30 metres sample distance categorized as Inferred Mineral Resources.

The base case mineral resources reported above use a lower cut-off grade of 5% ZnEq or approximately US$60 per tonne net smelter return value based on potential underground mining scenarios.

The zinc equivalent (ZnEq) value was calculated using the following formula: ZnEq% = Zn % + (Cu% * 2.102) + Pb% * 0.815) + (Ag g/t * 0.023) with assumed prices of Zn $2587/t; Cu $5437/t; Pb $2108/t and Ag $18.44/oz. Equivalent recovery for all metals is assumed.

CIM definitions were followed for Mineral Resources. 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 Resources will be converted into Mineral Reserves.

A metallurgical gap analysis was performed for Hannan and reported on 30 March 2017, by Dr. Kurt Forrester of ARN Perspective Ltd, based on a report by SGS Mineral Services, Lakefield Facility, dated September 2010 and titled: "An Investigation by High Definition Mineralogy into the mineralogical characteristics of Fourteen Rock Samples from A Carbonate Hosted Base Metal Deposit, Ireland, prepared for Lundin Mining Exploration". The key finding, based on available information, is that it is likely a conventional lead-zinc flotation circuit at Kilbricken would achieve saleable mineral concentrates. Therefore, it is assumed that lead and silver will be recovered in a lead concentrate, and a separate copper circuit may be required.

About the Kilbricken Project

The Kilbricken project lies within the Clare zinc-silver-lead-copper property which consists of 9 prospecting licences ("PLs") for a total of 32,223 hectares. The project is in County Clare, Ireland, the western edge of which lies 1.5 km east of the town of Ennis.

The Property is underlain by an Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous sequence of sandstone and limestones. The stratigraphy appears simple, where units are upright and typically of consistent in thickness across the property. Syn-rift and/or later structures appear to complicate the geological framework, particularly in mineralized areas. The Lower Carboniferous sequence includes the Waulsortian Limestone, which hosts most of Ireland's important zinc-lead sulphide deposits, such as the Lisheen (pre-mining resource 18.9 Mt @ 15.0% Zn+Pb) and Galmoy (pre-mining resource of 6.2 Mt @ 12.4% Zn+Pb) deposits. This data has been sourced from the Irish Exploration, Mining Division website http://www.mineralsireland.ie/.

Two mineralized bodies are present at Kilbricken, the upper Chimney Zone and the lower Fort Zone. Both show an association with NW-SE striking extensional faults. The Chimney Zone, being the initial discovery area, has been most intensively drilled within an area of 750 metres by 200 metres, between 440-530 metres below surface and averages 12 metres thickness. Mineralization is controlled by a failed relay ramp between two extensional fault segments. It is stratabound at the base of the Waulsortian limestone. The Fort Zone was found later in the Lundin program and is drilled over an area of 400 metres by 200 metres, between 480-720 metres below surface with an average thickness of 40 metres. The mineralized body is wedge shaped and transgressive to the host rock. It follows an area of extensive dissolution of the host limestone and structurally it is located adjacent to the zone of maximum displacement of a south dipping extensional fault.

Qualified Person  Mineral Resources: The Mineral Resources disclosed in this press release have been estimated by Mr. Geoff Reed, MAUSIMM (CP), owner of Reed Leyton Consulting Pty Ltd and independent of Hannan Metals Ltd and have an effective date of 10 July 2017. By virtue of his education and relevant experience, Mr. Reed is a "Qualified Person" for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. The Mineral Resources have been classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves adopted by the CIM council on May 10, 2014. Mr. Reed, MAUSIMM (CP), has read and approved the contents of this press release as it pertains to the disclosed Mineral Resource estimates.

A National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days.

About Hannan Metals Limited (TSX.V:HAN)

Hannan Metals Limited has 100% ownership of the County Clare Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu project in Ireland, which consists of 9 prospecting licences for 32,223 hectares. Zinc remains in tight supply amidst rising demand and stagnant supply. Ireland is a leading global jurisdiction for zinc mining and exploration. It has been stated that Irish base metal ore field is ranked first in the world in terms of zinc discovered per square kilometre, and second in the world with respect to lead. In 2015, Ireland was the world's 10th largest zinc producing nation with 230,000 tonnes produced.

Over the last decade, the team behind Hannan has forged a long and successful record of financing and discovering mineral projects in Europe. Additionally, the team holds extensive zinc experience, gained from the world's largest integrated zinc producer of the time, Pasminco Ltd.

Mr. Michael Hudson FAusIMM, Hannan's CEO and Chairman, is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

On behalf of the Board,

"Michael Hudson"

Michael Hudson, CEO & Chairman

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release contains "forward-looking statements", and "forward- looking information" under applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements, which include the Company's expectations regarding future performance based on current results, expected cash costs based on the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projects of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: liabilities inherent in mine development and production, geological risks, the financial markets generally, and the ability of the Company to raise additional capital to fund future operations. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE Hannan Metals Ltd.
As Encompass Health, the Company will continue its commitment to delivering healthcare that creates superior patient outcomes and best-in-class solutions for healthcare systems and payors. The Company is uniquely positioned to coordinate patients' care across the healthcare continuum by leveraging its clinical and operational expertise and its advanced information technology to serve as a value-added partner to acute care hospitals, physicians and payors.

The rollout of the Encompass Health brand will include changing the name and logo across signage and other branded assets for the Company's hospitals and agencies, as well as corporate resources such as its website. The rollout is expected to be completed by the end of 2019. During this time, the Company will work collaboratively with its joint venture partners to determine the timing and nature of name and logo updates for jointly-owned assets. The Company is committed to remaining headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, where it is scheduled to open its new home office in early 2018.

The total rebranding investment is estimated to be approximately $25 million to $30 million, to be incurred between 2017 and 2019. Approximately $7 million to $10 million is expected to be incurred in 2017, of which $6 million to $8 million will be operating expenses and $1 million to $2 million will be capital expenditures. Only $1 million of this investment is included in previously provided full-year 2017 guidance which will be updated in conjunction with the Company's second quarter earnings release scheduled for July 31, 2017.

Mark Tarr commented further: "The decision to rebrand as Encompass Health is the result of a yearlong, research-intensive process and is intended to raise awareness of our Company's strategy and value proposition with all key constituencies. Throughout this process, we have worked closely with Prophet, a leading brand-driven growth consulting firm."

The Company will host an investor conference call at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, July 11, 2017 to discuss this announcement. For reference during the call, the Company will post certain supplemental information at http://investor.healthsouth.com.

The conference call may be accessed by dialing 877 587-6761 and giving the pass code 47033694. International callers should dial 706 679-1635 and give the same pass code. Please call approximately ten minutes before the start of the call to ensure you are connected. The conference call will also be webcast live and will be available at http://investor.healthsouth.com by clicking on an available link.

An online replay of the conference call will be available after the live broadcast at http://investor.healthsouth.com.

About HealthSouth

HealthSouth is one of the nation's largest providers of post-acute healthcare services, offering both facility-based and home-based post-acute services in 36 states and Puerto Rico through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. HealthSouth can be found on the Web at www.healthsouth.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release which are not historical facts, such as the timing, costs, and impacts of the rebranding initiative, are forward-looking statements. In addition, HealthSouth, through its senior management, may from time to time make forward-looking public statements concerning the matters described herein. All such estimates, projections, and forward-looking information speak only as of the date hereof, and HealthSouth undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates based upon current information, involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and relate to, among other things, future events, HealthSouth's business strategy, its future financial performance, its projected business results or model, and the expected investment in the rebranding initiative. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, factors which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those estimated by HealthSouth include, but are not limited to, legal challenges or obstacles to the registration or use of the new name; any adverse outcome of various lawsuits, claims, and legal or regulatory proceedings that may be brought by or against HealthSouth; the impact of the rebranding initiative on patient admissions, referral source relationships and HealthSouth's stock price; the ability to successfully integrate acquisitions; changes in the regulation of the healthcare industry broadly or the inpatient rehabilitation, home health and hospice areas specifically at either or both of the federal and state levels; competitive pressures in the healthcare industry broadly or the inpatient rehabilitation, home health and hospice areas specifically and HealthSouth's response thereto; the ability to maintain proper local, state and federal licensing where the company does business; potential disruptions, breaches, or other incidents affecting the proper operation, availability, or security of HealthSouth's information systems, including the unauthorized access to or theft of patient or other sensitive information; changes, delays in (including in connection with resolution of Medicare payment reviews or appeals), or suspension of reimbursement for HealthSouth's services by governmental or private payors; general conditions in the economy and capital markets; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in HealthSouth's SEC filings and other public announcements, including HealthSouth's Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

Media Contact:

Casey Lassiter, 205 447-6410

[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact:

Crissy Carlisle, 205 970-5860

[email protected]

SOURCE HealthSouth Corporation

Related Links

http://www.healthsouth.com


No topics are off limits in the interviews, which first took place during Stone's trips to meet with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in Moscow, and most recently after the election of President Donald Trump. Among other revelations, Putin claims that:

Russia wants peace with the US, and that he "wants to restore American-Russian relations."

wants peace with the US, and that he "wants to restore American-Russian relations." Putin wants to sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty with the US.

The Russian hacking story is really about internal politicking in the US and has nothing to do with Russia .

. Russia is looking to partner with the US to fight terrorism.

is looking to partner with the US to fight terrorism. Statements that Russia attempted to influence the outcome of the 2016 US election are "all lies."

attempted to influence the outcome of the 2016 US election are "all lies." The US media does not distinguish between the election hacking and the hacked emails from Wikileaks, and they ought to be treated separately.

"Any talk about our influencing the outcome of the election in the United States, all these are lies."

Vladimir Putin

Stone also prods Putin to discuss Russia's involvement with conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, and elsewhere, his rise to power, and his relationships with Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump.

Hot Books was created in 2016 for the publication of books by serious investigative journalists about important political, cultural, and social issues. Hot Books is an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

The Putin Interviews: Oliver Stone Interviews Vladimir Putin

By Oliver Stone

Foreword by Robert Scheer

Hot Books paperback, also available as an ebook

On sale now

ISBN: 978-1-5107-3342-8

$18.99

Press requests:

Madeleine Ball

212-643-6816 x 311

[email protected]

SOURCE Hot Books
Digital Transformation will not succeed if users become bewildered by ever more software. Office 365 has over 500 user features and large organisations will typically have hundreds of business applications. Now for the first time, this user adoption roadblock can be addressed, through a combination of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation.

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/531413/ICS_Solutions_Artificial_Intelligence.jpg )



ICS Solutions, a Microsoft Gold Partner, announced a world first at the Microsoft Inspire event today, the launch of two Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services solutions - FLEX Intelligent Digital Workplace and FLEX Cognitive Automation. The two new additions to the FLEX product portfolio recognises the importance that AI will soon play within UK workplaces.

Martin Neale, CEO at ICS Solutions explains; "Digital transformation has evolved in recent years, but what is ahead is likely to revolutionise industries, drive productivity and change lives forever - all in record time. However, little of this can happen if no one can use the digital tools."

Martin continues, "FLEX's Office 365 Intelligent Digital Workplace combines ground breaking Microsoft AI technology to provide organisations with a meaningful level of digital transformation. Through the simplicity of a conversation, employees are able to leverage the power of their own personal AI driven digital assistants, who have been trained in what is available to them and then embedded automation is able to execute it on the users' behalf. This fundamentally overrides the previous status quo where users have to know what to look for and then how to do it. This ability to make technology human will ultimately enable organisations to transform user adoption and drive significant productivity improvements."

ICS' second product release, FLEX Cognitive Automation, is powered by Microsoft's Azure Cognitive Services, arguably the most powerful AI tool on the market and according to Satya Nadella, set to be the first AI supercomputer.

FLEX Cognitive Automation is an AI starter kit to help businesses build, deploy, manage and control Enterprise class AI assistants. These expert digital assistants ensure that an organisation's users no longer need to learn or understand new systems, processes or software - all they need to do is have a conversation, and FLEX will do the rest.

Martin Neale explains, "At the heart of FLEX Cognitive Automation is the FLEX Concierge Bot and five pre-built foundation Assistants. The Concierge Bot controls and manages all the other AI Assistants. It understands what each of the AI Assistants can do and directs users' questions to the relevant Assistant. It can even work with third party bots. This is significant, because if an organisation has already begun implementing bots, they will soon have a sprawling estate of bots unable to connect with one another. This raises the age old user adoption problem of having too many systems and user interfaces to learn. With the Concierge Bot and automation framework this is no longer an issue, organisations will have one consistent user experience across their entire bot estate."

Martin concludes, "We've been working with a number of leading organisations on a pilot basis and the response received so far has been phenomenal. The week ahead at Microsoft Inspire is focused on connecting with UK and overseas partners regarding reselling both FLEX Intelligent Digital Workplace and FLEX Cognitive Automation."

Martin is available for press interviews, direct from Inspire. To arrange a call please contact Joy Brown, Marketing Manager, [email protected]

Anyone interested in learning more about either of FLEX Intelligent Digital Workplace or FLEX Cognitive Automation can find out by visiting http://www.flexautomation.net or contacting 01256 403800.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About ICS Solutions

Founded in 1994, ICS has been a UK Microsoft Gold Partner for over 20 years and is recognised as one of Microsoft's most highly regarded Gold Partners.

In September 2014, ICS launched the first edition of the FLEX product range and have currently sold over 70,000 licences.

For more information, visit: http://www.flexautomation.net

Contact: Joy Brown

44 01256 403800

[email protected]



SOURCE ICS Solutions
The abbreviation UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories. The internationally active safety sciences company independently and comprehensively tested innogy's charging points, which have been modified for the USA. The main focus was on electrical safety, fire protection, usability and customer friendliness. The clear verdict: innogy's charging points meet the valid safety standards for the USA.

"UL approval is a significant step and opens the door to one of the world's most attractive markets for electromobility worldwide," said Elke Temme, head of operations electromobility at innogy. "States like California are the trailblazers of a stricter climate-protection policy. The interest in emission-free driving is thus huge." innogy has established a dedicated subsidiary for the US e-mobility market. innogy e-mobility US is a technology and service provider focusing on California and other ZEV states. It has a broad portfolio, including the production, marketing, delivery and installation of charging solutions as well as their operation on their own software platform.

innogy is hardly an unknown quantity in California. Since 2015, the company has been cooperating with the University of California in San Diego and the German car manufacturer Daimler. There are 26 charging points offering green electricity that is generated on the campus, which can charge the batteries of several smart fortwo electric drive cars. The goal of the project is to harmonize electricity use with renewable energy generation through innovative charging management  that's exactly what's in demand in the US market.

With over 5,800 charging points, innogy is one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure in Europe. In Germany, the company has built up a large integrated charging network with more than 150 public utility partners. The goal is: Wherever an electric car is parked, it should be able to charge  and the best way of doing this is in harmonious interplay with regenerative energy generation.

More information at www.innogy.com/mobility

About innogy SE

Innogy SE is the leading German energy company, with sales of around 44 billion euros (2016), more than 40,000 employees and activities in 16 European countries. With our three business areas  Grid & Infrastructure, Sales and Renewables  we are addressing the needs of a modern decarbonized, decentralized and digital energy world. Our 23 million customers are at the heart of innogy's activities. We want to offer them innovative and sustainable products and services that enable them to use energy more efficiently and improve their quality of life. Our most important markets are Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium as well as some countries in Central and South Eastern Europe, in particular the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. With a renewable energy generation capacity of 3.7 gigawatts, innogy is also active outside these regions, e.g., in Spain, Italy and the MENA region (Middle East, North Africa). As a leading innovator in the issues of the future such as eMobility we are represented in the technology sector's international hotspots such as Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv, London and Berlin. We combine the wide-ranging expertise of our energy technicians and engineers with digital technology partners  from start-ups to large-scale conglomerates. With planned investments of 6.5 to 7.0 billion euros in the period from 2017 to 2019, we are building the energy market of the future and driving the energy transition.

Innogy is colorful, flexible, full of energy  let's innogize!

For further

information: innogy SE Julika Gang Press Relations Officer T +49 231 438-22 48 [email protected] innogy SE Alexander Stechert-Mayerhofer Press Relations Officer T +49 201 12-15262 [email protected]

SOURCE innogy SE

Related Links

http://www.innogy.com


Conducted by Network Test, an independent testing agency authorized by New H3C. The test adopted the world's leading Spirent communication testing instrument and selected Fullmesh, a traffic model for traffic testing on all 768 line-speed 100G interfaces.The test was unprecedentedly challenging in order to better reflect users application scenarios as well as a purposed test on the large scale IP routing forwarding. However, in the practice of continuous testing, the performance of H3C S12500X-AF was very stable, which fully demonstrated its excellent performance and reliability.

H3C S12500 series are the core switches developed by New H3C. Well-known for its excellent performance and stability, it has been widely deployed by high-end users worldwide. S12500X-AF, is the latest model designed to cater the need of cloud computing data center demanding a larger scale & higher speed. It provides 768 line-speed 100G interfaces per chassis, which stands at the forefront compared with similar products around the globe.

"It's our mission to foresee the development trend of next-generation technology and provide quality products and solutions to fulfill clients' application need," said Steven Yoe, CTO and senior vice president of New H3C group. The key to S12500X-AF's achievement lies in H3C's market-leading and prospective technology in hardware designs, numbers of which have never been seen before in the industry, which explain why it went directly for testing and became a leader among similar devices.

New H3C has always committed to make progress in innovation of high-end products and technologies; launching leading products like S12500 series core switches and CR19000 cluster router. The new world record for switch performance set by S12500X-AF not only continued the brilliant achievements of New H3C in the field of high-end switching devices, also demonstrated to the world the innovative capacity of Chinese enterprises.

Under the new IT strategy of "Driven by Application, Led by Cloud", New H3C will continue to strengthen investment in innovation investment, to drive the two-wheel-drive between technology and application,and continue to lead and promote the digital economy to the future.

For more information, please visit http://www.h3c.com or click here to download the test report.

About New H3C

New H3C Group (New H3C) is a world-leading provider of New IT solutions. It is fully committed to the research & development, production, sales, consulting and services of New IT products and solutions. Providing customers with a full range of servers, storage, networking, security products, hyper-converged infrastructure and IT management systems under the H3C brand, New H3C also offer customers a one-stop, complete portfolio of IT solutions and consulting services that includes Big Internet, Big Security, Cloud Computing and Big Data. In addition, New H3C is also the exclusive provider of HPE branded Servers and Storage products as well as Technical Services in China.

New H3C is committed to leverage the powers unleashed by New IT to help enable an exciting new world characterized by Co-shared Innovation and Smart Interconnection. For more information visit: http://www.h3c.com.

SOURCE New H3C
TOKYO, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons at UN Headquarters in New York on July 7 is being lauded as a historic step for humankind by the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhist association.

The treaty, which lays out detailed provisions stipulating a comprehensive ban on the development, production, possession, stockpiling, testing, use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, is the result of intensive negotiations at the UN involving over 120 governments and many civil society representatives.

Kimiaki Kawai, SGI Director of Peace and Human Rights, was in New York to take part in the final session of negotiations, where he stated that the continued existence of nuclear weapons threatens human dignity. He comments, "The adoption of this treaty feels like a momentous step forward. Even if the nuclear-weapon states and most nuclear-weapon dependent states have not participated, the moral norm has been declared very clearly, with the united will of the world's people behind it. Nuclear weapons in any hands are wrong."

The SGI has issued an official statement in the name of Hirotsugu Terasaki, Director General of Peace and Global Issues, welcoming the adoption of the treaty. It reads: "The existence of nuclear weapons is the greatest threat to the right to life of both the individual and humankind as a whole. For this reason, their total elimination is a desire shared by all people." See: http://www.sgi.org/resources/ngo-resources/peace-disarmament/ptnw-statement-july-2017.html

Other civil society organizations active for many years in pursuit of a world free from nuclear weapons have also praised this long-awaited development. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), with whom the SGI has cooperated for many years, and Faith Communities Concerned about Nuclear Weapons (organizations and individuals from diverse faith traditions including SGI, PAX, and WCC) have also released statements of support. See the Faith Communities statement at http://www.sgi.org/resources/ngo-resources/peace-disarmament/ptnw-joint-statement-july-2017.html

The SGI is committed to continuing its efforts in disarmament education, including awareness-raising exhibitions to demonstrate the negative humanitarian, environmental and human rights impact of nuclear weapons, and publication of firsthand testimonies from victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (hibakusha).

This year marks sixty years since the start of the Soka Gakkai's activities to promote the abolition of nuclear weapons, when Josei Toda, the organization's second president, issued a Declaration Calling for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons in September 1957.

In line with Toda's description of nuclear weapons as a manifestation of the darkest aspects of the human heart, the SGI's education efforts focus not only on the mechanics of disarmament but also, as Buddhists promoting respect for the dignity of human life, on the need to fundamentally change our ways of thinking.

As SGI President Daisaku Ikeda wrote in 2009: "If we are to put the era of nuclear terror behind us, we must struggle against the real 'enemy.' That enemy is not nuclear weapons per se, nor is it the states that possess or develop them. The real enemy that we must confront is the ways of thinking that justify nuclear weapons; the readiness to annihilate others when they are seen as a threat or as a hindrance to the realization of our objectives."

The Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a community-based Buddhist association with 12 million members around the world. Its activities to promote peace, culture and education are part of the long-standing tradition of Buddhist humanism.

Contact:

Joan Anderson

Office of Public Information

Soka Gakkai International

Tel: +81-80-5957-4711

Fax: +81-3-5360-9885

E-mail: anderson[at]soka.jp

SOURCE Soka Gakkai International
NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The first of more than 300 ovarian cancer lawsuits involving Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder products will head to trial today in Los Angeles Superior Court. The case tapped to go before a jury was filed on behalf of a 63-year-old woman who allegedly made the company's talc-based powders a regular part of her daily feminine hygiene routine for decades prior to her diagnosis. (Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Cases, number JCCP4872)

"This trial is vitally important, as it is considered a bellwether case. The verdict in this lawsuit could provide insight into how juries might decide similar claims pending in California's talcum powder litigation," says Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of defective medical devices, drugs and consumer products. The Firm is offering free legal reviews to women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer that may be associated with Johnson & Johnson's talc-based powders.

Nationwide Talcum Powder Litigation

Johnson & Johnson has been named a defendant in more than 3,000 talcum powder lawsuits currently pending in courts around the country, all of which were filed on behalf of women who allegedly developed ovarian cancer following the regular and repeated use of the company's talc-based powders for feminine hygiene purposes. Plaintiffs claim that Johnson & Johnson officials were aware of research published as early the 1970s that suggested such a link, yet failed to warn the public in order to protect profits derived from its Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower product lines.

The California trial will be the first convened outside of Missouri's 22nd Circuit Court in St. Louis, where one of the nation's largest talcum powder litigations is currently underway. So far, only one Missouri jury has rendered a verdict in favor of Johnson & Johnson. Plaintiffs in four cases have been awarded compensatory and punitive damages amounting to $110 million, $70 million, $72 million and $55 million. A mistrial was declared in the state's sixth trial just last month. (Case No. 1422-CC09326-01)

Women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer following the long-term use of talc-based powder for feminine hygiene purposes may be eligible to file their own talcum powder lawsuit. To learn more, please visit Bernstein Liebhard LLP's website, or call 800-511-5092 to arrange for a free, no obligation case review.

About Bernstein Liebhard LLP

Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all of the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3.5 billion on behalf of our clients. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is honored to once again be named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List," recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country. This year's nomination marks the thirteenth year the firm has been named to this prestigious annual list.

Bernstein Liebhard LLP

10 East 40th Street

New York, New York 10016

800-511-5092

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.  2017 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, 800-511-5092. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

Contact Information:

Sandy A. Liebhard, Esq.

Bernstein Liebhard LLP

info (at)consumerinjurylawyers(dot)com

http://www.rxinjuryhelp.com/

https://plus.google.com/115936073311125306742?rel=author

SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP

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NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenhill & Co., Inc. (NYSE: GHL), a leading independent investment bank, announced today that Juan Bejar has joined the Firm as a Senior Advisor focused on expanding the Firm's client relationships with major companies in Spain.

Mr. Bejar, who is based in Madrid, is a major figure in the global construction, infrastructure and concessions businesses. He currently serves as President of Globalvia, a worldwide leading concession management company, and as President of Bruc Capital, a leading renewable energy investment firm. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of Grupo FCC, as Chief Executive Officer of Cementos Portland Valderrivas SA and as Head of Citicorp Infrastructure Investors.

Scott L. Bok, Chief Executive Officer of Greenhill, said, "The addition of Juan greatly enhances our knowledge of the Spanish market as well as our access to key decision makers there. In addition, his reputation in Spain and throughout Europe will strengthen our recently established team in the important Spanish market."

Javier Gonzalez, Head of Greenhill's Spanish business, said "We are delighted to have someone of Juan's experience join Greenhill. His career has spanned leading some of the largest Spanish companies as well as large global infrastructure funds, and he brings a wealth of relationships across some of the largest Spanish clients. Having worked with him in the past, I believe Juan also brings great experience leading complex transactions in all our key areas of focus, including mergers, acquisitions, debt restructurings and capital raising, that we will use in order to provide the best advice to our clients."

Mr. Bejar adds "Greenhill is a global investment banking firm with a clear strategy and excellent reputation. I am looking forward to working with such a strong group of talented professionals and assisting Greenhill in developing its business in Spain and the rest of Europe. I believe clients will increasingly choose an independent firm like Greenhill when considering complex merger or acquisition transactions around the world."

Greenhill & Co., Inc. is a leading independent investment bank entirely focused on providing financial advice on significant mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, financings and capital raising to corporations, partnerships, institutions and governments globally. It acts for clients located throughout the world from its offices in New York, Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Melbourne, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto.

Contact:

David M. Trone

Director of Investor Relations

Greenhill & Co., Inc.

(212) 389-1800

SOURCE Greenhill & Co., Inc.
At McGraw-Hill Education, Mr. Kibby helped turn personalized learning into a movement to increase student performance while making education more affordable. He made adaptive technology the centerpiece of the company's higher education business, resulting in its adaptive offerings growing from 40 in 2012 to over 1,400 in 2015. Mr. Kibby's leadership has translated to financial success: Over a 20-year career as an executive at McGraw-Hill Education and Pearson, he regularly outperformed industry sales estimates by double-digit percentages and built digital businesses with hundreds of millions in sales. Most recently, Mr. Kibby served as CEO of MV Transportation, the largest privately held transportation contractor in America.

"Unlocking Knewton's potential requires not only a strong belief in the power of personalized learning but a keen understanding of what today's students and instructors need to be successful," said Rob Stavis, partner at Bessemer Venture Partners and lead director of Knewton's board. "Brian has long been a staunch advocate for adaptive technology, and his insights into the dynamics of higher education are unmatched. No one is better suited to lead Knewton to its next stage of growth than Brian Kibby."

Mr. Kibby is not shy about the potential of personalized learning technology to transform teaching and learning. In 2012, he sent shockwaves throughout the world of higher education by calling on publishers to become all-digital with the goal of improving student outcomes and affordability.

"Brian is a transformational leader with a unique ability to energize and connect with students, customers, partners and employees," added Stavis. "He will forge the path for Knewton as it continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in adaptive technology."

"This is a critical moment for higher education: We simply must do more to improve student outcomes and make college more affordable. I've long shared Knewton's belief that personalized learning technology offers the best path to achieving those goals," said Mr. Kibby. "I'm excited to join one of the most powerful brands in higher education, backed by the immense talent of its employees and technology that surpasses any in the industry, to fulfill the promise of changing the world through personalized learning."

Ryan Prichard, who served as Knewton's interim CEO since founder Jose Ferreira stepped down from the post in December 2016, will return to his role as the company's president and chief technology officer.

A veteran of the U.S. Army, Mr. Kibby holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Western Illinois University. His tenure at Knewton begins July 10.

About Knewton:

With Knewton, every student gets a more personal learning experience. Educators, schools and universities, and education companies around the world use Knewton to power and provide digital courses that dynamically adapt to each student's unique needs. Knewton provides students with tailored recommendations for exactly what to study, educators with analytics to better support each student, and publishers with content insights to develop more effective digital products. Knewton was founded in 2008 and has offices in New York City, London, and Tokyo.

Contact:

Knewton

Communications Office

(415) 323-0850

[email protected]

SOURCE Knewton

Related Links

http://www.knewton.com


"We're easing the heat in the Southeast this July with this great deal," says Alice Crowder, Vice President of Marketing at Krystal. "Whether you're looking to end your meal on a sweet note or just craving a creamy snack, we've got you covered."

Krystal's Sweet & Cold menu is the ultimate summertime accompaniment to the brand's famous Krystal burgers, fries, and other hot and steamy menu items. Aside from satisfying sundaes, Krystal's Sweet & Cold menu features creamy, soft-serve cones and cups, Kool-Aid slushies in fun fruit flavors, refreshing Caramel Mocha Frost iced coffee and rich, hand-spun milkshakes.

Guests can enjoy these tasty sundaes all week long and may choose between their classic flavors of chocolate, strawberry or OREO cookie pieces. This tasty offer is valid at participating locations and while supplies last.

OREO is a registered trademark of Mondelez International group, used under license.

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.

Peyton Sadler

305-631-2283

[email protected]

SOURCE The Krystal Company

Related Links

http://www.krystal.com


LONDON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AlgoMe, the innovative London-based start-up using intelligent technology for career development and job placement, has announced its official launch today. AlgoMe is a unique and compelling proposition for professionals and companies. It is designed with the user in mind, specifically the Asset Management and Fintech professional and company.

Visit https://portal.algome.com/register to create your free profile

Following its beta phase, AlgoMe registration is now live on www.algome.com. Professionals and companies easily create a free profile and find matches for new roles or mentoring using the innovative AlgoMe technology.

The City insiders who have set out to disrupt the way Asset Management and Fintech careers are managed and developed are Rob Carter (formerly Aberdeen Asset Management) and Luuk Jacobs (previously at Aviva Investors). Their deep industry experience has given them first-hand insight into the issues and challenges they've set out to resolve. They also know how to leverage technology and data to underpin and deliver the AlgoMe proposition. AlgoMe is currently focused on the world of Asset Management, associated Fintech and the broader financial services industry. Over time AlgoMe is expecting to grow further both geographically and into other industries.

"This is a very exciting time for us as AlgoMe is now live and facilitating professional placements in Asset Management and Fintech companies through our matching technology. AlgoMe is working with big name organisations in London and further afield, we have just added 20 Fintech roles available in France," said Rob Carter.

"We believe there will be wide adoption of AlgoMe across the industry as businesses will be able to engage directly with matched professionals to find the right individual at the right time. Professionals can now benefit from independent AlgoMe Mentors who are available to connect with on the platform. At beta stage, 70% of preregistered professionals said they want to be mentors/mentees, so we expect this to be a popular feature," he continued.

HR and line managers, as well as project leaders, can use AlgoMe to share job opportunities from their organisations and discover the right person to match their requirements. Privacy is paramount for AlgoMe and there is no public viewing platform, professionals are in charge of who sees their information and need to accept an invitation from a company or individual to share details.

The AlgoMe team, based in the heart of London's tech city, is on the doorstep of the Asset Management community. It has a group of experienced advisors in HR, Financial Services, Law and Technology. The first wave of industry feedback has been hugely positive; businesses and professionals alike feel this solves many career and recruitment issues.

The Benefits and How it Works

People seeking access to career development knowledge and connections are discretely matched on the platform; allowing individuals to meet new people for mentoring or networking without having data in the public domain. As a result, personal development and career progression can now match the pace of the evolving industry.

Asset Management and Fintech  The Opportunity

AlgoMe is currently focused on two industries which are experiencing change and growth and with this brings a demand for new skills, outside talent and a need for third party support through mentoring and career development. Europe ranks as the second largest market in the global Asset Management industry, managing 31% of the total amount of assets managed globally at end 2015 (EUR 68 trillion). Over 4,000 asset management companies are registered in Europe directly employing 100,000 people with another 460,000 people indirectly employed in functions servicing the asset management industry. Source: EFAMA Asset Management Report 2017.

The UK manages 37% of total assets managed in Europe and Asset Management and contributes 6% to net UK service exports according to The Investment Association Annual Survey 2015-2016.

Overall global investment in Fintech increased by 27% to $15.2bn up to Q3 2016, according to statistics compiled by Innovate Finance. This has already surpassed the 2015 total of $14.9bn. 70% of capital raised by all private European Fintech companies in Q1 2017 went to companies based in London, Berlin, Stockholm, Paris, Barcelona and Amsterdam according to Fintech Global. Of the $1,164 million Fintech investment aggregate, 36% went to London-based Fintech companies.

Notes to editors: About AlgoMe

AlgoMe is a new generation of company which empowers professionals so they can manage their careers through technology, data and industry insight. It is co-founded by CEO Rob Carter and COO Luuk Jacobs and based in the heart of the start-up community in East London, which helps AlgoMe bring creativity and innovation to its approach.

For further information, please contact:

Eva Keogan

[email protected]

+ 44 (0) 7790 841538

Related Images

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Related Links

AlgoMe blog

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VB179EZmYA

SOURCE AlgoMe

Related Links

http://www.algome.com


BALA CYNWYD, Pa., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitalyst, a global provider of learning services and solutions that helps organizations humanize technology, announced a key finding impacting training leaders at banks and credit unions. According to attendees at the 2017 Bank Trainers ConferenceThe Summit for Bank & Credit Union Trainers, one of the biggest challenges noted was getting employees to embrace online learning courses, and enabling them to retain and leverage the information learned.

Jacquie Beck, Director of Client Training at Vitalyst, provided a universally desired solution to their needs. Leading a key session on gamification, Beck spoke about leveraging the success of the gaming industry to create "habit forming" employees. By making learning fun through healthy competition, it creates a desire among employees to want to learn about topics as dense as compliance, increasing retention rates. For example, employees want to return to learning portals frequently to earn points and badges because the rewards for participation are tangible. This method has helped with learner participation, engagement and collaboration, while elevating training analytics for hundreds of organizations who have adopted gamification into their strategy.

"When you leverage gamification, you're making employees knowledge-ablemeaning you are providing them resources of where to seek out information coupled with the desire to do so because they learned about it in a fun way," said Beck. "Gamification strategy has been adopted by some of the largest organizations in the world and the results have had a profound impact."

Beck joined Vitalyst a few months ago to lead strategic efforts around the company's growing training offering, which has seen dramatic growth in three years. She has been creating and implementing interactive learning applications for over 20 years and her vast experience regarding training delivery and best practices will help Vitalyst bolster existing capabilities, and provide insight into adding new ones. For more information about our services, please visit www.vitalyst.com/services/training/.

About Vitalyst

Vitalyst is a global provider of learning services and solutions that helps organizations humanize technology. Using a proprietary methodology, we help clients identify high impact opportunities, then create educational programs to maximize adoption and skilled use of technology. We deliver a unique, employee-centric, transformation experience, enabling our clients to develop sustainable improvements for continued innovation and growth. Vitalyst is a Microsoft Gold Services Partner with headquarters in Philadelphia.

Press Contact:

Jennifer Sludden

(610) 785-1934

[email protected]

SOURCE Vitalyst

Related Links

http://www.vitalyst.com


The annual parade, the largest celebration of Italian-American heritage and culture in the United States, will take place on Monday, October 9, 2017, beginning at 11:30 a.m. As Grand Marshal, Mr. Riggio will lead dozens of marching bands and floats and over 100 marching groups up the Fifth Avenue parade route, from 44 th Street to 72 nd Street.

In naming Mr. Riggio Grand Marshal, Columbus Citizens Foundation president Angelo Vivolo praised his success as a prominent Italian-American business leader and his contributions to philanthropy and community service.

"Len Riggio's visionary role in the bookselling industry has made him one of the most respected business minds in America and a pillar of success in the Italian-American community," Mr. Vivolo said. "But his phenomenal achievements in business are surpassed by his passion for giving back to those in need and his tireless commitment to making our communities and the world better places. It is those qualities that make Len an obvious choice as Grand Marshal of this very special event."

"I am honored and pleased to carry on this important tradition and join the ranks of distinguished Italian-Americans who have served in this role before me." Mr. Riggio said. "At the same time, I am thrilled to use this opportunity to recognize the achievements of Italian-American writers and their enormous contributions to the literary fabric of America. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase their talents and inspire others to follow in their footsteps. My family and I look forward to marching on Fifth Avenue with these great writers."

Beginning with a single college bookstore in 1965, Mr. Riggio built Barnes & Noble into one of the largest enterprises in the history of American retail. Mr. Riggio also founded Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, a Barnes & Noble Education company and a leading operator of university bookstores in the U.S., and GameStop, the world's largest videogame retailer. In all, the companies founded by Mr. Riggio employ more than 100,000 people.

The Columbus Day Parade, organized by the Columbus Citizens Foundation, began in 1929 when New York City businessman and Italian immigrant Generoso Pope led a parade from East Harlem to Columbus Circle.

Event: Columbus Day Parade

Location: Fifth Ave. from 44th  72nd Streets

Date: Monday, October 9, 2017

Hours: 11:30 AM  3:00 p.m.

Broadcast: WABC-TV, 12 Noon  3:00 p.m.

ABOUT THE COLUMBUS CITIZENS FOUNDATION

The Columbus Citizens Foundation is a non-profit organization in New York City committed to fostering an appreciation of Italian-American heritage and achievement. The Foundation, through a broad range of philanthropic and cultural activities, provides opportunities for advancement to deserving Italian-American students through various scholarship and grant programs. The Foundation organizes New York City's annual Columbus Celebration and Columbus Day Parade, which has celebrated Italian-American heritage on New York's Fifth Avenue since 1929. For more information, contact [email protected]

CONTACT:

Jefferson Wilson

Director of Marketing & Communications

Columbus Citizens Foundation

Phone: (212) 249-9923 x242

Fax: (212) 737-4413

[email protected]

Mary Ellen Keating

Senior Vice President

Corporate Communications

Barnes & Noble, Inc.

Phone: (212) 633-3323

[email protected]

SOURCE Columbus Citizens Foundation

Related Links

http://www.columbuscitizensfd.org


ORLANDO, Fla., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a $288 million contract to modernize its live training program. As the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin will partner with Saab (Stockholm: SAABB) to provide a simplified training solution that combines multiple vehicle crew training systems into a single product line.

Managed by the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), the system includes training kits of laser detectors and transmitters to equip military trucks, training weapons, and armored vehicles. The new Instrumentable Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (I-MILES) Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (VTESS) program will allow seamless integration with the Army's existing Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement Systems.

"Through I-MILES VTESS, we are changing the way vehicle crews take part in training exercises with an open architecture system that is robust and simple to use," said Sandy Samuel, Lockheed Martin Vice President, Training and Simulation Solutions. "Together, these systems enable soldiers to conduct live, highly realistic force-on-force training with their existing platforms and weapons systems."

Leveraging Lockheed Martin's SciosLive baseline, I-MILES VTESS components were designed to make the system easier for individual soldiers to manage and operate in the field. Compared to the current MILES Tactical Vehicle System, the Lockheed Martin system is smaller, lighter and features simplified components.

"This contract is a result of an excellent combination of skillsets and capabilities from both Saab and Lockheed Martin," said Asa Thegstrom, head of Training & Simulation within Saab's Dynamics business area. "Together with Lockheed Martin, we will deliver a training system that provides the Army with the best training capability for future needs."

For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/training.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

About Saab

Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions within military defense and civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents around the world. Through innovative, collaborative and pragmatic thinking, Saab develops, adopts and improves new technology to meet customers' changing needs.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Related Links

http://www.lockheedmartin.com


SEATTLE, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 10, 2017, Madrona Ridge Residential, an affiliate of Seattle-based Security Properties, is being fully integrated into Security Properties and rebranded as Security Properties Residential. As part of this integration, Security Properties is also announcing that Mike Voorhees, formerly of Holland Residential and Holland Partner Group, has recently joined Security Properties Residential as President.

Mike Voorhees - President, Security Properties Residential

According to David Dufenhorst, CEO of Security Properties, "We are very fortunate to have found Mike Voorhees, who is clearly a cultural match for us, especially with his deep skills and experience. We look forward to Mike's leadership in growing our property management platform."

As Security Properties Residential, the firm's existing 426 employees will continue to provide exceptional residential management services for Security Properties residents, its high-net worth investors, and its institutional real estate partners and lenders. Madrona Ridge was created in 2010, after a 15 year non-compete related to the sale by Security Properties of its prior management company expired. Its purpose is to increase the value of its real estate holdings by more closely managing its assets.

Mike Voorhees, Managing Director and the new President of Security Properties Residential, stated: "I look forward to building on the talent, experience and systems that have allowed Security Properties Residential to reach the point where it is today and to help expand the platform to serve the needs of our residents, partners and investors."

Operating throughout the Western U.S., Security Properties Residential is committed to delivering exceptional service to its apartment communities and their residents. Services include property, construction and compliance management services that create positive living environments for residents and build value for investment clients.

Under this new organization, Security Properties Residential will have a unified brand and organization, and will be further integrated with the Security Properties platform to enhance coordination and risk management.

About Security Properties

Security Properties is a national real estate investment, development, and operating company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. For nearly 50 years, Security Properties has provided quality housing to its residents as well as excellent financial performance for its investors. Since its founding, Security Properties has acquired or developed over 81,600 residential units at a cost of over $5 billion. Security Properties maintains a focused multi-family strategy supported by integrated teams of professional acquisition, development, construction, investment, and property management specialists. For more information, visit www.securityproperties.com

News media contact:

Ed McGovern, 206.622.9900

[email protected]

SOURCE Security Properties

Related Links

http://www.securityproperties.com


NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Actors of any experience level who are serious about discovering and refining their craft are encouraged to apply to the Fall 2017 Two Year Acting Program beginning September 8 at the Maggie Flanigan Studio  New York's elite actor training program. The studio is the preeminent source for instruction in the Meisner technique, an approach to acting that emphasizes truth, emotion and imagination. More information about the program is available at http://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com/twoyearactingprogramnyc/.

The Maggie Flanigan Studio proudly announces the start of the two year acting program this fall. The Meisner Technique training program is ideal for actors and students who are serious about their training. Interested students should contact the studio to arrange an interview. Call (917) 789-1599. The Two Year Acting Program at Maggie Flanigan Studio Begins September 8. Serious Actors Should Call to Arrange an Interview. Call (917) 789-1599.

"Much of the so-called training in this country has found a way to cater to the idea that craft and technique can be acquired very quickly," says Charlie Sandlan, executive director and head of acting at the Maggie Flanigan Studio. "These misunderstandings lead to some big misconceptions about establishing a serious acting career. If you truly want to be an actor, then you must have a vision of the type of artist that you want to be. All brilliant artists do."

Year one of the Two Year Acting Program explores the fundamentals of craft, helping students transform knowledge into improvisational action. Students act in three scenes as part of the 9-month session while learning to identify each scene's context and subtext. The first year provides all the tools for emotionally connecting with other actors and with the material at hand.

"In the program's first year," explains Sandlan, "we begin unlocking the imaginative potential inside each actor. We discuss the importance of finding one's own way into a character and scene. Year one is the essential foundation for the more focused and intensive work that comes in the second year."

Script and characterization are the focal points of the second year of the Two Year Acting Program at the Maggie Flanigan Studio. Students practice inhabiting other characters and accessing the many aspects of the human condition. Professional development in the form of rehearsal preparation is another feature of the second year.

"Ultimately, by the end of year two, students will have begun realizing their own craft," concludes Sandlan. "Craft and technique are essential ingredients in maximizing one's talents. And our goal at the Maggie Flanigan Studio is to empower each student to achieve their dream of a long professional career on stage or screen."

Many graduates of the Two Year Acting Program at the Maggie Flanigan Studio have gone on to rewarding and fulfilling careers. One of those is Gene Pope, who recently appeared in the short films "Only Solomon Lee" and "Hand Over Hand."

"Up front, I want to clearly state that I don't consider myself a 'natural' actor," says Pope. "I'm one who needed to learn the skill set and had to work hard to soak those skills into my soul. And I could never have accomplished any of this without Maggie Flanigan Studio. First year, Charlie and Maggie really opened me up and toughened me up, literally and mentally. My work ethic cranked up to a 10. Second year prepared me to BE an artist, to never stop polishing my skills once I graduated ... and to not be intimidated.

"Now, 3 years later, there isn't a single moment when I don't use what I was taught. I still re-read my class notes. Acting skills are becoming embedded, spontaneous and all the time easier to draw upon. Lastly, Charlie and Maggie and all the rest of the teachers at MFS are supremely kind to actors, which is essential to allow yourself to experiment, fail and try again. They want you to succeed."

About Maggie Flanigan Studio

We are proud to be NYC's most respected professional actor training program. We welcome aspiring actors interested in going the distance with themselves; risk-takers who want to feel safe, nurtured, and yet pushed in a way they could have never imagined in order to fulfill their fullest artistic potential. Executive Director Charlie Sandlan and all of the faculty approach every day honored to be the caretakers of Maggie Flanigan's artistic vision.

Contact:

Charlie Sandlan, Executive Director and Head of Acting

Maggie Flanigan Studio

153 W 27th St #803

New York, New York 10001

(917) 789-1599

[email protected]

SOURCE Maggie Flanigan Studio

Related Links

http://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com


SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --McClatchy (NYSE: MNI) announced today that its second quarter earnings conference call will be accessible live to the media and general public via internet webcast and through listen-only, dial-in conference lines.

The conference call will be held on Friday, July 21, 2017, at noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific time. McClatchy's earnings announcement will be released to newswire services before the market opens on July 21st. The full text of the announcement and the financial tables will also be available on McClatchy's website, www.mcclatchy.com.

The live webcast will be accessible at McClatchy's website and an archive of the webcast will be available for future reference.

In addition, McClatchy will provide access to the conference call through listen-only, dial-in conference lines. To gain access to the call, dial 1-877-278-1205 at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start. The call conference ID is 46060930.

About McClatchy

McClatchy is a publisher of iconic brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star, The Sacramento Bee, The Charlotte Observer, The (Raleigh) News & Observer, and the (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram. McClatchy operates 30 media companies in 29 U.S. markets in 14 states, providing each of its communities with high-quality news and advertising services in a wide array of digital and print formats. McClatchy is headquartered in Sacramento, Calif., and listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNI.

SOURCE McClatchy

Related Links

http://www.mcclatchy.com


KNOXVILLE, Tenn., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PerfectServe, healthcare's most comprehensive integrated system of secure, patient-centric communication services, announced today that Merrie Wallace has joined as its Chief Revenue Officer.

In this newly created position, Wallace will lead PerfectServe's national sales team, supporting unprecedented expansion of the company's secure healthcare communication solutions at physician practices, hospitals and health systems. Her responsibilities include spearheading strategic regional sales planning, market and competitive analysis and innovative sales strategy implementation.

"Merrie brings an outstanding record of building high performance teams who have driven and sustained significant bookings and revenue growth, margin improvement, and employee and client satisfaction across multiple organizations," said Terry Edwards, CEO and President of PerfectServe. "Her passion for technology innovation and her leadership history will contribute to our organization's performance. We're excited to have her on board to support growth expansion across inpatient, ambulatory, post-care and home care settings."

"PerfectServe is an industry powerhouse revered by the clinical community at large for its distinct capabilities in efficient care team communication and collaboration," said Wallace. "Equally exceptional is that PerfectServe is part of many providers' long-term enterprise communication strategies. As a former nursing professional myself, I am deeply inspired to contribute to the company's stellar legacy breaking down silos and improving care."

Wallace brings an extensive background in healthcare software and services organizations at both Fortune 100 and venture-backed levels. Previously, she was vice president of quality and safety at Premier, Inc. and executive vice president of product solutions at Awarepoint Corporation. Prior to that, she served in executive strategy roles for 20 years at McKesson Corporation.

Wallace earned a bachelor of a master of nursing administration degree from Emory University in Atlanta and a bachelor of science in nursing degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

Journalists: Click here to download Merrie Wallace's photo.

About PerfectServe

PerfectServe is healthcare's most comprehensive and secure care team collaboration platform. The platform is unique in its ability to improve communication process accuracy and reliability via its proprietary Dynamic Intelligent Routing capability, which automatically identifies and provides immediate connection to the right care team member for any given clinical situation at every moment in time. More than 100,000 clinicians in forward-looking organizations across the U.S. rely on PerfectServe to help them speed time to treatment, expedite care transitions, enhance the patient experience and reduce HIPAA compliance risk. Headquartered in Knoxville, TN, with offices in Alpharetta, GA and Chicago, IL, PerfectServe has helped clinicians provide better care since 2000. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook and subscribe to our blog.

Media Contact: PerfectServe Contact: Angela Jenkins Heather Dorsett, MBA Agency Ten22 Director, Content Strategy and Marketing 303.877.0115 855.871.7299 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE PerfectServe
NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenhill & Co., Inc. (NYSE: GHL), a leading independent investment bank, announced today that Michael J. Borgh will join the Firm in San Francisco as a Managing Director focused on the technology sector, with a particular focus on companies in the enterprise and applied technologies area.

Mr. Borgh was most recently a Managing Director and Head of Applied and Communication Technology Investment Banking at J.P. Morgan, based in San Francisco. He spent 13 years at J.P. Morgan, and prior to that was a software engineer at Motorola and InterDigital Communications.

Scott L. Bok, Chief Executive Officer of Greenhill, said, "We are pleased to expand our coverage of technology companies by adding Michael to our team in San Francisco. He brings us deep knowledge in a range of technology subsectors, based on his experience as a banker and as a software engineer. His expertise will also be of great use in advising our industrial clients, who are increasingly interested in applied technologies in relation to their businesses."

Greenhill & Co., Inc. is a leading independent investment bank entirely focused on providing financial advice on significant mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, financings and capital raising to corporations, partnerships, institutions and governments globally. It acts for clients located throughout the world from its offices in New York, Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Melbourne, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto.

Contact:

David M. Trone

Director of Investor Relations

Greenhill & Co., Inc.

(212) 389-1800

SOURCE Greenhill & Co., Inc.
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of our ongoing effort to conclude national contract negotiations, the Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG) met with the nation's freight rail Carriers (NCCC) for three days during the week of June 26th. These efforts were part of our ongoing mediation process, mandated by the Railway Labor Act when the parties have been unable to reach a voluntary agreement, and managed by the National Mediation Board.

Despite the CBG's best efforts to reach a fair agreement with the NCCC, the mediation process took a step backwards on Thursday, June 29th, when the Carriers presented new, onerous bargaining positions. Their new contract demands would have the employees not only paying more per month towards their monthly insurance premiums, but would also make drastic changes in the amount the average employee pays when medical services are needed. Combined with the Carriers' outlandish demands for this dramatic cost-shifting, they suggested we agree to below-standard General Wage Increases with no retroactivity , and, for certain crafts, harmful work rules changes that would have employees doing more work for less pay in many circumstances.

It is clear from the Carrier's latest contract demands that they are emboldened by the potential of management-friendly recommendations that could come from a Presidential Emergency Board appointed by President Trump, and ultimately be imposed on the employees by a Congress that already has enacted or is pushing for changes in longstanding labor laws that protect employee rights.

We, of course, are frustrated by the Carriers' hard line attitude. But, we will not let this stand in our way. In spite of this latest turn of events, the CBG will not give up its efforts to achieve a voluntary settlement that is fair and protects our members' best interests. We, therefore, requested, and have been granted, additional mediation sessions later this month. This is not by any means the end of the road. The Railway Labor Act makes it the duty of both labor and management "to exert every reasonable effort to make agreements." We take that obligation seriously. Be assured that we have been working very hard on your behalf and we will continue to pursue every available avenue to achieve a fair contract settlement worthy of your consideration.

The Carrier's latest offer is neither a fair settlement, nor a settlement that we expect our members would ratify. So that you all are fully aware of what has been proposed, and in an effort to bring all affected members up to speed, the Carrier's latest proposal, with a brief synopsis, can be found at: http://www.ble-t.org/pr/pdf/NCCC_2017-06-29_Synopsis_and_Proposal.pdf

More information will be forthcoming after the mediation sessions scheduled later this month. We appreciate your continuing support.

The Coordinated Bargaining Group is comprised of six unions: the American Train Dispatchers Association; the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (a Division of the Rail Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters); the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers; the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers / SEIU; and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.



Collectively, the CBG unions represent more than 85,000 railroad workers covered by the various organizations' national agreements, and comprise over 58% of the workforce that will be impacted by the outcome of the current bargaining round.

CONTACT: John Bentley,

Public Relations Dept.

P 216 241 2630

E [email protected]

SOURCE Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

Related Links

http://www.ble-t.org


NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuberger Berman, a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager, announced today the hiring of Scott Koenig to lead a real estate secondary effort. The hire deepens the capabilities of Neuberger Berman's private equity platform and builds on the firm's efforts to identify investments that can generate attractive returns uncorrelated to equity markets.

Mr. Koenig joined Neuberger Berman in June and is based in New York. He will focus on acquiring interests in mature real estate private equity portfolios on a secondary basis globally, with an emphasis on the U.S. and Europe. His selective, value-oriented investment approach will mirror that of Neuberger Berman's existing private equity secondary business.

Mr. Koenig has 22 years of experience in real estate and real estate investing, including 16 years at Deutsche Bank, where he held a number of senior roles focused on real estate private equity. Most recently, he served as Head of Real Estate Secondaries for DB Private Equity, where he developed and led a real estate secondaries investment strategy as part of the firm's private equity secondaries platform. Mr. Koenig will leverage his background and Neuberger Berman's proven secondary investment strategies and resources to address the nascent real estate secondary market.

Brian Talbot and Tristram Perkins are global co-heads of Neuberger Berman's secondary investing group. "We are excited to have Scott join our team and lead the expansion of our secondary capabilities into real estate," said Mr. Talbot. Mr. Perkins added, "Scott's experience and investment strategy make him a logical addition to the team. Having access to Neuberger Berman's global sourcing, due diligence and valuation resources will enable Scott to take advantage of the growing market for real estate secondaries."

Neuberger Berman Private Equity is a leading global private equity investor with over 30 years of experience and has managed over $50 billion of commitments since inception through May 2017 across private equity fund investments in the primary and secondary markets, direct equity co-investments and debt investments in private equity owned companies and a number of specialty strategies including asset management minority stakes, brand royalties, European merchant banking and healthcare credit investments. Its dedicated team of over 120 professionals has a global presence with offices in the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America. Over the past three years, Neuberger Berman Private Equity has committed over $5 billion on average annually to private equity investments.

About Neuberger Berman

Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages equities, fixed income, private equity and hedge fund portfolios for institutions and advisors worldwide. With offices in 19 countries, Neuberger Berman's team is more than 1,900 professionals. The company was named the #1 firm in Pensions & Investments 2016 Best Places to Work in Money Management survey (among those with 1,000 employees or more). Tenured, stable and long-term in focus, the firm fosters an investment culture of fundamental research and independent thinking. It manages $267 billion in client assets as of March 31, 2017. For more information, please visit our website at www.nb.com.

All information is as of March 31, 2017 unless otherwise indicated and is subject to change without notice. Firm data, including employee and assets under management figures, reflects collective data for the various affiliated investment advisers that are subsidiaries of Neuberger Berman Group LLC. Firm history/timeline includes the history of all firm subsidiaries, including predecessor entities and acquisitions.

This material is being issued on a limited basis through various global subsidiaries and affiliates of Neuberger Berman Group LLC. Please visit www.nb.com/disclosure-global-communications for the specific entities and jurisdictional limitations and restrictions.

The "Neuberger Berman" name and logo are registered service marks of Neuberger Berman Group LLC.

 2017 Neuberger Berman Group LLC. All rights reserved.

Media Contact: Alex Samuelson, 212 476 5392, [email protected]

SOURCE Neuberger Berman

Related Links

http://www.nb.com


WASHINGTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An overwhelming number of people  nearly three in four Americans  say that health insurance companies must be required to cover emergency medicine services as part of any health care replacement bill before Congress, according to a new poll by Morning Consult.

Currently, in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 10 essential health benefits, including emergency care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage, are required by law to be covered. According to the poll, emergency services rated the highest of the 10 benefits, with 73 percent of the public saying it was "very important" to keep. It was followed by hospitalization coverage with 72 percent.

The new legislation currently before the U.S. Senate which the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) does not support  would allow states to waive those ACA requirements. If this happened, it would significantly harm care for patients by leaving them without coverage while benefitting insurance companies.

"Congress needs to listen to the American people and be reminded of the federal mandate it gave to hospital emergency departments in 1986  to care for everyone, regardless of insurance coverage or ability to pay," said Rebecca Parker, MD, FACEP, president of American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). "Unfortunately, insurance companies historically have always denied coverage for emergency care when given the option, as the current bill will do. Access to emergency care is critical to all Americans, as is insurance coverage for that care."

The poll also found that one-third of Americans (33 percent) have already delayed or even avoided emergency care out of concerns about the cost of the co-pay, co-insurance and/or their health insurance deductible.

"Patients can't choose where and when they will need emergency care and they shouldn't be punished financially for having emergencies," said Dr. Parker. "If you or a family member suddenly develop sharp and persistent pain in your abdomen, you should have the confidence that your health insurance will cover you so that you can go to the nearest emergency department."

Poll Methodology:

This survey was conducted online by Morning Consult with 2,201 adults as a national tracking poll from June 22-24, 2017, on behalf of the American College of Emergency Physicians. There is a margin of error of  2 percent. For complete poll results, please click here or contact Mike Baldyga at [email protected].

ACEP is the national medical specialty society representing emergency medicine. ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing education, research and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies.

SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)

Related Links

http://www.acep.org


NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- American supporters of Donald Trump believe that financial skills are more important in a president than decency and ethics, a new survey shows.

Data science app Displayr questioned 1,015 adult Americans in July 2017 on their preferences among 16 different characteristics and capabilities relevant to judging the performance of a president.

Supporters of Mr. Trump consider an understanding of economics, success in business, and Christianity to be important.

People not approving of Mr. Trump place a much greater store in decency, ethics, and concern for the poor and global warning.

"The explanation is not that Trump supporters see Trump differently," said Tim Bock, the data scientist behind the study. "Rather, they're placing greater value on traits like economics, health and 'good in a crisis', where he is perceived as being more able."

The largest difference relates to being successful in business. This is the 4th most important characteristic among the people that approve of President Trump. However, it is 11th among disapprovers.

The data shows the reverse patterns for experience in government, concern with poverty, concern for minorities, and global warming. These characteristics rank lower with supporters than with the general populace.

Finally, there is also evidence that those who support President Trump prefer a traditional American, male, Christian, and entertaining president. However, these differences are all at the margin relative to the other differences.

Conclusions were based off responses to the question, "Thinking about the type of person you would like to have as the President of the USA, which of these characteristics is most appealing to you, and which is least appealing?".

Data collection took place from 30 June to 5 July 2017 and was conducted by market research company Research Now. Results were then analyzed by the data science platform Displayr using the max-diff technique.

The full results of the study and methodology can be found at: https://www.displayr.com/what-do-people-want-in-a-president/

Interactive charts and visualizations can be accessed here:

https://app.displayr.com/Dashboard?id=c1506180-fe64-4941-8d24-9ec4a54439af

Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/12650739

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Displayr

Related Links

http://www.displayr.com


Key to its mission is cultivating an environment in which science and industry collaborate on the discovery and development of new technologies and therapies. Interdisciplinary "team research" will involve all areas of medicine -- from basic science, through drug development, to implementing new treatments in the patient care setting.

Internationally renowned pancreatic cancer surgeon and researcher Diane M. Simeone, MD, leads the new Pancreatic Cancer Center. She joined NYU Langone's faculty this past March following a distinguished career at University of Michigan's Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Simeone also is the incoming chair of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of the highly-influential Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, one of the country's premier organizations advancing the fight against the disease through research funding, community engagement and government advocacy.

Dr. Simeone heads up an already strong pancreatic cancer team at Perlmutter Cancer Center, whose researchers are world leaders in cancer biology, metabolism and immunology, and whose patient care providers are experts in new approaches to imaging as well as the surgical and medical management of the disease. Besides adding her own research program to this group, Dr. Simeone will help recruit additional investigators and clinicians.

"Advances in many areas of cancer biology and genomics have created an unprecedented opportunity to drive discoveries that have real impact on patients, especially those with lethal diseases like pancreatic cancer," Dr. Simeone says. "It is our obligation to step up to this challenge."

The clinical and research direction for the new Pancreatic Cancer Center also will help advance NYU Langone and its Perlmutter Cancer Center as a major site for cutting edge clinical trials for the disease. Dr. Simeone and her colleagues will continue to investigate the molecular events important in pancreatic cancer development  specifically identifying biomarkers for early detection and new therapies that improve survival.

On the clinical side, the program will focus on the management of pancreatic tumors and expedite the progression of laboratory findings to clinical practice. It also will have a strong emphasis on genetic predisposition for pancreatic cancer and evaluating risk factors for patients.

"Unfortunately, the medical community has limited ability to prevent pancreatic cancer, detect it at an early stage or treat it effectively," says Benjamin G. Neel, MD, PhD, director of Perlmutter Cancer Center. "For these reasons, we have identified improving pancreatic cancer outcomes as among our top priorities."

Greater Emphasis on Patient Care, Advancing Research

Through the Pancreatic Cancer Center, patients will have access to a team of clinicians, most of who will be located or will practice at Perlmutter Cancer Center's main facility on East 34th Street and 3rd Avenue. When appropriate, patients also will have the opportunity to enroll in promising clinical trials on new drugs to fight pancreatic cancer.

Equally important, the Center will tackle obstacles that have often held back research advances in pancreatic cancer.

"In the past, pancreatic cancer took a back seat to the investigation of other forms of cancer," Dr. Simeone says. "But the increasing number of cases has changed that. We will advance the most promising laboratory findings to the clinic in the shortest possible time, improve clinical trial design and efficiency, facilitate data sharing, and capitalize fully on technologic advances that will one day lead us to an early detection test for pancreatic cancer."

A patient coordinator can help facilitate appointments with clinicians affiliated with the Pancreatic Cancer Center. Please call (212) 731-6150 or visit nyulangone.org/locations/pancreatic-cancer-center.

Media Inquiries:

Jim Mandler

(212) 404-3525

[email protected]

SOURCE NYU Langone Medical Center

Related Links

http://nyulangone.org


The construction of MacArthur Commons on such a prominent piece of land in Oakland will enhance the physical appearance of the corridor and promote a new liveliness in one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. The finished complex features three separate residential buildings, a clubroom, fitness center, outdoor pool and spa, and pedestrian plaza. These communal areas will allow MacArthur Commons to facilitate a community within itself  places where residents are able to interact and form relationships amidst their hectic schedules.

The general contractor for the project is Build Group, a renowned company based in San Francisco. They have provided quality commercial construction and management services throughout the state of California for more than a decade now.

For more information, visit their:

Website: http://www.buildgc.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Build-Group-Inc-169567673091071/

Twitter: @BuildGroupInc

Instagram: @BuildGroup

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/1120045/

SOURCE Build Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.buildgc.com


NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OnlineSchoolsCenter.com, has released a list of 20 best schools for bachelor's in Web Design degree programs. In gathering data from numerous websites emphasis was placed upon the diversity and quality of course work, reputation of institution, format of online course delivery, and the success of students in graduating. The list of top 20 online Bachelor's in Web Design programs are presented in no particular order.

The ranking can be viewed here:

http://www.onlineschoolscenter.com/best-online-schools-for-bachelors-in-web-design/

Web Designers are creative individuals who have the task of designing the look, layout and features of a webpage. Web designers can work for a company or freelance. The look of a website is what catches people's interest and gives them an internet niche. Therefore, successful web designers are artistic and innovative. Producing a good website layout requires logic and common sense. The individual features of a webpage, what really make it pop, bring in the creativity and original ideas of the web designer.

Web designers are also responsible for the site's technical facets, such as, its performance or capacity which affect the website's speed and how much traffic the site can handle. A bachelor's degree gives web designers the advanced skills to be at the top of their market. It prepares them to apply HTML, XML, Javascript, graphics applications and other tools to their end of design, editing, and publishing of documents, images, graphics, sound, and multimedia products on the web. The degree also includes instruction in Internet theory, web page standards and policies, elements of web page design, user interfaces, vector tools, special effects, interactive and multimedia components, search engines, navigation, morphing, e-commerce tools and emerging web technologies. In short, a bachelor's degree in web design gives individuals the ability to be stellar web designers in today's fast growing field.

According to researcher and writer, Jared Goff, "In researching online degree programs it became apparent that the field of web design and development is rapidly growing and undergoing continuous change. Demand for creative and qualified designers is on the rise, making earning a degree in web design a great opportunity for a well-paying and exciting career."

The list of 20 schools includes:

Arizona State University; Tempe, Arizona

Southern New Hampshire University; Manchester, New Hampshire

Champlain College; Burlington, Vermont

Fort Hays State University; Hays, Kansas

East Coast Polytechnic Institute; Virginia Beach, Virginia

DeVry University; Chicago, Illinois

Full Sail University; Winter Park, Florida

American Public University; Charles Town, Virginia

Academy of Art; San Francisco, California

University of Maryland University College; Adelphi, Maryland

Liberty University; Lynchburg, Virginia

Colorado Technical University; Colorado Springs, Colorado

Wilmington University; New Castle, Delaware

Independence University; Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Phoenix; Tempe, Arizona

Baker College; Flint, Michigan

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Franklin University; Columbus, Ohio

South University; Savannah, Georgia

Walden University; Minneapolis, Minnesota

OnlineSchoolsCenter.com reviews publicly available data and then produces independent ranking assessments of various educational programs and college facilities as well as student guides and resources. The mission of OnlineSchoolsCenter.com is to be a vital resource for potential students making one of the most important decisions of their lives. OnlineSchoolsCenter.com recognizes that no ranking system is perfect, and recommends that their ratings be used only as a general guide for choosing a quality school.

Contact: Jared Goff

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 314-873-1866

SOURCE OnlineSchoolsCenter.com
PETACH TIKVA, Israel, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

OWC Pharmaceutical Research Corp. (OTCQB: OWCP) today announced that its wholly-owned, Israel-based subsidiary, One World Cannabis Ltd. (OWC), has filed a patent application with the European Union Patent and Trademark Office for its active cannabinoid-based psoriasis topical cream. (The patent application number is EP 17178303.8)

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/458036/OWC_Logo.jpg )



This action by OWC is a key step in the Company's continuing program to fully protect its intellectual property ("IP"). OWC's strategy in seeking to fully protect its IP, including the filing of this European patent application will enable the Company to accelerate its ongoing discussions and negotiations regarding scientific, medical and commercial collaboration.

Commenting on the filing of the patent application, Mr. Mordechai Bignitz, Chairman and CEO of OWC Pharmaceutical Research, stated, "Our primary short-term objective is to introduce our topical cream for skin conditions including, most importantly, psoriasis to the market. Our necessity to fully protect our intellectual property limited our ability to provide potential customers and partners with the required data for their due diligence and review. Our proprietary data includes specifics regarding the formulation of the topical cream, consisting of cannabinoids and other compounds that facilitate the efficient delivery of the cream to infected areas. The filing of this European patent application also enables us to fully discuss with potential customers and partners the requirements for manufacturing the cream in accordance with national and local regulations. It also enables us to provide potential customers and partners with the manufacturing requirements, based on the highest-level of international standards and protocols, and includes specifics regarding the manufacturing process including required equipment and systems."

Further commenting on the filing of the European patent application, Dr. Yehuda Baruch, the Company's Chief Science Officer and OWC's Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs stated, "The European market is very important to OWC and our product implementation strategy. Populous European countries including Germany, Italy, Spain and r Greece all have medical cannabis programs, and therefore are key markets for our psoriasis List of European Medical Marijuana friendly countries per Medical Marijuana.EU :

http://www.medicalmarijuana.eu/gallery/22-european-countries-cannabis-laws/

About OWCP's Active Cannabinoid-based topical cream for skin conditions starting with Psoriasis:

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes red, scaly patches to appear on the skin, and can be associated with other serious health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and depression. Skin cells in patients with psoriasis grow at an abnormally fast rate, causing a buildup of lesions that tend to burn and itch.

While the real cause of psoriasis is not known, genetics are believed to play a major role in its development. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, psoriasis affects 7.5 million people in the United States. According to Global Data and the World Health Organization, the reported prevalence of psoriasis in countries ranges between 0.09% and 11.4%, making psoriasis a serious global problem with at least 100 million individuals affected worldwide. The global market of psoriasis treatments expected to increase from a value of $6.6 billion in 2014 to more than $13.3 billion by 2024.

OWCP developed its proprietary active cannabinoid-based topical cream for psoriasis management, with the objective of reducing the skin dryness of patients suffering from the disease. Results of OWC's pre-clinical efficacy studies indicated that the Company's topical cream treats the main symptoms of psoriasis by primarily reducing keratinocytes (epidermis cell) proliferation and reducing inflammation markers related to psoriasis. OWC previously reported trial results that concluded that after the application of its active cannabinoid-based topical cream, that there was up to a 70% improvement in a variety of inflammation markers directly associated with psoriasis.

About OWC Pharmaceutical Research Corp.

OWC Pharmaceutical Research Corp., through its wholly-owned Israeli subsidiary, One World Cannabis Ltd., is conducting medical research and clinical trials to develop cannabis-based pharmaceuticals and treatments for conditions including multiple myeloma, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, PTSD, and migraines.

OWCP is also developing unique delivery systems for the effective delivery and dosage of medical cannabis.

All OWCP research is conducted at leading Israeli hospitals and scientific institutions and led by internationally renowned investigators.

The Company's Research Division is focused on pursuing clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of cannabinoids and cannabis-based products for the treatment of various medical conditions, while its Consulting Division is dedicated to helping governments and companies navigate complex international cannabis regulatory frameworks.

For more information visit: http://www.owcpharma.com/.



Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains 'forward-looking statements' as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release, which are not purely historical, are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, filing patent applications, product development, and business strategy. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in OWC Pharmaceutical Research Corp. (OTCQB: OWCP) periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



Contact Information:

Mordechai Bignitz

Chairman and CEO

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +972(0)-3-770-8526



SOURCE OWC Pharmaceutical Research Corp.
HOUSTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Peruvian state-owned oil company PetroPeru has begun issuing import tenders for refined petroleum products using price assessments from global commodity price reporting and news agency Argus.

PetroPeru  which supplies more than half of Peru's 250,000 b/d refined products market  has issued a request for proposals to supply four cargoes of ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) priced on the Argus Colonial pipeline ULSD index, for delivery in August. A separate tender was issued on 6 July for two combined cargoes of naphtha and gasoline blendstock indexed to Argus Colonial pipeline conventional gasoline for August-September delivery.

Argus Media chairman and chief executive Adrian Binks said: "We are delighted that PetroPeru has expressed its confidence in Argus' refined product indexes. This continues a trend that has seen Latin American countries increasingly turn to Argus pricing in recent years."

Argus is the world's largest independent price reporting agency, producing price assessments that are used extensively by governments as independent references for taxation and other purposes. Energy producers and consumers use Argus assessments as price references for long-term supply contracts, mark-to-market accounting of commodity portfolios, managing counterparty exposure, derivatives contracts and for use in a wide range of investment and market analysis.

Contact Information

London

Seana Lanigan

+44 20 7780 4272

[email protected]

Houston

Scott Berg

+ 1 713 968 0000

[email protected]

Singapore

Pierre Lever

+65 6496 9960

[email protected]

About Argus Media

Argus is an independent media organisation with more than 850 staff. It is headquartered in London and has 21 offices in the world's principal commodity trading and production centres. Argus produces price assessments and analysis of international energy and other commodity markets, and offers bespoke consulting services and industry-leading conferences.

Companies in 140 countries around the world use Argus data to index physical trade and as benchmarks in financial derivative markets as well as for analysis and planning purposes.

Argus was founded in 1970 and is a privately held UK-registered company. It is owned by employee shareholders and global growth equity firm General Atlantic.

ARGUS, the ARGUS logo, ARGUS MEDIA, ARGUS DIRECT, ARGUS OPEN MARKETS, AOM, FMB, DEWITT, JIM JORDAN & ASSOCIATES, JJ&A, FUNDALYTICS, METAL-PAGES, METALPRICES.COM, Argus publication titles and Argus index names are trademarks of Argus Media Limited.

SOURCE Argus Media

Related Links

http://www.argusmedia.com


TUCSON, Ariz., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- COPD hospitalizations are at an all-time high. The 30-day readmission rate for patients ranges from 20-39 percent1-3, with related healthcare costs at an estimated $50 billion4-5. A recently published study, funded by Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), revealed that although positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy was associated with a reduction in hospitalization, more than 92 percent of patients studied were not receiving it in any form.

The retrospective study led by Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, professor of medicine and interim chief of Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine with University of Arizona College of Medicine, revealed that only 7.5 percent of the more than 1.8 million COPD patients analyzed were receiving any form of PAP therapy. There are multiple modes of PAP treatment which can take place at home to help people alleviate symptoms of respiratory illness. The reviewed administrative claims data suggested that individuals receiving either Bi-level (BiPAP), continuous (CPAP) or noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIV) therapy (n=48,856) experienced lower hospitalization risk than before therapy initiation as well as lower hospitalization risk than those who did not receive any positive airway pressure therapy at all.

"Frequent readmissions of COPD patients not only disrupt their quality of life, but are costing our health systems billions," says Parthasarathy. "This analysis revealed that there is a solution already accessible within our toolbox that can keep patients out of the hospital, but it is significantly underutilized. With improved awareness and implementation of PAP therapy as a treatment for COPD, we can lower the cost burden for health systems while allowing patients to recover in the comfort of their own homes."

"Many clinicians still reference dated information when considering COPD treatment methods, yet technologies, machines and even masks have advanced significantly since PAP therapy was first introduced," says Eli Diacopoulos, Philips Respiratory Care Business Leader. "This study demonstrates the vast opportunity for the industry to further adopt recent innovations for COPD treatment."

Patients with multiple chronic medical conditions were analyzed as part of this bioinformatics "real world" study. Comorbidities such as sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure and heart failure were associated with greater benefits from PAP therapy, though ultimately, results showed that further clinical study into a causal connection between PAP therapy and reduced hospital readmissions of COPD patients is warranted.

As part of its continued commitment to pioneering the development of hospital-to-home solutions designed to help people breathe easier, Philips has recently sponsored two additional studies related to COPD patient hospitalization. The first found the use of advanced home non-invasive ventilation (NIV), specifically Trilogy with AVAPS-AE, to significantly decrease hospital and payer costs as well as hospitalization rates for patients with severe COPD. Another suggested that NIV paired with home oxygen therapy can prolong the length of admission-free survival.

Philips offers a wide variety of PAP therapy solutions for COPD patients, including DreamStation Advanced Therapies and its Trilogy line of hospital-to-home ventilators, each connected to the Care Orchestrator patient management application. For additional information on Philips' PAP offerings and additional solutions for sleep and respiratory care, follow @PhilipsResp or visit www.respironics.com.

For further information, please contact:

Meredith Amoroso

Philips Sleep and Respiratory Care

Mobile: +1 724-584-8991

E-mail: [email protected]

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 70,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

SOURCE Royal Philips
STAFFORD, Va., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pretek Corporation, a Woman-Owned consulting and Information Technology Solutions Company, announced today that it has been certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration for participation in the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program and Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program.

SBA 8(a) Certified

Pretek now qualifies for contracts specifically allocated for small businesses operating in HUBZone areas. Pretek expects that its participation in the 8(a) Business Development Program will expand its ability to provide outstanding Next Gen IT software, infrastructure, systems engineering, and networking solutions to federal and state and local government customers.

"We are proud to receive these certifications and excited about the opportunity to partner with local communities to help create jobs in economically challenged areas," said Pretek Managing Partner Dilip Goyal. "The HUBZone certification will also enable more government customers to easily access our well-honed skills and experience for software systems development, deployment and operations. The Pretek management team has worked tirelessly to develop a strong reputation for excellence across the federal market. Inclusion in the 8(a) Business Development program is the stepping stone we need to continue to establish long-term relationships with our government customers."

The 8(a) Business Development program assists small, disadvantaged businesses in gaining access to government contracting. The program consists of a 4-year developmental stage, and a 5-year transition stage. Companies are subject to annual reviews and systematic evaluation from the SBA district office throughout the program.

The HUBZone Program helps create jobs in communities with statistically proven economic needs and significant potential for growth and development. A qualified company gains access to federal set-aside contracts and sole source contracts, as well as a price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions. Federal governments agencies are required to have a defined percentage of all awards go directly or indirectly to 8(a) and HUBZone companies. Qualified 8(a) and HUBZone companies like Pretek Corporation help the government meet this goal.

About PRETEK

Pretek Corporation works with Federal and Commercial customers on advanced information systems solutions to give them an edge. As a successful Minority Woman-Owned Small Business, we offer our clients experience in a wide range of technologies, products, processes and methodologies to support automated information systems. We specialize in Next Gen IT software, infrastructure, systems engineering, analytical studies, systems architecture and design, agile software development, DevOps, quality assurance, and user support. Our team of skilled, qualified technical and management professionals consistently delivers measurable results  on time, within budget, and without surprises. Pretek was awarded a five-year IT Schedule 70 contract by the United States General Services Administration (GSA) in December, 2016.

Among other achievements, Pretek has been named in the Top 50 fastest growing small business by Washington Technology and Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Learn more at http://www.pretek.com/

For more information, contact Dilip Goyal, phone 703-855-7148 or email [email protected].

SOURCE Pretek Corporation

Related Links

http://www.pretek.com


SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) today announced its 2017 Young Investigator (YI) Awards, which support early career scientists who are focused on accelerating the delivery of life-extending and life-saving therapies for men living with prostate cancer.

The YI Awards provide three years of funding  a total of $3.6 million in 2017  to future research leaders who are dedicated to driving the critical research needed to ultimately defeat prostate cancer. Since 2007, PCF has invested over $47 million to support 223 young investigators.

"Over the years, YI Awardees' research has led to advancements in new treatments and vastly improved our understanding of precision medicine, bringing us closer than ever to a cure," said Howard Soule, PhD, chief science officer and executive vice president of PCF. "We are proud to support this year's young investigators who are leading projects that will continue to help accelerate the breakthrough discoveries needed to not only further advance therapies, but ultimately defeat prostate cancer once and for all."

The 2017 YI Awardees were selected from a pool of 123 applications from 75 institutions in 12 countries. As part of the YI program, awardees must be within six years of completing professional scientific training programs and be under the guidance of least one mentor. Each award is matched dollar-for-dollar by the investigator's institution.

The following 19 investigators were selected to receive 2017 Young Investigator Awards:

Sarah Amend , PhD  Johns Hopkins University

Michael Augello , PhD  Weill Cornell Medicine

Weill Maria Carlo , MD  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Elena Castro , MD, PhD  Spanish National Cancer Research Centre

Spanish National Cancer Research Centre Michael Cheng , MD  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Robert Flavell , MD, PhD  University of California, San Francisco

Stephanie Harmon , PhD  National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute Stefanie Hectors, PhD  Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital Thomas Hope , MD  University of California, San Francisco

Wouter Karthaus , PhD  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Fatima Karzai , MD  National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute Ping Mu , PhD  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Nicholas Nickols , MD, PhD  University of California, Los Angeles

Yashar Niknafs , PhD  University of Michigan

Mark Preston , MD, MPH  Harvard : Brigham and Women's Hospital

: Brigham and Women's Hospital David Quigley , PhD  University of California, San Francisco

Konrad Stopsack , MD, MPH  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center David VanderWeele , MD, PhD  National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute Di Zhao , PhD  The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Read More About the Class of 2017 PCF Young Investigators

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, PCF has raised more than $700 million and provided funding to more than 2,000 research programs at more than 200 cancer centers and universities. The PCF global research enterprise now extends to 19 countries and funds a robust research portfolio. PCF advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more efficient investment of governmental research funds for transformational cancer research. Its efforts have helped produce a 20-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer. For more information, visit www.pcf.org.

Connect with PCF: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

CONTACT:

Andrea Miyahira

Prostate Cancer Foundation

310-570-4705

[email protected]

SOURCE Prostate Cancer Foundation

Related Links

http://www.pcf.org


LAS VEGAS, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following Friday's adoption by 120 countries of the first-ever United Nations treaty to ban nuclear weapons, Rael applauded the "fantastic success" of that action. But he also called upon people of all nations to stay mobilized, since the nuclear-armed nations boycotted the vote.

"We must continue forcing the governments of the rogue countries that want to keep their atomic bombs, particularly the United States, Britain and France, to sign the treaty in October," Rael said. "It's their bombs that threaten humanity's very survival, so it's up to the people of these countries to make their governments sign the treaty."

For the past three months, thousands of peace lovers, including Raelians worldwide, have followed Rael's encouragement to meditate publicly for peace while informing people of the upcoming nuclear ban treaty vote.

"Our actions must continue," Rael declared. "The deadline is October."

According to Rael, it is particularly hypocritical for the world's 5 dominant countries to claim the right to be the only nations that can possess nuclear weapons, since India and Pakistan also have them already.

"And it's even more hypocritical that everybody pretends not to know that Israel also has more than 100 atomic bombs!" he said. "And the funniest part is that the dominant western powers are scrutinizing countries like Iran to make sure they don't get nuclear weapons when they aren't voting to ban their own."

"Shame on the Netherlands also for voting against the ban," Rael added. "All these countries [that are opposed to the ban] will bear the responsibility of the humanity's destruction if it happens!"

In a previous address, Rael explained that the alternative to an enforced nuclear ban is for all countries to possess atomic weapons, which could be another way to enforce a ban.

"Now the only way to push the big [nuclear] nations is to hope that as many small countries of the world as possible get the atomic bomb. Then everybody will be so scared that they will make [using them] forbidden," said Rael. "But don't give up! We still have hope, and until then let's put pressure on the leader of the pronuclear movement, the USA."

"I solemnly ask all peace lovers to promote the boycotting of all American products, service and tourism," Rael declared. "I ask them instead to buy products and services from and promote tourism in the countries who supported the ban, like Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Indonesia and the Philippines. These are beautiful countries for tourism and they are much more interesting than the USA."

Rael also deplored the lack of news coverage concerning the nuclear ban treaty.

"There are no mainstream media reports about this vote in the United States, France or the United Kingdom," he pointed out. "This is mass manipulation at its worst!"

Rael concluded by saying that nations opposing a treaty that bans atomic weapons "are definitely rogue nations, since they are but a tiny minority of all humanity."

"They cannot continue claiming they want to promote democracy when they're just a tiny minority, 5 nations out of 180, that continue to dominate the world," he pointed out. "This is a terrible fascist imperialism, being the only ones to own nuclear weapons thanks to their hypocritical 'nonproliferation' treaty."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/g20-summit-120-countries-adopt-nuclear-weapons-ban-treaty-arms-war-prohibition-disarmament-a7828581.html

SOURCE Raelian Movement

Related Links

http://www.rael.org


INDIANAPOLIS and RIDGEFIELD, Conn., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Popular television host and legendary entertainer, Don Francisco, is joining Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim to launch a new awareness initiative, Basado en Hechos, to help address common misconceptions about type 2 diabetes and insulin treatment.

As part of this partnership, Don Francisco, who is known for his ability to connect with his audiences and inform them of the important issues of the day, will head to cities across the country to share his own personal journey of living with type 2 diabetes. These conversations will help to educate communities on some of the facts about type 2 diabetes.

"I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 16 years ago, and at that time I believed many things about diabetes that weren't correct. These misconceptions prevented me from making the best decisions for my health," states Don Francisco. "I joined the Basado en Hechos initiative to share what I've learned over the years with the 3.2 million Hispanics in the U.S. living with diabetes.1 Together, we can learn about the condition."

Today, Don Francisco has learned to manage his type 2 diabetes daily through medication and healthy lifestyle habits, allowing him to stay active and include the foods he loves in his meal plan.

"As a Hispanic healthcare professional who has worked within our community for many years, I've seen many patients who are hesitant to start insulin due to misconceptions about insulin treatments and diabetes management. One worry is that they will have to overhaul their lifestyle," states Dr. Frank Lavernia, Founder and Director of the North Broward Diabetes Center, Pompano Beach, FL. "Diabetes is a progressive condition that can change over time, requiring adjustments in a person's treatment plan. For many, this could include incorporating a once-daily insulin into their treatment regimen. I encourage people in our community to have an open conversation with their own healthcare providers to learn the facts about diabetes and make informed choices that may be best for their health."

Hispanics with type 2 diabetes are approximately 1.5 times less likely to adhere to insulin therapy than non-Hispanic white patients2, further evidence of the importance of being informed about type 2 diabetes and available treatment options.

"The Hispanic community is disproportionately affected by diabetes  the prevalence of total diabetes (diagnosed/undiagnosed) among all Hispanic/Latino groups in the U.S. is 16.9%, compared to 10.2% for non-Hispanic whites adults3  so diabetes education in the Hispanic community is crucial," said Dr. Dara Schuster, Senior Medical Director at Lilly. "We are proud to partner with Don Francisco  someone who is incredibly passionate about the cause and deeply connected to the Hispanic community  to help us dispel myths and provide facts to those with diabetes, their caregivers and families so they can make informed decisions about their health and treatment plans."

Through the Basado en Hechos initiative, Don Francisco encourages people living with type 2 diabetes to start a conversation with their healthcare provider about available treatment options.

To learn more about additional misconceptions about diabetes and insulin, as well as information about a diabetes treatment, people should visit www.basadoenhechos.com.

About Diabetes

Approximately 29 million Americans4 and an estimated 415 million people worldwide5 have diabetes, and nearly 28 percent of Americans with diabetes  totaling eight million people  are undiagnosed.4,5 In the U.S., approximately 12 percent of those aged 20 and older have diabetes4. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type, accounting for an estimated 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed adult diabetes cases in the U.S.4 Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body either does not properly produce, or use, the hormone insulin.

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company

In January 2011, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) announced an alliance in diabetes that centers on compounds representing several of the largest diabetes treatment classes. The alliance leverages the strengths of two of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. By joining forces, the companies demonstrate commitment in the care of patients with diabetes and stand together to focus on patient needs. Find out more about the alliance at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com or www.lilly.com.

About Lilly Diabetes

Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world's first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio and a continued determination to provide real solutionsfrom medicines to support programs and morewe strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com and www.lilly.com/newsroom/social-channels.

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation.

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world's top 20 pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, the company operates globally with approximately 50,000 employees. Since its founding in 1885, the company has remained family-owned and today creates value through innovation for three business areas including human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing.

Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to improving lives and providing valuable services and support to patients and their families. Our employees create and engage in programs that strengthen our communities. Please visit our website to learn more about how we make more health for more people through our Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

In 2016, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about $17.6 billion (15.9 billion euros). R&D expenditure corresponds to 19.6 percent of its net sales.

For more information please visit www.boehringer-ingelheim.us, or follow us on Twitter @BoehringerUS.

P-LLY

CONTACT:

Dani Barnhizer

Lilly Diabetes

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (317) 607-6119

Christopher Wahlers

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (203) 798-4375

PP-LD-US-1128 06/2017 Lilly USA, LLC 2017

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012. Atlanta, GA : U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2014. Campos, C. (2007). Addressing Cultural Barriers to the Successful Use of Insulin in Hispanics With Type 2 Diabetes. Southern Medical Journal. Retrieved April 27, 2017 , from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/561831 Diabetes Among Hispanics: All Are Not Equal. (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2017 , from http://www.diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/2014/diabetes-among-hispanics-all-are-not-equal.html?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas. 7th ed. Brussels, Belgium : International Diabetes Federation; 2015. Retrieved on April 27, 2017 , from http://www.diabetesatlas.org/resources/2015-atlas.html. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report: Estimates of Diabetes and Its Burden in the United States , 2014. Atlanta, GA : U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2014. Retrieved on April 27, 2017 , from http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/statsreport14/national-diabetes-report-web.pdf.

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company
LONDON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Graphite demand has long been shaped by trends in steel, but this is set to change as lithium-ion battery applications surge ahead to become the No. 1 graphite market by 2026. Roskill's new report Natural and Synthetic Graphite: Global Industry, Markets and Outlook to 2026, was published in May 2017 and includes comprehensive data on producers and consumers of graphite as well as in-depth analysis and forecast prices for the next ten years.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150909/264974LOGO )



Traditional steel-based markets include electrodes for electric arc furnace (EAF) steel making (currently the major market for synthetic graphite), refractory furnace linings (the major market for natural graphite), foundry sands for ferrous casting and steelmaking recarburisers. Rising production of crude steel in an industrialising China previously supported graphite growth but as China reaches peak steel output, global steel production has slowed and growth is expected to average just 1-2%py to 2026.

Elsewhere, graphite suppliers are buoyant with optimistic forecasts for growth in emerging electric vehicles (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) markets. The large size, high performance lithium-ion batteries used in these applications actually require far more graphite than lithium. As EV and lithium-ion ESS penetration rates rise in China and the rest of the world, Roskill forecasts total global graphite demand in battery applications to rise by 16-26%py to 2026.

Cities worldwide are coming under increasing pressure to cut pollution levels and EVs could provide an answer. Their uptake is being encouraged with impressive automotive electrification targets and new incentives worldwide. Tesla is ramping up lithium-ion battery production at its US 'Gigafactory' and is expected to announce a second factory to supply Europe later in 2017. Other large lithium-ion battery plants under development include those of BMC in Germany and LG Chem in Poland (both of which are planned to open in 2017), Samsung SDI in Hungary (which could open in 2018), SGF Energy in Sweden and a rumoured plant to be shared between Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and Ford.

Natural and synthetic graphite compete for use as a lithium-ion battery anode material, with China dominating the supply chain for both. Primary synthetic graphite is manufactured from petroleum coke on demand from the consumer with strict specifications. Since the late 2000s, China has produced an increasing amount of spherical graphite via the high level processing of natural flake graphite, which now competes with synthetic graphite for use in lithium-ion batteries. The process has a high cost of production, uses environmentally harsh reagents and results in low yields of 50-70%. Despite the high cost, spherical graphite is typically more price competitive than primary synthetic graphite, although synthetic graphite is still more widely used in China thanks to the prevalence of lower cost secondary synthetic graphite, which is sourced as a waste material from graphite electrode manufacture. Synthetic graphite prices have also fallen in recent years as a result of the weakening electrode market; prices are expected to strengthen again as an increasing amount of steel scrap availability encourages China's transition to EAF steel production methods.

Production of spherical graphite is currently confined to China because of cost and environmental concerns. Even here, flake graphite processing plant inspections are carried out frequently to improve environmental operating standards. Chinese production of flake graphite fell by around 30% in 2016 with the latest round of temporary closures.

China will continue to control lithium-ion battery supply chains over the next decade. China is the largest producer of synthetic graphite, flake graphite, spherical graphite, lithium-ion battery anode materials, anodes and the batteries themselves. Consolidation of the Chinese flake graphite market continues, with the largest anode materials manufacturer, Shenzhen BTR New Energy Material, now backwardly integrated into flake graphite production. A number of potential flake graphite producers outside of China are developing less environmentally damaging methods of spherical graphite production in an attempt to establish a supply chain outside of China but have yet to prove these methods commercially.

In January 2017, China withdrew its 20% export tax on exports of natural graphite in line with moves in other mineral industries following World Trade Organisation criticism of its system of export control. Although China accounts for around 70% of natural graphite shipments, this withdrawal has had negligible impact on the already low price of graphite through the first half of 2017. Graphite prices are expected to rise in coming years as demand begins to rise rapidly from the battery sector.

China's current high levels of overcapacity and stocks are expected to meet even the most robust demand forecasts for graphite in the short term as production levels increase from existing Chinese producers. Whether supply can meet demand in the long term, to 2026, depends on the ability for new producers worldwide to bring their graphite projects on-stream. In mid-2017, around 30 projects outside China had advanced to scoping study or beyond with a total planned capacity of 1.35Mtpy, over 1Mtpy of which could come from Africa. Syrah Resources plans to begin production of flake graphite in Mozambique in 2017, followed by a ramp up to full capacity of 380ktpy.

Major changes are happening to the structure of the synthetic graphite industry as poor performance in electrodes has led to capacity closures in Europe, Japan and North America, while new plants are opening in the emerging Asian market. An increasing amount of remaining capacity is being given over to lithium-ion battery powder production. In October 2016, the Japanese lithium-ion battery anode material manufacturer Showa Denko agreed to purchase SGL Carbon's synthetic graphite electrode business. Then, in February 2017, Imerys Graphite & Carbon acquired Nippon Power Graphite of Japan, which has a patented CVD coating technology for the production of lithium-ion battery anode materials. The largest synthetic graphite producers currently include: GrafTech International (USA), Fangda Carbon New Material and Sinosteel Engineering & Technology (China), Showa Denko Carbon (Japan), SGL Group (Germany), Graphite India, HEG (India), Energoprom Group (Russia).

The largest existing producers of natural graphite are almost all in China, including the state-owned amorphous graphite producer South Graphite and flake graphite producers Luobei County Yunshan Graphite Mining, Aoyu Graphite Group and Jixi Changyuan Mining, among many others. Nacional de Grafite is also a major existing producer of flake graphite in Brazil.

Roskill has published its new Natural & Synthetic Graphite with forecasts out to 2026. It is essential reading for anyone requiring a comprehensive overview of this sector.

Natural & Synthetic Graphite: Global Industry, Markets & Outlook, 10th Edition 2017 is now available from Roskill Information Services Ltd, 54 Russell Road, London SW19 1QL UK.

Tel: +44-20-8417-0087. Fax +44-20-8417-1308. Email: [email protected] Web: www.roskill.com

SOURCE Roskill Information Services
FERGUS FALLS, Minn., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The health of people who live in rural areas is being harshly neglected in current national health policy and in healthcare legislation under discussion in Congress, according to Jeff Smedsrud, CEO of Communicating for America (CA), a non-profit rural advocacy group.

"Our government is making a habit of adopting health care legislation that forgets about the health of rural residents," Smedsrud said.

Smedsrud, a health insurance expert and entrepreneur, said that rural Americans face numerous health disparities compared to their urban counterparts.

"According to the Centers for Disease Control, the 15 percent of the U.S. population classified as rural are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease and stroke than their urban counterparts," Smedsrud said.

He called on Congress to adjust proposed legislation to reflect the fact that rural residents tend to be older and sicker than urban residents, and that insurance choices are dwindling, and often cost more. For example, he said, in 2018 no insurers plan to provide coverage in several mostly-rural counties in Missouri, Ohio, Nevada and Washington. The entire state of Nebraska has only a single insurer under the rules of the Affordable Care Act.

"This sparsity of coverage is a condition that needs healing right now," Smedsrud said.

He emphasized that fewer doctors, per capita, serve rural people and quality care is often out of range physically and financially.

Smedsrud outlined a list of ten recommendations for lawmakers and federal regulators to consider as solutions to remedy the health care gap in rural America:

Maintain reasonable Medicaid coverage that covers the disproportionate share of poor and elderly that reside in rural areas. Approve virtual, "tele-medicine" services for rural people under federal insurance guidelines. Make it possible for people to see a doctor or mental health provider remotely  on-screen and/or on-line  without driving long distances. Rescue rural hospitals by maintaining federal reimbursement regulations that help them stay financially viable and remain open. Recognize that the horrid national opioid epidemic is most prominent on a per capita basis in rural America, requiring funding for prevention and treatment alternatives. Ensure health insurance options and competition for rural people, so they are not trapped in a one-size-fits-all federally approved insurance plan. Allow for associations comprised of self-employed small businesses to pool their insurance buying power across state lines and negotiate rates. Enact Guaranteed Access Pools, or Unified High-Risk Pools as a safety net so all consumers with pre-existing conditions are given access to health insurance. Strengthen the rural technology infrastructure, enabling tele-medicine technologies that will narrow the rural-urban healthcare divide. Specifically, undertake an urgent program to provide high-speed internet technology to rural areas. Maintain a senior-level Rural Health Advocate in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with responsibility for assuring that all government healthcare decisions reflect the unique needs of rural residents. Encourage doctors to serve in rural areas with loan forgiveness programs and expedited H-1B visa processing.

Smedsrud said, "Rural America grows our food, provides important jobs and houses millions of our fellow citizens. Our country's leaders should have the vision and courage to provide equity of health care for this population."

Smedsrud said CA's Platform for Rural Economic Justice provides additional information about rural health and economic issues.

About Communicating for America

Communicating for America, Inc. (CA) is a nationwide nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that represents about 100,000 small businesses, self-employed and agricultural members across America. Since 1972 CA has been working on small business, tax, healthcare and agricultural policy issues on behalf of its members. For more information visit www.communicatingforamerica.org.

For more information contact: Colleen McGuire | 651-338-8822 | [email protected]

SOURCE Communicating for America

Related Links

http://www.communicatingforAmerica.org


A 58-year-Helena woman was killed on Interstate 15 in Jefferson County on Sunday when a trailer she was pulling began to fishtail and her pickup truck rolled, the Montana Highway Patrol said.

Authorities said Valerie Ann Tresner was ejected and was pronounced dead on the scene. There were no passengers and no other vehicles involved in the crash, which occurred around 2:45 p.m. about 4 miles south of Jefferson City and 22 miles south of Helena.

Tresner was driving northbound in a Chevy pickup truck and passing a semi on a slight curve in the highway when the trailer began to fishtail and then came loose, the patrol said. The pickup rolled several times.

Speed appeared to be a factor in the crash, and the woman was not wearing a seat belt.
BOSTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander Holdings USA, Inc. (the "Company") announced today that it is commencing a private offering of senior unsecured notes (the "Notes") in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), subject to market and other conditions. If the offering is consummated, the Company expects to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes. There can be no assurance that the issuance and sale of the Notes will be consummated.

The Notes will be offered and sold only to qualified institutional buyers in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A and outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase the Notes or any other securities and does not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Santander Holdings USA, Inc. (SHUSA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN) (Santander), one of the most respected banking groups in the world with more than 125 million customers in Europe, Latin America and the U.S. As the intermediate holding company for Santander's U.S. businesses, SHUSA includes five financial companies with more than 17,500 employees, 5.2 million customers and assets of over $135.1 billion. These include Santander Bank, N.A., one of the country's largest retail and commercial banks by deposits; Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC), an auto finance and consumer lending company; Banco Santander International of Miami; Banco Santander Puerto Rico and Santander Securities LLC of Puerto Rico; and Santander Investment Securities Inc. of New York.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, or future events are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. Such statements include, but are not limited to, the Company's statements regarding the Notes offering. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "anticipates," "believes," "can," "could," "may," "predicts," "potential," "should," "will," "looking forward," "would," 'hopes," "assumes," "estimates," "plans," "projects," "continuing," "ongoing," "expects," "intends," and similar words or phrases. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date on which the statements are made, these statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various important factors and assumptions, some of which are beyond our control. For additional discussion of these risks, refer to the section entitled "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ from those reflected in forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties described in the Company's filings with the SEC. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this communication. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking information included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any other person that the Company's expectations, objectives or plans will be achieved in the timeframe anticipated or at all. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Any forward-looking statements only speak as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements, whether written or oral, to reflect any change, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements.

FINANCIAL CONTACTS:

Juan Carlos Alvarez

617.757.3520

[email protected]

Andrew Withers

617.757.3524

[email protected]

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Ann Davis

617.757.5891

[email protected]

Nancy Orlando

617.757.5765

[email protected]

SOURCE Santander Holdings USA, Inc.
In November, Symson, 42, was promoted to chief operating officer, overseeing day-to-day operations of the company's broadcast TV, digital media and radio divisions. He joined Scripps in 2002 and held a variety of roles in the television and interactive divisions before being tapped to lead digital operations in 2011.

"Adam is a terrific leader, motivated by an entrepreneurial drive and a mission-driven commitment to enterprise journalism," said Boehne. "He steps up to the new role determined to continue  and accelerate  the success of this adventurous 140-year-old company."

Boehne, 61, who began his career as a newspaper reporter, has played a significant role in the growth and evolution of Scripps over the past 29 years. Most significant has been his deep commitment to public service, setting the tone for employees by his own embrace of the company's familiar motto: "Give light and the people will find their own way."

Boehne's career highlights include:

He began his media career in high school selling subscriptions for The Cincinnati Post, a former Scripps newspaper. He went on to become a journalist and worked for The Post as a business reporter and editor.

He joined the Scripps corporate staff in 1988 as Scripps was preparing to become a publicly traded company in a period of dramatic growth and transition for the enterprise.

He worked to reposition Scripps, both internally and externally, to build support for the launch of Home & Garden Television, the brainchild of his friend and Scripps colleague Ken Lowe , and the acquisition soon after of Food Network.

, and the acquisition soon after of Food Network. In 2008, when the cable networks either built or acquired by Scripps were spun off into a separate publicly traded company, Scripps Networks Interactive, Boehne became president and CEO of the journalism-focused E.W. Scripps Company.

In 2013, the Scripps board elected Boehne as chairman.

Boehne was the champion of the 2015 deal with Journal Communications that merged Journal's broadcast operations into Scripps and spun off both companies' newspapers into a separate publicly traded company, Journal Media Group, which has since been sold to Gannett.

As CEO, in addition to exiting newspapers and enlarging the broadcast holdings of the company, he committed resources to the rapid buildout of digital media brands, which today include the next-generation news network Newsy and podcast leader Midroll.

"Rich has served this company, our employees and our shareholders with distinction, integrity and humility," said Marvin Quin, Scripps' lead director. "His unwavering commitment to freedom of the press has benefited the communities we serve, and his pursuit of value-enhancing opportunities has been instrumental in the company's success. Scripps will continue to benefit from his experience and instincts in his new role of non-executive board chair."



In the media industry, Rich is a member of the board of directors of The Associated Press. Last year he received the First Amendment Leadership Award from the Radio Television Digital News Foundation, honoring his deep commitment to free speech rights.

Closer to home, he is chairman of the Northern Kentucky University board of regents. He and his wife, Lisa, are 1981 graduates of NKU's media school and strong advocates for high-quality and affordable post-secondary education.

In the Greater Cincinnati business community, he's a member of the executive committee of Cintrifuse, a not-for-profit network whose mission is to build a sustainable tech-based economy for the region. He's also past chair of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and served as a long-time board member for the Freestore Foodbank of Cincinnati.

In his spare time, Boehne tends to his family farm in Morning View, Kentucky.

About Scripps

The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) serves audiences and businesses through a growing portfolio of television, radio and digital media brands. Scripps is one of the nation's largest independent TV station owners, with 33 television stations in 24 markets and a reach of nearly one in five U.S. households. It also owns 34 radio stations in eight markets. Scripps also runs an expanding collection of local and national digital journalism and information businesses, including multi-platform satire and humor brand Cracked, podcast industry leader Midroll Media and over-the-top video news service Newsy. Scripps also produces television shows including "The List" and "The Now," runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and serves as the longtime steward of the nation's largest, most successful and longest-running educational program, the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, "Give light and the people will find their own way."

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company

Related Links

http://www.scripps.com


STOCKHOLM, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Seamless Distribution AB ("Seamless") and Peter Fredell have today reached an agreement whereby Fredell leaves his position as CEO of Seamless. The Board thanks Peter Fredell for all his valuable efforts as CEO over the years and wishes him well for the future.

Tomas Jalling, who has been employed by Seamless as Head of Legal since December 2012, will become Seamless' new CEO effective immediately. The Board, led by John Longhurst who will engage as executive chairman, will work closely together with Tomas Jalling and Seamless' management to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to implement critical strategies.

For further information, please contact:

John Longhurst, Chairman of the Board, [email protected], +46 8 564 878 00.

This information is information that Seamless Distribution AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. This information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 23:15 p.m. CET on July 10, 2017.

About Seamless

Seamless is one of the world's largest suppliers of payment systems for mobile phones. Founded in 2001 and active in 35 countries, Seamless handles more than 5.3 billion transactions annually through 675 000 active sales outlets. Seamless has three main business areas including the transaction switch, the technology provider for the distribution of e-products and the mobile payment platform Seqr. www.seamless.se.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/seamless-distribution-ab/r/seamless-distribution-ab-appoints-new-ceo,c2305414

The following files are available for download:

http://mb.cision.com/Main/4815/2305414/698748.pdf Press release (PDF)

SOURCE Seamless Distribution AB

Related Links

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WESTON, Florida, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- SALUD al dia magazine welcomes Continucare Medical Centers, as one of their most recent advertisers.

At Continucare, we know seniors experience a particular series of medical and physical changes. So we created an approach we call "senior-focused" primary care. It means we treat the whole person, within the context of the natural aging process.

Senior-focused primary care is:

Taking the time to listen to your questions and concerns

Explaining your care and treatment so that you understand

Being an advocate for you with your specialists, hospitals and Medicare plan

Reminding you of preventative screenings and tests

Providing additional support when you need it

About SALUD al dia magazine : this is a fully SPANISH life style health magazine that offers hard-hitting, current and authoritative medical news with individual perspectives for our Hispanic readership, written by medical doctors and health professionals.

We are the Hispanic printed media channel of diffusion for excellence for private and public health organizations.

Contact :

Carlos Sanchez

Director / CEO

SALUD al dia magazine

(954) 673-0534

[email protected]

www.saludaldiamagazine.net

SOURCE SALUD al dia magazine

Related Links

http://www.saludaldiamagazine.com


BEIJING, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpha Base Station, designed by SENSORO, an IoT company, is a Top Winner in the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2017 hosted by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

Winners for both Gold and Silver awards will be announced on Aug. 19 at the IDEA Ceremony--open to the public at Rich Theater and followed by a ticketed Gala at High Museum. Through Aug. 11, the public can vote online for the People's Choice Award winner (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GLSCJ8V).

SENSORO Alpha Base Station won in the Commercial & Industrial category. "This award represents not only the jury's affirmation of our industrial design, but also the acknowledgment of our creative idea as well as our business value," SENSORO CEO Wuyang Zhao said.

Featuring excellent outdoor signal coverage, Alpha Base Station is built for outdoor IoT applications that require low power-consumption, long range and low throughput, which is designed to support and connect thousands of nodes into the IoT WAN. (More details: www.sensoro.com.)

"IDSA IDEA 2017 winners demonstrate how designers are able to capture what's invisible to others and inspire beauty through the smallest of details within the simplest of artifacts," said IDEA 2017 Jury Chair Owen Foster, IDSA. "Winners go beyond the tangible that we are so accustomed to seeing--to cultivate amazing, holistic ecosystems."

Foster led more than two dozen, global design experts in judging 20 categories covering products, brands, experiences, strategies and more. Onsite jurying was held in May at the newly-renamed Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, MI.

Proving design truly is a universal language, IDEA attracted hundreds of entries from 54 countries on six continents. Innovations abound in the latest winners submitted by design firms, corporations, universities and more. The competition drew entries from Australia, Austria, Belarus to Brazil, Chile, China, Croatia, Estonia, India, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay and Vatican City State.

Several other special awards will be announced on Aug. 19 including People's Choice, Best in Show, Curator's Choice, Jury Chair--and new this year--the Plastics Innovation Award from the Plastics Industry Association. The Ceremony and Gala will follow IDSA's International Design Conference 2017: Design IS Business, scheduled Aug. 16-19 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Follow the excitement on #IDSAIDEA #IDSA17Atlanta @IDSA on Twitter; Industrial Designers Society of America on Facebook and LinkedIn; and @IDSAdesign on Instagram. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact [email protected]. To schedule interviews with jurors and winners, contact [email protected].

Founded in 1965, the nonprofit IDSA has thousands of members in dozens of Student Chapters, Professional Chapters and Special Interest Sections around the world. The Society hosts events including an annual International Design Conference, District Design Conferences and niche events. Global outreach includes designUpdate and designBytes e-newsletters; INNOVATION magazine; and the Yearbook of Design Excellence. IDSA Ambassadors support and promote industrial design with research and thought leadership such as INsights.

For more information contact:

Jessie

+86-176-0080-6837

[email protected]

SOURCE SENSORO INC.
NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Advertising -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims of whether the board members of ClubCorp Holdings, Inc. ("ClubCorp" or the "Company") (NYSE: MYCC) breached their fiduciary duties. ClubCorp investors are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/mycc.

On July 9, 2017, ClubCorp announced that it "has entered into a definitive agreement with affiliates of certain investment funds (the "Apollo funds") managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, "Apollo") (APO), a leading global alternative investment manager, pursuant to which the Apollo funds will acquire all of the outstanding shares of ClubCorp for $17.12 per share in cash, or approximately $1.1 billion. The all-cash transaction represents a premium of approximately 30.7% over ClubCorp's closing stock price on July 7, 2017."

The investigation focuses on whether the ClubCorp board members failed to fulfill their duties to the shareholders and whether Apollo is underpaying for ClubCorp.

If you are a shareholder of ClubCorp and would like to learn more about this investigation, you can visit the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/mycc. You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Hurwitz of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 212-697-6484.

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contact:

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC

Peretz Bronstein or Yael Hurwitz

212-697-6484 | [email protected]

SOURCE Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC

Related Links

http://www.bgandg.com


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Epicor Software Corporation, a global provider of industry-specific enterprise software to promote business growth, today announced that SIDDCO Plastics (SPL), a subsidiary of SIDDCO Group, and one of the largest high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottle manufacturing facilities in the UAE, has implemented the enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution Epicor ERP to automate processes, streamline its supply chain, improve quality, and reduce costs.

Epicor ERP has allowed us to make better decisions, improve our operations and ultimately grow our business. Zakee Siddiqi, Chairman and CEO, SIDDCO Group

Prior to implementing Epicor ERP, each department in SIDDCO had its own disparate system, which limited visibility, transparency and information exchange across the business. SIDDCO's commitment to its continued business growth, as well as sustainability, led to its investment in an ERP system that could facilitate this.

Zakee Siddiqi, chairman and chief executive office, SIDDCO Group, explained, "I firmly believe that while the goal of the business might be to grow the bottom line, we need to do it in a socially responsible way. Our state of the art, fully automated, multi-layer, high speed blow moulding machines allow us to manufacture environmentally responsible plastics, but for compliance purposes, we needed a robust, unified ERP solution that would deliver 100% traceability of every single component and material, from the minute it came in the door to the minute we shipped out a finished product.

"We chose Epicor ERP not only because it is easy to customise, but it also has extremely strong reporting and analytics capabilities that allow our 40 users, across sales, purchasing, manufacturing, quality, logistics, finance and management, access to the information they need with just a few clicks, enabling them to make better, faster, real-time decisions."

"Using Epicor ERP software means we now all speak the same language," added Saymaad Mansoor, head of IT, SIDDCO Group. "Serving as the backbone of our business, the solution has given us real-time process control, data integrity, traceability, security and agility which has allowed us to improve our operations and ultimately grow our business."

"As one of the leading plastic manufacturers in the region, I am delighted that SIDDCO Plastics has selected Epicor ERP to improve visibility, transparency and collaboration across the business," commented Monzer Tohme, regional vice president, Middle East and Africa, Epicor Software. "SIDDCO Plastics is a great example of how a manufacturing organisation can successfully implement technology to empower its employees, establish robust processes across departments, adapt more quickly to changing economic conditions and customer demands, and ultimately get set for growth."

To read the full case study for SIDDCO please visit: http://www.epicor.com/MENA/Press-Room/Success-Story/SIDDCO-Plastics-Industries-Ltd-.aspx

About Epicor Software Corporation

Epicor Software Corporation drives business growth. We provide flexible, industry-specific software designed around the needs of our manufacturing, distribution, retail, and service industry customers. More than 40 years of experience with our customers' unique business processes and operational requirements are built into every solutionin the cloud, hosted, or on premises. With this deep understanding of your industry, Epicor solutions manage complexity, increase efficiency, and free up resources so you can focus on growth. For more information, connect with Epicor or visit www.epicor.com.

Epicor and the Epicor logo are trademarks of Epicor Software Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. The product and service offerings depicted in this document are produced by Epicor Software Corporation.

Contact: Vernon Saldanha

Procre8 (on behalf of Epicor Middle East)

+971 52 288 0850

[email protected]

SOURCE Epicor Software Corporation

Related Links

http://www.epicor.com


AUSTIN, Texas, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Silvercar unveiled plans to double its flagship airport travel operations by the end of 2018, a major expansion that will offer more travelers access to car rental the way it should be. To kick off this period of rapid growth, Silvercar is preparing to bring its signature silver Audis to Seattle on July 31 and Orlando on August 28 with reservations for both cities open today.

While many traditional players in the space are in the throes of major reductions and scale-backs, Silvercar's innovative approach and commitment to premium customer experience have led to a massive increase in demand for its offerings. With the addition of the Seattle and Orlando locations, over 38 million annual travelers to these cities will now have access to Silvercar's app-based rental of fully-loaded Audi A4s and its no-lines, no-hassles service.

"Silvercar is growing because people are fed up with an industry that has failed to adequately serve them. Our customer NPS rating is 3x that of the industry average and we take that very seriously," said Silvercar CFO and President of Car Rental, Chris Donus. "Simplicity is the new x-factor and we want to serve today's modern traveler with a customer experience that meets and exceeds their expectations. That approach is the reason we're growing while others are struggling."

Silvercar has also announced plans to update its fleet of fully-loaded Audi A4s to include all brand-new 2017 and 2018 models by Q4 2017. The entire rental fleet is upgraded with onboard Wi-Fi, GPS navigation, and SiriusXM satellite radio -- always included at no additional cost. All Silvercar renters will continue to benefit from no fuel upcharges, no mileage restrictions, no additional fees for toll charges, and no fees for car seat rentals.

As the company prepares to expand its mobility offerings and bring its premium travel brand to new cities throughout the U.S., Silvercar is also staffing up. Amber Quist, previously CMO at Car2Go, was recently hired as the organization's first CMO, and there are also plans underway to dramatically expand the engineering and development team to keep Silvercar's innovation engine running at peak performance.

"With our innovative spirit and unmatched technology Silvercar is able to make travel offerings, like car rental, an integral component of the larger mobility landscape rather than an exception to it," said Luke Schneider, CEO of Silvercar. "We're excited to accelerate the pace of growth, and demonstrate our commitment to changing the way the world hits the road."

Follow Silvercar on Twitter and Instagram for the latest.

About Silvercar

Silvercar is changing the way the world hits the road and paving the way for the future of mobility. The company's seamless car rental businessoffering only fully loaded silver Audiseliminates lines, counters, paperwork, hassles and uncertainty by delivering the entire experience through an easy-to-use mobile app and friendly concierge service. With its unique combination of technology, operations and assets, Silvercar now also connects customers to the same level of access to mobility in an increasing number of non-airport settings. Silvercar continually earns the highest customer satisfaction and loyalty scores in the industry and is currently offering service in seventeen of the busiest car rental markets in the U.S. For more information, visit www.silvercar.com.

SOURCE Silvercar

Related Links

http://www.silvercar.com


DUBLIN, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Solar Photovoltaic Glass Market by Application (Utility, Residential, and Non-Residential), Type (AR Coated, Tempered, TCO, and Others), End User (Crystalline Silicon PV Modules and Thin Film PV Modules), Region - Global Forecast to 2022" report to their offering.

The solar photovoltaic (PV) glass market is projected to grow from USD 4.38 Billion in 2017 to USD 18.48 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 33.4% from 2017 to 2022

Surging demand for solar energy in emerging economies and preference for solar energy in the residential applications are the key factors contributing to the growth of the solar PV glass market across the globe.

Among applications, the utility segment led the solar PV glass market in 2016. This segment is also projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period of 2017 to 2022. The growth of this segment of the market can be attributed to increasing installation of utility-scale solar power plants across the globe that have been generating reliable and clean energy with stable fuel prices for over two decades.

Although the utility-scale solar energy represents a small percentage of the global power generation at present, the installations of solar power plants are growing rapidly across the globe for both, utility as well as distributed power generation applications. Increasing installations of utility-scale solar power plants and rising government investments for harnessing solar energy are expected to drive the growth of the utility application segment of the Asia-Pacific solar PV glass market between 2017 and 2022.



On the basis of the type, the solar PV glass market has been categorized into AR coated, tempered, TCO coated, and others. The AR coated type segment led the solar PV glass market in 2016. This segment of the market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The tempered type segment of the solar PV glass market is projected to grow at the second-highest CAGR during the forecast period of 2017 to 2022.



The Asia-Pacific region is estimated to be the largest market for solar PV glass in 2017. The growth of the Asia-Pacific solar PV glass market can be attributed to the rising demand for solar energy in the region and increasing initiatives undertaken by governments of various countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. In addition, the introduction of renewable sources of energy for electricity generation is also expected to contribute to the growth of the Asia-Pacific solar PV glass market between 2017 and 2022. China, India, Japan, and South Korea are the major countries contributing to the growth of the Asia-Pacific solar PV glass market.



The factors inhibiting the growth of the solar PV glass market are the high costs involved in the installation, storage, and purchase of power conversion devices, increasing prices of raw materials, and stringent implementation of various regulations on carbon dioxide emissions.



Key Topics Covered:



1 Introduction



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Premium Insights



5 Market Overview



6 Solar Pv Glass Market, By Application



7 Solar Pv Glass Market, By Type



8 Solar Pv Glass Market, By End User



9 Solar Pv Glass Market, By Region



10 Competitive Landscape



11 Company Profiles



AGC Solar

Avic Sanxin Co., Ltd.

Borosil Glass Works Ltd.

Changzhou Almaden Co., Ltd.

Dongguan Csg Solar Glass Co., Ltd

Emmvee Toughened Glass Private Limited

Euroglas

F Solar Gmbh

Flat Glass Co. Ltd.

Guangdong Golden Glass Technologies Limited

Guangfeng Solar Glass ( Hong Kong ) Co., Ltd.

( ) Co., Ltd. Guardian Glass

Hecker Glastechnik Gmbh & Co. Kg

Henan Huamei Cinda Industrial Co., Ltd

Interfloat Corporation

Jin Jing (Group) Co., Ltd.

(Group) Co., Ltd. Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd.

Qingdao Migo Glass Co., Ltd.

Saint-Gobain

Shenzhen Topray Solar Co., Ltd.

Sisecam Flat Glass

Sunarc Technology A/S

Taiwan Glass Ind. Corp.

Thermosol Glass

Xinyi Solar Holdings Ltd.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bkj3dp/solar

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


HERNDON, Va., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Somos, Inc., the provider of trusted, neutral Toll-Free Numbering and Registry Administration services for the telecommunications industry, today released the first set of new features for the modernSMS/800 Toll-Free Number (TFN) Registry. The SMS/800 TFN Registry is the database for the administration of all 41 million Toll-Free Numbers in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).

The modern SMS/800 TFN Registry now includes a new UI and a set of APIs for Toll-Free Service Providers (also known as Responsible Organizations (Resp Orgs)). The UI and API set comprises of the top three most frequently used features: searching for and reserving Toll-Free Numbers, accessing the status of the Toll-Free Number, and changing user passwords.

This release is the first of three scheduled updates for the SMS/800 TFN Registry. This fall, Somos plans to release a second set of APIs and updates to the UI that will include the Customer Record Admin and Pointer Record features. The third set will provide the ability to request Toll-Free Numbers in bulk and utilize the One-Click Activate feature.

"We're excited to share this first set of updates for the SMS/800 Toll-Free Number Registry," said William Carter, COO, Somos, Inc. "It's going to allow our customers to streamline their business, and make managing Toll-Free Numbers a lot easier. Our User Group Members have been crucial in providing us feedback about our platforms, and we're looking forward to seeing how our platform continues to support growth and innovation the industry."

About Somos, Inc.

Somos, a leading provider of trusted, neutral numbering and registry administration services for the telecommunications industry, enables data integrity and access to fuel innovation and growth in Toll-Free and related markets. Somos operates the SMS/800 Toll-Free Number (TFN) Registry to administer and route data for the 41 million and growing Toll-Free Numbers in use today. Additional service offerings include the Texting & Smart Services (TSS) Registry, the centralized registry to administer the use of Toll-Free Numbers for text messaging and multimedia services and RouteLink, the new and modern way to access authoritative Toll-Free routing data. To learn more about Somos, please visit www.somos.com.

SOURCE Somos, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.somos.com


FICTION

"The Girls of Ennismore" by Patricia Falvey

On a June morning in 1900, Rosie Killeen, barely eight years old, crosses the road from her familys farm to the estate of Lord and Lady Ennis. She is joining the servants of Ennismore to help prepare for a visit from Queen Victoria. A chance encounter will forever changer her life. Victoria Bell, the young daughter of Lord and Lady Ennis, is extremely lonely. Lord Ennis arranges for Rosie to join Victoria as a companion for her schooling. Victorias aunt and governess, Lady Louisa objects to having to teach a peasant. Furthermore, the rest of the staff resents Rosie for escaping from life below stairs.

As the girls grow in to womanhood, they each become entangled in the world of the other. Rosie gets an education and learns of the privileges and responsibilities of the upper class, and Victoria becomes intrigued by Rosies life and the lives of those who are in service at Ennismore. The story of the women is told against the backdrop of real life events, such as the sinking of the Titanic, the beginnings of the Great War, and the fight for Home Rule in Ireland.

Falvey combines vivid historical detail with well-developed characters to make for a compelling story of friendship, love, duty, and the consequences of following ones heart.

NONFICTION

"The Mistress of Paris: The 19th-Century Courtesan Who Built an Empire on a Secret" by Catherine Hewitt

For the first time ever in English, Catherine Hewitts biographer of the Comtesse Valtesse de la Bigne, tells the forgotten story of a remarkable woman who, though her roots were lowly, never stopped aiming high.

Rumored to have had affairs with Napoleon III and the future King Edward VII the Comtesse kept gossip columns full. However, she concealed a secret, she was not a Comtesse. She was born in poverty. Her stunning looks, determination, and luck helped her to create a life of great opulence, and desirable companion for powerful men and a glittering celebrity.

The Mistress of Paris: The 19th-Century Courtesan Who Built an Empire on a Secret is a thoroughly researched account of a remarkable woman.

YOUNG READERS

"Jubilee" by Patricia Reilly Giff

Fifth-grader Judith Ann Magennis, also called Jubilee, lives on an island with her beloved Aunt Cora. Her mom dropped her off there when she was a toddler, and since that day, she only speaks when she is alone or with her faithful dog. Instead, she gestures and draws to communicate. She wonders why her mother left, and she wishes she were a normal girl, able to talk. Jubilee is anxious about starting school in a new class, but a talkative boy befriends her, and she likes her kind teacher. As the year unfolds, Jubilee confidence grows as she finally meets her mother and rescues a lost boy. When a special person asks her a question, readers will rejoice in discovering how she begins to regain her voice.
HARRISBURG, Pa., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania State Police announced today that troopers confiscated $5,451,300 in cocaine, heroin, and other prohibited drugs in the second quarter of 2017.

From April 1 through June 30, state police seized over seven pounds of heroin and two pounds of fentanyl. The drugs have a combined street value of $628,500. Troopers also removed nearly 42 pounds of cocaine and over 13 pounds of methamphetamines valued at $1.3 million from the highways and communities of Pennsylvania during the same period.

In 2017, the Pennsylvania State Police has seized over $19 million in prohibited drugs, including 47 pounds of heroin and fentanyl.

Second Quarter Drug Seizure Totals

Drug Total Seized Total Value of Amount Seized Cocaine 41.93 lbs. $760,800 Crack Cocaine 4.36 lbs. $296,500 Heroin 7.38 lbs. $590,400 Fentanyl 2.40 lbs. $38,100 LSD 216 doses $4,350 Marijuana THC  Liquid 63.05 pints $403,200 Marijuana THC Solid 60.40 lbs. $302,000 Marijuana Plants 2,195 plants $357,000 Processed Marijuana 491.25 lbs. $1,473,750 Methamphetamines 13.22 lbs. $540,000 Other Narcotics 2.29 lbs. $5,200 Other Narcotics (pills) 26,977 pills $675,000 Synthetic Marijuana & Stimulants 5.51 lbs. $5,000

Total Value: $5,451,300

For more information about the Pennsylvania State Police, visit www.psp.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Cpl. Adam Reed or Ryan Tarkowski, 717-783-5556

SOURCE Pennsylvania State Police Department

Related Links

http://www.state.pa.us


AUSTIN, Texas, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and State Representative Pat Fallon joined Admiral Bobby R. Inman and Linda Mays McCaul as well as Chancellors William McRaven and John Sharp and representatives from AT&T today to raise awareness of the needs of military veterans who often struggle to find work in corporate America and to support a new Texas organization dedicated to helping veterans transition to the private sector. As part of today's event, both the Texas A&M University System and the University of Texas System will announce $50,000 contributions each and AT&T a $25,000 contribution in support of the VETTED Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to identifying military talent for transition preparation and planning, business executive education, career services, and industry placement in the private sector. All three organization's leadership urged other businesses to join them in supporting VETTED.

"As Texas Land Commissioner, one of my most important tasks is to ensure our veterans get the benefits they've earned," said Bush, who is a veteran and former officer in the U.S. Naval Reserves. "But along the way, and in spite of our best efforts, we know far too many veterans struggle to find work after their discharge or retirement from service. There's no doubt in my mind that it's possible to go from the battlefield to boardroom."

Fallon, a Air Force veteran turned entrepreneur and member of the Texas Veterans Caucus, lauded the goals of VETTED Foundation and encouraged other companies to join AT&T in supporting the organization.

"As we all know, our military veterans often struggle to transition to the private sector," Fallon said. "VETTED takes this challenge head on and, in partnership with the University of Texas and Texas A&M University, is offering a comprehensive education program to arm veterans with the business knowledge and career services they need to succeed in corporate America. As someone who has made the transition from military to business, I greatly appreciate the goals of this organization and encourage businesses from across the state to support this program and support our nation's veterans."

Inman, Chairman of the VETTED Foundation, added, "It's no secret that companies value the leadership, professionalism, wisdom, collaborative style, and work ethic that veterans bring to the table. However, we know that the majority of veterans struggle to find work in corporate America. Today, I'm proud to be here with the VETTED Foundation and AT&T to promote efforts to help military veterans transition to the private sector, helping those who have been the front lines for American transition into the leaders of tomorrow in industry and entrepreneurship."

The VETTED Foundation was founded by Michael Sarraille, an active duty military officer and former student at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. Sarraille found that 70% of career military veterans struggle to find work in the private sector which led him, then a 1st year student in the full-time MBA program, to launch the VETTED Foundation. VETTED offers a comprehensive education program that has been developed in partnership with Texas Executive Education, and will provide veterans with the business knowledge and career services they need to succeed in today's corporate environment. VETTED launched this year in Texas.

"Seventy percent of all veterans struggle with the transition out of the military and into the private sector," said McCaul, who serves as Vice Chairman of the Foundation. "Despite corporations trying to do the right thing with veteran hiring programs, more than 70 percent of hiring managers admit having a hard time making business sense of military experience. We developed a program that is both cost efficient and time efficient for veterans. A lot of these men and women, just retired, are in their mid-40s with a family. They don't have the option of a full-time MBA. The solution is relatively simple -- provide veterans with the business tools to succeed, and they will enter their second careers with confidence and effectiveness."

John Sharp, Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System said, "VETTED is addressing a critical issue facing our military veterans in a credible and effective way. Supporting our military personnel and their families should always be a priority, and VETTED's work is ensuring no service member is left behind. Texas A&M is very pleased to support their mission and we appreciate AT&T and others who do so as well."

Admiral William McRaven, Chancellor of The University of Texas System, added, "The leadership, energy and ingenuity of Michael Sarraille in forming VETTED Foundation is to be commended. That Michael is a currently serving military officer and a University of Texas Longhorn makes me even prouder. He embodies UT Austin's belief that 'what happens here, changes the world,' and this program will undoubtedly change lives for the better. We thank AT&T for encouraging others to invest in this important work."

The AT&T contribution reflects the company's continued committed to U.S. military veterans.

"For nearly 100 years, AT&T has remained dedicated to supporting active duty military personnel, veterans and their families," said Tracy King, Vice President Public Affairs for AT&T Texas. "Our nation's service men and women make sacrifices to protect our country and our freedoms, and as a company, it as an honor to support them both at home and abroad. Moreover, military veterans possess the skills we need to succeed as a company and are an invaluable part of our workforce."

In May of 2016, AT&T committed to hiring an additional 10,000 vets for a total of 20,000 vets hired by 2020. AT&T also is a founding member of the 100,000 Jobs Mission, launched in 2011 by JPMorgan Chase and 10 other companies to commit to hiring 100,000 veterans by 2020. The coalition has grown to more than 180 corporate members and tripled its commitment to hiring at least 300,000 veterans by 2020. The coalition's companies have collectively hired more than 217,000 veterans by 2014.

Once veterans are hired, AT&T helps ensure they have the skills needed to grow their careers and succeed as an employee in the ever-evolving technology landscape. The AT&T veterans' employee resource group also serves more than 9,000 members and creates an instant community for veterans. This includes mentoring and helping other veterans in their transition process.

To learn more about AT&T's commitments to veterans, click here.

About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T

AT&T is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T's signature philanthropic initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring. Through Aspire, we've passed the $250 million mark on our plan to invest $350 million in education from 2008-2017.

About VETTED:

VETTED, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization is the optimal Veteran transition platform to transform proven military leaders into tomorrow's industry leaders and entrepreneurs. VETTED identified military talent for transition preparation and planning, business executive education, career services, and industry placement in the private sector. VETTED is creating the first State Model, the Texas Model, to serve as the launch pad for successful veteran transitions before moving nationally. Learn more at www.vetted.org.

SOURCE VETTED

Related Links

http://www.vetted.org


WELLESLEY, Mass., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, Sun Life Financial U.S. (Sun Life) has solidified collaborations with YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) and the American Diabetes Association (Association), supporting programs that offer employers tools to help their employees live healthier lives. Sun Life has supported diabetes initiatives since 2012 and has provided more than $17 million in the U.S. and globally to programs focused on diabetes prevention.

Sun Life is the primary sponsor for the Association's Wellness Lives Here Health Champion Designation, a program that focuses on workplace health and recognizes companies who have made commitments to fostering a healthier workforce through better nutritional and fitness offerings. Sun Life is also collaborating with Y-USA to support their Diabetes Prevention Program, which provides support to adults at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes as they learn and develop healthier lifestyle habits to delay or prevent the onset of the disease.

"As an employee benefits provider, Sun Life offers services and expertise to try and help employers keep their workforces healthy," said Dan Fishbein, M.D., President of Sun Life Financial U.S. "Partnering with organizations like Y-USA and the American Diabetes Association is a great way for us to continue that effort. Employers should invest in the health of their employees. It not only increases productivity and decreases incidences of absence and disability leave, but it also raises employee morale, and ultimately, provides an environment where people want to work."

The YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program is an educational program that helps adults understand their risk factors and learn how to develop healthier lifestyle habits, with the goal of delaying or preventing the disease. The program's lifestyle lessons help people to increase physical activity, understand and make healthy food choices, and reduce their weight by 5 to 7 percent. The program is currently available in 47 states (at 1,700 sites), across the country, and with Sun Life's support Y-USA will be able to enhance efforts to enable employers to offer the program in the workplace, as well as nationally scale the program to more Ys across the U.S.

"The generous support from Sun Life is helping Ys all over the country become more effective in working with local employers to improve the health of their employees, prevent new cases of diabetes and extend the ability of the Y to achieve its charitable healthy living mission," said Jonathan Lever, EVP, Chief Membership & Programs Officer for Y-USA.

With the American Diabetes Association, Sun Life received its first Health Champion Designation in 2015 and has supported the program and its promotional efforts continuously since then. Health Champion Designees must demonstrate their efforts to help employees achieve better health and wellness in three areas: nutrition and weight management; physical activity; and organizational well-being. Within each area, organizations must meet specific healthy living criteria, such as enhanced nutritional options, organized physical activities, a smoke-free workplace, access to a fitness center (either on-site or reimbursement for off-site facilities), designated walking paths, and wellness services such as stress management and disease education.

"Staying active and eating healthy are vital steps to managing and preventing diabetes, and both can be directly impacted by the workplace environment and culture. The Health Champion Designation helps us recognize the companies and organizations that champion a culture of wellness in the workplace by engaging people in healthy lifestyle habits," said Alicia McAuliffe-Fogarty, Vice President of Lifestyle Management at the Association. "We thank Sun Life for their support of this program and for their commitment to health and wellness at work."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29.1 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, about 95 percent of whom have type 2. Education on nutrition and lifestyle are a key component to fighting the disease, particularly since many can be genetically predisposed, and therefore have a more difficult time avoiding the diagnosis. Diabetes and poor disease management can result in a host of even more serious health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputation. Employers are in a unique position to play an important role in improving the health of their employees by engaging in these types of programs.

In addition to supporting these national programs, Sun Life offers the Team Up Against Diabetes grant program, which awards funds to organizations that support, educate on, and promote diabetes awareness. For more information on Sun Life's activities supporting diabetes, visit www.sunlife.com/usdiabetes.

About Sun Life Financial

Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individuals and corporate Clients. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2017, Sun Life Financial had total assets under management of C$927 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

In the United States, Sun Life Financial is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving more than 60,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of products and services in the U.S. includes Disability and Absence Management, Life, Dental and Vision, Voluntary and Stop-Loss insurance. This includes the acquisition of the U.S. Employee Benefits business of Assurant, Inc., in Q1 2016. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us.

Media contact: Devon Portney Fernald Sun Life Financial 781-416-7151 [email protected]

SOURCE Sun Life Financial U.S.

Related Links

http://www.sunlife.com


"We're celebrating a decade of dreams," explained Talk Fusion Founder & CEO Bob Reina, "because we're not just about developing innovative productswe're about giving our Associates the vehicle they need to turn dreams into realities."

As a former network marketing distributor himself, Bob Reina knows how unstable some companies can be, "Time and time again, I'd get involved with a company, build a successful team, and then the business would fail, forcing me to once again start from square one." This, according to Reina, is a key motivator for him: "I founded Talk Fusion in part so that our Associates would never have to experience that type of disappointment or unreliabilityso that nothing would get in the way of their hard work."

Combining Reina's drive with perfect product timing, Talk Fusion has been a major industry hit from day one. When the company was established in 2007, it offered one productVideo Email. Talk Fusion has since developed the world's first all-in-one Video Marketing Solution, which now hosts five products and has also earned the company two distinguished Product of the Year Awards in 2016. Today, Reina attributes the company's ongoing success to the corporate office's "culture of thinking outside the box," which has promoted steady growth and helped to keep the business fresh in an era ongoing technological advancement.

The company has also developed a glowing reputation for its vast charitable contributions and commitment to giving back; in addition to being the first and only company in the world that pays commissions instantly.

With the recent launch of Talk Fusion University (which offers exclusive, expert training from Reina himself), Associates are better able to take full advantage of Talk Fusion's opportunity in the years to come, by following Bob's guidance and seeing their own direct selling efforts come full circle.

"While 10 years is an amazing milestone, it's just one of many for us here at Talk Fusion," Reina shared. "Over the past decade, we've out-performed ourselves time and time again. But this celebration is has less to do with us, and more to do with our Associates, because Talk Fusion is more than just a company, we're a family, and the dreams of our Associates are why we'll never stop asking: what can we do next?"

ABOUT TALK FUSION

Home of the world's first all-in-one Video Marketing Solution, Talk Fusion is dedicated to helping businesses stand out from the competition, increase sales and profits, and keep their customers coming back. Talk Fusion offers dynamic ways to make marketing more engaging, memorable, and persuasive with video.

Talk Fusion's innovative products are marketed person-to-person by Independent Associates in more than 140 countries. 30 day Free Trials of the all-in-one Video Marketing Solution are available to anyone who wishes to try before they buyno credit card requiredat www.TalkFusion.com.

Established in 2007 by Founder & CEO Bob Reina, Talk Fusion fosters a strong commitment to Giving Back to family, friends, communities, and animal charities across the world. Learn more at www.TalkFusion.com and "Like" Talk Fusion at www.facebook.com/TalkFusion.

SOURCE Talk Fusion

Related Links

http://www.talkfusion.com


BOSTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TaxJar (https://www.taxjar.com), the leading sales tax automation software for eCommerce, today announced the launch of an enhanced filing engine that will automatically file sales tax returns and remit sales tax payments due, in all 50 states. Now, merchants, brands, and tax professionals using TaxJar's AutoFile service can fully automate filing for the first time. In addition to significant time savings, TaxJar AutoFile now offers a guarantee, ensuring filings are completed accurately and on time.

TaxJar AutoFiles sales tax returns in the 45 US states with a sales tax

"At our core, we're a technology company. The level of automation we've built into our engine is our next step to innovating within the sales tax industry," said Mark Faggiano, TaxJar's founder and CEO. "With the launch of this modern, robust filing engine, our customers as well as anyone in eCommerce can focus more of their valuable time on their businesses, and less on sales tax compliance."

With TaxJar AutoFile, customers complete a short, one-time enrollment process. Then TaxJar automatically remits an on-time sales tax return and enables the required payment of sales tax due to the state.

TaxJar guarantees all filings will be made on time. If a filing is late, the cost of the filing is free and TaxJar will pay for any resulting penalties and interest assessed by the state.

The cost of AutoFile is $19.95 per filing for customers with an active TaxJar subscription. Unlike other filing solutions in the industry, TaxJar receives no compensation from the states, and passes every penny of timely filing discounts (over twenty states offer discounts for just filing returns on time) on to customers. In many cases, these discounts end up paying for the cost for AutoFile, and then some.

"Everything works and syncs up seamlessly with the department of revenue to make our tax payments," said Jim Winn of Kentucky Home Brands. "Automating that quarterly payment is the specific reason we pay for TaxJar."

About TaxJar

TaxJar is the leading technology solution empowering busy eCommerce sellers to manage sales tax. TaxJar integrates with major commerce and payment engines, such as Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, and other places merchants sell online. Sales are automatically imported and aggregated into TaxJar's platform so merchants can view sales on a state and local jurisdictional level. More than 9,000 merchants trust TaxJar to aggregate hundreds of millions of transactions annually. To learn more, visit www.taxjar.com/autofile

Contact:

Jennifer Dunn

770-596-5399

[email protected]

SOURCE TaxJar

Related Links

http://www.taxjar.com/autofile


NEW YORK and MUMBAI, India, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, has been recognized for 'Social Responsibility Project of the Year' for the second year in a row at the North American Employee Engagement Awards.

TCS was honored for its ongoing commitment to inspiring North American students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers through its flagship national computer science education and community engagement program, goIT. To date, TCS goIT has engaged and inspired more than 13,000 youth across more than 50 North American cities to become creators and innovators of technology. Its role in Toronto was a key highlight, where TCS became the first organization to partner with the Toronto District School Board and embed goIT into the school curriculum.

During the 2016  2017 academic year, TCS continued its partnership with the Toronto District School Board to help local area middle and high school students acquire critical thinking and problem solving skills, as well as develop an interest in pursuing STEM careers post-graduation. More than 400 TCS employees worked to train district school teachers on how to best teach STEM subjects, while also mentoring more than 2,000 students on the benefits of pursuing a STEM career. Directly resulting from these efforts, 70 percent of the students who participated in the program expressed an interest in pursuing more math and science courses as a pathway to pursuing technology careers.

"The goIT program demonstrates how industry, education and civic organizations can partner to engage young people in hands-on experiential learning opportunities and prepare them for real world careers of the 21st century," said Soumen Roy, Country Head of Canada, TCS. "In particular, we cherish our long standing partnership with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), whose leaders, administrators and educators consistently work alongside TCS volunteers to bring the program to life."

The Employee Engagement Awards showcase the best of North American companies who inspire and educate people to remake the way organizations think about, and engage, people to achieve their purpose. The judging committee encompasses a diverse group of employee engagement experts from some of the biggest brands and positions of influence in the industry, assessing applicants across 16 different categories.

"I want to congratulate the winners and those who were highly commended. Their innovative and rigorous approaches have taken employee engagement to a new level," said Matt Manners, Founder, Employee Engagement Awards.

TCS has received multiple for awards in 2017 for employee engagement and corporate citizenship in North America, including recently being named in the Civic 50 as one of America's 50 most community-minded companies, and by Achievers with a 50 Most Engaged Workplaces Award.

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.

SOURCE Tata Consultancy Services

Related Links

http://www.tcs.com


AUSTIN, Texas, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Telestax, the Restcomm company, today announced that it has raised a $4.7 million funding round led by LiveOak Venture Partners.

The new investment will enable Telestax to meet the growing and strong demand for its Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) enablement platform and RestcommONEMarketplace. Telestax plans to use the additional capital to accelerate product capabilities, grow the operational support team and expand market reach.

"We are thrilled to bring Telestax into our portfolio of promising companies. The exceptional team, high-value technology and resulting customer adoption of Telestax's offerings made this a compelling investment for us," said Krishna Srinivasan, General Partner at LiveOak Venture Partners. "We look forward to helping Telestax with their market and product expansion."

Telestax's newly launched RestcommONE Marketplace offers participating service providers a new business opportunity by providing in demand real-time applications and solutions that are certified and integrated into the RestcommONE Platform. This CPaaS-enabled computing paradigm blends traditional telecommunications with new enterprise applications to create and deliver real-time communications business solutions that scale.

"Since our investment in late 2015, the Telestax team has done an outstanding job delivering on the revenue growth while simultaneously launching the cloud and the marketplace platforms. The growth of contextual communications is creating a great opportunity for Telestax and its partners. I am delighted to welcome Krishna to the Telestax family", said Arun Ramamoorthy, Partner at Pinnacle Ventures.

Since launching its groundbreaking RestcommONE platform in 2011, Telestax has seen exponential growth, with the platform currently supporting 900 million calls per day and 200 million messages per day on premise, and 500 million calls per week and 5.5 million messages per week in the cloud. Telestax has gained over 170 commercial customers on every continent, including industry leaders Avaya, MetTel, Ping An Bank, T-Mobile, Unifonic and NTT-AT.

"The last 12 months have been remarkable for Telestax", said Ivelin Ivanov, Telestax CEO and co-founder. "We launched RestcommONE, our CPaaS enablement platform, and our RestcommONE Marketplace; and today we have added another business partner with strong proven expertise in telecom and infrastructure software".

About Telestax

Telestax is quickly becoming the catalyst for bringing real-time communications into the mainstream. Our RestcommONE platform is scalable, highly available and is the only WebRTC platform that supports cloud, on premise and hybrid deployment configurations. RestcommONE is fast becoming the platform of choice for rapidly building enterprise class real-time messaging, voice and video applications. RestcommONE Marketplace connects these new Omnichannel applications with RestcommONE CPaaS-enabled (Communications Platform as a Service) service providers and increases the revenue opportunity for both. The RestcommONE Marketplace is generating a positive disruption in the real-time communications market by changing the way organizations acquire and utilize their business software. Telestax is a privately held global company with headquarters in Austin, TX.

About LiveOak Venture Partners:

LiveOak is a $109MM Fund based in Austin, TX and was founded by Ben Scott, Krishna Srinivasan, and Venu Shamapant (all formerly of Austin Ventures). While many of LiveOak's investments begin in the early stages, LiveOak is a full lifecycle investor focused on technology and technology-driven service companies based in Texas.

With over 16 years of successful early stage investing in Texas, the Founders of LiveOak have helped entrepreneurs create industry-leading companies, such as Spatial Wireless (acquired by Alcatel-Lucent), Navini Networks (acquired by Cisco Systems), LifeSize Technologies (acquired by Logitech), Mavenir Systems, and StackEngine (Acquired by Oracle).

Media Contact:

JoAnn Yamani

[email protected]

408-781-5719

SOURCE Telestax
SAN FRANCISCO, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Thoma Bravo, a leading private equity firm, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Lexmark International, Inc.'s enterprise software business, which is comprised of Kofax, ReadSoft and Perceptive.

As part of the transaction, Kofax and ReadSoft have been combined to create a single, newly independent Thoma Bravo portfolio company under the Kofax brand led by Reynolds C. Bish, previously president of Lexmark Enterprise Software. Kofax software and solutions are used in a variety of vertical markets and include Kofax TotalAgility, Kofax Kapow robotic process automation (RPA), and ReadSoft Process Director for financial process automation products.

Lexmark's Perceptive business has been acquired by Hyland Software, Inc., a Thoma Bravo portfolio company since 2007 led by president and CEO Bill Priemer, and a leading provider of enterprise information software. Perceptive software products include Perceptive Content, Perceptive Intelligent Capture, Acuo VNA, PACSGEAR and Enterprise Medical Image Viewing, among others. Financial details were not disclosed.

"Kofax and ReadSoft have a proven track record of delivering high-quality software that is of great value to the enterprise. By helping simplify and streamline burdensome processes, Kofax enables businesses to focus on its customers," said Seth Boro, managing partner at Thoma Bravo. "Thoma Bravo is excited to combine these two brands into one unified company, while adding the Perceptive portfolio to Hyland Software. This investment leverages our operational knowledge, deep industry experience and business-building capital to enhance both Kofax and Hyland's value to its customers and our investors."

"Kofax and ReadSoft have become market-leading providers of software to simplify the initial information-intensive transactions for businesses and organizations, which is critical for success in today's corporate marketplace," said Chip Virnig, principal at Thoma Bravo. "We look forward to partnering with Kofax's current management team to strengthen and support the company's innovative, customer-focused process automation software offerings."

"Kofax could not have found a better partner than Thoma Bravo," said Reynolds C. Bish, president and CEO of the newly-formed Kofax. "Their understanding of our market, our products and services, and confidence in our management team will enable Kofax to continue pursuing our vision of digitally transforming and simplifying the First Mile of business."

"For years we've admired the people and technology of Perceptive, and by combining our teams, we bring together so many talented people with years of experience developing transformational solutions and working with customers to solve critical business issues," said Bill Priemer, president and CEO of Hyland. "Going forward, I believe there's no content, process or case management challenge we can't solve together."

Credit Suisse and Goldman, Sachs & Co. served as financial advisors to Thoma Bravo. Kirkland & Ellis LLP provided legal counsel to Thoma Bravo and Hyland. Lexmark's financial advisor was Lazard, and its legal counsel was Dechert LLP. Financing for the transaction was arranged by Credit Suisse, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and UBS Investment Bank.

About Thoma Bravo

Thoma Bravo is a leading private equity firm focused on the software and technology-enabled services sectors. With a series of funds representing more than $17 billion in capital commitments, Thoma Bravo partners with a company's management team to implement operating best practices, invest in growth initiatives and make accretive acquisitions intended to accelerate revenue and earnings, with the goal of increasing the value of the business. Representative past and present portfolio companies include industry leaders such as Blue Coat Systems, Deltek, Digital Insight, Global Healthcare Exchange, Hyland Software, PowerPlan, Qlik, Riverbed, SailPoint, SolarWinds, SonicWall, Sparta Systems and TravelClick. The firm has offices in San Francisco and Chicago. For more information, visit ThomaBravo.com.

About Kofax

Kofax is a leading provider of software to simplify and transform the First Mile of business. Success in the First Mile can dramatically improve the customer experience, greatly reduce operating costs and increase competitiveness, growth and profitability. Kofax software and solutions provide a rapid return on investment to more than 25,000 customers in financial services, insurance, government, supply chain, business process outsourcing and other markets. Kofax markets its solutions via a direct sales and service organization, along with a global network of more than 1,000 authorized partners in more than 70 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific.

About Hyland

Hyland is a leading provider of software solutions for managing content, processes and cases for organizations across the globe. For over 25 years, Hyland has enabled more than 15,500 organizations to digitalize their workplaces and fundamentally transform their operations. Named one of Fortune's Best Companies to Work For since 2014, Hyland is widely known as both a great company to work for and a great company to do business with. For more information, please visit Hyland.com.

Media Contacts





For Thoma Bravo: Matthew Gorton, Hiltzik Strategies

+ 1 212.776.1161

[email protected]



For Kofax: Sylvia Chansler

+ 1 949.783.1476

[email protected]



For Hyland: Alexa Marinos

+1 440.788.4935

[email protected]

SOURCE Thoma Bravo

Related Links

https://thomabravo.com


LEUVEN, Belgium, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR) and BioInvent International AB ("BioInvent") (OMXS: BINV) today announce that they have agreed to amend their long-standing agreement, which covers the co-development of the novel anti-PlGF monoclonal antibody products TB-403 and THR-317. The revisions to the existing agreement have been aligned with each company's strategic ambitions and therapeutic focus.

The novel anti-PIGF monoclonal antibody is currently being developed as:

TB-403 , which is being evaluated in a Phase I/IIa trial as a treatment of relapsed or refractory medulloblastoma, a rare, life-threatening brain tumor that mainly affects children. TB-403 is being developed by Oncurious (ThromboGenics' oncology subsidiary), in collaboration with BioInvent.

, which is being evaluated in a Phase I/IIa trial as a treatment of relapsed or refractory medulloblastoma, a rare, life-threatening brain tumor that mainly affects children. TB-403 is being developed by Oncurious (ThromboGenics' oncology subsidiary), in collaboration with BioInvent. THR-317, which is being evaluated in a phase II trial in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). This trial is being conducted by ThromboGenics exclusively.

Under the current agreement, the split of economic value for the compounds is 60:40 (ThromboGenics: BioInvent), with a 50:50 cost split for historical and future development costs.

Under the new agreed contractual arrangement, the split of economic value and costs will be as follows:

TB-403 - BioInvent assumes the project lead for developments of TB-403 in all oncology indications, and increases its share of the economic value from 40 to 50 percent. The parties will continue to share the costs for development of TB-403 in oncology indications at 50:50.

- BioInvent assumes the project lead for developments of TB-403 in all oncology indications, and increases its share of the economic value from 40 to 50 percent. The parties will continue to share the costs for development of TB-403 in oncology indications at 50:50. THR-317 - ThromboGenics gains full and exclusive ownership of THR-317 for development and commercialization in all non-oncology indications. ThromboGenics will continue to carry all costs for the development of THR-317 in non-oncology indications, and share a 5% economic value with BioInvent.

ThromboGenics and BioInvent have entered into a binding term sheet covering the above arrangement for TB-403 and THR-317, and will be executing the definitive amended agreements by Q3 2017.

About ThromboGenics

ThromboGenics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative treatments for diabetic eye disease. The company's pipeline of disease modifying drug candidates is targeting the key segments of the diabetic eye disease market.

ThromboGenics is conducting the CIRCLE study, a Phase II clinical trial evaluating multiple doses of THR-409 (ocriplasmin) to induce a total Posterior Vitreous Detachment in patients with Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR).

THR-317, a PIGF inhibitor being developed to treat diabetic macular edema, or as a combination therapy with anti-VEGF treatments, enrolled its first patient in a phase II clinical study in January 2017. In addition, THR-149, a plasma kallikrein inhibitor, which has resulted from research collaboration with Bicycle Therapeutics, and THR-687, an integrin antagonist, which was in-licensed from Galapagos, are in late-stage pre-clinical development.

ThromboGenics pioneered a new drug category of pharmacological vitreolysis with JETREA (ocriplasmin) which is now approved for the treatment of vitreomacular traction in 54 countries worldwide. ThromboGenics is commercializing JETREA via its subsidiary ThromboGenics, Inc. in the US. Novartis commercializes JETREA outside the United States.

ThromboGenics is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and is listed on the NYSE Euronext Brussels exchange under the symbol THR.

More information is available at http://www.thrombogenics.com

About BioInvent International

BioInvent International AB (OMXS: BINV) is focused on the discovery and development of novel and first-in-class immuno-regulatory antibodies to treat cancer. The Company's clinical programmes are BI-1206, currently in a Phase I/II for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphatic leukaemia and TB-403, in cooperation with Oncurious, currently in Phase I/II for medulloblastoma. BioInvent has an exciting pre-clinical portfolio based on novel immuno-modulatory antibodies that target regulatory T cells (T-regs) and tumour-associated myeloid cells. In December 2016, the Company signed a strategic research collaboration with Pfizer Inc. BioInvent also works with leading academic institutions including the University of Southampton, Cancer Research UK, and Penn Medicine. BioInvent generates revenues from global partnerships, including Bayer Pharma, Daiichi Sankyo, and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma and from its manufacturing facility for the production of antibodies for research through to late-stage clinical trials.

More information is available at http://www.bioinvent.se

Important information about forward-looking statements (ThromboGenics nv)

Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking". Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Company's Annual Report.

This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of ThromboGenics in any jurisdiction. No securities of ThromboGenics may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. state securities laws.

For further information, please contact:

BioInvent International

Michael Oredsson

President and CEO

Tel: +46(0)46-286-85-67 / +46(0)707-16-89-30

[email protected]



ThromboGenics

Wouter Piepers

Global Head Corp Coms & Investor Relations

+32-16-75-13-10 / +32-478-33-56- 32

[email protected]



SOURCE ThromboGenics
STOCKHOLM, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tobii Dynavox, the global leader in Assistive Technology for communication, announced today the release of the EyeMobile Plus, an eye tracker built-in to an advanced Windows tablet bracket. The EyeMobile Plus combines the best in eye tracking, high quality speakers, speech recognition, switch access, and infrared (IR) control into one solution. EyeMobile Plus provides individuals with physical and mobility challenges, such as spinal cord injuries or ALS, all the necessary tools to communicate effectively and empowers them to access mobile computing.

"With the advancement of PC tablets, our users have been seeking more portable eye tracking solutions" said Fredrik Ruben, President of Tobii Dynavox. "We've responded by introducing the most advanced eye tracking technology, combined with a sleek, fully-integrated all-in-one bracket for Windows tablets. With the EyeMobile Plus we can also address markets where price today is an obstacle for users to get access to communication and computer accessibility. The product is strategically important as it redefines today's market for eye-gaze enabled communication."

With the EyeMobile Plus, users can navigate their Windows tablet, control and access apps, internet, social media, games, the Microsoft Office suite and more. The combination of integrated hardware features, easy-to-use software, and lightweight portability makes the EyeMobile Plus an ideal tablet solution for communication and computer access, ultimately giving users greater personal freedom and levels of independence.

The EyeMobile Plus comes with a built-in eye tracker, powerful speakers that make sure users will be heard loud and clear, two switch ports for scanning, an advanced microphone optimized for speech control and IR for environmental controls. It can be purchased with a Microsoft Surface Pro or be paired with comparable Windows tablets, based on an individual's preference and style. In addition, EyeMobile Plus will sustain power with internal batteries for 9+ hours and only draw from the tablet once exhausted, ensuring anxiety-free power when communicating on the go.

The EyeMobile Plus comes with the Windows Control software to provide full gaze-enabled control and access to computer functionality. Other Tobii Dynavox Windows based software like Communicator 5 can be added on to provide a fully-fledged Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) solution.

The EyeMobile Plus is available for purchase online or through the Tobii Dynavox network of sales consultants and resellers. To learn more visit tobiidynavox.com.

This information is information that Tobii AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, on July 10, 2017, at 18:00 p.m. CET.

CONTACT:

Contacts

Sara Hyleen, Director of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Tobii AB

Phone: +46 70 916 16 41, email: [email protected]

Europe

Nils Lindhe, Vice President Global Marketing, Tobii Dynavox

Phone: +46 76 894 84 84, email: [email protected]

US

Grace Nah, Marketing Director North America, Tobii Dynavox

Phone: +1-412-209-6633, email: [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/tobii-ab/r/tobii-dynavox-introduces-eyemobile-plus--transforms-pc-tablets-into-eye-gaze-controlled-communicatio,c2305263

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE Tobii AB

SOURCE Tobii AB
NEW YORK and TEMPE, Ariz., July 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TransPerfect, the world's largest privately held provider of translation services and technology solutions for global business, today announced expanded contact center support capabilities and a comprehensive rebranding of their remote interpreting division as TransPerfect Connect.

Formerly known as TransPerfect Remote Interpreting (TRI), the newly named TransPerfect Connect combines the over-the-phone interpreting and video remote interpreting capabilities for which the TRI brand was known, with comprehensive call center support and business process outsourcing solutions (BPO) previously offered under the TransPerfect brand.

Improving overall customer experience by delivering more responsive and accessible customer support solutions is a significant trend in business, and TransPerfect Connect is at the forefront of this movement by offering a broad set of solutions that include phone, email, chat, and video-based agents.

With brick-and-mortar call centers based in Tempe, Arizona and San Jose, Costa Rica, TransPerfect Connect benefits from an existing global presence and infrastructure that has been the primary motivating factor for many organizations to choose TransPerfect for customer support solutions.

Liz Elting, Co-CEO at TransPerfect, stated, "We are much more than a remote interpretation services business; we're a comprehensive customer support partner. The diversified set of solutions we offer to our clients wasn't being accurately reflected under the TRI name, so it was time for a change. By rebranding as TransPerfect Connect, we feel that the division name more accurately reflects what we do: we enable businesses to connect with their customers, whether that's on the other side of the street or the other side of the world."

Co-CEO Phil Shawe continued, "TransPerfect Connect fills an important role for businesses who want to engage with customers and other stakeholders worldwide. We are seeing an increase in demand for global call center support among clients and are excited to be investing in the technology, infrastructure, and people required to meet that demand."

About TransPerfect Connect

TransPerfect Connect is a leading provider of call center support, business process outsourcing (BPO), and remote interpreting solutions, including over-the-phone interpretation (OPI), video remote interpretation, multilingual email and chat support, and global call center services. With services in over 170 languages and industry-specialized interpreters screened for subject expertise, TransPerfect Connect enables businesses to bridge communication gaps in seconds. TransPerfect Connect is a division of TransPerfect, the world's largest privately held provider of language and technology solutions for global business. Founded in 1992, TransPerfect has over 4,000 employees and maintains offices in more than 90 cities worldwide. www.transperfectconnect.com

About TransPerfect

With revenues of over $560 million in the last year, TransPerfect is the world's largest privately held provider of language services and technology solutions. From offices in over 90 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a full range of services in 170+ languages to clients worldwide. More than 4,000 global organizations employ TransPerfect's GlobalLink Product Suite to simplify management of multilingual content. With an unparalleled commitment to quality and client service, TransPerfect is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certified. TransPerfect has global headquarters in New York, with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit our website at www.transperfect.com.

Contact:

Ryan Simper +1 212.689.5555

[email protected]

SOURCE TransPerfect Connect

Related Links

http://www.transperfectconnect.com


HARRISBURG, Pa., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Treasurer Joe Torsella today signed an open letter to the international community and parties to the Paris climate accord, sending a clear message that despite the Trump administration's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the agreement, a growing number of state and local officials remain committed to fighting climate change.

"The decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord was one of the most foolish and shortsighted actions taken by the Trump Administration thus far," said Torsella. "Climate change represents a catastrophic threat to Pennsylvania if we do not take action. But it also represents a chance to make wise investments that help avoid disaster and bring returns to taxpayers."

Earlier this month President Trump announced he would withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord, in which 196 nations came together in 2015 for a historic agreement to support actions to reduce carbon emissions. As the "We're Still In" letter says, "it is local and state governments, along with businesses, that are primarily responsible for the dramatic decrease in [US] greenhouse gas emissions in recent years. Actions by each group will multiply and accelerate in the years ahead, no matter what policies Washington may adopt." A copy of the open letter is available here.

In Pennsylvania, the Treasury Department has partnered with the Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment to establish PennSEF, which promotes energy and water efficiency, clean energy generation, economic development and environment improvement. The PennSEF program provides technical and legal assistance along with access to low-cost capital for projects undertaken by municipalities, universities, schools and hospitals.

"Pennsylvania must continue on a course that is both fiscally responsible and embraces the future health and welfare of the commonwealth," said Torsella. "The Pennsylvania Sustainable Energy Finance Program (PennSEF) is a powerful tool Treasury is using to make wise investments for taxpayers that help the environment as well."

For more information on the PennSEF program, please visit its website at http://freefutures.org/pennsef/ or contact Pennsylvania Treasury at (717) 772-1830.

Media contact: Heidi Havens, Treasury, 717-787-2991 or [email protected].

Pennsylvania Treasury

Joe Torsella, State Treasurer

www.patreasury.gov | Facebook | Twitter

The Pennsylvania Treasury is an independent department of state government led by the state treasurer, who is elected every four years. The department's primary duty is to safeguard and manage the state's public funds. It invests state money to generate income on behalf of the citizens of Pennsylvania, reviews and processes payments for state government custodian of more than $100 billion in state funds. Key Treasury programs include Unclaimed Property, PA 529 College Savings Program and the Board of Finance and Revenue. To learn more visit patreasury.gov.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Treasury Department

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MODI'IN TECHNOLOGY PARK, Israel, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BriefCam, the industry's leading provider of Video Synopsis solutions for rapid video review, search, and analysis, today announced new executive leadership by naming Trevor Matz as President and CEO. Matz succeeds Dror Irani, who has served as BriefCam's President and CEO since 2010. Irani spearheaded the company's transition from a technology-based start-up to being recognized as the de facto standard for video analytics solutions by hundreds of prestigious customers throughout the Federal Government, Security, Law Enforcement and Transportation Agencies, F500 Enterprises, Healthcare and Educational Institutions, and Safe/Smart Cities across the globe.

"On behalf of the Board and BriefCam, I want to thank Dror for his dedicated leadership and significant contribution to the company and wish him much success in the future," said Gideon Ben-Zvi, Co-founder & Chairman of BriefCam. "BriefCam is exceptionally well positioned to continue to take advantage of the rapidly growing Video Analytics market, and Trevor Matz is the right CEO to lead us into the future and capitalize on this opportunity."

Matz, a high-tech software veteran and serial entrepreneur, has built and led world-class enterprise software companies globally. Previously, Matz was President and CEO of Aternity, Inc., a leading provider of End User Experience (EUE) and application performance monitoring solutions. Under Matz's leadership Aternity was repeatedly recognized by industry influencers and analysts as delivering best-in-class EUE solutions. With Matz at the helm, Aternity was embraced by household brands throughout every industry, leading to the company's 2016 acquisition by Riverbed Technology.

Prior to Aternity, Matz served as worldwide managing director of Application Integration for InterSystems Corporation where he took Ensemble from launch through recognition as the #1 Integration Platform in HealthCare. Before his global responsibilities for InterSystems integration initiative, Matz served as managing director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, India, and Africa.

"This is an exciting time for BriefCam and I am thrilled to join the team," said Trevor Matz. "BriefCam's state-of-the-art technology reduces the time and effort needed to conduct video reviews, post-event video investigations, and real-time video monitoring. Now is the time for BriefCam to capitalize on the massive opportunity to expand its footprint into new markets, both on the business and consumer-side. I am looking forward to working with our employees, customers, and strategic partners to deliver video analytics solutions that will provide game-changing efficiency and effectiveness to security, operational and management teams everywhere."

"We're grateful for Dror's steadfast commitment to BriefCam and for driving the commercialization and adoption of Video Synopsis technology into so many markets," said Professor Shmuel Peleg of Hebrew University, Co-founder and Chief Scientist of BriefCam. "The ability to transform video data into useful and actionable information provides boundless opportunities for worldwide growth. Trevor has an exceptional record for building high-performance organizations and I am looking forward to helping ensure a successful leadership transition."

About BriefCam

BriefCam's patented Video Synopsis technology, developed at the Computer Science Department of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, enables the review of hours of video in just minutes. By transforming video data into actionable intelligence, BriefCam's video analytics solutions dramatically shorten the time-to-target for security threats while increasing operational efficiencies and quality of service for businesses. BriefCam Syndex Pro products are deployed by law enforcement and public safety organizations, government and transportation agencies, major enterprises, healthcare and educational institutions, and local communities worldwide.

BriefCam's groundbreaking technology has been recognized with a series of industry accolades including The Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award, Security Products Magazine New Product of the Year, SIA New Product Showcase Best in Video Analytics Award, and CNBC Europe's 25 Most Creative Companies.

Follow BriefCam on Twitter and engage with us on LinkedIn. Learn more at www.briefcam.com.

2017 BriefCam, Ltd. All other trademarks or trade names are properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Contact: Lizzi Goldmeier, Marketing and Communications Manager; email: [email protected]; phone: +972-72-220-2051.

SOURCE BriefCam

Related Links

http://www.briefcam.com


AROA is part of the agreement with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and other agencies that not only supports summer flows for whitewater rafting, but also manages water year-round for a healthy fishery.

The program, which started in 1990, is a model management technique for all other rivers in the American West. It allows whitewater rafting outfitters to offer the longest boating season in Colorado, AROA Executive Director Bob Hamel said.

"The water program recognizes that recreation is part of our lifestyle, and that its economic impact is important," Hamel said.

Whitewater rafting generated $179.8 million in spending among the state's commercial users last year, according to the Colorado River Outfitters Association.

The Arkansas River is America's most popular whitewater rafting destination, hosting nearly a quarter of a million visitors last season and attracting kayakers and private rafters from around the world. The river hosts more than 40 percent of the state's commercial rafting market, in part due to the longer season, but also because its 100-plus miles of whitewater rapids offer something for nearly everyone.

Technical boating, mild family float trips, multi-day camping and inn-to-inn rafting, plus standup paddle boarding and kayaking, are popular trips among families and friends of all ages.

With the mountain towns of Salida, Buena Vista and Canon City nearby, visitors lengthen their stays and plan additional outdoor fun like horseback riding, ATV tours and hiking the area's concentration of 14,000-foot peaks.

More than 100 miles of the Arkansas River was designated Gold Medal in 2014, meaning anglers can expect trophy trout fishing on a long, contiguous river segment that constitutes nearly a third of the state's Gold Medal miles.

For information about current water levels and booking a Colorado whitewater rafting adventure, contact an Arkansas River outfitter at www.ArkansasRiverOutfitters.org.

SOURCE Arkansas River Outfitters Association

Related Links

http://www.arkansasriveroutfitters.org


NYSE MKT Symbol  UEC

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE MKT: UEC, the "Company" or "UEC") is pleased to announce that the Company has exercised its previously disclosed option (the "Option") to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of CIC Resources (Paraguay) Inc. ("CIC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CIC Resources Inc. (the "Vendor"), in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Company's share purchase and option agreement (the "Share Purchase and Option Agreement") with the Vendor, dated March 4, 2016, as amended. As a result, UEC now controls 100% of the Alto Parana Titanium Project (the "Property") located in the departments of Alto Parana and Canindeyu in the Republic of Paraguay.

Amir Adnani, President & CEO, stated: "Over the last 5 years we have invested in assembling a team of technical and local experts in Paraguay to advance our ISR uranium portfolio. The acquisition of the Alto Parana project in no way reflects a change in the strategic direction of UEC, rather an opportunity to acquire a large, advanced asset within a familiar jurisdiction. Leveraging our in-country presence and know-how, we identified a timely and strategic opportunity to consolidate over 70,000 hectares making up the Alto Parana titanium project and its pilot plant for the benefit of UEC shareholders. Approximately $25 million has been invested in this project to date by CIC Resources and its former JV partner, Tronox. The UEC team and advisors have spent a considerable amount of time reviewing these assets, and in the coming months we will update the market on our go-forward plans to unlock value at Alto Parana."

In accordance with the terms of the Share Purchase and Option Agreement, the Company has issued to the Vendor 664,879 restricted common shares of the Company (each, a "Share"), at a deemed issuance price of $1.5363 per Share, for aggregate consideration of $1,021,453 (the "Consideration"). The Consideration represents (i) the Company's Option exercise payment of $275,000 and (ii) the reimbursement by the Company to the Vendor of all Property maintenance costs incurred since execution of the Share Purchase and Option Agreement. In addition to the Consideration, the Company has also granted the Vendor a 1.5% net smelter returns royalty (the "Royalty") on the Property. The Company has the right, exercisable at any time for a period of six years following exercise of the Option, to acquire one-half percent (0.5%) of the Royalty at a purchase price of $500,000.

The Company previously acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of JDL Resources Inc. ("JDR"), also a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Vendor, pursuant to the terms of the Share Purchase and Option Agreement, in June 2016. The Company acquired JDR in exchange for a cash payment of $50,000 and the issuance of 1,333,360 Shares to the Vendor. JDR holds additional titanium mineral property concessions that lie adjacent to and contiguous with the Property.

The Alto Parana Titanium Project is an advanced exploration stage project located in eastern Paraguay, within the department of Alto Parana, approximately 100 km north of Ciudad del Este. The Property covers an area of 70,498 ha of land under five mining permits granted by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, Paraguay. The project is near Itaipu, the second largest hydro-electric dam in the world and a source of cost-effective power. Work to date on the Property has included an extensive program of pitting and auger drilling, development of a small test mine, construction of a pilot plant to evaluate the proposed beneficiation flow sheet, bench scale smelting tests, production of approximately 110 tonnes of concentrate for a large scale smelting tests and associated engineering, marketing, logistical and environmental work.

UEC will now be working on preparing a proposed NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Property which will be released before the end of 2017 and is continuing to evaluate options to further unlock the potential value of these acquisitions.

Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminum, vanadium and molybdenum, among other elements, to produce strong, lightweight alloys for aerospace applications (jet engines, missiles, and spacecrafts). Of all the mined and synthetic titanium minerals, only 5% is used to produce titanium metal. The remaining 95% is used to manufacture pure titanium dioxides  a pigment that enhances brightness and opacity in paints and inks, paper, and plastics, and even in food products and cosmetics. It is also the metal used in the body of Apple's MacBook line  helping achieve a lightweight frame. The rally in pigment markets has had a significant impact on feedstocks, resulting in increasing demand, declining inventories and increasing prices, led by spot prices in China. From the commercial perspective, ilmenite is the most important ore of titanium, since ilmenite is the main source of titanium dioxide. At the time, UEC executed its Share Purchase and Option Agreement, spot ilmenite prices bottomed at US$60/t towards the end of 2015/early 2016. According to Bloomberg, ilmenite bulk concentrate is now priced at approximately US$178/t.

About Uranium Energy Corp.

Uranium Energy Corp. is a U.S.-based uranium mining and exploration company. The Company's fully-licensed Hobson Processing Facility is central to all of its projects in South Texas, including the Palangana ISR mine, the permitted Goliad ISR project and the development-stage Burke Hollow ISR project. Additionally, the Company controls a pipeline of advanced-stage projects in Arizona, Colorado and Paraguay. The Company's operations are managed by professionals with a recognized profile for excellence in their industry, a profile based on many decades of hands-on experience in the key facets of uranium exploration, development and mining.

Stock Exchange Information:

NYSE MKT: UEC

Frankfurt Stock Exchange Symbol: U6Z

WKN: AJDRR

ISN: US916896103

Safe Harbor Statement

Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans, "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking 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 forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of exploration activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation or realization of mineral resources, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry including, without limitation, those associated with the environment, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release.

Certain matters discussed in this news release and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Federal securities laws. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities.

SOURCE Uranium Energy Corp

Related Links

http://www.uraniumenergy.com/


HOUSTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Centrica plc, parent company of Direct Energy, one of North America's largest retail providers of electricity, natural gas, and home and business energy-related services, today announced Direct Energy Business has been selected as a Financial Ally with the Department of Energy's (DoE) Better Business Initiative, established to help public and private organizations find financing for energy efficiency and renewable projects.

Working in partnership with Centrica's Distributed Energy & Power business, Direct Energy Business offers businesses and other large energy users the latest distributed energy solutions, designed to help customers manage energy costs, boost site resilience and reduce carbon emissions.

"Our vision is to deliver comprehensive energy solutions that will help customers turn energy from a cost into a source of sustainable competitive advantage," said Todd Sandford, Centrica Senior Vice President of North America Distributed Energy. "We're proud to provide customers with end-to-end services  from insight to optimization and solutions  delivering the right energy solution, to the right place, in the right way, to power business advantage. These solutions can be delivered as part of a tailored finance package through the Better Buildings Initiative."

Direct Energy Business and ENER-G Rudox, a leading supplier of onsite power and energy solutions acquired by Centrica's Distributed Energy & Power business in 2016, will now be featured on the DoE Financial Navigator online search tool. The site launched in January this year to help businesses explore a wide array of financing choices and identify relevant financing options for their energy efficiency projects. Other notable Financial Allies include Bank of America, Citi, PACE financiers, Green Banks, innovative finance startups and think-tank coalitions.

To find out more, please visit: https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/partners/direct-energy-business.

About Direct Energy

Direct Energy is one of North America's largest retail providers of electricity, natural gas, and home and business energy-related services with over four million customers. Direct Energy gives customers choice, simplicity, and innovation where energy, data, and technology meet. A subsidiary of Centrica plc (LSE: CNA), an international energy and services company, Direct Energy, its subsidiaries and/or affiliates, operate in 50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia and 4 provinces in Canada. To learn more about Direct Energy, please visit www.directenergy.com.

About Centrica plc

Centrica plc is an international energy and services company. Our purpose is to provide energy and services to satisfy the changing needs of our customers.

We've been serving customers for over 200 years and aim to be at the centre of their daily lives - central to helping them run their world.

Our two global divisions, Centrica Consumer and Centrica Business, supply energy and energy-related services to over 27 million customer accounts in the UK, Ireland and North America, through strong brands such as British Gas, Direct Energy and Bord Gais Energy. They do this with the support of 12,000 engineers and technicians.

We're also developing new and innovative products, offers and services for customers through our five growth businesses: Energy Supply, Services, Connected Home, Distributed Energy & Power (DE&P), and Energy Marketing & Trading. Our Connected Home business has developed the Hive product range, including the smart thermostat, which allows customers to control their energy usage from their phone, while DE&P offers integrated energy solutions for commercial and industrial customers, providing customers with end-to-end services  from insight to optimisation and solutions.

Innovation underpins everything we do, which is why we're investing 100m in Centrica Innovations, a new venture to identify, incubate and accelerate new technologies and innovations that can help provide the right offers, products and services for our customers.

We are also targeting active management of the most attractive Exploration & Production developments in our portfolio, reducing scale to between 4050mmboe of gas and oil per annum, with a focus on the UK, Netherlands and Norway.

For more information visit: www.centrica.com.

SOURCE Direct Energy

Related Links

http://www.directenergy.com


BOONTON, N.J., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Soft Bones, Inc., an organization dedicated to providing information, education and support to those affected by hypophosphatasia (HPP), is pleased to award its fourth annual Maher Family Grant to Dr. Kathryn Dahir, an adult endocrinologists and bone specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and colleagues to study adolescents and adults with HPP.

"We are excited to receive this grant, which will allow us to directly study physical impairments, abnormalities in movement and cognitive deficits in both adolescents and adults with HPP," said Dr. Dahir. "Findings from this study will be used to develop strategies for patients, families and their doctors to better identify problems and make appropriate referrals to specialists when needed," she continued.

The study is a collaborative effort between adult and pediatric endocrinology and the Pi Beta Phi Rehabilitation Institute. In addition, Dr. Dahir and colleagues are partnering with the Biomechanics & Assistive Technology Laboratory at Vanderbilt University to use state-of-the-art 3D motion analysis equipment to test for abnormalities in gait and muscle weakness in adolescents and adults with HPP.

The Scientific Advisory Board for Soft Bones carefully considers grant applications and after thoroughly reviewing Dr. Dahir's study, the board agreed that more individualized research is needed to better understand how diverse the problems of HPP in adults can be.

This is the fourth research grant Soft Bones has awarded since its founding in 2008. More information about hypophosphatasia and existing research can be found at www.softbones.org.

ABOUT HYPOPHOSPHATASIA

Hypophosphatasia is an inherited, ultra-rare, metabolic (chemical) bone disease of broad-ranging severity that causes life-threatening disease in approximately one per 100,000 live births. Depending on the severity of the skeletal disease, symptoms can include deformity of the limbs and chest, pneumonia, and recurrent fractures. While there is currently no cure for hypophosphatasia, treatment is directed towards preventing or correcting the symptoms or complications.

ABOUT SOFT BONES, INC.

Soft Bones was founded in 2009 to provide information and to establish a forum to educate, empower, and connect patients living with hypophosphatasia, their families, and caregivers. The Foundation also promotes research of rare bone disease through awareness and fundraising efforts. Under the leadership of Deborah Nettune Fowler, Soft Bones has raised awareness around the world, including advocating for the disease to receive the policy recognition and research funding it deserves, by bringing attention to children affected by hypophosphatasia around the globe.

Contact:

Media Inquiries:

Soft Bones, Inc.

Denise Goodbar

Phone: (973) 723-0549

SOURCE Soft Bones, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.softbones.org


IRVINE, Calif., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A plea deal that protects Dr. Larry Nassar from federal sexual assault charges in return for a guilty plea on child pornography charges has drawn an angry response from a number of his alleged victims and their attorneys.

Click here for plea agreement.

A hearing on this matter has been scheduled tomorrow, July 11th at 10:30 am before Federal District Judge Janet Neff in the Western District of Michigan.

Click here for hearing information.

Under the agreement Nassar would plead guilty to receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography and the destruction and concealment of child pornography. In return for his guilty plea on these charges he will receive a reduced sentence which could be as little as five years, according to press reports.

In addition, the plea contains a "non-prosecution agreement" which states, "The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan agrees not to further prosecute the defendant for (1) sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of children, in violation of 18 U.S.C.  2251, related to conduct that is alleged to have occured in the defendant's swimming pool in the Summer of 2015 involving Child1 and Child2, (minors whose identities are known to the United States and the defendant), and (2) interstate/international travel with intent and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, in violation of 18 U.S.C.  2423(b) and (c), related to conduct that is alleged to have occurred between 2006 and 2013 involving Child3 and Child4 (persons whose identities are known to the United States and the defendant)."

John Manly  a California-based attorney who represents more than 100 women in lawsuits that accuse Nassar of sexually assaulting them  said that U.S. Attorney's office officials recently met or spoke with nine of his clients who were gymnasts either on the national or Olympics teams.

Manly's clients include Olympic Bronze Medalist Jamie Dantzscher, former National Team members Jeanette Antolin and Mattie Larson and former US National Champion Rhythmic Gymnast Jessica Howard.

"It's outrageous," said Manly. "They never consulted the victims or their attorneys before making this deal. To let Nassar get away with this sends the message to victims that their allegations are not important and that the alleged assaults are not worth prosecuting. Frankly, my clients feel betrayed. When they told their stories to law enforcement, they trusted them. They were led to believe that Nassar would get 25 to 60 years in prison. This is a breach of trust."

Mr. Manly pointed out that many of these women were allegedly abused by Nassar while competing in foreign nations and the US Justice Department is the only American law enforcement agency with the authority to prosecute these alleged crimes.

"My view is that any young women Nassar allegedly abused, especially when they were competing for our country, ought to have their day in court if they want it," Manly said.

Jeanette Antolin, a member of the US National Gymnastics Team from 1995-2000, reacted angrily to the plea agreement after meeting with FBI and Justice Department officials in Los Angeles this morning.

Antolin, who alleged that Nassar repeatedly molested her while she was competing for the United States in international competitions held in Canada, Switzerland and China says she feels let down by the Federal Government.

"I sacrificed my childhood to compete for the United States throughout the world. The doctor they assigned to treat me betrayed my trust. Now the Federal Government is giving him a free pass for his alleged assaults on me and many other child athletes. That's not justice," said Ms. Antolin.

Manly, Stewart & Finaldi is California's leading law firm representing child victims of sexual abuse. The firm has represented more than 150 victims of clergy sexual abuse in California and hundreds of others throughout the United States. The firm also represented plaintiffs in the $140,000,000 settlement against LAUSD in the Miramonte case, the largest sex abuse settlement against a School District in the US.

SOURCE Manly, Stewart & Finaldi
Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital provides acute behavioral health and addiction treatment services to youth, adults and senior adults. Comprehensive services include free 24/7 assessments, inpatient and intensive outpatient care. A full range of specialized programs such as a Women's Program, a Co-Occurring Disorders Program and a Psychiatric Intensive Care Program will be offered along with integrated healing practices for Native Americans. Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital is committed to serving all patients, regardless of ability to pay or payer source.

Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital is a 70,000-square foot newly constructed, state-of-the-art hospital. The two-story hospital has open spaces with daylight and direct views of nature creating a safe and nurturing environment. Shared amenities include activity rooms, therapy spaces and a dining area, along with indoor and outdoor recreational activity spaces.

For more information about the Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital call (844) 202-5555 or visit www.smokeypointbehavioralhospital.com.

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/smokeypointbehavioralhospital/

SOURCE US HealthVest

Related Links

http://ushealthvest.com


RALEIGH, N.C., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A whistleblower lawsuit was unsealed Friday alleging the Meridian Senior Living Group has defrauded the United States and the State of North Carolina out of more than sixty million dollars. The suit claims Meridian and its related entities "intentionally submitted false claims for reimbursement to N.C. Medicaid for Personal Care Services provided to residents of Defendants' Special Care Units." Special Care Units are facilities, often within a nursing home, that are designated especially for residents with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, or other special needs disease or condition.

The whistleblower has evidence demonstrating Meridian's adult care homes were not staffed with enough people to provide the personal care services required for the residents within the Special Care Units; that they routinely billed N.C. Medicaid the monthly maximum allowable without regard for the resident admission date, departure date, or diagnostic qualification date for the resident; and that the homes often overbilled by 1.5 to 1.75 hours of personal care services per day more than the actual staff time available for each resident.

Forty-five Meridian adult care homes throughout the state of North Carolina, together with Meridian's management/billing entities and principal owner, are named as Defendants in the lawsuit.

"The most vulnerable of our senior population  the Alzheimer and memory-impaired residents within the defendants' special care units  are the victims here," says lead counsel Clifford "Kip" Marshall. On top of that, co-counsel Matthew Lee adds: "The taxpayers of North Carolina have been unknowingly footing the bill for this shameless fraud perpetrated upon their loved ones for too long. North Carolinians deserve better."

The Meridian Senior Living Group is based in North Carolina. Through its management entities, Meridian Senior Living, LLC and Affinity Living Group, LLC, it is the largest operator of Adult Care Homes in North Carolina and one of the ten largest adult care providers in the country. Meridian owns and/or operates adult care facilities in twenty states.

Plaintiffs' counsel are investigating potential claims of Medicaid fraud in other Meridian facilities throughout the country.

For more information about the Meridian lawsuit, please contact Matt Lee or Jeremy Williams at Whitfield Bryson & Mason LLP at 919-600-5000 (email: [email protected] / [email protected]) or Kip Marshall at Marshall, Roth & Gregory, P.C.. at 828-281-2100 (email: [email protected]).

The name of the case is The United States of America, and The State of North Carolina, EX REL Stephen Gugenheim v. Meridian Senior Living, LLC, et. al, 5:16-cv-410-BO (United States District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina).

SOURCE Whitfield Bryson & Mason LLP

Related Links

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NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has announced the appointment of William D. Adams, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and Michael S. McPherson, outgoing president of the Spencer Foundation, as Senior Fellows.

"It is an honor and pleasure to welcome Bro and Mike to the Mellon Foundation for a period of study, engagement, and exploration," said Mellon Foundation President Earl Lewis. "Bro has been a stalwart public servant, highly regarded educational leader, and steadfast defender of the importance of the arts and humanities to the wellbeing of a vibrant, literate democracy. Mike is a friend, noted college and foundation president, and leading economist. Without question, we will all benefit from Mike's ability to probe, question, synthesize and engage. We look forward to both fellows taking residency."

"We are delighted to have Bro and Mike join us," said Mariet Westermann, executive vice president for programs and research at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. "These two extraordinary academic leaders and scholars will contribute greatly to our research and grantmaking initiatives related to the liberal arts and the humanities. They will also have opportunities to continue their own scholarship, which often had to take a back seat to their leadership roles in higher education and philanthropy for many years."

"I'm very grateful to the Mellon Foundation for the opportunity to continue to speak and write about the importance of the humanities," stated Adams, who will begin his fellowship on August 1, 2017. "I'm also looking forward to assisting the Foundation with projects that might benefit from my experiences at NEH and in higher education. The chance to advance my own research and writing is also very exciting to me."

McPherson, who will start his fellowship on October 1, 2017, also co-chairs, with William Damon of Stanford University, the advisory committee for the Mellon Foundation's research initiative on the value of a liberal arts education. "I look forward to working with Bill Damon and others in the coming year, advising Mellon on its new research initiative concerning the future of liberal education," said McPherson. He also plans to complete a book of essays reflecting on what he learned about philanthropy and education during his fourteen years at the helm of the Spencer Foundation.

William D. Adams was the tenth chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 2014 to 2017. Shortly after arriving at NEH, Adams launched an agency-wide initiative titled The Common Good: the Humanities in the Public Square. The initiative seeks to demonstrate the relevance of the humanities to the life of the nation during a time of unprecedented domestic and global challenges.

Under the rubric of The Common Good, NEH launched a number of new grant lines, including the Public Scholar Program, Common Heritage, Dialogues on the Experience of War, Next Generation Humanities Ph.D. Grants, Humanities Connections, NEH-Mellon Fellowships for Digital Publication, Open Book, Creating Humanities Communities, and Humanities Access Grants. During his tenure at NEH, Adams also sought to deepen the engagement of the agency with community colleges and veterans groups and causes.

Prior to joining NEH, Adams served as president of Colby College in Waterville, Maine, from 2000 until his retirement on June 30, 2014. He also served as president of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania from 1995-2000. A native of Birmingham, Michigan, Adams earned his undergraduate degree in philosophy at Colorado College and a PhD from the History of Consciousness Program at the University of California Santa Cruz. He studied in France as a Fulbright Scholar before beginning his career in higher education with appointments to teach political philosophy at Santa Clara University in California and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He went on to coordinate the Great Works in Western Culture program at Stanford University and to serve as vice president and Secretary of Wesleyan University. Adams's formal education was interrupted by three years of service in the Army, including one year in Vietnam. In each of his professional roles, Adams has demonstrated a deep commitment to the humanities and to the liberal arts.

Michael S. McPherson, the fifth president of the Spencer Foundation, will take the title of president emeritus as of July 1. Prior to joining the Spencer Foundation in 2003, he served as President of Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, for seven years. A nationally known economist with a focus on the interplay between education and economics, McPherson spent the 22 years prior to his Macalester presidency as professor of economics, chairman of the economics department, and dean of faculty at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He holds a BA in Mathematics, an MA in Economics, and a PhD in Economics, all from the University of Chicago.



McPherson is co-author and editor of several books, including Lesson Plan: An Agenda for Change in American Higher Education; Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America's Public Universities; College Access: Opportunity or Privilege?; Keeping College Affordable; Economic Analysis, Moral Philosophy, and Public Policy. He was founding co-editor of the journal Economics and Philosophy, and has served as a trustee of the College Board, the American Council on Education, and Wesleyan University. He was a fellow of the Institute for Advanced Study and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. He is currently a trustee of McNally Smith College of Music as well as president of the board of overseers of TIAA-CREF.

Since 2015, the Mellon Foundation has invited individuals to pursue research and work with Foundation colleagues on shared interests through a senior fellowship. Karen Brooks Hopkins, the former president of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), began her two-year senior fellowship in September 2015. In April 2016, James Shulman, founding president of Artstor, began his tenure in the role.

ABOUT THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION

Founded in 1969, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation endeavors to strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies by supporting exemplary institutions of higher education and culture as they renew and provide access to an invaluable heritage of ambitious, path-breaking work. Additional information is available at mellon.org

SOURCE The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

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The investment -- the company's first round of institutional funding -- was announced at a July 10th press conference at Sofitel Wanda Beijing Hotel in Beijing, China. Yamibuy founder and CEO Alex Zhou was joined by GGV Capital managing partner Hans Tung, New Oriental general manager of investment business department Zheng Zhao and K2VC managing partner Shiyu Wang.

"For the past four years, Yamibuy steadily increased its market share and brand presence within the Asian American community, without the help of any capital investment," said Alex Zhou, founder & CEO of Yamibuy. "With this first infusion of institutional funds, Yamibuy will be able to better serve its customers, bring in more products and improve the overall customer experience. All of this ultimately supports our mission of serving Chinese Americans, as well as customers from other parts of Asia."

Founded in 2013 on the idea that Asian Americans should have easier access to the Asian products they are familiar with and trust, Yamibuy has a deep understanding of its customers' behavior, particularly their online shopping and consumption habits. The company built a highly targeted e-commerce platform to serve this growing customer base, and the investors in this Series A investment announced today share an enthusiastic view of Yamibuy's potential.

"Yamibuy is about the strength of global ecommerce and finding the comforts of home no matter where in the world you are. The loyalty of Yamibuy customers is impressive, thanks in large part to the talented international team who understands their Chinese and Chinese American millennial customers," said Hans Tung, managing partner, GGV Capital and Yamibuy board member.

The purchasing power of Asian Americans is increasing rapidly, and Yamibuy is capitalizing on this market's collective desire to shop for Asian goods that are typically hard to find in the United States. The company has more than a half million registered customers, and a catalogue of approximately 15,000 products. The investment announced today is expected to accelerate growth of Yamibuy's customer base, and broaden its product portfolio.

Zheng Zhao, general manager of investment business department at New Oriental, added, "Yamibuy's growing customer base, mature supply chain and reduced procurement costs are core competencies that have enabled the company's impressive growth over the past four years. We believe these strengths, coupled with Yamibuy's accurate grasp and application of customer data, position the company very well for future growth. We are optimistic about Yamibuy's expansion, especially in light of increased residency of Asian students in the United States, as well as immigration from Asia as people come to live and work in the US."

"Yamibuy assembled an e-commerce dream team in both China and the US. We believe that the user loyalty and stickiness Yamibuy accumulated the past four years cannot be overvalued," said Shiyu Wang, managing partner at K2VC. "We hope this funding will help Yamibuy further optimize its supply chain to better serve the Asian community overseas."

For more information and to shop Yamibuy's extensive catalogue of Asian goods, visit http://www.yamibuy.com .

About Yamibuy

Yamibuy was established in March 2013 and is headquartered in City of Industry, California. It became the leading e-commerce site in North America for Asian Americans by offering thousands of the best Asian snacks, beauty products, health supplements and home appliances. Yamibuy offers the best variety of products favored by the Asian community. Additionally, the company delivers a premium online shopping experience and top-rated customer service. Yamibuy offers more than 15,000 products and its registered customer base of 510,000 is growing by the day, and one out of every 10 Chinese Americans makes Yamibuy their top choice for online shopping. For more information and to shop at Yamibuy, visit http://www.yamibuy.com.

About GGV Capital

GGV Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2000 with the unique idea of having one team investing in both the U.S. and China. With $3.8 billion under management across eight funds, the GGV portfolio includes Airbnb, Alibaba, AlienVault, BitSight, Ctrip, Didi Chuxing, Domo, Grab, Hashicorp, Houzz, Nimble Storage, Opendoor, Pactera, Pandora Media, Percolate, Slack, Square, Synack, Wish, Youku Tudou, YY, Zendesk, 51credit and more. For more information, visit http://www.ggvc.com.

About New Oriental Education & Technology Group

New Oriental is the largest provider of private educational services in China based on the number of program offerings, total student enrollments and geographic presence. New Oriental offers a wide range of educational programs, services and products consisting primarily of English and other foreign language training, test preparation courses for major admissions and assessment tests in the United States, the PRC and Commonwealth countries, primary and secondary school education, development and distribution of educational content, software and other technology, and online education. New Oriental's ADSs, each of which represents one common share, currently trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "EDU." For more information about New Oriental, please visit http://www.neworiental.org/english/ .

About K2VC

K2VC is a venture capital firm founded in 2010 and headquartered in Beijing, China. K2VC strives to enable rapid changes in China and is experienced in investing in transaction-related businesses, such as e-commerce and fintech, as well as on-demand services. K2VC focuses on early-stage investment. Its portfolio includes Jumei(NYSE:JMEI), Mia, Fenqile, Zhaogang.com, Moji weather, Youyuan, all of which are leading players in their domains since K2VC's early-stage investment.



SOURCE Yamibuy

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NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zandre Campos, CEO of ABO Capital, a leading international investment firm headquartered in Angola, announced today that fifteen students from Complexo Escolar Privado Internacional (CEPI), visited New York University (NYU) Africa House. NYU Africa House is an interdisciplinary institute devoted to the study of contemporary Africa, focusing on economic, political, and social issues on the continent and programs in the Arts. Part of Africa House's core mission is to advance the understanding of the links between Africa and the rest of the world, through the social, historical, economic and other lenses.

"The students greatly benefited from their visit to NYU Africa House. NYU is one of the most prestigious universities in the world and the visit encouraged the students to continue working hard in school and pursue opportunities in higher education," said Mr. Campos. "During the visit students learned about NYU Africa House and were given a tour of the campus. They were also given the opportunity to present some of their recent research projects."

The students were in New York to attend the GENIUS International High School Project Olympiad at the State University of New York at Oswego. The students competed with 12 projects and received several accolades. One project found that the Borututu bark has antibacterial properties that can replace chemicals in soaps, antibacterial gels, etc. to kill bacteria in a more natural way and another project proved the benefits of Kiabo, or okra, as a reinforcement of the immune system for HIV patients.

"Education is a key focus for ABO Capital, and that is why we announced the purchase of CEPI last month. I want to provide students with a high quality education and encourage them to pursue higher education. By arranging this meeting I believe the students will be inspired to pursue educational opportunities and then bring their skills back to Africa and work to improve the continent and its economy," added Mr. Campos.

About ABO Capital

ABO Capital, formerly Angola Capital Investments, is an international investment firm that invests in companies in the healthcare, technology, energy, transportation, hospitality and real estate sectors throughout Africa. The mission of ABO Capital is to create global value for developing countries in Africa, while contributing to their economic development.

About Zandre Campos

Zandre Campos is one of the great, innovative business leaders and global entrepreneurs emerging out of Africa. Currently, he is chairman and CEO of ABO Capital, an international investment firm headquartered in Angola with holdings throughout the Globe. Mr. Campos was named one of the Top 25 African business influencers and was a recipient of the Distinguished Business Excellence Award by African Leadership Magazine. He is frequently quoted as an expert on Africa in the media and is a recurring contributor for The Huffington Post and US News & World Report. He recently addressed both students and professors at the NYU Africa House on the opportunities in Africa.

SOURCE ABO Capital

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NEW YORK, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential securities fraud at ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. ("ZTO" or the "Company") (NYSE: ZTO).

The investigation focuses on whether the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws. Specifically, on October 27, 2016, ZTO conducted a public offering of 72,100,000 American Depository Shares ("ADSs") at a price of $19.50 per share, raising $1.4 billion (the "Offering"). ZTO's registration statement and prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in support of the Offering presented a highly positive picture of ZTO's business, performance, prospects, and acreage, while omitting crucial realities. The Company emphasized its strong operating leverage, superior profitability, and rapid growth. However, ZTO failed to disclose that it was improperly inflating its stated profit margins far above industry norms by keeping low-margin segments of its business out of its financial statements.

Since the Offering, the price of ZTO's ADSs have declined significantly.

If you invested in ZTO ADSs and would like to discuss your legal rights, click here : www.faruqilaw.com/ZTO. There is no cost or obligation to you.

You can also contact us by calling Richard Gonnello toll free at 877-247-4292 or at 212-983-9330 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

CONTACT:

FARUQI & FARUQI, LLP

685 Third Avenue, 26th Floor

New York, NY 10017

Attn: Richard Gonnello, Esq.

[email protected]

Telephone: (877) 247-4292 or (212) 983-9330

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP

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In this summer of great political discontent, I find myself fascinated and buoyed by Wonder Woman and Amelia Earhart.

Wonder Woman, as portrayed in a blockbuster movie by the remarkable 32-year-old Israeli actress and mother of two Gal Godot, ignores the men around her during World War I and does what she thinks is right and moral. Who among us has not yearned to jump and soar in slow motion, smiting the wicked and dodging bullets with crossed arms encased in silver bracelets?

In the movie, Wonder Woman, alias Diana Prince, fights against Doctor Poison, an evil German female chemist. She also, of course, fights against men determined to kill millions in war.

Not surprising, perhaps, is that "Wonder Woman" has become controversial. Qatar, Lebanon and Tunisia have banned the movie because Gadot served her compulsory military service during Israel's 2006 war with Lebanon. Good grief, people. It's a movie about truth, justice and the power of love!

Another development this summer involving a strong woman is the unearthing of a photo that experts think "very likely" shows aviator Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan being held by the Japanese in 1937 after their plane crash-landed in the Marshall Islands. At the time, war clouds were forming that would turn into World War II.

As one of the thousands of elementary school children who wrote essays on Earhart and was frustrated by not knowing what happened to her on her around-the-world flight, I was never satisfied with the explanation that she died in a crash and was never found.

Now there is compelling evidence she was captured by Japanese soldiers and died, along with Noonan, in a prison camp. A photo of what looks to be Noonan and a woman with short hair and pants, most likely taken by a spy, was found in the National Archives.

Marshall Islanders _ who even have a stamp in her honor _ have for decades believed Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, survived a landing in their waters and was taken away by the Japanese, who at the time controlled the islands and had banned Westerners from the area.

A new History Channel documentary, "Amelia Earhart: The Lost Evidence," posits that this long-lost photo may well point to the explanation for her disappearance, which has captivated so many for so long. The photo shows a Japanese ship called the Koshu towing something that measures 38 feet in length, the dimension of Earhart's plane. The documentary's executive producer, Gary Tarpinian, told NBC News: "We believe that the Koshu took her to Saipan and that she died there under the custody of the Japanese."

This development undoubtedly will lead to new avenues of research. And while it's heartbreaking to think that she, like so many, perished in a terrible war, it's also comforting to have evidence that this famous aviator might not have died in a crash.

One summer. Two vivid examples of strong, awesome women. It is just so heartening.
The Internal Revenue Service has seized millions of dollars from people who came by their money legally, just because of how they deposited it in banks. That's not the worst finding of a recent government report on how the IRS used a structuring law to seize money.

That law is part of a system Congress set up to catch illegal enterprises, such as drug gangs, by monitoring large cash transactions. Banks must file reports on cash deposits of more than $10,000, and it's illegal for their customers to divide  or "structure" -- deposits in order to avoid triggering that requirement. The law says people who structure their deposits can be fined and imprisoned and may have to forfeit their money even if they've committed no other crime.

In at least 252 of the 306 cases randomly selected for study by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration, the cash actually did come from legal sources, not from crimes. Sometimes, the inspector general found, the government didn't even consider the targets' reasonable explanations for their depositing practices. For example, some businesses deposit less than $10,000 at a time because their insurance would not cover any more cash.

The IRS says it mended its ways in 2014 and won't pursue the forfeiture of legally obtained money except in "exceptional" cases. But that shouldn't be the IRS' decision. Money Americans worked hard to earn should never be taken just because of how they deposit it. If lawmakers don't want to repeal the structuring law altogether, they should at least modify it to protect innocent Americans.

A structuring law should be a tool for fighting money laundering, not a trap for hardworking people who happen to be capitalists.

Beyond that, we need to be wary when presumptive government rears its head. When the government presumes to redefine perfectly legal action as illegal, that is "Big Brotherism" at its worst. And when the IRS is left to police itself, especially after an abuse like this one, it means Congress is not doing quality oversight.

--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
New Delhi, July 4 : A Nigerian national has been arrested for selling marijuana and illicit liquor, and six foreign nationals, including two minors, have been held for not having valid travel documents, police said on Tuesday.

The police raided an apartment in Krishna Park area of south Delhi on Monday morning and arrested Justice Anylkwa, 26, of Nigeria.

The police also recovered 980 gram marijuana, 204 cans and 210 bottles of beer, eight bottles of liquor and Rs 45,930 in cash from his possession.

Six other foreign nationals -- Margret Am Mukoya, 41, from Kenya, and Thangod Chinedu, 27, Amara Bendicta Moumecha, 35, and Livinus Anoliefo, 36 -- all from Nigeria and two minors -- were held from the same building for not possessing valid travel and visa documents.

Anylkwa also failed to produce valid travel and stay documents.

Police said that prima facie it did not look like others were involved in illicit activities with Anylkwa.

All foreign nationals were medically examined and later handed over to the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) Delhi for deportation.
Chennai, July 6 : Actor Rana Daggubati feels Nivetha Thomas, whose film "Ninnu Kori" is slated to hit the screens worldwide on Friday, is Telugu cinemas best find in recent times.

Rana attended a special screening of the film on Wednesday night.

Post the screening, he tweeted: "Saw a beautiful film with some exceptional performers. 'Ninnu Kori'. So happy and proud that I'm working in a time of such brilliant people."

Directed by Shiva Nirvana, "Ninnu Kori" also stars Nani and Aadi Pinisetty.

Rana went on to add, "Nivetha, you are Telugu cinema's best find in recent times".

On the career front, Rana awaits the release of Telugu political drama "Nene Raju, Nene Mantri".

Last month, he made his television debut with the show, "No.1 Yaari with Rana", and it has been well received so far.
New Delhi, July 6 : Ravi Udyawar, who is making his debut with Sridevis "Mom", says the veteran actress elder daughter Jhanvi suggested Pakistani actor Adnan Siddiquis name for the role of a father in the film.

"Jhanvi is the one who recommended Adnan Siddiqui's name while we were casting. We were looking for somebody for a father's role and Jhanvi said, 'I've seen this actor called Adnan Siddiqui, who has done 'A Mighty Heart' with Angelina Jolie. I had also watched that film, so I looked up for him and we cast him in the film," Udyawar told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

Besides Adnan, "Mom" also features Pakistani actress Sajal Ali as Sridevi's daughter in the film.

"It was amazing working with them (Adnan and Sajal), they are fine actors. It was important to cast the daughter as she had to connect well with Sridevi's character. So, they have done a brilliant job," said Udyawar, who has previously worked as an art director, producer-director on television entertainers and has also directed commercials and music videos.

Besides them, "Mom", releasing on Friday, also features Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna.

Udyawar says the idea behind making "Mom" was to "explore mother-daughter bond and put conflict into that".

"I really love the intricacies of relations where things are not spoken, but you can feel the problems in it. I am trying to give an answer to the question, 'What it really means to be a mother?' It's a fictional story, but a relevant story in today's times," he said.

The process of the film's making started in 2014 when Udyawar met Sridevi's husband producer Boney Kapoor.

"We discussed some ideas and I liked one of them which talked about a mother and her daughter. I always wanted Sridevi ma'am as the protagonist and he said, 'You have to pitch it to her and if she likes it then we will make it.'

"I showed the script to ma'am and she loved the idea and we started shooting," Udyawar recalled.

How was it working with Sridevi?

"As it was her 300th film and my first one, there was a lot of responsibility looking at the kind of work that she has done. Yes, there was pressure on me, but working with her is amazing," he said.

"After all these years, even now when she comes on set, she is like a newcomer -- as if she is starting it again. She is really excited and enthusiastic about scenes and tries to push her limits as an actress. That's something that we can learn from her.

"She herself is a mother, so I am sure people will connect with her when they will see her. Although it's not her own story, she must have added some personal touch to her character," he added.

Udyawar considers himself "lucky" to have got a chance to work with Sridevi, Nawazuddin and Akshaye in his debut film. He has already started thinking about his next project, "If given a chance I would love to direct her (Sridevi) again. I will like it if she acts in a comedy film directed by me. That would be great. She has done amazing work earlier in comedy. She is still the same. She is fantastic while doing that," Udyawar concluded.
Shillong, July 6 : NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind will arrive here in this Congress-ruled state of Meghalaya on Friday to seek support for his candidature.

His visit to Meghalaya is significant in the wake of his rival candidate Meira Kumar claiming that the United Democratic Party (UDP), a constituent of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance, has pledged to support her in the presidential elections.

But UDP chief Donkupar Roy, who is also Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, denied pledging support to the opposition-backed Congress candidate and said that "it is better to go by the winner".

Kovind, former Governor of Bihar who was nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party as the ruling alliance's presidential nominee, would address Meghalaya legislators at the Orchid Lake Resort in Umiam in Ri-Bhoi district.

The opposition National People's Party, which has two members in the 60-member house, had announced its support to Kovind. The party is an ally of the BJP-led NDA government.

"We will also attend Kovind's meeting tomorrow. The legislature party of UDP will be meeting soon and decide accordingly," Roy told IANS.

The UDP has eight legislators in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly.

Hill State People's Democratic Party supremo Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said that his party would be meeting soon to take a decision. The party has four legislators.

The ruling Meghalaya United Alliance has 44 members -- 30 Congress, two Nationalist Congress Party, 11 Independents and one of the North East Socialist Democratic Party. Two other Independents are in the opposition.

However, the Congress may lose the precious vote of one suspended Congress legislator P.N. Syiem during the presidential poll.

Under the presidential election system, the total value of the votes from the 60 legislators of the Meghalaya assembly and three members of Parliament (two Lok Sabha members and one Rajya Sabha member) will be 3,144.

While the vote value of 60 legislators is 1,020, that of three parliamentarians -- Conrad Sangma (NPP), Vincent Pala and Wansuk Syiem (both from Congress) -- is 2,124.

The value of the vote of an individual MLA from Meghalaya is 17 each due to the small population size, while that of an MP is 708 each, which is the same all over the country.
Hyderabad, July 6 : Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), the market leader in veterinary biological, on Thursday administered more than one lakh doses of free anti-rabies vaccines in 100 centres across the country on World Zoonosis Day.

More than one lakh doses of Raksharab (anti-rabies vaccine produced by IIL) were administered free of cost through veterinary dispensaries and NGOs, it said in a statement.

IIL, one of the largest animal and human health players in India, said it had been providing various tools to control the deadly rabies disease in the country.

Every year July 6 is observed as World Zoonosis Day and many veterinary dispensaries, NGOs and veterinarians across the country conduct rabies awareness camps with the help of IIL.

Diseases that transmit from animals to human beings are called zoonotic diseases. Out of all microbial pathogens, about 60 per cent cause zoonotic diseases, while 75 per cent of all emerging diseases are zoonotic in nature, IIL said in a statement.

Occurrence of rabies is predominant and is the cause of more than 90 per cent of all zoonotic cases in the country. India accounts for more than 30,000 rabies related deaths per year, which is almost one-third of all cases in the world. This is due to large uncontrolled stray dog population in India, according to the statement.

India has about 40 million dogs, and stray dogs account for nearly 80 per cent of them. Due to lack of systematic vaccination and infrastructure to control stray dogs, the rabies menace is consistently increasing in India.

K. Anand Kumar, MD, IIL, said that IIL is not just a leading manufacturer and supplier of rabies vaccine for both human and animal use, it also contributes significantly in creating awareness about its menace among the general public and renders free vaccination services.
Washington, July 7 : US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit Kuwait next week in an attempt to solve the ongoing diplomatic crisis between Qatar and the four Arab states which have snapped diplomatic ties with the West Asian country, the media reported.

Tillerson will meet senior Kuwaiti officials who have been trying to mediate between the Gulf countries embroiled in the dispute, Efe news quoted the State Department as saying on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced on Wednesday that they would not resume diplomatic ties or lift the trade ban against Qatar, whom they accuse of having links to terror groups.

The four countries justified their stance by citing Qatar's refusal of their demands to resume relations.

Those demands included shutting down the Al-Jazeera news channel, scaling down diplomatic relations with Iran and closing a Turkish military base in the emirate.

Tillerson has been in contact with the Saudi-led bloc and Qatar -- where the US has its largest military base in the region -- and other regional players over the last month.

He has urged the five countries to resolve their dispute, warning that it hampers operations against the Islamic State terror group.

In late June, the State Department questioned whether the boycott of Qatar was about its alleged links to terrorism or "long-simmering grievances" among the Gulf countries.

Tillerson is currently accompanying US President Donald Trump -- who has sided with the Saudi-led bloc and blamed Qatar for the crisis -- in Hamburg, Germany, to attend the G20 summit that begins on Friday.

After the summit, Tillerson will travel to Kiev and then to Istanbul before his trip to Kuwait.
Tokyo, July 7 : The official announcement of the engagement of Japanese Emperor Akihito's eldest granddaughter, Princess Mako, was postponed due to torrential rains that have killed seven people while 14 were reported missing.

The announcement. scheduled for Saturday. has been pushed to an unconfirmed date on account of the rain, which devastated the island of Kyushu, officials of the Imperial Household Agency told public broadcaster NHK on Friday.

Japan's national media had reported Mako's engagement in May; however, the formal announcement would have taken place on Saturday, when the Princess was set to hold a press conference, along with her fiance, 25-year-old legal assistant Kei Komuro.

Mako's upcoming marriage will further shrink Japan's imperial family as women, who marry out of royalty, lose their royal status, Efe news reported.

Torrential rains have caused floods and landslides and led to the evacuation of over 500,000 people in the Fukuoka and Oita prefectures.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, it is one of the worst natural disasters to hit the country.

Most of Kyushu continues to be on high alert as the rains are expected to continue through Friday, although with less intensity.
Beijing, July 7 : China strongly opposed a resolution passed by the European Parliament urging Beijing to release from house arrest Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, who is suffering from terminal-stage liver cancer, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

Beijing urged the international community to respect China's sovereignty and to refrain from interfering in its internal affairs, ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said during a press briefing here.

"China is a rule of law country, everybody is equal in front of the law," Efe news quoted Geng as saying.

The European Parliament had also demanded the release of Liu's wife Liu Xia, and urged that the 61-year-old dissident -- in jail since 2009 after helping to draft "Charter 08", a political manifesto calling for democratic reforms in China -- should be allowed to travel to a country of his choice for treatment.

The hospital where Liu is being treated said on Friday his doctors have halted his treatment after the condition of his liver deteriorated over the past few days.
New Delhi, July 7 : Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Friday questioned the government on the stand-off with China on the border and asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was silent on the issue.

"Why is our Prime Minister silent on China?" Gandhi tweeted.

Following Gandhi's tweet, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also hit out at the government, saying Modi's silence was baffling even as confrontation with China was escalating.

Surjewala said in tweets that the government should spell out its response as China was using provocative and aggressive language.

He said it is India's solemn duty to protect its and Bhutan's borders and territory.

"As confrontation escalates, PM's silence on China is baffling. How did the situation spiral? Why did the government not consult political parties? China & Chinese ambassador are using provocative and aggressive language vis-a-vis Indo-China standoff. Will PM tell what's our response?," Surjewala asked.

The Congress attack came as Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Hamburg, Germany, on Friday and smiled, shook hands and held a conversation a range of issues at a BRICS leaders' informal gathering.

Surjewala asked about the way the stalemate in ties could be resolved. He also took a dig at Modi's remarks in which he appreciated the momentum in BRICS under the chairmanship of President Xi.

"Will PM tell the nation what's the way forward to solve the stalemate or if heaping praise is the only way forward?"

"India's solemn duty is to protect its and Bhutan's borders and territory. What is the government and PM doing to address these strategic concerns?" he asked.
San Francisco, July 8 : With Microsoft announcing job cuts as part of reorganising its global sales staff, the company's Chief Information Officer (CIO) Jim DuBois has decided to move on, the media reported.

Named CIO in 2013, DuBois had been with Microsoft since 1993 where he worked in several roles mostly focused to information technology, GeekWire reported on Saturday.

Senior Microsoft employee Kurt DelBene will replace DuBois as Chief Digital Officer (CDO).

The news came after Microsoft announced nearly 4,000 job cuts from its global sales force outside the US, apparently a move to realign its focus on the growing cloud business.

The job cuts amount to less that 10 per cent of the company's total sales force.

According to The Verge, Microsoft's cloud and server businesses have been fuelling revenue recently, with server products and cloud services revenue up 15 per cent and Azure revenue itself growing by 93 per cent in the recent quarter.

US-based analyst house Pacific Crest Securities said last month that Microsoft Azure Cloud platform could overtake Amazon Web Services (AWS) as revenue leader in the public cloud market this year.

Microsoft has 71,000 employees in the US and 121,000 employees around the globe.
If you told me when I was 9 years old that one day I would willingly get up in front of a crowd of hundreds, I would be shaking my head no. I would force myself to get up in front of my local 4-H club to give my monthly report. Over the years (with lots of speaking occasions), I became accustomed to public speaking and my fear slowly dissipated.

Without 4-H, FFA, and breed associations, I would still be way too shy to confidently communicate my messages to audiences. Although I still get nervous about public speaking, I have most definitely grown in confidence through my steady involvement within various agricultural youth organizations.

This past year I served as the National Brown Swiss Youth Ambassador for the Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders Association (BSCBA). I had the opportunity to represent the Brown Swiss breed all year, including at national shows in Wisconsin and Kentucky. I also wrote articles in the Brown Swiss Bulletin, assisted in managing the youth Facebook page, and participated on the youth committee. Overall, throughout my youth career in the BSCBA, I attended conventions in Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. This alone shows what travel and participation in these organizations will lead to  new places and lifelong friendships.

In the end, we wont remember every conversation exchanged or event attended in the activities these organizations provided, but we will notice how we grew throughout the years. I noticed that I grew in decision-making, confidence, networking skills, and determination. Promoting the industry I love is natural, and I find myself advocating for dairy farmers more and more in my everyday life.

A simple step back to look at how agricultural organizations shaped us will lead to a greater appreciation for our own involvement and for our mentors along the way. How did your participation in FFA, 4-H, breed associations, or other groups benefit your career and life?

Elise Regusci grew up on her family's farm in Modesto, Calif. Regusci attends Cal Poly University, majoring in dairy science with an agricultural communication minor. On campus, she is the Los Lecheros Dairy Club Ag Council representative and a member of the Cal Poly dairy judging team. Regusci is the current Brown Swiss Youth Ambassador and is the 2017 Hoard's Dairyman summer editorial intern.
Mumbai, July 8 : Maharashtra farmers' panel chief Kishore Tiwari on Saturday demanded a special long-term package of Rs 40,000 crore from the NITI Aayog to resolve the agrarian crisis in the state's suicide-prone regions.

Speaking at the NITI Aayog's consultation meeting, Tiwari provided details of the plight of Maharashtra farmers which has recorded the highest rate of farmland suicides in the world in the past few years.

During the meeting presided over by NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand, he pointed out that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and NABARD have already shifted responsibility of bearing the burden of loan waivers to different states and asked them to mobilise their own resources which could create a new era of fiscal mismanagement.

In this context, he urged the NITI Aayog for urgent intervention by a special package, which would provide a long-term sustainable solution for farmers especially in the state's suicide-prone areas.

Tiwari informed the NITI Aayog that though farm loan waivers are necessary as a temporary measure to revive farming, they don't provide conditions for a secure credit system in the long-term.

"Banks would have to be compensated by the government for the loan waiver amount, implying that huge amounts that could have been used for strengthening the agricultural infrastructure will not be available. Hence, the need for a long-term farm credit system via a special package," he said.

Tiwari justified that this was all the more urgent in view of the erratic monsoon on which large rain-fed areas are solely dependent and the recurring droughts in the past few years which have driven the farmers to suicide.

The meeting was attended by Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Suryapratap Shahi, Karnataka Agriculture Price Commission chairman Prakash Kammardi, Punjab's Ajay Jakhar, Haryana's Rameshkumar Yadav, Rajasthan's Tanvarlal Jat and Madhya Pradesh's Ishwarlalji Patidar.
Mumbai, July 8 : Madhur Bhandarkar's new film "Indu Sarkar" -- set in the backdrop of the 1975 Emergency -- is in the news after senior Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam demanded to watch the movie before it was approved for release by the censors.

However, the National Award winner says he has no agenda to promote any political ideology and he would not show the film to any political party.

Bhandarkar said that supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi "as a great leader" does not make him a "(pro) BJP or anti-Congressi".

"My film belongs to the nation, not to any political party. People like us -- actors, filmmakers or any creative persons are admired by citizens of the country because of our work. I can talk for myself... I have no agenda to promote any specific political ideology. Rather, the film is showing the conflicts of two different ideologies on the Emergency," he told IANS

"Just because I support Modi-ji openly as a leader does not mean I have to subscribe to the ideology of the political party that he represents. What I am trying to say is that I have friends and well wishers in Congress, Shiv Sena and BJP and I have attended their functions," Bhandarkar said.

"I admire Modi-ji and Jyotiraditya Scindia (Congress leader) as individuals, but that does not make me a pro-BJP or anti-Congressi or vice verse," he added.

"Indu Sarkar" is based on the Emergency in India and characters in the films are inspired by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi. The Emergency was imposed on June 25, 1975, with Indira Gandhi, citing grave threat to her government and sovereignty of the country from both internal and external forces. It lasted till March 21, 1977.

In the film's trailer, actress Kirti Kulhari plays the role of a woman who rebels against her husband (Tota Roy Chowdhury) and becomes a political activist to protest against the excesses of a political leader (Neil Nitin Mukesh whose character is based on Sanjay Gandhi). Supriya Vinod plays a politician in a get-up inspired by Indira Gandhi, while Anupam Kher portrays an underground leader.

Did Bhandarkar ever imagine getting such reactions from political parties when he decided to make the film?

"No, not at all. This is not the first time a creative person is doing something on Emergency. There are several books, documentaries, docu-features with individuals' opinion. Why are they targeting my film?" he asked.

"I think the series of drama going on before the release of this film... I can make a film on that... It's an interesting subject for a filmmaker," he said.

A Congress representative has announced prize money for any person who can blacken the filmmaker's face.

Setting the record straight about the film's story, Bhandarkar who is known for making hard-hitting movies on the issues of the society, said: "It's about a poet who rebels against the Emergency of 1975, whereas her husband is a supporter of Emergency. So basically, in the same house, how this ideological difference takes the relationship of a couple on a different journey, is the core of the story."

Bhandarkar said as part of the research for the movie, he read several books and even interacted with people who were in jail and were directly affected by the Emergency.

"Indu Sarkar" is set to release on July 28.

(Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in)
New Delhi, July 8 : A day after the CBI carried out raids at over 12 locations of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, the ED on Saturday conducted raids at three different properties owned by his daughter Misa Bharti in connection with a money laundering case.

"Raids were conducted on the premises of Misa Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar in Ghitorani, Sainik Farms and the registered office of their firm Mishail Packers and Printers Pvt. Ltd in Bijwasan area (all in Delhi)," an Enforcement Directorate (ED) official said.

The agency also seized several incriminating documents and electronic devices like mobile phones, the official said.

The searches were carried out on the basis of a criminal complaint filed on February 11, 2017 with the Serious Fraud Investigating Office (SFIO) in Delhi's Tis Hazari court against Jain brothers -- Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain -- and Jagat Project Pvt. Ltd., chartered accountant Rajesh Kumar Agrawal and others for criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery under the provisions of the Companies Act.

On May 22, the Directorate arrested Agrawal, allegedly linked to Bharti, from Delhi, while Jain brothers were arrested on March 20.

According to ED official, Bharti, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar, and her husband were directors of Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited, which is suspected to have entered into 'benami' deals for the purchase of a farm house in Delhi's Bijwasan area.

In an official statement, the agency said that modus operandi of Jain brothers was to launder unaccounted money through the process of placement of funds, layering of transactions and final integration of laundering money into the banking channel camouflaged as legitimate share premium transactions.

The Enforcement Directorate said that the funds in cash were brought in by the mediators on behalf of the beneficiaries through the mediators.

"Jain Brothers were providing accommodation entries by accepting cash from their beneficiaries through mediators and converting the same into share premium transactions in the beneficiary company," the ED statement said.

The agency also said that during the investigation against Jain brothers, Jagat Projects Ltd. and others, it found out that the 1,20,000 shares of Mishail Packers were bought during 2007-08 at Rs 100 per share by four shell companies -- Shalini Holdings Ltd., Ad-Fin Capital Services (India) Pvt. Ltd., Mani Mala Delhi Properties Pvt. Ltd. and Diamond Vinimay Pvt. Ltd.

"However, the 1,20,000 shares were bought back by Bharti at a price of Rs. 10 per share," the agency said.

According to the ED official, same money was used to purchase farmhouse in Bijvasan at a low price of Rs 1.41 crore in 2008-09, whereas the actual value of the farmhouse was above Rs 50 crore.

Last month, the Income Tax Department had attached two assets of Lalu Prasad's kin in Delhi and several properties in Bihar after the department issued a provisional order under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988.

On June 21, IT officials interrogated Bharti for five hours in connection with the benami land transactions case.

Earlier, the department had attached over 12 properties of her relatives, including husband Shailesh Kumar, and brothers Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav -- both ministers in the Bihar cabinet -- under the benami act.

On Friday, the CBI had carried out raids at the residences of Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri and son Tejashwi Yadav -- who is Bihar Deputy Chief Minister -- for allegedly receiving a three-acre plot of land as a quid pro quo for leasing out two railway hotels to a private company when he (Lalu Prasad) was the Railways Minister.
Istanbul, July 10 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has voiced his readiness to shuttle among the Gulf countries as a diplomatic crisis over Qatar continues unabated, the media reported.

The Turkish leader spoke of his plan to travel to the Gulf region while on his way home from a two-day G20 summit that ended on Saturday in Hamburg, Germany.

"I may have special traffic after July 15," Erdogan was quoted as telling the journalists aboard his plane by the Hurriyet Daily News on Saunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I want to visit the region once again. We might contribute to the re-establishment of dialogue with a visit to the region. We are planning to visit Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in particular."

Turkey is working to mark the first anniversary of a coup attempt by some in the military on the night of July 15 last year that was foiled just hours later but left 249 people dead.

Ankara has stood behind Doha in the ongoing diplomatic row, in which Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and some other Muslim countries cut off their diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a blockade on it early last month.

Qatar has refused to accept a list of 13 demands put forward by Riyadh and its allies, including the closure of a Turkish military base, prompting the four countries to threaten further political, economic and legal steps against Doha.

Erdogan said he discussed the Gulf crisis with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hamburg, and stressed the need for a solution through dialogue.

The Turkish leader said his planned visit to the Gulf should not be taken as a mediation effort.

"Kuwait has undertaken the role as the mediator," he said. "We support Kuwait's mediation efforts. What I mean (by this visit) is to contribute to the re-establishment of dialogue between the parties," he said.
Los Angeles, July 10 : Director Sofia Coppola is a long-term "fan" of Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman.

She was eager to get Kidman on board in the new movie "The Beguiled", reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I've been a fan for many years. I had her in my head when I was writing the headmistress. Her gravitas and her humour, I knew would fit perfectly," Coppola told Daily Telegraph newspaper.
Istanbul, July 10 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had separate meetings here with visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, as the two NATO allies are sharply divided over Syria.

The top Turkish and US officials did not make any statement to the press prior to their meeting on Sunday, but the state-run Anadolu Agency said the latest developments in Syria, counter-terrorism efforts and the Qatar row dominated their discussions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkey, annoyed at US continued arming of the Syrian Kurdish militia and involving them in the battle for Raqqa, the stronghold of the Islamic State group in Syria, has been reportedly making preparations for a military offensive against Afrin, a Kurdish-held canton in northwestern Syria.

Erdogan had a closed-door meeting with Tillerson on Sunday evening, Turkish media said.
Doha, July 10 : The governor of Qatar's central bank said the country has $340 billion in reserves and the economy will be able to fully withstand any financial shocks brought on by the ongoing dispute with its Arab neighbours, the media reported.

Speaking at the bank's headquarters in Doha, Abdullah Saud Al-Thani told CNBC in an exclusive interview on Sunday that the Qatar Central Bank has $40 billion in cash reserves plus gold.

In addition, the Qatar Investment Authority has $300 billion in reserves that it could liquidate.

"This is the credibility of our system, we have enough cash to preserve any, any kind of shock," he said.

Referring to accusations placed by other Arab nations that accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism, Al-Thani said: "We're not guilty...We have no challenges, we welcome those to review all our books, they are open."

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed punitive measures, accusing Doha of "supporting terrorism and interfering in their internal affairs".

"Qatar has already had a good and unique system. We have laws established against all these kinds of terrorists," Al Thani told CNBC. "We work with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and other institutions to establish our laws and audits and reviews."

Qatari stock markets have sunk lower on the boycott and the country's currency, the riyal, has seen wild fluctuations, while credit ratings agencies have warned on a period of uncertainty for the nation.

However, Al-Thani told CNBC that while the bank has noticed money outflows from some non-residents, the size of them was not particularly significant.

"So we don't believe that there is anything to worry about at this moment. What I can say is that our environment is proof to anybody that we are first of all solid, strong and resilient against any kind of shocks," he added.
Lucknow, July 10 : The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh issued a series of strict guidelines for the safe passage of the kanwar pilgrimage that started on Monday.

The state Home Department came out with a long list of Dos and Don'ts for the 'kanwariyas' who began there tough journey on the first day of the auspicious Hindu month of 'sawan'.

The Bharatiya Janata Party government here wanted to ensure that the month-long yatra in which pilgrims walk barefoot with pitchers of the holy Ganga water from Haridwar to Shiva temples in their native towns and villages, would not be disrupted in any form, an official said.

The Adityanath government has asked all 'kanwariyas' to carry valid ID cards -- voter cards, driving license or Aadhar -- so that their identity could be ascertained during routine checking.

This has been done to prevent any terror threats.

The official told IANS that the devotees have also been asked not to play any song that was offensive to other religions and communities.

Use of DJ's has been completely banned. No loud speakers or public address system would be allowed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. In the day time too, the pilgrims need permission to do so, he added.

The intelligence agencies have alerted the state police of a possible terror plan to disrupt the 'yatra'. The police was put on high alert.

Drones have been deployed to keep the Kanwar Yatra in focus. Prohibitory orders under section 144 have also been clamped in all districts and town on route of the Kanwar Yatra.

The pilgrims have also been cautioned against changing their routes as it could lead to communal tension.

The Kanwar Yatra in the past have been subject of much disdain from the people given the incidents of violence, vandalism and traffic snarls, especially on the NH-24 connecting Ghaziabad to New Delhi.

Additional traffic constables have been deployed to ensure smooth traffic.
Washington, July 10 : President Donald Trumps eldest son was promised damaging information about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before agreeing to meet a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, according to a report by The New York Times.

The meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya was also attended by the President's campaign chairman at the time, Paul J. Manafort, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it told The New York Times on Sunday.

The Times reported the existence of the meeting on Saturday. But in subsequent interviews, the advisers and others revealed the motivation behind it.

The meeting took place at the Trump Tower in Manhattan on June 9, 2016, two weeks after Donald Trump clinched the Republican nomination for presidency.

However, it remains unclear whether Veselnitskaya, actually produced the promised compromising information about Clinton.

When he was first asked about the meeting on Saturday, Donald Trump Jr. said that it was primarily about adoptions and mentioned nothing about Clinton.

But on Sunday, he offered a new account, reports The New York Times.

In a statement, he said he had met with Veselnitskaya at the request of an acquaintance from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which his father took to Moscow.

"After pleasantries were exchanged," he said, "the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."

He said she then turned the conversation to adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act, an American law that blacklists suspected Russian human rights abusers. The 2012 law so enraged President Vladimir Putin that he halted American adoptions of Russian children.

"It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting," The New York Times quoted Donald Trump Jr. as saying in the statement.

In response, Veselnitskaya said in a statement that "nothing at all about the presidential campaign" was discussed at the meeting and she "never acted on behalf of the Russian government" and "never discussed any of these matters with any representative of the Russian government".

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the President's lawyer, said on Sunday that "the President was not aware of and did not attend the meeting".

American intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian hackers and propagandists worked to tip the election toward Donald Trump, in part by stealing and then providing to WikiLeaks internal Democratic Party and Clinton campaign emails that were embarrassing to the former First lady.

WikiLeaks began releasing the material on July 22, 2016.
Chandigarh, July 10 : Hundreds of personnel from central security forces and the Haryana Police were stationed along the Haryana-Punjab border on Monday in view of the road block protest by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

Traffic on highways linking Punjab with Haryana was moving smoothly (till filing of this report at 9.30 a.m.) on Monday.

Senior Haryana Police officers were stationed at all five protest points since early morning.

Security personnel in riot gear, riot-control vehicles and other equipment were put up at all points to maintain law and order.

The INLD leaders and activists were expected to gather at these five places later to stop vehicles from Punjab from entering Haryana under its 'Road Roko Aandolan'.

The vehicles would be stopped at five places - the Lalru-Chandigarh stretch on National Highway-1, Ambala-Shambhu border on NH-1 (Delhi-Ambala-Amritsar road), Narwana-Dhanauri border, Ratia-Budhlada road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad district and Dabwali in Sirsa district.

Emergency vehicles, like ambulances, would be exempted from the protest, INLD leaders said.

INLD General Secretary Abhay Singh Chautala would go to all five protest points on a helicopter.

The INLD was seeking immediate construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab to bring more water to Haryana.

Authorities in Punjab have decided not to send buses from state-run companies to Haryana on Monday as a precautionary measure.

"As a gesture of goodwill towards the people of Punjab, our workers have made arrangements for flowers which would be given to commuters from Punjab," Chautala said earlier.

"The workers would also urge the commuters to pressurise the Punjab government to complete the construction of SYL canal," he added.

The police was likely to divert traffic on some routes in the wake of the protest.
On Sunday, two guests on political talk show "Capital City Sunday" debated whether Education Secretary Betsy DeVo and her emphasis on school choice programs help or hurt racial disparities.
New Delhi, July 10 : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday denied that India was rejecting medical visa applications of Pakistanis and asked Pakistan's top diplomat Sartaj Aziz to respond to her letter seeking travel permission for the mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav who is on a death row in that country.

In a series of tweets, the minister said Aziz, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Foreign Affairs Advisor, should not hesitate to write recommendation for Pakistanis seeking medical treatment in India.

The remarks come amid media reports in Pakistan that the Indian Embassy in Islamabad had rejected the medical visa application of a 25-year-old Pakistani tumour patient who was to travel to India for treatment.

Faiza Tanveer had sought Sushma Swaraj's intervention and help to "save my life".

Sushma Swaraj said the Indian authorities would continue issuing visas but with Aziz's recommendation to Pakistanis who seek medical care in India.

"I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately. I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India," the Minister said.

Sushma Swaraj asked Aziz to recommend for those who need medical visa.

"I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country. I am sure Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country."

The Minister also raised the issue of Jadhav and said she had personally written to Aziz regarding the visa to Avantika Jadhav who wanted to meet her son, who has been kept at an unknown military prison.

"We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national, Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan, against whom they have pronounced a death sentence," Sushma Swaraj said.

"I wrote a personal letter to Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she said.

Jadhav's death sentence by a Pakistani military court has been stayed by the International Court of Justice.

Pakistan alleges that the former Indian Navy officer was spying and involved in subversive activities at the behest of India's Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) -- a charge India has denied.
New Delhi, July 10 : Tragedy struck this widow twice in the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest. First, she watched her husband die of snakebite. Then, her young son was mauled to death by a Royal Bengal tiger.

This is the heart-rending tale of 60-year-old Panchami Naya of Durgapur - a remote island located in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal - who was living a life of abject penury.

Like her, a majority of the 4.5 million people of the region eke out a living daily in the traditional way -- fishing, hunting for crabs, collecting of honey and subsistence farming along the fringes of the Sundarbans -- a Unesco World Heritage site that is home to one of the largest populations of the protected Royal Bengal tiger.

Although it's illegal, fishermen go into the wildlife protected areas for hunting. Tigers and crocodiles often attack them.

According a World Bank report, the Sundarbans, spread over 10,000 sq km of land and water, more than half of it in India, has a high population density of about 1,000 people per sq km.

A Kerala-based charity, Believers Church, is working in human settlements along the Sundarbans -- the delta spreads across India and Bangladesh -- to ease the plight of the "tiger widows" by equipping them with income-generating skills.

It also helps them overcome the trauma of losing their partners, mostly the breadwinners.

At present, social workers are deployed in 33 islands of South 24 Parganas to provide service to more than 700 widows to enable them to become self-reliant.

In June 2015, two workers met Panchami, five years after the death of her son Mangal Naya, 20, and found her in distress, facing social ostracisation too.

"While our 'sisters of compassion' gently asked about her situation, she was moved with their love and she shared all that had happened to her family. Since then they have completely taken care of her day-to-day needs," Believers Church's Metropolitan Bishop K.P. Yohannan told IANS.

"There are several thousand widows living in the islands and we have identified 194 of them who are in dire need of food and shelter. Others may need help and care from time to time," he said.

Ferries are the only mode of transport to reach the islands and this is risky as it depends on the waves of the Bay of Bengal.

According to Believers Church, the places most populated with widows include Moipit, Gangasagar, Pathorpratima and Gosaba, a gateway to the Sundarbans, some 200 km from West Bengal capital Kolkata.

In Moipit, there are 250 widows whose husbands were largely killed by tigers.

Apart from South 24 Parganas, the widow care service, launched in 2011, has also been provided in North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Murshidabad, Bardhaman, Malda and Purulia districts.

"We have identified 8,700 widows in West Bengal, out of them 5,700 are living on the islands. On a daily basis, we assist 2,323 in the state, 1,516 of whom are settled on islands," Bishop Yohannan added.

Like Panchami Naya, the charity is taking care of 65-year-old widow Swarnamayee Ghosh of Moipit island. Fourteen years ago her husband died in tiger attack while collecting firewood.

Similar is the horrific tale of Dipti Das, 56, also from Moipit, whose husband died of a tiger attack 20 years ago.

The "tiger widows" are often blamed for the deaths of their husbands by the community, says a study 'Ecopsychosocial Aspects of Human-Tiger Conflict: An Ethnographic Study of Tiger Widows of Sundarban Delta, India', published by the journal Environmental Health Insights last year.

It says 90 per cent of the widows have been accused of causing their husband's death by their family in-laws, especially by the mothers-in-law, while being branded as "swami-khego" or husband-eater.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
Patna, July 10 : Bihar's ruling RJD on Monday said that party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav will not resign and accused the BJP of conspiring to destabilise the state's ruling Grand Alliance.

"Tejashwi will not resign," senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Bihar Finance Minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui told media here after the decision was taken at a two-hour long meeting of party legislators at the official residence of party chief Lalu Prasad.

Siddiqui said the BJP has been conspiring to destabilize the Bihar coalition government of RJD, JD-U and Congress by "framing Tejashwi" by the CBI.

"All 80 RJD legislators have said in the meeting that Tejashwi should not resign," Siddiqui said.

He said Tejashwi, the son of party chief Lalu Prasad, is the RJD leader in the state assembly and he will continue.

RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav said, "Party's legislators are with him. Lalu will bounce back."

The RJD also said that the corruption allegations were being levelled "at the behest of the BJP". "Those who stand up to BJP are being targeted," he said.
Washington, July 10 : White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus has said that US President Donald Trump believes that apart from Russia, other countries like North Korea and China too interfered in the country's 2016 presidential election.

On "Fox News Sunday", Priebus was asked to clarify what went down when Trump confronted Russian President Vladimir Putin about the election hack when the two met at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, last week.

Priebus said that "no matter what, Trump still believes Russia tampered with last year's race".

However, the Kremlin said that Trump accepted Putin's denial of wrongdoing, while Trump officials insisted the US President pressed Putin for answers.

"(Trump) said they (Russia) did meddle in the election. The one thing that (Trump) also says, which drives the media crazy, but it's an absolute fact, is that others have as well. And that's true," Priebus said.

"China has, North Korea has and they have consistently over many, many years. So, yes, he believes that Russia probably committed all of these acts that we've been told of, but he (Trump) also believes that other countries also participated in this," he said.

It was the first time that an official in the Trump administration formally accused the two nations of interfering in the election, backing up claims from Trump that "other countries" joined Russia in its digital interference.

However, Priebus did not cite any evidence to back up his claim. It was not clear if he was speaking only about the 2016 election or whether he meant China and North Korea had a hand in other elections, too, Fox News reported.

Later, the White House said in a statement that Priebus "was addressing hacking generally, not election manipulation".

"China and North Korea have long histories of malicious cyber activity directed at US entities, including government, industry and academia," the statement said.

At least four US intelligence agencies had concluded that Russia led a series of cyberattacks on the 2016 election with the apparent aim of giving Trump an edge over Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.

But none of the intelligence reports officially said China or North Korea played a part in that, calling into question where Priebus got his information, the report said.

Both nations had been accused of major cyberattacks on the US before, but not for elections.
Damascus, July 10 : Syrian government forces have advanced into the Eastern Ghouta region, the opposition's main stronghold on the outskirts of Damascus, a war monitoring group reported on Monday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said there was intense fighting between fighters loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and militants from the Islamist insurgent group of Legion of Mercy in the town of Ain Tarma and its surroundings, reports Efe news.

In Ain Tarma, government troops marched through the area of Wadi Ain Tarma, where they had taken control of a warehouse and four buildings.

During the clashes, at least three rebels were killed and 12 others injured, the UK-based group said, adding there were an undetermined number of casualties among the pro-government fighters.

For three days, the government forces have been trying to advance toward Ain Tarma in an attempt to impose a siege on neighbouring Jobar district on the northeastern outskirts of Damascus.

The offensive coincides with a ceasefire brokered by the US and Russia in the provinces of Daraa, Sweida and Quneitra in southwestern Syria.
Kolkata, July 10 : Summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Narada sting video probe, Trinamool Congress legislator and city Mayor Sovan Chatterjee on Monday did not appear before the agency, citing "administrative reasons".

Chatterjee, who received the agency notice last week to appear at its city office in Salt Lake, instead sent a letter through his lawyer seeking "more time".

"He did not appear today (Monday), citing administrative reasons. His lawyer though came with a letter seeking more time," an ED official said.

According to the official, the agency has given Chatterjee two weeks' time to appear before it.

Chatterjee was one of the Trinamool Congress leaders purportedly seen receiving money in exchange for a promise to dole out favours to a fictitious company in a video footage uploaded by the Narada news portal last year.

Besides Chatterjee, two other Trinamool leaders, Iqbal Ahmed and Sultan Ahmed, were also summoned by the agency to appear before it.
Kathmandu, July 10 : Concerned about the apprehended impact on Nepal's commercial and trading activity due to the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India, a high-level government delegation from Nepal will be holding talks with Indian government officials in New Delhi on Tuesday.

A 15-20 member team, led by Ravi Shankar Sainju, Joint Secretary in the Commerce Ministry, will be visiting India to discuss the new tax system in relation to the bilateral Trade and Transit Treaty between the two countries, the Kathmandu Post reported.

The delegation will also include officials from the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance.

"Although we are yet to see the actual impact of the GST recently imposed by India, the (Nepal) government has targeted to address the problems that the traders are reported to have been facing following the GST implementation," Sainju said.

According to the bilateral treaty governing trade and transit, "Goods intended for import into or export from the territories of either Contracting Party from or to a third country shall be accorded freedom of transit through the territories of the other party".

"No distinction shall be made which is based on the flag of vessels, the place of origin, departure, entry and exit destination or ownership of goods."

Despite this provision in the treaty, traders and freight forwarders have been complaining about a slowdown in export and import of goods to and from third countries via India during last week in the wake of the Indian government enforcing GST, the report said.

According to Nepali traders and freight forwarders, authorities at Kolkata Port earlier used to impose 15 per cent logistic service charge on goods imported from third countries. With the GST coming into effect, that charge has been raised to 18 per cent.

"Although the GST should not affect Nepal's trade, with the confusion among the officials at the implementation level, Nepali traders could have been facing problems," said Sainju, adding that the ministry will finalise on Monday the main issues to be discussed in the meeting with Indian officials.
Washington, July 10 : Donald Trump's choice to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will appear before a Senate panel this week, two months after the President abruptly fired James Comey from the post, the media reported on Monday.

Christopher Wray will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning, which will likely set Trump's choice up to be confirmed by the full Senate before Congress leaves Washington for the August recess, reports The Hill magazine.

Trump announced Wray as his choice to lead the FBI on the day before Comey's testimony before the Senate on June 8.

If confirmed, Wray will not preside over the Russia probe -- the federal investigation is currently led by Robert Mueller, a former FBI director chosen by the Justice Department to serve as special counsel.
Chandigarh, July 10 : Thousands of commuters faced harassment in a sweltering weather as the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) members on Monday blocked the national highway near Ambala and four other highways in Haryana as part of their one-day 'Road Roko Aandolan' (road blockade protest).

The police in Punjab and Haryana diverted traffic through longer routes and village roads, leading to chaos and confusion for the commuters moving from Punjab to Haryana, Delhi and beyond.

The INLD activists started their blockade at five places around 10 a.m. and continued to block the highways till 3 p.m.

"Our fight is for getting water for the farmers and people of Haryana through the SYL canal," INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala told media.

The harassed commuters were angry that they had to suffer due to the politics of leaders of Punjab and Haryana.

"We have been forced to suffer for hours in this heat. We don't know when will we reach our destination. There is a death in the family and we were heading towards Kurukshetra (in Haryana) urgently. The political parties cannot make the common man suffer," said Jagjit Singh, a resident of Sirhind in Punjab.

Scores of INLD activists hoodwinked the Haryana Police and central security forces and blocked the NH-1 near Ambala, around 45 km from here.

The protesters blocked the busy highway that links Delhi with Amritsar, at a point two km away from where they were originally supposed to stop the traffic from Punjab from entering Haryana at the Shambhu barrier.

The activists came to the highway and blocked it with their vehicles, including cars and tractor trolleys. Traffic was also stopped near Dabwali town in Haryana's Sirsa district.

The INLD is seeking immediate construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab to bring more water to Haryana.

Hundreds of security personnel from central security forces and the Haryana Police were stationed at all five places along the states' border in view of the INLD protest.

Senior Haryana Police officers were stationed at the protest points since early on Monday. Haryana Police Additional Director General (ADGP) R.C. Mishra monitored the situation at the Shambhu barrier.

Security personnel in riot gear, riot-control vehicles and other equipment were deployed at all points to maintain law and order.

The vehicles were being stopped at five places -- the Lalru-Chandigarh stretch on NH-1, Ambala-Shambhu border on NH-1, Narwana-Dhanauri border, Ratia-Budhlada road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad district and Dabwali in Sirsa district.

Emergency vehicles, like ambulances, were exempted from the protest, the INLD leaders said.

Authorities in Punjab decided not to send out buses from state-run companies to Haryana on Monday as a precautionary measure. The police were likely to divert traffic on some routes in the wake of the protest.

A police officer in Ambala said that a case would be registered against the protesting INLD workers for blocking the national highway.

The Supreme Court had earlier imposed a ban on blocking of national highways.

"We will see the provisions and register a case against them (INLD activists) for blocking the national highway. They did not have the permission to block the highway," the police officer said.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 10 : Chicken appears to have bowed out from the dining tables in Kerala with chicken sellers up in arms against Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Issac who has demanded that they sell the meat at Rs 87 a kg under the GST.

Across the state, from Monday onwards chicken sellers have begun an indefinite strike saying that it is not possible to sell it at Rs 87 a kilogram.

Issac had tried to cool down things down, but failed to prevent the strike after talks broke down on Sunday.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Issac accused the big chicken companies outside the state of controlling things.

"Prior to GST chicken meat had a tax of 14.5 per cent, and from July 1 that's no longer there, so it is only natural that the consumer should get the benefit. At least one portion of the tax gain should be passed to the consumer. The state-owned KEPCO is selling at Rs 120 a kilogram, as their product is cleaned, skinned and all the waste is removed," said Issac.

The strike has led to another problem as chicken farmers would be left with full-grown chicken with no buyers.

To counter that, many chicken farmers since Sunday have been moving their chicken to Tamil Nadu.

To this, Issac said that just as products come into Kerala, they are free to send it out of the state as well.

The poultry industry has been demanding that they are given time till September so that they can streamline their operations for GST, but that was shot down by Issac.

On Friday, Issac had warned that action would be taken if chicken prices are not brought down as chicken had fallen under the zero tax bracket under the GST that rolledout on July 1.

Issac had said that till June 30 Kerala was the only state in the country that levied a tax on chicken -- under the 14.5 per cent tax bracket.
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Melbourne, July 10 : An Australian man has been convicted for shipping native Australian lizards to Italy inside pairs of socks, the media reported on Monday.

Craig James Pender, a Victoria man, was convicted of illegally importing and exporting reptiles, Xinhua news agency reported.

Pender exported 13 Australian reptiles to Italy, including five blue-tongue lizards, four spiny-tailed skinks and four shingleback lizards, tucked inside pairs of socks which were in turn stuffed into a speaker system.

The discovery of the lizards by Italian customs staff prompted a joint investigation between Victorian and Australian agriculture departments which resulted in Pender's arrest.

It is believed the man was part of an international smuggling ring specialising in exotic reptiles.

Robyn Cleland, head of compliance for the federal agriculture department, said bio-security officials would pursue other members of the ring.

"Exotic animals can introduce devastating pests and diseases," Cleland said.

"Pender's irresponsible actions placed our national wildlife, environment and industries at great risk."

A search warrant carried out during the investigation against Pender found illegally imported hog-nosed snakes in his house.

The investigation also turned up links between Pender and Norwegian man Bard Alexander Meringen, who was arrested in Norway with more than 200 live reptiles in his home.

Pender was also convicted of illegally importing into Australia four green tree pythons in 2009.

People convicted of importing or exporting a threatened species in Australia face a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment, a penalty that could be increased to 10 years if the species is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Chennai, July 10 : The week-long trilateral Malabar naval exercise began on Monday with 16 ships, including many frontline warships, and than 95 aircraft of India, the US and Japan participating in the annual event in the Bay of Bengal.

This is the 21st edition of the exercise, which started as a bilateral exercise between India and US and now has Japan as a permanent member.

"Malabar-17 will be another milestone with participation of 16 ships, two submarines and more than 95 aircraft, towards strengthening mutual confidence and inter-operability as well as sharing of best practices between the Indian, Japanese and US Navies," a statement from Indian Navy said.

"The exercise is a demonstration of the joint commitment of all three nations to address common maritime challenges across the spectrum of operations and will go a long way in enhancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, for the benefit of the global maritime community."

The exercise comes amid reports of the presence of Chinese warships in the Indian Ocean Region in the name of anti-piracy operations, and Beijing's aggressive posturing in the South China Sea.

"Naval co-operation between India, US and Japan epitomises the strong and resilient relationship between the three democracies. The Malabar series of exercises, initiated in 1992 between the Indian and US Navies, have steadily grown in scope, complexity and participation into a multifaceted exercise with the participation of Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF)," the Indian Navy said in a statement on Monday.

"The primary aim of this exercise is to increase interoperability amongst the three navies as well as develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations," Indian Navy said.

This year, there are five ships from the US, including aircraft carrier USS Nimitz with Carrier Air Wing 11, a submarine, and P-8A Poseidon aircraft.

India will have seven ships, including aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya with its air wing, guided missile destroyer Ranvir, indigenous stealth frigates Shivalik and Sahyadri, indigenous Anti-submarine Warfare corvette Kamorta, missile corvettes Kora and Kirpan, one Sindhughosh class submarine, fleet tanker INS Jyoti and Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8I.

Japan has two ships including helicopter carrier JS Izumo.

The exercise will also witness a separate interaction between the Indian Navy and US Navy Special Forces and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams at the Indian Navy's MARCOS training base INS Karna at Visakhapatnam.

The scope of Malabar-17 includes wide-ranging professional interactions during the Harbour Phase at Chennai from July 10-13 July and a diverse range of operational activities at sea during the Sea Phase from July 14-17, the Indian Navy said.

The thrust of exercises at sea this year would be on Aircraft Carrier operations, Air Defence, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Surface Warfare, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), Search and Rescue, Joint Manoeuvres and Tactical procedures.

In addition, officials from the three countries will be flown onboard the ships at sea on July 15.

In the past, Australia and Singapore have also participated in the exercise as non-permanent members.

China on Friday expressed hope that the joint naval drill between India, Japan, and the US was not aimed at other countries.
New Delhi, July 10 : After initially denying and calling it "fake news", the Congress on Monday admitted that party Vice President Rahul Gandhi did meet the Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui last week, seeking to put to rest a controversy over the meeting.

"Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi from time to time on courtesy basis, particularly those of G5 nations as also of the neighbouring countries...be it Chinese ambassador or Bhutanese ambassador or former NSA Shiv Shankar Menon," party spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

Interestingly, hours earlier Surjewala had tweeted denying such a meeting between Gandhi and the Chinese envoy when some news channels went on air with the report.

He had alleged in the morning that the report was "planted" by the External Affairs Ministry and Intelligence Bureau sources. "They should re-verify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours," Surjewala had said.

However, later in the day Surjewala had no explanation on why the denial was issued in the morning.

He sought to clarify that his statement that it was fake news was in the context of news channels terming the meeting as "anti-national".

Significantly, the Chinese embassy which had posted on its website about the July 8 meeting between Gandhi and Luo, later withdrew it.

In the afternoon statement Surjewala said: "Nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls to term them as events like the 'sources' from the Home Ministry are trying to do."

"Rahul Gandhi as other opposition leaders are fully aware of our national interests and are concerned about the grave situation on the Indo-Chinese border as also the situation arising in Bhutan and Sikkim," he added.

Speaking more specifically, he said: "So, the envoys met Rahul Gandhi, not only the Chinese envoy, but also the Bhutanese envoy, as also former National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon," he said.

Last week, around the time Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hamburg, Rahul Gandhi had questioned the "silence" of the Prime Minister on the border stand-off.
New Delhi, July 10 : The Supreme Court on Monday deferred a hearing on sentencing of absconding beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya for contempt as he did not appear before the court in response to its notice.

A bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit adjourned the matter to July 14, as counsel appearing for Mallya told the bench that they have no instructions.

The apex court had on May 9 held Mallya guilty of contempt for not appearing before it as directed in the first hearing and not making full disclosure of his assets and that of his family in a case wherein a consortium of 13 banks, led by the State Bank of India, is seeking recover of over Rs 9,000 crore given to his now grounded Kingfisher airlines.

It had sought his response on the quantum of punishment.

The top court had on July 25, 2016, issued notice to Mallya on a contempt plea by the consortium of banks led by the SBI for not makings full disclosure of assets, both in India and abroad, held by him, his wife and children.

This has followed its April 7, 2016, order asking Mallya to disclose all assets -- movable and immovable and tangible and intangible -- and other shareholdings and beneficial interests in India and abroad held by him, his wife and children.

By this order, the court had also asked Mallya to indicate the date when he could appear before it in person.

Mallya, in a hearing on April 26, 2016, had, through his counsel, said: "If I come, I will be taken to Tihar Jail. When my liberty is at stake, how can you expect me to come back."
Los Angeles, July 10 : Actor James Franco will be seen portraying dual characters in TV series "The Deuce", a new teaser for the drama has revealed.

HBO channel has released a new teaser for the show, and Franco will be seen playing Vincent and his twin brother Frankie Martino in the show, reported aceshowbiz.com.

The series will also feature actress Maggie Gyllenhaal who will play a character named Candy, a sex worker with an entrepreneurial spirit who is drawn into the emerging pornography industry.

The trailer is a sneak peek at how the Martino brothers are trying to build the first legalised porn industry in New York and also filming two female porn stars.

Hailing from "The Wire" creator David Simon and George Pelenacos, "The Deuce" follows the legalisation and ensuing rise of the porn industry in New York beginning in the 1970s. Themes explored include the rise of HIV, the violence of the drug epidemic and the resulting real estate booms and busts that coincided with the change.

The cast also includes film and TV actress Emily Meade, Musician Anwar Glover, actor Gary Carr and TV actor Lawrence Gilliard Jr. The eight-episode series will premiere on September 10.
Islamabad, July 10 : A three-judge bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday began examining a report submitted by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which probed allegations of money laundering against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

The bench of Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ejaz Afzal, after examination of the report, asked for transcripts of all speeches made in the last 60 days by Nawaz Sharif's party leaders, presumably to examine them for contemptuous content, Dawn reported.

Earlier, hearing the Panamagate papers case, the apex court's larger five-judge bench ordered the setting up of a Joint Investigation Team. While Justices Saeed, Afzal and Ahsan exercised restraint in their observations against Sharif and his family, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Gulzar Ahmed issued the dissenting notes.

The apex court also ordered the registration of a criminal case against Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Chairman Zafar Hijazi in order to find out who was behind tampering the records of businesses owned by the Sharif family.

The bench also ordered that the name and institution of the individual responsible for leaking a photo of Hussain Nawaz sitting before the JIT should be made public, Dawn reported.

The matter does not fall within the Supreme Court's jurisdiction, so the government may form a commission to probe the matter, the court said.

The bench also took a strict stand against a local newspaper for publishing material it said was contrary to actual JIT proceedings over the past 60 days.

The SC ordered the filing of a contempt of court notice against the printer, publisher and reporter of a story titled "Panama JIT 'doesn't find PM guilty', but his sons", which appeared in The News on Monday, July 10.

Earlier, members of the JIT had arrived at the apex court amid tight security. Large cardboard boxes labelled 'Evidence' were carted into the court as the JIT members made their way into court.

The case has been adjourned for a week, with the next hearing scheduled for July 17.
Beijing, July 10 : Chinese Nobel Peace laureate and dissident Liu Xiaobo, who is suffering from terminal cancer, is in "critical condition", a hospital in northern China, where he is admitted, announced on Monday.

Many of Liu's health parameters have worsened in the past few hours, especially the lesions in his liver, due to the rapid progress of the liver cancer he is suffering from, according to a statement by the hospital in Shenyang city.

It said Liu's abdominal swelling has also worsened and he is suffering from low blood pressure and kidney failure, Efe news reported.

The announcement came just one day after Western specialists said the Nobel laureate could travel safely for treatment overseas if he was permitted to leave China soon.

The medical team treating Liu said that he is not suited for invasive procedures or radiation therapy and the hospital's statement said that Liu's family was informed of the team's opinion, CNN reported.

The two Western doctors who visited Liu last week said he and his family had requested that the remainder of his care be provided in Germany or the US.

"While a degree of risk always exists in the movement of any patient, both physicians believe Liu can be safely transported with appropriate medical care," said Dr Joseph M. Herman of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre and Dr Markus BAchler of the University of Heidelberg, in a joint statement on Sunday.

"However, the medical evacuation would have to take place as quickly as possible," they said.

Before the hospital issued its latest statement, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday repeatedly declined to say if Beijing would allow Liu to leave the country.

"We hope relevant countries will respect China's judicial sovereignty and not use a individual case to interfere in China's internal affairs," said Geng Shuang at a regular press briefing.

Authorities said Liu is too weak to survive a long distance journey.

A statement released last week by the Shenyang hospital quoted the Western physicians as saying to Liu's Chinese doctors: "We have no better options -- you've already done a very good job," under the headline "American, German experts claim Liu has no better options abroad".

Geng said that "the foreign experts have admitted that China has given the best treatment to Liu Xiaobo", adding that there has been "no precedent" of Chinese authorities allowing dissidents to leave the country for humanitarian reasons.

Liu, 61, was granted medical parole and released from jail last month after he was diagnosed with cancer. He had been serving an 11-year prison sentence for "inciting subversion of state power" in Jinzhou, near Shenyang.

International pressure led the Communist regime to let medical specialists from the US and Germany to examine the dissident last weekend.
New Delhi, July 10 : Technology-based learning solutions provider TATA ClassEdge and YES Bank on Monday announced they would mentor seven students from India for the 'FIRST Global Robotics Olympiad' at Washington, DC, slated for July 16-18.

US-based FIRST Global is organising an annual 'Olympics' style robotics competition aimed at generating interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among youths from 160 countries.

"As we build an innovation and technology led economy of the future, it is crucial for us to invest in STEM learning among our nation's youth. We are certain that such youth centric initiatives will go a long way in creating awareness on pertinent social issues," said Rana Kapoor, CEO YES BANK, in a statement.

The competition aims to drive youths to innovate and create technology-led solutions for global social issues such as access to safe and clean drinking water.

India, represented by seven students, is participating in this competition for the first time.

"It is an excellent platform to inspire students to learn, think, imagine and use technology creatively. The Olympics will not only boost their confidence but also provide an opportunity to meet bright youngsters from all over the world," added Nirav Khambhati, CEO, Tata ClassEdge.
Chandigarh, July 10 : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday assured Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh that her ministry was making all-out efforts to trace and facilitate the return of the 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, who had been held hostage in Mosul since 2014.

Reacting to reports that the families of the Indian hostages were trying to locate their kin after Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the clutches of ISIS, Amarinder sought her active intervention in the matter. He said the families of the hostages were keenly awaiting the return of their kin.

"Assuring of all possible efforts by her ministry to bring back the Indians, who were construction workers taken into custody in 2014, Sushma said General V.K. Singh had been sent to Iraq to coordinate with the Iraqi government to facilitate the return of the Indians stuck there. She said she had also directed the Indian embassy to extend all help to the stranded Indians," a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) disclosed here.

Air India officials at the airports had also been instructed to facilitate their return, said Sushma, adding that her ministry had activated all available sources to trace the missing Indians, who were last heard of hiding in a church in Mosul, the spokesperson added.

While Sushma has held several meetings with the families of the hostages since the abduction, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also been raising the issues with other countries in the Middle East region.

The Chief Minister said he was hopeful the 39 Indians would be back home soon, now that Mosul was no longer in the control of ISIS.

A man from Punjab, Harjit Masih, who escaped from the clutches of the terror organization in June 2014 had claimed that the 39 Indian nationals had been killed.

However, the External Affairs Ministry had maintained that it had no information confirming that the Indians were dead.

The Indian nationals were taken hostage by the IS on June 11, 2014, in northern Iraq's Mosul town.
New Delhi, July 10 : RJD Chief Lalu Prasad's son-in-law on Monday skipped the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons in a case of alleged money laundering, an official here said.

"We had summoned Shailesh Kumar on Saturday to appear before the agency today (Monday) for questioning, but he did not appear," the ED official told IANS.

The official also said that the agency has summoned the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief's daughter Misa Bharti to appear before it on Tuesday in the case of alleged money laundering.

The ED action comes in the wake of the raids it carried out on three properties of Shailesh Kumar and Bharti for alleged money laundering in the Jain brothers entry operators case.

The searches were carried out on the basis of a criminal complaint filed on February 11 with the Serious Fraud Investigating Office (SFIO) in Delhi's Tis Hazari court against Jain brothers -- Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain -- and Jagat Project Pvt. Ltd., chartered accountant Rajesh Kumar Agrawal and others for criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery under the provisions of the Companies Act.

On May 22, the Directorate had arrested Agrawal, allegedly linked to Bharti, from Delhi, while Jain brothers were arrested on March 20.

According to the ED official, Bharti, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar, and her husband were directors of Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited, which is suspected to have entered into 'benami' deals for the purchase of a farm house in Delhi's Bijwasan area.
Beirut, July 10 : The Syrian government on Monday said it stands in solidarity with Iraq to eliminate what is left of the Islamic State terror group in both countries.

In a statement, published by the Syrian official news agency SANA, the Syrian Foreign Ministry congratulated the government and the people of Iraq for the "great victory achieved by the Iraqi Army and Popular Mobilisation Units" in Mosul against IS.

The statement said Damascus is going ahead, alongside Baghdad, "to eradicate what remains" of IS because the "mobilisation of the joint efforts of the two countries is the main factor to guarantee that IS or any other form of terrorism will not return to these two countries or any other part of the region".

The collapse of IS in Mosul is only the beginning of the elimination of terrorists and those who provide them with support, according to the statement cited by Efe news.

The Foreign Ministry also said that the blood of the martyrs and the suffering of the wounded will not be wasted and will be great inspiration for everyone in order to defeat what remains of IS in Iraq and Syria.

The total liberation of Mosul is about to take place and on Sunday the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulated the Iraqi people for the "great victory achieved" against the radicals, after arriving in the city.

However, extremists are still holding ground in a small area of the old city, the last stronghold of the IS in Mosul.
Chennai, July 10 : The tri-nation joint naval exercise Malabar 2017 is not targeted at China or connected to the border stand-off between India and China, but is an exercise to enhance interoperability between the navies of India, US and Japan, senior officials said here on Monday.

The Malabar joint naval exercise is a series of exercises, initiated in 1992 between the Indian and the US navies.

The exercise has grown in scope and complexity into a multifaceted exercise with the participation of Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JKSDF).

Speaking to the media here, Indian Navy's Vice Admiral H.C.S. Bisht said: "The joint naval exercise is not connected to the border stand-off between the Indian and Chinese forces. The Malabar exercise process starts a year in advance."

He said the exercise is for interoperability as well as to act as a deterrence to non-state actors. The prevention of non-state actors from carrying out their actions is a spin-off benefit of such an exercise.

Adding to that, Rear Admiral William D. Byrne, Commander, US Strike Group 11, said the only message that is sent from the Malabar exercise is that "together we can eliminate miscalculations as to who we are and what are our capabilities".

Bisht said the three navies are not ganging up against China as the Malabar exercise was started way back in 1992.

The week-long joint naval exercise between July 10-17 will see the participation of 16 ships from three countries, two submarines and more than 95 aircraft.

Queried about the presence of Chinese ships in the Indian Ocean, Bisht said the Indian Navy has the capability to monitor the movement of ships.

According to Bisht, a joint naval exercise with Australia is happening and even two weeks back there was a joint exercise with the Australian navy.

Officials said the thrust of the exercise at sea this year would be on aircraft carrier operations, air defence, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, visit board search and seizure, search and rescue, joint manoeuvres and tactical procedures.

Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is participating in the exercise for the first time. The other ships belonging Indian Navy participating in the exercise are guided missile destroyer Ranvir, indigenous stealth frigates Shivalik and Sahyadri, indigenous anti-submarine warfare corvette Kamorta, missile corvettes Kora and Kirpan and one Sindhughosh class submarine, fleet tanker INS Jyoti and long range maritime patrol aircraft P8I.

The Japanese navy will be represented by JS Izumo, a helicopter carrier and SH 60K helicopters and JS Sazanami, a missile destroyer with SH 60K integral helicopter.

The US Navy will be represented by the ships from the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and other units for the US 7th Fleet.

The US Navy forces will include the Nimitz class aircraft carrier Nimitz with its air wing, Ticonderoga class cruiser Princeton, Arleigh Burke class destroyers Kidd, Howard and Shoup along with integral helicopters, a Los Angeles class attack submarine and a long range maritime patrol aircraft P8A.

The joint naval exercise will be in two phases -- the harbour phase where there will be wide ranging professional interactions, and a sea phase with a diverse range of operational activities at sea.

China had said last week: "We have no objection to the normal bilateral relations and cooperation among relevant countries, but we hope that this kind of relationship and cooperation will not be directed at any third party and will be conducive to regional peace and stability."
New Delhi, July 10 : With Mosul liberated from the Islamic State, India has activated various channels to locate the 39 Indians who were abducted by the terror group from the Iraqi city three years ago and is sending Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh to Iraq, an official said on Monday.

In response to a query, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said that as soon as the announcement of Mosul's liberation was made by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the Indian government activated various channels for locating the missing Indians.

He said that Singh will leave for Erbil.

"Ambassador of India to Iraq and our Consul General in Erbil have been instructed to continue the efforts to locate them on priority."

Baglay added that Iraqi authorities have conveyed that all cooperation would be extended and instructions have been issued by them to all relevant Iraqi agencies.

The development comes as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday assured Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh that her ministry was making all-out efforts to trace and facilitate the return of the 39 Indians.

Reacting to reports that the families of the Indian hostages were trying to locate their kin after Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the clutches of ISIS, Amarinder sought her active intervention in the matter. He said the families of the hostages were keenly awaiting the return of their kin.

"Assuring of all possible efforts by her ministry to bring back the Indians, who were construction workers taken into custody in 2014, Sushma said General V.K. Singh had been sent to Iraq to coordinate with the Iraqi government to facilitate the return of the Indians stuck there. She said she had also directed the Indian embassy to extend all help to the stranded Indians," a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) disclosed in Chandigarh.

Air India officials at the airports had also been instructed to facilitate their return, said Sushma, adding that her ministry had activated all available sources to trace the missing Indians, who were last heard of hiding in a church in Mosul, the spokesperson added.

While Sushma has held several meetings with the families of the hostages since the abduction, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also been raising the issue with other countries in the Middle East region.

The Chief Minister said he was hopeful the 39 Indians would be back home soon, now that Mosul was no longer in the control of ISIS.

Baglay also said the liberation of Mosul "is an important milestone in the global war on terror, and India welcomes it".

Iraqi forces liberated Mosul on Sunday after 266 days of fierce battles, bringing to an end three years of IS rule.

Last month, Baglay said that the Indians were alive and "everything possible" was being done to ensure their safe return.

"The information we have so far is that they are alive because we have no other information to prove that they are not alive," Baglay told reporters on June 16.
London, July 10 : Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon after ten years, as she eased past Polish Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-4 here on Monday.

The 32-year-old Kuznetsova was too strong for Radwanska, who missed three break points and conceded her serve three times in a match that lasted for one hour and 31 minutes, reports Efe.

Kuznetsova last played in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2007, when she lost to American Venus Williams.

The Russian is now set to play against the winner between Spanish GarbiAe Muguruza and German Angelique Kerber, World No.1.
Chandigarh, July 10 : At the cost of virtually harassing common people, Haryana's main opposition party Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Monday went ahead with its one-day symbolic road blockade of vehicles coming into the state from Punjab. The protest ended peacefully, police officials said.

Thousands of commuters faced harassment in sweltering weather as the INLD members, including some women, blocked the national highway near Ambala and four other highways in Haryana as part of their one-day 'Road Roko Aandolan' (road blockade protest).

The INLD is seeking immediate construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab to bring more water to Haryana.

The Supreme Court has already adjudged the SYL matter in Haryana's favour but the INLD is seeking immediate implementation of the order through the canal's construction. The Punjab government used legislation to block the Supreme Court order and even went ahead and handed back the land to farmers from whom it had been acquired nearly four decades ago.

Punjab and Haryana Police diverted traffic through longer routes and village roads, leading to chaos and confusion for the commuters moving from Punjab to Haryana, Delhi and beyond.

The INLD activists started their blockade at five places around 10 a.m. and continued to block the highways till 3 p.m.

"Our fight is for getting water for the farmers and people of Haryana through the SYL canal," INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala told media.

Chautala snapped at a journalist in Dabwali town, labelling him as a "government agent", after he (Chautala) was asked about the harassment caused to common people due to the INLD protest.

"We (people of Haryana) are being harassed for the last 50 years. We will fight for the water. Who had to face harassment (today)?" he retorted angrily.

Harassed commuters from Punjab and other northern states were angry that they had to suffer due to the politics of leaders of Punjab and Haryana.

"We have been forced to suffer for hours in this heat. We don't know when will we reach our destination. There is a death in the family and we were heading towards Kurukshetra (in Haryana) urgently. The political parties cannot make the common man suffer," said Jagjit Singh, a resident of Punjab's Sirhind.

Scores of INLD activists hoodwinked the Haryana Police and central security forces and blocked the NH-1 near Ambala, around 45 km from here.

The protesters blocked the busy highway, that links Delhi with Amritsar, at a point two km away from where they were originally supposed to stop the traffic from Punjab from entering Haryana at the Shambhu barrier.

The activists came to the highway and blocked it with their vehicles, including cars and tractor trolleys. Traffic was also stopped near Dabwali town in Haryana's Sirsa district.

A police officer in Ambala said that a case would be registered against the protesting INLD workers for blocking the national highway.

The Supreme Court had earlier imposed a ban on blocking of national highways."We will see the provisions and register a case against them (INLD activists) for blocking the national highway. They did not have the permission to block the highway," the police officer said.

Hundreds of security personnel from central security forces and the Haryana Police were stationed at all five places along the states' border in view of the INLD protest.

Senior Haryana Police officers were stationed at the protest points since early on Monday. Haryana Police's Additional Director General (ADGP) R.C. Mishra monitored the situation at the Shambhu barrier.

Security personnel in riot gear, riot-control vehicles and other equipment were deployed at all points to maintain law and order.

The vehicles were being stopped at five places -- the Lalru-Chandigarh stretch on NH-1, near the Ambala-Shambhu border on NH-1, Narwana-Dhanauri border, Ratia-Budhlada road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad district and Dabwali in Sirsa district.

Emergency vehicles, like ambulances, were exempted from the protest, the INLD leaders said.

Authorities in Punjab decided not to send out buses from state-run companies to Haryana on Monday as a precautionary measure.
Beijing, July 10 : India will have "burned itself" if it has allowed Tibetan exiles' political act of flag-hoisting along the India-China border in Leh, a Chinese daily has warned.

An article in the Global Times warned India to act "prudently" given the ongoing border row in the Sikkim sector.

The article came in the wake of the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile Lobsang Sangay reportedly unfurling the Tibetan national flag on the banks of Pangong lake in Ladakh last week.

India and China have a dispute over the alignment of the Line of Actual Control which passes through the Pangong Lake, located at over 14,000 feet.

"If New Delhi is pulling the strings of the Tibetan exiles' political act of flag-hoisting, it will only have burned itself. Both border issues and the Tibet question concern China's core interests and China won't yield to provocations," the commentary said.

"It's the first time the Tibetan exile administration in northern India has flown the flag at this location." it added.

"The timing of the flag-hoisting on Indian territory has sparked wide speculation over whether the Indian authorities instigated the political activity of Tibetan separatists to exert pressure on China.

"Although the involvement of New Delhi remains unclear, we hope they did not send any signal of approval," it said.

"When the Indian government attaches great importance to its relationship with China, it keeps a tight grip on anti-China political activities on its soil. However, when it is dissatisfied or has conflicts with Beijing, the Tibet card is played up. But India may overestimate the influence of Tibetan exiles.

"Given the ongoing border spat, the Indian government should act prudently to avoid escalating tensions. It has the responsibility to control Tibetan exiles and their anti-China activities on Indian soil.

"New Delhi should think more about how to de-escalate the border face-off at this moment," it said.

(Gaurav Sharma is the Beijing-based correspondent of IANS. He can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com and gauravians@yahoo.com)
Accra, July 10 : The World Bank Group has announced the creation of a more than $1 billion innovative new facility that aims to advance women's entrepreneurship.

The facility would also help women in developing countries gain increased access to the finance, markets, and networks necessary to start and grow a business.

A statement issued by the World Bank on Sunday said the US initiated the idea for the facility and would serve as a founding member along with other donor countries.

"This incredible facility will have a significant impact on women's economic development around the world," US President Donald Trump said.

"It will help increase opportunities and economic growth while addressing unique barriers women entrepreneurs face. I am proud the US is helping to lead support of this unprecedented initiative," he added.

The World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said: "Women's economic empowerment is critical to achieve the inclusive economic growth required to end extreme poverty, which is why it has been such a longstanding priority for us".

"This new facility offers an unprecedented opportunity to harness both the public and private sectors to open new doors of opportunity for women entrepreneurs and women-owned firms in developing countries around the globe," he added.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "Everyone benefits when women have the resources they need to participate fully in our economies and societies".

Chancellor Merkel of Germany said: "I am happy that this initiative for women presents real added value. I want to sincerely thank everyone who worked on it."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: "Women's active participation in society is one of the pillars of Abenomics. Women's empowerment and leadership will diversify and revitalize organization and societies."

The initiative received strong donor support from countries, including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Britain, and the US.

"It's remarkable how quickly the international community has mobilized support for this new initiative, which has exceeded our target by nearly $100 million," the World Bank Group President said.
Mumbai, July 10 : Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar on Monday said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) committee has suggested 14 cuts to his forthcoming film "Indu Sarkar", set in the backdrop of the Emergency.

"Just got out of 'Indu Sarkar' film censor screening. Am appalled at the 14 cuts suggested by the committee. Will go to the Revising Committee," Bhandarkar tweeted on Monday evening.

The National Award-winning filmmaker's movie is based on the Emergency in India and characters in the films are inspired by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi. It stars Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari, Supriya Vinod, Anupam Kher and Tota Roy Chowdhury.

The Emergency was imposed on June 25, 1975, when Indira Gandhi cited grave threat to her government and sovereignty of the country from both internal and external forces. It lasted till March 21, 1977.

"Indu Sarkar" has drawn the ire of the Congress party even before its release. Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam had last week penned a letter to CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, asking for the movie to be screened for them before it is censored.

On Monday, the Indore unit of the Congress wrote a letter to the Cine Circuit Association and Cine Grah Sanchalan asking them not to screen the movie. They threatened that movie theatres in the city will have to bear the responsibility as Congress supporters will stage protests and burn effigies of actor Anupam Kher and director Bhandarkar if the movie is released in Indore.

Meanwhile, Bhandarkar has made it clear that he has "no agenda to promote any specific political ideology" through the film, which is locked for release on July 28.
Abidjan, July 10 : About 73 million youth are unemployed in the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) President Bandar Hajjar has said.

His remarks came during a reception organised by the IsDB as part of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, a media report said on Monday.

Hajjar said that of the 1.75 billion youth population, 500 million, the equivalent of 28.5 per cent, live in the OIC member states. He called on the OIC member states to cooperate in tackling poverty and youth unemployment.

He discussed ways to enhance the role of young people, especially through the development of social programmes to facilitate opportunities for economic empowerment, enhancing the quality of education and setting up business incubators to assist young people's entrepreneurship ideas.

Hajjar also encouraged member countries to facilitate Small and medium-sized enterprises financing and improve the overall business environment to integrate the youth in the development of states.

He highlighted the Islamic Development Bank's role in implementing several initiatives for youth development, including the Youth Employment Support Programme, the Employment for Education Programme and the Vocational Literacy Programme.
Patna, July 10 : A senior RJD leader on Monday claimed that Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U President Nitish Kumar had spoken over the phone with RJD chief Lalu Prasad after the CBI raids on the latter's residence here.

Jagdanand Singh revealed the news after the Rashtriya Janata Dal decided that Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, the younger son of Lalu, will not resign.

"Nitish Kumar ne Laluji se phone pe bat kiya hai (Nitish Kumar spoke with Lalu on phone)," Singh, a former Minister, said here -- sending a strong political message and countering reports in a section of media that Nitish Kumar's "silence" over the CBI raids had got Lalu worried.

Singh made it clear that Lalu was not unhappy and was in touch with Nitish Kumar. "Dono ki baat-chit hui hai telephone pe (Both have spoken over phone)."

Nitish Kumar is heading the Grand Alliance government of Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress in Bihar.

Interestingly, JD-U leaders, including party spokespersons, have said they have no idea about it.

The public silence of Nitish Kumar and his party over the CBI raids, despite repeated demands made by BJP leaders to speak on the issue, has been a matter of discussion across Bihar.

Nitish Kumar and JD-U's silence on the issue has been causing anxiety in the RJD camp. At a time when Lalu and his family are in trouble over the CBI raids, Nitish Kumar has been maintaining studious silence instead of supporting the Yadav family like the other ally Congress, a RJD leader said.

Unlike Congress leaders, not a single JD-U leader has visited Lalu Prasad in the past four days. Nitish Kumar himself returned to his official residence from Rajgir in Nalanda district on Sunday after spending three days there, away from the heated political climate in Patna after the CBI raids on the Lalu-Rabri residence.

Nitish Kumar has called a meeting of his JD-U party's 70 MLAs on Tuesday here.

According to a senior JD-U leader, considered closed to Nitish Kumar, he is likely to break his silence only after holding a meeting with party MLAs on Tuesday.

JD-U MLAs and party spokespersons have reportedly been instructed by Nitish Kumar not to issue any statement on the issue as it may worsen the already strained ties between the two parties.

In the last four days, opposition BJP leaders have repeatedly demanded that Nitish Kumar break his silence and take action against Lalu's two sons - Tejashwi Yadav, who is Deputy Chief Minister and Tej Pratap Yadav, who is the Health Minister - for their alleged involvement in corruption.

Some BJP leaders have been asking Nitish Kumar to snap ties with the RJD.

The CBI on Friday carried out raids at 12 places in Patna, Delhi, Ranchi, Puri and Gurugram in connection with the case involving Lalu Prasad and his family members.

The CBI has registered the case against Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Managing Director P.K. Goyal, and Lalu Prasad's confidante Prem Chand Gupta's wife Sujata on allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

In the same year, the hotels were transferred to the IRCTC.

Lalu Prasad was the Railways Minister between 2004-09.
Geneva, July 10 : A new round of intra-Syrian talks aimed at ending the seven-year-old war in the country started here on Monday.

The UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Monday met the Syrian government delegation headed by Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari for bilateral talks, Xinhua news agency reported.

De Mistura was expected to meet Syrian opposition representatives later in the day.

A UN official said this new peace effort, the seventh of its kind, is scheduled to go on until July 14.

"In addition to the formal sessions of the intra-Syrian talks, expert meetings of the consultative process on constitutional and legal issues established during the last round will continue," the UN said in a statement.

Further rounds of talks have been scheduled in August and September.

Monday's talks came after a ceasefire in southern Syria brokered last Friday by the US and Russia, which provides a relatively better atmosphere for negotiations.
Jenin (West Bank), July 10 : Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz on Monday launched the first power plant in the West Bank that transforms high to medium voltage in Jenin, north of the West Bank.

The official ceremony, attended by senior Palestinian and Israeli officials, included signing a commercial agreement between Israeli Electric Corporation (IEC) and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to increase power supply through operating a new substation in the north of West Bank.

According to the agreement, the PNA will pay around $47 million to the IEC annually, in order to increase the supply of the new power plant by 60 Megawatts (MW) in full operation, Xinhua news agency reported.

Hamdallah hoped that this agreement would pave the way "for a comprehensive agreement to transfer the entire electricity sector to the Palestinian side".

He also called on Israel to "cooperate in order to build electricity lines and generation plants in order to continue development of natural resources in the area and benefit from its returns".

The Palestinian energy authority said that there are three other plants in the West Bank under construction and pending signing agreements with Israel to empower Palestine with control over the electricity supply in the West Bank.

The Israeli Energy Minister said that the agreement is bound by payment mechanism and that "the project is a continuation of civil coordination with the Palestinian authorities, understanding that this is in the interest of Israel".

Palestinians in the West Bank suffer from a deficit in electric supply as they cannot make use of natural resources in areas under full Israeli control, which comprise 62 per cent of the West Bank, according to the Oslo Accords signed between Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Israel in 1993.
Hyderabad, July 10 : The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, has developed a mobile app to save lives and property at sea.

SARAT is a versatile tool that can assist with searching for over 64 types of missing objects, including boats, ships and man-over-board.

The app, launched by Rajendra Singh, Chairman - National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board and Director General - Indian Coast Guard, in New Delhi on Monday, will be available for download from the Google Play Store.

The SARAT system, earlier released in its web version last year, mainly enables the Indian Coast Guard, the Indian Navy and Coastal Security Police to minimise search time during their various operations to minimise loss of life, injury and property damage.

However, in such exigencies, quick action is vital and hence this mobile app has been developed to make this system conveniently available to all, the INCOIS said in a statement here.

Request forms and generated responses are provided in local languages of all Indian coastal states, so that fishermen can easily use it to search when their fellow fishermen are in distress.

Users can select a specific point where the person or object was last seen using the app's interactive map or they can select a nearby coastal location, approximate distance travelled and bearing angle, so that the 'last seen' point is calculated.

The most probable search area is then generated and relayed in map form as well as a text message.

The SARAT system proved its mettle earlier by successfully assisting with the recovery of Indian Coast Guard's missing Dornier aircraft off Chennai in 2015. The system can predict the most probable search area for up to five days.

"Work is on to integrate it with the Indian satellite INSAT for improved real-time transmission and relay of information," the statement added.
Shillong, July 10 : Meghalaya legislator Julius Dorphang, accused of raping a minor, has been appointed as member of two assembly panels, evoking strong opposition from a women's group.

The Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Monday appealed to Assembly Speaker Abu Taher Mondal to "re-look" into the appointment of Dorphang as a member of the Committee of Privileges and the Committee on Subordinate Legislation.

The Meghalaya State Commission for Women said the nomination of the legislator reflected that the state government was "very insensitive" towards the crime committed by the legislator.

The former Chairman of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC)-turned-Independent legislator is lodged in Shillong jail, facing trial in the case of raping a 14-year-old girl.

"Since he has already been accused of offence under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, there are other members of the assembly who could have been appointed. I condemn this act of the assembly," State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairperson Meena Kharkongor told journalists.

When it was pointed out that the legislator was yet to be convicted by the court, Kharkongor explained that POCSO was different from other Acts.

"This Act (POCSO) says that it is not for the prosecution to establish the offence of a person, but it is the accused himself who has to prove his innocence that he has not committed the offence. The burden lies with the accused not with prosecution," she said.

"We are utterly dismayed at this decision... when charges have been framed against the accused and the matter is sub-judice, then how can the state government take such a decision? This has greatly hurt the sentiments of women and girls in the state," State Women's Commission Chairperson Theilin Phanbuh said.

Opposition Independent legislator Saleng A. Sangma, who is Chairman of the Committee of Privileges, said it was the Speaker's prerogative to appoint members of the House to various assembly committees.

"It is the Speaker's prerogative. I have nothing to comment on it," Saleng told IANS.

IANS, however, was unable to reach Speaker Abu Taher Mondal for his comments.

The other members of the Committee of Privileges include Winnerson D. Sangma and Dikkanchi D. Shira (both from the Congress), and United Democratic Party legislator Paul Lyngdoh.

Dorphang, who is supporting the ruling Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government has also been appointed on the Committee on Subordinate Legislation, headed by Nationalist Congress Party legislator Sanbor Shullai.

The other members on the panel include Saleng Sangma, United Democratic Party legislator Titosstarwell Chyne and Hill State People's Democratic Party legislator Phlastingwell Pangniang.

The Civil Society Women's Organisation (CSWO) has also strongly opposed the appointment of Dorphang as member of the assembly panels.

"We strongly oppose this appointment... Is this how Meghalaya government is awarding the alleged rapist instead of speeding up justice for the victim," CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing asked.

Earlier this year, Meghalaya Police had chargesheeted Dorphang and five others in a case of human trafficking and sexual abuse of the minor girl.

Dorphang has been chargesheeted under Section 5(c)/(1)/6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, for "committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault by a public servant and committing the same more than once".
New Dehi, July 10 : Delhi Police on Monday claimed to have arrested four auto lifters and recovered 14 two-wheelers from them.

The four were arrested in Paharganj area of central Delhi on Saturday during routine vehicle checking, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Mandeep S. Randhawa, adding that with this 17 cases of two-wheeler thefts have been solved.

Randhawa identified the suspects as Mohit and Manish, both aged 21 years, and Badal and Raj, aged 19 years -- all residents of Delhi.

Police said Manish is the leader of the gang and was also wanted in two murder cases in Delhi.

Three of the suspects were arrested while they were travelling on a scooter and their interrogation led to the arrest of the fourth suspect Raj and recovery of 14 two-wheelers.

Efforts are being made to arrest others associated with the gang, police said.
Kolkata, July 10 : Central Bureau of Investigation sleuths on Monday questioned actor turned Trinamool Congress MP Satabdi Roy here as part of the ongoing probe into the Saradha ponzi scheme scandal.

"Yes, she was quizzed in Kolkata as part of the ongoing investigation into the Saradha scam," a CBI source told IANS.

The Lok Sabha member from Birbhum was quizzed for an hour in the CBI office here.

"The questioning continued for an hour. We needed some clarification," the source said.

Roy was alleged to be the brand ambassador of the company for some time.
Anantnag, July 10 : In a rare attack on the Amarnath Yatra, terrorists killed seven pilgrims and injured 14 others, including policemen, when they struck at a bus carrying them in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantang district.

The bus was attacked in Batengoo around 8.20 p.m. while returning from Baltal to Mir Bazar after darshan, J&K police and CRPF said.

The militants also carried out two attacks on security forces in the area.

Police sources said, the militants attacked a mini bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat. The bus was not officially registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board for the pilgrimage and was without police escort, they said.

Inspector General of Police Munir Khan said that seven pilgrims were killed, and 14 injured.

The injured have been taken to the Army Base Hospital in Srinagar.

Khan said the attack was aimed at the security forces and not the yatris.

The last known terror attack on the Amarnath Yatra was the killing of 30 persons, mostly pilgrims, in the base camp in Pahalgam in 2000.

A CRPF statement said the bus was not part of the official yatra and not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board.

In the national capital, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the incident. Union Home and Defence Ministry officials were huddled in a meeting to take stock of the latest situation.

Prime Minister Modi tweeted: "Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone."

Union Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh condemned the attack.

"It is not just an attack on the pilgrims, but an attack on the composite culture of the nation. As far as the Government of India is concerned, we have a policy of zero tolerance against terror, whether it is local or from across the border," he said.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said: "It is an attack on our roots. We will not leave any stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of this attack to justice."

Senior minister in the Mehbooba Mufti-led government Nayeem Akhtar termed the attack a "dark patch in the history of Kashmir".

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said: "The attack cannot be condemned strongly enough."

He added that such an attack was expected in spite of recent successes against militants by security forces. "The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants and unprecedented force presence," he tweeted.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad termed it "unfortunate", and added that the militants will have to "pay through their nose". He also spoke to the Chief Minister.

Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also condemned the attack.

The attack took place hours after the Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed to have busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba module with the arrests of two persons, including Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, authorities blocked internet services in the Valley.

On Saturday, the Amarnath yatra was suspended from Jammu side due to law and order situation in the Kashmir Valley which was under curfew in the wake of the death anniversary of militant commander Burhan Wani.
New Delhi, July 10 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned the killings of six Amarnath pilgrims, saying he was "pained beyond words" and "India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and the evil designs of hate".

"Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone," said Modi in a series of tweets.

"My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in Jammu and Kashmir. My prayers with the injured."

"India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and the evil designs of hate."

He said he has spoken to Governor N.N. Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir and assured all possible assistance required.

Six Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 12 others injured, including policemen, on Monday when a bus of yatris was caught in a cross fire between militants and a police party in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantang district, police said.

Union Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh on Monday said that the attack on Amarnath Yatra should be an eye opener for the "apologists who speak a different voices".

Calling the attack as an "assault on the resilient Indian civilisation", he also held these "apologists" partly responsible for the attack.

"This is not be seen simply as an attack on Amarnath pilgrims. It's an assault on the composite culture of Kashmir and resilient traditional Indian civilization. And I think this is also an eye opener for the apologists who have been talking in different voices," Jitendra Singh told India Today channel.

He said the government will sternly deal with terrorism and added that the attack is "also a reminder for those who keep accusing us of not following Kashmiriyat".

"Those of us in public life who profess to be part of mainstream politics also tend to get tempted to use a language that appeals to a certain constituency. And I think what is being witnessed today is partly an outcome of that," he said.

He said that "those who have been speaking in apologetic phrases and expressions" would have to do a "course correction" because one cannot distinguish between good terror and bad terror.

"Some of those Kashmir-centric politicians and political parties which claim to be mainstream would also have to rethink about how they wish to go about with it," said the Minister, who hails from Jammu.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission will wait to respond to a federal request for information about the state's voters until a judge rules on a case challenging the legality of the request, chairman Michael Haas said Monday.

A privacy rights group sued last week to block the request from President Donald Trump's Advisory Commission on Election Integrity for data from all 50 states including registered voters' names, voting history, political party affiliations, addresses, birth dates and the last four digits of their Social Security numbers. The Electronic Privacy Information Center said in its complaint that the commission did not conduct a mandatory privacy impact assessment, making the request unlawful.

The presidential commission on Monday asked states including Wisconsin not to respond to the request until a federal judge decides whether to temporarily block it, Haas said in a statement.

"The WECs response is on hold until this legal question has been resolved," he said.

Most of the information in Wisconsin's voter registration system is available for purchase by the public under state law. Anyone who pays for the data can view a voter's name, address and voting history. The state does not collect information about a voter's gender or political preference.

Confidential information including a voter's date of birth, driver's license or Social Security number is not shared with others, with limited exceptions for law enforcement agencies. The presidential commission "does not appear to qualify" for an exception, Haas said in response to the initial request.

"The WEC does not have the discretion to deny a request for the public information in the voter registration database if the required fee is paid," Haas said. "By administrative rule, the price is $12,500 for the entire statewide voter file, and Wisconsin law does not contain any provision for waiving the fee for voter data."

The commission has received hundreds of calls and emails since the federal request was made late last month, said spokesman Reid Magney. While an official breakdown of whether voters supported or opposed the request wasn't available, Magney said people have generally asked not to have their personal information released.

"When we explain what limited information is available to the public (and that were not releasing Social Security numbers), most callers understand. A few people have told us they want to change the law," Magney said in an email.

Trump has claimed without evidence that millions of fraudulent votes were cast in the November 2016 election and in others before it. The commission, led by Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, was formed to investigate those claims.

Critics of the request say it raises concerns about voters' privacy and potential voter suppression. The commission says the request is part of an effort to identify factors that could lead to "improper voter registrations and improper voting."

In an op-ed published Monday in the Wisconsin State Journal, Haas said "many Wisconsin voters" have contacted the elections commission with questions and concerns about their information being publicly available.

The primary reason to keep a public record of who votes in the state is to prevent elections from being stolen, Haas wrote.

"If everyone can see who did and did not vote in a particular election, we can have confidence that nobody was marking ballots for people who did not show up at the polls or cast an absentee ballot," he wrote.

As of this weekend, Arkansas was the only state to submit its voter data. Some states have outright refused the request, while others have said they will submit only what is allowed under state laws.

The data, according to court filings, will be stored on White House servers.
Western Security Systems of Steamboat Sprints is the Leader in Alarm & Protective Services The addition of Western Security to the MAC portfolio of companies, now places us in a leadership position in Aspen, Snowmass, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain and now Steamboat Springs.

Mountain Acquisition Company, LCC (MAC) an Aspen, Colorado based holding company, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Western Security Systems, the leader in residential, ranch and commercial security services in Steamboat Spring and the Yampa Valley for over 30 years.

Western Security provides fire & burglar detection systems, access control solutions, automation, video and surveillance systems, wireless communications and monitoring solutions using state-of-the-art system design, technologies and products. Western has cultivated a great number of strategic relationships with architectural & design firms, developers, builders, general contractors and electrical contractors helping them establish an extensive circle of influence, customer list and first-rate reputation in Routt County, Colorado.

Chris Heath, MAC CEO stated; One of our objectives has been the continued consolidation of the alarm and protective services industry sector in the Colorado ski resort marketplace. The addition of Western Security to the MAC portfolio of companies, now places us in a leadership position in Aspen, Snowmass, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain and now Steamboat Springs. Western Security enjoys a diverse and broad-based group of clients which include resort residences, ranches, commercial and institutional facilities in Steamboat Springs and surrounding areas bringing enormous value and recurring monthly revenue to Mountain Acquisitions portfolio.

Owned and operated for over 20 years by Frank Bradley, Western Security Systems has experienced steady organic growth by offering solutions that deliver superior quality and value. Their offerings include products by Bosch, GE, Honeywell and more. Western Security boasts an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau since 1993.

The new company will keep the name of Western Security as that name has brand equity and a place in the market that is both well-known and respected. The company will be managed by industry veteran Tim Stanley who also owns a sizable equity stake in the new venture.

Managed by finance veterans and entrepreneurs Chris Heath and Fred Maurice, Mountain Acquisition Company, LLC, has offices in Aspen, Glenwood Springs, Silverthorne and Denver in Colorado and another in northern California. MAC is focused on the acquisition and strengthening of well-established alarm companies that are leaders in their markets while staying committed to exemplary customer service and technical support. MACs latest acquisition of Western Security Systems will increase annual revenues for the company to nearly $12 million dollars and over $435,000 in recurring monthly revenue.

For additional information contact: Chris Heath  CEO, Mountain Acquisition Company, LLC

Email: chris(at)canopygroup(dot)net

Telephone: 1-317-439-3692
Melissa Nicholas, PA-C I appreciate how the Nacogdoches community has supported and embraced my practice, says Dr. Overturf. I am excited to expand with the addition of Melissa Nicholas, PA-C so that we can continue to serve Nacogdoches and the surrounding community.

Melissa Nicholas, PA-C, will join the U.S. Dermatology Partners Nacogdoches location on July 12, 2017. She is relocating to Texas after working in Washington state and looks forward to supporting the Nacogdoches community. She joins Dr. Michaela Overturf, who opened the office in August 2015.

Ms. Nicholas earned her Masters of Science, Physicians Assistant Studies at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. She received her undergraduate degree from The University of Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Ms. Nicholas is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is licensed by the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners. She is also a member of both the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants and the American Academy of Physician Assistants. She has experience in a variety of medical fields, including dermatology, aesthetic services, and primary care. She was drawn to the field of dermatology because of the variety and enjoys treating patients of all ages.

I appreciate how the Nacogdoches community has supported and embraced my practice, says Dr. Overturf. I am excited to expand with the addition of Melissa Nicholas, PA-C so that we can continue to serve Nacogdoches and the surrounding community.

Ms. Nicholas begins seeing patients in the office on July 12.

About U.S Dermatology Partners Nacogdoches

The Nacogdoches office of U.S. Dermatology opened two years ago. The office, led by Dr. Michaela Overturf, treats conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema to relieve or improve symptoms that limit comfort, health and enjoyment. Patients can rely on specialized, highly effective, proven treatments for a variety of skin cancers to restore and extend quality of life.

About U.S. Dermatology Partners

U.S. Dermatology Partners is making it easier for people to connect with a dermatologist and gain access to the latest in dermatology care for the entire family as well as access to state-of-the-art treatment for skin diseases. Because it is the third-largest physician-owned dermatology practice in the United States, patients have access to medical, surgical and cosmetic skin treatments through its coordinated care network and benefit from the practices depth of dermatology subspecialty thought-leaders and medical advisory board. To be the best partners to its patients, U.S. Dermatology Partners is fervently focused on providing the highest level of patient-first care. Its team therefore includes recognized national leaders in subspecialties including psoriasis and Mohs surgery. To learn more, visit usdermatologypartners.com.
Galois Logo

Galois today announced that it has been awarded a $2.7 million contract by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to leverage software brittleness for cyber defense.

Modern military systems involve a vast array of software, which serves as an attractive target for adversaries. Protecting this software is challenging, as it often runs on legacy hardware that lacks modern cyber defenses. Furthermore, many software defense techniques impose unacceptable overheads for embedded and real time systems, which form the core of control systems for most air, ground, and naval vehicles.

With this project, Galois aims to harden control systems by using binary rewriting to add brittleness to legacy binaries. Brittleness causes programs to fail fast when under attack, which allows systems to quickly detect and disrupt cyber attacks and revert to known-good states. Coupled with the fault tolerance mechanisms that support critical systems, brittleness adds resilience to cyber systems. Galois aims to further develop and leverage its research on brittle software as a cyber defense to protect Navy-relevant software systems against control flow integrity attacks, code injection attacks, memory corruption, and overflow vulnerabilities.

An adversary can wreak havoc if they gain control of a sensitive software system that is operationally-sensitive, said Dr. Tristan Ravitch, Galois Principal Investigator on the project. Many traditional cyber defenses strive to keep systems running when cyber attacks are detected. Our approach aims to improve overall system resilience by triggering built-in system recovery methods as quickly as possible. This allows the system to seamlessly restart in a known-good state while denying the attacker access to a running system.

Each project phase will add new capabilities in the main research thrust areas: 1) new methods for adding brittleness to binaries 2) efficiency of brittle code, and 3) assurance through verification. As a cyber defense for constrained and legacy systems, brittle software has two key properties:

 Opportunism: Brittle software is opportunistic in that it can be applied as much or as little as desired and still protect the program. Brittleness can be added to software while meeting time and space constraints, as each instance of brittleness is small and independent. Moreover, brittleness requires only local transformations and does not require a global view of the program.

 Pervasiveness: Brittleness is pervasive in that it is distributed throughout a program and is enforced as a side effect of execution. There is no external monitor to bypass, forcing attackers to overcome the brittleness of the entire system.

By the end of the project, Galois aims for the tool to be suitable for evaluation on Navy-relevant systems. Galois will identify suitable evaluation targets in coordination with the Office of Naval Research and Naval Surface Warfare Center.

For additional information on this project, visit https://galois.com/project/brittle.

About Galois

Galois has been performing computer science research and development since 1999. With many of the worlds foremost experts in computer science and mathematics and a world-class team of programmers and engineers, Galois is uniquely positioned to take on the worlds most difficult challenges in computer science. Galois is a trusted partner in the defense and intelligence industries, proving the feasibility of cutting edge research as it applies to critical systems. Technology companies turn to Galois to build reliability, safety and security into their product development efforts from day one. For additional information, visit http://www.galois.com.

This material is based upon work supported by the Office of Naval Research under Contract No. N68335-17-C-0241.

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of Naval Research.
Los Angeles, CA, July 10  For the first-time, brands can target consumers locally with digital advertising campaigns based on 12 weather conditions in real-time, it was announced today by 15-time award-winning PK4 Media.

This marks the first-ever omni-channel weather targeting solution and it adds to PK4 Medias robust ability to serve display and video ads across eight channels: Desktop, Mobile, Tablet, CTV, VOD, In-Mall, In-Theater and Digital-Out-Of-Home.

Weather has traditionally played an enormous role in shopping habits and as our physical and virtual worlds collide, advertisers that learn to factor weather into their digital advertising campaigns will have an enormous advantage, said PK4 Media CEO Tom Alexander. The ability to customize ads based on local weather conditions across eight different channels is unprecedented.

The 12 weather conditions being measured include: temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction, cloud coverage, rainfall volume, snowfall volume, sunset time, sunrise time, UV index, air pollution indexes and pollen counts.

This allows advertisers to switch to ice coffee once the temperature reaches a certain threshold; car companies can advertise safety features when it is raining; and pharmaceutical companies can advertise antihistamines when pollen counts are up, said Alexander.

PK4 Medias robust targeting abilities also includes: demographics, psychographics, geographics, user behavioral data, retargeting, CRM, device types, operating systems and browsers.

About PK4 Media

The advertising industrys first Omni-Channel PMP Company serves video and display ads across an unprecedented eight digital channels: Desktop, Mobile, Tablet, CTV, VOD, In-Mall, In-Theater and Digital-Out-Of-Home.

Founded in Los Angeles in 2009 by CEO Tom Alexander, clients include: Activision, Amazon, Bacardi, Esurance, Ford, Honda, KitchenAid, Lionsgate, Microsoft and Procter & Gamble.

PK4 Media has won 15 awards: Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Semifinalist, LA Business Journals Best Places to Work, Deloittes Technology Fast 500 Winner, 2-Time Forbes Most Promising Company, 3-Time Inc 500|5000 Award Winner, 3-Time LA Business Journal Fastest Growing Minority-Owned Company and 3-Time LA Business Journal Fastest Growing Company.

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Its important that consumers learn about the benefits and drawbacks so they can decide if filing for bankruptcy is the right option for them.

In a financial crisis, most believe their options are limited and undesirable. Filing for bankruptcy is an option that has advantages, and most importantly offers the opportunity for a fresh financial start. On the one hand, if a consumer is eligible, most of their unsecured debts may be forgiven or discharged. On the other hand, bankruptcy can remain on a consumers credit record for seven to ten years, affecting their future finances. National nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling explains the pros and cons of filing for bankruptcy and highlights what every consumer should consider before making a decision.

Bankruptcy is a proceeding in a federal court in which an insolvent debtor's assets are liquidated and the debtor is relieved of further liability. Chapter 7 deals with liquidation, while Chapter 13 deals with reorganization.

Bankruptcy is designed to help the consumer survive financially, said Steve Trumble, President and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling, which is based in Newton, MA. Its important that consumers learn about the benefits and drawbacks so they can decide if filing for bankruptcy is the right option for them. The advantages only go so far; bankruptcy does not necessarily eliminate all debts, and often simply restructures existing debts, leaving you responsible for all future payments.

According to National Bankruptcy Forum, there were 794,960 bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending Dec. 31, 2016. Of those, 490,365 were Chapter 7. The number of bankruptcy filings in the 2016 calendar year was the lowest for any calendar year since 2006. While its also the sixth consecutive year that bankruptcy filings have fallen, 2016 saw the decline at its slowest  5.9 percent for the year.

American Consumer Credit Counseling explains the pros and cons of filing for bankruptcy (http://www.consumercredit.com/our-services/bankruptcy/is-bankruptcy-for-you/).

Pros:

1. One of the most important advantages of filing for bankruptcy is that you can obtain a fresh financial start.

2. If you are eligible for Chapter 7 most of your unsecured debts may be forgiven or discharged. A secured debt is one which the creditor is entitled to collect by seizing and selling certain assets of the debtor if payments are missed, such as a home mortgage or car loan.

3. You may be able to keep (that is, exempt) many of your assets, although state laws vary widely in defining which assets you may keep.

4. Collection efforts must stop as soon as you file for bankruptcy under Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.

5. You cannot be fired from your job solely because you filed for bankruptcy.

Cons:

1. A bankruptcy can remain on your credit record for 7-10 years and can affect your future finances.

2. A bankruptcy may impede your chances of getting a mortgage or car loan for some time.

3. Not all debt will be discharged. Examples of debt that cannot be discharged include: child support, alimony, some student loans, divorce settlements and some income taxes. You should check with an attorney on the specific categories of debt that will be allowed for discharge.

ACCC is a 501(c)3 organization that provides free credit counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and housing counseling to consumers nationwide in need of financial literacy education and money management. For more information, contact ACCC:



For credit counseling, call 800-769-3571

For bankruptcy counseling, call 866-826-6924

For housing counseling, call 866-826-7180

Or visit us online at http://www.ConsumerCredit.com

About American Consumer Credit Counseling

American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial management through credit management counseling, debt management, bankruptcy counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling and financial education. Sometimes the best possible debt solution for consumers is bankruptcy. ACCC is approved by the Department of Justice to provide the mandated pre-filing bankruptcy certificate for completed counseling and the post-bankruptcy debtor education certificate that is necessary for bankruptcy to be discharged. ACCCs certified credit advisors work with consumers to help them determine the best plan of action to get out of debt and regain financial stability. ACCC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). For more information or to access free personal finance resources, log on to ConsumerCredit.com or visit http://www.consumercredit.com/our-services/bankruptcy.aspx
The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons held its first Clinical and Scientific Innovations for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (CSIOMS) conference to share the specialtys latest advancements and cutting-edge research.

National experts from various disciplines delivered more than 15 dynamic presentations on a wide array of progressive topics, such as how personalized medicine could help treat cancer or control pain.

During a session focusing on head and neck oncology, Mark E. P. Prince, M.D., of the University of Michigan, explored the implications of personalized medicine in treating cancer. Genomic sequencing can be used to very precisely tailor treatment for individuals, he said. The process has shown initial promising results in treating cancers and has the potential to improve results for head and neck cancer patients, Prince added.

For head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients, a mix of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and targeted therapy could be used to improve outcomes, he said.

The future of whole genome sequencing is bright, Prince said. Im sure its going to allow us to understand a lot more about head and neck cancer and other tumors. I believe it will lead to more effective therapy.

In a session on precision pain management, Deepak Krishnan, D.D.S., FACS, of the University of Cincinnati, discussed a pilot study that has shown patients differ in how their bodies metabolize narcotic painkillers. With a simple test, patients could be placed in categories  and receive varying prescription doses  to coincide with how they metabolize the drugs.

While most patients fall in the intermediate and extensive ranges, he said some patients are ultra metabolizers who get pain relief with lower doses but experience more extreme side effects. Those at the other end of the spectrum are poor metabolizers who need higher doses to get pain relief and experience milder side effects, he said. Krishnan asked attendees to imagine a time when wisdom teeth extraction patients can undergo a test that will provide insight into how they will respond to medications.

I suspect this is how well practice medicine in the future, Krishnan said.

The format of the three-day conference in late April encouraged discussion and supported further research, with engaging question-and-answer sessions and six residents presenting their oral abstracts on topics such as how restriction of antibiotics when treating mandible fractures may not raise infection risk. Researchers also discussed how stem cell therapy can be used to reconstruct maxillofacial defects.

As it is for most dental and medical specialty associations, a primary responsibility of the AAOMS Board of Trustees is to plan for the future of our specialty, AAOMS President-Elect Brett L. Ferguson, D.D.S., FACS, told attendees. In recent years, AAOMS has made significant investments in the area of clinical research. It is our avid belief that solid, evidence-based research is key to securing that future for our fellows and members, for future generations of oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and, perhaps most importantly, for our patients whose lives are significantly improved as a result of our research activities.

The experts in face, mouth and jaw surgery  The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) is the professional organization representing more than 11,000 oral and maxillofacial surgeons, OMS residents and OMS professional staff in the United States. AAOMS supports its fellows and members ability to practice their specialty through education, research and advocacy. AAOMS fellows and members comply with rigorous continuing education requirements and submit to periodic office anesthesia evaluations. For additional information about oral and maxillofacial surgery, visit the AAOMS website at http://www.AAOMS.org.

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CONTACT: Jolene Kremer,

Associate Executive Director, Communications & Publications,

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Phone: 847-233-4336

Fax: 847-678-6286

jkremer(at)aaoms.org

http://www.AAOMS.org
Attorney Patrick Kinnally Patrick M. Kinnally is an accomplished trial lawyer and he has been a partner at Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur, P.C. for many years.

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Kane County Civil Litigation Attorney Patrick Kinnally to its Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases. Kinnally is a partner at Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur, P.C., a well-regarded personal injury and commercial litigation law firm in Aurora, Illinois. This is the fourth consecutive year in which Mr. Kinnally has been selected to serve on the Committee. He was initially appointed in 2014.

The Supreme Court Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases is a body of distinguished lawyers from across Illinois who are responsible for drafting jury instructions and recommending them to the Supreme Court. The instructions identify the legal requirements for a variety of legal claims recognized under Illinois law. They provide guidance for jurors in determining the outcome of the cases before them and they are used every day in courts throughout Illinois. Accurate and clear jury instructions are essential for the proper administration of justice.

Patrick M. Kinnally is an accomplished trial lawyer and he has been a partner at Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur, P.C. for many years. His practice includes general and commercial litigation, local government law, probate litigation, and immigration matters. He graduated cum laude from Loyola University and went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School in Chicago. The Illinois State Bar Association honored Mr. Kinnally with the Tradition of Excellence Award for general practice in 2003. He was also presented with a Pro Bono Award and Community Service Award by the Kane County Bar Association for his involvement and contributions to the local community. Mr. Kinnally served on the Kane County Bar Association Board of Directors for more than seven years and as the Associations president from 2010 to 2011. Martindale-Hubbell has consistently rated Mr. Kinnally as AV Preeminent, which is the highest possible rating for an attorney in both ethics and skill.

Mr. Kinnally is the former Chairperson of the Illinois Supreme Courts Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board, the entity responsible for administering continuing legal education requirements in Illinois. He was previously appointed to the Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, and he served in that capacity from 2005 to 2011.

About Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur, P.C.:

The Kane County firm of Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur, P.C. is located in the city of Aurora, Illinois. The firm has a distinguished record of service to both the private and public sectors. Kinnally Flaherty has secured record-setting, multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for personal injury and wrongful death victims in cases ranging from transportation accidents to medical malpractice. The firm has also prevailed in civil cases involving breach of contract, probate disputes, corporate disputes, zoning, condemnation and patent infringement.

The lawyers at Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur, P.C. stand up for the personal and commercial interests of clients throughout Northern and Central Illinois. The firm serves the communities of Aurora, Batavia, St. Charles, Elgin, Oswego, DeKalb, Yorkville, Naperville, Wheaton, Cook County and the surrounding regions.

To discuss your legal matter with an experienced civil litigation attorney in Kane County, call 630-907-0909 or visit http://www.kfkllaw.com to schedule a no-cost consultation.
Q: With Trump requesting voter information, can anyone see who I voted for?

A: Not in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

We have secret ballots  there is no way to connect a persons ballot with a voters name, said elections commission spokesman Reid Magney.

Nor does Wisconsin collect information on the political preference, gender or race of its nearly 3.6 million registered voters, said Michael Haas, state elections commission administrator.

The question comes as a commission established by President Donald Trump is seeking voter information from states to see whether widespread voting fraud has occurred. Trump has claimed, without evidence, that millions voted illegally in Novembers election.

The commission has asked states for the names, addresses, ages, political party affiliations, last four digits of Social Security numbers, voting histories, felony convictions, overseas citizen information, registration status and information regarding voter registration in another state.

But in Wisconsin, much of that information isnt public or collected, and Haas said the state wont comply with much of the request.

Only a voters name, address and voting history, which includes elections voted in and whether they voted in-person or absentee, is public information in Wisconsin.

Political groups and campaigns have requested the information before, which can be disclosed for a fee, Haas said.

It would cost Trumps group $12,500  the maximum fee allowed for voter data in the state  to access all of the publicly available information about the states voters, Magney said.

 Chris Aadland
Family Law Attorney Paula A. Hamer

Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd., congratulates Attorney Paula Hamer on being selected as one of the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys 10 Best Attorneys Under 40 in Wisconsin for the fourth consecutive year. The honor signifies that Hamer has accomplished a high level of professional achievement while maintaining an exemplary client satisfaction rating.

The AIOFLA is part of the American Institute of Legal Counsel, which rates attorneys nationwide in 13 categories of practice. The AIOFLA annually considers many attorneys in each state for the 10 Best Attorneys Under 40 honor, based on Institute, client, and colleague nominations. The top 10 are chosen after extensive research, independent evaluations, and client and peer reviews.

Family Law Attorney Paula Hamer is a Shareholder with Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd., based in Appleton, Wisconsin. She focuses her practice on issues concerning divorce, custody, paternity, placement disputes, and termination of parental rights. She joined the firm in 2004 after receiving her juris doctor with cum laude honors from Marquette University Law School.

Hamer is an active member of the Outagamie County Bar Association, Winnebago County Bar Association, and Waupaca County Bar Association.

Herrling Clark Law Firm President, Kevin Lonergan, feels that consistency is the most impressive part of Hamers recent recognition. The fact that Paula has been selected to this Top 10 list for four consecutive years is clearly a testament to her reputation, client satisfaction, and skills in the family law area. We are very proud of her and congratulate her on this outstanding accomplishment.

About Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd.:

Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd., provides legal representation for individuals and businesses throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Founded in 1959, the firm handles cases involving family law, personal injury, business law, and wills and trusts. Clients can visit one of the firms four offices in Appleton, Green Bay, New London, and Oshkosh. To schedule an initial consultation, call 920-739-7366 or visit http://www.herrlingclark.com.
B & E Prime New York Steaks Consumers expectations are high these days and they look for quality, product consistency and transparency. At B & E Meats and Seafood they can count on all three.

Helping customers improve their knowledge about the variety and types of products that they are buying, providing simple, how-to guides to prepare tasty dishes, as well as providing a great value for the money is what B & E Meats and Seafood believe matters to their customers.

One of B & E Meats and Seafoods most appetizing, summertime favorites includes none other than their famous Prime New York Steaks, pure, juicy beef flavor and simple to prepare. Beautifully marbled, these New Yorks come from Double R Ranch, a premier beef brand from the heart of the Northwest. Owner, Jeff Green says, Using high quality ingredients is our secret to success. We never compromise on our sources because the attention we pay to the ingredients that our customers buy, ensures that they are getting the best tasting products.

To ensure that your steaks are prepared just to your liking, Green recommends that you follow these simple grilling tips:

1) Salt and season your steaks early, at least one hour prior to grilling or the day before if possible. For a change, try out B & Es flavorful, house-made Butchers Blend. Guests report this incredible blend of seasonings is phenomenal and can even be used on popcorn.

2) To ensure your steaks are perfect for each guest be sure to take the temperature of your steaks while grilling. (Rare  110 degrees F, Medium Rare  120 degrees F, Medium  130 degrees F, Medium Well  140, Well/No-pink  why bother).

3) After you remove your steaks from the grill, be sure to let them rest just long enough to firm up and hold in the juices.

Green adds, Consumers expectations are high these days and they look for quality, product consistency and transparency. At B & E Meats and Seafood they can count on all three.

To find more cooking instructions or to learn more about B & E Meats and Seafood, visit their website at: http://www.bnemeats.com. Try any one of their four locations in Des Moines, Queen Anne, Newcastle and Burien.

About B & E Meats and Seafood:

Founded nearly 60 years ago by brothers Bob and Earl Green, B & E Meats and Seafood serves the northwest with the highest quality meats, the freshest seafood including Copper River Salmon, and outstanding marinated products such as Teriyaki Beef Tri-tips, Kalbi Marinated Beef Ribs, Award Winning Beef Jerky, and always delicious Smoked Salmon Candy. After nearly 40 successful years in the meat business, Bob and Earl retired. Bobs son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Trisha Green took the helm. Together with their daughter, Dena, who joined the family business in 2008, and Steve Dunaychuk, who became a minority partner in 2014, the business has continued to grow thanks to friendly staff and high quality, unique products. B & E was Voted "Best Butcher in KING5 - Evening Magazine Best of Western Washington contest in 2014. They are currently in the running for Seattle's A-List Best Butcher and Best Fish Market for 2017. Voters can vote at City Voter's website at: City Voter.
I am excited to join the FluidEdge team who has years of payer and provider expertise, -Win Vaughan

FluidEdge Consulting is pleased to announce the addition of Win Vaughan as Vice President of the firms Provider Practice.

As an industry leader with proven success in the provider space, Vaughan has demonstrated achievement designing and implementing health and technology delivery solutions in healthcare provider organizations for over 25 years. He has also accumulated robust experience developing scalable products and services, executing successful business models and maintaining strong financial performance and growth.

At FluidEdge Consulting, Vaughan will lead the business development and account strategy for the Provider Practice and manage a team of senior healthcare executives. He will lead his team in delivering comprehensive consulting solutions to healthcare provider organizations, which will improve outcomes while triggering additional reimbursement under new payment models.

I am excited to join the FluidEdge team who has years of payer and provider expertise, said Vaughan. I look forward to helping healthcare organizations navigate the complex intersection of health delivery and advanced value-based reimbursement models.

Prior to joining FluidEdge Consulting, Vaughan launched CHI Virtual Health Services (VHS), a subsidiary of Catholic Health Initiative in Englewood, Colo., and served as the organizations President. In his position, he brought innovative care models and technologies to the market, enhancing user experience and improving health outcomes. Prior to launching VHS, Vaughan was the Vice President of Medical Imaging Services for CHI, leading a unique service line responsible for the implementation and support of a comprehensive radiology and cardiology digital imaging infrastructure.

He earned a Master of Business in Health Administration from the Zicklin School of Business/Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City and a Bachelor of Arts from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va.

About FluidEdge Consulting:

Founded in 2007, FluidEdge Consulting has become a leader in the healthcare management and IT consulting market, delivering innovative customer solutions with a highly experienced senior team. Over the past ten years, FluidEdge has been successful at solving complex concerns for the ever-evolving healthcare industry. For more information, please visit http://www.fluidedgeconsulting.com.
The University of New England (UNE) has installed a VideoLink ReadyCam broadcast studio on its campus to connect its faculty to the worlds television networks.

The ReadyCam simplifies the live TV appearance process and makes it easy for UNE experts to immediately participate in real-time TV interviews without leaving the premises. Now, UNE experts can use the remotely controlled ReadyCam studio without having to travel to an outside studio. A live TV interview with a UNE expert can be set up in less than an hour, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

To schedule a UNE expert, contact Crystal Canney, Director of Communications & Global Operations, at ccanney1(at)une(dot)edu or (207) 615-5968.

Heres a select list of available UNE experts:

Anouar Majid  An expert on relations between Islam and the West, Anouar Majid is a widely published author on the subject who brings a unique perspective to the discussion of Islam in the modern world. As the founder of UNEs campus in Tangier, Morocco, he is also an expert in global education.

Barry Costa-Pierce  Barry Costa-Pierce is an expert in ocean food ecosystems: how seafood systems throughout the world interact with marine ecosystems, fisheries, aquaculture and people. He has studied these issues around the world during his 40-year career, developing a passion for sustainable fisheries and food systems.

Karen Houseknecht: Karen Houseknecht has worked for top pharmaceutical companies developing drugs to treat some of the most prevalent medical conditions in the world today, specifically diabetes and obesity. Her current research explores endocrine and metabolic side effects of antipsychotic medications. She also researches the pharmacology and drug metabolism properties of emerging drugs of abuse, including the street drug known as "bath salts."

ReadyCam  The In-House Broadcast Video Studio

The ReadyCam video studio is a convenient, single-camera HD video studio requiring only an internet connection to transmit broadcast-quality, live video feeds to networks anywhere in the world. No additional technical staff is needed on site. The video studio is fully equipped with an HD camera, professional quality audio and lighting, electronic backdrop, a recorder, web-based controls, and IP-based transmission. VideoLink professionals control the video studio remotely so experts can be booked for air more conveniently.

To learn more about the ReadyCam studio and how it may be right for your organization, contact VideoLink (617) 340-4200 or sales(at)videolinktv(dot)com.

About the University of New England:

The University of New England is Maines largest private university, an innovative educational community with two distinctive coastal Maine campuses, a vibrant new campus in Tangier, Morocco, and a robust offering of degree and certificate programs online. UNE attracts accomplished faculty and internationally recognized scholars who engage students in research and scholarship. It is home to Maine's only medical and dental schoolspart of a comprehensive health education mission built on a pioneering interprofessional approach that includes pharmacy, nursing and an array of allied health professions.

UNE. Innovation for a Healthier Planet. Visit http://www.une.edu.
3dcart, the best eCommerce platform for SEO, announced today their upcoming Version 8 release, which stands to be the most highly-anticipated upgrade yet to 3dcart's already powerful online shopping cart software. With the Version 8 release, 3dcart is expanding their platform with new features to help online stores rank higher, increase conversion, offer new payment options, and sell in more places. A major component of the upgrade is an overhauled method of theme development geared toward ease of use, faster load speeds, and enhanced capabilities. 3dcart's commitment to its merchants is clear, as it is the first hosted eCommerce platform to release a major version upgrade in 2017.

Themes built with 3dcart's upcoming Core Templating Engine will reap the benefits of lightning-fast page loading and the SEO boost provided through such speeds, as well as AJAX implementation, utilization of the Bootstrap framework, and other features in high demand among web designers and developers. Other highly-anticipated features include the embeddable Buy Now button, which allows a merchant to create a widget to sell an item on any website with only a few clicks, and overhauled integrations with MailChimp to support their eCommerce features. Google Feeds, Facebook Dynamic Ads, and the implementation of a new, completely unobtrusive Invisible reCAPTCHA are also coming with Version 8.

In addition, the Version 8 upgrade will see Apple Pay, Square, zipPay and more added to 3dcart's ever-expanding set of fully-integrated payment gateways, and the introduction of several new and powerful tools to help eCommerce store owners to drive their conversions ever higher.

Our version 8 release will enable retailers to sell on new channels, improve rankings and increase conversion rates, said Jimmy Rodriguez, 3dcart COO. "We have focused on the development of Version 8 as the next leap forward for our platform, promising a further advantage to anyone selling through 3dcart. Both new and improved features are streamlined in this release to offer the most powerful eCommerce software available for anyone wanting to build the perfect online store."

3dcart Version 8 is due to release in summer 2017.

For more information about 3dcart's upcoming Version 8 release, visit https://blog.3dcart.com/3dcarts-2017-software-release-helps-shape-the-future-of-ecommerce.

About 3dcart

3dcart (https://www.3dcart.com), located in Tamarac, Florida, is the most SEO-friendly eCommerce platform for retailers and internet marketers to grow their online stores' traffic and sales. 3dcart includes 24x7 Technical Support, 100+ Mobile-Ready Themes, order management software, built-in blog, email marketing tools and more. Since 1997, the company has been a leader in the eCommerce market, building online stores for businesses of all sizes. Today, 3dcart is Visa PCI Certified and a Google Partner.
By leveraging its technological advantage and industry expertise, Cisives Executive Intelligence team focuses on providing clients with actionable and targeted research to help them win competitive advantages.

Cisive, a leading provider of tech-enabled and compliance-driven human capital management and risk management solutions, is pleased to announce that Robert Jones has joined its management team as Vice President and General Manager of the Cisive Global Executive Intelligence Division. Robert will also manage the Cisive business based in London, United Kingdom. Robert recently relocated from Rio de Janeiro to London. He reports directly to David Bennett, Cisives COO.

As the head of our Global Executive Intelligence Division, Robert will be responsible for managing and developing the business both domestically and internationally. He will also manage the establishment and growth of our London presence to better serve our client needs internationally, said James Owens, President and CEO of Cisive. Robert commented, I am very excited to have the opportunity, both to lead the Global Executive Intelligence team and to build the Cisive business internationally.

By leveraging its technological advantage and industry expertise, Cisives Executive Intelligence team focuses on providing clients with actionable and targeted research to help them win competitive advantages. Cisives tools and expertise provide information to support traditional business transactions and help its clients confidently explore new opportunities in the global marketplace.

Robert comes to Cisive with over 25 years of international investigative management experience. Prior to joining Cisive, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Socrates Ltd, a Latin America based specialist risk management consultancy. Robert will continue to maintain part-ownership of Socrates Ltd and looks forward to introducing the global solutions offered by Cisive to existing Socrates Ltd clients.

Robert holds an honours degree in science from University College, London, England.

About Cisive

Cisive is a leading provider of tech-enabled and compliance-driven human capital management and risk management solutions. Our core onboarding and pre-employment background screening offering provides clients with a high quality, regulatory compliant solution. Cisive is accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) and dedicated account management teams uphold our commitment to customer satisfaction. Comprehensive services include background screening, executive intelligence, vendor/contractor screening, drug testing, social media searches, fingerprinting and electronic I-9/E-Verify solutions. Cisive serves many of the largest and most complex global organizations. Our experts work closely with organizations to customize solutions that fit their specific needs.
JSLI proud Class #13 "Our Rabbis are being trained to meet the needs of the modern Jew. The candidates bring their own unique life experiences providing a rich educational environment." Comments Rabbi Blane

JSLI - Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute, the Online Rabbinical and Cantorial School of Sim Shalom, celebrated freedom in diversity and flexibility on July 4th weekend at the 13th Class Ordination weekend.

The six (6) new Rabbis, from a range of backgrounds, four (4) from the United States and two (2) from Canada shared a classroom on the internet and a passion for Jewish Religious studies. They completed traditional Rabbinic studies with a focus on contemporary Jewish issues and problems that a 21st Century Jew faces. The nod to modernity continues as learning occurred online via web conferencing and a learning management system. The Torah Parsha studies and weekly video conferencing was led by JSLI Founder and Dean, Rabbi Steven Blane as well as other Rabbis who taught topics like the Jewish View of the Afterlife, Inclusion, and Reproductive Issues.

Each Rabbinic candidate was granted semicha by the Bet Din as part of the celebration. The Certificate of Ordination confers the Rabbinical authority to offer pastoral care, interpret Jewish law, lead services and perform the myriad of Jewish life cycle blessings. Like the Bet Din comprised of JSLI ordained Rabbis Sandy Zisser and Nancy Tunick, the new class will pursue a life of service in a variety ways from serving in a pulpit to teaching to providing innovative Bnai Mitzvot and other Life Cycle events.

The spirit of the weekend was one of joy and reflection with the ordination taking place in a glass walled room offering a view of G-d's creation.

JSLI  Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute is a mult-denominaltional professional rabbinic program of Sim Shalom, the online synagogue. The students bring their own unique life experience to the table and share knowledge and networking while supporting one another as they move to serve the unaffiliated, interfaith and contemporary Jew.

ABOUT US

Sim Shalom is an interactive online Jewish Universalist synagogue which is liberal in thought and traditional in liturgy. Created in 2009 by Rabbi Steven Blane on Manhattan's Upper West Side, Sim Shalom offers a means of connecting the unconnected. Rabbi Blane leads accessible and short Shabbat services every Friday night using a virtual interface and additionally Sim Shalom provides online education programs, Jazz concerts, conversion and life-cycle ceremonies along with weeknight services at 7:00PM EST led by Rabbis and students of this online community.

Rabbi Blane is also the founder and director of the Jewish Spiritual Leader's Institute,

http://www.jsli.net, the online professional rabbinical program.

Sim Shalom, a non profit 501  (3) tax-exempt organization, nurtures a Jewish connection through its mission of innovative services, creative education and dynamic outreach to the global community. For more information visit http://www.simshalom.com or call 201-338-0165.
For more than a century, architects and builders have understood the lasting value of Indiana Limestone and incorporated it into many, many illustrious structures

Many of the notable structures honored by USA Today in its recent feature 25 Must-See Buildings in Indiana were built using natural Indiana limestone. The Indiana Limestone Company, Bloomington, has provided premium natural stone for architectural landmarks including many on the USA Today list since the 1920s. The roots of its predecessor companies stretch far back into the 19th century.

USA Today has been recognizing Americas most impressive architectural achievements in a continuing series of state-by-state must-see articles. To assemble each states list, the newspaper said, it asked chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) nationwide to name 25 structures visitors to their states should see.

A June 22 tweet from Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb (# @GovHolcomb) asked How many have you seen? with the hashtag #indiana @VisitIndiana.

The listed buildings using the Indiana limestone in their construction or landscaping include such attractions as the Athenaeum, Childrens Museum of indianapolis, Indiana State House, Indiana State Museum, Indiana War Memorial, Indiana Medical History Museum, Scottish Rite Cathedral and the West Baden Springs Hotel, French Lick.

The strong representation of Indiana limestone in its home state is consistent with its wide use in distinguished buildings across the nation. Indiana Limestone Company has provided the material in iconic structures such as the Empire State Building, the National Cathedral, the Pentagon, more than half the state capitols in the U.S., Yankee Stadium, Rockefeller Center, and 15 Central Park West in New York City.

Our quarries produce limestone products from one of the worlds premier deposits of this beautiful, durable natural resource, said Indiana Limestone Company CEO Tom Quigley. For more than a century, architects and builders have understood the lasting value of Indiana Limestone and incorporated it into many, many illustrious structures here and elsewhere.

For more on Indiana Limestone Company and its products, visit indianalimestonecompany.com.

About Indiana Limestone Company

Indiana Limestone Company is unmatched as the premier supplier of Indiana Limestone in a range of beautiful and lasting building products. Founded in 1926 (with predecessor firms that had been quarrying limestone since the mid-1800s), ILCO today remains the provider of choice for this internationally renowned natural stone. Throughout an illustrious history in which its stone has made such iconic structures as the Empire State Building, National Cathedral, and the Pentagon, ILCO has reliably provided the highest quality products and services carefully tailored to the needs of the market with an environmental, natural focus.
Nationally, NREIG is known as a valuable and unique resource for real estate investors.

Brent Lombardi, CPCU, ARM, joined National Real Estate Insurance Group (NREIG) as President, effective July 1. He reports to Tim Norris, Co-CEO, NREIG; and Mike Wrenn, Co-CEO, NREIG, and CEO, Affinity Worldwide. Lombardi oversees all NREIG departments: sales, service, loss prevention, claims and quality control.

Lombardis experience includes over 25 years in the property and casualty insurance industry. His career began at Nationwide, where he started as a field claims representative and progressed into a variety of insurance operations and internal audit leadership roles in Ohio and North Carolina. He was Vice President of Internal Audit at Grange Insurance in Columbus, Ohio, where he built and led its internal audit function. In his most recent role as Corporate Risk Officer of Grange Insurance, Lombardi directed its enterprise risk management function. Through this well-rounded experience, he became skilled at building organizations that achieve strategic goals, increasing enterprise value. Lombardis non-profit work includes serving two terms on the board of Childrens Hunger Alliance. He continues to serve on the Financial Advisory Committee of his local school district.

Nationally, NREIG is known as a valuable and unique resource for real estate investors. I am delighted to bring my organizational insight and experience, and look forward to working closely with Tim to bring even more value to our clients and partners, said Lombardi.

Brent is a wonderful addition to our team, said Norris. He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and skill to NREIG that will ensure we stay the course of constant progress toward our goals of being an invaluable resource to our clients, and expanding our market share.

National Real Estate Insurance Group is designed to meet the unique needs of residential real estate investors who are underserved by traditional insurance agencies and brokers. Clients range from individual property investors to large-scale investors, turnkey operators, lenders, property managers, landlords and rehabbers. The group serves over 65,000 locations across all 50 states. NREIG is part of Affinity Worldwide. More information can be found at http://www.nreig.com and at http://www.affinityworldwide.com.

For additional comments or questions please call or email

Laura Chalk, PR Manager

Affinity Worldwide

816-398-4111 x 86172

lchalk(at)affinityworldwide(dot)com
The Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Welcome Center was named the 2017 Outstanding Sustainability Project in the state by the Florida Planning and Zoning Association. The thing that distinguished [the Rinker Welcome Center] the best was how they actually designed the building itself to fit into the environment to conserve and reduce energy.

The Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Welcome Center on the Stetson University campus was named the 2017 Outstanding Sustainability Project in the state by the Florida Planning and Zoning Association (FPZA) last month. To earn the award the building competed against five others in the Sustainability category and was ultimately selected for its many features that conserve energy and water, make efficient use of land, and help recharge ground water supplies.

When Stetson University decided to build a welcome center on campus more than five years ago, university officials promised to build an iconic, sustainable building that would last for years to come. This award recognizes the successful completion of that goal.

The thing that distinguished [the Rinker Welcome Center] the best was how they actually designed the building itself to fit into the environment to conserve and reduce energy, said Helen LaValley, incoming FPZA state president, who oversaw the contest for the state planning awards. The building incorporated the most design features out of all the projects.

The Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Welcome Center features glass walls that reduce the need for artificial lighting, a 50-year metal roof that reflects heat and helps keep the building cool, LED lighting inside requiring 75 percent less energy than traditional lighting, solar-powered lights in the parking area, and a system that directs rain water into chambers providing time for the water to percolate into and help replenish the Floridan Aquifer. It also uses reclaimed water for irrigation and low-flow plumbing fixtures.

Prior to winning the state award, the Rinker Welcome Center was recognized with the Outstanding Sustainability Initiative Award from the planning groups local Surfcoast Chapter in December 2016. The building also received Green Globes Certification before it opened last fall.

John Rinker, president of the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Foundation, provided the lead gift to fund the construction of the building named in his parents honor.

When we met with Mr. John Rinker, we made a commitment to him that we would build an iconic, sustainable building that would last 100 years, recalled Al Allen, associate vice president for Facilities Management at Stetson. This award certifies that we did everything that we shared with Mr. Rinker.

Allen traveled to Naples in June to receive the award along with Stetson Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Bob Huth; Bob Lipscomb, CEO of the Williams Company, the general contractor; and Rob Gleason, Principle of Ro Jo Architecture, the firm that provided the design and engineering services.

The three-story Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Welcome Center houses Admissions and Enrollment Management; a one-stop service area for students with the Registrar, Bursar and Financial Planning; meeting rooms; and Career and Professional Development for students and alumni.

About Stetson University

Founded in 1883, Stetson University is the oldest private university in Central Florida, providing a transforming education in the liberal arts tradition. Stetson stresses academic excellence and community-engaged learning, and consistently earns high marks in national rankings. Stetson encourages its students to go beyond success to significance in their lives, the lives of others and their communities. Stay connected with Stetson on social media.
An Illinois driver who told police he was rushing to a family emergency was clocked at 108 mph on Highway 12 in Sauk County on Sunday.

The State Patrol was running an aerial speed enforcement along the highway, which is a 55 miles per hour highway in Sauk County.

The enforcement used one plane and four ground squad cars to nab the speeders.

The 18-year-old Illinois man was clocked at 53 over the speed limit at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

"He explained he and his passenger were headed back to Chicago due to an unspecified family emergency," the State Patrol report said. "He began to slow down when he realized he was traveling that fast."

The unidentified driver was given a $515 ticket for being 53 over the limit.
With Five Diamond and UL certification for both of our security monitoring centers, Guardian offers the highest level of monitoring support to customers." Mike Overby, vice-president customer care

The Monitoring Association (TMA) has announced that Guardian Protection Services Tempe, Arizona 24-hour security monitoring center has obtained the prestigious TMA Five Diamond Monitoring Center designation. This is the second Five Diamond designation for Guardian. Its Warrendale, Pennsylvania security monitoring center also holds the designation. Five Diamond is granted annually to monitoring centers that satisfy all requirements of the five points of excellence. These are related to employee education, quality customer service, false dispatch reduction, industry standards excellence and commitments to random inspections. By attaining the designation, Guardian demonstrates proof of an exceptionally high degree of responsibility to the local community and to its monitored security customers through the investment of time, money and commitment to quality operator training.

The quality of monitoring center personnel can affect the outcome of an emergency, stated Jason Bradley, director of national monitoring operations. To achieve TMA Five Diamond designation, 100 percent of our operators were required to satisfactorily complete the educational curriculum, demonstrate proficiency in false alarm reduction processes and emergency preparedness and prove an understanding of Emergency 911 communications, equipment, and codes and standards. Earning this designation proves that Guardians security monitoring centers adhere to the highest standards, an elite class, if you will.

Fewer than 200 of the approximate 2,700 U.S. monitoring centers that communicate and interact with police, fire and emergency services agencies, have achieved the Five Diamond designation. Fewer than one percent of the electronic security industry can claim to operate multiple monitoring centers that have all earned Five Diamond accreditation from The Monitoring Association. Guardian Protection Services is among these few. Mike Overby, vice president of customer care, commented on the long-term significance of accreditation: With Five Diamond and UL certification for both of our monitoring centers, Guardian Protection Services not only offers the highest level of monitoring support for its products but is well-positioned to provide cutting-edge monitoring for the technology-based products of the future.

About Guardian Protection Services: Guardian Protection Services is one of Armstrong Group of Companies and provides its monitoring services to some quarter-million residential and commercial clients throughout the U.S. Along with security monitoring, Guardian provides home automation and business security services. The company has been in operation since 1950. For more information, visit http://www.GuardianProtection.com.

About The Monitoring Association (TMA): The Monitoring Association (TMA), formerly Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a TMA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL. TMA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, TMA has served its members interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. http://www.tma.us.
Catapult Learning announced today that Chris Shenk has joined the company as Vice President of Sales for the companys Education Solutions group. In this role, Shenk will lead the national sales force and will work to expand the companys nationally recognized intervention and professional development programs serving school districts across the country and internationally.

We are thrilled to have Chris join the team, said Steve Quattrociocchi, President of Catapult Learnings Education Solutions group. Chris brings over two decades of strategic selling and partner management experience.

Shenk has spent his entire career in the education industry, working in business development roles for some of the largest companies in K12. Most recently, he worked for Pearson Education where he led strategy and program development efforts focused on building new business models and expanding Pearsons Services sales.

I am excited to join Catapult Learning at a pivotal time of growth and expansion, said Shenk. I look forward to working with our Education Solutions leadership team to drive new business opportunities.

Please contact Carrie Hartman, Grimm and Grove Communications, at 215-704-0917 or carrie(at)grimmandgrove(dot)com for more information.

About Catapult Learning: Catapult Learning, Inc. has dedicated over four decades to providing outstanding education solutions that generate demonstrable academic achievement and better life outcomes for students, regardless of their learning barriers or other challenges they may face. The companys team of 5,600 educators works to achieve sustained academic gains and build teacher and leadership capacity through evidence-based programs that include intervention services, special education and alternative education programs, and professional development solutions. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, Catapult Learning partners with over 500 school districts, including 18 of the 20 largest school districts in the United States.
Pamela A. Harveys new book Jewels ($15.99, paperback, 9781498493215; $7.99, eBook, 9781498493222) shares with readers that the one true God desires an intimate relationship with each of His children. Through this personal relationship, He pours out His love in such full measure that it overflows from the believer into the lives of everyone he or she meets. In todays fast-paced society, Jewels is a much needed reminder that true peace, comfort, strength and encouragement are found only in the quiet presence of God. This daily devotional contains 365 powerful and timely messages, spoken to readers as if they were face-to-face with the Living Lord. The messages are a daily reminder of Gods unconditional love, His unending mercy, His uncompromising Word, and His desire for intimate fellowship with all His children. Jewels is certain to touch hearts, instill hope, and transform lives.

Harvey writes, The hope and prayer for Jewels is that it moves readers to desire and develop their own ears to hear what the Spirit of God longs to say to them personally. In accomplishing this, the prayer of John 17:3 will be fulfilled: That they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Pamela A. Harvey is an ordained minister who over the years has served as assistant pastor, teacher, worship leader, womens ministry leader and prayer ministry leader. She created and distributed a monthly inspirational newsletter to enlighten and bring others into a closer relationship with the Lord. She has co-led a weekly womens Bible study for 20 years with Neta Jackson, author of the Yada Yada Prayer Group fictional book series. Together they have spoken at womens events throughout the United States for 12 years.

Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 12,000 titles published to date. Retailers may order Jewels through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. The book is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

Media Contact: Pamela A. Harvey

Email: psullivankk(at)att.net
Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with the Church of Ceylons Diocese of Colombo to feed more than 3,000 displaced people following severe and widespread flooding in Sri Lanka. These relief activities, led by the diocesan Board of Social Responsibility (BSR), are focused in five hard-hit districts where the Churchs strong presence can best meet local needs.

The effectiveness of this response is directly related to the BSRs strong disaster preparedness plan and its countrywide network of congregations, clergy and response teams that provide the capacity and resources to coordinate humanitarian relief efforts. As a result of the BSRs experience and its disaster risk management training from Episcopal Relief & Development, emergency operations mobilized immediately during the flooding and were able to provide necessary aid to those affected.

We are extremely grateful at this time for the preparedness measures taken before and during the floods, said Nagulan Nesiah, Episcopal Relief & Developments Senior Program Officer for Disaster Response and Risk Reduction. Much to the credit of the BSRs training, emergency relief was coordinated immediately and we are already seeing the benefits of their preparedness and response.

Episcopal Relief & Development will continue to partner with the Diocese to aid in recovery, providing food and cookware for people displaced from their homes. The agencys support will assist 3,280 men, women and children in five communities with dry ration packs containing a supply of clean water, flour, sugar, soap and basic sanitation and food provisions. The organization will also provide packs of kitchen necessities including water jugs, bowls, plates, cups and utensils. Based on needs assessments, this support will reach families in some of the districts most severely impacted by the disaster.

In late May, heavy rainfall in the Southern and Western regions of the country resulted in flash flooding and deadly landslides that left over 200 dead and 96 missing. The Diocese of Colombo initially reported 77,643 people displaced in 15 districts, with an unknown number stranded in their homes or taking shelter at host families. Response teams faced power outages and barriers to telecommunication that hindered search and rescue operations and left thousands of displaced people at risk.

The affected have little choice except to mourn their losses both in terms of their family members and huge damage to their properties, reported Binnu Jeevarajan, coordinator of the Church of Ceylons Board of Social Responsibility (BSR). Survivors are sheltering in schools, churches and government institutions, aided by diocesan clergy and support staff.

As flood water has receded, new updates show widespread devastation across the country, with over 700,000 displaced in the aftermath of the flooding. The damage to infrastructure is significant, presenting an ongoing challenge to recovery and a return to normalcy. Over 3,000 homes were destroyed and an additional nearly 20,000 sustained partial damage.

Please pray for all impacted by the severe weather in Sri Lanka, for those who lost homes or loved ones and for the volunteers who are caring for their vulnerable neighbors.

To enable Episcopal Relief & Development to strengthen communities against disaster, please donate to the International Disaster Response Fund.

For over 75 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has served as a compassionate response to human suffering in the world. The agency works with more than 3 million people in nearly 40 countries worldwide to overcome poverty, hunger and disease through multi-sector programs, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework. An independent 501(c)(3) organization, it works closely with Anglican Communion and ecumenical partners to help communities create long-term development strategies and rebuild after disasters.
Casual Market Chicago is an annual, four-day trade show that provides retailers with a destination to find all things related to outdoor casual living, according to their webpage . This large event provides vendors and retailers with a venue to showcase and see new and innovative products. Attendees can explore trends in style, design, fabric, patterns, and more. The focus is on current market trends and discovering the latest in outdoor living lifestyle products. About 250 manufacturers will be attending the event, showcasing their products and services either in booths or on the showroom floor. Attendees will find everything from outdoor furniture and accessories to statues, fountains, fire pits, barbecues, and more.

This event presents an opportunity for representatives and attendees from diverse businesses to discuss business needs and presents opportunities for strategic collaborations. With businesses competing to deliver the latest, modern, and technology-forward products to a growing customer base who has an increasing interest in outdoor living, this annual market provides a central venue to learn about new products.

Patio Productions, part of LTD Online Stores, is an online discount retailer of patio products including comfortable outdoor chair sets, tables, and more. The company focuses on modernity, quality, comfort, and style. They prioritize attendance at this event each year.

Says the president of Patio Productions, Ben Harvey, We welcome vendors to find us on the showroom floor, and we are looking forward to having conversations about opening new accounts with those who wish to sell on our site. Harvey also notes that they are available to talk about new patio lines from 2017, as well as the lineup for 2018. We are always looking to bring the best new products to our clients. We are excited to talk about our current line as well as our 2018 lineup, and we are looking to expand our selection.

Casual Market will take place from Tuesday, September 12 through Friday, September 15, 2017. Registration can be completed on the Casual Market Chicago website, which also provides travel and hotel information. Attendees and exhibitors are encouraged to take advantage of Chicagos cultural and culinary life.
These qualifications verify Smiths ability to provide the aerospace and defense sectors product they can trust to support critical applications.

Smith, a global distributor of electronic components and semiconductors, today announces its approval as a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) qualified supplier. This qualification validates the companys industry best practices that meet the standards of DLA Troop Supports supply chain acquisition process.

Smith has been added to the DLA Qualified Suppliers List of Distributors (QSLD) and Qualified Testing Suppliers List (QTSL). Smith is qualified by the DLA to supply materials for Federal Stock Classes (FSC) 5961/5962 based on the DLAs approval of Smiths process controls and ability to provide product conformity and adherence to contractual requirements.

"These qualifications verify Smiths ability to provide the aerospace and defense sectors product they can trust to support critical applications," said Tim McQuade, Smiths Aerospace & Defense Manager. Well continue providing diligence and dedicated service to meet the highest quality standards our customers ask of us.

Smiths business is constantly focused on evolving to support customers unique needs  no matter the industry.

This is the latest step Smith has taken to provide our customers the utmost support they need to meet their business, quality, contractual, and regulatory requirements, said Matt Hartzell, Smiths Chief Administrative Officer. We will continue to look for opportunities to grow and serve our partners needs worldwide.

To view Smiths listings, please visit the below links:

https://landandmaritimeapps.dla.mil/Offices/Sourcing_and_Qualification/qtsl.aspx

https://landandmaritimeapps.dla.mil/offices/sourcing_and_qualification/QSLD.aspx

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
Geographic Information Services, Inc. (GISinc) announced today the Company is employing the Atrius Internet of Things (IoT) platform from Acuity Brands to extend the power of its own Geospatial IoT (GeoIoT) solutions. This technology partnership provides the market with turnkey, end-to-end GeoIoT solutions by bringing together the enterprise industry expertise of both companies to service a rapidly growing and connected market.

The GeoIoT Platform combines the infinite capabilities of the Internet of Things (IoT) with GISincs unmatched Geographic Information Systems (GIS) expertise to provide a full suite of GeoIoT solutions. IoT adoption is rapidly expanding as organizations recognize the need for connectivity and the potential transformation of their operations.

As a GeoIoT integrator, GISinc minimizes the risk and learning curve of integrating solution components such as sensors, devices, platforms, data, back-end systems and analytics. The Company helps architect and build end-user applications that take full advantage of IoT technology to improve an organizations core business.

As the premier services company for indoor positioning, GISinc is very excited to be a part of the Atrius partner ecosystem, said Brad Epker, Chief Revenue Officer, GISinc. We believe that Acuity Brands focus on connected, smart lighting networks will go a long way in providing advanced building solutions in markets like public spaces, retail and healthcare.

The Atrius platform is a robust, scalable, and secure framework enabling indoor positioning, mobile wayfinding, asset tracking, space utilization, geospatial analytics, and visualization services by using distributed software services throughout an organizations IoT infrastructure.

GISinc is well positioned with GeoIoT to unlock data from the Atrius Sensory Network to determine, for example, a room or buildings occupancy, and provide services such as indoor positioning and asset tracking, said Michael Healander, Vice President Atrius Partner Program. Atrius platform services, combined with Atrius Solution Builder, allow GISinc to rapidly build and maintain IoT applications for clients. We are excited to have GISinc join our partner program, adding tremendous value to our Atrius solutions platform, which is already deployed across nearly 60 million square feet of indoor spaces.

Live demonstrations of the GeoIoT and Atrius platforms can be seen at the upcoming Esri International User Conference, booth 1619 in San Diego, July 11  14, 2017.

GISinc is proud to be an inaugural Atrius partner. The Atrius platform is an integral component of our GeoIoT Platform and will allow GISinc to expand its market leadership in indoor positioning and geospatial solutions. Using Acuity Brands intelligent lighting infrastructure provides improved opportunities for data collection and data accuracy to meet customer needs, said Greg Harris, Chief Operating Officer, GISinc.

About Acuity Brands

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is the North American market leader and one of the world's leading providers of lighting and building management solutions. With fiscal year 2016 net sales of $3.3 billion, Acuity Brands currently employs approximately 12,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The Company's products and solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting, Holophane, Peerless, Gotham, Mark Architectural Lighting(TM), Winona Lighting, Juno, Indy(TM), Aculux, Healthcare Lighting, Hydrel, American Electric Lighting, Carandini, Antique Street Lamps(TM), Sunoptics, Distech Controls, Acuity Controls(TM), nLight, ROAM, Sensor Switch and Atrius(TM). Visit us at http://www.acuitybrands.com.

About GISinc

GISinc with more than 25 years in GIS, is an employee-owned company located in Birmingham, Alabama, with offices throughout the United States. GISinc has a passion for delivering customer driven location technology solutions to federal, state and local, and commercial organizations. For more information, please visit us at http://www.gisinc.com, or call (205) 941-0442.
The day Jabian Consulting opened its doors in Charlotte nearly 4 years ago, it made a commitment to give back to the community as part of the firms guiding principles. That commitment continues to be honored as Jabian approaches its fourth year in Charlotte this August, logging more than 1,500 volunteer hours and donating more than $21,000. Not bad for an office of 10 people.

In 2016, Jabian launched a program called Impact 10, and gave $10,000 each to 10 different charity organizations across the firms three markets. Charlotte Family Housing was a beneficiary in Charlotte and used the donation to purchase tablet computers to replace manual paperwork. This saved the organization 375 hours per week of transcribing which means more time helping families.

As a local consulting firm, we want to be a part of the fabric of our community and help it thrive, said Courtney Ramey, executive director of Jabians Charlotte office. Each one of our employees have organizations theyre passionate about supporting and we empower them to go and make a real difference.

In addition to donations, Jabian employees average more than 50 hours per year volunteering and giving back to the community. They have helped support organizations such as Girl Scouts Hornets Nest, Charlotte Family Housing, Apparo, Crisis Assistance Ministry, and many others. The firm has won two national awards from Consulting Magazine for work on behalf of these organizations.

This is our community where we live and work and we want to do what we can to support it as much as possible, said Ramey. We hope to inspire other organizations to do the same.

For more information, visit http://www.jabian.com

ABOUT JABIAN CONSULTING

Jabian Consulting is a strategic management and technology consultancy. It serves mid-market and Fortune 1000 clients across multiple high-growth industries. Applying only the most talented, senior-level consulting specialists to its clients top priority projects, Jabian takes an integrated approach to creating and implementing successful strategies  ultimately helping clients drive business value by increasing revenue and decreasing operational costs.
Aquitas Solutions, a leading provider of EAM and IoT solutions that optimize asset intensive industries, announced today that they will be a Gold Sponsor at Maximo World 2017, August 1-4, in Orlando, FL. The event, driven by Reliabilityweb.com, will be one hundred percent Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) focused and attended by many of Aquitas long standing clients.

We have a strong history of serving the Maximo community and look forward to participating in this marquis event, commented Ray Miciek, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. He added, I am especially pleased to be presenting on how asset intensive organizations can drive operational efficiency through EAM and IoT to accelerate their business capabilities and take a deeper dive into improving how they monitor, manage, and control their plant and facility operations.

Mr. Miciek, who recently visited IBMs IoT Global Headquarters in Munich, Germany, was among a select few IBM Maximo Business Partners to receive a tour of the facility and participate in discussions on how IBMs new hub for IoT collaboration, capabilities, and product offerings will bring the physical and digital world closer together. The new Headquarters is dedicated to helping clients, IBMers, and business partners work together to push the boundaries of what is possible with IoT. Mr. Miciek will share some insight on his visit during his Maximo World talk on Wednesday morning, August 2nd.

Aquitas Solutions, which has been actively participating in Maximo World and Maximo Industry User Groups for over a decade, will have several of their EAM and IoT management consultants and training specialists on hand to meet the needs of all attendees.

About Aquitas Solutions

Aquitas Solutions is a leading provider of EAM and IoT solutions that optimize asset intensive industries. The Company prides itself on working strategically and collaboratively with the top, globally recognized EAM and IoT platform solution providers to heighten business value and bring bottom-line benefits to their clients.

Based in Atlanta, GA, Aquitas leadership team and management consultants have nearly one thousand man years of enterprise asset management experience and have been early adopters of IoT technology that helps clients leverage their EAM system to optimize performance and improve productivity and service levels across the entire spectrum of their organization.

The Company has a long history of delivering faster, smarter, and more agile solutions at a competitive rate helping customers streamline their internal processes and compete more efficiently in an increasingly synergetic world.

Aquitas Solutions is a registered Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and proud supporter of Women in Reliability Asset Management (WIRAM).
Sontag Advisory, a leading financial planning and investment advisory firm, announced today that Michael Moriarty has joined the company as Chief Investment Officer.

In his role, Moriarty will be responsible for overseeing the Investment Team and its daily activities. Moriarty will manage the research, due diligence, analysis, implementation and monitoring of the firms investment decisions and processes, making recommendations for changes in the firms investment approach to the Investment Policy Committee.

Moriarty most recently served as head of the investment platform at Dynasty Financial Partners, where he was responsible for delivering an institutional investment platform to a growing network of 45+ registered investment advisors and hybrid advisors throughout the United States. Prior to that, Moriarty was Chief Operating Officer for one of Citadel Investment Groups fundamental equity long/short businesses. He oversaw significant growth of the business, in terms of portfolio managers, assets and locations. Prior to Citadel, Moriarty held multiple associate and leadership positions at various banks and asset management firms, including Managing Director at JP Morgan and Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns.

Michael Delgass, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Sontag, commented, Im thrilled to welcome Michael to our growing team and family at Sontag. Michaels extensive investment and advisory experience, paired with his seasoned leadership skills and vision, make him an ideal fit.

Moriarty said, Sontag is an industry leader in the financial planning and investment advisory space  providing clients with personalized insights to help realize their investment goals. Im beyond excited to join Michael and the team as the firm continues its legacy of generating exceptional results for our clients, while providing the type of high-quality service to which they are accustomed.

Moriarty succeeds Jonathan Zames, who will remain with Sontag as a member of its Investment Policy Committee. Delgass added, We will continue to enjoy the benefits of Jons strategy and insights and appreciate Jons positive contributions to the firms growth for the past six years.

Moriarty received his masters degree in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University with a concentration in international finance and his bachelors degree in History from Davidson College, graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

About Sontag Advisory

Sontag Advisory, LLC, an NFP Corp. subsidiary, is a New York City based, independent registered investment advisory firm that serves clients in 36 states and has approximately $4.8 billion in assets under management. Founded in 1995, Sontag Advisory acts as a wealth manager, investment adviser, consultant, and fiduciary.

For more information on Sontag Advisory, please visit http://www.sontagadvisory.com.
KINGSTON, Ontario  The recruit seemed startled as she snapped to attention.

Salute and say sir when I pass, Lt. Col. Mark Bennett commanded in a deep voice.

The young private  dressed in a tunic the same shade of red as Canadas ubiquitous maple leaf  drew smiles from onlookers as she brought her right hand to her brow. She wasnt a soldier at boot camp, but a university student with a unique summer job: guarding Fort Henry (forthenry.com), overlooking Kingston and Lake Ontario.

Were pretending its 1867. The British army is alive and well and in garrison at Fort Henry, explained Bennett, whos never served in the military but is a veteran of 34 summers at the historic site.

North of the border, 1867 holds the same significance as 1776 in America. One hundred and fifty years ago on July 1, what are now known as the four provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick united to form a self-governing entity within the British Empire.

Elaborate celebrations are taking place all year long in the nations capital, Ottawa. But as visitors to Kingston learn, this lakeside city truly is the birthplace of a nation.

As Kingstons town crier, Chris Whyman has posed for countless selfies on the steps of city hall. Thats where he planned to be on July 1, commanding townsfolk and tourists to listen as he bellows a proclamation of Canadian confederation. It was first read a century and a half ago to the throngs in Market Square, still a thriving marketplace, as cannons at the nearby fort boomed.

Kingston was the logical place to declare a new nation. It was the first capital of the Province of Canada, a British colony that lasted from 1841 until the birth of the country in 1867. The first parliament met at whats now Kingston General Hospital. And Sir John A. Macdonald, Canadas George Washington and the countrys first prime minister, was a local lad.

Its hard to talk about the first capital of Canada without talking about John A. Macdonald, said Paul Fortier. A former historian for the federal government, Fortier now runs the popular downtown pub located where Macdonald practiced law.

No ones fingerprint is more on Canada than John A. Macdonalds, he added. If it wasnt for him, we wouldnt have this union.

Kingstonians say its ironic and appropriate that his law office now serves as Sir Johns Public House (foodandheritage.com).

Whoa, he loved to drink, Fortier said while seated beneath a bust of the famous statesman. I mean, Sir John A. was a big drinker.

Fortier loves regaling guests with lively tales of the whiskey-swilling politician who could work a crowd even while intoxicated.

Whyman, the town crier, described the founding father as a bit of a scoundrel, pointing to the still-operating Royal Tavern as his watering hole.

Macdonalds hangout, conveniently close to his office, now welcomes those in search of a cold brew, history or both.

The stories are about Sir Johns legacy, not his colorful antics, at Bellevue House, the architecturally striking residence where he once lived. While exhibits in the visitor center tell of the nations founding, docents dressed as 19th-century servants tell of Macdonalds leadership as they take guests through the stately home.

Despite the fact that he only lived in the house for about a year, its a national historic landmark.

He had about 13 different places in Kingston that he stayed, guide Kiersten Forkes said. He never stayed anywhere for very long.

Visitors from the U.S. are often surprised to learn that fears of an American invasion were the catalyst for the calls for a united Canada.

Macdonald was worried that the United States would overwhelm British North America, Fortier explained. There was the expansionist doctrine  that it was the manifest destiny of the United States to be the ruler of North America.

A sometimes uneasy peace existed between the two lands. And Kingston was just out of rifle range of the U.S.

The geography is easiest to grasp from the water, where guides on tour boats on the St. Lawrence River explain the areas history.

Kingston is where the river and the scenic 1000 Islands recreational paradise begin. The islands  there actually are 1,864 of them  sit in Canadian and American waters. During the War of 1812, the British based their naval fleet at Kingston, with the Yanks just a short sail away at Sackets Harbor, N.Y.

While theres no narration, theres also no charge for travel on the car ferry that connects Kingston with Wolfe Island, 3 miles away. The largest of the 1000 Islands (pronounced Thousand Islands, not One Thousand Islands), its home to a couple of quaint cafes and dozens of windmills. From the southern side of the island, another ferry makes the mile-long crossing between Ontario and Cape Vincent, N.Y.

On the Canadian side of the border, Fort Henry gets much of the credit for keeping the peace through many a decade.

In its heyday, the fort would have been a tough nut to crack, Bennett noted. It was very advanced for its time.
There are many words we use to describe the sun, but what does it mean to have a sunny face? Donaylle Nicoles new book, Does Your Face Look Like the Sun? covers this topic in-depth to help others reach their full life potential.

When Nicole was told her face looked like the sun, she began reflecting on the statement and wondering, how? She was inspired to create a series of classes around the topic for her community in Michigan. The four-part series was so successful, Nicole decided to take the information and expand it into a book for those looking to make constructive changes in their lifestyles.

Does Your Face Look Like the Sun? is a self-development work book that teaches readers how to live healthier and happier lifestyles by using nutrition, positive mindset, and optimism. In the book, readers will find healthy recipes and thought-provoking exercises.

My book is designed for taking regular self-audits, so that we are always working to be the best version of ourselves, said Nicole. If we want a sunny face, we must take care of all areas in our lives.

Through various exercises, this book will help readers achieve a sunny face along with a more positive mindset and healthier lifestyle.

Does Your Face Look Like the Sun?

By: Donaylle Nicole

ISBN: 978-1-51271-738-9 (hc); 978-1-51271-737-2 (sc); 978-1-51271-736-5 (electronic)

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and WestBow Press

About the author

Donaylle is a small-town girl with a creative mind and vivid imagination. Growing up as a female minority in a rural community has given Donaylle a unique perspective on life. She currently lives in Greenville with her husband and three children. She has been in the beauty industry for over twenty-five years. Health and wellness have been her life's passion. Finally, that passion has been captured on the printed page.

Review Copies & Interview Requests:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

Jacquelyn Brazzale

480 998 2600 x 569

jbrazzale(at)lavidge(dot)com

General Inquiries:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

Satara Williams

480-998-2600 x 586

swilliams(at)lavidge(dot)com
Rita Antis, CMRP, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center "It's vitally important for supply chain professionals to build relationships in clinical specialty areas, so we can help improve purchasing processes, increase visibility to supplies, and identify places we can standardize."

Jump Technologies, Inc., an innovative software company with solutions that streamline supply management in hospitals, today announced three new webinars have been added to the Summer 2017 event calendar. JumpTech focuses on solving some of the most frequently-occurring and expensive problems in provider organizations, including inventory overstocking, item stock-outs, lost charges associated with product consumption, high labor costs and waste due to expired products. In addition to offering smart, cost-efficient solutions, JumpTech strives to support hospital supply chain professionals with continuing education opportunities, updates on new technology, and advancements that move the industry toward a new era of healthcare supply chain optimization.

The JumpTech Summer webinar schedule now includes:

1) Propel the Partnership Between Supply Chain and Clinical Specialty Areas  AHRMM-accredited for 1.0 hour of Continuing Professional Education  Wed., July 12, 2017, 12:30 PM ET (9:30 AM PT). Join Rita Antis, CMRP, Materials Manager, Perioperative Services, Materials Management, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center and Sophie Rutherford, Vice President of Business Development for this interactive discussion of ways to close gaps between your supply chain processes and clinical specialty areas, including the OR, IR, Cath Labs and Endo.

This session will include discussions of:

a) The most common areas barriers exist and why

b) Ideas to improve visibility to all types of supplies throughout the organization

c) Ways to create teams with resources in clinical specialty areas, helping identify opportunities for standardization and greater purchasing efficiency

d) Services you can offer to clinical specialty areas to help them recognize the benefit of working with supply chain, helping better align priorities

e) Five steps a supply chain professional can take to close gaps now

2) Product Education Webinar  InnerTrack Receiving and Package Tracking  Mon., July 31, 2017 - 12:30 PM ET (9:30 AM PT). Sophie Rutherford, Vice President of Business Development, Jump Technologies, will be joined by Chad Jones, Operations Manager, Supply Chain Management, Adventist HealthCare. This webinar will provide an overview of results achieved at Adventist HealthCare using InnerTrack, and a live demo of the system, which creates an electronic chain of custody record for all incoming supplies, significantly increases staff productivity, and automates receiving processes while building greater visibility and accuracy.

3) Product Education Webinar  JumpStock Inventory Management  Tues., August 1, 2017 - 12:30 PM ET (9:30 AM PT). Join Joe Martinez, healthcare supply chain consultant and former pharmacy administrator and clinician with 20 years experience in the United States Army, and Sophie Rutherford, Vice President of Business Development, Jump Technologies, for this live discussion and demo of JumpStock Inventory Management. Joe will share his experience managing supplies in clinical specialty areas, and suggest ways to improve business processes and results throughout the hospital.

In todays healthcare environment, its vitally important for supply chain professionals to have best practice information, together with the right tools and technology, said Sophie Rutherford, vice president of Business Development, Jump Technologies. At JumpTech, were committed to helping supply chain professionals improve their results and supply chain performance, helping them to identify new ways to remove costs while also improving efficiency and visibility.

Jump Technologies continues to expand its portfolio of cloud-based mobile solutions that reduce labor, reduce costs, improve cash flow and enable more automated and accurate supply management in hospitals and health systems.

# # #

About Jump Technologies, Inc.

Health systems using supply chain solutions from Jump Technologies improve the way supplies are managed, from demand through use and replenishment. Jump Technologies solutions enable precise, automated supply management, driving significant cost and labor reductions. JumpTech solutions, including JumpStock Inventory Management and InnerTrack Receiving & Package Tracking, make a positive impact on a healthcare organization: reducing overstocking, stock-outs, hoarding and waste, while increasing inventory turns, data-driven decision making, and accurate forecasting and planning. With JumpTech, hospitals and health systems are reducing inventory by as much as 50 percent system-wide, in turn, freeing up cash and helping improve the bottom line. For more information, visit http://www.jumptech.com or call (888) 373-7226. Follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter @JumpTechNews.
Dominion Harbor

Dominion Harbor Enterprises (DHE), a premier patent transaction and advisory firm with close to $1 billion in licensing revenues, announced today that it has been selected by Venti Group to license its cutting-edge Wireless technology and intellectual property (IP) to manufacturers in the mobile telephony, automotive, smart office construction, Wireless network and Internet of Things (IoT) industries. Dominion Harbor will also help Venti Group strengthen its patent portfolio through internal innovation, as well as the acquisition of high-quality, third party IP via DHEs Monument Bank of Intellectual Property.

Venti Groups Wireless antenna designs and manufacturing techniques utilizing its patented IP have resulted in a number of critical technical breakthroughs in Wireless applications across Wireless Industry Sectors. One example is the VIVA WiGig Chip Antenna from Venti Group supporting 802.11ad and 60GHz markets expected to reach USD 7.42 billion by 2024, as well as the 5G Market expected to reach USD 240 billion by 2025. Another example is the ULTRA platform of semi-transparent and flexible antennas from Venti Group for use both by automakers in tomorrows connected cars as well as by product makers in the booming Internet of Things (IoT) sector, which expects to see 38 billion consumer devices connected wirelessly by 2020.

We are honored that a world-class innovator like Venti Group has chosen Dominion Harbor to help it license and strengthen its Wireless intellectual property, said David Pridham, DHEs chairman and CEO. Given their reputation for design leadership in Wireless, we anticipate a great deal of interest in their patented technology from manufacturers across all Wireless Industry Sectors.

Venti Groups CEO Henry Hank Adamany noted, Dominion Harbor is one of the top patent transaction, licensing, and advisory firms in the world today. We look forward to their expertise in helping Venti Group maximize our return on investment in R&D.

About Dominion Harbor Group, LLC:

Dominion Harbor Enterprises (DHE) is one of the worlds premier intellectual property transaction and advisory firms, with close to $1 billion in revenues generated for clients. It provides its clients with unmatched transactional expertise, a full spectrum of IP transaction and advisory services, and unrivaled access to highly targeted and credentialed licensees. DHE maintains its industry leadership with its IPedia patent intelligence solution and IPWire.com  The Patent Experts Resource.

For more information, please contact:

Monica Gutierrez at 214-414-1164 or email monica(at)dominionharbor(dot)com.

About Venti Group, LLC:

Venti Group is a Manufacturer and Licensor of Wireless Technologies for the Smart World, providing a broad portfolio of patented product and licensing solutions designed to improve the performance of smart devices, structures and networks. Applications include Smart Phones, Smart Automobiles, Smart Buildings, Smart Homes, Smart Devices and Smart Networks. Venti Group has patent families in antenna technology, targeted RF suppression devices and manufacturing technologies to minimize PIM (passive intermodulation) in all network wireless devices over the useful life of the device. Venti Group is committed to bringing our technologies to the Wireless world to enhance all communications with greater coverage and faster and more reliable data. Venti Solutions Address The Future  Today!

For more information about Venti Group, visit http://www.ventigroup.com, contact Venti Group at 949.264.3185 or email us at info(at)ventigroup(dot)com.
Mark Figueiredo

Silicon Valley Merger & Acquisition Attorney Mark Figueiredo has been recognized as a 2017 Northern California Super Lawyer and Employment attorney Jaclyn Ford has been recognized as a 2017 Northern California Rising Star. Structure Law Group, LLP is pleased to announce that this is the sixth year Mark Figueiredo has received this honor for his Merger & Acquisition excellence and it is the second year for Jaclyn Ford for her Employment practice. Each year, only the top 5% of the eligible lawyers in Northern California are selected as Super Lawyers and only 2.5% for Rising Stars.

Super Lawyers is a peer-review, rating service of top attorneys in more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The rigorous multi-phased selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, disciplinary check and peer evaluations. The result is a credible and comprehensive listing of exceptional California attorneys. Super Lawyers Magazines are published nationwide and feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law.

Mark Figueiredo has been selected as a Super Lawyer for his outstanding work in the area of Mergers & Acquisitions. Mr. Figueiredo represents business owners and businesses in their general corporate needs starting at formation through the life of the business. He has a particular emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and has overseen the sale or acquisition of businesses, including both asset and stock transactions. He has crafted and advised on a variety of complex reorganizations involving companies of all sizes from family run businesses to Fortune 500 companies. He has advised on all phases of transactions from preliminary discussions and negotiations, through due diligence, closing and post-closing phases. He also advises on a variety of commercial financings from debt and convertible debt through angel and venture funding.

Jaclyn Ford has been designated as a Rising Star for her outstanding work in the area of Employment and Labor Law for the second year in a row. Ms. Ford represents businesses and business owners in all aspects of employment and labor law and business litigation. She drafts and reviews various employment documents such as employee contracts, severance agreements, and workplace policies and procedures (employment handbooks). She also advises businesses on compliance with local, state, and federal labor and employment laws. In court, she represents her clients in employment claims, partnership disputes, contractual disputes, etc.

About Structure Law Group, LLP

Structure Law Group, LLP is located in the heart of Silicon Valley with clients located in San Jose, Santa Clara, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Morgan Hill, Milpitas, Palo Alto, Los Angeles and surrounding cities and counties as well as nationally and internationally. Practice areas include:



Business Transactions

Business Litigation

Construction Contracting & Payment Claims

Debtor & Creditor Rights

Start-ups & Financing

Corporations

Employment

Limited Liability Companies

Mergers & Acquisitions

Partnerships

Real Estate

E-Commerce

Technology Licensing & Protection of Intellectual Property

For more information about Structure Law Group please go to http://www.structurelaw.com and visit their blog at http://www.sanjosebusinesslawyersblog.com.
AgilePoint, an established leader in the Low-Code-Development platform space, today announced that it will be attending Microsoft Inspire 2017. Formerly called the Microsoft World Partner Conference, Inspire is an event staged specifically for Microsoft channel partners. AgilePoint, itself a Microsoft Gold Partner and Charter Member of the Microsoft Business Process Alliance, offers a powerful value proposition to other Microsoft partners, specifically those looking to develop their own intellectual property or who are on the frontlines of custom workflow and application development. The event will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. on July 9th through 13th. AgilePoint will be in booth #1524.

AgilePoint NX is a platform for rapidly building and running workflows and form-driven business apps. NX apps run on any version of SharePoint; other Microsoft products, such as Dynamics 365; and extend to Salesforce, NetSuite, and many more line-of-business systems. And NX apps integrate with any enterprises legacy systems and data sources.

AgilePoint NX offers a unique value proposition to Microsoft channel partners, commented Jesse Shiah, the companys CEO. Channel partners can private label the NX portal and deliver custom apps to their customers on a subscription basis. Because refactoring AgilePoint NX apps for newer versions of SharePoint is a non issue, added Shiah, channel partners can offer tremendous value to their customers with minimal effort. Because of its unique architecture, concluded Shiah, AgilePoint NX is IoT and AI-ready, so NX apps designed for todays needs can adapt to tomorrows needs.

The speed with which new forms, workflows, and business apps can be built with AgilePoint catalyzes digital transformation. The fact that software assets built with AgilePoint NX are self-adaptive to system updates and even changes in business rules makes sustained digital transformation possible.

About AgilePoint

AgilePoint is a Silicon-Valley-based software developer at the forefront of the digital-transformation movement. Having more than 1,400 on-premises and cloud deployments in 28 countries, AgilePoint enables enterprises to rapidly create software assets that are adaptive to technical and business changes. Having deep roots in the BPMS space, AgilePoint can simultaneously drive back-office cost reduction while facilitating front-office revenue enhancement via low-to-no-code applications that dramatically improve customer experience and interaction. AgilePoint has won numerous awards and distinctions, including placement in multiple Gartner Magic Quadrants and Forrester Wave reports. AgilePoints key industries include manufacturing, energy, legal services, financial services, insurance, healthcare, and government.
NRCE is a great opportunity for retailers to learn about new industry trends that are influencing how consumers conduct business today, we are proud to sponsor this event. - Sandeep Walia, President of Hitachi Solutions Philippines Corporation

Leading POS, Ecommerce, Loyalty, and ERP solution provider Hitachi Solutions Philippines Corporation will be sponsoring and exhibiting at the National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo 2017 (NRCE) on August 10  11, 2017 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.

"The Philippine Retail industry is facing tremendous changes in the industry due to a changing consumer demographic, the rise of mobile use and Ecommerce. NRCE is a great opportunity for retailers to learn about new industry trends that are influencing how consumers conduct business today, we are proud to sponsor this event", said Sandeep Walia, President of Hitachi Solutions Philippines Corporation. "We are looking forward to connecting and showcasing solutions that will help retailers adapt to these changing times."

The NRCE is the biggest and most important retail industry event in the Philippines, as it draws together over 800 retailers owners, top-level retail executives, and industry suppliers. For more than 20 years, its 2 day conference and exhibit has served as the venue for productive networking and updates on the latest developments in the local and international retail scene. NRCE has established itself as an institution for discussion of issues and concerns affecting the industry.

"Each year the NRCE showcases the best of breed in new technology and innovations to help retailers cope and thrive amidst the challenges of digitalization and Ecommerce", said Atty. Paul A. Santos, President of Philippine Retailers Association. "With the support of companies like Hitachi Solutions Philippines, the NRCE is able to deliver these innovations to the retail industry and help retailers grow their business more efficiently."

Hitachi Solutions Philippines will discuss and share new insights on POS, Ecommerce, Loyalty, and Business Analytics and show case its solutions built on the Microsoft Cloud. As the retail industry constantly changes and continues to shift towards cloud-first and mobile-first technology, retailers must adapt and be prepared for the challenges that this direction offers. Having the right retail technology can be the key differentiator in business success.

Hitachi Solutions Philippines will showcase its Loyalty management solution - a system that enables retailers to reward customers and increase customer retention. Hitachi Solutions Loyalty Management solution provides point accrual and aggregation, promotions, redemption and customer segmentation capability. The solution also provides a consolidated customer master record and a view interaction history for each customer across all channels. The solution provides insights to retailers on the effectiveness of their loyalty program, measures ROI on marketing campaigns and tracks incremental revenue dollars from promotions. Hitachi Solutions Loyalty Management solution helps retailers better understand serve customer needs thus developing a higher degree of customer intimacy.

Hitachi Solutions Philippines will also showcase Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Retail. Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Retail equips global retailers with a flexible point of sale and modern retail management system, enabling organizations to more fully embrace the new mobile, customer-centric business model. The omni-channel flexibility of the solution provides comprehensive management of store operations, merchandising, marketing, supply chain, inventory and warehouse management, financial management, and rich management reporting enabling retailers with information that will help them drive profitability for them.

Lastly, Hitachi Solutions Philippines will also demonstrate the Hitachi Solutions Ecommerce solution. With so many customers preferring to shop online these days, retailers must also ensure that their web store is user-friendly, search engine optimized, easily accessible, and most importantly, optimized for mobile devices. With Hitachi Solutions Ecommerce, merchants gain a comprehensive eCommerce system that is rich in merchandising, inventory, and marketing capabilities, which translate into a premium shopping experience for shoppers and a powerful online sales channel for omni-channel retailers and equipping them to compete with the pure play online retailers.

"It is indeed a challenging and exciting time to be a retailer with these shifts in customer technology usage and shopping behavior," said Manuel Tanseco, Vice President of Hitachi Solutions Philippines Corporation. "Retailers have the opportunity to gain substantial benefits from connecting with their customers in new and creative ways. Hitachi Solutions Philippines is committed to providing the best solutions that support retailers efforts in business advancement, and customer growth."

For more information on the 2017 NRCE and Stores Asia Expo, please visit this link: http://www.nrce-ph.com/index.html.

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About Hitachi Solutions Philippines Corporation

Hitachi Solutions Philippines Corporation helps its customers with industry specific solutions built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 enhanced with world class Business Analytics, and Portals and Collaboration. Recognized as worldwide Microsoft Dynamics Cloud Partner in 2017, Microsoft ERP Partner of year for Philippines in 2015 and 2016 and Microsoft Dynamics Partner of the Year in Asia Pacific in 2015, Microsoft CRM Global Partner of the Year in 2014 and the 2014 Dynamics Global Outstanding Reseller of the Year, Hitachi Solutions Group provides global capabilities with regional offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Japan, China, and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit: http://apac.hitachi-solutions.com.

About Hitachi Solutions, Ltd.

Hitachi Solutions, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the core IT Companies of Hitachi Group and a recognized leader in delivering proven business and IT strategies and solutions to companies across many industries. The company provides value-driven services throughout the IT life cycle from systems planning to systems integration, operation and maintenance. Hitachi Solutions delivers products and services of superior value to customers worldwide through key subsidiaries in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, China, and Asia Pacific. For more information on Hitachi Solutions, please visit: http://www.hitachi-solutions.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer societys challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The companys consolidated revenues for fiscal 2016 (ended March 31, 2017) totaled 9,162 billion yen ($81.8 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the companys website at http://www.hitachi.com.
Mobile devices supported by WoundRounds As a data-driven organization, we are pleased to harness the strength of WoundRounds and its integration to PointClickCare, our electronic health record.

Citadel Healthcare, providers of senior healthcare services in seven facilities in Chicago and Illinois, has selected WoundRounds to automate wound management for patients suffering from wounds. Citadel facilities use WoundRounds mobile technology at the bedside to provide better wound care.

WoundRounds captures wound assessments, prompts for preventive interventions, and standardizes documentation and reporting. According to Maureen Daly, Chief Nursing Officer at Citadel, With our focus on helping people live better, we recognize the value of WoundRounds in enabling our care teams to improve patient care and provide more proactive and preventive wound care while streamlining and standardizing processes.

Daly adds, As a data-driven organization, we are pleased to harness the strength of WoundRounds and its integration to PointClickCare, our electronic health record. Were dedicated to leveraging technology to improve health care and simplify workflow for our care teams.

WoundRounds CEO Mike Diamond says, Citadel Healthcare and WoundRounds share the same goal in delivering solutions to help healthcare providers achieve positive clinical outcomes with greater standardization and efficiencies. We are proud to be working together to improve the quality of life of patients and the dedicated staff who care for them.

About WoundRounds

WoundRounds, a service of Telemedicine Solutions LLC, is the point-of-care wound management and prevention solution that empowers clinicians to deliver better wound care in less time. WoundRounds drives consistency in nursing practice, completeness in wound documentation, and compliance with clinical standards. Customers of WoundRounds report lower overall costs of care, improved healing rates, lower return-to-hospital rates, and reduced risk. For more information, please visit http://www.woundrounds.com or follow us on Twitter @woundrounds.

About Citadel

Citadel is a collection of healthcare facilities that offer a myriad of care given services including long term health care, skilled nursing, memory care and independent living. Citadel offers high quality health care options with outstanding, qualified service providers in multiple locations in greater Chicago area and Illinois. With a resident and family centered approach, specially trained staff and an integrated program of therapies, Citadel strives to make our residents truly feel at home. For more information, please visit https://www.citadelhealthcare.com.

WoundRounds is a registered trademark of Telemedicine Solutions LLC. PointClickCare is a registered trademark of PointClickCare.
Microsoft Office 365 with MessageSolution We offer global partners a true value for their clients with both online enterprise archiving and eDiscovery services at half the cost to replace Microsoft Office365s $16.50+ per user/month for eDiscovery service.

As the countdown to this years Microsoft WPC begins, MessageSolution, Inc., the global technology leader specializing in information archiving and eDiscovery for email, SharePoint and file systems, will be showcasing its enhanced partner program from July 10 to July 13, 2017 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Cloud Solutions, Enterprise On-Premise and Managed Service Provider Hosted Platforms

MessageSolution offers global partners the most diverse solution portfolio for a maximized ROI. Partners now have the option of re-selling three flexible deployment modules: the MessageSolution hosted cloud-based system, enterprise on-premise solution, and MSP hosted platform. With VARs and MSPs located in North America, Australia, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa, MessageSolution works closely with worldwide partners to bring information archiving and eDiscovery services across global channel networks.

The industry-leading analyst Gartner recommends Microsoft Exchange Online and Office 365 archiving only when litigation and governance event history, case volume and scope are low, explains Kevin McInerney, Global Marketing Strategist at MessageSolution. In areas such as legal hold management, predictive analytics and document review for eDiscovery, highly regulated global enterprises are advised to couple Microsofts capabilities with a specialized third-party Independent Software Vendor (ISV) such as MessageSolution.

Online Global Deployment for Enterprise and SME Companies

MessageSolution delivers industry-leading scalability capable of hosting 25,000 active users on a single server configuration. This scalability facilitates a 1:5 ratio savings on the hardware requirements for ISP cloud operations and enterprise on-premise deployments, achieving significant cost-cutting for enterprise customers across industries.

ISP and MSP (Managed Service Provider) Revenue Opportunities

With free consultation, co-marketing services, technical demos, data sheets, white papers, and co-sponsoring of events to generate business opportunities, partners can swiftly enter the marketplace and re-sell MessageSolution platforms. In some instances, partners can retain 100% revenue by providing services with MessageSolution tools and features. Overall, partners can generate a significant profit margin and save up to 70% off MSRP by utilizing multiple platforms and volume pricing.

Partners can also instantly implement archiving services for their clients with MessageSolution's 2-Step MSP Program. Initially, MessageSolution will host the partners clients in the cloud archive. As the partner learns more about MessageSolution products and becomes more familiar with its services, client data can then be seamlessly transferred to the MSP hosted multi-tenant platform, thus leveraging the partners infrastructure and maximizing revenue. Most competitors only offer either a hosted or on-premise product for partners to resell, which creates a limited revenue opportunity.

We offer global partners a true value for their clients with both online enterprise archiving and eDiscovery services at half the cost to complement or replace Microsoft Office365 E5 Plan for advanced eDiscovery service, Kevin McInerney continues, As a technology and Gold Partner with Microsoft programs for over a decade, MessageSolution platforms integrate with Office365, SharePoint Online, One-Drive, and keep advanced eDiscovery audit log information for companies' long term eDiscovery records.

Microsoft Inspire 2017 WPC

Every year Microsoft hosts its annual Worldwide Partner Conference to provide a collaborative networking and meeting experience for its top partners. This year the theme of the event is Microsoft Inspire 2017 Worldwide Partner Conference.

MessageSolution will be exhibiting at Booth 1029 Microsoft Inspire 2017 WPC from July 10 to 13, 2017 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. MessageSolutions current partners and clients that plan to attend the show can obtain free passes with MessageSolution. Please contact MessageSolution at +001(408) 383-0100 or email Press(at)MessageSolution(dot)com.

For more information on WPC, visit http://www.digitalwpc.com.

About MessageSolution

MessageSolution, Inc., is technology leader in unified email, file systems and SharePoint content archiving, legal eDiscovery, and data migration. With Cloud, service provider hosted multi-tenant, and enterprise on-premise software solutions available, MessageSolution enables organizations of all sizes from all industries to mitigate risk, comply with industry and federal regulations, reduce companies legal discovery cost, minimize enterprise storage requirements. The MessageSolution Platform supports the organizational and governing backbone to manage the lifecycle of electronic stored information (ESI) by fully integrating with Exchange, Office 365, Lotus Notes Domino, Google Mails, GroupWise and all Linux email platforms and supporting all SharePoint documents, file system and content types.

Founded in 2004 and based in Silicon Valley, California, MessageSolution maintains operations in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, along with distribution channels in Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Domestic and international customers are from all sectors of the market place, including U.S. Department of Commerce, Honda China, University of Texas A & M, Randolph School District, Tacoma College, Hong Kong University, Lockheed Federal Credit Union, Federal National Bank, Bank of Manhattan, and the Massachusetts State Court System, etc.

For more information, visit http://www.MessageSolution.com or call +001 408-383-0100.
In honor of Amazon Prime Day, the entire inventory of Sublime Naturals is 45% off - at both Amazon and its own store. Snag deals today.

In honor of Amazon Prime Day, Sublime Naturals has placed its entire inventory on sale at 45% off. Use code 45PRMDAY.

NOTE: The Kindle ebook "Essential Oils Have Super Powers" is not included in the sale, and choose the paperback offered by Sublime Naturals to get the discount - the other sellers of this popular book do not offer the same deal.

Because an even wider inventory (especially essential oils) is available on its webstore, the company extends this 45% off to its webstore as well- the only exempt products are Zen Box and One-A-Month Essential Oil Club subscription products. Use the SAME code: 45PRMDAY.

New natural Turmeric-Coconut soap as well as Lemon-Cinnamon Shea Butter soaps are available. Popular essential oils blends are Zen Air Bliss, Zen DeStress Blend and Zen Immune Boost, in limited quantities. The new Turmeric Lovers Gift Box and the Zen Power Facial Serum are excellent products to snag.

A wide array of therapeutic-grade essential oils are available on the webstore, such as Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Turmeric, Cinnamon Leaf, Basil, Clary Sage, Rosemary, Petit Grain, Ylang Ylang, Pink Grapefruit, Majoram, Siberian Fir Needle and such blends as Soothe & Purify, Sublime Sleep, Focus and DeStress.

In addition, accessories like lava-stone bracelets and mini rollerballs as well as necklaces and lockets are available.

The motto of Sublime Naturals is "make healthy choices, respect your body, love nature" and each product is in keeping with the motto.

The company is currently offering a FREE GIVEAWAY of three annual membership to the ONE-A-MONTH ESSENTIAL OIL CLUB plus a grand prize with value of $261. Enter now or watch for upcoming giveaways.

ABOUT: The company was founded by Kathy Heshelow, who is also a busy author of numerous wellness and beauty books. Her latest is "USE THIS FOR THAT! AN EASY ESSENTIAL OIL GUIDEBOOK". She also offers "Essential Oils Have Super Powers: From Solving Everyday Wellness Issues to Taking on Superbugs", and "Break Sugar Addiction or Cravings, Feel Full, Lose Weight: An Astonishing Essential Oil Method" in addition to 7 other books.
The IAC is dedicated to the advancement of global research in cardiovascular medicine through the support of scientific meetings and publications. The three hundred forty scientific studies selected for presentation assure that the meeting will be a major scientific event.

Asher Kimchi, M.D., Founder and Chairman of the International Academy of Cardiology, today announced that Anne B. Curtis, M.D., SUNY Distinguished Professor and Charles and Mary Bauer Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University at Buffalo, New York, USA, will deliver the eleventh H.J.C. Swan Memorial Lecture at the Opening Ceremony of the International Academy of Cardiology, Annual Scientific Sessions 2017, 22nd World Congress on Heart Disease, that will be held in Vancouver, BC, Canada, from Friday, July 14 through Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Dr. Curtis will present on the topic of Improvement in Quality of Care for Atrial Fibrillation in Get with the Guidelines  Atrial Fibrillation (GWTG-AFIB). Efforts to improve oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have had limited success in improving guideline adherence. The American Heart Associations Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) AFIB quality improvement registry was initiated to improve quality of care for patients with AF. Among a cohort of 22,514 AF admissions from 2013-2016 with a CHA2DS2-VASc2, oral anticoagulation at admission was associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke. Utilization of oral anticoagulation at discharge in eligible patients improved significantly over time from 85.7% to 96.8%. These data confirm that high level adherence to stroke prevention and AF quality measures is achievable and sustainable.

Dr. Curtis is a Past President of the Heart Rhythm Society and a recipient of their Distinguished Service Award. She is the current President of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society and the Association of University Cardiologists. Dr. Curtis is a former Chair of the Food and Drug Administrations Circulatory System Devices Panel and served as an Associate Editor of Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology for many years. Her research interests include implantable device therapy and clinical trials in atrial fibrillation. Dr. Curtis has been a member of the steering committees for many multicenter clinical trials in electrophysiology and she was the Principal Investigator of the Block HF trial. Dr. Curtis has almost 300 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and reviews.

Dr. Asher Kimchi comments, We are most fortunate to have Dr. Curtis with us at the 22nd World Congress on Heart Disease. Her teachings and research are unparalleled and we are looking forward to her presentation on Improvement in Quality of Care for Atrial Fibrillation in Get with the Guidelines  Atrial Fibrillation.

Asher Kimchi, M.D., is the Co-Medical Director of the Preventive and Consultative Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute and the former Clinical Chief of Cardiology at Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, California. He is also a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California.

On Friday, July 14, 2017, at 9:00 am, the Founder and Chairman of the International Academy of Cardiology, Dr. Asher Kimchi, will greet the Congress attendees from forty-one countries at the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd World Congress on Heart Disease. The Opening Ceremony and Awards Presentations will be chaired by Dr. John A. Elefteriades, New Haven, CT, USA; Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Director of the Aortic Institute at Yale University and Yale-New Haven Hospital; Chairman of the Scientific Executive Committee and Chairman of the Section of Cardiovascular Surgery, International Academy of Cardiology.

The following Members of the International Academy of Cardiology will also take part in the Opening Ceremony:





Dr. Jeffrey Borer, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Professor of Medicine, Cell Biology, Radiology and Surgery, at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center and College of Medicine, and Director of the Howard Gilman Institute for Heart Valve Disease; Member of the Scientific Executive Committee and Chairman of the Section of Valvular Heart Disease, International Academy of Cardiology

Prof. Naranjan S. Dhalla, Canada, Distinguished Professor and Director of Cardiovascular Developments, SBRC, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Member of the Scientific Executive Committee and Chairman of the Section of Molecular Cardiology, International Academy of Cardiology

Dr. Garwood Gee, Oakland, CA, USA; President, American College of Cardiology California Chapter; Chairman of the Cath Lab Medical Directors of Northern California Kaiser

Prof. Samia Mora, Boston, MA, USA; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Director of the Center for Lipid Metabolomics, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Womans Hospital; Member of the Scientific Executive Committee and Chairman of the Section of Preventive Cardiology, International Academy of Cardiology

Awards to be Presented for Distinguished Contributions to Medicine and Cardiology:

The International Academy of Cardiology has established five awards to honor the memory of distinguished colleagues who made a major contribution to Medicine and Cardiology and who were members of the faculty for previous International Academy of Cardiology meetings. As in previous years, a very prestigious Awards Committee selected the recipients.

Dr. John A. Elefteriades and Dr. Jeffrey S. Borer, Co-Chairmen of the Awards Committee, will present the following awards for 2017 at the Opening Ceremony of the Congress:

The WALTER BLEIFELD MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Clinical Research

The ALBRECHT FLECKENSTEIN MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Basic Research

The JAN J. KELLERMANN MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

The HANS-PETER KRAYENBUEHL MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Research in Cardiac Function

The MELVIN L. MARCUS MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished contribution as a Gifted Teacher

The DISTINGUISHED FELLOWSHIP AWARD for profound contribution to Cardiovascular Medicine and important service to the Academy

Dr. Kimchi notes that, The Congress will provide the opportunity for a comprehensive overview of the latest research developments in cardiovascular medicine, primarily in the areas of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Cardiac Imaging, Coronary Artery Disease, Peripheral Arterial Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Lipoprotein Disorders, Hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome, Heart Failure, Valvular Heart Disease, Diseases of the Aorta, Cardiac Arrhythmias and Electrophysiology, Implantable Cardiac Pacemakers and Cardioverter-Defibrillators, Sudden Cardiac Death, Pediatric Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, Heart Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support, and Measurement of Outcome and Quality of Cardiovascular Care. "

According to Dr. Kimchi, "Many distinguished cardiologists and scientists have joined the faculty and will take part in this Congress. Papers will be presented in the form of plenary sessions, symposia and posters and will include superb scientific material that was carefully selected by the Scientific Abstract Review committee from over five hundred abstracts submitted for presentation at the meeting. These three hundred forty scientific studies, originating from laboratories in thirty-two countries, assure that the meeting will be a major scientific event."

Dr. Kimchi proudly announced, The World Congress on Heart Disease has been endorsed by most prestigious medical societies and associations. The scientific program of the Congress has been reviewed by the American Medical Association and approved for 22.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. The Congress is affiliated with the American College of Cardiology, California Chapter, the American Society for Preventive Cardiology, and the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences.

The International Academy of Cardiology, founded twenty-eight years ago by Dr. Asher Kimchi, is dedicated to the advancement of global research in cardiovascular medicine through the support of scientific meetings and publications.

Registration for the 22nd World Congress on Heart Disease, presented by the International Academy of Cardiology, in Vancouver, BC, Canada from July 14  16, 2017 is available online at http://www.CardiologyOnline.com. The Congress takes place at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

For further information or to book interviews, please contact Cirina Catania at The Catania Group, Inc., news(at)Catania(dot)us or klimedco(at)ucla(dot)edu.
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals Dianne Gibson, EPA Network Manager says, Genmed is providing the financing up front for pathology equipment and understand that we need to work within existing budgets plus make savings where possible."

Genmed announces today that it has been selected by Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as its preferred vendor neutral managed services provider for laboratory managed services including the procurement of pathology equipment and consumables.

Serving a catchment area of about 1 million patients, laboratory medicine in the Norfolk and Waveney area is managed by the Eastern Pathology Alliance Network (EPA)  a joint venture established in 2012 between Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, the James Paget University Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn. Employing 400 staff, the EPA runs laboratories on the three hospital sites with procurement centralised for all.

Dianne Gibson, Eastern Pathology Alliance Network Manager, explains, The goal of the EPA is to provide a common pathology service across the network to deliver greater efficiency and cost benefits in response to Lord Carter of Coles recommendation that Pathology expenditure should be reduced by between 10 and 20%. Our focus is to achieve this without comprising the quality of care for patients.

A new managed services contact for pathology offering total flexibility

Genmed will provide a managed service which continues to offer a centralised method for procurement including running mini tenders yet allows the EPA to choose best of breed technology from any pathology supplier it wishes to select without the tender and contractual process constraining this.

Furthermore, Genmed will work on the EPAs behalf to drive costs down further to achieve greater value for money, as well as improving administrative efficiency while maintaining quality of service.

Gibson says, Our previous managed service contract for pathology was signed in 2006 for a ten-year period and only covered clinical biochemistry and haematology. It was quite restrictive given we could only source equipment or services that we had specified in the original tender offer. It lacked the flexibility we wanted.

The new umbrella agreement with Genmed is the reverse and enables the EPA to incorporate any pathology requirement under a managed service contract. This means the scope will now be broadened to not only include clinical biochemistry and haematology but microbiology and cellular pathology which will include in the region of 40 suppliers or more.

The type of equipment which will be procured by Genmed for the EPA covers clinical biochemistry and haematology analysers, toxicology analytical equipment such as tandem mass spectrometers, microtitre plate washers and readers, point of care devices such as glucose monitors, as well as all consumables needed like assay kits, tubes, cups, pipettes, diluents and so on.

Genmed managed services allow VAT recovery and better forecasting

The benefits to the EPA have been immediate as Genmeds managed services are HMRC compliant for VAT recovery. While it is early days in the relationship with Genmed, five sub contracts have already been signed for equipment which will result in a projected 264,000 cost saving in the first year on reduced consumables prices and VAT recovery with Genmed also negotiating better pricing for the EPA for these contracts.

Gibson says, Genmed is providing the financing up front for pathology equipment and understand that we need to work within existing budgets plus make savings where possible. Thats why were adding in new areas like microbiology and cellular pathology into a managed service to benefit from the value Genmed provides and from the associated benefit of VAT recovery.

All Genmed managed service costs are smoothed with no big upfront investment required by the EPA. Billing is done quarterly which also helps the finance department with its forecasting.

Robin Modak, Genmeds chief executive officer, says, The trouble with pathology is its seasonal with peaks and troughs of activity. Weve agreed a quarterly billing cycle so the EPA avoids over or under spending during any given month which helps with their cash flow, plus we manage all the ordering, invoicing and reconciliation which reduces their administrative overhead.

Gibson concludes, Pathology is a specialist area and so having a managed services partner who understands all the nuances is very helpful. Our relationship with Genmed is new but Im happy with what theyre offering, how the contracts are working and their consultative approach such that I would certainly recommend other Trusts give them a go.

About Genmed

Founded in 2007 and based in London and Wales, Genmed is a vendor neutral managed service provider specialising in the health sector. It works with 40 NHS Trusts and Health Boards around the country where, to date, it has 220 contracts supporting a variety of clinical disciplines such as pathology, surgery, endoscopy, imaging along with medical records, IT and facilities. Genmed asset finance requirements are funded by large blue chip partners including Societe Generale, GE Capital, Macquarie and Lloyds Corporate. Currently Genmeds contract portfolio totals around 430 million.

Genmed is headquartered in Weybridge, Surrey. For further information, please visit http://www.genmed.eu

For further information, please contact

Tom Herbst

Tom Herbst PR

T:07768 145571

Email: tom(at)tomherbstpr.co.uk
Roger Posacki, PlayCore President We are excited about the opportunity and potential this acquisition brings to PlayCore, as we continue to expand our product and distribution reach.

PlayCore Holdings, Inc. (PlayCore), a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad range of play and recreation products, today announced the acquisition of Superior Recreation Products (SRP).

Superior Recreational Products is a manufacturer and supplier of both play and recreation products. The companys offering includes shelters, shade structures, site furnishings, as well as indoor and outdoor play equipment. The company was founded in 1992 in Carrollton, Georgia.

PlayCore CEO and President, Roger Posacki stated We are excited about the opportunity and potential this acquisition brings to PlayCore, as we continue to expand our product and distribution reach.

I believe that Superior fits perfectly within the PlayCore family of companies with our expertise in commercial shade and play structures, added Tom Doherty of SRP. We are excited about the growth opportunities this combination creates for the future of our company.

Superior Recreation Products joins 2017 acquisitions Playcraft, Highland Products, Sport Surface Specialties, Alta, American Parks Company, and Worlds of Wow.

About PlayCore

PlayCore helps build stronger communities around the world by advancing play and recreation through research, education, and partnerships. The company infuses this learning into its complete family of brands. PlayCore combines best-in-class planning and education programs with the most comprehensive array of play and recreation products available to create solutions that match the unique needs of each community they serve. Learn more at http://www.playcore.com

About Superior Recreation Products

Superior Recreational Products has spent nearly three decades developing and acquiring product lines that help people play, relax, and live. The company designs and manufactures outdoor steel, recycled, and themed playgrounds, indoor playgrounds, shelter and shade structures, and commercial site furnishings. Through these product lines, they are able to create complete outdoor environments that cultivate community, enrich lives, and allow people to focus on what matters most.
The Agency Partner program is an opportunity for us to deepen those relationships and accelerate growth for some of our most innovative, social-forward agency customers.

As global social media use continues to grow, 44 percent of organizations are outsourcing some, if not all, of their social media management. This trend means that agencies have the opportunity to spearhead the future growth and evolution of the social landscape. To support that process, Sprout Social, a leading provider of social media solutions for business, today announced the launch of its Agency Partner Program.

The new offering is designed to enable agencies to accelerate growth and scale their social media services through an exclusive partnership with Sprout Social. Through the partnership, agencies receive resources to support their marketing and business growth efforts, pricing built for agency-client collaboration, membership in Sprouts Agency Partner community and the opportunity to mutually grow business.

Weve always believed that customer success and Sprouts success go hand in hand, said Ryan Barretto, SVP of Global Sales at Sprout Social. The Agency Partner program is an opportunity for us to deepen those relationships and accelerate growth for some of our most innovative, social-forward agency customers. Were proud to empower agencies to achieve even better results for their clients and to demonstrate that were committed as a partner in their business success.

The Sprout team works closely with agencies in the program to provide tailored support to define, drive and increase business results for their clients. This holistic effort ensures that Agency Partners have first access to resources including:



In-depth workshops on platform and industry developments

Dedicated account management from social experts with agency backgrounds

Access to a vetted network of fellow agency partners

Collateral and training to promote, sell and scale their social media business

To learn more or apply to join Sprout Socials Agency Partner Program, visit: https://sproutsocial.com/agencies/agency-partner-program

About Sprout Social

Sprout Social offers social media management, analytics and advocacy solutions for leading agencies and brands, including Hyatt, GrubHub, Microsoft and Zendesk. Available via web browser, iOS and Android apps, Sprouts engagement platform enables brands to more effectively communicate on social channels, collaborate across teams and provide an exceptional customer experience. Bambu by Sprout Social, a platform for advocacy, empowers employees to share curated content across their social networks to further amplify a brands reach and engagement. Headquartered in Chicago, Sprout is a Twitter Official Partner, Facebook Marketing Partner, Instagram Partner Program Member, LinkedIn Company Page Partner and Google+ Pages API Partner. Learn more at sproutsocial.com and getbambu.com.

1 http://engage.lookbookhq.com/Stateofcontentmarketing2014
Ameritex Movers sponsors BoxBot contest at Alief ISD At Ameritex Movers, we love to be creative and to Think Outside the Box! ... It allows us the opportunity to share this amazing experience with Alief and to spark the imagination and creativity of the kiddos in the community.

Middle school students in the Alief ISD after school program are finishing the summer session with some outside-the-box thinking. Beginning July 10, they will be participating in a contest to see who can design the most creative robot concept out of two cardboard boxes.

Judging begins July 11, with a panel of judges from throughout the Houston community in a variety of leadership positions. There will be an awards ceremony at 2 p.m. July 13 at Alief Middle School to announce the winners. One of the districts deputy superintendents will be in attendance to present the award.

Participating in the contest are: 24 students from Alief Middle School, 30 students from ODonnell Middle School, 15 students from Jack Albright Middle School, and 40 students from Killough Middle School. The boxes, as well as hundreds of tickets to the Childrens Museum of Houston, were donated by Ameritex Movers, a local Houston moving company, to kick off the contest.

The contest was inspired by an art installation made by the Ameritex Movers team currently on display at the Childrens Museum. Ameritexs display is an 8-foot-tall model of the Houston skyline made out of cardboard boxes.

At Ameritex Movers, we love to be creative and to Think Outside the Box!, said Ameritex owner Beth Rohani. That's why the BoxBot Contest is the perfect pairing to our Cardboard City display at the Children's Museum. It allows us the opportunity to share this amazing experience with Alief and to spark the imagination and creativity of the kiddos in the community.

ABOUT AMERITEX

Ameritex Movers has helped Houston residents make moves throughout the Greater Houston area since 2001. Owned and operated by husband and wife Nima and Beth Rohani, Ameritex provides home, apartment, and office moves, and offers packing, loading, and moving services. For more information, visit their website at ameritexhouston.com.

ABOUT ALIEF ISD

Alief Independent School District serves students in the 36.6-square-mile area of southwest Houston and Harris County. The district contains 24 elementary schools, six intermediate schools, four high schools, six middle schools, two ninth-grade centers, a night high school, and an alternative learning center. For more information, visit their website at aliefisd.net.
Eagle Ridge of Decatur, a Gardant affordable assisted living community, is hosting a lunch and tour event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 20.

The community, which is located at 875 W. McKinley Ave. in Decatur, Illinois, serves older adults of all incomes, including those on Medicaid, who need some help to maintain their independence.

The menu will include grilled chicken with corn on the cob or a cheeseburger with pasta salad and deviled eggs. Blueberry turnovers will be served for dessert.

For more information, call 217-872-1282.

Eagle Ridge is certified to operate through the Illinois Supportive Living program and is managed by Gardant Management Solutions, the largest provider of assisted living in Illinois.

The community combines residential apartment-home living with the availability of personal assistance, help with medications, and a variety of convenience and support services.

"We provide older adults of all financial means with a wonderful alternative to a nursing home or to struggling alone at home," says Eagle Ridge Administrator Dennis Toohill.

Residents live in private apartments that they furnish and decorate to their taste. Each of the studio and one-bedroom floor plans include a kitchenette, spacious bathroom with shower and grab bars, individually-controlled heating and air conditioning, and an emergency alert system.

Certified nursing assistants, working under the direction of a licensed nurse, are on-duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Meals, housekeeping and laundry are among the included services.

"Residents also benefit from all of the opportunities that are available to socialize with friends and neighbors and to participate in activities and special programs," says Toohill.

Gardant Management -- the company that has operated Eagle Ridge since the community opened in 2003 -- is based in Bradley, Illinois.

"Our focus," says Rod Burkett, CEO of Gardant, "is to provide the residents of Eagle Ridge with the love, compassion and dignity they deserve and the help and assistance they need. Our emphasis is on helping each resident achieve and maintain as much independence as possible for as long as possible."

Communities managed by Gardant include the Bowman Estates affordable assisted living community in Danville, Illinois; the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living communities in Charleston, Flora and Watseka; the Prairie Winds affordable assisted living community in Urbana; and Eagle's View Retirement Community and Memory Care in Rantoul.

For more information about Gardant Management Solutions, the assisted living, senior living and memory care communities that the company operates, and the company's management, development and consulting services, visit http://www.gardant.com or call 1-877-882-1495 toll-free.
International Combustion & Controls Division, CaliforniaBoiler.com Our new Director Robert A. Youmans has been utilized as a combustion and controls expert by various companies worldwide throughout his career. Past News Releases RSS

California Boiler Inc. recently appointed Robert A. Youmans to the position of Director of Business Development for the company's new International Combustion and Controls division.

Robert will be responsible primarily for the development and execution of new business, products, and strategic partnerships in the boiler market as they relate to combustion and controls throughout the United States. Robert will also be working with existing customers to strengthen the companys associations with industrial plant owners and operators.

Robert joins California Boiler with over 40 years of experience operating, maintaining, and improving power plants, utility plants, and industrial steam plants from 30,000 lbs/hr steam plants up to 750mw power plants firing any fuel. He is a Subject Matter Expert in Steam Plant Operations and Maintenance, NFPA Burner Management Systems, Combustion Systems, and Control Systems. He has been utilized as a combustion and controls expert by various companies worldwide throughout his career.

"Roberts new position will allow us to respond to the needs of our customers quickly and will greatly aid California Boilers ability to provide exceptional customer service and support to our current and potential customer base. Roberts extensive experience and vast knowledge of the industry is a valuable asset to the California Boiler team and a key element relative to the growth of the company," explains Gary Anderson, California Boilers Chief Executive Officer.

For more information, visit California Boilers website at http://www.californiaboiler.com.

About California Boiler

Founded in 1980, California Boiler has provided boiler solutions throughout the State of California for over thirty years. With headquarters in Huntington Beach, California, the company offers boiler service, sales, parts, and rentals. California Boiler is a 100% employee-owned company.
We may celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks and family, but do we have liberty and justice for all in the education system? In an exclusive July 4 interview with CMRubinWorld, creator of the globally acclaimed Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Dr Howard Gardner, explains that the United States allowed his parents who were German Jews to immigrate to this great nation many decades ago. Today, however he thinks of the US as one member of a family of nations, part of the same tiny and vulnerable planet. He also believes that the US education system can learn much from Finland, Singapore, Canada and other countries.

America was built with a great vision in mind. From the beginning, the Founding Fathers believed in the importance of education and investment in youth. As the world changes, Gardner warns us that education faces challenges. Learning has become lifelong, beginning in the first year of life and extending to old age. It must go beyond curricula in the usual sense and focus sharply on character - the kinds of human beings we want to nurture.

With changes in technology that greatly impact jobs and life in general, people of all ages must commit to being lifelong learners. Adults should not fear connecting with younger persons to learn about new technologies. Likewise, younger persons should learn to code. However, Gardner stresses there are some key elements of education that remain a constant, such as: Mastering disciplines, learning to communicate effectively, engaging civilly in discussion and argument  these have and should remain at the forefront of all education.

Dr. Howard Gardner is Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is well known for his theory of multiple intelligences and has recently launched a blog called, Life-Long Learning: a Blog on Education.

CMRubinWorld launched in 2010 to explore what kind of education would prepare students to succeed in a rapidly changing globalized world. Its award winning series, The Global Search for Education, is a celebrated trailblazer in the renaissance of the 21st century, and occupies a special place in the pulse of key issues facing every nation and the collective future of all children. It connects todays top thought leaders with a diverse global audience of parents, students and educators. Its highly readable platform allows for discourse concerning our highest ideals and the sustainable solutions we must engineer to achieve them. C. M. Rubin has produced over 500 interviews and articles discussing an expansive array of topics under a singular vision: when it comes to the world of children, there is always more work to be done.

Read the full article here

For more information on CMRubinWorld

Contact Information

David Wine

david(at)cmrubinworld(dot)com
Ready for a dip: PENETRON crystalline technology keeps the aggressive groundwater pressure (aggravated by the nearby tides) out of the concrete used in the Residencial Quay swimming pool. Adding an integral waterproofing solution can substantially reduce the permeability of normally porous concrete to keep water and waterborne contaminants out of the concrete matrix. Past News Releases RSS Penetron Just What The Doctor...

Ole Miss Sports Fans Benefit from...

Ready for the Rain: PENETRON Helps...

The luxury waterfront apartments at the Residencial Quay in Florianopolis, in the south of Brazil, went on the market in June 2017. All below-ground concrete structures used PENETRON ADMIX to ensure permanent protection against chloride penetration from seawater.

As residential construction moves increasingly into marine environments, exposure to seawater can seriously compromise and deteriorate concrete structures due to aggressive chemicals (such as chloride) and corrosion of the underlying reinforcement steel.

Adding an integral waterproofing solution can substantially reduce the permeability of normally porous concrete to keep water and waterborne contaminants out of the concrete matrix, explains Claudio Neves Ourives, General Manager of PENETRON Brazil. The relatively high water table of the Residencial Quay construction site and the close proximity of the Atlantic Ocean made PENETRON crystalline products an important part of the design for these luxury apartments.

The PENETRON Brazil team worked closely with CFL, the project contractor, during the early stages of construction of the Residencial Quay in Florianopolis. With a location directly adjacent to the Jurere Internacional beach, the original plans called for asphalt and a bituminous membrane to protect the concrete, where the average depth of the basement and parking garage structures is 1.5 m (5 feet) below the water table.

The project engineers saw our proposal, a waterproof solution without the use of any membranes or topically-applied materials, and quickly realized this was the perfect solution, adds Mr. Ourives. PENETRON technology was used for the parking garage to ensure impermeability of all concrete slabs and below-ground concrete walls.

Because the construction site environment is quite aggressive due to groundwater pressure aggravated by the nearby tides, we opted for a solution utilizing chemical additives  in this case, PENETRON ADMIX," said Luiz Callegaro, Project Engineer at CFL. By mixing it directly into the concrete mix, PENETRON ADMIX was easy to apply and gave us the results we needed at a reasonable cost.

PENETRON ADMIX was added to concrete used in the underground garage, an area of 5,500 m2 (60,000 square feet). All concrete joints were permanently sealed with over 300 m (1,000 feet) of PENEBAR SW-55 waterstop. PENETRON ADMIX was also added to concrete in the Residencial Quay swimming pool (30 m x 11 m x 1.40 m deep) and the spa areas.

The preference for PENETRON ADMIX was a result of prior success with the Porto Alegre project near Rio Guaiba, adds Mr. Ourives. "The concrete there also had suffered from the high water table.

Mr. Callegaro also commented on the PENEBAR SW-55 swellable-type waterstop: "The performance is great. With a 27,000 m2 (290,600 square feet) footprint, including a 6,500 m (70,000 square feet) basement, retaining walls, eight elevator shafts and several rain sewer reservoirs and vent shafts, the project had a large number of construction joints. Our team followed the guidelines of the PENETRON experts  and today we have a completely waterproof basement.

The CFL team benefited from a huge time reduction in the initial construction schedule, as well as a positive effect on the overall project costs, concludes Mr. Neves Ourives.

The Residencial Quay complex features two dozen luxury apartments with amenities that include: a wine bar, a bistro restaurant, a swimming pool and lounge, and a fitness spa. The apartments have two to five bedroom layouts, ranging from 105-655 m2 (1,130-7,000 square feet) in size, with underground parking.

The PENETRON Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives and distribution channels.

For more information on PENETRON waterproofing solutions, please visit penetron(dot)com or Facebook(dot)com/ThePenetronGroup, email CRDept(at)penetron(dot)com, or contact the Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700.
Imagine Kids Can Now Use their Creative Writing Talent to Win Mom a Special Day Just Choose 1 Word...that Can Change the World...

Recruiting for Good, is celebrating women who kickass, by sponsoring a creative writing contest rewarding creativity and inner beauty. Most inspirational submissions wins a Beauty, Foodie, Shopping Day Experience in Santa Monica. First winner will be announced on August 1st, 2017.

According to Recruiting for Good founder, Carlos Cymerman, "Imagine....kids can use their creative talent for good...win mom a special day."

How to Participate in Creative Writing Contest

1) Choose one word that can change the world (other than love or gratitude), and tell us why.

2) Must live in Southern California, and attend one of our Santa Monica parties, to submit writing entry.

3) Kids under 18 can participate to win for mom, but must be accompanied by parents to fun party events.

Most inspirational writing submissions win L.A.'s Ultimate Escape Beauty Foodie Shopping Day Experience in Santa Monica (Montana Avenue or Santa Monica Place) to enjoy beauty services at the best salon, fine dining (and belgian chocolates), and exclusive shopping stores. To learn more about contest and rewards visit http://www.KickassforGood.com

Carlos Cymerman adds, "Boyfriends, husbands, and sons who love and honor kickass women can participate in creative writing contest to win the Ultimate Escape for a girlfriend, wife, daughter, mom, or grandma who lives in L.A.."

About

Recruiting for Good is a fun social staffing company that has been connecting talented technical professionals to great jobs since 1998, using recruiting placements to fund fun celebrations, creative writing contests, and 1 on 1 mentoring services. To find the best talent often, find your next kick*ss job and party for good, email Carlos(at)RecruitingforGood(dot)com
Tramadol is an opioid that is widely used to treat moderate to severe pain and has also been used in the treatment of sexual dysfunction, such as premature ejaculation.

The non-medical use of tramadol has been reported by many countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritius, Saudi Arabia and Togo, and many have put Tramadol under national control in recent years.

The drug was initially under the radar but continued press exposure of its abuse brought it to the attention of the World Health Organisation but this only looks to have driven up the demand and use of the drug.

In places like northern Nigeria and Cameroon, farmers are taking and also feeding it to their cattle while long-distance commercial drivers are known to favour the drug to give them an edge on their journeys.

The increasing addiction to this particular opioid has caught the attention of authorities in Ghana for example where the Upper West Regional Manager of the Pharmacy Council of the country , Mr Latif Agyei-Wiredu observed that most users of the drug unknowingly consider it as a sexual performance enhancing drug saying that the stimulating effect of the drug is like that of heroin and cocaine which makes people go high and feel like they are on cloud nine with precarious consequences.

According to the World Drug Report for 2017, countries in the Middle East reported seizures of 310 kg in 2012; a quantity that increased to over 22 tonnes in 2014. Similarly, in Benin, the Central African Republic, Cote dIvoire, Niger and the Sudan, over 300 kg of tramadol were seized in 2013 and over 2.6 tonnes in 2014. In 2015, Benin alone reported a seizure of 110 tonnes of the substance.

The details of the report make for scary reading especially the number of teenagers who are users of the drug.In a study of secondary school students in Egypt in 2013, the most commonly used substances were Tramadol, cannabis and alcohol.
But rather than offering money, it decided instead to offer "kaizen," the Japanese word for "continuous improvement." Put simply, it offered its time and expertise in a bid to speed up and improve the charity's performance of basic tasks.

The results of Toyota's efficiency drive were dramatic. The New York Times reported that the wait time for dinner at the charity's soup kitchens was cut from 90 minutes to 18; the time volunteers spent packing boxes of food in some warehouses was cut from 3 minutes to 11 seconds.

The move formed part of a growing trend towards private companies offering their time and consultancy skills to support their financial donations, and four years on US bank JP Morgan has adopted a similar approach in the UK.

For three weeks in June, it sent 16 of its top-performing employees from offices as far-flung as Taguig City, Taipei, and Sydney to spend three weeks consulting on non-profit projects in east London as part of the bank's "Service Corps," a project it initially launched in Detroit, Michigan.

The non-profits which were selected included Fair Finance, which gives low-interest loans to people in financial trouble, and anti-poverty organisation Toynbee Hall.

So what did the JPM team do? Ryan O'Grady, co-head of JPMorgan's Global Fixed Income Syndicate business, acted as a mentor on the Fair Finance scheme. He told Business Insider that the charities selected are already well-run and successful.

"We're certainly not coming in to fix anything or simply consult," he said. "It's more a case of trying to understand what they're trying to accomplish, and the best way for us to assist them."

In the case of Hackney-based Fair Finance, the majority of work focused on helping them improve their annual report and marketing materials to make it more catchy and "impactful", which is particularly important for the charity as it is trying to roll out the scheme across the country.

O'Grady said: "There's the process of selecting the information that you want to put forward and then there's the way in which you put it forward  how you marry the two together is quote a technical skill. In the case of Fair Finance, these people make loans. That involves product design, underwriting,a tech platform, people interacting with clients, managing a client relationship. All of those things you would conventionally see in a bank."

"But then there's also the presentation and execution of that business plan which has to take place in the context of what the company's stated as their social goals. So really it's about refining and presenting that information in the most effective way possible," he said.

In that sense, it doesn't feel unfamiliar from the routine consulting work that the bank performs. "Working with reports, working with investor presentations, looking at the various ways in which a business and its various objectives can be represented to prospective stakeholders  that's our bread and butter," O'Grady said.

Another task was helping charities with issues related to new revenue streams. The need for charities to do so is increasingly pressing. From a height of 6 billion in 2003, the annual value of public sector grants to the charity sector plummeted to 2.2 billion in 2013, and there is little sign of that changing as austerity continues to constrain the public purse.

Eva Rapp, usually works for JP Morgan as a commercial banker in Los Angeles, was based at Toynbee Hall, where the team where she and her colleagues to "align the charity to a more commercialised approach which is "appropriate for their sector."

In the case of Toynbee Hall, the charity had already created some "very interesting [revenue] models. There have sold some consultancy services to housing authorities and they've commissioned research based on that which is starting to generate a little bit of income."

After a week interviewing around 25 Toynbee Hall staff, Rapp and her team consulted with project managers and sector to try and make the charity's operations more focused and its squeezed resources more efficient.

"Its completely acceptable for charities to want to make a profit as long as they have the proper mechanisms for reabsorption into the business," Rapp said. "The issue for them is twofold. One is being able to make sure their that are completely in line with their core mission: That they do not sell out, dont stray into partnerships that are non-core to their mission.
Today the story is different. Cheap airfares are taking off across the African region, serving routes that cater to the continent's growing middle class.

It has not been easy for them.

A study by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast that if just 12 of Africas economies opened their skies to each another, fares would drop by up to 35% and an extra 5 million Africans could afford to fly.

An additional 155,000 new jobs would be created and $1.3 billion added to the GDP.

These are impressive numbers for an industry that currently supports around 7 million jobs and more than $80 billion in GDP across the continent.

These are top budget African airlines selected from different countries across the continent.

1. Kulula.com

Although there are a lot of budget airlines in South Africa, Kululu tops them all. Kululu is a South African no-frills airline, operating on major domestic routes from OR Tambo International Airport and Lanseria International Airport, both just outside Johannesburg. It started operations in 2001 as Africa's first low-cost carrier.

Cities served: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, East London, Windhoek, Harare, Mauritius, Victoria Falls, Livingstone, Nairobi.

2. Skywise

Skywise comes after Kululu in terms of budget airlines. It is a South African domestic low-cost airline headquartered in Johannesburg and based at OR Tambo International Airport. It solely operated flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town.

3. Fastjet

Fastjet is said to be the most cost friendly airline in Tanzania. Initially plying domestic routes in Tanzania, FastJet started small in 2011 but has since expanded to four other countries. With Ed Winter, a former EasyJet executive at the helm, it is looking to break into the lucrative South African domestic market.

4.Fly540

Five Forty Aviation Ltd, trading as Fly540, is a low-cost airline which commenced operations in 2006 and is based in Nairobi, Kenya, that operates domestic and international passenger and freight services. Kenya is a home to many airlines, however, Fly540 tops them all in terms of budget airlines.

5.Dana Air

This carrier was shut down over the 2012 crash that killed 153 people in Lagos. Dana Air resumed flying a year ago and says all safety concerns have been addressed.

Dana Air is one of Nigerias leading airlines with over 27 daily flights from Lagos to Abuja, Uyo, Port Harcourt and Owerri. It introduces special packages for consumers. Reports say Dana Air is Nigeria's cheapest airline.

6. Flydubai
Communications Minister Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful said that the price of the 4G spectrum is reasonable.

Her reaction followed calls by some telecom companies to reduce the cost of the spectrum.

The first license of the spectrum was sold to MTN Ghana at a cost of $67.5million.

Many industry insiders have said that this will prevent other interested stakeholders from purchasing shares.

However, the Minister argued that if the interested telcos cannot afford it, they can partner and purchase the one more bloc which is left.

READ ALSO: Bawumia urges Ghanaians in diaspora to invest in economy

I have indicated in the meetings I have had with the operators that consolidation is the way to go and we would actively promote any effort to consolidate their operations and build more synergies instead of going for loans and incurring the huge capital outlaw which the industry demands.
This is despite the collapsing of some fruit juice processing factories in Ghana.

According to the goldstreetbusiness.com, 99% of these major factories including Coastal Groove in the Central Region, Coco Bean also in the Central Region, Sunripe in the Eastern Region, Premium Kingdom in the Volta Region, Pinora, Blue Skies and Fruity Land are all said to be operating under 10 percent capacity.

The Ghanaian companies producing argue that the high cost of power and cost of capital are the main causes for the low production in the sector.

An example is Sunripe Fruit Juice Company with an investment of US$7 million investment and 80 workers now work for one week and shut down for three weeks.

READ ALSO: Ghanaians are not eating pork because of swine fever

The owner, Ruth Acheampong, who spoke to Goldstreet Business said the government must solve these challenges before setting up the new factories under the One District One Factory project.

We have all these factories, so we have the equipment, but they are operating under 10 percent capacity. These issues have to be resolved, otherwise, there is the risk that the One District, One factory will go the same way. We import US$15 million worth of fruit juice into the country every year. At the end of the day there are 10 fruit juice factories collapsing, what is the underlying problem. We keep saying that we import tomato paste; six tomato paste factories either have no equipment or have not been set up or have totally collapsed. And we are still importing tomato paste. We should find out what is wrong with the industries.

Meanwhile, one of the major West African countries Ghana compares itself to has banned 43 items including fruit juice from everywhere in the world including ECOWAS states.

Before the ban, Nigeria was producing only US$2 million litres worth of juice but the country is now producing US$550 million worth of the product.
The General Legal Council had declared that it would hold the exams for the prospective students even though the group had petitioned against it.

This years entrance exam is slated for July 14 but the group said that holding the exams will amount to an illegality by the Council after the Supreme Courts judgement on the matter.

The leader of the group, Godfred Tessu, said that he and his colleagues have decided to pursue the matter in court to the get the entrance exam cancelled.

The Supreme Court on June 22, 2017, ruled that it is unconstitutional for the General Legal Council to ask applicants to the Ghana Law School to undertake entrance examination and also be interviewed before granted admission.

According to the court, the current mode of admission violates Legislative Instrument 1296.

A United States-based Ghanaian lawyer, Professor Kwaku Asare, filed the suit in 2015, to challenge the mode of admission used by the Ghana School of Law.

Professor Asare argued that the compulsory entrance examination and interview before admission violates Articles ll (7) 297 (d) 23, 296 (a) (b) and 18 (2) of the 1992 Constitution.
Elvis Akuamoah, a senior staff of the hospital said that attempts by management to have their issues addressed have proved futile.

He added that the situation is putting the lives of patients and workers at risk.

All we see is rapid degradation of the land at the frontage of the hospital and development of permanent structures for residence and business purposes at the cost of security for both staff and patients of this institution, he earlier indicated in an address to the media.

He said that workers will halt operations on Wednesday, July 12 and hit the streets if the government does not meet their demands.
The Total Cheat hitmaker made the revelation during an exclusive interview on Pulse TV Monday, July 10, 2017.

According to the Gadam Boss (as his fan affectionately call him), he charges nothing less than GHC 30,000.00 per show.

Fancy told Pulse TV that his management charges between GHC 30,000 and 50,000 per show.

My management charges between 30k to 50k cedis per show. They take nothing less than 30k cedis, Fancy Gadam told Pulse TV.

READ MORE: 5 times Gifty Anti indirectly announced her pregnancy

When catechised about why he charges such amount, he argued that his presence at any event brings gain to event organisers so why not.

Why ask if the amount is just for shows? You should know that if any artiste can fill the stadium and charges huge, its a plus for event organisers. They have nothing to lose when they recruit me. I will rather bring them more profits, he added.

Fancy Gadam is currently out with a brand new single titled Total Cheat featuring Sarkodie. The video which was directed by David Nicol-sey is currently topping Ghana YouTube Trending vertical.
He explained that a merger by the telcos for the purchase will lead to better network opportunities in the country.

Currently, MTN Ghana is the only telecommunication network that has purchased the 4G license at $67.5 million.

READ ALSO: The sad story behind the collapse of fruit juice factories in Ghana

The other telcos have indicated that they have no interest in the bloc because of the cost.

Chaalabi however, encouraged telcos to acquire the 4G license.

I think this is the best way of doing it but it depends on the two. You know merger is like a marriage so you need to find your better match.

But I think what the ministry should do is to encourage the Telcos in order to present the opportunity. At the end of the day, this change in the market is been due because MTN has got the 4G so the balance now has changed. None of them needed it at the time but now the one who got the 4G is the dominant operator and they have paid for it so now the others feel the threat more, he stated.

Communications Minister Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful said earlier that government will not reduce the cost of the 4G spectrum.

She argued that the cost was reasonable since the profit is worth the investment.

4G is the short name for fourth-generation wireless, the stage of broadband mobile communications that supercedes the third generation (3G).
Asia Pacific firms spent more than $4.4 billion (3.42 billion) on residential and commercial property in London in the six months to July, almost half of the $8.8 billion (6.83 billion) total investment.

Investment from Europe came in second, despite the Brexit vote and aided by a weak sterling, with Germany spending the most of any European country on London property.

Compared to the same period last year, which saw deals totalling $7.45 billion (5.78 billion), investment is up 18.5%.

Earlier this year Hong Kong property firm CC Land Holdings bought London's Leadenhall Bulding, or 'Cheesegrater', for 1.15 billion ($1.48 billion), the second biggest London property deal ever.

The Qatari government is one of the biggest landlords in London according to property investment researchers Datscha, since it is a co-owner of Canary Wharf Group estate, which owns the most property in London by square footage. Transport for London is the third biggest London landlord by square footage, with the Queen seventh.
It's pretty incredible how often you hear managers complaining about their best employees leaving, and they really do have something to complain about  few things are as costly and disruptive as good people walking out the door.

Managers tend to blame their turnover problems on everything under the sun while ignoring the crux of the matter: People don't leave jobs; they leave managers.

The sad thing is that this can easily be avoided. All that's required is a new perspective and some extra effort on the manager's part.

First, we need to understand the nine worst things that managers do that send good people packing.

1. They overwork people.

Nothing burns good employees out quite like overworking them. It's so tempting to work your best people hard that managers frequently fall into this trap. Overworking good employees is perplexing; it makes them feel as if they're being punished for great performance. Overworking employees is also counterproductive.

New research from Stanford shows that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that you don't get anything out of working more.

If you must increase how much work your talented employees are doing, you'd better increase their status as well. Talented employees will take on a bigger workload, but they won't stay if their job suffocates them in the process. Raises, promotions, and title-changes are all acceptable ways to increase workload.

If you simply increase workload because people are talented, without changing a thing, they will seek another job that gives them what they deserve.

2. They dont recognize contributions and reward good work.

It's easy to underestimate the power of a pat on the back, especially with top performers who are intrinsically motivated. Everyone likes kudos, none more so than those who work hard and give their all.

Managers need to communicate with their people to find out what makes them feel good (for some, it's a raise; for others, it's public recognition) and then to reward them for a job well done. With top performers, this will happen often if you're doing it right.

3. They dont care about their employees.

More than half of people who leave their jobs do so because of their relationship with their boss. Smart companies make certain their managers know how to balance being professional with being human.

These are the bosses who celebrate an employee's success, empathize with those going through hard times, and challenge people, even when it hurts. Bosses who fail to really care will always have high turnover rates. It's impossible to work for someone eight-plus hours a day when they aren't personally involved and don't care about anything other than your production yield.

4. They dont honor their commitments.

Making promises to people places you on the fine line that lies between making them very happy and watching them walk out the door. When you uphold a commitment, you grow in the eyes of your employees because you prove yourself to be trustworthy and honorable (two very important qualities in a boss). But when you disregard your commitment, you come across as slimy, uncaring, and disrespectful.

After all, if the boss doesn't honor his or her commitments, why should everyone else?

5. They hire and promote the wrong people.

Good, hardworking employees want to work with like-minded professionals. When managers don't do the hard work of hiring good people, it's a major demotivator for those stuck working alongside them.

Promoting the wrong people is even worse. When you work your tail off only to get passed over for a promotion that's given to someone who glad-handed their way to the top, it's a massive insult. No wonder it makes good people leave.

6. They dont let people pursue their passions.

Talented employees are passionate. Providing opportunities for them to pursue their passions improves their productivity and job satisfaction. But many managers want people to work within a little box. These managers fear that productivity will decline if they let people expand their focus and pursue their passions.

This fear is unfounded. Studies show that people who are able to pursue their passions at work experience flow, a euphoric state of mind that is five times more productive than the norm.

7. They fail to develop peoples skills.

When managers are asked about their inattention to employees, they try to excuse themselves, using words such as trust, autonomy, and empowerment. This is complete nonsense. Good managers manage, no matter how talented the employee. They pay attention and are constantly listening and giving feedback.

Management may have a beginning, but it certainly has no end. When you have a talented employee, it's up to you to keep finding areas in which they can improve to expand their skill set. The most talented employees want feedback  more so than the less talented ones  and it's your job to keep it coming. If you don't, your best people will grow bored and complacent.

8. They fail to engage their creativity.

The most talented employees seek to improve everything they touch. If you take away their ability to change and improve things because you're only comfortable with the status quo, this makes them hate their jobs. Caging up this innate desire to create not only limits them, it also limits you.

9. They fail to challenge people intellectually.

Great bosses challenge their employees to accomplish things that seem inconceivable at first. Instead of setting mundane, incremental goals, they set lofty goals that push people out of their comfort zones.

Then, good managers do everything in their power to help them succeed. When talented and intelligent people find themselves doing things that are too easy or boring, they seek other jobs that will challenge their intellects.

Bringing it all together

If you want your best people to stay, you need to think carefully about how you treat them. While good employees are as tough as nails, their talent gives them an abundance of options. You need to make them want to work for you.

What other mistakes cause great employees to leave? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.
The accused  Bayo Iloba, 56, and Gbenga Atoyebi, 41  are facing a nine-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences, stealing and issuance of due cheques.

The duo, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate, Mrs A.S. Okubule, who gave the ruling, also granted each of the accused two responsible and gainfully employed sureties in like sum.

But the Prosecutor, Insp. Chinalu Uwadione insisted that the accused committed the offences on March 5, 2011 at Plot 225, MKO Abiola Way, Iganmu, Lagos.

He alleged that the duo obtained frozen fish worth of N17 million from Premium Sea foods with an agreement to remit the proceeds of sales to the companys account.

They failed to remit the money as promised, instead Atoyebi issued different WEMA Banks cheques to the company which were dishonored on presentation as a result of lack of funds, Uwadione told the court.

The offences contravened Sections 297, 314, 319 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Ramirez was granted bail in the sum of $250,000 by an Ikeja High Court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ramirez was earlier remanded at the Kirikiri Prisons, after his arraignment on June 22 over the alleged scam.

Justice Josephine Oyefeso while granting the bail said: the defendant is hereby granted $250,000 bail or its naira equivalent with two sureties in like sum.

The current exchange rate should be put into consideration.

One of the sureties should be resident in Lagos, be a director of a reputable company and have landed property in Lagos State.

The sureties must show evidence of source of livelihood and swear to an affidavit to show same.

A copy of the ruling should be sent to all immigration agencies both land and air.

The defendant must report to the Lagos or Abuja offices of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) once a week.

NAN recalls that the EFCC had slammed a 16-count charge, bordering on obtaining 565,000 dollars under false presences from three Nigerians to get them American green card.

Ramirez, the Managing Director of three companies  USA Now Plc., Eagleford Instalodge Group and USA Now Capital Group  committed the offences between February 2013 and August 2013, according to the EFCC.

The American was alleged to have fraudulently received 545,000 dollars from one Amb. Godson Echejue to invest in Ramirezs company.

The plan was to procure an American green card (permanent residence card) for the Nigerian.

Ramirez also allegedly received 10,000 dollars from one Abubakar Umar through a non-existent investment programme in the U.S. which would make Umar eligible to obtain an American passport.

The EFCC also accused Ramirez of illegally receiving 10,000 dollars from one Olukayode Sodimu on the pretext that the funds were facilitation fees with the American Immigration Services for an American Green Card.
According to the Nigeria University Commission (NUC), the ranking of universities, both federal and states, will be based on academic standard, infrastructural development, and the quality of professionals in the school.

Owing to this, the Commission has recently ranked University of Ibadan as the best university in Nigeria, and Lagos state university -- the best state university; both for undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

Below is the commissions list of the best states universities in Nigeria

1. Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State.

Established in 1983, the university caters for a population of over 35,000 students enrolled for full-time. It also offers courses at Diploma, Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels.

2. Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Enugu State.

Founded as Anambra State University of Science and Technology on July 30, 1980, the University was birthed with the aim to establish an institution that must be closely related to society, its industry and above all, to serve as a catalyst for the technological advancement of the people.

3. Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Rivers State.

Located in the Diobu area of Port Harcourt, Rivers state university has a staff strength of 3,000 and a student population of 22,400 as of 2017.

It was established in 1972 as the College of Science and Technology and was later granted an independent university status in 1980. It is the first technological university in Nigeria.

4. Benue State University, Markurdi

To augment the specialized academic offerings of the Federal University of Agriculture, the University was founded in 1992.

As at eleven years ago (2006) the student enrollment was over 19,000; Benue State University offers undergraduate and graduate programs with a catalog of over 50 graduate programs across seven colleges.

5. Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Kwara State

Established in 2009, the Kwara State University is the 77th university to be registered by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC).

Kwara State University was originally designed to be a center for community service and entrepreneurship.

6. Osun State University, Oshogbo

Osun State University is a multi-campus university that currently operates six campuses distributed across the six administrative/geopolitical zones of the state.

Until the 2013 ASUU strike which lasted for over five months, the university had a reputation of not being involved in the Nationwide ASUU strike.

In addition to that reputation, the Osun State University is known as one of the fastest universities in Nigeria, based on the quick academic calendar the school operates.

7. Nassarawa State University, Keffi, Nassarawa State

Located in Keffi, Nassarawa State, Nasarawa State University is a young university situated in the middle belt region of Nigeria.

The University has accomplished incomparable goals within its short time of birth, and this is as a result of its determination and diligence in administration.

8. Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti

Established as Obafemi Awolowo University, Ado-Ekiti on 30 March 1982, the Universitys mission is to produce graduates adequately equipped to handle contemporary socioeconomic and environmental challenges through cutting-edge research in science, technology, and humanities, driven by Information and Communication Technology.

Ekiti State University has the reputation of being the only university in Nigeria that has within a quarter of a century, changed its name four times.

9. Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

Founded in 1999 in Abakaliki, one of the major objectives of the University is to encourage the advancement of learning in Ebonyi State and to hold out to all persons, without distinction as to race, creed or sex, the opportunity of acquiring higher education.

It is also the vision of the university to be ranked among the best citadels of learning in the world.

10. Kogi State University, Ayingba

Established in 1999, the university is believed to be one of the best in Africa; with some of its departments being ranked by Nigerian professional bodies as the best in Nigeria.

Some few years ago, the Faculty of law was pronounced as the best in Nigeria, and has remained among the best in subsequent years.

Also its department of Geology has been rated as one of the best in Africa, alongside Obafemi Awolowo University, and the University of Ibadan.
Seven members of a family of eight, which include two mothers and children, were reportedly killed in an incident on Sunday, July 9, 2017, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

In addition, various household belongings were destroyed due to the non-stop rain that has ravaged different parts of the country including Lagos.

A District Police Officer in Suleja's Division "A" control, Mohammed Mohammed, was not able to give a specific number of casualties but he stated that his men were deployed to ensure the safety of people's properties.

He said, The flood affected many people who built their houses along the river bank; many houses have been destroyed with unconfirmed number of deaths recorded.

Police are providing security around the scene so that hoodlums will not cart away victims property especially those lying outside."

NAN reported that Musliu Mohammed, 17, one of the victims who survived the flood was taken to the Suleja General Hospital, where he was placed on admission.

In Lagos

Movement was put to a stand-still following massive flood in the Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Ajah areas of the Lagos Island.

This was as a result of the week long downpour which caused great volumes of water to enter houses of residents, damaging their belongings.

A poor drainage system and below par planning can be considered as culprits in the flood prone areas which is home to the wealthy inhabitants of the state.
The report also states that Africa witnessed a 6% annual growth of international tourists in Africa. The number of tourists more than doubled from 1995-2014 despite issues such as Ebola and Arab Spring. Most of these tourists were Africans travelling to other African countries.

While this is good news for the continent, it isn't for Nigeria as it failed to attract many international tourists. From 2011-2014, Egypt ranked highest with 9.9 million tourists. Morocco was second with 9.8 million tourists followed by South Africa with 9.2 million people. Tunisia was fourth with 6.8 million people. These four countries made up for more than 60% of visiting international tourists within this period.

West Africa just made up a pitiable 7% of visiting international tourists. With Nigeria making up over half of the subregion's population 370m, the poor tourism numbers are mainly the country's fault.

Tourism is yet to bring in major revenue to Nigeria and that's because the tourism potential hasn't been fully harnessed.

Fu'ad Lawal, a Senior Associate at Pulse, is presently on a 72-day trip to Nigeria. He intends to visit all 36 states within this period.

In his journey, he has met roadblocks and bottlenecks when he tried visiting some historical and cultural places.

"If there's anything I believe will kill Nigerian tourism, it's approvals. Permission to see This and see that" he wrote in frustration when he was told to write a letter to visit The Palace of the Awujale of Ijebu Land. The letter would take at least one week to be approved.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Okojie was murdered in cold blood around Ogunola Junction, off Siluko Road, in Benin.

DSP Moses Nkombe, the spokesman of the State Police Command, while confirming the report, said one person has been arrested in connection with the murder.

NAN reports that the deceased who alighted from an NTA staff bus at Ogunola Junction around 8: 00 p.m. on Saturday night, reportedly called his wife on phone to inform her that he was on his way home.

However, the wife of the deceased, after repeatedly calling his number, raised an alarm that her husband who was supposed to have arrived home, had been unreachable.

According to the reports, some colleagues of the deceased joined some of his family members to search for Mr Okojie, only to find his corpse in a morgue in Benin.

Details surrounding the death are yet to be uncovered but the police have, however, promised to investigate the case thoroughly and bring the culprits to book.
The deceased, Faith Bako, had tested positive to Lassa Fever following a fresh outbreak of the disease in the institution.

Four students had been tested but the results of three of them were positive - Bako was one of them.

As a precaution, the government has also started to trace the parents and students who had contact with their colleagues that tested positive for the disease.

The Permanent Secretary, Plateau State Ministry of Health, Gatau Habila, disclosed this in Jos at the weekend.

He said the state government has begun the decontamination of the entire facilities in the school.

He said, "All the teachers, including the security men and all the surrounding communities, have been checked and placed under surveillance. It is the same with the medical personnel in Jos University Teaching Hospital who had contact with them during treatment. We have sent officials there to check them and place them under surveillance in case anything comes up.

"For the other students that are already at home, what we have decided is this: there is a 21-day latent period for Lassa fever. I spoke with the Principal of the FGGC, Lantang, and a director in the Federal Ministry of Health.

"Based on advice, the students at home should not return to school and the ones in the school should not even leave because if they leave, they will mix with the society and they may infect people."
Abubakar said Sule packed his bags and insisted he should not be the only one left out when other politicians have been arrested.

Abubakar was a brigade commander of the army at the time.

The ex-head of state disclosed this when he paid a condolence visit to the Governor of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje, on Sunday, July 9.

Abubakar said, "I was at my office when Dan Masani (the deceased) came with his luggage. He looked at me and said why should you leave me alone when you have arrested all my associates? I want you to arrest me so that you can unite me with my fellow politicians in Lagos".

"So, you see the kind of struggle by people like late Dan Masani in order to unite Nigeria."

He said Sule was indeed a Nigerian hero.

"We have indeed lost an irreplaceable figure. I call on Nigerians to pray hard for the repose of his soul," he said.

According to him, former military president, Ibrahim Babangida also sent his condolence message through him because he could not travel to Kano due to his ill health

"You know the health condition of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, that is why he has sent his condolence message through me. He condoles with you, the governor, the family of the deceased and the entire people of Kano state," Abubakar said.
Sada was said to be travelling from Abuja to Kaduna when his car was intercepted by the kidnappers on the highway around Katari.

The hoodlums whisked him into a bush and contacted his family to demand a ransom, reports said.

The sum demanded by the kidnappers was not ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

The Kaduna State Police Command could not immediately confirm the incident.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okojie was said reported to have been killed around Ogunola Junction, off Siluko Road.

The spokesman of the State Police Command, DSP Moses Nkombe, who confirmed the report, said one person had been arrested in connection with the incident.

NAN gathered that the late Okojie, who was dropped off by NTA staff bus at Ogunola Junction around 8: 00 p.m. on Saturday, had called his wife on phone and informed her that he was on his way home.

It was, however, several hours later that the wife, after repeated calls to his phone without any response raised an alarm that her husband, who was supposed to have arrived home could not be reached.

It was gathered that some of his colleagues at NTA joined by some family members on a search mission, discovered his corpse in a morgue in Benin on Sunday night.

As at the time of filing in this report, the circumstances surrounding the death of the reporter are still sketchy.

The police have, however, promised to thoroughly investigate the matter.
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The affected policemen, namely Mufutau Olaosun, Adebayo Temitope, Bakare Taiwo and Adesoye Ayokunlehin, were attached to Ijebu-Ode area command in Ogun state.

They were said to have extorted N50,000 from a man they arrested on trumped up charge.

The officers were fired after they were found guilty in an orderly room trial at the area command headquarters, Ijebu-Ode, Abayomi Sogunle, assistant commissioner of police, said in a statement.

He said they were with discreditable conduct and corrupt practice under the first schedule of police act and regulations Cap. P19. laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The statement read, "The four men on June 7, without any grounds, arrested a man who was just leaving a bank and took him to the Igbeba station, where they labelled him a Yahoo boy and made him to frog jump and write a self-incriminating statement, that he was an internet fraudster.

"After the maltreatment, they released the man and also impounded the N50,000 he had gone to collect on behalf of his boss, saying it was payment for his bail.

"The man lodged a complaint with the police public complaints rapid response unit.

"The police authorities found the complaint genuine and were mortified that policemen could take money for bail, despite the #BailisFree campaign by the police themselves.

"Their action is contrary to the directives of the Inspector-General of Police and unacceptable."

ALSO READ: Police IG confirms arrest of kidnappers of Lagos school pupils
The duly elected president of the country, Muhammadu Buhari, has been away from the country since May 7, after departing to London for his second medical leave of the year.

Nobody knows what is wrong with the president. Nobody knows where the president really is. Or if he'll ever be fit enough to resume his duties.

A conspiracy of silence has been woven around the president's state of health that it's hard to ignore rumours that it is a dire one.

Recently, Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose, never one to shy away from unguarded remarks, declared that the president has been on a life support machine since June 6.

This spurious claim is just another in a long line of unsubstantiated narratives surrounding the president's actual state of health.

At some point, the rumour mill was spinning tales about how the president was already dead.

It's hard to knock out these claims because, with its deafening silence, the president's team has created a blank canvas for anyone to paint any story.

Ever since the president of the country has holed up in London, he's had a single direct interaction with the 'Nigerian' people: an audio recording that addressed the Eid-el Fitr celebration by the country's Muslim population.

This was a problem for a whole lot of reasons.

Only days prior to the emergence of that tape, Sahara Reporters had claimed that the president had suffered from a speech impairment.

If we pretend for a second that this is a nation that doesn't function abnormally, this is clearly a claim that, if true, could constitutionally render Buhari incompetent to ever resume his duties as president.

So when an audio recording of the president emerged only days later, it was clearly desperately exploiting the occasion to indirectly redirect the discourse, which it did, albeit, poorly.

The dubiousness of the tape aside, Buhari addressed the country on the theme of unity while he spoke exclusively in Hausa, a language that automatically alienates half of the country's population that isn't the president's kin.

This was another powder keg that set tongues wagging at the president's insensitivity to the Nigerian population, and it is surprising that the tape went through more than one person on the president's team without a single one saying, "Hey guys, maybe we should take a minute to talk about this."

The woeful execution of that tape is just another in the president's long history of throwing distractions into the wind since he was sworn in.

It was recently claimed that the presidential aircraft parked in London to serve the 'ailing' president was raking up an outrageous bill for the country's pocket and constituted wasteful spending on the president's part.

Just the next day, the president's spokesman, Garba Shehu, released a statement saying it only cost a fraction of the figure being bandied about and asked that rumour mongers stop being mischievous with the truth.

This writer understands how (some) presidential protocols work and agrees that no matter what it costs, the commander in chief of any country commands that sort privilege for very obvious reasons. That's not the problem here.

What's worrisome here is that Buhari's team decided to reply to this, at best, social media distraction above many other significant issues. This is the same as the audio being a response to claims of the president suffering from speech impairment.

The president's team can't seem to be able to allow accusations against the president's integrity or his health status lie.

However, they have questionably dodged the most important issue of all; what is up with the president's health.

Buhari's team has doused every fire that's come near him since May 7, it stands out that the only one they have neglected to answer is the one that informs the Nigerian people about what exactly is wrong with the president.

Will they be triggered enough to respond to allegations of the president's perceived wastefulness? Yes.

Will they craftily, and poorly, respond to allegations of the president losing his ability to speak properly? Yes.

But will they be bothered enough to provide a proper insight into what is the actual problem with the president? LOL.

It appears the reason behind this refusal is they believe since Buhari temporarily transferred power to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, his campaign promise of transparency is suddenly on pause.

When Buhari was elected President of the country, it wasn't because he was the best person this country could produce to drive it away from Goodluck Jonathan's chaotic administration; Buhari was elected because he was the most realistic candidate to exploit the country's ethnically-tainted climate and defeat the incumbent at the time.

This is why, when the opposition came around with claims about Buhari's poor health, nobody listened.

Not because we didn't believe it or already know it ourselves, but because we were hopeful and ready to gamble on him anyway because the electorate needed to send a clear message at the time.

That our gamble hasn't paid off is not necessarily something to regret, but it's hurtful that Buhari's team is deliberately sidestepping history here and making the same mistakes over and again.

This ill absent president situation undoubtedly draws parallel to late President Umaru Musa Yar'adua's very similar situation that ended in tragedy only seven years ago.

And what makes this particular one even more duplicitous and hypocritical is that President Buhari was one of the most vocal critics at the time, demanding that Yaradua make his health issues public or vacate the presidency. Life comes at you fast.

The president is 74, no one realistically expected him to be the paragon of complete health; but honesty on his condition would be a nice gesture, if not a presidential protocol.

Even though the handling of this situation, especially with the transfer of power, has been better than Yar'adua's situation was, it is still not a good spot for the country to be trapped in.

The president has been out of work for 115 days out of the 191 days in 2017. That's an attendance record no school student will show their parents at home without expecting to be spanked.

The truth is, despite the impressive work that Osinbajo has done in his stint as Acting President, the looming shadow of Buhari is a dark cloud hanging over the progress of the country.

And while the Senate busies itself with idle talks and petty squabbling with the presidency over what power it wields, the average Nigerian wants to log out of this unbearably docile matrix.

The next time, if ever, the president is thinking about recording a voice note, he might want to update us on what the state of his health is.
Elumelu made the call while presenting a keynote address at the 2017 Annual Insurance Conference on Monday in Abuja.

He urged the government to re-orientate the minds of the executives that implement policies of government to see themselves as business enablers and realise the urgency of the moment.

They must be willing and committed apostles who share the vision of their masters otherwise there will be motion without movement, he said.

Elumelu reiterated the need for Nigeria to promote, attract and retain investments to achieve employment, economic empowerment and economic opportunity for the people.

For Nigeria to successfully position itself to promote domestic business and attract investment, the public sector must improve its process for doing business.

We need more of our domestic investors to show the foreign investors that our country is good for business.

The first thing we must do is to create an enabling environment for local investors so that it will serve as a signal to other investors.

The private sector can only thrive with the support and enabling environment created by government and its agencies.

We need the public sector to be willing partners in establishing the right investment and worthy business environment that is so needed in Nigeria; this is the only way Nigeria can show it is ready for business.

Elumelu said that there was need to strengthen the countrys institutions, adding that the three arms of government needed to work together with a shared purpose to ensure Nigerias readiness for business.

Elumelu said that an efficient and effective infrastructure would aid more investments into the country and urged the government to ensure the right policies be put in place to attract infrastructure investment.

He recognised efforts by the President Mohammadu Buharis administration to ensure security in the country, stating that security was key for investment.

He stressed the need for more Nigerians to be encouraged to participate in insurance and called for the privatisation of the countrys Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs).

Elumelu noted that SMEs created the most jobs in every economy and for Nigeria to meet the demand for employment, it was important for SMEs to be well funded.

According to him, no nation can develop without massive capital injection.

Capital mobilisation is key but we need to create the right environment to attract the capital.
The All Progressives Congress gubernatorial candidates, Umaru Dahiru and Abubakar Sanyinna approached the Court of Appeal after the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed their suit against Tambuwal.

The appellants, through their counsel, Mr. Tunde Falola, filed their notice of appeal against the High Court's judgment on July 6, which was delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on June 23, 2017.

They asked the appeal court to "set aside the decision of the learned trial judge and grant the appellants prayers in the originating summons."

In the originating summons filed before the Federal High Court, they asked the court to remove Tambuwal from office on the grounds that the APC primary from which he (Tambuwal) emerged as the party's candidate, was marred by irregularities.

They alleged that delegates who voted during the primary election were not accredited.

Justice Kolawole, however, ruled that plaintiffs failed to prove the alleged irregularities.

But their notice of appeal, they accused Justice Kolawole of failing to properly evaluate the evidence put before the court "as to the accreditation."

The appellants, therefore, described the judgment as a "miscarriage of justice."

"The appellants, by affidavit and documentary evidence presented before the court particularly paragraphs 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16, and 17 of the further affidavit of Senator Umaru Dahiru sworn to on April 13, 2017 and Exhibits O and P attached thereto, have substantially demonstrated that no delegate was accredited before the conduct of the said primaries," the plaintiffs argued in one of their grounds for appeal.

They also berated Justice Kolawole for his reliance on the report by the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission on the said primary.

They said, "The learned trial judge erred in law when he heavily relied on Exhibit M which is the purported report by the third respondent (INEC) in coming to a conclusion that there was accreditation of the second respondent (Tambuwal) during the conduct of the purported governorship primaries of the first respondent (APC) held in Sokoto State on December 14, 2014."

"There is nowhere the number of accredited delegates was specifically mentioned to have justified the learned trial judge's findings.

"The mere mention of the party submitted a typed agenda for the primary that started with accreditation of delegates without more is not enough for inference of accreditation by the learned trial judge."

They further discredited the judgment for holding that the INEC's report "is sufficient to uphold the said APCs governorship primaries."

ALSO READ: Governor Tambuwal to pay N4m medical bill of cancer patient

The complainants insist that there is nothing in the said report "suggestive of any accreditation of delegates at the said primaries held on December 14, 2014 in Sokoto State."
"Still unidentified criminals threw a grenade last night around 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) into a group of a dozen people having a drink on Shinya hill in Gatara district," said the local administrator, Devote Ndayizeye.

"Six people died on the spot and 66 others were injured, of whom 10 are in a serious condition," she added, stating that most victims had been taken to hospitals in the region.

"Two other people among the badly wounded died of their injuries once they were already in hospital," Ndayizeye said. She noted that all casualty figures were provisional.

Police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye confirmed on his Twitter feed that eight people had died, adding that the blast left 50 wounded.

"An inquiry is in hand to identify the culprits, but no leads, whether political or a land dispute -- as is often the case -- or anything else, has been given priority up until now," a police source told AFP.

Grenade attacks of this nature, targeting bars and other places where people gather, have been a sporadic feature of life in the small, densely populated country for many years.

There has been an upsurge in violence since President Pierre Nkurunziza put himself up for a deeply disputed third term in office in April 2015 and was re-elected the following July, two months after putting down a military coup bid.

Nkurunziza, the former leader of a rebel group, was first elected in 2005, two years after the end of a decade-long civil war in which an estimated 300,000 people perished.

The government and opposition each blame the other for attacks that have increased in frequency since April 2015, while nobody claims responsibility.

The attacks have claimed between 500 and 2,000 lives according to the varying estimates of UN agencies and humanitarian organisations.
Abadi "arrives in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulates the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory," his office said in a statement.

A photo on Abadi's official Twitter account showed him dressed in a black military uniform and cap as he arrived in Mosul to announce the recapture of the city.

The fighting did not seem to be completely over yet, with gunfire still audible in Mosul and air strikes hitting the city around the time the premier's office released the statement.

Iraqi forces launched the Mosul operation in October, first fighting their way to the city, retaking its east and then assaulting its western side, where some of the heaviest fighting occurred.

The battle has taken a heavy toll on civilians, pushing more than 900,000 people to flee their homes, only a fraction of home have returned, according to the United Nations.

And security forces have also suffered heavy losses, with thousands killed and wounded, though official casualty figures have not been released by Iraqi authorities.

IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes have since regained much of the territory they lost.
Zeybekci's attendance would have represented a "danger for public order", he said.

The foreign ministry did not say when the rally was due to take place.

The move came three days after the Dutch government warned Turkey against sending its deputy premier, Tugrul Turkes, to address a rally in the eastern Netherlands this week to mark the abortive coup.

Ties between Ankara and the European Union have been strained over the crackdown that followed the July 15 2016 attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Earlier this year, several countries including Austria and Germany banned pro-Ankara rallies ahead of a controversial referendum in April on granting Erdogan sweeping powers.

Turkish ministers had been heading to Europe to whip up support for a "yes" vote among millions of Turkey's voters who live abroad.
Unemployed former soldier Oeuth Ang admitted carrying out the killing and was sentenced to life in March after a brief trial.

His declared motive, that the murder was revenge for an unpaid $3,000 debt, caused broad disbelief and was not cross examined in court because he effectively admitted his guilt.

"I don't know whether they made up that debt story but I don't believe it at all," Kem Ley's 77-year-old mother Phok Se, told AFP as well-wishers began gathering at the family home in Takeo province.

"There has been no justice for us so far," she added, echoing the sentiments of many at the ceremony which saw Buddhist monks chant prayers as devotees made offerings around the grave.

In Phnom Penh police stopped mourners from placing flowers at the petrol station cafe where Kem Ley was gunned down.

In a joint statement to mark the anniversary more than 100 local and foreign organisations called on the government to reopen the case after a "flawed trial".

"There has been no transparency in the murder investigation and there are still many unanswered questions in this case," the statement read, adding there was "compelling evidence" Oeuth Ang had accomplices.

Many friends and supporters find it hard to believe Oeuth Ang, who rarely held down a job, could afford to lend $3,000 -- more than twice the average annual salary in Cambodia.

"One year has passed and yet we are nowhere near uncovering the full picture of what happened to Kem Ley," Chak Sophea, from the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, told AFP.

Cambodia has been ruled by strongman premier Hun Sen for 32-years and has a dark history of usually unsolved activist killings.

In the 1990s and early 2000s such assassinations were common, but they had become rarer in recent years.

Spooked that the bad days may have returned, tens of thousands turned out for Kem Ley's funeral in scenes that rattled the government.

Kem Ley criticised Cambodian politicians of all stripes, but he was particularly scathing about the endemic corruption that blights the country.

Shortly before his murder he gave a radio interview about an investigative report that detailed some of the millions of dollars amassed by Hun Sen's family.

The government has strongly denied any responsibility in his killing.

Hun Sen faces crunch national polls next year and has dramatically ramped up his rhetoric in recent months.

Last month he called on critics to "prepare coffins" and warned he would eliminate "100 or 200 people" if stability was threatened.

Hun Sen portrays himself as a leader who has brought growth and security to the war ravaged nation.
A hardcore of militants among mass demonstrations against the Group of 20 meeting had burnt cars, looted shops, erected street barricades and hurled rocks and bottles at riot police during pitched street battles.

In the worst unrest, Friday night in Hamburg's Sternschanze district next to the G20 venue, police commandoes with automatic weapons detained radicals who hurled rocks from rooftops and fired metal balls with powerful slingshots.

"These weren't demonstrators. These were criminal anarchists," fumed de Maiziere, pointing to the "completely uninhibited violence" that he said in many cases amounted to attempted homicide.

He charged that these militants could "not claim any political motives" but were "despicable violent extremists, just like neo-Nazis and Islamist terrorists".

The clashes erupted as leaders from the world's 20 biggest developed and emerging economies held a two-day meeting focusing on trade, terrorism, climate change and other key global issues.

Authorities said nearly 500 police officers were injured in a deployment of more than 20,000, and 186 people were detained.

No accurate number for protesters injured was available.

The explosion of violence has sparked pointed questions over how Hamburg could descend into "mob rule" and why Chancellor Angela Merkel chose a city known as a hotbed of anti-capitalist radicals as the venue.

De Maiziere rejected such talk and said Germany would continue to hold large events in major cities because "anything else would amount to a capitulation of the state".
The complaint signed by five lawmakers from the Left and Green parties is the first of its kind in Sweden against a head of state.

The suit relates to the conflict in Turkey's Kurdish majority southeast, which has been battered by renewed fighting between Kurdish rebels and Turkish security forces since a fragile truce collapsed in 2015.

"We are five lawmakers handing in a complaint... (requesting) punishment for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes,"Annika Lillemets, a MP for the Left party, told a news conference in Stockholm.

The complaint, filed to the Swedish International Public Prosecution Offices, names Erdogan and several ministers including Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.

A Swedish law adopted in 2014 allows the country's courts to judge cases of alleged crimes against humanity regardless of where they have been committed or by whom.

The law stipulates that "anyone, who in order to completely or partially destroy a national or ethnic group of people" kills, causes serious pain or injury is "guilty of genocide".

The Public Prosecution Offices said it would now decide whether to initiate a preliminary investigation, adding that "it may take a while".

If prosecutors decide to launch an investigation, Erdogan could risk an arrest warrant in Sweden, the lawmakers said.

Carl Schlyter, an MP for the Greens, said he hoped other lawmakers in European countries would follow their move.

"If (Erdogan) is hindered from roaming around in Europe and influencing European countries the way he wants, then I hope that this will affect his politics," he said.

The UN Human Rights Office in March released a report on allegations of "massive destruction, killings and numerous other serious human rights violations committed" between July 2015 and December 2016 in Turkey's southeast.

Hundreds of members of the Turkish security forces have been killed since the collapse of the ceasefire, and the army has claimed killing thousands of militants.
And on Sunday, a ceasefire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan began in southern Syria, the latest agreement reached outside the Geneva framework.

In principle, the new round of negotiations will focus on four so-called "baskets": a new constitution, governance, elections and combating "terrorism".

The last talks had ended in May with little progress towards ending a war that has killed more than 320,000 people since it began in March 2011.

UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said afterwards that "important gaps remain... on major issues," and that time constraints had stymied progress.

Syria's opposition insists that President Bashar al-Assad must step down as part of any political solution to the war, but the government says Assad's fate is not up for discussion.

Still both sides are expected to participate once again, with Yehya al-Aridi, a spokesman for the opposition High Negotiations Committee, telling AFP he had "modest expectations".

UN welcomes ceasefire deal

The Geneva talks began in 2014, and have continued intermittently despite a dearth of results.

Since January, they have been increasingly overshadowed by a separate process held in Astana and organised by Russia, Iran and Turkey.

The three countries agreed in May to set up four "de-escalation zones" in Syria, though they have so far failed to agree details necessary to implement the plan.

Meanwhile, US, Russian and Jordanian officials have agreed a ceasefire in southern Syria that began on Sunday and covers three provinces included in one of the "de-escalation" zones.

De Mistura's deputy Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi has said the ceasefire deal "helps create a suitable atmosphere for the talks".

"We hope that an agreement will be reached for the other areas that have been discussed as soon as possible and this will lead to significant support for the political process," he added.

Geneva vs. Astana

Syria's opposition fears the Astana talks are a way for regime allies to control the negotiation process.

By attending the Geneva talks, Aridi said, the opposition hoped to preserve the track.

"The goal is to maintain some momentum for a political solution in light of Russia's attempts to divert attention to Astana, which it wants to design and shape as it wishes," he told AFP.

Syria analyst Sam Heller, writing for the Century Foundation think-tank, said the opposition and its backers viewed Geneva as "a chance for smaller tactical wins and a vessel for a possible future deal".

"It's also about keeping an internationally recognised political process shaped by key opposition backers, rather than ceding the negotiating space to the rival Astana negotiations track, over which Russia has presided."

Washington, once a key opposition backer and peace process partner, stepped back from involvement in the diplomatic process after President Donald Trump took office in January.

But its involvement in the south Syria ceasefire raises the prospect it may be re-engaging in a limited fashion.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said American and Russian officials had discussed "other areas in Syria that we can continue to work together on".

And in Washington, a senior State Department official said both countries had a role to play in ending Syria's conflict.
But it is not a joyous homecoming for the truckloads of men and women, who fled Thailand in fear of a new law that hardens penalties on the millions of undocumented migrant workers underpinning its economy.

Thailand's sudden rollout of the labour decree, which hikes up fines on unregistered workers and their employers, sent a lightning bolt of panic through migrant communities.

"If we were arrested, we would have to pay money to police. If this happened, all of our money would disappear,"Thu Ya, who worked in a Thai plastics factory, told AFP while preparing to cross back into Myanmar's eastern border town of Myawaddy.

The mass exodus of migrants -- estimated to be more than 60,000 -- is only the latest chaos to highlight the precarious lives of migrant workers who take up difficult and dangerous jobs in Thailand's factories and fishing boats.

Much of the work force lacks proper documentation and lives in constant fear of exploitation from police, bosses, and traffickers.

And yet many Myanmar migrants scrambling across the border said these hardships still beat the prospect of dire poverty in their homeland, where jobs and good wages are difficult to come by.

"I will consider coming back in a legal way, with the full documents," said Thu Ya, 32, who has spent much of his life in Thailand.

'We have a problem'

Myanmar's new civilian government, which came to power last year, was expected to usher in a windfall of foreign investment into a resource-rich country that was closed off to the world during the former junta's 50-year reign.

In a jubilant visit to Thailand in June 2016, de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi vowed to drive the economic growth that would bring her countrymen home.

But a year on the gains have fallen short of expectations and Myanmar is still years away from offering wages that rival those in Thailand.

A steep decline in foreign investment -- down 28 percent in the last quarter of 2016 -- sounded alarm bells over an economy whose initial opening in 2011 was met with a rush of investor excitement.

The country's GDP growth also fell below seven percent for the first time in five years in 2016, clocking in at 6.5 percent.

Having fleetingly become the fastest-growing economy in the region, Myanmar now lags behind the Philippines, Laos and Cambodia.

Economists blame the slump on a lack of clarity from the new government on its economic policies, as well as the ponderous progress in passing a new investment law.

"We have a problem because the ministers have no economic culture, and then the reforms are done too slowly," said Myanmar economist Khin Maung Nyo.

The young civilian government, stacked with political novices, faces the monumental challenge of trying to unpick the junta's devastating economic legacy.

"We need to create thousands of jobs but I doubt we will be able to do it quickly,"Khin Maung Nyo added.

'They'll be back'

In the meantime, Thailand looks set to continue to be a magnet for its neighbour's workers.

Huge sections of Thailand's economy, especially construction and food production, rely on migrants to do jobs that comparatively wealthier Thais have long since eschewed.

And while the country has one of the slowest growth rates in Asia, the minimum wage of 305 baht ($9) a day is more than three times the equivalent in Myanmar.

Since coming to power in 2014 Thailand's junta has unveiled a series of campaigns to clean-up abuses in its migrant labour sector, which also attracts significant numbers of workers from Cambodia and Laos.

But rights groups say the drives are often short lived and ad-hoc, creating more confusion. This time was no different.

Caught off-guard by the mass exodus, Thailand's junta ruled last week to suspend its new law for six months.

Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha called for calm and reassured business owners: "Don't panic, they will come back soon."

He is likely to be right.

Silar, a Myanmar nurse working in Bangkok, went home full of hope in 2015, eager to reunite with her husband and daughter.

But she struggled to find work and is now back in the Thai capital -- gripped with fear after misplacing her work permit.

"In Myanmar, there is still not enough work, especially in the countryside, and wages remain very low," she told AFP, using a pseudonym for anonymity.
Berberoglu was arrested last month for leaking classified information to an opposition newspaper and Kilicdaroglu immediately began a foot march from Ankara to Istanbul to protest his plight.

The march culminated in a rally on Sunday that attracted hundreds of thousands of people, the biggest event that critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have staged in years.

"Berberoglu found the march 'impressive' and thanked the party leader," the CHP spokesman said. "He is writing a book," he added, without elaborating on its content.

Kilicdaroglu walked 450-kilometres (280 miles) in 25-days, with the march becoming a rallying point for all those protesting against alleged injustices under Erdogan.

About 50,000 people have been arrested under Turkey's state of emergency, imposed after last July's failed coup, and another 100,000 have lost their jobs, including teachers, judges, soldiers and police officers.

"People who have committed no sin, who have absolutely no link to terror, people who are wrongly accused are being put in jail, hurting the conscience of society," Kilicdaroglu was quoted as saying by Turkish media after the meeting with Berberoglu.

"Enis is one of these people," he added.
The fire there had scorched 23,876 acres (100 square kilometers) and was just 15 percent contained, officials said.

In neighboring Santa Barbara County about 1,000 firefighters were racing to contain that fire with help from water-dropping helicopters.

"Low humidity, high heat and the winds are right -- and there's just a lot of stuff to burn," Santa Barbara County spokeswoman Gina DePinto told journalists.

Meanwhile, a fire in Butte county in the north-central part of the state destroyed 5,600 acres and 17 structures, Cal Fire said. Evacuations were in effect and four injuries have been reported.

The Whittier fire in Santa Barbara County which started on Saturday afternoon had affected 7,800 acres and was just five percent controlled.

Area resident Sarah Gustafson told the Los Angeles Times newspaper that she was getting her tires changed when she saw a pillar of smoke rising and realized her six cats were trapped at home.

She rushed back and managed to save the animals, and described a sky painted orange and black and "flames up on the ridge."

"It was terrifying," she told the paper. "When I got home it was smokey with ash."

She then scrambled back to a Red Cross shelter parking lot where she and her cats spent the night.

Most of southern California including metropolitan Los Angeles has been in the grips of a blistering heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees (37 degrees Celsius).

California Governor Jerry Brown in April declared the official end of the state's drought that lasted more than five years.
ISIL created

- April 9, 2013: Al-Qaeda in Iraq chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi says Al-Nusra Front, a jihadist group battling the Syrian regime, belongs to his Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and is fighting for an Islamic state in Syria.

A day later, Al-Nusra pledges allegiance to Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, distancing itself from Baghdadi. In early 2014 Al-Qaeda disavows ISIL completely.

Syria's Raqa falls

- January 14, 2014: ISIL conquers Raqa city in northern Syria after fierce fighting with rival rebels. Raqa, the first provincial capital to fall entirely from regime hands, becomes the jihadists' Syrian stronghold.

Iraq's Mosul captured

- June 10, 2014: ISIL launches a lightning offensive in northwestern Iraq, seizing second city Mosul and sweeping across Sunni Arab areas bordering the autonomous Kurdistan region. Tens of thousands of Christians and Yazidis flee.

'Caliphate' proclaimed

- June 29, 2014: ISIL declares a "caliphate" in territories it has seized in Iraq and Syria.

It rebrands itself the Islamic State (IS) and declares its chief Baghdadi "caliph" and "leader for Muslims everywhere".

US-led coalition

- August 8, 2014: US warplanes strike IS positions in northern Iraq in response to an appeal from the Iraqi government. In September an international coalition is formed to defeat the group.

- September 23: The US and Arab allies launch air strikes on IS in Syria.

IS losses in Iraq

- March 31, 2015: Iraq announces the "liberation" of Tikrit, 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Baghdad. IS had controlled Tikrit for nearly 10 months.

- February 9, 2016: Sunni-majority Ramadi, capital of Anbar province, is recaptured from the jihadists, who had overrun it the previous May.

- June 26: Iraqi forces recapture Fallujah after two and a half years beyond government control.

IS defeats in Syria

- January 26, 2015: IS is driven out of the Syrian border town of Kobane after more than four months of fighting led by Kurdish forces backed by coalition air strikes.

- August 6, 2016: The Syrian Democratic Forces coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters backed by US air strikes recaptures the northern Syrian town of Manbij.

- August 24: Turkish troops and Syrian rebels retake the border town of Jarabulus, during Operation Euphrates Shield, which also targets Kurdish militia.

- February 24, 2017: The Turkish army announces that it has taken full control of the northern town of Al-Bab, the IS last bastion in Aleppo province.

- March 2: Syrian troops backed by Russian jets complete the recapture of the historic city of Palmyra from the IS. The city had previously changed hands several times.

The battle for Mosul

- October 17, 2016: Some 30,000 Iraqi forces backed by US-led air support launch a vast operation to retake Mosul.

Three months later they retake the east side of the city and turn their attention to the west.

June 29:, 2017 Iraq announces it has recaptured the iconic Nuri mosque in Mosul's Old City. The Iraqi premier calls it a sign of IS's impending defeat.

June 30: A senior Iraqi commander says Iraq will declare the liberation of Mosul in the "next few days."

July 9: Abadi declares victory in the "liberated" city of Mosul after days of fierce fighting during which Iraqi forces battled to retake the last two IS-held areas near the Tigris River.

The battle for Raqa

- November 5, 2016: The SDF launches an operation to capture Raqa.

- June 6, 2017: The SDF enters Raqa, seizing a quarter of the city and cutting off the last IS escape route by the end of the month.

- July 2: SDF fighters pierce Raqa from the south for the first time.
Battles have raged for months, leaving thousands dead and wounded, while nearly a million people have fled.

"I congratulate Prime Minister (Haider) Abadi, and the Iraqi forces who have been fighting on the ground with great bravery and care against a brutal opponent," Fallon said in a statement.

"Daesh has total disregard for innocent civilian life and we should welcome their defeat in a city that was ground zero for their so-called caliphate," he added, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

As part of Britain's involvement in the US-led coalition against the jihadist group, Fallon said British forces had struck 750 targets in the battle for Mosul.

But "there is still more to do" around the city and in the broader region, Fallon said.

"This barbaric group remains dug in west of the Euphrates and clearing operations in and around Mosul will be needed because of the threat from improvised explosive devices," he added.

As the Iraqi prime minister visited troops in Mosul on Sunday, gunfire and explosions were still audible.

IS holds territory elsewhere in Iraq and in Syria, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are battling to oust the jihadist group from its stronghold Raqa.
The First Hospital of ChinaMedical University in the northeastern city of Shenyang said Liu's tumour has grown, his liver is bleeding and he has kidney problems.

The hospital said in a statement on its website that it is preparing to take the 61-year-old democracy advocate into emergency care if necessary, adding that "Liu's family members have been informed of the above circumstances".

But human rights activists decried the hospital statement as a delay tactic to prevent Liu from getting his wish of going abroad, where they say he would be free to speak out.

China has faced international pressure to grant its most prominent dissident complete freedom and let him leave the country since he was transferred from prison to the hospital after being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer in late May.

Two foreign cancer specialists examined Liu on Saturday and said he could still safely leave the country, contradicting their Chinese counterparts.

But US oncology expert Joseph Herman from the University of Texas' MD Anderson Cancer Center and German doctor Markus Buchler of Heidelberg University warned in a statement that "the medical evacuation would have to take place as quickly as possible".

Rights groups question motive

Human rights activists said the hospital's latest statement shows the government is dragging its feet.

"As Liu Xiaobo is in late-stage cancer, his conditions can go worse any time," Amnesty International's China researcher Patrick Poon told AFP.

Poon said the government wants to avoid any embarrassments ahead of a key Communist Party congress later this year. The meeting is expected to boost President Xi Jinping's grip on power.

"Allowing Liu Xiaobo and his family to go abroad would risk giving Liu Xiaobo the opportunity to talk to media and other supporters about his views on China's human rights situation," Poon said.

Hu Jia, a Beijing-based activist and friend of Liu's, said the statement may be in response to the foreign doctors' conclusions.

"This is a way of slowing down the process. It doesn't show the patient's situation has deteriorated to the point of falling off a cliff."

Hu voiced concerns that if there is further delay, "Xiaobo may fall into a vegetative coma state, until he eventually cannot get free".

About 30 protesters staged a sit-in outside China's liaison office in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong on Monday, holding large pictures of the Liu and chanting "free Liu Xiaobo!". They said they would remain until the pair were allowed abroad.

Asked whether Liu would be allowed to leave the country, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters: "This is not a diplomatic question. It's China's internal affairs. We oppose any country interfering with China's internal affairs using these so-called individual cases."

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told a regular press briefing Monday that he did not know if the hospitals latest statement meant Liu was unable to travel, but that Berlin hopes Beijing will make a "humanitarian gesture (for Liu) and his family."

Liu was arrested in 2008 after co-writing Charter 08, a bold petition that called for the protection of basic human rights and reform of China's one-party Communist system.

He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2009 for "subversion". At the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo in 2010, he was represented by an empty chair.

Another dissident close to the family, Ye Du, said Liu Xiaobo wants to go abroad for the sake of his wife, Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest since 2010.

"It's his personal wish to go abroad, because Xiaobo is very clear about his current situation -- which is that if he doesn't get out now, then he has no way to obtain freedom for his beloved wife Liu Xia," he said, noting that since yesterday friends have been unable to contact any of the pair's family members.

Ye cast doubt on the objectivity of the hospital's statements and treatment decisions, stating they were "severely impacted" by the ruling Communist party's agenda.

"Authorities don't want Liu Xiaobo to go abroad because even if his life there would be short, as a Nobel prize winner he might speak out politically," he said.
Imperioli and around two dozen other celebrities -- including actor Malcolm McDowell and British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes -- will drive 480 kilometres (300 miles) from the India-Nepal border in November to the capital where the trucks will be donated to Kathmandu's fire brigade.

"I got involved in the project first of all because I just think it's a great idea. I think it's going to save lives and save properties and bring benefit to a lot of people," Imperioli told AFP.

The Emmy Award-winning actor was joined at Kathmandu's Boudhanath Stupa on Monday by Nepali Bollywood star Sunil Thapa and one of the donated fire engines.

The truck -- gifted by the Japanese government -- was driven about the revered Buddhist sight as worshippers made their early morning offerings at the stupa.

The fire department in earthquake-prone Kathmandu -- a city of 2.5 million -- is poorly equiped with just three functioning fire engines.

"Every day we are facing problems regarding the fire and rescue services because we don't have new fire trucks and we don't have adequate equipment," said Kathmandu fire chief Kishor Kumar Bhattarai.

Six fire engines, one ladder truck, two front-loader tractors and a fire command vehicle, mostly donated by fire departments in the United States, will be commandeered by the celebrities for the charity drive.

The project is the brainchild of German watchmaker and two-time Everest summiteer Michael Kobold, who initially planned to drive one fire engine over the Himalayas with Sopranos actor James Gandolfini.

Gandolfini died in 2013 and a devastating earthquake hit Nepal two years later, forcing Kobold to delay the project.

" passed away and then the earthquake struck in 2015 and that's when all of my friends said we're going to come with you and deliver this fire truck," Kobold said.

"Then we had too many people for one fire truck so we just kept getting more fire trucks."

Kobold hopes the initiative will spur further donations to bolster Nepal's fire departments.

The impoverished Himalayan country has a poor fire safety record with many buildings falling short of basic fire safety standards.
Id like to address the elephant in the room. That elephant being the Republican Party and their refusal to represent the majority of their constituents. Lets begin with stricter gun control (something that would help lessen the fears parents have when sending their children off to school), 53% of Americans favor this (Pew Research) yet the elephant in the room refuses to consider any such thing. Over 70% of Americans want stricter background checks yet again; the elephant in the room refuses to represent them. 61% of Americans say abortion should be legal. Again, the elephant in the room pushes laws that do the opposite. 74% of Americans do not want social security reduced in any way. But the elephant in the room pushes to do just the opposite, cut social security. 63% of Americans now prefer Medicare for all, but the elephant in the room fights it with all its might. 67% of Americans feel more needs to be done to reduce climate change, but not the elephant in the room. The elephant sides with the fossil fuel industry claiming its not a big concern. Given these few statistics (there are more like them) its obvious that the Republican Party is the party of minority rule, quite the opposite of what our founding fathers envisioned. The Republican Party has become a power cult, not a party that represents the majority of Americans. Remember this while you mark your ballot in this midterm election. Save Democracy! Vote Democratic!
G'day! It's Murray here. I've put together a little quiz to test your musical knowledge. Think you can score top marks in Murray's Magic Music Quiz? Give it a go now!
The upgrade is part of the Baskentray project, which involves the renovation of the signalling systems for high-speed, conventional and suburban services in the Turkish capital. The Gulermark-Kolin joint venture is completing the project for Turkish State Railways (TCDD).

The project comprises a centralised traffic control system, electronic interlockings, ETCS Level 1 and two automatic train protection systems, trackside signalling equipment, and interfaces between high-speed lines, conventional lines and level crossings.
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St. Petersburg Church of Scientology head to remain in detention

ST. PETERSBURG, July 10 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  The St. Petersburg City Court has upheld detention of the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg leader Ivan Matsitsky, who stands charged with participation in an extremist organization, the Unified press service of St. Petersburg courts told RAPSI on Monday.

Matsitsky is also charged with illegal business, inciting hatred and enmity, and violation of human dignity.

According to investigators, Matsitsky was coordinating activities of the organization and cash distribution. 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, a representative of the Federal Security Service (FSB) said in court earlier.

In June, executive director of the Church of Scientology in St. Petersburg Galina Shurinova, chief of the official matters department Anastasia Terentyeva and chief accountant of the religious group Sakhib Aliyev were detained alongside Matsitsky until August 5. Terentyevas assistance Constance Yesaulkova was put under house arrest.

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.
Property details:

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Price: $ 292,115 Seller State of Residence: New York State/Province: New York City: Niagara Falls Property Type: House Sale Type: Existing Homes Location: 143**, Niagara Falls, New York

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Property details:

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE LISTING CAREFULLY AND ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU BID! Check the Usage, Location, Week, Unit, Maintenance Fees & Taxes... We disclose everything as provided and confirmed to us by the Resort or Management Company. Imperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki This property is 2 minutes walk from the beach. Set moments from Waikiki Beach and offering easy access to a variety of area attractions, the Imperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki features spacious accommodations along with a variety of...

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HOME > American Grit > American Grit (Season 2) 'American Grit' ousts Melanie Mahanna after battle against Carla Mireles and love interest Herman Barr

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 07/10/2017



eliminated Melanie Mahanna during Sunday night's fifth broadcast of the show's second season on Fox.



ADVERTISEMENT Melanie, 29-year-old from Brooklyn NY, was the first person to fail and ring the bell in the "Elimination Challenge," losing to Carla Mireles, a 26-year-old from Chino, CA, as well as her showmance partner Herman Barr, a 26-year-old from Billings MT.



Melanie's loss in the Elimination Challenge ultimately sealed her fate in the survival and military-themed reality competition series.



"I think my time here at Camp Grit has been life changing. I was really looking forward to walking out here with Herman, and I won't be able to do that. I want to give Herman one more hug," Melanie said in tears following her ouster.



"I realized on my journey here that I have to let go of my past and I'm ready for that. I think a new Melanie is walking out of here and entering a new beginning."



When Melanie lost the competition, Herman said his "heart sank" in his chest and he'd really miss having his best friend around. However, Herman noted that Melanie -- who shaved her head to win a previous team competition -- "grew the fastest" on the show and so her work at Camp Grit was done.



Melanie was on U.S. Army Drill Sergeant John Burk's team. Burk said Melanie's departure would really hurt his team because she was the glue that held them all together.



After the Elimination Challenge, Herman returned to elite Green Beret Grady Powell's team while Carla would resume competing on Marine Riki Long's team.



In addition to Burk, Grady and Riki, the show's other military hero is Chloe Mondesir, a Marine whose group of players won the episode's team competition.



During Sunday night's broadcast, each team was required to choose a puzzle to solve that would result in a prize of money, power or love. The competition was all about priorities, and only the winning team would receive the reward of the puzzle it had chosen.



Burk's team was made up of Melanie; Hannah Koen, a 23-year-old from Newburyport, MA; and Chris Edom, a 48-year-old from Merrick NY.



Chloe's team was comprised of Janessa Morgan, a 36-year-old from Los Angeles, CA, and Alison Kempkey, a 36-year-old from Seattle, WA.



Riki's team consisted of Carla; Richard Mallard, a 32-year-old from Berryville TX; and Scarlett Angelina, a 24-year-old from New Brunswick, NJ.

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On Grady's team were Herman; George Foreman IV, a 28-year-old from Houston TX; Michael Wilson Morgan, a 38-year-old from Brooklyn, NY; and Gigi Gustin, a 20-year-old from Glassboro, NJ.



Chloe's team surprisingly won the competition after selecting the "love" puzzle, so its two members were later surprised with a visit from several of their loved ones from home. Both Janessa and Alison were missing their children terribly, so the visit really raised their spirits and motivation to continue on the show.



Had Chloe's team won money, each player would receive $1,000. Had the team won power, two players from a different team would have to switch over to another team in order to change things up. Grady's team was fighting for money in the competition, Burk's team chose love and Riki's team was competing for power.



Since her team was victorious, Chloe got to select three individuals from the other teams to compete against one another in the Elimination Challenge. Chloe opted to target players who were known for holding their team together -- a mother figure, a challenge beast, or someone with a lot of courage and positive energy.



Chloe therefore selected Melanie, Herman and Carla, who had just won the prior Elimination Challenge against two strong and determined men.



For this week's Elimination Challenge, the three contestants were required to run back and forth on a balance beam between a dumpster filled with sand and a giant hourglass tank releasing sand. The goal was to keep filling the hourglass so it would not run out of sand by using either a small bag or a large bucket with holes.



The challenge tested balance, focus, stamina and strategy. The women utilized their bags while Herman took advantage of the bucket, and Herman was definitely ahead for most of the competition.



The players were also granted a "reserve" bucket, which Herman added to his hourglass tank immediately at the start of the challenge. The ladies, on the other hand, waited until they were tired to use their reserve buckets of sand.



ADVERTISEMENT



The new season of features a cast comprised of individuals looking to regain grit they had lost or find grit they never had in the first place. The contestants are typically viewed as weak, materialistic, cocky, insecure, or vulnerable, and many of them recently experienced a tragedy or heartbreak they're hoping to move past.



Going into the new season, each person had something to prove to him or herself as well as others who have doubted, criticized or hurt them.





About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON GOOGLE NEWS eliminated Melanie Mahanna during Sunday night's fifth broadcast of the show's second season on Fox.Melanie, 29-year-old from Brooklyn NY, was the first person to fail and ring the bell in the "Elimination Challenge," losing to Carla Mireles, a 26-year-old from Chino, CA, as well as her showmance partner Herman Barr, a 26-year-old from Billings MT.Melanie's loss in the Elimination Challenge ultimately sealed her fate in the survival and military-themed reality competition series."I think my time here at Camp Grit has been life changing. I was really looking forward to walking out here with Herman, and I won't be able to do that. I want to give Herman one more hug," Melanie said in tears following her ouster."I realized on my journey here that I have to let go of my past and I'm ready for that. I think a new Melanie is walking out of here and entering a new beginning."When Melanie lost the competition, Herman said his "heart sank" in his chest and he'd really miss having his best friend around. However, Herman noted that Melanie -- who shaved her head to win a previous team competition -- "grew the fastest" on the show and so her work at Camp Grit was done.Melanie was on U.S. Army Drill Sergeant John Burk's team. Burk said Melanie's departure would really hurt his team because she was the glue that held them all together.After the Elimination Challenge, Herman returned to elite Green Beret Grady Powell's team while Carla would resume competing on Marine Riki Long's team.In addition to Burk, Grady and Riki, the show's other military hero is Chloe Mondesir, a Marine whose group of players won the episode's team competition.During Sunday night's broadcast, each team was required to choose a puzzle to solve that would result in a prize of money, power or love. The competition was all about priorities, and only the winning team would receive the reward of the puzzle it had chosen.Burk's team was made up of Melanie; Hannah Koen, a 23-year-old from Newburyport, MA; and Chris Edom, a 48-year-old from Merrick NY.Chloe's team was comprised of Janessa Morgan, a 36-year-old from Los Angeles, CA, and Alison Kempkey, a 36-year-old from Seattle, WA.Riki's team consisted of Carla; Richard Mallard, a 32-year-old from Berryville TX; and Scarlett Angelina, a 24-year-old from New Brunswick, NJ.On Grady's team were Herman; George Foreman IV, a 28-year-old from Houston TX; Michael Wilson Morgan, a 38-year-old from Brooklyn, NY; and Gigi Gustin, a 20-year-old from Glassboro, NJ.Chloe's team surprisingly won the competition after selecting the "love" puzzle, so its two members were later surprised with a visit from several of their loved ones from home. Both Janessa and Alison were missing their children terribly, so the visit really raised their spirits and motivation to continue on the show.Had Chloe's team won money, each player would receive $1,000. Had the team won power, two players from a different team would have to switch over to another team in order to change things up. Grady's team was fighting for money in the competition, Burk's team chose love and Riki's team was competing for power.Since her team was victorious, Chloe got to select three individuals from the other teams to compete against one another in the Elimination Challenge. Chloe opted to target players who were known for holding their team together -- a mother figure, a challenge beast, or someone with a lot of courage and positive energy.Chloe therefore selected Melanie, Herman and Carla, who had just won the prior Elimination Challenge against two strong and determined men.For this week's Elimination Challenge, the three contestants were required to run back and forth on a balance beam between a dumpster filled with sand and a giant hourglass tank releasing sand. The goal was to keep filling the hourglass so it would not run out of sand by using either a small bag or a large bucket with holes.The challenge tested balance, focus, stamina and strategy. The women utilized their bags while Herman took advantage of the bucket, and Herman was definitely ahead for most of the competition.The players were also granted a "reserve" bucket, which Herman added to his hourglass tank immediately at the start of the challenge. The ladies, on the other hand, waited until they were tired to use their reserve buckets of sand.After Melanie slipped off the balance beam, she lost a crucial amount of time and ended up being the first person out of the challenge much to her cadre and Herman's dismay. Melanie and Herman appeared to be falling in love during their journey together at Camp Grit.The new season of features a cast comprised of individuals looking to regain grit they had lost or find grit they never had in the first place. The contestants are typically viewed as weak, materialistic, cocky, insecure, or vulnerable, and many of them recently experienced a tragedy or heartbreak they're hoping to move past.Going into the new season, each person had something to prove to him or herself as well as others who have doubted, criticized or hurt them. AMERICAN GRIT (SEASON 2) MORE AMERICAN GRIT (SEASON 2) NEWS << PRIOR STORY

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Nifty crosses 9,750-mark; Bharti Airtel, TCS, Wipro, Lupin and Coal India gained the most on BSE Sensex

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Bulls tightened their grip on the market with frontline indices ending at all time closing high backed by surge in technology, telecom and realty stocks.

S&P BSE Sensex ended over 31,700 for the first time ever. The index settled at new closing high of at 31,715, up 355 points for the day.

Nifty50, on the other hand, also achieved new milestone even after NSE remained shut trading in cash and F&O segment for 3 hours in the morning trade due to a technical glitch.

It later resumed trading at 12:30 pm. The index settled at fresh closing milestone of 9,763, up 97 points.

In intra-day trade, Sensex rose as much as 408 points to hit the record high of 31,768, surpassing its previous milestone of 31,522 hit on June 22 while Nifty gained as much as 116 points to hit 9772, surpassing the last high of 9,709 hit on June 6.

It's been an exceptional day for the equity markets as the benchmarks gained nearly 1% despite technical glitch at the NSE.

Mostly sectoral indices participated in the move and posted decent gains. Surprisingly, IT majors also witnessed sharp recovery and made significant contribution. Such buoyancy ahead of the earnings season indicates that markets are in the strong hand and participants are anticipating much higher levels ahead, said Jayant Manglik, President, Retail Distribution, Religare Securities.

"Our target position of 10,000 in Nifty is intact but finding trade at current level requires extra efforts. For fresh trades, we suggest waiting for some consolidation or dip in stocks and preferring hedged positions," he added.

Buzzing stocks

Bharti Airtel, TCS, Wipro, Lupin and Coal India gained the most on BSE Sensex while M&M, ITC, and HUL lost the most on the index.

Shares of IDFC and Shriram Group of companies fell by up to 7.4% today after they agreed to merge and create the largest retail-focused bank in the country.

IDFC's scrip went down by 5.8% while IDFC Bank also fell by 3.32% but later recovered the losses and settled 0.6% higher. Meanwhile shares of Shriram Transport Finance tanked 7.39% at intraday to end over 3% low and Shriram City Union Finance tumbled 6.4%.

Bharti Airtel, Reliance Industries and Maruti Suzuki were among the Sensex stocks that hit their respective 52-week highs on BSE on Monday in intra-day trade after a strong rally in equities.

Bharti Airtel has rallied 5% to Rs 405, its highest level since August 2015 on BSE. The telecom services provider outperformed the market by gaining 33% as compared to 19% rise in the S&P BSE Sensex, so far in 2017.

Reliance Communications gained 6.4% after it presented a long-term debt reduction plan to lenders, which includes sale of real estate, under-sea cable assets and its DTH business but later pared gains to end flat.

Divis Labs ended nearly 8% higher after USFDA lifts import alert from VIshakapatnam facility.

AU Small Finance Bank was trading at Rs 536, a 50% premium over its initial public offer price of Rs 358 on its debut today.

NSE shuts for three hours due to tech glitch

Trading was disrupted at India's National Stock Exchange on Monday morning, after price quotations for individual stocks and indexes failed to update. After a snag of about three hours, the exchange resumed trading, at 12:30 pm.

"Due to technical reasons in the cash market, trading has been stopped in cash and F&O segment of the NSE," the exchange had said in a statement.

The exchange had also said that in the F&O segment, members would be given a 15-minute window to cancel their outstanding orders and the window was to be available from 12:15 pm - 12:29 pm.

Global markets

World stock markets rallied on Monday and the US dollar hit a two-month high against the yen as the latest US jobs data gave investors greater confidence in the strength of the economy.

Focus was already turning to Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen's semi-annual testimony on monetary policy and a meeting of Canada's central bank on Wednesday for the latest policy signals from the world's major central banks.

European stock markets followed Asia higher, with blue-chip stock markets in London, Paris and Frankfurt up 0.2 to 0.5% in early Monday trade.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan advanced 0.4% while Japan's Nikkei rose 0.8% to a one-week high helped by weakness in the Japanese currency.

US stock futures also firmed, suggesting Wall Street shares could extend gains made after the US jobs data.
Centre might move swiftly on its next round of strategic sales in CPSEs

After in-principle approval for strategic disinvestment in Air India, the Centre might move swiftly on its next round of strategic sales in central public sector enterprises (CPSEs).

The list, which the Cabinet will consider, include divesting 100 per cent stake in Ennore Port, Dredging Corp of India, Hindustan Lifecare and Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals, and 51 per cent stake in Hooghly Dock and Port Engineers.

A formal proposal for strategic disinvestment may be placed for Cabinet approval in the next few weeks. It could be for all of these companies or one by one, said an official aware of the developments.

The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management is expected to put the note up for approval soon.

Dredging Corp is a listed company, in which the government holds 74.5 per cent.

Plans for these companies have been floated and then withdrawn or not pursued a number of times in the past.

But now there will be concrete movement as soon as the Cabinet gives its nod, the official said.

The Cabinet has given in-principle approval last month to divest Air India, beginning a long process to offload its stake in the debt-ridden national carrier.

Of the FY17-18 target of Rs 72,500 crore (Rs 725 billion), Rs 46,500 crore (Rs 465 billion) is expected to come in from minority stake sales, buybacks, mergers, public listings and through the CPSE exchange traded funds.

About Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150 billion) is budgeted to come from strategic sale in PSUs and in the Specified Undertaking of Unit Trust of India (SUUTI).

The remaining Rs 11,000 crore is expected to come from the earlier-announced plans to list five state-owned general insurance companies.

Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters
At the heart of the strategy is the basic fundamental of keeping costs for long-haul flights low.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com.

A philosophical Rakesh Gangwal -- a veteran at running international airlines -- invoked Shakespeare, cited the example of five international carriers to justify the case for acquiring Air Indias international business through which IndiGo wants to foray into long-haul, low-cost operations.

At the heart of it was the basic fundamental of keeping costs low, a characteristic a frugal Gangwal has imprinted on IndiGo; the airline he founded in 2005 along with Rahul Bhatia.

And in that process, IndiGo intends to overhaul Air Indias fundamental business model -- make it a nimble low-cost airline which flies long-haul routes without the baggage of premium service.

Full service will just not work for us, if we just parody other guys, other things come into play like legroom, frequent flyer programme, the comfort of the blanket and how well the flight attendant smile -- that becomes a difficult game and we are not quite interested in playing that game, the reticent Gangwal said insisting repeatedly that it was not about getting bigger but for a profitable international operation.

The founders of IndiGo had decided to address the analysts as IndiGos stock took a beating after news of its interest in Air Indias international business became public.

On Thursday Gangwal explained that he was already chalking out a blueprint of IndiGos international foray when the government decided to divest stake in Air India.

Before that, co-founder and long time friend Bhatia had cited examples United Airlines acquiring PanAm or Americans acquisition of TransWorld Airlines specific operations.

Today, United Airlines is one of the largest international carriers and it is questionable if that would have happened but for those acquisitions, Bhatia said before handing over to Gangwal.

Incidentally, Gangwal has worked at both United and American and is credited with overhauling their route structure and develop their hubs.

Success is not dependent on developing these international markets, in fact, we would take passengers from connecting international hubs and from high cost non-stop operators and fly them on our non-stop low-cost flights, Gangwal said adding that the world is waking up to the prospects of low-cost long-haul operations.

There is Norwegian and Wow Air as a successful model, on the other end of the spectrum there are airlines like Lufthansa and Qantas are all trying their best to build their own long-haul low-cost operations.

He was not ready to talk numbers as he said that he was just sharing his thoughts and not numbers. Its like going to a corporate board meeting in a swimsuit, Gangwal said.

Gangwals confidence seems to arise from the mammoth domestic operations that IndiGo has built over the last 10 years.

Our massive domestic operations is a big plus, passengers will mostly come from foreign airlines that fly through hubs at a higher cost. Just for a moment think about the value proposition that IndiGo will offer with a hassle free, non-stop low-cost flight, Gangwal said.

From his vast experience of handling international carriers, Gangwal responded to analysts who for the past few days have been searching reason behind the companys foray.

On being asked about the challenges that will come with handling Air Indias massive fleet which is different from IndiGos, Gangwal turned the theory of being asset-light on its head.

Aircraft are never a liability, its always an asset, you can raise money against it during the crisis, he said, adding that during restructuring IndiGo will definitely cut down on other aspects of Air India to make the model nimble and asset light.

Analysts were still anxious. But what about the massive working capital that Air India requires? How will you generate that asked an analyst? Pat came to the reply -- my goodness! The requirement of working capital will never be near that Air India needs, it will be enough to fund through internal accruals, he said.

In that 60 minutes call Gangwal not only laid bare reasons to take over Air India but gave out the blueprint of IndiGo 2.0 -- from a domestic behemoth to an airline that will compete against international biggies.

We see Air India as a canvas with its routes, slots and its biggest strength- the employees who know many good things.
China on Monday refused to acknowledge the interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the side-lines of the G-20 summit at Hamburg last week, insisting that no "bilateral meeting" took place between the two leaders.

India too has not described the interaction, which included a handshake, as a "bilateral meeting" but said that "a range of issues" were discussed by the two leaders. The Indian side has said that the interaction lasted five minutes.

Faced with a barrage of questions by reporters on how China viewed the interaction, Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang would only say repeatedly that no bilateral meeting took place.

"According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meetings," he said.

"On the side-lines of the G20, President Xi also presided over the informal BRICS leaders meeting. Prime Minister Modi and other leaders of the BRICS countries also attended that event", he said.

Asked again if the meeting did not happen at all, he said: "So my answer is that the two heads of state of India and China did not hold any meetings on the side-lines of the G20 summit in Hamburg."

China's insistence on the set-piece wording, and its refusal to waver from it, apparently was aimed at reiterating its view made clear before the Hamburg meeting: that the "atmosphere was not right" for a meeting between the two leaders due to the standoff between the two militaries at Doklam area in Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers.

China has been calling for immediate withdrawal of the Indian troops from the area.

He was also asked about a photograph tweeted by the India's ministry of external affairs showing the two leaders in conversation with interpreters, Geng stuck to his stand.

"As I said many times, the two state leaders of India and China did not hold any bilateral meeting ... But President Xi chaired the informal BRICS meeting during which Prime Minister Modi was also present".

Asked whether the standoff at Doklam was discussed, Geng said, "On the border issue, we reaffirmed that the Indian side should withdraw their border personnel to the Indian side.

On the boundary standoff issue, Geng said: "We demand the Indian side to withdraw their border personnel on to the Indian side of the boundary. This is the precondition for the any meaningful dialogue", he said.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at BRICS leaders' informal gathering on the sidelines of the G20 meet in Hamburg, Germany. Photograph: @MEAIndia/Twitter
Political leaders and other prominent personalities condemned the attack on Amarnath Yatris in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Monday after terrorists open fired at the bus carrying the pilgrims killing seven and injuring 32 others.

Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured. India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and the evil designs of hate. I have spoken to the Governor and Chief Minister of J&K and assured all possible assistance required.

-- Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Terrorist attack on Amarnath Yatra is the most reprehensible act. This should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism. This incident should add to our determination to eliminate terrorism.

-- Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister

The attack on the devotees of Lord Shiva is a crime against humanity. The entire nation is in shock.

-- Sonia Gandhi, Congress President

India will never be intimidated by these terrorist cowards. This is a grave and unacceptable security lapse. The PM needs to accept responsibility and never allow it to happen again.

-- Rahul Gandhi, Congress Vice- President

It is an assault on our values and traditions.

-- Mehbooba Mufti, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister

I have no words to express my deep pain on the killing of innocent pilgrims traveling to the holy shrine of Amarnath. It is a henious act. I pray for the families of those who have lost their lives and wish speedy recovery to the injured. Cowards responsible for this barbaric act will not be spared. I have spoken to the BJP District President and MLC from Anantnag and asked our karyakartas in Kashmir to help the pilgrims in need.

-- Amit Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party President

These terrorists are the enemies of Kashmir and Kashmiriyat. No two ways about that. Every right thinking Kashmiri must today condemn the killing of the Amarnath yatris and say, unequivocally -- this is #NotInMyName

-- Omar Abdullah, Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister

The situation in Kashmir has deteriorated under the BJP govt's watch. Their mishandling of the situation is a matter of grave concern. Last killing of pilgrims in terror attack was in 2000, under BJP-led NDA. Now, again in 2017. How did the situation in Kashmir come to this? We demand accountability from the BJP govt which has mishandled the state, and has now led to the loss of innocent lives in Kashmir.

-- Sitaram Yechury, Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary
IMAGE: Cops say that Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, had come to the valley in 2012 and worked as a welder in the summers. Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com

In a major breakthrough, Jammu and Kashmir police has arrested an Uttar Pradesh resident who was an active part of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba group that killed an Station House Officer and five other police personnel in south Kashmir, a senior official said on Monday.

We have busted a module involved in a series of sensational crimes, including terror crimes in south Kashmir, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan told reporters.

Two individuals Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, and Muneeb Shah, a resident of Kulgam in south Kashmir were arrested.

Some new things as far militancy in Kashmir is concerned have come to the surface during investigations into the looting of banks and ATMs, he said.

Investigations have revealed the angle of criminals who are involved in militancy and how they are being used by militant outfit LeT, how they are plundering and looting the banks and ATMs and funding militant outfits as well as themselves, he said.

Sandeep was nabbed from the same house where LeT commander Bashir Lashkari was killed on July 1. His arrest led to Shah being caught.

We apprehended Sandeep during the encounter in which notorious militant Lashkari was eliminated. It raised the fingers of suspicion. We were surprised to see a non-local sitting in the same house where Lashkari was taking shelter, so we decided to go further.

The IGP said the probe revealed that Sandeep had come to the valley in 2012 and worked as a welder here in the summers. In the winters, he would go outside the alley, especially to Patiala.

While working in Punjab, he came in contact with one Shahid Ahmad, a resident of Kulgam, who was also working in Punjab. In January this year, he came to the Valley and planned to loot ATMs and other robberies in south Kashmir.

Four people -- Sandeep, Muneeb Shah, Shahid Ahmad and Muzaffar Ahmad -- stayed in a rented accommodation in Kulgam for carrying out criminal activities.

It was here that they met hardcore LeT terrorist Shakoor Ahmad, the IGP disclosed.

That was the beginning of all these criminal activities. The militants utilised the services of Sandeep for looting ATMs and the booty was shared, he added.

According to police, Lashkari and his group were involved in the brutal killing of SHO Feroz Ahmad Dar and five other policemen in Achabal area of south Kashmir on June 16.
95 aircraft, 16 ships and 2 submarines from 3 countries are taking part in Malabar exercise.

IMAGE: MiG-29K blasting off from INS Vikramaditya ahead of Malabar exercise 2017. Photograph: Indian Navy

India, Japan and the United States on Monday kicked off their trilateral 'Malabar' naval exercise featuring 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines, seeking to forge "deeper" military ties amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

USS Nimitz, the world's largest aircraft carrier, will figure in the five-day exercise in the Bay of Bengal involving the US, Japanese and Indian maritime forces that is aimed at "achieving deeper military ties between the three nations."

IMAGE: Japanese ship Sazanami (D 113) will take part in the exercise. Photograph: US Embassy in India

The 21st edition of the Malabar exercise, conducted ashore and at-sea, assumes significance as it is being held at a time when China has become more assertive and the forays by their submarines in the Indian Ocean region have increased. China has stepped up its activities in the Indian Ocean in recent years and is building ports in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

It also comes amid the current military standoff between the armies of India and China in the Sikkim section and Beijing ramping up its naval presence in the South China sea.

IMAGE: USS Princeton, a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, enters Chennai. Photograph: Indian Navy

"I would like to say that the strategic message to China is the exact strategic message that we are sending to Canada or to Republic of Korea or to Australia or to any other maritime force," US Navy Commander Rear Admiral William D Byrne Jr said when asked by newsmen whether the exercise was intended to send any "strategic message" to China.

"Operating together and practising together is a good thing. It is because we are better together and we learn from each other. We know who we are and what is our capability. That is the strategic message to the entire world. I think, we are setting a great example here in Malabar (exercise) 2017," he told reporters after the inauguration of the naval exercise off the coast of Chennai.

IMAGE: USS Kidd (DD-661), a Arleigh Burke-class destroyer will participate in the exercise.

Photograph: US Embassy in India

Responding to a query whether the exercise had anything to do with the standoff in Sikkim, Indian Flag Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, HCS Bisht said, "It has nothing to do with Malabar exercise."

"The process of Malabar exercise starts a year before (its scheduled beginning) and the initial planning takes place six months in advance. The stand-off you are talking about has got nothing to do with the Malabar exercise. Through this exercise we learn from each other," he said.

IMAGE: USS Howard. Photograph: US embassy in India

Bisht reiterated that the joint naval exercise would focus on the "mutual learning," "sharing of best practices" and enhancing the "inter-operability" among the three countries.

As many as 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines from the three countries are taking part in the naval exercise, an Indian official said.

To a query on the conduct of Malabar exercise vis-a-vis the situation prevailing around North Korea, Admiral Byrne said, "There are certainly global threats. Malabar is not focused on any specified threat. It is directed towards three countries India, Japan and United States. It is not directed towards any specific country or threat."

IMAGE: A USNavy P-8A lands at INS Rajali as an Indian Navy P-8I waits. Photograph: Indian Navy

Besides USS Nimitz (CVN68), guided missile cruise ship USS Princeton (CG59), guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a Poseidon P-8A aircraft as well as a Los Angeles fast-attack submarine will take part in the naval drills.

Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ships JS Izumo (DDH 183), JS Sazanami (DD1 13) along with Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa and INS Vikramaditya will also participate in the exercise, an official press release said.

IMAGE: Japanese helicopter 'destroyer' JS Izumo and destroyer JS Sazanami. Photograph: Defense Ministry of Maritime Self Defense Force

The exercise would include professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare.

Medical operations, damage control, explosive ordinance disposal, helicopter operations and anti-submarine warfare would also take place.

The at-sea exercise includes events such as submarine familiarisation, air defence exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface ware fare exercises, communication exercise and search and rescue operations.

IMAGE: USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group begins Malabar 2017. Photograph: US Navy

Indian, Japanese and the US maritime forces have an understanding and knowledge of shared working environment at the sea, the release said.

The joint naval exercise is a demonstration of a commitment of all three nations to address common maritime challenges across the spectrum of operations and will go a long way in enhancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region for the benefit of the global maritime community.
Following a crucial meet, the Rashtriya Janata Dal on Monday said Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav will not resign.

It was announced that no discussion took place regarding Tejashwis resignation. In fact, his work was appreciated.

Tejashwi Yadav has been a good leader and will always remain one, the party said.

Targetting the Bharatiya Janata Party, the RJD said, There has been an attempt to fade us, but it will not happen. We will emerge like we have always in the past as well.

It also categorically said there were no differences between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. The party said the former had called the latter on Sunday and had asked about his well-being.

There is a conspiracy to break the grand alliance, but the state government is very much in place and stable, it said.

On Friday, the Central Bureau of Investigation had registered a corruption case against Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Managing Director PK Goyal; and the wife of Lalus confidante Prem Chand Gupta, Sujata on allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

The CBI later questioned Rabri Devi and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.

The case was registered on the allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of Hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private company dealing with Hotels in the year 2006. The investigative agency also conducted searches at 12 locations across Patna, Delhi, Gurugram and other places.

The RJD supremo, however, refuted the allegations against him and called it a political conspiracy hatched by the BJP.
'It is to be fervently hoped that a person as rational and brilliant as Hamid Ansari will not be allowed to wilt and simply wither away,' says Aditi Phadnis.

He has done his work quietly for 10 years, always speaking his mind, but never in a way that it causes controversy: Hamid Ansari will likely bow out as Vice-President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha in August and India will be the poorer for it.

Caste and other factors prevented Ansari's elevation as the Opposition candidate for the President of India. Not that he had a chance of winning: The decks are stacked overwhelmingly in the government's favour.

Moreover, as chairman of the Minorities Commission during the Gujarat riots, Ansari had his own opinions about the way the Gujarat government under Narendra Modi had conducted itself. So there was never a chance of becoming a consensus candidate, either.

Although many had doubts about his ability to handle the Rajya Sabha when he was first named the Congress candidate for chairman, he conducted himself with aplomb: Speaking plainly but also employing diplomacy that he learnt as a practitioner.

He spent his working life in the Indian Foreign Service rising to become India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and India's ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan -- all hot spots from India's point of view.

The years of the late 1990s was a period of great anxiety in India over the activities of the Organisation of Islamic Countries where India was routinely bashed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Kashmir.

Ansari was the one who took an unpopular but accurate stand and forced a change in thinking.

He argued that Kashmir was just a camouflage for serious power rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran for the leadership of the Islamic world.

He told New Delhi to ignore OIC and Saudi Arabia's rant over Kashmir and counselled independent Indo-Saudi ties in a strategic manner, keeping in its sights two issues: Remittances by Indians in Saudi Arabia from a country that has two of the holiest shrines for Muslims; and that Saudi Arabia was not just the US's most trusted strategic ally but also would continue to be the most significant petroleum producer in the years to come.

There was much to learn from a country that had several social security schemes financed by wealth funds independent of oil income.

With the Gulf States no longer central to the US, it is to India and China that these nations would look to in the future.

Ansari added a rider: If the Sunni Islamic world thought Saudi Arabia should be their unquestioned and unconditional leader, they should look at India.

In his address at the Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco in 2016, on 'Accommodating Diversity in a Globalising World: The Indian Experience', Ansari flagged some fallacies.

He said the terms 'Arab' and 'Islam' are used together or interchangeably. 'But are the two synonymous? Is all Arab thought Islamic or visa versa? Above all, can all Islamic thinking be attributed to Arabs?'

Not at all, he said, India is an example of plurality where acceptance of diversity is a work in progress but more advanced than elsewhere.

Against the background of sectarian attacks on Shias and other minorities in Pakistan, Egypt and other countries, this was a powerful and well-argued point.

On so-called Muslim issues, he told the community bluntly to stop relying on the government for handouts.

'The syndrome of victim-hood does not help and there are lessons to be learnt from the experience of other minorities,' he said in the Khuda Baksh Memorial Lecture in Patna.

At the golden jubilee of All India Majlis-E-Mushawarat, a deliberative body of Muslim organisations and institutions in 2015, Ansari voiced some home truths that attracted misplaced criticism from the Muslim community.

'It is evident that significant sections of the community remain trapped in a vicious circle and in a culturally defensive posture that hinders self-advancement.'

'Tradition is made sacrosanct but the rationale of tradition is all but forgotten.'

'Jadeediyat or modernity has become a tainted expression. Such a mindset constrains critical thinking necessary both for the affirmation of faith and for the wellbeing of the community.'

'The instrumentality of adaptation to change -- Ijtihad -- is frowned upon or glossed over.'

It is to be fervently hoped that a person as rational and brilliant as Hamid Ansari will not be allowed to wilt and simply wither away.
How did Mansoor Peerbhoy, an academically bright, suave and soft-spoken young man, who never exhibited any jihadist tendencies, go on to head the Indian Mujahideen's media cell?

Best-selling author S Hussain Zaidi and Brijesh Singh, an IPS officer who heads Maharashtra's cyber police department, reveal how a brilliant but shy techie became a dreaded terrorist.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Mansoor Peerbhoy had had a rather privileged upbringing.

He went to an English medium school and later graduated as an engineer from the Vishwakarma Institute of Technology (Pune).

He was one of the most well-read and polished members of the Indian Mujahideen.

His residence was in an upmarket Pune locality, and he was a software engineer employed with Yahoo India.

An academically bright, suave and soft-spoken man, he never exhibited any jihadist tendencies.

Hailing from a respectable family that focused on education and academic excellence, Mansoor had secured a whopping 98 per cent in his Class XII and 93 per cent in his Class X board exams.

One of his brothers, Shahid, is a doctor in the UK, while another brother, Adil, is an architect.

His third brother Alim was still a student when Mansoor joined the IM.

His father, Asghar, had been running a successful business of supplying groceries to the Indian Army's Southern Command, while his mother was a well-respected teacher in a Pune school.

Mansoor was everything a young man of his age could hope to be.

He married a girl who was a homoeopathic doctor, a daughter of a mid-level state government employee from Akola in Maharashtra, and fathered three children.

Their neighbours found them cosmopolitan and amiable.

Mansoor quickly rose in his profession on the sheer strength of his talent and intelligence.

Although he was not from any of India's premier engineering institutes, he quickly scaled the ladder to land a lucrative job.

In 2007, it so happened that the firm he used to work for, Zimbra Technologies, got acquired by Yahoo for more than $300 million.

Reportedly, he used to work as the principal engineer, drawing a salary of Rs 19 lakh (roughly around $30,000 at today's conversion rate).

The IM had talent spotters spread across India.

The job of these recruiters was to identify vulnerable youth and drive them towards terrorism.

These modules work insidiously on impressionable minds, selectively feeding them with provocative information about alleged instances of atrocities on Muslims all over the world, especially focusing on Indian examples.

Under the guise of religious discussions, influencers deceptively turn regular people into killers and haters of humanity.

Two such recruiters, Asif Bashiruddin Shaikh and Anique Shafique Syed, came across Mansoor when he joined Arabic classes at the Quran Foundation in Pune's Azam campus.

The duo were in close contact with Iqbal Bhatkal who seems to have developed an interest in their newest find.

Over a period of two years, they worked on Mansoor's mind until the young man was ready for jihad.

It was then that they enlisted him as a member of the IM.

They struck at an opportune moment, the itikaf.

During itikaf, the worshipper withdraws to a mosque in the holy month of Ramzan and comes out only on the last day.

On the last day, when Mansoor completed his itikaf, Asif and Anique, under the guise of religious instruction, told Mansoor about the widespread persecution of Muslims across the world.

They also impressed on him the necessity of jihad, especially in the context of events in Gujarat.

When he seemed convinced, the talent spotters conveyed this development to Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal.

Excited about a potential recruit of such high quality, the brothers asked the duo to continue with their efforts with diligence.

In January 2007 a meeting was arranged between Mansoor and the Bhatkal brothers in the presence of other important IM functionaries.

The recruiters took the techie to Asif's house at Ashoka Mews, Kondhwa, Pune, where the Bhatkals, along with Majid Sheikh, Abdullah and Akbar Choudhary, waited.

The Bhatkals welcomed the new recruit and stressed the necessity of jihad for the sake of the oppressed Gujarat Muslims.

Riyaz told Mansoor that he would be a great asset to the group as he had exceptional technical skills.

Mansoor felt motivated and agreed to join the cause.

Rejoicing at this, Iqbal recited verses from the Quran about jihad and how it is an obligatory duty for believers.

Riyaz asked the new entrant to work on encrypting chats so that they could not be intercepted by agencies.

The group met frequently after that; they would discuss religious issues as well as the plight of Muslims in Iraq, Palestine, India and other places across the world.

They were also becoming close on a personal level and forming a bond that would last for a long and troubled time.

Riyaz would ask Mansoor technical questions about deleted-data recovery, securing and encrypting communication on the Internet and about the software used to perform these tasks. They obtained and tested such software based on Mansoor's inputs.

Riyaz asked Mansoor to get an external hard disk of high capacity on which they conducted tests to see how much deleted data could be recovered by an expert hired by investigating agencies.

Mansoor also showed Riyaz how to use proxy servers to hide online communication.

Soon the 'media cell' of IM took concrete shape.

In May 2007, E2-Labs, a cyber lab in Hyderabad, organised a hacking course for professionals.

Collaborating with Zone-H, a world-class cyber lab, E2-Labs was able to get on board eminent experts with in-depth knowledge of the cyber domain to train the participants.

The delegate fee was a hefty Rs 1 lakh (Rs 100,000) which ensured that only the creme de la creme of the cyber hacking world attended the course.

This included Eyal Dotan, the co-founder of Trustware and the author of ViGUARD, a pioneering Host Intrusion Prevention System software.

Dotan was also the first to provide proactive protection which stopped the 'I Love You' Melissa, Klez, Blaster and Sasser worm outbreaks that threatened to shut down the Internet itself.

E2-Labs' Web site claims that it 'Designs, Develops and Delivers Information Security, training and information assurance services that meet Military, Government, Private Sector and Institutional specifications' and advertises itself as Asia's first anti-hacking academy.

The workshop that was hosted by E2-Labs between May 14 and May 19, 2007, dealt with three major topics: Anti-hacking, Web applications security and anti-wireless hacking.

These courses familiarised the participants with the latest, highly advanced anti-hacking technologies of the day.

The course fee amounted to a substantial part of Mansoor's monthly salary.

When his co-conspirators expressed their inability to finance this venture, he tried to wrangle a discount.

He eventually managed to get a discount of Rs 30,000 and paid the remaining Rs 70,000 out of his own pocket.

Mansoor informed his company that he had some personal work and took a week's leave, while he told his family that he had some official work in Hyderabad.

In a strange turn of events, this Hyderabad trip determined how he would metamorphose from an enterprising young engineer into a hard-core terrorist.

On his way to Hyderabad from Pune by bus, he met Mubin Kadar Shaikh, an acquaintance who was also going to attend the same course.

Both stayed in a lodge near the railway station.

Mubin couldn't eventually attend the course as he was unable to pay the fees, but he stayed with Mansoor all the same.

The instructors and fellow students found Mansoor to be the sharpest when it came to hacking skills, though he was quiet and did not interact much with the others.

As luck would have it, towards the end of the course, on May 18, which was a Friday, a bomb exploded at the historic Mecca Masjid in the Charminar (old city) area, where thousands of people had gathered for the afternoon prayers.

Mansoor had stepped out of class to go there for his afternoon namaz when he heard of the terrible incident.

Riots followed the explosion as an angry mob went on a rampage.

Police resorted to firing and lathi charge, in which four more people died.

There was pandemonium in the city; five people had died on the spot in the blasts and four more were critically injured -- they too succumbed to their injuries later.

After class, Mansoor picked up Mubin and went to the hospitals where the injured had been admitted.

The sight of innocent Muslims mangled in the blast deeply disturbed him; he also felt that the administration was apathetic to the plight of the survivors.

Iqbal and Riyaz Bhatkal's words rang repeatedly in his mind: 'Jihad is the only answer now.'

Excerpted from Dangerous Minds by S Hussain Zaidi and Brijesh Singh, with the kind permission of the publishers, Penguin Random House India.
Venezuela: Lethal violence, a state policy to strangle dissent

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Venezuela: Lethal violence, a state policy to strangle dissent, 10 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596331264.html [accessed 12 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.

Recurrent attacks against the Venezuelan population and speeches inciting violence by the authorities indicate a premeditated policy of violent repression of any form of dissent, Amnesty International said today after a further increase in deaths during demonstrations, with at least 91 cases registered in only three months.

"What seemed to be isolated reactions by the Venezuelan authorities in the face of protests, in fact indicate a planned strategy by the government of President Maduro to use violence and illegitimate force against the Venezuelan population to neutralize any criticism," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

"The fact that those who think differently are the only people who are labelled as 'terrorists', who are prevented from demonstrating and against whom violence and illegitimate force is used, is proof of a strategy to silence the growing social discontent in Venezuela."

"If the authorities do not make a radical change and put an end to the premeditated violent repression against people who are considered critical of the government, irrefutable evidence will continue to accumulate for perpetrators and authorities to be held accountable before international criminal justice mechanisms."

Since protests began on 4 April, official sources cite at least 91 people killed and more than 1,400 injured in the context of the political crisis in Venezuela.

In addition, there are concerns about a probable worsening of the situation in the face of elections for the National Constituent Assembly, which will take place on 30 July in a context of high social conflict.

State violence

Over the past 3 months, Amnesty International has documented that state security forces have violently suppressed protests against the government. An analysis of the facts indicates that these acts of violent repression are not only an uncontrolled reaction on the part of some security agents, but are part of a premeditated practice of using violence to stifle critical voices.

Amnesty International has been able to corroborate that the Bolivarian National Police and the Bolivarian National Guard have unduly used non-lethal force, including firing teargas directly at dissident demonstrators. An example of this is the case of Juan Pernalete, who died after being shot directly in the chest with a tear gas canister while he was demonstrating in Caracas in April 2017. Security forces have also used lethal weapons to suppress demonstrations, resulting in deaths and injuries, including Fabian Urbina, who died on 20 June 2017 while he was protesting in Caracas from a gunshot fired by an officer from the National Guard.

Attacks against communities and individuals not participating in protests have also been documented, including massive violent raids by security forces with armored vehicles and tear gas, damaging vehicles and houses and endangering the lives of residents.

One of several examples of these attacks comes from La Isabelica, Carabobo, where inhabitants reported that in May 2017, security forces raided the community, firing tear gas directly into houses and randomly shooting at passers-by.

According to the cases documented by Amnesty International, these types of use of force, prohibited under international law, have been committed by security forces in Caracas and in Lara, Barinas, Carabobo, and Tachira states as well, indicating that these practices are not limited to one part of the country, but are much more generalized.

At the same time, these acts of violence have been specifically directed at those identified by the authorities as dissidents and against anti-government protests. However, pro-government demonstrations are taking place without incident and have been safeguarded by the authorities, attesting to the fact that these acts of violence are aimed at silencing dissent.

In addition to acts of unlawful violence committed by state security forces, Amnesty International has evidence of several cases of armed civilian groups that have attacked the civilian population with the acquiescence of the authorities, which also seem to be linked to the same state policy of violence. These violent acts have targeted dissident demonstrations but also private homes in several states across the country, which again demonstrates the generalized nature of this strategy of violence. There is evidence that the attacks by these groups, commonly referred to as "armed collectives", have occurred in the presence of state security forces and that the latter have not acted to protect the population. The most recent incident of this was the break-in by armed groups into the National Assembly on 5 July 2017, during which state security forces did nothing to intervene while armed civilians attacked members of parliament.

Creation of state apparatuses solely for violent repression

In addition, the government has created and implemented State bodies and mechanisms with a mandate to carry out acts of violent repression against the population. The development of apparatuses designed exclusively for the prosecution of demonstrators and suspected dissidents, such as the creation of the "Anti-Terrorist Command" and the increase in the number of weapons and conscripts of the Bolivarian militia, indicate a calculated preparation for the implementation of a policy of violent repression.

Declarations inciting violence

Both the illegitimate use of force in all its dimensions, and the development of state mechanisms of persecution against the population, are framed within a discourse of incitement to violence that has been promoted and used by the Venezuelan government to legitimize violence as the standard response to any form of dissent. In particular, calls by senior officials including President Nicolas Maduro himself, addressed to both state security forces and pro-government civilian groups, promote the use of force and identify dissidents as terrorists, enemies and traitors to the motherland.

Consequently, these three elements - the illegitimate use of force against the population on a recurrent basis, the creation of state mechanisms dedicated to violent repression, and the repeated discourse of incitement to violence by the government - indicate a premeditated policy to violently neutralize any dissent against the government's actions.

"Venezuela is experiencing one of the worst human rights crises in its recent history. The escalation of violence sponsored by the government, and the lack of proposals by the State for a viable solution to confront the serious problems facing the majority of the population, including access to essential livelihoods such as food, medicines and all basic goods, are generating a crisis never before seen throughout the continent, "said Erika Guevara Rosas.

"It is essential that the government address the dramatic situation that thousands of people are facing on a daily basis in the country, instead of instituting a regime of repression and violence."

The authorities that have promoted these mechanisms and strategies of violent repression have to put an end to their implementation immediately, especially in the face of growing social unrest ahead of the elections to the National Constituent Assembly, scheduled for 30 July 2017.

Faced with this, international criminal justice mechanisms  including the International Criminal Court and those countries that recognize universal jurisdiction - will be closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela. If senior government, military, and police officials do not eliminate the mechanisms that form part of a state policy of violence against the population, and do not end the promotion of violence in their speeches and official orders, they may be brought before the international criminal justice system.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Venezuela: Leopoldo Lopez moved to 'house arrest' as repression deepens

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 8 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Venezuela: Leopoldo Lopez moved to 'house arrest' as repression deepens, 8 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59633ed14.html [accessed 12 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 transfer of a prominent opposition leader from prison to "house arrest" should be a first step to reverse the Venezuelan governments policy to silence those who do not agree with them, said Amnesty International.

In the early hours of Saturday, Leopoldo Lopez, prisoner of conscience and leader of the opposition party Voluntad Popular, was moved from the Ramo Verde prison to his house, where he will continue to serve his sentence.

"Seeing Leopoldo Lopez out of prison is good news but changing one prison for another is not good enough. Being subjected to house arrest means that Leopoldo is still being deprived of his freedom," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

"Opposing the government is not a crime so all charges against him should be dropped and he should be released immediately and unconditionally."

"It is high time for the Maduro administration to stop punishing people for thinking differently. Instead, President Maduro should focus his energy in finding workable ways to resolve the deep crisis his country is immersed in."

Background Information

Leopoldo Lopez handed himself in to the National Guard (Guardia Nacional) on 18 February 2014 after a mass anti-government demonstration he organized. He was charged with terrorism, murder and grievous bodily harm, public incitement, arson damages to property and conspiracy to commit crimes.

In August 2014, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that Lopez's detention was arbitrary and the High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the authorities to release him immediately.

Forty-three people died, including members of the security forces, and hundreds were injured during the protests that swept Venezuela in the first half of 2014. Scores were ill-treated and thousands detained. Victims and their relatives are still awaiting justice, truth and reparation.

Since a new wave of protests began on 4 April, at least 91 people killed and more than 1,400 were injured, according to official figures.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Turkey must free jailed human rights defenders

Publisher Amnesty International Author Salil Shetty Publication Date 8 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Turkey must free jailed human rights defenders, 8 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59633f504.html [accessed 12 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.

In July 1998, Amnesty International wrote to the Turkish government demanding the release of the then Mayor of Istanbul, who had been jailed after reading a poem at a demonstration. Amnesty International had declared him a prisoner of conscience and launched a global campaign on his behalf. His name was Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Nineteen years later, and now President, it is the same Recep Tayyip Erdogan who presides over the detention of some of Turkey's most prominent human rights defenders and activists, including Amnesty International Turkey's two leaders.

On Wednesday morning, eight human rights defenders, among them Amnesty International's Turkey Director Idil Eser, were detained while attending a workshop, along with the two international trainers. For over 28 hours, no one including their loved ones, knew where they were being held. Their detention has now been authorized for seven days, and could be extended for a further seven days without them being brought before a court.

Their lawyers have told us that the group are facing a criminal investigation on the absurd suspicion of being members of an 'armed terrorist organisation'. With decades of solid human rights work between them, the accusations would be laughable were the situation in Turkey not so extremely grave for anyone who dares to criticise the government.

Idil's detention comes less than a month after the Chair of Amnesty International Turkey, Taner Klc, was remanded in custody on baseless charges. Accused of supporting the Fethullah Gulen movement - an organisation he has openly criticised - Taner is now in prison, waiting for an indictment and a trial. This could take months. If found guilty of membership of the movement he faces up to 15 years in prison.

These detentions highlight the precarious situation facing human rights activists in Turkey - a country which has seen more than 50,000 people jailed in the crackdown that followed the attempted coup almost exactly one year ago.

Indeed, if anyone was still in doubt of the endgame of Turkey's post-coup crackdown, they should not be now. There is to be no civil society, no criticism and no accountability in Erdogan's Turkey.

The eight human rights defenders are the latest victims of President Erdogan's ruthless and arbitrary crackdown on any and all criticism of the authorities in the country. Since the failed coup attempt, President Erdogan has embarked on a full scale assault on civil society that many observers in Turkey view as unprecedented.

There are currently ongoing criminal investigations against approximately 150,000 people. In the last year, 160 media outlets have been shut down and an estimated 2,500 journalists and other media workers have lost their jobs. With more than 130 journalists and others who work in the media behind bars since the attempted coup, Turkey now jails more journalists than any other country. One third of all imprisoned journalists in the world are held in Turkish prisons.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of perceived government critics have been jailed and more than 100,000 public sector employees summarily dismissed.

In the wake of the arrest of Idil and the other nine, governments across the world promptly condemned the actions of the Turkish government with a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department saying that the U.S. was "deeply concerned" and stressing that "more voices, not fewer, are necessary in challenging times."

While these statements are welcome, the international response to Erdogan's actions over the past year has been conspicuous by its absence.

The past two days have provided a prime opportunity to redress this failure. The world's most powerful leaders have gathered in Hamburg for the G20 summit, with the Turkish President in attendance.

In the build-up to the summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her desire to make the strengthening of civil society a key item on the agenda and extolled the importance of a vibrant civil society in ensuring free societies.

These are fine words. But Idil, Taner and the scores of jailed human rights activists need more than words. If world leaders meeting at the G20 fail to demand their immediate release and stand up for Turkey's beleaguered civil society now, there may be nothing left of it by the time the next summit comes around.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Thailand: Migrant Worker Law Triggers Regional Exodus

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 7 July 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Thailand: Migrant Worker Law Triggers Regional Exodus, 7 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596340464.html [accessed 12 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 Thai government should halt enforcement of a new migrant workers' law that imposes excessive criminal penalties and has caused thousands of migrant workers to flee Thailand, Human Rights Watch said today.

Since the government enacted the Decree Concerning the Management of Foreign Workers' Employment on June 23, 2017, tens of thousands of registered and unregistered migrant workers from Cambodia, Burma, Laos, and Vietnam have fled Thailand, fearing arrest and harsh punishment. The new law imposes disproportionate criminal penalties on migrants who work without a permit, mandating up to five years in prison and fines between 2,000 to 100,000 baht (US$60 to US$2,935).

"Threatening unregistered migrant workers with long prison terms and large fines will just make it easier for corrupt officials and unscrupulous employers to abuse and exploit them," said Brad Adams, Asia director. "Thailand needs laws that protect the rights of migrant workers-not that instill fear and set off mass flight."

The decree, which the government announced with little notice, puts migrant workers and employers in limbo and has prompted thousands of migrant workers and their families to flee Thailand. Employers face hefty fines of 400,000 to 800,000 baht ($11,740 to $23,480) for each undocumented migrant worker they hire, which has led some to encourage their migrant workers to depart. Even if their workers have authorization, the employers could still be fined 400,000 baht ($11,740) per worker and the worker 100,000-baht ($ 2,935) if the job is not the same as registered at the Department of Employment.

On July 4, Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha, facing strong employer opposition to the law and the flight of migrant workers, used his executive authority to delay enforcement of four articles (elaborating punishments) for 180 days for possible revisions. However, the military junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly enacted the remaining articles by a 177 to 0 vote (with 11 abstentions) on July 6.

Prime Minister Prayut claimed the new law is necessary because of a huge number of unregistered migrant workers-approximately three million-in Thailand, and that the government needs tougher measures to respond to international concerns about trafficking. He cited Thailand's low ranking in the 2017 US State Department's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report.

Abuses of migrant workers in Thailand have been extensively documented by Human Rights Watch and others, including in the report "From the Tiger to the Crocodile: Abuse of Migrant Workers in Thailand." Human Rights Watch found that abuses against migrant workers include assaults and killings by government security forces and private individuals, extensive use of torture and ill-treatment in detention, sexual abuse, widespread labor rights abuses, and pervasive extortion. Many employers still confiscate migrant workers' passports and work permits. Meanwhile, those filing grievances have often faced retaliation from police, officials, and employers.

The new law addresses only one of the major problems identified by Human Rights Watch: that of systematic confiscation of workers' identification documents by employers seeking to prevent them from changing employers or leaving. The new law criminalizes the seizure of "worker permits and other important documents" of migrant workers and imposes punishments of up to 6 months in prison and fines up to 100,000 baht ($2,935).

Because of the complexity of the migrant worker registration process and lack of Thai government capacity in migrant workers' languages, migrant workers have long had to pay high fees to brokers to coordinate with labor management authorities on both sides of the border. The annual registration period is also unreasonably short, leaving migrant workers who cannot register in time vulnerable to arrest or extortion by law enforcement officials.

Migrant workers remain barred from changing jobs and employers without authorization, and an unreasonably short period of 15 days is provided to change employers where authorization is provided. Changing employers without permission exposes workers to arrest, detention, fines, and deportation. Restricting workers' ability to change employers makes them more vulnerable to labor rights' violations. Another provision of the law sets out that the interior minister may officially designate areas where migrant workers would be allowed to live, threatening the right to freedom of movement.

The new law also fails to address Thailand's violation of migrant workers' right to freedom of association, including the right to organize and lead a labor union. The 1975 Labor Relations Act prohibits migrants from officially registering a union with Thai authorities (which is necessary for legal status) or serving as a union committee member, which choose union leaders.

To end the flight of migrant workers from Thailand, the Thai government should promptly adopt measures to protect migrant workers' rights. The government should end restrictions on documented migrant workers changing employers, rescind regulations that violate migrant workers' right to freedom of movement, and amend the Labor Relations Act to permit migrant workers to form trade unions and collectively bargain.

Human Rights Watch calls on the government to set up a national-level government complaints body that will impartially and expeditiously investigate abuses of migrant workers' rights; thoroughly investigate and prosecute government officials, especially police, who extort and abuse migrant workers and their families; and revamp migrant registration procedures that are unnecessarily bureaucratic, complicated and expensive.

"The lives of migrant workers in Thailand are frequently unsafe and uncertain," Adams said. "The government's discriminatory law only exacerbates that. Instead of putting forward new regulations that violate migrant workers' rights, it is time to get serious about prosecuting those who abuse migrant workers."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Egypt: Don't Deport Uyghurs to China

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 7 July 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Egypt: Don't Deport Uyghurs to China, 7 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5963414c4.html [accessed 12 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.

Egyptian authorities should not deport dozens of detained Chinese Muslim Uyghurs to China, where they are at serious risk of arbitrary detention and torture, Human Rights Watch said today.

Since July 3, 2017, authorities have arrested at least 62 Uyghurs who were living in Egypt without informing them of the grounds for their detention, and have denied them access to lawyers and their families. China has in recent months demanded the return of Uyghur students living abroad as it cracks down on the Muslim minority, accusing the community of "separatism" and "religious extremism."

"The Egyptian authorities should halt this outrageous round-up of Uyghurs," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "Uyghurs living in Egypt should be free from fear of arbitrary arrest and deportation to a country where they risk persecution and torture."

Many of those detained possess valid Egyptian residency permits and are students at Al-Azhar University, one of the world's most prominent institutions of Sunni Islam, which has hosted Uyghur students from China for decades.

On July 7, Human Rights Watch sent a letter to Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, asking him to urge the Egyptian authorities to release the detained Uyghurs and not deport them to China.

Human Rights Watch spoke with four members of the Uyghur community in Cairo and an activist outside Egypt who was following the situation. They said that since around July 3, Egyptian police have arrested Uyghurs on several occasions from restaurants and supermarkets popular with the Uyghur community and at their homes. For instance, Egyptian police in early July raided a restaurant and arrested all Uyghur people present. The authorities disregarded inquiries about the status of those detained and arrested at least one person who asked police about his colleague.

On July 6, Egypt put at least 12 Uyghurs on a flight back to China, and 22 others were detained pending imminent deportation, according to the New York Times, which quoted Egyptian aviation officials. The officials told the Times that police had ordered them to deport the Uyghurs without explanation.

The arrests follow a meeting on June 19 between Egyptian Interior Minister Magdy Abd al-Ghaffar and Chinese Deputy Public Security Minister Chen Zhimin, in which Chen stressed China's eagerness to exchange information about "extremist organizations."

An Uyghur man in Cairo told Human Rights Watch that he had gone for a walk around sunset in early July and had returned home to find police on his street. Fearing he would be arrested and deported, he fled and has not returned. The man has lived in Egypt since 2008, and possesses an Asylum-Seeker Registration Card from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees but has never received documentation from the Egyptian government, which does not have a national asylum law.

Another Uyghur man, a former student at Al-Azhar, said that at least 39 Uyghurs had been arrested and detained inside a police station. He said that he had fled his home with his family.

Uyghurs are Turkic-speaking Muslims, most of whom live in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China's far west, where the Chinese government, as part of ostensible counterterrorism efforts, has been repressing their right to practice their religion and enjoy many other rights freely.

In the past few months, the Chinese government had ordered Uyghur students studying abroad, including those in Egypt, to return home. There are reports that Chinese authorities have detained family members of these students to force them to come back. In September 2016, Egypt's Interior Ministry and China's Public Security Ministry signed a technical cooperation agreement, pledging increased efforts against terrorism and the sharing of Chinese expertise.

In recent years, the Chinese government has tightened controls on Xinjiang in the name of fighting "separatism," "terrorism," and "religious extremism." In 2015, Chinese courts convicted 1,419 people - many of them Uyghurs - for threatening state security, inciting "separatism," and taking part in terrorism. However, details about protests, violence, and counterterrorism operations are scant, with few independent sources of information.

China's record of arbitrary detention, torture, and the enforced disappearance of Uyghurs, as well as the politicized nature of judicial proceedings in past cases of forced repatriation, raises serious concerns that if deported, these individuals will be at risk of torture and other ill-treatment.

Under customary international law and as a party to the Convention against Torture, Egypt is obliged to ensure that no one in its custody is forcibly sent to a place where they would risk being subjected to persecution, torture, or other serious human rights violations.

In recent years there have been multiple incidents of Uyghurs being forcibly returned to China in violation of international law. In August 2015, Thailand forcibly returned 220 Uyghurs to China. In December 2012, Malaysia deported six Uyghurs to China. In both cases, Human Rights Watch has been unable to obtain any further information from Thai, Malaysian, or Chinese government sources as to the deportees' whereabouts or well-being.

"Whether Egypt reverses course and halts the deportations is a test of whether it will stand up to Chinese pressure and not serve as an instrument for violating international law," Whitson said. "Lives may be at stake."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Yezidi Fighters' Families Expelled

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 9 July 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Yezidi Fighters' Families Expelled, 9 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596341fe4.html [accessed 12 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.

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) forces have expelled at least four Yezidi families and threatened others since June 2017 because of their relatives' participation in Iraqi government forces, Human Rights Watch said today. The KRG's security forces, Asayish, returned the displaced families to Sinjar, where access to basic goods and services is very limited.

The expulsion of Yezidi families from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) because a relative joined the Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Sha'abi or PMF) amounts to collective punishment in violation of international law, Human Rights Watch said.

"Kurdistan Regional Government authorities should stop expelling Yezidi families because of their relatives' actions, a form of collective punishment," said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "These displaced families have the right not to be forcibly returned to their still-damaged home villages."

Human Rights Watch spoke to three Yezidi commanders who said that Yezidi forces had been integrated into the PMF under the name Yezidi Brigades (Kata'ib Ezidkhan), with the forces holding positions in four areas of Sinjar. Sinjar is technically under Iraqi central government administrative control, but KRG security forces remain active in the area and control the main road from Sinjar to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

In late June and early July, Human Rights Watch interviewed nine displaced Yezidis originally from Kocho, Tel Kassab, and Siba Sheikh Khidr villages in Sinjar, which the PMF retook from the Islamic State (also known as ISIS) in May. All had been living in the KRI and did not want to return to their villages because of widespread destruction of property, mass graves, unexploded improvised explosive devices, and the lack of water and electricity. Their families had fled Sinjar in August 2014, after ISIS attacked the area, massacring and enslaving thousands of Yezidis. All those interviewed said that Asayish threatened them with expulsion because they had relatives who joined the Yezidi Brigades, and in four cases, they alleged that Asayish forces had forcibly expelled them to Sinjar as recently as July 5, 2017.

A Yezidi man who had been living in a camp near the town of Zakho in the KRI said that in late May, three of his sons joined the PMF's Yezidi Brigades. On June 12, an Asayish officer told him to appear at the local Asayish office the following day. He said that when he arrived, officers told him that if he did not get his sons to leave the PMF and return to the camp, he and 15 family members would need to leave the KRI by June 21 and return to Kocho.

His sons did not leave the group, and on June 29, Asayish officers at the camp ordered him and his family to leave immediately. He asked for a 24-hour extension to get his family ready, but the officers refused. An officer drove him and his family to Sinjar. "I don't know what to do next," he said. "My village was completely destroyed, and there is no water or electricity in the area."

Another Yezidi man who had been living in a camp near the city of Dohuk said that his father had joined the Yezidi Brigades in late May. On June 21, Asayish officers at the camp told him his family of 10 had one week to convince his father to come home or they would be expelled from the KRI. On June 30, the officers told him that because his father had not returned, the family would need to leave that same day, he said.

He said his uncle has close ties with the KRG, and so officers said they would spare the family the shame of picking them up at their tent, and would instead allow a relative to drive them to Sinjar. "We are now living with a relative in Khanasoor [in Sinjar], because our village is still littered in landmines," he said. "We don't know what we will do."

A Yezidi man living in a camp near Zakho said that on June 17, two Asayish officers from the camp management office told him that they knew his brother had joined the Yezidi Brigades, and that if his brother did not leave the group within four days, his family of 10 would be returned to Kocho, in Sinjar. The man said that he had two brothers who had joined the Yezidi Brigades and that they would not be willing to leave the armed group. At least 10 other families at the camp told him that Asayish had made the same demand of them. He said he and the other families expected to be expelled any day.

One Yezidi Brigades commander said that on June 24, Asayish officers called his family, who live in a village near Dohuk, into the city's Asayish office. An officer made his wife sign a pledge that she and her two daughters would leave the KRI within seven days because of her husband's role within the PMF, he said. "I don't know where I should move my family," he said. "I can't bring them here to Sinjar. My older daughter is an engineering student at the American University of Dohuk and we cannot interrupt her studies."

A Yezidi woman who had been held captive by ISIS for a year and a half, now living with two relatives in a town near Dohuk, said that her brother joined the Yezidi Brigades in mid-May. On June 14, an Asayish officer came to her home and told her to come to the local Asayish office the following morning. When she arrived, an officer there told her that if her brother did not leave the PMF, she and her two relatives would need to return to Kocho. She said she had persuaded her brother to leave the Yezidi Brigades and he informed Asayish that he had.

Human Rights Watch received reports from a Yezidi rights' activist of another 15 Yezidi families who were expelled and returned to Sinjar by Asayish forces, but could not confirm the report.

On June 23, Human Rights Watch sent a set of questions regarding these allegations to Dr. Dindar Zebari, chairperson of the KRG's High Committee to Evaluate and Respond to International Reports. Human Rights Watch has not received a response.

In 2016, Human Rights Watch documented severe restrictions on moving goods in and out of Sinjar that interfered with residents' livelihoods and their ability to get food, water, and medical care. Three aid workers told Human Rights Watch that the situation had improved dramatically since May. However, while more goods are moving into Sinjar as more families have returned in 2017, many items have been heavily taxed, making them beyond the reach of many families.

In 2016, Human Rights Watch had also documented cases in which Asayish forces ordered families to leave the same camps and areas in and around Dohuk and threatened to expel others from the KRI after learning that their children had joined forces affiliated with the armed wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (Partiya Karkeren Kurdistane or PKK) in Sinjar.

International humanitarian law prohibits collective punishment, which includes any form of punitive sanction or harassment by authorities on targeted groups of people for actions that they did not personally commit.

The United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement provide that all internally displaced persons have the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose their residence (principle 14). They also have the right to seek safety in another part of the country and to be protected against forcible return to "any place where their life, safety, liberty and/or health would be at risk" (principle 15).

"While the Kurdistan Regional Government may not like the Popular Mobilization Forces, punishing family members of PMF fighters is the wrong - and unlawful - way to address the issue," Fakih said.

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Cambodia: Revoke Ban on Election Monitors

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 9 July 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Cambodia: Revoke Ban on Election Monitors, 9 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5963429e4.html [accessed 12 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 Cambodian government should rescind its recent order restricting independent election monitoring groups, Human Rights Watch said today. On July 4, 2017, a month after the country's flawed commune elections, the Interior Ministry issued a letter to two election-monitoring organizations to cease their activities in alleged violation of the country's nongovernmental organization law.

The government's action sets the stage for the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) to broaden restrictions on election monitoring prior to the 2018 national elections.

"The Cambodian government appears intent on quashing any challenges to its political control - and obviously doesn't want any witnesses," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director. "Cambodia's donors should call for the government to rescind these orders and ensure independent monitoring of the 2018 elections."

The July 4 notice sanctions the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) and the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC) on the basis that their election-monitoring consortium, the Situation Room, "does not reflect the neutrality" mandated by the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO).

The notice suggests that LANGO will become a more prominent tool in the government's campaign against critics, civil society groups, and other perceived threats to its rule, particularly as next year's elections draw near.

The Situation Room - a consortium of 40 Cambodian civil society groups collaborating on neutral, impartial, and independent election observation - released a final assessment of the commune elections on June 24 that identified serious election flaws, including an environment of intimidation and a lack of campaign finance transparency. While noting improvements in areas such as voter registration, the report concluded that "elections in Cambodia cannot yet be considered fully free and fair."

On June 28, Prime Minister Hun Sen called for an investigation into the Situation Room: "The Interior Ministry must immediately take measures against what they have been doing under the pretext of election monitoring." He questioned the group's legal registration status and accused them of bias in favor of the opposition party. "How will they be punished?" he asked in the speech, delivered on the CPP's 66th anniversary.

Hun Sen has held power for over 30 years since taking office in 1985. In a speech in February 2017, he responded to the idea of an opposition victory next year by threatening military force: "Some individuals  predicted that in 2018 they could win, and if we don't hand over power to them, they will crush us. How can this happen if the troops are in my hand?"

Hun Sen's threats and the ministry's ban continue the CPP's long history of intimidating civil society groups and alleging collusion with the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). In the lead up to the June 4 commune elections, Interior Ministry Spokesman Gen. Khieu Sopheak threatened human rights groups with government surveillance and investigation for allegedly supporting the opposition, which he later admitted was an attempt to intimidate them from monitoring the election. More broadly, the government has in recent years increased its repression of human rights groups such as the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), a member of the Situation Room, by carrying out politically motivated prosecutions.

Banning the collaborative election monitoring of 40 civil society groups violates the rights to freedom of expression and association under international human rights law.

Cambodian elections have for decades been marked by violence and repression employed by the CPP to maintain power. The country's electoral system is marred by systematic problems, including a politically biased election committee, lack of an impartial dispute resolution mechanism, partisan campaign regulations, and unequal access to media.

Human Rights Watch found that the recent commune elections were fundamentally flawed as a result of these structural biases, as well as the environment of intimidation fostered by the CPP. Such barriers to free and fair elections violate article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Cambodia is a party, which provides that every citizen, without discrimination on the basis of political opinion, shall have the right and opportunity to vote and be elected in genuine periodic elections.

The CPP has shown it will fight to preserve its rule in the 2018 elections by any means necessary, including amending legislation in order to increase its power over political parties and impede the opposition CNRP. On July 10, the National Assembly will vote on recently proposed amendments to the Political Parties Law that would force the CNRP to sever ties with its former leader, Sam Rainsy. Violations of the new provisions are punishable with a five-year ban or dissolution.

The Situation Room is accused of violating article 24 of LANGO, which requires groups to operate under a vaguely defined obligation of "political neutrality," for its reporting on the commune elections. The law was passed in August 2015 despite wide criticism from international and domestic groups over its severe restrictions on freedoms of association and expression.

LANGO, which Hun Sen threatened to use to "handcuff" unregistered groups, allows authorities to arbitrarily de-register or shut down organizations, and criminalizes activities by unregistered groups. Its restrictions on the right to freedom of association go well beyond the permissible limitations allowed by international human rights law. The law gives government ministries sweeping powers to shut down domestic and foreign organizations, unchecked by judicial review, and to prohibit the creation of new organizations. Since being passed, it has been used to threaten grassroots organizations working on land disputes and women's rights.

After Hun Sen's threat of investigation, the Situation Room released a statement declaring its role as a "neutral and impartial platform," and stating its activities had concluded with its final report. Various coalition members have also asserted that the consortium was not a formal organization but rather a platform for collaboration and resource pooling, and thus had not violated LANGO's registration requirements.

In addition to the letters to COMFREL and NICFEC, the Interior Ministry posted a general notification about the activity and financial reporting requirements for registered organizations under LANGO, which are burdensome and excessive. The announcement included a blanket warning to groups which it said had violated the law by failing to fulfill their reporting obligations, and issued a September 2017 deadline for compliance.

"Fears that the NGO law would be used to smother Cambodia's thriving civil society are coming to pass," Robertson said. "Hun Sen's use of the law to prevent independent monitoring of the 2018 elections may just be an ugly prelude to its use more broadly against domestic and international organizations in the country."

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Armenia: Ill-Treatment Reports Mar High-Profile Trial

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 9 July 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Armenia: Ill-Treatment Reports Mar High-Profile Trial, 9 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596343224.html [accessed 12 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.

Four members of an armed opposition group in Armenia, on trial for serious crimes, have alleged that police beat them in custody, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities have an obligation to conduct a prompt, thorough, and effective investigation into the alleged beatings and hold to account those responsible for any ill-treatment.

The defendants variously suffered cuts and bruises on their faces, heads, abdomens, backs, and legs in beatings they say took place on June 28, 2017. The men are among 32 being prosecuted in two groups for crimes, including the killing of police officers, committed during the violent takeover of a police station in Yerevan, Armenia's capital, in July 2016.

"Ill-treatment of detainees is strictly prohibited in all circumstances - it's that simple, and no amount of anger at the crimes these men are charged with, or tension at the trial, can justify physical abuse of the defendants," said Giorgi Gogia, South Caucasus director at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities have a clear-cut obligation to promptly and thoroughly investigate and bring those responsible to justice."

At a June 28 hearing at Yerevan's Erebuni Nubarashen district court, a police officer prevented one of the defendants, Areg Kyureghyan, from passing a note to his lawyer. Kyureghyan and other defendants protested the interference, and defendants and officers argued. Police then removed Kyureghyan and two other defendants, Mkhitar Avetisyan and Smbat Barseghyan, from the courtroom. Lawyers for Kyureghyan, Avetisyan, and two other defendants, Arayik Khandoyan and Gagik Yeghiazaryan, said that police then beat the four defendants in the court's basement.

Human Rights Watch spoke to three of the men's lawyers. Avetisyan's lawyer, Inessa Petrosyan, said that police threw Avetisyan to the ground in the courtroom during the argument. Then police took Avetisyan and Kyureghyan into a basement holding cell with Khandoyan. Avetisyan told his lawyer that after the police took the men into the cell, approximately 10 police entered and beat the three defendants. Police beat Avetisyan on his head, back, and arms. Petrosyan saw bruises on her client when she visited him the next day.

Khandoyan's lawyer, Ara Gharagyozyan, told Human Rights Watch that policemen beat Khandoyan in the same cell. Authorities had kept Khandoyan out of the June 28 hearing after the judge denied his participation for six hours as punishment for courtroom infractions at a previous hearing. He was kept in the basement holding cell for return to the trial later.

Gharagyozyan met with Khandoyan on the evening of June 28 and saw bruises all over his body. Khandoyan said he had a severe headache and was dizzy. Gharagyozyan requested that Khandoyan be transferred to a local hospital for treatment. As of July 5, he had not received treatment. Human Rights Watch was unable to confirm whether he has since received treatment.

Lusine Hakobyan, Yeghiazaryan's lawyer, said her client, who was in a separate cell, heard screams from men he recognized as his co-defendants and called for officers to stop beating them. Police then entered his cell and beat him. Hakobyan visited Yeghiazaryan the following day and saw injuries consistent with beatings: bruises on his arms and lips, and cuts on his face. She also said that he limped due to pain in his right leg.

On June 29, representatives of Armenia's Human Rights Ombudsman visited Avetisyan, Khandoyan, and Yeghiazaryan in detention and documented injuries consistent with beatings. The ombudsman's office shared the findings with the General Prosecutor's Office and called for an immediate investigation.

Kyureghyan's lawyer, Musheg Shushanyan, said in a June 28 statement to the media that police also beat his client in the cell with Avetisyan and Khandoyan. Police beat Kyureghyan in the face, chest, abdomen, back, and legs. Human Rights Watch was not able to reach Shushanyan for an interview.

The lawyers stated that officials at the remand prisons, where the defendants are being held during trial, examined the four men after they were brought back from the court and documented injuries.

The Prison Monitoring Group, a civilian advisory body to the Justice Ministry, on June 29 tried to meet with some of the men at the Nubarashen prison, but prison authorities refused, saying that under orders from investigators, the men are not allowed visitors.

The four men have been on trial since June 8, together with 10 other leading members of the Founding Parliament radical opposition group. They are variously charged with a range of crimes, including killing three police officers, hostage-taking, destruction of property, and weapons theft in conjunction with the July 2016 attack on the police station and subsequent two-week standoff. The gunmen demanded release of their jailed leader and resignation of President Serzh Sarkisyan. The men eventually surrendered.

In a separate ongoing trial, 18 men face similar charges related to the police station takeover and hostage crisis. Both trials are being held in the Avan and Nor-Nork district court building to accommodate the large number of defendants and visitors.

Armenia is a party to multiple human rights treaties, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, that require it to ensure effective investigations and appropriate prosecutions and punishment of officials responsible for serious violations of human rights, including ill-treatment.

On July 3, in response to the allegations of police beatings, the Special Investigative Service of Armenia, a government agency responsible for investigating crimes committed by law enforcement officials, initiated an investigation into whether officials had exceeded their authority. However, police officers alleged to have been involved in the beatings are still on duty in the courtroom. Pending the investigation, any officials under investigation should not undertake any duties related to the trials and the defendants, Human Rights Watch said.

"It is positive that the authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident," Gogia said. "But to be credible, the investigation has to be effective, meaning that it needs to be thorough, impartial, and capable of identifying abusive officials and bringing them to justice."

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Burma urged to free journalists, amend telecommunications law

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 8 July 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Burma urged to free journalists, amend telecommunications law, 8 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596348fe4.html [accessed 12 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.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is concerned about the increase in media freedom violations in Burma and, in particular, reiterates its call for the unconditional release of three journalists who were arrested in the northeast on 26 June and the repeal of article 66(d) of the 2013 Telecommunications Act.

The three journalists - Aye Nai and Pyae Phone Naing of Democratic Voice of Burma and Thein Zaw of The Irrawaddy - were arrested under the Unlawful Association Act after covering an event organized by the outlawed Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) to mark International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.





They will be facing the possibility of up to three years in prison when they appear in court next week.





"It is very disturbing to see that Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) continues to ignore the mounting appeals from members of the public and the international community," RSF said.





"Burma cannot really claim to be committed to a new democratic era if it does not defend the media and freedom of expression. We call on the government to free these three journalists at once and to drop the charges that were unjustly brought against them."





Hundreds of media freedom defenders and civil society representatives took part in a major demonstration in Rangoon on 30 June to demand the release of the three journalists.





The European Union and United States have also reacted to the decline in respect for freedoms in Burma. The EU has urged the government to protect journalists against "intimidation, arrest or prosecution." The US said: "Journalists need to be able to do their work, as a free press is essential to [Burma's] success."









Laws still being misused





In Burma, authorities often still harass the media using laws that were specifically designed to silence criticism. The use of the Unlawful Association Act to arrest the three journalists was all the more disturbing because the former military regime often used it to censor the media, and many journalists thought the NLD's election in 2015 would mean the end of such abuses.





Although a transition to democracy has in theory been under way for several years now, government efforts to protect journalists have been limited if not non-existent.





And, worse than stagnation, we are now seeing a resurgence of abuses against the media. Of late, a new case of journalists being intimidated, prosecuted or imprisoned has occurred almost every week.





Despite the NLD's victory in the 2015 legislative elections, some journalists liken the current climate to the systematic censorship that existed under the former military regime, when the only independent Burmese media outlets were those operated by journalists based abroad - outlets such as The Irrawaddy, a news website based Thailand, and Democratic Voice of Burma, an Oslo-based news agency.





Article 66(d) of the 2013 Telecommunications Act ranks alongside the Unlawful Association Act as legislative weapons that the authorities, especially the armed forces, most use against their critics.





The journalists charged under this law in the past year include Myo Yan Naung Thein, who was convicted of defaming the head of the armed forces in April, and The Voice Daily editor Kyaw Min Swe, who is currently imprisoned in connection with an article mocking a military propaganda film.





In all, more than 65 proceedings have been initiated under article 66(d) of the 2013 Telecommunications Act. Those targeted include 14 journalists, some of whom have not yet appeared in court.





RSF is one of 61 human rights groups that have issued a joint appeal to the Burmese authorities to repeal article 66(d) of the 2013 Telecommunications Act. RSF also urges the authorities to quickly take the necessary steps to protect journalists and guarantee an environment that allows them to work properly.





Burma is ranked in the bottom third ofRSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index - 131st out of 180 countries
Kenyan election campaign hits journalists and media freedom

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 8 July 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Kenyan election campaign hits journalists and media freedom, 8 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5963495f4.html [accessed 12 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.

Ten years after appalling election violence was accompanied by serious media freedom violations in Kenya in 2007, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has been looking at the current election campaign's impact on press freedom.

Kenyans are due to elect a parliament and president on 8 August. This should be a routine step in a democratic nation's life but previous elections have given rise to both grave abuses against journalists and serious loss of life - hence the concern of RSF and the international community.





RSF has registered many violations of free speech and the right to inform in Kenya since President Uhuru Kenyatta's election in 2013 and they have been increasing in the run-up to next month's elections, in which Kenyatta is seeking another term.





At the same time, the authorities have developed an extensive information control system, applying new regulatory measures to both the traditional media and social networks. As a result, the scope for producing and disseminating news and information freely has declined considerably in recent months.





The media nonetheless have a key role to play in democratic and pluralist elections. And they must be free and independent, so that the public has adequate access to information about the political parties, their programmes and the way the polling is conducted.









Journalists targeted





Physical attacks on journalists by the security forces, intimidation and open threats against journalists by politicians, seizure of journalists' equipment and the suppression of media content are all typical features of election campaigns in Kenya.





And this year is no exception. Since the start of 2017, there have been at least five cases of violence against a total of eight journalists by public figures or their bodyguards after the journalists raised sensitive political issues.





Journalists sometimes pay dearly for covering election-related events, especially those organized by the opposition, or for negative portrayals of President Kenyatta's Jubilee party and its flaws.





Walter Menya, a reporter for the Nation Media Group's Nation newspaper, was arrested on 18 June. His arrest came after he wrote stories implicating senior officials in the use of a foundation to provide Kenyatta's reelection campaign with illegal funding.





National Media Group reporter Winnie Atieno was covering the opposition Orange Democratic Party's primaries on 22 April, when police grabbed her phone and deleted all the photos she had taken at a voting station.





Political corruption and misgovernance, especially by the governors of Kenya's 47 counties, also seem to be off-limits for reporters in the run-up to the elections.





Royal Media group reporter Emmanuel Namisi sustained a serious head injury when he was attacked and badly beaten by Bungoma County governor Ken Lusaka's bodyguards in a restaurant in Bungoma on 5 June, after he accused the governor of corruption in his radio reporting. They said he had damaged the governor's image and were angered by his report on Radio Citizen and Mulembe FM blaming them for a woman's death during a demonstration in Bungoma three days before.





It was Kakamega County governor Wyclife Oparanya's bodyguards who gave Standard newspaper journalist Dan Ocholla a severe beating on 7 May when he photographed workers injured by the collapse of a building under construction in Kakamega. His assailants tried to confiscate his phone and camera.





Three journalists working for the Mediamax group - Sarah Ndungu and Charles Mathai of People Daily and K24 TV cameraman Patrick Kimanthi - were badly injured by demonstrators while covering a visit by Nairobi governor Evans Kidero to Nairobi's Dandora district to resolve a land dispute.





All of these abuses have gone unpunished and, in most cases, no investigation was even opened although the journalists filed complaints. Impunity is a chronic problem, as RSF noted after regional newspaper editor John Kituy's murder in April 2016 while investigating the intimidation of witnesses in the International Criminal Court case against Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto.





"We call on the Kenyan authorities to end this persecution of journalists and we remind them that the provision of news and information is essential during an election campaign, RSF said. Unpunished attacks of this kind have just one aim - to deter journalists from tackling certain political issues out of fear of reprisals."
In Ukraine, UN chief Guterres urges full respect for ceasefire

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 9 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, In Ukraine, UN chief Guterres urges full respect for ceasefire, 9 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59634b324.html [accessed 12 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.

Speaking to the press in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all sides to fully respect the ceasefire and underscored the Organization's support to the country and its people.

You can be sure that for us this is something that we keep in the agenda. It is not a forgotten situation, said Mr. Guterres at a press conference, alongside Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine.

The human rights bodies of the UN are, of course, active in relation to the situation, and, as it is known, the High Commissioner [for human rights] will be providing also his report on the human rights situation in Crimea in due time, he noted.

He added that the UN is ready to support all efforts, including those of the Normandy Four, the Trilateral Contact Group and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

In his remarks, the Secretary-General also highlighted the UN's support to humanitarian activities in the country and said that it would enhance its cooperation with the Government and that it will work to overcome any challenges in reaching the populations in distress.

More than 1.7 million people have been displaced in Ukraine since the start of the conflict.

Mr. Guterres also said that UN fully supported the reform process of the Government and that he has closely followed developments in that regard.

As the President mentioned, we are ready to upscale our cooperation and our presence to support the Government in the reforms that [it] will be promoting, he added.

Further in his remarks, the Secretary-General expressed appreciation to the cooperation between Ukraine and the UN as well as the country's contributions to the UN peacekeeping efforts and to global peace and security as a member of the Security Council.

Ukraine has been actively engaged in all processes in relation to both peace and security, sustainable and inclusive development, and human rights, and I want to express my deep appreciation for what has been an exemplary cooperation, he said.

Also in his remarks, Mr. Guterres recalled his link with the people of Ukraine during his tenure as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

I started to work with them as High Commissioner for Refugees, and I want to say that I deeply feel the suffering of the people and I am deeply committed to do everything I can in order to be able to address their plight, he stated.
Five years into South Sudan's independence, children denied childhoods  UNICEF

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 8 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Five years into South Sudan's independence, children denied childhoods  UNICEF, 8 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59634cd94.html [accessed 12 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.

As South Sudan enters its sixth year of independence, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is calling the situation in the country a catastrophe for children and cautioned that they are being denied a childhood in nearly all aspects of their lives.

A country's independence day should be celebrated. However, today in South Sudan, there will be no celebration for the millions of children caught up in this conflict, said Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF's Representative in South Sudan, on the occasion of South Sudan's Independence Day on 9 July.

He noted that children in South Sudan are suffering unthinkable hardships and setbacks in their education, nutrition, health and other rights.

In nearly all aspects of their lives children are being denied a childhood in South Sudan.

The country has been in conflict since December 2013, with at least 2,500 children killed or injured, and more than two million children displaced or seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Hundreds have also been raped and sexually assaulted.

The numbers are staggering and yet each represents the ongoing misery of a child, said Mr. Mdoe.

UNICEF noted that with 2.2 million children out of school, the country has the highest proportion of school children not in classrooms, with 70 per cent of children not receiving any education. In addition, one-third of all schools are believed to have been attacked by armed groups.

An estimated 1.1 million children in the country are acutely malnourished, according to UNICEF. In addition, children lack clean water, which has led to the ongoing outbreak of cholera  the longest and most widespread in the country's history  with 10,000 cases reported, the majority children.

UNICEF, along with other UN agencies and non-UN partners, are working to provide safe drinking water and food to children, as well as to reunite them with their families and to support some stability in their lives through schooling.

While UNICEF continues to increase our emergency response to reach those most in need, we reiterate what we have said time and again: humanitarian actors need full and safe access; and the children of South Sudan need peace, Mr. Mdoe said.
UN condemns terrorist attack in Rafah, Egypt

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 8 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN condemns terrorist attack in Rafah, Egypt, 8 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59634d404.html [accessed 12 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.

Condemning yesterday's terrorist attack against a checkpoint in Rafah, Egypt, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council have underscored the need to bring the perpetrators to justice.

In a statement attributable to his spokesperson, Mr. Guterres reiterated the UN's support to the Government of Egypt in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

The Secretary-General hopes those responsible for the cowardly act will be swiftly brought to justice, the statement added.

According to reports, at least 23 Egyptian soldiers were killed and many injured in the attack.

Also, in a press statement late last night, members of the UN Security Council condemned the terrorist attack and reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, they stressed in the statement.

They also reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter and other obligations under international law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The Security Council members also underscored the need to bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of such acts to justice.

In the statements, Secretary-General Guterres and the members of the Security Council also expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Egypt and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
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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.
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Rights defenders 'must not be silenced,' says UN office, urging Turkey to release activists

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 7 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Rights defenders 'must not be silenced,' says UN office, urging Turkey to release activists, 7 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596350f04.html [accessed 12 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 today voiced grave concern about the arbitrary detention and arrests of human rights defenders in Turkey and called on the Government to ensure that activists can carry out their work in a safe and enabling environment without fear.

"Human rights defenders must not be silenced," Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), told a press briefing in Geneva.

OHCHR has received reports that eight Turkish human rights defenders and two international experts were detained on the Buyukada Island near Istanbul on Wednesday, 5 July, while taking part in a training workshop on digital security and protection for human rights defenders.

Their detention period has now been extended to seven days and they are reportedly being interrogated over allegations of "membership of an armed terrorist organisation," noted Ms. Throssell.

"We fear they are now at significant risk of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment," she added.

The detainees include Idil Eser Ilknur, the Director of Amnesty International Turkey; Ilknur Ustun of the Women's Coalition; Veli Acu and Gunal Kursun of the Human Rights Agenda Association; Nalan Erkem, Seyhmuz Ozbekli and Ozlem Dalkiran of Helsinki Citizens Assembly; and Nejat Tastan of the Equal Rights Watch Association. One Swedish and one German national, who facilitated the training, were also detained along with the owner of the hotel where the workshop was taking place.

This new wave of detentions is "deeply worrying," according to OHCHR, as it comes a month after the Chairperson of Amnesty International Turkey, Taner Kilic, was arrested, along with 22 other lawyers. Mr. Kilic and six others remain in custody.

The Office is also extremely concerned about two other human rights defenders - Nuriye Gulmen, a university lecturer, and Semih Ozakca, a school teacher - who went on hunger strike in March in protest against their arbitrary dismissal in the context of last year's sweeping purges.

"We call upon the Turkish Government to release and reinstate them in their jobs without delay, and to ensure adequate compensation for their unlawful arrest and dismissal," said Ms. Throssell.

OHCHR said that in the context of the state of emergency, the Government seems to have criminalized the legitimate exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of opinion and expression, using emergency decrees that fail to meet international human rights standards.
UN chief 'deeply sorry' as Cyprus talks conclude without agreement

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 7 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN chief 'deeply sorry' as Cyprus talks conclude without agreement, 7 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596351754.html [accessed 12 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.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says that he is "deeply sorry" that, despite very strong commitments and the engagement of all delegations, the United Nations-facilitated Conference on Cyprus concluded without reaching an agreement.

"Unfortunately [] an agreement was not possible and the conference was closed without the possibility to bring a solution to this dramatically long-lasting problem," Mr. Guterres told the press in the early hours of Friday in the Swiss town of Crans-Montana, where the talks took place.

However, he noted that, in spite of the closure of the Conference, initiatives can still be pursued and developed in order to address the issues that were being discussed.

"The UN role is the role of a facilitator and we will always be at the disposal of the parties willing to come to an agreement, if that would be the case," he added.

The Conference had begun on 28 June in the hopes of reaching a comprehensive settlement to the conflict that has divided the Mediterranean island for more than four decades.

In his remarks, Mr. Guterres also expressed his appreciation to the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders as well as to the representatives of the guarantors - Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom - and the European Union, which served as an observer.

He also thanked the UN team, led by Espen Barth Eide, the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus, for doing everything possible to bring closer together the positions of the different delegations.
Punitive Psychiatry Reemerges in Post-Soviet States

Publisher EurasiaNet Author Madeline Roache Publication Date 5 July 2017 Other Languages / Attachments Russian Cite as EurasiaNet, Punitive Psychiatry Reemerges in Post-Soviet States, 5 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596357514.html [accessed 12 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.

Last summer, Crimean Tatar political activist Ilmi Umerov was receiving treatment for high blood pressure in a Simferopol hospital when FSB officers showed up one day and hauled him off to a psychiatric facility for an evaluation.



Umerov, a former deputy chairman of the Mejlis, the Crimean Tatar representative body, had been a vocal critic of Russia's annexation of Crimea. In May 2016, the FSB charged him with criminal separatism after he declared, in Tatar: "We must force Russia to withdraw from Crimea."

At the psychiatric facility, a doctor quickly let him know that he would be punished, not treated. "You just need to admit that you're wrong, and everybody will stop bothering you," Umerov, in an interview with Euromaidan Press, quoted the doctor as saying. "Simple as that."



When Umerov would not make a deal, he was detained at the facility. The conditions he endured were appalling. According to his lawyers, he was kept in an overcrowded room with severely mentally ill patients, denied access to his heart and diabetes medications, and forced to go long stretches of time without food.



Umerov was released three weeks later, but he remained subject to criminal prosecution. His trial commenced in June.



Human rights activists point to Umerov's case as an indicator of a troubling resurgence of punitive psychiatry in the former Soviet space. The practice of using psychiatry to punish religious and political dissidents, including many well-known writers and artists, became notorious during the late Soviet era. The method was reportedly the brainchild of then-KGB Chairman Yuri Andropov, who saw psychiatry as a tool of systemic political repression: victims would be released only after retracting "wrong ideas" that the authorities deemed dangerous to Kremlin rule.



Discarded after the Soviet collapse, punitive psychiatry has reappeared again in Russia under President Vladimir Putin, as well as in some neighboring states.



Over the past five years across the former Soviet Union, more than 30 similar instances have been documented in which activists and journalists have been improperly detained in psychiatric institutions, sometimes for as long as 10 years, reports the Federation Global Initiative on Psychiatry (FGIP), a human rights watchdog. Experts say the real number of victims could be considerably higher.



They include teenagers as well as adults. In May 2016, 16-year-old Gleb Astafyev was confined to a psychiatric institution for 15 days after staging a solitary picket in Kurgan, Russia. He had been demonstrating in support of the dissident performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky, who himself had spent a month in a mental hospital earlier that year.



Astafyev says that his hospital stay included five days in the special ward for the most mentally ill, some of whom yelled and pounded their fists at night. "Every morning we were given pills to take, but I managed to spit them out. I don't know what the medication was - it seemed to turn people into vegetables," he told EurasiaNet.org in an interview.



The irony is that people often develop mental health issues precisely because of the conditions in the psychiatric hospitals, and the forced drugging, says Robert van Voren, the head of FGIP.



A case in point is the Chelyabinsk activist Alexei Moroshkin, forced to spend 18 months in a psychiatric clinic until his release this June. He was reportedly given high doses of neuroleptics and developed depression, a condition he had not previously had.



Moroshkin was arrested in 2015 for promoting separatism on social media, where he lauded Ural nationalism and criticized central authority. A criminal court ruled that he be institutionalized as a "danger to society."



This allegation bears particular weight in Russia and other post-Soviet societies, where mental health problems are still stigmatized. Today, as in Soviet times, psychiatric imprisonment of activists is preventative as well as punitive. In addition to sending a warning to politically active citizens, the stigma of mental illness tacitly undermines the credibility of confined individual in the public eye.



The misuse of psychiatry is making a comeback in Central Asia too. The most prominent recent case in the region is that of the Jamshid Karimov, an Uzbek independent journalist and a strident critic of the late President Islam Karimov who was also his uncle.



In 2006, Jamshid Karimov disappeared and was later found to have been forcibly hospitalized in Samarkand. Although initially ordered by a criminal court to undergo six months of treatment, Karimov was in fact not released until late 2011 - only to be readmitted for another five years shortly thereafter.



Karimov attributes his ultimate release, this past March, to his uncle's death in 2016 after 27 years in power. Since Karimov's death, Uzbekistan's new leadership appears to be pursuing a cautious thaw.



"I was hospitalized for so long because I was a personal enemy," he said in an interview with Eurasianet.org. "I was kept in a dark room with bars on the windows and forced to take psychotropic drugs. There was always a guard watching me during visits from my family."



His chief psychiatrist repeatedly urged him to disassociate himself "from bad, evil people," he adds. He believes this was a reference to his colleague Ulugbek Khaidarov, another journalist who was arrested and found guilty of treason in 2006.



If post-Soviet governments had designed punitive psychiatry to enforce political conformity, then the method cannot be considered entirely successful. Activists and their supporters have often reacted to the treatment by redoubling their efforts.



A year on, the teenage Russian protester Astafyev reflects on the picket that led to his hospitalization: "The point was to show how Russian authorities react to opponents who are not afraid of expressing their views. The fact that I was put into a psychiatric facility showed their misunderstanding and blind condemnation of people who are different in society."

Copyright notice: All EurasiaNet material  Open Society Institute
Uzbekistan and Polygamy: New Love and Broken Hearts

Publisher EurasiaNet Publication Date 7 July 2017 Other Languages / Attachments Russian Cite as EurasiaNet, Uzbekistan and Polygamy: New Love and Broken Hearts, 7 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596358814.html [accessed 12 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.

Jalil Buriyev left Uzbekistan for Russia two decades ago, when he was just 18. He started out working as a lumberjack in Abakan, the capital of Russia's Republic of Khakassia, and made what was then considered good money. After four years, he returned home and married Sanobar, a woman from his village in southeastern Uzbekistan's Kashkadarya Province.



Despite tying the knot, Jalil continued to spend most of his time in Abakan, where 10 years later he married a local ethnic Khakas woman called Ilona. Sanobar, with whom he had two daughters, reluctantly gave her blessing.



"What was I supposed to do? My husband has been working there for 20 years and comes home every two years. I never imagined he would betray me in this way. I went to the imam for advice. He told me that if a man is able to provide for two families, then he is free to go ahead and marry," Sanobar told EurasiaNet.org.



Earlier this year, Jalil returned to his home village with his Khakas wife and their six-year-old daughter in tow.



"I decided to introduce Ilona to my parents and, of course, to Sanobar. My wives have found common ground, and Sanobar has taken in my Russian daughter like her own," he told EurasiaNet.org.



Ilona said she was afraid to visit Uzbekistan at first, but agreed after much persuasion from her in-laws.



"The excitement and fear passed when I met Sanobar and my husband's parents. Before getting married, I adopted Islam and began to learn Uzbek. Jalil is a very caring husband. He does not drink and he makes good money. We have a big house in Abakan and I am happy," she told EurasiaNet.org.



Unlike Jalil, Nodir Zafarov is not so eager to speak openly about his second family in Kazakhstan. The 31-year old is from Namangan, a conservative Ferghana Valley city. He is married to a fellow Namangani and has a son.



Eight years ago, he opened an Uzbek bakery in Almaty, Kazakhstan. To ensure his business prospered, he insisted on keeping close tabs on the bakery and began returning home more seldom.



"One time in Almaty I met Sabina, who ran a hairdressing salon next to our bakery. She is a Uyghur. First we made friends, and eventually we decided to get married through the Islamic [marriage] rite of nikah," Zafarov told EurasiaNet.org.



But as Zafarov explained, if his first wife finds out, he will be forced to return home without delay, so he is keeping the nuptials secret for now.



In contrast to those two men, Aziz Nurullayev, 34, a taxi driver in Moscow, is eager to forget about his wife and daughter in Uzbekistan. He has married a Russian woman with whom he has two sons, and has not been back to Uzbekistan for five years. Nurullayev declined to explain how this situation has come about, but said that he is determined to remain in Russia for good.



Similar examples of polygamy among migrant laborers can be found in almost every town and village in Uzbekistan. All the same, the issue has almost never been discussed in local media.



That changed a few weeks ago after President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated publicly that new legislation was needed to combat polygamy more robustly. His main target appears to be the clerics that he said propagate the practice. "To stop this lawlessness we are drawing up a draft bill," Mirziyoyev said on June 19. "Every mullah that performs the nikah rites without a witness or marriage registration documents will be punished."



Despite the taboo nature of the issue, local authorities are regularly confronted by women demanding that the government somehow force their husbands to return home, or at the very least provide financial assistance. Life as a solitary mother is miserable and hard in Uzbekistan.



"Of course, local district administrations and women's committees try in their own way to help these women. Often the wives of migrants are forced to come to terms with the situation, but only on condition that the husbands pay some kind of child support," Muhabbat Nusratova, a deputy with a local district council in Kashkadarya Province, told EurasiaNet.org.



Sergei Abashin, a St. Petersburg-based expert on Central Asia, said that it is virtually impossible to determine the scale of polygamy among Uzbek migrants.



"This is inevitable. People are separated from their families for entire months and years. Some of them find temporary partners in Russia who then turn into permanent partners. As far as statistics go, if such cases occur among, let's say, even 0.1 percent of those who migrate, you are still talking about 1,500 to 2,000 people. And over a number of years, the total number could have grown to tens of thousands of cases," Abashin said.



As Mirziyoyev argued, if polygamy is so ubiquitous in Uzbekistan, it is religious figures at the local level that may bear some responsibility.



An imam in Kashkadarya Province, Bobokhon Rahimov, told EurasiaNet.org that the practice typically gets his blessing.



"If a man is able to provide for both families, then there is nothing reprehensible about it. These are also traditions of Islam. But if a man who is living abroad has already broken off with his first wife back in his homeland, he should declare talaq [a Sunni Muslim marriage annulment rite]. Or the wife can apply three times for the husband to declare talaq. If this does not happen, then the woman has the right to remarry," Rahimov told EurasiaNet.org.



If clerics take a liberal view on polygamy, authorities are on paper less forgiving. Uzbek law dictates that polygamy or cohabitation with two or more women is punishable by a stiff fine or up to three years in jail.



Only two offenders have ever faced penalties, however.



In 2012, Yakub Normurodov, the head of a local education department in Surkhandarya Province, was convicted for polygamy. And two years earlier, the head of police in the city of Gulistan was dismissed over the same offense.



Sahiba Hayitova, a blogger and journalist living in Moscow, told EurasiaNet.org that many migrants usually exploit Islamic customs to satisfy primal urges. And sometimes their goals are far more pragmatic - marriage with a Russian citizen greatly simplifies the process of securing the documentation needed to obtain permits for permanent residence.



"I am certain that most Uzbek women would never give their consent for their husbands to begin a new family in Russia. But when they face such problems, they are forced either to support themselves and their children independently, or to turn to their parents for help," Hayitova said.

Copyright notice: All EurasiaNet material  Open Society Institute
Amid ruins of war in Mosul, residents start to rebuild

Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Publication Date 10 July 2017 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Amid ruins of war in Mosul, residents start to rebuild, 10 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596371c04.html [accessed 12 November 2022]

As the battle for Mosul raged around them last year, Rabah Mahmoud Ali and his family were ejected from their home by armed militants.

After Iraqi forces took back control, they returned to find the roof and first floor of their house badly damaged by bombs, their possessions looted, and all the windows shattered.

But determined to get their old life back, Ali borrowed some money and set a team of construction workers to repair the damage.

"I've got into debt because of all the building work," he says. "But I am optimistic about the future."

The Iraqi government declared victory in Mosul on July 9. The 58-year-old physics teacher is among tens of thousands of determined residents of Iraq's battered second city who are heading home, reopening their shops and businesses and taking back their lives.

According to Iraqi government figures, 176,150 men, women and children were displaced from east Mosul after Iraqi forces launched an operation last October to retake the city.

But since the troops took back control, nearly 90 percent of the displaced residents - or 157,341 people - have returned to their places of origin.

When militants seized Mosul in 2014, they began closing down or bringing schools under their control and implementing their own curriculum. Most parents pulled their children out altogether, fearing they would be indoctrinated by extremist influences - although now local schools are getting back to normal.

Ali is happy to be able to teach again and says his students have been desperate to get back to their studies.

"I can see in the eyes of my students now that they are so determined to be good students and learn," he says. "It's like people are starting a new life."

Heavy fighting left many of the streets of West Mosul in ruins. But damage to the eastern part of the city was not as widespread. In the Al Khadra neighbourhood, the majority of families have moved back and are repairing or rebuilding destroyed properties and businesses.

As a sense of normality returns to the area, the population has doubled, say staff from Mercy Hands for Humanitarian Aid, a protection partner for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Many of the new arrivals are families from western Mosul who chose to move in with relatives or friends in the east of the city, rather than move to displacement camps.

Among those sheltering in east Mosul is former restaurant owner Taysir Mohammed Mahmoud, who recently arrived with his wife, two children, brother and mother.

Mahmoud said the family, originally from the Old City, had been used as human shields by militants, and were forced to move to another area where they lived with 10 other families in a basement for five months.

"Thank God we are here. We'll celebrate our new birth. And one of the first things I've done is to shave," says Mahmoud, who lost his home in the fighting. "But we will need help help to go back, rebuild and get back to work."

Many shops and markets in east Mosul have re-opened, including cafes advertising shisha pipes, furniture stores and hairdressers. On one street corner, a group of people had gathered at one site being repaired.

"We're planning to rebuild four shops and our family house at the back," says 25-year-old Ayad Ahmed Ali.

"It will cost us a lot - maybe 200 million Iraqi dinars (US$170,000) - and we'll get into debt; but there are five families in our extended family. We are scattered, living all over the place right now, but we want to come back here and live together. And we all need jobs," he says.

Ali says the building work will likely take a few months. But, he believes efforts like this will send an important statement to extremist groups who once held sway.

"We all hope and want Mosul to get back on its feet," he says. "What we are doing now is a signal, a challenge to extremists. We are determined to rebuild and fight their destruction."
Turkey: Activists worldwide demand release of Amnesty International Director and Chair

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Turkey: Activists worldwide demand release of Amnesty International Director and Chair, 10 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596374e84.html [accessed 12 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.

Activists in more than 30 countries will join protests outside Turkish embassies today demanding the release of Amnesty International Turkey's Chair and Director as well as other prominent human rights defenders behind bars amid a spiralling crackdown.

The demonstrations mark one month since the organization's Chair, Taner Kilic, was remanded in prison on baseless charges, and five days since the Director, Idil Eser, was detained alongside seven other prominent human rights activists. They all face criminal investigations on the absurd suspicion of being members of an 'armed terrorist organization'.

"As we approach the first anniversary of the Turkey's state of emergency, these cases demonstrate just how arbitrary and ferocious the post-coup crackdown on real or perceived opposition has become. With each passing day, the demand for the immediate and unconditional release of our colleagues grows louder and it will not be silenced," said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International's Secretary General.

"We will not stand idly by as respected human rights champions are thrown into jail on spurious grounds in a transparently toxic bid to intimidate those brave critical voices in Turkey who have refused to be silenced. While they are behind bars, we will march for them. While they are gagged, we will speak out for them."

Idil Eser, seven prominent human rights defenders and two trainers, were detained while attending a routine professional workshop. For over 28 hours the authorities refused to reveal their whereabouts and they were denied the right to call their loved ones.Their detention has been authorized for seven days, and could be extended for a further seven days without them being brought before a court.

Taner Kilic was detained on 6 June. He was charged three days later with "membership of the Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organization" and remanded in pre-trial detention. The claim presented by the authorities purportedly linking Taner Kilic to the Gulen movement is that Bylock, a secure mobile messaging application that the authorities say was used by members of the "Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organization", was on his phone in August 2014.

No evidence has been presented to substantiate this claim, and Taner Kilic denies ever having downloaded or used Bylock, or even having heard of it, until its alleged use was widely publicized in connection with recent detentions and prosecutions.

"For the last month, my husband has been wrongfully and unlawfully imprisoned. This has been devastating to us," said Hatice Klc, wife of Taner.

"I want to thank all those who stood by us during this period on behalf of my husband and my family. And I hope that all the hard work for him continues until Taner is released from prison."

Background

In addition to Idil Eser, the seven human rights defenders detained are: Ilknur Ustun,Women's Coalition; Gunal Kursun, lawyer, Human Rights Agenda Association; Nalan Erkem, Lawyer, Citizens' Assembly; Nejat Tastan, Equal Rights Watch Association; Ozlem Dalkran, Citizens' Assembly; Seyhmuz Ozbekli, lawyer; and Veli Acu, Human Rights Agenda Association.

Taner Kilic has served on the board of Amnesty International Turkey for various periods since 2002 and has been Chair since 2014. During his decades of work for human rights organizations in Turkey he has consistently demonstrated an unswerving commitment to human rights.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Court ruling over UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia a 'deadly blow' to Yemeni civilians

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Court ruling over UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia a 'deadly blow' to Yemeni civilians, 10 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5963754a4.html [accessed 12 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.

A UK court ruling that the government is entitled to continue authorizing arms supplies to Saudi Arabia is a potentially deadly setback to Yemeni civilians, Amnesty International said today.



The High Court in London dismissed a legal challenge from the NGO Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), which claimed that such arms transfers should not take place because of the clear risk that the weapons supplied would be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen's armed conflict.



"This is a deeply disappointing outcome which gives a green light to the UK authorities - and potentially Saudi Arabia's other arms suppliers - to continue authorizing arms transfers to the Kingdom despite the clear risk they will be used to commit violations," said James Lynch, Head of Arms Control and Human Rights at Amnesty International.



"Extensive and credible reports, including Amnesty International's own research on the ground in Yemen, have in our view demonstrated that such weapons have been used to commit serious violations, including war crimes, against civilians in Yemen and that - in light of the clear risk - authorizing further transfers would be counter to the UK's obligations under international law.



"The verdict is a deadly blow for Yemenis under attack from a Saudi Arabia-led coalition bolstered by UK-manufactured weapons."



Since the conflict in Yemen began, more than 13,000 civilians have been killed and injured.



All parties to the conflict have committed serious violations, including possible war crimes. Amnesty International and other NGOs and UN bodies have concluded that the Saudi Arabia-led coalition's pattern of attacks across Yemen raises serious concerns about an apparent disregard for civilian life. A failure to take feasible precautions to spare civilians, as required by international humanitarian law, has led to civilian death and injuries and destruction of civilian homes and infrastructure.



The coalition, which supports the internationally recognized Yemeni government in its conflict against the Huthi armed group and allied forces aligned with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, has bombed hospitals, mosques, markets and other civilian infrastructure, and frequently carried out disproportionate and indiscriminate attacks that have killed and injured civilians.



"Irrespective of this ruling, the UK and other governments should end their shameless arms supplies to Saudi Arabia. They may amount to lucrative trade deals, but the UK risks aiding and abetting these terrible crimes," said James Lynch.



Materials revealed in court show that in February 2016 the head of the Export Control Organization recommended to the then business secretary that exports to Saudi Arabia should be suspended.



UK domestic law, EU law, the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to which the UK is a state party, and rules of customary international law require the UK to take steps to ensure that its arms transfers are not used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law and of human rights law.



Amnesty International and other NGOs including Human Rights Watch and Rights Watch (UK) made submissions to the Court during the judicial review.



Background



According to UN figures, at least seven million Yemeni civilians are on the brink of famine. The country is facing the worst cholera outbreak worldwide with more than 200,000 suspected cases in the last two months. More than 21 million people are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance, and at least three million people have been forced to flee their homes since March 2015.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Turkey: US Secretary of State must call for the release of Amnesty Director and Chair

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Turkey: US Secretary of State must call for the release of Amnesty Director and Chair, 10 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596375974.html [accessed 12 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.

As US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits Turkey to meet with senior Turkish officials in Ankara today, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia, Gauri van Gulik said:

"With both the Chair and Director of Amnesty International Turkey behind bars we urge Rex Tillerson to use his face-to-face meetings to call on Turkish authorities to immediately and unconditionally release them and the other human rights activists caught up in this cynical trawl.

"The US Department of State already described the arrest of Taner Kilic, the chair of Amnesty International Turkey as part of an 'alarming trend'. Now with arrest of Idil Eser, the Director of our Turkey office, and nine others detained with her, the situation has deteriorated further. It's time to act and use all possible opportunities to demand that Idil, Taner and all human rights defenders are freed immediately and unconditionally."

Secretary of State Tillerson's visit coincides with a worldwide day of action to mark one month since the Amnesty International's Chair, Taner Kilic, was remanded in prison on baseless charges, and five days since its Director, Idil Eser, was detained alongside other nine human rights activists.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Russian authorities must investigate new allegations of extrajudicial executions in Chechnya

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Russian authorities must investigate new allegations of extrajudicial executions in Chechnya, 10 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596376004.html [accessed 12 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.

Following reports in Russia's Novaya Gazeta newspaper that security forces in the Russian republic of Chechnya killed 27 people on the night of 26 January 2017, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia, said:

"These allegations come from a credible source and as horrendous as they are, appear totally plausible for Chechnya, where the authorities enjoy complete impunity for human rights violations.

"Amnesty International has documented the practice of extrajudicial executions in Chechnya and elsewhere in the North Caucasus for many years, and these allegations are consistent with our past findings. They must be investigated immediately, and if proven to be true, all perpetrators must be brought to justice.

"In addition, a full and thorough investigation needs to be carried out into allegations of the secret imprisonment and torture and other ill-treatment of more than 100 gay men in Chechnya in April.

"The security forces cannot be allowed to get away with torture and murder simply because they wear the badge of the state."

Background

Novaya Gazeta, citing two high level sources in Chechnya, reported on July 9 that dozens of people were unlawfully detained across the republic during unannounced raids that began in mid-December 2016. Twenty seven of them were allegedly killed on the night of January 26 without being formally arrested.

According to Novaya Gazeta, who published a series of articles about the persecution of gay men in Chechnya, these executions are not linked to the anti-gay campaign in the republic. The mass arrests are believed to have been triggered by the killing of a policeman on 16 December 2016.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Madagascar: Reverse the human rights downward spiral

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Madagascar: Reverse the human rights downward spiral, 10 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596392b34.html [accessed 12 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.

Malagasy authorities must act swiftly to reverse the country's human rights downward spiral including by urgently investigating allegations that the security forces have burned down villages and committed extrajudicial executions, said Amnesty International today ahead of the UN Human Rights Committee's review of the country.

"Madagascar's human rights record is on a sharp decline as a result of the blatant disregard for the rule of law," said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's Regional Director for Southern Africa.

"Violations such as extrajudicial executions by police and the imprisonment of human rights defenders, are happening because no one is being brought to justice."

Extrajudicial executions

Amnesty International is concerned about allegations of extrajudicial executions committed by law enforcement officials. Many of them have occurred in the context of banditry linked to cattle thieves in the southern part of the country.

The organization has also documented reports of law enforcement officials seeking revenge after incidents of mob justice. In February 2017, police officers allegedly burnt down five villages in Antsakabary town after two of their colleagues were allegedly killed by villagers. An elderly woman died from burns during the attack, as she was unable to escape.

Police are now investigating the fire attack, despite being implicated in it. Amnesty International is calling for an independent and impartial investigation which guarantees the safety of the victims from any reprisal attacks should they submit evidence.

Freedom of expression

Journalists and human rights defenders continue to be subjected to intimidation and harassment by the authorities, and others with vested interests, in an attempt to silence them and obstruct their investigative or human rights work.

Those who dare to speak out against illegal trafficking and exploitation of natural resources have been increasingly targeted through the use of criminal charges.

Clovis Razafimalala, an environmental activist who denounced the illegal trafficking and exploitation of rosewood and other timber has been detained for more than nine months on trumped-up charges of rebellion, destruction of public documents and goods and arson. Amnesty International considers him to be a prisoner of conscience, and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

Discrimination against twins

Twins, and other multiple births, continue to face discrimination and are being abandoned by their parents due to popular beliefs in the region of Mananjary that they bring bad luck. Those who choose to keep their twins are stigmatized and excluded from the rest of the community.

In one village in the Mananjary region, chiefs have taken a position not to offer their "blessing" to parents who decide to keep their twins.

"This UN Human Rights Committee review offers Malagasy authorities the perfect opportunity to take stock of all the human rights issues facing the country and make serious efforts to rectify the problems," said Deprose Muchena.

"All is not lost, and there is still an opportunity to reverse the downward spiral and bring the country back to acceptable human rights standards."

Other issues that Amnesty International has raised in its submission to the UN Human Rights Committee include the criminalization of abortion and the excessive use of pre-trial detention.

Background

The 120th session of the Human Rights Committee, which will take place in Geneva, will review the fourth periodic report of Madagascar on its implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on 10th and 11th July 2017.

It is an opportunity for member states to declare steps that they have taken to ensure the equal enjoyment of civil and political rights.

The Human Rights Committee is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its State parties. Madagascar signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights in 1969, and ratified it in 1971.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Bahrain: Jail term for human rights defender Nabeel Rajab exposes authorities' relentless campaign to wipe out dissent

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Bahrain: Jail term for human rights defender Nabeel Rajab exposes authorities' relentless campaign to wipe out dissent, 10 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596393414.html [accessed 12 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 sentencing of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab, in his absence, to two years in prison for TV interviews is the latest shocking display of zero tolerance for freedom of expression by the Bahraini authorities, Amnesty International said today.

"Imprisoning Nabeel Rajab simply for sharing his opinion is a flagrant violation of human rights, and an alarming sign that the Bahraini authorities will go to any length to silence criticism," said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International's Secretary General.

"Nabeel Rajab should be commended for shedding light on allegations of serious human rights abuses; instead, Bahrain's government and judiciary have once again tightened their chokehold on freedom of expression and branded him a criminal. No one should be jailed for speaking out about human rights."

Nabeel Rajab was jailed in June 2016 over tweets he made that alleged torture in a Bahraini prison, and criticized the killing of civilians in the Yemen conflict by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition.

On 28 December 2016 a Bahraini court ordered his release, but the authorities refused to release him and instead he was immediately re-arrested and taken into custody in relation to TV interviews he gave in 2015 and 2016. His trial on charges of publishing and disseminating rumours and false news relating to the internal situation in the country began on 23 January.

Nabeel Rajab was held in solitary confinement for over nine months of his detention until his transfer to the Ministry of Interior Hospital in al-Qalaa having suffered from complications following surgery in early April. Prolonged and indefinite solitary confinement violates the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment. Despite medical reports issued by the hospital confirming that he could not attend his hearings, the court continued the trial. On 14 June Nabeel Rajab's defence lawyers and diplomats from the USA, UK and Australia walked out of court when the judge rejected the lawyers' request to postpone the trial until Nabeel Rajab is fit to attend.

Nabeel Rajab has been in and out of prison since 2012 on charges related to his peaceful human rights activism, and has been banned from leaving Bahrain since November 2014.

Today the High Criminal Court in Manama found him guilty of "publishing and disseminating rumours and false news".

"Nabeel Rajab has been persecuted for years for speaking out against human rights abuses. We reiterate our call on Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him, and we are urging them to end their crackdown on freedom of expression and ensure the right of everyone in Bahrain to peacefully express themselves," said Salil Shetty.

Background

Nabeel Rajab is also on trial on charges of "spreading false rumours in time of war", "insulting public authorities [the Ministry of Interior]" and "insulting a foreign country", in relation to comments he posted and retweeted on Twitter relating to the war in Yemen and allegations of torture in Jaw prison. This trial began on 12 July 2016 and was postponed numerous times. If convicted, Nabeel Rajab faces 15 years in prison. His next hearing is scheduled for 7 August.

On 21 December, following a piece published a day earlier and written in his name in the French newspaper Le Monde, in which he calls onFrance and Germany to reassess their relationship with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Nabeel Rajab was charged with "spreading false news and statements and malicious rumours that undermine the prestige of Bahrain and the brotherly countries of the GCC, and an attempt to endanger their relations."

Nabeel Rajab was also charged with "undermining the prestige of the state" in relation to another piece published in his name in the New York Times in September 2016, in which he describes the conditions of his detention. It is not known whether he will face trial on either charge.

Nabeel Rajab's imprisonment is one of a long list of repressive measures taken by Bahraini authorities since May 2016. In September, Amnesty International, alongside 21 other NGOs, wrote to the governments of 50 states calling on them to press for Nabeel Rajab's release.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Body cameras for the Mooresville Police Department have arrived. Find out when they will be used.
Cambodians hold a ceremony to commemorate slain political commentator Kem Ley on the first anniversary of his death in Tram Kak district, southwestern Cambodia's Takeo province, July 9, 2017.

Cambodians held services in the capital Phnom Penh and elsewhere in the country on Monday marking the first anniversary of the death of prominent government critic and scholar Kem Ley, while the United States embassy and rights groups called for a full and impartial reinvestigation of his murder.

Kem Ley was gunned down in broad daylight on July 10, 2016, when he stopped for coffee in a Star Mart convenience store beside a Caltex gas station in Phnom Penh.

Days before he was murdered, he had discussed on an RFA Khmer Service call-in show a report by London-based group Global Witness detailing the extent of the wealth of the family of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than 32 years.

Former soldier Oeuth Angwho calls himself Chuob Samlab, a Khmer name meaning meet to killconfessed to shooting Kem Ley over a U.S. $3,000 debt. Though he was sentenced to life in prison in March for the crime, it is widely believed that others were involved in the pundits slaying.

Supporters of Kem Ley, who frequently criticized the government of strongman Hun Sen, held two ceremonies in the capital to commemorate his devotion to the nation, one at the Caltex Bokor traffic stop where he was shot and another in the Wat Chas Buddhist pagoda.

More than 30 young people, representatives from trade unions and civil society groups, and two Buddhist monks placed garlands around a photo of Kem Ley at the Caltex Star Mart store at the Bokor traffic stop under the watchful eyes of authorities.

Theng Savoeun, secretary-general of the Cambodian Farmers Community Alliance, said during the event that social workers in Cambodia continue to face imprisonment and murder, which has instilled fear among youths who broach societal issues.

In a time of such fear, I want to encourage Cambodian citizens and youths to dare to speak the truth rather than protect themselves, per Kem Leys advice, he said. What he said was that  when our citizens are well aware of the truth, the system of respect for human rights and democracy in Cambodia will improve.

Luon Savath, known as the multimedia monk, told the small crowd that everything Kem Ley had said about social issues was always backed by concrete evidence and information.

He said there was wide-scale forest destruction [based on] what he had analyzed and what we have all seen and heard, the monk said. We see that our forests are diminishing.

Kem Lay did not lie, incite, or cheat, Luon Savath said. The key principles that he had were integrity, values, morality, and fairness in accordance with democracy.

At Wat Dhammacakkaram, also known as Wat Chas, Buth Buntinh, founder of the independent monk network for social justice, and 11 other Buddhist monks held a ceremony to recite Buddhist scriptures for Kem Leys soul to rest in peace.

Buth Buntinh said the monks were holding the ceremony on a small scale so people could join a larger one in southwestern Cambodias Takeo province where Kem Leys body was laid to rest.

Cambodians commemorate political commentator Kem Ley on the first anniversary of his death at a ceremony in Ang Takob village in Leay Bo commune, Tram Kak district, southwestern Cambodia's Takeo province, July 9, 2017. Credit: RFA Takeo province remembers

In Takeo province, Yeng Virak, president of the Grassroots Democracy Party, said he considered Kem Ley as the great founder of his party and pledged to push further to seek justice for him.

We believe that if we get support from the citizens we can win to lead the government in the future, he said. Then we will be able to seek justice for Kem Ley and his family.

We have all known that Kem Ley dared to devote his life to the cause of social justice, he said.

He yearned for social justice for Cambodian citizens and for the country as a whole, Yeng Virak said. So if we have chance to lead the government, we will guarantee that Cambodia will have social justice.

When we are able to provide social justice for Cambodian citizens, then we can provide justice for Kem Ley, he said.

Kem Leys younger brother, Kem Rithysak, said that as long as there are no changes to the present judicial system, his family will never receive justice for Kem Ley.

Phok Se, Kem Leys 78-year-old mother who lives Ang Takob village, Leay Bo commune of Tram Kak district in Takeo province, said she takes care of her sons tomb and a statue of him, and talks to villagers and her sons supporters from near and far.

Oeuth Angs mother, Ek Tab, who lives in a village in the Angkor Chum district of northwestern Cambodias Siem Reap province, said she has moved from place to place since her sons conviction, fearing for her safety

Kem Leys widow Bou Rachana, who is living Bangkok with the couples five children awaiting the granting of refugee status so they can settle in a third country, told RFAs Khmer Service on Sunday that she gave some food to Buddhist monks as an offering to commemorate the anniversary of her husbands murder.

Bou Rachana also called on the courts to reinvestigate Kem Leys murder.

I cannot accept the fact that Chuob Samlab [the alias of the soldier who killed Kem Ley] is my husbands killer, she said. I cannot accept that the court has convicted him and sentenced him to life imprisonment or anything else, because not only myself, but also all citizens both inside and outside the country, do not trust the courts in Cambodiathat they are independent [of the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party].

Banteay Meanchey procession

More than 200 young people in northwestern Cambodias Banteay Meanchey province held a tree planting ceremony on Sunday and a Buddhist rainy season candles procession to commemorate Kem Leys death in the vicinity of Wat Tuol Preah Pnov pagoda near Thai border in O Chrov district.

As a youth, I respect [Kem Leys] heroism and patriotism for the nation, said Sy Va, a youth leader from the town of Poipet. He dared to sacrifice his life for the sake of protecting our territorial integrity. What we can never forget is his daring to speak the truth, his desire for the country to obtain freedom. Up to the day that he lost his life, he still worked for the nation. We can never forget him!

Sum Chankear, the Banteay Meanchey province coordinator for the domestic rights group Adhoc, said the ceremony and procession had raised awareness of Kem Leys legacy among young people.

It is also a sign that Kem Leys ideas will always rest in Cambodian hearts for application in the future, he said.

Thousands of Cambodian migrant laborers workers in Thailands Chonburi province held ceremonies at a number of Thai pagodas to commemorate Kem Leys death.

The United States and rights groups around the globe called for a full accounting of Kem Leys murder on the first anniversary of his death.

We express our renewed condolences to Kem Leys family, who are still waiting and hoping for a full accounting of this senseless and cowardly act, said a Facebook post by the U.S. embassy in Phnom Penh on Monday.

Rights groups raise concern

More than 160 organizations worldwide, including London-based Amnesty International, raised concern about an apparent lack of progress in investigating the crime and called for a commission of inquiry into the killing.

In light of the inadequacy of the investigation, the Royal Government of Cambodia is urged to establish an independent and impartial Commission of Inquiry, in line with international standards, to continue the investigation, said a statement issued by Amnesty International.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of New York-based Human Rights Watch, said prosecutors had failed to conduct a thorough investigation of the case and used Oeuth Ang as a scapegoat.

"Kem Leys murder in broad daylight in central Phnom Penh a year ago, shortly after publicly criticizing the unusual wealth of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his family, was all about silencing a prominent critic and reiterating that speaking about such sensitive topics carries a deadly risk, he said.

No one believes the story concocted by convicted killer Oeuth Ang, not even his wife and family, but in a justice system captured by the ruling CPP party such stories don't require an iota of credibility for a conviction, Robertson said.

Prosecutors have not even gone through the motions to investigate alleged accomplices mentioned by Oeuth Ang, such as the person he says introduced him to Kem Ley, or the man who he claims sold him the gun used to commit the murder, he said

Oueth Ang is at best a scapegoat for others who are still at large, he said.

Reported by Leng Maly, Vanndeth Van, Chandara Yang, and Hour Hum for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Then on July 6, the state legislature overrode a gubernatorial veto, to raise the states income tax rates by another third. Thats a 32% increase in the personal tax rate, and a 33% increase in the corporate tax rate.

Then the Cook County Board of Confiscators added a beverage tax , intended to kick in on July 1 as well, which would add anywhere from 30% to 70% (or sometimes even more) to the bottom line cost of most beverage purchases within the countys borders (a judge, unusually shocked by the scattershot approach, put it on temporary hiatus to confirm the mess constitutionality).

First, the minimum wage was hiked  Illinois was already a dollar over the national minimum wage, so Cook County passed an ordinance to jump to $10/hour on July 1, 2017, then to increase by another dollar per year through 2020, when it would hit $13/hour and in case thats not enough, the County built in formulas so that it would continue to grow. Along with that, the county board added a costly paid-sick-leave mandate , a nice benefit for companies that can afford to offer it, a costly expense for companies that cannot.

The pundit class, and our cousins in the political class as well, have said and written much about the spate of new taxes, spending, and regulations in Illinois that have hit, and will continue to hit, in Chicago, in Cook County, and across Illinois this year.

To use an analogy most familiar to people accustomed to the risks of walking through the crowded sidewalks or shopping centers of a busy place like Chicago, this is like being spun around in a crowd while one pickpocket lifts your wallet from your back pocket and another plucks your checkbook from your coat pocket, as their partner rips the gold chain from your neck and keys from your side pocket and theyve all disappeared into the crowd by the time you realize whats happened.

The Promised Result

In foisting these wonders upon us, the powers that be in Cook County and Springfield, Illinois have promised that they would be worthwhile because they would solve our problems.

The minimum wage increase will raise the pay of our hardworking citizens, enabling them to rise from poverty to the next class, protecting them from starvation and homelessness.

The beverage tax will enable Cook County to fund its critical expenditures  a court system, stretched by second, fifth, and tenth re-trials of people theyve convicted and released to commit more crimes, again and again and a county hospital system, stretched by admissions and readmissions of the knifing victims, shooting victims, and overdose victims of the gang shootings and drugs abuse that a Sanctuary City full of illegal aliens produce in such bulk.

And the Illinois state income tax should bring in another $5 billion per year, a wonderful windfall that will fund our pensions, pay our backlog of bills, and bring back participation in the multistate lotteries.

We are assured that the windfalls provided by these wonderful changes will prove the most dependable of problem-solvers, improving the lives of everyone in Cook County, no, everyone in Illinois, who benefits from the services provided by our local, township, county and state governments.

The Reality We Face

In truth, unfortunately, such tax increases rarely produce the kinds of windfalls that are promised, because the politicians who favor them forget that life is not static. In fact, people change their behaviors when governments act, and these different behaviors often result in greater unemployment, higher cost of government, and lower tax revenue.

We need only look at Philadelphia , which made the same mistake a year ago,to anticipate the effects of the penny-per-ounce beverage tax. Some of it is obvious, while some is much harder to measure:

First, shoppers who have a choice  and most do  will move some or much of their shopping outside the county. People who formerly bought their 12-packs and 24-packs, and their 2 liter and gallon jugs, of sodas and lemonades, frappuchinos and sports drinks, at grocery stores and Walmarts in Cook County will shop instead in Lake, Kane, DuPage or Will, or even over the line in Indiana or Wisconsin.

As people realize what an effect this tax has on their larger purchases, they will move ever more of their entertainment choices over the county line. Fast food and finer restaurants, movie theaters, anyplace one buys drinks; suddenly the non-Cook venues are more competitive, and Cook Countys sales tax revenue will diminish, just as the new beverage tax continues to underperform expectations.

As this business is lost, the businesses that suffer will lay off staff and close down. Philadelphia saw the grocery business alone terminate many hundreds of employees, possibly thousands, as people took their grocery business to the suburbs. The same is sure to happen in Cook County. The collar counties boom will be Cook Countys demise, as thousands of Cook County cashiers, waiters, baggers and stocking positions are necessarily eliminated due to the plummeting store and restaurant sales.

The result will therefore be not only a reduction in tax revenue below what was forecast, but an increase in the cost of government, as unemployment growth means expenditures will rise. Instead of those positions paying in through taxes, these newly jobless will be depending on the welfare state outlays provided by government at all levels.

All because Toni Preckwinkle and her majority wouldnt crack down and throw out the criminal element that causes the spikes in crime and injuries driving up the cost of county government.

And we can look at Seattle, and any of the other cities and counties that created a super-minimum wage in recent years. However well-intentioned such a move is, it doesnt change the amount of money available to the factory, the storekeeper or the restaurant with which to pay their staffs.

If a business can afford to pay $39/hour in total salaries for entry-level staff (after benefits, for simplicity of math here), that might be six employees at $6.50/hour, or five employees at $7.80/hour, or just four employees at $9.75/hour, or just three employees at $13/hour. This increase in the mandatory minimum wage will cause an immediate loss of some ten to thirty percent of entry level positions, denying people not just their hourly wage, but their critical first job, their first step on the ladder of a career.

Worse still, since businesses will be unable to cut as many entry level positions as they should, because they simply need the workers to get the job done, this increase in the entry level positions cost will cause them to reduce the pay they give to upper-level jobs. The team leader and foreman positions, the shift manager and floor manager positions, every more important position that the entry level staffers aspire to, will suddenly be worth less. Again, businesses revenue isnt increasing, so they have to shift the spending of that pie. If we overcompensate the novices starting out, then we have less to pay the experienced workers as they get promoted.

So eventually, the businesses - some, many, or most, depending on the industry and the location  find that they cannot remain profitable at these salary levels, in this location. They will move outside the locale affected by the minimum wage. And as long as theyve accepted the necessity of moving at last, why just move over the city or county line? Why not move to another state? Or even another country? Such ideas might never have entered their mind if they werent forced to but now that an unaffordable 50% increase in mandated minimum wages has forced them to consider moving, they may as well look at the entire world for more welcoming destinations.

Yes indeed, virtually every unbiased study has confirmed it: increases in the minimum wage increase joblessness. They hurt the class they intend to help, by making such jobs scarcer, and by hamstringing even the employed populations ability to rise in their careers to positions that would enable upward mobility.

All of the above is compounded by the states decision to increase income taxes by a third. Not only will the higher tax squeeze the standard of living of those who remain employed, it also provides a further encouragement for their employers to flee.

For decades now, new businesses have sprung up in states without an income tax, and existing businesses looking at moves have favored the income tax free states over those with such a tax, the ones with higher income taxes being the least desirable of all.

For decades, the companies that move into Illinois from elsewhere are those that have been given special inducements, tax break packages from city, county, and state, five or ten year promises of lower property taxes and income taxes. As dependent as Illinois has become on such bribes, as exemplified by Boeing, Conagra, and other world-class names, such a situation ensures that companies that lack such fame will never even consider Illinois for a startup or move. Its the law of unintended consequences: if you have to be famous to be desirable to Illinois, and you know youre not famous (yet), then you know better than to even think about Illinois. Far better to locate in Texas, Louisiana or Oklahoma, then just sell your product into the thieving state of Illinois from a safe distance.

A Veritable Flood

Illinoisans have long been familiar with the concept of a river overflowing its banks, so perhaps thats the best analogy for our current situation. We have businesses  plenty of businesses  though never enough to fund the unchecked growth of government spending caused by predatory unions like the CTU, IEU, and AFSCME.

So our businesses have spilled out beyond our borders, just as the water in our rivers sometimes overflows their banks. The Chicago River, the Illinois and Mississippi, and especially the Des Plaines River, are famous for doing immense damage when their waters splash over the banks and flood the streets and basements of homes nearby.

In much the same way, tax increases and crippling regulations, like Illinois unaffordable workmans comp rates, our super-minimum wages, our outrageous property taxes and the looming behemoth of our unfunded public pension liabilities, all combine to overwhelm our business community, driving some, more and more every year in fact, to move some, many, or all operations over our borders.

Unlike rivers, however, these businesses dont trickle back into their original homes after a day or two, as water seeps back into its old river after the storm passes. Any business, or any individual, for that matter, fleeing Illinois for greener pastures, remains gone for good, for years, for decades, maybe even forever.

Once you flee for the welcoming soil of Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas and Florida, why would you ever return?

The undeniable truth is that, even before the shocking changes of 2017, Illinois was losing population and employers at an astounding rate. Some 95,000 people left Illinois in 2016 alone, thats a rate of nearly a million people per decade. Most of these are taxpayers, present or future; many of them are also employers, as the owners of consultancies and small businesses, taking their businesses with them to more welcoming shores.

In the end, this may be the most damning statistic of all to Illinois. As tens of thousands of people abandon the state, the states problems get worse and worse. To return to our river analogy, its like a small current growing into a strong undercurrent, growing and growing until the river has a maelstrom, grabbing and sinking everything in its path.

As Illinois  not just the state, but its counties and cities, its school districts and park boards  all cooperate to make Illinois an ever more miserable place to do business, its revenues will continue to drop despite higher percentage rates; even 100% of nothing is still nothing, and every company we drive out is free of our tax rates forever.

A Call to our Cities

Largely silent in these debates have been our localities. Outside of our biggest cities, like Chicago, Rockford, Peoria, etc., most cities stay out of the politics of their county and state issues. Their police and fire needs, parks and libraries, local streets and sewers, are all quite enough to keep part time mayors and part time aldermen and trustees more than busy.

But Illinois has gone too far this time. The state of Illinois, the city of Chicago and the County of Cook have conspired to make Illinois a tax and regulatory hell for long enough. Our cities and villages are watching their sales tax revenue drop as consumers can no longer afford to shop they cant collect enough in property tax because home values drop even as rates climb because nobody in his right mind wants to move to Illinois anymore.

So our cities and towns have begun  just begun, mind you, but it IS a welcome start  to react to these many outrages.

In 2017, nearly a hundred communities have voted to reject such things as the Cook County super-minimum wage ordinance and the Earned Sick Leave mandate. Rejected them outright. Said no thanks, thats not for us. We cant afford it!

The cities and villages had no say in the state income tax; theres nothing they could do about that. But they could react to the minimum wage, and did. In droves! And they could react to the sick leave mandate  nobody denies its value, but youd have to be blind not to realize that not every employer can afford to offer it. So these cities and villages, from the northernmost edge in Cubs territory to the southernmost end, deep in White Sox territory, have voted to spare their businesses these fatal errors.

Now one thing remains: at this writing, the beverage tax is on hold, as Cook County attempts to prove that this ridiculously unevenly-applied tax does in fact pass constitutional muster in a state that requires taxes to be evenly applied. Thats a high bar to meet, for a tax thats assessed on a person if he pays with cash, check or credit, but not if he pays with a SNAP card. The same person, the same beverage, subject to it or exempt from it depending on his manner of payment for the transaction at hand. It cannot possibly be deemed constitutional in its current form by any sane jurist.

But the County board can just attack the problem again, and tweak it until its constitutional. They will find a way to impose it on us if they are not stopped.

It is time for the cities and villages to do the math and realize the damage to be done by this destructive measure. Time to shout No More! to the constant attack on property values, by escalating property taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, soda taxes, and every punitive regulation under the sun. No More! to the constant effort to drive taxpayers and employers out of the state.

Its time for us to see if those Founding Fathers, so many years ago, were right when they said that the best government is the most local government That these are the representatives who know their constituents best, who can understand their needs and protect them from distant tyranny.

The cities and villages of Cook County have responded well in recent weeks, on the matters of minimum wage and sick leave mandates; will they rise to the occasion and do the same on the beverage tax, joining the grocers and beverage distributors in their lawsuit? Will they realize that this beverage tax is indeed the last straw, and its time to act?

Or will they just sit back, and twiddle their thumbs, and watch their retailers, their manufacturers, their grocery stores and restaurants suffer loss of customers and loss of sales, followed by the inevitable losses in jobs and tax revenues?

Well, mayors and presidents, aldermen and trustees?

Whatll it be?

Copyright 2017 John F. Di Leo

John F. Di Leo is a Chicagoland-based trade compliance manager, actor, and writer. His columns are regularly found in Illinois Review.

Permission is hereby granted to forward freely, provided it is uncut and the IR URL and byline are included.
The hospital treating terminally ill political prisoner and Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo said on Monday that he is now in a "critical" condition, after a visiting group of Western doctors said it would be acceptable to move him.



The tug of war over where Liu will receive care for his late-stage liver cancer continued with a statement from the Shenyang No. 1 Medical University hospital in northeastern China saying his tumor has grown and that he has bleeding from the liver as well as kidney problems.



The statement comes amid a growing chorus of criticism aimed at the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which is preventing Liu, his wife Liu Xia, and her brother Liu Hui from leaving the country to seek medical treatment overseas.



"Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia have started to really hope since the visit of the U.S. and German doctors that his dying wish to be free might happen very soon," Liu's friend and fellow rights activist Hu Jia told RFA in an interview before the hospital's statement.



"Germany and the United States have been in high-level contact, so you could say that the whole world is watching," Hu said. "We are on the right side of the argument in terms of right and wrong, and in terms of the global consensus."



"All it takes now is for China to fling open the prison door and issue Liu Xiaobo, Liu Xia, and Liu Hui with a passport each," he said. "Everything would be fine if they would stop blocking the way."



But the hospital said the 61-year-old Liu may need emergency care, and that "Liu's family members have been informed of the above circumstances".



U.S. oncologist Joseph Herman from the University of Texas' MD Anderson Cancer Center and German doctor Markus Buchler of Heidelberg University had previously said moving Liu to an overseas hospital would be feasible.



Leaked video



The German embassy said it was deeply concerned that Chinese officials appeared to have leaked video of the consultants speaking with Liu, saying it was a breach of patient confidentiality and against the "express wishes" of German officials.



"It seems that security organs are steering the process, not medical experts," the German embassy in Beijing said in a statement on Monday. "This behavior undermines trust in the authorities dealing with Mr. Liu's case, which is vital to ensure maximum success of his medical treatment."



A source close to the Liu family told RFA that previous statements by the family supporting the government's position should be taken with a pinch of salt.



"This [previous] statement from the family accepting the opinion of Chinese doctors that Liu shouldn't travel overseas for treatment, it's hard to tell if it's real or fake," the source said.



"They are all under [the government's] control, and they don't want them making all sorts of statements to the outside world," the source said.



Another friend of the couple said Liu is being kept under prison-like conditions to prevent anyone from gaining access to him directly.



"Chinese prisons are pretty impermeable; no real information gets in or out," the friend said. "Everyone suspects that the authorities are obscuring what is really going on here."



Sincerity doubted



Former top Communist Party official Bao Tong said he doubts the government's sincerity in its handling of Liu's illness.



"If they were really determined to save his life ... they could do so with a single order," Bao told RFA. "Even the big, corrupt former officials like Chen Liangyu and Chen Xitong were allowed out of prison, and allowed to live in a guesthouse with a chef to cook for them, and people could visit them."



"The same happened with [jailed former Chongqing party boss] Bo Xilai, but people who really did something good for the country and their fellow citizens go to prison, and and aren't allowed out until it's already too late," he said.



"The whole world is up in arms, is trying to intervene ... is calling for his release, and yet the authorities have done nothing," Bao said.



Amnesty International's China researcher Patrick Poon told Agence France-Presse that the government wants to avoid any embarrassments ahead of a key Communist Party congress later this year.



"Allowing Liu Xiaobo and his family to go abroad would risk giving Liu Xiaobo the opportunity to talk to media and other supporters about his views on China's human rights situation," Poon told AFP.



Reported by Qiao Long and Xin Lin for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Si-lam, Ng Yik-tung and Dai Weisen for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.




Weapons and other items seized by security forces following a shootout with 'armed terrorists' are displayed in Buthidaung township in western Myanmar's Rakhine state, July 9, 2017.

Myanmar security forces killed two people during an attack by armed terrorists in Buthidaung township on Sunday in the turbulent northern part of the countrys Rakhine state, the office of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi said.

The attackers used small arms and landmines against the government security forces on patrol near Buithdaungs Tinmay village, firing about 20 rounds of bullets from a house owned by a resident named Phwayaut Islam, according to the statement issued by the office.

Security forces returned fire, while those inside the house exploded a mine, it said.

When the forces tried to clear out the house, three people ran out, including Phwayaut Islam and a man named Zarbe, who were shot and killed, the statement said.

Inside, security forces seized a Ba-94 gun, cartridge cases, bullets, a handmade gun, a remote mine, and material for building improvised explosive devices, it said. A 1,000 Bangladeshi taka (U.S. $12.41) note along with other notes of various denominations, various small items, and a cellphone were found in a small bag.

The Ba-94 was one of the weapons that belonged to the assailants who waged deadly attacks on the Kyikanpyin border guard station on Oct. 9, 2016, the statement said.

In all, three border guard stations were attacked in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships that day, leaving nine patrolmen dead.

Authorities later blamed the raids on an obscure group of militant Rohingya Muslims, which they have not named, and ordered a security crackdown on the tri-township area during which about 1,000 people are estimated to have died and 90,000 Rohingya fled their homes, with most going to neighboring Bangladesh.

So far, Rakhine authorities have charged more than 500 local Muslims and deemed 1,300 others fugitives for their alleged involvement in the October 2016 attacks.

Though the crackdown ended in February, government soldiers continue to patrol the townships in the wake of a series of disappearances, murders, and other attacks on security forces that have struck fear in ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, who constitute a minority in the area.

Recent killings of ethnic Rakhine people coupled with alarm about armed assaults by Rohingya Muslims forced about 200 Rakhine Buddhists to flee Maungdaw last week. The move prompted troops in the area to be put on high alert and a state parliamentary official to call for increased security.

Fourteen Myanmar political parties, including the main opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), urged the civilian government on July 6 to order martial law in the townships.

They also urged the government not to accept an international fact-finding mission that the United Nations Human Rights Commission will send to Rakhine state to investigate atrocities that Myanmars army is said to have committed against Rohingya Muslims during the four-month security sweep of the northern townships

The central government has disassociated itself from a United Nations resolution mandating the fact-finding mission.

The countrys de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has appointed a commission led by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan to examine the situation on the ground in Rakhine and propose ways to solve the sectarian tensions. The commissions final report is due in August.
Tibetans living in Lhasa and in western Chinas Qinghai and Sichuan provinces celebrated the Dalai Lamas birthday last week with prayer gatherings and public picnics in honor of the exiled spiritual leader and open defiance of Chinese bans, local sources said.



In Qinghais Rebgong (in Chinese, Tongren) county in the Malho (Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tibetans closed their shops and burned incense to observe the July 6 event, a source living in the area told RFAs Tibetan Service.



They also organized picnic outings with friends and family to celebrate the joyous occasion, which coincided with the blossoming of many different kinds of flowers in the area, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



Attempts to share photos of the Dalai Lama online were meanwhile blocked in Qinghais Golog (Guoluo) prefecture, as authorities clamped down on social media and the internet, another Tibetan source told RFA.



The Chinese were very strict about online content sharing around the time of the Dalai Lamas birthday, the source said, also speaking on condition he not be named.

Many Tibetans were posting images of the Dalai Lama, together with birthday greetings and songs of praise, on [the social media platform] WeChat. But when they tried to share that content with other WeChat users, they were unable to do so, he said.



In western Chinas Sichuan province, which together with Qinghai includes parts of historical Tibets northeastern Amdo region, monks at Ngaba (Aba) prefectures Andu Yakgo monastery held prayers for the Dalai Lamas health and longevity, a source in Ngaba said.



Even though the monasterys monks were on summer retreat, about 60 of them came together on July 6 to hold a special ceremony at the monastery, he said.



Festival ordered closed



And in Sichuans Kardze (Ganzi) prefecture, residents of Tawu (Daofu) countys Nagtren village defied Chinese orders to shut down an annual horse race and incense-burning festival whose date this year fell by chance on the politically sensitive birthday, a source in Kardze said.



County officials and other local authorities said the horse race should be held a few days later. But local Tibetans defied the order and were met [at the festival site] with a massive deployment of security forces whose intimidation and threats disrupted the event, the source said.



In Tibets regional capital Lhasa, meanwhile, Tibetans conducted prayers and openly visited area monasteries, including the citys central Jokhang temple, despite the presence of plainclothes security officers and other informers stationed nearby, another source said.



The Dalai Lama, who turned 82 this year, fled Tibet into exile in India in the midst of a failed 1959 national uprising against Chinese rule, and displays by Tibetans of the Dalai Lamas photo or public celebrations of his birthday have been harshly punished in the past.



Sporadic demonstrations challenging Beijings rule and calling for the Dalai Lamas return have continued in Tibetan areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008.



Reported by Kunsang Tenzin, Sangye Dorjee, and Lhuboom for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney.




File photo of a mosque at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, from which Uyghur students have been rounded up at China's behest.

Rights groups condemned Cairo and Beijing at the weekend for the detention and deportation to China of Uyghur students studying in Egypt, where desperate Uyghurs continued to try to avoid being rounded up by authorities.

At least 200 Uyghurs, many of them religious students, have been detained since July 4, rounded up in restaurants and at airports as they tried to flee to safer countries, they told RFAs Uyghur Service.

A Uyghur student in Egypt told RFA his pregnant wife was detained on Sunday along with an older woman and a young man as they fled to an airport in Hurghada.

I was hoping to send my nine-months-pregnant wife accompanied by an older lady and several Uyghurs to Turkey through Hurghada. I sent them off to Hurghada on a bus leaving at 1:30 p.m., said the student, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

I received a message from them around 7:00 p.m. that they were stopped and detained by police on their way to Hurghada airport, he added.

I was in constant contact with them fearing the worst. But I was reassured many times by them that they would be released soon and taken to the airport. In the end, they were detained at the police station, said the student.

Their phones seemed to have been taken away from them. All of their phones are turned off.

Forced to sign extremist confessions

Egypt's state-owned Middle East News Agency (MENA) quoted unnamed officials as denying on Sunday that Egyptian authorities were targeting Uyghur students.

Human rights and Uyghur exile groups condemned China and Egypt for violating the rights of the Uyghurs and breaking a UN treaty forbidding forced repatriation.

We strongly condemn the Chinese government for exporting its repression of the peaceful Uyghur people into other countries, Omer Kanat, director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project, said in a statement.

The detained and deported Uyghurs were simply religious students studying at Al-Azhar University. They didnt commit any kind of crimes, said Kanat.

The only reason they were rounded up was because the Egyptian authorities followed through on the Chinese request to deport them to China. These Uyghur students were forced to sign a form stating they had joined extremist organizations by the Egyptian authorities and then were deported, he added.

Human Rights Watch, which said that at least 62 Uyghurs had been detained since July 3, said Uyghurs deported to China face a serious risk of arbitrary detention and torture.

The Egyptian authorities should halt this outrageous round-up of Uyghurs, said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. Uyghurs living in Egypt should be free from fear of arbitrary arrest and deportation to a country where they risk persecution and torture.

The Daily News Egypt website quoted the Egyptian Commission of Rights and Freedoms (ECRF) as saying on Sunday that 12 Uyghur students were deported to China on July 6, while Egyptian authorities have arrested at least 80 Uyghur students in Cairo and 20 in Alexandria and Hurghada.

The student whose expectant wife was detain told RFA I am so worried right now and I do not know what to do.

I had decided to send my pregnant wife to Turkey first because I didnt want her to give birth in Egypt. Once she gives birth, then we have to go to the Chinese Embassy to get birth certificate. Then, we will get caught and deported, he said.

Her due date is just few days away. I simply cannot understand how the Egyptian police could possibly detain a nine-months-pregnant woman.

Reported by Kurban Niyaz for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by Alim Seytoff. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
Vietnams government should have done more to bring home two Vietnamese sailors executed last week after being held for nearly eight months by Islamic militants in the Philippines, family and neighbors of the two men said Monday.



Hoang Van Hai, Hoang Trung Thong and four other Vietnamese crew members of the cargo ship MV Royal 16 were taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf group in November.



Hai and Thong were beheaded by their captors, allegedly on July 5, and their remains were discovered by Philippine troops on the island of Basilan early the next day, Vietnams Vice Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam said last week in a statement condemning the killing.



Nam said that the Foreign Ministry would support the victims families in preparing for their funerals and continue to request that Philippine authorities work to ensure the safety of Vietnamese citizens.



Philippine troops rescued a third MV Royal 16 crewman, Hoang Vo, from Abu Sayyaf last month, but three others remain in captivity.



On Monday, Hais father Hoang Van Tu told RFAs Vietnamese Service that the MV Royal cargo company and the Vietnamese government had not done enough to save his son from Abu Sayyaf, which is known to behead its hostages when ransom demands are not met.



[The militants] said we had to pay about 100 million pesos (U.S. $1.97 million) as a ransom, Tu said in an interview at his home in Thanh Hoa provinces Tinh Gia district.



Later, he said, the wife of the cargo ships chief officerwho was also held by Abu Sayyafinstructed families of the crewmen to sign a memorandum with no words to secure their release.



We wondered how we could sign something with no words, but then the director of MV Royal said that only he knew what the content of the memorandum would say, and if we wanted to save our children then we would have to do it, Tu said.



He told us to trust in him. There were six of us families and we each signed 10 blank documents. We didnt expect anything like this to happen!



Hoang Van Hais uncle Trung told RFA that Abu Sayyaf executed the two crew members because the group had waited too long for ransom money from Vietnam, which he called a state that doesnt work for the benefit of its people.



The citizens of countries with democratic political systems that are open and respectful of human dignity wouldnt be denigrated and neglected by foreigners, he said.



Mishandled situation



A neighbor of Hoang Trung Thongs family in Quang Binh province said that both the government and MV Royal had failed Thong and Hai, and neglected to keep them informed of the hostage situation.



From the state to the company, both handled the issue in the most ridiculous way, he said.



It had been seven to eight months, so if they couldnt do anything for them, they should have let the families or the media know, so people could donate money to save them, he added.



The villagers here love each other very much, and every evening they have gone to the victims families to offer their condolences.



The lives of the crewmen were extremely difficult, the neighbor said, and they did not deserve to be mistreated by their company and government.



Most of the crew earn 5 million to 8 million dong (U.S. $220 to $352) per month, only getting paid after completing journeys across the ocean lasting several months, while their wives and children live in poverty, he said.



He called on Vietnams authorities to rescue the remaining Vietnamese crewmen being held by Abu Sayyaf, saying that to do so is the duty of a good government.



Islamic militants



Abu Sayyaf, which formed in the 1990s with financial assistance from Al-Qaeda, split into a loose collection of factions in the mid-2000s and is now believed to number around 400 members. Several of the factions have declared allegiance to the Islamic State since 2014, according to the BBC.



The Islamic militant group has become known for kidnapping over the past 15 years and has earned millions of dollars in ransom, which it has used to acquire modern weaponry, boats and communications equipment.



According to the Philippine military, Abu Sayyaf is still holding a total of 22 hostages, including 16 foreigners.



In February, the group beheaded 70-year-old German national Jurgen Kantner after its demand for 30 million pesos (U.S. $590,000) was not paid.



Abu Sayyaf beheaded two Canadian hostages last year.



Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Emily Peyman. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Aliens, robots and fantastical creatures took over Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Monroe Park campus on Saturday and Sunday as comic fans celebrated an annual convention built around all things imaginary.

VA Comicon was held in the universitys student commons and attracted thousands of visitors.

The event featured video game tournaments, costume contests, appearances by celebrities of the comic book world and more than 100 vendors.

Brett Carreras, owner and president of VA Comicon, said this years convention was a new venture, one aimed at attracting traditional comic hobbyists as well as fans of pop culture and fashion.

This is the show where I get to do everything I wanted to do, Carreras said.

Carreras, 40, acquired his first large collection of comics at age 12 after the local comic book shop where he spent most of his time shut down. Known in Richmonds Fan District as the crazy comic kid, he was encouraged to become a comic dealer by his father  and now has a personal collection that hovers around 1.5 million books.

His company  which has hosted area conventions for the past 30 years  is putting on six events in the Richmond area this year, Carreras said. He gave this past weekends newly conceived event the moniker shopping mall of weird because of its variety of activities for people of all ages, as well as all the artwork, prints, comics, photographs, trinkets and other collectibles for sale.

Standing next to an 8-foot-tall replica of the aquatic Pokemon creature Gyarados, Pilar Morfin said the cosplay scene provides an avenue for her to display the sculptures she models after the popular anime and video game series.

The 26-year-old teacher from Sterling said shes obsessed with Pokemon and spent more than 100 hours putting together the three-piece statue she brought out Sunday. A participant in comic book and cosplay conventions for the past three years, Morfin said she plans to travel as far as California to show off her creation.

Gretchen Gales, a freelance writer from Chesterfield County, came dressed as an imaginary monster from the indie horror film The Babadook.

Im a big nerd, so walking around here is just great, Gales said.

It was the first comic-themed convention for Gales and her friend Alex Clark, who came dressed as a hippie wizard with a tie-dye T-shirt, fake beard and green cape.

A longtime fan of the hit television show Power Rangers, Clark walked away from this years convention with an autographed portrait of Walter Emanuel Jones, the actor who played Black Ranger in the original series.

He said he still owns a set of themed bedsheets that he got when he was a kid.

(Theyre) not on my bed anymore, though, he said with a laugh.
Allen F. Layman worked in a tough place for a man with a sensitive soul.

In more than 40 years as an employee at Western State Hospital in Staunton, Mr. Layman was a tireless advocate for his fellow workers and patients at the state institution for people with mental illness and other behavioral health issues.

Its a hard place for him to be because hes all about making things fair and the world isnt fair, his daughter, Hillary C.L. Coggins, said Sunday.

It certainly wasnt fair in the end to Mr. Layman, who died at age 67 on Saturday morning in Richmond after being burned badly in a fire in his apartment in Staunton last week.

Staunton firefighters responded to reports of heavy smoke from the apartment building at about 8 p.m. on July 5. They found Mr. Layman in his first-floor apartment with burns over 60 percent of his body. He was rushed to Augusta Health in Staunton and then flown to the Evans-Haynes Burn Center at VCU Medical Center.

Firefighters say the fire began in his kitchen, but they dont know the cause. Mr. Laymans daughter said he did not cook for himself, and firefighters found no evidence that he had been cooking at the time of the fire.

Whatever happened is a pure accident, said Coggins, 36, a Maryland resident who was with her father when he died at VCU on Saturday.

Mr. Layman was a Waynesboro native who began working at the state hospital in Staunton in the early 1970s after graduating from Waynesboro High School and attending a local community college.

In a career interrupted only by a brief stint as a restaurant owner, he worked as a psychiatric aide, recreational and occupational therapist, and then program manager of the First Step Learning Center, helping patients with their psycho-social rehabilitation.

Mr. Layman played an important role in Western States restructuring after a federal civil rights investigation in the late 1990s that focused on patient treatment and adequate staffing of the institution, said Dr. Jack Barber, interim commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and former director of the hospital.

When Western State Hospital overhauled its clinical operation in the late 90s to one centered on psycho-social rehabilitation delivered through our treatment mall, Allen was an early champion, Barber said in an email Sunday. He then anchored our program for individuals with serious cognitive limitations for all of the time since.

He was devoted to our patients and will be deeply missed, the interim commissioner said.

Acting hospital director David Mawyer said, I know the patients and staff had a lot of respect and caring for him.

Mr. Layman also was well-respected by elected officials of both political parties, whom he lobbied on mental health and state employee issues, as well as other causes.

Even if he was on an opposite side from you, he was always very civil, said Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Augusta. You always knew whatever he told you came from the heart.

He was the perfect example of the state employee as unsung hero, Landes said.

For a time, Mr. Layman served as a union representative for hospital employees, first as a local vice president for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and later as president of Local 160 of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America.

He was an idealist, said Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath. He stood up for the rights of people who work for a living. He was one of those people who are absolutely essential to forward progress.

Tammy Kincaid, a registered nurse at the hospital, also worked with Mr. Layman on a wide range of progressive political causes outside of work.

I think he did a lot of good for a lot of people, Kincaid said.

In addition to his daughter, Mr. Layman is survived by two grandsons  Jackson, 7, and Wesley, 3.

A celebration of his life will be held in late August or early September.
A South Richmond man was arrested Saturday night and charged with murder in the fatal shooting of one of his neighbors, police said.

The suspect, Alfred V. Booker, 60, knew the victim, 53-year-old Wayne D. Spencer, and was arrested at the scene, police said. The events that led to the shooting were unclear.

About 8:40 p.m., officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 2000 block of Powell Road, southeast of the intersection of Hull Street and Warwick roads.

Officers found Spencer with a gunshot wound, and he was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Major Crimes Detective J. Baynes at (804) 646-3617 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.

You can also contact Crime Stoppers by going online to www.7801000.com or sending a text message to 274637, using the keyword iTip followed by the tip.

All Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.
PORTSMOUTH  A little more than a year ago, Dominion Energy faced a torrent of criticism for letting lapse a $40 million federal grant for an offshore wind power pilot project. Critics contended it meant the utility was never serious about pursuing wind as a generation source.

Among those upset over the lost money: Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

There was a lot of displeasure when we lost that federal grant. I worked very hard to get that $40 million federal grant, so I called the secretary of energy myself, but the decision had already been made. I was very unhappy about it, said McAuliffe, a Democrat, in an interview. But the good news is were past that. ... Weve rekindled it.

As a testament to how much difference a year can make, McAuliffe was among a string of local, state and federal elected officials at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal on Monday morning as the utility giant announced a partnership with a European energy firm that is expected to deliver a pair of 6-megawatt turbines about 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach by the end of 2020.

The turbines, which will rise about 600 feet above the sea surface, with a rotor diameter of about 500 feet, will be anchored in about 80 feet of water and connect to a transmission line that will run to Camp Pendleton in Virginia Beach.

The project, which Dominion says will be out of sight for beachgoers, would be just the second offshore wind development in the country. The first was the 30-megawatt Block Island Wind Farm off the coast of Rhode Island that became operational in 2016. But Dominions project, estimated to cost $300 million that the company will seek to recover from ratepayers, will be the first owned by an electric utility.

We have been working on this for a long time, and it has been far from easy, said Thomas F. Farrell II, Dominions CEO, president and chairman. The technology is complex, the ocean is a very difficult place to work, and the economics are challenging in those conditions.

McAuliffe, Farrell and other officials said the pilot could eventually lead to 2,000 megawatts of wind on a 112,800-acre site leased by Dominion from the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

For comparison, consider that Dominions Chesterfield Power Station, the largest fossil fuel-fired plant in Virginia, generates 1,640 megawatts. Mark Mitchell, Dominions vice president of generation construction, said the company expects to see the price of wind power components continue to fall, similar to the drop in price that is fueling a solar boom.

Crucial to the announcement Monday was linking up with Dong Energy, a Denmark-based energy group that has installed 22 wind projects around the world that generate 3.9 gigawatts, enough to power about 2 million U.S. homes.

Lauren Burm, a spokeswoman for Dong, which has a U.S. office in Boston, said the two companies entered into talks on the Virginia Beach project within the past six months.

Our partners from Europe know how to harness offshore wind and convert it, Farrell said. We know how to deliver it to homes and businesses across Virginia. Weve searched for years for a reliable partner with whom we could reach an agreement that would allow us to proceed and at the same time keep the project affordable and protect our customers. ... It took a lot of years and a lot of work to get here today. Thats how major energy projects happen.

Dominion and Dong have signed a memorandum of understanding that gives Dong exclusive rights to discuss a strategic partnership with Dominion on additional development at the larger site if the test turbines prove successful, especially in weathering an Atlantic hurricane season.

Francis Slingsby, Dongs head of strategic partnerships in North America, said the company sees tremendous potential in the Mid-Atlantic for wind power, an industry that could drive port traffic, jobs and innovation.

We have the opportunity to build Americas future right here in Virginia, together, he said.

Slingsby said the company sees similarities to the stormy North Sea, where Dong has installed turbines before.

Its going to be an interesting learning experience for us, he said.

Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, who helped create a task force on alternative energy in 2009, said the project could establish the region as a Silicon Valley for clean energy. Numerous speakers singled out the Hampton Roads area as among the most vulnerable spots in the U.S. to sea-level rise driven by climate change.

Virginia Beach is pumped up on this project, said Sessoms, a Republican. This is something I wanted for a very long time, but yet wasnt really sure we could ever accomplish.

In a statement, the Sierra Clubs Virginia chapter, which has accused Dominion of dragging its feet on offshore wind in the past, said it was very encouraged to see Dominion take steps to actualize offshore wind.

Dong Energy is a proven leader in offshore wind development, having built more offshore wind farms than any other company worldwide, the group said. Hopefully, Dong will have little tolerance for any further delay tactics Dominion attempts to make in developing offshore wind.

The group said the wind project contrasted sharply with Dominions plans to build a 600-mile natural gas pipeline through Virginia, primarily to fire natural-gas power plants.

Farrell said replacing coal-fired plants with natural-gas generation has been key to Dominion cutting its carbon emissions by 43 percent over the past 15 years.

Thats twice the national average and the third-highest reduction by any utility in the United States over that time, he said, adding that Dominion also has 2,000 megawatts of solar generation in nine states.

Both gubernatorial candidates hailed the announcement.

These new turbines are further proof that renewable energy is becoming increasingly reliable and affordable and, as governor, Ill work to expand the production of all safe, reliable and affordable sources of energy in Virginia, said GOP nominee Ed Gillespie.

Governor McAuliffe and our administration have worked urgently to reduce our carbon footprint and invest in renewable energy to protect our commonwealth for generations to come, said Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam, the Democratic nominee, calling the announcement a promising step forward.
Timing is everything for the Virginia Retirement System, which reached a historic high of $74 billion just as state lawmakers are preparing a new two-year budget and another look at potential reform of the pension system to reduce its long-term liabilities.

The VRS earned an 11.8 percent return on investments for the fiscal year that ended June 30. That exceeded the annual assumed return of 7 percent that the system will use to determine contribution rates later this year for state employee and teacher pension plans in the next two-year budget.

After two years of disappointing investment performances that fell well below the assumed rate of return, the retirement system goes into the rate-making year with a boost in income in addition to money the state included in the current budget to make up for past failures to fully fund its pension obligations.

The ship is no longer sinking, said Del. Robert D. Orrock Sr., R-Caroline, chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, after its semiannual review of the retirement system on Monday. Its coming out of the water.

But a commission led by Speaker of the House William J. Howell, R-Stafford, also convened Monday at the Capitol to consider further reforms of the pension system, either by creating a voluntary 401(k)-style retirement plan for new state employees, as he favors, or tweaking the current hybrid plan to increase employee savings.

Im going to give it one last shot, Howell said last week, as he himself prepares to retire in January after 30 years in the House of Delegates and 15 as speaker.

The Virginia Commission on Employee Retirement Security & Pension Reform began its work last year, but efforts to reduce the states long-term pension obligations were overshadowed by the need to boost employee compensation in the face of major turnover in an aging workforce.

So the legislature focused its budget investment on a 3 percent raise for state workers, as well as additional pay for teachers, state-supported local employees, state police and Capitol police.

This year, legislators will wait on a major study by JLARC to measure how Virginias public workforce compares with other states and private employees in total compensation  including retirement and health benefits, as well as pay  before deciding what to do about pension reforms that would require additional money in the budget.

I dont think were at the level of compensation we need to be equitable, said former Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, one of the architects of pension reforms in 2012 that included creation of a hybrid plan for employees hired after 2013 that featured a traditional pension and an individual savings plan.

The hybrid has helped lower the states long-term retirement costs for its employees and teachers. Critics say its structure does not do enough to help employees save for their retirement in addition to pension benefits that are more limited than those of employees hired before the new plan took effect.

The bones of the plan are good, but the details have problems, said Greg Mennis, director of public sector retirement policy for The Pew Charitable Trusts, which is aiding the Howell commissions work.

Fundamental to the debate is how well-prepared the state is to absorb higher pension contribution costs if investment returns lag, as they did in fiscal 2016 at 1.9 percent and fiscal 2015 at 4.7 percent.

Investment income covers most of the costs of a system that pays out more in benefits than it receives in contributions from government employers and employees, but VRS lowered its expectation of annual returns in the stock market from 7.5 to 7 percent in 2010.

VRS, at 7 percent, is well ahead of other states as far as realistic planning for investment returns, Mennis said.

So the bullish investment performance in the fiscal year that just ended was good news for VRS and lawmakers.

Its fun to be here when the returns are good, Chief Investment Officer Ronald D. Schmitz told JLARC.

The systems $74 billion in assets represent a historic high for VRS, which is the 20th-largest public pension system in the country and the 44th in the world, with about 676,414 active, retired or inactive members in state and local government.

The performance also gave VRS officials ammunition in an ongoing political debate over big incentive payouts each year for the systems internal investment staff members, who handle about 30 percent of the portfolio and routinely place among the highest-paid state employees.

I think a lot of state employees are very concerned that the people who are managing their money for their retirement are doing extremely well, said Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Augusta, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. These dollars were paying out could go into the retirement fund.

But VRS Chairman Mitchell L. Nason said the internal investment team has generated $289 million more a year in investment returns for the system, while saving more than $22 million in fees that it would pay external fund managers on Wall Street.

Theyve generated more than whats needed to cover their incentive pay, he said.

Nason is a lieutenant in the Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department, so he said, Ive got the bluest collar in the room.

VRS officials say the system still has big unfunded liabilities for its defined benefit pensions, but credit state lawmakers for accelerating their commitment to fully funding the rates certified by the board of trustees in this biennium.

Were moving to 100 percent funding, so were not adding to those costs, VRS Director Patricia S. Trish Bishop told JLARC.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
The first day of school in Roanoke is Aug. 22. Roanoke County schools open a day later.

Montgomery and Botetourt county students go back to school Aug. 9  less than one month from today. Franklin County opens Aug. 15.

Many parents are reading those dates and muttering to themselves, Not soon enough. But others realize that the clock is winding down on summer and that the days for taking a vacation are dwindling. Even if you dont have time or money for a week at the beach, theres still time to take a Dadline Day Trip.

Natural Bridge State Park

Visiting Rockbridge Countys biggest tourist attraction is less expensive since Natural Bridge became part of Virginias state parks system. Admission is $6 for children ages 6 to 12 and $8 for 13 and older. Kids younger than 6 get in free.

The park has ranger-led hikes and campfires. The Natural Bridge Hotel and Conference Centers restaurant features breakfast, dinner and a Friday surf and turf buffet, a Saturday Italian spread and a Sunday brunch buffet. Check out a menu online at www.naturalbridgeva.com. The park also has cafes that make lunch.

After looking up at the 215-foot limestone arch, you can venture underground for a tour of the Caverns at Natural Bridge. Families can get discounted tickets if they combine the caverns and bridge tours. Those combos run $14 to $20.

Families can make a multi-day, mini-vacation out of this trip by visiting Jellystone Park or Cave Mountain Lake. Jellystone includes cabins, campsites, a pool and water slides. Cave Mountain Lake is located in a national forest and offers swimming for just $5 per vehicle. Call 540-291-2188 for more information.

Shenandoah National Park

I had visited Yellowstone, Arches, Glacier, Badlands and dozens of other national parks from coast to coast, but until last year, I had never been to the national park just two and a half hours from my house.

Shenandoah National Park is one of the most beautiful spots in the eastern United States, a place you can visit in a day or over a weekend. The Skyline Drive  which is basically an extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway north into the park  passes scenic overlooks and affords plenty of places to picnic or hike. The park has overnight lodging, which includes campsites, cabins and pricier rooms at the Big Meadows Lodge and Skyland.

Check out the Every Kid in a Park program, which allows every fourth-grader and their families to visit national parks for free. Even if your child just completed the fourth grade, he or she is eligible for the program through August. Enroll online at www.everykidinapark.gov. Kids should also join the Junior Ranger programs when they visit.

If theres time on the way home, stop in Staunton and visit the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum or the Frontier Culture Museum. Might as well have an ice cream from Wrights Dairy-Rite (www.dairy-rite.com) or Klines Dairy Bar while youre in town.

Go, Giles, Go

Even as the lake that gave the hotel its name recedes, Mountain Lake Lodge has remade itself into an outdoors adventure destination, complete with ziplines, boating and a brand- new five-story water slide. The lodge caters to its guests who stay at the lodge or in its cabins, but day visitors are welcome, too. Check out some of the activities and prices at www.mtnlakelodge.com.

This summer marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Dirty Dancing, which was filmed there, and the lodge has several events planned, including a party in downtown Blacksburg on Saturday.

Giles County has far less expensive outdoors opportunities, as well. Hike to the Cascade Falls and cool off in the creek. Several outfitters in the county rent canoes for outings on the New River.

Dining options are good and surprisingly varied. In Pembroke, Kalbee Restaurant (which is closed until July 20) specializes in Korean dishes, and the Cascades Cafe offers quick post-hike sandwiches. The Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston is a popular dining destination and features lots of local music.

Pick of the crop

The time is ripe to show children where their food comes from. 3 Birds Berry Farm in Blacksburg is bursting with berries in shades of blue, black and  rasp. Call for their hours at 552-4195. Chestnut Grove Farm on Bent Mountain is usually open Wednesday through Saturday for blueberry picking, but check availability first by calling 929-8018. Johnsons Orchards in Bedford County is one of the few places where you can pick your own peaches (and get covered with fuzz while doing it). Call 540-586-3707 to see when freestone peaches will be ready. In a couple of weeks, you can wiggle your ears and pick your own sweet corn at Dry Valley Farms near Radford. Find them on Facebook for directions.

Let me know of other places to check out at ralph.berrier@roanoke.com.
Nestled on the side of Afton Mountain on 762 acres sits Swannanoa Palace, a 1900s Italianesque residence made of marble and open to the public for tours, weddings and photo shoots that offer access to a flamboyant, Gatsby-like past.

After the palace was lived in and sold periodically, the family of Sandi and Phil Dulaney took over ownership of the property in 1944 and passed it down.

Its unusual in this part of the county to have a completely marble house with a terracotta roof and the inside is all Italian marble, Sandi Dulaney said. Its very European. People dont have to go to Europe  they can come here and see a piece of Italy when they come in.

In 1911, railroad magnate James Dooley of Richmond purchased the land and started construction on the Palace as a summer home.

The exterior is white Georgia marble and the interior is Italian Carrara and Siena, Dulaney said. The 23,000-square-foot home has 52 rooms and a Tiffany window at the head of the stairs of Dooleys wife Sallie May.

Dooley enlisted in the Confederate army after graduating from Georgetown University but was discharged after being wounded in 1862. After this he found himself in Staunton where he met and married his wife. They later built Maymont Estate in Richmond.

After Dooleys death in 1922, he left Swannanoa to his wife, along with several million dollars. She died in 1925.

She left the home to Dooleys two sisters, who sold it in 1926 to business men in Richmond, who turned it into a country club.

In 1927, President Calvin Coolidge came for a Thanksgiving stay. The mansion was used as a country club and closed during the hard times of the 1930s.

They did not foresee the Great Depression and were forced off the mountain in 1932, Sandi Dulaney said. The mansion stood empty until 1944.

In 1944, Phil Dulaneys grandfather, A.T., who owned Charlottesville Oil Company, formed Skyline Swannanoa Inc., with a group of businessmen purchased the Palace to help commercialize U.S. 250 for visitors to the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park.

They built a gift shop, a motel and a Howard Johnsons at Rockfish Gap Dulaney said.

In 1948 Walter and Lao Russell leased the Palace where they opened the University of Science and Philosophy, a sort of center to promote the arts and early mystical, new-age consciousness.

Phil Dulaney said the Russells wanted to purchase the property but didnt have the money so they rented it from month to month. When Lao Russell died in 1988, their foundation took over ownership until 1998.

In 1999, Skyline Swannanoa Inc. started renovations on the property, which included a new roof made by the same company as the original in the 1900s, exterior and interior work including new windows and doors.

Sandi Dulaney, 70, and her husband lived there on the weekends for four years.

In 2015, Phil Dulaney, now 66, suffered a stroke, so Sandi Dulaney, after five months of retiring from working as a librarian at the University of Virginia, took over the tours from her husband.

The plan at this point is we dont have a plan, she said.

Barbara Bartels, of Palmyra, visited the estate on Sunday with her husband. She said she heard about it a few years ago after reading it was listed as one of the places a film version of The Great Gatsby could have been filmed.

We finally decided to come over. It was great, very interesting, she said. I had heard of the Tiffany window and it was well worth it just to see that.

She said the tour and the Palace were extraordinary but she hoped it can one day be restored back to its original state.

Its such a struggle to keep this going, she said.

Sandi Dulaney, along with another guide, gives tours on weekends when there are no weddings.

Tours cost $8 and money generated goes toward paying taxes on the estate, electric bills and for someone to keep up with maintenance.

Sandi Dulaney said she did not expect five months after retiring from a 46-year career to be taking care of her husband and the attraction.

Its been a traumatic time.  You never know what happens down the road or where your life will take you, she said.
We dont even have pronouns for this.

Thats what accounts for the clumsy grammar of the statement parent Kori Doty issued about Dotys newborn baby, Searyl Atli Doty. For that matter, it also accounts for the clumsy grammar of the sentence you just read.

Anyway, Kori Dotys statement read: Its up to Searyl to decide how they identify, when they are old enough to develop their own gender identity. I am not going to foreclose that choice based on an arbitrary assignment of gender at birth based on an inspection of their genitals.

Of course, a baby human is not usually a they but a he or a she. Thing is, though, Kori Doty, who identifies as a non-binary transgender person  stay with me, now  has decided that the child, born in Canada outside the medical system, will not be saddled with gender.

As reported last week by CNN, that argument apparently won over officials in Canada, who issued the baby a health card  as a civilized nation, Canada has universal health care  that does not specify gender. Gender Free ID Coalition, a group that crusades against gender identifiers on government documents, sees this as an important step toward that goal. We are told that Searyl may be the first baby in the world with a genderless government ID.

As noted, the English language is not ready for this. For all its splendors, English offers no gender-neutral singular pronoun except it. Who wants to be an it?

If the language is not ready, well, truth to tell, neither is your humble correspondent. Its a jarring realization.

I have, after all, long taken great pride in supporting LGBTQ freedom. Marriage equality, adoption rights, job protections, I have demanded them. Restroom ID laws, dont ask, dont tell and so-called religious freedom measures, I have fought them.

But in the notion of a genderless humanity we arrive at the proverbial bridge too far. Yes, I know some people are born anatomically neither male nor female. Im not talking about them.

Nor have I any beef with the child born into a male body who feels emotionally estranged from that body and takes steps, whether surgical or cosmetic, to rectify the problem. Good for him. And her.

What I have trouble with is the idea that we somehow commit a sin against enlightenment when we identify that babys body as male in the first place. What I find problematic is the notion that we should look upon this child with his XY chromosome and a little stub of flesh between his legs that will someday be capable of producing sperm, and pretend we have no idea what he is.

Im sorry, but thats just silly.

I am reminded of those people who would end racial prejudice by having us all claim to be colorblind, i.e., pretend we dont see race. But prejudice doesnt come because we notice so-and-so is black. Rather, it comes with the assumptions we attach to that fact.

Similarly, the question here is not whether Searyl is a boy or girl. No, the question is, what will we assume that either one means?

So it seems to me the energy some are putting into denying the reality of infant genitalia would be better spent trying to assure that it means as little as possible, trying to create a society where girls who play with trucks and boys who play with dolls are as free as any other children to construct their own lives and identities according to their own design. Fight the sociology  not the biology. I tend to think Searyl would thank us for that.

The English language would, too.

Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald who is syndicated by the Tribune Content Agency.
TITANS have been given an unkind draw in their pool group of the forthcoming British and Irish Cup.

The Clifton Lane men will face Connacht A and London sides Richmond and Ealing in Group Four of the 20-club series.

The first round takes place on October 14 when Titans host the Irish side. The sides have previously met twice, home and away, during the 2013-14 campaign.

The first away trip will be to Richmond on October 21.

Full fixtures will be in this Fridays Advertiser.
ROAD safety chief rolled out the red carpet to toast the next generation of safety experts.

Students from Wingfield Academy were among the winners at the fourth annual Road Safety Oscars at Sheffield City Hall, which was hosted by the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership,

Pupils were challenged to develop a project that included key road safety messages that could then be delivered to their peers in school.

This years entries included drama pieces, animations and dance, all communicating important themes such as wearing seat belts, not being distracted and crossing the road, which all can have devastating consequences for teens if not undertaken in the correct way.

The Chuckle Brothers provided the laughs and announced the winners and they were joined by special guests dance act Urban Jokers and the 2016 X Factor finalists 5 After Midnight, who performed four songs and had the crowd on their feet dancing for the finale.

Wingfield students won the Standout Performance award.

Their winning entry was a spoof road safety gameshow video, which covered the dangers of distractions for both pedestrians and drivers, speeding and drink driving and the importance of seatbelts.

Safer Roads Education Manager Joanne Wehrle said: Once again the event was a huge success and enjoyed by everyone who attended.

It was a great opportunity to showcase the hard work and ingenuity of the young people who created these imaginative and hard hitting productions, reinforcing the importance of the road safety messages in a bid to keep this vulnerable age group safer on our roads.

This year the Safer Roads Partnership funded event also received sponsorship from road safety learning and development company TTC and road safety software developers StarTraq and our thanks go to them for their support and input to the event.
Rajesh Lakhani, Director of Kiran Gems Pvt Ltd has more than 20 years standing in the diamond industry shouldering major responsibilities at Kiran including planning, developing and managing global marketing, sales and distribution of polished goods. Here, in an interview with Rough & Polished, Rajesh Lakhani comments on the industry's present status and the challenges that it is facing at present.

Some excerpts:

Your views on the recently concluded JCK Vegas Show? Can you give us an idea of the quality/size/colour of polished goods that were in high demand?

The expectations from the show in JCK Vegas was more. The visitor turns around was less when seen in the perspective of that. However, as per Kiran Gems observation, it was decent in terms of the seriousness of the buyers.

There were sizeable enquiries of certified diamonds and loose diamonds of course in the American goods, i.e. SI2 and below.

In recent overseas jewellery demand, is silver being substituted for gold due to high gold prices, especially in diamond studded jewellery?

Any such observation is yet to make on our part. We cannot really say that the gold is being replaced by silver, however- there are businesses which are undertaking a few pilots.

In view of a recent increase in the Indian G&J industry export performance, do you think good days are here again for the Indian industry?

The increase in exports is good news for the industry. It is still too early to comment on whether or not the good days are back. But, yes, the industry is witnessing changes and market is slowly and steadily moving toward stability and growth.

How do you think the natural diamond sector can be protected from lab-grown diamonds, especially in mixing episodes?

There are no serious mixing incidents of late. The natural diamonds industry is strong enough. The industry has weathered many such challenges in the past posed by possible substitutes. The desire of natural diamonds is driven by emotions that cannot be easily be replaced by man-made items, if managed well. Trade bodies, like DPA and GJEPC, are mandated with a task to rekindle the target market using the right promotion mix, and they have started well.

Some industry players feel that the SNZ at the Bharat Diamond Bourse will be more useful, if the Indian government makes necessary changes in the tax structure for trading in the SNZ. Your views, please.

It is a commendable step by the government to have built such a place. We are sure the government would do all that is beneficial for the trade and finally to the country.

What is your opinion on the steps taken by the Indian government in terms of implementing the Goods & Services Tax (GST) by 1 July 2017? How will it affect your business given that you are mainly exporters?

The transition to unified tax regime is set to create a little rejig. However, in the long term, it is expected to be good for the trade.

As far functioning of business is concerned, the process and training to adapt to the requirements laid out by the government has been initiated and is smooth.

For the benefit of the readers, can you run us through the Kiran Group's history? Any new projects in the offing for the coming year? Where do you see the Group, say five years down the line?

Kiran Gems Pvt Ltd is the worlds largest manufacturer of diamonds. The company was incorporated in 1985 in Mumbai. Kiran Gems became De Beers Sightholder in the year 2005 and has been the winner of the largest exporter of cut and polished diamonds award by GJEPC since 2007-08. During the same years, the company and its erstwhile group companies were awarded many other awards by GJEPC for showcasing excellent business performance.

Kiran Gems creates employment opportunities for over 36,000 people - the largest in the diamond industry. The company gets its diamonds cut and polished in 170 dedicated manufacturing units. Kiran Gems exported to over 36 countries in the FY 2016-17.

Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished




Camping Quelle region privilegier pour des campings calmes ? Combien coute en moyenne une location de mobil home pour une semaine dans le Sud ? Quel camping conseillez-vous a Argeles ? Quels pays sont les mieux equipes en campings ? Connaissez-vous des campings avec plage privee ? Dans quelles zones le camping sauvage est il autorise ? La communaute repond a vos questions. 383

Camping-car Comment laver au mieux son camping-car? Quel camping-car pour voyager a deux ? Quelle assurance pour voyager a letranger avec un camping-car ? Quels accessoires sont indispensables pour voyager en camping-car ? Est-il possible de trouver des bouteilles gaz dans toute lEurope ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 5876

Croisieres 1390

Expatriation

Envie de partir Est-il facile de sinstaller au Portugal ? Quel pays anglophone choisir pour apprendre langlais ? Quel pays pour un travail de fille au pair ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Envie de partir vivre a letranger , en expatriation, en Erasmus, au pair ou en volontariat international ? La redaction vous donne toutes les formules et astuces de financement. 674

Le Guide du Routard Est-il possible davoir des reductions grace au guide du routard ? Est-il necessaire davoir le guide de lannee en cours ? Comment trouver les derniers guides ? Existe-t-il une version en ligne des guides ? Quelles sont les prochaines destinations choisies par le guide du Routard ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 420

Moto Quels documents sont necessaires pour louer un scooter ou une moto en Thailande ? Quelle agence choisir pour faire un road trip en moto aux Etats Unis ? Est-il facile dacheter une moto en Australie ? Connaissez-vous un bon garage au Vietnam ? Quel permis est necessaire pour louer une moto en Espagne ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 240

Routard.com Comment supprimer mes messages ? Comment creer un carnet de voyage sur le site ? Comment participer aux differents concours ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 49

Ou et quand partir ?



Ou partir en ete a moindre cout ? Ou faire un road trip ou un citytrip ? Quelles sont les destinations les plus festives ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! Ou et quand partir en vacances pour trouver du soleil ? La redaction de routard.com vous indique les meilleures destinations pour chaque mois. 1261

Photo Quels sont les meilleurs blogs de voyage ? Routard.com a-t-il un concours photo ? Quel appareil photo conseillez-vous pour un safari ? Quelle camera choisir pour immortaliser une plongee ? Quels sont les plus beaux comptes Instagram de voyage ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 190

Plongee



Tous les conseils pratiques de la redaction pour la Quels sont les plus beaux spots de plongee au monde ? Quelles palmes utiliser pour une plongee dans les Caraibes ? Ou faire un bapteme de plongee ?Tous les conseils pratiques de la redaction pour la plongee sous -marine , et notre selection des plus beaux spots de plongee et de surf dans le monde. 145

Reveillons

, pour Noel et/ou pour le Nouvel An ? Lumiere sur les plus beaux marches de Noel en France et en Europe, et cap sur les reveillons les plus fous de la planete. Ou faire le reveillon a letranger a moindre cout ? Quel restaurant choisir a Barcelone ? Quelle est lambiance a Budapest pour le reveillon ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! Ou partir en decembre , pour Noel et/ou pour le Nouvel An ? Lumiere sur les plus beaux marches de Noel en France et en Europe, et cap sur les reveillons les plus fous de la planete. 220

Ski

et aux sports dhiver ? On vous donne nos idees de destinations sports dhiver, et nos conseils pratiques pour les amateurs de glisse. Tout schuss ! Quelles sont les stations les plus enneigees ? Ou faire du ski a moindre cout ? Quelle station de ski familiale dans les Alpes ? Ou faire du ski de fond ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! Ou partir au ski et aux sports dhiver ? On vous donne nos idees de destinations sports dhiver, et nos conseils pratiques pour les amateurs de glisse. Tout schuss ! 266

Tour du monde

Retrouvez aussi les Existe-t-il un circuit a privilegier pour un tour du monde ? Existe-t-il un visa multi-destinations ? Conseillez-vous un tour du monde en camping car ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Retrouvez aussi les conseils et infos pratiques de la redaction : bons plans billets tour du monde, et idees de voyages inoubliables. 892

Trek

Tout savoir sur la Quels sont les meilleurs spots de treks du monde ? Quelles agences specialisees pour faire des treks a letranger ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Tout savoir sur la randonnee en France et les plus beaux treks du monde : conseils pratiques, materiel et accessoires, et idees de circuits. En route ! 569

Velo

La redaction a teste pour vous Quel equipement choisir pour son velo ? Comment transporter son velo par avion ? La communaute repond a vos questions !La redaction a teste pour vous les plus belles pistes cyclables, veloroutes, randos a velo et itineraires cyclotouristiques en France et en Europe. Tous en selle ! 450

Voile Comment sorganiser pour faire un tour du monde en voilier ? Y a-t-il un club de voile a La Reunion ? Ou louer un catamaran en Grece ? Quels sont vos conseils pour acheter un voilier ? Est-il possible de faire une excursion en voilier en Polynesie ? Quels sont les meilleurs spots de voile en Amerique du Sud ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 113

Voyager avec son animal Comment voyager en avion avec son animal de compagnie ? Faut-il payer un supplement lorsquon voyage en avion avec son chien ? Est-ce prudent de voyager avec son animal a letranger ? Quels sont les hotels autorisant les animaux ? Comment faire du backpacking avec son chat ? Est-il possible demmener son chien en Thailande ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 110

Voyage de noces



Faites le plein d Quelle destination choisir pour un voyage de noces ? Y a-t-il des agences de voyage specialisees ? Quels sont les plus beaux hotels du monde ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Faites le plein d idees de destinations romantiques ou roucouler a deux, en lune de miel ou en week-end en amoureux. 108

Voyage en famille

Vous partez en Quelles compagnies aeriennes ont les tarifs les plus avantageux pour les enfants ? Voyager en Asie avec des enfants en bas age ? La communaute repond a vos questions !Vous partez en vacances en famille ? La redaction vous donne des idees de voyages en famille, et des conseils pratiques pour voyager avec les enfants. 876

Voyage en solo Comment trouver des compagnons de voyage ? Quelle assurance de voyage conseillez-vous pour voyager seul ? Est-il prudent de faire un road trip seul en Amerique du Sud ? Avez-vous des astuces pour un voyage en total itinerance ? Quel itineraire conseillez-vous pour un voyage seul en Europe ? Est-il prudent quune femme voyage seule en Asie du Sud-Est ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 612

France Vous preparez un voyage en France ? La communaute Routard repond a vos questions. 17

Albanie Un road-trip en Albanie ? Navette centre-ville - aeroport de Tirana ? Circuler en bus ou voiture ? Les plus belles plages de la rivieira albanaise ? Rejoindre la Grece depuis lAlbanie ? Changer euros contre leks ? Comment visiter le Teth ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 489

Allemagne Quel est le plus beau marche de Noel ? Que faire a Munich et Francfort en un week-end ? Visite des chateaux de Baviere : ou loger ? Ou trouver un logement pratique et pas cher pour Oktoberfest ? LAllemagne a velo, ou et comment ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 658

Andorre 87

Angleterre 869

Armenie Ou faire de la randonnee en Armenie ? Location de voiture ? Hebergement ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 235

Autriche Quelle station de ski dans le Tyrol ? Quel itineraire choisir pour du camping-car ? Quels conseils pour de la randonnee en Autriche ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 442

Belgique Combien coute le parking de laeroport de Charleroi ? Quels sont les meilleurs restaurants et bars de Belgique ? Que visiter a Bruges ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 703

Bielorussie Comment se loger en Bielorussie ? Quel itineraire emprunter de Vilnius a Minsk ? Ou obtenir des renseignements sur le visa ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 71

Bulgarie Que visiter a Sofia ? Comment aller aux Sept lacs du Rila ? Ou trouver des aires de camping-car en Bulgarie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 435

Chypre Quel est le meilleur itineraire pour voyager du Nord au Sud de Chypre ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages de Chypre ? Les lieux incontournables a visiter ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 311

Croatie Visiter lile de Brac ou lile de Korcula ? Quelle agence de location de voiture choisir ? Ou loger dans Dubrovnik ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2778

Danemark Le meilleur circuit dans Copenhague ? Quel budget pour un road trip au Danemark ? Quel ferry pour aller aux iles Feroe ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 284

Ecosse Est-il possible de faire du bivouac sur lile de Skye ? Que visiter a Edimbourg ? Faut-il partir avec un passeport en Ecosse ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2315

Espagne Quelle destination choisir en Espagne ? Les bonnes adresses de Barcelone ? Les plus beaux parcs de Madrid ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1814

Estonie Quelle est la meilleure periode pour aller en Estonie ? Comment aller dHelsinki a Tallinn ? Les meilleures compagnies pour une croisiere ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 69

Finlande Trouver une bonne station de ski ? Le meilleur spot pour voir les aurores boreales ? Quels vetements porter en Finlande ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 569

Georgie Quelles activites faire a Tbilisi ? Le meilleur passage frontiere Russie-Georgie ? Ou se loger en Georgie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 252

Grece Quel ferry prendre pour aller sur lile de Santorin ? Quelles iles des Cyclades choisir ? Ou se baigner a Athenes ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 9585

Hongrie Quel est le cout de la vie a Budapest ? Ou obtenir des billets pour un tour du lac Balaton en train ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 157

Irlande Quelle agence de voiture choisir ? Faut-il un visa pour entrer en Irlande ? Que voir a Dublin en une journee ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2559

Islande Quand partir en Islande ? Ou voir des baleines ? Se baigner au Blue Lagoon ? Dans quel sens faire le tour de lile ? Quand voir des aurores boreales ? Quelle voiture louer ? 2899

Italie Quelle agence choisir pour visiter Milan ? Quel itineraire dans la region des Pouilles ? Ou loger dans les Cinque Terre ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 4154

Lettonie Que voir a Riga ? Les meilleures plages de la Baltique ? Un road trip a travers la Lettonie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 111

Lituanie Quels sont les specialites de Lituanie ? Trajet Klaipedia - Vilnius en bus ? Quel itineraire dans les pays baltes ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 100

Luxembourg Travailler au Luxembourg ? Les meilleures adresses de restos et dhebergements ? Un weekend a Luxembourg-Ville ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 68

Macedoine Comment organiser un voyage en Macedoine ? Quel avion prendre ? Que faire a Skopje ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 41

Malte Ou loger a Gozo ? Est-ce interessant de faire un sejour linguistique a Malte ? Ou se procurer un plan de transports ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 727

Montenegro 377

Norvege Quelle periode pour voir des aurores boreales ? Changer ses euros en couronnes norvegiennes avant de partir ? Que voir a Bergen ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2348

Pays-Bas Comment aller aux Pays-Bas ? Faire une randonnee a velo en Hollande? Visiter Amsterdam ou Rotterdam ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 313

Pays de Galles Transport pour Cardiff ? Quelques jours dans le Sud du Pays de Galles ? Randonnee dans Snowdonia et Pembrokeshire ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 59

Pologne Comment aller en Pologne ? Quelles activites a Varsovie ? Quel transport de Cracovie a Auschwitz ? Visiter les mines de sel ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 852

Portugal Visiter le Douro ou lAlgarve ? Trouver une location ou un camping au Portugal ? Ou faire du canyoning, du surf ? Les peages electroniques ? Quoi voir a Porto ? Quelle location de voiture ? 2425

Republique tcheque Que faire en Republique tcheque ? Trouver un logement a Prague ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 144

Roumanie Louer une voiture en Roumanie ? Quels sites pour un logement sur Bucarest ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 667

Russie Itineraire pour aller a Saint-Petersbourg ? Billet de train pour Moscou ? Vetements dhiver en Russie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1306

Serbie 109

Slovaquie Les incontournables de Bratislava ? Trajet France-Slovaquie ? Quelles activites faire ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 89

Slovenie Ou observer les ours en Slovenie ? Comment acceder au parc national du Triglav ? Randonnee ou road trip? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 326

Suede Est-il possible de faire du camping sauvage en Suede ? Faut-il changer ses euros en France ou sur place ? Que voir a Goteborg ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 399

Suisse Vivre en Suisse ? Quels cantons choisir ? Trouver un logement et sinstaller ? Que faire au Lac Leman ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 733

Turquie Quel visa pour la Turquie ? Visiter la Cappadoce ? Quel circuit suivre ? Quelle est la monnaie utilisee ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1682

Ukraine Visiter Kiev ou Odessa ? Visa pour voyager en Ukraine ? Quel itineraire en Ukraine ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 500

Afghanistan 11

Azerbaidjan 24

Bangladesh Est-il possible de voyager au Bangladesh avec des enfants ? Existe-t-il un train de nuit pour faire Katmandu-Dhaka ? Fau-il un guide pour visiter le pays ? La Communaute repond a vos questions 37

Bhoutan Comment organiser son voyage au Bhoutan, quelle compagnie aerienne pour y aller, quelle est la meilleure periode pour visiter le Bhoutan, pour quel budget ? 35

Birmanie Faire son e-visa pour la Birmanie, choisir son agence de voyage, organiser ses activites sur le lac Inle, a Bagan, au Rocher dOr, changer sa monnaie 2665

Brunei Organiser son sejour au Brunei, combien de temps y rester, comment sy rendre par voie terrestre 13

Cambodge Une, deux ou trois semaines au Cambodge ? Posez vos questions sur votre itineraire et vos trajets au Cambodge, les meilleurs periodes pour visiter Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, les temples dAngkor, les plages de sable blanc ou encore les iles ! 3178

Chine Acheter ses billets de train en Chine, aller a la Grande Muraille, quel itineraire au Yunnan, visiter Xian, trouver un bon restaurant a Pekin 2300

Coree du Sud Comment sexpatrier en Coree du Sud ? Quel budget prevoir pour un voyage de 1 mois ? Faut-il louer une voiture pour visiter lile de Jeju ? La Communaute repond a vos questions 893

Inde Quelle agence choisir pour visiter le Rajasthan ? La foire de Pushkar est-elle interessante ? Quel climat au mois daout ? Quelles sont les etapes necessaires pour obtenir un visa en Inde ? La Communaute repond a vos questions. 6506

Indonesie Ou loger a Gili Air ? Que faire a Flores ? Est-il possible de visiter 3 iles en 15 jours en Indonesie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions. 2920

Japon Est-il interessant dacheter le JR Pass pour se deplacer dans le pays ? Quel itineraire pour 15 jours au Japon ? Que visiter a Osaka ? Existe-t-il un un moyen de voyager en shinkansen pour faire Tokyo, Kyoto et Mont Fuji ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 4518

Kazakhstan 44

Kirghizistan 152

Laos Quel climat au Laos ? Faut-il payer en Bath ou US dollars ? Combien coute le visa on arrival ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1578

Malaisie Ou aller pour un premier voyage en Malaisie ? Les iles Perhentian valent-elles le detour ? Que faire a Kuala Lumpur ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2307

Maldives Ou sejourner aux Maldives ? Quel spot choisir pour faire du snorkelling ? Que faire a Male ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1274

Mongolie Ou acheter un velo en Mongolie ? Faut-il un visa pour voyager en Mongolie ? Quelle agence de voyage choisir ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 471

Nepal Quel equipement prendre pour faire le tour de lAnnapurna ? Quelle agence de trek choisir ? Que visiter a Katmandou ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1702

Ouzbekistan Obtenir soin visa pour lOuzbekistan, faire la Route de la Soie, choisir une agence locale pour voyager en Ouzbekistan, visiter Samarcande, Boukhara et Khiva 451

Pakistan 31

Philippines Quel transport privilegier entre Manille et Palawan ? Que faire a Cebu Island ? Quel itineraire choisir pour 15 jours de voyage aux Philippines ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2054

Singapour Quand visiter lUniversal Studio Singapore ? Ou trouver un logement pas cher dans la ville ? Prix du transfert entre laeroport de Singapour-Changi et le centre-ville ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 353

Sri Lanka Obtenir lETA pour le Sri Lanka ? Comment trouver un chauffeur-guide ? Quel itineraire ? Ou voir des elephants ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages ? Voyager en famille au Sri Lanka ? 4593

Tadjikistan 36

Taiwan Comment assister au festival des lumieres a Taipei ? Quelle plage privilegier a Taiwan ? Quelle agence de location de voiture choisir ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 191

Thailande Quelles sont les plus belles plages de Thailande ? Ou trouver un hotel les pieds dans leau ? Un visa est-il necessaire ? Quel trek a Chiang Mai ? Quel budget ? 14841

Tibet Quel budget prevoir pour un voyage au Tibet ? Est-il obligatoire de voyager avec un guide ou une agence ? Quelles sont les formalites pour rentrer au Tibet ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 114

Turkmenistan 10

Vietnam Vietnam nord ou sud ? Quand visiter la Baie dAlong ? Louer une moto ? Quel trek a Sapa ? Partir seule au Vietnam ? Quoi visiter a Hanoi ? 6945

Antigua-et-Barbuda Quelles formalites pour visiter Antigua ? Quelles activites et excursions sont recommandees ? Presence dalgues sargasses ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 4

Argentine Quel budget prevoir pour 1 mois en Argentine ? Faut-il privilegier les voyages en bus ou en avion ? Est-il possible de reserver a lavance un hotel a Salta ? Comment sorganiser pour sexpatrier en Argentine ? Quelle agence pour visiter la Patagonie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions. 2111

Bahamas Comment se deplacer entre les iles ? Comment rejoindre Miami depuis les Bahamas ? Voyage de noces : ou sejourner ? Les plus belles plages des Bahamas ? Ou se loger a Nassau ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 156

Barbade Comment circuler a la Barbade ? Quel budget prevoir ? Comment rejoindre les Antilles depuis la Barbade ? Ou faire de lapnee ? Ou se loger ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 22

Belize Combien de temps rester au Belize ? Autotour ou chauffeur-guide ? Les meilleurs spots pour faire du surf, de la plongee ou du snorkeling ? Quel itineraire et excursions prevoir ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 201

Bolivie Quel itineraire pour 1 mois en Bolivie ? Existe-t-il un bus direct pour faire Uyuni-Copacabana ? Quelle agence choisir pour louer un 4x4 ? Quelles iles du Lac Titicaca privilegier ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 980

Bresil Comment se rendre a Ilha Grande depuis Rio de Janeiro ? Quel guide pour faire un trek a Lencois Maranhenses ? Est-il possible de voyager seul(e) ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 3028

Canada Quelles sont les formalites pour entrer sur le territoire canadien ? Comment organiser la visite des chutes Victoria ? Que voir a Vancouver ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2776

Chili Quelle agence pour visiter le Chili ? Quel transport pour aller de laeroport de Santiago a Valparaiso ? Quels sont les prix pour les campings a Pan de Azucar ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1369

Colombie Des infos sur le carnaval de Baranquilla ? Preparer un trek en Amazonie ? Se deplacer entre Cartagena, Cali, Medellin et Bogota ? Bus ou taxi en Colombie ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 1753

Costa Rica La cote caraibe ou la cote pacifique au Costa Rica ? Faut-il louer un 4x4 ? Comment visiter le Costa Rica hors des sentiers battus ? Ou voir des aras et des tortues ? Quel budget ? 2101

Cuba Reserver une casa particular a La Havane ? Rapporter des cigares de Cuba ? Faut-il prendre un guide ? Comment obtenir la carte touristique ? Quel cayo visiter ? 6053

Dominique Ou faire de la randonnee, trek et plongee en Dominique ? Se deplacer sans voiture de location ? Ou est la plus belle plage de lile ? Quelle formalite pour entrer ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 113

Equateur Faut-il prendre de la malarone pour visiter lAmazonie ? Quelle est la meilleure periode pour visiter lEquateur ? Quand voir les baleines a Puerto Lopez ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 846

Etats-Unis Quelles formalites pour entrer sur le territoire des Etats-Unis ? Ou aller pour feter Thanksgiving ? Quelle voiture louer pour faire un road trip ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 5415

Grenade Visiter les Grenadines ? Quelle croisiere choisir ? Algues sargasses a Grenade ? Activites faire en famille ? Le meilleur spot de plongee ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 19

Guadeloupe Aller sur les iles des Saintes ou sur lile de Marie-Galante ? Ou loger pour visiter la Guadeloupe ? Y a-t-il des sargasses en Guadeloupe ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 3993

Guatemala Des questions securite au Guatemala ? Shuttle aeroport et bus : ou et comment reserver ? Ou retirer de largent ? Organiser un trek dans la jungle ? Besoin dun guide pour lac Atitlan, volcan San Pedro et de Fuego ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 596

Guyana Quel visa pour Guyana ? Quels sont les risques niveau securite ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2

Guyane 407

Haiti Quelle agence locale choisir a Haiti ? Bus ou voiture de location ? Faire sa demande de visa ? Loger a Port-au-Prince ? Expatriation : que prevoir ? Des questions securite ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 74

Honduras Loger a Roatan et Utila ? Quoi visiter a Tegucigalpa ? Combien de temps pour visiter le Honduras ? Ou faire de la plongee ou du surf ? Quel transport pour traverser le pays ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 50

Iles Vierges Quelle croisiere choisir pour les Iles Vierges ? Ou louer un catamaran? Quelles sont les liaisons avec Saint Barth ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 6

Jamaique Trouver un guide local francophone en Jamaique ? Navette aeroport vers les grandes villes ? Combien de jours pour visiter Ocho Rios, Kingston et Montego Bay ? Monnaie locale ou dollars ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 246

Martinique Quelle agence choisir pour louer une voiture en Martinique ? Quel temps fait-il en septembre ? Ou loger a Sainte-Luce ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2564

Mexique Quel itineraire dans le Yucatan ? Louer une voiture ou prendre les transports en commun pour visiter le Mexique ? Quen est-il de la securite au Mexique ? Ou loger a Cancun ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 4113

Nicaragua Des questions securite ? Ou voir des tortues ? Liaisons Nicaragua  Costa Rica ? Masaya ou Granada ? Corn Islands : passage oblige ? San Juan del Sura ou Leon ? Ou surfer ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 371

Panama Que voir sur les iles San Blas ? Possibilite de sexpatrier au Panama ? Que visiter dans la province de Bocas del Toro ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 478

Paraguay Combien de temps pour tout visiter au Paraguay ? Que voir et ou sortir a Asuncion ? Expatriation : comment sorganiser ? Comment se rendre a Iguazu ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 47

Perou Que visiter a Arequipa ? Comment sorganiser pour visiter le Machu Picchu ? Ou loger a Lima ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 3420

Porto Rico Ou sortir et prendre des cours de salsa a Porto Rico ? Quelles sont les activites a faire a San Juan ? Foret tropicale : El Yunque ou Toro Negro ? Ou faire son shopping ? Ou se loger pas cher ? Sy installer ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 51

Republique Dominicaine Quelles sont les plus belles plages a Punta Cana ? Quel budget prevoir pour 1 semaine a Bayahibe ? Quel tarif pour un voyage entre laeroport Santo Domingo et Puerto Plata ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 2389

Saint-Barthelemy Comment sexpatrier a Saint-Barthelemy ? Possibilite de partir avec un bebe ? Quelles formalites pour aller a Saint-Barthelemy ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 54

Sainte-Lucie Ou loger a Sainte-Lucie ? Faire une randonnee avec un guide francophone ? Changer ses euros en dollars sur place ou en France ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 70

Saint-Martin Ou faire de la plongee a Saint-Martin ? Quelle agence choisir pour louer une voiture ? Excursion sur lile de Saba ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 175

Saint-Vincent-et-les-Grenadines Quelle agence choisir pour faire une croisiere en catamaran dans les iles Grenadines ? Quel budget pour 2 semaines ? Ou manger a Kingston ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 98

Salvador Taxe de sortie a laeroport de Salvador ? Ou se loger pas cher ? Ou changer ses euros ? Itineraire pour un road trip ? Se deplacer en bus ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 12

Surinam Ou et quand faire sa demande de visa ? Que faire et voir a Paramaribo ? Faire un raid en kayak ? Rejoindre Guyana, Cuaracao ou le Mexique depuis le Surinam ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 9

Trinite-et-Tobago Des conseils pour preparer le carnaval ? Trouver un logement pas cher a Trinite-et-Tobago ? Location de voiture ou scooter ? Rejoindre le Venezuela depuis Port of Spain ? Des questions securite ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 27

Uruguay Sexpatrier et travailler en Uruguay ? Ou changer et retirer de largent ? Combien de temps rester a Montevideo ? Organiser un road trip en bus ? Quelles sont les villes incontournables ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 72

Venezuela Taux de change officiel ou officieux ? Quelle est la situation actuelle du Venezuela niveau securite ? Que voir a Merida ou Margarita ? Avec quelle agence partir ? La Communaute repond a vos questions ! 224

Afrique du Sud Est-il possible de conduire avec un permis international en Afrique du Sud ? Quel est le prix du billet dentree au Parc Kruger ? Est il possible de faire un safari self drive ? Quels sont les incontournables a Johannesburg ou au Cap ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 5309

Algerie Quel est le niveau de securite a Djanet et Sahara ? Que voir a Tlemcen et a Alger ? Ou changer des euros ? Quelle agence pour visite du desert algerien ? 699

Benin 341

Botswana Quel itineraire privilegier ? Ou et quand reserver un safari pour le Botswana ? Auto tour ou guide ? Ou dormir dans le parc Moremi ? A quelle periode partir ? Quels vaccins prevoir ? 264

Burkina Faso Quel est le niveau de securite au Burkina Faso? Faire du tourisme humanitaire ? A la recherche dun chauffeur-guide ? Quel vaccin et visa prevoir ? Quelle compagnie aerienne choisir ? Ou se loger ? 276

Cameroun 284

Cap-Vert Quelles iles visiter au Cap-Vert ? Ou trouver un bon guide ? Quelle est la meilleure saison ? Les meilleures randonnees de Santo Antao ? Quels spots de plongee ? 1358

Congo 70

Djibouti 40

Ethiopie Comment trouver une bonne agence locale en Ethiopie ? Comment trouver un guide pour un trek dans les montagnes de Lalibela ? Quelles visites interessantes a Addis Abeba ? Quel logement choisir a Bahar Dar ? Comment voir les hyenes dHarar ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 464

Gabon Quel visa pour le Gabon ? Ou et comment obtenir le e-visa touristique ? Vivre et travailler a Libreville ? Comment se rendre au Parc National de Loango ? Quels sont les incontournables et quelle ville choisir ? 117

Gambie Le visa est-il gratuit pour les courts sejours ? Quel guide choisir pour la Gambie ? Peut-on voyager en toute securite en Gambie ? Acheter une voiture en Gambie ? Dans quelles villes sejourner ? 32

Ghana Quel visa et quel vaccin pour le Ghana ? Quel est le cout de la vie ? Ou loger a Accra ? Quels sont les bons plans a voir et a faire ? Ou retirer et changer de largent ? Des idees de circuits ? 60

Guinee Quel est le cout de la vie a Conakry ? Ou changer de largent ? Quel est le niveau de securite ? A la recherche dun guide ? 121

Ile Maurice, Rodrigues Quelle est la plus belle plage pour faire du snorkeling ? Quelles sont les excursions a faire ? Comment trouver un taxi a lile Maurice ? Quelle est la randonnee incontournable ? Le meilleur logement est il les maisons dhotes a Rodrigues ? Quelle cote choisir ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2727

Kenya Quelle agence choisir pour un safari au Kenya ? Ou peut-on observer des lycaons ? Comment trouver un super guide ? A-t-on besoin dun visa ? Que visiter a Nairobi ou Mombasa ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 993

Lesotho Quel itineraire choisir ? Ou faire du trek et de la randonnee ? Quel guide choisir pour le Lesotho ? Quel est letat des routes ? Quel climat prevoir ? 39

Liberia 7

Libye 8

Madagascar Est-il dangereux daller a Madagascar actuellement ? Quel moyen de transport utiliser ? Comment trouver un bon chauffeur guide a Antananarivo ? Ou faire une mission humanitaire ? Quel itineraire est conseille ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2673

Mali Quel est le niveau de securite ? Quel visa et quelles formalites pour aller au Mali ? Ou se loger a Bamako ? Sinstaller au Mali ? Traverser le pays en voiture ? Comment voyager en securite ? 131

Maroc Comment trouver un guide pour faire un trek dans lAtlas ? Quel itineraire est conseille pour visiter les villes imperiales du Maroc ? Comment visiter Fes ? A quel climat sattendre a Agadir en hiver ? Est-il possible de louer un 4X4 pour aller dans le desert ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 4960

Mauritanie Quel visa pour la Mauritanie et quel prix ? Quel est le niveau de securite ? Quel itineraire pour traverser le pays depuis le Maroc ou le Senegal ? 228

Mayotte Est-il facile de sexpatrier a Mayotte ? Comment trouver un bon guide de randonnee ? Quel est le cout de la vie a Mayotte ? Est-il necessaire de faire un traitement antipaludeen ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages ? Ou se loger, gites ou maison dhote ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 237

Mozambique Quel est le meilleur spot pour faire du surf a Maputo ? Est-il possible de rejoindre le parc Kruger en voiture ? Ou plonger au Mozambique pour voir des requins ? Bilene - Inhambane ou Vilanculo ? Quel est le cout du visa ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 132

Namibie Est-il necessaire de passer par une agence pour un voyage en Namibie ? Comment acceder aux Victoria Falls ? Quels sont les temps de trajet ? Est-il preferable de louer une voiture ? Quelles sont les taxes dentree dans le Parc Etosha ? Quel itineraire pour acceder au desert du Namib ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 3678

Niger Quel est le niveau de securite ? Quel visa pour le Niger ? Quel budget prevoir pour un voyage au Niger ? Ou se loger a Niamey ? Quelle compagnie aerienne choisir ? 16

Nigeria 14

Ouganda A la recherche dun guide en Ouganda ? Quel tour operateur pour faire un trek safari ? Ou louer un 4x4 ? Ou observer des gorilles ? Quels vaccins sont recommandes ? 127

Reunion Quelles sont les randonnees incontournables a La Reunion ? Quel est le bon plan pour louer une voiture ? Quel gite choisir ? Lascension du Piton de la Fournaise est-elle exigeante ? Quels spots pour la plongee ? Ou faire du canyoning ? Comment trouver un bon guide pour aller au Piton des neiges ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2498

Rwanda Des idees ditineraires ? Ou observer les gorilles ? Ou faire sa demande de visa ? Besoin dinfos pratiques pour votre voyage au Rwanda ? Comment se rendre au parc des volcans ? Conseils pour visiter le Nyungwe ? 98

Sao Tome et Principe Quelles sont les excursions a faire a Sao Tome et Principe ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages ? Est-il possible de louer une voiture sur les iles ? Est-il preferable dopter pour un chauffeur ou un guide ? Y a-t-il des vaccins obligatoires ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 129

Senegal Quel est le meilleur moyen de se rendre en Casamance ? Quel transport utiliser depuis laeroport de Dakar ? Trouver un bon guide ? Comment trouver un logement pas cher au Senegal ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2097

Seychelles Est-il possible de trouver un hebergement chez lhabitant aux Seychelles ? Quelle est la meilleure periode pour partir ? Quel hotel choisir pour un voyage de noces ? Quelle croisiere choisir ? Quel est le meilleur club de plongee ? Quelles sont les plus belles plages ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1329

Swaziland Ou dormir dans la reserve du Hlane ? Quelles sont les visites incontournables ? Quels parcs visiter ? Peut-on traverser le Swaziland sur une journee ? Quel est letat des routes ? Par quels postes frontieres passer ? 68

Tanzanie Comment trouver un bon chauffeur guide en Tanzanie ? Quelles sont les agences conseillees pour un safari ? Est-il possible de faire un safari en bivouac ? Quel itineraire est conseille pour acceder au Kilimandjaro ? Comment aller a Zanzibar depuis la Tanzanie ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1529

Tchad Quel est le niveau de securite au Tchad ? Circuit et trek en toute securite ? Quel visa pour le Tchad ? Que faire et ou se loger a Ndjamena ? Comment rejoindre le Soudan depuis le Tchad ? 14

Togo Ou obtenir un visa pour le Togo ? Que faire a Lome ? Comment se deplacer au Togo ? Ou se loger ? Quelle association pour faire du tourisme humanitaire / solidaire ? Location de voiture ou chauffeur-guide ? 293

Tunisie Quel est le meilleur moyen de transport pour un transfert de laeroport de Tunis a Hammamet ? Comment trouver un guide a Djerba ? Quelle temperature fait-il en Tunisie en hiver ? La carte didentite est elle suffisante pour aller en Tunisie ? Que visiter a Monastir ou a Sousse ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1812

Zambie Quels parcs visiter en Zambie ? Voir les chutes Victoria cote Zambie ? Quelles formalites pour passage frontiere Zambie  Zimbabwe ? Ou changer des devises ? 48

Zimbabwe Est-il possible de visiter le parc Hwange en louant une voiture ? Quel moyen de transport utiliser entre lAfrique du Sud et le Zimbabwe ? Quelle est la meilleure periode pour visiter les Victoria Falls ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 83

Egypte Quelle agence propose une excursion Hurghada - Louxor ? Comment trouver un guide pour une visite du Caire ? Est-il possible de reserver une croisiere sur le Nil a la derniere minute ? Combien coute une excursion pour les pyramides depuis Le Caire ? Quel horaire est le plus propice pour visiter les temples dAbu Simbel ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2816

Emirats arabes unis Est-il aise de sexpatrier a Dubai ? Le Dubai city pass est-il rentable ? Dans quel quartier loger ? Quelle monnaie est acceptee ? Est-il necessaire de reserver ses billets pour le Louvre Abu Dhabi ? Ou louer une voiture ? Quels sont les horaires pour visiter la tour Burj Khalifa ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 252

Iran Quels sont les delais pour obtenir un visa touristique pour lIran ? Quelles tenues sont appropriees pour des touristes en Iran ? Quels sont les bons plans hebergements pour Shiraz ? Quelles sont les possibilites de transferts a laeroport de Teheran ? Quel est le meilleur quartier pour lachat de turquoise a Kashan ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1111

Israel, Palestine Comment circuler dans Jerusalem ? Ou loger a Tel Aviv ? Y a-t-il des bus entre Nazareth et Jenine ? Y a-t-il des transports en commun efficaces en Israel ? Quelles sont les difficultes pour aller en Palestine ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 925

Jordanie Quel chauffeur choisir en Jordanie ? Quel itineraire est optimal pour une semaine en Jordanie ? Est-il necessaire de prendre un guide pour visiter Petra ? Quelle agence choisir pour une excursion a Wadi Rum ? Quels sont les incontournables a Amman ? Y a-t-il des problemes de securite en Jordanie ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1137

Liban Le visa pour le Liban est-il gratuit ? Combien de jours sont necessaires pour visiter Beyrouth ? Quelles langues sont parlees au Liban ? Ou loger a Tripoli ? Est-il facile de sexpatrier au Liban ? Quelles sont les plus belles randonnees ? Quel est le climat en Hiver ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! La communaute repond a vos questions ! 174

Oman Quel visa est necessaire pour aller au sultanat dOman ? Est-il facile de louer un 4x4 a Oman ? Ou faire de la plongee ? Quel moyen de transport utiliser pour un transfert depuis laeroport de Mascate ? Comment trouver un guide francophone ? Quelle agence choisir pour une excursion dans le desert de Wahiba ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 684

Qatar Quel transfert choisir depuis laeroport de Doha ? Est-il facile de sexpatrier au Qatar administrativement ? Laeroport de Doha est-il agreable pour une longue escale ? Quel est le souk le plus traditionnel du Qatar ? Etes-vous satisfait de la compagnie Qatar Airways ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 101

Syrie 22

Yemen 19

Australie Quel est le meilleur moyen de transport pour faire un roadtrip en Australie ? Comment optimiser mon itineraire sur la cote ouest ? Quel hebergement a Sydney ? Est-il facile dacheter une voiture en Australie ? Le visa est-il payant ? Combien de jours pour visiter Melbourne ? Comment aller en Tasmanie ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 2066

Iles Fidji Quel est le meilleur spot de plongee aux Fidji ? Quel sont les transports pour aller aux Fidji depuis la Nouvelle-Caledonie ? Quel vol choisir pour aller aux Fidji ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 29

Nouvelle-Caledonie Est-il facile de sexpatrier en Nouvelle-Caledonie ? Quelle compagnie aerienne choisir ? Quel transfert a laeroport de Tontouta ? Quel budget prevoir pour un sejour de 3 semaines ? Suffit-il dune journee pour visiter lile des Pins en bateau ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! La communaute repond a vos questions ! 475

Nouvelle-Zelande Quelles sont les plus belles randonnees en Nouvelle-Zelande ? Le permis international est-il indispensable ? Quelle agence locale utiliser ? Quand reserver ses billets pour voir un match des All Blacks ? Quels sont les incontournables a Christchurch et Auckland ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1081

Polynesie francaise Quelle agence choisir pour faire une excursion en voilier en Polynesie francaise ? Est-il possible de sinstaller facilement en Polynesie ? Est-il preferable de loger a Moorea ou a Papeete ? Ou observer au mieux les baleines ? Quelle est la meilleure agence de plongee ? La communaute repond a vos questions ! 1835
City of Calgary

The Canadian province of Alberta plans to spend CA$1.53 billion (US$1.187 billion) in provincial carbon tax money to fund one-third of Calgary Transit's Green Line light-rail transit expansion project.

As reported in the July 6 edition of The Globe & Mail, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said the carbon tax is a key factor in the LRT expansion. Every cent of it in terms of the provincial governments contribution is coming from the Climate Leadership Fund, which is funded by the carbon levy, and it absolutely would not have been possible without it. Notley said. Calgary City Council approved the final alignment and 28 station locations for the 46km (28.58-mile) Green Line project in June.

Notley spoke at an LRT station with Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and members of her NDP (New Democratic Party) caucus as the city prepared the famous Calgary Stampede.

The Canadian federal and Calgary city governments previously announced that they would fund the remaining two-thirds of the Green Lines cost. Albertas carbon-tax-based share will be paid during the next eight years. The province is calling it the single biggest infrastructure spending announcement in Alberta history.

The Green Lines first phase will span from just north of downtown Calgary to southeast of the city. When complete in 2026, it is expected to serve more than 60,000 riders per day. The city estimates the Green Line will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Calgary by 30,000 tons annually, as much as that produced by 6,000 motor vehicles.

The opposition party, the Progressive Conservatives, said they support Albertas funding pledge despite being highly critical of government spending, the Globe & Mail reported. Ric McIver, who is the PC leader in the legislature, said the Green Line is badly needed and called Notleys announcement very good news.'

McIver, a former Calgary city councilor, resides at the southern end of the planned Green Line expansion project. He described residents current peak-period trek into and out of the city as long, slow, painful commutes. . . . This is a good investment.

Calgary is expected to be a key battleground in Albertas 2019 provincial election, the newspaper said. The NDP currently holds 16 of the citys 25 seats. The PCs have six and the Wildrose, Liberals and Alberta parties have one each.
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) announced plans to open a new fulfillment center in Orlando, Florida. When the site opens in 2018, Amazon will create 1,500 new full-time jobs with benefits and opportunities to engage with Amazon Robotics in a highly technological workplace.

Akash Chauhan, Amazon's vice president of North America operations, said "We look forward to bringing more jobs and investment to the state in the coming months."

Amazon employees at the more than 850,000 square-foot fulfillment center located at Lake Nona will pick, pack and ship small items to customers like books, electronics or consumer goods.

Amazon has created more than 4,000 full-time jobs in Florida since building its first fulfillment center in the state in 2013. The new fulfillment center will bring Amazon's workforce in the Sunshine State to more than 9,000.

The company said that the full-time employees receive highly-competitive pay, insurance, disability insurance, retirement savings plans and company stock. The company also offers up to 20 weeks of maternal and parental paid leave and innovative benefits. Amazon also offers innovative programs like Career Choice, where the company will pre-pay up to 95 percent of tuition for courses related to in-demand fields.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (CETV) said it has agreed to sell its broadcast operations in Croatia ("Nova TV") and in Slovenia ("POP TV") to Slovenia Broadband S.a r.l., a subsidiary of United Group B.V. for 230.0 million euros or approximately $262.5 million in cash, subject to customary working capital adjustments.

The transaction is expected to close by year-end. The transaction is expected to be accretive to CME's OIBDA margin as well as free cash flow.

The combined OIBDA for Nova TV and POP TV for the twelve months ended March 31, 2017 was $13.8 million.

Central European Media noted that it will use the proceeds to repay the 250.8 million euros term loan due 2018, which based on results from the period ended March 31, 2017 would have reduced CME's net leverage ratio from 6.3 times to 5.1 times.

CME's current average borrowing cost is expected to decrease 275 basis points to 4.5% upon repayment of the 2018 term loan following closing of the transaction.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Foreign trade data from Germany is due on Monday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

At 2.00 am ET, Destatis is scheduled to release Germany's foreign trade figures. Economists forecast exports to grow 0.3 percent on month in May compared to a 0.9 percent increase in April.

In the meantime, consumer and producer prices from Norway and unemployment data from Sweden are due.

At 2.30 am ET, the Bank of France is set to publish sentiment survey results. The business sentiment index is seen rising to 106 in June from 105 in May.

At 3.00 am ET, industrial production from Turkey is due. Economists forecast production to climb 5.8 percent year-on-year in May after rising 6.7 percent in April.

At 4.30 am ET, Eurozone Sentix investor confidence data is due. The indicator is forecast to drop to 28.2 in July from 28.4 in June.

For comments and feedback contact: 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.
Online plus-size clothing retailer Eloquii is getting ready to open brick-and-mortar stores. The Columbus-based company will open its first physical store in September at Easton Town Center, reported The Columbus Dispatch.

Eloquii, which was once a sub-brand of the Limited, plans to first open a handful of stores and then ramp up to a total of 40 stores over the next three to four years.

Steve Zawada, executive vice president and chief operating officer, reportedly said that the clothing line, which was strictly online, plans to expand its footprint outside the online world slowly, taking a "walk before we run" approach.

Zawada said, "Our big focus is to get the right systems in place. Then, once the infrastructure is in place, we expect that over the next three to four years, we will have upwards of 40 stores. We think we'll open five next year, 10 the following year and 15-plus the year after that."

The company, while under Limited, was shut down in 2013, but brought back in 2014 as a standalone company. The company now has 100 employees split between Columbus and New York.

Eloquii in March had opened a temporary "pop-up" location at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia. for testing the idea. As per the report, the store was "wildly successful,", with the mall asking the company to be a permanent tenant.

While Eloquii has about 1,300 styles on its website it has only about 250 in a store.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Dear Editor

Unhappy with expensive cost of living

Most villagers are like Mr Fualau. They are in the same cost of living problem boat. Maybe just taking a fresh approach to how we go about living is required. One thing Samoa is blessed with is the fertile land.

I can see that from picture of Niupopo. I would say Niupopos land is not fertile enough for a good crop of taro but bananas and breadfruit seems to be growing luxuriantly.

Why not focus on these crops first. Trim breadfruit and desucker bananas. Land also seems good for kaamu, yams, magioka and umala. Get some from MAF and their help in planning plots on your land for these.

Maintenance free greens like laupele, pi, isalaelu, kukama maukegi melegi etc can be planted. Five of each is a good start. With greens, you have to pick sisi afelika two or three times a week.

Your fishing skills will also be handy. Try and gauge what is needed to consistently provide for family.

Try and plant a little extra to coincide with start of school, holidays like christmas, new year, easter, mothers day, independence, white sunday, birthdays etc. see what Im driving at? I grew up in a village where farmers were doing this with kagakalo.

Mostly two for every holiday except for xmas/new year where they will have 3 or 4.

The gripe about church and faalavelave, if your church minister is sending you on a guilt trip every Sunday because you are not giving enough, then maybe change church to one that understands that you are only able to give good works, like a cup of water to needy, and not more money) With faalavelave, well blood is thicker than water, we have a saying o oe nei , au taeao family have always understood. Government is growing and seems to be governing by legislation, two contributors to high cost of living.

kaloPalagi
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has called on the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour to consider enforcing a policy which prohibits a wholesaler from operating a retail store. Hes concerned that this minimizes the growth of retail stores.

The Prime Minister further noted the government will look into ways to provide grounds for fair trading and not allowing others to thrive at the cost of another business operator.

Tuilaepas comments was made during Parliament last week when the Parliament Economic Sector Committee Chairman Faalogo Iosefa Sopi, moved to approve M.C.I.L s Annual Report.

The Committee recommends the need to strengthen legal provisions to monitor the Reserved List under Foreign Investments that are operated by foreign investors, to ensure compliance with legal provisions of the Foreign Investment legislation.

Tuilaepa pointed to the study of the Wholesaling Sector and Review of the Reserved List which was conducted by M.C.I.L.

The Ministry recognizes the importance of having up to date information on the business environment of Samoa, particularly in identifying existing investment opportunities with the potential for promotion to potential investors in targeted industries/sectors.

The intention is, if necessary, to review the Reserved List; and offer the Samoan people a fair and competitive business environment without any illegal or anti-competitive activities being carried out.

This can be achieved through effective monitoring of the laws to protect all players in the industry and more importantly the consumers in the market.

This Project therefore will seek to carry out a holistic study of the existing wholesaling sector; as well as the sectors categorized under the Reserved List.

The aim of this study is to determine whether or not the wholesaling sector should be added to the Reserved List as stated in the Foreign Investment Act 2000.

This project is scheduled to be complete by the end of November 2016. Should this study identify issues that need to be addressed, then changes will be made to the legislation accordingly.

Another issue the Prime Minister pointed out is strengthening the working relationships internally and with line agencies.

Given that the process for business registration and residency permits are all inter related, the Ministry strongly believes that strengthening the working relationships with these line ministries such as the MfR (Business License) and Immigration (Residency Permit) have brought about positive benefits when dealing with the monitoring of these foreign investors.

The Ministry also considers that internal processes and procedures must be interlinked in order to maintain consistent monitoring and also registration of legitimate foreign investment enterprises.

Therefore the Ministry has also been working and continues to work in close collaboration with the internal divisions such as the work permits and company registration to make sure compliance of foreign investors.

Noting that information sharing amongst networks will guarantee compliance of Samoas laws and legislation governing the operation of foreign investors and minimize manipulation of our systems.

Tuilaepa noted recent amendments to the Foreign Investment Act and its Regulations are also another strong measure that the Ministry has taken in order to strengthen its legal provisions and monitor the Reserved List.

Repeal of Section 3(2) of the principal Act - to reinforce the issue that non- citizens are not allowed to be engaged in Reserved Activities this included non-citizens that hold permanent resident permits.

Annual renewal of Foreign Investment Certificates - to ensure regular updates and reports are provided to the Ministry for on-going monitoring efforts;

Duration of Certificates - The Ministry now enforces a validity period of 12 months for each foreign investment certificate issued with a maximum of 2 years to allow for commencement of business operations, explained the Prime Minister.
District Court Judge, Fepuleai Roma Ameperosa believes there are more people involved in the skimming incident with the Bank of South Pacifics A.T.Ms.

Two Chinese men have been convicted of stealing more than $70,000

His comments were made during the sentencing on Friday where Zhong Shuiming and Yang Quigreen were sentenced to five years jail.

The men were represented by lawyer, Alex Sua with Lupematasila Iliganoa Atoa as the Prosecutor.

There is a high degree of planning and premeditation, said the Judge.

These were no ordinary thefts and most likely involved others.

You might have been the ones making the withdrawals but there was obviously a great deal of planning before you arrived in Samoa, and started stealing from the A.T.Ms.

It would have involved a fraudulent process obtaining identities and back data of overseas customers, said Judge Fepuleai.

He further noted the scheme involved the manufacturing of counterfeiting cards using information that was retained.

It also involves you traveling all the way from China, with those counterfeit cards to an island where you have never been before and withdrawn numerous and substantial sums from A.T.M.s of a bank within three days.

Following the hearing last month, Judge Fepuleai pointed out the defendants were initially charged with 16 charges.

However prior to the trial, they both pleaded guilty to four charges.

These include intentionally accessing an A.T.M. without authority; theft of $9,700; theft of $1,000 and theft of $12,500. The total amount for this is $23,200.

During the trial, two more theft charges were dismissed, leaving 10 other counts which were the subject of the trial. For theft charge in the amount of $24,900, they were found guilty in the lesser sum of $19,150; theft of $16,200 they were found guilty in the lesser sum $12,400; theft $6,150 they were found guilty in the lesser sum $3,100; theft of $23,950 they are found guilty in the lesser sum of $11,700; theft of $15,700 they were found guilty in the lesser sum of $1,000.

They were also found guilty of intentionally accessing A.T.M. without authority and intentionally accessing A.T.M. without authority with the purpose of committing a crime of dishonesty.

They were however acquitted of three theft charges, involving two separate withdrawals of $300 each and theft of $20,500. Total amount for these theft charges was $47,350.

HEARING

During the hearing Shirley Pauga, Manager of the Retail Banking of the Bank of the South Pacific, told the Court the men targeted the A.T.M. at Matautu first.

Matautu was the first machine where we had captured most of the cards (that had been swallowed).

From there, we saw most of the transactions were rejected by the machine for the reasons that Ive mentioned before like, invalid pins and so forth.

The Bank then sent an A.T.M. Officer to investigate and he found footage of the two Chinese men.

Tei told us that these two men were also at Tanugamanono the previous day when they went to check the machine.

She said they had recovered nearly thirty cards.

These cards all look the same, she said. Its colour is blue and black. The only stuff on the card, is the word VIP on the top left corner and five digit numbers down the bottom. They all look the same except different digit numbers at the bottom.

Shirley Pauga said the cards are different from B.S.Ps cards.

A Chinese businessman, Yeng Ping, also gave evidence.

He is the owner of Dirgos Motel located at Matautu-Uta.

On the 21st of August 2016 last year, three Chinese men came to rent a room at my hotel, he said. These two (pointing to where the Chinese men were sitting) and the other one (he left the country on the 23rd August).

They came and rented a room at my hotel, room number one and room number three. Mr. Ping told the Court he wasnt aware about what was happening until the Police arrived on 24 August 2016.

When the police arrived, the defendants were on the second floor, he continues. They ran up the stairs onto the second floor, they went into their room and locked the door.

He said that he was still on the first floor when the police arrived.

Then I went, got the keys and opened the door. Then the police entered the room and took their belongings, said Mr Ping.
Viliamu Paulo, also known as Viliamu Peo, the man accused of the alleged sexual violation of two girls aged two and six has been granted legal aid and is out on bail.

The prosecutor in this case is Leone Sua  Mailo.

In the Supreme Court yesterday before Chief Justice, His Honour, Patu Tiavasue Falefatu Sapolu, Mr. Paulos church minister Father Tutusa Ah Kuoi asked the court if the accused could be released on bail.

Your Honour, I am Viliamu Paulos church minister, said Father Ah Kuoi.

Viliamu has been living with my wife and I at our home at Leauvaa. However he went to his familys house to run some errands for his mother.

The complainant in this matter is Viliamus partner who he met on social media via Facebook.

The two victims involved are the complainants children.

She (complainant) came with her children and lived together with Viliamu at his familys home at Leauvaa.

For the information of the court and Your Honour, the complainant does work. However when she goes to go work, the children are looked after by Viliamus mother as well as him.

The complainant is sometimes gone for one or two weeks while her children are cared for by Viliamu, his mother and family.

Sometimes she comes to see her children on the weekend and then leaves again apparently for work.

One day she brought police officers to Viliamus family to get her children.

When she left with her children, later on, we heard about the complaint that she had lodged against Viliamu.

However, Your Honour my coming here this morning is to ask you and the court if Viliamu can be out on bail but he will be residing at my home so I can look after him and help him out with all that is affecting him at the moment.

Chief Justice Patu then asked the prosecutor whether they opposed bail.

Yes Your Honour, we do oppose bail due to the seriousness of the offence and we also received information from the police that the defendant was very hard to locate as he moves around a lot, said Ms. Mailo.

However the court granted bail for the defendant and he is scheduled to appear again next week Monday.

First of all the application for legal aid has been granted. However it is not confirmed which counsel has been appointed to represent you, CJ Patu said.

The request made by the Church Minister has also been granted and you will be on bail under these conditions.

First you are to reside at Father Tutusa Ah Kuois residence until the court orders otherwise. You must sign in at the Afega Police Post every Tuesday and Friday before 12 in the afternoon.

If you have any travel documents, you must turn them in and you are not allowed to contact the complainant as well as the victims involved in this matter.

The matter will be adjourned to next week Monday to see who will represent you during the trial.

Last month Acting Assistant Commissioner Salaa Moananu Salaa told the Samoa Observer that the investigation found the incident was reported to the Police on a Sunday 4, June in the late afternoon.

The mother of the victims informed the police, that her two daughters, aged six and two had been sexually violated by the accused.

The accused is said to be a friend of the mother.

Its unclear whether he was the boyfriend, but one thing for sure is that he was a friend of the mother.

Salaa said the mother works, leaving her girls with the man.

This is the time the alleged sexual violation occured, says Salaa.

The Acting Assistant Commissioner did not go into details about the sexual violation.

The man however is charged with having sexual intercourse with the six year old girl and sexual violation of the two year old girl.

The Police investigation is continuing.

Im certain that more charges will be filed once the case is in the hands of the prosecutors.

Salaa also made known the investigation does not stop with the accused.

The mother of the victims is also subject to a police investigation on allegations of child neglect.

And if the investigation concludes that any law has been violated regarding child neglect, the mother will be charged as well.

Salaa stressed that children should be protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parents and legal guardian.
The descendants of the late Inifi Titara and his wife, Tunufai of Toamua and Tuanai are gathering for a very special occasion this week.

The week-long reunion brought together five generations of family members from Hawaii and Missouri as well as those here in Samoa.

Family representative, Alaga Inifi told the Samoa Observer that the reunion is all about building relationships and offering thanksgiving together as a family.

This first reunion is all about thinking back to God and how great he is for the gift of life especially in bringing our family together this year.

To be honest, it is such a pleasure and privilege to meet all of our relatives this week.

My siblings and I saw this as an opportunity to pass down our traditional values and beliefs from our forefathers to many of our children and its great to see so many of them but especially our brothers and sisters.

Alaga says that the significance of the reunion is to remind the children of their roots.

Its all about family and this is also a great way to share stories of our lives and be with the whole family again after so many years of separation.

The idea is that no matter where in the world they (our children) might end up, they will know exactly where they come from.

The late Inifi and his wife, Tunufai had 14 children, seven girls and seven boys with over three hundred great-great-grandchildren from the villages of Toamua and Tuanai.

Family members will enjoy this week of getting to know each other, zumba, laughter, fun and games.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Young children know that name-calling is wrong. Tweens are taught the perils of online bullying and revenge porn: It's unacceptable and potentially illegal.

But celebrities who engage in flagrant attacks on social media are rewarded with worldwide attention. President Donald Trump's most popular tweet to date is a video that shows him fake-pummeling a personification of CNN. Reality TV star Rob Kardashian was trending last week after attacking his former fiancee on Instagram in a flurry of posts so explicit his account was shut down. He continued the attacks on Twitter, where he has more than 7.6 million followers.

While public interest in bad behavior is nothing new, social media has created a vast new venue for incivility to be expressed, witnessed and shared. And experts say it's affecting social interactions in real life.

"Over time, the attitudes and behaviors that we are concerned with right now in social media will bleed out into the physical world," said Karen North, a psychologist and director of the University of Southern California's Digital Social Media Program. "We're supposed to learn to be polite and civil in society. But what we have right now is a situation where a number of role models are acting the opposite of that ... And by watching it, we vicariously feel it, and our own attitudes and behaviors change as a result."

Catherine Steiner-Adair, a psychologist and author of "The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age," said she's already seeing the effects.

She said she's been confronted by students across the country asking why celebrities and political leaders are allowed to engage in name-calling and other activities for which they would be punished.

On some middle-school campuses, "Trumping" means to grab a girl's rear end, she said.

And teenagers have killed themselves over the kind of slut-shaming and exposure of private images Kardashian leveled at Blac Chyna, with whom he has an infant daughter.

On Monday, a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner granted a temporary restraining order against Kardashian, barring him from contacting Chyna, coming within 100 yards or her home or workplace and posting any images of her online. He is also prohibited from sharing images of their daughter.

"We are normalizing behaviors, and it's affecting some kids," Steiner-Adair said. "And what's affecting kids that is profound is their mistrust of grown-ups who are behaving so badly. Why aren't they stopping this?"

Social media satisfies a human need for connection. Users bond over common interests and establish digital relationships with their favorite public figures, following and commenting on their lives just like they do their friends'.

Gossip is a bonding activity, and it doesn't take a Real Housewife to know people love to share dirt about others' perceived misdeeds. Collective disapproval creates a feeling of community, regardless of which side you're on. Having a common enemy is "one of the strongest bonding factors in human nature," North said.

With 352,000 retweets, Trump's CNN-pummeling post isn't in the realm of Ellen DeGeneres' Oscar selfie (3.4 million retweets). And Kardashian's rant against Chyna paled in popularity with Beyonce's Instagram pregnancy announcement, which collected 8 million likes.

Still, Trump's attack tweets have proven his most popular, according to a new study by Ohio State University Professor Jayeon "Janey" Lee.

"Attacks on the media were most effective," Lee said of her analysis of tweets posted during the presidential campaign. "Whenever Trump criticized or mocked the media, the message was more likely to be retweeted and 'favorited.' "

Trump, who has 33.4 million Twitter followers, has defended his social-media approach as "modern day presidential."

Cyber incivility, particularly when practiced by cultural leaders, can have a profound impact on human relations, North said.

Studies show that young people who witness aggressive behavior in adults model and expand on that behavior. She pointed to Stanford University psychologist Albert Bandura's famous "Bobo Doll Experiment," which found that kids who saw adults hit a doll in frustration not only hit the doll as well, but attacked it with weapons.

Social media is an atmosphere devoid of the social cues that mitigate behavior in real life, she said. When violating social norms in person, there's immediate feedback from others through body language and tone of voice. No such indicators exist online, and retweets can feel like validation.

Cruel and humiliating posts often become "an instant hit online," Steiner-Adair said. "It's one of the best ways to become popular."

Viral posts then get mainstream media attention, spreading digital nastiness into everyday conversation.

By not expressly rejecting cruel or hateful online behavior, "we are creating a bystander culture where people think this is funny," she said.

"When we tolerate leaders  in the popular media like a Kardashian, or a president  behaving in this way, we are creating a very dangerous petri dish for massive cultural change," Steiner-Adair said.

Young people, who may be the most plugged in, are getting mixed messages as they form their moral concepts.

"It behooves us all to question why we are participating in this mob of reactivity," Steiner-Adair said, "and what are the character traits we need to model for our children."
Imagine you are a senior official at a San Diego biotech. An engineer just told you that an expensive company-issued laptop he briefly left unattended at a coffee shop had been stolen. You decide to fire the employee.

At the time of termination, you will have to give the engineer his final paycheck. But you want to deduct the cost of the laptop. May you?

No. Heres why.

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As debts go, the wages owed an employee enjoy a special status under California law. The only authorized deductions are those required or permitted by state or federal law, such as for taxes, and when a deduction is expressly authorized in writing by the employee to cover insurance premiums, hospital or medical dues, or other deductions for the employees benefit not amounting to a rebate or deduction from the agreed upon compensation.

Accordingly, California wage orders prohibit an employer from deducting from an employees wages the cost of the loss of equipment unless the employer can prove the loss was caused by the employees dishonesty, willful misconduct, or gross negligence. Gross negligence is conscious indifference to the consequences of ones actions.

The California Supreme Court has observed some . . . loss[es] of equipment are inevitable in almost any business operation. It does not seem unjust to require the employer to bear such losses as a cost of doing business rather than effectively making employees insurers of these losses.

Suppose the engineer told you he actually had left the laptop unattended for 45 minutes while he ran errands. Could you then deduct the cost of the laptop from his final paycheck?

Theres risk. Maybe leaving the laptop unattended for 45 minutes is gross negligence, maybe its simple negligence. A court, not the company, has the final say on that and the company, not the engineer, has to prove the kind of negligence the engineers conduct was. If you are wrong, the company will have to pay the wrongfully withheld wages  that is, the value of the laptop -- plus 30 days of wages for willful failure to pay all wages due at termination.

Well, what if the engineer, at the beginning of his employment, had authorized the company in writing to deduct the cost of any unreturned company equipment from his final paycheck? California wage orders say that an employer with the prior written authorization of the employee may deduct from the employees last check the cost of unreturned company equipment.

That would present a different kind of risk. If the employee challenges the deduction before the Labor Commissioner, hell likely lose because the wage order permits the deduction. The Labor Commissioner, however, has questioned whether courts ultimately will uphold this deduction given that prior court rulings allow deductions only in narrow circumstances. Courts also may disallow such a deduction because the law and the wage orders authorize employers to require employees to provide a reasonable deposit as a bond for the return of company equipment.

The California Chamber of Commerce underscores that an employer may discipline an employee whose simple negligence results in business losses. And an employer that believes an employee has stolen company property or engaged in gross negligence may sue the employee for the cost of the equipment. The Chamber suggests that [a]ny doubt as to [the employers] ability to prove misconduct is . . . best resolved in a small claims or other court proceeding against the employee, rather than a deduction from wages owed that employee.

An employer should resist the temptation to deduct the cost of unreturned company property from an employees final paycheck. An employee bond, employee discipline, or post-termination legal action each avoids the risk of a penalty that may exceed the value of the unreturned property.

Dan Eaton is a partner with the San Diego law firm of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek where his practice focuses on defending and advising employers. He also is an instructor at the San Diego State University Fowler College of Business where he teaches classes in business ethics and employment law. He may be reached at eaton@scmv.com. His Twitter handle is @DanEatonlaw.
When David Theno was recruited by Jack in the Box nearly 25 years ago to overhaul the companys food safety practices in the wake of a deadly E. coli outbreak, he had more on his mind than just rescuing his new employer from a corporate crisis.

In the course of looking into how the San Diego chain purchased, distributed and prepared its food, Theno came to know the mother of a 6-year-old girl, Lauren Rudolph, who had become sick after eating a hamburger at a Jack in the Box in Carlsbad and later died. She was the first of four children who lost their lives as a result of a multi-state E. coli outbreak that ultimately sickened 700 others who had eaten contaminated meat in 1992 and 1993.

Theno, who served as a vice president and chief safety officer for Jack in the Box for nearly 16 years, was deeply affected by the little girls death. Her mother at one point gave Theno a photograph of Lauren that he always carried in his briefcase, a reminder, he would say, of who he was really working for.

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I have to help people make decisions a lot of times that are really crucial and the way I think about it is, no matter who is paying me, I dont really work for them but I work for a 6-year-old who lives in my briefcase, he said on a podcast recently recorded by Food Safety Magazine. My job is to...keep all other 6-year-olds safe that she represents, and if you can keep that in focus, then I think well do the right thing more often.

The interview was recorded more than a month before Theno died June 19, after being hit by a large wave while swimming with his 14-year-old grandson off the island of Lanai in Hawaii, where he had a second home. Theno, who also shared a home with his wife Jill in Encinitas, was 66.

Theno was a respected figure in the food safety industry who was credited with helping set new standards for leadership and management in food production and safety. He had been operating Gray Dog Partners, an Encinitas consultancy business specializing in food safety and restaurant operations, since 2008.

As recently as last year, Theno had been brought in to assist Chipotle Mexican Grill, which has been trying to bring back customers following a series of foodborne illness outbreaks.

Jack in the Box, in a statement on Thenos passing, hailed him for the work he had done during his career.

The world has lost a great man and a tremendous advocate for food safety, said Jack in the Box CEO Lenny Comma. Daves commitment to improving the integrity of supply chains across the food service industry has undoubtedly saved countless lives and spared families unimaginable grief associated with foodborne illnesses that were prevented because of his efforts. And to those who had the good fortune to know Dave, he was as great a friend as one could want. In so many ways he left the world a lot better off than when he entered it. He will be missed.

Seattle attorney William Marler, who got to know Theno years ago when he deposed him in litigation against Jack in the Box, said he remained in touch ever since, joining him at food safety summits where they both would be speakers.

The loss to the food safety community and food production in the U.S. and around the world, I cant tell you how important Dave was, Marler said. Dave was such an advocate of transparency and companies embracing food safety and leading by example. He was OK being a v.p. and still asking, what would Lauren want me to do. Thats pretty profound and powerful.

Born in 1950 in Aurora, Illinois, Theno graduated from West Aurora High School where his best grades, recalls sister Meg Theno, were in math and science. A huge animal lover, he at one time had thought about becoming a veterinarian but once at the University of Iowa where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology and science journalism, his growing passion for food safety and animal science was solidified.

Theno earned his masters and doctorate degrees in food microbiology and animal sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Before joining Jack in the Box, he managed food safety and quality programs at a number of companies, including Peter Eckrich & Sons, Inc., Armour Food Company, Kelloggs and Foster Farms. He also ran his own consulting company, Theno & Associates, for seven years until recruited by Jack in the Box in 1993.

While at the fast food chain, Theno adopted a food-handling program developed by NASA in the 1960s to ensure sterile food for astronauts. The system tracks food from the supplier to the restaurant by monitoring temperatures in delivery trucks and providing restaurant employees with precise checklists covering the handling of food.

Recognized over the years for his leadership and expertise, Theno had just received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Science Foundation Food Safety Summit in May. Years earlier, Nations Restaurant News named him as one of the Top 50 Players for his leadership in defining a new standard for food service safety procedures.

This week, he was recognized posthumously with the first Dave Theno Food Safety Hero award, presented by the nonprofit group, Stop Foodborne Illness, at the International Association of Food Protection conference in Tampa. The group also is starting a fellowship program honoring Theno. Recipients will spend a year with the nonprofit working on food safety projects. Marler donated the first $25,000 toward the fellowship.

Theno is survived by his wife, Jill; son David M.Theno III; stepchildren Britt and Morgan Ghan; grandchildren Fiona Conneely, Rowan Theno, Sophie and Lily Coose, and Amelie and Finely Ghan; and three sisters, Meg Theno, Jan Shiff, and Nancy Peth. He was predeceased by his parents, Dave and Marge.

Memorials in Thenos honor will be held at the Lomas Santa Fe Country Club in Solana Beach, Calif., on Aug. 13 at 2 p.m., and at the Lake Ripley Country Club in Cambridge, Wis., on Sept. 17, also at 2 p.m. For donations in his honor, go to https://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/davidtheno/homepage.aspx

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lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-2251

Twitter: @loriweisberg
Whats the highest taxed commercial property in San Diego? Qualcomms campus in Sorrento Mesa, says the county assessors office.

Jeff Olson, a division chief in assessment services, said Qualcomms 15 parcels of land are valued at nearly $1.4 billion and that generates a tax bill of $18.5 million.

Qualcomm propertys worth is one of many items that helped boost overall county property valuation beyond the half-trillion mark for the first time. The $512.3 billion total was 6.1 percent or $29.2 billion more than last year and is expected to generate about $4.9 billion in property taxes for cities, schools, special districts and the county government.

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County Assessor Ernest Dronenburg said while the total rose more than 6 percent, four out of five taxpayers will see their property taxes rise no more than 2 percent, the limit set by the 1978 statewide tax initiative known as Proposition 13. Properties are never fully reassessed at their market value until they change hands.

Dronenburg said 2017 is the fifth straight year of property valuation increase.

The volume of change in ownership and construction has increased to levels not seen since 2009, Dronenburg said, referring to the year of the Great Recession, when values plummeted. This is a sign that the public is encouraged by the economy and the market. Home builders are also becoming more active, creating nearly 4,000 subdivision lots in 2016. This is the first step in the development process and represented a 230 percent increase year over year.

The improving economy and real estate market also prompted the upward assessment of properties whose values were reduced during the recession. Dronenburg said 73,100 parcels of land had their values partially restored to their pre-recession levels and 11,600 were fully restored.

The top 10 commercial properties, carrying a combined assessed valuation of $6.7 billion, included four hospitals, three hotels, two shopping centers and the Qualcomm office complex. They paid a cumulative property tax of $57 million, Olson said, just 1.3 percent of the county total.

The hospitals might have contributed even more but for an exemption they receive under state law. For example, Sharp Memorial Hospital is valued at $425 million but $408 million is exempt, Olson said. That reduces the Proposition 13 tax limit, set at no more than 1 percent plus bonded indebtedness, from a theoretical $4.3 million to only $211,006. The taxable properties include physicians offices and other non-hospital activities.

Heres the countdown:

(Property value is first. The property tax bill is in parentheses).

Qualcomm, $1.4 billion ($18.5 million) Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, $756.1 million ($9 million) Hotel del Coronado, $693.7 million ($6.5 million) Scripps Hospital, $675 million ($582,794) Kaiser Hospital-San Diego Medical Center, $667.7 million ($5.8 million) Westfield UTC, $584.3 million ($4.1 million) Fashion Valley, $525.7 million ($6.1 million) Hilton Bayfront Hotel, $486.3 million ($5.6 million) Rady Childrens Hospital, $463.2 million ($574,692) Sharp Memorial Hospital, $425.8 million ($206,565)

Some of the San Diego properties were included in a recent national compilation of top taxed properties. CommercialCafe said among the top 100 taxed commercial properties, 82 are in New York City. The General Motors Building ranked first with a tax bill of $71.7 million, followed by the 8,759-apartment Stuyvestant Town project, also in New York City that sold for $5.3 billion in 2015 and carries a tax bill of $60.5 million, according TRData.

San Diego County tax trivia

National City had the highest increase in assessed value among the 18 cities in the county  up 8.5 percent to $4.1 billion, followed by Imperial Beach, up 8.2 percent to $2 billion, and Santee, also up 8.2 percent to $5.9 billion.

San Diego city, as usual, had the highest valuation, $245.5 billion, up 6.3 percent, followed Carlsbad, $32 billion, up 5.1 percent, and Chula Vista, $28.4 billion, up 6 percent. The lowest increase among the cities was Poway, up 3.8 percent to $10.4 billion. The unincorporated area valuation was $70.7 billion, up 5.1 percent.

The assessment roll consists of 993,821 real estate parcels, 57,971 businesses, 12,651 boats and 1,636 aircraft.

During 2016, there were 154,600 recorded documents, 63,500 reassessed properties that changed ownership, 12,900 new construction values and 129,000 businesses canvassed.

More information is available at the assessors website, sdarcc.com, which includes a new research tool, values characteristics and maps.

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roger.showley@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-1286; Twitter: @rogershowley
Ben Vesely taught math at Valhalla High School for decades. He was known as BV2 or BV squared, and his students loved him.

Some of the comments on ratemyteachers.com explained his appeal: Mr. Vesely is a CALCULUS GOD. Try and stump him with anything. He can calculate square roots by hand!! He is the joy in my morning with his math jokes.

A guy started shaving in class w/shaving cream and everything. BV^2 did nothing, he just laughed.

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This esteemed teacher who came alive in the classroom was also described as a bit of a recluse who rarely came out of his home on Sawgrass Street in El Cajon, or had visitors in.

It was when a neighbor noticed Veselys trash cans still on the street, very uncharacteristically, that authorities made a check on the home June 27.

Ben Vesely had died, at the age 64 of heart disease.

His death has left some former students and colleagues recounting their memories.

One of his colleagues at the school, math teacher Sheila Medin, said Vesely had a wonderful, compassionate way with students and rare sense of humor that drew them to him.

Medin said Vesely was a kind man with a huge heart who would listen to classical music in the morning before his first class.

He had unquenchable thirst for knowledge and was well regarded among his peers in the teaching profession, for his leadership skills as well as his knowledge of AP Calculus, Medin recalled. He also loved reading about history.

Vesely, born Dec. 6, 1952, retired from teaching seven years ago. He was the math department chair for 15 years at Valhalla.

Ben was a very good man, said Nicki Summers, a colleague for 16 years. He was a bit of a recluse but was an outstanding math teacher.

Summers said two of her daughters took Veselys AP Calculus and they appreciated his patience.

He was well loved and well admired, both with the students and with his colleagues as well, Summers said. He was a kind soul with a good sense of humor.

Vesely hired Cherie Douma as a math teacher in 1993 and she taught next door to him until he retired. She said she would be surprised if he had missed more than one day of school during his teaching career.

She said he dressed akin to Mister Rogers and brown bagged his same lunch every day.

He was certainly a creature of habit, and that made him happy and content, she said.

When he cracked the occasional joke, it made his entire face light up, and put smiles galore on all the faces around him.

Douma said Vesely had an incredible mathematical mind, but he was also a deep thinker and problem solver.

As department chairman, he took incredibly good care of his members, she said. If any one of us approached him with a problem, he would not rest until it was solved for us. He always made sure we were taken care of.

Michael Gardiner, an attorney and writer based in San Diego, attended Valhalla in the late 1970s.

What I remember most about Mr. Vesely is his genuine enthusiasm for the topic  infectious, even, Gardiner said. I caught it, which is probably why I got an A. And when I went to Amherst and took Calculus there well, I didnt get an A. Then again, my professor at Amherst didnt have Mr. Veselys enthusiasm, did he?

Also, while he was a bit of an odd duck in some ways, there was also a casualness to his style, Gardiner said. He wanted you to like him, and his subject. He really did. And he seemed incapable of comprehending why anyone wouldnt think calculus was the coolest thing.

Neighbor Paul Sandauer remembered Vesely as kind, but said he didnt see him leave the house very often.

Sandauer said Veselys brother Dan told him Ben had back surgery 20 years ago, but had not been to a doctor since.

He said (Ben) had been known to have a few instances of fainting, Sandauer said.

Colleague Medin said she last saw Vesely in February.

He looked thin, but very happy, and a smile never left his face, she said. I am glad he left me with that memory in my heart.

As former Valhalla students said on ratemyteachers.com: Best math teacher ever!

Vesely is the man! Who knew Calculus could be so fun? He does everything in such a logical way that everyone gets it. Awesome teacher.

Valhalla High School will never be the same without him. His brilliant teaching skills and his math jokes brought a smile to everyones otherwise boring day that will be missed forever.
The grand opening for the first Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Imperial beach was such a success, cars spilled out of the parking lot and onto the street as 2,000 shoppers converged on Ninth Street and Palm Avenue.

Construction began on the 45,000-square-foot Breakwater Town Center in May last year following more than a decade of delays.

The project is a public/private partnership between Sudberry Properties and Imperial Beach.

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The opening of Grocery Outlet will have a tremendous positive impact on the community of Imperial Beach,said Colton Sudberry, company president.

The full-service national grocery store sells brand-name products at reduced prices.

Before Grocery Outlet opened July 6, residents had two grocery options:Wallys Marketplace directly across the street, and La Posta on Imperial Beach Boulevard and 13th Street.

The 5-acre site extends over three blocks on state Route 75/Palm Avenue and replaces what was previously known as The Miracle Shopping Center.

An official ribbon cutting was held July 8.

Owner Marc Aronsohn said in operating the store hes pursuing the American Dream. He previously spent 15 years with Walmart and decided to leave the corporate giant last year for a more mom-and-pop atmosphere.

The community here has welcomed us with open arms, he said.

Grocery Outlet is at 881 Palm Ave.

Aronsohn said the store has a zero tolerance policy for expired dates on canned goods and offers an honorary military savings card.

The majority of his 30 employees were hired locally, something that he said was important to him.

Other businesses in the new Breakwater Town Center currently open include Starbucks, Jersey Mikes and T-Mobile.

Other stores slated to open later this year include:

Baskin Robbins (mid July)

Chipotle (early August)

Great Clips (mid August)

Five Guys (late August)

They are no dates set yet for the openings of Poke Sushi or Wing Stop.

Su Lee Pamintuan and her boys, Cruz, 7, and Dax, 5, went to the new grocery story on opening day.

Pamintuan has lived with her family in Imperial Beach for about six years and said that she and her friends are excited about the Grocery Outlet coming in.

We were hoping for a Sprouts or Trader Joes but it seems like a happy medium, she said. They have a great organic produce section.

The store carries a range of products from fresh produce and dairy and deli products to an assortment of Natural Organic Specialty and Healthy options, also known as NOSH.

It also offers more than 300 beers and wine options.

Sheila and Raymond Nemenzo and their 2 1/2-year-old daughter Shey, moved to the city from Atlanta last December.

We dont have a Grocery Outlet there, Sheila said, adding she saw an advertisement for the stores opening on Facebook. If everything that we need is her, we will definitely come often.
From the moment he came into the world feet first as the result of a breech birth, Emmett Till wanted to stand up, his mother recalls early in Ifa Bayezas powerful play. How the African-American boy affectionately called Bobo left the world at only 14 years old shocked the nation in 1955 and set off reverberations in the civil rights movement.

Yet the lynching of this boy who from the get-go wanted to be a man doesnt tell the entire story of Bayezas The Ballad of Emmett Till, which is having its San Diego premiere at Ion Theatre in Hillcrest. The lyrical one-act play is also a celebration of Emmetts lives: the one he lived all too briefly with such unabashed energy, and the one he might have lived, which endured in the memories of those who loved him.

Bayezas 2008 work chronicles the story of Chicago-born Emmetts visit to his great-Uncle Moses Delta-town farm in Mississippi and ultimately an encounter in a grocery store that would precipitate the teenage boys kidnapping and murder, terrifyingly dramatized on the small Ion Theatre stage.

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This version of The Ballad of Emmitt Till, co-directed at ion by Yolanda Franklin and Claudio Raygoza, features a six-actor ensemble, Bayezas scaling down of her original 13-character piece. Five of them (Dwaine Collier, Rhys Greene, Portia Gregory, Tamara McMillian and Grandison Phelps III) play multiple roles, with Cortez L. Johnson, seen earlier this year in Moxie Theatres charged Blue Door, portraying Emmett. Its a cohesive group occupying tense proceedings that are always in motion. Throughout the production they join in uplifting, spiritual song that in its passion testifies to the deep intertwining of those in Emmetts life and their commitment to survival.

Emmitt, a young man with a stutter and an endearing guilelessness, proudly arrives at his great-uncles farm wearing his Panama hat and white bucks. He is wholly unprepared for arduous chores like picking cotton and plucking chickens, both amusingly re-created. Its his very innocence about the suffocating atmosphere of hate nearby  Be respectful, Dont speak to white folk, hes cautioned  that turn his adventure away from home to terror. The adult Johnson may not look like a 14-year-old, of course, but he effectively inhabits the naivete and unshakable will of this one, who out loud cant believe that God will let him die.

The last half-hour of this 95-minute production is the most gut-wrenching for an audience. The abduction of Emmett, and even more so the dramatized trial in which the boys mother recounts trying to identify her son after his mutilated body was found in the river, are frank and graphic. (Emmetts mother insisted on an open casket to ensure that the horror of her sons murder of hate be understood.) But as Emmetts presence stands tall over those left behind at plays end, notes of hope resonate: for justice, for immortality, and, in Bayezas words, for a new world.

The Ballad of Emmett Till

When: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays. Through July 22.

Where: Ion Theatres BLKBOX space, 3704 Sixth Ave., Hillcrest.

Tickets: $12-$35 (discounts available)

Phone: (619) 600-5020

Online: iontheatre.com

Coddon is a freelance writer.
A U.S. congressman who was wounded in Afghanistan is promoting the idea of a pledge to combat suicide among the nations veterans.

Troops leaving the service could take a voluntary oath to to preserve the values I have learned, to maintain my body and my mind, and to not bring harm to myself without speaking to my fellow veterans first.

Rep. Brian Mast of Florida is pitching this as an Oath of Exit and wants to add the language to the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, which is being considered in the House of Representatives this month.

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The pledge would also commit troops who are being discharged to continue to be the keeper of my brothers- and sisters-in-arms in addition to the United States and the Constitution.

As veterans, we have a unique shared experience, and as a result, we know how to look out for each other and what warning signs to look for, Mast told Military Times. Its important that we take care of each other.

Welcome to The Intel, a blog examining the hot military news of the day

Mast is in his first term representing Floridas Atlantic coast north of West Palm Beach.

The 37-year-old Army veteran lost both of his legs in 2010 while clearing a road of explosives. He served in the Army for 12 years with the final years as an explosive ordnance disposal technician.

After his injury, Mast says his father inspired him in the hospital by telling him to ensure that the greatest service he gives to the country is still ahead of him.

Upon discharge, Mast worked at the Department of Homeland Security as an explosives expert before announcing his bid as a Republican for Congress in 2015.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 20 military veterans die by suicide each day.

The majority are not getting care from the VA, which is in the middle of retooling its approach to combating what some have described as a public health problem that has reached the epidemic stage.

jen.steele@sduniontribune.com

Facebook: U-T Military

Twitter: @jensteeley

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 What could have saved these veterans? At least 27 vets under age 45 died by suicide in San Diego County over 18 months. The San Diego Union-Tribune tracked down the families, friends and medical examiner records of these young veterans.

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San Diego County firefighters left Sunday morning to help battle the Alamo fire which has charred nearly 24,000 acres since sparking in San Luis Obispo County on Thursday.

The blaze is only one of 15 that are burning across the state, according to Cal Fire. Here are the rest:

Firefighter Kern Kunst battles the Wall fire near Oroville, Calif. (Noah Berger / AP)

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Wall fire

Where: Butte County, southeast of Oroville

Acres burned: 5,800

Containment: 45 percent

The Wall fire, which ignited Friday, has destroyed 17 structures, damaged five and threatened thousands more. As of Sunday afternoon, about 4,000 people had been told to evacuate and about 7,400 others were placed under an evacuation warning.

On Sunday, Gov. Jerry Brown issued a state of emergency for Butte County.

Alamo fire

Where: San Luis Obispo County, near Highway 166

Acres burned: 28,926

Containment: 45 percent

The fast-moving Alamo fire started Thursday and quickly charred 19,000 acres by Saturday. One structure was destroyed and more than 130 others were threatened, prompting close to 200 homes to evacuate.

Two strike teams made up of firefighters from San Diego County left Sunday to help battle the blaze.

Winters fire

Where: Yolo County, southwest of Winters

Acres burned: 2,269

Containment: 90 percent

The Winters fire sparked Thursday afternoon about three miles southwest of the town of Winters. By Friday morning, it had charred 1,800 acres, but firefighters had made steady progress toward containment.

A number of mandatory evacuation orders were lifted later that afternoon. On Sunday, firefighters had a good handle on the blaze and continued to mop up hot spots.

#StoneFire [update] off Huer Huero Road, east of Santa Margarita (San Luis Obispo County) is now 340 acres & 10% contained. pic.twitter.com/Q1SubXWvxG  CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) July 10, 2017

Stone fire

Where: San Luis Obispo County, east of Santa Margarita

Acres burned: 340 acres

Containment: 95 percent

The Stone fire sparked Sunday afternoon and had charred hundreds of acres by the evening. A number of roads in the area were closed and an evacuation center was set up at a nearby elementary school.

Whittier fire

Where: Santa Barbara County, west of Goleta

Acres burned: 10,823 acres

Containment: 25 percent

The Whittier Fire started Saturday and has since charred 20 structures, and threatened about 150 more. A number of evacuations are in effect.

During a Sunday press conference, Santa Barbara Fire Chief Eric Peterson said a number of agencies worked fast to rescue dozens of children at a camp that found itself threatened by the flames.

We had fire personnel, we had Sheriffs personnel, and Los Padres National Forest personnel all back there keeping those kids safe. And they rode it out with them for hours. Literally hours until it was safe to get them out of there, Peterson told local television reporters.

Other fires that are burning include:

Silver fire: The San Bernardino County blaze burned 55 acres in the Silverwood Lake area. It is 80 percent contained.

Parkfield fire: The blaze in Monterey County has charred 1,816 west of Parkfield. Its 80 percent contained and firefighters have stopped the fires spread. (This fire is now 100 percent contained.)

Garza fire: The fire in Fresno County has blackened 14,028 acres near Avenal. It is 17 percent contained.

Felipe fire: The blaze in Santa Clara County has charred 70 acres and is 80 percent contained.

Schaeffer fire: Lightning sparked this fire in the Sequoia National Forest. It has burned 15,315 acres and is 11 percent contained.

Axel fire: Flames from this El Dorado County fire have blackened 74 acres near Rescue. About 60 percent of the fire is surrounded. (This fire is now 100 percent contained.)

Antelope fire: This blaze is burning in Lassen National Forest near Eagle Lake. It has burned about 300 acres.

Island fire: Lightning also caused this fire, which is burning west of Etna in the Marble Mountain Wilderness. More than 881 acres have been charred.

Firefighters are still at the scene of a handful of other fires that are 90 or 95 percent contained, like the Fay fire in Siskiyou County.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

July 10, 10:20 a.m.: This story was updated with new acreage and containment numbers.

July 11, 12:35 p.m.: This story was updated with new acreage and containment numbers.
Firefighters from five local agencies were sent Sunday to help battle the Alamo fire, which has charred nearly 24,000 acres in San Luis Obispo County, a fire official said.

Departments in San Diego, Poway, Chula Vista and Coronado all sent engines as part of two strike teams. A federal agency also lent resources.

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department deployed six engines, said spokeswoman Monica Munoz. Three of the engines are primarily used to defend structures while the other three are used to help surround brush fires.

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Each engine is manned by a crew with leadership, paramedic and communication capabilities.

Our engine crews assigned to these Strike Teams are responding as part of the statewide mutual aid system and they possess the experience and training to support the current fire suppression effort in San Luis Obispo, said San Diego Fire Chief Brian Fennessy.

The Alamo Fire sparked on Thursday off Highway 166. The flames threatened more than 130 structures, but none had burned as of Sunday afternoon. A number of residents were evacuated.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
Business leaders looking to shelter San Diegos growing homeless population in high-strength tents wont have one obvious option at their disposal  using the structures previously used by the citys temporary shelters.

Thats because San Diego housing officials in 2015 decided they had no further use for a pair of similar tents loaned from the San Diego Unified Port District. Port commissioners last year opted to recycle the temporary structures.

The tents once provided 350 beds and sheltered an average of 1,000 people each year. They were folded for the last time in April 2015, after nearly 30 years of off-and-on use. They were replaced by a 50,000-square-foot permanent shelter that offered the same number of beds in the East Village.

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Brand new tent equipment  including more than $340,000 in bed frames, mattresses, air conditioners and folding chairs  was purchased and used for less than a year before being divvied up among 10 area nonprofits.

Had the old tents been kept on hand, officials estimate, it would cost about $100,000 to bring one online. Putting up a new 250-bed structure could cost six times that.

Dan Shea, the chain restaurant operator who helped unveil the new tent proposal at a University of San Diego homelessness symposium, was surprised to learn of the tents demise. Shea said he was told the structures had been donated to a sister city. He had hoped to save taxpayers some money by tracking down and reusing them.

After weeks spent on that hunt, Shea gave up and committed to a plan centered on new structures.

I spent enough time on it to know that nobody seems to know where they are, he said. And also enough time to know it was time to stop wasting my time.

Spokeswoman Marcia Smith confirmed that the city did not look to get the tents back after they were returned to the port. A city-authored inventory sent to Shea in February documented more than 2,200 items  ranging from blankets and bike racks to phones and pillow cases  donated or stored by the city after the shelter tents folded. The inventory, prepared for a 2015 property records report, shows San Diego stored nearly 30 percent of the donated items. Smith said the city is no longer in possession of those items.

The city-backed San Diego Housing Commission, which was contracted to manage the former tent shelters, made improvements to the shelters just months before deciding the tents would not be reused. The cost? $340,000. Melissa Peterman, vice president of the agencys homeless housing division, said the tents had exceeded their useful life of 10-15 years.

Bob McElroy, president and CEO of former tent shelter operator Alpha Project, estimated the city spent as much as $500,000 on new equipment in the weeks before the tents closed.

The structures, he said, were marred by forklift tire treadmarks, poorly ventilated and dotted with holes. But more than a decade spent under the worn-out canopies left him with little doubt the shelter they provided still beat the streets.

I never heard one person complain, in 18 years with thousands of people coming through, McElroy said. We had waiting lists every day.

A U-T Data Watch review of federal bed inventories and homeless headcounts last week found the city and county of San Diego are home to 3,495 sheltered homeless people and 4,084 temporary shelter beds. Thats 85 percent more beds than a decade ago, but 12 percent fewer sheltered people.

San Diego  homeless population 9,116  is one of 19 municipalities in the country that sheltered fewer people while its bed count and homeless population grew, according to numbers disclosed in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments annual homelessness reports to Congress.
Iraqs Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi has announced a major victory after months of fighting against the Islamic State  the liberation of the city of Mosul.

Mondays scenes of celebration dont provide the full picture, though. The city is in shambles after being under Islamic State control for more than three years and its liberation after months of fighting came at a massive cost as the images below show.

"I announce from here the end and the failure and the collapse of the terrorist state of falsehood and terrorism which the terrorist Daesh announced from Mosul," Abadi said. (Daesh is a transliteration of an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State.)

A statement released by U.S. Central Command confirmed Al-Abadis statement on behalf of the U.S.-led coalition backing the Iraqi forces.

The global Coalition fighting ISIS congratulates Prime Minister al-Abadi and the Iraqi Security Forces on their historic victory against a brutal and evil enemy, said Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, the commanding general of U.S. and allied military operations against the Islamic State. Make no mistake; this victory alone does not eliminate ISIS and there is still a tough fight ahead. But the loss of one of its twin capitals and a jewel of their so-called caliphate is a decisive blow.

Last October, Iraqi forces  backed by the U.S.-led coalition  started the operation to retake Mosul. Iraqis celebrating the victory were captured in these clips by Al Jazeera on Monday.

Photojournalists in the city on Monday captured the tragic scene, especially in the Old City section of Mosul where the final fights took place.

Destroyed buildings from clashes are seen in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 10, 2017. (REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani)

A picture taken on July 9, 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosuls Old City. (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)

An Iraqi federal policeman stands in a damaged building in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq, Sunday, July 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Military vehicles of Iraqi security forces are seen in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 9, 2017. (REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani)

During its occupation of Mosul, ISIS destroyed many of the citys religious and cultural treasures, including the al-Nuri Mosque and the Tomb of the Prophet Jonah, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated in a press release on Monday. It terrorized and brutally murdered thousands of civilians, including scores of women and children. ISIS used mosques, schools and hospitals as bomb-building facilities and fighting positions; but in the end, ISIS was still defeated.

A veteran correspondent for The New York Times who covers the Islamic State, Rukmini Callimachi, ashared videos of the devastation she captured in Mosul.

How will Mosul rebuild? That was one of the first questions on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan s mind when he celebrated the news on Monday.

We have been left with a Mosul in ruins, he told the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul. Who will meet the cost of rebuilding Mosul for the people of Mosul?

Fawaz Gerges, a Middle East expert at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told CNN the effort to rebuild must begin immediately and estimated it would cost $1 billion.

The first challenge facing the Iraqi government and international organizations is to provide basic necessities of life for more than 400,000 Iraqis who have been displaced from the western part of Mosul, which mostly lies in ruins, he said.

The United Nations Refugee Agency said in a release on Monday that hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced; many have lost relatives, their homes, and have been injured.

While there may be an end to military conflict in Mosul, there is still no end in sight to the humanitarian crisis, it said.

The agency points out that essential elements of city life like water, electricity, schools and hospitals are in bad shape and that it will take quite some time to clear the city of mines and other explosives before Iraqis can safely return.

Security is another issue.

The Coalition will stand side-by-side with the Iraqi government and its people until ISIS is defeated and all Iraqis are liberated and security is restored, says the statement from CENTCOM.

For more information, The Associated Press created a full guide to explaining the status of the city and Islamic State after Mosul. Check out the AP News Guide: The Islamic State after Mosul.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
The obscure Magnitsky Act is in the media spotlight after a pair of weekend stories in The New York Times reported Donald Trump Jr. had a meeting with a Russian contact during his fathers presidential campaign last summer and the subject came up.

Trump Jr. said that previously undisclosed meeting last year focused on the 2012 law and not so much, as The Times reported, on whether the Russian contact had damaging information about Hillary Clinton , the then-expected Democratic candidate. There are many questions arising from that meeting. Here are a few.

Heres a primer on the Magnitsky Act and the federal laws namesake, a man who exposed corruption in Russia that led to sanctions against a number of individuals suspected in his subsequent death.

What is the Magnitsky Act and what does it do?

The official title of the law is called Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012.

It calls for sanctions against 18 individuals who were suspected of having a role in the 2009 death of Sergei Magnitsky, the lawyer and auditor who uncovered large-scale tax fraud and theft in Russia.

Who is Sergei Magnitsky?

Magnitsky was a Russian lawyer and auditor hired by a London-based firm to investigate charges of tax evasion against the firms founder, Bill Browder. MSNBCs Richard Engel explains the background of that investigation in this video.

In the course of his investigation, Magnitsky discovered a web of tax fraud crimes that implicated the police, the Russian government, bankers and mafia there. The exposure led to an international outcry and further investigations into offshore tax havens.

In retaliation, the Russian government accused Magnitsky of tax evasion and imprisoned him for one year. While in prison, Magnitsky became mysteriously ill and died in November 2009 eight days before a deadline that would have ended his year-long detention.

When was it passed and signed into law?

Almost three years to the day after Magnitskys death, Congress approved the measure and former President Barack Obama signed it into law on December 2012.

Why do Russians hate it so much?

Under the laws sanctions, 18 Russians were barred from entering the U.S. and their assets were frozen in American banks. At the time, Vladimir Putin called the law a purely politically and unfriendly act, The Moscow Times reported, and the action triggered a strong reaction from Russia. Days later, lawmakers there passed a law that barred Americans from adopting Russian-born babies.

Why was the Magnitsky Act brought up during Trump Jr.s meeting?

The Russian contact who met with Trump Jr. in that meeting was Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer who, as reported by The Times, has participated in a campaign to attack the Magnitsky Act and discredit Magnitsky himself.

Veselnitskaya reportedly called for the meeting with Trump Jr. promising compromising information about Mrs. Clinton, as The Times reported, but it remains unclear whether such information was provided. Trump Jr. denies participating in the meeting with that intent, and said Veselnitskaya turned the discussion toward the Magnitsky Act.

It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting, Trump Jr. told The Times.

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.
When a coin-shop owner and an employee found themselves looking down the barrel of a robbers gun yesterday, they fought back with weapons of their own.

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The midmorning shootout in the tiny shop on El Cajon Boulevard left the armed robber dead and his uninjured accomplice on the run, police said.

Authorities said Michael Anthony Watkins Jr., 26, of San Diego collapsed on the sidewalk from gunshot wounds to his leg and lower back and died shortly afterward at a hospital.

San Diego police homicide Lt. Terry McManus said that two men went into the Old Coin Shop, near Arizona Street, about 9:15 a.m. and that Watkins confronted the two employees with a gun.

Someone from the business called 911, and officers began heading their way.

Meanwhile, the owner and employee grabbed their weapons, resulting in an exchange of gunfire. Police said it was unclear whether all three fired their guns and how many shots were fired.

Investigators did not release the names of the owner and employee, who were questioned and released. State law allows people to use deadly force to protect themselves.

Officers found Watkins on the pavement near the front door of the shop. McManus said Watkins accomplice had moved him outside before fleeing with the gun.

Witnesses said the second robber was seen heading south on Arizona Street, McManus said.

Officers searching the area found clothing and a handgun in an alley behind a building on Hamilton Street near Howard Avenue, McManus said.

Police were looking at an older-model car in the parking lot of the Dennys restaurant next door that the robbers may have used. Investigators also were checking for any surveillance video from the store or nearby businesses.

Eric Diaz, 37, said he was washing his hands in the restroom at Dennys when he heard two pops and a big crash, which sounded like glass breaking.

Seconds later, police officers rushed into the restaurants restroom looking for the other robber. Diaz said he saw one of the robbers lying motionless on the sidewalk outside.

Debbi Baker: (619) 293-1710; debbi.baker@uniontrib.com
NEW YORK (AP)  Presumptive GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump on Thursday summoned allies and Republican Party heavyweights to kick off a general election fund-raising operation and push back against the notion that his late-starting cash collecting would be outgunned by Hillary Clintons.

Well raise what we need to raise, Paul Manafort, the campaigns chief strategist, told reporters after a lunch meeting. He suggested that the money needed to win the race is not as much as people think.

We have enough to win, Manafort said.

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Trump loved to boast during the primaries that he was self-funding his campaign  though he also did accept donations  and he poured in more than $40 million of his own money into the bare-bones campaign. The move to an expensive, national general election campaign, however, requires a far bigger operation, so the Trump campaign signed a joint-fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee last month.

But the Trump campaign has been slow to raise money, only scheduling a few fundraisers. He had previously said he wanted to raise $1 billion for the battle against Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, but this week said he would be aiming to raise far less.

I think Donald is learning how to be a candidate, said John Catsimatidis, a billionaire oil refinery owner who has donated to both parties and ran for mayor as a Republican in 2013. Hes a very bright guy. Hes very fast on his feet. And he really loves America.

The Manhattan meeting at Trump Tower kicked off the Trump Victory Fund, the joint cash-raising operation with the RNC that plans to gather money both for his candidacy and for House and Senate GOP candidates. Traditionally, a candidates fundraising operation is launched months before a candidacy is declared.

Some traditional Republican donors have been slow to open their wallets to Trump and there has been concern that the candidates recent criticisms of a federal judge would be an obstacle to giving. Trump had suggested that an Indiana-born judge of Mexican decent overseeing the fraud case into Trump University would not be impartial because the celebrity businessman wants to build a wall along the U.S. southern border.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Trump backer who attended Thursdays 60-person meeting, said of Trumps remarks about the judge: People make mistakes and then they take it back, according to Catsimatidis.

Catsimatidis said Trump boasted of his ability to get free media coverage, negating the need to run a costly advertising campaign. Trump, who has several fundraisers scheduled for the coming weeks, also said he planned to compete in Democrat-friendly states like New Jersey, California, Maryland and Pennsylvania this fall.

Attendees said specific fundraising goals or which pro-Trump Super PAC to support, were not discussed.

Neither Trump nor RNC chairman Reince Priebus, who also attended the meetings, spoke to reporters.

____

Contact Lemire on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@JonLemire
The mass social protest movement that took Israel by storm this summer should be a comeback opportunity for Israels Labor Party, but even that has not energized the dramatically diminished movement that ruled the Jewish state almost unchallenged in its early decades.

The party, which champions such social causes, is picking a new leader Monday at the end of a summer that saw protesters pitching tent camps across the country and flooding city streets in huge weekly demonstrations over soaring living costs and other social ills. The agenda was a dramatic change from past decades, when the only issue that could turn out hundreds of thousands was war and peace with the Arabs.

Polls suggest that the new focus will boost one of the four candidates, former journalist Shelly Yachimovich, in the party leadership contest. But the partys fortunes on the national stage still look bleak, and whoever wins Mondays internal vote will likely struggle just to keep the party together.

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Yachimovich jumped from a prominent radio and TV career into politics five years ago to try to right many of the long-standing and long-ignored wrongs of Israeli society pushed to the forefront by the spontaneous protest movement - exorbitant housing costs, rising food and gas prices, and huge income gaps between rich and poor.

Because the internal leadership contest is just for Labor voters, the party is not yet focused on winning supporters on the national stage, where elections are not scheduled to be held until November 2013. But with the protest fresh in the publics mind, Labor still has not taken off in the polls, even with Yachimovich in the party leadership race.

If national elections were to be held today, Labor would capture about 10 of parliaments 120 seats, polls show. After a painful split this year, the party has only eight seats now - and the internal power struggles that have contributed heavily to its long decline continue: Three of the four candidates in Mondays contest are Labor lawmakers.

This is a race about a party that is marching toward irrelevancy, said Reuven Hazan, a professor of political science at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The goal of whoever wins is to keep the party alive, not to lead it toward leadership or even a significant impact on the political agenda.

The Labor Party led Israel to independence on a socialist platform in 1948, dominating the country for three decades and, more recently in the 1990s, forging peace agreements with the Palestinians and Jordan.

Some 66,000 registered party members were eligible to vote Monday. None of the candidates has the gravitas of such iconic figures as David Ben-Gurion, the nations founding father, or Yitzhak Rabin, the decorated general who led Israel to two peace agreements before being gunned down by a Jewish ultranationalist assassin in 1995.

The two leading candidates, however, are known for their social activism and focus on economic issues. And that could help them tap into the discontent that fueled the mass demonstrations across Israel this summer - if they can overcome the vicious infighting that has accompanied the primary race.

The leading candidate, Yachimovich, is a freshman lawmaker admired by some for her efforts on behalf of ordinary Israelis and opposition to tycoons who dominate the Israeli economy. But she alienated others in her previous life as an acid-tongued journalist and recently, by not condemning Jewish settlement construction areas the Palestinians claim for a future state.

Yachimovich said she would rejuvenate her party if elected by implementing the policies the party historically has stood for, like pursuing peace with the Palestinians and introducing social and economic reforms.

The way to leadership is by returning to the social democratic roots and ethics of the party, she told Israels Channel 2 TV.

Her main rivals are conventional politicians: Amir Peretz, an ex-union chief who served a short stint as defense minister before being shunted aside after Israels bungled 2006 war in Lebanon; Amram Mitzna, a dovish general who left politics after he led Labor to a poor showing in 2003 national elections; and Isaac Herzog, a former Cabinet minister.

This already has been an especially rough year for Labor.

In January, party leader Ehud Barak bolted with four other Labor lawmakers to pre-empt a vote within the party to quit the governing coalition. Barak and the other defectors formed a new parliamentary faction and he remained defense minister.

The remnants of Labor now sit in the parliamentary opposition, fighting the governments capitalist policies and the standstill in talks with the Palestinians.

With national elections more than two years away, it would be hard to predict whether Labor would be able to leverage the summer protests to improve its electoral fortunes.

Since the protests erupted in mid-July, tens of thousands of new voters have registered for Labor.

But the partys claim to champion social justice hasnt resonated with voters for years. Labor draws its strength from Israels more affluent voters, and the countrys disadvantaged long ago gravitated to other parties.

A candidate needs 40 percent of the vote to win; otherwise the top two 2 candidates compete in a Sept. 20 runoff.
Wave energy whipped up by former Hurricane Eugene has begun to roll ashore in San Diego County, where the surf is expected to be in the 3 to 6 range on Tuesday afternoon and evening, with sets to 7, according to the National Weather Service.

The large surf will mostly be confined to south-facing beaches in North County, with Oceanside getting the biggest waves, the weather service says. Surfline.Com projects that the surf will be 1 to 2 smaller.

The elevated surf will last through Wednesday, when spots north of Encinitas get 4 to 7 waves, with occasional 8 breakers, forecasters said.

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The surf was generated by Eugene, which was a hurricane when he was churning south of the tip of Baja California. The system weakened as it moved to the north-northwest, and has been downgraded to a tropical storm.

The surf will produce dangerous rip currents along the entire coastline, leading the weather service to issue a beach hazard advisory. The advisory went into effect at 6 a.m. Tuesday and will last until 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Twitter: @grobbins

gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com
Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/10/2017 -- Market Research Future adds new report of "Investment Analysis of Construction Industry in Indonesia 2016-2021" it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of Content



Key Findings



-As per MFRF analysis, it has been estimated that the majority of the market is dominated by non-residential properties approximately around 56.67% in 2015 as compared to residential construction activities.



-The total spending in construction industry in Indonesia is accounted to Billion in 2015.



-The annual production growth rate is accounted for during the forecasted period.



-The market share of Indonesia Construction Business is estimated around.



Request a Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1011



Market Synopsis of Investment Analysis of Construction Industry in Indonesia



Indonesia is known as the second most beneficial and gainful advancement feature in Asia, where endless endeavors are encountering in both private and moreover non-private divisions. For example, one of the head meanders which were started by the property build named Lippo Karawaci is the Millennium Village and The Global Smart City which is orchestrated on a 70 hectare in Lippon town. The headway incurred significant injury for these endeavors would be generally $15 billion. In Indonesia, the improvement business has been growing 8% to 9% consistently, due to titanic enthusiasm for private properties and advancement of the property territory in genuine urban groups around the country. General society works wander is a key point in the organization's course of action to give water resources, boulevards and human settlement establishment for the whole deal progression.



The wander board in Indonesia is favoring to draw assets into the nation as it dispatches a huge structure program proposed to breathe life into modernization and impelled headway. Considering the obvious examples, the GDP of the advancement business has created at a higher rate than general country's GDP. From 2003 to 2013, the GDP has created from 125.3 trillion RP to 907.3 trillion RP, where the business speaks to around 10% of GDP.



Browse Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/construction-industry-investment-analysis



Study Objectives of Investment Analysis of Construction Industry in Indonesia



-To give nitty gritty investigation of the development business alongside estimate for the following 5 years of the of the Indonesia Construction Market



-To give bits of knowledge about elements influencing the market development



-To give nation level examination of the market as for the present market size and future imminent



-To give nation level investigation of the market for development industry



Request Table of Contents for this Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1011



The market report for Investment Analysis of Construction Industry in Indonesia of Market Research Future involves broad essential research alongside the nitty gritty examination of subjective and additionally quantitative perspectives by different industry specialists, key supposition pioneers to pick up the more profound understanding of the market and industry execution. The report gives the unmistakable picture of current market situation which incorporates recorded and anticipated market measure as far as esteem and volume.



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.
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/10/2017 -- Talc is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate and is an important industrial and commercial mineral. It has broad applications as an industrial mineral due to its resistance to heat, electricity and acids and oil and grease adsorption. Talc has extensive commercial use because of its luster, softness, purity, fragrance retention, softness and whiteness. It is the softest known mineral and has a rating of 1 on the Mohs hardness scale. It can be scratched by a fingernail and is also sectile that means it can be cut by a knife. It has a specific gravity of 2.5 -2.8 and has clear luster. Talc is slightly soluble in dilute mineral acids and insoluble in water. It is a metamorphic mineral and occurs due to metamorphism of magnesium minerals such as olivine, amphibole, serpentine and pyroxene in presence of water and carbon dioxide. Talc is a tri-octahedral layered mineral and has a similar structure to that of pyrophyllite.



To access full report @http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/talc-market.asp



Talc can be used as an ingredient in paints, roofing materials, ceramics, insecticides, rubber, talcum powder and insecticides among others. It is also used by the cosmetics industry, pulp and paper industry and food industry. Talc is often used to manufacture laboratory countertops and electrical switchboards due to its resistance to heat, acids and electricity. It is used by the cosmetic industry as a lubricant and as a filler by the pulp and paper industry. Talc is extensively used to make astringent baby powders that prevent rashes covered by a diaper. Talc is used by the pharmaceutical industry as a glidant (a substance that is added to powder to improve its flow ability) and by the food industry as an additive. In the European Union the additive number is E553b. In medicine, talc is used as a pluerodesis agent to prevent pneumothorax or recurrent pleural effusion. Talc is also an effective dispersing agent and anti caking agent and helps fertilizer plants and animal feeds to function efficiently and can be used for fertilizers.



A sample of this report is available upon request @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4609



The paper and pulp industry remains the largest global end market for talc and is the key driving factor for the talc Industry. The automotive industry, ceramics industry and the paint and coatings industry are the other major consumers of talc. The use of talc as a filler in the paper industry is declining today but the use of talc for the manufacture of under the hood automotive parts is substantially increasing that has further lead to surge in demand for talc by the automotive industry.



Asia Pacific is the largest market for talc with China, India, Japan, Bhutan, and South Korea being the key markets in this region. The Indian talc industry is the world's third largest and continues to grow due to increase in domestic consumption. North America and Europe are other regions with a substantial market share of talc. Austria, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and United Kingdom are the major consumers of talc in Europe.



To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4609



Some of the major companies dominating the talc market are Imerys talc, Mondo Minerals, Golcha Group, American Talc, IMI FABI, Nippon Talc, Minerals Technologies Inc, the Jai Group, Aihai Talc, Behai Talc, Shuiquan Talc, Xin Talc, Haumei Talc, Guiguang Talc and Xin Talc among others. Imerys talc is the world's leading producer of talc followed by Mondo Minerals.



Key geographies evaluated in this report are:



North America

U.S

Canada

Europe

France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK

Eastern Europe

CIS

APAC

China

India

Japan

Australia

Others

Latin America

Argentina

Brazil

Others

Key features of this report



Drivers, restraints, and challenges shaping the Talc market dynamics

Latest innovations and key events in the industry

Analysis of business strategies of the top players

Talc market estimates and forecasts(2015 -2021)



About Persistence Market Research

Persistence 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.



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Hotels, they are a'changin', as hoteliers develop properties that cater to the younger, tech-savvy generations.

New and older brands are making moves to do away with the beige, interact via apps, double as co-working and social spaces, and score shareable selfie love along the way. But don't call them "millennial hotels." While many of the perks and amenities are inspired by research on the group, the properties included below - Hyatt Centric, Radisson RED, Hotel EMC2 and Residence Inn by Marriott - aim to appeal to guests of all ages.

Scott Greenberg, president and chief executive of Smashotels, a hospitality management company near Chicago - and also the owner and founder of Hotel EMC2, a smart, new Chicago hotel with an art-and-science theme in Marriott's Autograph Collection - says he knows that if he develops a hotel that his three millennial-aged children will love, older generations will follow.

"If we attract young people, old people will show up. But if you build a hotel for old people, young people never show up," Greenberg says.

Rose Anderson, vice president of global branding and innovation with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, which owns Radisson Red, says she is less interested in resonating with a particular generation and more with a mentality.

"It's not so much about the age; it's more about the behaviors that have been kind of pegged to the millennials: very social, online, connected. We are very much targeting a millennial mind-set versus a generational audience," Anderson says.

Even long-standing brands such as Residence Inn are putting research into uncovering what millennials want.

"You don't want to be alienating some of your customers in order to appeal to some of your other customers," says Diane Mayer, vice president and global brand manager of Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Protea and Marriott Executive Apartments. "So, if you can find things that maybe are millennia- driven but that have universal appeal, that's the holy grail."

While amenities such as free WiFi and stellar bar programs are practically a given now in hotels looking to woo younger audiences, here are some other trends to look for on your next getaway (millennial-driven or not).

- Aspiring to be Instagram-worthy: There was a time when beige ruled the roost and hotel room design was rather #milquetoast. Many hotel developers now know that a piece of cool art doesn't just have the potential to appeal to a guest, it has the potential to appeal to everyone who follows that guest on social media.

"From a design and art standpoint, we've got a lot of very bold art that creates backdrops for people to take selfies and share online," says Anderson, of Radisson RED, which has locations in Minneapolis and Brussels, as well as Cape Town, South Africa, and Campinas, Brazil.

The colorful and creative design of Hotel EMC2 banishes bland and is irresistibly shareable. The hotel commits deeply to its art-and-science theme, and is punctuated with antique books, vintage microscopes and nods to great scientific and artistic minds, such as Albert Einstein (the restaurant is named the Albert) and Leonardo da Vinci ("one of the patron saints of the hotel," Greenberg says). In the rooms, dramatic and photogenic showers - which are inspired by laboratories of the 1920s - are a centerpiece, and are translucent on three sides (with an optional curtain), while mirrors have an infinity effect and beg for selfies.

- Connecting guests with local favorites: At Hyatt Centric - which is targeting the millennial-minded traveler and has 15 locations, with plans to nearly double that number globally by 2019 - staffers are encouraged to share their favorite local spots with guests.

"It's no longer just the job of the concierge to give you recommendations," says Sandra Cordova Micek, Hyatt's senior vice president of global brands. "Our colleagues are constantly being asked what their hidden gems are and what they would recommend."

In addition, the hotel places original local guides in rooms (and publishes them on the hotel's website). It also highlights local art and food; some properties offer area tours. At Chicago's Magnificent Mile location, for example, guests are invited on neighborhood and brewery tours, and a hotel manager leads guests on morning runs.

Residence Inn partnered with Under Armour Connected Fitness to offer its extended-stay guests at more than 700 properties at least one running map, via the app MapMyFitness. "A lot of people like to run or walk because it helps them be in the place they are, even if they don't get to be a tourist," Mayer says.

On the social side, Residence Inn properties host events three nights a week, dubbed the Residence Inn Mix, which include visits from local food trucks; gatherings with appetizers, desserts and premium beer (Goose Island, Stella Artois, Leffe, Shock Top and some local offerings, depending on location); barbecues; and tasting and educational events that bring in chefs from local restaurants. Mayer says that those offerings were inspired by research Residence Inn conducted that found that millennials traveling for business were looking for fun, social events that connected them to the city where they were staying.

- Revamping room service - and menus: Some hotels are moving away from the stodgy, old room service trays with silver domes. Hyatt Centric tailors its room service to on-the-go guests looking to explore the city, Cordova Micek says.

"We're sort of turning room service on its ear and thinking about it as restaurant-to-go delivery. So, it's not room service on the big silver tray rolling out. It's actually having your food delivered in environmentally friendly packaging that comes in a paper bag that you can take with you if you're going to run around and see the city," she says.

At Radisson RED, guests can order grab-and-go food (such as a Belgian waffle with mac and cheese, and fried chicken) from on-site restaurant OUIBar + KTCHN using the RED app, then take it back to their room or out on the town.

At Hotel EMC2, multiple vegan options are available on the menu. Greenberg says those meat-free options were inspired by his millennial daughter.

"I think back to my daughter, who was raised on salami and eggs, hamburgers and T-bone steaks, and she comes home on vacation and marches off to the grocery store to get her vegan ingredients," he says.

- Changing the form and function of lobbies: In these days of laptops and mobile offices, people like to work alone - together. Hotel lobbies are accommodating that, offering lots of work spaces - as well as plugs and free WiFi - with easy access to snacks, caffeine and cocktails. At the Hyatt Centric on Magnificent Mile, for example, the lobby is the kind of place where you could spend days on end. It's filled with playful local art, and includes a library and dozens of comfortable chairs and tables, all of which spill into the bar, which spills into the restaurant, with no walls or barriers separating the spaces.

Gone is the traditional lobby at Radisson RED: The brand banished the front desk.

"It's creating this immediate barrier between you and the guests, and I think the younger audiences are a lot more informal by nature," Anderson says. At the Minneapolis location, guests can check in using the app on their phone, then use the phone as the key to get into the room. Should someone need help with checking in, Anderson says, staffers are walking around with iPads in hand.

- Adopting a high-tech - or all-tech - approach: That Radisson RED app doesn't just give you access to your room - it's your key to communication at the hotel. It's possible to spend a night, or week, there and not physically talk to anyone but still manage to order food at the on-site restaurant, call a cab, check in, check out, request more towels and even chat with other guests. "You want things when you want it and how you want it. The app allows them to control this and do everything," Anderson says.

Across many brands, in-room technology is making stays more personalized and convenient. At Residence Inn, Radisson RED, Hyatt Centric and Hotel EMC2, guests can stream Netflix (and in some cases other accounts) onto the television. Hotel EMC2 guests can also control the lighting and thermostat using the TV remote control, and each room has an Amazon Echo unit that streams music, reads the weather report, looks up info on the web or does other tasks via voice command.

At Hotel EMC2, two robots, Leo and Cleo, bleep and bloop up the elevator and down the hallway to deliver bottles of water, toothbrushes and extra linens to rooms, upon request.

- Prioritizing social consciousness: At Radisson RED, you won't find any paper - except toilet paper - in the rooms.

"We have paperless rooms and we're very proud of that," says Anderson, adding that millennials are very eco-conscious as a generation, and the hotel embraces that.

When Greenberg came up with the Hotel EMC2 theme, he wanted to inspire dialogue about art and science. (There's even a resident scientist at the hotel.) He also wanted to make a difference. The hotel provides financial support from direct bookings to Project Syncere (an acronym for supporting youth's needs with core engineering research experiments), which helps pave a path for students in underserved communities to pursue science, technology, engineering and math careers.

"Millennials want to feel like there's something of value, that somebody cares about something and that their money is going to serve the greater good," Greenberg says.

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Silver is a writer based in Chicago. Find her on Twitter: @K8Silver.
FLORENCE, S.C.  The Francis Marion University community is mourning the death of Dr. Morgan B. Coker, the first chairman of the universitys Business Department and the first dean of the FMU School of Business.

Coker died Thursday after a lengthy illness. He was 93.

Coker, a native of Turbeville, earned his Masters in Business Administration and his PhD. in Business and Economics from the University of South Carolina in 1971. He joined the faculty of the newly established Francis Marion College immediately upon completion of his doctorate.

Coker became the first chairman of the new Department of Business Administration (later Business and Economics) and served in that position until 1987, when he was appointed as the first dean of the newly established School of Business.

He excelled as an administrator but was revered as a teacher. His students went on to great success across the region and the state.

Coker retired in 1990.

FMU President Fred Carter calls Coker one of the real icons of FMUs history.

Dr. Coker played an integral role in building the reputation and capacity of the universitys School of Business and deserves credit for much that was achieved there, Carter said. But Dr. Cokers impact at FMU went far beyond his work in a single department or school. He worked assiduously, both during his tenure here and beyond, to make a FMU great university. He was an extraordinary teacher, scholar and administrator."

Coker was named Dean Emeritus in 2000. The Morgan B. Coker Award for distinguished alumni from the FMU School of Business was established in 2009, and he was awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities at FMUs May, 2014 commencement ceremony.

In addition, two university scholarships are in his honor. The Mr. and Mrs. W. Luther Coker Memorial Scholarship is for an FMU student who has maintained a 3.25 grade point average and is majoring in business or education. The Coker-Harrington Recruitment Scholarship was for the purpose of providing assistance for the recruitment and retention of out-of-state students with demonstrated academic achievement.

Coker was also active in the Florence community and beyond. He served on the board of directors of the Florence Educators Federal Credit Union, on the board of directors of the Pee Dee Farm Credit Union and as a trustee of Lander University. He also was a member of the Civil Air Patrol and commanded the Florence squadron for several years, and was an elder at Effingham Presbyterian Church.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Effingham Presbyterian Church. A private burial service with full military honors  Coker was a retired colonel in the U.S. Army and a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War  will follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the Dr. Morgan B. Coker scholarship at Francis Marion University or to Effingham Presbyterian Church.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Ruiz Foods executives will make an official announcement Tuesday that a plant expansion will bring 705 new jobs to its Florence County manufacturing facility.

The Morning News reported on June 12 that Ruiz Foods expansion involves a $79 million investment.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster will attend the announcement at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Ruiz Foods plant at 2557 Florence Harllee Blvd.

Ruiz Foods Chairman Kim Ruiz Beck and Rachel P. Cullen, president and chief executive officer of Ruiz Foods, also will attend.

Others who will attend include S.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Hugh K. Leatherman of Florence, Florence County Council Chairman Kent Caudle and Buddy Brand, Florence mayor pro tempore and the chairman of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership.

Ruiz Foods is the maker of the No. 1 frozen Mexican food brand (El Monterey) and the leading roller grill snack brand.

In June 2014, Ruiz Foods announced the acquisition of the former H.J. Heinz facility in Florence. It said it would invest $55 million in an operation that eventually would bring more than 500 jobs to the Pee Dee. After renovating that facility, it began operation in January 2016.

Last year, construction of a large freezer distribution center brought the total square footage to 225,000 of the site inside Pee Dee Touchstone Energy City industrial park. Ruiz currently has $60 million invested in the Florence facility. According to S.C. Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers, Ruiz employs 400 people in Florence.
DARLINGTON, S.C.  People who donate a package of bottled water and a fan or air conditioner to the Darlington County Sheriffs Office get a chance to win a 55-inch flat-screen television.

The Cooling Project is a collaboration between the Darlington County Sheriffs Offices community outreach program and Palmetto Disaster Recovery. They are asking for donations of fans, air conditioners and packs of water to keep senior citizens cool.

Carolyn Johnson with Palmetto Disaster Recovery brought up the idea to Sheriff Tony Chavis, and Chavis took the idea to Lt. Kaynnera Capers, community outreach coordinator for the sheriffs office.

The cooling agents and packs of waters will first go to senior citizens, but Johnson said there are stipulations. Seniors who are registered with Palmetto Disaster Recovery will first receive the items. Then, Capers said, local agencies and churches will provide the sheriffs office with a list of senior citizens who live alone and need fans and water.

After senior citizens are taken care of, other area residents will receive cooling agents.

The fans we are collecting will go to the most vulnerable citizens  seniors, the disabled, single-parent homes  who were affected by Hurricane Matthew but registered with Palmetto Disaster Recovery, Johnson said. When we did assessments of homes over the state, we saw there were many homes missing cooling solutions in result of the hurricane.

Capers said a fan can keep senior citizens cool, but they need to stay hydrated as well in summer months.

A lot of the senior citizens need to stay hydrated, especially the ones on medication, Capers said. Thats why we ask for a donation of a fan and a package of water.

The initiative started Thursday and will end on Saturday, July 15.

From noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, the sheriffs office and Johnson, along with her case managers from Palmetto Disaster Recovery, will be at the Wal-Mart in Darlington to take donations and inform the public.

Our case managers will be at Wal-Mart on that day and inform the elders and others in the area about how we can help them, Johnson said.

Johnson advises that they will talk to anyone who wants extra information that day as well.

We will talk to individuals affected by Hurricane Matthew and denied by FEMA, or they didnt have enough to complete the repairs to their home, he said.

Also at the event held at Wal-Mart, while supplies last, free hot dogs and bottled water will be available to the public.

Wal-Mart will have discounted boxed fans on sale for those who want to help donate, Capers said.

Donations can be given to Palmetto Disaster Recovery or the Darlington County Sheriffs Office. A donation of a fan and package of water together qualifies you for an entry to win the 55-inch flat-screen television. Multiple entries are acceptable.
The larger Norwegian Jewel will assume the ship's Alaska program, with mainly seven-day sailings between Seward and Vancouver.

'Alaska continues to be one of the most popular destinations we sail to around the world,' said Andy Stuart, president and ceo, Norwegian Cruise Line, noting the company will be significantly increasing capacity there with Norwegian Jewel and the inaugural season of Norwegian Bliss.

'Our all-inclusive model aboard Norwegian Sky has been very well-received,' he added, 'and as we evaluated the opportunity to expand upon that concept, we felt that Port Canaveral was the ideal location to offer our guests a value-rich on-board experience and exciting action-packed ports-of-call, including an overnight call in Havana, Cuba.'

Following Norwegian Sun's fall/winter season in South America and a drydock enhancement, the ship will spend summer 2018 sailing from Port Canaveral. Norwegian Sun will depart for Cuba and Key West each Monday on four-day sailings that feature an overnight in Havana. The three-day cruises to the Bahamas, departing Fridays, will visit Nassau and the recently enhanced Great Stirrup Cay.

A 2.5-week drydock in Victoria, BC, will add features under the company's 'Norwegian Edge' revitalization program. After the work, Norwegian Sun will re-enter service April 19 with a 17-day repositioning cruise from Seattle via the Panama Canal to the East Coast.

Following Norwegian Jewel's 2017/18 season in Australia and Asia, the ship will sail from Yokohama, Japan, to Seattle and replace Norwegian Sun as the company's third ship in Alaska.

On May 26, Norwegian Jewel will reposition from Seattle to Vancouver with a nine-day Alaska cruise calling at Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Ketchikan. A seven-day cruise from Vancouver on June 4 visits Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan.

Beginning June 11 from Vancouver, Norwegian will sail seven-day Glacier Bay cruises to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, ending at Seward. From Seward, the ship will operate seven-day Inside Passage Alaska cruises to Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, ending in Vancouver. Both itineraries feature Hubbard Glacier.
It was a walk down memory lane for some of the key partners when viewing videos featuring company pioneers and key milestones in Asia over the past 10 years, from the first ship Rhapsody of the Seas arrival in 2007 to the most recent homeporting of Asias largest, Ovation of the Seas, in Singapore this year.

Sean Treacy, md Asia Pacific for Royal Caribbean, underlined the company's successes which he said would not have been possible without 'the vision, persistence and leadership of our dear colleague, the late Rama Rebbapragada, who fought for, and believed in, the potential of the Asian cruise market.

'One thing is constant in my interactions throughout Asia, and that is whenever I meet someone connected with the cruise industry, they either know Rama or know of him,' Treacy continued. 'Ramas legacy as a leader and pioneer of the Asian cruise market will continue on for many more decades to come.'

Thanking key partners and supporters, Treacy said the achievements would also not be possible without the strong support from key partners and the team in the region, who have all been 'crucial in paving our journey over the last 10 years to establish Royal Caribbean as the leading cruise brand in Asia.'

Royal Caribbean has developed and flourished in Singapore and the region, and expanded its regional footprint from just one office in Singapore to six across Asia Pacific, and from one to three ships for its fleet in Singapore today.

'We are committed to continue bringing innovative and quality ships and growing Royal Caribbean as the top vacation choice for travellers in the region,' Treacy said.

Among those present were representatives from the Changi Airport Group, Singapore Tourism Board, SATS-Creuers (which operates Marina Bay Cruise Centre), Singapore Cruise Centre, Wallem Shipping, Sembcorp Marine, Intercruises and marketing partners.

The companys new television commercial, Where Everyone Gets What They Need, was unveiled, and guests got a virtual experience of Royal Caribbeans most popular features from a new head-mounted display virtual reality headset, the Holideck.'

The anniversary celebration took place at the waterfront area where the company was launched in Asia.
The 2,500-teu vessel APL Jeddah, was leaving no. 69 berth bound for Japan when it hit no. 58 berth, according to Kaohsiung Port Bureau.

The port authority said no crew members were injured.

The damaged berth has now been closed for repairs while the damage on APL Jeddah has to be thoroughly assessed before the ship can continue on its voyage.
The PHP9.2bn ($182.1m) project will receive PHP8bn in funding from South Korea through its official development assistance (ODA) programme, while the remaining PHP1.2bn will be provided by the Philippine government.

Finance Assistant Secretary Maria Edita Tan was quoted as saying the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Kexim) had approved the New Cebu International Container Port as one of the projects it would finance through ODA.

The South Korean government, through Kexim, has offered a total of $1bn in concessional loans over a six-year period to finance key infrastructure programmes in the Philippines.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) had approved the proposal to build the port, which will be in Consolacion, slightly to the north of the current port, last November and Manila and Seoul are set to finalize the framework for the loan agreement in August.

The project is expected to lessen the congestion in the existing Cebu International Port in Cebu City and reduce vessel waiting time. The new facility will also almost double container yard capacity from the current 7,373 teu to 14,400 teu.

The port will be be built on a reclaimed 25-hectare island. The project is expected to be implemented in the third quarter.
This marked an important new milestone for both the terminal operator and the port of Hong Kong and highlighted its capabilities and advantages.

Modern Terminals group managing director Peter Levesque said: With a capacity of 20,568 teu, Madrid Maersks maiden call at Hong Kong highlights the operating capabilities of the port as an international maritime hub and reinforces Modern Terminals competitiveness as a major player in the region.

This is an exciting moment for our company having made significant investments in our quay and landside infrastructure over the past two years to cater for the next generation of mega vessels. We have also been actively exploring new and innovative ways to gain additional operating efficiencies across the Hong Kong port, in order to provide greater value to global carriers like Maersk Line when they call Hong Kong.

Robbert van Trooijen, Maersk Lines Asia-Pacific ceo, said: We are very proud of the Madrid Maersk, which is the first in a series of our 2nd generation Triple-E vessels. To deliver on our growth strategy we need new capacity. Our new vessels complement our fleet and will replace older and less efficient tonnage. They provide efficiency and economy of scale in specific trades and add flexibility across geographies.

Hong Kong remains an important location to the AP Moller Maersk Group. Hong Kongs close proximity to China has been instrumental in driving Hong Kongs development over the years. Hong Kong has long been a maritime hub with extensive marine services based in Hong Kong. We believe that Hong Kong will continue to be important to global shipping as a result said van Trooijen.

The vessel is deployed on Maersks AE2 service with a port rotation of Hong Kong, Yantian, Xingang, Qingdao, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Algeciras, Felixstowe, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Algeciras, Singapore and Hong Kong.
The corporate value was assessed by the Vietnam Auditing and Valuation Company in co-operation with ATC Auditing and Valuation Firm.



State-owned Vinalines is scheduled to launch IPOs in December 2017 under which the government will hold 65% of Vinalines' chartered capital while strategic investors will be offered 17.25% of the chartered capital and 17.25% will be offered to the public.



This is the second time Vinalines has carried out a valuation of its corporate value to serve equity purposes, the first one being in 2014.

Meanwhile Vinalines has begun to seek potential strategic partners while waiting for the approval of its corporate value from the Ministry of Transport.



Vinalines organised the first meetings in April to introduce its development orientation to Singaporean enterprises to seek investment opportunities in preparation for the IPOs.

Vinalines manages a fleet of offshore vessels with total capacity of nearly two million tonnes and has contributed capital to some 14 port businesses, warehouses and other maritime companies.
Press Release

July 10, 2017 De Lima proposes mandatory drug tests in prisons Senator Leila M. de Lima has filed a bill seeking a mandatory and unannounced drug tests for both prisoners and their custodians to stomp out the unabated proliferation of drug abuse and trade in the country's penal institutions. De Lima has filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 1496, also known as the Drug-Free Prisons Act of 2017, which seeks to conduct a regular drug tests in all detention facilities and penal institutions in the country. "With this measure, it is envisioned that our detention facilities and correctional institutions shall finally be rid of the scourge of illegal drugs," she said. When she was justice secretary, De Lima led a series of high-risk surprise inspection raids of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City after she received reports of illegal drug use and operations. The surprise inspections resulted in the immediate dismantling of the luxurious huts of high-profile inmates, the confiscation of contrabands, and the termination of prostitution and illegal gambling operations inside the NBP. In 2011, it may be recalled that 679 raids were conducted in the NBP that resulted in the confiscation of 1,090 prohibited items. Before she left the agency, a total of 38,832 contrabands were also confiscated under the "Oplan Galugad." "Reports that our penal institutions are at the crux of the illegal drugs trade in the country are not new," she pointed out in her bill's explanatory note. The Senator from Bicol, however, took issue on the admission of the present administration that illegal drug use and trade continue to flourish inside the NBP despite its much-publicized campaign to weed out drug operations. "Barely months from taking over, inmates were found to still be able to do drug in NBP. A year after taking over, the current Secretary of Justice has admitted there has been a resurgence of the drug trade," she pointed out. "It appears that in spite of the early pronouncements of the DOJ Secretary and the PNP Chief, the current measures being implemented are still ineffective in eradicating the drug problems in our penitentiary system," she added. Under her proposed measure, a mandatory and unannounced drug testing shall be conducted to all detainees, prisoners and their custodians in facilities maintained by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Corrections, as well as the custodial centers of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Investigation, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Once a detainee or prisoner tests positive for drug use, he shall be required to undergo a Drug Dependency Examination and be transferred to a rehabilitation facility for detainees and prisoners who use illegal drugs. For government employees and officials in detention facilities who tested positive for drug use will also undergo a Drug Dependency Examination without prejudice to being subject to administrative and criminal sanctions. Under SB 1496, drug tests shall be conducted at random and unannounced intervals for more than once a year. Any positive drug result shall affect any petition of a prisoner who is seeking pardon or parole.
A new retail cluster has sprung up in the citys oldest commercial district: Gold Rush-era Jackson Square, with its red brick buildings and skinny alleyways.

Over its 165-year history Jackson Square has housed warehouses, artists studios, interior design wholesalers, antique and rare map dealers, and dot-coms. Beneath its streets lie the hulls of junked ships, and the windows along the north side of Jackson Street are adorned with cast iron shutters to protect against the next big fire.

But during the past 18 months, the neighborhood has been discovered by a collection of stores looking not only for more affordable rents than can be found in Union Square or the trendy neighborhood retail districts around Chestnut, Fillmore and Hayes streets, but also for a community of like-minded shops with a chance to redefine a historic area.

There is the French designer Isabel Marant at 455 Jackson, Guideboat (marine-themed apparel) at 441 Jackson St., Aesop (skin care products) at 445 Jackson and A.P.C. (clothing) at 407 Jackson. The fashion brand Theory opened at 412 Jackson, and a new North Face store, aimed at the city explorer, recently arrived at 701 Sansome St.

Shinola, the high-end Detroit maker of everything from watches to notebooks and bicycles, has set up shop on Hotaling Place, where it shares a space with the Seattle outdoorwear company Filson. Next door is Allbirds, which makes shoes out of New Zealand merino wool.

The influx of businesses has injected new bustle into the quiet tree-lined enclave, a neighborhood of 82 parcels and eight blocks that sits north and east of the Financial District in an area bounded by Broadway, Columbus Avenue, Washington Street and Battery Street.

The new retail stores complement restaurants like Quince and Cotogna, which have joined older dining destinations like Bix and Kokkari, said William Stout, who owns William Stout Architectural books at 804 Montgomery St.

There are more people on the street than there used to be, especially between 4 and 8, which is good for us, said Stout.

Alan Mark, who owns an eponymous condo marketing and sales business at 724 Battery St., said new stores seem to materialize overnight.

Its filling in quietly, all these stores that are very design-driven, he said. You go away for a week, or pick a new block to walk down, and there is a new store. Its a quiet renaissance that a lot of people dont know about.

Other things are changing Jackson Square as well. The Battery, a members-only club at 717 Battery St. that opened in late 2013, draws heavily from the world of tech and finance. Since that time tech firms that have located in Jackson Square include Mattermark, Minted, Boku and Yola, while investment companies like Bay Grove Capital and Iconiq Capital have also moved in.

And across the street from the Battery at 288 Pacific, the developer Grosvenor Americas Inc. is building 33 condos in an eight-story building that wraps around the historic Old Ship Saloon. The housing will be the first to open in Jackson Square in a decade.

The last project to open in Jackson Square was 845 Montgomery St., where 13 units were constructed in the old home of Ernies, the famous restaurant that was re-created in the studio for Alfred Hitchcocks Vertigo. The only other recent development nearby was just outside Jackson Square  the 69-unit 733 Front St., an office building that was converted to residential in 2008.

Its 33 units in a supply-constrained market that is as good as it gets in San Francisco, said Steve Buster, a senior vice president with Grosvenor. The beauty is, its five minutes from the Financial District, but it is its own historic pocket of the city. We love the story of Jackson Square  we think its being rediscovered.

To say that Jackson Square is being rediscovered may be true, but its also something that has happened every so often in the post-World War II era. A 1985 Chronicle story headlined Jackson Square has been saved  again explains how the defection of the citys fabric and furniture showrooms to Showplace Square led to an in-migration of antique stores. By 1985 there were 10 antique stores on the 400 and 500 blocks of Jackson Street.

While some antique shops, like Daniel Stein at 458 Jackson, have remained in the neighborhood, most gradually moved out in the late 1990s and 2000s. By 2003, professional firms looking for office space started to take over the districts ground floor retail spaces, prompting Supervisor Aaron Peskin to pass an ordinance requiring Planning Commission approval before switching from storefront to office space on Jackson Street.

Matt Stegman of the Jackson Square Historic District Association said the proliferation of new retail on Jackson Street is evidence that the legislation was effective, although he wishes it applied to Pacific Avenue as well as Jackson. He said the new retail  and the housing  is low impact and helps maintain a balanced mixed-use district.

Everybody is really pulling together and saying, Wow, its a different, evolving Jackson Square, but its maintaining its atmosphere, said Stegman. The goal is not to let it get destroyed by the wrong mix. I think the focus on retail and residential has been beneficial to people dedicated to maintaining our small but precious neighborhood.

Pamela Mendelsohn, a broker with Cushman & Wakefield, said retail tenants looking for a Jackson Square presence outnumber available spaces. Rents are between 20 and 40 percent less expensive than top retail streets like Fillmore, Chestnut and Hayes.

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.

These are unique merchants looking for a place in the city where they dont feel like the offering is too commercial, who wanted something a little edgier, she said. Word is out.

Two years ago Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger founded shoemaker Allbirds. The start-up renovated a 6,000-square-foot building from 1849 at the intersection of Hotaling Place and Jackson Street. In two years it has grown from two to 40 employees. In April they opened a small ground-floor retail space.

Nicole Boliaux/The Chronicle

We are over the moon to be here, Brown said. We havent advertised the store, but there is a surprising amount of foot traffic. It feels like it could be New York or Paris or San Francisco. Its the most beautiful part of the city. The history is palpable.

Shinola creative director Daniel Caudill said he looked all over the city before settling on Jackson Square.

Union Square is an amazing shopping destination, but this is more fitting with our brand, he said. Its very much a neighborhood, he said. You can feel the buzz. Its very different than it was when we first opened.

Other recent investors simply like Jackson Square because it changes less than other parts of the city.

Eric Passetti, a San Francisco native and history buff, recently bought the Old Ship Saloon at Pacific and Battery. Two decades ago, Passettis first job was as a valet in Jackson Square at the Essex Supper Club on Montgomery Street. To him, the neighborhood sort of feels the same as it did 20 years ago.

In taking over the Old Ship, he purposely left it mostly unchanged.

In my business, so often we see places that are over-thought, heavily conceptualized, he said. I appreciated the Old Ship and wanted to leave it alone. Im proud to be a custodian of an old place and happy to be laissez-faire about it.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen
Chronicle staff photo / Chronicle staff photo

When Carol Christ took over as UC Berkeleys chancellor last week, not only did she become the first woman to occupy the job  she also broke with tradition by deciding not to move into the gated campus mansion made notorious by the costly spruce-up by her predecessor Nicholas Dirks.

More than $1 million was spent in recent years remodeling University House for Dirks and his professor wife, Janaki Bakhle  including $247,000 authorized by former UC President Mark Yudof to renovate the kitchen, paint the place, refinish the floors and install new window coverings.
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Editor s note: Here are five Bay Area startups worth watching this week.

In Matthew Dolans new book, Simply Fish, theres a recipe for grilling salmon which instructs readers to move the fish around every 30 to 45 seconds to avoid burning the skin and to evenly cook it.

For less ambitious home chefs, technology promises a simpler answer. Matt Van Horn, the CEO of smart-oven maker June, said his company has created an oven so smart that the fish wont need any babysitting.

The June Intelligent Oven can detect what youve just popped into the oven, and will heat up or cool down based on how youve indicated you want it cooked. Its connected to your phone, so it can tell you when your food is ready. This countertop convenience comes at a steep price of $1,495 per oven.

Forget everything you know about ovens and microwaves, said Van Horn, who runs the the San Francisco company with co-founder Nikhil Bhogal. The smart oven is for busy working professionals ... or people that want to geek out on the weekends, or for those on a busy Tuesday night who dont want to order Postmates again, he said.

June has raised $29.5 million and has 42 employees. It is probably trending this week because the company is getting ready to release an update, about which Van Horn declined to offer specifics. The oven became widely available in March.

The device is part of a movement to make our kitchens smarter. As the food and tech industry continue to intermingle, we have a slew of kitchen gadgets to choose from  ranging from automatic tea machines to a robot-like tortilla maker.

But then theres the seemingly useless, such as the Juicero  a $400 machine that squeezes cut vegetables into juice. The gadget had a brief wave of interest until Bloomberg revealed that the $5 to $8 juice packets could be squeezed by hand to yield the same result, rendering the pricey machine pointless. (The company said that the machine could detect whether a given packet had expired or been recalled.)

Van Horn said his smart oven has become an integral part of users lives: Our customers get time back, and more time with family and friends, he said. Theyre able to come in and offer a high quality piece of salmon or fish, when they would otherwise just order food in.

Also trending:

What it does: A service for water utility companies. It allows households to analyze water consumption, and water companies to track potential leaks or locations where old meters are failing. Customers include San Jose Water Company and the East Bay Municipal Utility District.

What happened: Its leaders have been pitching investors to raise more funding.

Why it matters: As global warming accelerates and water pipes age in the United States, the stress on the water system is increasing. Analytics tools could be a way to get ahead of the problem.

Headquarters: San Francisco

Funding: $13.35 million

Employees: 30

What it does: A peer-to-peer file transfer technology maker that has been around for more than a decade.

What happened: According to Rogelio Choy, the recently appointed CEO, BitTorrent plans to release new software this year.

Why it matters: As people become more conscious about cybersecurity, being able to securely transfer files is increasingly important.

Headquarters: San Francisco

Funding: $35.75 million

Employees: 50

What it does: Software for utilities and energy providers to manage energy sources including solar, wind and batteries on the electrical grid. The company has worked with Portland General Electric, Austin Energy and National Grid.

What happened: AutoGrid is preparing to announce a new partnership in Asia this week.

Why it matters: As policymakers and the energy industry come to terms with a limited global supply of fossil fuels, theres a growing movement to reduce dependence on carbon by using nuclear or renewable energy. Keeping track of these energy sources can get messy, and utilities need help managing it all.

Headquarters: Redwood City

Funding: $40 million

Employees: 65

What it does: Helps retail companies with physical stores understand customer behavior and trends.

What happened: CEO Brent Franson was quoted on news sites about Amazons recent acquisition of Whole Foods, which could be a reason behind the extra attention.

Why it matters: As online shopping is cutting into the need for physical retail space, it is important for companies to understand consumer behavior.

Headquarters: San Francisco

Funding: $48.5 million

Employees: 40

Trisha Thadani and Isha Salian are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, isalian@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani

How we pick

the companies

Every week, The Chronicle and Crunchbase, a San Francisco firm that tracks key businesses in technology, analyze private Bay Area companies based on their financial backing, employees and activity on Crunchbase. We feature five that are moving up in the ranks. For more information on the companies: www.crunchbase.com
Whats cheapest for a trip: Lyft, Uber, taxis or another ride service?

Several apps and websites let passengers compare fares. Some calculate estimates based on published rates; others tap directly into the services of Uber and Lyft through technology called an application programming interface that those companies offer to developers for free.

But Uber and Lyft dont want their technology used to compare them with rivals  and both spell that out in the fine print for developers. Thats stirred debate about whether theyre engaging in monopolistic practices, or have every right to set parameters for the use of their technology.

Now, a small Oakland company with an app called Ride Fair that compares Uber and Lyft surge pricing says Uber is trying to shut it down by removing its access to the API. Last year, Uber shut down a similar app called UrbanHail by yanking its API use.

Since it seems the main purpose of your app is price comparison, there isnt really a good way for you to come into compliance, Uber wrote in a letter to Ride Fair. We have to ask you to immediately discontinue using our API for this purpose and listing Uber in your marketing materials and app store listing. Essentially you need to remove Uber from your app.

Ride Fair developer Phil Wall was chagrined to receive that email six months after releasing the app, which has a modest 3,000 or so downloads. He and business partner Steve Blackwell built the free app as a public service and dont make money from it, he said.

This in no way is impacting Ubers business, but theyre acting like bullies to mess with small developers, he said. It seems totally weird to make a public API and then use access to it as a weapon.

Uber said its well within its rights to determine how its technology is used, pointing out that developers know its conditions, such as not comingling its prices with those of competitors, up front.

Like many other technology companies, our API has a few guardrails in order to preserve the integrity of the Uber experience for users across all apps, Uber said.

Lyft declined to comment. Developers said it has been laissez-faire about access to its API, although in 2013 it asked a comparison app called Corral Rides to remove Lyft data, according to Fortune. It has not complained to Ride Fair, according to Wall.

Like other companies, Uber offers its API to build its business, allowing developers to create apps that summon rides or add features to enhance riders experiences. That includes, for example, integration with the Spotify or Pandora music services, according to Chris Messina, who until January was Ubers developer experience lead but emphasized that he does not speak for it. Uber does not make an API just for charity, he said.

At the same time, he said, there was always a debate inside the company about how to best balance Ubers interest and the developer ecosystems interest.

Uber does allow Google Maps to display ride prices for Uber and Lyft for any given route. While Google doesnt release user numbers, Maps obviously has enormous market share. Messina said Uber and Google negotiated a higher-level deal that encompasses other things, such as Uber using Google Maps.

Ben Edelman, a lawyer and professor at Harvard Business School, said he thinks Uber and Lyfts barring of price-comparison apps is an obnoxious restriction that raises monopoly concerns.

Comparison shopping is the bedrock of capitalism, he said. Let consumers look at all the options in the marketplace, think about them and make an informed decision.

Edelman said he could see a scenario in which public-advocacy lawyers could challenge the provisions in court as contrary to the public interest.

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Besides Google Maps, several other sites and apps offer Uber and Lyft price comparisons.

Kendall Saville said his FareEstimate site averages around 25,000 users a month. It uses both Uber and Lyft APIs, but he hasnt heard any objections from Uber. Lyft has actually reached out to see how I use the API and if there was anything they can do to improve it for me, which I thought was nice, he said in an email.

Saville thinks sites like his help consumers by allowing them to make more informed decisions. Before my website, I constantly compared routes by manually checking both apps, he said. So I believe it's going to happen even if Uber cuts our API access.

Another site, RideGuru, which has over 1 million users a month, generates price estimates for Uber, Lyft and a range of other ride-hailing services worldwide through proprietary algorithms, rather than the companies APIs, said CEO and founder Ippei Takahashi.

That approach means RideGuru can show prices for companies that may not even offer APIs, he said. We are in a unique position here, because we can be the true aggregator and a comparison site, covering the smallest to the largest players in the market.

Meanwhile, Uber has not yet followed through on its threat to yank Ride Fairs API access, Wall said.

Users really like to be able to push a button and see prices, he said. I believe in price transparency.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
Antonio Zavala oversees more than two dozen employees in 10 stores in his job as district manager for a Texas consumer financing firm that partners with big-box stores. But he wasnt always this responsible.

Growing up in a home in which his parents often fought and frequently separated, Zavala became a frequent flier in Marin Countys juvenile hall, booked more than a dozen times for mostly petty crimes. He wore the colors of a local street gang, and at 16 graduated from weed to harder drugs.

What turned him around, he says, was the help of a devoted therapist, Jeannine Curley  and a rare chance to help people coping with worse problems than his own.

Zavala met Curley nine years ago at Phoenix Academy, a Marin County school for kids coping with substance abuse. He later became one of the 28 young people Curley has led on life-changing adventures through her 5-year-old organization, Opening the World. The annual trips combine sightseeing and service.

Youth have toured the Taj Mahal, delivered prosthetic hands to Kathmandu and helped rebuild a New Orleans house after Hurricane Katrina.

Curley says the mind-opening magic of travel, so celebrated in Elizabeth Gilberts bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love, shouldnt be reserved for the rich.

She herself grew up with a heaping dose of trauma. A native of the small town of Smithers, British Columbia, she lost her father to cancer when she was 5 weeks old. She later dropped out of high school and struggled with depression, binge-drinking and drug abuse. But a backpacking trip to Nepal in her early 20s helped her change direction, she says, showing her that my own problems werent as overwhelming as theyd seemed. Ever since, shes been determined to help others similarly expand their perspectives.

Her odysseys might seem like a recipe for disaster. Society tends to see the sort of youth who sign up for the trips as doomed to be failures. Some have been involved with violent gangs. Many have served time in juvenile hall. Some still fight the lure of addiction.

To date, however, there have been no injuries or arrests abroad, while the trips have inspired several returnees to complete high school, go on to college and find rewarding jobs.

Curley vets would-be travelers over a year in which they are required to collectively help raise funds for their expenses, as well as to come up with $1,000 on their own. If they have no way to earn the money, then Curley helps find them jobs.

A Bay Area county recently hired one program graduate, with a history of petty theft, drinking and smoking weed, as a sheriffs deputy. He credits the program with keeping him busy and away from the wrong people.

Several participants said the chance to help others was the most valuable part of their experience. I know Ive been through hell, but the people I met in New Orleans had been through so much more, says Zavala. I saw how resilient they were and how people can come together for the greater good. And they just showered us with love and gratitude. It helped me realize that when Im giving back, Im at my best. Its now something I know I have to do.

You see these kids speak at fundraisers, and its so genuine how theyve changed, says Marin County Chief Probation Officer Michael Daly, who serves on Curleys board. All of a sudden, they have a sense of pride  and purpose.

Opening the World is now at a turning point of its own. Curley plans to replicate Marins program across the U.S. She wants to help more people recognize that seemingly hopeless young people have extraordinary potential for change.

Katherine Ellison is a journalist and author who has led workshops for the Beat Within. To learn more, go to www.openingtheworld.org.
Californias June 5 primary is less than a year away, and Republicans hopefuls for statewide office are nowhere to be found.

According to records at the secretary of states office, no Republicans have filed statements of intent to run for controller, insurance commissioner, secretary of state, treasurer or the ostensibly nonpartisan job of superintendent of public instruction.

In the lieutenant governors race, termed-out state Sen. Anthony Cannella, R-Ceres (Stanislaus County), has opened a campaign account, but has only a single reported contribution so far this year.

In the high-profile, top-of-the-ticket race to replace Democrat Jerry Brown as governor, most voters wouldnt recognize the potential GOP candidates if they came knocking at the door.

John Cox, a Rancho Santa Fe (San Diego County) venture capitalist; Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach (Orange County); and David Hadley, a former one-term Manhattan Beach (Los Angeles County) assemblyman, are a long way from being household names.

Republicans have plenty of issues to run on next year, but no candidates to do it, said Tony Quinn, a former GOP consultant who now is an editor of the California Target Book, which analyzes California political races.

Thats dangerous territory for a party that hasnt elected anyone to statewide office since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner in 2006 and that has seen its share of registered voters in the state shrink from 34 percent in 2007 to 26 percent today.

Years ago, it was typical to see three or four Republicans jostling to run for these statewide seats, said Mike Madrid, a GOP consultant. But the bench of the Republicans has been weak for a very long time.

The lack of a strong candidate is even more worrisome with Californias top-two primary system, which first took effect in 2012. Since the two top vote-getters, regardless of party, now advance to the general election, a weak showing by Republican candidates can put two Democrats on the November ballots.

Rich Pedroncelli / AP 2016

Thats what happened in last years U.S. Senate race, where Kamala Harris, the state attorney general, and longtime Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez waxed a pair of little-known Republican Party functionaries in the primary and then squared off in a Democrats-only contest won by Harris.

The California Republican Party is so weak right now that the top-two primary could lead it to extinction if they cant find viable candidates and find a way to support them, Quinn said.

But Jim Brulte, a former GOP state senator now serving as the partys chair, doesnt see any need to panic, at least not 11 months before primary election day.

There are candidates. You just dont see them on the secretary of states list yet, he said. The fields arent firm yet. This is a better conversation in January than it is now.

The actual filing deadline for the June primary isnt until March 9, but would-be candidates have to file a statement with the secretary of state before they can begin raising money for a campaign.

With Democrats like Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Treasurer John Chiang already collecting serious dollars for the June governors primary, Brultes most urgent job will be recruiting a name candidate for governor and ensuring that theres a Republican at the top of the November ballot.

I dont think the (Republican) field for governor is set yet, he said. Jerry Brown isnt on the ballot, and with all due respect to the Democratic candidates, none of them is a California institution.

But recruiting top-flight candidates has been a problem for the GOP in California.

Two of the states best-known Republicans, former Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, already have opted out of the governors race. And while GOP leaders pushed hard to have Faulconer reconsider, he said in a June 30 Facebook post that while he was deeply honored that so many are strongly encouraging me to run for governor, he was staying in San Diego.

It was a similar situation in the attorney generals race, where Republican Mike Ramos, the likely GOP front-runner, dropped out of the race in March, deciding instead to run for re-election as San Bernardino County district attorney.

Top-tier candidates, especially for a very visible  and very expensive  contest like the governors race, want ironclad guarantees that the Republican Party will be able to help raise enough money to give them a legitimate chance to win. And in recent years, that hasnt been a promise the party could make.

The donor class doesnt believe Republicans can elect anyone statewide, so why should they put up their money? Quinn said.

Since Pete Wilson was re-elected governor in 1994, Republicans have put up a parade of wealthy candidates who were willing and able to pump millions of their own dollars  and in the case of Meg Whitman in 2010, many millions of those dollars  into their campaigns for governor. Except for Schwarzenegger, that money hasnt brought political happiness.

Cox, a wealthy businessman, fits that self-funding profile. He already has put $3 million of his own money into his planned run for governor.

While he calls himself a conservative Republican, Cox doesnt paint himself as the answer to the partys prayers.

Cox is not running to save the Republican Party, said Wayne Johnson, Coxs political consultant. Hes using the party as a vehicle for his ideas.

Thats going to be seen more and more, since people who list themselves as no party preference now are the states fastest-growing group of voters. Ideas, not a D or an R after the name, mean more to voters today, Johnson said.

Party labels dont mean anything anymore, he added. If everyone is a Democrat, being a Democrat doesnt mean anything.

But the state still depends on Republicans to carry their own, more conservative message on issues like public education, taxes and crime, Quinn said.

If we end up with two Democrats running, the election could be about who is more in favor of transgender toilets, he said.

Brulte and other GOP leaders are quick to admit Republicans are going to be the underdogs running statewide when the climate is as strongly Democratic as it is in California. But tough doesnt mean impossible.

The path for Democrats in a statewide race is easier, Brulte said. But the question is whether theres a path to victory for Republicans, and I believe there is.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@jfwildermuth
Im sure David Lynch is laughing his head off at our attempts to keep up with him. And Im laughing my head off at Part 9.

So thats your plan, eh, Lynch? Get us right back into the swing of things, like Part 8 never even happened? Well, guess whatthat works.

That works well, since the story-stuffed Part 9 neatly balances out the narrative and thematic abstractions of the soulful Part 8.

What happens in Part 9? A shocking lot.

Bobby Briggs mother, Betty, is tearfully proud that her son is following in the footsteps of his father Major Briggs; she gives him, Deputy Hawk, and Sheriff Frank Truman the next clue into the mystery of the Two Coopers. (In two days, they need to go to Jack Rabbits Palace, a make-believe world where Bobby and Major Briggs would make up stories.)

The appearance of Johnny Horne, Ben Hornes disabled son, is as sudden as his departure. He crashes into a wall, while mother Sylvia cries over his limp body. (Its unclear if hes dead.) After resisting the temptation of an affair, Ben Horne hears a humming in the Great Northerns walls. Could it be Audrey? Josie Packard? (She is still stuck in the doorknob or something.)

Ike the Spike is arrested for the attempted murder of Dougie Jones (aka, Comatose Cooper). We also learn that Dougie was in a car accident, explaining why wife Janey-E and his co-workers seem so nonplussed at his behavior.

Gordon Cole, Albert, and Diane go to the morgue where Major Briggs decapitated body is held, are given Dougie Jones wedding ring, and then (just to make us groan) decide to hit up Matthew Lillards principal instead. Between grotesque sobs, the principal reveals he saw Briggs in a dream where he accessed an alternate reality. And in scary Personal Shopper-style, Coopers evil doppleganger Mr. C sends Diane an ominous text.

Though it will go down as the most action-packed episode so far, Part 9 is also the funniest. True, past episodes have given us such gems as Wally Brando and Jade give two rides (Ill bet she did!). But those are obvious gags; Lynch likes to work in the negative space, in the in-between. Example: After Part 7s failed Ike-the-Spike killing, we watch a delightfully peculiar conversation among three Las Vegas policemen, who are discussing what to do with Dougie Jones. The tones in their talk (from serious police-drama/CSI banter to stiff sitcom-y asides) stretch all over the place, the camerawork is anti-climactic Hitchcock, and the stilted delivery of lines (Hes in witness protection.maybe) is punctuated by a hyena-like cop who busts into guffaws at the most inopportune moments.

Suzanne Tenner/Associated Press

Interestingly, Lynch seems to have infected this scene with the off-kilter timing of his disturbing 2001 web series Rabbits, about a family of rabbits whose life is a sitcom where they can hear, but not see, the canned laughter. We laugh, of course, since we are the canned laughter; but the cops arent aware that they are the joke.

More than anything, though, Part 9 is a glorious experimentation with TV timeand time, in general. Its given Lynch the chance to push the limits of what the TV episode can do (take its sweet-ass time in mini-moments) and doesnt have to do (fill each scene with quippy, self-knowing, post-Sorkin chatter). Its the conceit that Jacques Rivette pioneered in his deconstructionist film musical Up, Down, Fragile (1995), which took the weird space just before a musical number starts (when you can tell that the players are about to sing or dance) and made that the majority of the work. Here, Lynch hilariously prolongs the spaces between gagsthose breaths between jokes that most sitcoms patch over. Like Rabbits, its to help us notice the artificeand the weirdness of TV form in general.

So we get absurdly long scenes like Punk Chad, the cynical non-Peaky at the TP Police Department, who cant understand why its not cool to eat anything but donuts and coffee in the conference room. Lucy and Andy shop for furniture online; she wants beige, he wants red. They settle for beige. In the Betty Briggs scene, her dialogue reiterates, word for word, what has already been established visually (that Hawk, Truman, and Bobby have come in the houseand that the Major would be proud). And for a full minute, David Lynch just looks at Laura Dern, trying to figure out if she has a joint or a cigarette in her hand. But thats the scene. He looks at her. For a full minute.

Why does Lynch dwell so? Maybe its to skew his crooked POV even more. Most scenes seem designed to bask in their own mini-glories, free of any sleuthing or search for The Answer. In the furniture-shopping scene, its crucial to the joke that Lucy is wearing a red sweater (but wants beige), while Andy is wearing his beige uniform (but wants red). This non-joke (funny in its own oddball way) would fit perfectly in a Jacques Tati filmand a Lynch film as well.

But the prolonging of time focuses us for the better. By stretching such peripheral details to intense extremes, we become mini-Agent Coopers. And so it is that, halfway through Part 9, we get what may be as close to a thesis of Lynchs world as we may ever get. Dougie Jones/Comatose Coop looks at the American flag, with veterans hauntedness, while America the Beautiful plays softly in the background. The sardonic, gut-busting perversity and ridiculousness of the moment is called into question by what happens next: he looks at a womans red shoes, then at a power outlet. A Lynchian grumble eruptsand we feel unclean.

That outlets important; after all, Comatose Cooper emerged from a similarly-slotted outlet (Mr. Cs car lighter) back in Part 3. He knows theres something to this electric outlet (his origin of life), but he cant quite place it. Similarly, Lynchs worlds evade singular interpretationsbut that doesnt mean we still cant ponder where an image it came from, where its going, what it all means. Thats our destiny and doom as humansto explain and explain and keep explaining away the mysteries that unsettle us. As hoary as it sounds, we are all Dougie Jones, walking through our deadened, money-driven, hologrammatic livesuntil we discover some thing which speaks to who we could be, and where we might have come from, and why we are here. And thendamn itwe quickly forget it.

Whats your power outlet?

Carlos Valladares is a Chronicle staff writer. Email: cvalladares@sfchronicle.com
While she may be a familiar name to Californians, many others in the United States are just now seeing Sen. Kamala Harris (D) on a national stage thanks to her recent confrontations with conservatives. After seeing her in action, some including the Washington Post are asking "Is Kamala Harris the next Barack Obama?"

Harris was catapulted into the national spotlight after her direct questioning during the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on the FBI's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election.
Archbishop John R. Quinn didnt want a eulogy, banning his family from reflecting on his life upon his death.

He didnt want any of that, said Bill Bash, his nephew and godson, lest anyone feel left out.

So there was no eulogy at Quinns funeral Mass on Monday morning at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco as hundreds of priests and parishioners, politicians and bishops and even a Catholic cardinal celebrated what they called a life well lived.

Quinn served as the sixth archbishop of San Francisco from 1977 to 1995, a shy priest devoted to the Catholic doctrine and described as among the more liberal of church leaders.

He was an outspoken critic of nuclear weapons and was known for his ministry to AIDS patients in the 1980s, though he never wavered from his condemnation of homosexuality.

The archbishop, who died June 22 at the age of 88, was a brilliant and a deeply spiritual man, said Sister Rosina Conrotto, director of the Office for Consecrated Life. He was really open to the needs of the time.

ALSO Hundreds pay tribute to slain UPS drivers at City Hall memorial

Quinn was a supporter of women in the church, promoting them to positions previously held only by men until the Second Vatican Council opened up such opportunities in the 1960s.

He hastened to implement it, said Sister Mary Flaherty, appointed to serve as the countrys first female Catholic chancellor. He wanted the input of women.

Despite what some called an aloof demeanor, the archbishop was not considered bashful by his closest acquaintances. He liked to entertain other priests with impersonations of bishops, and he rarely passed up a piano bench, eager to play Broadway show tunes or Christmas carols.

He was a skilled pianist, but rather than ascending the concert stage, he rose through the ranks of the Catholic Church, and at age 38 became the youngest bishop ever in the U.S.

Perhaps it was inevitable. He was, according to a 1987 profile in The Chronicle, religiously precocious, playing priest with his beads and little altar the way some kids play doctor.

That said, he named his childhood cat Jezebel  an Old Testament vixen  and once chased one of his sisters with a dead mouse, according to the account.

In San Francisco, Quinns legacy is deeply rooted in his relationship with both the citys powerful elite and the streets most desperate souls.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco was among those in the first pews Monday, coming to honor a beautiful person who confirmed her five children.

He lived the gospel of St. Francis, she said. He respected the dignity and worth of every person.

In 1985, Quinn was among the first Catholic leaders to acknowledge the needs of those with AIDS, performing a rare Catholic ritual known as the 40 hours devotion to pray for those suffering from the disease.

When we talk about AIDS, were not talking about homosexuality anymore, he said at the time. Were talking about people who have a lethal, terminal disease.

Two years later, after another prayer vigil for victims, he reasserted his belief that homosexual acts were a sin while stressing the need for Christian compassion.

Im making an effort to respond to the grief, sadness, fear and helplessness involved in the growing AIDS epidemic in our midst, he said. I don't have an answer to the mystery of death and pain. But I do find that a lot of people come to a peacefulness when they die.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
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The winter might have been wet and cold, but now that summer is here California is burning hot.

Fourteen major wildfires are currently burning up and down the state with 6,100 firefighters battling the flames.

The fire season could break some records this year. Between the first of the year and July 9, the state has already seen 2,900 fires burning more than 106 square miles.

The average for this time of year is about 2,500 fires and 42 square miles burned. Last year at this same time, we had seen 2,270 fires and nearly 47 square miles burned.

"We're basically at double the acreage we were last year," says Cal Fire spokesperson Heather Williams. "It has to do with all the rain we had over the winter. With increased rain comes increased growth in vegetation. Now our climate is hot and dry and our vegetation cures. The grasses catch fire and the flames move up into the trees."

Here's a look at some of the largest wildfires around California.

Northern California

Wall Fire in Butte County

As of Monday morning, more than 4,000 people had been evacuated by this fire about 10 miles southeast of Oroville and 60 miles north of Sacramento. The blaze had burned nearly nine square miles of dry rolling hills since it started on the afternoon of July 7, leading Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency in Butte County. As of Monday morning, 35 percent of the blaze was contained and 17 structures had been destroyed and five damaged. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to Cal Fire.

More for you Torrid pace of wildfires likely to linger

Winters Fire in Yolo County

The fire burning along Highway 128 southwest of Winters and east of Lake Berryessa was 85 percent contained as of Monday morning. Three and a half square miles have burned since it started on July 6, and no evacuation orders or road closures are currently in place. "Firefighters are continuing to mop up hot spots and strengthen control lines," according to Cal Fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation

Garza Fire in Fresno County

Nearly eight square miles have gone up in flames in this wildfire along Tar Canyon Road near Avenal. It was 5 percent contained as of Monday morning.

Axel Fire in El Dorado County

Near the town of Rescue, 36 miles northeast of Sacramento, this blaze had burned 100 acres as of Sunday night and was 60 percent contained. No road closures or evacuations are in place.

Fay Fire in Siskyou County

This fire along Highway 3 south of Etna had burned nearly one square mile as of Monday morning and was 90 percent contained.

Southern California

The Alamo Fire in Santa Barbara County

This raging inferno near Highway 166 in northern Santa Barbara County is currently the largest fire in California. It's 15 percent contained and nearly 47 square miles had burned as of Monday morning.

Whittier Fire in Santa Barbara County

Some 3,600 people evacuated as a result of a wildfire in the Santa Ynez Valley northwest of Santa Barbara. The fire sent hundreds of campers, including a group of 90 children, scrambling when it began Saturday and burned on both sides of State Route 154. The fire had burned some 12 square miles as of Sunday evening and was 5 percent contained. Highway 154 is closed from State Route 246 to Foothill Road as a result of the blaze.

Stone Fire in San Luis Obispo County

This small fire has burned nearly a half-square-mile on Huer Huero Road, east of Santa Margarita, since it started on Sunday. It's 40 percent contained and an evacuation shelter is being set up in case it grows.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
As streets reopened and hundreds of residents returned home Sunday near the wreckage of last weeks huge fire in downtown Oakland, many remained in limbo, waiting for word on when they could settle back in.

Several people from three apartments adjacent to the still-smoldering burn site lingered outside their three-story building on the corner of Valdez and 24th streets. They were frustrated, tired and, in some cases, still wearing the clothes they had on when they fled the red-hot embers that rained down as Fridays early morning blaze engulfed a seven-story building under construction in an area known as Auto Row.

Christine Pham, 33, was with her mother and other family members, hoping police would allow them inside their apartment to collect clothes and other personal items. They had been allowed in Saturday afternoon for five minutes  enough time to get medicine, documents and car keys, but little else.

The doors had been kicked in and chairs were toppled, presumably by emergency personnel who entered to evacuate residents or battle the blaze, she said. Several hundred people were forced to leave homes or businesses as intense heat and flames lapped at the buildings surrounding the burning construction project.

There are a lot of questions, Pham said, adding that the Red Cross had arranged hotels for residents, but it was unclear when or if they could move back home. Its two days already.

Investigators still had lots of questions, too, as they continued to seek the cause of the fire. While they havent speculated on a source, city leaders and community members were quick to call the blaze suspicious. It came less than two months after one of two arson fires destroyed a similar development in Emeryville and on the heels of two other arson fires at Oakland construction sites in recent years.

Police confirmed that they collected surveillance footage from the area surrounding Fridays fire, but declined to discuss any content, citing the investigation.

Additional federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, dispatched from across the country, were expected to arrive Monday to assist in the probe.

In the meantime, the cleanup began Sunday, with city street-sweepers rolling through the neighborhood, picking up chunks of charcoal and ash covering the roads.

David Ramirez stood on his porch as one of the noisy vehicles passed by. He stared across the street at the smoke wafting from a tangled pile of metal inside the buildings concrete skeleton that still stood.

His home reeked of smoke, despite an air purifier humming in the background. He said he, his girlfriend and their pregnant roommate would stay with family until the fire was completely doused and the smoke cleared.

No one was killed or injured in the four-alarm fire, although Ramirez said he was concerned for his neighbors who might need to find new housing.

Moreover, the destruction would mean at least another year of construction to rebuild, with cement trucks, saws and hammers starting at 7 a.m. each day.

The building, known as Alta Waverly, was scheduled to open next spring, with 196 market-rate apartments and 31,500 square feet of retail space. Ramirez said the neighborhood had endured countless months of early morning construction noise and parking headaches.

He said he had been excited about the projects completion.

Its going to suck now, he said. To me, thats the worst part.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
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Nearly a year after a college sophomore was mysteriously slain while playing Pokemon Go at Aquatic Park in San Francisco, authorities and the victims family are offering a $110,000 reward for information leading to the killers capture, U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier announced Monday.

It has ripped the family apart, said Speier, D-Hillsborough. I think all of us who have young adult children who make their way around the city doing innocent activities  just doing normal, everyday activities  should not be in fear of being gunned down by a person and then have the crime go unsolved. Its just wrong.
After a hot weekend that saw wind-fanned wildfires lurch out of control and gobble up thousands of acres of trees and dozens of homes from Santa Barbara to Butte County, Mondays respite in the weather was just that  a respite.

The state is now far ahead of last years pace for forest and grassland fires, and conditions are ripe for it to stay nasty all summer long, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Chief Ken Pimlott.

Last years downpours may have ended the five-year drought and eased its tinder-dry conditions a bit, but the heavy grasses sprouted by the rain now present frightening fuel, he said. So which condition is worse  drought or heavy new brush?

More for you Here's where wildfires are burning in California right now

All of the above, Pimlott said. Look, its California, and our fire seasons have been lengthening  a season is 78 days longer today that it was 40 years ago. We have to plan to fight almost year-round now.

So far, 2,905 wildfires have ignited across the state, he said. This time last year, there had been 2,270. By the end of the weekend, the 25-mph winds died down and temperatures dropped as much as 10 degrees in the hottest spots, but theyll go back up on the weekend, Pimlott said. Were going to stay busy.

One of the worst spots continued to be the Wall Fire southeast of Oroville (Butte County), where 1,700 firefighters labored Monday night to corral flames that had destroyed 37 structures, damaged five others and driven 4,000 people from their homes.

After it ignited Friday, the blaze near the tiny community of Bangor spread to 5,800 acres. But containment doubled since Sunday, to 40 percent, and crews were making progress, state fire officials said Monday. Full containment is expected by Saturday, but 5,400 homes remained in danger.

The fire is not threatening construction on the badly damaged Oroville Dam spillway, said Erin Mellon, a spokeswoman for the state Natural Resources Agency. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

As the containment line grew, 1,800 residents west of Miners Ranch Road were allowed to return to their homes Sunday night but told to be ready to flee again, Cal Fire reported.

Firefighters also worked to contain at least 13 other major fires raging across the state. Among the largest were the Alamo Fire, 20 percent contained and burning 28,926 acres near Twitchell Reservoir in San Luis Obispo County; the Whittier Fire in Santa Barbara County, estimated at 10,823 acres and 25 percent contained; and the Schaeffer Fire, a lightning blaze burning 15,000 acres in Sequoia National Forest and expected to be contained by July 31.

Kevin Fagan and Filipa Ioannou are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com, fioannou@sfchronicle.com
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News outlets are seeking permission from Congress for the right to negotiate jointly with Google and Facebook, two companies that dominate online advertising and online news traffic.

The News Media Alliance, which represents nearly 2,000 news organizations, says that because of those two companies dominance, news publishers are forced to surrender their content and play by their rules on how news and information is displayed, prioritized and monetized.

These rules have commoditized the news and given rise to fake news, which often cannot be differentiated from real news, the alliance said in a press release on Monday.

The news industry has been hit with declining print readership and a loss of advertising revenue as it has moved online.

The outlets want stronger protections for intellectual property, support for subscription models and a bigger share of the online advertising market. Google and Facebook combined will account for 60 percent of the U.S. digital advertising market this year, according to research firm eMarketer.

The news alliance says it would need an exemption from antitrust law to negotiate as a group. But getting Congress to pass an exemption is likely to be difficult.

Campbell Brown, head of news partnerships at Facebook, said in a statement that the company is committed to helping quality journalism thrive on Facebook. Were making progress through our work with news publishers and have more work to do.

For example, the company says it is testing products to help its users discover local news on Facebook. The company also says its working to cut down on false news and clickbait headlines in favor of quality journalism.

Google didnt immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning.

Courts

Alphabet CEO

told to testify

Alphabet CEO Larry Page was ordered to submit to questioning by Uber Technologies in his companys lawsuit over trade secrets for self-driving car technology.

Ubers lawyers want to question Page in their defense against the allegations the San Francisco ride-hailing company stole technology central to the development of autonomous vehicles by Alphabets Waymo unit. Waymo argued the deposition of Page was unnecessary and intrusive, but a San Francisco federal magistrate judge said Friday he can be questioned for as long as four hours.

Larry Page has first-hand non-repetitive knowledge of relevant facts, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley wrote.

Uber plans to ask Page about a one-on-one meeting with Anthony Levandowski, the engineer at the center of the legal battle. Levandowski and Page purportedly discussed Levandowskis desire to build self-driving trucks either at Alphabet or by creating his own company, according to a court filing from Uber. Levandowski later left Waymo to create Otto, the self-driving trucking company that Uber purchased for $680 million in stock.

Waymo alleges that Uber stole trade secrets when Levandowski downloaded 14,000 files to his personal computer and then joined Uber to lead the startups driverless car program. Uber fired Levandowski in late May.

Antitrust

AT&T, Time

still in limbo

At the Department of Justice, antitrust staff members have been doggedly investigating AT&Ts $85.4 billion bid for Time Warner.

They have deposed the executives of both companies; questioned several media, telecommunications and technology rivals; and demanded thousands of pages of confidential documents from scores of businesses to discern if the deal would violate competition laws  and thus if it should go ahead at all.

But eight months into the review, the small army of career antitrust officials is marching toward a great unknown.

For one thing, the Justice Department officials still dont have a boss who will have the final say on whether to approve or block the deal. President Trumps pick for assistant attorney general in charge of antitrust matters, Makan Delrahim, has been held up in a logjam of nominees in the Senate. And Trump himself, who said during last years campaign that he opposed the deal, is another wild card. A senior administration official said last week that members of the White House were discussing how they might use their perch over the merger review as leverage over Time Warners news network, CNN.

All of that has effectively put into limbo the most significant business deal before the Trump administration, a benchmark for business transactions. In turn, that has cast a cloud over the business world, which is watching the lengthy regulatory process with intense interest.

The deal is still expected to be approved because AT&T and Time Warner dont directly compete. But unlike past megamergers such as Comcasts purchase of NBCUniversal in 2013, this one is potentially trickier from an antitrust perspective. Thats because AT&T has a nationwide footprint with its wireless and DirecTV satellite service, and could use that reach to demand higher fees from media companies and other cable and satellite firms.

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Jawbone  a pioneer in wearable technology that was once a darling of Silicon Valley  is going out of business, but its CEO and many employees have an unusual exit strategy: Theyre shifting into health-related products, an area that deeper-pocketed rivals also are entering.

CEO Hosain Rahman has founded Jawbone Health Hub, according to people familiar with the matter. Many Jawbone employees are moving to the new company, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the issue is private. The Information first reported the news Thursday.

The closely held, 18-year-old San Francisco company missed payments and had manufacturing issues that led to layoffs and refunds for its fitness devices. Despite multiple rounds of funding over more than a decade, Jawbone struggled against bigger competition that moved into the wearables market.

Now its investors, including BlackRock and the Kuwait Investment Authority, are tallying losses from more than $900 million in equity and debt funding the fitness gear maker raised over the years.

The liquidation comes after multiple strategic changes and failures. Last year, Jawbone put its wireless speaker business up for sale to focus on health and wearables. It also ended production of fitness trackers and sold its remaining inventory to a third-party reseller. Last January, the company raised $165 million from lead investor Kuwait Investment Authority at about half its 2014 valuation of $3.2 billion, according to Pitchbook Data Inc.

Jawbone has also been locked in legal battles with Fitbit since May 2015, when Jawbone sued Fitbit over plundering employees and critical proprietary information. The biggest asset left in the company is the remaining litigation, from which Jawbone thinks it can generate returns back to its creditors, one of the people said.

The company has been working for months to focus on health care. Though analysts say working on health-related products and services is a step in the right direction as general fitness trackers become commonplace, theres skepticism as to whether the company can succeed, given the similar direction from Fitbit and Apple.

Fitbit is looking to eventually deliver consumer subscriptions that predict health outcomes to move beyond hardware and into a recurring revenue stream, though this strategy is likely three to five years out, said Joe Wittine, an analyst at Longbow Research.

These companies have all realized, Heck, we need to move on beyond just offering a bunch of data and offer some form of additional intelligence. If we identify some abnormality in your heart rate, would people be willing to pay for that service? If its enterprise grade, you bet, Wittine said.

Jawbone Health Hub could sell its future device to insurers, hospitals, and employers, according to Jitesh Ubrani, an analyst at IDC. The company would have to invest heavily in research and development to develop medical-grade devices that could measure important health indicators like oxygen level or blood glucose levels, he said.

Its a nail in the coffin for the way we know Jawbone today, Ubrani said. Well probably know them very differently going forward. Within the medical industry they might be recognized, but not by the consumer.

A once prized investment, Jawbone attracted investors such as Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and Khosla Ventures. Originally the company made namesake Bluetooth headsets and later diversified into portable speakers  the Jambox  and UP fitness bands. While initially popular, having won plaudits for design and functionality, the company was often plagued by costly manufacturing problems and was sometimes forced to offer customers refunds.

Jawbone also found it difficult to compete with Fitbit, Apple and cheaper devices from China, and ultimately faced job cuts, product delays and executive flight. Having raised some $900 million in equity and convertible debt funding, the liquidation will likely wipe out equity held by investors, meaning big losses.

BlackRock, which lent Jawbone $300 million in 2015, marked down the value of debt it held in the company by almost 98 percent, according to a filing Wednesday. BlackRock also holds a stake in the new firm, Jawbone Health, the filing shows.

Selina Wang is a Bloomberg writer. Email: swang533@bloomberg.net
No, Costco's new food court burger is not a Shake Shack doppelganger, but you should still hope it comes to a warehouse store near you.

The big box retailer has been testing out a $4.99 burger at its food courts in a few locations on the West Coast. In May, EaterLA posted an item about how the burger "looked an awful lot" like the burgers from Danny Meyer's Shake Shack restaurants, based in New York.

That's all well and good  they were going off of a photo, which is all they had at the time  but since then folks have run with the comparison. It's time for a reality check.

With all of this in the news (and with an already-planned road trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to Seattle), tracking down this burger seemed preordained. Truth be told, I have a special affinity for the Costco Food Court since a summer job there was the only non-newspaper job I've ever had.

So, here's the deal:

Costco says the 1/3-pound burgers are made with "organic ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato, with our own special sauce on a brioche style bun."

They are $5 food court guilty-pleasure good, and then some, but let's be honest: you don't get the $1.50 hot dog because it's the pinnacle of American sausage-making, so rein in your expectations.

The bun is soft and light with some egginess, but still on the lighter-side in color. The quality of the bun is what stands out to me the most about the new burger. Combined with crisp lettuce and fresh tomatoes, Costco is off to a good start here and the "special sauce" was applied sparingly.

Shake Shack famously smashes their patties (which are much smaller) on a griddle or flattop and the results are beautiful and caramelized. This is probably the defining characteristic of their product.

What you get at Costco is a lean, pre-formed patty that is somewhat strangely daisy shaped and is cooked to medium in a small char-broiler. The result is nothing close to the same, but it's not meant to be.

Those familiar with the Roma tomatoes on burgers from the 'Shack will also notice that Costco uses more of a Jersey tomato.

Story continues below video...

The cheese on the burger I had was not melted due to a hiccup in the process at the Costco I visited (they temporarily ran out of cheese and had to send a runner out for more), so it's not clear to me whether it's standard practice to melt it onto the burger or not.

Irrespective of cheese-doneness it's a solid fast food burger and will surely be a crowd pleaser, though my personal preference would be for something a little smaller. It's also worth noting that Costco food courts do not have deep fryers, so you definitely won't be getting fries with that.

Costco corporate is being somewhat tight-lipped about the trial and the potential roll-out of the burgers. So far they appear to be available in the Seattle area, some stores in Southern California and  at least according to Reddit users  in Livermore and Folsom, California.

I would happily lay down five bucks for one of these burgers on my weekly Costco shop should the company make them available more widely, just don't expect a Shake Shack-like cult following.
Thousands of surfers paddled out for wetsuit pioneer Jack O'Neill at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz Sunday. Their purpose was to honor and remember the surfing icon, not set a new record.

But the official Guinness World Record for paddleouts is 511, set in Huntington Beach in June of 2017.

When you view this KSBW video footage, and this drone video shot by Larson Aerial Media, it is apparent that number was smashed.

The number of people who paddled out Sunday was estimated to be more than 3,000, said Mark Massara of O'Neill Wetsuits.

The crowd that stretched along East Cliff Drive to watch surfers form an enormous circle in the ocean was estimated at 5,000-6,000, Massara said.

"There's no doubt this was the largest paddleout, of any kind, ever," he said.

The O'Neill family did not ask for a Guinness World Records official to attend the paddleout because they wanted the focus to be on remembering Jack O'Neill's extraordinary life. However, a Guinness team will review numerous aerial videos shot of the paddleout, and may consider it for the official record books.

"We have received an application. Our Records Management Team thoroughly reviews all materials," Guinness spokesperson Elizabeth Montoya said.

"The record for the largest surfing paddle out is currently held by the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum. The largest surfing paddle out consists of 511 participants, and was achieved by the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach, California, on 20 June 2017," Montoya said.

This article was originally posted on ksbw.com.
MINEOLA, N.Y.  All aboard the lawsuit train.

Even before this weeks start of a two-month track renovation project at New Yorks Pennsylvania Station thats expected disrupt life for hundreds of thousands, some frustrated Long Island Rail Road riders filed a lawsuit over its chronic shutdowns, delays and packed trains that they say are unacceptable.

It is believed to be the first such legal action by riders over the most recent problems with rail lines running in and out of Penn Station.

Its getting unsafe. People are fighting because its so unbearable. The anxiety is out of control, says Meredith Jacobs, vice president of sales for a Manhattan dress manufacturer and a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed last month.

The suit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the LIRRs parent organization, claims breach of contract, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress, listing a litany of complaints alleging the railroad is failing to provide on-time, safe and reliable service. It seeks unspecified damages.

The mornings tend to not be as bad, but the evenings are a nightmare, says Jacobs, who has been riding the LIRR from her home in Wantagh to Penn Station for 24 years. The trains and platforms are usually standing room only.

An MTA spokesman said the authority does not comment on pending litigation.

Paul Liggieri, an LIRR commuter and attorney who filed the lawsuit, hopes the suit, even if it fails, elicits changes for commuters. We are requesting hundreds of documents be turned over. I am hoping they will help give me answers for my clients.

Liggieri is also waiting to learn whether a state judge will grant class-action status to the lawsuit, making it possible for hundreds, if not thousands, of commuters eligible to join in.

The lawsuit comes as Amtrak, which operates Penn Station, presses on with infrastructure improvements, including track and switch replacement, at the nations busiest rail station.

In order to accommodate the work, which will require some of the stations 21 tracks to be taken out of service, the LIRR, New Jersey Transit and Amtrak itself have altered service schedules. Those commuting from Long Island are being told to consider going to stations the LIRR serves in Brooklyn and Queens and transferring to the city subways. The LIRR also is adding cars to all trains to accommodate more riders on fewer trains into Penn Station.

Frank Eltman is an Associated Press writer.
Law officers fatally shot a gunman Sunday on a boat who fired at police and toward the shore of Bainbridge Island, about 10 miles west of Seattle across Elliott Bay in Washington state, authorities said.

The mans death ended an hours-long standoff that temporarily forced the suspension of ferry services in the area.

Authorities said the man, who has not been identified, began firing shots about 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Assistant Fire Chief Luke Carpenter told the Seattle Times that the man was just firing randomly from the boat, docked near Eagle Harbor on the islands southeast corner. He later began shooting at police officers after they arrived.

Authorities told residents just after 9 p.m. to avoid the shoreline near the harbor. A little more than an hour later, the city of Bainbridge Island warned residents who live near the shore to seek shelter and avoid windows.

The man stopped firing about 11 p.m., but the standoff continued, according to local media reports. Police used flash-bang grenades and smoking devices to get the man to surrender, KOMO News reported. About 12:30 a.m., he appeared on the boats deck, naked, according to a KOMO News photographer who was at the scene.

Later, he climbed back into the cabin and emerged with what appeared to be a rifle. A video taken by local media shows him aiming it, presumably at officers. Thats when police fired and struck him.

The man died about 1 a.m., authorities said. No one else was injured.

Kristen Drew, a KOMO News reporter who happened to be having dinner in the area when the shooting began, said she heard loud bangs that she thought were fireworks. Later, she saw officers with the Bainbridge Island Police Department on the dock with their guns drawn.

Authorities also have not said why the man began shooting. Kellie Stickney, a spokeswoman for the city, said officials cant release further information because of a pending investigation.

Lisa Skelton, a witness, told KOMO News that the boat had been moored in the harbor for about two weeks.

Kristine Phillips is a Washington Post writer.
Wells Fargo & Co. has received preliminary approval for its proposed $142 million class-action settlement to compensate possibly millions of customers who had unauthorized accounts opened in their name.

On Saturday, a federal judge in San Francisco found that the proposed settlement was fair, reasonable and adequate.

The decision means that the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit will soon receive information regarding how to submit claims for settlement benefits. A hearing to decide final approval of the deal has been set for Jan. 4.

The settlement is an important component of holding Wells Fargo accountable for its abuse of its customers trust, Derek Loeser, partner at Keller Rohrback and lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement Sunday.

Wells Fargo Chief Executive Tim Sloan said in a separate statement that the preliminary approval represents a major milestone in our efforts to make things right for our customers.

The bank said that it will send notices about the process for making claims to current and former customers in the next three months, but any payments will be made after final court approval.

Wells Fargo said it expects the settlement in the case  Jabbari, et al vs. Wells Fargo & Co.  to resolve substantially all claims in 10 other pending class actions that allege the unauthorized opening of accounts.

In September, the bank agreed to pay regulators $185 million after it was accused of creating 2.1 million unauthorized checking and savings accounts, credits cards, and lines of credit without customer approval.

The scandal rocked the San Francisco financial institution and led to the resignation of CEO John Stumpf in October.

The class-action settlement will cover customers who had unauthorized accounts opened beginning May 1, 2002. Customers will be compensated for the fees they were charged based on the number of unauthorized accounts.

One of the major hurdles in reaching a settlement has been determining how many customers were affected by the banks practices.

The original terms of the settlement would have provided compensation of $110 million based on regulators original estimates that the bank created as many as 2.1 million unauthorized accounts.

But in April, the banked agreed to sweeten the deal to $142 million after an internal investigation found that executives first noticed the problems of unauthorized accounts in 2002.

That prompted plaintiffs attorneys to up their estimates of unauthorized accounts to as many as 3.5 million, though the number of actual customers affected would be less because some customers had multiple accounts.

The two sides also have had to determine how to compensate customers whose credit was damaged by unauthorized credit card accounts. They will qualify for a payout based on a formula that takes into account any loans they took out while their credit score was impaired.

The Los Angeles Times first reported on the sales practice in a 2013 investigation that revealed a relentless sales culture that pressured employees to open unneeded accounts in order to meet quotas.

David Ng is a Los Angeles Times writer.
A state police trooper responding to reports of gunfire was shot to death by a soldier who had just killed his wife at their home near his Army base in northern New York, authorities said Monday.

Trooper Joel Davis was approaching the couples home in rural Theresa, near the Canadian border, when Staff Sgt. Justin Walters shot him in the torso with a rifle, leaving him in a roadside ditch, according to police and court documents. Another trooper arrived and found Davis, 36, who died about an hour later at a hospital.
President Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton before agreeing to meet with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, according to three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.

The meeting was also attended by his campaign chairman at the time, Paul Manafort, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Manafort and Kushner recently disclosed the meeting, though not its content, in confidential government documents described to the New York Times.

The Times reported the existence of the meeting on Saturday. But in subsequent interviews, the advisers and others revealed the motivation behind it.

The meeting  at Trump Tower on June 9, 2016, two weeks after Trump clinched the Republican nomination  points to the central question in federal investigations of the Kremlins meddling in the presidential election: whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians. The accounts of the meeting represent the first public indication that at least some in the campaign were willing to accept Russian help.

While Trump has been dogged by revelations of undisclosed meetings between his associates and the Russians, the episode at Trump Tower is the first such confirmed private meeting involving his inner circle during the campaign  as well as the first one known to have included his eldest son.

It is unclear whether the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, actually produced the promised compromising information about Clinton. But the people interviewed by the Times about the meeting said the expectation was that she would do so.

When he was first asked about the meeting Saturday, Trump Jr. said it was primarily about adoptions and mentioned nothing about Clinton. But Sunday, presented with the Times findings, he offered a new account.

In a statement, he said he had met with the Russian lawyer at the request of an acquaintance from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which his father took to Moscow. After pleasantries were exchanged, he said, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Mrs. Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

He said she then turned the conversation to adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law that blacklists suspected Russian human rights abusers. The 2012 law so enraged President Vladimir Putin of Russia that he halted U.S. adoptions of Russian children.

It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting, Trump Jr. said.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the presidents lawyer, said Sunday that the president was not aware of and did not attend the meeting.

In his statement, Trump Jr. said he asked Manafort and Kushner to attend, but did not tell them what the meeting was about.

Political campaigns collect opposition research from many quarters but rarely from sources linked to foreign governments.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian hackers and propagandists worked to tip the election toward Donald Trump, in part by stealing and then providing to WikiLeaks internal Democratic Party and Clinton campaign emails that were embarrassing to Clinton. WikiLeaks began releasing the material on July 22.

A special prosecutor and congressional committees are investigating the Trump campaigns possible collusion with the Russians. Trump has disputed that, but the investigation has cast a shadow over his administration.

Trump has also equivocated on whether the Russians were solely responsible for the hacking. On Sunday, two days after his first meeting as president with Putin, Trump said in a Twitter post: I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. Ive already given my opinion ...

On Sunday morning on Fox News, the White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, described the Trump Tower meeting as a big nothing burger.

Talking about issues of foreign policy, issues related to our place in the world, issues important to the American people is not unusual, he said.

But Rep. Adam Schiff of Burbank, the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, one of the panels investigating Russian election interference, said he wanted to question everyone that was at that meeting.

Theres no reason for this Russian government advocate to be meeting with Paul Manafort or with Mr. Kushner or the presidents son if it wasnt about the campaign and Russia policy, Schiff said after the initial Times report.

Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer invited to the Trump Tower meeting, is best known for mounting a multipronged attack against the Magnitsky Act.

Veselnitskayas campaign against the law has also included attempts to discredit the man after whom it was named, Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer and auditor who died in 2009 in mysterious circumstances in a Russian prison after exposing one of the biggest corruption scandals during Putins rule.

Veselnitskaya said in a statement Saturday that nothing at all about the presidential campaign was discussed at the Trump Tower meeting. She recalled that after about 10 minutes, either Kushner or Manafort left the room.

She said she had never acted on behalf of the Russian government and never discussed any of these matters with any representative of the Russian government.

The Trump Tower meeting was disclosed to government officials in recent weeks, when Kushner, who is also a senior White House aide, filed a revised version of a confidential form required to obtain a security clearance.

The Times reported in April that he had not disclosed any foreign contacts, including meetings with the Russian ambassador to the United States and the head of a Russian state bank. Failure to report such contacts can result in a loss of access to classified information and even, if information is knowingly falsified or concealed, in imprisonment.

Kushners advisers said at the time that the omissions were an error, and that he had immediately notified the FBI that he would be revising the filing.

Since the president took office, Trump Jr. and his brother, Eric, have assumed day-to-day control of their fathers real estate empire. Because he does not serve in the administration and does not have a security clearance, Trump Jr. was not required to disclose his foreign contacts. Federal and congressional investigators have not publicly asked for any records that would require his disclosure of Russian contacts.

Jo Becker, Matt Apuzzo and Adam Goldman are New York Times writers.
On a December night a year and a half ago, a group of teens went to Hawaii's Ka'ena Point Natural Area Reserve and slaughtered at least 15 federally protected Layson Albatrosses.

The oldest, Christian Gutierrez, who was 18 at the time, was sentenced to 45 days for the crime last week. But the punishment is not enough, according to a new change.org petition.

The petition describes the attack: "They shot the docile birds with pellet guns, beat them with a bat, and hacked off their feet with a machete. They removed the feet to collect their ID bands as souvenirs and posted photos of the mutilated birds on social media. They also stole bird monitoring cameras, solar panels, and a sound system."

The petition seeks to have Gutierrez expelled from New York University. Since being posted Thursday after his sentencing, it has collected more than 33,000 signatures.

"We believe the above mentioned violated NYU's Codes of Conduct and (Gutierrez's) mental health jeopardizes the health and safety of the University community," the petition states. "We are demanding the expulsion of Christian Gutierrez immediately."

The petition is directed to NYU President Andrew Hamilton and seven other university administrators.

Gutierrez, then 18, was on winter break visiting with former classmates at the time of attack on Dec. 27, 2015, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser. In addition to the jail time, he received one year's probation, was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and was fined $1,000.

While Gutierrez expressed shame and remorse for the crime, prosecutors and environmentalists had sought the maximum one-year sentence.

"He turned my favorite place on Earth into a crime scene," a tearful Lindsay Young, executive director of Pacific Rim Conservation, told the court. She described how the crimes left her "life's work and spirit shattered," according to the Star Advertiser.

Gutierrez pleaded to reduced charges in return for his cooperation against two former students who were juveniles at the time of the albatross killings and alleged to taken part in the attack.

Gutierrez's attorney described his client as a "follower" who went along with the group's actions.
An Oklahoma man wasn't going to let handcuffs get in the way of romance.

Brandon Thompson was celebrating the Fourth of July with family in Muskogee, Okla. when officers showed up and informed him he was under arrest for six outstanding felony warrants, according to KOTV. Thompson's mom told CNN he had recently returned home and was trying to get his life back on track.

Body camera video shows Thompson cooperating with police as he is handcuffed. That's when he decided to make his move, before it was too late.

His mother fetched the ring from inside the house as Thompson asked officers permission to propose.

"When the other officer told me he was gonna propose I think my initial response was, are you kidding me?" Lincoln Anderson, spokesperson for the Muskogee Police Department, told KOTV.

But they went along with the plan and let Thompson get down on one knee to ask his girlfriend Leandria Keith for her hand in marriage. The officer wearing the body camera even moves Thompson's handcuffs to the front of his body, allowing him to place a ring on his fiancee's finger.

"When you're in love with somebody and you know that you want to spend the rest of your life with them, you just want them to know how you feel," Thompson told CNN. "I wanted a new start for me and with the police taking me to jail I didn't have to worry about my warrants anymore."

Keith accepted the unorthodox proposal, saying at first she couldn't believe her husband-to-be was serious. "But I knew I was gonna say yes," she told KOTV. "I guess it's like an unconditional love, you know?"

Keith was able to bail her new fiance out of jail using their savings, according to CNN.

Muskogee police officer Lincoln Anderson told CNN he hopes Thompson will take the opportunity to turn his life around.

"Hopefully it will help him make the choices it will take to support his future wife and his kids. And if by letting him take a moment before going to jail to do what he did, then we did our jobs," Anderson said.

Thompson said he has been working to turn his life around, staying out of trouble and volunteering in the community. CNN reports the warrants for Thompson's arrest were for failing to appear in court and pay various fees.

"Police officers are human. We care about the city we serve and the people in it," the Muskogee officer continued. "Sometimes the smallest gesture of kindness is the biggest influence in someone's life."
Hundred-year-old Florence Bearse has very handy advice to give to anyone looking to live a long life.

By India Today Web Desk: So, a woman in the US turned 100 years old recently, and has revealed her special secret to such a long, healthy life, for others to emulate, of course.

Florence Bearse from Maine, US, had one thing she'd like to credit her health and long life to--a fine glass of red wine.

Florence celebrated her 100th birthday among friends at the Westgate Centre for Rehabilitation, which is where she told a local news channel, WLBZ-TV, that wine is her true secret. "I like my wine. Don't take it away from me," she joked.

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The centenarian's birthday was celebrated with full fervour, with her friends, balloons and a cake in attendance!

The former restaurant owner from Massachusetts has dedicated her whole life to serving others. Now, she has very handy advice for anyone looking to live as many years as her: "Don't take any baloney!"

--- ENDS ---
A day after a Chinese expert called for military intervention by China in Jammu and Kashmir on the behalf of Pakistan, senior BJP leader BS Koshiyari has said that "Indians support independence of Tibet".

By Siraj Qureshi: Veteran BJP leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari has raised the issue of independence of Tibet from China saying "every Indian" is in support of the idea. An old RSS hand, Koshyari is an avid supporter of Tibetan independence from China.

Koshiyari's remark has come a day after a Chinese strategic expert advocated that China should prepare for military intervention in Jammu and Kashmir on the behalf of Pakistan as response to what China considers as India's illegal presence in Bhutan in Doklam region.

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Koshiyari said, the 125 crore people of India are one with the people of Tibet in their struggle for freedom from Chinese oppression and will support them for as long as it takes for the Tibet to become independent."

'CHINA DESTROYING TIBETAN CULTURE'

Talking to India Today in Agra today, Koshyari said "The tendency of China is like the demons of the past. Its symbol is the dragon and like a dragon, China is oppressing and decimating the native Tibetans to establish its stronghold in the region."

Koshiyari further said, "China has destroyed over 6,000 monasteries in Tibet and is hell-bent on destroying the Tibetan culture. The Tibetan women are being forced to marry Han Chinese men so that they lose their ethnic identity."

Koshyari claimed that India had told China that Tibet should be given the right to self-governance, even if China stayed in overall control.

KOSHIYARI LIKENS CHINA TO KAURAVAS

Giving the example from the Mahabharata, Koshyari said, "When the Pandavas asked for five villages in order to avoid a war with their cousins Kauravas, the latter refused to give them what was considered their rightful to ask for. As a result, the entire line of Kauravas was wiped out. Similarly, China is on the verge of getting wiped out."

Senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar was also present in Agra today. Speaking to India Today, Indresh Kumar said, the people of India should boycott all Chinese goods and the Indian businessmen should stop importing Chinese products.

"The shopkeepers in India should install signboards at their establishments declaring that they do not sell Chinese products and only indigenously produced goods are sold. This will break China's back financially," Indresh Kumar said.

ALSO READ |

Chinese strategic expert: After Doklam, China can intervene in J-K

ALSO WATCH | China's territorial sovereignty undermined by Indian troops: Chinese Embassy in India

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Patna, Jul 9 (PTI) At least 16 persons died and two others injured in lightning strikes in seven districts of Bihar today.

Five persons died in Vaishali district, three each in Patna and Bhojpur, two in Saran while one each died in Rohtas, Nalanda and Araria districts, Disaster Management Departments Additional Secretary Anirudh Kumar told PTI.

Apart from the deaths, two persons were injured in Bhojpur district.

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Kumar said the next to the kin of those killed would be given Rs 4 lakh as ex-gratia. PTI AR NN

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The HRA will be revised to 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent of the basic pay for X, Y and Z cities respectively when the Dearness Allowance (DA) crosses 50 per cent.

The July salary for government employees will show revision in allowances. Photo for representation: PTI.

By India Today Web Desk: More than a week after Narendra Modi-led Cabinet approved the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission with 34 modifications on June 28, the Ministry of Finance has notified revised allowances effective from July.

As per the official notification in The Gazette of India, the House Rent Allowance (HRA) will be revised to 27 per cent, 18 per cent and 9 per cent of the basic pay for X, Y and Z cities respectively when Dearness Allowance (DA) crosses 25 per cent.

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The HRA will be further revised to 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent of the basic pay for X, Y and Z cities respectively when the DA crosses 50 per cent.

Further, the HRA will not be less than Rs 5,400, Rs 3,600 and Rs 1,800 for X, Y and Z cities respectively calculated at 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent of minimum pay of Rs 18,000. This move will benefit 7.5 lakh government employees.

Before the Cabinet decision, there was much debate on HRA as the Seventh Pay Commission had suggested bringing down the rates to 24 per cent, 16 per cent and 8 per cent of the basic pay for X, Y and Z cities respectively.

Following protests by Central government employees, the government had constituted a panel under Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa to review the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission on allowances.

The Ashok Lavasa panel submitted its report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on April 28.

After a long wait, the July salary of 34 lakh civilian employees and 14 lakh defence forces' personnel will reflect the revised allowances recommended under the Seventh Pay Commission.

While the Seventh Pay Commission projected additional financial implication of Rs 29,000 crore per annum, the revised allowance structure will put a burden of Rs 30,748 crore on the state exchequer every year.

ALSO READ:

7th Pay Commission: 7 main takeaways from Cabinet decision on HRA, other allowances

7th Pay Commission: Modi Cabinet approves revision in HRA rates, other allowances

How 7th Pay Commission will change your life, Indian economy

ALSO WATCH: FM Jaitley announces 3 Cabinet approvals: Chakeri-Allahabad highway, 7th Pay Commission, Air India disinvestment

--- ENDS ---
In a first for the country, UNESCO has declared the historical city of Ahmedabad a World Heritage City.

By India Today Web Desk: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared the historic city of Ahmedabad as a world heritage city.

The six-hundred year old Ahmedabad has been recognized as the first city of India to get the World Heritage City status. Ahmedabad was in competition with New Delhi and Mumbai for the title.

When was the decision in this regard taken?

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The decision was taken at UNESCOs World Heritage Committee Meeting at Krakow in Poland.

The 600-year-old city has now joined the ranks of Paris, Vienna, Cairo, Brussels, Rome and Edinburgh and put India on the world heritage city map.

About Ahmedabad

The walled city of Ahmedabad was founded by Ahmed Shah. It has 26 ASI-protected structures, hundreds of pols that capture the essence of community living and numerous sites associated with Mahatma Gandhi who lived here from 1915 to 1930

It is constituted out of residential settlements Pol and has a specific scale of its community based settlement grouping. Several of such settlements combined together forms a Pur neighbourhood

The historic city has several Pur neighbourhoods forming the entire fortified historic city. These various Pur have its own urban structure which is self-sufficient for the communities, where each Pol once again is a self- sufficient unit

Background

A proposal in this regard was sent to the UNESCO in 2010 at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the then Chief Minister of Gujarat

In 1984, the first study for conserving heritage structures was carried out. A heritage cell was also set up by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC)

The milestone was Ahmadabad's entry into UNESCO's tentative list of world heritage cities on March 31, 2011 and preparation of the Ahmedabad dossier.

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Ahmedabad had Delhi and Mumbai as its competitors for the prestigious title.

By India Today Web Desk: One of the ancient centres of trade, bearing architectural testimonies to the Hindu-Muslim cultural fusion, the walled city of Ahmedabad has held a prominent position in the pages of history.

The city that later became the seat of nationalist uprising during the times of Gandhi still retains its enigmatic charm as one of the essential representatives of what constitutes the culture of India.

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And now, Ahmedabad has been declared India's first World Heritage City by UNESCO.

The committee for world heritage cities lists its criteria for a place to win the accolade as one ''bearing testimony to a cultural tradition or civilisation which is living or has disappeared...'' ''representing a masterpiece of human creative genius''.

This time, Ahmedabad's nomination was supported by 20 countries at the 41st session of the World Heritage committee meeting in Krakow, Poland.

According to Ruchire Kamboj, India's permanent representative at UNESCO, the city has stood for 'peace' and 'unity' for over 600 years while being one of the ''finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture and Hindu-Muslim art''. This can be corroborated through a virtual tour of the city.

Here's why Ahmedabad deserves its new title:

Architecture

Dotted with historical monuments, Ahmedabad is a living example of the blend of the Hindu and Islamic heritage. Thanks to its changing monarchic lineage in the past, the city bears testimony to the prowess of Hindu, Muslim and Jain craftsmen. On one hand, the city houses the 15th century Bhadra Fort, on the other is the Jhulta Minar or swaying minaret and the The Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, one of the finest specimens of Indo-Saracenic style.

Bhadra Fort. Picture courtesy: Facebook/Ahmedabad: Mega City

Among the other top tourist attractions are Teen Darwaza, one of the oldest gateways of the city, Jama Masjid and Qutub Shah's mosque. The city is also home to a number of colonial architectures, including the structure of Ellisbridge and Mangaldas Girdhardas Town Hall.

Also Read: 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India no one really talks about

Museums

Gujarat has over 50 museums, out of which 22 are located in Ahmedabad itself. From Satyagrah Ashram, one of Gandhi's house that was later turned into a museum; Gandhi Memorial Museum to the Calico Museum of Textiles, the city is the storehouse of historical specimens on various subjects. There is also the Sheth BJ Vidyabhavan Museum that has a collection of about 11,000 manuscripts in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Gujarati, Arabic and Persian. Also a renowned tourist attraction is the Museum of Folk Arts, representing the culture of Kathi, Rabari, Ahir, Charan, Bharwad, Kanabi, Mer, Koli, Banasali, Rajput, Meman and Miyana communities.

Calico Museum of Textiles. Picture courtesy: Facebook/Ahmedanad Like Never Before

The city plan

Ahmedabad has been a witness to several historical and traditional benchmarks--be it the trade relations that flourished since the 15th century or freedom movements like Dandi March. What makes the city unique is its ability to carve out a cityscape, divorced from the influences of the West. While the old city consists of 'Pols'--traditional wooden construction, with a compact neighbourhood--the new city or 'Pur' represents independent living with wide roads and modern buildings. Now, the city has also initiated sustainable programmes, beginning with Manek Chowk, representing the inner city, with dynamic street markets and adjoining historical buildings.

Manek Chowk. Picture courtesy: Facebook/India Jannat Hai Mannat Hai Manek Chowk. Picture courtesy: Facebook/India Jannat Hai Mannat Hai

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WASHINGTON  President Trump said Sunday that it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia after his lengthy meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Germany. But he is still avoiding the question of whether he accepts Putins denial that Russia was responsible for meddling in the 2016 election.

Speaking in a series of tweets the morning after returning from a world leaders summit in Germany, Trump said he strongly pressed Putin over Russian meddling during their meeting Friday.

Trump said Putin vehemently denied the conclusions of American intelligence agencies that Russian hackers and propagandists tried to sway the election in Trumps favor. But Trump would not say whether he believed Putin, tweeting only that hes already given my opinion.

Trump has said he thinks Russia probably hacked the emails of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton staffers, but that other people and/or countries were likely involved as well.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov first told reporters in Germany on Friday that Trump had accepted Putins assurances that Russia hadnt meddled  an assertion Putin repeated Saturday after the Group of 20 summit.

But White House chief of staff Reince Priebus took issue with Putins characterization.

The president absolutely didnt believe the denial of President Putin, Priebus said on Fox News Sunday. He said Trump had spent a large part of the meeting on the subject, but wanted to move onto other subjects.

He and other administration officials said Trump did not want Russian interference in last years election to prevent him from working with Putins government on other issues, including the civil war in Syria.

Trump also tweeted that the two sides also agreed to create an impenetrable Cyber Security unit to ensure that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was among critics of the task force on Twitter and Sunday morning news shows.

Its not the dumbest idea Ive ever heard, but its pretty close, Graham said, adding that, when it comes to Russia, the president has a blind spot.

And to forgive and forget when it comes to Putin regarding cyberattacks is to empower Putin and thats exactly what hes doing, he added.

And Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said that expecting Russia to be a credible partner in any cybersecurity initiative would be dangerously naive for this country.

If thats our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow, he said on CNNs State of the Union.

Trump also tweeted Sunday that sanctions against Russia were not discussed at his meeting with Putin, seemingly contradicting comments made by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Germany. Tillerson told reporters that the president had taken note of actions that have been discussed by the Congress in the meeting. Congress has been pushing to increase sanctions on Russia and make them harder for Trump to lift.

Jill Colvin is an Associated Press writer.
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In parts of the country, a half-million dollars easily buys a comfortable three-bedroom home in great condition.

In San Francisco, that price point  which requires an annual income of at least $125,000  most likely gets you a tiny bungalow that needs a ton of work or a studio apartment.

Even "affordable fixer-uppers" are hard to find. There were exactly two SF houses listed around $500,000 as of Friday, according to Zillow.

What's a first-time Bay Area homebuyer to do if they want to live in an urban environment but have a limited budget?

Oakland  with a buzzing downtown of restaurants, clubs, and cafes and a public transit that zips you into San Francisco  is one option.

This sprawling metropolis has some high-priced neighborhoods like Rockridge, where the median sales price is $1.4 million, but moving west you'll find many neighborhoods with lower-priced bungalows below $600,000. As of Friday, there were nearly 100 of them listed on Zillow.

SFGATE combed through these listings and found three that we think are especially sweet in up-and-coming neighborhoods. We highlight them in the gallery above.

The first is a two-bedroom charmer at 3545 69th Ave., in Oakland's Millsmont neighborhood near Mills College. The home is tidy and well-kept but the backyard built around a redwood tree is the real draw here.

"The backyard was rebuilt completely and there are all these intricate details, beautiful plants, and lighting, and it all comes together around this tree," says listing agent Ilya Tsay of Vanguard Properties.

Also near Mills College in Chevrolet Park, 3208 60th Ave. has gleaming hardwood floors and an original fireplace. The kitchen has been fully remodeled with new cabinetry and appliances.

"It's just darling," says listing agent Anne McKereghan of Alain Pinel. "I think one extra special thing is it has a nice finished-off extra space in the back. If someone wanted to do an art space you could do that."

The third home dates to 1896 and was one of the original working-family homes when train tracks were being laid in West Oakland. Inside 833 Wood you'll find 12-foot ceilings, hardwood floors and a brick fireplace.

"It's one of those homes for someone who wants some of that historical charm," says Anita Alleyne of Zephyr. "That whole street has a lot of different history to it. It's not that far from where the Black Panthers lived. There's a ton of history in that area. This particular house is pretty much right where the original train tracks were."
BEIJING  Chinese doctors worked urgently Monday to save critically ill Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, as the government hardened its position against growing pleas to allow Chinas best-known political prisoner to leave for treatment overseas.

A stark update issued by Lius hospital said he was suffering from poor kidney function and bleeding in the liver from metastasizing tumors. It heightened pressure on Beijing, which has resisted appeals from several nations to let Liu and his family go.

A foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, asked other countries at a daily news briefing to respect Chinas national sovereignty and refrain from interfering in its domestic affairs due to an individual case. On Monday the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel asked Beijing for a signal of humanity for Liu Xiaobo and his family.

Lius health has been the subject of international attention after news emerged in late June that the dissident had been transferred to a Chinese hospital because of late-stage liver cancer. Supporters and Western governments urged China to allow Liu to choose where he wanted to be treated and to release him. Beijing has so far resisted, citing Lius fragile health and arguing that he is receiving the best possible care in China.

Liu was convicted in 2009 of inciting subversion for his role in the Charter 08 movement calling for political reform. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize a year later while in prison.

Two foreign doctors who were permitted to visit Liu this past weekend said Sunday that they deemed Liu strong enough to be evacuated, apparently contradicting Chinese expert opinion.

Chinese leaders face two unpalatable choices, analysts say. If China sends Liu abroad, he could speak out against Beijing in his remaining days and become a worldwide media icon. If Beijing maintains the status quo  keeping him under close guard in China  his death in custody would tarnish the Communist Partys image.

Lius plight already has drawn public protests in Hong Kong. On Monday, dozens of people waved banners as they staged a sit-in protest outside the Chinese governments representative office, urging Beijing to allow Liu to be treated overseas. The activists said they would not leave until Liu is allowed to leave the country.

Gerry Shih and Gillian Wong are Associated Press writers.
COATZACOALCOS, Mexico  The bullet-riddled bodies of the Martinez children were found on a bloody floor, huddled next to the corpses of their parents in a rented shack.

The family of six was massacred, authorities believe, because the Zetas cartel suspected the father, an unemployed taxi driver, had played some part in a rival gangs attack that killed a Zeta gunman.

The response underlines the no-holds-barred tactics of drug gangs that are splintering and battling one another for control in much of Mexico, which recently recorded its highest monthly murder total in at least 20 years.

Despite President Enrique Pena Nietos promises of a safer nation when he came to office five years ago, the violence is outpacing even the darkest days of the drug war launched by his predecessor.

It has taken on the proportions of a ring of hell that would be described in Dantes Inferno, said Mike Vigil, former chief of international operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and author of the book Deal.

Their strategy was strictly going after the kingpin. ... That was pretty much not the way to go because, you know, you cut off a head and others take its place, Vigil added. You have weak institutions, weak rule of law, weak judiciary, massive corruption, particularly within the state and municipal police forces, and all of that contributes to the escalating violence.

In the first five months of 2017, there were 9,916 killings nationwide  an increase of about 30 percent over the 7,638 slain during the same period last year. In 2011, the bloodiest year of the drug war, the figure for the same January-May period was 9,466.

In some places the bloodshed has accompanied the rise of the upstart Jalisco New Generation cartel and the breakup of the once-dominant Sinaloa cartel into warring factions following the arrest of drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, who was extradited to the United States in January.

At least 19 people died in turf battles pitting Guzmans son, brother and former allies against each other last month in the western state of Sinaloa, according to investigators.

In the northern border state of Chihuahua, shootouts last week between Sinaloa gunmen and the gang known as La Linea killed at least 14.

In the Gulf Coast oil city of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz Gov. Miguel Angel Yunes said the slaying of a top gunman in late June prompted the Zetas to kill the entire Martinez family: Clemente; his wife Martimana; 10-year-old Jocelin; Victor Daniel, 8; Angel, 6; and Nahomi, 5.

All died in the house where they washed cars for $1 each.

They didnt have anything, not even furniture. They slept on the floor, grandmother Flora Martinez said, sobbing. I dont understand why they did this, why they did this to my little ones. They were innocent, they didnt know anything.

For years it was understood that the Zetas were untouchable in this part of the state. Just ask Sonia Cruz, whose son was killed in Coatzacoalcos in July 2016 in a case that remains unsolved.

They (police) told me that when la mana (drug cartels) are involved, thats where they stop investigating, Cruz said.

But last years election of Yunes, the first opposition candidate to win the governorship from the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, may have broken old alliances between criminals and corrupt officials.

The new governor has shown some willingness to go after the Zetas: The local cartel leader who allegedly ordered the Martinez killings, known as Comandante H, was arrested a few days afterward.

The wave of violence has also touched regions that were long seen as peaceful.

The Jalisco cartel is believed to have allied with a faction of the Sinaloa gang in a war for the Baja California Sur state cities of Los Cabos and the nearby port of La Paz. Dismembered bodies, severed heads and clandestine graves have now become almost routine in the once-placid resorts.

Mark Stevenson is an Associated Press writer.
LONDON  A British court on Monday gave the parents of 11-month-old Charlie Gard a chance to present fresh evidence that their terminally ill son should receive experimental treatment.

The decision came after an emotionally charged hearing in the wrenching case, during which Gards mother wept in frustration and his father yelled at a lawyer.

Judge Nicholas Francis gave the couple until Wednesday to present the evidence and set a new hearing for Thursday in a case that has drawn international attention.

But the judge insisted there had to be new and powerful evidence to reverse earlier rulings that barred Charlie from traveling abroad for treatment and authorized Londons Great Ormond Street Hospital to take him off life support.

There is not a person alive who would not want to save Charlie, Francis said. If there is new evidence I will hear it.

Charlie suffers from mitochondrial depletion syndrome, a rare genetic disease that has left him brain damaged and unable to breathe unaided. His parents want to bring him abroad for experimental therapy, which they say offers their son a chance of improvement.

But British and European courts have sided with the hospitals decision that the 11-month-olds life support should end, saying therapy would not help and would cause more suffering.

Both Pope Francis and President Trump have fueled international attention on the case, with hospitals in Rome and the U.S. offering to provide Charlie the experimental therapy.

The case pits the rights of parents to decide whats best for their children against the authorities with responsibility for ensuring that people who cant speak for themselves receive the most appropriate care.

Charlies parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, have received wide public support.

Caroline Spiezio is an Associated Press writer.
The current programme is being implemented in partnership with Sightsavers, an international NGO, which has been working to eliminate blindness in India since decades.

AIIMS, in associate with an NGO ASHA, has been conducting door-to-door eye check-ups in south Delhi.

By Priyanka Sharma: In its bid to eliminate avoidable blindness from South Delhi area, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) for the first time has been conducting a primary eye care program, having involved ASHA workers, who visit door to door identifying residents with any eye related ailments.

As per AIIMS, in last one year more than 30,000 patients were provided consultation and nearly half of them were prescribed spectacles. Nearly 1,100 patients were referred to AIIMS' RP centre for free cataract surgery. Cataract is considered to be the most common cause of blindness in our country and it can be treated by surgery only.

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The current programme is being implemented in partnership with Sightsavers, an international NGO, which has been working to eliminate blindness in India since decades. "We have operationalised 11 vision centres at Delhi government's dispensaries, where ophthalmic technicians regularly look after primary eye care services. Patients requiring further treatment are referred to AIIMS and are offered free surgeries under at RP Centre," (Prof) Dr Atul Kumar, chief of RP centre, AIIMS, told Mail Today.

PRIMARY EYE SERVICES NEED TO BE STRENGTHENED

Doctors at AIIMS said in order to strengthen the primary eye care services, government of India had planned to commission 20,000 vision centres across the country but only around 4,000 have been started so far.

Prof Atul said most people are not aware of eye problem and not even of the services available. "AIIMS is being able to reach out to people to refer them for treatment at early stage of eye diseases," said centre.

(Prof) Dr Praveen Vashist, head of community ophthalmology at RP eye centre, AIIMS told Mail Today, "The primary eye care services are extremely poor. There is extreme shortage of paramedical ophthalmic assistant in the dispensaries. Even the facilities of refraction and spectacles are not available in most of the dispensaries in Delhi, due to which a large number of children remain visually impaired. We decided to train ASHA workers and involved them in door-to-door vision screening in marginalised areas of South Delhi. They were also trained to assess the misconceptions about eye care and their removal as well as prevention. These workers refer people to the vision centres established in Delhi governments dispensaries for basic eye care patients are further sent to AIIMS in case they require surgeries," said Dr Vashist.

PATIENTS REFERRED TO AIIMS

Vashist added, "Our target is to eliminate avoidable blindness from South Delhi area. We have already trained 195 ASHA workers for the purpose."

For this, Delhi government has also initiated incentive scheme for ASHA workers if they get patients operated for cataract or get them spectacles prescribed.

Professor Atul informed that faculties for screening of diabetic patients for diabetic eye diseases (mainly diabetic retinopathy) are also arranged in these vision centres by trained ophthalmic technicians.

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Patients identified with diabetic retinopathy are also referred to AIIMS.

National Programme of Control of Blindness website under Health ministry also informed that the services for cataract surgery and refractive errors are extremely poor.

Also Read:

Ailing AIIMS: Health Ministry's clean chit puts probe into Rs 7000 crore scam in jeopardy

AIIMS to adopt 50 physically challenged senior citizens

--- ENDS ---
1 Show of force: North Korean state media on Sunday sharply criticized a practice bombing run by two U.S. B-1B bombers on the Korean peninsula, calling it a dangerous move raising the risk of nuclear war. A commentary in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper accused the U.S. of reckless military provocations. Two U.S. Air Force bombers released inert weapons Friday on a training range in South Korea. South Korean F-15 and U.S. F-16 fighter jets joined them in the drill. The mission came three days after North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. U.S. military officials described the mission as a show of force and unity that demonstrated the ironclad U.S. commitment to our allies.

2 Sick baby: Britains government wont play a role in deciding the medical treatment of a terminally ill baby whose parents want to take him to the U.S. for experimental treatment. Justice Secretary David Lidington said Sunday that the decision on 11-month-old Charlie Gard will be made by judges acting independent and dispassionately based on the facts of the complicated case. Charlies parents are protesting the decision by Great Ormond Street Hospital to turn down their request to bring him to the U.S. for treatment. The hospital has been backed by a series of court rulings, but the case is expected to be back in Britains High Court on Monday. The boy has a rare inherited mitochondrial disease that has affected many of his vital organs and left him with brain damage.
GENEVA  The United Nations special envoy for Syrian peace talks on Monday said a U.S. and Russia-brokered cease-fire in the countrys southwest was generally holding despite some teething problems, adding he hoped it would contribute positively to talks between the government and opposition.

The new round of indirect talks that began Monday is the seventh so far between Syrian government representatives and opposition leaders to try to wind down the battered countrys 6-year-old civil war.

Staffan de Mistura, speaking at a news conference in Geneva, said he is not expecting any breakthroughs but rather some incremental developments.

The start of the talks in Geneva coincided with the first full day of the cease-fire for southern Syria that was negotiated last week by the United States, Russia and Jordan.

Opposition activist Ahmad al-Masalmeh said it was quiet in the city of Daraa, near the Jordanian border. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported light shelling and bombardment in the city overnight. The cease-fire covers three provinces in war-torn southern Syria.

We believe that de-escalation will be contributing to not only the talks in Geneva and in Astana of course but will also reassure the Syrian people that while we are talking the people are not going to die because of bombs, de Mistura said.

He cautioned against de-escalation deals leading to eventual partition, saying they should be an interim measure only until an overall cease-fire and peace settlement can be found.

The Geneva talks are expected to last through the week. De Mistura will be shuttling between the two sides, which have not been face-to-face in the same room except at a ceremony to resume the talks earlier this year.

The United Nations-led diplomatic effort seeks partly to ensure humanitarian aid deliveries to Syria and plan for the day after the war is over. At the press conference, de Mistura avoided questions about any political transition away from President Bashar Assad, saying the talks are focusing on de-escalation and stabilization for now.

The Syrian opposition is determined to achieve a political transition in Damascus. But Assads government has refused to entertain talk of the presidents departure. He inherited power from his father, the late Hafez Assad, in 2000 and has held on despite the devastating civil war. Half of the countrys population has been displaced, and some 400,000 people have been killed in the violence since 2011.

Meanwhile, Syrian government forces retook the al-Hail gas field in central Syria from Islamic State militants, the army reported. The government and its Iranian backers have been advancing through Homs province to secure vital resources they lost early in the war.

Jamey Keaten and Philip Issa are Associated Press writers.
He's in

That sound you heard this morning was the other shoe dropping. The Albuquerque Journal's Michael Coleman reports New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce will announce today that he's going to run for governor. Pearce instantly becomes the favorite for the Republican nominationin part because he's the only one to have declared. But his name recognition and fundraising prowess will give other potential candidates pause. Pearce's candidacy means the 2nd Congressional District seat in Southern New Mexico is up for grabs. Pearce, a consistent, conservative voice in Congress, lost a statewide race for Senate in 2008.

Feds to review NM's behavioral health system

The federal Health and Human Services Department plans to

at the behavioral health care component of New Mexico's managed care plans. In 2013, the Martinez administration accused 15 behavioral healthcare providers of Medicaid fraud and overbilling. In the years since, no fraud has been found and the overbillingonce estimated as high as $36 millionappears to be just a tiny fraction of what the state feared.

Auditor questions state's accounting

State Auditor Tim Keller says New Mexico's bookkeeping practices have resulted in

of dollars received from the state's Land Grant Permanent Fund. The net result is an inaccurate picture of New Mexico's finances, the auditor says. The state has made accounting changes to stop listing more than $750 million as an asset both for individual departments and the fund itself. Keller is a Democrat who is running for mayor of Albuquerque.

Former US attorney to run for Congress

Damon Martinez, the former US attorney in New Mexico, will

seat, which primarily includes Albuquerque. Martinez held the federal post when the Justice Department concluded Albuquerque police were engaging in unconstitutional policing. The Democrat joins a crowded field that includes city councilors and state representatives.

'Proof positive'

The ACLU's New Mexico branch is

after the city denied a public records request for police policies regarding cellphone snooping devices. This has happened in other cities that use Stingray machines and other such devices that mimic cell towers and let police covertly lift data from mobile phones. The ACLU says the city denied owning any such devices, but also refused to release policies regarding their use. "I would say it's proof positive that they have them," a spokesman said.

Las Soleras dust-up

Folks who live near the huge Las Soleras development on the Southside say dust from the construction project

. There are rules for mitigating blowing dust from such projects, but some people who live in the Nava Ade subdivision say they're either not being followed or not doing much good.

Monsoons?

It's kind of starting to look that way, as afternoon chances of storms seem to

. There's plenty of heat to build the storms, and the National Weather Service says monsoonal moisture is

.

Thanks for reading! The Word thinks guessing when the monsoons will start/have started is one of the best parts of summer. Assuming they actually start, that is.

Subscribe to the Morning Word at sfreporter.com/signup

Santa Fe Reporter
Better Drinks Co, the New Zealand drinks company owned by Japanese brewer Asahi Group, has taken a charge against the value of its brands, the second year in a row it has recognised an impairment on its balance sheet.

The Auckland-based company's 2016 accounts record an impairment of $3.7 million against its brands, writing them down to $20.3 million. That follows a $42.3 million impairment in 2015 to write off all of its goodwill. That resulted in a net loss of about $4.2 million, narrower than calendar 2015's loss of $43 million.

Better Drinks includes the Charlie's range of juices and fruit drinks, acquired during an acquisition spree in 2011. Asahi took Charlie's Group private in 2011 when it paid 44 cents a share for the company, a 57 percent premium at the time, that valued the listed juice maker at $129 million. Its suite of drink brands also includes Phoenix, Juicy Lucy Ti Tonics, Real Iced Tea and Stash Tea. Its New Zealand marketing executive didn't immediately return calls.

Revenue declined to $29 million last year from $31 million in 2015. Sales were $43 million in 2012, the first year of Asahi ownership. Gross profit actually rose to $13 million from $12.8 million and both selling and marketing costs were lower in the latest year.

While buying Charlie's in 2011, Asahi also agreed to buy Independent Liquor Group for $1.5 billion from shareholders including buyout firms Pacific Equity Partners, Unitas Capital and the widow of company founder Michael Erceg. It ended up getting a $209 million settlement after suing the vendors of Independent, claiming its performance had been inflated.

However, Independent, which owns alcohol brands such as Woodstock Bourbon and Boundary Road beer, returned to a profit of $15.4 million in 2016 after slashing costs faster than revenue fell. Asahi wrote off its remaining goodwill in Independent in 2014, when it took impairment charges totalling $255 million.

Better Drinks' accounts don't give details of which brands were impaired in the latest year. The company estimated the value of the brands using the relief from royalty method. The net present value of the royalties was estimated using a discount rate of 9.85 percent.

At year end its outstanding trade receivables due from related parties amounted to $1.67 million while trade payables due to related parties, mainly a loan and interest to the parent, amounted to about $48 million from $49 million a year earlier. The notes say parent Asahi Holdings (Australia) won't seek repayment of the loan in the foreseeable future.

In March, Asahi completed the 7.3 billion euro purchase of five eastern European beer brands from Anheuser-Busch InBev while last month Japan's biggest beer maker sold its remaining 20.4 percent stake in China's Tingyi-Asahi Beverages for about US$614 million.

(BusinessDesk)

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Jade Software has been split in a shake-up of ownership that's left UK non-bank lender Skipton Building Society holding the digital arm and USA Health with the logistics unit.

The board, headed by Callaghan Innovation chair Sue Suckling, recently completed a strategic review of the Christchurch-based software developer and decided to split out Jade Logistics from the group, echoing a similar move five years ago when Jade spun out Wynyard Group just 13 months after establishing the now-defunct intelligence software developer.

The split has seen the bulk of Jade's minority shareholders, including founder Gil Simpson, exit the register. Skipton Investments lifts ts stake in Jade Software to 99.92 percent from 56 percent and USA Health owns 99.92 percent of the newly-incorporated Jade Logistics Holdings, having previously held a 26 percent stake in the wider group.

No price was disclosed for the shareholders who sold. Companies Office filings show Paul Ainsworth, Kevin Douglas, Angus Strong, Deborah Smith and Lynda Raina as the remaining minorities in the two Jade groups.

"The logistics business under USA Healths ownership will continue to invest in growth and research and development, while Jade Software under Skipton Investments ownership will continue to focus on building the solutions and operations business for long-term sustainability, as well as continued investment in the JADE technology," a spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. "Both businesses will remain headquartered in Christchurch and all existing staff have been retained."

The restructuring has also seen USA Health's Roger Bhole and chief executive David Lindsay depart the Jade Software board on June 30, leaving Skiptons Alex Robinson and Henry Varney and independent directors Julia Raue and chair Suckling. Former Air New Zealand chief information officer Raue and Suckling were relatively recent additions, joining in April 2016 and last October respectively.

Jade filed its annual report last month showing a narrower loss of $942,000 in calendar 2016 from the $3.5 million deficit in 2015 on a 24 percent increase in revenue to $37 million. The majority of that growth was from the logistics unit where revenue jumped 55 percent, and outpacing a 13 percent increase in revenue from its digital solutions business.

The company had previously been targeting an early return to profitability on the strength of its port management software, however the annual report said the logistics business won't turn a profit in the medium term as it spends more on developing new products and expanding its market share until it establishes "further critical mass" to "deliver long-term profitability".

Jade spent $2.1 million on research and development in 2016 compared to $2.2 million a year earlier and received Callaghan R&D grants of almost $407,000, down from $543,000 in 2015.

The accounts valued Jades total equity at $14 million as at Dec. 31, with $25.6 million of assets and $11.7 million of liabilities. The software developer burned through $4.6 million of cash in 2016, mainly due to a $3.6 million of investment in buying and developing software. That left Jade with cash and equivalents of $5.2 million at the balance date.

Under the split, group chief executive Lindsay will now head up Jade Logistics and former Microsoft New Zealand enterprise director Jason Court will act as interim CEO of Jade Software under a permanent replacement is found. Lindsay is currently the sole director of Jade Logistics

BusinessDesk receives assistance from Callaghan Innovation to cover the commercialisation of innovation.

(BusinessDesk)

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Air India in its statement said that it has taken a conscious decision to not have non-vegetarian meals in economy class on its domestic flights to reduce wastage, reduce cost and improve catering service.

Air India is not serving non-vegetarian meals to its economy-class flyers on domestic routes.

Air India, which is reeling under debt and cash crunch, has now decided to take meat off the menu for its economy class flyers on all domestic routes.

While the move is largely being pushed as a cost-cutting measure by the ailing Maharajah, the undertones of a class bias cannot be missed as the airline continues to serve meat to its business class flyers.

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Two weeks ago, the Air India management silently cleared the proposal to stop non-vegetarian meals on board domestic flights for economy class flyers.

Sources in the Air India said that the decision will help save Rs 7-8 crore annually for the national carrier.

This is the second such 'cost-cutting' move by Air India in the last few months. Six months ago, the airline had struck off non-vegetarian meals on domestic flights with only economy class flyers which have a flight duration of below 90 minutes.

The recent decision by the Air India management is unlikely to go down well with the flyers. Passengers have been complaining about non-vegetarian meals missing from the on board menu.

The Air India in-flight staff is facing a tough time answering the queries of economy class flyers on denial of non-vegetarian meals when business class flyers on the same flight are having it.

Air India clarified that egg dishes will continue to be served to economy class passengers on domestic flights, but chicken and other meat will be off the menu.

Air India has now issued a statement saying that it has taken a conscious decision to not have non-vegetarian meals in economy class on its domestic flights to reduce wastage, reduce cost and improve catering service.

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ALSO WATCH: Privatisation of Air India: How does it impact you?

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) Amid the standoff between India and China at the border tri-junction with Bhutan, Congress today said party vice president Rahul Gandhi has met the ambassadors of the neighbouring countries.

The party downplayed the meeting and did not specify its venue or time.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala termed it a "courtesy call" and said envoys of G5 as well as neighbouring countries keep meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the vice-president from time to time.

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"Be it the Chinese ambassador (Luo Zhaohui) or Bhutanese ambassador (Vetsop Namgyel) or former national security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon,

Rahul Gandhi met all three of them. Nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls to term them an event like the sources of the Ministry of External Affairs are attempting to do," he said.

Surjewala said Rahul and other opposition leaders are "fully aware of our national interests" and are concerned about the "grave situation" on the Indo-Chinese border as well as "the situation arising in Bhutan as also in Sikkim".

China and India have been engaged in the standoff in the Doklam area near the Bhutan tri-junction for the past three weeks after a Chinese Armys construction party attempted to build a road.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region. PTI SKC BSA BSA

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By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) With India and China locked in a standoff on the border area abutting Bhutan, the Congress today said party vice-president Rahul Gandhi had met the ambassadors of the two neighbouring countries.

The party said Gandhi met the ambassadors of China and Bhutan, but did not specify when or where the meetings were held.

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Downplaying the meetings, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala called them a "courtesy call" and said "envoys of neighbouring countries" met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the vice-president from "time to time".

The envoys of G5 - a group that consists of China, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, apart from India -- also meet the two Congress leaders, he said.

The party VP had met Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui, Bhutanese ambassador Vetsop Namgyel and former national security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, he said.

But "nobody should try to sensationalise such normal courtesy calls to term them an event like the sources of the Ministry of External Affairs are attempting to do," he said.

Surjewala had earlier tweeted that the news about Gandhi meeting the Chinese envoy was "planted" by government agencies through "bhakt channels".

The spokesperson said the party VP and other opposition leaders were "fully aware of national interests" and were concerned about the "grave situation" on the India-China border as well as "the situation arising in Bhutan and Sikkim".

The troop impasse is in the Doka La or Doklam area, near Sikkim.

Tension on the border built up after a Chinese army construction party attempted to erect a road in the region three weeks ago.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as a part of its Donglang region. PTI SKC BSA BDS

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KRV activists have called a meeting of leaders of all the parties who are fighting for linguistic rights and equality and against imposition of Hindi language.

By Sahil Joshi: Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), a pro-Kannada organisation which was part of the recent anti-Hindi protests across Karnataka, has now decided to form an anti-Hindi front of all regional parties from non-hindi speaking states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala etc.

KRV activists have called a meeting of leaders of all the parties who are fighting for linguistic rights and equality and against imposition of Hindi language.

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Invitations have been extended to Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray to attend the meeting scheduled for September 15 in Bangalore.

Even though Karnataka has prolonged border issue with Maharashtra and Kaveri water dispute with Tamil Nadu, yet KRV leaders think such issues can wait and priority is to fight against Central government's policy to impose Hindi.

KRV claims to have also invited DMK and AIADMK for the meeting to discuss the formation of anti-Hindi front.

Official letter sent by KRV reads, "Government of India has started subjugating state's rights in many ways like NEET , GST etc and trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states under the Raj Bhasha Act."

KRV has alleged that the Indian government is using provisions under Articles 343 to 351 of the Indian Constitution to impose Hindi in states. The organisation has also alleged that the tax payer's money has been used to forcefully impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states under disguise of official language and that the government of India is not making any efforts to promote other languages the way they are promoting Hindi now.

Citing example of Nammo Metro, KRV has also said that the government is asking state governments also to implement Hindi instead of regional languages .

The pro-Kannada organisation has asked other regional parties to support this campaign for linguistic equality and fight against 'Hindi hegemony'. According to sources, Raj Thackeray is considering sending MNS representative for this meeting and restart his tirade against North Indians.

KRV activist Aru Ambuga said, "Our fight is not against Hindi but for linguistic equality for which we have called all regional parties like DMK , TMC, TDP AIADMK, TRS with linguistic agenda."

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has reportedly supported the anti-Hindi brigade and has asked the officials to find out what policy was followed in non- Hindi states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and others.

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An embattled Lalu Prasad needs him for survival, while the BJP eyes him for its 2019 Lok Sabha run. Why Nitish Kumar is at the top of the pecking order in Bihar's politics.

As Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar rose to address the state executive committee of his party, the Janata Dal (United), or the JD(U), during a closed-door meeting in Patna on July 2, he was unsparingly critical of the Congress, a junior ally in his grand alliance government with four ministers in the 29-member cabinet.

"We don't need to take lessons from the Congress. You (Congress) change your principles, not me"-Nitish's remark was a counterattack aimed at Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who had ridiculed him for backing Ram Nath Kovind, the NDA's nominee for the presidential election. Azad had indirectly referred to Nitish as a man of "many principles".

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A week ago, Nitish had snubbed senior alliance partner Rashtriya Janata Dal, refusing to consider even Lalu Prasad's repeated pleas to back the Opposition's presidential nominee. While Lalu described Nitish's decision as a "historical blunder", the Bihar CM remained unperturbed. His party mounted a fierce pushback, with every spokesperson on record warning the RJD of "serious consequences". JD(U) chief general secretary K.C. Tyagi went to the extent of saying that his party had enjoyed better "comfort level" with its previous ally, the BJP.

With both allies, the RJD and Congress, silenced within a fortnight, Nitish appears to be undisputedly perched at the top of the pecking order in Bihar's politics. Those who had thought he would succumb to Lalu's pressure-the RJD has 80 MLAs in the Bihar assembly compared to the JD(U)'s 71-are eating their words.

The recent episode may have brought to the fore the uneasy relationship between Nitish and Lalu, but it has also established Nitish's pre-eminence in Bihar's politics today. What gives Nitish the edge is his wide acceptability-the BJP, with 53 MLAs, is willing to support his government should he snap ties with the RJD and Congress. A JD(U)-BJP alliance will enjoy simple majority in the 243-member Bihar assembly-a possibility that keeps Lalu in check.

Nitish, who has in the past been a steadfast supporter of a wider, cohesive Opposition, skipped the June 22 meeting of Opposition parties called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to pick a candidate for the presidential election. Instead, he declared support for Kovind. This was the second time in less than a month that the Bihar chief minister did not attend a meeting convened by Sonia. On May 26, he skipped a lunch thrown by Sonia in New Delhi but made himself available for a lunch convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the very next day.

Much to the discomfort of his allies, Nitish has been backing the Modi government's decisions from time to time. He not only supported the Goods and Services Tax (GST) but even sent party representatives to attend the midnight rollout ceremony in Parliament. Last year, he welcomed demonetisation and the surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and in 2015, Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan.

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With just two years to go for the next parliamentary election, Bihar's politics appears to be increasingly turning Nitish-centric.

Saddled with mounting legal worries related to the fodder scam investigation and alleged unaccounted-for assets of his family members, Lalu looks vulnerable and dependent on Nitish for survival. At the other end is the BJP-eager to woo Nitish as it looks increasingly difficult for the NDA to repeat its 2014 Lok Sabha tally of 31 seats in Bihar.

Arguably, Nitish would find the RJD and Congress more submissive than a BJP under PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. For them, he only has the limited utility of helping win a few more Lok Sabha seats from Bihar. "To top it all, Modi's BJP cannot really offer Nitish Kumar anything that he does not already have," reasons a senior JD(U) leader.

Nitish has already been chief minister for over a decade with no immediate reasons to switch sides unless the grand alliance in Bihar becomes unsustainable. "That could happen if Lalu's sons, Tej Pratap and Tejashwi, are charged in the ongoing investigation into the alleged unaccounted-for assets of Lalu and family," predicts senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. "Nitish may then ask them to resign from the cabinet, which can bring the alliance to breaking point."

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A JD(U) leader counters: "The BJP cannot make Nitish the NDA's prime ministerial candidate, though he may become one if he continues in the Opposition camp. Nitish's career has been shaped by pragmatism, fired by opportunities, weathered by years of toil and unblemished by taint. Why would he let go of all this to be on the same side as the BJP?"

In June 2010, while in the NDA, Nitish had snubbed top BJP leaders by cancelling a dinner for them over an advertisement featuring him with Modi, then the chief minister of Gujarat, and another regarding the Gujarat government's aid for the 2008 floods in Bihar. Eventually, in 2013, in one of his biggest political gambles, Nitish ended his 17-year alliance with the BJP to protest against the elevation of Modi as the BJP's campaign panel chief for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. In 2015, his party's grand alliance with the RJD and Congress dealt a crushing defeat to the NDA in the Bihar assembly elections, together bagging 178 seats.

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Many JD(U) leaders-and many more in the Congress and RJD-however believe that Nitish could switch sides once again. "Knowing Nitish Kumar's temperament and working style, which tolerates neither taint nor interference, it is difficult for him to be comfortable in Lalu Prasad's company," says a JD(U) leader.

In Lalu's case, Nitish has refused to look the other way whenever politicians with a criminal record considered closed to the RJD chief have tried to call the shots. His government successfully challenged the bail to former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin and sitting RJD legislator Raj Ballabh Yadav while he refused to defend Lalu and his family on the issue of alleged unaccounted-for wealth.

Nitish even refused to nominate new chairpersons to various boards and corporations in Bihar in the 17 months of his coalition government primarily because he wished to keep undeserving people out of such posts. "Nitish has never promoted dynasty in politics," says a JD(U) spokesman. "As a leader of a regional party, he could have easily given key party positions to his brother and son, but he has kept them away from politics."

A senior leader in Nitish's party adds that the Bihar CM is very conscious of his image. "He quit as CM after the JD(U)'s defeat in Bihar in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and did not pick anyone from his family to succeed him," he says. Others in the party feel Nitish's underplaying of prime ministerial ambitions is purely strategic. He knows that even in a best-case scenario of 20 MPs in the next Lok Sabha elections, he won't have the clout to pitch for the PM's post. Though he could still emerge as a consensus candidate from the Opposition camp, Nitish, of late, has been feeling disillusioned with the Congress central leadership.

His followers recall that it was the Congress's indifference that forced the JD(U) to pull out of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, where Nitish had fiercely campaigned ahead of the polls seeking to take his party beyond Bihar. They say it was Nitish who made Lalu cede space to let a non-existent Congress contest 40 seats in the Bihar elections. The Congress won 27 seats, almost regaining its lost glory in the state. Nitish had expected the Congress to return the favour in UP. But with the Congress allying with the Samajwadi Party and Lalu joining the campaign, the JD(U) was left out.

Today, even as Nitish continues to appeal to the Congress to set a coherent agenda for the Opposition, he has largely given up any hope of achieving that goal. He would also be aware that his steadfast support for demonetisation may have cost him friendship with Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, two important regional chieftains.

For now, it looks like an uneasy truce between Lalu and Nitish, with both making efforts to restore calm and rein in party colleagues. Nitish has even said he will attend the RJD's August rally against the BJP in Patna. Yet, it could be the lull before the storm. A senior RJD leader, who was restrained in speaking out against Nitish, said the Bihar CM had already crossed the line by ignoring the Opposition's appeal to support their presidential nominee. And with Lalu and Nitish publicly going against each other on the issue, the alliance is breathing heavy, he says.

Even if ties deteriorate, it will be difficult for Nitish to embrace the BJP. His grand alliance stormed into power in the state with a brute majority on an anti-BJP plank. Prior to severing ties with the BJP in 2013, Nitish had backed UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee in the 2012 presidential election. This time, the support for Kovind is being described by the JD(U) as an endorsement of the NDA nominee's impartial and dignified stint as the governor of Bihar.

But is there a bigger design behind Nitish's move? In May 2013, when Nitish dropped then Union finance minister P. Chidambaram at the gate of the Bihar Congress headquarters in his car, it triggered speculation that he was inching closer to the Congress. Nitish had trashed those reports, but then stormed out of the NDA a month later. That ability to keep his allies and adversaries both interested and uncertain continues to serve Nitish well.

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By PTI: Kolkata, Jul 9 (PTI) Trinamool Congress today accused the BJP of bringing people "from across the border" and instigating the West Bengal natives to spread violence and destroy communal harmony in the state.

Speaking to reporters at the TMC Bhawan here, party secretary general Partha Chatterjee said there have been constant attempts to destroy the communal harmony of the state and the BJP, with support from its government at the Centre, has been behind it.

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"There have been consistent attempts to destroy the communal harmony in West Bengal. And we have been noticing that people from across the borders are coming to this part of the land with support of the BJP, and creating trouble here and trying to instigate people and spread violence with their hate speeches," Chatterjee said.

The TMC leader alleged that BJP leaders in West Bengal are trying to initiate sporadic violence with support from the Centre.

"We are seeing that a few BJP leaders in the state, with the blessings of their government at the Centre, are trying to initiate violence in different places in the state in a planned manner," Chatterjee said.

The TMC will protest against this "conspiracy" and spread the message of communal harmony as well as development works of the state government and will also take to the streets, he said.

A central team of the BJP comprising party MPs Meenakshi Lekhi, Om Mathur and Satyapal Singh, was yesterday stopped from visiting the communal clashes-hit Basirhat area in West Bengal and detained.

Meanwhile, blaming the state government in failing to contain the communal violence in Baduria and its adjoining areas in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal Left Front chairman Biman Bose today said a peace rally will be organised in the city on July 12.

West Bengal had witnessed a communal violence in Baduria and its adjoining areas in North 24 Parganas district since last Monday over an objectionable Facebook post. PTI SCH DKB RAX

--- ENDS ---
Counter-terrorism, not outlaw motorcycle gangs, will be one of ACT Policing's formal "priorities" over the next year, despite growing bikie violence in the city.

The ACT government signed a $655 million agreement with the Australian Federal Police on Monday to provide police to the territory for the next four years.

ACT's Chief Police Officer Justine Saunders says there's no need for an ACT integrity commission. Credit:Karleen Minney

Police Minister Mick Gentleman outlined five areas of focus for police over the coming year, four of which were also in last year's ministerial direction: domestic and family violence; reducing and preventing alcohol-fuelled violence; restorative justice and crime prevention; and improving road safety.

Chief Police Officer Justine Saunders said the addition of counter-terrorism and preventing violent extremism, particularly in crowded places, to the list of priorities was not due to a specific threat to the ACT but rather a heightened threat of terrorism worldwide.
The federal police union accused the AFP of dirty tricks as officers overwhelmingly voted against a new enterprise agreement on Monday afternoon.

Ahead of the ballot a pop-up message appeared on the internal police computer system encouraging staff to vote "yes" to the proposed deal, a position favoured by AFP management.

Acting AFP Commissioner Michael Phelan said he was disappointed to hear of the pop-up message. Credit:Karleen Minney

Employees voting "yes" would get an immediate pay rise, the pop-up message read, while a "no" vote would send staff straight back to the bargaining table.

Despite the message, 80 per cent of employees voted against the pay deal, with 87 per cent turnout in the ballot on Monday afternoon.
By PTI: Nagpur, Jul 10 (PTI)The desire to click selfies in the middle of a reservoir turned into a tragedy for a group of men with the boat carrying them capsizing in Vena Dam in Kamleshwar tehsil, police said today.

While two of the bodies were fished out today, five others are yet to be traced after the incident that took place yesterday. One body was fished out last night.

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According to Shailesh Balkawade, SP, Nagpur Rural, two bodies were fished out this morning and searches are underway to trace the remaining persons.

The deceased have been identified as Rahul Jadhav and Ankit Bhusekar.

"It seems these youngsters had hired local fishermen for boating, which is not allowed in the dam. The boat they got into was narrow. It tilted and capsized when they started clicking selfies on reaching the mid point of the reservoir," the SP said.

The boat carrying 11 people including three boatmen had capsized last evening. While three persons--two boatmen and a college student -- were rescued, one body was recovered last night, police said.

Those rescued are undergoing treatment at a private hospital here, the SP said.

Police had yesterday said that out of 11 people, at least eight were from Nagpur and believed to in the age group of 20 -25.

The incident, which occurred between 6 and 6.30 pm was witnessed by a local who in turn alerted the police control room, following which a rescue operation was undertaken.

Efforts are on to look for survivors, if any, he added. PTI CLS DK DV

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A Canberra man was jailed on Monday for a drunken car crash that sent a friend flying into the windscreen early one morning.

The friend's head punched through the glass, which sliced an artery in his neck and caused blood to spray everywhere, the court heard. He was cut from lip to beneath his chin, and he lost a tooth.

Kade McKelvie was celebrating his 18th birthday last November when, at 7am and after a night in Civic and a morning drinking at home, he told his friends he wanted to pick up more alcohol.

His friends tried to hide the keys but McKelvie found them. Once they heard the engine start, the two friends got in to help him drive safely.

McKelvie crashed the car into a tree about 500 metres from home.
Bureaucrats responsible for running Parliament House won't say which MP signed in the man known as the "human Ken Doll" for a Liberal Party fundraiser on budget night.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Senate President Stephen Parry were among Liberal MPs who posed for photos with Justin Jedlica at post-budget events at Parliament and Canberra's Hyatt Hotel.

The plastic surgery advocate and social media personality claims to have had hundreds of cosmetic procedures and describes himself as a "pioneer of the modifiable male aesthetic".

Labor senator Kimberly Kitching used Senate estimates hearings to ask if Mr Jedlica had attended an event in the Cabinet suite of Parliament and which member or senator arranged for the required security passes.
A third of Australia's biggest listed companies are keeping investors in the dark about how they are managing the potentially large financial risks of climate change, a survey has found.

Despite mounting pressure for companies to assess the business impacts of climate change and policies to contain global warming, the Australian Council for Superannuation Investors (ACSI) says 70 firms on the ASX 200 index did not make any climate-related disclosures in 2016.

The finding comes after a powerful business taskforce reporting to the G20 last month called for sweeping changes to how much information big companies should give investors about their climate change exposure, and how they manage these risks.

ACSI has not identified the 70 businesses, as this is the first year it has conducted the survey, and exactly what is expected of companies in this area is still evolving.
Australia's top-performing pension fund over the past three years wants to invest in more toll roads and airports, betting infrastructure assets will offer among the most reliable returns over coming decades.

Sam Sicilia, who oversees $25 billion of assets at Hostplus, is seeking board approval to invest about 12 per cent of the fund's capital in infrastructure, from 10 per cent now.

Australian funds managing retirement savings now hold $100 billion in infrastructure assets, double the amount four years ago, data from researcher Rainmaker Group show.

And soaring worldwide investor demand has pushed the average size of such deals to a record $683 million, according to Preqin data.
The Federal Court has thrown a brick through the windows of investment house Perpetual. And not before too long if you're sitting in the Millner family's camp.Justice Jayne Jagot is the thrower-in-chief after she found the cross-holdings of Brickworks and Washington H. Soul Pattinson linked to the Millners did not impact on teeny tiny shareholders such as one of Australia's largest wealth managers.Sure, Perpetual had a mum and dad type investor on its side at one point or another over the years in the form of venture capitalist Mark Carnegie, who's definitely a dad but not really a retail investor.At stake, according to the minority investors, was $450 million in uncorked value on both entities.The cross-shareholdings were set up four decades ago when it was the 1970s and corporate regulation had a different vibe and probably wore flares. It means that today Soul Patts owns a 44 per cent stake in Brickworks and Brickworks has a 42.7 per cent stake in Soul Patts.Perpetual had argued the cross-holdings were oppressive to other shareholders because they allegedly disenfranchised minority shareholders and allegedly "entrench the incumbent boards and as a result, the control of the Millner family, and depresses the price of shares in each company".The Millner clan led by Robert Millner is one of Australia's richest and they view their holdings in both companies as "ghost holdings", which we imagine is because they are annually haunted by both groups' dividends.

The stoush started about 10 years ago but really heated up in 2013 when Brickworks sued Carnegie's outfit M.H. Carnegie for rattling its cage and Perpetual filed a counter-suit.But Justice Jagot found Perpetual had failed in its attempt to prove the Millner family maintains the cross-holdings in order to entrench the control of the companies. "The cross-shareholding may reasonably be seen as having provided each company with material benefits as a result of diversification, which has reduced earnings volatility," she said.

Illustration: John Shakespeare

Correct weight

For a minute the legal minds at the country's largest wagering company, Tabcorp, looked like they had backed a winner. Their high-stakes strategy  to bypass the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and take their bid to merge with Tatts Group directly to the Australian Competition Tribunal  paid off rather handsomely.
Australian blood products giant CSL has been accused of "wilful" and "deliberate" breach of patents for drugs to help haemophilia sufferers that are owned by a US rival.

US company Bioverativ launched a suit against CSL subsidiary CSL Behring in the District Court of Delaware on Friday alleging CSL has actively breached three of its patents.

CSL takes blood donations from people all around the world. Credit:James Davies

Bioverativ is seeking an injunction against CSL selling its products, and damages equivalent to three times the amount of any money the court finds Bioverativ has lost from CSL's alleged breach of the patents.

The legal dispute centres on CSL's new drug Idelvion, which Bioverativ says is similar to its drug Alprolix.
South32 shares have closed lower after the diversified miner said its Appin coal mine in NSW will remain closed for an "extended" period due to a safety review.

Work at the metallurgical coal mine was suspended at the end of June because of concerns about a build up of methane, and the company on Monday said a review is needed to ensure the operation's safety and reliability.

Kerr (left) and South32 chairman David Crawford ring the bell as the miner makes its debut on the ASX. Credit:Philip Gostelow

"Given the scope of this review, an extended outage is now anticipated before production at Illawarra Metallurgical Coal can be restored to historic levels," South32 said in a statement to the ASX.

South32 shares fell 9 cents, or 3.2 per cent, to $2.72 on Monday, making it one of the weakest players in a resources sector that underperformed the rest of the market.
Philip Lymber, in Dead Zone, challenges the cry of agribusiness and the proponents of GM crops that we must produce more food, by any means, no matter how destructive to our environment.

The 'ocean of green' one marvels at in the countryside makes most ecologists deeply uneasy. In Farmageddon, Philip Lymbery wrote of the devastation caused by industrial farming. In Dead Zone, he challenges the cry of agribusiness and the proponents of GM crops that we must produce more food, by any means, no matter how destructive to our environment. Not so, says Lymbery; there's enough food and more, and much of it is wasted.

Each chapter, headed with a name of a key species, is a case study of the environmental consequences of monoculture and uncontrolled livestock rearing. He begins with the palm plantations of Sumatra, where shrinking forests have brought elephants into human settlements, often violently. In his chapters on English and North American ecosystems, he charts the consolidation of farms, the loss of hedgerows and other habitats, and the resulting assault on insects, birds, small mammals and so on up the food chain. The chapter on battery hens will make you gag next time you so much as see an egg. Even the oceans are not safe. In the dead zone four miles off the coast of Louisiana, one of many on our planet, no animal can breathe.

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All over the world, the fertiliser industry and its government handmaids enforce a cycle of subsidies, overproduction, diseases, antibiotics and excess nitrates in soil and water. Worse, even when governments observe and report these consequences, they decline to act. Contract farmers must obey corporate and government diktats on what to grow, when to sell, and how to fertilise, but even that doesn't save them from crashing prices.

Lymbery gives us reason to hope for better in his accounts of farmers who have let the land go back to the wild before resuming truly sustainable cultivation. It is a hard battle fought by individuals and trusts, but its benefits, as he puts it, speak for themselves.

--- ENDS ---
All the noise at the time was about Iraq's imagined weapons of mass destruction, but there was a much more ambitious project behind the war.

It's also a moment to consider the wider state of the Middle East since the threshold moment when the US-led coalition invaded Iraq in 2003, with the enthusiastic support of John Howard and Tony Blair.

The movement is based on the appeal of the idea of the caliphate as a territorial entity, so discrediting the movement demands that its territory be extinguished. It's only a beginning in the long campaign against Daesh, but a vital one.

The Iraqi government has declared victory over so-called Islamic State in the city of Mosul. That must be counted as a good thing for the cause of civilisation over barbarism.It's important that Islamic State be shown to be incapable of maintaining a state, that its leader may call himself a caliph but that he has no caliphate.

Illustration: John Shakespeare

In making the case for the invasion, President George W. Bush's secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, explained that it was the beginning of an American-led revolution. It wasn't the invasion of a country but the transformation of an entire region. She called it "a period akin to 1945 to 1947, when American leadership expanded the number of free and democratic states" including Japan and Germany "to create a new balance of power that favoured freedom".

Rice acknowledged in her noted Cairo speech in 2005 that the US had systematically repressed democracy in the Middle East. "For 60 years, my country, the US, pursued stability at the expense of democracy in this region here in the Middle East - and we achieved neither." It was a frank admission that the US had long prized access to oil over the rights of the people of the Middle East.

At the time Rice gave her Cairo speech, the arrested development of democracy in the region was glaring. In the preceding 30 years the number of democracies in the world had almost trebled. The end of the Cold War and fall of the Soviet empire had seen democracy flourish in every region of the world, bar one - the Middle East. In fact, the number of democracies had shrunk from three to two. Israel and Turkey were still rated as democratic, but Lebanon had fallen from the democratic sphere. "Now" said Rice, "we are taking a different course. We are supporting the democratic aspirations of all people."

So how is that revolution, that balance of power to favour freedom, as she put it, looking in the Middle East today? "There's more deficit of democracy in the region today or, at least, there is no more democracy, than there was before the invasion of Iraq in 2003," says Professor Amin Saikal, director of ANU's Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies.
Sheila Michaels, who half a century ago, wielding two consonants and a full-point, changed the way modern women are addressed, has died in Manhattan. Ms Michaels, who introduced the honorific "Ms" into common parlance, was 78.

Ms Michaels, who over the years worked as a civil-rights organiser, did not coin "Ms," nor did she ever claim to have done so. But, working quietly, with little initial support from the women's movement, she was midwife to the term, ushering it back into being after a decades-long slumber.

Sheila Michaels changed the way modern women are addressed

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "Ms" is attested as far back as 1901, when The Sunday Republican, a Springfield, Massachusetts newspaper, wrote: "The abbreviation 'Ms' is simple, it is easy to write, and the person concerned can translate it properly according to circumstances."

In his 1949 book, The Story of Language, the linguist Mario Pei wrote, "Feminists  have often proposed that the two present-day titles be merged into 'Miss' (to be written 'Ms'), with a plural 'Misses' (written 'Mss')." But for generations, until Ms Michaels invoked it in a radio broadcast, "Ms" lay largely dormant.
It was in the final days of John Howard's time as prime minister that the current discussion around constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was ignited.

Speaking at the Sydney Institute, Mr Howard made the surprise announcement that, if re-elected, he would ensure that a referendum was held within 18 months to formally recognise Indigenous Australians through a preamble to the constitution.

It is entirely understandable that many Indigenous Australians feel they have not been well represented in and consulted by the political system in the past. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Julia Gillard took up the idea in 2011 when she established the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, which I co-chaired with now Senator Patrick Dodson.

There was never a formal response to the expert panel's report and, following the change of government in 2013, a joint committee of Parliament was appointed to advise on steps that might be taken towards a successful referendum.
Eight years after that British decision, when I started in journalism, I was still a miss, according to the rules. I'd been living with my soon-to-be-husband for years and the term miss seemed utterly Austenian. We'd had 12 years of the influence of The Female Eunuch; and Ms. Magazine, which regularised the term, was popular from its inception in 1971. But the institutions resisted. As ever, they resisted.

So I started a petition in the newsroom. Something like, we, the undersigned, request that the Sydney Morning Herald uses the word Ms as an optional honorific for women (seriously, was I ever so meek?).

My goodness, I did the rounds. Older men indulged me. Older women got cranky (and yep, I've since become cranky and with good reason). Younger men and women thought it was a good idea but were terrified that they'd lose their jobs (that feeling never goes away apparently and that's why you always need to join your union). Still, a few weeks in, I got enough signatures to deliver the petition to the editors. Waiting, waiting.

Suddenly, a senior man appeared at my desk with a cartoon. I can't remember much about it, except that it was of Margaret Thatcher, the then British prime minister, in fishnet stockings and not much else. He asked me if I thought the cartoon was sexist. I knew this is a test to which the answer should have been, no, no worries.

Instead I replied: "Would you think it was funny if it was a man in that cartoon?" We were still some distance from Alexander Downer. The editor rubbed his chin and walked off.
Liberal MPs are seriously considering taking the extraordinary step of crossing the floor to legalise same-sex marriage before Christmas if the Coalition maintains its position that a plebiscite must be held on the issue.

The preference for moderate MPs is to use a private members' bill drafted by Liberal senator Dean Smith as a trigger for the Liberal party room to drop its election commitment to a plebiscite and allow a free vote in Parliament.

But there is a growing expectation in the Coalition that if this fails, moderate MPs fed up with the lack of progress will take advantage of the close numbers in the House of Representatives to bring on a vote on same-sex marriage.
Fewer than a quarter of federal politicians have agreed to commit to new ethical standards devised by legendary corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald - and there is not a single Turnbull government MP among them.

The former judge teamed up with the left-leaning Australia Institute think tank to survey every federal politician on their values as part of a plan to clean up Canberra and build momentum for a federal anti-corruption body.

Corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald is part of a push to clean up Canberra. Credit:Greg White

The Queensland QC  who presided over the Fitzgerald Inquiry that ultimately led to the resignation of former state premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen  developed the questionnaire to test MPs about their attitudes towards accountability, integrity, nepotism, deception and the spending of public money.
Chief among those critics has been former prime minister Tony Abbott, who last month released an alternative policy manifesto for the Coalition and who recently described the May budget as "second best".

In his only major speech of a week-long trip to Germany, France and Britain, the Prime Minister delivered a rebuke to Coalition conservatives who criticised his government's second budget, recent school funding deal and other policies as being 'Labor lite'.

LONDON: Malcolm Turnbull has hit back at internal critics of his government's policy direction, declaring the political centre ground is the "place to be".

Mr Turnbull's speech to Britain's premier centre-right think tank the Policy Exchange, where he will also be presented with the Disraeli prize by Home Secretary Amber Rudd, was due to be delivered late on Monday, Australian time.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull delivered a rebuke to Coalition conservatives during his trip to London. Credit:Andrew Meares

The award is named in honour of Benjamin Disraeli, the first British prime minister from a minority background and according to the think tank, Mr Turnbull has won the award for maintaining a strong non-discriminatory immigration programme while emphasising the importance of integration.

In speech notes seen by Fairfax Media, Mr Turnbull will highlight that Liberal Party founder Sir Robert Menzies in 1944, "went to great pains not to call his new centre right party a conservative party  rather he described our party as the Liberal Party, which he firmly anchored in the centre of Australian politics".

"Menzies said: 'We took the name 'Liberal' because we were determined to be a progressive party, willing to make experiments, in no sense reactionary but believing in the individual, his right and his enterprise, and rejecting the socialist panacea.'
New Liberal Party president Nick Greiner has criticised Tony Abbott's alternative policy agenda as impossible to implement and said the former prime minister's interventions were damaging the Turnbull government's standing in the polls.

Mr Geiner, a former NSW Liberal premier, was speaking after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told a London think tank the Liberal Party was not "a conservative party" and that the "sensible centre" is the place to be.

Mr Abbott has criticised the government for moving too far too the left and recently revealed a five-point plan to improve its fortunes. The measures included abolishing the Renewable Energy Target, cutting immigration, scrapping the Human Rights Commission, no new spending and reforming the Senate to make it easier for the government to pass legislation.

"I frankly think if you look at Tony's five point plan, most of that is never going to happen," Mr Greiner told ABC radio on Tuesday.
The drama between reality television personalities Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna has made its way to the court system.

A week after the reality television family member's stunning social media meltdown - Kardashian posted nude photos of his ex-fiancee, accused her of drug use and published a video of her kissing another man - Blac Chyna was granted a temporary restraining order against him in a California court.

Revenge porn, or "nonconsensual pornography", has been illegal in the state since 2014. It's defined as intentionally distributing photos or videos that were meant to be private and with the knowledge that sharing the images would cause "serious emotional distress".

"I was devastated, of course," Chyna, whose real name is Angela White, told ABC News on Monday. "This is a person that I trusted... I felt comfortable, you know, with even sending these pictures and even talking to him about certain things."
At what point does a decision made in haste, based on poor intelligence or due to a perceived albeit non-existent threat, cross a moral or legal line? And what if a soldier suspects, but lacks proof, that one of their own has acted with intent or gross recklessness in shooting a civilian posing no risk? Khan Mohammed. Credit:ABC News Can investigators, months or even years later, make a case for prosecution of war crimes given the difficulty of retrospectively assembling evidence? And what if the witnesses have post traumatic stress disorder? Serving and former soldiers, including Afghanistan veterans, told Fairfax Media that the Australian Defence Force is bracing for significant criticism from the Brereton inquiry. Whether it will be confined to a critique of unreliable intelligence, operational cock-ups and cultural problems or extend to full-blown war crimes is the subject of conjecture. Campbell and departing special forces chief Jeff Sengleman believe, according to those who know them, that accountability is vital, however unpleasant for a defence machine famous for its code of omerta, or silence. Brereton has a reputation for integrity, independence and thoroughness.

Got a tip about this story? Call Nick McKenzie confidentially on the signal app +61401877402 or email via this online encrypted, confidential whistleblower system "I have a great deal of faith [in Brereton and Campbell]. They have a genuine desire to get to the bottom of the allegations. Brereton will deliver a report based on the evidence," says one veteran of Afghanistan with legal experience. "But perhaps it will happen with less publicity than the media or the public would like." Still, intense public scrutiny is inevitable. Specific lines of inquiry being followed by the Brereton probe are being pre-empted by journalists, and there is increasing chatter in Australia's special forces community. Photographs from the scene of a shooting, obtained by the ABC, show the contents of the pockets of an Afghan boy named as Khan Mohhamed from an ABC News report. Supplied Credit:ABC

This talk is becoming louder as more SASR and commando veterans suffering PTSD debrief compensation lawyers and psychologists about the source of their trauma. All this is feeding into the Brereton inquiry. Having commissioned it, the ADF can now claim it acted on its own initiative. The example of the child being shot by commandos is a real one, given to Fairfax Media by a veteran, although it is understood it is not known to the Brereton inquiry. But Brereton is examining similar allegations, combing forensically over incident reports, witness statements and other material to test war crimes allegations involving a small number of Australian special forces members during their deployment to Afghanistan. The allegations being tested by Brereton range from the far-fetched to the believable. The official history around some well-known battles that took place between 2001 and 2014 are also being revisited. ABC reporter Oakes, who has visited Afghanistan three times, says he has spoken to 10 former special forces or other soldiers to inform his reporting. The Australian Federal Police is evaluating the incident but a senior police source said it is unlikely to take action due to the difficulty of gathering evidence.

The ADF says it has no record of the death occurring. The evidence publicly available raises several possibilities: a soldier accidentally killed Khan Mohammed, fearing he was an insurgent; soldiers recklessly or deliberately killed him with no lawful reason; or soldiers simply discovered his body. The failure to report the death may be telling, as it suggests someone wanted to avoid scrutiny. Oakes has also detailed a second incident, in which special forces soldiers are accused of shooting dead an unarmed civilian, Bismillah Azadi and his son, Sadiqullah, during a raid in Uruzgan province in 2013. The first incident has similarities to a case reported in 2009 by the authors of this article and which involved allegations by a defence official who served in Afghanistan. He claimed an attack in 2006 on a taxi, which left an Afghan man dead and a woman and child badly injured, was carried out by an Australian special forces patrol. The claims were also backed up by the victims' family. Defence again insisted it had no records of the incident. Asked about the cases on Monday, a Defence spokesperson said the department would not comment as the Inspector General Australian Defence Force was investigating rumours and allegations relating to the deployment of special forces in Afghanistan.

"Defence requests members of the media respect the integrity of the inquiry process, and to refrain from reporting information which is unsubstantiated," the spokesperson said. "Anyone with information or evidence relating to alleged, unlawful or inappropriate conduct relating to Special Operations Task Group deployments in Afghanistan is encouraged to bring it to the attention of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force and/or the Australian Federal Police." The 2006 incident and those reported by Oakes share another similarity: no soldiers are prepared to go on the record. The officer who spoke out about the taxi incident, when approached recently to see if he had contacted Brereton, said he had been targeted since 2009 as a suspected whistleblower and wanted to leave Afghanistan in the past. The only former special forces soldier to speak out publicly has been Kevin Frost, who told the ABC earlier this year that he had witnessed the execution of a POW. Frost, who had aired grievances on Facebook prior to his interview, has PTSD and ice addiction problems. His credibility has been quickly dismissed by some in defence. "Even if you wanted to believe him, and I've no idea if he was telling the truth or not, you couldn't on his say-so alone," says a former commando.

"But he's not the only one making allegations." The Afghanistan veterans interviewed for this article describe a "deviation from normalcy" in the way Australian soldiers conducted themselves as the war dragged on and casualties and fatalities increased. Forty-one Australians have died in Afghanistan, and 261 have been wounded. "You get away with little things. Then you get away with a little more," says one veteran, who also stresses that almost all Australian soldiers did the right thing in extremely difficult conditions. "We didn't have 14 years of war. We had [multiple]  rotations and each rotation took a little from the one before about the increasing level of threat, and raised the bar." Australia's special forces operated under unique conditions.

"They had as much or more scrutiny because they were undertaking specific and highly planned tasks [like capture or kill missions]. But because they are so highly trained and professional, there was more permissiveness with what they could do mid-operation. "They were trusted to make decisions on the fly. It was very easy to escalate and then justify. There is a strong culture that it is better to be judged by 12 than carried by six. And you have little ability to verify events at the time," says an Afghanistan veteran who stresses he witnessed no war crimes. Also pursuing the issue is the doyen of Australian investigative reporting, Chris Masters. Masters got rare access to serving special forces soldiers and confidential records to write a book on Afghanistan, which is now being vetted by defence. If anyone in defence was hoping for a hagiography, they misjudged the relentless and stubborn Masters. He won't comment on what is in his book, but soldiers who know Masters predict an unvarnished and, in parts, damaging expose. It is likely to be the defining narrative on what went right and wrong in what became known as the unwinnable war. Brereton is aware his inquiry will be judged against the stories told by credible journalists and possibly by more veterans, if any decide to talk publicly. The other shadow hovering over the Brereton inquiry is the failed manslaughter prosecution of two commandos over a bungled night raid in 2009 that left five children dead.
Hayden Cross, a 21-year-old, gave birth to a girl through caesarean. He had been living legally as a man for three years and was already part-way through hormone treatment to transform from a woman to a man.

By Press Trust of India: A 21-year-old man has become the first in Britain to give birth after he put his sex transition on hold to get pregnant by a sperm donor. Hayden Cross, who made headlines around the world earlier this year when he announced he was pregnant by a sperm donor, has given birth to a girl.

Cross told The Sun that daughter Trinity-Leigh is his "angel". Cross gave birth by caesarean. The girl was born on June 16 at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

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He had been living legally as a man for three years and was already part-way through hormone treatment to transform from a woman to a man.

But the full transition was paused after the UK's state- funded National Health Service (NHS) refused to carry out a 4,000-pounds process to freeze his eggs -- which he hoped would enable him to have children in the future.

The former supermarket worker instead found a sperm donor via Facebook and became successfully pregnant.

"Shes perfect in every way...she is so good. I'm so lucky," Cross was quoted as saying.

Following the birth, Cross now plans to return to complete his gender realignment as soon as possible. The proud father was born a girl named Paige, 21 years ago.

Cross, from Gloucester, had said earlier, "I faced the prospect of not becoming the man I'm supposed to be, physically, or a dad. So I didn't feel like I had any choice but to have a baby now then get back to transitioning."

"In September I got pregnant by a sperm donation. I found the donor on the internet. I looked on Facebook for a group and found one -- its been shut down now. I didn't have to pay," Cross had said.

Cross, who used to work for Asda and in a clothes shop, aims to find a job once the baby is aged one.

Gender transition treatment costs the NHS on average 29,000 pounds per patient. Thomas Beatie became the first man to give birth in the US in 2008. Born a woman, he had a partial sex change but kept his womb and was able to conceive.

ALSO READ:

First South American transgender father makes history by giving birth to baby boy

He was born a girl, is now a boy, and is having a baby thanks to a sperm donor he found on Facebook

--- ENDS ---
A Dapto woman has been charged with murder after she allegedly poisoned her wealthy defacto partner in 2015.

Wendie Dent, 59, was arrested by detectives on Monday morning following an 18-month investigation into the death of her partner, 63-year-old Adelaide man David Lawrence.

Dapto woman Wendie Dent has been charged with murder.

Mr Lawrence's body was found inside his Adelaide home on December 3, 2015. His death was initially not treated as suspicious until a toxicology report revealed he had died due to lethal levels of prescription opiates.

Police said at that time they believed the medication was hidden in his food and drinks and had focused their investigation on those closest to him.
Police investigating the death of a homeless man in Sydney's eastern suburbs have found the knife that was used in the killing and are now searching a tip in Lucas Heights for clothing.

Peter Hofmann, 68, a retired bus driver, was living in his car in Maroubra after he lost his money and investments in a scam, police said.

His body was found in his white Ford Laser on Mons Avenue on June 21 with multiple injuries, including stab wounds.

Police investigating the murder do not believe it was linked to Mr Hofmann's homelessness, but are asking for anyone who saw anything suspicious on Mons Avenue or Coral Sea Park on the night of June 21 to come forward.
A man has been charged with money laundering as part of an investigation by Queensland police into an overseas scam.

Police claim the accused fraudulently set up three Australian companies - JC Enterprising, JC Web Creations and ITZ Services - between February 2015 and July 2017, after being contacted by a fake overseas computer repair company asking him to become its local representative and receive funds from customers.

Police have charged a Mackay man with money laundering as part of an investigation into an overseas computer scam.

Victims were then contacted by overseas cold callers, who asked for remote access to the victims' computers because they needed to be repaired.

Police said the scammers would then download a virus onto the computers and demand money from the victims to unlock the computer again.
A man has been charged with murder over an alleged stabbing in Gladstone on Monday evening.

Police said officers responded to reports of an argument at an Auckland Street address about 6.20pm and allegedly found a 23-year-old local man had been stabbed in his upper body.

Less than 24 hours after the alleged victim died, police charged a man with murder. Credit:Glenn Hunt

He was declared dead at hospital and police launched an investigation on Tuesday.

A matter of hours later, a 29-year-old local man was charged with murder and an unrelated robbery offence. He was scheduled to appear in Gladstone Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Australia's broken NBN dispute resolution process is cutting off homes for months, trapping owners in bureaucratic limbo where no-one will take responsibility for reconnecting their services.

One such homeowner is Optus customer Scott Moffat, who was left with no home phone or broadband connection for four months after he moved back into his Malvern East home on March 1, following an extensive home renovation.

During Moffat's renovation the street was declared ready For service by NBN. This meant when Moffat moved back into the house Optus was not permitted to reconnect the previous Optus cable service, due to cease sale regulations which forbid telcos from offering their old internet services to homes which are declared NBN-ready.

Optus was required to migrate Moffat's home to the new national broadband network, but an NBN fault in the street prevented this. At this point Optus failed to abide by the ACCC's ruling that internet providers are permitted to bypass cease sale regulations and reconnect old services in NBN-ready areas if NBN delays have left homes in limbo.
It's the $10 million Brighton mansion as bold and brash as its owner, with a spiral staircase, grand piano, chandeliers and a swimming pool.

But the trophy home of fallen dairy tsar Antonio Esposito also has another, less desirable, feature: two caveats on the title.

Violetta and Antonio Esposito holidaying on their yacht on the Gold Coast.

Mr Esposito's National Dairy Products went into liquidation in February, owing creditors  many of them dairy farmers  as much as $6.8 million.

The seven-bedroom Kinane Street property, barely a squint through designer sunglasses from Brighton's famed bathing boxes, was the perfect backdrop for an advertising campaign featuring television personality Matt Preston, wearing a lilac blazer and matching cravat, launched last year.
By now you've probably seen the yellow bikes dotted across Melbourne's landscape - maybe you've even tripped over one.

Melbourne's new bike sharing system oBike is certainly getting some mileage, with pushies popping up on random street corners and flooding bike racks from Richmond to the CBD.

But the Singaporean newcomers haven't won over everyone.

Heralded as a high-tech rival to the city's blue bikes, many Melburnians say the dockless yellow bikes have become a tripping hazard, as they clog footpaths and stand abandoned on busy footpaths.
Two men thought their colleague was dead after a steel plate fell on him while working in a National Gallery of Victoria lift shaft on Monday night.

NGV staff raised the alarm about 11.30pm and it took 14 firefighters 90 minutes to free the man.

MFB commander Graeme O'Sullivan told radio station 3AW the contractor was lucky to be alive.

"The platform probably shifted about two-and-a-half to three metres - he was pretty lucky there was still a small space underneath".
Johannesburg: Earlier this year, an army of Twitter bots emerged in South Africa, firing off a barrage of tweets that carried the same basic message: White capitalists had replaced one form of apartheid with another and were conspiring to hold black people down through economic, rather than legal, means.

The basic premise - that black South Africans remain overwhelmingly disadvantaged economically - was undeniable. But the bot campaign went considerably further.

Protesters stand outside the Gupta family's Johannesburg residence to protest against the family's ties to South African President Jacob Zuma - an arrangement known as "Zupta" - in April. Credit:EPA

Hundreds of Twitter accounts - all retweeting the same messages in the same order at the same moment - carried out a sexual smear campaign against editors, journalists and business executives, many of them critics of the powerful Gupta family, which is closely aligned with President Jacob Zuma. The tweets included lewd images of a prominent black female news editor, Huffington Post Editor-at-Large Ferial Haffajee, and a wealthy white businessman, Johann Rupert.

Targets of the campaign were accused of being agents of #WhiteMonopolyCapital or #WMC.
"Make America great again, make America great again, lift the torch of freedom, all across the land." With trumpets, a full choir, an orchestra and a montage of G20 highlights, Donald Trump's latest patriotic video begins.

"Step into the future, joining hand in hand," the choir sings, before intoning Mr Trump's MAGA catchphrase a further five times.

US President Donald Trump at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Credit:Getty Images

Mr Trump tweeted the video on Sunday, at the end of his trip to Hamburg for the G20, which he described as a victory, ushering in new era of co-operation with Russia, including plans for a joint cyber security unit to protect against election hacking.

Photos of the US President greeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and other world leaders float across the screen, alongside a flurry of photos of wife Melania and daughter Ivanka.
On the continuing stand-off in Doklam and the LoC firing between India and Pakistan, a Chinese strategic expert said that India was now dealing with 'two conflicts' at the same time and questioned Delhi's ability to handle both.

By Ananth Krishnan: With renewed firing along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan, a Chinese strategic expert said on Monday it would be "unwise for India to engage in two conflicts at the same time".

Pointing to the continuing stand-off in Doklam and the LoC firing, Lin Minwang, a strategic expert at the Institute for International Studies at Fudan University, told the Party-run Global Times, a tabloid known for its hawkish views, that India was now dealing with "two conflicts" at the same time and questioned Delhi's ability to handle both.

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"China has nothing to do with the situation in Kashmir, but it would be unwise for India to engage in two conflicts at the same time," Lin told the newspaper.

A separate Sunday commentary in the same paper also linked the Kashmir issue to India's "intervening" in the Doklam dispute between China and Bhutan, saying it could set a precedent for "a third country's army" to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Even if India were requested to defend Bhutan's territory, this could only be limited to its established territory, not the disputed area. Otherwise, under India's logic, if the Pakistani government requests, a third country's army can enter the area disputed by India and Pakistan, including India-controlled Kashmir," said strategic expert Long Xingchun, using the term with which China refers to J-K.

EXCHANGE OF FIRE AT KASHMIR BORDER

On Monday, Lin was quoted as saying "there are frequent conflicts and military scuffles between the areas of Kashmir controlled by the two sides." The newspaper said that "aside from the border spat with China, India is embroiled with Pakistan over an exchange of fire at the Kashmir border."

This was the second reference to Kashmir in a day in the Global Times, a Party-run tabloid that has led the Chinese sabre-rattling over the Doklam stand-off.

On Sunday, Long Xingchun, director of the Center for Indian Studies at China West Normal University, said in a commentary that "Indian troops invaded China's Doklam area in the name of helping Bhutan, but in fact the invasion was intended to help India by making use of Bhutan."

He said that "under India's logic, if the Pakistani government requests, a third country's army can enter the area disputed by India and Pakistan, including India-controlled Kashmir," referring to Jammu and Kashmir.

Long wrote that "this incursion reflects that India fears China can quickly separate mainland India from northeast India through military means, dividing India into two pieces."

"Northeast Indian people don't identify closely with India, and there are several armed organisations striving for northeastern states' independence from India," he said. "In this case, northeast India might take the opportunity to become independent. India has interpreted China's infrastructure construction in Tibet as having a geopolitical intention against India. India itself is unable to do the same for its northeastern part, so it is trying to stop China's road construction."

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Long wrote that China could "show the region and the international community or even the UN Security Council its evidence to illustrate China's position. It highlights China's sincerity and effort to maintain peace as a responsible big power. It will never resort to force till it is the last choice," he said.

Bhutan, however, has said in a statement that the area was disputed and China's action by altering the status quo violated the 1988 and 1998 agreements between the two countries. Chinese experts have downplayed Bhutan's concerns and sought to focus attention on India "trespassing" as they have stepped up a propaganda war over the past week.

ALSO READ:Doklam standoff: In a first, Chinese media gets Pakistan and Kashmir into narrative

Doklam faceoff: Why China wants to grab Bhutan's land and blame India

ALSO WATCH:

China's public statements on border situation a sign of bullying?

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--- ENDS ---
Mosul: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally declared victory over Islamic State in the city of Mosul on Monday, marking the biggest defeat for the group since it declared a caliphate three years ago.

"I announce from here the end and the failure and the collapse of the terrorist state of falsehood and terrorism which the terrorist Daesh announced from Mosul," he said in a speech shown on state television, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

The fall of Mosul effectively marks the end of the Iraqi half of the Islamic State caliphate, which also includes territory in Syria. The group still controls territory west and south of the city.

A 100,000-strong coalition of Iraqi government units, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shi'ite militias launched the offensive to recapture the city from the militants in October, with key air and ground support from a US-led coalition.
Mosul is a pile of rubble. Until you stand in what's left of the western part of the city  a city which, in part, dates back to the 12th century  it's hard to appreciate just how shattered it has been by car bombs, air strikes and gunfire.

The pictures below are not journalistic selectivity. You could point the camera anywhere and capture a similar scene.

So when Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ventures into these streets to claim victory from Islamic State, he is standing on the bones of his people and the ashes of part of his country's history.

His task as leader will be to rebuild. This will not just be a matter of bricks and mortar. As massive a task as that will be, it's only a small part of his challenge.
Donald Trump jr on the campaign trail for his father in 2016. Credit:AP It was then, he said, that the conversation turned to the issue of adoptions, adding: "It became clear to me that [the adoption issue] was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting." Consider the implications. This goes to the heart of investigations by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and various congressional committees into the Russian election meddling and the extent of any collusion by the Trump campaign - and here is the first evidence to date of three key figures in the Trump campaign demonstrating a willingness to accept Russian help. The home of Paul Manafort, a key figure in the Trump campaign, was raided in July by the FBI as part of the ongoing investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidental election. Manafort holds the deed for an apartment on the 43rd floor of Trump Tower. Credit:Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg That's not so-called "fake news" being attributed to an unnamed government insider. That's the son of the President, at the time a key campaign figure and a surrogate for his father, volunteering that "the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting".

Seemingly the three saw no reason to hesitate before turning up to hear what the Russian lawyer had to offer. And if, as he claims, Donald jnr did not tell Kushner and Manafort what the meeting was about, it raises questions about why they would have bothered to break away from campaigning to attend. Donald Trump's son-in-law and now key White House adviser Jared Kushner was also present at the meeting with a Russian lawyer, but only seems to have remembered recently. Credit:AP It must have been a thrilling prospect at a time when Clinton was ahead by a few points in polling averages, but it seems they only remembered the meeting, which took place at Trump Tower in New York, in recent days. Despite the FBI, Congress and the media's obsessive focus on any meeting by campaign figures with Russians, the Times is reporting that Kushner disclosed the June 9 "adoptions meeting" only "in recent days", when he filed a revised disclosure document connected with his White House security clearance. It was Kushner's second such revision - in April he remembered that he had forgotten to offer up information on meetings with the Russian ambassador to Washington and with the chief of a Russian bank.

Manafort, too, disclosed his attendance at the adoptions meeting "recently" - though it is not clear which of Kushner or Manafort first made the disclosure, and the extent to which the other was then prodded to get his story straight. Donald jnr's bombshell managed to distract from his father's first public comments - in tweets, of course - on his Friday meeting with Putin. In the face of scepticism on the extent to which he had "pressed" Putin on the election interference, the President claimed he had done so "strongly" twice during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit. And despite so much investigative energy still being directed at the Russian meddling in Washington, Trump declared it was "time to move forward" in a constructive relationship between the US and Russia. But here's a strange thing - in keeping with his curious disinterest in what the Russians are alleged to have done, Trump made no effort to challenge Moscow's spin on their encounter - particularly Putin's claim that Trump had accepted his denial of Russian hacking.

In multiple tweets, Trump said: "I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion  we negotiated a ceasefire in parts of Syria, which will save lives. Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!" Trump did not hold the customary presidential press conference at the close of the summit. But Putin, who ordinarily doesn't make himself available for media questioning, did, saying during a long press conference that Trump had "agreed" with his comments on the election meddling. "He raised many questions on the issue," Putin said, according to a report in Russian news agency Sputnik. "I answered all these questions, as far as I could. I think that he took it into account and agreed. Actually, you would better ask him how he found it." The previous day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who took part in the Trump-Putin meeting, went further, claiming that, in accepting Putin's denial, Trump had also said that meddling charges were being "exaggerated" without proof by some in the US.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who was not in the Hamburg meeting, claimed on Sunday that Trump "absolutely did not believe the denial of President Putin". And US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley was similarly strident: "President Trump still knows that they meddled  this is Russia trying to save face, and they can't  everybody knows that Russia meddled in our elections." And if Trump figures that his proposal for a joint American-Russian "impenetrable Cyber Security unit" - also first mooted on Twitter - to thwart future breaches is a solution to the problem of election interference, the response from some of his Republican colleagues was scathing. South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham declared: "It's not the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but it's pretty close."

Florida senator Marco Rubio didn't hold back either. "Partnering with Putin on a 'Cyber Security Unit' is akin to partnering with [Syria's Bashar] Assad on a 'Chemical Weapons Unit'," he tweeted. Democrats joined in, with California congressman and House Intelligence Committee member Adam Schiff denouncing the proposed cyber security unit as "dangerously naive". "I don't think we can expect the Russians to be any kind of a credible partner in some cybersecurity unit," he told CNN's State of the Union. "If that's our best election defence, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow."
PHILIPSBURG:--- St. Maarten, as the newest member of the Caribbean Investment Promotion Agency (CAIPA), attended its first official workshop in Costa Rica from June 28 to 30. CAIPA is the regional agency geared at promoting the islands of the region in an effort to attract legitimate Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). St. Maarten was represented by Jude Houston, Senior Policy Advisor at the Department of Economy, Transportation, and Telecommunications (ETT).

The objective of the workshop was for member countries to acquire firsthand knowledge of the approach of the Costa Rican Investment and Trade Development Board (CINDE) to attract foreign investors and to interact with actual investors to ascertain what criteria they consider for investing in particular countries of the region.

During the workshop, member countries had the privilege to meet with foreign entities such as INFOSYS BPO Limited, Baxter Agencies, Sykes, and CITI Group among others. These entities shared their experience with CINDE and their reasoning for choosing Cost Rica as their place of doing business.

Given the objective of these workshops and the objective of CAIPA, the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT), in its bid to spur economic growth and development considers the initiative of CAIPA very important.

Analysis has indicated that the period St. Maarten experienced 5 to 6 percent economic growth was when FDI inflow was at its highest. Hence, it is the Ministry's intention to develop strategies and actively identify diversifying sectors for which the island will promote investment and development purposes. ETT is in in the process of developing an Investment Strategy document.

Countries that attended this workshop included; Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Turks & Caicos Islands and the Dominican Republic.
PHILIPSBURG/ Dominican Republic:--- PAWA Airlines who recently picked up the load left behind by Insel Air now have to face auditing which was requested by Aerodom Siglo XXI. The announcement was made on Friday. PAWA offers flights from the Dominican Republic to Miami, Puerto Rico, Haiti and Cuba, and other Caribbean islands. The Dominican Airport (Aerodom) announced on Friday that it will request local authorities to investigate the economic solvency of the airline PAWA Dominicana, which offers flights to Miami, Puerto Rico, Haiti and Cuba, and other Caribbean islands.

According to Aerodom, "PAWA owes today the sum of US $ 1,062,809.61 for airport services offered by our company at the Las Americas International Airport, Jose Francisco Pena Gomez (AILA-JFPG), such as parking, lighting, aircraft landing, use of bridges, common system check-in counters, departure rooms, office space, hangar, warehouse and electricity supply, airport tax per passenger, among others.

"After countless unsuccessful approaches and payment promises, Aerodom took legal action to recover the amounts owed that continue to increase each day, making Aerodom a forced subsidy donor of the airline, which is, in addition to being irregular, clearly unsustainable", assured the director of corporate communication for the company, Yolanda Manan.

She also explained that "since the beginning of this year, PAWA has repeatedly delaying not only payments to Aerodom, but also to other airport service providers. This was brought to the attention of the authorities in the same way as other irregularities, as the clandestine food supply to aircrafts by personnel not accredited as a provider of these services. "

"Apparently this company does not have the capacity to cover its most basic and operational expenses, which, in fact, does constitute a risk to the security and efficiency in the provision of services to passengers," she said.

In the face of this "very serious" situation, Aerodom will formally request the local authorities to "assess the financial solvency of PAWA, a condition which, according to the Civil Aviation Act, must be permanently maintained in order to preserve the economical permit that allows the airline to carry passengers as a commercial airline, "concluded Manan.

Likewise, Manan described the statements issued Thursday by PAWA Dominicana spokesman Alexander Barrios as "false, irresponsible and technically inaccurate" statements. He reported that Aerodom had suspended electricity when one of its flights was in the air, putting at risk the life of the occupants of the aircraft.

"Any specialist can confirm that there is no possibility of jeopardizing the safety of an aircraft and passengers on board by suspending the power supply of an airline's offices," assured Yolanda Manan, director of communications of Aerodom.

The incident occurred on June 30 at the Las Americas Airport, Santo Domingo.

What Aerodom has done, Manan said, "is to exercise its powers, rights and prerogatives granted by the airport concession contract, reserving the right to provide services and facilities at the airport to a company, under certain conditions ".

Source : Aerodom July 7th 2017
Great Bay:--- St. Maarten continues to embrace the SDG 2030 Development Agenda and remains committed to achieving these by the time the target date arrives.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), known as the Global Goals, are a universal effort to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that people worldwide enjoy peace and prosperity. These are different to the MDGs approach as well as the partnership dimension (working nationally, regionally and internationally with partners in the implementation of the SDGs), which is key to success.

17 SDG Goals

Some 17 goals have been identified, built on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The eight Millennium Development Goals ranged from splitting extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education. It formed a blueprint agreed to by the heads of all of 198 UN countries and most worlds leading development institutions.

The 17 SDGs 2030 agenda was agreed upon by the UN countries in September 2015 and came into effect as of the 1st of January 2016. Sint Maarten is signatory of this agenda via the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The 17 SDGs are 1. no poverty, 2. zero hunger, 3. good health and well-being, 4. quality education, 5. gender equality, 6. clean water and sanitation, 7. affordable and clean energy, 8. decent work and economic growth, 9. industry, innovation, and infrastructure. Others are 10. reduced inequalities between countries, 11. sustainable cities and communities, 12. responsible consumption and production, 13. climate action, 14. life below water, 15. life on land, peace, 16. justice and strong institutions as well as 17. partnerships for development for the aforementioned goals.

The Sustainable Development goals are interconnected. Often the key to success on one goal will accelerate progress on another goal. The idea is to reach all targets, by 2030, and sustain these for the duration of life.

The UNDP office of Trinidad & Tobago provides support to the St. Maarten government via the Department of The Interior and Kingdom Relations in integrating the SDGs into our upcoming National Development Plan and policies.

More...

SDGs implementation in St. Maarten

When it comes to implementation of the goals, St. Maarten has introduced the StMaartenInfo database to compile development data as well as a user portal for policy development initiatives.

Via the Millennium Acceleration Framework, St. Maarten has combined interventions to target poverty and hunger, social protection policies for elderly and vulnerable groups, with the aim to secure basic protection, access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and upgrading slums. St. Maarten has conducted a national household budget survey and worked on addressing established social needs of the society (SDGs 1, 2, 11).

In healthcare (SDGs 3 and 17), St. Maarten partners with the Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization and the Caribbean Public Health Agency to improve health care policies and services.

In St. Maarten, women and men enjoy equal access to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education. The elderly, the physically challenged and underprivileged youth are supported through educational programs and policies are in place to decrease dropout rates in education and to digitalize the education system (SDGs 4 and 5).

Wastewater management and sewage treatment are challenges in St. Maarten. Investments in sewage treatment provisions have increased in recent years but are still insufficient. A project plan on wastewater management has been in place since 2014 for water and sewage management and includes plans for the drainage and sewage collection. By 2035, St. Maarten is aiming to establish fair, efficient and sustainable water supply and sanitation services in cooperation with regional and international partners (SDGs 3, 6, 14 and 17).

St. Maarten has a National Energy Policy Plan in place, to increase renewable energy resources like solar power and generate energy from waste materials (SDGs 7, 9 12, and 13).

St. Maarten promotes sustainable tourism and is strengthening legislation to enhance employment opportunities, improve relations between employers and employees and supports access to financial services. St. Maarten is expected to stimulate economic growth through innovation, promotion of small, medium size enterprise development and by promoting an enabling environment and (telecom) services to stimulate economic growth and business development. (SDGs 8, 9 and 11).

St. Maarten protects the environment and preserves natural heritage resources through an Environmental Policy Plan. (SDGs 11, 12, 13).

Next to building partnerships for development, building strong institutions are key to the SDGs approach. In St. Maarten, institutions like the Social Economic Council, Ombudsman and General Audit Chamber can be mentioned as examples (SDG 16).

St. Maarten, along with the Dutch kingdom, committed itself to the SDG 2030 Development Agenda and is in the process of defining priorities for its development agenda.

Furthermore, it is to decide on who to work together with, to implement the SDGs 2030 agenda. This requires the partnership of governments with the private sector, NGOs, academia, civil society and citizens, to mention a few.

MDGs report

The government will soon release Sint Maartens Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) report 2015 and Beyond. In the meantime, St. Maarten has been in the process of determining its development priorities, in collaboration with key stakeholders.

St. Maartens Prime Minister, William Marlin, is scheduled to attend an upcoming High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on SDGs in New York later this month, when a Kingdom Voluntary Review Report on SDGs will be presented to the United Nations.
Boston Semi Equipment Receives Repeat Order for Innovative Zeus Pressure MEMS Test Handler

BILLERICA, MA  (Marketwired)  07/10/17  (BSE), a global semiconductor test handler company, announced today it has received a follow on order for multiple Zeus gravity test handling systems for pressure MEMS. The order comes from a major manufacturer of tire pressure monitoring system sensors, which selected Zeus pressure MEMS solution for its high accuracy and throughput.

The Zeus handler applies the pressure stimulus directly to the device while it is at the handlers test site, said Kevin Brennan, vice president of marketing for BSE. This eliminates the need to hand off the package to a separate pressure unit for testing. The tool also reaches desired pressure set points faster, cycles through pressure levels in shorter times and offers a faster index time than other solutions. Combined, these advantages result in higher throughput for pressure MEMS devices, making Zeus an ideal solution.

The Zeus is a tri-temperature handler that can be configured with up to eight test sites. Cold temperature testing is achieved using LN2 or a BSE-designed, two-stage chiller, the MR2. The Zeus offers the features and performance needed by todays test cells at a more affordable price point.

Boston Semi Equipment LLC provides test automation solutions and electronics repair services to semiconductor manufacturers and OSATs worldwide. Our solutions address customer requirements for test automation products and the services to keep semiconductor test cells up and running. Our goals are to lower equipment costs and increase equipment uptime for our customers. Visit for more information.

Colin Scholefield

Boston Semi Equipment

Tel: +1 781 273 0090

Amy Smith

Kiterocket

Tel: +1 401 369 9266
AVST Demonstrates Enterprise-Class UC Applications at Microsoft Inspire

Posted by Publisher Hardware

WASHINGTON, DC  (Marketwired)  07/10/17  This week at in Washington, D.C., (AVST) is spotlighting its enterprise-class Unified Communications (UC) platform, which helps large companies achieve their business goals through Microsoft solutions. AVSTs platform  which can be deployed on premise or in the cloud  provides a series of robust UC applications that enhance Skype for Business, Office 365 and Exchange.

Most enterprises have a mix of PBXs, and are looking to deploy Skype for Business as a PBX replacement in branch offices, business units or selected locations as the need arises, says Blair Pleasant, co-founder of UCStrategies. She adds, Using a product like CX-E lets these organizations transition to Skype for Business over time, at a pace thats right for them.

CX-E is the only UC platform that connects Skype for Business with all major telephony brands while enabling mission-critical UC features, including:

Hybrid unified messaging that integrates to Office 365 and Exchange simultaneously

Broadest interoperability that bridges the gap between Skype for Business and existing PBXs

Click-to-call from the Skype for Business client to place a call through an existing PBX

Speech-enabled directories and departmental automated attendants

Voice messaging compliance and confidentiality support

Secure Mobile Client to address mobile requirements

Call center for workgroup collaboration

IVR for self-service information access and workflows

Over the years, AVST has distinguished itself within Microsofts partner ecosystem by achieving top-tier status  delivering best-of-breed, enterprise-class UC applications that enable and augment Skype for Business. In fact, AVST holds Gold Communications Competency for CX-Es integration with Skype for Business, as well as Gold Messaging Competency for integration with Exchange. AVST is widely recognized for delivering voice and unified messaging options to support customers compliance and confidentially requirements. In highly regulated industries, demand for separate storage options for voice messages and email is critical to meeting the need for different retention policies. AVSTs CX-E enables businesses to store voice messages outside of Exchange while still delivering the benefits of unified messaging. AVST also ensures voice message confidentiality by restricting the forwarding of voice messages outside the company in an Exchange unified messaging environment. In addition, CX-E delivers unified messaging to Office 365 to help customers accelerate cloud adoption.

As a Microsoft partner for over 10 years, we have a proven track record of providing powerful UC applications to meet Microsoft customers evolving needs, said Denny Michael, AVST Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Whether its Skype for Business, Office 365 or Exchange, enterprises know they can count on us to give them the tools they need to do more.

Inspire 2017 is Microsofts premier event for partners. The event brings together more than 16,000 attendees from around the globe for a week of networking and learning  all with the goal of increasing partner profitability and accelerating business growth. Inspire takes place July 9-13, 2017. AVST is exhibiting in booth #1430. For more information about AVSTs advanced UC capabilities that complement Skype for Business, please visit .

With more than 35 years of continuous innovation, Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc. (AVST) is a trusted developer of software-based, enterprise-class Unified Communications (UC) solutions.

Our mission is to design, deliver and support communications solutions that transform the productivity of individual workers, teams and enterprises while leveraging the value of their existing and evolving IT infrastructure.

Thousands of businesses worldwide rely on AVSTs advanced voice, mobility, team communications, and business process UC solutions to meet their mission-critical communications requirements. The world-class interoperability and flexibility of AVSTs UC platform provides a future-proofed bridge to their digital future.

Headquartered in Orange County, California, AVST maintains facilities in Seattle, Washington, Victoria B.C., Canada, the United Kingdom, and has remote sales offices throughout the United States. AVSTs UC solutions are sold and supported worldwide by an extensive network of resellers and OEM partners. To learn more about AVST, our products and partners, please visit or you can follow us at , or .

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Stephanie Olsen

Lages & Associates

(949) 453-8080
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The threatening email indicated the sender "didn't care about living or anybody else," according to the superintendent.
Keeping up the pressure on India, China on Monday refused to acknowledge the conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hamburg at the G20, and demanded a withdrawal of Indian troops before any dialogue.

By Ananth Krishnan: Keeping up the pressure on India, China on Monday refused to acknowledge the conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hamburg at the G20, and demanded a withdrawal of Indian troops before any dialogue.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday posted a photograph showing Modi and Xi in conversation with their interpreters, and said "a range of concerns" were discussed.

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China, however, on Monday neither denied nor acknowledged the conversation, repeating that a "bilateral meeting" did not take place.

A bilateral meeting refers to a formal discussion with aides and delegations, which neither India nor China scheduled or claimed to have taken place.

Apparently reluctant to confirm the conversation amid a barrage of shrill rhetoric from the state media over the stand-off, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said, "President Xi attended the G20 summit in Hamburg. On the sidelines, President Xi also presided over the informal BRICS leaders meet and PM Modi and other leaders of BRICS countries also attended that event."

CHINA LAYS DOWN PRECONDITION FOR DIALOGUE

"According to my information, the two leaders did not hold any bilateral meetings. On the border issue, we reaffirmed that India should withdraw border personnel from its side of the border. This is the precondition for any meaningful dialogue."

When pressed about the fact that India did not say a bilateral meeting took place but a conversation, Geng said, "My answer is the two leaders of China and India did not hold any bilateral meetings on sidelines."

On reports of Indian troops being ready for the long haul at Doklam, Geng said it only "proves the illegal trespass by the Indian side is organised and deliberate. They intended to destroy and damage the status quo at the boundary area of China and India. So how can diplomatic solutions happen under such circumstances?"

He stressed China's demand that India "withdraw troops from the Indian side of the boundary".

"Diplomatic channels remain unimpeded yet we hope the Indian side can take concrete measures," he said. "The Indian side is violating international norms and we demand that the Indian side bring back their troops as soon as possible."

Geng also ruled out China stopping its road construction, which he said was "on Chinese territory" and "legitimate". "Under a pretext, the Indian side infringed on China's territorial sovereignty," he said.

Also read | Doklam: China warns India of serious consequences if it doesn't withdraw troops

Also read | LoC firing and Doklam: China's expert says unwise for India to engage in two conflicts

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WATCH VIDEO

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'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever': What to know before you see it
The 10-day navy exercise in Bay of Bengal will feature both on and off shore activities. This tri-nation exercise began amidst tension and standoff between India and China in Sikkim. Beijing has already raised concerns about the naval exercise.

The 10-day navy exercise in Bay of Bengal will feature both on and off shore activities. Photo by Manjeet Singh Negi

By Ankit Tyagi: The navies of India, United States of America and Japan kicked off the annual navy exercise 'Malabar 2017' in Chennai.

The 10-day navy exercise in Bay of Bengal will feature both on and off shore activities. This tri-nation exercise began amidst tension and standoff between India and China in Sikkim. Beijing has already raised concerns about the naval exercise.

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In a clear sign of nervousness, Chinese navy has increased patrols and its presence in Indian Ocean.

"Chinese presence, Chinese ships and submarine presence in the Indian Ocean is well known. And we have mechanism in place to monitor the movement and also to keep surveillance on our oceanic area of interest. Beyond our territorial waters are international waters where principle of freedom of navigation and right to international passage apply to all friendly nations," HCS Bisht, flag officer Chief, India's Eastern Naval Command, told India Today when asked whether Malabar 2017 is a strategic message to China.

Trying to circumvent the same question Rear Admiral William D Byrne said the strategic message of Malabar was not only to China but all other countries.

"Operating at sea together is a good thing. We are better together.. we learn better together and eliminate the risk of error," said Byrne.

2017 is the 21st edition of Malabar series with fourth participation of Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force. This year, the scale of the exercise was increased along with the number of participating warships. US Navy has sent its biggest contingent yet - 6 war ships including the much talked about world's biggest aircraft carrier USS Nimitz & a submarine. Japan has two ships in participation, helicopter carrier JS Isumo and destroyer JS Sazanami. India's aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, 2 Shivalik class Frigates, 2 Ranveer class destroyers, 4 other warships and INS Sindhuraj submarine are taking part in this year's drill.

In a clear sign of nervousness, Chinese navy has increased patrols and its presence in Indian Ocean. Pic by Manjeet Singh Negi

On the first day, India Today's team went aboard three naval vessels, one each of the three participating navies.

INS SHIVALIK

INS Shivalik is a frigate which can be used in multiple roles and comes fitted with advanced weapon and tracking systems. It has Israeli made surface to air missile 'Barak 1', long range anti ship and anti submarine missiles & rockets. Apart from missiles various guns are part of this war Indian war ship.

Shivalik also carries 2 helicopters. Inducted in 2010, Shivalik is manned by 25 officers and 255 sailors.

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Second on our guided tour was USS Princeton, a huge guided missile cruiser. This 30 year old war ship has participated in many wars including the 2 gulf wars. This 135 metres long ship carries about 375 sailors. Interestingly it has more than 70 women sailors and officers, an area where Indian navy is still contemplating women aboard combat ships.

USS PRINCETON

This American aircraft carrier is loaded with tomahawk cruise missiles and a huge 5 inch deck gun. US has also sent a powerful missile destroyer USS Howard and one of their most lethal submarine Los Angeles along with other war ships.

JS SAZANMAI

Of the two Japanese vessels, India today went on board JS Sazanmai, a destroyer. The ship is 151 m long and has a big 5 inch gun on the deck along with vertical missile launchers along with torpedos for anti submarine warfare. This ship also carries a chopper for surveillance and submarine hunting missions.

Japan has also sent JS Izumo a helicopter carrier for the navy drill. Commissioned recently in 2015 the ship can carry about 28 choppers.

WATCH: Malabar drill in Indian Ocean: India Today on board USS Princeton

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The two sides would also like to involve the European Investment Bank (EIB) in joint projects. With the bank's help, Emmangela would like to establish a new credit program for mid- and small-sized companies to support them in the process of digitalization. The plan calls for the EIB to establish a guarantee covering 80 percent of the loans issued by commercial banks, with both Germany and France making 75 million euros available. The resulting 150 million euros is expected to be enough to cover what is expected to be a low number of defaults. In total, the program would be able to secure a credit volume of up to 2.5 billion euros with internal calculations estimating that up to 30,000 companies in Germany and France would benefit. The new instrument is seen as a kind of pilot project that other countries could join later on.

Removing Hurdles on Defense Cooperation

The most detailed element of future Franco-German relations is military cooperation. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and her French counterpart have made significant progress - despite the recent revolving door at the French Defense Ministry. The convergence is taking place as part of so-called "Permanent Structured Cooperation" or PESCO, which refers to the process whereby those EU countries who wish to work more closely together can do so.

The hope is to test out the process for the first time on military issues, an area where the 28 EU member states waste millions each year due to a lack of coordination, particularly when it comes to purchasing new weapons systems. Brexit combined with the election of Donald Trump in the U.S. have acted as a catalyst when it comes to European defense cooperation.

The last significant hurdle is to be removed in Paris on Thursday. France had long been insisting that a key priority of military cooperation should be the battlefield effectiveness of the resulting force whereas the Germans are eager to include as many countries as possible. Now, both wishes are to be fulfilled: The cooperation, European Council President Donald Tusk said in June, is to be "ambitious and inclusive."
Killed at the age of 22 in an accident near Nathula Pass in 1968, Baba's spirit is known to both parties patrolling the Sino Indian border. Nathula Pass is the place where China has recently put a stop to the annual Mansarovar pilgrimage.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Though China is showing unusual aggression at the borders, even the dragon warriors are wary of the legend of Major 'Baba' Harbhajan Singh.

Killed at the age of 22 in an accident near Nathula Pass in 1968, Baba's spirit is known to both parties patrolling the Sino Indian border. Nathula Pass is the place where China has recently put a stop to the annual Mansarovar pilgrimage.

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Talking to India Today, a colonel who was paying his obeisance to the military legend said, "The Indian Army has great faith in Baba's legendary powers. Each unit and reinforcement which cross the route moves ahead after taking his blessings."

A caretaker jawan said, "It is not just the Indian Army. The Chinese Army also believes in the Baba's spirit."

He smiles and says, "The dragon is scared of him. At this border, we have his backing. Nothing can go wrong here. An empty chair for Baba is kept in all the customary flag meetings."

Baba has a living room, office and a store. He has a bunker to his name too.

The men in uniform particularly believe that Baba's spirit protects every Indian soldier on the inhospitable high altitude terrain of the Eastern Himalayas. Another officer says that the area of Dokolam is 2 km from aerial distance. Hence, they believe that Baba's spirit is watching their movement.

Listed as a tourist spot, many who visit Nathula Pass or Kopup, a village near Sino India border, usually pay their respect here.

The legend has it that Baba warns Indian soldier of any impending attack three days in advance. A team of tourist said, "We can always tell the Chinese - hamare pass Baba hai (We have Baba with us)."

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Algiers, July 10, 2017 (SPS) - Saharawi Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Essalek hailed the decision taken by the African Union (AU) to revive African mechanisms aiming to help resolve the conflict between Morocco and the Saharawi Republic, stressing that the recent positions of the organization taken last week during the summit in Addis Ababa were "judicious and logical.

He advocated the respect of the legitimate rights of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence.

"The AU will not accept the continuation of the conflict between the two states since Morocco has signed and adopted its constitutional charter whose articles 3 and 4 stipulate the imperative respect of the borders established at independence and peaceful dialogue between member countries," Ould Essalek said in a press conference held Monday at the headquarters of the Embassy of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in Algiers, following the 29th AU Summit of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa.

The Saharawi official considered that the positions taken by the African leaders on the Saharawi cause at their 29th summit "defeated the plan of the Moroccan occupier" which joined the African organization with a view to "attempting to repeal AU's traditional decisions on the Saharawi cause".

The Saharawi Minister stressed that the 29th summit had adopted for the first time "two decisions". One "reiterates and reinforces the positions of the AU after the accession of Morocco, a decision that frustrates Morocco ", while the second, adopted at the last meeting, deals with "setting up mechanisms for actions to resolve the conflict," stressed the same official, stating that" this is the first time the AU takes such a decision since 1991."

Under these mechanisms, in paragraph 4, the AU summons the presidents of the AU and its Commission to act and to get in touch with the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guteress, to "lead a complementary operation between the two organizations, especially after the signing on May 16 of the Collective Action and the consolidation of partnership between the two organizations in order to reach solutions to the problems faced by the African continent. (SPS)

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With the goal of moving as many as 60 employees to Bridgeport from its Westport base of operations, Gault Family Cos. formally applied for a site plan review of industrial property it owns on Seaview Avenue to permit the construction of a small office building.

Subject to the approval of the Bridgeport Planning and Zoning Commission, the offices would total nearly 20,000 square feet of space, sufficient for between 50 and 60 people. The building would include a rooftop terrace deck looking out on Bridgeport Harbor and Long Island Sound.

The family operates Gault Energy and Home Solutions and Gault Stone, also holding real estate in southwestern Connecticut. Gaults history in Westport spans six generations to 1863, with the company evolving over the years from its early services delivering gravel, stone masonry and coal; to its sales and service of modern conveniences today like backup generators and an app and underlying systems to remotely control air conditioning and heat, detect water leaks and monitor security systems.

A Gault attorney told the P&Z Commission late last month that Gault wants the new office building to shorten commutes for Bridgeport-area employees. Gault has considered the Seaview Avenue site as a potential office since at least 2010, according to a city document, having purchased the 6-acre property two years before from Coastline Terminals for $2.6 million.

President Sam Gault told Hearst Connecticut Media the company did not consider leasing or purchasing existing office space at other locations in Bridgeport rather than constructing a new facility from scratch, preferring to develop the property it already owns and stating his belief it will improve Seaview Avenue. Bridgeports vacancy rate was 13 percent as of the second quarter according to JLL, nearly half the vacancy rate of Fairfield County as a whole.

We will continue to have our existing offices in Westport, Stamford, and Bethel, Gault stated in response to an email query. Our stone yards and stone showrooms will continue at their existing locations in Westport and Bethel. The need for more office space is merely based on the lack of space that we have in our existing Westport company headquarters due to the growth of the company.

Sandwiched between the Dolphins Cove Restaurant & Marina and a pier providing water taxi service to Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport, Gault uses the industrial property at 315 Seaview Ave. to store granite, marble and other materials for its Gault Stone division, also storing fuel on site. As part of the project, Gault has pledged to undertake sidewalk improvements at the site.

The office plan is being opposed by a handful of local residents, including Bob Karosy and Glenda Row, who voiced opposition that the building will obstruct water views of homes across the street that have been restored. The planned facility has drawn complaints from residential neighbors as increasing traffic on Seaview Avenue, in part for what they say is Gaults plan to operate a Gault University training facility there.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; www.twitter.com/casoulman
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NORWALK  Where can you watch someone dance the flamenco and enjoy traditional Jamaican food, consume Greek lore while downing halal, or take in the sounds of traditional Caribbean tunes with homemade Italian ice in hand?

The answer, and likely the only answer, is Norwalks NICE Festival, an annual celebration that highlights the rich global heritage and culture present in the city.

Diversity has always been a hallmark for Norwalk, and on Saturday, the city put that global heritage on display as the second annual NICE Festival kicked off.

The idea behind the festival was to showcase as many cultures as possible, including those within the U.S., said Janet Evelyn, executive director of the nonprofit NICE Inc., which hosts the festival.

People get to experience each others traditions and customs at the same time. We generally, as people, tend to associate with our own and can be somewhat less open to experiencing other traditions, and this was a way to bring people together, Evelyn said.

In a city where more than half the population is white, residents of all shapes, sizes and nationalities came out en masse to Norwalks Oyster Shell Park to taste, hear and see what other cultures had to offer.

The NICE Festival was born from a partnership between NICE and the citys Recreation and Parks Department after members of both organizations found there was a void in cultural events in Norwalk after several had been canceled or discontinued.

Through a diverse offering of food, music and clothing, the festival sought to close this gap and encourage the various segments of society to learn more about others traditions and customs, in the hopes of fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of one another, Evelyn said.

After learning of the multicultural celebration, Sam Ansah decided to bring his five children and wife from New York to participate in the event.

Its important to experience things outside of your own walk of life, so whenever I learn of events like these, I try to bring the whole family. Its a great chance to immerse yourself in the cultures and traditions of others, Ansah said.

For Rene Opokua, the owner of P. Variety, a small online business run out of Stamford, the festival presented a great opportunity to introduce Norwalk residents to the unfamiliar stylings of Ghanaian culture.

I want to expose my cultures clothing to locals, and where better to do that than an international fest. People of every country getting together to show off what is great in their culture, and thats why Im here, said Opokua.

The festival displayed a wide array of musical performances to complement the selection of foods and goods, with acts like The Steel Wheels, an Americana, bluegrass, folk band from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and the Haitian band D-Tay Musical Band, which traditionally plays KOMPA, a genre of Haitian music.

In addition to the main stage, performances took place on the Child of the World Stage, sponsored by the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, with performances including Bhangra dancing, Irish step dance, belly dancing, mariachi and more.

The inaugural festival in 2016 featured the reggae artist Bushman as the headlining act.
Ive talked with hundreds of business owners, entrepreneurs and marketing managers prior to launching SEO campaigns for their business. From Fortune 500 brands to local dentists, doctors, plumbers and accountants, Ive fielded questions from people in many different industries. Ive been amazed at the common misconceptions that I continuously hear about search engine optimization.

Related: Is Your Organic Traffic Falling? Here's What to Do.

My job is to teach prospective clients about what actually moves the needle from an SEO perspective and to erase the theories from their minds that will have very little benefit to their business.

Myth No. 1: Blogs will help your SEO.

For some reason, everyone thinks posting a blog on your own website will magically increase your SEO presence and make your website stronger.

If you have a very strong website to begin with, internal blogs can help drive more traffic to your site. For example, I wrote a blog on The Media Captains site about Snapchat geofilters for local businesses. Were based in Columbus, Ohio, and we received a lead from a pizza shop in Lafayette, La. This is the purpose of a blog: to drive traffic for long-tail keywords.

Heres the deal though -- Ive spent seven years, day in and day out, building the SEO for our website, The Media Captain. Since we have a relatively high domain authority at this point, this allows our blog to rank well nationally, which is the reason the pizza shop in Lafayette was able to find us.

Domain authority is a score (on a 100-point scale) developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engines. We like to use domain authority when comparing one site to another or tracking the strength of your website over time. If you have a website that has a high domain authority, internal blog posts can be great. If you are in a line of work where there is not a lot of competition, you can rank well with blog posts as well.

Related: Your SEO Checklist: 4 Steps to Optimizing Your Website

If you website is new, however, or you have a low domain authority, just posting a blog to your site is going to have hardly any benefit from an SEO perspective. People like to think that when you post an internal blog, Google will see your website receiving fresh content. While this is not inaccurate, on a scale of 1-100, this scores a 1 in terms of how much it will move the needle for your SEO.

Tips on succeeding with your blog strategy:

Try and write blog content for external websites, which will link back to your website and boost your domain authority. Backlinks are the foundation of Googles algorithm.

If you start writing content on your own blog, run a Facebook advertising campaign to promote your blog to drive traffic to the piece of content. It frustrates the heck out of me when people write a great piece of content and dont get any eyeballs on it because it doesnt have any exposure.

Myth No. 2: All backlinks are created equal.

When I explain to prospective clients the importance of quality backlinks for their SEO strategy, some tend to think that all backlinks are created equally. They believe that if you hyperlink on Facebook, Twitter or your email newsletter, this will help you rise in the ranks of Google.

This is not the case. On powerful social media sites, the hyperlinks you include in your posts dont get counted as a link that will help improve your backlink profile. Also, on a lot of websites, theyll have whats called a no-follow link. According to Google, "no-follow" provides a way for webmasters to tell search engines "Don't follow links on this page" or "Don't follow this specific link." This helps websites prevent untrusted content or paid links.

Related: 3 Tips for Choosing the Right SEO Agency

The backlinks you want pointing to your site are natural, authentic, industry-related and authoritative. Dont get suckered into believing that all backlinks are created equally. Spammy backlinks can actually cause more harm than good.

In a prior Entrepreneur article, I listed out a step-by-step beginners guide on How to Build Backlinks. Make sure to read this article carefully as it will help you formulate a solid back linking strategy.

Myth No. 3: You can get on page 1 of Google for $99.

I know that everyone reading this article has received constant email pitches and phone calls about 1st Page Google Ranking for just $99. There is a lot of B.S. in the SEO industry. There is no quick solution to get onto the first page of Google.

Ive helped many businesses recover from Google algorithm penalties because they signed up with some oversees company for $99, and this company built spammy backlinks to their site, resulting in a Google penalty. (You can read a prior article on what your business needs to avoid the wrath of Google.)

If you are really interested in improving your SEO, a strategy needs to be formulated. An expert will need to identify the services or products that drive the most revenue for your business so he can deploy an SEO strategy based on your actual business model. Keyword research is involved, as is onsite SEO optimization.

If anyone guarantees you page 1 ranking on Google within a three-month timespan, run for the hills.

Related: How to Improve SEO for Your Small Business

Myth No. 4: I have a contact at Google.

If any SEO professional tells you that he has a contact at Google and the conversation pertains to search engine optimization, he is full of it.

Our agency is a Google Partner and we do have a contact at Google. This is for Adwords though, the online advertising beast that generates billions of dollars for Google yearly.

Google doesnt have employees who can help businesses with their SEO. Thats the fascinating component about this industry; you have to follow the latest trends to make sure your SEO strategy aligns with Googles constant algorithm updates.

Make sure to follow Barry Schwartz, Glenn Gabe and Marie Haynes. All are great SEO experts whose insight and opinion I highly value. There is also Gary Illyes, a webmaster trends analyst for Google, who provides best practices and insight.

Related: To Create a SEO Strategy, You'll Have to Be Patient

Myth No. 5: Stuffing keywords is going to help me.

Long gone are the days where you could buy a domain name like SEOCompanyDenver.com and rank at the very top of the search engines in the Mile High City. Google is looking for authoritative sites that are actual businesses that are getting legitimate visitors to their site.

If you have too many keywords stuffed into your domain, this can be viewed as a spammy tactic that Google can pick up on. Including a keyword within your company is a good practice though, if it is a natural fit, of course. Lets say I wanted to start a commercial roofing company. A name like JP Roofing would be a good option because it has a personal connection based off of my initials, and the keyword roofing will allow Google to clearly understand that I own a roofing company.

Ive also seen many instances where a company will create a URL structure similar to the example below. They build out a ton of pages trying to rank for every single suburb in their area. Again, a big no-no. Google can view this as duplicative content and a deceptive practice, which can do more harm than good for your site.

jpoofing.com/roof-replacements-denver

jpoofing.com/roof-replacements-boulder

jpoofing.com/roof-replacements-centennial

Related:

The 5 Most Common SEO Myths

Is Your Organic Traffic Falling? Here's What to Do.

How Start-ups Should Approach Digital Marketing to Survive This Cut-Throat Competition



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has said that Rahul Gandhi may be elevated as party chief and will be the face of the Opposition in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi may be elevated as party chief on completion of the organisational election process in October and he will be the opposition's face in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has said.

Scindia, 46, who is the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha, also said that the time for introspection was over and that the party had to act soon on a gameplan to improve its prospects in the 2019 election.

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He claimed that the Narendra Modi government would face defeat in the next elections in the same way as the first National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee had lost power in 2004 despite its "India Shining" slogan.

"Rahul Gandhi is leading the party and he will be leading the party," Scindia told IANS in an interview when asked who will be the party's face in the next general elections.

When asked whether Rahul would also be the face of the larger opposition, Scindia said: "I certainly think so. I think the opposition is united in their support for Rahul Gandhi and he will lead the opposition onslaught."

RAHUL GANDHI TO TAKE OVER FROM SONIA GANDHI

"Absolutely" was his response when asked if Rahul Gandhi should be elevated as the party chief. Asked if the elevation would happen at the completion of the party's organisational elections in October, Scindia said: "I think so. Yes, yes!"

There has been recurrent speculation about Rahul Gandhi's elevation, with many leaders in the past having suggested that he should take over from his mother Sonia Gandhi, who is the longest-serving chief of the party.

Scindia, a member of Parliament from Guna, alleged that the Modi government was high on speeches and low on performance.

"Abraham Lincoln had said, 'You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time'. You can't keep talking about propaganda if the ground is slipping underneath your feet. This is the same as the India Shining campaign that you saw in 2003-2004," Scindia said.

However, he added that the Congress had to get its act together.

"I think it is important that we also get our act together and put our best foot forward. In all the state elections, there has to be a clear strategy as well as for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections."

With Punjab being the only major state won by the Congress since its debacle in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Scinidia said every party goes through crests and troughs, and recalled that the Congress had led alliance governments in 2004 and 2009.

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NEW GAME PLAN TO HOLD TRUST OF PEOPLE

"But after that, for multiple reasons, we were not able to hold on to the trust of people and, therefore, we need to start acting on a new game plan. I think the time for introspection and the time for understanding the reasons is over now. We are three years down from the 2014 election and we need to start acting on that gameplan," Scindia said.

"I am confident that Rahul ji will start acting on that gameplan very soon," he added.

In response to a question whether the party was promoting young leadership, Scindia, who is into his fourth term as MP, said that meritocracy and capability were important and not considerations of age.

"There is always more that can be done and I don't think it is necessarily about being young or old. I think it has got to do with capability. You may be a young person and you may be capable, or you may be very incapable and you may be a very old person."

"So you have to promote meritocracy, you have to promote capability and not based on whether someone is young or old or medium-aged," he said.

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Asked if the Congress attack on the government was Modi-centric and if it had yielded electoral dividends, Scindia said the party had been exposing the failures of the government.

"Congress party has always believed in talking about its priorities, its vision, its values and what it has done in the 10 years of government and what it intends to do in the future.

"That being said, we also have to play our role of a responsible opposition and that is to make sure that we keep the current government on its toes and keep it alert."

He contended there were inadequacies across the spectrum - foreign policy, internal security, agriculture, employment, defence - and the party would continue to highlight those.

ALSO READ:

As Modi, Xi Jinping meet at G20 Summit, Rahul Gandhi asks why PM silent on China

India has a weak PM, tweets Rahul Gandhi with reports on H1-B visa, 'India administered Kashmir'

ALSO WATCH:

Where is Rahul Gandhi?

--- ENDS ---
B attersea Power Station builder Carillion has shocked the City with a devastating profit warning after an 845 million hit on a clutch of contracts and spiralling debts left it vulnerable to a takeover.

The company  whose chief executive Richard Howson has stepped down immediately  has axed its dividend this year and is desperately looking to prop up its creaking balance sheet by selling off parts of the business.

Carillions debt pile is likely to soar to 800 million this year and interim boss Keith Cochrane said that no option is off the table for the company, whose shares tumbled by 30%, or 62.5p, to 129.6p today.

RBC analyst Andrew Gibb said: In our view, the group would need to raise a significant amount  500 million-plus  to restore stability. And in the near term, we would expect others to be running the slide rule over the business.

Carillion  whose roster of projects included the conversion of Londons power station into flats  called in accountants KPMG to review nearly 60 contracts earlier this year after deteriorating cashflows.

Hedgies celebrate Some of the biggest names in the hedge fund world were counting their winnings today as Carillions share price collapsed. A host of major players including Sir Paul Marshalls Marshall Wace, fund giant Blackrock and George Soross SFM UK had lined up big bets against Carillion, borrowing shares in the firm to sell in the market in the hope of buying them back more cheaply later and booking a profit. Wace has shorted 4.2% of the groups shares. It is the UKs most-shorted stock.

Three major public-private partnership contracts  the Midland Metropolitan Hospital in Smethwick, Merseysides Royal Liverpool Hospital, and an Aberdeen road project  are understood to be behind the bulk of the UKs 375 million losses. Its 470 million writedowns in overseas markets are driven by losses on a major project in Doha, Qatar.

The business slashed guidance on revenues this year to between 4.8 billion and 5 billion and is pulling out of public-private partnership construction deals altogether after the shock blow. It is also withdrawing from construction markets in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt and only pursuing jobs in future via lower-risk procurement routes.

The decision to cancel this years dividend will save 80 million and Carillion also plans to raise 125 million through non-core sell-offs over the next 12 months in a bid to ease the pressure on the balance sheet.

Cochrane, a former chief executive of oil and gas engineer Weir Group who has been on the board as a non- executive for two years, is also looking at wider cost-saving measures across the group, which employs some 50,000 staff.

I dont shy away from making the tough calls, he told analysts on a call.
M atalan today warned there was no improvement in sight for the troubled retail sector, but it was well positioned amid a squeeze on household budgets.

The budget retailer, which has more than 200 stores, said sales edged up just 1.3% to 253.4 million in the 13 weeks ended May 27. Chief executive Jason Hargreaves, son of billionaire founder John, said the chains performance was strong in light of the challenging market.

Profits were up almost 38% at 22.3 million. UK fashion retailers, including giants like Next and Marks & Spencer, have been struggling in recent months due to the pounds Brexit-induced slump driving up costs and a shift to spending on leisure and travel curbing demand for clothing.

Hargreaves highlighted a 21.5% jump in full-price sales and praised investments in design for boosting ladieswear sales, with printed items among top-sellers.

Improvements in online, including the introduction of next-day click and collect, also spurred growth.

Hargreaves said the firm does not expect the retail picture to recover in the near term and remained cautious.

He acknowledged consumers are facing tough conditions due to the rising cost of living and economic uncertainty, but argued that in such a climate Matalan is well positioned to offer fantastic design and quality at outstanding value.

Matalan plans to refresh more stores in the rest of the year to keep shoppers on side.

John Hargreaves, based in Monaco, hit headlines last year in an 84 million battle with HMRC over tax on a shares sale.
P ity poor David Davis. For the first time in his political career he is trying to be loyal. But now the prospect of the premiership looms, and he has to decide whether to reach for the prize he has coveted for so long. It was not supposed to be like this.

For the man who schemed against John Major, helped topple Iain Duncan Smith and who voted against David Cameron more than any other Conservative MP, Mr Davis thought he had at last found peace as Theresa Mays right-hand man on Brexit. Negotiating Britains complicated exit from the EU would prove a fulfilling end to a political career that had, until last year, looked like falling far short of its promise.

He took to the task with more seriousness and subtlety than any of the other Brexiteers who joined the Cabinet a year ago, earning respect from former Remainers. While the Prime Minister alienated her Chancellor, Mr Davis reached out and formed a powerful alliance with him. While No 10 drew brittle red lines, the Brexit Secretary knew that any chance of a successful negotiation would require flexibility and goodwill.

To get the negotiations off to a good start, he wanted to make a unilateral offer to European citizens living here that they could remain. Mrs May repeatedly overruled him. Mr Davis was open to Britain remaining party to the Euratom Treaty  the arrangements between European nations, including those outside the EU, that govern the transit and security of radioactive materials across the continent. As this paper reports exclusively today, the Royal College of Radiologists fears withdrawing from Euratom would endanger the import of the radioisotopes from Europe used in cancer scans and the treatment of 10,000 patients here. It was Mrs May who overruled Mr Davis and others in the Cabinet, such as Greg Clarke, to insist that we sacrifice those sensible international arrangements on the altar of the dogmatic purity of Brexit. That rigid approach now faces humiliating defeat in Parliament, as a growing number of Conservative MPs make clear they will rebel.

Brexit Secretary David Davis / BBC

Strategic

Mr Davis foresaw some of the trouble that now threatens to engulf the Government. Indeed, he has always regarded himself as being more strategic and forward-thinking than his more myopic colleagues. But what he did not foresee was that Mrs May would fail so badly in the election that he had urged her to call.

It is now a truth universally acknowledged among Conservative MPs that the Prime Minister must quit. The only question is when. The public consensus among Conservatives is it would be better to wait for a couple of years, until Brexit has been completed. A leadership election now, they say, would make a general election irresistible and a Corbyn victory inevitable. In private, Tory MPs are not so sure. Two years of leaderless government doesnt feel to them like a plan for success.

For Mr Davis, there is another consideration. Were the leadership contest to be held this year, he would be a strong favourite, if not a shoo-in. Wait two years, however, and a host of fresher faces will emerge from the junior ministerial ranks, while the Brexit Secretary will bear the scars of months of bitter European negotiations. Thinking of the good of the country, he will know that a delayed leadership contest means the Cabinet will not be able make the compromises necessary for those EU talks to progress because putative leadership contenders (including himself) will not risk appearing soft on Brexit.

The old adage in Tory leadership contests is that he who wields the knife never wears the crown. A young Mrs Thatcher proved that wasnt the case when she brought down a leader who called a snap election and fell short. Mr Daviss dilemma is that if he, or his supporters, dont wield the knife now he may never wear the crown.
" Everyones a little bit racist, sing the foul-mouthed muppets in the musical Avenue Q. They might, had they read the extract published yesterday from a new book about Google searches, have added the lyrics: And lots and lots of people are a lot racist too.

Cripes, Seth Stephens-Davidowitzs Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are makes for glum reading. But its glumly compelling. The authors notion is, basically, that people lie to surveys but they tell the truth to search engines. And that truth isnt pretty.

Very few people, for instance, admit to being racist. Its widely argued that implicit or unconscious prejudice among the basically well-meaning is at the root of most discrimination. But Stephens-Davidowitz can show that seven million Americans (or, conceivably, one very busy one) search for a phrase including the n-word every year, with 17 times as many searches for n***** jokes as for any other racial jokes. The word is searched as often as migraine or economist.

Charmingly, theres a 30 per cent uptick in those searches each year on Martin Luther King Day. The map of where these searches come from, just as charmingly, correlates closely to the map of the strongest electoral support for the now President in the Republican primaries.

There were some dismaying results, too, during President Obamas well-received speech after the San Bernardino shootings in 2015 calling for calm and tolerance towards Muslims. Did it increase calm and tolerance? Er, no: searches calling Muslims terrorists, bad, violent and evil doubled during and shortly after the speech. As Obama denounced the idea of religious tests for refugees, negative searches about Syrian refugees [] rose 60 per cent, while searches asking how to help Syrian refugees dropped 35 per cent. In fact, the speech correlated with a threefold rise in searches for kill Muslims.

Its not just racial or religious prejudice that Google searches can tell us about. Digital truth serum, as Stephens-Davidowitz calls them. Google searches are the most important dataset ever collected on the human psyche. Some things, mind you, may not come as a complete surprise. Men ask Google about their willies more than their lungs, liver, feet, ears, nose, throat and brain combined.

But complaints from women about men refusing sex come at twice the rate of complaints from men about women refusing sex. And Is my husband gay? is asked 10 per cent more often than Is my husband cheating?; eight times more often than an alcoholic? and 10 times more often than depressed? (Which is making me wonder, nervously, whether all this data was gathered from my own ISP.)

If you gaze for long into an abyss, said Nietzsche, the abyss gazes into you. Likewise, if you ask Google to give you information about the world, you give Google an awful lot of information about yourself. And it shows us to be, well, abysmal. No man, as Mme Cornuel almost said, is a hero to Silicon Valley.

But its not all bad. Stephens-Davidowitz offers grounds for cautious optimism. In our neuroses and anxieties, Googles giant dataset tells us: you are not alone. It tells us where people need help and how  it can tell epidemiologists where diseases are spreading; and it can help outreach workers identify communities with high numbers of closeted and fearful gay people. And, a most intriguing finding: when President Obama talked about Muslim sportspeople in that speech, the hate-searching dropped for a bit. Distracted by curiosity, people started Googling Muslim athletes.

So Google searches are a window into boundlessness  and not just of human hatefulness and sex-obsession. They are also a window into the boundlessness of our speciess greatest asset, the asset that may save us: curiosity. On which count I note that if you type Do mid into your Google search box, autocomplete will still offer as its first option: Do midgets have night vision? Theres hope for this wicked old world.

Ivanka is the lesser of the Trump stupids

Ivanka Trump's critics say she is unqualified to stand in for her father, President Donald Trump (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) / Getty Images

If it were not so serious, Donald Trumps colossal disregard for all the norms of political propriety and human decency would, you have to admit, be as funny as all hell. I mean, the absolute insouciance with which the leader of the free world let his unqualified, unelected 35-year-old daughter Ivanka, pictured, stand in for him at the G20! Between Mrs May and the Chinese President, if you please! Armando Iannucci, genius though he is, would have struggled to script anything quite as hilarious as the last few months in American reality.

I suppose there is a point that bears making in her defence, though  Ivanka is not noticeably more unqualified to sit at that table than her tangerine-coloured old dad. Plus, she seems to be sane, isnt likely to start a war, knows how to shake a world leaders hand properly and never boasted of sexually assaulting a member of the opposite sex. Im not quite saying Ivanka should take over as POTUS, but if she did, it certainly wouldnt make things any worse.
T he period after the EU referendum has been dominated by Brexiteers reassuring us that everything will be fine, repeating the mantra that the EU needs us more than we need it. Its free trade deal with Japan, the worlds third-largest economy, would suggest this is now inaccurate.

While we continue to stutter in the Brexit negotiations and fight among ourselves about the result of a referendum that concluded nearly a year ago, the EU appears to be pressing on to safeguard its interests. While it is undeniable that initially the EU was devastated at the thought of the UK leaving, under Theresa May we have shown our true, nasty colours by using EU citizens as pawns in negotiations and threatening to withdraw our co-operation on security.

Perhaps now the EU has realised that we werent so valuable after all, and it is indeed much better off without us?

James White



I assume that as part of Japans free- trade deal with the European Union it will have to accept the free movement of people, pay into the EU budget, accept the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and let the EU negotiate any trade deals it wishes to make with other countries.

It only seems fair, given that these are the terms the EU say Britain must accept.

Stuart Robinson

Your very short editorial [Brexit: what they said, Comment, July 6] gave a tiny hint that Brexit really is turning out to be the catastrophe predicted by everybody except the Conservative Right and xenophobic voters.

All the supposed free-trade deals arent happening and prices are rocketing. The deficit, meanwhile, is out of control. The world is treating us like the idiots we have become. It is the usual custom when you are about to jump over a cliff to take a look into the abyss. The Tories would rather we didnt think but just jumped.

We now need a period of calm so that we can have the genuine debate on Brexit that we were never allowed to have.

Richard Spivack

Your editorial poses some questions purporting to expose the false promises of the Leave camp at the referendum. What in fact they expose is the increasing hollowness of the Remain camps rhetoric.

The first question asks: Today the EU reached agreement on a free-trade deal with Japan, which wont cover Britain when we leave. Didnt Brexiteers promise us the opposite would happen? The answer is no. They said that, once out of the EU, Britain would be free to negotiate individual free-trade deals with the rest of the world  a self-evident truth if ever there was one.

Martin R Maloney



Building bridges after the Grenfell disaster

Elizabeth Campbell, the new leader of Kensington and Chelsea council, states in her interview that it is an easy dig to say rich people in Kensington dont care about the poor [July 6]. The outpouring of sympathy and the donations after Grenfell show that to be untrue.

If the council had not spent years pandering to the imagined self-interests of wealthier residents, this crisis may have been averted. Council tax has not been put up for seven years and has given rich residents an effective tax cut. All households have been given a 100 tax rebate, giving the impression that everything is functioning safely. The council is now sitting on reserves of around 300 million while cutting and outsourcing any public services it can.

We await the findings of the public inquiry into the causes of the fire but it is clear that housing stock has suffered from under-investment. It seems it is the council, not residents, that does not care about the poor.

Helen Ashby



I suggested in the Lords last week that a cross-party administration should be formed in Kensington and Chelsea. Trust in the Conservative Party has fallen so low, and the people of the borough need to see their elected representatives working together on the basis of a clear, published plan. Then their faith in the council would begin to be restored.

Alistair Lexden, House of Lords (Con)



Train chaos makes it hard to work

As the usual pattern goes, train fares are going up with no discernible improvement to the service and, no doubt, appalling delays to come. As a self-employed worker this will be catastrophic for me. Who will give me work, knowing I cant get there?

I write this stuck on a train running 15 minutes late. On Wednesday my train was cancelled, as it was the day before. The excuse was that it was a bit late and there was another train to the same destination 15 minutes later.

Southeastern is averaging less than 90 per cent punctuality a day  its way worse during rush hour. This is the reality commuters face.

M Green

Join the conversation: #esnewsviews



Lower crucial limits are crucial to the streets

Despite figures showing the majority of drivers break the 20mph speed limit, lower speed limits are making our streets safer [Eighty per cent of drivers ignore 20mph limits, July 3).

The average speed that drivers go at is only 21-25mph; this compares to 28-31mph in 30mph limit zones. This is clear evidence that the 20mph zones are reducing the average speed of traffic, making our streets safer.

It is vital that people realise the facts around 20mph. If a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle at 20mph, they have a 97 per cent chance of survival. This reduces with every mile driven faster, going down to 50 per cent at 30mph. Lower speed limits increase road safety and this undoubtedly helps people feel more comfortable walking on our streets, which is better for their health and the local environment.

There has been a widespread rise in the number of 20mph zones in the UK  this is encouraging to see and is something we all should be supporting.

Joe Irvin, chief executive, London Living Streets

Join the conversation: #escleancityviews



Wimbledon must tackle its queues

If there is one problem with Wimbledon, it is that those who miss out on tickets through the ballot and cannot afford the tickets sold by agencies on the internet must join The Queue, as I did on Thursday.

This meant being directed to the large green park opposite the Wimbledon grounds, borrowed partly from Merton council. There were three lines of queues about 500 metres long arranged. From the back to the front, we had to wait for about three hours and the tickets ranged from 25 for general admission to 74 for Court No 1.

I feel that only the fit and young could bear to queue for this long in the summer heat. Surely there must be a better way to sort out the ticket madness? The organisers must do better to get fans in with cheaper tickets.

Manfred Simeoni

Join the conversation: #essportviews
T he designer of the Shard is one of six world-class architects shortlisted to create Londons new state-of-the-art 250million concert hall, it was announced today.

Renzo Piano will go head-to-head with five other firms including Gehry Partners, behind the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and Foster and Partners, the London-based practice which built the Gherkin.

The proposed Centre for Music, destined for the site of the Museum of London in the heart of the City of London, will be the home of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Its director Sir Simon Rattle is among the panel of judges who will assess detailed designs for the six short-listed practices.

The other consortia invited to submit detailed plans are AL_A and Diamond Schmitt Architects; Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Sheppard Robson; and Norways Snhetta, which won awards for the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet.

Catherine McGuinness, policy chairman at the City of London Corporation, said: It is hugely encouraging that so many leading architects from around the world have responded enthusiastically to the challenge to develop a concept design for the Centre for Music.

For them, it represents an exceptional opportunity to help realise the plans for this truly remarkable concert hall  outstanding in design and open to all - in the heart of the Square Mile. For the key partners behind this project and the City of London Corporation, this important announcement brings everyone a step closer towards one of the most widely anticipated and significant developments in the Square Miles cultural hub.

The development is being led by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Barbican and Guildhall School of Music & Drama, backed by 2.5million in funding from the City of London Corporation.

The site will be vacant after the museum completes a 250m move to a new bigger and more accessible site at Smithfield Market.

Rattle has argued that London does not currently have a truly world-class concert hall and the LSOs current home in the Barbican cannot accommodate about the orchestral repertoire.

Where to see dance in London 1 /6 Where to see dance in London Royal Opera House Home to the world-class Royal Ballet, the Royal Opera House is a stunning auditorium with a gigantic stage. The Royal Ballet began performing there in 1946, with Margot Fonteyn performing in a gala performance of Sleeping Beauty to mark the occasion. It is now home to revivals of classics by choreographers like Kenneth MacMillan and Frederick Ashton, and innovative new works by contemporary figures like Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor.



Covent Garden; roh.org.uk Sadler's Wells One of the biggies, Sadlers Wells has been around since the 17th century. The current Islington building is the sixth on the site since it began 1683, but it was in 2005 that director Alistair Spalding said he wanted Sadlers to do for dance what the National Theatre does for drama. It presents all forms of contemporary dance and helps to develop original work in both its main house and the smaller Lilian Baylis Studio. Their associate artist list is basically a whos who of contemporary dance, counting Wayne McGregor, Matthew Bourne, Hofesh Shechter and Crystal Pite amongst its number.



Islington; sadlerswells.com Southbank Centre The Southbank Centres jampacked year-round programme of multi-arts festivals always places high importance on dance. They play host to a range of international companies, from our very own English National Ballet to the Hong Kong Dance Company.



Belvedere Road, Embankment/Waterloo; southbankcentre.co.uk The Place This old drill hall near Euston develops dancers as well as hosting performances. It is home to the London Contemporary Dance School, but its 280-seat theatre hosts over 200 performances a year. Its also home to Resolution, the biggest UK festival for emerging dance companies.



Off Euston Road; theplace.org.uk Jacksons Lane A bit of a wild card choice: Jacksons Lane is Londons most exciting venue for circus and cabaret companies. If you want to have a jaw-dropping evening of people contorting and bouncing and swinging about in a way that us mere mortals can only dream of, get yourself to Highgate to see whats going on at Jacksons Lane.



Highgate; jacksonslane.org.uk The Barbican This brutalist beauty is home to a whole stew of different arts forms, and regularly plays host to some of the most exciting dance companies. The huge complex has performance spaces from the blooming big to the intimate, and in the last year has played host to bright choreographing talents including Julie Cunningham, Michael Clark, Siobhan Davies, and Ballet Black.



Silk Street, Barbican/Moorgate; barbican.org.uk

In a joint statement, their directors said: Were delighted with the calibre and expertise of the companies who responded to this opportunity to design a world class new Centre for Music in London and the strength of this international shortlist really demonstrates the excitement around this potentially transformative cultural project.

We look forward to the next stage of the appointment process as we look to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a landmark new building that inspires current and future generations through the power and excitement of live music.

The venue will also host performances from the Barbicans family of associate orchestras and ensembles, as well as performances from touring artists and orchestras from across the UK and the world.

The aim is to complete the business case process by December 2018.

After that, the task of raising the money can begin with a hope that a significant donor with an interest in naming rights can be found.
E very day at 11.30am Lisa Flint says her mind begins to race. I get butterflies because its the time the hospital told me they would call if they had found a donor for Oliver. Lisas son is nine and has a condition that means his heart doesnt pump as it should. He was put on the waiting list for a heart transplant last January and his family are still waiting to hear whether a match will become available. As a mother you are disempowered, which is a tough place to be, says Lisa. A transplant would give us a semblance of a normal life.

Lisa, 48, an interior designer before she had children, has just dropped Oliver and his sister Emmeline, seven, at school near their home in West Hampstead. A photo of him and his youngest sister Matilda, three, climbing a tree sits on the mantelpiece. Oliver has a blonde fringe, dark eyes and grins spiritedly. Hes determined, says his mother. He has a strong sense of self, is competitive and a high-flier at school  hes just passed grade one piano. Harry Potter and Minecraft are current obsessions; he wants to be an architect.

He played Badger in his schools production of The Wind in the Willows last week. His parents noticed the play was choreographed so that he could sit down because he is easily exhausted. His energy is there but his body is pulling him back, its like he is wearing a lead jacket, says Lisa. Hes aware of how other children see him. Hes too proud to go in a wheelchair so he gets around on a microscooter. At school they give him piggy-backs up and down stairs.

Oliver was born with atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD), which means the partition meant to separate the heart into four chambers has not developed. His father Peter, 47, who works for the construction firm behind The Shard and Tate Modern, says: He has four holes in his heart. His left side doesnt pump, his right side does the work. A healthy person has around 98 per cent oxygenation in their blood, hes 76-78 per cent.

Little Oliver was born with atrioventricular septal defect (Vicki Couchman) /  vicki couchman /

His parents want to encourage people to become registered organ donors. The UK has an opt-in system where organs can only be donated from someone who had consented during their lifetime. But there is a petition to change the model to one of presumed consent, as Wales recently did and last month Scotland announced plans to do, where an individual is automatically on the register unless they request otherwise. In the UK three people die each day because they cant find a donor, according to NHS Blood and Transplant. Some 23.4 million people  36 per cent of the population  are on the organ register.

I dont know why more people arent on the register, says Peter. If you have no experience of being in a situation where you need an organ its not something you think of. Its easy to opt in on the British Heart Foundation website.

Doctors noticed Olivers condition at Lisas 20-week scan. At the time they were living in Dublin, where Lisa is from. Peter is from Tasmania and they met on holiday in Greece. Four months later, Peter proposed on New Years Eve and they were married within a year. It was so fast. By the time the wedding came around I was already pregnant with Oliver, says Lisa. We came back from honeymoon in Tuscany, had bought a house, were ready to do what everybody does and then our world fell apart.

AVSD is common in babies with Downs syndrome so that was a concern too. Doctors mentioned termination, which isnt often raised in Ireland, says Lisa. But that wasnt on the cards for us. I do remember lying in bed, thinking I dont want to have this baby because when its inside me its safe but when it comes out what lies ahead of us?

Doctors noticed Olivers condition at Lisas 20-week scan (Vicki couchman) / Vicki Couchman

As soon as Oliver was born he was taken into intensive care. I said its a boy with big brown eyes and then he was gone, continues Lisa. Youve had a child; all you want is to hold them.

Oliver was just two days old when he first had heart surgery. Waiting while they did that first surgery felt like an eternity, says Lisa. Most new mums worry about whether their babies are eating or sleeping, says Lisa. I was worried about dressing my babys wounds.

At seven months, looking bonnie, Oliver had another operation. Lisa says: Four hours in, the surgeon came out crying. He asked us to sign a consent form because they couldnt fix him. That was nearly worse than the original news about him having the heart condition. We thought he might die that day. The surgeon was crying because he knew at that point our lives had changed for ever.

The Flints have exhausted all their options and they even thought of moving to the US because there are more donors there (Vicki Couchman) / Vicki Couchman

The lowest point came two months later when Olivers heart was barely beating. Doctors told them to go to London, which shares a transplant list with southern Ireland. He was too poorly to go on a plane so we went on an army helicopter to Hendon and got an ambulance to Great Ormond Street. For two weeks they stayed at a hotel, waiting to hear if a donor was available. They never went back to their Dublin house and bought their current home to be near the hospital in case a transplant came up.

You have to be as healthy as possible to have the transplant, says Lisa. I barely took him out of the house because I was so afraid of infection. I wouldnt go on public transport, I couldnt join mother-and-baby groups or meet other mums. I was in an isolated bubble with my son on a transplant list, in a city where I only knew a smattering of people.

Eventually Oliver was well enough to come off the list but when he started primary school a blockage formed and he needed open-heart surgery. He was six. That was when doctors advised telling him about his condition. He said, I thought there was something wrong with me because I cant run in the playground with the other children, I get out of puff. He was innocent enough then that he didnt realise it is life or death.

Its common for children with conditions to know they are unwell but not want to say anything for fear of it causing their parents anguish. I was devastated when the nurse told me that.

Lisa remembers taking him back to school. All his little friends put their arms around him. I couldnt look, I was crying so much. He pulled up his T-shirt and showed them the scar on his chest.

They chose Olivers school, Trevor-Roberts, because its not too focused on sport, which Oliver doesnt have the stamina for. Still, hes frustrated. Lisa says: I saw the whole class get up to play tag recently. Oliver couldnt so he hunkered down under a tree.

He knows hes on a transplant waiting list. He asked if that means he gets a fresh heart. Then immediately he said that means somebody else has to die. We told him they were dying anyway, not for him, and he went off to play.

The Flints have exhausted all their options. They even thought of moving to the US because there are more donors there. It felt like we were being proactive, says Peter. The bills were huge, $1.5 million for something thats free here. We were going to remortgage the house. Oliver told his friends he was going to America for surgery. But 95 per cent of their organs go to US citizens  it wouldve been risky.

Brexit worried them because the UK shares a register with Europe but the Flints have been told this wont change. While they wait for news, theyve stopped planning ahead and focus on time together. Olivers favourite spot is the restaurant Feng Shung Princess, on a boat on the Regents Canal.

His sisters are protective, says Lisa. Emmeline wont do gymnastics because Oliver would prefer to stay home; she wants to be close to him.

Having more children saved our family, says Lisa. When Emmeline came I had to look after her so I couldnt obsess about Oliver.

Lisa has told Oliver dont wait to live your life. I want him to experience everything  love, family  because life is short. But theres no such thing in Olivers book as him not making it. Anybody could be in a situation where they need an organ. It doesnt matter if you are nine or 90, giving life to somebody is one of the most incredible things you can do.

Follow Susannah Butter on Twitter: @susannahbutter

Find out more about the organ donation register here: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/
The spate of violence and the lock down of Darjeeling have hit common people hard. Yet, many feel that the agitation was long overdue.

Protesters at the funeral procession of a civilian killed in fresh round of violence in Darjeeling. Photo: PTI.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: In Darjeeling, a crowd of several hundred people with multi-coloured umbrellas brave the heavy rain to march towards the main town to protest against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The anger is palpable after three civilians were killed in fresh violence over the weekend. A protester tells India Today, "The demand for Gorkhaland is a 107-year-old one. For this cause, so many of our people have died".

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"Mamata may use force but we won't back down this time," says another protester.

Yet another woman protester joins the conversation and adds, "We are standing in solidarity with those who have died. We are standing up for Gorkhaland".

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is set to convene an all-party meet on July 11.

THE TRIGGER

It all began in the first week of June when Mamata Banerjee presided over her first cabinet meeting in the hills at the Raj Bhavan in Darjeeling--a first in 45 years--days after her government made Bengali language compulsory up to Class 10.

The West Bengal government's decision was strongly opposed by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) which began protesting against the "imposition" of the Bengali language in schools in the hills.

The sporadic protests soon turned into violent protests across Darjeeling for a separate state Gorkhaland.

THE AFTERMATH

The Army today conducted flag marches in areas that bore the scars of the violence--a charred bike and a scooter outside the DSP's office in Darjeeling--that has rocked the hill town since the last month.

Outside the ransacked office, a handful of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel are on guard. One of them says, "Times look tough ahead".

A banner of Gorkhaland is visible over a stretch of a partially burnt railway station in Sonad.

The town is in a lock down mode. Except medicine stores, all shops have downed shutters--the shutters have posters for Gorkhaland pasted on them.

The Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee, formed to lead the Gorkhaland movement, is expected to hold a meeting in Mirik on Tuesday.

Mirik is the municipality that Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress had wrested from the GJM in the recently concluded polls in West Bengal. Celebrating the win, Mamata had said that "hills are smiling".

TOUGH TIMES

The month-long violence in Darjeeling has hit the common people hard. The supply of essentials is drying up.

"We are waiting to get some milk. We wanted to leave but did not get any transport," rue two college students at a bus stand.

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Some plan to leave the city in a day or two. A hotel owner says, "There is no staff in the hotel. No one will dare to oppose the shutdown. We have been surviving on potatoes and rice, but now the stock is finished."

He adds, "We have no option but to support the movement. In the last 50 years, we have lost opportunities, we don't have jobs, our children go out for education. The ones who have government jobs are Bengalis, not Gorkhas or Lepchas."

"This agitation was overdue. We need to have our own state. If it has to be done, it better be done now," he says.

Prakash Rana, an ex-Army man, travelled to Siliguri to complete the online admission procedure for his son, who has managed to get through Sikkim University.

With internet services suspended, Rana says, "I had to do this or my son's admission would have been stopped. His future is at stake".

Ghum Singh, who has also hitchhiked to Siliguri so that he could access an ATM and draw out some cash, says, "We are hoping for a resolution".

ALSO READ:

Darjeeling abandoned: Bimal Gurung hiding, CM Mamata waiting, MP Ahluwalia missing

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Darjeeling unrest: GJM puts children at forefront in protest rally, yet again

Darjeeling crisis: Has Bimal Gurung lost control of the GJM stir?

ALSO WATCH: Fresh violence erupts in Darjeeling, protesters back on the streets

--- ENDS ---
T housands of women and girls are dying around the world because of abusive partners denying them safe contraception and abortions, a report reveals today.

Millions are being raped and forced to have multiple pregnancies, according to the research by ActionAid ahead of a summit on family planning in London this week. The charity helps poor women and girls across the world.

The report gives harrowing case studies of women being raped, abused and denied contraception in dozens of countries including Liberia and Rwanda.

It estimates that out of 212.5 million unwanted pregnancies over the past five years in 69 focus countries with the biggest abuse problems, 31.8 million were women who had suffered physical abuse from their partner.

The research also calculated that 14,100 womens lives could be saved, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.

The report is being published ahead of the Family Planning Summit tomorrow, co-hosted in London by the UK Government, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Population Fund.

ActionAid supports the Summits aim to empower 120 million women and girls to use modern contraception by 2020. It is asking Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel to build on the UK Governments strong record on these issues to take action on the link between violence and reproductive rights  including support for womens rights organisations working on the issue.

The report  Common Cause Collaborative Response  claims many women are not able to access reproductive health services because of domestic violence.
T hieves who stole millions of pounds of jewellery from a Chelsea art fair had a key to unlock secure cabinets, it was claimed today.

Detectives are hunting two men who calmly walked into the Masterpiece art show last week and unlocked a cabinet before stealing several pieces of diamond jewellery.

The men, both white and casually dressed, then locked the cabinet at the stand of Swiss jewellers Boghossian before strolling away.

A source likened the heist to the plot of the Pink Panther films.

Detectives are examining CCTV footage which apparently shows the two thieves walking into the art fair in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea on Tuesday last week, the day before it was due to close.

An insider said: They walked in and went straight to the stand and to a particular window on the aisle. They were blocking the view of the CCTV but, apparently, one of them had a key and opened up the cabinet.

You could see the cabinet being opened and one of the men reaching with his hands inside, taking items out and then the cabinet being closed and locked.

The source added: They walked in and went straight to the Boghossian stand, took the items and left.

"They knew exactly what they were after. It was too smooth to be opportunistic  it is not like they had to break into anything.

The theft took place at about 5.20pm but apparently went undiscovered until 9am the next day.

One worker at the event said it was swarming with round-the-clock security, including covert guards and uniform police officers.

He said: It was not the normal hospital security  these were all suited and booted and really meant business. Its like the Pink Panther films or something.

The exhibition, which attracts thousands of visitors, features sculpture, Parisian decor, fine jewellery and contemporary art. It describes itself as a leading international event for viewing buying the finest works of art.

One expert said the jewels were likely to be too recognisable to be sold on. Tobias Kormind, of 77 Diamonds in Mayfair, said: The best way for the stones to be sold on the open market would be if they were re-cut to be slightly different and less obvious.

The thieves were described as white, with one of them said to be in his thirties and the other aged between 35 and 40. Boghossian, which is based in Geneva but opened a store in Londons New Bond Street in 2013, has declined to comment.
T he former leader of a London council today revealed how she was left bleeding from a hand injury after moped muggers tried to snatch her phone.

Sarah Hayward described how the would-be thieves gouged a lump of skin out of my thumb when one made an unsuccessful grab for the phone as she walked in Castle Street, Kentish Town.

The Labour councillor, who stood down as Camden Council leader in April, had been checking her emails following lunch with a colleague when a scooter without number plates mounted the pavement behind her.

She said: Fortunately I was holding the phone with both hands as I wrote. They gouged a lump of skin out of my thumb, and when they didnt get it they rode off.

I was a little bit shaken. Ive seen stuff like this before but I was quite surprised to see it on such a residential street.

I think they probably targeted that street because there are no cameras there and they knew I wasnt going to get a number plate, so they can basically act with impunity.

There were 1,680 moped-enabled mobile phone snatches in Camden in the 12 months to April, according to latest police figures.

Cllr Hayward, who represents Kings Cross ward, said she was initially hesitant to contact the police because her phone had not been stolen.

But she was convinced by the foreman of nearby building site, who witnessed the incident.

She said: The thought process that went through my head was that I didnt want to waste police time. But its important to help build up a picture of where this is happening.

Ive never felt nervous walking around with my gadgets in my hand. But the last couple of days I have been a lot more observant.

We should all be able to walk around safely and not worry about someone nicking our possessions.

Its their fault, not mine.

Police are investigating the incident, which took place on Thursday.
A former EastEnders actress tried to smuggle nearly three kilos of cocaine into the UK by hiding it in the bottom of a suitcase, a court heard.

Leanne Lakey, 39, is accused of plotting with Dean Shanahan, 47, to sneak the drugs past Customs officers at Gatwick airport on December 12 last year. The cocaine was allegedly hidden in the base of Shanahans case as Lakey travelled with him.

She starred as Belinda Slater in EastEnders between 2001 and 2003, while at the same time playing the role of Charlotte Day in another TV series, Family Affairs.

Her character was brought back to EastEnders last year but Lakey was dropped from the role in favour of another actress.

Lakey, from Chelmsford, trained at the Arts Educational School in Chiswick and has also appeared in The Bill, Holby City and Casualty.

She appeared at Croydon crown court alongside Shanahan to face the drug smuggling charge.

Wearing a baggy grey top and leggings, she pleaded not guilty to evading a prohibition on importing class A drugs.

Shanahan, from Kingsbury, denied the same charge.

Judge Adam Hiddleston freed them on bail until their trial, due to start on December 18.

He ordered them to live and sleep at their home addresses, and put Shanahan on a 10pm to 7am curfew.Lakey was said to work in a restaurant in Chelmsford and also spend time at her boyfriends home in Bedford. The judge said she could have some nights in Bedford in the lead-up to her trial.
A mugger who was chased and caught by a cancer patient after snatching a 100,000 watch from a 17-year-old schoolgirls wrist has been jailed for more than two years.

Hamza Ziani, 26, and another man targeted Saudi Arabian-born student Haya Alraban as she got into a black cab after dinner with a friend in Sloane Street.

Haya was grabbed by Zianis accomplice as she tried to close the car door, and believing they were trying to steal her hand bag she tossed it on to the pavement.

However, the thieves were intent on stealing her Richard Mille watch, worth 100,000, which was wrestled from her wrist before the two men fled.

Isleworth crown court heard that a passerby, Mubarak Alhajeri, witnessed the mugging, at 9.45pm on April 10, and chased Ziani.

He is a cancer patient, he intervened when he witnessed what was happening, and he ran and ran, not to know what he might be presented with, said Judge Nicholas Wood. That shows something very public spirited about Mr Alhajeri.

Ziani, who is Algerian and had only been in the UK for about a month, was pursued through the streets by Mr Alhajeri, who eventually caught up with him outside Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge. He saw the defendant crouching and catching his breath, said prosecutor Alex Balancy, who added that Ziani then said in Arabic it wasnt me.

The court heard the other thief, who ran off in the other direction, had pocketed the stolen watch, which has not been recovered.

Robert Dacre, defending, said Ziani was the father of a four-year-old son in Algeria and just wanted to get home to see him. He said Ziani only met his accomplice, who he claimed grabbed the watch, the day before the mugging and does not know how to contact him.

Jailing Ziani for 26 months, Judge Wood said: It was a robbery of a personal item from a 17-year-old girl who had been out having a nice evening.

Ziani, of no fixed address in the UK, pleaded guilty to robbery. He will be deported when released from jail.
T wo middle-aged perverts are facing jail after they set up a chat room on the dark web for sharing child porn.

Brett McBain, 51, from south London and David Buckley, 54, from East Yorkshire, confessed to founding The Other Place, a chat room to share hundreds of thousands of indecent images of children.

The pair described the forum, set up in 2014, as a channel for the respectful appreciation of youthful beauty.

McBain, who went by the name King of the Castle, shared links to some 200,000 indecent images via the chat room and Buckley posted more than 30,000.

McBain, from Balham, south London, pleaded guilty to 10 charges relating to the distribution of indecent images while Buckley, of Goole, East Yorkshire, admitted a single charge of conspiring to distribute images with him.

The two men will be sentenced at London's Old Bailey. / Shutterstock

The court heard they met through another similar channel on the dark web before they decided to set up their own version.

Mitigating, Dominic Thomas said McBain was an alcoholic who was "glad" to be arrested to "sort himself out".

Throughout, he thought his co-conspirator Buckley was a 24-year-old woman, the lawyer said.

Rina Hill, for Buckley, described him as a solitary man with alcohol and drug issues.

She said: "Mr Buckley maintains the real buzz and thrill for him in his interest in this channel was in the fact his persona as a woman meant that others gave him a lot of attention and made him feel less lonely."

Recorder Brian Altman QC will sentence the men at the Old Bailey on Monday.

The dark web is a hidden part of the internet which is unseen to most browsers and requires special software to access.

Additional reporting by Press Association.
P olice are to get advice on fighting knife crime from teenagers and for-mer gang members in a new initiative to engage with young Londoners.

Scotland Yard will set up a capital-wide youth independent advisory group  including teenagers aged 16 and over and former gang members  to help it tackle weapons violence.

It will also establish youth groups to support police in each borough and pupil panels in schools to advise on safety. Detective Superintendent Sean Yates, leading the Operation Sceptre knife crackdown, said: Theyre really good kids, they want to be involved.

This week, the Met will launch another phase of the Sceptre drive. Hundreds of officers will be deployed across London to carry out weapon sweeps and other activities. In Tower Hamlets, police will test a Twitter scheme in which about 300 young people have agreed to retweet police messages about knife crime. Officers will also be targeting the 750 or so prolific knife carriers in the capital.

Mr Yates said: The activity next week is about keeping our kids safe during the holidays. We will be concentrating officers at bus and rail stations and in open spaces as well as working with schools.

Figures suggest the rate of increase in knife offences in London is slowing. Police say there have been daily reductions in the number of people under 25 suffering knife wounds in recent weeks. Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer  in charge of the Mets community engagement  is co-ordinating the establishment of the borough and school advisory groups.

He said: Young people in particular have concerns about safety, not just after school but getting to and from school. This might be feeding in to their willingness to carry a weapon.

I would like every borough to have young people who can give us advice and guidance not just on knife crime but what concerns them and what it is like to be a young person in London and, crucially, what the police and other authorities can do to keep them safe. My idea is [that] by giving young people more of a voice and by listening and acting on what they tell us, we will increase their confidence in us and they will let us know where they feel most unsafe.
A ustralian premier Malcolm Turnbull praised Londons emergency services as he stood shoulder to shoulder with Theresa May at the site of the London terror attacks.

The two leaders were touring London Bridge and Borough Market where Australians Kirsty Boden, a 28-year old nurse, and Sara Zelenak, a nanny, aged 21, were among victims.

They spoke to those who dealt with the aftermath and were affected by last month's terrorist outrage, in which three knife-wielding attackers went on an eight-minute murderous rampage.

Australia stands with Britain in resolute solidarity  partners as always in freedoms cause, said Mr Turnbull.

Emotional: Malcolm Turnbull walks with Theresa May and Met Commissioner Cressida Dick / AP

The terrorist attack at London Bridge and Borough Market was an attack on all peace-loving nations.

They were met outside Southwark Cathedral by Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick and Commander Dean Haydon before being introduced to a number of first responders.

Speaking to those from the Met, British Transport Police and London Ambulance Service, Mr Turnbull could be heard asking one female paramedic about her time in London.

Theresa May and Malcolm Turnbull visit site of London terror attack 1 /14 Theresa May and Malcolm Turnbull visit site of London terror attack The Australian PM and Mrs May visited London Bridge and Borough Market on Monday AP Malcolm Turnbull said the visit had been emotional AP Prime Minister Theresa May, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, arrive to speak to first responders from the emergency services PA The two politicians spoke with market traders and members of emergency response units AP Seven people were killed in the Borough Market attack, two of them Australian AP Theresa May and Malcolm Turnbull met people who had been there during the attack AP Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull leaves after a visit to Borough Market PA Mr Turnbull and Mrs May met first responders from the emergency services outside Southwark cathedral PA Mr Turnbull and Mrs May met first responders from the emergency services outside Southwark cathedral PA It is the Australian PM's first official visit to the UK EPA Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speak during a news conference at Downing Street in London REUTERS

After a brief chat, he said: "Thank you so much for everything you have done."

Mr Turnbull added: On behalf of all Australians, I thank the brave first responders and all Londoners who were on hand to help on that awful night.

Eight people, including two Australians, were killed and scores of others injured in the atrocity on Saturday June 3 which saw three knifemen mow down pedestrians on London Bridge with a van, before stabbing people in Borough Market with 12-inch knives.

Visit: The two PMs met traders at Borough Market / AP

Wearing fake suicide vests, all three attackers, Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot and killed by police in a hail of bullets at the scene.

Mrs May, Mr Turnbull, Ms Dick and Commander Haydon visited the renowned London food market to speak to some of the businesses affected by the attack.

Outside Paul Wheeler Fresh Supplies, the stand by which the attackers were shot, owner Paul Wheeler spoke to both prime ministers about how it has been since the incident and the support they have had.

Grateful: Turnbull thanked members of the emergency services / PA

The 51-year-old told the Press Association: "The Australian PM seems all right, I told him he had brought the Australian weather with him, and I thanked the Commissioner, just to say about the boys who were here on the night and after."

Federico Fugazza of Argentinian food stand Portena told them how his staff barricaded themselves in behind a metal shutter, and watched the attack unfold.

The 41-year-old said: "They were really exposed but somehow they stayed safe, and there was a customer inside - we were lucky.

"The prime ministers were thankful of that, and in a way proud of how most people reacted and how everyone tried to stay safe and together."

After Mrs May and her Australian counterpart returned to Downing Street, they spoke about the emotion of the visit.

Downing Street: The PM said the visit was 'very moving' / REUTERS

Mrs May said the visit had been "very moving" as she praised the security services.

"We have seen the fantastic response of our police and our emergency services."

Mr Turnbull said: "It was a very moving visit. I want to say how much we admire the outstanding response of the police, arriving on the scene so quickly, dealing with the terrorists so effectively and decisively.

"They ran towards the danger while others were fleeing the danger."

Number 1-: It is Mr Turnbull's first official visit to the UK as PM / EPA

Mr Turnbull said meeting two of the officers who responded to the incident was very emotional.

"It was very moving to meet them. The three of us did our best not to burst into tears."

On his first official visit to the UK as Prime Minister, the Australian leader was holding talks at No 10 on security, trade prospects and was due to meet the Queen.

Mrs May said: I am deeply grateful to Prime Minister Turnbull and the Australian people for the solidarity and support they have shown the UK. At times such as this we are reminded of the importance of the strong ties that have bound our two nations together for over a hundred years.

A Number 10 spokesman said a priority for them would be security and defence co-operation, including on counter-terrorism, and growing the trade and investment relationship.
A round 255 people escaped the Grenfell Tower inferno, police revealed today.

Scotland Yard said they had estimated that around 350 people should have been living in the tower but about 14 were not at home on the night.

Police still believe around 80 people died in the blaze and 32 people have been positively identified.

However, they believe up to 10 people had also escaped the blaze but, for unknown reasons, have not chosen to come forward and seek help.

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

Police say the intensity of the fire means that some victims may never be identified.

Officers are gathering debris from the tower by hand and sifting though the material to look for remains .

Commander Stuart Cundy said police were working to identify people as fast as possible and re-iterated an appeal for people who had fled the fire to come forward.

The home office has announced an amnesty for immigration offences and there will be no prosecution of anyone who sub-letted flats.

Grenfell Tower death toll of about 80 came mainly from 23 flats

Officers say it is becoming increasingly harder to identify victims.

Commander Cundy said there was no evidence to support some theories that as many as 600 people were living in the tower.

It comes after Sadiq Khan ordered an urgent review of equipment for firefighters after claims crews were hampered by shortages while tackling the blaze.

The Mayor pledged firefighters will get exactly the equipment they need after firefighters told the BBC they experienced problems with equipment and water pressure, and a high ladder did not appear on the scene until half an hour after the first fire crews were sent.

A total of 73 people had been reported missing.

Police were taking DNA from survivors to identify some of the dead.

Anthropologists and archaeologists have been brought in to help the painstaking search of the 23-storey block which is expected to take until the end of the year to complete.
L ondons business chiefs today called for urgent action from the Government to secure the UKs position as a global trading hub after Brexit - in addition to delivering Heathrows third runway.

In a hard-hitting report, they demand that ministers should instigate a pro-growth aviation policy to maintain the capitals world position.

The London First consortium of business leaders also says rail link access to Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and London City airports must be improved.

It wants the UK border to be welcoming as well as secure, and condemned recent passenger chaos and long queues at airports as sending a terrible signal to people wanting to come to the UK to visit or do business  for whom the airport security queue is Londons front door.

The report, called No time to waste: Keeping Londons airports connected in a post-Brexit world, says the capitals airports will be near capacity by 2025.

Heathrow Airport through the years - In pictures 1 /33 Heathrow Airport through the years - In pictures 1978 Welcome to Heathrow Evening Standard 1936 The entrance to the Great West Aerodrome now Heathrow Airport Daily Mail 1946 A wartime bomber waits on a runway at what was London Airport, where workmen are laying cinders on a waterlogged section of the airfield. The first plane to take off was a converted Lancaster bomber Getty Images 1946 Traffic clerk Doreen Haines walking French children along the runway to their plane home Getty Image 1965 The Queen's Building (left) and the No.1 Building Europa Getty Images 1962 The scene after Britain had been hit by the worst blizzard since 1947 1962 The BEA West London Air Terminal on Cromwell Road. The site served as a check-in facility for travellers Getty Images 1965 Tourists waiting at during the luggage porters' strike Getty Images 1966 The Beatles just before they set out for America for their 1966 tour Getty Images 1966 Muhammad Ali waves as he boards his plane Evening Standard 1969 The Queen, accopanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, views a window shopping display whilst touring the opening of Terminal One at what had been renamed as Heathrow Daily Mail 1970 A Pan Am Boeing 747 is seen just after landing after its first commercial flight AFP/Getty Images 1973 Farewell waves from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh as they board an Air Canada aircraft for their tour of Canada Daily Mail 1975 Thirty-five winners wave good-bye before departing on Concorde's first public passenger flight Getty Images 1978 An aerial view of Heathrow Airport, terminus and runway, and the surrounding area Evening Standard 1994 Police officers search for clues on the runway area after a mortar attack by the IRA AFP/Getty Images The check-in area for Concorde flights at Heathrow Airport A Concorde airplane takes off in 2003 from Heathrow AFP/Getty Images 2003 Army soldiers on board an armoured personnel carrier (APC) stand guard outside Terminal 2 Getty Images 2006 Terminal 5 under construction Glenn Copus 2008 The interior of Terminal 5 just before it opened to passengers Jeremy Selwyn 2008 And the outside view of T5 Getty Images 2013 Workers gather for a safety briefing in the new departures area of Terminal 2 Heathrow Airport in 2016 Hannah McKay/PA 2019 Air Traffic Control Engineers use screens displaying real-time panoramic views of the runways and docking gates during the trial AFP/Getty Images

There is clear demand for further runway capacity in the South-East with a strong case for expansion at Gatwick and/or Stansted, it adds.

London First says its priority is getting our capital Brexit-ready by 2019 for the benefit of the whole country.

Richard Dilks, the groups transport director, said: Government backing for expansion at Heathrow was hugely welcome and a significant boost for British business but it took 50 years to get to this stage.

He called on ministers to step up and help get the UK into the best possible shape ahead of Brexit by supporting investment and recognising that the UKs global standing requires action beyond building a vital new runway at Heathrow.

The reports recommendations include:

Prioritising new aviation agreements to ensure the legal framework for air services with the EU, the US and other countries continues once the UK leaves the EU. The report states: It wont matter how many runways we have if we fail to negotiate the legal rights to keep planes in the sky.

Enhancing access for existing airports, including confirmation of plans for western rail access to Heathrow along with detailed feasibility work on routes from the south.

Lifting planning restrictions on passenger numbers which artificially hold back London airports from making the most of existing infrastructure. It cites Stansted as currently serving 25 million passengers a year, with 35 million by the early 2020s. Easing restrictions would allow Stansted to make full use of its single runway, improving capacity for around an additional 10 million passengers a year.

The report also says there must be significant Network Rail investment to improve the Brighton main line to Gatwick, while Crossrail 2 would enable a step-change in services to Stansted.

It renewed calls for a new station for Crossrail  now called the Elizabeth line  at London City Airport.

This was rejected by Transport for London last year, but London First says that a station could be paid for privately.

It says that without changes there would be 3,100 days worth of delays and 8,000 cancellations a week.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport (DfT) said: Delivering new runway capacity in the south east is vital to the future of the UK, boosting our economy and our position on the world stage.

We are working with Heathrow and TfL to give passengers the best possible access and just last week plans were announced to increase Elizabeth Line services to the airport, including new trains to Terminal 5."

We want to improve transport links to help our airports grow and we are committed to the 15 billion Crossrail programme, which will serve Heathrow and the 6 billion Thameslink upgrades which will benefit Gatwick.
Kolkata police has begun a crackdown against those using social media to disturb communal harmony in the state.

The image used by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in her tweet

By Indrajit Kundu: Barely 48 hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave a stern message to those inciting violence through social media, BJP leader Nupur Sharma has been booked by the Kolkata police.

Two separate complaints have been filed against the Delhi BJP leader in Kolkata for passing off a 2002 Gujarat riot image as that of Bengal. The first complaint was filed by a Trinamool Congress supporter at Regent Park police station. In the second instance, an FIR was filed at Kolkata's Gariahat police station where the BJP leader has been booked under non-bailable sections.

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Sharma had tweeted the poster of the recent "Save Bengal" campaign that was launched across Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Kolkata on July 8 simultaneously. The poster had used the old Gujarat riots photo to depict Bengal.

Speak-up because it is already too late! Join in at 5 PM today at Jantar Mantar #SaveBengal #SaveHindus pic.twitter.com/QU5ZT1HkUt; Nupur Sharma (@NupurSharmaBJP) July 8, 2017

Sharma has been booked under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion), 471(forgery), 505 and 465.

Over the weekend, the Kolkata police has begun a crackdown against those using social media to disturb communal harmony in the state. Bengal CID and the Kolkata police have arrested three people in separate cases for spreading false information to instigate riots.

"The people of Bengal will not tolerate the fact that some people are turning Facebook into 'Fakebook' by posting fake pictures and fake news for their political ends," Mamata Banerjee said while addressing a public meeting in East Midnapore on Monday.

"Why should there be such malice, misinformation and conspiracy against a government? Both the central and state governments are elected by the people. Then why should the former conspire against the latter?" Banerjee asked.

Also read:

BJP leader shares photo from 2002 Gujarat riots to call people for protest against Bengal violence

Also watch:

Basirhat violence: BJP MLA T Raja Singh asks Hindus of Bengal to wake up and give a befitting reply

--- ENDS ---
A popular lido forced to close after the poolside was trashed has been targeted by "mindless" vandals for the second night in a row.

Brockwell Lido, in south London, was targeted by thugs who hurled items into the pool hours after the busy facility celebrated its 80th anniversary on Saturday.

On Sunday evening vandals struck again, ripping up paving slabs and throwing lifeguards' seats and benches into the water as temperatures in the capital soared to 27C.

The pool was forced to close due to damage to security alarms but reopened later on Monday, a spokeswoman for Fusion Lifestyle which runs the leisure centre said.

Pictures posted by the lido on Monday showed the extent of the damage alongside the caption: Once again, due to overnight vandalism, the pool is closed. Pool alarms have again been damaged. Engineers have been called to support.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused. We will update as soon as possible.

Pool users slammed those responsible.

An account called Brockwell Lido Users wrote on Twitter: To the vandals who wrecked @Brockwell_Lido pool last night. You are senseless and mindless. The damage caused will not stop us reopening.

Labour MP for Dulwich and West Norwood Helen Hayes said: So sorry to hear that @Brockwell_Lido was damaged by vandals last night, thanks to all who worked to get the pool open again now.

Becky Whitefoot added: This is terrible @Brockwell_Lido after having such a wonderful time on Saturday.
S chool children melted the hearts of police officers with adorable notes thanking them for showing astonishing bravery during horrible terror attacks in the capital.

The heart-warming notes sent to Kingston Police praised cops for showing their true courage in the wake of atrocities at London Bridge and in Westminster.

Spokesman Seb Ellis said six mystery letters arrived from children, aged between six and 10, at the police station on Monday.

One message, from 10-year-old Emilia, read: We are all very thankful that there are people like you who will always be there to help us, in all due respect.

You have taken control in life-or-death situations, and shown true leadership.

Thank you note: Police said they were 'taken aback' by the notes / Kingston Police

The primary school pupil thanked officers with all her heart, on behalf of the whole community before adding that she hoped anyone injured in the attacks continued to thrive in their wonderful lives.

The intelligent youngster then added that her thoughts and prayers were with those that lost loved ones.

Jamie McGeoch, aged eight-and-three-quarters, wrote to officers to say they had done very well on fighting all these terror attacks in the last days.

Jamie added: Im very grateful on (sic) what you have done to protect our city from all the horrible terrorist attacks in my life - that is a very long time.

I wish you lots of safety in the terror attacks.

Images of the letters were posted on Kingston Police's official Facebook and Twitter accounts.

A caption, illustrated with smiley face and police car emojis, added: Thanks Emilia and Jamie.

Kingston Borough Commander Anthony Enoch sent each child a personal letter thanking them for their sweet notes along with police stickers.

He told Emilia: "Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to write into the police station. Your letter is beautifully worded and incredibly neat, I especially like the blue pen you have written in".

He added that his officers have had "a very difficult few weeks" but said "recieiving letters like yours make it all worthwhile".

Chief Superintendent Anthony Enoch told Jamie: "I appreciate your messages of safety to our officers and agree that eight-and-three-quarter years is a very long time too."

'Adorable reply': Kingston's Borough Commander replied to the children individually / Kingston Police

He told the pair that their letters had been displayed in the police station before signing off "Chief Superintendent Anthony Enoch, aged 50 1/4".

Followers were quick to praise the children with one commenting: Lovely letters from the children, it looks like their school is teaching them well....

Susan Callaghan added: Hope teachers, parents and carers are proud of these kids, as I am?

While Diane Carey said: Love it.

Five innocent people were killed when terrorist Khalid Masood ploughed into pedestrians on London Bridge on March 22 before fatally stabbing hero PC Keith Palmer outside the gates of Westminster Palace.

On June 3, eight civilians died when terrorists Khuram Shazad Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba launched a van and knife rampage on London Bridge and nearby Borough Market before being shot dead by police.
S adiq Khan has joined some of the capitals leading cultural figures to relaunch the London Is Open campaign following the recent terrorist attacks and Grenfell Tower disaster.

Tourism bosses hope to appeal to potential tourists who might have concerns about coming to central London with a message that this is a great moment to visit the West End.

West End leaders have installed 374 flags on nine streets over four and a half miles of central Londons shopping district adorned with the message Everyone Welcome  written in the 12 languages of the top 10 visitor countries, including Chinese, Thai, Russian, Hindi and Japanese. Bookings have dipped since the Westminster and London Bridge atrocities and the catastrophic blaze in North Kensington made headlines around the world, but the fall is said to be not dramatic.

The Mayor today launched a new website dedicated to things to do in the West End in the summer. At the launch Mr Khan was joined by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, designer Charlotte Olympia, artist and Keeper of the Royal Academy Eileen Cooper, architect Farshid Moussavi, executive chef at the Citys Duck and Waffle restaurant Dan Doherty and publisher of British GQ Vanessa Kingori.

The London Is Open campaign was first launched by the Mayor in the wake of the Brexit referendum vote to allay fears that London was no longer as welcoming to foreign visitors.

Tom Jenkins, chief executive of the European Tourism Association, said: It is inevitable that recent events cause concern within the tourism industry. Our understanding is that new bookings are affected, but not dramatically, and such downturns are usually short and getting shorter. London is open and its appeal is enhanced by the depreciation in sterling. This is a great moment to visit the West End.

Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company, which represents traders in and around Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, said: With the summer tourism season in full swing and 1 billion set to be spent, there is no better time of year to discover and explore the West End.
N ew evidence of the key role that East Europeans play in Britains economy was revealed today  as official figures showed large numbers working in key sectors including manufacturing, hospitality and public services.

The Office for National Statistics said that 6.7 per cent of all people working in UK manufacturing, equivalent to 185,000 employees, were from Poland or the seven other East European countries that joined the EU in 2004.

Some 225,000 are in jobs in hotels, restaurants or distribution, while just over 83,000 work in health, education or public administration.

The statisticians disclosed that 1.3 million people born in the eight East European countries  Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia and Latvia  are now living in the UK. The vast majority, 813,000, are Polish.

The figures came as a new dispute over EU citizens future rights in the UK broke out, with the European Parliaments lead negotiator criticising as inadequate proposals by Theresa May that will allow EU citizens living here to remain after Brexit.

Guy Verhofstadt claimed that the Prime Ministers plan was a damp squib and threatened to treat EU citizens here as second-class citizens. Ministers insisted that the attack misunderstood the Governments proposals and that EU citizens would be treated equally after Brexit.

Todays report will add to the debate about the importance of retaining EU workers. It shows that East Europeans make up 25 per cent of the food manufacturing workforce as well as 2.4 per cent of those working in residential care. They also fill 1.2 per cent of all jobs in human health.

There is also a low dependency ratio among East Europeans with 3.9 people of working age for every child or pensioner  more than double the equivalent ratio of 1.8 for Britons. That suggests that East Europeans are less likely to be a drain on public finances.

However, they are more likely to work in lower paid elementary occupations than professional or managerial jobs, which generate more tax.
T heresa May is to launch a fightback after her General Election gamble backfired, insisting she has the right vision for Britain and an "unshakeable sense of purpose."

The Prime Minister will this week acknowledge her smaller Commons majority means she will need to adopt a different approach to government.

But amid rumours of unrest within Tory ranks about her position, Mrs May will insist her commitment is undimmed almost a year after entering Number 10.

Her comments will be viewed as an attempt to re-launch her premiership after the humiliation of the election result and the need to strike a deal with the DUP.

In a speech on Tuesday, Mrs May will return to her core message from when she became Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Theresa May with DUP leader Arlene Foster outside 10 Downing Street / PA

She will say: "Though the result of last month's General Election was not what I wanted, those defining beliefs remain, my commitment to change in Britain is undimmed.

My belief in the potential of the British people and what we can achieve together as a nation remains steadfast, and the determination I have to get to grips with the challenges posed by a changing world never more sure.

"I am convinced that the path that I set out in that first speech outside Number 10 and upon which we have set ourselves as a Government remains the right one. It will lead to the stronger, fairer Britain that we need."

Jeremy Corbyn responds to news that he's ahead of Theresa May in the polls

The fragile nature of Mrs May's position in the Commons will not stop her being "bold", she will insist.

"I think this country needs a Government that is prepared to take the bold action necessary to secure a better future for Britain and we are determined to be that Government.

"In everything we do, we will act with an unshakeable sense of purpose to build the better, fairer Britain which we all want to see."

Mrs May will acknowledge that the General Election result will change the way she has to work in Parliament.

She said: It will be even more important to make the case for our policies and our values, and to win the battle of ideas both in Parliament as well as in the country.

"So I say to the other parties in the House of Commons ... come forward with your own views and ideas about how we can tackle these challenges as a country.

"We may not agree on everything, but through debate and discussion - the hallmarks of our parliamentary democracy - ideas can be clarified and improved and a better way forward found."
T heresa May's offer to EU citizens living in the UK after Brexit has been dismissed by European Parliament figures.

The Prime Minister's offer to give Europeans "settled status" after Britain leaves the EU falls "far short of what Europeans are entitled to", it is claimed.

A letter jointly penned by European Parliament Brexit chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt and the leaders of four of the parliament's main groups said that the proposal was a "damp squib".

They argued it offered Europeans in the UK fewer rights than Britons in the EU, and would create red tape and uncertainty for millions of people.

Mrs May has said three million EU citizens would be allowed to stay in Britain, and those who have lived in the UK for five years would have access to education, health and other benefits. But the proposal is contingent on EU states guaranteeing Britons living abroad the same rights.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Mr Verhofstadt said EU Citizens should keep their current rights, rather than the government inventing new status.

It creates a type of second class citizenship for European Citizens in the UK, he added. We dont see why their rights should be diminished and that would be the case in the proposal.

In the end, it is the European Parliament that will say yes or no, and I can tell you it will not be a yes if the rights of European citizens  and also the rights of UK citizens living on the continent  will be diminished [and] cut off, like it is at the moment.

In strongly worded comments, the leaders of the four political groups said Theresa Mays proposal contradicted promises made by the Leave campaign and threatened to reject any Brexit deal unless the rights of EU citizens were protected.

The letter said: The European Parliament will reserve its right to reject any agreement that treats EU citizens, regardless of their nationality, less favourably than they are at present.

This is a question of the basic fundamental rights and values that are at the heart of the European project.

It added: In early 2019, MEPs will have a final say on the Brexit deal.

A UK government spokesman told the BBC: "We have always said we want a reciprocal arrangement that allows EU citizens to continue to live their lives in the UK broadly as they do now, which is why we set out our proposal to guarantee their rights with a new 'settled status'."
S hoppers in the UK are "completely in the dark" about the effect Brexit will have on the cost of their weekly shop, a former supermarket boss has warned.

Justin King, who ran supermarket-giant Sainsburys for 10 years, said it was very clear shoppers faced a hike in prices but no major supermarket would reveal such plans.

He claimed supermarkets would soon introduce higher prices and criticised the lack of discussion about the potential impact of Brexit on supermarkets.

Mr King told BBCs Panorama: One can say very clearly what the direction will be  higher prices, less choice and poorer quality.

All of those dimensions have been improved by these open trading relationships that weve had over the last 40 years.

He added: Brexit, almost in whatever version it is, will introduce barriers.

"That makes it less efficient which means all three of those benefits - prices, quality and choice - go backwards."

Mr King, who ran Sainsburys until 2014, claimed it would be the weakening of the pound against the Euro that forced supermarkets to push up prices.

The EU guarantees free trade across the continent, which Mr King said has driven up standards and allowed shoppers to by out-of-season vegetables all year round.

But Vote Leave campaigner and manufacturing boss John Mills claimed the EU keeps prices artificially high.

He said: Food prices inside the EU vary from food product to food product, but the average is something like 20% higher than they are in the rest of the world - so there is very substantial scope for food prices coming down if we switch sources of supply outside the EU.

The reason why food prices are higher inside the EU is because they have got tariffs which keep the prices up.

"It's not anything to do with quality - it's due to the institutional arrangements with means the food prices are kept much higher to increase farmers' incomes."

But some British farmers told the BBC of their fears following the Brexit vote, claiming a bad deal could drive them out of business.

John Davies, a livestock farmer from Powys in Wales, said: I'm really scared of imports - produced to completely different standards [with] hormones, you know, feedlot beef, you know.

We're based on green and pleasant land, high environmental standards. We really are proud of that."

A spokesman for the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: We will not in any way dilute high quality environmental standards, we will make sure our environment and animal welfare are protected."
P rince Harry slammed the lack of youth education about HIV as "totally absurd" during a visit to London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The 32-year-old issued a call to eradicate the stigma surrounding the disease at a discussion group of his Africa-based charity, Sentebale.

He said that "education is power", and added: "To me it is totally absurd that in today's world that young people, the first time they know or the first time they hear anything about HIV and Aids, is probably by the time it is too late.

"HIV needs to be treated exactly the same as any other disease, and between us hopefully we can eradicate the stigma and give these young people an opportunity to stand up."

HIV: The Prince went to see work being undertaken to combat some of the world's most pressing health issues / PA

Harry introduced three young people, who had travelled from Lesotho and Botswana, to talk about their experiences of living with HIV.

Tloto, an 18-year-old girl from Botswana, said: "I decided to discuss my status so I can grant them courage, I can give hope to those who are hopeless."

She was joined by Ts'epang, 19, from Lesotho and Kananelo, a 22-year-old man also from Lesotho, who all spent a week in London preparing to speak to global leaders in HIV and Aids.

Prince Harry: He met with young people affected by the illness

The trip included a visit to Knightsbridge School in central London, where they spoke to children aged 12 to 14.

"We learned they didn't know about HIV-related issues, but now they know with the information we gave them," said Ts'epang.

They also visited Harry at Kensington Palace before going to the university, and Ts'epang described the Prince as "so kind and loving".

Harry has been outspoken on the fight against HIV and co-founded the charity Sentebale, meaning "forget me not", with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 to improve prospects for the thousands of children and young people affected by HIV/Aids in the landlocked African country.

Staff: Prince Harry met the team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in Bloomsbury / Getty Images

As of December last year, Sentebale had delivered adolescent-friendly HIV testing and counselling services to more than 21,000 people, and there are plans to expand into four or five sub-Saharan African countries by 2020.

Monday's event was part of the charity's Let Youth Lead initiative, which provides a platform for young people to encourage their peers to test for HIV and drive change in interventions that better support the needs of their age group.
T heresa May today faced a Tory rebellion and a stark warning that thousands of cancer patients face delays to their treatment as a direct result of Britains decision to quit the European nuclear body Euratom.

The agency, which governs the movement of radioactive material around Europe, is not formally part of the EU but is under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice  leading to the Governments decision to pull out as part of the Brexit process.

Dr Nicola Strickland, president of the Royal College of Radiologists, told the Standard she was seriously concerned that Brexatom threatens the supply of vital imported radioactive isotopes, widely used in scans and treatment.

Nine Tory MPs have signalled their opposition to pulling out of Euratom, enough to inflict a humiliating defeat on a key element of the Prime Ministers Brexit plans. Several ministers are also said to be unhappy with the decision.

Dr Stricklands comments mark the first time that the College has spoken out about the potential medical implications of leaving Euratom. Some of the isotopes are derived from weapons-grade uranium.

About half a million scans are performed annually in Britain using imported radioisotopes and more than 10,000 patients across the UK have their cancers directly treated by these materials.

Theresa May was today faced with the stark warning over treatment for the UK's cancer sufferers / Getty Images

Dr Strickland said: Radioactive isotopes play a crucial role in diagnosing and treating cancer in the UK... the Royal College of Radiologists, like others in medicine and industry, is seriously concerned about continued access to these materials if we leave the Euratom treaty under Brexit.

Many of the most widely used isotopes are sourced from nuclear reactors in EU countries including Holland, Belgium, Poland, France and the Czech Republic and cannot currently be produced in Britain.

They are used to zap cancerous cells but cannot be stored as many have a short half life.

This means hospitals depend on a reliable supply from abroad. Radioactive materials that are vital to the production of isotopes for scans include Molybdenum 99, which is imported mainly from the Czech Republic and Belgium and is used in 80 per cent of procedures. Lutetium 177, used for treating pancreatic cancers, is supplied from Italy.

Dr Strickland said: So far, there is little certainty about what leaving Euratom might actually mean in practical terms.

Government officials have given general assurances they will consult with industry over nuclear safeguarding.

The Royal College of Radiologists is adamant that they must do just that, and soon. We need assurances the radiation safety laws and regulations around movement of radioactive materials enshrined in Euratom will continue in the form of mirrored legislation post-Brexit.

Another concern is whether we could see increased radioisotope pricing as a result of leaving Euratom.

"Any future restricted access has the potential to delay diagnosing and treating cancer in thousands of UK patients and to add more costs to an already cash-strapped NHS.

Confirmation that Britain would exit Euratom, which has controlled the peaceful use of nuclear energy since 1957, was confirmed in January in a footnote to the bill paving the way for the triggering of Article 50.

Euratom is formally separate from the EU but is governed by many of its institutions, including the European Commission.

Conservative former minister Nicholas Boles said he regarded the issue as a litmus test as to whether Mrs May was willing to go for a sensible Brexit or an ideologically driven hard Brexit.

If we cannot get this right, which seems so obvious, then it will raise questions about whether the Government has been pragmatic enough in other areas, he said.

Euratom regulates and makes possible the free movement of scientists and the ability to transport materials used in the energy sector, medicine and scientific research.

Mr Boles said there would have to be a new set of international agreements to prevent harm to the key sectors when Britain leaves Euratom.

Other MPs who have signalled their disquiet include former Cabinet ministers Nicky Morgan, Kenneth Clarke and Stephen Crabb, as well as Bob Neill, Anna Soubry, Richard Benyon and Antoinette Sandbach.

Ms Soubry warned against an absolutist approach and said staying in Euratom would be part of a responsible Brexit. A rebellion by just seven Conservative MPs would be enough to wipe out the Prime Ministers Commons majority, even with the DUP on side.

Government insiders claim the decision to quit the agency was taken by No 10 without a full-scale consultation. One insider said: This appears to have been decided by Nick Timothy [Mrs Mays former policy adviser] without questions being asked or papers circulated.

The Prime Ministers spokesman said a number of Government departments were consulted for the decision, which was announced when Mrs May unveiled her plans to trigger Article 50 in a letter to Brussels leaders.

Mr Neill said it was a no-brainer that Britain should not leave Euratom. He said the only argument for quitting appeared to be an objection at No 10 to the European Court of Justice overseeing the agreements. Mrs May has vowed to end the jurisdiction of the ECJ in the UK.

A Government spokeswoman said: "The availability of medical radio-isotopes will not be impacted by the UKs exit from Euratom.

"The UK supports Euratom and will want to see continuity of co-operation and standards.

"We remain absolutely committed to the highest standards of nuclear safety, safeguards and support for the industry.


C hildren lived in the dark like rats during Islamic States three-year rule in Mosul, an aid worker said today.

Sally Becker, from the Road to Peace charity, has just returned from the northern Iraqi city, which has been seized back from the terrorist group.

She said it was the worst thing I have seen, adding: There were snipers, suicide bombers, mortars, chemical attacks, drones. The people are suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, the water is not safe.

There is no baby formula. People are traumatised, even the kids  its just a complete and utter nightmare. Road to Peace helps children access medical care in war zones. Ms Becker said: Apparently, they have been living in the dark like rats so a lot are suffering from rickets from lack of vitamin D, and they are so thin.

An Iraqi military vehicle in Mosul / EPA

Swathes of Mosul lie in ruins after the battle to defeat the fanatics, who took the city in June 2014. Yesterday, Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi visited to congratulate the army, Kurdish and Sunni fighters and Shia militia, backed by UK and US air strikes, for their victory after almost nine months of battle. Air strikes and gunfire could still be heard in Mosuls Old City, where IS staged its last stand.

Iraq's PM Haider al-Abadi, in black, shakes hands with military officers in Mosul / AFP/Getty Images

Thousands of civilians are feared to have died during the fighting. Almost one million people are believed to have fled their homes.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said the RAF would continue to target extremists, with the focus shifting to Raqqa, ISs stronghold in neighbouring Syria.

The US, Russia and Jordan announced a ceasefire and de-escalation agreement for south-western Syria on Friday after the G20 summit in Hamburg.

Today, Iran said it should be expanded to the rest of Syria, which has been in the grip of civil war since 2011.
By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Deputy Prime Minister of Yemen Abdulmalik Abduljalil Al-Mekhlafi will arrive here tomorrow on a four-day visit, during which a range of issues, including enhancing bilateral ties and the safety of Indians living in the strife-torn Arab country, is likely to be discussed.

Al-Mekhlafi, who is also Yemens foreign minister, will hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday covering the expanse of bilateral ties as well as situation in Yemen and the Middle East.

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In 2015, as the situation grew out of control following a civil war in Yemen, India had evacuated 6,700 people, including the nationals of 41 countries, under Operation Raahat.

The issue of safety of Indians is likely to figure in the talks between Swaraj and Al-Mekhlafi.

They are also likely to discuss the issue of containing the increasing challenge of terrorism. Terror groups like the al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are said to have bases in parts of Yemen resulting in instability in the country.

Al-Mekhlafi is schedule to visit Agra. PTI MPB ABH

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G reen Day have insisted that they were unaware that an acrobat had died at Madrids Mad Cool festival when they headlined.

The US band defended their decision to perform at the festival on Friday, saying that they werent told about Pedro Aunion Monroys death until after they came off stage.

The Brighton-based performer died when he fell 100 feet from a cage during a stunt in between acts, with paramedics unable to revive him at the scene.

Green Day faced criticism for not cancelling their headline set later that day, but claim they were not informed about the accident.

Many of you are wondering why we continued to play our show after the accident, the statement read.

"Green Day did not hear about the accident until after our show was over. We didn't even know there was an acrobat performance at all. These festivals are huge.

Tragic: Pedro Aunion Monroys was treated by medics after the fall / EPA

They added: Everything seemed normal. The crowd and fans had a good time. We got off stage and drove back to our artist compound. It was there when we were told the shocking news about Pedro.

"All of us were in disbelief. I don't know why the authorities chose not to tell us about the accident before our concert.

Green Day "No Donald Trump"

"If we had known prior to our performance we most likely would not have played at all. We are not heartless people. The safety and well being at any of our concerts absolutely comes first. What happened to Pedro is unthinkable."

Festival organisers have since releaded a statement explaining their decision to continue, saying that it was deemed unsafe to have large number of people exiting at once.

Mad Cool Festival complied with all the corresponding security measures that are mandatory for the audience, artists and workers at festivals and was prepared for all eventualities, it read.

In this situation it was officially deemed unsafe to have a large mass of people moving all at once, with the possibility of violent reactions, due to a sudden cancellation of an event of 45,000 people.

The safety and security of the fans at the festival was of the highest order and it was not compromised.
A ctor Shia LaBeouf has been released from jail after being arrested for public drunkenness.

The US star, 31, was reportedly arrested in the lobby of a hotel in Savannah, Georgia after an altercation with a policeman in the early hours of Saturday morning.

According to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, the Fury actor has now been released after posting $7000 bond.

The police report states that LaBeouf asked a bystander for a cigarette and became aggressive when he was refused one.

Shia LaBeouf is arrested while live streaming protest

The actor reportedly became disorderly and responded using profanities and vulgar language in front of the women and children present.

LaBeouf is currently in Savannah shooting scenes for forthcoming film, The Peanut Butter Falcon, co-starring Dakota Johnson.

He was arrested back in January after an altercation with a Donald Trump supporter who invaded his live-stream protest.

LaBeouf was charged with misdemeanour assault and harassment before being released on bail following the incident.

New Yorks Museum of the Moving Image later removed the stream, with LaBeouf claiming that the venue had abandoned them.

The actors latest art project saw him spend a month in an isolated Lapland cabin, cut off from the outside world.

LaBeoufs only communication with other people was via text messages, which were sent by visitors to Kiasma museum in Helskinki.
U 2 paid tribute to murdered Labour MP Jo Cox during the emotionally-charged final show of their Joshua Tree tour.

Frontman Bono praised the MP for championing the lives of others during the bands set at Twickenham Stadium on Sunday night, having worked with her on the Make Poverty History campaign.

Echoing Coxs speech to Parliament, he told the audience: We have more in common than that which divides us.

Us Irish are immigrant people and of course we came here into this great, Great Britain and we thank you for giving us safety and sanctuary for all these years. We hope it won't stop.

Earlier in the day, the band had invited 50 of the firefighters who tackled the Grenfell Tower blaze to watch their sound check.

They performed a number of tracks including Where The Streets Have No Name, Beautiful Day and Mysterious Ways during the private show for all of those who had been involved in helping stop the tragic fire.

The firefighters also had the chance to go backstage and meet the band following the rehearsal, just hours before the sell-out show.

U2 play to an invited audience of firefighters and guests. 48 people. #wow #u2, one guest wrote on Twitter.

The chart-topping band have been touring the world to mark 30 years since the release of their seminal album, The Joshua Tree, supported by Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds.
I f our TV schedules are anything to go by, were a crime-obsessed nation.

Theres barely an evening without a drama popping up with some kind of law-breaking at its centre (a new one, In the Dark, is due to air tomorrow on BBC1).

Channel 4 recently shook the crime genre up by producing The Trial: A Murder in the Family, which featured a real judge and jurys verdict on a fictional event.

Now the station is opting for a more conventional documentary approach to tell the story of Adrian Greenwoods death at his Oxford home in April last year.

The 42-year-old antiquarian bookseller had been stabbed more than 30 times in a frenzied attack.

Greenwood had risen to fame in his field after buying and selling early editions of the Harry Potter books, as well as a rare piece by Banksy.

Cameras follow Detective Superintendent Kevin Brown and his team as they attempt to find the killer, who also stole a collectable copy of The Wind in the Willows, which later turned up on eBay at a knocked-down price.

Were with them every step of the way as debt-ridden Michael Danaher becomes the prime suspect and is eventually charged.

The biggest and best TV shows of 2017 1 /13 The biggest and best TV shows of 2017 Doctor Who The classic sci-fi show got a new lease of life with new companion Bill Potts BBC Line of Duty The BBC's acclaimed crime drama moved up to BBC One with more twists than ever before World Productions / BBC / Aidan Monaghan Broadchurch Chris Chibnall's mystery drama came to a close with a compelling final series ITV The Moorside Sheridan Smith puts in a stellar performance as she returns to TV in the BBC's Shannon Matthews drama Stuart Wood/ITV/BBC Apple Tree Yard Emily Watson starred in the BBC's gripping psychological thriller BBC/Kudos/Nick Briggs Fortitude, Series 2 Sky Atlantic's original Nordic noir-inspired chiller is back for more bloody mysteries Sky Atlantic Sherlock, Series 4 Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman return as Holmes and Watson in the BBC's mega hit PA Taboo Tom Hardy's dark thriller is unlike any period drama you've seen before FX Networks No Offence, Series 2 Paul Abbott's comedy-drama continues to walk a tonal tightrope with total ease Channel 4/Ian Derry The Voice A move to ITV has given singing contest The Voice a new lease of life ITV

The production company was granted extraordinary access to the case and the staff of the Thames Valley Police Major Crimes Unit, and although many viewers will already know the outcome, the programme remains a gripping piece of TV.

Its a straightforward, traditional documentary, but there is nothing ordinary about the shocking story it charts in minute detail.

Catching a Killer: The Wind in the Willows Murder airs July 10 at 9pm on Channel 4.
W ith the new series of Game of Thrones in touching distance, its time to get up to speed with last seasons key events, find out which of our favourite characters will be returning and fact check those newcomer rumours. Heres what you need to know:

Whats happened so far?

Series six set us up with a few key players in the fight for the Iron Throne  Cersei (Lena Headey), whos clinging on to power at any cost, Jon Snow whose influence is growing and Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) who has regained control of her dragons and the city-state of Meereen.

But its not just the Iron Throne that the star characters will have to fight for. Winter is coming and the White Walkers are on the approach, putting the power plays and squabbling into perspective with their icy inhumanness. Even the most influential figures will need friends to survive.

Last series we watched the Starks struggle for power, as Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was brought back from the dead and then declared King in the North after defeating the Boltons with sister Sansa (Sophie Turner) by his side.

Game of Thrones Season 7- Official Trailer

His true lineage was also revealed thanks to one of his warg brother Bran (Isaac Hempstead)'s helpful flashbacks, all-but confirming a long-held fan theory that hes the son of Lyanna Stark and Daeneryss older brother Rhaegar, giving him quite the claim on the Iron Throne.

Meanwhile Daenerys took a detour to Dothraki lands while Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) attempted to govern Meereen in her absence with mixed results.

After escaping from the Dothraki clutches she returned to restore the city-state to her rule before setting sail for Westeros accompanied by new allies the Greyjoys to stake her claim for the Iron Throne.

Strategic alliances: Sansa plots with Littlefinger / HBO

She has quite the rival to unseat however, as series six saw Cersei vanquish her enemies in one fell swoop, including Margaery (Natalie Dormer) and the High Sparrow, with a storm of flames.

The death of his wife Margaery caused her lovelorn son Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) to commit suicide. Left with no more children, her path to the Iron Throne was clear.

Which cast-members are coming back and whos gone for good?

Castmembers who were still alive at the end of last series will be returning. Though after Jon Snows resurrection last series, the death of a character doesnt always mean the end of their storyline.

However, it seems Hodor (Kristian Nairn), Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover), Margaery Tyrell, Ramsey Bolton (Iwan Rheon), Tommen and the rest of series sixs casualties are gone for good.

Game of Thrones' Hodor stars in KFC advert

But a long-dead fan favourite could be returning as Jason Momoa who played Dothraki king and Daenerys husband Khal Drogo has been spotted filming in Ireland.

Prominent new additions include beloved British actor Jim Broadbent, who has revealed he appears as an archmaester in five of the upcoming series episodes. Fans have predicted that the character will be Maester Marwyn who will guide Samwell Tarly and meet Daenerys.

Tom Hopper will also be joining the cast as Tarlys brother Dickon after Freddie Stroma, who previously played the part, secured a lead role in new series Time After Time.

Game of Thrones series seven will air in the US on July 16 on HBO and in the UK on July 17 at 2am and then again at 9pm on Sky Atlantic
For the second time in one week, the track record was lowered over Hoosier Parks seven-eighths mile oval, marking the fourth track record that has been re-established this season.

Stopping the timer in 1:49.2, Au D Lox Bluegrass and driver Sam Widger kicked off the action packed 12-race card on Saturday, July 8 in impressive fashion in the $21,000 Fillies and Mares Invitational Pace.

The 1:49.2 clocking re-established the track record for older pacing mares and also established a new lifetime best for Au D Lox Bluegrass. The previous track record of 1:49.3 was established by McFlirty and Ricky Macomber Jr. in 2014.

Widger wasted no time as he sent Au D Lox Bluegrass away from the gate firing from post seven. She dictated fractions of :25.1, :53.3 and 1:22.1 before ever feeling a threat from the rest of the field. Wild Wanda and Ricky Macomber Jr. were content to sit the pocket while Trace Tetrick had Graceful Vision aimed at the leader turning for home.

Graceful Vision was able to reach the leaders wheel, but Au D Lox Bluegrass wasnt finished. Using a :27.1 final quarter, Au D Lox Bluegrass coasted on to the wire under a hand drive from Widger to finish nearly five lengths in front of Graceful Vision. Ponytail and LeWayne Miller rallied gamely to round out the trifecta.

As the heavy betting favuorite, Au D Lox Bluegrass returned $4 to her backers at the betting windows.

Shes a very nice mare, Widger noted after the victory. Shes really sharp right now and seems to be getting better and stronger with every start.

The Jeff Cullipher trainee recorded her fifth victory from 12 seasonal starts. Owned by Thomas Pollack and Jeffrey Cullipher, the four-year-old daughter of Panspacificflight-Ag-n-Au Bluegrass has now amassed $61,450 in purse earnings this season and $254,709 lifetime. The victory was also one of four training wins on the evenings 12-race card for Cullipher and the first of three driving wins on the evening for Sam Widger.

On the stakes side of the racing action, JDs Chancey Gal continued her winning ways to take home top honours in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for three-year-old pacing fillies. With Todd Warren at the lines, JDs Chancey Gal staged a big rally late in the lane to find the wire first in 1:51.3. She recorded her fifth consecutive Hoosier Park victory and also established a new lifetime mark in the process.

Trained and owned by Pasko Vucinaj, the three-year-old daughter of Panspacificflight-Designer Gal has now won seven of 10 seasonal starts and nine of 24 lifetime starts. With the win, JDs Chancey Gal sent her lifetime bankroll over the $100,000 mark.

Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will continue on Tuesday, July 11 with a 14-race card featuring the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for two-year-old trotting fillies. First race post time is 6:30 p.m.

(With files from Hoosier Park)
Oregon House Passes Bill for Free Abortions

Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit



SALEM, Ore., July 10, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- The Oregon House of Representatives passed HB 3391, known as the Reproductive Health Equity Act, which requires health insurers and taxpayers to fund free abortions for residents and illegal immigrants. The bill passed 33-23 recently and has now advanced to the state Senate for consideration.

The bill would force health insurers to provide free abortions without a co-pay. HB 3391 also would set aside $10.2 million tax dollars for abortions, contraception and other reproductive health services for 2017 through 2019 in Medicaid. An Oregon Health Authority official testified that this bill will provide almost $500,000 more for abortions, which will go to Planned Parenthood.

The Pro-Choice Coalition of Oregon, which includes Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon and NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, took credit for devising the bill and praised legislators for its passage.

The measure provides an abortion exemption for churches and religious nonprofits, notably Providence Health Plans, a Catholic-sponsored health care group that covers 260,000 Oregonians and had threatened to exit the individual and group insurance markets if forced to cover the procedure. However, the so-called religious exemption within the bill does not guarantee insurance options that do not cover abortions. Currently, almost all insurance companies in Oregon offer plans that cover abortions, but that is not a requirement under law. HB 3391 would force health insurance companies to cover abortions and let them decide whether to provide a separate abortion-free plan for religious organizations.

"The Reproductive Health Equity Act is just another political gift to help fund Planned Parenthood and the murder of more preborn babies," said Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel's Founder and Chairman. "It is appalling that the Oregon House would even consider, much less pass, this type of murderous legislation. I strongly encourage the state Senate to reject HB 3391. We cannot continue to fund the nation's largest abortion chain, which ends the lives of over 320,000 children every year. We must make the womb a safe place again," said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.


Actor Dileep was arrested today in connection with the case of the Malayalam actress who was abducted in February this year.

By India Today Web Desk: Shocking details continue to emerge in the Malayalam actress abduction case. Actor Dileep has now been arrested in connection with the case.

Dileep's name got linked to the case after prime accused Pulsar Suni said in a statement to the police that he wrote a letter to the actor. Dileep denied knowing Pulsar Suni, but a selfie leaked to the media showed the accused on the sets of the actor's film Georgettan's Pooram.

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The actor was interrogated along with director Nadirshah for 13 hours to understand his involvement in the case, and his wife Kavya Madhavan's place of business was raided as well.

Dileep has repeatedly claimed he is innocent and dragging his name in the Malayalam actress abduction case is an attempt to malign his image and credibility just before the release of his new movie Ramaleela.

ALSO READ: What happened so far in the Malayalam actress abduction case

ALSO READ: Dileep's wife Kavya Madhavan's business raided by police in Malayalam actress abduction case ALSO WATCH: Seven detained in Malayalam actor molestation case, rape charges filed

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An editorial on Monday in the official China Daily newspaper called on India to "withdraw all of its troops" from the Doklam area "before the situation deteriorates and leads to more serious consequences."

By Ananth Krishnan: An editorial on Monday in the official China Daily newspaper called on India to "withdraw all of its troops" from the Doklam area "before the situation deteriorates and leads to more serious consequences."

It also said Beijing "will not make any compromises when it comes to its territorial integrity".

The editorial was the latest in the non-stop barrage of shrill rhetoric from Beijing over the stand-off, with another commentary, on Sunday, suggesting India's "intervention" in the Doklam dispute between China and Bhutan could pave the way for Chinese intervening in Jammu and Kashmir because "it is disputed by India and Pakistan".

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The editorial on Monday in the official China Daily, which is the authoritative English-language mouthpiece and under the information department of the State Council, or Chinese cabinet, continued with the hard line, saying that "India should withdraw all of its troops that have crossed the delimited boundary back to its own side, a move that is essentially different from the previous standoffs between the border troops of the two countries in undefined areas. This has undermined the political basis for bilateral relations."

CHINA, BHUTAN HAVE CONSENSUS ON BOUNDARY ALIGNMENT: DAILY

The paper also claimed that China and Bhutan "have a basic consensus on the boundary alignment", and although the Bhutan government has explicitly said Doklam, or Donglang as China refers to it, was disputed, the newspaper claimed that "it is India that is making an issue of Donglang, so as to hold back the China-Bhutan boundary negotiations. And it is the illegal crossing of Indian troops into China's territory that has changed the status quo."

"This is ridiculous", the paper said. "And no country can pursue its security at the cost of another country's sovereignty. So far, China has exercised the utmost restraint and sought to achieve a peaceful solution through diplomatic means, but New Delhi should realise Beijing will not make any compromises when it comes to its territorial integrity."

Another commentary in the same paper by strategic expert Lin Minwang of the Institute of International Studies, at Fudan University in Shanghai, claimed Indian troops had entered Bhutan without the latter's consent.

"India said its troops trespassed on Chinese territory on behalf of Bhutan, which it said has a dispute with China over the Donglang (Doklam in Bhutanese) region," he said. "The truth is, Bhutan was not informed on the day the Indian troops crossed the border, nor did it seek India's intervention. A statement issued by the Bhutanese government on June 29 suggested the country was not consulted by India before the incident and it hoped that status quo would be maintained in the Donglang region. In other words, India is not entitled at all to claim the so-called disputed territory on behalf of Bhutan."

Also read | Doklam faceoff: Why China wants to grab Bhutan's land and blame India

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Also read | Doklam standoff: Chinese media gets Pakistan and Kashmir into narrative

ALSO WATCH VIDEO

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The existence of the meeting was disclosed only recently to government officials and confirmed on Saturday.

By AP: Donald Trump's eldest son has said that he met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer shortly after his father clinched the Republican nomination, hoping to get information helpful to the campaign. A New York Times report yesterday citing advisers to the White House briefed on the encounter said Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting after being promised information damaging to Hillary Clinton.

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The June meeting at Trump Tower with attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya involved Trump Jr., his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, who was then the campaign chairman.

The existence of the meeting was disclosed only recently to government officials and confirmed on Saturday by representatives of Trump Jr. and Kushner following a separate Times report.

TRUMP JR. TALKS ABOUT THE MEETING

In a statement yesterday, Trump Jr. did not confirm that the information he was promised would be damaging to Clinton.

But he said he was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant who he was told might have information that would be helpful to the campaign.

Trump Jr. said that during the meeting the attorney claimed to have information that "individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee" and supporting Clinton.

"No details or supporting information was provided or even offered," Trump Jr. said. "It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."

He said no details or supporting information was ever offered, and that his father was unaware of the meeting.

"SHORT INTRODUCTORY MEETING"

On Saturday, Trump Jr. had described the same gathering as "short introductory meeting" during which the three discussed a disbanded program that used to allow US citizens to adopt Russian children. Russia ended the adoptions in response to American sanctions brought against the nation following the 2009 death of an imprisoned lawyer who spoke about a corruption scandal.

He said that the attorney turned the conversation to the adoption of Russian children, and that he believed that this was the "true agenda" of the meeting and that claims about damaging information had been a pretext for the encounter.

"I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office," Trump Jr. said in the statement.

DONALD TRUMP WAS NOT AWARE OF THE MEETING

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trump's legal team, said only, "The President was not aware of and did not attend the meeting."

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Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts. The newspaper said the meeting was disclosed in recent days to government investigators filed a revised version of a form needed to obtain a security clearance. His attorney has previously acknowledged that Kushner's first security clearance submissions were incomplete and contained errors.

Manafort also recently disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators, the newspaper said.

The newspaper said Veselnitskaya is known for her attempts to undercut the sanctions against Russian human rights abusers. The Times also said her clients include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.

Also Read:

Russians hacked 21 election systems, Trump video a distraction: US officials

Day before meeting Putin, Trump says Russia could have interfered in presidential elections

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This page is archived. Data published after 5 April 2022 can be found on the renewed website. Go to the new statistics page

Published: 10 July 2017

New orders in manufacturing grew by 66.7 per cent year-on-year in May

According to Statistics Finland, the value of new orders in manufacturing was 66.7 per cent higher in May 2017 than twelve months earlier. The strong growth is caused by a few large orders in the metal industry. During January to May, orders grew by 21.9 per cent from the year before.

Annual change in new orders in manufacturing (original series), % (TOL2008)

New orders in manufacturing increased strongly in May. The growth was strongest in the metal industry, where the value of orders was as much as 99.3 per cent up on the year before. In the metal industry, orders increased particularly due to the large new orders in the shipbuilding industry. In the chemical industry, new orders grew by 24.2 per cent year-on-year. New orders in the manufacture of paper, and paper and board products increased by 6.4 per cent from one year ago. Orders declined by 0.7 per cent in the textile industry from the previous year.

When interpreting these statistics, it should be borne in mind that they typically show strong fluctuations by month. Even new orders of substantial value are not examined over extended time periods but for the statistical reference month only.

Change in new orders in manufacturing 5/2016 5/2017

The index of new orders in manufacturing describes development in the value of new orders received by enterprises for commodities and services that are meant to be produced by establishments located in Finland. These statistics are based on non-probability sampling, in which the basic observation unit is an enterprise or a kind-of-activity unit. The sample comprises monthly 400 to 450 enterprises or their kind-of-activity units. Index point figures and annual change percentages are published monthly for five industry categories. The time series start from January 2005 and their base year is 2010 (2010=100). The index figures may become slightly revised as new data accumulate and enterprises report changes to their data. Due to supplementations, the latest 12 months are revised in the releases. A detailed description of the statistics and the calculation method are included in the quality description on the home page of the statistics.

Source: New orders in manufacturing 2017, May. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Maarit Makela 029 551 3324, Kari Rautio 029 551 2479, volyymi.indeksi@stat.fi

Director in charge: Sami Saarikivi

Publication in pdf-format (250.5 kB)

Updated 10.7.2017

Referencing instructions: Statistics: New orders in manufacturing [e-publication].

ISSN=1798-6737. May 2017. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 12.11.2022].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/teul/2017/05/teul_2017_05_2017-07-10_tie_001_en.html
Former Indian Ambassador to the US Naresh Chandra died at a private hospital in Goa last night due to multiple organ failure.

By Press Trust of India: Former Indian Ambassador to the US Naresh Chandra died at a private hospital in Goa last night due to multiple organ failure.

He was 82.

"He was admitted to the hospital on Friday evening with complaints of fever and with myalgia (muscle pain) for three days followed with multiple episodes of vomiting and loose stools from the afternoon onwards," Shekhar Salkar, chief of clinical services at Manipal Hospital, Goa told PTI.

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Chandra was then shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he suffered from a cardiac arrest at 10.15 pm on Friday, he said.

"On admission, his blood pressure and oxygenation were low", Salkar said.

The doctors were able to revive Chandra from the cardiac arrest but his organs had started failing, he said.

"On July 9 at 10.05 pm, he suffered another cardiac arrest. Despite all the efforts, the patient could not be revived and he was declared dead at 10.40 pm," Salkar said.

Chandra had served as the Cabinet Secretary from 1990-92 and was the Indian Ambassador to the US from 1996 to 2001. He was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan - India's second highest civil honour - in 2007.

Hospital sources said that Chandra's body had been preserved in the morgue and his family members had been informed. The body would be flown to Delhi for the final rites.

ALSO WATCH:

Naga Chaitanya, Samantha to have a beach wedding in Goa

Goa: Amit Shah in dock for holding meeting at Dabolim airport

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On the first day of Exercise Malabar, US Rear Admiral Byrne asserted that this would continue during peace time as well as in crisis.

By Pramod Madhav: The naval leaders of India, the US and Japan today said that their joint Exercise Malabar would "operate in peace time and crisis". Malabar2017 began today in the Bay of Bengal off Chennai coast.

India, United States and Japan's navies engaged in a massive trilateral drill that will see participation of the largest warships of the three countries. In its 21st edition, Exercise Malabar began today and would go on till July 17.

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The exercise will see a total of 22 vessels of which 11 ships and one submarine have been deployed by India, six ships and one Los Angeles class submarine deployed by the US and two ships are deployed by Japan.

EXERCISE MALABAR 2017: THINGS TO KNOW For the first time India has deployed its largest aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. Eastern Naval Command Head, Vice Admiral HCS Bisht stated that INS Vikramaditya and the MIG 29Ks aboard would be indulged in the 'air exercises'. INS Shivalik, the multi-role stealth frigate is expected to play a keen role in this exercise. On USA's part, US Ship Nimitz (CVN68), guided missile, cruise USS Princeton (CG59), guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a Poseidon P-8A aircraft as well as a Los Angeles fast-attack submarine are taking part in the naval exercise. Besides, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ships JS Izumo (DDH 183), JS Sazanami (DD1 13) along with Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa would participate in the joint Naval exercise. China is apparently not happy the joint naval exercise by India, the US and Japan particularly at a time when Chinese Army is engaged in an eyeball encounter with Indian Army over Doklam plateau. However, an Indian Navy official said that India did not have any problem when China conducts naval exercise with Pakistan in the Arabian Sea. It is absurd for China to make a big deal of the Exercise Malabar, he said. Speaking on the issue, US Rear Admiral William Byrne said that he expected the "Exercise Malabar" to have a global impact. "Coming together as allies and partners and friends and execrising together is a good thing as it eliminates miscalculations," Rear Admiral Byrne said. Naval officers during Malabar 2017. (Photo: India Today) When asked if he was suggesting that the US was ready to invite China for such a naval exercise, Rear Admiral Byrne said, "The US conducts RimPac every year. I hope China would like to participate to learn from each other's capabilities." Explaining the significance of Exercise Malabar, Rear Admiral Byrne stated, "The sole purpose of the exercise is to operate together in peace time and during crisis to know each other's capabilities during a period of crisis." Technological exchange about sea patrolling, submarine warfare and air exercises, understanding capabilities of MIG 29k against F18A are expected to be given more importance during Exercise Malabar 2017. The at-sea exercise includes events such as submarine familiarisation, air defence exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface ware fare exercises, communication exercise and search and rescue operations. Indian, Japanese and US maritime forces have an understanding and knowledge of shared working environment at sea. As members of Indo-Asia Pacific operations, the three maritime forces would look forward to continuing to strengthen the bonds and personal relationships.

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Chinese checkers: India, US, Japan hold one of the largest Indian Ocean drills

ALSO WATCH | Malabar 2017: India, United States and Japan hold massive naval exercise

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ST. LOUIS  Gov. Eric Greitens is outlining a new "Safety Plan" for St. Louis Monday afternoon.

The governor is slated to speak alongside St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, cabinet directors, local, state and federal law enforcement and leaders from St. Louis' faith community.

The event is scheduled for 3 p.m. at North Broadway and Halls Ferry Road in the Baden neighborhood.

In a news release, Greitens' staff said the news conference "will detail Missouri's plan to bring safer streets to the city of St. Louis."

The Post-Dispatch reported last month that Missouri Highway Patrol troopers will soon begin monitoring interstates in the city in an effort to free up St. Louis police resources. That's expected to start this month; it wasn't clear if it will be part of the plan Greitens will announce Monday.
The recent cases of violent clashes as a result of Facebook posts should make us introspect about how tolerant we Indians are as a society.

Facebook was launched in 2006 with the aim to help people connect with friends and family.

Fast forward a few years where Facebook posts are now causing riots. In a recent incident in West Bengal's Basirhat, a Facebook post about Prophet Mohammad has led to violent clashes in the area and a man being stabbed. A post that Muslims in the area considered blasphemous, a post that was made by a 17-year-old boy.

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In another incident inUttarakhand, a mob vandalized the shop of a young boy who posted what they considered a 'offensive' picture of Kedarnath.

The two incidents in Bengal and Uttarakhand have led us to question how intolerant we have become as a society. Was Aamir Khan right when he spoke about the rising despondency in the country?

With time, we have realised how things you share on social media platforms could be used against you. No, not in an embarrassing is-this-how-you-looked-a-few-years-ago kind of way, but in a we-can-kill-you and we-will-jail-you kind of way.

In the past, there have been several incidents of people being arrested because of their Facebook posts. Here, sample a few:

In March 2017, a man was arrested in Greater Noida for posting a status criticizing UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi was booked with charges of sedition in 2012 over cartoons he shared on his website and Facebook, cartoons some thought were 'offensive' towards Mother India.

A Class 11 student was arrested and sent to jail for posting "objectionable" comments pertaining to UP minister Azam Khan. Yes, the same man who now has a sedition case on him after making statements considered anti-Indian Army and anti-India.

Ambikesh Mahaptra, a professor at Jadavpur University was arrested along with his neighbor Subrata Sengupta for sharing an "objectionable" cartoon of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee.

What is important to understand here is that all these incidents are happening in a country were freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right granted to the citizens. Lately, however, it feels like the freedom of expression doesn't come with tolerance.

Is it a crime to disagree to some content posted over Facebook or any other social media platform? Is it a crime to voice that disagreement? If you nodded your head in disagreement for both these questions, here is question you would answer with a loud YES.

Is it not a crime to when someone else's point of view is used as an excuse to vandalise, kill, loot and disrupt the public harmony?

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Much hue and cry was caused in 2012 when, after the death of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackarey, a girl posted a status questioning the need for a shut down in Mumbai on the funeral day. She was arrested, and another girl was arrested merely for 'liking' the status.

The girls were booked for "hurting religious sentiments" and under Section 66(a) of the IT Act which has since faced lot of flak. The section was later quashed down by the apex court of India in 2015 stating it as "unconstitutional".

Social media has become a staple in our everyday life. Every day we see posts that we do not agree with and yes, we understand how difficult it is to deal with some people on social media when they would just not acknowledge your point of view but violence can never be the solution.

With increasing number of smartphone users, the social media penetration in the country will also increase and it is quite obvious that not everyone will agree with each other's point of view. If the country continues to deal with disagreement the way it is doing at the moment, we may certainly have to fear for our safety in the coming days.

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CHICAGO  Illinois' first budget after two years is filled with partial outlines to address its debt-ridden pension system and unpaid bill backlog  signs that political fighting and the fiscal mess in the nation's fifth-largest state are far from over.

At least 15 House and Senate Republicans broke with first-term Republican Governor Bruce Rauner on Thursday and joined with Democrats to override Rauner's vetoes of the state's first budget package in more than two years.

The $36 billion spending plan relies on a $5 billion tax increase that permanently hikes the flat personal income tax rate to 4.95 percent, up 32 percent from its prior 3.75 percent rate.

To address the state's nearly $15 billion in unpaid bills, Illinois depends heavily on borrowing. Lawmakers approved $6 billion of 12-year bonds to raise money for repayments. But State Representative Greg Harris, the House Democrats' point person on the budget, has acknowledged there is only enough revenue to support half of that borrowing amount.

Illinois will also borrow up to $1.2 billion from various state accounts that have accumulated cash for specific purposes, while "sweeping" cash from other accounts  a government version of looking under couch cushions that is expected to yield $300 million.

Illinois' $130 billion pension liability is one of the largest in the nation, and the new budget takes only small steps to address the structural underfunding of Illinois' five retirement systems.

The new law gives the state five years to phase in changes retroactive to fiscal 2014 in actuarial or investment return assumptions made by the pension systems for an estimated savings of $892.1 million.

Seemingly small changes in projected investment results can have significant impact on a pension fund's actuarial calculations. Last year, when the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System reduced its earnings assumption to 7 percent from 7.5 percent, the change caused a $660 million spike in the state's fiscal 2018 contribution.

The new budget attributes $500 million in savings to the creation of a new tier of pension beneficiaries. But that tier applies largely to newly hired employees, raising questions about how the state expects to book that savings in the current fiscal year.

That estimate was lifted straight from the proposed budget presented by Rauner earlier this year. The projection has not been independently verified by legislative leaders, and Rauner's office has not responded to requests for an explanation of how the estimate was calculated.

The Illinois Education Association, one of the state's largest unions, said it has no evidence that its pensioners would be harmed by the new budget's pension provisions. But the union questioned why lawmakers approved structural changes to pensions without an independent financial analysis.

"It's a little bit of a shot in the dark. For something this major, you'd think the legislators who are voting on this would want to know this information," said Jim Reed, the union's government relations director.

A budget was welcomed as a positive step for Illinois, which still faces fiscal and pension crises.

"The pension pressures will continue, and Illinois' financial challenges will continue, but at least there will be a framework to recognize there's a limit to the liability growth to this state," said Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, a budget watchdog group.

Steve Malanga, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute think tank, said the fixes in the new budget do not match up to the challenges faced by Illinois.

"This is the kind of budget you would pass if you were a state that hit a bump in the road and had a deficit you needed to get rid of over the next two or three years," he said. "It's not the kind of budget you'd pass if you have $14 billion in unpaid bills and a $130 billion unfunded (pension) liability."

The Democrats and Republicans who voted for the budget did so at least in part to prevent Illinois from becoming the first U.S. state in history to see its credit rating fall to "junk" status. Moody's on Wednesday put Illinois on review for a possible downgrade, but some of the state's bonds traded higher on Friday, an apparent sign of optimism about the budget.

Additional reporting by Julia Jacobs.
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Expect fresh faces in the line-up as Stoke City kick off their pre-season programme this evening.

The Potters arrived in Switzerland yesterday ahead of their opener against Neuchatel Xamax in Biel/Bienne tonight (7pm UK time).

It is an earlier start than normal to the programme of friendlies  they only began pre-season training last Wednesday, with the international group only coming back in over the weekend  but Mark Hughes is keen to give players more minutes than before this summer.

But they will still be eased in, in a fashion, in this Uhrencup curtain raiser.

There will be two XIs, one for the first half and all change for the second  and unfortunately for the Switzerland fans in attendance, no Xherdan Shaqiri, who is pencilled in like other later returnees to make his first appearance on Saturday against Monaco.

In his place crafty winger Thibaud Verlinden is on standby to lead a gang of youth teamers hoping to catch the manager's eye.

Forwards Dom Telford, Tyrese Campbell and Julien Ngoy, defenders Ryan Sweeney and Harry Souttar and midfielders Dan Jarvis and Ollie Shenton can expect to figure, as well as 18-year-old new left-back Josh Tymon.

The first week, with three games, is probably not what we normally do because logistically we have to manage the numbers," said Hughes.

You can't really give the guys more than 45 minutes maximum really and we're probably looking to play two different teams in the opening couple of games.

Then we've got the international lads, who will be training alongside the group who will be playing and they should be ready to come in for game time against Monaco.

That's the way we're planning it. Our numbers are good at the moment and the key is to keep everyone fit and not missing training sessions because they've got soft tissue injuries. It's about making sure everyone takes part in every session we do."

Stoke are in action at the 5,200-capacity Tissot Arena which is normally home to FC Biel-Bienne, who were booted out of the Swiss second division last year and will start next term in 2 Liga Interregional, the fifth tier.

But Neuchatel are only from 20 miles down a rather scenic road, winding past Lake Biel under the shadow of the towering Jura mountains.

The club was plunged from the top flight into 2 Liga Interregional themselves only five years ago after being declared bankrupt. Three successive promotions later and they are loudly knocking on the door of the Super League, finishing second in the last two seasons.

Left-back Linus Obexer, aged 20, has been brought in on loan from Young Boys Bern while 19-year-old striker Sonny Escolano has arrived from Donneloye and been described as a born scorer" by club president Christian Binggeli.

Stoke play their second and final game of the Uhrencup on Wednesday when they return to the same ground to take on Young Boys.

Young Boys and Neuchatel will then both come up against Sporting Lisbon in a competition which is decided using a league system and will come to a conclusion next weekend.

Galatasaray won this cup last year and no English team has lifted the trophy since Ipswich Town in 1963, although their success was hardly a good omen. It was at the start of the seas

on when they got thumped 9-1 by Stoke and got relegated. Ouch.
By PTI: Patna, Jul 9 (PTI) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials have seized fake Indian currency notes (FICN) with a face value of Rs 78,000 from a person in West Champaran district in Bihar, official sources said here today.

The FICN of Rs 2000 denomination was recovered from Station Chowk of Bettiah, district headquarter town of West Champaran, yesterday.

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The arrested person from whom the seizure was made is a resident of Malda district of West Bengal. Malda is a major node in international fake currency racket.

The arrested man revealed that those 39 pieces of FICN have been smuggled from Bangladesh into India, the sources said. PTI AR NN

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Alcester pair Luke Clemons and Adam Haerle and Stratford's George Adams and Joe Pinnock have qualified for the Junior Cup final.

STRATFORD'S MP Nadhim Zahawi has spoken out about 'relentless attacks on our institutions' following the Grenfell Tower disaster.

On his Conservative Home web page, Mr Zahawi issued the following statement this week. . .

"Democracy is a complicated thing. As we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan, building a fully functioning democracy requires so much more than just giving people the vote. You need a delicate, often invisible, infrastructure in place to support the more obvious political institutions  of which the fair rule of law, the equality of everyone before the law and an independent judiciary are the most important, alongside a free press.

"We are truly lucky to live in a country where these institutions have grown and been strengthened over centuries in order to cement and secure our free, liberal democracy. But we are so used to these vital strengths our nation possesses that we are in danger of becoming blind to their presence, and forgetful of their importance.

"We should not fool ourselves that these building blocks of our society are a natural state of affairs; or that they are invulnerable and permanent.

"I have been reminded of the necessity of our legal institutions and traditions in the last weeks following some of the reaction to the appointment of Sir Martin Moore-Bick to head up the inquiry into the Grenfell fire.

"I fear that at times the criticisms aimed in his direction, before he has even started his important work, are the latest in a number of reckless attacks on our institutions. Some have gone much too far, and seem to be attempts to make political points in the wake of a terrible tragedy.

"Words cannot describe the horror that befell the residents of that tower, as they slept in their homes, believing they were safe and secure in their local authority provided accommodation. No one in Britain should be left in such a situation, certainly not when theyre at their most vulnerable. It cannot happen again. That is why the Government was right to set up an inquiry, led by a capable and independent judge to make speedy recommendations as to what must be done to rule on what exactly happened, and what needs to change to ensure that it will not happen again.

"The survivors and the families of the victims of Grenfell are right to be angry. And if the police find any evidence of criminal wrongdoing or neglect, then I expect charges to be brought and justice to be done.

"However, it has been sad to see many who should know better blurring the lines between the criminal process and a judicial inquiry. It was particularly frustrating to see politicians attack Sir Martin as a technocrat, and even suggest he wouldnt be able to do his job because he is white.

"What we need is someone with the capability to swiftly understand the vast amounts of difficult technical information that will come before them and be able to make practical recommendations about the way forward in the shortest time possible. I cannot see why Sir Martin would not fit that bill.

"Just as amidst the multiple uproars about the different chairs to the child abuse inquiry, we have to find a way to remove as much emotion as possible from these difficult investigations into terrible subjects, and allow professionals to do their jobs.

"We should be worried that this process keeps happening before these individuals have started work; before they have put forward anything to be criticised for. It is not that people are unhappy with what they have done, or believe their work to be inadequate  instead, their mere appointment is enough for them to be castigated.

"It also seems to regularly have a political element, and it looks as though some politicians hope to attack the government through these appointments of judges undertaking important and independent work.

"Prejudging our judges in this way is unacceptable. Our whole system is based on the capability of highly intelligent and experienced individuals to make emotionless decisions based on the facts. This is why were the country we are today.

"Of course, if a judge ever shows himself or herself to be incapable of reaching or maintaining those high standards then they must be criticised  in order to maintain confidence in the system. But this system is precious, and vulnerable if we seek to push judges in certain directions before they have even sat at their desks. We definitely should not accept attacking them with a political aim to damage the Government.

"We live in an era in which our public debate only seems to be becoming angrier and less trusting. Many find it tempting to attack our independent media, see bias around every corner and seem unwilling to tolerate dissenting opinion.

"Indeed, we have also seen that political capital can be gained from cynically misusing this anger. But politicians should think twice about doing so.

"We need to be careful about how we treat the infrastructure of our democracy, whether it is our free press or our independent judiciary. They are absolutely key to what sustains our nation and we mustnt be blind to their importance.

"Ultimately, we need to let the Grenfell Tower inquiry get on with its job: after all, we need to hear its answers fast."
A senior police official was martyred and at least 10 other people, including two police officials, were injured in a blast near Boghra Road in Balochistan's Chaman area on Monday morning, Balochistan Government Spokesperson.

Although initial reports suggested the blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device, police sources later said it was a suicide attack targeting a vehicle carrying the police officials.

District Police Officer Killa Abdullah Sajid Mohmand, who was critically wounded in the blast, succumbed to his injuries. Two other police officials providing security to the DPO were also seriously injured and have been transported to Quetta for medical treatment.

An emergency has been declared in hospitals and law enforcement and rescue officials have been dispatched to the site of the incident.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti condemned the attack. Nisar sought a report on the incident, Radio Pakistan reported.

Chaman is considered a sensitive town in Balochistan as it shares a border with Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar province.

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
The Supreme Court on Monday handed disgraced Senator Nehal Hashmi the charge sheet in the contempt case pertaining to his controversial speech against the judiciary and members of the joint investigation team (JIT) probing allegations of money laundering against the Sharif family.

Hashmi was charged with 'contempt of court' under Article 204(2) of the Constitution of Pakistan, read with Section 3 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003.

According to the charge sheet, Hashmi was charged with "threatening judges of the Supreme Court, their children, JIT members and their families."

The court also said that Hashmi's speech sought to "scandalise the court, bring the authority of the court into ridicule and disrespect."

The charge sheet further said that Hashmi "obstructed, interfered with and prejudiced the process of law and the proceedings of the Supreme Court."

Last month, the former PML-N leader was booked in a case in the SC after a speech he made on May 28 went viral on social media and was also aired on news channels. In a video recording of the speech, the senator could be heard using threatening language against "those investigating" the Sharif family.

Hashmis controversial speech had landed him in hot water, as he was directed by his party to tender his resignation from the Senate  which he later withdrew  while the PML-N revoked his party membership.

A case was registered against the senator on June 4 at Karachi's Bahadurabad police station under Sections 189 (threat of injury to public servant), 228 (intentional insult or interruption to public servant sitting in judicial proceeding) and 505 (statements inciting public mischief) of the Pakistan Penal Code on behalf of the state after the attorney general asked the Sindh prosecutor general to initiate proceedings since the speech was made in Karachi.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which investigated the Sharif family's business dealings has recommended that the National Accountability Bureau open a reference against the prime minister and his family after it found glaring disparities between their known sources of income and their actual wealth.

The JIT's report on the probe, a section of which was circulated on media, suggests that a reference should be filed against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, as well as daughter Maryam Nawaz under Section 9 of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance 1999.

In the probe, which concluded today, the JIT had found that the assets of all four are more than the sources of their income and said that they were unable to provide substantive evidence of a reliable money trail.

"Significant gap/disparity amongst the known and declared sources of income and the wealth accumulated by the Respondent No. 1, 6, 7 and 8 have been observed," the JIT observed in its concluding remarks.

Respondent 1 refers to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; Respondent 6 was Maryam Nawaz; Respondent 7 Hussain Nawaz; while Respondent 8 was Hassan Nawaz.

"The financial structure and health of companies in Pakistan having linkage to the Respondents also do no substantiate the wealth of the Respondents," it continued.

"Moreover, irregular movement of huge amounts in shape of loans and gifts from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-based company (Hill Metals Establishment), United Kingdom based companies (Flagship Investments Limited and others) and United Arab Emirates based Company (Capital FZE) to Respondent No. 1, Respondent No. 7 and Pakistan based companies of Respondent No. 1 and family have been highlighted.

"The role of off-shore companies is critically important as several offshore companies [...] have been identified to be linked with their businesses in UK while conducting this investigation. These companies were mainly used for inflow of funds into UK based companies; which not only acquired expensive properties in UK from such funds but also revolve these funds amongst their companies of UK, KSA, UAE and Pakistan."

"In addition to the companies, Respondent No. 1 and 7 have been found to be recipients of these funds movement into Pakistan as gifts/loans whose purpose/reason have not justified by them before the JIT. Needless to say, these UK companies were loss-making entities with heavily engaged in revolving of funds vis-a-vis creating a smoke screen that the expensive properties of UK were due to the business operations of these UK companies."

The JIT then refers to Section 9(a)(v) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999  which states that "A holder of public office, or any other person, is said to commit or to have committed the offence of corruption and corrupt practices [...] if he or any of his dependents or benamidars owns and possesses or has acquired right or title to any assets or holds irrevocable power of attorney in respect of any assets or pecuniary resources disproportionate to his known sources of income, which he cannot reasonably account for or maintains a standard of assets beyond that which is commensurate with his sources of income..."

The JIT also invokes Section 14(c) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, which states that: "In any trial of an offence punishable under clause (v) of sub-section (a) of Section 9 of this Ordinance, the fact that the accused person on his behalf, is in possession for which the accused person cannot satisfactorily account, of assets and pecuniary resources disproportionate to his known sources of income, or that such person has, at or about the time of the commission of the offence with which he is charged, obtained an accretion to his pecuniary resources or property for which he cannot satisfactorily account, the Court shall presume, unless the contrary is proved, that the accused person is guilty of the offence of corruption and corrupt practices and his conviction therefore shall not be invalid by reason only that it is based solely on such presumption."

The Supreme Court bench overseeing the JIT, which will convene next Monday, has yet to review the report and pass a judgement.

It comprises Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ejaz Afzal, the three judges who authored the majority verdict in the Panamagate case and sought to give a chance to the Sharif family to substantiate the sources of their wealth through the JIT's probe.

The drawn out Supreme Court case to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for allegedly misleading the nation on his family's alleged involvement in corrupt practices, as outlined in the Panamagate case, had ended April 20 with the court ordering the formation of the JIT to probe the family's sources of wealth.

The final verdict had been split 3-2 among the five-judge bench, with the two dissenting notes from Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Gulzar Ahmed. Justice Ejaz Afzal had authored the majority opinion in the 540-page verdict.

The two judges who ruled against PM Nawaz Sharif had said he should be disqualified as he could no longer be considered 'honest' and 'truthful' (ameen and sadiq), whereas the other three were in favour of forming a JIT to definitively answer the question of whether the allegations against the prime minister were true or not.

The five-judge bench had, however, agreed that it was not satisfied with regards to the money trail provided by the Sharif family's counsels and ordered the formation of a JIT to investigate the Sharifs' business dealings abroad.

"A thorough investigation is required," Justice Khosa had concluded as he read out the the court's verdict.

This is a breaking story that is being developed
Saudi Arabias cabinet of ministers have emphasized they have no qualms with the people of Qatar, but rather their government over its support for terrorists across the region.

The people of Qatar are an essential part of the Gulf and Arab system, and that the measures taken by the four countries are directed at the Qatari government to correct its track seeking to break up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States' system, Arab and international security, destabilize the countries in the region and intervene in their affairs, a statement from the Saudi Press Agency read.

The statement comes after Saudi Arabias King Salman held a cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Monday in which several files were discussed, including the ongoing diplomatic crisis with Qatar.
By PTI: Patna, Jul 9 (PTI) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials have seized fake Indian currency notes (FICN) with a face value of Rs 78,000 from a person in West Champaran district in Bihar, official sources said here today.

The FICN of Rs 2000 denomination was recovered from Station Chowk of Bettiah, district headquarter town of West Champaran, yesterday.

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The arrested person from whom the seizure was made is a resident of Malda district of West Bengal. Malda is a major node in international fake currency racket.

The arrested man revealed that those 39 pieces of FICN have been smuggled from Bangladesh into India, the sources said. PTI AR NN LNS

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All over the world, people have been asking javadekar where they can find marathi food

Indian cuisine is said to undergo a sea change every 200 kilometres. Yet most outsiders think of it merely in terms of north and south. In his debut feature film, Delaware-based chemical engineer and filmmaker Ashay Dileep Javadekar sets out to bust this myth.

Titled Shank's, after the fictitious gourmet restaurant run by Chef Shashank Joshi in the film, his latest hourlong feature aims to introduce the world to Marathi cuisine.In the film, the restaurant serves "saatvik" and "almost Yogic" vegetarian menu in an unspecified American city.

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Technically, the food he is showcasing isn't representative of the cuisine of the entire state of Maharashtra but of the food Javadekar remembers eating in his native Sangli. So although the delights of the coast or those of the Khandesh region are ignored, his ode to local favourites varan bhat, ukadiche modak or kothimbir wadi is enough to draw curiosity towards the cuisine considering how little people in India (let alone in the West) know about it.

Javadekar has made six short films over the 12 years he has spent in the US. His 2014 four-minute horror film Kevin, as well as the comedic The Script made it to several festivals in the US and across the globe including Cannes, Melbourne and Marbella. His debut feature is neither a documentary nor a mockumentary, but something in between.

Mimicking the style of the Netflix series The Chef's Table, Shank's traces the chef's journey and the risks he takes in order to get noticed in the big bad culinary world. Javadekar's use of extreme close-ups to highlight the pretty plates of puran poli or ukadiche modak is also reminiscent of the food documentary series. "I wanted to focus on the food and if I had chosen a dramatic narrative format, it might have been difficult to show intricate details. Having said that, the film is not purely informational it follows a clear storyline," says the writer-director.

In that narrative, Chef Shashank Joshi's brave idea of serving Marathi food is dismissed at first. He decides to break down the cuisine to its barest and reconstruct it for it to make sense to American diners, presents a traditional Marathi thali as an 11-course tasting menu. Sadly, though, rather than detail the complex techniques needed to make traditional dishes like puran poli (a jaggery-stuffed flatbread), Javadekar relies on a food critic, a culinary historian and the chef's French wife to provide "White Man's approval" for Marathi food as gourmet.

Javadekar hopes to release the film in Indian theatres, and has also submitted it to the Mumbai Film Festival. Screened extensively across the USA, Shank's made it to film festivals in Australia, Japan and most recently was shown at the Bergamo Food Film Festival in Italy, where it was nominated in the best film category. He didn't win, but he has already achieved his main goal. All over the world, people have been asking him where they can find Marathi food.

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Perhaps the fictitious restaurant will be a reality soon.

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By PTI: Mumbai, Jul 10 (PTI) Aditya Birla Group firm Grasim Industries Ltd will sell its wholly-owned subsidiary Grasim Bhiwani Textiles to Rajendra Synthetics, a part of Donear Group, for an undisclosed amount.

This is a part of the companys strategy to consolidate its focus on the core business, the company said in a statement. The board of the company in a meeting held today approved the agreement to transfer 100 per cent stake in Grasim Bhiwani Textiles Ltd (GBTL) to Donear Group.

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"The company has entered into a definitive agreement for divesting the companys total investment in GBTL to Rajendra Synthetics Pvt Ltd, Mumbai (part of Donear Group)," said Grasim Industries in a regulatory filing.

GBTL is primarily in the business of manufacture and sales of Polyester Viscose fabric.

It has a manufacturing facility in Bhiwani Haryana and is spread across the geography through a large network of dealers, agents and retail outlets.

It also has presence in international markets catering to the fabric need of global brands.

"This divestment is the outcome of the business portfolio review exercise time to time. It is in the direction of consolidation and greater focus on core business of the company," it added.

According to Grasim Industries GTBLs "divestment will not have a material impact on the profits of the company" as its contribution is less than 1 per cent in its revenue.

Donear Group is in the textile business for the last 30 years and the GTBL would form a part of their business, it adder. PTI KRH AP MR

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"I love it that at least on Thursdays Mum will be herself again. For that hour, my mum has a friend, and I can relax hearing her laugh.

That friend is Anne Howard who has been a volunteer at Alzheimers Tauranga since May 2003, giving up more than 70 hours each year to support families living with this disease; the most common cause of dementia.

Annes service to the organisation has been recognised with a runner-up award in the long service category of the 2017 Minister of Health Volunteer Awards.

The Papamoa grandmother came to New Zealand from Scotland as a midwife in her mid-20s. She later moved into geriatric nursing, working mainly in the Waikato before retiring to Papamoa in 2001. I worked at both ends of the spectrum  birth and death.

Anne considered going back to paid nursing after she moved to the Bay but recognised there was a need for volunteers in the health sector  something that hasnt changed to this day.

The health system needs volunteers quite honestly, and even more so recently. Volunteers are a big part of the health system and you see that in the hospitals. My husband was in last week for a minor operation and the volunteers were great. They have the time, which we, as nurses, never had to spend time with the patients and make them feel comfortable.

Annes mother-in-law and stepmother both suffered from dementia, which prompted her decision to volunteer with Alzheimers Tauranga.

Id nursed people with it and it was an area I knew a little bit about. Theres also a great need there because a lot of people find dementia hard to cope with. Sometimes an outsider can just relieve the load and give people time out.

Anne has done both companion-sitting and befriending, visiting people in their homes to offer support.

As a companion-sitter she relieves the caregiver for three hours, either just making tea and keeping the affected family member company, or sometimes taking them out for a walk or a picnic.

Respite care is important for those caring for family members with Alzheimers disease, says Anne.

Its a 24-hour job caring for people with dementia. You really need time out and its reassuring to know someone is looking after your loved one.

As a befriender, which is what Anne does most of these days, she visits families on a weekly basis to make sure they have a friend to talk to.

And you do become friends. I look back over the years and there have been such a variety. Some that were close to hospital care and others that were still quite young and mobile.

Anne recommends volunteering for Alzheimers Tauranga as the group provides good training and has interesting guest speakers. Those interested can contact the organisation on 07 577 6344.
One of Coromandels most popular cycle trails will be receiving a $77,757 upgrade funded by the Maintaining the Quality of Great Rides Fund.

Associate tourism minister Nicky Wagner announced that the Hauraki Rail Trails will go forward with the sixth round of its maintenance.

National Coromandel MP Scott Simpson says he is pleased the Hauraki Rail Trails are receiving almost $80,000 and believes it is a great result for the Coromandel electorate.

An impressive 81,888 people used the trails in 2015, taking in the historic Karangahake Gorge and working their way towards Thames on one of the gentlest trails in the country.

Domestic and international tourists using the trail spent a combined $3.2 million as a result of using the trails in 2015, adding a healthy boost to our Coromandel tourism industry and the associated service industries.

The maintenance of the Hauraki Rail Trail will start from Waihi, Te Aroha and will continue through to Paeroa before finishing on the coast at Thames.

The Maintaining the Quality of Great Rides Fund (MGR) is a government initiative that provides funding assistance in maintaining and improving cycle trails across New Zealand.

A total of 12 projects across New Zealand have been successful with their funding applications, with $528,000 being distributed across the projects.
By India Today Web Desk: A day after meeting Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, warring party leaders from Gujarat claimed that they were united.

The Congress leadership has been trying different means to unite its faction-ridden unit in Gujarat for the past several months but without much success. AICC general secretary-in-charge of the state, Ashok Gehlot, has been meeting Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela and Congress state president Bhratsinh Solanki. The three leaders have also met Rahul Gandhi on a couple of occasions in the past. Besides, one-on-one meetings between Vaghela and Solanki have taken place. But nothing has yielded the desired result so far.

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In a bid to find a permanent solution to the vexed issue ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections, Gehlot, Vaghela and Solanki held separate meetings with Rahul over the weekend. Both Solanki and Vaghela expressed satisfaction over the meetings. They also hoped that it would help bring about unity in the state unit of the party.

CONGRESS LEADERS HOPEFUL OF WINNING GUJARAT POLLS

Gehlot and Solanki reached the national capital on July 9 to meet the Congress vice-president. Subsequently, Vaghela met Rahul yesterday. Solanki met the Congress leader again after that. Hence, the Gujarat Congress chief had two meetings with Rahul on two consecutive days.

Following the meeting with Rahul, Solanki claimed that Congress would win the state Assembly elections. He claimed that BJP is lagging in election preparedness. The seats from which Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and BJP state president Jitu Vaghani would contest have not yet been decided, he said. The BJP leaders were not sure of winning from their seats, he said, adding that Congress' victory is assured in such a situation.

On the other hand, Vaghela, on his return to Ahmedabad, said his meeting with Rahul was "good". He said that the Congress vice-president's message was positive.

Also read | Delhi BJP leader Nupur Sharma faces flak for sharing Gujarat riots' photo for Basirhat

Also read | Producer of Gujarati film on Hardik Patel writes to Rahul for help

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By PTI: Dharamshala, Jul 10 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said that his government has decided to convert the ancestral house of Pahari Gandhi Baba Kanshi Ram, an activist for independence, in Kangra districts Padhyaal village into a heritage site.

Ram was involved in spreading Mahatma Gandhis message through his poetry and songs in the Pahari languages after the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, which had a deep impact on him, he said.

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He was a great admirer of Gandhi and an activist for independence. The government has decided to take over his house, preserve it and also erect a memorial, the chief minister said.

The title Pahari Gandhi was given to him by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1937, an official release said, adding that he was arrested nearly 11 times by the British for spreading patriotic messages through his poems.

In 1984, former prime minister Indira Gandhi had released a postal stamp in Rams name on his 135th birth anniversary, it said. PTI CORR ANB

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The soldiers of SSB patrolling the tough terrain are quick on their feet, navigating the hills. The platoon of SSB is strategically placed 9 km from Indo-Bhutan border.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: In the wake of the tension between India and China on the borders, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) is all prepared to face any situation. A patrol party - 46 battalion - of the elite para-military force is deployed at Lungthung post at 13,000 feet.

The soldiers of SSB patrolling the tough terrain are quick on their feet, navigating the hills. The platoon of SSB is strategically placed 9 km from Indo-Bhutan border. It is only 2-3 kilometres away from Dokolam, the trijunction between India China and Bhutan where the Chinese PLA has been flexing its muscles but has failed to have its way as Indian Army stands its ground.

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The high altitude can make you sick in matter of minutes. The jawan walks to join his team. The sense of tension is in air. A jawan in the patrol party says, "We are on 24/7 vigil. We will not let our guard down. But we won't let the enemy close in. We are prepared."

Another personnel from the same battalion says, "There is an all round preparedness."

SSB is deployed over Nepal and Bhutan borders. While Indian Army and ITBP are deployed at the India-China border, SSB has two battalions deployed in two trijunctions India shares in Sikkim. In many areas they are a few kilometers behind the Indian Army, albeit on a different border.

Sources in the SSB say the force is building another Border Outpost (BoP) few kilometers away from India-China border. "We are already going ahead with the procurement of land. Field visits have been done and a plan has been finalised."

Commanding Officer Neeraj Joshi tells India Today: "We work closely with Indian Army but we focus on our vast borders with Nepal and Bhutan. We have increased our vigil over the past few weeks in the wake of the development. Though Bhutan is a friendly border, we should not give chance to any miscreant to enter our territory."

A top source said: "We have only little smuggling happening, but China may attempt sabotage through unknown areas. This may just be a theory but we can't take any chance."

What makes extensive Bhutan border vulnerable is that it has remained unfenced reflecting the closeness of the countries. However, Chinese interest in neighbouring Bhutan has created an extra sense of alertness. The alleged disputed area in Bhutan is being eyed by the Chinese. Many say it could be a tactics of PLA to increase India's discomfort and disturb proximity with Bhutan.

Another officer said, "They wish to explore the silk route getting as close to Siliguri as possible, increasing its military and trade might. China may wish to increase its trade with Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, keeping India out. Make a CPEC In the east. But while the government should deal with the policy decisions, we are guarding the border."

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LoC firing and Doklam: China's expert says unwise for India to engage in two conflicts

ALSO WATCH:

Malabar 2017: India, United States and Japan hold massive naval exercise

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What was meant to protest the piercing of young children is now turning into a huge headache for one Ohio mom who just wanted to take a stand.

Enedina Vance has always been a strong advocate against subjecting young children to piercing or circumcision. However, she felt like few parents took her message seriously, so she decided to make a bold statement online.

Vance took a photo of her 6-month-old daughter on her phone. She then placed a diamond stud on the baby's left cheek to make it seem like she had a piercing and posted it on Facebook. She captioned the photo by telling what she had done to her child.

"I make all of her decisions until she's 18, I made her, I own her!!" the 35-year-old mother wrote on the post.

Vance meant for the post to draw people's attention to the issue, and it did just that. The edited photo drew about 13,000 reactions and was shared more than 14,000 times.

"The reaction that parents have when they see this beautiful perfect baby being ... mutilated, that initial shock, that reaction of anger, I want them to hold on to that," Vance said.

Bad Parenting?

While some Facebook users expressed their support for Vance's message, other people were appalled at what they saw as bad parenting. Many thought that the Ohio mother had really pierced her daughter's cheek to prove her point.

Vance said she couldn't believe that there are some who missed the point that it was supposed to be satirical. She even included the hashtag #sarcasm with her post.

However, some people were so outraged by it that they threatened Vance with having child protective services take her children away or having her beaten to death.

Other social media users simply did not agree with Vance's message. Some even claimed that there is nothing wrong with letting their children get piercings.

One person commented that she got her ears pierced when she was a baby but still grew up fine. She also said that she was having a baby girl and that she will have her ears pierced too.

Despite getting hate emails for her social media post, Vance pointed out that she also received words of encouragement from people who shared her stance on piercing and circumcising children. There were some parents who said they weren't given much of a choice on whether to have their sons circumcised.

Vance said much of the responsibility of having children circumcised lies with the medical community since doctors are the ones who encourage parents. She stressed that the procedure should neither be an option nor a question.

In Ohio, children below the age of 18 can get tattoos or piercings if a parent or a guardian is present during the procedure. Other states, however, allow minors to get piercings if they have their parents' consent.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Three aircraft carriers sailing in formation is an awe-inspiring sight at any time. Particularly when the three flattops combined can launch over 150 fighter jets and helicopters, more than the air forces of several countries. This is likely to be the case when the USS Nimitz, INS Vikramaditya and Japan's Izumo join several other warships to conduct joint manoeuvres in the Bay of Bengal during the annual Malabar 2017 multilateral naval exercises from July 10. But that isn't the only reason this newest instalment of the exercise is likely to raise Beijing's hackles, as it comes while its troops are locked in a standoff with Indian soldiers on the Doklam plateau in Bhutan. Malabar 2017 will primarily focus on anti-submarine warfare, a shared concern over the PLA navy's rapidly growing capabilities. China today has the world's fastest growing undersea fleet and is cranking them out at an astonishing rate of roughly two vessels a year.

A June 2017 US Congressional Service Report on China's naval modernisation notes that between 1995 and 2016, the country placed, or was expected to press into service, 56 attack submarines of four types-Shang, Kilo, Yuan and Song classes. 'This average commissioning rate, if sustained indefinitely, would eventually result in a steady-state submarine force of 51 to 76 boats of all kinds, assuming an average submarine life of 20 to 30 years.'

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The PLA's submarine deployment in the Indian Ocean since 2013 has added a fresh underwater dimension to the maritime Great Game in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Over the next few days, in the Bay of Bengal, the three navies will practise the art of detecting, tracking and 'destroying' two submarines-a US nuclear-powered Los Angeles class submarine and an Indian conventional Kilo class submarine. "Surface manoeuvres, missile firing and aircraft operations don't surprise us because they have fixed parameters," explains a senior naval official. "The only thing that can fox you is the underwater realm." This is primarily because the warm and saline waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean degrade the performance of sonar, used primarily to detect submarines.

Malabar is one act in an IOR great game which began nearly a decade ago with the deployment of PLA naval warships in counter-piracy patrol, in 2008. Since December 2013, China has rotated six different submarines through long-range deployments in the IOR. A Yuan class conventional submarine recently entered the IOR after transiting over 6,000 kilometres from its base on Hainan island to begin a seventh deployment.

"China's maritime prowess has been growing over the last decade, allowing it to shape IOR's strategic environment," says Dr Harsh V. Pant, head of the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation. "China is the big new variable in the IOR as its intentions remain largely unknown and it is challenging the established maritime order." It has done so by asserting itself in the South China Sea, which it claims as its territorial waters. It has reclaimed over 3,000 acres in the sea and created a network of airstrips and surface-to-air missile batteries. Further to the west, it has been putting some steel into President Xi Jinping's One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative with long-range naval deployments in the IOR and bases in Djibouti and, eventually, Gwadar in Pakistan. The most worrying aspect are the submarine patrols, thinly disguised as 'anti-piracy operations'. Surface ships are easier to track than submarines, particularly nuclear-powered vessels which are difficult to detect after they dive.

"Beijing was serious when they said this was not the China of 1962," says Vice Admiral K.N. Sushil, former commanding-in-chief, Southern Naval Command. "For starters, they have demonstrated their conventional submarine building capability and ability to deploy far from their home ports-at our doorstep."

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In wartime, these submarines could be deployed to harass and interdict India's sea lanes of communication. This could explain why both India and the US roped in Japan, with its vast anti-submarine capabilities, into the Malabar exercises in 2015.

THE GREAT GAME BEGINS

On July 2, the US state department cleared the sale of 22 General Atomics' 'Guardian' naval surveillance drones to India. The $2 billion deal was cleared less than a week after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it in Washington DC, coinciding with a recent chill in US-China ties. Naval officials say the Guardians are a cheaper option for wide-area maritime surveillance, a task now performed by the fleet of eight P-8I 'Poseidon' aircraft and Indian spy satellites. The Guardians, with their 20-hour endurance, maritime surveillance radars and 1,800 km-range, are a significant acquisition as they will free up the Poseidons to perform the role of submarine hunting.

Hardware is not the only area of maritime cooperation. In January 2017, US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Harry B. Harris became the first senior official to publicly admit what was known for some years. That the US was helping India track Chinese warships and submarines from the time they slipped out of their bases and on their patrols in the IOR. "There is sharing of information regarding Chinese maritime movement in the Indian Ocean," Adm Harris said during a visit to New Delhi.

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A Chinese nuclear submarine (Photo: Reuters)

Malabar, he said, helps us hone our ability to track what China is doing in the Indian Ocean. "Chinese submarines are clearly an issue and we know they are operating through the region." It is not known whether India is yet a participant in 'Fish Hook', a network of underwater sound sensors embedded along the ocean floor around China-a Cold War legacy helping Japan and US track Chinese submarines, which could help plug India's vulnerabilities in anti-submarine warfare.

For several years, Indian naval planners envisaged Indian submarines as a tool for conflict termination by interdicting Chinese shipping in the Malacca Straits. Indian submarines, they believed, could even be deployed in the South China Sea to level any imbalance between the land forces. This explained the lease of a highly capable Akula-II class nuclear-powered attack submarine, the INS Chakra from Russia, a platform capable of unlimited underwater endurance and which carries torpedoes and cruise missiles to attack enemy warships and shore targets. However, there is a sharp degradation in the navy's underwater capabilities-the submarine arm is down to just 13 platforms with an average age of over 25 years, which is very near retirement. India's induction of six Scorpene class submarines by 2020 may be too little too late. China, which has long regarded submarines as an instrument of regional deterrence, now has the upper hand.

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A 2016 US naval intelligence report says China's submarine force is optimised for regional anti-surface missions near major sea lanes. Beijing-based defence website Sina Military Network speculated in 2015 that China could blockade India's eastern and western coastlines with just 10 submarines-'three Type 091 Han-class, four Type 093 Shang-class and three Type 095 SSNs'. "We should expect that China will now regularly deploy submarines in the IOR," says Rear Admiral Sudarshan Shrikhande (retd). "The rapidity with which they have started indicates they can make these leaps in unexpected ways."

If China's aggressive posture continues, analysts feel Malabar has the potential to turn into a serious platform for like-minded nations that want to maintain the extant maritime order. Submarines are the currency of China's containment strategy for India. PLAN deployments have shown their ability to operate off the Indian coastline China has, in recent years, sold two old Ming-class submarines to Bangladesh and will set up a base for them in the Kutubdia island. But it is the sale of eight Yuan submarines to Pakistan by 2023, being equipped to fire nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, which are of greater concern.

China's submarine spring comes at the lowest point in India's submarine and submarine-hunting capabilities. The ageing of the Indian navy's fleet of 15 Russian and western helicopters has reached alarming proportions. A procurement freeze means there are no helicopters to embark on its shiny warships rolling out of shipyards. All eight Russian Kamov Ka-28 helicopters are to be shortly packed off to Russia for mid-life upgrades and will thus be unavailable for two years. Half its fleet of Seaking 42B helicopters has been grounded following a bribery cloud over Italian helicopter-maker AgustaWestland, which has discontinued supply of spares and upgrades. A 17-year quest for new Multi-Role Helicopters (MRH) received a setback when the defence ministry initiated the cancellation last month of a 2005 tender to buy 18 MRH.

STRATEGIC ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE

When India's strategic planners envisaged a fleet of ballistic missile firing submarines in the 1990s, the Bay of Bengal was pretty much a unanimous choice to base them. Geography was one of the factors shaping this decision. The Indian continental shelf dips sharply into the 'Bengal Fan', as the seabed on the Bay is called. This meant a submarine can dive and be concealed just 2 nautical miles after leaving harbor. (A submarine leaving its base in Mumbai can safely dive only after 80 nautical miles). The Shipbuilding Centre or SBC, the nucleus of India's nuclear submarine contruction programme was thus located in Visakhapatnam habor in the 1990s. The Bay would be the so-called 'bastion area' for India's SSBN fleet. From the safety of its depths, Indian SSBNs could target both its potential adversaries with its 5000-km range ballistic missiles (SLBMs). At this time, the PLAN had not succeeded in sailing out of the 'first island chain', the archipelagoes around China's mainland. Hence, strategic ASW, defending SSBNs from the enemy or hunting enemy SSBNs, was clearly not a high priority.

Naval analysts say these developments could result in a reorienting of budgets and priorities to guarantee the survival of the third leg of its nuclear triad. ''In the near future, we would need to begin looking at Strategic ASW for discreetly protecting our SSBNs and keeping track of unfriendly ones that may deploy in waters close to us," says Rear Admiral Shrikhande. "This constant, silent, patient mission requires more maritime patrol aircraft and more submarines. Perhaps more money would be needed to found for the navy to build them."

In 2014, the navy dusted out a decade-old plan to build six nuclear-powered attack submarines or SSNs, a key component in defensive strategic ASW. SSNs in combination with maritime patrol aircraft and surface fleets form versatile hunters of enemy submarines. India has just one SSN, the INS Chakra on a ten-year lease from Russia since 2012. The submarine is likely to return to Russia for reactor refuelling even and the government has opened talks for its replacement. The design for an indigneous SSN displacing over 6000 tons is still being finalised and but it will be nearly a decade before the first vessel becomes operational.

Beijing is unlikely to wait for India to build these capabilities as it makes its moves.

ALSO WATCH:

Malabar 2017: India, United States and Japan hold massive naval exercise

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Launched on July 1, the goods and services tax, or the GST, aims to unify the nation and its 125 crore people into a single market.

Launched on July 1, the goods and services tax, or the GST, aims to unify the nation and its 125 crore people into a single market.

By Saurabh Vaktania: Legendary tax thieves are out to sabotage the GST, using conservative tactics to circumvent the country's most modern tax reform, an India Today investigation has found.

Launched on July 1, the goods and services tax, or the GST, aims to unify the nation and its 125 crore people into a single market.

"GST marks the economic integration of India," declared prime minister Narendra Modi during its rollout. "There are 500 taxes and we are getting rid of it. From Ganganagar to Itanagar and Leh to Lakshadweep, it is one nation, one tax."

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But a discreet investigation by India Today in the financial capital of Mumbai found businesses had already deployed a range of crooked techniques to subvert the GST.

The network's undercover team discovered various traders in the city markets were selling products on backdated bills.

Businesses dealing in white goods, for instance, were caught on tape issuing defunct VAT vouchers.

For customers at these stores, offers on the outdated levy were too tempting to ignore, given differential between the old and new taxes on consumer durables.

At Mumbai's Arcee Electronics, the store's sales manager was seen luring buyers with cheaper deals under VAT billing on July 3.

"Will you sell this TV set with or without GST?" probed India Today's undercover reporter.

"Without GST," the sales manager at Arcee Electronics replied.

He then showed another LED set at a discount as high as 30 per cent.

"You stand gained," the manager explained. "You'll only be charged 12.5 percent in VAT as before and not the new 18 percent of the GST."

The scene was no different at Mumbai's Kartik Electronics.

"I am giving you the best price," said a salesperson at this store.

"Is it with or without GST?" the reporter asked.

"Without" replied the salesperson. "The bill will be backdated. It won't be current."

For tax authorities though, a nightmare appears to have just begun.

Subhash Varshney, the GST commissioner of the Mumbai zone, promised a crackdown when India Today informed him about this massive subversion of the new tax laws.

"Traders selling products on backdated, kacha bills are evading taxes, involved in illegal acts. Wherever it is happening, we'd send our officers to examine," he cautioned. "Consumers should not entertain such traders because they would be tracked later."

But old habits die hard.

Stern warnings by the taxman aside, kacha bills continue to pose a momentous challenge to effective implementation of the GST, India Today's investigation found.

Owners of Mumbai's Bharti Jewellers appeared to be routinely offering fictitious bills to their customers as a means to evade taxes.

"Don't take pakka (formal) bills. Just pay the cash and you will save 3 percent of the GST," the store owner suggested. It (the kacha bill) will have your name, weight and type (of the purchase). I'd write everything on it," he said.

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GST is almost here: How input tax credit makes it a game changer reform

ALSO WATCH | Exposed: Tax thieves out to sabotage GST

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"The dialogue and negotiation of Venezuela found at the Paris Forum for Peace three friends, the governments of France, Argentina and the Republic of Colombia," said the president... | Read More
Waiting an hour for your clothes to dry can feel tedious when you need something in a rush.

By Press Trust of India: Waiting an hour for your clothes to dry can feel tedious when you need something in a rush.

But Indian-American research and development associate Viral Patel and his team of researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee have developed a dryer that could make doing laundry much quicker.

Called the ultrasonic dryer, it's expected to be up to five times more energy efficient than most conventional dryers and able dry a large load of clothes in about half the time.

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"It is a completely new approach. Instead of evaporation, it's technically performing mechanical extraction of the moisture within the fabric," Patel told Knoxville News Sentinel.

Patel said that traditional dryers generally use straight-forward technology: as air gets sucked in from the surrounding area, it travels through a heater or gas burner and into the drum where the clothes tumble around allowing the heat to absorb the moisture with the air leaving the dryer.

However, the ultrasonic dryer uses piezoelectric transducers to remove moisture: when high frequency voltage is applied to the transducers, they vibrate at a high frequency causing trapped water to leave the fabric without heat.

Basically, the dryer shakes the water out of the clothes, speeding up the process.

Patel mentioned that GE Appliances is in the process of developing an agreement with the researchers to proceed toward commercialisation.

"We're trying to develop the technology that has efficiency greater than or equal to the state of the art but with a competitive cost, so it can be sold on the US market" because "if you walk into a big box store and you want a dryer, normally the first things consumers look for is how much it costs" and not energy efficiency.

"GE brings the expertise in that area, which we do not have," he added, stating that it will take at least two to five years before the ultrasonic dryers can be available in the market.

ALSO READ:

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In April this year, official websites of 10 different Indian universities were hacked by a group going by the name of 'Pakistan Haxor Crew'.

By Mail Today Bureau: An Indian techie working in Dubai exposed a loophole in the website of Kerala University, which could lead to getting complete access of exam papers and even manipulate the exam questions.

Interestingly, the bug was found after Indian security analysts were trying to test Kerala University domain www.keralauniversity. ac.in after it was breached by Pakistani hackers last year.

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Rishi Mohandad, 27, told Mail Today that while testing the website he found the bug in university's website, following which he informed Kerala Police Cyberdome, a technological research and development centre. They alerted the university officials who are working to path their website.

"Recently, one sub-domain of Kerala University was hacked by Pakistan hackers. So, I decided to do vulnerability check of all the domains and found SQL Injection vulnerability in two sub-domains. This allows hackers to steal and alter data in a website's database," said Mohandas who is an independent cyber security researcher and works for a healthcare company in Dubai.

SEVERAL WEBSITES DEFACED BY PAKISTANI HACKERS IN 2016

In October 2016, Pakistani hackers defaced several websites, including educational institutes and posted pro-Pakistan slogans. The move came after Indian Army's surgical strike against the terror launch pads across the LoC.

Mohandad claims that the vulnerability gave him admin rights to access question papers and manipulate results. "I was able to bypass the admin panel, and by doing that, one could easily leak question papers for the upcoming examination, which are kept secured on the website. It also gave control to edit question papers and upload different question papers of different subjects," Mohandas explained.

Mohandas, who is an active bug bounty hunter, immediately informed the Kerala Police. "My intention is to secure Indian cyber space, so I informed the cops who have asked the university to patch up the loophole. The university's website has been taken down and they are fixing the bug," he said.

Kerala Police confirmed to Mail Today that they have received the complaint and the maintenance work to secure the website is on. In April this year, official websites of 10 different Indian universities were hacked by a group going by the name of 'Pakistan Haxor Crew' (PFC). They claimed responsibility for the breach, saying it was in retaliation for Pakistan's railway ministry website being hacked by an Indian crew.

Also Read:

US government websites hacked with pro-Islamic State rant

Delhi: Gifted cyber expert gives up ethics to hack for a high life

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Also Watch:

FBI Talk Encryption and Cybersecurity at SXSW

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In arguably one of the biggest data leaks ever in India, details of millions of Jio users have been leaked on the web. The details until yesterday evening were available on a website called magiapk.com.

By India Today Tech: In arguably one of the biggest data leaks ever in India, details of millions of Jio users have been leaked on the web. The details, which were until yesterday evening were available on a website called magiapk.com, contain the name, the Jio number, when that number was activated, email id and what verification ID was used to activate the number. It has been estimated that nearly 120 million Jio users have been affected.

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Aadhaar numbers, which are also linked with millions of Jio numbers as Jio used them to authenticate users from October-November last year, don't seem to have leaked, not publicly at least.The news of the Jio data leak surfaced around 6pm on Sunday as some users started talking about it on Twitter. The drill was simple. Go to Magicapk, put in the Jio number for which you needed the details and search. The website then fetched the data.

btw it looks like data was online for past 4-5 days as it was posted in a forum with several users few days ago- Shantanu Goel (@shantanugoel) July 9, 2017

Although most people discovered on Sunday evening, apparently at the same time when even Jio came to know about the fact that its user data was available publicly, the Magicapk.com was in the business for the last few days.

Jio user Data leakedhttps://t.co/fjBRRmTWNm- ?Amit Meena ??? (@amit_meena) July 9, 2017

As more people became aware of the Jio data leak, the Magical.com servers were hit with massive traffic. Then in some cases they worked, in some they didn't. Jio apparently sprung into action around 9pm. By midnight the website magicapk.com was down, although it is not sure if it was taken by its service provider or it went offline because it exhausted the bandwidth allotted to it. Right now if you open magicapk.com it shows an error saying that the account of the website owner has been suspended.

It is worser than you think. Data is available in the dark web for quite some time now. https://t.co/jGdYdHw2ak- Anand V (@iam_anandv) July 10, 2017

For now Jio has denied the data leak. "We have come across the unverified and unsubstantiated claims of the website and are investigating it. Prima facie, the data appears to be unauthentic. We want to assure our subscribers that their data is safe and maintained with highest security. Data is only shared with authorities as per their requirement. We have informed law enforcement agencies about the claims of the website and will follow through to ensure strict action is taken," a company spokesperson told the India Today Tech.

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However, prima facie it also looks like that the data leak is real. The numbers that India Today Tech checked on the magicapk.com fetched authentic results. It also seems that even though the leaked Jio data is no longer available on the magicapk.com, it is almost certain that copies of this database must have been created by many more cyber scammers who often scrap data from web servers whenever it leaks.

This is possibly the reason why in some of the web forums frequented by hackers and scammers, the Jio data is already seemingly on sale. Although name Jio doesn't find any mention in his post, there is a user called M00n$hine who has put up on sale a database containing details of 120 million users of a big Indian telecom firm. According M00n$hine the database not only contains user details but also their CDR details that have outgoing and incoming call-related information. The user is selling details of 20 lakh consumers at a price of 19 bitcoins.

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Two of the three defendants accused in the fatal 2015 shooting of a Honduran immigrant during an armed robbery in Baton Rouge pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy charges.

Karlos Jawoski Ghoram, 22, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and will be sentenced Sept. 19 by state District Judge Beau Higginbotham. He faces up to 30 years in prison.

Devaughn Tyler, 17, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Higginbotham.

+2 Three Baton Rouge defendants charged in December shooting during alleged robbery A Baton Rouge man and two teenagers were indicted Thursday on second-degree murder counts in

Tyler was 16 when Oswal Migdonio Andrade, 22, was fatally shot Dec. 9, 2015, in the 9000 block of Tracy Avenue.

A sanity hearing is scheduled Sept. 20 for the remaining defendant, Lawrence Bennett, 19. He is charged with second-degree murder.

Ghoram, Bennett and Tyler each were indicted early last year on second-degree murder counts.

Andrade moved to the United States from Honduras about 15 years ago and worked as a roofer, family members have said.
Long before the first European explorers set foot on the Louisiana coast, residents of what is now the Netherlands already were dealing with problems caused by high water and low land elevation.

Those lessons, learned over hundreds of years, are what state officials hope can be shared as part of a new agreement between the Water Institute of the Gulf, a nonprofit research outfit formed in 2011 and based in Baton Rouge, and its Dutch counterpart, Deltares.

The six-page agreement, signed last week in the Netherlands and unveiled Monday, lists seven areas in which scientists from the two organizations will collaborate: water resource planning, coastal dynamics, nature-based solutions to coastal problems, sediment strategies, managing watersheds, improved modeling and real-time levee monitoring, the officials said.

Details on what exactly the two groups of scientists will do together remain to be worked out. They could include a collaboration under which Deltares, which operates an affiliate in Maryland called Deltares USA, might put staff full-time in Louisiana. But the agreement also contemplates a possible deeper partnership: Deltares USA and the Water Institute could merge, said Justin Ehrenwerth, president and CEO of the Water Institute.

"This gives us an opportunity to take our science to the next level," Ehrenwerth said. "We are bringing some of the greatest minds in the world together."

Deltares USA President Toon Segeren said the collaboration could result in greater knowledge about coastal issues. "It's not for revenue but for knowledge," he said.

Deltares is also a research institution that pursues applied solutions, he added. It has similar agreements with a university in Singapore and a governmental agency in Indonesia, he said.

Regardless of the exact arrangements, Segeren said he expects that Deltares scientists would be in Louisiana frequently and vice-versa.

This agreement is not the first signed between the two organizations, but previous ones have been far more limited in scope.

Gov. John Bel Edwards lauded the partnership between the two agencies, saying it shows the growing prominence of Louisiana researchers in coastal and water-related fields.

The agreement comes at both an exciting and frustrating time for Louisiana coastal policy makers.

The Legislature this year overwhelmingly passed the 2017 Master Plan, a five-year revision of the state's blueprint for addressing rapidly disappearing coastal land and protecting communities from flood events. That plan, which lists dozens of projects that could be built over the next 50 years, was widely lauded across the spectrum, from industry to environmental groups.

At the same time, one of the cornerstones of that campaign, sediment diversions, could be bogged down in federal regulatory red tape until 2022. That's according to officials of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is helping shepherd the first of those projects, known as the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, through the permitting process.

CPRA Board Chairman Johnny Bradberry has called that delay "unacceptable," and state officials, including the governor, have repeatedly asked federal officials to help speed up the process.

President Donald Trump's administration has given conflicting signals when it comes to the federal approach to coastal restoration. On the one hand, it has prioritized infrastructure spending and said it wants to reduce federal regulation, including in the permitting process.

On the other hand, the federal budget proposed by the president would end an agreement under which the federal government shares revenue from drilling in the Gulf, a program known as the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act.

GOMESA funds were expected to bring $420 million into Louisiana over the next three years, all of which would be dedicated to coastal projects. Several members of Louisiana's congressional delegation said they would not vote for a budget that removed GOMESA funding from Louisiana's coast, with Sen. Bill Cassidy calling it a "deal-breaker."
Seeking federal help for college is a growing habit in Louisiana.

A total of 65 percent of high school seniors have applied for assistance, up from 58 percent last year, the state Department of Education announced Monday.

The rate was 48 percent just two years ago, and the latest figure is an all-time high.

State leaders have been urging students to apply for the aid for the past 18 months amid concerns students were leaving over $50 million per year on the table. In addition, federal officials started accepting applications in October of 2016, instead of the usual January start to give students more time.

The request is called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

State officials suggested that seniors submit their applications by July 1 for the 2017-18 school year. The aid applies to Pell grants, work study programs and federal student loans.

Breaking down Louisiana's sudden spike in high school students seeking college aid Louisiana's longtime low rate of public high school seniors applying for federal college aid

It is also required for high school seniors to get priority consideration for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, or TOPS.

"Historically, Louisiana's FAFSA submission rate has trailed the rest of the nation," state Superintendent of Education John White said in a statement. "Now, we are not only meeting the rates of our peers but we are, in many cases, surpassing them."

Federal officials said 26,855 high school seniors have applied for the aid, up from 23,733 at the same time in 2016.

In 2014-15 a total of 48 percent of high school seniors sought the aid, well below the U.S. average of 55 percent at the time. That means submissions are up 35 percent over two years ago.

Reluctant students and families have long complained about the complexity of the form and what they see as little chance for landing any federal aid.

White has said students most in need of the assistance apply the least.

Districts with the highest application rates include St. Bernard, 78 percent; Livingston, 77 percent; Iberville, 73 percent and St. James, 73 percent.

Doris Voitier, superintendent of the St. Bernard Parish school system, said Monday her district has always made the aid request a priority since nearly 80 percent of students come from low-income families.

Voitier said counselors are making the issue an even bigger goal now, and she said the ability of families to use tax returns from the previous year on their applications has helped the submission rate.

Other submission rates include the St. Charles School District, 70 percent; Orleans, 69 percent; Central, 69 percent; Zachary, 68 percent; Jefferson, 68 percent; Ascension, 68 percent; St. Tammany, 67 percent; West Baton Rouge, 67 percent; East Baton Rouge, 67 percent; West Feliciana, 66 percent and Lafayette, 65 percent.

Top-rated schools include Crescent Leadership Academy in New Orleans, 100 percent; Southern University Lab School in Baton Rouge, 100 percent; Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Center, 100 percent; Northeast High School in Baton Rouge, 98 percent; Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans, 92 percent; Baton Rouge Magnet High School, 91 percent and Lusher Charter School in New Orleans, 90 percent.

Students next year will be required to file applications, or sign a form that says they will not do so.

BESE approves new policy requiring high school seniors to apply for financial aid for college Concerned that tens of millions of dollars are being left on the table, Louisiana leaders ar

The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved that policy in 2015 in a bid to boost state applications, and to lessen chances the issue is overlooked.

Critics said allowing students to opt out is a major loophole.

Voitier, a member of BESE, said the upcoming rule is another reason for the renewed push in her district to get students to seek the assistance.

The same policy led to state officials encouraging school counselors to advise all students to submit the forms, not just those planning to attend college.

Counselors were also provided training kits to help in the push.

"Louisiana's increase in the number of FAFSAs completed by graduating seniors means that more Louisiana students will have access to the funds necessary to obtain a post-secondary education or the skill and occupational training necessary to ensure a comfortable lifestyle in a career that they love," Sujuan Boutte, executive director of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, said in a statement.
By India Today Web Desk: Shakti actress Kamya Panjabi posted a backless picture of herself in support of producer Ekta Kapoor's Lipstick Rebellion for her upcoming movie Lipstick Under My Burkha.

Kamya posted this picture on Instagram.

The actress posted the picture on Saturday with a note that said, "They Said that don't be that woman ...The that other woman..the divorced woman .. the single mother woman .. But I am that woman ..Every time I put in my lipstick on, I smile. because I am being true to myself . Whether the world agrees or not I have made my own don't.. Don't you."

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However, the picture was deleted on Sunday and there were reports that the actress backed out of the movement. But Kamya took to Twitter about how her picture went missing from her account. She gave a detailed account on Twitter with a note that said, "I did not take off a bare piece of clothing off my back. I bared the innermost corners of my soul...!!! #iknowUknowmypassword #instagram."

I did not take off a bare piece of clothing off my back. I bared the innermost corners of my soul...!!! #iknowUknowmypassword ???#instagram pic.twitter.com/OnDyM7Oj9q- Kamya Punjabi (@iamkamyapunjabi) July 10, 2017

Looks like the actress' Instagram account was hacked and the hacker deleted her picture.

The Lipstick rebellion was started by Ekta Kapoor, who's also the producer of the film Lipstick Under My Burkha. Many popular TV actresses joined the movement that includes names like Divyanka Tripathi, Kishwer Merchantt, Tinaa Dattaa, Drashti Dhami and Mouni Roy.

Also read: Are Kamya Panjabi and Bigg Boss 10 winner Manveer Gurjar dating? Here's what the Shakti actress has to say

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I am one of nearly 100 Louisiana doctors who have signed a letter to Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy on behalf of our patients. As doctors
This past weekend, I took the time to drive around Lafayette in search of homeless people to feed. With me, I had food and bottles of water. T
The Jammu and Kashmir government has been asked to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to the victim Farooq Ahmad Dar within six weeks.

By India Today Web Desk: Taking suo-moto cognisance of the incident, Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission has asked the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to a local youth who was tied to the bonnet of an army jeep on April 9 as a human shield to avoid attack from stone-pelters.

Major Leetul Gogoi's act had stirred a major controversy in the Kashmir Valley during Srinagar bypoll.

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The commission said the case was listed before Justice Bilal Nazki, chairperson of the J&K State Human Rights Commission, who directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to pay compensation to the tune of Rs 10 lakh to the victim Farooq Ahmad Dar within six weeks.

A statement from the commission said they have also taken suo-moto cognisance of the matter.

It also directed the state government to file a compliance report in the matter within six weeks.

A video of the incident had gone viral leading to an uproar. The Jammu and Kashmir Police had also registered an FIR against the security forces. The Army had constituted a court of inquiry into the incident.

Reflecting that the Army supports Major Gogoi's action, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had awarded COAS (Chief of Army Staff) commendation for sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations to him during a recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Major Gogoi had said he saved at least 12 lives with his decision to tie the stone-pelter to his jeep as a shield. According to him, stones and boulders were thrown upon his team near a polling booth and they were unable to safely evacuate ITBP personnel and polling staff inside Utligam polling station where petrol bombs were also being hurled.

The accused has denied being a stone-pelter.

Also read:

Major Gogoi reveals how he saved 12 lives by tying Kashmiri man to his jeep as human shield

Indian Army chief honours Major Gogoi who had tied Kashmiri man to his jeep as human shield

Major who tied Kashmiri civilian to jeep given clean chit, Army brass believes he saved lives

Also watch:

Tying stone-pelter to the jeep helped me save many lives: Army Major Leethul Gogoi

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The brother of a woman accused of stealing thousands from ActewAGL customers threatened to "put a bullet" between the eyes of a colleague he believed was connected to his sister's arrest.

Jessica Kate Anderson, 29, was charged with 15 counts of fraud after it was alleged she skimmed some $13,000 from ActewAGL customer accounts.

Her colleague and friend, Taylor Jade Geoghegan, 20, has been charged with being knowingly involved in the fraud.

Ms Anderson's brother Christopher Anderson, 25, of Chisholm, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to a charge of using a carriage service to make a threat to kill.

Documents tendered to court said Anderson called a man who also worked at ActewAGL with his sister at about 1pm on July 1, 2017, the day after Ms Anderson was arrested in relation to the fraud.
Best-selling author Monica McInerney is a fan of Canberra. She has family here. And she also has an inkling to get to Floriade at some point. She's been to the nation's capital "loads of times" on book tours but has never been able to schedule a tour around the long-standing flower festival.

Such is her desire that she's even slipped a reference to the event into her latest book The Trip of a Lifetime.

Best selling international author Monica McInerney. Credit:Jamila Toderas

"Two of the characters in the book come to Floriade, they're planning a driving trip around Australia and they want to come here especially for that."

McInerney was in Canberra on Monday, with events at the Civic Library and Harry Hartog bookstore in Woden. She loves touring, meeting fans, meeting readers and people who love books as much as she does.
Don't let anyone tell you drug companies wining and dining doctors is a thing of the past. Sadly, these hidden flows of influence are at epidemic proportions, with almost 30,000 events every year where pharma picks up the tab.

I've been researching this field for more than two decades and while transparency and public scrutiny has grown steadily, unhealthy promotion continues. Today, I'm part of a team at Sydney and Bond Universities who've just published an analysis in BMJ Open of 116,000 events that took place over four years to 2015, at a cost of $290 million. To give a flavour, there was the $82-a-head meal at Sydney's Banjo Patterson restaurant, where lucky GPs learned about the latest evidence on cholesterol  courtesy of Pfizer, the maker of one of the best-selling anti-cholesterol drugs of all time. And then there was the single conference for 300 specialists at a flash hotel for which Roche splashed out around $750,000.

While many of these "educational" events happen in hotels and restaurants, often with lashings of good wine, most of them happen in hospitals and doctor's surgeries, with sandwiches and sushi.

Drug companies and medical groups argue these events are valuable places for a busy doctor to learn. But the evidence suggests otherwise. This massive dose of marketing maybe be causing harm to patients  at risk of being prescribed a drug they don't need  and to the public purse  given increasing concerns about sustainability.
Given mainland Australia has not been at risk of attack since World War II, talk of squandering billions of dollars on ballistic missile defences that may not work and on nuclear submarines we could never maintain ourselves is absurd.

It is also, given our most recent defence white paper was only released in February 2016, dangerously close to making, or at least shaping, policy on the run.

Both thought bubbles, the former from the unlikely pairing of Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull and the other from the fertile brain of Tony Abbott, could actually make a bad situation on the Korean peninsula worse if they were allowed to gain traction.

Our Chinese trading partners, the world's best hope in bringing the crazy man in charge of North Korea to heel, would regard either acquisition as a massive over-reaction to the very low level risk Kim-Jong-un might get up one morning and attack Darwin.
The policies call for more transparency, equitable distribution, risk management to protect tenants, neighbouring residents and properties alike, the recognition of neighbouring residents as key stakeholders and more accountability for the impacts of public housing on the areas in which it is located. Does John believe the association would have adopted such policies if the characteristics described had been present over many decades of an evolving public housing estate? Does John agree that, if the Government can't adequately resource such policies, perhaps it should re-think some of its more grandiose current spending proposals so that it can resource such a model? More constructive engagement and less sanctimony please John. Michael and Christine O'Loughlin, Griffith Unions not pollies

Yes, the struggle for our equal rights is contentious (J. Reaney, "Role of unions", letters, July 10). It is a misunderstanding to suggest that the ALP and unions are the only 'social engineers' because that implies that all the rest are part of, and defend, a pre-ordained and static natural order. Bailing out banks with tax-payers' money and austerity cuts to public services are but two examples of how the powerful protect the grasp they have on our wealth, and values. There are union members, yes  people like you and me, that understand that the defence of our living conditions means to contest the political and social structures and organisations that produce them. A lack of shelter and decent homes is one current example of policy failure. The absence of a safe abode creates its own problems and exacerbates others.

Education, and schools, should be regarded as but one element of a bundle of social goods that contribute to our general wellbeing. As a teacher, and an active union member, I argue we cannot, and should not leave it up to parliament and politicians and the 'faceless' corporate boardrooms to decide what is best for us. Peter Curtis, Waramanga Saturday's article ("Unions to hit Brindabella with robo-calls" July 8, p14) raises a number of concerns, even though I have been a member of various unions. The reported planned action by Unions ACT, apparently to encourage a denial of service attack on Andrew Wall's office, is in principle an attempt to influence a member of the Assembly.

I presume Unions ACT plan to ask callers to 'press 1 so we can patch this call to Mr Wall's office and you can leave him a message' was designed to allow them to argue they are not legally in contempt of the Assembly. The planned action also suggests Unions ACT has become overly sensitive to scrutiny. Perhaps (this is) because they (apparently) decide the big issues for the Assembly, and don't appreciate an Opposition member asking questions. History is replete with examples where undue influence by well-resourced extra-parliamentary bodies has had very undesirable consequences. For example the recent the US election and the rise of the Nazis in intra-war Germany. Bruce Paine, Red Hill

Wrecking ball Rachel Packham's article ("Demolition of flats nears end", July 8, p12-13) recounts the demolition process and what will happen to the cleared land. On Sunday, July 2, I was there making a video of the demolition of the homes of over 1000 public housing tenants. More evictions are to come  on both sides of Northbourne Avenue. Remember how a former chief minister, Kate Carnell, demolished Canberra Hospital in 1997 before the Woden Hospital extension was finished. Kate Carnell's noisy chaos reigned supreme.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr is making the same mistake as Kate Carnell. Barr has deliberately restricted information about the relocation of public housing tenants (from inner Canberra) lest NIMBY outrage is aroused. We can only guess how many public housing tenants got new homes. The best indicator is: The number of homeless people in Canberra is increasing because building homes is much slower than demolishing them. My video is on YouTube at: Radio Graham  Hard Times In Canberra.

Graham Macafee, Latham Virtually unprotected despite many billions spent on defence For the first time since 1942 we are under threat of an attack from another country, in this case North Korea. The government has spent $34.6billion on defence, and what can they do to protect us? Nothing! The car industry in South Australia was allowed to collapse, but billions are spent on submarine building, by a French company with scandals all round the world. Apart from getting Christopher Pyne re-elected, there seems to be no use for them. They will be useless in any future cyber war. If they are ever finished, they will join the Collins class subs moored at a dock.

Then there is the flawed $24billion swing-wing Joint Strike Fighter  and drones and helicopters and other toys for the boys. Defence is a sacred cow, and neither the government nor the opposition ever attempts to discuss what all this hardware will be used for. North Korea can't bomb Darwin, because the Chinese own the harbour  where the US forward base is. Perhaps they will have a go at the US base at Pine Gap  it should be an easy target. No Australians are allowed there, if that's any consolation. Richard Keys, Ainslie

Consider the people It is good to have an ally when you need one to help fight off invaders. It isn't so good when the ally wants to "jump the gun" and make pre-emptive strikes against a small country employing rocket scientists to show its ability to strike and destroy cities over the horizon. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to know one direct hit into Seoul or any Western city will be his last and his kiddies back home will be orphans. If his whole family is living in North Korea, the risk is not worth the money. They won't be allowed to leave the country. They, with their knowledge, should be rescued. Aerospace labs could use them. We do not know enough about how the North Koreans are suffering with all this expenditure into weaponry. Defectors to South Korea should be removed to a Western country, not Australia, where they can be protected and be free to talk about life in the north. Now that we understand more of our neighbours, I believe Russia and China are in a better position to handle relations with Kim Jong-un. The more guns pointed at him, the more rockets he will fire.

When will heads of governments stop thinking in terms of military might and start thinking about people, especially their own military? We don't need another US invasion to put everyone's lives at risk. Back off and let Kim Jong-Un hang himself. Lyn Rutherford, Palmerston A lot about missile shields in Saturday's Canberra Times, and nothing about the landmark treaty negotiated by the United Nations outlawing nuclear weapons.

A shield sounds very nice, but military technology has been trying for decades to make one, and has so far failed. Not surprisingly, given the problem of trying to shoot down multiple ICBMs travelling at six kilometres a second at a few minutes' notice. Apart from the fact that it cannot work, there are, as I see it, three main drawbacks to going ahead with plans for a missile shield in Australia: the contracts will swell the already-plentiful coffers of the arms manufacturers with Australian taxpayers' dollars; it does nothing to address the main security problem posed by nuclear weapons, and the "shield" will give us a false sense of security. The only safety from weapons of mass destruction must come from political agreement, but that is not where the effort is being made. Harry Davis, Campbell Regime change the key

I wonder if those calling on China to use its influence to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear capability are living in the real world? Kim Jong-un's experience  like his father's and grandfather's  is that the West does not speak softly and carry a big stick, but rather it shouts a lot and if it carries a stick at all it hardly ever uses it. An essential precursor to removing North Korea's nuclear threat is regime change, however unpalatable that might be to some, and the only power likely to be able to achieve that safely is China. The only practical way to secure the removal of the Kim dynasty, while allowing North Korea to remain a vassal state of China, is for China to directly or indirectly have the current Kim removed and a pro-China puppet installed. Any alternative that might move North Korea closer to the West will never be tolerated by China  and understandably so.

Roger Dace, Reid PM's selective history In France, our Prime Minister, while speaking on the submarine project, referred to dated war history, saying the two nations fought side by side in World War One. By 1916, when the 1st AIF first went into action in France, both of Australia's submarines, the AE1 and AE2, had been lost. Mr Turnbull, why not mention more recent war history such as when a 2nd AIF division defeated Vichy France forces in Lebanon and Syria in about a month, or the hated French nuclear test on a nearby Pacific atoll, or the state-sponsored terrorist attack on the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior, which resulted in the murder of a photographer crewman.

Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Vic US stands alone North Korea wasn't the only thing on which the recent G20 summit fell short ("Summit fell short on Nth Korea: PM", July10, page 4). Unsurprisingly, it failed to sway President Trump from the decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, leaving the US as a minority of one. It seems that the Trump administration is determined to thumb its nose at the rest of the world and take no serious action on climate change.

It intends to not just continue to use coal for energy, it intends to increase the mining and use of coal. This is despite the now well-known fact that new wind and solar-energy plants  with energy storage  are cheaper to construct and operate than coal-fired plants, and despite the fact that their fuels are non-polluting, cost nothing and will continue to be free for as long as the sun shines and the winds blow. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin BELITTLING Did Bill Deane (letters, July 10) spend NAIDOC week fantasising about ways to disingenuously belittle Indigenous Australians? Has Bill met an Aboriginal person lately? My experience is the vast majority of our first Australians are brave, coherent, intelligent and welcoming souls.

Matt Ford, Crookwell, NSW PLEBISCITE TO COME Perhaps someone could remind Senator Smith the Prime Minister has promised the Australian people a plebiscite on same sex marriage. I would think gay people would want Australia to indicate its approval, rather than just a few politicians and have the sniping continue forever. Lyle Cook, Shearwater, Tas RATES DON'T ADD UP

Why do rates in the Weston Creek area in Canberra cost $325 per year more than the North Shore area in Sydney? Bruce A. Peterson, Kambah SHOOTING NO JOKE Way to go Victoria Police! You allow a maniac to mow down civilians city-wide yet your SWAT team shoots a guy and his girlfriend in a King Street bar over a toy costume gun. Gerry Murphy, Braddon

TRUTHFUL ASSESSMENT The ABC's political editor Chris Uhlmann made an excellent assessment of Mr Trump in a short and brilliantly truthful statement. God bless him. I am waiting for his comments on Mr Turnbull and Mr Shorten. Mokhles K Sidden, South Strathfield NSW SINGAPORE FLING Most surprising that George Pell was apparently spotted in Singapore, given a top Vatican doctor (recently) said he was medically unfit to fly save for jetting about Europe (in) business class. Has there been a miracle?

Thos Puckett, Ashgrove, Qld TIME TRAVEL So we could have a high speed rail link between Canberra and Sydney in 15 years? It was first proposed in 1984. Let's just wait another 40 years until the pollies get their act together and then it's: "Beam me up, Scotty." Tom Lindsay, Monash DEMOCRACY HERO ILL

Jailed Nobel peace prize winner, Liu Xiaobo in China, is arguably the biggest democracy hero on the planet. He is now suffering terminal liver cancer. His crime was to call for the end of communist single-party rule. Rod Matthews, Melbourne TEARS FOR YEMEN I care, Rex Williams, I really care (about what is happening in Yemen) (letters, July 6), but the rest of the world, let alone this country, does not. Mary Murray, Braddon
Since the first G20 meeting in 1999, Australia's intention has been to use the forum to widen our role in the world. But with the focus on the power struggle between the US, Russia and China, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was always going to take a back seat at the German meeting.

The gathering was portrayed by the media as a showdown of a sort between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin. And so it proved. But there is a wider significance: for the first time since World War II, the US stepped away from leadership of the West and overtly returned to the American 1920s foreign policy of isolationism which was then, as is now, aimed at squarely economic self-advancement.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (centre) and his wife Lucy (left) speak to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as they arrive for a ''family'' photo at the G20 summit in Hamburg. Credit:Lukas Coch

It is hard not to notice that Mr Trump is marching the same paths as President Putin's "Russia-first" and President Xi Jinping's "China-first", yet in doing so, unlike them, he has weakened US hegemony, authority and influence.

He went against both ally and enemy on climate change at the G20: the vote was 19 against one. Host German Chancellor Angela Merkel said mordantly she was "gratified to note that the other 19 members of the G20 feel the Paris Agreement is irreversible". Further, Mr Trump also failed to obtain widespread support for his stand on North Korea. With the firing of an ICBM last week North Korea pitched itself onto the G20 agenda. Unsurprisingly, the US, Japan and South Korea jointly pledged tougher sanctions. Equally unsurprisingly China and Russia objected to a joint statement being issued and tougher sanctions being imposed on the rogue state, arguing the summit was an economic forum.
Mosul has fallen. What happens now? Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in recent hours in his war-ravaged nation's second-largest city to declare victory over the largely home-grown insurgency of Islamic State. The route to military victory was paved with international cobblestones, including from Australia. How might we help humanity prevail?

Perspective can help. As we sit here in Australia and, rightly, debate education, wages, tax rates, energy and housing affordability, immigration, infrastructure and other issues, we should perhaps consider, too, the state of the rest of the world, particularly conflicts in which we have been involved and that have caused many deaths.

Mosul: Let the rebuilding of place and trust begin. Credit:Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

As the smoke clears in a shattered city, more than ever the questions of human rights, governance and equality will be posed for Iraq and its allies in the community of nations.

As the war effort in Iraq and neighbouring Syria is showing, there was never really a question of whether Islamic State's militancy and terrorism could be defeated. The real issue is whether the internal and external tensions that have beset Iraq since the US-led and Australian-backed overthrow of Saddam Hussein could be addressed in a way that contributed to peace and progress in Iraq, the region and the world.
London: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has signalled Australia's major security agencies could be brought together as part of a new, super-ministry modelled on the system in Britain.

The Prime Minister recently received a review of the intelligence and security agencies by former official Michael L'Estrange and, while some sections of the public service - and indeed, some ministers - may fight the plan, Mr Turnbull appears to be leaning towards the creation of a new Home Office.

Malcolm Turnbull speaking to police and first responders in London on Monday. Credit:AP

The new agency would likely include ASIO, which would come out of Attorney-General George Brandis' portfolio, the federal police, who would be moved from Justice Minister Michael Keenan's portfolio, and Border Force.
London: The fight against Islamic State terrorists on the battlefield and online will top the agenda when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets his British counterpart Theresa May at 10 Downing Street.

On his first visit to Britain as Prime Minister, Mr Turnbull will sit down with Ms May on Monday night Australian time to discuss the fight against IS, as well as cyber security and intelligence sharing issues.

Mr Turnbull will also meet with top officials from Scotland Yard, British spy agencies and visit the Borough Markets and London Bridge, where two Australians were murdered last month in the latest in a series of terror attacks carried out in Britain.

A meeting between Mr Turnbull, an avowed republican, and the Queen is also scheduled for late on Tuesday, Australian time.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday arrested a man belonging to Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar for working as a Lashkar terrorist. He was arrested from an encounter site in Anantnag district.

By Ashraf Wani: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday arrested a man belonging to Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar for working as a Lashkar terrorist. He was arrested from an encounter site in Anantnag district.

The arrested terrorist, identified as Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Aadil, was part of three attacks last month on security forces in the Kashmir Valley.

Kumar was behind the killing of SHO Feroz Dar and five other policemen in Anantnag on June 16 and found involved in snatching of weapons from a police camp in Anantnag from a retired judge's home on June 13. He also carried out a terror attack on an Army convoy on June 3.

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Lashkar terrorists were helped by Sandeep to loot ATMs and indulge in immoral activities in the villages.

Inspector General of Police Munir Khan said, "Uttar Pradesh resident Sandeep Sharma, a part of the Lashkar module, has been arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police. He was a criminal who later got in touch with Lashkar."

SANDEEP WAS IN THE VALLEY SINCE 2012

"Sandeep was in the same house where dreaded Lashkar militant Bashir Lashkar took shelter. He was in the Valley since 2012. Bashir Lashkar was killed in an encounter on July 1 in Anantnag. Sandeep was one of the 17 people rescued from encounter site. When police found out that he was a non-local, he was asked about his presence there. He revealed that he was part of the Lashkar group trapped in the house where two Lashkar terrorists, including Bashir Lashkari was killed."

On being grilled further, it was learnt that Sandeep, along with other individuals, was involved in hatching criminal conspiracies leading to providing shelter to terrorists and ferrying them from one place to another for terror strikes and actively participating in terrorist activities.

He also concealed weapons looted from police guards in a vehicle and shifted them to different locations on the directions of LeT.

An investigation is in progress for find out the roles of his accomplices.

Also read | Kashmir: 2 terrorists killed as infiltration bid foiled in Nowgam, combing ops on

Also read | Burhan Wani death anniversary: Fear of 2016 violence haunts Kashmir

Also read | Army jawan, wife killed as Pakistan continue to fire shells in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir

WATCH VIDEO

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British Prime Minister Theresa May has welcomed Malcolm Turnbull to Downing Street, with the two leaders reflecting on the June 3 terror attack at Borough Markets.

Speaking in the White Room at Number 10 Downing Street before a formal closed-door meeting, Ms May spoke of the strong links between Britain and Australia as they pledged to work more closely together on national security matters.

Mr Turnbull became emotional as he spoke about meeting police officers who had attempted to save Australian victim Sara Zelenak, saying he had found it hard not to "burst into tears" as they recounted what had happened.

"They were very brave men and women and I just want to thank them on behalf of all Australians," he said. "It was a very moving visit ... I want to say how much we admire the outstanding response of your police arriving on the scene so quickly.
Students in public schools are missing out on important learning opportunities because of their parents' inability to pay, with one teacher saying parental attitudes are also to blame.

"About 15 per cent of students miss out on things like enrichment excursions," said Rachel Bennett, 25, who has been working as a casual teacher at Woolgoolga High School for two years.

Teachers fear many children are having to forgo educational opportunities because their parents cannot afford them.

"If you're a student in a regional public school in a place like Coffs Harbour, schools will put on excursions to go down to Sydney or Canberra and a lot of parents think 'why should I spend my money on this?'.

"It might not even be all about income, a lot of it is attitudes. If you're at a school where parents are paying for education, they value it more.
A man has been charged with the murder of teenager Brayden Dillon, who was shot at close range in the head as he slept in his family's Sydney house on Good Friday.

Heavily armed police arrested 26-year-old Conrad Craig in Seven Hills late on Monday night and charged him with the murder of 15-year-old Brayden.

Mr Craig, who converted to Islam while in Goulburn jail a few years ago, chose not to come up from the cells when his case was mentioned in Blacktown Local Court.

His lawyer, Brad Mallinson, indicated Mr Craig would apply for bail at the next court appearance in August.
NSW's Aboriginal prison population, already proportionally higher than America's black prison population, is growing quickly, a fact that probably owes more to policing than offending and which could be remedied by alternatives to prison, a new report has found.

Indigenous imprisonment in NSW grew by 25 per cent between 2013 and 2016, a report by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research found.

Don Weatherburn, one of the report's authors, and chief of BOCSAR, says three factors are pushing up Indigenous incarceration.

That growth follows a major increase in imprisonment of Aboriginal people for stalking and intimidation offences, a lesser rise in breaches of good behaviour and suspended sentence bonds and more time spent on remand.

"[Growth] is more likely to reflect changes in policing policy than a change in criminal behaviour," the authors conclude.
On August 23 last year, British backpacker Chris Porter went to the pub with his friend, Mia, had a feed and a couple of beers and headed back to the hostel to bed.

Hours later he awoke to screams and horror of an alleged rampage that left two of his friends dead and sent shockwaves from a sleepy Queensland town all the way back to England.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 20, was killed at a hostel near Townsville last August. Credit:Facebook

Almost a year on from the alleged murders of fellow Brits Mia Ayliffe-Chung and Tom Jackson at the hands of French backpacker Smail Ayad in the sugar town of Home Hill, south of Townsville, the Gold Coast-based chef has spoken on camera for the first time.

"I just woke up to screaming and, you know, that was kind of, it just went bang and everything just kind of exploded," he would tell the ABC's Australian Story, to be aired on Monday night.
But Ms Palaszczuk said the new laws, which required venues in Safe Night Precincts to scan IDs after 10pm if they traded past midnight, could have a beneficial side-effect.

"Of course we will always be listening and where we can make changes we will respond," Ms Palaszczuk said.

The roll-out of ID scanners in Queensland pubs and clubs has not gone smoothly for some businesses. Credit:Wayne Taylor

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has promised to listen to concerns over the roll-out of ID scanners in the state's nightclub precincts following a backlash in recent days.

"I've actually sat down with some of the hotel operators as well and what they have said to me is that what they envisage is a thriving increase in restaurant activity in the south-east and hopefully we'll see that right across the state," she said.

"So let's just wait and see. The laws have only just come in. We've been listening to the community."

Ms Palaszczuk said she had "every faith" Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath would be listening to the community and the responses.

"If people have real and legitimate concerns, [Ms D'Ath] is more than happy to meet with them," she said.

"I've met with operators, I want to go and see first-hand myself how they're working.
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.

Senior lawyers say Victoria should allow judge-only trials in some cases, after expressing concerns Cardinal George Pell would not get a fair hearing on historic sex charges.

As Cardinal Pell returned to Australia on Monday ahead of his July 26 court appearance, two QCs not connected to his case have raised doubts about the 76-year-old getting a fair hearing, should his case proceed to a jury trial.

They said it was time Victoria followed NSW, Queensland and Western Australia and had the option of judge-alone trials in cases with high-profile defendants.
Istanbul: Hundreds of thousands of protesters have arrived in Istanbul in the culmination of a three-week March for Justice, delivering a powerful message against the government's crackdown on tens of thousands of workers over the past year.

The march, which has been led by politicians from Turkey's largest opposition party, the Republican People's Party, known as CHP, has drawn growing numbers of people as they have trekked since June 15 through the countryside from the capital, Ankara, to Turkey's first city, Istanbul.

The marchers ended their protest with a large-scale rally on the eastern side of the city on Sunday evening. Wearing T-shirts and carrying signs with the single word "adalet" or "justice", the demonstrators are calling for the return of an independent judiciary and swift and fair justice for the tens of thousands of people arrested or suspended from their jobs since Turkey's failed coup last year.

Despite their differences, however, the government and opposition leaders appeared to be taking great pains to prevent a major confrontation as the march reacheds its culmination. Sunday's rally was technically in breach of the state of emergency that has been in force since the coup attempt. Large numbers of police officers have escorted the march but have not interfered.
By India Today Web Desk: Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif have been in news for almost a year now. Earlier it was their break-up that made headlines, and now it's the ex-lovers camaraderie during the promotion of their upcoming film Jagga Jasoos that has raised many eyebrows.

From friendly banters to poking fun at each other, Ranbir and Katrina seem quite at ease with each other despite their break-up. And Katrina in an interview to Mid-Day revealed that their camaraderie is not rehearsed as they have known each other for a long time.

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"We share a great chemistry. I am happy that people are getting entertained by us. The conversation that you see between Ranbir and me is not rehearsed and I don't think anyone can rehearse the nonsense that we talk," she told the daily.

"We have always had this friendly banter. This is how we have always spoken to each other, right from (our first film) Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009). People are looking at it through a microscope," added the Dhoom 3 actor.

Katrina and Ranbir continued to work on Jagga Jasoos despite the break up and the now busy promoting the film together. "I am good at keeping my personal and professional life separate, so the things that people said, did not bother me. Also, I was determined to see this film through. At that time, no one could have stopped me from doing that," said the 33-year-old actor.

Jagga Jasoos which also stars Saurabh Shukla and Sayani Gupta is set to hit the screens on July 14.

ALSO READ: Ranbir Kapoor stalks Katrina Kaif on social media. He is just your average ex-boyfriend

ALSO READ: I need Katrina Kaif in my life, says Ranbir Kapoor

ALSO WATCH: Ranbir Kapoor opens up on break-up with Katrina Kaif, says he's over it

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Bihar BJP president Nitayanand Rai said they are ready to support Nitish Kumar government from outside.

By India Today Web Desk: As speculations are rife that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may ask his deputy and Lalu Yadav's younger son Tejashwi Yadav to reisgn after CBI raids against him, Bihar BJP today said they will support the JD-U government from outside.

"I appeal Nitish Kumar to expel Tejashwi Yadav. After that if they need it we are ready to support them," said.

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However, he said, it is the central leadership that will take the final decision.

"In RJD there is no meaning of a meeting. Today's meeting was a drama and whatever happens in the party is what Lalu Yadav wants," he said.

The BJP leader said Nitish Kumar will have to leave the Congress as Sonia Gandhi has already said that she is with Lalu Yadav in the corruption case.

"And BJP's dream is to make India Congress-free," he said adding that Nitish Kumar's image which was that of good governance has also been affected.

"But if Nitish Kumar will need to save his government then BJP will not be behind. We will support his government from outside but will not join it," Bihar BJP president Nitayanand Rai said.

Even after the CBI filed a case against him and his family members, the Rashtriya Janata Dal has decided that Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav will not resign.

Nitish Kumar, who is heading the Grand Alliance government of Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress in Bihar, is yet to comment on the matter but he spoke with Lalu last night on the phone.

There has been speculation of cracks in the alliance government after the CBI crackdown against the Yadav family and Nitish's increasing closeness with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Nitish, who was in an alliance with the BJP for 17 years, has been giving political signals of getting closer to the BJP.

Surgical strikes on Pakistan and demonetisation have been a few instances where Nitish has been the lone opposition face to come out and openly extend his support to PM Modi, much to the discomfort of the Opposition, especially RJD chief Lalu Prasad with whose support he is running a coalition government in Bihar.

Even in the presidential election, Nitish has decided to support NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind and not the opposition's candidate Meira Kumar.

ALSO READ:

Tejashwi Yadav won't resign as Bihar Deputy CM, say RJD MLAs over raids on Yadav properties

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Bihar Congress on CBI raid: Amit Shah was a tadipaar, Modi became PM 'after killing hundreds'

Lalu on CBI raids: Hang me but will crush Modi, Amit Shah's ego

ALSO WATCH: Nitish cancels Monday's janta darbar due to ill health. Is he avoiding deputy CM Tejashwi?

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/07/2017 (1950 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A capital region group is hard at work on a regional transit plan that, when complete, will bring the implementation of transit corridors between Winnipeg and surrounding rural municipalities one step closer to reality.

Colleen Sklar, executive director of the Partnership of the Manitoba Capital Region (PMCR), said the regional transit plan will be finished by the end of the year, with a set of recommendations to follow.

Its still quite early in the process, but were really encouraged by all of the people that are interested in this process, she said.

According to Sklar, a formal plan has been in the works for 18 months, and stems from the PMCRs regional transportation master plan, which identified a need for an organized, regional approach to passenger transit for the growing region. The capital region holds 68 percent of Manitobas population, and is responsible for 70 percent of its GDP, Sklar said.

The Town of Niverville as well as the RMs of Tache, Ritchot and Springfield are capital region members. While the most likely candidate communities for regional transit service have not yet been determined, Sklar said corridors should ideally serve a range of people, from commuters requiring weekday service to active retirees wishing to make occasional trips.

Current priorities for the planning group include using collected data to identify affordable and sustainable regional transit corridors, and considering different management and funding models. As numbers are crunched, Sklar said the role of Winnipeg Transits park and ride hubs is also being discussed, and public input will be sought at later stages. For now, the emphasis is on planning properly the first time around.

We have to be sure that were coming out of the gate with the right information, with the right governance structure, with the right model, she said. We know weve got a big region that needs to be served, and we know weve got commuters that move all over.

Part of the groups task is questioning longstanding transportation assumptions, including the notion of bedroom communities and the idea that transit routes must always lead downtown. Contemporary commuter patterns are becoming more variable, she observed.

People move both ways, and so this idea that regional transit would service the bedroom communities is probably an idea that held it back, Sklar said, citing data indicating 2,000 people commute from Winnipeg to the RM of Headingley, while 3,000 Winnipeggers work in RMs north of Winnipeg. At least one in 10 rural residents in the capital region are a potential candidate for regional transit, she estimated.

Still, cultural challenges lie ahead, such as the ingrained habit of driving to work in a single-occupant vehicle. Sklar was optimistic on this front.

Is it just culture, or is it convenience? she said. Regional transit service that is convenient, accessible, and frequent can facilitate a change in transportation habits, she noted.
The London Fire Brigade said 10 firetrucks and 70 firefighters had been sent to the site shortly after midnight.

By Reuters: Firefighters have brought under control the fire in a building in London's Camden Market, the London Fire Brigade said today.

The London Fire Brigade said on Twitter the "fire is now under control but crews will be damping down into the morning".

The first, second and third floors and the roof of the building were on fire, the brigade tweeted earlier, saying more than 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines were on the scene.

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The cause of the fire was unknown and there were no immediate reports of any injuries or casualties.

London's Camden Market had an incident of fire in 2008 when market storage areas and shops in the locality were set ablaze and adjoining houses were damaged. A major part of the market had then remained closed for several months. (http://reut.rs/2txLVA5)

In June, at least 80 people died in a devastating fire in London's 24-storey Grenfell Tower.

Prime Minister Theresa May later said that 120 other high-rise buildings had failed fire tests.

Also Read:

London fire: 6 dead as huge blaze engulfs Grenfell Tower block, 50 in hospital

London: Death toll in Grenfell Tower fire rises to 79, say police

Also Watch:

London fire: Massive flame engulfs Grenfell Tower, 200 firefighters at the spot

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Santo de Piedra Mezcal released in the UK

House of Agua Piedra Mezcal & Co has released its Santo de Piedra Mezcal in the UK, through a deal with distributor Highball Brands.

Santo de Piedra Mezcal is made using Agave Espadin which is planted and distilled in the village of San Bartolo Yautepec, located outside of Oaxaca and close to the Pacific Ocean. The agave plants, which are grown over ten years, are roasted with a house blend of woods that includes black cedar. Once roasted, a traditional pressing method extracts the liquid before being twice distilled in a copper pot still.

Committed to authenticity, the bottles are handmade on site with recycled glass. Each bottle is numbered and signed. The House of Agua Piedra Mezcal also supports the local community and set up the Agua Piedra Mezcal for Social Good Foundation. Its aim is to support local businesses to create a sustainable economic environment, whilst also delivering a variety of social impact programs to people living in vulnerable conditions in Oaxaca.

Founder and director David Santillan Giles comments: We are extremely pleased to be working with Highball Brands and that they will be introducing us to the UK on-trade for the first time. Its a market were keen to establish ourselves in, and their experience and expertise will be integral to this.

Fabrice Limon, co-founder of Highball Brands, says: Santo de Piedra Mezcal is a great addition to our portfolio of global brands and were looking forward to introducing its unique qualities to the on-trade, its dedication to traditional methods to produce a high-quality product make it second to none.

10 July 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor
Look and see' was the gentle instruction that Berry gave to his young daughter, Mary, as he shared with her the world around them. In 1965, when she was seven years old, Berry returned his family home to Kentucky after living in California, Europe and New York, turning away from the literary and academic path chosen by many American writers to farm, as five generations of his family had done before him. He, with his wife Tanya, began a life of farming, writing and teaching and, in the last half century, he has seen Henry County, like many rural communities across America, become a place of quiet ideological struggle.

In the span of a generation, the agrarian virtues of simplicity, land stewardship, sustainable farming, local economies and rootedness to place have been replaced by a capital-intensive model of industrial agriculture characterised by machine labour, chemical fertilisers, soil erosion and debt - all of which have frayed the fabric of rural communities.

Filmed across four seasons in the farming cycle, Look and See blends observational scenes of farming life, interviews with farmers and community members with beautiful footage of the surrounding landscape interspersed with stills from Kentucky photographer, poet and writer friend James Baker Hall, and archive coverage of Berry speaking at the Agriculture for a Small Planet Symposium on July 1st 1974. It was Berry's talk at this event that led indirectly to the establishment of the Tilth Alliance - to build an ecologically sound, economically viable and socially equitable food system - and a conference on Alternative Agriculture in Ellensberg, Washington the following November.

In Berry's poetry collection A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems, he coins the military phrase for the sake of the objective' to describe a kind of war waged on America's land by the industrialisation of farming, and this served as something of a lodestar for Look and See's director, Laura Dunn, who uses Berry's narration of his poem in the film: I visited the offices where for the sake of the objective/the planners planned at blank desks set in rows./I visited the loud factories where the machines were made/that would drive ever forward toward the objective./I saw the forest reduced to stumps and gullies;/I saw the poisoned river-the mountain cast into the valley;/I came to the city that nobody recognized because it looked like every other city.'

It was in 1974, 12 years after publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and four years after the first Earth Day, that the US Department of Agriculture's promotion of the industrialisation of farming, advocated by the then Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz, drastically changed federal agriculture policy and led to the demise of small, family-run and community-based farms. This policy, based on mass mechanisation of farming and profit-led, changed the profile of American farming forever.
Making a return to our two favourite summer locations, Mount Maunganui and Nelson in early January 2023, we've got whiff of the first release lineup and me oh my, yes boy
Not just anyone can be a photojournalist in the middle of the worlds heaviest action.

You have to be fitted for it, said Gene Herrick of Rocky Mount, who was a photojournalist for the Associated Press for 28 years. Theres a certain amount of chutzpah required.

His career with the AP spanned the early 1940s through the early 1970s. It included being in the heart of the action in both the Korean War and the Civil Rights movement.

Back in those days, he didnt receive direction from editors. Journalists in general were trusted to know how to follow and report a story. The AP would say, Gene, theres a disaster, and you go and cover it, he said.

I was a one-man band, he added. I would take pictures, write a story and call it in if I needed to, process the film and transmit the picture on the wire photography network. Most journalists couldnt perform all the steps, he added.

Whenever he had an assignment, he always got there early to G-2 the thing  enemy intelligence  get familiar with the ways to get in and out in case of danger.

The Korean War

Herrick volunteered to cover the Korean War when it broke out in 1950, he said. He ranged from Pusan, the southernmost point of South Korea, to Hyesan, the northernmost point of North Korea.

Herrick would start each day with two cups of coffee. The time it took him to drink the two cups, he said he figured, would be the time needed for the roads to be cleared of land mines, and to get past the time both North and South Koreans would be rolling grenades.

That takes one element of danger out of the thing to begin with, he said, and hed be more ready to face the other threats each day would hold.

Through G-2 enemy intelligence, he would find out where the worst part of the war was that day, he said, then get there by whatever means necessary, whether it be hitchhiking, walking, catching a ride on an airplane or a combination. He went around hauling his camera bag, Hermes typewriter and sleeping bag.

He only could take pictures during the day. A flash going off at night would alert soldiers and get him shot, he said. Instead, he would spend the evenings typing captions to his photographs. Then he would wrap up the film and captions to be sent to Tokyo. There was no place in Korea from which to send them.

Pilots would return to Japan to sleep, so he would try to find a fighter pilot and ask him to carry the package to Japan. They eventually had a courier pouch addressed to Tokyo. Id throw it in the bag, and it would sometimes get to Tokyo, he chuckled.

In Tokyo, the AP bureau had an RCA Radio photograph transmitter to transmit the pictures to Seattle, San Francisco or New York, whatever radio waves were working that day, he said.

A photographer in Tokyo would develop the pictures into an 8- by 10-inch size. The transmitter, about the size of a small present-day copier, had a drum which fit both the photograph and caption. A beam of light in the machine would scan the photograph and the light would bounce back into a radio signal. At the other end, a receiver with a drum and a 4- by 6-inch receiver would burn the image with dots, 100th of a square inch each, to recreate the image.

Then he would settle down for the night. I rarely ever spent the same night in the same place, he said. I would find some American outfit somewhere and hope he could lay down to sleep in their area.

After two years in Korea, he was transferred to the AP bureau in Seattle, which handled all the war copy out of Korea. They knew I knew Korea, he said.

In the bureau, the news would come in by teletype, the successor of the telegraph. Three sheets of teletype would hang on the wall each day  giving the news of the present day and the two days prior, he said.

Paper boy  to a prison

His career had a classic beginning: He delivered newspapers as a boy, living in Columbus, Ohio.

However, his route could be called unusual. Part of it included the Ohio State Penitentiary. As he would enter with his bundle of newspapers, one set of heavy iron gates after another would clunk shut after him.

He would be around murderers, bank robbers and other criminals  sometimes without even a guard with him  but never felt afraid, he said. When anyone would offer him a tour of parts of the prison, he accepted  in fact, he sat in the electric chair twice. Every now and then, the prisoners would rebuild and paint his bike for him.

However, knowing what prison life was like, I made a decision then that  that kind of life didnt appeal to me, and that he always would be on the straight and narrow, he said.

Also as a boy, he spent Saturdays touring around inside factories and other places. He didnt mind talking with the bums by the river. It was the beginning of my life as a journalist, Herrick said.

Another foundation for his career was all he learned as a Boy Scout, he said. Its Motto, Law and Oath provide all the guidance one needs to live a good life, Herrick said, and he can still recite them, such as the Law: Be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.

Also as a boy, he worked at his grandfathers restaurant and in a bowling alley setting pins. He applied for  and got  his first job with the AP when he was 16, in the office.

I learned everything I could in the Columbus bureau, he said, and was transferred to the Cleveland bureau in 1945. He rented a room from an AP photographer and would go with him on stories every minute I could.

Herrick was transferred to Indianapolis in 1946 to be a photographer, then spent a year in Memphis, before going to Korea.

After Korea, he worked in Seattle, Milwaukee, Memphis when the Civil Rights movement started, Minneapolis, Chicago and again to Columbus.

Civil Rights photographer

Herrick has been named one of the 10 Essential Civil Rights Movement Photographers by Caroline Stanley (2012), published on Flavorwire and other sources.

To go down there (the Deep South) is just totally alien for a Yankee, he said. I enjoyed it, and he got to know people well enough to develop an understanding of how people related to one another both within their own races and with the opposite races. That helped him to better communicate with and understand people in the South, he said.

He covered the Emmett Till trial in 1955 in Mississippi. Till was a 14-year-old black boy who was murdered after talking with a white woman. The womans husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, were on trial for the murder and were acquitted.

I later learned three others were in on it, he said. During the five-day trial, those three sat directly behind the two defendants. I knew they were involved and never charged. They knew I knew.

He and Milam developed not a friendship, he said, but an understanding, strong enough so that Milam would not talk with any other journalists if Herrick were not there with them.

A part of the reason he got along with people, he said, is that he made it clear that he wasnt making any judgments, but only that Im with the AP. I dont care about anything except the truth. People like that, and it saved my life a lot of times.

He also covered the story of Autherline Lucy, the first black student to attend the University of Alabama. He covered Rosa Parks arrest and case of violating segregation by sitting in the white section of a bus, thus sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

He spent a good deal of time with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., including attending Kings church, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, several times, he said.

He particularly remembers attending on Palm Sunday, when church members wore crosses with emblems which read God forgive them. When the service was over, there was a mob of white people outside waiting to cause trouble. The congregation simply walked out peacefully, ignoring the taunts.

That infuriated the mob even further, he said, but there was no violence.

Also during his career with the AP, Herrick covered five US presidents and 10 vice presidents. He spent a lot of time with Hubert Humphrey, a Senator and vice president, including time on Humphreys farm, he said.

After the news

After Herrick took early retirement with the AP, he worked in public education for the Association for the Developmentally Disabled. Nobody understood DD back then, he said. They didnt know the developmental stages of babies.

He also worked helping develop group homes, and did that as well in Rocky Mount after he moved to the local area. He came to the area after falling in love with Virginia during a camping trip to Smith Mountain Lake in 1972. He bought six acres of land on the peninsula in the Blackwater River there and then, and he and wife, Betty, and their seven children went there to camp every year until they moved permanently to the area in 1978.

He wrote a book about Joe Lindsoe, a pastor of Rocky Mount Christian Church; My Lives, A Cats Tail of Her Near Death & Life Experiences about his cat; and Did I Ever Tell You About ? The Musings of A Father ... A Legacy for His Children.

The news media are the guardians of government, he said, but now the media is going through changes and doesnt have the respect from and access by authorities, especially the president and his cohorts, as it once did.

I dont know what its going to come to, he said.

When he was in his career, The AP had a very honorable name. I was never apologetic. I always dressed the part. There is respect in dressing well, and I want (to show) respect for them and I want respect back.

With the AP and other work hes done, Herrick said, Ive had one hell of a life, he said. Ive been everywhere and done everything.
The GOP's red wave foundered nationally, but it swept away Democrats in Iowa

Republican operatives credit Gov. Kim Reynolds with generating enough enthusiasm to help pull down-ballot candidates across the finish line in Iowa.
Gyanendra Singh, a farmer in Panna district, is a worried man these days. His land lies along the Ken river in Madla village. The last few years had been kind to him, he had taken a good crop of wheat each season, the high-yield seeds and water from the Ken coming to his aid. But all that is at risk now, mainly due to the dam proposed at Daudhan under the Ken-Betwa river link (KBRL) project.

But even as the ambitious project moves into the final stages of environmental clearances, an anti-dam people's movement is taking root in Panna, the district that will bear most of the 'cost'. For many like Gyanendra, who stand to lose their home and livelihood, the fuzziness in the details of the clearance process has only added to their fears.

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In the second week of June, a group of a hundred-odd people submitted a clutch of petitions to the Panna district collector raising various concerns about the project. The petitioners, part of the newly formed Panna Vikas Manch, were led by the soft-spoken Dilhar Kumari, the titular rajmata of the erstwhile Panna princely state. The delegation included politicians from the BJP and the Congress, residents of Panna town and a new class of green activists, beneficiaries of the trickle-down effects in the local economy from the revival of the tiger population in the Panna national park.

Under the KBRL project, a 73.8 metre-high dam is proposed to be constructed on the Ken river at Daudhan in Chhatarpur district. The dam will transfer excess water from the Ken to the Betwa through a canal and will irrigate areas in Tikamgarh and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh and Jhansi and Hamirpur districts of Uttar Pradesh. The dam will submerge about 90 sq. km of land, of which about 61 sq. km will be critical tiger breeding habitat in the 543 sq. km Panna Tiger Reserve. Meanwhile, while the dam comes up, water availability downstream in Panna district will be affected. It will also split up the park, creating an island habitat-one that wildlife experts feel cannot sustain a big cat population.

"All this while we were told that industries and other development work couldn't happen in Panna because of the national park," says Kumari. "Now that the park has finally begun to help the local people, they are going to submerge a large portion of it." The rajmata, who has contested the assembly elections on a BJP ticket from Powai segment once, adds, "About 40 per cent of the district is forest. We will go to the villages along the river, explain to the people the truth about the project."

A total of about 7 per cent of the agricultural land in Panna district is irrigated, making it a very deficient district in this regard. Migration in search of work is common in these areas. "What we are saying is that Panna stands to lose with this project," says Shyamendra Singh, son of the BJP MP from Khajuraho, Nagendra Singh. "The people of Panna will get nothing from the dam. In fact, they will be left with no water in the river-the lifeline for everybody living alongside it."

Shyamendra, a former Madhya Pradesh state wildlife board member, says that in 1956, four dams were proposed on the Ken-the Ken Multipurpose, the Patne Major, the Midhason Diversion and the Bhitari Mutmuru-which were reapproved in 2006 but never built. "The people of Panna want these dams built first, after which the government is free to make the dam at Daudhan. These four dams will ensure water for the people of Panna," he says.

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Gangau, a British era dam upstream of the proposed new project (Photo: Pankaj Tiwari)

"We hear the project will bring water to parched Bundelkhand," says Yusuf Beg, president of the Stone Quarry Workers Sangh in Panna. "We also hear it will help more dams come up in Vidisha and Raisen. How will this happen when we don't have enough water ourselves?"

As per the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) document on the project, of the 1,020 cubic mm water to be diverted from the Ken, 659 cubic mm will be to the Betwa while 312 cubic mm is to be utilised along the way. The Betwa command will then be in a position to have four dams-Barari, Neemkheda, Richhan and Kesri-to irrigate 1.3 lakh hectares in Raisen and Vidisha districts.

Another petition to the DM raises doubts over Ken even being categorised as an 'excess' river-the premise on which the dam was announced. "The NWDA doesn't share data on water flow, saying it is a secret," says Professor Brij Gopal of the Centre for Inland Waters of South Asia in Jaipur. "But from what is evident to the eye, the river is dry at many places. Also, studies by the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, have pointed to both reduced rainfall and discharge. Where is the water flow that is being talked about?"

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"The secretary, ministry of water resources, had asked the Central Water Commission not to sanction any dam till it ensures ecological flow in the river. Are they following orders in the KB Link case?" asks Bhavna Kumari, Shyamendra Singh's wife, who is also part of the manch. She says the KB Link seems like an experiment that may or may not work out. But it could result in damage that can't be undone.

Meanwhile, how are people in Tikamgarh and Chhatarpur-the areas expected to benefit from the project-taking it? "The people are cautious about the outcome," says Mastram Ghosh, a resident of Niwari town in Tikamgarh district. "We will be happy if water comes here, but the so-called advantages are so far in the future that no one's really excited about it."

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"We welcome the project if it gets us water. But people here feel that most of the benefits will be reaped by UP while MP makes the sacrifice," says former Niwari MLA Brajendra Singh Rathore.

So, will the movement in Panna now take the shape of a campaign like the Narmada Bachao Andolan? "There are so many deprivation issues in Panna. If people get organised, it can become a potent movement," says Sachin Jain of the Right to Food Campaign. "It's ironic that the state can't see the negative aspects of a project that civil society can."

Presently, the project is under the consideration of the Supreme Court's central empowered committee (CEC), just a step short of clearance by the Union ministry for environment and forests. A large part of the doubt in the minds of the people is due to the dodgy way in which the multi-step wildlife and environmental clearances have been handled by the government. In the initial days, the then field director of the Panna Tiger Reserve, R. Sreenivasa Murthy, had objected to the project in writing. Murthy was soon promoted and moved out of the park. After his transfer, Murthy's successor did not object as strongly and the project was passed by the MP state wildlife advisory board. The objections raised by independent members M.K. Ranjitsinh, Belinda Wright, Khageshwar Naik and Deepankar Ghosh at the crucial meeting of the board were ignored by the MP government. Needless to say, the ex-officio government members remained mum at the meeting.

The objections of the expert committee of the National Wildlife Board were also ignored. When the project came to the environmental clearance phase, the expert appraisal committee's (EAC) objections were cleared by its chairman weeks before he went on to become head of the NWDA-the user agency for the KB link project-overlooking the evident conflict of interest. "The NWDA says it has not carried out a survey of the forest area. So how do they know what the extent of submergence will be?" asks Prof. Gopal.

During the forest clearance approvals under the Forest Clearance Act (FCA), another interesting aspect came to light. The number of trees estimated to be cut in the submergence area kept mysteriously increasing rapidly. As per the initial project report submitted, a total of 32,900 trees were to be cut. This was amended to 1.1 million after the conservator of forests, Chhatarpur, conducted his own tree count. A further amendment in the numbers was done in 2016, where the number of trees stood at 1.4 million. By the time the FCA clearance came, it had topped 1.8 million. The FCA panel pointed out that in the next 8-10 years, by the time the project is completed, the total number to be cut would have increased to 2.3 million as trees whose girth is less than 20 cms now would have attained critical mass by then. So clearly, the number of trees to be sacrificed was suppressed initially to ensure approval for the project.

After all this, it's no wonder that even public representatives from the ruling party are not so excited about the project. "The government needs to tell us what is happening. I am from the BJP, but for me, Panna comes first," says Ravi Raj Singh Yadav, president of the Panna district panchayat. The Panna Vikas Manch has now demanded that a fresh round of public hearings be held so that the people can question the government on what the project entails.

Meanwhile, a prominent pro-dam voice has emerged in the form of former MP Lokendra Singh, also a scion of the erstwhile Panna ruling family. Lokendra Singh, who played a crucial role in the formation of the national park, now says the dam will benefit everyone with the electricity it generates. "The dam can be made and the park can be saved too. I demand that another 200 sq. km. of forests be added to the park. Those who are opposing the dam are doing it for the sake of opposing it," he says. Lokendra Singh's argument is countered by Shyamendra who says that if new areas are added to the park, people living there would have to be moved out and this will result in another displacement.

But what of the people whose houses will be submerged, the ones living at ground zero, Daudhan? "I am resigned to what is happening, but the government should at least ensure that we are taken care of," says Janki Prasad Yadav, a resident of Daudhan, the village where the dam is proposed. The residents of Daudhan and half-a-dozen other villages that will be submerged seem keen to move out and the reasons are not hard to guess. The villages haven't seen any 'development' in the form of schools, electricity or other state schemes since they were part of the Panna national park for a long time. "We didn't get compensation when the park was made, but this time we will not budge till compensation is paid," says former sarpanch of Daudhan, Shyamlal. Clearly everyone, from Panna to the benefit areas in Tikamgarh and at Daudhan, are aspiring to a better life.

--- ENDS ---
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The owners of Beach House Cafe in Greenwich are expanding the concept to South Norwalk, with plans to open shortly at the locale of Mamas Boy Southern Table & Refuge which they bought in 2015 while melding elements of both menus.

The 19 N. Water St. address that will bear the Beach House Cafe SoNo sign is among the plum locations in southwestern Connecticut, nearly opposite the entrance to the regions biggest tourist attraction in the Maritime Aquarium in the same building that houses the aquariums parking garage.

A member of Beach House Cafe SoNos staff confirmed the plans to open in South Norwalk, without providing a planned opening date except to say it would occur this month. He added the restaurant will have a new decor and chef, and that the menu will have healthier options. The restaurant will offer text-ordering and queries with an eye in part on catering to boaters in Norwalk harbor.

The head chef for both Beach House Cafe and Mamas Boy is Kane Xu, who previously ran Coast Seafood Restaurant & Bar on East Putnam Avenue in Greenwich. Xu has run Beach House Cafe and Mamas Boy alongside former hedge fund manager Dan Gessler, who operates Teleos Asset Management in Greenwich as a family office reinvesting his own money.

Beach House Cafe SoNo has been teasing the coming opening with photos of cocktails posted to its Facebook page, as well as a sample menu posted last week on Facebook which shows multiple dishes duplicating those on both restaurants menus. They include shrimp and grits, crackling duck and wild Scottish salmon from the kitchen of Mamas Boy; truffle oil mushroom pizza and other items from Beach House Cafe in Greenwich; as well as some fresh excursions like Mediterranean-influenced offerings like seafood paella and grilled bronzini with Greek salad.

Both Beach House Cafe locations will continue offering a southern brunch on weekends.

Mamas Boy opened in 2013 under Norwalk restaurateur Greer Fredericks, who sold it two years later to Gessler. Fredericks went on to start up Jax & Co. on North Main Street which had a brief run, followed by Peaches Southern Pub & Juke Joint which is continuing the southern cuisine heritage Fredericks created at Mamas Table with original chef Scott Ostrander.

 Macaela J. Bennett contributed to this report; includes prior reporting by Rosemarie T. Anner.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; www.twitter.com/casoulman
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STAMFORD  Technology and aviation companies dominate the top 10 of job-search giant Indeeds new Best Places to Work in 2017 list, with enterprise-software firm Salesforce taking the No. 1 position for the second straight year.

Stamford-based Indeed calculated the second annual edition of the rankings by analyzing ratings posted on its website by current and former employees of companies on this years Fortune 500 list. Work-life balance, pay and benefits, job security and advancement, management and culture comprised the key categories.

When you look at the Fortune 500, you have many of the brand-name businesses that everyone thinks of on a day-to-day basis, Indeed Senior Vice President Paul DArcy said in an interview. These are many of the largest employers in the U.S., so this list covers an incredibly broad group of employees. Understanding which of them are great places to work is fascinating.

A supportive and close-knit company culture and clear values are consistently cited in feedback from workers at the top firms, according to Indeed officials.

The strongest companies employees describe their work environment as being like family, DArcy said. The top workplaces show incredible care for their employees. We see their cultures are about much more than the work that gets done.

About 220 reviews have been posted on the Indeed site by current and former employees of the San Francisco-based Salesforce, which has an average rating of four out of five stars. They lauded the companys perks and benefits and also said they appreciated Salesforces fast-paced culture that rewards self-starters and manages to retain its startup vibe, according to Indeed officials.

Salesforce ranked No. 326 on this years Fortune 500 list, with annual revenues of about $8.4 billion. The company employs about 25,000.

The company is building a new headquarters in downtown San Francisco, a 1,070-foot skyscraper that will rank as the tallest in the city.

Facebook and Google took the next two spots. Two energy firms, CenterPoint and DTE, followed in the sixth and seventh spots. Nike and Apple tied for eighth, while The Walt Disney Co. rounded out the top 10.

California was the most represented state in the rankings, with 10 of the companies in the top 50 headquartered in the Golden State. New York emerged as the most represented city on the list with seven corporations based there: JetBlue, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Viacom, Estee Lauder, Pfizer, Avon and American Express.

No Connecticut companies made the top 50 of the Best Places to Work list.

We found there were fewer Best Places to Work in the Northeast than we would have expected, but really strong representation from California and the South, DArcy said. Thats worth exploring. I dont have a conclusion as to why that is, but thats research we would like to do.

Rankings such as Indeeds would be useful to smaller firms if their leaders found insights they could implement, said David Lewis, founder and CEO of Norwalk-based HR outsourcing and consulting firm Operations Inc.

If youre able to couch the survey results by saying These are things that are non-monetary, which require spending no or little money, but based on employees feedback, are key to success, then you are starting to show a secret sauce,  Lewis said. Everyday or small businesses would tie into that and relate and say Thats something I can do. 
Alexander Soule / Hearst Connecticut Media

Balance Point Capital is soliciting investors for a $300 million private equity fund, according to a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, representing its fifth fund.

From its office in Westport under founder Seth Alvord, Balance Point has invested in multiple Connecticut companies over the years including the Westport-based radio station operator Connoisseur Media, whose stations include FM 95.9 WFOX. Connoisseur Media was acquired in 2015 by the Petrus Holding affiliate of Perot Cos. run by Ross Perot Jr.
"This project will change the face of Vidarbha and Marathwada." With this sentence, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis began his speech at a meeting of the state's top officials in Mumbai in October 2016. He was referring to his ambitious dream project, the Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Way, popularly known as the Samruddhi Corridor, which will connect the two cities with a dedicated 710-kilometre-long expressway going through 352 villages in 10 districts. In acquiring the required 9,154 hectares of land, Fadnavis asked his officials to be fair to farmers in terms of compensation. "Think of it as you selling your [own] property and expecting maximum compensation," he told them.

The corridor, farmers are being told, will reduce travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai from the existing 14 hours to six, and will help them get their produce to Jawaharlal Nehru Port for export in the shortest possible time. In addition, the proposed agri-based industries, godowns for produce, cold storage facilities, vegetable shops, 24 smart townships and connectivity to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) will create better rural infrastructure and generate some 200,000 jobs.

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Ironically, however, the corridor has become a rallying point, like the issue of loan waivers, for protesting farmers. Farmers from all 10 districts-Palghar, Thane, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna, Buldhana, Washim, Amravati and Nagpur-list similar complaints. They say that there is misinformation on compensation and that forged consent papers are being used for land acquisition, as well as alleging police brutality, ill treatment by government officials and undue favours being extended to politically connected people. Around 4,000 farmer families have united under the banner of the Samruddhi Corridor Sangharsh Samiti. Gram sabhas in 40 per cent of the 352 villages have unanimously passed resolutions opposing land acquisition.

The case of Krishna Mhaske, 30, illustrates how land acquisition will affect farmers. Mhaske grows high-quality grapes on his six-acre farm in Varud, in Maharashtra's Jalna district. A solar pump and two ponds ensure he's never short of water and power. The Mhaskes and their two children get a dividend of Rs 12 lakh every year. Now, he says the state government has offered him compensation of Rs 90 lakh(Rs 15 lakh per acre) to surrender his land.

According to the rules, officials from the land acquisition department have to measure the lands of the project-affected farmers, including assets such as trees, wells and borewells, and get their signatures to confirm they agree with the assessment. Land acquisition cannot start till such joint measurement is done. But farmers across the state say their consent has not been taken.

Savita Kashivale, a farmer from Chinchvali, Kalyan, alleges the administration forcibly measured her land, bringing in the police. "The police beat us when we tried to stop the measurement process," she says. "They detained 75 women from our village and made us sit at the police station. They didn't even offer us water."

Abdul Majeed Sheikh Sultan from Kachchighati, Aurangabad, even tried to consume poison when government officials landed up with the police to measure his land. His seven-acre farmland, home and brick kiln have been earmarked for acquisition. "Since I tried to commit suicide, they postponed the measurement of my land," says Sultan, who has a family of 12. "I don't want to give up my land. The government cheated us. They published the notice in an Urdu newspaper. I can't read or write Urdu," he says.

Abdul Majeed Sheikh with his family (Photo: MANDAR DEODHAR) Abdul Majeed Sheikh with his family (Photo: MANDAR DEODHAR)

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Radheshyam Mopalwar, vice-chairman and managing director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, the nodal agency for the corridor, says farmers' signatures are not mandatory on the joint measurement papers. "The police were there to protect our staff from social miscreants, not to scare the farmers," he says. "We have taken action against only those who created hurdles in the process and ransacked our machinery."

Farmers from several pockets point to the 'faulty alignment' of the proposed corridor. Sitaram Dhamne from Chiradpada, Palghar, gets Rs 2,000 daily selling jasmine flowers he grows on his 2.5 acre farm, which has been earmarked for acquisition along with his home. A former employee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, he settled here after retiring in 2006. Pointing to an adjacent patch of barren land, he asks, "Why can't the government acquire barren land that is easily available? Why does it want my family of 15 to become shelterless?"

Farmers at Palaskhed Malakdev, Buldhana, also complain of the government's lust for fertile land. This village has been earmarked for an interchange on the corridor from where motorists can take a turn for south Maharashtra. An interchange is a north-south road intersecting an east-west one. Almost 80 per cent of the fertile land in this village will be acquired. Ganeshraje Jadhav, the 13th descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji's maternal uncle, points to the 1,200 hectares of forest land on the village's periphery: "It is barren. If the government uses it, the villagers' fertile lands will be saved."

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Mopalwar disagrees with the farmers' demand to acquire barren land. "The corridor needs to be straight for it to be practical," he says. "We can't change its alignment." He also rules out the possibility of widening existing highways instead of building a new one, as existing highways have been designed to sustain a speed limit of only 60 km per hour. "The speed limit on the Samruddhi Corridor will be 150 km per hour." He claims that transport costs will come down due to the higher speed; lower transport cost in turn will help lower the final cost of goods.

Farmers are also unwilling to accept the compensation being offered. H.V. Haygunde, a deputy collector in Aurangabad, says the government will compensate farmers at four times the ready reckoner rates of the land, which is as good as the market rate. However, the farmers are sceptical. "In our area, the government hiked the ready reckoner rates by 25 per cent two years ago," says Pradeep Deshmukh from Dongaon, Buldhana. "However, since the Samruddhi Corridor has been announced, it has hiked the rates by only six per cent. It shows the government's intention is suspect."

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Nanasaheb Palaskar from Palshi says farmers do not trust the government because it has ditched them in the past. Talking of land acquired by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) in Chikalthana, Shendra-Bidkin and Walunj in Aurangabad district, he says, "Almost half the land [acquired] in these areas is lying vacant. The MIDC built two shopping malls in Chikalthana and sold it to a businessman." The government had acquired land at Rs 4,000 per acre in the late 1990s. Now, the rate is Rs 1 crore per acre. "We haven't yet got compensation for the land acquisition done 25 years ago. How can we trust the government this time?" asks Palaskar.

"No government can pay compensation less than prescribed by law. In this case, it is four times the ready reckoner rate," says Mopalwar. He alleges that a misinformation campaign is being run among the farmers. A seven-member committee under the district collector has been empowered to fix the compensation rate, he says. Two engineers from the public works and water resources departments as well as a district government pleader are its members. "Do you think the court will not scrutinise their decisions?" Mopalwar asks. He also denies allegations that favours have been extended to politicians and their lands excluded from acquisition. "The site engineers surveying the land do not know the names of the owners," he says.

The government, on its part, has appointed private communicators in each village affected by the corridor. They have been tasked with convincing land owners to surrender their land for the corridor. These communicators have become the prime targets of angry villagers. "They are misleading us," says Aniruddha Deshmukh from Dongaon. "They say the government will train us as welders, turners and fitters after we have lost our livelihood as farmers. Why should the farmers' children do only blue-collar jobs? The CM is shattering our dreams to fulfill his."

The farmers' agitation has forced the government to step back on its proposal to build 24 smart cities at the interchanges. So far, it has been able to finalise land for only six cities where it owns land: in Virud, Wardha district; in Savargaonmal, Buldhana district; in Batra and Lasur, Aurangabad district; and in Fugale and Rashiv in Thane.

Fadnavis is determined to go ahead. Six global companies have been appointed to start work. He wants to outdo his fellow competitor from Nagpur, Nitin Gadkari, the Union minister for transport, who is credited with building India's first expressway between Mumbai and Pune as state PWD minister (1995-99). Fadnavis's goal is clear. If the corridor is up by 2019, when Maharashtra goes to polls, he'll be vikas purush, a tag that may help the BJP garner votes in his name.

This is no compensation

The Land Acquisition Act, 2013, makes it mandatory for the government to pay compensation four times the ready reckoner rate, which is an average of the highest sale deeds in an area in the preceding three years. Baban Harne, convenor, Samruddhi Corridor Sangharsh Samiti, alleges that the government does not want to pay the real compensation. "If they announce compensation of four times the market rate, the whole opposition to the corridor will end," he says.

Revenue official H.V. Haygunde says four times the ready reckoner rate is 20 per cent more than the market rate. The compensation, he says, is fixed based on a multiplying factor attached to a land's ready reckoner rate: one in urban areas, two in rural. So, if a piece of land in a rural area is priced Rs 100, its cost becomes Rs 200 due to the multiplying factor, which becomes its base price. A consolation amount of equal value (Rs 200) is then added. Thus, the cost of the land becomes Rs 400, or four times the ready reckoner rate. However, the ready reckoner rate itself could be lower than the market price as buyers don't always disclose the actual sale amount to pay lower tax.

The government has three proposals for owners: land pooling, direct purchase and acquisition. Under land pooling, owners get 25 per cent area of the developed land and annuity for 10 years. They can also buy back their land after 10 years. In direct purchase, if a land owner signs a sale agreement with the government, he gets 25 per cent above the compensation rate. If he does neither, his land is forcefully acquired.

--- ENDS ---
NORWALK  A Norwalk man is being held on $20,000 bond following allegations that he threatened to kill someone during a Sunday afternoon altercation.

Carlos Soto, 34, of Winfield Street, was charged with second-degree threatening, refusal to be fingerprinted and disorderly conduct.
Donald Trump Jr. has made a potentially damaging New York Times report much, much worse.

The Times on Sunday reported that the president's eldest son was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton before meeting with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in New York on June 9, 2016.

As Times reporters Jo Becker, Matt Apuzzo and Adam Goldman explained, Trump Jr.'s motivation for agreeing to the meeting "points to the central question in federal investigations of the Kremlin's meddling in the presidential election: whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians. The accounts of the meeting represent the first public indication that at least some in the campaign were willing to accept Russian help."

Paul Manafort, the campaign's chairman at the time, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser, also attended.

Needless to say, the report looks bad for the president, even though his private legal team told the Times that Trump did not participate or even know about the meeting. Trump has a go-to playbook in situations like these: cast doubt on the credibility of unnamed sources (five, in this case) and cry, "Fake news!"

But Trump Jr. took that strategy off the table with a stunningly incriminating first response.

Check out this excerpt from the Times report:

"In a statement on Sunday, Donald Trump Jr. said he had met with the Russian lawyer at the request of an acquaintance. 'After pleasantries were exchanged,' he said, 'the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.'

"He said she then turned the conversation to adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act, an American law that blacklists suspected Russian human rights abusers. The law so enraged President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia that he retaliated by halting American adoptions of Russian children.

" 'It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting,' Mr. Trump said.

Read that last part again: "the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting."

Trump Jr. confirmed that he went into the meeting expecting to receive information from the Russian lawyer that could hurt Clinton. That is a breathtaking admission.

The rest of Trump Jr.'s statement is an attempt to minimize the value of what the lawyer actually told him. The outcome of the meeting and its effect on the presidential race is important, of course, yet it is kind of beside the point.

Trump Jr.'s attempt to obtain information from a Russian lawyer that could harm Clinton seems likely to alarm investigators, regardless of whether the effort proved successful.
NORWALK  The Norwalk Public Library and the Norwalk Public Schools Early Childhood department have partnered to offer every kindergarten student in Norwalk a library card.

Its something the library has wanted to do for some time and this year it just happened to be the magical year that we made it happen, said NPL assistant director Sherelle Harris.

All incoming kindergarten students in the district will receive the library card application in the information packets they receive prior to the start of the school year. The students will also receive copies of the children's book, Lola at the Library.

Side By Side Charter School will also partner in the project.

Norwalk Public Library Director Christine Bradley echoed Harris sentiments about the new program.

It has long been a goal of the librarys that every school child in Norwalk would have a library card, she said. This is a giant step toward that goal.

The NPL card applications will continue to be part of kindergarten information packets every year.

Harris, who also serves on the Norwalk Board of Education, said the school district expressed enthusiasm about the partnership.

They understand that schools and libraries should have partnerships, and why not start at the youngest grade, Harris said.

Once the application is completed, Harris said parents will need to bring proof of Norwalk residency and a photo ID to the library to receive the card, which can be used at both NPL branches.

Harris said the added benefit is the program will also get more parents into the library.

Public library cards open up new worlds for the kids, Harris said. Its an extension of the education theyre getting in school. Parents can help their kids enjoy reading and enjoy reading themselves, and theres so many things besides books here.

Once students have their library card in Norwalk, the Connecticut library system allows the cards to be used at any library. Users just have to register their card at each additional library.

It's a phenomenal statewide system, Harris said.

For additional information on the program, contact Harris at 203-899-2780, ext. 15123 or sharris@norwalkpubliclibrary.org.
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NORWALK  The Norwalk Board of Education is taking a wait and see approach in anticipation of a new state budget.

Thats after Gov. Dannel P. Malloys executive order, or resource allocation plan, took effect July 1 to continue funding the state in lieu of a Legislature-approved budget.

The governors plan, as it stands, could spell big trouble for an already financially strapped Norwalk Public Schools, should a budget out of the Legislature not be signed into law by the time the first state education funding payments are sent out in October.

The governors plan would reduce the districts funding by at least $8.3 million, with further analysis of the plans impact still under way by the districts finance team.

Though the board is holding out hope the Legislature will pass a new budget by that time, Board of Education Chairman Mike Lyons said, If the Legislature hasnt acted by mid-August, we may need to make budget reductions in anticipation of a worst-case scenario.

The reductions would come after a months-long period of contention in the districts attempts to reconcile its budget under the assumption of unchanged state funding.

...After all we did to balance our budget without layoffs, Lyons said, it would be tragic to be right back in that frame again because the state cant get its act together.

More Information ECS reductions under Malloy's executive order: Fiscal year: 2017-18 Norwalk: $11.2 million to $6.8 million Danbury: $31.3 million to $30.1 million Stamford: $10.8 million to $9.3 million See More Collapse

The governors plan would cut the states education cost sharing funding by about 25 percent overall, from roughly $2 billion to $1.5 million. For Norwalk, that would mean a slash in education cost sharing funding of nearly 40 percent, from $11.2 million to $6.8 million.

Comparable school districts would  for unknown reasons  stand to see less significant cuts under the plan. Stamford Public Schools would have its $10.8 million in education cost sharing funding cut to $9.3 million. Danbury Public Schools would see its $31.3 million reduced to $30.1 million.

The education cost sharing numbers dont include other types of state funding, such as priority school district funding, that would be eliminated across the board in the governors plan, resulting in further loss for Norwalk Public Schools of about $3.9 million.

There are other impacts to the overall city budget as well.

Norwalk would see a roughly $1.5 million increase in its municipal revenue sharing grant, while other funding would be eliminated entirely. Some of the extra funds could, in theory, be switched over to help cover the loss in education funding, though its too early to tell at this stage.

But in almost any case, said Bryan Meek, chairman of the Norwalk Board of Educations Finance Committee, if the Legislature does not get its act together soon, it looks like we will have to make reductions to our budget to reflect the governors legal order here. A sad day for Connecticut and a sad day for education, which looks like it took a backseat to other more important things for the governor and the legislative majority.

In order to avoid the impact of the governors plan, a budget must be called to the floor of the state House and Senate by the majority, Democratic, party. It then needs to garner enough votes to pass through both chambers and be sent to the governor, who must sign it into law or at least not veto it.

But when  or even if  that may happen remains unclear.

State Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, said the Republican party has offered up a full, balanced budget with no tax increases. That budget, Lavielle said, would keep Norwalks education funding whole. However, she added, only a majority party can bring a budget to the floor.

The Democratic party also had a budget, but withdrew it knowing it would not garner enough support.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said neither party had a budget that would ultimately receive enough votes to pass. He said he was working diligently with colleagues to compose a new budget, while keeping education funding in his purview.

Most people  the governor included  agree that it is not in the best interest of the state for him to be solely responsible for managing the budget, Duff said. That's why I am committed to continuing to work toward a long term solution to move Connecticut forward and ensure that ECS payments are made to school districts.

For now, the Board of Education will have to wait and see what happens, for better or for worse.

Right now, with the situation such as it is, the longer that the majority partys negligence in passing a budget continues, the less ability Norwalk has to project and manage its budget in an informed way, Lavielle said of the situation. If the executive order remains in effect into the fall, the cuts that this would result in for Norwalks ECS funds would have a substantial impact on the schools operating budget.

Lavielle said it would be well-advised for the school district to make plans just in case.

Its wise, she said, to prepare for the worst.

KSchultz@thehour.com; 203-842-2567; @kevinedschultz
NORWALK  It pays to get a head start when youre running for re-election as mayor of Norwalk.

Competitors have since thrown their hats into the ring, but Mayor Harry W. Rilling holds a huge fundraising lead over them four months from Election Day.

Friends of Rilling, the campaign committee formed on his behalf last fall, has raised $115,890 for his bid for a third term leading Connecticuts sixth-largest city, according to the committees recent finance disclosure report filed with the Norwalk Town Clerks Office on Monday afternoon.

Thats compared to $4,975 raised by fellow Democrat Bruce V. Morris and zero dollars raised by Republican Andrew T. Conroy, according to reports filed by their campaign committees.

Rilling acknowledged that his fundraising over the last three months didnt surpass that of previous reporting periods  it just got to be a busy time of the year, some of our campaign staff was on vacation  but he indicated that hes comfortable with where he stands in the run-up to Election Day Nov. 7.

I think were pretty much on track of where we want to be, said Rilling, the citys former police chief. We have a couple of significant fundraisers coming up, so we anticipate that we will reach our goal without any difficulty.

Rilling wouldnt disclose what that goal is in terms of dollars.

More Information Mayoral money raised so far: Democrat Harry W. Rilling - $115,890 Democratic Bruce V. Morris - $4,975 Republican Andrew T. Conroy - $0 See More Collapse

Monday marked the filing deadline for reporting fundraising activities for the period April 1 through June 30.

Conroy, Norwalk Republican Town Committee chairman and former District E councilman, formed a candidate committee Conroy for Mayor in late May. He reminded Monday that the citys two major political parties would not endorse their candidates until later this month and cast his fundraising against that backdrop.

Well be fundraising once Im endorsed, if Im endorsed, Conroy said.

Friends of Rilling started the latest fundraising period with $89,383 in its coffers and added to that $18,095 in contributions from individuals and $1,050 from advertising sold in fundraiser programs. Since last fall, the committee has spent $33,122 and had $82,767 left over as of June 30, according the report.

Between April 1 and June 30, Rillings campaign committee received 74 contributions from individuals. The contributions ranged from $5 to $1,000. Belpointe Capital Managing Director Brandon Lacoff, Meadow Street Partners Accountant Robert Oxer, Sedona Group Property Manager Joseph Breault, Sedona Group Real Estate Asset Management Executive John DiScala, Pyramid Real Estate Group Executive Michael Gray and CEG Real Estate Executive Mike Oz were among those giving $1,000, according to the report.

Morris, who is serving his sixth term representing the 140th District in the State House of Representatives, filed paperwork in April declaring his bid for mayor.

His campaign committee  Morris Is For Us 2017  has raised $4,975, spent $457 and had $4,518 on hand as of June 30. The committee received a dozen contributions from individuals. The contributions ranged from $456 to $1,000. Morris wife, Gail Morris, Howard K. Hills Funeral Services Director Howard Hill and local attorney Michael Skiber each donated $1,000, according to the committees fundraising report.

Morris recently sued the city and Board of Education after losing his job as school climate officer last year.
The Malabar naval exercise has taken place every year since 1992, except for a brief glitch in the late 1990's, post Pokhran II period. The US renewed their ties with India post 9/11 attacks after India joined President George W. Bush's campaign against global terrorism.

The exercise is like a mock battle where naval ships, vessels, submarines etc hold practice combat sessions and maneuver positions.

The 2005 Malabar exercise saw the participation of USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and INS Viraat. The exercise that was held over the period of a month saw Indian and US troops practicing complex war moves and games, including '24 hour war at sea' simulation.

Malabar exercise 2007 was the first time the naval exercise was held outside the Indian Ocean off the Japanese coast of Okinawa. Malabar 2007 saw the participation of naval vessels from Japan, Australia and Singapore along with US and India. Around 25 vessels participated in the exercise.

Malabar 2007 was the first time the naval exercise moved out of the Indian Ocean and closer to the Chinese territory. In June that year, China inquired about the course of action from India, US, Japan and Australia.

In 2009, Japan again participated in the Malabar exercise. The three nations, India, Japan and US extended their maritime partnership during Malabar 2009, held off the coast of Okinawa.

After China issued demarches to nations during the Malabar exercise of 2007, India was apprehensive to include other nations into the naval exercise. Although, after no opposition was received by China for including Japan in Malabar 2009, India once again invited Japan in the naval exercise to take place in 2011. Japan also participated in the exercise in 2014.

In 2015, US and India issued a joint statement and invited Japan to be a part of the Malabar exercise thus officially making Malabar exercise a trilateral naval exercise.

Ahead of Malabar 2017, Beijing is said to have sent a surveillance ship, HaiwangXiang, to monitor the Malabar exercise. "We hope that this kind of relationship and cooperation will not be directed against third country and that it will be conducive to the regional peace and security," said a spokesperson for the Chinese government.
Following a drive-by shooting early Saturday morning in which an unoccupied pickup was shot, four Grand Island males were arrested for discharging a firearm within city limits.

Police were called to 2412 W. First St. at 1:11 a.m. Saturday.

Residents of that address gave police a description of the vehicle involved. Police officers located a vehicle matching that description. The traffic stop was at 1:34 a.m., said Capt. Jim Duering of the Grand Island Police Department.

All four occupants when removed from the vehicle tested positive for gunshot residue on their hands. But none of them were willing to make a statement about the incident. Duering said.

Arrested were Matthew Fernandez, 30; Abner Dominguez, 18; Jordan Rivas, 20, and Wilmer Mendoza, 26.

The victims in this case said they just moved into the residence, Duering said. They didnt have any reason why anybody in particular would want to harm them or their property. So were not really sure what the motivation in this case was.

Police received a report of shots fired about a block away about 40 minutes earlier, at 12:30 a.m., which we think is probably related, Duering said.
AURORA  The interior of the Old Homestead Market & Floral is made to feel just like a cozy, cute country home.

Customers are greeted by the shops many decorative and vintage items. Tin signs in the shape of Nebraska, part of an old windmill, wood crates and inspirational words wisped across signs and decorative pillows are all meticulously placed to give the shop a welcoming feel. Fresh flowers are cased in coolers, with arrangements on display. Some flower arrangements are housed in vases, while others are in Mason jars, old, vintage coffee tins and other items.

The decorative items that help give the shop its personality are what owners Jennie Snoberger and Robin Sanderson sell. Other than the fresh flowers, small gift items and decorative items, they also do decorations and flowers for events such as funerals and weddings.

The business partners and long-time friends opened the business in mid-April. The partners previously owned the Old Homestead together, which was a separate business that featured some of the same flair and type of items as the new business does. The owners of the long-running business Aurora Floral were looking to sell the space and contacted Snoberger and Sanderson to see if theyd be interested. Though the Aurora natives had the Old Homestead for a short time when they got the offer, they thought it would be a good opportunity. The shop is located at 1211 M St. on Auroras Downtown Square.

Sanderson remembers coming into Aurora Floral as a child. Being hometown Aurora girls, they said keeping that feel alive is important to them.

Its a sense of carrying on the tradition into a new generation, Sanderson said.

Sanderson said the community has been supportive of them as owners and are happy to have hometown natives running the space.

The women never closed the store, but renovated it into their own over a weekend.

The business partners have been friends for more than 10 years and said they describe their store personality as a vintage country farmhouse.

Its how you perceive the items, Sanderson said, noting that there are items of varying style.

There are few items Snoberger and Sanderson actually make themselves, citing that theyre not crafty in the traditional sense. However, they do make orbs, which are a popular item, they said. The pair, though they claim to not be crafty, seem to have a creative eye. The partners often go junking to find new items for their store. Rust, metal and dirt are some of the things that may attract Snoberger and Sanderson to an item. Sanderson told of times she went on vacation with her husband and stopped along the way to find a few items. If Snoberger or Sanderson see any sort of junk on a farmers lawn, theyre most likely going to inquire about it. The partners have traveled far and wide to find treasures for their store, even going junking in Waco, Texas.

When you find it, its like a jackpot, Sanderson said.

Junking is one of Snobergers favorite things. She said finding antiques, scraps or vintage items is fun because she likes the history of it.

Though the store has a lot of variety, they said they dont veer far from their style so that people can know what to expect at their store. They have a favorite motto they go by: for the love of old. The friends try to incorporate that concept into many aspects of their shop. Snoberger has been a florist for eight years and blends her love for old items with her passion for flowers. For example, one floral arrangement she made was of bright flowers in a rusted vintage coffee tin. She said she enjoys bringing life and use to the vintage items. Two fold, the customer gets to keep the vintage container she makes the arrangement in. Snoberger said she likes the idea of the customer getting to keep that unique item instead of always a glass vase.

Snoberger and Sanderson said business has been doing well so far, especially since the store is a Nebraska Passport stop. They said theyre glad to have their shop be one part of the many things Aurora has to offer.

The Old Homestead Market and Floral can be found on Facebook at The Old Homestead Market and Floral, Instagram @theOldHomestead and online at www.oldhomesteadfloral.com. The store is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon and is closed on Sundays.
Concrete pavement replacement, patching and bridge repair work will continue on North Highway 281 in the Grand Island area with a traffic crossover switch beginning Wednesday, July 12, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation.

During the work, southbound traffic on Highway 281 north of Grand Island will be switched to head-to-head traffic in the northbound lanes. The crossover will take place from just south of the Chapman Road intersection to south of the Broadwell Avenue island that transitions from four lanes to two lanes.

Traffic will be controlled at the Airport Road intersection with temporary traffic signals. Trucks will be restricted from turning left or right due to the turning radius with the islands. Traffic on Highway 281 will be detoured from Broadwell Avenue onto Capital Avenue while this intersection is being repaired.
Birth announcements

HRUBY  To Jaiden Hruby and Jasmine Johnson of Grand Island, a son born June 29, 2017, at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings. Grandparents are Lea and Jason Derr of Grand Island.

HYPES  To Zach Hypes and Adrianne Rivera of Wood River, a daughter born June 8, 2017, at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings. Grandparents are Ron and Esther Rickert of Wood River, Zenon and Kathy Rivera of Grand Island and Charlotte Parker of Winter Park, Fla.

FOXHOVEN  To Bryan and Ranell (Schroeder) Foxhoven of Clarks, a son born June 14, 2017, at CHI Health St. Francis. Grandparents are Chuck and Rita Foxhoven of Norfolk and James and Melinda Schroeder of Marion, Kan.

Police/Sheriff

Anyone with information about any crime in the state may call the Grand Island-Hall County Crime Stoppers, (308) 381-8822. Callers will remain anonymous.

A reward of up to $1,000 will be paid after law enforcement agencies have determined the seriousness of the crime and the usefulness of the information.

Inmate custody status can be obtained by calling the VINE hotline at (877) NE 4 VINE or by visiting www.vinelink.com. Information is available 24 hours a day.

If you see a crime happening, call the Grand Island-Hall County Emergency Center  911.

Grand Island Police

The following felonies were reported:

 Jerrys Sheet Metal, 1007 Oklahoma Ave., reported a burglary between May 29 and Thursday and a theft on Thursday. Marcus Blackburn was arrested for both.

Hall County Sheriff

Law enforcement arrested one person on a warrant in one case. There were 22 calls for service.

For more information visit www.hallcountyne.gov and click on the sheriff link.

Court report

Hall County District Court

 Jose G. Toche Chora, 34, Lexington, two counts of third-degree sexual assault on a child, sentenced to two years in jail with credit for five days served for each, 18 months post-release supervision, required to join Nebraska Sex Offender Registry.

 David Lopez-Benitez, 20, Grand Island, case reopened (original offense attempt of a Class 4 felony), 30 days in jail.

 Shira K. Utley, 50, Wood River, withdrew request for custodial sanction hearing, ordered to serve a sanction of 30 days in Hall County Jail.

 Renulesh L. Pal, 26, Lincoln, withdrew request for custodial sanction hearing, ordered to serve a sanction of 10 days in Hall County Jail.

Hall County Court

 Marcus T. Blackburn, 31, Grand Island, was charged with two counts of burglary and one count of criminal mischief totaling $0 to $500, all on May 15. Preliminary hearing set for 11 a.m. Aug. 15.

 Gregory Conrad Dowdy, 38, Grand Island, first-offense resisting arrest, nine months in jail with credit for 185 days served, $300 fine,

Driving under the influence: Mervin Graber, 46, Wood River, $500 fine, nine months probation, 30 hours community service, drivers license revoked 60 days, required to pay $225 probation fee; Orlando Arana-Ramos, 45, Grand Island, $500 fine, six months probation, drivers license revoked 60 days; Misty Lewandowski, 41, Kearney, second-offense DUI, $500 fine, 45 days in jail, one year probation and ordered to pay $600 probation fee; Bianey Villatoro-Cantoral, 36, Grand Island, second-offense DUI, $500 fine, 18 months probation, 240 hours community service, drivers license revoked 18 months, $450 probation fee.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a measured reaction to the drills saying that it has no objection to the bilateral relations and hopes it is conducive to regional peace.

By Ananth Krishnan: While China's government last week played down its concerns over the India-United States-Japan Malabar naval exercise that kicks off today, State media in Beijing have hit out at the largest-ever drills as a threat to China's "security concerns" and economic interests in the Indian ocean region.

On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a measured reaction to the drills, saying it has 'no objection to normal bilateral relations and cooperation among relevant countries' but 'hope[s] this kind of relations and cooperation is not directed at any third party and conducive to regional peace and stability.'

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An editorial today in the official China Daily, the English-language mouthpiece of the government that is under the State Council, or Chinese cabinet, struck a different note, saying that even while India expressed security concerns over China's road-building in the India-China-Bhutan trijunction, it was China that had reason to be concerned about its security.

The editorial said, "India, the United States and Japan have begun their 10-day Malabar naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal, which are the biggest of their kind so far, and the US approved a $365-million sale of military transport aircraft to India last week and a $2-billion deal for surveillance drones is in the works, it is China that should feel 'security concerns', given the importance of the Indian Ocean for its trade and oil imports."

CHINA WARY OF INDIA-US TIES

In the same paper, strategic expert Lin Minwang of the Institute of International Studies, at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the exercises underlined the growing closeness in India-US ties and showed India was becoming an American "ally".

"While visiting the United States two weeks ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi managed to sell the idea that New Delhi is a key defence partner of Washington and it can serve as a counterweight to China's rise," he said. "A joint statement issued during his US visit said the US-India partnership is central to regional stability. In return, US President Donald Trump approved the sale of 22 Predator Guardian drones to India, a 'luxury' available only to the US NATO allies."

"It is becoming clear that India is ready to serve as an ally of the US rather than a swing power that honours independent, non-aligned diplomacy," added Lin, saying that "Beijing should remain vigilant against New Delhi's moves while urging it to withdraw its troops from Chinese territory," referring to the on-going Doklam stand-off.

ABOUT MALABAR EXERCISES

This year's Malabar exercises are the widest in scope till date, involving the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, India's carrier INS Vikramaditya and Japan's helicopter carrier Izumo. One area of focus of the exercises is anti-submarine warfare, at a time when the PLA Navy's submarines are an increasingly frequent presence in the Indian Ocean Region.

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Japan's inclusion in the exercise since 2014 has been a source of concern for some Chinese strategists, although Beijing on Friday played down concerns. The 8-day exercises, set to start on Monday, will involve more than 20 warships from the three countries.

China has in the past pressured India on multilateral exercises, seeing them as being aimed at Beijing. The Chinese government, for instance, bristled at past inclusions of Australia and Singapore in the bilateral India-US naval exercise.

China last month welcomed India's decision to not include Australia in the drills, with the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying saying, "I think India is also clear about the consideration behind [Australia's] behaviours. I think we are happy to see normal dialogue and communications on security issues, but we also hope when conducting such operations, the parties can fully consider the security concerns of different parties and also play a positive and constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability."

Also read: Chinese strategic expert: After Doklam, China can intervene in J-K

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Also read: Doklam standoff: China issues safety advisory to its citizens in India

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Few foreign visits by an Indian head of government have been as loaded with symbolism as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day visit to Israel. This could be simply because the visit, the first by an Indian PM since diplomatic ties were established in 1992, was so long in the making. "We've been waiting 70 years," Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu said after warm hugs and a rare red-carpet welcome on the tarmac of Ben Gurion airport. During his own speech, PM Modi referenced a lot of common ground between the two countries, from Haifa-a cavalry charge by Indian lancers during the First World War liberated that town-to recalling his host's older brother, Colonel Jonathan Netanyahu, who died leading the 1976 commando rescue at Entebbe airport.

There was also an emotive meeting with Moshe Holtzberg, the 10-year-old boy who survived the slaughter at Chabad House during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai nearly a decade ago. As chief minister of Gujarat, Modi had visited Mumbai while the attacks were on, presciently noting that it was the first time terrorists had attacked foreign nationals-Britons, Americans and Israelis-on Indian soil. An invitation extended by Prime Minister Netanyahu to the young Holtzberg to accompany him to a visit to Mumbai underlines how 26/11 is a common meeting ground. Both countries reiterated their resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms, but this was not the surprising highlight of the joint vision statement.

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The statement identified six sectors-development, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, defence and security-as growth areas for the partnership. "There seems to be very heavy emphasis on the first four-development, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship," says former diplomat Debnath Shaw. "Nine of the 22 paragraphs in the statement were devoted to these sectors." PM Modi clearly sees Israeli technology and innovation as a means for India to realise its development goals. Foreign secretary S. Jaishankar emphasised how Israeli technology would come in handy for the government's goal to double incomes of Indian farmers by 2022. "Water and agriculture can have transformative possibilities," he said.

Eyebrows were raised when PM Netanyahu called the Indo-Israeli relationship 'a marriage made in heaven'. (He said the same thing in Beijing in March this year.) The reason for this is not hard to identify: Israel's bilateral trade with China, at $11 billion, is more than double its trade with India. The joint vision statement attempts to offset this, in a sense, by deepening trade and investment flows between India and Israel. This broadbasing is possibly because the relationship has already stabilised in the areas of defence and security, which, with agriculture, form one of two pillars of the 25-year Indo-Israeli relationship.

Israel is India's third largest supplier of defence hardware, with exports worth roughly $1 billion each year. Conversely, India is Israel's largest defence market, accounting for nearly half of Tel Aviv's military exports. The Jewish nation has sold cutting-edge technology to India, the kind other countries have been unwilling to sell. Over a decade ago, Israel sold India the 'Swordfish' phased array radar, the most critical sensory component of a home-grown anti-ballistic missile system. More recently, it agreed to sell India its ten-missile firing 'Heron-TP' drones for $400 million, after India became a signatory to the missile technology control regime last year. The joint statement also attempts to convert this transactional relationship into a more meaningful one-for India at least. The statement called for the joint development of military hardware, with transfer of technology, and with a special emphasis on the 'Make in India' initiative. This is a collaboration India thus far enjoys only with Russia, but it remains to be seen whether India can overcome Israel's wariness on sharing critical knowhow.

The joint statement also elevated the bilateral relationship to a 'strategic partnership', making Israel one of more than a dozen countries, ranging from Russia to Rwanda, with whom India has this relationship. If that wasn't enough, India and Israel also agreed to establish a second 'strategic partnership', in water and agriculture.

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"There is a natural alliance that has been formalised by Prime Minister Modi's visit," says Colonel D.P.K. Pillay (retd) of the New Delhi-based Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. "We need Israel, and they need our markets and space technology, besides recognition from a major democracy like India." This natural alliance, however, did not come at the expense of India's ties to the Arab world. In fact, the PM's visit to Israel, more than halfway through his tenure, came after a massive outreach to important Gulf Cooperation Council countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. West Asia, in the throes of one of its longest spells of conflict, received only passing mention in the joint statement: 'It is India's hope that peace, dialogue and restraint will prevail.'

India continues to recognise the two-nation theory, but has indicated its preference to deal with both the nations separately. India hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in New Delhi in May this year, but PM Modi did not visit Ramallah, the capital of the Palestinian Authority, during his current visit-a stop that President Pranab Mukherjee made during his state visit last year. Clearly, a move toward a more pragmatic diplomacy.

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There is a school located on the edge of the Bengawan Solo River in Gondangsari village, Juwiring district, Klaten regency, Central Java. Under the giant trees, visitors to the school complex will see bamboo lodges filled with students doing different activities, such as building model cities out of wooden blocks, cooking food to be sold in the cafeteria, or using play to practice their farming skills.

These students are not on break, as these activities are part of the schools education program.

Sekolah Alam Bengawan Solo is a nature school. Unlike conventional schools, it has no classrooms, uniforms, or the customary printed books. Students are encouraged to learn through several activities, exposing them to different topics to discuss, observe and practice.

Read also: Three common facets of Indonesian international schools

Established in 2011, the idea of Sekolah Alam Bengawan Solo derived from its founder Suyudis frustration upon seeing the Indonesian education system. Suyudi claimed that the conventional education system was lacking in character building as it tends to focus on memorizing skills and on science subjects that are only assessed quantitatively. The heavy work made school become a burden for students.

Suyudi then built the school with help from a young architect, Jefri Nur Arifin. The school, which was designed to blend in with its surroundings, applies a curriculum focusing on local wisdom, character building and logical thinking. Here, students learn the subjects through different small projects guided by facilitators.

Currently, Sekolah Alam Bengawan Solo has 110 students in its preschool, kindergarten, elementary school and junior high school classes.

The curriculum is intended to deliver a fun education program and develop students' characters. (jes/asw)
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Linkedin Sebastian Partogi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 09:15 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a854197 4 Art & Culture #essay,Conservative,religious-issue Free

God understands what will happen on the day you eat fruit from that tree. You will see what you have done and you will know the difference between right and wrong, just as God does. (Genesis 3:4)

The story of the original sin in the Book of Genesis, the Bibles Old Testament, is perhaps one of the most famous stories of all time. It is a mythic tale that seeks to explain the origin of mans existence on Earth, suffering and death.

Adam and Eve were cast out of paradise because they had eaten the fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge. Because of their sin, humanity is condemned to die  the men are forced to toil hard to earn their living and women have to carry and deliver their children in tremendous pain.

Herein lays the sexism of the scripture, as it proposes a gender-based work division, while portraying Eve as the weakling who has caused the downfall of man from paradise.

Female Gnostic Christian scholar Elaine Pagels has chosen to interpret the scripture differently. Gnosticism itself is a modern name for a variety of ancient religious ideas and systems originating in Jewish milieus in the first and second centuries AD. The etymology of the word Gnosticism is the ancient Greek word gnostikos (having knowledge).

Therefore, the Gnostic Christians interpret Eves actions as being heroic, as it is imperative for her to eat from the tree of knowledge to free humans from the burden of ignorance, which then forces them to submit to a domineering and authoritative God.

The story resonated in my mind again after a discussion with a friend, a book editor from Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia (KPG) named Christina M. Udiani. We discussed how knowledge, although it is greatly liberating and provides human beings with the necessary agency to change their destinies, can also become a burden.

Recently, people from around the world are turning to blind literalism for interpreting religions. We are haunted by a way of thinking fueled by religious fundamentalism and conservatism. One of the most evident symptoms of this is seen among the proponents of the theory that the Earth is flat, turning the clock back more than 1,000 years to before when the spherical Earth theory was proposed around the 6th century.

There are many reasons that drive people into religious fanaticism or fundamentalism; political and economic reasons are just two. Here, I would like to focus on the existential element of this phenomenon.

Religious dogmas give us straight answers while knowledge provided by social and natural sciences have the potential to unsettle us. Human beings are presumably the only animals who are aware of their mortality. We also have the most evolved self-awareness.

Nobody wants bad things to happen to them. We would like to believe that this world is fair, a place where good things happen to good people.

Yet, reality shows us that our agency is actually limited by our environment; although we have free will and can do whatever we can to improve our lives, we are still haunted by the randomness of senseless incidents and tragedies. The more we learn about the natural and social sciences, the more we become aware of our vulnerabilities. We also learn more about the ugly truth of the human condition, how we are capable of committing unthinkable atrocities for power and pride.

I was left in a state of paranoia when I recounted how various types of illnesses can reach a stage where medical intervention does more harm than good during a two-year longitudinal public health advertorial project. I no longer have this illusion of immunity or invulnerability to various illnesses.

I think the writer of Genesis came up with an excellent metaphor outlining the consequences of having eaten the forbidden fruit and bearing the burden of knowledge. Perhaps the reason why God tries to prevent Adam and Eve from eating the fruit is, apart from the possibility that he is a power-crazed authoritarian, because he has the good intention of trying to keep man away from the ugly truth.

Assimilating knowledge is a very painful process. For instance, I have dedicated a few years reading and talking to different people on religion, politics and violence, as well as how these variables are intimately tied to the economy.

Recently, I went through 11 months of depression because I was completely at a loss with what I saw in terms of intolerance, radicalism and sectarianism. Hearing lots of stories from journalists and activists, I foresaw a dark future that I dared not picture in my mind.

Some senior journalists and activists I talked to also bore the consequence of knowing too much and hearing too much and being exposed too much to the worlds dark reality. They appear to be highly cynical and bitter, predicting that the end is near for all of us. Being a serious thinker and writer is not very good for mental health.

Seeing just how turbulent our world is today, no wonder so many people have become religious literalists. Thank goodness, although some of my friends have also surprised me by taking an extreme turn from being progressives and open-minded thinkers to becoming religious conservatives, I have not made that turn. Yet. Somehow I still manage to delve deeper, read more books and talk to more people to be a good writer and thinker, chronicling our socio-political issues, although the pictures I am getting seem to have become darker. I am so afraid of the future.

From my learning process and that of my friends, at least I can extract a number of lessons for those of you who want to become serious thinkers to alleviate the pain brought by the learning process.

First, do not be satisfied by partial knowledge. Find multidisciplinary references that can add to your understanding about a particular topic. Comprehensive knowledge could somehow help you to accept the human condition and reduce your anxiety.

That leads to the second lesson: Accept the world as it is. Do things that you can to change yourself and your circle of influence; aside from that, dont waste your energy on things you cant change.

The third lesson is: Tolerate the fact that it is impossible for you to know everything and forecast the future. Some things in our lives appear to be destined to remain as mysteries. We cannot predict the future and how this global turmoil is going to play itself out.

Whether we are going to push our civilization forward or end up in a third world war, the Earth is going to continue turning, as it always does.
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Linkedin Sebastian Partogi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 10:01 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a855000 4 Books history,nonfiction,Indonesia-India,photography-book Free

India and Indonesia have similar names  the latter was derived from the Latin word Indus meaning India and the Greek word nesos meaning island. Apart from the shared etymology of their names, how much are the two countries aware of their cultural similarities and the intimate political ties they once had during the early post-colonial days?

To remind both Indians and Indonesians about the ties that bind them, the Indian Embassy to Indonesia has just launched a photobook called Kesamaan(similarities) India-Indonesia: Still in Step. The book was released a few days before former Indian ambassador to Indonesia Nengcha Lhouvum retired on May 31.

The book features photographs outlining both countries journeys over the years starting from the 1940s to contemporary times, emphasizing both countries cross-cultural characteristics across many sectors, from architecture and dances to foods and beverages.

The photobook brings into focus our dynamic and continuous relationship. Many of the stories of our relationship from the past have, unfortunately, faded from memory and are relatively not known anymore by both Indonesians and Indians, particularly among the young generations.

This is why we showcase a number of historical incidents that make our relationship special, Lhouvum told The Jakarta Post during an interview in her office.

The book is not for sale but it has instead been distributed to Indonesian official circles and civil society organizations, as well as to university and school libraries.

Some highlights from the book include a number of photos showing the close ties both countries shared during the post-colonial period, particularly ones of former Indonesian prime minister Sutan Syahrir and first president Sukarno with former Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru from the 1940s to the early 1950s.

One of Indonesias founding fathers and former vice president Mohammad Hatta wrote in his autobiography Untuk Negeriku (For My Country), first published in 1979, that he was acquainted with Nehru in 1927 during an anti-imperialism and colonialism congress in Brussels, Belgium.

Their amicable relationship continued. In 1947, for example, Hatta had to go to India to visit Nehru to request armaments as there were signs that the Dutch military would soon attack Indonesia after it declared independence on Aug. 17, 1945.

The solidarity between both post-colonial countries  Indonesia having been colonized by the Netherlands and India by England  went both ways. In 1945, for instance, Indonesia shipped rice to India, arrival of which in Cochin Port is documented in the photobook, in order to alleviate the hunger that was occurring in the country.

Two countries: The close socio-political relationship between Indonesian first president Sukarno and the first prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru was extended to shared family ties. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)

This cooperation has now been also captured in music, in a song called Padi untuk India (Rice for India) by an Indonesian all-female choir group named Dialita made up of survivors of the 1965 communist purge, with lyrics and music written by Indonesian non-mainstream band Sisir Tanah.

There are also photos showing 20 Indonesian pilots who were trained in India around 1947, illustrating military cooperation.

At that time, a pilot training school [called Maguwo, it is now the Adisutjipto International Airport] in Yogyakarta was bombed out [by the Dutch] so the pilots went on training in India, she explained.

Meanwhile, the cross-cultural similarities between the two countries can particularly be seen in the architecture of the Borobudur and Prambanan temples in Yogyakarta  two of Indonesias most outstanding cultural sites, which can be traced back to the influence brought by the Hindu kingdoms.

According to Dutch historian MC Ricklefs in his book Sejarah Indonesia Modern (Modern Indonesian History), the Hindu kingdoms arose in Indonesia in approximately the fourth century, putting an end to the local civilizations prehistoric era and bringing literacy to the archipelago, along with the famous Indian epoch of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Because of this, the Indonesian language has been heavy with Sanskritic influences.

I feel immediately at home when I arrive in Indonesia because here you have so many people with Sanskritic names, Lhouvum said. Indonesian names like Aditya, Buana and Cinta, for example, are rooted in the Sanskrit language.

She said these cultural characteristics could hopefully serve as a common ground for both countries to continue their cooperation in the future. There are some contemporary contexts in which India and Indonesia could learn from one anothers expertise.

We are significant countries, two of the most populous and diverse nations in Asia. We could work together in certain issues. For instance, India can learn from Indonesia about infrastructure building, on different methods and technologies of construction and much more because those aspects seem to be Indonesias strong points, she said.

Meanwhile, India could share some of its experiences in enhancing the quality of human resources, particularly through education.

In terms of human resources, we now have so many Indians working in other countries, particularly in the banking, finance and technology sectors, she said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 10:30 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8566ed 4 National Pesantren,Islamic-boarding-schools,radicalism,terrorism,Islamic-State,digital-courses Free

The East Java branch of the Indonesian Pesantren Association (IPI) is going to build a digital pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in order to counter the spread of Islamic radicalism throughout the internet and on social media.

The association head, Zaini Akhmad, said the digital pesantren would strengthen students, usually known as santri, and their knowledge about technology.

All santri at all pesantren, especially those who join the association, will have education and training sessions through this digital pesantren, he said in Surabaya on Sunday as quoted by Antara.

Zaini also said that by accessing the digital pesantren, the santri would minimize their time looking for hate speech and radicalism on the internet.

As a religion of rahmatan lilalamin [blessing for the universe], the santri should spread peace instead of hatred. Pesantren should counter radicalism to promote a peaceful Islam, he said.

Read also: Hundreds of pesantren to form alliance to promote moderate Islam

Zaini suggested that pesantren cooperate with IT experts from universities for the digital program.

To support this program, the IPI will cooperate with private providers. We have booked five million GSM sim cards for the santri, he said. (ecn/dmr)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 14:08 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a860d59 1 National President-Jokowi,National-Police,anniversary Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo presided over the 71st anniversary ceremony for the National Police at the National Monument in Central Jakarta on Monday.

President Jokowi, accompanied by First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Kallas wife Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, arrived at the National Monument at 8 a.m.

Unlike last years celebration, which was held at the Mobile Brigade Command headquarters, this years ceremony was open to the general public.

This year, the ceremony is being held here [at the National Monument] to bring us closer to the public so that they can join in the celebration, National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said.

The National Police anniversary actually fell on July 1, but the celebration was delayed to July 10 since most police officers were busy safeguarding the Idul Fitri holidays.

More than 2,400 personnel from the National Police, the Indonesian Military, the Public Order Agency and the Indonesian Scout Movement took part in the ceremony.

The ceremony was enlivened by a mass dance with the theme of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity), skydiving and a marching band.

During the ceremony, the President awarded Bintang Bhayangkara Narariya stars to four police officers for their excellent service. (ecn/dmr)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 10:53 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a857ab9 1 Business nickel-export,price,nickel-smelter,operation Free

Following the free fall in global nickel prices, more smelter companies in Indonesia have begun halting operations.

The number of smelters ceasing nickel processing activities increased to 17 in the first days of July, compared to 13 smelters that halted operations in June, said Processing and Smelting Companies Association (AP3I) deputy chairman Jonathan Handojo on Sunday.

All of the smelters that halted operations were granted operational permits from the Investment Coordinating Board [BKPM], Jonathan said as quoted by kontan.co.id, adding that BKPM chairman Thomas Lembong planned to meet with AP3I representatives to discuss the issue.

He blamed the situation on the government for allowing an overflow of raw mineral exports.

The government recently granted Indonesian company PT Ceria Nugraha Indotama (CNI) permission to export 2.3 million tons of nickel ore after the company promised to develop a smelter in Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi.

As a result, the price of benchmark nickel for three-month delivery on the London Metals Exchange (LME) fell by nearly 3 percent to US$9,130 per ton on July 6, compared to $9,410 on July 3. (dea)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 16:24 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a8675da 1 National Tito-Karnavian,President-Jokowi,National-Police,anniversary Free

National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian pointed to the increased welfare of all police officers throughout the country and the improved public image of police institutions in an address at a ceremony to commemorate the anniversary of the National Police on Monday, all of which he said was the result of President Joko Jokowi Widodos leadership.

Tito told the ceremony that the police had set up two new police branches  the West Sulawesi Police and the West Papua Police  during Jokowis three-year presidency.

During that time, the police also set up 11 new precinct offices, 99 new subprecinct offices and another 144 new subsector posts.

Tito added that state funds allocated to support the National Police had doubled to Rp 84 trillion (US$6.3 billion) this year from Rp 44 trillion in previous years.

He also used the occasion to praise the Jokowi administrations Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), claiming that the program had helped to ease the financial burdens felt by police officers in accessing health facilities.

We are really thankful for what Bapak President [Jokowi] and Bapak Vice President [Jusuf Kalla] have done to improve our institution, Tito told those in attendance at National Monument square in Central Jakarta.

The National Police will continue to improve our performance and professionalism, he added. (msa/dmr)
Authorities in Iraq have assured India of all cooperation in locating 39 Indian nationals who were reportedly in captivity in Mosul.

By India Today Web Desk: India is trying its best to trace 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, who had been held hostage in the Iraqi city of Mosul since 2014. Union Minister of State for External Affairs General (Rtd) VK Singh is going to Erbil in Iraq today to enquire about the missing Indians.

The Ministry of External Affairs said as soon as the announcement of liberation of Mosul was made by Iraq Prime Minister, the Indian government activated various channels for locating the 39 Indians.

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"The Ambassador of India to Iraq and our Consul General in Erbil have been instructed to continue the efforts to locate them on priority," an MEA spokesperson said.

Authorities in Iraq have assured India of all cooperation in locating 39 Indian nationals who were reportedly in captivity in Mosul.

The MEA said Iraqi authorities have issued instructions to all relevant Iraqi agencies for the same.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has already declared victory in the "liberated" city of Mosul.

"Liberation of Mosul from ISIS an important milestone in global war on terror and India welcomes it," the MEA spokesperson said.

Also read:

Is Mosul finally free? The how, what and when of Iraq's Operation Mosul

Iraq announces 'victory' over Islamic State in Mosul

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 10:26 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a855403 1 Business SKKMigas,PPATK,cooperation,money-laundering Free

The Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) has teamed up with a financial intelligence body to boost transparency and prevent money laundering among stakeholders involved in the upstream sector.

SKKMigas signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) last Thursday to secure cooperation in several areas, including in the exchange of information, research and information technology development.

Through the MoU, we expect there will be further efforts to prevent and eradicate money laundering in upstream oil and gas activities, SKKMigas communications head Wisnu Prabawa Taher said in a statement on Sunday.

Wisnu said all stakeholders, including financial regulators, law enforcers and the public, should join hands to meet this ambition.

(Read also: Combating money laundering)

In May 2015, the National Police raided the offices of petrochemical company PT Trans Pacific Petrochemical Indotama (TPPI) and SKKMigas in Jakarta, as several officials from both parties were suspected of laundering money, allegedly causing state losses of US$156 million.

From 2009 to 2010, the TPPI collaborated with SKKMigas to market condensate in the country, but the former never paid out the profits from the sales of the equipment to the latter.

Moreover, in April 2014, former SKKMigas chief Rudi Rubiandini was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined Rp 200 million ($14,905) by the Jakarta Corruption Court after he was proven guilty of accepting S$200,000 and $900,000 in bribes from Widodo Ratanachaithong of Singapore-based oil trading company Kernel Oil. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 13:50 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a860aac 4 City Hermansyah,Rizieq-Shihab,Firza-Husein,Bandung-Institute-of-Technology,assault-case Free

A telecommunications expert with the Bandung Institute of Technology, Hermansyah, was attacked by a group of unidentified people on the Jagorawi toll road in Cipayung, East Jakarta, on Sunday.

Hermansyah was stabbed on the toll road at around 4 a.m.

"The victim's car was struck by the assailants car. The assailants then forced him [Hermansyah] to pull over, East Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Andry Wibowo said as quoted by kompas.com.

When Hermansyah stepped out of the car, one of the perpetrators stabbed him with a sharp weapon.

After attacking Hermansyah, they all escaped, Andry said.

Hermansyah's wife then rushed him to the nearby Hermina Hospital in Depok, West Java, where he underwent surgery for stab wounds to the neck, hand, foot and ear.

Hermansyah was later transferred to the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital (RSPAD) in Central Jakarta, citing security concerns.

Hermansyah is an expert who once questioned the authenticity of the steamy conversations between Islam Defenders Front (FPI) cleric Rizieq Shihab and Firza Husein.

During a TV program, he suggested that the police track down the parties who uploaded the chats onto the internet. (cal/dmr)
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 16:28 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a867b00 1 National president,election,election-bill,Wiranto Free

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto said Monday that he hoped for fewer presidential candidates in the upcoming general elections, as he preferred quality over quantity.

It is better to focus on the quality [of presidential candidates] instead of the number [of candidates] running in the election, Wiranto told the press on the sidelines of a hearing at the House of Representatives.

He said that the number of presidential candidates would determine the complexity of the electoral process. More candidates would mean a more complicated process, he added, arguing that fewer candidates would lead to a healthier democracy.

Wirantos statements were issued to support the governments idea of setting the presidential threshold at between 20 percent and 25 percent. This threshold would compel political parties to form a coalition to secure at least 20 percent of votes in the legislative election so as to be able to nominate a president.

The proposed 25 percent threshold has so far been backed by three parties under President Joko Jokowi Widodos government coalition  the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Golkar Party and the NasDem Party. However many parties have rejected the idea, suggesting a threshold of no greater than 10 percent.

The prolonged debate has hampered the ongoing deliberation of the election bill that will set guidelines for the first-ever simultaneous legislative and presidential elections in 2019. The House special team is expected to make a final decision on the fate of the bill in the evening. (ika)
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, July 11 2017

Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto has addressed various concerns over foreign investment in Indonesia and wooed investors during his visit to South Korea and Japan last week.

In South Korea, Airlangga met up with top executives from steel giant Posco, petrochemical producers LG International and Lotte Chemical and trading firm SK Trading International. Meanwhile, in Japan he persuaded Sojitz Corporation to jack up its investment in Indonesia and elaborated on business opportunities in Southeast Asias largest economy when addressing the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).

During the meeting with Posco executives, he requested the firm speed up construction on a hot stripped mill, which has only progressed to 17 percent as of May, Airlangga revealed Monday.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 10, 2017 13:08 1950 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a85dab9 1 News Malaysia,travel-fair,tourism-promotion,Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia Free

The consul general of Indonesia in Penang Iwanshah Wibisono paid a visit to Wonderful Indonesia booth at Malaysia International Travel Mart (MITM) in Penang on Sunday, July 9.

Wibisono was accompanied by Andy Chuah, chairman of Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA). Please come to Indonesia where you can see the real Phinisi boat that has traveled across five continents [] The paradise of the world is Indonesia, our natural wonders which are always on the worlds top 20 list, our great culture, delicious food, friendly people, everything is affordable. Where else can you find all of these? Wibisono said.

Read also: Six eco-friendly accommodation options for green travelers

Penang itself is an exciting place to attract visitors. In 2015, the number of population in Penang reached 1.69 million people, 41.6 percent of which are Malays, 40.5 percent Chinese, 9.6 percent Indians and 8 percent non-Malays. Penang is the third most urbanized state in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, and contributes 6.4 percent to the economic growth of Malaysia with the biggest incomes from medical tourism and properties.

For Penang, the potential is still wide open. We can sell Bali and Yogyakarta because the majority of the locals here love to go to the seas and heritage sites, Wibisono added.

Indonesia is a preferred destination, it has a lot of beautiful destinations. Thank you for participating in MITM, Chuah added. (asw)
The final night at Webster Hall before it closes for renovation will be August 5. [Daily News]

Steve Cuozzo mocks East Village activists who plan a rally against Starbucks this week. [New York Post]

Sean Basinski of the Urban Justice Centers Street Vendor Project says, the city actively supports large landlords to the detriment of small business owners. [Gotham Gazette]

M14 bus stops are being relocated, apparently in preparation for the reconstruction of the L Train stairwells on Avenue A. [EV Grieve]

The Chinatown Neighborhood Planning subcommittee of Community Board 3 meets for the first time tonight. [CB3]

Conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos holds his book party at The DL. The atmosphere was a far cry from that of the average Manhattan book launch. At 10:30, Yiannopoulos stormed the stage in a karategi, the traditional Japanese karate uniform, and engaged in stage combat with a number of actors, dressed in burkas and pink hats A Hillary Clinton impersonator occupied a dunk tank on the third floor patio. A .38 pistol was used as a prop in the performance [Publishers Weekly]

Esther Choi is getting ready to open her Korean gastropub on Allen Street. [Eater]
At its July 2017 meeting, Community Board 3s Transportation, Public Safety & Environment Committee will be featuring a presentation from the Office of New York State Senator Daniel Squadron regarding his ongoing efforts to encourage the MTA to improve M14A bus service in our community. In connection with the presentation, the Committee is seeking comments from the community regarding the adequacy, frequency, and reliability of M14A bus service. Whether the Committee takes further action on this issue will largely depend on what we hear from the community we represent. As such, if this is an important issue to you, please plan to attend the Committees July 11th meeting.
Title: Return of the Stanton Building

Proposer: The Stanton Task Force including Green Map System, Sara Roosevelt Park Community Coalition, and University Settlement

The Stanton Building of Sara Roosevelt Park in the Lower East Side of Manhattan was one of the many NYC Park Houses (40 in Manhattan alone), which were community centers until the 1970s, when the City almost went bankrupt and could no longer maintain them. Today the Stanton Building is used as storage for the NYC Parks. This project would redesign the Stanton Building as a multi-use community hub assisting homeless people, serving as a climate emergency education and response center, or a flexible meeting space for a myriad of neighborhood needs, while envisioning a citywide model for reclaiming underutilized public space.

Planning for the future use of the Stanton Street Park Building will allow the community to play an active role in the buildings design and future use and maximize public space while integrating community members who often do not see the interconnectedness of their lives. Designing the Stanton Street building to serve as a resource for our homeless neighbors, while also providing programming to the larger community, can serve as a future model for how to use public space to foster greater community integration and understanding, said Laura Timme, Associate Executive Director, University Settlement.
The tug-of-war between two factions in the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) has deepened the crisis in Nagaland.

By Indrajit Kundu: The tug-of-war between two factions in the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) has deepened the crisis in Nagaland. In a dramatic development, former chief minister TR Zeliang has written to Governor PB Acharya staking claim to form a new government in the state. Zeliang claims that he has support of majority NPF MLAs and has now rushed to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

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On Sunday, Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu sacked four top ministers and 10 Parliamentary Secretaries and suspended 10 NPF members who had revolted against him. Liezietsu also terminated the appointment of Zeliang, who is leading the revolt as the Finance Advisor of the state government.

In his letter to the Governor, Zeliang states that Liezietsu has been reduced to minority. "34 NPF MLAs (including me) out of 47, supported me to continue as the Leader of the Legislature Party of the NPF and also authorised me to stake claim before the Governor to form a new NPF led DAN Government in Nagaland," his letter states.

UNREST IN THE STATE

"The MLAs also urged the present Chief Minister, who is a non-MLA, to resign and pave way for me to take over as the Chief Minister," it adds. Liezietsu, who is also the NPF supremo had taken over as CM earlier this year following massive unrest in the state over women's reservation in urban local bodies.

However, revolt was brewing in the NPF ranks with a faction of MLAs led by Zeliang camping at a resort in Assam's Kaziranga. This comes at a time when party chief Shurhozelie Liezietsu is preparing to face the Assembly by-elections on July 29.

In an emotional statement, the chief minister said he was deeply pained by the disturbing developments that had affected the normal functioning of the government. "The current issue is within the NPF party and will be resolved at the earliest to bring about normalcy in the state. The mandate of the people will be respected and the present crisis will be resolved in the larger interest of the people of the state," he said.

The ruling NPF is a part of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) under the NDA and has support of four BJP members in the state assembly.

ALSO READ:

Nagaland: Political crisis deepens; CM sacks 4 ministers, 10 parliamentary secretaries

The story of Nagaland cop who turned Kerala billionaire

ALSO WATCH:

Nagaland rape victim claims she was offered money to keep silent

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Jul 10 (PTI) Nepal will send a high-level delegation to India tomorrow to hold talks with the Indian authorities over the possible impact of GST on the trade between the two countries.

The delegation will discuss issues concerning Goods and Services Tax (GST) recently imposed in India in relation to the bilateral Trade and Transit Treaty between the two countries, officials said here.

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The team led by Ravi Shankar Sainju, joint secretary at the Commerce Ministry, will arrive in New Delhi tomorrow to discuss the issues.

Officials from Ministry of Finance and Commerce will be included in the delegation.

Nepal would be drawing attention of the Indian government over GST implementation in relation to the bilateral Trade and Transit Treaty, Sainju said.

"Though the actual impact of the GST on the bilateral trade is yet to be seen, Nepal government wants to address the problems the domestic traders might be facing following the implementation of GST," he said.

Nepal expressed its concern following complaints raised by the traders and freight forwarders.

"Goods intended for import into or export from the territories of either contracting parties from or to a third country shall be accorded freedom of transit through the territories of the other party. No distinction shall be made based on the flag of vessels, the place of origin, departure and exit destination or ownership of goods,? reads the bilateral trade.

Despite such provision in the treaty, the traders and freight forwarders have been complaining to the government about slow pace of movement of goods during export and import of goods to and from India since last week when the Indian Government enforced GST.

According to the traders and freight forwarders, the authority at the Kolkata Port earlier used to impose 15 per cent logistic service charge on goods imported from third countries. With GST coming into effect, that charge has been raised to 18 per cent.

?Although the GST should not affect Nepals trade, however with the confusion to the officials at implementation level, Nepali traders could have been facing problem,? Sainju said.

Landlocked Nepal depends on transshipment via India for trade with the rest of the world. PTI SBP PMS AKJ PMS

--- ENDS ---
There are several different kinds of magic in this world. From card to coin tricks, escapism and fire eating, magicians have experimented with new and fascinating ways of entertaining baffled viewers all over the world for centuries.

As technology evolves, and our society with it, new forms of magic are being created day by day. It is in this thriving environment that Tom London was born.

He is a magician of the future. His cards are peoples smartphones, his hat a blackboard with apparently random numbers.

Tom, whose performance for Americas Got Talent wowed hundreds, told the National Student that magic in London is thriving in the sense that there are a lot of magicians working at corporates events [where they can meet other magic performers].

Its very different from the US were magicians are [mainly] on their own shows.

In this fast paced environment, Tom met his mentor and world-class magician Etienne Pradier: I used to work in a restaurant and I started doing magic tricks there.

One night, while I was performing, Etienne came to me and I found out he was a member of The Magic Circle.

He asked me to join his group and so I became one of the youngest members of the Circle.

When asked why would he choose to embrace technology magic, rather than a more classical type, Tom said that surely one of the reasons was his father.

[He] has been working as a web developer since the 80s and Ive always been fascinated with technology and so when I started doing magic I decided to mix these two things.

I wanted to make a statement hoping to inspire people to take this more seriously. What I wanted to do was to focus on technology and make it magical.

Why are we not doing magic on Snapchat? Tom asked Why are we not doing magic on Facebook? Thats what I think its going to change with magic the next five years.

When asked what his projects for the future are, Tom said that I believe we are all connected on a far deeper level.

What I want to do with my magic is to prove [it] and explore that concept far, far more.

For more info on Tom and his upcoming shows see his website here. UK viewers can watch Americas Got Talent on truTV every Tuesday from 8pm (truTV is available on Freeview 60, Sky 185, Freesat 154 and Virgin 212).
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As per the complaint with police, three persons in drunken state, allegedly grabbed her while she was on the dance floor with her husband.

By Ajay Kumar: A Nepali woman was allegedly molested and her husband was brutally assaulted in Gurugram's night club named Elite, situated on MG road on Saturday night.

When the husband of the woman, who is in her mid 20s, tried to protect her, he was brutally beaten by the goons.

The incident took place at around 10pm. As per the complaint with police, three persons in drunken state, allegedly grabbed her while she was on the dance floor with her husband.

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"The act of the trio was strongly objected by her husband that led to an argument. The accused dragged victim's husband out of the club and thrashed him brutally. Club's bouncers allegedly did not intervene for quite some time that escalated the matter," said one of the investigating officers.

Also Read:

Woman with short-term memory loss raped, man associated with Uber arrested

Kolkata horror: Woman molested in front of husband in posh Park Street night club

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Kolkata horror: 30-year-old woman molested, husband choked in Park Street's posh bar

--- ENDS ---
The cancellation of Lok Samvad programme has triggered speculations that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was avoiding the media in view of the recent CBI raids on the family of alliance partner Lalu Prasad.

By India Today Web Desk: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has cancelled his weekly Lok Samvad programme scheduled for today. The Chief Minister office, on Sunday, issued a statement citing ill health of Nitish as the reason for cancellation of the Lok Samvad programme. The official release said that the JD(U) chief was down with fever.

This has triggered speculations that he was avoiding the media in view of the recent CBI raids on the family of alliance partner Lalu Prasad.

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In the political circle, the cancellation of the Lok Samvad programme is being viewed as Nitish Kumar's move to avoid sharing space with deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav against whom a FIR has been lodged on charges of a amassing "benami" properties.

Neither Nitish, nor his party, the JDU, has commented so far on Friday's CBI raids in four cities in connection with a corruption case, in which Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi are among the accused.

Lok Samvad is a public interface programme of Nitish Kumar held every Monday. It is aimed at collecting the feedback of the people on the implementation of the development schemes and gather new ideas to strengthen 'sushasan' (good governance).

After the Lok Samvad programme, the chief minister holds a press conference.

While Nitish Kumar has maintained a studied silence on the issue of raids on Lalu's family, another ally Congress has expressed solidarity with the RJD chief and accused the central BJP government of "misusing" the official machinery.

following CBI raids on Lalu and lodging of FIR against Tejashwi.

ALSO READ:

Despite CBI, ED raids and corruption taint, Nitish Kumar unlikely to break ties with Lalu Prasad Yadav

Will CBI raid on Lalu Yadav family lead to Tejashwi's exit from Nitish cabinet?

ALSO WATCH: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar attacks Congress, accuses it of indulging in reactionary politics

--- ENDS ---
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav spoke to each other over phone on Sunday, disclosed senior RJD leader Jagdanand Singh.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: After maintaining a studied silence for the last four days over the CBI raids at Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief's residence, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar spoke to Lalu Prasad over phone on Sunday.

This was disclosed today by senior RJD leader Jagdanand Singh after the party legislators meet at Lalu Prasad's residence on 10, Circular Road in Patna.

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Jagdanand Singh, however, did not divulge the details of the conversation between Lalu and Nitish. "Both leaders spoke to each other. Nitish had called Lalu yesterday," said the RJD leader.

TEJASHWI RESIGNATION A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION

The RJD at today's legislators meet decided that Bihar deputy chief minister and Lalu's younger son Tejashwi Yadav will not resign from his post. An FIR has been lodged against Tejashwi Yadav for amassing "benami" properties in Delhi and Patna.

"Tejashwi Yadav's resignation is a hypothetical question. There was no discussion on him. In fact, the legislators appreciated the good work done by him in the last year-and-a-half," said Abdul Bari Siddiqui, an RJD leader and finance minister in Nitish Kumar's cabinet.

BALL NOW IN CM NITISH KUMAR's COURT

With the RJD coming out strongly in support of Tejashwi Yadav, the ball is now in Nitish Kumar's court who is facing pressure from the Opposition to act against the deputy chief minister.

Sources in party circles said that Nitish Kumar was expecting that Tejashwi would step down as the deputy chief minister after today's meeting of RJD legislators, thereby giving him some breathing space.

However, with that not happening, Nitish Kumar would now have to take a call on whether Tejashwi Yadav should continue in his cabinet.

BJP has been upping the ante against Lalu and his family and has demanded that the chief minister acts against Tejashwi.

"It was expected that Tejashwi won't resign. Nitish Kumar has to decide if he wants to work with a tainted minister. We are waiting and watching the situation now," said Sushil Kumar Modi, BJP leader.

ALSO READ:

Tejashwi Yadav won't resign as Bihar Deputy CM, say RJD MLAs over raids on Yadav properties

Bihar Congress on CBI raid: Amit Shah was a tadipaar, Modi became PM 'after killing hundreds'

Lalu on CBI raids: Hang me but will crush Modi, Amit Shah's ego

ALSO WATCH: Nitish cancels Monday's janta darbar due to ill health. Is he avoiding deputy CM Tejashwi?

--- ENDS ---
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.
Nitish Kumar's decision to skip the meet has given another jolt to efforts to mend Opposition unity as the non-NDA parties will be meeting to discuss the vice-presidential nominee.

By Supriya Bhardwaj: JDU chief Nitish Kumar will not be attending the Opposition's meet scheduled to be held in Delhi on Tuesday. Earlier on Sunday, citing ill health as the reason, Nitish Kumar had also cancelled his weekly Lok Samvad program.

Nitish Kumar's decision to skip the meet has gives another jolt to efforts to mend Opposition unity as the non-NDA parties will be meeting to discuss the vice-presidential nominee and Opposition strategy for the Monsoon Session.

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Earlier, Nitish's Janata Dal (United) didn't take part in the meeting of 17 Opposition parties that announced that former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar would be their presidential nominee.

The Bihar CM has called all his party leaders at national and state level for a meeting in Patna raising many questions as far mahaghatbandhan in Bihar is concerned.

DENT IN OPPOSITION UNITY

Ever since Nitish Kumar announced his support to Ram Nath Kovind ahead of the presidential polls, there's speculation in Bihar political circles that Nitish was looking for ways to return to the NDA camp.

The chief minister's decision to back Kovind also brought back the focus on whether everything was well between Nitish and Lalu, and whether Nitish would continue to lead the the Grand Alliance government, which he runs with the RJD's support.

Nitish Kumar did not just send out a clear message to the Opposition parties declaring that he will not take a U-turn on supporting NDA's Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, he further slammed the Opposition parties for fielding former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar as their choice for President.

BIHAR ASSEMBLY SEATS

The present scenario in the Bihar Assembly is that Mahagathbadhan partners have 178 seats, RJD 80, JDU 71, Congress 27. The BJP-led NDA, on the other hand, has 57 seats. In the event of Nitish pulling out of the government following deteriorating relations with Lalu's party RJD, he may still continue to remain the CM with NDA's support. NDA with 57 seats along with JDU's 71 will reach 128, well past the half way mark of 122 in the house of 243.

ALSO READ:

By fielding Meira Kumar against Ram Nath Kovind, Opposition's main target is Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar cancels today's Lok Samvad. Is he trying to avoid Tejashwi Yadav?

Despite CBI, ED raids and corruption taint, Nitish Kumar unlikely to break ties with Lalu Prasad Yadav

Will CBI raid on Lalu Yadav family lead to Tejashwi's exit from Nitish cabinet?

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Also Watch: Lalu to brainstorm next move in meeting with RJD leaders, Nitish Kumar to miss Opposition's meet

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--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Eds: Adding details, comments

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) Passengers flying economy class with Air India on domestic routes wont be served non- vegetarian food as the carrier wants to cut down on costs and stop wastage.

"This is an attempt to rationalise costs. We have also realised that this will reduce wastage to a great extent because we carry extra vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals," Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani told PTI.

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He said that the airline will be taking more such steps in future to reduce its expenses, including in the catering department.

Serving one type of meal to passengers in economy class will also make the job of crew members "simpler", Lohani said.

An airline spokesperson told television channels that the decision was taken last week.

An Air India official, who did not wished to be named, explained the move, "70 per cent of our meals are veg. Most Indian passengers opt for the veg meal and there are hardly any takers for the non-veg meal. Also, you cant serve non-veg to a vegetarian but vice versa is possible."

The official also said that this will help avoid arguments between crew members and passengers if they insist on a particular kind of meal, which may have been exhausted.

A former airline official explained how restricting choice of food onboard a plane paves the way for a hassle-free service.

"When you have just one type of meal to offer then you can just start from one end (of the aircraft) and finish at the other end, which helps you improve efficiency. Secondly, if you offer a choice then you have to ask a customer whether he or she prefers vegetarian or non-vegetarian, which is a more time-consuming exercise.

"Thirdly, so that you dont run out of either the vegetarian or non-vegetarian meals you carry surplus food, which adds to wastage."

Last year, Air India replaced veg and non-veg sandwiches with veg hot meals on flights of up to 90 minutes duration. It had also decided to strike off both tea and coffee from its lunch and dinner menu.

However, on Twitter, several people took pot shots at the national carrier for the move.

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah wasnt convinced with the rationale behind the move.

"With Rs 50,000 crores of accumulated losses this will restore Air India to full health in.... oh heck 5000 years. Well worth it :)," Abdullah wrote tongue-in-cheek.

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"Low cost is a philosophy not a strategy. AI strikes non-vegetarian food off menu for economy class travellers #FAIL," said @CaptShaktiLumba.

Madhu Menon tweeted, " Only veg food on Air India. Next, flight attendants to speak only Hindi. After that, stand for national anthem before flight take-off."

"Air India is unable to sort veg and non-veg boxes accurately. But is to be trusted to fly people," said Veena Venugopal.

But there were those who sided with Air India too.

"A lot of low-cost airlines simplify food choices. Airlines in Lat Am, for e.g, sometimes just have a chicken/ham sandwich as the only option. Simple business sense suggests that any loss making entity should attempt to optimise and cut costs & more food options = more cost," wrote Krish Ashok in a series of tweets.

Last month the AI CMD had appealed to senior executives to work towards boosting the airlines revenue at a time it is saddled with a debt of Rs 52,000 crore.

"Let us become aggressive commercially and display a major spurt in revenues," he told his colleagues.

In response to this, an official had suggested that the airline could do away with salad in meals on international flights and carry fewer copies of Air Indias in-flight magazine.

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Many airlines world over are known for coming up with novel ways to cut costs, majority of which is accounted for by the fuel bill.

A few years ago, a domestic airline in India decided to employ only female flight attendants on weight grounds. In the 1980s, an American carrier found that if one olive was removed from every salad served to the passengers, it would save up to USD 40,000 a year. PTI JC ZMN

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (EDs: Updates with LG reax)

Puducherry, Jul 10 (PTI) The Puducherry Assembly Speaker today termed as improper and not acceptable the induction of three BJP functionaries as nominated MLAs by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and returned the file to her, sparking a fresh round of confrontation.

Bedi had on July 4 sworn in V Saminathan, the president of BJPs Puducherry unit; K G Shankar, its treasurer and S Selvaganapathy, a BJP functionary and a local educationist, as nominated members, triggering a wave of protests from Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and Congress leaders.

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Puducherry has a 33-member House, of which three members are nominated legislators.

"The induction of the three members was improper and not acceptable as the swearing-in was not done in proper procedure," a source close to Speaker V Vaithilingam quoted him as having said in a note while returning the file Bedi had forwarded to him on July 5, informing him of their induction.

There was also no communication from the Union Home Ministry, the competent authority, to the office of the Speaker on appointment of the three members as nominated legislators, the note said.

The source said the file was returned to Bedi on these grounds.

Hours after the file was returned to her, Bedi, in a WhatsApp communication to mediapersions, said she has sought the Centres appropriate action`in the wake of the current development.

In the communication,Bedi said the Speaker`s office had returned to her Secretariatall the papers she had sent to him relating to theswearing in of the nominated members on the ground that "no communication has been received from competent authority by the office of the Speaker".

She said the Speaker`s office also informed her that they are not bound by the communication sent by her Secretariat. "We have informed the Government of India for appropriate action" on the matter, she said.

Bedi said the fact was that the nomination was made by the Central government and was also duly notified by the Puducherry Government with due information to the Speaker. She recalled that the Centre had exercised its statutory powers as laid down under Section 3(3) of the Union Territories Act, empowering it to nominate not more than three MLAs to the Puducherry Assembly.

The Centre had accordingly nominated three persons and orders were also received by Puducherry government, she said. Bedi said the Chief Secretary had notified the Central government`s order in Extraordinary Gazette of Puducherry government. She said the three nominated members had at first called on the Speaker for being sworn in. "The Honourable Speaker was evasive to them and gave no time line of oath taking", Bedi said. They then reported the matter to her and requested herto use her power under Section 11 of the Act to administer the oath. This was done after due information to the Centre and to the Speaker, she said. Soon after releasing the communication, Bedi left here for Chennai en route to Delhi. The Speakers action comes against the backdrop of opposition AIADMK (Amma) plea to the Speaker earlier today to convene a special assembly session and adopt a resolution against the "arbitrary nomination" of the three members by the Centre and their induction into the House.

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Party leader A Anbalagan had told reporters that "unnecessary confusion" has been created by the Centre through the "arbitrary nomination" of the three members and their induction in the House by the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor had taken the stand that she had acted only in keeping with the statutory provisions.

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Her action had drawn flak from Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, PWD Minister and PCC president A Namassivayam, Welfare Minister M Kandasamy and ruling Congress legislators, that she had acted arbitrarily, "violating democratic norms and conventions."

Narayanasamy had earlier termed the swearing in of the members by Bedi a "murder of democracy" and alleged that she was functioning as an "agent of the BJP".

He had also urged the Centre to withdraw the nomination of the three, saying it was against the constitutional provisions and democratic norms.

Ruling Congress leaders along with leaders and legislators of its alliance partner DMK and also functionaries of CPI, CPI(M) and VCK had observed a fast on July 7 condemning the "appointment of the three BJP activists without consulting the elected government."

The three legislators, meanwhile, had submitted a joint letter to the Assembly Secretary on July 7 seeking allocation of a room for them on the premises of the Assembly, issue of identity cards and other statutory facilities.

Saminathan, one of the nominated members, has been appointed as leader of the BJP`s legislature wing, according to the letter the nominated members had presented to the Secretary of the Assembly.PTI COR APR GSN GSN

--- ENDS ---

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A youth from Andhra Pradesh died in a boat tragedy in Germany, according to information reaching his family on Monday.

Mallikarjuna Rao (22) and another youth were killed when their boat capsized in a river in Essen city on Sunday.

The youth, hailing from Kattavari Palem village in Prakasam district, had gone to Germany about two months ago and was working as a mechanical engineer in a firm in Essen.

A group of six youth had gone for an outing on Sunday when the tragedy struck them. The family was informed by his friends that the boat capsized due to sudden rush of water.

Rao's father Katta Ramanaiah, who is a ration dealer, received the shocking news early Monday. He has appealed to the state government to help in bringing the body home.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday strongly condemned the terrorist attack that killed seven Amarnath Yatris, saying terrorism was unacceptable anywhere in the world.

"Strongly condemn the attack on Amarnath yatris and the police. Terrorism unacceptable anywhere in the world," Banerjee tweeted.

Fourteen others, including policemen, were injured when the terrorists struck at a bus carrying them in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantang district.

The bus was attacked in Batengoo around 8.20 p.m. while returning from Baltal to Mir Bazar after darshan, said J&K police and CRPF.

The militants also carried out two attacks on security forces in the area.


A retired officer of the Jammu and Kashmir Police was killed and his two sons injured in a road accident in the state's hilly Kishtwar district on Sunday, police said.

Former Deputy Superintendent of Police Hakka Din Sheikh was killed when his car rolled into gorge at Machi Pal in Kishtwar as he was on his way from Gandoh to Bhaderwah town, said a police spokesman.

Sheikh died on the spot and his two sons were injured and have been shifted to hospital, he added.
Senior lawyer and AAP legislator HS Phoolka on Sunday said he wants to resign as the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly so as to be able to continue to fight cases of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims in courts.

The move follows directions from the Delhi Bar Council disallowing Phoolka from contesting cases of the riot victims in various courts, saying that he held an "office of profit" being Leader of Opposition.

Phoolka said that he had asked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal to select somebody else as the legislature party leader and suggested three names  Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Kanwar Sandhu and Aman Arora. It was not known yet if he had submitted his resignation yet.

"I will continue to fight for the rights of the riot victims which I have been doing for so many years," Phoolka, a Supreme Court lawyer, said in New Delhi.

Having emerged as the second largest party with 20 legislators in the 117-member Assembly in the elections held in February this year, the AAP has got the post of the Leader of Opposition. This was the first outing for AAP in the Punjab Assembly polls.

It named Phoolka as its leader in the house in March this year after the election results.
In an effort to cut cost and avoid mix-up of meals, national carrier Air India will now only serve vegetarian meals to passengers on flights lasting up to 90 minutes, according to media reports.

We have decided to serve vegetarian meals in our economy-class seats on domestic flights, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani was quoted as saying by a news agency.

The airline will continue to serve non-vegetarian meals in its business class and executive class seats on all domestic and international flights.

"Air India has taken conscious decision not to have non vegetarian meal in economy class on its domestic flights to reduce wastage, reduce cost and improve catering service," AI spokesman GP Rao was quoted as saying by a news agency.

The move comes as AI's debt burden of over Rs. 52,000 crore and mounting losses have led the government to decide to sell it off. IndiGo has already given a formal expression of interest to buy the international operations of AI and AI Express.

Last month, AI employees had given a number of cost-cutting measures to the management to turn around the airline and prevent its privatisation.

Last year, a ruckus occurred on a Shanghai-Delhi-Mumbai flight of Air India after some passengers complained about being served non-vegetarian food instead of their preferred choice of vegetarian food.

Air India now spends Rs.400 crore on catering on its domestic and international flights every year, an Air India executive said.

Last year, Air India had stopped serving non-vegetarian food to its economy-class passengers on flights lasting up to 90 minutes. It also took tea and coffee off the lunch and dinner menus as a cost-cutting measure. But it allowed the passengers to opt for either vegetarian or non-vegetarian meals on all domestic flights exceeding 90 minutes.

(With inputs from agencies)
By PTI: Hyderabad, Jul 10 (PTI) The city-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has developed a mobile app which can help fishermen as well as the Navy or the Coast Guard in the search of people or boats missing at sea.

The app works out `Most Probable Search Area once it is fed the information about the point where the missing person or boat was `last seen, so the rescuers can reach there in the shortest possible time.

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Not only people and boats, but the app can help in the search of 64 types of objects missing at sea.

Chairman of National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board and Director General of Indian Coast Guard Rajendra Singh launched the app `SARAT at the NMSAR Board meeting in Delhi today, INCOIS said in a release here.

INCOIS is an autonomous agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Conducting search and rescue operations at sea, which are usually needed during bad weather, is an extremely challenging task which can be compared to the proverbial `search for a needle in a haystack, INCOIS said.

The SARAT system -- its web version was out last year -- mainly enables the Coast Guard, the Navy and coastal police to minimise the time needed for search.

The app is accessible in the languages of all coastal states, so a fisherman in any part of the country can use it.

"Users can select a specific point where the person or object was last seen using the apps interactive map or they can select a nearby coastal location, approximate distance travelled and bearing angle, so that the `last seen point is calculated.

"The Most Probable Search Area is then generated and relayed in map form as well as a text message," INCOIS release said.

The rescuers can feed their own GPS location to the app, and it will map out the closest route to the Search Area.

The app is expected to be compatible with over 90 per cent of Android handsets in use.

"The accuracy of SARAT is validated using networks of drifting buoys and other instruments. The SARAT system proved its mettle earlier by successfully assisting with recovery of the Indian Coast Guards missing Dornier aircraft off Chennai in 2015," INCOIS said.

"The system can predict the most probable search area for up to five days," the release said. PTI SJR RS KRK

--- ENDS ---
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday evening spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in the wake of terror attack involving Amarnath pilgrims and assured her of all support.

He also spoke to Governor N. N. Vohra.

Informed sources said Rajnath Singh also talked to state Director General of Police S. P. Vaid and has sought a report over the attack.

He will hold a high-level meeting to look into the lapses that led to the pilgrims being killed in the attack.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a high level meeting with top Home Ministry and security officials on Monday evening and reviewed the security situation in the state.

Seven pilgrims were killed and 14 others, including policemen, injured on Monday when a bus of yatris was caught in a cross fire between militants and a police party in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantang district, police said.

The bus was carrying pilgrims back from Baltal after performing the yatra.


China on Monday said that President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "no bilateral meeting" on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, after India had claimed the two leaders discussed "a range of issues".

"According to my information, the two said leaders did not hold any bilateral meeting," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said when asked about the issue discussed between the two.

Geng said Xi chaired an informal meet of BRICS leaders during which Modi was present.

He said the withdrawal of troops from Doklam was the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between both sides.

On Saturday, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson refused to elaborate on the "range of issues" discussed by Modi and Xi during their informal conversation in Hamburg.

"We have tweeted that the two leaders discussed a range of issues. A range of issues means a range of issues. I don't want to add anything furtherI leave it to you to draw your conclusion," Baglay said.
Iraqi Prime Minister congratulated forces on reclaiming Mosul from ISIS. A look at how the fight between Islamic State and the Iraqi forces took place.

By India Today Web Desk: On July 9, 2017 the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul to declare a "victory" over the so called-Islamic State marking an end to over eight months of warfare in the city of Mosul. The city of Mosul has been under ISIS' rule since 2014. When ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi gave the call for a global caliphate, he did it from Mosul, Iraq.

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ISIS rapidly spread through parts of Iraq and Syria after that but was pushed back by airstrikes led by the United States of America. Iraqi forces entered Mosul in October 2016. The effort to reclaim the city has led to unimaginable destruction in Mosul.

The victory of Iraqi forces over Mosul is being hailed as Iraq's victory against ISIS but the threat is not yet over. ISIS still holds cities in Iraq and other adjoining areas, and continues attacking government controlled parts of the country. It also has a stronghold in Syria, in Raqa.

Here's a timeline of Operation Mosul: 16 October, 2016 : A coalition of more than 30,000 troops from the Iraqi army, Kurdish peshmerga fighters and Shia militia decide to enter the city of Mosul to reclaim it from the clutches of so called-Islamic State. According to figures, around 6,000 ISIS fighters were hiding in the city. A decision was made for only Iraqi army to enter the city as the majority Sunni population of Mosul could presume the Kurdish and Shia fighters to be ISIS supporters. 21 October, 2016 : ISIS attacks the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Mosul was the last urban stronghold with ISIS in Iraq, when the Iraqi forces launched an attack on Mosul, the Islamic State was left with no choice but to retaliate. The Kirkuk attack was seen as an attempt by the ISIS to distract the security forces from Mosul. Despite ISIS launching many defensive attacks in Mosul, considerable progress was made in north, south and east of the city. 31 October, 2016 : Iraqi forces managed to reach the eastern part of Mosul city and footholds were setup in Gogjali and Karama districts. 29 November, 2016 : Mosul is completely surrounded by Iraqi forces. Heavy fighting between the ISIS and Iraqi forces lead to water supply being cut-off for about 6,50,000 people in Mosul. UN warned that a siege like situation had emerged in Mosul due to shortage of food and water. Although Iraqi forces had surrounded the city, the progress was slow as the ISIS fighters hid themselves among a million citizens more often than not using them as human shields against the attacks by the Iraqi forces. 29 December 2016: Iraqi forces, along with US troops, push deeper into eastern Mosul claiming many neighborhoods. 15 January 2017: Mosul University complex was seized by the CTS forces. The Iraqi forces are aiming at clearing out ISIS fighters from the east bank of river Tigris. 19 February 2017: An operation was launched to take over the western part of Mosul, several weeks after Iraqi forces reclaimed eastern part of Mosul. 23 February 2017: The Iraqi forces manage to retake most parts of the Mosul airport. The airport was an important strategic point for the forces to launch their attacks into the northern part of the Mosul city towards residential areas and Mosul's symbolic great mosque. 7 March 2017: Iraqi forces move deeper into the western part of Mosul city and made key gains by capturing a municipal centre, central bank and museum. 28 March 2017 : The UN urges Iraqi authorities and US-led troops to take measures to minimize the loss of life of common citizens in airstrikes led by the US in the city of Mosul. Reports confirm that ISIS fighters in Mosul have been using common citizens as shield against airstrikes and other attacks by capturing them in buildings more likely to be attacked by airstrikes. 22 June 2017: ISIS militants blow up Mosul's symbolic Great Mosque of al-Noori. Explosives were used to detonate the 840-year-old mosque. The importance of the mosque in the ISIS narrative was that the mosque was used by Baghdadi to announce a global caliphate in 2014. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, said its destruction was now a "declaration of their defeat". 2 July 2017: After reclaiming the mosque of al-Noori after it was blown up by ISIS, Iraqi forces advance towards reclaiming other areas from the clutches of ISIS. Many areas in the old city were captured by US backed Iraqi forces. 9 July 2017 : Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrive in the city of Mosul to congratulate the military forces for wiping out the ISIS from Mosul. Victory is certain, and the (IS) remnants are surrounded... and it is just a matter of time for us to announce the great victory to our people," Abadi said in a statement.

--- ENDS ---
Have you ever heard of biofilms? They are slimy, glue-like membranes that are produced by microbes, like bacteria and fungi, in order to colonize surfaces. They can grow on animal and plant tissues, and even inside the human body on medical devices such as catheters, heart valves, or artificial hips. Biofilms protect microbes from the bodys immune system and increase their resistance to antibiotics. They represent one of the biggest threats to patients in hospital settings. But there is good news  a research team led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has developed a novel enzyme technology that prevents the formation of biofilms and can also break them down.

This finding, recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), creates a promising avenue for the development of innovative strategies to treat a wide variety of diseases and hospital-acquired infections like pneumonia, bloodstream and urinary tract infection. Biofilm-associated infections are responsible for thousands of deaths across North America every year. They are hard to eradicate because they secrete a matrix made of sugar molecules which form a kind of armour that acts as a physical and chemical barrier, preventing antibiotics from reaching their target sites within microbes.

We were able to use the microbes own tools against them to attack and destroy the sugar molecules that hold the biofilm together, says the studys co-principal investigator, Dr. Don Sheppard, director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the MUHC and scientist from the Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program at the RI-MUHC. Rather than trying to develop new individual bullets that target single microbes we are attacking the biofilm that protects those microbes by literally tearing down the walls to expose the microbes living behind them. Its a completely new and novel strategy to tackle this issue.

This work is the result of a four-year successful collaboration between Dr. Sheppards team and scientists in the laboratory of Dr. P. Lynne Howell, senior scientist in the Molecular Medicine program at SickKids. They have been working to combat biofilms for several years, focusing on two of the most common organisms responsible for lung infections: a bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a fungus called Aspergillus fumigatus. Infections with these organisms in patients with chronic lung diseases like cystic fibrosis represent an enormous challenge in medical therapy.

While studying machinery that these organisms use to make their biofilms, the scientists discovered enzymes that cut up the sugar molecules, which glue biofilms together. Microbes use these enzymes to move sugar molecules around and cut them into pieces in order to build and remodel the biofilm matrix, says Dr. Sheppard, who is also a professor in the departments of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology at McGill University. The researchers found a way to use these enzymes to degrade the sugar armour, exposing the microbe to antibiotics and host defenses.

We made these enzymes into a biofilm destroying machine that we can use outside the microbe where the sugar molecules are found, explains co-first study author Brendan Snarr, a PhD student in Dr. Sheppards laboratory. These enzymes chew away all of the sugar molecules in their path and dont stop until the matrix is destroyed.

Previous attempts to deal with biofilms have had only limited success, mostly in preventing biofilm formation. These enzymes are the first strategy that has ever been effective in eradicating mature biofilms, and that work in mouse models of infection, adds Dr. Sheppard.

When we took the enzymes from bacteria and applied them to the fungi, we found that they worked in the same way on the fungi biofilm; which was surprising, says the studys co-principal investigator, Dr. P. Lynne Howell, who is also a professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Toronto. Whats key is that this approach could be a universal way of being able to leverage the microbes own systems for degrading biofilms. This has bigger implications across many microbes, diseases and infections.

Over 70 percent of hospital-acquired infections are actually associated with biofilms and we simply lack tools to treat them! states Dr. Sheppard. According to both lead scientists, the potential of this novel therapy is enormous and they hope to commercialize it in the coming years.

To read the study

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1702798114

The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and healthcare research centre. The Institute, which is affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine of McGill University, is the research arm of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)  an academic health centre located in Montreal, Canada, that has a mandate to focus on complex care within its community. The RI-MUHC supports over 460 researchers and close to 1,300 research trainees devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental, clinical and health outcomes research at the Glen and the Montreal General Hospital sites of the MUHC.

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is recognized as one of the worlds foremost paediatric health-care institutions and is Canadas leading centre dedicated to advancing childrens health through the integration of patient care, research and education. Founded in 1875 and affiliated with the University of Toronto, SickKids is one of Canadas most research-intensive hospitals and has generated discoveries that have helped children globally.

Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC)

www.rimuhc.ca

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

www.sickkids.ca

A Bonaparte
Organisation: United States

US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda

Duty Station: Kampala,

Uganda

Salary Grade: FSN-6 Ugshs

41,892,912 p.a inclusive of allowances

Vacancy Announcement Number:

23-17

About US Embassy:

The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic

relations with Uganda for over 30 years.

Ambassador Deborah R. Malac currently heads the U.S Mission to

Uganda. The Mission is composed of

several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy

and at the direction of the Ambassador.

Among the offices operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:

United States Agency for International

Development (USAID)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Peace Corps

Job Summary: The

Administrative Assistant will be

responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties for the

Facilities section of the General Services Office of the United States Embassy

in Kampala.



Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience:

NOTE: All applicants must address each selection

criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting

each item.

The applicants for the United States US

Embassy Administrative Assistant career placement should have completed

two years of post-secondary studies in Secretarial studies,

administration, management from a university or technical institute is

required.

A minimum of two years of progressively

responsible secretarial positions is required.

Typing speed of 40 w.p.m.

Computer literacy i.e. working knowledge

of MS Word, Excel spreadsheets, presentations (PowerPoint) and e-mail

systems.

Broad knowledge of general office

management and administrative procedures.



Familiarity with sections 14 and 15 of the

Foreign affairs Manual and the Mission organization.

The applicant should have the ability to

provide additional training services and provide support to time and

attendance programs.

Language: Level 3 English

ability (good working knowledge) is required. Level 3 Luganda or Runyakitara Required.

This will be tested.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates who wish to join the

United States Embassy in Kampala are encouraged to Apply Online by following

the instructions below;



under the careers page for US Embassy Kampala using the link, Click

Here Applicants shall be required to registerunder the careers page for US Embassy Kampala using the link,

You will receive confirmation of

registration and proceed to apply.

On completion of this process you will

receive an auto response via your email.

NB: Applicants claiming a

U.S. Veterans preference must submit written documentation confirming

eligibility (e.g., Member Copy 4 of Form DD-214, Letter from the Veterans

Administration, or certification documenting eligibility under the VOW Act with

an expected discharge no later than 120 days after the certification is

submitted) by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the written

documentation confirming eligibility is not received in the HR office by the

closing date of the vacancy announcement, the U.S. Veterans preference will

not be considered in the application process. Specific criteria for receiving a

U.S. Veterans preference may be found in HR/OEs Family Member Employment

Policy (FMEP).

Deadline: 18th July 2017

The US Mission in Kampala provides equal opportunity and fair and

equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color

religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital

status, or sexual orientation. The

Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all

personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.






Organization: Justice

Centres Uganda (JCU)

Duty Station: Kampala,

Uganda

About US:

Justice Centres Uganda (JCU) is a Project of the Justice Law and Order

Sector(JLOS) hosted and supervised by the Judiciary to provide Legal Aid. The

Justice Centres are a one stop-stop shop with a broad range of legal aid

services to all categories of vulnerable people within the community,

identified through a means and merits test. Some of these services include;

legal representation, alternative dispute resolution, referrals, awareness

creation and outreach, as well as psychosocial support. The model used seeks to

bridge the gap between the demand and supply sides of justice while at the same

time empowering individuals and communities to claim their rights and demand

for policy change. Justice Centres Uganda operates offices in Kampala, Mengo,

Tororo, Lira, Hoima, Masaka, Jinja and Fortportal; serving the Central,

Eastern, Northern and Bunyoro regions respectively in Uganda.



Responsibilities: Key Duties andResponsibilities:

Operationalize the M&E system,

including, but not limited to, revising and developing tools, methods, and

guidelines for Results Based Monitoring.

The incumbent will revise and update the

M&E system as needed and appropriate.

Coordinate and supervise the weekly,

monthly, quarterly and annual reporting for the various donors and JCU

internally and ensure timely dissemination to all M&E stakeholders.

Ensure full operationalization and

utilization of Information Management System (IMS), including liaison with

IT technical support.

Build and maintain staff capacities for

planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting as well as the IMS.

Pay regular field visits to all upcountry

offices (40% of your time) to monitor activities and provide technical

support to staff on all M&E issues.

The incumbent will join activities,

including, but not limited to, outreaches, barazas and court and mediation

sessions, to assess implementation and provide support to staff.

Facilitate monthly meetings with the

M&E sub-committee to discuss relevant strategic issues.

The incumbent will dacilitate a periodic

participatory refining of the planning matrix and indicators with the full

participation of staff and key stakeholders.

Facilitate and coordinate documentation of

learning and best practices.

Offer timely technical advice and guidance

to the Secretariat) and upcountry Offices on M & E issues.

Analyze data from the upcountry offices

and other data sources to produce trends, statistics, outcome and impact

measurement that the Secretariat can rely on for performance assessment

and external advocacy.

Facilitate organizational learning through

internal and external technical meetings and reflection meetings.

Regular monitoring of upcountry Offices

and the National Coordination Unit with regard to progress tracking,

performance evaluation and reviewing targets.

Develop, implement, and maintain reporting

formats and an effective database.

Provide technical input for the

development of project proposals and concept notes.



Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience:

The ideal candidate should preferably hold

a first degree in Social Sciences, Statistics, Computer Science and other

related field. Additional qualification: Masters Degree in Economics,

Development Studies or related degree.

Additional training in M & E, Research

Methodologies and related processes will be an advantage.

At least three to five years experience

in a similar position or equivalent.

Professional

knowledge of planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Previous

experience of M&E especially of community based processes.

Demonstrated

ability and experience in designing M&E frameworks.

Proven

research abilities and experience.

Ability

to facilitate and coordinate processes.

Previous

experience and ability to build and manage teams.

Excellent

communication and documentation skills.

Previous

work with government, development oriented organizations or Legal

Aid Service Providers is an added advantage.

Computer literacy skills i.e. good knowledge and applications skills,

use of IT research packages and software.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates are encouraged to send

their application letters, updated CVs and copies of their

academic/professional certificates and a copy of their current Practicing

Certificate. Applications should indicate a daytime telephone contact, email

address and include three professional referees.

The complete applications should be addressed to the National

Coordinator, Justice Centres Uganda, Chamber F6 High Court Building, P.O. Box

26365 Kampala, Uganda. Please clearly

indicate on the envelope the position title you have applied for.

th July 2017 Deadline: 18July 2017
But the tribe has a long way to go
Sunlight is the best disinfectant, said Justice Louis Brandeis of the US Supreme Court, way back in 1913. On January 24, 1975, in State of UP v. Raj Narain, Justice K.K. Mathew of the Indian Supreme Court said, The people of this country have a right to know every public act, everything that is done in a public way, by their public functionaries. They are entitled to know the particulars of every public transaction in all its bearing.

These pleas for transparency in state action echoed in the Supreme Court of India recently. The matter in issue was whether the governor of Goa would be answerable under the Right to Information Act.

On July 6, a bench consisting of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Amitava Roy reportedly asked the Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar as to why there is a demand for secrecy for gubernatorial office, when there is nothing to hide even for the chief justice of India. Inter alia, the bench opined that the governor and the chief justice should be brought within the ambit of the Right to Information Act.

These were only observations and not conclusive findings in a judgment. The question whether the office of the chief justice of India comes within the ambit of Indias most radical legislation is now pending consideration by the larger bench of the Supreme Court. The High Court of Delhi had earlier decided the question in the affirmative. In 2010, a three-judge bench of the Delhi High Court consisting of Justice A.P. Shah, Justice Vikramjit Sen, and Justice S. Muralidhar, in a historical verdict held that the Information Act would extend to the office of the chief justice of India as well. The verdict demonstrated not only the rigour of the law, but also the unique potential of judicial federalism in the country where a High Court can render a judgment against the Supreme Court. The Delhi High Court said that judicial independence is not the personal privilege or prerogative of the individual judge; it is the responsibility.... (A) judge must keep himself absolutely above suspicion; to preserve the impartiality and independence of the judiciary and to have the public confidence thereof.

The Delhi judgment could not operate, as it was taken up before the Supreme Court in appeal. However, on the administrative side, the Supreme Court has, at least theoretically, consented to declare the assets of the individual judges. But, according to legal journalist Murali Krishnan, details of the assets of 13 Supreme Court judges have not been so far published on the Supreme Court website (Bar & Bench, July 6, 2017). This situation occurred despite the full court resolution in 1997 that every judge should make a declaration of all his/her assets which was reiterated by the full court in 2009 that said that the publication will be done in the courts official website.

Few cases relating to transparency in the process of judicial selection and other connected issues are awaiting adjudication of the Supreme Court. Though the bench consisting justices Misra and Roy was dealing with the question of openness required in Goa Raj Bhavan, the comment reflected a judicial view that correctly treats the office of the chief justice of India also as a public office, like any other office.

Judiciary, in all respects, is part of the modern state and the office of the chief justice of India cannot remain enigmatic. The nation has been demanding more transparency in the process of selection of judges, the umpires of democracy. Justice Ruma Pal, who herself was a respected judge of the Supreme Court, in another context, had said that the process by which a judge is appointed to a superior court (in India) is one of the best kept secrets in this country.

Recently in a separate judgment in Justice Karnans case, Justice Chelameswar and Justice Gogoi have pleaded for a national debate on the unsatisfactory method of judicial selection and the lack of judicial accountability in higher courts. Fortunately, by now, we have radicals on the bench to urge for reforms.

To be open means to be accountable. This is why even the passing observations from the bench of the highest court make a fascinating read. Ultimately, the apex court needs to assert its democratic credentials. Transparency is also a judicial imperative.

Kaleeswaram Raj is a lawyer in the Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court
Kashmir police, on Monday, said it has arrested Sandeep Kumar Sharma, a Hindu militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba, who took part in the attack on police and looting of banks and ATMs in South Kashmir.

A resident of Uttar Pradesh, Sharma, police said, is a close aide of slain Lashkar commander Bashir Ahmad Wani alias Bashir Lashkari.

Sharma who operated as Adil was part of the group killed station house officer of Achabal police station Feroz Ahmad Dar along with five other cops on June 16.

Lashkari and his Pakistani associate Abu Maaz was killed in an encounter at Brinty, Dailgam village in south Kashmir, on July 1.

Sharma had masqueraded as one of the 17 civilians taken hostage by Lashkari in the house he was hiding on July 1.

Police became suspicious after he was rescued during the encounter.

"The standoff at Brinty continued for four hours as the aim was to rescue to all civilians before the operation could be launched against Lashkari and his associate,'' said IGP Kashmir, Muneer Khan. "After the operation, we started questioning him and he spilled the beans."

The investigation has revealed that Sharma came to the valley for the first time in 2012. He would stay at different places in Kashmir in summers and work as a welder

"In winters, he used to travel to Patiala for employment where he came in contact with Shahid Ahmad of Kulgam, who was also working in Punjab. Khan elaborated.

He said in January, Sharma returned to Kashmir and formally joined the militant ranks formally.





"With the help of one Muneeb, Sharma met a hardcore terrorist Shakoor Ahmad Dar of Lashkar of Supat," Khan said. "His meeting with another terrorist Shakoor was arranged by Muneeb and has associates and that was the beginning of criminal activities."

IGP said militants utilised the services of Sandeep for looting ATMs and the spoils were shared.

He said the UP resident was involved in other immoral activities in villages.

"He became a hardcore terrorist after he took part in three actions, including the one in which Dar and five others constables were martyred," Khan said. "He also took part in the ambush on the Army convoy at Lower Munda in which one Army jawan was killed and also in weapons snatching from the guard of a retired high court judge."

IGP said Sharma used his non-state subject status to camouflage his activities.

"He managed it very well till the time he was caught. Terrorists of Lashkar used him very frequently in carrying out their activities," IGP said.

Police have also arrested his associate Muneeb Shah and efforts are on to apprehend other militants who were part of this module.


By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) ONGCs overseas arm OVL will bid for blocks in Lebanons first oil and gas exploration and production licensing round, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today.

ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) was pre-qualified to bid as an operator for five offshore blocks (1,4,8,9 and 10).

Pradhan, who is leading a delegation to the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul, in a Twitter post said he held a bilateral meeting with Lebanese Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil on the sidelines of the conference.

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"The meeting was important in the context of @ongcvideshltd participation in the upcoming bid round for offshore gas fields in Lebanon," he said in another tweet.

Besides OVL, Lebanon has pre-qualified 12 other companies including Chevron, Total and Exxon Mobil as operators for the bid round that has been stalled for years due to political uncertainty.

More than three dozen companies have been pre-qualified as non-operators for the bid round. These companies have to submit their bids to the Lebanese Petroleum Administration on September 15.

The blocks on offer include three bordering Israeli water.

Lebanon, along with Cyprus, Israel and Egypt, sits on the Levant basin in the Mediterranean where gas fields have been discovered since 2009.

Other companies pre-qualified as operators include Petrobras of Brazil, Total of France, Italys Eni, Petronas of Malaysia, Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil of Norway, Repsol of Spain, Inpex of Japan, Chevron and ExxonMobil.

Non-operators include Cairn India and Cairn Energy of UK. PTI ANZ JM

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Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday defended his meeting with Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui last week amid the border stand-off, saying it was his job to be informed of critical issues.

In a series of tweets, Gandhi attacked the BJP-led government, saying if it was so concerned about his meeting with the Chinese envoy, why were three union ministers availing Chinese hospitality amid the border stand-off at Doklam in the Sikkim sector.

"It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador," Gandhi said.

"If the government is so concerned about me meeting an ambassador, they should explain why three ministers are availing Chinese hospitality while the border issue is on," he added.

Gandhi also referred to an IANS report of 2014 about Chinese troops entering India during the official visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had hosted the visiting leader in Ahmedabad. The two leaders had also sat on a swing.

"And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India," Gandhi said.
In yet another embarrassment for the ruling AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu, the Madras High Court on Monday issued gag orders against a cabinet minister, asking him not to speak without any proof.

Tamil Nadu Dairy Development Minister, T. Rajendra Balaji, had alleged that the milk sold by private companies were adulterated and contained chemicals causing cancer.

The Madras High Court ordered the minister not to make allegations against private companies without substantial evidence. Hearing a civil suit filed by three private milk companiesHatsun Agro Product Ltd, Dodla Dairy Ltd and Vijay Dairyagainst the minister for making allegations without evidence, Justice C.V. Karthikeyan on Monday asked the minister to file his response in a weeks time.

In their petition filed before the Madras High Court, the three companies had stated that his allegations caused damage to their companies and demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore each. Hearing the petition, Justice Karthikeyan asked how a minister could speak without any evidence and asked him to file his response in a weeks time. The case has been adjourned to July 27.

It was on May 24 that the minister came out with a strong allegation against the private milk producers. In a open press conference, Balaji had made serious allegations, saying that the private milk producers sold adulterated milk which caused cancer in children. "They sell the milk that is banned in Kerala. According to my investigation, the milk they sell is adulterated and they use preservatives to ensure that the milk doesnt get spoiled. They turn curd back into milk using chemicals," he alleged.

He even went to the extent of creating panic among the public by stating that the investigation reports with him showed the use of formaldehyde, caustic soda and bleaching powder in the milk sold by private companies.
Faced with repeated controversies involving Municipal Corporation of Satna, mayor Mamta Pandey decided to hold a yajna inside the office building to ward off evil spirits.

Recently, commissioner of Satna Municipal Corporation (SMC) S.M. Kathuria was caught red handed, taking a bribe of Rs 22 lakh. Later, the entire corporation staff went on strike, paralysing the the water and sanitation needs of the city.

After the bribery scam, Pandey had said, Ever since the city was included in Smart City plan of Government of India, some evil spirits are haunting SMC. There is a room which is against the principles of vastu. I will soon get a puja done to get rid of vastu dosh and ward of evil spirits.

Interestingly, on Saturday when Pandey was performing an elaborate ceremony in presence of many of Satna Municipal Corporation employees, a fire broke out in another portion of the building due to short circuit. Besides, the in-charge commissioner R.P. Daheria's wallet was stolen during the ceremony.

The religious ceremony was attended by all the employees, officers and even the contractors working with municipal corporation. Originally, the puja was scheduled for Sunday as Saturday was lok adalat day. However, on the advice of priests, it it was fixed for Saturday.

After the religious ceremony, Pandey left for Chitrakoot, 70km away from Satna, for a pilgrimage.

She feels that the troubles with SMC started after two days of town being included in Smart City list. It was on June 23 that Satna was include in the list and on June 26, the commissioner was trapped by Lokayukta for taking bribe.

Lokayukta police raided the house of commissioner on June 26 when he was taking a bribe of Rs 12 lakh in cash and gold worth Rs 10 lakh. He had demanded a bribe of Rs 50 lakh and one kg gold to change the order issued by him to demolish a three-storeyed house belonging to a doctor identified as R. Agrawal.

On June 28, the sanitation workers of SMC had an argument with R. Agrawal who had complained against the commissioner. Later, they went on strike demanding an FIR against the doctor, paralysing the city.
China is at its familiar game of waging an all out psychological war against India demanding that New Delhi should "immediately and unconditionally withdraw all troops from the Doklam plateau".

Experts view the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Hamburg, last Friday, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit as part of this exercise.

With Beijing pursuing its expansionist designs, retired career diplomats and defence services officers believe New Delhi should strive for a political solution as upping the ante is not going to serve the interests of either country.

Beijing continues its gambit of speaking in different voices. Amid all this, the Chinese government has also said it wants a peaceful resolution to the present stand off. It is apparent that China is hurt with India refusing to be part of its 'One Belt One Road' initiative.

New Delhi consistently affirmed that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes through Jammu and Kashmir which forms part of its own territory, hence, India could not be a party to it. That has disappointed Beijing, which is used to having its own way in keeping with its expansionist designs.

The threat of war rings the air after a gap of three decades. Such a tense situation arose at Somdrong Chu from October 1986 to May 1987 in the North-Western part of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Doklam sector on the China-Bhutan (India) border has found itself in the eye of a storm since the middle of last month. Of the 3,448km long border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220km sector falls in Sikkim. The boundary stand off is unprecedented and calls for calmness on all sides.

The contested tri-junction stretch of the boundary in Sikkim has witnessed fewer tensions than the western sector of the India-China boundary, with New Delhi and Bhutan having had separate negotiations with China.

The problem has arisen on account of Beijing sending the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) construction teams with earth moving equipment to forcibly build a road affecting the delicately preserved peace so far.

The strategic challenge for the political leadership is not to walk into any trap. The Indian side has already expressed its deep concern about China's road building activities in the Doklam sector drawing attention to the significant and perhaps unacceptable change in the status quo.

The persistent problems are due to the divergent geostrategic pursuits of India and China. There is no doubt Beijing is seeking to impress with its assertiveness as a major power.

India is within its right to actively protect and enlarge its strategic footprint. The external affairs ministry explained: "In coordination with Bhutan, Indian personnel, who were present, approached the Chinese construction party and asked them to desist from changing the status quo. These efforts continue," the ministry clarified.

Beijing now accuses India of being the "third party" to the China-Bhutan dispute. On June 20, Bhutan had lodged a protest with China through its embassy in New Delhi that any road inside its territory was a violation of the 1988 and 1998 agreements with Beijing.

On June 29, Bhutan had issued a demarche to China to restore status quo by stopping the work immediately. Thimphu has also accused China of violating bilateral agreements by constructing a road in disputed territory.

The Doklam plateau, north of the tri-junction between Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet is not just a disputed area but has huge strategic significance for both India and China. Wedged between Bhutan, India and China are a few areas of dispute accounting for more than 750 sq km. Doklam is about 90 square kilometres.

Deeply concerned at the recent Chinese action, New Delhi has conveyed to them such construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications. Importantly, Bhutan's sovereignty must be maintained as that is the basis for the "exemplary" ties between New Delhi and Thimphu.

Of late China has been resorting to increasingly unilateral action seeking to alter the status quo. In the wake of what has happened in Doklam, India has had to respond to prevent an enhanced threat to the narrow land corridor, which links the Indian Northeast to the rest of the country.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday denied that India was rejecting medical visa applications of Pakistanis and asked Pakistan's top diplomat Sartaj Aziz to respond to her letter seeking travel permission for the mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav who is on a death row in that country.

In a series of tweets, the minister said Aziz, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's foreign affairs advisor, should not hesitate to write recommendation for Pakistanis seeking medical treatment in India.

The remarks come amid media reports in Pakistan that the Indian Embassy in Islamabad had rejected the medical visa application of a 25-year-old Pakistani tumour patient who was to travel to India for treatment.

Faiza Tanveer had sought Sushma Swaraj's intervention and help to "save my life".

Sushma Swaraj said the Indian authorities would continue issuing visas but with Aziz's recommendation to Pakistanis who seek medical care in India.

"I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately. I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India," the minister said.

She asked Aziz to recommend for those who need medical visa.

"I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country. I am sure Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country."

The minister also raised the issue of Jadhav and said she had personally written to Aziz regarding the visa to Avantika Jadhav who wanted to meet her son, who has been kept at an unknown military prison.

"We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national, Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan, against whom they have pronounced a death sentence," Sushma Swaraj said.

"I wrote a personal letter to Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she said.
In a rare attack on the Amarnath Yatra, terrorists killed seven pilgrims and injured 14 others, including policemen, when they struck at a bus carrying them in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantang district.

The bus was attacked in Batengoo around 8.20 pm while returning from Baltal to Mir Bazar after darshan, J&K police and CRPF said.

The militants also carried out two attacks on security forces in the area.

Police sources said, the militants attacked a mini bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat. The bus was not officially registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board for the pilgrimage and was without police escort, they said.

Inspector General of Police Munir Khan said that seven pilgrims were killed, and 14 injured.

The injured have been taken to the Army Base Hospital in Srinagar.

Khan said the attack was aimed at the security forces and not the yatris.

The last known terror attack on the Amarnath Yatra was the killing of 30 persons, mostly pilgrims, in the base camp in Pahalgam in 2000.

A CRPF statement said the bus was not part of the official yatra and not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board.

In the national capital, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the incident. Union Home and Defence Ministry officials were huddled in a meeting to take stock of the latest situation.

Prime Minister Modi spoke to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor N.N. Vohra and offered all central assistance. The Prime minister said India will never be bogged down by such cowardly acts and the evil designs of hate.

Modi tweeted: "Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone."

Union Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh condemned the attack.

"It is not just an attack on the pilgrims, but an attack on the composite culture of the nation. As far as the Government of India is concerned, we have a policy of zero tolerance against terror, whether it is local or from across the border," he said.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said: "It is an attack on our roots. We will not leave any stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of this attack to justice." She visited the victims late Monday night.

Senior minister in the Mehbooba Mufti-led government Nayeem Akhtar termed the attack a "dark patch in the history of Kashmir".

National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said: "The attack cannot be condemned strongly enough."

He added that such an attack was expected in spite of recent successes against militants by security forces. "The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants and unprecedented force presence," he tweeted.

Omar asked Home Minister Rajnath singh to ensure adequate security arrangements are in place to ensure there are no attacks on universities and colleges in the valley.

Reacting to the dastardly act, former home minister P. Chidambaram said the militants responsible for the attack have put to shame the entire Kashmir valley and its people.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad termed it "unfortunate", and added that the militants will have to "pay through their nose". He also spoke to the Chief Minister.

Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also condemned the attack.

The attack took place hours after the Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed to have busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba module with the arrests of two persons, including Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, authorities blocked internet services in the Valley.

Meanwhile security sources said there were inputs to suggest that terrorists may strike during this time and vulnerable targets could be the Yatris and tourists who were flocking to the state during this period. The inability of both the central and state government to handle the simmering unrest in the valley is being held responsible for the attack. A senior government official said that the death anniversary of Burhan Wani has acted as a trigger even as the home ministry and security agencies were monitoring the security situation carefully at the highest level.

On Saturday, the Amarnath yatra was suspended from Jammu side due to law and order situation in the Kashmir Valley which was under curfew in the wake of the death anniversary of militant commander Burhan Wani.

(With inputs from Namrata Biji Ahuja)
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul on Sunday and congratulated the armed forces for their "victory" over Islamic State after nearly nine months of urban warfare, bringing an end to jihadist rule in the city.

Islamic State's defeat in Mosul three years after taking the city is a major blow for the hardline Sunni Islamist group, which is also losing ground in its operational base in the Syrian city of Raqqa from where it has planned global attacks.

The group, however, still controls territory in Iraq and is expected to revert to more conventional insurgent tactics such as bombings as its self-proclaimed caliphate falls apart.

The battle for Mosulby far the largest city to fall under the militants' controlhas left large areas in ruins, killed thousands of civilians and displaced nearly one million people.

"The commander in chief of the armed forces (prime minister) Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and Iraqi people for the great victory," his office said in a statement.

State television later showed Abadi touring Mosul on foot alongside residents of Iraq's second-largest city.

Air strikes and exchanges of gunfire could still be heard in the narrow streets of Mosul's Old City, where the group has staged its last stand against Iraqi forces backed by a US-led international coalition.

Abadi met commanders in west Mosul who led the battle, but he has yet to issue a formal declaration that the entire city has been retaken from the group which is also known as ISIS.

Abadi's spokesman, Saad al-Hadithi, said victory would not be formally declared until the few remaining Islamic State militants were cleared from Mosul.

Still, French President Emmanuel Macronwhose country is part of the coalition that has conducted air strikes and provided training and assistance to Iraqi forces on the battlefield, welcomed the defeat.

"Mosul liberated from ISIS: France pays homage to all those, who alongside our troops, contributed to this victory," Macron said on his Twitter account.

Iraq still faces uncertainty and long-term stability will be possible only if the government contains ethnic and sectarian tensions which have dogged the country since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The fall of Mosul exposes fractures between Arabs and Kurds over disputed territories, and between Sunnis and the Shiite majority.

'Fight to the Death'

The group vowed to "fight to the death" in Mosul, but Iraqi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool told state TV that 30 militants had been killed attempting to flee by swimming across the River Tigris that bisects the city.

Cornered in a shrinking area, the militants resorted to sending women suicide bombers among the thousands of civilians who are emerging from the battlefield wounded, malnourished and fearful, Iraqi army officers said.

The struggle has also exacted a heavy toll on Iraq's security forces.

The Iraqi government does not reveal casualty figures, but a funding request from the US Department of Defense said the elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), which has spearheaded the fight in Mosul, had suffered 40 percent losses.

The Department of Defense has requested $1.269 billion in US budget funds for 2018 to continue supporting Iraqi forces, which collapsed in the face of the few hundred militants who overran Mosul in 2014.

Backed by coalition air strikes, an array of Iraqi forces gradually clawed back territory from Islamic State until reaching Mosul, the group's de facto capital in Iraq, last October.

It is almost exactly three years since the ultra-hardline group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, proclaimed a "caliphate" spanning Syria and Iraq from the pulpit of Mosul's medieval Grand al-Nuri mosque.

Abadi declared the end of Islamic State's "state of falsehood" a week ago, after security forces retook the mosquealthough only after retreating militants blew it up.

The United Nations predicts it will cost more than $1 billion to repair basic infrastructure in Mosul. In some of the worst affected areas, almost no buildings appear to have escaped damage and Mosul's dense construction means the extent of the devastation might be underestimated, UN officials said.
In an unprecedented move on June 21, the Karnataka assembly passed a resolution sentencing two Bengaluru journalists to a year in jail over charges of breach of privilege. The journalistsRavi Belagere of Hai Bangalore and Anil Raju of Yelahanka Voicewere accused of publishing reports that defamed three legislators. Approving the resolution, Speaker K.B. Koliwad imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on both Belagere and Raju, failing the payment of which their jail term would be extended by another six months.

The decision provoked a backlash. As media organisations and opposition parties came out against it, the ruling Congress distanced itself from the resolution. K.C. Venugopal, Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would request Koliwad to withdraw the resolution. The Congress is against harassment of journalists and believes in the freedom of speech, he said.

A week later, however, the police went to Belagares farmhouse at Joida to arrest him. But by then Belagere had been taken to a hospital in Dharwad after he complained of chest pain. Raju was reported absconding. Siddaramaiah then directed the police to defer the arrest till Belagare recovered. I will fight back and appeal before the high court, said Belagere.

A joint petition filed by him and Raju, however, was dismissed by the Karnataka High Court. Justice Ashok B. Hinchigeri, who heard the petition, advised both the parties to arrive at an amicable solution. He also asked the journalists to appear before the speaker, but declined to pass an order restraining the police from arresting them. The judge, however, said the journalists could revive their petition should the need arise.

Two weeks after the resolution was passed, the matter is yet to be resolved. On July 3, Belagere and Raju appeared before Koliwad, after the state government gave an undertaking that they would not be arrested. Their counsel, Shankarappa, petitioned Koliwad to review the punishment, saying the reports that the assembly had perceived to be a breach of privilege were outside the legislatures ambit. Also, the legislators, he said, did not face any obstacle in discharging their duties. Koliwad accepted the petition, but countered Shankarappas contention by reading out portions from Practice and Procedure of Parliament by M.N. Kaul and S.L. Shakdher.

In the dock: Ravi Belagere (right) and Anil Raju | PTI

Interestingly, the reports in question were published in September 2014, and Koliwad was one of the three MLAs who had complained to Kagodu Thimmappa, then speaker. Thimmappa had referred the matter to the privileges committee, chaired by former minister Kimmane Rathnakar. Koliwad became speaker in July 2016.

I have given no report [regarding the matter], said Koliwad. It is the report and recommendation of the privileges committee that was unanimously passed by the house. I have ordered the execution of the order. I am only a servant of the house. We will go by the house rules and the law will take its course.

The issue, however, has brought to focus the powers and privileges of elected representatives and the need for codifying them. The state has witnessed several breach of privilege cases where the house reprimanded journalists for defamatory articles, but it is for the first time that the house has decided to order the imprisonment of journalists.

Editors Guild of India described the resolution passed by the assembly as pernicious and the speakers decision to approve it as violation of the fundamental right of freedom of speech. It said the right to try and sentence journalists in defamation cases rests with courts of law. Karnataka assembly, it said, cannot and should not misuse its powers and privileges to sentence any member of the press.

This privilege, under which the action has been taken, is not even codified, said a statement issued by the guild. If individuals of the legislature feel that their reputations have been affected, they are free to take the matter to court against the concerned journalist or the publication. [They cannot] act as complainant, prosecutor and judge, as they did in this case.

Interestingly, during the hearing of the petition filed by Belagere and Raju, Justice Hinchigeri asked A.S. Ponnanna, additional advocate general, whether there were any guidelines to determine the quantum of punishment for breach of privilege. He also noted that it was disdainful disobedience on the journalists part that they had not appeared before the privileges committee despite having been summoned several times. The editors invited the trouble by staying away from the [privileges committee] proceedings. The fourth estate has all the liberty and freedom, but it should ensure that they do not go below the belt, said the judge, referring to the use of unparliamentary words in the reports.

S. Suresh Kumar, BJP spokesperson and former law minister, said the hasty manner in which the breach of privilege motion was moved in the house, and the harsh sentencing of the journalists, went against parliamentary decorum. It raises suspicion that the legislature is intolerant of the media, he said. A breach of privilege happens when a member is prevented from discharging his duties. But the matters presented before the house in this case did not qualify as breach of privilege. I have talked to the privileges committee chairman about the need to withdraw the order, as it taints the image of both the legislature and the media.
Bus service between Chakka Da Bagh in Jammu and Rawlakote in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was stopped today as tension escalated along the LoC.

By Ashwini Kumar: Following escalation in tension along the Line of Control (LoC) as Pakistan continues to violate ceasefire, the Indian authorities have stopped the bus service between Chakka Da Bagh in Poonch and Rawalakote in PoK.

Pakistan has been firing from the other side of the LoC in Chakka Da Bagh and Khaari Karmara area of Poonch in Jammu.

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Trade Felicitation Centre Officer Tanveer Ahmed said, "Due to rising tension on Chakka Da Bagh area on Line of Control in Poonch, we could not established contact with PoK authorities and today 14 PoK residents could not be sent back as both gates are closed."

He said all 14 PoK residents would have to stay back with their relatives till peace returned on borders.

TENSION AT LINE OF CONTROL

Police said Pakistani Army yesterday targeted Chakka Da Bagh trade centre complex with heavy mortars. Some parts of the building were damaged in the shelling by Pakistani Army.

Pakistan on Saturday started unprovoked shelling Khaari area of Poonch killing one army soldier Mohammad Showkat and his wife Safiya Bi. Martyred jawan was on leave when he and his wife were hit.

Sources said Indian Army has retaliated in the same measure killing two Pakistan soldiers. Five civilians were also reported to have lost their lives on Pakistani side of the LoC opposite Chakka Da Bagh and Khaari Karmara areas of Poonch. Over a dozen were injured on Pakistani side in retaliatory firing by the Indian Army.

As per the understanding between Indian and Pakistan governments, the Paigam-e-Aman bus service operates between Chakka Da Bagh and Rawalakote. Every Monday exchange of citizens takes place on the basis of permit system.

ALSO READ |

Army jawan, wife killed as Pakistan continue to fire shells in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir

LoC firing and Doklam: Chinese strategic expert says India unwise to engage in two conflicts

ALSO WATCH | Jammu and Kashmir: Soldier on leave killed along with wife in shelling by Pakistan in Poonch

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UK building and services firm Carillion has issued a warning revenue will fall short of expectations and suspended its dividend.

Shares in the company plummeted by 37.5 per cent to 120p in response to the news.

The business also announced the resignation of chief executive Richard Howson. He will depart with immediate effect and be replaced by Keith Cochrane on an interim basis while a search is undertaken for a permanent boss.

Warning: Carillion is to carry out a 'comprehensive review' of the business.

In its half-year trading update, the firm downgraded its full-year revenue guidance, with sales now expected to be between 4.8 billion and 5 billion and overall performance forecast to be 'below management's previous expectations'.

In addition, following a review carried out by KPMG, the group said it will book an 854 million provision linked to certain UK and overseas contracts.

A total of 375 million relates to the UK and 470 million to overseas markets in the Middle East and Canada.

Carillion's non-executive chairman, Philip Green, said that the action is needed to reduce the firm's borrowing.

'We must take immediate action to accelerate the reduction in average net borrowing and are announcing a comprehensive programme of measures to address that, aimed at generating significant cashflow in the short-term,' he said.

'In addition, we are also announcing that we are undertaking a thorough review of the business and the capital structure, and the options available to optimise value for the benefit of shareholders,' he said.

Analyst at Liberum, Joe Brent said: 'Given the weaker profits, higher debt, need for restructuring, limited proceeds from disposals and working capital unwind in construction, we believe that Carillion will need to raise a significant amount of more money.'

The firm reported a 5 per cent fall in pre-tax profits to 146.7 million last year and has previously said the pace of new order intakes has slowed since the Brexit vote.

'The group, which is involved in a wide range of activities including construction, maintenance and support services, has been hit by cashflow problems on construction contracts in the Middle East,' noted Ian Forrest, investment research analyst at The Share Centre.

'Carillion's problems are not new as can be seen by the fact that the shares have underperformed the market for two years,' he continued. 'The final straw for many investors patient enough to hold on until now was probably today's news that dividend payments have been suspended. Despite the group continuing to win new contracts I think it is fair to say it has a lot of work to do to regain the market's confidence.'
TalkTalk Telecom Group's chief financial officer Iain Torrens will step down this year, continuing the reshaping of the British company's top team under founder and executive chairman Charles Dunstone.

Dunstone took over the running of TalkTalk in May when Dido Harding quit as chief executive.

The company's shares were up this morning by 1.3 per cent at 187.15p

TalkTalk Telecom's chief financial officer Iain Torrens will step down later this year.

The company said on Monday Torrens will be succeeded by Kate Ferry, the current director of investor relations and corporate affairs at electrical retailer Dixons Carphone.

No exact dates were given. Ferry has been with Dixons Carphone for seven years.

Prior to that she was a retail analyst at Merrill Lynch and an audit manager at PwC. Dunstone is the former chairman of Dixons Carphone.

'As we continue our journey under the new leadership team and with a refocused direction, Kate brings a wealth of experience to the role,' said Dunstone, who owns around 31 percent of the company.

In May he predicted a drop in earnings this year and halved the firm's annual dividend to help fund measures designed to return the broadband provider to its roots as the low-cost challenger to BT, Virgin and Sky.

Shares in TalkTalk are down 11 per cent year-on-year but are up 10 per cent in 2017 so far.

The business is presently valued at around 1.8 billion.
I am in the process of moving a defined benefit pension to another fund with a view to being in control of my money.

My question is that I thought when it was moved I could take a chunk of cash 25 per cent tax free leaving the remainder invested?

Then I read that for example if I took 20,000, 5,000 would be tax free and 15,000 taxable, or is this something else that follows later?

My financial adviser seemed to think as I did that the former was correct. I was hoping to get a whole quarter of the fund tax free in the first instance?

SCROLL DOWN TO FIND OUT HOW TO ASK STEVE WEBB YOUR PENSION QUESTION

Pension transfer: Saver is moving her defined benefit pot and then wants to withdraw 25% tax-free lump sum immediately

Steve Webb replies: Once you are aged 55 or over, you have a range of options about what to do with your pension pot if it is in a defined contribution scheme.

The rules are different and can be more restrictive if you are in a defined benefit scheme - although this kind of pension is typically more generous and provides guaranteed payments until you die.

Some people with a defined benefit pension choose to transfer their funds and invest them in a defined contribution plan if they are still working, or an income drawdown scheme if they are about to retire as you have done.

Now you have decided to transfer your money, you have several options and the way in which your withdrawals are taxed will depend on which one you choose.

Let me run through the main choices open to you and the tax implications of each.

HOW DO DEFINED CONTRIBUTION AND DEFINED BENEFIT PENSIONS WORK? Defined contribution pensions take contributions from both employer and employee and invest them to provide a pot of money at retirement. More generous gold-plated defined benefit - or final salary - pensions provide a guaranteed income after retirement until you die. Pension freedoms launched in 2015 allow over-55s greater control over their pots, but only apply to people in DC schemes. Those with DB pensions can transfer their savings to DC schemes, provided they get financial advice if their pot is worth 30,000-plus. Read more here about DB transfers. This is Money

First, you can take the pot of money in a pension fund and convert it into an income for life or an annuity.

You can take a 25 per cent tax-free lump sum first if you want, or use the whole fund to buy an annuity. Annuities are subject to income tax like most other forms of regular pension income.

If you were to use any part of your pension pot to buy an annuity, the whole amount of the annuity would therefore be subject to tax.

A second option would be to take your pot of money and draw it out in chunks, with one quarter being tax free and the remainder subject to tax.

This is known by the ugly title Uncrystallised Funds Pension Lump Sum or UFPLS for short. This is what you have heard about where each withdrawal is in part tax-free and part subject to tax.

However, you do not have to go down this route. A third option is to take your full 25 per cent tax-free cash right at the start and then invest the rest in something called Flexi-Access Drawdown.

Any withdrawals from your drawdown account are then subject to income tax in full. It sounds as though this is what you want, but obviously your financial adviser should be able to confirm this.

There are two other things to be aware of. The first is that each year you can have total taxable income of 11,500 before you pay any income tax.

When you take taxable cash out of a pension fund, this is added to other taxable income such as earnings, state pensions, other pensions and so on.

If you take a big taxable amount out of your pension in one go, you could find you pay quite a lot of tax, whereas if you spread your taxable withdrawals over a longer period of time you are likely to pay less tax.

Steve Webb: Find out how to ask the former Pensions Minister a question about your retirement savings in the box below

This is worth thinking about when you are deciding the speed at which to withdraw the taxable cash from your pension.

The second thing to be aware of is that taking taxable cash out of your pension could severely limit your future ability to put further cash *into* a pension in future.

This is a complex area, but in brief, most people can put up to 40,000 per year into a pension and benefit from tax relief on their contributions. There are separate rules for people earning more than 150,000 a year, which I discussed in a previous column here.

However, those who start the process of taking taxable cash out of their pension can see this annual allowance cut to 10,000 and possibly to 4,000 depending on whether the new government goes ahead with its previously announced plans.

If you only take a tax-free lump sum then this would not be a problem - your annual allowance remains at 40,000.

But if you take taxable cash you need to be aware you are potentially severely restricting your ability to build up your pension savings again in future.

The Governments free PensionWise service provides helpful information about your options and you can access this information over the phone, in person or on its website here.
Traditional families with a working father and stay-at-home mother have fallen far behind in the race for decent living standards, a think-tank report said yesterday.

It said the earnings of fathers who support their families have fallen by 6 per cent in real terms since the mid-1990s, and that four out of ten families where only the father works now fall below the poverty line.

Part of the reason is that pay for working mothers has grown faster than that of fathers, making it difficult for traditional families to keep up, the report from the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies said.

Traditional families with a working father and stay-at-home mother have fallen far behind in the race for decent living standards, a think-tank report said

It said the earnings of fathers who support their families have fallen by 6 per cent in real terms since the mid-1990s, and that four out of ten families where only the father works now fall below the poverty line (stock image)

The findings point to a growing crisis in families where the mother stays at home to raise her children rather than go out to work and place them in nurseries or with childminders.

Nearly a quarter of children live in one-earner families and in 85 per cent of these families the father rather than the mother is the working parent, the IFS said.

The warning over the plight of one-earner families follows repeated calls from supporters of stay-at-home mothers for tax breaks to allow women the choice to bring up their own children.

Because 85 per cent of one-earner families do not have a working mother, they have not benefited from the large increase in womens earnings since the mid-1990s, the IFS report said.

As a result, while the incomes of two-earner families are 10 per cent higher than in 200203, the incomes of one-earner families have not changed over that period.

Former Tory chancellor Lord Lawson said it was a mistake to strip tax allowances from stay-at-home mothers while granting them to their working counterparts

It said: The only reason their incomes are any higher now is that benefit and tax credit payments to this group have doubled since then.

The average earnings of a working father in a one-earner couple are 6 per cent lower in real terms than in 199495.

This is even worse than earnings growth for other working fathers, for whom earnings are 10 per cent higher than in 199495.

This partly reflects the fact that fathers in one-earner couples are now less likely than other fathers to be in well-paid professional or managerial jobs, even though their relative education levels are unchanged.

More than a third of families where only the father works are immigrant families, the report said, but the incomes of sole-earner fathers were falling behind for those born in Britain as well.

The report said: Over the last 20 years, growth in the earnings of working fathers has been extremely slow, at 0.3 per cent a year on average, while mothers earnings have grown by more than 2 per cent a year. As a result, it has become increasingly difficult for families where only the father is working to keep up with other families.

This matters: Around a quarter of children live in a one-earner couple family  around the same proportion as 20 years ago.

Former Tory chancellor Lord Lawson, who introduced separate taxation for married couples in the 1980s, has said it was a mistake to strip tax allowances from stay-at-home mothers while granting them to their working counterparts.

Laura Perrins, co-editor of the Conservative Woman website, called for tax breaks for mothers who stay at home.

She said: Clearly, the punishment of traditional one-earner, one-carer families in the tax and benefit system is really hurting children and pushing them into relative poverty. This needs to be reformed, and tax allowances should be shared.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which is probing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's alleged offshore wealth and charges of money laundering against his family, will submit its final report in the Panama Papers case before the Pakistan Supreme Court today.

By Alok Ranjan: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) will submit its final report in the Panama Papers case before the Pakistan Supreme Court today.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan had formed a joint investigation team to probe Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's alleged offshore wealth and charges of money laundering against Sharif's family.

The investigation team will submit its final report before a three-member special implementation bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan.

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The JIT was constituted on May 5 in the light of the court's April 20 judgment in the Panama Papers case and it held its first meeting on May 8.

The probe team consists of 6 officials from the National Accountability Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), State Bank of Pakistan, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) headed by Director General FIA Wajid Zia.

WHO ALL PRESENT DURING INVESTIGATION

During the course of the investigation, those who will be present before the JIT include Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and Maryam Nawaz, daughter of the prime minister. They appeared once before the JIT. Hussain Nawaz, elder son of the prime minister, appeared six times before the JIT and younger son Hassan Nawaz thrice.

The JIT was given power to summon anyone to investigate money-laundering charges against Sharif family.

Nawaz Sharif had held an advisory meeting with federal ministers and law experts on July 8 to deliberate on what option to take after the JIT submitted its report on the findings of the Panama Leaks investigations.

The top leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) made it clear that the ruling party would not accept the findings of the JIT if the statements of a former Qatari prime minister Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani were not made part of the report. He is the sole defense witness in the money laundering case against the Sharif family.

Also read | Pakistan PM Sharif appears before Panama Papers probe panel

Also read | Panama Papers: Sharif to be questioned over family's wealth

ALSO WATCH VIDEO

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PIGGS PEAK  Though a woman can marry a selfish, short-tempered, abusive or someone who does not care, she cannot leave such a person unless he is deceased.

This was a message delivered by Pastor Thandekile Zulu of Sigangeni, who was the guest speaker during the Ntfojeni Tripartite Church Service held at Ntfonjeni Royal Residence yesterday.

Zulu is also a teacher by profession.

Noteworthy, is that though this has not been common in the past, a female preacher was the guest speaker during the service.

Zulu said as long as the first husband was still alive, the wife was bound by the Bible not to leave him.

She also quoted from the biblical book of Romans 7: 1-4, which likens a wife who leaves her husband to marry another man to an adulterer.

The siSwati version of the Bible uses the word, ingwadla which means prostitute.

Zulu said she was speficically referring to a situation where a woman may seem to have the right to leave her husband.

She referred to a situation where a husband became so abusive such that the situation became unbearable for the woman.

The only time she is free to marry another man is when the first husband is deceased, emphasised Zulu.

She said this was why under Swazi law and custom, even a woman who had long deserted her husband was often recalled to mourn the death of her spouse.

Even if you can go and live in another country, the law of marriage cannot end unless your husband dies, she said. She said the only advice she could give women in such situations where their husbands were abusive was to hang in the marriage.

He is bone of your bones, flesh of your flesh, meaning that you go with him wherever you are, she said.

Zulu said some women even tried to kill their husbands to liberate themselves from the marriage.

She said the only time a woman would become victorious was if and when she gave her life to God.

Thats the only way you can kill your husband, she said.




MBABANE  Ease my house arrest conditions as I am suffering from a toothache which is giving me sleepless nights.

This is one of the requests made by murder suspect Pastor Themba Masimula, who is currently under house arrest. He now wants the court to flex his house arrest conditions for him to be able to see a dentist and also attend to some of his personal issues.

House arrest, also called house confinement, is a measure by which a person is confined by the court to a certain residence and his travel is restricted.

Masimula who is accused of killing his wife Funekile, was placed under house arrest by High Court Judge Sipho Nkosi.

He has since filed an urgent application in the High court where he is seeking an order varying his bail conditions pertaining to the house arrest.

The suspect, who is also a teacher and a pastor, further wants the court to grant him permission to travel to Nhlangano First National Bank (FNB) today and to Hlatikhulu Hospital tomorrow.

In his application he stated that in around October 2016, he was arrested by members of the Royal Swaziland Police and subsequently charged with murder.

He pointed out that he was eventually granted bail and some of its conditions were that he should be kept under house arrest.

I have been under house arrest since my release on bail and I am now desirous of attending to some personal errands which require that I travel to the nearest town, being Nhlangano, submitted Masimula.

He pointed out that prior to his release on bail, an order was issued by Judge Nkosi that he should pay to her mother-in-law a sum of E3 000 for maintenance of his two children.

Masimula mentioned that he had been religiously paying the money until June 2017 when he received notification that his bank account with FNB had been frozen, pending the submissions of certain documents.

According to the suspect, he then requested one of his cousins to go and submit the documents on his behalf but was turned back at the bank and informed that they needed him (Masimula) to come to the bank personally.

He claimed that as result of the freezing of the account, he had been unable to send the money for maintenance to her mother-in-law.

Masimula further informed the court that he used to send the money around 23, 24 of each month. Further, I am desirous of attending to a dentist to have two of my teeth extracted as they are giving me sleepless nights, he argued.

He mentioned that the dentist he was desirous to see was based at Hlatikhulu Government Hospital.
MBABANE  The ongoing food shortages at schools has resulted in a cabinet minister being labelled as an embarrassment.

This term was used by an English principal who came out guns blazing on the minister, referring to him as an embarrassment. Giles Sutton, the principal at Buckswood School in the United Kingdom, did not specify the minister he was referring to, however, he based his statement on the lack of food in schools.

Government, in particular the Ministry of Education and Training, has been openly criticised in the media for the food shortages in schools.

Members of Parliament (MPs) have in fact given the ministry until tomorrow to deliver food in schools.

In a statement, Sutton, went on to refer to the minister as a catastrophe minister because primary schools had no food. An unbelievable situation. The Buckswood students have paid all week - from their own pockets to feed the children of Sulutane primary school in the Lubombo region a catastrophe minister an embarrassment minister (sic), Sutton said.

He posed a question to the minister about why there was no food for primary school pupils and stated that such was a total embarrassment.

Sutton stated that he spent his life supporting, promoting and defending the kingdom as an up and coming country with a government well in control of its domestic situation.

He wondered how he would continue doing that while children go hungry. The ministry should be ashamed, stated Sutton.

The principal was puzzled by how the country would attain the Kings vision of attaining first world status by 2022 if children were not fed. He opined that the situation would affect the countrys ability to attract inward investors. We need to look at the bigger picture; inward investors will not invest if the basics cannot be sorted, Sutton said.

The Buckswood team usually visits the country to implement projects that would develop schools.

He continued to blast the minister by asking if he had gone home hungry and stated that he knew 600 children who had. He narrated that some of the pupils had to walk for two to four hours to school and that some of them went to school for that single meal.

Sutton commended Lugongolweni Member of Parliament Joseph Souza for raising the matter of food shortages in Parliament in the past week, which resulted in government being given an ultimatum of tomorrow to deliver food at schools.

He added that food was a basic need for growing minds for a generation that would be the future and whose young minds would be the growing economic base of the country. He also added that this could not be achieved on empty stomachs.




MBABANE  Audit queries seem to be drawn to Swaziland High Commissioner Promise Msibi as once again a team from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is travelling to Ethiopia on a fact-finding mission.



The three members of the PAC travelling to Addis Ababa today are deputy chairperson of the committee, Matsanjeni North MP Phila Buthelezi, Manzini North MP Jan Sithole and Nkhaba MP Menzi Dlamini. Msibi is the Swaziland High Commissioner to Ethiopia.



The trio is travelling following an audit query where the AG noted that the statement of recurrent expenditure reflected that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation spent E14 million under item 08201, which is office buildings. The mission had allegedly said that the money would be used to purchase diplomatic staff houses, but it was used for other purposes.



According to the bank statement of the mission, it was revealed that the funds had been deposited on April 9, 2016, but to date no staff houses had been purchased.

The AG noted that the money was now being used for operational expenses of the embassy. As a result, the money has been reduced by US$150 075 from US$913 236 to US$762 484, which was the balance as at December 31, 2016, said the AG.



During the first investigation he was queried on the non sale of State houses which were in Kenya, where a report tabled in Parliament alleged that Msibi had been fingered in frustrating the sale of the houses in that country. Three of the four houses have been sold after the intervention of the PAC, particularly the chairperson Thuli Dladla who personally travelled to Kenya.

In the present case, the AG said the concern was that the ministry reallocated funds from the recurrent budget to finance a capital project which was the purchase of staff houses at the Ethiopia mission.



It was alleged that the then Foreign Affairs PS requested authority from his Finance counterpart to reallocate funds from the National Insurance Provision, but clearly the objective was to reduce costs for the rentals and that the funds would be transferred to Ethiopia to purchase diplomatic staff houses. When the funds were transferred, the mission was under the pretext to purchase office building (chancery) yet the purpose of the funds was to purchase diplomatic staff houses, the AG said.



The AG observed that the budget for the National Insurance was not realistic because it ended up not being used for the intended purpose.


By PTI: Washington, Jul 10 (PTI) Scientists have discovered the remains of a prehistoric shark dating back 400 million years near Perus Lake Titicaca, the worlds highest navigable lake.

The "Pucapampella Shark" was unearthed at Imarrucos, a paleontological site at the northwest of Titicaca.

The remains, found by researchers from the State University of Puno in Peru, are believed to date from the Devonian epoch, also known as the "Age of Fish," when various fish species emerged.

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It is believed to be the 400-million-year-old precursor to todays vertebrae.

Peruvian officials are looking to protect the site by placing it on the list of National Cultural Heritage sites, Xinhua reported.

"That will serve to legally protect it and encourage the scientific study of these fauna, given their great paleontological potential to learn more about the history of life from its origins and its early evolution," said Leonardo Zevallos, from Perus Department of Cultural Heritage.

"Soon, we will be able to talk with more knowledge about the Peruvian Devonian seas and their biodiversity," Zevallos added. PTI MHN SAR MHN

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By Gina Martinez

Two weeks after ICE agents arrested a woman in Human Trafficking Intervention Court in Queens for overstaying her visa, the City Council Courts & Legal Services Committee, chaired by Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest), held a joint hearing last week with the Immigration Committee to examine the impact of recent ICE activity in New York City courthouses.

According to Lancman, the woman was appearing on a low-level prostitution-related charge. He said ICE agents frequently stake out city courthouses in order to target and detain immigrants appearing in court. ICEs presence at city courthouses has left litigants, victims and witnesses afraid to appear in court, Lancman said.

A report issued by the Immigrant Defense Project, a non-profit that helps protects and expands the rights of all immigrants, found that 74 percent of respondents worked with immigrants who expressed fear of the courts because of ICE. Further, the report showed 67 percent of advocates working with survivors of violence had clients refuse to seek help through the courts out of fear of ICE.

ICEs current policy prohibits enforcement activity at sensitive locations. These locations include schools, hospitals and places of worship, but not courthouses. ICEs refusal to designate courthouses as sensitive locations is undermining the judicial system and making our communities less safe, Lancman said at the June 28 hearing.

This is the choice too many immigrant New Yorkers are now forced to confront: Show up in court and risk deportation, or dont show up in court and lose access to our justice system, Lancman said. ICEs enforcement activity in our courts is frightening victims, litigants, witnesses and defendants away from participating in the peaceful and orderly resolution of civil disputes and criminal charges. Our system of justice is being undermined, making all of us less safe, and our society less fair. ICE must immediately designate our courts as sensitive locations where people can come and go without fear of deportation.

At the hearing, legal services providers and immigration advocates detailed the effects that ICE enforcement activity is having on the operation of the courts. Tina Luongo, attorney-in-charge of criminal practice at The Legal Aid Society, said ICE preys upon unsuspecting immigrants at courts throughout the state, interrupting justice and deterring individuals from seeking basic legal protections and services afforded by our court system.

This will continue until the Office of Court Administration takes immediate and bold action, Luongo said. OCA has vested powers to enact policies to help thwart these raids. Inaction is no longer an option.

Judy Harris Kluger, executive director of Sanctuary for Families, said that ICEs actions are having a detrimental effect on the judicial system and on victims who turn to the courts for help.

Immigrants in New York should not be at risk of deportation when seeking justice, she said. If this continues, ICE will drive those who desperately need help  including trafficking and domestic violence victims served by Sanctuary for Families  away from the important life-saving services that we and other service providers offer.
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By Mark Hallum

It has been almost four decades since Renee Katz narrowly survived after being pushed onto the subway tracks by a crazed stranger and run over by a passing E train.

The 17-year-old flutist from Flushing was on her way to a remarkable music career, but she suddenly found herself trapped in notoriety as a result of media fervor.

Now, Katz is reinvigorating her career in music, not as flutist, but as a vocalist in her own cabaret show organized to tell her story of anguish and persistence. At Dont Tell Mama, just steps from Times Square, on June 25, the Flushing resident illustrated her experiences bookended by classic jazz standards.

On June 7, 1979, and at 8:14 a.m., some crazed person threw me into an oncoming E train, Katz said between songs. I miraculously rolled to the left, saving myself except for my hand, which was severed by the train.

Decades after the crime, which derailed her life and set her up for a whole different career in between, Katz still holds the audience with an outstanding voice, storytelling ability and the fact that she can still play the piano.

Katz was getting ready to graduate from the LaGuardia High School of Music and Art when the accident occurred in a Manhattan station. She had recently been accepted into New England Conservatory of Music. The media covered the incident thoroughly, chronicling the all-night surgery to re-attach her arm, the progress of her recovery and her later marriage to one of the doctors who performed the operation.

Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five produced The Message, which the Rolling Stone called greatest hip-hop song of all time. The lyrics describe the crime and violence in the city during the 1970s and includes a verse about the train incident, which left Katz physically maimed.

Famous New York City columnist Jimmy Breslin wrote that a cop making a run for some ice helped preserve the severed limb so doctors could succeed in sewing it back on.

I had become an instant celebrity, but not in the way I had dreamed of, Katz said, later explaining letters from New Yorkers began to accumulate, which she pinned to the walls of her hospital room. One student from Martin Van Buren High School in Queens Village wrote to her that his class had discussed the crime, and expressed the desire to make the world a better place after hearing her story.

The man who pushed her was never arrested due to lack of evidence.

Katz said the fact the story seemed to instill change in people, from students to convicts, gave her a new direction in life. She set her priorities on becoming an occupational therapist in order to help others overcome injuries and disabilities. But music would always remain in her life.

I decided to focus not on what I lost, but what I was lucky enough to keep, Katz said. And I decided to focus on my voice  my salvation  and I feel really blessed that I can sing.

According to Katz, there was no time to grieve following the incident. Her new career and celebrity status would put her at the forefront of charity events for medical research and rehabilitation programs as well as a close working relationship with former New York Sen. Jacob Javits.

Katz, the daughter of Romanian immigrants and Holocaust survivors, later married her second husband, Barry Packer, with whom she shares a home in Flushing.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over "brutality and terrorism" in Mosul on Monday, announcing his forces had ended the Islamic State group\s rule over the country\s second city.

Standing with members of the security forces, Abadi hailed the retaking of Mosul  where IS dealt Iraqi troops a devastating defeat three years ago  as a key moment in the war against the jihadists.

"Our victory today is a victory over darkness, a victory over brutality and terrorism, and I announce here to the whole world today the end and failure and collapse of the mythical terrorist Daesh state," Abadi said in a televised address from west Mosul, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"These operations were carried out by Iraqi planning and success and implementation," Abadi said, while also thanking "all the countries that stood with Iraq in its war against terrorism."

Dozens of members of the security forces erupted into cheers after he spoke, dancing and waving flags and their weapons as they celebrated.

The US-led coalition that backed the Mosul offensive and is supporting another assault on IS\s Syrian bastion Raqa hailed the victory, but warned it did not mark the end of the war against the jihadists.

"This victory alone does not eliminate (IS) and there is still a tough fight ahead. But the loss of one of its twin capitals and a jewel of their so-called caliphate is a decisive blow," said Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the commander of the international anti-IS operation.

"Now it is time for all Iraqis to unite to ensure (IS) is defeated across the rest of Iraq," Townsend said.

US President Donald Trump also praised the victory, saying it was a signal that IS\s "days in Iraq and Syria are numbered".

But rebuilding the shattered city of Mosul and helping civilians will be a huge task, and aid groups warn that Iraq\s humanitarian crisis is far from over.

Mosul\s Old City in particular has been devastated, with many buildings reduced to little more than concrete shells and rubble littering the streets.

Abadi said that as well as continuing to tackle IS, Iraq had other challenges including "the mission of stabilisation and the mission of building".

Iraqi forces were earlier on Monday still fighting to eliminate the last pockets of IS resistance in Mosul, with jihadist fighters surrounded in a sliver of territory in Mosul\s Old City.

Soldiers armed with machineguns and sniper rifles fired from atop ruined structures in the Old City, and air strikes sent plumes of smoke rising over Mosul\s historic centre.

Staff Lieutenant General Sami al-Aridhi, a senior commander in the elite Counter-Terrorism Service, said earlier that Iraqi forces were still engaged in "heavy" fighting with the remnants of jihadist forces, but that the battle was near its end.

After Abadi spoke, Aridhi said "searching and clearing" still had to be done, but that major operations were finished.

Iraqi forces launched their campaign in October to retake Mosul, which was seized by the jihadists during the mid-2014 offensive that saw them take control of large parts of Iraq and neighbouring Syria.

Army, police and special forces, backed by waves of US-led air strikes, seized the eastern side of the city in January and launched the battle for its western part the next month.

The fight grew tougher when security forces entered the densely populated Old City on the western bank of the Tigris River, which divides the city, and intense street-to-street fighting followed.

The cost of victory has been enormous: much of Mosul in ruins, thousands dead and wounded and nearly half the city\s population forced from their homes.

The United Nations has said 920,000 people fled their homes during the Mosul operation, and while some have returned the vast majority remain displaced.

The UN refugee agency said it could be many months before civilians are able to return to their homes.

"Many have nothing to go back to due to extensive damage caused during the conflict, while key basic services such as water, electricity and other key infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, will need to be rebuilt or repaired," said the UNHCR.

Twenty-eight aid groups working in Iraq issued a joint call for international support for rebuilding efforts and urged authorities not to press civilians to return.

"Remaining insecurity; lack of basic services; explosive hazards contamination; and damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure  including schools and hospitals  all continue to pose barriers to return," said the statement signed by groups including the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam and Save the Children.

They also raised concerns for people still in IS-held areas, including the towns of Tal Afar and Hawijah in the north, as well as territory in western Anbar province.

"For the expected offensives in Hawijah, Tal Afar and western Anbar, where approximately 150,000 civilians are thought to still be trapped, it is vital that lessons are learnt from pass offensives," they said.

IS has lost most of the territory it once controlled, and the coalition is also aiming to oust the jihadists from their Syrian stronghold Raqa, which is under assault by US-backed Arab and Kurdish forces.

SOURCE: AFP
Senior diplomats pointed out that the visit marks a significant shift as leaders from previous governments have preferred interacting in English while Hindi is the first choice for NDA leaders on global forums.

By Sweta dutta: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day visit to Israel was historic in more ways than one as the two countries were speaking in the same language - literally. Senior members of the delegation accompanying Modi told Mail Today that the hosts, led by Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, peppered their interactions with Hindi phrases to strike a cordial note.

Modi returned to New Delhi on Sunday after his tour to Israel and Germany. However, it was the visit to Israel that drew wider media coverage for the bonhomie Modi shared with his Jewish counterpart.

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"There were several light moments between the two leaders, one such being their last words to each other at the airport," said a member of the PM entourage, who requested anonymity.

"While seeing Modi off, Netanyahu said, 'Aapki yatra shubh ho' (wish you a happy journey). Netanyahu was quick to ask if his pronunciation was correct to which Modi nodded with much affection. Later, Netanyahu tweeted, 'Israel aane ke liye dhanyavad Pradhanmantri Narendra Modi, jald fir milenge' (Thanks for your visit to Israel, PM Modi. See you again, soon.)"

HINDI- NDA'S FIRST CHOICE ON GLOBAL FORUMS

Senior diplomats pointed out that the visit marks a significant shift as leaders from previous governments have preferred interacting in English while Hindi is the first choice for NDA leaders on global forums. "The pride of place Hindi got in Israel is owing to PM Modi's own fondness for the language," said a senior diplomat.

"When a leader uses his native language often, it is more likely that the host also reverts in the same language," ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay told Mail Today.

"While former PM Manmohan Singh used to mostly converse in English, Modi's frequent use of Hindi language has drawn more usage and respect for it. Essentially, the usage of Hindi is not just a tool for leaders to bond but it officially marks respect for the language, its people and the culture."

NETANYAHU WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO REACH OUT TO GUESTS

While use of simple greetings in the native language of visiting heads of state is common, the Israeli PM evidently went out of his way to reach out to his guests.

"It is a good way for leaders to say a few things in the language of the host country and Modi greeted the Israeli PM in Hebrew and also tweeted in Hebrew. Then, we saw how Netanyahu went beyond protocol and arrived at the airport to receive Modi," Baglay said. "Here, he greeted him with 'aapka swagat hai mere dost' (you are welcome, my friend)."

LANGUAGE, A TOOL FOR EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY?

Baglay pointed out that even at the G20 summit that concluded on Saturday, Modi spoke in Hindi on several occasions. "Whenever other state leaders use their native language and when there are options for interpretation, he uses Hindi," Baglay said. "It must be understood in the context of the soft power of India...because of the popularity of Bollywood films and music, yoga etc. Use of Hindi resonates the soft power outreach."

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Several members of the delegation agreed that the warmth they saw in Israel was unprecedented. "In the Netherlands too, the PM tweeted in Hindi. While it is a common practice to use a few words to greet leaders in their native language, the extent in Israel was unprecedented," said a senior MEA official, who was part of delegation.

The official felt a strong leader can use a native language as a tool for effective diplomacy. "Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke in Hindi while addressing the United Nations. Narasimha Rao knew several languages and would use them to converse with state heads. It is an important diplomatic tool for achieving a goal and helps in smoothening the turf," said an international affairs expert.

Also Read:

Welcome to Israel, my friend Modi: Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion airport

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When Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, with Narendra Modi by his side, snubbed Pakistan

Also Watch:

PM Netanyahu greets PM Modi: Aapka swagat hai, mere dost

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Bethlehem

A renewable energy developer wants to build a two-megawatt solar farm in Feura Bush on behalf of the Bethlehem Central School District that would help to offset the district's energy costs.

ForeFront Power LLC, which used to be SunEdison's commercial division, wants to build the solar farm on 11 acres of land at the LaGrange dairy farm off of Delaware Turnpike.

Marvin LaGrange, whose family has run the farm for generations, agreed to a lease with SunEdison for the project back in September, according to documents submitted to the town.

LaGrange died in October at age 85, but his estate is moving forward with the project, town documents show.

SunEdison's commercial operations were acquired by Mitsui & Co., Ltd. of Japan in February and are now known as ForeFront Power. ForeFront has developed 1,000 solar projects over the year totaling 800 megawatts of electrical output.

The school district would not pay for the project but instead will sign a long-term agreement to purchase the cheap power from the solar farm.

The 20-year contract would save the district more than $1 million, district spokeswoman Jo Ellen Gardner said.
ALBANY  Applications are now available for a new state program that could help private college students shave $6,000 off their tuition bill this fall.

The Enhanced Tuition Award is available at 30 participating colleges and universities around New York, including the College of Saint Rose in Albany, for students from families earning less than $100,000. Like the state's new free tuition program for public college students, the income threshold will eventually increase to $125,000 in 2019.

The number of participating colleges may increase in coming years because the program had a late start this year compared to most financial aid programs. It was negotiated and finalized during the state budget process, which concluded in early April. The applications didn't go live until Friday.

"This is essentially a pilot year for the program as colleges and universities work closely with state agencies to hammer out details," said Mary Beth Labate, president of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, which represents more than 100 private campuses across the state.

Applications are available here. The deadline to apply is Aug. 21. To complete the application, you will need a copy of your family's 2015 state tax returns.

In the Capital Region, Saint Rose is the only participant.

Saint Rose anticipates up to 900 students could be eligible for the tuition discount, and has set a $500,000 cap on the total amount it's willing to award through the program. Other colleges and universities said the award had come too late in the season for them to properly budget for it.

"Though the timing of the program's rollout has been challenging for colleges and students, we truly hope that everyone who qualifies for the enhanced award will receive one," Labate said.

The scholarship comes with some notable strings. Except for students with disabilities, all award recipients must take a minimum of 12 credits per semester and 30 credits a year. And after they graduate, recipients are required to live and work in New York for the same number of years in which they received the award, or it will convert to a loan that must be repaid.

That's a big drawback for bigger-name private institutions that attract students from out of state, and produce graduates whose careers take them across the globe.

The program has mainly appealed to the state's small, regional private colleges that have suffered declining enrollment over the years and increased competition from state schools, which is expected to increase now that New York lawmakers have passed free tuition.

The award includes discounts offered through the state Tuition Assistance Program, which benefits low-income students. The remainder is split by the state and the institution. So a student who receives $1,000 in TAP money would get an extra $5,000 shaved off their bill  half of which would be paid by the state and half by the college.
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ALBANY  A federal appeals court ruled Monday that former Brooklyn Assemblyman William Boyland Jr.'s corruption conviction should stand even though the jury instructions at his trial may have been improper under a 2016 Supreme Court decision.

The ruling by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals on Boyland's 2014 public corruption conviction found the Democrat "did not suffer any prejudice."

The 24-page decision cites last year's Supreme Court decision in the case of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who, along with his wife, was convicted of taking government action on behalf of a business executive who gave the couple loans, vacations and gifts. The Supreme Court, in reviewing what actually constitutes corruption and what constitutes everyday government action for a benefactor, threw out McDonnell's conviction in a ruling that found setting up a meeting, calling another public official or hosting an event does not qualify as an "official act."

Read the complete decision here.

In the Boyland case, which ended more than two years before McDonnell was decided, the former assemblyman, who was once acquitted on bribery charges, was found to have taken bribes in exchange for securing approvals for a carnival to be held in his district and aiding a real estate venture. He also was nabbed for carrying out a per diem scheme. Boyland was sentenced to 14 years behind bars.

Citing the Supreme Court's ruling in McDonnell's case, Boyland argued that his conviction on 19 bribery-related charges should be tossed because the court improperly instructed the jury on what is an "official act."

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The appeals court agreed that the jury instructions for 15 counts were flawed. But the panel found the actions taken by Boyland did constitute "formal exercise(s) of governmental power."

"In sum, all of Boyland's dealings ... involved concrete matters that, in order to proceed, needed to be brought before public officials or agencies that would have to make formal and focused administrative decisions," the decision states. "In connection with each matter, Boyland agreed to ensure that favorable governmental decisions would be made, whether for licensing, work contracts, zoning, or funding."

mhamilton@timesunion.com  518-454-5449  @matt_hamilton10
TROY  The city Zoning Board of Appeals will review the marquee and other signs for Bow Tie Cinemas' proposed multiplex project at 1 Monument Square Tuesday night as the city opens the review process.

The paperwork submitted for the ZBA review calls for 11 theaters instead of the 10 originally proposed in the $17 million to $18 million project on the former City Hall site. Bow Tie needs a zoning variance for the marquee and 10 other signs for the theater project, according to its application.

The application filed with the ZBA, calls for 11 luxury theaters with a 1,256 seating capacity to be built at the 1.18-acre site. Original plans presented when the project was announced envisioned 10 theaters including the reopening of the closed American Theater down the street at 285-289 River St.

There will be a lower level parking garage with spaces for 105 vehicles and 100 bicycles. The project description also outlines walkways, signs, trees and lighting along River Street with an outdoor staircase from River Street to front Street. This will provide access to Riverfront Park. The theater building would be 45-feet tall, according to schematics filed with the city.

Additional details for the theater complex are not expected to be revealed until the city Planning Commission meets later in July. The Troy Industrial Development Authority may hear a presentation as early as Friday as part of the process for issuing tax breaks for the project. Details were still being worked out for the meeting, according to IDA staff.

This is the fourth attempt to redevelop the former City Hall site. It's the first plan that doesn't include a housing component. The initial presentation called for possible construction of commercial or residential space atop the theaters.

The former City Hall was demolished in 2011 leaving a hole in the streetscape on River Street. The project site is between River Street and the Hudson River in the heart of downtown. The city will maintain a 50-foot wide strip of land between the theater complex and the river.

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Mayor Patrick Madden has endorsed the redevelopment proposal as a means of creating a viable 18-hour downtown, encouraging further business expansion. The theaters are projected to bring 10,000 visitors to downtown weekly.

Bow Tie operates theaters in downtown Saratoga Springs and Schenectady. In addition, Bow Tie also has theaters in the suburban town of Wilton outside of Saratoga Springs in Saratoga County.

The ZBA meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 433 River St.
My heart sank when I learned this.

Target is getting rid of its Merona, Mossimo, Cherokee and Circo brands to make way for a revamped fashion lineup.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Target has unveiled four of the new brands - coming this fall - to replace the outgoing ones.

From the Target website: "Our new brands are all about the changing face of our guestswhat they need, what they're looking for from Target. When we took a close look at our existing assortment with this in mind, we saw a disconnect. We knew we'd need to refresh our offeringsand define new onesso our guests continue to love what they're discovering at Target and want to keep coming back, again and again."

Take a look at the lines. What do you think?
A nonprofit that assists people with staying drug-free wants Gov. Andrew Cuomo to declare a state of emergency over the heroin and opioid epidemic in New York, but he and top lawmakers question the value of that strategy.

More than 1,600 people have signed Columbia Pathways to Recoverys petition on Change.org, calling on the governor to recognize the epidemic of overdoses and deaths as a public health emergency. The move comes on the heels of a spike in heroin overdoses in Columbia County in the last weekend in June.

The Columbia County Department of Health confirmed at least 13 overdoses and two deaths that weekend  an enormous amount for the rural county. Law enforcement officials suspect a "hot batch"  a dangerous mix of heroin and other more potent opioids like fentanyl or carfentanil -- was circulating.

"This was multiple, so you know that's a bad batch right away," said Chatham police Chief Peter Volkmann.

Columbia County has been ravaged by a rise in opioid abuse along with the rest of the region and state in recent years. The rate of emergency room visits in Columbia County for opioid overdoses in 2015 was 27.6, calculated on a base of 100,000 people. That was more than three times the 2006 rate of 6.3, according to data analyzed by the Health Capital District Initiative.

Statewide, preliminary figures from the Department of Health analyzed by the Rockefeller Institute of Government last month showed a 54 percent increase in deaths from heroin overdoses between 2014 and 2015, and a 50 percent increase in emergency department visits in the same period.

Its unclear what a state of emergency declaration would do to address the epidemic in New York. In its petition, Columbia Pathways calls on the state to make resources available immediately given the magnitude of the problem.

The chair of the state Assembly's Health Committee, Democrat Richard Gottfried of Manhattan, opposes such a declaration, which would allow the Cuomo administration to waive state laws in response to the epidemic. But the assemblyman said that does not mean he is against a concerted effort to address the problem.

"'Declaring an emergency' does not mean focusing attention and resources; a governor can always do that," Gottfried said.

Governors in Maryland and Florida have declared states of emergency in response to the opioid epidemic this year. In Florida, the declaration permitted the state to immediately draw down $27 million in federal funds it had already been granted for addiction services. In Maryland, the declaration was intended to increase and expedite coordination between state and local agencies.

A spokesman for Cuomo, however, said New York does not need a declaration of state emergency to access additional funding.

"While some states have declared emergencies in order to access federal funding that would further support these efforts, New York  through the state budget process  has already secured access to an additional $25 million and can utilize these funds without a declaration," Azzopardi said.

This year's state budget also included $214 million to expand addiction prevention and treatment services.

Lawmakers refer to that number as a record level of spending to address addiction. Yet advocates for treatment and recovery were disappointed to see the state legislative session end without a significant package of bills to address the opioid epidemic, as seen in recent years.

It just wasnt pushed, said Stephanie Campbell, executive director of Friends of Recovery-New York. It was like they ran out of steam, they went home.

FOR-NY supported a package of 11 proposals made to the Senate and Assembly by the governor, which built on efforts of the last several years by, for instance, increasing insurance coverage for addiction treatment.

Sen. George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, who co-chairs the Senate Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction, said there is some logic in a slowdown in legislation on addiction, though he described the current epidemic as a situation that requires all hands on deck.

We need to see and evaluate legislatively what weve done, as well as the amount of funding, Amedore said.

The Senate passed a package of 14 bills, which had more emphasis on law enforcement than in recent years, when the focus has been on addiction prevention and treatment. The Assembly did not sign on to them.

A lot of it did focus on enforcement, which historically the Assembly is not on board with, unfortunately, Amedore said.
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San Francisco

Yul Dorn and his wife raised their son and daughter in a three-bedroom home crammed with family photos, one they bought in a historically African-American neighborhood in San Francisco more than two decades ago.

Today, the couple is living in a motel after they were evicted last year, having lost a foreclosure battle. A second home they inherited is also in default.

The Dorns expect to join the growing ranks of African-Americans who do not own their homes, a rate that was nearly 30 percentage points higher than that of whites in 2016, according to a new report.

"The person who bought the house, we lost all of our memories," said Dorn, a pastor and case manager with the city health department. "He put the furniture out on the street, and it was just devastating to my family."

The nation's homeownership rate appears to be stabilizing as people rebound from the 2007 recession that left millions unemployed and home values underwater, according to the report by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. But it found African-Americans aren't sharing in the recovery, even as whites, Asian-Americans and Latinos slowly see gains in home-buying. The center said the disparity between whites and blacks is at its highest in 70-plus years of data.

Experts say reasons for the lower homeownership rate range from historic underemployment and low wages to a recession-related foreclosure crisis that hit black communities particularly hard. In 2004, the pinnacle of U.S. homeownership, three-quarters of whites and nearly half of blacks owned homes, according to the Harvard study.

By 2016, the African-American homeowner rate had fallen to 42.2 percent and lagged 29.7 percentage points behind whites, nearly a percentage point higher than in 2015.

Now, a lack of affordable housing and stricter lending are making it harder for first-time buyers to obtain what traditionally has been considered an essential part of the American dream and a way to build wealth.

"It has always been historically and systemically harder for blacks, and we were seeing there a little bit of progress, and now we're back at square one," said Alanna McCargo, co-director of the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute, a think-tank focused on inner-city issues that published a similar report.

An AP analysis of U.S. Census Bureau statistics shows some pockets of the Midwest and California had the lowest homeownership rates for African-Americans, while some areas of the South had the highest.

Low inventory adds to the problem, said Jeffrey Hicks, incoming president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, which was founded in 1947 to promote fair housing opportunities for minorities. The Atlanta area has only about 30,000 properties for sale through real estate agents, compared with approximately 100,000 about 13 years ago, he said.

"You had subdivisions going up everywhere in terms of newer homes," Hicks said. "We haven't seen that resurgence of new housing stock."
Earlier today, the Congreess denied media reports as "fake news" that Rahul Gandhi met a Chinese envoy amid the China-India border standoff at Doklam in Sikkim.

By India Today Web Desk: Hours after denying that its vice-president Rahul Gandhi met a Chinese envoy in New Delhi, the Congress today acknowledged that the "courtesy" meeting indeed took place amid tension between India and China over the Doklam standoff.

"Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting Congress president and vice-president time to time on courtesy basis. The envoys met Rahul Gandhiji... not only Chinese envoy, but also the Bhutanese envoy and the ex-National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon," Congress spokesperson RS Surjewala said, adding that one should not "sensationalise" the meeting.

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"The Prime Minister specially met the Chinese premier in Hamburg, despite China clearly saying it is not interested in a dialogue. Yet, PM attended the BRICS meeting," he further said.

CONGRESS FLIP-FLOP

Earlier today, the Congreess denied media reports as "fake news" that Rahul Gandhi met a Chinese envoy amid the China-India border standoff at Doklam in Sikkim.

Surjewala himself, in a series of tweets, had said some news channels were running "fake news" on Gandhi's alleged meeting with Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui.

The channels "will not question three Union Ministers visiting China or PM's (Narendra Modi) bonhomie and praise at G20. Yet run fake news", Surjewala said.

He had also alleged that the report was planted by External Affairs Ministry and Intelligence Bureau sources. "They should reverify that we still have diplomatic relations with all our neighbours," Surjewala said.

Congress social media head Ramya said the issue was not if Gandhi met the Chinese envoy or now and questioned why the Prime Minister did not flag the border issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping when the two leaders met last week at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.

"While Chinese incursions were happening, this meeting took place and the Weak PM didn't deem it necessary to speak about the issue," she wrote on Twitter and posted a picture of Modi with Xi Jinping at the summit.

"Even if Congress Vice President had met the Chinese Ambassador, I don't see it as an issue, but the PM not flagging it in private or public is an issue," Ramya added.

ALSO READ

China warns India of serious consequences if it doesn't withdraw troops from Doklam area

Doklam faceoff: Why China wants to grab Bhutan's land and blame India

Doklam standoff: Chinese media gets Pakistan and Kashmir into narrative

--- ENDS ---
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ALBANY  A 23-year-old city man arrested Saturday is accused of setting his ex-girlfriend's house on fire while she and her two roommates were inside, city police said.

Marcus Ray Rios was arrested at 11:08 a.m. outside the burning house, located at 618 Providence St., his arrest report states.

The home's three residents, including Rios' ex-girlfriend, escaped safely and officers rescued a pet rabbit from its cage as firefighters fought the blaze, police said.

Rios "is familiar with (his ex-girlfriend's) schedule and knew that her presence inside of the building at the time he set said fire was a reasonable possibility," officers wrote in his arrest report. They also noted that he was intoxicated.

Officers and fire crews responded at about 11 a.m. after someone reported a gas can was burning next to the home, police said. They arrived to find the side of the building engulfed in flames, which were quickly extinguished by city firefighters, police said.

During their investigation, officers noticed the rear porch had also been on fire but had burned itself out before they arrived, police said. The rabbit was inside its cage on the porch, which had been doused in gasoline, but was not injured, police said.

Rios "intentionally tortured a tame animal," officers wrote in his arrest report. "While the defendant was pouring gasoline on the back porch, he intentionally poured gasoline on the caged pet rabbit."

Rios is charged with one count of felony attempted arson, three counts of felony reckless endangerment and one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

He was arraigned Sunday in Albany City Criminal Court.
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ALBANY - A plan to rehabilitate roughly 70 buildings along Clinton Avenue in Arbor Hill could help resuscitate the street blanketed with the most vacant buildings of any road in Albany.

Rochester-based Home Leasing is looking to purchase 70-plus buildings  a total of 220 units  on Clinton Avenue between Ten Broeck Street and Henry Johnson Boulevard and renovate them as affordable housing, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said.

Over the years, buildings along Clinton Avenue have fallen into disrepair  many posted with a red placard with an X on it warning first responders that the building is unstable  and been vacated. The road stretches from Ontario Street in West Hill to Ten Broeck Street in Arbor Hill. Roughly 100 of the more than 1,000 dormant buildings in Albany are in this area, according to a city list of vacant buildings.

The developer has yet to purchase the buildings and is working to get low-income housing tax credits to help finance the project, Sheehan said.

Representatives from Home Leasing could not be immediately reached Sunday.

Sheehan said the buildings that will possibly be part of the project are a mix of occupied and unoccupied homes.

The developer is definitely moving forward and doing all the right things to ensure that theyre connecting with the neighborhood and the city, and really being thoughtful about the potential project, she said.

Developers met with the Arbor Hill Neighborhood Association last month to field questions from residents, a move that association President Brenda Robinson said impressed her.

One of the things I wanted was for them to engage the community so we all can know what their plans are and when they plan on doing it, Robinson said. They were happy to do that.

Arbor Hill community members have often felt left out of the conversation when it comes to development in their neighborhood, or forgotten when planned proposals never got off the ground. Most recently, the community sought a community benefits agreement as part of the sale the Palace Theatre. It hasnt been finalized.

However, the openness and accessibility of Home Leasing has things off to a good start in Arbor Hill, Robinson said.

The company boasts a large portfolio of affordable and senior housing complexes across Western New York as well as some in Maryland and Pennsylvania. It mission is to improve the lives of residents and provide the best possible homes for our residents while treating our employees, suppliers, neighbors, investors and surrounding communities in a fair and equitable manner.

Robinson said developers were open to participating in a job fair to attract city residents for employment, and eased worries of the project possibly gentrifying the neighborhood.

Arbor Hill has just been neglected for so long, and I really think that we have to try and start somewhere, she said. We cant always predict the future, but Im hoping for the best."

afries@timesunion.com - 518-454-5353 - @mandy_fries
ALBANY  A former Guilderland school district employee who sexually victimized a 3-year-old at a school playground while he was babysitting last year, was sentenced to 15 years in state prison Monday -- five more years than expected.

James Hockenbury, 49, of Guilderland was also sentenced to 20 years of post-release supervision by Albany County Court Judge Peter Lynch, the district attorney's office said. Hockenbury will be required to register as a sex offender.

The former teacher's aide and cafeteria worker pleaded guilty to felony criminal sex act  the legal term for sodomy  on May 15 before which he'd been free on $75,000 bail.

"Our son's personality, behavior patterns and well-being were significantly

damaged," the 3-year-old's mother told the judge in a victim impact statement to the court detailing the toll taken on the child. "The hours his father and I have spent researching and contacting countless therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists to help our son are too numerous to count."

Hockenbury worked for many years in school and child care settings before his arrest on April 19, 2016. In a written statement to police, Hockenbury said he realized he was attracted to children in 2005 while working at U-Kids, a Campus Children's Center at the University at Albany but never acted on those urges until that day on the playground.

He said he worked at U-Kids from about 2005 to 2014 and met and married his wife, a fellow employee of U-Kids, while working there. They married in 2008 and started a baby-sitting service called Jim and Deb's baby-sitting in 2013.

The Hockenburys became friendly with one of the families that used U-Kids for child care and began baby-sitting the child outside of the day care, Hockenbury said in his statement.

On April 16, 2016, the family called on Hockenbury to baby sit, and he went to the home at 6:50 a.m. He told the police that after breakfast he and the child went to the Westmere Elementary School playground. The sex act took place in a corner next to the school gym where Hockenbury said he went to urinate.

"I feel like (expletive) for what I did," Hockenbury wrote. "I hate myself for it and wish it never happened. ... I wish I could take back what I did, but I can't. I want to get help for this problem I have; I am sexually attracted to children and I need help."

Hockenbury has worked with children for decades. For almost 20 years, he worked at the after-school child care programs in Guilderland that used to be run by Guilderland Community Center and then the Guilderland YMCA. When he left the job in 2000, he was site manager of after-school program at the Pine Bush Elementary.

"We are not aware of any issues with him when he was in our employ," said Erin Breslin, spokeswoman for the Capital District YMCA. She said all YMCAs runs background checks on all employees, volunteers, and members.

"Safety for us is our No. 1 priority with our children, with all of our members, but especially our children," Breslin said.

Hockenbury worked for less than a year at the Maple Leaf Child Care Center in Guilderland in 2001. Maple Leaf spokeswoman Katie Dobies said Hockenbury left the job on his own accord and the organization was not aware of any incidents.

According to police, Hockenbury also worked as a summer camp counselor for the town of Guilderland, and as a cafeteria monitor for Guilderland schools. Superintendent Marie Wiles said Hockenbury left his job as a monitor at Lynnwood Elementary in November to pursue another job.

Hockenbury also volunteered with Guilderland Central Fire Department, Altamont Rescue Squad, Christ the King Church  where he served as a eucharistic minister, altar server's trainer and one-time faith formation instructor  and was formerly with the Western Turnpike Rescue Squad and Fort Hunter Fire Department.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hockenbury taught faith formation at St. Madeleine Sophie Parish in Guilderland, a spokeswoman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany said at the time of the arrest.

Hockenbury recently worked at Securitas Securities, which offers on-site, mobile and remote guarding services, security systems and corporate risk management.

Hockenbury was expected to receive a 10-year term but the judge, in a rare move, decided that was not enough time for the crime. He told the defendant he had the option of rejecting the deal and going to trial. Hockenbury opted to take the deal.

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer McCanney of the Special Victims Unit prosecuted.

-- Contributing: Robert Gavin
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GUILDERLAND  State Police investigators were in Chinatown as recently as last month to probe the quadruple homicide of the Chinese family slain in town nearly three years ago, but the case is as cold as ever.

"We have no new leads," Capt. Robert Patnaude, who is leading the probe, said Monday.

Investigators regularly travel to New York City with interpreters to conduct interviews but they have not developed any suspects because "the language barrier and culture have made this case very difficult," Patnaude said.

Jin Chen, 39, his wife, Hai Yan Li, 38, and their sons, Anthony, 10, and Eddy, 7, who attended Guilderland Elementary School, were slaughtered in the predawn hours of Oct. 8, 2014, inside their 1846 Western Ave. home.

A "very clean scene with little forensic evidence points to a professional hit," Patnaude said. The family was "brutally stabbed and bludgeoned," he said.

The Capital Region's first quadruple homicide shocked the local Chinese-American community and rattled the suburban town. The unprecedented international probe has led local investigators to New York City, several states, Canada and China.

Despite assistance from local and county investigators, the New York Police Department, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other agencies, the State Police's investigation has been stalled by cultural and language barriers and a pervasive fear.

"Some say that in China they are more fearful of gangs than they are the police, so they are hesitant in providing information," Patnaude said. "There is also a trust issue."

"Many are illegal immigrants here, so they are worried they will get in trouble ... if they come forward with information," the captain said. "We try to explain we only care about the homicides, but they either don't believe (us) or simply don't have relevant information."

Interviews have been difficult with those who knew the family or worked at King's Wok Chinese restaurant, owned by Chen's relatives, a half-mile from their home.

Jin Chen allegedly handled large amounts of off-the-books cash that flowed through undocumented Chinese restaurant workers in a shadowy, underground economy that runs from New York City to the Capital Region and beyond.

"Off the grid" was the term local authorities used for Chen's clandestine enterprise, but who killed him and his family and why are unanswered questions.

"We don't know why they were killed," Patnaude said, vowing the case will stay open until it is solved.
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The June 30 arrest of a Connecticut man for having a handgun in his carry-on bag at LaGuardia came on the busiest travel day of the year, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

It was also during a two-week period when more than 80 guns were discovered at airport checkpoints. Two weeks earlier, 150 firearms were found in carry-ons with 128 that were loaded.

The seizures follow a trend of an increasing number of weapons found in carry-on baggage. It also comes at a time when a record number of Americans are traveling during the busy summer season.

In 2016, screeners at airport checkpoints recovered 3,391 firearms, up 28 percent from the year before, the federal Transportation Security Administration said. Most of those confiscated guns  83 percent  were loaded.

The Newtown, man who was not identified by TSA, was busted at LaGuardia airport in New York after inspectors found the unloaded gun. TSA officers detected the gun as the man entered the checkpoint and placed his carry-on items on the x-ray conveyor belt. TSA officers contacted the Port Authority Police who confiscated the pistol and arrested the man on weapons charges.

After the gun was discovered, the Newtown man was placed in handcuffs and faces of fine of $3,000. In addition, TSA has the authority to access civil penalties of up to $12,000.

His arrest on June 30 was the second time this year that a traveler has been arrested for bringing a gun to a LaGuardia Airport checkpoint. Two guns were detected at the airports checkpoints in all of 2016.

So far the busiest travel day of the summer was on June 30, the Friday before Independence Day, when 2,647,714 passengers and crew were screened.

In all, from June 25 to July 1, TSA set a record for the most passengers and crew members screened in the history of the agency when more than 17 million individuals were screened at checkpoints nationwide.

During that period, TSA discovered 82 firearms in carry-on bags. Of the 82 firearms discovered, 73 were loaded and 27 had a round chambered. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality.

As we hit the summer season, securing the travel of millions of passengers daily remains our top priority, said TSA Acting Administrator Huban A. Gowadia. It is well known that terrorists continue to focus on aviation, which is why TSA continues to focus on providing robust security screening. TSA takes many security measures, seen and unseen, while working closely with industry partners such as airlines and airports to enhance the traveling experience and ensure every passenger arrives to their destination safely.

TSA provides weekly updates the prohibited items it finds in carry-on bags, and luggage. Our officers also regularly find firearm components, realistic replica firearms, bb and pellet guns, airsoft guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, stun guns, small pocketknives and many other prohibited items too numerous to note, it said on its week in review post.
[July 09, 2017] Australia's Future Submarine Program reaches major international milestone

CHERBOURG, France, July 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Naval Group (formerly DCNS) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Australia today welcomed the official opening of Australia's Future Submarine Office by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Cherbourg France. In collaboration with the Australian Department of Defence, in what will be Australia's largest defence capital investment program in history, Naval Group and Lockheed Martin Australia will deliver to the Royal Australian Navy a fleet of 12 regionally superior submarines. The Office is a tripartite secure facility which will house Submarine designers, naval architects and engineers who will work alongside each other on Australia's Future Submarine Program. The facility will be known as 'Hughes House', in recognition of Rear Admiral 'Oscar' Hughes, AO, RAN and his invaluable role in Australia's submarine history as Director of the Collins Submarine Project. "Today marks an important and tangible milestone for the program as the facility allows all three partners to work together in a modern and highly secure environment to further enhance and develop the already close partnership," said Herve Guillou, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Naval Group. "We are looking forward to establishing an Australian wokforce in Cherbourg to develop the skills and understanding required to establish a regionally superior submarine and develop a sovereign Australian industrial capability."



More than 50 Australians will join Naval Group and Lockheed Martin Australia employees to progress the important work of developing a mature design of the Future Submarine. It is this collaboration along with the integral role that Australian industry will play that will underpin the ability of Australia to maintain and operate the Future Submarines with sovereignty, throughout their life. "At Lockheed Martin Australia, we are proud to partner with the Australian Government and Naval Group to deliver a regionally superior, sovereign, sustainable submarine program," said Vince Di Pietro AM, Lockheed Martin Chief Executive Australia & New Zealand.

"This office will provide a collaboration space for the Naval Group and Lockheed Martin Australia to work closely with our Australian Government partners to provide the best possible submarine fleet to provide protection for Australia's trade and assure the nation's maritime security." While today's announcement is the first major milestone event, the design of the Future Submarine is already well underway, as is engagement with Australian Industry. The Future Submarine Program is hosting industry briefings across all states and territories reaching more than 850 Australian companies, detailing how they can become involved. About Naval Group

Naval Group is the European leader in naval defence and a major player in marine renewable energy. The Group's success as an advanced technology company with global reach is built on meeting customer needs by deploying exceptional know-how, unique industrial resources and an ability to develop innovative strategic partnerships. Naval Group designs and builds submarines and surface combatants, develops associated systems and infrastructure, and offers a full range of services to naval bases and shipyards. The Group has also expanded its focus into marine renewable energy. Aware of its corporate social responsibilities, Naval Group is a member of the United Nations Global Compact. Naval Group generates annual revenues of 3.2 billion and employs around 12,800 people (2016 data). About Lockheed Martin Australia

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 800 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/australias-future-submarine-program-reaches-major-international-milestone-300485012.html SOURCE Lockheed Martin

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[July 09, 2017] Sampoerna Inaugurates Solar Power Generation System in Karawang and Surabaya

JAKARTA, Indonesia, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Indonesia has a huge potential in renewable energy. Located in the equator line, the archipelago benefits from large amounts of sun-intensity. According to a 2015 report by the International Energy Agency, the nation holds solar energy potential of approximately 1,200 GW, while only 1 GW of power will provide enough energy for about 700,000 homes. This enormous potential, however, remains underdeveloped. Citing a 2015 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Indonesia's current installed solar energy capacity is only 22 MW, which is mostly composed of solar home systems and small-scale photovoltaic plants. Following the steps of its parent company Phillip Morris International (PMI), who are ranked among the top fast-moving consumer goods companies in terms of its environmental footprint, PT HM Sampoerna Tbk. (Sampoerna) have made great progress in contributing towards that success, one of which is through seizing the solar power potential. "As one of the largest company in Indonesia, Sampoerna is strongly committed in building a responsible and sustainable business. This includes carbon emission reduction, alternative energy utilization and energy efficiency," said Sampoerna's President Director Mindaugas Trumpaitis. Started in 2016, Sampoerna has started to develop green energy source in its facilities. One of the projects is Solar Power Generation System in Company's Karawang Factory, West Java and Surabaya Head Office, East Java. This green energy source equip with on-grid type system. On-ground solar power generation system in Karawang aims to directly supply electricity for machine-made cigarette production line, with capacity of 449 KWp, which can generate electricity 609 MWH annually. On the other hand, Surabaya rooftop solar panels generte electricity to provide the office and hand-rolled kretek cigarette production facilities with capacity of 63 KWp to generate electricity 93 MWH annually. Combination of both systems will reduce 603,479 kg of Sampoerna's carbon foot print per year.



This project is inaugurated in April 2017 to be set for long-term supply up to more than 20 years ahead. "The inauguration of our solar panel facility in Karawang and Surabaya is a breakthrough for renewable energy development in private sector. This initiative has been essential in encouraging uptake of new sustainable technologies and supporting efforts to reduce CO2 emissions resulting in clearer air for us and for Indonesia," said Trumpaitis. Establishment of Solar Power Generation System is one recent example of many more to come. Tackling climate change by lowering down fossil-fuel-related emissions is also among the focus areas of PMI. In 2015, PMI has surpassed its aim for 20-percent lower fossil-fuel-related emissions from manufacturing operations by achieving 24%. As a leading multinational that manufactures and sells products in over 180 countries, PMI has a complex environmental footprint that needs to be managed. Now, it aims higher to reach a 30% reduction in PMI's carbon footprint across its whole value chain by 2020.

"As part of Sampoerna's along with our parent company's commitment, we have implemented Energy Management Program to align and focus on reducing our energy consumption as well as carbon foot print. Since a few years ago, PMI has spent significant amount of investments in energy saving program by upgrading its utility system, lighting system, heat recovery system, idle sleep mode for machineries, as well as improve employees' awareness on energy saving program. All of these are done in locations where PMI and Sampoerna operate," Trumpaitis concludes. About PT HM Sampoerna Tbk. (Sampoerna) Founded in 1913, Sampoerna -- an affiliate of PT Philip Morris Indonesia and part of Philip Morris International Inc. -- is the leading Indonesian tobacco company, focusing primarily on the production and sale of clove cigarettes. The Company produces some of the best-known kretek (clove) cigarette brand families such as Sampoerna A, Dji Sam Soe the legendary "King of Kretek", Sampoerna U and Sampoerna Kretek. The Company also distributes the Marlboro brand of cigarettes throughout Indonesia, through a long-term distribution agreement with PT Philip Morris Indonesia. Sampoerna operates seven production facilities in Java and partners with 38 Third Party Operators, employing -- directly and indirectly -- a total of approximately 70,000 employees, mostly in the production of hand-rolled clove cigarettes. Sampoerna distributes its products via 104 sales and distribution area offices across Indonesia. Sampoerna is the largest company by market capitalization on the Indonesian Stock Exchange, where it trades under the ticker symbol "HMSP." For further information, please visit: www.sampoerna.com Media Contact: Michael Reza Say

Communications Manager

PT HM Sampoerna Tbk.

Ph. +62 21 515 1234

Fax. +62 21 515 2234

Email [email protected] SOURCE PT HM Sampoerna Tbk

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Rahul Gandhi if the government is so concerned about his meeting with Chinese envoy then they should explain why 3 ministers went to China.

By India Today Web Desk: After a U-turn by Congress over whether Rahul Gandhi met Chinese envoy, the Congress leader today hit back at the Narendra Modi government questioning why are they so concerned about the meeting.

In a series of tweets, Rahul Gandhi said if the government is so concerned about him meeting an Ambassador then they should explain why three ministers of the Narendra Modi government are availing Chinese hospitality while the border standoff is on.

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He posted a news report of how three senior ministers of the Narendra Modi government, including Union Human Resource Minister Prakash Javdekar, travelled to China this week for meetings.

And for the record I am not the guy sitting on the swing while a thousand Chinese troops had physically entered India pic.twitter.com/THG4sULJJC; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017

Rahul Gandhi said it is his job to be informed on critical issues. "I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from north-east and the Bhutanese Ambassador," the Congress leader said.

Earlier in the day, the Congress had first denied that its vice-president Rahul Gandhi met a Chinese envoy in New Delhi but later on acknowledged that the "courtesy" meeting took place amid tension between India and China over the Doklam standoff in Sikkim.

Congress spokesperson RS Surjewala had tweeted that some news channels were running "fake news" on Gandhi's alleged meeting with Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui but later on he himself admitted that the meeting happened.

Congress social media head Ramya said the issue was not if Gandhi met the Chinese envoy or now and questioned why the Prime Minister did not flag the border issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping when the two leaders met last week at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.

"While Chinese incursions were happening, this meeting took place and the Weak PM didn't deem it necessary to speak about the issue," she wrote on Twitter and posted a picture of Modi with Xi Jinping at the summit.

"Even if Congress Vice President had met the Chinese Ambassador, I don't see it as an issue, but the PM not flagging it in private or public is an issue," Ramya added.

ALSO READ

China warns India of serious consequences if it doesn't withdraw troops from Doklam area

Doklam faceoff: Why China wants to grab Bhutan's land and blame India

Doklam standoff: Chinese media gets Pakistan and Kashmir into narrative

--- ENDS ---
[July 10, 2017] New Online Portal Helps UK Businesses Apply for 500 Million Innovation Funding

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands and READING, England, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A new digital service is helping UK businesses to apply for innovation funding more easily and quickly. Over the past two years, Worth Internet Systems and Innovate UK, the UK's innovation agency, have worked together to develop the Innovation Funding Service (IFS), a streamlined online grant application service that provides over 500m funding to UK organisations per year. The service helps businesses and research organisations collaborate to apply for grant funding to research and develop the UK's future technologies. IFS provides a single view of all current Innovate UK competitions, allowing businesses to apply and progress their applications online. Over the past decade, the K government has changed the way it delivers services to its citizens online. Innovate UK demanded a customer-focused, easy to use, end-to-end online system for grant funding applications that would also help them to simplify and transform their processes internally.



Therefore, full-service digital agency Worth Internet Systems, based near Reading in the UK and The Hague in The Netherlands, worked with Innovate UK to design and build a solution with a clear focus on user needs, open source engineering, rapid product iteration and continuous delivery. The new service helps UK businesses apply for funding and get their innovations to market more quickly. Anne Dixon, Chief Operating Officer of Innovate UK says: "By streamlining the application and awards process for innovators, we are able to accelerate the time to market for new products and drive greater wealth and job creation. This is vital in a competitive global economy. I am remarkably proud of what we have all collectively achieved. This will help us to make great strides in the innovation of emerging technologies, infrastructure services, health and life sciences, materials and manufacturing."

Mark McNally, Director Worth Internet Systems states: "We have worked with government clients for many years. In our view, the UK government is well ahead when it comes to digital transformation. I would say it can teach the private sector a huge amount too."

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[July 10, 2017] SES Video and Telekom Serbia Broadcast Radio Television of Serbia Channels

SES (News - Alert) (Euronext Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) announced today that, together with its long-term partner Telekom Serbia, it will carry six TV channels and one radio station for Serbian public broadcaster RTS across Europe. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170709005048/en/ SES Video and Telekom Serbia Broadcast Radio Television of Serbia Channels (Photo: Business Wire) The six RTS channels, RTS Satelit, RTS Zivot, RTS Drama, RTS Kolo, RTS Trezor, RTS Muzika and one radio station, Radio Beograd, will be transmitted to cable network headends in Europe and will be available to several million Serbian expats across the region via a dedicated smart card which can be integrated into the viewers' set-top box. Telekom Serbia, a Serbian telecommunications company headquartered in Belgrade, will provide all ground services including satellite uplink, encoding and scrambling, and will rely on SES's capacity on one of its ASTRA satellite positioned at 5 degrees East. "We have been working together with our partner Telekom Serbia for many years on various projects and this new agreement strengthens not only our presence in the market but also our long-standing cooperation," said Martin Ornass-Kubacki, Vice President, Chief Regional Officer Central Eastern Europe, SES Video, SES's newly-created business unit. "We are also very pleased that RTS has chosen our ASTRA satellite for the distribution of its channels to the Serbian audience across Europe." "It is our pleasure to have RTS on board. SES quality and professionalism, as well as our long-lasting partnership, were essential for closing such a deal and we look forward to serving RTS needs, together with SES, in the best possible way," said Milutin Nikolic, Wholesale Director, Telekom Serbia. Follow us on: Twitter (News - Alert): https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites



LinkedIn (News - Alert): https://www.linkedin.com/company/ses Facebook (News - Alert): https://www.facebook.com/SES.Satellites

YouTube (News - Alert): http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel Blog: https://www.ses.com/news/blogs Media Gallery: https://www.ses.com/media-gallery SES White papers are available under: https://www.ses.com/news/whitepapers About SES SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in two key business units; SES Video and SES Networks. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions. SES's portfolio includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) television reach in Europe, O3b Networks, a global managed data communications service provider, and MX1, a leading media service provider that offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. Further information available at: www.ses.com About Telekom Serbia Telekom Srbija a.d. Beograd, together with its daughter companies, is a modern, entirely locally-owned telecommunications company, which for 20 years now, has had a leading role in fixed and mobile telephony, the Internet and multimedia spheres, both in this country and the region at large. By fostering the innovative spirit, Telekom Srbija a.d. Beograd is continuously developing new technological solutions for the benefit of its customers and the environment and is maintaining a high quality of unhindered communications offering a wide range of channels and message transmission devices. Acting in a socially responsible manner, it helps the community to overcome the weaknesses of the present time with joint forces. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170709005048/en/

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[July 10, 2017] Hubble Connected to Display Expanded Product Line at CBME China

HONG KONG, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hubble Connected, a leader in integrated and connected baby technology and a leading licensee of the Motorola brand, will be proudly displaying their latest line of baby and children's products at Children Baby Maternity Expo (CBME) in China, the world's largest sourcing event for child, baby, and maternity products and services. CBME attendees will get a sneak peek inside Hubble's latest innovations and a firsthand look at the brand's ground-breaking technology. With Hubble's acquisition of Kaishi Pte. Ltd. (Kaishi), winner of the CES 2017 The Bump's Best of Baby Tech Award and the Yuer People's Choice Award, Hubble has extended their cutting-edge portfolio into the prenatal stage with both an innovative IoT device and a social platform that allows parents the anytime, anywhere ability to track their baby's development from 18 weeks of gestation through 3 years of age. The companies will integrate their mobile app platforms to allow the full family of Motorola-branded nursery devices to be monitored in one easy-to-use app, providing a rich source of relevant content and community features to all its users. Attendees at CBME China will get a firsthand look at the brand's expansive product line within Motorola's Smart Nursery ecosystem, the Innovation Award winner in the "World of Kids Safety" category from trade show Kind + Jugend 2016, as well as Kaishi's full product line including: Motorola Smart Nursery Air Purifier -- The newest device in the Smart Nursery ecosystem from Motorola is a connected air purifier, controlled with the Hubble app for smartphone and tablets. The air purifier helps baby breathe easy and sleep soundly by increasing moisture in the nursery. It removes 99.97% of airborne particles including allergens, pollen, dust mites, pet dander and has a dust sensor, showing the air quality level. The device is also equipped with three speed settings and auto mode, as well as a child safety lock, time, UV light change reminder and soothing nightlight.

The newest device in the Smart Nursery ecosystem from Motorola is a connected air purifier, controlled with the Hubble app for smartphone and tablets. The air purifier helps baby breathe easy and sleep soundly by increasing moisture in the nursery. It removes 99.97% of airborne particles including allergens, pollen, dust mites, pet dander and has a dust sensor, showing the air quality level. The device is also equipped with three speed settings and auto mode, as well as a child safety lock, time, UV light change reminder and soothing nightlight. Motorola Smart Soother Patch -- Providing connected real time body temperature tracking, the Smart Soother Patch from Motorola allows for continuous remote monitoring up to 24 hours, real-tie reading and body temperature notifications as well as memory recall, for up to 200 readings. As part of the Smart Nursery ecosystem from Motorola, you can track data on compatible smartphones and tablets and instantly share all temperature readings to doctors and family members through the app.

Providing connected real time body temperature tracking, the Smart Soother Patch from Motorola allows for continuous remote monitoring up to 24 hours, real-tie reading and body temperature notifications as well as memory recall, for up to 200 readings. As part of the Smart Nursery ecosystem from Motorola, you can track data on compatible smartphones and tablets and instantly share all temperature readings to doctors and family members through the app. Motorola Smart Nursery Thermometers -- There are two new thermometers from Motorola as part of the Smart Nursery ecosystem: an in-ear thermometer and a non-contact thermometer. Both are connected thermometers with temperature recording providing fast and accurate measurement of body and object (liquid) temperature, and real-time reading transmission via Bluetooth to smart phones. Other features include reminders and alarms for doctors' appointments, taking medicine, etc., and the ability to instantly share all temperature readings to doctors and family members through the Smart Nursery app.

There are two new thermometers from Motorola as part of the Smart Nursery ecosystem: an in-ear thermometer and a non-contact thermometer. Both are connected thermometers with temperature recording providing fast and accurate measurement of body and object (liquid) temperature, and real-time reading transmission via Bluetooth to smart phones. Other features include reminders and alarms for doctors' appointments, taking medicine, etc., and the ability to instantly share all temperature readings to doctors and family members through the Smart Nursery app. Xinkaishi Fetal Heartbeat Listening Device -- The award-winning fetal listening device is optimized for safety, performance, and the emotional empowerment of expecting mothers by connecting via Bluetooth to the Hubble app that detects and visualizes the frequency of the baby's heartbeat with a battery that lasts up to 50 hours. It has proven acoustic sensing technology that allows mothers to hear their baby's heartbeat without noise, emitting zero radiation for continuous use, without the need for ultrasound gel.

The award-winning fetal listening device is optimized for safety, performance, and the emotional empowerment of expecting mothers by connecting via Bluetooth to the Hubble app that detects and visualizes the frequency of the baby's heartbeat with a battery that lasts up to 50 hours. It has proven acoustic sensing technology that allows mothers to hear their baby's heartbeat without noise, emitting zero radiation for continuous use, without the need for ultrasound gel. Kaishi Adore and Adore Plus Smart Bracelets -- An innovative digital platform for healthy women's lifestyle, the Adore and Adore Plus Smart Bracelets provide health-related statistics monitoring that measures steps, heart rate and sleep, and has a host of unique features including stand-up reminders and an up to 10-day battery life. The bracelets come in a fashionable red or white and are the first smart bracelets designed specifically around the lifestyle needs of women.



Dino Lalvani , Founder and CEO of Hubble Connected. "Our newest technology in our Smart Nursery line, coupled with the Kaishi products, shows our depth in the marketplace and we are thrilled to give CBME attendees the opportunity to experience them firsthand." All of the products showcased connect to Hubble, an IoT platform and the largest connected provider of video cloud services. Hubble is helping simplify lives by connecting multiple facets of day-to-day life including home, nursery, audio, car, phones and more.

For more information and a personal look at Motorola's Smart Nursery and connected baby monitors, Hubble Connected and Kaishi, please visit the Shanghai National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), booth # Hall 4 -- 1 B - 60, July 19-21, 2017. About Hubble Connected Hubble makes it easy to stay connected with your favorite people, places and pets with live video streaming and up-to-date smart notifications wherever you are. Hubble is also the first Platform-as-a-Service for the connected home. Offering complete SDK, API integration documentation and reference design, Hubble enables leading brands and hardware manufacturers to rapidly integrate and connect new products to the cloud. For more information, visit www.hubbleconnected.com About Kaishi Pte. Ltd. Kaishi was founded and incubated in California in early 2015 with the aim of helping mothers and new families reduce anxieties and bring joy to their daily lives. The first Kaishi device allows expectant mothers to listen to their developing baby's heartbeat on a mobile phone, and to record and share that heartbeat with family and friends over social media. Launching first in China, the Xinkaishi mobile app also provides mothers-to-be with personalized and contextually relevant health information validated by medical experts, as well as connecting growing families with rich content, media and community features and high-quality, value-added products and services. Kaishi is now headquartered in Singapore with a significant team presence in Shanghai. To learn more about how Kaishi is nurturing the future generation, please visit www.mykaishi.com. Further Information For further information, please contact:

Sherry Chan, [email protected], 852-2116-3628 Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160111/8521600151LOGO-b SOURCE Hubble Connected

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[July 10, 2017] BestLifeRewarded Innovations, Excellence Canada and the Economic Club of Canada Launch Enhanced Version of the Mental Health at Work Challenge

TORONTO, July 10, 2017 /CNW/ - BestLifeRewarded Innovations (formerly Cookson James Loyalty), Excellence Canada and Economic Club of Canada, among other partners, launched an exciting, organizational support program called the Mental Health at Work Challenge 3 years ago. The aim of the program is to create a FREE, easy-to-follow, one-stop-shop tool providing organizations with the essentials to begin to implement the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the "National Standard"). The Mental Health at Work Challenge is a fun and engaging program that provides a step-by-step approach for administrators to implement the essentials of creating a psychological healthy and safe environment along with resources for employees to become more aware and educated about mental health stigma in the workplace, as well action tools to be more psychologically healthy. "What sets the program apart is that reward points are given to every employee as the administrator confirms that a milestone toward creating a healthy environment is achieved," said Susanne Cookson, co-founder BestLifeRewarded Innovations. "In addition, each employee can add to their reward points balance by using the employee-specific tools and resources. Prizes are drawn monthly which creates a lot of excitement among participating organizations." "the Mental Health at Work Challenge has given us a way to shine a light on Mental Health in the Workplace in a way that no previous approach has enabled. Having a head office on Ottawa and smaller site offices from coast to coast often creates a challenge in terms of having a common approach that reaches out to and resonates well with everyone. Evidence suggests that the enthusiasm with which people have embraced the Challenge extends to both our regional offices and head office alike."

 Canadian Forces Housing Agency "We are experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of employers adopting a strategic approach to fostering mental health at work and preventing injuries," said Allan Ebedes, President and CEO of Excellence Canada. "While the predominant motive is doing the right thing for their staff, the growing competition to be an employer of choice makes a strong business case for taking action and being celebrated for it." Over 80 companies in private, non-profit and government sectorshave been actively participating in the program over the past three years. Based on member feedback, the partners made several enhancements to the program, such as new 30-day challenges that launch every three (3) months, the addition of a new Excellence Canada Guidebook, offered free of charge to program participants as an easier-to-navigate administrative portal, and more automated communications to employees.



We encourage all Canadian companies and organizations to join the FREE Mental Health at Work Challenge and together we will de-stigmatize mental illness in the workplace. Start today at www.BestLifeRewarded.com/MHW About Mental Illness in Canada

More than $51-billion is the annual cost, from health care to lost productivity. A recent global workplace survey conducted by Ipsos Mori, including employees and employers in Canada, highlights the stark reality of mental illness in the Canadian workplace. Of the workers specifically reporting a depression diagnosis, 40% state they did not tell their employer about their problem, which is above the global average of 33% and is the highest rate recorded in the global survey next to the United States (58%).One quarter (24%) of employees diagnosed with depression could not continue to work during their last episode of depression, with an average of more than two months off work (49 lost working days) in that episode. Of note, the global average was 32 lost working days. There is a significant economic and compassionate need to address mental health issues in the workplace. About BestLifeRewarded Innovations

Incorporated in 2010, BestLifeRewarded Innovations (formerly Cookson James Loyalty) created its flagship platform BestLifeRewarded, a comprehensive program that encourages members to take personal ownership for their health. Their mission in evidence-informed innovation includes all stakeholders in a "coordinated assault" to change the overall face of health in Canada. The BestLifeRewarded platform is a plug and play web-based solution with simple "off line" program integration. By adding the BestLifeRewarded program to a health management strategy, partners can expect greater organizational health awareness, better member engagement, more robust measurement and insight into the impact of your health and wellness investments. The BestLifeRewarded Innovations managed software solution allows insurance carriers, employers, clinics, health authorities, pharmacies and hospitals to measure the impact of the overall program, identify areas of improvement and can uncover areas that require additional attention and focus. Through a reporting dashboard, partners will have access to the ongoing performance and positive health shifts that occur with their members as they engage in the program. For more information visit www.bestliferewarded.com About Excellence Canada

Excellence Canada is a national authority on organizational quality, and the author of the Excellence, Innovation and Wellness Standard, the Healthy Workplace Standard, and the Mental Health at Work Framework. Excellence Canada provides independent verification and certification of excellence to organizations of all sizes and in all sectors. It is also the custodian and adjudicator of the Canada Awards for Excellence program, established in 1984, of which the Patron is His Excellency, the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Governor General of Canada. For more information visit: www.excellence.ca About the Economic Club of Canada: Since 2003, the Economic Club of Canada has earned a prestigious reputation as this country's podium of record. Uniquely positioned as the only national non-partisan organization capable of staging events across the country, our mission is to bring our members and guests face-to-face with the most influential leaders of our time. Each year more than 100 policy makers and business leaders approach the Economic Club of Canada to make keynote addresses allowing the opportunity for guests to pose questions, direct and unfiltered. Membership is open to all who share a passion for great issues of the day. For more information, or to become a member visit: www.economicclub.ca. SOURCE BestLifeRewarded Innovations Inc.

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[July 10, 2017] CropIn Technology to Conduct Live Webinar on 'Technology in Agriculture: Possibilities & Future Trends' on 21st July 2017 at 3pm IST

BANGALORE, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Webinar will focus on the current scenario of the agriculture ecosystem and how Agriculture Technology (Ag-Tech) is shaping the future of agriculture CropIn Technology Solutions, a leading ag-tech company, will conduct a live webinar on 'Technology in Agriculture: Possibilities & Future Trends.' The Webinar will cater to Agri-businesses, Agronomists, as well as ICT and IoT enthusiasts. It will explore the current scenario of the ag-tech industry as well as touch upon the upcoming trends. The webinar will help participants understand the challenges, benefits and necessity of the technology advancements in the agriculture space. This discussion will cover the way agriculture technology has progressed over the past decade and what the future holds for agri-businesses. The live webinar will be presented on July 21st, 2017 at 3 PM IST (Indian Standard Time) by: Mr. Krishna Kumar CEO, CropIn Technology and

Mr. Uday Gosain Head, Leading Consulting Engagement, USA ? Register for the Webinar on Technology in Agriculture: Possibilities & Future Trends on 21st July 2017 at 3pm IST http://bit.ly/2tXNNQC

? Learn more about CropIn & Request for Demo: http://cropin.co.in/demo/



The Presenters: Mr. Krishna Kumar (CEO, CropIn Technology): An award-winning visionary working to bring technologies like ICT and data-driven farming to every farm/farmer. During one of the industrial visits while in GE, he realized that technology can equally benefit the farming sector as it is doing to other sectors; hence, the inception of CropIn Technology, currently a well-known name in the Agri-Tech industry. With his hard work and perseverance, Krishna has increased the footprint of CropIn, not only in India but globally.

Mr. Uday Gosain (Head, Leading Consulting Engagement, USA): CropIn's First Customer as Head of Sustainability Projects, Food Safety Quality Assurance and IT; FieldFresh Foods Private Limited.

Uday has around 2 decades of diverse international experience in information technology, food and agriculture. He has accelerated and led pioneering initiatives in enterprise software development, wireless software development, export-oriented agri supply chain, food safety and QA, Agri-Tech, sustainability, insurance and business strategy. About CropIn Technology Solutions: CropIn Technology Solutions is a Bengaluru-based Ag-tech company with a mission to 'increase per acre value' and vision 'to make every farm traceable'. CropIn provides SaaS-based services to agribusinesses in India and other developing nations; enabling clients to analyse and interpret data and derive real time insights on standing crop and projects spanning geographies, enabling them to take corrective measures on time. CropIn's products and services add value to all players in the agriculture ecosystem. Their SaaS-based system is not a one-time intervention but a sustainable solution. Machine Learning and AI-based algorithm makes it possible for the system to evolve every day and provide more robust information to the businesses. Our solutions are crop and region agnostic. They have digitized over 1 million acres of farmland, enriching lives of over 500,000 farmers while working with 120+ clients. Follow CropIn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CropInTech On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CropInTech Media Contact:

Wamika Varma

Manager - Marketing

E: [email protected] Mayukh Bardhan

Manager - Digital Marketing

E: [email protected]

T: +91-9590312725



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[July 10, 2017] When aircraft meets PurePower: HNA and Pratt & Whitney partner in building an environmentally responsible aviation ecosystem

BEIJING, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HNA Group, a Chinese multi-national corporation headquartered in Hainan Island, starting as a local air carrier and growing up to a Global Fortune 500 company with multiple businesses operations including tourism, finance, logistics and eco-technology, is celebrating its 24th anniversary. During the group's anniversary celebrations, HNA Group's partners have commended the group for its outstanding achievements through the years and given their support for continued growth and success in the future. Bob Leduc, president of Pratt & Whitney, an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations, said, "Over the past 24 years, HNA Group has gone from a local air transport company based in Hainan Island to a Global Fortune 500 conglomerate. The story of the group makes for an inspiring chapter in the global aviation industry." Committed to developing green aviation HNA Group established the Green Aviation Initiative & Network in cooperation with key strategic partners, Pratt & Whitney and its parent company United Technologies in June 2016, as a move to boost the future development of the green aviation industry in the course of becoming an environmentally responsible aviation. Doug Cai, president of Greater China, Pratt & Whitney, said, "The Green Aviation Initiative & Network aims to build an environmentally responsible aviation ecosystem via communication, dialog and innovative solutions." How to use energy more efficiently, how to protect the environment and how to reduce the carbon footprint have been some of the hot topics across the world's civil aviation industry. The Green Aviation Initiative & Network serves as an international exchange platform for connecting the entire industry chain at a global level as well as encouraging cross-border interaction, industrial collaboration and joint innovation. As of June 2017, the one-year old Green Aviation Initiative & Network has already made some notable achievements, one is which is bringing together 27 leading companies and organizations with a presence in the aviation industry to sponsor and support the platform construction of the project. In November 2016, 12 organizations, including HNA Group and United Technologies, jointly released Green Aviation Whitepaper 2016 through the network, drawing much attention and receiving positive feedback from players across the Chinese aviation industry. Mr. Cai commented, "From a new perspective focusing on sustainable development, the Green Aviation Whitepaper reviews the development of the aviation industry, while HNA Group and United Technologies' strategic cooperation in green aviation allows them to make a contribution to the building of a sustainable and environmentally responsible aviation environment." By researching the aviation industry's low energy consumption, low emission and low pollution practices across the entire process, from design to testing and manufacturing, the whitepaper advocates industrial competitiveness, moving the industry from a sole focus on creating market value to comprehensive economic, social and environmental value creation, as well as improving the respond capability to climate change. Over the next two years, the Green Aviation Initiative & Network plans to expand its presence across all aviation-related industries by demonstrating the basic benefits of an environmentally responsible aviation ecosystem. Promoting the development of a green aviation industry with clean power Both as joint sponsors and members of the executive committe of the Green Aviation Initiative & Network, HNA Group and United Technologies have formed a long-term and in-depth partnership based on their shared passion for environmental protection and the public interest as well as their strong sense of responsibility for the development of the industry.



In 2002, HNA Group received its first Boeing 767 wide-body aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney's PW4056 engine. Due to continuous technological advances in the aviation industry, energy efficiency improvement and carbon emissions reduction through the application of advanced technologies have become a standard approach in the industry. In tandem with the trend, HNA Group has equipped its fleet with Pratt & Whitney's revolutionary PurePower geared turbofan engine. The advanced PurePower engine has been proven to reduce energy consumption by 16 percent, nitrogen oxide emissions by 50 percent and engine noise footprint by 75 percent when compared to traditional engines.

Mr. Cai explained, "Selecting the new energy-saving and environment-friendly engine reflects HNA's lasting focus on environmental protection." An innovative approach to making a contribution for the benefit of the greater good Mr. Cai indicated that, innovation is a driving force to sustainable development for both Pratt & Whitney and HNA Group. He added, "We look forward to working with HNA Group to open a new chapter in the aviation industry characterized by innovation driven by a changing environment." As a case in point, HNA Group continues to innovate in its approaches to environmental protection and contribution to the public interest, as well as pioneer in incorporating public interest programs into its daily operations while enhancing its social responsibility commitment. At the end of 2016, HNA Group initiated the Green Tour program, a public benefit program in the form of carbon footprint offset. As the first innovative public interest program launched by a Chinese airline, Green Tour aims to become a benchmark brand in the green aviation sector through enhancing public awareness by inviting travelers to become the advocates of environmental protection. Passengers of HNA Group's flights are invited to offset their carbon footprint through voluntary donations or Fortune Wings Club points. The passenger can calculate the extent of their carbon footprint using the Carbon Footprint calculator which could be found on Hainan Airlines' official website, their mobile phone or at the airport self-check-in terminals. The donations will be used to support the reforestation program of the China Green Carbon Foundation. To date, the Green Tour program has donated 500,000 yuan (approx. US$73,561) to the China Green Carbon Foundation for the conservation and recovering of the Dongzhaigang Mangrove Forest in Haikou, Hainan province, China Further donations will go to a program to plant trees and conduct conservation campaigns in cities across China struggling to control smog and desertification. The Green Tour program will provide HNA Group's Fortune Wings Club members with a carbon footprint offset map, which includes graphs showing the ways the carbon footprint is offset. The open and transparent program allows more passengers to participate in environmentally-friendly carbon offset efforts. The program is expected to go a long way in conveying the concept of green and low-carbon development and enhancing the airline's commitment to build a green aviation together with their passengers. With the mission of becoming an advocate of an environmentally responsible lifestyle, a green industry leader, a green service supplier and a green development pioneer, HNA Group will continue promoting a green, low carbon economy and supporting to develop the ecologically sound development and environmentally responsible China in the world. HNA Group's subsidiaries and affiliates are also targeting towards key strategic green growth. In March 2015, Hainan Airlines inaugurated China's first passenger flight running on sustainable biofuel. The fight, carrying more than 100 passengers from Shanghai to Beijing, was powered by a fuel blend, half of which was an aviation-grade biofuel while the remainder was traditional petroleum-based fuel. The biofuel was derived from discarded cooking oil. Compared to the petroleum-based fuel, the biofuel, which can be produced sustainably, is able to reduce the carbon emissions by between 50 and 80 percent and plays a key role in supporting the development of the aviation industry while ensuring the industry's commitment to environmental protection. A focus on both growth and social responsibility Over the past 24 years, HNA Group has made quantum leaps in performance and has been praised by industry watchers as a miracle in the history of aviation business. From a traditional air transportation company starting on a small island South of China to a large global conglomerate with presence all over the globe, from three leased aircraft to operating and managing a comprehensive fleet exceeding 1,250 airplanes, including wide-body aircraft, regional jets and helicopters, and overseeing 1,200 routes crisscrossing the planet, HNA Group is a proud global company to ranks 353rd on the Fortune Global 500 list. By the end of 2016, the group created more than 410,000 working opportunities and achieved annual revenue of over 600 billion yuan (approx. US$88.3 billion). Pratt Whitney is very proud of HNA Group's achievements in terms of the speed of the group's growth and the outstanding performance over the 24 years. Mr. Cai noted that Pratt & Whitney looks forward to even greater successes in its collaborations with HNA Group in the coming years. Most notably, HNA Group's ultimate goal aims at making contribution to the society and benefit for the greater good.And it has always been at the core of the group's corporate philosophy since the day one. To date, HNA Group has donated over 10 billion yuan (approx. US$1.47 billion) to worthy charities. The group has cooperated with UNESCO, the World Food Programme and UNICEF, to deliver philanthropic activities such as Ghana School Feeding Program, Change for Good and Inspired Gifts, as well as many other programs supporting education and women rights in Asia and Africa. In addition, the group is committed to long-term public welfare programs in China, including Brightness Action, Benevolence Well and Send Love Home. Over the next decade, HNA Group also plans to donate 1 billion yuan (approx. US$150 million) to ecological protection poverty alleviation programs for those financially disadvantaged in Hainan province. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/when-aircraft-meets-purepower-hna-and-pratt--whitney-partner-in-building-an-environmentally-responsible-aviation-ecosystem-300485068.html SOURCE HNA Tourism Group

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[July 10, 2017] Pretek Receives 8(a) and HUBZone Certification

STAFFORD, Va., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pretek Corporation, a Woman-Owned consulting and Information Technology Solutions Company, announced today that it has been certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration for participation in the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program and Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program. Pretek now qualifies for contracts specifically allocated for small businesses operating in HUBZone areas. Pretek expects that its participation in the 8(a) Business Development Program will expand its ability to provide outstanding Next Gen IT software, infrastructure, systems engineering, and networking solutions to federal and state and local government customers. "We are proud to receive these certifications and excited about the opportunity to partner with local communities to help create jobs in economically challenged areas," said Pretek Managing Partner Dilip Goyal. "The HUBZone certification will also enable more government customers to easily access our well-honed skills and experience for software systems development, deployment and operations. The Pretek management team has worked tirelessly to develop a strong reputation for excellence across the federal market. Inclusion in the 8(a) Business Development program is the stepping stone we need to continue to establish long-term relationships with our governmet customers."



The 8(a) Business Development program assists small, disadvantaged businesses in gaining access to government contracting. The program consists of a 4-year developmental stage, and a 5-year transition stage. Companies are subject to annual reviews and systematic evaluation from the SBA district office throughout the program. The HUBZone Program helps create jobs in communities with statistically proven economic needs and significant potential for growth and development. A qualified company gains access to federal set-aside contracts and sole source contracts, as well as a price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions. Federal governments agencies are required to have a defined percentage of all awards go directly or indirectly to 8(a) and HUBZone companies. Qualified 8(a) and HUBZone companies like Pretek Corporation help the government meet this goal.

About PRETEK Pretek Corporation works with Federal and Commercial customers on advanced information systems solutions to give them an edge. As a successful Minority Woman-Owned Small Business, we offer our clients experience in a wide range of technologies, products, processes and methodologies to support automated information systems. We specialize in Next Gen IT software, infrastructure, systems engineering, analytical studies, systems architecture and design, agile software development, DevOps, quality assurance, and user support. Our team of skilled, qualified technical and management professionals consistently delivers measurable results  on time, within budget, and without surprises. Pretek was awarded a five-year IT Schedule 70 contract by the United States General Services Administration (GSA) in December, 2016. Among other achievements, Pretek has been named in the Top 50 fastest growing small business by Washington Technology and Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Learn more at http://www.pretek.com/ For more information, contact Dilip Goyal, phone 703-855-7148 or email [email protected]. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pretek-receives-8a-and-hubzone-certification-300484579.html SOURCE Pretek Corporation

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[July 10, 2017] TaxJar Launches Industry's Most Automated 50-State Sales Tax Filing Engine

BOSTON, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TaxJar (https://www.taxjar.com), the leading sales tax automation software for eCommerce, today announced the launch of an enhanced filing engine that will automatically file sales tax returns and remit sales tax payments due, in all 50 states. Now, merchants, brands, and tax professionals using TaxJar's AutoFile service can fully automate filing for the first time. In addition to significant time savings, TaxJar AutoFile now offers a guarantee, ensuring filings are completed accurately and on time. "At our core, we're a technology company. The level of automation we've built into our engine is our next step to innovating within the sales tax industry," said Mark Faggiano, TaxJar's founder and CEO. "With the launch of this modern, robust filing engine, our customers as well as anyone in eCommerce can focus more of their valuable time on their businesses, and less on sales tax compliance." With TaxJar AutoFile, customers complete a short, one-time enrollment process. Then TaxJar automatically remits an on-time sales tax return and enbles the required payment of sales tax due to the state.



TaxJar guarantees all filings will be made on time. If a filing is late, the cost of the filing is free and TaxJar will pay for any resulting penalties and interest assessed by the state. The cost of AutoFile is $19.95 per filing for customers with an active TaxJar subscription. Unlike other filing solutions in the industry, TaxJar receives no compensation from the states, and passes every penny of timely filing discounts (over twenty states offer discounts for just filing returns on time) on to customers. In many cases, these discounts end up paying for the cost for AutoFile, and then some.

"Everything works and syncs up seamlessly with the department of revenue to make our tax payments," said Jim Winn of Kentucky Home Brands. "Automating that quarterly payment is the specific reason we pay for TaxJar." About TaxJar

TaxJar is the leading technology solution empowering busy eCommerce sellers to manage sales tax. TaxJar integrates with major commerce and payment engines, such as Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, and other places merchants sell online. Sales are automatically imported and aggregated into TaxJar's platform so merchants can view sales on a state and local jurisdictional level. More than 9,000 merchants trust TaxJar to aggregate hundreds of millions of transactions annually. To learn more, visit www.taxjar.com/autofile Contact:

Jennifer Dunn

770-596-5399

[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/taxjar-launches-industrys-most-automated-50-state-sales-tax-filing-engine-300484559.html SOURCE TaxJar

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[July 10, 2017] OnlineSchoolsCenter.com Names Best Online Schools for Bachelor's in Web Design

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OnlineSchoolsCenter.com, has released a list of 20 best schools for bachelor's in Web Design degree programs. In gathering data from numerous websites emphasis was placed upon the diversity and quality of course work, reputation of institution, format of online course delivery, and the success of students in graduating. The list of top 20 online Bachelor's in Web Design programs are presented in no particular order. The ranking can be viewed here: http://www.onlineschoolscenter.com/best-online-schools-for-bachelors-in-web-design/ Web Designers are creative individuals who have the task of designing the look, layout and features of a webpage. Web designers can work for a company or freelance. The look of a website is what catches people's interest and gives them an internet niche. Therefore, successful web designers are artistic and innovative. Producing a good website layout requires logic and common sense. The individual features of a webpage, what really make it pop, bring in the creativity and original ideas of the web designer. Web designers are also responsible for the site's technical facets, such as, its performance or capacity which affect the website's speed and how much traffic the site can handle. A bachelor's degree gives web designers the advanced skills to be at the top of their market. It prepares them to apply HTML, XML, Javascript, graphics applications and other tools to their end of design, editing, and publishing of documents, images, graphics, sound, and multimedia products on the web. The degree also includes instruction in Internet theory, eb page standards and policies, elements of web page design, user interfaces, vector tools, special effects, interactive and multimedia components, search engines, navigation, morphing, e-commerce tools and emerging web technologies. In short, a bachelor's degree in web design gives individuals the ability to be stellar web designers in today's fast growing field.



According to researcher and writer, Jared Goff, "In researching online degree programs it became apparent that the field of web design and development is rapidly growing and undergoing continuous change. Demand for creative and qualified designers is on the rise, making earning a degree in web design a great opportunity for a well-paying and exciting career." The list of 20 schools includes:

Arizona State University; Tempe, Arizona Southern New Hampshire University; Manchester, New Hampshire Champlain College; Burlington, Vermont Fort Hays State University; Hays, Kansas East Coast Polytechnic Institute; Virginia Beach, Virginia DeVry University; Chicago, Illinois Full Sail University; Winter Park, Florida American Public University; Charles Town, Virginia Academy of Art; San Francisco, California University of Maryland University College; Adelphi, Maryland Liberty University; Lynchburg, Virginia Colorado Technical University; Colorado Springs, Colorado Wilmington University; New Castle, Delaware Independence University; Salt Lake City, Utah University of Phoenix; Tempe, Arizona Baker College; Flint, Michigan The Art Institute of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Franklin University; Columbus, Ohio South University; Savannah, Georgia Walden University; Minneapolis, Minnesota OnlineSchoolsCenter.com reviews publicly available data and then produces independent ranking assessments of various educational programs and college facilities as well as student guides and resources. The mission of OnlineSchoolsCenter.com is to be a vital resource for potential students making one of the most important decisions of their lives. OnlineSchoolsCenter.com recognizes that no ranking system is perfect, and recommends that their ratings be used only as a general guide for choosing a quality school. Contact: Jared Goff

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 314-873-1866 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/onlineschoolscentercom-names-best-online-schools-for-bachelors-in-web-design-300484589.html SOURCE OnlineSchoolsCenter.com

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A.M. Best to Discuss Planned Methodology Changes, Reinsurance Market Outlook at Bermuda Insurance Briefing

A.M. Best will host an Insurance Market Briefing on the state of the industry on Wednesday, October 25, at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club in Hamilton, Bermuda.

A.M. Best analysts will deliver market insights, present an overview of the state of the industry and discuss rating trends at this complimentary event. A.M. Best will also present updates on the recent changes to Best's Credit Rating Methodology and the Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio model.

Attendance is limited and available on a first come, first served bais. To register, please visit the conference home page at http://www.ambest.com/events/imbbermuda2017/index.html. Follow the event on Twitter (News - Alert): #AMBBermuda17.







A.M. Best is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2017 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170710006061/en/
Rajendra Prasad, first President of India, who believed religion in the society is equally important as anything else wanted to have an uniform civil code whereas Nehru believed minorities should be given additional safeguards against Hindu majority.

One of the major reasons for the political differences between Dr Rajendra Prasad and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the attitude of both of them towards the significance of religion in the society.

Nehru favoured modern socialism, he believed that attitude towards religion was the main reason for India's situation. According to him, after Independence, India had to move forward with scientific consciousness. For that country needed large industries, planned cities, hospitals, schools and laboratories over temples for God's idols and worshipers.

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Rajendra Prasad also favored progress, but not at the cost of core Indian culture and people beliefs. He was very religious. Vallabhbhai Patel's thoughts were somewhere between these two approaches.

The major public confrontations between Nehru and Prasad started with the Hindu code bills. Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar presented the draft in October 1947 in the Constituent Assembly and Nehru supported him. Under this, a rule code for all Hindus was to be created.

As the President of the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Rajendra Prasad intervened. He suggested that such rules should only be created after taking in account the opinion of masses. He argued that the traditions are prevalent in many forms, hence, to make the code bills successful people must approve it.The debate on the code bill spread to outside religious leaders and conservative social workers who opposed it vigorously. Nehru noticed the controversy surrounding the bill but at the time when constitution was to be filled with the Hindu code bill, Nehru took a tough stand on it. He was firm on getting the bill passed even if he had to take all the blame on him and tackle the objections surrounding it.

Furious with Nehru's attitude, Rajendra Prasad wrote a letter to him. In the letter, he described Nehru as unjust and undemocratic. Prasad shared the letter with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel before sending it to Nehru. Patel took the letter and suggested him not to act angrily. He advised him to raise his disagreement in party's forum.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel takes oath as a Home Minister. Photo Courtsey: TheLallantop

Why Patel did this?

Because it was already September 1949. Not only constitution was going to be completed but presidential elections were to be held right after that. Patel wanted Rajendra Prasad to be the President. Nehru, at that time, favored then Governor General Rajagopalachari, for the post. Patel and Prasad had a strong hold on the organisation, even more than Nehru. But Patel did not want any direct confrontation with Nehru before the elections. After all, Nehru was the face of Congress and the most popular leader among the people. Patel's strategy was successful and the Congress chose Rajendra Prasad as the President of India.

On January 26, 1950, at 10:24 am, Rajendra Prasad became the first President of the country. The Constituent Assembly, started working soon after the completion of the constitution. During 1950-52, before the general elections, the debate on Hindu code bills was continuously going on.

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Dr. Ambedkar was determined about this. It was believed that Nehru and Ambedkar argued about the matter quite often, anger among them was not just about the bill. Dr. Ambedkar came from London with a PhD in Economics. He also wanted his role in issues related to the country's economic planning, but Nehru was against his inclusion in India's economic planning.

The movement outside the Parliament was also furious. Sant Karpatriji Maharaj was leading the protest on the religious front. He once marched with thousands of saints and devotees to the Parliament where police stopped them.

Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad and BR Ambedkar. Photo Courtsey: TheLallantop

Rajendra Prasad wrote to PM Nehru, as the House of Representatives was not representing the country properly. The first general elections were due. Prasad also wrote that if the government has to pass the Hindu code bill, then why only Hindus are the focus? All religions should be included in it. Same rules of marriage and heritage should be made for everyone.

In today's context, this was quite similar to Uniform Civil Code. But Nehru's secular approach suggested that in a newly created country, minorities should be given additional safeguards against Hindu majority. Therefore he rejected Prasad's suggestion. Prasad wrote that he will personally take charge of the hearings in the house related to the issue and directed that he won't sign it even if house passes the bill.

Neither Rajendra Prasad nor Nehru showed any lack in mutual courtesy.Inauguration of IIPA in 1959.Photo Courtsey: TheLallantop

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Nehru in his reply wrote that there is a large consensus on the provisions of the bill. Along with the counter letter, Nehru was also advising the Constitutional experts. Everyone assured him that the country's President is bound to obey the Parliament. Despite this advice Nehru didn't rush for the code bill and waited for elections.

He never took matters to that level that things began to move towards organizational disintegration. Dr. Ambedkar was against Nehru's diplomacy. He resigned from the Nehru's Cabinet in October 1951 and started preparations for the Lok Sabha elections by creating a separate party.

In 1952 elections, Congress got a spectacular majority under Nehru's leadership. Rajendra Prasad won the presidential elections. The first Lok Sabha passed the Hindu Code Bills in 1955-56 while incorporating several amendments. It included the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Succession Act, Hindu Minority Act and Guardianship Act, and Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act.

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Read the Hindi version of the story on The Lallantop.

FYI || How Rajendra Prasad became the president of India against Nehru's wish ||

FYI || Chaudhary Hari Ram: The man who made records in Presidential elections ||

FYI || Did you know Nehru lied to not let Rajendra Prasad become the first president of India? ||

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[July 10, 2017] Scripps names Symson president/CEO; Boehne to retire, continue as chairman of the board

CINCINNATI, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Adam Symson will assume the role of president and CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) on Tuesday, Aug. 8. The company's board of directors today set that date for the anticipated CEO transition to Symson from Rich Boehne, who will continue as Scripps chairman. In November, Symson, 42, was promoted to chief operating officer, overseeing day-to-day operations of the company's broadcast TV, digital media and radio divisions. He joined Scripps in 2002 and held a variety of roles in the television and interactive divisions before being tapped to lead digital operations in 2011. "Adam is a terrific leader, motivated by an entrepreneurial drive and a mission-driven commitment to enterprise journalism," said Boehne. "He steps up to the new role determined to continue  and accelerate  the success of this adventurous 140-year-old company." Boehne, 61, who began his career as a newspaper reporter, has played a significant role in the growth and evolution of Scripps over the past 29 years. Most significant has been his deep commitment to public service, setting the tone for employees by his own embrace of the company's familiar motto: "Give light and the people will find their own way." Boehne's career highlights include: He began his media career in high school selling subscriptions for The Cincinnati Post, a former Scripps newspaper. He went on to become a journalist and worked for The Post as a business reporter and editor.

He joined the Scripps corporate staff in 1988 as Scripps was preparing to become a publicly traded company in a period of dramatic growth and transition for the enterprise.

He worked to reposition Scripps, both internally and externally, to build support for the launch of Home & Garden Television, the brainchild of his friend and Scripps colleague Ken Lowe , and the acquisition soon after of Food Nework.

, and the acquisition soon after of Food Nework. In 2008, when the cable networks either built or acquired by Scripps were spun off into a separate publicly traded company, Scripps Networks Interactive, Boehne became president and CEO of the journalism-focused E.W. Scripps Company.

In 2013, the Scripps board elected Boehne as chairman.

Boehne was the champion of the 2015 deal with Journal Communications that merged Journal's broadcast operations into Scripps and spun off both companies' newspapers into a separate publicly traded company, Journal Media Group, which has since been sold to Gannett.

As CEO, in addition to exiting newspapers and enlarging the broadcast holdings of the company, he committed resources to the rapid buildout of digital media brands, which today include the next-generation news network Newsy and podcast leader Midroll.



Marvin Quin , Scripps' lead director. "His unwavering commitment to freedom of the press has benefited the communities we serve, and his pursuit of value-enhancing opportunities has been instrumental in the company's success. Scripps will continue to benefit from his experience and instincts in his new role of non-executive board chair."



In the media industry, Rich is a member of the board of directors of The Associated Press. Last year he received the First Amendment Leadership Award from the Radio Television Digital News Foundation, honoring his deep commitment to free speech rights.

Closer to home, he is chairman of the Northern Kentucky University board of regents. He and his wife, Lisa, are 1981 graduates of NKU's media school and strong advocates for high-quality and affordable post-secondary education. In the Greater Cincinnati business community, he's a member of the executive committee of Cintrifuse, a not-for-profit network whose mission is to build a sustainable tech-based economy for the region. He's also past chair of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and served as a long-time board member for the Freestore Foodbank of Cincinnati. In his spare time, Boehne tends to his family farm in Morning View, Kentucky. About Scripps The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) serves audiences and businesses through a growing portfolio of television, radio and digital media brands. Scripps is one of the nation's largest independent TV station owners, with 33 television stations in 24 markets and a reach of nearly one in five U.S. households. It also owns 34 radio stations in eight markets. Scripps also runs an expanding collection of local and national digital journalism and information businesses, including multi-platform satire and humor brand Cracked, podcast industry leader Midroll Media and over-the-top video news service Newsy. Scripps also produces television shows including "The List" and "The Now," runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and serves as the longtime steward of the nation's largest, most successful and longest-running educational program, the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, "Give light and the people will find their own way." View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scripps-names-symson-presidentceo-boehne-to-retire-continue-as-chairman-of-the-board-300485542.html SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company

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[July 10, 2017]

2017 Women Tech Awards Finalists Announced

SALT LAKE CITY, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Women Tech Council (WTC) today announced the finalists for the tenth annual Women Tech Awards, a prestigious honor recognizing technology-focused women who are driving innovation, impacting technology companies, creating new technologies and inspiring the technology community.

"The Women Tech Awards provide the opportunity to recognize and amplify the contributions that women make to the technology industry," said Cydni Tetro, president of WTC. "From rocket scientists, programmers, data scientists, CIOs, CEOs and product marketing, the awards make the impact of the women in these roles visible and help inspire other women to pursue and continue careers in STEM fields."

Over the past ten years, the Women Tech Awards have recognized over 160 finalists and 20 student finalists, creating a platform to make their contributions, innovations and leadership recognized across the technology industry. Through the visibility brought by these awards, these women have been the inspiration for other women and high school girls pursuing careers in STEM fields.

The Women Tech Award finalists, listed alphabetically, are as follows:

Amy Knapp , O.C. Tanner

Ashley Dreier , HealthEquity

HealthEquity Alison Lutjemeier , Adobe

Adobe Dasha Kadulova, Usana

Usana Debi Mofford , Workers Compensation Fund

Workers Compensation Fund Holly Rimmasch , Health Catalyst

Health Catalyst Jamie Morningstar , Qualtrics

Qualtrics Kira Booth , Qualtrics

Qualtrics Lura Butler , Workfront

Workfront Lindsey Kneuven , Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi Mariah Hay , Pluralsight

Pluralsight Michelle Denise Jackson , Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK Rachel Hofstetter , Chatbooks

Chatbooks Sandra Hemmert , Granite School District

Granite School District Sharon Kitzman , Dealertrack

Dealertrack Trina Limpert , eBay

eBay Yolanda Chong , Recursion Pharmaceuticals







Michelle Shillabeer , UVU (Earth Science)

UVU (Earth Science) Tammy Platero , Weber (Computer Science)

Weber (Computer Science) Vanessa Chambers , USU (Physics)

Finalists were chosen by a panel of judges who play a significant role in the technology community. This years' judges include Chris Cooper (Pelion Partners), Heather Zynczak (Pluralsight), Joy Durling (Vivint), Kat Kennedy (Degreed), Tom Lund (Tanner), Vance Checketts (Dell|EMC), Vicki Fish (Myriad), Wade Sherman (Adobe).

Award recipients will be announced October 27 at an awards luncheon at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. The awards are presented by Domo, Dealertrack, EY, GOED, Pluralsight and Vivint Smart Home.

Event Details:

Date: Friday, Oct. 27, 2017

Time: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Location: Grand America Hotel

555 South Main Street

Salt Lake City, UT

Tickets and tables for the awards can be purchased online at: www.womentechcouncil.org

Media Contact

Abby Shaha

[email protected]

801-481-9482

For more information regarding WTC or the event:

Kristin Wright

[email protected]

801-960-2007

About Women Tech Council:

The Women Tech Council (WTC) is a national organization focused on the economic impact of women in driving high growth for the technology sector through developing programs that propel the economic pipeline from K-12 to the C-suite. WTC offers mentoring, visibility, opportunities and networking to more than 10,000 women and men working in technology to create business environments focused on high performance, not diversity, where men and women can succeed. This propels individual careers and the talent pipeline by ensuring a strong, diverse, and entrepreneurial technology workforce.

For more information on Women Tech Council, visit: www.womentechcouncil.org.

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Indiana soldier reflects on Veterans Day from Kosovo

Sgt. Chris Griesinger is among about 300 Indiana National Guard members who deployed to Kosovo from Camp Atterbury, which is south of Indianapolis.
All you need to know about Sandeep Kumar, an Uttar Pradesh resident, who was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police.

By India Today Web Desk: Sandeep Kumar, an Uttar Pradesh resident, was arrested by Jammu and Kashmir police in connection to a recent attack in south Kashmir that killed six police personnel, including an SHO.

According to the police, he was an active part of the Lashkar-e-Taiba(LeT) group that killed SHO Firoz Dar and five other police personnel.

Here are eight things to know about Sandeep Kumar:

Identified as Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Aadil, the Muzaffarnagar resident was a part of three attacks last month on security forces in Kashmir. Sandeep Kumar was nabbed from the same house where Bashir Lashkari, the LeT commander who planned the recent attack on police, was killed earlier this month. Along with Sandeep, Muneeb Shah, a resident of Kashmir's Kulgam area was also arrested. "We apprehended Sandeep during the encounter in which notorious militant Lashkari was eliminated. It raised the fingers of suspicion. We were surprised to see a non-local sitting in the same house where Lashkari was taking shelter, so we decided to go further", told Munir Khan, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, to PTI. It was Sandeep's arrest that led to Shah getting caught. According to the investigation, the LeT was raising money by looting banks especially ATMs in South Kashmir. Sandeep came to the Valley in 2012 and worked as a welder during summers. In the winters, he would go outside and while working in Punjab he came in contact with Shahid Ahmad, another Kulgam resident. Sandeep, Muneeb Shah, Shahid Ahmad and Muzaffar Ahmad then started living in a rented accomodation in Kulgam to carry out criminal activities. It was here that they met LeT terrorist Shakoor Ahmad. The IGP said that this meeting was beginning of all the criminal activities and the militants used Sandeep'a services for looting ATMs. Sandeep Kumar was earlier arrested at Mir Bazar in March 2017 in connection to a robbery case and was in judicial custody until he was released on bail.

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Both Sensex and Nifty touched record highs soon after the market opened.

By Indo-Asian News Service: The key Indian equity indices today was trading higher in the morning session.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), was trading 136.49 points or 0.44 per cent higher soon after opening.

The wider 51-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading 45.25 points or 0.47 per cent higher at 9,711.05 points.

Both Sensex and Nifty touched record highs soon after the market opened.

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The Sensex of the BSE, which opened at 31,510.62 points, was trading at 31,497.12 points (at 9.16 a.m.), higher 136.49 points or 0.44 per cent from Friday's close at 31,360.63 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 31,542.23 points and a low of 31,471.41 points in the trade so far.

Also read: Modi, Donald trump the market: Sensex recovers but investor sentiment hit

Also read: Income Tax return: 7 ways to escape tax radar legally

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Kansas City Loves Icing

Why Kansas City Is America's Cinnamon Roll Capital Known for its BBQ, KC quietly owns the breakfast treat. Tell anyone you're headed to Kansas City, and their reaction will likely be, "Get ready to eat so much barbecue." The Midwestern city, which straddles the Kansas and Missouri border, is home to many notable temples of meat.

Cold-Blooded Family Drama Served Up

Blue Springs man found dead in freezer had filed protection order against alleged killer The victim of a brutal murder in Blue Springs had filed an order of protection against his alleged killer, court documents show. Harvey C. Baldwin, who was found dead in a freezer June 30, filed a request for an order of protection against his grandson, Tyreik Baldwin, in November.

Celebrate Midtown Tacos

TikiTaco Opens on 39th Street, Serving Up Late-Night Street Tacos Every day is Taco Tuesday. That's the slogan for the smallest restaurant spot on 39th Street, which is now serving beach tacos to big lines of hungry customers from morning until late night. TikiTaco opened in June and almost immediately a line started to form on the sidewalk outside the small walk-up window with a thatched roof awning on 39th Street.

Call this an appetizer for more content on the way, here's an important look at the Kansas City foodie scene this Summer . . .Developing . . .
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- An Overland Park man was sentenced to eight years in prison Monday for distributing child pornography on the Internet while posing as a 46-year-old woman. Frank Kurtz, 70, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography in March of this year.
As anyone who as ever experienced it can tell you, war is a nasty business. And whoever tells you otherwise either hasnt experienced it firsthand or profits from war in one way or the other. In any case, the tides of war are almost never certain and things can turn around at a moments notice. With this in mind, well be taking a look at some of the most ingenious and mind-blowing tricks used during war.

10. The Dutch Floating Island

On February 27, 1942, a mixed force of American, British, Dutch, and Australian navy suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Japanese in what later became known as the Battle of the Java Sea. In the aftermath, the Dutch lost complete control over the East Indies and over the following days, Japanese bombers scoured the seas in search for the retreating Allied forces. One of those stranded ships was the Dutch HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen, a poorly defended and slow moving minesweeper. The only chance for survival was to reach Australia. But because of the Japanese superiority and unrelenting air surveillance, this was next to impossible. The solution was amazing and ingenious, to say the least.

The 45-man crew anchored the ship near one of the many islands in Indonesia and then went on land, cutting down as many trees as they could fit on the small minesweeper. They then arranged them to look like a densely packed piece of jungle. What couldnt be hidden away by the canopy was painted to look like cliffs. But as you can imagine, this was not enough to hide from the Japanese planes flying overhead, especially if the HNLMS Crijnssen was moving in the middle of the sea. So, they stayed put close to the shore and waited for nightfall to come. Once under the cover of darkness, they would leave for another island close by, inching their way closer and closer to Australia with each passing day. The whole ordeal lasted for eight days, after which the Dutch minesweeper managed to reach Australia and reunite with the other Allied forces there.

9. The Fake Trees of WWI

Of all the wars that have ever gripped the planet and pitted people against each other, none were more horrendous than WWI. With new technologies like tanks, barbed wire, advanced artillery, and chemical weapons, the endless battlefield lines became hell on Earth for all those involved. A horrible war of attrition, where there were countless miles of trenches and barbed wire, with an extensive No Mans Land between the two opposing trench systems. And in some cases, this No Mans Land was so wide that it was impossible for one side to see what the enemy was doing. So, in order to get a better vantage point, the French were the first to make use of what little else remained on the battlefield and which was inconspicuous enough not to draw that much attention: exploded tree stumps.

They would pick one relatively close to the enemy lines and then they would carry out an extensive operation of photographing, measuring, and sketching it. All of this was done in secret and from a distance, mind you. Then, all of this data was taken to a workshop in order to fabricate a perfect replica. It would have had the same exact dimensions, splinters, and imperfections, almost down to the tiniest detail. These faux trees were, of course, made out of metal and hollow inside, with a tiny ladder that would extend almost to the top. There was also a small retractable chair, and a few cleverly concealed holes through which a soldier could spy on the enemys movements. The hardest part, obviously, was to replace it with the real one.

So, under the cover of darkness and extensive machine gun and artillery fire, as well as other diversions, a team of engineers would take the fake tree to the location in No Mans Land, uproot the original one, and then plant the new observation post/tree in its stead. If all went well and the enemy was none the wiser about the exchange, then a soldier, usually one of a smaller stature, would sneak to it at night and go inside through a tiny hole at its base. Once in there, he would survey the enemy and then bring the information back to HQ the following night. But as you can imagine, it wasnt a comfortable position, to say the least. Both sides used these surveillance trees during the war.

8. The Romans Were Once Afraid of Trees

While on the subject of trees cleverly used during war, well take a look back at the ancient times. More precisely, in 88 AD in an engagement between the Romans and the Dacians in what is now southwest Romania. One year prior, the Roman Emperor Domitian ordered his general Cornelius Fuscus to attack the Dacians with five of his legions. But fate would have it that on their way to Sarmizegetusa, the kingdoms capital located high up in the mountains, the Roman Legions were ambushed by the Dacians under King Decebalus. Here, in the narrow pass of Tapae, the legions were decimated, general Fuscus was killed, and the Dacians took the Roman equipment as spoils of war. In the summer of 88 AD, Domitian sent another force led by general Tettius Julianus on the same route as last time in an attempt to take the capital city and subdue the Dacians once and for all. This time, however, the Romans were victorious and the Dacian forces were decimated, even though the Romans themselves suffered heavy losses.

What happened next is related by Cassius Dio, a Roman historian. Fearing that the Romans would reach and conquer Sarmizegetusa, King Decebalus (pictured above) ordered a patch of forest to be cut down ahead of the advancing Romans, and then dress the human-sized trunks in armor. Seeing this from afar, Tettius Julianus now with his own forces severely weakened and believing that Decebalus received reinforcements, decided to withdraw. In a fortunate turn of events for the Dacians, a pretender to the Roman throne rebelled against Domitian at this time, and so did some Germanic tribes. These led the Emperor to conclude a truce with Decebalus by offering the Dacians an annual subsidy, as well as some Roman construction engineers, in exchange for Dacia becoming a vassal state. Some historians even go as far as saying that this unfavorable deal for Rome ultimately led to Domitians assassination in 92 AD.

7. Bluffing for Belgrade

Bluffing is a skill usually used in games of poker, but as it turns out, you can conquer entire cities with it. This was the case of Fritz Klingenberg, a German captain during WWII, who was described by his superiors as being intelligent yet headstrong, loyal yet not above correcting his superiors, brilliant under pressure, yet arrogant to the point of insubordination. During the early years of the war, when Germany was in full expansion mode, Klingenberg was leading a motorcycle reconnaissance unit tasked with gathering information ahead of the army. Upon nearing the Yugoslavian capital of Belgrade, the 26-year-old captain decided to cross the Danube River with six of his men and survey it more closely. The city went through a four-day period of Nazi aerial bombardment and most of the Serbian officials had fled by that time. They hijacked several vehicles, rescued a drunken German tourist who was set to be executed, and entered Belgrade without facing any real opposition.

He then replaced the Yugoslavian flag with the Nazi colors on several of the buildings and ordered his men to patrol the city in their vehicles, thus giving the impression that Belgrade was now in German hands. When confronted by the mayor and several other officials that remained behind, Klingenberg told them that he was in charge of the point team leading several SS tank divisions and that Belgrade was now under Nazi control. He also told the mayor that he needed to get in contact with his unit via radio, otherwise the German Air Force would continue to bombard the city, quickly followed by a strong ground artillery attack.

Not sure what to make of it, the mayor was pondering Klingenbergs words with a dose of skepticism. But as he was doing so, a group of German reconnaissance planes flew above and the captain then pointed up while tapping his wrist, reminding the mayor that time was running out. The mayor then immediately relented and began preparations for surrender. Even the Nazi forces receiving Klingenbergs radio transmission didnt believe him at first, thinking that he was somehow captured, tortured, and forced to lure the German army into an ambush. He nevertheless was able to capture 1,300 Serbian troops and 200,000 civilians with only a handful of men, a quick wit, and without firing a single shot.

6. Zhuge Liang  The Original Sleeping Dragon

A somewhat similar story took place in 3rd century China, but in reverse, where an overwhelming force was driven away by a single man with a lute. But this was no ordinary man; it was none other than the great general Zhuge Sleeping Dragon Liang. In what was one of the few mistakes of his entire career, Zhuge (Chuko) Liang found himself at one time stranded from the bulk of his forces, with well over 100,000 enemy soldiers bearing down on him and with no chance of retreat. Any other general might have accepted defeat and surrendered, or at the worst, commit suicide in order to avoid embarrassment, but not Chuko Liang. Hearing about the large army headed towards them, Liang ordered the roughly 100 men under his command at the time to open the gates of the town they were located, and then told them to hide.

He then changed into simple Taoist robes, climbed onto the most visible part of the wall, and waited. When the huge army arrived, led by Sima Yi, a longtime enemy of Liangs, he immediately knew something was wrong. Knowing full well what the Sleeping Dragon was capable of, Sima Yi suspected a trap. The fact that Liang was burning incense and playing his lute while the overwhelming army was just beneath his feet didnt help in the decision making on Sima Yis part. He concluded that Chuko Liang had laid an elaborate trap for them and ordered a swift retreat. In todays China, the Sleeping Dragon is regarded among the most popular statesmen and skilled military commanders in the countrys history.

5. That Time the Soviets Tricked the Nazis Into Supplying Them on a Regular Basis

What came to be known as Operation Scherhorn was actually a clever ploy on the Soviets part by convincing the Nazi high command in Berlin to send in regular supplies for almost a year between August 1944 and May 1945. The operation was proposed by none other than Stalin himself, and implemented by the Peoples Commissariat for Internal Affairs  the NKVD. The Soviets somehow managed to convince the Nazis that a force of 2,500 German soldiers was trapped behind enemy lines in what is now present-day Belarus. With the help of a German Lieutenant-Colonel, Heinrich Scherhorn, who was a prisoner of war and coerced into taking part in the ruse, the Soviets put their plans into action.

Scherhorn made contact with Berlin, told them of the situation and location, and requested assistance. Though initially believing it to be a trap, the Nazis eventually agreed and sent in a small group of commandos to rescue them. But as fate would have it, they were captured. Several other attempts were made, but every time, Russian forces appeared as if out of nowhere and stopped the rescue operation. The German high command then decided against any further rescue attempts and instead opted in airdropping supplies at regular intervals. Otto Skorzeny, pictured above, was in charge of keeping Scherhorn supplied.

Whats really interesting here is the fact that even when the Nazis were at the end of their rope, with the Allied forces attacking them on all fronts, they still continued sending in supplies to Scherhorn and his men. Not only that, but for his valor and resilience in the face of adversity, Scherhorn was regarded as a national hero and even awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the German military during WWII.

4. Animals and WWI

As we mentioned in a previous entry, WWI was the most horrible conflict in the world had ever seen. It was the first major conflict to bring a lot of innovation onto the battlefield, and with it, improvisation was a must. So, besides those fake trees used as vantage spots in No Mans Land that we talked about before, in order to spy on the enemy, there were also cases of papier-mache horse carcasses that blended in perfectly among the other countless dead horses scattered everywhere. From inside these hollowed out fake horses, soldiers could spy on the enemy and report their movements back to base. Also, if there was the case of an artillery bombardment, or something similar, they would use the confusion and chaos to also snipe at the enemy. On the African front, however, there were cases of ponies painted as zebras so as to not draw the attention of the enemy and raise their suspicion.

When it came to sea warfare, soldiers really became inventive. For starters, they thought that by training sea lions to associate any submarines with feeding time, they would start flocking around every time one was near and thus reveal its presence. This technique didnt prove too useful because, as it turns out, its quite hard to keep track of all the sea lions swimming freely off the coast of Great Britain. The idea even went as far as painting the sea lions with glow in the dark paint, so that submarines can be spotted even at night. Cool idea but it didnt really work. And neither did the technique of training seagulls to poop on enemy submarine periscopes. Yes, this one is real, too.

3. The Mysterious Q-Ships of WWI

Sea warfare during WWI was also changed beyond recognition, especially with the introduction of the submarine. The German U-boats were notorious and became a serious threat, especially for the Allied merchant fleet carrying supplies from America, Canada, or the British Empire to the United Kingdom. So, in order to counteract this hidden threat, the British came up with the Q-Ships, or Decoy Vessels. These ships were usually smaller in size, and with good reason. German submarines usually relied on surface gunfire to destroy these smaller vessels, preferring to preserve their torpedoes for larger or military ships. While underwater, U-boats were almost undefeatable, but on the surface, they suddenly became more vulnerable. This is why the British believed that with enough concealed armament on a Q-ship, the battle could turn to their favor.

But in order for this ruse to work, the sailors and the ships themselves needed to play the part of actual merchant ships. They adopted quite elaborate disguises for both the vessels and the crew and the ships changed their names almost every time they went out to sea. Some of the sailors would even cross-dress and put on plays for the spying German submarines, acting as if they were on a cruise or something. And when the U-boats would surface, half of the crew would act as if they were panicking and getting on life rafts, while the other half was hiding and secretly manning the concealed weaponry. Once the U-boats were in range, they would begin firing and sometimes even destroy them. This technique proved quite successful, at least in its early days. But after a while, the Germans realized what was happening and changed their strategy.

2. Operation Spring of Youth

In the aftermath of the Munich Massacre in 1972, where 11 Israeli Olympic athletes were taken hostage and then later killed by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) organized a counterattack one year later where three high ranking Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leaders were to be executed. The operation was known as Spring of Youth. The targets were located in Beirut and Lebanon, and to get there, the commandos were sent via powerboats to the coast. From there, Mossad took them to the location where the targets were living.

But in order to get close to the apartment buildings, the Israeli commandos needed to draw little to no attention from the local police and PLO soldiers around. So, in order to get close, half of the Israeli commandos dressed up as women and walked hand in hand with their male counterparts, posing as lovers. The scheme worked and they managed to get past the guards and were successful in eliminating their targets. In charge of the operation, and one of the commandos dressed as a woman was Ehud Barak  Israels former Prime Minister, as well as Minister of Defense. And we know what youre thinking: no, Steven Spielbergs film Munich is not based on this operation. It is, however, referenced in the film, as is Barak.

1. Opium-Laced Cigarettes

In 1917, during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I, the British were fighting the Ottoman Empire over the region and the conquest of Jerusalem. Over the course of several months, as the Ottomans were being constantly bombarded, they began to become isolated and their supplies ran short. The British were dropping packs of cigarettes alongside propaganda materials as a means of deterring the Turks from fighting. It didnt work, but the Turks did get accustomed at looking for these cigarettes on the battlefield.

So, before the British led the attack on the town of Beersheba, they sent in another airdrop of cigarettes to the Ottomans, but this time these cigarettes were laced with high quantities of opium. These cigarettes rendered the Turkish forces immobile and the battle was won by the British.

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Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Monday hailed an agreement protecting the market for Greek feta in Japan, following a meeting with Economy Minister Dimitri Papadimitriou and Agricultural Development Minister Vangelis Apostolou.

"Whoever negotiates with a plan achieves his goals," Tsipras exclaimed as he received the two ministers, hailing the agreement making Greek feta cheese a protected designation of origin product in Japan as a "great success".

In statements as he was leaving the meeting, Papadimitriou underlined the government was "in the pleasant position of announcing the protection of feta."

"Following the EU-Japan agreement and after the preceding problem with Canada, we succeeded in getting exclusive use of the term as a PDO for Greek feta," he told journalists.

Apostolou noted that the Greek government had succeeded in making the "next step" after the deals with Canada and South Africa that allowed misuse of the appelation 'feta' to describe white cheeses made outside Greece.

"In the face of our persistence, the European Union had made a commitment that feta will be protected within a transitional period. Today we made the next step and achieved full protection of Greek feta through the deal signed with Japan," he added.

Similar deals will follow with other countries for the protection of feta as a PDO product, Apostolou stressed. "I only hope we can satisfy the demand we will have from Japan," he added.

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: Jpatokal License: CC-BY-SA

Source: ANA-MPA
Navagio (Shipwreck Beach) on Zakynthos island in Greece is among the top-10 beaches for boating in the world, according to Travel Channel which describes the famous Greek beach as follows:

"Navagio, or Shipwreck Beach, can only be reached by boat, and is named for the rusty vessel thats shipwrecked there. Story has it that in the early '80s a ship smuggling cigarettes and alcohol ran ashore here while fleeing Greek authorities, where its remained (and attracted tourists) ever since. Of course, its not the only reason to stop here. The small white beach surrounded by towering cliffs is a sight to behold, and lends itself to pretending that youre, well, shipwreckedas long as you do so before the tour boats arrive. Afterward, explore the neighboring Blue Caves, which are distinguished for the way in which they reflect blue light."

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: Hehec License: CC-BY-SA
Saudi Arabia is set to build 14 out of 50 mosques in the original architectural style of Makkah to boost the Islamic identity of the surrounding Makkah environs, said a report.



The project will also identify the technical features and measurements to build mosques and provide the architectural structures with artistic poise that reflects the past, but in a modern framework, reported Arab News.



Confirming the report, the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs said it had alreaady begun implementing the designs at these 14 mosques in the Makkan style.



The ministry has also signed an agreement with the Charitable Foundation for the Construction of Mosques to design and rehabilitate 50 mosques in the holy city, it added.
Sony Professional Solutions, a global leader in delivering innovative technology across a wide variety of sectors, has appointed Khimji Ramdas Infrastructure Group as its dealer for medical products and solutions in Oman.



Healthcare facilities in Oman will now be able to easily access and purchase Sony Professional Solutions medical products and services, including its printers, recorders, surgical monitors, imaging cameras, print media, medical accessories, as well as its revolutionary video-over-IP platform solution which allows facilities to become seamlessly connected and integrated, said a statement from the Japanese conglomerate.



"Khimji Ramdas has earned a reputation of being one of the most influential conglomerates in the Omani distributor market. As a leader in medical technology, Sony delivers innovation across the entire medical spectrum," remarked Peter Kyriakos, the head of marketing, Sony Professional Solutions, MEA.



"We are confident that with the support of Khimji Ramdas Infrastructure Group we can further establish a strong presence for our medical products and solutions in the Sultanate and make this a successful partnership," he stated.



Focused on continuously bringing to market solutions that enhance patient care, Sonys technologies add value to a healthcare organization, from the Operation Room (OR) to the clinical classroom, and everywhere in between.



On the appointment, Hritik Khimji, the director of Khimji Ramdas, said: "As a brand that touches individuals at every phase of their lives, Sony has a legacy of delivering market-leading solutions and services throughout a wide portfolio of hospitals across our region and globally."



"Collaborating with Sony Professional Solutions further strengthens our credibility in delivering world- presence," he added.



NS Vijaya Kumar, CEO, Infrastructure Group, Khimji Ramdas, said: We are happy to be associated with a brand like Sony in overview foray in to the medical infrastructure space. Our reputation for service combined with Sonys quality products will be a great help to the clinics and hospitals in Oman."



Sony said its technology for medical applications goes far beyond the operation room (OR).



"Our projectors, large screen displays and video conferencing systems are ideal for hospital conference rooms and lecture halls while the robotic and pan-tilt-zoom cameras add value to training and simulation areas. IP live technologies make training and education available anytime, anywhere," stated Kyriakos.-TradeArabia News Service
WesternGeco Schlumberger and TGS have won a contract worth $720 million for the collection of geophysical data in open land areas in the South Valley Egyptian Petroleum Holding Company in the Red Sea, a report said.



The contracts will be signed within two weeks, Moustafa Abdel Ghaffar, manager of exploration in the company was quoted as saying in the Daily News Egypt report.



TGS will collect geophysical data in the Western Sahara in land areas with investments in the first phase worth $50 million.



Foreign companies will be paying for the investments, Abdel Ghaffar explained. The specified areas will be on the exploration maps, and the companies will sell the data in exchange for revenues and a share paid to Egypt. Large revenues are expected with the advent of explorations.


The Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) revealed that the Arab region is the second largest importer of Brazilian dairy products after South America, and successfully imported over $15 million worth of product during the first five months of 2017.



Dairy companies affiliated with Viva Lacteos - Associacao Brasileira de Laticinios earned 30 per cent of their total export revenues from the Arab region during this period, said a statement.



A total of five member companies of Viva Lacteos export to Middle East and North Africa (Mena) countries, and successfully shipped over 6.521 tonnes of product to the region during the first five months of the year.



Brazilian dairy is exported to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Oman and Tunisia.



The UAE and Saudi Arabia have become the largest buyers of Brazilian dairy in the region. Saudi Arabia due to its large population, and the UAE due to its role as a main export hub to other Arab countries.



Products being imported from Brazil into the region include milk, cream and condensed milk.



Brazilian condensed milk has a highly competitive edge due to the low cost of sugar in the country, while the biggest hurdle to the large sales in Arab countries has been the high cost of Brazilian dairy.



Michel Alaby, chief executive officer of ABCC, said: The large amount of dairy products shipped to the Mena region from Brazil during the first five months of the year indicates a growing market for Brazilian dairy products in this part of the world.



As demand for Brazilian dairy product grows, experts expect to witness even further growth in the market throughout the Arab region over the next few years, he said.



During the first five months of 2017, Viva Lacteos member companies exported a total of 18,000 tonnes worldwide, grossing over $50.7 million in the process. Countries of the highest priority currently include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Colombia, Bolivia and Russia, said a statement.



The current year has witnessed some industry players attend Gulfood, the Middle Easts largest food industry show which took place in Dubai last February.



Buyers from the UAE and Saudi Arabia also attended the Sao Paulo Supermarkets Association trade show (Apas Show) in Sao Paulo last May. Experts have noted a great outlook for these companies, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africas largest low-cost carrier (LCC), launched its inaugural flight to Sohar in Oman yesterday, making it the first international flight to the Sohar airport.



The Air Arabia flight will operate three times a week, on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays, departing from Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) at 8 am, and arriving at Sohar International Airport (OHS) at 8:40 am local time. The return flight departs from Sohar at 9:20 am, landing in Sharjah at 10:00 am local time.



The new route complements Air Arabias existing operations in Muscat and Salalah, boosts travel and trade opportunities between the two Gulf countries, and provides hassle-free travel options to the residents of Sohar, the airline said. - TradeArabia News Service


Shifu Jin, one of only three Shaolin Temple warrior monks from India, recently made a Guinness world record for 'the most full-contact knee strikes achieved in one minute with one leg'. He claims to have trained more than 60,000 people from around the world.

Making and breaking records is an everyday affair for shifu (master) Shi Miao Jin (pictured below, in orange). Having already set 16 world records, shifu Jin recently set a new bar-and a Guinness world record-for 'the most full-contact knee strikes achieved in one minute with one leg': 97. However, what's even more surprising than his list of achievements is his birth name: Prabhakar Reddy.

One of only three Shaolin Temple warrior monks from India, the 36-year-old Reddy, who claims to have trained more than 60,000 people from around the world at his Nellore, Andhra Pradesh-based kung fu academy, starts his work day at 3.30 am. His students range from a 65-year-old martial arts enthusiast to his five-year-old son, and include women looking to learn basic self-defence as well as advanced practitioners from Thailand. As for his own inspiration, he says he grew up admiring the skills of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, and had already earned a kung fu black belt at 16. "My endeavour now is to propel India ahead on the global martial arts map," he says.

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By PTI: Colombo, Jul 9 (PTI) The Sri Lankan government today blamed the "political ghosts with double standards" for opposing its efforts to enact a bill to criminalise enforced disappearance as the country still grapples with the legacy of people missing following the three-decade-long civil war.

Information Minister Mangala Samaraweera in a statement blame former president Mahinda Rajapaksa for his double standards on the bill, the presentation of which has to be postponed.

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The draft will ensure basic human right of every citizen in a just, free and civilized society, Samaraweera said.

"The Rajapaksa loyalists have told the media that the draft act will harm war heroes which is an admission that the military was responsible for all the disappearances, abductions and murders during their regime and to brand the war hero a criminal," he said.

Samaraweera argued that the draft bill will cover only the future to stop disappearances and will not be retrospective.

A disappearance panel appointed by Rajapaksa in 2013 has reported that around 19,000 have disappeared since the 1990s. The International Committee of the Red Cross has put the figure over 24,000 since the late 1980s.

Sri Lanka faced criticism at the UN Human Rights Council for its rights record under Rajapaksa regime. Three resolutions since 2013 have resulted in a demand to have an international probe on alleged war crimes committed by both government troops and the LTTE.

The Rajapaksa-led opposition has dubbed the bill as a betrayal to the government troops which defeated the LTTE, ending their separatist campaign in 2009. PTI Corr NSA

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EAM Sushm Sushma expressed dismay over lack of courtesy shown by her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz, who has not even acknowledged her personal letter requesting for a Pakistani visa for Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother.

By India Today Web Desk: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today took on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, for not entertaining a request for visa to the mother of former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death for alleged espionage.

Sushma expressed dismay over lack of courtesy shown by her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz, who has not even acknowledged her personal letter requesting for a Pakistani visa for Avantika Jadhav.

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However, she assured Aziz that any Pakistani national seeking a medical visa to travel to India with his recommendation will be given the visa immediately.

Responding to a plea by a Pakistani cancer patient asking for a medical visa, Swaraj said Aziz's recommendation is required for the same.

In a series of tweets, Swaraj said, "I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals."

She said a visa application was pending for Indian national Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan.

"I wrote a personal letter to Mr Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Mr Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she tweeted.

Jadhav, 46, was allegedly arrested by Pakistan in the restive Balochistan province last year. He has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism.

ALSO READ:

Kulbhushan Jadhav row: Pakistan snubs India's demand for consular access

Pervez Musharraf: Jadhav bigger terrorist than Ajmal Kasab, Pak should have ignored India's ICJ petition

How Pakistani media reported ICJ stay on Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence

Sushma Swaraj asks Indian envoy in Saudi to help nurse pushed into slavery

Uzma Ahmed: Pakistan is a well of death, thank you PM Modi, Sushma Swaraj for helping me return to India

--- ENDS ---
Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 10

Patients and their attendants face a tough time in getting a wheelchair or a stretcher at the emergency block of the Government Medical College.

Attendants carrying their known ones in emergency are a common sight at the hospital. The authorities have failed to arrange ample number of wheelchairs and stretchers despite the same having been demanded by the hospital staff.

Unhygienic washrooms also add to the woes of patients. Most of the washrooms inside the hospital are without sanitary fittings and some are without doors. Lack of windowpanes and doors also create problems for the patients during winters. They also suffer in summer due to dysfunctional coolers.

In the past one year, the hospital faced protests on a few occasions when kin accused doctors of not attending their patients properly. In some case, junior doctors were manhandled.

Mostly in the absence of the senior faculty, the junior doctors face the wrath of angry patients and their attendants. The sanitation condition at the college and hospital is poor as heaps of garbage can be spotted at numerous places.

The visitors demanded that the infrastructure should be updated at the hospital. Most importantly, the sense of responsibility should be instilled in the senior doctors who often force juniors to perform their duties, said Kulbir Singh, a visitor.

The college and its associate hospital remain in news frequently for wrong reasons, be it purchase of medicine, other equipment or for denying services to those who are financially weak and do not have a family.

Enthusiasm is missing among the doctors while providing services. If infrastructure is lacking, it can be provided but there is no substitute of lack of enthusiasm. It has deteriorated over the past few years due to political intervention, said another visitor Satnam Singh.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Ram Sarup Sharma said, Infrastructure of the hospital is being updated. We have sent a report to higher offices about the issues of the hospital. He said the hospital was committed to provide the best health facilities to the patients. The hospital had witnessed an increase in the number of patients and the shortcomings would be overcome soon, said Sharma.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 10

In a worrying development, the J&K Police have arrested a non-local militant who was part of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) module that carried out an ambush on police party that left an Station House Officer (SHO) and five other policemen dead last month.

The militant has been identified as Sandeep Kumar Sharma, alias Adil, and is a resident of Muzzafaranagar in Uttar Pradesh

Inspector General of Police Muneer Khan said that Kumar was arrested during a gunfight in south Kashmirs Anantnag district on July 1 in which top Lashkar commander Bashir Lashkari was killed along with his associate.

Sandeep was rescued along with other members of the family by the police where Lashkar was hiding.

We had an encounter in Annatnag where a notorious militant Bashir Laskri was eliminated along with his associate. It all started from there. Sandeep Kumar was apprehended in a live action. Once he was apprehended the fingers of suspicious raised. We were surprised to see a non-local sitting in the same house where Lashkari had taken shelter. We decided to probe further, Khan said while addressing a press conference.

He said Sandeep had been frequently visiting the Valley since 2011.

He used to work as a welder and spent most of his time in the Valley. During winters, he used to go outside the Valley, especially north Patiala for employment. While working in Punjab, he came in contact with Shahid of Kulgam Kashmir. He along with some of his Valley-based associates came from Patiala to Kashmir for carrying out criminal activities. Consequently, the group got involved in different kinds of robberies, including ATM looting in South Kashmir. In these crimes, they worked in conjunction with Lashkar, Khan said.

Sandeep later joined Bashir Lashkeri and worked as a key aid.

On further inquiry by the police, it was revealed that Sandeep along with other individuals hatched a criminal conspiracy leading to providing shelter, ferrying of terrorists from one place to other for terror strikes and actively participating in terrorist activities, Khan said.

He also concealed weapons looted from police guards in a vehicle and shifted them to different locations on the directions of LeT, Khan said.

Investigation so far conducted has revealed that the LeT in league with criminal network is raising money by looting banks, especially ATM, he said.
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 10

The Supreme Court on Monday sought to allay concerns of various states over a proposed centralised examination system for selection of subordinate court judges aimed at ensuring timely filling up of vacancies to deal with backlog of millions of cases.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar  which had on May 9 issued notices to the Centre and all the state governments on a PIL seeking streamlining of judicial appointments in subordinate courts -- clarified that all state-specific rules and reservation policy would continue to be adhered to even after coming into effect of the centralised examination system.

The bench said the new system was primarily aimed at doing away with the inordinate delay in judicial appointments in subordinate courts.

Under the proposed centralised system of examination for selection of subordinate court judges, a candidate would be able to apply for more than one state, if he/she fulfilled the eligibility requirements of the states he/she wanted to be considered for, the bench said.

We are only trying to streamline the examination for selection of subordinate court judges, it added.

As senior counsel Ajeet Sinha pointed out that under Articles 233 and 234 of the Constitution judicial appointments in subordinate courts were under the High Court and state government concerned, the CJI said the court would not disturb the constitutional arrangement and this aspect would be taken care of while passing the final order.

Except Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Sikkim, all other states were yet to respond to the PIL. But 21 of the 24 high courts have sent their responses.

The bench asked the rest of the respondents to file their replies and fixed July 28 for further hearing.

The bench had converted a letter written by Justice Secretary Snehlata Shrivastava to Supreme Court secretary general Ravindra Maithani highlighting the problem of unfilled judicial vacancies in subordinate courts into a PIL in order to deal with the problem.

The government has been highlighting that most of the judicial vacancies were in the subordinate courts where bulk of the cases were pending, it had noted.

The majority of around three crore cases pending in various courts, over 2.30 crore cases are pending in district courts which have a sanctioned strength of over 21,000 judges. But there are only around 17,000 judges working in subordinate courts across India, leaving a vacancy of around 4,000 judges.

The Justice Secretarys letter dated May 1, 2017 referred to a discussion held in the Supreme Court under the chairmanship of Justice AK Goel in his capacity as Chairman of Arrears Committee on April 8 in which members of the Judiciary and the government explored areas of Judicial Reforms to accomplish constitutional goal of speedy justice and access to justice for all.

The letter highlighted that despite gradual increase in the sanctioned strength of the subordinate judiciary, the working strength of judges was still very low.

This indicates that the High Courts and the State Public Service Commissions are facing difficulties in filling up the vacancies, which in turn contributes to delay in disposal of cases and a rise in pendency, the letter read.

It suggested a centralised examination to be conducted by a recruitment body such as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for selection of judges in subordinate courts.

The letter suggested that a candidate appearing in the competitive examination may be allowed to give option for serving under the jurisdiction of specific alternate High Court and once the selection was made and the candidate.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 10

A large number of commuters going towards Haryana and Delhi had a harrowing time on Monday as Haryana's main opposition party INLD's workers blocked the entry of vehicles coming from Punjab at several places. The protest remained peaceful, police said.

A blockade at Shambhu toll plaza near the Ambala-Shambhu border was lifted around 3 pm.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The vehicles were stopped, including on the Delhi-Ambala highway, as part of a daylong protest by the INLD over the SYL issue.

Despite the police assuring a smooth flow of traffic, hapless commuters could be seen facing harassment with the blockade of roads at different places, including Shambhu toll plaza near the Ambala-Shambhu border, Lalru -Chandigarh road and Dabwali on Haryana-Punjab border.

Seeking construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal to get Haryana's share of water, INLD leaders and workers squatted on the roads, placed tyres and even parked their own vehicles and tractors at several places to disrupt vehicular movement in an over five-hour long protest.

"I faced a lot of problem in reaching my destination in Haryana. There was an emergency because of a death in the family. We were forced to pass through villages to reach the destination," rued a man in a car near the Shambhu border.

After blocking the way, INLD workers gave flowers to commuters with a message that they should ask Punjab government to give water to Haryana.

Video by Pradeep Tewari

Police said traffic snarls were also witnessed at six places -- two at the Ambala-Chandigarh national highway, two in Fatehabad and one each in Jind and Sirsa districts.

Led by senior INLD leaders including party general secretary and Leader of Opposition, Abhay Chautala, INLD activists gathered at various protest points in the morning.

They forced closure of the Shambhu toll plaza near the Ambala-Shambhu border disrupting movement of traffic, following which Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed at the site.

Punjab's Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) did not ply its Haryana and Delhi-bound buses in the wake of protest.

The INLD held protest at many points from 10 am till 3 pm, including the Lalru-Chandigarh road, Ambala-Shambhu border, village Datasinghwala of Narwana constituency in Jind district, Ratia-Budlahada road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad district and Dabwali on Haryana-Punjab border.

The party claimed that their protest was peaceful, adding that services of emergency vehicles like ambulances were not stopped.

Haryana and Punjab had deployed security personnel in strength near the protest points to maintain law and order and facilitate traffic.

Amid confusion, traffic diversions were effected at various points.

Meanwhile, Chautala even visited different protest sites and thanked people for their support.

"The Centre and Punjab governments are not ready to accept the Supreme Court verdict on the SYL canal. It is the responsibility of the Centre to get the verdict implemented.

We will get this order implemented by putting pressure on the government to get our share in river water," a senior INLD leader said.

Protest symbolic and peaceful

Calling their protest over water issue as "symbolic and peaceful", INLD state unit chief Ashok Arora acknowledged that people faced inconvenience because of stopping entry of vehicles.

"We know people faced problems but we are not doing it deliberately. Haryana has been deprived of its share of water for 50 years. We are not begging, rather we are fighting for our right. Our purpose (of protest) was not to cause inconvenience to people but to awake the Centre to get the SYL canal, which is Haryana's lifeline, constructed," he said.

He said various political parties in Punjab, including the ruling Congress, the SAD-BJP alliance and even AAP, were speaking in one voice on the issue.

"But (in Haryana) it is unfortunate that parties like the ruling BJP and even the opposition Congress are not rising above petty political interests on this critical issue," Arora claimed.

He said the party has not done anything illegal by holding a protest.

"Holding a protest is not wrong. It was peaceful and nobody took the law into their hands," Arora told reporters in Ambala district.

Asked about next plan of action, Arora said the party will decide about the future course of action on SYL issue in its next meeting.

Video by Pradeep Tewari

Meanwhile, Haryana DGP B S Sandhu said the INLD protest remained peaceful and there was no report of any untoward incident.

When asked whether police was considering any legal action against INLD for blocking the national highway, the DGP said they were not.

However, Ambala SP Abhishek Jorwal said a case can be registered for disrupting the traffic on national highway.

"Whatever legal action can be taken will be taken," Jorwal said.

He said that no permission had been given to INLD for holding a protest on the highway.

Police had made extensive security arrangements to deal with any law and order situation. Surveillance was also maintained through drone cameras. Four Companies of paramilitary forces were deployed in Haryana while 1,000 Punjab police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had accused the INLD of doing politics on the SYL issue.

Former Haryana Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda termed the INLD's protest as "political drama".

Punjab has been maintaining that it does not have surplus water to share with Haryana.

In November last year, the court had thwarted Punjab's attempt to wriggle out of the SYL water sharing pact, saying it cannot "unilaterally" terminate it or legislate to "nullify" the verdict of the highest court.  Wth PTI inputs
Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 10

He must be 44 by now and longing to return home. Though in the past three years, we had lost all hope, the liberation of Mosul by Iraqi forces has given us a new lease of life, said Amarjit Kaur, wife of Gobinder Singh of Murar village in Kapurthala, who, along with 38 youths, was kidnapped from his factory situated in the heart of the city in June 2014.

Life seems to have taken an optimistic turn for Gurpinder Kaur also as she waits anxiously for the return of her only brother, Manjinder Singh of Amritsar. All these years, we were assured by the Indian Government that our kin were safe and will return home as soon as the city gets liberated from the ISIS militants. Now since it has been four days that the city has been freed, what is stopping the government to get them back home safely, asked Gurpinder hoping to tie all rakhi threads on her brothers wrist which she had kept with her for the past three years.

On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul to congratulate Iraqs armed forces on claiming the city from the ISIS. Soon after the declaration was made, family members of the abducted Punjabi youth started making frantic calls to the Ministry of External Affairs to know more. However, all they were told was that Union Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh will travel to Iraq to coordinate with the government there.

While the last three years were hell-like for all these families, repeated assurances by Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj kept their hopes alive.

Meanwhile, families have begun making efforts to get in touch with Indians working there.

I was told that even though the city has been freed of ISIS militants, things are still messy and it will take at least a week for the situation to improve. While communication lines were resumed in many areas, we have not received any call from any of our kin, said Gurpinder.

I am hopeful of seeing my husband again, said Manjeet Kaur of Chak Des Raj village. Her husband Davinder Singh had gone missing in Iraq.

While these families are trying hard to stick to the belief of seeing their men alive, no news from the other side of the world is testing their patience and hope.
Phnom penh, July 10

Cambodias Parliament on Monday amended the law to ban people from associating with anyone convicted of a criminal offence, a move the Opposition says aims to hobble rivals of Prime Minister Hun Sen ahead of a General Election next year.

Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) voted to change the election law to ban political parties from engaging with such individuals, who also face bans on participating in politics through images, audio recordings and writing.

Political parties which violate the law face a five-year suspension or could be dissolved.

The amendment effectively bans former opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who lives in exile in France to avoid arrest in a number of convictions, from campaigning from abroad for the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).

The opposition CNRP boycotted Mondays National Assembly vote, calling the changes illegal.

The proposed law is politically motivated and is a political pressure on individual rights, the party and on rivals, the CNRP said in a statement.

The ruling CPP denied the changes were a bid to rein in the opposition.

These amendments are aimed at promoting the rule of law ...

and strongly respect multi-party democracy, CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap told parliament before all 66 lawmakers present voted to back the changes.

Kem Sokha

Hun Sen has ruled Cambodia for more than three decades and has shown no signs of wanting to relinquish power.

His party won local elections last month.

The opposition CNRP did not fare badly in the vote, which many saw as a litmus test of its position ahead of the all-important national poll, winning about 43 percent of the vote.

Commenting on the change to the law, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights said the CPP was expanding its harassment of the opposition.

Hun Sen proposed the amendments last month with the aim of removing Sam Rainsy from the political equation, one analyst said.

This is the CPPs way of consigning Rainsy to an early retirement, but expect him to continue his campaign against Hun Sen from abroad, said Sebastian Strangio, author of the book Hun Sens Cambodia.

Strangio said the impact on the CNRP remains to be seen as current opposition leader Kem Sokha has shown that he is able to lead the party on his own.

Sam Rainsy resigned from the CNRP in February before a law was adopted to bar those convicted of an offence from seeking office.

He continues to be an active voice in Cambodias politics, however, posting comments on social media platforms. Reuters
The INLD is seeking immediate construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab to bring more water to Haryana. The protest will continue till 3 pm today afternoon.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Activists of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) today blocked the national highway near Ambala and four other roads in Haryana as they started their one-day 'Road Roko Aandolan' (road blockade protest).

The INLD is seeking immediate construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab to bring more water to Haryana. The protest will continue till 3 pm today afternoon.

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Scores of INLD activists hoodwinked the Haryana Police and central security forces and blocked the NH-1 near Ambala. The activists came on the highway and blocked it with their vehicles. Traffic was also stopped near Dabwali town in Haryana's Sirsa district.

The protestors blocked the busy highway, that links Delhi with Amritsar, at a point two km away from where they were originally supposed to stop the traffic from Punjab from entering Haryana at the Shambhu barrier.

PROTEST IMPLICATIONS

Emergency vehicles, like ambulances and fire brigades are being allowed to pass while Punjab and Haryana have suspended inter-state bus services till 5 pm today as a precautionary measure resulting in big inconvenience to commuters.

Security personnel in riot gear, riot-control vehicles and other equipment were put up at all points to maintain law and order. The protest is peaceful so far.

Indian National Lok Dal workers, protesting over Sutlej-Yamuna Link issue, blocked Delhi Chandigarh National Highway at Sadopur border pic.twitter.com/xFDDYP9IJH ANI (@ANI_news) 10 July 2017

The vehicles were being stopped at five places - the Lalru-Chandigarh stretch on NH-1, Ambala-Shambhu border on NH-1, Narwana-Dhanauri border, Ratia-Budhlada road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad district and Dabwali in Sirsa district.

SYL CANAL ISSUE

The Supreme court had on November 11, 2016 declared the Punjab government law (passed in 2004) that it will not share water with Haryana as 'unconstitutional'. It also directed Punjab to mobilise a central agency to take control of the canal works immediately and complete it expeditiously.

Immediately after the decision, Punjab government de-notified the land and even returned Haryana's share back stating that it cannot share even a single drop. Haryana government moved the Supreme Court and the court stayed Punjab proceedings.

INLD's POLITICAL GAME

Having lost three consecutive assembly elections, INLD in order to reclaim the lost political grounds, wants to be in the news by highlighting the SYL issue.

On February 23, 2017: INLD issued a canal digging threat but its leaders were arrested by police

March 15, 2017: INLD supporters protested at Jantar Mantar and were lathicharged

July 10, 2017: INLD had threatened that its workers will not allow vehicles from Punjab if the union government failed to implement Supreme Court orders on SYL Canal by July 9, 2017. It has accused BJP of adopting double standards on SYL Canal issue.

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had expressed hope that the contentious issue could be resolved through dialogue.

Punjab has been maintaining that it does not have surplus water to share with Haryana.

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A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Friday, July 7 at Lavishly Tan and Boutique, 1104 W. Cherokee in Wagoner, to welcome business co-owners Scott and Donna Farris and their daughter, Jessica Ryan, as new members of the Wagoner Area Chamber of Commerce.

Lavishly Tan and Boutique opened three weeks ago and celebrated its grand opening in conjunction with Fridays ribbon cutting. Donna Farris said they were encouraged to join the business organization by long-time member, Paula Templeton.

Paula is our angel! Shes the realtor who helped us find a home here in Wagoner and she helped find our daughter, son-in-law and grandson a home here as well, Donna Farris said. She helped us find this building and is a wonderful person!

The Farris are not new to business ownership. They have three additional businesses in the metropolitan area including Expressway Tire and Auto in Tulsa, Charity Auto Sales in Owasso and Woodfarr, Inc., a commercial real estate company in Tulsa. Donna Farris ran an auto body shop in Tulsa for 27 years.

My daughter texted me and said, we need to open a boutique in Wagoner, and my husband told us to find a building, she explained. There was not a need here, but we just wanted to bring something new and different to town.

For the tanning side of the business, Lavishly Tan and Boutique features two lay down tanning beds, one stand up tanning bed and a brand new Versa Spa spray tan booth featuring Wolf brand spiral bulbs.

The business carries a wide array of tanning products to include lotions, eye wear, stickers and more.

We are getting new customers all the time, Donna Farris noted. We have no contracts and walk-ins are welcome. We have monthly packages, and for first-time tanners who do not really know what they want, they can do a one-time session to check it out.

As for the boutique side of the business, Lavishly Tan and Boutique carries hats, bracelets, sunglasses, bath bombs, ladies clothing, shoes, purses, wallets, Pali sandals and some mens clothing that includes jeans, t-shirts, dress shirts and gym shorts.

Scott Farris said they are two-year residents of Wagoner and their intention is to be involved in the community and community activities and to network with others.

We wanted to get away from the rat race in Tulsa and fell in love with it here in Wagoner, he said. Every opportunity I can have to buy local, I do. I am encouraged with some of the new businesses coming to town and with whats going to happen over the next few years in Wagoner.

Lavishly Tan and Boutique is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No appointments are necessary.
The 44th annual Tulsa Designer Showcase brought in more money for the Tulsa Public Schools than any other in its history, according to the nonprofit that hosts the longtime fundraiser.

We raised $232,000 from this years show. Ive looked at our previous years, and this the best year weve had. We hope to capitalize on the success by doing it again next year, said Brian Paschal, president and CEO of the Foundation for Tulsa Schools.

The foundation is currently looking for a home to host the 45th annual Tulsa Designer Showcase. The home tours are slated from April 28-May 20, with two weeks prior for private events.

To be considered as a home candidate, the home must include a minimum of 3,500 square feet, with access to street parking, curb appeal and an outdoor space large enough for a pavilion tent where parties can be hosted. The homeowner must also be willing to vacate for up to six months during the preparation, design and showcase phases, which can start as early as December.

Perks for hosting the annual showcase include painting by professional design teams with a potential for remodeling and restoration at a discounted price as each designer will have an assigned space upon approval by the showcase committee. The project can also be written off as a taxable donation.

We really want to celebrate being one of the longest-running fundraisers in Tulsa, he said, adding that its one the community continues to enjoy. Its a fun innovative way for the community to support our designers and education system.

The funds raised from the Tulsa Designer Showcase will benefit many of the foundations primary initiatives, including the office of student and family services (a wrap-around service that focuses on the social and emotional learning of students, reducing suspension and increasing attendance) and novice teacher supports.

With an estimated 300 to 400 new teachers expected to join Tulsa Public Schools, Paschal said its so important to help those teachers be successful. The novice teacher program provides new teachers with mentors, professional development and networking opportunities, which can come in the form of stipends to attend workshops and continuing education.

I read a recent study by New Teacher Center that said if you provide teachers with additional support, their students can gain up to five months of additional learning, he said.

The 2017 fundraiser was hosted at 4457 S. Zunis Ave. in the Bolewood Acres neighborhood. It hosted 35 area designers and artists. In the past, homes have included The Moran House, several Georgian masterpieces and a home that belonged to Henry and Anne Zarrow.

If youre interested in having your home considered for the Tulsa Designer Showcase, contact Paula Dellavedova at 918-902-0809 or email pauladell@cox.net. For more information, go to tulsadesignershowcase.com.
District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler publicly unveiled his relocated Supervision Office on Monday morning, touting streamlined services and an estimated $72,000 in annual savings to taxpayers.

The District Attorneys Supervision Department is overseeing about 11,000 defendants on court-ordered probation, according to information provided by the DAs Office. The Supervision Office also is where victims of crime file claims to collect restitution from offenders, such as from stolen property or medical bills.

Kunzweiler said at a ribbon-cutting that the offices newlocation, on the first floor of the Tulsa County Courthouse, is prime real estate that the county commissioners allowed him to use.

The Supervision Office had been off-site  located above the Arbys restaurant near Cheyenne Avenue and Fifth Street, a couple of blocks away. Kunzweiler said the courthouse office makes it much easier for judges and attorneys to direct offenders there, removing any excuse of not being able to find it.

Im trying to get these people back on the street where theyre working, productive members of this society, Kunzweiler said. Having an environment that is close and easily accessible is good for us.

Troy McDaniel, assistant director of building operations, said the project cost approximately $56,000, coming in under budget by $26,000. Construction to complete the office took about 30 days, concluding on June 30, he said.

It was a courtroom, a judges chambers, an old phone operators room and a lobby area, McDaniel said. So there was quite a bit of reconfiguration.

Commissioner Ron Peters said the judge moved to the seventh floor. He lauded the county employees who brought in the project under budget and on schedule.

Kunzweiler said relocating the Supervision Office to the courthouse was a goal of his when he was first elected district attorney in 2014. He estimated that the move will create $72,000 in taxpayer savings each year, especially critical since his budget has been cut.

(The county) literally gutted this space, and they did it under budget, Kunzweiler said. Its the best deal I could have ever asked for.
A photo of Taimur Ali Khan looking way too adorable in a white kurta and pyjama is doing the rounds on the internet.

By India Today Web Desk: It is no secret that Saif Ali Khan has royal blood. The son of Bollywood's "Chhote Nawab," Taimur, has taken after his father, and looks like a little prince in his latest picture. While earlier photos of Taimur had a striking resemblance to his mother, Kareena Kapoor Khan, the photo of Taimur in a white kurta and pyjama set shows his similarities with Saif.

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The photo surfaced on the internet sometime on Sunday, and was promptly shared by several fan clubs of Saif and Kareena. Netizens cannot get over how adorable the little munchkin looks.

On the work front, Kareena is set to start shooting for Veere Di Wedding, which marks her comeback post pregnancy. The film, which also stars Sonam Kapoor and Swara Bhaskar, will go on floors in August.

Meanwhile, Saif will be seen next in Akshat Verma's Kaalakaandi, which will release on September 8. He is also gearing up for the release of Chef, the desi remake of the Hollywood hit of the same name, which will hit the theatres on October 6.

ALSO SEE: Saif and Kareena's li'l cutie Taimur is making our hearts melt

ALSO SEE: This photo of Kareena with her bundle of joy Taimur is breaking the internet

ALSO WATCH: Saif-Kareena become proud parents to a baby boy, Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi

--- ENDS ---
OKLAHOMA CITY  Lawmakers in the interim will take a look at how to implement the legalization of medical marijuana should it pass in 2018.

Oklahomans for Health successfully circulated an initiative petition to put the issue before voters.

It is assumed State Question 788 will be on the Nov. 6, 2018, general election ballot, but Gov. Mary Fallin has yet to issue a proclamation declaring an election date, according to the Oklahoma Secretary of States office.

Rep. John Paul Jordan, R-Yukon, asked for and was granted an interim study on the issue.

Jordan said should the measure pass, and it looks more favorable than in years past, officials need to determine what issues the state would face regarding implementation.

Jordan said the wording of the state question may lay out some of the specifics, but anytime there is a change in policy of this magnitude, several questions need to be asked and answered before it is implemented.

This is not something I am looking at doing in a vacuum, he said of the study.

He said he will seek input from Oklahomans for Health, law enforcement and representatives from other states that have legalized marijuana in some form.

This study is not to discuss whether or not the state question should pass, Jordan said. That is up to the people to decide. It is looking at what needs to be done if it does pass.

But Chip Paul, Oklahomans for Health co-founder, said the wording in the petition already answers several of the lawmakers questions.

For example, Jordan wants to find out what agency would regulate it. He also wants to know if it should be taxed and how to do it.

Paul said the Oklahoma State Department of Health would regulate it. The measure calls for a 7 percent sales tax to fund the regulatory activities. Surplus funds would go to education and to the Oklahoma Department of Health for drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.

Licenses to possess the product would cost $100 and be good for two years. Those on Medicaid, Medicare or SoonerCare would pay a $20 fee for a license.

We have done a pretty good job of laying things out, Paul said. I literally studied every other state law in the country, and so we tried to look at the good and the bad across the country and wrote a very, very progressive law.

Paul questioned whether the interim study was a good use of taxpayer dollars given that many of the issues Jordan brings up in the interim study request are already written in the state question.

Paul said efforts to get the measure on the ballot resulted in the registration of a lot of new voters. He believes the question will generate a lot of interest at the polls.
In early May, the Oklahoma Medical Board suspended a Midwest City doctors license for six months after an investigation connected two prescription overdose deaths to his prescribing practices.

But it took four weeks before Dr. Dwayne Roushs suspension became official.

In mid-January, the medical board barred Dr. H. Peter Koenen-Myers Jr. from reapplying for his lapsed medical license after determining he had overprescribed opioids to a patient who later died of an overdose.

It took 10 weeks before the suspension went into effect, board records show.

Since 2015, some state licensure boards for health professionals have waited anywhere from two weeks to three months for disciplinary actions to become official. The delays have provoked complaints from board directors, who say when they revoke or suspend a physicians license and weeks pass before the action takes effect, it puts public health at risk.

The delays are caused by a requirement, enacted in 2015, that the Oklahoma attorney generals office review and approve every disciplinary action taken by the state licensure boards. Former Attorney General Scott Pruitt recommended the change in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, seeking to protect the state from lawsuits alleging anti-competitive practices. Gov. Mary Fallin issued an executive order approving the process.

Directors of the state medical, chiropractic and osteopathic medicine boards have reported delays of as long as several months and raised concerns with Pruitt, though nothing changed.

If we discipline a doctor for improperly prescribing or overprescribing  youd like to be able to have that final decision to at least have some impact without having to wait for some time. It does raise some concern, said Lyle Kelsey, executive director of the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision.

No board director could immediately think of a case in which a doctor whose license was ordered revoked or suspended continued to practice until the action became official. But the risk was unsettling.

Earlier this year, when Attorney General Mike Hunter replaced Pruitt, who was named head of the Environmental Protection Agency, directors raised concerns with Hunter.

In May, Hunters office advised the boards that they could take immediate action when it comes to emergency disciplinary rulings that might impact public health and safety. He also said his office would provide expedited review of such cases at a boards request. He is evaluating the review system for other possible changes.

Innocent citizens should not face potential harm while our review of board actions take place, Hunter wrote in a letter to all state licensure boards.

Yet significant delays can still occur for less severe disciplinary actions, such as probation, requirements for doctors to change their prescribing habits, or requiring them to attend continuing education courses.

Deborah Bruce, executive director of the State Board of Osteopathic Examiners, said that while she understands any review process takes time, my objection is to a process that slows down discipline to the doctor  any process that slows down what we are statutorily required to do.

Despite the reviews, the Attorney Generals Office rarely rejects licensure boards disciplinary rulings. Beth Kidd, executive director the Oklahoma Board of Chiropractic Examiners, said the office has never opposed her boards decisions. Kelsey said roughly 1 in 50 of the medical boards disciplinary actions have been disputed.

How reviews came about

The review system traces back to actions of North Carolinas dentistry board, which sent about 50 cease-and-desist letters to unlicensed teeth whiteners and encouraged malls to remove their kiosks. That led to an antitrust lawsuit and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in early 2015.

In that case, North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners v. the Federal Trade Commission, the high court upheld the 2010 claims against the dental board, finding it harmed competition by attempting to knock the teeth whiteners out of the market. Licensure boards arent immune from antitrust laws, and states must supervise their actions to have that immunity, the court ruled.

In response, Pruitt raised concerns to Fallin and initially recommended either changing the composition of state licensure boards or giving oversight responsibilities to a state agency or officer.

Fallin issued the order giving the attorney general oversight over all licensure and prohibition decisions.

Pruitt wrote a letter to licensure boards that called the possibility of a federal antitrust suit a significant risk to state agencies. He described anti-competitive actions as any action that removes industry participants, including license revocations, disciplinary measures, written reprimands and fines.

As delays began to occur, several representatives of licensure boards reached out to Pruitt about the issue, but he wasnt responsive, said Bruce, of the osteopathic board.

Our concern was the board would have revoked a license of a physician, but we couldnt shut the physician down on the day of the board meeting because the decision had to be reviewed, Bruce said.

Pruitt did not respond to a request for comment.

Several board directors said their boards hadnt had any antitrust lawsuits for the past two decades.

What most of us think is that was an isolated case, Kelsey said of the North Carolina boards actions against teeth whiteners. The dental board was going after a group they didnt license. They had no jurisdiction over those individuals.

More changes possible

Hunter said his office expects to complete its evaluation of the review process soon.

What we dont want is to be exposed to antitrust lawsuits, but we want to make sure this oversight is proportional to and meets the requirements of the Supreme Court case, he said.

A spokesman for Fallin referred questions to James Williamson, the governors general counsel.

Unless we receive different advice from Attorney General Mike Hunter, the governors office is not inclined to change the executive order, Williamson said in a written statement.

The emergency review process has led to quicker responses to some board decisions from Hunters office.

Susan Rogers, executive director of the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry, said her agency had fewer delays than other boards because most of its disciplinary actions were emergency measures. Pharmacist Justin Wilson, the president of the State Board of Pharmacy, said the process has gone smoothly, with no delays.

Last month, the Board of Chiropractic Examiners sought an emergency suspension of the injection certification for Bernard Fuh, a Tulsa chiropractor who injected a cancer patient with drugs he wasnt authorized to use. Afterward, the patient was hospitalized.

The area of Fuhs office where he prepared injections was very unsanitary and in violation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, board records show.

Hunters office approved the suspension within 24 hours, said Kidd, who heads the board.

Theyre making an effort to turn around the reviews of the more serious ones, but I feel like any complaint that goes through any board with regards to any license of a health professional is urgent and should be immediate, Kidd said. Were talking about public health.
Nines launch of Australian Ninja Warrior is the biggest series launch in 5 years, excluding Sport & Miniseries.

Last night the show pulled 1.68m viewers, winning in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The last series to launch ahead of those numbers was The Voice in 2012 with 2.2m viewers -coincidentally by the same producers, Endemol Shine (then Shine Australia).

While the shows audience was 50.1% female, one should never discount its appeal to male and family audiences -so much of primetime TV has been skewing female of late. Seven will be hoping the family appeal works in its favour when Little Big Shots debuts next Sunday.

Nine is ambitiously stripping the show three nights a week, but the numbers suggest they have played that gamble well. Together with the State of Origin decider this week Nine looks on track to finally claim its first ratings week of 2017. Until now it has been a clean sweep to Seven.

We have said that 2017 was going to be a year of taking risks, said Michael Stephenson, Chief Sales Office at Nine. With Australian Ninja Warrior we introduced a brand new show to Australian audiences and they clearly loved it.

Sundays nights audience numbers surpassed all expectations and Ninja Warrior demonstrates the tremendous power of free-to-air television to bring millions of Australians together in a shared experience.

Corrected.
This week on Foreign Correspondent Matt Brown reports on a radical cash experiment in Kenya that challenges our notions of charity.

Young widow Mercy lives in a mud hut so tiny that her daughters must sleep at their grandpas place. When it rains and her roof leaks, she shelters under a table.

Imagine then, Mercy bursting into joyful song and dance when it rains money  enough money to build a modest house with enough space for her and her girls to sleep under the one roof.

I feel like Im sitting next to God  its like a dream. Now we will all eat, sleep and wake up as a family  Mercy Origa

Mercy is part of a vast experiment in rural Kenya that questions the idea that when you give a poor person cash, chances are that they will blow it on grog or smokes or something equally useless. Its a view that underpins the way many of us give; wed rather see our donations used to dispense rice or dig wells and not dolloped out as cold hard cash to be spent on whatever a recipient wants.

But some aid groups worry that much of the $100 billion-plus spent annually on foreign aid ends up in a sinkhole of bureaucracy or corruption, and does too little to tackle poverty. So they have begun using cash transfers.

US-based GiveDirectly is taking this to a whole new level  directly channelling cash donations to 26,000 impoverished people in Kenya via mobile phone transfers. Its a 12-year experiment in which some will get monthly payments and others a lump sum. No middlemen involved.

Only I know what I really need and what will benefit me in the future. Not everybody wants a goat  William Owegi, who used some of a $US1000 transfer to buy musical instruments and set up a band that is now earning money at gigs.

Results are still to come, but on early evidence GiveDirectly claims recipients are spending cash wisely on life-improving goods or investments. They have more motivation to work, the group says, with less stress and domestic violence.

This is huge, this is really big and its very different from what youve known previously  Caroline Teti, Kenya representative, GiveDirectly

The experiment is even more radical than just giving cash instead of goods and services  its also trying out a new welfare concept that is being mostly discussed in the context of wealthy Western countries.

In some villages, everyone is getting the same amount of cash  regardless of what they already earn. Its called Universal Basic Income, an idea that some First World reformers and Silicon Valley seers believe is key to a future where robots have supplanted workers.

For Mercy though, the future is all about having her family back together, under a roof that doesnt leak.

Tuesday July 11 at 9.20 pm on ABC.
Several legislators have come out to support Tejashwi Yadav in light of the clamour caused by FIR against Tejashwi for acquiring benami properties.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: One of the many issues on agenda in the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislators meet was to counter BJP's call to sack Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav from the cabinet.

Several legislators today spoke in support of Tejashwi Yadav in light of the clamour caused by CBI raids on Lalu Yadav, family's residences and FIR against Tejashwi for acquiring benami properties.

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Speaking to India Today, senior party MLA Arun Yadav said that Tejashwi should continue as Deputy CM and even projected him as the next Chief Minister of Bihar.

"There is no need for Tejashwi Yadav to resign. He is the next CM of Bihar. CBI raids have been conducted to demoralise Lalu Yadav... manner in which freedom fighters gave a call of Quit Indian to Britishers, similarly we are also giving a call to PM Modi to quit India", said Arun Yadav.

Another legislator, Lalit Yadav also extended his support for Tejashwi Yadav and appealed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to not sack the Deputy CM.

He added that Nitish Kumar should not act in haste and wait till the Deputy CM is chargesheeted.

He asked, "Why is Uma Bharti continuing in PM Modi's cabinet despite being chargesheeted in the Ayodhya case. We want Nitish Kumar not to sack Tejashwi Yadav".

Bihar Finance Minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui said that Tejashwi was only praised for his work in the party meet today.

He added, "He is the leader of the legislature party and there is no instability in the government."

CBI AFTER LALU CLAN

Last week, CBI raided properties and firms belonging to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family at 12 location across Patna, Delhi and Gurgaon among other places in connection to a case linked to a hotel maintenance contract awarded to the RJD chief in 2006.

That was the year when Lalu Yadav was the railways minister.

The CBI has registered a case against Lalu Yadav, wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav. The central agency has also booked former MD of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and directors of private firms along with Lalu who is accused of tender irregularities.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday, July 8 searched farms of Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti in Delhi.

The raids were conducted as part of probe into allegations of money laundering against Bharti and her husband Shailesh.

Also read: Nitish Kumar cancels today's Lok Samvad. Is he trying to avoid Tejashwi Yadav?

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Also read: Raids on Lalu family: Ram Vilas Paswan dares Nitish to sack Tejashwi Yadav

Also read: Nitish must break his silence on Tejashwi, its his agni-pariksha, says Sushil Modi

Also watch: Lalu rail scam: Why JD-U silent, what's Nitish Kumar's next move?

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Producers are unhappy that government policy decisions over the last 3 years have failed to assist the independent sector.

Screen Producers Australia has released a policy ledger of recent decisions and cuts dating back to May 2014 that show benefits to commercial television networks, but fail to address issues facing Australian producers.

They include the Broadcast Licence Fee reductions, cuts to ABC, SBS & Screen Australia and subsidised funding for US movies Thor, Alien & Aquaman.

Only one move has been judged as beneficial across the board, the site blocking of piracy websites.

This ledger sets out in stark relief the series of policy decisions made over the last 3 years that have negatively, or asymmetrically, affected the industry and in particular, the small businesses that drive it, CEO Matthew Deaner said.

Negative decisions range from the series of egregious funding cuts to the ABC, SBS and Screen Australia that has pulled $400 million from the industry, to withdrawing regulatory oversight and auditing on local content obligations.

The ledger also makes clear the other Government decisions that have had an asymmetrical impact on the industry. The Government decided to benefit certain businesses at one end of the value chain, such as the broadcasters with a series of broadcast licence fee refunds. These windfalls may boost broadcasters share prices, but not their commitment to local content, which has declined 20 per cent for drama and documentaries over the past four years.

The Government has also moved to benefit certain elements of the local industry, such as services sector and crew with nearly $70 million in funding for foreign films Thor, Alien and Aquaman. This is welcome but the approach has not been certain or consistent or taken into account the entire production ecosystem and it ongoing sustainability.

The status quo also prejudices the industry. A lack of action on the increasing substitution of New Zealand content for Australian content by the broadcasters, co-production treaties with key markets, foreign actor red tape, offset competitiveness, evolving local content obligations and addressing significant structural competition issues in the market, compounds the hurt for the small business and hinders international trade opportunities and our industrys international competitiveness.

What the ledger demonstrates is the Governments policy approach to the local production industry looks a lot like trickle-down economics. The Governments agenda to date has been regrettably incomplete and has left out the small businesses that drive the industry.

Screen Producers Australia has made also submissions to the government on issues relating to New Zealand content, the Danish Co-Production Agreement, Foreign Actors, lifting production offsets, and investment by subscription video on demand in local content. But it is still awaiting action on these issues.

SPA claims NZ content counting as Australian content costs the industry a minimum of $2.5m because it reduces the incentive for commercial television broadcasters to invest in the production of

Australian content.

The recent announcement of a content review is a welcome opportunity to rebalance the ledger. If the Government is committed to an efficient market and effective support mechanisms for Australian content through this review, we need to rebalance this ledger in favour of the small, nimble and agile businesses that allocate and extract most value out of the resources in the market. To ensure a diversity of Australian content, we need a diversity in supply that will ensure against a future dominated by vertically integrated content oligopolies in which Australian audiences will suffer from a lack of a diversity and choice in their programming options, Deaner continued.

SPA looks forward to working with the Government to rebalance the ledger.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has been trying to get media reforms passed through the Parliament after broad agreement from key media players, but it is awaiting action in the Senate.

You can see the policy ledger here.
Just when you thought it was all but over.

Seven is pursuing Amber Harrison for legal costs following its ongoing legal stoush with the former executive assistant who had an affair with CEO Tim Worner.

On Friday Harrison instructed lawyers not to represent her in court, indicating she was walking away from her fight with Seven. She will also withdraw her separate claim in the Federal Court alleging she had been unfairly targeted for credit card misuse.

But the matter returned to the Supreme Court today as Seven sought a permanent order restraining her from speaking publicly.

Lawyers for Seven appeared in court, including Sydney barrister Andrew Bell, SC, and Sevens commercial director Bruce McWilliam.

Today Seven sought a raft of orders against Harrison, including the gag order and an order that she pay all of Sevens legal costs on an indemnity basis, which would cover its entire legal bill.

The court heard Harrison had not consented to all of the orders sought by Seven.

In court Seven lawyers claimed she previously tried to destroy the reputation of another executive at a Sydney radio station.

We have a defendant here, regrettably, who is completely and utterly reckless with regard to other people  and who has used now, in at least two instances, contacts in the media to humiliate and embarrass people, Andrew Bell said.

Sevens legal costs are estimated to be around $250,000.

Harrison has indicated if the court orders costs against her, I will file for bankruptcy immediately, she said in an email to The Australian Financial Review.

I wouldnt apologise for 50k. So this is where we land.

Harrison tweeted today:

https://twitter.com/_Amber_Harrison/status/884222564754534400

Justice John Sackar said out of an abundance of caution Harrison should be contacted by telephone about her response to the orders sought.

https://twitter.com/_Amber_Harrison/status/884250003861983232

On Friday she indicated she was willing to apologise to other Seven employees named in her Human Rights Commission complaint.

The current case is expected to take 4 days.

On the weekend Fairfax Media published a lengthy profile of Sevens legal go-to man Bruce McWilliam, it described as the man media moguls trust to make messy problems go away.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review.
Ivanka briefly sat on her father's chair during a G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, while Trump was meeting other world leaders.

(L to R), Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, U.S. President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeaupose for the family photo at the Women's Entrepreneurship

By Press Trust of India: US President Donald Trump today strongly defended his daughter Ivanka, who has come under fire for sitting on her father's chair during a G20 meeting in Germany last week, saying what she did was "very standard".

"When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!," Trump tweeted.

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Ivanka briefly sat on her father's chair during a G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, while Trump was meeting other world leaders. The mainstream media and leaders of the opposition Democratic Party, including some of the top aides of former US President Barack Obama, criticised Ivanka for this.

Trump has slammed such criticism as politically motivated. He has accused the media of having double standards on this issue.

"If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!" Trump said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the host of the G-20 Summit last week, has said that it is for the host country to decide who would represent them.

"The delegations themselves decide, should the president not be present for a meeting, who will then take over and sit in the chair," Merkel said.

"Ivanka Trump was part and parcel of the American delegation, so that is something that other delegations also do. Its very well known that she works at the White House and is also engaged in certain initiatives," Merkel told reporters during a news conference.

Besides being Trump's daughter, businesswoman Ivanka, 35, is also a senior and one of the closest advisers to the US President. In the last six months, she has been involved in several key initiatives of the Trump administration in particular those related to women and entrepreneurship.

She is slated to visit India later this year to attend the eighth edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. She would be leading the American delegation.

ALSO READ:

Ivanka Trump takes father, US President Donald Trump's place at G20 meeting

At G20, Ivanka Trump takes the spotlight, and a seat

ALSO WATCH: Very much looking forward to it, says Ivanka Trump after Modi invites her to India

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (Eds: Updates with names of arrested men, details)

Mumbai, Jul 10 (PTI) The Mumbai police today arrested two people in connection with the killing of struggling actress and model Kritika Chaudhary (27) who was found dead in her apartment in suburban Andheri last month.

One of the accused, Shakeel Khan (33), was apprehended from Nallasopara in neighbouring Palghar district, while the other, Baasu Das, was held from Govandi in Mumbai.

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A court in Mumbai remanded them in police custody for seven days, deputy commissioner of police Paramjit Singh Dahiya said.

Chaudharys decomposed body was found in her rented apartment on June 12.

According to the police, Chaudhary knew Khan for the last one-and-a-half years, and allegedly owed him Rs 6,000 which led to a dispute between them.

On June 12, Khan landed at her doorstep with Das, and asked her to return the money immediately.

Chaudhary refused, leading to a heated argument, and Khan hit her on the head with a knuckle-duster (a metallic weapon worn around knuckles), causing her fatal injury, the official said.

"Some jewellery was also missing from the apartment. So we have not ruled out robbery angle yet," he said.

Initially, the police had registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR). But after the post-mortem report revealed that Chaudhary died due to a serious head injury, a case under IPC section 302 (murder), was registered.

Chaudhary, who hailed from Haridwar in Uttarakhand, had appeared in a small role in the Kangana Ranaut-starrer "Rajjo" (2013). She had also acted in some TV serials.

According to police sources, Chaudhary was married, but had separated from her husband. PTI DC GK AVI KRK SK

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Published: July 10, 2017

UT Receives National Science Foundation Funding to Support Conference

The National Science Foundation has granted The University of Tampa $31,625 to support a conference on transforming undergraduate education in the molecular life sciences.



Michael Carastro, associate professor of biochemistry and a conference organizer, applied for and received the funding. The funding will support 10 community college faculty members and 25 graduate students/postdoctoral fellows to attend the conference.



Carastro said he is pleased to have received the grant as National Science Foundation funding is extremely competitive, and this is the first direct funding that UT has received from NSF in more than five years.



The conference is being held at UT July 2023 and is affiliated with the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The meeting will focus on high-impact teaching and learning practices and mechanisms to facilitate student transitions from two-year colleges to four-year colleges and universities.



The conference will be in the Vaughn Center at UT, and media is welcome to attend all sessions. For more information about the conference, see https://www.asbmb.org/SpecialSymposia/2017/education/.
UTSA professor Matthias Hofferberth returns to his alma mater in Germany to teach UTSA and German students. Photo credit: Goethe University

(July 7, 2017) -- A group of students from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real life during a summer study abroad adventure to Frankfurt, Germany. They will travel with UTSA political science professor Matthias Hofferberth to take a globalization course he will be teaching at his alma mater, Goethe University.

Fifteen UTSA students will join German students for the three-credit hour course, Globalization in Transatlantic Perspectives, an intense program that will expose the students to world politics and global dynamics. The students will explore global trade, discuss current global issues such as climate change and migration, and learn how the U.S. and Germany respond to them.

When I heard I could take this class abroad, I knew I wanted to go, said Shelby Carson, a UTSA political science senior from Austin. I look forward to understanding the German perspective of globalization.

Throughout the two-week program, the students will spend four hours each morning in class then spend the remainder of the afternoons taking field trips and excursions. While in Germany, the students will visit with companies headquartered in Frankfurt, and the consulate general to learn about U.S. foreign service in Germany. They will tour the state capital, and meet with international offices and professors at Goethe to learn about its masters programs and other study abroad opportunities.

Since our students will share the classroom with German students, they will be exposed to what student life looks like in Germany, said Hofferberth. Furthermore, I can facilitate intercultural interaction because, after four-and-a-half years at UTSA and being from Frankfurt, I have a strong understanding of how German students and our students 'tick'. My motivation is to help them expand their horizons, overcome stereotypes, and learn and appreciate new perspectives from others.

Jorge Contreras plans to build a career in the international sector working for the State Department or a U.S. embassy when he graduates from UTSA this fall.

I want to bring back to UTSA what I learn about the cultures and thought patterns of the people in Germany, said Contreras. I want to feel what life is like there, because I may want to move there after I graduate.

I want to experience globalization and see how the world operates outside America and encourage other Roadrunners to get out and see the world, added Erin Horvath, who graduated from UTSA in May with a bachelors in environmental science. She will pursue a degree in global affairs at UTSA this fall.

All the UTSA students going on the trip received financial support to help pay for the experience. They will split $11,000 that Hofferberth received from the Germany Academic Exchange, a state agency that supports academic international exchange programs to Germany. Some of the students also earned scholarships through the UTSA Office of International Programs.

UTSA is dedicated to making a formative international experience possible for our students, particularly with the International Education Fund, said Brandon Lanners, director of UTSA Education Abroad. In addition to providing financially accessible programs and working closely with Financial Aid, our office awards on average $180,000 total to about 150 students per year through the IEF scholarship.

Hofferberth hopes to expand this study abroad opportunity for UTSA students in the future by offering a second course for students to take at Goethe. He would also like UTSA students to study there for an entire semester and have German students come to UTSA.

Instead of just studying it, the students will experience globalization, and that is really what its all about, said Hofferberth.

UTSA is ranked among the top 400 universities in the world and among the top 100 in the nation, according to Times Higher Education.
Given the pendency of cases in courts, people are looking at alternative ways to settle marital disputes.

By Siraj Qureshi: Fights are a part of any and every marriage. At times, when these fights turn ugly and bitter, couples knock on the doors of the court.

In Uttar Pradesh, more than 2.45 lakh cases are pending before the family courts. With redressal nowhere in sight, couples are looking at alternative ways to settle their disputes, including the age-old mediation by elders.

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Ameer Ahmed, an advocate at the Agra district court, claimed that 2,45,918 cases are pending before the family courts in Uttar Pradesh.

While Agra ranks high on the list with 5,981 pending cases, districts such as Aligarh, Azamgarh, Bareilly, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Jaunpur, Sultanpur and Hardoi also have more than 5,000 cases each pending in family courts.

Ahmed, who is also the former secretary of Agra Collectorate Bar Association, said that the only way to clear the long backlog of cases is by increasing the number of judges at family courts in each district.

THE OTHER WAY OUT

Social activist Sami Aghai said that due to the delay in resolution of marital disputes in courts, many couples are now trying alternative means such as seeking help from NGOs and local community group members to arbitrate in disputes.

In several cases, these NGOs and community group members have been able to come up with mutually agreeable solutions to both parties.

The Agra Police also holds a weekly meeting every Sunday where marital disputes are resolved by calling both the parties with their families and elders to the Reserve Police Lines and making them talk to marriage counsellors.

Aghai, who is also a member of the district police's 'Parivar Paramarsh Kendra', said the centre currently has 42 counsellors who hear hundreds of cases of marital dispute every week.

Of the 8,000 cases the 'Parivar Paramarsh Kendra' heard last year, more than 5,000 were resolved while criminal proceedings were initiated in nearly 150 cases of domestic abuse.

Some of the remaining cases are still undergoing arbitration and while few of them have reached the family courts.

ALSO READ:

The other side of triple talaq: When Muslim women sleep with strangers to save their marriage

Marriage by abduction soars in Bihar, over 3,000 grooms tied knot at gunpoint in 2016

Revolver Rani: Woman kidnaps groom from his wedding venue, was furious over betrayal

--- ENDS ---
New Genus of Plants Named After UW Botany Professor

A new genus of plants has been named after UW botany Professor Greg Brown. Gregbrownia, a member of the Bromeliaceae family, is found in the Andes Mountains of northern Peru and Ecuador. Pictured here is Gregbrownia brownii, one of the four species. (Greg Brown Photo)

University of Wyoming botany Professor Greg Brown has added a new honor to his list of achievements: A new genus of plants has been named after him.

Gregbrownia is a member of the Bromeliaceae family -- commonly known as the pineapple family. The plants have a large rosette (about 1 meter in diameter) of long, strap-shaped leaves and a large cluster of flowers, ranging from yellow-green to white. The rosette of leaves also will hold a large volume of water. Members of the genus can grow either on trees or land, and are found in the Andes Mountains of northern Peru and Ecuador.

The genus has four species: Gregbrownia brownii, Gregbrownia fulgens, Gregbrownia hutchisonii and Gregbrownia lyman-smithii.

Brown specializes in plant systematics, a branch of botany that involves the identification, naming, classification and evolution of plants. His research focuses on the Bromeliaceae family.

Two of Browns colleagues, Walter Till, a professor of botany at the University of Vienna, and Michael Barfuss, a research scientist at the University of Vienna, established the new genus out of an existing genus (Mezobromelia) based on new molecular (DNA sequence) and morphological (form and structure) data.

The goal of modern plant systematics is to only name groups of species that are monophyletic (having only one origin), Brown says. When a researcher finds a new, well-supported monophyletic group (clade) within an already-recognized genus, the group has to receive a new name at the appropriate taxonomic rank. In the case of the species in Mezobromelia, those new species were at the generic rank.

According to a paper published in the journal Phytotaxa, Gregbrownia was named in honor of Brown for his essential contributions to the taxonomy and morphology of Bromeliaceae.

This is a tremendous, totally unexpected honor, Brown says. This recognition and honor become a permanent part of plant taxonomy and plant nomenclature.
Situated in Garhwal district, tension gripped the town over an 'offensive Facebook post' on the holy Kedarnath shrine.

By India Today Web Desk: With West Bengal's Basirhat reeling under the violent barrage of clashes over a 'derogatory' Facebook post for about a week now, Uttarakhand's Satpuli town is new to join the bandwagon.

Situated in Garhwal district, tension gripped the town over an 'offensive Facebook post' on the holy Kedarnath shrine.

Members of Hindu group Bajrang Dal vandalised the shop belonging to family of the minor credited with shaming the shrine on Sunday.

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Chanting pro-Hindu slogans, the members of the Hindu right wing organisation set part of the shop ablaze.

Seeing the sensitivity, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and District Magistrate (DM) rushed to the spot. According to reports, the minor posted a rather offensive picture of the Kedarnath shrine along with a message/post.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the Bajrang Dal activists are threatening to agitate until the boy is arrested.

With inputs from ANI

Also read: Punjab: Ludhiana drug peddler updates Facebook from central jail

Also read: Kashmir unrest: Imagine yourself in grave, alone, slain cop Dar wrote on Facebook

Also read: CM Chandrababu Naidu sacks Andhra's Brahmin Welfare chief over critical Facebook posts

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By: Dezan Shira & Associates

Editor: Maxfield Brown

Finding the right workers can be a difficult task in any market, Vietnam being no exception. Fortunately, prior to entering into a binding labor contract in Vietnam, probationary periods provide both the employer and the employee an opportunity to assess their relationship. With minimized compliance, reduced compensation requirements, and fewer restrictions surrounding termination, probation contracts are an invaluable asset allowing foreign investors to safeguard their operations and reduce turnover.

Who should use probationary contracts?

Companies seeking to employ workers in high-skilled positions stand to gain most from use of probation contracts as a first step to prior to standard labor contracting. Not only are the skills for these jobs more subjective and difficult to assess within an interview, wage premiums attached to skilled labor in Vietnam can exacerbate the risks of onboarding of unqualified or unsuited candidates. Generally speaking, the higher the salary of a potential employee, the greater value is added by a probation contract arrangement.

Given the shifting position of Vietnam in the value chain, many sectors are susceptible to turnover. At present, IT, professional business services, and managerial positions in manufacturing are all in high demand and thus experience heightened levels of churn. Employers in all sectors, however, should be sure to assess the Vietnamese labor market and to implement probationary contracting if needed.

How do probationary contracts differ from standard labor contracts?

Under the prevailing labor code of 2012, probation contracts are provided as a separate agreement to a standard labor contract. As such, probationary contracts are subject to a reduced list of information and documentation requirements. The specifics of these requirements can be found above in the chart below outlining the differences in contract structuring:

While separated from a legal standpoint, probation contracts can be issued in conjunction with a standard labor contract which will enter into force upon the successful completion of the probation contract. To tie the two agreements legally, clauses within the probationary contract may specify the continuation of a working relationship through a standard labor contract following the successful conclusion of the probation contract. This approach is popular in practice as it allows employers to effectively negotiate with potential candidates prior to the probation stage. Alternatively, it is also possible to incentivize performance over the period of probation by inserting clauses within the probation contract which offer employment but leave salary and benefits negotiations until after the probation period.

RELATED: Social Security in Vietnam: Understanding Your Obligations

What length of probation is permitted?

Probationary periods permitted for a given position are proportional to the education required for the position and range from six days to 60 days. These contracts are limited to a one-time usage and must be converted to a standard contract of one year or more if both parties wish to continue the relationship beyond the period specified in the probation contract. Existing probationary contract lengths specified under Vietnamese employment law include:

60 days: probationary periods of up to 60 sixty days are reserved for positions that require professional or technical skills that demand a collegiate education or higher.

30 days: probation periods of up to 30 days may be applied for jobs that require a professional skill set, technical qualifications, some of which may require some degree of education to obtain.

06 days: For all other employment in Vietnam, including most manual labor and manufacturing, probation is limited to six days.

The distinction between the 30 and 60 day probationary periods is subject to clarification at the circular level and should be monitored closely when drafting contracts. As a matter of compliance, pursuant to Circular No. 05/2015/N-CP, companies will be required to notify those undergoing 30 and 60 day probationary periods of their results three days prior to the conclusion of the probation contract.

How much do employers have to pay employees under probation contracts?

Compensation for probationary employment is subject to the agreement set out by the parties involved and must be stipulated in the agreement negotiated by the employer and employee. While there is considerable latitude with regard to the amount of compensation that is to be provided for probationary employment, employers are obligated to provide compensation no lower than 85 percent of the going wage applied to the position for which the probation is in preparation.

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 Vietnam 2017

An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2017 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam. Compiled by Dezan Shira & Associates, a specialist foreign direct investment practice, this guide explains the basics of company establishment, annual compliance, taxation, human resources, payroll, and social insurance in this dynamic country.

Managing Contracts and Severance in Vietnam

In this issue of Vietnam Briefing, we discuss the prevailing state of labor pools in Vietnam and outline key considerations for those seeking to staff and retain workers in the country. We highlight the increasing demand for skilled labor, provide in depth coverage of existing contract options, and showcase severance liabilities that may arise if workers or employers choose to terminate their contracts.
French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said after the G20 meeting that "it is time Europe got a grip and defended its interests, making Google, Amazon and Facebook pay the taxes they owe European taxpayers". (AFP/Martin BUREAU)

AIX-EN-PROVENCE: France's finance minister urged his European counterparts on Sunday (Jul 9) to do more to chase down tax due from the European operations of US tech giants such as Google, Amazon and Facebook.

Bruno Le Maire's comments addressed an issue which has aroused fierce controversy: the complex tax arrangements of multinational corporations under fire for slashing European tax bills by shifting revenue across borders.

"I have just come back from the G20 meeting in Hamburg and I can tell you that the present age is not one for the weak," Le Maire told an economic symposium in the southern French city of Aix-en-Provence.

"When you are opposite (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, opposite (US President Donald) Trump or next to (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan, then it is time Europe got a grip and defended its interests, making Google, Amazon and Facebook pay the taxes they owe European taxpayers," said Le Maire to loud applause.

France had web search behemoth Google in its sights for years and fiscal authorities last month issued a consultative judgment pending a final ruling later this month that Google should not be let off the hook for a 1.115-billion (US$1.3-billion) claim.

In May, Google agreed to pay 306 million to settle a tax dispute in Italy, where it was under criminal investigation for booking 2009-2013 profits generated in the country in Ireland.

That move echoed a similar settlement with Apple two years ago.

Apart from the tax focus, Brussels last month hit Google with a record 2.4-billion fine for illegally favouring its shopping service in search results, in a fresh assault on US firms that risks the wrath of President Trump.
The Cai Rang floating market

The event marks one year since the Culture of the Cai Rang Floating Market was recognised national intangible cultural heritage.

A number of activities will be held during the three-day festival, including a composite boat race, a parade of tourism boats, and the making of record-sized xeo crepes  a specialty of southern Vietnam.

The festival will also feature the display of local delicacies, cultural activities and folk games.

Vice Chairman of the Cai Rang district Peoples Committee Vuong Cong Khanh said the festival aims to popularise the image of the Cai Rang Floating Market as a tourism highlight of the city. It is also a chance for travel companies to create tours to attract visitors to Can Tho.

The Cai Rang Floating Market, about 6km from the centre of Can Tho city, has existed for centuries. It is a prime example of the waterway market culture in the southwestern region, where people buy and sell goods on boats.

About 200  250 waterway vehicles engage in buying and selling activities at the market every day with agricultural products being main goods. About 2,000 tonnes of products are sold and bought at the market each day, generating over 3 billion VND (132,000 USD) in daily revenue.

The Cai Rang Floating Market has long been a tourism brand of Can Tho and assessed as an attractive destination by both domestic and foreign tourists.
Camden Market is seen ablaze in London, Britain. (Photo: @LondonFire/Twitter)

The cause of the fire was unknown and there were no immediate reports of any injuries or casualties.

The London Fire Brigade said on Twitter the "fire is now under control but crews will be damping down into the morning".

The first, second and third floors and the roof of the building were on fire, the brigade tweeted earlier, saying more than 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines were on the scene.

London's Camden Market had an incident of fire in 2008 when market storage areas and shops in the locality were set ablaze and adjoining houses were damaged. A major part of the market had then remained closed for several months.

Seventy firefighters battled the large fire in a building in London's popular Camden Lock Market in the early hours, the London Fire Brigade said.

The emergency service said it had also sent 10 fire engines to the scene, near a nightclub and a covered market.

Images shared on social media showed tall flames and a burnt out building at the north London market, which is popular with Londoners and tourists.

"The fire was moving very fast," witness Joan Ribes, 24, told the Press Association.

He said the fire "was flying through the air to the surrounding areas".

"People were watching, but we were scared the building could explode at any time since there are restaurants with kitchens nearby," he said.

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said they were called to a fire at 12.07am (7.07am, Singapore time).

"We sent a clinical team leader and our Hazardous Area Response Team to the scene.

"We have not treated any patients, and we remain at the scene," she said.
Dung Quat Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. is one of the five projects PetroVietnam is experiencing troubles with

12 black sheep in MoIT portfolio: Infographic Among the 12 loss-making and poorly run projects under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), only those in the chemical and steel industries have found proper solutions to their challenges and got back on track to reach production efficiency.

Two big projects file for bankruptcy

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) approved the bankruptcy petitions of DQS and Phu Tho bio-ethanol plant. PetroVietnam will have to arrange a meeting with its shareholders on short notice to outline a detailed bankruptcy process.

In addition, the State Audit Office of Vietnam was proposed to evaluate the price of a 104,000 dead weight tonnage ship of DQS to promote the bankruptcy process of PetroVietnams shipbuilding company.

DQS was established in 2006 by Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin), which is now called Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC). Due to its restructuring plan, DQS was transferred to PetroVietnam on July 1, 2010.

According to DQS financial statement, as of June 30, 2010, its chartered capital was more than VND3.758 trillion ($165.4 million), but its accumulated loss was VND1.235 trillion ($54.3 million) and total liabilities were VND7.44 trillion ($327.4 million), including VND4.8 trillion ($211.2 million) in bank loans. DQS has failed to achieve financial balance and does not have the ability to pay off debts.

After being transferred to PetroVietnam, PetroVietnam invested VND5.095 trillion ($224.2 million) in DQS, consisting of a VND1.9 trillion ($83.6 million) addition to DQSs chartered capital, while the remaining amount went to settling debts.

As of June 30, 2016, DQSs chartered capital was VND1.9 trillion ($83.6 million), owners equity was negative VND1.108 trillion ($48.8 million). Its total liabilities were more than VND6.893 trillion ($303.3 million), of the total, VND1.227 trillion ($54 million) was borrowed from banks.

Regarding Phu Tho bio-ethanol plant, its total initial investment was VND1.317 trillion ($58 million) with the engineering, procurement, and construction (ECP) contract value of over $59 million. However, during the construction process, developer PetroVietnam Coating Corporation Joint Stock Company (PVB) and the main contractor PetroVietnam Construction Joint Stock Corporation (PVC) adjusted the EPC contract by an additional $14.3 million.

The Phu Tho bio-ethanol factory project was delayed since November 2011 due to numerous violations. In particular, the main contractor PVC has unilaterally stopped construction of the project, and as a result, all equipment and machinery went to rust and the project has incurred more losses due to increasing interest and other expenses. Moreover, the construction of other component projects of the Phu Tho bio-ethanol factory has also been delayed.

PVB violated the regulations on management construction investment costs by approving the investment adjustment from VND1.31 trillion ($58 million) to VND2.48 trillion ($109.3 million).

The state inspectorate said, As of September 2016, PVB, PVC, and their parent company PetroVietnam have not offered a solution, thus, the project on Phu Tho bio-ethanol factory is getting increasingly deadlocked, and it is becoming difficult to continue with the project.

Resuming three projects

The three PetroVietnam projects that incurred big losses and were required to resume by MoIT include Dung Quat bio-ethanol fuel plant, Binh Phuoc ethanol plant, and Dinh Vu polyester fibre and yarn factory (PVTex).

In particular, Dung Quat bio-ethanol fuel plant will restart operations, after which PetroVietnam will have to divest from this project as it incurred the biggest loss in the companys portfolio.

Nguyen Hoai Giang, chairman of Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Co., Ltd., which holds 60 per cent stake in Dung Quat bio-ethanol fuel plant, said that if the factory operates without government incentives, its loss will be about VND150 billion ($6.6 million).

With incentives, its loss will still be about VND100 billion ($4.4 million), and if it stops operations, the loss will be about VND200 billion ($8.8 million). However, even the best plan with the least loss needs additional investment, otherwise the plant will have to be sold.

The Dung Quat bio-ethanol fuel plant is expected to be a source of cheap and clean bio-fuel to partly replace gasoline, with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions from engines. However, the factory has stopped operations in April 2015 and a fourth of the workers have left their jobs.

The Binh Phuoc bio-ethanol plant is related to the plan to use the governments bio-gasoline E5 from 2018, thus, MoIT requested PetroVietnam to restart the plant.

Regarding PVTex, PetroVietnam is requested to cooperate with its foreign partner to resume the project, then divests from the plant. However, to resume this polyester fibre and yarn factory, PetroVietnam needs an additional VND250 billion ($11 million), with a wide range of strict requirements.

At the meeting to discuss PetroVietnams loss-making projects with MoIT on July 7, 2017, CEO of PetroVietnam Nguyen Vu Truong Son said that PetroVietnam wants to solve these projects, however, every plan, including resuming the plants or the plan to go bankrupt needs money.

Meanwhile, the government has no intention of investing in these five projects anymore. Thus, PetroVietnam finds it hard to arrive at a sufficient solution.
By India Today Web Desk: When Shah Rukh Khan's character in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi entered a golgappa eating competition with his Taani partner, he did not have to think about the gastronomical consequences of it. Because, cinema. Also, he was Shah Rukh Khan.

An eating competition, however, can have grave impact on your health and that's what happened to a second-year student of Delhi University.

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Garv Gupta won a competition by eating the most chili burgers in a day and is now eligible to get a free meal for an entire month as a reward by a restaurant in West Delhi.

He was of course happy to have won the competition until the next morning when he puked and noticed blood in his vomit. When he went to the doctor, he was informed it was the result of those chili burgers he ate.

But how bad could it have been?

An endoscopy revealed that the inner lining of his stomach was ruptured and the torn area had to be removed via surgery, said a report in The Times of India. This happened because he consumed chili in excess.

Would you try this?

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Automaker BMW can access its batch of cars being held at HCM Citys port for maintenance but the firm must replace its local dealer Euro Auto due to violations of the countrys regulations, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a conference with German businesses in Berlin on Thursday.-Photo kienthuc.vn

Phuc said the batchs import tax was calculated much lower than its real value, while local bodies found several false documents during the import process.

The Government leader affirmed that these violations were not caused by the BMW Group in Germany but its agent in Viet Nam.

The replacement of dealer is needed, said Phuc.

We will continue investigation and strictly punish the violators to protect the environment for other investors and ensure their rights and interests. I will direct the Customs Office to allow BMW to maintain the batch of autos worth 15 million euros.

Regional Manager BMW in Southeast Asia Karsten Engel said the firm had not exported cars to Viet Nam for seven months and hoped that the 700 vehicles at the port would soon undergo maintenance.

Vietnamese authorities discovered many violations while examining the companys imports in late 2016. The finance ministry sent a document to the General Department of Customs Vietnam to stop customs clearance for all BMW autos imported by Euro Auto Company, the BMW dealer in HCM City.

The company was found to have sold imported cars while the cars were awaiting customs clearance. It also failed to provide legal documents to prove the origin of many products, and allegedly used fake documents such as purchase contracts and receipts to import cars.

The CEO of Euro Auto company, Nguyen Dang Thao, was arrested for allegedly smuggling luxury cars into the country in April. He has been CEO of the firm since November 2015.
Prime Minister Phucs July 5-8 visit to Germany resulted in 28 agreements with a total value of over $1.7 billion. Photo: VNA

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc made the statement at the Vietnam-Germany business forum, held as part of his four-day German visit from July 5-8. During the official visit, 28 agreements with a total value of over 1.5 billion ($1.71 billion) were signed, with a focus on energy, heavy industry, IT, auto, and foodstuffs.

The government leader told the forum that Vietnams business climate has been improved much in line with international norms. Evidence for this is the improvement in the World Banks 2016-2017 business climate ranking, climbing from 91st to 82nd place out of the 190 countries surveyed.

Vietnam is opening its market in line with international commitments, especially with the 12 signed free trade agreements (FTA). Vietnam also removed business barriers in many sectors, including services, telecommunications, banking and finance, allowing foreign investors to join in, Phuc said.

More opportunities are opening to foreign investors as Vietnam is accelerating merger-and-acquisition (M&A) deals in infrastructure, transportation, airports, expressways, seaports, electricity, telecommunications, food industry, agriculture, and service.

Phuc expressed his hope that Germany would encourage its businesses to intensify investments in Vietnam, especially in the fields that it has strength and Vietnam has demand such as processing, manufacturing, clean energy, and food industry.

One of the areas of special interest among German investors is Vietnams long-term goal of developing renewable energy, and the improvements that must be made to the legal framework.

The forum attracted around 600 German businesses and over 100 Vietnamese firms, including Siemens, Philips Lighting DACH, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, firms which have had success in Vietnam and are interested in expanding their operations.

Siemens is keen to partner with Vietnam in green energy and healthcare services, digitalised industry development and Industry 4.0. Siemens and other German firms also want to join metro line projects in Ho Chi Minh City and the manufacturing of gas-fuelled turbines in Vietnam.

Bayer, which has been present in Vietnam for 20 years, hopes to make a stronger investment in healthcare and agriculture, while Philips wishes to invest in human resources training and the development of smart cities using the companys latest technology, which can save up to 65 per cent on electricity costs.

During the visit, PM Phuc held talks with his German counterpart Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Brigitte Zypries, as well as met with the leaders of the Rheinland-Pfalz and Hessen states and Berlin Mayor Michael Muller.

The discussions focused on how to boost investment and trade, with a target of 15-20 billion ($17.12-22.82 billion) in bilateral trade by 2020, in the context the EU-Vietnam FTA is expected to come into force in 2018.

The two sides agreed to improve the effectiveness of existing co-operation mechanisms, such as the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Management Group, Rule-of-Law Dialogue, and working groups in economics and trade and science and technology.

They also reached a consensus on boosting technology transfers and co-operation in fields in which Germany excels, such as wind power, information technology, communications technology, and manufacturing.

While in Germany, PM Phuc attended the G20 Summit, where he highlighted Vietnams role as the host of the APEC Summit 2017. He also highlighted co-ordination efforts between Vietnam and Germany in seeking ways to encourage member states to solve issues and help the two summits succeed, thus contributing to global development.

Germany has been Vietnams leading trade partner in the European Union for years, with two-way trade reaching $9 billion last year. It is also the fifth-biggest EU investor in Vietnam with total registered capital of $1.68 billion.

As part of his European trip, PM Phuc will visit the Netherlands from July 9-11.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May this week marks the first anniversary of her winning the Conservative Party leadership. (Photo: AFP/John MacDougall)

One month after losing her parliamentary majority in a snap election, the Conservative leader said she was still committed to "bold action" to fulfil her promises of change.

But as fresh rumours swirled of plans to oust her, May accepted that "the reality I now face as prime minister is rather different" than it was.

Her comments came in excerpts of a speech due to be delivered on Tuesday, the anniversary of her winning the Conservative Party leadership race after last year's referendum vote to leave the EU.

"In this new context, it will be even more important to make the case for our policies and our values, and to win the battle of ideas both in parliament as well as in the country," May will say.

"So I say to the other parties in the House of Commons ... come forward with your own views and ideas about how we can tackle these challenges as a country."

May has been struggling to maintain her authority since the June 8 election, which she called three years early only to lose seats, leaving her with a minority government.

'DEAD IN THE WATER'

The Mail on Sunday reported that former Conservative chief whip Andrew Mitchell had told a private meeting of MPs that May was "dead in the water" and must quit.

Justice Secretary David Lidington said this and other rumours were the result of politicians enjoying "too much sun and too much warm Prosecco" at summer parties.

May's de facto deputy Damian Green insisted Monday that her call for cross-party cooperation was a "grown-up way of doing politics".

May had been accused of stifling dissent over her plans to take Britain out of Europe's single market, end jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, and leave the bloc without a deal in place.

But members of her cabinet have been increasingly outspoken since the election, particularly finance minister Philip Hammond, who favours a more conciliatory approach amid fears of the damage a clean break could do to business.

A new cross-party parliamentary group was launched on Monday calling for the "closest possible relationship" with the EU and demanding that "all options are kept on the table" in the negotiations, which began last month.

It is co-chaired by opposition Labour MP Chuka Umunna and Conservative former minister Anna Soubry, both outspoken pro-Europeans, and backed by the smaller Liberal Democrats.
What a triumph it will be for President Trump, when he arrives on an official visit to Warsaw on 6 July! Poland, assures the White House, is a loyal Nato ally, and one of the USs closest friends. As it happens, Poland is the launching pad for the US/Nato strategy that has dragged Europe yet again into a Cold War against Russia. It is to Poland, that the armoured US 3a Brigade has been transferred. This Brigade is one of the four groups of Nato battalions under US command with advanced empowered presence lined up in an anti-Russian function.

Poland is also credited with being one of the four European Nato countries that has achieved the target, set by the US in 2014, of spending more than 2% of the GDP on the military. To off-set this expenditure, Warsaw announces, Poland will not be contributing to the Defence Fund launched by 22 June 2017.

So, in Washingtons eyes, President Dudas Poland is well resourced to take on board another onerous commitment: launching and driving the Three Seas Initiative a new project that brings together 12 countries situated between the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Adriatic: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia. As all of them are EU members, President Duda defines the Initiative a new concept to promote European Unity.

But with the exception of Austria, all these countries are at the same time, members of US-led Nato. And Washington exercises a stronger pull over these countries than does Brussels.

The Three Seas Initiative will be held at President Trumps inauguration, i.e. the forthcoming conference to be held in Warsaw on 6 July; however, it is noteworthy that the initiative was conceived within the Obama Administration. This was announced on 25 August 2016 by the Joint Declaration of Dubrovnik, that presented it as an initiative aimed at connecting the economies and infrastructures of Central and Eastern Europe from the North to the South, expanding cooperation in the sectors of energy, transport, digital communication and the economy generally. The official reason: to make Central and Eastern Europe more secure and competitive. The US will think about this.

In his speech at the Conference on the Three Seas, announces the White House, President Trump will focus on developing infrastructure and energy security, evidencing, among other things, the first deliveries of American NLG (natural liquid gas) to Poland shortly within four months. A terminal in the Baltic port of Swinoujscie, costed around a billion dollars, will permit Poland to import US LNG, to the tune of 5 billion m3 per year, which can be increased to 7.5 billion m3 per year.

Through this and other terminals, including the one planned for Croatia, gas sourced from the US or from other countries through US companies, will be distributed by the relevant gas pipelines to the entire Three Seas region. The plans aim is clear:

 to blame Russia thus reducing its gas exports to Europe - this objective can only be achieved if the export of US gas (which is more expensive than Russian gas), will be encouraged by substantial state subsidies;

 to make Central and Eastern Europe, in competition with Germany and other European powers, gravitate even more closely to the US, not only militarily but also economically; and

 to create within Europe a macro-region with limited sovereignty, being directly under US influence: the Three Seas.

This would essentially fragment the European Union and enlarge Ukraine and others. While Europes political map is changing once again, the flag that flies there is still the Star Spangled Banner.
The United Nations (actually, the Director of Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman) organized a peace conference for Cyprus at Crans-Montana (Switzerland). On 6 July 2017, this conference came to an end, a clear failure as the Cypriot party rejected the agreement.

The two entities that took part in this conference, that was not open to the public, were:

 The Republic of Cyprus; and

 The Turkish Republic of North Cyprus.

But the following states, international organizations and supra-national organizations were present at the conference:

 The United Nations;

 The International Monetary Fund;

 The European Union;

 Greece;

 The United Kingdom; and

 Turkey

The aim of the conference was to reunify the island after Turkey invaded the North in 1974 and its armys subsequently occupied the North [1].

The Republic of Cyprus, asserting its international right, insisted that the withdrawal of the occupation troops would be non-negotiable. The Turkish Republic of North Cyprus for its part, declared the presence of Turkish troops as non-negotiable. Once these positions had been asserted, there was no way a deal could be reached.

The UN, the IMF, the EU, the United Kingdom, the EU and Turkey have not stopped blackmailing the Cypriot President, Nikos Anastasiadis, threatening character assassination. Their intention is that he accepts the agreement laid down by the Great Powers rather than the one agreed with his own citizens [2].

So Cyprus is a member of the European Union - a peace-loving power that has no problem with accommodating the military occupation of the North of the Island.

Turkey occupies illegally but with total impunity the North of Cyprus, Northern Syria and Northern Iraq.
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.
The dizzying speed with which Claws introduces characters and plot lines and straight-up murders is impressive just because of how ballsy it is. I think thats this shows chief quality  ballsiness. Its a ballsy bitch. Im into it even if it felt like this episode wandered around a little. Lets get into it.

Desna is still on Bryces tail after hes picked up Dr. Ken from the clinic. Desna sees Ghost Roller in the backseat of her car and Jen is pacing at home trying to figure out where Bryce could have taken Dr. Ken. She and Desna put their heads together over the phone and figure out that Bryce is taking the doctor to the swamp. That should be everyones first instinct for any issue on the show: Check the swamp.

Once Bryce gets to the swamp, he tries to drag Dr. Ken out of the trunk and Dr. Ken tries to bribe him with wholesale rug prices. When some water birds startle them, Dr. Ken pulls off his pillowcase and dashes off into the swamp. This is why you always tie up the person youre trying to kidnap. Desna and Jen arrive on the scene and hear gunshots. Bryce is firing his gun into the air and starts quoting Tony Robbins to inspire him to kill Dr. Ken faster. They all find each other and Desna and Jen beg Bryce not to do this. It will definitely end with Bryce in jail, so Desna practically gets down on her knees to beg him to let Dr. Ken go. Bryce drops the gun and breaks down crying in Jens arms.

Meanwhile at the salon, Polly takes a break from waxing when Desna returns and says shes got to get away from all this mess, so shes going to look at another salon. Bryce and Jen are leaving an abundant life meeting and Jen tries to get Bryce to get out from underneath Uncle Daddy. She offers him anal once a week. Damn, girl.

Detective Chip and his partner, Arlene, are checking out the other stores in the strip mall with the nail salon when Arlene takes a liking to Ann. This can only end in a sexy disaster. Desna goes to see another salon owned by an Asian woman and they have a little standoff before realizing theyre not that different after all. The salon isnt as fancy as the one Desna was looking at before, but its not bad. Itd be a definite step up. Mandy reveals that she doesnt eat, well, food, so Desna makes her eat a damn cookie.

Then Desna gets a call from her neighbor that Dean is up on a billboard near their house. Its their old foster parents who abused them. Theyre Realtors in the area, and Dean is going spray paint testicles on their faces. Desna talks him off the billboard and the girls at the salon think its time for Dean to maybe go live in a group home. Its becoming a bit much for Desna to handle. Desna shows them the salon she visited today and they all tell her not to settle for less. But like clockwork, Uncle Daddy summons her to the strip club.

Desna, Virginia, and Jen head to the strip club. Uncle Daddy reveals that Chip talked to some of the folks down at the Big & Tall about how Roller was arguing with Virginia and Desna on the day he was murdered. Of course, Virginia starts spinning a bunch of new lies that Roller was arguing with some of his drug dealers. OKAY, VIRGINIA. She definitely thinks shes a mastermind, but Im not really sure. Outside, Jen conveniently forgets her phone after telling off Uncle Daddy, and Juanda and Desna takes the alone time to dress down Virginia for all her lies. They both took money out of Rollers house so theyre both in pretty deep. Then Ghost Roller shows up and Im about sick of his ass and his buffoonery.

Virginia comes home after a long day of lying and sneaking around to find Polly in her apartment. Polly spins around holding a knife and a tray of cupcakes. Polly knows that Virginia pretends to be a dum-dum, but she can see shes trying to cover her tracks with all that shady behavior. If Virginia gets Desna in trouble, Polly is prepared to cut. A. Bitch. Then Polly menacingly licks all the frosting off a cupcake. Im in love with Polly and she gets me.

Dean shows up after his personal-training session and tells Desna he wants to confront their old foster parents because his trainer told him Governor Arnold would tell the truth. Desna cant talk him out of it, so they go to an open house. They walk in and start listing everything that they did to them and its bad. The old foster parents throw back that their crack-addicted mother left them behind and they spend time at Mar-a-Lago, so how could they be bad people. When they get ushered out, Dean reveals that the foster parents did more than make them eat out of dog bowls  they sexually assaulted him and threatened to do the same to Desna if he didnt keep quiet. Okay, lets go to the police. Can we go to the police yet? PUT THESE PEOPLE IN JAIL.

When Virginia decides theyve got to pin Rollers murder on someone, Desna sees the opportunity to kill two old white folks with one stone and suggests her foster parents. Theyre going to hide some of Rollers money and drugs in their house and Virginia knows just the person for the job: Polly wont let anything happen to Desna, so she volunteers. She slips into the house, subdues a dog, plants the evidence, and gets out just in the nick of time. Desna uses a burner phone to tip off the police.

While Uncle Daddy sends Chip and Bryce to take out the foster parents, Desnas Realtor stops by the salon to say she can get the cheaper salon for a discount  or the original fancy salon is back on the market. Desna encourages Mandy to take a muffin and eat the whole thing. Im not into how Desna is an inspiring skinny white women to eat. She definitely gets on the verge of being some kind of mammy for some of the characters. Im not into that. The squad breaks into a spontaneous routine to Lady Marmalade to celebrate the two salons competing for their business while Chip and Bryce rough up and ultimately kill the old foster parents.

Uncle Daddy calls to apologize to Desna for giving her a hard time. Things are looking up.

Thats when, in true Claws fashion, actual nonGhost Roller wakes up in a weird house with a weirdo dressed in Renaissance-inspired jodhpurs dancing in the sunlight. NonGhost Roller wants some water and the weirdo just locks a chain onto his neck. Shes here to be his bleeding heart of love.

WHAT.
In yet another confessional addendum to one of his music videos, Jay-Z has released Footnotes for 4:44 days after he shared the video for his new albums title track. Like his Footnotes for the Story of O.J., the video features a number of interviews with famous men of color  Chris Rock, Will Smith, Kendrick Lamar, Chris Paul, Jesse Williams, Aziz Ansari, Mahershala Ali, Lil Rel, Meek Mill, and more  about toxic masculinity, black love, and relationships with women. Its an especially eye-opening account from Jay-Z about the emotional toll the near-dissolution of his marriage to Beyonce took on them both and what led to their breaking point, without getting into specifics.

This is my real life. I just ran into this place and we built this big, beautiful mansion of a relationship that wasnt totally built on the 100 percent truth and it starts cracking. Things start happening that the public can see, he says. Then we had to get to a point of Okay, tear this down and lets start from the beginning  Its the hardest thing Ive ever done.

He alludes to the fact that fighting for his marriage was more difficult to overcome than growing up in Marcy Projects and being shot at, and recalls a moment on vacation with Beyonce where he begged her not to go. What is happening to my body right now? Did I just say  Dont leave? All this is new for me, he says. In a later clip filmed in his studio surrounded by his friends and team, Jay-Z also reveals that he played 4:44 for Beyonce early on: We just got to a place where in order for this to work, this cant be fake. Not one ounce. Im not saying it wasnt uncomfortable because obviously it was.
Memories. Photo: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Ah, were we ever so young, and ever such gorilla juice heads? BuzzFeed News has culled the latest rumors, and between various social-media hints and, well, the fact the Jersey Shore cast was seen filming in New Jersey, it would seem MTVs ode to meatballs, GTL, and smushing will be back with something of a reunion. The show, which became a reality-TV phenomenon between its premiere in December 2009 and its final season, in 2012, shot in Seaside Heights, Miami, and Italy during its run.

The Asbury Park Press reported the filming on Friday, at least part of which took place in Jerseys own Point Pleasant Beach and Asbury Park in June. Oh well, theyve been reading the paper and they know Asbury Park is the place to be, Asbury Park Mayor John Moor told APP. No, we did not know they were coming as they applied under Roadtrip Reunion. On the other hand, an MTV spokesperson told the paper that whatever is being filmed is not an MTV project. Posts from Mike The Situation Sorrentino and other cast members would suggest otherwise, however, meaning someday soon you might get the dose of Snooki, JWOWW and, to a much lesser extent, Ron, that youve been craving for all these five long years.
Gusto the Great will present a free magic show at the following times, dates and locations:

10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the East Waco Library, 901 Elm Ave.

10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the West Waco Library, 5301 Bosque Blvd.

10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Central Library, 1717 Austin Ave.

10:30 a.m. Friday at the South Waco Library, 2737 S. 18th St.

The program is being held in conjunction with the McLennan County Librarys Summer Reading Club.

For more information, visit www.waco-texas.com/cms-library.

Candidate training

The Republican Party of McLennan County will host a candidate development and campaign management training program from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 29 at the party headquarters, 539 N. Valley Mills Drive.

The event is for candidates, potential candidates, campaign managers, treasurers and anyone interested in learning more about campaign management or becoming a candidate.

Agenda topics include finance and compliance, campaign management, communications, fundraising and more.

The event is free, and lunch will be provided.

To register, visit www.mclennanrepublicans.org or call 772-6955.

Cactus, Succulent Society

The Central Texas Cactus and Succulent Society will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Whitehall Center at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, 9001 Bosque Blvd. in Woodway.

The groups mission is to provide an adequate understanding of cacti and other succulents for the purpose of successful growth, propagation and conservation.

For more information, call 855-7501.

Alternative teachers

McLennan Community College will have an information session about its alternative teacher certification program from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in Room 139 of MCCs Michaelis Academic Center, 1400 College Drive.

The program is for people with bachelors degrees who would like to be certified as teachers.

Upon completion of the program and state-mandated certification exams, graduates are certified to teach in Texas schools.

For more information, call Fay Gutierrez at 299-8067 or email fgutierrez@mclennan.edu.

Texas Exes happy hour

The Texas Exes Waco Chapter will have a happy hour event from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Klassy Glass, 723 Austin Ave.

All Texas exes and friends of Texas exes are welcome.

Lorena AARP

Lorena AARP will meet at 11 a.m. Thursday at Parks Family Buffet, 4318 Bellmead Drive.

Richard Nettles will present the program.

For more information, call Jean Woodard at 857-4724.
Waco author and Baylor University English senior lecturer Maura Jortner doesnt see writing fiction for young adults as dumbing down her stories or talking down to her readers. In fact, she finds a lot she likes in young adult fiction when authors treat their audiences and characters with a little respect.

I read Young Adult fiction. It appeals to me, Jortner said. Theres a sense of the unknown. Characters are just becoming adults. Anything can happen.

Teens populate Jortners recent novel, The Life Group, as high school student Rachel goes looking for her missing college-aged sister Leah last seen in the company of a church group and Tim, the groups soft-spoken, persuasive leader.

Its a page-turner, and Rachels daylong search with Tim takes an unexpected and dangerous turn with a dramatic conclusion on a city bridge not unlike the Washington Street bridge over the Brazos River.

Jortner, 46, will take part in the Waco-McLennan County Central Librarys Author Alley on Saturday, meeting readers, answering questions and signing books between 2 and 3:30 p.m.

Her characters arent squeaky clean. Theyre familiar, if sometimes peripherally, with abusive boyfriends, pregnancy scares, heavy partying and accidental deaths. They sometimes curse and dont always make smart decisions.

Jortner thinks young people can, and do, handle more than theyre given credit for, and thats the group she has in mind when she writes.

Im around young people all the time, a lot of freshmen and sophomores, and theyre my characters, she said, referring to her American Literature classes at Baylor. I read a lot of YA novels. Not every teen is going to act in the same way.

Real life, in fact, planted the seeds that grew into her story. There was the student who blamed his failure to do some homework, not on a paper-eating dog, but on time spent with a church life group. Then a colleague went missing for several days, and Jortner found herself distracted by that thought whenever she was downtown. The colleague was found, but the memory stayed.

It was really gut-wrenching, the feeling not to know where this person was, she said.

Jortner was born and raised in Salem, New Hampshire, a fictional tromping ground of novelist Stephen King, she points out, and she always had a love for books and words.

She studied theater, earning graduate degrees in it at Xavier University and the University of Pittsburgh, and her husband David teaches in Baylors theater arts department. Her writing bug didnt kick in until about five years ago, she said.

Early efforts were unsatisfying, but things clicked during a November National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge. Her ideas for a book about a missing person and an inwardly focused youth group started to gel, and she knocked out a rough draft within the month.

A visual writer, Jortner picked up details for her book while driving daughters Felicity and Gabrielle to school and daycare and herself to Baylor.

Best thinking in the car

I do my best thinking in the car, she admitted.

Readers will find echoes of Waco in The Life Group: the aforementioned bridge, Common Grounds coffeehouse, a south Waco church and surrounding neighborhood of small frame houses, and the now-closed restaurant Mannys on the River.

After finishing her book came the long grind of finding a publisher, and after some 100 unsuccessful query letters, the Waco writer connected with Lakewater Press, a new publishing house shopping for writers.

The Life Group was published in January. Since then, Jortner has moved on to write a new book, Northern Ghosts, and has an agent now.

With a career that brings her in regular contact with college students, plus two daughters of her own, Jortner finds herself both inspired and motivated as a writer by young people.

This is really fulfilling, she said.
A Crawford woman who was driving drunk when she was involved in a single-vehicle accident in which a Waco man was killed pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter Monday.

Kristi Marie Lewis, 29, faces up to 20 years in prison on the second-degree felony charge. Judge Ralph Strother of Wacos 19th State District Court will sentence her on Sept. 5.

Lewis rejected a plea offer from prosecutors for 10 years.

Her attorney, Lyle Gripp, said she is seeking probation.

She has had a real hard life, Gripp said. We think that she is a good candidate for probation, and we are asking the court to consider that.

Lewis was injured and a passenger in the 2004 Honda Civic she was driving, Joshua Timothy Lalonde, was killed about 2:30 a.m. Aug. 28, 2016, on Farm-to-Market Road 185 near Shiloh Church Road.

According to Department of Public Safety investigators, Lewis was driving west on FM 185 when she lost control on a curve and hit a sign before crashing into a tree.

Lalonde, 28, of Waco, died at the scene, officials said.

Lewis medical records showed she had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 percent, according to records filed in the case. A blood-alcohol content of 0.08 is considered legally intoxicated.
A judge considering convicted murderer Darlene Gentrys appeal has ruled that her request for a new trial should be denied.

Judge Bert Richardsons ruling comes seven years after the Court of Criminal Appeals ordered a hearing to ferret out more information based on allegations in Darlene Gentrys application for writ of habeas corpus.

Darlene Gentry, now 42, is serving 60 years in prison after her murder conviction in the November 2005 shooting death of her husband, Keith Gentry, the father of her three sons.

Trial testimony showed Darlene Gentry shot her sleeping husband in the head while their three sons were asleep down the hall and then staged their Robinson home to try to make it appear an intruder broke in and shot Keith Gentry.

In a 40-page order, Richardson, who was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals three years ago, recommended that any relief Darlene Gentry was seeking in her writ application, including a new trial, be denied.

His recommendation will now be forwarded to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which ordered the hearings seven years ago.

We are glad this part of it is over, said Keith Gentrys father, Waymon Gentry. At least it came to a conclusion on this part, but I know there is probably more coming. But at least this part of it is over.

Waymon Gentry and his wife are caring for their grandsons, who are now 17, 14 and 13. A court order prohibits Darlene Gentry from having any contact with her sons.

Unless she wins a new trial, Darlene Gentry must serve 30 years in prison before she can seek parole.

Her direct appeals were rejected by Wacos 10th Court of Appeals and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

But the Court of Criminal Appeals ordered a hearing after Darlene Gentry alleged in her writ application that she didnt get a fair trial.

An application for writ of habeas corpus alleges a defendant is being held illegally because of constitutional violations. Darlene Gentry alleged her trial attorneys were ineffective and that prosecutors elicited perjured testimony and withheld favorable evidence.

One of Darlene Gentrys writ attorneys, Stephanie Stevens, a law professor at St. Marys University in San Antonio, did not return a phone message Monday.

Former longtime prosecutor Crawford Long, who prosecuted Gentrys case with former prosecutor Melanie Walker, said he is pleased with Richardsons ruling.

We believe that she had a perfectly fair trial, Long said. The evidence showed she was guilty, and we agree that the writ should have been denied.

In her original appeal to the Waco-based intermediate appellate court, Gentry argued she deserved a new trial because her rights were violated when an incriminating videotape was produced and introduced at her trial.

The video, secretly videotaped by Texas Rangers, showed Gentry wading knee-deep in a pond near Axtell in a search for the murder weapon she reportedly threw there.

Gentry was shown on the tape searching the pond, not knowing Rangers already had recovered the murder weapon, a .22-caliber revolver given to Keith Gentry by his father.

She claimed in her writ application that her attorneys prevented her from testifying, so the jury never got to hear her explanation for her mid-winter wading expedition.

The video was made after a series of phone calls between Darlene Gentry and an acquaintance about her request to buy land on which the pond sits. The acquaintance became suspicious of Gentrys motives and called police.

After finding the gun, Rangers had the man call Darlene Gentry and tell her he was going to drain the pond.

She eventually came to the pond and was caught on video probing the muddy bottom in the exact spot where the gun was found.
Americans pay too much for health care, but providers can help reduce costs by meeting patient needs from diagnosis to treatment in an integrated system, said the newly named president of Baylor Scott & White Health in a telephone interview.

Eliminating the duplication of services and providing effective and timely care at an affordable price should always be health care providers' goal, said Pete McCanna, 56, who was named to fill Baylor Scott & White Health's new Office of the President by mid-September. He will live in Dallas and assist in steering an organization that has grown to $10.8 billion in assets and 48 hospitals, including Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center in Waco.

"The reputation of the leadership and caregivers at Baylor Scott & White is exceptional locally, statewide and nationally," McCanna said. "I will work for a person, Jim Hinton, who has a solid track record and really has put together all the pieces needed to satisfy patient wants and needs."

Hinton, who has been serving as both president and CEO since he joined Baylor Scott & White in January, hired McCanna. They previously worked together at Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

McCanna serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Northwestern Memorial Healthcare based in Chicago. He has more than 30 years experience in health-care management and consulting, having also served as CFO at the University of Colorado Hospital in the Denver area, according to a press release from Baylor Scott & White.

During McCanna's 15-year tenure at Northwestern, the organization's operating revenue grew from $700 million to more than $5 billion, and it maintained its AA-plus bond rating, according to the press release.

"I made this move," Hinton said. "I consulted with the leadership, the board, and let them know what I was doing. But the hire was mine, and Pete will report directly to me."

Hinton said he is returning to the leadership model that existed just after the merger of Temple-based Scott & White and Dallas-based Baylor Health Care.

"Is this a two-person job? It's more like a 50-person job," Hinton said. "A lot of large organizations separate the chief executive from the system president. Traditionally, the CEO role is more external in nature, though I don't think anyone should assume that's how we will ultimately approach this."

He said Baylor Scott & White does not necessarily have "significant new priorities" but will emphasize digital connections with patients and preserve its large academic training centers in Dallas and Temple, and a smaller one in Fort Worth. He said McCanna is well equipped to help Baylor Scott & White meet demands associated with expansion.

"Pete is a highly respected senior executive with a track record of helping to grow organizations, create and implement successful, long-range strategic plans and lead financial turnarounds," Hinton said in the press release. "He is one of the best and brightest in health care."

Every health care system in the country is struggling with the uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act and attempts to repeal it, Hinton said by phone.

"Like everybody else, we have challenges to overcome. Our core business is definitely sustainable," he said. "We are working every day to build more value for the people we serve. We'd sure like to know what the rules are going to be for the rest of our careers, but unfortunately that's not going to happen.

"There is a lot of uncertainty out there, and uncertainty can translate into health systems slowing down investments. I do worry about $800 billion being cut from health care, as included in proposals coming out of the House and Senate."

McCanna, a Wisconsin native who received a master's degree from the University of Texas and a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, said he looks forward to returning to the Lone Star State.

"I haven't yet started to work at Baylor Scott & White, so it's too early to comment on some aspects of the job," he said. "Obviously all the leaders, myself included, need to improve the value for patients and customers. I plan to get my feet on the ground and ask a lot of questions."

He said he started his health care career as a chief financial officer, but in the past 15 years has seen his role evolve to include other administrative functions.

He said a system that moves patients seamlessly from diagnosis to treatment and avoids "fragmented care" saves money and improves outcomes.

"I think it's been shown that a high variability in care leads to more errors and higher costs." McCanna said. "I also believe that many of the solutions we seek come from physicians and nurses."

Glenn Robinson, president of Baylor Scott & White Health's Waco facility, said he has not met McCanna but looks forward to an introduction.

"We're proud of the work Glenn does," Hinton said. "I don't know that this hire will have any direct impact on the operation there, but hopefully his area will benefit from the quality and consistency of services that we hope will accompany our systemwide growth."
Carolyn Renee Dewitt

Jan. 3, 1949 - July 8, 2017

Carolyn Renee (Cash) Dewitt, 68, passed away in Dallas, on July 8, 2017.Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 11, at Connally Compton Funeral Directors. Burial will follow in China Spring Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Monday, July 10, at the funeral home.

Renee was born January 3, 1949, in Waco, Texas, to James William and Mary Helen (Henderson) Cash. She graduated from China Spring High School and went on to receive her Bachelors in Accounting and Nursing from Baylor University and UT. Renee worked at Hillcrest Hospital and for Dr. Fadal in Waco for several years and later worked for Roche Bio Medical/ Lab Corp in Dallas. She then worked for Dr. Johnson in Dallas until her retirement.

Some of her favorite hobbies were reading and crafting especially working on her embroidery machine. One of her fondest memories were running around with her childhood best friend, Nancy Yankie Sidarous.

She was preceded in death by her father, James William Cash.

Survivors include her children, James Walts and wife, Nancy, Sonja Braziel and Colt Braziel; grandchildren, Erin Walts and Austin Walts; mother, Mary Helen Cash; sister, Regina Talbert and husband, Tim; nephew, Chad Talbert; nieces, Leigh Neaves and Taryn Talbert; and several other relatives.

The family would like to thank Baylor Medical Center in Dallas for their care and support of Renee in her last days. They would like to especially thank all the doctors who took care of her during her 13 year battle with cancer.
WAHOO  Howard Hansons trek toward the Nebraska Hall of Fame continues, as public hearings begin this week for potential inductees.

The first of three public hearing is scheduled for July 12 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Winfields in David City.

The hearings are open to the public and sponsors will speak for up to 10 minutes, testifying on behalf of their respective nominees.

Hanson was nominated Feb. 3, when several sponsors spoke in Lincoln on his behalf to the Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission.

The contingent in support of Hanson for the upcoming hearings will consist of local and professional sponsors.

Mary Bergan, Saunders County Historical Society board member and museum volunteer, said she plans to attend multiple hearings with Saunders County Museum Curator Erin Hauser and other supporters.

Bergan said Dr. Larry Erickson, Wahoo native and professor of chemical engineering at Kansas State Uni-versity, will also join them at hearings and provide testimony.

Eric Bachenberg of Lincoln will also attend, Bergan said. Bachenberg wrote an article on Hanson that is published on the state historical societys website.

Wahoo resident and former District 23 Sen. Jerry Johnson said he plans to attend all three hearings, including the July 19 hearing in his home town of Holdrege.

The third hearing is held July 13 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters in Omaha.

The hearings are held in each congressional district for the convenience of the sponsors whos nominees resided in those districts, said Executive Assistant Membership Administrator Lana Hatcher.

Attendance at all three hearings is not necessary, Hatcher said. Priority for testimony will be given to individuals from the district in which the hearing is held.

Hatcher said each speaker will be asked to hold their testimony to 10 minutes to ensure each speaker is heard.

Some sponsors may choose to give short power point presentations, but they must provide their own equipment and must stay within the 10-minute time-frame, Hatcher said.

Hansons competition for the hall of fame includes 11 other Nebraska natives.

No more than one person can be added to the Nebraska Hall of Fame every five years.

This is not the first year that Hanson has been nominated. He was nominated 10 years after his death in 1981.

This was allowed at the time. But Johnson said legislative action in 1998 now states that no more than one person can be added every five years and only 35 years after that persons death.

The Commission will meet to determine the selection on Aug. 2 at the State Capitol.

A bust commemorating the person chosen for the Nebraska Hall of Fame will be placed in the State Capitol in 2019 after a sculptor is appointed in 2018.

It has been 35 years since Hansons death and this is the first year he would be eligible for induction into the state hall of fame by the new law, Bergan said

Hansons boyhood home is located on the corner of 12th and Linden streets in Wahoo. The historical house is maintained by the Saunders County Historical Society.

Hanson was born on Oct. 28, 1896. He attended Wahoo Public Schools and then enrolled at Luther College. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1944 for one of symphonies and was the director of the famed Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y.

For more information about the Nebraska Hall of Fame Commissions hearings, contact the Saunders County Museum at 402-443-3090.
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An $11 billion merger of two of Australia's biggest gaming companies is facing a potential setback after the national competition watchdog filed a fresh legal challenge.

The proposed merger of Tabcorp and Tatts won crucial regulatory approval in the Australian Competition Tribunal in June, in a decision that dismissed a litany of concerns about the merged entity's inflated market power and angered rival betting companies.

The Australian Competition Tribunal had only one condition on its approval of the Tabcorp-Tatts merger. Credit:bradleyphotos.com.au

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which had objected to the merger because it believed it would diminish competition, announced on Monday it had applied to the Federal Court for a "judicial review" of the tribunal's decision to approve the bid.

"The ACCC is alleging the tribunal made three reviewable errors," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.
US smart home giant Nest launches in Australia today, minus its flagship product and ignoring local retail heavyweights in favour of a unique online partner.

An internet of things pioneer, Nest found success in the US with its smart thermostat which learns homeowner's habits to optimise their heating and reduce energy bills. The company was acquired by Google in 2014, fuelling international expansion plans, but Nest will not sell its smart thermostat locally due to the low number of Australian homes with compatible central heating.

The Nest Protect can detect smoke and carbon monoxide, sounding an alarm and alerting your phone. Credit:Nest

Instead Nest is focusing in Australia on its Nest Protect smart smoke / carbon monoxide alarm, as well as home security cameras, with plans to sell devices exclusively through online insurance and utilities broker iSelect.

While Nest has partnerships with insurers like Liberty Mutual in the US, an exclusive deal with a service like iSelect is a first. iSelect brokers around 20 per cent of Australia's home insurance purchases, 12 per cent of energy contracts and 5 per cent of broadband deals.
Her appearance prompted a string of reactions on Twitter and caught the attention of the German media and other outlets.

She briefly sat in her father's chair at the global gathering in Hamburg during a closed-door session on African development as the World Bank president spoke.

Washington: US President Donald Trump defended his daughter, White House adviser Ivanka Trump, on Monday after she raised some eyebrows over the weekend by taking his place at a table with world leaders at a G20 meeting.

Early on Monday, Trump called the arrangement "very standard" in a tweet where he also noted that German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was hosting the G20 summit, agreed. Merkel had dismissed the move at a news conference after the G20 ended.

Ivanka Trump, in her father's seat, between China's Presdient Xi Jinping and Britain's Theresa May.

"Ivanka belongs to the US delegation," Merkel, who has worked with her on various issues, said last week.

Trump also used former first daughter Chelsea Clinton in his defence argument, saying "If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say Chelsea for president".

But Clinton is having none of it, tweeting her parents would never have asked her to do such a thing and questioning whether Trump was, as he said, "giving our country away".
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jul. 10, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 10, 2017 | 02:06 PM | PADUCAH, KY

McCracken County Sheriff's deputies arrested six people over the past few days in separate investigations on various drug charges.



Deputies said detectives with the drug division arrested 46-year-old Shelly Blair and 43-year-old Emanuel Thompson, both of Carbondale, IL on June 29 after they allegedly came to a hotel on John Puryear drive to buy meth. Detectives stopped their vehicle at the hotel, and seized meth, marijuana and more than $15,000 in cash. They were both arrested on meth trafficking and possession of drug paraphernalia charges.



On Friday detectives arrested 35-year-old Tina Wagner after a traffic stop and search of her vehicle revealed about $1400 worth of meth, ritalin, clonazepam, drug paraphernalia and cash.



That same day, McCracken County detectives and detectives with the Metropolis Police Department learned that 35-year-old Brett Hearn of Metropolis was coming into Paducah to deliver meth. He was later arrested at a gas station on Cairo Road on meth trafficking charges and on an outstanding warrant. Hearns passenger, 28-year-old Jordan Taylor Kristal Strong, also of Metropolis, was arrested for public intoxication of a controlled substance. Metropolis police officers executed a search warrant at Hearns home later that evening and reportedly found more meth packaged for sale.



On Friday deputies went to a home on Starr Lane after getting a complaint about drug activity. Deputies said they searched the home after smelling marijuana, and found about 1.75 pounds of marijuana inside. The marijuana was located in an area of the home that was accessible to a child that lived there. They arrested 23-year-old Jody Raffidy on marijuana trafficking, drug paraphernalia and 2nd degree wanton endangerment charges.



All suspects were booked into the McCracken County Jail.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 10, 2017 | 12:21 PM | MARSHALL COUNTY, KY

A traffic stop in Marshall County on Saturday led to the driver's arrest on drug and alcohol charges.

According to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, a deputy saw a vehicle weaving on US 641 North, and conducted a traffic stop. The driver, 53-year-old Ricky Colley of Mayfield, was arrested on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and possession of controlled substance.

Further investigation resulted in additional charges of prescription controlled substance not in the proper container and illegal possession of a legend drug.
New Ross mourns tragic death of Anthony Rochford (47): We will remember him for all the great times
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It's rare to find a piece of theatre as acutely topical, deeply intelligent, and emotionally charged as Returning to Reims. But this late addition to the Manchester International Festival's programme is very special indeed in very many ways.

Created by Thomas Ostermeier's outstanding Berlin-based Schaubuhne company in just a matter of months, it takes as its starting point the French sociologist Didier Eribon's 2009 memoir of the same name. In his book, Eribon, who has been estranged from his family for 30 years, begins to reconcile with his mother just as his father is on the point of dying.

He refuses to see him or to go to his funeral - "I didn't love him. I never had" - but the event forces him to explore his own rejection of his working class origins, and the reasons why his father, and so many like him, moved from support of the Communist party to an affiliation with Marine Le Pen's Front National.

What we see on stage is a recording studio, with a booth to one side. Here three people - an actress (Nina Hoss, familiar to fans of Homeland), a film-maker (Bush Moukarzel) and the studio manager are making a film about Eribon's life. For the first half of the two-hour running time, we see Hoss sitting quietly at the microphone and listen to her hypnotic recitation of the book while overhead we see a film (actually made by Ostermeier and Sebastien Dupouey) which shows Eribon returning to Reims and sitting with his mother.

This is in itself fascinating. The images of what Eribon calls the "violence of the social world" and its impact on the bodies and faces of the poor and the semi-derelict, uncaring poverty in which he grew up are profoundly powerful. But then Hoss starts to have an argument with Moukarzel about the cuts he has made in the text; Eribon blames evil forces for the conditions in which the working class are forced to live. The film-maker prefers to put the responsibility on the system. Then she objects to images of resistance to the Far-Right accompanying text which describes its rise; "I'm a multi-layered film-maker. It's my style," he announces, before denouncing her from the studio booth as "a typical actress who thinks she knows better than me."

It's funny and acute, a revelation of the tensions that go into the creation of a work of art in itself. But it also announces its own multi-layered transformation in the second part, where as the trio make the film, more and more issues from their own concerns become entwined in the piece. The studio manager - Ali Gadema (off-stage a theatre maker and poet in his own right) contributes a sharply political rap. The audience - us - are invited to respond.

In his role as film-maker Moukarzel (in real life co-artistic director of the Irish theatre company Dead Centre) adds footage of Gordon Brown attacking "that bigoted woman" - an erstwhile Labour supporter in Rochdale - to Eribon's critique of the failure of the Left.

Finally, wonderfully, Hoss talks about her own father Willi, an idealistic trade unionist who ends his life helping the indigenous people of the Amazon fight the destruction of the rain forest. His belief in small personal acts of resistance against social violence are implicitly set against Eribon's bleaker analysis of the need for another perspective to realign the politics of the Left with the oppressed rather than the governing class.

All of this is performed in a naturalistic style so real, so embracing, that it feels like a conversation over the breakfast table not from a stage. It is held together by Hoss who has the most beautiful, intelligent presence that illuminates the entire stage, and lends it warmth and grace.

Returning to Reims is not easy theatre, it is bold, committed and infinitely resonant. It's distinguished by its intellectual rigour - Eribon's analysis is darkly persuasive - but also by its sense of hope and humanity.

Because it directly tackles the most pressing issues of our day, with a sense of rich discovery and revelation, it feels like essential viewing, a vindication of experiment and thoughtfulness, a celebration of the skills of performers. It is the lifeblood of a festival of new work such as this one. Since it is on until 14 July, you have a chance to catch it while you can. You won't forget it.

Returning to Reims runs at HOME Manchester, as part of the Manchester International Festival until 14 July 2017.
The Irish Herald newspaper have dropped an absolute whopper in their Monday morning edition.

Indeed, the rather glaring cock-up saw the Herald accompany their big back page story about Romelu Lukaku with an image of London grime star Stormzy

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

In fairness, Stormzy is wearing official Manchester United clobber and does look a *bit* like Lukaku from certain angles, but still.

Seems fitting to leave this here
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/07/2017 (1950 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hermanos is getting a little sister.

Noel Bernier, one of Winnipegs busiest restaurateurs, is opening a second Hermanos restaurant Friday on Osborne Street South.

The 4,000-square-foot, 100-seat eatery at 723 Osborne St. will be a tad smaller than the original Hermanos, which opened in September 2009 on the main floor of the historic Ashdown Warehouse at 179 Bannatyne Ave.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Restaurateur Noel Bernier says 723 Osborne St. is the ideal space for a Hermanos restaurant because of the Beresford Buildings old-world charm.

Although it will be officially known as Hermanos South, Bernier has given it the nickname  La Hermanita  which is Spanish for little sister.

The expansion of the Hermanos brand marks a major shift in focus for Bernier.

For the past eight years, hes concentrated on introducing new restaurant brands to the city. Now, he and his business partners have shifted their focus to expanding their brands, and its only fitting Hermanos would be the first one earmarked for growth.

Hermanos was my first restaurant. It was my first creation and it has quietly become one of our strongest brands, Bernier said. It has an incredibly loyal following, and it has had critical success.

Bernier had resisted the temptation to grow the Hermanos brand because it was unique  its an South American-style steak house  and because it was his first eatery.

Now that hes embraced the idea of expanding, he isnt stopping at just one additional outlet. Within 18 months, he plans to open a third in the city. He doesnt have a location yet, but it will be in the northern half of Winnipeg.

After that, he plans to expand the brand outside Manitoba, starting with the other western provinces. He said market research has shown there is growing demand in North America for the kind of restaurant experience Hermanos offers.

Hermanos is a restaurant brand that is focused on a truly unique South American steak house experience, with emphasis on the great wines and music of this continent.

The opening at 723 Osborne will be the first step in continuing to develop this brand as a potential national brand, he said.

To prepare for the expansion phase, Bernier and his business partners have been enhancing and improving their current brands and hiring additional operational/management staff. Some of the other brands they feel would be good candidates for expansion are Barley Brothers (craft beer pub), Carnaval Brazilian BBQ and Sherbrook Street Deli.

When youve got brands that are strong, you need to help them grow, Bernier said. But they all need time to be polished up.

He and his partners have a Barley Brothers outlet on Pembina Highway. They had one on Empress Street, but it closed late last year.

Bernier said theyd like to replace that with a downtown outlet, but its not a priority.

The second Hermanos outlet will occupy two former ground-floor spaces (723 and 725 Osborne) in the Beresford Building at the corner of Osborne and Beresford Avenue. Previous occupants of the spaces include Bistro 7 1/4 and Blind Tiger Coffee Co.

Bernier said its a perfect spot for Hermanos because, like the original location on Bannatyne Avenue, its in an old character building that has exposed brick walls on the inside.

We wanted to keep that historic old-world feel that (the original) Hermanos has, and this is a very unique piece of property we could do that with, he said.

Its got the same vibe Its a really beautiful room to showcase the second Hemanos in.

Theres room for a sidewalk patio, although that isnt expected to open until next summer.

Michael Stronger, senior vice-president of retail and investment with Shindico Realty Inc. has helped Bernier and his partners find many of their restaurant locations in Winnipeg. He agrees the Hermanos concept is suitable for expansion.

Their opening of a second location is testament to the success of the first location, which has stood the test of time and proven that a larger, high-end restaurant can succeed in Winnipegs Exchange District, Stronger said.

The Exchange has always been a great area for smaller boutique bistros. Its the larger restaurants that have been challenged, and thats because they have higher overhead and more seats and require a more consistent and large customer flow.

He said the original Hermanos outlet was able to develop a large and loyal customer base and that has given (Bernier) the confidence to expand.

Stronger thinks Osborne Street South is a good spot for the second Hermanos outlet because there is already a cluster of successful boutique restaurants in the area.

(Its) similar to Corydon Village, to Academy Road and to Osborne Village itself. It has sort of defined itself as having enough of a captive market to support having a variety of unique restaurants.

He thinks it makes sense to open a Hermanos outlet in North Winnipeg, perhaps on Main Street or Henderson Highway.

There is definitely an affluent and growing consumer base in north Winnipeg that is dramatically underserviced for food offerings, he said.

Hes probably seeing some of these people (at his downtown location) and they say they wish they didnt have to travel so far.

Know of any newsworthy or interesting trends or developments in the local office, retail, industrial or multi-family- residential sectors? Let real estate reporter Murray McNeill know at the email address below, or at 204-697-7254.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/07/2017 (1950 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two young men and two teenage boys have been charged in connection with several vehicle thefts and break-and-enters that occurred in Winnipeg since Canada Day, police say.

On July 1, a vehicle was reported stolen from the 100 block of Loewen Place. Between July 4 and 5, three vape businesses were broken into and a variety of items were stolen.

On July 5, a 2015 Toyota SUV was stolen from a dealership on Pembina Highway.

On July 7, three vehicles were stolen from a dealership on Waverley Street. That same day, two more vehicles were stolen from the area of Markham Road and Pembina Highway.

On Saturday, a business was broken into in the first 100 block of Rothwell Road but nothing was stolen. Later that day, at about 2:15 p.m., police spotted the stolen Toyota SUV in the area of Silverstone Avenue and Tamworth Bay.

Police said a high risk vehicle stop was initiated and four males were taken into custody.

Police say they found a pellet gun on the floor of the vehicle.

John Randall Meadows, 19, Jeremy Enrico Lajoie, 18, face several charges, as do a 16 year old and a 17 year old who are also from Winnipeg, police said in a news release.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/07/2017 (1950 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The phrase hurry up and wait is usually uttered with a sarcastic tone, its frustrated intention being to describe an exasperating situation that took too long to start and is taking too long to end.

Some critics of the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls have, in essence, co-opted the old military saying, splitting its contradictory sentiment in half and then somehow giving each part equal weight.

They want the inquiry to hurry up. And to wait.

Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files Chief commissioner Marion Buller

The process might be better served if these critics decided which is the preferred course of action.

For several months, the inquiry  headed by chief commissioner Marion Buller, British Columbias first female Indigenous judge  has been under fire for dragging its figurative feet as it prepared, perhaps too deliberately, to hold public hearings that will allow survivors, families and other stakeholders to share their stories. In May, the Native Womens Association of Canada issued a report card that gave the inquiry either complete fail or incomplete scores on all 15 of its key assessment criteria.

The message was clear: lets get this thing moving.

Last week, however, Manitoba Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson called for a halt to the inquirys proceedings, saying the chief commissioner should step down as a sign of restarting the whole process. Ms. North Wilsons contention is that Ms. Bullers legal background does not serve the inquiry well and that someone with grassroots connections would be more likely to gain the respect and confidence of survivors and families. Others have spoken in favour of Ms. North Wilsons view.

Ms. Buller, whom Ms. North Wilson has never met, responded by saying she has no intention of resigning, adding that in the context of the inquirys exhaustive preparations and complicated scheduling, the eight-month-old process is on track and is, in fact, moving along at lightning speed. She has, as well, stated that she will ask the federal government for more time and money  beyond its mandated two years and $53.9-million budget  to complete the inquirys considerable agenda.

While its unlikely many observers will agree with Ms. Bullers pace-of-inquiry assessment, some will take comfort from this weeks release of the updated schedule for community hearings, which includes stops in Thunder Bay on Oct. 10 and Winnipeg on Oct. 16. While these long-anticipated events will finally set the process of collecting stories and insights fully in motion, the scheduled dates will make it virtually impossible for Ms. Buller and her four fellow commissioners to meaningfully meet the inquirys mandate of releasing an interim report by Nov. 1.

The inquirys final report is due one year later.

While theres no disputing that the inquiry has been frustratingly slow in getting up to speed, there is little to be gained by Ms. North Wilsons desired halt-and-restart course of action. Replacing the chief commissioner at this juncture would squander whatever meagre progress has been made to date and theres no guarantee that installing a new inquiry figurehead with less legal knowledge but greater community connections would inspire more confidence in the process.

If the ultimate goal of the inquiry is, as its terms of reference state, to recommend concrete actions to remove systemic causes of violence and increase the safety of indigenous women and girls in Canada, then the best course of action is to get on with it.

Its time for the inquiry to hurry up. While the high-profile bickering continues, at-risk Indigenous women and girls cant afford to wait.
A fifth-generation Minnesotan, Dan Feehan is seeking the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Partys endorsement in Minnesotas 1st Congressional District.

Last falls election saw a close decision in the 1st District race when Rep. Tim Walz narrowly edged out his Republican opponent Jim Hagedorn to win a sixth term in the House of Representatives.

Walz recently announced he will be giving up his seat to run for governor of Minnesota in 2018. On Monday Feehan, 34, announced his campaign to run for Walzs seat.

Ive spent more than a decade working to defend and serve the people of this state, Feehan said. Im running because I love my country, I love Minnesota, and I want to keep serving.

Feehan said his campaign centers on three issues  health care, economic opportunity, and national security  because people want to see a health care system that works for everyone, equitable economic opportunities and innovative growth, and safety and security for themselves and their neighbors.

Feehan is a former school teacher who served two tours in Iraq and also worked in the Pentagon as a principal deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Readiness.

People are tired of the war going on that doesnt seem to have an end, he said, and all the money spent on it that could be invested in communities in southern Minnesota.

With years of background in public service, Feehan said hes learned about the importance of strong leadership and humility. He said hes spent a lot of time talking to people in the communities of the 1st District asking questions, finding trends, and listening to the type of change they want their leaders to represent.

People want the idea of change and something they can believe in, Feehan said. Im going to work my tail off, put my head down, and attempt to build a movement.

The 2016 election saw a close vote in a district that voted for Barack Obama twice and has had DFL representation for the better part of a decade. Feehan said Minnesota is home to a number of independents and open-minded people, and he hopes to draw the interest of those ready for positive change.

Most importantly Ill listen... Its how I led my soldiers, its how I led my students, its how I operated at the Pentagon, he said. For those looking for something to believe in, follow me in service.

Feehan is the latest DFLer to enter the race. He joins former state Sen. Vicki Jensen, high school teacher John Austinson, former restaurant owner Colin Minehart and ardent Sen. Bernie Sanders supporter Johnny Akzam in seeking the Democratic nomination.

Feehan and fellow Democrats are betting that Hagedorns strong showing last year was a fluke.

Hagedorn has already announced hell run again.

Kyle Potter, Associated Press, contributed to this story.

Feehan is a former school teacher who served two tours in Iraq and also worked in the Pentagon.
One of Barack Obamas principal arguments in seeking the presidency was that his stance as an outsider uninvolved in past Washington battles would enable him to break through the capitals pervasive partisanship.

But the neophyte president actually achieved his principal legislative success by hiring experienced Washington operatives who joined with veteran congressional Democrats in passing legislation designed to produce the partys long-sought goal of health care coverage for all Americans.

After Republicans captured the House in 2010 and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell vowed to prevent Obamas re-election, gridlock reasserted itself. That helped Donald Trump, even more of an outsider than Obama, sell the notion that his nonpolitical background and business experience could make Washington work again.

But Trump has proved so unknowledgeable and inexperienced, and his White House so inept, that he is damaging rather than helping achieve the stated goals, like repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, on which most Republicans campaigned. In the process, hes giving inexperience a bad name that hopefully will lead, eventually, to a president better-equipped to do the job.

Between his impolitic comments, often antagonistic attitude toward lawmakers and inability to convey a positive sales message, Trump has undercut  rather than reinforced  efforts by top Republican professionals like House Speaker Paul Ryan and McConnell to achieve their mutual goals. They need help from a functioning White House, like the Democrats did, since they have small majorities, especially McConnell.

The basic problem is that the widening divide between increasingly ideological parties has made governing far more difficult. There are fewer of the pragmatists who once helped presidents like Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton form coalitions to enact major measures like tax and welfare reform.

But such office-holders do exist, especially in the Senate and many governorships. The best hope for breaking the current deadlock may lie in concentrating on fixing Obamacares problems, rather than aiming for long-sought conservative goals like repealing it and slashing a Medicaid program that is crucial for millions of Americans.

A possible direction was suggested in some little-noticed comments by Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, a former Tennessee governor and chair of the committee that would help write the health measure under normal legislative procedure.

Alexander said he would like to draft legislation geared toward stabilizing the marketplaces and providing a temporary continuation of subsidies paid to insurance companies to offset out-of-pocket medical expenses, The New York Times reported.

That would focus on the most urgent current issues, but would require a more bipartisan approach. Thats been the message of Senate Republicans like Maines Susan Collins, Alaskas Lisa Murkowski, Colorados Cory Gardner, Louisianas Bill Cassidy, Ohios Rob Portman and West Virginias Shelley Moore Capito, who played major roles in delaying McConnells bill.

A bipartisan group of governors is pushing a similar message. As first reported by The New York Times Alexander Burns, they have sought quietly, behind the scenes, to push lawmakers toward a bipartisan compromise and away from a partisan approach that would devastate Medicaid in their states.

Virginia Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of the National Governors Association, and Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, vice chairman of its health and human services committee, wrote a joint letter urging McConnell to show restraint in seeking a bill.

On the very day he delayed Senate consideration of the GOP measure, Republican Gov. John Kasich of Ohio and Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado held a joint news conference to denounce it. This bill is unacceptable, Kasich said, noting it would hurt the poor and the mentally ill and benefit people who are already wealthy.

Its unclear if these outside efforts or the reluctance of more moderate GOP senators will keep McConnell from reaching agreement on some version of the current bill. Complicating his quest, the repeal effort, while supported by the Republican grass roots, is highly unpopular in the country as a whole. Four recent polls show its support ranging from 12 to 27 percent.

If he fails, the growing disruption of the health insurance market may force McConnell to work with the Democrats on a more pragmatic approach like Alexander suggested. That would ultimately require support from the more conservative House  and a decision by the Trump administration to end its inconsistent attitude toward the federal payments that enable many Obamacare recipients to pay their insurance.

Meanwhile, Trump may be giving inexperience such a bad name he ultimately convinces voters the presidency is no job for a neophyte, and that a better course is someone with governing experience. Like Reagan or Clinton.Carl P. Leubsdorf is the former Washington bureau chief of the Dallas Morning News. Readers may write to him via email at: carl.p.leubsdorf@gmail.com.
1967

Metalfab has announced that it will no longer be manufacturing mufflers after June 30, which means a major change in the Metalfab operations in Columbus. The Columbus plant will manufacture air receiver tanks and transformer tanks which are used in underground installation of electrical wiring.

Amanda Roy sold her restaurant business known as Hamburgers Hanks to Mrs. Leanna Prietz of Fall River. The Roys had been in business for the last 28 years.

1977

A fire believed to have started in a garbage truck caused over $250,000 in damages to the Stokely Canning Co. Firemen from Columbus, Fall River and Beaver Dam fought the fire. Columbus Fire Chief James Boness said it was the largest fire in Columbus since a city electrical power house burned in December of 1953.

George Miller of Millers General Store, Astico, retired after 33 years operating the General Store. Darlene Powers, who has been managing the Post Office located in the store, will manage the Post Office and store. The store will be called Powers General Store.

1987

State Sen. Russ Feingold today praised Assembly budget writers for retaining and speeding up a construction project on Highway 151, which will add two traffic lanes from Sun Prairie and Columbus. Under the budget proposal, this highway would be completed in 1990 with the Governors original budget showing completion in 1993.

A 114-year-old stained glass window was smashed when the United Methodist Church was broken into and vandalized. $17,000 in damages to the church and its contents were reported.

1997

Judy Goodson was hired as the manager of the Columbus Main Street program. She will be working with the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce and the Historic Landmark and Preservation Commission to promote Columbus and its downtown.
North Korea has now demonstrated its ability to reach parts of the United States with an intercontinental ballistic missile, and the most powerful response President Donald Trump could muster was a tweet.

North Koreas mercurial 33-year-old leader, Kim Jong-un, has escalated the nuclear threat to alarming proportions. The stakes are too high for Trump to trivialize it with a Twitter takedown.

An already nervous world has even more reason to be worried when Americas president responds with: North Korea has just launched another missile. Does this guy have anything better to do with his life? Hard to believe that South Korea  and Japan will put up with this much longer. Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!

Trump demonstrated repeatedly on the campaign trail that he had little interest or depth of knowledge about international affairs. As president, Trump seems reluctant to deliver a bold, authoritative response to his most urgent national security threat. The world is looking for U.S. leadership regarding North Korea, not a buck-passing tweet.

Resolving such issues requires the American president to exercise deft personal diplomacy. Trump must rally friends and foes alike toward a common goal of blocking or delaying North Koreas nuclear program. China has its own geostrategic agenda, which doesnt necessarily coincide with Americas. Russia might well seek to exploit the situation to further embarrass Washington and drive a wedge between the United States and its regional allies.

There are growing indications that China might be exploiting North Koreas nuclear advances to pressure Washington into withdrawing its nuclear forces from the region. China also seeks recognition of its sovereignty over a group of man-made islands in the South China Sea, where Beijing is constructing military bases. Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam, among other regional powers, have reason to be worried about any U.S.-China grand bargain negotiated at their expense.

These are just a few of the major considerations that make Korea such a complex issue  far more so than the domestic health care debate that left Trump flummoxed when he declared in February, Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated. North Korean nukes make health care look like a cakewalk by comparison.

Precious little room exists for misunderstanding. Yet, given the list of other items on Trumps recent Twitter agenda, Pyongyang and Beijing could easily get the impression that he ranks North Koreas missile test up there with his tweets about an MSNBC critics plastic surgery or his posting of a doctored video designed to make it appear as if Trump had delivered a professional-wrestling takedown of CNN.

Trump must give this situation the gravity and seriousness it deserves. Twitter is not a nuclear deterrent.
Main Street in Reedsburg will be full of color on July 15.

Quintessential Quilts is planning its 14th annual Airing of the Quilts, a show featuring creations by store customers and area residents. Quilters will be on site to talk about their work and offer tips, said store owner Linda Kirby.

Every quilt tells a story, she said.

Visitors can stop out anytime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 940 E. Main St. Admission is free.

The showcase attracts visitors from around Reedsburg, Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells. Kirby said past shows have brought in people from farther away, such as eastern Wisconsin and parts of Illinois and Minnesota. Sometimes tourists from across the globe show up because they happened to be in the area.

We get quilters from all over because the Dells is so close, she said.

Quintessential Quilts also has a store in Madison, and some customers drive to Reedsburg for the event, she added. Reedsburg hosts the event because it has more lawn space.

Kirby said she loves watching all ages show up to reveal their pieces. Participants range from 10 to nearly 95 years old.

Children are especially fun to see since they are just developing their passion and seem eager to talk and learn, she said.

Theyll stand by their quilt and they are just so proud of it, Kirby said.

The show includes the Ugly Fabric Challenge, where quilters have been tasked with turning an unsightly bit of fabric into a pleasing work of art. Winners are chosen through visitor votes, Kirby said, and entries have varied from quilts to purses to hot pads. In the past children ages 10 and 12 have won the contest.

Visitors dont need to be experienced quilters to enjoy the show, Kirby said. They can learn more about starting with quilting and sewing during the Airing. Quintessential Quilts also holds beginner classes and special sessions.

For more information about Airing of the Quilts or Quintessential Quilts visit www.qquilts.com or call 608-524-8435
Clint Black knows how to connect to an audience.

The country music legend, who will perform July 15 at Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells, recently participated in an interview with Wisconsin Dells Events  via email because hes been ordered to rest his voice between performances due to a recent bout with a bad cough.

But Black still managed to turn what could be a lifeless exercise in information exchange into a lively conversation about what fans can expect from his upcoming, sold-out performance here, his continuing love of playing music and even his knowledge of Wisconsin geography.

Black is touring in support of his latest album, On Purpose, whose release marked his return to creating new music for the first time in a decade.

Black is Back, declares his website, but Black, who has sold more than 20 million records since he emerged on the country music scene in the early 1990s, said he never truly went away.

To me, its only a comeback in that Im putting out new music, he said. As someone who has never stopped working, I dont see me as having gone away, as I tour extensively, write and produce for television, films and other artists.

Like a lot of successful musicians who have reached a certain point in their careers, Black continues to tour because he enjoys performing before an audience.

The challenge of entertaining an audience and playing my parts well are what keeps me coming back, he said. Im hooked.

Black has continued to rise to that challenge by focusing in part on his own musicianship, specifically his guitar playing, he said.

About ten years ago, I started working very hard on my guitar, he said. I keep hitting new heights and that makes this part of my career more rewarding.

Black became a country music mainstay beginning in the early 1990s, notching 22 number-one hits including A Better Man and Killin Time, and selling more than 20 million albums. He will surely perform many of those hits at Ho-Chunk GamingWisconsin Dells, intermixed with some of the new material he created for On Purpose.

In spite of his obvious ability to carry on a conversation and his enjoyment of a good joke Black keeps all that good music front and center.

In the very intimate venues, a little more visiting works, but it still has to be the smallest part of the show, he said. I like to keep the show moving. A little music and a lot of throwing it down.

He will, however, occasionally tell a joke or two, and when quizzed about the origins of Wisconsin Dells his sense of humor comes right out.

Its a computer, right? he said, when asked to define the term dell. Seriously, I wouldve called it a valley, but I had to Google it to be sure.

Quickly regaining his musical footing, Black added: Were looking forward to a little yodeling in the dell.
The art and functionality of Ho-Chunk basketry will come to the fore this month in Wisconsin Dells.

Starting July 15, The Art of Ho-Chunk Basket Making will celebrate the age-old, local and regional tradition of basket making by people of the Ho-Chunk Nation. The exhibit will take place at Native Presence Gallery in the downtown Dells Chalet Building, at 412 Broadway.

The exhibition will feature an array of historic and contemporary baskets from the collections of JoAnn and Tom Jones and Michael Schmudlach, who lent their collections for an exhibit that took place at Edgewood College a year ago and came to the attention of Native Presence and Little Eagle Arts Foundation (LEAF) Executive Director Melanie Tallmadge Sainz.

Were so excited because (the exhibition) is going to be the highlight of our summer, Sainz said.

The exhibit will kick off with a special event the evening of July 15 at the gallery. Author Charles Van Schaick will be on hand to sign copies of his book People of the Big Voice: Photographs of Ho-Chunk Families, 1879-1942 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and an opening reception also will take place, Sainz said. The reception also will feature the music by Ho-Chunk violinist Brenna Two Bears.

Basketry as a symbol of art and commerce for the Ho-Chunk stretches back for more than a century in Wisconsin Dells, from when the first tourists landed on these shores, Sainz said. But making and using baskets as a part of daily living across the region goes back even further.

You have to think that when H.H. Bennett put the Dells on the radar screen, when we saw the opportunity for dollars to be made in terms of tourism, individual little family basket stands in the 1940s and 50s started cropping up at major intersections of major highways, Sainz said. Ho-Chunk families who had used the baskets for barter and trade or for carrying supplies saw that Hey, people like our baskets.

Two more events later this month will mark the exhibit, Sainz noted. An Appraisal Day, aimed at anyone fortunate enough to own one or more Ho-Chunk baskets, will take place from noon to 5 p.m. on July 22, and a class for making an actual Ho-Chunk black ash basket will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 29 at the Aldo Leopold Foundation at E13701 Levee Road in Baraboo.

The basket appraisal, conducted by Wisconsin Historical Society Board member and basket expert Schmudlach and held to raise funds for the gallery and LEAF, will cost $10 for the first basket and $5 for every basket thereafter up to 10 baskets, with LEAF member receiving a 10 percent discount

Sainz believes hundreds of such vintage  and most likely valuable  Ho-Chunk baskets can be found in homes across the region.

Perhaps a basket was passed down over the years from a parent or grandparent who might have purchased it, perhaps at a roadside stand, she said. They can bring it to Appraisal Day to be appraised.

Ho-Chunk artist Kimberly Crowley will teach the basket-making class, which will last from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The class, limited to 12 participants, costs $80, $72 for LEAF members.

For more information about the exhibit, the special events and the class, contact LEAF at littleeaglearts@gmail.com. To register for the class online, go to https://www.aldoleopold.org/calendar/ and click on the calendar for LEAF workshops.
People vs. Empire (2005)

Radical change cannot and will not be negotiated by governments; it can only be enforced by people. By the public. A public that can link hands across national borders. A public that disagrees with the very concept of empire. A public that has set itself against the governments and institutions that support and service Empire.

Empire has a range of calling cards. It uses different weapons to break open different markets. Theres no country on Gods earth that isnt caught in the crosshairs of the U.S. cruise missile and the International Monetary Fund checkbook. For poor people in many countries, Empire does not always appear in the form of cruise missiles and tanks, as it has in Iraq or Afghanistan or Vietnam. It appears in their lives in very local avatarslosing their jobs, being sent unpayable electricity bills, having their water supply cut, being evicted from their homes and uprooted from their land.

It is a process of relentless impoverishment with which the poor are historically familiar. What Empire does is further entrench and exacerbate already existing inequalities.

Until quite recently, it was sometimes difficult for people to see themselves as victims of Empire. But now, local struggles have begun to see their role with increasing clarity. However grand it might sound, the fact is, they are confronting Empire in their own, very different ways. Differently in Iraq, in South Africa, in India, in Argentina, and differently, for that matter, on the streets of Europe and the United States. This is the beginning of real globalization. The globalization of dissent.

Meanwhile, the rift between rich and poor is being driven deeper, and the battle to control the worlds resources intensifies. Economic colonialism through formal military aggression is staging a comeback.

Iraq today is a tragic illustration of this process. The illegal invasion. The brutal occupation in the name of liberation. The rewriting of laws to allow the shameless appropriation of the countrys wealth and resources by corporations allied to the occupation. And now the charade of a sovereign Iraqi government.

The Iraqi resistance is fighting on the frontlines of the battle against Empire. And therefore that battle is our battle. Before we prescribe how a pristine Iraqi resistance must conduct a secular, feminist, democratic, nonviolent battle, we should shore up our end of the resistance by forcing the U.S. government and its allies to withdraw from Iraq.

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This panel discussion, held on June 30, was the first event of the Free Iran Gathering 2017, in which 100,000 people gathered to support the Iranian peoples call for freedom.

John Baird, the former Foreign Minister of Canada, said that he rejected the appeasement of the Iranian Regime which has been present in the West for many years now, specifically President Obamas attempt to lift sanctions on the Regime in order to curtail their nuclear programme.

He said that there were no moderates in Iran, especially not President Hassan Rouhani. He assessed that there can be no moderates in the Regime, whilst a secret judging panel exists to vet candidates based on their loyalty to the Supreme Leader.

Joseph Lieberman, former US Senator and vice-presidential candidate, noted that the Iranian Regime continues to support terrorism, incite conflict in the Middle East, and violate the human rights of its own people.

Though Lieberman is a Democrat, he criticised Obamas policy and hoped that Trump would make allies of the Iranian people and their organised resistance forces in the quest for peace in the Middle East.

Ambassador Robert Joseph, former United States Special Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation and the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, emphasised that Iran is continuing to pursue nuclear weapons technology, in spite of the 2015 deal, and pointed to evidence from the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). He insisted that officials recognise the threat posed before the situation becomes too fraught.

He agreed that the Iranian Regime did not contain moderates and threw his support behind the opposition forces.

General Jack Keane, former Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, noted that the Iranian Regime sought to dominate the Middle East and praised Donald Trump for his attempts to reassure other Middle Eastern countries that the US would be on their side, especially during the Arab-American Summit in Saudi Arabia.

Bruno Tertrais, Deputy Director of the Fondation pour la Recherche Strategique of France, said that many in Europe were under the impression that the Iranian Regime had moderates because they arent going in all guns blazing.

Tertrais said that this was much more a case of pragmatism, than of moderation. He stated that he believes that President Emmanuel Macron will put in place a robust policy against Iran.

The panel was moderated by Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield, former Assistant Secretary of State for Military Affairs.
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Uranium One applies to suspend Mkuju River project

10 July 2017

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Uranium One subsidiary Mantra Tanzania has applied to suspend the Mkuju River project in Tanzania due to depressed uranium prices, the company has confirmed.

Uranium One, an international mining company of Russian state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, said its subsidiary Mantra Tanzania had applied to suspend the project in December last year after "proper negotiations and consultations" with Tanzania's Ministry of Energy and Minerals.

"This request for the project suspension was made primarily and purely due to the depressed market price of uranium the world over. Mining in this depressed environment will have no benefit to the people of the United Republic of Tanzania, or the Company, as the project financials make it infeasible to commence such mining at current price levels," it said.

The suspension is "of mutual interest" to both parties as project costs would be optimised and tax payments maximised at higher uranium prices, it added.

"It is not uncommon in mining to suspend projects until the market prices stabilise, which is exactly what the Company is attempting to do with the permission of the Government of Tanzania. The Mkuju River Project has its own environmental and social impact assessment done and is complying with all the laws, both Tanzanian and international."

Mkuju River, 470 km southwest of Dar es Salaam, in 2013 became the first uranium mine to receive a licence from Tanzania's ministry of energy and mineral resources. As of March that year the project had measured and indicated resources of 48,000 tU plus inferred resources of 10,600 tU at an average grade of 0.026% U.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Energoatom gets approval to build used fuel facility

10 July 2017

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Energoatom has received regulatory approval to start construction of a central used fuel storage facility at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRC) issued a licence on 6 June regarding "the right to carry out activities in the construction and commissioning of a nuclear installation", marking the official start of work on the facility, Energoatom said.

The new facility, which Energoatom is building together with Holtec International of the USA, will be a dry storage facility in which the used fuel will be stored in double-walled stainless steel canisters. The facility will mean Ukraine will no longer have to spend $200 million each year on its arrangement with Russia to transport and reprocess used nuclear fuel. The country's Cabinet of Ministers approved construction of the proposed facility at Chernobyl in October last year, allocating plots of land with a total area of 45.2 hectares.

In the course of presenting the licence, SNRC chief Boris Stolyarchuk said Energoatom had met an "extremely large" number of legislative conditions, according to an Energoatom statement.

Stolyarchuk said Energoatom was performing work of national importance since it "annually loses about $200 million exporting used nuclear fuel to Russia", he added. This is more than an economic consideration, he added, because nuclear fuel is a "strategic material, a future energy resource". Technologies are "constantly developing, and Ukraine will be able to use its valuable nuclear material in the future", he said.

Holtec signed the contract it won in a tender to build the used fuel store in 2005. Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, in 2012 adopted a law on the siting, design and construction of the facility to store used fuel from Ukraine's Russian-built VVER nuclear power reactors.

In January last year, EnergoAtom and Holtec signed an amendment to the contract to build the facility at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and supply used nuclear fuel dry cask storage systems. It will receive used nuclear fuel from nine of the country's 15 reactors - seven VVER-1000s and two VVER-440s - located at Rivne, South Ukraine and Khmelnitsky. The Zaporozhe nuclear power plant operates its own on-site used fuel storage facility that was commissioned in 2001.

The amendment means that EnergoAtom is responsible for the civil design and construction of the facility, while Holtec is responsible for the design and supply of used nuclear fuel dry storage, transport and related equipment.

Stolyarchuk said the Holtec technology to be used is already in use in many other countries, including Belgium, Spain, Sweden and the USA, which "confirms its safety". In May, Energoatom president Yury Nedashkovsky led a delegation to Holtec's plants in Pittsburgh, (Pennsylvania), Orrville (Ohio) and Camden (New Jersey). He said then the trip had confirmed the high quality of Holtec's production base and its ability to transfer that expertise to the Ukrainian project.

Nedashkovsky noted it was now 12 years since the state-run nuclear power plant operator had signed the contract for the CSFSF with Holtec. "We went through a very complicated way of legally settling all the issues to ensure the construction of a new nuclear facility of national significance, through all the procedures that were adopted at the legislative level after the contract had been signed," he said.

"And in spite of the internal political situation in the country, which was constantly changing, and the ambiguous attitude towards the facility by various political forces that used it in their electoral programs, in 2012 the process of legislative registration of the project was completed and the Verkhovna Rada passed the law on its construction," he added.

Nedashkovsky thanked the SNRC and the State Scientific and Technical Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety for their close attention to the project and thorough examination of the required documentation.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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The term extant species refers to currently living organisms. The animals that belong to the Camelidae family have long necks and are large herbivores. Camelids are considered even-toed ungulates, which means they have separate toes on their feet. This is different from horses, for example, who have only one solid hoof.

This article takes a closer look at the 7 living species of the Camelidae family, including Bactrian camels, wild Bactrian camels, dromedary camels, llamas, guanacos, alpacas, and vicunas.

7. Bactrian camel

A Bactrian camel in Mongolia.

The Bactrian camel is native to the steppe region of Central Asia, where its range stretches from rocky mountains to arid deserts. The Bactrian camel is the largest animal living within this range. It is characterized by the pair of humps on its back. This species is primarily domesticated and has a population of around 2 million. The Bactrian camel is able to withstand extremely low temperatures, arid conditions, and high altitude regions. These traits have made it a valuable pack animals for hundreds of years. In fact, this camel was the principal pack animal used to transport goods along the Silk Road.

This species grows to an average shoulder height of between 5.9 and 7.5 feet and is usually between 7.38 and 11.48 feet long. It is the largest living camel species in the world.

6. Wild Bactrian camel

A pack of wild camels in Mongolia.

The wild Bactrian camel is native to the northern region of China and southern region of Mongolia, where it travels between mountain ranges and arid plains in search of food and water. Like the Bactrian camel, this species has two humps raising up from its back. The two animals are considered close relatives, each having developed separately between .7 and 1.5 million years ago. The conservation status of the wild Bactrian camel is considered critically endangered, with a population of only around 1,400 left in the wild. The principal threat to its survival is poaching.

The wild Bactrian lives in herds that can range from 6 to 30 members, depending on the availability of food and water. Its nostrils are long and very thin and it has a double set of long eyelashes. Both of these characteristics protect this species from the strong winds and blowing sands of desert storms.

5. Dromedary or Arabian camel

An Arabian camel in Oman.

The Dromedary camel is native to the Arabian Peninsula and southern Asia. This species has been domesticated since ancient times and has not occurred in the wild for at least 2 thousand years. Its most recognizable characteristic is the single hump it has protruding from its back. This camel can lose up to 30% of its water content and is therefore able to withstand arid desert conditions. Throughout the Old World region of Africa, the Dromedary camel is used for transportation and as a pack animal. Many indigenous groups rely on this species as a source of milk and meat as well.

This species has an average shoulder height of between 5.6 and 6.6 feet and an average weight of anywhere from 660 to 1, 320 pounds. The males are larger than the females.

4. Llama

A llama in front of Machu Picchu.

The llama is native to the Andes mountains of South America, but is believed to have originated in the plains region of North America over 40 million years ago. Today, it is considered a domesticated species and has a population of around 7 million. This species has been used as a pack animal and source of wool since prior to the Spanish colonization era. It is characterized by its long, wooly neck; short, curved tail; and long, inwardly turned ears. Its coat appears in a number of colors, including: brown, white, black, grey, and patched.

The llama grows in height to between 5.6 and 5.9 feet and weighs anywhere from 290 to 440 pounds. As a pack animal, this species is able to carry between 25 and 30% of its body weight for a distance of up to 8 miles.

3. Guanaco

A guanaco in Chile.

The guanaco is native to the Andes mountains and altiplano region of South America, where its population size is between 400,000 and 600,000. This species is wild and believed to be the ancestor of the modern, domesticated llama. Its coat appears in a tan to reddish-brown color with white on the underbelly. It can be recognized by its grey face and small, straight ears. In some countries, guanaco wool is highly prized. In Chile, for example, this species may be hunted as a source of food for humans.

This species measures in height from 3 feet and 3 inches to 3 feet and 11 inches, making it smaller than the domesticated llama. It weighs between 200 and 310 pounds.

2. Alpaca

An alpaca.

The alpaca is another camelid species native to South America. This species has been completely domesticated and is valued not as a pack animal, but rather for its soft wool. The alpaca can live at extremely high altitudes, where the local communities use the wool to produce knitted hats, gloves, scarves, sweaters, blankets. and shawls. Additionally, these communities often rely on alpaca meat as a food source. This species comes in a wide range of colors (32 according to Peruvian standards) from white to black and brown to reddish brown. Alpacas and llamas are able to breed successfully, producing the sterile huarizo.

The alpaca grows to a shoulder height of between 32 and 39 inches, significantly smaller than its relative the llama. It typically weighs between 106 and 185 pounds.

1. Vicuna

A vicuna in Argentina.

The vicuna, like the guanaco, is a wild camelid species. It is native to the Andes highland regions of South America and is the national animal of Peru. This species produces a very fine, soft, and warm wool, which can only be obtained from the same animal once every three years. During the Inca empire, only Inca royalty were permitted to wear vicuna wool. In 1974, this species was considered endangered and had a population of only 6,000. Due to successful conservation efforts, the vicuna now numbers around 350,000 and is off the endangered species list.

This species is smaller than the guanaco, growing to an average shoulder height of around 3 feet and length of roughly 5 feet. It weighs under 150 pounds.
Wrexhams 1m Business Hub Opening Soon  Chance to View Detailed Plans of The Centre This Week!

This article is old - Published: Monday, Jul 10th, 2017

A 1m business hub based in the heart of Wrexham town centre is set to be up and running soon  with an opportunity for entrepreneurs to see detailed plans of the centre this week.



The new Business Wales Entrepreneurship Hub was first announced in February by the Welsh Governments Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Infrastructure, Ken Skates AM.

Working closely with Welsh ICE (Innovation Centre for Enterprise), the hub will aim to give start-ups and North Wales-based entrepreneurs a bespoke package of support, offering them the very best chance of making their businesses a success.

Welsh ICE already runs a successful innovation centre for starts ups in Caerphilly  offering co-working space, meeting rooms and workshops for entrepreneurs and business start ups in South Wales.

Locally the scheme aims to support 100 new enterprises and create 260 new jobs over the next two years. The initiative will also help provide a boost to the local economy.

On Wednesday (12th July) those interested in becoming part of the hub will have the chance to find out more information and view detailed plans at a workshop event at local art gallery, Undegun on Regent Street.

Wrexhams Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths, has praised the Welsh Government initiative and is encouraging local residents looking at starting up a business to participate.

She said: The Welsh Labour Government is investing in Wrexham, delivering innovative projects aimed at supporting aspiring entrepreneurs.

This coordinated approach provides the ideal opportunity for new business start-ups. The additional support will hopefully create hundreds of skilled jobs, providing a real boost for the regional economy as well as our town centre.

The next workshop is scheduled to take place at Undegun on 12 July and I would urge any interested individuals or parties to contact the Business Wales Helpline for more information.

The hub will open in the heart of Wrexham town centre soon but while work to procure and prepare the new headquarters is being finalised, efforts are well underway to recruit the first set of entrepreneurs.

Interested in finding out more? The workshop at Undegun (9 to 11 Regent Street) will take place between 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday. The event will provide local start-up enterprises with the opportunity to see more detailed plans for the centre and learn more about the support on offer.

To find out more you can call the Business Wales Helpline on 03000 6 03000 between 8:30am and 5:30pm (Monday to Friday) or via the Business Wales website.
Husseini began by criticising the Iranian Regime for their hypocrisy in paying people to scream Death to America and then complaining that Iran was on the list of Muslim-majority countries included in Donald Trumps travel ban.

She wrote: The Iranian leadership does not hesitate to exploit everything for its own benefit.

Interference in the Middle East

There is no denying that Iran seeks to dominate the middle east; they interfere in regional conflicts like the Syrian Civil War, because they want to put themselves into a position where they could effectively take over.

They support Bashar Assad in Syria because they are scared that if one dictatorship falls, theirs will be next, and because Assad will essentially owe them for helping him keep power. The Regime supports the Hezbollah in various regional conflicts, because Hezbollah will owe the Regime for helping to take power.

Husseini wrote: The Iranian regime and Hezbollah are trying to justify their regional interference claiming that it is for supporting Palestinians against Israel, although at the beginning of the Iranian revolution, during the reign of Ayatollah Khomeini, they did not hesitate to get weapons from Israel to fight Iraq.

She writes that the Iranian Regime was happy to bolster the al-Qaeda splinter group which became ISIS, when they were fighting the Americans in Iraq but now want to be seen to fight them in Syria, although in reality, the Regime forces are actually fighting all of Assads opponents, not terrorists.

Falling of the Regime

The Iranian Regime gained a sort of legitimacy in the wake of the 2015 nuclear deal, but thanks to US sanctions, over Irans support for terrorism, this has recently been fading.

So the Regime is preparing to plough more money into their military and bolster defence; a sure sign that they are worried about being overthrown. They may also be funnelling the money into their nuclear weapons programme, according to a military expert. The first victims of this increased military spending will be the people in the Middle East.

Husseini wrote: The main obstacle that Iran will face is not the US, but Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It is crucial for Arabs to affirm that they are the owners of the land and it is necessary for Saudi Arabia to carry on what it is already doing. With all due respect for all Arab countries, Saudi Arabia is the only country that can frighten Iran!
It has been over a week since the German daily Die Welt published Seymour Hershs expose of the US missile strike against Syria in April. The main pseudo-left organizations and publications have maintained a stony silence on the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists most recent article.

Hershs article, Trumps Red Line, based on US intelligence sources, documents that the US intelligence apparatus knew that the Syrian attack on Khan Sheikhoun on April 4 was a conventional weapons attack on a meeting of anti-regime Islamists. Plans for the attack were communicated to the US military-intelligence apparatus ahead of time by the Russian military.

A Bomb Damage Assessment (BDA) by the US military later determined that the heat and force of the 500-pound Syrian bomb triggered a series of secondary explosions that could have generated a huge toxic cloud that began to spread over the town, formed by the release of the fertilizers, disinfectants and other goods stored in the basement, its effect magnified by the dense morning air, which trapped the fumes close to the ground, Hersh writes.

The Syrian bombing of Khan Sheikhoun was used as a pretext by the Trump administration for firing 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the al-Shayrat airbase, reportedly killing nine civilians. The Democratic Party, which has based its opposition to Trump on demands that it adopt a harder line against Syria and Russia, supported the strikes.

The pseudo-left has followed the lead of the mainstream press in studiously ignoring Hershs article. As of this writing, the article has received no mention whatsoever in Socialist Worker (the publication of the International Socialist Organization), International Viewpoint (the organ of the Pabloite United Secretariat), Jacobin (a magazine tied to the Democratic Socialists of America) or Socialist Alternatives website.

These publications and the organizations to which they are tied claim association with socialism, Marxism and even Trotskyism. They all claim to oppose imperialism and the right-wing presidency of Donald Trump. Yet, after Hershthe veteran investigative journalist who exposed the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam Warprovides detailed evidence that the Trump administrations pretext for bombing a former colonial country was known to be false, they say nothing.

There is no politically innocent explanation for the pseudo-lefts silence on Hershs article. The ISO and International Viewpoint, in particular, have supported US imperialism in Syria. They function as political adjuncts of the Democratic Party and the sections of the state with which it is allied.

The ISO regularly publishes articles by pro-war propagandists Ashley Smith and Gilbert Achcar. Smith has emerged as an unabashed left proponent of war against Syria, criticizing then-US President Barack Obama for refus[ing] to supply the FSA [Free Syrian Army] with weapons it pleaded for to defend itself against regime air strikes.

In 2015, Michael Karadjis, writing in Socialist Worker, referred to Hershs article, The Red Line and the Rat Line, published in the London Review of Books in April 2014, as widely discredited. Hershs article reported that the Turkish government, working through its proxies on the ground in Syria, staged the August 2013 gas attack in a suburb of Damascus to provide a pretext for a direct US military attack on the regime of Bashar al-Assad. By whom was the article discredited? With what information? Karadjis did not say.

In the aftermath of last Aprils US attack on Syria, International Viewpoint published an article by Frieda Afary and Joseph Daher that began by accepting the claim that the Syrian government carried out the chemical weapons attack on April 4. The article criticized the US government for not seeking the ouster of Assad and concluded by calling for antiwar movements in Iran and Russia (but not in the US).

Likewise, Jacobin, whose editor and publisher Bhaskar Sunkara is a leading member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has ignored Hershs expose. Jacobin is characterized by a certain eclecticism. On Syria, it publishes articles praising the Syrian revolution and criticizing the US for not seeking Assads removal, while also publishing articles criticizing US imperialist intervention in the country.

Nevertheless, Jacobinlike International Viewpoint and the ISOhas favorably featured Achcars views (in Jacobins case with a lengthy, friendly interview, while the ISO and the Pabloites simply publish his writings). Achcar was an apologist for the US-NATO bombing of Libya in 2011 on humanitarian grounds, and has portrayed Russian imperialism as engaged in an inter-imperialist competition with the US.

Meanwhile, Socialist Alternative has continued its longstanding policy of saying as little as possible on foreign affairs. There is nothing about Hershs article on its website or the website of the international organization with which it is affiliated, the Committee for a Workers International. An examination of Socialist Alternatives website could lead one to believe that the US exists in a vacuum, and that one can oppose US capitalism at home without opposing the foreign policy of the American bourgeoisie.

Socialist Alternative supported Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders during the Democratic Party primary, going so far as to establish #Movement4Bernie. While posturing as a democratic socialist, Sanders endorsed Obamas aggressive foreign policy, including the use of drones, and supported Hillary Clinton, the favored candidate of the military-intelligence complex, in the presidential race.

Socialist Alternative continues to promote Sanders as the potential leader of a new mass left party, even though he is now a member of the Democratic leadership caucus in the Senate.

The silence of these pseudo-left organizations brings them into a de facto alliance with the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the broadcast and cable news networks and the entire corporate-controlled and state-dominated establishment media, which have blacklisted Hersh and make a practice of downplaying or censoring any information that contradicts the propaganda line of the US government. These fake socialist organizations, of course, offer no explanation to their readers for their participation in this blacklist.

Their silence on Hershs expose and implicit or explicit apologetics for US imperialism are the product of their history and class orientation. The DSA emerged from a split in the Socialist Party, which last had a Marxist wing in the early part of the twentieth century. Socialist Alternative, the ISO and the United Secretariat are all rooted in political tendencies that broke with Trotskyism and Marxism long ago.

The past half century has seen a significant rightward trajectory of these tendencies. They have abandoned the radicalism of the 1960s and moved rapidly to make peace with US imperialismnow dressed in humanitarian garb. Their principal social base is in layers of the upper-middle class whose wealth is tied to the stock market, and whose conflict with the parties of the ruling class is centered on the distribution of wealth within the top 10 percent of the population.

The election of Barack Obama in 2008, which the ISO called transformative, was the occasion for much of the pseudo-left to jettison whatever remained of their anti-imperialist pretensions.

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On Thursday, July 6, the Illinois House of Representatives voted to override Republican Governor Bruce Rauners veto of its budget bill. The passage of the state budget ends a record two-year period in which Illinois operated with no formal budget or appropriations legislation.

During this time, much of state government had been operating on the basis of a series of stop-gap measures and consent decrees which kept state spending at the level of the last budget, for fiscal year (FY) 2015. State spending on social services and higher education, however, have been sharply reduced. Many social service providers have ceased operation while universities and community colleges have slashed budgets and laid off workers.

As the Illinois Senate had already voted to override the governors veto on July 4, the state legislatures budget will become law, enshrining massive across-the-board cuts of 5 percent to most state government agencies and 10 percent to higher education. This will lead to further layoffs of state workers and cuts in services to vulnerable populations, which have already been hit hard by previous state cuts as well as the lengthy impasse.

The Democratic Party majority in the House was joined by 15 Republicans who voted for the budget bill and 10 who voted for the final override. Many of the Republicans who voted for the budget and override represent districts with community colleges and universities, or large numbers of state workers. Others were worried by the threats issued by the credit rating agencies that Illinois would have its bond rating reduced to junk status.

The new FY 2018 budget sets spending at $36.1 billion, around $3 billion less than the state was previously spending, representing a cut of more than 7 percent. In fact, the budget bill cuts spending by $1 billion more than Rauners own budget proposal.

A $500 million portion of the savings anticipated by the budget comes out of worker pensions. Part of this will come through the creation of a new hybrid pension option for new hires which would incorporate both a standard pension as well as a 401(k)-style portion.

The biggest difference between this plan and existing state pensions is that local employers, such as school or community college districts and universities, would be required to pay most of the employer contribution, rather than the state itself. This downward shift in the burden of state pension costs will no doubt lead to reduced services and further job cuts.

The new budget also incorporates legislation previously vetoed by Rauner which makes changes to the Chicago municipal worker and laborer pension funds. Claiming to require the city to make required pension payments to shore up drastic shortfalls, the main effect will be to sharply increase employee contributions for new hires from 8.5 percent of income to 11.5 percent.

Perhaps the most widely reported aspect of the new budget is the increase in the state income tax, which will rise from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent for individuals and from 5.25 percent to 7 percent for corporations. As the Illinois income tax is a flat tax, this increase will add further strain to workers household budgets.

Despite the higher percentage number on the corporate income tax, the vast majority of increased revenue will come from the individual income tax. The latter is expected to bring in $4.3 billion in additional tax revenue, while the corporate income tax increase will bring in only $460 million. Legislators abandoned a plan which would have made the tax increase retroactive to January of this year, meaning that workers paychecks would have seen even larger deductions.

Even after the passage of the budget and the addition of the new tax revenue, Illinois still has $15 billion in unpaid bills to state agencies, higher education and social service providers. Much of this shortfall was built up by the expiration in January 2015 of an income tax increase passed in 2011, which had raised the personal income tax rate to 5 percent and the corporate rate to 7 percent.

Then-incoming Governor Rauner had demanded that legislators allow the income tax increase to expire, to which the Democratic majority in the state legislature acquiesced. This set the stage for the budget impasse as Rauner demanded passage of a wish list of right-wing measures and attacks on workers in exchange for agreeing to not veto a reinstatement of the tax increase.

With no budget and no stop-gap measures in place, the states financial situation has been rapidly deteriorating, with school districts around the state warning that without appropriations they might not be able to open in the fall. Several state universities were in similar positions, and the United Way predicted that by the end of the year, 36 percent of social service providers would be defunct.

The passage of the budget by the Democratic majority in the General Assembly will not be the end of the attacks on workers. Democratic leaders Michael Madigan and John Cullerton, not to mention Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and their allies are continuing to negotiate behind the scenes with Rauner to enact portions of his Turnaround Agenda, as well as continue the attacks on pensions they were carrying out prior to his arrival.

In addition, the budget appropriation for K-12 education is contingent on passage of a bill that would change the formula for apportioning state money to school districts, in order to divert more school funding to Chicago Public Schools. By setting up school districts as hostages in the negotiation, the Democrats are essentially luring Rauner back to the table in the hope of setting up a more stable working relationship.
Around 4,000 of the poorest residents in the north London borough of Camden borough were evacuated from their homes following the June 14 Grenfell Tower inferno.

External cladding on four blocks in the Chalcots Estate was carried out by the companies involved in refurbishing Grenfell Tower. Grenfell was covered in highly flammable cladding as part of a refurbishment, which led to a small kitchen fire in a fourth floor apartment rapidly spreading.

The fire brigade also found that fire safety measures throughout four buildingsTaplow, Burnham, Bray and Dorneywere non-existent, including issues with fire doors and exposed gas pipes. The Fire Brigade told the council that residents lives were in danger and there was nothing to do to make blocks safe that night. That evening Labour-run Camden Council announced the evacuation.

But while the four blocks were evacuated, the fifth, Blashford, was deemed safe as it has different design elements and fire doors and is not as tall.

As with the residents at Grenfell, tenants in the Camden blocks have complained about fire safety issues for years and were also ignored by the authorities.

World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke to Blashford tenants.

Speaking about the Grenfell fire, Sandra said, It was terrible. I didnt find out until the next day. My son-in-law lived on the 23rd floor and has been announced as one of the dead.

Sandra didnt believe the figure being claimed by the Metropolitan Police of 80 fatalities at Grenfell, saying, I reckon a lot more, hundreds.

No list has been made public of the number of people that ordinarily resided in Grenfell Tower. Sandra said, How do they not know who was in that tower block? Thats disgusting, all those flats that went up. How can they not know, when they get paid rent for people living there?

Her neighbour April said, Due to the number of people that have been announced as OK the number of dead doesnt add up to the number of flats and the number of people who lived there.

Blashford residents had complained about numerous issues to the council via their housing manage. Sandra said, Weve got an asbestos issue in here as well, and theyre trying to deny it. Its been going on for a while. Its in our tiles under our lino. She said all the flats in the block had such tiles. They were there when we moved in, but the council are just concerned with doing the communal areas. They said that they would be going through the paperwork and get back to me. They got back to me yesterday and have now said they have got the paperwork and its only for the communal areas.

Theres 72 flats over 18 floors, with only one stairwell out of here. Since the internal repairs to the building began, residents found out that a further safety hazard was the existence of Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) wood in the ceilings of communal areas which has had to be removed.

April said, We had a massive meeting with the council about the cladding and we have been told the internal problems have to be looked at before they will look at the cladding.

The flammable cladding has been on Blashford for 11 years.

At the meeting we wanted answers and we didnt get any. We wanted to know who had signed off on the works. The head of the council and the housing chief was there. I asked who was contracted to carry out the fire checks on these buildings and he wouldnt answer. I then asked how often were they to be done, and he said yearly. I then said, OK then why then for the last 11 years have all the signs, the fire escape signs and procedures to follow in case of a fire, on all our landings, been signs meant for offices, and not for tower blocks?

Sandra added, Weve had fire extinguishers that we have been told you have to be trained to use. Also we have a lot of foreign people in these blocks here who cannot read English and wouldnt be able to use them. Every fire extinguisher was stolen from the block/communal areas and we have not had any for a year.

We just want answers. There are lots of people who dont want to come back here. The meeting was very angry. I dont feel safe living here.

April said that residents now had a different attitude to the authorities because of the Grenfell fire. Its taken such a mass tragedy to highlight something that actually should have been looked at and picked up on. You cannot trust them now because of Grenfell. Its never going to be the same again. I know people here who have got wheelchairs who live on high floors.

Sandra added, People are going to have to fight and its going to have to be the everyday people because thats who its happening to.

On the devastating cuts to fire service in the capital, Sandra said, We lost a fire station in Belsize Park. It was a big one and has been sold for luxury flatssurprise, surprise! Commenting on the social divide in London, she said, Just around the corner they are living in 2 million houses in St. Johns Wood and Primrose Hill. Its supposed to be a well-to-do area, NW3 [the post code], but obviously not for us.

Jackie is from Canada and lives in social housing just over the road from Blashford Tower. She said, Just look at the fire stairs coming down at Blashford House. The fire escape is just three feet away from the massive amounts of the same cladding as Grenfell had. Theres no protection from the outside. Its just concrete walls and half the walls are just like chicken wire, there is no protection. If theres a fire raging three feet away from you, you are going to get burned and the smoke is going to get in. Its not sealed off, its not airtight and if people are going down the stairwell from a fire they are going to die. There is no protection.

There should be some kind of ventilation. If theres massive amounts of smoke its all going in the stairwell. You wouldnt be able to see where you were going. You wouldnt be able to breathe. Theres nothing protecting you from a fire.

Its a single staircase and very small with only a few people only able to go down at a time. I could not believe it how flammable everything is. In Canada there would have to be sprinklers, dry risers and sealed doors. Imagine how much smoke would be billowing into that space, imagine the heat. When there is mesh the flames would be coming through.
After hours of back-and-forth negotiations, with the drafting committee saying at one point they could not come up with an acceptable proposal, the G20 summit managed to issue a unanimous final communique.

But this has done nothing to alter the fact that the Hamburg summit over last weekend was, by any measure, the most fractious meeting of major political leaders in the post-war period. As soon as they signed off on the statement, differences were being voiced, signifying the ongoing breakdown of the post-war political order of world capitalism and the decline of the position of the United States.

The newly-elected French president, Emmanuel Macron, attending his first such summit, pointed to the divisions that have opened up. Our world has never been so divided, he said. Centrifugal forces have never been so powerful. Our common goods have never been so threatened.

Macron not only pointed to the conflicts between Europe and the US but the deepening social opposition to the present economic order, noting real divisions and uncertainties in the Western world that didnt exist just a few short years ago.

Calling for more and better coordination, Macron insisted that without the organisations created after the Second World War, we will be moving back toward narrow-minded nationalism.

Commenting on the summits outcome, James Stavridis, a former US commander of NATO, said it was striking there was no central US leadership role.

What we see today is beginning to look like the world after the First World War about 100 years ago, in which none of the leading nations pulled together and we in the US rejected the idea of the League of Nations., he added.

Stavridis did not elaborate further. But the outcome of this situation was the outbreak of the Second World War, just two decades after the first had concluded.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the host and summit chair, repeated the message she delivered after the G7 summit in May when she pointed to the break-up of the post-war order following the withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change.

We as Europeans have to take our fate into our own hands, she said.

Wherever there is no consensus that can be achieved, disagreement has to be made clear. Unfortunatelyand I deplore thisthe United States of America left the climate agreement.

It was symptomatic of the widening divisions that Trump did not bother to hold a press conference at the conclusion of the summit, something that would have been unthinkable for past leaders of the so-called free world.

The weakened American position was also highlighted by the absence of a resolution on North Korea, despite the build-up of US diplomatic, economic and military pressure, including a drill involving the dropping of two 900kg dummy bombs near the North Korean border during the meeting.

According to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a resolution on North Korea was opposed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her capacity as chair of the meeting on the grounds that the G20 was historically largely an economic conference and a unanimous statement was not able to be achieved.

While Trump and his America First agenda is being blamed for the breakdown of multilateralism, Trump is not the cause of the divisions. Rather he is a catalyst, accelerating processes that were already well underway long before he came into office.

The divisions are rooted in the long-term decline of the US relative to its rivals and its efforts to counter this process by ever more aggressive economic and military measures.

An open split between the US and the other 19 members of the G20what would have amounted to a declaration of economic warfarewas avoided only by evasive words in the communique that sought to paper over the divisions on trade issues.

The text sought to balance the demands of the European and other powers that there had to be a commitment to oppose protectionism and the claims of the US that present international agreements are unfair and work against its interests. It stated: We will keep markets open noting the importance of reciprocal and advantageous trade and investment frameworks and the principle of non-discrimination, and continue to fight protectionism including all unfair practices and recognise the role of legitimate trade instruments in this regard.

The immediate flashpoint on trade is the question of steel. The Trump administration is threatening to invoke a section of a piece of legislation from 1962 that enables the US president to restrict imports on national security grounds.

The G20 committed itself to speeding up work on the development of a forum on global steel excess capacity established in 2016. But this is not expected to affect the US decision on whether to take action under the legislation that has been dubbed the nuclear option in trade measures.

Invoking the threatening language so often used in its military confrontations, White House press secretary Sean Spicer told the Financial Times: All options remain on the table.

European Union officials are reported to have drawn up a list of US goods for possible retaliatory action, including whiskey, orange juice and dairy products, should the US decide to go ahead with restrictions on steel.

Speaking Friday as the summit was getting underway, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker did not spell out potential targets, apart from mentioning whiskey, but indicated the EU was ready to act.

Our mood is increasingly combative, he said, with any action coming within days not months. We will respond with countermeasures if need be, hoping that this is not actually necessary.

Former top State Department official Nicholas Burns said the US had been more isolated at this G20 summit than at any other.

The US cant lead effectively if we are constantly criticising our allies," he said. "Trump seems to regard Germany and other European countries more as economic competitors than as strategic allies. That is a great mistake of judgement about our most important friends in the world.

But the breakdown of the post-war economic and political order is not a product of the bad judgement of the present occupant of the White House. It is the result of much deeper objective forces, above all the irresolvable contradiction between the development of a global economy and the division of the world into rival nation-states and great powers.

Each of these powers, the European nations no less than the US, seeks to resolve this contradiction by ever more aggressively advancing its own interests against its rivals, leading to the assertion of economic nationalism, trade war and ultimately military conflict. That is the process that was openly on display at the G20 summit.
A major demonstration against the G20 summit took place in Hamburg Saturday as the leaders of the worlds 20 major powers met just a few kilometres away. Around 60,000 people marched from Deichtorplatz near the central train station to Heiliggeistfeld. Following brutal police attacks against peaceful demonstrators, the issue of police violence dominated the demonstration.

Jesse and Cosvin reported on how aggressively the police had dealt with youth. The two school students are just 15 years old but have attended several demonstrations over recent days. Yesterday, for example, we were at a peaceful youth against the G20 demonstration, which escalated due to the police because they beat us away with batons, claiming we were standing in the way, Jesse said. In his opinion, the violence was initiated chiefly by the police.

Cosvin agreed. At the demonstration, the police suddenly yelled, Out of the way! and then cleared the street. They didnt even give the protesters a second to get out of the way, but started striking us immediately. I mean, people were pushing from behind so you cant retreat, and then they attack. Cosvin thought it was an unnecessary provocation that the police used water cannon at the youth demonstration. It could have been avoided, the student said. This is always portrayed differently on television, she added.

Jesse added that he could barely sleep over recent days due to the constant sound of police helicopters. Although they opposed the police violence and the constant presence of the security forces, they were not surprised by it.

Things were quite different for Gero. The self-employed IT specialist drove from Essen to take part in the protest in order to demonstrate against police violence. He took this decision spontaneously after seeing a video of the police assault on a protest camp at Entenwerder. He had stuck a piece of paper on a plastic lid on which he had expressed his outrage in large letters, Hamburg police: escalate until there are deaths and injuries! Violation of the constitution!

Gero was completely taken aback by the actions of the police. For 20 years, he had supported police activities, thought they were right, and did not believe legends that they beat demonstrators. But then he had seen how units stormed a field, where there were 11 tents, they must have been incredibly dangerous, he commented sarcastically. The police then deployed pepper spray against the camps residents, without any provocation.

Gero was familiar with the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court, which declared the camp, including the tents, to be legal. If you think its over, the police violated a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court with the decision they made about the gathering.

The authoritarian actions of the police, which without any inhibitions totally violated the law, was also the main issue for a group of young people who wrote on their placard, The police chiefs of Istanbul, Riyadh and Moscow welcome their democratic colleagues in Hamburg!

Hamburg in fact currently resembles a city under siege. Twenty-nine thousand officers from all 16 states are present in the city, backed up by special forces units from other European countries. Anyone walking through the city centre on Saturday, even away from the protest route, found officers and police vehicles in almost every alley.

The police have also acquired equipment which is obviously designed for civil war-style conflict. Looking out of the demonstration into the side streets, one could see at some distance dozens of heavily-armoured police officers, masked and wearing balaclavas, and some wearing helmets. Water cannon and armoured vehicles were always at the ready. While tens of thousands of people followed the demonstration route, the city appeared like a ghost town beyond the police blockades. Not a single car drove in the side streets or those running parallel to the demonstration, and not even pedestrians were seen.

Shortly after the beginning of the demonstration, a line of police officers flanked the march on both sides. While families with children, young people and the elderly walked between them in a relaxed atmosphere, the police put on their balaclavas, and on one side even their helmets. Two, sometimes three, helicopters circled permanently over the procession, where people danced to music and laughed. The contrast between a peaceful demonstration and an omnipresent state power could hardly be greater.

For Eugen, a 75-year-old pensioner, the source of the violence was clear. On his sign, which he carried high in front of him in full view prior to the demonstration, he had written, Those preparing violence are currently meeting in the exhibition centre. That was a reference to the summit participants, who are all responsible for all of the misery, that exists and is growing continuously in this world, as he put it. He was very fearful of a global war. He also blamed German policy, which has directly profited from the wars through massive arms exports.

Eugen, who formerly worked as a shipbuilder, sees the basic problem as capitalism. One should not strive to tinker with capitalism and seek small changes, but rather abolish it: I dont care what it is called afterwards, but capitalism must be overcome.

But many banners expressed the hope of a united world; peace was one of the words most frequently visible. A common topic of discussion was that Africa, an entire continent, was entirely excluded from the G20 deliberations, which outraged many. Some hoped for a better world through closer cooperation in the United Nations. Cosvin, the 15-year-old student, appealed for a meeting of all nations, A G194.

The enthusiastic participation of many students and youth was clear to see. Oliver, who travelled from Berlin to participate, thought this was a positive sign. The young teacher carried a sign reading, Imagine you need asylum and nobody helps you! His t-shirt declared, Refugees welcome!

He views the G20 as a club for the elite, who are united on most questions: Europe remains a fortress, and the US also wants to protect itself against the flow of refugees from the south. I worry about world peace, said Oliver. However, the real conflict is not currently going on between armies, he added, but rather in society. Whether world hunger or climate change, those who bear the brunt are the people, and this war has been waged for a long time.

Asked what can be done now, Oliver said, I am an optimist. One only needs to look at how many young people are here. I think that is a big statement.
The Australian Labor Partys national executive announced last Friday it would launch a High Court challenge to the right of a government minister to sit in parliament. Depending on which way the court rules, the case could become a vehicle for bringing down the increasingly fractured government headed by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The Liberal-National Coalition government barely scraped back into office at last Julys election, and holds just 76 seats in the 150-member House of Representatives. A disqualification of Assistant Health Minister David Gillespie, a National Party MP, could reduce the government to minority status, making its survival even more doubtful than it already is.

The legal issue, which first became known in February, is that Gillespie and his wife own a shopping complex in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, in his electorate of Lyne. Through their company, Goldenboot, they lease a shop to a newsagent who operates an Australia Post outlet as a licensee of the federal government-owned corporation.

This could fall foul of Section 44 (v) of the Constitution, which makes someone ineligible for election to parliament if they have any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any agreement with the Public Service of the Commonwealth.

Earlier this year, the High Court radically broadened its interpretation of indirect pecuniary interest, making the outcome of Gillespies case highly uncertain.

If the court ousts Gillespie and the government loses a by-election for his seat, the government would have to look for support from the five crossbench MPsthe Greens Adam Bandt, Nick Xenophon Teams Rebekha Sharkie and independents Bob Katter, Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie.

Alternatively, Labor, which currently holds just 69 seats, could try to govern with the backing of this disparate group. Neither outcome would be stable. A third possibility would be the calling of an early election.

Any election, however, would be likely to create further volatility. While media polls currently show Labor leading the Coalition on a two-party-preferred basis, neither party has anywhere near the primary vote support to form a majority government.

For the second time in a month, Australias political establishment faces a possible constitutional crisis. Just two weeks ago, three Coalition ministers narrowly avoided potential disqualification by belatedly apologising to another top court, the Victorian state Supreme Court, for accusing its judges of being hard-left activists who were soft on terrorists.

If found guilty of contempt of court, which can lead to imprisonment, the three ministers could have been removed from parliament by another clause of Section 44, which bars anyone convicted of a crime punishable by a year or more in jail.

The government has tried to play down the prospect of Gillespie being disqualified, with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop labeling the High Court challenge another Labor Party stunt. But since February, Attorney-General George Brandis has rejected Labor Party requests for him to seek and release official legal advice on the issue.

Moreover, the Labor Party has assembled a high-powered legal team to argue the case, and the High Court has already applied strict interpretations of Section 44 to disqualify two members of parliament this year.

One was Rod Culleton, who had secured a Western Australian Senate seat as a candidate for Pauline Hansons anti-immigrant One Nation party. At the time of the election he had been convicted of larceny, an offence punishable by more than 12 months jail. The court ruled he was in breach of Section 44 even though he later had the conviction set aside.

The other was Bob Day, a former millionaire housing industry entrepreneur who had won a South Australian Senate spot for Family First, a right-wing Christian party. In Days case, a full court decided unanimously that he had an indirect pecuniary interest in an agreement with the Commonwealth. His electorate office was leased from a Day family trust, even though no rent was actually paid to the trust by the federal government.

In Days case, the judges declared that Section 44 had a special status that was fundamental to the Constitution. They gave the provision a sweeping anti-corruption interpretation, saying it sought to ensure there were no potential conflicts of interest involving members of parliament. A MP would be disqualified wherever there was any expectation of financial gain.

The court overturned its only previous ruling on the section, a 1975 case involving James Webster, a Country Party (now National Party) senator, describing it as unduly narrow.

Websters case was highly controversial, being heard amid a developing political crisis that ultimately led to the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government by the governor-general.

As the result of a ruling by then Chief Justice Garfield Barwick, a former Liberal Party attorney-general, Webster was permitted to remain in the Senate despite being a major shareholder and managing director of a company that supplied timber to two Commonwealth departments. Websters retention strengthened the hand of the Liberal-Country Party opposition in the Senate, which blocked financial supply to the Whitlam government, triggering the governor-generals intervention.

Now, because the Day case has widened, and effectively left open-ended, the definition of indirect pecuniary interest, any High Court ruling on Gillespie is unpredictable and likely to be surrounded by political controversy.

Academic constitutional law experts have said Gillespies arrangement with Australia Post may be a more remote financial agreement than Days lease, but it was difficult to predict what the High Court would do. Professor Anne Twomey, from the University of Sydney, told Sky News: Thing is, you can never tell with the High Court.

The legal intervention is occurring under conditions where Turnbulls government is being condemned in corporate circles for its failure to impose severe austerity cutbacks to government spending, out of fear of popular opposition. It is riven by factional conflicts, with its policies under regular criticism by Tony Abbott, the man whom Turnbull toppled as prime minister via a Liberal Party coup in September 2015.

The impasse is symptomatic of a deeper political crisis, which has seen every government, whether Liberal-National or Labor, fall in rapid succession over the past decade. Each election has witnessed a massive backlash against the sitting government over its attacks on the living standards of the working class.

As well as being unable to overcome popular resistance to austerity, Turnbull is attempting to navigate major foreign policy dilemmas. The Trump administration is seeking a greater Australian involvement in military provocations against ChinaAustralias largest trading partnerand the dispatch of more Australian troops to the widely-opposed US-led wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

As in 1975, the involvement of the courts in actions that could change the government outside of an election is a sign of the immense political crisis wracking the entire parliamentary order.
Dr. Jonathan Adelman, a professor at the Josef Korbel School at the University of Denver, wrote an op-ed for the Huffington Post in which he advised that allowing these two oppressive regimes to continue with their nuclear weapons programme posed possibly the greatest threat to global peace since the Second World War.

He wrote: The road to peace is unclear. A strong nuclear arsenal in North Korea and Iran by 2020 or 2025 could threaten the very existence of American allies in the Middle East and East Asia and even threaten part of the United States itself.

Currently, the Iranian Regime has been able to replicate the BM-25 Musudan class intercontinental ballistic missiles that have a 2,500 miles radius and are capable of hitting Hawaii.

Adelman does not advise pursuing another nuclear deal, like Clintons with North Korea or Obamas with Iran; assessing that this could be  fatal to the ultimate cause of peace.

He wrote: The only thing worse would be to allow these anti-democratic harsh and hostile regimes to grow their nuclear arsenals to the point that they could dominate these vital areas. Only one thing is clear: the threats to peace in key areas of the world are worse than any time since 1991 and even possibly 1945.

The relationship between Iran, who is still under the 2015 nuclear deal, which is supposed to prevent them from creating nuclear weapons, and North Korea, means that the Iranian Regime could implement North Korean nuclear technology onto their ballistic missiles as soon as the nuclear deal runs out.

Luckily, there are many states within the Middle East who are also worried about this including Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and especially Israel.

Israel has, in conjunction with the United States, created the most modern anti-ballistic missile missiles which are designed to counter ballistic missiles and send them off-target.

Adelman reminds us that both countries were part of George W Bushs Axis of Evil, which also included Saddam Husseins Iraq, the name denoting rogue pariah states.

He wrote: The two countries share a number of common factors: disdain for international law, insecure neighbours, weak economic development, common enemies, dislike for Western powers and ideologies (democracy, rule of law, popular election), a willingness to destroy other countries and stress on development of nuclear weapons.
Iraqs Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi staged a triumphalist visit to Mosul Sunday, proclaiming the liberation of Iraqs second-largest city from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), even as US airstrikes and automatic weapons fire continued nearby. Heavy fighting is still reported in parts of western Mosuls Old City along the Tigris River, where ISIS fighters reportedly continued to hold nearly one square kilometer of territory.

The commander in chief of the armed forces (Prime Minister) Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and Iraqi people for the great victory, Abadis office said in a statement.

The liberated city of Mosul has been largely reduced to smoking rubble littered with decaying corpses. Entire blocks have been leveled and huge stretches of residential buildings have been either demolished or badly damaged.

The United Nations issued a report last week estimating that replacing basic infrastructure alone will cost upwards of $1 billion. The UN admitted that this figure is probably an underestimation of the real costs, particularly given the massive destruction inflicted on the narrow and densely populated streets of Mosuls Old City, ISISs last redoubt, which was subjected to the most intense bombardment.

The battle for Mosul has been raging since last October 15, with US warplanes, attack helicopters and heavy artillery providing the bulk of the firepower for the slow advance of Iraqi and army police units operating under the direction of US special forces advisers. British, French, Australian, Jordanian and Iraqi bombers have also participated in pummeling the city.

In the continuing nine-month-long siege, the citys civilian population has been subjected to wholesale slaughter and hellish conditions. Tens of thousands have been killed or wounded, and at least a million driven from their homes. Some half a million Mosul residents have been forced into crowded refugee camps. Those trapped within the city itself were deprived of electricity, clean water, adequate food and access to medical care, while facing a continuous rain of bombs and missiles.

Those fleeing the city have faced abuse at the hands of Iraqi security forces and sectarian militias besieging Mosul. Young men and boys have been detained as ISIS suspects and, in many cases, subjected to brutal torture and summary executions.

Among the weapons unleashed upon the population in the US air war was white phosphorous, a chemical weapon that burns human flesh down to the bone, and whose use in populated areas is banned under international law.

All of these crimes have been carried out under the explicit direction of the Pentagon, whose chief, the recently retired Marine Corps general James Mad Dog Mattis, announced in May that the US military had shifted from attrition tactics to annihilation tactics in its anti-ISIS war. Mattis, who led two murderous sieges of the city of Fallujah during the US occupation of Iraq in 2004, added, Civilian casualties are a fact of life in this sort of situation.

The battle for Mosul has exacted a heavy toll on Iraqi security forces, with some units reporting casualty rates of 50 percent, and the total number of dead and wounded as high as 10,000.

There has been no attempt to record the number of civilian deaths caused by US airstrikes in Mosul, though the Pentagon was compelled to admit to one particularly bloody air raid on March 17 which it acknowledged claimed over 100 lives. Iraqi witnesses have put the death toll from that attack at over 200.

Among the first to join Abadi in hailing the liberation of Iraq was newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron. Mosul liberated from ISIS: France pays homage to all those who, alongside our troops, contributed to this victory, Macron wrote on his Twitter account.

France intervened aggressively in Iraq and Syria, sending the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and dozens of warplanes to carry out airstrikes in both countries. French special forces units were also deployed on the ground as trainers. Macrons rush to celebrate a still unconsummated victory in Mosul is indicative of his governments embrace of stepped-up militarism and widening foreign interventions, particularly in areas of the Middle East and Africa where France previously exercised colonial domination.

The Iraqi governments retaking of Mosul will by no means spell the end of fighting in Iraq. ISIS and similar Sunni Islamist militias are expected to continue a rural-based insurgency as well as bombing attacks on targets in Iraqi cities.

There is no indication that the government in Baghdad and its US backers have any clear plan for stabilizing Mosul, or for that matter the predominantly Sunni Anbar Province to the south, where similarly devastating sieges have been waged against the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah.

When it swept across western Iraq three years ago, ISIS had gained military strength thanks to the support given by the US and its allies to the Islamist militias serving as proxy forces in the wars for regime change in Libya and Syria. Its ability to rout larger Iraqi government forces stemmed not only from the corruption and low morale dominating these US-trained units, but also the hostility of the Sunni population towards the Shia-dominated government and security forces.

These sectarian divisions, deliberately stoked under the American occupation as a divide-and-rule tactic, can be expected to deepen with Shia militias deployed in the area and Iraqi Kurdistan seeking independence as well as enlargement of the areas under its control at the expense of Sunni populations.

US commanders have made it clear that they dont see American forces leaving the country in the foreseeable future. And the Pentagon has asked for nearly $1.3 billion in its 2018 budget to fund continued support for Iraqi security forces

Meanwhile, the US continues its airstrikes and artillery bombardment of Raqqa, 231 miles to the west in Syria, where the Kurdish YPG militia serves as the main US proxy ground force. While the city is far smaller than Mosul, there too the siege is expected to drag on for months, with civilian casualties climbing into the thousands.

In both countries, under the cover of fighting ISIS and terrorism, Washington is unleashing military force with the aim of furthering its grip over the oil-rich Middle East at the expense of its rivals, and in preparation for war against the main regional obstacle to US hegemony, Iran.
Since last months Grenfell Tower inferno in London, Australian authorities have issued a flurry of announcements and claims of concern about the dangers of a similar disaster in Australia. Various audits and investigations have been promised into the use of flammable aluminium cladding.

While fire safety and engineering bodies have warned that the cladding is rife in the Australian construction industry, only a handful of buildings covered with the material have been identified officially since the Grenfell Tower fire.

The real attitude of Australian federal and state governments is indicated by their failure to conduct investigations into the use of combustible cladding since the near-fatal Lacrosse apartment block fire in Melbournes Docklands area in November 2014. Nor has action been taken against any builder or property developer using this material in violation of building codes.

The fire in the 23-storey Lacrosse building began on a balcony at about 2 a.m. and rapidly spread up the outside of the building, reaching the top floor within 11 minutes. The building was covered in the same type of cladding used on the Grenfell Tower.

Over 400 occupants were evacuated from the sprinkler-fitted building while more than 120 firefighters fought to extinguish the blaze. No-one was killed or injured, but many residents were left homeless for weeks as investigations and repairs occurred. Almost three years after the blaze, the apartments are still occupied and the dangerous cladding remains in place, with no deadline for replacement until July 2018.

Eight months after the Lacrosse fire the federal government established a Senate committee to report on the use of flammable cladding and other non-conforming products in the building industry.

Two years later, the Senate investigation still has not issued any findings, and the deadline for its recommendations has been extended several times. According to the Fifth Estate web site, the committee is not expected to hand down its findings until next year.

The Victorian government recently announced a bipartisan taskforce to investigate flammable cladding. It will be headed by former Labor deputy premier John Thwaites and ex-Liberal Party premier Ted Baillieu. Both presided over the development of the Docklands area and building deregulation that enabled non-compliance to flourish.

World Socialist Web Site reporters visited the Lacrosse building and spoke with residents. A notice posted in the apartment lift said the Melbourne City Council Municipal Building Surveyor had requested that a Management Plan be implemented to reflect the heightened risk of fire.

The Plan includes a ban on using balconies for storage, barbecuing and smoking. It warns residents that if any smoke from their kitchens sets off smoke detectors in the corridors they may be liable for the cost of a fire brigade callout.

In other words, while the Lacrosse developer, Victorian government and Melbourne City Council have not replaced the flammable cladding that caught fire, residents are being held responsible for any future fires.

One of the almost 300 apartments was advertised for rent and open for inspection. At $450 per week, the flat was tiny. It had two small bedrooms, one of which had no window. The lack of space explains why residents utilised balconies for storage at the time of the 2014 fire.

Francesco, originally from Italy, works in the hotel industry and moved into the Lacrosse building early this year. The developer here cut corners, he said. They made a good profit using cheap materials and now its dangerous for us but no-one is fixing it.

I was totally shocked when I saw Grenfell. I didnt know a building could burn that fast. Now I realise how important it is to have proper fire controls. Most of the people living in this building have no idea of the risk. Many are students and many dont speak English very well.

Commenting on the overcrowded conditions, he added: I wouldnt be surprised if you find eight people living in an apartment here. Its expensive, especially for students. Its the only way they can afford to stay in the city.

The developer is responsible. They used an illegal material that was much cheaper than what they should have used. Then there is the person who is supposed to control what happened  The apartment owners are not responsible. They are not the experts in materials. They shouldnt pay for this.

William, a postgraduate electronics student, moved into the Lacrosse building this year. In 2011 he lived in London and had friends who lived on the 12th floor of Grenfell Tower before shifting to another government housing estate in 2015.

William said there was a false fire alarm in the Lacrosse building at midnight a few months ago but he was asleep and found it hard to hear it. If it had happened like this in London I would have died. We need to know whether the alarms and facilities are reliable.

William said those responsible for the Grenfell disaster, including the mayor, should be charged.

An IT worker, who wished to remain anonymous, was living in the Lacrosse building during the 2014 fire. She said her three-year-old son had been traumatised.

When I heard about London I was very upset for a week, she said. I had tears in my eyes for them because we had been through the same sort of experience here.

Why has nothing been done in this building? Is it safe inside? Is it just the balconies? We have been told to not keep things on the balconies but we dont know how safe we are.

The London authorities should have taken example from this building. If they already knew about it, they should definitely have done something about it. Theyre just money-making and they have paid with the lives of people.

Lucy, a health worker, has lived at Lacrosse for three months. For those who died in London, she said, it must have been like being in a cooking pot. They were trapped. The worst thing was the authorities told them to stay put. In my view when there is a fire or smoke they should make a move and use the emergency staircase, not tell the residents to wait.

Lucy continued: My sister is an architect and I know how it works. Sometimes when people get into business they think about money and money. The safety of the humans is not a priority for them; its about money.

Speaking about the London disaster, she said: They wanted to make something look beautiful. From the outside it looked nice but how about the construction? Whether the residents were rich or poor it doesnt matter. They are not professionals. The engineers or architects who built the building they are the ones who are more knowledgeable.

Eric moved into Lacrosse after the 2014 fire. When I moved in I hadnt heard of the incident but one of my colleagues told me about it, he said. I heard that this building used exactly the same material as Grenfell and that scared me a bit.

Grenfell is a human disaster. They did that purely for the enjoyment of the rich people living around and thats definitely not the right thing to do. I work as an accountant in the building industry. Although I dont have much to do with materials or the engineering side of the work, I know its cost-driven. Its the same everywhere in the world.

The author also recommends:

Australia: High-rise fire investigation reveals cost-cutting endangered lives

[6 June 2015]

The political implications of the Grenfell Tower fire

[27 June 2017]
In a menacing move as leaders gathered at the G20 summit in Germany, the US Air Force flew two B1-B strategic bombers over the Korean Peninsula on Friday and unleashed inert bombs as part of a joint military exercise involving US and South Korean fighter aircraft.

US Air Force commander in the Pacific, General Terrence OShaughnessy, branded North Korea as a threat to the US and its allies. If called upon we are trained, equipped and ready to unleash the full lethal capability of our allied air forces, he warned.

The US bombers then flew with Japanese fighters over the East China Sea before returning to Guam. Just the day before, two US B1-B bombers provocatively flew over the South China Sea in a so-called freedom of navigation operation to challenge Chinese territorial claims in the disputed waters.

North Korea denounced the US-South Korean bombing drill as a reckless military provocation and warned that the US was pushing the risk of a nuclear war on the [Korean] peninsula to a tipping point.

The bombing practice follows massive joint US-South Korean war games earlier this year involving more than 300,000 personnel, along with warships, military aircraft and other sophisticated weaponry. On Wednesday, the South Korean and US militaries carried out missile drills aimed against North Korea.

The Trump administration has exploited the test launch last Tuesday of what was claimed to be a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to ramp up tensions on the Korean Peninsula and put pressure on the G20, particularly China, to take tougher action against Pyongyang.

The US efforts to put North Korea on the G20 agenda were effectively blocked by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Backed by China and Russia, she insisted that the summit was concerned with economic matters.

Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in a bid to pressure China to impose crippling sanctions on North Korea to force it to abandon its nuclear arsenal. During the brief public portion of the meeting, the US president declared something has to be done about North Korea and warned there will be success in the end, one way or the other.

As well as the B1-B flights, the US has taken provocative steps in recent weeks, including a major arms sale to Taiwan, two freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, and sanctions on two Chinese companies over trade with North Korea. These moves are, in effect, threats of further action if Beijing does not carry out Washingtons bidding.

Trump, who left the G20 meeting without giving a press conference, claimed in a tweet that he had just finished an excellent meeting on trade and North Korea with Xi. No details were provided, however.

Briefing the media, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin described the discussion as very direct. He continued: I think there were substantive discussions about the financing of North Korea, we had substantive discussions about ways of dealing with North Korea together.

The reference to financing is significant. Mnuchin announced a ban on a Chinese bank just over a week ago for allegedly breaching US sanctions on North Korea. The Trump administration is demanding that all countries, particularly China, cut North Korea off from the global financial system and threatening secondary sanction against countries and companies that fail to do so.

Trumps upbeat tweet after meeting Xi is in marked contrast to previous remarks indicating that Trump had given up on China as the means for compelling North Korea to submit to US demands. Just last week, he issued another tweet alleging a 40 percent increase in trade between China and North Korea. So much for China working with usbut we had to give it a try! he declared.

Xis comments following his meeting with Trump were low-key. According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, he told Trump China had already stated its position on North Korea multiple times. Before the G20 meeting, Xi with the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, reiterated Beijings proposal that North Korea freeze its nuclear and missile tests if South Korea and the US halt their military exercises, opening the way for talks.

Speaking to the media at the G20 meeting last Friday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared Washington was not interested in the Chinese and Russian proposal about freezing North Koreas very high level of capability. Instead, he insisted, any talks with Pyongyang must be about charting a course to cease and roll back its nuclear program.

Xi also repeated Chinas opposition to the US deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile battery in South Korea. While the THAAD installation is nominally directed against North Korea, its powerful X-band radar can look deep inside Chinese territory and undermines Chinas ability to retaliate against a US nuclear attack.

The bitter disagreements over the THAAD system highlight the fact that the US military build-up in Asia, on the pretext of the alleged threat posed by North Korea, is primarily aimed against China, which the US regards as the main obstacle to its supremacy in the Asia Pacific.

Following the US lead, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used their meetings with Xi at the G20 summit to press for tougher Chinese penalties against Pyongyang. The US has already foreshadowed a new UN Security Council resolution to block finance and oil for North Korea, among other sanctions.

If crippling sanctions fail to bring the North Korean regime to heel, the US B1-B bomber flight is the latest reminder that all options are on the table, including pre-emptive military attacks.

Last Friday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis declared that while the US focus was diplomatic and economic efforts, North Koreas missile test last week was a very serious escalation. He warned Pyongyang that any attempt to start a war would lead to severe consequences.
About 100 people attended Democratic Representative Bradley Schneiders Healthcare Roundtable event on Friday afternoon in Waukegan, Illinois. Schneider is the representative for the 10th Congressional district, which sits in the far northeast corner of the state on Lake Michigan. The district itself is demographically diverse and markedly unequal, including several of the affluent northern suburbs of Chicago as well as the large working class and immigrant populations in the cities of North Chicago and Waukegan.

Schneider has worked in insurance and as a management consultant, and he and his wife, an insurance executive, are estimated by Crains to be worth more than $10 million.

The event was called in response to the deep social anger and fear provoked by the Republican-led effort, now in the Senate under the name Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), to repeal most of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) and all but formally destroy the Medicaid program serving low-income households, the elderly, women, children, and those with disabilities. The BCRA also provides a number of tax breaks and corporate incentives to medical device companies, and is currently estimated to significantly increase the health care costs for tens of millions of Americans, while throwing more than 20 million people off coverage altogether.

The official event was heavily stage-managed and calculated to play on the emotions, with personal statements made by two women and a teenaged boy who face very serious health problems and testified to being helped by the ACA. Schneider homed in on the Medicaid expansion element of the ACA as a success and highlighted the Republican attack on it. With shameless complacency, the representative explained the event was important for putting a face on the bill and slowing the repeal process, which will drive large sections of workers to self-ration medical care, ending up in emergency rooms only after problems are far advanced, and end lives prematurely.

The expansion of the Medicaid rolls in Illinois, as in other states, is a testament to how dramatically poverty has grown in the state. The ACA expansion itself added only 64,000 to Illinois Medicaid coverage. According to HealthInsurance.org, Medicaid covers more than 3 million in Illinoisabout a quarter of the states 12.9 million residentsincluding 50 percent of childbirths, 47 percent of children, and 18 percent of seniors and those with disabilities. A household of two must make below 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or a mere $1,845 per month, in order to qualify for the program.

In his brief remarks, Schneider revealed the vast social chasm between the Democratic Party and the working population of the state. He presented himself as a beacon of bipartisan cooperation, and declared, I am reaching my hand out to Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who appointed the 13 Republican senators charged with authoring the BCRA.

The audience quickly grew impatient with Schneiders self-satisfied descriptions of bipartisan breakfast meetings, and began to demand answers about what he was doing to lower skyrocketing premiums and deductibles and the highly-restricted provider networks imposed by the ACA.

Two teachers spoke up to counter Schneiders complacency about the ACA, explaining that it is difficult to afford and few doctors accept the ACA plans. Chris, a Waukegan teacher, said, Maybe the ACA is better than nothing, but its still $200 a month for my daughter and its very hard to find a doctor. Chris explained he had to drive 80 miles west to Rockford for her to be seen.

Frustrated with the smugness of the Democrats, he continued, Democrats are content to watch the Republicans flounder. Come up with a solution. Say, Heres a plan that will improve this.

Another teacher, who identified herself as a mother of an autistic teenager, asked, What if he cant find a job and get his meds? One of these medications is listed at $700. If you are coming up with bipartisan plans, what is going to keep these costs down? I mean, really, what will you do?

Dan, an insurance salesman from Gurnee, spoke to demand that Rep. Schneider force the hospital networks to accept the health insurance policies. We dont want to wait for McConnell to have breakfast with you. What can you do with [insurer] Blue Cross/Blue Shield and the hospitals who take our money and not pay for the health care? Three major hospital networks in Lake County will not take the ACA policies. And no one should have to drive to Rockford for a procedure.

Another woman broke in to say, Why cant we just have universal health care?

Andrew, a Lake County resident, spoke up to agree, Even in extremely conservative Alberta [Canada], universal health care works very well. People love it. Theres no reason we cant have it here too!

In an effort to respond to the participants, Schneider revealed his partys class position very clearly. He said, We can talk about the problems all day. Insurance is based on math, based on underwriting. Its the gateway to health care. In other words, the bipartisan agreement exists, and it is on the rationing of health care on a class basisyou may have it if you can pay, and you will be denied it if you cant.

At that point, several participants began to exit in disgust.

One resident asked what everyone can be doing to help solve the health care crisis. Schneider responded without a trace of irony, as though the question of help meant where should we invest? He encouraged the crowd of workers, disabled workers, and retirees to support the health non-profits, like the American Cancer Society and the Alzheimers Association, and support health care innovation that can lower costs.

Health care is a social right. The World Socialist Web Site encourages all working people to get involved with the Socialist Equality Party and work to build the movement of the working class that will end for-profit delivery of health care by ending the capitalist profit system and its wars.
Proposed cuts to Medicaid funding will have a devastating impact on the nations rural hospitals, but Tennessee may suffer the most.

With nine rural hospitals closed since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law in 2010, more could face the chopping block if either of the two proposed Republican Party-backed health care bills are approved, according to Carole R. Myers, PhD, RN, a nursing and associate professor and health care policy instructor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

There have been nine rural hospitals closed in Tennessee (compared) to 11 in Texas, which leads the nation, Myers said. But Texas is much bigger. Tennessee leads the country in the rate of rural hospital closings.

Tennessee is the canary in the coal mine for rural hospitals across the country, she said.

Myers was a speaker July 6 at the Tractorcade for Rural Health event in downtown Nashville organized by an ad hoc group called Protect Rural Tennessee. The action was linked to the National Farmers Unions opposition to the Better Care Reconciliation Act, the US Senate version of the similar bill previously approved by the House, the American Health Care Act (AHCA).

Both bills are designed to replace the ACA, also known as Obamacare, and would effectively end Medicaid as an open-ended guaranteed government benefit based on need by changing the method of federal funding to the program. They would also phase out the ACAs expansion of Medicaid under the ACA in those states that adopted it.

The current situation in Tennessee, precipitated in part by not expanding Medicaid, will be exacerbated if the ACHA replaces the ACA, Myers said. The AHCA changes Medicaid from an entitlement program to a block grant program. This change will be devastating to Tennessee. Benefits in entitlement programs are guaranteed to eligible individuals. Entitlement funding is based on need and is open-ended.

According to Myers, the proposed AHCA funding for Medicaid block grants would be capped at levels significantly below current funding.

In a recent op-ed piece in Nashvilles the Tennessean newspaper, Myers and former University of Tennessee graduate student Madison Kahl described a bleak future for rural health care in the state. Kahl recently graduated after completing an honors thesis on Medicaid expansion.

The portrait of rural Tennesseans and communities reveals deep-rooted disparities, the two wrote, citing the following:

Seventy-eight of Tennessees 95 counties (82 percent) are rural. A report from a task force convened to look at issues impacting rural communities noted that 17 rural counties rank in the bottom 10 percent of counties across the country in unemployment, poverty rates, and per capita market income; an additional 35 counties rank in the bottom 25 percent.

More than 1 in 3 Tennesseans live in rural counties. Citing the Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center, the authors write that rural residents tend to be older, more are uninsured, and they have higher rates of chronic diseases. They also have higher death rates, lower life expectancies, and higher rates of infant mortality.

Cuts to the Medicaid program will mean less money to pay rural hospitals.

The column notes: An analysis of financial data derived from the Tennessee Joint Annual Reports on Hospitals by the Tennessee Justice Center revealed that 28 of the remaining 61 rural Tennessee hospitals are at risk for closures or severe cuts based a three-year average of losses.

According to the Tennessee Hospital Directory, 35 rural counties (83 percent) have only one hospital, and 80 percent of Tennessees rural, at-risk hospitals are the only one in the county.

Hospital closures also can have a profound economic impact on rural communities. Myers calls hospitals economic powerhouses and often a countys single largest employer.

The loss of a hospital is not just bad for health outcomesit can precipitate the collapse of the local economy, the authors write. Without adequate funding rural health and health care disparities will become more severe and the closure of rural hospitals may herald the death of a community.

Myers, who spoke most forcefully in defense of Medicaid and rural hospitals, was joined at the protest by two former elected officials. But it was a young woman named Meredith who put a human face on the dangers being raised by Medicaid cuts.

Meredith is a mother of three who lives in Westmoreland (population: 2,300) in Sumner County and suffers from a congenital disease that also affects her children. Under Obamacare she was able to obtain insurance through Blue Cross/Blue Shield until the company dropped out of the ACA market.

It has been absolutely terrifying for me and my children, she said. I lost every one of my comprehensive health team at Vanderbilt Medical Center (in Nashville). Are my childrens lives worth that little?

She had to resort to using medical clinics in the county. Now her children are covered by CoverKids, free health coverage for pregnant women and children who do not qualify for Medicaid.

There are so many people in my shoes and I talk to them every day, she added. There are so many children in my childrens shoes and I talk to their mothers every day.

In 1994, Tennessee was the first state to be granted a federal waiver to, in effect, operate the Medicaid program as a state function known as TennCare. This involved enrolling 800,000 Medicaid recipients in managed care programs and opening enrollment to 500,000 Tennesseans who could not get private health insurance because of preexisting conditions or were deemed uninsurable but not eligible for Medicaid.

Tennessee officials believed their own press releases and thought with local control they would be able to implement a workable program and have money left over. It didnt work out that way.

After the first year of operation the state closed enrollment to those who were uninsurable for reasons other than preexisting conditions. Various cutbacks and program changes continued and in 2005 the state cut back further, removing 190,000 participants, imposing limits on the number of prescription medications participants could receive, and reducing other benefits.

There was opposition to the cuts then, but it mainly took on a religious character. When the state legislature met to vote on gutting the program, some supporters of TennCare stood in the hallways leading to legislative chambers as legislators filed in. In hopes of changing minds at the last moment the protesters read aloud from the Bible while Amazing Grace was played in the background.

At the Tractorcade protest, which attracted about 40 people, there was no talk of health care as a basic human right or of the parasitic nature of the for-profit health care industry, which is the foundation of the ACA and will be under any Republican plan.

Organizations like the Democratic Party front-group Indivisible had no one at the protest, but planned a separate action that afternoon. The Democratic Party has no solution to the health care crisis as they support the private insurance companies that have both profited off of Obamacare and pulled out of markets when they have not.

The Democrats have signaled their willingness to work with the Republicans to fix the ACA, which will only mean more attacks on the affordability and quality of health care and access to it. As the WSWS has continually stressed, health care is a social right that must be fought for and defended by a political struggle of the working class, not by pressuring the two big-business parties.

Michelle Armstrong from Fairview, Tennessee, attended the protest. Armstrong, who grew up in a rural community in upstate New York, came dressed as a skeleton and was willing to endure the hot afternoon to make her point with the sign: Trumpcare Will Kill.

We are not a poor country and we can afford to give people good health care, she said. This is not a joke, not a game. Were talking about peoples lives.
In the wake of President Trumps two-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday, leading Democrats and their media allies have sought to revive their campaign over alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections and collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

The effort came despite substantial concessions by Trump to the foreign policy concerns that are the principal motivation behind the anti-Russia agitation and attack on the White House by Trumps opponents within the ruling class and the state. Trump traveled to Warsaw to a deliver an anti-Russian (and anti-German) broadside before a friendly right-wing Polish audience. In his speech on Thursday, he explicitly declared his support for Article Five of the NATO charter, which obligates the US to go to war with Russia in the event of border clashes between Russia and the Baltic States.

The New York Times led the way, as usual, with a lengthy front-page report on Sunday, timed to dominate the Sunday television talk shows. The substance of the report did nothing to substantiate the claims that Trump election campaign officials colluded with the Russian government in the hacking of Democratic Party emails and leaking of their contents for the purpose of damaging Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and boosting Trump.

Sundays Times reported that Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., had a half-hour meeting with a Russian lawyer and lobbyist more than a year ago, on June 9, 2016, at Trump Tower, at which the lawyer raised her objections to the Magnitsky Act, a US law passed after the prison death of Sergei Magnitsky that imposed sanctions on several dozen Russian government officials and businessmen allegedly linked to Magnitskys death.

Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to passage of the law by sharply curtailing US adoptions of Russian children left orphaned or abandoned.

The Russian attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya, has been a prominent critic of the Magnitsky Act, defending the Putin government against charges that it was complicit in the death of Magnitsky, an attorney who had accused several top officials and businessmen of corruption.

The younger Trump readily confirmed having had the meeting with Veselnitskaya, while explaining that he had initially agreed to the meeting because an acquaintance had requested it, saying that the Russian lawyer had information on financial connections between Russian oligarchs and Clinton.

When he discovered that Veselnitskaya had no such information, but had apparently employed a bait and switch to gain an audience for her concerns about the Magnitsky Act, he brought the meeting to a quick end. Two other top Trump aides, campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, were also present at the meeting in Trump Tower.

Later on Sunday, the Times posted a second front-page report based on Trump Jr.s confirmation of the meeting and his description of his own motivation for agreeing to it, claiming that the meeting points to the central question in federal investigations of the Kremlins meddling in the presidential election: whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians. The accounts of the meeting represent the first public indication that at least some in the campaign were willing to accept Russian help.

Seeking to imply a much greater significance than the story appears to have, the Times report went on to say that while President Trump has been dogged by revelations of undisclosed meetings between his associates and the Russians, the episode at Trump Tower is the first such confirmed private meeting involving members of his inner circle during the campaignas well as the first one known to have included his eldest son.

The report is not the result of any investigative journalism on the newspapers part, but a leak from within the federal government. The newspaper noted, The fact of the Trump Tower meeting was disclosed to government officials in recent days, when Mr. Kushner, who is also a senior White House aide, filed a revised version of a form required to obtain a security clearance.

In other words, Kushner filed a revised statement of all his calls and meetings with foreigners during the campaign and the postelection transition, as required for his White House security clearance, adding the meeting with the Russian lawyer that occurred some 13 months ago. This information was then relayed by unnamed sources within the intelligence agencies to the New York Times, which promptly put this intelligence bulletin on its front page.

The insubstantial nature of this revelation was no barrier to sensationalized reporting on many of the Sunday television programs, particularly NBCs Meet the Press, where former CIA Director John Brennan had been lined up as a principal interviewee.

Brennan denounced the Trump-Putin meeting, held Friday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. The ex-CIA chief seized on Trumps opening words, in which he declared it an honor to meet with Putin. An honor to meet the individual who carried out the assault against our election? Brennan asked. To me, it was a dishonorable thing to say.

Brennan embraced the New York Times report on Donald Trump Jr., declaring that the Russian lawyer with whom he met should be considered a representative of the Russian government. Interviewer Chuck Todd responded with the suggestion that such meetings were what Brennan was talking about in congressional testimony earlier this year when he warned about US citizens being induced to take the road of treason by Russian manipulation.

Todd and Brennan then traded insults directed at Putin, accusing him of murdering journalists and supporting a butcher in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Todd was diplomatically silent on the number of murders Brennan has on his rap sheet, which is undoubtedly longer and bloodier than Putins.

Suffice it to say that besides a three-decade career with the CIA, the premier instrument of US assassination, torture, coup plotting and secret warfare, Brennan also worked as President Obamas counterterrorism coordinator, directly supervising drone missile strikes that killed thousands in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and other countries.

One of the leading Democrats in the anti-Russian campaign, Representative Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, denounced the Trump-Putin meeting in an appearance Sunday on the CNN program State of the Union.

He sarcastically attacked Trumps claim that the US and Russia could collaborate against cyber terrorism and, more generally, on cyber security. If thats our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow, he said.

Schiff said he did not believe claims by Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the only US officials at the meeting with Putin, that Trump had pressed Putin repeatedly on alleged Russian interference in the US election.

He also cited the Times article, published a few hours before, on the meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and the Russian lawyer. Theres no reason for this Russian government advocate to be meeting with Paul Manafort or with Mr. Kushner or the presidents son if it wasnt about the campaign and Russia policy, he said. Obviously, they were trying to influence one of the candidates, the leading candidate at that time on the Republican ticket.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Actor Shia LaBeouf has been released from a Georgia jail after posting $7,000 bond on charges of public drunkenness.

The Chatham County Sheriff's Office says the 31-year-old was arrested in a hotel lobby at 4 a.m. Saturday by the Savannah Police Department and released.

He also faces charges of disorderly conduct and obstruction.

Police say LaBeouf asked a bystander for a cigarette and when he was refused, he became disorderly, "using profanities and vulgar language in front of the women and children present." When he was told to leave, police say he refused and became aggressive toward an officer. He ran to a nearby hotel to avoid arrest.

LaBeouf is in the Savannah area filming his new movie, "The Peanut Butter Falcon," which also stars Dakota Johnson.
STUART, Fla. (AP) - The rector of an Episcopal church in North Carolina is facing criminal charges in Florida after police say he pointed a gun at another vehicle in an apparent road rage incident.

Media reports say 35-year-old Rev. William Rian Adams is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Martin County, Florida records show he was released from jail on $15,000 bail.

State troopers say a pickup truck driver was closely following a Corvette on Florida's Turnpike and tried to pass the car when its driver pointed a handgun at him. Troopers then stopped Adams in the Corvette.

Records show Adams is rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher, North Carolina. Church officials didn't immediately respond to a call seeking comment and no attorney was listed for Adams.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - An Arkansas woman is accused of lying in a Leon County court to get guardianship over her elderly mother and exploiting her for almost half a million dollars.

The Tallahassee Police Department says Laura Cooper was arrested over the weekend.

TPD says investigators with the Financial Crimes Unit worked on the case for several weeks gathering official documents and evidence from multiple counties in Florida and numerous states to prove the 59-year-old victim was being financially exploited by her daughter, Laura Cooper.

According to court documents filed in Leon County, Cooper filed a petition for emergency temporary guardianship of her mother in 2014, citing mismanagement of funds and mental health concerns.

Cooper was granted the emergency guardianship, giving her full control over everything concerning the 59-year-old.

Reports from investigators say that during her time as guardian, Cooper had transferred money from her mother's account into her account and had liquidated various assets for profit. They say that the value of the exploitation exceeded $400,000.

Court documents say that investigators were also able to discover that Cooper had lied about numerous things when she had applied to get guardianship over her mother, including her past criminal charges.

In May 2017, Cooper was removed as her mother's guardian.

She was arrested on Saturday and charged with exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult and perjury.

Cooper remains in jail on a $55,000 bond.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The City of Tallahassee goes before a grand jury Tuesday, though it's still unclear why.

The FBI has asked for five years of info connecting the city and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to a list of 25 individuals and entities.

The purpose is to find whether there's enough evidence or "probable cause" to charge for a crime. As of right now, no individual or entity has been indicted. The grand jury will review all of the requested information and take it from there.

The hearing will be done in secret, so there's no telling what will be discussed and who may be involved.

The grand jury could seek an indictment based on what's received. The jury could ask for more and subpoena others to testify, depending on what federal prosecutors want.

Local attorney Mutaqee Akbar said the current subpoena simply asks for records over a course of time that's typical of an investigation like this.

"We don't know why they want it at this point. Once they get everything, it really depends on what the prosecutor is looking for -- whether it's some type of indictment for a particular charge, who those defendants are," Akbar said. "So, they'll get the information that they're asking for, and then, they'll present it to the grand jury in a certain way. It can be a number of things -- whether it's one particular issue or one particular person or defendant that they're going after."

The grand jury hearing is Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the United States District Courthouse.
ATLANTA (AP) - A group of lawmakers is set to begin reviewing Georgia's many tax breaks.

The Senate Special Tax Exemption Study Committee plans to hold its first meeting on July 18 at the Capitol.

According to the resolution creating the committee, it has been more than a decade since the state did a comprehensive study on tax exemptions.

The study committee plans to work with the state's Department of Revenue and other agencies to review the cost and benefit of all exemptions and complete a report by Dec. 1.

The report may include recommended changes to state law on eliminating, expanding or creating tax breaks.
HAMILTON, CO., Fla. (WTXL) - The Florida Highway Patrol says that an 18-year-old Valdosta teen has died and another teen is in critical condition after they crashed their ATV into a light pole.

FHP says that Andrew Sanders, 18, of Valdosta was driving the Polaris ATV on NW 44th Street on Sunday just before midnight.

They say that the driver failed to turn with a sharp curve in the road and drove off the road an into a light pole, overturning.

The passenger, 18-year-old Hailie Ruvolo from Valdosta, was killed as a result of the accident.

Sanders has been hospitalized as UF Shands in critical condition.
"Jump!"

"Back flip!"

"Dooooo iiiiit!"

The pressure's on. Ryan stands on the brow of a sheer rock cliff, 40 vertiginous feet above the rippling green water of the Sandy River. Far below, the beach at Dabney Park is ripe with babes of every descriptionhotties in bikinis and denim skirts, with glowing tans and luscious curves, bopping to the tunes blasting from a boom box. The guys sport crew cuts and tattoos and torsos ripped from an Abercrombie & Fitch commercial. Every eye is fixed on him. "Juuuump!" they shout. "Come on, brother!"

Ryan brushes his dark hair out of his eyes and hesitates. He's 15, a couple years younger than the crowd staring up at him. As he pauses at the precipice, Yody Lillie, a 20-year-old contractor, clambers up the face of the rock, elbows Ryan away from the prime spot and promptly launches himself over the edge. With a mighty splash and a crown of spray, Lillie plunges deep into the water and does a lazy crawl back to his cheering friends. He hauls himself onto the beach, beads of water winking from the hair on his chest, and takes a swig of beer.

Ryan steps up to the edge and brushes the hair from his eyes again. A week before, a man drowned diving off this cliffdid a belly flop and died of blunt trauma to the chest. A few days later, another man drowned swimming in the same spot. Bad omens. Down on the beach, a honey babe with big brown eyes and a tiny black bikini is watching Ryan intently. "Do it!" shouts a voice. "He's just trying to impress people," mutters another. Ryan gazes down at the river. From up here, the water is hardly inviting. It looks like a slab of concrete. But he can't back downnot now, not with all these people watching. So he steps forward and jumps into the empty air, his hands fluttering in front of him like tiny, broken wings as he hurtles towards the river's face....

Every summer, a fascinating transformation takes place along the banks of Portland's rivers. When the mercury creeps past 90 degrees and the asphalt burns and the sun feels like a furnace, city-dwellers by the thousand descend on rivers like the Sandy, turning them from backcountry brooks into the outdoor equivalent of municipal swimming pools. On a blistering weekend, popular spots like Dabney, a few miles upstream from Troutdale, throng with urban refugees in all their sunburned glory, fleeing the heat and hassle of the concrete jungle in the swift, cool water.

Roughly 180,000 people visit Dabney every year, according to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department. About a half-million more visit the other parks along the Sandy (Dodge, Oxbow, Lewis & Clark, and Glenn Otto) or just hike down the bank wherever they see an inviting stretch of sand. And that's just one river. Throw in other local waterways like the Clackamas and the Washougal and you're talking about a major sociological phenomenonespecially (if our experience is typical) among young people, blue-collar folks, immigrants and eastsiders. They don't have a cottage on the coast or a yacht at the marina. Hell, they don't have air conditioning. When it gets hot, they can sweat in their houses with the fan cranked on high and the windows open and listen to the neighbors yell at their kids. Or they can head to the river. Beach culture? That's for California. Oregon has river culturea scene you cruise by inner tube, where social status is measured in the height of the rocks you jump off; where Hispanic evangelicals perform baptisms; where steelheaders cast their lines alongside naked sun-worshippers; and where the chirp of birdsong mixes with the hoot of numbskulls chanting, "Show us yer tits!"

The rivers have drawn a lot of attention over the past few weeks, thanks to a tragic surge in drownings (see map, above) and reports of "wild parties," underage drinking, litter, drug use and public sex. There have been 29 drownings in Oregon since May, an increase from previous summers. Local authorities have turned up the heat, sending officers to patrol the river on jetboats.

Ultimately, however, the conflicts on the water are likely to get worse before they get better. There is something irredeemably wild about the river, wild and lawless and dangerous. Beneath its glittering surface lurk the turbulent currents and opposing forceslaw and anarchy, age and youth, civilization and naturethat have characterized America from its earliest days as a republic. They are not going to go away because a few deputies are handing out tickets at a boat launch.

Standing on the rustic, double-decker back porch of his house, Michael Drais gazes out at a postcard view of the Sandy River, which sweeps cool and green through stands of cottonwood, alder and maple, forming a quiet beach known as Big Bend. High above, an osprey patrols the sky while a great blue heron stands on a boulder liked a taciturn, feathery Minuteman.

Drais, a 61-year-old retired lawyer, and his wife, Deborah, a nurse, bought this waterfront property a few hundred yards below Dabney Park for its languorous beauty. But when the temperature hits 85 degrees, this tranquil spot becomes the staging ground for a parade of numbskulls.

On rafts and drift boats, inner tubes and air mattresses, the great blue-collar tide washes up onto the beach (or hikes in from the Columbia River Highway). They come equipped with boom boxes, cell phones, coolers, deck chairs, beer, chips, dogs and barbecuesand leave behind a swath of broken bottles, plastic bags, cigarette butts and human waste.

Last month, when temperatures spiked above 100 degrees, hundreds of people converged onto this beach. "The place was an absolute madhouse," says state trooper Ken Poggi, who was called in to deal with the crowd. "Wall-to-wall people. More people than gravel and sandthe worst I've ever seen." He even busted a teenager for selling pot out of a cooler.

"Since 2003, this nice seductive area has been the party place for all the kids," says Drais. "They can drink, they can smoke dope, they can have sex. The word's out."

From his back porch, Drais and his wife have ringside seats to a show whose cast is always changing but whose script is pretty much the same. "It's become an insoluble and frightening problem," he says.

There is no small irony in Drais' situation. For many years, he fought for the public's right to enjoy this river and its beaches, a battle he waged on behalf of local anglers. In Oregon, the bed and banks of navigable waterways are considered public property up to the ordinary high waterline.

But the definition of "navigable" turns out to be both contentious and extraordinarily complicated.

Steelheaders, alarmed that property owners along the Sandy might try to prevent them from fishing, pressed the Oregon State Land Board to officially declare the river navigablewhich in turn would ensure that anglers, boaters, rafters and everyone else would have the right to enjoy it. Drais, a lifelong angler, drafted their legal briefs. The board voted to declare the lower 37.5 miles of the Sandy River navigable on Feb. 7, 2002the same day, as it happened, that Drais and his wife bought their property at Big Bend.

That ruling, Drais says, "became a door to anybody who wanted to use the river."

Now Drais has to live with the practical consequences of his own philosophya situation he finds extremely unpleasant. "The problem is not to keep people out, but to keep the rowdies out," Drais sighs. "The rowdy kids and drunks have chased out the families. Now families don't come here."

As he speaks to a reporter, a couple of teenagers amble along the shore and set up camp on the beach. "That's a case of trespassing right there," mutters Deborah, peering over her glasses at a dude carrying a cooler.

"Come on, the beach is open to everyone," Drais replies.

"But he's walking above the vegetation line." she says. "Is he underage? Is that thing filled with beer?"

Drais shrugs and shakes his head. When they first moved here, they used to go down to the beach every night and pick up the trash. Now they don't bother, unless Deborah happens to spot a broken bottle. The thought of shards of glass slicing up bare feet is more than she can bear. "There's no 911 out here," she says. "You take the heat, the water, the alcohol.... This river is like an accident waiting to happen."

The atmosphere along the Sandy is vaguely reminiscent of a rock show. To float it is to feel like a co-conspirator in some cosmic, subversive enterprise. People wave and shout hello, trade beer for cigarettes or a dry book of matches. Alongside the echo of Harleys blatting down the gorge and the splash of jumping salmon is the unmistakable pulse of sexual energy.

Kicked back on the beach at Dabney, Jesse and Alec relax in a pair of camping chairs. They're both 23, live in Gresham, and work in the construction trades. This afternoon, they have brought a backpack of Bud and a couple of guitarsJesse plays classical, Alec plays steel string. "We just need the girls now," Jesse grins. As they debate the merits of various spots along the river, their attention is diverted by a group of teenagers slowly floating past them in inner tubes.

"Don't you do that, Matthew Fucking Anderson, I'm not kidding you!" shrieks a girl in a bikini as a young man, presumably Matthew Fucking Anderson himself, attempts to overturn her inner tube. Now another girl from her group swims over and grabs hold of the tube, and the two girls wrestle for possession, squeaking and squirming, a riot of wet hair, tanned legs and pert bottoms.

Sitting on the shore, the two guitarists admire the show. Jesse busts out a minor scale and Alec takes a deep slug off his Bud. "Oregon is the best part of the country," he sighs, as the spectacle floats downstream. "We got the forests, we got the ocean, we got the desert, and we got the river."

A few miles downstream, at the "Cool Pool," a group of eight young people wade into the river with bottles of beer in hand and try to explain the river's allure. "It's close and convenient," says 19-year-old Grant Ottoway of Gresham. "If you don't have air conditioning, and it gets hotthat's when people come out to the river. We come down to cool off, find some cute girls, smoke a little weed, and chill."

He puts his arm around a girl standing next to him, and gives her a grin and a squeeze. The group talks about how the media have blown the dangers out of proportion. "I can float down any rapid on this river and not drown," Ottoway continues, brandishing a bottle of Blue Boar in one hand and a can of Bud in the other. "This river isn't dangerous."

"I'll go different on that," says Amanda, 19. "The currents can be strong."

"For girls, sure," says Grant.

"For girls!?" she exclaims. "For anyone. A lot of people panic in the water. The current is extremely strong."

"You gotta know what you're doing," he replies. "If you're jumping off a bridge into 8-foot water..."

The debate veers into other subjects, as riverside debates are wont to do, such as the practicality of tubing and smoking, and whether most drowning victims are Mexican (in fact, the high proportion of blue-collar and immigrant families on the Sandy means that a lot of drowning victims don't have Anglo surnames.)

Just upstream, a guy with long dreadlocks and cool shades caresses a blond girl in a stripey string bikini who is obviously stoned (she compares a passing cloud to a plate of breadsticks.) His hands wander down her back, tickling her spine, and come to rest on her bikini bottom. It doesn't take a Dr. Kinsey to predict what's going to happen later.

It would be unfair to portray the river as a carnival of sin. Many of the folks on the water seek nothing more depraved than a swim and a chance to do the crossword puzzle. You are almost as likely to encounter Vietnamese Americans catching squawfish as knots of teenagers getting stoned. If you float down the Sandy on a Sunday, you might even see pastor Obdulia Chavarria of the Iglesia Cristiana Camino de Santidad performing a full-immersion baptism. Standing waist-deep in the water, he holds the repentant sinner's hands above his head and intones a fervent prayer. "En el nombre de Jesus, Aleluia!" he cries, plunging the worshipper into the river.

Nonetheless, there is an air of lawlessness, a whiff of the Wild West, hovering over the Sandy River that comes from many factors. First, there is a tangle of different agencies responsible for establishing and enforcing regulations, including the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, the Troutdale City Police, Oregon State Parks, Metro, Oregon State Police, the Division of State Lands, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Forest Service.

In Dabney Park, for example, park rangers until recently did not have jurisdiction over a sandy island that was a favorite hangout for teenage parties, because technically it belonged to the Division of State Lands. "The kids used to stand on the island and thumb their noses at us," says Kevin Price, the assistant area manager for the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department. (This spring, an interagency agreement finally gave rangers the authority to enforce park rules on the island and other public lands adjacent to Dabney.)

Second, long stretches of the river are difficult or impossible to access from the road, unless deputies want to clamber down a steep bank, which is both time-consuming and difficult to accomplish silently. Multnomah County does have a river patrol on a jetboat, but you can hear it coming a long way away. Worse, by August stretches of the river are just too shallow for a patrol boat.

Third, the rules themselves are often arbitrary. Rafts, for example, are supposed to carry whistles and life vests for each passenger. But nothing is required if you float the river in a flimsy pool toy or air mattressunless you strap it to another pool toy, in which case you can be fined $247 for not carrying a life vest.

The biggest obstacle in policing the river, however, is the fact that it's 50 miles long. Every time authorities crack down on one trouble spot, people simply find another a few miles upstream. "It reminds me of when I was a kid," says Lt. Jason Gates of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. "We used to cruise 82nd Avenue. Then the police cracked down, so we went to 122nd Avenue. Then they cracked down there, so people started cruising on Broadway."

The same process is going on along the Sandy. Several years ago, the most notorious trouble spot was Gordon Creek. Years before that, it was Buck Creek Flats. A few weeks ago, it was Big Bend. By the time this article is published, it will probably be somewhere else.

"If they think they've got it under control, they're sticking their heads in the sand," says fishing guide Bob Plympton. "I've lived here since 1962, and I've watched it go from never seeing anyone but your neighbors to complete chaos."

Some riverside owners, frustrated with what they see as official bungling, are taking matters into their own hands. Plympton's favorite technique is simple but effectivea 130-pound Rottweiler.

Even if, in some Orwellian alternate reality, you could police the Sandy, you could never make it safe. The river is swift, cold and unpredictable. Currents form. Rocks lurk beneath the surface. "This is not a city park," says Lt. Gates. "This is a not a swimming pool. This is a wild river."

That wildness, in fact, is what we really crave when we float the riverotherwise we could just as well go to Dishman Pool or take a beach towel to Jamison Square. We want to get away from the noise and madness of the city, to escape from our bills and our chores and our appointments and disappointments. We want to slip away for a few hours and go where no one can bother us. We know there's a riskthere's always a riskbut we trust our common sense. We want to plunge into our destiny. And if you'll lend us your pump, we'll give you a light.

Intern Jacques Von Lunen contributed to this story.

Oregon Drownings since May 1: Download chart at www.wweek.com/media/7792.pdf

WWeek 2015
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The decision made by the Heritage Committee of the United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Friday to declare the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron a Palestinian World Heritage Site sparked reactions ranging from fury to laughter in Israel, and rightfully so. The Jewish connection to the Cave of the Patriarchs is thousands of years old and began many years before Islam was born.

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The Bible, followed by Jewish tradition, talks about three places our forefathers bought for a full price. The Cave of the Patriarchs and the field in which it is located were purchased by Abraham for 400 silver shekels from Ephron the Hittite.

The plot where Joseph was buried in Nablus was bought by Jacob from the masters of the land for 100 pieces of silver. The site on which the Temple was built was purchased by King David from Araunah the Jebusite for 600 pieces of gold.

When talking about our right to the Temple Mount or to the Cave of the Patriarchs is considered religionization, we are losing the battle before it even began (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Throughout the generations, Jews attributed a great importance to these places. While the entire Land of Israel was promised to the people of Israel, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River, these three places have always been considered special. These are the places that all the people of Israel allegedly inherited.

Scientists and researchers of mysticism and spirituality find it very difficult to define the term sanctity. Researchers of the conflict theory, which is also known as game theory, have a very unspiritual answer to this question. In their opinion, at least in some cases, sanctity is the story that we, as a people or as a social group, tell ourselves in order to set a red line on a certain issue. When something is sacred, we cant give it up even if we really want to. We can agree or disagree with this outlook, but we cant deny the significant role that sanctity plays in battles, and especially in national battles.

The battle over the people of Israels historical and modern right to the places that are the cradle of the Jewish peoples existence is being waged between two very different sides. One side, the Arab-Palestinian side, knows how to sanctify the things it finds important. The other side, the Jewish-Israeli side, acts in a way that conveys that nothing is sacred. The moment that the State of Israel, as the Jewish peoples representative, is willing to put on the negotiating table issues like the sovereignty and status of the Temple Mount and the Cave of the Patriarchs, the message to the Palestinians and to the entire world is very clear: Nothing is actually sacred to us.

When on one side, the entire educational system is focused on strengthening the sacred status of the right to the land, while on the other side, talking about our right to the Temple Mount or to the Cave of the Patriarchs is considered religionization, we are losing the battle before it even began. In such a reality, the UNESCO ruling comes as no surprise. The real surprise is that such a ruling was only made now.
Egyptian and Palestinian leaders met in Cairo on Sunday amid signs of a rapprochement between Cairo and the Islamic Hamas terror group that could shake up Gaza's political landscape and sideline the Palestinian president.

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Officials close to President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinian leader met with President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi to seek clarifications on what appears to be an emerging power-sharing agreement between Gaza's Hamas rulers and an exiled Abbas rival, former Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan.

Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: Ofer Meir)

Under the dealparts of which have been confirmed by other parties involvedHamas would retain control over Gaza's security, while Dahlan would eventually return to Gaza and handle its foreign relations.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Neither leader made any comments to the media after their meeting in Cairo. A statement by Egypt's presidential spokesman stuck to generalities. The two leaders, the statement added, discussed the latest developments in the Palestinians' bid for statehood and ways to revive the peace process.

Dahlan was a key Fatah figure behind the Fatah-Hamas street clashes that erupted after Hamas' victory in parliamentary elections in 2006, which eventually led to the violent takeover of Gaza by the group a year later.

President al-Sisi (Photo: AFP)

Dahlan and Hamas have been bitter enemies, but their interests began to align in recent months. Dahlan's desire to return from exile and one day succeed Abbas has coincided with Hamas' growing desperation as Abbas has been applying greater financial pressure on Gaza.

The emerging understandings between Egypt, Hamas and Dahlan could pose a serious political threat to Abbas and the prospects of Palestinian statehood in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern Jerusalemthe lands Israel captured in the 1967 Six-Day War. A Palestinian "mini state" in Gaza could undermine the official state within the pre-1967 lines which Abbas and others claim to support.

If implemented, such understandings would likely help ease Gaza's decade of isolation, but would also deepen the Israeli-enforced disconnect between Gaza and the West Bank. The two territories lie on opposite sides of Israel.

Egypt has long accused Hamas of providing sanctuary as well as supporting Islamic militants fighting its security forces in the turbulent north of the Sinai Peninsula, a region that borders Gaza and Israel. Also, Egypt has for a decade joined Israel in a blockade of Gazathe densely populated coastal strip on the Mediterranean that Hamas has ruled for a decade.

However, relations between Egypt and Hamas appear to have recently thawed.

Hamas officials said the two sides have negotiated security arrangements for the Gaza-Egypt border to ensure that militants operating in Sinai don't use Gaza as a refuge. In line with the agreement, Hamas has begun creating a security buffer zone along Gaza's border with Egypt. In return, Egypt has provided Gaza's rulers with fuel for its power station, easing the rolling blackouts that have for long fed discontent among Gaza's two million residents.

Mohammed Dahlan (Photo: Shaul Golan)

The Egyptian fuel shipments appear to have undermined the stepped up financial pressure on Hamas by Abbas. The Palestinian president had hoped such measures, including subsidy cuts and a reduction in payments for Gaza electricity, would force Hamas to cede ground in Gaza and gradually turn the population against the ruling group.

Speaking ahead of the al-Sissi-Abbas meeting in Cairo, an Egyptian diplomat briefed on the issues said Egypt's president was expected to tell Abbas that Cairo cannot keep Gaza sealed off forever, and that it needed to attend to the territory's needs. He said al-Sissi was also expected to tell Abbas that he was welcome to play a senior role in Gaza.

The officials close to Abbas said they had only heard of the Dahlan-Hamas and Egypt-Hamas agreements second hand, increasing their concerns.

Hamas terrorists (Photo: Reuters)

In remarks Saturday, Gaza-based Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh lauded the new security coordination with Egypt. Speaking a day after Islamic State militants killed at least 23 Egyptian soldiers in the deadliest attack in Sinai in two years, he said Hamas was "carrying out intensive measures on the border with Egypt to prevent any infiltration" into Gaza after the attack.

Separately, Dahlan and Hamas reached several understandings, according to officials on both sides. Abbas' aides said such contacts would only have been possible with Egypt's blessing. Dahlan is a former leading figure in Abbas' Fatah movement who fell out with the Palestinian president in 2010, went into exile and has since forged strong ties with the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

The officials said they were told that as a first step, Dahlan was expected to disburse $50 million in UAE funds to the families of those killed in the Hamas-Fatah street fighting of 2006 and 2007. One of his main lieutenants, Samir Masharawi, an exiled Fatah leader from Gaza, was to return to the territory to start implementing the deal.

During the meeting, al-Sisi told Abbas that it was essential to bring about a solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict which will include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with a capital in Jerusalem.

Al-Sisi also said that a solution was of paramount importance in the reestablishment of stability and security to the Middle East as a whole.
The Islamic State (ISIS) uploaded a video clip to the internet Sunday showing a terror attack it carried out Friday in northern Sinai in which a UAV can also be seen, which the group claims belongs to Israel.

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According to the organization, the Israeli drone was hovering over the area as part of the assistance it provides to the Egyptian government.

UAV ISIS claims belongs to Israel in Sinai

It is not the first time ISIS has accused Israel of assisting the Egyptian military in its fightback against the terror movement.

On Friday, ISIS militants unleashed a suicide car bomb and heavy gunfire on an Egyptian military checkpoint in northeastern Sinai Peninsula, leaving 23 security troops including a special forces colonel dead and wounding at least 33, authorities said.

Egyptian fighter jet attacking ISIS positions

In light of the attack, Hamas in Gaza announced Sunday that it was beefing up security on its southern border.

The move came largely as a ploy to demonstrate to Cairo that the Gaza-ruling terror group had no connection with the bombing, particularly after reports began to circulate in Israel that it was carried out with the help of people who were former members of Hamass military branch.
A U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire for southwest Syria held through the day, a monitor and rebels said on Sunday, in the first peacemaking effort of the war by the U.S. government under President Donald Trump.

The United States, Russia and Jordan reached the "de-escalation agreement," which appeared to give Trump a diplomatic achievement at his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Germany this week.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said "calm prevailed" in the southwest since the truce began at noon (0900 GMT) on Sunday despite minor violations.
From morning until noon a military exercise will take place at Kibbutz Sa'ad near the Gaza Strip.

As part of the exercise, heavy traffic of security forces and other vehicles are expected. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit has said the exercise was planned in advance as part of training drills for 2017.
VIENNA -- Austria has barred Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci from entering the country to attend an event marking the anniversary of last year's failed coup in Turkey, a spokesman for Austria's Foreign Ministry said in remarks broadcast on Monday.

"I can confirm that (Austrian) Foreign Minister (Sebastian) Kurz has in fact forbidden the Turkish economy minister from entering the country," the spokesman told ORF radio. He said the event was "very big" and that the visit represented a "danger for public order and security in Austria".

The decision followed a similar move by the Netherlands, which said on Friday Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes was not welcome to visit for a ceremony among Turkish expatriates to commemorate the anniversary.
No one from Kibbutz Eilon batted an eye last Friday when Hadil and Mahmoud Mazalfrom the Bedouin village of Arab al-Aramshe on the border near Lebanonwere warmly welcomed as new members of the kibbutz.

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The couple, who had been renting in the kibbutz for the past year, enjoyed the support of 116 members out of a total of 124 when it came time to vote.

The Mazal family

Mahmoud, 49, and Hadil, 32, are both nurses by profession and have three sons, Yazan, Adam and Amari. Hadil works at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, while Mahmoud works for the National Insurance Institute and Clalit Health Services.

"In 1994, someone from the kibbutz studied with me and after college, I went to live on the kibbutz until 2000. The decision to become members was made after the children were born," said Mahmoud.

"My father actually grew up on a kibbutz from age 10 as an adopted child of a Polish family on Kibbutz Matzuva and to this day he is known by the name Asher. He was a shepherd for the kibbutz and lived there until he was 30. Our decision to move to the kibbutz was completely accepted by our families and my mother even congratulated us. We are totally involved in kibbutz life."

Mahmoud's first project for the kibbutz was the establishment of an emergency medical center staffed by doctors and nurses, including him and his wife. Hadil also took a project upon herself and established a recreation center for kids and their parents.

"We believe in coexistence, love the sense of togetherness and the level of love, warmth and compassion. Our grandparents always supported kibbutzim in the area and the village always had a connection with them, even supplying flour and food," said Mahmoud.

According to Hadil and Mahmoud, there is no disputing that the kibbutz provides s level of education and quality of life that their village did not.

"There is a pool here, a gym, friendlinessm, support to mothers, peace of mind, communal meals on Friday nights and most importantly, accepting others as people," said the couple.

David Shteft, the kibbutz secretary, said that the couple successfully passed all the criteria. "We have 114 plots of land for those who wish to be accepted into full membership, and to date, we have absorbed 50 families from all over the country."

"I have known Mahmoud for 20 years," says kibbutz security coordinator Moshe Amsalem. "The entire family is an inseparable part of the kibbutz, and we see them as part of our lives."
Police raided an apartment serving as a drug lab in Tiberias, were they discovered and seized an arsenal of weapons, including M16s, an AK-47, vests, magazines, ammunition, telescopic sights and knives.

Police also seized NIS 40,000 in cash.

Police are expected to request an extension of remand at Nazareth Magistrate's Court.
Despite Israeli denials , indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel for a prisoner exchange "have come a long way," according to an interview with Palestinian officials conducted by the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper on Monday.

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According to the report, Hamas gave Egypt, particularly Egyptian intelligence, a prominent role in negotiations, with the goal being to exchange "four Israeli captives" for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Hadar Goldin, Oron Shaul and Abera Mengistu

The same sources confirmed that Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, agreed with Egyptian officials on what role they should play in completing the deal, as was the case with the Shalit exchange.

The report further claimed that there was a Hamas delegation in Cairo at the same time Mahmoud Abbas was visiting the city, which included the deputy commander of Hamas' military wing, Marwan Issa.

According to the report, the Hamas visit comes two weeks after a high-level Israeli delegation visited Cairo, during which negotiations were held.

Hamas leadership (Photo: EPA)

The newspaper further alleges that it is believed that Sinwar and Rawhi Mushtaha, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau, will be leading negotiations for the deal to be completed.

Prisoners to be demanded by Hamas include dozens of movement leaders and prominent Palestinian leaders, such as Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Secretary General Ahmad Sa'adat and Fatah Central Committee member Marwan Barghouti.

"Hamas is working to correct some of the mistakes and negative things that accompanied the previous deal," said Palestinian sources.

Sinwar, it was claimed, gave the Egyptian leadership the names of 56 prisoners freed in the Shalit deal that Israel had arrested in recent years. "Sinwar asked the Egyptian leadership to follow up on the issue of those prisoners, because it was Egypt that sponsored the previous deal and worked to complete it."
Jerusalem Magistrate Court sentences atomic spy Mordechai Vanunu to two months suspended sentence and 120 hours of community service, after convicting him six months ago of violating the terms of his release from prison.

Vanunu met in March 2013 with two American citizens at the Jerusalem Hotel in east Jerusalem, despite an order forbidding him to have any contact with foreign nationals without prior approval.
CHAMAN -- A suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle struck a vehicle carrying a police chief in the southwestern Pakistani town of Chaman near the Afghan border on Monday, killing the officer, his guard and a civilian, a government official said.

Eleven people were also wounded in the attack that targeted police chief Sajid Khan Mohmand's vehicle in the main bazaar, said Shahzada Farhat, police spokesman in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province.

The wounded included three police officers and eight passers-by. Kashif Alam, an assistant commissioner in Chaman, said the suicide bombing also damaged nearby shops.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing in Chaman, which is near the Afghan border town of Spin Boldak.
An attacker attempted to carry out a vehicular and stabbing attack on Monday at the T intersection, located in the Gush Etzion West bank cluster, between the settlements of Tekoa and Ma'ale Amos. The attacker reportedly crashed his vehicle, before exiting it and pulling out a knife in a stabbing attempt. He was shot and killed by Israeli security forces.

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One IDF soldier was moderately injured during the incident, when a pole hit by the vehicle fell and hit him. MDA administered emergency care and rushed him to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. He was later reported to be lightly injured.

The knife from the attack

The attacker is believed to have been acting alone and independently.

The scene of the attack (Photo: TPS)

Photo: TPS

Initial reports stated that the attacker drove his vehicle into an Infantry soldiers' station, causing a pole to fall and hit one of the soldiers, who is currently being treated for injuries in his lower extremities.
State-owned Israel Electric Corporation and the Palestinian Authority signed an agreement on Monday to boost Israeli electrical supply to the West Bank, even as Gaza endures daily blackouts in a Palestinian political dispute. Under the deal, a new electrical substation was inaugurated near the West Bank city of Jenin.

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Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and Israeli Energy Ministry Yuval Steinitz cut the red ribbon in a show of Israeli-Palestinian cooperation, three years after peace talks collapsed.

Palestinian PM Hamdallah and Israeli Energy Min. Steinitz (both center) cut the ribbon at Monday's ceremony (Photo: Yossi Weiss)

The facility will transmit 60 megawatts of electricity purchased from the Israel Electric Corp (IEC), officials said.

The West Bank is dependent on Israeli electricity and the internationally-funded substation is one of four that will be operated in the area by a Palestinian Authority-owned transmission company.

Three more power stations are being built in Ramallah, Nablus and Tarqumiyah.

Photo: Yossi Weiss

"This is a historic and encouraging moment," said Minister Steinitz at the power station's inauguration ceremony. "When you act together, great things can be achieved."

He added that "Israel is interested in improving the Palestinian economy, and here we have a project that is beneficial for both parties. It will provide Palestinians with greater electricity at a more consistent rate, and it's good for Israel because it guarantees through guarantees that the additional electricity to the Palestinians will not fall on the electrical company's shoulders. I hope this project will be used as a model for future projects."

Palestinian Prime Minister Hamdallah referenced the Gaza electricity crisis by saying, "the president has offered an initiative with Hamas, and we are waiting for their positive response regarding the managing committee that Hamas has set up in Gaza, while allowing for a joint government that would act in all possible fields in the Gaza strip.

"This isn't a condition, but the full package," added Hamdallah. "We don't want two governments but one government, which Hamas has also agreed upon, and which should have complete authority."

Photo: Yossi Weiss

A power boost for the West Bank coincides with an energy crisis in the Gaza Strip, where the ruling Hamas party refuses to acknowledge the Palestinian Authority's governance over it. The PA, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at its helm, has recently taken a tough stance against Hamas, saying that the PA will no longer provide Gaza with servicesincluding electricityuntil Hamas hands over control of the strip. The Palestinian Authority further stated that Hamas movement has not been reimbursing it for Gaza's electricity.

At present, electricity flows only two to three hours a day and medical facilities and residents who can afford to buy fuel largely rely on generators.

Since last month, the Israel Electric Corporation has cut by nearly half the amount of power it supplies to Gaza after the PA slashed its payments to the company for the electricity.

Palestinian political analysts and Hamas said the PA generated an energy crisis to pressure Hamas into loosening its grip on Gaza, a decade after the group seized the enclave from forces of the mainstream Fatah party.
Settlers are renewing their struggle to return to the so-called Machpelah House after UNESCO's contentious decision to recognize the Tomb of the Patriarchs as a Palestinian World Heritage Site.

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The Machpelah House was the site of a 2012 evacuation of settlers which had taken up residence in the three-story structure adjacent to the Cave of the Patriarchs. Settlers had originally claimed the property was legally sold to them by the Palestinian owners, a claim the latter vehemently denied.

The Machpelah House, Hebron

The 14 settler families living in the structure were ultimately evacuated by police and the IDF on the orders of then-Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak.

A year later, following a shooting attack, Netanyahu decided to resettle the disputed property, but ran into problems with the High Court, which ruled that no permits had been arranged.

In December 2015, the Land Registration Committee (LRC) determined that settlers had not produced all the necessary documents and that some of them were unreliable. The LRC deals with the registration of real estate, which to this day constitutes the legal basis for registration of land that has not yet been registered in Judea and Samaria.

About a month after the committee's decision, settlers filed an appeal with the Civil Administration, which ultimately stated, "There is an immoral gap between the evidence we found in the committee's case and its decisions."

The Civil Administration also referred to the issue of the so-called "missing documents" and noted that the documents in question were not missing, but were merely copies, as opposed to the originals. As such, the Civil administration noted, "according to the Notaries Law, these copies are the same as the originals."

As a result, the Civil Administration recommended that the original LRC decision be overruled.

Following the dramatic development, settlers said in response, "We demand entrance to the homes which were legally purchased and an end to the destruction of property rights. That should be the government's answer to the UNESCO decision."
DUBAI -- A court in Sanaa has sentenced to death four Saudis convicted of belonging to al Qaeda and beheading 14 Yemeni soldiers in a 2014 attack, according to media run by the Houthis, the northern rebel group in control of Yemen's capital.

"The criminal court in charge of terrorism cases in Sanaa on Sunday sentenced four Saudi nationals to death for belonging to al Qaeda and killing and beheading 14 soldiers of the 135th Brigade," al-Masirah television reported.

The court ordered for the men to be executed in public and in the presence of the families of those killed, the channel reported.
39 people, including six women, have been killed since the beginning of 2017. In addition, there were almost 400 shootings and according to police reports, there are hundreds of thousands of illegal weapons in Arab communities, which constitute 80% of all illegal weapons in Israel.

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One of those victims of violence is Nadia Baransi, 55, a resident of Tayibe who was struck by an apparent stray bullet.

"There is no stray bullet," said her brother Abd al-Mu'az Abu Ras. "This is a murderer's bullet. Anyone who uses guns can hurt people, and the results will always be severe. My sister was a victim of gunfire. The current situation is a threat to all our lives. This is a time to take the matter seriously and fight the phenomenon of violence correctly and professionally."

Photo: Motti Kimchi

Additional victims are Fadi Sarsur, 35, and Mohammed Amer, 36, residents of Kafr Qasem, who were murdered in June. A family member of Fadi said, "We almost never feel secure, and unfortunately, violence and crime are spreading in Arab society and there is no one to stop it."

A survey covering the months of May and June published by the Abraham Fund Initiatives discovered that 59% of respondents in the Arab public have no trust in the police.

However, despite a low feeling of trust in the police, data shows that Arab respondents are committed to finding a solution. Arab citizens are supportive in egalitarian and fair policing in their localities and see the partnership with the police as a key to eradicating the phenomenon.

For example, 70% of Arab citizens are willing to take part in the struggle against violence, compared to only 39% in Jewish society. 79% of Arab citizens are willing to report to the police about an offense or a crime case they have witnessed. 77% of the Arab public supports the establishment of police stations in Arab communities.

Arab youth shooting indiscriminately in Jisr az-Zarqa

However, at present, 54% of Arab citizens believe that their community has a problem with violence (compared to 4% of Jewish citizens) and 32% of Arab citizens do not feel safe in their community (compared to 12% of Jews).

Despite high rates of insecurity however, only 4% of Arab citizens reported being victims of crime or violence in the last three years. A rate very similar to that of Jewish society, which stands at 3.3%.

The Abraham Fund Initiatives issued a statement on the survey results, saying, "This is an opportune moment to develop joint activity with Arab society and with social, religious and political leaders at the national and local level."

The organization proposed a multi-year plan to eradicate crime in the Arab communities by "defining the problem as a national mission and allocate the necessary resources at the various levels: human capital, infrastructure, land allocation, advanced technologies, education, public relations and more."

Police seemingly agree and two weeks ago, launched a billboard campaign under the heading "feel confident" in order to encourage recruits to join the police and to open stations inside the Arab communities.

Police campaign billboard

"The campaign is part of a series of actions by the police and the Ministry of Public Security, which are intended to strengthen ties with Arab society in Israel," said police in a statement.

MK Yousef Jabareen criticized the campaign however, saying, "While the police demolish houses in Arab society, continue to act violently against Arab citizens, and security forces shoot and kill civilians like Umm al-Hiran and Kafr Qassem, the police are launching this campaign.

"This is a farce and the step is doomed to failure, since the real face of the police is familiar to Arab society and a thousand billboards will not change its hostile image. The police's test will be to change its policy toward Arab citizens and to change their attitude toward them as enemies."
The Lebanese news website Al-Nashra reported that a senior Russian army official visited the southern suburb of Beirut and met with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and other senior members of the terrorist organization.

According to the report, the source conveyed a message to Nasrallah on behalf of the Russian leadership in which she expressed hope that Hezbollah would play a specific role in the war in the region in the near future.
The memorial ceremony marking the 11th anniversary of the Second Lebanon War took place on Monday evening at the National Memorial Hall for Israel's Fallen Soldiers on Mount Herzl, making it the first time that the memorial ceremony was held at the site, which was inaugurated on the last Memorial Day.

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Among the guests were bereaved families, President Reuven Rivlin, Deputy Speaker of the Knesset MK Bezalel Smotrich, MK Tzipi Livni (Hatnuah), Supreme Court Justice Yoram Danziger and Deputy Minister of Defense Eli Ben-Dahan.





L to R: Livni, Smotrich, Rivlin, Danziger, Ben-Dahan (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

In his speech at the ceremony, President Rivlin said that "in this war, too, Israeli civil society was revealed in full force. Our soldiers displayed tremendous courage and determination, with endless devotion to their friends on the ground and with an endless commitment to the family, home, and community they left behind.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

"But in this war, warning signs flashed before our eyes: the importance of training, the danger of erosion in preparedness for war when there is a long and continuous struggle against terrorism, and the danger of missing combat equipment and weapons."

Bereaved families (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

The president also added, "The war for our home brought quiet to the northern communities" before warning that we must not mistake it for a resolution, as "the threat is still great."

"Our goal, as always, is to achieve (regional) quiet. But we have red lines, and if another war is imposed on us, we will vigorously defend our lives, our independence and our citizens," Rivlin concluded.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - This morning at approximately 3:37a.m., Officers from the Yuma Police Department responded to a report of a disturbance in the 1600 block of West 8th Street. Upon arrival police located two subjects with gunshot wounds.

A male subject was pronounced deceased on scene. A female subject was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center reference her injuries. She was flown to Phoenix for further treatment. The identity of the deceased subject is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

This case is still under investigation.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at 928-373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.
Amman: The Royal Jordanian have become the latest Middle Eastern airlines to allow passengers carry laptops in the cabin on US-bound flights.

"Enhanced security measures are now implemented to meet the requirements of the US Department of Homeland Security's new security guidelines for all US bound flights," Xinhua news agency quoted Royal Jordanian President and CEO Stefan Pichler as saying in a statement on Sunday.

He added: "We are glad that our guests can now fly onboard Royal Jordanian and use their electronic devices. We highly appreciate our passengers' patience and understanding during the time of the ban."

Royal Jordanian operates 16 weekly non-stop flights to three US cities: daily flights to Chicago and New York, and two weekly flights to Detroit.

Etihad, Turkish Airlines, Emirates and Qatar Airways became exempt last week, reports the BBC.

The US imposed the ban in March on direct flights from eight Muslim-majority countries -- Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey -- over security issued that bombs could be hidden in the devices.

Last month, the US Department of Homeland Security announced measures requiring additional time to screen passengers and electronic devices on US-bound flights from 105 countries.

Airlines in Morocco, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are yet to announce a lifting of the ban.
The amount of Internet traffic secured via SSL encryption is surging to new heights every day  its estimated that nearly 70 percent of all Web traffic uses SSL encryption and 86 percent of that uses advanced encryption methods like Elliptical Curve Cryptography (ECC) and Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS).

On top of that, when you consider the massive growth in Internet of Things (IoT) devices coming onto the network that are beginning to also require fast processing of encrypted traffic, its no wonder businesses are concerned about a potential encryption crisis that vendors are struggling to address. To this point, research and analyst firm IHS Technology estimates that the number of IoT devices could spike to 30.7 billion in the next three years, and cautions that those devices should leverage secure communication methods such as encryption.

Despite the potential blind spots introduced by encrypted traffic, which makes it harder to detect malware and other cyber threats, some companies elect to go without the ability to inspect this encrypted SSL traffic at all. Why? Because there are a host of misconceptions regarding SSL-encrypted traffic.

Here, we separate fact from fiction and share a few common SSL misconceptions and the reality.

SSL is complicated, slow, requires many resources to inspect and introduces new risks for networks. Actually, these days, its possible for SSL processors to reach speeds as fast as 44,000 SSL connections per second (CPS) for 128B file sizes. And by using application delivery and server load balancing technology, you can offload the compute-intensive SSL/TLS processing from Web servers for faster processing of SSL traffic.

We dont expect any increases in overall SSL traffic. Some customers claim that as theyre transitioning to using traffic-heavy applications such as Office 365, their SSL traffic nearly doubled. Introducing new business tools requires a better understanding of new demands on your network  and an even greater need to inspect the traffic thats coming into your network. And when you consider the need to address the swell of traffic generated by IoT devices that comes in close proximity of your business, you add an even greater need to swiftly and securely process this traffic.

I already know whats happening with our network traffic. In reality, many IT professionals dont realize how much encrypted traffic is on their network until they actually install SSL/TLS encryption solutions  especially those that support protocols other than HTTPS and can detect SSL/TLS on non-standard ports. SSL/TLS encryption in high-throughput, high-connection-rate scenarios can give enterprises assurance with their email platforms that can effectively become a ransomware killer.

I already have an encryption solution, so I dont need a dedicated appliance. While its true that many all-in-one solutions can process encrypted traffic, there is often an SSL performance tax associated. Can you sacrifice security for performance, or vice versa? Having a dedicated appliance for SSL encryption takes the processing demands off your other appliances, meaning you dont suffer the SSL performance hit.

All we have to do is block access to unsavory websites and were safe. There are numerous examples of legitimate websites being exploited, cross site scripting and malware  in the form of adware. All of this is prevalent in websites that employees visit during normal daily activity. On top of that, you also have to factor in all the added risks mobile workers bring into secured perimeters  or simply office employees with mobile devices that include apps with weak security  that can introduce malware to the corporate network. Bad traffic doesnt come from unsavory websites alone. Its important to have an encryption solution to protect your network from all angles.

About the Author

Mohammed Al-Moneer is Regional Director, MENA at A10 Networks. Mohammed has held various sales leadership positions at networking and other high tech companies. Most recently at Infoblox (News - Alert), he served as regional manager for Saudi Arabia, where he leveraged his success in leading the services business to drive operational efficiencies and innovation and achieve exceptional growth. Prior to that he worked as territory sales manager for enterprise servers, storage and networking at Hewlett-Packard (News - Alert).

Edited by Alicia Young
Islamabad: In a setback to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a Supreme Court ordered probe panel in its final report on the Panamagate today recommended filing of a corruption case against him and his children after finding "significant" disparities in their income and actual wealth.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed the Sharif family's business dealings in its report submitted to the apex court recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, as well as daughter Maryam Nawaz, under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance 1999.

The report, however, was slammed by the Nawaz Sharif government as "trash" with Sharif's close aide and minister for development Ahsan Iqbal in press conference with other ministers, saying they will challenge the report in the Supreme Court and will "completely expose and unveil its contradictions and falsifications".

Sharif's daughter Maryam also rejected the report, saying, "JIT report REJECTED. Every contradiction will not only be contested but decimated in SC. NOT a penny of public exchequer involved."

The JIT report said the assets of all four respondents were found to be more than the sources of their income.

"Significant gap/disparity amongst the known and declared sources of income and the wealth accumulated by the Respondent No. 1, 6, 7 and 8 have been observed," the JIT observed in its concluding remarks.

Respondent 1 refers to Prime Minister Sharif; Respondent 6 was Maryam; Respondent 7 Hussain; while Respondent 8 was Hassan.

The report said the financial structure and health of companies in Pakistan having linkages to the Sharif family also do no substantiate their wealth.

It also highlighted "irregular movement" of huge sums of money in the form "loans and gifts" between Sharif and his youngest son from various companies set up in Saudi Arabia, the UK and the UAE.

The report said the role of off-shore companies is critical as they have been identified to be linked with their businesses in UK.

The JIT also said that the Sharifs were unable to provide substantive evidence of a reliable money trail, used to buy expensive properties in London.

Sharif, 67, who has denied money-laundering allegations against him and his family, today held consultations with his close aides after the report was filed with the court.

Sharif's close aide and minister for development Iqbal later said, "If you review this report, it has no logical argument neither it quoted authentic sources nor material, but is based on things that have no authenticity before the law. Therefore, we are rejecting this report, terming it rubbish."

Iqbal, while announcing that his party will challenge the report before the apex court, said, "We not only condemn this report but will completely expose and unveil its contradictions and falsification before the Supreme Court. We will demolish this report."

Iqbal said the report was based on accusations leveled by Imran and his party and there was nothing new in it.

Zafarullah Khan, another close aide of Sharif, said, "It is a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf report and not JIT report...It is Imran Nama."

He said that the Supreme Court bench will consign the report to a "trash bin, where it rightfully belongs".

Earlier, JIT chief Wajid Zia presented the 10-volume report along with evidence to the three-member special bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal, Justice Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan.

The court ordered that its copies should be provided to the parties in the case, including Sharif family.

However, JIT chief Zia asked the court that its 10th volume of the report should not be made public as it consists of correspondence with a foreign government.

The bench has adjourned the hearing till Monday.

The six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

The JIT has also probed several serving and former officials in connection with the case.

The six-member JIT included Federal Investigation Agency?s (FIA) Additional Director General Wajid Zia, Military Intelligence?s Brig Kamran Khurshid, National Accountability Bureau?s (NAB) Director Irfan Naeem Mangi, State Bank of Pakistan's Amer Aziz, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan?s (SECP) Executive Director Bilal Rasool and Inter- Services Intelligence?s Brig Muhammad Nauman Saeed.

Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis.

The JIT questioned Sharif family including the Prime Minister, his younger brother and Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, sons Hassan and Hussain, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Captain Safdar, cousin Tariq Shafi and close relative Ishaq Dar.

It also probed several serving and former officials.

Meanwhile, Sharif's rival Imran told the media that the PML-N chief should resign as prime minister.

"There is no need of further trial or proceedings. He should go away and should be barred from leaving the country along with other family members," he said.
Patna/New Delhi: The RJD on Monday threw its weight behind embattled Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and rejected the demand for his resignation after he was made an accused in the land-for-hotel case being probed by the CBI.

A meeting of top party leaders and legislators also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP of trying to "fix" RJD president Lalu Prasad with the help of the government machinery.

JD(U), meanwhile, broke its silence on the issue of CBI raids on premises linked to Lalu and his relatives, with party veteran Sharad Yadav dubbing it an attempt to frustrate efforts for forming a grand alliance of opposition parties at the national level to take on the NDA.

The RJD legislature party met here today in the presence of Lalu, his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi and their two sons--Tejashwi and Tej Pratap-- both ministers in the Nitish Kumar government and rejected outright the BJP's demand for the deputy chief minister's resignation following the Friday raids.

Although Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has not publicly spoken about the raids in connection with handing over the maintenance of two railway-run hotels to private parties allegedly in return for a prime piece of land to Lalu's family in Patna, senior RJD leader Jagdanand Singh said the two spoke on phone last night.

Singh said Nitish called up Lalu but refused to divulge what transpired during the telephonic talks.

The case relates to the period when Lalu was the railway minister. Apart from Lalu, his wife and son Tejashwi have been made accused in the case.

Meanwhile, former JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav has called the raids an attempt at stalling the formation of a grand alliance at the national level.

"These raids are an attempt at stalling the formation of a grand alliance at the national level, but it cannot be stopped," he said in New Delhi.

Yadav said leaders of the two parties would meet to discuss the issue and it was not proper for him to speak more on it.

Kumar, who was in Rajgir for the last few days, returned to the state capital last night. However, his continued silence on the raids further fuelled speculation over the strained ties between the two allies that are part of the 3- party ruling coalition in Bihar which includes the Congress.

Cancellation of the chief minister's weekly 'Lok Samvad' programme, which was scheduled for today, also added to the speculation.

Emerging from the RJD Legislature Party meeting, Finance Minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui told reporters, "The meeting praised Tejashwi Yadav's work as RJD Legislature Party leader."

Mundrika Prasad Yadav and Ramanuj Prasad, both RJD MLAs, were more forthcoming saying, there was no question of Tejashwi's resignation.

Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi and his minister brother Tej Pratap were present at the meeting of legislators and other senior leaders of the party.

Asked about Nitish Kumar's silence on the raids, Siddiqui said, "Our chief minister is not keeping mum, rather he believes in work."

Accompanied by RJD chief whip in the Assembly Lalit Yadav and senior party leader Jagdanand Singh, Siddiqui blamed the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the action against Lalu Prasad and his family.

"The BJP and the PM are trying to fix Lalu Prasad with the help of government machinery," he alleged.

"But whenever such a situation has arisen the RJD has bounced back with double its strength," he said.

Siddiqui said the July 17 presidential election and the RJD's proposed rally in Patna against the BJP on August 27 were discussed at the meeting.

The RJD legislators said they would not leave any stone unturned to make the "BJP Hatao, Desh Bachao" (oust BJP, save country)" rally a grand success, Siddiqui said.

Lalu Prasad has claimed that Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal and senior Left party leaders would attend the rally which would showcase the "unity" of non-BJP parties before the parliamentary election in 2019.

Meanwhile, amid reports of a rift in the JD(U)-RJD alliance, Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai said in the national capital that his MLAs would lend outside support to the Nitish Kumar government in the event of a split in the state's ruling coalition if the party's central leadership so decides.

Rai, who met BJP chief Amit Shah earlier in the day, said the party would extend support to Nitish Kumar only to prevent Bihar's "slide into anarchy" and not be a part of the government.
New Delhi: RJD Chief Lalu Prasad's son-in-law on Monday skipped the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons in a case of alleged money laundering, an official here said.

"We had summoned Shailesh Kumar on Saturday to appear before the agency today (Monday) for questioning, but he did not appear," the ED official told IANS.

The official also said that the agency has summoned the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief's daughter Misa Bharti to appear before it on Tuesday in the case of alleged money laundering.

The ED action comes in the wake of the raids it carried out on three properties of Shailesh Kumar and Bharti for alleged money laundering in the Jain brothers entry operators case.

The searches were carried out on the basis of a criminal complaint filed on February 11 with the Serious Fraud Investigating Office (SFIO) in Delhi's Tis Hazari court against Jain brothers -- Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain -- and Jagat Project Pvt. Ltd., chartered accountant Rajesh Kumar Agrawal and others for criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery under the provisions of the Companies Act.

On May 22, the Directorate had arrested Agrawal, allegedly linked to Bharti, from Delhi, while Jain brothers were arrested on March 20.

According to the ED official, Bharti, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar, and her husband were directors of Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited, which is suspected to have entered into 'benami' deals for the purchase of a farm house in Delhi's Bijwasan area.
Patna: At least 26 persons, including women and children, were killed and over a dozen injured in incidents of lightning strikes across Bihar in last 24 hours, an official said here on Monday.

Deaths were reported from Vaishali, Patna, Rohtas, Saran, Buxar, Bhojpur, Gaya, Samastipur, Siwan, Araria and Aurangabad districts on Sunday, Bihar State Disaster Department official Anirudh Kumar said.

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the family of each victim.

Lightning strikes during the June-September monsoon season are common across Bihar, with bamboo and grass huts more at risk.

Bihar received heavy rainfall on Sunday, and the Meteorological Department has forecast similar conditions on Monday as well
Saeed Naqvi/IANS

The recent rise in the electability of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn as Britain`s next Prime Minister, according to the latest opinion polls, has not made headline news. This is not surprising because Establishments everywhere, of which the media is a part, imagine that an idea can be made to vanish by playing it down.



The findings of the poll have been published even in conservative newspapers like The Telegraph in London. This virtually amounts to a taboo being lifted from the idea of Corbyn. Call it acquiescence, if you like.



Senior Labour leaders, indeed authors of New Labour, like Tony Blair and Lord Peter Mandelson, must be close to a nervous breakdown. Or they must be working very hard, as Mandelson has admitted in interviews, to "undermine Corbyn".



The difficulty with mean-minded cribbing by Mandelson is that it generates sympathy among Corbyn`s growing tribe of supporters. Take this quote from a Labour member: "The idea that Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister implementing policies that actually benefit the people terrifies the Establishment. It is no surprise that Mandelson has found space in his busy schedule for spending time on Oligarchs` Yachts to attempt to undermine Jeremy."



This being the tone of the exchange, Corbyn`s path to eventual success will be made ever more difficult by the Establishment of which Mandelson and the Deep State are parts.



There is, however, a tailwind of recent history particular to Britain, which may be helping Corbyn.



Accelerated globalisation after the Soviet collapse was a shot in the arm for capitalism. This, in its turn, generated arbitrary inequalities which erupted in such movements as "Occupy Wall Street". The Republican Tea Party was the immediate counter punch.



The popular will adapts to changing climate. Establishments, obstinately resistant to change, begin to strategize: how to channelize or thwart the popular will.



In almost all western democracies the conflict is on: Establishments vs the people. A Left wing Syriza brought 43-year-old Alexis Tsipras to power as Prime Minister of Greece. Germany and the EU broke the movement`s will. Revert to austerity or we shall not pick up your debts.



In Spain, where the ghost of Franco still hovers over public life, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the Right Wing Peoples Party, supervised over such unspeakable corruption (another gift of globalisation), that a new communist-inclined party Podemos, under the leadership of 39-year-old Pablo Iglesias, burst upon the scene.



The resulting stalemate between the Peoples Party, Socialist and Podemos led to a repeat election which yielded more or less the same configuration. The Establishment worked overtime. On the pain of being decimated, Socialists allowed themselves to be persuaded to abstain in a Parliamentary vote. This enabled the corrupt PP hold on to power. The idea is to weaken and eventually erase Podemos by sheer attrition and election fatigue.



In the process of warding off unfriendly political trends, the establishment learnt another lesson. The sprinkling of leaders breaking out of the two-party suffocation were all anti-austerity, Leftists and in their 30s and 40s. Why could not the "right" respond with similar decor and aspirations?



That exactly is what has been attempted in Spain by launching Ciudadanos, (Citizens) a centrist party with an unusual rise on an anti-corruption platform. I met people in Madrid and Barcelona who described the new party as "Podemos of the right". In terms of youth, Ciudadanos is an improvement. Its leader, Albert Rivera, 35, is four years younger than Pablo Iglesias.



The aesthetics which define young leaders in Greece, Spain and Canada appear to have been grafted on France`s Emmanuel Macron too. He is their age and talks of influencing the EU to reduce the burden of austerity. The scale of his success has encouraged him to be openly ambidextrous. He has invited Donald Trump to the National Day parade on July 14. This despite Trump having withdrawn from the Paris accord on climate change.



In brief, different kinds of gyrations define western democracies today. In this overall confused picture another reality remains largely unnoticed.



A Fox News poll published some months ago (mostly ignored) shows that Bernie Sanders has a +28 rating above all US politicians on both ends of the political spectrum.



The Guardian`s Trevor Timm wrote recently: "One would think with numbers like that, Democratic politicians would be falling all over themselves to be associated with Sanders, especially considering the party as a whole is more unpopular than the Republicans and even Donald Trump right now. Yet instead of embracing his message, the Establishment wing of the party continues to resist him at almost every turn, and they seem insistent that they don`t have to change their ways to gain back the support of huge swaths of the country."



The moral of the story is this: a rattled Establishment is in many democracies rushing to thwart or redirect the popular will -- and with mixed success.



Against this backdrop, there appears on the horizon a certain British exceptionalism. Jeremy Corbyn`s election as Labour leader despite Tony Blair, Mandelson and the Parliamentary party, results of the Brexit referendum, the manner in which Theresa May was trounced in the June 8 elections -- all point to the Establishment in Britain, unlike elsewhere, clearly contained by the people.
Swagata Yadavar /IndiaSpend/IANS

Mumbais Colaba is well known for its art deco buildings, the Gateway of India, swish pubs and restaurants, and the pleasant promenade of Marine Drive. It houses the state assembly, the Vidhan Bhavan, and the state secretariat, Mantralaya.



However, this high-profile ward recorded the third-highest incidence of malnourishment (69 per cent) among government school children in Mumbai in 2015-16, according to a report by the non-profit Praja Foundation.



How can such a dire situation exist in one of the poshest parts of a city that generates more money than any other in India, ranking 17th among the 20 richest cities of the world?



Slums are not easy to spot in Colaba, where real estate prices go up to Rs 100,000 per square foot. However, towards the tapering edge of the island city, bordering the defence forces` area of Navy Nagar, lies Geeta Nagar, with a population of 6,000 . Between the ramshackle houses, one can glimpse the sea, and the high tide brings seawater into people`s homes.



"Most of the community here is of migrants from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Most mothers work as domestic help in homes nearby and fathers work as security men or drivers," Velankani Joseph, a social worker who lives here, told IndiaSpend. "Since mothers can cook only one meal [at home] in a day, the kids here eat biscuits, chips and fried snacks between meals."



As many as 49 per cent boys and 59 per cent girls were malnourished in Colaba Ward, in which Geeta Nagar lies, in 2015-16, according the Praja Foundation report. The total number of malnourished children rose from 244 in 2014-15 to 2,768 in 2015-16, the report found.



The Mumbai civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), conducts a yearly health assessment of all children studying in its schools. Praja accessed this data through Right to Information filings, and concluded from analysing this data that younger children were more likely to be malnourished - 73 per cent of malnourished children in 2015-16 studied between Grades I to V.



Mumbai`s high malnutrition figures are despite the fact that 83 per cent of government and aided schools in Mumbai city and 95.1 per cent in its suburbs, respectively, have a mid-day meal programme.



The BMC, the richest municipal corporation in the country, denies Praja`s contention that malnutrition has increased four-fold. "There has been a misunderstanding by Praja Foundation. Before 2014, we only measured weight for age. Since 2014, we also measure height, weight for age and also waist circumference," Padmaja Keskar, Executive Health Officer, BMC, told IndiaSpend. "Also, underweight does not mean malnourished."



Praja Foundation terms these "excuses," emphasising that the BMC should be trying to find solutions instead. "If the BMC had not been measuring height along with weight of the child before 2014, it is a gross negligence on their part because even a basic body mass index, requires height measurement," said Milind Mhaske, Project Coordinator, Praja Foundation.



Even accounting for the BMC`s argument about change of methodology of assessment after 2014, the data shows that 36 per cent of children studying in BMC schools are malnourished.



Mhaske says this points to failure of the Integrated Child Development Scheme, which seeks to provide nutrition and pre-school education to children under six; the public distribution system of the central government which aims to make available food and non-food items to the poor; and the mid-day meal programme run by respective state governments to provide free meals to primary and upper primary school children.



The WHO considers malnourishment to cover two kinds of conditions: Under-nutrition which leads to stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), low weight (for age), and micronutrient deficiencies on the one hand, and obesity and related problems on the other.



Government data has also shown up worrying statistics pertaining to childhood malnutrition.



Among children under the age of five, 21.3 per cent are stunted, 20.3 per cent wasted, and a total of 28.9 per cent children are underweight, according to the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16) for Mumbai Suburban, which has thrice the size and population of Mumbai city and extends up to Dahisar in the north and Mulund in the east.



NFHS-4 numbers are worse for Mumbai city (which consists of South Bombay from Colaba to Sion and is also known as the Island City), with one among four children under five years of age being stunted (25.5 per cent), wasted (25.8 per cent) and underweight (22.7 per cent).



Mumbai`s glittering skyline hides inequities that impact people`s access to healthcare, sanitation and government services. Nowhere is this more visible in Mumbai`s slums, where 41.3 per cent of its population lives.



Nearly 60 per cent of Mumbai`s slum population lives on eight per cent of land in the city, jostling not just for space but also basic facilities -- fewer slum households have access to a drinking water source within the premises than other urban areas, a bathroom, covered drainage, clean cooking fuel such as LPG or a latrine, according to the 2015 Save the Children report "Forgotten Voices: The World of Urban Children in India."



Mumbai`s problem is emblematic of the challenge facing the entire country in the years to come. Yet, the Indian government allocates to its urban citizens only one-sixth the per capita spending allocated for rural citizens and one-tenth of what is allocated for the rural poor.



"The urban health system is still evolving, there is an urgent need for decentralisation of health services and in its current state perhaps it [urban health system] is not at par with this increasing demand of health care among the urban poor," said Suvarna Ghosh Jerath, Additional Professor, Public Health Foundation of India, Delhi. "Perhaps due to their low visibility among general urban population, the magnitude of the problems of the urban poor isn`t well known."
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday is set to pronounce the quantum of sentence against liquor baron Vijay Mallya for contempt of court.

The apex court in May had held Mallya guilty of contempt of court for disobeying its orders by not disclosing full particulars of his assets and also violating the orders of Karnataka High Court by transferring USD 40 million received from British firm Diageo, to his three children.

The court had also directed the Union Home Ministry to "secure and ensure" the presence of embattled businessman Vijay Mallya, who is currently in the United Kingdom, before it on July 10.

India had recently asked Britain to ensure early extradition of Mallya, who is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The offence of contempt of court entails a maximum imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of upto Rs 2,000 or both.

The apex court's order came on a plea by the consortium of banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), which had said that Mallya had not disclosed full particulars of his assets and violated various judicial orders.

In its verdict, the bench had noted that the orders passed by the apex court were "clear and unambiguous" and Mallya was called upon to make complete disclosure of his assets.
New Delhi: Embattled businessman Vijay Mallya failed to appear in Supreme Court on Monday in a contempt case filed by a consortium of banks led by SBI. The apex court, which had held Mallya guilty of contempt, fixed the matter for hearing on July 14.

A bench comprising of Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit fixed the matter for hearing on July 14 and sought the assistance of the Solicitor General in the case.

The apex court had on May 9 held Mallya, who is presently in the United Kingdom, guilty of contempt on a plea by the consortium of lender banks, led by the State Bank of India, for his failure to furnish details of all his Indian as well as offshore assets.

It had directed Mallya to appear before it today to argue on the quantum of punishment.

The offence of contempt of court entails a maximum imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of upto Rs 2,000 or both.

India had recently asked Britain to ensure early extradition of Mallya, who is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The apex court's order had come on a plea by the consortium of banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), which had said that Mallya had allegedly transferred USD 40 million received from British firm Diageo to his children in "flagrant violation" of various judicial orders.

The banks had argued before the court that Mallya had wilfully disobeyed the orders and made "vague" disclosure about his assets.

The top court had on March 9 asked the liquor baron about the "truthfulness" of the disclosure of assets by him and the transfer of money to his children.

The bench had reserved its order on two pleas of lending banks seeking contempt action and a direction to Mallya to deposit USD 40 million received from offshore firm Diageo respectively.

The banks have alleged that Mallya had concealed the facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth Mallya and daughters Leanna Mallya and Tanya Mallya in "flagrant violation" of the orders passed by the Karnataka High Court.

In October last year, the court had rapped Mallya for not making full disclosure of his overseas properties and had asked him to do so within a month.

The bench had also pulled up Mallya for not giving details of USD 40 million which he had allegedly received from Diageo in February last year, saying it was of the "prima facie view" that proper disclosure as per its earlier order was not made.

The banks had on August 29 last year told the Supreme Court that Mallya had deliberately not made full disclosure of his assets including the USD 40 million he received on February 25 from Diageo.

The apex court in May had held Mallya guilty of contempt of court for disobeying its orders by not disclosing full particulars of his assets and also violating the orders of Karnataka High Court by transferring USD 40 million received from British firm Diageo, to his three children.

The court had also directed the Union Home Ministry to "secure and ensure" the presence of embattled businessman Vijay Mallya, who is currently in the United Kingdom, before it on July 10.

India had recently asked Britain to ensure early extradition of Mallya, who is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The offence of contempt of court entails a maximum imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of upto Rs 2,000 or both.

The apex court's order came on a plea by the consortium of banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), which had said that Mallya had not disclosed full particulars of his assets and violated various judicial orders.

In its verdict, the bench had noted that the orders passed by the apex court were "clear and unambiguous" and Mallya was called upon to make complete disclosure of his assets.

With PTI Inputs
New Delhi: Traders and businesses will have to display the GST registration number on their business sign boards and the registration certificate in premises.

Also, composition dealers will have to mention that they are availing the composite scheme and are not entitled to collect taxes from people.

"Every taxable person is required to display his GSTIN number on name board or sign board of business and is also required to display his registration certificate in business premises so that a citizen can easily find out whether a person is registered or not," a tax official said.

The composition dealer is required to mention in the business premises along with registration certificate that he is not entitled to collect tax from taxpayers.

"That is the legal requirement. So that the citizen can find out whether the person from whom he is buying is entitled to collect tax from him or not," the official added.

The Goods and Services Taxpayer Identification Number (GSTIN) is a 15-digit number which taxpayers get after registering with the GST Network portal.

Initially, a business is given a provisional ID on logging into the portal and within 3 months the business has to complete the registration process by giving details of business. This provisional ID is then converted to GSTIN.

Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said that if a business entity does not generate certificate of registration within 90 days then the provisional ID will stand cancelled.

The GST, which subsumes service tax, excise and VAT, have been implemented from July 1.
London: Russia is causing cyberspace mayhem and should face retaliation if it continues to undermine democratic institutions in the West, the former head of Britain's GCHQ spy agency said on Monday.

Russia denies allegations from governments and intelligence services that it is behind a growing number of cyber attacks on commercial and political targets around the world, including the hackings of recent US and French presidential election campaigns.

Asked if the Russian authorities were a threat to the democratic process, Robert Hannigan, who stepped down as head of the UK's intelligence service in March, said: "Yes. There is a disproportionate amount of mayhem in cyberspace coming from Russia from state activity."

In his first interview since leaving GCHQ, Hannigan told BBC radio that it was positive that French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had publicly "called this out recently".

Standing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin in May, Macron said state-funded Russian news outlets had sought to destabilise his campaign while the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency said last week it was expecting Russia to try to influence the German election in September.

"Ultimately people will have to push back against Russian state activity and show that it's unacceptable," he said.

"It doesn't have to be by cyber retaliation, but it may be that is necessary at some time in the future. It may be sanctions and other measures, just to put down some red lines and say that this behaviour is unacceptable."

Hannigan also said it would be a mistake to force social media companies to allow intelligence agencies to access services protected by encryption through so-called "back door" access.

"The best you can do with end-to-end encryption is work with companies in a cooperative way to find ways around it frankly," he said.

He said such "back doors" would weaken systems.

Hannigan also said governments should wait to see how a global working group on tackling online extremism established by Facebook, Google's YouTube, Twitter and Microsoft performed before seeking new laws.

"Legislation is a blunt last resort because frankly extremism is very difficult to define in law and you could spend all your time in court arguing about whether a particular video crosses the line or not," he said.

Last month, Germany approved a plan to fine social media networks up to 50 million euros ($57 million) if they failed to remove hateful postings promptly.

Britain has also mooted bringing in possible sanctions for tech firms that failed to remove extremist content.
Panaji: The opposition Congress on Monday demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation should probe recent incidents of desecration of religious places in Goa.

"I demand CBI inquiry into desecration of religious places. Whether it is a religious structure of Christians, Muslims or Hindus, such attacks cannot be tolerated," Goa Congress chief Shantaram Naik said here.

He was speaking to reporters after meeting state Director General of Police Muktesh Chandar.

Police department is capable of investigating these cases but is likely to get "pressurised", Naik claimed.

"The CBI, being a neutral agency, would be able to investigate these cases better," the Congress leader said.

Several gravestones were damaged by unidentified persons at Curchorem in South Goa district yesterday night.

At least nine holy crosses and a temple have been vandalised by unidentified persons in South Goa district since July 1.

Naik also criticised Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for not handing over the charge of home department to some other minister before leaving for the US.

The Congress wasn't against his foreign tour, but since he left amid incidents of attack on religious places, Parrikar should have handed over the responsibility of home department to somebody, Naik said.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from social activist Teesta Setalvad for relief from charges of corruption and misappropriation of funds meant for rehabilitation of Gujarat riot victims.

No relief has been given by the court to Teesta in the grave digging matter in which she is also an accused.

The apex court asked her to face trial in the case registered against her and her husband.

The top court said that the charge sheet had already been filed in the case.

The apex court earlier on July 5 reserved its order on Setalvad's plea regarding defreezing of her bank account and the NGOs.

A division bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justice AM Khanwilkar, was hearing the arguments.

The Gujarat Government told the apex court that Setalvad had allegedly spent NGO money meant for secular education for her personal purpose, including liquor consumption.

Setalvad, rejected the Gujarat Government's allegation and told the court that the state government was harassing her and wanted to paralyse her activities.

She told the apex court, "Only Rs. 7,850 were spent on liquor over seven years and the expenditure was approved by the Ford Foundation which donated money. Is it a crime?"

Teesta, her husband and the two NGOs - Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace - approached the apex court challenging the October 7, 2015, verdict of the Gujarat High Court, which had rejected their pleas for defreezing their personal bank accounts.

One of the residents of Gulberg Society had filed a complaint against Setalvad and others alleging that money was raised to make a museum at Gulberg Society in the memory of those killed during the 2002 Gujarat riots, but it had not been utilised for the purpose.

The high court had upheld the verdict of a lower court in this regard observing that the probe was at a serious point. In their plea before the apex court, the petitioners have alleged that their accounts were "illegally freezed" without following the due process of law.
New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday sought to clear the air over his meeting with Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui here, and said, "It is my job to be informed on critical issues".

His admission comes after the party initially denied such a meeting had taken place between the two only to change that stance sometime later.

The flip-flop created a controversy of a sort, prompting the BJP to demand the party to divulge details of the meeting, which came amid an ongoing stand-off between the Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam near the Sikkim border.

"Why the government is so concerned about me meeting an Ambassador. It's my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE and the Bhutanese Ambassador," he said in a tweet message.

Confirming about the meeting, party spokesman RS Surjewala said, "Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting Congress president and vice president from time to time on a courtesy basis."

Surjewala said, "Nobody should attempt to sensationalize this."

Meanwhile, BJP's V Chauthaiwale criticised the Congress for not divulging details of the meeting, "In larger national interest, Rahul Gandhi should come out clean on this issue and tell what has gone into the discussion."

"We have in principle no objection if Rahul Gandhi meets any foreign diplomat," he added.

The stand-off between the Indian and Chinese troops was triggered by an attempt to construct a road by China's People's Liberation Army.

New Delhi has conveyed to China that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with "serious" security implications. The road link could give China a major military advantage over India.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

China and Bhutan are engaged in talks over the resolution of the dispute in the area. India argues that since it is a tri-junction involving the three countries, it also has a say in the issue, specially in the backdrop of 2012 agreement between special representatives of the two countries, that have till now held 19 rounds of talks.

Bhutan has no diplomatic ties with China. As a close friend and neighbour, Bhutan enjoys diplomatic and military support from India.
New Delhi: Amid a bitter stand-off between India and China over the Dokalam region, the Congress party on Monday rejected reports of party vice president Rahul Gandhi's meeting with Chinese Amabassador to India Luo Zhaohui.

No such meeting took place, the Congress said.

CNN News18 had earlier reported that Rahul met Zhaohui to discuss Sino-India relations in the wake of stand-off between armies of two nations in Doklam area of Sikkim.

However, sources in Rahul Gandhi's office denied any meeting with Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui.

Sources in Rahul Gandhi's office deny any meeting with Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui  ANI (@ANI_news) July 10, 2017

The fresh matter came to fore at a time when China has increased pressure on India to withdraw its troops from the Dokalam region as a precondition for any talks to resolve border issues between the two sides.

The Indian Army,meanwhile, is said to be ready for a long haul in holding onto its position in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction, notwithstanding China ratcheting up rhetoric against India demanding pulling back of its troops.

The Indian soldiers deployed in the disputed area have pitched in tents, in an indication that they are unlikely to retreat unless there was reciprocity from China's PLA personnel in ending the face-off at an altitude of around 10,000 feet in the Sikkim section.

A steady line of supplies is being maintained for the soldiers at the site, official sources said, signalling that Indian Army is not going to wilt under any pressure from China.

At the same time they sounded confident of finding a diplomatic solution to the dispute, citing resolution of border skirmishes in the past through diplomacy.

Though China has been aggressively asserting that it was not ready for any "compromise" and that the "ball is in India's court", the view in the security establishment here is that there cannot be any unilateral approach in defusing the tension.

Both the countries had agreed to a mechanism in 2012 to resolve border flare ups through consultations at various levels.

The mechanism has not worked so far in the current case as the standoff near the Bhutan trijunction, triggered by China's attempt to build a road in the strategically important area, has dragged on for over three weeks.

New Delhi has already conveyed to China that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with "serious" security implications for India. The road link could give China a major military advantage over India.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

China and Bhutan are engaged in talks over the resolution of the dispute in the area. India argues that since it is a tri-junction involving the three countries, it also has a say in the issue, specially in the backdrop of 2012 agreement between special representatives of the two countries, that have till now held 19 rounds of talks.

Bhutan has no diplomatic ties with China. As a close friend and neighbour, Bhutan enjoys diplomatic and military support from India.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday night condemned the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir and said that he was pained beyond words.

"Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone," PM Modi tweeted.

"My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured," he added.

In another tweet, the PM said, "India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate."

At the same time, he spoke to Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and assured all possible assistance required.

Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

I have spoken to the Governor and Chief Minister of J&K and assured all possible assistance required.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2017

At least seven pilgrims were killed and a number of others injured in the terror attack in Anantnag district of south Kashmir tonight.

Five of them were women, police said.

At 8.20 pm today, the militants attacked an armoured car of the police, an official said. When the police fired back, the militants fled, firing indiscriminately, the official added, as per PTI.

A bus carrying yatris was on the highway when the incident occurred.

The bus had come from Sonamarg. The pilgrims were on their way back after visiting the Amarnath shrine.

The police claimed the bus driver had violated rules for the pilgrimage, which state that no yatra vehicle should be on a highway after 7 pm.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered case against Lalu Prasad Yadav and family, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLAs will meet on Monday to discuss the political situation in Bihar.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also called an all party meeting of its legislators on Tuesday in which he might compel Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to step down from his post. After three days in Rajgir, Nitish returned to Patna on Sunday and went straight to 1 Anne Marg residence without speaking to media. Though Kumar is yet to break his silence on the CBI raids, sources in the JD(U) reportedly said that it would be an ideal situation if Tejashwi Yadav himself offers to step down during a meeting of RJD legislators.

Yesterday, Nitish Kumar's Lok Samvad Programme, which was scheduled to be held today has also been postponed citing former's health reasons. A press release issued by the state government stated that the chief minister is suffering from fever and therefore, the Lok Samvad Programme has been postponed. However, it has been speculated that he is avoiding sharing space with Tejashwi as well as media in view of the recent CBI raids.

Earlier, Opposition leader Sushil Modi while talking to media had said,"If Tejaswi Yadav does not resign, my appeal to JD(U) leaders is to mount pressure on Nitish Yadav and get the work done. I will appeal the leader of RJD and JD(U) to show courage and ask Tejaswi Yadav to step down from the post of Deputy Chief minister."

The CBI on Friday registered a corruption case against Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejaswi Yadav; former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Managing Director P.K. Goyal; and the wife of Lalu's confidante Prem Chand Gupta, Sujata on allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

The RJD supremo, however, refuted the allegations against him and called it a political conspiracy hatched by the BJP.

While conducting raids at Lalu Yadav's daughter Misa Bharti's premises yesterday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered and seized various incriminating documents, electronic devices including mobile phones.

However, this is not the first time Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) has refused to support Lalu. Earlier in May, Nitish denied to comment when CBI raided 22 properties of the RJD supremo in Delhi and Gurugram.
Beijing: China on Monday said that President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "no bilateral meeting" on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg after India had claimed the two leaders discussed "a range of issues".



"According to my information, the two said leaders did not hold any bilateral meeting," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said when asked about the issue discussed between the two.



Geng said Xi chaired an informal meet of BRICS leaders during which Modi was present.



He said the withdrawal of troops from Doklam was the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between both sides.





On Saturday, India`s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson refused to elaborate on the "range of issues" discussed by Modi and Xi during their informal conversation in Hamburg.



"We have tweeted that the two leaders discussed a range of issues. A range of issues means a range of issues. I don`t want to add anything further...I leave it to you to draw your conclusion," Baglay said.
New Delhi: The Congress on Monday was needlessly dragged into a controversy after it initially denied a meeting has taken place between the party vice president and the Chinese envoy here only to change its stance a little while later.

"Rahul Gandhi ji not only meet Chinese envoy but also the Bhutanese envoy and ex-NSA Shiv Shankar Menon," party spokesman RS Surjewala said adding, "Various ambassadors and envoys keep meeting Congress president and vice president time to time on courtesy basis."

However, it was not immediately clear what transpired in the meeting.

The flip-flop comes after the party initially denied that any meeting has taken place between the two.

Citing unnamed sources in Rahul Gandhi's office, the CNN News 18 had earlier reported that it denied any meeting between the party vice president and Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui.

However later, confirming the meeting, Surjewala said "Nobody should attempt to sensationalize this."

Criticising the Congress for not divulging the details of the meeting, BJP's V Chauthaiwale said, "In larger national interest, Rahul Gandhi should come out clean on this issue and tell what has gone into the discussion."

"We have in-principle no objection if Rahul Gandhi meets any foreign diplomat," he added.

The development comes amid a stand-off between the Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam over the construction of a road by China.

New Delhi has conveyed to China that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with "serious" security implications. The road link could give China a major military advantage over India.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

China and Bhutan are engaged in talks over the resolution of the dispute in the area. India argues that since it is a tri-junction involving the three countries, it also has a say in the issue, specially in the backdrop of 2012 agreement between special representatives of the two countries, that have till now held 19 rounds of talks.

Bhutan has no diplomatic ties with China. As a close friend and neighbour, Bhutan enjoys diplomatic and military support from India.
Chennai: India, Japan and the United States of America on Monday began the Malabar Naval Exercise-2017 in the Bay of Bengal in a bid to achieve deeper military ties among the three nations.

Taking part in the trilateral naval exercise are American 100,020 tonne supercarrier USS Nimitz that can carry 90 fixed wing aircraft and helicopters (CVN68), guided-missile cruise USS Princeton (CG59), guided-missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a Poseidon P-8A aircraft as well as a Los Angeles fast-attack submarine.

Besides, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ships 27,000 tonne JS Izumo (DDH 183), 6,300-tonne destroyer JS Sazanami (DD1 13) along with Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa and the 45,400 tonne INS Vikramaditya - a modified Russian Kiev-class aircraft carrier, are participating in the joint Naval exercise.

India will also deploy two Kamorta class anti-submarine warfare corvettes - the first anti-submarine warfare stealth corvettes built in India.

Also participating from the Indian Navy will be two Shivalik class frigates - the first stealth warships built in India, two destroyers, a Kora class 1,350-ton guided missile corvette, and tanker INS Jyoti.

The 21st edition of the exercise, conducted ashore and at-sea, would include professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare.

Medical operations, damage control, explosive ordinance disposal, helicopter operations and anti-submarine warfare would also take place.

Amid China's increasing presence in the Indian Ocean, the July 10-17 exercise comes amid reports of Chinese warships in the Indian Ocean Region in the name of anti-piracy operations, and Beijing's aggressive posturing in the South China Sea.

Malabar is a joint exercise between India and US, which now has Japan as a permanent partner. Australia wanted to participate as an observer this year but was not included, following reservations by China.

Malabar 2017 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises that has grown in scope and complexity over the years to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific, a US embassy statement said.

While ashore in Chennai, training will include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), helicopter operations, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.

The at-sea portions will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal and are designed to advance participating nations' military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.

Events planned during the at-sea portions include liaison officer professional exchanges and embarks; a photo exercise; submarine familiarization; high-value unit defence; air defence exercises; medical evacuation drills; surface warfare exercises; communications exercises; search and rescue exercises; helicopter cross-deck evolutions; underway replenishments; gunnery exercises; VBSS exercises; and anti-submarine warfare, the release said.

"Indian, Japanese and US maritime forces have a common understanding and knowledge of a shared working environment at sea. Each iteration of this exercise helps to advance the level of understanding between our Sailors, and we hope to be able to continue this process over time. As members of Indo-Asia-Pacific nations, our maritime forces are natural partners, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen our bonds and personal relationships," a statement from US embassy said.

China has in the past expressed reservations over the Malabar exercise turning into a multilateral one.

In 2007, Australia was included along with Japan in the exercise. But concerns expressed by China led to its withdrawal.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Sandeep Sharma, a part of Lashkar module has been apprehended by Jammu and Kashmir police from Muzaffarnagar distrct of Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

Addressing media after his arrest, Inspector General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, Munir Khan said,"The militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba took the help of a non-local Sandeep to loot ATMs in the state. They are also indulged in immoral activities in the villages. He got in touch with Lashkar through one Shakoor of Sopore and when they came to know he can loot ATMs, banks and cash vans then they recruit him."

"Sandeep son of Ram Sharma from UP incidentally was in the same house where dreaded Lashkar militant, Bashir Lashkar was residing.To the locals he(Sandeep) used the name Adil. He lived with two identities," Khan told media.

According to the reports, militants have looted over a dozen banks or ATMs across Kashmir in recent months.

On further inquiry by the police, it was revealed that Sandeep along with other individuals hatched a criminal conspiracy leading to providing shelter, ferrying of terrorists from one place to other for terror strikes and actively participating in terrorist activities.

He also concealed weapons looted from police guards in a vehicle and shifted them to different locations on the directions of LeT.

An investigation is underway for ascertaining the roles of his other associates in the crimes.
New Delhi: In yet another blow to Opposition, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has decided not to attend meeting called by non-NDA parties on Tuesday to discuss candidate for vice-president. According to the reports, it has been said that the CM is still recovering from viral infection, however speculations are rife that he was avoiding the media in view of the recent CBI raids on the family of alliance partner Lalu Prasad Yadav.

However, Nitish has called all his party leaders including national and state lawmakers to a conclave in Patna on Tuesday.

Earlier last month he had similarly skipped the meeting to discuss the opposition presidential nominee.

Nitish has also cancelled public interface event and the subsequent press conference on health grounds."The Lok Samvad programme, which was scheduled for Monday, stands cancelled due to an indisposition of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," said an official release yesterday.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday lashed out at Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz, for not acknowleding her personal letter in which she has requested to grant a Pakistani visa for Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother. However, she had assured Aziz that any Pakistani national seeking a medical visa to travel to India with his recommendation will be given the visa immediately.

In a series of tweets, Swaraj said, "I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals."

She said a visa application was pending for Indian national Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan.

"I wrote a personal letter to Mr Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan. However, Mr Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," she tweeted.

46-year-old Jadhav, was allegedly arrested by Pakistan in the restive Balochistan province last year. He has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism.

Yesterday, 25-year-old Faiza Tanveer, who has an aggressive tumour in her mouth had urged the External Affairs Minister to help her visit India for treatment after her visa application was reportedly rejected by the Indian embassy. However, Sushma Swaraj sharply denied it, saying Sartaj Aziz had not given a recommendation letter needed for Tanveer's visa.

"I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country. All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals," she tweeted.



All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals. /3  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2017

Earlier, last month, India had issued a medical visa to a two-and-a-half-month-old child from Pakistan who was suffering from a heart disease, after his father sought intervention of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. "It is heartening to see humanity prevailing despite many differences. Thank you for your efforts. Humanity prevails! God bless everyone," the child's father had tweeted after Sushma's intervention.

As per the reports of PTI, Indian hospitals have reported receiving around 500 patients from Pakistan every month. Many of the unwell needed a liver transplant, which costs between Rs 20-30 lakhs.

(With inputs from agencies)
New Delhi: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav will not step down from his post, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) cleared after party meet on Monday. According to the reports of ANI, majority of MLAs in the meeting came out in support of Tejashwi saying,"Why will he resign"?

"Tejashwi Yadav has been a good leader and will always remain one," the party said. Targetting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the RJD said, "There has been an attempt to fade us, but it will not happen. We will emerge like we have always in the past as well. There is a conspiracy to break the grand alliance, but the state government is very much in place and stable."

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the announcement by RJD has disappointed Bihar CM, who has not commented on the CBI raids on Lalu Prasad and his family yet.

Nitish has also called an all party meeting of its legislators on Tuesday during which he might compel Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to step down from his post. Though Kumar is yet to break his silence on the CBI raids, sources in the JD(U) reportedly had said that it would be an ideal situation if Tejashwi Yadav himself offers to step down during a meeting of RJD legislators.

Yesterday, Nitish Kumar's Lok Samvad Programme, which was scheduled to be held today has also been postponed citing former's health reasons. A press release issued by the state government stated that the chief minister is suffering from fever and therefore, the Lok Samvad Programme has been postponed. However, it has been speculated that he is avoiding sharing space with Tejashwi as well as media in view of the recent CBI raids.

Another RJD MLA Lalit Yadav urged CM Nitish Kumar to not sack Tejashwi and wait till the deputy CM is chargesheeted. "Why is Uma Bharti continuing in PM Modi's cabinet despite being chargesheeted in the Ayodhya case. We want Nitish Kumar not to sack Tejashwi Yadav," India Today quoted Yadav.

Earlier on Friday, the CBI registered a corruption case against Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejaswi Yadav; former Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Managing Director P.K. Goyal; and the wife of Lalu's confidante Prem Chand Gupta, Sujata on allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006.

The CBI later questioned Rabri Devi and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav.

The case was registered on the allegations of awarding the tender for development, maintenance and operation of Hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a Private Company dealing with Hotels in the year 2006.

The investigative agency also conducted searches at 12 locations across Patna, Delhi, Gurugram and other places.

The RJD supremo, however, refuted the allegations against him and called it a political conspiracy hatched by the BJP.
Kathmandu: Nepal will send a high-level delegation to India on Tuesday to hold talks with the Indian authorities over the possible impact of GST on the trade between the two countries.

The delegation will discuss issues concerning Goods and Services Tax (GST) recently imposed in India in relation to the bilateral Trade and Transit Treaty between the two countries, officials said here.

The team led by Ravi Shankar Sainju, joint secretary at the Commerce Ministry, will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the issues.

Officials from Ministry of Finance and Commerce will be included in the delegation.

Nepal would be drawing attention of the Indian government over GST implementation in relation to the bilateral Trade and Transit Treaty, Sainju said.

"Though the actual impact of the GST on the bilateral trade is yet to be seen, Nepal government wants to address the problems the domestic traders might be facing following the implementation of GST," he said.

Nepal expressed its concern following complaints raised by the traders and freight forwarders.

"Goods intended for import into or export from the territories of either contracting parties from or to a third country shall be accorded freedom of transit through the territories of the other party. No distinction shall be made based on the flag of vessels, the place of origin, departure and exit destination or ownership of goods, reads the bilateral trade.

Despite such provision in the treaty, the traders and freight forwarders have been complaining to the government about slow pace of movement of goods during export and import of goods to and from India since last week when the Indian Government enforced GST.

According to the traders and freight forwarders, the authority at the Kolkata Port earlier used to impose 15 percent logistic service charge on goods imported from third countries. With GST coming into effect, that charge has been raised to 18 percent.

Although the GST should not affect Nepal's trade, however with the confusion to the officials at implementation level, Nepali traders could have been facing problem, Sainju said.

Landlocked Nepal depends on transshipment via India for trade with the rest of the world.
New Delhi: Amarnath pilgrims have been the target of militants in Jammu and Kashmir from time to time. The latest attack was carried out on Monday in which at least seven pilgrims were killed.

The devotees visiting the Amarnath Temple in J&K's Pahalgam undertake several days of treacherous journey to reach the mountain cave shrine.

The following are some of the deadly attacks on the pilgrims over the past few years.

1. In August 2000, at least 30 pilgrims were massacred by the militants in Pahalgam town of Kashmir's Anantnag district. The LeT terrorist group was blamed for the killings. Such attacks continued in the subsequent years.

2. In August 2002, eight pilgrims were killed and 30 others were injured in a terrorist attack. However, the toll was lower in comparison to the previous years. The pre-dawn attack was carried out on the Nunwan camp en route to the shrine. A LeT front was blamed for the attack.

3. In June 2002, two pilgrims, who were preparing to leave Jammu for Pahalgam, were killed in a grenade attack.

4. In July 2002, one pilgrim was killed and at least 24 others were injured in a grenade attack in Anantnag.

5. In 2014, some 100 tents of the pilgrims were set on fire by the militants. Scores of people were injured in the attack at Baltal in J&K.
Nowgam: The security forces on Monday eliminated two hardcore terrorists hours after the Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Nowgam area of Jammu and Kashmirs Anantnag district.

The retaliation from the Indian side came shortly after the Pakistani troops resorted to indiscriminate firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowgam sector last night.

A search operation is still underway to track any infiltration.

According to reports, Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch sector, along the LoC.

The Indian Army is retaliated strongly and effectively to the firings.

The fresh firing comes a day after an army jawan and his wife were killed and their three daughters were injured as ceasefire was violated in Poonch district.

The Pakistan Army targeted Indian posts and villages in Chakka da bagh and Kharri Karmara areas.

In retaliation, two Pakistani soldiers were also killed and six others were injured by the Indian security forces.

Reportedly, 23 cease fire violations have occurred so far in June alone.

On June 29, two Indian Army jawans were injured when the Pakistani troops initiated firing along the LOC in Poonch.

On June 26, the Pakistani Army fired small arms and shelled mortars along the LoC in the Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri.
New Delhi: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Monday asked Mehbooba Mufti-led government in Jammu and Kashmir to compensate the man used as a human shield against stone-pelters with Rs 10 lakh.

The incident took place on April 9 during the bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

Farooq Ahmad Dar, a weaver hailing from J&K's Budgam district was tied in front of a jeep by Major Leethul Gogoi who apparently wanted to prevent the protesters from attacking the forces.

Following the incident, Dar, an alleged ring leader of stone-pelting mob, had filed a complaint against the army officer.

"The state government should give compensation to Farooq Dar who became perturbed after the incident," india.com quoted Bilal Nazki, the chief of SHRC, as saying.

Gogoi was praised by Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat and awarded the Army' chief's commendation card for such an 'innovation'.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah, however, took to Twitter and raised a question. One of his tweets reads, "Will be interesting to see if the BJPDP government challenges the decision or pays the compensation.
Ranchi: The Jharkhand government is likely to move an anti-conversion bill in the upcoming monsoon session of the state assembly, which starts in August.



According to sources, the state government has directed the officials to prepare the draft legislation.



In Jharkhand, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have for a long time been demanding a law to ban religious conversion.



Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das had raised the issue last year.



The BJP and right-wing leaders claim that Christian missionaries active in Jharkhand are indulging in the conversion of innocent tribal people.



A large number of tribal people have been converted to Christianity, they allege.



The tribals constitute around 27 per cent of Jharkhand`s population. Earlier, the figure stood at 32 percent. Experts blame arrival of "outsiders", the non-Jharkhandis, and conversion for the decline in the percentage of tribals in the population.



According to sources, once the draft legislation is prepared, it will be placed before the state cabinet for approval.



In India, seven states have formulated anti-conversion law. The sources said the state government was studying the draft bills of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and other states before taking the final decision.
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the biggest religion is to serve the needy.

The CM said this at a programme organised here yesterday for the dedication of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghs Sewa Prabhag website "Sewagatha", which highlights the good work done by citizens.

"The biggest religion is to serve the needy. Good works of assisting people should be highlighted. Information about it will encourage people. This will strengthen their good values and pave way for positive environment in the society," Chouhan said.

The CM also praised RSS' vision of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the whole world is one family).

"Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is a nationalist organization with a huge heart. This organisation creates citizens who live for the society. Swayamsevaks dedicate themselves totally towards service to enlighten the society," he said.

Applauding the services of organisations like 'Matruchhaya' and 'Anand Dham' which are serving children and old-age people here, he said that feelings of self-reliance and harmony among the inhabitants there results in spiritual joy.

Such works should be widely publicised as it eliminates disappointment, Chouhan said.

He expressed hope that the website will energise and inspire people to do good work.

RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi said the culture of service is instilled in Indian lifestyle.

Here, service to human is equal to service of God, he said.

He said needy persons must be served with a feeling of brotherhood after understanding their anguish and weakness. "Service done with such feelings always bear good results."

Joshi said there are a huge number of people who are victims of faulty social beliefs, unstable lifestyles, who live in far-flung areas, and who are deprived of their basic social rights.

He expressed hope that the website will inspire people to come forward to serve others.

Sewagatha website editor Vijay Lakshmi described the objectives and nature of the website and collection of gathas (stories).

Website creator Swapnil Parkhiya while highlighting the technical aspects of the website also informed that apart from being mobile-friendly, it can be shared on Facebook and Twitter.
New Delhi: Investors pulled out nearly Rs 16,600 crore from various mutual fund schemes in June, making it the second consecutive monthly outflow, primarily due to huge redemption from income and liquid segments.

In comparison, mutual funds saw an outflow of close to Rs 41,000 crore in May. Prior to that, Rs 1.51 lakh crore were invested in April.

Bajaj Capital Chief Executive Rahul Parikh said mutual funds are shifting focus from income and money market or liquid funds to equities, equity-linked saving schemes (ELSS) and equity-oriented balanced funds.

"This shift can be attributed to the low yields on money market and fixed income investments at present," he added.

According to data by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi), a net sum of Rs 16,592 crore was pulled out from mutual fund schemes in June.

After taking into consideration the latest outflow, total investment in mutual fund schemes stood at Rs 93,400 crore in the first quarter of the current fiscal.

Individually, income funds that provide returns either on a monthly or quarterly basis as opposed to capital appreciation registered an outflow of Rs 20,685 crore last month.

Such funds usually hold a variety of government, municipal and corporate debt obligations, preferred stock and dividend-paying stocks.

Besides, liquid funds -- with investments in cash assets such as treasury bills, certificates of deposit and commercial paper for a shorter horizon -- logged an outflow of Rs 12,739 crore.

However, equity and equity-linked saving scheme (ELSS) saw an infusion of Rs 8,164 crore.

Overall, the assets under management (AUM) of the country's 42 fund houses slipped to Rs 18.96 lakh crore at the end of June, from Rs 19.04 lakh crore at May-end.

Mutual funds are investment vehicles made up of a pool of funds collected from a large number of investors. The funds are invested in stocks, bonds and money market instruments, among others.
New Delhi: Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said his ministry has asked all states to put in place regulatory mechanism related to the Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act (RERA) by July 30.

"I have been constantly following with chief ministers. I wrote two letters. Today my third and final letter is going reminding the need to fulfil this obligation which is there," he said at an event organised by National Housing Bank (NHB) here.

All the states have to approve the regulation, notify the rules, appoint regulators and operate regulatory authorities also by July 30, he said.

All states have been sensitised to implement the spirit of the legislation passed by Parliament last year, he said.

"I am happy that majority of the states have done it, remaining states will join in the coming days," he said.

Allaying fears related to the RERA, Naidu said, the regulations will not only help real estate developers but it will enhance credibility and increase acceptability.

"It is regulation not strangulation...It will just monitor that whatever builders have promised have been delivered," he said.

The RERA promises to bring in the much-desired transparency, accountability and efficiency in the real estate sector and the government has described the implementation of the Act as the beginning of an era where consumer is the king, he said.

The government has brought in the legislation to protect home buyers and encourage genuine private players, he added.

He also launched revamped RESIDEX, housing price index (HPI).

Earlier, it covered 26 cities with base year 2007 and published till March, 2015 on quarterly basis. Now, NHB RESIDEX has been transformed to provide cluster of indices covering 50 cities.

As per lenders' valuation data (HPI @ Assessment Prices), out of 50 cities covered for the quarter ended March, 2017, the upward movements in prices of residential properties were seen in 27 cities over the previous quarter ended December, 2016.

Maximum increase was observed in 10 cities viz. Bhubaneshwar (11.7 per cent) followed by Vishakhapatnam (10.9 per cent), Raipur (10 per cent), Kanpur (8.1 per cent), Gurgaon (6.7 per cent), Chandigarh (6.2 per cent), Coimbatore (4.9 per cent), Mumbai (3.7 per cent) and Vadodara (3.7 per cent).

However, 19 cities have shown decline in prices over the previous quarter with maximum fall observed in Ranchi (13 per cent) followed by Gandhinagar (12 per cent), Surat (8.9 per cent), Ludhiana (7.8 per cent), and Kolkata (7.2 per cent).
Pokhara: Standing by a lake, with forested hills on one side and snow-capped Himalayan peaks on the other, was an unforgettable moment for me in Pokhara, the picturesque Nepalese city that is arguably its tourism capital.

Pokhara was a discovery in several ways. It has a laidback charm that contrasts with the rush and pollution of capital Kathmandu. The translucent Phewa lake provided some breath-taking vistas and the experience of observing the peaks of the Annapurna range at close quarters was memorable.

Sarangkot, a hill station near Pokhara, offers spectacular views of the Annapurna range and I was told to reach there early to witness the snow-capped mountains change hues in the rays of the rising sun.

I left my hotel at 4 am and reached the designated point well before the sunrise. As I waited, there was no sign of the sun. There were clouds and mist and much as I wished they disappeared, they would not. I, however, did not leave the place disappointed.

The scene of the valley below was clearer and almost like an image from the sky. The houses looked tiny and there were vast swathes of greenery. As the valley undulated, with Phewa lake almost in the middle, smaller hills gave way to bigger ones and to still bigger ones.

On the agenda during the day was a boat ride on the lake's tranquil waters. The 15-minute ride to Tal Barahi temple on an island in the expansive lake presented panoramic views as the backdrop shifted from forested hills to the mountains. A gentle breeze blew across, adding to the pleasant feeling.

Pokhara has a few tourist and religious spots near the lake. I visited Devi's Falls, which gets its name from a Swiss citizen Davis who was swept away by its gushing waters in 1961 while taking bath with her husband. Her body was later recovered after a lot effort.

Not far away is Gupteshwar Mahadev cave -- its upper part a temple to Lord Shiva. The lower part, which is reached by some deft walking, leads to cascading waters that spring out from rocks after going underground at the Devi's Falls.

Pokhara offers good shopping options and almost all that you get in Kathmandu's tourism district of Thamel is available here, sometimes at a better price.

The place is also popular with adventure-lovers who have a wide range of options, including paragliding, rafting, sky-diving and mountain trekking.

There are eating options galore, with restaurants serving a variety of international cuisines -- Korean, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French and Thai.

One of my fondest memories in Pokhara is of working while seated outside a restaurant on a table and chair crafted from a log of wood. Working on my computer in this setting, with people of different nationalities and in different moods passing by, was quite different from the usual work in a formal setting.

While Pokhara was a treat, reaching the city from Kathmandu was not. The nearly 200-km road journey took two hours more than the seven it usually takes. There was road repair work on in Kathmandu which led to unusually long snarls.

The best time to leave Kathmandu for Pokhara is early morning when there is less traffic in the capital city. The other option is to take a flight.

Among the charms of a road journey is that a large part is along the Trishuli river. There are agricultural fields carved into hill slopes, delicate bridges that connect villages to the main road and colourful houses.

There are several eating options on the way and we opted for a landscaped restaurant that served an authentic Nepali thali -- largely comprising green vegetables -- and the piping hot food helped beat the tiredness.

As I was packing my bag after a satisfying visit, my roommate asked if I had gone to the terrace see a clear view of the peaks ofthe Annapurna range.

As I stepped out on the terrace, the view of Machapuchare (also known as fish tail mountain) was mesmerising.

The 6,993-metre mountain, revered by the locals, was shinning in golden hues in the morning sun alongside other peaks of Annapurna range. It was a sight to behold.

But then, all good things must come to an end and it was time to return to the mundane world.
Lucknow: Remember Varsha Sahu, who got to be known as Revolver Rani after she kidnapped her lover at the gunpoint and eloped, has finally tied the nuptial knot with him.

According to Hindustan Times, Varsha Sahu finally got married to Ashok Yadav at a temple in Hamirpur on Sunday.

Varsha had made headlines after she stormed into the wedding pandal brandishing a pistol and kidnapped her lover who was getting married to another woman in Maudaha in Bundelkhand on May 15.

The 27-year-old groom had even performed the Jaimal ritual (wherein the bride and bridegroom garland each other), and was just about to take the customary saat phere (seven sacred vows), in the presence of hundreds of guests.

Varsha's marriage with her lover Ashok was solemnized at the Mata Chaura temple by the head priest and the ceremony was attended by hundreds of guests.

Interestingly, the local unit of the Shiv Sena made all the arrangements for the temple wedding and food that was served to the guests.

Interestingly, Shiv Sena state president Ratan Brahmchari even announced the launch of an NGO that would support girls ditched by their lovers.

We have named the NGO as Revolver Rani and it will be headed by Varsha. It will help girls like her in reuniting with their lovers, Brahmchari was quoted as saying.

According to eye-witnesses, Varsha had put a revolver on Ashoks head, leaving him with no choice but to go with her.

The duo was discovered in Banda 48 hours after the incident.

Later, it emerged that Ashok, a contractual employee with a government hospital, was in a live-in relationship with Varsha for eight years and had promised to marry her.

However, he decided to marry another girl chosen by his family which irked Varsha.

After the kidnapping incident, Laloo Yadav, the father of the girl with whom Ashok was to get married, filed a police complaint against him for cheating his family by not disclosing his relationship with Varsha and calling off the marriage at the last moment.

The police arrested Ashok and sent him to jail.

Ashoks family did not press any charges against Varsha but also refused to bail him out. It was Varsha who arranged for his bail and finally married him on Sunday after his release.
Dehradun: The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the Uttarakhand disqualified MLAs case for final disposal on October 25.The disqualified MLAs contended that Speaker cannot convene assembly or disqualify them after Presidential proclamation in the state.

Appearing for former chief minister Harish Rawat and other Congress MLAs, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted that both cases are in fructuous due to a new government in the state.

Last year, the rebel MLAs, led by Vijay Bahuguna, had questioned the constitutional validity of their disqualification after Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal disqualified them, saying they violated the defection law and deserved to be punished.

Eight of the nine rebel Congress legislators had moved the Uttarakhand High Court on two grounds - that they were not given enough time by the Speaker to respond to the charges and that they were not provided `proof` of their alleged anti-party activities.

The conflict between the Congress and their legislators arose during a debate over the Finance Bill during Budget Session of the Uttarakhand Assembly.

The Speaker had on March 27, 2017 disqualified the nine Congress MLAs, including Bahuguna, who spearheaded the rebellion against Rawat under the anti-defection law.In the 70-member assembly, the Congress has 27 members excluding the nine legislators.
Islamabad: Pakistan wants to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, so that peace can be restored in the region, Sartaj Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, has said.

Aziz's remarks came amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC). He also accused India of increasing the tension on the LoC to divert attention from the human rights violations in Kashmir, The News International newspaper reported.

He claimed that in the last one year, India had committed 450 LoC violations, killing many innocent people. Aziz said that Pakistan wanted to hold dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir so that the peace could be restored in the region.

At the same time, Aziz said Pakistan would continue political, moral and diplomatic support of Kashmiris until and unless Kashmiris achieve freedom from India. He said India could not suppress the vigour of Kashmiris for freedom.

India being a democratic country should give chance to the people of Kashmir to decide their future course, he said.

If referendum could be held in Italy and Britain, then why not in Kashmir?, he asked. Aziz claimed that if plebiscite was held in Kashmir no Muslim would decide to live with India.
Islamabad: A joint investigation team probing the Panamagate graft case against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family on Monday submitted its final report to the Supreme Court.

Members of the JIT arrived at the apex court amid tight security provided by the Islamabad Capital Territory Police and large cardboard boxes labelled 'Evidence' were carted into the court.

Besides other evidence, the report consists of the statements of Prime Minister Sharif, his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif; his children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Sharif and son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar.

A three-judge bench comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ejaz Afzal is hearing the JIT.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

The JIT has also probed several serving and former officials in connection with the case.

Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis
Islamabad: Search team leader Alex Gavan wept uncontrollably after a helicopter dropped him at a Himalayan base camp on June 28, certain an avalanche had killed the two men he was searching for as they tried to conquer Pakistan`s "Killer Mountain".

Gavan, a Romanian climber, had abandoned his own efforts to scale the world`s ninth-tallest mountain a week earlier to lead the search for Alberto Zerain from Spain and Mariano Galvan from Argentina.

Detailing the desperate search for Zerain and Galvan for the first time to Reuters, Gavan said he had even spoken to them over a satellite phone just a day before they went missing on June 24, when they stopped responding to calls.

The two experienced climbers had chosen a daring route to ascend the 8,126 metre (26,660 feet) Nanga Parbat via the treacherous 13 km (8 miles) Mazeno Ridge, which had been scaled successfully only once before.

However, Gavan became desperate after June 24 when Zerain and Galvan lost radio contact near the ridge, realising that the two men had run out of food.

Rescue efforts were called off after a final helicopter flight over the ridge on July 1. Photographic evidence suggests an avalanche had struck some time in the preceding eight days.

"Just where the avalanche debris is was their last GPS location," Gavan told Reuters, speaking of their last known signal on Mazeno Ridge.

"In the photos you see the tracks of the climbers ... suddenly end at the avalanche fracture line and do not appear anywhere after the fracture line," he said.

Geographically, Pakistan is a hot destination for climbers, but climbing deaths are also common.

It rivals Nepal for the number of peaks over 7,000 metres (22,966 feet) and is home to the world`s second-tallest mountain, K2. In all, it has five of the world`s 14 summits higher than 8,000 metres (26,247 feet).

However, Pakistan offers other challenges for climbers. In 2012, Islamist gunmen dressed as policemen stormed the 4,200-metre (13,780-foot) Nanga Parbat base camp, killing 10 foreign climbers and a Pakistani guide.

ELITE CLUB

Galvan and Zerain both loved climbing. The Spaniard was part of an elite club of climbers who have scaled the world`s two tallest mountains, Everest and K2. Galvan climbed Everest in 2012 but an attempt to climb K2 alone and without oxygen ended at 7,300 metres (23,950 feet).

Romania`s Gavan said the search for Zerain and Galvan was delayed by a day because they did not have insurance, which meant he had to find the collateral for a rescue mission.

Gavan, who wrote a report on the failed search, said the pictures taken during a second helicopter search on July 1 were conclusive proof that the two men died in an avalanche.

"We looked down the ridge, we looked in the valleys, we looked everywhere, we triple checked," he said.

An eight-member team from the Pakistani mountaineering company Karakorum Expeditions began a new ground search on Friday despite Gavan`s evidence.

"The team will search on the Mazeno Ridge of the Nanga Parbat, where the missing climbers are believed to be buried under an avalanche," company spokesman Mehboob Ali said.

Gavan described that operation as "irresponsible", saying it would "only endanger more people`s lives".
Washington: US President Donald Trump defended his daughter Ivanka Trump on Monday after she took his place at a meeting of G20 world leaders, an event that raised some eyebrows and drew sharp rebuke from the daughter of a rival former presidential candidate who was drawn into the fray.

"If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!" he tweeted, referring to the daughter of Hillary Clinton, his Democratic rival in last year`s presidential election.

Chelsea Clinton responded on Twitter: "Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not."

White House adviser Ivanka Trump briefly sat in her father`s chair on Saturday at a Group of 20 summit meeting in Hamburg, Germany, during a closed-door session on African development as the World Bank president spoke.

Her appearance prompted a string of reactions on Twitter and caught the attention of the German media and other outlets.

Donald Trump, in a separate tweet, called the arrangement "very standard" and also noted that German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was hosting the G20 summit, agreed.

Merkel had dismissed the move at a news briefing after the summit.

"Ivanka belongs to the U.S. delegation," Merkel, who has worked with her on various issues, said last week.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, also defended Ivanka, saying on Sunday that the president`s daughter had often sat in on meetings with her and Trump, especially those regarding women and business.

Ivanka Trump ran a clothing and jewellery business before taking a formal job at the White House after her father took office in January and has adopted women`s issues as a signature policy area.

At the G20, she also took the spotlight at a separate event alongside World Bank President Jim Yong Kim for a public-private loan programme aimed at boosting female entrepreneurs in developing countries.

Lawrence Summers, a former World Bank official and economic adviser under former Democratic president Barack Obama, said it was rare for government heads to leave during major summits and that, when they must, foreign ministers or other very senior government officials normally fill in.

"There is no precedent for a head of governments adult child taking a seat," he wrote in the Washington Post. "There is no precedent for good reason. It was insulting to the others present and sent a signal of disempowerment regarding senior government officials."
United Nations: United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley aims to put to a vote within weeks a UN Security Council resolution to impose stronger sanctions on North Korea over its long-range ballistic missile test, said several senior U.N. diplomats.

Haley told some U.N. diplomats late last week of the ambitious timeline for a U.N. response to North Korea`s launch on Tuesday of a missile that some experts believe could have the range to reach Alaska, and parts of the U.S. West Coast.

The U.S. mission to the United Nations was not immediately available to comment on the timeline for a council vote. Some Security Council diplomats have expressed doubt that a draft resolution could be put to a vote quickly.

Following a nuclear weapons test by North Korea in September, while U.S. President Barack Obama was still in office, it took the U.N. Security Council three months to agree to strengthened sanctions.

The United States gave China a draft resolution to impose stronger sanctions on Pyongyang after the 15-member Security Council met on Wednesday to discuss the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, diplomats said.

China`s U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi told Reuters on Monday that it was important to ensure that any action the Security Council might take should be conducive to achieving the goal of a denuclearized, peaceful and stable Korean peninsula.

"We really must think very carefully about what is the best approach in the Security Council because a resolution, sanctions, are themselves not an objective," he said.

When asked if the council could act within weeks, Liu said it would depend on how members "see the way forward in terms of council action, in terms of how that is put into the wider context of ... improving the situation, preventing further tests, ensuring Security Council resolutions will be abided by."

Traditionally, the United States and China have negotiated new sanctions on North Korea before formally involving other council members. Diplomats said the United States would informally keep Britain and France in the loop, while China was likely talking to Russia.

The United States, China, Russia, Britain and France are the Security Council`s permanent veto-wielding powers. The United States could also face a battle to persuade Russia that council action against North Korea is needed.

On Thursday, Russia objected to a council condemnation of North Korea`s missile launch because the U.S.-drafted statement labeled it an ICBM, a designation Moscow disagrees with. Diplomats said that negotiations on the statement had stalled.

North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006 over its ballistic missile and nuclear programs and the council has ratcheted up the measures in response to the country`s five nuclear weapons tests and two long-range missile launches.

During the Security Council meeting last Wednesday, Haley said some options to strengthen U.N. sanctions were to restrict the flow of oil to North Korea`s military and weapons programs, increasing air and maritime restrictions and imposing targeted sanctions on senior officials.

Diplomats said Washington proposed such options to Beijing two months ago, but that China had not engaged in discussions on the measures and instead only agreed to adding some people and entities to the existing U.N. sanctions list in June.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly expresses its deep regret over the lack of progress towards the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, reports Armenpress.

According to the Minsk Declaration adopted based on the 26th OSCE PA session results, the Parliamentary Assembly expresses concern over the recent ceasefire violations in the Nagorno Karabakh line of contact.

The document calls on the sides to engage without further delay in substantive negotiations with a view to finding the earliest possible sustainable solution to the conflict.

The OSCE PA urges the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to redouble their efforts to that end.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. Germany has started to withdraw troops with Turkey's Incirlik air base, the German Defense Ministry spokesman said, Deutsche Welle reports.

260 German soldiers, 6 tornado jets and other materials were deployed at Incrilik aimed at participating in international operations against the Islamic State terrorist group.

The motion to pull the troops out of Incirlik had been approved by the German parliament in June, after parliamentarians had repeatedly been refused access to the roughly 260 soldiers stationed at the facility. Turkey had denied German lawmakers requests to make what they saw as routine visits to the base.

The jets and other necessary material were to be moved to a new air base in Jordan, where the planes are scheduled to be deployed again by October.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian delivered speech at the informal meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Eastern Partnership countries in Chisinau, press service of the Ministry told Armenpress.

Armenpress presents the full text of his speech:

Dear Andrei,

Dear Johannes,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you, Andrei, for hosting us in Chisinau and for offering yet another opportunity for the exchange of views before the upcoming Brussels Summit.

On many occasions we have underlined the importance of the Riga Joint Declaration, its four main areas of cooperation, principle of differentiation and other provisions that have guided our efforts within the Eastern partnership during the past two years. Armenia has registered sound achievements: Horizon 2020, COSME, launching negotiations on the Common Aviation Area Agreement, as well as the Creative Europe, that we intend to finalize soon, but first of all, the new Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement that we initialed and plan to sign in Brussels this November.

Armenia and the EU have finalized the Partnership Priorities for 2017-2020 and tomorrow in Yerevan we are going to start the talks on the Single Support Framework of the EU assistance to Armenia for the same period.

Among the pending issues I would mention the launch of the Visa Liberalization Dialogue. Facilitating and intensifying the mobility and people to people contacts has been put in the core of the Eastern Partnership and should continue to remain as such.

In terms of the future of our cooperation, I would like to refer to the ideas expressed by Johannes at the Ministerial meeting in Luxembourg, specifically, the ones related to the expansion of the TEN-T network, harmonization and reduction of the roaming tariffs and funding the development of the Small and Medium Enterprises of partner countries in local currencies. I believe that these proposals can be integrated in the agenda of our future cooperation, which I hope will be equipped with many other productive programs.

I would also like to recall the 20 deliverables for 2020 document. It is indeed a programmatic plan of action, that outlines the prospects of cooperation within the Eastern Partnership.

It goes without saying that drafting of the Final Declaration is one of the most challenging tasks ahead of us in preparations of the Summit. Armenia stands ready to contribute to the meaningful document that will reflect the true spirit of cooperation and direct our efforts for the years to come. The agreed language of the Riga Declaration may serve as a basis for overcoming contentious issues as they arise. I share the opinion of those colleagues who believe that there is no need to poison the atmosphere of the upcoming Summit with the issues that we all know can block the consensus.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The successful cooperation with the European Union has contributed to the Constitutional reform process and parliamentary elections held in Armenia this April, that were praised by our partner countries and specialized international organizations.

Armenia is committed to continue the reforms. The European Union has been and will remain our trusted partner in these processes.

Armenia appreciates the partnership with the European Union and looks forward to the future fruitful cooperation.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenias delegation led by Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General Movses Hakobyan has departed for Tajikistan to take part in bilateral talks on military and military-technical cooperation issues, press service of the Defense Ministry told Armenpress.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. Member of the European Parliament Eleni Theocharous issued a statement over the new provocative actions by Azerbaijan carried out in the Nagorno Karabakh line of contact on July 4, reports Armenpress.

The statement says on July 4 yet another time the repressive regime of Aliyev, where ordinary human life has little value, has used its own population as a human shield while violating the ceasefire.

Azerbaijan had installed a multiple rocket launcher system very close to an inhabited village and used this to shell Nagorno Karabakh. It is a vicious and inhumane tactic of the current Azerbaijani Government to unscrupulously use the tragedy of common people for propaganda purposes, violating all the norms of ethics, the MEP said.

She said it is an undeniable fact that this very same government has vehemently rejected to install an independent investigative mechanism which can prevent a ceasefire violation, innocent human losses and create a favorable atmosphere for negotiations and peace.

I am deeply sorry for the loss of innocent lives on the Azerbaijani side. Meanwhile, I call on all those who are concerned with the situation to be objective, to raise their voices also when the Azerbaijani armed forces carry out ISIS-style beheadings in Nagorno Karabakh, showcasing body parts as trophies on social media and mutilate bodies of 90-year-old Armenian civilians, as in April 2016, Eleni Theocharous stated.

The Azerbaijani armed forces continued violating the ceasefire regime in different sections of Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line on July 4. Particularly, in the period of 11:30-11:35 the Azerbaijani troops fired 82 mm mortars (4 projectiles) in the eastern direction of the contact line and anti-tank missiles (3 projectiles) in the same section at about 12:45-12:55. In the southern direction the Azerbaijanis fired 60 mm mortars (3 projectiles) at 13:35, while at the period of 20:20-20:30 the Azerbaijani armed forces fired 5 projectiles from TR-107 multiple rocket launcher from a military position located in Alkhanlu village in the direction of a command post of a regiment located in the southern direction, and at 20:48 3 projectiles were fired in the same direction from 82 mm mortars. The front line units of the Defense Army had no alternative but take retaliatory measures to suppress the enemy's aggressive activity at 20:31-20:40, as a result of which the military position of Azerbaijan in Alkhanlu village was damaged. According to credible information from the relevant services of the Defense Army, the enemy has suffered losses. The Defense Army suffered no casualties as a result of the provocative actions initiated by Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani side announced two civilians were killed and one was wounded.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. Arpine Hovhannisyan, Vice Speaker of Armenias Parliament, hosted the representatives of expert group of the Venice Commission (European Commission for Democracy through Law) on the Judicial Code of Armenia on July 10, press service of the Parliament told Armenpress.

Welcoming the guests, Vice Speaker Hovhannisyan said with satisfaction that Armenia has an effective cooperation tradition with the Venice Commission and in this context attached importance to the mutual partnership with the Commission in the process of constitutional reforms carried out in Armenia.

During the meeting the sides discussed the key regulations of the new draft Judicial Code, as well the provisions with the need to be clarified and improved.
SOFIA, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. All efforts of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Bulgaria to undermine the activities of Tsvetana Paskaleva, the Bulgarian filmmaker and journalist, did not even gain the slightest attention of neither Bulgarias state sector, nor the countrys public circles. The Azerbaijani Ambassador even had to report to the foreign minister of his country that all their pressures against the journalist have failed. This illegitimate behavior is exposing Azerbaijans general views over the freedom of speech and press.

Quite interesting details have emerged as ARMENPRESS carried out an investigation of the documents containing diplomatic cables, which were published by Anonymous Bulgaria.

Nargiz Gurbanova, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Bulgaria had been directly reporting to her foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, about the activities of Paskaleva.

Since January 2017, we have raised the issue of Paskalevas activities during meetings with Bulgarian foreign ministry officials, such as Gancho Ganev  director of the Europe and Central Asia Directorate of the ministry, Giorgi Panajotov  head of the Caucasus and Central Asia department of the same Directorate, as well as Kostadin Kodzhabashev  director general of the Bilateral Relations General Directorate. During the meetings we expressed discontent regarding Paskaleva and we mentioned that this kind of occurrences harm the Azerbaijani-Bulgarian relations. We mentioned that it is unacceptable for us that the Union of Journalists of Bulgaria and other NGOs are supporting the distribution of her [Paskalevas] propaganda ideas. We also emphasized the necessity of Bulgarian state bodies taking action in order to counter this occurrence, the Ambassador said in the cable.

Naturally, Bulgarian officials diplomatically avoided to be drawn into further discussions of the issue.

The Azerbaijani Embassy was also engaged in enormous efforts in an attempt to have Paskaleva removed from Bulgarias Union of Journalists and the Union of Filmmakers.

The Azerbaijani Ambassador was eager to mention all details of the smear campaign against Paskaleva in the report to Baku. Weve also mentioned that regardless of the fact that Paskaleva had lived in Armenia, she is currently a member of Bulgarias Union of Journalists and Union of Filmmakers and is using these institutions as a platform for her dirty propaganda ( Paskalevas 1994 film collection Wounds of Karabakh was screened in Bulgaria in February 2012 with the active support and participation of the Armenian Community).

As the negotiations with Bulgarian foreign ministry officials turned out to be unproductive, the Ambassador sent a letter presenting Paskalevas activities to the Union of Journalists. However, the Ambassadors letter addressed to Snezhana Todorova  president of the Union  suffered the same ineffective fate. On April 5, 2017, Vusal Abdullayev  advisor of the Azerbaijani Ambassador had a meeting with Todorova to discuss the details of the Ambassadors upcoming meeting with Bulgarian journalists. The advisor used the occasion to once again raise the issue of Paskalevas activities.

At this meeting, Snezhana Todorova said that she doesnt know Paskaleva very well and that she has simply met her during a visit to Armenia in the 2000s. The president of the Union emphasized that Paskaleva has not paid her membership fee for the union in the past one year and her membership has been frozen. The president of the union specially mentioned that the sole reason behind freezing Paskalevas membership was not paying the membership fee: neither other circumstances nor the Azerbaijani circumstance has anything to do with it. Todorova also mentioned that she would be happy if her Union will be able to help the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. She didnt rule out that Tsvetana Paskaleva might once again become a member of the Union, in case of paying the membership fees [showing that there is no other problem], the Azerbaijani Ambassadors report said.

Angered by Todorovas attitude, the Azerbaijani Ambassador noted the following in the cable addressed to Baku: In this context it is noteworthy that despite Snezhana Todorovas efforts to be polite and maintain the balance, taking into account her arguments during the meeting we noticed that her heart is drawn to the side of Armenians.

During the meeting with the Azerbaijani diplomat, Snezhana Todorova had also mentioned that a large Armenian Community is present in Bulgaria which has had great contribution in the countrys history.

The Azerbaijani envoy also wanted to meet with the president of Bulgarias Union of Filmmakers, since Paskaleva is also a member of this insitution.

Taking into consideration the fact that Tsvetana Paskaleva is also a member of Bulgarias Union of Filmmakers, weve also requested a meeting with the president of this union, the report says.

It is noteworthy that this isnt the only leaked document aimed at obstructing journalists.

ARMENPRESS will continue publishing the remaining facts and documents.

Aram Ananyan, Aren Petunts, Davit Mamyan
YEREVAN, 10 JULY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 10 July, USD exchange rate up by 0.02 drams to 479.55 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.42 drams to 545.92 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 7.94 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 2.09 drams to 616.89 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 141.82 drams to 18742.76 drams. Silver price down by 2.61 drams to 244.22 drams. Platinum price up by 93.09 drams to 14045.7 drams.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenias defense minister Mr. Vigen Sargsyan held a meeting on July 10 with charge d'affaires of the Greek Embassy Mrs. Angeliki Papatas and the Embassys military attache Colonel Georgios Mavroeidis, on the occasion of the latters completion of tenure.

The minister thanked the Colonel for his contribution in developing the Armenian-Greece defense cooperation during his three-year tenure, wishing him successes in his future service, the ministry told ARMENPRESS.

Colonel Mavroeidis thanked his Armenian colleagues for the productive work and said that the agreements and ongoing programs will continue because the Armenian-Greece cooperation in the defense sector is valued by Greece and continuous efforts will be made to enhance the cooperation.

Minister Sargsyan awarded the Colonel with the Military Cooperation Medal.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. The World Health Organization (WHO) European offices experts briefed Armenias healthcare minister Levon Altunyan on their monitoring and proposals during their visit to the country.

Particularly, the groups leader Goran Karson touched upon the improvement of educational processes in the primary health care circle. He approved the ministrys continuous work in this context.

He recommended revising the principals of referral by increasing the role of the primary health care specialists.

Several other issues were discussed.

Anna Korotkova, a member of the WHO group presented Russias palliative medical care and service and recommended to proceed from the existing demand and quality indicators.

The groups member Tatyana Trupec presented the results of Croatias e-healthcare introduction, the management of the non-contagious diseases, creation of special platforms etc.

The Armenian healthcare minister thanked the WHO Europe office for dispatching the experts to Armenia for supporting the development of the primary health care circle in the country.

Yegor Zaycev, WHO representative in Armenia said the group will soon deliver its report on the visit.
STEPANAKERT, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. A soldier of the Artsakh military was shot dead by Azerbaijani forces late afternoon July 10, the defense ministry of the country told ARMENPRESS.

Vazgen Poghosyan, 20, was gunned down while on duty in a military position stationed in the eastern direction.

An investigation has been launched into the shooting.

The defense ministry of Artsakh extended condolences to the family and friends of the fallen soldier.
More support is needed from government to tackle the skills shortage in the food and drink industry, a new report by the Food & Drink Federation has urged.

A combination of an ageing workforce and uncertainty over the impact of Brexit mean attracting talent to the industry has never been more urgent, stated a report commissioned by the FDF and produced by Grant Thornton.

The report  The Food And Drink Industry: Economic contribution and growth opportunities  is officially launched tonight (10 June) at a parliamentary reception, where Environment, Food and Rural Affairs secretary Michael Gove and his shadow counterpart Sue Hayman will speak.

The report says perceptions of the industry make it difficult to attract people, while potential employees do not see the industry as high-tech and with a wide range of fulfilling careers on offer, instead opting to join other manufacturing industries.

Meanwhile, there is uncertainty over access to EU workers, who make up 32.5% of the industrys skilled and highly skilled workforce.

Only a third of manufacturers surveyed said they felt apprenticeships would fill the gap left behind by EU workers, and the FDF said further support was needed from government to increase the apprentice workforce in food and drink. This should include investment to ensure education providers have the equipment and capacity to help bridge the skills gap.

Similarly, any new immigration policy must prioritise food and drink as the UKs largest manufacturing industry and allow new workers from the EU to enter our sector, stated the report.

Other recommendations for government in the report include:

Enhancing the image of the food and drink industry and raising awareness of the range of career opportunities on offer.

Working with industry to reduce product sugar levels and taking an holistic approach to calorie reformulation.

Further facilitating innovation through support for fundamental and applied research.

The FDF also called on government to encourage more food and drink manufacturers to export to help grow the UKs 2.2% share of the global food and drink export market. This should include working with industry to increase specialist export support for food and drink and identifying distributors in untapped markets.

The issues facing the food and drink industry are complex, but if we find the right solutions there is great reward - not just for our sector and the wider economy, said FDF director general Ian Wright. We believe a new sector deal, working in partnership with government and the farm-to-fork supply chain, will harness this potential.

The Food Export Conference

Businesses keen to tap export opportunities should make a date in their diary to attend a new event organised by British Baker in partnership with sister titles Food Manufacture and Meat Trades Journal.

The Food Export Conference has been designed to arm delegates with best practice advice from trade experts and British businesses enjoying success overseas. The one-day event will be held at Ardencote Manor, Warwickshire, on Thursday, 5 October 2017.

Speakers include: Adam Buckley, international sales director at Mr Kipling owner Premier Foods; Ed Wright, export director for Cranswick; Richard Clothier of Wyke Farms; and Paul Baker, director of Carrs Foods.

To register for the Food Export Conference, visit foodexportconference.co.uk. Register before Tuesday, 20 July for an early bird delegate rate of 328.00 + VAT.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Samantha White on samantha.white@wrbm.com or call her on 01293 846571.
Earl Jeffrey Inman

Born: September 23, 1933, Died: July 5, 2017



Earl Jeffrey Inman (Jeff), 83, died on July 5, 2017 at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, NC.



A visitation is planned for family and friends on Tuesday, July 11, 2017 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at Hillside Funeral Service & Cremations, 4500 Hwy 264 East, Washington, NC. Future services are planned to be held in Manistique, Michigan at a later date. Jeff was born on September 23, 1933 in Valparaiso, Indiana to Earl Cox Inman, Jr. and his wife Dorothy Mae Richard Inman. He married Marjorie Murphy in 1953.



They both worked, attended college and was blessed with three boys, Kip, Steven, and Daniel. Jeff and Marge attended Purdue University where Jeff earned his Master degree and Marge her Ph.D. They both began to teach and accepted positions at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC in 1991. Jeff taught Construction Management.



They moved to Cypress Landing, Chocowinity, NC and both retired in 1999. During previous years they had purchased property on Indian Lake in Manistique, Michigan, in the upper peninsula. Jeff and his sons had built two houses on the four lots and had began to spend six months in North Carolina. Marge passed away and though Jeff enjoyed his family and sister, Sally, two brothers, three sons and nine grandchildren, he was lonely. The family was pleased to see Jeff happier when he married Helen Sommerkamp in 2012. They built a workshop and Jeff has spent these five years doing what he enjoyed most, building boats and going back and forth to Michigan.



The Inman family sends a grateful "Thank you" to the Vidant Medical Family in Washington, NC and in Greenville for their kind and loving care as they worked hard to try to save his life and console the family members. We also express a "Thank you" to the ambulance service from Chocowinity as they rushed to his aid, three times. They were thorough, thoughtful, and kind. The family is also receiving the same kind, thoughtful, well organized treatment from Hillside Funeral Service. "Thank you" for these things and the beautiful lunch and the comfort.


Contact: Erica Mizelle

Erica Mizelle erica.mizelle@vidanthealth.com

GREENVILLE - Vidant Health appointed Dr. Emmanuel "Manny" Zervos as the executive director of Vidant Cancer Care on July 1.Dr. Zervos said.In his new role, Dr. Zervos will oversee cancer care delivery across the system and throughout the region. This includes the new cancer center and bed tower at Vidant Medical Center (VMC), a state-of-the-art facility that will serve as the hub of Vidant Cancer Care, providing both inpatient and outpatient cancer services.said Dr. Mike Waldrum, chief executive officer for Vidant Health.Dr. Zervos received his medical degree in 1992 from the University of Michigan College of Medicine followed by an internship in general surgery, a surgical residency and fellowship in surgical immunology at the University of South Florida in Tampa (USF), and a fellowship in surgical oncology and molecular genetics research at the Ohio State University Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital.Following his extensive professional medical training, he joined the faculty at USF and Moffitt Cancer Center in 2001, serving as director of surgical research for USF and as assistant professor in the Division of General Surgery, ultimately serving as associate professor with tenure. At USF and Moffitt he developed national recognition for federally funded investigator-initiated industry-sponsored clinical trials in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.Dr. Zervos joined the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (ECU) in July 2007 as professor and founding chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery and as associate director of the Leo Jenkins Cancer Center. In addition, he is the vice chair of academic affairs for ECU's Department of Surgery, and chief of surgical oncology at VMC. Dr. Zervos is also on the medical staff of the Outer Banks Hospital.Dr. Zervos' research efforts include 136 publications, 46 published abstracts, 183 presentations, 10 book chapters, and grant awards in excess of $2 million. He has also been appointed by the governor to the North Carolina Advisory Committee on Cancer Coordination and Control; served as chair of the Southeastern Surgical Congress and Society of Pelvic Surgeons Program Committee; provided oversight in the achievement of an Outstanding Achievement Award from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer for Pitt County Memorial Hospital (now VMC); and received the North Carolina Surgical Oncology Best Doctors in America Award in consecutive years.
In 2014, 43 students from Mexico's Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College went missing in Iguala, in the state of Guerrero: they had been detained by police, who turned them over to a criminal militia, who are presumed to have murdered them.



Today, Citizen Lab has revealed that the independent investigators into the mass disappearance were targeted for surveillance by Pegasus spyware, made by the US-Israeli NSO group and exclusively sold to governments.





NSO claims that it carefully vets the clients it sells its cyberweapons to, but the evidence from Mexico shows that at least some of their customers use NSO products to preserve corrupt political arrangements. Earlier Citizen Lab reports demonstrated that NSO's Mexican government customers had targeted anti-corruption journalists and lawyers (going so far as to target the child of a journalist, while that child was in the USA); the same tactics were used against activist who agitated for curbs on the marketing of sugary drinks.

But those forms of corruption are abstract and dry, while the Iguala disappearances shocked the conscience of the nation and the world. It resulted in the formation of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI), convened by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), with investigators from Colombia, Chile, Guatemala and Spain.





GIEI says its investigations were hampered throughout the process, but the Pegasus attacks came at the very end, just before they were to release their report.





Pegasus is the NSO Group's flagship product. The NSO Group is a self-described "cyber-warfare" company based in Israel, whose primary investor is the United States based private equity firm Francisco Partners, who are reportedly planning to sell NSO for $1 billion, a move that would coincide with NSO's re-branding as Q Cyber Technologies, which would make it harder for casual searchers to link evidence of NSO's complicity in crimes against humanity with the company.





The GIEI investigation into the 2014 Iguala Mass Disappearance was targeted with infection attempts using NSO Group's Pegasus spyware. The attempts came while the GIEI was preparing their final report, and just over a week after they had publicly criticized the Mexican government for interference in their investigation. The GIEI was created with the agreement of the Mexican government and the Organization of American States to serve as an independent, impartial body to conduct an investigation into a serious event: the disappearances of 43 students. The infection attempts were clearly intended to compromise the privacy and integrity of the GIEI investigative process. We speculate that the operators behind these attempts may have sought to learn the theories, sources, and substance of the investigation as the final report was being prepared.



Notably, GIEI report strongly contradicted key statements and theories by the Mexican government. The report also highlighted irregularities in the investigation led by Mexico's Office of the Prosecutor (PGR), a known NSO client. It is self evident that elements of the Mexican government would be interested in the activities of the GIEI during the time-frame in which the targeting with NSO took place. We previously reported that lawyers representing families of the victims were targeted with NSO spyware. Taken together with the GIEI targeting, this suggests the NSO operators were heavily involved in attempting to monitor various parties to the case that had been critical of the Government's handling of the investigation.



Reckless III: Investigation Into Mexican Mass Disappearance Targeted with NSO Spyware

[John Scott-Railton, Bill Marczak, Bahr Abdulrazzak, Masashi Crete-Nishihata, and Ron Deibert/Citizen Lab]
Family of teen who died on grad trip to Cuba trying to bring her body home

The family of a Belleville, Ont. teen who died during a high school graduation trip to Cuba says it is trying to bring her body back home.

In a statement released this weekend, the family of Alex Sagriff, 18, says she was found in her hotel room in Varadero, Cuba on Thursday night. The family said it has little information about her death.

"Our concern right now is trying to get her home. We don't know much of anything," the statement reads.

"Alex was an amazing young woman, she had a ton of friends, and has a ton of family who love her," it said.

The statement added that right now it is an "awful time" for the family.

Sagriff was on a trip organized by S-Trip, a Toronto-based travel agency that specializes in young adult vacations, when she died.

The cause of death has not been officially released.

Her family said she had just graduated from St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School in Belleville and was expected to attend Loyalist College in Belleville in the fall.

On Facebook, tributes are being posted for Sagriff.

In a post on Facebook, Allyson Tufts says: "Alex was her Mother's best friend, her Daddy's little girl, her brother's little sister, a granddaughter, a niece, a cousin, a best friend (and sometimes both), an athlete, and a complete joy. We are all absolutely broken as we attempt to grasp losing her."

Dorothy Davenport, in another Facebook post, writes: "She was so funny, beautiful inside and out, smart and so loveable."

Canadian officials in Havana are gathering details

Global Affairs Canada has confirmed that a Canadian has died in Cuba but has not confirmed that Sagriff is the Canadian who died.

Jocelyn Sweet, spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa, said in an email that Canadian consular officials in Havana are in contact with local authorities to gather information, while consular officials in Ottawa are providing help to the family.

"Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of the Canadian who passed away in Cuba," Sweet said on Sunday.

Story continues

Sweet declined to name the resort at which Sagriff was staying.

S-Trip says teen pronounced dead at the scene

S-Trip has refused to comment on the death, but in a letter sent to parents and guardians of students on the trip, it said staff were contacted at 9:30 p.m. on July 6 about a medical emergency.

"Emergency medical services arrived on scene and attempted to resuscitate the individual," the letter reads.

S-Trip said Sagriff was pronounced dead at the scene. It also said a doctor on the scene declared that Sagriff died of natural causes, but that determination has not been independently verified. The family did not release a cause of death.

The travel agency also said it is working directly with the family of the young woman but could not share any further details or make conclusions regarding the circumstances of her death.
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The struggle we face here in Afghanistan is as old as human history, said U.S. Charge dAffaires to Afghanistan Hugo Llorens. It is a fight between those forces that empower and liberate people against those who physically and spiritually subjugate their fellow human beings.

Speaking in Kabul at a Resolute Support Commemoration Ceremony for the Victims of the May 31 Attack in Kabul, Ambassador Llorens noted, The struggle in this heroic land is a fight between the vast majority of Afghans who simply want to rebuild their country and create a better life for their sons and daughters, against a small group of people who are filled with hate and know only the path of violence and destruction.

In the deadliest terror attack to take place in Kabul, to date, a truck bomb exploded near the German embassy on May 31st, killing over 150 and injuring 413, mostly civilians, and damaging several buildings in the embassy. The terrorists responsible for the horrific attack account it a great victory.

How wrong they are! said Ambassador Llorens. Let me say I have no doubt that the forces of light, faith and love will prevail, bring peace, and honor to these brave and proud men, and those thousands of brave young Americans, Afghans and of the other allied nations who have fallen in this cause.

The vast majority of Afghans are builders, on the side of progress, he said. Each and every day we see the progress Afghans have made in such little time since 2001. The schools, the hospitals, the government buildings, and centers of commerce  cellphones and public services, all accomplished in the past sixteen years  they are physical manifestations of the will of a people who build and believe in peace for themselves and others.

By contrast, he said,there exists only a very small minority who are destroyers  those who seek to tear down, it seems, for hateful and evil reasons. But the arc of history is clear  these destroyers cannot prevail, because their ideology is self-destructive, and they will either lay down their arms or meet their end.

Afghanistan is not alone in this fight, he said. The United States pledges to see this through to the end and to honor our commitments.
Every aspect of transnational crime has wide-spread negative consequences, causing serious harm to every society, at every level.

Due to the increasingly global nature of criminal organizations, transnational crime affects all countries, and all must play their part in bringing to light the many incarnations of transnational crime, and preventing, investigating, and prosecuting them.

In late June, the UN General Assembly held a high-level debate on transnational organized crime, in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Giovanni Falcone, an Italian judge and prosecuting magistrate who dedicated his professional life working to overthrow the Sicilian Mafia.

Giovanni Falcone, along with his close friend and colleague, Paolo Borsellino, was instrumental in the successful prosecution of numerous organized crime figures, including in the Maxi Trial of 1986-1987, the biggest crackdown on organized crime in Sicily, during which 360 convictions were secured. Judge Falcone also helped foster a new era of international law enforcement cooperation by working together with the New York City Police Department, FBI, and U.S. prosecutors on their parallel efforts to combat the Mafias illegal drug trafficking and money laundering schemes through the famous Pizza connection trial.

Giovanni Falcone died in May 1992, when 500 kilograms of explosives, packed into a highway culvert, were remotely detonated as Falcone drove over them.

Two months after Falcones assassination, Paolo Borsellino was killed by a car bomb also set by the mafia.

Falcones assassination helped pave the way for the adoption of the landmark UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, also known as the Palermo Convention, which came into force in December 2003.

Judge Falcone ... was a patriot of Italy and a friend of the United States."

Giovanni Falcone proved that there is nothing inevitable or invincible about transnational organized crime. He demonstrated that the Mafia could be defeated through painstaking investigation, cooperation across borders, and unwavering and uncompromising integrity.

Judge Falcone ... was a patriot of Italy and a friend of the United States. Committed to dismantling the Mafia, he worked with U.S. law enforcement to share evidence, obtain witnesses, and collaborate on groundbreaking cases in Sicily and New York, said State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Daniel Foote. If Judge Falcone had the opportunity to meet his counterparts from 187 countries  and a treaty to help them work together  what could he have accomplished? And can we do the same?
Five Chechen men have been found guilty in connection with the murder of Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov. The United States welcomes the news that five of those responsible for the murder have been convicted of the crime.

"We call once more on the Russian government to ensure that all involved in the killing of Boris Nemtsov, including anyone involved in organizing or ordering the crime, are brought to justice," said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert.

On February 27, 2015, Russians lost a champion of democracy and human rights when Boris Nemtsov was brutally murdered only steps from the Kremlin. The shooting, days before Mr. Nemtsov was to lead a rally to protest the war in Ukraine, ended his two-decade career as a supporter of democratic reforms and transparency in government, beginning after the Soviet Unions collapse in 1991.

Sadly, there has been a longstanding climate of impunity in Russia for those who attack journalists, activists, and the political opposition.

As in the case of Boris Nemtsov, the organizer and the mastermind of the 2006 murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya have never been identified. The Committee to Protect Journalists 2016 Impunity Index lists Russia in the top ten countries worldwide with the highest rate of impunity in the killing of journalists, with nine unsolved journalist murders in Russia in the past decade. The 2010 brutal beating of journalist Oleg Kashin also remains unsolved despite evidence that appears to indicate that a sitting government official ordered the crime.

Vladimir Kara-Murza, an anti-Putin activist and friend of Nemtsov, has mysteriously fallen into a coma twice in the past two years. Both times, his family said he had been poisoned. No criminal case has been opened in relation to either incident.

Freedom of speech is a fundamental right to which all are entitled, including the Russian people. It is time for the murder and injury to Russians who dare to speak freely to stop.
An estimated 20 million people around the world are victims of the heinous crime of human trafficking. This year, the State Departments Trafficking in Persons report places particular focus on the responsibility of governments to hold offenders accountable.

At the release of the 2017 report, U.S. Ambassador-at- Large to Monitor and Combat Human Trafficking Susan Coppedge noted how important the role of government is to the fight:

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.

All governments must do more to combat trafficking, Ambassador Coppedge said. But a certain number are making little or no effort to do so. Twenty three have been listed as a Tier 3 country, in which the government fails to meet even minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The Islamic Republic of Iran is one of them.

Iran, the State Department says, remains a source, transit and destination for men, women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor, and the Iranian government made negligible efforts to address its extensive trafficking problem.

No anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts were reported, and government officials themselves continued to be complicit in trafficking crimes, including the coerced recruitment and use of Afghan men for combat in Syria, and the funding of militias in Iraq that recruited and used child soldiers.

The report also pointed out the extreme difficulty for female victims of trafficking to obtain justice in Iran, since the courts accord legal testimony by women only half the weight as testimony by men, and female sex trafficking victims are liable to be prosecuted for adultery, a crime punishable by death.

In his introduction to the report, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called human trafficking one of the most tragic human rights issues of our time -  not only splintering families, but undermining the rule of law, encouraging other transnational criminal activity, and threatening public safety and national security. But worst of all, he said, the crime robs human beings of their freedom and their dignity. That is why every person and every government must pursue an end to the scourge of human trafficking.
President Donald Trump recently welcomed President Moon Jae-in of South Korea to the White House, where both leaders reiterated their support for the U.S.-South Korean comprehensive strategic alliance.

Since its founding, the alliance has served as a linchpin for security, stability, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia Pacific region. President Trump reaffirmed that the United States will defend South Korea against any attack and both presidents remain committed to jointly addressing the threat posed by North Korea, drawing on the full range of United States military capabilities, both conventional and nuclear.

The two leaders reaffirmed the alliances commitment to counter the growing threat to peace and security posed by North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

President Trump and President Moon pledged to continue to coordinate to achieve the shared goal of complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner.

The U.S. and South Korea continue to call on North Korea to refrain from provocative and destabilizing actions, and to fulfill its international obligations and commitments. The two leaders affirmed that North Koreas nuclear tests and unprecedented number of ballistic missile tests constitute direct violations of multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The U.S. and South Korea remain committed to implementing existing sanctions and imposing new measures designed to apply maximum pressure on North Korea to cease its provocative actions and return to constructive talks.

The door to dialogue with North Korea remains open under the right circumstances. The United States and South Korea, together with the rest of the international community, stand ready to offer a brighter future for North Korea, if it chooses the right path.

The two leaders expressed deep concern about the well-being of the North Korean people, particularly in light of the egregious human rights violations and abuses committed against them by the government.

President Trump and President Moon heralded the strength of the United States-South Korea alliance to deter and defend against the North Korean threat.
If luck hadnt seen someone find them first, nearly 600 prehistoric artifacts tossed into a waste container by mistake would have ended up at a city dump in northwestern Spain. Last January, a couple was walking down Rua da Paz, near the fishing port of Vigo, in the region of Galicia , when they noticed something odd inside a waste container. Sticking out from the assorted debris were some carved stones that had labels with numbers on them.

Items from the recovered collection. Quinones de Leon

The local police were called in, and by the end of the day the stones had ended up at the Quinones de Leon Municipal Museum, where employees began the arduous task of recovering a collection that has been described as large and of scientific interest.

In Galicia, it is quite common for private individuals to make archeological findings on their land, and for families to donate them to a local museum once Grandpa  typically the one who found them  passes away.

Even so, this case is unheard of, it is like nothing we had ever seen before, plus theres a ton of objects, says Jose Ballesta, the museum director. Ballesta underscored that the main thing is that this story has a happy ending, and that no culprits should be sought out.

A tool that the collector found in Salamanca. Museo Quinones de Leon

During the investigation, the police discovered that the items had come from a storage unit being emptied out by construction workers on behalf of the widow of Jose Manuel Garcia de la Villa, a psychiatrist who died in 2014.

De la Villa had harbored a passion for archeology since his days as a young man under the Franco regime, a time when there was still no strict regulation regarding what to do with archeological findings. The amateur archeologist had scientific training, and had been collecting stone and ceramic tools ever since he got his degree in psychiatry at Salamanca University.

He carefully marked each item with a small white sticker and wrote a reference number on it. He also kept handwritten lists with all sorts of details regarding the origin of the pieces.

When the widow was contacted to clear up why these valuable items had been thrown out, she was very upset, says the museum director.

Handwritte notes found at the collector's home. Museo Quinones de Leon

She told us that she was very sorry, that she hadnt paid attention to the things that were being thrown away, and that her husband would have never wanted that, he recalls.

The widow cooperated fully and searched her home for the ledgers where Garcia de la Villa had kept information about each item. All that emerged were a few loose sheets that helped a team of archeologists hired by the city of Vigo to put the vast collection in order.

Little by little, the artifacts were pulled out of the trash bags and deposited in 11 boxes. Experts found 594 pieces from the Paleolithic and Mesolithic eras, dating back to between 300,000 and 7,000 years BC.

Notes explaining the origin of the ceramics items. Museo Quinones de Leon

Working with the loose sheets, with the stones themselves  some of which had a year and place of origin written on them  and considering the way they were carved and the doctors own biography, experts were able to determine where the ceramics and tools had come from.

They had been found at sites in Salamanca, in Toen (a municipality in the Galician province of Ourense) and on the banks of the River Mino. In fact, nearly half of the items (266) came from the mouth of this river in Pontevedra that flows between Galicia and Portugal. Before working in Vigo, the doctor had worked at a psychiatric hospital in Toen that has since shut down.

Even today, the sandy terrain at the mouth of the Mino, between the municipalities of Camposancos and Caminha, still yields an abundance of picos camposanquienses, a typical tool used as weights for fishing nets.

One of the loose sheets found at the home of Garcia de la Villa. Museo Quinones de Leon

Garcia de la Villa was not a looter, says the museum director. We are talking about the early 1970s. Those were different times. And he knew what he was handling, and did so using protoscientific criteria.

The collection, which also includes ceramic pieces ranging from prehistoric to Roman times, is not particularly brilliant from an artistic point of view, but rather from a scientific one.

The Vigo-based Quinones de Leon Museum holds a large collection of stone axes and other tools typical of the cultures that once lived at the mouth of the Mino. Now, the museum director will consider incorporating the new items into the museum holdings, but thinks that it would be more appropriate to approach Salamanca institutions regarding the pieces that came from there.

Meanwhile, Ballesta is being contacted by people who inherited old artifacts from their older relatives and no longer wish to keep them at home. We are currently in touch with a family from Argentina whose grandfather was originally from here, he explains. When he emigrated to the Americas, he took with him all the prehistoric treasures that he had found while working his land.

English version by Susana Urra.
The king and queen of Spain will travel to the United Kingdom on Tuesday on an official visit that, it is hoped, will lay the groundwork for bilateral relations between both countries once Britain exits the European Union.

Felipe VI and Letizia will travel to Britain on Tuesday. Chema Moya (efe)

The agendas of King Felipe VI and his wife Letizia are filled with very specific plans that go well beyond the ceremonial events that typically make up official state visits by foreign dignitaries.

The Brexit process is going to break up the framework used for bilateral relations between the two countries over the last 30 years, and a new one must be developed.

British nationals also play a relevant role in the local economies of Alicante and Malaga

At the last official state visit to the UK, back in 1986, Spain was just joining the European Union and the feeling was very different to todays climate of uncertainty.

Spain could be particularly exposed to the effects of Brexit, as there are intense bilateral exchanges in areas such as investment and tourism.

Under the EU umbrella, bilateral trade has grown to reach more than 30.2 billion in 2016, with a 7.9 billion surplus for Spain. And Britain has become the main destination for Spanish investment, to the tune of 82.5 billion accumulated to 2015. Several studies show that Spanish investment accounts for around 140,000 direct jobs in Britain. And the United Kingdom was the second-largest foreign investor in Spain in 2015, with a contribution of 44.7 billion.

As for tourism, Spain is Britons destination of choice. British tourists to Spain numbered 17.8 million last year, representing the largest foreign group by far. Every year, 35 million passengers fly to and from both countries, and Spain has the most air connections to Britain of any country.

There are around 800,000 British nationals living in Spain, half of whom own property there, according to diplomatic sources (although only 300,000 of them are officially registered as having Spanish residency). Meanwhile, there are 130,000 Spaniards registered as residents in Britain, although the real figure could be closer to 260,000.

British nationals also play a relevant role in the local economies of Alicante province (74,000 registered residents) and Malaga (50,000). And around 7,000 Spanish workers cross the border into Gibraltar every day to work in the British overseas territory.

The Spanish royals visit to the UK has been structured along three main themes

In addition, a recent report by the UK Office for National Statistics found that of the 68,200 Spanish citizens officially working in the UK, 78% were working in the following sectors: public administration, education and health, banking and finance, and hospitality.

On the education front, there are nearly 11,000 Spaniards studying at British universities, and around 5,000 Spanish researchers at British centers of higher learning. Spanish is taught at 70% of public high schools and 89% of private ones.

A three-pronged approach

With these figures in mind, the Spanish royals visit to the UK has been structured around three main themes. The first focuses on the human aspect of the relationship and seeks to highlight the extraordinary contribution made by Spanish residents in Britain, and to send this community a message of support to allay existing concerns about its future.

The second theme is business-oriented. The monarchs will underscore the influence of Spanish firms in Britain, such as the Santander banking group, Telefonica (which owns O 2 ), Iberdrola (owner of Scottish Power) and Ferrovial (the top stakeholder at Heathrow airport).

The third underlying theme will be the need to preserve bilateral relations outside the protective framework of the EU. This will be the purpose of Felipe VIs address to British parliament on Wednesday, and of his Thursday meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis and other members of the Spanish delegation will be meeting with their British counterparts to discuss similar issues.

English version by Susana Urra.
The regional authorities on Spains Balearic Islands have fined Spanish airline Iberia 25,000 for demanding that women seeking cabin crew jobs undergo a pregnancy test as part of their application process.

The fine for Iberia is the first of its kind in the Balearics. Jaime Villanueva

Such a demand constitutes a serious violation of labor law on the basis of discrimination, the regional labor department found. Sources from the former flag carrier announced on Sunday that it would no longer require such a test and applicants will have the option of telling the airline whether or not they are pregnant.

Sources from the labor department explained that they became aware of the practice last year during a campaign aimed at combating discrimination in the workplace. Inspectors found that Iberia was setting out a series of criteria in its search for personnel, which were then passed on to the external recruitment firm Randstad.

Iberia argued that the aim of the test was to avoid assigning a task that would put the pregnancy at risk

This latter company was in charge of carrying out interviews and also would request a pregnancy test from applicants. Other medical check-ups were also required, both for male and female candidates.

In its defense, the airline  which, along with Aer Lingus, British Airways and Vueling is owned by the International Airlines Group (IAG) holding company  argued that the practice was commonplace throughout Spain and that it formed part of the firms medical check-up once candidates had passed one of the stages of the selection process. Iberia also argued that the only aim of the test was to avoid assigning them a task that would put their pregnancy at risk. They also claimed that they had never refused to employ someone simply because they were pregnant.

The case is the first time that a fine has been imposed for serious discrimination on the basis of sex on the Balearic Islands. The airline can appeal the decision with the regional labor department, although if the appeal is rejected they will have to turn to the courts to take the matter further.

English version by Simon Hunter.
The UK government is set to roll out measures to tackle a plague of false insurance claims filed by British tourists who say they have suffered food poisoning while abroad  a problem that is thought to have cost the Spanish tourism sector as much as 60 million in recent years, and which threatens to see tourists from the country blacklisted by some industry operators.

Tourists in Palma de Mallorca. Atienza (EFE)

Our message to those who make false holiday sickness claims is clear: your actions are damaging and will not be tolerated, warned UK Secretary of State for Justice David Lidington, referring to tourists who take part in such scams.

British tourists returning from package vacations overseas have been using claims-management companies to file a complaint against the firm that organized the trip, alleging that the hotel meals made them ill. By doing so they often see the cost of their trip reimbursed, effectively gifting them a free vacation.

The scam has the potential of putting hoteliers out of business Chris Mottershead, Thomas Cook UK managing director

The situation has arisen because British consumer laws do not currently require claimants to produce any evidence. No doctors report is necessary, and claims may be filed up to three years after the event. Filing a complaint is so easy that some legal firms have even sent representatives out to tourist destinations to encourage them to fill out the necessary paperwork.

Since it is hard to prove that clients did not get sick, and faced with high legal fees if cases goes to court, tour operators generally accept the claims, then pass on the cost to the Spanish hotel as per their contract, in which the latter accepts responsibility for all damages. Holidaymakers get a full refund for the cost of the trip, and the intermediaries take a cut.

Faced with this situation, some tourism operators have threatened to hike prices for British tourists or even ban them altogether.

But the UK government has taken note, now saying it will crack down on the scam. One of the options on the table is limiting the legal costs that companies will have to pay to go to court to take on claimants. UK authorities have also warned tourists they face up to three years in jail if they are found to be filing a fake claim.

Your actions are damaging and will not be tolerated UK Secretary of State for Justice David Lidington

Recently, UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said the digestive systems of Brits had become the most delicate in the world, while the BBC cited the head of one travel company as saying UK tourists risked becoming the laughing stock of Europe, given that they attended the same hotels as the French, Germans and Danes, all of whom ate the same food without suffering from food poisoning.

UK travel industry association ABTA welcomed the new government initiative, noting the problem was hurting Spanish operators in particular. Last month, tour operators Thomas Cook and Tui warned the problem could spell the end of package holidays for British tourists. It has the potential of putting hoteliers out of business, said Thomas Cooks UK managing director, Chris Mottershead.

The Spanish tourism sector is a key pillar of the national economy and has been crucial to the countrys economic recovery after the economic crisis. However, the low-cost model being pursued by the industry has come come under attack in recent years with residents in cities including Barcelona and Madrid saying mass tourism threatens to price locals out of certain neighborhoods while turning those areas into theme parks.

English version by George Mills.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

Iranian Railways announced that an investment agreement has been inked with Azerbaijan Republic for construction and operation of railway terminal in Iran's Astara, Mehr news agency reported.

The investment deal has been signed between Azerbaijan Railways transport company and Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI) over Astara railway station which is under construction.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Azerbaijani government has agreed to invest 60 million dollars in the Iranian project.

Furthermore, once the contract between the two sides expires, all facilities available at Astara terminal will be fully handed over to Iran.

According to RAI officials, the Azerbaijani side has agreed to transit at least two million tons of cargo through Iran.
EFFINGHAM -- In 2014, Effingham Catholic Charities and HSHS St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital launched a dental voucher program available for adults 18 years and older who are underinsured or uninsured and in need of an emergent tooth extraction.

Through the program, a patient who is referred to Catholic Charities by a physician, dentist, or by self-referral, can receive a dental voucher upon verification of eligibility. The dental voucher covers expenses related to an initial exam and X-ray by a dentist, followed by a tooth extraction if necessary, relieving the patient of the burden of paying for emergency, dental and oral surgery services when they cannot afford to do so.

This program was developed as a result of the Community Health Needs Assessment St. Anthonys conducted in 2011 in partnership with the Alliance for a Healthier Effingham County and Jasper Steering Committee, which indicated a need for increased oral health and access to dental care.

According to a press release, the program has been highly successful in helping those in need of dental care but unable to afford it, get the services they need rather than going to the emergency room for treatment. Since the programs inception through today, over 650 clients have been served, receiving an exam and x-ray by a dentist, with a number also receiving a tooth extraction.

Due to the success of this program, Sister Carol Beckermann, OSF, director of Effingham Catholic Charities, recently made a presentation about the Dental Voucher Program at the Catholic Health Associations (CHA) 2017 Catholic Health Assembly held June 10-13 in New Orleans. Sister Carol made the presentation alongside Jane S. Grover, DDS, MPH, director of the Council on Access, Prevention and Interprofessional Relations for the American Dental Association.

The annual Catholic Health Assembly is the premier gathering of Catholic health care leaders in the United States. This two-and-one-half day convention brings leaders from across the ministry together for learning, networking, celebration and renewal. Keynote speakers feature prominent voices from key areas such as health care, academia, media, public policy and philanthropy.

To be selected to present, Grover submitted a white paper to the CHA about Successful ER Referral Strategies for Dental Patients. From over 100 submissions nationwide, Grovers paper was one of 12 chosen to present at the CHA Catholic Health Assembly. The presentation by Grover and Sister Carol was offered as a breakout session in an Innovation Forum at the Assembly on June 12.

As outlined in the Catholic Health Assemblys program, the presentation covered how the use of hospital emergency rooms for dental patients in pain has increased in the past five years due to state Medicaid regulations, underutilization of existing dental resources and other challenges. Grover and Sister Carol reviewed the most current data nationally for dental use of emergency rooms and illustrated how Catholic Charities in Effingham built a partnership between HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital and local dental offices to serve those in need.

Sister Carol said, I was honored to be able to share about our Dental Voucher Program at this national conference of Catholic health leaders.

"We are proud of the program that we have developed in partnership with HSHS St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital, and local dental providers, she said. The program has helped a lot of those who were not getting the dental care they needed and continues to grow to help more people. By sharing about the success of this program with health care leaders at the Catholic Health Assembly, we can help even more people with the development of similar programs nationwide.

To find out more about the dental voucher program, contact Catholic Charities at 217-857-1458. For more information about St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital, visit St. Anthonys web site at stanthonyshospital.org. HSHS St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital is part of the Southern Illinois Division of Hospital Sisters Health System, which also includes HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital in Belleville, HSHS St. Josephs Hospital in Breese, and HSHS St. Josephs Hospital in Highland.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10



By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:



Right now, Azerbaijans main task is to minimize dependence on oil resources, Anar Alakbarov, assistant to the first vice president of the country, director of the Heydar Aliyev Center, told Kazakh media outlets at the EXPO-2017 International Specialized Exhibition in Astana, where Azerbaijans National Day was held on July 9.



Azerbaijan is a country rich in oil resources, but the main task is to direct them to the development of human capital, and that is why the countrys government and non-governmental organizations are dealing with this, he said.



The Azerbaijani state has decided that we will be switching to alternative energy, he noted. A lot of ecological projects are being implemented.



In turn, Gunay Piriyeva, a member of the Azerbaijani delegation at the exhibition, showed examples of using alternative energy sources in Azerbaijan.



Here [at the Azerbaijani pavilion within the exhibition] we have fuel pellets obtained from cotton waste, Piriyeva said. Pressed pellets are burned and used as fuel. First of all, this saves natural gas, and the harmful leaks of natural gas into the atmosphere are reduced.



In 2017, the EXPO-2017 International Specialized Exhibition is taking place in Central Asia for the first time. As many as 115 countries and 18 international organizations, as well as largest international corporations are taking part in the exhibition.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

France can restart the peace process on Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by ensuring a fair mediation between two belligerents to put an end to dramatic assaults on civilians, French politician, former member of French Parliament and President of the French Association of Friends of Azerbaijan Jean-Francois Mansell told Trend.

He noted that the international community has little interest in this conflict which is considered to be frozen.

Two of the three co-chairs of the Minsk Group, Russia and the United States, focus on their national interests. Only France can take the initiative, Mansell said.

He noted that France is present in the Caucasus in many spheres, has good relations with both Azerbaijan and Armenia and wants to return to international initiatives.

Earlier, Mansell, among a number of former and current officials of France, signed a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron urging him to exert pressure on Armenia to fulfill the UN resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh.

It should be noted that on July 4 at about 20:40 (GMT+4 hours), the Armenian armed forces again violated ceasefire and, using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade launchers, shelled Azerbaijani positions and territories where the civilian population lives, namely the Alkhanli village of the countrys Fuzuli district, thereby grossly violating the requirements of international law, the Azerbaijani defense ministry said earlier.

As a result of this provocation, the residents of the village Sahiba Allahverdiyeva, 50, and Zahra Guliyeva, 2, were killed. Salminaz Guliyeva, 52, who got wounded, was taken to the hospital and was operated on.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

In an emotive reconstruction, the carnage of the tragedy near to the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh has been brought directly to the steps of the Armenian Embassy in London.

After a week when shocking images showing the bloodied corpse of two-year-old Zahra Guliyeva flooded the airwaves, five battered, bruised and bloody dismembered dolls were strewn on the steps to the Embassy in Kensington.

This symbolic act by Azerbaijani diaspora members came in the wake of events on July 4, 2017 when two inhabitants of the Alkhanli village of the Fuzuli district  two-year-old Zahra Guliyeva and her grandmother Sahiba Allahverdiyeva  were killed by Armenian armed forces located close to the contact line.

This was in direct contravention of the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 and other international agreements, which defend the rights of civil society and forbid the targeting of civilians.

This latest manifestation of violence in the unresolved ArmenianAzerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh has been unreservedly condemned by politicians in the UK, France, Belgium, Members of the European Parliament and international organisations, including the UN, OSCE and OIC.

This terrible humanitarian tragedy irrefutably reiterates the need for rapid resolution of this conflict and for Armenia to implement the four UN Security Council resolutions passed in 1993 demanding the withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territory.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Worsening of the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region is beneficial neither to Azerbaijan nor Armenia, IRNA news agency quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Gasemi as saying July 10.

He noted that Iran's position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is clear.

We are against escalation of the situation in the [Nagorno-Karabakh] conflict zone. At times, it seems that outside forces want to intervene in the issue and are interested in the aggravation of the situation. We regret this and hope that countries of the region will make joint efforts for de-escalation in the region, Gasemi said.

It should be noted that on July 4 at about 20:40 (GMT+4 hours), the Armenian armed forces again violated ceasefire and, using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade launchers, shelled Azerbaijani positions and territories where the civilian population lives, namely the Alkhanli village of the countrys Fuzuli district, thereby grossly violating the requirements of international law, the Azerbaijani defense ministry said earlier.

As a result of this provocation, the residents of the village Sahiba Allahverdiyeva, 50, and Zahra Guliyeva, 2, were killed. Salminaz Guliyeva, 52, who got wounded, was taken to the hospital and was operated on.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

German MP Patrick Sensburg in his response to an enquiry by the Berlin office of The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) regarding the Armenian shelling of the Alkhanly village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district said that civilian population mustnt be attacked.

On July 4 at about 20:40 (GMT+4 hours), the Armenian armed forces, using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade launchers, shelled the Alkhanly village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district.

As a result of this provocation, the residents of the village Sahiba Allahverdiyeva, 50, and Zahra Guliyeva, 2, were killed. Salminaz Guliyeva, 52, who got wounded, was taken to the hospital and was operated on.

The German MP said that the report about yet further civilian victims of the conflict around the Nagorno-Karabakh region has saddened him deeply.

I strongly urge both parties to bring this conflict to a swift solution by a return to the peaceful negotiation process, he noted. The Security Council of the United Nations has clarified numerous times that only the immediate withdrawal of the military troops of Armenia out of Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding districts can ensure a sustainable solution.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

Armenia deliberately avoids resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through substantive talks and implementing the UN Security Council resolutions on the conflict settlement, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev said July 10.

He was commenting on the speech of Armenias Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan at an informal meeting of Eastern Partnership countries foreign ministers in Chisinau, Moldova.

Hajiyev said that while the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and the international community call on continuing substantive negotiations, Armenia hinders this.

With the help of fictional arguments, Armenia tries to evade the essence of the negotiation process, he noted.

The Armenian side deliberately shells Azerbaijani civilians that live along the line of contact between the two countries troops, Hajiyev said, adding that as a result, a two-year-old girl and her grandmother were killed in the Alkhanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district on July 4, and another villager was seriously injured.

He added that the Armenian FM deliberately tries to justify the murder of a child, which is a crime against humanity.

The presence of occupying forces of Armenia in the Azerbaijani territories continues to remain a threat to peace and stability in the region, Hajiyev noted.

The only way to achieve progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and ensuring sustainable peace in the region is Armenias implementation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs plan on the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, according to him.

It should be noted that on July 4 at about 20:40 (GMT+4 hours), the Armenian armed forces again violated ceasefire and, using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade launchers, shelled Azerbaijani positions and territories where the civilian population lives, namely the Alkhanli village of the countrys Fuzuli district, thereby grossly violating the requirements of international law, the Azerbaijani defense ministry said earlier.

As a result of this provocation, the residents of the village Sahiba Allahverdiyeva, 50, and Zahra Guliyeva, 2, were killed. Salminaz Guliyeva, 52, who got wounded, was taken to the hospital and was operated on.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

The Support for Youth Development  Dushunje Public Association spread a statement about another Armenian provocation, which led to the death of Azerbaijani civilians.

According to the statement, the death of Sahiba Allahverdiyeva and two-year-old Zahra Guliyeva as a result of the shelling of Alkhanly village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district by Armenian armed forces on July 4 is barbarity.

"The shelling of the territory of one country by another country, when civilians are dying, is a flagrant violation of the norms of international law in the 21st century, the statement said. Moreover, it is also the declaration of war to the opposite side."

According to the statement, Armenia is responsible for this provocation, which is condemned by the international community.

"Another Armenian provocation, which led to the death of civilians, once again shows that the only way to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is to immediately withdraw the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories," the statement said. Which other reasons are required for international organizations to impose serious sanctions on Armenia?"

"Shedding the blood of thousands of civilians, Sargsyans criminal regime uses the Armenian youth as a human shield to remain in power," the statement says.

The public association calls on international organizations not to remain indifferent to this provocation and exert pressure on Armenia.

"Otherwise, no one can guarantee that the Armenians will not resort to such provocation once again, the statement said. Of course, Azerbaijan will take retaliatory measures."

On July 4 at about 20:40 (GMT+4 hours), the Armenian armed forces, using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade launchers, shelled the Alkhanly village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district.

As a result of this provocation, the residents of the village Sahiba Allahverdiyeva, 50, and Zahra Guliyeva, 2, were killed. Salminaz Guliyeva, 52, who got wounded, was taken to the hospital and was operated on.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

The information about the death of an Azerbaijani serviceman is false, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said July 10.

The ministry was commenting on the information spread by Armenian media outlets, which stated that Azerbaijani soldier Hasan Nagiyev was on July 2 killed by an Armenian sniper in the Aghdam direction on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops.

Hasan Nagiyev served on active duty in the Azerbaijani armed forces and in January 2017 was transferred to the reserve, the Defense Ministry said, adding Nagiyev currently lives in Azerbaijans Shamkir district.

The Defense Ministry noted that sharing unverified and false information serves the interests of Armenia and aims to damage the credibility of the armed forces.
Details added (first version posted on 11:44)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has met with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Istanbul.

At the meeting, the sides noted successful development of bilateral ties between the two countries in various fields, including politics and energy.

During the talk, issues related to the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were discussed. President Ilham Aliyev once again expressed Azerbaijans position regarding the settlement of the conflict, and informed Tillerson about the latest military provocation of Armenia on the contact line between the two countries troops.

The Azerbaijani president also spoke about the work carried out due to the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project.

Rex Tillerson, on his part, noted that the US will continue to support the implementation of the project.

President Ilham Aliyev asked Rex Tillerson to convey gratitude to US President Donald Trump for the congratulatory letter sent on the occasion of the opening of the 24th International Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition and Conference.

Ilham Aliyev described the letter as US support for Azerbaijans energy policy, in particular, the Southern Gas Corridor project.

Rex Tillerson highly assessed Azerbaijans activity in peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, as well as Azerbaijans role as a transport and logistics corridor in these operations.

The sides also discussed political and economic reforms, which are being implemented in Azerbaijan, as well as issues related to the development of democracy.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 9

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan have held a meeting and dined together in Istanbul.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greeted President Ilham Aliyev.

They posed for photographs, and then dined together.

During the meeting, the presidents hailed successful development of friendly and brotherly Azerbaijani-Turkish relations and the high level of ties in political, economic and other fields.

President Ilham Aliyev congratulated President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the holding of the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Turkey.

The presidents emphasized successful implementation of strategically-important projects in the field of energy between the two countries. They particularly noted the completion of TANAP project next year.

The presidents also talked about the expansion and strengthening of the two countries cooperation in the military field.

They discussed issues relating to settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

President Ilham Aliyev informed the Turkish president about the recent provocations and military crimes of Armenia on the line of contact.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey as always supports the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on norms of international law and the principle of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The heads of state noted that Turkey and Azerbaijan support each other on all issues.
SPRINGFIELD -- The next Illinois History Forum at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum features the editor of an acclaimed edition of Spoon River Anthology leading a discussion of that classic poetry collection about small-town Illinois.

The free event takes place July 13 at noon in the multi-purpose room of the ALPLMs library building, 112 N. Sixth St.

John E. Hallwas, distinguished professor emeritus at Western Illinois University, will lead the forum. Hallwas edited an award-winning 1994 edition of Spoon River Anthology. It has been praised as the finest offering of Spoon River Anthology to date.

Spoon River was written by Edgar Lee Masters, who grew up in Petersburg and Lewistown. His poems are presented as the memories, regrets and complaints of the residents of an Illinois towns cemetery.

In Masters view, when he was writing the book back in 1915, many people didnt seem to care about others, or their community, Hallwas has said. There was too much selfishness, materialism, and conformity -- too little concern for important values and social commitment. Of course, many people now view those problems as rampant in our own time.

The Illinois History Forum meets every two months for discussions of books, movies and museum exhibits related to Illinois history. Later this year, sessions will look at famed labor activist Mother Jones and Illinois transformation from French trapping territory to American farm state.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, a division of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is dedicated to telling the story of Americas 16th president through old-fashioned scholarship and modern technology.

The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history.
First version posted at 14:12

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

Turkey is a great power on a global scale, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev during the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul.

My dear brother, dear President Recep Tayyip Erdogan! Dear ladies and gentlemen! I am very glad to be on the soil of brotherly Turkey again. I would like to take this opportunity and wish peace, welfare and progress to brotherly Turkish people, he added.

President Aliyev expressed gratitude to his Turkish counterpart for the invitation and hospitality.

Turkey has a decisive word on many issues of the world agenda, added President Aliyev.

All this success has been achieved under the leadership of my brother, President Erdogan. Today, Turkey is developing successfully and rapidly. Turkey has come a great and honorable way under the leadership of President Erdogan. Todays conference is a proof of that. As Turkey is becoming stronger, we are also strengthening, said the president.

President Aliyev pointed out that Turkey and Azerbaijan stand by each other on all issues.

We have a multifaceted cooperation which covers all spheres, he said, adding that the unity and cooperation of Turkey and Azerbaijan in energy sphere enables the countries to implement a lot of important strategic projects, among which are Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and TANAP projects.

President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is an ancient land of oil.

Indeed, we believe that Azerbaijan is a home of oil, because the first industrial method of oil production was applied in Baku, Azerbaijan in 1846, he added.

President Aliyev noted that at the same time, the year 1994 is remarkable for the signing of the Contract of Century which today plays the main role in filling the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

Afterwards, a very rich gas field Shah Deniz was discovered in Azerbaijan. The reserve of this field is estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters. It is one of the largest fields on a global scale. Today, it is the resource base of the Southern Gas Corridor. Thus, currently, Azerbaijan has turned into a producer and exporter of oil and gas, said the president.

He went on to add that the Southern Gas Corridor project consists of four parts.

The first one is the Shah Deniz gas field. The Shah Deniz 2 project is 93 percent complete and will be fully completed soon. The second one is the South Caucasus Pipeline which connects Azerbaijan and Georgia. The work on this project is 87 percent complete. The third and the most important part is the TANAP gas pipeline which is 77 percent complete. We will mark the execution of this project next year. Finally, the fourth part is the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, which is 44 percent complete, he said, adding that all these four important projects constitute the Southern Gas Corridor.

The president noted that $40 billion worth of investment is needed for the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project and the major part of this amount has already been invested.

Azerbaijans proven gas reserve is estimated at 2.6 trillion cubic meters and in the coming years, over decades, Azerbaijani gas will meet the demand of both European countries and countries of the region, added President Aliyev.

The president pointed out that seven countries participate in the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania and Italy.

Three Balkan countries can also join the Southern Gas Corridor in the future and relevant work is underway in this regard. Thats to say, we are expanding this projects geography and can further expand in the future, because this project is an initiative benefiting every country, said the president.

Implementation of this project shows that all countries and companies participating in it get benefit, said President Aliyev.

We have created such a great cooperation format in which both producers, thats to say, Azerbaijan and transit countries, as well as consumers work on the basis of common interests. This balance of interests paved way for the successful implementation of this major project, because there are quite a lot of technical, financial, economic and political issues, said the president.

Today, we can already say that the Southern Gas Corridor project will be implemented successfully and Azerbaijan will provide both European countries and the countries of the region with natural gas for many years to come.

President Aliyev said that today, gas is the main factor ensuring energy security in the world.

In this regard, Azerbaijan continues to make contribution to ensuring energy security. At the same time, Azerbaijani gas is the only new gas source to be transported to Europe, because all other gas sources are active. The new source has already been discovered and these gas reserves will be delivered to European markets through the new pipeline. Thats to say, our advantage is existence of both factors. This is a serious step towards the energy diversification, added the president.

President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan understands its responsibility.

We well understand that the projects which we are implementing together with partner countries, will ensure the energy balance and energy security of many countries and help them, he added.

Of course, oil and gas issues are in the spotlight in this congress, noted President Aliyev.

In conclusion, I would like to touch upon one issue. Usually, the countries which are not rich in oil think that if they had oil, they would be able to benefit it. But I can say that oil can bring both benefit and problems. It depends on how you use oil. We in Azerbaijan try to turn black gold into human capital and I believe we have achieved that. First of all, we protect our oil revenues in a very transparent way, he added.

President Aliyev pointed out that the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan is one of the most transparent funds in the world and was awarded by the UN.

The first condition is full transparency. Information about the revenues of the State Oil Fund is regularly provided to the public. The second issue is the appropriate use of oil revenues. First of all, we directed the oil revenues to the infrastructure projects. Today, we export not only oil and gas, but also the energy generated at dozens of power stations which we have built in recent years, he added.

President Aliyev pointed out that Azerbaijan has allocated large funds for infrastructure projects, building schools and hospitals.

We are seriously fighting poverty. In fact, oil sector doesnt create many jobs. By directing oil revenues to other sectors, we managed to reduce the level of poverty and unemployment, which currently stand at approximately 5-6 percent, he said.

Further on, Ilham Aliyev said that big amounts of foreign investments are made in Azerbaijan and the country, in turn, makes investments abroad.

Brotherly Turkey is in the first place here. To date, $10 billion worth of investments have been made in Turkeys energy sector. This figure will nearly double in the coming years. In one word, today, when talking about energy security, the projects that we implemented come to mind, he added.

The unity, friendship and brotherhood of Turkey and Azerbaijan dont only determine the two countries benefits and successful future. It has a great influence on the region, said the president, adding that it brings stability to the region, paves way for creating new jobs, strengthens security measures and opens doors for broad cooperation.

My dear brother, I once again express gratitude to you for the hospitality and invitation. I wish success to the work of the Congress! concluded President Aliyev.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today completed his visit to the Republic of Turkey.

A guard of honor was lined up for the Azerbaijani president at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, which was decorated with national flags of the two countries.

The chief of the guard of honor reported to the president of Azerbaijan.

The heads of state saluted the guard of honor.

President Ilham Aliyev was seen off by high-ranking Turkish officials.
Professors of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) sent a statement to intergovernmental and international organizations including the UN, OSCE, OSCE Minsk Group and the Council of Europe in connection with brutal murder of two-year old Zahra, who was killed following a bomb raid by Armenian armed forces. The statement says:

The murder of two Azerbaijani civilians: 2-years old toddler and her grandmother in the shelling of the territories, adjacent to the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, by the Armenian armed forces is a military crime, once again committed by the Armenian armed forces against Azerbaijani civilians. The full responsibility of this bloody crime committed against the civilian population rests with the political leadership of Armenia.

Armenian mortars and grenade launchers target children literally on the eve of the meeting of the "Big Twenty". Separatists challenge the entire civilized world. The continued deliberate targeting of the Azerbaijani civilian population and civilian property constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law and human rights. The actions of the separatists, their endless provocations meet the growing discontent of an increasing number of politicians from different countries

International institutions must take real measures to end the Armenian occupation, withdraw the occupation forces from the territories of Azerbaijan recognized by the world community including Nagorno-Karabakh, and establish peace in the region. Infinite conflicts have no place in the civilized world.

We demand that Armenia ceases to sacrifice the civilian population of our country in the name of its unjustified and illegal territorial pretensions to Azerbaijan. The murders of innocent people, inhuman acts must be stopped. Every human life is priceless, each person is unique, and the murder of a person, especially an innocent child, is a crime against humanity.

The UN, the OSCE, Western countries, especially the world powers, must curb the aggressor who is trying with all his might to maintain the status quo in the region. We believe that authoritative international organizations should respect their decisions on recognizing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and on the unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupation army from our land. If this does not happen, such provocations will continue, which in the end will force Azerbaijan to use military force to eliminate the status quo.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

A group of UNECs teaching staff was sent to retirement.

UNEC Rector, Professor Adalat Muradov pointed that these teachers have been providing invaluable services for the training of economists for many years. He also brought to attention their active participation in the universitys socio-political life.

Highly evaluating the innovations held at UNEC, Honored Teachers, UNECs Honorary Professors Shakir Badalov, Rafig Bashirov, Asif Kerimov, PhD in Economy, Assistant Professor Gambar Aliyev and a senior teacher Rafiga Ibrahimova expressed proud for the higher education institutions that it occupies a place in international ratings in a short period of time, and cooperates with the prestigious universities of the world.

Speaking about the 50 years of this higher education institution, Honored lecturer, UNECs Honorary Teacher Asif Kerimov said, I feel proud with my Native Universitys this day.

UNEC Rector expressed confidence that they will keep friendship ties with the native staff.

In the end of the meeting, the teachers were awarded Honorary Diploma for their services and efficient pedagogical performances made in the development of the university, upbringing the younger generation and development of highly skilled professionals.

UNEC is the brand of Azerbaijan State University of Economics. The brand of UNEC has been registered and patented by the State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patent on January 21, 2016.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 10

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a decree on reorganization of certain banks in the country, the Turkmen government said in a message.



At a government meeting, the Turkmen president gave concrete instructions to the leadership of the countrys Central Bank.

Also, a decree was signed on the transfer of rights and obligations on the loans, issued to a number of ministries, to the countrys state commercial bank Halkbank.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 10

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

A new freight train will connect eastern China's Jiangxi Province and Uzbekistan, Chinese media outlets reported.

The train loaded with steel coils, garments and daily items, valued at $1.8 million, departed from Chinese city Ganzhou on July 7 and is expected to arrive in Tashkent 12 days later.

This train is a part of China-Europe railway route. More than 4,000 freight train journeys have been made between Chinese and European and central Asian cities since August 2011, with the opening of the Chongqing-Duisburg Line, according to China Railway Corporation.

Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

South Korea and five Central Asian countries launched an office in Seoul July 10 to facilitate diplomatic, business and people-to-people cooperation, The Korea Herald newspaper said in a message.

The sides plan that it will be done through high-level dialogue, exchanges of working-level public officials and cultural festivals.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Seoul and the five states of the Central Asia.

A multitude of state-run and private Korean businesses including Samsung, LG and Hyundai Engineering have been building power and chemical plants, renovating refining facilities in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijan fully supports the active participation of Chinese investors and companies in SOCAR GPC project, Rovnag Abdullayev, president of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR said at a meeting with Wang Yilin, president of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) in Baku.

Abdullayev stressed the fruitful cooperation between SOCAR and CNPC, which is of great importance for strengthening interstate relations.

He added that mutual visits and meetings create favorable opportunities for further expansion of cooperation.

Azerbaijan fully supports the active participation of Chinese investors and companies in SOCAR GPC project, he added.

In his turn, Yilin said that CNPC is interested in developing cooperation with SOCAR in various fields.

"CNPC owns specific modern technologies, and their application in the projects which are being implemented in Azerbaijan can serve the efficient use of the country's natural resources," Yilin said. The Chinese government attaches great importance to the GPC project."

Abdullayev also added that the sides did a great job in SOCAR GPC project and it is necessary to continue moving forward.

"SOCAR is ready to cooperate with CNPC in all areas of mutual interest," Abdullayev said.

SOCAR GPC, a gas processing and petrochemical complex of SOCAR, will be commissioned in Garadagh, 15 km south of Baku.

The capacity of the complex will be around 10 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

According to the initial estimations, the cost of the project is around $4 billion.

Dutch ING bank, China Development Bank and Russian Gazprombank are financial consultants of the project. US Vinson & Elkins LLP is a legal consultant at the international level, while PSG Law company has been involved as a legal consultant in Azerbaijan.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 10

By Demir Azizov Trend:

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree on improving the management system of the oil and gas industry in the country.

In accordance with the document ("On Measures to Improve Oil and Gas Industry Management System") published on the website of the Uzbek president July 4, it is planned to transform the organizational and legal form of the Uzbekneftegaz national holding company and its main subsidiaries into joint stock companies.

This is planned in order to radically improve the entire management system of the oil and gas complex and optimize the organizational structure of the industry, reads the document.

In addition, a special unit for geological exploration, Uzneftegazgeologiya OJSC, as well as Neftegazexport, a specialized OJSC, will be created in the structure of the Uzbekneftegaz national holding company.

The document also envisages amending the system of construction units, reorganization of the companys gas supply division.

The Uzbekneftegaz company was established in 1998.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR feels constant support of Turkey in such ongoing projects as Petkim, Star Refinery, Petlim and others, SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev said.

He was speaking July 10 at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul.

He said that the Azerbaijani gas together with other sources will play an important role in meeting Europes demand for natural gas, which grew 7.1 percent.

He noted that the Southern Gas Corridor project will become profitable in the long-term period for the energy sector of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Europe.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.

At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.

As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Adriatic Pipeline.
Istanbul, Turkey, July 10

By Seymur Aliyev, Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Energy resources are not a source of controversy but a subject of dialogue for Turkey, the countrys Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said July 10, addressing the opening of the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul.

The project of building the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), which is being implemented with the participation of Turkey and Azerbaijan, is a clear example of Turkeys successful energy policy, the prime minister noted.

Turkey and Azerbaijan also carry out such important projects as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, Yildirim said, adding Turkey always stands for diversification of energy resources.

Turkeys PM further noted that the Turkish Stream project is also significant for the country.

TANAP project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline's construction the gas will be delivered to Europe in early 2020.

The length of TANAP is 1,850 kilometers with an initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters of gas. Around six billion cubic meters of this gas is meant to be delivered to Turkey, with the remaining volume to be supplied to Europe.

TANAP shareholders are Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR (58 percent), BOTAS (30 percent) and BP (12 percent).

Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement on the implementation of the Turkish Stream project in October 2016. The agreement envisages construction of two branches of the main gas pipeline through the Black Sea, the capacity of each branch being 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas. One branch is meant to supply gas directly to the Turkish market and the other for the supply of gas by transit through Turkey to Europe.
The delegation of the Caspian European Club and Caspian Energy International Media Group is taking part in the 22nd World Petroleum Congress. Caspian Energy stand is also presented at the exhibition (22nd World Petroleum Congress and Exhibition).

Caspian Energy International Media Group is the media partner of the World Petroleum Congress (22nd World Petroleum Congress Istanbul 2017) which is hosted in Istanbul from July 9 to July 13 2017.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Minister of Energy of Russia Alexander Novak, General Director of Total Partick Pouyanne, Minister of Energy of Turkey Berat Albayrak, Executive Director of BP Bob Dudley, Head of Saudi Aramco Amin Naser, Head of Oil and Gas Credit Suisse Osman Abib, Minister of Petroleum of Bahrain Sheikh Mohammad ben Halifa ben Ahmed Al Khalifa, Secretary General of OPEC Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo, Chief Executive Director of Shell Ben van Beurden, Executive Director of IEA Fatih Birol, General Director of Woodside Peter Coleman and others are among the officials invited as speakers to the event.

Heads and representatives of such companies as Shell, Kuwait Petroleum, Total, Saudi Aramco, Barra Energia SA, Petronas, NIOC, ExxonMobil Gas, BP, ENGIE, Halliburton, Schlumberger and others will also be among people who are going to speak at the event.

Caspian Energy is spread in 50 countries of the world. Interviews of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the CIS and EU states, as well as heads of well-known international organizations, big transnational companies, including reviews and analytical materials of leading experts, have been published in the journal for 18 years.

According to different estimates, the Caspian Energy journal ranks among leading editions of the Caspian-Black Sea region and serves as a guideline for many investors when they consider a line of activity in the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey is becoming an important energy hub of the region thanks to such important projects as the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline projects, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He made the remarks at the opening of the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul July 10.

To become a strong country, it is necessary to have considerable volumes of energy resources or participate in energy routes, Erdogan noted.

Unfortunately, energy resources are now becoming the cause of clashes, he said, adding that Turkey has always advocated that they should be the subject of a dialogue.

Erdogan further expressed support for the implementation of other energy projects and pointed out the significance of Turkish Stream.

TANAP project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline's construction the gas will be delivered to Europe in early 2020.

The length of TANAP is 1,850 kilometers with an initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters of gas. Around six billion cubic meters of this gas is meant to be delivered to Turkey, with the remaining volume to be supplied to Europe.

TANAP shareholders are Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR (58 percent), BOTAS (30 percent) and BP (12 percent).

Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement on the implementation of the Turkish Stream project in October 2016. The agreement envisages construction of two branches of the main gas pipeline through the Black Sea, the capacity of each branch being 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas. One branch is meant to supply gas directly to the Turkish market and the other for the supply of gas by transit through Turkey to Europe.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR transferred 785.61 million manats to the state budget in January-June 2017, which is 18.7 percent more than in the same period of 2016, SOCAR said in a message.

SOCAR transferred 115.72 million manats to the state budget in June 2017, which is 16.9 percent more than in June 2016.

The Azerbaijani state oil company transferred 74.29 million manats to the countrys State Social Protection Fund in January-June 2017, or 6.8 percent more than in the same period of 2016.

SOCARs transfers to the Fund in June 2017 were 11.83 million manats, as compared to 12.17 million manats in June 2016.

SOCAR includes such production associations as Azneft (the enterprises producing oil and gas onshore and offshore), Azerkimya (the chemical enterprises) and Azerigas (distributor of gas produced in the country), as well as oil and gas processing plants, service companies, and facilities involved in geophysical and drilling operations.

The official exchange rate on July 10 is 1.7022 AZN/USD.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

Serbia wants to host one of the strings of the Turkish Stream pipeline which will pump Russian gas to Europe, President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress session July 10, RIA Novosti reported.

"Serbia expects an agreement that one string [of the Turkish Stream] will cross its territory and then the territory of the Western Balkan countries. It is certainly in the interest of Serbia and other countries of the region, Vucic said.

He noted that Serbia has geostrategic location which can be used for the transit of energy resources, adding that the country wants to contribute to energy security of Europe. According to Vucic, Serbia expects answer from its European partners on this issue.

Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement on the implementation of the Turkish Stream project in October 2016. The agreement envisages construction of two strings of the main gas pipeline through the Black Sea, the capacity of each string being 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas.

One string is meant to supply gas directly to the Turkish market and the other for the supply of gas by transit through Turkey to Europe. Initially, Russia and Turkey planned to build four strings of the pipeline. Russian Gazprom began laying pipes for the Turkish Stream pipeline off the Russian Black Sea coast in early May 2017.

Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

Turkmen railway minister Deryaguly Byashimov and Tajik Ambassador to Turkmenistan Farrukh Sharifzoda discussed resumption of Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Turkmenistan railway project within a meeting in Ashgabat last week, Tajik Foreign Ministry said in a message.

Byashimov and Sharifzoda also discussed the issues of railways development and introduction of preferential tariffs for transportation by existing railways. Moreover enhancement of cooperation in a number of spheres was discussed at the meeting.

The memorandum on construction of the Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Turkmenistan railway was signed in March 2013 by the three countries presidents. It was planned to put the railway into operation in 2018.

The construction of the railways Turkmen section is already completed.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) planned to help in the construction of the railways parts in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, but later, it suspended the support for this project due to the tense situation in Afghanistan.

Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 10

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Deputy prime minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov will visit Uzbekistan on July 11-12, said the press service of the Uzbek Foreign Ministry.

Meredov will be received by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, according to the press service.

Meetings and talks in the government and the Foreign Ministry are included in the program of the Turkmen delegations visit, reads the message.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 9

By Fatih Karimov Trend:

Iran will import first rice consignment from Thailand after 10 years, Secretary of Iran Rice Association Jamil Alizadeh Shayeq said.

He said that the deal for importing the aforementioned cargo was actually signed before sanctions, but Thailand stopped export to Iran, after the Islamic Republic failed to pay the money due to sanctions, Alizadeh Shayeq said, Tasnim news agency reported July 9.

He further said that Iran needs to import about 800,000 to 1 million tons of rice per year from abroad.

International sanctions against Iran removed in January 2016, after the country signed a historic nuclear deal with the six world powers.

In the past, Iran used to import 700,000 to 1 million tons from foreign countries, about 300,000-500,000 tons of which came from Thailand.

With the easing situation in Iran, Thailand and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in early 2016 to resume sales of 300,000 tons of rice worth 4.3 billion baht ($120 million).

The Iranian government bans rice import annually with only a few months of break to support domestic products.

The annual consumption of rice in Iran is 3 million tons. India, Pakistan and Uruguay are main supplier of rice to Iran.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Fatih Karimov Trend:

The Islamic Republic has exported $55.752 billion worth of oil and oil products (including crude oil, condensates and natural gas plant liquids-NGPL, petroleum products) as well as natural gas during the last Iranian fiscal year (ended on March 20, 2017), according to the latest report of the Central Bank of Iran released on July 10.

The report indicates that the Islamic Republic's total oil, gas and oil product exports have increased by 66.1 percent compared to $33.57 billion worth of exports in preceding year.

Irans average oil and oil product exports stood at 2.224 million barrels per day in last fiscal year, 41.3 percent more year-on-year.

The countrys oil output stood at 3.761 million barrels per day during the 12-month period, registering a rise by 16.4 percent compared to the preceding year.

According to the report, over the Iranian calendar year to March 20, 2016, the country produced 3.231 million barrels per day, indicating a 5.5 percent growth year-on-year.

Meanwhile the countrys oil and oil product exports stood at 1.574 million barrels per day during the period, 9.7 percent more year-on-year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



The members of Iranian parliaments judiciary commission have drafted a new amendment to a law bill limiting capital punishment.



The proposed bill is expected to ease the executions of minor drug convicts in the country, local news agencies reported.



Under the new bill, those convicted of producing or distributing more than 100 kilograms of opium or two kilograms of industrial narcotics will face death penalty.



Under the current law, smuggling of 30 grams of industrial drugs and also 20 kilograms of opium is punishable by death.



According to Amnesty International, Iran carried out 567 executions in 2016, standing among the top five executioner countries in the world.
URBANA -- Tiny Japanese quail eggs are a small niche market in the United States, but theyre a big business in Brazil where they are sold fresh in grocery stores in egg cartons that hold 30 of the small, speckled delicacies, and are a hard-boiled staple on restaurant salad bars.

Recent research from the University of Illinois helps Brazilian producers understand the birds behavior under wind and temperature variables and suggests environmental changes to boost their egg-laying productivity.

A study like this one is an interesting collaborative effort between animal science and engineering, says U of I researcher Richard Gates. Animal scientists tend to think that nutrition and genetics are the primary drivers. Engineers are adamant that facilities and environment are the key. The reality is that it is the interaction of a lot of factors.

Gates is a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at U of I. He says he does a lot of cross-disciplinary work. Im the token engineer in a lot of different projects. Many projects are about the impact of the housing systemsthe interior environment on welfare, behavior, productivity for various types of animals and the exterior environmental impacts.

The study was prompted by an invitation from the manager of a large, hen laying operation in Brazil to tour the facilities of his more recent venturequail production. On the visit, Gates found long, narrow poultry sheds situated like a trellised vineyard of buildings on the side of the mountain. Each building containing three rows of quail cages running lengthwise.

Because its on the side of a mountain, there is a lot of wind, Gates says. The buildings are naturally ventilated with open side walls. Vinyl curtains can be pulled up to block extreme weather when needed. The manager noticed that when the wind hit the birds in cages on the outside perimeter, they saw big behavioral changes when compared with the birds on the inside row of cages that are more sheltered from the strongest wind. He asked us for help in understanding how wind and temperature affected the quail. He was noticing that when it was what we would consider to be a comfortable temperature, the quail were being cold stressed.

For the study, six climate-controlled quail chambers were used on the Universidade Federal de Vicosa campus in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Each chamber contains an air conditioning system, a humidifier, a watering system for the quail, and a tube to create an air jet that simulates wind.

The air velocity ranged from still air, zero wind to 7 mph wind and the temperatures were 63, 73.4, 84, and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The quails behaviors were observed under varying combinations of wind velocity and temperature that they would be subjected to under normal conditions. The behaviors were described as 1) eating or drinking, 2) stopping, resting, or posturing, 3) opening wings, bristling, or other movements associated with the birds feeling hot or cold, and 4) any other behaviors, such as chasing each other, that dont fit into one of the categories.

Temperature and wind velocity affect how much the quails ate. When temperatures are higher, the quail ate less, Gates says. But it also turns out that sometimes wind is a good thing. One of the major observations is that when its hot and there is a breeze, more birds were observed eating. There isnt a good way to control the temperature in these quail sheds. So, when its hot outside, it gets even hotter inside. What this shows is that producers really need to come up with ways to take advantage of the wind -- not just putting the curtain up and down -- but find ways to get a breeze circulating to those inside rows of cages as well.

We now know that if the birds are heat stressed, but air movement is provided, it helps them cope with the heat, he adds. When theyre happier, more comfortable, theyre going to eat more. And if they eat more, they maintain their egg production. Thats the balance that were after.

In terms of cold temperatures, Gates says producers can close the curtains. When we did the study, we find there is very little difference in the quails behavior at the colder temperatures.

The study was conducted at a time when the quails egg production would be most sensitive, but Gates says the length of the study and the various wind and temperature changes werent long enough to reflect significant changes in their egg production.

The findings from this study, although conducted in Brazil, hold true for Japanese quail production anywhere in the world. It provides baseline information for how we would expect quail to behave under very different environmental conditions, Gates says.

The study, Behavior of Japanese quail in different air velocities and air temperatures, is published in Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira. It is authored by Tatiany Carvalho dos Santos, Richard Stephen Gates, Ilda de Fatima Ferreira Tinoco, Sergio Zolnier, and Fernando da Costa Baeta.

Support for this research was provided by The Center for Research in Environmental and Agroindustry Systems Engineering (AMBIAGRO) of the Federal University of Vicosa (UFV) Department of Agricultural Engineering, the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes), and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).
Netherlands Ambassador in Tehran Susan Trstal said that her country is ready to send delegation to Tehran in the near future, IRNA reported.

In a meeting with Majlis (parliament) Speaker Special Aide in International Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Monday, she highlighted the need for bolstering parliamentary relations.

Amir Abdollahian, for his part, congratulated holding new parliamentary election in Holland and appreciated its condemnation of recent terror attack in Tehran.

He also described bilateral political and parliamentary relation as growing and stressed the need for further development of ties.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10



By Fatih Karimov Trend:



A passenger plane of Irans Mahan Airlines made an emergency landing in Iran's northern city of Rasht, Tasnim news agency reported July 10.



The airplane heading to Tehran from Moscow changed the destination due to critical health condition of a passenger on board, according to the report.



The passenger died before arriving to hospital, despite receiving emergency medical treatment.



There was no immediate information on the passenger's nationality.



The plane later left the Rasht airport to Tehran Imam Khomeini airport after re-fuelling.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul on Sunday and congratulated the armed forces for their "victory" over Islamic State after nearly nine months of urban warfare, bringing an end to jihadist rule in the city, Reuters reported.

Islamic State's defeat in Mosul three years after taking the city is a major blow for the hardline Sunni Islamist group, which is also losing ground in its operational base in the Syrian city of Raqqa from where it has planned global attacks.

The group, however, still controls territory in Iraq and is expected to revert to more conventional insurgent tactics such as bombings as its self-proclaimed caliphate falls apart.

The battle for Mosul - by far the largest city to fall under the militants' control - has left large areas in ruins, killed thousands of civilians and displaced nearly 1 million people.

"The commander in chief of the armed forces (Prime Minister) Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and Iraqi people for the great victory," his office said in a statement.

State television later showed Abadi touring Mosul on foot alongside residents of Iraq's second-largest city.

Air strikes and exchanges of gunfire could still be heard in the narrow streets of Mosul's Old City, where the group has staged its last stand against Iraqi forces backed by a U.S.-led international coalition.

Abadi met commanders in west Mosul who led the battle, but he has yet to issue a formal declaration that the entire city has been retaken from the group which is also known as ISIS.

Abadi's spokesman, Saad al-Hadithi, said victory would not be formally declared until the few remaining Islamic State militants were cleared from Mosul.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul on Sunday and congratulated the armed forces for their "victory" over Islamic State after nearly nine months of urban warfare, bringing an end to jihadist rule in the city.

Islamic State's defeat in Mosul three years after taking the city is a major blow for the hardline Sunni Islamist group, which is also losing ground in its operational base in the Syrian city of Raqqa from where it has planned global attacks.

The group, however, still controls territory in Iraq and is expected to revert to more conventional insurgent tactics such as bombings as its self-proclaimed caliphate falls apart.

The battle for Mosul - by far the largest city to fall under the militants' control - has left large areas in ruins, killed thousands of civilians and displaced nearly 1 million people.

"The commander in chief of the armed forces (Prime Minister) Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and Iraqi people for the great victory," his office said in a statement.

State television later showed Abadi touring Mosul on foot alongside residents of Iraq's second-largest city.

Air strikes and exchanges of gunfire could still be heard in the narrow streets of Mosul's Old City, where the group has staged its last stand against Iraqi forces backed by a U.S.-led international coalition.

Abadi met commanders in west Mosul who led the battle, but he has yet to issue a formal declaration that the entire city has been retaken from the group which is also known as ISIS.

Abadi's spokesman, Saad al-Hadithi, said victory would not be formally declared until the few remaining Islamic State militants were cleared from Mosul.
A U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire for southwest Syria held through the day, a monitor and rebels said on Sunday, in the first peacemaking effort of the war by the U.S. government under President Donald Trump, Reuters reported.

The United States, Russia and Jordan reached the "de-escalation agreement," which appeared to give Trump a diplomatic achievement at his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Germany this week.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said "calm prevailed" in the southwest since the truce began at noon (0900 GMT) on Sunday despite minor violations.

Combatants briefly exchanged fire in Deraa province and in Quneitra around midnight, but this "did not threaten the ceasefire," said Observatory Director Rami Abdulrahman.

Major Issam al Rayes, spokesman of the Southern Front coalition of Western-backed rebel groups, said "a cautious calm" continued into the evening.

"The situation is relatively calm," Suhaib al-Ruhail, a spokesman for the Alwiyat al-Furqan faction in Quneitra, said earlier.

Another rebel official, in Deraa city, said there had been no significant fighting. It was quiet on the main Manshiya front near the border with Jordan, which he said had been the site of some of the heaviest army bombing in recent weeks.

"Syrian ceasefire seems to be holding ... Good!" Trump tweeted on Sunday.

A Syrian official indicated that Damascus approved of the ceasefire deal, describing the government's silence over it as a "sign of satisfaction."

"We welcome any step that would cease the fire and pave the way for peaceful solutions," the government official told Reuters.

A witness in Deraa said he had not seen warplanes in the sky or heard any fighting since noon.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro discussed in phone talks on Monday joint projects in the energy sector, the Kremlin press service said, Sputnik reported.

"On the initiative of the Venezuelan side, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro. The leaders exchanged views on a number of practical issues of Russian-Venezuelan cooperation, in particular, discussed the implementation of mutually beneficial joint projects in the fuel-and-energy sector," the press service said in a statement.
Turkey is a key and safe harbor for energy investments, the Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak said Sunday at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul, Anadolu reported.

Albayrak, speaking at the opening ceremony of the Congress, of which Anadolu Agency is the global communications partner, said the oil and gas sector had and would continue to have an economic impact for decades to come, and therefore, investments in this sector are required for future energy security.

The minister hailed the rising popularity of renewable energy while asserting that coal continues to be a crucial energy resource along with oil, natural gas and nuclear power.

"As you all know, oil and gas investments decreased due to low prices. On the other hand, projections tell us that oil and will meet around 15 percent of global energy needs in the near future," Albayrak said.

He praised Turkey's steps during the low oil price environment and said that despite rapid demand, growth in generation capacity tripled in the country. However, he warned that the continuation of security of supply remains critical.

"We ensured security of supply by providing sustainable market conditions and now we have begun focusing on oil and gas exploration in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea region," he said.

Turkey consumes around 50 billion cubic meters of gas per year, Albayrak said.

"Fifteen years ago we could provide gas only to five provinces, but now all 81 provinces in Turkey receive gas," he said.

He added in order to ensure gas supply security, Turkey increased its LNG capacity and launched its first Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) in 2016.

"The second one will also become operational by the end of this year. Gas storage capacity is also critical for us. We plan to increase it also as an emerging market with political stability," Albayrak stressed.

Turkey sees energy as a peacemaker and a supporter of prosperity.

"Within this perspective, we introduce the motto 'share for peace'. Turkey is a reliable partner for energy projects. We will continue to support regional projects for security of supply.

Turkey is a key and safe harbor for investments - a regional, reliable actor and key for energy. The country is providing a stable, predictable environment for investments," he said.
chris uhlmann

An Australian journalist gave a scathing critique of President Donald Trump's performance at the G-20 summit in Germany this week in a news segment that has gone viral in the United States.

In the news segment, aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation show "Insiders," Chris Uhlmann described Trump as an "isolated and friendless" leader on the global stage who "has no desire and no capacity to lead the world."

"He was an uneasy, lonely, awkward figure at this gathering, and you got the strong sense that some of the leaders are trying to find the best way to work around him, Uhlmann said, speaking from the conference in Hamburg.

Uhlmann said Trump wasted an opportunity to condemn North Korea for its recent test of long-range missiles, a move that could have earned him support from other leaders turned off by his opposition to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The journalist also contrasted the "scripted" Trump, who gave a well-received speech in Poland, with the "unscripted" Trump  "a man who barks out bile in 140 characters, who wastes his precious days as president at war with the West's institutions, like the judiciary, independent government agencies, and the free press."

"Donald Trump's a man who craves power because it burnishes his celebrity. To be constantly talking and talked about is all that really matters, and there is no value placed on the meaning of words, so what's said one day can be discarded the next."

Uhlmann wrapped up the segment with an ominous assessment.

"So what did we learn? We learned that Donald Trump has pressed fast-forward on the decline of the United States as a global leader," he said.

The blunt critique appears to have struck a chord in the United States  a video of the segment has been viewed more than 1 million times on Twitter and Facebook over the weekend, and exploded on liberal Facebook groups and message boards. It came even as critics pointed to controversial comments Uhlmann made in 2016 about Jewish people fleeing Adolf Hitler's Germany.

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The New York Times noted the appeal of the segment to many Americans, describing Uhlmann's commentary as "out of line for American journalists, who are supposed to strive for objectivity and to keep opinions to the editorial pages."

Watch the segment below:

NOW WATCH: Here's the TV segment that prompted Trump's vicious Twitter attack on Mika Brzezinski





More From Business Insider


A worker walks past infrastructure on D Island, the main processing hub, at the Kashagan offshore oil field in the Caspian sea in western Kazakhstan, August 21, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Kazakhstan wants a gradual exit from an OPEC-led deal on oil production curbs and a rise in output one or two months after its expiry, Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev told Russia's TASS news agency on Sunday.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers, including Russia and Kazakhstan, agreed to cut output from January this year until the end of March 2018 to reduce bloated global inventories and support weak oil prices.

Bozumbayev was speaking in Istanbul ahead of an energy conference due to start on Monday.

(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editint by Edmund Blair)
OPEC logo is pictured ahead of an informal meeting between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Algiers, Algeria September 28, 2016. REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina/Files

By Olesya Astakhova and Alex Lawler

ISTANBUL/LONDON (Reuters) - Libyan and Nigerian officials may attend a joint meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC nations later this month as oil producers look for ways to cap rising production to help support oil prices.

Both countries have boosted production since they were exempted from an OPEC-led deal to cut output, weighing on global prices. This has prompted more talk among producers about including them in the pact.

"We have spoken to (OPEC Secretary General Mohammad) Barkindo and in the next two weeks there will be conversations with them (Libya and Nigeria) and possibly we will invite them to the technical summit," Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on the sidelines of an industry conference in Istanbul.

Six ministers from OPEC and non-OPEC nations including Kuwait, Venezuela, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Oman will meet on July 24 in St Petersburg, Russia, to discuss the current situation in the oil market.

Nigeria's oil minister, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, was invited to the meeting but is unable to attend due to another commitment, Kuwaiti Oil Minister Essam al-Marzouq told reporters at the same Istanbul event.

Instead, the group will probably ask a technical committee involving the six OPEC and non-OPEC members, which is due to convene before the ministers hold their talks, to meet Nigerian and Libyan representatives to discuss their production plans, he said.

"We extended the invitation but unfortunately there is a previous commitment for the Nigerian oil minister," the minister said. "We did not talk about capping, at least we can talk about production plans right now," he added.

The monitoring panel, called the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee which Kuwait chairs, could recommend expanding the pact to the wider group, which holds its next meeting in November.

Both Nigeria and Libya were given exemptions to the supply cut, under which OPEC, Russia and other non-OPEC producers are reducing their output by about 1.8 million barrels per day because their output has been curbed by conflict.

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OPEC delegates have said bringing Nigeria or Libya into the production pact would likely focus on capping their output, rather than asking them to cut their supply so soon after it had recovered from involuntary curbs.

Kachikwu has said that Nigeria was not opposed in principle to joining OPEC's production cap, but would have to wait and see if production returned to acceptable levels.

OPEC has not been in touch with Libya on the issue of capping the country's output, an OPEC delegate said. The Libyan government has not received an invitation to attend the ministerial meeting in Russia, he added.

In comments to Reuters on Monday, the head of Libya's National Oil Corporation did not indicate any willingness to cap output yet, saying Libya's humanitarian problems must be considered in any talks on the subject.

NOC Chairman Mustafa Sanalla added Libya could assist with efforts to stabilise the market by informing OPEC about its plans to restore production.

(Additional reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar in London; editing by Louise Heavens and David Evans)
Monday, July 10, 2017 Pearce's Guv Run: Smooth Flying For The Nomination But A Kamikaze Mission For The General?



(Pearce's video announcement for governor is



His statewide loss to Tom Udall for the US Senate seat by a margin of 62 to 38 in 2008 illustrates the problem. He was crushed in the ABQ metro and the Hispanic north while competing in the less populated southern district. Unless he or the electorate changes in a dramatic way, he faces a possible repeat.



Pearce's long-held conservative views--all on the record--will be his chief obstacle. His determination to repeal Obamacare in a Medicaid dependent state is just one example of what will be a major attack point for the Democratic nominee. His support of Trump is also problematic, given that the president lost this state by 8 points. Pearce has some degree of separation from unpopular Republican Governor Susana Martinez, but the Democrats should have an easy time linking him to her, despite his protests.



In his last political hurrah Pearce, who turns 70 in August, seems to be betting that whoever the Democratic nominee is, they will be weak and prone to mistakes while a political pro such as himself can dodge the minefields to come.



Pearce, who served as an air force pilot and who recently



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 Steve Pearce will be the Republican nominee for Governor. He is popular in the party, will be well-financed and has the conservative credentials the nominating wing of the GOP demands. It is highly unlikely now that any other name brand candidate will run. Beyond that, however, Pearce's path to the governorship looks very cloudy.(Pearce's video announcement for governor is here .)His statewide loss to Tom Udall for the US Senate seat by a margin of 62 to 38 in 2008 illustrates the problem. He was crushed in the ABQ metro and the Hispanic north while competing in the less populated southern district. Unless he or the electorate changes in a dramatic way, he faces a possible repeat.Pearce's long-held conservative views--all on the record--will be his chief obstacle. His determination to repeal Obamacare in a Medicaid dependent state is just one example of what will be a major attack point for the Democratic nominee. His support of Trump is also problematic, given that the president lost this state by 8 points. Pearce has some degree of separation from unpopular Republican Governor Susana Martinez, but the Democrats should have an easy time linking him to her, despite his protests.In his last political hurrah Pearce, who turns 70 in August, seems to be betting that whoever the Democratic nominee is, they will be weak and prone to mistakes while a political pro such as himself can dodge the minefields to come.Pearce, who served as an air force pilot and who recently flew a small plane around the world in honor of American veterans, will need perfect flying conditions to pull off the upset and extend eight years of Republican rule to twelve. Otherwise, this is going to look like a kamikaze mission.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com)
(Recasts with Missouri ban, Missouri Agriculture Department statement)

By Karl Plume

July 7 (Reuters) - Missouri joined Arkansas on Friday in banning the use and sale of the weed killer dicamba after a rise in complaints that the agricultural chemical is drifting into neighboring fields and damaging crops, the states agriculture departments said on Friday.

Dicamba use and complaints about its use have spiked in the past two years in the United States. More farmers are spraying it to control hard-to-kill weeds in fields planted with crops bioengineered to survive the chemical, which is produced by Monsanto Co, Germany's BASF and others.

The bans are the latest regulatory setback for Monsanto, which sells dicamba-tolerant crop seeds and licenses the biotech traits to other seedmakers. Officials in California announced last week that the company's flagship herbicide glyphosate would be labeled as a probable carcinogen in the state.

"Based on feedback and research, the Department of Agriculture is going to hit the pause button on all dicamba products," Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn said in a statement.

Distributors are not allowed to sell it and farmers cannot apply it, effective immediately, but the state will work with industry to develop new handling guidelines as soon as possible, she said.

Missouri has received more than 130 complaints of pesticide drift this year believed to be caused by dicamba, the Missouri Department of Agriculture said.

Arkansas' 120-day ban will go into effect as soon as paperwork is filed with the Arkansas Secretary of State, said agriculture department spokeswoman Adriane Barnes.

The state's House and Senate Agriculture Committee voted on Friday to follow recommendations by the Arkansas Plant Board and Governor Asa Hutchinson to ban dicamba use.

The state also approved an increase in fines for illegal use of dicamba to up to $25,000, from $1,000 currently, effective Aug. 1.

Arkansas has logged nearly 600 complaints of crop damage as of Friday, according to the Arkansas Agriculture Department.

Monsanto, which does not have a dicamba formulation approved for sale in Arkansas, called the state's ban premature but said it would not have a material impact on earnings, said Lisa Safarian, Monsanto's vice president of North America.

The dicamba-and-seed system, sold under the Xtend name, is Monsanto's largest-ever technology launch. The company invested more than $1 billion in a dicamba plant in Louisiana and expects U.S. soybean acres planted with the Xtend trait to more than double from 20 million this year to about 55 million in 2019. (Reporting by Karl Plume in Chicago; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Bill Trott)
Jack Bogle, the founder of the Vanguard Group, says stocks are valued above historical norms, echoing the Fed's sentiment expressed in the minutes of its March meeting. While Bogle uses the same "simple theory" for assessing investment returns that he has employed since 1990, the big question is how will earnings over the next 10 years be valued, he told TheStreet in an interview.

When evaluating the stock market, Bogle, 88, looks ahead to the coming decade and focuses on analyzing the sources of positive stock returns, those being the dividend yield, which is now about 2%, and earnings growth, which he says "nobody knows."

Bogle, who started the first index fund at Vanguard in 1976, believes earnings growth will be about 4%, which he said is less than the consensus estimate of 5% to 6%; coupled with a dividend yield of about 2%, Bogle expects a 6% investment return over the next decade. But he questions the high valuation of the U.S. equity market, which caught the attention of Fed members in March.

"We're at a valuation point well above historical norms," said Bogle in a phone interview. "According to my calculations, the stock market is selling about 23 times last year's reported earnings, and that's pretty high."

Despite his question about the current valuation of U.S. stocks, Bogle still says the U.S. is the best place to invest.

"We have the most diversified economy; we have the most entrepreneurial economy; we have the most technologically advanced economy; we have the strongest productive economy," said Bogle.

The investor suggests a 50/50 stock/bond asset allocation, similar to the "father of value investing" Benjamin Graham, author of The Intelligent Investor. That ratio can shift depending on a person's risk tolerance. If a person can be more aggressive, Bogle recommends a 75/25 stock/bond allocation ratio and vice versa for a more cautious approach.

"There is no rule, but I say think about it as you grow older," Bogle said. "When you get older, I think you want to take less risk and see if you can improve your income."

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Bogle noted, however, that a person's asset allocation should take into account the costs of the vehicles in which a person is investing.

"If you are all in index funds, bond and stock, ... you'll be better off with a 25/75 -- 25% stock ratio -- than a 75/25 in actively managed funds because of their higher costs," Bogle said.

Bogle, understandably, believes a traditional index fund is the only way to guarantee an investor's fair share of returns.

Editor's Pick: This article was originally published on July 7, 2017.

Jack Bogle shares his latest thoughts with TheStreet.

"You don't trade it, you put your money to work basically forever, and the costs are very low," said Bogle. "That's the winning strategy."

"Other investors do not get [their fair share of returns] because they trade too much. So, too much goes to Wall Street and not enough to the investors," Bogle said.

As for international exposure, Bogle has none. He said investors should be cautious with their international exposure, adding that most U.S. investors "should stop at 20% because of the risks involved." But, he noted that he has yet to find a single person who agrees with him.

Although Bogle touted the benefits of investing in the U.S., he acknowledged that this does not mean we don't have problems.

"Some of the institutional things that are going on in our government seem to be going in the wrong direction for our society and the economy," Bogle said. "We'll see how they are resolved ... but I hope they will be resolved better than what they look like today."

The White House is currently pinning its budget agenda on reaching and maintaining economic growth of 3% but the Vanguard founder's own view is that 3% is probably more ambitious than what will get.

"The economy is a funny thing, it depends on consumer confidence, it depends on a lot of fundamentals, it depends on how a lot of these trade issues play out," said Bogle. "Maybe 2% would be more realistic, that's about where we are right now, and that's of course, well below long-term norms."

If the market goes down, Bogle said that it would be a great opportunity for people to continue to invest because they are buying everything at lower prices. Still, he said investors shouldn't really concerned about what happens today or tomorrow; they should be investing for a lifetime and should care about the next decade.

"Look for the economic power delivered by our corporations, which is their dividend yield and earnings growth, and bet on that for the long run," Bogle said. "Bet on those economics rather than the emotions that carry the market day after day, and have carried it to a fairly high valuation."

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Endeavour Mining Announces Results of Annual General Meeting

View News Release in PDF Format

George Town, 27 June, 2017 - Endeavour Mining Corporation (TSX:EDV)(OTCQX:EDVMF) is pleased to announce that all the proposed resolutions at its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 were duly passed.

The results for each of the matters voted upon at the meeting are set out below:

Resolution VOTES

FOR %

FOR VOTES

WITHHELD %

WITHHELD Elect as a Director: Michael Beckett 60,835,585 98.94% 649,281 1.06% Ian Cockerill 61,342,971 99.77% 141,895 0.23% Olivier Colom 61,466,213 99.97% 18,653 0.03% Livia Mahler 61,467,224 99.97% 17,642 0.03% Wayne McManus 60,797,104 98.88% 687,762 1.12% Sebastien de Montessus 61,170,072 99.49% 314,794 0.51% Naguib Sawiris 60,892,764 99.04% 592,102 0.96% Appoint Deloitte LLP 63,876,958 99.28% 462,192 0.72% Approve PSU Plan 48,042,142 78.14% 13,442,724 21.86%

CONTACT INFORMATION

Martino De Ciccio

VP - Strategy & Investor Relations

+44 203 011 2719

mdeciccio@endeavourmining.com

ABOUT ENDEAVOUR MINING

Endeavour Mining is a TSX-listed intermediate gold producer, focused on developing a portfolio of high quality mines in the prolific West-African region, where it has established a solid operational and construction track record.

Endeavour is ideally positioned as the major pure West-African multi-operation gold mining company, operating 5 mines in Cote d'Ivoire (Agbaou and Ity), Burkina Faso (Karma), Mali (Tabakoto), and Ghana (Nzema). In 2017, it expects to produce between 600koz and 640koz at an AISC of US$860 to US$905/oz. Endeavour is currently building its Hounde project in Burkina Faso, which is expected to commence production in Q4-2017 and to become its flagship low-cost mine with an average annual production of 190koz at an AISC of US$709/oz over an initial 10-year mine life based on reserves. The development of the Hounde and Ity CIL projects are expected to lift Endeavour's group production +900kozpa and decrease its average AISC to circa $800/oz by 2019, while exploration aims to extend all mine lives to +10 years.

Corporate Office: 5 Young St, Kensington, London W8 5EH, UK
Leuven, Belgium and Lund, Sweden - July 10, 2017 -ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR) and BioInvent International AB ("BioInvent") (OMXS: BINV) today announce that they have agreed to amend their long-standing agreement, which covers the co-development of the novel anti-PlGF monoclonal antibody products TB-403 and THR-317. The revisions to the existing agreement have been aligned with each company's strategic ambitions and therapeutic focus.

The novel anti-PIGF monoclonal antibody is currently being developed as:

TB-403 , which is being evaluated in a Phase I/IIa trial as a treatment of relapsed or refractory medulloblastoma, a rare, life-threatening brain tumor that mainly affects children. TB-403 is being developed by Oncurious (a ThromboGenics' oncology subsidiary), in collaboration with BioInvent.

THR-317, which is being evaluated in a phase II trial in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). This trial is being conducted by ThromboGenics exclusively.

Under the current agreement, the split of economic value for the compounds is 60:40 (ThromboGenics: BioInvent), with a 50:50 cost split for historical and future development costs.

Under the new agreed contractual arrangement, the spilt of economic value and costs will be as follows:

TB-403 - BioInvent assumes the project lead for developments of TB-403 in all oncology indications, and increases its share of the economic value from 40 to 50 percent. The parties will continue to share the costs for development of TB-403 in oncology indications at 50:50.

THR-317 - ThromboGenics gains full and exclusive ownership of THR-317 for development and commercialization in all non-oncology indications. ThromboGenics will continue to carry all costs for the development of THR-317 in non-oncology indications, and share a 5% economic value with BioInvent.

ThromboGenics and BioInvent have entered into a binding term sheet covering the above arrangement for TB-403 and THR-317, and will be executing the definitive amended agreements by Q3 2017.

-End-

For further information please contact:

BioInvent international

Michael Oredsson

President and CEO

Tel: +46 (0)46 286 85 67 / +46 (0)707 16 89 30

michael.oredsson@bioinvent.com



ThromboGenics

Wouter Piepers

Global Head Corp Coms & Investor Relations

+32 16 75 13 10 / +32 478 33 56 32

wouter.piepers@thrombogenics.com

About ThromboGenics

ThromboGenics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative treatments for diabetic eye disease. The company's pipeline of disease modifying drug candidates is targeting the key segments of the diabetic eye disease market.

ThromboGenics is conducting the CIRCLE study, a Phase II clinical trial evaluating multiple doses of THR-409 (ocriplasmin) to induce a total Posterior Vitreous Detachment in patients with Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR).

THR-317, a PIGF inhibitor being developed to treat diabetic macular edema, or as a combination therapy with anti-VEGF treatments, enrolled its first patient in a phase II clinical study in January 2017. In addition, THR-149, a plasma kallikrein inhibitor, which has resulted from research collaboration with Bicycle Therapeutics, and THR-687, an integrin antagonist, which was in-licensed from Galapagos, are in late stage pre-clinical development.

ThromboGenics pioneered a new drug category of pharmacological vitreolysis with JETREA (ocriplasmin) which is now approved for the treatment of vitreomacular traction in 54 countries worldwide. ThromboGenics is commercializing JETREA via its subsidiary ThromboGenics, Inc. in the US. Novartis commercializes JETREA outside the United States.

ThromboGenics is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and is listed on the NYSE Euronext Brussels exchange under the symbol THR. More information is available at www.thrombogenics.com

About BioInvent International

BioInvent International AB (OMXS: BINV) is focused on the discovery and development of novel and first-in-class immuno-regulatory antibodies to treat cancer. The Company's clinical programmes are BI-1206, currently in a Phase I/II for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphatic leukaemia and TB-403, in cooperation with Oncurious, currently in Phase I/II for medulloblastoma. BioInvent has an exciting pre-clinical portfolio based on novel immuno-modulatory antibodies that target regulatory T cells (T-regs) and tumour-associated myeloid cells. In December 2016, the Company signed a strategic research collaboration with Pfizer Inc. BioInvent also works with leading academic institutions including the University of Southampton, Cancer Research UK, and Penn Medicine. BioInvent generates revenues from global partnerships, including Bayer Pharma, Daiichi Sankyo, and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma and from its manufacturing facility for the production of antibodies for research through to late-stage clinical trials. More information is available at www.bioinvent.se

Important information about forward-looking statements (ThromboGenics nv)

Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking". Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Company's Annual Report.

This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of ThromboGenics in any jurisdiction. No securities of ThromboGenics may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. state securities laws.
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
The office said it received reports of scam artists based in Florida posing as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska representatives. The scam artists use fake web listings bearing Blue Crosss logo and web address, along with fake addresses in Omaha. Investigators employed by Blue Cross believe the scam is affiliated with an entity called Simple Health based out of Hollywood, Florida. The scam artists collect personal information and offer insurance plans well below market value. Victims have reported online that the company charges their credit card monthly but never provides insurance cards or proof of coverage. The company also makes it difficult to cancel.
VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents.

Today we are talking about Rutherford B. Hayes. He took office in 1877 and was president during the end of what Americans call Reconstruction  the period following the Civil War.

Hayes had a public image as an honest, dignified man. And even though he had ideas that were radical at the time, he supported moderate policies and measured change.

One exception was alcoholic drinks. Hayes banned wine and liquor from the White House.

Early Life

Before Rutherford Hayes was born, his father died. Not too long after that, his older brother died, too.

As a result, Hayes grew up mostly with just his mother and his older sister. Later, an uncle helped raise him, as well.

As a boy, Rutherford Hayes was called Rud. He grew up on a farm in Ohio and spent his early years playing with his sister, who taught him to love books.

Hayes was an excellent student, and in time he attended Kenyon College and Harvard Law School.

Hayes started his career as a lawyer in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. He did not go into a field that made much money. Instead, he defended people who were poor or in difficult situations.

He also courted the woman he would marry. Lucy Webb  like Hayes mother and sister  strongly influenced the way Hayes thought.



Hayes own views at the time were moderate. He drank alcohol, but not much. He opposed slavery, but he was not an anti-slavery activist.

His new wife, however, was strongly against alcohol and slavery. She was part of social movements at the time to ban alcoholic drinks entirely in the United States.

And she encouraged Hayes to defend not only the poor in his law business, but also runaway slaves.

Together, Rutherford and Lucy Hayes formed an equal marriage committed to helping others. They were known for being friendly, informal and welcoming.

They also went on to have eight children, five of whom survived to adulthood. Lucy Webb Hayes said her husband was always calm as a father, and took time even when he was president to care for his children.

Election of 1876

Because Hayes had such a positive public image, it is ironic that the contest that elected him president was one of the most hostile in U.S. history.

The full story is complex. But the general story is that Hayes was the Republican candidate, and Samuel Tilden was the Democratic candidate.

Tilden won more popular votes across the country. But in the U.S. system, the majority of voters do not choose the president. Instead, a few electors in each state cast votes. In a way, then, the states choose the president.

And in the election of 1876, three Southern states gave conflicting reports. It was not clear whether Tilden or Hayes had won South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana.

Even though the election was held in November, the debate over the winner lasted until the following March  days before the new president was to be sworn in.

One of the most serious accusations was that Democrats in the South had prevented many black men from voting. If those men had been able to vote, they almost certainly would have voted for Hayes.

In the end, a special commission in Congress gave the votes in all three disputed states to Rutherford Hayes.

His opponents pointed out that the majority of people on the commission were Republicans. As a result, they said, the new president had earned his position only because of party politics. They called him Rutherfraud and His Fraudulancy.

But, in the end, Hayes was widely considered an independent president who operated outside of party loyalties.

Presidency

One of Hayes first acts as president was probably his most important: He withdrew federal troops from Southern states.

The troops had been trying to protect the civil and political rights of African-Americans . But white Democrats disliked the federal governments involvement in their affairs. Also, the troops were not very effective.

So Hayes said that if Southern officials promised to obey the countrys laws protecting all people equally, he would end the federal governments occupation of their states.

The officials agreed, and the period known as Reconstruction officially ended.

But, as the years went on, the rights of black Americans were increasingly violated.

As a result, part of Hayes legacy is one of betrayal. His policy permitted systemic violence and racism to continue for decades.

Another of Hayes important acts was to reform the countrys civil service. For the most part, members of Congress offered their political allies government jobs with good pay. But Hayes sought to change the rules. He wanted to give government jobs to the most able workers.

While his goal was a good one, his action shocked and angered many members of Congress.

The Democrats especially sought to weaken Hayes position by removing the presidents ability to veto their bills. Hayes fought back  and won.

By the second half of his term, Hayes had restored some of Americans trust in government that had been lost under the two presidents before him, Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant.

He had helped ease the tensions between the North and South.

He had stabilized the economy.

He had increased the power of the presidency in a mostly positive way.

And he had prepared the way for major civil service reform.

But Hayes is not remembered as an especially great president. He is often placed toward the middle  not one of the best, and not one of the worst.

Some historians suggest that Hayes would be better remembered if he had stayed a second term and supervised some of the gains begun in his first years.

But, Hayes had promised that he would serve only one term as president.

So, true to his word, Hayes did not seek re-election.

Final years

Hayes had always believed that the best way to solve the countrys problems was to improve the education system.

So, in his retirement, Hayes became president of two social welfare organizations. One aimed to provide a Christian education to blacks in the South. One of the people helped by that organization was the well-known writer and activist W.E.B. DuBois.

Hayes also led a group aimed at reforming the countrys prison system.

When he was 70 years old, Hayes fell ill. Although he had a big heart for children and for helping people, he died of heart failure.

Afterwards, one of his sons began a new tradition in honor of his father. He established the first presidential library.

Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Quiz - America's Presidents - Rutherford B. Hayes Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

dignified - adj. serious and somewhat formal

court - v. to act in a way that shows that you want or intend to get married

encourage - v. to make someone more determined, hopeful, or confident

committed - v. willing to give time and energy to something

informal - adj. having a friendly and relaxed quality

positive - adj. good or useful

ironic - adj. strange or funny because a situation is different from what you expected

contest - n. a struggle or effort to win or get something

decade - n. a period of 10 years

stabilize - v. to stop getting worse


Washington DC was the first city in the United States to issue gender neutral drivers licenses and identification (ID) documents.

The new policy went into effect June 27. It allows people to choose X as their gender if they do not identify as either male or female.

Previously, Washington DC residents seeking a drivers license or identification card had to choose M for male of F for female. This has also been the requirement in other American states.

Earlier this month, Oregon became the first state to approve the X choice for people seeking a drivers license or ID. Oregons new policy took effect July 3.

Many countries allow people to choose a neutral gender on official documents, including passports. These include Australia, Germany, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and New Zealand. The U.S. government does not issue passports for people who identify as neither male nor female.

The new policies in Washington DC and Oregon allow people to report gender identification themselves. They no longer have to have a doctor or social worker confirm their choice.

The first person in America to receive a gender neutral drivers license was Washington DC resident Nic Sakurai.

I was really excited to get a government identification that legitimized who I am, that made me feel included and that my government sees me.

Sakurai does not identify as either male or female and chooses to use the pronoun they/them.

Unlike some countries, the United States does not have a national ID, so the drivers license is required for many uses. Sakurai said while some people might be confused when they see the X, it can be a good way to educate about the issue.

For me, it's the knowledge that I have the backing of my local government that they understand that there are more than two genders or sexes. And by displaying the document, I can use that to initiate a conversation.

One organization working closely with Washington DC officials on the change was the National Center for Transgender Equality. The group called the policy change a tremendous first step in recognizing a growing part of the population.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said the new policy is in keeping with Washington DCs commitment to improve rights for all members of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning) community. The safety and well-being of all Washingtonians is my top priority, she said in a statement.

LGBTQ groups have said that allowing the X option on official documents will help reduce discrimination and raise awareness of gender identity issues.

In 2015, the National Center for Transgender Equality did a survey involving more than 27,000 transgender Americans. About 68 percent of those surveyed said none of the official ID documents they had included the name and gender they desired.

Some said they experienced some form of discrimination when showing an ID that did not match the gender they presented. About 32 percent said they faced verbal harassment, assault or were denied service or asked to leave.

Sakurai responded to criticism by some that gender neutral policies are an attempt to invent new genders that never existed before.

These kinds of experiences are not new. And of course in many countries and cultures there's a long history of thousands of years of recognizing the existence of more than two genders - maybe it's three or four or five - or not having as strict of a gender system or way of thinking about gender.

Sakurai sees the gender X policy as a great step forward, but not something that will stop all problems related to discrimination.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn reported this story 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

gender  n. the state of being male or female

license  n. official document giving permission to do something

designate  v. choose someone or something for a particular purpose

legitimize  v. make something legal or acceptable

confused  adj. not able to understand or think clearly

initiate  v. make something begin

transgender  adj. of or relating to people who feel their true nature does not match their sex at birth

harassment  n. to annoy, bother or attack someone

assault  v. the crime of trying or threatening to hurt someone physically

strict  adj. not allowing rules to be broken
Mobile phones and satellites are becoming valuable farming tools in Pakistan.

A new program there uses satellite information to estimate how much water a field needs. The satellite then sends this information by text message to farmers' mobile phones.

The programs aim is to prevent the farmers from overwatering crops. A 2013 report from the Asian Development Bank says Pakistan has some of the most severe water problems in the world. The countrys water availability is similar to Syrias, where a lack of rainfall has intensified civil war.

Pakistan is only able to store water that can last up to 30 days. That is far below the recommended storage amount of 1,000 days.

Several issues have led to Pakistans water crisis. They include climate changes, a growing population, local water mismanagement and a greater demand on farmers.

Many fear the water crisis could weaken relations between Pakistan and India. The two countries share the Indus River.

Turning off the water

Many older Pakistani farmers received agricultural training several years ago, when water was more readily available. They know the risks that come with underwatering crops.

But using too much water can reduce crop harvests.

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources found that rice farmers were using more than three times as much water as they needed.

The council asked the Sustainability, Satellites, Water, and Environment research group, at the University of Washington, to get involved. The council wanted the research group to use science to help inform irrigation choices.

Pakistan's program started with 700 farmers in the spring of 2016. By January, 10,000 farmers were receiving text messages with a water amount advisory. For example, one message read: "Dear farmer friend, we would like to inform you that the irrigation need for your banana crop was 2 inches during the past week."

The messages come from a fully-automated system. It uses publicly available satellite information. It also uses models to compute how much water each farmer needs to irrigate.

A national effort

The council plans to expand the program for use across the country, and expects millions of farmers to participate. But first the system must be reviewed.

The researchers want to know how easy it is for farmers to use, and how many follow the irrigation advisories. They also want to know how accurate it is and whether it saves farmers money.

They are collecting responses from farmers over the phone.

Faisal Hossain is with the University of Washington. He says he has not seen a report on the results yet. However, the group heard from one farmer in the program who said he was able to get about 700 kilograms more wheat than his neighbor. The farmer said he believes the irrigation advisories made this possible.

Expanding the program may be difficult. The council may need to work harder to persuade farmers to trust the technology. Those working on smaller farms may not feel comfortable depending on mobile phone technology.

Mobile phones are already very common in Pakistan, however. And last year the Punjab government announced that it would give out 5 million smartphones to farmers.

I'm Alice Bryant.

Ben Thompson wrote this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

groundwater  n. water that is underground

irrigation  n. the supplying of water by using artificial means, such as pipes

automated  adj. run or operated by using machines or computers instead of people

download  v. to move or copy a file, program, or other information from one computer or device to another computer or device

accurate  adj. without mistakes or errors


Researchers say cats may have started spending time with humans about 10,000 years ago.

French scientists studied the DNA of 209 ancient cats from Europe, Africa and Asia. They included some ancient Egyptian cat mummies. DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid. Its carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning and reproduction of all living things.

The researchers were able to follow how ancient cats moved along the eastern Mediterranean Sea from Egypt through Turkey and what is Iraq today.

Eva-Maria Geigl is with the Jacques Monod Institute in Paris. She says wild cats showed up for food.

"It were (was) the first farmers that invented agriculture, and this means they accumulated grains, probably more and more, larger and larger amounts of grains, and these grains of course attracted rodents and the rodents attracted wild cats."

Those wild cats may have moved in fast for the rats, but human- cat relations did not develop quickly.

"So it was a commensal (two-way) relationship that started to get established, but it took certainly several thousands of years until the cat really became, came into a domestic context."

A previous study had found that 9,500 years ago a cat was buried next to a human on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The island has no native population of felines, or cats. Researchers say that means the cat was brought there by boat, and suggests it had a special relationship to the person.

So as humans sailed farther away from home, cats went along for the ride.

In ancient Egypt some of them were treated like royalty. They were buried with Pharaohs, or Egyptian kings. Mona Khalil is with the Egyptian Society of Mercy to Animals:

"Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats in large and Egyptian cats specifically was very appreciated to the level of being worshipped and mummified just like what they did with the Pharaohs themselves for everything that had value for them."

Cats made their way into paintings in Egypt about 3,500 years ago. Often painters placed them under chairs. Geigl says that shows that by that time, the cat makes its way to the household.

Now move quickly ahead in time to the 1800s  to the time when people began breeding cats. That gives us all the different kinds we have today.

But it has been hard for scientists to follow the process of domestication for cats. That is because fossil skeletons, the bones of cats, do not show whether the cat was wild or domesticated.

The new study looked at the spread of specific cat DNA over long distances through time. It shows that people had taken cats with them as they traveled and explored the world. Results were released by the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Carlos Driscoll is with the Wildlife Institute of India. He says the study is the first large sampling of cat DNA going back so far in time.

Researcher Geigl says they also found evidence that cats had been taken to Bulgaria by boat with the first farmers who colonized Europe. That evidence also appeared more than 5,000 years ago in Romania and 3,000 years ago in Greece.

A second, different, genetic signature first seen in Egypt also reached Europe between the first and fifth centuries. It was found in a sample from a Viking trading port in northern Europe, as well as an eighth-century sample from Iran.

The researchers said the cats were probably sent across the Mediterranean because they were useful in controlling rodents and other unwanted creatures on ships.

The new research also shows that Persians, Siamese and Calicos have had a long and successful relationship with people, even if these cats act like they don't care.

Im Anne Ball.

Kevin Enochs reported this story for VOA News. Anne Ball adapted the story for Learning English with additional information from the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

_____________________________________________________________

Now, test your undertstanding with this short quiz.

Quiz - Science Shows Early Spread of Cats in the World Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

mummy  n. a body prepared for burial in the manner of the ancient Egyptians

wild  adj. (about animals) living in nature without human help or control

rat  n. a small animal with a pointed nose and long thin tail

commensal  adj. a relationship where two or more organisms are helped by living near each other

domestic  adj. (about animals) living with people, where they accept the care of humans

household  n. people in a family or group that live together in one home

breed  v. to produce young animals by sexual reproduction
Prior research suggests that college students, males, and people drinking alcohol at restaurants, bars, and nightclubs are at particularly high risk for driving after drinking. Breath-testing devices are not usually found at these drinking establishments, so patrons generally assess their own intoxication levels using internal (feelings of intoxication) and external (number of drinks consumed) cues. This study examined bar patrons' self-estimates of their breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs) in natural drinking environments.

Researchers recruited 510 study participants, on 14 nights between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., as they exited two bars located close to large universities: one in Florida (n=301) and the other in Texas (n=209). Research assistants conducted a 10-15 minute interview with each of the exiting patrons and measured their BrAC with hand-held testing devices.

Bar patrons with the highest-measured BrACs underestimated their levels the most. Adjusting for their measured BrAC, individuals who felt more intoxicated or who reported consuming more drinks thought that their BrACs were higher. However, more than 20 percent of participants with a BrAC of at least 0.08% (the legal driving limit) thought that their BrAC was below this level. Individuals younger than 26 and those who reported feeling less drunk were more likely to make this error. Study authors called for more research to assess the association between self-estimated BrACs and driving behavior in different contexts, and to investigate how altering drinking environments could improve individuals' ability to self-estimate their BrACs and avoid driving after drinking.

More information: Matthew E. Rossheim et al. Factors Associated with Self-Estimated Breath Alcohol Concentration Among Bar Patrons, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (2017). Journal information: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Matthew E. Rossheim et al. Factors Associated with Self-Estimated Breath Alcohol Concentration Among Bar Patrons,(2017). DOI: 10.1111/acer.13428
(HealthDay)Most women who've been diagnosed with breast cancer don't go it alone.

Many breast cancer patients depend on family and friends to help them make treatment decisions, get to doctor appointments and seek out other resources. A new study finds half of women rely on three or more people to help them through it.

"People just diagnosed with cancer are often scared and overwhelmed. Having another person to help them process information is important," said study lead author Lauren Wallner, an assistant professor of general medicine and epidemiology at the University of Michigan.

"Physicians need to recognize that women involve other people in their treatment decisions," she added in a university news release. "These people represent an important group to provide information about treatment options."

For the study, the researchers surveyed about 2,500 women who had recent surgery for early stage breast cancer. The women were asked to list the people who had helped them weigh their treatment choices.

Half of the women involved at least three people in their treatment decisions, and 20 percent relied on two. Almost 75 percent said supporters had talked with them about treatment and had often joined them for doctor appointments.

Only 10 percent had no one to help them make treatment decisions, according to the study published online recently in the journal Cancer.

"When considering these complex treatment options and going through these complex decisions, it's beneficial to have the support of other people. This helps women feel supported in their decisions," Wallner said in the news release.

Black and Hispanic women had larger support networks than white women, the study authors found.

"Minority women tend to have larger networks, so clinicians should also be aware that there could be differences in the number of people patients might be involving. And these networks go beyond just a partner or spouse," Wallner said.

Women who had a spouse or partner also reported more support, but many who were single also had a large group of people to help them with treatment decisions. Patients with early stage cancer have some time to decide what to do, Wallner noted.

"The idea that women are discussing their options more with their family and friends, and potentially thinking through that decision more carefully is reassuring. Engaging these informal support networks could be a way to prevent women from rushing into something," she suggested.

The study authors said women without a support network might need extra help to make informed decisions.

"It starts with something as simple as physicians asking patients who is helping them make their treatment decisions," Wallner said. "That can then guide the conversation, such as the amount of resources the physician provides and to whom they communicate that information."

More information: The American Cancer Society has more about Journal information: Cancer The American Cancer Society has more about breast cancer treatment

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
A: The enzyme RFWD3 helps target other proteins on single-stranded DNA for degradation. B: Cells lacking RFWD3 show DNA repair defects. Credit: (Figure modified from Inano et al.)

Fanconi anemia is a rare genetic disease characterized by hematologic symptoms that include low platelet count and unusually large red blood cells. Mutations in nearly 20 genes have been identified as causative for Fanconi anemia, all of which encode proteins involved in DNA repair mechanisms. The failure to repair DNA is also considered the source of increased cancer risk in individuals with Fanconi anemia. Ongoing efforts to identify additional genes and pathways linked to this disease may also reveal potential susceptibility genes for hereditary cancers.

This week in the JCI, a team led by Detlev Schindler at the University of Wurzburg describes classical Fanconi anemia-like symptoms in a 12 year-old individual without mutations in any known Fanconi anemia genes. Sequencing of this individual's genome detected missense mutations in both alleles of the gene RFWD3, which encodes an enzyme that helps target other proteins for degradation.

This patient's cells were more sensitive to chromosome breakage and showed other indicators of increased susceptibility to DNA damage compared to cells from healthy individuals. Cells lacking RFWD3 or harboring the patient's mutation showed similar DNA repair defects, which were rescued by expression of wild-type RFWD3. Moreover, RFWD3-deficient mice exhibited a phenotype that resembled other mouse models of Fanconi anemia. Together, these findings support the identification of RFWD3 as a Fanconi anemia gene.

Schindler and collaborators further describe the mechanisms by which RFWD3 mediates DNA repair in two recently-published studies in Molecular Cell. Future explorations of this enzyme may reveal its importance as a biomarker or therapeutic target in Fanconi anemia, cancer, or other human disease.

More information: Kerstin Knies et al, Biallelic mutations in the ubiquitin ligase RFWD3 cause Fanconi anemia, Journal of Clinical Investigation (2017). DOI: 10.1172/JCI92069 Kerstin Knies et al, Biallelic mutations in the ubiquitin ligase RFWD3 cause Fanconi anemia,(2017). DOI: 10.1172/JCI92069 Laura Feeney et al, RPA-Mediated Recruitment of the E3 Ligase RFWD3 Is Vital for Interstrand Crosslink Repair and Human Health, Molecular Cell (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.04.021 Shojiro Inano et al. RFWD3-Mediated Ubiquitination Promotes Timely Removal of Both RPA and RAD51 from DNA Damage Sites to Facilitate Homologous Recombination, Molecular Cell (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.04.022 Journal information: Molecular Cell

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Credit: University of Rochester Medical Center

The ubiquitous human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) may play a critical role in impeding the brain's ability to repair itself in diseases like multiple sclerosis. The findings, which appear in the journal Scientific Reports, may help explain the differences in severity in symptoms that many people with the disease experience.

"While latent HHV-6which can be found in cells throughout the brainhas been associated with demyelinating disorders like multiple sclerosis it has not been clear what role, if any, it plays in these diseases," said Margot Mayer-Proschel, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Biomedical Genetics and co-author of the study. "These findings show that, while in the process of hiding from the immune system, the virus produces a protein that has the potential to impair the normal ability of cells in the brain to repair damaged myelin."

It is estimated that more than 80 percent of people have been exposed to HHV6 at some point during their early childhood. HHV-6 is the most common human herpesvirus and infections that occur during childhood often go unnoticed but the virus can cause roseola, which is characterized by a fever and rash in infants. A much smaller numberone percent of people -have congenital HHV6 where a single copy of the virus is acquired through either the father's sperm or mother's egg and is passed on to the developing child.

While the immune system fights off the most active forms of the infection, the virus never truly leaves our bodies and can reactivate later in life. The herpesvirus 6 accomplishes this form of latency by integrating itself into our genetic code and thus hiding in cells and evading the immune system.

One of the first studies to show an association between latent HHV-6 infection and demyelinating disorders was conducted in 2003 by URMC researchers David Mock, M.D., who is a co-author of the current study, Andrew Goodman, M.D. and others. They noted that HHV6 genetic code could be found in the brain cells of individuals with severe forms of multiple sclerosis.

Viruses have long been suspected to contribute to multiple sclerosis, a disorder in which the body's own immune system attacks and destroys myelinthe fatty tissue that insulates the connections between nerve cells. However, while the 2003 study indicated that the herpes virus played some role in multiple sclerosis, it has subsequently become clear that the virus is unlikely to trigger the disease.

The Rochester researchers in the current paper took a new approach and asked instead whether the virus could have an impact on a critical support cell found in the brain called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). These cells play an important role in maintaining the brain's supply of myelin. When myelin is lost to disease, age, or injury, OPCs are activated, migrate to where they are needed, and mature into myelin-producing cells which repair the damage.

The researchers examined the impact of the latent HHV-6 on the activity of human OPCs, which was possible through the work of Chris Proschel, a co-author of the manuscript with expertise in the generation of human OPCs. One of the ways the virus stays hidden in cells is by expressing a protein called U94 that helps it keep its place in the human DNA and remain undetected from the immune system. By studying human cells and transplanting human OPCs into animal models, the team discovered that when U94 was expressed in OPCs, the cells stopped migrating to where they were needed.

What is still not fully understood is the relationship between the extent of the viral infection in the brain and the severity of diseases like multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases such as leukodystrophies and Vanishing White Matter disease. For example, do the number of infected cells need to reach a certain threshold before OPC function is impeded? Are individuals who have congenital HHV6 more vulnerable to severe forms of these diseases?

"More research is needed to understand by which mechanisms the virus impedes the function of OPCs and what impact this has on the progression of these diseases," said Mayer-Proschel. "But it is clear that HHV6, while not necessarily the cause of demyelinating diseases, is limiting the ability of the brain to repair damage to myelin thereby potentially accelerating the progression of these diseases."
Human placental cells (blue) infected with Zika virus (green) responded to the malaria drug chloroquine (left). The drug prevented the virus from growing, unlike the drug rapamycin, which prompted the virus to grow rapidly (right). Studying pregnant mice, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that Zika virus manipulates the body's normal barrier to infection, and that hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug related to chloroquine, interferes with this process, protecting the fetus from viral infection. Credit: Bin Cao

Devastating consequences of Zika virus infection are suffered in the womb, where the virus can cause brain damage and sometimes death.

Studying pregnant mice, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have learned that the Zika virus infects the fetus by manipulating the body's normal barrier to infection. Moreover, they showed that a malaria drug that interferes with this process protects the fetus from viral infection. That drug already is approved for use in pregnant women for other medical purposes.

"We found that the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine effectively blocks viral transmission to the fetus," said senior author Indira Mysorekar, PhD, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and of pathology and immunology. "This drug already is used in pregnant women to treat malaria, and we suggest that it warrants evaluation in primates and women to diminish the risks of Zika infection and disease in developing fetuses."

The findings are published July 10 in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

In late 2015, doctors in Brazil began to notice a surge in the number of babies born with microcephaly, or unusually small heads, an indicator of neurological damage. The epidemic soon was linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which was spreading through the tropical parts of the Americas. Doctors advised pregnant women to avoid mosquito bites by wearing bug spray and long-sleeved clothing, but had little other advice to offer. There were, and still are, no drugs or vaccines approved for use in pregnant women to protect them or their fetuses from Zika infection.

The developing fetus is uniquely vulnerable to damage from infection, so the body mobilizes robust defenses to keep microbes from ever reaching the fetus in the first place. The placenta is the last line of defense. Mysorekar and others have shown that a process known as autophagythe cellular waste-disposal pathway by which cells grind up debris, unwanted organelles and invading microbes - is an important part of the formidable placental barrier to infection. However, previous studies by Mysorekar and others have shown that Zika not only can invade the placenta, but multiply there.

To learn more about how Zika breaches the placenta, Mysorekar, postdoctoral fellow Bin Cao, PhD, and colleagues infected human placental cells with Zika virus. They found that exposure to the virus activated genes related to autophagy.

However, when the researchers treated the cells with drugs to ramp up the autophagy pathway, the number of cells infected with Zika virus increased. Drugs that suppressed autophagy resulted in fewer placental cells infected with Zika virus. In other words, the virus multiplied and spread more effectively when the researchers dialed up the barrier response, and performed more sluggishly when they dialed it down. The virus seemed to be doing a form of microbial martial arts, turning the body's weapons to its own advantage.

Mysorekar and colleagues verified these findings using mice whose autophagy response was hobbled by low levels of a key autophagy protein. They infected two groups of pregnant mice with Zika: one in which the autophagy process was disrupted and the other in which it worked normally.

Five days after infection, the mothers with a weak autophagy response had about the same amount of virus in their bloodstreams as the mice with a normal response. However, in mice with a weak autophagy response, the researchers found 10 times fewer viruses in the placenta and the heads of the fetuses and less damage to the placentas.

"It appears that Zika virus takes advantage of the autophagy process in the placenta to promote its survival and infection of placental cells," Cao said.

Since hydroxychloroquine suppresses the autophagy response, the researchers questioned whether it also could protect fetuses against Zika.

To find out, they repeated the mouse experiment using only mice with a normal autophagy response. Female mice at day nine of pregnancy were infected with Zika and then dosed with hydroxychloroquine or placebo every day for the next five days.

Following treatment, the researchers found significantly less virus in the fetuses and placentas from the mice that had received hydroxychloroquine. In addition, these placentas showed less damage and the fetuses regained normal growth. Both the untreated and the treated mothers had about the same amount of Zika virus in their bloodstreams, indicating that hydroxychloroquine was able to protect fetuses even when the virus was circulating through the mother.

Although hydroxychloroquine has been used safely in pregnant women for short periods of time, the researchers caution that further studies are needed before it can be used in pregnant women to fend off Zika. Pregnant women living in areas where Zika circulates may need to take the drug for the duration of their pregnancies, and the safety of hydroxychloroquine for long-term use is unknown.

"We would urge caution but nevertheless feel our study provides new avenues for feasible therapeutic interventions," said Mysorekar, who is also co-director of the university's Center for Reproductive Health Sciences. "Our study suggests that an autophagy-based therapeutic intervention against Zika may be warranted in pregnant women infected with Zika virus."
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a Center of Excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, in collaboration with Scholar Rock, a biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing drugs that selectively target growth factors in the disease microenvironment, today announced the presentation of data from its SRK-015 antibody program, that demonstrate beneficial effects in a preclinical model of spinal cord injury. The study results, presented at the 35th Annual National Neurotrauma Symposium, held July 9-12th in Snowbird, UT, revealed that the Company's proprietary antibody, which possesses a unique ability to selectively block intramuscular activation of myostatin, improved key characteristics of muscle pathology that result from severe contusion injury to the spinal cord. More specifically, the antibody decreased muscle atrophy, reduced fat infiltration into muscle, and improved muscle function. SRK-015 is Scholar Rock's lead antibody drug candidate which is initially being developed for the improvement of muscle strength and function in patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

"We appreciated our fruitful interaction with the leadership and scientists of the Scholar Rock team, enabling the exploration of an innovative therapeutic approach to spinal cord injury. Maintaining muscle mass both above and below the level of spinal cord lesion is needed to preserve health and function of persons with spinal cord injuries both immediately following injury and throughout the lifespan," said Mark S. Nash, PhD, Professor, Departments of Neurological Surgery and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, lead investigator of the study. "We have been interested in myostatin for some time given its role as key negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass in many diseases and degenerative processes. By selectively inhibiting myostatin activation, SRK-015 offers the opportunity to address secondary health and functional decline associated with the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular and cardioendocrine systems."

"The data from our collaboration with Drs. Nash and Gregory Bigford at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis support our belief that, when applied to appropriate disease settings, highly specific inhibition of myostatin activation may result in important clinical improvements in muscle pathology and function," said Nagesh Mahanthappa, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Scholar Rock. "These data, in addition to our recent findings in a genetic model of SMA, demonstrate the potential of SRK-015 to address unmet needs in the treatment of a broad set of degenerative neuromuscular conditions."

The poster presentation by Dr. Bigford, entitled "Pharmacological Inhibition of Myostatin with mSRK-015P in a Contusion Model of Spinal Cord Injury Improves Key Characteristics of Muscle Pathology," reports these findings in a preclinical mouse model of spinal cord injury:

Masses of the soleus and gastrocnemius, which are muscles below the level of the experimentally induced spinal cord lesion, in the antibody treated group were significantly greater than the non-treated group following experimental injury, and not significantly different from uninjured control.

Lipid infiltration into muscle associated with spinal cord injury was significantly reduced in muscles from the antibody treated group compared to the non-treated group.

Improvements in muscle health were associated with improved grip strength and functional scores in antibody-treated animals.
New research suggests that keeping some operating rooms free for emergency surgery (such as hip surgery, pictured above) could save money in addition to improving patient outcomes. Credit: The Ottawa Hospital

Delays for emergency surgery were associated with a higher risk of death for patients in hospitaland higher costsyet these delays were largely due to lack of operating rooms and staff, and other system issues, found a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

The study was conducted at The Ottawa Hospital, one of Canada's largest hospitals, and the sole provider in the region for trauma, neurosurgery, thoracic and vascular surgery.

"Delays in emergency surgeries are a problem around the world," said senior author Dr. Alan Forster, vice president of quality, performance and population health, and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, and professor at the University of Ottawa in Ontario. "This study adds to the evidence suggesting timely access to the [operating room] is important from both the patient and care provider perspectives. Given that there are no universal standards for the time frame a patient with urgent needs should get into surgery, we set an aggressive scale for the different grades of urgency."

Researchers identified 15 160 emergency surgery patients and found that almost 19% (2820) did not reach the operating room within that time frame. In 86% of those cases with documented reasons for delay, system issues such as staff or operating room availability were the cause.

Surgical delays resulted in a higher risk of death, longer lengths of stay for patients and higher health care costs.

"We found that most delays were due to system issues, like physician, nurse and operating room unavailability," said Dr. Daniel McIsaac, an associate scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa. "Improving personnel availability may improve access without increasing costs (at least from a hospital perspective). Furthermore, the increased resources required to have adequate nursing personnel and physical resources should be partially offset by decreased hospital costs independently attributed to surgical delay."

These findings are consistent with evidence from other countries that delays are often due to system factors.

"Although our results support the known association between delay and mortality in patients with hip fracture, they also support the generalizability of the delay-outcome association to nonorthopedic surgery, where previous findings have both supported and refuted this association," the authors write.

Dr. Forster states that these results suggest a different way of looking at how hospitals create sufficient operating room capacity is required. To ensure emergency patients can be accommodated, it is necessary to have spare capacity.

"It might seem counterintuitive, but having unused time in expensive operating rooms could save both money and lives," said Dr. Forster.

The authors note that even though the study was conducted at one centre, the findings are likely generalizable to other settings.

In a related commentary, Dr. David Urbach, Women's College Hospital and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, writes, "These findings will ring true for many who have worked in an operating room in a Canadian hospital. Global hospital budgets in an era of constrained public financing force surgical departments to strive for maximum efficiency; most optimize utilization of operating rooms and staff at maximum capacity for elective surgery, while assiduously avoiding any unbudgeted activity."

Urbach suggests several system-level solutions to address surgical delays while minimizing health care costs.

More information: Daniel I. McIsaac et al. Association of delay of urgent or emergency surgery with mortality and use of health care resources: a propensity scorematched observational cohort study, Canadian Medical Association Journal (2017). DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.160576 Daniel I. McIsaac et al. Association of delay of urgent or emergency surgery with mortality and use of health care resources: a propensity scorematched observational cohort study,(2017). DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.160576 David R. Urbach. Delivering timely surgery in Canadian hospitals, Canadian Medical Association Journal (2017). DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.170172 Journal information: Canadian Medical Association Journal

Provided by Canadian Medical Association Journal
A: FDG; B: FDG PET/CT; C: Planning radiotherapy based on FDG (66Gy) with BTVm (GTV), CTV and PTV; D: PET FMISO E: FMISO PET/CT; F: boost based on the FMISO PET (76Gy) with BTVh (biological hypoxic target volume) and PTV boost. Credit: QuantIF - LITIS EA 4108 - FR CNRS 3638, Henri Becquerel Cancer Center, Rouen, France

Fluorine-18 (18F)-fluoromisonidazole (FMISO) is a positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer that is widely used to diagnose hypoxia (insufficient oxygen supply to tissue), and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with FMISO uptake are known to face a poor prognosis. A multicenter French Phase II study featured in the July issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM) investigated whether a selective radiotherapy (RT) dose increase to tumor areas with significant FMISO uptake in NSCLC patients could improve outcomes.

The study, conducted by 15 academic PET facilities across France, evaluated 54 patients with localized, advanced non-small cell cancers, who were undergoing chemoradiotherapy. For each patient, two FDG-PET/CT and two FMISO-PET/CT scans were performed using the same machine and under the identical operational conditions. Quality control was centrally supervised to secure homogeneity in the image quality in all participating centers. In 24 of the patients, the radiotherapy dose could be increased up to 86 Gy on hypoxic areas identified on FMISO PET/CT. Unfortunately, this dose increase did not improve patient outcomes.

On the bright side, Pierre Vera, MD, PhD, of the Henri Becquerel Cancer Center and Rouen University Hospital in Rouen, France, notes, "We demonstrate that this approach of radiotherapy boost based on hypoxia PET is feasible in a multicenter setting. Regarding the clinical aspect, a recent randomized trial (Bradley Lancet Oncol 2015) failed to demonstrate the benefit of escalated radiotherapy dose in large target volumes. Our data show that smaller volumes, identified on their functional characteristics using hypoxia PET/CT, can be adequately targeted. In addition, no significant toxicity has been observed in patients receiving radiotherapy boost."

More information: Pierre Vera et al, Phase II Study of a Radiotherapy Total Dose Increase in Hypoxic Lesions Identified by 18 F-Misonidazole PET/CT in Patients with NonSmall Cell Lung Carcinoma (RTEP5 Study), Journal of Nuclear Medicine (2017). Journal information: Journal of Nuclear Medicine Pierre Vera et al, Phase II Study of a Radiotherapy Total Dose Increase in Hypoxic Lesions Identified by 18 F-Misonidazole PET/CT in Patients with NonSmall Cell Lung Carcinoma (RTEP5 Study),(2017). DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.116.188367
A student lifts weights at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A recent study from the university could explain why those who lift heavier weights enjoy greater strength gains than low-load lifters despite similar growth in muscle mass. The research suggests that neural adaptations may account for the observed differences in strength. Credit: Craig Chandler | University of Nebraska-Lincoln

A recent study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has given new meaning to the concept of brain power by suggesting that physical strength might stem as much from exercising the nervous system as the muscles it controls.

Over the past few years, researchers have found evidence that lifting more repetitions of lighter weight can build muscle mass just as well as fewer reps of heavier weight. Even so, those who train with heavier weight still see greater gains in strength than those who lift lighter loads.

But if strength differs even when muscle mass does not, what explains the disparity?

Nathaniel Jenkins and his colleagues may have uncovered some answers by measuring how the brain and motor neurons - cells that send electrical signals to muscle - adapt to high- vs. low-load weight training. Their study suggests that high-load training better conditions the nervous system to transmit electrical signals from the brain to muscles, increasing the force those muscles can produce to a greater extent than does low-load training.

Muscles contract when they receive electrical signals that originate in the brain's neuron-rich motor cortex. Those signals descend from the cortex to the spinal tract, speeding through the spine while jumping to other motor neurons that then excite muscle fibers.

Jenkins found evidence that the nervous system activates more of those motor neurons - or excites them more frequently - when subjected to high-load training. That increased excitation could account for the greater strength gains despite comparable growth in muscle mass.

"If you're trying to increase strength - whether you're Joe Shmoe, a weekend warrior, a gym rat or an athlete - training with high loads is going to result in greater strength adaptations," said Jenkins, an assistant professor of exercise physiology at Oklahoma State University who conducted the research for his dissertation at Nebraska.

The dissertation randomly assigned 26 men to train for six weeks on a leg-extension machine loaded with either 80 or 30 percent of the maximum weight they could lift. Three times per week, the participants lifted until they could not complete another repetition. Jenkins was able to replicate the findings of several previous studies, seeing similar growth in muscle between the two groups but a larger strength increase - roughly 10 pounds' worth - in the high-load group.

But the researchers also supplied an electric current to the nerve that stimulates the quadriceps muscles used in leg extensions. Even at full effort, most people do not generate 100 percent of the force their muscles can physiologically produce, Jenkins said. By comparing the force of a participant's "hardest" unassisted kick with the maximum force they can generate when aided by electric current, scientists can determine how much of that capacity a person has reached - a measure known as voluntary activation.

When adjusting for baseline scores, the researchers found that the voluntary activation of the low-load group increased from 90.07 to 90.22 percent - 0.15 percent - over a three-week span. The high-load group saw their voluntary activation jump from 90.94 to 93.29 percent, a rise of 2.35 percent.

"During a maximal contraction, it would be advantageous if we are activating - or more fully activating - more motor units," Jenkins said. "The result of that should be greater voluntary force production - an increase in strength. That's consistent with what we're seeing."

Jenkins also tested his hypothesis another way, asking participants from both groups to kick out at 10-percent intervals of their baseline strength - from 10 percent all the way up to 100 percent - after three and six weeks. If high-load training does improve muscle efficiency better than low-load training, he reasoned, then high-load lifters should also use a smaller proportion of their strength - that is, exhibit lower voluntary activation - when lifting the same relative weight.

That's what the data generally showed. Voluntary activation in the low-load group did decrease slightly, from an average of about 56 percent at baseline to 54.71 percent after six weeks. But it decreased more in the high-load group, dropping from about 57 to 49.43 percent.

"If we see a decrease in voluntary activation at these sub-maximal force levels, that suggests that these guys are more efficient," Jenkins said. "They are able to produce the same force, but they activate fewer motor units to do it."

Placing electrodes on the participants to record the electrical signatures of their quadriceps reinforced those results. High-load training led to a substantially larger drop in electrical activity after six weeks, the study reported, and that activity was lower across most levels of exertion.

"From a practical standpoint, that should make the activities of daily living easier," Jenkins said. "If I'm lifting sub-maximal loads, I should be able to do more repetitions with fewer motor units active, so maybe I fatigue a little bit slower."

Jenkins maintained that low-load training remains a viable option for those looking to simply build mass or avoid putting extreme stress on joints, a priority for older adults and people rehabbing from injury. Still, he said, the new study lends even greater credence to the notion that when it comes to building strength - especially amid a busy schedule - heavier is better.

"I don't think anybody would argue (with the idea) that high-load training is more efficient," Jenkins said. "It's more time-efficient. We're seeing greater strength adaptations. And now we're seeing greater neural adaptations."

Jenkins detailed his findings in the journal Frontiers in Physiology. He authored the paper with former doctoral adviser Joel Cramer, associate professor of nutrition and health sciences; Terry Housh, professor of nutrition and health sciences; Nebraska doctoral students Amelia Miramonti, Ethan Hill, Cory Smith; and doctoral graduate Kristen Cochrane-Snyman, now at California State Polytechnic University.

More information: Nathaniel D. M. Jenkins et al, Greater Neural Adaptations following High- vs. Low-Load Resistance Training, Frontiers in Physiology (2017). Nathaniel D. M. Jenkins et al, Greater Neural Adaptations following High- vs. Low-Load Resistance Training,(2017). DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00331
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a medical condition in which blood clots develop in the deep veins of the body, often in the legs, thigh or pelvis. These clots can break loose and travel to the lungs and can cause a life-threatening condition called pulmonary embolism (PE). An inferior vena cava (IVC) filter is a small, basket-like device made of wire that is inserted into the inferior vena cava, a large vein that returns blood from the lower body to the heart and lungs, to capture the blood clots and prevent them from reaching the lungs. IVC filters are implanted in patients at risk for PE when anticoagulant therapy is ineffective or cannot be used.

While IVC filter usage has increased rapidly over the years, its safety has been questioned. In 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a device safety communication after reviewing more than 900 adverse events related to the filters over a five-year period. Those adverse events included device migration, embolizations, perforation of the IVC, and filter fractures. Some of these events led to adverse clinical outcomes in patients, often with the filter remaining in the body long after the risk of PE had subsided. Out of concern that these IVC filters were not always removed once a patient's risk for PE subsided, the FDA safety communication recommended removal of the filter as soon as protection from PE is no longer needed.

A research team led by Riyaz Bashir, MD, FACC, RVT, Professor of Medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM), and Director of Vascular and Endovascular Medicine at Temple University Hospital (TUH), examined nationwide utilization rates of IVC filter placement in the United States and assessed what impact the 2010 FDA advisory had on these rates. The team's findings were published in the July 10 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

"The findings of this study are noteworthy as they reflect the critical need for publications reflecting safety issues related to medical therapies even after they have been approved by FDA. The significant decrease in IVC filter implantations after the FDA communication reflects that such communications are a very powerful means of affecting contemporary practice patterns around the country," says Dr. Bashir.

"Since venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a diagnosis that includes both DVT and PE, in this study we also evaluated VTE-related hospitalization rates during the same period in order to determine whether any change in IVC filter implantation could be accounted for by changes in VTE-related hospitalizations."

The research team used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to identify all patients in the U.S. that underwent IVC filter implantation from January 2005 to December 2014. The researchers also identified all patients diagnosed with DVT or PE during the study period, as well as the rates of IVC filter implantation, and VTE-related hospitalizations per 100,000 in the U.S. population.

Among the team's findings:

An estimated 1,131,274 patients underwent IVC filter placement over the 10-year study period

There was a 22.2% increase in the rate of IVC filter placement from 45.2/100,000 in 2005 to 55.1/100,000 in 2010.

Following the FDA safety communication, there was a 29% decrease in the rate of IVC filter placement from 55.1/100,000 in 2010 to 39.1/100,000 in 2014.

The rate of VTE-related hospitalizations remained steady between 2010 and 2014.

Despite the significant reduction in IVC filter use following the FDA advisory, implantation rates across the U.S. remain high compared to the IVC filter implantation rate in five large European countries each of which was less than 3/100,000 population.

"In the United States, the IVC filter implantation rates are 25 fold higher than in Europe. The hospitals across this country collectively are spending close to a billion dollars on these devices every year without a known significant benefit. With current level of evidence we believe that the appropriate implantation rate in the U.S. should be similar to, or lower than, the rate observed in Europe," says Dr. Bashir.
A Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine research team has published findings that show patients who recover from invasive pneumococcal pneumonia, on average, live 10 years less when measured against life expectancy tables for the state of West Virginia as well as two other techniques.

Researchers say the findings underscore the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that all adults over 65 years old should be immunized with pneumococcal vaccine and that younger adults with chronic disease should be vaccinated.

The study, which gathered data from over three decades (1983-2003) at community hospitals in Huntington, West Virginia, was published in the May 2017 issue of the American Journal of Medicine Sciences.

"Our study group comprised 155 adults who survived invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), a particularly deadly infection," said Maurice A. Mufson, M.D., professor emeritus in the department of internal medicine at the school and senior author of the study. "Only 14 patients lived longer than their life expectancy, indicating the importance of immunization of adults with pneumococcal vaccines as well as the pernicious severity of IPD."

The team reported that the presence of two comorbid diseasescancer and neurologic diseasesas well as the total number of comorbid diseases suffered by each patient with invasive pneumococcal disease were significantly associated with increased risk of mortality.

The researchers employed a variety of methods to help ascertain lifespan of the patients in the study including electronic medical records, state health records and in a few instances, the popular genealogy website, Ancestry.com.

"The strengths of our study, in addition to the long follow-up interval of patients, included three different techniques for assessing lifespan," Mufson said.

Provided by Marshall University
A study published online in The FASEB Journal demonstrated that a protein complex (Gbeta5-RGS) commonly known for halting cellular functions may actually stimulate insulin secretion in pancreatic cells. This discovery offers insights into new treatment strategies for conditions where the body is unable to produce sufficient levels of insulin, such as diabetes.

"Once again, Gbeta5-RGS proteins continue to surprise us," said Vladlen Z. Slepak, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami School of Medicine (Miami, Florida). "The role of this complex in insulin secretion is exactly opposite to what one could expect. We hope the insights from the current work will help us understand and treat the disorders that occur when these genes are broken."

In their study, Slepak and colleagues analyzed insulin production in two groups of miceone normal and another lacking the gene responsible for making the Gbeta5 protein. They found that the mice lacking this gene had much less insulin present in their blood. The researchers then performed experiments on isolated pancreatic islets (insulin-producing organs) and on cells from which they also deleted the Gbeta5 gene. The results clearly demonstrated that Gbeta5-RGS is necessary for stimulation of insulin secretion. When the researchers put the gene back in place, the insulin secretion was restored.

"Any result this surprising beckons us to rethink some so-called fundamentals," said Thoru Pederson, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal.

More information: Qiang Wang et al, Regulator of G protein signaling G5-R7 is a crucial activator of muscarinic M3 receptor-stimulated insulin secretion, The FASEB Journal (2017). Journal information: FASEB Journal Qiang Wang et al, Regulator of G protein signaling G5-R7 is a crucial activator of muscarinic M3 receptor-stimulated insulin secretion,(2017). DOI: 10.1096/fj.201700197RR
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Pashinyan says positions voiced by some member countries of CSTO are unacceptable

19 countries that use euro currency will slide into recession over winter

Pashinyan to Baku: If 1991 border is mutually recognized, what are your troops doing near Jermuk?

Pashinyan: If the Karabakh issue is solved, why is Azerbaijani Armed Forces shooting at Karabakh residents?

Pashinyan: Russia should say whether their version of peace settlement is still circulating?

Pashinyan: Maybe Azerbaijan doesn't want Armenia to receive revenues?

Pashinyan: Azerbaijan must withdraw its troops from Armenia

Pashinyan: My yesterday's speech served its purpose, Azerbaijani MFA no longer uses 'corridor' term

Microsoft founder Paul Allen's collection of world masterpieces sold for $1.6 billion

Public TV of Armenia hosts Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan

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

Volvo Cars expects to introduce electric SUV by 2024

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
European Parliament member Eleni Theocharous condemned Azerbaijani government to unscrupulously use the tragedy of common people for propaganda purposes.

On July 4, 2017, yet another time the repressive regime of Aliyev, where ordinary human life has little value, has used its own population as a human shield while violating the cease-fire. Azerbaijan had installed a multiple rocket launcher system very close to an inhabited village and used this to shell Nagorno-Karabakh, MEP said in a statement.

It is a vicious and inhumane tactic of the current Azerbaijani Government to unscrupulously use the tragedy of common people for propaganda purposes, violating all the norms of ethics.

It is an undeniable fact that this very same Government has vehemently rejected to install an independent investigative mechanism which can prevent a cease-fire violation, innocent human losses and create a favourable atmosphere for negotiations and peace.

I am deeply sorry for the loss of innocent lives on the Azerbaijani side. Meanwhile, I call on all those who are concerned with the situation to be objective, to raise their voices also when the Azerbaijani armed forces carry out ISIS-style beheadings in Nagorno-Karabakh, showcasing body parts as trophies on social media and mutilate bodies of 90-year-old Armenian civilians, as in April 2016.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) hosted a presentation by Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) last week at St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church, where he shared his experience traveling to Armenia for the first time in 2016.

During his travels, he met with Armenian officials, visited historical sites, and spoke at the American University of Armenia (AUA). Congressman Costa is a Member of the Armenian Caucus and has been a proud supporter of U.S.-Armenia relations for many years.

The Armenian Assembly continues to encourage Members of Congress to visit Armenia and Artsakh to see first-hand the realities on the ground and the challenges facing the Armenian people," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. We thank Congressman Costa for his years of public service both in the California legislature and in the House of Representatives. We greatly appreciate his steadfast commitment to Armenia and for investing in the future leaders within our community,Ardouny added.

Rep. Costa explained that he grew up in Fresno - the land of Saroyan - where he knew many friends and neighbors growing up who were Armenian. He appreciated the work ethic, tenacity, and hospitality of the Armenian people. The Congressman then recited Armenian American author William Saroyan's famous quote: I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.

Congressman Costa spoke about many different people he met and places he visited. Along with the Head of the Armenian National Assembly (NA) Armenia-USA Friendship Group Samvel Nikoyan on July 20, 2016, Rep. Costa paid tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide at the memorial. Rep. Costa laid flowers at the eternal fire and honored in silence the memory of the victims. He toured the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and watched the posters of the Auction of Souls silent movie starring Aurora Mardiganian. Rep. Costa concluded his visit to the memorial by writing a note in the guest book, just as Pope Francis had done a few weeks prior.

Rep. Costa also shared his presentation at AUA, where he spoke about U.S.-Armenia relations and the significant role that AUA plays in that relationship. In his remarks, Rep. Costa proudly announced the establishment of an endowment at AUA by Fresno resident Edward Kashian, reflecting the close existing relationship between California State University, Fresno (CSU Fresno) and AUA.
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) final report on Armenias 2 April 2017 parliamentary elections noted that fundamental freedoms were generally respected and candidates were able to campaign without restrictions. Noting an overall lack of public trust in the electoral process, the report, published on 10 July 2017, recommends that authorities and political parties take measures to discourage vote-buying and any form of pressure on citizens to attend campaign events or vote in a particular way.

The report welcomes recent legal reforms and recommends that remaining gaps and ambiguities in the law be addressed, including with regards to campaigning, campaign finance regulations, and legal standing and deadlines for complaints and appeals. In order to ensure uniform implementation of the law, the report recommends that the Central Election Commission clarify legal provisions through binding decisions and provide additional guidance to lower-level commissions.

Noting that the elections were well administered, the report encourages intensified efforts to enhance access to voting procedures for people with physical disabilities and reduced mobility. The report also encourages more accessible and comprehensive voter education materials.

Praising the improved accuracy of voter lists, the report calls on the authorities to continue measures to reduce the number of voters without a complete address. The report positively noted the publication of scanned copies of signed voter lists from polling stations as an important deterrent of voter impersonation, but recommends that the authorities take measures to guarantee the protection of voters private data.

Noting shortcomings in the oversight of media during the campaign, the report recommends setting clear guidelines for media conduct, improving media monitoring methodologies, and extending the authority of the media regulatory body outside of the official campaign period. In addition, measures to ensure the full transparency of media ownership are proposed.

To enhance the transparency and effectiveness of campaign finance oversight, the report recommends that the Oversight and Audit Service should have adequate resources, technical expertise and independence.

The removal of burdensome procedures for observer groups to register are among the reports other recommendations, so as to ensure the full transparency of the electoral process.
STEPANAKERT.  A Karabakh army soldier Vazgen Poghosyan who died on Monday as a result of the adversarys firing, was from Armenian province of Vayots Dzor.

It was noted that the killed soldier was from a socially vulnerable family.

According to Armenian News  NEWS.am, Vazgen has two sisters. His brother died in an accident a long time ago. Vazgens parents have health problems.

Vazgen Poghosyan (born in 1997) was killed in the eastern direction of the line of contact between the armed forces of Karabakh and Azerbaijan, Karabakh army said in a statement.

An investigation is underway.
Houston Event Focused on Chemical Industry, Threats

The three-day 2017 Chemical Sector Security Summit begins July 19 with more than 500 chemical sector stakeholders and government and industry professionals expected to attend.

The 2017 Chemical Sector Security Summit is taking place July 19-21 at the JW Marriott Houston Galleria in Houston. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Infrastructure Protection and the Chemical Sector Coordinating Council, it's an annual event bringing together industry owners and operators, government officials, first responders, and law enforcement to discuss the latest security best practices.

The Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA) is facilitating a media roundtable on July 20 featuring Bob Kolasky, acting assistant secretary for Infrastructure Protection and acting deputy under secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS; and David Wulf, acting deputy assistant secretary for Infrastructure Protection, DHS. Roundtable speakers will discuss the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program, new tiering methodology, and other DHS efforts, and representatives from various industry trade associations will be on hand to answer questions.

More than 500 chemical sector stakeholders and government and industry professionals are expected to attend the event.

Key topics include the CFATS Program and other chemical security regulations, cyber and physical security in the current threat environment, cybersecurity trends and resources, updates on chemical transportation issues, and theft and diversion.

The Chemical Sector Coordinating Council is one of 18 critical infrastructure committees that were established under the protection afforded by the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC). Its members include the American Chemistry Council, Compressed Gas Association, International Liquid Terminals Association, Institute of Makers of Explosives, National Association of Chemical Distributors, SOCMA, The Chlorine Institute, and The Fertilizer Institute.
Milwaukee-based Roaring Fork Restaurant Group will celebrate a milestone on Thursday, July 13 as it opens its 50th Qdoba Mexican Eats franchise location in Wisconsin

The new restaurant, located at 5347 U.S. Hwy 10, in Stevens Point, comes on the heels of the opening of Milwaukee's newest East Side location at 1348 E. Brady St., bringing its total Qdoba franchise count to 55 locations throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa.

In celebration of this Wisconsin milestone, the group is offering customers a free order of chips and queso with a purchase at any Qdoba Wisconsin location on Tuesday, July 18.

Roaring Fork, which is owned by Greendale native and UW-Milwaukee alum Michael Pranke, boasts more than 1,000 employees and  despite downward industry trends  has seen a 57 percent growth rate in just the last five years.

Local growth includes the new Qdoba location at 1348 E. Brady St. in April, as well its new, fast-casual restaurant concept Grate Mac & Cheese, which is slated to open in Menomonee Falls later this summer.

The group opened its first Qdoba location at 3101 N. Oakland Ave. in April of 1998. At that time, it was only the 14th location nationwide. That same year, Roaring Fork began to expand into Madison with a location on State Street, not far from the State Capitol. By 1999, they'd established four restaurants in the area, adding Milwaukee Qdoba locations in West Allis and Wauwatosa. And from there, growth continued, first to the Fox Valley and subsequently Central Wisconsin.

To date, Wisconsins Qdoba locations are spread mostly throughout southeastern Wisconsin and the Fox Valley and greater Madison areas, with locations in La Crosse, Wausau and now Stevens Point.

In addition to the Brady Street, Milwaukee and Stevens Point locations, Roaring Fork will continue to focus its expansion efforts on Wisconsin, with additional locations slated for Johnson Creek and Mukwonago in the coming years.

"Growth is in our DNA," notes Ron Stokes, President and Chief Operating Officer at Roaring Fork. "And our continual commitment to growth and to the Qdoba brand has had a compounding effect. We are continuing to look at additional sites throughout the state so that we can continue to grow the brand and create more jobs through the openings of those locations. Weve been growth oriented from the beginning, and we will continue to be growth oriented as we look towards the future."
This Friday evening OnMilwaukee and FM/102.1 will host a fish fry dinner fundraiser for Donate Life Wisconsin at O'Lydia's in Walker's Point featuring the world's first fish fry eating contest. Donate Life will be at the event to register people as donors. (Having the sticker on your license is no longer enough.) Please join us.

Three decades ago, Linda Sacketts doctor warned her not to get pregnant again. Linda, who had a serious kidney disease, survived her first pregnancy, which resulted in the birth of her son, Rick, but her doctor said a second would be too risky.

The disease, called Chronic Glomerulonephritis, hinders the kidneys filtering system and causes scarring to the organs. Linda, who was in her 20s at the time, was told she would need to have a kidney transplant by the time she was 30.

However, Linda became pregnant again and decided she was going to full term despite her doctors warnings. She gave birth to another son, Rob, who is now 28.

"They took him six weeks early because of my condition, but otherwise he and I were both healthy," says Linda, who owns OLydias in Walkers Point.

Years went by and, although she was tested regularly, her kidneys continued to work properly. Two years ago, at the age of 51, Linda finally received the news that her kidneys were only functioning at 6.5 percent and that it was time for a transplant.

"I was stable for 26 years, but I knew surgery was inevitable," she says.

Both of Sacketts sons were tested and, based primarily on blood type, determined a match. But for Rob, it was a no-brainer that he should be the donor.

"My brother is married and he has a kid. I have neither," says Rob, a firefighter and paramedic. "And Rick runs the restaurant with my mom so he could run the business while she was recovering."

Rob underwent many months of testing and spent 5-8 hours a week at the hospital.

"I underwent every test you can think of," says Rob. "But its my mom. There wasnt any consideration."

Linda underwent massive testing, as well, and was told, despite her ailing kidneys, she was in excellent health. "That was a good thing that came out of this," she says.

Despite exhaustion, pain and major water retention in her knees and ankles, Linda worked at OLydias the day before the surgery.

"Its tough to take off work when you own the business," says Rob.

Earlier this year, on the morning of March 15, Rob and Linda went into surgery at Froedtert Hospital. Surgeons removed one of Robs kidneys and transplanted it into his mothers body. Consequently, Linda now has three kidneys.

"And Rob now has an open tab at OLydias for life," says Linda.

Linda says she felt much better within a day of the surgery and the massive swelling from below her waist diminished. She was back at work within 3.5 weeks and has experienced zero side effects from the surgery and the medications. She attributes some of her easy healing to knowing the business was in good hands with Rick.

"I just had my three-month check up and everything looked great," she says. "They said my kidney will probably outlive me."

Robs recovery went smoothly, as well. Today, his only restrictions are to stay away from foods that cause high blood pressure and Ibuprofen.

"I had no question, no doubts that I was doing the right thing," says Rob. "Shes given me everything."

Linda and Rob both hope their story will encourage others to become organ donors. According to Donate Life Wisconsin, more than 2,200 people in the state are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant.

"Its certainly a gift," says Linda. "One thats often a matter of life or death."

Recently, Linda contacted the doctor who told her not to have a second child. "I said, You know the son you told me not to have? He wound up saving my life," she says.
As we close out 2020, we wanted to share some of our favorite stories from the last decade. We hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as we enjoyed telling them. Click here to see the rest of our picks of must-reads and happy new year, Milwaukee!

Though color photography dates back to the 19th century, it wasn't until the introduction of more affordable Kodachrome film in 1935 that amateur photographers could begin to use the new technology. Even still, it took time to catch on and, therefore, color photos from the 1940s aren't something you see every day.

Thanks to Milwaukeean Karl Bandow, who found a treasure trove of old Kodachrome half-frame slides of the city taken by Ray Szopieray in an antiques store, we can offer up these gorgeous color photos of the city as it appeared in the 1940s.

1. Historic North Point Water Tower

You know the deal here. This lovely spire  which dresses up little more than a pipe to help regular water pressure, with a spiral staircase around it  was designed by Charles Gombert and erected in 1871. It looks more or less exactly the same now, and if it weren't for the cars and those old low-to-the-ground traffic signals, one could be convinced this photo was taken yesterday.

2. Clemens Chrzan Pharmacy

Clem Chrzan was born in Milwaukee in 1903. He ran his pharmacy  which has that classic drug store Coca-Cola sign in this shot  on the northeast corner of 5th and Mitchell Streets. The building likely fell to freeway construction. If the photographer had turned slightly to the left, you'd see St. Stanislaus Church on that corner. Chrzan and his family lived above the store.

3. Italian street festival

Before Festa Italiana set up shop in its permanent lakefront home in 1978, Milwaukee's Italian community did like similar enclaves around the country and, in fact, around the world, wherever Italians immigrated: they held street festivals with a procession. Go to Festa this weekend and you'll see a procession on Sunday morning much like this one, which was likely on the streets of the Third Ward, which in the '40s was still a heavily residential neighborhood. Urban "renewal" in the '50s would change that.

4. Solvay Coke

I believe this is the former Solvay Coke plant at the foot of Greenfield Avenue, the final remnants of which were just recently removed. The plant converted coal into coke, a fuel for foundries, by heating up the coal in a vacuum. We Energies is currently cleaning up the site so that it can be redeveloped.

5. Milwaukee Valve Company

Though Milwaukee Valve Company is now headquartered in New Berlin, the business  founded in 1901  has roots on the western fringe of Bay View. Its former site on the 2300 block of South Burrell Street is seen here from across the Kinnickinnic River.

6. Menomonee River

In the foreground we can see piles of coal, and its juxtaposition with the Downtown skyline in the background reminds us of the city's industrial heritage. In fact, this appears to be near the site of Valley Power Plant, which until its recent conversion to natural gas, had similar piles of coal.

7. Menomonee River, part 2

Best I can tell  and I trust you'll drop me a line if you have better info  this is taken a bit further southeast of the photo above (see the coal piles at left), on the south bank of the Menomonee River, about where it splits. But the part of Downtown you can see best is the far east end of Wisconsin Avenue  the Wisconsin Gas, Northwestern Mutual and Cudahy Tower buildings  so it's possible that Ray was perched somewhere a little farther east, too. (UPDATE: A couple folks have written in to say that this is likely taken around the foot of Greenfield Avenue, with the Jones Island smokestack visible in the center. LandmarkHunter.com's J.R. Manning pointed out that the ferry smokestacks appear to bear the logo of the S.S. City of Milwaukee.)

8. Stratton Grain Company elevators

Stratton Grain President Harry Stratton  who was the nephew of the founder  is best remembered for his other business: the one he started in 1910 with Stephen F. Briggs. Though he long served as president of Stratton Grain, Stratton was also chair of Briggs & Stratton. This grain elevator still stands on Bay Street, near Barnacle Buds. But these days "Nidera" is painted on the side.

9. Milwaukee River tug

OK, so there are two photos here, but since they're of the same spot  albeit from different angles  I'm calling it a two-fer. This is the Milwaukee River, from Water Street, looking east. You can see a couple tugs and the near-legendary Fruit Boat. In the bottom one you can see current MIAD buildings. In the top one you can see the old railroad swing bridge in the distance.

10. Allen-Bradley

The Allen-Bradley building was begun in 1919 but has undergone many changes over the years, getting additions or notable changes in 1927, 1943, 1948, 1958, 1963, 1969 and later. This shows the building before the big clocktower was added in '63.
By taking a series of near-atomic resolution snapshots, Cornell University and Harvard Medical School scientists have observed step-by-step how bacteria defend against foreign invaders such as bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria.

The process they observed uses CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) sites, where the cell's DNA can be snipped to insert additional DNA.

Biologists use CRISPR for genetic engineering experiments, but cells may have evolved the mechanism as part of a defense system. The cell uses these locations to store molecular memories of invaders so that they can be selectively eradicated at the next encounter.

"The bug's immunity system works just as efficiently as ours, except our system functions at the protein recognition level, whereas CRISPR works at the nucleic acid recognition level," explained Ailong Ke, professor of molecular biology and genetics.

Upon first encounter, the bacteria insert a bit of an invader's DNA into its own genome at the CRISPR location. When needed, an RNA transcript of the stored DNA, called guide RNA, can be assembled with other proteins into a complex called Cascade (CRISPR Associated Complex for Antiviral Defense). The system is so efficient and precise that researchers have thought of ways to re-tool it for genome editing applications, to introduce changes at precise locations of DNA. "A CRISPR revolution is sweeping through biology as we speak," said Ke.

In previous research, Ke had defined the function of the protein-RNA complexes involved in the process and used the X-ray crystallography facilities of the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) to determine their structure. Yibei Xiao, a postdoctoral researcher in Ke's lab worked out the entire immunity process, step by step. "The next step is to capture structural snapshots of these steps, to produce a high-definition movie of what's going on," said Ke.

Ke collaborated with Maofu Liao, assistant professor of cell biology at Harvard Medical School, who is an expert in using a cryo-electron microscope to determine high-resolution structures of macromolecules frozen in a thin layer of ice. Working with the bacteria Thermobifida fusca, used in fermentation, Ke's lab prepared samples representing distinct stages of the immune response. Liao and his postdoctoral researcher Min Luo froze these samples and took high-resolution snapshots at each step.

The study focused on a particular version of CRISPR-related defense known as Type I-E.

"We knew roughly how it works, but without the structures we didn't have the details," Ke said. "A picture is worth a thousand words."

"Scientists hypothesized that these states existed but they were lacking the visual proof of their existence," said Luo. "Now, seeing really is believing."

The findings, published June 29 in the journal Cell, provide structural data that can improve the efficiency and accuracy of biomedical CRISPR operations. Aspects of this defense mechanism - particularly how it searches for its DNA targets - were unclear and have raised concerns about unintended off-target effects and the safety of using the CRISPR-Cas mechanism for treating human diseases.

"To solve problems of specificity, we need to understand every step of CRISPR complex formation," said Liao.

"To apply CRISPR in human medicine, we must be sure the system does not accidentally target the wrong genes," said Ke. "Our argument is that the Type I system is potentially more accurate than CRISPR-Cas9, because it checks a longer stretch of sequence before action, and the system divides target searching and degradation into two steps, with built-in safety features in between."

Type I CRISPR so far offers limited utility for precision gene editing, but it may be used as a tool to combat antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

Ke and Xiao co-authored another paper in the same issue of Cell, with Ilya Finkelstein, assistant professor of molecular biosciences at the University of Texas at Austin, to characterize how Cascade searches for targets at the single molecule level.
Drier grass. Credit: University of Western Sydney

One of the expected benefits from rising atmospheric carbon dioxide is that plants may use less water and avoid some of the damaging effects of drought. The basis for this effect is that plants close the pores called stomata on their leaves and less water is taken from the soil out through the plant and into the air. By taking in more carbon dioxide, plants can close their stomata earlier and this means they lose less water than they would otherwise.

This process has been tested extensively in cold temperate ecosystems such as the grasslands of the Northern United States where it was found that elevated CO2 produced a 'water-savings effect' by the reduced water use of plants, while driving the increases in photosynthesis and productivity.

However, there has to date been little research on this effect in warm, dry ecosystems that cover much of the world in the tropical, subtropical and dry temperate regions including most of Australia. This creates questions around how much of the apparent benefits seen from rising CO2 in temperate ecosystems can be applied to ecosystems where drought and water limitation is much more common. Scientists expected that the presence of extra CO2 in the air of even warm and dry ecosystems such as Australian grasslands would improve their drought resilience as plants could take in more CO2 and close their stomata earlier.

Testing this theory on Australian grass species has shown that it is the presence of water that controls whether plants open their stomata more and not because of the extra CO2 in the air. This is quite the reverse of what scientists expected to find based on experiments from international research and is another example of the importance of tailored experiments specific to Australia's unique ecosystems.

"This research demonstrates that water availability in Australia has a big impact on increasing plant photosynthesis together with increased carbon dioxide," according to lead scientist at EucFACE, Professor David Ellsworth.

"Results from similar experiments running in cold temperate climate grasslands are quite different in their response to the results here in Australia. Here in Australia at EucFACE, we essentially show that there is no water-savings effect from rising CO2."

"Currently, global climate change prediction models are based on data that indicates that grasslands will increase their rate of photosynthesis under rising CO2, whereas in fact changes to ecosystems such as increased growth, increases in woody seedling establishment or establishment of different types of plants in the ecosystem are more likely to be the result of fluctuations in water and not as a result of extra CO2."

Previous research from satellite imagery has demonstrated a trend towards 'global greening', attributed to increased CO2 thought to enable plants to use less water and therefore stay greener.

"Satellite imagery can tell us about what has happened in the past up to today," explains Professor Ellsworth.

"What the world is looking for and what EucFACE provides is what will happen starting today and going into the future. These results indicate that the big changes in carbon absorption by CO2 happen when there is enough rainfall and moisture. In Sydney the climate frequently swings from wet to dry and back again so often that this has much more impact than in other more consistently wet or dry regions. We can expect in the future that the changes in rainfall brought on by rising CO2 as well as the direct effect of CO2 on plants will interact."
Artist's impression of rangeomorphs. Credit: Jennifer Hoyal Cuthill

Why did life on Earth change from small to large when it did? Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Tokyo Institute of Technology have determined how some of the first large organisms, known as rangeomorphs, were able to grow up to two metres in height, by changing their body size and shape as they extracted nutrients from their surrounding environment.

The results, reported in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, could also help explain how life on Earth, which once consisted only of microscopic organisms, changed so that huge organisms like dinosaurs and blue whales could ultimately evolve.

Rangeomorphs were some of the earliest large organisms on Earth, existing during a time when most other forms of life were microscopic in size. Some rangeomorphs were only a few centimetres in height, while others were up to two metres tall.

These organisms were ocean dwellers that lived during the Ediacaran period, between 635 and 541 million years ago. Their soft bodies were made up of branches, each with many smaller side branches, forming a geometric shape known as a fractal, which can be seen today in things like lungs, ferns and snowflakes.

Since rangeomorphs don't resemble any modern organism, it's difficult to understand how they fed, grew or reproduced, let alone how they might link with any modern group. However, although they look somewhat like plants, scientists believe that they may have been some of the earliest animals to live on Earth.

Avalofractus abaculus Credit: J Hoyal Cuthill

"What we wanted to know is why these large organisms appeared at this particular point in Earth's history," said Dr Jennifer Hoyal Cuthill of Cambridge's Department of Earth Sciences and Tokyo Tech's Earth-Life Science Institute, the paper's first author. "They show up in the fossil record with a bang, at very large size. We wondered, was this simply a coincidence or a direct result of changes in ocean chemistry?"

The researchers used micro-CT scanning, photographic measurements and mathematical and computer models to examine rangeomorph fossils from south-eastern Newfoundland, Canada, the UK and Australia.

Their analysis shows the earliest evidence for nutrient-dependent growth in the fossil record. All organisms need nutrients to survive and grow, but nutrients can also dictate body size and shape. This is known as 'ecophenotypic plasticity.' Hoyal Cuthill and her co-author Professor Simon Conway Morris suggest that rangeomorphs not only show a strong degree of ecophenotypic plasticity, but that this provided a crucial advantage in a dramatically changing world. For example, rangeomorphs could rapidly "shape-shift", growing into a long, tapered shape if the seawater above them happened to have elevated levels of oxygen.

"During the Ediacaran, there seem to have been major changes in the Earth's oceans, which may have triggered growth, so that life on Earth suddenly starts getting much bigger," said Hoyal Cuthill. "It's probably too early to conclude exactly which geochemical changes in the Ediacaran oceans were responsible for the shift to large body sizes, but there are strong contenders, especially increased oxygen, which animals need for respiration."

This change in ocean chemistry followed a large-scale ice age known as the Gaskiers glaciation. When nutrient levels in the ocean were low, they appear to have kept body sizes small. But with a geologically sudden increase in oxygen or other nutrients, much larger body sizes become possible, even in organisms with the same genetic makeup. This means that the sudden appearance of rangeomorphs at large size could have been a direct result of major changes in climate and ocean chemistry.

However, while rangeomorphs were highly suited to their Ediacaran environment, conditions in the oceans continued to change and from about 541 million years ago the 'Cambrian Explosion' began - a period of rapid evolutionary development when most major animal groups first appeared in the fossil record. When the conditions changed, the rangeomorphs were doomed and nothing quite like them has been seen since.

More information: Jennifer F. Hoyal Cuthill et al, Nutrient-dependent growth underpinned the Ediacaran transition to large body size, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0222-7 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution
A large fall armyworm is about to cannibalize a smaller diseased armyworm of the same age. Credit: Ben Van Allen, UCSD

Cannibalism may be just what the doctor ordered, according to a new study that will be published in American Naturalist led by former LSU postdoctoral researcher and current University of California, San Diego, or UCSD, postdoctoral researcher Benjamin Van Allen, along with other individuals in Bret Elderd lab's at LSU and Volker Rudolf's lab at Rice University.

LSU Department of Biological Sciences Associate Professor Bret Elderd investigates how various factors affect disease transmission in insects, particularly in Lepidoptera, an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths. With his lab group, Elderd looks at how factors including protective chemicals produced by plants that insects eat and changes in temperature can either quicken or dampen the spread of disease. By studying these and other factors, Elderd's work may help other researchers create environmentally friendly bioinsecticides to protect crops like soybeans, for example. But Van Allen, Elderd and colleagues are finding that cannibalism may be an understudied factor in the spread of disease.

Elderd was recently conducting field-based experiments with fall armyworm caterpillars, or Spodoptera frugiperda, the larval life stage of the fall armyworm moth, to mimic and study the spread of a lethal baculovirus in this lepidopteran when he noticed something strange.

The experiments involved enclosing individual plants in mesh bags, releasing diseased larvae into the bags to contaminate the plant with a virus and following the spread of the disease as the healthy individuals consume the plant and therefore the virus. At the end of these experiments, when Elderd and his lab group were collecting healthy larvae from the plants and transporting them back to the lab to study more closely how the disease had spread, they ran into what was at first simply an annoying problem. Elderd and his colleagues were returning from the field with bags full of half-eaten fall armyworms.

"With the fall armyworms, we would lose a large portion of a number of samples we transported back to the lab because when the larvae got close to each other during transport, they started to eat one another," Elderd said. "I started cursing my luck for conducting these studies with these dang bugs that would eat each other."

At first, Elderd considered moving to a different species of insect to continue his research. But over time, he started questioning whether, rather than being simply a nuisance to his field experiments, cannibalism among armyworms was serving a bigger purpose.

"Cannibalism is ubiquitous in nature," Elderd said. "A cannibalistic species will readily eat others of its own species, or conspecifics. But for a long time cannibalism was seen as an aberration when it occurred in any species. This may be related to bias in how we observe cannibalism in nature. As population densities increase, cannibalism and disease spread can also increase. Since cannibalism may increase in populations affected by a disease outbreak, we tend to associate cannibalism in a population with the spread of disease."

Prompted by their research on disease outbreaks in caterpillars, Van Allen, Elderd and colleagues delved into published works on cannibalism and disease, and developed theoretical models for the interaction between cannibalism and disease across the animal kingdom. The researchers have found that, counter to its taboo nature, cannibalism can be advantageous.

"A cannibal that eats a victim has essentially found 'the perfect meal,'" Elderd said. "If I'm a cannibal, my prey has all the protein ratios and micronutrients that I need, because it's essentially me. The disadvantage, however, is that my victim is also the perfect host for any suite of pathogens or parasites that would also like to feast on me. The thought here is that I shouldn't be cannibalistic because I have a high probability of contracting a particular disease if I feed on an organism of my own species."

This risky and often disadvantageous behavior has pervaded biological research for many years, with the thought that cannibalism can bolster the spread of disease through a population. A study published just this week in Nature Ecology & Evolution highlights how some plants produce defensive chemicals that may prompt insects that feed on them to become more cannibalistic. This study shows how cannibalism can have important consequences and may drive interactions between species, Elderd said, but the primary disadvantage in terms of cannibalism is still being eaten, not necessarily being the cannibal. Using theoretical models and examples from across the animal kingdom, Elderd and his research group show in their new American Naturalist paper that cannibalism is not always disadvantageous for the cannibals. Cannibalism may in fact decrease the spread of disease and prevent disease outbreaks in some species.

"We are flipping the paradigm, with regards to cannibalism," Elderd said.

And it makes sense, if looked at from the perspective of a population susceptible to disease outbreaks.

"What a disease really wants to do is reproduce," Elderd said. "Say that I have the flu. To anthropomorphize this virus, it wants ideally to spread to more than just one other person. In our paper, we explore the idea that if I have a disease and another organism of my own species eats me, any pathogen or parasite I have is only spread to one other individual. An outbreak would require transfer of that pathogen or parasite to multiple individuals, not just one other cannibal."

Cannibalism by itself is a poor mechanism for the spread of disease, said study author Ben Van Allen. When a cannibal eats a healthy individual, it kills a potential future host for the disease, which is also bad for the disease. When a cannibal eats an infected individual, there's always the possibility that a cannibalistic individual won't even catch a parasite or contract a disease its prey has, which makes cannibalism especially dangerous from the parasites perspective, Elderd said.

"There's a chance that a disease might essentially become extinct within a population through such one-on-one cannibalism, unless more than one individual feasts on victims, and even then the disease must spread to more than one cannibal more often than it spreads to none," Elderd said. Volker Rudolf, one of the American Naturalist study co-authors, originally proposed this idea.

When an individual caterpillar becomes sick with this virus, its growth is stunted. Sick individuals end up being smaller and easier for healthy individuals to consume, or cannibalize.

"What we show in our paper is that if these caterpillars become cannibalistic and consume smaller, sick individuals in the population, transmission of this virus through the population is reduced," Elderd said.

The paper also contrasts the human agricultural practice of culling livestock to remove sick individuals and prevent disease spread, for example in the case of foot-and-mouth outbreaks in livestock, to cannibalism. It turns out that cannibalism can be far more effective at culling diseased individuals from a population.

"Culling is typically achieved by removing diseased individuals at a constant rate," Elderd said. "Cannibalism, however, increases as you increase population size. For a disease outbreak, you need not only to have sick individuals, but also a large number of potentially susceptible individuals for the disease to spread to. Cannibalism can knock a population below the threshold number of susceptible individuals necessary for an outbreak to occur and be maintained."

Elderd describes this study as a math-based and theoretical investigation of cannibalism. The next step is conducting field-based experiments to demonstrate these ideas empirically.

"We didn't include it in this paper, but we do have empirical work showing that our theories hold water," Elderd said.

Using experiments in the fall armyworm system, Elderd's group has found that cannibalism decreases the rate of disease spread. In other systems, there is observational evidence that cannibalism hinders the spread of disease.

"In some species, mothers will cannibalize their young to weed out the sick and weak, ensuring higher survival rates for healthy offspring," Elderd said. "But there hasn't been a lot of empirical research to back up these observations."

Elderd and his colleagues have provided a first step toward empirical evidence of exactly how cannibalism affects disease spread in insect populations. While there are parasites that may benefit from cannibalism indirectly by exploiting loopholes in the host life cycle, Van Allen's work suggests that at least for some populations, cannibalism may be just what the doctor ordered.
Balancing the need to provide an affordable, accessible education with a commitment to transforming students' lives and preparing them for the future is an ongoing challenge in higher education. New research from economists at Purdue University's Krannert School of Management finds that task-based goal setting can help on both fronts as a low-cost and logistically simple approach to improving students' course performance.

In "Using Goals to Motivate College Students: Theory and Evidence from Field Experiments," a working paper coauthored by Krannert economics professors Victoria Prowse and David Gill along with Damon Clark of the University of California-Irvine and Mark Rush of the University of Florida, the researchers move beyond existing studies that focus only on increasing student effort through performance-based financial incentives.

"Policies and interventions such as scholarships and financial aid that require meeting a GPA threshold are typically expensive and often produce mixed results," says Prowse, Purdue's Magner Chair. "There are concerns that college students exert too little effort, which can have negative consequences on their learning, graduation prospects and even their future employment."

While traditional economics holds a narrower view of capital that focuses primarily on labor, Prowse and her colleagues take a more progressive, behavioral view that examines human capital as a component that includes the knowledge and skills possessed by an individual.

"That perspective brings education very much into the realm of economics," Prowse says. "It opens the door to new ways of restructuring classrooms, developing mentoring programs and refining teaching practices to counter individual behavioral biases and improve the human capital of our students."

Toward that end, the researchers pose a simple question: Do college students who set goals work harder and achieve better outcomes?

Their results came from a pair of field experiments conducted with nearly 4,000 college students enrolled in an on-campus, semester-long course at a U.S. public university. The first group of students set goals for the course based on their performance on the midterm, final exam and overall letter grade. The second group set task-based goals for the number of online practice exams they completed prior to the midterm and final.

"Performance-based goals are more about measuring outputs, while task-based goals focus more on inputsthe specific activities, work and effort a student is putting into a course," Prowse explains. "Our results show that although performance-based goals do have a positive impact, the effects on course outcomes are small and statistically insignificant."

In contrast, having students set task-based goals proved more effective. "Students who increased the number of practice exams they completed produced significantly larger and more robust positive effects," she says. "Our results suggest that if task-based goals are chosen appropriately, they can be used to improve educational performance and encourage students to make greater investments of human capital."

The study also takes into account the level of self-control exhibited by students. "Students might intend to put forth the required level of effort, but when it actually comes time to go to class or study, they fall short," Prowse says. "Setting goals can act as commitment device to help them increase their efforts."

Academic advising services are a particularly promising vehicle for promoting the benefits of task-based goal setting, she says.

"American colleges already offer a panoply of student services, from counselors and mentors to campus centers and student success programs," she says. "Goal setting is integral to all these services, so emphasizing particular tasks can easily be incorporated as part of a larger initiative to improve student performance."

Goal setting also is logistically simple enough for instructors to incorporate it into their existing teaching arsenal, whether it is in a traditional classroom, an online platform or even part of a project-based, capstone course.

"It is something we can do without additional infrastructure or cost in virtually any academic environment," Prowse says. "As a result of this study, I began using task-based goal setting in my own courses and have seen firsthand that it works."

More information: "Using Goals to Motivate College Students: Theory and Evidence from Field Experiments," papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf  ?abstract_id=2856767
Stereomicroscopic images of two mosquito species at taken at different times after feeding on human blood. The upper and lower images respectively show Culex pipiens pallens and Aedes albopictus at different stages of digesting a human blood meal. (a) Unfed, and (b) 0 h, (c) 24 h, and (d) 72 h after-feeding. Credit: Toshimich Yamamoto

Nagoya University research team shows that human blood extracted from mosquitos remains viable for DNA analysis up to two days after feeding.

Most people would agree that painful mosquito bites are an especially annoying part of summer. Except perhaps forensic scientists, who can examine human blood from a mosquito's stomach and match the DNA to determine who was bitten. This technique can help police work out who was at a crime scene and in the future, might provide evidence that can be used to convict offenders. But questions remain about how long it takes a mosquito to digest human blood and how long before the DNA becomes unrecognizable.

Now a team of forensic scientists at Nagoya University has answered these questions.

"We asked several volunteers to let mosquitos bite them", explains first author Yuuji Hiroshige. "After allowing the mosquitos to digest the blood for a certain amount of time, we extracted the human DNA and used PCR techniques to amplify the sample for quantification and genotyping."

Polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, is a standard tool in forensics for amplifying a minute amount of DNA. A single DNA fragment can be multiplied many thousands or even millions of times. The team can then use the amplified samples to find out how much DNA is left after the mosquito feeds and who it belongs to.

By examining DNA in blood digested by two different species of mosquito over a range of times after feeding, the team was able to trace back blood samples to individual volunteers, even after two days of digesting in the mosquito. After roughly three days the mosquitos completely digested the blood.

Group leader Toshimichi Yamamoto says, "Ours is the first study to systematically apply modern DNA profiling techniques to the challenging forensic analysis of mosquito blood meal. We hope this will help crime scene investigators collect reliable evidence that could be used to guide investigations and support convictions. Although we need to take some steps to improve our methods and obtain more data, with more accurate quantification methods, we might be able to estimate the time after mosquitoes' blood feeding with even greater accuracy."

More information: Yuuji Hiroshige et al. A human genotyping trial to estimate the post-feeding time from mosquito blood meals, PLOS ONE (2017). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179319 Journal information: PLoS ONE
Remnant of Supernova 1987A as seen by ALMA. Purple area indicates emission from SiO molecules. Yellow area is emission from CO molecules. The blue ring is Hubble data that has been artificially expanded into 3-D. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO); R. Indebetouw; NASA/ESA Hubble

Supernovasthe violent endings of the brief yet brilliant lives of massive starsare among the most cataclysmic events in the cosmos. Though supernovas mark the death of stars, they also trigger the birth of new elements and the formation of new molecules.

In February of 1987, astronomers witnessed one of these events unfold inside the Large Magellanic Cloud, a tiny dwarf galaxy located approximately 160,000 light-years from Earth.

Over the next 30 years, observations of the remnant of that explosion revealed never-before-seen details about the death of stars and how atoms created in those starslike carbon, oxygen, and nitrogenspill out into space and combine to form new molecules and dust. These microscopic particles may eventually find their way into future generations of stars and planets.

Recently, astronomers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to probe the heart of this supernova, named SN 1987A. ALMA's ability to see remarkably fine details allowed the researchers to produce an intricate 3-D rendering of newly formed molecules inside the supernova remnant. These results are published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The researchers also discovered a variety of previously undetected molecules in the remnant. These results appear in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

"When this supernova exploded, now more than 30 years ago, astronomers knew much less about the way these events reshape interstellar space and how the hot, glowing debris from an exploded star eventually cools and produces new molecules," said Remy Indebetouw, an astronomer at the University of Virginia and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Charlottesville. "Thanks to ALMA, we can finally see cold 'star dust' as it forms, revealing important insights into the original star itself and the way supernovas create the basic building blocks of planets."



Astronomers using ALMA data created a 3-D image of molecules forged in the remnant of a supernova, SN 1987A. The purple areas indicate the location of silicon monoxide (SiO) molecules. The yellow area is the location of carbon monoxide (CO) molecules. The blue ring is actual Hubble data (hydrogen, or H-alpha) that has been artificially expanded into 3-D. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), R. Indebetouw; NASA/ESA Hubble

Supernovas - Star Death to Dust Birth

Prior to ongoing investigations of SN 1987A, there was only so much astronomers could say about the impact of supernovas on their interstellar neighborhoods.

It was well understood that massive stars, those approximately 10 times the mass of our sun or more, ended their lives in spectacular fashion.

When these stars run out of fuel, there is no longer enough heat and energy to fight back against the force of gravity. The outer reaches of the star, once held up by the power of fusion, then come crashing down on the core with tremendous force. The rebound of this collapse triggers a powerful explosion that blasts material into space.

As the endpoint of massive stars, scientists have learned that supernovas have far-reaching effects on their home galaxies. "The reason some galaxies have the appearance that they do today is in large part because of the supernovas that have occurred in them," Indebetouw said. "Though less than ten percent of stars become supernovas, they nonetheless are key to the evolution of galaxies."



This scientific visualization illustrates the evolution of Supernova 1987A from the initial swelling of the host star and supernova explosion to the expanding shock wave and the formation of molecules detected by ALMA in the remnant. Credit: A. Angelich and B. Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF; R. Indebetouw et al., A. Angelich (NRAO/AUI/NSF); NASA/STScI/CfA/R. Kirshner; NASA/CXC/SAO/PSU/D. Burrows et al.; ESO; NASA/CXC/D.Berry/MIT/T.Delaney et al.; NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab; ESO/C. Malin/B. Tafreshi/Jose Francisco Salgado. Music: Geodesium

Throughout the observable universe, supernovas are quite common, but since they appear - on average - about once every 50 years in a galaxy the size of the Milky Way, astronomers have precious few opportunities to study one from its first detonation to the point where it cools enough to form new molecules. Though SN 1987A is not in our home galaxy, it is still close enough for ALMA and other telescopes to study in fine detail.

Capturing 3-D Image of SN1987A with ALMA

For decades, radio, optical, and even X-ray observatories have studied SN 1987A, but obscuring dust in the remnant made it difficult to analyze the supernova's innermost core. ALMA's ability to observe at millimeter wavelengths - a region of the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and radio light - make it possible to see through the intervening dust. The researchers were then able to study the abundance and location of newly formed molecules - especially silicon monoxide (SiO) and carbon monoxide (CO), which shine brightly at the short submillimeter wavelengths that ALMA can perceive.

The new ALMA image and animation show vast new stores of SiO and CO in discrete, tangled clumps within the core of SN 1987A. Scientists previously modeled how and where these molecules would appear. With ALMA, the researchers finally were able to capture images with high enough resolution to confirm the structure inside the remnant and test those models.

Aside from obtaining this 3-D image of SN 1987A, the ALMA data also reveal compelling details about how its physical conditions have changed and continue to change over time. These observations also provide insights into the physical instabilities inside a supernova.

New Insights from SN 1987A

Earlier observations with ALMA verified that SN 1987A produced a massive amount of dust. The new observations provide even more details on how the supernova made the dust as well as the type of molecules found in the remnant.

"One of our goals was to observe SN 1987A in a blind search for other molecules," said Indebetouw. "We expected to find carbon monoxide and silicon monoxide, since we had previously detected these molecules." The astronomers, however, were excited to find the previously undetected molecules formyl cation (HCO+) and sulfur monoxide (SO).

"These molecules had never been detected in a young supernova remnant before," noted Indebetouw. "HCO+ is especially interesting because its formation requires particularly vigorous mixing during the explosion." Stars forge elements in discrete onion-like layers. As a star goes supernova, these once well-defined bands undergo violent mixing, helping to create the environment necessary for molecule and dust formation.

The astronomers estimate that about 1 in 1000 silicon atoms from the exploded star is now found in free-floating SiO molecules. The overwhelming majority of the silicon has already been incorporated into dust grains. Even the small amount of SiO that is present is 100 times greater than predicted by dust-formation models. These new observations will aid astronomers in refining their models.

These observations also find that ten percent or more of the carbon inside the remnant is currently in CO molecules. Only a few out of every million carbon atoms are in HCO+ molecules.

New Questions and Future Research

Even though the new ALMA observations shed important light on SN 1987A, there are still several questions that remain. Exactly how abundant are the molecules of HCO+ and SO? Are there other molecules that have yet to be detected? How will the 3-D structure of SN 1987A continue to change over time?

Future ALMA observations at different wavelengths may also help determine what sort of compact objecta pulsar or neutron starresides at the center of the remnant. The supernova likely created one of these dense stellar objects, but as yet none has been detected.
Credit: American Technion Society

Researchers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Germany have demonstrated for the first time the phenomena of shape memory and self-healing in gold microparticles. Achieved through defects-mediated diffusion in the particle, the discovery could one day lead to the development of micro- and nano-robots capable of self-repair; mechanically stable and damage-tolerant components and devices; and targeted drug delivery.

The study, published in the journal Advanced Science, was conducted by doctoral student Oleg Kovalenko and Dr. Leonid Klinger, led by Prof. Eugen Rabkin of the Technion Department of Materials Science and Engineering, together with Dr. Christian Brandl of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany (KIT).

Shape-memory materials are characterized by the ability to repair the damage caused to them (such as plastic deformation) and to recover their original shape. These materials can exist in two stable crystalline forms, or phases: austenite, which is the more symmetrical primary form stable at elevated temperatures; and martensite, which is a phase characterized by lower symmetry, but also by greater strength. A well-known example of transition between the two phases is the quenching of steel.

The transformation of the austenite phase to the martensite can be activated by applying mechanical load to the material, or by cooling it down. The low-symmetry structure of the martensite allows the material to absorb considerable plastic strain by re-orienting the distorted crystals of martensite according to the direction of the stress applied to it. Even after plastic deformation, the martensite crystals "remember" their parent austenite phase and are capable of restoring it in its original configuration. This will happen if the material is heated up, causing the reverse martensite-austenite phase transformation and transforming the thermal energy into mechanical energy that will restore the material to its original shape.

Until now, this shape memory effect has only been observed in very few metal alloys such as Nitinol (Ni-Ti). These alloys are characterized by polymorphism  multiplicity of possible stable crystalline phases. This is the first time the phenomenon of shape memory has been demonstrated in sub-micrometer particles of gold. The researchers indented the gold particles with a sharp diamond tip controlled by an atomic force microscope (AFM). Annealing of the indented particles at a temperature of 600C (about 65% of the absolute melting temperature of gold) resulted in full healing of the damage and recovery of the particles' original shape prior to deformation.

Credit: American Technion Society

According to Prof. Rabkin, the discovery of the shape memory effect in these particles is surprising for two reasons: "First, the particles' original shape was not perfect in terms of energy and thermodynamic equilibrium. Second, gold in its solid state is not characterized by polymorphism."

To understand the process in depth, the researchers investigated the atomic motion during indentation and heating, using atomistic molecular dynamic computer simulations. They demonstrated that the plastic deformation during the indentation process is mediated by nucleation and glide of dislocation half-loops (the dislocations are linear, one-dimensional defects in the crystal through which it undergoes plastic deformation). The loops which egress at the free surfaces form terraces and ledges on the flat facets of the particle, and these serve as "guide rails" directing the diffusion of gold atoms back to the indented site during high-temperature anneal. Thus the particle recovers its original shape.

Like coffee that returns to the cup all by itself

Both plastic deformation and capillary-driven diffusion are classical examples of thermodynamically irreversible processes. It is remarkable that a combination of two irreversible processes can lead to damage recovery and reversible restoration of a particle shape. To understand how surprising this process is, think of spilled coffee jumping back from the floor into the cup, or a car that recovers its original shape after being totaled in an accident.

Prof. Rabkin says that the discovered self-healing and shape memory effect in metallic nano- and microparticles could be utilized for the design of mechanically stable and damage-tolerant components and devices at the sub-micrometer length scale.

For example, one of the main reasons for the failure of mobile electronic devices (such as tablets and smartphones) is the mechanical wear of electrical contacts. Designing a contact geometry based on the discovered shape memory effect can solve this problem once and for all: electric current flowing through the damaged electrical contact will heat up the contact area, and heat will be utilized to repair the mechanical damage of the contact. Another possible use is the controlled drug delivery to the specific areas of the patient's body. For this application, the particles capable of recovering their shape at lower temperatures should be designed. A drug can be injected into the cavity on the particle surface produced by indentation, and released after heating.

More information: Oleg Kovalenko et al. Self-Healing and Shape Memory Effects in Gold Microparticles through the Defects-Mediated Diffusion, Advanced Science (2017). DOI: 10.1002/advs.201700159
A new study by Kiran Bhaganagar, associate professor of mechanical engineering at The University of Texas at San Antonio, and her research group, Laboratory of Turbulence Sensing & Intelligence Systems, is taking a closer look at the damage caused by chemical attacks in Syria. The Syrian Civil War, ongoing since 2011, has seen hundreds of people killed through the use of chemical weapons.

Chemical agents are different from explosive chemicals, which cause localized destruction through force. Sarin gas, for example, a nerve agent which has been used in many attacks in Syria, can diffuse into the atmosphere and spread for hundreds of miles.

Turbulence is also an important player in diffusing the released chemical to kilometers away from the source of release. Bhaganagar's expertise in "taming turbulence" is making a difference in predicting this very critical problem of chemical terrorism facing the world.

With the world moving towards smart buildings and smart cars, the concept of developing an intelligence system for chemical plume trajectory is critical for national safety against impending chemical threats. Funded by US Department of Army Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center (ECBC), Bhaganagar's team is developing an early warning prediction system for these attacks. This is an intelligence system that uses a weather research forecasting model (WRF) with local sensor data to predict air-borne release chemical plume. Local turbulence and the type of the gas dictates the direction of the plume path.

Bhaganagar and her team simulated on a supercomputer the same conditions as a recent Syrian gas attack on a small town of Khan Shaykhun, in which as many as 100 people may have been killed.

The intelligence system relies on solving an intricate set of thousands of mathematical equations and processing millions of data within few minutes. This is done on supercomputing processing systems with 50,000 graphical core units working simultaneously to predict the plume path in real-time. Using this intelligence system and local conditions in Khan Sheikhoun, the team was able to predict exactly how far and high the gas would spread, and at what speed. When they compared the simulation data to the actual details of the real attack, they found that they matched. The model worked and could realistically warn potential victims of a chemical attack to flee the area.

Bhaganagar's study demonstrates that local wind and terrian conditions and atmospheric turbulence make chemical attacks even more deadly than previously understood, and proposes that analysis of the wind and the use of data-collecting drones could make for an early warning system that would allow people in potentially deadly areas to evacuate before the gas reaches them.

The challenge in developing the intelligence systems is to obtain the local wind, turbulence surface and chemical gas sensing data. Currently, the team is demonstrating using aerial drones that scan the region in the vicinity of the chemical source and get point-point sensing data. This is what is known as mobile sensing.

"We are moving from traditional single-point stationary sensors to novel concept of mobile sensing which is low cost, fast collection of sensing data and very accurate," said Bhaganagar. "This is the next step. We will deploy low-cost aerial drones to collect wind and gas concentration sensing data. We can alert people to danger within minutes."

"The human cost of this conflict is rising daily, and it doesn't have to," she said. "Through collaboration and innovation, we can save lives."

More information: Kiran Bhaganagar et al, Assessment of the plume dispersion due to chemical attack on April 4, 2017, in Syria, Natural Hazards (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s11069-017-2936-x
Credit: NASA

The Greenland ice sheet is often seen as a pristine environment, but new research has revealed that may not be the case.

A Danish-led study, published today in the journal Environmental Research Letters, examined how microbes from the ice sheet have the potential to resist and degrade globally-emitted contaminants such as mercury, lead, PAH and PCB.

Dr Aviaja Hauptmann, from the University of Greenland, led the research. She said: "Globally emitted contaminants accumulate in the Arctic and are stored in the frozen environments of the cryosphere, essentially meaning they have become reservoirs of toxic chemicals.

"Our understanding of how biological processes interact with contamination in the Arctic is limited, which is why we hope our study represents a large step forward in the understanding and solving of this problem."

The researchers took samples from multiple surface ice locations on the Greenland ice sheet, which they analysed using metagenomic data and binned genomes. Their results show that the microbial communities found in the ice sheets have the potential to resist and degrade contaminants.

Dr Hauptmann said: "The microbial potential to degrade anthropogenic contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the heavy metals mercury and lead, was found to be widespread, and not limited to regions close to human activities."

They also found that binned, or grouped, genomes showed close resemblance to microorganisms isolated from contaminated habitats. Since the genetic potential of contaminant resistance and degradation usually indicates the presence of the relevant contaminants, their results indicate that, from a microbiological perspective, the Greenland ice sheet is not a pristine environment.

Dr Hauptmann added: "More attention needs to be paid to the potential release of anthropogenic contaminants in this fast-changing environment. As the ice sheets melt due to climate change, they have the potential not only to increase sea level, but also pollute the environment around them through the release of other anthropogenic pollutants that have accumulated in them."

More information: "Contamination of the Arctic reflected in microbial metagenomes from the Greenland ice sheet" Environmental Research Letters (2017). iopscience.iop.org/article/10.  088/1748-9326/aa7445 Journal information: Environmental Research Letters
This is Jupiter's Great Red Spot in 2000 as seen by NASA's Cassini orbiter. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

An unmanned NASA spacecraft is about to fly over a massive storm raging on Jupiter, in a long-awaited a journey that could shed new light on the forces driving the planet's Great Red Spot.

The flyby of the Juno spacecraft, surveilling the 10,000-mile-wide (16,000-kilometer-wide) storm, is scheduled for 9:55 pm Monday (0155 GMT Tuesday).

"Jupiter's mysterious Great Red Spot is probably the best-known feature of Jupiter," said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.

"This monumental storm has raged on the solar system's biggest planet for centuries."

The storm looks like a churning red knot on the planet's surface. It has been monitored since 1830, and may have existed for more than 350 years, the US space agency said.

Juno, which earlier this month marked its first year in orbit of the gas giant, will offer "humanity's first up-close and personal view of the gigantic feature," NASA said in a statement.

Equipped with instruments that can penetrate clouds to measure how deep the roots of this storm go, scientists hope to learn more about the workings of the raging tempest.

All eight of Juno's instruments, including its camera, will be on when the spacecraft passes about 5,600 miles (9,000 kilometers) above the Giant Red Spot clouds, NASA said.

Juno launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida in August, 2011, on a mission to learn more about Jupiter's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.

 2017 AFP
Nature inspired the design of silicone and gallium composites created in Rice Universitys the Nanomaterials Laboratory. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

Materials scientists at Rice University are looking to natureat the discs in human spines and the skin in ocean-diving fish, for examplefor clues about designing materials with seemingly contradictory propertiesflexibility and stiffness.

In research appearing online in the journal Advanced Materials Interfaces, graduate student Peter Owuor, research scientist Chandra Sekhar Tiwary and colleagues from the laboratories of Rice Professor Pulickel Ajayan and Jun Lou found they could increase the stiffness, or "elastic modulus," of a soft silicon-based polymer by infusing it with tiny pockets of liquid gallium.

Such composites could find use in high-energy absorption materials and shock absorbers and in biomimetic structures like artificial intervertebral discs, they said.

Owuor said conventional wisdom in composite design for the past 60 years has been that adding a harder substance increases modulus and adding a softer one decreases modulus. In most instances, that's correct.

"People had not really looked at it from the other way around," he said. "Is it possible to add something soft inside something else that is also soft and get something that has a higher modulus? If you look at the natural world, there are plenty of examples where you find exactly that. As materials scientists, we wanted to study this, not from a biological perspective but rather from a mechanical one."

Researchers studied how encapsulated droplets of gallium liquid increased the stiffness of silicone discs. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

For example, the discs between the vertebrae in human spines, which act like both shock absorbers and ligaments, are made of a tough outer layer of cartilage and a soft, jelly-like interior. And the outer skin of deep-diving ocean fish and mammals contain myriad tiny oil-filled chamberssome no larger than a virus and others larger than entire cellsthat allow the animals to withstand the intense pressures that exist thousands of feet below the ocean's surface.

Choosing the basic materials to model these living systems was relatively easy, but finding a way to bring them together to mimic nature proved difficult, said Tiwary, a postdoctoral research associate in Rice's Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering.

Polydimethylsiloxane, or PDMS, was chosen as the soft encapsulating layer for a number of reasons: It's cheap, inert, nontoxic and widely used in everything from caulk and aquarium sealants to cosmetics and food additives. It also dries clear, which made it easy to see the bubbles of liquid the team wanted to encapsulate. For that, the researchers chose gallium, which like mercury is liquid at room temperature, but unlike mercury is nontoxic and relatively easy to work with.

Owuor said it took nearly four months to find a recipe for encapsulating bubbles of gallium inside PDMS. His test samples are about the diameter of a small coin and as much as a quarter-inch thick. By curing the PDMS slowly, Owuor developed a process by which he could add gallium droplets of various sizes. Some samples contained one large inner chamber, and others contained up to a dozen discrete droplets.

Each sample was subjected to dozens of tests. A dynamic mechanical analysis instrument was used to measure how much the material deformed under load, and various measures like stiffness, toughness and elasticity were measured under a variety of conditions. For example, with a relatively small amount of cooling, gallium can be turned into a solid. So the team was able to compare some measurements taken when the gallium spheres were liquid with measures taken when the spheres were solid.

Gallium is liquid at room temperature. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

Collaborators Roy Mahapatra and Shashishekarayya Hiremath of the Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore used finite element modeling and hydrodynamic simulations to help the team analyze how the materials behaved under mechanical stress. Based on this, the researchers determined that pockets of liquid gallium gave the composite higher energy absorption and dissipation characteristics than plain PDMS or PDMS with air-filled pockets.

"What we've shown is that putting liquid inside a solid is not always going to make it softer, and thanks to our collaborators we are able to explain why this is the case," Tiwary said. "Next we hope to use this understanding to try to engineer materials to take advantage of these properties."

Owuor and Tiwary said just using nanoengineering alone may not provide a maximum effect. Instead, nature employs hierarchical structures with features of varying sizes that repeat at larger scales, like those found in the oil-filled chambers in fish skin.

"If you look at (the fish's) membrane and you section it, there is a layer where you have spheres with big diameters, and as you move, the diameters keep decreasing," Owuor said. "The chambers are seen across the whole scale, from the nano- all the way out to the microscale.

Tiwary said, "There are important nanoscale features in nature, but it's not all nano. We may find that engineering at the nanoscale alone isn't enough. We want to see if we can start designing in a hierarchical way."

More information: Peter Samora Owuor et al. Nature Inspired Strategy to Enhance Mechanical Properties via Liquid Reinforcement, Advanced Materials Interfaces (2017). DOI: 10.1002/admi.201700240
The aim of the study, led by Lisa M. Dario, Ph.D., assistant professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice within FAU's College for Design and Social Inquiry, was to prove how depression and sexual assault are both underreported as well as understudied in adult men. Credit: Florida Atlantic University

Sexism is alive and well in sexual assault research, but this time men are the target. A new study conducted by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and Sam Houston State University debunks a long-standing theory that sexual assault isn't as emotionally traumatizing for men as it is for women and that it doesn't result in similar emotional impacts, especially when it comes to depression.

Sexual assault is unwanted sexual contact - including rape - and is a traumatizing event linked to numerous mental health consequences associated with negative outcomes such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, fear, anxiety, alcohol dependence, use of illicit substances, suicidal ideation, and attempted suicide. While there is extensive research on the collateral consequences experienced by females, almost no research exists on how sexual violence affects adult, non-incarcerated males or how it affects them as compared to females.

Using a sample size of 11,860 adults in the United States (5,922 men and 5,938 women) obtained from the National Violence Against Women Survey's database, the researchers sought to challenge a sociological theory that explains that men are more likely to respond to sexual assault with anger and by engaging in criminal activity, while women are more likely to respond with depression and sadness.

The General Strain Theory, used by criminologists and sociologists, explains delinquency and deviant behavior in terms of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive adaptations to negative life events (i.e., strain). Results of the study are published in the journal Women & Criminal Justice.

The aim of the study, led by Lisa M. Dario, Ph.D., assistant professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice within FAU's College for Design and Social Inquiry, was to prove how depression and sexual assault are both underreported as well as understudied in adult men. Research examining male sexual victimization has predominantly focused on childhood trauma. Findings from this study will help to tackle the many gaps that exist, identify appropriate support programs for men, and ultimately remove the stigma and barriers that prevent them from disclosing as well as discussing their experience.

"When we began this study, we thought for sure that we would find that females who were sexually assaulted would exhibit higher depression scores than males who were sexually assaulted," said Dario. "I think this is probably because of antiquated ideas that men and women experience emotions differently. What we actually discovered, much to our surprise, is that sexual assault is traumatic regardless of gender."

The researchers suspect that it is possible that men may even experience depression more than women because they don't have the social outlets and support systems available to women and therefore may wind up internalizing their feelings and emotions.

What didn't surprise Dario and her collaborator Eryn Nicole O'Neal, Ph.D., an assistant professor of criminal justice and criminology at Sam Houston State University, was that all victims of sexual assault have higher depression scores than individuals who have not been sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

In 1980, men made up between 1 to 10 percent of rape reports received in crisis centers, hospitals and emergency rooms; in 1997, they represented between 5 and 10 percent of all reported rapes. More recently, National Crime Victimization Survey results show that men make up about 38 percent of sexual assault and rape incidents reported, and those in the military are particularly vulnerable and more unlikely to report an assault.

"There is no room for 'sexism' in sexual assault research [by ignoring male victims] and we must bring attention to an issue that impacts men equally, especially if we know that their negative emotional responses are treatable," said Dario. "If left untreated, sexual assault victims may look for other outlets to process their emotions; untreated depression may lead to negative coping mechanisms, like drug use. We do know that people who experience strains, like sex assault, are more likely to use illicit drugs, and we certainly need to be mindful of halting an already nationwide epidemic of opioid and other drug misuse."
Credit: University of Western Sydney

To help determine how stress is affecting animals across Australia, researchers at Western Sydney University are utilising non-invasive methods to help farmers, zookeepers and pet owners ensure their animals are happy and healthy.

Stress is an important biological response for animals as it helps their bodies prepare to fight or flee from danger. But many animals in the modern world are forced to coexist with humans in farms, zoos or homes, and the onset of chronic stress can have devastating results, both for them and their owners.

"Stress can affect the weight of farm animals, leading to losses for animal producers, and can disrupt the breeding patterns of endangered animals in captivity," says Dr Edward Narayan, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science, from the School of Science and Health.

"Here at Western Sydney University we are working with clients to collect animal scats under routine husbandry and run them through our laboratories to measure stress levels."

When a stress result is sparked in an animal, the brain-body starts to release biomolecules such as cortisol, which is the main stress hormone in large animals such as humans, elephants and sheep. Ultimately, this cortisol is broken up by the kidneys, and ends up in excreta.

"By testing these scats, we can monitor and track animals from a distance and gain a snapshot and new understanding of their mood and health," says Dr Narayan.

Credit: University of Western Sydney

This research comes under the umbrella of conservation physiology, a rapidly expanding field of study that measures the physiological responses of organisms subject to human interference. While the traditional field of conservation biology seeks to manage the natural environment to help protect threatened species, conservation physiology is a way to improve the health and happiness of animals in contact with humans.

For animals, a life with minimal stress is linked to happiness, as high stress reflects fear and anxiety. In most cases, happiness for animals revolves around the daily needs for survival, such as securing food and shelter. By reducing stress among animals, scientists can help them redirect energy often used for survival to other uses, such as increasing fat reserves and reproduction.

"Considering human activity has pushed the world to the sixth mass extinction event, measuring the stress levels of native animals may help conserve their dwindling numbers by providing real-time data on species' physiological resilience and vulnerabilities towards anthropogenic induced environmental changes. By having access to this data, researchers are able to help direct conservation and management efforts towards at-risk species," says Dr Narayan.

The potential applications are vast, as the studies can be replicated across species living in different settings, from koalas in nature parks, to sheep in pasture, and even domestic animals in apartments. It also enables researchers to monitor population health during management interventions, such as species translocation and invasive pest species eradication programs.

"At the moment, we're working with sheep farmers in regional Australia to help monitor the physiological markers of their animals, with the ultimate aim of tracking their mood. By ensuring the sheep are stress free, we can improve their productivity in terms of meat quality and reproduction. In addition, we're also working with international animal rescue programs such as Animals Asia to provide crucial data on the stress physiology of Asiatic black bears being rescued from bile farms in Vietnam."

In addition to analysing scats, Dr Narayan and researchers at Western Sydney University also examine other samples, such as hairs and urine. The researchers are planning to utilise drone technology to help farmers in remote locations track their animals as they are moved across vast distances. The tests can even be ordered by domestic animal owners looking to track the stress responses of their pets.

"Cats and dogs are very prevalent in Australia, and are obviously affected by human behaviour. For example, a dog may be stressed if it's not provided with tender loving care, or a cat may be upset if it's not able to access a warm space in winter. What the non-invasive tests can measure is their stress responses over time, giving us baseline indicators of their mood and allowing us to intervene if necessary by pinpointing the moments of great stress in their lives, and working backwards to discover the cause."
In this Friday, July 7, 2017, photo, Sleep Number store manager Lee Pulliam demonstrates how the company's sleep technology tracks your sleeping patterns, in addition to the other features of the Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed, including a foot warming element, adjustable side comfort, head and foot raising capability and an analysis of how well a person slept. A number of companies are incorporating sleep science into products that help people track and improve the quality of their sleep. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Pillows that track your snoozing patterns? A bed that adjusts based on how much you twist and turn? Companies are adding more technology into their products, hoping to lure customers craving a better night's sleep.

Some specialized businesses are making gadgets that promise to measure and improve the quality of slumber, while mass-market retailers like Best Buy are offering simpler ideas like the effect different lighting can have on falling sleep. But with ever-growing options, people may find items that are getting more sophisticatedbut may still not be accurate.

The interest in sleep has intensified. The number of sleep centers accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine nearly tripled from 2000 to 2015, the group says. People are more likely to brag about how much they spent for a mattress than on their clothes, says Marian Salzman, CEO of Havas PR North America.

"Sleep is the new status symbol," she says.

It's a big business. One of the more expensive products is Sleep Number's 360 Smart Bed, which runs from $3,449 to $4,999. It makes adjustments based on how restless people are while they're sleeping. The Zeeq pillow, which sells for $299 and is from bedding brand REM-Fit, monitors snoring and can gently vibrate to nudge someone into a different sleep position.

"I'm willing to spend more on sleep technology because it will hopefully help me fall asleep quicker, stay asleep longer and be more rested when I wake up," says Frank Ribitch, a self-described gadget junkie from Martinez, California, who tracks his sleep with apps connected to a Sleep Number bed and the Zeeq pillow.

In this Friday, July 7, 2017, photo, John Yelverton demonstrates the sleep technology that not only tracks your sleeping patterns, but works in concert with a number of features of the Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed, including a foot warming element, adjustable side comfort, head and foot raising capability and an analysis of how well a person slept. A number of companies are incorporating sleep science into products that help people track and improve the quality of their sleep. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Insufficient sleep is a public health concern, federal officials say, with more than one-third of American adults not getting enough on a regular basis. That can contribute to problems like obesity and diabetes. And a study published by the Rand Corp. put the financial loss to U.S. companies at up to $411 billion a year.

Finding solutions could be a lucrative enterprise. Earlier this year Apple Inc. bought Finland-based Beddit, which was making an app and sleep monitoring device that's placed under the sheet on top of the mattress. The $150 sensor begins tracking when a person lies down, and analyzes data such as the portion of time someone is in bed asleep before waking up. It also monitors heart rate, temperature, movementand even snoring.

"Previously, it was about the sleeping pill and people didn't want to talk about sleep apnea," Lasse Leppakorpi, co-founder and now former CEO of Beddit, said before Apple bought the company. "Snoring is embarrassing. But this has been untapped opportunity."

Apple, whose own Apple Watch tracks activity and offers sleep-tracking experiences through third-party apps, declined to talk about the future of Beddit. Leppakorpi noted before the acquisition that Beddit had been working with sleep labs like the MIT Lab, which used the devices to collect data on patients.

At the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center, neurologist and medical director Clete A. Kushida tests new therapies and medications. Over the past two years, the analysis has expanded to wearable devices. The scientists assess how well the devices match the center's own overnight sleep studies, which use measures such as heart rate and brain wave activity to determine the length and the stages of sleep.

Kushida's conclusion? "Consumer wearable devices are not there in accurately detecting the stages of sleep," he said. The problem: They focus on motion, which can be deceptive since a person could be lying in bed awake.

This photo provided by REM-Fit shows the Zeeq pillow, which monitors snoring and can gently vibrate to nudge someone into a different sleep position. The pillow can also play your favorite music, audio books and more without disturbing anyone next to you. A number of companies are adding more technology into their products, hoping to lure customers craving a better night's sleep. (Jo Henderson/REM-Fit via AP)

In fact, San Francisco-based startup Hello, the maker of a product aimed at tracking sleep via a clip attached to a person's bedsheet, recently announced it was shutting down amid reports the device didn't correctly track sleep patterns.

Still, Kushida believes the consumer products are getting better and will be able to accurately monitor and solve sleep issues in the next five to 10 years.

Separate from gadgets, some stores are highlighting sounds and smells they say can help people sleep better. Longtime insomniac favorite HSN Inc. offers a $299 Nightingale Sleep System that masks indoor and outdoor noises. Best Buy has a Philips Lighting's system that works with devices like Nest and Amazon Alexa to let people choose the colors and brightness of lights and program them to turn off at certain times or respond to the sun.

And a company called Sensorwake is launching a product in the U.S. that releases smells like fresh linen it says can help you sleep better.

If nothing worked and you've had a fitful night, you can at least be woken up more gently. The same company makes a $99 olfactory alarm clock, with scent options that include a strong espresso. But if you let it go for three minutes without shutting it off or hitting snooze, it'll start making noisegood if you have a stuffy nose.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Credit: University of Lincoln

Birds such as parrots and crows have been using touchscreen technology as part of an international research study examining whether the ways in which animals respond to new things influences how eager they are to explore.

The new research, involving scientists from across Europe, looks at how a number of factors affect the speed and frequency with which the birds investigate new objects that they have never seen before.

The study was carried out by researchers from the Messerli Research Institute (University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna) and the University of Vienna in Austria, the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany and University of Lincoln, UK.

It has generally been assumed that neophobic species (species that do not like new things) have a tendency to explore less than those that do (referred to as neophilic). For example, kea parrots in New Zealand have been known to destroy cars because they are so interested in new things.

The research results reveal that the neotic style of a bird (how neophobic or neophilic an animal is) has an impact on when they choose to explore new objects, but not on their level of exploration. Those who are more neophobic carry out the same amount of exploration, but simply make the approach much later. The results also show that juvenile animals explore more quickly than adults do.

Significantly, the scientists found that individual differences and characteristics seem to be much more important than species-level differences in determining how eager a bird is to explore. This suggests that neotic style is not, as is frequently assumed, a result of the challenges faced by an entire species, but instead appears to differ depending on the individual bird.

As part of the investigation, the parrots and crows were introduced to a touchscreen which revealed two different coloured shapes on a regular basis, and they were trained to understand that choosing one of the shapes (by pecking it) could result in a food reward. The researchers showed each bird 16 pairs of shapes, and throughout the task introduced a few novel stimuli that they had never seen before. The researchers measured how quickly they responded to the new shapes, and at which point in the test they chose to investigate them.

Dr Anna Wilkinson, a specialist in animal cognition from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Lincoln, explained: "Rather than its species, we found that individual differences have a significant impact upon how quickly a bird begins to explore. This is likely to be due to a combination of the bird's age, its individual position in the social hierarchy, and its own previous experiences."

The birds that featured in the study were from nine different species of parrots and corvidsalso known as the crow family. They were selected to represent different ecological backgrounds so that factors such as the likelihood of pressure from predators could also be taken into account. For example, species originating from islands such as Goffin's cockatoos and vasa parrots are less likely to face pressure from predators than those such as ravens, jackdaws and African grey parrots, which are much more widely distributed.

As part of the study, researchers worked with Eclectus parrots from the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park to assess their reactions.

The first author of the study, Dr Mark O'Hara from the Messerli Research Institute and the University of Vienna, said: "Our findings allow for a more accurate interpretation of behaviour and the processes which control responses to changes in the environment."

The full paper, The temporal dependence of exploration on noetic style in birds, is published in Scientific Reports and is available to read online.

More information: Mark O'Hara et al, The temporal dependence of exploration on neotic style in birds, Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04751-0 Journal information: Scientific Reports
Last year, experiment station researchers harvested strawberries grown in low tunnels for 19 consecutive weeks from mid-July through the week of Thanksgiving. Credit: Kaitlyn Orde/UNH

Researchers with the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire have succeeded in quadrupling the length of the Granite State's strawberry growing season as part of a multi-year research project that aims to benefit both growers and consumers.

New Hampshire's strawberry season traditionally lasts only four to six weeks. However, researchers working on the multi-state TunnelBerries project were picking day-neutral strawberries in Durham last November. Last year, researchers harvested strawberries grown in low tunnels for 19 consecutive weeks from mid-July through the week of Thanksgiving. They also found that the low tunnels significantly increased the percentage of marketable fruit, from an average of about 70 percent to 83 percent. Now in its second year, the TunnelBerries research project is being conducted at the UNH Woodman Horticultural Research Farm. It is part of a larger, multi-state USDA-funded initiative to optimize protected growing environments for berry crops in the upper Midwest and northeastern United States. UNH's component is focused on improving berry quality and the role day-neutral varieties may play in extending the length of strawberry season in the Northeast.

"Most New Englanders look forward to strawberry season because regionally produced strawberries are delicious," said graduate student Kaitlyn Orde, who is working with experiment station researcher Becky Sideman on the project. "They also are a very valuable early season crop for farmers throughout the region. Unfortunately, though, this season is very brief, limiting the period in which our regional producers are able to meet consumer demand for the fresh fruit. A longer strawberry season is good for both grower and consumer."

Sideman, an associate professor of plant biology and Cooperative Extension professor and specialist in sustainable horticulture production, estimates the retail value of New Hampshire's strawberry crops at about $1.85 million, which she says is a conservative estimate.

The UNH project consists of two parts. Researchers want to determine the yield and fruiting duration of day-neutral strawberry varieties. Day-neutrals are a different plant-type than the traditional June-bearers most common in New Hampshire; day-neutrals (or ever-bearing) have been shown to fruit continuously for four to six months in the region. In addition, day-neutrals fruit the same year they are planted, which is not the case with June-bearers.

"We are growing one day-neutral variety on three different mulches to determine if there are any differences in total production, production patterns, runner production, and fruit characteristics among the mulches," Orde said. "We also are investigating the role plastic covered low-tunnels play in improving berry quality, and what the microenvironment is within low tunnels, especially late season. To do this, we are evaluating five different plastics for the low tunnels."

Researchers in Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, and New York have conducted preliminary research on similar systems. There also are limited growers in the Northeast who already cultivate day-neutral varieties, and even fewer who have experimented with low-tunnels in combination with the strawberry crop. However, there are no yield estimates or material recommendations, such as mulch or low tunnel cover, for New Hampshire producers.
The carp has critically reduced the populations of white-headed duck and common pochard, two endangered species. Credit: Lauri Orho

The presence of the carp, a freshwater invasive species spread worldwide, is alarmingly reducing the populations of diving ducks and waterbirds, according to a study published in the journal Biological Conservation by Alberto Maceda Veiga from the University of Barcelona and Raquel Lopez and Andy J. Green from the Donana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC).

This is the first study which clearly shows the ecological impact of the carp on water birds in Mediterranean shallow lakes, and it warns about the dramatic effect of this invasive species on other species such as the white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala) and the red-crested pochard (Aythya farina), classified as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (UICN).

The carp (Cyprinius carpio) is considered one of the most threatening alien exotic species worldwide, according to the UICN. This species, from the European and Asian continents, is included in the Spanish Catalog of Exotic Invasive Species and can live in a wide range of habitats, even the most degraded ones. Quite valued in sport fishing and aquaculture, the carp causes well-known ecological impacts in several countries, but there is a lack of studies on the effects on some organisms such as water birds.

The authors have studied the natural reserves in the lakes of Medina (Cadiz) and Zonar (Cordoba) in Andalusia. These shallow depths are quite emblematic in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and are areas where many water birds hibernateone of the reasons why the Board of Andalusia tried to eradicate the carp.

According to first author Alberto Maceda Veiga, member of IRBio and expert in the Donana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), "Fishermen value the carp, and since it has been found around the peninsula for a while, some people think it is an indigenous species. Therefore, studies like this one are important, because they clearly show the ecological impact in our ecosystems to raise awareness among people regarding the ecological problems caused by the invasion of the carp."

"The shallow lakes such as the ones in Medina and Zonar are important lacustrine systems for the preservation of aquatic biodiversity in semi-arid regions such as the Mediterranean. Our scientific study concludes that there would be a severe impact on many water bird populations if all lakes were invaded by this exotic species," says Maceda.

An exotic species that alters aquatic habitats

This exotic invasive species is likely to live in calm waters rich in natural nutrients or which are derived from polluted waters (for example, fertilisers from agriculture). However, the nutrition of the carp alters the natural dynamics of these lakes to such an extent that it can eradicate the carpet plants, traits of these lacustrine environments.

For the first time, the new study describes in detail the biological impacts on birds that use the water, including omnivorous species (such as diving ducks) and vegetarians (coots). Since the carp eradicates aquatic plants, it also ends with many invertebrates that use those as shelter and which are food for the birds. Also, the carp is a predator of marine invertebrates. The ecological impact is lower for species such as the mallard. On the other hand, piscivorous species are organisms that can benefit from the invasion of the carp.

"The carp excavates and breaks aquatic plants while eating. Also, the sand it has moved during this process ends up on the plants and kills them. Directly or indirectly, as a final result, the plant carpet disappears," says Alberto Maceda.

"In this context, it is expected that short and soft winters such as the ones in the south of the peninsula and the effects that come from the climate change strengthen the ecological impact of the carp, which will be active during a longer time over the year."

How to avoid the ecological impact of the carp?

The new article, published in the journal Biological Conservation, reviews a wide period of time that includes two invasion cycles of the carp in the lake of Medinathe widest in the province of Cadis and second in Andalusia, counting with all the present birds. Including a long temporary margin that includes two invasion cycles prevents the bias caused by yearly demographical changes or late responses from the community of unnoticed organisms.

"The carp is an ecological problem for our territory and its populations should be controlled. Manipulating environmental conditions which make it easier for the carp to spread is a possibility to reduce the grouping and dispersal of this invasive species. However, when the invasion is not localized, the most efficient protocol is to use fishnets or electrofishing. The population of carps should certainly be controlled using ethical protocols of animal welfare and of management of the corresponding biological waste," conclude the authors.

More information: Alberto Maceda-Veiga et al. Dramatic impact of alien carp Cyprinus carpio on globally threatened diving ducks and other waterbirds in Mediterranean shallow lakes, Biological Conservation (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2017.06.002 Journal information: Biological Conservation
ICT Retail Spending in South Africa is on the Increase, Despite Struggling Economy

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/  Despite economic pressures, investment by the South African retail sector into information and communication technologies (ICT) seems to be holding steady. New analysis by Frost & Sullivan titled ICT Enterprise Spend in Retail, South Africa, Forecast to 2019 shows that cloud-based services, managed services and cellular connectivity are expected to represent close to ZAR1.8 billion in retail ICT spend by 2019. The focus of ICT spend, however, is now shifting from bigger capital expenditure to smaller operational models.

The demand for lower-priced solutions within the retail sector presents IT and telecom service providers with an opportunity to differentiate their services portfolio by developing innovative usage- and value-based pricing models, says Digital Transformation Senior Industry Analyst Naila Govan-Vassen. Flexible service-level agreement (SLA) contracts, along with focus on the clients business and IT strategy, will be crucial for the service providers to increase competitiveness.

Retailers are experiencing many issues along the value chain  from logistics from distribution centres to suppliers and retail stores, right through to customer delivery. Effective integration of legacy and new systems to garner timely and reliable data is a challenge for ICT service providers, while the perceived lack of flexibility in SLAs is a key restraint to uptake.

Retailers often feel trapped by contracts that leave little scope to upscale or downscale according to changing needs, notes Govan-Vassen. Essentially, this creates an opportunity for ICT service providers to become business partners as opposed to technology partners. They can increase industry expertise, build dedicated industry-focused teams to cross-sell, offer innovative branding and price strategies, and, most importantly, offer a full range of ICT solutions through flexible contracts.

Large enterprises are clear on how to implement IT to save cost and increase efficiency, but small and medium enterprises will need more guidance. This will also allow service providers to engage better and increase overall knowledge about their solutions. Key growth opportunities for ICT vendors will revolve around:

Cloud-based services as a measure to increase work effectiveness;

Workforce mobile solutions to nurture efficiency across key working groups along the value chain and ensure real-time communication; and

Retail analytics focussed on developing strategies and plans that aid in mitigating stock outage and stock layout challenges, while enabling track routing systems and store optimisations.

Overall, ICT vendors for retail enterprises must offer bespoke IT solutions. Cashless transactions, big data strategy, and cybersecurity will be influential trends shaping retail investment. Successful solutions will enhance customer experience for clients by creating an omnichannel platform that ensures two-way communications between the customer and the enterprise. Managed systems to provide a single view of sales, inventory, and customers will also be in demand.

Although retail enterprises seek to implement IT solutions that empower employees and decision makers, reduced budgets will force them to accomplish more objectives with limited technology, concludes Govan-Vassen. While cloud solutions are important, enterprises in the retail industry are also inclined to having third-party service providers manage non-core/centralised IT systems. In so doing, enterprises are better positioned to focus on developing strategies that enable exceptional services.

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Other POS News:
- The All Progressives Congress (APC) is still licking its wound as a result of a just concluded senatorial election in Osun state

- The party suffered a heavy defeat in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party (APC)

- A chieftain of the party, Comrade Timi Frank, says the national chairman of the APC should be held responsible for the defeat

The deputy national publicity secretary of the APC, Comrade Timi Frank, has blamed the APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, for the defeat of the party in the just concluded senatorial re-run election in Osun state.

Comrade Frank made his stance known while addressing journalists on Monday, July 10, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

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PDP's Ademola Adeleke won the by-election by securing 97,480 votes and won 9 out of the 10 local governments. His opponent, Mudashiru Hussain, won just a single local government securing 66,116 votes.

Adeleke is the younger brother to Late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who died in controversial circumstances.

According to the APC chieftain, the ruling party's loss was due to the national chairman's inability to resolve the crisis that rocked the Osun state chapter of the party before the election.

His words: I expect Oyegun to have resigned by now after the defeat of the APC in the Osun West Senatorial election, but I know that he will not.

Oyegun caused our defeat in the election because of his failure as a leader. Adeleke left the APC for the PDP because of the inconsistency of the party leadership and came back to defeat the party.

If they knew what they were doing, Adeleke would not have left the APC and we would have been celebrating another victory now. The APC ticket would have been given to him because of the death of his brother. It has happened before because when Okadigbo died, his seat was given to his wife. Some of us actually suggested that the ticket be given to him.

Unfortunately, the APC candidate was disqualified by both the screening and appeals committee set up by the party for not resigning his position as a commissioner in the state. But the party rejected their report and went ahead to clear him.

Oyeguns illegality brought us to this level. It is a shame on the APC to lose that bye election in a state where it has a sitting governor. If Oyegun fails to resign, APC will continue to face defeat under his leadership.

Comrade Frank urged Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to immediately direct the party leadership to call an emergency stakeholders meeting to resolve this crisis rocking the party.

He warned that the party cannot continue to impose candidates on the people, else it will be rejected by Nigerians in the 2019 general elections.

The party needs to restructure and restrategize if it wants to survive. The party has held meetings only twice since it came into government and yet we want to win elections in 2019. How can we win election like that?

How are we sure that we will not be kicked out of government in 2019 because we have not been able to keep to our promise. Oyeguns leadership is very un-serious. APC governors need to lead the way to restructure the party, he concluded.

READ ALSO: Osun bye-election: Aregbesola accepts defeat, congratulates Adeleke over his victory

Meanwhile, former governor of Oyo state, Rashidi Ladoja, has said that Adelekes victory is a good omen for both the Accord party and the PDP in Oyo and Osun states respectively.

Ladoja congratulated Adelekes constituents for giving the senator-elect a resounding victory against the candidate of the ruling APC party.

He also urged Adeleke not to deviate from the good works his family is well known for.

Comrade Frank had earlier warned the APC to get its acts together ahead of the 2019 election.

Watch Frank's interview with Legit.ng TV below:

Source: Legit.ng
- Governor Ayodele Fayose congratulates Chief Ademola Adeleke on his victory in the Saturday bye-election

- Fayose says Adeleke's victory showed that Ademola's elder brother's death was not in vain

- The Ekiti state governor urged Ademola to see his victory as a call to service

The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors' Forum, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has congratulated Chief Ademola Adeleke on his victory in Saturday's bye-election in Osun West senatorial district.

Fayose in a statement in Ado-Ekiti on Monday through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said the victory showed that Ademola's elder brother, Isiaka, whose death led to the bye-election, did not die in vain.

Legit.ng recalls that Adeleke won in 10 out of the 11 local government areas in Osun West senatorial district, defeating his APC opponent, Mudashiru Hussein, with a total of 97, 280 votes.

READ ALSO: One major way federal government can stop agitations in Nigeria - MASSOB

The governor noted that Isiaka would be happy wherever he is, urging Ademola to see the victory as a call to service.

"This victory is an invitation and a call to serve your state, Nigeria and mankind. After election, what should come next is how to bring dividends of democracy to the people. How to continue with the legacy of the Adeleke family which accounted for the love displayed by the people for you and which translated to the electoral victory.

"You are responsible to all your constituents without discrimination of any sort. Having been born to a family of great politicians, with your father serving as a senator in the Second Republic, your elder brother being a former governor and senator, no doubt you must have undergone political tutelage that you should put to practice to excel in your new calling," he said.

Fayose also commended Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, for being an epitome of democracy by conceding defeat, a quality Fayose said was rare among many politicians.

"If it were some politicians that we know, they will still be licking their wounds three years after being woefully beaten in an election," he stated.

The governor also lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for being transparent and urged that such should be the case in future elections in the country.

He also commended security agencies for ensuring that there was no breakdown of law and order during the exercise.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

In a previous report by Legit.ng, Fayose alleged that members of the cabal in Aso Rock are in serious confusion as to whether to return President Muhammadu Buhari to the country with his current health travails or not.

Fayose said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the cabal are in a state of dilemma. The president has become a bad business for the cabal that imposed him on Nigerians, he alleged

The govenor insisted that Nigerians must be told the truth about the presidents state of health.

Watch this video as Nigerians speak on the best choice between Buhari and Fayose:

Source: Legit.ng
Police respond to an incident at Boon Tat street on Monday (10 July). (Photo: Gabriel Choo/ Yahoo Singapore)

Two bystanders who attempted to help a man who was allegedly stabbed on Boon Tat Street and later died in hospital on Monday afternoon (10 July) were told by the suspect, Let him die.

Vinnie Ang, 25, is a waiter at A Poke Theory, a restaurant along Boon Tat Street. Ang recounted to Yahoo Singapore that he and his colleague were working when customers alerted them that a man was lying on the floor outside the eatery.

As they stepped out of the restaurant, Ang saw an older man with white hair standing a distance from the victim. Ang and his colleague tried to help the victim, but the older man pushed them away, saying Hes my son-in-law. Dont help him, let him die.

According to Ang, the older man later called somebody, saying Ive already done it, dont cry. Im old already, Im not afraid to go the jail.

As the older man was holding a knife, the duo backed off and called the police. Ang added that when the police arrived, the older man was cooperative and calm when he was arrested.

Aloysius Tay, 32, who works in the area, told Yahoo Singapore that he was walking along Boon Tat Street when he saw a man running towards him.

This guy was running across the road with his hands on his stomach and his T-shirt was bloodied. He was running weirdly. An old man was walking slowly behind him. Then he collapsed in front of the cafe. After a while, the cafe staff came out to see what had happened, said Tay.

About 20 police officers were seen in the area when Yahoo Singapore went to the scene at around 2.13pm. Police had cordoned off the area across five shophouses. Blood drops were also visible on the floor outside A Poke Theory.

The Singapore Police Force said they received a call for assistance at 1:22pm at 27 Boon Tat Street.

Upon arrival, a 38-year-old man was found lying motionless at the said location. He was conveyed unconscious to Singapore General Hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead at about 2.31pm, said a police statement on Monday (10 July).

A 69-year-old man has been arrested in relation to the case. Investigations are ongoing.
A 42-year-old Frenchman suspected of plotting attacks with two Belgian brothers was charged with terror offences on Sunday, a judicial source said. The suspect was identified as Salah Ghemit, who was known to authorities before his arrest, and was charged with arms possession and having links to extremist groups, the source said. Ghemit is believed to be connected to Akim and Khalid Saouti, two brothers charged in Brussels on Wednesday with belonging to a "terrorist group". They were believed to be planning an attack with a large stash of weapons including Kalashnikov rifles. The pair, arrested in the Brussels suburb of Anderlecht, are brothers of convicted jihadist Said Saouti, a member of the Kamikaze Riders, a notorious bikers' club based in the Belgian capital. Last year, Saouti was jailed for six years for recruiting people to jihadist organisations and supporting the Islamic State (IS) group on social media. A source close to the probe said authorities feared the three men were planning "an imminent attack in France or Belgium." The French suspect has previously been jailed four times for acts of violence and theft and was put under surveillance after leaving prison in May 2015 where he was believed to have been radicalised. He was then observed making several trips to Belgium, where he met the Saouti brothers with all of them seen handling bags at a garage in Anderlecht. One of the bags they were seen handling was found at the French suspect's home, containing several kilos of jewels, the source said. Investigators also found jihadist propaganda and footage of suicide attacks on his computer. Investigators from a joint Franco-Belgian operation had on Wednesday confirmed arresting a 42-year-old man just outside Lille on suspicion of links to the Kamikaze Riders who was planning a "violent attack". France and Belgium have suffered a string of deadly attacks claimed by the Islamic State group in recent years.
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The home of the Big Mac is enjoying a comeback of sorts, after many observers started writing off McDonalds as a dying brand.

McDonalds stock hit an all-time high in 2017 as investors continue to show confidence in CEO Steve Easterbrook, who took over the company in 2015. The companys stock price jumped 26 percent in the first half of 2017 alone.

While the fast food giant has made a number of moves that have led to the resurgence, its replacement of cashiers with automated kiosks has made a big difference.

McDonalds Ordering Kiosks

The company announced plans to roll out automated kiosks and mobile pay options at all of its U.S. locations in late 2016. Roughly 500 restaurants in Florida, New York and California now have the automated ordering stations, and restaurants in Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C., will be outfitted in 2017, according to CNNMoney.

Customers place their order at touch screens and receive a number with a digital locator, which then notifies staff where the customer is sitting. Once the order is ready to serve, an employee delivers the food to the customers table.

Several Wall Street analysts have raised their ratings and price targets for McDonalds ever since an impressive April 25 earning report. The company reported same-store sales growth as up 1.7 percent, which beat expectations that it would actually experience a 0.8 percent decline.

Theres a sense of urgency across the business as we take actions to retain existing customers, regain lapsed customers and convert casual customers to committed customers, Easterbrook said after McDonalds first quarter report. Were continuing to build a more personalized and enjoyable visit, which delights customers with the taste and quality of our food and offers the highest level of convenience, in order to gain traffic in an increasingly competitive industry and deliver profitable growth for our system and shareholders.

McDonalds has also benefited from the launch of its All Day Breakfast menu last year. The company continues to shift away from high fructose corn syrup, eliminating the product from its buns.

Republished by permission. Original here.
Despite positive declarations from the government, the American Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia is still waiting for significant, tangible results in the areas of the legislative process, corruption and efficient judiciary, said its executive director, Jake Slegers, in an interview with The Slovak Spectator.

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The Slovak Spectator: One of the main advisers of US President Donald Trump called the negotiations over the TTIP agreement dead, though following the meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel there are some signs of their potential restoration. Is there, in your opinion, really a possibility that the talks may be restored during the Trump Administrations rule?

Jake Slegers (JS): According to the latest information we have, the discussions over TTIP are definitely not dead. Following up on a meeting between representatives of the United States and the European Union in May 2017 in Brussels, the negotiators agreed to set up a bilateral working group to elaborate on discussions already made to deepen the strong economic relationship. I personally think that the only missing part to eventually finalising the agreement is the political will on both sides. Currently, the US administration is focusing a bit more on domestic issues. In addition, the EU member states lack a certain unity on this issue as well. Perhaps the administration is hoping for a bit more certainty on this side in order to continue.

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TSS: PM Robert Fico and some of his cabinet members met with the representatives of the Rule of Law Initiative in early April. What are the tangible results achieved by the initiative so far? How do you assess the promises of the government regarding the goals of the Rule of Law Initiative and their fulfilment?

JS: As a result of the Rule of Law Initiative, in 2015 the Slovak government adopted an Action Plan on Strengthening the Rule of Law in Slovakia in 2015. One of the commitments is to meet with representatives of the initiative on an annual basis and review any progress that has been achieved. This was also the reason for the recent meeting with Prime Minister Robert Fico.

The action plan is one of the most important achievements as it outlined specific goals for the Slovak government in the three main areas: transparency and predictability of the legislative process, fighting against corruption, and predictable and efficient judiciary.

We definitely welcome initiatives such as the new law on the lawmaking process, which introduced more predictability into the legislative process. Some of the changes in the procedures introduced in civil and commercial law should also bring more predictability and decrease lengthy court proceedings. However, these are long-term changes, and since they only became effective in July 2016, the business community is still waiting to see the real impact.

Naturally, AmCham, as well as its partners, welcomed the fact that the Slovak government incorporated the Rule of Law Initiative and its principles into the official government programme for 2016-2020. However, despite positive declarations from the governmental side, AmCham and its partners continue to emphasise the need for more visible progress in all three areas. Further improvements need to be seen in areas such as the parliamentary legislative process and last-minute legislative amendments, as well as more transparency and focus on expertise in the selection of heads of independent regulatory and supervisory institutions.

In addition, we also underline the need for integrity of public officials, as they should serve as role models in strengthening the rule of law in Slovakia.

TSS: The Slovak Economy Ministry introduced a draft concept to support business service centres more than a year ago. Have you noticed any positive changes in this area during the past year? Is the state active in helping BSCs established in Slovakia?

JS: BSCs in Slovakia represent a well-established and continuously growing sector, directly employing over 30,000 people comprising a skilled workforce with double the average salary of the Slovak economy. AmCham is a strong supporter of shared services in Slovakia, and its activities in this field have intensified since the Business Service Center Forum (BSCF) was founded more than three years ago.

Uniting over 95 percent of all employees in the SSC sector in Slovakia, BSCF currently accounts for 28 member companies. Raising awareness of the sector, facing its challenges in the advocacy field and interacting with educational institutions continue to be its main goal. We value the relationship and support from the Economy Ministry reflected in the strategy for the support of shared services in Slovakia adopted by the government last July, together with the action plan of 21 points. Thanks to the strategy, we believe the overall perception of the industry as the most dynamic and rapidly growing one has increased significantly.

As a direct outcome of the strategy, a novelisation of the foreigners law has been valid and effective since May 1, 2017, allowing SSCs to fast-track their third-country employees mobility into Slovakia within 30 days. This is expected to have a significant impact on Slovak SSCs to expand their high value-added jobs in the country.

As most of the 21 points in the strategy were or have been fulfilled by the government, the Economy Ministry has launched the process towards creating an Action Plan 2.0 for the support of shared services in Slovakia.

TSS: How do you assess the current relations between the US and Slovak business sectors? How have they been affected by the election of President Donald Trump and may we expect some changes in the future?

JS: The current relationship is as strong as before; there have been no real changes. We see continuous expansion of American companies here in Slovakia. Many of them continue to expand as they find Slovakia to be an excellent place for doing business.

TSS: According to the latest IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2017, Slovakias competitiveness worsened significantly and it lags behind its V4 partners, except for Hungary. What signal does it send to potential investors? Is the country still attractive for them as an investment destination?

JS: These types of surveys are always good to set the scene and they should primarily inspire any government to improve. As mentioned earlier, our Rule of Law Initiative is consistently addressing these issues which truly affect Slovakias competitiveness. We were happy to see interest from the Slovak government, although we are still waiting for significant, tangible results in the areas of the legislative process, corruption and efficient judiciary. We will therefore continue our efforts to shift Slovakia higher in the rankings in the near future. We definitely do see interest from American companies in taking advantage of the strong, developing market in this region.

TSS: The main aim of AmCham this year concerns human resources. What areas do you focus on in this respect? What events have you organised?

JS: During AmChams 2017 Year of Human Capital, we are committed to addressing two main pillars: education and labour/employment issues, tackling the lack of qualified workforce as the main concern for a wide range of our members in 2017.

On June 5, together with the Representation of the European Commission in Slovakia, we organised the Skills 4.0: the Future of the Slovak Economy in the EU? conference addressing several important issues as digital literacy, shortage of skilled labour in Slovakia and critical skills for Industry 4.0 all in the light of competitiveness for Slovakia on the European and global stages.

AmCham has consistently been trying to actively support the cooperation between secondary schools and universities and the demand of the market. We are trying to achieve this by constructive dialogue with the Education Ministry and the Labour Ministry, but also by our own activities. AmCham has 10 years of experience in mentoring university students via its Mentor Network Program and operating the Train the Trainer programme for university and secondary school teachers that equip them with innovative trainings, topics and skills which, according to AmCham members, the majority of graduates lack when they enter the labour market.

Apart from that, AmCham together with its members, directly teach three accredited courses at the University of Economics focused on human resources, business ethics and, most importantly, soft skills.
Slovakia is the first V4 country to sign the agreement on country-by-country reporting.

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Slovakias Financial Administration has obtained easier access to the information of US multinational companies. The representatives of Slovakia and the US signed a bilateral agreement on country-by-country (CbC) reporting on June 21, the TASR newswire reported.

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The agreement sets the methods, deadlines and technical aspects of the automatic exchange of the CbC reports, which serve as a unique tool to identify the risks of transfer pricing and provide comprehensive information about the groups of multinational companies, as well as their structure, profits, activities, number of employees, and tax information.

The reports will subsequently be analysed, with the aim to identify any harmful practices that may lead to artificial transfer of profits to tax havens. Thanks to them, the Financial Administration will obtain a comprehensive picture of the multinational firms profits that flow into shell companies, and may thus prepare a targeted inspection, TASR reported.

The inking of the agreement is a significant step towards making the information about multinational companies accessible. The majority of these firms reside in the US.

Based on these reports, our specialists will identify the risky subjects and transactions in order to check transfer pricing, said Ladislav Hanniker, head of the Financial Administrations department on fighting frauds and analysing the risks, as quoted by TASR.

Slovakia is the first country of the Visegrad Group (which includes the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary) to sign the agreement, and also one of the top 10 countries across the globe that has managed to agree with the US on inking it in a record short time.

Apart from the USA, the Financial Administration will receive CbC reports from more than 50 countries in which the parent companies of the multinational groups reside, TASR reported.
The Dechtice church tower near the ruins and monastery of St Catherine, often called Katarinka, opened for the public on July 6.

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The ruin of the church and monastery lies in the Trnava district in western Slovakia, and the tower has been restored by volunteers from the Katarinka civic association and the Association of Christian Youth Communities OC Katarinka.

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Read also:

Read also: Night of Castles and Ruins helped present ruins of Katarinka monastery Read more

After years of hard work, when hundreds of volunteers toiled here in turns, we can open the tower for public, the founder of the project, Peter Herceg, told the TASR newswire. Visitors can get as high as the top of the tower, which is 30 metres tall, and enjoy the view of the Small Carpathians in the vicinity.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/t6etdvg6iLE

Visitors are warned to be careful during the ascent and descent, as the stairs are steep, and the number of visitors that can climb the tower at one time is limited. In good weather conditions, a maximum of 16 people, including guides, can climb the tower. The tower will be open between 8:00 and 17:00 during the summer.

Festive opening

The church tower was festively blessed on July 5, during and Open Day which brought more than 1,000 visitors to Katarinka. The ceremony included a Holy Mass conducted directly within the church ruins.

Read also:

Read also: Hidden by the Carpathian forests, two monuments to a proud past Read more

Also, a theatre performance offered some information about the church and the monastery of St Catharine of Alexandria, while children were offered creative guilds and workshops.

A bit of history

Since 1994, volunteers have been trying to save the ruins of constructions that lie in the Small Carpathians landscape park between the villages of Dechtice and Nahac. During those 23 years, a total of 1,602 volunteers have participated in the work, using traditional technologies of masonry and carpentry. This season, volunteers plan to finish the conservation works on the monastery, TASR wrote. Archaeological research will also be conducted simultaneously.

On some occasions, Katarinka comes to life. (Source: TASR)

The monastery was closed in 1786 by a decree of Emperor Joseph II. Today the well-preserved church tower and the remains of one wing of the monastery can be seen.
Tips and Tricks

Six Steps to Creating Engaging and Effective Classroom Podcasts

Podcasts  or a series of audio or video recordings  can help develop students listening, research and writing skills, while also enabling more effective speaking and problem-solving. Over the last decade, a growing number of K12 teachers have incorporated podcasts into their curriculums as an alternative method of:

Delivering content or lessons; Giving students hands-on experience with technology (e.g., by creating their own podcasts); and Providing additional material for pupils to download and review on their own time.

Outside of the classroom, podcasts continue to be a growth medium, with 40 percent of Americans ages 12 and up saying that they have listened to a podcast, according to a recent report from Edison Research and Triton Digital. Twenty-four percent say they have listened to one in the past month, which is up from 21 percent a year ago. In addition, six in 10 Americans are now familiar with the term podcasting, or making recordings of broadcasts available to download on a computer or mobile device  a number that has risen 22 percent in two years.

Students no longer want to be passive consumers of their education (have they ever?), but instead want to be active participants in constructing knowledge, writes middle school teacher Dave Guymon in a recent article titled "Encouraging Reflective Learning with Podcasting at the K-12 Level.

Recognizing this desire, many teachers are leveraging Web 2.0 tools to incorporate innovative new practices into their classroom instruction, Guymon wrote. One of these, podcasting, has found its niche at the postsecondary level of education already.

For my 9th and 10th grade English Language Arts (ELA) students, podcasting in the K12 classroom has proven itself as an extremely engaging way to help them become more effective readers, writers, listeners and speakers. Here are the six strategies that I use to guide students:

1. Identify topics by brainstorming. In my 10th grade ELA class, we recently worked as a group to identify a variety of relevant topics to turn into a podcast. At the beginning of the project, we Skyped with a journalism major from California State University, Sacramento. She gave us tips on what makes a successful podcast, including topics to consider. Students were also able to ask questions one-on-one.

2. Challenge students to think outside of the box. Todays digital natives need to be pushed out of their comfort zones in order to get them thinking beyond the basics. I urge my students to open their minds to the possibilities and explore new avenues through podcasting. Many times they dont even realize that theyre learning while having fun at the same time.

3. Find the right platform. We use StudySync, a digital ELA curriculum for grades 6-12 that offers Blast assignments with podcasts that cover current events and issues. Weve modeled the podcasts we created afterthe companys "School of Thought audio podcasts, which explore students views on 21stt century learning while helping students improve important listening and critical thinking skills.

4. Write the story before recording the podcast. This will limit the amount of editing that has to happen post-production and save quite a bit of time for both you and your students. Ask students to be clear on their story and intent, do their research before they start the story, ask well thought-out questions (research, research, research!), and outline each podcast segment. This also ensures the story falls within the time limits set for the podcast.

5. Tailor the podcast to the audience. Have students determine what questions they will cover and how the content will be relevant to their peers. Oftentimes, their audience may even have the same questions. Encourage them to include varying opinions, interviewing family, friends, peers, and experts, in order to appeal to a wider audience. Ask students to speak clearly and to enunciate in order to get their audiences engaged and interested for the duration of the podcast.

6. Remind students to appeal to the ear. Unlike a video, there are no visuals or graphics in a podcast. This reality forces students to switch up their communication styles in a way that appeals to the ear (versus the eye). Encourage students to be authentic, and to use good diction and voice that speaks directly to the audience. It shouldnt sound like they are reading from a script; rather, their voices should be enthusiastic and entertaining.

By integrating these six strategies into your students podcasting activities youll be well equipped to help them develop audio content that engages, entertains and educates listeners (while also helping to develop the podcast creators own communication skills).

StudySyncs scripts for the School of Thought podcasts became our model for both developing the writing and audio prompts, especially the voicing techniques and sounds they used. Our classroom podcast, Skyping with a Sacramento State student, was a hit. As each student selected topics for their individual podcasts, I was overjoyed at the diversity of thinking, their rhetorical appeals, as well as their aural persuasions, storytelling and interviews.

Though many of my students were nervous about the assignment, they really came through. It was fun hearing many of our own teachers at Lincoln High included in various podcast interviews. Hats off to creativity, problem solving, innovation and technology.
A Nebraska community that should boast prime views of next month's total solar eclipse just added 125 lakeside campsites and is taking reservations.

The last state-park campsites that could be reserved for the Aug. 21 eclipse were booked months ago, and other accommodations along the path of totality in Nebraska are few and far between.

So the new campsites near Ravenna  75 for RVs, 50 for tent campers  will probably be claimed quickly.

Ravenna sits about 30 miles north of Kearney, along the path of totality's center line, where the eclipse will last longest. Ravenna economic development director Gena McPherson said she's heard lodging in Kearney is "slim pickings," and Ravenna itself had nothing left  until Monday.

That's when the Ravenna Economic Development Corp. added a big orange button to the top of its website, myravenna.com, advertising "Eclipse Camping" at Buffalo County Lake east of town.

Each site must be reserved for all four days of the town's eclipse celebration, Aug. 18-22. RV sites cost $300 for that span; tent sites are $100.

Also known as Ravenna Lake, the former state recreation area is nestled in a wooded area along the South Loup River. Buffalo County acquired the lake and surrounding grounds about 18 years ago.

The campsites will stay once the eclipse has passed. Local officials also plan to add electrical service, showers and permanent restrooms someday. Eclipse visitors will have to make do with a porta-potty.

Ravenna has planned dozens of activities timed with the eclipse, including the town's first-ever music festival, a talk by NASA astronaut Michael Fincke, a trapshoot at the city dump and the debut of an eclipse-themed wine by Cedar Hills Vineyard.

McPherson also hopes to confirm another event  a demolition derby  to provide foreign visitors with a culture shock.

"What the heck is this? Why do these people crash cars into each other?" is the reaction she's looking for. "They want to see something they've never seen before."
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Apple Inc said on Monday it will spend 6 billion Danish crowns (715 million pounds) on a new data centre in Denmark, its second in the Nordic country to run entirely on renewable energy. Facebook in January also announced plans to build a data centre in Denmark, only its third outside of the United States. Apple has pledged to back the Paris climate accord by switching to renewable energy and has recently issued a $1 billion green bond after the United States pulled out of the pact. Chief Executive Tim Cook was one of several CEOs who directly appealed to President Donald Trump to keep the United States in the pact before he made his decision. Apple said the data centre would begin operations in the second quarter of 2019 in Aabenraa in southern Denmark near the German border. It will power Apple's online services, including the iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps and Siri for customers across Europe. "We're thrilled to be expanding our data centre operations in Denmark, and investing in new sources of clean power," Erik Stannow, Nordic manager for Apple, said in a statement emailed to Reuters. "The planned facility in Aabenraa, like all of our data centres, will run on 100 percent renewable energy from day one, thanks to new clean energy sources we're adding," he said. Apple's first data centre in Denmark near the town of Viborg is due to begin operations later this year. Apple said a planned data centre in Athenry, Ireland, announced in 2015 had yet to begin construction. Apple confirmed that the Irish data centre is currently under judicial review. Denmark, a leader in wind power, has abundant supplies of wind energy as well biomass energy. "The reliability of the Danish grid is one of the main reasons we will operate two sites in Denmark," Stannow said. The small Nordic country hopes these investments will boost its IT sector. "Denmark is becoming northern Europe's hub for data centres with a high prospective for growth for the tracking industries delivering solutions to the many data centres sprouting up all over the world," the foreign ministry said in a statement. (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; editing by Louise Heavens, Jason Neely and David Evans)
On a small island off the coast of Iceland, 173 years ago, a sequence of tragic events took place that would lead to the loss of an iconic bird: the great auk.

The great auk, Pinguinus impennis, was a large, black and white bird that was found in huge numbers across the North Atlantic Ocean. It was often mistaken to be a member of the penguin family, but its closest living relative is actually the razorbill, and it is related to puffins, guillemots and murres.

Being flightless, the great auk was particularly vulnerable to hunting. Humans killed the birds in their thousands for meat, oil and feathers. By the start of the 19th dentury, the north-west Atlantic populations had been decimated, and the last few remaining breeding birds were to be found on the islands off the south-west coast of Iceland. But these faced another threat: due to their scarcity, the great auk had become a desirable item for both private and institutional collections.

The fateful voyage of 1844

Between 1830 and 1841 several trips were taken to Icelands Eldey Island, to catch, kill, and sell the birds for exhibitions. Following a period of no reported captures, great auk dealer Carl Siemsen commissioned an expedition to Eldey to search for any remaining birds.

Between June 2-5 1844, 14 men set sail in an eight-oared boat for the island. Three braved the dangerous landing and spotted two great auks among the smaller birds that also bred there. A chase began but the birds ran at a slow pace, their small wings extended, expressing no call of alarm. They were caught with relative ease and killed, their egg, broken in the hunt, was discarded.

But the birds  a male and a female  were never to reach Siemsen. The expedition leader sold them to a man named Christian Hansen, who then sold them on to Herr Moller, an apothecary in Reykjavik. Moller skinned the birds and sent them, and their preserved body parts, to Denmark.

Thierry Hubin/Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

The internal organs of these two birds now reside in the Natural History Museum of Denmark. The skins, however were lost track of, and  despite considerable effort by numerous scholars  their location has remained unknown.

Story continues

Missing skins

In 1999, great auk expert Errol Fuller proposed a list of candidate specimens, the origins of which were not known, which he believed could be from the last pair of great auks. But how to find which of these were the true skins? For this we turned to the field of ancient DNA (aDNA).

In the last 30 years, aDNA technology has progressed greatly, and has been used to address a wide range of ecological and evolutionary questions, providing insight into countless species pasts, including humans. Museum specimens play a key role in aDNA research and have been used to solve several issues of unidentified or misidentified specimens  for example Greenlandic Norse fur, rare kiwi specimens, Aukland island shags, and mislabelled penguin samples.

We took things a step further, using aDNA techniques and a detective-like approach to try and resolve the mystery of what happened to the skins of the last two great auks.

Ancient DNA

We sampled the organs from the last birds, along with candidate specimens from Brussels, Belgium; Oldenburg and Kiel, in Germany; and Los Angeles. We then extracted and sequenced the mitochondrial genomes from each, and compared the sequences from the candidate skins to those from that came from the organs of the last pair.

The results showed that the skin held in the museum in Brussels was a perfect match for the oesophagus from the male bird. Unfortunately, there was no match between the other candidate skins and the females organs.

The specimens from Brussels and Los Angeles were thought to be the most likely candidates due to their history: both birds were in the hands of a well-known great auk dealer, Israel of Copenhagen, in 1845. As the bird in Brussels was a match, we thought it likely that the one in Los Angeles would also be a match for the females organs. It was surprising when it wasnt. However, our research led us to speculate that a mix up which occurred following the death of Captain Vivian Hewitt in 1965  who owned four birds which are now in Cardiff, Birmingham, Los Angeles and Cincinnati  was not resolved as once thought.

The identity of the birds now in Birmingham and Cardiff are now known after photographs were used to identify them  but those in Los Angeles and Cincinnati have been harder to determine. It was thought that their identities could be found from annotated photographs taken in 1871, but we speculate that they were not correctly identified, and that the bird in Cincinnati may be the original bird from Israel of Copenhagen. If this is the case, then it could explain why the Los Angeles bird fails to match with either of the last great auk organs held in Copenhagen.

We now have permission to test the great auk specimen in the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History and Science, and hopefully solve this final piece of a centuries-old puzzle. There is no guarantee that this bird will be a match either, but if it is, we will finally know what happened to the last two specimens of the extinct great auk.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Jessica Thomas is a double-degree PhD student enrolled at Bangor University and the University of Copenhagen. She receives funding from NERC PhD Studentship (NE/L501694/1), the Genetics Society-Heredity Fieldwork Grant, and European Society for Evolutionary BiologyGodfrey Hewitt Mobility Award.
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The Brazilian Social Democracy Party, President Michel Temer's biggest ally, could depart his coalition once Congress has voted on a series of economic reforms in coming weeks, O Estado de S. Paulo reported on Monday, citing a senior party member. Sao Paulo state Governor Geraldo Alckmin, a senior PSDB leader and a presidential hopeful, told Estado that there was no reason to participate in the government after reforms are voted through. Temer is spearheading a series of deficit-cutting reforms such as an overhaul of Brazil's labour and pension codes. His remarks come as other PSDB leaders meet later in the day to discuss the party's stance on the Temer government, Estado said. Senators are expected to cast ballots on the labour code reform at a plenary vote on Tuesday. Support for Temer has dwindled after Prosecutor-general Rodrigo Janot charged him late last month in connection to a massive corruption scandal. Temer has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Efforts to contact Alckmin's and Temer's a media offices before working hours were unsuccessful. The labour reform bill, the first major overhaul of labour rules in seven decades, has already been approved by the lower house. Trade unions say Temer's plan calls for more temporary work contracts and outsourcing, while weakening their power by eliminating mandatory union dues and other measures. (Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal; Editing by Toby Chopra)
BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - A grenade attack killed eight people and wounded 50 others in a village in Burundi's northern Kayanza province late on Sunday, police said. Four of the victims died at the scene and the other four succumbed to their injuries, police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said. The assault occurred around 6:30 p.m. local time (4:30 GMT) in the village of Shinya on Sunday, Nkurikiye told reporters in the capital, Bujumbura, on Monday. He called the assault "a terrorist attack". "An unknown person threw a grenade among the population," he said. Nkurikiye did not say who might have carried out the assault, but police usually use the phrase "terrorist attack" to indicate armed opponents of President Pierre Nkurunziza. At least 700 people have been killed in clashes between Nkurunziza's supporters and his opponents since April 2015, when the president said he would run for a third term in office. He was re-elected in July 2015 in a vote largely boycotted by the opposition. In a tweet on Monday, Nkurunziza offered condolences "to the families who lost their next of kin in the terror attack ... The perpetrators will surely be punished." Nkurunziza's opponents say his bid for a third term violated the country's constitution and the terms of a peace deal that ended a previous rebellion. The president cited a constitutional court ruling that his bid was legal. Burundi's growing insecurity has spurred some alarm in the region because it has the same ethnic mix of majority Hutus and minority Tutsis as neighbouring Rwanda, where 800,000 people were killed in ethnic violence in 1994. An estimated 400,000 Burundians have so far been displaced by the fighting between Nkurunziza's backers and his opponents. (Reporting by Clement Manirabarusha; Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Larry King)
The point of departure, the Champs Elysees in Paris, was symbolic: a policeman was murdered on the world-famous avenue in April in the name of political Islam. A bus-load of imams are on a six-day tour of European cities hit by attacks in recent years to denounce terrorism, including Brussels, Nice, Toulouse and London. After leaving Paris on Saturday, they arrived on Sunday in Berlin. They are due to travel on to Brussels on Monday. Those behind the initiative  Muslims march against terrorism  believe they have to do more to defend their religion. Its not enough simply to state that Islam represents peace, they argue, they have to take to the road to spread their message. Its symbolic. These people are religious, brave and have faith. Theyre Muslims who say No to barbarity, No to hate, No to terror. Thats a strong symbol, thats the message we need to send, said co-organiser Hassen Chalghoumi, formerly the imam at a mosque at Drancy in the Paris suburbs. In Berlin, the imams were due to visit the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, near the scene of the atrocity last December when a driver rammed into people at a Christmas market, killing six people and wounding dozens more. The group includes six imams from Germany. Along the tour they intend to pray for the victims of terrorism and show that Islam can exist alongside other religions and cultures. Alongside Chalghoumi is Marek Halter, a French Jewish writer of Polish origin who campaigns for dialogue between religions. I think that for non-Muslims itll be about discovery, the discovery of another Islam. And for Muslims, theyll have an example, people to follow, he said. However the initiative does not have universal support. Chalghoumi is a controversial figure in some Muslim circles. Three prominent French Muslim leaders have jointly condemned the tour. After meeting at the Grande Mosquee de Paris to address the problem of Islams negative image among many French people, representatives of several Muslim organisations issued a joint statement denouncing all links between Islam and terrorism and affirming that the Muslim religion cannot conceal any form of violence. An article published on the Paris mosques website (in French) denounces activism and auto-flagellation, singling out Chalghoumi and questioning the integrity of his financial backer. We condemn terrorist attacks very vigorously. We didnt wait for Chalghoumi to denounce those who manipulate Islam for political and terrorist ends. We have multiplied initiatives and interreligious dialogue. Pope Francis congratulated us for our various actions, said one of the representatives, Abdallah Zekri. The Muslims march against terrorism is due to return to Paris for Bastille Day next Friday for the conclusion of the imams journey, where they will be joined by representatives of the Jewish, Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox religions.
BELLEVUE  Bellevue City Councilman Pat Shannon has become the subject of a recall effort to remove him from office after he was acquitted of a misdemeanor.

A recall affidavit was filed Friday afternoon with the Sarpy County Election Commission.

If approved, Shannon will have 20 days to submit a defense statement before the petition is prepared. Recall organizer Christine Jurgens will then have 30 days to gather the nearly 6,600 signatures needed to call a special recall election.

Shannon told The Associated Press on Saturday that he plans to meet with the local election commissioner on Monday. He does not believe the recall affidavit meets requirements to include proper reasons for seeking the recall and thinks it will be denied.

"It's just the latest in a long series of political attacks by people who want to change the outcome of the election," he said.

But Jurgens said Saturday she has confidence in the affidavit she submitted. Even if it's found lacking, she said, she will submit an amended one.

Shannon has been a contentious figure on the City Council since being elected in November.

On Thursday, Shannon was found not guilty of violating electrical license requirements for a building he owns. Last month, the City Council voted to give Shannon until the middle of this month to come up with plans to fix a car wash he owns that residents say is an eyesore.

Shannon also has an unpaid $16,000 fine from the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission for violating campaign finance laws in 2004. The commission has been trying to collect on that fine for more than a decade.
LIMA (Reuters) - Peru has recalled its ambassador to Ecuador after Quito refused to stop building a wall along a canal separating the two, Peru's Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Monday as both countries expressed concern over flood risks. Peru said construction of the concrete wall, part of an urban revival project, violates a peace treaty signed by both countries because it comes too close to a canal in populated areas along the Zarumilla River, which forms part of the border for the two countries. Ecuador said it lamented Peru's decision to recall its ambassador and said Peru had not responded to its request last week to discuss the dispute in a high-level meeting. "Ecuador believes that dialogue is the valid mechanism to overcome any divergence between sister countries, and therefore reiterates its willingness and openness to address these issues immediately," the country's Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement. The dispute marks a rough start to bilateral relations between Ecuador and Peru under centrist Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Ecuador's socialist President Lenin Moreno, both of whom took office in the past year. The dispute underscores both countries' sensitivity to the kind of heavy flooding in the border region that could become more extreme with climate change. Ecuador has said the wall would help control flooding that affects border towns every year but Peru said it could disrupt the flow of water in the canal and raise flood risks for Peruvians. Peru had extreme flooding earlier this year after a sudden warming of Pacific waters off its coast triggered some of the nation's heaviest rains in decades. More than 150 people died and reconstruction efforts could cost up to $9 billion, according to the government. Peru also has said the wall would hurt efforts to remove bureaucratic barriers at the border. In the 1990s, territorial disputes led to a three-year war between the two countries, which share a 1,529 kilometer-long (950 miles) border. Cross-border trade remains fluid, but passage of contraband is common. (Reporting by Mitra Taj in Lima and Alexandra Valencia in Quito; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Bill Trott)
By Alexander Cornwell DUBAI (Reuters) - Royal Jordanian and Kuwait Airways [KA.UL] are the latest Middle East carriers to be exempted from an in-cabin ban on laptops and other large electronic devices on flights to the United States. The Jordanian and Kuwaiti airlines join Emirates [EMIRA.UL], Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airline, which each last week announced a lifting of the ban. In March, the United States banned laptops and other large electronic devices on flights originating at 10 airports in eight countries -- Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey -- to tackle fears that bombs could be concealed in them. Royal Jordanian, which flies to New York, Chicago and Detroit from Amman, Jordan, lifted the ban after new security measures were adopted for U.S.-bound flights, airline President Stefan Pichler said in a statement on Sunday. State-owned Kuwait Airways, which flies from Kuwait to New York via Ireland, said the ban was lifted after U.S. officials inspected security measures on its flights. U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokesman Mike England said in an email the bans were lifted after Amman and Kuwait airports "implemented the required initial enhanced security measures." The United States announced enhanced security measures on June 29, requiring additional time to screen passengers and electronic devices for possible explosives. The new U.S. measures, which take effect within three weeks of the announcement, will affect around 325,000 passengers a day travelling on 180 airlines from 280 airports around the world, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Airlines that fail to meet the new requirements could still face in-cabin restrictions on electronic devices. Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has said it expects the ban to be lifted on flights from Jeddah and Riyadh by July 19. Royal Air Maroc [RAM.UL] also believes it can have the ban lifted for flights out of Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport by July 19, a senior official from the state-owned airline told Reuters on July 6. State-owned EgyptAir [EGY.UL] has also been affected by the ban. (Editing by Catherine Evans and Clarence Fernandez)
UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia are to continue, after the High Court rejected claims the Government is acting unlawfully by failing to suspend their sale.

The case was brought by UK-based group Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), which says UK fighter jets and bombs have been used in the conflict in Yemen.

The group, which accuses the Government of "repeated and serious breaches" of international humanitarian law, says more than 10,000 civilians have been killed since 2015 as the Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervenes in the Yemeni civil war.

However, judges dismissed the claim, saying the decision to continue trading with Saudi Arabia was "not irrational or unlawful".

They said the evidence, some of which was given in secret in order to protect national security, "demonstrates that the Secretary of State was rationally entitled to conclude that the Saudi Arabia coalition were not deliberately targeting civilians".

Lawyer Rosa Curling, representing CAAT, told Sky News: "In our view the Government is in breach of laws they themselves put in place, which make clear that there are certain circumstances in which arms cannot be sold."

"The evidence that we saw in the opening court sessions showed that there was a clear risk of international humanitarian war breaches by the Saudi coalition in Yemen. In those circumstances, the Government's own rules say they shouldn't be selling arms."

Since the Saudi-led coalition has been involved in the Yemeni civil war, abound 3.3bn of sales from the UK's arms industry has gone to Saudi Arabia.

Save the Children said it was "deeply disappointed" by the High Court's decision.

"Britain is selling bombs to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen," it said. "The Saudi-led coalition is killing children in repeated violations of international humanitarian law."

Oxfam said the result "sets back arms control 25 years", adding: "There is a clear moral case for the Government to suspend its sales."

CAAT said it was "extremely disappointed" with the outcome and would be appealing.
Sumner and Dene is hosting the 2017 Architecture Show with work by Reg Loving, Mary Moore Bailey, Angus Macpherson, David Snow and Bill Tondreau through July 25.

While lollygagging in the back row of my graduate-level History of Modern Art class, I was slapped into full consciousness by a student who asked the professor who had just admonished us all to revel in the architectonic composition of a modernist painting, What does that painting have to do with architecture?

The professor shot back Look it up! as if the ignorant student would find a not-so-obvious art-speak answer. I, for one, did look it up and was glad to accept a gentlemans B from said lazy professor and finish writing my thesis.

Architectonics have everything to do with architecture. As do a vast majority of Lovings paintings. Whether in pure landscape mode or rendering built structures, Loving uses the same kind of design parameters that any architectural draftsman would employ.

Rhythm, balance and counterpoint are the hallmarks of works like Los Ranchos de Taos, Rancho de Taos Church and Church at Canoncito Looking East. Loving is a master of syncopated designs that juxtapose straight rows of trees with undulating hills and rigid shapes that read as buildings.

My favorite is Ranchos de Taos a gorgeous earth-tone composition made up of buildings existing in a compressed space that has stacked them together. Windows and dark shadows dance across the picture plane acting as notes on a musical score that carry the eye throughout the complexity of this breathtaking design.

Moore Bailey employs transcultural pictographic designs in her predominantly earth-hued paintings. Her insistently matte-surfaced works have the look of textiles and many of her compositions could be pressed into service as beautifully composed fabric designs.

In Sun Shone Then It Snowed Moore Bailey reveals a sense of humor as well as a visceral albeit poetic understanding of the Southwests quixotic weather. The enchantingly abstracted painting imparts a truth-telling narrative.

Macphersons perennial atmospheric painting style has been called to serve a variety of subjects, from his signature stormy sky landscapes to the human figure and architecture.

This show features some of his most successful architectonic compositions to date. Return to Flanders is a beguiling urban scene that exists in a liminal state between wakefulness and dream. Like a fading memory, the here-to-fore substantial buildings are in flux and seem to be fading away.

Macpherson can paint.

Visionary artist and author the late Jose Arguelles once described himself as a born-again hippie. Former Madrid gallery owner and longtime artist Snow might also fit that description.

In 2015, the Albuquerque Art Business Association awarded Snow with its annual Local Treasure honor.

Since 2004, Snow has explored the possibilities of the copper enameling technique and has taken it far beyond its common use in jewelry making. In compositions like City of Angels, Snow creates a medium-scale work comparable to a painting.

The process involving powdered glass that is fused to a copper substrate in a kiln could also be used to create bas relief sculpture. Snow is growing by leaps and bounds but is still far from the end of his creative trail.

Academy Award-winning photographer Tondreau creates stunning multiple-exposure photographic prints that knock your socks right out of your shoes and curl your toes. His panoramas can capture vast pieces of architecture, scenes along an arroyo or a huge chuck of a mountain range. His colors are exquisitely intense and his resolution is perfect.

All of Tondreaus images embody the wow factor. All five artists have works not mentioned here that are well-worth a leisurely perusal.

If you go art Review

WHAT: 2017 Architecture Show with Mary Moore Bailey, Reg Loving, Angus Macpherson and David Snow

WHEN: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and 12-4 p.m. Sunday. Through July 25. Info, 842-1400

WHERE: Sumner and Dene, 517 W. Central

HOW MUCH: Free
PROMOTIONS

Jill C. Klar has been promoted by the UNM Medical Group Inc. to chief executive officer and chief operating officer. Klar was the interim CEO since June of 2016 and has more than 20 years experience in leadership. She joined the medical group in January 2016 and previously worked as the chief operating officer at ABQ Health Partners. Klar has a bachelors degree from the University of New Mexico.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Reading Works, a nonprofit adult literacy program, has moved to 8005 Pennsylvania Circle NE, Suite C, in Albuquerque. For additional information, call 505-321-9620.

APPLAUSE

Randy Sanchez of Albuquerque has received a Professional Achievement Award from the Columbia College Alumni Association. The award is presented to alumni who have attained outstanding success in their chosen field within the past 10 years. Sanchez, who graduated from Columbia College with a bachelors degree in business with an emphasis on shopping center management and marketing in 1983, has 33 years experience in the shopping center industry including managing eight different malls throughout the country. He is presently the general manager of Coronado Center.

Julie R. Epling of the financial services firm Edward Jones in Albuquerque, has won the firms exclusive Spirit of Caring Award, designed to recognize those financial advisers who exemplify the values, culture and spirit of giving back. Epling received the award for demonstrating unyielding dedication to giving back to her clients, community, other financial advisers, branch teams and their regional network, according to Jim Weddle, the firms managing partner. She is one of only 256 financial advisers out of the firms 15,000 financial advisers to receive the award.

WELCOME

Kelsey Captolia Eaton has joined Xynergy as SEO and social media strategist. Captolia will specialize in search engine optimization, pay-per-click campaigns, and social media. She previously managed email campaigns, direct marketing for industry events, and data analytics for clients ranging from a green building enterprise to a small college. She has a bachelors degree in communications from Green Mountain College; a masters degree in internet marketing from Full Sail University; and maintains certifications in Google AdWords and Google Analytics.

Scott Graves has joined Weil Construction as a senior project manager. Graves has 25 years of experience in the industry. His background includes commercial development and construction projects for the federal government.

The Care Management Group has hired two new staff members. They are:

Deborah McCullough, R.N., care manager. McCullough has 20 years experience in nursing. She is also a faculty member at Central New Mexico Community College.

Lee Ann McIntyre-Lees, R.N., MHA, care manager. McIntyre-Lees has 25 years experience as a registered nurse and administrator.

Rik Blyth has joined La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe as general manager. Blyth previously was the general manager for the Hyatt Regency Newport Resort and Spa in Newport, R.I. He was also the general manager for resort properties across the Caribbean including Rose Hall in Jamaica, Biras Creek in the British Virgin Islands, and Caneel Bay in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He also served as president of the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel and Tourism Association. Blyth has a bachelors degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

MILESTONES

Wilson & Co. Inc., Engineers & Architects is celebrating its 85th year in business. The company was founded on July 1, 1932, in Kansas. The company has served New Mexico since 1943 and currently has 137 employees in the state. As part of their celebration and commitment to support a nonprofit, they are supporting Susan G. Komen in ensuring the fight against breast cancer is a top priority. On July 21, they will be having their third employee fundraiser, Picnic with a Purpose.

ETC.

Linda Rodgers, city councilor for District 1 on the Farmington City Council, has been appointed to membership in the New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (NMJPEC). The commission was established by the Supreme Court of New Mexico in 1997 as a volunteer, nonpartisan commission to improve the performance of New Mexicos judges and to provide useful, credible information to voters on judges standing for retention in general elections. Under state law, judges standing for retention must receive 57 percent voter approval to remain on the bench. Rodgers, a longtime Farmington resident and businessperson, served as chief financial officer (CFO) of Pesco Process Equipment and Services Co. for five years; and worked 23 years in banking, serving as business banking manager at Wells Fargo Bank and as a commercial loan officer, loan reviewer and credit analyst at First National Bank of Farmington. She has a bachelors degree in business administration, summa cum laude, from New Mexico Highlands University.
The sights and sounds of hammers, cranes and construction crews are about to give way to the hustle and bustle of students, entrepreneurs, and technology professionals at the long-anticipated Innovate ABQ research and development hub in Downtown Albuquerque.

The University of New Mexicos new Lobo Rainforest building has entered the final stretch of construction on the northeast corner of the seven-acre site at Broadway and Central, said Lisa Kuuttila, UNMs chief economic development officer and head of the Science and Technology Corp., UNMs tech-transfer office. A grand opening is planned for Aug. 26.

The six-story, 160,000-square-foot facility will become home to 300-plus students working with businesspeople, scientists and professionals from the states research universities and labs to build startups and take new technologies to market. It represents the heart and soul of Innovate ABQ, and the joint efforts of UNM, the city, the county and private developers to build an Innovation Corridor that cuts through the citys inner core.

Its the first new, concrete construction we have that embodies the full spirit of Innovate ABQ, Kuuttila said. It will be the nucleus of our Innovation Corridor.

All the structural and foundational work and the framing and drywall are done, said Jeff Harper, project superintendent for Jaynes Corp., the general contractor.

The electrical, plumbing and gas utilities are all in, Harper said. Were just getting everything finalized and double-checking it all before flipping the switch to turn it on.

UNM will start moving tenants in by early August, beginning with STC staff and the resident and community-planning coordinators who will work with the students who occupy the buildings five upper floors, said UNM Director of Real Estate Tom Neal.

Well move those folks in during the first week of August, followed by students in the Aug. 10-15 timeline, Neal said. Were delivering everything on time and on budget for Aug. 15.

Construction on the $35 million building began last July, managed by Signet Development of Ohio, New Mexicos Goodman Realty Group and Dekker/Perich/Sabatini. Those partners paid for the building, which UNM will lease for 30 years before taking over ownership.

UNM is responsible for renting, maintaining and operating the student housing, as well as the classrooms, offices and professional facilities.

The first floor, which includes about 30,000 square feet, is almost completely booked with committed tenants, with the exception of one 2,200-square-foot space. Its designed for maximum interaction among tenants to facilitate sharing of ideas and collaboration on projects, providing constant opportunities for hoped-for collisions among people that often lead to innovation. The buildings name is intended to reflect that concept  a human innovation ecosystem that, like a rainforest, allows creativity, business acumen, scientific discovery, investment capital and more to propagate and nurture budding ideas into sustainable enterprises.

Its a unique design to create lots of collaboration and collision, Neal said.

On the ground floor will be UNM Innovation Academy classrooms, conference rooms and co-working spaces, plus a 2,000-square-foot cafe, a branch of Nusenda Credit Union electronically connected to live tellers, and lounge areas.

The main entrance and reception area for the building is on the north side, where people will enter directly into the center of the facility. Thats the interactive heart of the rainforest, with huge open meeting areas, conference rooms, and a high-tech visualization room equipped for video conferencing.

The northwest corner will house STC staff and student interns. Student startups and businesses marketing UNM technologies will be housed in offices next to STC on the southwest side. And just south of that, the Air Force Research Laboratory will occupy a 1,700-square-foot space.

The entire ground floor is surrounded by windows, and numerous doors open onto a south-side courtyard for people to gather. There is also an outside deck on the second floor of the building.

The courtyard is designed for public functions, with a lot of outdoor meeting space, Kuuttila said. We want to get students interacting with businesspeople and technology transfer professionals with lots of events.

That includes opening up STC-related forums for more direct community involvement, starting with the monthly Venture Cafe, where students and faculty meet with STC staff and entrepreneurs to discuss new technologies and business ideas. That will become a weekly event with community participation encouraged.

Across from the south-side courtyard is the old First Baptist Church building, a 71,000-square-foot facility that Innovate ABQ plans to remodel into a home for new startups, entrepreneurial programs and meeting spaces. West of the courtyard sits the old Noon Day Ministries building, which Central New Mexico Community College is now remodeling into a high-tech makerspace.

The Rainforest buildings five upper floors of student apartments, however, provide the critical linchpin for students to live, work and play at Innovative ABQ.

The co-location of our students with all the other folks on site is what excites everybody, said Innovation Academy Director Rob DelCampo. Its a totally new venue for students to live and work in a dedicated space to innovate, invent, and create.

Lobo Rainforest building at a glance

Overall

 Six floors, 160,000 square feet

 Cost: $35 million

 Contractor: Jaynes Corp.

 Developer: Signet Development of Ohio, New Mexicos Goodman Realty Group and Dekker/Perich/Sabatini.

Ground floor

 Innovation Academy classrooms

 UNM Science and Technology Corp. offices (tech transfer)

 Air Force Research Laboratory offices

 Private business and student startup offices

 Open meeting areas, video conferencing center

Student housing, top five floors

 155 two-bedroom, two-bath apartments to house up to 310 students

 Open lounge and work spaces that look out on the city

 Extra rooms for collaborative projects

 Fitness center

 UNM expects about 50 percent student occupancy during the 2017-2018 academic year
WASHINGTON  Congress is still trying to send President Donald Trump his first unqualified legislative triumph, nearly six months after Republicans grabbed full control of Washington. Now, lawmakers are returning from their July 4 recess with an added objective  averting some full-blown political disasters.

The GOP campaign to repeal Democrat Barack Obamas health care law is bogged down in the Senate and flirting with collapse. Efforts to pass a budget are stuck, theres no tax code overhaul package, spending bills are in limbo and its unclear how leaders will find the votes to avert a federal default.

The difficulties flow from Republican divisions. Collectively, the problems are threatening to sink top GOP priorities and undermine the partys ability to show it can govern effectively.

Lawmakers have three weeks of work before an August recess. Some Republicans are making noise about shortening that respite, but doing so would be a step shy of sacrilege on Capitol Hill.

___

HEALTH CARE NAIL-BITER II

It took the House several tries to pass its bill aiming to annul much of Obamas health care law. Now, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is struggling to find GOP votes for a similar package replacing that 2010 statute with one easing insurance coverage requirements, cutting Medicaid, erasing penalties on people not buying insurance and repealing tax increases on the well-off.

McConnell, R-Ky., unexpectedly called off a pre-recess vote on the measure  which hed written privately  as it became clear it would lose. With Democrats arrayed unanimously against him, McConnell needs at least 50 of the 52 GOP senators to vote yes or witness the mortifying crumpling of his partys high-decibel pledge to uproot Obamas law.

McConnell has been calibrating changes that might win over worried Republicans, but theres no sign hes made progress. Two GOP senators, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John McCain of Arizona, issued dire forecasts on Sunday, saying the initial bill is probably dead. Revisions under consideration would lessen the bills Medicaid cuts, boost spending for programs combatting drug abuse, fatten health care subsidies for low earners and make it easier for insurers to sell skimpier, lower-cost policies.

A vote is expected no earlier than the week of July 16. McConnell has said if the measure flops, hed push a narrower bill propping up ailing health insurance marketplaces.

___

A BUDGET MORASS

Republicans are stuck on a fiscal blueprint for the coming budget year, with disputes between conservatives and moderates over how deeply to cut programs like food stamps. None of the 12 annual spending bills financing federal agencies is finished.

Disagreements have slowed work on a tax overhaul. And no one knows what bargains will be needed to assure autumn passage of a bill extending government borrowing authority and avoiding a crushing federal default.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters Friday that hed prefer to pass the budget in July, suggesting it might linger until fall, adding to Congress late-year mountain of work.

Some conservatives in Congress, meanwhile, want to include measures to cut spending as part of any extension of the governments borrowing authority.

But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reiterated Sunday on ABCs This Week that the administration prefers a straightforward extension, without including contentious agreements on spending cuts.

___

TAX REFORM

Mnuchin also knocked down a report last week that Trump administration adviser Steve Bannon has floated a tax increase on the wealthiest households as a way to pay for tax cuts for middle-income Americans.

Ive never heard Steve mention that, Mnuchin said on This Week. He added that the increase is not part of the administrations tax plan.

Bannons proposal to raise the tax rate for Americans earning nearly $420,000 to 40 percent or higher was reported July 2 by the website Axios.

The administration is aiming to release its full tax plan by September, Mnuchin said, and hopes to pass it into law by the end of the year. So far, the administration has issued a one-page summary of broad principles for tax reform, but few details.

The GOP congressional leadership and the Trump administration have struggled with the issue of how to offset the cost of tax cuts. Mnuchin said the administrations plan would pay for itself, if about $2 trillion in increased revenue resulting from faster economic growth is included.

Yet congressional budget scorekeepers may not agree that tax cuts would produce such growth.

Under congressional budget rules, tax cuts can be passed by the Senate with a simple majority, but only if they dont increase the deficit after 10 years. That would allow Republicans, who have 52 Senate seats, to pass the bill without any Democratic votes.

___

BILLIONS MORE FOR MILITARY

Defense hawks scoffed at Trumps proposed 2018 military budget as insufficient. Theyre adding billions more.

The House is slated to vote this week on a sweeping policy bill that takes issue with Trumps proposed trim to missile defense spending as North Korea pushes its development of weapons capable of striking the United States.

The defense bill would provide $696 billion for the Pentagon. It has $28.5 billion more for core Pentagon operations than Trump requested, including an additional $2.5 billion for programs aimed at shielding the homeland from missiles. Theres extra money for new jet fighters, ships and additional active duty troops.

Less certain is how quickly Republicans move on legislation passed by the Senate that would hit Russia and Iran with new sanctions. Democrats are pressing for fast action, but the measure was not on the House schedule for the week. The legislation easily cleared the Senate in June.

___

FBI NOMINEE

Christopher Wray gets his turn in the spotlight as a Senate panel holds a confirmation hearing on Trumps choice to replace ousted FBI Director James Comey.

Wray, a white-collar defense lawyer with a strong law enforcement background, was a high-ranking official in George W. Bushs Justice Department. He later represented New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in the Bridgegate scandal.

Trump fired Comey in May as the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election pressed on. Members of the Judiciary Committee are certain to press Wray on how independent he would be from Trump.

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NEW ENERGY

Two women  one Republican, one Democrat  have worked closely on energy issues.

Now, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell have a bill to speed federal approval of projects to export liquefied natural gas and boost other energy sources and efficiency measures. The legislation also sets up a land and water conservation fund.

The proposal resembles one the pair pushed through the Senate last year. Murkowski chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, while Cantwell is the committees top Democrat.

The bill failed last year over a dispute with the House, which adopted its own measure focused on oil drilling and rolling back federal protections for the gray wolf and other threatened wildlife.

Murkowski would like the House to vote on the bill before August.

___

Associated Press writers Matthew Daly, Richard Lardner, Christopher Rugaber and Donna Cassata contributed to this report.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys have begun to iron out possible changes to a case management order that affects cases in Bernalillo County courts and has been blamed for a spike in crime.

District Attorney Raul Torrez has called for several changes to the order, which set deadlines in criminal cases. He said the rules have caused thousands of case dismissals since they went into effect in February 2015.

Torrez is hosting two workshops this month and has invited defense lawyers and others to offer input.

The state Supreme Court, which put the order in place to address several problems with the Albuquerque-areas court system, will have final approval of any possible changes.

The first workshop was held July 6. Among other changes, Torrez is trying to give judges more discretion about how to respond if prosecutors miss a deadline, especially if it is because of something outside the prosecutions hands, like a failure to transport an inmate to court for a hearing.

Ahmad Assed, a criminal defense attorney who attended the workshop, said it was a good start to any reforms, but he cautioned Torrez against politicizing the issue. He questioned some of the examples Torrez has highlighted as reasons for making changes to the order.

During the workshop, Torrez referred to Bernabe Torres, an inmate Torrez said refused to get on a transport bus to attend a hearing and his case was then dismissed. Torrez told the Journal that the defense attorney in the case advised the inmate that he could refuse to be transported to court for a hearing.

Torres attorney couldnt be reached for comment.

Court records do indicate Torres case was dismissed. They also show that the judge had ordered that Torres be transported to court for the hearing and theres no indication that prosecutors told the judge why Torres wasnt transported, Assed said.

It is not useful to bring forward cases as an example to prove a point without giving the full factual scenario. When you give half stories on any particular case, it doesnt do the public any good, he said.

There was a reason the Supreme Court initiated the CMO. This county, this part of the state, had very significant challenges. We had people waiting to be tried two and three years while they were in custody.

Torrez said during the workshop that litigating issues such as why an inmate was or wasnt transported to court for a hearing would strain his offices resources.

Michael Patrick, a spokesman for Torrez, said prosecutors were encouraged and optimistic after the first workshop.

We look forward to more participation by the stakeholders who were unable to attend to further the discussion on the necessary changes to the CMO, he said.
Hes the only mayoral candidate who qualified for public financing, but it appears that Tim Keller will have some extra help in his bid to be Albuquerques next mayor.

A Measure Finance Committee dubbed ABQ Forward Together has been formed to support Tim Kellers bid for mayor of Albuquerque.

The group, which is soliciting contributions on its website, is quick to point out that it is not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.

Keller qualified for public financing by submitting $5 contributions from more than 3,802 registered city voters. He has received roughly $380,000 in city funds, minus the seed money he raised, to run his campaign.

As a publicly financed candidate, Keller cannot accept campaign contributions. But there is no prohibition against an unconnected political group raising money in support of Kellers mayoral run.

More endorsements

Keller continues to amass endorsements. Among those throwing their support behind Keller are Teamsters Local 492, Laborers International Union of North America Local 16, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Local 823, the New Mexico Building & Construction Trades Council, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 611, Iron Workers Local Union 495, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees Council 18 and the New Mexico Working Families Party.

Blue Collar workers ensure that our city parks are clean and safe for our children, that our city busses are running on time, and that our streets are clean, Casey Padilla, president of AFSCME Council 18 and Local 624, said in a news release. Our members work hard every single day to make our city beautiful and improve the quality of life for all of us. We are honored to endorse Tim Keller for mayor because he shares that same vision and will work hard to make all of us proud to live here.
ANAHEIM, Calif.  Mike Trout will return to the Los Angeles Angels lineup Friday after missing 39 games with an injured thumb.

Angels spokesman Tim Mead confirmed the clubs plan Sunday night after Trouts fourth rehabilitation game with Class-A Inland Empire.

Trout has been out since May 28, when he tore a ligament in his left thumb while sliding headfirst into second base. The two-time AL MVP had surgery and missed six weeks of big-league action.

The Angels (45-47) return from the All-Star break at home Friday against Tampa Bay. Los Angeles went 19-20 during Trouts absence, staying in second place in the AL West.

Trout was in the midst of yet another MVP-caliber season when he was hurt. He is batting .337 with 16 homers, 36 RBIs and a whopping 1.203 OPS in 47 games.

Trout had a triple and three walks Sunday in his final appearance with Inland Empire. He began taking batting practice June 30 before his minor-league stint in San Bernardino.

Despite the first major injury of his career, Trout was voted onto the AL All-Star team for the sixth time. The Angels announced last week that Trout wouldnt attempt to play in Miami.

Trout was the All-Star Games MVP in 2014 and 2015.
I have never felt more listened to, and I have never felt more informed! The New Mexico Teacher Summit has shifted the circle of influence that teachers have in education in New Mexico.

At the teacher summit, I attended sessions held by various presenters and Public Education Department employees. The PED employees handed out business cards and encouraged teachers to contact them directly at any time. Some department heads personally invited teachers to help them develop new initiatives they are taking on. Their transparency amazed me!

I sat in on a session where I learned about budgets and how school and district funds are allocated. I was educated about different federal and state policies. I had the opportunity to network and share resources with teachers from around the state. I sat in on a small, collaborative session with acting Secretary Christopher Ruszkowski, who took the time to talk to teachers. He went seat by seat and encouraged us to voice any thoughts or concerns; he listened to us and addressed our questions directly. He projected amazing energy and positivity as he shared his personal background, perspectives and goals for education in New Mexico.

What was ultimately revealed by the New Mexico Teacher Summit is that there is a great shift taking place within our state. A shift from the past into a future where teachers are directly informed, empowered and listened to. In the past, changes to educational policies have revealed themselves as mountains of muddled messages that were pressed upon us, impacting our teaching, our morale and our precious students. This new, clear, direct communication is fundamental to teacher understanding. The New Mexico Teacher Summit was not a waste of money nor a waste of time. It was about investing in New Mexico teachers by making the time to value our perspectives, listen to our input and develop a relationship with us. This summit gave us an avenue to connect with one another and to share our stories. It was very encouraging and uplifting. We were inspired by guest speakers from around the country who share in our same passions, struggles and heartaches.

The climate of education in New Mexico needs to be more positive. It needs to be that for our teachers, students, parents and our New Mexico community. Teachers are the people who work directly with the children of New Mexico every day. We are impacted by funding and new policies. We are advocates for our students. Our voices must be heard.

The Teacher Summit may be expanded next year to reach thousands more teachers in New Mexico, and I am thrilled! There are many opportunities being offered for our teachers to become involved and have a seat at the table of change. I believe that when we work together we can create nothing but good things for our students.

My hope is that with new leadership in 2018, teacher leader initiatives are kept, and teacher voices continue to be held front and center. I encourage all teachers to become involved and elevate their voice. Now is the time; they are listening.

Heather Hinde is a Reading Interventionist at Hillrise Elementary and a Level III Teacher with a masters degree in curriculum and instruction. She is a New Mexico Literacy Dream Team Teacher Leader, a fellow in the Woodrow Wilson MBA for Educator Leadership Program and is pursuing National Board Teaching Certification in Reading: Literacy and Language Arts this December.
The New Mexico Gaming Control Board is demanding that tribal gambling interests pay the state about $40 million in revenue sharing for free-play credit incentives that the casinos offer to entice patrons to lose their money. The tribes are suing the gaming control board in federal court to block the state action.

Regulators say Tesuque Pueblo owes about $3.2 million, Sandia Pueblo owes about $26.5 million and Isleta Pueblo owes about $10.3 million. Santa Ana and Santa Clara have recently joined the case.

The tribes and the state entered compacts in 2015 that did not require tribes to pay revenue sharing on future free play, but the state is insisting that the tribal casinos owe revenue sharing on free play incentives before that time. The federal government has sided with the tribes in previous court battles.

The whole battle also hinges around accurate reporting of income and revenue sharing from the tribes. A report by the Legislative Finance Committee in 2013 revealed that financial reports from the tribal casinos are self-reporting and not subject to normal state accounting scrutiny, so what they actually offer in free play and what they actually make in their gambling racket is anyones guess.

The whole casino system is designed to deceive and addict its patrons, and free play is just another hook to snag the unwary gambler.

Its time for the government (state and tribal) to get out of the predatory gambling racket.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Celebrated World War II news correspondent Ernie Pyle lived among the troops fighting on the front lines overseas and told their stories so Americans back home would understand what they were fighting for and would remember the soldiers and their sacrifices.

Pyle, who had an international following, made the ultimate sacrifice himself when he was killed by a Japanese machine gunner on April 18, 1945, as American forces pushed to capture the island of Okinawa.

Today, it is the memory of Pyle that is in danger of fading as those who lived through the World War II era age and die, and younger generations find themselves with little knowledge of the journalist who made his home in Albuquerque.

The memory of Pyle fares better in Albuquerque than most places. Pyles home at 900 Girard SE is now a public branch library, and the Ernie Pyle Middle School in the South Valley is named for him.

Four years ago, a small group of remaining Pyle family members formed the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation to keep the public memory of the deceased Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent alive.

Toward that end, the foundation is kicking off its campaign for a National Ernie Pyle Day in Albuquerque on Aug. 3, Pyles birthday. A daylong program will be held at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial park, 1100 Louisiana SE, starting at 9:30 a.m. A free hot-dog lunch will be served to all.

Veterans groups will be honored, especially veterans of World War II, said Gerald Maschino, a foundation member whose wife, Wynne, is Pyles first cousin once removed.

A keynote address will be given by Joseph Galloway, a Vietnam War correspondent, columnist and co-author of the best-selling 1992 book We Were Soldiers Once  And Young, which was later made into a Hollywood movie.

Other guests and speakers include a ROTC color guard from Ernie Pyle Middle School, patriotic music from an American Legion band, the reading of the National Ernie Pyle Day proclamations signed by Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, and the presentation of Ernie Pyle, A One Man Show by local historian Baldwin Burr.

In addition, Maschino said, the first $1,000 Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation Scholarship will be presented to a journalism student at the University of New Mexico.

This first award is being funded by foundation members, he said. However, the foundation has applied for a grant from the Scripps-Howard organization to fund Ernie Pyle scholarships at journalism schools around the country.

At the time of his death at age 44, Pyle was a syndicated columnist for the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain. His columns were published in more than 300 newspapers nationwide and overseas.

Pyle was born on Aug. 3, 1900, in Indiana and joined the U.S. Navy Reserve at age 17. He served three months active duty near the end of World War I and then finished his enlistment in the reserves.

He attended Indiana University, where he studied journalism, but he quit school in 1923, months shy of graduating, to accept a reporting job at the La Porte Herald, now The La Porte Herald-Argus, in Indiana.

Pyle stayed only a few months before moving to Washington, D.C., to work for the Washington Daily News, a Scripps-Howard newspaper. There he became a managing editor and later the countrys first aviation columnist, becoming friends with aviation pioneers including Amelia Earhart.

It was in Washington that he met Geraldine Jerry Siebolds. They married in 1925 and settled in Albuquerque in 1940. She died in Albuquerque of influenza seven months after her husbands death in the Pacific.

In 1935, Pyle became a Scripps-Howard roving reporter, writing about the people and places he encountered along Americas better-traveled highways and lesser-known byways.

With the countrys entry into World War II, Pyle swapped the scenery of the U.S. for the landscape of North Africa, Europe and the Pacific.

Possessing a unique writing voice that a Scripps-Howard editor once described as having a Mark Twain quality, Pyle wrote dispatches about the war and those who fought the battles that served as a lifeline between the soldiers and their families at home.

Pyles death was mourned from coast to coast. His remains eventually were reinterred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

If you go

WHAT: Daylong program marking the birthday of Ernie Pyle.

WHEN: Aug. 3 starting at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: New Mexico Veterans Memorial, 1100 Louisiana SE, Albuquerque.
Last month the U.S. Supreme Court struck a blow for K-12 students no matter where they go to school, as well as taxpayers who are invested in the next generation joining their ranks. Our state justices have been told to reconsider their 2015 ruling barring state tax funds from paying for textbooks at private schools, including religious schools.

It is a learned federal decision that respects the First Amendments separation of church and state while honoring New Mexico law and public dollars. Because for almost three decades  until the state Supreme Court ruling  New Mexico helped fund nonreligious textbooks and instructional materials for private schools. Now the highest court in the land has directed New Mexico to reconsider the textbook funding case and refers justices to its Missouri playground decision, which came out the day before. In that case, federal justices said it is unconstitutional to ban public funds from paying for certain projects based solely on a schools private or religious status.

The New Mexico case, filed in 2012 by parents Cathy Moses of Santa Fe and Paul Weinbaum of Las Cruces against the Public Education Department, claimed the use of public funds to private schools violated the states anti-donation clause and forced them, as taxpayers, to follow the religious dictates of others.

The state district and appellate courts rejected that argument. Because just as a new playground surface at the Trinity Lutheran Church preschool has everything to do with child safety and nothing to do with the teachings of Martin Luther, providing $1 million in tax dollars to 109 privates schools for books from the secular state textbook list has everything to do with the basics of education and nothing to do with the Bible, Book of Mormon, Torah, Quran, Shreemad Bhagavad Gita  you get the idea.

Yet the state Supreme Court unanimously disagreed.

As a state and nation we expect all taxpayers to support public schools whether they have children in them or not, because educating the next generation is a priority. The federal Supremes have in essence opined that precept applies to the non-religious hardscape in private schools as well.

And in New Mexico, which is working hard to improve its students academic standing on the national stage and raising standards so tomorrows workforce is competitive globally, ensuring all students have a level learning field by providing core textbooks is a good decision.

For students and taxpayers alike.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

WASHINGTON  Rep. Steve Pearce, a Republican who has represented New Mexicos 2nd Congressional District for over 12 years, will announce his campaign for governor today.

Pearce, 69, will become the second member of New Mexicos five-member congressional delegation to shift political ambitions from Washington to Santa Fe. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, announced her 2018 campaign for governor of New Mexico in December.

Incumbent Gov. Susana Martinez, a Republican, is term-limited and will leave office at the end of 2018.

Pearces announcement makes him the first Republican to jump into the 2018 New Mexico governors race. Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry and Lt. Gov. John Sanchez have also been mentioned as possible GOP candidates for governor, but neither has thrown his hat in the ring.

Pearce told the Journal hes concerned about an exodus of young people from New Mexico. He said theyre leaving to seek jobs and a better quality of life elsewhere. Pearce said his gubernatorial platform will contain four planks: improving education, reducing crime, spurring economic growth and reducing poverty.

My grandkids dont even want to stay in the state  they want to go somewhere else, he said. Every family is facing that, and I just believe its possible to change the course and redirect and fulfill the potential we have.

Pearce said his experience as a member of Congress, a New Mexico state representative and an executive in the states oil industry has prepared him for the governors job. But he also said he didnt make the decision to run easily.

Its one of the most difficult decisions Ive made in elected office, Pearce said in a Journal interview. We could have pretty well cruised in the 2nd District, but at the end of the day, if New Mexico fails while we are getting some successes in D.C. then thats a problem.

The congressman said hell serve out his current term in Washington while running for governor.

Pearce started serving in Congress in 2003 and served through 2008, when he ran for the U.S. Senate and lost to now-Sen. Tom Udall, a Democrat, in the general election. Pearce left Washington for two years after his failed Senate bid and Democrat Harry Teague represented the 2nd District for one term. Pearce ran again for the seat in 2010 and defeated Teague. He has held the seat since.

Brian Sanderoff, a longtime New Mexico political analyst who conducts scientific surveys for the Journal, said if Pearce wins the GOP primary election in June 2018 hell face a big challenge.

New Mexico is a blue-leaning state, so Democrats, with all things equal, tend to have an advantage; however many Republicans have enjoyed statewide electoral success over the years, Sanderoff said.

The pollster also noted that Republicans who have won statewide office in New Mexico have shown moderate political leanings. Sanderoff cited current Gov. Martinez, former GOP Govs. Garrey Carruthers and Gary Johnson, and former Sen. Pete Domenici as Republicans who won elections as moderates.

Moderate Republicans running with a moderate message have had more success than conservatives in statewide races in New Mexico, Sanderoff said.

Pearce  a member of the staunchly conservative Freedom Caucus in the U.S. House  is frequently mentioned among the most conservative members of Congress.

Pearce downplayed the notion that his reputation as a hard-right conservative would harm his chances to win the New Mexico governorship. He noted that Democrats outnumber Republicans in the 2nd District, yet hes won the congressional seat seven times.

I have a lot of Democratic supporters, Pearce said. They are not necessarily conservative but they believe Im offering leadership and that I make sound decisions and tell the truth as I know it.

Pearce noted that when he lost his bid for statewide office in 2008, the nation was at the height of a financial crisis and Democrats were riding an exceptional wave of popularity. Barack Obama won the White House overwhelmingly that year as the nation soured on the leadership of then-President George W. Bush.

https://youtu.be/XE2Xmy1AKDY

Sanderoff said the political outlook might also be challenging for Pearce in 2018.

Hell be running in a mid-term of a Donald Trump presidency  a man who lost New Mexico by eight percentage points, Sanderoff said. The party that is not in the White House at mid-term elections tends to have a great political and electoral advantage.

The question is what will the mood be in 2018? Sanderoff added.

Pearce predicted that New Mexicans, who have not enjoyed the economic recovery seen in other states in recent years, will respond favorably to his campaign.

If we dont start diversifying the economy and getting everyone  not just the people who are easy to hire  but everyone up and down the economic ladder into jobs and feeling that sense of pride of earned success then we have even deeper troubles ahead of us as a state, Pearce said. I believe my background and skill set has prepared me well to deal with those challenges.

While Pearce is the first Republican to announce a campaign for governor, four candidates have already entered the Democrat primary race. In addition to Lujan Grisham, they are former media executive Jeff Apodaca from Albuquerque, Sen. Joseph Cervantes from Las Cruces and Peter DeBenedittis, an anti-alcohol activist from Santa Fe.
Wildlife Rescue workers released a yellow-billed cuckoo at Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge in the South Valley over the weekend.

Yellow-billed cuckoos have become increasingly rare in the West in recent years. The bird arrived at the clinic weeks ago with injuries, but was returned to the wild Saturday.

The 570-acre wildlife refuge, which is currently an alfalfa field, is located along the Rio Grande in Albuquerques South Valley. Over the next few years, the refuge will begin restoring native habitats to create opportunities for wildlife viewing.
WASHINGTON  A meeting between President Donald Trumps eldest son and a Russian lawyer during the presidential campaign occurred at the behest of a Moscow-based singer with family ties to Trumps businesses, according to a participant in the talks. Donald Trump Jr. acknowledged Monday he made time for the meeting hoping to get information about Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The circumstances surrounding the meeting, and a report by The New York Times late Monday that Trump Jr. was told ahead of time that the source of the information was the Russian government, fueled new questions about the Trump campaigns possible ties to Moscow, which are being scrutinized by federal and congressional investigators.

The Times reported that Trump Jr., who was a key campaign adviser to his father, was told the Russian government was behind the information on Clinton in an email from music publicist Rob Goldstone. The Times cited three unnamed people with knowledge of the email.

The report is the first public word that Trump Jr. took the meeting with the understanding that he would be presented with damaging information about his fathers political opponent and that the material could have emanated from the Kremlin.

Goldstone spoke to The Associated Press earlier Monday to confirm he had set up the meeting on behalf of his client, Emin Agalarov, but he did not disclose the contents of the email described by The Times. Goldstone did not immediately respond to attempts to contact him Monday night.

In a statement, Trump Jr.s New York-based attorney Alan Futerfas called the Times report much ado about nothing, though he acknowledged his client had received an email from Goldstone to set up a meeting with the purpose of passing along damaging information on Clinton. His statement did not dispute the Times report on the email.

Futerfas said Trump Jr. was not told the specifics of the information and nothing came of the meeting. The bottom line is that Don, Jr. did nothing wrong, Futerfas said in the statement, noting that the younger Trump hasnt been contacted by any congressional committees or Special Counsel Robert Muellers office.

The White House referred questions to the presidents son. Mark Corallo, a spokesman for President Donald Trumps outside legal team, would not comment on the Times story, reiterating only that Trump was not aware of and did not attend the meeting.

Earlier Monday, Trump Jr. tried to brush off the significance of the meeting, tweeting sarcastically, Obviously Im the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent  went nowhere but had to listen.

Trump Jr. also said on Twitter he was willing to work with the Senate intelligence committee, one of the panels probing possible campaign collusion, to pass on what I know.

Lawmakers on the committee from both parties said they indeed wanted to talk with the presidents son. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the panel needs to interview him and others who attended the meeting. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., agreed, saying, Based on his own admissions, this is an attempt at collusion.

The sequence of events that led to the June 2016 meeting highlighted the tangled web of relationships that investigators now are sorting through.

The presidents son said the meeting was arranged by an acquaintance he knew through the 2013 Miss Universe pageant Trump held in Moscow.

Trump Jr. initially didnt name the acquaintance, but in an interview with the AP, Goldstone confirmed he set up the meeting on behalf of Agalarov. Goldstone said the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, stated that she had information about purported illegal campaign contributions to the Democratic National Committee that she thought Trump Jr. might find helpful.

Goldstone said Trump Jr. agreed to squeeze the meeting into a tight schedule.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Monday the Kremlin doesnt know Veselnitskaya and cannot keep track of every Russian lawyer who holds meetings in Russia or abroad. Although she has not been publicly linked with the Russian government itself, Veselnitskaya represented the son of a vice president of state-owned Russian Railways in a New York money-laundering case settled in May before a trial.

A staff member at Veselnitskayas firm told the AP on Monday that she was unavailable for comment.

During his visit to Moscow, Trump spent time with Agalarov, appearing in a music video with him and several contestants in the pageant, which Trump owned at the time. Agalarovs father, Aras, is a Russian developer who sought to partner with Trump on a hotel project in Moscow and tried to set up a meeting between Trump and Putin during the Miss Universe contest.

According to The Washington Post and several other media accounts, the elder Agalarov paid Trump $14 million to $20 million to stage the pageant in Moscow. But Aras Agalarov was unable to persuade Putin to meet with Trump. Putin canceled the session, sending a Trump a friendly letter and a lacquered box in appreciation, the Post has reported.

On Monday, Goldstone said the Trumps and the Agalarovs stayed in contact after the pageant, and Emin Agalarov asked him to reach out to the Trumps to broker the June meeting with Veselnitskaya.

Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and now White House senior adviser, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort attended the meeting. Goldstone said he and a translator also participated.

During the meeting, Goldstone said, Veselnitskaya made comments about campaign funding that were not specific, and then turned the subject to a discontinued Russian adoption program and the Magnitsky Act , a bill passed in 2012 that allows the U.S. to impose sanctions on Russians for human rights violations.

Goldstone said that at one point during the meeting, Trump Jr. or Kushner said, Can we get to the point? And later, after Veselnitskaya had finished her presentation, Trump Jr. said, Is that it?

The whole thing was really vague, Goldstone said. He said he and Trump Jr. were the last to leave the room, and I turned to him and said: Im really embarrassed. I dont know what that was.

Unlike Kushner, Trump Jr. does not serve in the administration and is not required to disclose his foreign contacts.

Over the weekend, Trump Jr. initially omitted any mention of Clinton from his account of the meeting, describing it as a short introductory meeting focused on the disbanded program that had allowed American adoptions of Russian children. Moscow ended the adoptions in response to the Magnitsky Act sanctions.

A day later, Trump Jr. acknowledged he was told beforehand that Veselnitskaya might have information helpful to the Trump campaign, and was told by her during the meeting that she had something about Clinton.

No details or supporting information was provided or even offered, he said. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information. He said there was no follow-up after the meeting and his father was unaware it happened.

Foreign nationals are prohibited from providing anything of value to campaigns, and that same law also bars solicitation of such assistance. The law typically applies to monetary campaign contributions, but courts might consider information such as opposition research to be something of value.

Bradley A. Smith, a former Bill Clinton-appointed Republican Federal Election Commission member, said that based on whats known about the meeting, Trump Jr.s actions are unlikely to be considered illegal solicitation. Its not illegal to meet with someone to find out what they have to offer, Smith said.

But Larry Noble, a former general counsel at the Federal Election Commission, said the situation raises all sorts of red flags.

You do not want your campaign to be involved with foreign nationals, period, said Noble, now senior director at the Campaign Legal Center.

The New York Times first reported the lawyers meeting with Trump Jr. and the meetings prospect of negative information about Clinton. Trump Jr.s acknowledgment that he hoped to get information from her on Clinton only came in response to questions from the Times.

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Moody reported from New York. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Mary Clare Jalonick, Andrew Taylor and Stephen Braun in Washington, Julie Bykowicz in Baltimore and Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed to this report.

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Submit a confidential tip to The Associated Press: https://www.ap.org/tips

___

Follow Chad Day on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChadSDay
BOSTON  Drugmakers plunged off a patent cliff earlier this decade, losing billions in sales as lucrative branded drugs lost exclusivity. An expensive lobbying effort aimed at preventing a repeat is paying off.

The loss of a series of key patents for cholesterol fighters and other widely used medicines cost big-name drug companies about $82 billion in sales between 2011 and 2013, according to life-sciences data company Evaluate Ltd., forcing large-scale job cuts and a wave of deals to make up for lost revenue.

Once again, the pharmaceutical industry is peering over the ledge. Over the next three years, roughly $60 billion of drug sales for companies including Roche Holding AG, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly & Co. are threatened by potential rivals, according to a report from the investment firm Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Among the drugs expected to lose their protections are pricey biotechnology treatments for cancer and other diseases.

The industry has pushed hard to forestall generic competition for the complex drugs, which are typically grown from cells rather than manufactured chemically. As Congress debated a new approval process for so-called biosimilars amid the legislating of Obamacare, the industry boosted its lobbying by almost 50 percent, spending $274 million in 2009, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

By the time lawmakers passed a path to market for biosimilars as part of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the industry had assured that competition would come much more slowly, making the resulting sales decline look less like a precipice and more like a gentle hill.

HIGH STAKES

Swiss drug maker Roche may have the most at stake. Its facing the loss of exclusivity for its three top-selling cancer drugs over the next two years, which account for more than $20 billion of its $51.4 billion in annual sales. Roches leukemia therapy Rituxan, which sold 7.3 billion Swiss francs ($7.24 billion) last year, loses patent protection this year, according to Bernstein. Out of 31 analysts who follow Roches stock, 21 rate it a buy, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Roche campaigned mightily for tougher approval for biosimilars. The company spent $17.7 million in U.S. congressional lobbying in 2007 and 2008, compared to $3.7 million in 2000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The surge was aimed largely at laws that would have created an easier path for biosimilars. Versions of those laws ultimately passed in the Obamacare law, but drugmaker lobbying helped ensured stiff barriers to entry and a longer period in which biosimilar makers couldnt cite earlier data when seeking approval.

Roche is the strongest, biggest player which deliberately stayed out of biosimilars and is going out of its way to portray biosimilars as different and unsafe, said Ian Tzeng, a partner at L.E.K. Consulting, a firm that consults with businesses about strategy and mergers and acquisitions.

Roche said in an emailed statement that it has supported a rigorous and science-based pathway for the approval of biosimilars, and that its lobbying has focused on ensuring that biosimilars are safe.

MORE COMPLEX

In the early 2000s, treatments for common chronic ailments racked up impressive sales for the worlds biggest drugmakers. Blockbusters like cholesterol drug Lipitor, which peaked at $12.9 billion in sales in 2006 for Pfizer Inc., drove large gains in sales and profits. But after Lipitors protection against generic competition lapsed in 2011, the geyser of cash it once generated evaporated. By 2016, sales were $1.76 billion, down 86 percent from their high.

When Lipitor went off patent, the sales disappeared in a nanosecond, said Roger Longman, CEO of data-analytics company Real Endpoints, which focuses on how to value drugs.

Lipitor and single-molecule drugs like it were straightforward for generics makers to copy. Many of the drugs expected to lose their patent shields in coming years, by contrast, are complex medicines produced by living cells, which makes replicating them more difficult.

Drugmakers main lobbying groups, PhRMA and BIO, successfully watered down efforts to give biosimilars an easier approval process. They argued that making exact copies of biologic drugs would be virtually impossible given the technical hurdles to duplicating the medicines large proteins, which are produced by genetically engineered cells in specialized vats.

PhRMA said it supported the law, which balances the desire for increased competition among biologics from biosimilar products with the need for incentives to support future medical innovation, said spokesman Andrew Powaleny by email.

PATENT SLOPE

Analysts say that given the longer approval arc for biosimilars, major drugmakers are less likely to be whipsawed by generic rivals when key medicines drop off patent. But over time, political pressure over high drug costs is expected to undercut the dominance of branded biologic drugs. The Food and Drug Administrations new leader, Scott Gottlieb, has said he wants more alternatives to brand-name medicines on the market to push down prices.

Also likely to shield drugmakers from a jarring sales slump are patients already taking biologic drugs who will resist switching, according to Ira Loss, a health-care analyst at research firm Washington Analysis LLC. But new patients may be forced to take biosimilar versions of drugs, and eventually that will turn the tide, he says.

Ultimately, biosimilars are going to be a big part of our society  they have to be for cost reasons, said Loss.

In the seven years since Congress passed the biosimilar approval legislation, the U.S. has approved five biosimilars, short of the 25 such drugs now approved in Europe, where regulators have resisted the industrys lobbying muscle. The slow path to market in the U.S. has frustrated makers of biosimilars and patients who hope the presence of more competitors will cause drug prices to decline.

While Europe was acting, we were talking, said Chip Davis, chief executive officer of the Association for Accessible Medicines, the generic drugmaker industry body. We think theres an enormous amount of work to be done to get the pathway and market up and running. Year over year we are falling farther behind Europe, not catching up.



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MANCHESTER, England  Romelu Lukaku joined Manchester United from Everton for 75 million pounds ($97 million) on Monday after the striker rejected a late bid by former club Chelsea.

The 24-year-old Belgium international signed a five-year deal and became the second most expensive player in Uniteds history after close friend Paul Pogba, who joined last offseason for $116 million.

Lukaku, a powerfully built, 6-foot-3 (1.90-meter) striker, links for a second time with manager Jose Mourinho, who sold the player to Everton in 2014 when both were at Chelsea. Lukaku failed to establish a first-team place at Chelsea and had to spend most of his time on loan first at West Bromwich Albion and then Everton.

Romelu is a natural fit for Manchester United. He is a big personality and a big player, Mourinho said.

Bolstering his strike force has been a priority for Mourinho ahead of his second season in charge at United after Zlatan Ibrahimovic  currently out with a knee injury  wasnt offered a contract extension.

Lukaku was the second highest scorer in the English Premier League last season, netting 25 goals as Everton finished seventh in the standings. United was a place higher but qualified for the Champions League by winning the Europa League.

When Manchester United and Jose Mourinho come knocking at the door, it is an opportunity of a lifetime and one that I could not turn down, Lukaku said. You could see the fight, determination and the spirit in this team during the Europa League final and I want to become a part of that.

In an interview with ESPN published on Sunday, Lukaku said he turned down an offer from Chelsea, the current English champion, because he had already given his word to United.

Lukaku is Uniteds second signing of the summer, after center back Victor Lindelof, and will join the team in Los Angeles for preseason training.

Mourinho has stamped his own imprint on the United team, with Lukakus arrival confirmed a day after Wayne Rooney left Old Trafford after 13 years to return to Everton.

With Lukaku up front, Pogba in central midfield, and Lindelof and Eric Bailly as center backs, Mourinho has a physically imposing spine to the side.

Lukaku said Pogba played a big role in convincing him to join United.

Of course he is one of my best friends and he is my neighbour as well, Lukaku said. We are always together on a daily basis so he would explain to me how things were going.

Last season when he signed for United, to have witnessed that, it really triggered something in my brain and I knew that if one day I had the chance to sign then I would not say No.'

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Steve Douglas is at www.twitter.com/sdouglas80
Several years ago, traveling engineer Alan Porter found himself in a personal dilemma  he craved Hatch green chile. Unfortunately for him, he was stationed to work in Oregon.

(My job) would send me out of state for 6-7 months, so trying to get green chile was a nightmare, he said. We had one batch confiscated by the TSA and another went missing.

In 2009, Alan decided to do something about it. Armed with his wife Paulas green chile recipe, Alan began work on a dehydrated chile sauce that could easily travel from state to state.

After considering 14 chile vendors and receiving feedback from friends and family for the last eight years, Alan and Paula have turned their recipes into commercial products, opening Paulitas New Mexico last month.

Paulitas New Mexico is a homegrown and home-operated culinary business that sells green chile products, including packaged hot and mild dehydrated green chile sauce and green chile seasoning. Paulitas also sells a green chile marinade and green chile salad dressing, with future plans to sell green chile salsacue and a dehydrated red chile sauce. The companys products are sold online through their website at paulitasnewmexico.com.

The companys dehydrated green chile sauce includes Hatch green chiles that go through the same dehydration process that red chile caribe traditionally goes through.

When you rehydrate it and thicken it according to the instructionsyou can make green chile stew with that, you can make calabacitas, you can make green chile corn chowder. Its unlimited what you can do, Paula said.

The companys target audience are Hatch green chile lovers who live outside New Mexico. Because their chile sauce is dehydrated, it ships for a fraction of the cost of a canned product.

Paula and Alan run Paulitas New Mexico from their house near Sara Road, where the two built a commercial kitchen next to the side of their home. Although Alan is still a full-time engineer and Paula works full-time as a customer success manager at Samba Safety, they can be found working on weeknights and weekends in their kitchen, dehydrating chiles and packaging sauces.
PORTLAND, Ore.  An Oregon woman who licked, groped and verbally harassed a female passenger during a flight from Las Vegas to Portland was sentenced Monday to eight months of home detention.

Heidi McKinney, 27, of Banks declined to make a statement during Mondays sentencing at the federal courthouse in Portland, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. McKinney, who wrote a letter of apology to the victim, pleaded guilty in March to assault with intent to commit a felony.

In addition to home detention, McKinney was sentenced to three years on probation. She must also pay $3,000 restitution and abstain from alcohol.

McKinney was arrested May 8, 2016, after the Alaska Airlines flight landed at Portland International Airport. The 19-year-old victim told authorities she had been touched without consent.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Sinha wrote in a sentencing memo last week that the abuse started before the plane departed. Sinha said McKinney, who appeared to have been drinking, tried to speak with the young woman, but the victim was reluctant.

The prosecutor said it was partly because the way in which Ms. McKinney had inappropriately touched the victims chest, and partly because Ms. McKinneys small talk consisted of repeatedly insulting the victims perceived economic status and bragging of her own purported wealth.

When the plane took off, things got worse, with the victim at one point putting a hat over face to avoid McKinney.

But McKinney persisted.

Sinha said McKinney tried to pressure the woman into drinking alcohol she had smuggled on the plane, and subjected her to lewd taunts and physical aggression. He said McKinney licked the victims ear, forced her to touch her breasts and repeatedly placed her hand on the victims crotch.

Eventually  and in spite of the victims repeated pleas for Ms. McKinney to stop  the abuse culminated with Ms. McKinney climbing on top of the victim and telling the victim she wanted to (expletive), Sinha wrote.

At that point, the victim asked the flight crew to be seated elsewhere.

Though Sinha described McKinneys behavior as shocking, he recommended a sentence with a focus on treatment.

McKinney admitted herself to an inpatient treatment center in April after she was found unconscious at a local bar, the sentencing memo states.
C1X (Class One Exchange), the independent Advertising and Marketing Technology (AMT) leader has joined hands with IdeateLabs, a digital marketing company based out of Mumbai to become their Demand Side Platform (DSP) and provide a hybrid programmatic digital media solution along with data management capabilities to their clients in India.

Commenting on the partnership, Sunil Punjabi, VP & Head of Business South Asia, Mumbai, India C1X saidIn recent times,programmatic is steadily creating more than a foothold in the Indian market, which is evidenced by the number of advertisers, increasingly veering towards it, eager to try it out. In the same vein, Ideate Labs has also been looking for a programmatic advertising partner at the behest of its clients. It is providential that the kind of offerings that C1X offers mimicked the requirements that Ideate had and this partnership was imminent. We are glad to seal the deal with them and are confident that this will enable all round growth.

Ideate brings to the table, clients from diverse sectors, some of whom are keen to be on the programmatic platform and some of whom we will need to educate. With the kind of delivery mechanisms that provide both efficiency and effectiveness, along with complete transparency, which are the hallmarks of the C1X platform, and with a committed partner like Ideate, we are sure the client roster will see a surge in next to no time. He added.

Expressing his views on the association, Christopher Higgins, Business Head, IdeateLabs said With C1Xs robust Programmatic Stack, we found just that partner, where we get the flexibility to not just work on Real Time Bidding but also Programmatic Direct within a single tool, across multiple advertising exchanges and DSPs. We met almost all the leading DSPs. Many lacked strong awareness of the Indian market, others had tools that were not user-friendly and others were not transparent. C1X impressed us with their experience across the entire programmatic spectrum, their local partnerships, and the depth of their new platform. We liked the intuitive interface and the predictable workflow, along with the reporting and analysis. The fact that C1X is able to support us for both Indian and International campaigns, was a big plus point.

At Ideate we've witnessed significant growth over the last year, and in the last quarter added a whole host of clients to our roster. With the C1X association, we believe we will be able to help our clients utilise the digital medium more effectively while driving up ROI. The best way to grow an agency is to ensure your client's success. He expressed further.

About the growth of C1X platform in India, Sunil went on to say that C1X as a platform focuses heavily on providing ease of use to the advertiser along with complete transparency. Both these factors are by and large missing from the programmatic play otherwise. Also, with Programmatic Direct, an advertiser is able to secure guaranteed impressions, without the ardour of a PMP or Deal IDs. Not to mention the data overlay for fine tuned targeting. The combination of all these factors lets C1X offer a single-point solution for all programmatic needs in the Indian market and partners like Ideate reposing faith in it, is testimony to the value provided there from.
Changes are afoot in the top leadership of Zee Medias regional news operations. Jagdish Chandra, CEO, Regional News Network of Zee Media, will now handle the responsibilities of Zee Rajasthan, Zee Hindustan and Zee Salaam (Urdu), along with newspaper DNAs Jaipur edition. He will continue to be on the board of ZMCL and DNA, while stepping down as CEO of DNA. His designation will continue as CEO, Regional News Network.

According to a Zee Media communique, Jagdish Chandra has expressed his desire to lighten his load of his current responsibilities of all regional news network as well as DNA (all editions), considering the fact that he has been continuously travelling for 20-25 days a month, which has been taking a huge toil on his health.

In the meantime, till the changes are realigned, Chandra will continue to handle the current role and responsibilities for a fortnight. He had joined Zee Media from ETV in January 2017 as CEO, Regional Channels. A month later, he was made Executive Director, Regional News Channels and in March, he took on the responsibilities of CEO of DNA.

In addition to the three channels, Chandra will also look after various business interests of the group in Rajasthan, which include Zee Studio, Solar park, Cable and Broadband business as well as any other actions that may be required in Rajasthan. He will also continue to assist the group in any area that may be entrusted to him outside Rajasthan.

Zee Media is making several other changes in the roles and responsibilities of regional news network, which include:

Uday Nirgudkar, in addition to his responsibility of Zee 24 Taas, will also be responsible for Zee 24 Kalaak. Deepak Rajani will be reporting into Nirgudkar.

Dileep Tiwari, in addition to his current responsibility of Zee MP-CG, will also be responsible for the new upcoming channel Zee UP-UK.

Purushottam Vaishnav will be designated as Editor for Zee Bihar-Jharkhand and will also be responsible for Orissa and West Bengal. Bhibhu Patnaik and Anirban Choudhary will be aligned to Vaishnav.

Dinesh Sharma, who is currently handling Zee PHH, will in addition to editorial responsibility also handle the sales for Zee PHH. The sales team for this territory will be aligned to Sharma.

Manoj Jagyasi and Harjit Singh from Zee Unimedia will continue to be responsible for the sales of other regional channels in addition to handling sales for channels being handled directly by Jagdish Chandra.

Dwaiyapan Bose, Editor-in-Chief of DNA, will be reporting to Sudhir Choudhary, while Anurag Bhatnagar and Kamal Dhingra will be in the interim responsible for Sales and all other functions of DNA, respectively.

Resident Editor of DNA Jaipur Edition will report into Jagdish Chandra.
WARSAW, Poland, July 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HNA Group, a global Fortune 500 company focused on tourism logistics and financial services, today announced that Adam Tan, CEO of HNA Group, recently participated in and spoke at the Atlantic Council's Global Forum to underscore the Company's commitment to pursuing transportation and infrastructure development opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe. As one of the top private sector leaders invited by European governments to participate in the conference, Mr. Tan met with the heads of states from major Central and Eastern European countries, including Poland, Austria, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia and Bulgaria, among others, and spoke at a number of events including a panel on infrastructure where he also advised on the "One Belt, One Road" initiative.

As part of the summit, Mr. Tan had dinner with the President of Poland, Mr. Andrzej Duda, and the twelve heads of state at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. U.S. President Trump marked his first official visit to Poland, attending the meetings on July 6, as well as delivering his first address to this group of nations, which Mr. Tan also attended.

The Global Forum, organized by the Atlantic Council and with the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), convened world leaders, leading transatlantic strategists, business representatives, scholars and members of the media to discuss the opportunities and challenges Europe faces from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic and Black seas. The Forum focused on creating opportunities for cross-border energy, transportation and telecommunications infrastructure across Europe, the future of NATO, Russia, and the challenges posed in the current political environment. Mr. Tan was invited to provide the European government officials his thoughts on how they can best work with private sector companies, like HNA Group, to enhance European infrastructure.

Adam Tan said, "I am honored to participate in such a prestigious event and to have the opportunity to meet with the heads of states from some of the most forward-thinking countries across the world, to discuss the key opportunities and challenges facing Europe. As a leader in aviation infrastructure and related sectors with major assets in Europe - including Avolon in aircraft leasing, Swissport and Gategroup in airport and aviation services, and Carlson Rezidor in hotels and tourism - HNA Group provides much of the airport infrastructure in many European airports, working seamlessly with the host governments. HNA is committed to establishing additional partnerships in Central and Eastern Europe as we continue to build out our business in Europe."

Adam Tan continued, "Since our founding in 1993, we have been committed to bringing a small world closer together, in line with the mission of the Three Seas Initiative. We look forward to continuing the important dialogue that took place here in Warsaw and to be a part of driving economic development and job creation for all through public and private partnerships that facilitate the safe, secure and reliable movement of people and goods in a way that enables businesses to grow and thrive."

Already today, through its flagship Hainan Airlines and other subsidiary airlines, HNA Group offers direct commercial flights connecting Beijing with Brussels, Berlin, Prague, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Manchester and Lisbon, while other flights link major cities in China such as Chongqing, Hangzhou and Xi'an with key destinations in Europe such as Paris and Rome.

In March 2017, HNA Group and the Government of the Republic of Serbia entered into a strategic cooperation framework under which HNA Group will work with the Serbian Government to launch direct flights between Serbia and China, build an aviation training center, lease and operate airports, and explore other joint investment opportunities.

HNA Group joined the Atlantic Council in June 2017 in support of the Council's mission of promoting constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs to meet global challenges.

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, more than $90 billion in annual revenues, and an international workforce of 410,000 employees, primarily across the Americas, 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. For more information, visit http://www.hnagroup.com.

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hna-group-ceo-adam-tan-underscores-hnas-commitment-to-transportation-and-infrastructure-partnership-opportunities-in-central-and-eastern-europe-300485065.html

SOURCE HNA Group
Motorolas Chinese website appears to have revealed a number of new Moto Mods due to be launched in the near future. Ever since Motorola launched its Moto Z line last year, Moto Mods have slowly been evolving into a standalone ecosystem, with the company even confirming plans to announce at least 12 new accessories this year. Four Moto Mods have been announced so far, but the official Mods page on Motorola Chinas site appears to have unveiled what could be the next three accessories.

According to the posting that has been removed by now, Motorola has plans for an e-ink display Mod, portable printer Mod, and even a Lego Mod. In regards to the e-ink display one, it will likely add a large secondary display panel to the rear side of the device, therefore offering a similar setup to the YotaPhone 3 or even Meizus upcoming Pro 7. The portable printer Mod has a relatively self-explanatory name as it should allow consumers to print their photos on the go. This Mod is likely to be pretty popular among millennials due to the resurgence in Polaroid-style pictures over the past few years. Perhaps the oddest Mod of the three is the Lego one which is still a complete mystery, with the Lenovo-owned original equipment manufacturer giving no concrete details on the accessory. Its unknown when any of those new Mods will be officially announced, but considering that Motorola previously confirmed it will be holding an event in New York City in late July, its highly possible that the firm will use that opportunity to unveil at least some new Moto Mods.

Earlier this year, the OEM debuted the new Moto gamepad, JBL SoundBoost 2, 360 Camera, and the TurboPower battery mod. Its clear that Motorola is very serious about its line of Moto Mods and will be pushing them even more aggressively once the companys Moto Z2 Force flagship is announced. Until then, though, the companys marketing efforts seem to be focused on the Moto Z2 Play and its Moto Mods compatibility. It remains to be seen what Mods the company decides to announce at its New York event but more details on the matter should follow shortly.
The Nokia 6 originally launched back in January in China, and it seems like that version of the handset just received official support for Google Services. Now, the Nokia 6 is still available in China only, it will become available in the US later this month, and European folk will have to wait a bit longer to get it. A global variant of the Nokia 6 was announced back in February during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, just in case you were wondering.

Having said that, the Chinese Nokia 6 model does not come with Google Services out of the box, well, HMD Global has decided to fix that, and is now allowing Nokia 6 owners to choose whether they want to run Google services on their devices or not. This move by HMD Global arrived in a form of an update, the July security update for the Nokia 6 actually brings these changes, and gives users an option to install Google services on the device if they choose to do so. Those of you who own a Chinese Nokia 6 unit and would like to install Google services, youll have to do it manually, as this update does not install Google services on its own, only enables them once you do all the work. Some of you might wonder why didnt users just root the phone and install Google services to begin with, well, the Chinese Nokia 6 comes with a locked bootloader, so even if users knew how to root a phone, that wouldnt do them much good.

The Chinese Nokia 6 comes with a TA-1000 model number, and it is actually available in a couple of variants. The Nokia 6 comes in both 3GB and 4GB RAM variants, which ship with 32GB and 64GB of storage, respectively. The Snapdragon 430 64-bit octa-core SoC fuels the Nokia 6, and the device comes with a 3,000mAh non-removable battery. A 16-megapixel shooter is placed on the back of this phone, and an 8-megapixel snapper can be found on its front side. Android 7.1.1 Nougat comes pre-installed on the device, and the phone actually comes with a set of stereo speakers. There are two SIM card slots on the inside of this phone, while you will find a microUSB 2.0 port on the bottom of the phone.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf hit the nail on the head last week when he refused to play along with the Trump administration's invasive and unwarranted request for unfettered access to his state's voter rolls.

"The right to vote is absolute and I have no confidence that you seek to bolster it," Wolf, a Democrat, wrote to Kris Kobach, vice chairman of President Donald Trump's hilariously misnamed Election Integrity Commission.

If you're just tuning in, Kobach, who is Kansas' Republican Secretary of State and a 2018 GOP gubernatorial hopeful, was on a fishing expedition for sensitive information about voters from all 50 states.

The data he sought included party affiliation, the last four digits of voters' Social Security numbers and their voting history back to 2006.

The bipartisan panel has been charged with uncovering evidence of voter fraud in American elections.

It would be easy to accuse Wolf, who is up for re-election next year, of merely playing politics with an unpopular White House. And there may be some glimmer of truth to that.

But it is also true that at least 44 states have partly or fully rebuffed Kobach's request.

Delbert Hosemann, Mississippi's Republican Secretary of State, rejected the request, telling one newspaper that Trump's commission could "go jump in the Gulf of Mexico, and Mississippi is a great state to launch from."

That bipartisan agreement stems from the simple fact that the request is not only unnecessarily invasive but also because there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the American electoral system.

That's a conclusion that's been buttressed by study after study, most notably, an important 2014 analysis of voter fraud by Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt.

Levitt analyzed 14 years' worth of voting data and found just 31 possible incidents of fraud from roughly 241 fraudulent ballots, The Washington Post reported.

That's out of, by the way, more than 1 billion votes cast during that same time frame, as CNN noted recently.

That mountain of evidence has not stopped Trump from claiming, without proof, that millions of votes were cast illegally in his 2016 campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally," Trump tweeted last November.

(For the purposes of clarity, Trump did not win in a landslide and there were not millions of illegal votes cast in the 2016 election.)

So what might Kobach, who is casting the widest possible of nets, be really after in this unusually offensive request for voters' personal information and habits?

It's a red herring, intended to distract public attention away from the ongoing -- and legitimate -- investigation into allegations of electoral meddling by Russia.

But something more pernicious might also be at work.

Given this White House's heavy-handed tactics when it comes to dealing with political opponents, and past Republican efforts to disenfranchise whole swaths of the American electorate, I'm going with the explanation offered by Myrna Perez at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School.

"The concern is that this going to be used to justify regressive and disenfranchising federal law," Perez told The Washington Post.

Wolf raised similar concerns in his own letter to Kobach, arguing that such a wholesale disclosure would violate state law and that there was no assurance that the data would be handled securely.

"Your request implies that your office may undertake a systematic effort to suppress the vote in Pennsylvania," he wrote.

Trump narrowly won the Keystone State in 2016, prevailing over Clinton 48.2 percent to 47.5 percent.

It is not unrealistic to suggest that Kobach's commission may be trying to identify future opposition voters and then raise barricades to their participation in the electoral process.

And even if that is not the case, the fact remains that Kobach's commission is in pernicious search of a solution to a non-existent problem. The data suggests that it's a futile exercise.

In the meantime, states must continue to resist this unreasonable exercise in federal power.
Samsung Electronics is all set to overtake its rival Apple Inc. and become the most profitable company on the face of the Earth thanks to its intensive investments in the semiconductor business which has seen a massive growth over the last few years with various companies opting to invest in memory chips for maintaining and expanding their data centers. Samsung reported an influx of 60 trillion won ($51 billion) in estimated revenues and 14 trillion won ( $12 billion) in operating profits in the second quarter of 2017, making it the highest gross profit the company has ever made in its 79-year history. Some analysts are also predicting Samsungs net profit to generate a similar rate of gross profit, if not greater, with the release of Galaxy Note 8. A well-received Galaxy Note 8 may just be the push Samsung needs to surpass Apple and become the most profitable company in the world.

Although what analysts seem to be missing out on, which has recently been pointed out by Samsung executives, is the state of its incapacitated leadership. With Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee in a comatose state since late 2014 and Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong fighting charges of bribery, perjury, and embezzlement involving former President Park Geun-hye, these are trying times for the South Korean conglomerate who has been fighting hard to revamp its image in the country and worldwide. While the company is likely to install someone from outside its founding family to take over the everyday operations, Samsungs complex structure and hierarchical mindset do not allow any outsider to command the same authority as Lee Kun-hee and Park Geun-hye.

Samsung officials have time and again accredited the current success of the company to bold investments made three to five years ago by its owners at a time when few could see the reason in investing in a semiconductor business. The semiconductor industry is considered to be a very competitive one with players like Qualcomm, Intel, AMD, and MediaTek controlling a commanding share of the business, leaving Samsung to focus on mobile devices and data center-oriented chip systems. The semiconductor business also received a boost thanks to the cryptocurrency mining trend which emerged a while ago. The current lack of leadership at the highest level will also make it difficult for making such bold investments in the near future as Chinese and other competitors start doing more to challenge Samsungs mobile dominance, some of the firms executives believe. Samsungs future may now largely depend on the fate of its Vice Chairman whose legal battle will be concluded by late August.
Three new renders depicting whats believed to be the Galaxy Note 8 have surfaced online on Sunday, having originally been shared by one industry insider on Twitter. The three renders that can be seen in the gallery beneath this writing are largely in line with previous sightings of Samsungs next high-end phablet, showing a device thats rather similar to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus. The South Korean original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is seemingly planning to release another device with the so-called Infinity Display, a Super AMOLED panel with an unusual aspect ratio of 18.5:9 which is noticeably taller than the 16:9 image format thats been the standard in the mobile industry for years. The diagonal of the screen featured on the Galaxy Note 8 is said to be 6.3 or 6.4 inches in length, with the phone itself being set to succeed the almost bezel-free design of the Galaxy S8 lineup.

According to the newly uncovered renders, the Galaxy Note 8 will sport a USB Type-C port and 3.5mm audio jack, as well as a single speaker grill on the bottom of its case. Some earlier reports indicated that the phablet may actually feature two speakers, one on both its top and bottom, though the information on this particular characteristic is still contradictory. Whats more clear is the placement of the S Pen slot, with virtually all Galaxy Note 8-related leaks indicating that Samsung will once again place the holster for its stylus in the far right side of the handsets bottom edge. Due to the need to accommodate the S Pen, the Galaxy Note 8 is said to ship with a battery thats somewhat smaller than the 3,500mAh cell powering the Galaxy S8 Plus, with previous reports suggesting that the device will boast a 3,300mAh unit.

The Galaxy Note 8 is expected to be equipped with 6GB of RAM as opposed to 4GB found in the Galaxy S8 series and will also provide an upgrade in the imaging department by featuring a dual camera setup that can also be seen in the newly uncovered renders of the device. Samsung is expected to officially unveil its upcoming flagship by early September so more information on the thereof should emerge soon.
MADISON  The Republican challenger to House Speaker Paul Ryan didnt cooperate with a police investigation into his ballot selfie last year, according to the Walworth County District Attorney.

The Town of Delavan police investigation determined Delavan businessman Paul Nehlen broke the law when he tweeted a photo of his ballot last August, but the Walworth County District Attorneys Office declined to press charges.

This conduct is technically a violation, Assistant District Attorney Haley Johnson wrote in a letter obtained by the Wisconsin State Journal. However, the State does not believe Mr. Nehlens conduct warrants a criminal charge. It does not appear that Mr. Nehlen was attempting to trade his vote for compensation. Rather, he ignorantly posted the image to draw attention to his candidacy.

Johnson added the matter could have been resolved much more quickly if Mr. Nehlen had cooperated with the investigation.

Instead, he chose to delay the investigation by factory-resetting his phone and removing the SIM card, Johnson wrote. It is unfortunate that Mr. Nehlen showed such little regard for a law enforcement investigation.

Nehlen, a political newcomer, mounted a spirited challenge to Ryan, even getting a shout-out from Donald Trump, who was feuding at the time with Ryan. The House Speaker from Janesville won the August primary by 68 percentage points.

Nehlen has announced he plans to challenge Ryan again next year. He didnt respond to a request for comment.

After the primary, news media reported Nehlen had posted a photograph of his ballot on social media, which is illegal under state law. In response, the Town of Delevan Police Department conducted an investigation and obtained several subpoenas.

Asked last week for an update on the case, Police Chief Raymond Clark said the department referred charges against Nehlen on Sept. 23 to the Walworth County District Attorneys Office for allegedly violating a law that prohibits showing a marked ballot to any person. His office received Johnsons letter on Jan. 12.

Violators of the statute can be charged with a class I felony, which is punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and up to three years and six months in prison.

According to the state Elections Commission, Wisconsin banned photographing ballots long ago to prevent the practice of voters being paid to vote a certain way and then using a photograph of the ballot as evidence.

Other states also prohibit so-called ballot selfies, though recently courts have struck down such laws in Indiana and New Hampshire on First Amendment grounds.
Three global law firms are acting on the billion-dollar acquisition by an Australian superannuation administration company of a British asset services firm.Allen & Overy acted for Link Administration Holdings (Link Group) on its $883m capital raise to partly fund the $1.49bn acquisition of the Capita Asset Services (CAS) arm of Britains Capita Plc. Baker & McKenzie acted for JPMorgan and Citigroup, the joint lead managers of the funding. DLA Piper is legal counsel to the Link Group on the acquisition of CAS.The capital raise is the second-largest equity capital raising to be conducted in Australia year-to-date. The Link Group is investing in the UK company, which increases the size of its operations by almost 40%, at a time when others are looking for a way out as the country negotiates its exit from the European Union.Allen & Overy, which said that the offer was structured as a fully-underwritten 4-for-11 pro-rata accelerated institutional tradeable retail entitlement offer (PAITREO), is a long-time adviser of the Link Group, having advised on its IPO on the ASX in late 2015.Allen & Overy equity capital markets partner Tony Sparks, who said that the firm advised on both Australian and US capital markets matters, said the PAITREO structure has particular advantages for the deal.Link Group chose the PAITREO structure as it is perceived to be one of the most retail-friendly accelerated capital raising options, given it allows on-market trading of entitlements by retail investors. Retail shareholder participation continues to be a significant consideration for issuers, despite judicial support for the use of different forms of accelerated offers in the recent RinRim case, Sparks said.Allen & Overy successfully represented the lead managers in the defence of the RinRim litigation.Jointly leading the Allen & Overy team were Sparks and US securities law partner Mark Leemen. They were supported by US counsel Cecile Baume, senior associate Madison Smith, associate Keegan Lopez, and graduate-at-law Thomas Pertsoulis. Baker McKenzie fielded a team led by partner Lauren Magraith, who was assisted by Hoda Nahlous, Ivo Basoski, and Matthew De Cataldo.
What's most remarkable about John Barcus' life in aviation is that those of his generation didn't consider their lives remarkable at all.
(Saturday, July 8)

Haykakan Zhamanak quotes former parliament speaker Galust Sahakian as saying that President Serzh Sarkisian should continue to govern Armenia after serving out his final term in April. The paper notes in this regard that just last month Prime Minister Karen Karapetian again indicated that he would like to retain his post next year. Karapetian also said that he is not among individuals who may be urging Sarkisian to become prime minister in April 2018.

They are thinking about April 2018 in the upper echelons of power, writes Past. How to be a prime minister? To be nor not to be?

Aravot asks Tigran Avinian, the spokesman for the opposition Yelk alliance, to comment on the Zharangutyun party leader Raffi Hovannisians calls for joint opposition protests against Sarkisians alleged plans to cling to power in 2018. Avinian says that Yelk remains open to discussions with Hovannisian. Yelk can only rule out its involvement in an armed struggle against the ruling regime, according to him.

Hraparak looks at structural changes which the Armenian government will undergo as a result of constitutional changes that will take effect in April. The paper speaks of intensive discussions within the countrys leadership about the status of the Armenian police. It claims that the leadership of the national police service objects to its possible transformation or incorporation into the Interior Ministry because that would mean becoming directly accountable to the parliament.

(Artur Papian)
10 July 2017 10:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The state debt of Armenia grows five times faster than the GDP, the Secretary of the Tsarukyan bloc, Vahe Enfiajyan, revealed this reality addressing the Armenian Parliament on July 6.

Armenias state debt was $3.1 billion in 2009, and now the figure is about $6 billion, that is almost doubled, Enfiajyan noted during discussions of execution of the state budget of Armenia in 2016.

Meanwhile, the GDP increased by only 20 percent over the same period he added.

He stressed that in dollar terms, Armenias GDP increased even less that by 20 percent due to the depreciation of the Armenian dram. Thus, two years ago Armenias GDP was $11.2 billion, in 2015  $10.5 billion, and $10.3 billion last year.

Armenia ended 2016 with the state debt of $5.9 billion, and today the state debt accounts for some 54% of the GDP.

Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan previously said that in late 2017, Armenia's national debt would reach $6.250 billion. Such a large state debt indicates that the government should sound the alarm and change the situation, but the Armenian authorities are incapable of that.

Meanwhile, Head of the Central Bank of Armenia Artur Javadyan made some nonsense statements revealing another problem of the country.

Javadyan, talking to reporters, said that Armenia has no problems with gold reserves, but then, answering the question whether the country has gold reserves, he said: "No, we do not need gold reserves. Thus, head of Armenias Central Bank caused grins on the faces of the journalists.

In past, Armenia had few gold reserves, but then the government decided to sell them to save the countrys poor state budget. Thus, in 2003, Armenia sold all 1.4 tons of gold reserves. At that time, the price of gold was extremely low. However, the Armenian economy could collapse at any moment and therefore, the Armenian government sold all the gold reserves as it had no other choice to save the state budget.

Journalists also asked Javadyan why the Armenian population keeps leaving the country. He once again came up with a silly answer, saying: People move from everywhere to more affluent places. People from Poland or France also leave, for example to the United States.

However, Armenian reporters gave a good response on Javadyans words. People are leaving because the rich in Armenia continue getting richer, and the poor become even poorer, they said.

Unofficial Armenian sources note that the real number of poor in Armenia has long ago exceeded one million people. Thus, the corrupt Armenian officials live like kings while one third of Armenians live in poverty and cannot find money for a living. Therefore, Armenians who have enough money to leave, move out of the country with the hope of never coming back to collapsing Armenia.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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RACINE  Mayor John Dickert made it official Monday, announcing that he will resign from office on Sunday, July 16.

The announcement, made via a news release sent out early in the afternoon, comes more than three months after Dickert, on March 27, held a news conference announcing his plans to step down as the citys top elected official to become the next executive director of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.

Dickert currently serves on the board of directors for the GLSCI, as well as two other water advocacy groups.

At the March press conference, Dickert said that he planned continue to serve as mayor through the summer, but declined to say exactly when his last day would be. With an official resignation date now in hand, the City Council can begin preparing for a leadership transition, which includes the work of setting a date for a special election.

That date was still in question as of last Thursday, when city Finance Director Dave Brown and City Attorney Scott Letteney told aldermen that they were eyeing Nov. 7 as a potential date for the special election, with a primary, if necessary, taking place on Oct. 10.

No timeline was formally set, however, because law dictates that a special election can only be set once the mayor has officially resigned.

Although it could cost the city an extra $200,000, a Nov. 7 special election would work out well logistically because its the first Tuesday in November, which is a typical election day in years with a general election. Additionally, the Village of Waterford is holding an election on that day, which means the county would need to add another election day to its schedule.

Timeline

With Dickerts resignation date now known, Letteney said Monday that the soonest a general election could be held is late September. The latest it could take place is during April 4 spring election, he said.

I think the earliest they could possibly do it would be Sept. 1, but that would require an awful lot of hustle, Letteney said.

While Letteney is not sure when the City Council will gather to select the special election date, he said they should be meeting soon to appoint a mayor to lead the city in the interim.

By ordinance, aldermen must select either City Council President Dennis Wiser  who will automatically become acting mayor once Dickert resigns  or one of the chairmen of the citys three standing committees. If Wiser were to somehow decline the post, the next person in the line of succession would be longtime Finance and Personnel Committee Chairman Q.A. Shakoor II, the alderman of the 8th District.

On Monday, Wiser reiterated his plans accept the temporary appointment.

I am more than happy to serve between Dickerts resignation and the election of a new mayor, Wiser said. My personal goal is to have an elected mayor in the office as soon as possible.

State Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, former Racine Unified School Board President Melvin Hargrove and former School Board member Wally Rendon have all announced plans to run for mayor in the upcoming special election. Sixth District Alderman Sandy Weidner and Justin Wheeler, who runs a marketing firm, also have filed to raise money for a future mayoral election.

The question of who will serve as City Council president while Wiser serves as acting mayor is entirely up to the council, Letteney said.

Going forward

With his resignation, Dickert leaves a city in flux. Proposed projects such as the Machinery Row riverfront redevelopment and the Downtown event center remain in state of limbo, while to the west there are murmurings that Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn is targeting Racine County for a huge plant that could end up relying on city water.

Asked Moniday for comment on Dickerts announcement, Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said he wished Dickert good luck in his new role with the GLSCI and that he looks forward to working with the citys next mayor.

In terms of the future, there are going to need to be some big decisions that need to be made in terms of water and sewer and economic development, and for those things to be successful collaboration has to be the main priority, Delagrave said.

Attempts to reach Dickert by phone on Monday were unsuccessful, but in his press release he said he looked upon his years as mayor with with fondness and accomplishment, noting reductions in crime and unemployment that occurred during his time in office, as well as work done to clean up the former Jacato Drive (now Anthony Lane), and to help address homelessness.
10 July 2017 18:27 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Armenia has been systematically and deliberately targeting Azerbaijani civilian population, residing in the densely populated areas adjacent to the frontline, in a bid to preserve the status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Most recently, a 2-year-old girl Zahra and her grandmother, who were living in Azerbaijans Alkhanli village near the frontline, became the victims of the Armenian aggression.

The occupant countrys resorting to nefarious provocations aimed at killing civilians, including children, is a war crime and should be properly assessed by the international community.

To condemn this inhuman act and attract the attention of the world to Armenias aggression, Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations all over the world turned to the international organizations. They demanded to properly respond to the Armenian provocations and not to remain indifferent to such injustice.

The relevant appeals were sent to the UN, OSCE, PACE, EU, ECHR and other international organizations, as well as the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.

In the appeals, the Azerbaijani diaspora organizations noted that this provocation once again shows that Armenia is a serious threat to stability and peace in the region and it obstacles the process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. They called on the international community to take decisive steps in order to force Armenia withdraw its armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

While Azerbaijani diaspora organizations were sending their appeals to the international community, Azerbaijanis living abroad were holding protests in many cities of the world.

On July 7, a group of Azerbaijanis held a protest in front of the Armenian Embassy in Washington, U.S. The protesters were carrying banners saying Im Zahra, Karabakh is internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan, Armenia, leave Karabakh! and photos of the atrocities of the Armenian authorities against the Azerbaijani civilians.

Protesters also chanted slogans urging the Armenian authorities to stop killing of Azerbaijani civilians and children.

Next day, Azerbaijanis held a protest in front of the UN headquarters in New York. During the protest, organized by the permanent mission of Azerbaijan to the UN, the participants were holding banners with photos of murdered Zahra and chanted slogans condemning Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan. The participants of the protest also disseminated among local residents leaflets providing information about Armenian aggression.

Moreover several protest actions were held in Germany. Members of the Cultural Center of Azerbaijanis of Munich and the Bavarian Federation of Turkish Societies gathered in the centre of Munich and strongly condemned Armenias aggressive policy against Azerbaijan and killing of its civilian population.

Heads of the Cultural Center of Azerbaijanis of Munich and the Bavarian Federation of Turkish Societies Sattar Karimov and Mahir Zeytinoglu urged countries of the world and international organizations to harshly respond to the aggressive policy of Armenia. The protest was widely covered in German newspapers.

Another protest action was organized by the Azerbaijani House in Berlin in Brandenburg Gate square. The protestors stressed that a tragic killing of two Azerbaijani civilians is the crime perpetrated against the humanity.

The only way to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region is liberation of Azerbaijans lands from the occupation, they noted.

The third protest in Germany was held in the city of Hanover. The protest was attended by Azerbaijanis living in the city.

At the protest, organized by the Germany-Azerbaijan friendship group and "Khazar" society, Azerbaijanis living in Hanover voiced slogans condemning the aggressive policy of Armenia.

On July 9, Azerbaijanis held another protest in front of the Armenian Embassy in Germany. The protesters noted that this Armenian provocation reflects the aggressive and terrorist essence of the Armenian state.

Then, in protest against killings of Azerbaijani civilians and children, the protesters put a doll at the front door of the Armenian Embassy. After that, Azerbaijanis put in the mailbox of the Embassy their claim to the authorities of Armenia.

After a week when shocking images showing the bloodied corpse of two-year-old Zahra Guliyeva flooded the airwaves, five battered, bruised and bloody dismembered dolls were strewn on the steps to the Armenian Embassy in Kensington.

Azerbaijanis living in Turkey also held a protest against the Armenian authorities. Thus, members of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Istanbul Society of Culture and Solidarity held a protest march in Istanbul.

However, Armenia still remains unpunished as no international organization has taken a serious action against the aggressor country. Exactly for this reason, twenty percent of Azerbaijani lands  Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions  still remain under Armenian occupation.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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10 July 2017 12:03 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Azerbaijan and Austria will consider prospects for the development of economic cooperation during the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic, scientific and technical cooperation to be held in Vienna in early October.

Azerbaijan is Austria's most important partner in the South Caucasus, as evidenced by the opening of the embassy in Baku in 2010, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Austria Galib Israfilov told Trend.

"Economic relations between the two countries are regulated by the activity of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic, scientific and technical cooperation, the envoy said.

The last meeting of the commission, which takes place every two years, was held in Baku in 2015. This year it is planned to hold a regular meeting. The Azerbaijani commission is headed by Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade, the Austrian-by Deputy Federal Minister of Science, Research and Economy of Austria on Foreign Economic Policy and European Integration, Bernadette Marianne Gierlinger.

Israfilov stressed that at the moment, about 40 bilateral documents have been signed between the two countries in various spheres, such as economy, education, culture, science, agriculture, etc.

The envoy further mentioned that Austria is a member of the European Union (EU) and many bilateral documents between Azerbaijan and Austria coincide with documents that are agreed between Azerbaijan and the EU at bilateral level. He added that in order to sign new documents, first of all, it is necessary to determine the interests of the parties, meet the goals and tasks.

Austria recognized Azerbaijan's independence on January 15, 1992. Diplomatic relations were established later, on February 20, 1992.

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Austria opened on September 1, 1995 and began functioning in 1998.

The economic ties between Austria and Azerbaijan cover, in the main, the spheres of economy, agriculture and technology. There is a strong activity between the two states in the energy sector.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Austria amounted to $59.9 million in January-May 2017, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, as compared to the same period of 2016 the trade turnover increased by $3.4 million, or 6 percent.

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10 July 2017 12:33 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The government of Azerbaijan has made great strides in encouraging non-oil experts, and today more and more Azerbaijani made products available in foreign markets.

Thanks to national export missions touring the world, Azerbaijani goods accessed major supermarkets and already see high demand.

The expert missions organized the by the Economy Ministry under Made in Azerbaijan brand will tour Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and Europe till the end of the year.

Deputy Economy Minister of Azerbaijan Sahil Babayev said that the directions of export missions are determined on the basis of requests from the exporters.



We regularly receive inquiries and requests from our exporters and, at the request of most of them we organize export missions to this or that country. In addition to the abovementioned directions, a number of export missions to other countries are possible, he told reporters.

Earlier Head of Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation AZPROMO Rufat Mammadov revealed that an export mission to Russia will take place in September, and in October Azerbaijani exporters will visit China.

Since early 2017, Azerbaijan has already sent export missions to Qatar (in February) and Kazakhstan (in April), as well as to Germany, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Export missions to China, Dubai, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Germany and Kazakhstan with participation of the local producers were already organized within the framework of the promotion Made in Azerbaijan brand launched in November 2016. The success was immediate, as Azerbaijan signed agreements on export of red wine to China and food products to the UAE, which are new markets for the country.

Also, agreements were reached on honey exports to Dubai, pomegranate juice to European markets, fruit juices to Afghanistan and Pakistan, pipes, polyethylene products to Pakistan, as well as street and city furniture supplies to Qatar.

In addition, at exhibitions in Dubai (Gulfood 2017) and Germany (Prowein), Azerbaijani companies received an order for exports of hazelnuts to Spain.

Overall, the top five countries importing non-oil products of Azerbaijan include Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Switzerland and Turkmenistan.

The country exports milk, sunflower oil, chicken meat, carrot, wine, butter, apple, pomegranate, pomegranate juice, tea, cosmetics, fuel, paint, silk carpet, bed linen, nuts, cognac, carrots, yellow onions, wine, apples, tea, cottonseed oil, cosmetics, cherry concentrate, medical gauze, mushrooms, tobacco etc.

The volume of foreign trade operations of Azerbaijan in January-June of 2017 amounted to over $8, 678 billion, which is 9.76% more compared to the indicator for the corresponding period of 2016.

During the first 5 months of 2017, the total volume of non-oil export operations with the participation of 1,021 companies amounted to $557 million, reads a report by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications.

As a result, there was a positive balance of $1.859 billion.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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10 July 2017 15:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

An Association of Furniture Manufacturers, which is being created in Azerbaijan, will help to develop the sphere of furniture production in the country.

Deputy Economy Minister Niyazi Safarov made the remarks at an event on the topic "Enhancing the role of associations: the exchange of experience between Azerbaijan and Turkey" held on July 7.

Some 50 furniture manufacturers from Azerbaijan and 200 entrepreneurs from Turkey took part in the event.

The deputy minister noted that in future it is planned to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Turkish Furniture Manufacturers, adding that creation of the export potential of furniture producers is important, both for Azerbaijan and for Turkey.

Safarov mentioned that the registration of the association is underway, while the chairmanship in the newly-established association will be assigned to Embawood.

There is a very high competition in the furniture production market and we are doing a huge work to develop this sector in the country. Thanks to the reforms, the furniture production in the country is growing every year, Safarov said.

Secretary General of Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan, Orkhan Bayramov, in turn, noted that in the future, a specialized policy can be applied in the country's furniture market.

"This can happen after a sufficient expansion of the market, which we have already seen in the insurance market of the country. In addition, the Association can create electronic catalog of furniture produced in the country and organize profile exhibitions," Bayramov said.

Myashur Mammadov, one of the co-founders of the Association of Furniture Manufacturers of Azerbaijan, addressing the event said that the goal is to further develop furniture production in the country.

Turkey's experience will be actively used in the establishment of the association, we invited Turkish colleagues to the event to receive information on their activities. Through joint steps we plan to bring the quality and production volumes of Azerbaijani products to a level that makes it possible to export," Mammadov added.

Chairman of the Board of the Association of Furniture Manufacturers of Turkey Yavuz Ugurdag noted that the parties will work on preparation of a program of cooperation between the two associations.

"Cooperation between the two countries will continue not only in the field of sales, we are ready to share our experience in the production of furniture and start working together in the development of the furniture industry," Ugurdag said.

The rapid growth of the construction sector over the past decade has promoted the development of the furniture market of Azerbaijan. The dynamic building sector development causes enough increase of furniture production demand which is satisfied completely both by local production and importing.

There are very dynamic enterprises in the field of furniture production of Azerbaijan. The enterprises are equipped with the latest facilities. The local furniture production is mainly based on kitchen, office, dwelling and nursery furniture. Azerbaijan exports its local production mainly to Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia.

The following countries as Italy, Turkey, Russia, China, Malaysia, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, U.A.E., Iran are the main furniture suppliers to Azerbaijan.

Nowadays there are more than 500 large furniture stores in Baku and regions where local and importing furniture is presented.

Turkey is the strategic ally and brother nation for Azerbaijan. The country was the first state to recognize Azerbaijan's independence in 1991 and has been a loyal supporter of Azerbaijan in its efforts to consolidate its independence, preserve its territorial integrity and realize its economic potential arising from the rich natural resources of the Caspian Sea.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkey amounted to almost $553 million in the first quarter of 2017, which is 2.15 times as many as the same period of 2016.

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10 July 2017 16:07 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade Bulent Tufenkci will visit Azerbaijan on July 18-19.

The minister will take part in the trilateral meeting of the heads of the customs departments of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia.

Tufenkci will also hold a number of bilateral meetings with high-ranking officials of Azerbaijan.

Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan plan to increase the volume of mutual trade up to $20 billion.

The three countries plan to boost the trade ties via research and innovative potential of Turkey, natural and geographical opportunities of Georgia and strong energy infrastructure of Azerbaijan and eye several joint initiatives in this regard.

Azerbaijans trade turnover with Turkey amounted to $2.3 billion in 2016, with Georgia  to almost $395 million, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. Turkey became Azerbaijans main trade partner and Georgia ranked the 12th in 2016.

The Turkish minister has recently expressed a will to simplify and speed up customs procedures with Azerbaijan and create a green corridor [implies simpler customs clearance, may provide smooth transit of goods. One of the advantages of the regime is that goods transported by entrepreneurs do not have to undergo customs inspection and examination when crossing the border], with a view to ensure the access of Turkish goods to new markets in order to strengthen the countrys competitiveness.

The two countries has recently approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Turkish Ministry of Customs and Trade and the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan On the establishment of the Joint Committee on Customs Issues.

The document was signed in Ankara in 2015, with participation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Joint Committee will coordinate the cooperation in the customs sphere between the two countries, determine the directions for the development of this sphere, facilitate the simplification of customs procedures and promote the introduction of new technologies to enhance the effectiveness of customs control.

Moreover, Azerbaijan and Georgia with the support of the European Union (EU) are working to improve the customs checkpoint Red Bridge on the Georgian-Azerbaijani border.

The project started in March 2017 and will be completed by the end of 2017. The project costs Azerbaijan $1.3 million. The total cost of the project is 3 million.

Earlier, head of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan Aydin Aliyev noted that a necessary laboratory to carry out phytosanitary, veterinary and other kinds of control will be established on the territory of Georgia, with the support of the EU, adding that the Azerbaijani side, with the support of the EU, but taking into account financial capabilities, will build a large logistics center

The total length of the Georgian-Azerbaijani border is 480 kilometers, of Turkish-Azerbaijani border-15 kilometers (all on the border with Nakhchivan).

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10 July 2017 11:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Representatives of the "Icherisheher" Center of Traditional Arts participated in the festival "Ramadan-2017", which was held in Trafalgar square in London.

The event, which took place for the third time, was organized by the mayor of London. The festival was attended by representatives of the Prince's School of Traditional Arts, Trend Life reported.

During the festival, visitors got acquainted with the samples of Azerbaijans traditional jewelry in the form of nabati and geometric patterns, created based on the eight-pointed star and related to Islamic art, as well as examples of pottery, batik, jewellery and wooden products made by students of "the Center.

The Prince's School of Traditional Arts, founded in 2004 by HRH the Princeof Wales, also organized Degree Show for their graduates.

The students of the "Icherisheher" Center of Traditional Arts and the head of the State Historical-Architectural Reserve "Icherisheher" Asker Alakparov also attended the event.

"His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Wales praised the activities of the Art Center. He expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijan Education Ministry for the initiation of this project and showed great interest in our country as a whole, noting his desire to visit Azerbaijan ", the Reserve said.

"Icherisheher" Center of Traditional Arts which is a joint project of the Administration of the State historical-architectural reserve "Icherisheher" and the Royal school of Traditional Arts in London under the patronage of the Prince of Wales works as an educational and creative centre since October 2012

The main goal of the project is the education and development of skills in the field of decorative art, creating a contemporary design reflecting the Azerbaijani cultural heritage and the promotion of these works at international arena.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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10 July 2017 12:47 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

An amazing and colorful exhibition bringing together artists of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Kazakhstan has opened in Baku.

Entitled "Turan", the exhibition has opened at gallery named after Vajia Samadova on July 7, Trend Life reported.

The artists Olga Eren, Rufina Sharipova, Nevin Aytekin, Kader Damla, Isil Kesim, Nurullakh Aydin, Ulviya Gamzaeva, Naila Sultan, Ilgar Akperov present their new works, including paintings, graphics, ceramics and miniatures.

The event is held under the joint organization of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Azerbaijan Union of Artists and representative offices of the International Association "Uluslararas Sanatkarlar ve Sanatclar Dernegi" in Azerbaijan.

Secretary of Azerbaijani Union of Artists, Agali Ibrahimov, addressing the event, said that the exhibition brings together works created by artists from the Turkic-speaking states.

"The exhibition is very interesting. It allows to get acquainted with the works of not only Azerbaijani artists, but also artists from Turkey and Kazakhstan, to learn more about the culture of these countries, customs, folklore", he said.

Ambassador of Turkey to Azerbaijan Erkan Ozoral thanked the organizers for holding the exhibition. The diplomat wished all participants of the exhibition further success and achievements.

The representative of the International Association "Uluslararas Sanatkarlar ve Sanatclar Dernegi" in Azerbaijan, a well-known artist, curator of the project, Ilgar Akperov also spoke about the exhibition and activities of the International Association.

He mentioned that "Uluslararas Sanatkarlar ve Sanatclar Dernegi" Association was founded in 2015 in Mersin (Turkey) and since 2016 its office operates in Azerbaijan.

"The works presented at the exhibition devoted to the ties of friendship between the Turkic peoples and their folklore and ethnography. Nine artists have submitted 50 works, including painting, drawing, batik, ceramics, for displaying at the expo," said Akperov.

Next, the artists were awarded with diplomas.

The art works aroused great interest among the public and they were devoted to the history, cultural and spiritual values of the Turkic peoples.

A series of portraits by Olga Eren was dedicated to Kazakh women's hats, which, according to the artist, may be considered as a very important component in the rich mosaic of the Turkic world.

Nevin Aytekin presented a series of works depicting horses, which is an embodiment of courage, bravery and nobility.

The heroes of Isil Kesim`s paintings that sifted millet, woven rugs, doing crafts thing - fascinate with sincerity.

Ilgar Akperov`s works are filled with light, warmth and boundless love of life.

The exhibition features many works in different genres. So everyone will find something for himself.

The exhibition will be open until July 13.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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10 July 2017 14:16 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

YARAT Contemporary Art Space will screen Kazakh film dedicated to the "Suns and Neons above Kazakhstan" exhibition.

The exhibition, which will last until October 2017, brought together works of Azerbaijani and Kazakh artists.

The film "The Owners" (2014) by young director Ailkhan Erjanov will be shown on July 11.

The movie is about three orphaned kidseldest brother John, who has done time for petty crime; Yerbol, the handsome, idealistic middle brother; and Aliya, the kid sister with an illness that remains unspecified until the final reelcome back to their late mothers village to live in her old house.

The film will be shown in Kazakh language with English subtitles. The screening starts at 19:00. Admission is free.

Erjanov was born in 1982 in the Jezkazgan region of Kazakhstan. In 2009, he finished his studies in film directing at the Kazakhstan National Academy of Arts. He continued his training in New York thanks to a bursary. In 1999, he received accolades for the first Kazakh animation series KOZY-KORPESH AND BAYAN-SULU.

Erjanov made several short and feature films, including" The Owners" (2014), which premiered at Cannes. The movie was awarded at many film festivals all over the world. His new film, The plague at the Karatas Village (2016), was premiered at IFF Rotterdam.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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10 July 2017 15:37 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The second International Dolma Festival, one of the most delicious events in Azerbaijan, will be held in Khachmaz region.

A number of dolma recipes will be presented to food lovers in Chenlibel Park on July 15. The festival will feature several stands with different kinds of dolma, such as aubergines, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers as well as made of cabbage leaves, apple and quince and more.

Azerbaijan will present more than 300 kinds of dolma from forty regions of the country.

The best cooking will be awarded with special awards and the guests will enjoy a concert program with the participation of folklore groups.

The event will be organized by Culture and Tourism Minister, Executive Power of Khachmaz region and the Center of National Cooking and the Association of National Cooking of Azerbaijan. Prominent public figures, representatives of culture and science and diplomatic missions will attend the event.

The first International Dolma Festival was held in Baku on July 1, 2016. The event brought together about 400 representatives from Azerbaijans 24 regions, as well as from Turkey, Ukraine and Jordan.

Dolma is a traditional meal in the Land of Fire that no Azerbaijani can imagine living without. It is the number one guest of all feasts along with rich flavored Plov.

The name of this ancient national dish originates with the pure Azerbaijani verb doldurmag (to stuff) as it means various leaves, vegetables and fruits stuffed with minced meat.

There are many varieties of this dish, including vitamin full vegetables. In spring, when many fresh grape leaves appear - the main product for making dolma. Summer brings aubergines, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers to stuff. In autumn dolma is made out of cabbage leaves, apple and quince. During the cold winters, it is made of preserved grape leaves.

Stuffed vine leaves ( yarpag dolmasi) are one of the most popular types of dolma. Using vine leaves in spring time is very healthy because they contain 70-80mg per 100g of vitamin C, while at this time of a year potatoes contain only 6-8mg per 100g of the vitamin.

The filling is also diverse, but dolma is basically prepared from meat, rice and aromatic herbs. Dolma is best served with cold plain yogurt, and lavash bread.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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10 July 2017 16:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

An annual conference of ICMAH on "Museums, Collections and Industrial Heritage" will be held in Baku on October 4-6.

The conference is hosted by the Administration of State Historical-Architectural Reserve Icherisheher with collaboration of ICOM Azerbaijan, Trend Life reported.

The International Committee for Museums of Archaeology and History (ICMAH), established in 1947, is one of the main committees of ICOM.

ICMAH aims to establish a relationship with the archaeological and historical museums, and museums around the world.

Representatives of various museums will take part in the Baku conference.

The session will be conducted on the following themes:

Industrial archaeology. The title covers archaeology of production of goods in all ages of humanity that enlighten the daily life of habitats. The technics, methods, methodology and challenges of industrial archaeology based on experiences, on case studies concerning different locations (urban or rural) are the main subjects.

Museology of industrial collections. The title includes all curatorial aspects of the industrial instruments and products in the history and archaeology collections. How to collect? How to establish a collection? How to research? How to conserve? How to communicate?

Museography of industrial collections. The title includes all scenography and public communication aspects of the industrial instruments and products in the history and archaeology collections. How to display? Where to exhibit? How to research? How to create a context? How to animate?

Museums and industrial buildings. This theme covers two sides of using industrial heritage buildings as museums. One sub-theme is the use of industrial buildings in their original context which means to represent an industrial activity in-situ with all its components including technics, social history, economical history etc. The second sub-theme is the use of industrial buildings for gene industrial buildings for general history and archaeology museums. This also recovers challenges of reuse for another purpose, transformations and adaptations.

Besides, there is a newly discovered hammam in the old city of Baku where the archaeological excavations are still going on. The workshop theme will constitute on how to evaluate a hammam building in an urban site of conservation? How to excavate, how to make the restoration, how to make the restitution, how to integrate to the urban site, how to use it?

For more information, please visit:

http://network.icom.museum/icmah

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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MOUNT PLEASANT  Local officials plan to again discuss unspecified economic development in closed session Monday as buzz about a major project gets louder.

The Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant village boards are scheduled to meet for the purpose of discussing a potential future development project in Racine County, according to a meeting agenda.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 this afternoon at Mount Pleasant Village Hall, 8811 Campus Drive. State law allows local governing bodies to meet privately about real estate negotiations, though any action must be taken in open session.

Racine County and municipal governments have met multiple times in closed session in recent weeks about economic development, but have been tight-lipped about specifics.

However, high-ranking elected officials have acknowledged Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn is looking at southeastern Wisconsin for a plant that could employ some 10,000 people, and indications are the company is targeting Racine County.

Racine Mayor John Dickert has said Foxconn approached the City of Racines water department about supply for a potential facility. Last month, the Racine County Board approved a rare measure that made a $500,000 line of credit available to the areas economic development agency.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said in a memo last week Foxconn has indicated its desire to locate in southeastern Wisconsin with up to 10,000 jobs as he pushed for Interstate 94 construction to be completed in Racine and Kenosha counties.

Foxconn is the biggest contract manufacturer of smartphones and other devices for Apple, Sony, Blackberry and other brands. The company has said it may spend more than $10 billion to set up manufacturing in the United States and plans to announce investment plans by early August for at least three states.

On Friday, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said he spoke with Foxconn representatives at the request of Gov. Scott Walker. He said its possible Foxconn locates in his district, which includes all of Racine County.
17 July 2017 11:29 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan's State Philharmonic Hall has hosted a creative evening dedicated to honored art worker Jeyhun Allahverdiyev.

Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by People's Artist of Azerbaijan Fakhraddin Karimov, State Choir Capella conducted by People's Artist Gulbaji Imanova and Azerbaijan State choir soloist  honored artist Gulnaz Ismayilova (soprano) performed at the gala concert.

The creative evening featured works by composer Jeyhun Allahverdiyev.

Among the honored guests of the evening were the rector of the Baku Music Farhad Badalbayli, People's Artists of Azerbaijan Arif Malikov and Tofig Bakikhanov and others.

The event was co-organized by Medeniyyet TV channel, Azerbaijan TV and radio channel and the State Philharmonic with support of Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Trend Life reported.

Jeyhun Allahverdiyev graduated from a musical school in Sumgayit. At the age of 9, Jeyhun met with Azerbaijani conductor, and composer of the renowned symphonic mugam "Rast" Niyazi Hajibeyov.

With the blessing of the maestro, a young musician participated in 1986 in the festival in Syria, where he performed his piano compositions.

Soon after, Jeyhun Allahverdiyev entered piano department of the Asaf Zeynalli Musical School in Baku. He studied musical composition in Faig Naghiyev`s class.

He is winner of the first prize at the International piano competition in Tiraspol.

The musician dedicated his works "Sonata for piano" and "Second Symphony" to People's Artist of Azerbaijan Arif Malikov.

Today, Jeyhun Allahverdiyev tops a list of a new generation of composers. Since 1999 he works as a teacher at Baku Music Academy. He is also associate professor since 2005.

Media partners of the event are Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az, Azernews.az

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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The Caspian Center for Energy and Environment (CCEE) of ADA University have arranged Baku Summer Energy School (BSES).

The annual two-week certificate program was held in July in partnership with the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), British Petroleum in Azerbaijan and ExxonMobil.

The event brings together world-renowned scholars, academicians and policy makers to examine and gain a better understanding of global energy and environment issues and their practical application, Azertac reported.

A special focus of the program is on the Caspian Basin, including regional pipeline network development, geopolitics of the Caspian and its legal status, and the strategic outlook of SOCAR. As well as this, to mark the 10th anniversary of the program successful completion of the BSES will constitute completion of the first module of the joint ADA University-Graduate School of Geneva Executive Master of Arts (EMA) Degree in Energy Studies.

The program provides a balanced approach in studying energy and the environment. BSES instructors and speakers are leading national and international experts from academia, public and private sectors: World renowned scholars in the field of energy and environment, such as: University of Oxford, Princeton University, SciencesPo, Russian Academy of Sciences, Total Professors Association, ADA University, Ministers and heads of governmental agencies, such as: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Energy, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Head of the State Oil Fund (SOFAZ), etc., executives of (oil) companies such as SOCAR, TAP, BP, Exxon, TOTAL, Statoil, LUKOIL, etc.

While learning at the Baku Summer Energy School, participants will also enjoy outstanding recreational opportunities, including swimming in the legendary Caspian Sea. Living in downtown Baku provides excellent opportunities for night life, shopping, dining and sightseeing.

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10 July 2017 12:19 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Today, the inaction of the international community in solving the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is obvious more than ever, as the bloody conflict continues to claim lives of innocent civilians.

Baku has repeatedly emphasized that the time has long come to take effective steps to resolve the conflict. However, Armenia continues to avoid peace talks, and the international community, in particular the OSCE Minsk Group, hasnt yet been able to bring Armenia to the negotiating table.

For more than two decades, Armenia keeps under occupation over 20 percent of Azerbaijans internationally recognized territory and refuses to fulfill the UN Security Council resolution on immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the Azerbaijani territory.

Two decades of talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group have failed to produce a breakthrough, and Armenia, seeing that it remains unpunished, continues to violate the ceasefire with Azerbaijan, thus killing Azerbaijani soldiers and civilians from time to time.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly also acknowledged this fact. In its Minsk declaration adopted at the twenty-sixth annual session, the OSCE PA urged the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to redouble their efforts to finding the earliest possible sustainable solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The OSCE PA expressed its regret over the lack of progress towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Experts also note the inaction of the Minsk Group in resolving the conflict, which emerged following Armenias groundless territorial claims.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs do not exert due pressure on Armenia, Andrey Epifantsev, Russian political analyst and expert on the Caucasus region, told Trend on July 8.

The expert noted that this inaction may be connected to the fact that the three co-chair countries of the Minsk Group  Russia, France and the U.S.  have significant relations with Armenia.

Russia is a strategic ally of Armenia, and France and the U.S. have a very strong Armenian diaspora that in one way or another affects the foreign policy of the two countries, Epifantsev noted.

Clashes on the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone will continue until a certain solution is found, Epifantsev said, adding the solution to the conflict can only be achieved through compromise.

Another expert, Russian TV presenter Maxim Shevchenko stressed that the international community has never done anything to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

I am afraid that, unfortunately, the conflict will, sometime after, be resolved only on the battlefield, Shevchenko told Trend.

He noted that now it is necessary to withdraw troops from the contact line and start direct talks between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia to break the deadlock in the conflict settlement.

Azerbaijan has always noted its consent to start direct talks with Armenia. However, it seems that the aggressor country, which illegally remains in Azerbaijani territories for more than two decades, will only leave them if Azerbaijan starts their return by military means or if the international community eventually directly demands from Armenia to withdraw from Azerbaijani lands.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 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 regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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10 July 2017 13:57 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The high tensions on the frontline and murder of Azerbaijani civilians by Armenian militaries have showed that the existing formats failed to bring parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to peace. Experts note necessity of forming new formats to eventually resolve the long-lasting Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

French politician Jean-Francois Mancel, who is former member of French Parliament and President of the French Association of Friends of Azerbaijan, has proposed the assistance of France in this issue.

France can restart the peace process on Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by ensuring a fair mediation between two belligerents to put an end to dramatic assaults on civilians, he told Trend on July 10.

France, along with Russia and the U.S., is a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group established to broker a peace to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. However, all of efforts of the MG have brought no tangible results so far.

Mancel explains that the international community has little interest in this conflict which is considered to be frozen.

Two of the three co-chairs of the Minsk Group, Russia and the United States, focus on their national interests. Only France can take the initiative, he said.

Mancel noted that France is present in the Caucasus in many spheres, has good relations with both Azerbaijan and Armenia, and wants to return to international initiatives.

Earlier, Mancel, among a number of other officials of France, signed a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron urging him to exert pressure on Armenia to fulfill the UN resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh.

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.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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10 July 2017 17:41 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevicius said that his country is closely watching the situation on the line of contact in the NagornoKarabakh conflict zone.

We are deeply concerned by continuous ceasefire violations, which resulted in a number of casualties, including among civilians in Alkhanli village of Fizuli region. On behalf of the Lithuanian people, I wish to extend my sincere condolences to all victims families, he told Azertac.

The Armenian armed forces again violated ceasefire and, using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade launchers, shelled Azerbaijani positions and territories where the civilian population lives on July 4.

As a result of this provocation, the residents of the village Sakhiba Guliyeva, 50, and Zakhra Guliyeva, 2, were killed. Servinaz Guliyeva, 52, who got wounded, was taken to the hospital and was operated on.

Linkevicius stressed that Lithuania supports peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through negotiations based on fundamental principles, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Helsinki Final Act.

In view of the renewed violence, Lithuania condemns, once again, the use of military force and calls on the sides of the conflict to cease military action immediately, to adhere to the cease-fire and to return to the negotiation table, he said.

We fully support mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and join the appeal for measures to reduce tensions in the conflict zone, as well as re-engagement of the parties in negotiations on substance, in good faith and with the necessary political will, Linkevicius said.

For about three decades Armenia and Azerbaijan are in a state of war following Yerevans aggression, ethnic cleansing policy and illegal territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia keeps under control over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions in a brutal war in the early 1990s.

Despite a fragile ceasefire agreement signed in 1994, Armenia keeps violating armistice with Azerbaijan.

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10 July 2017 11:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood will further strengthen, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted on July 10.

After his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Istanbul, Erdogan noted that the sides discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as regional issues.

President Aliyev is on a visit to Istanbul to participate in the 22nd World Petroleum Congress.

The World Petroleum Congress is a platform where consumers, producers, members of the government, representatives of the energy and financial sectors, scientists can discuss the future of global energy.

The congress kicked off July 9 and will end July 13. It is being held under the slogan Bridges to Our Energy Future.

It is expected that heads of state, representatives of more than 100 countries and about 1,500 companies, nearly 50 ministers, heads of boards of directors of many companies, over 5,000 delegates will participate.

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10 July 2017 11:51 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev met with the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Istanbul on July 10, Azertac reported.

President Aliyev is on a visit to Istanbul to participate in the 22nd World Petroleum Congress.

The World Petroleum Congress is a platform where consumers, producers, members of the government, representatives of the energy and financial sectors, scientists can discuss the future of global energy.

The congress kicked off July 9 and will end July 13. It is being held under the slogan Bridges to Our Energy Future.

--

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10 July 2017 14:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Turkey is a great power on a global scale, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev during the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul.

My dear brother, dear President Recep Tayyip Erdogan! Dear ladies and gentlemen! I am very glad to be on the soil of brotherly Turkey again. I would like to take this opportunity and wish peace, welfare and progress to brotherly Turkish people, he added.

President Aliyev expressed gratitude to his Turkish counterpart for the invitation and hospitality.

Turkey has a decisive word on many issues of the world agenda, added President Aliyev.

All this success has been achieved under the leadership of my brother, President Erdogan. Today, Turkey is developing successfully and rapidly. Turkey has come a great and honorable way under the leadership of President Erdogan. Todays conference is a proof of that. As Turkey is becoming stronger, we are also strengthening, said the president.

President Aliyev pointed out that Turkey and Azerbaijan stand by each other on all issues.

We have a multifaceted cooperation which covers all spheres, he said, adding that the unity and cooperation of Turkey and Azerbaijan in energy sphere enables the countries to implement a lot of important strategic projects, among which are Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and TANAP projects.

President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is an ancient land of oil.

Indeed, we believe that Azerbaijan is a home of oil, because the first industrial method of oil production was applied in Baku, Azerbaijan in 1846, he added.

President Aliyev noted that at the same time, the year 1994 is remarkable for the signing of the Contract of Century which today plays the main role in filling the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

Afterwards, a very rich gas field Shah Deniz was discovered in Azerbaijan. The reserve of this field is estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters. It is one of the largest fields on a global scale. Today, it is the resource base of the Southern Gas Corridor. Thus, currently, Azerbaijan has turned into a producer and exporter of oil and gas, said the president.

He went on to add that the Southern Gas Corridor project consists of four parts.

The first one is the Shah Deniz gas field. The Shah Deniz 2 project is 93 percent complete and will be fully completed soon. The second one is the South Caucasus Pipeline which connects Azerbaijan and Georgia. The work on this project is 87 percent complete. The third and the most important part is the TANAP gas pipeline which is 77 percent complete. We will mark the execution of this project next year. Finally, the fourth part is the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, which is 44 percent complete, he said, adding that all these four important projects constitute the Southern Gas Corridor.

The president noted that $40 billion worth of investment is needed for the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project and the major part of this amount has already been invested.

Azerbaijans proven gas reserve is estimated at 2.6 trillion cubic meters and in the coming years, over decades, Azerbaijani gas will meet the demand of both European countries and countries of the region, added President Aliyev.

The president pointed out that seven countries participate in the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania and Italy.

Three Balkan countries can also join the Southern Gas Corridor in the future and relevant work is underway in this regard. Thats to say, we are expanding this projects geography and can further expand in the future, because this project is an initiative benefiting every country, said the president.

Implementation of this project shows that all countries and companies participating in it get benefit, said President Aliyev.

We have created such a great cooperation format in which both producers, thats to say, Azerbaijan and transit countries, as well as consumers work on the basis of common interests. This balance of interests paved way for the successful implementation of this major project, because there are quite a lot of technical, financial, economic and political issues, said the president.

Today, we can already say that the Southern Gas Corridor project will be implemented successfully and Azerbaijan will provide both European countries and the countries of the region with natural gas for many years to come.

President Aliyev said that today, gas is the main factor ensuring energy security in the world.

In this regard, Azerbaijan continues to make contribution to ensuring energy security. At the same time, Azerbaijani gas is the only new gas source to be transported to Europe, because all other gas sources are active. The new source has already been discovered and these gas reserves will be delivered to European markets through the new pipeline. Thats to say, our advantage is existence of both factors. This is a serious step towards the energy diversification, added the president.

President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan understands its responsibility.

We well understand that the projects which we are implementing together with partner countries, will ensure the energy balance and energy security of many countries and help them, he added.

Of course, oil and gas issues are in the spotlight in this congress, noted President Aliyev.

In conclusion, I would like to touch upon one issue. Usually, the countries which are not rich in oil think that if they had oil, they would be able to benefit it. But I can say that oil can bring both benefit and problems. It depends on how you use oil. We in Azerbaijan try to turn black gold into human capital and I believe we have achieved that. First of all, we protect our oil revenues in a very transparent way, he added.

President Aliyev pointed out that the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan is one of the most transparent funds in the world and was awarded by the UN.

The first condition is full transparency. Information about the revenues of the State Oil Fund is regularly provided to the public. The second issue is the appropriate use of oil revenues. First of all, we directed the oil revenues to the infrastructure projects. Today, we export not only oil and gas, but also the energy generated at dozens of power stations which we have built in recent years, he added.

President Aliyev pointed out that Azerbaijan has allocated large funds for infrastructure projects, building schools and hospitals.

We are seriously fighting poverty. In fact, oil sector doesnt create many jobs. By directing oil revenues to other sectors, we managed to reduce the level of poverty and unemployment, which currently stand at approximately 5-6 percent, he said.

Further on, Ilham Aliyev said that big amounts of foreign investments are made in Azerbaijan and the country, in turn, makes investments abroad.

Brotherly Turkey is in the first place here. To date, $10 billion worth of investments have been made in Turkeys energy sector. This figure will nearly double in the coming years. In one word, today, when talking about energy security, the projects that we implemented come to mind, he added.

The unity, friendship and brotherhood of Turkey and Azerbaijan dont only determine the two countries benefits and successful future. It has a great influence on the region, said the president, adding that it brings stability to the region, paves way for creating new jobs, strengthens security measures and opens doors for broad cooperation.

My dear brother, I once again express gratitude to you for the hospitality and invitation. I wish success to the work of the Congress! concluded President Aliyev.

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10 July 2017 10:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Turkey is one of the key countries participating in energy projects in the region, the Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak said Sunday at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul, Anadolu reported.

He noted that Turkey will continue to support investment in energy security.

"A clear example of this are the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline (BTC) and Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP)," Albayrak said.

TANAP project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline's construction the gas will be delivered to Europe in early 2020.

The length of TANAP is 1,850 kilometers with an initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters of gas. Around six billion cubic meters of this gas is meant to be delivered to Turkey, with the remaining volume to be supplied to Europe.

TANAP shareholders are Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR (58 percent), BOTAS (30 percent) and BP (12 percent).

The total cost of the project is $8.5 billion.

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10 July 2017 11:36 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Such projects as the Southern Gas Corridor and the Eastern Mediterranean Gas will enable Europe to diversify its energy sources, thereby improving its energy security, said the US Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson.

He made the remarks at the World Petroleum Council Congress in Turkey.

The United States looks forward to engaging with Turkey on projects that will increase global energy security, such as the Southern Gas Corridor and the Eastern Mediterranean Gas, said Tillerson. Turkey is an important partner in our efforts to promote greater energy security because it sits at the crossroads. Its just a fact of geography that Turkey sits at the crossroads of vital energy resources along supply routes and routes to consumers.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.

At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.

As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Adriatic Pipeline.

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RACINE COUNTY  On June 18, Rev. Yamid Blanco was assigned to be the adminstrator at St. Paul the Apostle and St. Louis Catholic churches in Mount Pleasant and Caledonia, respectively.

Twenty years before that, Blanco found himself in quite different circumstances.

After graduating high school, Blanco joined the police force in his native Colombia with the country besieged by conflict and violence. As a young and single officer, he was often sent to the most unstable areas in rural parts of the country, where gunfights were not uncommon.

I was in dangerous situations many different times, Blanco said. It was scary.

Because of that, I made the decision to leave. Otherwise, I dont know if I would be alive at this time.

Now 41, Blanco oversees two parishes totaling about 4,600 members. He has no doubt his background benefits him.

I was able to experience different things in life, he said. I am able to understand people ... Im able to understand families, Im able to understand mothers who are losing their children. So many things.

What I learned from that experience is that we are to appreciate life and family. Because life is short and is not permanent.

Journey to Wisconsin

The priesthood wasnt the first occupation Blanco pursued after leaving his job as a cop.

Blanco initially went to law school. But while studying to become a lawyer, he realized what he actually wanted to do with his life.

Something was in my heart, Blanco said.

Blanco grew up in a devout Catholic family with three sisters and a brother. He had always looked up to priests and admired what they do. After receiving encouragement from his family and others around him, Blanco decided to enter the seminary.

He finished philosophy studies in Colombia, then took a year outside the seminary. During that year, he got to know the Archdiocese of Milwaukee through a Colombian priest friend working in Milwaukee.

Blanco was interested in coming. In 2007, he was accepted as a candidate for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

One problem: He did not speak English.

What little he learned in high school was long forgotten, he said. So he studied English for a year and then went to Sacred Heart School of Theology in Franklin, where he continued to become comfortable with the language.

I was listening to professors, I was doing presentations, I was taking oral and written exams. That helped me a lot to develop my skills, Blanco said.

One family

Blanco was an associate pastor in the Burlington area before coming to eastern Racine County, where he oversees St. Paul the Apostle, 6400 Spring St., and St. Louis, 13207 Highway G.

Before, each churches had its own priest. Now they share one, which Blanco said is due in large part to a number of retirements and shortage of priests.

Blancos goal is for the two churches to become one family while keeping their own identities. Theres lots of opportunities to share programs, like the sacrament of confirmation, as well as an annual festival, he said.

I want both communities to be working together, helping each other, participating together in events, Blanco said. Two churches, one family. Thats my goal.

One of the youngest priests the churches have seen, Blanco said his tenure is off to a good start so far, as church members have responded well.

People have shown me a lot of love and appreciation for my presence here, he said.
10 July 2017 13:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR feels constant support of Turkey in such ongoing projects as Petkim, Star Refinery, Petlim and others, said Rovnag Abdullayev.

SOCAR President spoke of this at the 22nd World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul on July 10.

He said that the Azerbaijani gas together with other sources will play an important role in meeting Europes demand for natural gas, which grew 7.1 percent.

He noted that the Southern Gas Corridor project will become profitable in the long-term period for the energy sector of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Europe.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.

At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.

As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Adriatic Pipeline.

President Ilham Aliyev also arrived in Turkey for a working visit on July 9 to attend the Congress.

The 22nd World Petroleum Congress, under the sponsorship of Turkish Petroleum runs from June 9 to June 13 at CNR EXPO with 20,000 participants, 5,000 decision-makers, and 50 ministers from over 100 countries.

With the theme Bridges to our Energy Future, the Congress is addressing the changes in the industry within an unstable and uncertain world. It will provide the platform for open dialogue to build bridges between consumers and producers, governments and industry, academia and financiers, as well as leaders and society.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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10 July 2017 10:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Security forces killed seven PKK terrorists in southeastern Hakkari and Sirnak provinces, the Turkish General Staff said Sunday, Anadolu reported.

Three of them were killed in a counterterrorism operation in Sirnak, according to the Turkish General Staff.

Four others were killed in a gunbattle with security forces in the Yuksekova district of Hakkari province, the army said.

Forces also seized ammunition including rocket launchers, kalashnikovs, improvised explosives as well as material to fabricate the latter.

More than 1,200 people, including security personnel and civilians, have lost their lives since the PKK - listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU - resumed its decades-long armed campaign in July 2015.

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10 July 2017 11:06 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

A passenger plane of Irans Mahan Airlines made an emergency landing in Iran's northern city of Rasht, Tasnim news agency reported July 10.



The airplane heading to Tehran from Moscow changed the destination due to critical health condition of a passenger on board, according to the report.



The passenger died before arriving to hospital, despite receiving emergency medical treatment.



There was no immediate information on the passenger's nationality.



The plane later left the Rasht airport to Tehran Imam Khomeini airport after re-fuelling.

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10 July 2017 13:45 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Kazakhstan stands for a smooth exit from the OPEC deal with gradual increase in production within a period of 1-2 months, said Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev

Answering the question, does Kazakhstan for a gradual exit from a deal with OPEC in a few months or for a sharp increase in production, Bozumbayev said: the First option.

In late 2016, the 11 OPEC and independent exporters, including Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the reduction of oil production. Under the agreement, the parties in the first half of 2017 had to withdraw from the oil market of 1.8 million barrels per day (compared to October 2016).

Within the deal, Kazakhstan has committed to cut oil output by 20,000 barrels per day from November 2016.

At a meeting in Vienna in May 2017, the deal was extended until April 2018, keeping the same quota for all participants and aiming to reduce global oil reserves to the averages for the five years levels.

Bozumbayev noted that Astana has not yet determined its position regarding the necessity of extending the agreement. Its a question, he said, TASS reported.

In addition, Bozumbayev said that Kazakhstan in the current year exceeded its plan and will produce more than 81 million tons of oil. The annual plan was 81 million tons, I think that will be more, he said.

The republic follows the agreements on the reduction of oil production, according to the minister.

"Approximately, yes," he said, answering the question whether the country has entered into the designated parameters of the agreement.

Bozumbaev further noted that he was satisfied with the effect of the oil agreement and the increase in the oil prices, which, in his opinion, would be about $50 per barrel by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo told reporters that the Joint OPEC-Non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee will not discuss increasing the overall volume of oil production cuts on July 24 in Russia, saying that it is still premature, Interfax reported.

He also said that the level of implementation of the OPEC Agreement in June is much higher than in May.

While Kazakhstan wants to abandon the deal, Libya and Nigeria may be asked to join the agreement.

Libya and Nigeria, which were exempted from the obligations under the OPEC+ deal, may take part in the meeting of the ministerial monitoring committee in Russia.

Essam al-Marzuk, oil minister of Kuwait, confirmed that representatives of the two countries were invited to the meeting and that they may be asked to limit production, although it is too early to talk about increasing the overall volume of oil production cuts in the OPEC deal.

Today, world oil prices increased amid the reports that Libya and Nigeria were invited to a meeting.

On NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange) cost of the US Light crude oil increased $0.75 to stand at $45.35. Price of the Brent crude oil at the London ICE (Intercontinental Exchange Futures) rose $0.35 to trade at $47.69.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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10 July 2017 15:17 (UTC+04:00)

The EBRD Board of Directors has approved a new country strategy for Kazakhstan. The strategy outlines the Banks primary areas of investment and policy engagement in the country over the next four years.

The strategy builds on the Banks strong operational engagement in Kazakhstan, which has seen the country become one of the EBRDs largest markets, with the total investment to date exceeding $ 8 billion.

The bank announced that it will focus on the following priorities

Balancing the roles of the public and private sectors. The Bank will continue to support the growth of private enterprises, which are still outweighed by the public sector. By investing in the private sector, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in agribusiness and the non-extractive sectors, the EBRD hopes to improve the economys competitiveness.

The Bank remains interested in the privatisation programme announced by the government. At the same time, the Bank will continue to support the reform of Kazakhstans public sector and the commercialisation of state-owned enterprises.

Broadening access to finance, strengthening the banking sector and developing local capital markets. Many firms continue to suffer from insufficient access to finance. The EBRD will work on improving the resilience of Kazakhstans financial sector, which will in turn help relieve pressures on businesses, especially SMEs and the non-extractive sector.

Inter-regional connectivity and international integration. Investing in Kazakhstans infrastructure remains an important focus of the EBRD. By supporting inter-regional and cross-border rail and road projects, the Bank seeks to enhance connectivity and boost the economic inclusion of remote regions of the country.

Green economy transition. The EBRD is the largest investor in sustainable energy in Kazakhstan, covering both renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. It will continue to combine investment with policy engagement, in order to further help the country develop a supportive regulatory framework for sustainable energy, water and resource use. Decreasing Kazakhstans carbon footprint is crucial for the countrys sustainable development across all sectors, notably in agriculture, energy and industry.

In addition to being a renewable energy champion, the EBRD is also the largest institutional investor overall in the countrys economy outside of the oil and gas sectors.

In recent years, an increasing amount has been invested in crucial public utilities and small business support in nearly all regions of Kazakhstan.

In the water utility sector, EBRD projects now produce about 267 million cubic metres of potable water every year, improving access to tap water for almost a million people. Improved wastewater services reach more than 1.3 million people across the country.

An example of the Banks work with small businesses is the popular Women in Business programme, which has to date provided about 12,000 loans in the local currency, tenge, for a total equivalent to US$ 41 million, mostly outside of the largest cities Almaty and Astana.

Inclusion is already a strong focus for the EBRD, with a new US$ 1 billion programme for projects in the energy and natural resources sectors aiming to support technical education and new jobs for local women and young people.

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10 July 2017 15:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

At a time of significant regional uncertainty, Qatar crisis continues to deepen as compromise does not completely satisfy either conflicting party.

After refusal to meet the list if demands by Arab states, Qatar has announced the formation of a committee to pursue compensation potentially worth billions of dollars for damages stemming from the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia and its allies in the Gulf crisis.

Qatar's attorney general Ali bin Fetais Al-Marri told reporters on July 9 that the Compensation Claims Committee will deal with claims made by private companies, including major firms such as Qatar Airways, public institutions and individuals.

He also said that the committee will use both domestic and international mechanisms to seek compensation and hire overseas law firms. "You have people who have sustained damages, businessmen who have sustained damages, banks which have sustained damages. As a result of this blockade," Al-Marri said.

Members of the newly-formed committee include Qatar's Foreign and Justice Ministers.

Al-Marri noted that this decision is not connected to the current state of negotiations between Qatar and the Saudi-led coalition.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain in early June cut off diplomatic relations, severed air, land and sea links with Qatar and ordered Qatari citizens to leave their countries within two weeks, accusing it of backing terrorism and extremism. Qatar has denied the allegations.

The blockade disrupted imports of food and other materials into Qatar and caused many foreign banks to scale back their business with the country.

In early July, the Arab states sent a list of demand and required Doha to cut diplomatic relations with Iran, close the Turkish military base, eliminate Al-Jazeera TV channel, extradite all persons wanted in four countries on charges of terrorism and pay compensation.

Doha refused to fulfill these requirements calling the list unrealistic and not actionable. Four Arab states claimed that economic boycott against Qatar will remain in place until the country changes its policies for the better.

The Arab stated, in a joint statement on July 7, announced that "the Qatari government has thwarted all efforts including diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis," Emirates state news agency WAM reported.

Media reports that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain would try to expel Qatar from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, or even jeopardize Qatar's membership in the Arab League.

Meanwhile, a number of top-level politicians including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are expected to visit Qatar soon.

Currently, the Gulf state of Kuwait is mediating the conflict.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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10 July 2017 16:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a decree on reorganization of certain banks in the country.

The Turkmen president gave concrete instructions to the head of the countrys Central Bank at a government meeting, the Turkmen government reported on July 10.

Also, a decree was signed on the transfer of rights and obligations on the loans, issued to a number of ministries, to the countrys state commercial bank Halkbank.

The Central Bank is the national bank of Turkmenistan. The Bank, established in 1991, regulates the countrys banking system and supervises the national financial policy.

The banking sector of Turkmenistan is dominated by six state banks specializing in particular economic sectors.

Turkmen Vnesheconombank specializes in the foreign trade and project finance, Dayhan Bank  in the agricultural sector, Turkmenbashi Bank  in extraction and heavy industry, transport, telecommunications, construction and retail trade, Turkmen Bank  in the public sector including education, health care, light industry, while Halkbank is responsible for pension payments and Prezidentbank  for real estate.

Other banks that serve commercial structures are also partly state-owned and subject to the broad state control that applies across Turkmenistans banking system.

A progress was made with strengthening the banking sector as the Turkmen government adopted a special programme to develop the banking system over the period 2010-30. A number of new laws were adopted including a Law on Accounting and Financial Reporting Standards (July 2010), new laws on the Central Bank and on Lending Institutions and Banking (March 2011) and a Law on Microfinance (April 2011).

In early 2015, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan set an official exchange rate of 3.50 manat for $1, which is still maintained. The previous exchange rate of 2.85 manat for $1 remained unchanged from 2008.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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10 July 2017 16:55 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The seventh round of intra-Syrian talks under the auspices of the UN kicked off in the Swiss city of Geneva on July 10 with the meeting between UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura and Syrian governmental delegation led by Bashar Jaafari.

The meeting comes amid a new ceasefire in Syria, announced by the U.S and Russia on July 7.

The agenda of the meeting includes the four so-called "baskets" that is a new constitution, governance, elections and combating terrorism.

Earlier, the UN Special Envoy urged not to have inflated expectations from the outcome of the current round of talks.

"We are going to work very hard. Lets talk later in the afternoon," de Mistura told TASS upon arriving in the UN headquarters.

Six previous rounds of United Nations-backed talks have ended with little progress towards ending the war.

In parallel, Syrias warring sides have also attended five rounds of peace talks brokered by Iran, Russia and Turkey in the Kazakh capital, Astana. The Astana talks have resulted in a memorandum of understanding on creation of de-escalation zones in Syria.

The civil war in Syria between government and opposition with various terrorist groups involved, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), began back in March 2011.

Syrian President Bashar Assad managed to turn the tide of war in his favor after Russia started an air campaign in September 2015, while Iran is an uncompromising supporter of the Syrian leader.

According to a report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the countrys pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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TOWN OF WATERFORD  A local snowmobile club, hoping the Town of Waterford will allow the opening of a trail for all-terrain vehicles, faced a setback last week when the town Planning Commission came out against ATVs using town roads.

The proposal next goes to the Waterford Town Board, which is schedule to meet at 5:30 p.m. today at the Town Hall, 415 N. Milwaukee St., to consider the Planning Commissions recommendation.

The request to change a town ordinance to allow ATVs and utility terrain vehicles on town roads was rejected on a 4-0 vote at the July 5 Planning Commission meeting. Town Chairman Tom Hincz abstained. Commissioner Max Wenck was absent, and Commissioner Risa Smith recused herself because shes the secretary for Tichigan Lake Sno-N-Go Snowmobile Club, which submitted the proposal.

About 50 residents showed up July 5 to show support for and against the ATVs-on-roads measure. Club members say allowing ATVs on roads would allow the vehicles to get to a proposed ATV trail in the highland areas of the Tichigan Wildlife Area. Such a trail would need approval from the state Department of Natural Resources.

Planning Commissioner Ted Derse said he saw a petition with 185 signatures against the measure.

There were a lot of concerns raised, Derse said. There is a liability issue, safety issues, there is traffic, cost and enforcement issues. The list goes on and on and on.

Points of contention

After the meeting, Smith said she is hopeful the outcome will be different with the Town Board, which would makes the ultimate decision regarding ATVs on roads.

I think what was overlooked is the fact that there is no education programs in the area for ATV and UTV riders. Thats one big thing our club wants to bring to the area, Smith said.

Hincz had told The Journal Times prior to the meeting the towns narrow roads would not accommodate the request and noise, dust and safety were big concerns.

Smith said she thought some of the issues people discussed at the July 5 meeting were moot points, since the final version of the proposal had many of them removed.

Were not parking ATVs at the boat launch area, Smith said. The track on North Lake Road was removed from the original proposal and there was still a lot of discussion about that. It was taken off the books.
Photo: Dean Kraft Wildfire burning near Princeton, Saturday.

UPDATE: 9:55 p.m.

aHighway 24 westbound is closed at the junction with Highway 5 north in Little Fort because of a forest fire. The estimated time of opening is not available and an assessment is in progress.

UPDATE: 6:48 p.m.

Highway 97 is closed in both directions at the Canim Hendrix Intersection (2 km north of 100 Mile House) to Timothy Lake Road junction (25 km north of 100 Mile House) due to dynamic fire behaviour. There is no alternate route.

UPDATE: 4 p.m.

Highway 20 has reopened to eastbound traffic. However the westbound portion of the highway remains closed 22 km west of Williams Lake at Sheep Creek Bridge.

UPDATE: 12:40 p.m.

Highway 1 Westbound is closed west of Savona because of a wildfire. There is no detour available. Next update is tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m.

Highway 20 is closed between Raven Lake Rd. and Bull Canyon Rd in both directions near Alexis Creek because of a forest fire. There is no detour available.

Highway 5A closed in both directions at Coalmont Rd because of a Forest Fire. Local detour not available. Alternate route: Hwy 97C, Hwy 97, Hwy 3. There is no estimated time of opening, but an assessment is in progress.

Highway 5A closed in both directions at Junction with Highway 3 (Highway 3 is open), in Princeton because of a wildfire. There is no detour available. Alternate route: Hwy 3, Hwy 97 and Hwy 97C.

Highway 97C Westbound is closed from Logan Lake to Ashcroft because of a wildfire. Local traffic only and watch for traffic control. Estimated time of opening is currently not available.

Highway 97 closed from Junction of Hwy 1 in Cache Creek to Clinton because of a wildfire. There is a detour available via Hwy 24 and Hwy 5. It is open from Clinton to Williams Lake. There is no access to Highway 99. No estimated time of opening.

Highway 97 is open to northbound traffic from Williams Lake and closed southbound 15 km south of Quesnel due to a wildfire. There is no estimated time of opening.

Highway 97C and Cornwall Road are closed in both directions from Junction with Highway 1 to Government Street Ashcroft because of a wildfire. No estimated time of opening.

Highway 99 closed in both directions from Junction with Highway 12, at Lillooet to Junction with Highway 97 North, in Cache Creek because of a wildfire. No estimated time of opening.

Highway 1 is closed in both directions 10 km west of Cache Creek to 5 km east of Cache Creek because of a wildfire. No estimated time of opening; and assessment is ongoing.

Likely Road closed in both directions from 150 Mile House to Junction with Horsefly Road because of wildfire. There is a detour from the Likely-Horsefly Junction to Beaver Lake Road and then to Hwy 97N.

UPDATE: 10 a.m.

The Highway 3 closure at Jaffray is now clear.

ORIGINAL: 8:30 a.m.

The B.C. forest fire crisis continues to force the closure of several highways.

Highway 5A remains closed in both directions at the junction with Highway 3 in Princeton because of the forest fire in the area. Highway 3 is open, however. An alternative route is available via Highway 3, Highway 97 and Highway 97C.

Highway 5A is also closed at Coalmont Road because of the fire. A local detour is not available.

Highway 97C is closed from Logan Lake to Ashcroft because of another wildfire. Local traffic only is permitted until further notice. Traffic controllers are on scene.

Highway 93 is also partially closed, due to a wildfire at Radium Hot Springs. The road is reduced to single-lane, alternating traffic.

Meanwhile, Highway 3 is reduced to single-lane, alternating traffic one kilometre east of Jaffray due to vehicle incident, DriveBC reports.

The highway had been closed since 3 a.m
UPDATE: 3:45 p.m.

People evacuated from the condo building in Kelowna had a few minutes on Sunday to remove valuables from their units at the Water's Edge.

Charlene Hodgson was at the farmers' market when she got word that the building next to hers was on fire.

They called me and told me they had some bad news and the condo next door was on fire," she said.

On Sunday she was removing her belongings from her home.

They have given each floor a 45-minute window, she said. They have to have supervised escorts up stairs and out.

Fire crews are focused on getting rid of smoke and extinguishing the last of the fire inside the condo building that was under construction on Truswell Road. It collapsed Saturday after a massive fire tore through the structure.

Kelowna Fire Chief Travis Whiting said crews did everything they could to attack the fire.

Pretty much every piece of apparatus that we had we threw at this, he said. This is a big fire so we didnt hold anything back by any means.

Whiting said crews are still soaking the embers of the collapsed building to get the smoke down.

Meanwhile, he said the fire next door caused only so much damage.

"The bulk of the units are actually in very good shape, the crews did an amazing job in holding the line," he said.

Crews worked on three sides to extinguish the fire, including from a boat in the water.

The cause of fire is still being investigated and he would not release any further information.

"Obviously, there have been some ideas floating around but until we know exactly what it is we want to be cautious," said Whiting.

UPDATE: 3:10 p.m.

All evacuation orders related to the Waters Edge on Truswell Road fire have now been rescinded but some residents are still unable to return to their property, according to the Emergency Operations Centre.

The press release states:

The evacuation order for Waters Edge (65 units) at 3865  3885 Truswell Road has been rescinded but residents are still unable to return to their property. The strata manager of Waters Edge has been in contact with owners to arrange escorted access into some units. Residents of Waters Edge can call the strata manager at 778-478-0444.

The evacuation order for Walnut Grove (37 units) at 549 Truswell Road has also been rescinded. Residents can contact the property manager at 250-764-4221 for more information.

Approximately 20 units were impacted at Waters Edge Phase One and Walnut Grove. Homeowners will need to work directly with their property owners/managers and insurance companies.

As well, the evacuation order for Charles M Suites (11 units) at 559 Truswell Road and all single family homes on Truswell and Capozzi Roads have been lifted. Single family home addresses include:

3814 Capozzi Road

3820 Capozzi Road

3828 Capozzi Road

3832 Capozzi Road

3838 Capozzi Road

3848 Capozzi Road

3854 Truswell Road

3858 Truswell Road

3896 Truswell Road

The evacuation order for Mission Shores (54 units) at 3880 Truswell Road has also been lifted.

Residents who cannot return home should register at the reception centre at the Salvation Army, 1480 Sutherland Ave. The reception center is open between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday.

People are being reminded to stay clear of the general area as it remains a restricted access area.

UPDATE: 12 p.m.

Work is underway to remove much of the debris that has now filled the street on Truswell Road.

Crews are still battling the fire and more information is expected on Sunday about what plans are being made for Water's Edge residents.

UPDATE: 11 a.m.

Deputy Fire Chief Lou Wilde said the focus will be getting as many people back into their homes as possible after a blaze ripped through one condo building and spread to another on Truswell Road.

Evacuation orders that were put in place for Charles M Suites at 559 Truswell Road and all single family homes on Truswell and Capozzi Road will be lifted as of 11 a.m. Sunday.

Evacuation orders for Mission Shores at 3880 Truswell Road will be lifted at 1 p.m. as additional time is required to ventilate smoke from the parkade.

Smoke still filled much of the sky on Sunday morning as firefighters worked to hose down the smouldering building.

Water's Edge units on Truswell Road and Walnut Grove are all under an evacuation order.

"Fire suppression work is ongoing," said the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations in a release.

"Plans are being made to provide limited escorted access to Waters Edge residents to secure essential items such as prescription drugs."

People who have been evacuated are being directed to Salvation Army at 1480 Sutherland Avenue.

For more information visit this link.

ORIGINAL: 10:50 a.m.

Firefighters worked through the night on a blaze that gutted a condo building on Truswell Road.

Water's Edge North building, a six-storey condo, collapsed after being completely engulfed in flames after a fire broke out at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

The fire spread to the building behind which was quickly evacuated.

Crews on scene Sunday morning were still working to extinguish the building still had smoke coming out of it.

At least two fire truck were working on the blaze and fire investigators are expected to be on scene today.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Coup in Switzerland

10 July 2017

Coup appears to be the much-used buzzword surrounding the appointment of Jan Jenisch as the new LafargeHolcim CEO on 22 May 2017. He is expected to take over as CEO on 16 October although in all likelihood will start work earlier.



The news was well-received by the stock markets as LafargeHolcim shares jumped 4.4 per cent to CHF56.70 at the start of trading on Monday, 27 May. Analysts Bernstein have described the appointment as one that ticks all the right boxes. They highlight his international leadership with relevant industry experience as well as having the right skillset to address the cement producers specific issues.



Jenischs track record at Sika, where he was appointed CEO in January 2012, has been excellent. He combined analytical sharpness, a pleasant demeanor and assertiveness to take Sika from a US$1bn sales company to one that commanded US$6bn at the end of his term as he versed himself in the construction industry. He was responsible for Sikas high-growth strategy, significant improvements in efficiency and profitability as well as major acquisitions that would see the company drive an accelerated expansion into new markets. Between 2012 and 2016 Sika saw its revenues grow at a CAGR of eight per cent (local currency), of which five per cent was organic growth and three per cent M&A related.



But Jenischs departure at Sika was not without a cloud. The departure came as a shock to Sika and its employees. While his successor, Paul Schuler, is a safe choice who enjoys the support of the Burkard family (which controls Sika), Jenischs departure was far from smooth, according to some sources. Much of it seems tangled up with the sale of Sika to France-based Saint-Gobain, with Jenisch being fiercely opposed to the Burkhard familys chosen path, according to Swiss business magazine, Bilanz. Faced with the prospect of an increasingly difficult working environment either with the new owners following the divestment or lacking support from the Burkhards, Jenisch recognised an opportunity when LafargeHolcim discussed the possibility of succeeding Eric Olsen, according to Bilanz. When the CHF9m offer came, Jenisch completed his coup.



For LafargeHolcim the appointment has also been a coup, particularly for its chairman, Beat Hess. The previous search for a CEO took a year and Beat Hess had stated upon Eric Olsens departure that he did not expect a new chief to be in place before the autumn, in line with his image of preferring a steady and careful rather than a swift approach to issues. Nevertheless, he presented the new chairman after just 28 days and moreover, with unanimous support of his Board, a key ingredient missing under the previous CEO.



However, the tone going forward is one of optimism. Expectations are high and include a strategy to target industry-leading levels of overhead expenses and finding a post-merger management model that works for LafargeHolcim. Most of the hard post-merger work has been carried out and Jenisch is reported to be the man to take the company forward. There will undoubtedly be some reorganisation and cost-cutting, possibly by removing a management layer, according to Bernstein. We also expect Jenisch will take a more long-term approach to strategy, galvanise the support of employees and management, and restore credibility with investors in the LafargeHolcim story, says Bernstein. Jenischs reported decentralised management style, empowering local managers, also appears a good fit with LafargeHolcims multi-local approach. His ability to galvanise employees will also be a positive factor in LafargeHolcims post-merger cultural integration, which remains incomplete.



As a result, the research house sees the company as investible for the first time since its merger and upgrades its status to Outperform. In 2018-19 Bernsteins EBITDA forecasts point to an annual rise of around 10 per cent and a significant rise in target price.

Published under
New Cambodian plant due for year-end completion

10 July 2017

Chip Mong Insee Cement Cooperation is nearing completion of its new cement plant in Kampot province, Cambodia, according to local press reports.



The US$262m factory with the capacity to produce 5,000tpd of cement is due to open by the end of the year, the Khymer Times reported.



Chip Mong Group and Chip Mong Insee Cement signed a partnership agreement with Chinas CITIC Heavy Industries Company to build the plant, construction of which began last year.



Chip Mong Insee Cement Cooperation is a joint venture with Thai investors Siam City Cement Plc.

Published under
The Republican challenger to House Speaker Paul Ryan didnt cooperate with a police investigation into his ballot selfie last year, according to the Walworth County district attorney.

The town of Delavan police investigation determined Delavan businessman Paul Nehlen broke the law when he tweeted a photo of his ballot last August, but the Walworth County District Attorneys Office declined to press charges.

This conduct is technically a violation, Assistant District Attorney Haley Johnson wrote in a letter obtained by the Wisconsin State Journal. However, the State does not believe Mr. Nehlens conduct warrants a criminal charge. It does not appear that Mr. Nehlen was attempting to trade his vote for compensation. Rather, he ignorantly posted the image to draw attention to his candidacy.

Johnson added the matter could have been resolved much more quickly if Mr. Nehlen had cooperated with the investigation.

Instead, he chose to delay the investigation by factory resetting his phone and removing the SIM card, Johnson wrote.

Nehlen, a political newcomer, mounted a spirited challenge to Ryan, even getting a shout-out from Donald Trump, who was feuding at the time with Ryan. The House Speaker from Janesville won the August primary by a margin of 84 percent to 16 percent.

Nehlen has announced he plans to challenge Ryan again next year. He didnt respond to a request for comment.

After the primary, news media reported Nehlen had posted a photograph of his ballot on social media, which is illegal under state law. In response, the Town of Delevan Police Department conducted an investigation and obtained several subpoenas.

Asked last week for an update on the case, Police Chief Raymond Clark said the department referred charges against Nehlen on Sept. 23 to the Walworth County District Attorneys Office for allegedly violating a law that prohibits showing a marked ballot to any person. His office received Johnsons letter on Jan. 12.

Violators of the statute can be charged with a class I felony, which is punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and up to three years and six months in prison.

According to the state Elections Commission, Wisconsin banned photographing ballots long ago to prevent the practice of voters being paid to vote a certain way and then using a photograph of the ballot as evidence.

Other states also prohibit so-called ballot selfies, though recently courts have struck down such laws in Indiana and New Hampshire on First Amendment grounds.
Zambias president unveils plans for US$528m cement plant

ICR Newsroom By 10 July 2017

President Edgar Lungu of Zambia announced the construction of a US$528m cement plant at Ndola Lime Co in the countrys Copperbelt as the country aims to diversify its economy.



The investment is a joint venture between Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings and Chinas Sinoconst. The 5000tpd plant will have two 20MW coal-fired power plants to provide electricity to the facility.



Copperbelt Permanent secretary, Elias Kamanga, said the cement plant will create about 4000 jobs.







Published under
Battle over Charlie Gard case continues as US pastor says hospital didn't want him to pray

A controversial American pastor was initially refused permission to pray with Charlie Gard and his parents at Great Ormond Street Hospital, as high-profile publicity continues to surround the case of the terminally ill-baby in London.

Pro-life advocates in the US have voiced their support for the Gard family, while the High Court in London has today said it will hear new evidence in the case.

Rev Patrick Mahoney, 63, is a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church who visited Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London to pray with the Gard family, but was reportedly blocked from doing so for 'security' reasons, he told the Daily Mail.

Mahoney is an outspoken activist and self-described 'outspoken prophetic voice for ending the violence of abortion'. He has previously been arrested for protesting against abortion. He described his trip to the UK as a 'faith journey', leading a campaign to 'save Charlie's life'. After being denied access to Charlie, he said: 'In 40 years of pastoral ministry, I have never once been denied the right to pray over a patient in a hospital.

'This continues to show Great Ormond Street Hospital's disregard for the wishes of Charlie's parents. First the hospital denies care, and now they deny prayer.' However, Mahoney was later allowed to pray with the family.

He said on social media: 'Let's believe for a miracle and that Great Ormond Street hospital would continue do the right thing.'

Rev Patrick Mahoney of Washington prays in London for #CharlieGard pic.twitter.com/66EofyI3hr  Kim Hjelmgaard (@khjelmgaard) July 9, 2017

Charlie's life has hung in the balance since his birth. The 11-month-old suffers from mitochondrial depletion syndrome, a rare genetic illness which leads to progressive brain and muscle damage. He is blind, deaf and unable to move or breathe without a ventilator. GOSH determined that he should be taken off his life support.

Charlie's parents raised 1.3 million in crowdfunding to fund experimental treatment in the US but judges at the European Court of Human Rights have refused to let him go because they believed further intervention will 'continue to cause Charlie significant harm'. The Pope and President Trump have expressed their support for Gard and his parent's wishes.

Joining the chorus, pro-life leaders in the US have said that the coverage of the Gard case is vital, and relates to the debate about healthcare in the US.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of Susan B Anthony List, a pro-life political group, told MRC Culture she was grateful for President Trump highlighting Gard's case on Twitter.

'He can make real news, not fake news,' she said. 'And there's nothing more real than the power of a story where there's sort of a utilitarian authority saying, 'This life is not worth saving, and I'm not even going to let the parents get involved and try to save the life.'

She added: 'The authority of an entity of the medical authorities to determine life and death versus a parent that wants to take care of their child.

'Those are mutually exclusive claims that are in conversation right now. Complete coverage of that is vital because it will determine in many ways how we design our own health care system.'

In London, the High Court will today hear new evidence in the Gard case, according to BBC News. Gard's parents on Sunday gave GOSH a 350,000 signature petition calling for Gard's passage to the US for treatment.

GOSH said it would send the case back to court after international healthcare facilities offered 'fresh evidence about their proposed experimental treatment' for Charlie.
Can psychoactive drugs help ministers be more effective? University researchers aim to find out

Pastors and priests are taking drugs  but it's all in the name of science.

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have enlisted two dozen religious leaders for a study in which they are given two doses of psilocybin, the active ingredient in 'magic mushrooms'.

The idea is to see how a transcendental experience affects religious thinking and whether it makes them more effective in their work, according to The Guardian.

Speaking at the Breaking Convention conference in London earlier this month, psychologist Dr William Richards said: 'With psilocybin these profound mystical experiences are quite common. It seemed like a no-brainer that they might be of interest, if not valuable, to clergy.'

He told The Guardian after presenting his research: 'Their instruction is to go within and collect experiences. So far everyone incredibly values their experience. No one has been confused or upset or regrets doing it.'

He added: 'It is too early to talk about results, but generally people seem to be getting a deeper appreciation of their own religious heritage.

'The dead dogma comes alive for them in a meaningful way. They discover they really believe this stuff they're talking about.'

Among those recruited for the experiment were Catholic and Orthodox priests and Presbyterian ministers, a Zen Buddhist and several rabbis.

Christian Today first wrote about the experiment in 2015: 'Ministers and magic mushrooms: Why religion is about more than mysticism'.
Christian Aid helps thousands hit by monsoon catastrophe in India's Assam State

Hundreds of thousands have been left homeless and at least 18 people have died in a monsoon catastrophe hitting Assam State in India this year.

Christian Aid has stepped in to help the estimated 400,000 people made homeless by the incessant rains, which began last month and are getting worse by the day.

Already, rivers have have burst the banks of rivers, flooding villages and agricultural land across 15,000 hectares throughout Assam.

The worst affected districts are Lakhimpur and Karimganj where more than 300,000 people have had their homes destroyed. In total, 740 villages have been affected. Relief camps have been set up by government authorities and around 22,000 people are taking shelter in them.

Toilet facilities are also under water and the risk of disease spreading throughout the area is extremely high, according to Christian Aid. It has allocated more than 75,000 through its local partner organisation Indo Global Social Service Society to provide emergency assistance. It is distributing shelter materials, including tarpaulin, rope and groundsheets, water filters, aqua tabs, soap and mosquito nets amongst other vital items in the Lakhimpur district this week.

Shivani Rana, emergency programme officer at Christian Aid said: 'We have had to organise a rapid response to this emergency. The numbers of people who need help are enormous and now persistent and very heavy rains are forecast for the coming days so numbers will grow. Villages have been wiped out by the flood water. People need shelter, clean drinking water and food. In the longer term though, we will need to help these people build back their lives.

'Getting access to those who need help is almost impossible because the roads are submerged so we have to rely on our partners' local knowledge and use alternative routes.'

'Monsoons are still ongoing. There are fresh developments every hour,' Rajib Prakash Barua, a senior Assam State Disaster Management Authority official, told AFP news agency. Most people died either because of flooding or electrocution.

Neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh state has also suffered heavy rain and landslides and last week an Indian air force aid helicopter carrying food crashed with no survivors.
Does this vote by the Church of England mean the end for the Bishop's Mitre?

The Church of England today embraced informal attire for all its clergy, known as 'dress down Sundays'.

Formal vestments have not been abandoned nor abolished  but it is now optional for clergy to wear traditional vestments at services such as Holy Communion.

Previously, many clergy, especially from the evangelical wing, ignored the law stipulating formal vestments at such services in any case.

The move came as a leading member of the General Synod and Archbishops' Council, Rev Dr Ian Paul, called for an end to episcopal mitres.

Writing on his blog, Psephizo, Dr Paul said: 'Why do Church of England bishops wear mitres? In our age of visual media, there is a tendency to reach for visual symbolism; it seems sometimes that those on television they don't think they are actually talking to a bishop unless the person is wearing a purple cassock. But there are many reasons for saying goodbye to mitres once and for all.'

Some people say the mitre derives from the shape of a fish, a symbolic acrostic, icthus, meaning Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour. Others also say it is from fish, but a pre-Christian Babylonian fish deity, not the Greek acrostic. Others believe it derives from the shape of the Pentecostal flame.

Mitres were not worn widely in the Church until the 10th century, and were discarded in the Church of Engand after the Reformation but restored to general use by the Anglo-Catholic revival of the 19th century. Beautiful ornate mitres, or 'crowns', have been worn for centuries by Eastern Orthodox bishops, and Catholic bishops also wear mitres.

There is a letter said by some to have been written by Polycarp in the fourth century that refers to the Apostle John wearing a mitre.

Mitres are not mentioned in the amended Canon agreed by the Synod today, but the vote for 'dress down Sundays' reflects a move away from formal attire.

Rev Alistair McHaffie of the Blackburn diocese said the aim was not to impose anything or anyone on any church: 'We are recognsing that many hundreds of churches have already dispensed with their robes and all we are doing is giving them permission to continue with our blessing.'

He said he had noticed the Archbishop of Canterbury wearing a blue pair of trainers at the Synod. Justin Welby, who once described himself in bishop's vestments as 'a self-propelled toadstool with a pointy hat', corrected McHaffie from the floor.

'They're not trainers. They're walking shoes,' he said.

Bill Braviner from Durham, also referring to Welby's footwear, said he was very pleased to note that the person 'leading our Church on its pilgrimage' has his walking shoes sorted. He also spoke of his regret at being at confirmation and other services where bishops and clergy had not been robed. He urged a 'two-way humility' where clergy who did not usually wear robes were willing to do so 'for the mission of the Church'.

Archdeacon Paul Ayers urged caution, and reminded the Church that parishioners had a right to traditional liturgy, including vested clergy. 'Whose option are we talking about?'

Bishop of St Albans Alan Smith said change was needed to account for society's 'fast changing culture'. If there is disagreement in a congregation about what their clergy want to wear, the matter could be referred to the bishop who would give guidance.

Chris Hobbs, a London priest, originated the motion and has spent many years waiting for it to be passed.

Listen to Ruth Gledhill debate whether the Church should abandon the bishop's mitre with Dr Ian Paul on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Iceberg the size of Delaware ready to break away from Antartica

A giant iceberg the size of Delaware is poised to break away from its ice shelf. A rift between the iceberg and the Antarctic shelf has grown by 10.5 miles in the last six days, and is now only eight miles away from the edge of the ice.

United Kingdom-based research team Project MIDAS has been monitoring the ice shelf, designated as Larsen C, since 2014. The team has observed that the rift, which was previously running parallel to the edge of the ice shelf, has started to turn significantly toward the ice front. This is an indication "that the time of calving (breaking away) is probably very close, Project MIDAS lead researcher Professor Adrian Luckman told CNN."

The iceberg is predicted to be one of the ten largest break-offs ever recorded. "When it calves, the Larsen C Ice Shelf will lose more than 10% of its area to leave the ice front at its most retreated position ever recorded; this event will fundamentally change the landscape of the Antarctic Peninsula," Luckman said in a January 2017 report on the MIDAS website.

This could potentially trigger a wider breakup of the parent ice shelf, he added. This phenomenon was demonstrated in 2002 when neighboring ice shelf, Larsen B, disintegrated after a similar breakaway had occurred.

While ice calving, or the breaking of ice, is a natural process that is not driven by climate change, the size of these icebergs that are breaking off and the way they trigger entire ice shelves to disintegrate could have an effect on the rising sea levels. Even though the ice shelves and icebergs themselves do not affect sea levels, as they are floating in the ocean, their collapse can contribute to the destabilization of the continent's inland glaciers, causing them to flow readily into the ocean, thereby contributing to rising sea levels.
Teen survives attack by bear at Christian camp

A Christian teen has been attacked by a bear while on retreat in the Rockies in Colorado.

The youth, named as Dylan and believed to be around 18 years old, was dragged from the Christian camp by the black bear and bitten twice in the head at Glacier View Ranch, near Boulder.

The attack took place in the early hours of the morning. The bear was chased off by other campers. The youth was not seriously injured, and has been discharged from hospital, Denver7 reported.

Glacier View Ranch describes itself on its website as a high-altitude place 'to experience God as Creator, Re-Creator, and Friend'.

Rangers are now hunting the bear. Normally, black bears are not dangerous but they can become so when hungry.

'The crunching noise, I guess, was the teeth scraping against the skull as it dug in,' Dylan told Denver7. 'It grabbed me like this and pulled me. Then it bit the back of my head and drug me.'

Dylan is an expert in wilderness survival and was teaching it to youngsters at the camp.

He said he was not afraid.

'You just have to be aware and respect the animals.'

In the area around Colorado's Durango city, two bears were recently shot by householders after they entered their homes, and two more have been killed by Wildlife Services.
For Ald. David Ahrens, the perfect Downtown blends both natural and man-made beauty, with large canopy trees spotting the walkways in front of glass-plated high-rises.

But more and more, trees have given way to concrete, said Ahrens, 15th District. He refers to the parts of East Washington Avenue where new high-rises have replaced old canopy, which creates an oven for vehicles, he said.

Concerns over tree loss in Madison have led to the creation of an Urban Forestry Taskforce, which seeks to craft recommendations for the city to better protect and encourage the growth of trees in Madison. The task force, an outgrowth of the Sustainable Madison Committee, brings together Madison residents and city department heads to continue a conversation about policies that affect the citys trees, said Parks Superintendent Eric Knepp, who helped draft the resolution to create it.

The task force, whose nine members were appointed last week, will provide recommendations and strategies to both the city and private landowners by next summer. The group will establish a goal for tree coverage for the city, review existing policies and practices, and develop long-term best practices for a healthy urban forest.

Ahrens said that trees offer much more than just a pleasing sight  they cool down steamy streets in summer, filter the air, provide homes for birds and animals and absorb stormwater that would otherwise run off into local lakes and streams. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, trees in and around Wisconsins urban areas provide $78.9 million worth of energy savings to residents, and remove air pollution to the tune of $47.8 million.

Trees can even bring more customers to stores, increase property values and prevent crime in neighborhoods, said Leslie Schroeder, a member of the task force and Madison Canopy Street Trees, which advocates for preservation and planting of shade trees.

Madisons neighborhoods face different concerns regarding their canopies, Schroeder said. For older residential neighborhoods centered around the Isthmus, where above-ground power lines can get tangled in trees, the canopy is threatened by city initiatives to replace trees with shorter shrubs  or Q-tip trees  that are cheaper to maintain but dont provide the same benefits.

Elsewhere, the increasing width of streets and installation of sidewalks can also reduce the potential area for trees to grow.

For newer neighborhoods  those developed in the 1970s or later  the need is for greater tree diversity to combat problems such as emerald ash borer, Knepp said. The lack of tree diversity in Madison has become especially apparent as the removal of thousands of ash trees has aesthetically devastated many neighborhoods, he said.

Downtown faces its own challenges. With developers looking to maximize the size of apartment buildings, for instance, there is little room left on the setback for large canopy trees, Ahrens said, leaving an urban heat island.

Schroeder insists that trees need to be considered a nonnegotiable, particularly when the city deals with developers.

Often, developers cut down trees to construct their buildings, then wait until the end of the development  when there often isnt enough space left  to consider where canopy trees should go, said John Harrington, a professor of landscape architecture at UW-Madison who is a member of the task force.

We have to figure out from the beginning where trees are going to go, instead of waiting (until) afterwards to figure out where to put them, Harrington said.

Developers are fined for cutting down trees to make larger buildings, but not enough to deter them, Ahrens said. Part of the task forces goal is to ask: Whats the price, then, where they say, ouch? he said.

Ahrens cites the trees in front of the Madison Public Library as a perfect example of how to fight the concrete jungle. They were installed using underground frames that hold soil, allowing tree roots to grow under paved surfaces. The modular units are known by their trade name, Silva Cell Systems.

Knepp said Silva Cells cost about $10,000 each, with usually one tree per cell, plus the roughly $300 cost of the actual tree. State Streets trees are planted in a cheaper alternative  sidewalk vaults, which cover the soil with the engineering equivalent of a concrete bridge, but can be more expensive to repair, said Chris Petykoswki, the citys principal engineer.

Canopy trees provide a bunch of benefits, Harrington said. But, of course, a lot of (those) benefits arent things you can put concrete costs on.
Victory in Mosul  but what next for the city's traumatised survivors?

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was set to declare victory over Islamic State in Mosul on Monday as only a few dozen militants continued to put up resistance in the city that was the capital of their self-declared caliphate for the past three years.

However, the cost to civilians has been horrendous, with many thousands feared dead. Survivors are starving and traumatised, and large parts of the city have been destroyed.

Abadi has been meeting military and political officials in Mosul in a festive atmosphere which contrasted with the fear that quickly spread when a few hundred Islamic State militants seized the city and the Iraqi army crumbled in July 2014. Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi instituted a reign of terror that eventually alienated even fellow Sunni Muslims who supported the group, handing an advantage to the security forces.

While defeat in Iraq's second-largest city will deal a heavy blow to Islamic State, the group controls several cities and towns south and west of Mosul.

Islamic State is also under heavy pressure in its operational headquarters in the Syrian city of Raqqa and its self-proclaimed caliphate that once straddled the two countries is crumbling.

The battle to dislodge the group from Mosul, which before the war had a large Christian population, took nine months. The United Nations says 920,000 civilians fled their homes since the military campaign began in October. Close to 700,000 people are still displaced and living in refugee camps.

'The fighting may be over, but the humanitarian crisis is not,' said UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq Lise Grande.'Many of the people who have fled have lost everything. They need shelter, food, health care, water, sanitation and emergency kits. The levels of trauma we are seeing are some of the highest anywhere. What people have experienced is nearly unimaginable.'

Christian organisations active in helping Mosul refugees include World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, Open Doors and Christian Aid. World Vision's response manager Ian Dawes said: 'While some people see this as the end of a crisis, the work is really just beginning. The lives of children and their families have been torn apart after years of ISIL rule and months of fighting to retake the city. The level of destruction on all levels is immense.

'Before people return home, there will need to be reconstruction of homes and the most basic infrastructure like water and electricity while communities will also be in dire need of healing and reconciliation so that displaced people can return to their communities in peace. As well as supporting children in camps outside Mosul, we're working in the city to renovate schools and empower teachers so children have the infrastructure as well as emotional support they will need to get back to restart their education, to have some normality in their lives.

'There's a sense of hope for the future but, as our teams of social workers in the camps see every day, children have been through a great deal and it will take time to recover from the emotional and psychological impacts of the violence they have witnessed. There's still a long road ahead.'

Among those driven from their homes are tens of thousands of Christians, many of them now living in cities across northern Iraq as displaced persons. Questions remain about how and whether they will be able to return because of community tensions and the cost of repairing the region's shattered infrastructure.

One Catholic priest in Baghdad, Fr Albert, told International Christian Concern: 'ISIS's capture of Mosul and the Nineveh Plains was more than just an occupation for Christians. It's related to trust. ISIS broke the community and Christians will not be able to mix within the general community any more. This means many will seek immigration in the long term.'

He said: 'Half of the civilians in Mosul joined ISIS. Christians saw many movies on social media of how civilians welcomed ISIS in June 2014. How can they trust those people any more?'

ICC regional manager William Stark said: 'Although the liberation of Mosul is something to be celebrated, it doesn't change the fact that there is still a long road and difficult road ahead for Iraq's Christians.'

During the occupation, he said, 'ISIS not only destroyed much of what these Christians considered the symbols of their community, such as churches and schools, but also the homes these Christians were forced to leave in 2014.

There is much healing and rebuilding needed if Christians are to return to their communities in northern Iraq.'

He warned: 'If bold action is not taken, one of ISIS's legacies in Iraq could still be driving Christianity out of one of its ancient homelands.'
Why has the Catholic Church banned gluten-free wafers for Communion?

The Catholic Church has ruled that congregants must not be allowed gluten-free wafers as part of the holy sacrament of the Eucharist. The news came in a letter to Catholic bishops worldwide, published on Saturday, according to Vatican Radio.

The letter, coming 'at the request of the Holy Father, Pope Francis', writes that the wafers (known as hosts) used in Mass 'must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition...Hosts that are completely gluten-free are invalid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist'.

The letter adds: 'Low-gluten hosts (partially gluten-free) are valid matter, provided they contain a sufficient amount of gluten to obtain the confection of bread without the addition of foreign materials and without the use of procedures that would alter the nature of bread'.

The news provokes questions about congregants who would rely on gluten-free wafers, such as those suffering from Celiac disease, a digestive condition which renders sufferers intolerant of any gluten.

The liturgy office of the Catholic Church in England and Wales (CCEW) states that 'Attention should be paid to medical advances in the area of celiac disease and alcoholism and encouragement given to the production of hosts with a minimal amount of gluten and of unaltered mustum.'

However, 'partially gluten-free' provisions may not be enough for those completely intolerant.

The Church has been historically divided on debates about the sacrament of Communion, rooted in Christ giving bread and wine to his followers at the Last Supper before his death.

For Catholics, the process of Transubstantiation transforms the elements of bread and wine into the literal presence of Christ in the sacrament. Protestants tend to take a far more symbolic interpretation, wherein the elements merely represent, with some mysterious sense of presence notwithstanding, Christ's body and blood.

The other divide is that the Eastern Orthodox Church has historically opted for risen, leavened bread, while the Western (Catholic) tradition has always used unleavened bread, following the Passover tradition that Christ participated in.

Christian Today asked Dr William Hyland, a Catholic and lecturer in Church History at the University of St Andrews, about the specifics of the problem.

When it comes to sacraments, 'what's the matter?' really is the appropriate question. 'Matter' and 'form' are essential to every sacrament, Hyland says. In the Eucharist, the matter is the bread and wine, while the form is the Eucharistic prayers said over them. The emphasis on gluten is because, as far as the Church is concerned, it needs to be wheat for the matter of the sacrament to remain intact.

Hyland says it's 'interesting' that the letter highlights its use of mustum. Parallel to those who are gluten-intolerant, alcoholics would naturally be committed to avoiding the alcohol in Communion wine. To answer this, the Church permitted mustum, in which natural grape juices are stopped before they reach the process of fermentation and becoming alcoholic. With the host however, there is apparently something 'unnatural about [it being] gluten-free'.

But there may be hope. Hyland noted that until the 1970s, laypersons in the Church only received the host, and not the cup of wine in the sacrament. The theology behind this was that Christ was fully present in both elements, and so only one was actually necessary.

This could be an answer to those who are entirely gluten-intolerant. Dr Hyland explained: 'In a sense there's no reason you couldn't do it in the opposite way. You could receive Communion but not the host. If [just] the cup was provided for people, one could make argument that people weren't being denied the sacrament.'

Indeed, the liturgy office of the CCEW states that celiac sufferers 'may receive Communion under the species of wine only'.

The focus on specific conditions obviously raises questions about the limits to the sacrament. Hyland asks: 'If a culture doesn't have any bread, say the Inuit community, can they not have Communion?' In many Protestant churches, combinations of leavened and entirely gluten-free options are available, and many churches actively opt for non-alcoholic wine and grape juice.

Hyland said that 'it seems to me rather sad, pastorally' to deny the host to those entirely gluten-intolerant. On the other hand, some traditionalists would see the admission of even partially gluten-free options as a major accommodation.

Hyland says: 'It's this odd realm of canon law: it pushes things, but not as far as people might want them to.'
Ned Ludd, an English textile worker, famously destroyed the first automatic loom in 1779, for fear that it would harm employment. In the same period, Adam Smith argued that free trade, far from harming employment, would create new jobs, thanks to the international division of labor.

Two and a half centuries later, most of us dont realize that while Smith proved right, Ludd had a point. President Donald Trump, like some populist leaders in Europe, believes that restrictive trade measures are needed to restore full employment and increase wages. But limiting tradeprotectionismwould prevent the creation of new jobs, even as innovation continues to destroy the old ones. In the United States, many continue to believe that factory jobs declined because manufacturing moved offshore; in fact, industrial production in the U.S. has remained constant over the last 25 years, though employing only half the labor. Increases in productivity, owing to scientific and technological innovation, have displaced workers.

In a dynamic economy like that of the U.S., the process of creative destruction replaces obsolete jobs with new jobs in innovative sectors. Critics object that these new jobs are unstable, which is often true; innovation builds on itself and accelerates. The solution: a labor market that is as fluid as possible, making it possible, for example, for workers to move easily and to retain portable skills from one job to the next. It is also vital that tomorrows workers receive an extensive, high-quality general education so that they can adapt when conditions change.

On all these points, American workers still do better than Europeans, as shown by the U.S. return to nearly full employment over the last two years. And American workers remain more productive than workers elsewhere, not only because they are often better educated than their counterparts in China or Mexico but also because they have ready access to technologically sophisticated equipment and infrastructure. In this way, a Chinese or Mexican immigrant, as soon as he arrives in America, becomes more productive than he would have been at home. The nations comparative advantage in accumulated technological capital will not disappear anytime soon.

American manufacturers locate production outside the country these days less because of cost than because of an international division of labor. According to the Boston Consulting Group, production expenses in China are now only 5 percent less than they would be in the U.S., if one adds the cost of energy and transportation to lower Chinese salaries. Manufacturing in China is, for an American industrialist, a rational way to organize the division of labor: more sophisticated and creative tasks remain in the U.S., while the more repetitive work, at a constant level of quality, gets assigned to Asia. Further, Chinese producers often work with machines acquired from the U.S., while the increase in purchasing power enables the Chinese consumer to buy American goods. Adam Smiths win-win principle of trade applies here and in other country-to-country comparisons.

How is it possible that these verified and replicable principles of the science of economics are not better known and understood? The reason, Milton Friedman explained, is the asymmetry of perception: a factory that closes or that moves to China is visible, media-friendly, and sometimes dramatic, while a business that starts up is invisiblewe dont even know where it is. In response to creative destruction, some basic economic literacy would be helpful, as part of the rehabilitation of general learning in schools. Further, since job loss is a cause of real pain for individuals, families, and communities, better forms of aid to the displaced are essential. It is worth considering an innovative social safety net along the lines of Friedmans negative income tax, proposed long ago. (See The War on Workand How to End It.) The social costs of beneficial economic change can be made more democratically acceptableand less likely to provoke counterproductive policy reponses.

Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
Oxfam has begun a major restructuring of its international services, including a significant number of redundancies, the charity's finance director has said.

In an interview with Charity Finance magazine, Alison Hopkinson, director of finance and information services at Oxfam GB, said a lot of people would be made redundant as part of the changes, scheduled to be completed by 2020.

Hopkinson described the restructuring as the biggest change in [the charitys] history.

The restructuring involves cutting down the number of country directors it employs from up to seven to one in each of the more than 90 countries in which it operates.

Having seven managing directors of a country, trying to manage seven different strategies, didnt make sense, so now we have one strategy for each country, Hopkinson said.

This has meant making a lot of people redundant but she said this was necessary to increase the charitys impact while reducing costs.

The end game total makes sense to me, it is just getting there that is the painful thing, she said.

The changes will also bring the charitys 20 overseas affiliates, many of which were separate entities before joining the organisation, under the Oxfam International banner.

Oxfam has said the move is part of the charitys intention to move power to the South. Other measures it has taken to do this include the previously announced move of Oxfam Internationals head office to Nairobi, Kenya.

Other affiliates will be given more autonomy, including Oxfam India being able to do its own fundraising.

The charity is also setting up regional nodes in areas including Asia, Africa, Middle East and North Africa to provide back office support to local offices including HR and finances.

The charitys plan to restructure its overseas services was initially due to start in 2015.

In Charity Finance

Domestic changes

In 2013, Oxfam announced a restructuring of its domestic operations, which it said would result in the loss of 125 UK jobs.

This reshape was announced as part of a shift in Oxfams strategy, which included focusing more of its resources on a smaller number of poorer countries.

At the time, it said stage two of the restructure would commence in 2015 and focus on its international programmes, working closely with the 16 other Oxfams around the world.

The resulting savings will be reinvested in enhanced programmes to help eradicate poverty, it added.

The full interview will appear in the next issue of Charity Finance magazine.
Some campaigning has become self-serving and charities need to look at their own practices to make sure that their activity really gives voice to their beneficiaries.

Vicky McDermott, chief executive of the Papworth Trust and chair of the Care and Support Alliance, was speaking at an NPC event about the Lobbying Act last Friday.

She suggested that some charity campaigning serves the ideology of charity staff, rather than really helping beneficiaries.

She urged charities to reflect on the fact that the political leaning of many of our organisations policy teams tends to be to the left of centre with some having one pet Tory to give some balance.

This has led to some campaigning being relatively self-serving, she said.

I can see why some Conservatives might take the view that we need to have legislation in place, she said

She added that there is a real need for us as a sector to look at our own practices to make sure that what were doing supports and gives voice to those that do not have a voice.

McDermott said the sector has a huge responsibility to get that right.

We did do things differently

McDermott also said the Lobbying Act had affected her organisations activity during the election.

We didnt do some of the things we wanted to do, she revealed as it was about striking a balance between speaking out and managing risk.

This included turning down media opportunities because the legal advice the charity had been given was to wait to comment until all the manifestos had been published.

As an alliance of 92 charities she said we have got to work out where the risk appetite of each is and that means that the risk appetite for the alliance is somewhere near the lower end.

She also said it was sometimes unhelpful when there is commentary from within the sector saying just be braver as charities are balancing different priorities.

The Lobbying Act makes us unwelcome in the political space

Jessica Metheringham, parliamentary engagement officer at the Quakers in Britain, said the problem is that charities like hers dont operate in the way the act assumes.

The Quakers registered in 2015 and 2017. In 2015 it reported a spend of 79,000 to the Electoral Commission, but Meterhingham said trustees were determined not to change how we operate and were prepared to breach the limit.

The Quakers is made up of 72 registered charities under one church making it a relatively complicated structure which does not operate in the way that the Lobbying Act assumes.

She also said that the act does not help transparency because the information it asks for is not helpful. The information filed with the Electoral Commission shows that 95 per cent of the Quakers spend is on staff costs.

That isnt helpful to anybody, she said.

She added that complying was burdensome and that they had a rather large spreadsheet to comply.

The act has the effect of making charities feel as though they are not welcome in the political space and that politics is just for political parties, she said. We in the Quakers are not willing to accept that - we think that civil society belongs in politics.

Naima Siddiqui, director of finance and regulatory affairs at Friends of the Earth, also spoke about the compliance burden of registering with the Electoral Commission.

FoE was fined earlier this year over activity in the 2015 election because it didnt put a form in on time.

She said as soon as the 2017 election was called the charity had to review all its activity.

Other stifling factors

Antonia Bance, head of campaigns and communications at the TUC, who has previously led campaigning work at Shelter, among other charities, said she was surprised by the lack of charity involvement during the election.

She gave the example of a campaign around schools funding cuts which gained traction around the country but that wasnt run by a charity, that was run by a trade union.

Bance said she didnt think it was just the Lobbying Act which had led charities to be quiet.

If you get government funding everyone says that it shouldnt affect what you feel able to speak out on, she said, but that in reality that is a really hard line to tread.

Duncan Shrubsole, director of policy, partnerships and campaigns at the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, said that the real barriers for smaller organisations are around commissioning, poor campaigning capacity and confidence.

He said the lack of participation in the EU referendum was a particular failure for the sector and also called for a rethink on how charities campaign.

We need to get back to the bigger, broader issues, he said.

Simon Steeden, charity partner at the law firm BWB, said the restrictive guidance issued by the Charity Commission ahead of the EU referendum was part of the problem.

The Commission amended its guidance about campaigning during the referendum after criticism from the sector.

David Nussbaum, chief executive of The Elders, said the Commissions broader stance was a discouraging factor because it gives trustees the impression that campaigning and taking people to court are risky activities, but doesnt balance this by saying that sometimes not to do so could be a dereliction of duties by trustees.

Ive not heard William Shawcross say that, he said. Where is the voice of the Charity Commission saying to trustees why havent you thought about campaigning, why are you not taking the government to court?

A Charity Commission spokeswoman said: Our CC9 guidance makes clear that charities have a valuable role to play in campaigning and encouraging debate about issues that affect their beneficiaries, as highlighted publicly by attendees at the meeting. Whilst it is not for the Commission as an independent regulator to tell charities how to run their organisations, we publish a range of guidance on a number of issues to support trustees in making considered and informed decisions, which includes highlighting potential risks.



"We will shortly be publishing a case report looking at some of the common issues that arose in our campaigning-related casework in the run up to the 2017 General Election.

Trustees need support

Panellists called for more support for trustees.

McDermott said: This isnt for the most part about the people in this room but about how do we support trustees to make bolder decisions?

Bance added that charities need to consider if trustee boards are diverse enough and if they represented those who used their charity.




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For months journalists have warned about issues of credibility stemming from the White Houses shaky grasp on the truth. Whether interpretations of crowd sizes or what the president meant in his social media postings, the lack of honesty and consistency has led to warnings about what would happen when the administration needed to speak with a unified voice about an important event. After Donald Trumps meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Germany, those concerns came to fruition.

With only the two leaders, their top diplomatic officials, and translators in the room, the press and public were left to rely on official statements regarding what was discussed. Both sides acknowledged that Trump raised the issue of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election, but their accounts differed over how Trump reacted to Putins denial of involvement. Furthermore, Trump tweeted that he had not discussed sanctions on Russia, contradicting Secretary of State Rex Tillersons account of the meeting.

ICYMI: Americans are learning from Trump that much of their democracy was run on the honor system

Who should we believe? Trump? Tillerson? The Russians? That we even have to ask the question speaks volumes about the distrust engendered by the current administration. Trumps decision to break precedent by not holding a press conference after the G20 summit didnt help matters. Meanwhile, both Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appeared on camera. Tillerson did answer reporters questions, but did so in an audio-only format. At a time when questions about the Trump spheres connections to Russia continue to swirl, the White Houses lack of transparency only adds fuel to the fire.

Below, more on the reaction to President Trumps first face-to-face meeting with the Russian president.

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Pete Vernon is a former CJR staff writer. Follow him on Twitter @ByPeteVernon.
IN A RECENT STORY FOR The Atlantic, Kaiser Health News reporter Julie Rovner decried the extreme secrecy surrounding the creation of a Republican health-care bill, which she called a situation without precedent. To support her case, Rovner offered some critical contextdetails from her own career, which spans three decades and includes coverage of major health legislation crafted by previous administrations:

Since 1986, I have chronicled the passage, and repeal, of the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act; the fight over former President Bill Clintons health proposal; passage of the Medicare prescription-drug bill; and passage of the Affordable Care Act, in addition to a dozen budget reconciliation measures that altered health care, often in fundamental ways.

Health reporters with comparable experience are hard to come by; still, Rovner isnt the only one to take exception with the way the GOP health bill has unfolded. Sarah Kliff covered the Affordable Care Act for Newsweek and now works for Vox. In June, Kliff published a story that drew on her experience covering the ACA for context on the Republican health legislation. Ive covered Obamacare since day one, reads the headline. Ive never seen lying and obstruction like this.

CJR recently interviewed several veteran health-care journalists, including Kliff and Rovner, who covered health proposals under the Clinton and Obama administrations and continue to cover the Republican health bill, and asked them to compare those experiences. Their consensus: Unlike previous attempts at health reform, in which secrecy has played a more selective role, the entire process surrounding the GOP bill has been covert and rushedfrom avoiding public committee hearings to bypassing the wait for the customary Congressional Budget Office score, which reveals the legislations effect on the federal budget. The process of moving the legislation along has been far less policy-oriented and deliberate. And a number of rhetorical challengesfrom the speed of the news cycle to the ascent of Twitter to the outright lies and deception from Donald Trump and his cabinet officials down to members of Congresshave made it more difficult for journalists to puncture that secrecy and provide clear consequences of the GOP bill for their audiences.

What were seeing is a whole other magnitude of deception. Its an attempt to portray the bill as the opposite of what it is.

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SECRECY AROUND HEALTH-CARE legislation isnt exactly newat least, not in recent memory. Most of Hillary Clintons Health Security Act (labeled Hillarycare by some critics) was crafted in secret based on recommendations of committees of outside experts. Large parts of the Affordable Care Act were also under wraps while they were being written, said Rovner during an interview. But when the bills were ready, they were sent to Congress to go through the regular legislative process.

There was a very robust hearing and markup process that was completely absent this time, at least on the Senate side, says Rovner, comparing the Clinton and Obama plans to the ongoing GOP health-care efforts. She adds that House Republicans recent proposal received pretty perfunctory mark-ups in the House by comparison.

Jennifer Haberkorn, who covered Obamacare for the Washington Times, now reports for Politico. She notes that Democrats have refined the same attack message that Republicans used against the Affordable Care Act in 2010: the health-care bill was written in secret, out of view of the public. Republicans seem to think the electorate will remember policy rather than how a bill is passed. Haberkorn isnt sure that will be the case.

Im skeptical of that, she tells CJR. The GOPs messaging against the ACAthat it was written in secretreally seemed to stick.

RELATED: Woman loses daughter to drug addiction. Days later, she receives heartbreaking message on her phone

The lies and deceptions in GOP messages about its health-care planwhich have obscured potential coverage losses and financial costsare also without precedent, reporters told me. With the Affordable Care Act, Barack Obama promised that families would save $2,500 on their health insurance, and also assured citizens that they could keep their insurance if they liked it. Likewise, Democrats promised affordable, quality health care for all Americans. While those statements were hollow promises, reporters said they were not as egregious as todays lies.

What were seeing is a whole other magnitude of deception, says Jonathan Cohn, who covered the ACA for The New Republic and now writes for HuffPost. Its an attempt to portray the bill as the opposite of what it is. Its being sold as a bill that will improve access to health care, protect people with preexisting conditions, will not hurt the poor, and will leave people paying less for their medical care. None of them are true in the aggregate.

The volume of information coming in is so enormous and often contradictory that its hard to synthesize into a story, and to keep track of whats being said.

THE ASCENT OF TWITTER has magnified the speed of the news cycle, and made it easier to share political messages across a wide audience, no matter their veracity. Twitter was just a few years old when Democrats unveiled the Affordable Care Act. The number of monthly active users now tops 300 millionroughly 10 times as many users as when the Affordable Care Act became law. President Trump tweeted about Obamacare 25 times in 2011, the year he joined Twitter. At press time, Trumps Twitter account shows 39 Obamacare mentions this year.

Trump took to Twitter recently and suggested that Congress should immediately repeal the ACA, and replace at a later date if the two steps couldnt happen in proximity. That tweet, which contradicted previous comments in which Trump suggested the two steps would happen essentially simultaneously, shaped news coverage of the health-care bill for days afterward.

Rovner says the speed of the news cycle makes it insanely difficult to cover the debate over the GOP bill. Wait two minutes and the news changes. The volume of information coming in is so enormous and often contradictory that its hard to synthesize into a story, and to keep track of whats being said to every other journalist.

Faced with a swell of information, some of it distressingly misleading, reporters seemed more willing this year to call out lies and misinformation, and to engage on Twitter with comments that might have been construed as less-than-impartial and inappropriate just a few years ago. In 2013, speaking about the Affordable Care Act on Morning Joe, NBCs Chuck Todd said the media was not responsible for educating the public about partisan misinformation and spin. Indeed, during the debate surrounding the Affordable Care Act, journalists rarely went there.

This year is different.

Were seeing Trump say he would cover everyone, but support a bill that leads to loss of coverage for millions, says Kliff. She made the same point in March, when she accused Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price of lying about the Republican plan. (During an interview on Meet the Press, Price said, Nobody will be worse off financially under the GOPs health-care plan.)

Price has sent the same message since. In June, he told CNNs Dana Bash, We would not have individuals lose coverage that they want for themselves of for their family. Reporters have pushed back directly:

This is a 100% lie. Secretary Tom Price is straight lying https://t.co/C3q0dYe6HU  rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) June 25, 2017

When Trump and Price lie about what their bill would do, it can be tough for resource-strapped reporters to divine the truth. Mike Dennison, who previously covered politics for Lee Newspapers in Montana and is currently chief political reporter for the Montana Television Network, says most local and regional reporters are not able to explain the context of what comes out of Washington.

When you talk to Republicans and ask whats the point of their bill, they say, We need a bill that can get 51 votes.

They just dont have the knowledge to do so, or the ability to call out the bull of the political rhetoric, says Dennison, whose reporting on the Affordable Care Act distinguished itself for its clear explanations of policy impacts. You have to help people out, and you cant do that if your own knowledge is thin.

Beltway reporters themselves dont necessarily have time to flesh out all the nuances of a complicated story. Kliff describes the pace of covering the ACA as more measured and slower, which gave her more time to reflect and dig into the policy particulars. This year, the policy goals themselves are different.

In 2009 the goals were very clearcover more people and reduce costs, she says. When you talk to Republicans and ask whats the point of their bill, they say, We need a bill that can get 51 votes.

Cohn agrees. The debate about the ACA was about giving people health insurance and nudging the system to become more efficient. It was promoted like that and covered as such. The time of the Affordable Care Act, says Cohn, was also the golden age of blogs, which enabled a lot of detailed policy discussions.

Still, Cohn admits, coverage of Obamacare wasnt perfect. He believes the media didnt appreciate the extent to which people who already had insurance would see their coverage change and increase in cost. The backlash from members of the public who liked their policies and were asked to change them, plus the medias reluctance to fully address affordability questions and explain what the individual mandate would do, have come back to haunt the ACA and its backers.

A similar backlash could await Republican officials, if the electorate feels dissatisfied with their new coverage and mislead by policymakers. However, that adverse reaction could be directed by lawmakers at the news media, if the public decides the press didnt make the consequences of new health care policy clear.

Coverage of the Clinton and Obama health plans gave short shrift to the impacts of policy changes on coal miners, schoolteachers, and clerks at rural Walmarts, to name just a few. Thats been true this time, as well. And while abbreviated policy discussions on blogs and Twitter are fine in some ways, its rare that they reveal the effects of sweeping health-care changes.

This is the first time in American history a major social benefit would be repealed, says Haberkorn, referring to the Affordable Care Act and its Medicaid expansion. For as much as the public understands this more, theres still a lot thats missing in what people know and dont know. If people are tweeting at me saying they dont understand it, we have to pay attention.

CJRs health care reporting is sponsored in part by a grant from the Commonwealth Fund.

RELATED: Reporter posts front pages of LA Times, WashPo & NYTimes. Something was missing.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Trudy Lieberman is a longtime contributing editor to the Columbia Journalism Review. She is the lead writer for CJR's Covering the Health Care Fight. She also blogs for Health News Review and the Center for Health Journalism. Follow her on Twitter @Trudy_Lieberman.
At Holland America Line, there is a true passion to delivering the wow behind the food experience aboard, according to Frits van der Werff, vice president, food and beverage.

Case in point, world famous sushi chef Andy Matsuda was set to board the Koningsdam to train chefs working at Tamarind, the lines Asian-fusion restaurant.

I have expanded that partnership, said van der Werff, who joined the company in April. Rather than just training, he is now going to host cooking classes and two intimate dinners. These are four-course meals paired with wines, and he will explain the dinner in person. Its all about the wow moment for 20 or 30 guests, they are going to have dinner with Andy Matsuda, their personal chef (for the evening).

The new hire reports to Michael Smith, senior vice president, guest experience and product development, as well as to Paul Goodwin, executive vice president, onboard revenue and port/shore operations.

Van der Werff has been extremely hands on since coming to Holland America. He was previously at MSC, and also spent time with Norwegian.

I visit the ships quite a bit, he said. Being in Seattle we have three ships homeporting here, and I am onboard every weekend. It is key to have a strong connection with shipboard leadership, staying in touch with whats really happening.

In early June, he visited all the fleets vessels in Europe.

Its hard to tweak from a distance, you have to be in the operation to see it, he told Cruise Industry News.

Onboard, he visits with all key managers, from food and beverage up to the hotel director, executive chef and more. Other key areas include reviewing provisions against what was ordered.

I make it a point to meet with everyone, and will even be part of the food tastings, van der Werff said.

We are definitely focused on optimizing our revenue outlets and making sure we are delivering the experience, he said. At the same time, we need to capitalize on the available space.

Pinnacle Grille, the companys iconic steak house, has been turned into a pop venue on select nights, Rudis Sel de Mer French Brasserie. Sel de Mer is an alternative restaurant found only on the Konginsdam.

You can dine twice in the same venue, but have a completely different experience.

That means an entirely new experience from tableware, to uniforms and ambiance,

Van der Werff described a top-level premium product that appeals to globe-trotting learners.

One movement is making the dinner experience slightly more casual, less table clothes and candles, while still offering a premium product in a 90-minute dining experience.

Excerpt from Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Summer 2017
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said Friday that its clear Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election, contradicting President Donald Trumps public assertion that Russias role remains unclear.

Ryan, R-Janesville, spoke to reporters in Madison after accepting an award from a Wisconsin Boy Scouts group.

Ryan told reporters he has attempted to woo iPhone maker Foxconn, which reportedly is mulling building a massive plant in Wisconsin.

Ryan also said he has avoided holding public town halls in 2017 because of disruptive protesters from outside his district.

The comments came shortly after Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded their first face-to-face meeting of Trumps administration, in Hamburg, Germany. The Associated Press and other outlets reported Putin denied Russian meddling in the U.S. election during that meeting.

Ryan told reporters hes not shocked by Putins stance.

It comes as no surprise to me that Vladimir Putin would deny what we know they did, Ryan said. We all know that Russia is trying to meddle with democracies.

Trump, speaking publicly in Poland on Thursday, said nobody really knows for sure about Russias role in the election.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Trump, meeting privately with Putin on Friday, raised concerns about possible Russian interference  though Tillerson would not say whether Trump flatly told Putin that Russia interfered, according to a Washington Post report.

The U.S. intelligence community consensus is that Russia interfered in the election with the intent of helping elect Trump, defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and undermine U.S. faith in its elections. The U.S. agencies found Russian operations included supporting the hacking of email systems of the two major U.S. political parties and relaying the emails to WikiLeaks, which later published hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee.

In May, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate the matter.

Ryan cited congressional probes of Russian election interference as the way in which the U.S. can determine exactly what Russia did and how to stop it from recurring. Ryan also said the U.S. should help its allies prevent Russian meddling in their elections.

Hope for Foxconn

Ryan said he has spoken with iPhone manufacturer Foxconn at the request of Gov. Scott Walker. The company reportedly is considering Wisconsin as a possible location for a new manufacturing facility; state Assembly Republicans said earlier this week that Foxconn could bring 10,000 jobs to the state.

Ryan said its possible Foxconn could locate in his district, Wisconsins 1st, which runs along the Illinois border from Lake Michigan, including Racine and Kenosha, west to Janesville.

There is a great potential there for a lot of good jobs to come to Wisconsin, Ryan said.

Several dozen protesters massed outside Fridays event at the Madison Sheraton, the most recent stop for Ryan in his home state during Congress Fourth of July holiday recess.

On Thursday, Ryan held events at which he fielded questions from employees of businesses in Oak Creek and Racine.

Asked Friday why he hadnt held open town hall meetings in his district, Ryan said hes trying to avoid events being upstaged by protesters who arent his constituents.

Im finding lots of different ways of having good, civil dialogues with constituents, Ryan said. I dont want to have a situation where we just have a screaming fest, a shouting fest, where people are being bused in from out of the district to get on TV because theyre yelling at somebody.

The events come as Congress is working  so far in vain  to enact the priorities on which majority Republicans campaigned, such as repealing former President Barack Obamas health care law. A bill to partially repeal the law passed the U.S. House under Ryans leadership in May, but for now it remains stalled in the U.S. Senate.

Ryan said Friday that hes pleased with the pace of GOP lawmaking in 2017.

Weve already passed our health care bill in the House, so Im happy with where we are, Ryan said.

Ryan also has indicated he wants the House to work on a sweeping tax overhaul measure.

Also Friday, one of three prospective Democratic challengers to Ryan in 2018, David Yankovich, announced he is dropping out of the race and endorsing another Democrat: Randy Bryce, a Caledonia ironworker and former state legislative candidate. The other Democrat who has announced a run in the district is Janesville School Board member Cathy Myers.
Norwegian Cruise Line today announced updates to its summer 2018 deployment, as the Norwegian Sun will introduce short sailings to Cuba from South Florida while the Norwegian Jewel takes the Sun's place in the Alaska market.

The Sun will sail from Port Canaveral and offer all-inclusive four day cruises to Havana, Cuba and Key West, and three-day cruises to the Bahamas, according to a statement from Norwegian.

The Norwegian Jewel will rejoin the Alaska fleet in summer 2018, with seven- and nine-day sailings from Seattle, Seward and Vancouver, Norwegian said, in a press release.

Alaska continues to be one of the most popular destinations we sail to around the world. We are thrilled to be significantly increasing capacity in the region in summer 2018 with the redeployment of Norwegian Jewel and the inaugural season for Norwegian Bliss, providing more opportunities for our guests to experience a vacation of a lifetime in this incredible pristine destination, said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer for Norwegian Cruise Line. Our all-inclusive model aboard Norwegian Sky has been very well-received and as we evaluated the opportunity to expand upon that concept, we felt that Port Canaveral was the ideal location to offer our guests a value-rich on board experience and exciting action-packed ports-of-call, including an overnight call in Havana, Cuba.

The Norwegian Sun will undergo a two-and-a-half week dry dock in Victoria, British Columbia as a part of the Norwegian Edge, the brands revitalization program encompassing the entire guest experience, and re-enter service on April 19, 2018 where she will begin her journey to the east coast with a 17-day Panama Canal cruise departing from Seattle.

Following her winter 2017/2018 season sailing in Australia and Asia, Norwegian Jewel will journey from Tokyo (Yokohama) to Seattle and will replace Norwegian Sun as Norwegians third ship sailing in Alaska in summer 2018.
The following companies are subsidiares of CAE: 9595058 Canada Inc., AACE Vietnam Limited Liability Company, ARGE Rheinmetall Defence Electronics Gmbh/CAE Elektronik GmbH, Advanced Medical Technologies, Alpha Omega Change Engineering, Asian Aviation Centre of Excellence (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Aviation Personnel Support Services Limited, Aviation Training Northeast Asia B.V., Business Aircraft Training, CAE (UK) plc, CAE (US) Inc., CAE Academia de Aviacion Espana, CAE Aircraft Maintenance Pty Ltd., CAE Aircrew Training Services plc, CAE Australia Pty Ltd, CAE Australia Pty Ltd., CAE Aviation Services Pte Ltd., CAE Aviation Training B.V., CAE Aviation Training Chile Limitada, CAE Aviation Training Chile Limitada4, CAE Aviation Training International Ltd., CAE Aviation Training Peru S.A., CAE Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, CAE Beyss Grundstucksgesellschaft GmbH, CAE Brunei Multi Purpose Training Centre Sdn Bhd, CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Center Sdn. Bhd., CAE CFT B.V., CAE CFT Holdings B.V., CAE CFT Korea Ltd., CAE Center Amsterdam B.V., CAE Center Brussels N.V., CAE Centre Copenhagen A.S., CAE Centre Copenhagen A/S, CAE Centre Hong Kong Limited, CAE Centre Oslo A.S., CAE Centre Oslo AS, CAE Centre Stockholm A.B., CAE Centre Stockholm AB, CAE China Support Services Company Limited, CAE Civil Aviation Training Solutions Inc., CAE Civil Aviation Training Solutions Inc., CAE Crewing Services Limited, CAE Delaware Buyco Inc., CAE Electronik GmbH, CAE Elektronik GmbH, CAE Engineering Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, CAE Flight & Simulator Services Sdn. Bhd., CAE Flight Solutions USA Inc., CAE Flight Training (India) Private Limited, CAE Flight Training Center Mexico, CAE Flight Training Center Mexico S.A. de C.V., CAE Flight and Simulator Services Korea Ltd., CAE Global Academy Evora, CAE Global Academy Evora SA, CAE Healthcare, CAE Healthcare Canada Inc., CAE Healthcare GmbH, CAE Healthcare Inc., CAE Healthcare KFT, CAE Holdings B.V., CAE Holdings Limited, CAE India Private Limited, CAE India Private Limited., CAE Integrated Enterprise Solutions Australia Pty Ltd., CAE International Holdings Limited, CAE Investments S.a.r.l., CAE Japan Flight Training Inc., CAE Kuala Lumpur Sdn Bhd, CAE Kuala Lumpur Sdn. Bhd., CAE Luxembourg Acquisition S.a r.l., CAE Luxembourg Acquisition S.a.r.l., CAE Machinery Ltd., CAE Management Luxembourg S.a.r.l., CAE Maritime Middle East LLC, CAE Melbourne Flight Training Pty Ltd., CAE Middle East Holdings Limited, CAE Middle East L.L.C., CAE Military Aviation Training Inc., CAE Mining Equipment Canada Inc., CAE New Zealand Pty Limited, CAE New Zealand Pty Ltd., CAE Nigeria Flight Training Services Limited, CAE North East Training Inc., CAE Operational Training Services Inc., CAE Oxford Aviation Academy (Singapore) Pte Ltd., CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Amsterdam B.V., CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Pheonix Inc., CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Phoenix Inc., CAE Parc Aviation Jersey Limited, CAE Railway Ltd., CAE STS Limited, CAE Screenplates S.A., CAE Services (Canada) Inc., CAE Services GmbH, CAE Services Italia, CAE Services Italia S.r.l., CAE Servicios Globales de Instruccion de Vuelo (Espana) S.L., CAE Servicios Globales de Instruccion de Vuelo (Espana) S.L., CAE Shanghai Company, CAE Shanghai Company Limited, CAE SimuFlite Inc., CAE Simulation Technologies Private Limited, CAE Simulator Services Inc., CAE Singapore (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., CAE South America Flight Training do Brasil Ltda, CAE South America Flight Training do Brasil Ltda., CAE Training & Services Brussels NV, CAE Training & Services UK Ltd., CAE Training Aircraft B.V., CAE Training Norway A.S., CAE Training Norway AS, CAE USA Inc., CAE USA Mission Solutions Inc., CAE Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, CAE Wood Products G.P.1, CAE-LIDER Training Do Brasil Ltda., China Southern West Australia Flying College Pty Ltd, Datamine, Embraer CAE Training Services, Emirates-CAE Flight Training (L.L.C.) ., Engenuity Holdings (USA) Inc., Flight Simulator-Capital L.P.2, Flight Training Alliance GmbH, Flight Training Device (Mauritius) Limited, GCAT Flight Academy Germany GmbH, GCAT Flight Academy Malta Limited, HATSOFF Helicopter Training Private Limited, Helicopter Training Media International GmbH, International Flight School (Mauritius) Ltd., Invertron Simulators plc, JAL CAE Flight Training Co., KVDB Flight Training Services, Luftfartsskolen AS, National Flying Training Institute Private Limited, Oxford Airline Training Center Inc., Oxford Aviation Academy, Oxford Aviation Academy (Australia) Pty Ltd., Oxford Aviation Academy (Oxford) Limited, Oxford Aviation Academy Europe AB, Oxford Aviation Academy European Holdings AB, Oxford Aviation Academy Finance Limited, Oxford Aviation Academy Holdings Pty Ltd., Oxford Aviation Academy Ireland Holdings Limited, Oxford Aviation Academy Norway Holdings A.S., Parc Aviation (UK) Limited, Parc Aviation Engineering Services Limited, Parc Aviation Engineering Services Ltd, Parc Aviation International Limited, Parc Aviation Japan Limited, Parc Aviation Limited, Parc Aviation Services Limited, Parc Aviation Training Limited, Parc Aviation UK Ltd, Parc Interim Limited, Parc Selection Limited, Parc U.S. Inc., Pelesys Learning Systems Inc., Presagis Canada Inc., Presagis Europe (S.A.), Presagis Europe S.A., Presagis USA Inc., Rotorsim USA LLC., Rotorsim s.r.l., SIM-Industries Brasil Administracao de Centros de Treinamento Ltda., SIM-Industries Brasil Administracao de Centros de Treinamento Ltda., SIV Ops Training, SIV Ops Training S.L., SKYALYNE Canada Inc., Servicios de Instruccion de Vuelo, Servicios de Instruccion de Vuelo S.L., Sim-Industries Production B.V. NN, Sim-Lease Korea Ltd., Simubel N.V. (a CAE Aviation Training Company), Simulator Servicios Mexico, and Xtend Inc..

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Anti-Second Amendment Academics Shot

Down in Texas Campus Carry Case

By Dean Weingarten. July 10th, 2017

Article Source

In August, 2016, two professors from the University of Austin, Texas, and an Associate Teaching Assistant Professor, sued the Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, the President of the University of Texas, Austin, and the Members of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas at Austin.

A number of frivolous claims were offered in an attempt to stop the Texas statute allowing exercise of the Second Amendment on Campus from going into effect. The claims included that the law is vague, the law violated the plaintiffs First Amendment, Second Amendment, and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The arguments were childish, irrational, emotional rants. Here is an example:

48. The Texas statutes and university policies that prohibit Plaintiffs from exercising their individual option to forbid handguns in their classrooms violate the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, as applied in Texas through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. These policies and procedures deprive Plaintiffs of their Second Amendment right to defend themselves and others in their classrooms from handgun violence by compelling them as public employees to passively acquiesce in the presence of loaded weaponry in their place of public employment without the individual possession and use of such weaponry in public being well-regulated. This infringement lacks any important justification and is imposed without any substantial link between the objectives of the policies and the means chosen to achieve them.

Judge Lee Yeakel heard the claims, read the suit, and concluded that the plaintiffs had no standing because they had not suffered any harm. From reporternews.com:

A federal judge has dismissed a long-shot lawsuit filed by three University of Texas at Austin professors seeking to overturn the states 2015 campus carry law, which allows people to carry concealed handguns inside most public university buildings.

District Judge Lee Yeakel wrote in his decision that the professors  Jennifer Lynn Glass, Lisa Moore and Mia Carter  couldnt present any "concrete evidence to substantiate their fears" that campus carry would have a chilling effect on free speech.

From the decision, at texasattorneygeneral.gov(pdf):

The court concludes that Plaintiffs have not established an injury-in-fact, nor that the alleged injury is traceable to any conduct of Defendants. Friends of the Earth, 528 U.S. at 180-81. Accordingly, the court will dismiss this cause for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. Crane v. Johnson, 783 F.3d 244,251 (5th Cir. 2015). ("Because [appellants] have not alleged a sufficient injury in fact to satisfy the requirements of constitutional standing, we dismiss their claims for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.")

III. CONCLUSION

IT IS ORDERED that UT Defendants Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs Amended Complaint (Clerks Doc. No. 64) and Defendant Ken Paxtons Motion to Dismiss the First Amended Complaint (Clerks Doe. No. 65) are GRANTED

The results of the lawsuit are were expected. The claims were frivolous to those who actually read them.

It took nearly a year for the court to reach that conclusion. Some Minnesota students attempted to duplicate the Texas protests. No serious incidents have been associated with the restoration of Second Amendment freedoms on Campus. Other than the Minnesota copy cat protests, protests related to Texas Campus Carry have withered away.

As usual and predictable, campus carry naysayers (progressive college professors in this instance) continued their paranoia with law suits - which fortunately were eventually dismissed as frivolous. Their argument invariably centers on an assumption that responsible people with guns cannot possibly be safe in a learning environment - prefering to maintain "gun-free-zones".

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Caledonia Mining has announced a fatality at its Blanket mine in Zimbabwe in a mining-related accident on 7 July.

The accident occurred in number 6 shaft area of the gold mine and Caledonia said the Minister of Mines and Mining Development and the Inspector of Mines will provide the necessary assistance to the Ministry of Mines Inspectorate Department in its enquiry into the incident.

Chief executive officer Steve Curtis said: "We take the safety of our employees very seriously at Blanket so we are very disappointed with this fatality. I join with my colleagues in expressing our sincere condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the deceased."

Caledonia said that until the outcome of the enquiry is known no further details can be released.
International molecular diagnostics group Premaitha Health announced on Monday that it signed contracts with two significant laboratories in South East Asia through its Taiwanese subsidiary, Yourgene Bioscience .

The AIM-traded firm said the agreements had been signed with two partners for laboratories which are in different countries in South East Asia, and would be established as regional hubs for NIPT.

Both partners were already established providers of NIPT in their domestic markets, the board explained, with ambitions to further expand across the region.

One partner was also amongst the largest listed genomic testing companies in Asia, it claimed, and would market the test under its own brand.

South East Asia is a very important region for Premaitha as the NIPT market is well-established and growing apace, said chief executive Dr Stephen Little.

These newly secured market leading partners will increase Premaitha's presence in the region, whilst further expanding our routes to market.

We continue to work with our partners globally to increase awareness of the benefits of NIPT as we seek to further strengthen our footprint.
Asos shares have lost 11% over the past month and ahead of quarterly results later this week are offering a good entry point, said analysts at Berenberg.

Although investors might worry about the teetering UK consumer outlook they should be reassured by the e-commerce resilience over the last three months period and look ahead to a "significant opportunity ahead" in the UK and overseas.

"With 60% exclusive product, a rapid and responsive supply chain and unique content, its proposition is differentiated and defensible" in the UK, Berenberg said, believing New Looks 8.6% share of the 16-45 year old UK market demonstrates that ASOS with 4.2% share still has a significant room to grow.

Also noting that more than 60% of revenues are already generated outside the UK and the recent expansion of the European distribution centre and increasing localisation can accelerate international growth.

"We believe any concerns around the competitive threat from Amazon are misplaced. ASOS has established a differentiated and defensible best-in-class proposition for its 20-something fashion-focused customer base.

"It generates circa 60,000 pieces of unique content every month and generates c60% of revenues from product exclusive to its platform, including 45% from the ASOS brand."

Berenberg upped its earnings per share forecasts by 1% and 4% for the full year and next year and increased the price target on Asos shares to 6,800p.

Analysts at the German bank think investors should focus on return on capital employed, not margins.

"With the business generating post-tax ROIC of circa 18% and sufficient cash to fund its own growth, management is rightly focused on top-line growth over operating leverage."
Strategists at Credit Suisse reiterated their positive stance towards euro area small capitalisation stocks and their negative view on their UK peers.

A range of macroeconomic indicators were continuing to strengthen in the Eurozone even as political risk fell rapidly by the wayside.

Analysts' 12-month forward earnings per share estimates for the group had risen by 12% over the past three months, with those in France rising by 26%, in Italy by 20% and in Switzerland by 13%, they pointed out.

Furthermore, while not cheap at present, on 19 times their 12-month forward EPS the then current 8% premium to European large-caps was less than the historical average of roughly 15%. They were also trading at about 20% less than their US peers.

Despite that, in June euro area small caps had pulled back, but due to the above the Swiss broker saw that as a buying opportunity.

In the UK on the other hand, macro conditions had recently come under duress, political uncertainty was rising and corporate spending intentions were weakening.

"Current macro readings tended to coincide with UK underperformance in the past," they added.

Nevertheless, their Small & Mid-cap Focus list was peppered with several British names, including UBM, Domino's Pizza, IWG, ZPG, Hunting, Merlin Properties, Rentokil, Weir, Elementis, RPC Group, Computacenter and Cairn Homes.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has told Theresa May to read his partys manifesto if she wants ideas, ahead of an expected call by the PM for cross-party cooperation on Tuesday.

A disastrous election campaign for the Conservatives has been compounded by reports of Tory ministers launching a leadership challenge against May.

Now the PM has asked for Labour and other parties in the House of Commons to contribute to Downing Street policy.

May will call for cooperation during a speech on the introduction of a new report into the gig economy on Tuesday.

"In this new context, it will be even more important to make the case for our policies and our values, and to win the battle of ideas both in parliament as well as in the country," the PM will say.

"So I say to the other parties in the House of Commons  come forward with your own views and ideas about how we can tackle these challenges as a country."

RAMPING UP THE PRESSURE

The Tories formed a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party last month following the loss of their parliamentary majority, ramping up the pressure on May, who had called the snap election in order to strengthen the governments position.

Her opposite number Corbyn mocked the call following the release of parts of Mays speech, suggesting the Conservatives are running out of ideas.

Corbyn said in the Commons: "Im really surprised she had so much to contribute to the G20 given there was barely a mention of international policy in her partys election manifesto. Or indeed any policy - so much so that the government is now asking other parties for their policy ideas.

"So, if the prime minister would like it, I would be very happy to furnish her with a copy of our election manifesto - or better still an early election, in order that the people of this country can better decide."
Theresa May s offer to give European Union citizens a special status in the UK post-Brexit has been rebuffed by the blocs chief negotiator.

Guy Verhofstadt and four other EU leaders wrote a letter for several European and UK newspapers on Monday, in which Mays offer was described as a damp squib that falls well short of expectations.

May made the offer in the opening stages of Brexit negotiations, but EU leaders are not convinced that it goes far enough.

Migrants from the EU who have lived in Britain for more than five years would be able to live and work with access to public health, education and benefits.

Verhofstadt wrote: It was a damp squib. The British government proposes that  the day after Brexit  Europeans obtain the status of third country nationals. These nationals would get fewer rights in the UK than British citizens are offered throughout the EU.

May made the offer in the opening stages of Brexit negotiations

The Belgian, leader of the Liberal and Democrat alliance in the European Parliament, added that any deal which reduced the rights of citizens on both sides would be swiftly rejected.

"It creates a type of second-class citizenship for European citizens in the UK," he said. "We don't see why their rights should be diminished and that would be the case in the proposal.

"In the end, it is the European Parliament that will say yes or no, and I can tell you it not will be a yes if the rights of European citizens - and also the rights of UK citizens living on the continent - will be diminished.

Negotiations between the UK and the EU have a deadline of March 2019, with citizens rights one of the key issues to de decided for any exit deal.

MAY'S OFFER

Under May's plan, EU citizens in the UK who had lived in the UK for five years would gain access to health, education and other benefits.

The deal was dependent on the same rights being extended to Britons living across the EU, May said last month.

Those who arrive lawfully during an unspecified grace period would be given the chance to build five years of residency.

This grace period could start at any point up to the date of Britain's departure, according to the proposal which was unveiled exactly a year after Britons voted to end their 40-year relationship with the EU largely over concerns about migration. It also comes a fortnight after May humiliatingly lost her parliamentary majority in a snap election that has shattered her electoral credibility and left her premiership in tatters and hanging by a thread.

A potential flash point had already emerged over which legal jurisdiction the offer would fall under. The EU wants the European Court of Justice to guarantee citizens' rights, but the UK government has rejected this demand.

European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker was quick to slap down the politically-weakened May, saying the proposal was a first step, but not sufficient, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said May's offer was a good start".
The FTSE 250 struggled in the red throughout Monday due to the huge decline of Carillion and a gloomy cloud over the retail sector.

Carillion issued a profits warning, suspended its dividend and puts further businesses on the block, with chief executive Richard Howson falling on his sword as part of the corporate contrition. With revenue at the construction and infrastructure support services group continuing to fall, the groups target of cutting debt this year has been shelved, with the focus moving to improving short term cashflow ahead of a full review in September. "Long-standing Carillion bears, and these are legion, given the stocks position as one of the most heavily shorted on the London market, finally got their reward today," said market analyst Chris Beauchamp at IG. "Clearly the only hope now appears to be a rescue bid, although the firm looks an uncertain bet even if it is 40% cheaper than last week."

With Carillion warning of contract delays, fellow companies with construction and infrastructure bent such as Kier Group, Balfour Beatty and Marshalls were caught in the cross fire from investors.

Retailer Dunelm was down alongside several other sector players such as Next, M&S and Ocado as fresh survey data showed households continued to show caution on spending. UK consumer spending fell for the second month in a row in June, Visa said, dropping to its lowest quarterly level for three and a half years.

There was a 5.8% decline for transport & communication, a 3.4% fall for household goods, a first monthly drop for recreation & culture in four years and and a much smaller dip for clothing & footwear than than the previous month's five-year plunge.

Wizz Air was a riser alongside some larger peers in expectation of lower costs ahead. Commodities analysts at BNP Paribas slashed their oil forecasts for 2017 and 2018 as rising output from the US, Nigeria and Libya offsets the impact of attempts to limit production by Opec.

This also saw oil producer Tullow Oil, which due to its heavy leverage remains highly influenced by moves in oil prices, among the main fallers.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,369.27 0.25%

FTSE 250 (MCX) 19,328.16 -0.35%

techMARK (TASX) 3,502.28 -0.06%

FTSE 100 - Risers

BAE Systems (BA.) 629.50p 1.94%

Schroders (SDR) 3,214.00p 1.81%

HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 739.90p 1.61%

RSA Insurance Group (RSA) 642.50p 1.18%

easyJet (EZJ) 1,435.00p 1.13%

Standard Chartered (STAN) 811.80p 1.12%

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 635.00p 1.11%

Ashtead Group (AHT) 1,561.00p 1.10%

Royal Mail (RMG) 414.80p 1.10%

Unilever (ULVR) 4,222.00p 1.05%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 336.90p -2.21%

Shire Plc (SHP) 4,231.00p -2.16%

Provident Financial (PFG) 2,326.00p -1.94%

Next (NXT) 3,703.00p -1.67%

Babcock International Group (BAB) 859.50p -1.66%

Mediclinic International (MDC) 720.50p -1.44%

Legal & General Group (LGEN) 263.50p -1.35%

G4S (GFS) 324.00p -1.07%

Whitbread (WTB) 3,810.00p -0.86%

Fresnillo (FRES) 1,410.00p -0.70%

FTSE 250 - Risers

JPMorgan Indian Investment Trust (JII) 739.50p 2.42%

Wizz Air Holdings (WIZZ) 2,564.00p 2.31%

Softcat (SCT) 384.90p 1.69%

Inchcape (INCH) 770.00p 1.65%

Spirax-Sarco Engineering (SPX) 5,460.00p 1.49%

Grafton Group Units (GFTU) 703.00p 1.44%

Pagegroup (PAGE) 482.20p 1.41%

Mitie Group (MTO) 273.60p 1.33%

QinetiQ Group (QQ.) 262.90p 1.31%

Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 3,336.00p 1.21%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Carillion (CLLN) 123.40p -35.76%

Dunelm Group (DNLM) 585.00p -5.65%

Sanne Group (SNN) 640.50p -3.83%

Tullow Oil (TLW) 147.30p -3.47%

Marshalls (MSLH) 373.00p -2.79%

Kier Group (KIE) 1,209.00p -2.66%

Balfour Beatty (BBY) 259.20p -2.63%

Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 1,081.00p -2.61%

Aggreko (AGK) 852.50p -2.57%

Ocado Group (OCDO) 276.80p -2.57%
By Andy Rowell

Donald Trump is so isolated on climate change that the U.S. will meet or even exceed its Paris agreement emission targets without him, according to former Vice President Al Gore.

Speaking in Australia to promote his latest film on the subject, An Inconvenient Sequel, Gore said:

He has isolated himself  The country as a whole is going to meet the commitments of the Paris agreement, regardless of what Donald Trump says or does.

Trumps increasing irrelevance was clear to see at the weekends G20 summit. If you read the press reports, the word that keeps popping up is isolated, the same words that Al Gore used.

As one seasoned political reporter from Australia noted, We learned that Donald Trump has pressed fast-forward on the decline of the United States as a global leader. He managed to isolate his nation, to confuse and alienate his allies and to diminish America.

The reporter, Chris Uhlmann, also observed that Trump was an uneasy, lonely, awkward figure at this gathering and you got the strong sense that some of the leaders are trying to find the best way to work around him.

Donald Trump was left isolated at the end of a fractious G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, after every other world leader signed up to a declaration that the Paris climate agreement was irreversible following an unprecedented standoff, noted the Guardian.

Andrew Light, a senior climate change adviser at the State Department under President Obama, added, This is a clear indication that the U.S. has isolated itself on climate change once again, and is falling back while all other major economies step up and compete in the clean energy marketplace created by the Paris agreement estimated to be worth over 20 trillion dollars.

Much to Trumps dismay, the other G19 nations forged ahead without him on climate. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who hosted the summit, said I am gratified to note that the other 19 members of the G20 feel the Paris agreement is irreversible.

Merkel added: Wherever there is no consensus that can be achieved, disagreement has to be made clear. Unfortunatelyand I deplore thisthe United States of America left the climate agreement.

President Macron from France said that there would be another summit in Paris in December to mark the two-year anniversary of the original Paris agreement and to continue the push for concerted international action on climate.

You can bet that isolated Trump will not be there. As he flew back to Washington after the summit, you know that the real climate action in the U.S. is happening at the state and local level.

As Al Gore said, There is a distinction between Donald Trump and the United States of America, especially on the climate issue. The country as a whole is moving forward, the progress cannot be stopped. The president is irrelevant.
11 parties in registration process for upcoming elections

As many as 11 political parties, including the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) and Deshbhakta Janatantrik Morcha-Nepal an electoral arm of CPN-Maoist, have submitted their documents for the party registration process at the Election Commission (EC).
A collaboration of aquariums across the U.S. have launched a campaign Monday to reduce ocean and freshwater plastic pollution.

Notably, as of today, all 19 aquariums that belong to the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP) have eliminated plastic straws and single-use carryout plastic bags at their facilities.

Some of the biggest aquariums in the country are part of the ACPs In Our Hands effort, including the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Bostons New England Aquarium and the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. The 19 aquariums of the ACP span 16 states and count 20 million visitors each year.

Other anti-plastic goals of the In Our Hands campaign include:

Significantly reduce or eliminate plastic beverage bottles by December 2020

Showcase innovative alternatives to single-use plastic in their facilities (such as reusable bags, paper straws, reusable water bottles and water refilling stations)

More than 8 million tons of plastic enters our oceans each year, causing extensive damage to marine life. Freshwater sources such as lakes and rivers have also seen significant levels of plastic trash.

Approximately 22 million pounds of plastic flows into the Great Lakes each yearin Lake Michigan alone, it is equivalent to 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools filled with bottles, said Shedd Aquarium President and CEO Dr. Bridget Coughlin. Small actions can turn into big solutions, and we believe the 24 million people in the United States who rely on this beautiful, massive resource for their drinking water, jobs and livelihoods want to be part of that wave of change. We look forward to working together in these commitments.

A major part of the effort is to encourage aquarium vendors and visitors to reduce their plastic footprint.

As leaders in aquatic conservation, aquariums are expected to walk their talk, and thats exactly what this partnership is meant to do, said National Aquarium CEO John Racanelli. We are uniquely qualified to set an example for othersin reducing our plastic footprint, encouraging sustainable operating practices, and inspiring hope in a public that is hungry to be part of the solution. Were right where we should be.

The aquariums will also continue pushing for policy changes at the local, state and national level to reduce the flow of plastic pollution into our waters. For instance, in 2016, Monterey Bay Aquarium urged Californians to vote yes on Proposition 67 to uphold the states ban on single-use plastic carryout bags.

By using our voice with visitors our and in our communities, our collective buying power and our relationships with our vendors, we can make a big difference on a pressing issue that threatens the health of wildlife in the ocean, lakes and rivers, said Montereys Executive Director Julie Packard. The solution to plastic pollution is in our hands.
New research claims that just 100 fossil fuel producers are to blame for 71 percent of industrial greenhouse gases since 1988, the year human-induced climate change was officially recognized through the establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Despite the landmark establishment, the oil, coal and gas industry has expanded significantly and has become even more carbon-intensive since 1988, according the 2017 Carbon Majors report from the environmental not-for-profit CDP.

By 1988, fossil fuel companies knew, or should have known, of the destabilizing effects of their products on the environment, the report states. Nonetheless, most companies have expanded extraction activities significantly in the time since, while non-carbon primary energy sources, such as renewables, have seen relatively very little investment.

Notably, in the 28 years between 1988 to 2015, just 25 fossil fuel producers are linked to 51 percent of global industrial emissions.

The highest-emitting companies since 1988 include state-owned entities such as the Chinese coal industry, Saudi Aramco, Russias Gazprom, National Iranian Oil, Coal India and Mexicos Pemex. Public investor-owned companies such as ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, Peabody, Total and BHP Billiton are also major contributors.

The analysis found that fossil fuel producers contributed 833 gigatonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide (GtCO2e) in the last 28 years, compared to 820 GtCO2e in the 237 years between the birth of the Industrial Revolution in 1751 and 1988, when the IPCC was established.

If the trend in fossil fuel extraction continues over the next 28 years as it has over the previous 28, then global average temperatures would be on course to rise around 4C above preindustrial levels by the end of the century.

This would entail substantial species extinction, large risks of regional and global food scarcity, and could cross multiple tipping points in the earths climate system, leading to even more severe consequences, the report warns.

The CDPs analysis is important because it focuses on the greenhouse gas emissions of investor- and state-owned companies rather than on individual countries.

This ground-breaking report pinpoints how a relatively small set of just 100 fossil fuel producers may hold the key to systemic change on carbon emissions, Pedro Faria, the technical director at CDP, said.

Our purpose is not to name and shame firms, our purpose is to provide transparency and call attention to the quite extraordinary fact that just 100 companies played a crucial role in the problem, Faria added to the Telegraph.

Investors should shift away from fossil fuels, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, told the Guardian.

Not only is it morally risky, its economically risky, he explained. The world is moving away from fossil fuels towards clean energy and is doing so at an accelerated pace. Those left holding investments in fossil fuel companies will find their investments becoming more and more risky over time.

Here are the top 10 greenhouse gas emitters since 1988 followed by the percentage of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Carbon Majors report:

1. China (Coal), 14.3%

2. Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco), 4.5%

3. Gazprom OAO, 3.9%

4. National Iranian Oil Co, 2.3%

5. ExxonMobil Corp, 2.0%

6. Coal India, 1.9%

7. Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), 1.9%

8. Russia (Coal), 1.9%

9. Royal Dutch Shell PLC, 1.7%

10. China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), 1.6%
By Tim Radford

Two U.S. scientists have solved the hypothetical puzzle of the century: how to explain the reported climate hiatus and reconcile two different ways of predicting the global temperature by 2100.

They say they now know why computer simulations and the forecasts made by a study of the historical record dont seem to agree.

The good news is that scholarly conflict may have been resolved. The bad news is that, if carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are permitted to double, then the average global temperatures could reach 4.5C by the centurys end, or even up to 6C.

The debate may seem entirely academic, if only because 197 nations of the world undertook to contain global warming to well below 2C by the end of the century by drastically reducing the consumption of fossil fuels.

Not enough

But collectively, the national plans so far proposed do not look likely to meet this target, and the U.S. has threatened to withdraw from the undertaking anyway. So there remains a what-if case to settle a long-standing conflict.

And the conflict is this: examine the earths climate over millions of years, and reconstruct greenhouse gas levels, and you get a prediction that says if carbon dioxide in the atmospherefor most of human history it has been 280 parts per milliondoubles, then the average global temperatures will rise by between 1.5C and 4.5C. Use computer simulations, and you get much the same result.

But when you examine the results of temperature measurements taken since the thermometer was invented, and extrapolate, the answer is a bit different: 1C to 3C.

A new study in the journal Science Advances proposes a simple solution: the predictions based on recent historical evidence do not take into account all the natural cycles of long-term warming and cooling. Factor those in, and the circle can be squared.

Apparent pause

Research like this offers a glimpse of science in action. Scientists are never happy when prediction and observation dont match. For years, they have worried away at what has become known as the so-called hiatus or apparent pause in the rate of global warming in the first dozen or so years of this century.

In fact the world continued to warm, but the rate of warming was significantly slower than that measured in the last two decades of the 20th century.

Some argued that the world had warmed, but all the heat had gone into the oceans. Others argued that any apparent slowdown could only be fleeting and global warming would accelerate again. Yet a third school maintained that the pause was entirely illusory, and that even if there was a pause it would have no effect on long-term predictions.

These competing explanations were in themselves evidence that the mismatch of data and prediction bothered the climate boffins.

Avoiding extremes

For much the same reason, researchers have tried to find what might be called the extreme hypothetical limits to climate change: for instance, could carbon dioxide levels fall so low the planet would entirely freeze? (The answer is, so far, no).

Could the greenhouse gas levels get so high that the oceans could boil dry? The answer is, in theory yes: the earth could become up to 60C hotter than it is now, and uninhabitable, but mercifully, only in theory.

So the outcome of the latest study is an academic confirmation that different patterns and rates of warming play into the big picture. Land, for instance, warms faster than ocean. Most of the land surface of the planet is in the northern hemisphere. So there is a good reason why global warming is, or seems, uneven.

The historical pattern of warming is that most of the warming has occurred over land, in particular over the northern hemisphere, said Cristian Proistosescu, who made the study at Harvard University.

This pattern of warming is known as the fast modeyou put CO2 in the atmosphere and very quickly after that, the land in the northern hemisphere is going to warm.

But the warming of the Southern Ocean, swirling around Antarctica, and the Eastern Equatorial Pacific proceed at a different pace, and with changes in cloud cover which complicate the calculations. So Proistosescu and his co-author worked on the mathematics necessary to resolve their little local difficulty.

The models simulate a warming pattern like todays, but indicate that strong feedbacks kick in when the Southern Ocean and Eastern Equatorial Pacific eventually warm, leading to higher overall temperatures than would simply be extrapolated from the warming seen to date, said Peter Huybers, an earth and planetary scientist at Harvard, and the other author.

The message is that the slow mode matters, but only in the long term. What can be measured now, and recently, does not necessarily indicate how things will end up eight decades on.

Historical observations give us a lot of insight into how climate changes and are an important test of our climate models, said Huybers, but there is no perfect analogue for the changes that are coming.

Reposted with permission from our media associate Climate News Network.
By Ben Jervey

The Koch brothers have landed yet another of their trusted fossil fuel think tank veterans in the Trump administrations Department of Energy (DOE). Alex Fitzsimmons was manager of policy and public affairs at the Institute for Energy Research (IER) and its advocacy arm, the American Energy Alliance (AEA), while also working as a spokesman and communications director for Fueling U.S. Forward (FUSF), the Koch-funded campaign to bolster public opinion of fossil fuels.

Fitzsimmons will be joining former IER colleagues Daniel Simmons and Travis Fisher at the DOE.

Simmons now serves as the head of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), an office that AEA called for eliminating in 2015, under Simmons guidance, as then-vice president of policy. Fisher is currently working on the controversial grid study ordered by DOE Secretary Rick Perry. While at IER, Fisher wrote a similar report in 2015, which called clean energy policies the single greatest emerging threat to the nations electric power grid, and a greater threat to electric reliability than cyber attacks, terrorism or extreme weather.

While there have been many IER veterans to land in the Trump administration (and even more known Koch affiliates), the arrival of Fitzsimmons at the DOE marks the first time that someone directly involved with Fueling U.S. Forward has taken a job at one of the agencies or in the White House.

The Koch network reportedly had big plans for the Fueling U.S. Forward campaign when it first launched in late summer of 2016, when Charles Drevna announced that it would make the pro-human case for fossil fuels, highlighting the positives of oil and gas to American consumers.

As the head of communications for Fueling U.S. Forward, Fitzsimmons wrote a handful of blog posts singing the praises of fossil fuels, work that echoes his contributions to the IER and AEA sites.

The Obama White House, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the DOE were all frequent targets in his articles for IER and AEA. On display in one such post, which contrasts DOE and Energy Information Administration (EIA) projections of wind power penetration in the U.S. energy system, is a casual dismissal of the departments energy modeling and a blatant misunderstanding of how the EIA forecasts actually work.

(Basically, Fitzsimmons claims that the EIAs numbers are model-based projections, but in reality they are forecasts based on current levels of deployment and business-as-usual trends. The EIA has also been rightly criticized for underestimating renewable energy growth year after year, a tradition that had become so absurd that the agency had to publicly address it and make plans to correct it.)

Fitzsimmons will doubtlessly bring his pro-fossil fuel talking points to the DOE, though it is unclear what the communications specialist will be tasked with as a senior adviser.

At the Red State Gathering in August 2016, during which Charles Drevna announced the launch of Fueling U.S. Forward, Fitzsimmons interviewed Drevna. On top of his archives of IER and AEA posts, the interview provides a good a sense of Fitzsimmons perspective on energy:

Fitzsimmons liked to write about green energy cronyism repeatedly over his years at the Institute for Energy Research and Fueling U.S. Forward. And he did so with no apparent sense of irony that the two organizations he received checks from were funded (all or in part) by the Koch brothers and their donor networks, nor that the organizations were led by two long-time Koch confidants: Tom Pyle and Charles Drevna. Fitzsimmons appointment is proof again that fossil fuel cronyism is alive and well in the Department of Energy and throughout Trumps White House.

Reposed with permission from our media associate DeSmogBlog.
By David Doniger and Alex Hillbrand

This is a big year for the Montreal Protocolthe 30th anniversary of the worlds most successful environmental protection agreement.

Every country on Earth is a party to this treaty, which has prevented catastrophic destruction of the ozone layer that protects us from the suns dangerous ultraviolet radiation. Phasing out ozone-destroying chemicals has also provided a huge climate protection side-benefit, because many of those chemicals are also powerful heat-trapping agents. Countries took climate protection a step farther by adopting the Kigali Amendment to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in October 2016.

Representatives of the parties, industry and nongovernmental organizations are gathered this week in Bangkok. Topping the agenda are steps to complete the accelerated phase-out of the last generation of ozone-depleting chemicalsthe hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)agreed in 2007, by negotiating the next three year replenishment of funding to assist developing countries in meeting their reduction commitments. Countries are also discussing the role of the Montreal Protocol in supporting energy efficiency improvements as a co-benefit of transitioning to environmentally friendly refrigerants in air conditioners and refrigeration.

The funding branch of the Montreal Protocol, the Multilateral Fund (MLF), covers the agreed incremental costs that developing countries incur to meet their obligations under the Protocol. Every three years, countries agree to replenish the MLF to support country programs to help convert from old to new substances and from old to new product designs. This week, negotiations will begin for the period 2018-2020, ultimately leading to an agreed replenishment level at the Meeting of the Parties in November 2017.

The bulk of the MLFs activity in the next three-year period will focus on the phase-out of HCFCs. It will also include funding for countries to avoid transitioning to HFCs with high climate-warming power (global warming potential or GWP) by leapfrogging straight from ozone-depleting chemicals to low-GWP alternatives. This will help avoid the buildup of HFC-using equipment that must later be replaced . Funding over the next three years will also include money for important preliminary HFC-related activities. Eligible HFC-specific initial activities have been under discussion since last October and were recently agreed by the MLFs governing Executive Committee (ExCom).

Last week, the ExCom agreed that the MLF will fund a list of initial enabling activities (i.e., activities that precede preparation of national implementation plans) to support the phasedown of HFCs, including supporting country actions for early Kigali Amendment ratification, work on institutional arrangements and licensing systems, data reporting on HFC production and consumption, and more.

In addition, the committee agreed to fund a limited number of HFC phase-down investment projects not tied to any country plan to phase down HFCs. These pilot-type projects will help the MLF determine typical costs for HFC conversions, and will aid ExCom as it writes guidelines for how much funding should be made available for HFC phase-down activities. These projects will offer leadership companies in developing countries a great opportunity to start phasing down HFCs early, with financial support from the Protocol.

Countries also requested a study on the most cost-effective ways to destroy HFC-23, a super-potent by-product of HCFC-22 production, with a GWP 14,800 times that of carbon dioxide. The first major commitment of developing countries under the Kigali Amendment is mandatory destruction of HFC-23 starting Jan. 1, 2020. Better understating the costs will help the MLF allocate funds for the required destruction. Key issues surrounding funding eligibility, however, will not be addressed by this study.

While the vast majority of the funding for the 2018-2020 replenishment will be devoted to the HCFC phase-out, these three ExCom decisions begin to build the framework for implementing the Kigali Amendment and will guide parties to provide additional funding for preliminary HFC-related activities. The Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP), which advises the parties on the replenishment, will now be able to add HFC-related activities to its replenishment report, which provides advice to the parties on funding.

The TEAPs final report will be done in advance of the Meeting of the Parties in November 2017, at which the total funding for the replenishment will be agreed. A robust funding package for the 2018-2020 replenishment will help developing countries complete the HCFC phase-out and start the HFC phase-down ahead of schedule. To fulfill the promise of the Kigali Amendment, it will be important for funding countries to provide ample support to allow countries to leapfrog HFCs whenever possible and, in addition, to begin setting the stage for the full phasedown of HFCs in the years to come.
An order of Catholic nuns and the grassroots coalition Lancaster Against Pipelines have built an open-air chapel in Columbia, Pennsylvania along the proposed route of the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline to stall construction of the $3 billion project.

The St. Louis-headquartered

Adorers of the Blood of Christ own a strip of land in Pennsylvania where the pipeline is set to go through.

The nuns consider the fracked gas pipeline, a project of Oklahoma-based pipeline developer Williams Partners, a violation of their beliefs and environmental values, UPI reported.

The Adorers received a request from the grassroots coalition, Lancaster Against Pipelines, to install and use, and to invite other people of faith to use, a portable prayer chapel on their land, the Adorers said in a statement. The hope is that the structure can draw people to prayer and reflection about just and holy uses of land.

The simple wooden alter was constructed on a grove just feet from where the pipeline would cut through a corn field, explained Karen Feridun, a founding member of Pennsylvanians Against Fracking and founder of Berks Gas Truth.

The 180-mile Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline is an expansion of the existing 10,200-mile Transco pipeline network. According to the Sierra Club, the project would clear cut its way through 10 Pennsylvania counties, impacting 2,000 acres of forested land and crossings hundreds of wetlands and water bodies. The proposed route includes nearly 200 miles of new pipeline which would supply gas exports out of Maryland and gas plants in North Carolina and Florida.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the pipeline earlier this year and ruled that Williams Partners has the right to construct, maintain and operate the pipeline on the private land.

While we respect the rights of people to protest, we view this simply as another blatant attempt to impede pipeline construction, Christopher Stockton, a Williams Partners spokesman told UPI about the Adorers makeshift chapel.

The company has since filed an emergency court order to seize the nuns land and build the pipeline. A judge has scheduled a court hearing for July 17.

The nuns noted in their statement that the federal courts order of eminent domain, once it goes into effect, can allow Transco to call for the removal of the chapel. But they believe that having this structure on their land, for however long, gives tangible witness to the sacredness of Earth.

On Sunday, Lancaster Against Pipelines held a Stand With the Sisters ceremony to dedicate the chapel.

Its not about money, its about principle. And the nuns have a land ethic that says this Earth is a sanctuary and we regard it as sacred, and were going to work to protect it, Mark Clatterbuck of the Lancaster Against Pipelines group

told CNN affiliate WGAL-TV.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) announced Monday an unprecedented unilateral order in response to Energy Transfer Partners fracked gas Rover pipelines 27 violations. The announcement comes after the Rover pipleine had more spills last week near the Tuscarawas River.

OEPAs unilateral order includes requiring Energy Transfer to establish a stronger contingency plan for when disasters occur; removal and proper disposal of the diesel spilled in quarries near Massillon and Canton as well as along the Tuscarawas; groundwater monitoring near the multiple spill sites; and to create a remediation plan for the spill of more than 2 million gallons of clay and diesel fluid in a rare high-quality wetland in Stark County.

Additionally, the OEPA referred the nearly $1 million in fines to the states Attorney General. In Mondays press conference, the OEPA stated that it is prepared to defend this unilateral order in state and federal courts, if Energy Transfer would challenge their authority to protect Ohioans rights to clean air, water and land.

The Sierra Club applauds Ohio EPA for taking action against Energy Transfers reckless construction of a dirty and dangerous fracked gas pipeline, Sierra Club Ohio Director Jen Miller said. Weve always said that its never a question of whether a pipeline will spill, but rather a question of when. Energy Transfer has proven that its not merely an operational pipeline that threatens our communities and waterways, but one in construction too.

Energy Transfer has proven that it cannot be trusted with our clean air, clean water, or our communities. As strong as OEPA has come down on this company, ultimately, the only way to protect Ohio is to stop this project, Miller added. We call on the Ohios Attorney General Mike DeWine and FERC to follow OEPAs lead in ensuring that the people of Ohio are protected by this irresponsible, rogue company. The Sierra Club remains ready to support OEPA in state and federal legal battles, if necessary.
By Steve Horn

A bill with the potential to hobble government agencies ability to propose regulations, known as the REINS (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny) Act, has passed in both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature and Republican Gov. Scott Walkers office has told DeSmog he intends to sign it into law.

REINS has been pushed for years at the federal level by Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the conservative advocacy group funded and founded with money from Koch Industries, and a federal version of it currently awaits a U.S. Senate vote. The House bill, H.R. 26, passed on Jan. 5 as one of the current Congresss first actions.

Wisconsins version mandates that if a proposed regulation causes $10 million or more in implementation and compliance costs over a two year period, that rule must either be rewritten or go by the wayside. Known as Senate Bill 15, the Wisconsin bill passed the state Senate on a party-line vote, 62-34 and would be the first state-level REINS bill on the books in the country.

Governor Walker has thanked the Legislature for sharing his commitment to bold regulatory reform and looks forward to signing the bill into law, Jack Jablonski, a spokesperson for Gov. Walker, said in a statement provided to DeSmog. Jablonski did not provide a timeline as to when Walker plans to sign the bill.

Walker has a storied history of close ties to the petrochemical billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch, including getting punked into taking a phone call with a David Koch impersonator back in 2011, who was actually a reporter with the Buffalo Beast, an alt-weekly newspaper in New York. Walker has taken tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Koch Industries, both during his three successful gubernatorial elections and during his short-lived run for president during the 2016 election cycle, which saw Walker ascend as the Koch brothers chosen candidate.

Wisconsin-based Koch businesses which release air and water pollutants could benefit financially from the bill if it becomes law. Koch Industries owns subsidiaries including Georgia-Pacific, Flint Hills Resources and Koch Minerals, which in turn own assets such as paper production mills, pipelines and oil and gas storage facilities within Wisconsin.

AFPs Wisconsin chapter, which launched an advertising and lobbying campaign in support of the legislation, celebrated the bills passage in a press release disseminated through Facebook.

[facebook https://www.facebook.com/wisconsinafp/posts/1587920137905689 expand=1]

Another group which has received Koch funding, Americans for Tax Reform, also praised the bills passage. Americans for Tax Reform, run by its president and founder Grover Norquist, also successfully advocated for President Donald Trump to have the U.S. withdraw from the United Nations Paris climate agreement.

The REINS Actblocked by special interests in Washingtoncan be enacted in Wisconsin to reduce the costs and delays of overregulation, Norquist said in a statement provided to another Koch-funded group, the McIver Institute, which is a member of the Koch-funded State Policy Network. By becoming the first state to pass a state version of the REINS Act, Wisconsin will further solidify its reputation as one of the nations top government reforming states.

Lobbyists Nefarious Role

Wisconsin Rep. Dianne Hesselbein, the Assembly Assistant Minority Leader who serves on the Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, attempted to introduce several amendments to the bill, according to legislative drafting files obtained by DeSmog.

But those amendments, which would have essentially rolled back the key anti-regulatory language found within REINS, never received a vote. One of the amendments banned firms which have employed lobbyists within the past five years from performing the economic impact statement, while another called for the economic impact statement to calculate benefits from keeping regulatory safeguards in place. Yet another of Hesselbeins amendments called for the limit to be raised to $20 million for the law to apply to regulations proposed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau

Its unfortunate the amendments werent even considered during debate on the bill, Hesselbein told DeSmog. We were sincere in our efforts to work with the bill authors to improve the legislation and ensure the enactment of important agency rules arent derailed by outside interests at the eleventh hour.

On the Assembly floor, Republican bill sponsor Rep. Adam Neylon said he was willing to work with Democratic colleagues to address the potential for a contracted lobbyist or lobbying group to write the economic impact statement dictated under the REINS Act. Neylon, who received a $1,000 campaign contribution from AFP for his successful 2016 electoral run, said having a lobbyist involved in the process would be nefarious (see video beginning at about 3:38:08) and is willing to work with Democrats on a follow-up bill.

Im troubled by the author of this legislation openly acknowledging the nefarious role industry lobbyists and political insiders could play in undermining the enactment of rules that are meant to protect our health and our environment, Hesselbein said in response to Neylons statements.

Hesselbein, who represents a district just west of the state capitol city of Madison, sees the bill in general as a giveaway to industry lobbyists and corporate interests.

The so-called REINS Act will undoubtedly move Wisconsin towards a rule-making process that will become marred by industry lobbyists with political agendas working to undermine the enactment of legislation aimed at protecting the public good, said Hesselbein.

Reposted with permission from our media associate DeSmogBlog.
When patients are admitted to the hospital, their connection to their primary care physician is often disrupted, leading to difficult transitions of care, readmissions, higher costs, and worse health outcomes. Two family physicians propose a solution: the creation of the hospital chief primary care medical officer. The chief primary care medical officer, a primary care physician, would lead hospital efforts to create systems that ensure the primary care continuum is complete, even for complex patients. The position could be funded by savings that arise from improved value, the authors suggest, particularly as healthcare systems shift away from a focus on volume towards a focus on value. The authors call for a healthcare system that supports a trusting primary care relationship at critical junctures in individuals' lives.

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http://www.annfammed.org/content/15/4/366

The Chief Primary Care Medical Officer: Restoring Continuity

Noemi Doohan, MD, PhD, University of California Davis

Jennifer DeVoe, MD, DPhil, Oregon Health & Science University
Although deprescribing (tapering and withdrawing medicines when risks outweigh potential benefits) is essential to best prescribing practices, it runs counter to patient expectations, medical culture, and organizational factors. In a qualitative study of 24 primary care physicians in Auckland, New Zealand, participants recognized the importance of deprescribing for older patients, while identifying many barriers and few incentives to the practice. Less experienced physicians and those in short-term low-trust therapeutic relationships reported finding deprescribing challenging. The authors state that interventions to support safer prescribing should consider sociocultural influences, the importance to physicians of maintaining relationships, the sense of vulnerability many physicians feel in practice, and the organizational constraints they face.

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http://www.annfammed.org/content/15/4/341

Swimming Against the Tide: Primary Care Physicians' Views on Deprescribing in

Everyday Practice

Katharine A. Wallis, MBChB, PhD, MBHL, FRNZCGP, et al, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
14 Baram candidates win the race of local polls

One among a dozen highly marginalized groupsBaramu indigenous group has won 14 seats in the local levels of Gorkha district including three ward chairpersons.
Physicians regularly encounter losses: not only the death of patients but also more ambiguous losses, including changes in professional roles, duties, and identity. A family physician proposes that these ambiguous losses can cause stress and grief. If not acknowledged and addressed, physicians' grief can both contribute to burnout and be exacerbated by it. The solution, she suggests, is not resilience training for physicians but rather acknowledging their losses and supporting them in addressing their grief.

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http://www.annfammed.org/content/15/4/375

Disenfranchised Grief and Physician Burnout

Deborah Lathrop, MD, MAT, Madison, Wisconsin
Delays for emergency surgery were associated with a higher risk of death for patients in hospital -- and higher costs -- yet these delays were largely due to lack of operating rooms and staff, and other system issues, found a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.160576

The study was conducted at The Ottawa Hospital, one of Canada's largest hospitals, and the sole provider in the region for trauma, neurosurgery, thoracic and vascular surgery.

"Delays in emergency surgeries are a problem around the world," said senior author Dr. Alan Forster, vice president of quality, performance and population health, and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, and professor at the University of Ottawa in Ontario. "This study adds to the evidence suggesting timely access to the [operating room] is important from both the patient and care provider perspectives. Given that there are no universal standards for the time frame a patient with urgent needs should get into surgery, we set an aggressive scale for the different grades of urgency."

Researchers identified 15 160 emergency surgery patients and found that almost 19% (2820) did not reach the operating room within that time frame. In 86% of those cases with documented reasons for delay, system issues such as staff or operating room availability were the cause.

Surgical delays resulted in a higher risk of death, longer lengths of stay for patients and higher health care costs.

"We found that most delays were due to system issues, like physician, nurse and operating room unavailability," said Dr. Daniel McIsaac, an associate scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa. "Improving personnel availability may improve access without increasing costs (at least from a hospital perspective). Furthermore, the increased resources required to have adequate nursing personnel and physical resources should be partially offset by decreased hospital costs independently attributed to surgical delay."

These findings are consistent with evidence from other countries that delays are often due to system factors.

"Although our results support the known association between delay and mortality in patients with hip fracture, they also support the generalizability of the delay-outcome association to nonorthopedic surgery, where previous findings have both supported and refuted this association," the authors write.

Dr. Forster states that these results suggest a different way of looking at how hospitals create sufficient operating room capacity is required. To ensure emergency patients can be accommodated, it is necessary to have spare capacity.

"It might seem counterintuitive, but having unused time in expensive operating rooms could save both money and lives," said Dr. Forster.

The authors note that even though the study was conducted at one centre, the findings are likely generalizable to other settings.

In a related commentary http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.170172, Dr. David Urbach, Women's College Hospital and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, writes, "These findings will ring true for many who have worked in an operating room in a Canadian hospital. Global hospital budgets in an era of constrained public financing force surgical departments to strive for maximum efficiency; most optimize utilization of operating rooms and staff at maximum capacity for elective surgery, while assiduously avoiding any unbudgeted activity."

Urbach suggests several system-level solutions to address surgical delays while minimizing health care costs.

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The study was conducted by researchers from The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, and the Institute for Healthcare Optimization, Newton, Massachusetts, United States.
John E. Buster, MD, of Providence, a reproductive endocrinologist with Women & Infants Fertility Center and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Dr. Buster was one of four inductees honored at ACOG's Annual Meeting in May for their "indelible mark" on the profession of obstetrics and gynecology.

"This is a wonderful honor for Dr. Buster and the hospital in general," said Mark R. Marcantano, president and chief operating officer of Women & Infants Hospital, a Care New England hospital. "Dr. Buster, like so many of our physicians, works tirelessly every day to help improve the lives of women. Through his innovation in the field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, hundreds of thousands of couples are parents, and thousands of women have new potential solutions for the symptoms of menopause. He has impacted women's health care in unique and valuable ways."

According to Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, chair and Chace-Joukowsky Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and assistant dean for Teaching and Research in Women's Health at the Warren Alpert Medical School, professor of epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health, and chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Women & Infants Hospital and Care New England Health System, "In the field of medicine, there are physicians who rise above and break new ground, making an indelible mark on clinical care, research and education. Dr. John Buster is one such physician, and we are so very proud of him on this wonderful achievement."

Dr. Buster has spent almost his entire career as a physician, spanning more than four decades, focused on reproductive endocrinology and infertility. His expertise within the field is varied - assisted reproductive technology procedures, medical treatment and surgical treatment for infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, preimplantation embryology, and female hormone replacement.

It was at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in 1983 that Dr. Buster revolutionized the standards for the treatment of women with infertility and those with genetic conditions they did not want to pass onto their child. He directed the research team that performed the world's first donated blastocyst embryo transfer, which resulted in a live birth in February 1984. As part of the procedure, an embryo was created in one woman using the sperm of an infertile woman's husband through artificial insemination. Once the embryo was beginning to develop, Dr. Buster's team transferred it from the first woman to the second, who gave birth 38 weeks later.

This breakthrough gave many women new hope for natural parenthood through a means that allows them to bear a child that contains their husband's genetic makeup. Since the initial birth in 1984, more than 300,000 live births have resulted from donor embryo transfer. Dr. Buster's work also helped establish the legal-ethical framework and technical foundation for the clinical use of human oocyte and embryo donation, which is now a mainstream clinical practice. Thirty years later, Dr. Buster has updated the uterine lavage technology and is currently working to adapt it as an office procedure for diagnosis and prevention of genetic diseases in embryos.

More recently, Dr. Buster helped develop a testosterone delivery system for women called Intrinsa which was ultimately marketed in Europe. The transdermal patch delivers chemically identical testosterone directly into the body's microvascular circulation, much like an artificial endocrine organ. Dr. Buster was the lead investigator in a major study that demonstrated the effectiveness of this patch to treat decreased sexual desire in postmenopausal women.

In addition, Dr. Buster served as lead investigator in another major study demonstrating the effectiveness of an estradiol mist called Evamist, which offers women a safe way to stem the impact of hot flashes in menopause. Evamist is now widely marketing and prescribed in the U.S.

Dr. Buster attended Stanford University and earned his medical degree from the University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency training in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. He is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and in the subspecialty of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and serves as a diplomat with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Before relocating to the east coast, he was director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at UCLA School of Medicine and then director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Dr. Buster is a well-known international lecturer and has authored more than 200 scientific papers in the field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility. He served as director for the Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists and chair of its Practice and Fellowship committees. He has also served on the Fellowship Committee for the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society and on the board for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.

In the past decade, Dr. Buster has been recognized for his clinical expertise by various lay publications, including Castle Connolly's Best Doctors in America, Good Housekeeping's 401 Best Doctors for Women, the Consumers Research Council of America's Guide to America's Top Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and, in 2011, in Boston Magazine as a top doctor for reproductive endocrinology. He was selected for a Patients' Choice Award, an honor given to just five percent of practicing physicians in the country.

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About Women & Infants Hospital

Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, is one of the nation's leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns. A major teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University for obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics, as well as a number of specialized programs in women's medicine, Women & Infants is the ninth largest stand-alone obstetrical service in the country and the largest in New England with approximately 8,500 deliveries per year. A Designated Baby-Friendly USA hospital, U.S.News & World Report 2014-15 Best Children's Hospital in Neonatology and a 2014 Leapfrog Top Hospital, in 2009 Women & Infants opened what was at the time the country's largest, single-family room neonatal intensive care unit.

Women & Infants and Brown offer fellowship programs in gynecologic oncology, maternal-fetal medicine, urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery, neonatal-perinatal medicine, pediatric and perinatal pathology, gynecologic pathology and cytopathology, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. It is home to the nation's first mother-baby perinatal psychiatric partial hospital, as well as the nation's only fellowship program in obstetric medicine.

Women & Infants has been designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiography; a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology; a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence by the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and a Neonatal Resource Services Center of Excellence. It is one of the largest and most prestigious research facilities in high risk and normal obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics in the nation, and is a member of the National Cancer Institute's Gynecologic Oncology Group and the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network.
The European Commission released the first edition of the 'Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor'

On 6 July 2017, in Brussels, the European Commission released the first ever edition of the 'Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor'.

This new tool developed by the Commission's in-house science and knowledge service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), provides comparable data on how European cities perform across nine dimensions - covering culture and creativity - and underlines how their performance contributes to cities' social development and economic growth and job creation.

The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor will help policy makers as well as the cultural and creative sectors identify local strengths and areas for improvement, and learn from comparable cities. It also sheds light on the strong relationship between cultural vibrancy and various dimensions of a city's life, starting with its social diversity and its economic activity.

Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth, Sport, responsible for the JRC, said: "My objective is to place culture and creativity at the heart of the European policy agenda. In times of major societal transformations and sharpening global competition between cities, we must look beyond traditional sources of growth and socio-economic well-being and explore the role of culture in vibrant, innovative and diverse cities. The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor highlights successful European cities that have found their own ways of using the potential of culture and creativity to drive development, innovation and job creation and improve quality of life for citizens. It puts sound evidence at the disposal of policy makers to help them identify where they fare well and where further improvement is desirable."

The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor is the result of a research project covering 168 cities in 30 European countries. It is available as an interactive online tool to allow users to browse the selected cities as well as a wide array of quantitative and qualitative information about their performance.

It notably shows that the 'ideal' Cultural and Creative City in Europe would be the amalgam of the best performing cities on each indicator.

This city would have the Cultural Venues & Facilities of Cork (Ireland), the Cultural Participation & Attractiveness and the Creative & Knowledge-based Jobs of Paris (France), the Intellectual Property & Innovation of Eindhoven (Netherlands), the New Jobs in Creative Sectors of Umea (Sweden), the Human Capital & Education of Leuven (Belgium), the Openness, Tolerance & Trust of Glasgow (UK), the Local & International Connections of Utrecht (Netherlands) and the Quality of Governance of Copenhagen (Denmark).

Of these eight cities, five have fewer than 500,000 inhabitants (Cork, Eindhoven, Umea, Leuven and Utrecht).

Key findings of the research include:

Leading cultural and creative cities: compared to other cities with a similar population, Paris, Copenhagen, Edinburgh and Eindhoven perform better than their counterparts;

Cultural, creativity and prosperity: culture and creativity contribute to higher economic growth rates, and are crucial for low-income cities;

Size is not everything: the size of a city does not determine its performance in culture and creativity, as on average small and medium-sized cities score relatively well compared to larger ones;

Capitals fly high but not highest: even if capitals are often in the lead, they are outperformed in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK. Background

Since the adoption of the first 'European Agenda for Culture in a Globalising World' (2007), culture has taken an increasingly prominent place in European Union policymaking. However, mapping cultural and creative assets and measuring their value and impact in a systematic and comparable way across Europe remains a challenge, with no shared definitions or metrics, particularly at city level.

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission has developed the 'Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor' in order to fill this information gap.

The tool was built around three leading indices - cultural vibrancy, creative economy and enabling environment - organised in 9 dimensions and measured through 29 indicators ranging from the number of museums and concert halls, to employment in the cultural and creative sectors, and from ICT patent applications to the level of trust people have towards other citizens in their city.

It brings together data from a variety of public sources (such as Eurostat and the Eurobarometer) and experimental data (for example from TripAdvisor).

The Monitor is expected to be updated every two years in order to remain conceptually and statistically sound across countries, cities and time and capture cities' development.

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Sexism is alive and well in sexual assault research, but this time men are the target. A new study conducted by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and Sam Houston State University debunks a long-standing theory that sexual assault isn't as emotionally traumatizing for men as it is for women and that it doesn't result in similar emotional impacts, especially when it comes to depression.

Sexual assault is unwanted sexual contact - including rape - and is a traumatizing event linked to numerous mental health consequences associated with negative outcomes such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, fear, anxiety, alcohol dependence, use of illicit substances, suicidal ideation, and attempted suicide. While there is extensive research on the collateral consequences experienced by females, almost no research exists on how sexual violence affects adult, non-incarcerated males or how it affects them as compared to females.

Using a sample size of 11,860 adults in the United States (5,922 men and 5,938 women) obtained from the National Violence Against Women Survey's database, the researchers sought to challenge a sociological theory that explains that men are more likely to respond to sexual assault with anger and by engaging in criminal activity, while women are more likely to respond with depression and sadness.

The General Strain Theory, used by criminologists and sociologists, explains delinquency and deviant behavior in terms of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive adaptations to negative life events (i.e., strain). Results of the study are published in the journal Women & Criminal Justice.

The aim of the study, led by Lisa M. Dario, Ph.D., assistant professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice within FAU's College for Design and Social Inquiry, was to prove how depression and sexual assault are both underreported as well as understudied in adult men. Research examining male sexual victimization has predominantly focused on childhood trauma. Findings from this study will help to tackle the many gaps that exist, identify appropriate support programs for men, and ultimately remove the stigma and barriers that prevent them from disclosing as well as discussing their experience.

"When we began this study, we thought for sure that we would find that females who were sexually assaulted would exhibit higher depression scores than males who were sexually assaulted," said Dario. "I think this is probably because of antiquated ideas that men and women experience emotions differently. What we actually discovered, much to our surprise, is that sexual assault is traumatic regardless of gender."

The researchers suspect that it is possible that men may even experience depression more than women because they don't have the social outlets and support systems available to women and therefore may wind up internalizing their feelings and emotions.

What didn't surprise Dario and her collaborator Eryn Nicole O'Neal, Ph.D., an assistant professor of criminal justice and criminology at Sam Houston State University, was that all victims of sexual assault have higher depression scores than individuals who have not been sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

In 1980, men made up between 1 to 10 percent of rape reports received in crisis centers, hospitals and emergency rooms; in 1997, they represented between 5 and 10 percent of all reported rapes. More recently, National Crime Victimization Survey results show that men make up about 38 percent of sexual assault and rape incidents reported, and those in the military are particularly vulnerable and more unlikely to report an assault.

"There is no room for 'sexism' in sexual assault research [by ignoring male victims] and we must bring attention to an issue that impacts men equally, especially if we know that their negative emotional responses are treatable," said Dario. "If left untreated, sexual assault victims may look for other outlets to process their emotions; untreated depression may lead to negative coping mechanisms, like drug use. We do know that people who experience strains, like sex assault, are more likely to use illicit drugs, and we certainly need to be mindful of halting an already nationwide epidemic of opioid and other drug misuse."

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About Florida Atlantic University:

Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU's world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU's existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit http://www.fau.edu.
A study published online in The FASEB Journal demonstrated that a protein complex (Gbeta5-RGS) commonly known for halting cellular functions may actually stimulate insulin secretion in pancreatic cells. This discovery offers insights into new treatment strategies for conditions where the body is unable to produce sufficient levels of insulin, such as diabetes.

"Once again, Gbeta5-RGS proteins continue to surprise us," said Vladlen Z. Slepak, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami School of Medicine (Miami, Florida). "The role of this complex in insulin secretion is exactly opposite to what one could expect. We hope the insights from the current work will help us understand and treat the disorders that occur when these genes are broken."

In their study, Slepak and colleagues analyzed insulin production in two groups of mice -- one normal and another lacking the gene responsible for making the Gbeta5 protein. They found that the mice lacking this gene had much less insulin present in their blood. The researchers then performed experiments on isolated pancreatic islets (insulin-producing organs) and on cells from which they also deleted the Gbeta5 gene. The results clearly demonstrated that Gbeta5-RGS is necessary for stimulation of insulin secretion. When the researchers put the gene back in place, the insulin secretion was restored.

"Any result this surprising beckons us to rethink some so-called fundamentals," said Thoru Pederson, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal.

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Submit to The FASEB Journal by visiting http://fasebj.msubmit.net, and receive monthly highlights by signing up at http://www.faseb.org/fjupdate.aspx. The FASEB Journal is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). It is the world's most cited biology journal according to the Institute for Scientific Information and has been recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century.

FASEB is composed of 31 societies with more than 125,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Our mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.

Details: Qiang Wang, Alexey N. Pronin, Konstantin Levay, Joana Almaca, Alessia Fornoni, Alejandro Caicedo, and Vladlen Z. Slepak. Regulator of G protein signaling G5-R7 is a crucial activator of muscarinic M3 receptor-stimulated insulin secretion. FASEB J. doi: 10.1096/fj.201700197RR ; http://www.fasebj.org/content/early/2017/07/07/fj.201700197RR.abstract
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State University scientists are part of a breakthrough study in which an international team of researchers has successfully deciphered all 10 billion letters in the genetic code of a wild ancestor of wheat.

Their work is published in the July 7 issue of Science Magazine.

"The relative of wheat is called wild emmer, which is one of the founding crops of human society," said Eduard Akhunov, professor of plant pathology and wheat genomics at Kansas State University. "Wild emmer was one of the first crops that was domesticated 10,000 years ago, which was a critical step in moving from hunting and gathering to an agricultural society."

By knowing the genetic code of wild emmer, scientists can now compare its DNA to modern varieties to fully understand how wheat has evolved over thousands of years. With that information, they can better understand the genes that provide important traits such as drought and heat tolerance, or resistance to various diseases and pests.

"From a biological and historical viewpoint, we have created a time tunnel that we can use to examine wheat from before the origins of agriculture," said Assaf Distefeld, a professor at Tel Aviv (Israel) University, who led the project.

"Our comparison to modern wheat has allowed us to identify the precise genes that allowed domestication of wheat. For example, while the seeds of wild wheat readily fall off the plant and scatter (a process called shattering), a change in two genes meant that in domesticated wheat, the seeds remained attached to the stalk, and it is this trait that enabled humans to harvest wheat."

Akhunov, whose research team used a technology called "exome capture" to identify the regions of the wild emmer genome important for wheat domestication, said that wild emmer and other wild relatives of wheat have been a useful resource for improving wheat for a long time. Many of those wild relatives carry "beneficial genes that may make plants more resistant to different diseases or improve heat or drought tolerance."

With the work done by the international team of researchers, Akhunov and his K-State colleagues can now more precisely identify gene segments that can help improve Kansas varieties.

"The small segments of the wild emmer chromosomes are being transferred to bread wheat, and these segments can carry some useful genes in there, and they can be used in (K-State) breeding programs," Akhunov said.

"It is a valuable source for improving end-use quality of wheat, especially grain composition and the mineral content, and protein content," he added. "There are a number of genes that are known to improve this trait, and they are coming from wild emmer."

Kansas State University wheat breeder Allan Fritz already is conducting field trials with wild emmer at the Ashland Bottoms research farm south of Manhattan.

"There's good evidence that wild emmer contains genes for drought tolerance," Fritz said. Israeli researchers identified a chromosome that's produced a 10-15 percent increase in yield under drought -- without sacrificing yield potential under well-watered conditions.

Fritz added that he and his team have done preliminary screening of accessions of wild emmer and have found resistance to wheat streak mosaic virus, while reports indicate it also contains genes for resistance to fusarium head blight and stripe rust. Wild emmer genes may also provide added value for wheat-based foods.

"The wild emmers can contain in excess of 30 percent protein, so there's high protein," Fritz said. "We also know from the research of others that you can find some wild emmer that has twice the antioxidant capacity of domesticated durum.

"We know that these wheats accumulate such things as iron and zinc at a higher level. So we can start to talk about nutritionally superior wheat varieties that can come out of this material. We think there's real value there for consumers as well as helping to ensure production in an increasingly variable environment."

However, even with newer technologies to speed up the process, breeding new wheat lines takes a lot of time. Fritz said it will take at least 15 years before traits from these wild wheats will be available in commercial varieties.

"It's one of those things where, yeah, it's a really long-term project, but if you don't ever start it, you never get to the good stuff at the end," he said. "You need to get the process started and work through it."

Even so, Fritz added, "I'm really excited about this. We can do some really good things. I think there's the opportunity to make much better wheat varieties, increase value in wheat for our producers, and to have a healthier product for consumers."

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The work completed at Kansas State University was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The project led by Akhunov uses historic climate data from the regions where the wild wheat ancestors grow and information about their genomic diversity to identify valuable genetic variation for improving wheat production in local environmental conditions.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Burnout among young teachers appears to be contagious, indicates a new study led by Michigan State University education scholars.

The study found a significant link between burnout among early-career teachers and exposure to both a school-wide culture of burnout and burnout among the young teachers' closest circle of colleagues.

Surprisingly, the link was stronger to the school-wide culture of burnout than it was to burnout among close colleagues.

"If you are surrounded by people who are downcast or walking around under a pall of burnout, then it has a high chance of spilling over, even if you don't have direct contact with these folks," said Kenneth Frank, professor of measurement and quantitative methods in MSU's College of Education.

"This study," Frank added, "is one of the first to provide evidence that the organizational culture in schools can make a notable difference for early-career teachers' burnout levels."

Frank co-authored the study with Jihyun Kim, an MSU doctoral student, and Peter Youngs, a former MSU scholar who's now an associate professor at the University of Virginia. Their findings appear in the journal Teaching and Teacher Education.

The researchers analyzed the survey data on burnout of 171 teachers who were in their first four years in the profession and 289 experienced teachers who served as the young teachers' mentors or close colleagues.

Kim, lead author on the paper, said she was interested in investigating teacher burnout based on her experiences as an early-career teacher in her native Korea, where she worked long days and weekends.

Early-career teachers are particularly vulnerable to stress and burnout as they adjust to working full-time and respond to school and district expectations, she said. Further, schools often fail to provide teachers with enough resources, including the appropriate teaching materials, assistant teachers, professional development and preparation time.

"These resources are critical not only for reducing teacher burnout, but also for closing gaps in students' learning," said Kim, who will begin work in the fall as an assistant professor of education at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.

Frank said teacher burnout is also tied to the current education policy environment. Controversial policies such as evaluating teachers based primarily on student test scores, merit pay for teachers and lack of voice in assignment of students to teachers can bring added pressure.

"We know that early career teachers are susceptible to burnout because of the significant demands placed on them. It is also clear that the introduction of new reforms in K-12 education on a frequent basis adds to the pressures they experience," Frank said.

"If school administrators and policymakers are serious about promoting retention and reducing burnout among novice teachers, they should be aware not just of the curriculum they are advocating, or their rules and policies for teachers. They should also attend to how the organizational culture in their schools can have direct effects on burnout levels of their faculty."

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Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa are tackling the often-overlooked issue of delayed emergency surgeries. Emergency surgeries are those needed quickly to treat serious injuries or life-threatening conditions, such as a hip fracture, appendicitis or a burst blood vessel.

Emergency surgeries represent 13 percent of surgeries performed in Ontario, according to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (1). Canada's aging population will likely increase demand in the future.

"Delays in emergency surgeries are a problem around the world. Despite this, there's been uncertainty about whether it impacts patient health," said senior author Dr. Alan Forster, Vice-President of Quality, Performance and Population Health and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa. "For the first time we have strong evidence that the sooner you get to the operating room for an emergency surgery, the better off you are, regardless of your condition before surgery. This study adds to the evidence suggesting that timely access to the OR is important for both patients and care providers."

Dr. Forster and his team published a study in CMAJ that shows there are consequences for both patients and the hospital when emergency surgeries are delayed. Because there are no standards for the timeframe a patient with emergency needs should get into surgery, the researchers set an aggressive scale for the different grades of urgency.

They found that patients whose emergency surgeries were delayed had a 4.9 percent mortality risk in hospital, compared to a 3.2 percent risk for non-delayed patients. Delayed patients also stayed in hospital after their surgery on average 1.1 days longer, and cost the hospital $1,409 more than patients who were not delayed.

The researchers looked at data from 15,160 adults who had emergency surgery at The Ottawa Hospital between January 2012 and October 2014. They found that 2,820 of these patients, or 19 percent, experienced a delay.

The reasons for delays were known in 39 percent of cases. The most common reason was that no operating room or operating staff were available.

The researchers spent the first three months of the study collecting data on the demand for emergency surgery at The Ottawa Hospital. In January 2013, the hospital began using a new method for scheduling emergency surgeries. This included dedicating operating room time specifically for emergency surgeries and spreading elective surgeries more evenly throughout the week. After the hospital implemented this new model, there was a significant increase in the number of emergency surgeries that happened on time.

"There was a massive improvement in patients getting to emergency surgeries on time with this new model," said Dr. Forster. "It might seem counterintuitive, but having unused time in expensive operating rooms could save both money and lives."

This study's findings justify these changes made by The Ottawa Hospital, and justify other health-care institutions focusing on the issue.

The study also showed that the risk of dying after surgery tapered off for patients who waited over 1.1 times their assigned wait time. This surprising finding could mean that some patients need surgery immediately, but others can tolerate the wait.

"If we can find out why these patients can tolerate waiting a bit longer, then we can identify which kinds of patients and surgeries should be prioritized," said Dr. Daniel McIsaac, first author and an associate scientist and anesthesiologist at The Ottawa Hospital and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa.

"Delaying surgery is never a good thing, but this is the first time we've really had the numbers to see what the impact is" said Dr. Forster "We will continue to work to optimize the system to better meet the needs of patients."

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The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has defined wait time standards for patients who require emergency surgery within two to eight hours. The 2016 Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario found that at three large community hospitals 38 percent of the patients requiring emergency surgeries did not receive them within these standard time frames. (2)

Dr. Forster's study was possible because of generous support from the community for Research to Improve Patient Care. It is an example of how research at The Ottawa Hospital is making Ontario Healthier, Wealthier and Smarter.

Full reference: The association of delayed urgent and emergency surgery with mortality and healthcare resource use: a propensity score matched observational cohort study. Daniel I McIsaac, Karim Abdulla, Homer Yang, Sudhir Sundaresan, Paula Doering, Sandeep Green Vaswani, Kednapa Thavorn, Alan J Forster. CMAJ. July 10, 2017

1 The Office of the Auditor General of Ontario. 2016 Annual Report. Chapter 3.08. p. 441

2 The Office of the Auditor General of Ontario. 2016 Annual Report. Chapter 3.08. p. 447-448.

Media Contact: Jennifer Ganton; jganton@ohri.ca; Office: 613-798-5555 x 73325; Cell: 613-614-5253

About The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion: The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada's largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See http://www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.

About the University of Ottawa -- A crossroads of cultures and ideas: The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada's top 10 research universities--our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today's challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. http://www.uottawa.ca
LA JOLLA--(July 10, 2017) Salk scientists have found further evidence that a natural compound in strawberries reduces cognitive deficits and inflammation associated with aging in mice. The work, which appeared in the Journals of Gerontology Series A in June 2017, builds on the team's previous research into the antioxidant fisetin, finding it could help treat age-related mental decline and conditions like Alzheimer's or stroke.

"Companies have put fisetin into various health products but there hasn't been enough serious testing of the compound," says Pamela Maher, a senior staff scientist in Salk's Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory and senior author of the paper. "Based on our ongoing work, we think fisetin might be helpful as a preventative for many age-associated neurodegenerative diseases, not just Alzheimer's, and we'd like to encourage more rigorous study of it."

Maher, who works in the lab of David Schubert, the head of Salk's Cellular Neurobiology Lab, has been studying fisetin for over a decade. Previous research by the lab found that fisetin reduced memory loss related to Alzheimer's in mice genetically modified to develop the disease. But that study focused on genetic (familial) AD, which accounts for only 1 to 3 percent of cases. By far the bigger risk factor for developing what is termed sporadic AD, as well as other neurodegenerative disorders, is simply age. For the current inquiry, Maher turned to a strain of laboratory mice that age prematurely to better study sporadic AD. By 10 months of age, these mice typically show signs of physical and cognitive decline not seen in normal mice until two years of age.

The Salk team fed the 3-month-old prematurely aging mice a daily dose of fisetin with their food for 7 months. Another group of the prematurely aging mice was fed the same food without fisetin. During the study period, mice took various activity and memory tests. The team also examined levels of specific proteins in the mice related to brain function, responses to stress and inflammation.

"At 10 months, the differences between these two groups were striking," says Maher. Mice not treated with fisetin had difficulties with all the cognitive tests as well as elevated markers of stress and inflammation. Brain cells called astrocytes and microglia, which are normally anti-inflammatory, were now driving rampant inflammation. Mice treated with fisetin, on the other hand, were not noticeably different in behavior, cognitive ability or inflammatory markers at 10 months than a group of untreated 3-month-old mice with the same condition. Additionally, the team found no evidence of acute toxicity in the fisetin-treated mice, even at high doses of the compound.

"Mice are not people, of course," says Maher, "But there are enough similarities that we think fisetin warrants a closer look, not only for potentially treating sporadic AD but also for reducing some of the cognitive effects associated with aging, generally."

Next, Maher hopes to partner with another group or company in order to conduct clinical trials of fisetin with human subjects.

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Other authors included: Antonio Currais, Catherine Farrokhi and Richard Dargusch of Salk and Aaron Armando and Oswald Quehenberger of the University of California, San Diego.

The work was funded by the Alzheimer's Association, the Burns Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

About the Salk Institute for Biological Studies:

Every cure has a starting point. The Salk Institute embodies Jonas Salk's mission to dare to make dreams into reality. Its internationally renowned and award-winning scientists explore the very foundations of life, seeking new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology, plant biology and more. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature and fearless in the face of any challenge. Be it cancer or Alzheimer's, aging or diabetes, Salk is where cures begin. Learn more at: salk.edu.
70pc docs fail MD/MS licence test

Seventy percent doctors have failed the MD/MS licensing examination conducted by the Nepal Medical Council on Saturday.
Stanford researchers using smartphones to track the activity levels of hundreds of thousands of people around the globe made an intriguing discovery: in countries with little obesity, people mostly walked a similar amount per day. But big gaps between people who walked a lot and those who walked very little coincided with much higher levels of obesity.

Considering that an estimated 5.3 million people die from causes associated with physical inactivity every year, these researchers looked for a simple and convenient way to measure activity across millions of people to help figure out why obesity is a bigger problem in some countries than others.

The ground-breaking study, appearing in Nature, used data captured from smartphones to analyze the habits of 717,000 men and women from 111 countries, whose steps were studied for an average of 95 days.

The researchers, led by computer scientist Jure Leskovec and bioengineer Scott Delp, dubbed this phenomenon "activity inequality" to evoke the well-established concept of income inequality.

"If you think about some people in a country as 'activity rich' and others as 'activity poor,' the size of the gap between them is a strong indicator of obesity levels in that society," Delp said.

A related finding was the powerful role that gender played in country-to-country differences. Prior studies of physical activity, done mainly in the United States, have shown that men walk more than women, and this was borne out in the global findings. What surprised researchers, however, was how greatly this gender step gap varied from country to country with negative consequences for women.

"When activity inequality is greatest, women's activity is reduced much more dramatically than men's activity, and thus the negative connections to obesity can affect women more greatly," Leskovec said.

The researchers, who are sharing their findings on an activity inequality website, hope their work will help improve public health campaigns against obesity and support policies to make cities more "walkable."

Smartphones and steps

Smartphones are equipped with tiny sensors called accelerometers that can automatically record stepping motions. The researchers acquired the data for this study from the Azumio Argus app, which tracks physical activity and other health behaviors. Azumio anonymized the data but provided key health demographics: age, gender, height and weight. The last two data points enabled the researchers to calculate each person's body mass index.

The findings leaned most heavily on data from the 46 countries for which Azumio provided at least a thousand anonymized users, enough to form the basis for statistically valid inferences. The analysis disclosed strong correlations among activity inequality, the gender-activity gap, and obesity levels.

"For instance, Sweden had one of the smallest gaps between activity rich and activity poor, and the smallest disparity between male and female steps," said Tim Althoff, a doctoral candidate in computer science and first author on the Nature paper. "It also had one of the lowest rates of obesity."

Meanwhile, the United States ranked fourth from the bottom in overall activity inequality, indicating a large gap between activity rich and activity poor. It was fifth from the bottom in the gender step gap and it has high levels of obesity.

Walkable cities

To better understand the causes and consequences of activity inequality in urban settings, the researchers analyzed a large subset of data from the United States to investigate how the built environments of 69 cities related to activity, obesity and health.

Prior research had scored each city by how walkable and pedestrian-friendly it is, using factors such as ease of walking to shops, restaurants, parks and other destinations. The researchers then correlated this walkability index to their smartphone activity data.

Team member Jennifer Hicks, director of data science for the Mobilize Center at Stanford, said the results make clear that city design has health impacts: the cities that were most conducive to walking had the lowest activity inequality.

"Looking at three California cities in close geographic proximity - San Francisco, San Jose and Fremont - we determined that San Francisco had both the highest walkability score and the lowest level of activity inequality," she said. "In cities that are more walkable everyone tends to take more daily steps, whether male or female, young or old, healthy weight or obese."

A new research instrument?

The technological star of the project was the increasingly ubiquitous smartphone. Nearly 70 percent of adults in developed countries now carry smartphones; in developing nations, the percentage is close to half.

"This opens the door to new ways of doing science at a much larger scale," Delp said.

But qualifying the smartphone as a tool for this type of research was no cakewalk.

"The methodology was so new that the reviewers were dubious at first," Leskovec said.

But strong data and rigorous computational methods ultimately proved the validity of this new approach. Now, having qualified the smartphone for research of this sort, the Stanford researchers are looking for new ways to leverage this tool.

"With the appropriate apps and sensors we can push this research in exciting directions," said team member Abby King, a professor of medicine and health research and policy. "We could better link activity within and across populations with food intake, or examine the ways activity and inactivity may affect stress or mental health, as well as investigating how best to fine-tune our environments to promote increased activity."

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Rok Sosic, a senior research engineer in computer science at Stanford, was a coauthor on the Nature paper. Jure Leskovec is an associate professor of computer science, a member of Bio-X and the Stanford Neurosciences Institute, and a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub investigator. Scott Delp is the James H. Clark Professor, Founding Chairman of the Department of Bioengineering at Stanford, and Director of the National Center for Simulation in Rehabilitation Research. He is a professor of bioengineering and mechanical engineering. He is a member of Bio-X, the Child Research Institute and the Stanford Neurosciences Institute. Abby King is a professor of Health Research & Policy and Medicine with the Stanford Prevention Research Center, a member of the Cardiovascular Institute and Stanford Cancer Institute and an affiliate of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Freelance science writer Glen Martin and Raymond MacDougall, lead communications specialist at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, contributed to this news release.

The authors thank Azumio for donating the data for independent research. The research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health through grants to the Mobilize Center and the National Center for Simulation in Rehabilitation Research; the SAP Stanford Graduate Fellowship; and the Stanford Data Science Initiative.
Traffic stops, office conversations, and even doctor's visits--more and more people today are choosing to record life's encounters. If you are doctor, there is a good chance that at least one of your last 10 patients recorded their visit--either with or without permission. This "new reality" has some doctors and health care clinics worried about the ownership of recordings and their potential to be used in complaints or even law suits. Patients also worry that recording a doctor's visit might be illegal, especially if done covertly.

What exactly are the laws governing patient recordings? In an article recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), investigators on The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice's Open Recordings Project explain the often-confusing laws around recordings clinical visits.

"In the U.S., the situation is complex," said Dartmouth Institute Professor Glyn Elwyn, MD. "Wiretapping or eavesdropping statutes provide the primary legal framework guiding recording practices and protecting privacy, so a patient who would like to record a doctor's visit should familiarize themselves with laws in their state."

The primary distinction between state wiretapping laws is whether all parties must consent to the recording or just one party. In 'all-party' jurisdictions, covert recordings, on the part of doctors or patients, are illegal as everyone being recorded must consent. In 'one-party' jurisdictions, the consent of any one party in the conversation is sufficient, so a patient can record a clinical encounter without the doctor or health care provider's consent. *Currently 39 of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., conform to the 'one-party' consent rule, while the remaining 11 are 'all-party' states.

While many doctors-- and health care organizations are concerned about how recordings could be shared or used as part of a complaint, Elwyn and co-authors note liability insurers often feel differently. At the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona--one of the few health care organizations in the country to offer patients recordings of office visits--doctors who take part receive a 10 percent reduction in the cost of their medical defense, and $1 million extra liability coverage.

The authors also noted that while patients theoretically are free to share consensual recordings on social media, there's little evidence they're doing so. "Most people are sharing their recordings with a family member or caregiver, or they are listening to recording themselves, so they can better recall the information they received during the encounter," Elwyn said.

In fact, in a review of 33 studies of patient use of audio-recorded clinical visits, the Open Recordings researchers found that 71 percent of patients listened to their recordings, while 68 percent shared them with a caregiver. The studies also reported greater understanding and satisfaction in patients who receive recordings.

With more and more patients seeking to record their clinical visits, Elwyn and Open Recordings researchers, say that now is the time for doctors and health care organizations to embrace the value of recording.

"Health care overall is moving toward greater transparency and patient recordings are going to become more common," Elwyn said. "That means there would be tremendous benefit to patient advocacy groups, health care organizations, providers and policymakers working together to develop clear guidelines and policies around the responsible, positive use of open recordings."

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(New York - July 10, 2017) -- In a large population study that was the first of its kind, researchers found that an experimental technique known as three-dimensional vascular ultrasound (3DVUS) estimated the quantification of plaque burden (in cubic millimeters) as an important addition to conventional risk factor profile in addressing patient risk stratification.

At an average age of 45 years, they found that the plaque burden in subjects was more than twice as high in men as in women (63.4 cubic millimeters vs. 25.7), and higher in the femoral arteries, and with increasing age.

The study will be published online July 10, 2017, in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Researchers explored the bilateral carotid and femoral arteries of 3,860 middle aged participants without prior cardiovascular disease who were employees of the Banco de Santander in Madrid, Spain. This is an ongoing observational prospective cohort study where participants are being followed up for 10 years. The 3DVUS examinations were performed using a new Phillips iU22 ultrasound system equipped with a VL13-5 3D volume-linear array transducer. This equipment will be available in the near future for routine patient care.

The clinical application of 3DVUS techniques is still at the research and development stage, but there are now a number of clinically promising areas including the measurement of plaque. Direct quantification of atherosclerotic plaque volume by 3DVUS is more reproducible than two-dimensional techniques.

"3DVUS is a feasible, reproducible, and novel imaging technique for quantifying early carotid and femoral atherosclerotic burden in large populations," said the study's lead author, Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, Director of Mount Sinai Heart and Physician-in-Chief of The Mount Sinai Hospital. "This novel method is valid for imaging superficial peripheral atherosclerosis burden from early to advanced stages of disease and can be applied to identification of individuals at risk, targeting or monitoring treatment. Further studies are needed, however, to assess the cost utility of this method compared with others when used in large-scale practice settings and population-based epidemiological studies."

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The study is part of an international initiative that is being conducted through partnerships with the National Center for Cardiovascular Research in Spain, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the Framingham Heart Study.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services--from community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care.

The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 12 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is in the "Honor Roll" of best hospitals in America, ranked No. 15 nationally in the 2016-2017 "Best Hospitals" issue of U.S. News & World Report. The Mount Sinai Hospital is also ranked as one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Geriatrics, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Nephrology, Neurology/Neurosurgery, and Ear, Nose & Throat, and is in the top 50 in four other specialties. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 10 nationally for Ophthalmology, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's, and Mount Sinai West are ranked regionally. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital is ranked in seven out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report in "Best Children's Hospitals."

For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
The University of Bath has received significant new government investment to develop the Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems.

The Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) will be a global centre of excellence, delivering transformational research and innovation into advanced propulsion systems. Located at the Bristol and Bath Science Park, it will lead the development of future generations of ultra-low emission vehicles and attract sector-related businesses to the region, generating economic growth. IAAPS is scheduled to open in early 2020.

The Institute will exploit the engineering expertise of the University of Bath for the benefit of the UK's automotive industry. IAAPS will stimulate over 67m in additional automotive research investment by 2025, creating an additional turnover of 800 million for the UK automotive sector and supporting nearly 1,900 new highly productive jobs.

The capital investment of 28.9 million announced today from the Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF), will enable construction of the 60m IAAPS facility to start in the summer of 2018.

The West of England Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership has also committed support for the project with the allocation of 10m through the Local Growth Fund*.

Global companies, including McLaren, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, Hofer Powertrain and HORIBA Group, as well as more local businesses such as HiETA Technologies, have been key to the success of the IAAPS concept. The support and advocacy of the Automotive Council and the Advanced Propulsion Centre, alongside the support of the University's Industrial Partners will continue to play a key role as the vision becomes reality.

Specialist facilities will make IAAPS a centre of excellence for training and skills development in automotive engineering, supporting new Apprenticeships, Honours Degrees, Masters and Doctoral courses, helping to address the engineering skills shortage facing the UK automotive sector.

IAAPS will also support the development of a much larger and more competitive automotive business cluster in the South West by providing access to its state-of-the art facilities to regional start-ups and small to medium-sized companies.

President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell said: "I am delighted that IAAPS has received the support and backing of the Government. The University of Bath has over 40 years of automotive research excellence in collaboration with some of the world's leading companies and is ideally placed to turn this opportunity into a reality.

"I look forward to this fantastic facility opening its doors in 2020, helping to ensure the UK maintains and expands its global position within the automotive sector."

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson said: "The UK's world-renowned leadership in science, research and innovation is helping to solve a range of national and global challenges, and the breadth of the projects funded today means this will continue.

"Through our Industrial Strategy and 4.7 billion investment for research and development, we're ensuring we capitalise on the great work taking place in universities across the UK and remain at the forefront of innovation."

West of England Mayor, Tim Bowles, said: "I'm delighted that through the Joint Committee we've been able to support the development of this global centre of excellence in our region. Supporting innovation and business growth is key to the economic success of the West of England."

Graham Hoare, Director of Global vehicle evaluation and verification at Ford Motor Company, commented: "IAAPS will build on the strength of the University of Bath's competence in propulsion development to bring real world examples and real world environments into the laboratory, a massive step forward in innovating propulsion systems."

Mark Mathieson, Chief Engineer Powertrain at McLaren Automotive, added: "The window of opportunity to invest in this facility exists now. The Institute will be of great benefit to McLaren's programmes."

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People suffering from chronic pain often find their condition distracting and debilitating, but new research reveals that some might in fact be paying less, rather than more, attention to the source of their pain.

The findings from researchers at the universities of Bath and Oxford (UK), published today in the prestigious journal Brain, suggest that a rare chronic pain condition might involve changes in the way that the brain processes visual information, which in turn could provide new insights into how to treat the condition.

Approximately 16,000 people in the UK are affected by a poorly understood condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Individuals with CRPS report debilitating pain in an arm or leg, as well as swelling, temperature changes and movement difficulties. Symptoms include burning, stabbing, stinging or throbbing pain in the affected limb, and everyday sensations such as a breeze blowing across the skin can feel very painful.

Whilst its exact causes are not yet known, it is thought that abnormal brain signals about the limb play an important part. CRPS usually follows limb damage from injury or surgery, but the pain experienced is disproportionate and may last longer than would be expected for the damage itself. For one case in every 10 there is no obvious trigger. And whereas most people recover well within a year, some people have some or all of the symptoms for many weeks, months or even years.

For their study, scientists at Bath and Oxford were keen to understand more about how and why individuals suffering from CRPS report losing track of the position of their painful limb and not being able to move it.

The team tested how quickly people with CRPS processed visual information in the side of their environment nearer to their painful limb compared to the other side of the environment. Using laser pointers controlled by a computer, they projected two flashes of light onto the left and right side of a board that was placed in front of the patients, and the patients had to say which light appeared first.

Their results showed that people with CRPS processed the light on the affected side of the board more slowly than the light on the unaffected side, suggesting that information that is nearer to the affected side of the body is not well processed by the brain.

Lead author, Dr Janet Bultitude from the University of Bath's Centre for Pain Research, explained: "People with CRPS are usually in constant pain that they can't ignore. Yet paradoxically they often report that they are not sure where their painful limb is unless they look at it directly, and that movements are not automatic - they have to 'tell' their limb to move. The odd sensations they experience suggest there could be a change in mechanisms that normally allow us to process information at different locations in the space around us.

"Our results show that people with CRPS are slower to process visual information that comes from the side of their environment where their painful limb is normally located. Since we used a test of vision, the slower processing can't be because of changes in the limb itself, but must be due to the way the brain processes information. We're excited that these results can help propel us forward to developing new treatments for those affected by the condition."

Current treatments for CRPS include pain medications and rehabilitation therapies which are vital to normalise sensation in the limb and improve function and mobility. Dr Bultitude and her team are now investigating whether symptoms of CRPS could be reduced by therapies that are used to treat attention problems in people with brain injuries such as stroke.

A video related to this release will be live on Monday

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Why did life on Earth change from small to large when it did? Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Tokyo Institute of Technology have determined how some of the first large organisms, known as rangeomorphs, were able to grow up to two metres in height, by changing their body size and shape as they extracted nutrients from their surrounding environment.

The results, reported in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, could also help explain how life on Earth, which once consisted only of microscopic organisms, changed so that huge organisms like dinosaurs and blue whales could ultimately evolve.

Rangeomorphs were some of the earliest large organisms on Earth, existing during a time when most other forms of life were microscopic in size. Some rangeomorphs were only a few centimetres in height, while others were up to two metres tall.

These organisms were ocean dwellers that lived during the Ediacaran period, between 635 and 541 million years ago. Their soft bodies were made up of branches, each with many smaller side branches, forming a geometric shape known as a fractal, which can be seen today in things like lungs, ferns and snowflakes.

Since rangeomorphs don't resemble any modern organism, it's difficult to understand how they fed, grew or reproduced, let alone how they might link with any modern group. However, although they look somewhat like plants, scientists believe that they may have been some of the earliest animals to live on Earth.

"What we wanted to know is why these large organisms appeared at this particular point in Earth's history," said Dr Jennifer Hoyal Cuthill of Cambridge's Department of Earth Sciences and Tokyo Tech's Earth-Life Science Institute, the paper's first author. "They show up in the fossil record with a bang, at very large size. We wondered, was this simply a coincidence or a direct result of changes in ocean chemistry?"

The researchers used micro-CT scanning, photographic measurements and mathematical and computer models to examine rangeomorph fossils from south-eastern Newfoundland, Canada, the UK and Australia.

Their analysis shows the earliest evidence for nutrient-dependent growth in the fossil record. All organisms need nutrients to survive and grow, but nutrients can also dictate body size and shape. This is known as 'ecophenotypic plasticity.' Hoyal Cuthill and her co-author Professor Simon Conway Morris suggest that rangeomorphs not only show a strong degree of ecophenotypic plasticity, but that this provided a crucial advantage in a dramatically changing world. For example, rangeomorphs could rapidly "shape-shift", growing into a long, tapered shape if the seawater above them happened to have elevated levels of oxygen.

"During the Ediacaran, there seem to have been major changes in the Earth's oceans, which may have triggered growth, so that life on Earth suddenly starts getting much bigger," said Hoyal Cuthill. "It's probably too early to conclude exactly which geochemical changes in the Ediacaran oceans were responsible for the shift to large body sizes, but there are strong contenders, especially increased oxygen, which animals need for respiration."

This change in ocean chemistry followed a large-scale ice age known as the Gaskiers glaciation. When nutrient levels in the ocean were low, they appear to have kept body sizes small. But with a geologically sudden increase in oxygen or other nutrients, much larger body sizes become possible, even in organisms with the same genetic makeup. This means that the sudden appearance of rangeomorphs at large size could have been a direct result of major changes in climate and ocean chemistry.

However, while rangeomorphs were highly suited to their Ediacaran environment, conditions in the oceans continued to change and from about 541 million years ago the 'Cambrian Explosion' began - a period of rapid evolutionary development when most major animal groups first appeared in the fossil record. When the conditions changed, the rangeomorphs were doomed and nothing quite like them has been seen since.

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Pioneering new research has given a fresh insight into the crucial role that sea spray plays in climate change.

Pioneering new research has given a fresh insight into the crucial role that sea spray plays in climate change.

Sea spray, which is produced in abundance across all the world's oceans, is one of the greatest sources of atmospheric aerosols - tiny particles that not only scatter and absorb sunlight but also influence climate indirectly through their role in cloud formation.

Understanding how these particles take up water from the atmosphere, a process known as hygroscopicity, is important because it determines how much sunlight they reflect and how well they can form clouds.

Sea spray is a complex mixture of inorganic salts, organic material present in the ocean and living organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Now, an international team of researchers, including Dr Daniel Partridge from the University of Exeter, has looked at the ability of one of the inorganic components to take up water, as part of the process of cloud formation.

Using a large suite of well-controlled laboratory experiments the research has shown, for the first time, that the hygroscopicity of these components is significantly lower than pure sodium chloride, a substance routinely used to describe their hygroscopicity in climate models.

The research is published in leading scientific journal Nature Communications.

Dr Partridge, a Mathematics lecturer at the University of Exeter said: "Ocean-derived aerosol particles play an important role for the modulation of the Earth's radiation budget and climate, however, an accurate description of their chemical, physical and radiative properties are still subject to large uncertainties. Climate models are tasked with representing a myriad of complex atmospheric processes that act over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. Accordingly, the treatment of aerosol properties and processes in these models is often simplified to facilitate the computer simulation of future climate change scenarios within a reasonable time frame.

"One such simplification is the representation of the chemical composition of the inorganic component of sea spray aerosol which is typically represented to have the same properties as pure sodium chloride - salt. Through detailed laboratory studies we have shown that the affinity of inorganic sea spray aerosol to take up water vapour is significantly lower than sodium chloride, as assumed in climate models.

"This has implications for the simulated historical radiative forcing which has been shown to be sensitive to the characterisation of natural aerosols in the clean, pre-industrial atmosphere, of which sea salt is one of the most widely distributed components."

Matt Salter, researcher at the Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, and co-author of the study added: "It is widely understood that aerosols have a net cooling effect on climate, counteracting the warming caused by greenhouse gases. However, the magnitude of this cooling is highly uncertain, in part due to knowledge gaps in how natural aerosol particles interact with solar radiation and clouds.

We suspect that water bound within sea salt, known as hydrates, play a significant role in defining the hygroscopicity of inorganic sea spray aerosol, If true, it means that the particles would take up less water because of the water already present as hydrates and, as a result, they would grow less. Overall, improving our knowledge of one of the largest natural aerosol sources is critical if we are to understand the effects of man-made aerosols on climate."

Using models, the authors were able to show that the reduced hygroscopicity of sea spray means that these particles will grow less and reflect less sunlight than previously thought. However, the picture may be more complicated.

"All numerical models are simplified reflections of reality which require approximations. It was previously thought that sodium chloride was a good approximation for the hygroscopicity of the inorganic fraction of sea spray. We have now shown that the hygroscopicity of pure inorganic sea spray particles is significantly lower than sodium chloride. This finding has implications for the role of sea spray aerosols in climate, especially on how they interact with solar radiation, " says Paul Zieger, assistant professor at ACES and co-author of the study.

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The results, which include information during the last glacial and interglacial periods, showed that relief from the current dry spell across the interior of the Middle East is unlikely within the next 10,000 years.

"Local governments generally prefer the narrative that the region is only in a temporary dry spell and better prospects of water availability lay ahead," said the study's lead author Sevag Mehterian, a Ph.D. student at the UM Rosenstiel School. "Our study has found evidence to the contrary, suggesting that in fact, the future long-term trend based on paleoclimate reconstructions is likely towards diminishing precipitation, with no relief in the form of increased Mediterranean storms, the primary source of annual precipitation to the region, in the foreseeable future."

Stalagmites are calcium carbonate deposits that slowly grow on cave floors and, under the right circumstances, record changes in the climate outside the cave in their chemical composition.

"We take what we have learned from the past climate and applied it to better understand what to expect moving forward with the current state of the changing global climate," said study co-author Ali Pourmand, an associate professor of marine geosciences at the UM Rosenstiel School."

The researchers found that climate during the last 70 to 130 thousand years, including during the last interglacial as recorded in the interior of the Middle East, is closely linked to the climate of the North Atlantic region. By comparing their findings with others, they saw a close connection between water availability and enhanced solar insolation across the mid-latitudes of Eurasia. The study showed that solar insolation is not returning to high values relative to today until another 10,000 years from now.

The researchers determined the depositional age of the two stalagmites, collected in Qal'e Kord Cave in central northern Iran, using a technique called uranium-thorium geochronometry conducted in the UM Rosenstiel School's Neptune Isotope Lab. The paleoclimate data, which included mainly changes in the oxygen isotopes of the calcium carbonate deposits, were then compared to similar records from other caves, ice cores, and sediment records as well as model predictions for water availability in the Middle East and west central Asia today and into the future.

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VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSJzc-urPvA

The study, titled "Speleothem records of glacial/interglacial climate from Iran forewarn of future Water Availability in the interior of the Middle East," was published May 15 in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews. DOI:10.1016/j.quascirev.2017.03.028. The study's authors include: Mehterian, Pourmand, Arash Sharifi, and Peter Swart from the UM Rosenstiel School; and Hamid Lahijani and Majid Naderi from the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science in Tehran. National Science Foundation grants AGS-1103489 and EAR-1003639 provided funding for the study.

About the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School

The University of Miami is one of the largest private research institutions in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, visit: http://www.rsmas.miami.edu.
Although many Americans are enrolled in Medicare Advantage -- the private version of Medicare -- little was known about its physician reimbursement rates.

Medicare Advantage plans managed by private insurers pay physicians prices that are similar to traditional Medicare rates, according to a new USC-led study.

More and more Medicare beneficiaries are enrolling each year in Medicare Advantage, but experts knew little about their physician reimbursement differences or similarities.

"With 1 in 3 beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage, it is important to look under the hood and get a better understanding of how these plans operate," said Erin Trish, the study's lead author and an assistant research professor at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. "We found that physician reimbursement rates in Medicare Advantage are very similar to traditional Medicare. This is very different than what we see in the commercial insurance market, where insurers tend to pay physicians more than Medicare - sometimes much more."

The traditional Medicare program is administered by the federal government. The Medicare Advantage program instead gives beneficiaries a choice of enrolling with a private health plan that has contracted with the government to provide health insurance benefits to Medicare beneficiaries.

For the study published on July 10 in JAMA Internal Medicine, Trish and her colleagues at the Schaeffer Center analyzed a sample of 144 million Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and commercial claims filed from 2007 to 2012 in metropolitan areas. They compared reimbursement rates for 11 common procedures, from a doctor's visit to a colonoscopy, and found that the mean Medicare Advantage reimbursement rate nearly matched the traditional Medicare rate in many cases.

For example, the mean rate for an office visit in Medicare Advantage was 97 percent of the traditional Medicare rate. Medicare Advantage's mean reimbursement rate ranged from 91 percent of traditional Medicare's rate for the physician fee for a cataract removal in an ambulatory surgery center to 102 percent of traditional Medicare for a complex emergency department visit.

The researchers concluded that traditional Medicare rates appear to anchor the prices paid by Medicare Advantage.

The researchers also analyzed prices paid for commercial patients to see how they compared to Medicare's. For the most part, the insurer was paying higher prices for procedures for its commercial patients. However, they did find a few services - including lab tests and durable medical equipment - where the commercial prices were actually lower than traditional Medicare.

For example, the mean commercial rate for a complete blood count lab test billed by an independent lab was about 70 percent and for a walker it was about 71 percent of traditional Medicare's rates. The researchers found that the insurer also took advantage of these lower payment rates for their Medicare Advantage enrollees.

"There are a few important examples where Medicare's reimbursement formulas are outdated and private insurers have been able to negotiate lower prices than Medicare," said coauthor Paul Ginsburg, who directs the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy. "Political barriers slow down Medicare's ability to follow the private sector when markets lead to lower prices. Medicare Advantage plans have not been constrained and obtained lower prices for enrollees."

The USC Schaeffer Center is a leader in health care policy research. Its partnership with the Center for Health Policy at Brookings -- USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy -- aims to inform the national health care debate with rigorous, evidence-based analysis leading to practical recommendations.

Implications for Medicare reform

As recently as last fall, House Speaker Paul Ryan suggested that privatization would reduce health care costs for the federal government. The current Congress has made no formal legislative proposal, but one idea discussed in policy circles is the "premium support model," which would provide beneficiaries with subsidies or vouchers that they could use to purchase insurance from private insurers.

The findings from the USC study suggest that the details of such a proposal - in particular, whether the traditional Medicare program would continue to operate alongside private plans or whether it would be a complete privatization of the program - are important for predicting the potential impact of reform.

"It is unclear what, if anything, would anchor clinician price negotiations absent the presence of traditional Medicare's rates, but it is likely that the dissolution of traditional Medicare would result in increased clinician prices paid by private plans serving Medicare beneficiaries - although projections of the fiscal impact of such a development would discourage such a policy change," the researchers wrote.

However, Congress is unlikely to discuss premium support or other such Medicare reforms this year.

Medicare compared to Medicare Advantage

The Medicare Advantage program has existed in some form since the 1970s, but enrollment has spiked in the past decade. In 2008, 22 percent - about 9.7 million beneficiaries - were enrolled in Medicare Advantage. Now, 17.6 million beneficiaries, or a third of all Medicare participants, are enrolled in Medicare Advantage.

In the traditional Medicare program, the federal government sets provider reimbursement rates according to certain payment formulas. In the commercial market, however, private health insurers negotiate payment rates with providers.

Medicare Advantage plans sit somewhere between these two ends of the spectrum. On the one hand, they operate in the context of the traditional Medicare program, but on the other hand, they are often the same private health plans that operate in the commercial health insurance market. Prior to this study, there was little empirical evidence about how these Medicare Advantage plans pay physicians and whether that reimbursement more closely resembled payments made by the traditional Medicare program or by private health plans in the commercial market.

The researchers found that "physician reimbursement in Medicare Advantage is more strongly tied to traditional Medicare than to commercial prices, but Medicare Advantage plans take advantage of favorable commercial prices for services for which traditional Medicare overpays."

Comparing Medicare with commercial prices

The researchers analyzed 15 million claims for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, 120.7 million claims for traditional Medicare enrollees, and 8.5 million claims for commercial enrollees.

They compared physician reimbursement rates for various services such as an office visit, emergency visit, knee replacement, cataract removal, colonoscopy, as well as rates for laboratory tests and medical equipment, such as a walker or a mask for respiration. The researchers focused on claims data from metropolitan areas.

Rates paid by Medicare Advantage plans were often similar to Medicare's in many cases. For example, the mean rate for an office visit in Medicare Advantage was 97 percent of the traditional Medicare rate. The mean physician fee for an outpatient colonoscopy was 99 percent of the traditional Medicare rate.

The commercial insurer was paying more than Medicare, on average, for all the physician services they evaluated, and mark-ups over traditional Medicare's rates were higher for procedures that require specialists. In the commercial market, the mean rate for an office visit was 107 percent of the traditional Medicare rate, while the mean physician fee for an outpatient colonoscopy was 152 percent of the traditional Medicare rate.

The researchers noted that there are limitations to the findings. The Medicare Advantage and commercial data are from a single insurer and thus, may not represent all private insurers. However, it is an insurer with large Medicare Advantage market share, they noted, so its rates may well reflect the market.

Trish said that researchers are increasingly focused on studying the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage because of its increasing popularity.

"We're at the point where a third of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan," Trish said. "That's a lot of people and a lot of money, so it's important to understand how this market works."

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The other study co-authors are Laura Gascue and Geoffrey Joyce of the USC Schaeffer Center.

The research was funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (72712).
The USC Viterbi School of Engineering and Georgia Tech have been selected to receive Department of Defense Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funding under the Hierarchal Identify Verify Exploit (HIVE) program. Georgia Tech and USC are to receive total funding of $6.8M over 4.5 years to develop a powerful new data-analysis and computing platform.

Many security and consumer applications -- including identifying and zeroing in on erratic driving behavior of vehicles in real-time, recognizing terrorist cells through patterns of communication, or protecting critical infrastructure facilities such as power, communication and water grids, or even predicting the spread of a cyber attack--can be modeled using graph data-analysis formalisms envisioned in the HIVE program.

Georgia Tech and USC will be responsible for developing a software toolkit to work on HIVE processors being developed by hardware vendors. The goal is to process data at a rate 1000 times faster than existing hardware and software techniques. Georgia Tech's School of Computational Science and Engineering Chair David Bader will lead the academic development project, and the two universities will co-develop software to quickly process the incredible amount of data from cellphones, social media and other sources, and demonstrate the relationships among data-points in real-time.

Viktor Prasanna, professor of electrical engineering and a professor of computer science at USC Viterbi School of Engineering whose research interests include high performance computing, hardware-software co-design and data science, will head the program from USC's end. Rajgopal Kannan, a research associate in USC Viterbi's Department of Electrical Engineering will also collaborate on this project. With years of network, architecture, and high performance computing experience, Research Scientist Oded Green will also play a key role at Georgia Tech.

The project will mine data to rapidly understand interactions at what Prasanna calls "the edge of the internet." Computing and graph processing will move to the "edge" near the source of the data and enable real-time decision-making as the data arrives without relaying back to the data centers. Software will be the critical component of the 1000-fold speed-up envisioned in the program, says Prasanna.

"With the research infrastructure and capabilities at Georgia Tech -- including the Center for Research into Novel Computing Hierarchies -- and at USC, we are well-poised to deliver a robust yet stable software platform that will allow future programmers to fully leverage the revolutionary capabilities and performance that HIVE processors are expected to provide," Bader said.

Although driven by national security goals, these technologies, says Kannan, will deliver practical benefits to consumers through "social media analysis to reduce traffic congestion, better product matching for online shopping, self-driving cars and lower-cost electricity."

"Extremely high-speed graph analytics streamed through the processor will enable consumers to have a more enjoyable experience at LA theme parks with less waiting and allow faster domain-specific "vertical" internet search," says Kannan.

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The Georgia Tech College of Computing

The Georgia Tech College of Computing is a national and world leader in the creation of real-world computing breakthroughs that drive social and scientific progress. Ranked as the #9 computer science program in the United States by U.S. News & World Report and the #5 program in the world by Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the College's unconventional approach to education is defining the new face of computing by expanding the horizons of traditional computer science students through interdisciplinary collaboration and a focus on human-centered solutions. For more information about the Georgia Tech College of Computing, its academic divisions and research centers, please visit http://www.cc.gatech.edu/

USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Engineering Studies began at the University of Southern California in 1905. Nearly a century later, the Viterbi School of Engineering received a naming gift in 2004 from alumnus Andrew J. Viterbi, inventor of the Viterbi algorithm that is now key to cell phone technology and numerous data applications. One of the school's guiding principles is engineering +, a term coined by current Dean Yannis C. Yortsos, to use the power of engineering to address the world's greatest challenges. USC Viterbi is ranked among the top graduate programs in the world and enrolls more than 6,500 undergraduate and graduate students taught by 185 tenured and tenure-track faculty, with 73 endowed chairs and professorships. http://viterbi.usc.edu/
Appropriation bill passed with majority

The second meeting of the Legislature-Parliament passed the Appropriation Bill 2074 B.S. on Monday.
A new study by Kiran Bhaganagar, associate professor of mechanical engineering at The University of Texas at San Antonio, and her research group, Laboratory of Turbulence Sensing & Intelligence Systems, is taking a closer look at the damage caused by chemical attacks in Syria. The Syrian Civil War, ongoing since 2011, has seen hundreds of people killed through the use of chemical weapons.

Chemical agents are different from explosive chemicals, which cause localized destruction through force. Sarin gas, for example, a nerve agent which has been used in many attacks in Syria, can diffuse into the atmosphere and spread for hundreds of miles.

Turbulence is also an important player in diffusing the released chemical to kilometers away from the source of release. Bhaganagar's expertise in "taming turbulence" is making a difference in predicting this very critical problem of chemical terrorism facing the world.

With the world moving towards smart buildings and smart cars, the concept of developing an intelligence system for chemical plume trajectory is critical for national safety against impending chemical threats. Funded by US Department of Army Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center (ECBC), Bhaganagar's team is developing an early warning prediction system for these attacks. This is an intelligence system that uses a weather research forecasting model (WRF) with local sensor data to predict air-borne release chemical plume. Local turbulence and the type of the gas dictates the direction of the plume path.

Bhaganagar and her team simulated on a supercomputer the same conditions as a recent Syrian gas attack on a small town of Khan Shaykhun, in which as many as 100 people may have been killed.

The intelligence system relies on solving an intricate set of thousands of mathematical equations and processing millions of data within few minutes. This is done on supercomputing processing systems with 50,000 graphical core units working simultaneously to predict the plume path in real-time. Using this intelligence system and local conditions in Khan Sheikhoun, the team was able to predict exactly how far and high the gas would spread, and at what speed. When they compared the simulation data to the actual details of the real attack, they found that they matched. The model worked and could realistically warn potential victims of a chemical attack to flee the area.

Bhaganagar's study demonstrates that local wind and terrian conditions and atmospheric turbulence make chemical attacks even more deadly than previously understood, and proposes that analysis of the wind and the use of data-collecting drones could make for an early warning system that would allow people in potentially deadly areas to evacuate before the gas reaches them.

The challenge in developing the intelligence systems is to obtain the local wind, turbulence surface and chemical gas sensing data. Currently, the team is demonstrating using aerial drones that scan the region in the vicinity of the chemical source and get point-point sensing data. This is what is known as mobile sensing.

"We are moving from traditional single-point stationary sensors to novel concept of mobile sensing which is low cost, fast collection of sensing data and very accurate," said Bhaganagar. "This is the next step. We will deploy low-cost aerial drones to collect wind and gas concentration sensing data. We can alert people to danger within minutes."

"The human cost of this conflict is rising daily, and it doesn't have to," she said. "Through collaboration and innovation, we can save lives."

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A new study indicates that survivors of the Holocaust have experienced a small but consistent increase in the risk of developing cancer. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the findings offer an example of how extreme population-level tragedies can have an impact on health.

Holocaust survivors were exposed to a variety of factors that have been linked with cancer. Siegal Sadetzki, MD, MPH, of the Chaim Sheba Medical Center in Israel, and her colleagues wondered whether the starvation, overcrowding, infectious diseases, and psychological stress that survivors endured might have contributed to the development of cancer in some individuals.

To investigate, the team studied 152,622 Holocaust survivors who were followed for more than 45 years. Two separate definitions of exposure were used. One definition was based on the individual's entitlement for compensation according to a set of laws. The other was based on the country of origin, using a classification of countries during the war into those that were directly governed by Nazi Germany and other non-occupied countries.

Cancer was diagnosed in 22 percent of those who were granted compensation for suffering persecution during the war versus 16 percent of those who were denied compensation. Survivors who were granted compensation had a six percent higher risk of developing any type of cancer than those who were denied compensation, and they had a 12 percent increased risk for colorectal cancer and a 37 percent increased risk for lung cancer. Those born in occupied countries had an eight percent increased risk of developing any cancer than those born in non-occupied countries, as well as eight percent and 12 percent increased risks of colorectal cancer and lung cancer, respectively. The investigators observed no elevated risks for breast cancer and gynecologic cancers among female survivors.

"The data emphasize the importance of learning about the combined effect of several exposures occurring intensely and contemporaneously on cancer risk, such as those that unfortunately occurred during World War II," said Prof. Sadetzki. "Such inspection cannot be conducted by experimental studies and could only be evaluated by using observational epidemiological surveys."

An accompanying editorial notes that the associations reported by Prof. Sadetzki and colleagues between the extreme deprivation experienced by Holocaust survivors and cancer may also have parallels with other extreme population-level events, including in racial/ethnic minority groups who experience severe social deprivation over time.

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Additional Information

Full Citations

"Cancer Risk Among Holocaust Survivors in Israel--A Nationwide Study." Siegal Sadetzki, Angela Chetrit, Laurence S. Freedman, Nina Hakak, Micha Barchana, Raphael Catane, and Mordechai Shani. CANCER; Published Online: July 10, 2017 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30783).

URL Upon Publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/cncr.30783

"Extreme Population-Level Events: Do They Have an Impact on Cancer?" Beti Thompson, Sarah Gehlert, and Electra D. Paskett. CANCER; Published Online: July 10, 2017 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30778).

URL Upon Publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/cncr.30778

Author Contact: Lee Gat, of the Sheba Medical Center, at Lee.gat@sheba.health.gov.il or 03- 530 3296.

About the Journal

CANCER is a peer-reviewed publication of the American Cancer Society integrating scientific information from worldwide sources for all oncologic specialties. The objective of CANCER is to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of information among oncologic disciplines concerned with the etiology, course, and treatment of human cancer. CANCER is published on behalf of the American Cancer Society by Wiley and can be accessed online at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cancer.

Follow us on Twitter @JournalCancer and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ACSJournals

About Wiley

Wiley, a global company, helps people and organizations develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Our online scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, combined with our digital learning, assessment and certification solutions help universities, learned societies, businesses, governments and individuals increase the academic and professional impact of their work. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to our stakeholders. The company's website can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.
Monday, July 10, 2017

You dont need to be an award-winning writer to create an appropriate sympathy card or note of condolence. Its not hard to add a few short sentences to customize a store-bought sympathy card to help lift the spirits of the mourners.

Make it easy on yourself by using journalisms Five Ws to guide your way: Who, What, When, Where, and Why (slightly re-arranged). Younger generations, those more comfortable with texting than actually writing, can especially benefit from these tips.

What: Describe your reaction when you heard the news about the death. I was shocked/saddened/surprised to hear about If you didnt know the deceased, but know the mourner, you could write, My thoughts are with you after I heard Dont be afraid to use the D word  died, death, or demise.

Who: Identify the person who has died by name, or by the relationship, such as your Dad, Grandma, or your husband/wife. And dont be afraid to use that persons name in other communications with the mourners going forward. They may long to hear that persons name spoken.

When: Write a card as soon as you learn of the death. If its been more than a week since the person died, you can say, I only just heard the news today, or I would have contacted you sooner. Supportive sympathy notes in the months after a death can also help. If sending a condolence note to mark the anniversary of the death or another milestone event, Its hard to believe its been (a year/current time frame) since he/she died.

Where: A sentence or two about the impact the deceased made in your world. This impact can be related to work, a cause the person supported, family connections, as a long-time friend or neighbor. If you didnt know the deceased, focus your comments on the mourner and their role in your life. Sample where sentences can say things like:

(Name) was a legend at work. His fondness for a certain red stapler lives on.

I met (name) through our support of the local BioPark society. Specifically, we were both Zoo Parents of the capybara.

After living next door to (name) for 20 years, I couldnt ask for a better neighbor.

Why: What was it about the person who died that made them special? Why are you sending a condolence note to the recipient? You might consider using sentences such as:

We loved (name) and well miss (him/her) so much.

I always admired (his/her) (positive character attribute, such as sense of humor, generosity, knowledge).

(Name) was a good person and Im so glad I had the chance to know (him/her).

In (names) honor, we have made a contribution to (organization).

I treasure your friendship and wanted to let you know Im thinking about you during this difficult time.

A line in support of the bereaved is also appropriate:

Please let me/us know if you need a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen.

Ill be in touch in another week or so to see how youre doing.

May I take you to lunch next week?

It doesnt matter if you write a note of condolence on a sympathy card, on fancy stationery, or on simple notebook paper. Taking the time to write, address an envelope, and mail your communication speaks volumes. It may seem Old School, but its these personal touches that really say you care.

If youre feeling eloquent, longer typewritten stories about the deceased and the family can become a treasured keepsake. Tales of family relationships, legendary events and ancestral history can help everyone feel more connected and supported.

And yes, you may send an email, but remember the familys routine has been shattered and they may not be online for a while to see and respond to your note. If you want to send a message via social media, unless the mourner has posted a public announcement for all to see, use private messaging functions.

You can apply these guidelines to sympathy phone calls as well. The key is to connect with your fellow human beings who are hurting and let them know of your concern and care. Someday, your caring gestures will be returned in kind.

Need cards to send condolence or sympathy notes? Check out these Time Flies cards from A Good Goodbye! These elegant blank cards and envelopes are only $15 for a set of 12, plus shipping. Add to Cart

Gail Rubin, CT  author, speaker, journalist and death educator  connects with baby boomers using humor, funny films and a light touch on serious subjects. A Certified Thanatologist, her seminars on clearing clutter and organizing for end-of-life issues always get high marks! Download a free 50-point Executors Checklist featured in her latest book KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die from www.AGoodGoodbye.com.

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BBC Panorama has investigated Brexit and what this seismic shift will mean for British farmers and consumers.

The EU affects the whole food chain from field to fork. It dictates what farmers are allowed to grow, sets animal welfare standards and offers a large supply of cheap labour to work in the fields and processing plants.

Panorama's Tom Heap talks to insiders who claim Brexit will mean higher prices, lower quality and less choice on the shelves.

Others claim it is a fantastic opportunity to address inefficiency and design a new mode of food production for the next generation.

The programme also travels to the USA, where farming is run on an industrial scale.

The programme asks if UK consumers will back British farmers or switch to potentially cheaper imports of hormone-filled meat from abroad.

John Mills, Founder and Chairman of JML, Justin King, former CEO of Sainsburys, David Trowbridge, President-Elect of the Iowa Cattlemens Association, Guy Smith, Vice President of NFU and James Cleverly MP speak exclusively to the programme.

'Artificially high'

Economist and manufacturing boss John Mills has told BBC Panorama that he believes the EU keeps prices artificially high for the shopper and that it is the right time for a new approach to food.

John Mills said: "Tariffs keep the prices up. Its not anything to do with quality its due to the institutional arrangements."

Whereas former CEO of Sainsburys Justin King warns Brexit will mean friction and barriers to trade that will lead to three key dangers; higher prices, less choice and poorer quality.

Guy Smith, Vice President of NFU

Justin King said: "The direction will be higher prices, less choice and poorer quality."

The programme also travelled to the USA, where they spend 6 per cent of their income on food compared to 8 per cent in the UK.

There farms are run on an industrial scale making them more efficient, and with a new administration in power President of the Iowa Cattleman Association believes its time to make American farming great again and win new orders from abroad.

David Trowbridge said: "Britain is a great possibility where we can go with our product and increase our profitability and provide a safe and nutritious product for the British people."

Growth hormones

The most controversial difference in livestock farming either side of the Atlantic is the American use of growth hormones, banned in the EU.

The Vice President of the National Farming Union (NFU) Guy Smith is concerned about cheaper products grown to different standards and the over-reliance of foreign food imports.

Guy Smith, Vice President of NFU explained: "Any civilized country has to ask itself do we want to become recklessly dependant on imports for our food needs."

James Cleverly MP, leave supporter and trade committee member, told the programme the UK can strike a good deal with the EU, as Britain has a highly desirable market.

However he does admit the Government has not paid enough attention to UK farming.

James Cleverly MP said: "Criticisms that we as a society and perhaps as policy makers have just not paid food and farming as much attention as it deserves I think is a very, very fair criticism."

Emerging markets

The programme also spoke to two Welsh livestock farmers, with opposing opinions on the consequences of Brexit on their industry.

Jacob Anthony is excited about new possibilities to infiltrate emerging markets such as China and he believes Europe wide decisions about farming just dont work.

Jacob Anthony said: "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity . for us to have a say in the way that our farms are farmed."

Whereas John Davis is alarmed, seeing huge peril in a careless deal post-Brexit, and he is worried about the future of subsidies which are vital for his industry, trade within the EU, and cheap international imports flooding the market.

John Davies said: "We need unfettered and free access to the European market for what we produce."

BBC Panorama - Britains Food and Farming: The Brexit Effect, will be shown tonight (Monday 10 July) at 8:30pm.
EU institutions have responded to an open letter by an activist scientist claiming that they did not include relevant studies when drafting the European risk assessment on the herbicide glyphosate.

The scientist, Professor Christopher Portier, sent an open letter to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Portiers letter claimed that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) failed to identify all statistically significant cancer findings in the chronic rodent carcinogenicity studies with glyphosate.

In November 2015, the EFSA concluded that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans.

Portier suggested that he had found eight instances of carcinogenic indicators that were not included in EFSA and ECHAs findings and accused the agencies of failing to properly analyze available data.

He also stated that the International Agency for Research on Cancers (IARC) Monograph 112, which found glyphosate to be a carcinogen, should be considered the authoritative work on glyphosate.

Anti-glyphosate campaign

The EFSA and the ECHA's response to Prof Portier's letter, who is a well-known anti-glyphosate scientist, is among many others in a long-running anti-glyphosate campaign.

The response read: EFSA and ECHA clearly state that the claim that findings were overlooked is false based on the transparent assessment procedure of European hazard and risk assessment as well as the available scientific facts.

All the original studies mentioned have been taken into account in the evaluations of the European authorities in accordance with their reliability and relevance, and have been assessed on the basis of agreed scientific principles.

The letter goes on to explain that all assessment authorities worldwide who had access to these original data have reached the conclusion that glyphosate should not be classified as carcinogenic.

These authorities include the EFSA, he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the USA, the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), the Japanese Food Safety Commission, the EPA in New Zealand, the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) and the ECHA.

Glyphosate is one of the most widely used active substances in pesticides to prevent unwanted plant growth around planted crops or to kill plants or parts of plants

'Ghost-writing' research.

Among those who have criticised glyphosate is the Green Party. They have backed calls for the EU to ban glyphosate, and accuses Monsanto of ghost-writing research.

A Green MEP, Molly Scott Cato, has thrown her weight behind a European Citizens Initiative (ECI) calling for a ban on glyphosate.

Dr Scott Cato has called for EU regulatory approval of pesticides and herbicides to be based on studies commissioned by public authorities rather than the pesticide industry.

Molly Scott Cato said: The Monsanto papers highlight the undue influence agri-chemical corporations have on assessments of toxic chemicals like glyphosate. It also shows the urgent need for assessments of harmful substances to be based on fully independent and public studies so that they are fully impartial, transparent and open to proper scrutiny.
The UK agri-science sector has seen a reduction in valuable EU-funded work as a result of Brexit, according to crop researchers.

Future EU variety testing contracts will no longer be awarded to the UK.

Chairman of the UK crop research organisation NIAB said the EU Commission was taking a 'hardline' negotiating stance and is already damaging UK agri-science.

Speaking in Cambridge, chairman Jim Godfrey said the decision to withdraw testing contracts valued at around 600k a year 'shocked' him.

"The timing of this notification, without any prior consultation, came as a shock, not only because the UK is and remains a full EU member until the confirmed date of Brexit, but perhaps more significantly because NIAB is the only entrusted examination centre within the EU for the ornamental species involved," he said.

'Major headache'

Mr Godfrey also said the decision presents 'a major headache' for EU plant breeding companies and for CPVO in identifying alternative testing centres with the same level of scientific expertise.

"Despite attempts by European plant breeding organisations to press for some flexibility in the decision which would allow NIAB to continue this work and enable normal variety testing services to be maintained, the EU Commission's current position risks impacting NIAB and the UK science base as well as damaging the commercial interests of EU plant breeders. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face!

"NIAB is facing the collateral damage of the politics behind the Brexit negotiations.

"Because of the two-year timescales for testing many of the species involved, we are perhaps an early warning signal of the Commissions hardline negotiating tactics and the potential wider implications for our sector.

"If the UK Government is serious about its commitment to safeguarding innovation and maintaining the UK science base it must step in to support NIAB in this case," he said.
A government delegation from Japan has been inspecting beef production controls across the UK this week  which could reopen the market on UK exports.

The five visiting officials from Japans Ministry of Agriculture toured farms, laboratories and abattoirs to learn about the countrys food hygiene controls more than 20 years after the BSE outbreak.

In a bid to seek approval for the sale of UK beef to Japan, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and Defra organised the visit to show the Japanese delegates the quality standards and welfare behind the UK's beef sector.

The six-day mission, with an evaluation of the visit and a discussion on the next steps for the Government and industry, has been welcomed by farming and livestock experts.

Livestock product exports are worth 2.4 billion to the UK a year - the second largest food and drink export after spirits.

Farming minister George Eustice said this sector could benefit from opportunities to do new trade deals with third countries, but he said a free trade agreement with the EU is still a priority.

Japan has also recently struck a large trade agreement with the European union on Thursday (6 June).

'UK beef on global stage'

AHDBs International Market Development Director Phil Hadley said Japan is a 'lucrative' market.

It represents another important step for UK beef on the global stage. Japan is a lucrative market for specific premium beef products and this visit has the potential to create a number of exciting opportunities for UK exporters.

We look forward to hearing from the delegation and learning what this inspection will mean for quality UK beef exports to Japan in the years to come.

The visit has been praised by Mr Eustice, who said: The UKs beef sector is a global success story  exports go to 84 countries around the world.

"Opening the market to Japan could boost the industry by an estimated 15 million each year, driving growth for our farmers and producers and increasing our global reputation for great taste and quality.

The Asia-Pacific region could offer 'increasing opportunities' for UK meat exporters looking forward, AHDB Pork has previously said.

The Asian middle class is projected to expand rapidly over the coming years, with two thirds of the worlds middle class living in the Asia-Pacific region by 2030, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
COP27: Energy and food security must be addressed, farm leaders say
Bhattarai appointed PM Deuba's foreign affairs advisor

The government on Monday appointed Dinesh Bhattarai as Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's foreign affairs advisor.
Dual camera is evident

The Nokia 9 case shows the cutout for a dual rear camera sensor with the camera sensors positioned vertically. This goes in line with the previous leaks that we have seen regarding the Nokia 9.

Nokia 9 will have audio jack and Type-C port

From the leaked cases, it is clear that the Nokia 9 will have a power button and a volume rocker on its right edge. At the top, the handset seems to have the 3.5mm audio jack while the USB Type-C port is at the bottom.

Stereo speakers are likely

The Nokia 9 is believed to arrive with stereo speaker at the left just like the Nokia 6. There is a cutout on left that could be meant for the speakers.

Rumors specs of Nokia 9

The Nokia 9 flagship smartphone is believed to arrive with a 5.3-inch QHD 1440p display topped with Gorilla Glass 5. Under its hood, the smartphone is claimed to feature a Snapdragon 835 SoC paired with 6GB or 8GB RAM for efficient multitasking. The handset is said to feature dual 13MP sensors at its rear and support for expandable storage up to 64GB. The other features expected to be included on the Nokia 9 are Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS, Wi-Fi and IP68 certification.
Cabinet expansion only after constitution amendment: DPM Mahara

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said that the Cabinet would be expanded only after the amendment of constitution.
Microsoft could be prepping premium smartphone with AR and VR support News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Microsoft might launch a premium smartphone in the coming months.

Microsoft Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL were the last ones to be launched by the company. The deal signed between Microsoft and Nokia came to an end late last year and HMD Global took over Nokia to release a slew of Android smartphones.

Since then Microsoft hasn't launched any smartphone though there are rumors that the company is prepping to launch the Surface Phone aka Surface Mobile. There are rumors that the company has axed the Lumia lineup of smartphones as it is focusing on the Surface brand. Now a fresh info has come from Brad Sams (via Softpedia), the executive editor with Thurrott stating that the company is working on a prototype of Windows 10 mobile.

For now, Sams is not clear if it will be a smartphone or tablet that the company is working on. As Microsoft is rumored to foray into the smartphone market with the Surface Phone, it could be working on a premium smartphone.

Smartphone with AR and VR support on cards Notably, the editor also reveals that the mysterious Windows 10 project is headed by Alex Kipman, who is pioneering the HoloLens project. It looks like this smartphone in question could be launched with support for AR and VR capabilities. The upcoming smartphone from the stable of Microsoft will be a premium offering, so we can expect it to be priced expensively. Maybe, this is the company's attempt to convince the other smartphone manufacturers to come up with such smartphones. CShell based smartphone There are speculations that the alleged Microsoft smartphone might run on Windows 10 on ARM tipping that it might be based on CShell. It has to be noted that CShell is not pretty stable right now. So, Microsoft has to do a lot of work before making the same available to the end users. CShell will unify the experience of on various devices from Microsoft. Lately, we saw leaked images of a Windows Phone running CShell. Surface Mobile might be launched in two variants Last month, there were reports that the Microsoft Surface Phone that has been long rumored could be called Surface Mobile. It is was speculated to arrive with two codenames - Surface Peking and Surface Slavonia those could be the two different variants of the device. The reports also pointed out that this smartphone might make use of the Snapdragon 835 SoC.

Best Mobiles in India

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Spice Mobility launches 8 new mobile phones News oi -Priyanka Spice's new portfolio of eight mobile devices include five feature phones and three smartphones.

Spice Mobility which has recently signed a joint venture with China-based Transsion Holdings today launched an all new portfolio of mobile devices in India. The portfolio further includes five feature phones and three smartphones.

Commenting on the occasion of the launch, Sudhir Kumar, CEO, Spice Mobile under Transsion Group, said, "We are extremely excited to announce the all new Spice product portfolio today. With the launch of the series, we have taken a step closer to creating an inclusive yet all-new powerful and rich digital experience for the young generation of India."

Kumar further added, "Aligned with the brand identity and philosophy, Spice brand wants to fuel the existing culture of sharing amongst the Indian youth. With easy to use features, these devices offer enhanced sharing capabilities to create new aspirations which will help in connecting the next billion. We are sure that we will create a new segment in the Indian market with the robust range of products and services."

The new product portfolio offers aesthetically and stylishly designed phones with features that would stand out and appeal to the youth and is priced between Rs 850 to Rs 9,500. In alignment with the fresh design created for the Indian youth, the products are segmented as F-Series (Music, fun, fashion), K series (Creative and fashion), V Series (Value premium, with focus on performance and camera), and Z series which are essentially the feature phones, offering best value and quality with great design.After establishing a strong presence through itel and TECNO, Transfusion Holdings aims to further strengthen its foothold in the world's fastest growing mobile market with the addition of its third brand in their multi-brand portfolio.

To recall, the Spice has also unveiled its new brand identity and philosophy - "Make Sharing Better" with Spice. In line with the new brand identity, Spice brand will enable the users' to create and nurture the social connections by sharing content that is enjoyable for them.

Best Mobiles in India
TRAI invites companies to be part of a pilot basis public wi-fi hotspots News oi -Priyanka In India, access to data is still limited due to poor coverage of fiber or telecom and prohibitive pricing of cellular data

Telecom regulator TRAI has recently invited all interested entities to be part of a pilot basis public wi-fi hotspots that will be available to the public at a starting price of Rs 2.

"Telecom Regulator Authority of India (TRAI) invites all interested entities to be a part of a pilot to establish nationwide, pay-as-you-go PDOs (Public Data Offices)... The products available for consumption should begin from 'sachet-sized', i.e. low denominations ranging from Rs 2 to Rs 20, etc," regulator said in a report.

The report further added that, in India, access to data is still limited due to poor coverage of fiber or telecom and prohibitive pricing of cellular data. Public wi-fi hotspots hold an important place in the last-mile delivery of broadband to users. It allows offloading telecom networks to ease congestion," Trai said.

It added that public wi-fi hotspots will be crucial when the next billion internets of things (IoT) devices come online.

Under the pilot project, Trai aims to establish an open system based wi-fi access network interface using which any entity (company, proprietorship, societies, non-profits, etc.) should easily be able to set up a paid public wi-fi Access point.

"The experience for a small entrepreneur to purchase, self-register, set-up and operate a PDO must be simple, low- touch and maintenance-free," Trai said.

Meanwhile, TRAI has fixed July 25 as the last date for submission of interest from entities.

The report also pointed out that the telecom regulator said that public hotspots hold an important place in the last-mile delivery of broadband to users. Wi-Fi is much easier to scale than adding new LTE towers and there are only 31,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots in India, compared to 13 million in France, and 10 million in the United States of America."

Best Mobiles in India
Henderson County Four Seasons Politics Parent-power, GOP palm-card candidates sweep School Board seats Henderson County School Board incumbent Jay Egolf on Tuesday night led a pack of nine candidates for three open seats on the board, according to unofficial results from the state board of elections. Read Story 

Henderson County News LIGHTNING EDITORIAL: Outlaw School Board sets a poor example What if a playground bully sent to the principals office responded in his defense that he should not be punished because he didnt agree with the rule against pushing other kids. Read Story 

Henderson County News It's time to recycle campaign signs Henderson County's Environmental Programs and Parks and Recreation departments are partnering to provide campaign sign recycling drop-off in the Jackson Park House parking lot through Wednesday, Nov. 23. Read Story 

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics Edwards elected to Congress Republican Chuck Edwards had a solid 16,000-vote lead over Democrat Jasmine Beach-Ferrara on Tuesday night in his attempt to take the 11th Congressional District seat that became open when Edwards vanquished incumbent Madison Cawthorn in the May primay. Read Story 
The Kingdom of Bahrain will soon welcome international hotel brand Park Regis with the opening of the island nation"s first Park Regis Hotel in the Juffair district of Manama in the 3rd Quarter of 2017.

With 164 guest rooms, six food and beverage outlets including a 1000 capacity ballroom, swimming pool and gym, this upscale hotel is the perfect introduction to the Bahrain market for the Park Regis brand and its parent company StayWell Hospitality Group.

StayWell Hospitality Group CEO Simon Wan said that the recent signing of the marketing license agreement with Manama-based VKL Group, a key regional player which owns and operates a portfolio of hotels with more than 1,300 rooms and another 600 rooms shortly, will enable StayWell Hospitality Group to open additional properties across Bahrain in the coming 12 months.
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is pleased to announce the appointment of Jan Vanhaelewyn as Hotel Manager at for the beloved property. With over 14 years of experience in the hospitality arena he brings a wealth of expertise to his new role at The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Ricos first ultra-luxury resort and the islands first AAA Five Diamond property. Mr. Vanhaelewyn joins The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort from the W Bogota where he exceeded revenue goals and clientele expectations while further solidifying an unforgettable guest experience. With Mr. Vanhaelewyn as its Director of Operations, W Bogota saw measurable success and was quickly established as the leading luxury and lifestyle hotel in the marketplace, resulting in the property being awarded Best New Hotel of the Year for South America 2015 by SAHIC, Best New Hotel in South America 2015 by World Travel Awards, Best in Class for Interior Design Association 2015 by IIDA and Best bar in Colombia 2015 by Premios Cocktail Colombia. Prior to his role at W Bogota, Mr. Vanhaelewyn served as the Director of Food and Beverage at the Westin Guadalajara, where he was part of the hotel opening team and instrumental in launching and managing the hotels gastronomic vision. Born in Belgium, Mr. Vanhaelewyn speaks four languages including Dutch, Spanish, English and French. Mr. Vanhaelewyn was introduced to the hospitality industry through his creativity, curiosity and love for the culinary arts. As a Graduate of Ter Duinen, College Hotel and Culinary Arts, Mr. Vanhaelewyn discovered his passion for the hotel business. He continued his education at Erasmus University College in Brussels, where he received his Bachelor in Hotel Management.
Recently, the Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) launched a new MBA program created to help further the careers of hospitality professionals. The program is focused on providing leading academic and practical elements delivered primarily via distance learning, in order that busy professionals might take greater advantage of classroom and field experiences, while extending their associations via the school's huge alumni network.

To find out more about the new Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne I contacted Dr. Achim Schmitt, the Associate Dean-Graduate studies at the school, to get his take on how this MBA program differs structurally and competitively from other programs. Here is what Professor Schmitt had to say about EHL's new initiative.

Phil Butler: How important do you feel advanced degrees are for career minded professionals these days, as compared to the industry's past?

Dr. Schmitt: In today's competitive market, lifelong learning is vital for professionals at all stages of their career to ensure they have up-to-date knowledge and tools to perform most optimally in the industry. Hospitality is a fast-paced and evolving industry and some of the job opportunities available nowadays did not exist a decade ago. With digital initiatives and more online programs available, more and more candidates are becoming equipped with basic / fundamental sets of knowledge. I believe that an advanced degree is vital to help set you apart and widen the scope of opportunities that will ensure you remain competitive in the market. They usually offer leadership training which can enable managerial positions in the future, and is very attractive for employers.

Phil Butler: How do you think the rise of offerings of digital and distance learning have affected the competitive aspect? And how does EHL try to capture market share / success?

Dr. Schmitt: EHL is very proud of its on-campus training opportunities. The programs offer strong academic and operational experiences as well as numerous industry immersion and leadership development opportunities. At EHL students always work with lecturers at the top of their profession.

While on campus training is very valuable, I think the offer of digital or distance training is also very important in opening possibilities for people to expand career opportunities. They open access to education for persons who cannot afford to stop working for a period of time, who may not be able to travel to locations where top universities are positioned, or who would like to build their skill base while in current employment. EHL recognizes that it can offer high quality education in a variety of formats, and is building an offer for candidates that allows them to obtain an EHL certificate or degree through blended learning and online formats. By incorporating elements of what makes EHL unique (such as industry proximity and EHL's passion for the industry) along with offering courses from top professors, we are confident EHL can deliver strong educational experiences.

Phil Butler: Can you briefly discuss how the MBA fraternity impacts a professional's hospitality future? (eg. The Alumni network)?

Dr. Schmitt: Each MBA alumni will have access to the EHL alumni community, one of the most powerful and most welcoming alumni networks in the industry. It boasts 25,000 members since 1893, with alumni working in 120 different countries. At EHL, we have a highly professional Alumni team that actively manages and connects EHL professionals. What makes our alumni unique is the strong commitment to excellence, ethics, solidarity, professionalism, flexibility, empathy  these are the fundamental values of EHL. Through their passion, alumni can always offer valuable support and advice, and being part of this community will allow MBA students to feel connected to their school, and to participate in various activities within the network. Given how the industry is built on connecting with people, having this connection will undoubtedly open opportunities for MBA students.

Phil Butler: We tend to focus on the "student" side of advanced degrees, but what about the hotel side of the equation? How do hospitality businesses best benefit from EHL's latest programs and what is the ROI?

Dr. Schmitt: EHLs latest offers have an applied focus designed to assess strategic investments, company profitability, management of people, and assessments of current business challenges. The content of the courses is highly relevant for today's markets, as students will be exposed to the latest knowledge, trends and skill-based training that will enhance companies business and success. Our Alumni and network of industry partners have constantly given  and still provide us  feedback on the content and relevance of our curriculum. We feel that our programs allow to develop employees who are equipped with sharper business decision making and stronger leadership acumen. Such skills and competences are likely to increase organizational success. With the possibility for digital and blended learning, employees are also less likely to be away from their work for a prolonged period of time, or resign in order to manage a full time program. This allows students to test their ideas in their individual context and allows hospitality firms to avoid investing in new hires and training new staff. It may also be an opportunity for hospitality firms to retain staff by offering continuing education as a benefit.

Since 1893, EHL has offered the most advanced and acclaimed hotel management offerings to help students achieve status and success in the industry. Widely accepted as the top hotel management school in the world, the institution just received authorization this Spring to start construction work for its future campus, where a mix of ecology, technology and pedagogy will create a new hub for hospitality education, research, and forward thinking. This new MBA program, under the guidance of Dr. Schmitt, fits nicely into the EHL programs that will educate tomorrow's CEOs and other top hospitality executives.
Faplu Airport shut due to bad weather for 13 days

The Faplu Airport in Solukhumbu has remained out of operation for the past 13 days due to bad weather.
LONDON  Most major hotel markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council reported performance declines when comparing Ramadan 2017 with Ramadan 2016, according to preliminary data from STR.

STR compared the 2017 dates of 26 May through 25 June with the 2016 time period of 6 June through 6 July. Muscat, Oman, was the only market analyzed that reported an increase in revenue per available room (+8.7%). The market's 19.4% increase in occupancy outweighed a 9.0% drop in average daily rate (ADR).

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was the only other market that did not report a significant decline in RevPAR, although performance was nearly flat as a decline in ADR (-1.5%) countered an uplift in occupancy (+1.2%).

According to STR analysts, growing hotel supply and geopolitical issues are affecting the region's performance. School terms also factored into performance resultsSaudi Arabia's school term finished earlier, while school in some countries continued through the Ramadan period.

Makkah, Saudi Arabia, reported an 8.8% decline in RevPAR, which was primarily the result of a 7.9% drop in occupancy to 74.3%. STR analysts note that key religious tourism source markets, including Egypt and Indonesia, are currently facing currency devaluations against the Saudi Arabian Riyal, making it less affordable for potential visitors from those nations to embark on pilgrimages.

Also of note, Qatar reported an occupancy decrease of 7.2% and a drop in ADR of 8.3%.

About STR

STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for the global hospitality industry. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 15 countries with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, an international headquarters in London, and an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. STR was acquired in October 2019 by CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP), the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. For more information, please visit str.com and costargroup.com.

Alex Anstett

Media & Communications Coordinator - STR

STR
New Delhi, Jul 10 (IBNS): As requests for medical visas from the other side of the border mounts, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj took to Twitter to clear her stand and take a subtle jab at her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz, indirectly questioning his morals.

"I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India," Swaraj said.

"I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country," an ensuing tweet read.

Clarifying her stand, she said, "All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals."

"I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country," Swaraj added.

In ensuing tweets, Swaraj slammed Aziz's mentality and the lack of discipline and diplomacy.

Taking up the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, she said, "We also have a visa application pending for an Indian national Mrs.Avantika Jadhav who wants to meet her son in Pakistan," adding, "against whom they have pronounced a death sentence."

Jadhav, who is presently locked up in a cell in Pakistan, has been sentenced to death for allegedly spying.

India however managed to put a hold on the order by successfully appealing to the International Court of Justice.

"I wrote a personal letter to Mr.Sartaj Aziz for the grant of her visa to Pakistan," she said.

"However, Mr.Aziz has not shown the courtesy even to acknowledge my letter," Swaraj alleged.

"But I assure Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa with a recommendation from Mr.Sartaj Aziz, we will issue the visa immediately,' Swaraj added.
Srinagar, Jul 10 (IBNS) : In a major development, Jammu and Kashmir Police have claimed to have arrested a resident of Uttar Pradesh, who was said to be a close aide of slain Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Bashir Lashkari.

Briefing the media on Monday in Srinagar, J&K IGP Munir Khan said, we have busted a module of Lashkar-e-Toiba by arresting Sandeep Kumar, alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar area of Uttar Pradesh who was close to the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba.

The IGP further said sandeep was involved in the militant attack on policemen in Achabal that left six cops, including an SHO dead. He was also reportedly involved in bank loot cases.

Militants used Sandeep Kumar to loot Banks and ATMs with the help of Lashkar militants in South Kashmir, the IGP said.

"Police already know who were behind the bank robberies and we are getting hold of them one by one. Sandeep Kumar was a criminal, but after he came in touch with Lashkar terrorists, he started to loot banks, ATMs for them," Khan said.

Sandeep was detained for questioning from a house where Bashir was killed in a gunfight in Brenti-Batapora area of Anantnag District on July 1.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Mangalore, July 10 (IBNS): Creating an online campaign #BurningKarnataka, people on Twitter flooded their strong reactions against the fatal stabbing of an activist from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which took place on last Tuesday.

People on social media attacked the Karnataka government for its silence in the entire incident.

28-year-old Sharath Maldivala was stabbed by few people when he was heading towards home from the laundry which was run by him. Though he was taken to the hospital, he died.

However, Twitter users did not restrain themselves from venting their angers against the state government for silence, whenever a person from the majority community is killed.

The accusation of minority appeasement was evident in a tweet by Sharada Diamond, which reads: "If a Muslim boy is murdered, Weeks of strikes & debate; but If Hindu boy is killed, Absolute silence by state government #BurningKarnataka."

If a Muslim boy is murdered, Weeks of strikes & debate; but If Hindu boy is killed, Absolute silence by state government #BurningKarnataka  Sharada Diamond (@SharadaDiamond) July 10, 2017

In a similar tone, columnist/writer Chakravarty Sulibele, urged Muslim to come out and speak against the Congress-run state government. "It's now the turn of responsible Muslims to speak against @CMofKarnataka He is spoiling the fabric #BurningKarnataka ."

It's now the turn of responsible Muslims to speak against @CMofKarnataka He is spoiling the fabric #BurningKarnataka pic.twitter.com/gB1WrVJkG2  Chakravarty Sulibele (@astitvam) July 10, 2017

Dharma Honarri even stated that the oust of Siddaramaiah from the CM's post as the solution to the problem. He said: "Only solution to save Karnataka is to get Siddaramayya out from CM position #BurningKarnataka."

Only solution to save Karnataka is to get Siddaramayya out from CM position #BurningKarnataka  Dharma Honnari (@dharmasamskara) July 10, 2017

Dheeraj Kumar, who is among some of the protesters of the incident, pointed finger at Karnataka government for Hindu oppression. He tweeted:"Karnataka home of Basavanna is now supporting jihadis, crime and oppression of Hindus under congress rule. #BurningKarnataka."

Karnataka home of Basavanna is now supporting jihadis, crime and oppression of Hindus under congress rule. #BurningKarnataka  Dheeraj Kumar (@dheerajakumalla) July 10, 2017

The protest was not only evident on social media but also did hit the streets of Karnataka. Leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were present in the protest on Friday with the demand of arresting the guilty. RSS demanded a probe in the whole incident of killing.

While the uproar against the ruling party is gathering momentum, at least on social media, the state will be heading towards the election next year.
New Delhi, Jul 10 (IBNS) : National carrier Air India has decided to serve only serve vegetarian meals to economy class passengers on flights lasting up to 90 minutes as a cost-cutting measure, The Hindu reported.

We have decided to serve vegetarian meals in our economy-class seats on domestic flights, said Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani in the report.

The airline will, however, continue to serve non-vegetarian meals in its business class and executive class seats on all domestic and international flights.

It will also continue to give vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal options to economy fliers on flights of over 90-minute duration.

News 18 quoted BJP leader Syed Zafar Islam, a non-official independent director of Air India, as having denied any political interference in the decision.

There is no political interference in this decision. The decision has been taken by the airline and there is no political interference," he said.

The move, however, has evoked sharp reactions from politicians and passengers.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah tweeted :

"How much effort does it require to differentiate between colour coded stickers that say "Veg" & "Non Veg ?"

Celebrity chef Madhu Menon is more caustic on his tweeter handle : "Only veg food on Air India.

Next, flight attendants to speak only Hindi.After that, stand for national anthem before flight take-off."

Journalist Veena Venugopal tweeted : "Air India is unable to sort veg and non-veg boxes accurately. But is to be trusted to fly people."

D Sudhakar Reddy, President of the Air Passengers Association of India, termed it as discriminatory.

This is not acceptable. The airline is discriminating among passengers in the same aircraft. Its division based on class. We will take this issue up with the authorities, Reddy told CNN-News18.
Mosul, July 10 (IBNS): Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced liberation of the city of Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as he visited the ground zero to congratulate the troops for their victory, report said.

In a statement, al-Abadi's office said that the city was liberated from IS rule with just one or two pockets left.

"Victory is certain, and what remains of [IS] is surrounded, and it is just a matter of time for us to announce the great victory to our people," al-Abadi said.

However, Iraq is yet to declare the victory formally.

The battle to liberate Mosul from the IS started in October last year.

Mosul fell under the militants after they proclaimed a caliphate in 2014 under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The Iraqi forces received help from US fighters, who often carried out airstrikes in the area.

Following the achievement, EU said in a statement: "The recovery of Mosul from the hands of (IS) marks a decisive step in the campaign to eliminate terrorist control in parts of Iraq and to free its people."

Between October 2016 and December 2016, when the Iraqi military operation to retake Mosul began, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) had tracked the movements of more than 26,873 displaced families  161,238 individuals  the majority of whom desperately needed life-saving humanitarian assistance.

Image: UN Photo
Chandan Kumar Mandal is the environment and migration reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering labour migration and governance, as well as climate change, natural disasters, and wildlife.
London, Jul 11 (IBNS) : Fire fighter fought through the night for hours to being under control on Monday morning the massive fire that broke out in Camdon Lock market in London, reports said.

No injuries have been reported in the incident.

More than 10 fire engines and 70 members of the fire brigade were called to the popular tourist attraction. Police attended the scene alongside ambulance services.

London Fire Brigade said the first, second and third floors were on fire just before midnight on Sunday. At around 3.30am it said: Fire is now under control but crews will be damping down in the morning.

The cause of the blaze is still unknown.

The fire sent flames climbing high into the night sky as eight fire engines, an aerial ladder and about 60 firefighters were initially sent to the area after the first emergency call just before midnight on Sunday, London Fire Brigade said. However, this was quickly increased to 10 fire engines and 70 firefighters.

On its Twitter account, the brigade appealed to the public to "please avoid the area".



"A building within the market is alight and part of its first, second and third floors are affected by the fire, as well as part of its roof," it had said in a statement on Facebook.

"Crews from Kentish Town, Euston, Soho, Paddington and Holloway fire stations are at the scene.

Numerous photographs on social media showed the fire was well alight with the flames towering high above the surrounding buildings.

Image: @LondonFireBrigade
Kabul, Jul 10 (IBNS): At least 16 Taliban insurgents were killed in a joint operation conducted by Afghani troops in Logar province, local Khaama Press reported.

Confirming the same, the provincial government's statement read: "An operation was launched around 4 am local time in Mohammad Agha district which ended in the afternoon and as a result 16 insurgents were killed."

The statement also added that eight improvised explosive device (IED) stored in a mosque were confiscated along with 10 motorcycles.

The Taliban has not yet comment on the news.
FAIR City actress, Lisa Harding, knew little about human-trafficking until she was asked five years ago to read first-hand accounts at the launch of a campaign to combat sex-trafficking of minors.

Lisa, who played Connie in the soap, hadnt known that Ireland was a destination point for traffickers and sex tourists, or that some of the girls were as young as 12 and Irish.

I was haunted by what I read that day and the stories wouldnt let go. I had been pretty naive about it occurring in Ireland.

I thought it was something that happened in Bangkok.

It was just horrifying. I remember reading the first-hand accounts and feeling physically sick. I thought how do these girls just disappear? I didnt go searching for this topic. It just presented to me.

With the germ of a novel in her head, she researched trafficking in Ireland.

Written in the first person, present tense, her book, Harvesting, tells the tale of Sammy and Nico, a girl from Dublin and a girl from Moldova, whose lives collide.

Having written her first draft, Lisa approached the Dublin-based NGO, Ruhama, and CCF Moldova, who work with victims of trafficking. She wanted feedback on her work.

Trafficking was so distressing that I didnt want to think about it. Then, I couldnt let it go. I didnt censor it. I just wanted to tell the story. The CEOs of the NGOs were wonderfully helpful.

People who work in the sector were really supportive. I didnt sit there, thinking Oh, this is going to fit into a particular publishing market. I accept that it is harrowing. I just wanted to write it.

Lisa says she was shocked by the first-hand stories of Irish girls who had fallen into dark situations.

Meanwhile, Irelands sex-trafficking trade is worth 250m a year, according to the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

A study commissioned by the council, in 2014, showed that most buyers of sex in Ireland do not see any connection between their activity and the trafficking of girls and women. It also found that sex buyers are mostly well-educated men in relationships and that two thirds of them earn more than 20,000 a year.

New figures from the annual Trafficking in Persons Report, 2016, published this month, reveal that the number of detected victims of trafficking in Ireland rose from 78, in 2015, to 95 in 2016.

Brian Kilcoran, CEO of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, said it is clear that Ireland remains both a destination and source industry for women, men, and children subjected to sex-trafficking and forced labour, including forced criminal activity.

Whats often not realised is that the majority of victims  seven in 10  are EU nationals. Women from Eastern Europe are forced into marriage in Ireland and are at risk for sex-trafficking and forced labour. This year, again, a worryingly high number of Irish children count among the total detected figure of 95.

Nusha Yonkovva, anti-trafficking manager at the Immigrant Council, says it is worrying that victim-identification in Ireland has not improved, despite numerous signals from courts and practitioners that Ireland is failing victims.

Victims of sex-trafficking remain disadvantaged, due to the woefully inadequate accommodation, where they spend extended periods of time. They are also put at a disadvantage when it comes to viable avenues for victim compensation.

The Immigrant Council of Ireland has long been concerned that asylum seekers cannot be identified as victims of trafficking, if they have an asylum proceeding pending. Not only does this mean we are under-identifying victims, it also means many survivors are not able to access the supports they are entitled to.

Lisa says that it is difficult to convey the horrors of trafficking through statistics. She is hoping her book will put a human face on the crimes against women.

When it doesnt directly affect peoples lives and consciousness, they can turn a blind eye to it. It can feel like something from far away. There is a real loss of humanity with trafficking, in how they operate and the ruthlessness. It is hard to grasp how fathers with girls at home can do this. I think visiting prostitutes can feel like a transaction for a lot of men. When trafficked girls are presented, the punter doesnt know they are trafficked. They dont know, but nor do they care.

Lisa has previously written plays, but Harvesting is her debut novel.

Writing, she says, is her future and she doesnt miss her former life in acting.

Certain personalities are more suited to acting. I think writing is a better fit for me. I remember seeing my book in Hodges Figgis for the first time.

It was quite surreal. You always hope that someday it will happen. It really was a dream come true.
In Person U Zaw Htay: Kofi Annan Commission is Govt Shield

Government spokesperson U Zaw Htay / Htet Naing Zaw / Twitter

U Zaw Htay, government spokesperson and director-general of the Presidents Office recently talked to The Irrawaddy about the threats facing Rakhine State and press freedom in Myanmar.

Fourteen parties including the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) have called for a state of emergency to be declared in Rakhine State. What is the governments response to their demand?

The parties have concerns over national security, so they gave the government suggestions. We welcome this. A special meeting was held at the presidential residence on June 30 with an extensive discussion on the Rakhine issue. At the meeting, the military presented future plans and we discussed our responsibility to protect. I can assure you the government is handling this issue seriously, though we cannot explain everything in detail. What I can tell you is we are doing everything that we should be doing.

National security is not only the concern of a single political party, but an issue the entire country should join hands to tackle together. Id like to urge all political parties to disseminate knowledge about national security to the people.

As for the government, it is working to protect national security. The parties calling for a state of emergency need to understand this. Wed like to urge them to cooperate with us in a constructive way.

Does their statement hassle the government?

We arent hassled by it. It is usual for political parties to do such things. Some may not know about the procedures of the UN, and they may have drawn the wrong conclusions as a result. They can come and discuss with our foreign ministry experts to get a better understanding of UN procedures.

USDP lawmaker U Hla Htay Win said the government did not try to put a UN resolution to form a fact-finding mission on Rakhine State to a vote at the Human Rights Council. Is that the case?

There were disagreements over whether or not to put it to a vote. We had to think about whether the resolution would change even after a vote was taken. This is a technical matter and it is difficult to explain. So, what I want to say is, we welcome suggestions and we invite [the USDP and other parties] to come and talk with our UN experts.

They were demanding the declaration of a military administration in Rakhine State, so what is the take of the Myanmar Army? Is it fully cooperating with the government?

Yes, the army fully cooperates with the current government. It cooperates and collaborates with us. The responsibility of national security lies with the military. The Myanmar Police Force was under the direct control of the army in the past, but it has been under its own ministry since 2010. We [the government] still have a lot to learn about national security. At the same time, the army is doing what it should do, Id say.

Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Tin said the government was handling the Rakhine issue through diplomatic channels on the international stage, and urged security personnel to take action with responsibility and accountability for human rights. Will the government investigate alleged human rights abuses?

The army has formed an internal investigation team, as have the police. There are a lot of alleged human rights violations. But the commission led by the vice-president has yet to publish its report. One of its three responsibilities is to investigate alleged human rights violations. The commission will investigate and publish its report.

The government, Myanmar Army, Myanmar Army leaders, police chiefs, and the home affairs minister are not denying all of the allegations. What they have said is to present the cases to them with strong evidence if there were such violations. If there is evidence, they will investigate and find the truth. Weve told this to the UN and all of the other organizations.

So, give us strong evidence, and we will take action in line with the law if allegations are found to be true. Military leaders share the same stance. So, we will have to review the reports of all investigative bodies to determine if those allegations are true.

Why did the government decide to appoint Kofi Annan as chair of the Rakhine State Commission despite criticism and opposition? What is the benefit to the country?

We formed the Rakhine State Advisory Commission led by Kofi Annan last August, and its mandate is to give us advice. It is an advisory commission, and is responsible for assessing the issue from various aspects and providing recommendations to bring about sustainable development.

Our government also released a statement that we are implementing the recommendations of the Kofi Annan Commission. There was no problem [insurgency] at the time we formed the commission last August. We formed it at that time so that we could explain to the international community in case of a problem in the future.

Whenever there is an accusation from the international community, we say we are taking action in line with the recommendations of the Kofi Annan commission. The commission is serving as a shield for us. Was it not for Kofi Annan commission, the allegations would be much worse, I think.

The government has appointed a national security advisor. What is his role? What can he do for national security?

Most countries have a national security advisor. India has one and the US has a national security advisor and a national security council. In protecting national interests and national security, the first line of defense is diplomacy, and the last line of defense is the military.

It is not unusual to appoint a national security advisor. Those who criticize this may have their own reasons to do so. But, we need to observe international practices. If we take a look at where our national security advisor is going and what he is doing, then well see.

The media often covers his statements and you can know what he is doing by assessing those statements. National security advisor U Thaung Tun is a former ambassador and has lots of experience and served as an ambassador under Snr-Gen Than Shwe amid mounting pressure [from the international community.]

He has a network and other advantages that he gained from his experiences as an ambassador. He will contribute to national security and national interests.

Does the government have a strategic master plan for security and economic development of the entire country, including Rakhine State?

The vision of our government is Peace, Prosperity, Democracy. The State Counselor is focusing her efforts on peace. As for prosperity, the government is working for the promotion of education, health services and administrative reforms. These are priorities under our 12-point economic policy.

As for democracy, we are working for constitutional amendments and to build a democratic federal Union through the 21st Century Panglong peace conference.

Members of the media are facing prosecution under laws such as Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law and 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act. Why should the media face such restrictive laws under a democratic government?

It is about the application of the laws. It is up to the complainant to choose under which law and article to file a lawsuit. The government cant intervene in this. And it is the job of judges to decide with their own rationale if the charges fit the offenses or not.

What the government can do is to assess how the laws are applied and their consequences and propose that Parliament changes the laws if necessary. The government may take political conditions and the democratic cause into account in considering violations of those laws. But, it is difficult for us to tell the complainants not to use this and that law because this is a democracy.

Speaking of the media, we cant just look at Article 66(d) and Article 17(1). We need to think about its entirety and have a long-term view. Similar things will happen in the future, and we need to think about how to monitor the media. There should be an institutional mechanism that monitors the media on their behalf before other institutions directly sue them. If there is an internal control, direct lawsuits from outsiders will be less likely.

The complainants may not accept it if we ask them not to use charges of 66(d) and 17(1). What I prefer is a mechanism like the press council, which will monitor the media and then prosecution will be the last option.

The media is also involved in the democratic transition of the country. Based on democratic norms, the media usually gets freedom of expression first. They can expand their space and rights  such as the right to information  during the transitional stage [of a democracy.] Once democracy is rooted, then [the government] will be able to protect the media.

Our transition has not reached a firm stage. And both parties need to understand this. Concerned institutions and stakeholders should join hands and brainstorm how to solidify this transitional stage. Each side will have their own views and concerns, but they should discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and consequences of the existing laws to find a solution that is acceptable to all.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Burma Security Forces Kill 2 Suspected Militants in Rakhine

A police van in Maungdaw Township in 2016. / Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy

KYAUKPHYU, Rakhine State  Myanmar security forces killed two suspected militants and apprehended one in Tin May village in northern Buthidaung Township on Sunday morning, according to the State Counselors Office Information Committee.

A statement by the information committee said that as security forces were patrolling the village, militants opened fire from a house, releasing some 20 gunshots. When security forces returned fire, militants set off an improvised explosive device (IED) in the dwelling and three persons attempted to flee. Two were killed on the spot and one was arrested, according to the statement.

Another person, 70-year-old Sauli Ahmed, was arrested for attempting to disturb the security forces operations during the incident, the statement added.

In a subsequent search of the home, Myanmar Army and border police officials discovered a BA 94 assault rifle and two magazines. The State Counselors Office statement claimed the firearm was the same model as those looted from a border guard post in Maungdaw Township during the October 9 attacks last year that left nine policemen dead.

A handmade gun, a remote control mine, two car pistons and eight detonators, as well as Bangladeshi money, two walkie-talkies, six swords, four daggers and a machete were also found, the statement said.

The army and border police are currently carrying out joint clearance operations in northern Rakhine State amid an uptick in unrest in the region over recent months.

A Buthidaung resident told The Irrawaddy that residents had been leaving Tin May village since the bodies of five persons allegedly killed in an IED accident were recovered in the area in early May. Locals feared for their safety as government troops searched for the suspects involved, the resident said.

On June 20, Myanmar military and border police raided a suspected militant training camp in a forest of the Mayu mountain range. The raid left three dead and resulted in the seizure of 20 dummy guns, two homemade guns and bags of corn seed and rice.

Soon after, in late June, two Buddhist men from Tarein village were killed while they were hunting for tortoises, according to a statement on the incident by the State Counselors Office Information Committee.

According to eyewitness accounts, the perpetrators were identified as Muslim, contributing to an atmosphere of growing mistrust between the areas Buddhist and Muslim communities.

Almost 100 Tarein villagers fled the area after the attack, citing safety concerns.

In another incident, on July 4, seven Muslim men from the Dapaing camp for internally displaced persons in the Rakhine State capital Sittwe were attacked by a mob while they were part of a police escort. One man was killed.

Amid the rise in recent violence in the State, UN Special Rapporteur on The Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee is due to arrive in the country on Monday and is scheduled to visit conflict-torn areas in the region this week.

It is unclear whether authorities will allow her to visit areas in which he most recent clashes have occurred.

The Myanmar government has repeatedly denied Myanmar visas to a UN fact-finding mission on conflicts in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan states. Last week, the Presidents Office issued a statement regarding Yanghee Lees sixth visit to Rakhine State, stating that it must not be linked to the UNs fact-finding mission.

The special rapporteur said she would focus on the development of human rights in the region, as on previous tours. The Presidents Office statement said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Home Affairs and regional government were discussing details of her visit.

Last week, a delegation led by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi visited Rakhine State and met with both communities in Maungdaw.

This story has been slightly updated from an earlier version.
Fire breaks out at City Centre theatre

A fire broke out at Big Movies, one of the busiest multiplex in the Capital, on Sunday. No casualties have been reported.
Burma Yangon Bus Collision Death Toll Rises to 10

YBS bus 37 after a collision with YBS bus 55 on Friday. / Free Funeral Service Society / Facebook

YANGON  The number of people dead after a collision between two Yangon Bus Service (YBS) vehicles on Friday rose to 10 on Sunday, according to state media, marking the accident as the most deadly since the Yangon divisional government launched the new bus service six months ago.

Nine passengers died and 34 were injured after YBS buses 37 and 55 collided at a bus stop on Pyay Road in Mingaladon Township around 1:30 p.m. The driver of bus 55 died of his injuries on Friday night.

Nearly 1,000 mournersmostly studentsand Yangon Divisions transportation minister Daw Nilar Kyaw attended a funeral service at Yangons Yeway Cemetery on Sunday for a 21-year-old university student who was killed in the accident.

In response to the collision, Yangon Region Transport Authority replaced the vehicles servicing line 55 and changed the name to line 90 on Sunday.
News News Analysis: Myanmar Army Looks to India

Indias Chief of Army Staff Gen Bipin Rawat hosts a dinner for Sen Gen Min Aung Hlaing, at the officer training academy. / Senior General Min Aung Hlaing / Facebook

Myanmar Army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is currently touring India, meeting the countrys top military brass on a significant trip that is likely to be closely followed by Beijing.

The eight-day visit is set to boost defense ties between the Myanmar and India armies. Sources said the trip would involve developing counter insurgency operations and sharing intelligence on Islamic insurgents active along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

Myanmar remains a source of concern and interest in New Delhi, which has apprehensively tracked the grand designs of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). India has kept its distance from the BRI, partly because it rejects the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, one of the initiatives projects, which slices through an area of Kashmir claimed by India but held by Pakistan.

India is also concerned China has too much sway over Myanmars peace process, according to sources in New Delhi.

Rebel groups seeking to establish a sovereign territory are active on parts of the 1,640-kilometer border between India and Myanmar. During the visit, New Delhi will undoubtedly raise the issue of these rebels to Min Aung Hlaing and his delegation.

One of these groups, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), is based in Sagaing Region, northwest Myanmar. The Naga rebels have been fighting for the independence of Nagaland from India and Myanmar for decades. China has reportedly provided the groups leaders with shelter, aid and weapons in the past.

In this context, Min Aung Hlaings vision does not stop at modernizing the Myanmar Army, but encompasses diversifying its allies, making it less reliant on China.

The Times of India reported on July 8 that India already provides Myanmar with, 105-mm light artillery guns, rocket launchers, rifles, radars, mortars, bailey bridges, communication gear, night-vision devices, war-gaming software and road construction equipment as well as naval gun-boats, sonars, acoustic domes and directing gear.

A US$37.9 million deal for the supply of lightweight torpedoes was also recently finalized, the article added.

Life After China

Speaking on condition of anonymity, sources told The Irrawaddy some Myanmar Army generals were unhappy that China asked members of a northern ethnic alliance to attend the 21st Century Panglong so-called peace conference in May and requested Min Aung Hlaing accept them.

The Myanmar Army branded members of the Northern Alliance, which include the Arakan Army and the Taang National Liberation Army, terrorist groups last year.

New Delhi was watching the conference closely. At the end of May, Indias army chief Gen Bipin Rawat visited Myanmar where he met Min Aung Hlaing and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

But a problem in the bilateral relations may exist in the form of Myanmars defense cooperation with Pakistan, an old foe of New Delhi.

Myanmar has been in advanced negotiations with Pakistan to license-build the PAC JF-17 Thunder, a multi-role combat aircraft, according to Janes Defence Weekly. Jointly developed by China and Pakistan, the aircraft would significantly bolster Myanmars air force.

India is agitated that Myanmar has received military equipment from Pakistan in the midst of allegations that Pakistani militants are providing training to Muslim insurgents in northern Rakhine, according to sources in both India and Myanmar.

In another show of diversifying its allies, Min Aung Hlaing toured Russia in June, visiting defense industries, army bases, and military training schools, where hundreds of Myanmar Army officers are studying.

The message is clear: unlike in the past, Myanmar Army leaders want to show they are not dependent on China alone.
Specials In Sketches: Myanmars Challenging Media Landscape

A selection of cartoons over the last four years. / The Irrawaddy

Despite the abolishment of decades-long literary censorship in 2012, Myanmar has seen a reverse in the direction of media freedom, particularly since 2014. Here are a series of cartoons published by The Irrawaddy over the course of four years from 2014 to 2017reflecting the media milestones and hardships experienced in the country.

Justice With Strings Attached

In October 2014, freelance reporter Aung Kyaw Naing, also known as Par Gyi, was killed while in military custody. The Myanmar Army said the journalist was shot dead when he attempted to seize a soldiers gun and escape detention. Despite his wifes attempt to file charges against the military for the death and alleged torture of her husband, the case was dropped by the police and courts.

Press Freedom in Burma

Myanmar ended literary censorship in 2012. Four years on, in 2016 press freedom in the country is depicted as still in its infancy.

Freedom on the Brink

The Irrawaddys cartoonist responds to the terrorist attack on French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in January 2015 that killed 17 people.

Enjoy Freedom of the Press

This 2014 cartoon demonstrates the control and lack of support for independent media in Myanmar.

No Freedom From 66(d)

There have nearly 70 cases filed under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Lawwhich is used to prosecute defamation onlineduring the National League for Democracys government administration.

Press Freedom?

The year 2014 saw some backslidings in press freedom in Myanmar with authorities placing restrictions on some publications on not to publish inappropriate news about the government. Others were threatened that they would be held responsible for inciting social unrest with their coverage of violence in Rakhine State. Four journalists and the CEO of Unity Weekly newspaper were detained by the police forces Special Branch after the newspaper reported the existence of an alleged chemical weapons factory in Pauk, Magwe Division. All are facing prison terms of up to 14 years for violating state secret laws.

Ministry of Information Keeps the Media in its Tentacles

Despite the booming private media outlets in the country, Myanmars Ministry of Information takes a lions share of control of everything related to the media industry.

Burmas Press Reforms at the Bursting Point

A 2014 cartoon demonstrates the precariousness of press freedom under the quasi-civilian government led by former President U Thein Sein.

Backs to the Crisis

Under Daw Aung San Suu Kyis elected government, the Myanmar Army arrested three journalists, including one from The Irrawaddy, on June 26, accusing them of holding connections with an outlawed ethnic armed group. At the time of publication, they remain in prison.
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

Al-Mada reports that 24 hours after Mosul was completely liberated from the hold of Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi visited it and walked around the city. Photos on his official Twitter site showed him in black military garb.

Al-Abadi convened a meeting with leaders of his military at Mosul. When he first arrived, he had announced that victory was assured and the remnants of Daesh were surrounded on a few square feet of territory. He said it was a matter of time before he would be announcing a magnificent triumph for the people of Iraq (i.e. that Daesh had been defeated). He praised the Iraqi army for their sacrifices.

At the end of his 8-hour tour, the prime minister said that the handful of remaining Daesh fighters had nowhere to flee, save to their deaths or to surrender. He announced a great victory in liberated Mosul after less than 9 months from his initiation of the effort to take Mosul back from Daesh.

Video of his visit showed Mosul residents celebrating the defeat of Daesh near the mosque of the prophet Jonah.

For its part, Daesh issued a communique accepting its defeat in Mosul and saying that it would make Talafar its new HQ. Talafar is a large Turkmen town that used to be split between Sunni and Shiite Turkmen but Daesh rule has led to the departure of the Shiites.

Some of the coverage of the fall of Daesh in Mosul was about the differing ways it was covered. Iraqi Shiites complained that many Sunni outlets concentrated on the loss of civilian life in the military campaign, and the controversial role of hard line Shiite militias. Even the Sunni-owned al-Zaman newspaper in Iraq concentrated on Sunni casualties and the destruction of the old city.

In the Sunni Arab world, sympathy with civilian victims of the Iraqi government campaign was apparent. Iraq Shiites also regretted the loss of civilian life, but typically blamed Daesh for it.



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ABC News: Iraqi leaders declare victory over ISIS in Mosul
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - July 10, 2017) - Golden Predator Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE: GPY) (OTCQX: NTGSF) (the "Company" or "Golden Predator") is pleased to report assay results for 23 reverse circulation (RC) drill holes completed as of May 15, 2017 at the 3 Aces Project in southeast Yukon, Canada. Current results expand the zone of mineralization in the Ace and Jack of Spades zone to 137+m (450+ feet) in a southeasterly direction (down dip) and 61+m (200+ feet) along strike and it remains open. In addition to the already identified high grade underground targets, the drilling results suggest a merging into a single gently dipping zone, providing a potential near surface bulk mineable. These drill results are part of a fully funded 40,000 m drill program[1], which will continue throughout 2017.

Significant results include:

Hole 3A17-100 intersected 6.86 m of 20.15 g/t gold from a depth of 19.05 m, including 1.53 m of 42.59 g/t gold;

Hole 3A17-106 intersected 1.52 m of 54.25 g/t gold from a depth of 2.29 m, and 1.53 m of 8.89 g/t gold from 8.38 m, and 1.53 m of 14.26 g/t gold from 12.95 m;

Hole 3A17-125 intersected 2.29 m of 35.35 g/t gold from a depth 9.14 m, including 0.76 m of 59.30 g/t gold;

Hole 3A17-127 intersected 6.10 m of 22.30 g/t gold from a depth of 12.95 m;

Hole 3A17-126 intersected 1.52 m of 72.25 g/t gold from a depth of 14.48 m.

2017 3 Aces Exploration Program

The 2017 drill program, commenced in February, is initially focusing on the Spades Zone then expanding to other areas of the property. Drilling in the Spades Zone is intended to test targets including the depth and strike extensions of the Ace of Spades vein, stockwork mineralization encountered below the Ace of Spades vein, and, to conduct initial drilling at the Jack, Queen, Seven and Three of Spades. The 2017 drill program[1] will then focus on identifying and testing new mineralized vein targets combined with expanding the current gold targets in the Clubs, Hearts and Spades zones.

Forty-three reverse circulation holes were drilled in the first round of the 2017 program, completed on May 15, 2017, from an area measuring over 450 x 700 m (1,475 x 1,300 feet) in the Spades Zone. Results from four additional holes are pending.

Since June 1, 2017, an additional 13 RC holes for 718 m (2,355 feet) and 20 PQ diamond core holes for 1,906 m (6,253 feet) have been drilled in the Spades Zone to complete the second round, results pending. The current RC drilling will also focus on down-dip and along strike of the Ace of Hearts vein, the Queen of Clubs vein and the Seven of Spades zone. Initial drilling will be conducted at the northeast extension of the Ace of Spades, a newly discovered vein at the Three of Spades, the Queen of Hearts, the Six of Clubs and the Ten of Clubs.

Gold mineralization in the Spades zone is localized in the footwall of an east-west trending, south dipping shear zone which approximates a strongly sheared and folded phyllite/sandstone contact. Lenticular quartz veins and associate gold mineralization are best developed along north-northeast and north-northwest trending structures dipping 50 SE and 60-80 SW respectively. The gold bearing vein system is developed within a moderately dipping, southeast plunging syncline with a phyllite hanging wall and sandstone footwall. The best grade/thickness gold mineralization appears to be developed within the syncline fold axis and similar structural settings are being targeted for drilling immediately northwest and southeast of the Spades zone. In addition to the higher-grade intervals reported here, there are extensive zones in the current drilling that contain near surface intervals ranging from 0.25 g/t gold up to 3.0 g/t gold.

A second gold in soil anomaly is developed 400 m west of the Ace of Spades vein within a similar setting with arsenopyrite-bearing quartz veins developed along phyllite/sandstone contacts. The gold in soil anomaly has a strike length of approximately 250 m with gold values to 4.61 g/t gold and rock chip sample assays are pending. Arsenopyrite-bearing quartz veins have been recently discovered 450 m east of the Ace of Spades zone along the east-west shear zone and rock assays from recently excavated trenches are pending.

Soil sampling, trenching, road construction and property-wide geochemical grid surveying over favourable terrain have commenced for the 2017 season.

Significant Results Drill Table - Spades Zone Hole ID 1 Sample Type 2 From (m) To (m) Drilled Width (m) Gold g/t 3 3A17-100 RC 19.05 25.91 6.86 20.15 and RC 77.72 78.49 0.77 3.79* 3A17-101 RC 3.81 4.57 0.76 13.80 and RC 88.39 89.92 1.53 4.11 and RC 129.54 131.06 1.52 4.85 and RC 137.16 137.92 0.76 6.23 3A17-102 RC 25.15 26.67 1.52 6.19 3A17-103 RC 12.19 12.95 0.76 8.90* and RC 22.10 22.86 0.76 14.95 and RC 24.38 25.91 1.53 3.39 3A17-104 RC 48.77 49.53 0.76 10.95 and RC 100.58 101.35 0.77 7.74 3A17-106 RC 2.29 3.81 1.52 54.25 and RC 8.38 9.91 1.53 8.89 and RC 12.95 14.48 1.53 14.26 including RC 13.72 14.48 0.76 24.90 and RC 45.72 46.48 0.76 7.88 3A17-107 RC 6.10 6.86 0.76 26.90 3A17-108 RC 10.67 11.43 0.76 7.24 and RC 15.24 16.00 0.76 3.86 3A17-109 RC 25.15 25.91 0.76 4.47 and RC 27.43 28.19 0.76 14.40 and RC 43.43 44.20 0.77 7.96 3A17-114 RC 35.05 36.58 1.53 6.55 and RC 54.10 54.86 0.76 4.03* 3A17-115 RC 26.67 27.43 0.76 4.92 3A17-118 RC 48.01 48.77 0.76 13.05 and RC 51.05 51.82 0.77 12.60 and RC 66.29 67.06 0.77 3.06* and RC 75.44 76.20 0.76 4.51* 3A17-119 RC 30.48 31.24 0.76 3.94* and RC 40.39 41.15 0.76 5.90* 3A17-120 RC 21.34 22.10 0.76 4.26* and RC 24.38 25.15 0.77 5.58* and RC 36.58 38.86 2.28 7.73* including RC 36.58 37.34 0.76 15.40* 3A17-125 RC 9.14 11.43 2.29 35.35 and RC 49.53 51.05 1.52 4.39* and RC 97.54 98.30 0.76 4.98* 3A17-126 RC 14.48 16.00 1.52 72.25 including RC 14.48 15.24 0.76 109.00 3A17-127 RC 12.95 19.05 6.10 22.30 and RC 35.05 35.81 0.76 3.83 3A17-128 RC 16.00 17.53 1.53 11.36 and RC 23.62 24.38 0.76 4.99 and RC 25.15 25.91 0.76 4.31 and RC 32.00 34.29 2.29 6.10 and RC 76.96 77.72 0.76 3.00 and RC 84.58 85.34 0.76 3.05

1 Only Spades area holes with a drilled interval assaying 3.0 g/t gold are reported in table; - Hole 3A17-100's significant intercept from 19.05m to 25.91m includes 0.76m of 0.77 g/t Au at 22.10m depth - Holes 3A17-105, 3A17-112, 3A17-113, 3A17-116 and 3A17-117 returned multiple intervals 1.0 g/t but  3.0 g/t Au 2 Sample Type 'RC' is whole 5.5" (139.7mm) reverse circulation cuttings 3 All intervals are reported as drilled thicknesses; true thicknesses are estimated to be 50-100% of drilled thicknesses 4 Reported Au assay grade sourced from ALS using Au-SCR24B method (* indicates finalized Au-AA26 results are used)

3 Aces Project, Yukon

The 3 Aces Project includes the 3 Aces, Reef, and Hy Jay properties consisting of 1,734 claims covering 357 km (35,700 hectares) in southeast Yukon. The project is located along the all-season Cantung Mine Road which accesses the Cantung Mine, 40 km to the north. The 3 Aces Project, which includes the two highest grade surface discoveries to date in the Yukon, has over 25 mineralized veins that have been discovered through sampling, trenching, roadwork and drilling over 762 m (2,500 feet) of elevation within the Central Core area.

Surface outcrops of gold bearing quartz veins were discovered on the property, then advanced with extensive soil sampling and helicopter supported core drilling, which outlined significant gold anomalies over a Central Core Area of 10.5 km2. Previous exploration work by Golden Predator in 2015 and 2016, which included metallurgical studies, rotary air blast (RAB) drilling, RC drilling, diamond drilling and bulk sampling, focused on establishing reproducible gold grades and continuity of the Ace of Spades vein where previous diamond drilling had returned inconsistent grades. This work confirmed the high gold grades of the vein by better targeting and utilization of a sampling and assaying protocol derived from metallurgical studies.

The 3 Aces property is in the traditional territory of the Kaska Nation. In January 2013, Golden Predator signed an Exploration Agreement with the Kaska Nation, as represented by the Ross River Dena Council and the Liard First Nation, with respect to activities within their traditional territories. The 3 Aces Project operates under a Class 4 Mining Land Use Permit.

Sampling Methodology, Quality Control and Assurance

Because of the high-grade gold encountered at 3 Aces to date, the Company has taken steps to ensure that its sampling and assaying procedures can be depended upon. The Company has utilized larger diameter drilling to provide sample material for comparative/effectiveness analysis of past drilling programs, including sampling protocols, assay methods and QA/QC procedures, and to more confidently estimate grades of high-grade veins containing coarse gold.

All analyses for the drill samples from the program were performed by ALS with sample preparation in Whitehorse, YT, Terrace, B.C. or North Vancouver, B.C. and assaying in North Vancouver, B.C. Drill samples were analyzed using a 50 g fire assay with atomic absorption (AA) finish. If the procedure returned a value of 2.0 g/t gold or greater it is re-run using a 2kg screen metallic gold method (Au-SCR24).

The screen metallic procedure utilizes a two-kilogram split from each crushed sample, which is pulverized and passed through a 150-mesh screen. The material remaining on the screen (Plus fraction) is analyzed in its entirety by fire assay with gravimetric finish. The material that passed through the screen (Minus fraction) is homogenized and two 50 g subsamples are analyzed by fire assay with AA finish and averaged. The Plus and Minus fraction gold analyzes are weight averaged to obtain a final gold determination for the sample. Quality control and assurance (QA/QC) included 12% of the samples, consisting of reject duplicates, blank and certified reference materials.

Due to the lengthy delay in the receipt of final assays and their reporting, the Company has, upon completion of a sampling assessment and error study, altered its existing drill sampling and assaying protocol. The Company has implemented several changes to its protocol, effective immediately, and is confident this will result in a significantly reduced timeline in terms of receiving and reporting assays from the Company's drilling. The Company will also experience a significant cost reduction associated with these changes.

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mark C. Shutty, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and an employee of the Company.

Golden Predator Mining Corp.

Golden Predator Mining Corp. is a well-financed Canadian gold mineral exploration company expanding its surface discoveries, at the 3 Aces Project in Canada's Yukon, through focused drilling. The 3 Aces property is a high-grade gold in quartz project with an exploration program underway that includes sampling, trenching, drilling and bulk sampling to define and interpret the project. The Company also holds the Brewery Creek Project in Canada's Yukon.
VANCOUVER, July 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Advantage Lithium Corp. (the "Company" or "Advantage Lithium") (TSXV: AAL; OTCQX: AVLIF) is pleased to announce that a second rotary drill rig has been mobilized and has commenced drilling at the Company's lithium property located in the Cauchari Salar of Jujuy province in NW Argentina.

Cauchari News Update

A second drill rig has been added to speed up the exploration program. Drilling commenced on hole CAU09 in the SE target area 1 , 2 km southwest of drill hole CAU10 (Figure 1).

, 2 km southwest of drill hole CAU10 (Figure 1). Like CAU10 this hole is located near the property boundary with the Lithium Americas Corp. large lithium resource 2 (Figure 2) to extend the existing Cauchari JV resource to greater depth.

(Figure 2) to extend the existing Cauchari JV resource to greater depth. Hole CAU10 has now reached a final depth of 429 m. The hole will be widened to install well filters and casing then sampled for brine.

The five planned rotary holes will be installed as test production wells to allow pump testing at potential production flow rates. These wells could be used for future production, reducing future infrastructure requirements.

David Sidoo, CEO of Advantage Lithium, commented, "The second drill rig will fast track the development program on our Cauchari project. Our exploration team, headed by Miguel Peral, is doing an excellent job of advancing this drill program. We are focused on expanding the existing resource at the project and testing a large exploration target. As such the drill holes in our program are designed to test the exploration target at significantly greater depths than previous drilling. This very exciting project is in the heart of the lithium triangle, between established lithium producer Orocobre and the Cauchari development project of Lithium Americas-SQM and represents one of the best undeveloped lithium brine opportunities in South America. At this time lithium assay results are expected to be available in late August."

Drilling Observations

Drilling in CAU10 intersected intervals of sand, silt and clay within the thick salt sequence intersected in previous Cauchari drilling in 2011. Hole CAU09 (Figure 1) to date has intersected a mixture of sand and clay intervals to a depth of 68 m.

Holes CAU09 and CAU10 are being drilled though the existing Cauchari resource area in the SE of the project. This area is immediately underlain by the SE area of the exploration target (which consists of both SE and NW areas  see Figure 1). This large exploration target1 has been defined with a range of 125 to 1,855 million cubic metres of brine at between 260 and 600 mg/l lithium and 2,500 to 5,350 mg/l potassium for the lower and upper ranges1 respectively; this represents an in situ range of contained product of between 0.25 to 5.6 mt of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 0.9 to 19 mt of potash (KCl).

Drilling is being conducted near the eastern property boundary of the Lithium Americas Corp. resource, where the highest lithium grades in that project are presented in public announcements.

Drilling Schedule

The rotary drilling sequence is as follows (refer to Figure 1 for locations):

Complete CAU10

Complete CAU09

Rig returns to complete CAU07 (upper portion previously cased and cemented)

Drill CAU08

Drill CAU11

Having successfully completed hole CAU10 to 429m (one of the deepest holes drilled in the Cauchari basin), down-the-hole geophysical profiling will be correlated with lithological logs to provide the basis for filter installation and brine sampling.

The Cauchari exploration program consists of a number of phases of work to provide information for an updated resource estimate and as inputs for the planned scoping study. These are as follows:

Rotary drilling and well installation

Brine sampling

Diamond drilling to take core samples for porosity testing and install monitoring wells

Laboratory analysis of brine samples

Laboratory measurements of porosity samples

Advantage plans to mobilise a diamond drill rig to the project shortly, to install monitoring wells for the pump test wells. This will see three rigs operating on the project.

(1) An exploration target is not a mineral resource. The potential quantity and grade of the exploration target is conceptual in nature, and there has been insufficient exploration to define a Mineral Resource in the volume where the Exploration Target is outlined. It is uncertain if further exploration drilling will result in the determination of a Mineral Resource in this volume. (2) Immediately between the NW and SE exploration targets properties are held by Lithium Americas Corp. in Joint Venture with major lithium producer SQM. This project has an announced resource of 11.75 mt of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent at an average grade of 585 mg/l (Lithium Americas Corp NI 43  101 Technical Report Updated Feasibility Study Reserve Estimation and Lithium Carbonate Production at the Cauchari-Olaroz Salars, Jujuy Province, Argentina  March 29, 2017).

The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved on behalf of the company by Murray Brooker, MAIG, RPGEO, a "Qualified Person" as defined in NI 43-101.

About Advantage Lithium Corp.

Advantage Lithium Corp. is a resource company specializing in the strategic acquisition, exploration and development of lithium properties and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. The common shares of the company are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V:AAL), and the company is also traded on the OTCQX Best Market in the U.S. (OTCQX: AVLIF). The company has acquired a 100% interest in five projects in Argentina and up to a 75% interest in a sixth, called Cauchari. Cauchari is located just 20 km south of Orocobre's flagship Olaroz Lithium Facility. The Company is also earning an interest from Nevada Sunrise Gold Corp., in a portfolio of five lithium brine projects in the Clayton and Lida Valley regions of Nevada, USA, including 70% in Clayton NE.

Further information about the Company can be found at www.advantagelithium.com.
VANCOUVER, July 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Hannan Metals Limited ("Hannan" or the "Company") (TSX.V: HAN) (OTCPK: HANFF) is pleased to announce a maiden resource estimate for its 100%-owned Kilbricken zinc-lead-silver-copper deposit in Ireland.

Highlights include:

Total indicated mineral resource of 2.7 million tonnes at 8.8% zinc equivalent ("ZnEq"), including 1.4 millions tonnes at 10.8% Zneq;

Total inferred mineral resource of 1.7 million tonnes at 8.2% ZnEq, including 0.6 million tonnes at 10.4% Zneq;

This resource estimate is the first for the Kilbricken deposit, and immediately ranks it as one of the top ten base metal deposits discovered in Ireland by tonnes and grade (data sourced from the Irish Exploration, Mining Division website);

by tonnes and grade (data sourced from the Irish Exploration, Mining Division website); Two styles of mineralization are evident at Kilbricken. The upper Chimney Zone demonstrates the classic high-grade (>10% Zneq) Irish stratabound mineralization targeted by Hannan. This body has been drilled within an area of 750 metres by 200 metres and averages 12 metres thickness. The lower Fort Zone was found later than the Chimney zone and has been tested with fewer drill holes. It is structurally hosted, lower grade, but thicker, averaging 40 metres, and drilled within a 400 metre by 200 metres area.

Importantly, the initial resource is expandable at all scales, from near resource to prospect scale, and Hannan has already commenced a drill resource expansion program;

Mr. Michael Hudson, CEO and Chairman, states: "The maiden resource is an important milestone for Hannan. It demonstrates the high-grade potential of the deposit and immediately ranks Kilbricken as one of the top ten base metal deposits discovered to date in Ireland. This is significant initial achievement in a country that is ranked first in the world in terms of zinc discovered per square kilometre since the 1950's.

While this resource is substantial, it is also lies open in all directions with excellent potential for expansion. We currently have one drill rig operating a resource expansion program and we will soon be mobilizing additional drill rigs. We are able to approach our exploration and expansion programs with the benefit of extensive technical databases and an increased understanding of the controls on mineralization, providing an excellent chance for continued discovery."

Resource Expansion Drilling Update

Importantly, the initial resource is expandable at all scales, from near resource to prospect scale, and Hannan has already commenced a drill resource expansion program. The objectives of the 2017 drill program are three-fold:

To further delineate the underground potential around the current resource area as shown in Figure 1. Drilling is now ongoing within this area and initial drill results are expected within the next three weeks. To date two holes have been completed for 1,365 metres. To test conceptual and advanced exploration targets within 1-5 kilometres defined by recent structural and stratigraphic interpretation of re-processed 2D and 3D seismic data, lithogeochemistry and soil geochemistry as shown in Figure 2. Test for first order mineralization within the 40 kilometre under-tested Waulsortian host horizon that exists within Hannan's 100% owned 32,223 hectares of prospecting licences.

Figure 1 - Kilbricken Resource Area: Inclined view looking north east showing resource area, resource expansion targets , diamond expansion targets , diamond drill holes and historic prospects.





Figure 2 - Regional Kilbricken Area: Inclined view looking north east showing resource area, resource expansion targets , diamond holes and historic prospects.





Tables 1, 2 and 3 below outline global indicated and inferred resources for each mineralized body as well as a breakdown of resources by location for various lower cut off grades. Figures 1 and 2 show the mineral resource areas, resource expansion targets, diamond holes and historic prospects at different scales.

Table 1: Kilbricken Deposit Indicated Mineral Resources Base Case 5% ZnEq Lower Cut Off Grade Zone Category Cutoff Tonnes Zn% Pb% Ag g/t Cu% ZnEq% SG ZnEq% Chimney Indicated 5 1,369,000 5.6 4.2 66 0.1 10.8 3.5 Fort Indicated 5 1,287,000 3.7 1.4 34 0.5 6.7 3.0 Total Indicated 5 2,656,000 4.7 2.9 50 0.3 8.8 3.2 Table 2: Kilbricken Deposit Inferred Mineral Resources Base Case 5% ZnEq Lower Cut Off Grade Zone Category Cutoff Tonnes Zn% Pb% Ag g/t Cu% ZnEq% SG ZnEq% Chimney Inferred 5 635,000 5.9 3.6 61 0.1 10.4 3.4 Fort Inferred 5 1,046,000 3.4 2.5 30 0.3 6.8 3.0 Total Inferred 5 1,681,000 4.4 2.9 41 0.2 8.2 3.1

Table 3: Kilbricken Deposit Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources for the Chimney and Fort Zones at Various ZnEq Lower Cut Off

Grades. The 5% ZnEq base case is highlighted. Zone Category Cutoff Tonnes Zn% Pb% Ag g/t Cu% ZnEq % SG Chimney Indicated 4 1,444,000 5.4 4.1 64 0.1 10.4 3.4 Fort Indicated 4 1,452,000 3.6 1.4 33 0.5 6.5 2.9 Chimney Inferred 4 682,000 5.7 3.5 58 0.1 10.0 3.3 Fort Inferred 4 1,194,000 3.2 2.4 30 0.3 6.5 3.0 Chimney Indicated 5 1,369,000 5.6 4.2 66 0.1 10.8 3.5 Fort Indicated 5 1,287,000 3.7 1.4 34 0.5 6.7 3.0 Chimney Inferred 5 635,000 5.9 3.6 61 0.1 10.4 3.4 Fort Inferred 5 1,046,000 3.4 2.5 30 0.3 6.8 3.0 Chimney Indicated 6 1,291,000 5.8 4.4 67 0.1 11.1 3.5 Fort Indicated 6 790,000 4.4 1.5 34 0.5 7.5 3.0 Chimney Inferred 6 586,000 6.1 3.8 63 0.1 10.8 3.4 Fort Inferred 6 876,000 3.5 2.7 31 0.3 7.0 3.0 Chimney Indicated 7 1,173,000 6.0 4.5 70 0.1 11.5 3.5 Fort Indicated 7 407,000 4.8 1.3 43 0.8 8.5 3.0 Chimney Inferred 7 536,000 6.3 3.9 66 0.1 11.2 3.4 Fort Inferred 7 267,000 4.2 2.6 44 0.5 8.3 3.0

Note:The zinc equivalent (ZnEq) value was calculated using the following formula: ZnEq% = Zn % + (Cu% * 2.102) + Pb% * 0.815) + (Ag g/t * 0.023) with assumed prices of Zn $2587/t; Cu $5437/t; Pb $2108/t and Ag $18.44/oz.

Details of the Mineral Resource Estimate

The National Instrument 43-101 Mineral Resource estimate was calculated by Mr. Geoff Reed, MAUSIMM (CP), of Reed Leyton Consulting Pty Ltd ("Reed Leyton") from Sydney, Australia. The resource has an effective date of 10 July, 2017.

Reed Leyton estimated the Kilbricken Mineral Resource using a drill database of 222 drill holes for 118,000 metres produced by Lundin Mining Ltd, drilled from 2010 to 2012. The resource was calculated using mineralized intercepts from 76 drillholes and a comprehensive re-interpretation of the geology by Hannan. The resource does not include any 2017 drilling by Hannan.

A set of cross-sections and level plans were used to construct three-dimensional wireframe models at approximate cut-offs of 1% and 3% ZnEq for both the Chimney and Fort zones. All assays were composited, with a majority composited to two metre lengths, with a minimum half metre length. No upper cut-off was applied to zinc but an upper cut off was used for lead and copper mineralization at the Chimney zone and to lead, copper and silver at the Fort zone.

Block model grades within the wireframe models were interpolated in Vulcan by Ordinary Kriging with secondary check models by inverse distance squared. Classic density measurements (specific gravity of "SG") were performed on all samples. Indicated Mineral Resources were defined by at least 2 holes falling within a 30 metres sample distance, with the remainder of mineralization greater than 30 metres sample distance categorized as Inferred Mineral Resources.

The base case mineral resources reported above use a lower cut-off grade of 5% ZnEq or approximately US$60 per tonne net smelter return value based on potential underground mining scenarios.

The zinc equivalent (ZnEq) value was calculated using the following formula: ZnEq% = Zn % + (Cu% * 2.102) + Pb% * 0.815) + (Ag g/t * 0.023) with assumed prices of Zn $2587/t; Cu $5437/t; Pb $2108/t and Ag $18.44/oz. Equivalent recovery for all metals is assumed.

CIM definitions were followed for Mineral Resources. 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 Resources will be converted into Mineral Reserves.

A metallurgical gap analysis was performed for Hannan and reported on 30 March 2017, by Dr. Kurt Forrester of ARN Perspective Ltd, based on a report by SGS Mineral Services, Lakefield Facility, dated September 2010 and titled: "An Investigation by High Definition Mineralogy into the mineralogical characteristics of Fourteen Rock Samples from A Carbonate Hosted Base Metal Deposit, Ireland, prepared for Lundin Mining Exploration". The key finding, based on available information, is that it is likely a conventional lead-zinc flotation circuit at Kilbricken would achieve saleable mineral concentrates. Therefore, it is assumed that lead and silver will be recovered in a lead concentrate, and a separate copper circuit may be required.

About the Kilbricken Project

The Kilbricken project lies within the Clare zinc-silver-lead-copper property which consists of 9 prospecting licences ("PLs") for a total of 32,223 hectares. The project is in County Clare, Ireland, the western edge of which lies 1.5 km east of the town of Ennis.

The Property is underlain by an Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous sequence of sandstone and limestones. The stratigraphy appears simple, where units are upright and typically of consistent in thickness across the property. Syn-rift and/or later structures appear to complicate the geological framework, particularly in mineralized areas. The Lower Carboniferous sequence includes the Waulsortian Limestone, which hosts most of Ireland's important zinc-lead sulphide deposits, such as the Lisheen (pre-mining resource 18.9 Mt @ 15.0% Zn+Pb) and Galmoy (pre-mining resource of 6.2 Mt @ 12.4% Zn+Pb) deposits. This data has been sourced from the Irish Exploration, Mining Division website http://www.mineralsireland.ie/.

Two mineralized bodies are present at Kilbricken, the upper Chimney Zone and the lower Fort Zone. Both show an association with NW-SE striking extensional faults. The Chimney Zone, being the initial discovery area, has been most intensively drilled within an area of 750 metres by 200 metres, between 440-530 metres below surface and averages 12 metres thickness. Mineralization is controlled by a failed relay ramp between two extensional fault segments. It is stratabound at the base of the Waulsortian limestone. The Fort Zone was found later in the Lundin program and is drilled over an area of 400 metres by 200 metres, between 480-720 metres below surface with an average thickness of 40 metres. The mineralized body is wedge shaped and transgressive to the host rock. It follows an area of extensive dissolution of the host limestone and structurally it is located adjacent to the zone of maximum displacement of a south dipping extensional fault.

Qualified Person  Mineral Resources: The Mineral Resources disclosed in this press release have been estimated by Mr. Geoff Reed, MAUSIMM (CP), owner of Reed Leyton Consulting Pty Ltd and independent of Hannan Metals Ltd and have an effective date of 10 July 2017. By virtue of his education and relevant experience, Mr. Reed is a "Qualified Person" for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. The Mineral Resources have been classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves adopted by the CIM council on May 10, 2014. Mr. Reed, MAUSIMM (CP), has read and approved the contents of this press release as it pertains to the disclosed Mineral Resource estimates.

A National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days.

About Hannan Metals Limited (TSX.V:HAN)

Hannan Metals Limited has 100% ownership of the County Clare Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu project in Ireland, which consists of 9 prospecting licences for 32,223 hectares. Zinc remains in tight supply amidst rising demand and stagnant supply. Ireland is a leading global jurisdiction for zinc mining and exploration. It has been stated that Irish base metal ore field is ranked first in the world in terms of zinc discovered per square kilometre, and second in the world with respect to lead. In 2015, Ireland was the world's 10th largest zinc producing nation with 230,000 tonnes produced.

Over the last decade, the team behind Hannan has forged a long and successful record of financing and discovering mineral projects in Europe. Additionally, the team holds extensive zinc experience, gained from the world's largest integrated zinc producer of the time, Pasminco Ltd.

Mr. Michael Hudson FAusIMM, Hannan's CEO and Chairman, is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Metals Corporation (the Company) (TSX:III) reports that forest fires in south central British Columbia are threatening the homes of many employees who live in the Williams Lake area, and impacting operations at the Mount Polley mine site, located 56 km northeast of Williams Lake. Many of the roads used to access the mine site are currently closed. Employees who have been able to report for work have been reassigned to maintain mill operations at the expense of mining operations, which have significantly reduced. Should critical supplies such as fuel not be available due to road closures, the mine may be forced to suspend operations.

Many Red Chris employees also live in the Williams Lake area, and have been evacuated from their homes or are on evacuation alert. With the temporary closure of the Williams Lake airport, Red Chris charter flights from Williams Lake to Dease Lake have been cancelled. We are reorganizing our crews and adjusting charter flights into Dease Lake to maintain staffing levels at the Red Chris mine.

About Imperial

Imperial is a Vancouver based exploration, mine development and operating company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns the Red Chris, Mount Polley and Huckleberry copper mines in British Columbia. Imperial also holds a 50% interest in the Ruddock Creek lead|zinc property in British Columbia.
Govt team to visit India for GST talks

Showing concern on the possible impact on Goods and Services Tax (GST) imposed by the Indian government, a high level government team is holding talks with the Indian government officials on Tuesday.
South Korea will no longer require foreign English teachers to test for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to land a job here, on growing criticism over its discriminatory nature, the justice ministry said on Saturday.

Under the revised rules, which took effect July 3, those who come with an E-2 visa, a permit for English teaching in Korea, will only need to get a mandatory test for drugs and syphilis should they wish to find work in the country, the Ministry of Justice said.

Calls for a change in the required HIV testing grew after a New Zealander who had worked as an English teacher at an elementary school in Korea petitioned the United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination against the regulation in 2012.












Rep. Lee Hye-hoon, chairwoman of the minor opposition Bareun Party, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at her office at the National Assembly, July 4. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



Bareun Party leader charts new road for conservatives



By Kim Hyo-jin



One major difference between conservatives and liberals in South Korean politics is how they view North Korea.

In elections, liberal candidates have often been branded as "pro-North Koreans" or "North Korea followers" for their conciliatory views, and these smear campaigns have sometimes worked.



According to Rep. Lee Hye-hoon, the new leader of the conservative Bareun Party, however, this kind of malicious campaign capitalizing on the antipathy toward North Korea should not be repeated.



"It's not fair to attack President Moon Jae-in by calling him a North Korea follower. He just has a view that engagement can denuclearize North Korea," she said during an interview at her office in the National Assembly, July 4. "We can't tell which approach between sanctions and dialogue may work, but we should respect differences in viewpoints."



Lee criticized the bigger conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP) for labeling those with a conciliatory view on North Korea as pro-North Koreans, saying the party is pursuing "anti-communist McCarthyism" for its own gain.



"This should not be the road for the new conservatives," Lee said. "Such a stance has nothing to do with improving national security."



"The LKP is only doing this to clear out those who have opposing ideas to them. I wonder if they are qualified to live in a democratic society," she said, calling them mere reactionary, far-rightists.



"It's not only with views on the economic agenda, but also on security where the Bareun Party differs from the LKP."

The three-term lawmaker was elected party leader in late June. The post had been left empty since the party's first leader, Rep. Choung Byoung-gug, offered to resign soon after the March 10 ouster of scandal-hit former President Park Geun-hye.



The new leader's priority is seeking stable political ground for the seven month-old minor party.



The party started with the motto of being a new "reformative conservative" entity with 33 members who left the former ruling Saenuri Party, the predecessor of the current main opposition LKP.



With 13 lawmakers returning to the LKP in the run-up to the presidential election, the 20-member party now barely meets the minimum number to be a negotiating bloc.



Dismissing lingering concerns about the possible exodus of more lawmakers, Lee said she can rather take a bold step in reforming conservatives with the remaining lawmakers.



"They left us to seek political interest, to win the election. They have no interest in reforms or values for better politics. That's how the remaining lawmakers are different from them."



Rising popularity



The party is witnessing an inspiring change in public sentiment. The latest Gallup poll showed that it has become the second most popular party following the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).



It even beat the main opposition LKP in its conservative home turf North Gyeongsang Province and Daegu by 8 percentage points, the first time since its establishment.



The region stuck to the former ruling LKP even after the presidential corruption scandal that led to ouster of President Park Geun-hye, showing the largest support in the country for its presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo in the May 9 election.



Lee thinks the survey reflects loyal conservative voters, mainly in their 60s and 70s, starting to question what they had believed in.



"During the election campaign, they simply fell victim to fake news distributed by the LKP which said Hong and DPK candidate Moon Jae-in were in a neck-and-neck race," she said.



"They still voted for Hong despite the lack of willingness and feeling of shame and now they are finally reflecting on their choice."



Lee plans to increase face-to-face contact with citizens there to disperse doubts on the Bareun Party ahead of local elections next year. An image of "betrayers" against disgraced ex-President Park Geun-hye has been the biggest challenge for the party.



"Our main support base is people in the Seoul Metropolitan area in their 20s and 30s. They are our momentum in building a new conservative bloc. Nonetheless, we cannot give up on the old generation in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province," she said.



"Off-line, one-to-one meetings are key to winning their minds. I will visit where people gather casually, such as community centers, hairdressers, and real estate agents, with fellow lawmakers and talk them into standing by our side."



She also plans to have Yoo Seong-min and Nam Kyung-pil, high-profile members, hold lectures or so-called "talk concerts" at universities as a way to appeal to young supporters.



About 10,000 party members joined the party during the presidential campaign where Yoo's performance in debate sessions against his competitors shone. The party now has over 70,000 party members and many of them are in their 20s and 30s.



How to boost its presence



"With such a small number of parliamentary seats, I don't see us as a casting vote. And it's true that we can exert little political influence compared to major parties," she said.



"But I believe what citizens hope to see is not a party pushing ahead with political agenda with its parliamentary power, but a party taking a sensible approach."



In the multi-party system, the new leader is seeking to boost her party's presence by strengthening its independent stance.



Lee said for the past few months under the interim leadership the party focused too much on cooperation with other opposition parties, remaining hesitant in making its own decision while waiting to see the position of other opposition parties.



"Such a stance made us a nobody. We had no chance of promoting who we are, or what we believe," she said.

She vowed to swiftly express the party's position on the parliamentary agenda under her leadership. "If repeated, it will help us gain the public trust," she said.



Born in Busan, Lee majored in economics at Seoul National University and earned a PhD at UCLA. She later worked as a researcher at the Korea Development Institute and taught economics at the University of Leicester.



The economic expert entered politics in 2002 to fill her father-in-law's shoes. She attempted to run in the by-election for a parliamentary seat of Ulsan when her father-in-law and four-term lawmaker Kim Tae-ho passed away in the middle of his term there.



Though she failed to win the candidacy for an Ulsan constituency, she later won a parliamentary seat three times in Seocho, a wealthy district in southern Seoul.
By John J. Metzler



NEW YORK  We have seen this movie before and it never ends well. An arrogant and boastful dictator snubs the world and threatens his neighbors. The international community frets in rightful indignation but does little to respond. As tensions rise, the world appears hostage to a bully. And then comes the inevitable spark.



North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch on the 4th of July was intended as a double provocation; first showing Pyongyang's rapidly advancing technology had reached a dangerous new stage, and second as a direct snub to the United States on its Independence Day.



Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un was said to jest, "this is a gift for the Fourth of July."



While the United Nations Security Council met in urgent session and world powers chided the communist regime in Pyongyang for its provocative saber rattling, the stark reality remains that the quaintly titled Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has taken its missile program to a whole new level and gotten away with it.



Before long DPRK missiles can reach American territory, and perhaps within two years, those rockets can be fitted with nuclear warheads. What then?



The North Korean nuclear crisis has been brewing for a generation. Early in the proliferation process in 1994, the United States nearly went to war with the rogue regime in June as the Clinton Administration was on the verge of launching a massive military strike. But months later in October, the same Administration settled on an "Agreed Framework" a dangerous diplomatic deal which took military options off the table in exchange for Pyongyang's presumed political concessions and promises of non-proliferation.



Pyongyang played the U.S. and world powers as patsies and relentlessly pursed both proliferation and a parallel missile program to launch and deliver nuclear warheads.



On July 4th 2009, the new Obama Administration was shocked by a DPRK salvo of seven rockets menacing Japan and South Korea. But despite tough UN sanctions on its already moribund economy, North Korea has not imploded nor collapsed as most experts have been predicting for decades. Instead the totalitarian regime under the mercurial Kim Jong-un has built a threatening nuclear arsenal, which in the eyes of Pyongyang, affords the otherwise isolated DPRK security and regime survival.



So, should the world community nervously allow the DPRK into the nuclear club in the hope that it's Pyongyang's political bottom line, or finally confront North Korea during this narrowing window of opportunity?



The DPRK remains a bizarre Marxist monarchy which has ruled the northern half of the peninsula since 1948. Current ruler Kim Jong-un is the third in the family line which started with his grandfather Kim Il-sung who started the Korean war in 1950.



Though Pyongyang has never renounced the use of force to reunify the divided peninsula, regime wrath is far deeper to Japan and the U.S. than it is to fellow Korean cousins in the successful and democratic South. Significantly, Seoul, the prosperous South Korean capital, sits dangerously close to the DMZ and thus is held hostage to any military miscalculation.



So can the Trump Administration willfully look the other way to the DPRK's clear and present danger of nuclear armed missiles which may soon reach the USA?



Realistically the current threat focuses on the DPRK's medium-term capacity to launch missiles on Japanese territory, especially the Okinawa Islands which also host American military bases.



U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told the UN Security Council, "North Korea's destabilizing escalation is a threat to all nations in the region and beyond. Their actions are quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution."



The People's Republic of China remains North Korea's historic comrade and main trading partner. Yet, even Beijing is nervous with Pyongyang's rogue regime. China still props up the DPRK rulers not so much so that they prosper but to keep them from collapsing. China fears Korean reunification would extend U.S. influence up to its frontier.



But Beijing would be the biggest loser from any Korean nuclear confrontation. China's extraordinary economic development and commercial trade lifelines could be jolted by a regional conflict. Foreign investments on the Mainland would stagnate. Tourism would disappear. Refugees would flow. China's hard won socio/economic prosperity is thus held hostage to the whims and antics of Kim Jong-un's reckless political tantrums.



There's still a narrow window for diplomacy in which the U.S., Japan, South Korea and yes, China work together to defuse this crisis. Is Kim really worth it to China? The U.S. should make that case.





John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of "Divided Dynamism: The Diplomacy of Separated Nations: Germany, Korea, China." Contact jjmcolumn@earthlink.net.




Govt to implement One school one library campaign

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education Gopalman Shrestha has said that the government has arranged for facilities to ensure that conflict victims from Dalit and marginalised communities are not left out of school.
Beauty from the earth

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

Across the earth, nature has created limitless examples of magnificence in the natural designs of both plants and animals, as well as the splendor of the world's many spectacular landscapes. And every once in a while, new forms of beauty are also found when the creative hands of humans lovingly interact with the natural elements of the world.

Impressive example

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

One such example of the expressive interaction between items found in the natural world and man has been found for hundreds of years in the southwestern deserts of the United States, where Native American potters have searched for the finest of clay soils and fashioned that clay into meaningful, useful and beautiful ceramic items.

Hopi potters

(Image credit: Gwen Setalla)

Two such Hopi potters, Gwen and Dee Setalla, are brother and sister of the Frog Woman/Feather Women Potters who are historically known for their White Slip polychrome pottery. They are descendants of two generations of Hopi potters with their late mother, Pauline Setalla, being the most renowned. The Setallas follow in the tradition of Native American potters that archeologists tell us began some 7,500 years ago in the lower Amazon Basin of South America. The oldest known Hopi pottery is gray utility ware that dates back to 700 A.D. Pauline, her late husband Justin, Gwen and Dee Setalla are all shown here.

Generations of skill

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

The ancient Hopi potters passed their knowledge and skills on from one generation to the next. By the late 1800s, respect and appreciation for Hopi artists and their pottery began to spread across the world and the revival period of artistic Hopi pottery began. First Mesa, that ancestral home of the Setalla family, became best known for their spectacular pieces of pottery.

Color from nothing

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

The soil found across the Hopi Nation is predominately sedimentary, laid down during the geological periods when shallow seas ebbed and flowed over the entire region. Alluvial fans are common with many outcroppings of sandstone, shale, sandy loam and layers of yellowish-brown and light gray clay. Hopi clay when fired tends to change in color from cream to light red because the strata of clays found here are rich in iron.

Sacred places

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

Traditional Hopi potters still dig their clay from sacred holes found upon their ancestral land. The clay is usually found just a few inches under the hard, rocky top soils and tends to chip and fracture in small, flat grayish pieces. The Setallas say that one "must be very grateful for the clay and pottery." Prayers are said each morning with cornmeal and "when we dig clay, we leave food there. You can't be greedy and not leave anything."

Step by step

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

Once the sacred clay is removed from the earth, the potters take it through a series of steps to prepare it. All the processing is done by hand. Dee Setalla states that working with the clay is "like you are bringing it to life. You must treat it with respect. You treat it like you are raising a child, and guide it through the growing stages."

Shaping the pots

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

Hopi potters today still shape their pots with the techniques that their ancestors taught them. The coiling then scraping of the clay is the most common technique. Pottery wheels are never used by traditional Hopi potters. It is at this step of the pottery-making process that the potter's creative skills come into artful display.

Traditional decor

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

Traditional Hopi potters also paint their newly created pots in the ancient and traditional ways. Paints are made by boiling various local plants that have been collected each spring and which produce differing colors. The plants are boiled long enough to create a dark and thick "cake," which is known as guaco. The intricate and beautiful designs that are painted on the pots often reflect the potter's personal clan signs and symbols. Yucca leaf brushes are chewed and trimmed to various sizes for the potter to use while painting the designs freehand.

New fuel

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

Today's traditional Hopi potters fire their exquisitely decorated pots using sheep manure as the main source of fuel. Sheep are not indigenous to the Hopi people. They first arrived in the Hopi lands in 1629 when a group of Spanish Franciscan priests arrived at the First Mesa Hopi village of Awatovi to establish a mission church. Spanish sheep became a consistent source of food, their wool became a source of warm clothing and their dung a constant source of much-needed fuel to burn.

Rapid heating

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

Pots today are still fired in open-air kilns, covered with a heap of sheep dung and a few branches of cedar. The sheep dung provides a rapid and even heat when burned and can reach a temperature up to 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit (1,260 degrees Celsius). A typical sheep dung kiln will burn for approximately three to four hours.
Nepal Armys plan to run FM radio triggers debate

The Nepal Armys plans to run FM radios, as it began test transmission in Dipayal recently, has triggered a debate whether the national defence force should act as a broadcaster in a democracy.
Last week in London, UK the Westminster Health Forum event brought together clinicians, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss current challenges and future opportunities for innovation in the UK health sector.

The day began with Paul Rice, Head of Technology Strategy at NHS England, who detailed examples of UK Global Digital Exemplar Programs that are driving adoption during the process of digitizing the largest single-payer system in the world. Paul reminded the audience that meaningful change in complex health systems could only be achieved with People enabled by technot the other way around. Julia Manning, Director of 2020 Health, considered the power of Digital Phenotyping, or using analytics to capture mental health and behavior metrics from digital sources in order to prioritize resources and craft more effective treatment pathways for patients. It was stressed that such data-driven initiatives, such as depression diagnosis apps, cannot be spectator sports; they require immersion from their champions to truly understand the complexities of human use and challenges of improving patient wellness.

Charlie Davie, Managing Director of UCL Partners and the Academic Health Science Network, spoke of the success of a number of high-profile initiatives, including NHS Test Beds, the NHS Innovation Accelerator, and DigitalHealth.London. Dr Davie underscored the need to identify innovation gaps in the current healthcare system, but then to work with the system to implement new solutions. NHS Test Beds are a key example of this strategy: creating spaces for health and care workers to use novel interconnected devices, such as wearables and advanced data analytics, to improve patient wellness and pioneer in-home monitoring.

Andrew Davies, Market Access Director at ABHI, confronted the effect of Brexit on medtech later in the morning, including details of the ABHIs recent policy-focused surveys. Andrew plotted-out changes in attitudes over the past year in the UK, including the fact that Brexit remains the number one concern of the industry and that 97% of stakeholders want alignment with the current EU CE mark system going forward. Despite stressing the vital need for collaboration between the NHS and industry, a growing number of people in the industry also consider the long-term sustainability of the NHS a major concern, according to ABHI.

A panel discussion followed, which focused on using tech to redesign services and enable more effective self-care. Speakers included Helen Meese, Head of Healthcare at the iMechE, and Kay Boycott, Chief Executive Asthma UK, who both highlighted the importance of understanding the underlying principles of new technology as well as the final userevaluating new ideas based on marketability, evidence-driven claims, safety and usability. Taz Aldawoud, Digital Clinician Champion NHS England, and Ian Sharpe, Chief Executive of Digital Health Enterprise Zone, focused the discussion on integration of new technology on the ground level in NHS trusts. Both spoke of navigating large healthcare organisations and driving high-impact innovations, with the key advice being knowing both the right door to knock-on, and the right time to be knocking.

John Craig, CEO of Care City, began the days second session with insight on how Care City is revolutionizing community health access with innovation, research, and education focused in the key areas of dementia, chronic conditions, and care. John spoke of the importance of testing that is systemic, embedded, and realistic, and how such efforts can close the gap between invention and implementation, such as understanding why a rollout of a new technology can be seamless and smart in one location, and chaos in another. Hannah Harniess, Digital Health London Accelerator, introduced attendees to the 31 SME-led innovation projects that are benefiting from the accelerators power to embed.

Melissa Ream, Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network, spoke of the possibilities for 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) to furnish the radical change needed to reduce duplication and unnecessary visits in the NHS. Melissa introduced the IoT projects currently being trialed in two NHS trusts, including the TIHM for Dementia system that enables dementia patients to be better cared-for in their homes and give carers a piece of mind when they are absent.

Graeme Tunbridge, from the MHRA, introduced a regulatory perspective toward the close of the forum by summarizing impending regulatory changes and detailing the growing convergence of drugs, devices, and diagnostics. A number of challenging areas were highlighted and debated, particularly around the issues of direct-to-consumer genetic testing, 3D printing, self-care products, and the increasingly ubiquitous inclusion of AI in diagnostic software. Doris-Ann Williams, Chief Executive of BIVDA, also highlighted forthcoming reclassification of in-vitro diagnostic devices in the regulatory environment and guided the audience through the implications of these changes for innovators. Finally, Doris-Ann set out a significant future role for diagnostic testing as the foundation of truly personalized treatment regimen.

The forum brought together leading voices in the UK healthcare innovation space. Together they gave real insight into the complex and often highly variable process of actually implementing technological solutions that improve patient health first and foremost.

Details of future events can be found at the Westminster Health Forums web portal
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, July 10, 2017

A trade group representing many of the country's biggest newspapers, including The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, said Monday it's lobbying to revise antitrust laws in order to allow newspapers to bargain collectively with Google and Facebook.

"When it comes to the media, existing laws are having the unintended consequence of preventing news organizations from working together to negotiate better deals that will sustain local, enterprise journalism that is critical to a vibrant democracy," the News Media Alliance said in a statement posted on its website.

Paul Boyle, News Media Alliance senior vice president for public policy, says the group hopes to collectively address the "impact of the digital duopoly" -- meaning Google and Facebook -- on news organizations. "Their rules often commoditize news, and restrict the ability of publishers to implement business models like subscriptions," he says.

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He adds that the organization's push for a change in antitrust law is driven partly by the recent Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit against publishers that colluded with Apple to fix e-book prices. That prosecution had a "chilling effect" on other industries where players want to "come together and talk about potential business model issues," he says.

Congress has previously granted newspapers a limited exception from antitrust laws. In 1970, lawmakers enacted the Newspaper Preservation Act , which allowed newspapers in the same market area to form joint operating agreements.

Should Congress again revise the antitrust law, newspapers potentially could negotiate with Google and Facebook over several issues -- including matters like the amount of consumer data shared with publishers, and whether the platforms will point readers to the original sources of information, Boyle says.

Late last year, the News Media Alliance lobbied in favor of new copyright laws that could discourage online platforms like Google from aggregating news. "Copyright laws must be structured to allow for a return on investment, and not to encourage aggregators, search engines, social media sites and advertising networks to build revenue from content in which they do not invest," the group said last December in a letter to President Donald Trump.
Nepali Congress asserts supremacy in Biratnagar

The Nepali Congress (NC) emerged victorious in Biratnagarthe only metropolitan city in Province 1, with the party clinching both the mayoral and deputy mayoral positions.
Were excited to announce that metalbulletin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com.

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Juniper Networks, Inc. designs, develops, and sells network products and services worldwide. The company offers routing products, such as ACX series universal access routers to deploy high-bandwidth services; MX series Ethernet routers that function as a universal edge platform; PTX series packet transport routers; wide-area network SDN controllers; and session smart routers. It also provides switching products, including EX series Ethernet switches to address the access, aggregation, and core layer switching requirements of micro branch, branch office, and campus environments; QFX series of core, spine, and top-of-rack data center switches; and juniper access points, which provide Wi-Fi access and performance. In addition, the company offers security products comprising SRX series services gateways for the data center; Branch SRX family provides an integrated and next-generation firewall; virtual firewall that delivers various features of physical firewalls; and advanced malware protection, a cloud-based service and Juniper ATP. Further, it offers Junos OS, a network operating system; Contrail networking, which provides an open-source and standards-based platform for SDN; Mist AI-driven Wired, Wireless, and WAN assurance solutions to set and measure key metrics; Mist AI-driven Marvis Virtual Network Assistant, which identifies the root cause of issues; Juniper Paragon Automation, a modular portfolio of cloud-native software applications; and Juniper Apstra to automate the network lifecycle in a single system. Additionally, the company provides software-as-a-service, technical support, maintenance, and professional services, as well as education and training programs. It sells its products through direct sales, distributors, value-added resellers, and original equipment manufacturers to end-users in the cloud, service provider, and enterprise markets. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Ciena Corporation provides network hardware, software, and services that support the transport, routing, switching, aggregation, service delivery, and management of video, data, and voice traffic on communications networks worldwide. The company's Networking Platforms segment offers hardware networking products and solutions that optimized for the convergence of coherent optical transport, optical transport network switching, and packet switching. Its products include 6500 Packet-Optical Platform, 5430 Reconfigurable Switching System, Waveserver stackable interconnect system, and the 6500 Reconfigurable line system, and the 5400 family of Packet-Optical platforms, as well as Z-Series Packet-Optical Platform; 3000 family of service delivery switches and service aggregation switches, and the 5000 family of service aggregation switches, as well as 8700 Packetwave Platform and the Ethernet packet configuration for the 5410 Service Aggregation Switch; and 6500 Packet Transport System. This segment also sells operating system software and enhanced software features embedded in each of its products. The company's Blue Planet Automation Software and Services segment provides multi-domain service orchestration, inventory, route optimization and analysis, network function virtualization orchestration, analytics, and related services. Its Platform Software and Service segment offers OneControl unified management system and platform software services, as well as manage, control, and plan software. The company's Global Services segment provides consulting and network design, installation and deployment, maintenance support, and training services. The company sells its products through direct and indirect sales channels to network operators. Ciena Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Hanover, Maryland.
Fidessa group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides trading, investment, and information solutions to the financial community worldwide. The company offers access to the trading community of buy-side and sell-side professionals ranging from institutions and investment banks to boutique brokers, and niche hedge funds. It operates in two business units, Sell-side and Buy-side. The Buy-side business unit offers systems to cover stages of the investment process for various asset classes. The Sell-side business unit provides solutions and tools to support the trading of cash equities and derivatives. The company also provides connectivity network and management services that connect counterparties across financial markets; and market data services tuned for trading and powering the buy-side and sell-side throughout the trading life cycle. In addition, it offers post-trade services; and open and bespoke training courses covering various aspects of product sets for the buy-side and sell-side. The company was formerly known as Royalblue group plc and changed its name to Fidessa group plc in May 2007. Fidessa group plc was founded in 1981 and is based in Woking, the United Kingdom.
NOC to build oil depots in Nuwakot or Dhading

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) is considering constructing oil depots in Nuwakot or Dhading in anticipation of imports from China.
The following companies are subsidiares of General Dynamics: 42SIX LLC, ARMA Global Corporation, Advanced Technical Products, Aeromil (Australia) Pty Ltd, Aeromil Aircraft Engineering Pty Ltd, Aeromil Aviation Services Pty Ltd, Aeromil IT Services Pty Ltd, Aeromil Marine Pty Ltd, Aeromil Pacific Pty Ltd, American Overseas Marine Company LLC, Anteon International Corporation, Applied Physical Sciences, Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Ascend Intelligence, Australian Avionics Pty Ltd, Autonomic Resources LLC, Avion Logistics Limited, Avjet Corporation, AxleTech International, Axsys, BATH IRON WORKS CORPORATION, BP-HP Pte Limited, Bath Iron Works, Bath Iron Works Australia Corporation, Bath Iron Works Canada LLC, Bluefin Robotics Corporation, Blueprint Technologies Inc., Braintree I Maritime Corp., Braintree II Maritime Corp., Braintree III Maritime Corp., Braintree IV Maritime Corp., Braintree V Maritime Corp., Buccaneer Computer Systems & Service Inc., CSC Computer Sciences Venezuela S.A., CSRA, CSRA (Costa Rica) S.A., CSRA (Guyana) Inc., CSRA (Middle East) LLC, CSRA Argentina S.R.L., CSRA BH d.o.o., CSRA Bahamas Limited, CSRA Bahrain S.P.C., CSRA Belgium SPRL, CSRA Bolivia S.R.L., CSRA Brazil Servicos de Tecnologia Ltda., CSRA Canada Inc., CSRA Caribbean Inc., CSRA Chile SpA, CSRA Colombia SAS, CSRA Commerce 2010 LLC, CSRA Consular Services Holding Company LLC, CSRA Consular Services Inc., CSRA France SARL, CSRA Guatemala Solutions Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Honduras Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Inc., CSRA Information Systems LLC, CSRA Information Technology Spain SL, CSRA Ireland Limited, CSRA Italy S.R.L, CSRA Kosovo L.L.C., CSRA LATAM LLC, CSRA LLC, CSRA Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., CSRA Netherlands B.V., CSRA Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Panama Inc., CSRA Peru S.R.L., CSRA Senegal SARL, CSRA South Africa (Pty) Ltd, CSRA State and Local Solutions LLC, CSRA Systems & Solutions LLC, CSRA Trinidad & Tobago Limited, CSRA Turkey Bilisim Teknolojileri Limited Sirketi, CSRA Uruguay S.R.L, CSRA Visa Services Israel Ltd., CSRAIT - Information Services Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Centauri Solutions LLC, Command System, Computing Devices International, Concord I Maritime Corporation, Concord II Maritime Corporation, Concord III Maritime Corporation, Concord IV Maritime Corporation, Concord V Maritime Corporation, Convair Aircraft Corporation, Convair Corporation, Creative Technology, Customer Services Ecuador CSRA S.A., Devcor, Diamond Fortress Technologies, DynPort Vaccine Company LLC, EB Groton Engineering Inc., EBV Explosives Environmental, ELCS-CZ s.r.o., Eagle Enterprise Inc., Earl Industries - Ship Repair and Coatings Division, Ebv Explosives Environmental Company, Electric Boat - Australia LLC, Electric Boat - UK LLC, Electric Boat Canada LLC, Electric Boat Corporation, Electric Boat France LLC, Electrocom Inc., Engineering Technology, Expro Finance Inc., FBD Fahrzeug und Bremsendienst GmbH, FC Business Systems, Fidelis Cybersecurity, Force Protection, Force Protection Europe Limited, Force Protection Inc., ForeSight Technology Services LLC, Freeman United Coal Mining Company LLC, GD Brazil Holdings LLC, GD European Land Systems - Steyr GmbH, GD European Land Systems Holding GmbH, GDOTS Services Corporation, GM GDLS Defense Group L.L.C., GPS Source Inc., GTE Government Systems, GWA-Datatrac FAST LLC, Galaxy Aerospace Company, Gayston Corporation - Defense Operations, General Dynamics - OTS (Global) Inc., General Dynamics AIS Australia Pty Ltd, General Dynamics Canadian Finance Inc., General Dynamics Canadian Holdings Inc., General Dynamics Commercial Cyber Services LLC, General Dynamics European Finance Limited, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Austria GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Bridge Systems GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Czech s.r.o., General Dynamics European Land Systems - Denmark ApS, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Deutschland GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - FWW GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Mowag GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems Romania S.R.L., General Dynamics European Land Systems S.L., General Dynamics Global Force LLC, General Dynamics Global Holdings Limited, General Dynamics Global Imaging Technologies Inc., General Dynamics Government Satellite Services LLC, General Dynamics Government Systems Corporation, General Dynamics Government Systems Overseas Corporation, General Dynamics Information Technology Canada Limited, General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., General Dynamics Information Technology Limited, General Dynamics Installation Services LLC, General Dynamics International Corporation, General Dynamics Itronix LLC, General Dynamics Land Systems - Australia Pty. Ltd., General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Corporation, General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Services Inc., General Dynamics Land Systems - Canadian Services Limited, General Dynamics Land Systems - Force Protection Inc., General Dynamics Land Systems Customer Service & Support Company, General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., General Dynamics Limited, General Dynamics Marine Systems Inc., General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., General Dynamics Mission Systems International Limited, General Dynamics Mission Systems Overseas Company LLC, General Dynamics Motion Control LLC, General Dynamics OTS (Aerospace) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (California) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (DRI) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (Niceville) Inc., General Dynamics OTS (Pennsylvania) Inc., General Dynamics One Source LLC, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Canada Inc., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Canada Valleyfield Inc., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Simunition Operations Inc., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc., General Dynamics Overseas Systems and Services Corporation, General Dynamics Properties Inc., General Dynamics Robotic Systems Inc., General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies Inc., General Dynamics Satcom Technologies Asia Private Limited, General Dynamics Satellite Communication Services LLC, General Dynamics Saudi Holdings S.L., General Dynamics Shared Resources LLC, General Dynamics Support Services Company, General Dynamics Swiss Financial Management Limited, General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited, General Dynamics Worldwide Holdings Inc., General Dynamics-OTS Inc., General Motors Defense, Gulfstream 100 Holdings LLC, Gulfstream Aerospace, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (CA), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (DE), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (GA), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (OK), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of Texas, Gulfstream Aerospace Hong Kong Limited, Gulfstream Aerospace LLC, Gulfstream Aerospace LP, Gulfstream Aerospace Ltd., Gulfstream Aerospace Services Corporation, Gulfstream Aerospace Sociedad de Responssabilidad Limitada de CapitalVariable (S. de R.L. de C.V.), Gulfstream Do Brasil Servicos De Suporte E Manutencao A Aeronaves Ltda., Gulfstream International Corporation, Gulfstream Leasing LLC, Gulfstream Product Support Corporation, Gulfstream Services Corporation, Gulfstream Tennessee Corporation, Gulfstream-California Inc., Hawker Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Hawker Pacific Aircraft Management Pte Ltd, Hawker Pacific Airservices Limited, Hawker Pacific Airservices Pvt Ltd, Hawker Pacific Asia Holdings Pte Ltd, Hawker Pacific Asia Pte Ltd, Hawker Pacific Australia Pty Ltd, Hawker Pacific Aviation Services Pty Ltd, Hawker Pacific NZ Limited, Hawker Pacific Pty Ltd, IPWireless, IPWireless PTE. Limited, Information Services Consulting Limited, Interiores Aereos S.A. de C.V., International Manufacturing Technologies Inc., Itronix, Janteq Australia PTY Limited, Janteq Corp., Jet Aviation, Jet Aviation (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd., Jet Aviation (Bermuda) Ltd., Jet Aviation (Hong Kong) Ltd., Jet Aviation (Malaysia) SDN BHD, Jet Aviation 125 Services LLC, Jet Aviation AG, Jet Aviation Brazil Holdings Inc., Jet Aviation Business Jets (Hong Kong) Limited, Jet Aviation Business Jets AG, Jet Aviation Business Jets FZCO, Jet Aviation California LLC, Jet Aviation Dulles LLC, Jet Aviation Flight Services Inc., Jet Aviation France SAS, Jet Aviation Holding GmbH, Jet Aviation Holdings USA Inc., Jet Aviation Houston Inc., Jet Aviation International Inc., Jet Aviation Malaga SA, Jet Aviation Management AG, Jet Aviation Netherlands B.V., Jet Aviation Savannah Holding LLC, Jet Aviation Services GmbH, Jet Aviation St. Louis Inc., Jet Aviation Teterboro LP, Jet Aviation Texas Inc., Jet Aviation of America Inc., Jet Aviation/Palm Beach Inc., Jet Professionals LLC, Kylmar, Longreach Energy LLC, MAYA Viz, Maricom Systems Incorporated, Material Service Resources Company LLC, Matthews Land Company, Mediaware International, Mediaware International Pty Ltd, Metro Machine, Metro Machine co, Midwest Properties Sales LLC, NASSCO, NASSCO Holdings Incorporated, NES Associates LLC, National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, Network Connectivity Solutions Corp., Newberry Holdings LLC, OOO Jet Aviation Vnukovo, Open Kernel Labs, Page Europa Srl, Patriot I Shipping Corp., Patriot II Shipping Corp., Patriot IV Shipping Corp., Plane 79 LLC, Praxis Engineering Technologies LLC, PrimeX Technologies, Prodelin India Private Limited, Proyectos Prohumane Mexico S.A. de C.V., Quincy Maritime Corporation III, Raven Acquisitions LLC, SENTECH INC., SRA International Inc., Saco Defense, Santa Barbara Sistemas S.A., Savannah Air Center LLC, Signal Solutions LLC, Southern Illinois Recovery Inc., Spectrum Astro, St. Marks Powder Inc., Stabilo Pty Ltd, Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG & Co KG, Sydney Jet Charter Pty Ltd, Tadpole Computer, Tecnologias Internacionales de Manufactura S.A. de C.V., Tenacity Solutions Incorporated, The Depth of Ideas for General Trading LLC, TriPoint Global Communications, Vangent, Vangent Servicios de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Veridian, Vertex Antennentechnik GmbH, ViPS, Vulnerability Research Labs LLC, and Weco LLC.

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GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, and health-related consumer products in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare. The company offers pharmaceutical products comprising medicines in the therapeutic areas, such as respiratory, HIV, immuno-inflammation, oncology, anti-viral, central nervous system, cardiovascular and urogenital, metabolic, anti-bacterial, and dermatology. It also provides consumer healthcare products in wellness, oral health, nutrition, and skin health categories. The company offers its consumer healthcare products in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, syrups, lozenges, gum and trans-dermal patches, caplets, infant syrup drops, liquid filled suspension, wipes, gels, effervescents, toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes, denture adhesives and cleansers, topical creams and non-medicated patches, lip balm, gummies, and soft chews. It has collaboration agreements with 23andMe; Lyell Immunopharma, Inc.; Novartis; Sanofi SA; Surface Oncology; Progentec Diagnostics, Inc.; Alector, Inc.; and CureVac AG., as well as strategic partnership with IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. The company was formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline plc and changed its name to GSK plc in May 2022. GSK plc was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Brentford, the United Kingdom.
RJP-N, UML leaders on hush hush parleys

Second rung leaders of agitating Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal and main opposition CPN-UML were engaged in 'secret' meetings at a hotel in Kathmandu to discuss on the issues of the amendment proposal.
LVMH Moet Hennessy - Louis Vuitton, Societe Europeenne operates as a luxury goods company worldwide. The company offers champagnes, wines, and spirits under the Clos des Lambrays, Chateau d'Yquem, Dom Perignon, Ruinart, Moet & Chandon, Hennessy, Veuve Clicquot, Ardbeg, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Glenmorangie, Krug, Mercier, Chandon, Cape Mentelle, Newton Vineyard, Cloudy Bay, Belvedere, Terrazas de los Andes, Bodega Numanthia, Cheval des Andes, Woodinville, Ao Yun, Clos19, and Volcan de mi Tierra brands. It also provides fashion and leather products under the Berluti, Celine, Christian Dior, Emilio Pucci, FENDI, Givenchy, Kenzo, Loewe, Loro Piana, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Moynat, Patou, and RIMOWA brands. In addition, the company offers perfumes and cosmetics under the Acqua di Parma, Benefit Cosmetics, Cha Ling, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, Fresh, Givenchy Parfums, Guerlain, KVD Beauty, Kenzo Parfums, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Make Up For Ever, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Officine Universelle Buly, Parfums Christian Dior, and Perfumes Loewe brands; watches and jewelry under the Bulgari, Chaumet, Fred, Hublot, Repossi, TAG Heuer, Tiffany & Co., and Zenith brands; and custom-designed yachts under the Feadship brand name, as well as designs and builds luxury yachts under the Royal Van Lent brand. Further, it provides daily newspapers under the Les Echos brand; Belmond, a luxury tourism service; home other activities under the Belmond, Cheval Blanc, Connaissance des Arts, Cova, Investir, Jardin d'Acclimatation, La Samaritaine, Le Parisien, and Radio Classique brands; and selective retailing products under the DFS, La Grande Epicerie de Paris, Le Bon Marche Rive Gauche, Sephora, and Starboard Cruise Services brands, as well as operates Jardin d'Acclimatation, a leisure and amusement park. The company operates 5,556 stores. LVMH Moet Hennessy - Louis Vuitton, Societe Europeenne was incorporated in 1923 and is headquartered in Paris, France.
The following companies are subsidiares of SK Telecom Co.,Ltd: ADT CAPS Co. Ltd., ADT Caps, Atlas Investment, CAPSTEC Co. Ltd., Cyworld, DongGuan Iriver Electronics Co. Ltd., Dreamus Company, Eleven Street Co. Ltd., FSK L&S (Hungary) Co. Ltd., FSK L&S (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FSK L&S Co. Ltd., FSK L&S Vietnam Company Limited, Hana Card, Hanaro Telecom, Happy Hanool Co. Ltd., Home & Service Co. Ltd., ID Quantique, Id Quantique LLC, Incross Co. Ltd., Infra Communications Co. Ltd., Iriver China Co. Ltd., Iriver Enterprise Ltd., K-net Culture and Contents Venture Fund, Korea Thrunet, LG HelloVision, Life & Security Holdings Co. Ltd., Life Design Company Inc., Mindknock Co. Ltd., Onestore Co. Ltd., PS&Marketing Co. Ltd., Panasia Semiconductor Materials LLC, Quantum Innovation Fund I, SK Broadband, SK Broadband Co. Ltd., SK Communications Co. Ltd., SK Global Healthcare Business Group Ltd., SK Infosec Co. Ltd., SK M&Service Co. Ltd., SK O&S Co. Ltd., SK Planet Co. Ltd., SK Planet Global Holdings Pte. Ltd., SK Planet Japan K. K., SK Telecom China Fund I L.P., SK Telecom China Holdings Co. Ltd., SK Telecom Innovation Fund L.P., SK Telecom TMT Investment Corp., SK Telink Co. Ltd., SK stoa Co. Ltd., SK telecom Japan Inc., SKP America LLC, SKT Americas Inc., SKinfosec Information Technology (wuxi) Co. Ltd., Service Ace Co. Ltd., Service Top Co. Ltd., Shopkick, Tbroad Nowon Broadcasting Co. Ltd., YTK Investment Ltd., iRiver Ltd, and id Quantique Ltd..

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Snap Inc. is a social media company operating globally. The company was founded in September 2011 by Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy. Originally known as Snapchat, the company changed its name to Snap in order to represent its offerings better as it grew over the years. The companys headquarters are in Santa Monica, California and it is a very tightly held company. The original founders, Evan Speigel and Bobby Murphy own a combined 45% of non-dilutable shares with ownership transferable to the other upon death. The two remain active in the company today serving on the board and acting as CEO (Speigel) and CTO (Murphy).

The company was formerly known as Snapchat, Inc. and changed its name to Snap Inc. in September 2016. Snap Inc. was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Over the years it has been courted by most of the big tech companies including Facebook and Google but has always opted to remain a standalone company. The business went public in 2017 and raised $30 billion on its opening day which is about 10 times the expected amount.

Today, Snap operates as a camera company internationally. The companys main revenue streams are Snapchat, a mobile app for cameras and communications, and Spectacles, a wearable augmented reality device. Snapchat is a camera app that allows users to take pictures and tell stories, the platform also permits ad sales which is an integral part of the revenue and earnings. The companys mission? To empower people to express themselves in todays digital world.

Spectacles is a hardware device that can connect with Snapchat to deliver pictures and video from a point-of-view perspective. The company has since made three upgrades to the original version and has a Next Generation model available too. The Next Generation of Spectacles are not intended for sale but will be made available to creators who wish to push the boundaries of video and digital communications.

In October 2022 the company reported it had more than 347milion daily active users with more than 250 million engaging with AR each day. The platform had more than 250,000 Lens creators (Lenses are AR experiences) with more than 2.5 million lenses created. There were more than 6 billion lens plays each day and more than 75% of 13-34-year-olds in 20 countries were users.
Two dead, 26 injured in Salyan bus accident

A passenger bus swerved off the road and plunged nearly 200 metres below at Sallekhola in Tribeni Rural Municipality of Salyan on Sunday, killing at least two persons and injuring 26 others. Sixteen of the injured are reportedly in critical conditions.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Music is meant to unite and not to create divisions and enmity among others, who is saying this?

The Akuapem rap proponent Isaac Akuffo popularly known as Koo Ntakra in the music scenery has vividly expressed his dissatisfaction with the organizers of the Eastern Music Awards.

The tension and the already non-existing' ties among the artistes in the eastern region was rekindled all in the name of this purported Eastern Music Awards through their vague voting system which sparked a whole lot of confusion among fans and followers of the maiden awards. Many have raised eyebrows about the system of voting for the awards ever since it was opened to the public, and Koo Ntakra one of the leading nominees is of no exception.

No wonder they say "Ghanaians are so concerned about diplomas and awards". Competition has shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further but cooperation which is the thing we must strive for today begins where competition leaves off thus an admonishment to others to work towards their goals and their talent rather than striving for accolades as they say competition brings out the best in products and the worst in people.

Therefore the ultimate priority of his career is to impact lives through the stories of life he tells with his music and to get his fans thrilled with good music and in return get himself some bucks and that is "showbiz" not some mere incredible laurels intended to break alliance, the King of Kofcity as he has become known by many took to his facebook page to pour out his dissatisfaction and advised the organizers of the award scheme to not use their award to break relationships of the artists in the region which already they are trying hard to cooperate among themselves.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra-10th July, 2017: July 15, 2017 marks one year of Danny Netteys departure to join his Maker. In commemoration of this, the first of an annual Worship Summit will be held on Friday 14 July, 2017 at 5:00pm at the main hall of the College of Physicians and Surgeons near Ridge Circle.

The theme for the event is More than a song - A life of Worship (For me to live is Christ to die is gain-Philippians 1:21).

Danny Nettey dedicated his life to worshiping his Maker. He inspired and blessed many, locally and abroad, with his worship. He has been described as one of the pioneers the Papa -of Gospel music in Ghana. Danny Netteys dedication as well as his musical talent are widely acknowledged and left a lasting impact.

Mr Daniel Clottey, Dannys uncle, says For Danny worship was more than a song it was his whole life. His music and his life remain channels for bringing people to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. There couldn't therefore be a better way of remembering him.

The summit is aimed at highlighting how true worship is a way of life, not just a musical performance.

Speakers at the event will include Danny's 'Pals' (his schoolmates at Accra Academy with whom he ministered from his early days), Pastor Abu Baku and Pastor Andy Yawson.

Song ministration and testimonies will be rendered by Pastor Helen Yawson,

Nii Okai, Patrick Masoperh, Calvis Hammond, Teddy Zaroe and Joycelyn Armah

All are invited to participate in this worship event in memory of Danny.

Attire is white.
Police have declared the lady who was the last person to have checked into a hotel at Dansoman with the unnamed Dental Surgeon with the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Thursday July 6, 2017 before his death wanted.

The lady only identified as Sarah, was reported to have checked into the hotel with him but left an hour earlier before management of the facility found the medical doctor dead and subsequently prompted the security agencies.

Her arrest police reveal, will help unravel the mystery behind the death of the Senior lecturer in ongoing investigations.

It is not clear what exactly caused the death of the unnamed Medical Doctor but Public Relations Officer for Greater Accra Region, ASP Efia Tenge said: the Police, yesterday around 7pm, received a complaint from the management of a hotel operating in Dansoman that a man checked in with a lady whose name has only been given as Sarah in the evening but later found the man dead in his hotel room after the lady had checked out an hour after.

An autopsy is yet to be conducted on the body that has been deposited at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to ascertain the cause of death.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has hinted of series of meetings with controversial lawmaker for Assin Central Constituency, Kennedy Agyepong in order to address his concerns.

Acting General Secretary, John Boadu on Accra-based Okay Fm said the party has taken cognizance of his concerns, adding that its silence was not indicative of the fact that nothing will be done about the matter.

He admits that the outspoken party firebrand could be going contrary to regulations in the party and therefore underscored the need for closed door meeting to resolve any grievances.

The General Secretary, however, called for tempers to be cool and aggrieved parties within the party to patiently wait till all concerns are addressed at an appointed date.

Recently, Mr Kennedy Agyepong took on the partys leadership and warned them not to seek re-election if they failed to speak out about happenings in the party with some persons scheming to bring down his business empire.

National Executives I am warning you, if they dont open their mouths and talk for those who have been given appointments to assist the youth to get jobs, they should not dare contest for reelection.that is the condition I am giving them. They should ensure that those who are in positions facilitate the youth to get employment in order to support the party. So soon they have started agitating. As for me I wont keep quiet. I will talk because I am ready to die for Ghana and NPP, he was quoted as saying.

He also threatened to divulge how the party won the 2016 polls if some unnamed elements within the elephant family continue to test his patience indicating that the party did not win the election on fair grounds.

Acting National Chairman of the party, Freddie Blay in response to the issue, said the media has blown his comments out of proportion and that the lawmaker had been taken out of context.
Wa, July 8, GNA - The Market-Oriented Agriculture Programme (MOAP), will focus on building strong ties between local farmers in North West Ghana and processors of agricultural produce around the globe.

These processors will add value to the produce, generate employment and create wealth for smallholder farmers supplying them with the necessary agriculture produce.

Mr Bernhard Abels, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy who made this known during the launch of the programme in Wa said the project would equally help smallholder farmers to produce the type of crops and the required quality that was demanded by strong private sector off-takers.

He added that the programme would create win-win conditions for both processors and smallholder farmers.

He gave the assurance that processors would be able to secure raw materials while smallholder farmers would enter into long term agreements with off-takers who would receive extension services as well as finance and be able to fetch good price for good quality.

'This will give them long term planning security and how to earn steady income', he said.

Mr Abels pointed out that with more irrigation and the support of tree crops such as mangoes and cashew, smallholder farmers would be provided with the opportunities to crop also outside the traditional cropping season.

He said this presented people with a real alternative to migration, as it was time to transform the African economies that were built on the export of unrefined raw materials to value added economy that provided jobs to the strong middle class societies that lifted the mass of the people out of poverty.

Mr Abels said the project launch provided an important mile stone towards value addition for agriculture raw materials.

He said he agreed with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo when he said Ghana had the human resources with women and the youth at the forefront to transform the structures of the economy and to be part of the international division of labour at the high end of the value.

Mr William Hanna, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Ghana said the Union made up of 28 different countries after a number of years of war against each noticed that they could only solve their problems if they worked together.

He said after agreeing to work together for their common goal, it was then decided that they start from agriculture since it was a critical component of many economies around the world.

Mr Hanna said Ghana was so much connected to what was happening in the international gallery with respect to agriculture, which was good for the country in terms of getting support to develop its agriculture sector.

He said the EU believed strongly in the Paris Agreement on climate change, hence its preparedness to support Ghana to build the needed resilience in the agriculture sector.

Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister expressed appreciation to the EU for the investment being made to improve lives of the vulnerable and reducing poverty in the area.

He observed that by strengthening the resilience of smallholder farmers could guarantee food security and improve livelihoods for the people of the Region and the three other beneficiary districts in the Northern Region.

By prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA
Fiapre, (B/A), July 9, GNA - Ms Grace Adomako, a project Co-ordinator of the Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF) a non-governmental organisation, has called for a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the alarming trend of child marriage in the country.

She said though Ghana was signatory to a number of international conventions that criminalised child marriage, the practice had gain roots.

She commended the government for the national strategic plan designed to fight child, explaining that the measures ought to be intensified to augment such efforts.

Ms Adomako made the call when speaking at a church service at the Fiapre Zion Presbyterian Church in line with an outreach project on ending child marriage being implemented by the NGO in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

She said child marriages were rife notably in Upper East, Upper West, Northern and Brong-Ahafo regions.

Ms Adomako indicated that the government and her assigned institutions could not shoulder the responsibility to fighting the practice alone and appealed to churches and Muslim leaders to support the efforts.

She advised girls to avoid pre-marital sex and cautioned those who could not control their sexual desires to guard against unprotected sex.

Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GlOMEF, appealed to the public to help identify perpetrators to be prosecuted.

He said teenage pregnancy and some traditional values were the major driving force to child marriages in the society.

The CEO explained that the three-year project dubbed: "Stop the clock: say no to child marriage," was being funded by his NGO and aimed at intensifying community education as a means to tackle the practice.

Mr Ahenu entreated parents to endeavour to provide the needs of their girls and also draw them closer to them.

He said the adolescent people should not be denied sex education as they remained sexually active.

Catechist Grace Ofori Boakye the Overseer of the Church charged Christians to guard against sinful pleasures.

Describing sin as a dictator, Catechist Boakye asked Christians to be watchful so that it could not take them back into bondage.

Preaching on the theme: "come unto me," she expressed discomfort that despite the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ, many Christians were still in the bondage of fornication, alcoholism, liars and backbiting.

This, she explained was why Satan had the power over to afflict some Christians.

GNA

By Dennis Peprah, GNA
09.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 9, GNA - A workshop on the need for local content policy for the construction sector will be held on Tuesday July 11, in Accra to discuss how the nation can grow its construction manpower without reliance on foreign companies.

The workshop will provide the platform to discuss the government's local content policy in the light of helping government develop a comprehensive policy for the construction industry.

It will also examine how local content in the construction industry has been achieved elsewhere; and to help government identify and develop programmes, projects and strategies to actualise the local content policy.

Construction sector ministries, construction sector associations, GREDA, Ghana Institution of Surveyors, Architects Registration Council, and the Public Procurement Authority are expected to participate in the day's seminar.

Mr Rockson Dogbegah, Construction Sector Chair of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), in an interview ahead of the programme, said the construction industry urgently required the formulation and passage of a local content policy to ensure a vibrant and strong local construction industry necessary for the sustainable development of the country.

He said the capacity of Ghanaian construction firms needed to be beefed up as the country cannot continue to rely primarily on the expertise and resources of foreign companies for construction projects.

'The Mission of the AGI Construction Sector is to influence the development and growth of the construction industry, through effective stakeholder engagements and policy reform initiatives that will enhance the capacity and competitiveness of construction sector service providers in Ghana,' Mr Dogbegah said.

Mr Dogbegah, who is also the Vice President for Chartered Institute of Building, Africa, (CIOB), said a local content policy for the sector would enhance the sector's contribution to national growth.

He said the issue of local construction companies lacking the capacity to deliver on big projects could be addressed with the formulation and passage of the local content policy for the sector.

The local content policy when passed must compel all foreign civil construction companies to partner local construction companies.

He said this would help build and develop the capacity of the local construction companies.

'We must pass a law that will prevent foreign companies from securing any construction contract without a local partner over a period of time.

'This will help build the capacity of the local companies within the period and we can then take that protection off after that period so that we all compete', he said.

He said over-dependence on foreign expatriates for construction works that could be easily carried out by Ghanaians was inimical to the growth of the economy.

Mr Dogbegah said a local content policy would not only ensure increasing Ghanaian participation in the construction sector but would provide employment opportunities.

He said the construction sector was very pivotal in addressing the country's unemployment issues hence the need to pay adequate attention to the sector by the government.

GNA
09.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra July 9, GNA - Actionplus Foundation a non-governmental organisation, has acquired a six -acre land at Odumse near Dodowa in Accra to build a state of the art Empowerment Centre.

The project forms part of plans to help alleviate poverty from the Ghanaian community.

Actionplus Foundation is a charity organisation opened in London in 1997 and Ghana this year.

The centre aims at training women through capacity building to empower them with requisite skills to enable them acquire useful experience to help sustain their lives.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Reverend Fred Annin, the Founder of Actionplus Foundation said plans were far advanced to run the centre effectively and efficiently through a well-designed and structured module of programmes.

Reverend Annin said the key to help these women become independent was to roll out microfinance scheme to support the trained women with financing to enable them become independent and also work on their own after acquiring the necessary training from the centre.

He said part of the land secured would be used for fruit cultivation particularly mangoes because the area was best known for cultivating the crop.

He said a processing plant would be established to help in processing the mangoes into juices.

He said the centre would have a modern health facility with new technology to help cater for HIV and AIDS patients and also offer them with counselling services.

The project would commence after the commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of Action plus Foundation in October.

As part of series of activities to commemorate the anniversary, Actionplus Foundation officially opened Action Life Chapel International, with the aim of propagating the gospel to help impact the lives of the people backsliding in Ghana.

GNA

By Kwamina Tandoh, GNA
09.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 9, GNA - The 20th Africa Union Conference on Lung Health would be opened in Accra on Monday, with more than 800 delegates from Africa and around the world attending.

The four-day conference would have delegates deliberating and finding ways of fighting Tuberculosis (TB) and it related lung diseases on the continent.

The 20th Africa Union Conference on Lung Health, which would be held at the Accra International Conference Centre, would be on the theme: 'Accelerating Implementation Through Partnership to end TB, HIV/TB, Tobacco and other Related non- communicable diseases (NCDs).'

This year's conference, coincidentally, will mark the 50th anniversary of the Ghana Society for the Prevention of TB (GSPT).

The conference, described as the premier TB conference, would be attended by researchers, health care professionals, public administrators, civil society, communities, pharmaceutical companies and medical equipment manufacturers working on TB and lung controls mainly in the African Region, America, Asia, and Europe.

It aims to contribute to the health promotion of TB and lung disease control in the African Region through research presentations, workshops and discussions.

The conference would cover the areas of HIV/TB, tobacco, epidemiology, health systems, and advocacy in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), Stop TB Partnership and other institutions.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, Dr Frank Bonsu, Conference Chair said Ghana hosting the conference was historic, explaining that 'the first Union Africa Regional Conference was hosted in Ghana in 1967 and again: 'we are hosting the 2017 conference to mark the 50th anniversary of the Union.'

He explained that the conference would provide the opportunity for researchers, academia, scientists, policy makers, service providers, politicians and civil society to learn and share the latest clinical, scientific, social and programmatic topics on TB, NCDs, TB/HIV, Tobacco and other Lung Health.

There would also be 'Experience sharing and lessons learnt would help to ensure that TB and its related diseases were completed eliminated from the continent'.

Dr Bonsu noted that: 'Ghana has over the years achieved a lot in the area of fighting TB with new technologies and methodologies, which would be worth sharing with other countries during the conference period'.

Topics to be discussed at the conference would include various symposia on host-pathogen interactions, Drug-Resistant TB, TB/HIV Co-infection, TB in vulnerable population, communities and civil society, TB and innovative technologies, tobacco, asthma as well as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases.

'We will also offer several pre-meeting postgraduate courses including: laboratory and diagnostic methods, MDRTB new regimen, Universal Health Coverage, Advocacy, Childhood TB and Procurement and Supply Management', he added.

Dr Bonsu who is also the President of the GPST said scientists and inventors from around the globe would also use the opportunity to meet the TB drug manufacturers and present their research papers as well as exhibit their products.

He urged participating countries to draw lessons, applicable to their peculiar situations, so that together, 'We will improve on the quality of care and eliminate this deadly disease from our continent'.

Dr Bonsu said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who is the Chief Patron of the GSPT would be attending the conference to give the inaugural lecture.

He paid tribute to Dr Nicholas De Heer, the only surviving member of the GSPT who played a key role in the first Union conference in 1967.

He would be around to share his experience.

Ghana's TB Ambassador, Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim VI, King and President of Assin Owirenkyi Traditional Council would also be in attendance.

Dr Jeremiah Chakaya Muhwa, President of the Union sharing his message with the GNA, said the Union's Regional Conference would offer an important opportunity for delegates to co-ordinate their responses to existing and new challenges in global lung health and connect the science community with broader networks and audiences.

JosA Luis Castro, Executive Director of the Union said the conference would be a vital and historic time for all those involved in the fight for lung health to share ideas and experiences.

He noted the anniversary would reaffirm the outstanding commitment and passion of Union members to end TB, HIV, tobacco and the related NCDs.

'And as we gather together, the first World Health Organisation's Director General from Africa takes office bringing new leadership and inspiration for our onward journey.

'It is against this backdrop that we will come together to form new collaborations and share ideas to achieve the ambitious 2030 targets of the Sustainable Development Goals," he said.

GNA

By Linda Asante-Agyei, GNA
Two election related laws forwarded to Cabinet

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday finalised two bills on holding the elections for Provincial Assemblies and the House of Representatives. After the Cabinet endorses them, the bills will be forwarded for the parliamentary process.
Kalvio (UE), July 9, GNA - Mr Clement Dandori, the Kassena-Nankana District Chief Executive (DCE of the Upper East Region, has warned that the Assembly would not tolerate shoddy work by any contractor.

The DCE issued the warning when he inaugurated a three -unit furnished classroom block and a library provided by Tuma Kavi Development Association, an NGO, funded by the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA).

The DCE commended the Duraqua Company Limited, the constructing firm that executed the project for a good job done.

'The Government under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is very mindful about value for money and will disengage immediately the service of any contractor who will want to do shoddy work particularly school projects,' he warned.

He stated that education was a critical tool for poverty reduction in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

He noted that the policy of the Government to make Senior High School free would help address poverty and provide the needed manpower for the acceleration development of the north.

Mr Patrick Baku, the Chief Executive Officer of Duraqua Company Limited, admonished his fellow contractors to use only standardised constructional materials in executing projects and engage highly qualified professionals and field officers to help improve on the quality of works.

He stated contractors who endeavour to execute quality works stood the opportunity to win more contracts.

GNA

By Samuel Adadi Akapule, GNA
Accra, July 9, GNA - On the occasion of the G20 leaders' summit, the World Bank Group has announced the creation of an innovative new facility, that aims to enable more than $ 1 billion to advance women's entrepreneurship.

The facility would also help women in developing countries gain increased access to the finance, markets, and networks necessary to start and grow a business.

A statement issued by the World Bank and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Sunday said the United States initiated the idea for the facility and would serve as a founding member along with other donor countries.

'This incredible facility will have a significant impact on women's economic development around the world,' US President Donald Trump said.

'It will help increase opportunities and economic growth while addressing unique barriers women entrepreneurs face.

'I am proud the United States is helping to lead support of this unprecedented initiative," he added.

The World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said: 'Women's economic empowerment is critical to achieve the inclusive economic growth required to end extreme poverty, which is why it has been such a longstanding priority for us."

"This new facility offers an unprecedented opportunity to harness both the public and private sectors to open new doors of opportunity for women entrepreneurs and women-owned firms in developing countries around the globe," he added.

The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "Everyone benefits when women have the resources they need to participate fully in our economies and societies.'

"Our Government is determined to help women gain the tools they need to be successful entrepreneurs and leaders. This important investment will help women in developing countries to create jobs, build economies that work for everyone, and have a real and fair chance at success," he said.

Chancellor Merkel of Germany said: 'I am happy that this initiative for women presents real added value. I want to sincerely thank everyone who worked on it especially the President of the World Bank Jim Yong Kim and Ivanka Trump and others. We can see from the example of this Women's Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative that the G20 is not just a two-day Summit, but that the G20 is a process".

'And I don't have the slightest doubt that under the leadership of Jim Kim that these will be truly valuable and productive investments," she stated.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: 'Women's active participation in society is one of the pillars of Abenomics. Women's empowerment and leadership will diversify and revitalize organization and societies. This facility embodies such belief in developing countries, and is promising initiative to achieve society where women shine.'

The statement said the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), the first World Bank-led facility to advance women's entrepreneurship at this scale, would work to enable more than $1 billion of financing to improve access to capital, provide technical assistance, and invest in other projects and programmes that support women and women-led SMEs in World Bank Group client countries.

It said the goal of the facility was to leverage donor grant funding - currently more than $ 325 million - to unlock more than $1 billion in IFI and commercial financing by working with financial intermediaries, funds, and other market actors.

It noted that the World Bank Group was invited to create the facility by the United States and Germany, given the Bank Group's deep experience, track record, and strong learning and innovation agenda.

The statement said the initiative received strong donor support Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States, enabling the Bank Group to take the facility from concept to Board endorsement within the year of the German G20 presidency.

'It's remarkable how quickly the international community has mobilised support for this new initiative, which has exceeded our target by nearly $100 million,' Kim said.

'This demonstrates not only the importance of increasing women's economic empowerment, but it scales up our efforts to help women open and grow businesses.

"We're grateful to President Trump, Chancellor Merkel, and Ivanka Trump for being such strong champions of this facility and the broader cause of women's entrepreneurship," he added.

The statement explained that We-Fi builds on the success of past and current Bank Group programmes while reaching into new areas, supporting women-led businesses at earlier stages of growth, and unlocking access to equity and insurance services.

It said at the same time, the facility aims to support complementary public sector interventions that strengthen the enabling environment and enhance market opportunities for women-owned businesses.

It said We-Fi differs from current efforts in that it represents a platform to align country-level reforms and private investment.

It has also built on and implement lessons learned about what worked for starting and growing female owned/led firms, collect key data from the public and private sector on female entrepreneurs and their firms, and support innovation and learning for results at scale.

It said women entrepreneurs face numerous challenges to financing, owning, and growing a business, including limited access to capital and technology, a lack of networks and knowledge resources, and legal and policy obstacles to business ownership and development.

The statement said We-Fi would work to break down barriers to financial access and provide complementary services such as capacity building, access to networks and mentors, and opportunities to link with domestic and global markets.

It would also improve the business environment for women-owned or women-led SMEs in supply chains across the developing world.

It said one of the major constraints limiting female-led enterprises was access to financial services.

According to the statement nearly 70 per cent of women-owned SMEs in developing countries were either shut out by financial institutions or were unable to receive financial services on adequate terms to meet their needs.

GNA
Johannesburg (AFP) - USM Alger of Algeria and Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya reached the CAF Champions League quarter-finals Sunday as 2016 runners-up Zamalek of Egypt bowed out with 10 men.

A 4-1 home victory over CAPS United of Zimbabwe in Algiers ensured USM of top place in Group B with 11 points from six matches.

Ahly Tripoli caused an upset by holding five-time African champions Zamalek 2-2 in Cairo and finishing runners-up with nine points.

Zamalek, whose only win came in the opening series of matches at home to CAPS, finished third on six points, ahead of the Harare club on head-to-head records.

Already-qualified Esperance of Tunisia sealed first place in Group C by trouncing Saint George of Ethiopia 4-0 in the Tunis suburb of Rades.

Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, who had also secured a last-eight place with a game to spare, drew 1-1 with V Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Pretoria.

Unbeaten Esperance accumulated 12 points, defending champions Sundowns nine and Saint George and V Club five.

Etoile Sahel of Tunisia, Ferroviario Beira of Mozambique, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco and record eight-time champions Al Ahly of Egypt are the other quarter-finalists.

USM had CAPS under the cosh from the kick-off and it was only a matter of time before they breached a brittle defence.

Ziri Hammar, with a sizzling shot, and Okacha Hamzaoui gave the Algerians a 2-0 half-time advantage that was extended when Oussama Darfalou scored 12 minutes from time.

Abbas Aminu pulled one goal back for outclassed CAPS only for Darfalou to strike again with a tap-in two minutes from time.

Zamalek kicked off knowing a win would take them into the knockout phase of the elite African club competition unless CAPS triumphed in Algeria.

Basem Morsy gave the Egyptians an early lead, but the match turned pear-shaped for the Cairo "White Knights" in first half stoppage-time.

Mahmoud Hamdy was sent off for a penalty area foul and Anis Saltou converted the spot-kick to draw Ahly Tripoli level.

The Libyan outfit took the lead midway through the second half when Vianney Mabide from the Central African Republic scored.

Nigerian Marouf Yousef equalised for Zamalek with 15 minutes remaining, but a third goal that would have earned a quarter-finals place eluded them.

Goals from Khalil Chemmam and Bilel Mejri gave Esperance a two-goal half-time lead and Haythem Jouini and Ali Machani completed the rout.

A 35th-minute goal from captain Thabo Nthethe for Sundowns was cancelled by Cameroonian Yazid Atouba 17 minutes before time.

The quarter-finals will be played in September.
Surviving victims of last weeks tragic accident involving students of Afia Kobi Nursing Training College in Kumasi say they are traumatized by the incident and are refusing to recount their ordeal to avoid further trauma.

The 40-seater bus on which they were travelling on a holiday trip to Lake Bosomtwe somersaulted several times before plunging into a deep valley killing one student.

Injured victims who are now recuperating at home say they would want to stay away from any discussion on the near-death experience.

The students were on their way to spend some time at the lakeside after an outreach programme when the accident occurred. Last Monday's incident has been blamed on brake failure.

Photo: Patience Lamptey (L) and Sarah Ampadu, still nursing injuries can hardly mange a smile amid walking difficulty.

Sarah would not talk, however, Patience gathered up some courage and shared a bit of their ordeal.

I dont want to talk about it. I am in so much pain, Sarah said.

She is expected to take several scans to enable doctors work on her hip pains.

Her colleague, Patience struggles to remember how she and her friends had left themselves go on the bus moment before disaster struck.

All of a sudden, the driver was driving slowly so we were like whats happening? Is it that we have shorted fuel or what? But he [driver] didnt tell us anything. So, later on, we were about to negotiate a curve and a taxi crossed us. A few seconds later, the driver shouted Jesus  the bus then hit a tree and rolled over several times before it fell in the valley.

"I found myself lying under a rock so I tried coming out from that place. When I got out, a friend called me to help her, so I also tried to pull her out of where she was so I brought two of them-one on my left hand and the other on my right hand so when we were coming up and I felt the pain in my spinal cord so I wasnt able to help them again so I left them  Patience recounts.

Photo: Despite her present condition, Patience who still has a swollen and reddened eye, is grateful 'divine intervention' saved them.

As for me, I knew that none of us was going to survive because how the bus [somersaulted], I dont even know what to say. I thought that none of us will survive, she adds.

Patience Lamptey wants a Thanksgiving Day organized in the school when they resume Monday.

We need to celebrate. We have to thank God for saving our lives because its quiet surprising. What happened to us is not easy, she said.

Meanwhile, the funeral rites for the female first-year student who died in the accident is scheduled for Tuesday.
Vice- Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) suggests that government should explore ways to officially export nurses.

Professor Kwasi Obiri Danso says Ghana can adopt the Cuban model to address increasing unemployment of Nurses in the country.

His suggestion comes in the wake of persistent demonstration and picketing by graduate Nurses seeking postings.

Professor Obiri Danso spoke at the 51st congregation at KNUST where 7,325 nurses graduated.

The question is whether we should not as a country start officially exporting some of our manpower to countries where there is a need. This could be based on the Cuban model, he said.

According to him, the country could derive some foreign exchange from the exports, since the arrangement would be formalized between governments and not individuals.

This will help probably to the unemployment situation we currently face in the country.

Professor Obiri Danso explains that because industries have often complained that graduates do not meet industry standards, the school has changed its research capabilities, and focus has also changed to meet the needs of the country.

Our focus in the last few years have been more of industry-based research. We have been constantly faced with the challenge of the demands of the industry from our graduates. We intend to bridge this gap by bringing our research findings to the doorsteps of industry thereby further strengthening our relationship.

Meanwhile, the school has increased its overall female intake of first-year students by 26 per cent for the 2016/2017 intake.

This follows a promise he made during his investiture August last year, where he expressed worry about the low representation of women in our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes.

He indicated the University under his leadership to roll out a nationwide programme at the pre-tertiary level to shore up interest in STEM education and careers for women (girls).

Professor Obiri Danso says this conscious effort will be sustained and strengthened in the science and technology programmes.
PowerelecGhana and Construct Ghana, both international tradeshows on Energy, Renewables, Electricals, Construction and its vertical Industries will be held in Accra, on August 10-12, 2017, at the International Trade Fair Center.

These trade shows will bring together top 200 exhibitors from over 15 countries across the globe to offer expertise to address challenges in the power and construction sector.

The 3-day trade show will bring together prospective investors who will meet and share ideas on setting up businesses and investing in the sub region, the organizers said.

Powerelec Ghana and Construct Ghana will provide the energy and construction industry an unrivaled environment to meet a lot of suppliers all in one place. participants will have the chance to meet with exhibitors and explore new developments. In addition, demonstration on new products, features comparisons and prices will be made available to participants, the organizers added.

These trade shows will bring together key decision makers from government and corporate sectors and it is the ideal platform for consultants and manufacturers keen to enter the thriving Ghanaian market.

International exhibitors include Anvil Cables Pvt, Capco Capacitors, Tropical Cable and Conductors, CAT, Apollo.

This years event marks the second edition of Powerelec Ghana and is supported by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Energy, Association of Ghana Industries, Energy Commission, GRIDCO, Bui Power Authority, Exhibit Network Trade, PWC, Indo- African Chamber of Commerce and Industries, GREDA and CSDA.

The event is organized by FairAct Exhibitions, Events and More, VeriFair Intelligent Interface and Orange IMC.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | GN
Qatar Airways , the Worlds Best Airline as voted by Skytrax 2017, is delighted to confirm it has been approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to permit passengers to carry personal electronic items on board U.S.-bound flights, departing from its hub Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.

The airline gained the exemption earlier today after U.S. officials inspected the security measures in full operation at Qatars state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport (HIA), an airport recently awarded five stars by Skytrax, the first airport in the Middle East to be bestowed with this recognition.

With the lifting of the electronics restrictions, passengers departing from HIA to all Qatar Airways U.S. destinations will be able to carry their personal electronic devices on board, and have uninterrupted use of them for business and leisure purposes throughout their flight.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said:  We are pleased to announce that the electronics ban has been lifted from Qatar Airways flights departing to all destinations in the U.S. Safety and security are always our highest priority. They are expressed throughout all of our corporate values, and must never be compromised.

The security measures in place in Doha allow us to continue to provide our renowned world-class service for all our passengers travelling to the U.S. We look forward to providing our passengers an even greater choice of U.S. destinations soon, with the addition of San Francisco to our expanding network, on board the most modern of aircraft including the Airbus A350 and our Qsuite retro-fitted Boeing 777 aircraft.

Qatar Airways recently announced its intention to make an initial investment of up to 4.75 per cent in its oneworld partner American Airlines, crediting the airlines fundamentals, while intending to build a passive position within the company. Qatar Airways has long considered American Airlines to be a good oneworld Alliance partner, and looks forward to continuing this relationship.

Qatar Airways has developed a reputation for enhanced cooperation with industry and U.S regulators over the past 20 years, consistently being at the forefront of implementing new measures to enhance the safety and security of its passengers. Qatar Airways was the first airline to achieve 100 per cent compliance with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) when the programme was first implemented in 2003, and has since maintained its 100 per cent compliance record.

The airline will also bring its award-winning, patented new Qsuite Business Class seat to New York in September, retro-fitted on a Boeing 777 aircraft. Qsuite features the industrys first-ever double bed available in Business Class, with privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room.

Adjustable panels and movable TV monitors on the centre four seats allow colleagues, friends or families travelling together to transform their space into a private suite, allowing them to work, dine and socialise together. These new features provide the ultimate customisable travel experience that enables passengers to create an environment that suits their own unique needs.

Qatar Airways, which celebrates 10 years of service to the U.S. this year, will launch flights to San Francisco in 2018, as part of its continuing expansion within the U.S.

The U.S. expansion is just part of the airlines global growth plans, which include new routes to Canberra (Australia), Chiang Mai (Thailand), Douala (Cameroon), Libreville (Gabon), Rio de Janeiro, (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), as well as many other exciting destinations.
Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari, has been in office for a little more than two years. Within this short space of time, he has been out of his country on numerous occasions for health reasons. The latest episode of his frequent medical sojourns, mostly in the UK, has lasted for more than four weeks - and counting.

The Nigerian leader is by no means alone. Angola's long-time president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, has racked up a few thousand miles of air time traveling back and forth to Spain to treat an undisclosed medical condition. But these two presidents are just the latest addition to a growing list of African leaders and other high-ranking public officials in Africa who have sought medical treatment outside their own countries. Countries such as Guinea, Ghana, Tanzania, Gabon, and Malawi all have had sick presidents who didn't have enough confidence in their own medical services to be treated domestically.

Interestingly enough, this practice is a uniquely African phenomenon. Even the leaders of the poorest nations in Asia and Latin America are not known to go outside their own countries for medical treatment. But in Africa, it is the norm. It is also an indictment of the political leadership which took power and failed to provide for the basic needs of the people. Decent and affordable healthcare for everyone is one of the most important of such needs, and when a government comes up short in meeting this fundamental obligation, it is definitely considered a failure.

Why African presidents shun healthcare at home in favor of foreign providers shouldn't be such a mystery: they have failed as leaders to build the kind of hospitals and clinics where they themselves would feel comfortable to be admitted as patients.

The African independence experiment has arguably been a disappointment on many levels, but the most powerful symbol of failure seems to be the spectacle of ailing African presidents being rushed to foreign hospitals for treatment. Even the sight of a president or his emissaries making the rounds of foreign capitals with a cap in hand is far less degrading and much more acceptable than that of a president being flown form his country to a foreign emergency room.

Do these presidents ever feel any pang of guilt when they return home after their successful medical treatment abroad, the kind of feeling that should spur them to improve the shabby healthcare infrastructure in their countries to make them more appealing to everyone including themselves? There is no evidence that they do, which underscores their selfishness as leaders. It shows that as long as presidents have the option, which few in the population do, to hop on airplanes and fly abroad to have their illnesses taken care of, the state of healthcare at home will remain marginally important to them.

It is an attitude that is vaguely analogous to the insensitive behavior of the legendary French queen, Marie Antoinette, who, amid the opulence of royalty, famously and scornfully remarked about the hungry French masses: "Let them eat cake." The people of Africa are indeed eating the medical equivalent of cakes while their leaders are regally cared for and pampered in the best hospitals Europe and America have to offer - all at the expense of poor taxpayers back home.

But the citizens of France ultimately exacted their revenge: they sent their selfish and uncaring queen along with her husband, Louis XVI, to the guillotine. The citizens of Africa can also exact their revenge by kicking out (wherever the legal mechanism to do so exists) leaders who go abroad to take advantage of the state of the art medical facilities while neglecting the healthcare needs of the people back home, forcing them to settle for sub-standard care, which often kills them rather than save their lives.

Needless to say, such leaders have no empathy for the people they rule. Through their self-serving behavior, they have brought discredit on Africa and her people.

Kwadwo Kyei
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Religion, however we define or conceptualise it, is very fundamental in human society. Humans are incurably religious. This is to the extent that even atheism is in the long run a form of religion. This is because; it is a religion that believes in the non-existence of God, while theism is a religion that believes in the existence of God. There is a common thread that runs through atheism and theism: both are based on God: His existence or non-existence. Also, faith is very cardinal to both atheism and theism. Through strictly empiricism, none is able to provide enough and sufficient or further and better evidence for the existence or non-existence of God. All told, religion is at the core of human existence. Louis Berkhof, John Mbiti, Geoffrey Parrinder, and John Pobee have all convincingly argued that religion is at the base of humanity.

In Ghana, religion forms the centrality of the life of Ghanaians. We live to religion and die to religion. Throughout the lifecycle, religion plays an important role. Religion permeates every facet of life: economic, social, and political. The ubiquitous expression of religion is seen in the fact that every space in Ghana has been domesticated by religious people. The fact that religion constitutes the fulcrum of life is expressed also in how Ghanaians tend to view the world or have their worldviews deeply shaped by religion. Religion is the point of reference or prism through which the world is understood. Existential realities are deeply framed around religion. Indeed, contrary to modernists, who predicated the demise of religion, following advances in science and technology, since the 1970s, the world has witnessed unprecedented resurgence in religion globally.

Considering the importance of religion in the lives of most Ghanaians, it is quite logical that most persons, including a cadre of intelligentsia, will appeal to religion to explain events, which may logically appear inexplicable. Incidentally, this development has also empowered most charlatans, who parade as men of God, to fleece most willful, gullible and ignorant Ghanaians. Knowing how duplicitous these charlatans use religion as charade to dupe Ghanaians, ex-president Jerry Rawlings in the heydays of the revolution passed a law (PNDC Law 211 in 1989) that was designed to regulate religious activities in the country. This law resulted in the banning of religious groups like the Jehovahs Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as Mormons. Rightly or wrongly, the Christian bodies in Ghana resisted this law, and eventually it was not recapitulated in the 1992 Constitution when Ghana, once again, transitioned to democratic administration.

Over the years, I have watched the religious landscape with close interest and concern. I am unapologetically a Christian. I unqualifiedly believe in the normative/dogmas of the Christian teaching. I also believe that the truth of the Christian faith is objectively and absolutely true. Hence, I believe that, with respect to the Christian faith, if a teaching is true, then it is not new, and if it is new, then it is not true. I, therefore, write as a concerned conservative/fundamentalist Christian, knowing that writing critically about changes in the church practices is a slippery ground that could not be left in the hands of the faint-hearted.

Today, July 9, 2017, I attended the wedding ceremony of my cousin, and events that unfolded at the wedding heightened my fears about the future of the church in Ghana, and broadly Africa. As I see the state of the church in Ghana in light of the observation by the late Professor Kwame Bediako and Joel Carpenter and Lamin Sanneh that the center of gravity of Christianity is progressively shifting from the Global North to the Global South, particularly Africa and Asia, I question the preparedness of Africans to engage in reverse mission: that is taking the Gospel back to the Global North. Events unfolding in Ghanaian Christianity hardly convince me that the church is ready for such a lofty task as revealed in Matthew 28:18-19.

At the church, whose name I deliberately will not mention, the pastor conducted his Sunday service before the wedding. Because of the wedding, the pastor decided to hold captive visitors who were attending the ceremony to his church. So, he decided to engage in some form of exorcism. He claimed to have the spiritual prowess to know and control the realm of the spirit. Alas, he called the wife of my maternal uncle, and said to her that she had been spiritually poisoned, and that if she had not come to the church, she would have suffered from stomach cancer. I was sitting right in front of my uncles wife, so I was expecting that he would called me too. Obviously, I would have carried the day with my sarcasm.

He offered a terse and quite rehearsed prayer, and claimed that he had neutralised the spiritual poisoning. I felt uneasy about this development for three main reasons: first, I realised that the so-called pastor was only embarrassing the wife of my maternal uncle. Let us assume without admitting that he was right in his spiritual insight, could he not have used a different approach to tell her about it? For instance, could he not have called her privately, and together with the leadership of the church, prayed with her? Second, I felt he wanted to use my maternal uncles wife to gain cheap popularity. Third, I felt that, by using my maternal aunt, he was capitalising on her vulnerability to instill fear in every body in the church. All said, he did that to legitimise his authority and win the support of the gathering, whom he eyed as members. But more disturbingly, by connecting pain to spirituality, particularly witchcraft, these charlatans succeed in creating friction and international fragmentation in families. Following the logic of witchcraft, if an old woman is accused of being a witch, then by extension her daughter and granddaughters are also witches. The existence of witch camps in some regions in Ghana is emblematic of a nation that is deeply rooted in superstition and religious extremism! The charlatans sustain this witchcraft mentality.

What happened at the church today is a broader reflection of how these charlatans use religion to con unsuspecting and/or suspecting Ghanaians. Their modus operandi is to instill fear in the people. Another method they use is what I call theistic dualism. Here, they create a religious scene, where God and Satan are put on the pedestal of authority. In the distorted theology of these charlatans, Satan is not a creature of God, but a supreme authority that ruffles shoulders with God. Also, they try to spiritualise every issue, and it is that which makes them relevant. Here, if you have headache, they should be able to attribute it to the devil. And once it is the devil that is responsible for your headache, and since the charlatan is the only person who is able to fight the devil, you obviously would have to invest your faith in him. This Zoroastrian dualistic theology is the trump card of these charlatans. Similarly, they take advantage of the economic morass of Ghana. Quite a good number of sick people can hardly afford to seek broader conventional treatment when they are sick. Obviously, if you are sick and you fail to get right conventional treatment, you will be compelled to go to these charlatans for their spiritual gimmicks.

There are a slew of reasons for the thriving of these charlatans, but for the sake of space, I will just duel on one: which is lack of sound theological teaching about pain, suffering, and evil. This is known in theological parlance as theodicy. The Christian faith is largely based on suffering and pain. Our Lord Jesus Christ was the chief of all sufferers, and the crime committed against him, which is deicide, is the highest form of crimes ever committed in human history. Also, the early apostles went through significant pain. Most of them died very degrading deaths. This is to the extent that one of the mantras of the Christian faith is that: The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.

Unfortunately, most of these charlatans, who ride on the demonic teaching of prosperity Gospel, have distorted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the centrality of suffering in the Christian faith. Gone were the days, when Christians would sing songs like, If I lose my mom; if I lose my dad; if I lose the love that they gave me; if I lose all that I may possess, I know that I still love Jesus. Today, such songs have lost their meaning and suffer from anachronism. We all want material prosperity. Obviously, I am not against material prosperity. My concern is how materialism and epicurean logic has taken hostage of Christians. In view of this theology, Christians are unable to bear the brunt of living the Christian faith. Most of us are simply not willing to die or suffer for the sake of the Gospel. So, we are all running uncontrollably seeking these charlatans. We do this, even as we remain oblivious of the fact that Church history teaches us that the church thrives under very severe and intense persecution.

Christianity is not based on miracles and exorcism, however we cling to them. Christianity is based on the person (deity and humanity of Jesus Christ) and work (crucifixion and resurrection) of Jesus Christ. As we go through pain, we should know that our lord Jesus Christ went through the worst of pains, and yet was without sin, and because of that He is able to sympathise with us. Chasing miracles at the expense of authentic Christianity is injurious to our fate in the hereafter.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Satyagraha

Charles Prempeh, ( [email protected] ), African University College of Communications, Accra
10.07.2017 LISTEN

The meaning of the Trinitarian doctrine

Trinity is the belief that there are three persons comprising the family of Godthe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Since the word Trinity is not found in the Bible the purpose of this article is to discuss whether the doctrine has scriptural basis or not, and in particular, whether the Holy Spirit is a person/God or not.

The historical origin of the doctrine

After the death of Roman Emperor Galerius, Constantine became the Emperor in 312 AD (Shelley, 1995). Meanwhile, Arius, a pastor of the influential Baucalis Church challenged openly Bishop Alexander and other teachers in Alexandria about the deity of Christ. Arius argued that the Word (Logos) who assumed flesh in Jesus Christ (John 1:14) has an entirely different nature from the true God, and is neither eternal nor omnipotent, but the greatest and first created Being, who has a beginning (Shelley, 1995). Eusebius, the bishop of Nicomedia supported Arius and the theological quarrel became a context between the two most important churches in the East: Nicomedia, the political capital, and Alexandria, the intellectual capital (Shelley, 1995).

Constantine perceived the situation as a threat to the unity of his empire; politically, the empire was one; theologically, it was two (Boer, 1976). Therefore, Constantine called a council of the entire church to settle the matter and to enforce its decision with the power of the state (Boer, 1976).

Between 20 May and 25 July 325AD, about 300 bishops (including Hosius, Constantines Chief Ecclesiastical Adviser) met in Nicea and Arius appearing as a defendant, reiterated his views and was excommunicated (Shelley, 1995).

Furthermore, in 381 AD, at the meeting of the Council, Tertullian explained that there is one divine nature, the Father and the Son have this one nature in common, but they are separate and distinct, so far as their persons are concerned (Boer, 1976). The later theology combined Tertullians teaching of one nature and two persons with Origens teaching of the eternal generation of the Son to provide the explanation of the relationship between the Son and the Father (Boer 1976). Tertullian also related the Holy Spirit to the Father and the Sonthree divine persons existing in one divine nature. Thus, Tertullian provided the main outlines for the doctrine of the Trinity (Boer 1976).

Section 1

3. What is the identity of the Holy Spirit?

While it is generally agreed that God (the Father) and Jesus (the Son) are separate beings, not all Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is a person and God. Therefore, let us discuss the identity and gender of the Holy Spirit and all other relevant points in order to establish whether the Holy Spirit is a person or not.

3.1. Texts that appear to indicate that the Holy Spirit is a person

There are several texts that describe the Holy Spirit with human attributes and these texts are used as one of the key basis to conclude that the Holy Spirit is a person and God. For instance, the scriptures states that the Holy Spirit would be a helper, would teach, bear witness, speak and hear (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:13). However, the Bible frequently personifies different aspects of nature including abstract and inanimate objects by attributing human characteristics to them as per the examples below:

In 1 John 5:6-8, the water and blood (in addition to the Spirit) are said to bear witness.

Wisdom is said to have children (Lk 7:35).

Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy (Psalm 98:8).

When the waters saw you, they were afraid; the very deep trembled (Psalm 77:16).

The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed (Isaiah 24:23).

Sin is described as lurking into the door of Cain (Gen 4:7).

The blood of Abel cries out to God from the ground (Genesis 4:10).

Death and hades will be thrown into the lake of fire after giving up their dead (Rev 20:13-14).

The above examples illustrate clearly that all kinds of objects and abstract things are frequently personified in the Bible. Therefore, the use of human attributes to describe (personify) the Holy Spirit is not a reasonable basis to conclude that the Holy Spirit a person.

3.2 Grammatical considerations of the gender of the Holy Spirit

Another factor frequently used to support the belief that the Holy Spirit is a person is the use of 3rd person masculine pronoun (he) to represent the Holy Spirit. However, in English, the biological-sexual characteristics of an object determine whether the noun that represents the object has a masculine or feminine gender. Therefore, when a noun is inanimate and has no natural gender it is usually neuter (i.e. non-gender noun). For example, a girl is feminine, and a bull is masculine, but a table is neuter. However, in French, Hebrew, Aramaic and other languages, every object including inanimate objects is assigned a masculine or feminine gender. For example, in French, a table is feminine and an aeroplane is masculine. Moreover, in French, some biological objects that have variation in their sexual attributes still have one gender; any baby whether male or female is masculine and any person (even a male) is feminine.

Accordingly, when translating an object with a masculine or feminine pronoun from French, Hebrew or Aramaic into English, it will be inappropriate to use an equivalent English pronoun to represent the object unless the object has biological-sexual attribute corresponding with the English pronoun. For instance, the Hebrew word hayyah (animal) is a feminine noun and a male goat can be referred to as she in Hebrew, but it is wrong to refer the same male goat as she in English.

Furthermore, according to the Wikipedia, the word spirit is:

feminine in the Semitic languages including Hebrew (the original language used to write the Old Testament) and Aramaic (the original language that Jesus and Matthew are said to have taught and written their gospels respectively;

neuter in Greekthe original language used to write the rest of the New Testament; and

masculine in other languages unrelated to the original writing of the Bible such as spiritus in Latin.

However, despite the word spirit is feminine in Aramaic and Hebrew and neuter in Greek and there is no explicit statement in the Bible portraying the Holy Spirit as a person, many Christians regard the Holy Spirit as a (male) person, firstly, because the Bible usually portrays the Father and the Son as male persons.

Furthermore, according to the Wikipedia, most English New Testament translations use the masculine pronoun (he) to represent the Holy Spirit in a number of places where the masculine Greek word Paraclete occurs for Comforter, particularly, in John chapters 14  16. These texts played significant role when the early Christians debated whether the New Testament teaches that the Holy Spirit is a fully divine hypostasis, or some kind of created force. However, since Jesus did not teach the Jewish people in Greek but in Aramaic, which portrays the word Spirit as feminine, and in contrast, the Greek word for "Spirit" is neuter, the masculine terminology used in English for the Paraclete is likely due to linguistic limitations and inconsistency in the work of the translators.

In addition, the Wikipedia states that some Christian churches teach that the Holy Spirit is feminine because some original authors of the Bible used feminine nouns, verbs and analogies to describe the Spirit of God (see Genesis 1:1-2, 2:7, Duet. 32:11-12, Proverbs 1:20, Matthew 11:19, Luke 3:22, and John 3:5-6). For example, R. P. Nettelhorst explains that the original Hebrew texts such as Judges 3:10 (The Spirit of the Lord came upon him) and Judges 6:34 (the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon) indicate clearly that the author (believed to be Samuel) intended the Holy Spirit to be understood as feminine. This is so because the Hebrew phrase translated came upon in Judges 3:10 and 6:34 denotes a third person FEMININE verb, which means its subject (the Spirit) was understood as a feminine noun by the author. Nettelhorst argues further that unlike Aramaic, the word spirit is not exclusively feminine in Hebrew (it is sometimes masculine) so the author might have deliberately chosen the feminine phrase instead of masculine.

Nettelhorst states further that according to the Bible concordance, out of 84 old testament uses of the word spirit in the context traditionally assumed to refer to the Holy Spirit, 75 of them are either explicitly feminine or indeterminable (due to lack of a verb or an adjective). And only nine times can spirit be construed as masculine, and in those cases it is not clear that they refer to Gods Holy Spirit. Accordingly, the Holy Spirit should be identified as feminine.

It appears from the above discussion that it is incorrect to use grammatical gender as a valid basis to conclude that the Holy Spirit is a person since the gender of the Holy Spirit varies among languages and is certainly not masculine in either Greek or Aramaic, the languages which were originally used to write the New Testament. However, sometimes some New Testament translators correctly use neuter pronouns (it and itself) to represent the Holy Spirit instead of the third-person masculine pronoun (he and himself). For example:

 As many as 13 translators used it instead of he to represent the Spirit in John 1:32: I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him (ESV).

 The KJV and several other translations use the Spirit itself instead of himself in Romans 8:16, 26: The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God; and the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

The ERV, KJV and others use it to represent the Holy Spirit in 1 Peter 1:11.

3.3 Does John 14 prove that the Holy Spirit is a person?

As discussed in the preceding section, it is not adequate to use the masculine gender of the word Paraclete as a basis to conclude that the Holy Spirit is a person because John used a Greek word that has a masculine gender, which does not mean that the object that it represents is a (male) person. Moreover, according to John 14, Jesus assured the disciples that he would not leave them orphans but send them the Paraclete/Comforter (traditional assumed to be the Holy Spirit). Many assume on the basis of Jesus promise that the Holy Spirit is a person because some passages in John 14 appear to indicate that the Paraclete is a person. However, as explained below, a careful reading of John 14 demonstrates that the Paraclete that Jesus would send is not a person rather it is Jesus who would reveal his own person to the apostles through the Paraclete.

For instance, Jesus stated as follows in John 14:17:

The world cannot accept him (the Paraclete/Comforter), because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

The above passage provides the first clue that Jesus would be the one who would appear as a person because despite that Jesus promised to send the Paraclete after his departure, Jesus also stated that the apostles already knew the person who would come to them and the person already lived with them. This means the Paraclete (i.e. the Holy Spirit) was not the person because:

It appears if the Paraclete already lived with them (i.e. they already had the Holy Spirit), Jesus would not have promised to send the Paraclete at a later date.

There is no indication that the apostles had the Holy Spirit when Jesus was around as they did not need the Spirit because of Jesus presence. It was after his resurrection that He breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22) and the Spirit was subsequently manifested on the Pentecost day. Thus, the Holy Spirit was not the one who already lived with them but Jesus himself.

It appears the apostles were not familiar with the Holy Spirit when Jesus was alive, but Jesus stated plainly that they already knew the person who would come to them.

It is therefore clear that the person that already lived with them was Jesus himself and it was he who would reveal his person to the apostles after his death through the Paraclete. This is consistent with the fact that Jesus (and not the Holy Spirit) revealed himself to Saul/Paul in Acts 9:1-5 and also to John in a vision in Rev 1:9-18.

However, the strongest indication that Jesus referred to himself as the person coming to apostles is verse 18 (of John 14), where Jesus stated that I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you . Jesus made it very clear here that it was he who would come back to them in another form. And the apostles understood him exactly that way because in verse 22, Judas (not Iscariot) asked him, Lord, how is it that you are going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world? It appears obvious that while the Comforter is not a person, Jesus can reveal himself as a person through the Comforter. Accordingly, the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (the Cambridge Bible Commentary) states:

The context of the statement I will come to you seems to show clearly Christs spiritual reunion with them through the Paraclete, and not His bodily reunion with them either through the Resurrection or through the final Return is intended.

From the foregoing analysis, we can conclude that in John 14, Jesus promised two things. First, he would send the Comforter, which is not a person despite John used the Greek masculine noun (Paraclete) to describe the Comforter. Secondly, Jesus promised to reveal himself to the apostles. However, many confuse Jesus promise to reveal his person as the same as the promise to send the Paraclete (which is not a person). This point becomes even clearer as we discuss below Pauls identification of the Risen Jesus as the (Holy) Spirit.

3.4 Paul identifies the Risen Jesus as the Spirit

In 2nd Corinthians 3, while Paul was discussing the ministry of the Holy Spirit, he described the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of the Living God (verse 3). More importantly, in verses 17 and 18, Paul clearly identified Jesus as the Holy Spirit as follows:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord  or this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Not surprisingly, some theologians have doctrinal issues with Pauls identification of Jesus as the Holy Spirit. For instance, the Peake Bible Commentary states that in 2 Corinthians 3: 17f:

two phrases occur in two verses seem to identify the risen Lord with the Holy Spirit and some scholars have accepted the view that Paul identified them; others prefer to speak of 'equivalence of function', the work of the Lord being undifferentiated from that of the spirit, or they suggest that the 'Lord' means 'God' Ex 34: 34, being in mind; or they maintain that in Christians experience, Christ and his spirit are one and that Paul meant no more than that.

Similarly, the Oxford Bible Commentary states:

The identification of Spirit with Lord (in Paul's letters usually referring to Christ) has raised doctrinal questions, but many commentators believe 'Lord' in verses 16-17 refers directly to God.

However, the arguments of the Peake and the Oxford Bible Commentaries are weak because Paul had consistently referred Jesus to as Lord including preaching only Jesus Christ as Lord (2nd Corinthians 4:5-6). Moreover, Paul used the term Lord exclusively for Jesus when differentiating between Jesus and the Father (see 1 Corinthians 8:5-6, Rom 10:9, Philippians 2:11). Accordingly, the Barnes Notes on the Bible (Commentary) states:

the word "Lord" in 2 Corinthians 3 evidently refers to the Lord Jesus  [because] where it occurs in the New Testament unless the connection require us to understand it of God, it refers to the Lord Jesus. It was the common name by which he was known (see John 20:13, 21: 7, 12 and Ephesians 4:1, 5).

So, why are the commentators panicking over the correct meaning of the term Lord in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 and unrealistically suggesting that the Lord refers to God (the Father)? The reason is simple; the correct application of the term Lord negates the whole basis of the Trinitarian doctrine. I mean the proponents of the Trinitarian doctrine claim that the Holy Spirit is a person separate from Jesus (and the Father). Yet, Paul stated plainly that the Risen Jesus was the Holy Spirit. This is consistent with Jesuss own statement in John 14:18 that he would reveal himself or come back to the apostles (through the Holy Spirit/Paraclete). This clearly means there cannot be three Gods or persons because the Holy Spirit only becomes a person when Jesus reveals himself through the Holy Spirit. The commentators noticing this problem has unrealistically suggested that the Lord means God. However, the suggestion is not legitimate because:

Paul also referred Jesus to as the life-giving Spirit in 1 Corinthians 15:45, which means it was not by an accident that Paul identified the Risen Jesus as the Spirit.

In several places, the Holy Spirit and the Spirt of Christ are used as equivalent terms (see Rom 8: 9-10, Acts 16:6-7, Philippians 1: 19, Gal 4:16, 1 Peter 1:11).

Accordingly, the New International version (NIV) Study Bible states that:

There is a close relationship between the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Both are said to dwell in believer  In Ro 8: 9-10 the Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, and Christ all seem to be used interchangeably. In Acts 16: 6-7 The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus is said to be one and the same.

In summary, the above discussion provides us with two different possibilities:

(a) The Holy Spirit is not a person but the power of the Father and the Son, and that is why the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Jesus are used as equivalent terms.

(b) If the Holy Spirit is another person then there must be four persons and not three(1) the Father, (2) Jesus, (3) the Spirit of God and (4) the Spirit of Jesus.

However, I do not believe there are four Gods as it seems clear and logical that the Holy Spirit is not a person separate from the Father and Jesus but the unique power of the Father and the Son. Accordingly, it appears the angel who announced the birth of Jesus to Mary used the Holy Spirit and the power of God as equivalent terms (see Luke 1:35).

Moreover, I note that in John 20:22, Jesus breathed on the apostles and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. The action of Jesus appears to indicate that he provided the apostles with something which was inherently part and parcel of him. Secondly, Jesus action is consistent with the meanings of the root words for spirit in Greek (pneuma) and Hebrew (ruach), which the Strongs Exhaustive Concordance defines them as wind or breath. It therefore appears inconceivable to regard the Holy Spirit as another person separate from Jesus.

Accordingly, while the Holy Spirit was mentioned as early as Genesis 1:2, the Bible states explicitly that God created the universe only with or through Jesus despite Psalm 104:30 states: When you [God] send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. The above passage shows clearly that God was the person who created because the author used the passive voice to describe the act of creating, meaning either the one sending (God) or being sent (the Holy Spirt) can be the creator. However, the last part of the passage which states you [referring to God] renew the face of the earth puts it beyond reasonable doubt that the author perceived God and not the Holy Spirit as the person who created.

4. Consideration of other texts that are used wrongly to claim that the Spirit is a person

4.1 - 1 John 5:7- 8

The text states in the KJV as follows:

"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost (Spirit): and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth , the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree as one".

Theologians generally agree that the translation in the KJV is spurious because it contains additional information highlighted above that was not part of the original Greek text. For instance, the NIV Study Bible states: The addition is not found in any Greek manuscript or NT translation prior to the 16th century. Accordingly, the NIV translates the text simply as: For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

4.2 - Acts 5:3-4 Ananias Lying to God and the Holy Spirit

In Acts 5, Peter confronted Ananias and his wife for hiding some proceeds of their own land which they had promised to sell to help the apostles. It is claimed that since Peter stated that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit in verse 3, and God in verse 4, it means the Holy Spirit is God. However, the argument is weak because there are several examples in the Bible that an action of, for or against an agent of God is considered as an action of, for or against God but such agents are not considered God neither does it mean that God was physically involved in the action. For example:

1 Sam 12:1 states Samuel appointed a king for Israel but verse 13 states God made the appointment.

Paul stated he persecuted the church (Philippians 3:6) but Jesus stated that Paul persecuted him (Jesus) (Acts 9:5).

Jesus stated that He who receives you receives me and Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me in Matthew 10:40 and 25:40 respectively.

Accordingly, the statements that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit, and also God, does not mean that the Holy Spirit is God. In any case, James 3:14 (KJV) states one can lie against the truth despite the truth is just an abstract concept.

4.3 - 1 Corinthians 13:14

The passage states The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. It is claimed that the Holy Spirit must be God in order to be mentioned with Father and the Son in this way.

However, angels and even abstract things have been mentioned with the Father and the Son in a similar way. For example, Luke 9:26 states Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels . The Expositors Greek Testament Commentary states that the statement in Luke 9:26 is a sort of Trinitarian formula. Yet no one will conclude that angels are God because of the way they are mentioned here. Similarly, 1 Timothy 5: 21 states: I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias In addition, in Ephesians 4:4, abstract nouns such as baptism and faith are also mentioned with God. Accordingly, the fact that the Holy Spirit is mentioned with the Father and the Son in the above manner does not mean that the Holy Spirit is God.

4.4 - Matthew 12:31-32

It is argued that the Holy Spirit is God because Jesus stated in Matthew 12:31-32 that anyone who blasphemies against the Spirit will not be forgiven. But this argument is weak because Jesus stated also in the same text that a blasphemy against him will be forgiven. Therefore if non-forgiveness of a blasphemy against a person indicates that the person is God, then Jesus would not be God. This clearly indicates that Jesus did not discuss whether the Holy Spirit is God or not. However, the context of the discussion indicate that the people had attributed his power to the prince of demons (Beelzebub) and Jesus only stated that blaspheming against his power (i.e. the Holy Spirit) will not be forgiven.

4.5 - Matt. 28: 18-20

Matt. 28: 19 states ... Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ...

The Trinitarians claim that if Jesus instructed that baptism be performed also in the name of the Holy Spirit it means the Holy Spirit is God. However, there are both internal and external evidence indicating that the instruction that Jesus gave about baptism is different from the current form in Matthew 28:19.

Internal evidence

Firstly, there is no evidence that the apostles/disciples ever baptised anyone in the names of all the threethe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. However, there are many instances of the disciples baptising in the name of Jesus only (see Acts 2:38; 8:12, 16; 10:48, 19:5; Romans 6:3; 1 Cor. 10:2 and Galatians 3:27).

Secondly, the immediate context of the text suggests that Jesus instructed that the baptism should be performed in his name only. Firstly, the chapter states that some women went to the tomb of Jesus and were informed by angels that Jesus had risen (vs 5-6) and as the women were coming back home they met the risen Jesus himself who instructed them to ask the apostles to meet him at Galilee (vs 9-10). Subsequently, Jesus appeared to the apostles at Galilee (v17). Jesus also declared that All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me [him] (v18). It is pretty clear so far that every focus has been on the risen Jesus and there have been only two indirect references to the Father (i.e. v2when the angel was mentioned as an angel of the Lord and v18where Jesus in a passive voice declared that he has been given all authorityobviously by the Father but the Father not directly mentioned due to the use of passive voice. It is therefore clear that Matthew intended to put the entire focus on Jesus that is why he chose passive voice instead of active one. Accordingly it appears strange that as much as the whole focus had so far been on Jesus, suddenly in v19, Matthew would write that Jesus instructed them to baptise not only in his name but also in the name of the Father and the Holy Spirt. The inclusion of the Father and the Holy Spirit is not consistent with the theme that Matthew had displayed so far. In particular, it appears more reasonable and coherent that immediately after Jesus declaration of receiving all authority; he would instruct that the baptism should be performed only in his name to correspond with the all authority he had received. Furthermore, it appears Jesus declaration was deliberately put in a passive voice in order to avoid directly mentioning the name of God so that the attention would solely be on the Risen Jesus (who had received all authority) and not with the Father (the provider of the authority). Moreover, in verse 20 which ends the chapter, we again see Jesus not only telling them to teach what he had commended them but also he would be with them to the very end of the age, leaving out the Father and the Holy Spirit here too. It seems therefore that the inclusion of the Father and the Holy Spirit in verse 18 was a belated addition to the original command of Jesus and that it does not fit appropriately with the discussion of the whole chapter.

Thirdly, Peter basically reiterated the baptismal instruction he and others received from Jesus in Matthew 28:19, when Peter told his listeners in Acts 2:38, to Repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ  Peter made his statement on the Pentecost day, which occurred only few weeks after the Risen Jesus had instructed them how to baptise. It therefore appears unlikely that Peter would have forgotten and leaved out some of the details of this important and last instruction from the risen Jesus before he ascended into heaven, since in the same sermon, Peter was able to quote extensively from Joel and David, who had written several centuries earlier. Moreover, since Peter was preaching under the influence of the Holy Spirit manifested on that day, it was most likely that the Holy Spirit would have directed him to restate the full instruction received from Jesus if Jesus had included the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit. It therefore seems that Jesus instructed that the baptism should be performed only in his name.

there is no any other instance in the New Testament where Jesus or any other person used the phrase in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. However, there are other 17 instances where Jesus used the phrase in my name including Luke 24:46-47 and Mark 16:15-17 which are parallel text to the great commission in Matthew 20:19 (see also Matthew 18:5, 20; 24:5; Mark 9:37, 39, 41; 13:6; Luke 9:48; 21:8; John 14:13, 14, 26; 15:16; 16:23, 24, 26, etc.).

External

Furthermore, according to Conybeare (cited in the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics), Eusebius (the Bishop of Caesarea Maritima) quotes Matthew 28:19 twenty-one times without ever making any reference to the requirement to baptise in the name of all the threethe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, but always referred to the name of Jesus except the only few occasions that he omitted everything between nations and teaching. Conybeare states further that Eusebius actually provided some form of commentary on the text regarding what he meant by in my name. For, he asks, in whose name? and answers that it was the name spoken of by Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians 2:10. It is therefore advocated that Eusebius being such a learned person and actually attending the Council that adopted the Trinitarian doctrine, if he knew any Greek source of the original Matthew writings that contained also the names of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, he would have included that in his citations. Accordingly, some scholars cited in the states as follows:

George H. Gilbert, There is important external evidence against the existence of this formula in manuscripts current before the time of Eusebius, and various recent writers have urge that the practice of baptism in Acts and Epistles of Paul is utterly incompatible with the view that Jesus commanded his disciples to baptize into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit 

Hastings Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics on Art. Baptism: Early Christians: The cumulative evidence of these three lines of criticism (Textual Criticism, Literary Criticism, and Historical Criticism) is thus distinctly against the view that Matthew 28:19 (in the AV) represents the exact words of Christ.

Arthur Peake in Bible Commentary, p. 723: The command to baptize into the threefold name is a late doctrinal expansion. Instead of the words, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost we should probably read simply: into my name."

Ency. Religion and Ethics: The obvious explanation of the silence of the New Testament on the triune name, and the use of another formula in Acts and Paul, is that this other formula was the earlier, and that the triune formula is a later addition.

New Revised Standard Version: In regards to Matthew 28:19. "Modern critics claim this formula is falsely ascribed to Jesus and that it represents later church tradition, for nowhere in the book of Acts (or any other book of the Bible) is baptism performed with the name of the Trinity."

The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol. 1, 1992, p. 585: The historical riddle is not solved by Matthew 28:19, since, according to a wide scholarly consensus, it is not an authentic saying of Jesus, not even an elaboration of a Jesus-saying on baptism.

6. The Holy Spirit is always missing when God and Jesus are identified

In Acts 7:55-56, Stephen saw in a vision that Jesus was standing at Gods right hand but the Holy Spirit was not found. In Revelation chapters 4, 5, 21 and 22, John in a vision saw God and Jesus sitting in their thrones but never saw the Holy Spirit, despite that less significant beings including angels were routinely identified. If the Holy Spirit is a person, it is strange that the Spirit is always missing in these heavenly assemblies. Rather, the scenes demonstrate that there is only one God (the Father) and one Lord (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit is not a separate person.

Furthermore, David and other prophets through divine revelation identified the Father and his Son (see Proverbs 30: 4 and Ps 2:7). Again, in all these instances, while the Father and the Son were clearly identified, the Holy Spirit was not.

In addition, in Mark 13:32, when Jesus stated that only the Father knows when the world will end, he also mentioned the angels and himself as the other powerful beings that do not know. Even if we assume that Jesus had limited knowledge at the time because he was still a human being, why was it that the Holy Spirit was not mentioned? Jesus clearly implied here that the Holy Spirit is not a person.

Similarly, Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 15:27-28 that God will subject everything under the authority of Jesus leaves us much to desire. It is imperative to note that Paul specifically and emphatically excluded the Father from those that will be the subjects of Jesus, rather Jesus will be subjected to the Father. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit were God as some claim, why did Paul not refer to the Spirit and specifically exclude the Holy Spirit from Jesus subjection or something like that? Again, Paul implied here that the Holy Spirit is not a person.

Furthermore, 1 Cor 8:5-6 states:

Although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many 'gods' and many 'lords', yet for us there is one God, the Father , from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

The above text states plainly that as believers (for us), we have [only] one Godthe Father and one Lordthe Son. The question then is why does Paul not mention the Holy Spirit if indeed the Holy Spirit is a person and another God, despite that Paul even discussed that some have idols as their gods? Clearly, Paul implied here that only the Father and Jesus are persons.

Further, in the prologue to the New Testament letters, the writers often introduced God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, but no one did that with the Holy Spirit. For instance, Paul always sent the personal greetings from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Chris, but never did so for the Holy Spirit. This indicates that the disciples did not believe in Trinity.

Accordingly, whenever the status and relationship of God family is put into clear context and explained, the Holy Spirit is always omitted as there is not a single text in the Bible explicitly stating that the Holy Spirit is a person. People only make those conclusions based on inferences while ignoring texts that clearly point to the contrary.

From the discussion so far, it is clear that the Holy Spirit is neither a person nor God. It is only by wrong interpretations of unclear passages and adherence to dogmatism that people advocate that the Holy Spirit is a person.

Section 2

The relationship between the Father and the Son

7.1 The Father and the Son are separate entities

The Gospel of John begins as follows:

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (v.1); And the Word became flesh and lived among us ... (v.14); No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is in the Father's bosom, he has made him known (v.18).

John statements are ambiguous because:

The Word (i.e. the Son of God) who was with God is also described as God. So how can Jesus be God and the Son of (another) God at the same time?

No one has ever seen God, but Moses and others are said to have seen God.

I will soon attempt to resolve the above ambiguities, suffice to state that John clearly identifies two personsthe Father and the Son. This is consistent with the statements in Gen 1:26, where God stated let us make man in our own image and after our likeness (see also Gen 3:22). Several bible passages state explicitly that God created the universe with Jesus, indicating that the discussions in Gen 1:26 and 3:22 transpired between God and Jesus. Therefore, God and Jesus are separate persons. Moreover, several prophets and apostles (such as Stephen in Acts 7) saw Jesus and God as separate beings in visions.

1.2 Equality of the Son verses the supremacy of the Father

Even though the Bible states clearly that Jesus has the nature of God, there is only one bible text (Philippians 2:6) that has come close to stating that Jesus can be equal with God. However, a careful reading of Philippians 2:6 indicates otherwise. The following are some different interpretations of Philippines 2:6:

Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped(ESV).

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God (KJV).

Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to hold on to (Berean Study Bible).

Obviously, the Berean version in particular appears to indicate that Jesus already had equality with God but did not consider it important to hold on to. However, it appears that this is not how the original Greek text should be interpreted. The Greek word that is rendered not robbery or hold on to or grasped is harpagmos. The Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (725) defines harpagmos as grasped [i.e. to seize, especially by an open display of force]. Therefore, it appears Paul did not imply that Jesus already had equality and gave it up rather if Jesus wanted to be equal with God he would need to use force to achieve that. Accordingly, Today's English Version (1976) translates Philippians 2:6 correctly as: He always had the nature of God, but did not think that by force he should try to become equal with God.

Furthermore, other biblical texts indicate that the Father has always been superior to Jesus. In John 14:28 Jesus stated If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I (bolding emphasis mine). Do we need further proof to show that the Father is greater? Jesus made the statement on the basis of his heavenly and not the earthly status, as the listeners already knew that as a human Jesus, the Father (and even angels) was definitely greater than him. Moreover, Jesus could have chosen not to make the statement because he was not compelled to do so.

In 1 Corinthians 15:27-28, Paul stated:

 For God has put everything under His feet. Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him. And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.

Pauls statement indicates that (1) it is by the power of God that everything will be subject to God, (2) the Father is specifically excluded from all the things that will be subjected to Jesus (3) Jesus will be subjected to God. John 13:3 corroborates Pauls point that Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God. The above texts clearly show that (1) the Father is superior and (2) the Son derives his power from the Father.

More so, in Matt 20:20-23, the mother of Zebedee asked Jesus to allow her sons to sit, one at his right and the other at his left in his kingdom. Jesus answered  to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father. Clearly, Jesus acknowledged here the prerogative power of the Father. According to Ps 110:1; Matt 22:41-45 and Acts 2:33-34, the prerogative power of the Father extends over Jesus. In contrast, there are some jurisdictions that Jesus has the sole authority to act. For example, Jesus stated in John 5:21; 23 that: The Father judges no one but has given all judgement to the Son (v.21). And he (the Father) has given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of Man (v.23).

The above passages clearly show that while the Father derives his own authority, Jesus does not derive his own but from the Father. Therefore, if Jesus were coequal with the Father, why would he need to derive his authority from the Father? This should simply put any claim of equality between God and Jesus to rest as the above illustrations clearly demonstrate that the Father is not merely acting as the first among equals but is superior to the Son in a real sense. It is against this background that even after Jesus ascension, Paul asserted that Jesus continues to live to God (Rom 6:10). The above discussions undoubtedly rebut any suggestion that Jesus is already equal with God.

Jesus stated in Mark 13:32, Of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. This should not be the case if the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were coequals. Moreover, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ and just immediately before he ascended to heaven, the disciples asked him in Acts 1:6, Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? While at this stage, Jesus was not a human anymore but had the second opportunity to tell the disciples that he knew the date of the end of the world, Jesus simply answered, it is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority (v7). In other words, Jesus reinforced his statement made back in Mark 13:32 that only the Father knows the end time.

Furthermore, Jesus stated in John 5:19 that The Son cannot do anything at his own pleasure, he can only do what he sees his Father doing (please see also John 8:26, 28-29, 42; 6:38 and 7:16).

1.3 The only true God

Because Jesus is Divine he is sometimes referred to as God but mainly as the Son of God. Therefore, how is that Jesus is God and the Son of another God? Meanwhile, Deuteronomy 6:4 (see also Mark 12:29) states Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; a passage that appears to indicate that there is only one God (i.e. the Father). However many theologians have explained that Deuteronomy 6:4 is not a declaration of monotheism (i.e. only the Father is God) because the Hebrew word Elohim translated as Jehovah denotes plurality. For example, the Cambridge Bible Commentary states the passage simply means Jehovah is Israels only God and that nothing is said as to the existence or non-existence of other gods, and therefore the passage is similar to Deuteronomy 5:7 , which states You shall have no other gods before me. However, the Cambridge Bible Commentary states also that there is an explicit declaration of monotheism in other passages such as Deuteronomy 4:35 , 39 . Accordingly, there is the need to consider other passages to reconcile the statements that Jesus is both God and the Son of another God. Firstly, Jesus himself stated as follows:

John 17:1-3, Father  this is eternal life that they know you the only true God , and Jesus Christ whom that has sent

, and Jesus Christ whom that has sent John 5: 44, How can you believe when ... you do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God.

Jesus statements above appear to confirm monotheism, particularly, in John 17:1-3, where Jesus did not only described the Father as the only true God, but also the only true God sent him. This appears to mean that Jesus excluded himself from being part of the only true God. This is consistent with our earlier discussion that Jesus receives his authority from the Father. Accordingly, the Father is said to be God to Jesus (see Romans 15:6, 2 Cor 1:3, 2 Cor 11:31, Eph 1:17, Col 1:3, 1 Pet 1:3 and Eph 1:3).

In summary, Jesus possesses the penultimate authority and is God to everyone except the Father, but the Father possesses the ultimate authority and is God to everyone including Jesus.

Paul affirms this view further in 1 Cor 8:4, 6 as follows:  there is none other God but one  [thus] for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. Paul argues further as follows:

1 Tim 2:5-6, there is one God , and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all.

, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all. 1 Timothy 1:7, Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.

be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen. Gal 3:20, God is only one.

1.4 Invisibility and Immortality of God

As indicated above, Jesus and others have discussed that no one has ever seen the Father, the only true God. Accordingly, Paul stated that it is he alone who has immortality and dwell in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see  (1 Timothy 6:16). Pauls statement appears to relate to the Father alone because Jesus lived among humans and died before (except he did not experience decay, Acts 13:34-35). Accordingly, Paul stated also that for we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery (dominion) over him, but lives to God (Roman 6:9-10). Paul appears to indicate that as human, death had mastery over Jesus until God resurrected him from death. The following passages also reinforce this view:

John 1:18, "No one has ever seen God, it is God the only son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known."

1 John 4:12, "no one has ever seen God."

John 3:13, "And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man."

John 6: 46, "Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father."

John 5: 37, "And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form."

1.5 Who appeared to Moses

As discussed above, no one has seen the only true God before; who then showed his back to Moses as mentioned in Ex 33:19-20? Further, in Gen 18, the Lord appeared with two angels to Abraham on their way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. The story tells us that while the angels left, Abraham continued to plead with the Lord that the Lord should not destroy the place if 10 or so righteous people are found (surely, Abraham has his relative Lot in mind). We also note from the story that Abraham served the Lord and the Angels food, so this was a real physical encounter and not a vision or dream. The story also makes a clear distinction between the two angels on one hand and the third person (the Lord) on the other hand. Surely, it was the same person that both Moses and Abraham saw except in the case of Moses, the person appeared in his full glory and therefore, Moses could only see his back.

Firstly, Paul provides a clue about who appeared to these persons in 1 Corinthians 10:4, 9 as follows:

and they all drank from the spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ; We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.

Pauls statements tell us clearly that it was Jesus who followed the Israelites through the desert and when they tested him he caused snakes to kill 23,000 of them. It is clear therefore that Jesus was the one who appeared to Moses, the leader of the Israelites.

Furthermore, it is believed that the person who appeared to Joshua (5:13-15) as the captain of the Lords army at Jericho was Jesus because (1) he asked Joshua to remove his sandals as the place was a holy place and (2) Joshua worshipped him, but angels had always refused to be worshipped so it could have been only Jesus. Moreover, John (12:41) states that it was Jesus that Isaiah (6:1) saw his glory, high and exalted, seated on a throne with the train of his robe filling the temple.

Jesus also told the Pharisees in John 8: 56 that your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad. It appears likely Jesus was referring to the incident in Genesis chapter 18, when the Lord (Jesus) and two angels appeared to Abraham. Therefore, based on Pauls revelation and Jesus own statement, it is obvious that it was Jesus who appeared as God in the Old Testament, as God himself (the Father) has never appeared or spoken to any human before, it is his only begotten Son who has made him known.

Conclusion

In this paper, I traced the history and the origin of the Trinity doctrine. I also discussed extensively the identity and gender of the Holy Spirit and refuted the most common factors used as the basis to claim that the Holy Spirit is a person and God. In addition, I discussed the relationship between the Father and his Son. In summary, there are the Father and Son who have the ultimate and penultimate authority respectively over the entire universe. The Holy Spirit is however not a person but the power they use and Jesus at times reveal himself through that power.

Appendix

Some references to the Holy Spirit do not support that the Holy Spirit is a person

Some references associated with the Holy Spirit are not consistent with the belief that the Holy Spirit is a person. For instance, people are filled, baptised (literally dipped) or anointed with the Spirit like oil (Lk 1:41; Matt 3:11; Acts 10:38, 2 Cor. 1:21, Eph. 1:13). The Holy Spirit is poured like water (Joel 2: 28, Acts 2:17). It is measured as if it had volume (2 Kings 2:9; John 3:34). The above descriptions of the Holy Spirit have the characteristic of liquid, which by definition cannot refer to a person. In addition, as indicated below, the Spirit of God is said to be divisible and distributable, as God distributed the spirit on Moses (used interchangeably with the Spirit of God) to the 70 elders of Israel, these attributes are also not consistent with a definition of a person.

Again, the Bible gives us the personal names of the Father as God (Yahweh) and the Son as Jesus (Christ), but nowhere in the scriptures is the personal name of the Holy Spirit noted; yet, the Holy Spirit was revealed as early as Gen 1:2 and well before the Son was even specifically mentioned. Further, the Bible tells us that there is the Father and his Son, but is completely silent about what the Holy Spirit is, whether another son or someone else.

Further, in 1 Corinthians 2:12, the spirit of the world and the spirit which is of God are said to be directly opposite. As the spirit of the world cannot be a person separate from the world, neither is the spirit of God a person separate from God. Likewise, God had occasionally sent evil spirits to occupy some people. In 1 Samuel 16:23; 18:10, an evil spirit from God came upon Saul. In Judges 9:23, God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lord of Schechem, and the lords of Schechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech. As the evil spirits that God sent to occupy these persons were most likely to be some power and not a person, so should the Holy Spirit be some power but not a person.

References
UML firm against charter revision bill

At a time when the governing parties have announced to expedite the constitution amendment process, the main opposition CPN-UML has said it will not support the bid until the amendment proposal tabled in Parliament is withdrawn and a new one drafted in consultation with it.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Was that a crow I saw last time in a video picking up after litterers?

Yes Im sure it was a crow. The black-feathered bird was seen undertaking the task as though shed been hired by a city mayor. Back and forth, to and fro, she picked up and dropped off the mess created by humans into a trash can or bin. Wondering how we got here? Simply, were gradually shirking our social responsibilities as citizens of the world and now our reckless activities have caught the attention of the lesser creatures.

Tinkers dont fix automobiles and computers. They mend pots, kettles and pans.

So what went wrong? What caused us to be careless and indifferent?

Im inclined to believe that those who litter are probably filthy-blind. That means they either dont realise the negative effect of their actions to the environment and society. Or they just like to be deviant not conforming to accepted norm. They would prefer to stay in filth rather than live in a more hygienic environment. And I wont hesitate to describe them as anti-social group. They dont bother whether society will grow or will tumble. A Lagosian will say it in pidgin like this: Country broke or no broke we dey.

Town Council

Back in the day filth had no place in the streets of our villages, towns and cities. Sight of the guy (the sanitary inspector) in a short/long sleeve shirt tucked in a khaki shorts, socks pulled to knee with black polished shoes and a hat to match was more than enough to warn residents to keep the surroundings clean as well as healthy. Sorry, the story is different today.

In Ghana during the 60s and up to early or mid-70, those town council officers or inspectors were outstanding in their duties. Basically, they ensured litter laws, enforcement efforts, and court prosecutions (delegated to them by the central government) were used to help restrain littering. Where did the laws go? The laws are still sitting in the books. But theyve become white elephants. Bribery, pilfering and extortion have been cited as some of the factors that have caused the breakdown of the hitherto vibrant town council or the statutory body. Overpopulation, cultural attitudes, deviancy and lack of proper sanitation facilities are also to blame. There are other factors too.

Madina Judge

Thankfully, theres now a Big Brother watching litterers and theres also a judge thats ready to hand down punishment. So next time you decide to litter or dump refuse in the streets look be mindful else you might end up at the court to face not Judge Judy Sheindlin (the American television court star born Judith Susan Blum) but Judge Efua Tordimah of Madina district court in Madina, Accra.

On Friday 7 July 2017, the no nonsense judge convicted 18 persons in the La-Nkwantanang-Madina municipality for dumping of refuse on the main Madina-Aburi road. The court sentenced them on their own pleas to a fine each ranging between GHc120.00 to GHc140.00 or in default serve between two weeks to a month imprisonment.

The sentence, this writer believes would serve as a deterrent to others. But Her Lordship was also magnanimous. She tampered justice with mercy. A minor whod been sent to dump refuse was acquitted and discharged by the court.

Prosecutor Mr. Lambert Kwara told the court that the litterers were arrested by a joint Police and LaNMMA Sanitation Task force within the La-Nkwantanang-Madina Municipality for illegal dumping of the refuse. He explained that all the accused were busted in a night swoop at various parts of the municipality dumping refuse indiscriminately.

The exercise is aimed at keeping the municipality clean. Mr. Joseph Quacoe the Municipal Environmental Health Officer told the state News Agency: This swoop is to bring sanity not only into Madina area but the municipality.

Lethargic Approach

Large cities in Ghana such as Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale and Tema have been plagued by this menace. Littering is common spectacle. Its uncommon to see people hurling empty cans, bottles, food containers and wrappers from car windows or dumping them in the streets. Aside that I think leniency has played into the picture and our approach to dealing with littering to say the least has been lethargic.

Chairman of Public Hygiene Council in Singapore Liak Teng Lit thinks people are unwilling to litter if there are fines and punishment for example. "We have become reluctant to do the bad thing. Im referring to enforcement, including fines and Corrective Work Orders (CWOs), and speaking up when one sees others littering, he said.

Enforcement was more thorough in the 1970s to early 1990s, when photos of people queueing up to pay their littering fines were published. When CWOs were introduced in 1992, offenders made to clean public areas did so under the glare of the media. Photos of them carrying out CWOs were splashed in the newspapers. Over the years, we have become more forgiving, with more emphasis now placed on education," said Mr. Liak.

When was the last time you stopped someone from littering?

I did that decades back and I felt good after that. I made a guy picked up his own trash on the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue near Ghana COCOBOD Building and my buddy Nana Boadu who was with me at the time laughed his head off. The guy had dropped banana peels in the middle of the road. Hey you, would you mind to pick up your mess I told him.

His response was: Is this place your home? I knew right there, he was going to be unruly. I thrusted two fingers into my breast pocket in an attempt to fish out t my ID card. And before I could say Jack Opana was already on the ground. Hed picked them up. But he left me with this colloquial phrase: Youre too known.

Accra was declared a city on the 28th of June 1961 and became Accra city Council. The Accra City Council was dissolved to become Accra Tema Council in August 1964.. And the AMA was established by the PNDC Law 207 which has been replaced by enabling Local Government Act 1993 (ACT 462)

My question is: If birds know how to keep our environments clean then what are we doing as humans? And I think authorities in Singapore know the answer to the question. Complacency is most likely reason for Singapore's litter woes, one environmentalist wrote.

Experts say: when people know there will be an army of cleaners to pick up after them, they become too lazy to do the right thing.

The National Environmental Agency (NEA) study also found that about two in 10 people did not think they were littering if their serviettes blew away in the wind. Three out of 10 thought leaving rubbish on a park table after a barbecue was also not littering.

Elsewhere in the United States litter is an environmental issue and littering is often a criminal offense, punishable with a fine as set out by statutes in many places.

Litter laws, enforcement efforts, and court prosecutions are used to help curtail littering. All three are part of a "comprehensive response to environmental violators", write Epstein and Hammett, researchers for the United States Department of Justice.

For example in Washington State, the littering of (especially lit) cigarettes can incur a fine of up to $1025. During the summer months, drought-like conditions and tinder-dry forests, lit or smoldering debris have started many wildfires State litter surveys have shown that an average of 352 pounds of litter is picked up for every mile of highway including about 3,000 cigarette butts.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

The challenge is clear. With over 2,000 daily arrivals of South Sudanese, adding to those from Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia, an overwhelming 1.3m refugees are today in Uganda.

Uganda is soon becoming the worlds number one refugee hostovertaking Turkey (2.9 refugees) and Pakistan (1.4) in number one and two respectively.

Kampala estimates US$8b to adequately care for these people in the next four years. Of this, last months international solidarity summit on refugees hoped to raise close to US$2b. But less than a quarter (S358m) was realized. What went wrong?

Fraud?

On the eve of the summit, the European Union handed over 85 million Euros direct to international humanitarian agencies dealing with the refugee crisis in Uganda. This was even though its commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, Christos Stylianides would attend the summit. Now, diplomatic norm does not publicly question this behavior but certainly quietly seeks its sense. Was it to avoid possible fraud?

Uganda pledges to distribute the appeal fund through local communities hosting the refugeesfor investments, projects and development programs. This, however, is hard to quantify and monitor in a country ranking high on the international corruption index.

Aid Ceilings and Commitments?

June is often the beginning of a new financial calendar in institutions around the world. At this time, already new annual expenditure ceilings and commitments have been fixed. Among traditional donors, they possibly could have already committed themselves toward refugee care in form of development aid channeled through government. In that case, the new Ugandan appeal would imply a double commitment. Besides, come at the time it did, might have been too late for inclusion in the processes that fix annual outflow ceilings.

Responsibility?

Students of social functionalism know that agents of conflict seek social change in order to occupy prime spaces and assets, regardless of others consent. But this must come with responsibility.

Unlike UgandaTurkey and Pakistan are not making international outcry over refugees. This is because countries that are playing major roles in Syria and Afghanistan conflicts (origins of these refugees), are taking responsibility of displaced citizens.

It, therefore, suggests that international rules over refugees must change. Perpetrators of conflict must not stop at pursuing private agenda; must be compelled to share responsibility over displaced citizensfrom the nations international assets or their controlled territories.

By Swaib K Nsereko

Lecturer,Dept of Mass Communication, Islamic University in Uganda
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Media Foundation, (GlOMEF), a non-governmental organisation, has appealed to the public to help identify perpetrators of child marriages to be prosecuted.

He said teenage pregnancy and some traditional values are the major driving force to child marriages in the society.

Mr Ahenu made the call at a church service at the Fiapre Zion Presbyterian Church in line with an outreach project on ending child marriage being implemented by the NGO in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

The CEO explained that the three-year project dubbed: "Stop the clock: say no to child marriage," is being funded by his NGO and aimed at intensifying community education as a means to tackle the practice.

Mr Ahenu entreated parents to endeavour to provide the needs of their girls and also draw them closer to them. He said the adolescent people should not be denied sex education as they remained sexually active.

A project Co-ordinator of the Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF) a non-governmental organisation, Ms Grace Adomako,called for a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the alarming trend of child marriage in the country.

She said though Ghana is signatory to a number of international conventions that criminalised child marriage, the practice had gain roots.

She commended the government for the national strategic plan designed to fight child, explaining that the measures ought to be intensified to augment such efforts.

She said child marriages are rife notably in Upper East, Upper West, Northern and Brong-Ahafo regions.

Ms Adomako indicated that the government and her assigned institutions could not shoulder the responsibility to fighting the practice alone and appealed to churches and Muslim leaders to support the efforts.

She advised girls to avoid pre-marital sex and cautioned those who could not control their sexual desires to guard against unprotected sex.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

"Treat the surrendering Biafrans well or risk their children rising again"- Colonel Phillip Effiong, Vice President of Biafra, 1970.

These profound words from a wise and deeply courageous man have proved to be prophetic.

The truth is that those that resist the idea of restructuring and that say no to the conducting of a referendum on self-determination by the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria are arch-conservatives that seek to preseve what the French call the "ancien regime".

They are people that have fed fat on Nigeria and the very idea of dismantling and reforming our constitutional structure, redefining our nation and allowing the will of the people to be done terrifies them beyond belief because they stand to lose everything.

They remind me of the dark and relentless forces that once opposed the break-up of the Soviet Union.

They remind me of the sinister and savage forces that once supported apartheid and opposed black majority rule in South Africa.

They remind me of the Royalist forces in pre-Cromwellian England who opposed parliamentry democracy and who believed in the absolute power and divine right of kings.

They are ignorant, self-serving, reactionary, godless and cruel people that are still living in an inglorious, inequitable and unconscioble past. Worst still, they are suffering from chronic delusions and they are out of touch with reality.

They are modern-day slave masters who seek to preserve and protect a cruel, moribund, retrograde, unjust and failed system which serves their interest alone and which cages and destroys the future and destiny of our people.

They use childish tales about the horrors of war to deter us from insisting on our rights and fighting for our freedom.

They insist that we must accept the fact that we are slaves and second class citizens, that the "Christians are nothing" and that Nigeria was bequethed to them and their misguided and servile friends and allies by our erstwhile and ever so reactionary British colonial masters.

They use the security agencies, the Armed Forces, the traditional rulers, the media, the ruling class, the political elite and all the other tools of oppression to intimidate and demonise us, paint us black, stand in our way and drown our voices but in the end they will fail and we shall prevail.

The insightful Mr. Phil Smart wrote that "the ultimate test of a democrat are his views on self-determination". He is right.

Mr. Jude Nwadavid asked "can someone explain how asking for self-determination translates into asking for war and bloodshed?"

He asked "could it be that a man asking for divorce from an unfaithful wife is actually asking for war from the in-laws and other relations?"

These are pertinent and appropiate questions from a keen and erudite mind which those that threaten war and spit hell-fire and brimstone each time they hear the words "restructuring" and "self-determination" need to answer.

Finally Mr. Ibrahim Bunu from Southern Kaduna, who is a leading member of the Christian Arise Network and one of the rising stars of Middle Belt politics, asked,

"If the North says they want to seccede would those that oppose Biafra reason the way they are reasoning? If they did not oppose sharia law why bother about Biafra?"

The truth is that there can be no peace without freedom and justice and the prayer is "may the Lord trouble those that seek to trouble us".

The prayer is may He cage the monsters that oppose restructuring and may He disarm and remove the teeth and strength of the beasts that threaten war.

Regardless of their insults and threats we shall march on and secure our collective freedom. The numerous ethnic groups that make up Nigeria deserve no less.

It is a march of courage, righteousness, equal rights and justice to which a million voices sing.

The forces of darkness and the internal colonial masters cannot stop a moving train: they shall bow to the will of the people and the counsel of the Living God.

Permit me to end this contribution with the following observations, admonitions and counsel.

Nigeria is an evil, boiling cauldron of suffering that is filled with body parts and entrails and that has destroyed the dreams and consummed the lives of millions of innocent and precious souls over the years.

It has offered those souls as human sacrifices to the principalities and powers of the second heaven, to the demons of the underworld and to the deities of the River Niger.

This was all done in a vain attempt to sustain her sordid and repugnant unity and existence and to hold her spell-bound in the shape and form of a vanquished territory and barbarous vassal state which is under the power and control of shape-shifting reptilians, the servants of satan, the seed of Futa Jalon, the children of perdition and the born to rule.

Only the blood of Jesus and the light and power of the Living God can save and redeem our nation from Lucifer, the Son of the Dawn, the Bright Morning Star.and the goat-headed Baphomet.

Only His power and might can deliver us from satan, the Lord of the Flies, the whispering serpent and the destroyer of humanity.

To the Daughters of Zion I make this humble appeal: fear not, stand firm and pray hard for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers.

You are the watchers of the Kingdom, the shield-bearers of light and truth, the servants of the Lord of the Universe and the handmaidens of the Most High God.

I urge you to stand in the gap and to pray for the Lord's counsel to stand over our nation. I urge you to pray for your brothers and sisters in the faith.

I urge you to pray for the restructuring and a redefinition of our nation.

I urge you to pray for the struggle for freedom and for self-determination.

I urge you to pray for the rise of men and women of courage and strength that will lead that struggle.

I urge you to pray for the emergence of new nation states that are berthed and born as a consequence of the expression of the free will of the people.

I urge you to pray that your children are not captured and enslaved as you and your forefathers were from time immemorial.

I urge you to pray that they are not subjected to the insults, humiliation, indignities, violence and tyranny that millions of their forefathers were subjected to for the last 57 years.

I urge you to pray against the monsters that oppose restructuting and the fight for self-determination and the beasts that threaten war.

I urge you to invoke the blood of the sprinkling, to call on the name of our resurrected Lord and to fight a good fight in the realm of the spirit.

We need your strength today more than ever before whilst we confront the beasts in the field and fight the battle in the forest.

And in all our collective trials, tribulations, struggles, challenges and encounters I urge you to always remember this: that our cause is just, our resolve is strong, our fight is noble and our struggle is righteous.

I urge you to remember that no matter how hard the battle and no matter how bitter the struggle, the Lord of Hosts is with us and the Ancient of Days guides our steps and champions our cause.

Finally I urge you to be encouraged, to be strong and to always remember that the battle belongs to the Lord and, in the end, we shall surely prevail.
Dome Kwabenya MP Adwoa Safo has said, through her Special Assistant Dr Emmanuel Boakye that she will never ever apologise for claiming credit for a Community Day Senior High School built in her constituency.

This follows the wide circulation of a purported apology letter from her on social media following immense trolling by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress.

Below is the full UNEDITED purported apology letter:

APOLOGIES OVER COMMUNITY S.H.S. COMMENT

For Immediate Release

For a while I have wanted to pour out everything in my heart, but it is been bottled up. Out of fear, humiliation, and hurt. What I have encountered in the past few days is one of the hardest moments of my political and professional life, but I need to address this face-forward.

There are truth and some lies swarming the internet and I need to take a moment to clear the air. But before I do that, I need to apologize to Former President John Mahama, World Bank and the Ghanaian public. Knowing I have let people down is one of the hardest things to accept. Beyond all else, I have let myself down and the shame I feel is overwhelming.

My comment was only in regards to the Community Senior High School in my constituency, that was build by the previous government during my tenure as Member of Parliament.

Please consider this statement to constitute an unconditional retraction of my previous statements. I would appreciate the courtesy of this apology be accepted.

Signed

Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo

Minister/MP

9th July, 2017

However, Dr Boakye told Class News in an interview on Sunday, 9 July that the said letter is a ridiculous, complete palpable lie, adding: It is an agenda of the NDC and then they tickle themselves and start laughing.

He said the MP still stands by her words. I suspect any of the NDC gurus. We stand by it and continue to stand by it. We will never ever apologise, Dr Boakye added.
Pig farmers in the Ashanti region are demanding compensation from government after thousands of their pigs contracted the African swine fever.

The farmers say they now struggle to cater for their families because of the destruction to their animals.

The destruction of the pigs became necessary after the outbreak of Swine fever in parts of the country including the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.

The Veterinary Services Department has also stated that it intends to ban the transfer of pigs following the outbreak of Swine fever in parts of the country.

According to the department, data available to them indicates that some pig farms in the Ashanti region have been affected.

Interacting with Ultimate News Ivan HeathcoteFumador, the pig farmers called on government to provide some form of compensation for them because their livelihood has been cut after their pigs were killed.

According to Ivan, more than 15, 000 pigs have been slaughtered in the region with one farmer losing close to 8, 000 pigs which amounts to GHC500, 000 according to the farmer.

Another farmer who also interacted with Ivan also disclosed that he has lost about 3, 500 pigs due to the Swine Fever.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Ghana July, 7th , 2017  Specifically designed by Ghanaians and built for the world, azugu.com incorporates an impressive service function which provides aftersales service and technical support to any shopper willing to buy from azugu.com. In addition, azugu.com offers real-time customer service support through its Live chat feature on the shop.

azugu.com is Ghanas Premier contemporary one-stop online mall where you can buy almost everything ranging from Consumer Electronics, Home Appliances, Building & Construction Materials, Automobile, Furniture, Home Decor, Clothing (Fashion), Kids Learning aid, educational Literature, event tickets and many more.

azugu.com partners the Best brands and suppliers worldwide to provide an enhanced end-to-end shopping experience for sound minded individuals and corporate organisations, said Ms Edem Asamany, Head of Commercials & Corporate Affairs at Huxley Black, the custodians of the azugu brand. Online shopping has been proven worldwide to save time and efficiency by as much as 30% and we are willing to make the experience exceptional and memorable. We have the best price deals, operate online & offline whilst offering swift delivery service to your home or office.

Immediately apparent from its name, azugu.com is an African brand designed with one of the best security features which makes it safe to shop online with your debit/credit card. Advancement in technology and the introduction of e-commerce has brought to bear the different modes of online payments which have been embraced over the years as shoppers are now more informed about the ease and convenience of online payments. Azugu.com offers online and offline payment solution that is convenient, easy to use, incurs a minimal cost when transferring and 100% secured.

Also speaking in the same vein, Executive Director of the Parent Company, Mr Nii Ayi Hyde said: azugu.com allows payment through debit/credit, bank transfers, mobile money and payment on delivery. We pride ourselves in offering the best shopping experience providing customer service support at every stage of your shopping to make it exciting, swift and memorable. Your loyalty to our shop entitles you to enjoy discounts on bulk orders and delivery/shipping rates.

Conveniently, shoppers can browse and make a purchase on their mobile handsets, tablets, Laptops and Computers. Customers can shop conveniently for the best price deals on azugu.com from anywhere and at any time. Shopping on azugu.com opens a window of opportunities for shoppers to get their installations done by qualified and astute technical team from our partners at no cost. Their policy allows shoppers to engage with our customer service team at any time of the day on any issues pertaining to order updates, aftersales service support and delivery.

Shopping on www.azugu.com is in 3 Simple steps;

Select an item & add to cart Check-in and Enter delivery address Check-out and make payment

Touching on the parent company, the Executive Director said they look forward in partnering with any African brand with the right product offering to improve the economic growth in Ghana and Africa.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Global Business Keynote Speaker, TV Host, Brand Architect, Serial Entrepreneur and Digital Marketer, Kwame A.A Opoku, has been announced as the Master of Ceremony for the 2017 Premium Bank Ghana Startup Awards.

The awards which was launched last year has been geared towards celebrating ambitious and indigenous start-up businesses making impact, contributing to economic growth, meeting social needs and putting Ghana on the global economic map,. This makes Kwame a perfect fit to host the event as he is one of the most recognised voices in the start-up ecosystem across the continent.

The awards which is being organised by The African Network of Entrepreneurs under its flagship project The Startup Network, will be hosted on Thursday 13th July 2017 at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

Kwame Opoku, a member of the Awards Jury, is the CEO of Mary & Mary Global Partners, a leading communications marketing and PR firm with a bank of super creative and talented minds connecting, informing and creating inspiring work. He is the Co-Founder of Idea Factory Africa, a global African Community and a Social Enterprise, welcoming young people from every discipline and culture who seek to influence the world through novel ideas. Also the Co-Founder and Lead Curator of WE FESTIVAL AFRICA, a unique platform dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs who are in the trenches of building their business.

He is currently the Vice Chair, West Africa for the Young CEOs Business Forum, one of the Worlds leading Organisations and a head of all YCBF related projects within the West African region, making Him Head of Operations in 16 Countries.

The awards is sponsored by Premium Bank in partnership with The HelpStation, KPMG, IConceptsPR, Avance Media, Edel Consult, Kumasi Hive, HapaSpace, MEST, GhanaThink Foundation and TentMaker Ghana and Mary and Mary Global Partners.

Tickets for the event are also made available on EgoTickets through http://www.bit.ly/startupawards17
Lusaka (AFP) - Zambia's main opposition party on Monday accused President Edgar Lungu of endangering the country's democracy and plotting a dictatorship after he invoked emergency powers under the constitution.

Lungu last week gave police increased powers of arrest and detention, alleging that opposition parties were behind a string of arson attacks intended "to create terror and panic".

The president denied he was establishing a dictatorship in Zambia -- until recently a relatively stable country -- and accused his rivals of trying to overturn last year's election results.

The emergency decree "constitutes abuse of power designed to silence his critics and kill democracy," opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) vice president Geoffrey Mwamba said in a statement.

"It is clear that (Lungu's) actions are premeditated and designed to strengthen the hand of dictatorship."

Several fires, including one that burnt down the main market in the capital Lusaka last week, have been at the centre of rising tensions in Zambia.

Mwamba denied any UPND involvement in the fires.

Zambia has enjoyed relative stability since its first multi-party election in 1991, but last year's vote was marred by clashes between rival party supporters.

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has also been in detention on treason charges since April.

He was arrested after his convoy allegedly refused to give way to the presidential motorcade.

Hichilema narrowly lost the 2016 election to Lungu's Patriotic Front (PF) party, and has alleged that the result was rigged.

"We insist on the speedy release" of Hichilema, Mwamba said in the statement, which was the UPND's first response to the emergency powers.

"Innocent Zambians will be arrested on mere suspicion just to fulfil the Patriotic Front's political agenda to remain in power forever," he said.

Church leaders in Zambia have also criticised the emergency powers, warning the move would scare away investors needed to boost Zambia's weak economy.

"This is a clear sign of dictatorship -- just because of a fire at a market and you declare a state of emergency?" bishop Simon Chihana, president of the International Fellowship of Christian Churches, told AFP.

"Lungu is only thinking about his continued hold on to power. He is not concerned about the well-being of Zambia."
Maiduguri (Nigeria) (AFP) - Sixteen-year-old Aisha slips into the white family planning tent at the Bakassi camp for displaced people in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, and whispers in case she is overheard.

The teenager, among the hundreds of thousands of Nigerians who have sought sanctuary from Boko Haram Islamists in the region's biggest city, began taking a contraceptive pill three months ago.

Despite her tender years, she has seen death and cruelty up close, fleeing into exile through the hostile, arid bush.

But in the Bakassi camp, which is home to more than 21,000 people like her, she has to fight another type of attack.

"I have never been with a man before," she told AFP, lowering her eyes. "But in the camp there are so many rapes, it happens all the time.

"One of my friends is pregnant because she was raped and I'm afraid it's going to happen to me."

Another woman tells how she heard a neighbour's cries ring out across the camp one night in June.

"Young boys came to her tent but nobody would come out to help her," she said. "People are scared, they think it's Boko Haram.

"There is too much trauma after what we've been through."

Sexual violence

The Boko Haram insurgency, which has killed at least 20,000 since 2009, has left more than 2.6 million people homeless and triggered a humanitarian crisis in Nigeria's northeast

For the Hausa and Kanuri, the two main ethnic groups in the region, rape is taboo, said Alice Janvrin of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), which runs the family planning clinic.

She said that very few women admit it has happened for fear of being rejected, but added: "Women and girls tell us that sexual violence is pervasive... in and out of camps."

Many of those who turn up on their own at Bakassi have been separated from their families during attacks. The situation is hardly any better for those who arrive with their husbands.

The Boko Haram insurgency, which has killed at least 20,000 since 2009, has left more than 2.6 million people homeless and triggered a humanitarian crisis in Nigeria's northeast.

More than five million people are starving as the fighting has devastated farmland, leaving farmers unable to sow or cultivate crops for several years.

Janvrin, the IRC's reproductive health manager, said internally displaced people (IDPs) were also "extremely vulnerable to sexual abuse".

"Many of them exchange sexual services against food and there are much more STI (sexually transmitted infections), abortions or unwanted pregnancies," she added.

Growing demand

The IRC women's centre in Bakassi was opened in September 2016 and includes a maternity unit and an obstetrics service, which is always packed.

Dozens of women with swollen bellies wait patiently on benches to be seen in the crushing heat of the midday sun.

According to the IRC, more than 1,000 women have adopted some form of contraception since January.

Similar operations have been set up elsewhere in Borno State, where there are also sizeable numbers of displaced people.

Options include oral contraception, an implant under the skin or a hormone injection which lasts up to three months.

Fanne, a 20-year-old, said she had never heard of contraception before she arrived in Bakassi.

She already has two children and talks of "the stress of having children on and on" in an impoverished region which had poor access to health and education even before the insurgency.

"In the villages, some women give birth every year," Fanne said. "In the current situation, if I have more children, what will I give them to eat?"

The Bakassi camp in northern Nigeria is home to more than 21,000 people who have fled Boko Haram violence

Talatu, who is in her 30s and has had five pregnancies, said her husband had prohibited her from going to the clinic.

But she said she now felt relieved to be taking the pill. "Now I have time for myself. I needed to rest," she said.

Control over health

Rachel Sunday Okoye, a midwife, says many women come to the centre in secret, given the strong resistance to contraception among men.

"They feel like we don't want their women to reproduce. We try to make them understand that it's not the case. It's about planning for the next pregnancy," she said.

On Tuesday, international experts, policy makers and donors meet at a family planning conference in London to increase efforts for women to have access to contraception -- and more control of their own future and health.

Conflict zones are seen as a priority.

In Bakassi, Aisha has just one thing on her mind: how to get back to studies the conflict forced her to abandon, so she can train to become a doctor.

"I have nothing to do here," she said. "Every day I come to sit at the clinic and watch the doctors. I'm trying to learn."
[INTERVIEW Krishna Hachhethu] UML wants early polls as it has done well; NC wants to defer them for same reason

The main opposition CPN-UML has fared remarkably well in the second phase of the local elections, winning about 45 percent of the local units. Now all eyes are set on the third phase of local polls in Province 2, which is scheduled for September 18.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

The University of Leicester has reached an agreement with its partner agency in Ghana, the International Distance Education Centre, (IDEC) to introduced PhD or MPhil programmes as part of its distance learning courses in Ghana.

The distance learning PhD programme is ideal for those who are based away from Leicester or who want to combine working for a research degree with their professional and personal commitments.

Commenting on the programme, Dr. Matthew Higgins, Associate Dean of Enterprise and External Relations of the University of Leicester School of Business explained that, there is no difference between the distance learning PhD qualification and the campus based equivalent and both degrees are recognised internationally and no distinction of mode of study is made on the degree certificate.

As with the campus based PhD, students will undertake a substantial research project that is written up as a thesis of 80,000 words and defended in an oral exam.

The University of Leicester will be recruiting through its partner agency in Ghana, the International Distance Education Centre, (IDEC)

Emmanuel Kwashie Agbodzie, Managing Director of IDEC, who is a Leicester Alumni on his part said;

We are excited to introduce distance learning PhD programmes as our latest postgraduate offering in Ghana. We will work with the University of Leicester to facilitate flexible and quality distance education for Ghanaian students.

The University of Leicester is one of the United Kingdom, (UK)s largest providers of distance learning courses with nearly 2,000 new distance learners joining each year.

Courses offered by the University are internationally renowned with students from 170 culturally diverse countries, many of whom are supported by extensive network of partners across the world.

About the IDEC

IDEC is an Educational, marketing and consultancy oriented Limited Liability Company serving the interest of the University of Leicester as the flagship institution in Ghana and the ECOWAS region. IDEC also serves as an education, skill and knowledge transfer conduit between the University of Leicester and Ghana.

We market accredited courses and international programs that are offered by recognized universities and colleges globally and provide job recruitment and professional placement services and engage in businesses resulting from, and or related to education and exchange programs, travel and tour nationally and internationally.
Robert Ahomka-Lindsay, supported by Morten Gade, and Ishamel Yamson and other dignitaries to launch the 50th anniversary celebration

GHACEM LIMITED on Tuesday launched its 50th anniversary celebration at a short but impressive ceremony in Accra.

Deputy Trade and Industry Minister, Robert Ahomka Lindsay, who officially launched the anniversary, commended Ghacem for its contribution to the Ghanaian economy since its establishment in 1967.

We are aware of the challenges and will address those challenges to make sure you have a level playing field. It is important, because we believe in the transformation of industries, it is not something that sits on wind, it is on foundation, we will ensure we do that and the GITC is an important asset to that, he pointed out.

A board member of the company, Ishmael Yamson, urged players in the cement industry to operate with integrity and sound conscience, and further ensure that only the best cement products are delivered to the market.

Our regulators must ensure that all the local manufacturers and importers play by the rules,

he urged.

Managing Director of Ghacem, Morten Gade, in a comment indicated, Our total strategic expansion investment cost in Ghacem reached $52 million between 2012 and 2015.

Last year, Ghacem contributed GH250 million in taxes and utilities to government. We are one of the major taxpayers in the country.

A business desk report




MINING COMPANIES have been urged to consider employing qualified job applicants in their catchment areas.

Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, who made the call, said providing employment opportunities to people dwelling in the mining companies' operational areas would go a long way to deepen peace and trust between the companies on one hand, and the local people.

He expressed gross concern about suspicion as well as hostile relationship that usually exists between mining companies and the local residents.

It is really necessary for you to constantly engage the communities on your operations so as to build sustainable and effective partnership in building this community for them to know what really goes on on the ground, the regional minister charged.

Mr. Osei-Mensah made the charge when he led members of the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to visit the Asanko Gold Mines in the Amansie West District of the region.

The visit was to enable the REGSEC members be abreast of the relationship that exists between the mining company and the community.

It was also intended to enable the regional minister and his team check operational activities of the company and also help find remedies to petitions filed by the residents.

Mr. Osei-Mensah stressed the need for the company to show keen interest in activities and programmes that would improve the lives of the community members, notably the youth, to ensure peace.

Executive Corporate Affairs Manager of Asanko Mines, Frederick Atta Kumah, alleged that leaders in the catchment areas are fond of endorsing applicants who are not from those areas for job opportunities, and said that should stop.

General Manager (Operations) at Asanko, Charles Amoah, said the company partnered with some companies from Germany and Canada to build a library for the community to enhance teaching and learning and also trained the youth in vocational skills in 2016.

He added that the company had also set up a Co-operative Credit Union to provide access to credit for small businesses in the communities, adding that a 200kVA/0.44kV power transformer had also been installed.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi




The Greater Accra youth wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has honoured Kennedy Agyapong (Kenpong) in a special Awards Dinner Gala at Tesano in Accra.

The well-attended ceremony themed, Greater Accra Youth Wing, lets consolidate the vote, NPP for 2016 and beyond, was in recognition of his immense contribution to the historic 2016 general election.

A citation signed by Prince Obeng, Greater Accra Regional Youth Organizer, indicated, Your contribution towards the NPPs victory in general and the youth wing in particular, was overwhelming.

When the going was seemingly tough, you helped smoothen things. Your generosity transcends political barriers, and all and sundry attest to that fact. We hope to keep this excellent relationship in our quest to consolidate our political gains.

The prestigious award was received on behalf of the business contractor, who is out of the country for a business trip by Perpetual Asante from THE Office of the first lady.

Kenpong, former Asante Kotoko Board member, in a post-event telephone interview, said, I am indeed humbled and honoured for this recognition. It will certainly urge me on to do more for the party.

Other dignitaries and youth groups were duly recognized at the ceremony, attended by Sammy Awuku, National Youth Organizer of the NPP, and other party bigwigs.




All is set for Hajj 2017, DAILY GUIDE has learnt. The Tamale flight arrangements have been made in readiness for the commencement of the maiden airlift on August 10, 2017, six flights having been earmarked for that location.

The second stakeholders meeting was held late last week during which representatives of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, the various security agencies and others discussed details of security arrangements and traffic control in the general area of the Hajj Village, among other details, during the airlift operations.

The road leading to the Hajj Village has received a major facelift, the eroded portions which used to make for difficult motoring into the place now smoothened up.

Meanwhile, one of the flagships of Hajj 2017, the medical screening of prospective pilgrims, is ongoing in the Northern Regions, with Dr Zakaria Seidu reporting a successful exercise the turnout. The results of the medical screening would be captured by the IT unit in a database of the medical records of prospective pilgrims.

While in Saudi Arabia, there would be periodic visits to the various locations of Ghanaian pilgrims to determine their health statuses, Dr Zakaria disclosed. He added that a public education exercise would be carried out to encourage pilgrims to wash their hands very often since he said, Some 40 percent of diseases would be obviated with constant hand washing research has showed.

There would also be a special place for the aged so that the relevant care that they need would be provided, Dr Zakaria has said.

Dr Sani Abdulai, Head of IT, has laid out major reforms in the management of information, which is intended to ensure that the previous challenges encountered during the Hajj are obviated.

Besides working hand in hand with the medical department in the area of management of the database of the health records of pilgrims, he would unfurl software to tackle the worrying challenge of missing persons and its associated inconveniences.

Last Friday, he was on Metro TV showcasing the innovations that his department would bring to bear on Hajj 2017 to make a positive difference.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, it would be recalled, charged the IT head to release innovations that would eliminate the eyesore of prospective pilgrims converging on the Hajj Village not knowing when they would be airlifted inter alia.

In a related development, the over 400 persons who paid to be airlifted last year but were unable to do so the whereabouts of their monies still unknown have been asked to top up a mandatory GH2,900 so they can make it to Saudi Arabia.

The Hajj Board is making good its pledge to ensure that those who were disappointed last year make it this year but since the moneys received for the airlift cover what they paid earlier, there would be the need for them to pay up the difference.

By A.R. Gomda
Danquah Addo-Yobo

10.07.2017 LISTEN

Yara Ghana Limited has concluded its first stakeholder dialogue on fertilizer trials and demonstrations in Accra.

The highly-attended programme sought to deliberate and review field trials and demos of fertilizers produced by Yara and it is aimed at strengthening the quality and depth of input supply and related services to ensure effective agricultural value chains that lead to increase in productivity.

Currently, Yara Ghana has ran 256 farm demonstrations and has over the few years, carved a name for itself as the leading supplier of premium fertilizer products placing the farmer at the center of a consistent knowledge based approach.

They have also reached over 12,000 farmers directly through over 250 farmer meetings and crop clinics.

Explaining issues at the forum, Danquah Addo-Yobo, Managing Director of Yara Ghana Limited affirmed the company's commitment to ensure farmers had easy access to their fertilizer to ensure quality yields.

He said we thought it wise to also run trials and demonstrations in local conditions with research institutes, corporate bodies, NGO's and directly with farmers on the farmer's land.

He said Yara Ghana has made available results of the trials and demonstrations on key crops as part of the first year review going into next year to support the decision process for the coming years on target fertilizers for target crops, adding this will help farmers deliver superior yields.

Derrick Tuffour-Mills, a West African Agronomist with Yara said the scientific trials were conducted on crops including maize, cocoa, rice and onions and said they were very successful and had been captured in reports.

He said the research findings in Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper West and Upper East regions indicated that application of Yara fertilizers on farms produced higher crop yield in comparison to the traditional control farming system.

Farmers need to consider three elements in farming business. These are crop knowledge, right fertilizer to use and the tools and skills needed in applying the fertilizer.

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and USAID/ADVANCE were among institutions with whom Yara Ghana has ran field demonstrations with its crop nutrition fertilizer solutions.

The research institutes, Crop Research Institute (CRI),Oil Palm Research Institute(OPRI),Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana(CRIG) and Savanna Agricultural Research Institute(SARI) were acknowledged for their role in putting Yara's crop institution fertilizer solution recommendations through scientific trials.

As part of the forum, Yara Ghana Limited, launched a book entitled ''Summary of Trials and Demo'' for farmers.

Dr. Joseph Berchie, a principal research scientist at the Crop Research Institute underscored the importance of fertilizers and urged the farmers to apply the correct amounts of fertilizers on their farms.

He said Ghanaian farmers averagely applied 50kg of fertilizer per hectare compared to their Chinese counterparts who applied 500kg of fertilizer on the same piece of land to get increased crop yield.

He discredited perception that application of fertilizer on crops would negatively affect the health of consumers, saying if farmers should apply the correct amount of fertilizer on crops it would not have any negative effects.
The Young Peoples Guild (YPG) of the Kotobabi Presbyterian Church in Accra has organised a health screening and blood donation exercise for members of the church.

The exercise marked one of the activities for the 25th anniversary celebrations of the YPG.

About 200 members were examined for high blood pressure, sugar level and breast cancer. Ten health officers from the Korle-Bu National Blood Bank led the health exercise which saw about 50 participants donating blood to augment the national blood bank.

The church and the YPG provided sachets of Milo and tin of milk to the participants to enable them replenish their blood.

Speaking after the event, the President of the YPG, Mr. Thomas Osafo Korankye encouraged members to maintain healthy lifestyles by exercising regularly and adopting good eating habit.

Mr. Korankye also urged members to go for checkups frequently to maintain good health. He described the exercise as successful and thanked members for their participation.
On his assumption of the presidency, Nana Akuffo Addo appointed over 100 state ministers but the one who has caught my attention in a positive light is Mr. John Peter Amewu. Personally, I do not know or have never before met the current Ghanas Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Mr. Amewu, but it must be put on record that from his initial approach to his appointed position so far, it is clear that sector ministry is now under knowledgeable and competent hands.

Mr. Amewus unswerving demeanor and composed behind-the-scenes maneuvers , for instance, toward the illegal mining or the galamsey soap opera is quite impressive. On that note, if I were to grade him as student in a class, his initial score would be a B-plus accompanied with the following feedback: John, you made a good attempt at addressing all the key elements of the assignment provided. Your responses to the questions were coherent and for the most part your paper/work almost met all the requirements of the assignment. If you keep on the way you have begun this course there is no doubt you will excel with an A+ in this class (ministry). Keep up the good works!

On the more serious note, though, there are a lot of Ghanaians, as usual, who dont see the staunched galamsey fighter Mr. Peter Amewu in any encouraging light except criticizing or blaming him for everything going wrong with those self-serving and greedy galamseyers and their enablers across the country. Evidently we live in an era in which buck passing and superstitious thinking seem to form an intrinsic part of Ghanas socio-cultural psyche.

Aside from the blatant hypocrisy, many Ghanaians, including the opposition parties, tend to spiritualize or weaponize national tragedies and other unfolding events for exploitations or just for cheap political advantage. At the time of writing this piece, for example, some evolving media reports were that the MP for Kumbungu Ras Mubarak is trying to subpoena Mr. Peter Amewu to appear before parliament to answer some questions relating to the deadly illegal mining incident near Prestea in Western Region.

The Kumbungu MP is said to be unhappy and wants the poor Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to come to parliament to explain the actual circumstances surrounding the deserted galamsey shaft that caved-in and killed about 14 illegal miners at Kubekrom Abease near Prestea-Nsuta (see: myjoyonline.com, July 8, 2017). The loss of human life, under whatever condition, is a pitiful development that shouldnt be used as political weapon by anyone, period!

One of the cardinal roles of the legislative branch in a genuine democratic society is to embark on oversights , especially, of the executive arm of the government. So it is within the constitutional rights of the nations parliament to summon any of the cabinet ministers for questioning, if the need arises. However, irrespective of the issue or what the parliaments line of questioning is, it must not be motivated by sheer politics or be allowed to degenerate into political circus. All the potential questions to the minister must be intelligently crafted. The inquiries must convey seriousness and expression of unqualified support for the world to know that Ghanaians through their leaders are united and unwavering to take back their precious lands from illegal miners.

Lets remember that the current minister of Lands and Natural Resources Mr. Amewu did not invent galamsey. Neither did he unfortunately ask the 14 illegal mining victims who perished near Nsuta-Prestea to sneak back into an abandoned galamsey pit somewhere in the middle of the night when the Natural Resources Minister is probably sleep holding tight to his spouse in bed. It is unfair and hypocritical for anyone to turn Mr. Amewu into a poster child for the wrath of the self-absorbed galamseyers by virtue of his position as the sector minister who oversees Ghanas vast natural resources that happen to include mining activities.

The guy (Mr. Amewu) needs our moral support and a little bit sympathy from all patriotic Ghanaians for him to stand up to the wiles of the entrenched illegal mining destroying Ghanas nature. Ghanaians are integral part of the galamsey mess; hence we all have to be part of the solution. Arguably, at this point in the nations history, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is one of the most demanding and sensitive positions in the country today. It is because galamsey is not only a hot-potato issue, but also its a phenomenon that has gained deep roots into the moral and socioeconomic fabrics of Ghanaian society.

Honestly, lets admit that besides the potential threat of global terrorism, galamsey is also one of the most dangerous threats facing Ghanas sovereignty and national security as we write. It is mind-boggling, therefore, that a sizable bunch of our compatriots are incapable of looking at the bigger picture and cant see galamsey as an existential threat to the countrys long-term environmental identity.

Galamsey is a national cancer; and like all forms of cancers, they do not pop up overnight; they take years to develop. Every level-headed Ghanaian knows that there are some influential/powerful people, local and foreign, as well as ordinary folks behind the galamsey malignancy. Mr. Amewu is doing the best that he can under the messy galamsey circumstances. His success or otherwise will depend on Ghanaians general attitude and willingness in terms of purposeful cooperation.

Certainly, there are promising signs that the Akuffo Addo administration is resolute in its effort to clamp down on galamsey and reclaim the countrys beautiful lands from its greedy destroyers. Some of us have firm hope that President Akuffo Addo will not give in to any pressureinternal or externalto abandon Minister Peter Amewu in his dedicated attempt at fighting and defeating galamsey. As I have stated before, defeating galamsey in Ghana today will definitely be a landmark legacy for Nana Akuffo Addo presidency and his detractors know this. Many of us are not least surprised the presidents galamsey cause would be sabotaged by trying to use Mr. Amewu as a decoy. For me, Mr. Amewu is doing a great job and thus number one on the list of all the current state ministers. I may be biased here because I have mortal hatred for the so-called galamsey.

Bernard Asubonteng is a US-based writer. Send your comments to: [email protected]
My motherland is the Star of Africa; the pride of Blacks. Ghana, my motherland is a peaceful and noble country located on longitude 0 and in West Africa. My motherland was colonized by Britain but won her independence on 6th March, 1957. My Motherland is an Anglophone country which shares borders with only Francophone countries and has maintained perpetual peaceful coexistence with her neighbors.

Ghana is a democratic nation with incredible accommodating citizens. A nation endowed with valuable mineral resources such as Gold, Diamond, Bauxite, Manganese, Oil and many more. Ghana - a nation with a creative human capita and a visionary leader - the famous Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Ghana my motherland is a multi - ethnic nation with peaceful relationships existing between the ethnic groups and religious groups.

Gold Coast as its former name was changed to Ghana - a name proposed by the known Pan Africanist Dr. J. B. Danquah ( Doyen of Ghanaian politics). Ghana was named after the ancient Ghana Empire. Ghana has an interesting political history aside the fact that it was the first Black nation in West Africa to gain independence from the superiority of Britain.

My motherland evolved from slavery to merchant capitalism to colonialism and finally gained independence on 6th March 1957. The aftermath of independence emerged Nkrumah's One Party system to the dictatorial regimes of the military and finally adjusted to the democratic dispensation of her contemporary political tune.

Ghana is an adorable nation with multi potentials. Why is Ghana still underdeveloped? A simple question but difficult to answer. My motherland is full of opportunities but much attention is given to worthless activities than relevant ones. Attention seekers are given media and public hype compared to the attention given to issues and matters of national interest. In my motherland, a government airlifted US$4.5 million to waste it in Brazil yet, Apostle Kwadwo Sarfo who manufacture and assemble cars is not getting State support.

In my motherland, telenovelas such as Kumkum Bhagya, VEERA and more have about 30 lucrative sponsorships hence, it has been telecasted for years yet, National Science and Maths Quiz has no television sponsorship!

I'm my motherland, everyone thinks about what he or she will consume at the moment - God will provide for tomorrow. For this reason, Ghana has been evaded with numerous illegalities as galamsey which destroys natural resources.

It is only in my motherland that a brother to the president is allowed to evade tax to the whopping sum of Gh12 million and when invited by EOCO under a new government, people will scream "witch hunting"! In my motherland, young talents are ignored for old comedians. A talented young lady, Asantewa Adwoa Magdalene will display her talent on social media and she will get 10 likes and 2 comments but naked pictures and needless posts are given thousand likes and comments.

In my motherland, the law enforcement bodies are most often the law breakers. The police is interested in the " no ko fio obaa ye" cakes than their duties. Unpleasant utterances are made in the name of freedom of speech here. Anti corruption agencies will investigate and issue just to tell the offender "go and sin no more" in modern day Ghana. In my motherland, if you defend the right - you become a public enemy. If you condone wrong, you are the best character to find.

On 7th December 2016, Ghanaians overwhelmingly voted for change by dumping the Mahama led Kleptocratic NDC government for the Visionary Akufo-Addo led NPP government. A historic change in the political history of Ghana and Africa. The change we voted for will have the tendency of being impeded by our popular attitude.

Let's usher Ghana - our motherland into a new era of seriousness. The government of the day has excellent initiatives to be implemented. Let's support our dynamic President - Nana Akufo-Addo to succeed in changing the dusty status of mother Ghana. Let's defend and protect the constitution by making sure that the laws of the land function equally and appropriately. Let's give attention to what needs attention. Together we can lift the flag of Ghana high again.

God bless our homeland Ghana.

Nana Ofori Kissi Ratina,

Atiwa Writer.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Oyarifa (GAR),July 10, GNA - Nana (Dr) Appiagyei Dankawoso I, President of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has called on the government to increase the budgetary allocation to the educational sector to enable the nation achieve its vision of quality, accessible and affordable education for all.

He noted that massive investments had gone into education in some countries, but Ghana was not reaping the commensurate returns due to the fact that quality and equity were absent from the educational equation.

Nana (Dr) Dankawoso made the call at the fifth Graduation, Speech and Prize-Giving D ay of Penfield School Limited at Oyarifa, near Adenta in Accra on Saturday.

It was on the theme 'Quality Education, A Must for All Developing Nations''.

Nana Dankawoso who is also the President of Pan African Chamber of Commerce said quality education was the bedrock of any prosperous nation and that any developing nation that was desirous of achieving significant prosperity and development should endeavour to make quality education a number one priority.

He said enrolment and accessibility may be good but quality, equity and standards, were the vehicles that could drive the nation to obtain skills and knowledge needed for effective social and labour market integration.

Nana (Dr) Dankawoso noted that well educated people contributed to more democratic societies and sustainable economies and were less dependent on public aid and less vulnerable to economic downturns.

'Societies with skilled individuals are best prepared to respond to the current and future potential crises,'' he said, adding that, 'investing in pre-school, primary and secondary education for all and in particular, for children from disadvantaged backgrounds is both fair and economically efficient'.

Nana (Dr) Dankawoso commended the School for taking upon itself to offer quality education to the nation's future leaders and urged them to keep on the good work.

Mr Samuel Anim, Chief Executive Officer of the School who chaired the function, said the mission of the school was to offer a Christian-Oriented and holistic education based on challenging curriculum meant to ensure that the children grew to be confident.

He congratulated the past students of the school for making the school proud in their courses they were undertaking and also for winning many awards for themselves.

Mr Patrick Essiam, Principal of the School, said last year's WASSCE results could be described as one of the best in the country, with all the students gaining admission into universities in Ghana and outside.

He said the School had signed an exchange programme with Deo Gratis School in Abuja, Nigeria to train students in many courses.

Mr Essien commended members of the Board, parents, teachers and the staff of the School, for their contributions, which has helped the school to become what it was today.

GNA
Kumasi July 10, GNA - The Primate and Spiritual Head of the Brotherhood Church has advised Ghanaians to step back from what he termed the 'noise-making' and work together to make things happen.

The Right Reverend S. K. Adofo indicated that the nation would see scant socio-economic progress if people persisted in only talking and lamenting instead of acting to address problems.

He was addressing a four-day national conference of the church in Kumasi.

The event, attended by more than 500 delegates, drawn from across the country and beyond, was held under the theme 'Go and work in my vineyard'.

The Rt. Rev Adofo called for the government and the political opposition to find common ground to move the nation forward.

The expectation, he said, was that politicians on both sides of the aisle would put the national interest ahead of partisan political consideration or convenience.

He highlighted the need for all to accept to become 'each other's keeper and resolve to work towards the common goal of making the society a better place for everybody to live'.

Primate Adofo spoke against indiscipline, lawlessness and impunity and said this was unhelpful to peace and security.

He used the occasion to pledge strong support of the church to the government's fight against illegal mining, popularly referred to as 'galamsey'.

He rallied the people to protect the forest and river bodies from the destructive activities of miners.

GNA

By Dorothy Frances Ward, GNA
Accra, July 10, GNA - Government has given approval to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to recruit officers to improve the current ratio of one officer to 4,000 persons.

The Service is to work towards the United Nations ratio of one officer to 1160 persons and it is expected to reserve not less than 40 per cent to women, Mr Ambrose Dery, Minister for the Interior said on Monday.

Inaugurating an 11-member Board for the GNFS in Accra, the Minister also announced that government had increased the budget allocation to all agencies under the Ministry including the GNFS, which he said, would enhance their operations.

The 11-member Board is chaired by Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong, Member of Parliament for Mpraeso Constituency.

Others include Dr Albert Brown Gaisie, GNFS; Mr Samuel Amankwah, Ministry for the Interior; Adoi Sussannete Akuki Debrah, GNFS; Jerry Appiagyei, GNFS; Mr Donan Kobla Tay, Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing; Mrs Helen A. A. Ziwu, Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General's Department.

The rest are Mr John Oben Asiedu, Ministry of Roads and Highways; Mr Rudolph Kuuzegh, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations; Mrs Florence Pul and Mr Emmanuel Adugbire, both President's nominees.

Mr Dery said with an ever increasing population and expanding cities and towns, there was the need for the GNFS to position itself to meet the changing demands as well as offer the critical services to the citizenry.

He said the GNFS needed more modern equipment and logistics to prepare for any eventuality, especially regarding the high rise building structures that were dotting the landscapes of the capital cities.

'Our schools, markets, malls and other mass assembly areas require the presence and deployment of equipment and officers of the Ghana National Fire Service. This, I term, strategic pre-deployment to reduce the reaction time upon any incident,' he said, and urged the Board to avert their thoughts to those and others from their diverse experiences and expertise.

Mr Dery said some 66 Political Districts were without the presence of the GNFS and the Ministry was inundated with requests from all sections of Ghanaians for the presence of GNFS.

The GNFS, he said, had developed some basic modalities as requirements from the District Assemblies for the establishment of Fire stations and if followed, the district not covered yet, would be supported with Fire Stations.

'I have also observed that these Fire Tenders are very expensive. Whilst Government is making efforts to procure some more, Council should assist GNFS authorities to opt for other less expensive but equally effective firefighting equipment to enable Government get value for money in our procurement,' he added.

The Minister also reiterated the President's assurance to the Ministry that all agencies under it, including the GNFS would benefit from procurement of needed vehicles and equipment from the Chinese grant.

'It is however, important that you continue to device ingenious ways of raising and generating revenue to supplement the efforts of Government,' he added.

Mr Acheampong, on his part, commended the government for the confidence reposed in the Board and pledged their support to assist the Service to bring fire prevention and management to bear.

He said it was a high time to introduce hydraulic platforms to enable the officers and men to fight fires on high rise buildings and pledged the Board's commitment to work towards enhancing their equipment to enable them meet any eventuality in future.

The Chairman also said the Board would pay attention to revenue mobilization, welfare of staff, and would sensitise hardworking men and women to boost morale within the Service.

GNA

By Patience Gbeze, GNA
Kinshasa (AFP) - The main opposition party in the DemocraticRepublic of Congo on Monday blasted as a "provocation" and a power grab an announcement that elections to end a deep political crisis in the mineral-rich country will likely not be held this year.

The president of DR Congo's electoral commission, Corneille Nangaa, had told reporters in Paris on Friday that "it will not be possible" to hold presidential and legislative elections "before the end of the year".

But the opposition views it as a move to keep President Joseph Kabila in power.

"Corneille Nangaa is helping Joseph Kabila to achieve his plan to hold on to power," Augustin Kabuya, spokesman for the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UPDS), said. "It is a provocation. It's not responsible".

"We will not let this happen," he added.

Elections are due this year under a transitional deal brokered last New Year's Eve, aimed at avoiding fresh political violence in the vast central African country after Kabila failed to step down when his mandate ended in December.

Under the deal, Kabila, 46, was allowed to remain in office until elections in late 2017, ruling in tandem with a transitional watchdog and a new prime minister chosen from within the ranks of the opposition.

Kabila took office after his father Laurent Kabila's assassination in 2001. He was elected president in 2006 and again in 2011.

We "condemn in the strongest possible terms this unilateral decision, illegal and anti-democratic," read a statement by a coalition of 33 NGOs that has been pushing the government to respect the country's constitution, which sets a two-term limit for the presidency.

The group charged that Nangaa has been subtly enabling a "power without legitimacy" which is "aggravating a political and social crisis".

It called on civil society and other partners, local and international, to reject the Nangaa's announcement and urged setting an electoral calendar.

Kasai violence

Nangaa had cited ongoing security issues in the country's troubled central Kasai region for the delays which previously forced electoral officials to postpone voter registration in two provinces there.

The violence in Kasai erupted last September after the death in clashes of a tribal chieftain, known as the Kamwina Nsapu, who rebelled against the authority of Kabila's regime and its local representatives.

The killing sparked gross violations of human rights such as extrajudicial killings, rapes, mutilations, torture and the use of child soldiers, according to rights groups and the United Nations.

A tally by the Roman Catholic Church said the brutal violence has claimed more than 3,300 lives and displaced 1.3 million people -- more than 600,000 of them children, the UN children's agency said.

Nangaa said the commission was "working wholeheartedly to organise these elections" and fix the delays, and that voter registration in Kasai, which had been postponed indefinitely because of the unrest, was due to resume "before the month of August".

For the UPDS, the transitional deal remains the only viable solution to resolve DR Congo's political crisis.

"Naanga has declared war against the Congolese people with his declaration proving his allegiance" to Kabila, opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi tweeted on Sunday.

Felix Tshisekedi is the son of veteran UPDS chief Etienne Tshisekedi, who before his death in February had headed the opposition coalition that negotiated the deal with Kabila's government.

The party, along with other opposition groups, led numerous demonstrations in the days following Kabila's refusal to step down, resulting in deadly clashes with armed police.

At least 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured, the UN said, and over 450 people were arrested.

DR Congo has never seen a democratic transfer of power following polls since independence from Belgium in 1960.
Ghanaians seem to be informed of why and how the NDC lost Election 2016 in a section of Professor Kwesi Botchweys secret report on investigations conducted into NDCs woeful performance in the election. According to the report which their leaders are currently holding very tightly to their chest, without letting the contents filter into the public domain, it is averred that the NDC lost the election due to IT failure at the headquarters of the Electoral Commission. This is very interesting!

How could the breakdown of the IT machines at a critical time in collating election results culminate in only NDCs defeat as they are shamelessly alleging? Were the machines set up for the entire election processes of which any unexpected glitch did affect all the participating political parties and stakeholders or they were set up to guarantee NDCs success? I want a clarification on the posed question because the fact NDC are attributing their defeat to the glitch the IT systems suffered baffles me greatly and does not make any bit of sense to me.

For the entire conclusion I can draw, the NDC headed by then President John Dramani Mahama was in total secret agreement and arrangement with the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Charlotte Osei, to rig the election in favour of the NDC. This secret arrangement made the President and some NDC members go out in puffed-chests vaingloriously claiming to have won the election long before the Election Day came, or the election was held, on Wednesday, 7 December 2016.

President Mahama was doing Husain Bolt on political platforms signalling that he had won the election already. He had absolute confidence in Mrs Charlotte Osei and other corrupt staff members at the Electoral Commission to ensure the NDC win the election at all costs regardless of their marked failures, incompetence, stinking corrupt practices, thievery and total disrespect for the Ghanaian citizens.

As man proposes, God disposes, so a well-known saying goes. As they were relying heavily on their plotted rigging capability, dishing out stolen States money to those attending their rallies, spree-buying individuals voting cards and splashing luxury cars to traditional chiefs to court their support, the NPP were begging the electorates for their votes, pleading with them to try them by voting them to power. The NPP were campaigning actively as well as asking God to take control of the battle hence their election maxim, The battle is the Lords

Were the NDC and President Mahama not mocking Nana Akufo Addo for begging Ghanaians to elect him the President of Ghana? Did President cum Presidential-candidate John Mahama not say he would never beg for votes hence teasing Nana Akufo Addo? Why did he do that? It was all because he was all the while trusting the efficacy of his collusion with Mrs Charlotte Osei and their secretly-installed IT equipment to doctor the polling results, thus, the figures, in favour of the NDC same as allegedly happened in 2012 elections.

In 2012 election, it was alleged that the Electoral Commission (EC) colluded with NDC to hire an Israeli Company, Superlock Technologies Limited (STL), to transmit election results whereupon the results were doctored in favour of NDC. In the absence of STL in 2016 election, the EC had probably colluded with NDC to have some election-results-transmitting equipment installed somewhere to doctor the figures in favour of the NDC before the results reached the ECs head office for same to be announced to the nation.

Why did Mrs Charlotte Osei warn the media not to announce any election results from any polling station, district or regional collation centres but only those coming from the EC as would be announced by her? This is the question Ghanaians are invited to answer. Anyway, the media defied her order come the Election Day. She could not gag them as she had intended.

People are privy to certain secrets and it is just a matter of time for all to be disclosed to the public. Did the NDC not install any machines in secret places to help with the rigging of the election as might have been agreed with the EC? Did those machines work or not and if so, why did they malfunction at such a critical time that they needed them to rig the election to deny Ghanaians their true leaders as they might have voted for?

As said in one of my recently published articles, it is not a crime to take harmless counter-measures to negate a plot to cause a crime. As far as I may believe, the NPP did not rig Election 2016 nor took illegal means to deny the nation and the electorates the true election results as they might have voted for. However, they might have resorted to a non-criminal method to guarantee the nation the true results of the election. Is this a crime? NO!!!

In future, the true extent of any measures taken by both NDC and NPP to rig the election and to ensure fair results respectively, will be known and/or published. People are sitting on secret information that will surely out one day in the future if not sooner.

The NDC chickens are coming home to roost. They are themselves admitting the fact they had intended to rig Election 2016 but thanks to IT failure at the EC, they lost the election massively miserably. Next time, they will not rely on plots to attempt to deny Ghanaians fair election results.

Nobody should believe that anyone from NPP hacked the ECs computers on the Election Day. Any such allegations of one Joseph Anokye, a NASA computer analyst/scientist hacking the ECs computer as were being peddled in Ghana in the wake of NPPs massive win of election 2016 were all fabrications or figment of the peddlers imagination.

All that I can tell is God gave wisdom to some people at a critical time to devise a means to ensure the NDC did not rig the election to deny Ghanaians the very persons they had genuinely voted for to lead them from the situation of suffering to a situation of joy.

Am I not vindicated for constantly bashing Mrs Charlotte Osei for plotting to rig the election for NDC? When one reads the full content of a publication on both Ghanaweb and Modernghana under their General News of Saturday, 8 July 2017 titled, IT failure killed NDC rigging plan  Report ( https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/IT-failure-killed-NDC-rigging-plan-Report-556672), one will be convinced that something fishy had been planned by NDC in collusion with the EC.

I pray this publication becomes my last on Ghanas politics on the internet for many more months to come. I have to attend to other matters of personal importance that will surely consume all my pleasure hours and attention hence the obligation to quit all internet politics for some time. I shall from time to time publish to update the public on the ongoing Kumawu chieftaincy dispute.

I hope His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the President of Ghana, will stamp his authority to nip the unfolding damaging wrangling and alleged corruption within his government in the bud. Additionally, he must check to resolve the issues relating to Hon. Kennedy Agyapong for it is said, You dont bite the hand that feeds you and one good turn deserves another. I know the invaluable work God has done through Hon. Kennedy Agyapong to bring NPP and Nana Akufo Addo to power. Anyone who wants to live in denial can dispute my assertion but I believe it to be the truth.

NDC lost the election because God wanted a change for the better for Ghanaians. The corruption and disrespect for the electorates by NDC and President Mahama were too much for Ghanaians to tolerate. The underlying failure for NDC to win the election was not their inability to collate election results but their brazen propensity to steal public money with unrepentant callous heart that annoyed God and the Ghanaian citizenry.

I wish my fans and the public good bye until many months time. I will stay in touch on Facebook and may come back with a published advice to His Excellency the President, my reminiscent biblical Joseph, Moses or David. I have the obligation to ensure he succeeds to the admiration and expectation of Ghanaians for reasons already spelt out in my previous publications as his constructive critic.

Rockson Adofo

(Written on Monday, 10 July 2017)
Radio, indeed, gets results. A story told on Nhyira FMs 'Wiase Mu NsEm' programme and later published extensively on Adom KasiEbo and Adomonline on how a homeless and pregnant teenage mother sleeps with men for survival has drawn international attention.

Nigerian actress, Tonto Dikeh is on a charity mission to Ghana to support 17-year-old Afia Nyako.

Manager of Tonto Dikeh Foundation, Mr. Bunmi, is due in Accra on Wednesday to liaise with Multimedia Group Limited on how to resettle the girl.

Tonto who is presently in Kenya was touched by the story she read online and is immediately out to explore ways to help.

She met Ghanaian parliamentarian, Dr. Ayew Afriyie, who incidentally is also in Kenya on official duty, and made her intention clear to him.

Dr. Afriyie subsequently relayed the message to officials of Multimedia Group in Kumasi.

Details of the resettlement package will be discussed when the Nigerian delegation arrives in Accra on Wednesday.

A jobless teenage mother, Afia Nyarko has resorted to prostitution to feed herself and the unborn baby.

She has since been sleeping with 15 men daily after a man who put her in a family way decided not to take care of her again.

The only option left for the teenager who broke her virginity at age 11 was to engage in prostitution.

I have been forced to go into prostitution because the man who impregnated me decided not to take care of us again. I have been doing this for the past years to survive she told host of 'Wiase Mu NsEm' Kofi Gyimah on Nhyira FM.

With support, which seems to be on its way, Afia could learn a trade she has been hoping for.
Accra  10 July 2017: The Dream Believe Achieve Network (DBA) close out event to wrap up eight weeks of intensive mentorship came to a successful end with a mammoth gathering at the premises of Dzorwulu Junior High School in Accra.

The event convened hundreds of young people from Alajo, Mamobi-Nima, Achimota, Pig Farm, Accra Newtown, Abelemkpe, and Dzorwulu communities. The event culminated the eight weeks classroom mentoring sessionsspearheaded DBA Network in partnership with the Vodafone Ghana Foundation.

Held on Ghanas Republic Day, 1 July, the event brought togetherclose to 400 students and teachers from the participating schools (Alajo 3 JHS, Abelemkpe JHS and Dzorwulu JHS) as well as several volunteers and mentors. With a well thought-through curriculum, the mentoring sessions looked at very relevant topics such as Responsible Citizenship, Effective Time management, Personal Grooming, Leadership, Cyber Safety, Career counselling, Communicating with confidence Financial intelligence etc. in the participating schools.

Speaking at the event,Founder of DBA,Ms Brooke Nuwati said she was excited about the DBA team and what they have achieved in the space of two months, amidst daunting challenges. It hasnt been easy taking time off work every week and visiting 3 different schools in different locations. Im touched by the spirit of sacrifice, service and leadership offered by the team, especially our Team Leads for the various schools. We have had support from employee volunteers from Vodafone Ghana, GNPC, Teledata ICT, USAID JICA etc. as well as the Rotary Club of Accra-Legon. We are also thankful to the management and teachers of the various schools we visited. Brooke added, In all, it has been worth every minute and we had our moments with these wonderful kids. I believe we have done a great job.

Madam Rhodaline Dzade, Administrator at the Vodafone Ghana Foundation said The opportunity to engage young people is priceless and we are happy about the impact the DBA initiative is making in the lives of the youth and entire communities. Vodafone Ghana is passionate about empowerment and working with DBA is one sure way of doing that

Speaking as a volunteer at the closeout event, Director of Consulting and Advisory at Global Media Alliance, Ms Emma Wenani believes the DBA team is doing a fantastic job and the kids are sure lucky to be getting different life lessons from different volunteers and mentors at a young age. In Facebook post, she said, As I spoke to them on a topic Im particularly passionate about, I was reminded to also go back to tracking my own goals, make others and constantly be on a self-development journey. Just watching them as they asked questions, interacted with each other and with mentors and the fun written on their faces made me miss my younger years. But now I realize that my adult years should be spent shaping and impacting the next generation

The event was also packed with fun activities such as dancing competition, fashion show and modeling, musical chairs, face painting etc.

Promasidor Ghana Ltd producers of Cowbell, Yum-mie Noodles and Snappy Snacks made sure participants were fully refreshed. The DBA closeout event was also supported by GNPC, West Africa Centre for CSR, Nokaana Solutions and Cropmac.

Dream Believe Achieve (DBA) is a network of professionals who are dedicated to grooming, mentoring and preparing young persons for responsible leadership. The objective of DBA is to inspire young people by sharing experiences, nurturing and building their confidence.
Nouakchott (AFP) - Several Mauritanian opposition parties said Monday that they had formed a coalition to boycott a referendum set for August 5 which they say is a smokescreen to keep the ruling party in power.

The "No" coalition is drawn from a broad political spectrum including Islamists and anti-slavery activists in the conservative west African nation, all of whom oppose measures including abolishing the senate and changing the national flag.

Jemil Ould Mansour, head of the Islamic Tewassoul party, called the referendum "unconstitutional" given that the senate has already refused to consent to changes to the national charter.

The coalition called on Mauritanians to "actively join forces with the boycott campaign of this masquerade which aims at perpetuating a regime of waste, injustice and exclusion."

Senators rejected the abolition of their own chamber in March, apparently to the government's surprise as a majority are from the ruling party, prompting President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz to call the referendum.

The opposition fears that despite Aziz's claims to the contrary he is laying the groundwork for a third term in power, with his own prime minister saying he supported the idea at the weekend.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Rwandan President Paul Kagame called for bolstering relations with Israel on Monday during a visit reflecting a warming of ties between the Jewish state and Africa.

In July 2016 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Rwanda as part of a four-nation Africa trade and security tour aimed at boosting ties and in June this year he joined West African leaders at a summit in Liberia.

"Ever since the prime minister's visit to West Africa last year, Israel has continued to follow through on its commitments and objective of scaling up engagement across Africa," Kagame said.

"This is a very positive trend which can only be welcomed and merits our support," he added as he met Israeli Prime Minister Reuven Rivlin and Netanyahu at Rivlin's Jerusalem residence.

Kagame said that cooperation between Israel and African nations "has blossomed in many areas," including in technology, agriculture, energy and security.

"We are looking forward to reinforcing our cooperation with Israel on common challenges and issues of mutual interest," he added.

On Monday Netanyahu said the Jewish and Rwandan people share a "great bond".

"We, who witnessed the greatest holocaust in history, you who witnessed perhaps one of the most recent ones, never again," Netanyahu said.

He thanked Kagame for enabling Israel to "return to Africa".

"You were the indispensable bridge on which we marched to make our return to Africa, step by step, with very sound advice, very, very wise counsel," Netanyahu said.

Rivlin said Israel and Rwanda "are two nations who understand the horror of genocide" and who are "working together to solve some of the biggest issues facing humanity: water and food security".

Israel sees African countries as potential allies, particularly at the United Nations and other international bodies, where it is regularly condemned over its occupation of the West Bank and blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Rwanda is one of the countries receiving illegal African migrants who are actively encouraged to leave Israel, a move rights activists say can endanger their lives.
After years of unfettered encroachment on lands belonging to the Psychiatric hospital, nurses say enough is enough.

In an unusual move, the nurses have refused to end a strike to press home their demand for a proactive response from the Ministry of Health.

Not even a meeting with the CEO of the mental health Authority (MHA) Dr. Akwasi Osei and the leadership of the hospital could persuade the staff to return to their posts.

In a response from the Health ministry, the PRO Robert Cudjoe joined the nurses to complain about the encroachment.

He blamed the problem on the attitude of the average Ghanaian and expressed shock at a "bizarre" judgement in favour of an encroacher who dragged the hospital to court years ago.

The PRO called for national attention on the rate of impunity going on at the hospital situated near a village called Pantang, about 1.6 kilometres off the Accra- Aburi road and 25 kilometres from Accra Central.

Joy News JOYNEWS Maxwel Agbagba and Joy FM Super Morning Show host Kojo Yankson visited the 1975 facility and confirmed the rate of land loss is "horrible".

The lands in front of the hospital and parts of the mortuary and an area reserved for physical exercises of the patients had been encroached by private developers.

Pointing to a building situated on hospital property, the CEO of the mental health Authority (MHA) Dr. Akwasi Osei said "if I have my way this should be pulled down"

He expressed fears that "in the very near future there will be no land for the hospital".

He said while he does not necessarily support the action of the nurses, "they are adamant because this thing has gone on for too long".

He warned the Ministry of Health and the Lands Commission to get their acts together to protect the hospital

"Let today be a warning to all of us and to the Ministry of Health"

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 10, GNA - Jonathan Adjetey Adjei, unemployed on Monday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court on the charge of robbery.

Jonathan was said to have robbed one Olivia Konney of her lady's hand bag containing one Itel mobile phone worth GH190.00, one rock mobile phone worth Gh350.00, an Infinix mobile phone worth GH430.00 and an amount of GH17.00.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge of robbery, and was remanded by the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh to reappear on July 25.

Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu told the court that, the complainant Olivia is also unemployed and both resides at Teshie.

He said on February 19, at about 0200 hours whilst the complainant was returning from town, she met Johnathan and two other persons by the road side to her residence.

The prosecution said Johnathan forcibly took her hand bag containing the above listed items.

On June 14, the accused person was arrested on a report of a similar incident at Teshie Police Station where the complainant identified him as the one who robbed her together with the accomplices now at large.

He told the court that, Johnathan in his caution statement denied the offence

GNA

By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
By Laudia Saweh/Alexander Nyarko Yeboah,

Tema, July 10,GNA - Mrs. Christabel Vida Botchey, Founder of Edupro Concept Ventures, has called on Ghanaian adults not to prejudge children but to endeavour to appreciate their individual talents and challenges.

'Some children may be a little bit dull, but all they may need is some tap at the back; some encouragement just to lift them out of that situation,' she said.

Mrs Botchwey said this during the regional 'Hard Spell' competition organized by Edupro on the premises of the Church of Pentecost, Community 12, Tema.

According to her, some children had challenges when growing up which might have affected their performance at school, but such competitions 'build in the child confidence as they mount the stage to answer questions.'

She observed the frustration she went through in seeking sponsorship from corporate bodies to promote her venture adding, 'In Ghana, education is not the thing for organizations. We have made thousand and one appeals. You go to places and you see our letters there but there is no response.'

Ms. Juliana Awo Quist, Event Manageress for the competition, said the event gave the average and above average child the opportunity to feel the stage.

'Mostly, what happened was that most institutions go to the schools and what they look for is the best three, the best four, etc. So the question is what happens to the average and above average child?' she asked.

She said when such children got the opportunity to feel the stage, they would want to maintain that so they could continue to enjoy the attention they got from teachers, parents, etc.

According to her, Edupro Concept Ventures wanted to 'achieve some level of accuracy and attentiveness among children, and promote a habit of reading.'

She appealed to corporate Ghana to invest more in such programs because it unearthed academic talents and potentials in young people.

'We wouldn't achieve much if we don't invest in children. Or else they will grow up to be something else, and then it is these same organizations that would turn them away because they do not speak good English,' she said.

Mrs. Hamida Appiah, a Teacher with the Dorsons Complex School, Community 1, Tema, was full of praise for Edupro for giving children the opportunity to come out of their timidity and face the world adding that, 'I think it's a great concept Edupro has initiated; it's a great platform to bring the kids to light.'

Mrs. Dorothy Kusi-kyere, Head Teacher of Gloryhill International School, said the competition 'provides a durable educational experience, and enhances their knowledge and communicative skills. It also boosts their confidence and public speaking. When they do prepare for this programme, they learn grammar, pronunciations, definitions, and also improve their vocabulary.'

Ms. Winnefred Alfong Zhang from the Good House International School, Community 12 emerged the overall champion for Greater Accra with 660 scores on 660 point.

The competition brought together 168 contestants representing 90 Primary and 78 Junior High Schools within the Greater Accra region.

GNA
By Samuel Osei-Frempong

Tema, July 10, GNA - The Saint Nicholas Anglican Church in Tema Community 19 would soon construct a three-million-dollar events' centre to generate funds to support evangelism.

The one-storey building with two decks, would be the first of its kind in Tema and would provide the right ambiance for conferences and evangelism and related activities.

According to Reverend Canon Doctor Dawson Amoah, Priest-in-Charge, the centre which would be disabled friendly, would have for public use various facilities including a 500 seater auditorium, 100 seater mini conference room, 15 executive syndicate rooms, a pharmacy, pantry and stores and gymnasium.

'Putting up a facility to generate funds for the Church has been one of the objectives of the establishment of the Church and under the current Parochial Church Council and the entire membership of the Church, we begin this journey today,' he said.

He thanked members of the Dornu Nartey Committee, a local church committee constituted to think through the project, for their in-depth analysis and conclusion on the matter.

'This project is self-funding and earmarked for completion to coincide with the 15th anniversary of Church in 2020,'he said.

GNA
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 10, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday received the credentials of four newly appointed Ambassadors from Benin, Switzerland, Qatar and Austria at the Flagstaff House, affirming to jointly work with their respective countries to deepen ties and increase cooperation.

The Ambassadors are; Mrs Martine-Francoise Dossa, Benin; Markus Nikolaus Paul Dutly, Switzerland; Mohamed Ahmed Jaber Al-Kuwari, Qatar; and Werner Senfter of Austria.

They all took turns to present their credentials to the President.

President Akufo-Addo told the envoys that Ghana was committed to fostering closer partnership and cooperation with them and their respective countries for their mutual benefit.

He said there was the need for strategic partnerships within the context of a globalised world where interdependence was needed for the progress of any nation, assuring that Ghana would uphold her defined roles within the comity of nations.

Receiving the Swiss envoy, President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the enduring relations between both nations that dated back two centuries, adding that the relations between both nations would be further enhanced during his tenure, and that Ghana was looking to woo investors from that country to take advantage of her conducive business climate.

He was grateful for the swift intervention of the Swiss government during the Ebola crisis in West Africa, an assistance that helped to quell the spread of the epidemic in the sub region.

The President recognised the substantial trade between both countries in gold and cocoa exports, adding that there was more to be done and that 'the time has come for us to look for that opportunity to diversify that trade.'

In a discussion with the Austrian Ambassador Werner Senfter, the President said Ghana was looking forward to strengthening economic ties with that country.

The Austrian Envoy assured the President that the ties between his country and Ghana would be strengthened during his stay in the country.

He disclosed the Austrian government's intention to re-open a honorary consulate in Accra as well as 'our wish for an early approval of the many soft-loan projects currently in the pipeline and worth a 40 million.'

'I am very much looking forward to a fruitful and successful cooperation with Ghana in many ways in the coming years,' he said.

GNA

By Ken Sackey, GNA
Accra, July 10, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday called on the Qatari authorities to take steps to address the issue of the maltreatment of Ghanaians working in that country.

He said the government was worried on the unceasing allegations of the abuses meted out to Ghanaians by Qatari employers, adding that that situation ought to stop for beneficial relations between both nations.

The President expressed that concern when he received the credentials of the newly appointed Ambassador of Qatar to Ghana, Mohammed Ahmed Jaber Al-Kuwari at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

He also received the credentials of three other envoys from Benin, Switzerland and Austria.

President Akufo-Addo said the issue 'is a matter of considerable concern to us,' and that to foster better relations between the two countries, the Qatar authorities should ensure that the mistreatment of Ghanaians in that country stopped.

Mr Al-Kuwari assured the President that the concerns of the Ghanaian government would be relayed to the Qatar government, and also pledged to strengthen the relationships between the two countries.

'Our two countries have strong relations and I believe in your determination to move forward to strengthen this bilateral cooperation for the benefit of our two people,' he said.

GNA

By Ken Sackey, GNA
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Ghana's reggae/dancehall export Charles Nii Armah Mensah known by stage name Shattawale was yesterday 8th July,2017 honoured with the "Key To The City" of Worcester, Massachusetts in the United States of America.

The African "Dancehall King" after an implausible stage performance at the 2300 capacity "auditorium dubbed the Hanover Theater" was honoured by the Mayor of the city; Joseph M Petty who handed over the "Key " to the Ghanaian dancehall artiste.

The Key to the City of Worcester is conferred to individuals by the sitting Mayor; Joseph Petty for the recognition of one's huge contribution to the betterment of Worcester or to a well respected visitor.

The citations written on the plague clearly states that Shattawale is being recognized and honoured by Worcester for his relentless contribution to the arts industry and for honouring the city with such a successful event and great performance.

Shattawale is currently in USA to embark on his "After The Storm" tour.
10.07.2017 LISTEN

Global Business Keynote Speaker, TV Host, Brand Architect, Serial Entrepreneur and Digital Marketer, Kwame A.A Opoku, has been announced as the Master of Ceremony for the 2017 Premium Bank Ghana Startup Awards.

The awards which was launched last year has been geared towards celebrating ambitious and indigenous start-up businesses making impact, contributing to economic growth, meeting social needs and putting Ghana on the global economic map,. This makes Kwame a perfect fit to host the event as he is one of the most recognised voices in the start-up ecosystem across the continent.

The awards which is being organised by The African Network of Entrepreneurs under its flagship project The Startup Network, will be hosted on Thursday 13th July 2017 at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

Kwame Opoku, a member of the Awards Jury, is the CEO of Mary & Mary Global Partners, a leading communications marketing and PR firm with a bank of super creative and talented minds connecting, informing and creating inspiring work. He is the Co-Founder of Idea Factory Africa, a global African Community and a Social Enterprise, welcoming young people from every discipline and culture who seek to influence the world through novel ideas. Also the Co-Founder and Lead Curator of WE FESTIVAL AFRICA, a unique platform dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs who are in the trenches of building their business.
Last Friday, June 7, Kidman Resources [ASX:KDR] and Marindi Metals [ASX:MZN] both entered into a trading halt. The cause? A decision on a legal battle fought in late May.

What happened to Kidman Resources and Marindi Metals ?

A three day trial from the 29 to 31 May that played out in the WA Supreme Court has finally reached a verdict. Kidman and Marindi were embattled in a dispute over rights to lithium in a bungled agreement. Marindi claimed that it had an agreement with Kidman to acquire the rights to the project located at Mt. Holland. The site includes the Earl Grey deposit, the second largest lithium deposit in WA.

Late last Friday the decision was handed down with the judge filing in favour of Kidman. Justice Martin explained that there was no binding and enforceable agreement. He agreed with Kidmans defence that the conversation through email and text messages was at best an agreement to agree.

A big win for Kidman, reflected by their 17.74% rise in this mornings trade. Meanwhile Marindi has fallen 12.5% in the same period.

What next for both companies shares?

Kidman, naturally pleased with the result, has secured a big win. Managing Direction, Martin Donohue said,

We can now focus the attention of our entire leadership team on the fast-tracked development of Earl Grey, and other projects within our portfolio, for the benefit of all shareholders.

The company can now take advantage of the large lithium deposit. The metal has been going gangbusters lately, following strong demand for battery production.

As for Marindi, well the news certainly has soured their prospects. The company is no doubt disappointed, and is considering its options. However, the proceedings are still being finalised and an appeal could be possible.

Whether Marindi cut their losses or consider an appeal will be the ultimate decision.

Regards,

Ryan Clarkson-Ledward,

Junior Analyst, Money Morning

PS: If youre interested in resources stocks, weve got a must-read report before you invest a cent.

Jason Stevenson, our resource analyst, has written his recommendations in Australias Top 10 Mining Stocks for 2017.

The resource boom is back, and there are plenty of in-demand metals like lithium that could make you a fortune.

So if youre looking to double or even triple your money, get your free report right now by clicking here.
Missing rafters Joshua, Meghan, Jonathon, Nathan and Eve the dog, reunited with family, July 10, 2017 View Photos

Update at 2:43 p.m.: The successful rescue of a group of rafters that began over the weekend and ended this morning is providing local search and rescue officials an opportunity to weigh in on how to raft or inner tube more safely this season.

Above all, Tuolumne County Sheriffs spokesperson Andrea Benson emphasizes, it is essential to research the area you will be recreating in by making yourself familiar with maps and hiking trails and to know the current conditions of those waters as well as your experience level and limitations so you can make responsible decisions. Also make sure to pick a location where it is safe to engage in the specific water activity being planned.

She adds that equipment also needs to be sufficient and ready to cover the maximum requirements of the sport or task at hand. Look to the products specifications under the manufacturers recommendations. For water tubing, for example, tubes must have the capacity in terms of size and weight to carry the number of riders that will be using them at once. The rafters covered in the story below were using pool type rafts an air mattress and a pool inner tube; at least some of these items may have not been intended as river-worthy by the manufacturer.

For river rafting, officials strongly advise to look into engaging a licensed and professional rafting outfitter, especially with the higher, faster and colder than normal flows underway in the wake of an extremely wet winter weather season.

In terms of personal gear, officials stress that appropriate attire includes a life jacket, a helmet that fits securely when strapped and does not shift around on your head, and footwear. Even if you are only planning on a day trip, such as the rafters below were, bring enough supplies for a few days, especially if you plan on leaving the water, as the rafters did, to hike at several points. One of the party wound up being out on land for days, as Benson points out, adding that thankfully he was near the water and subsequently able to keep hydrated.

Two more important tips: do not venture out alone  and notify friends and family of your plan and course you intend to explore as well as the day you plan on returning.

The latter can well help to save your life as it gives emergency personnel a starting point and general idea of where to look. Benson shares that most people who perish in the wild do so because they could not be found.

Fortunately, the rafters did tell family their plan and what time they were expected to arrive, Benson states, so when they did not reach their destination, authorities were promptly notified. (To view photos shared of the search and rescue efforts and the rafters safely reunited with their loved ones click into the image box slideshow.)

In the interest of survival tips, Benson passes along information from the search and rescue personnel who worked to help Nathan, the missing hiker from the rafters group.

On Saturday after an entire day of hiking, he reportedly found a warm rock to sleep on through the night to keep warm as he was only wearing shorts. Sunday, beginning at daybreak, he continued walking, looking for a way out of the area. It turns out that SAR had been in the areas he recounted walking through but missed him since he did not stay put.

By nightfall, he said that he could see the bridge near Rainbow Pools but knew he would not be able to safely navigate to it in the dark and so spent Sunday night sleeping next to a log. It was early Monday morning after he made it to Rainbow Pools and flagged down a passerby that he was then given a ride back to the Yosemite Lakes Campground, where he was reunited with his family.

Fortunate in that he was traveling along the river and able to keep himself hydrated, Benson says, other than some scratches and scrapes he came out of the experience without any major injuries.

Original Post at 7:34 a.m.: Groveland, CA  The Tuolumne County Sheriffs Office reports that 36-year-old Nathan Lubeck of Encino was found safe this morning.

He had been missing since Saturday. The Tuolumne County Sheriffs Office reports the search area was between Thousand Trails Campground (on Hardin Flat Road) and Rainbow Pools (near Highway 120 in Groveland). Lubeck, and three others, had originally planned to go down the Tuolumne River on inner tubes from near their camp (Yosemite Lakes RV Camp) to meet up with family at Rainbow Pools. When they did not arrive, law enforcement was notified.

Three of them, and their dog, were located Sunday at 3pm with the help of a CHP helicopter. They are Jonathon Gilbert, Joshua Lubeck and Meghan Lubeck. Click here to see video of the rescue.

Nathan Lubeck had hiked away from the other three in hopes of scouting out the area, and finding help. He was only wearing sandals, shorts, a hat and glasses.

The search started up again at 6am today and the sheriffs office reports that Lubeck was located safe, walking out of the treacherous terrain to his camp. No additional information is immediately available.

This is an update to an earlier story.
Timothy Squires, TCSO Booking Photo View Photos

Sonora, CA  Two men from the Sacramento area where arrested in connection to burglaries that occurred in Tuolumne County.

Mail was stolen from some mailboxes on Bostwick Road in Sonora, and in addition, a local business, TypeOne Tree Service, was burglarized. Sheriffs Office Spokesperson Sgt. Andrea Benson notes that a suspicious looking Saturn SUV was spotted over the weekend parked on Bergel Road underneath the Highway 108 overpass in Sonora.

The vehicle was searched and deputies located the stolen mail, and $3,000 worth of tools and goods taken from the tree business. Timothy Logan and Timothy Squires, both from Isleton in Sacramento County, were arrested. Deputies decided to look through the vehicle because Logan was on searchable probation out of Yolo County.

They were both charged with criminal conspiracy, burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools (wire cutters, sledge hammer, pry bars), and possession of blank checks (an article of the stolen mail) with the intent to defraud.

The SUV was hauled away from the scene.
The Pre colonial Nigerian society is considered to be a subject of a lot of researches. Even if Nigeria looks to be a united country, it experiences struggles from the inside. One of the reasons for this struggle is religion. Today we will try to find out the roots of religion for every major tribe in Nigeria. Continue reading to learn more!

Hausa religion in pre colonial Nigeria

Hausa is one of the predominant tribes in Nigeria. These days, they are mostly the representatives of the Islam religion. It`s interesting that Hausa is the least influenced by traditional religious beliefs. The reason for that is Islam. Muslims came to Hausaland in the 11th century. The Hausas accepted and supported the spread of Islam. Hausa received the Islamic religion from traders of Guinea, Mali, Borno and North Africa.

Islam religion is part of what helped Hausa to be a dominant tribe in the West Africa. They created the Sokoto Caliphate, which even tried to fight against colonial powers in the 19th century. However, they failed and became a part of the British Empire.

Maguzawa and Hausa

READ ALSO: Traditional rulers of Nigeria and their titles

Hausa people also had traditional African Beliefs. Their traditional religion is called Maguzawa. In pre-colonial Nigeria history, this religion was mainly nurtured in remote areas of Hausaland. Maguzawa is also a subgroup of Hausa people in modern times. They believe in spirits (iskoki). There are three thousand iskoki in their religion. All of them are divided into two groups:

 The Gona  farm spirits;

 The Daji  Bush Spirits.

There are also six major spirits in this religion:

 Bagiro  this spirit can devour souls;

 Manzo  the name can be translated as messenger. This spirit is described as a dog who can torture souls;

 Babban Maza  his name translates as great among men. Therefore, this spirit is usually described with a pestle;

 Waziri  this spirit provides gifts to people;

 Mai`iali  she is the queen of spirits. She is generally portrayed wearing a large cloth with children;

 Sarki Aljah  he is a king of all spirits.

Bori and Hausa

Bori is another Hausa religion which can be seen in pre colonial Nigerian culture. The main characteristic of this religion is spirit possession. For example, they used spirits to heal illnesses. They performed adoricism to achieve this. Adoricism is an opposite side of exorcism. In this case, Bori priests tamed spirits so they can use them in healing practices. The highest rank was held by a woman. She was called Inna, which translates as the mother of us all.

Igbo Religion

In Pre Colonial Era in Nigeria, Igbo people believed in Odinani. It`s the common name for the traditional Igbo religious practices. The main characteristic of this religion is a monotheistic attribute. They believed in one God, but he also had a lot of spirits (Alusi).

Igbo`s traditional beliefs in some contextual meaning can resemble Christian cosmology. They believed in one God called Chineke. He was a creator of everything on the Earth. At the same time, the world was divided into Human and Spirit world. When people died, they traveled to the spirit world.

Each person has a guardian spirit which was called Chi. Chineke or Chukwu assigned these spirits to every person. The closest concept to Chi spirit is the guardian angel in Christianity. This spirit also follows the person into the world of spirits. Igbo people believed that they could speak with ancestors who lived in the spirit world.

Alongside with Chukwu as a supreme spirit, there were other lesser spirits:

- Anyanwu  it`s the sun god. Together with Amadioha, he controls the weather;

- Amadioha  it`s the god of Sky. He was also a god of justice and lightening;

- Ana or Anada (can also be called Ani or Ala) it`s the Earth Goddess;

- Ikenga  It`s the god of time and achievements. He had control over blacksmithing and farming;

- Ekwensu  It`s the god of war that was mostly honoured amongst warriors.

Igbo in Pre Colonial Nigeria also had a system of priests. They were divided into two types:

- Hereditary priests. They were mere servants of one particular god or spirit.

- Seers. These priests were empowered with justice functions. They had symbols of power and almost limitless authority.

Igbo people also had ancestral shrines. They tried to keep in touch with their ancestors by providing them offerings.

Yoruba Pre Colonial Nigeria Religion

Yoruba tribe continues to perform their practices which are connected with pre colonial religion in Nigeria. According to Yoruba cosmology, they are all part of Itan. It`s the complex cultural aspect that connects all Yoruba.

The key element of this religion is Ayanmo (destiny) which is possessed by every human being. It`s traditionally believed that the Ayanmo will be connected to the creator after death.

The main gods of Yoruba are Olodumare/Eledumare, Olorun and Olofi. Yoruba refer to these spirits as it or they, because they have no gender or number.

- Olodumare created everything in the world. When people die, their Ayanmo connects with the creator;

- Olorun is the ruler of heavens.

- Olofi serves as the conduit between two worlds. Orun or Heaven is the place where all gods and spirits live. Aye or Earth is the place for all humans.

There are also so-called Orisha. They are spirits which can travel between Orun and Aye. They can be servants of gods as well as just independent spirits. There are also Irunmole. These spirits are servants of Olorun. They are the messengers to the human realm.

Pre Colonial and Post Colonial Nigeria Religion

Nigeria is one of the most religious countries in the world. The current religious beliefs often tend to have the same characteristics of their previous religion. Nigerians must know their culture and religion. Without preserving the culture, it is not possible to preserve the nation.

READ ALSO: Problems of internally displaced persons in Nigeria

Source: Legit.ng
Nigeria Port Authority is responsible for the maintenance of ports in Nigeria. There are two large ports under the command of the Nigeria Port Authority  Port Harcourt and Lagos. Understandably, people who want to work in this structure are more interested in the Nigeria Port Authority Salary Structure! Continue reading if you want to find out this information too!

Nigerian Port Authority Salary Scale

It`s hard to find much information about salary structure of any government company in Nigeria. One of the reasons for that is the confidentiality of this information. Nevertheless, it`s possible to find some piece of information about salary structure of Nigeria port authority.

Several years ago, Nigeria Port Authority provided an ultimatum to the Nigerian government. One of their main demands was to increase the average salary. At that time, the least paid employee of the Authority JSS II was paid N120 000 per month. Today, this number increased to up to N200 000.

You can find a number of Job offer vacancies for Nigeria Port Authority. At the moment, it`s possible to look at the several job offers that announced the Nigeria Port Authority Salary Range.

Required employees and their Nigeria Port Authority Salary

According to jobspire.com.ng, we have the following salary rating:

- IT Manager in Anambra State. If you would like to get this job, you can earn about 400-600 thousand Naira per year.

- Control Designer at Oil and Gas industry in Lagos. You can expect more than five million Naira per year if you had this job.

- Senior Graphic Designer In Marketing . This specialist is required in Lagos. You can expect to receive up to 1.5 million Naira per year in this position.

- HSE Officer of Purchasing and Supply Chain. This specialist is required in Lagos. You can receive up to four million Naira per year if you take this position.

- Social Care Counselor. This specialist is required in Kwara State. You can expect to get up to 400 thousand Naira per year if you get this position.

Nigeria Port Authority Salary Scale and Website

READ ALSO: Nisrecruitment.org.ng recruitment requirements

According to the official website of the Nigeria Port Authority, there are no vacancies open at the moment. But do not be discouraged as they regularly publish job vacancies for various positions. According to the rumors about Nigerian Port Authority Salary Structure  the newbies can get up to the 100 000 Naira per month.

The most required job positions include:

- Assistant Manager Harbours;

- Senior Marine Officer;

- Assistant Manager Radio;

- Radio Officer;

- Signalman;

- Trainee Seaman;

- Marine Engineering Trainee;

- Pilot Trainee.

If you want to get a position in the Nigeria Port Authority Salary Scale, you have to follow these criteria:

- You must be a citizen of Nigeria;

- You must be at least 20 years old;

- You must provide a certificate of your education.

If you manage to pass all the test and ace the job interview  you will be welcomed into the Nigeria Port Authority Family.

READ ALSO: Nigeria immigration salary structure

Source: Legit.ng
- Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers attack a bus of a popular transport companies, abducting all passengers on board

- The kidnappers have contacted family of the victims, demanding one million naira on each passengers before they are released

- Security sources at the transport company say the gunmen later reduced the ransom to N100, 000 each for the passengers

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have waylaid a commercial bus travelling from Warri in Delta state to Port-Harcourt, Rivers state and abducted 14 passengers on board at Rumoji near Port-Harcourt in Rivers state.

READ ALSO: DSS planning to accuse me of insurgency, treason - Fayose cries out

The Punch, citing security sources reported that the abductions which occurred on Monday, July 3, have sent fear among people living along the highway.

Sources say the armed hoodlums attacked the bus of a popular transport companies (name withheld) on the highway and ferried all occupant into the bush.

The gunmen then reportedly took the passengers to an unknown destination.

The kidnappers were said to have contacted the family of the victims, demanding one million naira on each of the passengers before they could be released, but a source at transportation company says the gunmen later reduced the ransom to N100, 000 each for the travellers following please by the victims families that they could not cannot raise the one million naira ransom earlier demanded.

The 14-seater bus was travelling to Port-Harcourt when heavily armed men waylaid the bus and kidnapped all occupants including the driver. They were travelling from one of their terminals in Warri axis,

The incident happened on Monday and the bus is owned by one of these popular transport companies. It was a bit unbelievable until our sister security agency recovered the bus from where the incident happened around Ughelli/Port-Harcourt section of the road. The hoodlums have also contacted the families of the victim. Security has been beefed in the area, one of the security sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Another security source said security agencies were already on the trail of the hoodlums.

Meanwhile, alleged Kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, has said that his mum once cautioned him to quit his job when she saw bullet wound on him.

Evans disclosed this in an interview he had with the New Telegraph, saying that his father and step mum were the cause of what he is passing through currently.

Legit.ng gathered that the police alleged that he was injured when there was a disagreement between him and his gang members because of money issue.

Meanwhile, the kidnapper said he was not involved in the dispute that happened among his member, adding that he was just trying to settle the disagreement.

In the video below, Legit.ng TV visited the house of alleged billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudubem Onwuamadike and asked Nigerians what they think should be done to him

Source: Legit.ng
- Suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, has allegedly been moved from police custody

- The Sun newspaper claims Evans was moved to an undisclosed destination few days ago by policemen

- The newspaper alleges that the billionaire kidnapper is no longer allowed to talk to the press

- However, the Nigeria Police Force denied the misleading report, confirmed the kidnapper is in custody

Nigerias infamous billionaire kidnapper, Chukwuduneme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, has allegedly been moved from the Lagos police command headquarters.

The Sun reported that Evans was moved from his cell by about 30 heavily armed police men at midnight few days ago to an undisclosed destination.

In a report by Saturday Sun, some senior police officers said he was moved to Abuja.

READ ALSO: 5 dead, 3 rescued alive as container falls on fully loaded bus in Lagos (photos)

The newspaper alleges that Evans is no longer allowed to talk to the press till further notice. The secrecy surrounding his whereabouts in the official quarters baffles those who have closely followed his story since his arrest.

However, the police debunked the misleading reports on July 8:

Read the initial report by The Sun below:

Some senior police officers who spoke to Saturday Sun on condition of anonymity expressed fears that Evans might not make it to the court.

The officers argued that he might plot his escape from prison or get across to some of his members who are still on the run.

They confirmed that Evans was no longer in the police cell in Lagos. He has not been returned since he was moved out. Evans is a broken man; police cant resort to extra-judicial killings at this point. He is cooperating, and he is ready to help return all his ill-gotten wealth as soon as possible, the officer said.

Another source at the police command said: Evans is not an ordinary criminal. I guess that they took him out for further investigation but I dont know why they are yet to return him to his cell.

No one is planning to kill Evans. I believe that they will return him later. He could be in any good cell in the state for security reasons, but I can assure you that he is not dead yet. Even if anything happens to him, if he dies in custody, it will be as a result of cancer which he claims he is suffering from.

Another senior police officer who preferred anonymity assured that the suspected kidnapper is okay.

He is okay and seriously cooperating with the police in its investigation. From the look of things, he might not spend up to three months in detention before hes charged to court. As for his location, I assure you that he is in a protective custody somewhere out of town, the officer said.

The police officer speaking with Saturday Sun added: Within the short period that he spent in our cell, he is already controlling inmates in the cell. They fear and respect him; we do not want to run the risk of allowing him to form another notorious group which is common amongst them.

The officer said his family are yet to approach the police. Evans confirmed that he bought a car for his father and also gave him N3m. The police will recover such money and properties.

We will soon get a warrant to pick his father up and possibly his mother, who also benefitted.

Another reliable source at the police command told Saturday Sun Evans is not an ordinary criminal. I guess that they took him out for further investigation but I dont know why they are yet to return him to his cell.

The source further assured: No one is planning to kill Evans. I believe that they will return him later. He could be in any good cell in the state for security reasons, but I can assure you that he is not dead yet. Even if anything happens to him, if he dies in custody, it will be as a result of cancer which he claims he is suffering from.

As at the time of this report both the Lagos police spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole and the police force PRO, Moshood Jimoh have neither answered nor responded on Evans whereabouts.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Legit.ng previously reported that the Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed July 13 for hearing in a N300m fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Evans, against the Inspector-General of Police.

Evans, through his lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, filed the suit last week urging the court to order the police to charge him to court or release him immediately.

He urged the court to award N300m damages against the police in his favour for his alleged unlawful detention without being charged to court.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of what Nigerians think about ongoing Evans' saga:

Source: Legit.ng
- Osun state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has described victory of PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke as peoples choice

- Adeleke had defeated APC candidate, Mudashiru Hussain, wining 9 out of 10 local governments in Osun west senatorial district

- Adeleke described his victory as the dawn of better future for the people of Osun state and all the lovers of democracy in Nigeria

Osun state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, on Sunday July 9, congratulated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Saturday Osun West Senatorial bye-election, Dr. Ademola Adeleke, submitting that Osun people have spoken, judging by the result of the poll.

Nigerian Tribune reports that Adeleke, the PDP flag bearer in the exercise, defeated his counterpart in the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Mudashiru Hussain, winning in 9 out of 10 local government areas in the senatorial district.

READ ALSO: Confusion as Kogi govt allegedly gives query, stops salary of woman who returned N1.8m mistakenly paid into her account

Legit.ng gathered that Adeleke described his victory as the dawn of better future for the people of Osun state and all the lovers of democracy in Nigeria.

The governor, who in a tweet on Sunday, afternoon congratulated Adeleke, stated, democracy has won and we respect the peoples choice.

In another development, chairman of the PDP in Osun state, Hon Soji Adagunodo has lauded citizens and residents of the state for their tremendous supports before and during the poll, which he noted, spurred the partys candidate to victory..

Reacting to the outcome of the election in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday, July 9, Adagunodo said the party was conscious of the fact that out of several alternatives, Osun people decided to give PDP the mandate to represent them in the upper chambers.

We thank you for honouring the memories of the first Executive Governor of Osun State, late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, by voting in his equally competent younger brother, Otunba Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, who is determined to serve you, even better.

We appreciate the confidence you reposed in the PDP as a party committed to good governance and development, true service and respect for human dignity in our dear state, the statement concluded.

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Similarly, during a chat with journalists in his Ede country home on Sunday, the Senator-elect, Dr Ademola Adeleke, noted that his victory symbolised a brighter future for PDP in the state.

He, however, reassured that all his pre-election campaign promises, including the implementation of N250million scholarship scheme, would be fulfilled so that indigent and brilliants students and youths in Osun West Senatorial District would have assess to quality education, stressing that N5 million per ward scholarship scheme would soon take off in the district.

Legit.ng had earlier reported that former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode advised Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state to throw in towel and resign his position immediately over the defeat he and his party, All Progressive Congress (APC) suffered on Saturday July 8 during the Osun west senatorial bye-election.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Nigerians expressing their mind on who who they would vote for in 2019 if faced with the option of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Ayo Fayose:

Source: Legit.ng
- Governors of south-east and south-south Nigeria met in Enugu on Sunday evening

- The meeting came on the heels of another meeting of south-east governors and other leaders

- The meeting is to address Biafra agitation and form a formidable alliance to demand federal government to restructure the nation

As the agitation for Biafra continues in the two region, governors of south-east and south-south Nigeria met at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu on Sunday evening.

The governors met to deliberate on the ongoing agitation for Biafra in the region, especially by the youths.

Recall that Legit.ng earlier reported that south-east leaders, Ohanaeze and governors met at the same venue couple of weeks back. A meeting that saw the leaders showing their support for Nigeria's unity and a call for the country to be restructured.

The meetings of governors of the two regions in Enugu, is to find a way to form a strong alliance that can push forward the demand for a restructured governance and the best way to handle agitation coming from the youths.

READ ALSO: Osun bye-election: Aregbesola accepts defeat, congratulates Adeleke over his victory

According to a report by Punch, the Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who addressed the opening session of the meeting said: "the two zones are joined by tradition, geography and brotherhood, and also by common challenges.

He noted that Igbo leaders had already met and agreed on a restructured Nigeria, where peace, love, equity and opportunities are paramount, regardless of creed, ethnicity, gender and political affiliations.

It is against this background, therefore, that the meeting of the south-east and the south-south, becomes important.

I believe that a sustained south-east and south-south cooperation would foster and accelerate competitive development.

Through inter-regional cooperation, we will be able to speak with one voice and form a greater political capital that will influence the Federal Government, he added.

The governors however proceeded to a closed door session after the initial opened meeting.

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The governors in attendance were: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state, Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia adn Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state, Willie Obiano of Anambra represented by his deputy, Nkem Okeke.

The south-south governors at the meeting were: Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Ben Ayade of Cross River, and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state.

Meanwhile, the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, has explained what led to the decision of Igbo leaders to clamour for restructuring of Nigeria as against breakup.

Nwodo explained that no ethnic group has more stake in the Nigeria project than the Igbo and as such Igbos cannot consider a break up as a viable option, as such decision might affect them gravely.

Nwodo said that while Ohanaeze and other elders understand and appreciate the circumstances that prompted the youth agitations under the MASSOB and IPOB platform, the elders do not believe that secession is a good choice.

Watch Legit.ng video of Nnamdi Kanu addressing followers in Isiama Afara, Abia state:

Source: Legit.ng
- Senator Ali Ndume revealed how he was emotionally tortured by the goverment over allegations he was involved with Boko Haram

- He explained that the media also didn't help much as he was tried continuously by the media jury

- Ndume said he is considering suing the federal government over the case

Senator Ali Ndume, who was acquitted by an Abuja court, over an alleged involvement in sponsoring Boko Haram, has said he might sue the federal government.

Recall that Legit.ng reported that Ndume is currently serving a six months suspension slammed on him after he called for Senate president Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye to be investigated.

According to a report by Premium Times, Ndume, during an interview in Maiduguri, Borno state, said he was emotionally tortured during his court trial.

Ndume accused the government of struggling to find any evidence to indict him and journalists for putting him on media trial that hurt his personality and that of his family.

READ ALSO: APC leaders wade into Presidency, National Assembly crisis

He said: For six years the federal government put me on trial without any evidence to prove their false allegations against me.

After six years the court said they had no case against me so they have to acquit me. But the media wasnt fair; the spirit with which they reported my arraignment has not been matched with the reports published on my acquittal.

I am yet to decide on whether to go to court and sue the federal government for damages or speak to the media so that my own story too would be heard.

For six years I was restricted, I could not travel, I could not move an inch, I was subjected to emotional torture when all the while the government knew that there was nothing against me and they know who the sponsors of Boko Haram are.

And the saddest aspect of it all was that up till when the case was dismissed finally, nobody, including those in the media who had subjected me to their trial, could query the lame facts brought to the court.

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He said he met the alleged Boko Haram spokesperson, who mentioned him as their groups informant, when they met in the court.

Ndume said: Could you imagine the arrested Boko Haram spokesman mentioned some other persons but it was only me that was taken to court?

He accused the Goodluck Jonathan administration of plotting his downfall because he was a critic of the government.

That shows that I was the only person that the government wanted to fight.

But I will still ensure that my voice is heard and my side of the story is told as well; because there are so many things that the world need to know.

Could you imagine the media reporting that I had 73 phone contacts with the Sanda Konduga, the Boko Haram spokesman!

How could one make over 70 calls and no one could trace the call logs on a platform when we all know communication is two-way traffic. But sadly no one queried that scientific fact, including the press."

As a member of that committee, our contacts were made available to members of the public so that anyone with credible information could contact us. It was at that time this Sanda chap called and I told him I would get back to him. Unfortunately, I never did because we have hundreds of people calling at that time.

So, he sent me a text message that I said I would get back to him and I didnt. So, when the security people saw that text they said we were communicating with him, even though I did not respond to that text message as well, he said.

Ndume said he could forget some of his painful travail but not the ones suffered by his immediate family members.

He stated: One of my daughters approached me and said, Daddy now that the court said you are not guilty as they alleged, it is time we take the government to court.

Even as I tried to calm them, their anger is justified because that my very daughter lost her four months old pregnancy when she heard that I was arrested and arraigned in court. Some of my little kids were molested in school by people who call them names! So how much could one take for an offense one is innocent of?

Meanwhile, Ndume expressed deep concern over the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in Borno, and described the situation as worrisome.

He said the people of Borno state no longer sleep with their eyes closed because of fear the terrorists would attack them in the night.

Ndume said if he had not be suspended by the Senate, he would have invited security chiefs to explain what is happening in the state.

Watch the Legit.ng TV video report of the 10 young officers recently winged below:

Source: Legit.ng
- Southern leaders sent a message to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo

- They called for the implementation of the 2014 confab report

- The group said it would not sit back and watch its people be threatened by northern youths

The Southern Leaders Forum has issued a 5-month ultimatum to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to implement the confab report and also allow the 36 states assume their status as federating units.

The Sun reports that the group also called on the acting president to inform the southern zone of the federal governments plan to protect the people on the backdrop of quit notice issued to Igbos by Arewa youths.

READ ALSO: APC leaders wade into presidency, National Assembly crisis

The group met in Lagos on Sunday, July 9, where it insisted that it will not take any threat to its people lightly.

In attendance were the forum's president and former director general of the Department of State Security (DSS), Albert Horsfall; former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Obong Victor Attah; Afenifere chieftains, Ayo Adebanjo, Femi Okurounmu; former managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission, Timi Alaibe; Tony Uranta; President of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Joseph Eva; Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw and Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin.

Horsfall noted that no action has been taken against the youths that issued the ultimatum to Igbos .

He said: We are disconcerted that, up till now, no action appears to have been taken regarding the October 1 threat issued by Arewa youths. We, therefore, demand that Osinbajo inform Nigerians of what actions and steps has been taken to protect the Igbo and all Southerners who live in the North against the threats of the Arewa youths. We reiterate that any threat or action against anyone from the South will be treated as a threat or action against all Southerners.

The forum called on the federal government to do the needful in restructuring the country.

We note with gratitude, a statement by the acting president, that the issue of restructuring will be addressed soon and we urge him to follow his statement with immediate action by acting on the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference. The issue of restructuring and change was an integral part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) manifesto.

We want the 16-point agenda that was submitted by the South-South delegation, submitted in their meeting with the acting president to be acted upon immediately, to avoid youth restiveness and sustain the current peace.

There is an urgent need to restructure Nigeria to achieve true federalism. We will not be distracted by individuals who claim ignorance of what restructuring means or those who try to imply a non-existent sinister plan to break up Nigeria because of the demand for restructuring. We affirm our commitment to the unity of Nigeria and also, insist on the urgent need to restructure Nigeria, to achieve true federalism.

For the avoidance of doubt, restructuring is a return to the constitution of independence which our founding fathers bequeathed to us. That constitution allowed the states autonomy in the management of their affairs.

The states will be federating units, with its own with rights to have their own constitution. The states will have control of its resources and make agreed contributions to the federal government for general services.

We will identify those areas of our Constitution which should allow for effective administration in the states. It is important that action be commenced immediately, to ensure that the entire changes are implemented by December 2017.

We want to alert the international community and we also want the FG to take appropriate actions against them. We want the FG to make an official statement on this and take appropriate action to put them in check.

Meanwhile, A report by The Punch indicates that APC leaders met over the crisis between the presidency and the Senate on the appointment of EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu.

According to the report, the party intervened in the crisis and would declare its position before the end of this week.

A presidency official quoted in the report said those who attended the meeting, which was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, July 6, included the national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; the deputy national chairman, northSenator Lawal Shuaibu; the national secretary, Mai Mala Buni; the national treasurer, Mohammed Gwagwaruwa; and the national organising secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso.

The source also disclosed that it was the Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki, who contacted Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, July 4, after the Senate passed the latest resolution on Magu.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video of Professor Osinbajo speaking about Biafra agitation:

Source: Legit.ng
- Some of the South-East and South-South governors met in Enugu on Sunday July 9

- The governors resolved to pursue inter-regional cooperation for the economic benefit of the two regions

- They also reviewed the current state of Nigeria among many others issues

All the South-East and South-South governors have resolved to pursue inter-regional cooperation for the economic benefit of the two regions.

The governors also reviewed the current state of the nation.

The chairman of the meeting Emmanuel Udom while reading a communique after their meeting on Monday, July 10, said the the governors in the region have agreed to work together to realign as a people with common cultural heritage and affinities.

Also, the host of the meeting Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the Enugu state governor had described the meeting as the first in the present dispensation.

READ ALSO: We will not allow Anambra election to hold, Nnamdi Kanus IPOB insists

Ugwuanyi said the meeting will result to a mutual cooperation between the people of the South-East and South-South.

Meanwhile the Ebonyi state governor David Umahi in a statement signed by his chief press secretary Emmanuel Uzor said the meeting was aimed at brainstorming on salient issues affecting the two regions.

We are meeting as brothers to talk about regional integration and find lasting solution to intermittent outbreak of interstate clashes arising from boundary disputes among the two regions.

We are also talking about economic survival of the two regions and look at possible ways of bringing our ingenuity and making use of our huge deposit of both human and natural resources to attain economic viable zones in Nigeria," Uzor said.

READ ALSO: Ahead of Anambra election, south-east, south-south governors meet over Biafra agitation

There is also need to discuss security, peace and unity of the two regions and find lasting solution to various salient issues that affect our unity in Nigeria.

It is a meeting born out of love and desire to find cohesion among the two regions and I am happy that my brother governors responded to the call even at the short notice given to them. In other words, we are discussing regional and national interest.

After this first meeting, the governors also agreed that their next meeting will be held in port Harcourt, Rivers state on August 27.

Eight governors present at the meeting include: Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa-Ibom), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), and Nyesom Nike (Rivers).

Others are Okezie Ikpazu (Abia), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Anambra Deputy Governor, Nkem Okeke, who represented Governor Willie Obiano.

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However, governors Ifeanyi Okowa and Godwin Obaseki of Delta and Edo states were absent.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the governors met in Enugu on Sunday, July 9, evening.

The meeting was initiated after governor and leaders from other regions had met at different times over the growing agitation from various region of Nigeria.

It was initially gathered that the meeting was also focused at addressing the recent agitation for the freedom of Biafra and to also form a formidable alliance to pressure the federal government of the need for a restructured Nigeria.

You can watch this Legit.ng's exclusive video of Nnamdi Kanu and Biafra agitation...the journey so far!

Source: Legit.ng
- Following the death of Alhaji Maitama Sule, the former vice president, paid a condolence visit to the Kano state governor

- Before he passed on, the renowned statesman was an illustrious son of Kano state and held the title of Dan Masani Kano

- The news was made public via the twitter handle of a media aide to governor Ganduje, @dawisu

Former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has paid a condolence visit to the governor of Kano state Umar Ganduje, over the death of the renowned statesman Alhaji Maitama Sule.

The news was shared via the twitter handle of a media aide to the Kano state governor, @dawisu.

He tweeted: Former Vice President & Wazirin Adamawa @atiku paid a condolence visit to H.E @GovUmarGanduje & people of Kano over late Danmasani's death.

READ ALSO: Grow Yam - Audu Ogbeh responds to critics of Yam export policy

Attached to the tweet were the following pictures of the visit:

Atiku Abubakar speaks during his condolence visit to the Kano state governor (Photo credit: Twitter: @dawisu)

The former vice president commiserates with the Kano state governor over the death of Maitama Sule (Photo credit: Twitter: @dawisu)

Governor Umar Ganduje speaks during the condolence visit (Photo credit: Twitter: @dawisu)

Before he passed on, the late Maitama Sule was the Dan Masani Kano.

Alhaji Sule who died in a Cairo Hospital in Egypt has been described as a complete gentleman. As expected, his death has been drawing reactions from prominent Nigerians given his popularity in Nigeria.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that former vice president Atiku Abubakar revealed some of the reasons Nigeria is not making as much progress as it should be.

The reasons were listed in a paper presented by him, titled; The Challenge of Unity, Diversity and National Development: Nigeria at Crossroads.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video asking which country Nigerians would like to leave for:

Source: Legit.ng
- Professor Yemi Osinbajo went to Niger state to assess the state of a collapsed bridge

- The acting president received a rousing welcome from the people

- The collapsed bridge has affected transportation in the region

Acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has visited Niger state to assess the collapsed Mokwa-Jebba Bridge in the state.

The acting president was also joined by the minister of power, works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, to look at the level of damage on Monday, July 10.

Legit.ng had reported that the collapse was caused by heavy rainfall and has affected motorists and commuters on both sides of the road.

Osinbajo receives rousing welcome in Niger Credit: Twitter, Mr Jag

READ ALSO: He actually planned to terminate my life - Obasanjo reveals his crime against Abacha

Professor Osinbajo and Mr Fashola in Niger state Credit: Twitter, Mr Jag

Officers and men of the command led by the Unit Commander (ACC) Danladi Samari reported on the scene to inspect the bridge when it first collapsed.

Osinbajo visits Niger to assess collapsed bridge. Credit: Twitter, Mr Jag

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There was no record of casualty at the time the bridge collapsed.

Professor Osinbajo speaks to the people Credit: Twitter, Mr Jag

About a month ago, there was a report that a bridge at Gidan Mai Village along Mokwa - Makera road collapsed due to heavy rain fall. There was no vehicular movement from both sides due to the collapse.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mokwa, released pictures of the bridge in the state via their official Facebook page.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video of Osinbajo speaking about the issue of Biafra:

Source: Legit.ng
- Minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, inspected the ongoing rail projects at Ijoko community area of Ogun state

- The transportation minister said the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail services would be ready by December 2018

- Amaechi said the construction would bring economic development to the various communities

The minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said that federal government would ensure the completion of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail services by December 2018.

Amaechi gave the assurance on Monday in Lagos while inspecting the ongoing rail projects at Ijoko community area of Ogun state.

The minister said that the federal government was making all efforts to ensure the completion of the project as scheduled.

READ ALSO: Regional integration and many other things South-East, South-South governors discussed

I have made a personally decisions to come to Lagos to get briefing and update on the ongoing project.

I have decided to come to the site monthly to put the company handling the project on their toes to ensure quick delivery of the project.

The government is committed to deliver the projects on time for the benefit of the people at least by December 2018, Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail operation should commence, he said.

Amaechi added that the only challenge facing the projects was the bridges across the rail lines.

The minister said that some of the bridges include Oshodi, Ikeja and the newly constructed Ijoko Bridge by Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, of Ogun state.

According to him, various means would be considered to determine the cheaper alternatives of moving the rail across the bridges due to its height and flow levels.

Amosun, earlier in his remarks, commended the federal government on the rail project, saying that the development would bring economic development to the various communities within both states.

The governor also hailed the ministers efforts of constant inspections to ensure prompt delivery of the projects.

He said that Ogun state government had constructed about 90 per cent of federal roads within the state, saying that the federal government should consider refunding the state for the projects.

I appealed to the federal government to consider the state to refund federal roads projects constructed by the state, he said.

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In a previous report by Legit.ng, Amaechi had inspected of the Lagos - Ibadan railway modernization project with an extension to Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, Lagos state.

The project which is expected to cost N458 billion and spans 156.65 kilometres was kicked off by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday, March 7, 2017.

The agreement between Nigeria and the CCECC for the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan and Calabar-Port Harcourt rail lines was signed by the transport minister, last year.

Watch this video of Amaechi saying he is always busy on the street as a minister.

Source: Legit.ng
- Nigerians, who reacted to the communication between Aisha Buhari and Senator Shehu Sani, were angry with their use of animal names to paint the country's situation

- Those who commented said it was wrong to illustrate the tussle in the presidency with names of animals

Some Nigerians have reacted sharply to a message posted on social media by Senator Shehu Sani, and the reply by Aisha, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Some of those who reacted alleged that the duo had joined Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in calling Nigeria a zoo.

Though the two did not categorically call Nigeria a zoo, they spoke in anecdote illustrating details with about the current crisis in the countrys leadership with animals.

Many of those who reacted failed to consider the actual message the two tried to convey.

READ ALSO: Fayose reveals confusion in presidency concerning Buhari's health status

Deji Adeyanju, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and social commentator, said: Husband talks about Nigerians as Dogs and Baboons, wife talks about Nigerians as Hyenas and Jackals. Are Nigerians merely animals to them?

Reacting also, Dankoje said: "And I actually thought Nnamdi Kanu was the originator of the term 'Nigeria is a zoo'. Apparently our 'first couple' beat him to it."

Legit.ng had reported that Aisha Buhari saidAisha Buhari said: "God has answered the prayers of the weaker Animals, The Hyena's and the Jackals will soon be sent out of the kingdom.

"We strongly believe in the prayers and support of the weaker animals. Long live the weaker animals, Long live Nigeria.

Aisha was reacting to Sani, who represents Kaduna Central Senatorial District, who had earlier said: Prayer for the absent Lion King has waned; until he's back then they will fall over each other to be on the front row of the palace temple.

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Now the hyenas and the jackals are scheming and talking to each other in whispers; still doubting whether the Lion King will be back or not.

"Now the Lion king is asleep and no other dare to confirm if he will wake up or not.Its the wish of the Hyenas that the Lion King never wakes or come back so that they can be kings. Its the prayers of the weaker animals that the Lion King comes back to save the Kingdom from the Hyenas, the wolves and other predators.

Legit.ng had earlier reported that Aisha, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, has returned to London where her husband has been receiving treatment for weeks now.

Buhari had written the Nigerian Senate informing the lawmakers that he had handed over to Professor Yemi Osinbajo, his vice who would now act as the president.

Watch part of the near-daily activities that take place in the home of Nnamdi Kanu:

Source: Legit.ng
1. The Evolving Planet  United States to experience first coast to coast total solar eclipse in 100 years! The solar eclipse will be most visible along a path that goes from Oregon to South Carolina on August 21.

2. The Evolving Planet  Research Suggests New Stars are Born in Pairs

3. Nextbigfuture  Tracking the advances in improved solar power for space applications

4. Nextbigfuture  Near term technology projects for 400 kilowatt 2000 ISP space propulsion

5. Nextbigfuture  Milky Way could have at least 100 billion larger brown dwarf stars

Our galaxy could have 100 billion brown dwarfs or more, according to work by an international team of astronomers, led by Koraljka Muzic from the University of Lisbon and Aleks Scholz from the University of St Andrews. On Thursday 6 July Scholz will present their survey of dense star clusters, where brown dwarfs are abundant, at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Hull.

Brown dwarfs are objects intermediate in mass between stars and planets, with masses too low to sustain stable hydrogen fusion in their core, the hallmark of stars like the Sun. After the initial discovery of brown dwarfs in 1995, scientists quickly realised that they are a natural by-product of processes that primarily lead to the formation of stars and planets.

All of the thousands of brown dwarfs found so far are relatively close to the Sun, the overwhelming majority within 1500 light years, simply because these objects are faint and therefore difficult to observe. Most of those detected are located in nearby star forming regions, which are all fairly small and have a low density of stars.

In 2006 the team began a new search for brown dwarfs, observing five nearby star forming regions. The Substellar Objects in Nearby Young Clusters (SONYC) survey included the star cluster NGC 1333, 1000 light years away in the constellation of Perseus. That object had about half as many brown dwarfs as stars, a higher proportion than seen before.

The team calculated that the milky way could have a population of 25 to 100 billion brown dwarfs. Star formation rates in the Milky Way seem to have been higher in the past. If this is the case, the 100 billion number seems more likely. However, the calculations on the brown dwarf population were derived only for brown dwarfs more massive than 0.03 solar masses. Compare this to Jupiters mass, which is 0.00095 that of the Sun.

6. Nextbigfuture  Creating real starship troopers will add to existing $45 billion military space budgets

A US congressional committee is proposing that the US armed forces add a new military branch called the United States Space Corps. If this is passed it would be the first new branch of the armed forces since the Air Force was created in 1947.

The Space Corp would provide combat-ready space forces that enable the commanders of the combatant commands to fight and win wars. The Space Corps would fall under the Air Force in the same way the Marine Corps works with the Navy.

7. Nextbigfuture  NASA will test simple nuclear power system which will be in the 1 to 10 kilowatt power range
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Republicans have been accused of secrecy in drafting a repeal of the Affordable Care Act. And members of both political parties have complained.

Republican lawmakers have had far fewer days of public activity on their health legislation in the first six months of this Congress as compared with the same period eight years ago when Democrats wrote the health care law, according to a New York Times analysis.

Days of public activity during the first

six months of each new Congress

9 43 On the current G.O.P. bill On the Affordable Care Act 9 43 On the current G.O.P. bill On the Affordable Care Act

The Times counted the number of days that the five House and Senate committees directly involved in drafting legislation held public hearings or markups, as well as floor activity such as debates and consideration of amendments, in both chambers.

Discussion of health care changes related to both bills began long before the periods shown in the chart below. For comparison, only activity beginning with the start of each new Congress is shown: 2009 for the Affordable Care Act and 2017 for the current Republican bill.

Each box represents a day of public activity in the House or Senate.

G.O.P. Bill Senate House House bill pulled House bill passed Senate bill introduced JAN. APRIL MAY JUNE AUG. NOV. DEC. MARCH FEB. MARCH JULY SEPT. OCT. JAN. FEB. 2017 2018 Affordable Care Act Senate House House bill passed Senate bill passed A.C.A. passed First 6 months of new Congress FEB. MARCH JUNE AUG. OCT. DEC. JAN. FEB. MARCH JAN. APRIL MAY JULY SEPT. NOV. 2009 2010 G.O.P. bill Senate House House bill pulled House bill passed Senate bill introduced JAN. FEB. APRIL MAY JUNE AUG. NOV. DEC. MARCH MARCH JULY SEPT. OCT. JAN. FEB. 2017 2018 Affordable Care Act Senate House House bill passed Senate bill passed A.C.A. passed First 6 months of new Congress FEB. MARCH JUNE AUG. OCT. DEC. JAN. FEB. MARCH JAN. APRIL MAY JULY SEPT. NOV. 2009 2010 G.O.P. bill Senate House House bill pulled House bill passed Senate bill introduced JAN. FEB. MAR. APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. 2017 2018 Affordable Care Act Senate House House bill passed Senate bill passed A.C.A. passed First 6 months of new Congress JAN. FEB. MAR. APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. 2009 2010 G.O.P. bill Affordable Care Act Senate Senate House House JAN. JAN. 2017 2009 FEB. FEB. MARCH House bill pulled MARCH APRIL APRIL House bill passed MAY MAY First 6 months of new Congress JUNE JUNE Senate bill introduced JULY JULY AUG. AUG. SEPT. SEPT. OCT. OCT. House bill passed NOV. NOV. DEC. DEC. Senate bill passed JAN. JAN. 2010 2018 FEB. FEB. MARCH MARCH A.C.A. passed Note: This analysis includes only the committees directly involved in shaping and passing the bills.

Eight years ago, Senator Mitch McConnell, who is now leading the repeal effort in the Senate, complained that the Affordable Care Act was being written behind closed doors, without input from anyone.

But so far, Republican lawmakers have had just nine days of public activity on the repeal bill, compared with 43 for the Affordable Care Act during the same six-month period.

The House committees held four hearings and the Senate committees one related to health care changes, all before a bill was drafted. Neither the House Republicans nor their Senate counterparts held a hearing on their versions of the bill before unveiling the legislation.

At the hearings, there are experts testifying who bring different points of view, said Allison Hoffman, a health care policy expert and law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. You see problems that wouldnt come up otherwise, problems that when youre 13 men behind closed doors you may not surface on your own.

Amid criticism even from his own party, Mr. McConnell, the Senate majority leader, created a 13-member working group consisting entirely of men to lead the health care overhaul. Senator Mike Lee of Utah, a member, said even he had not seen a draft of the bill two days before its release.

While lawmakers often draft major legislation in private, they usually refine, debate and amend it in open committee sessions.

A comparison of the first six months for both bills

A.C.A. G.O.P. bill 4 20 Number of House hearings 1 16 Number of Senate hearings 2 7 Days of markups 2 0 Days of floor actions 0 5 Bipartisan meetings in the Senate 18 200 Witnesses heard A.C.A. G.O.P. bill 4 20 Number of House hearings 1 16 Number of Senate hearings 2 7 Days of markups 2 0 Days of floor actions 0 5 Bipartisan meetings in the Senate 18 200 Witnesses heard

This year, the two House committees involved in drafting legislation each held one markup session  the closest thing to a public writing and approval of a bill  with each lasting a day. In 2009, the Senate health committee spent a total of 13 days marking up the bill that became the Affordable Care Act, seven of them during Congresss first six months.

Republican lawmakers have spent just two days debating policies related to their bill on the House floor. The Senate, so far, has spent none, and is planning to vote on the bill as soon as the leaders have enough votes to pass it. The Affordable Care Act was debated on the House and Senate floors for 31 days before the bill passed.
Taxation Without Regulation? Betsson Formally Files EU Complaint Against KSA

Published July 10, 2017 by Lee R

Betsson calls fines levied by the Netherlands against Dutch-facing operators an extension of a 2006 violation.

A prominent iGaming operator is formally taking exception to the Netherlands legislative regulation process.

Compliance Complaint

Licenced EU operator Betsson has requested that the European Commission re-open infringement proceedings against the Netherlands. In a detailed letter, Betsson laid out what they claimed are continued and flagrant breaches of EU law on the part of the Dutch authority.

Infringement Proceedings Requested

Betsson President and CEO Ulrik Bengtsson further announced:

The current law in the Netherlands is not in line with EU law and we have therefore asked the Commission to re-open the infringement proceedings that were initiated against the Netherlands in 2006.

List Issue

The final straw leading to Betssons request was apparently the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) regulatory bodys announcement of its intention to expand the list of unauthorised online operators subject to KSA penalties for serving Dutch customers.

Recent Precedent

Betsson cited the recent ruling by the Court of Justice for the European Union (CJEU) de-authorizing a convoluted Hungarian gambling regime from imposing any penalties against online operators licensed in other EU states, calling out KSA for similar continued failure to implement an EU compliant legal framework.

The Rule in Question

Article 56 of the Treaty and Functioning of the European Union prohibits member states from engaging in protectionist interference with cross-border trade. The Netherlands originally was restricted in 2006 for violating Article 56, and were lifted by the EC after the Netherlands committed to development of a new more compliant regime.

Current Regulation Progress

Ultimately, the regulation process in the Netherlands has slowed to a crawl, with continued differences in opinion between legislators and other stakeholders in the Netherlands giving rise to projections of a functional regulation model taking effect anywhere from H2 2018 at the earliest to HR 2019.

In the interim, there has been no proportional delay in KSA restriction practices, as the KSA has continued identifying violators and handing out fines to Dutch-facing operators in an as-yet-to-be-regulated Dutch online environment.

Overview

The KSA will have to defend itself against the increasing appearance with each fine to be enforcing the same policies it was found in violation of in 2006, even while awaiting the legislation of a new more compliant regulation model.
From Voices For Creative Nonviolence



Ben Salmon, Patron of Conscientious Objectors

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Several days a week, Laurie Hasbrook arrives at the Voices office here in Chicago. She often takes off her bicycle helmet, unpins her pant leg, settles into an office chair and then leans back to give us an update on family and neighborhood news. Laurie's two youngest sons are teenagers, and because they are black teenagers in Chicago they are at risk of being assaulted and killed simply for being young black men. Laurie has deep empathy for families trapped in war zones. She also firmly believes in silencing all guns.

Lately, we've been learning about the extraordinary determination shown by Ben Salmon, a conscientious objector during World War I who went to prison rather than enlist in the U.S. military. Salmon is buried in an unmarked grave in Mount Carmel Cemetery, on the outskirts of Chicago.

In June, 2017, a small group organized by "Friends of Franz and Ben" gathered at Salmon's gravesite to commemorate his life.

Mark Scibilla Carver and Jack Gilroy had driven to Chicago from Upstate NY, carrying with them a life size icon bearing an image of Salmon, standing alone in what appeared to be desert sands, wearing a prison-issue uniform that bore his official prison number. Next to the icon was a tall, bare, wooden cross. Rev. Bernie Survil, who organized the vigil at Salmon's grave, implanted a vigil candle in the ground next to the icon.

Salmon's grand-niece had come from Moab, Utah, to represent the Salmon family. Facing our group, she said that her family deeply admired Salmon's refusal to cooperate with war. She acknowledged that he had been imprisoned, threatened with execution, sent for a psychiatric evaluation, sentenced to 25 years in prison, a sentence which was eventually commuted, and unable to return to his home in Denver for fear of being killed by antagonists. Charlotte Mates expressed her own determination to try and follow in his footsteps, believing we all have a personal responsibility not to cooperate with wars.

Bernie Survil invited anyone in the circle to step forward with a reflection. Mike Bremer, a carpenter who has spent three months in prison for conscientious objection to nuclear weapons, pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and stepped forward to read from an article by Rev. John Dear, written several years ago, in which Dear notes that Ben Salmon made his brave stance before the world had ever heard of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, or Mohandas Gandhi. There was no Catholic Worker, no Pax Christi, and no War Resisters League to support him. He acted alone, and yet he remains connected to a vast network of people who recognize his courage and will continue telling his story to future generations.

Had his wisdom and that of numerous war resisters in the U.S. prevailed, the U.S. would not have entered WWI. The author of War Against War , Michael Kazin, conjectures about how WWI would have ended if the U.S. had not intervened. "The carnage might have continued for another year or two," Kazin writes, "until citizens in the warring nations, who were already protesting the endless sacrifices required, forced their leaders to reach a settlement. If the Allies, led by France and Britain, had not won a total victory, there would have been no punitive peace treaty like that completed at Versailles, no stab-in-the back allegations by resentful Germans, and thus no rise, much less triumph, of Hitler and the Nazis. The next world war, with its 50-million deaths, would probably not have occurred."

But the U.S. did enter WWI, and since that time each U.S. war has caused a rise in taxpayer contributions to maintain the MIC, the Military-Industrial complex, with its vise-like grip on educating the U.S. public and marketing U.S. wars. Spending for militarism trumps social spending. Here in Chicago, where the number of people killed by gun violence is the highest in the nation, the U.S. military runs ROTC classes enrolling 9,000 youngsters in Chicago public schools. Imagine if equivalent energies were devoted to promoting means and methods of nonviolence, along with ways to end the war against the environment and creation of "green" jobs among Chicago's youngest generations.

If we could share Laurie's revulsion in the face of weapons and inequality, imagine the possible results. We would never tolerate U.S. shipment of weapons to opulent Saudi royals who use their newly purchased laser guided munitions and Patriot missiles to devastate the infrastructure and civilians of Yemen. On the brink of famine and afflicted by an alarming spread of cholera, Yemenis also endure Saudi airstrikes that have wrecked roadways, hospitals and crucial sewage and sanitation infrastructure. 20 million people (in regions long plagued by U.S. gamesmanship), would not be expected to die this year from conflict-driven famine, in near-total media silence.

Just four countries, Somaliland, Southern Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen are set to lose fully one third as many people as died in the entirety of the Second World War. None of that would be a normal occurrence in our world. Instead, perhaps religious leaders would vigorously remind us about Ben Salmon's sacrifice; rather than attend the annual Air and Water show, (a theatrical display of U.S. military might which turns out a million "fans"), Chicagoans would make pilgrimages to the cemetery where Ben is buried.

At this point, Mount Carmel cemetery is known for being the burial place of Al Capone.

The small group at the gravesite included a woman from Code Pink, a newly ordained Jesuit priest, several Catholic Workers, several couples who were formerly Catholic religious and have never stopped ministering to others and advocating for social justice, five people who've served many months in prison for their conscientious objection to war, and three Chicago area business professionals. We look forward to gatherings, in Chicago and elsewhere, of people who will take up the organizing call of those who celebrated, on July 7th, when representatives of 122 countries negotiated and passed a U.N. ban on nuclear weapons. This event happened while warlords wielding hideous weapons dominated the G20 gathering in Hamburg, Germany.

Laurie envisions building creative, peaceful connections between Chicago youngsters and their counterparts in Afghanistan, Yemen, Gaza, Iraq, and other lands. Ben Salmon guides our endeavors. We hope to again visit Salmon's gravesite on Armistice Day, November 11, when our friends plan to set up a small marker bearing this inscription:

"There is no such thing as a just war."

Ben J. Salmon

B. Oct. 15, 1888 -- Feb. 15, 1932

Thou Shalt Not Kill
India has exposed itself to China's interference in (Indian-controlled) Jammu & Kashmir by sending Indian troops to disrupt Chinese soldiers from building a road in the Donglang region, a Chinese expert said Saturday (July 9).

If Pakistan requests, "a third country" can dispatch soldiers to the Valley, said an article written by Long Xingchun, director of the Centre for Indian Studies at China West Normal University.

"Even if India were requested to defend Bhutan's territory, this could only be limited to its established territory, not the disputed area. Otherwise, under India's logic, if the Pakistani government requests, a third country's army can enter the area disputed by India and Pakistan, including India-controlled Kashmir," said Long Xingchun.

"Indian troops invaded China's Doklam area in the name of helping Bhutan, but in fact the invasion was intended to help India by making use of Bhutan," Long wrote. "India controls Bhutan's defense and diplomacy, seriously violating Bhutan's sovereignty and national interests. Indians have migrated in large numbers to Nepal and Bhutan, interfering with Nepal's internal affairs. The first challenge for Nepal and Bhutan is to avoid becoming a state of India, like Sikkim," the article added.

India's hegemonic diplomacy

Long wrote about India's "hegemonic diplomacy" in south Asia and claimed New Delhi's policies have violated international laws and norms.

"For a long time, India has been talking about international equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of others, but it has pursued hegemonic diplomacy in South Asia, seriously violating the UN Charter and undermining the basic norms of international relations," he wrote.

"Through mass immigration to Sikkim, ultimately leading to control of the Sikkim parliament, India annexed Sikkim as one of its states," the article said.

"This incursion reflects that India fears China can quickly separate mainland India from northeast India through military means, dividing India into two pieces. In this case, northeast India might take the opportunity to become independent," Long said adding:

"India has interpreted China's infrastructure construction in Tibet as having a geopolitical intention against India. India itself is unable to do the same for its northeastern part, so it is trying to stop China's road construction."

India will burn itself if it uses Tibet Card during standoff

India will "burn" itself if it uses the "Tibet card" to exert pressure on China amid the military standoff in the Sikkim sector, Chinese media said on Monday (July 10) while referring to the hoisting of the Tibetan flag on the shore of a lake in Ladakh.

Quoting the Indian media, the Chinese media said the "Tibetan national flag, a pro-independence symbol adopted by the Tibetan government-in-exile", was unfurled on the shore of Bangong lake, near the Sino-India border.

The lake in Ladakh is considered strategic as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the line that defines the boundary, cuts through it, according to Hindustan Times.

"It's the first time the Tibetan exile administration in northern India has flown the flag at this location," the Global Times said in an article. "If New Delhi is pulling the strings of the Tibetan exiles' political act of flag-hoisting, it will only have burned itself. Both border issues and the Tibet question concern China's core interests and China won't yield to provocations."

The article added, "When the Indian government attaches great importance to its relationship with China, it keeps a tight grip on anti-China political activities on its soil. However, when it is dissatisfied or has conflicts with Beijing, the Tibet card is played up. But India may overestimate the influence of Tibetan exiles."

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Israeli soldier shoots another soldier in Hebron

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6th July 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Hebron, occupied Palestine

On Tuesday, 4th July 2017, Israeli forces were conducting a 'military training' in a civilian Palestinian neighborhood near Gilbert checkpoint in Tel Rumeida in occupied al-Khalil (Hebron). The result of this 'military training' was a fatal shot by one Israeli soldier to the other. The injured commander was immediately evacuated to hospital by an Israeli ambulance, and was later confirmed dead. The Israeli forces immediately closed the whole area to Palestinians by closing all the checkpoints, collectively punishing the civilian Palestinian population. The army, after the incident, announced that these 'military trainings' will be suspended in al-Khalil.

The whole incident, though, needs to be contextualized: an occupying army conducted a 'military training' near a checkpoint installed for the control and humiliation of the occupied population, in a civilian residential neighborhood. Immediate medical assistance to the injured occupying soldier, with an ambulance that, without any problems, was granted immediate access to the injured.

Military trainings, under international humanitarian law, are prohibited in civilian areas. The Israeli occupying army in al-Khalil, and all over the occupied territories, though, conducts trainings in civilian areas. This serves two functions: for one, it is more 'real', a training in the area where the perceived 'enemy population' is living, and second, the intimidation of the population. Israeli forces in al-Khalil are sometimes seen 'practicing' the 'neutralization', as it is called in Israeli rhetoric, of Palestinians at checkpoints. In those cases, a Palestinian that allegedly carries a knife is seen as a threat to the life of the heavily armed and armored occupation forces -- and thus has to be shot and, as documented in so many cases, left to bleed to death on the ground without any medical assistance. The idea is always to shoot to kill.

Whereas an Israeli soldier or settler from the illegal settlements would immediately receive medical assistance, as Israeli ambulance are free to pass, Palestinian ambulances, and actually any Palestinian vehicles (often including donkeys and bicycles) are not allowed to drive on one of the roads in al-Khalil -- which conveniently connects the settlements in down-town al-Khalil with the Kiryat Arba settlement on the outskirts of the city. Palestinian ambulances, as they are not allowed on this street, instead, are often detained by Israeli forces at the checkpoints, denied to pass and thus denied access to give first aid.

Immediately after the incident, the Israeli forces closed all the checkpoints in the area, effectively putting the area under curfew -- for Palestinian residents. Any Palestinian civilian inside the area, thus, was prevented from leaving, and anyone outside trying to reach their homes, was prevented from coming back home. This is clearly collective punishment of the Palestinian civilians, who are not involved in the incident at all -- other than living in an area that the Israeli forces are trying hard to rid of any Palestinian presence. Whereas Palestinian movement was completely restricted and Palestinians trying to film the incident and it's aftermath were stopped and harassed by soldiers. Settlers, however, from the illegal settlements, were allowed to move around freely. In a separate incident, a settler beat up a Palestinian young man, causing his face to be unrecognizable as it was covered in blood. The settler though, can be sure that he'll enjoy full impunity under the protection of the Israeli forces.

These kind of military trainings in the aftermath were declared 'suspended' in the city of al-Khalil. However, only because a soldier was killed, not because of their illegal nature in civilian areas or a possible threat to the occupied population.

This incident illustrates the apartheid system installed by the Israeli occupying forces in al-Khalil, and all over the occupied Palestinian territories. An apartheid-strategy that aims to displace the Palestinian population from their homeland in favor of illegal settlements.
See original here

Sanders spoke in two deeply red states -- Kentucky and West Virginia -- on Sunday in an effort to emphasize the dangers posed by the GOP healthcare plan

By Jake Johnson, staff writer



'Unbelievably, at a time when Kentucky has made significant progress in healthcare, the Republican bill being proposed in the Senate by Kentucky's own Senator Mitch McConnell would throw over 230,000 people in Kentucky off of health insurance,' Sanders sa

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As the congressional recess -- usually a time for lawmakers to interact with their constituents -- is set to end on Monday, many Republicans are working extremely hard to avoid voters angry about the Senate GOP's historically unpopular and potentially deadly Trumpcare plan.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) expressed what the New York Times has characterized as a common sentiment among his colleagues late last week, when he announced that he would not hold any open town halls because he doesn't want protesters to yell at him. Ryan has also repeatedly refused to take questions from reporters.

Since Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) announced his decision to delay the vote on Trumpcare until after the July 4 recess, opposition to the bill has only grown more intense. As Common Dreams reported, a coalition of progressive groups last week organized sit-ins geared toward keeping healthcare in the public spotlight as reports indicate that the bill could hit the floor for a vote as early as mid-July.

Even in states that voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump in November, the bill is strongly disliked. According to an analysis by MIT Assistant Professor Chris Warshaw, Trumpcare is "the most unpopular legislation in three decades."

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) spoke in two deeply red states -- Kentucky and West Virginia -- on Sunday in an effort to emphasize the devastating consequences the Republicans' plan would have on the poor, the elderly, those with pre-existing conditions, and those struggling with opioid addiction.

Ahead of the planned "Care Not Cuts" rallies, Sanders released a statement singling out McConnell in particular, who he argued is attempting to ram through legislation that would severely harm his own state.

"Unbelievably, at a time when Kentucky has made significant progress in healthcare, the Republican bill being proposed in the Senate by Kentucky's own Senator Mitch McConnell would throw over 230,000 people in Kentucky off of health insurance," Sanders said.

He continued:

"[Trumpcare] would also decimate the Medicaid program in the state which provides insurance for more than 2 million people, including 40 percent of all children. "Further, at a time when Kentucky is struggling with an opioid addiction epidemic, there is no question that if McConnell's legislation were to be passed, thousands of Kentuckians would no longer be able to receive the treatment they desperately need."

Since the Senate's plan was finally unveiled after weeks of secrecy, Sanders and Democratic lawmakers have denounced the legislation as a tax cut for the wealthy disguised as a healthcare plan.

"Frankly," Sanders recently said, "this is what oligarchy is all about."

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Reprinted from popularresistance.org by Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers.

The G-20 summit highlighted a transition in geopolitical power that has been developing for years. The process has escalated in recent months since President Trump took office, but its roots go much deeper than Trump. The United States is losing power, a multi-polar world is taking shape and people power is on the rise.



President Trump's Trip to Germany and the G20 Summit

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The United States Loses World Power The G-20 bordered on being a G-19, with the US a loner on key issues of climate change, trade and migration. These are some of the biggest issues on the planet. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been saying lately "We as Europeans have to take our fate into our own hands." This is an indication they no longer see the US as the leader or even a reliable partner on some issues. In a summation of the G-20, Politico writes: "Hamburg will also go down as a further mile marker in Europe's slow emancipation from the U.S."

At the same time that Europe is setting its own course, Russia and China have been moving toward each other and acting in tandem, often with positions opposite the United States. While Washington was trying to isolate Russia, it has been building new friendships and alliances.

Presidents Putin and Xi have met on more than 20 occasions over the past four years. Xi now refers to Russia as China's foremost ally. In that time, the United States built a wall of bases and missiles around both countries, intruded on China's maritime space in the Asia Pacific and fomented regime change in Ukraine to turn that country against Russia. US aggression is backfiring and creating a multi-polar world. After meeting with Russia, President Xi met with Chancellor Merkel to sign trade deals.

North Korea is another issue where the US is out of step with the world. While the US was lobbying for an aggressive confrontation with North Korea over nuclear weapons, other countries were not joining in and Russia and China were urging restraint and diplomacy. The Los Angeles Times reports "White House officials have been dismayed to see China and Russia teaming up to advocate for a 'freeze for peace' strategy in which North Korea agrees to stop moving forward with its nuclear weapons development, in exchange for the international community easing sanctions and making other concessions." Even Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has been a lap dog to the United States, called on China and Russia to help mediate the Korean crisis.Presidents Putin and Xi met before the G-20 to continue to build their alliance. Putin and Xi made deals on trade agreements and energy sales, created a $10 billion joint investment fund and came to a common approach regarding North Korea. Their approach: "dialogue and negotiation", coupled with firm opposition to the THAAD missile system being installed by the US in South Korea.



North Korea responded by calling the US' action a dangerous provocation that could lead to nuclear war. "More of the same" will not only continue to raise tensions but misses a tremendous opportunity to transform the relationship with North Korea and end the Korean War. Russia sought to reduce tensions by providing the United Nations with information demonstrating North Korea did not produce an ICBM, but only a mid-range missile. The world knows that North Korea is not the real threat to world peace, the United States is the problem, as William Boardman explains\. Instead of diplomacy, President Trump sent B-1 Lancer bombers capable of delivering nuclear weapons toward the North Korean border where they released 2,000 pound inert bombs. Others in Congress are suggesting more economic sanctions, including sanctions that will negatively impact China and other countries. These actions are driving North Korea to develop ICBM nuclear missiles in order to protect itself from the United States, and driving other nations away from the US.



Globalization is Leaving the United States BehindPresident Moon, the new president of South Korea, wants a 'sunshine policy' of constructive engagement with North Korea, including building economic ties. Already divisions are showing between the US and South Korea, especially over the THAAD missile system. The system was rushed into Korea during the recent elections, despite Moon's warnings. Moon has said that South Korea must take a lead role in reducing tensions. He ordered an investigation of bringing THAAD equipment into the country.

While Trump is calling for trade that puts America first, i.e. decreases the massive US trade deficit through trade protectionism, other countries are taking a different approach. Pepe Escobar reports "At the BRICS meeting on the sidelines of the G-20, they called for a more open global economy and for a rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open and inclusive multilateral trading system."

Throughout the Obama term, trade negotiations were bogged down because the US was out of the mainstream, calling for greater transnational corporate power than other countries would accept. This was one reason why negotiations slowed and the TPP was killed under election year pressure that made the agreement toxic. Now Trump wants to be even more extreme in favoring US corporations.

As Finian Cunningham writes, the world understands US economic problems better than US leaders. He writes the world knows that US "trade imbalances with the rest of the world are not because of 'rotten deals', as Trump would have it, but rather because the American economy has ruined itself over many decades. The off-shoring of jobs by American corporations and gutting of American workers with poverty wages are part of it."

Some Good News

One potential piece of good news this week was President Trump meeting with President Putin for more than two hours. The meeting overcame the Russia-phobia put forth by a barrage of anti-Putin, anti-Russian propaganda that has been produced for many years. The US desperately needs a positive relationship with Russia, not just to avoid conflict with a nuclear and economic power, but because the US is becoming isolated. While not a lot came out of this first meeting, it did provide a good start for the potential resolution of many conflicts -- Syria, Ukraine, North Korea, Iran and nuclear weapons (where they should work to achieve the goal of no more nuclear weapons voted for in the UN), to name a few.

The meeting produced a small step that could grow into a significant positive change. The US and Russia announced a ceasefire in part of southwestern Syria that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have been discussing for weeks. This could allow the US to play a positive role in Syria, in a war it has been losing.

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From Paul Craig Roberts Website

President Trump Has Been Contradicted by His Own Government, Which Has Lined Up Against Him in Favor of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee, and the Russophobic Presstitute Media that serves the military/security complex and the neoconservatives.

I am afraid that The Saker and Finian Cunningham are correct. Nothing can come of Trump's meeting with Putin, because, as Cunningham puts it, "Trump doesn't have freedom or real power. The real power brokers in the US will ensure that the Russophobia campaign continues, with more spurious allegations of Moscow interfering to subvert Western democracies. Trump will continue to live under a cloud of media-driven suspicions. And thus the agenda of regime change against Syria and confrontation with Russia will also continue. Trump's personal opinions on these matters and towards Vladimir Putin are negligible -- indeed dispensable by the deep powers-that-be."

Cunningham points out that instead of lauding the meeting as the beginning of the process to defuse the high tensions between the two major nuclear powers, the US media denounced Trump for being civil to Putin in the meeting.

What is missing from the media in the entirety of the Western world and perhaps also in Russia is the awareness that the dangerous tensions are orchestrated not only by Hillary and the Democratic National Committee, the neoconservatives, the US military/security complex, and the presstitutes, but also by President Trump's own appointees.

Trump's own ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, and Trump's own Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, sound exactly like Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee, the neoconservatives, the Washington Post, the New York Times, CNN and the rest of the totally discredited presstitute media that is committed to raising tensions between the US and Russia to the point of nuclear war.

On the same day that President Donald Trump said "it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia," and the day after he said "I had a tremendous meeting yesterday with President Putin," the ignorant, stupid, Nikki Haley, who Trump appointed as US UN Ambassador, publicly contradicted her president, forcefully stating: "we can't trust Russia and we won't ever trust Russia."

The ignorant stupid Haley is still in office, a perfect demonstration of Trump's powerlessness.

The ignorant stupid Haley has gone far beyond Obama's crazed UN Ambassador, neocon Samantha Power in doing everything in her power to ruin the prospect of normal relations between the two major nuclear powers. Why does Nikki Haley work in favor of a confrontation between nuclear powers that would destroy all life on earth? What is wrong with Nikki Haley? Is she demented? Has she lost her mind, assuming she ever had one?

How can President Trump normalize relations with Russia when every one of his appointees wants to worsen the relations to the point of nuclear war?

How is President Trump going to improve relations with Russia when he stands powerless in face of his dressing down by his UN Ambassador? Clearly, Trump is powerless, a mere cipher.

Joining Nikki Haley was Trump's Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson. Tillerson, allegedly a friend of Russia, is also working overtime to worsen relations between the two nuclear powers by publicly contradicting the President of the United States, thereby making it clear that Trump is barely even a cipher. Tillerson, a disgrace, said that Putin's refusal to admit that Putin elected Trump by interfering in the US election "stands as an obstacle to our ability to improve the relationship between the US and Russia and it needs to be addressed in terms of how we assure the American people that interference into our elections will not occur by Russia or anyone else."

Trump's incompetence is illustrated by his appointments. There is no one in "his" government that supports him. Every one of them works to undermine him. And he sits there and Twitters.

So, what is President Putin's belief that an understanding can now be worked out with Washington worth? Not a plugged nickel. Trump has zero authority over "his" government. He can be contradicted at will by his own appointees. The President of the United States is a joke. You can find him on Twitter, but nowhere else, not in the Oval Office making foreign or military policy. The president Twitters and thinks that that is policy.

The Trump administration was destroyed when the weak Donald Trump allowed the neoconservatives to remove his National Security Advisor, General Flynn. Trump has never recovered. "His" administration is staffed with violent Russophobes. Wars can be the only outcome.

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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.

From Down With Tyranny



U.S. Balance of Trade since 1960. Green indicates net inflow in dollars from abroad. Red indicates net outflow in dollars to foreign entities (source). Alexander Hamilton would not approve.

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A drive-by for a long holiday weekend. As noted here earlier, according to the writers at Axios, including former Politico denizen Mike Allen, Trump is strongly considering imposing trade tariffs on some foreign-produced products like steel.



Here's their report minus the fear-inducing headline (emphasis in original):

"With the political world distracted by President Trump's media wars, one of the most consequential and contentious internal debates of his presidency unfolded during a tense meeting Monday in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, administration sources tell Axios.

The outcome, with a potentially profound effect on U.S. economic and foreign policy, will be decided in coming days.

on U.S. economic and foreign policy, will be decided in coming days. With more than 20 top officials present, including Trump and Vice President Pence, the president and a small band of America First advisers made it clear they're hell-bent on imposing tariffs -- potentially in the 20% range -- on steel, and likely other imports.



including Trump and Vice President Pence, the president and a small band of America First advisers made it clear they're hell-bent on imposing tariffs -- potentially in the 20% range -- on steel, and likely other imports. The penalties could eventually extend to other imports. Among those that may be considered: aluminum, semiconductors, paper, and appliances like washing machines. One official estimated the sentiment in the room as 22 against and 3 in favor -- but since one of the three is named Donald Trump, it was case closed.



No decision has been made, but the President is leaning towards imposing tariffs, despite opposition from nearly all his Cabinet."

"Hamilton was alone among the 'founding fathers' in understanding that the world was witnessing two revolutions simultaneously. One was the political transformation, embodied in the rise of republican government. The other was the economic rise of modern capitalism, with its globalizing networks of production, trade, and finance. Hamilton grasped the epochal importance of applied science and machinery as forces of production.



"In the face of these changes, Hamilton created (and largely executed) a plan for government-led economic development along lines that would be followed in more recent times by many countries (particularly in East Asia) that have undergone rapid industrialization. His political mission was to create a state that could facilitate, encourage, and guide the process of economic change -- a policy also known as dirigisme, although the expression never entered the American political lexicon the way its antonym, laissez-faire, did."

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From Sputnik

At a later press conference in Hamburg, where the G20 summit was held, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he believed there was a chance for restoring the badly frayed US-Russia relations. He praised Trump for being thoughtful and rational. "The TV Trump is quite different from the real life one," quipped Putin.

Meanwhile, the White House issued a statement hailing the two-hour discussion (four times longer than originally scheduled) between the two leaders as a good start to working together on major world problems.

"No problems were solved. Nobody expected any problems to be solved in that meeting. But it was a beginning of a dialogue on some tough problem sets that we'll begin now to work on together," said HR McMaster, Trump's top national security adviser.

Trump deserves credit for the way he conducted himself. He met Putin on equal terms and with respect. "It's an honor to meet you," said the American president as he extended a handshake.

The much-anticipated encounter comes nearly seven months after Trump was inaugurated in the White House. Over that period, large sections of the US media have run an unrelenting campaign accusing Trump of being a Russian stooge and alleging that Putin ordered an interference operation in last year's US election to benefit Trump.

Apart from innuendo and anonymous US intelligence claims, recycled endlessly by dutiful news organizations, there is no evidence of either Trump-Russia collusion or Putin-sanctioned cyber hacking. Trump has dismissed the claims as "fake news," while Moscow has consistently rejected the allegations as baseless Russophobia.

Against this toxic background of anti-Russian propaganda, President Trump met Putin at the weekend. The two men were due to talk face-to-face for 30 minutes. As it turned out, their discussions went on for two hours. They reportedly exchanged views on pressing matters of Syria, Ukraine and North Korea among other things. Trump brought up the issue of alleged Russian meddling in the US elections, and Putin responded in detail to assure his American counterpart it was a fabricated brouhaha in which Russia had nothing to do with it.

Only days before the big meeting, US media editorialists and pundits were warning Trump to confront Putin in an aggressive manner. The Washington Post, one of the leading anti-Russia voices, exhorted Trump to rap Putin on "US election meddling" as if the claim was a proven fact. It also urged the president to give notice to Putin that Russia had to accede to regime change in Syria. It was a get-tough order.

To his credit, Trump did not allow the Russophobia in the US media to influence his manner with Putin. He was cordial, respectful and open to listening to the Russian viewpoint on a range of issues. So much so that it appears both leaders have agreed to work together going forward.

The question now is: what next? Trump and Putin have evidently got off to a good start despite the inordinate delay and toxic background. But what does Trump's willingness to engage positively with Moscow actually mean in practice?

Under immense pressure, Trump has at times appeared to buckle to the US political establishment with regard to projecting hostility towards Russia, as seen in the prosecution of the covert war in Syria and renewed sanctions on Moscow.

The US Deep State comprising the military-intelligence nexus and their political, media machine in Washington does not want to normalize relations with Russia. Russian independence as a powerful foreign state under President Putin is a problem that rankles US global ambitions. That's why the Deep State wanted anti-Russia hawk Hillary Clinton to win the election. Trump's victory upset their calculations.

The day before he met Putin in Germany, Trump was in Poland where he delivered a barnstorming speech in Warsaw in which he accused Russia of "destabilizing countries," among other topics. The American president also inferred that Russia was undermining "Western civilization." It was a provocative speech bordering on hackneyed Russophobia. It did not bode well for his imminent meeting with Putin. A clash seemed to be coming, just as the US media had been cajoling.

However, the meeting the next day with Putin was surprisingly congenial. And the substance of discussions indicates a genuine desire from both sides to cooperate.

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Let me give a shout out to a number of organizations who helped put this event together including:

Let me thank all of those who have already spoken and told you what this disastrous legislation would do to them and their loved ones. It takes a lot of courage to get up here in front of a large crowd, and in front of hundreds of thousands who will see this live-streamed across the country, and talk about very personal issues -- and there's nothing more personal than one's own health problems. But they did it. And I thank them for doing that because the issues they raised today are not just about them, but the lives of people all across this state and this country. Tonight, those who have gotten up here to speak are speaking for millions of Americans.

I am here in Covington tonight for two reasons. First, I want to talk about the so-called Republican "health care" bill which, to my mind, is the worst and most dangerous piece of legislation ever seriously considered by the U.S. Senate in the modern history of our country.

Secondly, I want to talk about something that troubles me very much, and that is the state of our democracy and representative government, and how it could be that the leader of the Senate, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, could be working so hard to destroy the Affordable Care Act, legislation which has benefited his own state, the state of Kentucky, more than any other state in the country. That, I do not understand.

Let me be as clear as I can be. The so-called "health care" bill passed in the House several months ago, strongly supported by President Trump, is the most anti-working class legislation that I have ever seen and the Senate bill, also supported by Trump, in some respects is even worse. At a time when working families in Kentucky, Ohio, Vermont and throughout this country are struggling to survive, when many people are working longer hours for lower wages, when people are forced to work two or three jobs, this legislation will cause devastating harm to millions of our families from one end of this country to the other.

We are gathered here tonight to make one simple point. And that is that we will not allow 22 million Americans to be thrown off of the health insurance they currently have in order to give over $500 billion in tax breaks to the wealthiest 2 percent of this country, and to profitable drug companies, insurance companies and other large corporations. We will not support a bill which takes from the most vulnerable people in our country -- the children, the elderly, the disabled, the sick and the poor -- in order to make the very rich even richer. That is unconscionable, that is un-American and we will not accept it.

Plainly stated, this so-called "health care" bill is nothing more than an enormous transfer of wealth from the working class of this country to the very rich. While this bill contains massive cuts to Medicaid, while seniors will pay far more in premiums, while Planned Parenthood will be defunded -- the 400 highest-income taxpayers, most of whom are billionaires, will get about $33 billion in tax cuts.

At a time when the middle class in this country continues to shrink and when families in Kentucky, Ohio, Vermont and across this country are struggling to make ends meet, to put food on the table, to pay the rent, to save a few bucks for retirement we will not be part of a process which takes from working class families in order to give even more to the very rich -- people who are already doing phenomenally well. This is a deeply immoral piece of legislation. That is not what America is supposed to be about.

Not only is this bill a disaster for Kentucky, Ohio, Vermont and the entire country, but the secretive, backroom process by which it has been written is unprecedented and literally beyond belief. This bill impacts one-sixth of our economy, over $3 trillion dollars each and every year, and touches upon virtually every person in our country. Yet the discussions and negotiations on this legislation, which I am sure are continuing in Washington right now, have never been made public. Everything has been done behind closed doors.

Unbelievably, with legislation that would completely revamp our health care system, there have been no doctors, no nurses, no hospital administrators, no representatives of senior citizen groups, no one one knowledgeable about the opioid crisis who has testified about the impact that this legislation will have on our country. How can you draft a bill of such enormous magnitude without hearing one public comment from the experts in our country who are most knowledgeable about health care? How can you go forward without one public hearing? And, by the way, this concern has been raised by a number of Republicans as well as Democrats.

Now, I know there are some people in Kentucky who will say; "Bernie Sanders is a progressive. Of course he will disagree with Sen. McConnell on this legislation." But what I want you to understand is that it is not just me who disagrees with Sen. McConnell. It is virtually every major healthcare organization in this country -- all of which oppose this terrible bill.

It is the AARP, the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, the Federation of American Hospitals, the Catholic Health Association, the American Lung Association, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the March of Dimes, the National MS Society and the American Nurses Association. All of them oppose this legislation.

Several months ago, as you know, with the strong support of President Trump, the House passed their disastrous health care bill. While the Senate bill is very similar, let me describe to you exactly what the House bill actually does.

At a time when 28 million Americans today have no health insurance and millions more are under-insured with high deductibles and co-payments, this bill will throw 23 million Americans off of the health insurance they currently have -- including more than 230,000 right here in Kentucky. That would bring the number of uninsured in our country to over 50 million people. That is beyond comprehension. That is unconscionable. That must not be allowed to happen.

Let me also be clear in stating that no state in America has benefitted more from the Affordable Care Act than Kentucky. Since this legislation was implemented, the uninsured rate for adults in Kentucky has gone down from 20.4 percent in 2013 to just 7.8 percent in 2016 -- the largest reduction in America. Today, only 4 percent of children in Kentucky are uninsured. This is a significant accomplishment, something to be very proud of, and something that should not be destroyed.

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Ghana has been elected onto the Steering Committee of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA) for the next two years.



The election was held at a closed-door meeting for the First Ladies at the 19th General Assembly of OAFLA organised on the side-lines of the 29th AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and attended by the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and also by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.



The theme for this years OAFLA summit was: Building on 15 years of engagement to harness the Demographic Dividend of Africa through promoting the needs of Adolescents and their access to Youth-friendly Health Services.



As a member of the Steering Committee, Ghana together with Burkina Faso would represent the West African Region.



Members of the Steering Committee are expected to review recommendations made earlier in a meeting by the technical advisors of the First Ladies of Member States, which was chaired by Mrs Akufo Addo and endorse them for further discussion at the General Assembly Session of OAFLA for approval.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is warning that all the inhabitants along the Weija Dam catchment area in Accra would be wipe off within seconds should the dam collapse.



The GWCL says if it does not spill water to release the dam of pressure, what would happen is a collapse and that would be a disaster for the nation because several people would die.



Communications Manager of the GWCL Stanley Martey gave the warning in an interview on TV3s New Day on Monday on the spillage of water from the Dam which has already caused havoc to several residents in the area.



If we do not spill and we allow the water to go beyond the maximum level, that dam will collapse and it will wipe them [inhabitants] away in seconds, Mr. Martey told New Day host Bright Nana Amfoh. Residents at Tetegu, Weija and its environs have been battling with flooding as a result of the opening of the Weija Dam for some days now.



Mr. Martey called on Ghanaians not to blame the GWCL over the spillage, saying the Company has no option than to open the turbines if the water level exceeds its limit.



Asked why people have been allowed to build close to the Dam, Mr. Martey shifted the blame onto the local authority. Why do you blame the Water Company over this.



The [Ga South] Assembly owns the land so the Assembly should get them off. They are to ensure that people do not build in these areas and not the Water Company so why should the Water Company be blamed on that? he wondered.





Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The parents of Stuart Kelly have told 60 Minutes they believe his tragic death was linked to intense bullying and hazing he suffered after the random one-punch killing of his brother, Thomas.

Stuart took his own life in 2016, four years after Thomas was assaulted in Kings Cross by Kieran Loveridge.

The Kelly family was instrumental in calling for tougher restrictions on alcohol in Sydneys CBD after his death, and that push contributed to the city implementing its controversial lockout laws.

Stuart also spoke on behalf of the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, advocating for something to be done about random, drunken violence in the city.

The family received death threats after those laws came into place, and friends of Stuart reported he received horrific bullying as part of a backlash to the measures.

Now, Ralph and Kathy Kelly have spoken on the months before Stuarts death, including the night he spent at St Pauls College after being accepted into Sydney University.

While its not clear what exactly happened during that time, Ralph said he got in the back of the car when we picked him up eighteen hours after spending the night there, and something had changed. Hed changed.



We hadnt seen him cry since Thomas died, Kathy added.

He was just sobbing uncontrollably. And he came home, went into his room, and basically didnt come out for the next couple of months. So you can only assume something catastrophic happened to him, to make him feel the way he did.

At the start of his first semester Stuart was subjected to hazing rituals all new boarders endure. But Ralph & Kathy fear he was singled out pic.twitter.com/0gv7NiFUoY  60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) July 9, 2017

She voiced her opinion that the two deaths were inextricably linked, saying a hundred percent, if Thomas had not been killed, then Stuart would be here today. Without a doubt.

At this point, we feel we should reiterate the obvious: its possible to oppose legislation without resorting to horrific abuse of a family doing what they think will stop tragedies befalling other Australians.

Since Stuarts death, the family has broadened its message to one of mental health awareness. Ralph said we started to understand its an epidemic in Australia, depression is an epidemic.

There was all that to look forward to, Kathy said.

How could he not see that?

Source: 60 Minutes / Channel 9.

Photo: The Kings School / Facebook.
Eyes on the prize, as always.

This is what the morning looked like in Lenzerheide.

Womens' U23 start.

Evie Richards had an early lead, but she eventually slipped back to third.

Not sure how this set up warranted a photographer's bib.

Evie Richards and Sina Frei make their way up one of the course's technical climbs. Frei would overtake Richards seconds after.

Evie's slip cost her valuable seconds.

Sina Frei, Kate Courtney and Haley Batten struggled to keep the pace of Evie Richards from the start. The three of them battled for second.

Kate Courtney rode to the front in lap three and would ride to victory unchallenged.

Courtney, with a comfortable lead coming into her last lap. Sina Frei in second.

Another Victory for Kate Courtney.

Just so you know: Carriages have priority. Ignore it and the Swiss will fine you,.

Martins Blums looking all business at the start line of the men's U23.

Simon Andreassen was back on it in Andorra, riding to victory unchallenged. What will today bring?

A double crash at the men's U23 start piled the riders up.

Martins Blums kept the leaders jersey with another win.

Sebastian Carstensen

Initially, Petr Fagerhaug led the series, but is now loosing ground.

Sebastian Carstensen Fini almost lost it here. Props though.

A night of rainfall turned a dry and dusty track into a slick, slippery challenge.

Simon Andreassen Takes the high line to avoid the roots.

Martins Blums on his way to first place.

Peter Disera makes a quick exit from Heidi's Hell.

Biting down the pain.
Exclusive Offer to PokerNews Readers from LearnWPT Live

July 10, 2017 Joss Wood

The official poker education partner of the World Poker Tour, LearnWPT is offering PokerNews readers a 20% discount on tickets to any LearnWPT Live Workshop on the current schedule. The discount is worth $400, and the offer is open until August 7, 2017.

The next two LearnWPT Live Workshops are taking place at the Borgata Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey on the weekend of September 16-17 and the Bellagio Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada on December 9-10.

The Borgata Workshop focuses on tournaments, while the Bellagio event concentrates on cash games.

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The normal price for each event is $1,997, but PokerNews readers are being offered the opportunity to improve their poker skills for $400 less, just $1,597.

Learning with other people is easier

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The LearnWPT Live Workshops offer a great shortcut to rapid improvement, and perhaps even more importantly, the company of other players on the same learning journey.

All of the worlds best poker players have built their poker skill by working with other people. The young guns can take a house and fill it with their poker buddies, but for most of us, that isnt an option.

The LearnWPT Live Workshops provide an instant poker network of like-minded people, with plenty of opportunities to socialize with and get to know your fellow students.

LearnWPT Live Workshops Offer Something Special

Over and above the learning opportunity, both events offer something special to finish off the course. Players attending the Borgata course end the weekend with a special freeroll tournament only open to those attending. The winner will walk away with a $3,500 WPT Borgata Open Main Event seat!

The Bellagio cash game event will end with the attendees being invited to a WPT VIP Final Table Experience. Players will be invited to watch the final table of the WPT Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic from the TV audience seating.

Players will also get the chance to meet WPT celebrity presenters Tony Dunst, Vince Van Patten and Lynn Gilmartin.

Full details of the program for the Borgata tournament workshop are available here.

Full details of the program for the Bellagio cash game workshop are here.

Remember to use the PokerNews link in order to get your discount.
Priority: Well-being

While the whole world is celebrating World Diabetes Day on Nov. 14, which is the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who discovered insulin alo Read moreIntegrate diabetes education into workplaces and schools
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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Ashburton Ventures Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Ashburton Ventures Inc. (TSX Venture:ABR). has issued a press release with the following headline:Ashburton Publishes Laboratory Data and Enters Phase Two of Cannabis-Zeolite StudyTo 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 Ashburton Ventures 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/Ashburton Ventures Inc.Source: Ashburton Ventures Inc. (TSX Venture: ABR, FWB: ARB, WKN: A1J3M5, ISIN: CA0437832086)Date: July 10, 2017Time: 8:30 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Ashburton Ventures 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.)
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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Cielo Waste Solutions Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Cielo Waste Solutions Corp. (CSE:CMC). has issued a press release with the following headline:Cielo Announces Approval of Development Permit to Proceed With Refinery that Converts Garbage into High Grade Renewable DieselTo 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 Cielo Waste Solutions 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/Cielo Waste Solutions Corp.Source: Cielo Waste Solutions Corp. (CSE: CMC)Date: July 10, 2017Time: 9:45 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Cielo Waste Solutions 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.)
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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Gold Lakes Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Beachwood, Ohio (FSCWire) - Gold Lakes Corp. (OTC Pink:GLLK). has issued a press release with the following headline:Gold Lakes Corp Removes $480,000 of Debt from Balance SheetTo 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 Gold Lakes 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/Gold Lakes Corp.Source: Gold Lakes Corp. (OTC Pink: GLLK)Date: July 10, 2017Time: 9:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Gold Lakes 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.)
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.




If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity.

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Mexico Citys court has upheld its ruling to ban Roku sales in Mexico, as the US company attempts to minimise the impact of the decision.





The Juez Decimo Cuarto de Distrito en Materia Civil rejected a request by Roku to suspend the initial ban. The ruling means that Roku is running out of legal avenues to re-establish commercial operations in the country.Roku believes that the Mexico City Civil Courts order that is currently limiting the sale of its devices to consumers in Mexico is a clear violation of Rokus legal rights under the Mexican Constitution and the North American Free Trade Agreement, the company stated.Even after the courts order, the US over-the-top (OTT) technology provider said: Rokus products have always been and remain legal to use in Mexico, and its platform continues to serve consumers across the entire country.The conflict follows a complaint initially made by Televisas Cablevision arguing that Rokus devices are used to stream illegal and pirate content.Roku is not the cause or source of piracy in Mexico, which is performed by third parties acting illegally. Blocking the sale of Roku devices will not stop this illegal activity, which is widespread with Internet-connected devices, pointed out Roku.As the conflict has escalated over recent weeks , Televisa stated: We hope Roku modifies its software, as other online distribution platforms have done, to avoid becoming the preferred device of copyright pirates.
Afghan police have arrested members of a human trafficking ring they say kidnapped 25 children and tried to smuggle them into Pakistan, where they were to be trained as suicide bombers for the Afghan Taliban.



At least one of the children who was to be trained as a suicide bomber was 4, a regional governor said, and they may have been drugged as well.

Police arrested four alleged traffickers transporting the children in two vans during a security operation in the southeastern province of Ghazni, near the border with Pakistan, on July 9.

Their final destination was the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, where the leadership of the Afghan Taliban is believed to be based, officials said.



The incident came as human rights organizations have warned that the Taliban have been recruiting, training, and deploying children for military operations including suicide bombing missions and the planting of improvised explosive devices.





Ghazni Governor Abdul Karim Mateen said the children were aged between 4 and 14. He said they were currently housed in an orphanage in the provincial capital, and they appeared to have been given drugs or some other substances by their abductors.



The children have received medical checkups and treatment, Mateen told RFE/RL They were given substances [by the traffickers] that has made them dizzy and confused. They have lost their senses.



Mateen said he believed the children were all Ghazni residents, although he said police were still trying to locate their families and relatives.



Mateen said the four people were in police custody and will be prosecuted. He gave no further information.



Fahim Amerkhail, the spokesman for Ghaznis police chief, said the children were being taken to Quetta to perform terrorist activities.



The children had been drugged and were found in a bad physical and psychological state, Amerkhail said. He said many of them were orphans.



The security operation that rescued the children on July 9 occurred in the Qarabagh and Ab Band districts of Ghazni, which is largely controlled by the Taliban.

The Taliban have been accused of recruiting and using children as fighters since the 1990s.

In a February 2016 report, Human Rights Watch said the Taliban were expanding their recruitment of children, particularly in the countrys north where the militants have succeeded in expanding their power.



The rights group said in the northern Kunduz Province, the Taliban were using religious schools known as madrasahs to recruit children, often against their parents wishes. In the Kunduz cases that the group investigated, the children were lured into the schools and then unable to leave.



Patricia Gossman, a senior researcher on Afghanistan at Human Rights Watch, said the organization has not come across any cases of kidnapping children with the aim of making them suicide bombers. But she slammed the Taliban for targeting children in general.



The Talibans strategy to recruit children as fighters is as cruel as it is unlawful, she said. Afghan children should never be used as cannon fodder by any armed force.






The Amnesty International human rights organization is calling on the Russian authorities to investigate a media report that 27 people were summarily executed by security forces in the North Caucasus republic of Chechnya in January.

"The security forces cannot be allowed to get away with torture and murder simply because they wear the badge of the state," Amnesty's Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia Denis Krivocheev was quoted as saying.

The independent Novaya Gazeta reported on July 9 that unnamed sources had provided the paper with the names of the alleged victims and reporters had been unable to ascertain the whereabouts of any of them.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on July 10 that Moscow had seen the reports and "taken them into consideration, as well as the Chechen law enforcement agencies' statement refuting the reports."

He added that "the source of [Novaya Gazeta's] information is unclear, therefore I cannot say anything else to you now."

The alleged victims of the executions were reportedly rounded up during a massive security operation that began in December 2016.

In April, Novaya Gazeta reported that dozens of homosexual men had been rounded up, imprisoned, and abused in Chechnya. Chechen and Russian authorities declined to launch an investigation into that report.

With reporting by Interfax
As Georgia seeks to pressure the international community to respond robustly to attempts by its breakaway Republic of South Ossetia to encroach on its territory by shifting border markers, a new political crisis is building in its other breakaway region, Abkhazia, where the opposition has repeatedly called for the resignation of de facto leader Raul Khajimba.

The Agreement on Social and Political Stability signed in December with the apparent aim of averting a violent confrontation between the Abkhaz leadership and the opposition is now dead in the water. Just days after visiting Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov praised Khajimba for the current political stability and favorable political climate, Abkhazias two main opposition forces announced on July 7 that they no longer feel bound to comply with that agreement, which they accuse Khajimba of systematically sabotaging.

Those statements reflect the extent to which the Abkhaz political spectrum remains polarized three years after Khajimbas supporters stormed the presidential palace and precipitated the resignation of President Aleksandr Ankvab in what the opposition insists was a coup detat. Khajimba was elected to succeed him in August 2014 but, within a few months, the Amtsakhara (Keep the Home Fires Burning) union of veterans of the 1992-93 war that culminated in the loss of Georgias control over the region began accusing him of failing to deliver on his election campaign pledges to expedite economic growth, raise living standards, and seek reconciliation with the Ankvab camp.

Since early 2015, Amtsakhara and other opposition forces have undertaken a series of increasingly organized and forceful attempts to compel Khajimba to resign. At the same time, the litany of criticisms of him has expanded to encompass incompetence; turning a blind eye to corruption; refusing to embark on dialogue with and conducting a witch hunt against his political opponents; denying the opposition access to the state-controlled media; lacking any strategy for kick-starting the regions stagnating economy; and failing to raise living standards, renovate public buildings and highways, reduce unemployment (estimated at 70 percent), or crack down on skyrocketing crime.

In October 2015, Amtsakhara convened an extraordinary congress to demand that Khajimba step down. In summer 2016, the opposition forced a referendum on calling for his resignation that was pronounced invalid because only a handful of voters participated. Then in December 2016, the Bloc of Opposition Forces of which Amtsakhara is a member convened a mass meeting of its supporters outside the presidential palace, again to demand that Khajimba resign.

That standoff was defused by the signing of a memorandum of understanding in which the two camps pledged their shared commitment to act within the framework of the law and the constitution to promote democracy and preserve stability, and to seek to overcome their differences through constant dialogue.

Khajimba, then-parliament speaker Valery Bganba, and three leading oppositionists also signed the Agreement on Social-Political Stability, under which Khajimba undertook to expedite constitutional reforms. The Bloc of Opposition Forces, for its part, agreed to drop its demand for Khajimbas resignation, in return for which it received the right to nominate candidates for deputy prime minister, several deputy ministers, prosecutor-general, and also four members of the new Central Election Commission and two members of the newly established Constitutional Court.

The Bloc of Opposition Forces subsequently waived its right to nominate a deputy premier. Khajimba, however, failed to forward to parliament for formal confirmation all the opposition nominees to the Election Commission and the Constitutional Court, while parliament rejected several others. In late May, therefore, the three opposition representatives who signed the agreement addressed an open letter to Khajimba warning that continued failure to make good on that omission would be construed as a deliberate attempt by the authorities to seek an open confrontation leading to new mass actions of protest.

Khajimba not only ignored that warning but convened one of his rare press conferences at which he cited improvements in the agricultural sector and in solving crime as evidence that the situation isnt as bad as some people say.

Amtsakhara swiftly responded, No, its a lot worse!

That negative perception imbued many of the speeches at an emergency congress Amtsakhara convened on June 29. The estimated 900 participants included leaders of other opposition parties and former President Ankvab, who was elected to parliament as an independent candidate in the March 2017 ballot.

Bloc of Opposition Forces Chairman Aslan Bzhania, who placed a close second to Khajimba in the August 2014 preterm presidential ballot, deplored the unexplained delay in implementing specific provisions of the bilateral framework Treaty on Union Relations and Integration pushed through parliament in late 2014, just months after Khajimbas election as president despite widespread criticism by Amtsakhara.

Amtsakhara Chairman Alkhas Kvitsinia enumerated several issues, including cross-border trade with Georgia, on which Khajimbas pronouncements since his election as president directly contradict the stance he took as opposition leader.

Kvitsinia also accused the Abkhaz leadership of indifference to the rapidly deteriorating crime situation, declaring that the country is reverting to the Middle Ages.

Parliamentarian Raul Lolua, who served for several months as interior minister under Khajimba, similarly expressed concern over the ongoing breakdown of law and order. He claimed police routinely fail to register crimes, with the result that of every 400 offenses committed, only 20 ever come to court. Lolua proposed that all political parties and public organizations jointly demand a meeting with Khajimba in the immediate future at which he would be required to provide an explanation for the current situation and a time frame for improving it.

Veteran political heavyweight and former Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba echoed other speakers concerns over what he termed a political crisis that has been going on for years and which, he predicted, is rapidly approaching the point of no return. He deplored the authorities lack of an effective economic model that would allow us to gradually reduce our dependence on outside foreign help, meaning the billions of rubles Russia supplies in subsidies to the Abkhaz budget.

The Russian Federation formally acknowledged both South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states in the wake of the August 2008 war triggered by Georgias attempt to restore its control over the former.

Shamba also argued that the leaderships lack of either competence or vision risked fueling both the rise of what he termed ethnoradicalism and the alienation of the younger generation who, he said, were increasingly driven to crime by the lack of jobs and social mobility.

The conference participants adopted a resolution accusing Khajimba and his supporters of plunging the region into crisis, failing to adopt a coherent economic policy or provide basic social support in terms of pensions and medical care, and unwillingness to take steps toward national consensus. They demanded immediate measures to curb skyrocketing crime, and warned that in the event that the oppositions remaining nominees to the Constitutional Court and Central Election Commission are not formally confirmed within 10 days, they will consider walking away from Decembers agreement.

Even before that deadline elapsed, however, Amtsakhara and the Bloc of Opposition Forces issued separate statements announcing their withdrawal from the agreement on the grounds that the Abkhaz leadership has not fulfilled its conditions. The opposition party Kyarazaa had done likewise immediately after the Amtsakhara congress.

Neither Amtsakhara nor the Bloc of Opposition Forces gave any indication of what course of action they now intend.

Ankvab had warned in his address to the congress that the population at large is tired of the serial confrontations between the authorities and the opposition; he therefore advocated taking a long-term approach and drafting a strategy for the presidential election due in August 2018.

Russian analyst Nikolai Silayev similarly opined to the news portal Caucasian Knot that the Abkhaz opposition will achieve nothing by reverting to its previous tactic of seeking to mobilize the population to street protests. Instead, Silayev said, the opposition needs to promote a substantive discussion on the prospects for development of the region.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL.
In Iraq, government forces backed by U.S. coalition air strikes, Kurdish militias, and other units have declared Mosul liberated from three years of occupation by Islamic State (IS, or ISIS) militants. In Syria, U.S.-backed Syrian Arab and Kurdish forces, supported by coalition aircraft, are on the verge of entering the IS stronghold of Raqqa, which the group once declared the capital of its self-styled "caliphate." Some three years after its fighters stunned the world by seizing vast swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq, IS is on the run. But experts warn that the radical Sunni group is decidedly not defeated, irrespective of whether the two cities are liberated. Both Syria and Iraq remain unstable and plagued by corruption, sectarian tensions, sky-high youth unemployment, and dismal economic prospects.

In an interview with RFE/RL, Joshua Landis, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at the University of Oklahoma and author of the widely read blog Syria Comment, talks about how the loss of Raqqa and Mosul might transform IS. But Landis says it would be folly to assume this is the end of the militant group.

RFE/RL: When Islamic State fighters swept through the region, much was made of their self-declared caliphate and their battlefield victories; and now that all seems to be evaporating in fairly short order. Perhaps in retrospect, the seizure of that territory wasnt as essential or significant to the group as initially thought?

Joshua Landis: The seizure of the caliphate was crucial to the aura that surrounded the Islamic State. It differentiated it from Al-Qaeda and from hundreds of other militias that had popped up in Syria and indeed in Iraq. It really put the Islamic State on the map, so to speak.

And it really produced tons of enthusiasm throughout the Islamic world, because it [meant], many people believed, that Islamic State was born again. If you take that state away, and ISIS becomes -- perhaps not more lethal, but it becomes another Al-Qaeda -- another group that is vying for some relevancy out there, to become the spearhead of a new Islamic order. But without a "state," it will be much diminished.

RFE/RL: So does the loss of Raqqa and Mosul, and loss of such territorial gains, mean that Islamic State is finished?

Landis: Well, its not finished. Clearly, the terrible disorder of the Middle East, the weakened states -- Iraq, of course, is limping along, although its reconsolidated; Syria is still very much in a very fragmented state and we dont know whether its going to end up being divided or not divided -- but the entire Middle East is shuddering in the aftereffects of the Arab Spring, almost all of the political order is seriously delegitimized.

Most of the problems that brought about the Arab Spring are still big problems: whether its the youth bulge, the unemployment, [or] bad economic governance.... None of the countries are really making the kind of progress that young people hope to see. And even countries like Egypt, which have come back from the brink, their economic numbers are going in the wrong direction. Tunisia is struggling with terrible corruption, and it looks like stagnant government. Its not clear where the light is at the end of the tunnel. So long as the future, the economic future of the Middle East, is not bright, there will be a place for these apocalyptic and radical movements like the Islamic State.

But that being said, its very important that they have lost, and are losing. That is a big blow. As we know, Al-Qaeda got a real leg forward when it attacked the United States so dramatically on 9/11, when it seemed to drive Russia out of Afghanistan; it made tons of hay out of those victories. And to have a loss is not to their credit, it's going to be very hard for them to make up for that with propaganda.

RFE/RL: How do you expect IS to respond both locally and internationally [to its loss of territory]?

Landis: Already weve seen ISIS responding with lots of attacks, like lots of car bombs and suicide attack in capitals, like in Damascus, that we saw just this week, in Baghdad, and in other major cities. ISIS needs to maintain its relevance right now and, in a sense, to give itself cover for these dramatic territorial defeats. So ISIS is striking out in ways it knows how.

RFE/RL: With regard to the populations that have suffered, or survived under Islamist State control and with all the attendant brutality that came with that, how do you foresee the communities responding? What needs to happen for them to recover?

Landis: First of all, ISIS spread because of the collapse of this state: I mean, in Iraq and Syria, and you see Libya and Yemen and so forth. With the return of the state, and a police force, and an intelligence service, that is going to be the first line of defense against ISIS. But secondly...these governments have got to address the long-term problems which produced this radicalism and those I mentioned before: bad governance, corruption, youth bulge, no jobs, despair. This is going to be very hard for them to do, because in many ways they have doubled down on their oppressive nature and they have not carried out significant reforms. Thats going to be the challenge for the future: How to prepare these young people for a productive future in a globalizing world.

RFE/RL: There seems to be a growing list of declared enemies of IS, including countries whose intentions don't necessarily align. For example, the evolving approaches by Turkey, of course, Russia, and Iran. How has the list of enemies of Islamic State evolved over time, and will the next phase of IS's war...only exacerbate the conflicting aims of these regional powers?

Landis: Weve seen over the past decade growing awareness among the regional powers -- Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt-- that ISIS is a real pest, that it cannot be a force. It cant be an aid. When it first popped up, most powers underestimated it. Even President [Barack] Obama called it a JV league. (Editor's note: the "JV" reference is to junior varsity, or second-tier). They didnt have a clue how forceful, how dramatically powerful a force it would become. Turkey helped ISIS. Many other countries, too. Money flowed in because every country had enemies that it prioritized above ISIS so ISIS could maneuver and had a period of time, a grace period. Once the world began to focus on it and prioritize it, its been destroyed fairly rapidly; but that took time.

Now the problem is [that] the Middle East is in terrible disarray, as weve seen in the most recent struggle between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, or the war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, or the to-ing and fro-ing between Turkey and the United States. There is very little unanimity, and every power is angling for advantage in the Middle East; and that means that radical groups often can run between the legs of major powers because they are competing against each other and often at least for a short period of time, they see Islamic extremists as an ally, much the way the United States did in Afghanistan when it was vying for that country with Russia. And thats been the problem ever since, is that Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, a host of other countries have seen Al-Qaeda and ISIS in a sense as an ally against Assad, or against other regional powers like the Kurds. Thats going to be hard to maintain the focus on Islamic extremism and the "war on terror" for the United States. Its going to be difficult for the United States to do that so long as the Middle East is in such disarray.

RFE/RL: Fighters from Russias Chechnya region have played a major role in battlefield victories of Islamic State. So have fighters from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and other parts of Central Asia. Russian, in fact, is reportedly the second-most common language spoken among Islamic State fighters. What do you think is going to happen specifically with regard to the Chechens and also to the Central Asians, the Uzbeks and Tajiks, as the Islamic State shrinks?

Landis: Almost all of those fighters, a good many of them, are bunched in the Idlib Province. Thats the province in Syrias northwest, near the Turkish border. Right now, thats a zone of de-confliction. There isnt a lot of fighting going on there. Assad is focusing on the east, as is the United States in focusing on the defeat of ISIS, and theres a scramble for land going on along the Iraqi border and the Euphrates Valley. But as soon as that quiets down and theres a semblance of order about who gets what in the east, Syria is going to swing back to the western provinces that are still held by rebels and where the Uyghurs and Chechens are mostly encamped and have taken over villages in small regions, for their own home base. Russia, Syria, Iran are all going to be very much destroying those units that have been such effective fighters.

Whether Turkey will shut the border on them and allow them to be killed is another question. We know that Turkey has been giving citizenship, and at least temporary papers, to Uyghurs in large numbers; and theyve gone through Turkey and settled in Syria, and they will be able to travel back out through Turkey. And whether Turkey cooperates in trying to apprehend them, that is a good question. Same thing with the Chechens; many different powers could use that as a negotiating card against Russia. So well have to see how concerted the international effort is to surround these groups and bring them to justice.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity


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
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy declared that Kherson is "ours after his special forces entered the strategic southern city following the retreat of Russian troops, marking another dramatic battlefield victory in Kyivs drive to recapture territory occupied by Russia since the start of its unprovoked invasion.

The Ukrainian military also said on November 11 that its troops had advanced all the way to the western bank of the Dnieper River in some areas of the Kherson region as Moscow said its forces had completed their withdrawal to the eastern bank in the face of Ukraines powerful counteroffensive.

"Our people -- Ours. Kherson," Zelenskiy wrote in a Telegram post that also included what appeared to be a video of Ukrainian troops celebrating with local residents.

Today is a historic day, Zelenskiy said in the post. We are returning Kherson. As of now, our defenders are on the approaches to the city. But special units are already in the city.

Various videos on social media from Kherson showed resident cheering and waving flags as the first Ukrainian troops reached the center of the city, the only provincial capital captured by Russian forces following their February 24 invasion.

"Kherson is returning to the control of Ukraine," the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said earlier in the day. "Units of the armed forces of Ukraine are entering the city."

WATCH: Local residents welcomed Ukrainian soldiers into Snihurivka on November 10, as advance forces of the Ukrainian military recaptured the town in the southern Mykolayiv region. Other footage from the village of Blahodatne in the Kherson region shows a massive cache of abandoned weapons left by the Russian troops after their retreat.

"The Russian occupiers' routes of retreat are under the direct fire of the Ukrainian Army," the statement added. "Any Russian soldier who resists will be killed."

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 the region at 5 a.m. on November 11 and that no military equipment had been left behind, in an another embarrassing blow to Moscow's war effort, which it refers to as a "special military operation."



"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
Four senior health officials in Kazakhstan have been arrested on charges of bribe-taking.

The Central Asian nation's Anticorruption Bureau said on July 10 that the acting chairwoman of the Health Ministrys Pharmacy Committee, Larisa Pak; one of her subordinates; and two regional pharmacy officials were charged with accepting some $30,500 in bribes from a pharmaceutical company.

The director of the Zerde pharmaceutical company was also arrested for allegedly giving the bribe. All the suspects were detained on July 3. Later four of them were sent to pretrial detention and one was placed under house arrest.

Investigators say the officials accepted bribes to advance the pharmacy company's interests.

Several former Kazakh officials have faced prosecution on suspicion of graft in recent years, with some sentenced to long prison terms.

Based on reporting by Kazinform, Tengrinews, and KazTAG
A huge fire at a Moscow shopping center on July 10 injured 14 people. More than 200 firefighters and 60 trucks were needed to put out the fire.

Several thousand people had to be evacuated from the Rio shopping mall in the northeast of the Russian capital, and four people had been trapped inside at one point before being rescued.

"Fourteen people have been hospitalized, four of them in a critical state," Deputy Mayor Pyotr Biriyukov told the Interfax news agency, adding that the blaze had been completely extinguished.

The fire started on the second floor of the building probably due to a fault in the operation of the smoke-exhaust system, the Russian news agency TASS reported.

Based on reporting by AFP, Interfax, and TASS


NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has affirmed the alliance's "unwavering support" for Ukraine's territorial integrity and has called on Russia to remove its "thousands of soldiers from Ukraine and stop supporting the militants with command-and-control and military equipment."

Stoltenberg made the comments in Kyiv after talks with President Petro Poroshenko and other officials on July 10.

"I am convinced that an investment in Ukraine's security is an investment into the security of NATO and its member states that pays off," Stoltenberg said, adding that the alliance is "learning a lot" from the cyberattacks that Ukraine has endured in recent months.

He called for the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements, aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine that has left more than 10,000 people dead since early 2014.

Stoltenberg added that monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe must be allowed unfettered access to all of Ukraine's territory, including the conflict zone in the east.

Stoltenberg also reaffirmed that NATO members do not accept Russia's 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea.

Russia has denied military involvement in the conflict in Ukraine despite substantial evidence it has provided troops, mercenaries, and military equipment via the part of Ukraine's border that is controlled by the separatists.

Poroshenko, speaking to reporters alongside Stoltenberg, said Ukraine will begin discussions with NATO on an action plan for eventual membership in the 29-member alliance.

"Today we clearly stated that we would begin a discussion about a membership action plan and our proposals for such a discussion were accepted with pleasure," Poroshenko said.

In separate comments issued by his office, Poroshenko said Ukraine was determined to conduct reforms in order to "have a clear schedule of what must be done by 2020 to meet the NATO membership criteria."

Stoltenberg said that Ukraine has "the right to choose its own security arrangements, and added that "NATO's doors remain open."

Last month, Ukraine's parliament adopted a law establishing NATO membership as a priority foreign-policy goal.

But the conflict in the east poses a big obstacle to membership since aspiring members must settle international disputes by peaceful means before joining the alliance.

Asked about Stoltenberg's remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow that "Russia has never had and has no servicemen in Ukraine." Peskov also said that Ukraine's possible entry into NATO would "not help strengthen stability and security in Europe."

Stoltenberg's visit comes one day after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Kyiv and offered strong support for Ukraine, stressing that Russia must take the necessary steps to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and Interfax
The head of the NATO military alliance called on Russia to "withdraw its thousands of soldiers from Ukraine." Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko during a visit to Kyiv on July 10, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated the Western alliance's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia has repeatedly denied military involvement in eastern Ukraine despite substantial evidence it has provided troops and military equipment to back pro-Russian separatists since 2014. (RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)
A police officer was killed and at least 11 people were injured in what officials say was a suicide attack in Pakistan's Balochistan Province.

Police told RFE/RL that the July 10 incident was a "motorbike suicide attack."

A local health official said the five of the injured were in serious condition and had been evacuated to Quetta.

There was no claim of responsibility.

Elsewhere, three members of the Frontier Corps were killed and several were injured in three separate roadside-bomb incidents in the Kurram Tribal Agency near the border with Afghanistan.

The banned Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for those attacks.
U.S. President Donald Trump late on July 9 stepped back from his proposal to work with Russian President Vladimir Putin to establish a cybersecurity unit to prevent hacking and election meddling after he received blistering criticism from his own party.

Trump wrote on Twitter that The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesnt mean I think it can happen. It cant-but a ceasefire can, & did!

This was a reversal from remarks made by Trump earlier in the day and apparently referred to the cease-fire brokered by the United States and Russia for the southwest section of Syria.

The U.S. president, who met with Putin on July 7 on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, said in a tweet early on July 9 that he discussed with Putin forming a cybersecurity unit to guard against election hacking.

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe," Trump wrote.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia, most likely under Putins orders, meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to bolster Trumps chances against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Putin has denied the allegations.

Lindsey Graham (Republican-South Carolina), often a critic of the president, had said after the original proposal that a plan to work with Russia on cybersecurity is "not the dumbest idea I have ever heard -- but it's pretty close."

Graham, who briefly ran in the Republican primary campaign for the presidency in 2016, told NBC TV's Meet the Press that Trump's apparent willingness to "forgive and forget" made the senator only more determined to pass legislation imposing further sanctions on Russia.

Graham added that he felt Trump was doing a good job on Afghanistan, North Korea, and the fight against terrorism.

But, he added, When it comes to Russia, he's got a blind spot, and to forgive and forget when it comes to Putin regarding cyberattacks is to empower Putin, and that's exactly what he's doing."

Marco Rubio (Republican-Florida), who also ran for his partys presidential nomination, on Twitter wrote: "While reality & pragmatism requires that we engage Vladimir Putin, he will never be a trusted ally or a reliable constructive partner.

"Partnering with Putin on a 'Cyber Security Unit' is akin to partnering with (Syrian President Bashar al-) Assad on a 'Chemical Weapons Unit,'" he added.

John McCain (Republican-Arizona), also a frequent critic of Trump and a former U.S. presidential candidate, questioned Trump's reluctance to penalize Russia.

"There has been no penalty," McCain told CBS TV's Face the Nation in regard to Russias meddling in the election process. "Vladimir Putin...got away with literally trying to change the outcome...of our election."

With reporting by Reuters and AFP
German industrial conglomerate Siemens says that two of its gas turbines originally destined for Russia had been diverted to Crimea without its knowledge.

Crimea has been subject to European Union sanctions on energy technology since Russia's illegal annexation of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

Siemens, citing "reliable sources," said in a statement on July 10 that two of four gas turbine sets it supplied for a project in Taman, southern Russia, had "been moved to Crimea against our will."

"This constitutes a clear breach of Siemens' delivery contracts, which clearly forbid our customer from making deliveries to Crimea," it added.

Siemens insisted that "over the last few months, our customer has confirmed to us numerous times in writing that a delivery to Crimea would not occur."

The company added that it would bring charges against "the responsible individuals" and legal proceedings to send the turbines back to Taman.

Separated from Crimea by just a few kilometers of water, Taman, located in Russia's Krasnodar region, is the site of a future coal-fired power plant.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists only that "Russian-made and -built turbines are installed in Crimea."

Separately, Russian Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak said on July 10 in Istanbul that construction of two power plants in Crimea would go ahead.



Russia has long sought to end Crimea's dependence on electricity from the rest of Ukraine, after repeated sabotage to high-voltage lines on the Ukrainian side of the border.

President Vladimir Putin said last year that Russia would invest 50 billion roubles ($828 million) in upgrading Crimea's energy infrastructure by 2020.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, dpa, and AP
Prior to her controversial meeting with U.S. President Donald Trumps son, Russian lawyer Natalya Veselnitskaya drew the attention and ire of American officials over her alleged lobbying against a U.S. law despised by the Kremlin and a hefty hotel bill handed to U.S. authorities for reimbursement.

Veselnitskayas June 2016 face-to-face with Donald Trump Jr., Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and others also came months after she told a U.S. federal court that she had been denied a U.S. visa but was granted an exception to defend a Russian businessman in a money-laundering case closely watched by top officials in Moscow.

A central player in a Russian public-relations offensive against a U.S. law punishing Russians accused of rights abuses, Veselnitskaya grabbed headlines over the weekend after The New York Times reported her previously undisclosed meeting with the president's son and other Trump campaign officials.

Trump Jr.'s description of the meeting suggested she had promised damaging information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, who U.S. intelligence says was targeted in a Russian hacking and propaganda campaign aimed at hurting her candidacy.

The report on the meeting came amid ongoing congressional and FBI investigations into contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials -- probes that have dogged Trumps administration despite his denials of any impropriety.

While Veselnitskaya has represented state-owned companies and has ties to Russian officials, the public record does not suggest she has close links to Russias senior-most leadership. She does, however, have a reputation as something of a rainmaker in commercial disputes in the Moscow region.

Her critics have accused her of corrupt dealings and leveraging contacts among officials and other powerful players to build her career, allegations she has rejected as false.

But it was during the course of her work in an international push -- including in the United States -- to discredit the 2012 U.S. Magnitsky Act that Veselnitskaya raised alarms among U.S. officials.

'Observing With Interest'



The Magnitsky Act was named for Russian tax auditor Sergei Magnitsky, who died in November 2009 while in police custody after alleged beatings and medical negligence that supporters claim were retribution for implicating tax and law-enforcement officials in a brazen $230 million tax scam.

The law, under which four dozen Russian officials and other alleged rights abusers have been hit with visa bans and financial sanctions, infuriated Moscow, which responded by banning the adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens.

Veselnitskaya represented a Russian businessman, Denis Katsyv, the son of a senior official with state-owned Russian Railways. Katsyvs company, Prevezon Holdings, was accused in a federal civil-forfeiture case in New York of laundering part of the proceeds of the fraud that Magnitsky uncovered.

In a December 2015 interview, Russian Prosecutor-General Yury Chaika said of the Prevezon action: "We are observing the case with interest from the sidelines."

But following the confirmation of Veselnitskayas meeting with Trumps son, a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin does not know who the lawyer is.

"We dont know who this is, and of course, we cant keep track of meetings of all Russian lawyers inside the country and abroad," Dmitry Peskov was quoted by the state-run TASS news agency as saying.

Central to Prevezon's defense in the case was undermining the widely accepted narrative of the $230 million tax scam and Magnitskys death, which Putin has called a tragedy but not the result of criminal actions.

Veselnitskaya regularly gave interviews accusing Magnitskys employer, U.S.-born British investor William Browder, of fabricating the details of the case, and she was a tireless promoter of a controversial film screened in Washington and elsewhere that also sought to discredit Browder.

Less than three months after Trumps inauguration, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (Republican-Iowa) called for deeper Justice Department investigations into whether Veselnitskaya and others were involved in an anti-Magnitsky Act lobbying campaign that violated U.S. transparency laws.

The New York Times quoted a former senior law enforcement official as saying that Veselnitskaya and her associations had previously attracted the attention of the FBI.

Pricey Hotel, Expensive Meals, And A Visa Waiver

Veselnitskaya also ran afoul of U.S. federal prosecutors in the Prevezon case.

In November 2015, then-U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara submitted a letter to the judge saying that Prevezon submitted more than $50,000 in expenses during a four-day deposition in New York that were reimbursed from assets "properly seized" by federal authorities.

Those expenses included pricey, boozy meals, as well as a two-night stay at the Plaza Hotel "in a $995/night room for Natalia Veselnitskaya, who was not deposed and did not even attend the depositions in person," Bharara wrote.

Bharara added that Veselnitskaya had been staying at a cheaper hotel but moved to the Plaza "only after the court orally stated that the government would be responsible for reimbursing defendants' expenses." He asked the judge to bar them from requesting further reimbursements.

Two months later, Veselnitskaya told the Manhattan federal court handling the Prevezon case that she had previously been denied a U.S. visa but that she had obtained an exception known as immigration parole that allowed her to enter the country to help represent Katsyv.

Veselnitskayas visa status at the time of her meeting with Trumps son was not immediately clear. Court records indicated that the judge in the Prevezon case made at least one request for her immigration parole to be extended.

Prevezon settled the case in May, the day before it was set to go to trial. In what Veselnitskaya portrayed as a clear victory, the company agreed to pay the U.S. government $6 million without admitting wrongdoing.

Bait And Switch?

Donald Trump Jr. told The New York Times that his acquaintance who arranged the meeting with Veselnitskya said that she might have helpful information about his fathers campaign against Hillary Clinton but that he was not told her name prior to the sit-down.

Trumps son told the Times that during the meeting, Veselnitskaya initially claimed to have information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton but that she offered no details or supporting information.

She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act, Trump Jr. said, adding that he subsequently ended the meeting after it became clear that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting.

Reached by telephone on July 10, a representative for Veselnitskaya told RFE/RL the lawyer was not immediately available for an interview and that questions should be submitted by e-mail.

E-mailed questions submitted by RFE/RL -- including about what happened at the meeting with Trumps son and who requested and organized the sit-down -- were not immediately answered.

Veselnitskaya said in a statement to The New York Times on July 8 that she did not discuss the presidential campaign with Trump's son, had never acted on behalf of the Russian government, and never discussed any of these matters with any representative of the Russian government.

With reporting by Mike Eckel in Washington
Iraqi government forces continue to battle against Islamic State (IS) militants in parts of Mosul, one day after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi toured the city and congratulated the military on "the big victory in taking the city."

Iraqi state television on July 10 reported fighting in Mosul's Old City on the west bank of the Tigris River.

Iraqi General Haider Fadhil was quoted as saying the process of clearing the city of explosives, booby traps, and "sleeper cells" will continue for some time.

IS captured Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, in 2014 and the battle to retake the city has lasted more than eight months.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif posted a statement of congratulations on his Twitter account.

"When Iraqis join hands, no limits to what they can achieve," he wrote.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
A cease-fire brokered by the United States and Russia in southwest Syria has held through the first day, a monitor group and rebel fighters say.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on July 9 said that "calm prevailed" despite some minor violations since the start of the truce at noon local time.

The de-escalation agreement between U.S., Russian, and Jordanian officials attempts to separate the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and U.S.-backed antigovernment rebel forces who have been locked in a six-year civil war.

The cease-fire covers the provinces of Daraa, Sweida, and Quneitra in the southwest along the border with Jordan.

Observatory Director Rami Abdulrahman said combatants briefly exchanged fire in Deraa Province and in Quneitra near midnight of July 9 but added that the fighting "did not threaten the cease-fire.

Major Issam al Rayes, spokesman of the Southern Front coalition of U.S.-backed rebel groups, said "a cautious calm" continued into the night.

U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier on July 9 said the truce appeared to be holding. "Syrian ceasefire seems to be holding...Good!"

A Syrian official told Reuters news agency that "we welcome any step that would cease the fire and pave the way for peaceful solutions."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the cease-fire would be monitored by Russian military police in coordination with the Americans and Jordanians.

He said it would include "securing humanitarian access and setting up contacts between the opposition in the region and a monitoring center that is being established in Jordan's capital."

Several cease-fires have been announced during the conflict in Syria, but none has lasted for a significant time.

Peace talks sponsored by the United Nations are scheduled to resume in Geneva on July 10.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and dpa
Has the Kremlin finally decided to stop denying that its military is fighting in eastern Ukraine?

Is Moscow finally abandoning the fiction that the war in the Donbas is a Ukrainian civil war and not a Russian invasion?

Recent remarks by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggest this may be the case.

According to Russian and Ukrainian press reports, on June 30 Lavrov said the following:

"I have read and heard much criticism regarding our decision to join the fight in Donbas and in Syria."

Lavrov added that Moscow intervened in Ukraine to "protect the Russian-speaking population."

Now we have seen this movie before.

The Kremlin initially denied that its troops had intervened in Crimea, only to have Vladimir Putin himself later admit it -- and brag about it -- on television.

And given the fact that Ukraine has recently captured and exposed several Russian soldiers fighting in the Donbas, the fiction of Russian noninvolvement is becoming increasingly impossible to maintain.

Now this is particularly relevant given last week's agreement between Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron to comprehensively implement the Minsk peace deal in Ukraine.

But in doing so, it is probably well past time for everybody to once and for all abandon another fiction: the one where everybody pretends that Russia is a mediator in the war in the Donbas and not a combatant.

Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page.
ON MY MIND

This is the year of anniversaries the Kremlin would prefer to forget -- or at least remember quietly.

February marked the centenary of the fall of the Romanov dynasty and its temporary replacement with a liberal democratic government.

November will mark the centenary of the Bolshevik revolution, the world's first colored revolution, which ushered in more than seven decades of Communist rule.

And just as significantly, 2017 marks the 80th anniversary of 1937, the year most closely associated with Josef Stalin's Great Terror.

In a piece featured below, historian Irina Pavlova notes that it was the secret decree "On Anti-Soviet Elements," passed by Stalin's Politburo on July 2, 1937, that provided the legal basis for the subsequent mass purge of the ruling elite by the NKVD.

The Kremlin's attitude toward this year's revolutionary anniversaries is at best ambiguous given the regime's fear of colored revolutions.

And while there will clearly not be any parades to mark the anniversary of 1937, Vladimir Putin's Kremlin probably doesn't mind that the ghost of that fateful year continues to haunt the Russian elite.

As Pavlova writes, "mass murders of the kinds that occurred under Stalin arent needed today" to keep the elite in line. "The times are different: they are vegetarian."

IN THE NEWS

U.S. President Donald Trump late on July 9 stepped back from his proposal to work with Russian President Vladimir Putin to establish a cybersecurity unit to prevent hacking and election meddling after he received blistering criticism from his own party.

Trump also says he did not discuss sanctions during the meeting with Putin.

U.S. media are reporting that Trump's son and others met with a Kremlin-connected lawyer during the 2016 campaign after being promised damaging information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

A cease-fire brokered by the United States and Russia in southwest Syria has held through the first day, a monitor group and rebel fighters say.

Police in Moscow have detained dozens of supporters of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny who were campaigning for his bid to be elected as president in 2018, according to the politician's campaign and a monitoring group.

Well-known Russian journalist, blogger, and Internet pioneer Anton Nosik has died in Moscow at the age of 51.

Russian artist Ilya Glazunov has died in Moscow at the age of 87.

Russia's Novaya Gazeta newspaper, citing two unidentified sources, has reported that security forces in Chechnya summarily executed 27 people on the night of January 26.

Prominent Russian human rights activist Vitaly Ponomaryov has been denied permission to enter Kyrgyzstan from neighboring Kazakhstan.

The Bolshoi Theater has called off the world premiere of Nureyev, a ballet about a famous Russian dancer, just days before it was to take place. The premiere of the biographical show about Rudolf Nureyev, one of the first Soviet artists to defect to the West, was due to be held on July 11.

WHAT I'M READING

The Trump-Putin Meeting

In an op-ed for The Moscow Times, foreign affairs analyst Vladimir Frolov explains why the Putin-Trump meeting won't change much.

In RBK, political analyst Aleksandr Morozov also parses the Putin-Trump meeting.

Germany, Ukraine, And History

Eurozine has published the transcript of Yale University historian Timothy Snyder's speech to the Bundestag on Germany's historical responsibility toward Ukraine.

Ukraine: Six Futures

Andreas Umland of the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation in Kyiv has a piece in The Harvard International Review outlining six potential futures for Ukraine.

The Kremlin's Anti-Navalny Tactics

In his column for Republic.ru, opposition journalist Oleg Kashin looks at recent raids of Aleksei Navalny's headquarters and what they reveal about the Kremlin's tactics.

Remembering Anton Nosik

Also in Republic.ru, Kashin eulogizes Russian blogger and Internet pioneer Anton Nosik, who died this weekend at the age of 51.

Nationalist Solidarity

Leonid Ragozin has an interesting counterintuitive piece in Coda on how some Russian nationalists have made common cause with Ukrainian nationalists on the battlefields of the Donbas.

The Origins Of Great Terror

Historian Irina Pavlova has a piece marking the anniversary of the secret decree "On Anti-Soviet Elements,"passed by Josef Stalin's Politburo on July 2, 1937. The decree provided the legal framework for Stalin's Great Terror.

The Russia Investigations

NPR has a useful explainer on all the different Russia investigations going on in the United States and what they are doing.


U.S. media are reporting that U.S. President Donald Trump's son and others met with a Kremlin-connected lawyer during the 2016 campaign after being promised damaging information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

The New York Times and The Washington Post on July 9 reported that Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort also attended the meeting on June 9, 2016, at Trump Tower in New York. Manafort later left the campaign, while Kushner is now a top adviser to the president.

Donald Trump Jr. issued a statement in which he acknowledged meeting with Russian lawyer Natalya Veselnitskaya, whom he did not refer to by name, the Times reported.

"After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton," the Times quoted Trump Jr. as saying.

"Her statements were vague, ambiguous, and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."

Trump Jr. said she then brought up the issue of the adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 U.S. law that put sanctions on Russian suspected of human rights abuse. Angered by the law, Russian President Vladimir Putin then halted U.S. adoptions of Russian children.

It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting, Trump Jr. said.

Veselnitskaya has among her clients Russian state-owned companies and family members of top government officials, and her husband previously served as deputy transportation minister of the Moscow region. She campaigned as a lawyer against the Magnitsky Act.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the presidents legal team, issued a statement saying that now-President Trump was "not aware of and did not attend" the 2016 meeting between his son and the lawyer.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia meddled in the U.S. presidential election, and at least two congressional committees and the FBI are investigating the charges, including reports of contacts between members of the Trump team and Russian officials.

President Trump has denied all allegations of collusion, and the Kremlin has denied meddling in the election.

With reporting by The New York Times, The Washington Post, AP, dpa, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal
Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has canceled plans to start flying to destinations in Ukraine, saying the main airport in the capital, Kyiv, had not honored terms agreed earlier this year.

"Kiev airport has ... chosen to protect high fare airlines and deprive Ukrainian consumers/visitors access to Europe's lowest air fares," Ryanair said in a statement on July 10.

Ryanair had announced in March that it would begin operating 15 weekly flights on four routes from Britain, Sweden and the Netherlands, and seven new routes were also planned for the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, with some 500,000 passengers expected each year.

"We regret also that Lviv Airport has fallen victim to Kyiv Airports decision," the statement said.

The canceled flights will lead to 400 job cuts, Ryanair said, and people who have already booked tickets will be refunded.

A spokesman for Kyiv's Boryspil Airport did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Ryanair said it would transfer the capacity to other markets, such as Germany, Israel, and Poland.

Last year, Ryanair was the largest European airline by scheduled passengers flown, and carried more international passengers than any other airline.

Based on reporting by Reuters and nyt.com


Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said his country would not seek NATO membership "immediately" but would instead focus on implementing reforms.

Poroshenko, speaking in Kyiv after talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on July 10, said the government would "build a genuine program of reforms" in order to meet NATO requirements for possible future membership.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze said the same day that Ukraine seeks "partnership" with NATO.

"We have something to contribute to this system," she said.

For his part, Stoltenberg expressed NATO's support for Ukraine and called for the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine between government forces and separatists receiving military, economic, and political support from Russia.

He reaffirmed that NATO members do not recognize Russia's 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and other officials have held a discussion of the possible abolition of exit visas for Uzbeks traveling abroad.

According to the ministry, the matter was discussed on July 8.

Representatives of the presidential administration, the Prosecutor-General's Office, the Interior Ministry, the Employment Ministry, the State Customs Committee, the Migration Agency, and other state bodies took part in the discussion.

There was no information on the conclusions of the discussion.

In January, a wide-ranging presidential draft decree posted on a government website included a clause that would scrap a long-standing requirement that Uzbeks seeking to travel abroad receive an exit visa.

However, some Uzbek officials have played down expectations that the tightly controlled Central Asian nation will abolish exit visas anytime soon.

The exit-visa system inherited from the Soviet era has been a major barrier for Uzbeks seeking to leave the country. It has also become a source of illegal income for officials who expedite the process in exchange for bribes.

The proposal is one of a number of initiatives that appear aimed at opening up the country under President Shavkat Mirziyaev, who was elected after the death of longtime autocrat Islam Karimov last year.
Royal Enfield Himalayan with FI was launched in India a few months ago. Priced from INR 1.84 lakh on road in Chennai, today RE announced the launch an accessory loaded variant called Sleet. It is priced from Rs 2.12 lakh, on road Chennai. The word Sleet means  rain containing some ice, as when snow melts as it falls.

Royal Enfield Himalayan Sleet is purpose built for those who want to go on those long road trips, without the worry of how the road ahead would be. The colour, is inspired by the snow-capped Himalayas.

In addition to the new colour, you also get official Royal Enfield accessories package which include aluminium panniers, aluminium handlebar with cross brace, pannier mounting rails and large engine guard. Only the first 500 buyers will get this accessory pack. Bookings are only accepted only, via Royal Enfields official site.

Royal Enfield President Rudratej Singh said, The new Himalayan Sleet is inspired by the terrain of Royal Enfields spiritual home  the Himalayas, its craggy land, the gorges, edgy peaks all brought together in the colours of the sleet.

The new Royal Enfield Himalayan Sleet is powered by the companys new BS4 engine and is based on the newly launched Himalayan, which RE has said is free of any issues.

Named after the mighty Himalayas of India, Royal Enfield Himalayan features a relaxed seating postion, which proves to be a boon on long rides, especially the ones with bad raods. Long suspension travel with off-road tyres give the bike a very rugged appeal. Instrument panel consists of analog as well as digital meters. Powered by a new 410 cc single cylinder engine, Royal Enfield Himalayan is an entry level adventure tourer. The engine is rated to deliver 25 PS and 32 Nm torque via a 5-speed gearbox.

News Release
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Disruption to the magnetic fields generates the coiling and spreading wave-like action on the surface of the sun seen here. Sound waves created within the sun can reveal information about the magnetic activity that causes such prominences.

The celestial music released from the sun suggests that its outer layer has grown weaker over the years, according to new research from the United Kingdom.

The sun releases sound waves, and like a musical instrument, the structure of the sun informs the way the sound waves are shaped. Scientists can study the sun's oscillations by listening to the frequencies that make up the sound signal, thereby learning something about the object making the sound. Because the waves are generated by and pass through different sections of the sun, the wave frequency reveals clues about the inside of the sun and allows scientists to chart changes in the star's life.

Scientists from the Birmingham Solar-Oscillations Network at the University of Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, used the sun's sound waves to determine that one of its outermost layers may be growing thinner. [How the Sun's Magnetic Field Works (Infographic)]

"The sun is the only star on which we can get this level of detail," Yvonne Elsworth, a researcher working on the project at the University of Birmingham, told Space.com in an email. "Other stars do show activity cycles, and if we can understand the processes in the sun, we will be able to extend the ideas to other stars."

"The study of the sun is crucial to scientists' understanding of the cosmos because it is the closest star to our planet, and learning about its life processes reveals more about the dynamics of stars many light-years away," she added.

Elsworth presented the new research at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom on July 4.

The sun's magnetic waves are more concentrated in certain regions of the solar surface. (Image credit: Solar Dynamics Observatory/ NASA)

Tracking the waves

The sun, like Earth, has different layers. One of the outermost layers is a few hundred kilometers wide, according to NASA, and is made up of plasma. The sun's plasma is a tremendously hot mix of separated electrons and ions, which means they are charged and naturally create magnetic fields. Plasma churns and pulls in different directions around the sun, and the enormous heat produced by the nuclear fusion at the core plays along these currents to create magnetic fields.

So how does the sun produce sound? The movement of the plasma creates sound waves. Patches on the surface of the sun oscillate up and down in 5-minute motions, NASA officials said in a reference page. These sound waves travel radially, meaning inward and outward. The sound waves remain inside the sun, because the cavity of the star is constrained by the properties of its surface, thereby sending the waves downward. Then, a change of direction caused by the wave's increased speed toward the middle of the sun makes it bounce back up toward the surface. When scientists study the frequency of these waves, they can tell a lot about the inside of the star, as well as learn about its magnetic field. This is called helioseismology, and as the name suggests, it is similar to the concept of studying subterranean waves on Earth to predict earthquakes.

Solar sound waves are much too low for humans to hear, but they can be detected visually on the sun's surface and analyzed (as in this explanatory video). Visible features are caused by sound waves deep inside the sun's core, and they are simultaneously shaped by the activity near the solar surface.

Because these features are influenced by both the sun's core and the area near its surface, studying the features gives scientists a big picture look at the sun, researchers said in a statement about the new work. This allows them to learn about the changing physical conditions of the sun, either at a given moment or over many years.

Observations by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory show a two-level system of circulation inside the sun. (Image credit: Stanford)

Evidence of thinning

In the new research, the scientists found that the sun's outer layers were more sensitive to medium and higher frequencies, indicating that some areas of the solar surface have weakened, the researchers said.

"The acoustic properties have as such failed to re-set to their pre-1994 state," the researchers wrote in a paper detailing their work, which was released in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in May.

The study tracked changes in the sun by looking at previous solar cycles of change, such as Cycle 22 which lasted from the years 1986 to 1996, and found that the oscillation frequencies were confined to a thinner layer than those previous cycles. That means it has been more than 20 years since scientists have observed such a thin solar layer. Factoring in observations from earlier technologies, the data suggests the sun has not had an outer layer this thin since over 100 years ago.

Therefore, researchers of the BiSON study believe this weakening phenomenon is an overall thinning of the layer, rather than just a normal part of the sun's 11-year cycle of activity.

When a solar cycle ends, it is called a solar minimum. The sun is approaching the end of Cycle 24 now, and will reach it around 2019. By comparing findings of the current period of minimum activity with those of previous cycles, scientists can paint a picture of the changes in the sun over a span of decades, and sometimes centuries.

Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter @salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
An artist's illustration of a Mars habitat and vehicle. To help generate ideas about how to build housing on the Red Planet, NASA is hosting the 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge.

Human travelers to Mars will require shelter from the harsh environment. To help generate ideas for how to build those Martian habitats, NASA recently awarded over $200,000 to citizen inventors working to created 3D-printable structures from recyclable materials and simulated Martian soil.

The teams are competing in NASA's 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge, which is now in its second phase. The latest milestone required participants to print a structural beam that would undergo bend testing, with scores based on the use of recycled material or material like that found on Mars, and on the maximum load that the beam could support.

"These competitors are working to advance critical systems needed for human space exploration," Lex Akers, dean of the Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology at Illinois' Bradley University, said in a statement from NASA. Bradley University has partnered with NASA's Centennial Challenges program to run the 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge. [How Will a Human Mars Base Work? NASA's Vision in Images]

"We are on the edge of developing new, innovative and disruptive ideas that could change our future. This type of work will allow us to explore new ideas as we partner in creating solutions for our world and beyond," Akers said.

A 3D-printed beam by team MoonX of South Korea, which won first place in the Phase 2: Level 2 competition of NASA's 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge. For this level, teams had to 3D print a structure for bend testing. (Image credit: Courtesy of team MoonX)

Building green habitats

While shelters will likely be crucial to human exploration of other worlds, launching them from Earth presents two main challenges, NASA said. First, the habitat must fit inside a rocket payload faring; that limits the potential size of the habitat or requires that it be shipped in pieces. Second is the additional mass that must be launched, adding cost to a mission.

One potential solution is to send autonomous robots to deep-space destinations like Mars to construct habitats before human settlers arrive; relying on local resources and recycled material to produce the habitat pieces would then reduce the launch cost, according to NASA.

"Recyclable plastics were used in the top three scoring teams' [projects], indicating that a thermoplastic concrete material may be viable for 3D printing habitats on Mars," said Rob Meuller, senior technologist for advanced projects development at the Swamp Works laboratory at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and a subject matter expert for the competition.

Thermoplastics are plastic polymers that become moldable when heated. According to Mueller, they could be obtained from discarded packing materials, or even created on Mars using the Red Planet's atmosphere and soil.

Although the methods may seem out of this world, Mueller said they could also be used on Earth planet using discarded trash, providing a boon to areas where access to conventional building materials is limited or affordable housing is needed.

Team Form Forge of Oregon State University, Corvallis, 3D printed this beam for NASA's 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge. (Image credit: Courtesy of team Form Forge)

The first-place team was Moon X Construction of Seoul, South Korea (international teams were not eligible for prize money). In second place was Form Forge of Oregon State University, Corvallis, which was awarded $67,465. In third place was Foster+Partners from Branch Technology of Chattanooga, Tennessee, which won $63,783; that team also won first place in the previous sub-challenge.

In fourth place was the University of Alaska Fairbanks, which was awarded $35,573. In fifth place was the CTL Group Mars of Skokie, Illinois, which was awarded $34,202. In sixth place was Robocon of Singapore, another international team. A seventh team, from Pennsylvania State University, competed but did not meet the structural requirements for a cash award.

The 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge is divided into three phases. Phase 1, the Design Competition, was completed in 2015. Phase 2, the Structural Member Competition, consists of three sub-competitions and focuses on the material technologies needed to create structural components. The just-completed segment is the second sub-competition. Phase 3, the On-Site Habitat Competition, will focus on automated 3D-printing systems that could autonomously construct a complete habitat.

With the second part of Phase 2 down, the teams will now work on Phase 2: Level 3, which requires them to 3D-print a dome structure and provide samples for crush testing. Qualification is based on performance in previous levels. The event will be open to the public on Aug. 25 and 26.

Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
For most of us, there are special events in our lives that will stay with us forever; in our minds, we can vividly recall something that happened many years ago as if it were only yesterday.

And this year, Monday (July 10) will mark an auspicious personal anniversary for me: 45 years will have passed since I witnessed my very first total solar eclipse. (Interestingly, the 1972 event also fell on a Monday).

In the November 1997 issue of Reader's Digest, I had the privilege of relating my story in a "family values" piece for that magazine. Now, I'd like to tell that story again, and include some details that were not in that original recollection. [What You'll See During the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse]

As a teenager, Space.com skywatching columnist Joe Rao traveled to Cap-Chat, Quebec, to see the July 10, 1972, total solar eclipse. (Image credit: Joe Rao)

1963: The seed was planted

On Saturday morning, July 20, 1963, my grandfather pulled me aside and told me that there would be an eclipse of the sun later that afternoon. I had a vague notion of what an eclipse was, since a couple of summers earlier, we watched an eclipse of the moon. But an eclipse of the sun was something altogether different. So, a couple of weeks shy of my seventh birthday, I got my first lesson in celestial mechanics when my grandfather walked over to the kitchen shelf, grabbed the salt-and-pepper shakers and placed them on the kitchen table. He then told me to think of the salt shaker as the moon and the pepper shaker as the Earth. And then, using his clenched fist to represent the sun, he demonstrated, by lining up the three, with the salt shaker in the middle, how that afternoon, "the moon was going to get in the sun's way," and block out most of the sun's face.

Unfortunately, the weather turned unsettled that afternoon. It was very hazy and humid, and clouds predominated much of the time. In the New York area, depending on where you were, the clouds played hide-and-seek with the eclipsed sun. About 2,500 people had periodic views of the solar-lunar spectacular from the Empire State Building's 86th floor observation deck.

In other parts of the city, only fitful glimpses of the eclipse were possible. And from my vantage point, in the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx, we were close to being shut out altogether. On our porch, we had a radio that was tuned in to a local station that was broadcasting eclipse reports live. At 5:44 p.m., the announcer switched over to a reporter in Bar Harbor, Maine, where the eclipse was total. At the exact moment of the total eclipse, just as the reporter shouted into his microphone "What an amazing sight!" the sun dramatically broke through the clouds in the Bronx, ever so briefly revealing to us a silvery crescent sun triumphantly shining through a thick canopy of clouds. It could not have lasted more than 10 or 15 seconds before the clouds covered the solar sliver and effectively ended our eclipse watch.

But that was a life-changing event.

I would forever be hooked on solar eclipses, and I wanted to see another. [The Total Solar Eclipse of 2016 in Pictures]

A seven-year wait

That night at dinner, Grandpa mused that it was a mistake to stay in the Bronx to see just a partial eclipse. "We really should have gone to Maine where that guy on the radio was," he said. "Then we could have seen a total eclipse." He then told a story about how, at the age of 16, he witnessed a total eclipse of the sun from the Upper East Side of Manhattan on a frigid January morning in 1925. "It was the most spectacular thing I ever saw," he said. "I'd love to see another one someday."

The next day's newspapers were filled with eclipse stories, and all said the same thing: The next total eclipse of the sun over the United States would be on March 7, 1970. Florida was one of the places that was mentioned most often; to see a late-winter total eclipse from there sounded like a very inviting proposition to Grandpa. "Make a note on the calendar," he told me. "We're going!"

Over the next seven years, while I was waiting for the eclipse, I became increasingly interested in the world of science, especially astronomy and meteorology. One Christmas, I received a telescope and a Spitz Junior home planetarium, and I was regularly giving sky shows in my bedroom for friends and family. At school, I was posting the daily weather forecast on the blackboard in home room. And by the time 1970 rolled around, I had become an enthusiastic amateur astronomer.

I was ready and eager to see my first total solar eclipse.

The clouds parted just in time for Joe Rao to see the July 10, 1972, total solar eclipse. (Image credit: Reader's Digest)

An unexpected setback

But during the opening weeks of 1970, Grandpa developed a hoarseness in his voice that became chronic. The diagnosis was throat cancer. He was told that the surgery (laryngectomy) offered him the best chance of survival. The operation occurred on March 6, 1970  the day before "E-day"  at St. Vincent's Hospital in Lower Manhattan. The next day, New York again saw a partial eclipse. When I visited Grandpa later that day, he reached for a slate and scrawled, "DID YOU WATCH THE ECLIPSE?"

I nodded.

"WHEN'S THE NEXT ONE?"

I instantly knew the answer: Monday, July 10, 1972, over Quebec and Canada's Maritime Provinces.

He wrote, "WE'LL BE THERE!" And smiled.

And true to his word, we were. Grandpa quickly recovered from his operation, mastering esophageal speech by bringing air up through his diaphragm and "belching" out his words.

Cap-Chat, here we come!

For viewing the eclipse, I chose the town of Cap-Chat, Quebec (pop. 2,100 in 1972), primarily because of its accessible location on the south bank of the St. Lawrence River, its proximity to the middle of the totality path and relatively favorable weather prospects. Grandpa drove the 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) in his beat-up Plymouth Fury. Accompanying us were my mom, sister and grandmother, whom we called Nanny.

All of us were excited about the prospects of what we were going to see, except Nanny. "Why would anybody drive such a long distance to see it get dark for a couple of minutes?" she kept asking as we trekked north. We made overnight stops in Montreal and Quebec City, and very early on July 10, we made the final push to Cap-Chat. We left early because we were worried we might encounter traffic jams. As we all piled into the car just after sunrise, Grandpa studied the leaden-gray sky and frowned. "It looks bad," he said.

But soon we moved out from under the clouds and began seeing increasing sunshine and blue sky. We traveled along the Gaspe Peninsula on Canadian Route 132, driving through quaint towns laid out across hillsides with the clean red-brick simplicity of a modern railroad village.

But we saw very few people.

Nanny chuckled as she asked, "Are you sure this is the right day?" However, once we moved into the path of totality, the number of people and telescopes grew exponentially with each passing mile. The neighborhood around Cap-Chat was densely crowded with people from all parts of the world who had come to see the eclipse. One estimate, probably very conservative, had at least several thousand people within 5 miles (8 km) of the town.

To me, Cap-Chat resembled a French version of the fictional town of Mayberry on "The Andy Griffith Show." Interacting with the countless visitors who were walking the streets was akin to being in the waiting room of a maternity ward: Strangers would come up to us and ask, "Is this your first?" Nanny  who honestly believed we were going to be the only ones on this crazy journey  tried to take it all in, but still couldn't quite believe her eyes.

The first page of Joe Rao's 1997 story in Reader's Digest, which describes his experience of viewing the July 1972 total solar eclipse. (Image credit: Reader's Digest)

Totality at last!

We set up on a grassy clearing about 2 miles (3 km) west of the town and waited for the show to begin. I only hoped that totality would arrive before the banks of clouds that had followed us up from Quebec City covered the sky. Finally, first contact. By projecting the sun's image from my 4.25-inch (10.8 centimeters) reflecting telescope onto a white screen, we watched the moon's silhouette appear as a small bite on the lower edge of the sun. As time went on, the moon covered more and more of the sun. [How to Safely Observe the Sun (Infographic)]

But so did the clouds.

In fact, at the moment the sun disappeared, it was behind a cloud. The clouds, which moments before were battleship gray, now took on eerie shades of saffron and salmon. I remarked that, although we couldn't see the sun, the striking colors on the clouds were a nice "consolation prize." Then, about 30 seconds into totality, the sun suddenly appeared through a small, unexpected hole in the clouds. The clearing fell silent, except for Grandpa, who kept repeating, "It's just like 1925." We now had a view of the sun's corona, a delicate fringe of pearly white light. Nanny uttered, "Oh, look! That is beautiful!"

Our 134 seconds of totality seemed to race by. Then, suddenly it ended, heralded by a small but intense solitaire of sunlight, creating a "diamond ring" in the sky too dazzling to look at it. Cheers greeted the return of the sun, which was promptly swallowed again by thick clouds. We were lucky, for back in Cap-Chat, just a few miles away, those same clouds had eclipsed the eclipse.

Late that night, back in our hotel room in Quebec City, my grandfather, weary from all his driving, said, "I bet you'll remember this day for as long as you live." He was right. I would never forget that miraculous day, or the man who had awakened in me a deep awe of the universe.

Many people who are reading this now will likely be experiencing their very first total solar eclipse exactly six weeks after my eclipse anniversary. I'm sure there will soon be countless new stories to tell.

And the eclipse that started it all for me, the one that Grandpa and I watched from the Bronx in

1963, has a direct connection to the upcoming "Great American Eclipse of 2017" on Aug. 21.

I'll explain that link in a future column.

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmer's Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for Fios1 News in Rye Brook, New York. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
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.

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S tanding in a street crowded with Iraqi armoured vehicles in central Mosul, I tried to pick out a single building that had not been turned into a heap of broken concrete floors and shattered walls. For as far as I could see in either direction there was nothing but devastation caused by air strikes, which were still going on somewhere up ahead.

At terrible cost to its inhabitants, the caliphate is being smashed to pieces as a territorial entity, but one should look a little more closely at the Iraqi victory. It came only after an epic military struggle that lasted nine months, compared with five-and-a-half months for the battle of Stalingrad in 1942-43. IS leaders are monsters of cruelty and violence but they are also military experts who developed new tactics to defend Mosul against Iraqi armed forces far superior in numbers and supported by the devastating air power of the US-led coalition.

IS adopted a fluid defence with snipers moving quickly from house to house through holes cut in the walls or through a network of tunnels linking different positions. Speed of movement and concealment enabled them to get away before they were targeted by air strikes. Aside from snipers, IS developed a lethally effective repertoire including suicide bombers, improvised explosive devices, mortars and booby traps.

These tactics enabled IS to hold out for far longer than expected and there were still sounds of gunfire and air strikes in the background yesterday as the Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, celebrated victory with his jubilant soldiers. Unfortunately, it is likely that if IS could work out how to prolong the defence of the city for so long, it also has a well-prepared plan to continue as a guerrilla movement. Its leaders believe they survived defeat before at the height of American engagement in Iraq and they can do so again.

Mosul city and its people have paid a terrible price for the murderous military prowess of its defenders. IS was finally only defeated by air strikes pounding to pieces every building it was defending. As we drove towards the city centre in the final stages of the battle, I could see that block after block had been turned into mounds of rubble and broken masonry. At crossroads bombs have dug enormous craters, severing pipes that fill the deep hole with water.

An Iraqi military vehicle in Mosul / EPA

As a reporter, the difficulty of writing about IS and the places it controlled has always been that it would murder any journalist who fell into its clutches. But in the past couple of months I was able to contact by mobile phone two residents of west Mosul who lived in IS-held territory. They said they were terrified that if they and their families stayed in their homes they would be killed by air strikes, but, if they tried to flee, IS would shoot them. It turned out that their fears were all too realistic: in the closing days of the siege, I learned that one of my contacts had been badly injured when a bomb hit his house. The other man tried to escape over a half- demolished bridge spanning the Tigris river and was shot in the back and killed by an IS sniper when he was halfway across.

A few parts of Mosul look relatively undamaged and as if they could return to normal quite soon. I drove through the east side of the city, which is divided by the Tigris, and was encouraged to see that most of the shops were open and electricity was working. The traffic was surprisingly heavy. I mentioned to a friend who lives in this part of Mosul that things were apparently not as bad as I had feared.

He replied that appearances were deceptive and, though shops might be open, nobody had any money to buy anything. More seriously, IS might never have been very numerous in Mosul but it knew how to rule by terror and it is this that still pervades everything. My friend believed there were plenty of former IS militants who had simply shaved of their beards and were waiting for the opportunity to strike again. Some of these fears stem from paranoia but by no means all: there are still enough IS attacks to show that it is still in business.

Caught in the crossfire: a woman and three children wait in a house in Mosul during the campaign to wrest the Iraqi city from Islamic State / AP/Felipe Dana

The hideous experience of IS butchery and enslavement has left scars on all who experienced it. It has created unbridgeable suspicions between different religious communities in Iraq and Syria. Mosul is a Sunni Arab city and Christians, Shia, Yazidis and Kurds blame its people for complicity with IS.

They will not easily forgive what has happened. I was with a highly civilised Christian friend a few months ago near a camp of tents for displaced people fleeing Mosul. He watched as carloads of frightened, miserable-looking refugees went past us into the camp and then turned to me and said unsympathetically: I see Daesh [IS] is getting their families out.

IS rule has also caused suspicion and hatred between Sunni Arabs, essentially between those who benefited, co-operated or joined IS during its three-year rule and those who did not. It may be that many thought they had no choice except to collaborate, but they will not be forgiven. I was watching with a Sunni Arab friend on Saturday a group of women in long black robes covering their faces and mobbing a shop where they were receiving food parcels donated by an Iraqi charity.

Some of the women begged me and my friend for money. He screamed furiously at them to go away, saying: I know that these women are all from Daesh families. IS had jailed and tortured him. Its legacy of hatred is everywhere in Mosul.
A n aristocrat accused of posting menacing messages about Brexit campaigner Gina Miller was reported to police by one of his own Facebook friends, a court heard.

Viscount Rhodri Colwyn Philipps, 50, branded Ms Miller a "bloody troublesome first generation immigrant" and offered a 5000 bounty for someone to run her over, it is said.

She admits the messages left her feeling shocked and frightened and needing to hire security guards for her own protection.

Philipps, referred to in court as Lord St Davids, admits posting the message online but argues it was a joke and not intended for public viewing because of his online Facebook privacy settings.

Threats: Rhodri Colwyn Philipps, 4th Viscount St Davids arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court / REUTERS

Westminster Magistrates Court heard Philipps was reported to police by Matthew Steeples, a Facebook friend of the aristocrat's, who is a friend in real life of Ms Miller's.

Prosecutor Philip Stott told the court Mr Steeples was "introduced to Lord St Davids by a real life friend of a friend.

"He has seen posts and comments by Lord St Davids on Facebook that he considered unacceptable, but had remained his Facebook friend.

"He saw, on November 12, 2016, the post about Gina Miller, a person who Mr Steeples knew personally and would describe as a real-life friend."

Styled the 4th Viscount St Davids, Philipps allegedly wrote: "5000 for the first person to 'accidentally' run over this bloody troublesome first generation immigrant.

"This f***ing boat jumper come to country, then believes she knows better than the people of our country, what is best for us.

Accusations: Viscount St Davids, who is representing himself, arrives with his wife Sarah Butcher / REUTERS

"If this is what we should expect from immigrants, send them back to their stinking jungles."

The court heard Mr Steeples took a screen shot of Philipps' post and showed it to Ms Miller, who was embroiled at the time in a court battle to force the government to consult Parliament before triggering the process of leaving the European Union.

The Guyana-born mother-of-three was the target of abuse online during the legal battle, which concluded in January when the Supreme Court agreed with her that Parliament should vote on triggering Article 50.

"She had received a series of threats of physical harm, sexual assault, and death via various means from those who disagreed with her actions", said Mr Stott.

Campaigner Gina Miller said she felt threatened by the posts / REUTERS

"Those threats made her feels very scared for the safety of herself and her family.

"She found the posts of Lord St Davids genuinely shocking. In addition to finding it offensive, racist, and hateful, she was extremely concerned that someone would threaten to have her run over for a bounty."

He added that Ms Miller has hired personal security since rising to prominence and being the target of online hate.

Philipps, who is representing himself in court, is also accused of posting menacing messages about an immigrant, Arnold Sube, after he appeared in the news in September 2016.

"Please will someone 'smoke' this ghastly insult to our country. Why should we pay tax to feed these monkeys. A return to Planet of the apes is not acceptable. Doubtless some horrid do-gooder will take this post down. I'll count the minutes", he wrote.

In a second attack, Philipps is said to have written: "I will open the bidding. 2000 in cash for the first person to carve Arnold Sube into pieces. Piece of sh*t."

At an earlier hearing, Philipps, who also holds the titles Lord Strange of Knockin, Lord Hungerford, and Lord de Moleyns, suggested the prosecution was "politically motivated".

"The case against me is perhaps because of my name, because it's newsworthy", he said.

"I don't pose a threat. What I wrote was perhaps foolhardy and unwise, but it was for a private group of people, not directed towards Ms Miller."

This morning, Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot allowed another of Philipps' Facebook posts to be used in the case, when he talked of "torturing" Ms Miller.

Under a poster about "naughty suggestions", he wrote on November 11 last year: "Mine includes, torturing Tony Blair, Hilary Clinton, ISIS, Dave (PM) the forgettable, Murdoch....Oh, and that hideous jumped up immigrant Gina Miller."

Philipps told the court: "I think she is in extremely good company, Rupert Murdoch, Tony Blair, David Cameron, people I really don't like and am entitled not to like."

Philipps, of Hans Place, Knightsbridge, denies three charges of sending a menacing public communication.

The trial continues.


P arts of Paddington station were closed after reports of a "suspicious item" on a platform.

Police were called to the station at 8.29am on Monday and closed four platforms while officers investigated the package.

Five platforms were closed as well as the station's taxi rank.

The platforms have since reopened after officers found the package to "non-suspicious".

Paddington station has been partially closed (stock image) / PA Archive/PA Images

British Transport Police had earlier posted on Twitter: "Parts of Paddington are closed due to an incident. This includes platforms 10 to 14 and Taxi rank area. Please follow staffs instructions."

A spokesman for British Transport Police told the Standard they were investigating a "suspicious item" and officers were sent to the station.

The cordon has since been lifted and the platforms reopened.
A Tory MP has been caught up in a racism storm after she described leaving the EU without a deal as the real n***** in the woodpile.

Anne Marie Morris, MP for Newton Abbot, made the controversial remark at a meeting of eurosceptics at the East India Club in St James Square, central London, on Monday.

The 60-year-old, who studied at Oxford University, claimed just 7 per cent of financial services in the UK would be affected by Brexit.

In a recording published by the Huffington Post, she then said: Now Im sure there will be many people wholl challenge that, but my response and my request is look at the detail, it isnt all doom and gloom.

Now we get to the real n***** in the woodpile which is in two years what happens if there is no deal?

She has since apologised for the comment, describing it as "unintentional".

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas urged the Tories to cut ties with Ms Morris, tweeting: "Appalling. Should have the whip removed immediately.

"No place in our politics for racism, full stop."

Outgoing Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron backed calls to remove the whip from Ms Morris.

"This disgusting comment belongs in the era of the Jim Crow laws and has no place in our Parliament," he said.

"The Conservative Party should withdraw the whip from Anne Marie Morris and they should do it today.

"Every hour they leave her in place, is a stain on them and the so called 'compassionate conservatism' they supposedly espouse.

"I am utterly shocked that this person represents the good people of Newton Abbot.

"Even if she misspoke this is the nastiest thing I've heard an MP utter since Lord Dixon Smith uttered the same awful phrase a few years ago."

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Labour MP for Streatham Chuka Umunna added: "Speechless, not just at the remark being made but also at the reported lack of a reaction from the Tories there. Utterly appalling."

Labour's national campaign co-ordinator Andrew Gwynne said: "Anne Marie Morris' comments are outrageous and totally unacceptable.

"While the Conservative Party has tabled a debate on Wednesday to apparently discuss and condemn abuse of candidates in the General Election, these comments prove their hypocrisy.

"Theresa May once spoke about changing the Tories' 'nasty party' tag.

"If she's serious about that, she will admit it's not enough for the Tories to 'investigate' and will apologise and act immediately. If that means withdrawing the whip, that's what they should do."

Ms Morris told the Standard: "The comment was unintentional. I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused."

Ms Morris was later supsended by Theresa May, who described the remark as "completely unacceptable".
C harlie Gard's parents have been given 48 hours to produce new evidence to support their fight to take their terminally ill baby son to the US for treatment.

At a preliminary High Court hearing on Monday, Chris Gard and Connie Yates vented their frustration at the judicial system.

The couple, both in their 30s, want 11-month-old Charlie, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, to undergo a therapy trial in America.

But specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where Charlie is being cared for, have said therapy proposed by a doctor in America is experimental and would not help.

At one point during the hearing, Mr Gard yelled at a barrister representing Great Ormond Street bosses, saying: "When are you going to start telling the truth?"

Ms Yates added: "It's really difficult."

Charlie Gard's parents want to take him to the US for pioneering treatment / PA

Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital had argued Charlie, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, should be allowed to die with dignity.

But last week doctors applied for a new hearing after "claims of new evidence relating to potential treatment for his condition" emerged.

The parents had exhausted all their legal options in the battle to save their son after the European Court of Human Rights declined to intervene in the case.

They were expecting Charlies life support machine to be turned off on Friday, June 30, but were given more time by doctors to spend with their son.

Parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard with Charlie / PA

But the European court ruling sparked an outpouring of support for the family across the world, with both Pope Francis and US President Donald Trump backing the family.

The Vatican childrens hospital claimed unpublished data suggested nucleoside therapy offered some chance of improvement for Charlies health.

At the hearing on Monday, lawyers representing the couple said they wanted to be allowed to "remove" Charlie from Great Ormond Street for treatment because of the "new and powerful evidence".

Mr Justice Francis said: "If you bring new evidence to me and I consider that evidence changes the situation ... I will be the first to welcome that outcome."

He said he would reconsider their arguments on Thursday, giving them two days to produce new evidence.

GOSH had argued that Charlie was in pain and the trial therapy would not help.

It describes Charlies condition as exceptionally rare, with catastrophic and irreversible brain damage.

Judges in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London had all ruled in favour of GOSH doctors.

The hospital applied for a new hearing on Friday citing new evidence regarding treatments.

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Mr Gard and Ms Yates delivered a 350,000 signature petition to doctors at the hospital on Sunday as they vowed to keep fighting to save Charlie.

Speaking outside Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) on Sunday, his parents said: "He's our son, he's our flesh and blood. We feel that it should be our right as parents to decide to give him a chance at life."

Ms Yates added: There is nothing to lose, he deserves a chance."
P resident Trumps son met a Russian lawyer who claimed she could provide potentially damaging information about Hillary Clinton, it has been revealed.

Donald Trump Jr said he went to the meeting in New York in June last year  when his father was a presidential candidate  thinking that Natalia Veselnitskaya might have information helpful to the campaign.

The encounter at Trump Tower is thought to be the first confirmed private meeting between a Russian national and a member of the US presidents inner circle. It was also attended by President Trumps son-in-law and aide, Jared Kushner, and then campaign manager Paul Manafort.

It emerged today that a British music publicist who manages a Russian pop star helped to arrange the meeting.

Rob Goldstone, who knew Mr Trump Jr from working on the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, was said to have introduced him to Ms Veselnitskaya, who is reported to have connections to the Kremlin.

In a statement last night, Mr Trump Jr said an acquaintance he had known from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant had asked him to meet an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign.

I was not told her name prior to the meeting. I asked Jared [Kushner] and Paul [Manafort] to attend, but told them nothing of the substance.

After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Mrs Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information. Mr Trump Jr said Ms Veselnitskaya then moved the conversation to a suspended programme for Americans to adopt Russian children. It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Mr Trumps legal team, said the president was not aware of the encounter.

Mr Goldstone told the Washington Post that he arranged the meeting, but said Ms Veselnitskaya really wanted to talk about changing rules on Americans adopting Russian children. He added: Once she presented what she had to say, it was like, Can you keep an eye on it? Should (Trump) be in power, maybe thats a conversation that he may have in the future? He refused to clarify his comments.

The meeting took place two weeks after Mr Trump secured the Republican nomination. He defeated Mrs Clinton in November.

The Trump campaigns alleged ties to Russia are being investigated by an independent prosecutor in the US. The president denies that any collusion took place but American intelligence agencies believe the Russians carried out hacking attacks to help him win.
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So far this year the violence is up 5-10 percent nationwide. Most of those killed are civilians, either caught in the crossfire or victims of violence by Islamic terrorists (mostly) Taliban or drug gang gunmen seeking to force locals to cooperate or at least stay out of the way. The Taliban (mostly) and drug gangs (who keep a low profile) suffer heavier losses than the security forces, largely because the outlaws are fighting each other as well as angry civilians and the unexpectedly (according to their leaders) army and police. All this violence is, unfortunately, not unusual for the region known to most as Afghanistan. For most people living here Afghanistan is a secondary name for where they live. The primary name relates more to tribe and very local geography. This whole nation thing was never widely accepted in this region and modern Afghanistan is something of a scam developed by many of the major tribes to deal with troublesome (and often heavily armed) foreigners. This time around the most dangerous foreign threat is chemical and financial. Heroin, made possible by a late 19 th century German chemical process enables locals to convert opium (laboriously obtained from poppy plants) into much more valuable (and portable) heroin. While a few Afghans benefit financially (some spectacularly) from the heroin trade nearly half the population in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran suffer the consequences of addiction, crime and social breakdown.

The drugs are winning as they usually do wherever they get established. Eventually they get crushed but eventually can last a long time. The only thing that nearly everyone in Afghanistan can agree on is that the opium and heroin are bad. Nearly ten percent of the population is addicted to drugs (mostly opiates) and another ten percent (there is some overlap) makes a living or gets rich from the drug trade. Most Afghans consider the biggest threat to be the drug gangs, which are largely run and staffed (like the Taliban) by Pushtun. The Taliban want to create a heroin producing Islamic terrorist and gangster sanctuary in Central Asia. If you want to know how that works, look at Chechnya in the late 1990s and Somalia during the last decade. No one has come up with any cheap, fast or easy solution for that. Meanwhile, Afghanistan's core problem is that there is no Afghanistan, merely a collection of tribes more concerned about tribal issues than anything else. Ten percent of the population, mostly living in the cities and often working with the foreigners, believes in Afghanistan the country. But beyond the city limits, it's a very different Afghanistan that is currently motivated by growing prosperity brought on by a decade relative peace and the persistent traditional violence. By Afghan standards, an unprecedented amount of cash has come into the country since the end of 2001.

Between economic growth, the growing heroin sales, and foreign aid, plus lower losses from violence, it's been something of a Golden Age. This despite decades of war. For example, it's often forgotten that the 1990s civil war was still active on September 11, 2001. The Taliban have been trying to make a comeback ever since. The key Taliban financial resource; heroin in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, remains the key to this war. Even many Pushtun do not like this development and more Taliban factions are negotiating some kind of settlement with the government or fighting within the organization to get their way. In other words, everything is pretty normal by Afghan standards.

Afghanistan has become politically unpopular in the West and the easiest way out (for Western politicians) is to get out and let their successors deal with the aftermath. Afghanistan has become another issue foreign leaders are kicking down the road for someone else to deal with. The traditional local strongmen have noticed and Iran, China, Russia, Pakistan and India are all trying to have some influence with their wild and erratic neighbor. The Taliban believed that the Afghan security forces would fall apart in 2015 because most of the foreign troops were gone and those that were left were not fighting. The expected Taliban victory did not happen but there was a lot more Taliban violence. The Afghan soldiers and police stood and fought, but took heavy casualties. The biggest losses are from so many young Afghans with some money (and often education and useful skills) want to get out of Afghanistan and go to somewhere less lethal than where they grew up. Many of those migrants left the security forces out of frustration at the corruption and generally poor performance of Afghan elected officials.

While Pakistan continues to support the Taliban (which it literally created in the early 1990s) the Pakistani military and intelligence service (ISI) promotes the idea that the cause of all the Islamic terrorism in the region is the United States, India, Israel and so on. Even most Pakistanis have a hard time with that explanation and elected officials in Pakistan are willing to work with their Afghan counterparts to better cope with Islamic terrorism throughout the region. The Pakistani politicians admit (usually privately) that their military is out of control and still supporting Islamic terrorist groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Enemy Within The Enemy

In the east (Nangarhar province) various Islamic terrorist groups and local militias are fighting each other over who controls what portions of this border area. This has long been a hideout for bandits, smugglers and Islamic terrorists. This area includes the Tora Bora Mountains which Taliban leaders used as an escape route in late 2001 as their government in Afghanistan was collapsing around them. Now the Taliban are fighting ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), a formidable Afghan security force, Americans and increasingly numerous tribal militias in this part of Afghanistan that is normally only useful to smugglers. But since smuggling heroin into Pakistan (and thence to the world via the port of Karachi) developed in the 1990s this smugglers route became the most valuable (several billion dollars worth of drugs a year) in the world. Most outsiders are there for the money and the locals, who used to appreciate their small cut of the action are largely disillusioned and hostile to the Taliban and their drug smuggling partners. In addition ISIL attracts the most fanatic (and anti-drug) young men in the region (mostly from Pakistan but also Central Asia and so on) and they are here to destroy the Taliban and the drug trade. Some of the Taliban in the area are feuding with the Taliban leadership. Then there is the Haqqani Network, a pre-Taliban Afghan Islamic terror group that is now more gangster than jihadi and the most reliable enforcer for the ISIL in Afghanistan.

The security forces have a major edge in that many of them are experienced Afghan commandos and they have plenty of air support from the Americans and the Afghan Air Force.

A visible sign of all this occurred in April with the use of a large (9.8 ton) MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast) GPS guided smart bomb against an ISIL target. The impact of this is still being felt. This was the first time MOAB was used in combat and the immediate effect was to wipe out an ISIL base that had had made extensive use of a tunnel and cave complex. The underground portion was not destroyed but parts of it collapsed and the rest became unstable and too dangerous to use. On the surface the few visible structures were destroyed as were the hundreds of landmines and explosive traps that were triggered or shattered (and disabled). Several hundred of the Islamic terrorists were killed or wounded. Later analysis of ISIL post-attack communications indicated that a dozen or more known ISIL leaders may have been killed in this attack. Some stunned or wounded ISIL men managed to get out of the area before ground forces showed up and spread the word about what happened. In the days after this bombing local tribal leaders asked the Americans to use weapons like this more often. That hasnt happened yet and ISIL hasnt disappeared from the area either. The fighting because all these factions continues and its all being financed by the drugs and tribal rivalries.

The Other Enemy

Under pressure from the U.S. the Afghan Army recently completed the distribution of ID cards using biometric data to everyone in the Afghan Army. This use of biometric data in government ID has been available in Afghanistan for over a decade but corrupt politicians understood the impact of such an ID system and until 2015 prevented full implementation. In 2015 a newly elected government allowed these biometric ID efforts to proceed. While a lot less corrupt and more accommodating than the previous Karzai government the current Afghan government is still finding the bureaucracy paralyzed by the often conflicting demands by politicians representing a wide number of tribal, ethnic, religious and personal interests. Its like herding cats, but cats with automatic weapons and very short tempers. The cats are also clever and adaptive. Unable to block or delay full implementation of the biometric system in the security forces most offenders shed their ghost soldiers before their troops received the cards. As a result only a few thousand ghost soldiers were actually discovered and 80 percent of them were not the result of corruption (there is still incompetence and administrative failures at work) and those that were offenses that could be prosecuted were of officers or individuals too dumb or unlucky when it came to adapting. Meanwhile there is still a lot of theft and bad behavior in the security forces that is the result of the traditional tolerance for corruption or bribes and intimidation by drug gangs.

Despite that continued corruption the United States has built a large and growing library of data on actual and suspected terrorists and supporters as well as the Afghan population in general. This has given the anti-corruption forces (both local and foreign) a powerful tool. This was all the result of some major technical innovations that made it easier to gather and use biometric (fingerprints, iris, facial recognition, DNA) identification. After 2003 the U.S. developed tools that enabled combat troops to use biometrics on the battlefield. The main tool was initially called SEEK (Secure Electronic Enrolment Kit). This is a portable electronic toolkit that collects biometrics from people anywhere and at any time. This included fingerprint scans, eye (iris) scans, and digital photos of suspects and later DNA samples. All this eventually ended up in a master database, which eventually contained data on millions of terrorists, suspected terrorists, their supporters, and other "persons of interest." Troops in the field can carry part of that database with them in their SEEK kits, so that wanted people can quickly be identified and captured. This is what the American commandos did on the 2011 Osama bin Laden raid. While DNA tests are the best form of ID, if you have fingerprints, iris scans, and a photo you are nearly as certain. Even just fingerprints and the face scan/photo is pretty convincing. But often all you have is DNA and thats where the portable DNA analyzers come in. These began arriving after 2011 but the basic SEEK level biometrics are still the main tool.

In Afghanistan the government used SEEK kits to collect data on millions of Afghans so these people could be issued very secure (hard to fake) ID cards. For the government, this makes it more difficult for criminals, Taliban, and Islamic radicals in general to infiltrate the government or just operate with impunity. The U.S. has long been collecting biometrics from those they arrest or otherwise encounter and want to positively identify. This data makes it easier to figure out who is naughty and who is not. It only takes about two minutes per subject to use SEEK to take the biometric data, so any suspicious characters are quickly added to the master database. After several years of collecting data raiding parties knew to grab any guy who seems to panic at the sight of the biometrics equipment coming out. The terrorists know that biometrics is bad news for them and they fear it. Combat troops now get training on how to use the biometrics gear and everyone now accepts that this stuff is a powerful weapon in the war against terrorists. Adapting this expertise to creating very difficult-to-fake IDs is not a large leap but it's not one that will result in many press releases. But now the corrupt military and government officials have come to fear the biometrics as well.

Since the corrupt Karzai crew left office in 2015 there have been repeated anti-corruption efforts within the security forces. For a while there seemed to be more commanders, including senior ones, who were no longer tolerant (or involved in) the more common corrupt practices. This includes the ancient paper (or ghost) soldiers scam where you report more soldiers on duty than you actually have and pocket the money sent to pay and maintain these non-existent troops. Another popular angle is simply stealing equipment or money to buy supplies for your troops. More soldiers, and especially police (who are most often the victims) went public with the detailed reports of the damage this theft does. There was often no money for essentials, like fuel or spare parts for vehicles. Radios and other supplies disappear as commanders sell them and report them as stolen or damaged and disposed of. Subordinates reporting the details of these incidents is putting more heat on commanders to do right by their fighting men and the people they try to protect. But the corruption efforts of the drug gangs was relentless, as was pressure from family and tribe. More police and army commanders took the money and cooperated with the drug gangs and avoided the Taliban. But the corrupted government officials dont want the Taliban running the government again, there are still vivid memories on how badly that worked for all concerned. So the Americans and other anti-corruption foreigners must be endured because even working in a clean government is preferable to letting the religious fanatics and wealthy drug lords be in charge.

July 8, 2017: In the east (Nangarhar province) the army, with American and Afghan air support, have clashed with ISIL forces several times today, leaving over fifty dead or wounded, most of them ISIL personnel. American UAVs have apparently been particularly useful as they are seen over the area constantly and many of them are using more powerful sensors that can detect people beneath trees and underbrush.

In the southeast (Paktia province, near the Pakistan border) an American UAVs used missiles to kill seven Islamic terrorists. It was not yet clear which group they belonged to as the Taliban and Haqqani Network are active in this area.

July 7, 2017: In the north (Kunduz province) there was a clash between two tribal militias that left six civilians wounded. Such clashes are not unusual, in fact they are more normal that the drug and religion inspired violence of the Taliban and other Islamic terror groups.

July 5, 2017: In the east (Nangarhar province) Taliban attacked a village mosque, killing three people, wounding another three and taking kidnapping another two. This is all about intimidating local religious leaders to stop criticizing the Taliban.

In Kabul someone fired two small rockets into the city. One hit a residential area killing two civilians and wounding another.

July 4, 2017: In the east (Nangarhar province) an airstrike killed three ISIL men, two of whom were later identified as Pakistani.

After two weeks of deliberation Afghan leaders agreed to a Pakistani proposal that the two nations run joint-military patrols along their common border and cooperate more closely in halting illegal cross-border activity. Afghanistan was wary of this proposal until assured by American officials that the U.S. was also skeptical and would be monitoring Pakistani compliance closely. Pakistan is facing increasing criticism by neighbors, including China, their major ally, about the continued duplicity of the Pakistani military in supporting many Islamic terrorist groups even while denying that was going on and blaming India, Afghanistan, the United States, Israel and so on for the Islamic terrorist violence inside Pakistan.

July 3, 2017: In the south (Helmand province) one American soldier was killed and two wounded by an enemy mortar shell. The U.S. troops were working with Afghan troops near an Afghan base.

Further north (Uruzgan province) a group of 18 Taliban surrendered to the police, after first killing their leader. This group surrendered their weapons as well as any information they had about Taliban operations.

July 2, 2017: In the north (Jawzjan province, on the Turkmenistan border) locals report that five notorious ISIL leaders were killed by missiles fired by an American UAV.

July 1, 2017: In the north (Balkh province) Taliban attacked a rural mosque and killed 13 people. It was later discovered that the dead included locals who used to be members of an Islamic terror group. Three of those killed were local militia leaders. The Taliban were apparently seeking to discourage locals from organized opposition to the Taliban or the drug gangs they work for.

In the east (Nangarhar province) a night operation involving airstrikes on Taliban hideouts followed by troops coming in to check the damage and search for information and perhaps a prisoner or two. Six Taliban were confirmed dead by these troops and others apparently survived and got away.

June 30, 2017: In the north (Jawzjan province, on the Turkmenistan border) there was yet another clash between ISIL and Taliban forces. In this case ISIL won and captured ten Taliban men. The captives were later beheaded and their bodies left where they could be found. This was over control of drug smuggling routes across the border.

Elsewhere in Jawzjan province an American airstrike destroyed a vehicle carrying five ISIL leaders to a meeting. All five of the ISIL men died.

In the east (Nangarhar province) Taliban captured and later killed fourteen former Taliban who had joined ISIL.

June 24, 2017: The Interior Ministry fired two of their security force commanders after some of their subordinates recently posted a video where troops provided details of how their commanders stole military supplies including food for the troops. After the videos appeared the commanders forced the troops who made it to post another one denying the accusations. But the public uproar had already prompted an investigation that verified the theft allegations.

In the west (Herat province) the Taliban attacked an army checkpoint 13 kilometers from a major dam. Ten soldiers died, three were wounded and the Taliban stole many weapons and other equipment from the checkpoint. Iran opposes the many new dams (which keep water in Afghanistan that used to flow into Iran) and is accused of supporting Islamic terrorists who will attack the dams.

June 22, 2017: In the south (Helmand province) a car bomb went off in front of a bank in the provincial capital as government employees (including soldiers and police) were there to get their pay. The major towns and cities in Helmand are among the few areas left in Helmand the government still controls.

June 17, 2017: In the east (Paktika province) an airstrike killed six Haqqani Network men, two of them senior leaders in both Haqqani and the Afghan Taliban. Later in the day two Taliban leaders were killed during a clash with security forces.

In the north (Balkh province) seven American soldiers were wounded at an Afghan military base outside the city of Mazar-e-Sharif. The shooter was an Afghan soldier, who was shot dead. This is the second such incident in the last week. The other one took place on the 11th in a base in eastern Afghanistan (Nangarhar province) that left three U.S. troops dead and one wounded. That makes eight American military personnel killed in the first half of 2017. In all of 2016 14 died compared to 22 in 2015 and 55 in 2014, the first year since 2006 that American deaths in Afghanistan were less than a hundred a year.
Whakatane District Council is looking at introducing Maori wards before the next local government elections in October 2019.

The councils Policy committee is looking at introducing Maori wards as a way of promoting greater Maori involvement in decision making.

The committee received a report on electoral arrangements at its meeting last week, with councillors supporting the retention of a first past the post (FPP) system in 2019, in preference to the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system.

Councillors also agreed to pursue further investigations on the possibility of introducing Maori Wards and gather feedback from Iwi following a wide-ranging discussion on ways to promote greater Maori involvement in decision-making, says Whakatane District Council general manager planning, regulatory and corporate services, David Bewley.

The district council will seek comments directly from key stakeholders and will also promote feedback via its social media channels. A report summarising the viewpoints presented will be presented to the Policy Committee later this year.

The Bay of Plenty Regional council has three Maori constituencies since 2001, the result of a request by Maori for direct representation. It took a law change and strong public support.

Tauranga City Councillors last knocked back a Maori request for council representation in November 2014, after being requested to do so by the city councils Tangata Whenua Committee. The next request will be made in 2020.

At the time Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby says current good relations are a reason why there shouldnt be a Maori seat, and he believes it would damage the current relationship and represent a big step backwards.

Councils are required under the Local Government Act to establish and maintain processes providing opportunities for Maori to contribute to the councils decision making processes.

2014 was also the year then New Plymouth mayor Andrew Judd tried to introduce a Maori ward seat in New Plymouth. It created a community backlash and Andrew retired from politics in 2016.

Andrews call for a Maori ward was supported by then Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor Doug Owens who claims opposition to them is political prejudice.

In an open letter published at the time he says Maori wards had become an issue of political prejudice as parties vie for the prejudice vote against Maori and their declared and accepted right to self-determination, as a culture and an indigenous people.

The essential advantage of direct representation via a ward system is the pragmatic solution to a profound political problem, that being an indifferent electorate having no interest in Maori and no guaranteed election of Maori and therefore continued poor communication and misunderstanding.

On the BOP Regional Council Doug says the three Maori wards have given way to greater tolerance and understanding of Maori issues and these relationships have grown and deepened as a result of Maori representation at the top table.

The lack of Maori or other city ethnicities on Tauranga City council is blamed on the ward system imposed by the Local Government Commission.

On the current 11 member council, ward councillors outnumber those voted in at large, 6:5. Six ward councillors, four at-large councillors and one mayor. It means each ratepayer can vote for only the four at large seats and the two seats in each ward. There are four council seats that each voter cannot cast a vote for.

At large council seats represent a golden opportunity for Maori and other minority groups to put up suitable candidates for election with a good chance of success, says Mount Maunganui resident Rob Paterson. The former lawyer was speaking on April 2016 on his appeal against the ward system.

Good candidates would stand a very good chance of being elected if all the seats were at large.

This would also address the calls for race based representation or race based electoral seats on councils.
The BayTrust rescue helicopter and the Waikato Westpac rescue helicopter were both dispatched to a serious crash on State Highway 38, near Murupara, at around 6.50am.

Two vehicles had been involved in a crash, with one vehicle rolling several times.

One person was trapped inside the vehicle and was freed by a fire rescue crew, the other person was ejected from the vehicle.

The Rotorua-based BayTrust rescue helicopter transported a 19-year-old woman in a serious condition to Waikato Hospital.

The other occupant, a man with multiple injuries, was transported to Waikato Hospital by the Waikato Westpac rescue helicopter.
As an increasing number of smart speakers make their way into homes, more concerns are being raised about the devices' "always listening" capabilities. But it seems the feature could have potentially saved a life by alerting authorities to an incident of domestic violence.

According to ABC News, Eduardo Barros was house-sitting with his girlfriend and her daughter at a residence in Tijeras, New Mexico when the couple got into an argument that turned violent. He allegedly drew a firearm and threatened to kill his partner, but a phrase that was misheard by the smart speaker could have averted a tragedy.

Bernalillo County Sheriff Department spokesperson Deputy Felicia Romero says that when Barros asked "did you call the sheriffs?" the device interpreted this as a command to call 911. The operator heard what was happening in the background and sent law enforcement teams to the residence. Following many hours of negotiations, Barros was taken into custody.

While Barros's girlfriend was injured, she did not require a visit to the hospital. Her daughter was unharmed. "The unexpected use of this new technology to contact emergency services has possibly helped save a life," Sheriff Manuel Gonzales III said in a statement.

It still isn't clear which brand of home speaker called the emergency services. And as Barros was house-sitting at the time, there's a chance he might not have known it was even there. But this is definitely an instance where the AI mistaking conversations for a voice command was a good thing.

Barros is facing charges of possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon, aggravated battery against a household member, aggravated assault against a household member, and false imprisonment.

Back in March, a defendant in a murder case gave police permission to search the audio recordings on his Amazon Echo after the tech giant initially refused to hand it over.
Following his meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at Germany's G20 Summit, Donald Trump sent out a Tweet on Sunday revealing he had discussed forming an "impenetrable" joint cyber security unit with Russia to prevent "election hacking." But just a few hours later, he appeared to backtrack on his statement.

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded," Trump wrote. The message came as quite a surprise, given the mounting evidence that Russian-backed hackers attempted to influence last year's US election, and the alleged ties between Trump's campaign and Russia.

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded.. --- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

The tweet drew criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans. "It's not the dumbest idea I have ever heard, but it's pretty close," Senator Lindsey Graham (R - South Carolina) told NBC's Meet the Press program. Republican Senator Marco Rubio also offered his opinion on Twitter.

Partnering with Putin on a "Cyber Security Unit" is akin to partnering with Assad on a "Chemical Weapons Unit". 2/3 --- Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 9, 2017

"If that's our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow," said Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

But those in Trump's administration jumped to the President's defense. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said a dialogue between the two countries is important to "assure the American people that interference in our elections will not occur by Russia or anyone else."

But around 13 hours after sending out the Tweet, Trump appeared to change his position. "The fact that President Putin and I discussed a cybersecurity unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't," he tweeted, adding that an agreement with Russia for a ceasefire in Syria "can & did" happen.

The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't-but a ceasefire can,& did! --- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

A leaked NSA report from last month revealed that Russian hackers targeted a voting software firm days before the US election. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied trying to influence the election process, though Putin did say "patriotic hackers" may have tried to meddle with the system.
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., July 10, 2017 -- Building on its multi-year commitment to attract talented young professionals to the automotive service industry, Federal-Mogul Motorparts today awarded 12 $2,500 (USD) tuition scholarships on behalf of its Garage Gurus technical education network to students enrolled in accredited post-secondary automotive technology schools. With this latest round of scholarship awards for the 2017-2018 academic year, the company has awarded $90,000 in tuition support to future automotive service professionals over the last three years.

"Automotive service is a fast-paced, technology-intensive career that is ideal for anyone who likes to solve problems and work with their hands," said Brent Berman, director, training and consumer experience, Federal-Mogul Motorparts. "Our Garage Gurus scholarships are opening doors to young men and women who want to become skilled technicians and perhaps even operate their own automotive businesses in the years ahead."

Students who will receive Garage Gurus scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year are:

Andrew Adams , Carthage, Mo. , Pittsburg State University

Blake Chambers , Springfield, Mo. , Pittsburg State University

Anastacia Clough , North Richland, Texas , Eastfield Community College

Ian Michael Fisher , Gladstone, Mich. , Bay de Noc Community College

Brittany Florin , Maple Grove, Minn. , Dakota County Technical College

Antoinette Jackson , Port Jefferson Station, N.Y. , Suffolk County Community College

Harley McDowell , Wisconsin Dells, Wis. , Madison Area Technical College

Nicholas McSpedon , East Berne, N.Y. , Hudson Valley Community College

Roy Padron , North Hollywood, Calif. , Los Angeles Trade Technical College

Thalia Rosa , Reading, Pa. , Automotive Training Center

Lorenzo Vilches , Borrego Springs, Calif. , Cuyamaca College

Jacob Zelasko , Elma, N.Y. , Erie Community College

"This scholarship allows me to start collecting tools and supplies that in the long run will help advance my career," said recipient Roy Padron, who plans to specialize in diesel engine diagnostics.

Automotive service is one of several skilled trades facing a shortage of incoming professionals needed to address business growth and worker retirement. To help alleviate these shortages, the U.S. Department of Labor was recently ordered to create industry-recognized apprenticeship programs, including determining how third parties such as non-profit organizations and unions can provide recognition to apprenticeship programs, which are currently prohibited by law.



To meet this continuing need, the Garage Gurus scholarship program was established in 2015 to serve as an investment in the future of local automotive service businesses and their employees, and specifically to the next generation of talented, highly trained professionals who will help keep millions of vehicles in road-ready condition. As further demonstration of its commitment to training initiatives throughout the United States, Federal-Mogul Motorparts has for the last two years contributed to the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity that rewards people with a passion to get trained for skilled jobs, challenging the persistent belief that a four-year degree is automatically the best path for the most people.



Details about the Garage Gurus' expanded scholarship program for 2018-2019 will be announced at a later date. To learn more about the current scholarship program and Garage Gurus network, please visit www.FMgaragegurus.com or call 888-771-6005.

About Garage Gurus

Garage Gurus is a major "Tech First" initiative from Federal-Mogul Motorparts that's exclusively designed with the tech in mind - providing the most comprehensive program of support tools in the industry. Offering onsite, online and on-demand instruction, Garage Gurus is a first-of-its-kind national training platform designed to help front-line automotive service professionals keep pace with the latest vehicle technologies. State-of-the-art Garage Gurus technical education centers are now in operation in 12 U.S. markets  Atlanta; Baltimore; Boston; the Bronx, N.Y.; Chicago; Dallas/Fort Worth; Houston; Rancho Dominguez, Calif.; South Florida; St. Louis; Suburban Detroit; and Van Nuys, Calif.

About Federal-Mogul

Federal-Mogul LLC is a leading global supplier of products and services to the world's manufacturers and servicers of vehicles and equipment in the automotive, light, medium and heavy-duty commercial, marine, rail, aerospace, power generation and industrial markets. The company's products and services enable improved fuel economy, reduced emissions and enhanced vehicle safety.



Federal-Mogul operates two independent business divisions, each with a chief executive officer reporting to Federal-Mogul's Board of Directors.



Federal-Mogul Motorparts sells and distributes a broad portfolio of products through more than 20 of the world's most recognized brands in the global vehicle aftermarket, while also serving original equipment vehicle manufacturers with products including braking, wipers and a range of chassis components. The company's aftermarket brands include ANCO wipers; Beck/Arnley premium OE quality parts and fluids; BERU* ignition systems; Champion lighting, spark plugs, wipers and filters; Interfil filters; AE, Fel-Pro, FP Diesel, Goetze, Glyco, Nural, Payen and Sealed Power engine products; MOOG chassis components; and Ferodo, Jurid and Wagner brake products and lighting.

Federal-Mogul Powertrain designs and manufactures original equipment powertrain components and systems protection products for automotive, heavy-duty, industrial and transport applications.



Federal-Mogul was founded in Detroit in 1899 and maintains its worldwide headquarters in Southfield, Michigan. The company employs nearly 53,000 in 24 countries. For more information, please visit www.FMMotorparts.com.

*BERU is a registered trademark of BorgWarner Ludwigsburg GmbH
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. Mobile Services Limited , Vodafone Magyarorszag Mobile Tavkozlesi Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Vodafone Malta Limited, Vodafone Marketing UK , Vodafone Maroc SARL, Vodafone Mauritius Ltd., Vodafone Mobile Commerce Limited, Vodafone Mobile Communications Limited, Vodafone Mobile Enterprises Limited, Vodafone Mobile NZ Limited, Vodafone Mobile Network Limited, Vodafone Mobile Operations Limited, Vodafone Mobile Services Limited, Vodafone Multimedia Limited, Vodafone Nederland Holding I B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding II B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding III B.V., Vodafone Net Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Network Pty Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Foundation Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Limited, Vodafone Next Generation Services Limited, Vodafone Nominees Limited1, Vodafone ONO S.A.U., Vodafone Oceania Limited, Vodafone Old Show Ground Site Management Limited, Vodafone Overseas Finance Limited, Vodafone Overseas Holdings Limited, Vodafone Panafon International Holdings B.V., Vodafone Panafon UK, Vodafone Partner Services Limited, Vodafone Payment Solutions S.a r.l., Vodafone Portugal  Comunicacoes Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Procurement Company S.a r.l., Vodafone Property Investments Limited, Vodafone Pty Limited, Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C., Vodafone Retail (Holdings) Limited , Vodafone Retail Limited, Vodafone Roaming Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Romania S.A, Vodafone Romania M - Payments SRL, Vodafone Romania Technologies SRL, Vodafone Sales & Services Limited, Vodafone Satellite Services Limited, Vodafone Servicios SL.U, Vodafone Servizi E Tecnologie S.R.L, Vodafone Servicos Empresariais Brasil Ltda., Vodafone Shared Services Romania SRL, Vodafone Specialist Communications Limited, Vodafone Stiftung Deutschland Gemeinnutzige GmbH, Vodafone Technology Solutions Limited, Vodafone Teknoloji Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Tele-Services (India) Holdings Limited, Vodafone Telecel-Comunicates Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Telecommunications (India) Limited, Vodafone Telekomunikasyon A.S, Vodafone Towers Limited, Vodafone UK Content Services Limited, Vodafone UK Investments Limited , Vodafone UK Limited1 , Vodafone US Inc, Vodafone Ventures Limited1 , Vodafone Vierte Verwaltungs AG, Vodafone Worldwide Holdings Limited, Vodafone Yen Finance Limited , Vodafone m-pesa Limited, Vodafone-Central Limited Vodaphone Limited, Vodafone-Panafon Hellenic Telecommunications Company S.A., VodafoneZiggo Group Holding B.V, Vodata Limited , Vouchercloud SA (Pty) Ltd, Wataneya Telecommunications S.A.E, Waterberg Lodge (Proprietary) Limited, Wayfinder, Wheatfields Investments 276 (Proprietary) Limited, Wireless Interactions & NFC Accelerator 2013 B.V., Woodend Cellular Limited, Woodend Communications Limited, Woodend Group Limited, Woodend Holdings Limited, XB Facilities B.V, XLink Communications (Proprietary) Limited, Your Communications Group Limited, ZUM B.V., ZYB, Zelitron S.A., Zesko B.V., Ziggo B.V., Ziggo Bond Company B.V., Ziggo Deelnemingen B.V., Ziggo Finance 2 B.V., Ziggo Financing Partnership, Ziggo Holding B.V., Ziggo Netwerk B.V., Ziggo Netwerk II B.V., Ziggo Services B.V., Ziggo Services Employment B.V., Ziggo Services Netwerk 2 B.V., Ziggo Zakelijk Services B.V., and Zoranet Connectivity Services B.V..

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Energizer Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, and distributes household batteries, specialty batteries, and lighting products worldwide. It offers lithium, alkaline, carbon zinc, nickel metal hydride, zinc air, and silver oxide batteries under the Energizer and Eveready brands, as well as primary, rechargeable, specialty, and hearing aid batteries. The company also provides headlights, lanterns, and children's and area lights, as well as flash lights under the Energizer, Eveready, Rayovac, Hard Case, Dolphin, Varta, and WeatherReady brands. In addition, it licenses the Energizer and Eveready brands to companies developing consumer solutions in gaming, automotive batteries, portable power for critical devices, LED light bulbs, generators, power tools, household light bulbs, and other lighting products. Further, the company designs and markets automotive fragrance and appearance products, including protectants, wipes, tire and wheel care products, glass cleaners, leather care products, air fresheners, and washes to clean, shine, refresh, and protect interior and exterior automobile surfaces under the brand names of Armor All, Nu Finish, Refresh Your Car!, LEXOL, Eagle One, California Scents, Driven, and Bahama & Co; STP branded fuel and oil additives, functional fluids, and other performance chemical products; and do-it-yourself automotive air conditioning recharge products under the A/C PRO brand name, as well as other refrigerant and recharge kits, sealants, and accessories. It sells its products through direct sales force, distributors, and wholesalers; and through various retail and business-to-business channels, including mass merchandisers, club, electronics, food, home improvement, dollar store, auto, drug, hardware, e-commerce, convenience, sporting goods, hobby/craft, office, industrial, medical, and catalog. Energizer Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Nabors Industries Ltd. provides drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells. The company operates through five segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. It provides tubular running, wellbore placement, directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (MWD), equipment manufacturing, and rig instrumentation services; and logging-while-drilling systems and services, as well as drilling optimization software. The company also offers REVit, an automated real time stick-slip mitigation system; ROCKit, a directional steering control system; SmartNAV, a collaborative guidance and advisory platform; SmartSLIDE, an advanced directional steering control system; and RigCLOUD, which provides the tools and infrastructure to integrate applications to deliver real-time insight into operations across the rig fleet. In addition, it manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and other drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools; and provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment. As of December 31, 2021, the company marketed approximately 301 rigs for land-based drilling operations in the United States, Canada, and in 20 other countries worldwide; and 29 rigs for offshore platform drilling operations in the United States and internationally. Nabors Industries Ltd. was founded in 1952 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.
If you soon find yourself in a more money-spending mood while shopping at Target, that might be no coincidence. More of the chains branches are being outfitted with audio systems and specially curated music to shop by.

Thats right: Muzak is back.

Actually, it never left. The big difference nowadays is that the musical manipulation of consumers behaviour is both more entertaining and presumably more effective.

Oh, and its no longer Muzak, which many people might associate with perky renditions of Girl From Ipanema while riding an elevator. The firm was acquired in 2011 by Texas Mood Media and the audio service was rechristened with that companys moniker.

Mood was subsequently purchased by the private equity firms Apollo Global Management and GSO Capital Partners. That deal closed last month.

Danny Turner, Moods senior vice-president of programming and production, told me that playlists of popular music  as opposed to the generic instrumentals of Muzak past  are now a crucial aspect of differentiating a business in the eyes of consumers.

Major brands realize that to move forward, these positive, emotional connections have to be made  and theres no better way to do that than music, he said.

Muzak, which debuted in 1934, was based on the idea that a catchy soundtrack can put consumers in a shopping state of mind. The company also tinkered with stranger ways that background sounds might influence peoples behaviour.

In the 1940s, Muzak introduced what it called stimulus progression, which was intended to boost office workers productivity by exposing them to instrumental arrangements that gradually increased in tone and tempo over 15-minute cycles. It sold variations of the service to workplaces for decades.

Turner, a former programming executive at XM Satellite Radio (now SiriusXM), called stimulus progression musical voodoo and said the service was really bizarre.

Its almost an intimation that music is being used for nefarious reasons, he said.

As opposed to unapologetically corporate reasons. Mood says it reaches more than 150 million consumers daily in over 100 countries. U.S. clients include McDonalds, CVS, Whole Foods and Marriott.

An influential 1982 study on supermarket shoppers published in the Journal of Marketing concluded that the tempo of instrumental background music can significantly influence both the pace of in-store traffic flow and the daily gross sales volume purchased by customers.

Interestingly, the study found that the higher sales volumes were consistently associated with the slower tempo musical selections while in contrast, the lower sales figures were consistently associated with the faster tempo music.

It attributed the phenomena to the fact that as customers move more slowly through the store, they tend to buy more.

A 1990 study in the Journal of Consumer Marketing determined that age is a factor.

It found that younger shoppers are cool with music playing loudly in the foreground, whereas older shoppers prefer their tunes playing more softly in the background.

These days, the emphasis seems to be on providing customers with a pleasing, comfortable environment  think iTunes without the earbuds. What people want are bespoke experiences, Turner said.

Target began fiddling with the concept in 2011 in a couple of its Minnesota stores. Kristy Welker, a company spokesperson, told me that this represented a complete change for the retail chain.

For years and years, she said, we wanted a distraction-free shopping experience. Then we heard from guests who said they liked the music in our commercials.

The Minnesota tests inspired Target to introduce music to more of its stores during construction or remodelling.

For example, when a new Target opened in downtown Los Angeles in 2012, it came equipped with an audio system. This was also the case with outlets that opened recently in Southern California.

Welker said the companys main request to Mood, which is providing the chains playlists, is for tunes that are upbeat, as befitting the companys playful branding.

Turner said he and the dozens of DJs who work with him try to do a deep dive into the DNA of the brand when compiling an acoustical portrait of a particular business.

Its apparently harder than it seems. While you dont have to be a marketing genius to realize that Elton Johns Funeral for a Friend might not be a great retail choice, Turner said he and his team go through a variety of permutations before finding that just-right mix for companies.

He declined to discuss specific clients, but he offered the example of a time he and his family stopped by a branch of a major sandwich chain.

The store had a digital jukebox that allowed customers to select songs and someone had picked the hard-rocking Master of Puppets from Metallica.

Dont get me wrong, Im a huge fan of Metallica, Turner said. Still, hearing Master of Puppets while enjoying a tuna salad and some sea-salt chips isnt necessarily the best experience.

If hed been calling the shots, Turner added, the sandwich shop would have been playing a collection of uptempo songs from the 80s, 90s and 2000s, including a certain feel-good ditty from Pharrell  musical selections more befitting of the chains family-friendly vibe.

Mood says its clients pay anywhere from $25 to $50 monthly per store for personalized playlists. That made me wonder if the company formerly known as Muzak would ever offer a streaming consumer service to compete with the likes of Spotify and Pandora. It seems like a natural extension of the brand.

Turner said I might be on to something. I figure my brainstorm is good for at least a 10-per-cent finders fee.

As the Pet Shop Boys put it: Ive got the brains, youve got the looks. Lets make lots of money.

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Blame the leggings and the yoga pants.

Americans are buying fewer pairs of jeans these days  and when they are, theyre not spending as much as they once did.

Exhibit A: True Religion, which after years of declining sales, filed for bankruptcy protection this week and announced it would be closing at least 27 stores. A decade ago, the brand was riding high, commanding hundreds of dollars a pair for jeans with the companys signature horseshoes embroidered onto the back pockets. Business nearly tripled between 2007 and 2012, and by 2013, True Religion had annual revenue of $490 million.

But that growth has reversed in recent years. Sales of super premium jeans  brands like 7 For All Mankind, True Religion, Joes Jeans and Hudson  fell 8 per cent last year, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. Overall, jeans sales grew slightly in 2016 after two years of declines, as Americans traded down to lower-priced brands like Levis, H&M and Forever 21.

The premium denim market has been in decline over the last several years, Dalibor Snyder, True Religions chief financial officer, wrote in a document filed Wednesday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. Competition has also increased from emerging and established fast fashion and low-priced apparel retailers.

Instead, buys are increasingly filling their closets with yoga pants and leggings, which theyre wearing not just to the gym, but also to run errands and meet up with friends. True Religions $319 skinny jeans have been replaced by Lululemons $98 yoga pants.

Designer denim took off in the early 2000s, during an era marked by large, flashy logos. True Religion, founded in 2002 in Manhattan Beach, Calif., was among the first to cash in on the wave of premium jeans, with its lineup of funky designs and washes. (Rock & Republic, which filed for bankruptcy in 2010, and Hudson Jeans were founded the same year.)

Back then, $100 for a pair of jeans seemed exorbitant, said Camilo Lyon, a retail analyst for Canaccord Genuity. But all of a sudden people were paying $150, then $250 and $350. There was a rapid escalation in pricing, and consumers were willing to pay.

True Religion continued to grow during the recession, thanks in part to celebrities like Britney Spears, Kanye West and Mariah Carey, who were routinely photographed wearing the brands jeans.

But by late 2012, the outlook had begun to sour. Competition was up and demand was down. True Religion put itself up for sale, and found a buyer in TowerBrook Capital Partners, a private-equity firm that paid $835 million for the company. Sales have continued to slip. Last year, True Religion reported revenue of $370 million, a 25 per cent drop from 2013, and a loss of $78.5 million.

Today, shoppers are more likely to favour low- or moderately-priced jeans without large logos and decals, according to Euromonitor. A move away from obvious logos also means its becoming more difficult to distinguish between the high-end jeans and inexpensive ones.

Levis  where jeans generally range from about $45 to $90  continues to be the most popular jeans brand among male consumers, while women tend to favour denim from economy brands like H&M, Old Navy and Forever 21, as well as private label brands from Walmart and Target, according to Euromonitor. (Economy jeans made up 39 per cent of womens denim purchases last year, compared to 9 per cent for super premium jeans, Euromonitor found.)

I dont think this one is rocket science: The luxury jeans market is getting smaller and will continue to do so, said Paula Rosenblum, managing partner of Retail Systems Research in Miami. Why would you spend $300 on ripped jeans, especially if you can get the same thing for $60?

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NEW YORKJawbone Inc. is liquidating, though its chief executive officer is starting again with a company that moves out of the fitness-tracker business in favour of health-related products, an area that deeper-pocketed rivals also are entering.

Founded in 1999, Jawbone was once a darling of Silicon Valley and regarded as a pioneer in wearable technology. Yet the company missed payments, had manufacturing issues that led to refunds for its fitness device and cut employees, despite raising multiple rounds of funds over a span of more than a decade. The closely held company also struggled against bigger competition that moved into the wearables market.

Now Jawbone is going out of business and investors, including BlackRock Inc. and the Kuwait Investment Authority, are tallying losses from more than $900 million (U.S.) in equity and debt funding the fitness gear maker raised over the years.

For his part, CEO Hosain Rahman has founded Jawbone Health Hub, according to people familiar with the matter. Many Jawbone employees are moving to the new company, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the issue is private. The Information first reported the news Thursday.

Read more:

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The liquidation comes after multiple strategic changes and failures. Last year, Jawbone put its wireless speaker business up for sale to focus on health and wearables. It also ended production of fitness trackers and sold its remaining inventory to a third-party reseller. Last January, the company raised $165 million from lead investor Kuwait Investment Authority at about half its 2014 valuation of $3.2 billion, according to Pitchbook Data Inc.

Jawbone has also been locked in legal battles with Fitbit Inc. since May 2015, when Jawbone accused Fitbit in a lawsuit of plundering employees and critical proprietary information. The biggest asset left in the company is the remaining litigation against Fitbit, from which Jawbone thinks it can generate returns back to its creditors, one of the people said.

The company has been working for several months to focus on health care. Though analysts say working on health-related products and services is a step in the right direction as general fitness trackers become commonplace, theres skepticism as to whether the company can succeed, given the similar direction from rivals like Fitbit and Apple Inc.

Fitbit is looking to eventually deliver consumer subscriptions that predict health outcomes to move beyond hardware and into a recurring revenue stream, though this strategy is likely three to five years out, said Joe Wittine, an analyst at Longbow Research.

These companies have all realized Heck, we need to move on beyond just offering a bunch of data and offer some form of additional intelligence. If we identify some abnormality in your heart rate, would people be willing to pay for that service? If its enterprise grade, you bet, Wittine said.

Jawbone Health Hub could sell its future device to insurers, hospitals, and employers, according to Jitesh Ubrani, an analyst at IDC. The company would have to invest heavily in research and development to develop medical-grade devices that could measure important health indicators like oxygen level or blood glucose levels, he said.

Its a nail in the coffin for the way we know Jawbone today, Ubrani said. Well probably know them very differently going forward. Within the medical industry they might be recognized but not by the consumer.

A once prized investment, Jawbone attracted investors such as Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and Khosla Ventures. Originally the company made namesake Bluetooth headsets and later diversified into portable speakers  the Jambox  and UP fitness bands. While initially popular, having won plaudits for design and functionality, the company was often plagued by costly manufacturing problems and was sometimes forced to offer customers refunds.

Jawbone also found it difficult to compete with Fitbit, Apple and cheaper devices from China, and ultimately faced job cuts, product delays and executive flight. Having raised some $900 million in equity and convertible debt funding, the liquidation will likely wipe out equity held by investors, meaning big losses.

BlackRock, which lent Jawbone $300 million in 2015, marked down the value of debt it held in the company by almost 98 per cent, according to a July 5 filing. Blackrock also holds a stake in the new firm, Jawbone Health, the filing shows.

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LOS ANGELESA court commissioner has granted Rob Kardashians ex-fiancee Blac Chyna a temporary restraining order against the reality television star.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner James E. Blancarte issued the order Monday pending a hearing set for Aug. 8. Blancarte did not detail what the restraining order restrictions would entail at a brief hearing.

He said his primary concern was Kardashian and Chynas infant baby.

Chyna sought a temporary restraining order on Monday, less than a week after Kardashian posted explicit images of her and attacked her online in posts on Instagram and Twitter. Her attorney Lisa Bloom has accused Kardashian of cyber bullying.

Read more:What Rob Kardashian did to Blac Chyna on Instagram may be revenge porn  and illegal

The posts got Kardashians Instagram account shut down, but he continued his attacks on Twitter. The posts became a worldwide trending topic.

Kardashian did not appear at Mondays hearing. His lawyer Robert Shapiro apologized on his clients behalf outside the courthouse.

With her attorney Lisa Bloom by her side, Blac Chyna broke her silence on her ex-fiance Robert Kardashian in an exclusive interview with ABC News.

On Monday, the first part of their interview aired on Good Morning America, with Chyna, 29, claiming she felt devastated after Kardashian, 30, attacked his ex- fiancee on Wednesday by posting graphic nude photos of her on social media.

Im like, how could somebody, like, post these pictures of me? Chyna, whose given name is Angela White, told ABC News. Like, this is a person that I trusted. I felt...betrayed.

Chyna admitted to sending Kardashian a video of her with another man, claiming they split in December.

Its like, if somebody keeps poking at you and poking at you and poking at you, and keep poking at you, eventually youre going to pop, Chyna said. I was just like, Maybe if I send this video to him, then hell just leave me alone.

Bloom, the womens rights attorney best known recently for representing Kathy Griffin and accusers of Bill Cosby and Donald Trump, confirmed that shed be taking legal action against Kardashian.

Here in California, its a crime, its a civil wrong, Bloom said about Kardashians explicit posts. Its also domestic abuse, which allows us to go in immediately and get domestic violence restraining orders to protect Chyna.

Posting intimate photos and videos of another without their consent is known as revenge porn, and has been illegal in California since September 2014. But legal experts say it can be a difficult crime to prosecute, and the law allows victims to file civil suits to collect money damages.

Chyna said it was very hurtful that none of the Kardashians reached out to her in the wake of the drama, disputing her ex-fiances comments that she used their engagement solely for fame.

Kardashian and Chyna announced their engagement in April 2016 and starred in an E! reality show about their relationship.

Their daughter, Dream, was born last November. The couple split up a month later.

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A 70-year-old woman takes six Percocet pills a day to control her arthritis. Yes, she may be dependent on opioids. But those pills allow her to live her most active life  going out to meet friends for coffee, enjoying her grandchildren and indulging her love of cooking.

Many believe opioid addiction is a crisis, and theres no question the problem is heartbreaking. As a pain specialist, I see it up close every day, and I wont downplay the role doctors have played in the mismanagement of people that we were trying to help. Many believed that opioids like OxyContin would be effective long-term, so they were widely prescribed for chronic conditions like back pain.

But as medical authorities react to the crisis by imposing strict restrictions on opioid prescribing, the challenge is to avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Theres still a place for opioids  even in managing chronic pain  for some people some of the time.

That 70-year old woman is a poster child for the responsible use of opioids to manage chronic pain. First, and most importantly, she has been on the same prescription for years, never asking for higher doses. Like two-thirds of people, she doesnt get a rush of euphoria from the pills.

If someone is coming back to me every few weeks asking for a higher prescription, I know were going to have a problem. There are new guidelines on safe dosing (for example, keeping prescriptions under 90 mgs a day), and these should clarify for patients the path forward right from the start. But physicians need to recognize the red flags associated with early misuse of opioids.

For example, do you have underlying issues making you more susceptible to addiction? Our poster patient has no history of depression or anxiety, or substance abuse of any kind, nor do any of her close family members. Its important to maximize nonopioid strategies and monitor for opioid misuse in people who have a personal or family history of addiction. If youre considering opioids to manage pain, discuss your personal and family history with your doctor.

And finally, our sample patients attitude toward the pain is realistic. She doesnt expect a drug to take away all of her pain all of the time. Like everyone, she deserves to live with as little pain as possible. But unfortunately, its a myth that doctors can take away all pain in all cases.

For acute or moderate-to-severe pain, opioids continue to be important medications, however even in our 70-year old arthritis patient, they should not be the first treatment tried.

The first step to managing pain is to create a nonopioid pain plan targeted toward the specific type of pain. Anti-inflammatories usually work on arthritis. For nerve pain, theres very good evidence that specific anticonvulsants (pregabalin and gabapentin) work better than opioids, but not all family doctors start with these.

Theres a difference between how much pain you objectively feel, and how much youre bothered by it  and both are crucial to living well with chronic pain. With opioid addiction, there are usually underlying issues such as anxiety, depression, or a history of abuse that make the experience of pain worse. Its amazing how much a simple antidepressant medication can help people with pain. I work with mental health providers to ensure that these issues are identified and treated.

Mindfulness meditation, offered by many hospitals, is also a crucial tool that should be in everybodys arsenal, whether theyre trying to manage pain without opioids or weaning off them. Clinical psychologists at my hospital developed a version of this powerful practice that specifically helps people withdraw from opioids. Its called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. We found that patients who used this therapy reduced their opioid use more than those who didnt use it, had pain interfere less with their life  and were less depressed.

There are many ways to ease pain, and most are great for your overall health: Physiotherapy, swimming, acqua-therapy, and breathing exercises, acupuncture and massage. Holistic therapies increase your bodys pain-fighting endorphin hormones, and stimulate a pain-control area in your nervous system called the endocannabinoid system.

If money is tight, its worth exploring student massage clinics and community acupuncture, which offer affordable and sliding scale treatments. They are easy to find in Toronto through a simple Internet search. Workplace benefits can be used for physiotherapy, and mindfulness meditation is sometimes reimbursed by OHIP with a doctors note.

Responsible pain regimens can continue to include opioids, but only after careful consideration. And there should always be an exit plan for opioids discussed before you take your first pill.

If you are currently functioning well on your safe dose of opioid medication, your primary care physician should not be weaning you from a medication which is helping you to live your life. If however youre on high levels of opioids (more than 200  300 mgs a day) for chronic, non-cancer pain, you need an effective and humane plan to gradually reduce your use while maintaining your level of functioning. You should experiment with more holistic ways to deal with your pain and any of the underlying issues that led to such heavy use. Its a time-consuming process that can be hard emotionally and physically, but many patients feel very grateful once they achieve a new balance in their life.

Dr. Clarke is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicines Department of Anesthesia, and serves as Director of Pain Services at the Toronto General Hospital. Doctors Notes is a weekly column by members of the U of T Faculty of Medicine. Email doctorsnotes@thestar.ca

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The Canadian governments breach-of-rights settlement with Omar Khadr is far from unprecedented, but its public apology to the former Guantanamo Bay prisoner sets Canada apart from other countries whose citizens were held at the infamous U.S. prison, an international human rights group said Monday.

The settlement  sources say Khadr was paid $10.5 million  echoes deals reached years ago by the governments of the United Kingdom and Australia, who also spent millions settling lawsuits.

However, Laura Pitter with Human Rights Watch said Canada had gone further than other countries by publicly acknowledging wrongdoing.

Read more:

Omar Khadr fact check paints a clearer picture of the case and the incident underlying it

Opposition to Omar Khadrs settlement is puzzling and cynical: Paradkar

Khadr apology, settlement based on violation of charter rights, Trudeau says

Its really important that Canada took the additional step of publicly apologizing to him, Pitter said Monday from New York. Canadas action here really sets an example.

Britain reportedly paid millions to several of its citizens detained at Guantanamo Bay but offered no apologies. One of the highest profile was Moazzam Begg, who along with seven others, had accused the U.K. and its intelligence agencies of complicity in their abduction, mistreatment and interrogation.

In November 2010, the U.K. government announced a settlement with Begg and 15 others, despite insisting British agents had not participated directly in any prisoner abuse. Officially, the settlement was made to avoid publication of sensitive documents related to Britains co-operation with the U.S. on the transfer of terror suspects to various secret locations and to Guantanamo.

The British deal was reported to be worth 20 million pounds  about $30 million at the time. Then-justice secretary Kenneth Clarke noted it could have cost taxpayers more than double had it gone to court.

Announcing the Khadr deal on Friday, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould made a similar observation in light of the government having already spent $5 million defending the litigation.

I hope Canadians take away two things today: First, our rights are not subject to the whims of the government of the day, Wilson-Raybould said. Second, there are serious costs when the government violates the rights of its citizens.

In a similar case, suspected terrorist Mamdouh Habib reached a confidential settlement with the Australian government in 2010.

Arrested in Pakistan after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States and taken to Egypt, where he was tortured for seven months, Habib was transferred to Guantanamo Bay in May 2002. The Americans released him without charge in January 2005.

Habib sued the Canberra government for alleged complicity with the CIA in his transfer and torture. Despite denying the allegations, the government settled. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the hushed-up settlement followed evidence an Australian official had watched Habibs torture at Gitmo.

Pitter noted that the United States has never paid compensation to any of its former captives.

The U.S., who is most responsible for the mistreatment of Khadr, has not done anything to provide him redress or redress to any of the scores of men who were unlawfully detained and tortured at Guantanamo and elsewhere since 9/11, Pitter said.

An inquiry in the U.K. found the British government and its intelligence services had indeed been involved in the illegal transfers of detainees, deliberately turned a blind eye to abuses, and had interviewed suspects they knew were being mistreated.

Officers were advised that, faced with apparent breaches of Geneva Convention standards, there was no obligation to intervene, Sir Peter Gibson stated in his report.

In Khadrs case, a key tenet of his claim was that Canadas intelligence agencies had travelled to Guantanamo Bay to interview him in 2003, despite knowing he had been mistreated before their arrival to soften him up. The agents had also agreed to American demands to share information obtained from their interrogations with them.

The Supreme Court of Canada was unequivocal in 2010 in finding a breach of Khadrs charter rights, but the former Conservative government under Stephen Harper refused to demand his repatriation as other western countries had done for their citizens.

As with Canadas deal with Khadr, who pleaded guilty in 2010 to five purported war crimes before a widely criticized military commission, the British settlement ignited a political firestorm. Some argued the state was rewarding people who wanted to destroy it. Others maintained it was the right thing to do given the abuses uncovered.

Our reputation as a country that believes in human rights, justice, fairness and the rule of law  indeed, much of what the services exist to protect  risks being tarnished, then-prime minister David Cameron told parliament in July 2010. Public confidence is being eroded, with people doubting the ability of our services to protect us and questioning the rules under which they operate.

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It was the Tuesday after Victoria Day weekend and high school teacher Jenny Chen was wondering what to tell her class about a terrorist attack that took place in Britain.

A bomb had been detonated at Manchester Arena the night before, killing 22 people, many of them teens. It was all over the news.

Youre having this internal debate. Do I talk about it? Do I not talk about it? Is the school going to talk about it?  said Chen, who has taught in Toronto since 2003.

With high-profile attacks dominating social media and news coverage around the world, Canadas elementary and high school teachers increasingly find themselves addressing students questions, fears and stereotypes about terrorism and violence.

But those are difficult conversations, especially when teachers are trying to inform students without frightening them, or to explain complex political and religious issues in a digestible way, without making generalizations or otherwise hurting kids from varying cultural backgrounds.

Children are exposed to (terrorism) whether they hear about it on TV or from other children . . . or from overhearing adult conversations, said Richard Messina, principal of the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study Laboratory School at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

Its important to provide avenues where we can be reassuring to children and answer any questions they may have, he added.

Chen, who teaches law and civics courses, said she feels comfortable talking to her students about topics like equity, oppression, power and privilege.

But not everybody is, she said, adding that she has received some training from her teachers union on facilitating challenging discussions. The assumption is that every (teacher) comes with those skills and Im not sure that is a fair assumption one can make.

In any given class, there could be students whose families are directly affected by a terrorist attack, Chen said. There could be kids who emigrated from countries where the incident took place, or whose family fled violence in their home country.

Aafia Talib grew up in Canada and now teaches elementary grades at a private school near Washington, D.C.

Im not very religious but I was raised Muslim, so for me its very personal, she said in a phone interview.

Kids will make comments like Oh, Muslims hate us, or Islam is this or that. . . . What theyre saying is what theyre hearing at home, or what theyve heard in the news.

Talib tries to teach her students that terrorism is separate from religion, no matter what the perpetrator says.

With Muslim kids in my class . . . Im very careful to make sure theyre not offended and they dont feel isolated. But I also want other kids to understand that this is not what Islam is.

Sometimes discussions about terrorism fit organically into the curriculum. When Talib teaches her Grade 5 students about the U.S. civil rights movement, or her seventh graders read To Kill a Mockingbird, she uses events like the racially motivated 2015 shooting at a Black church in Charleston, S.C., to offer students a modern context.

We talk about all kinds of people who are impacted by (violence), and about the fact that some people hate people who are different from them, Talib said.

Schools and school boards take different approaches to responding to attacks in the news.

Ryan Bird, a Toronto District School Board spokesperson, said the board has no set procedure for addressing terrorist incidents, but it does post messages on its website after certain high-profile events, like the Manchester bombing or the 2016 Orlando, Fla., nightclub shooting, offering condolences and advising parents how to discuss the incident with their kids.

Within (our) schools, there is no . . . direction to staff to proactively speak with students about the incident, Bird said. However, should students have questions, staff respond in an age-appropriate way, as they would with any tragic event.

The Peel District School Board posts similar letters containing tips for parents on their website. Board spokesperson Carla Pereira said the PDSB will sometimes distribute a standard message for teachers to deliver to their students after a terrorist attack.

Recently, weve sent out fewer messages, as our social work team would suggest this may heighten anxiety and panic for many students, especially those who recently suffered a trauma and who may be vulnerable, she added.

Standard messages could be helpful, Chen said, but individual teachers need to be prepared to field followup questions from their students.

The government, school boards and teachers unions must come together to train teachers, added Chen, who was recently elected to an executive position with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation.

I dont think (discussion) should be the responsibility of an individual teacher, but rather a school coming together and thinking about what would be best, for the children of our school so that everyone feels supported, Messina said.

Im remembering way back when 9/11 happened during the school day, we had an emergency meeting to think about what we were going to say about this, if anything.

For Talib, the main goal of these class discussions is that students dont feel theyre in danger.

The bottom line with kids is to make them feel safe, she said.

We let them know that our school is safe that they are protected.

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As Ontarios police watchdog continues its systemic review of police strip search practices across the province, a Belleville judge has come down strongly on an OPP detachment for failing to follow the law around the controversial practice.

Ontario court Justice Elaine Deluzio stayed impaired driving charges last month against Jillian Judson, who was told by officers to remove her underwire bra, when there were no reasonable grounds to do so, after she was taken to the police station in May 2016.

Deluzio said she was not only concerned with what happened to Judson, but also with the fact that the officers involved testified that they would continue to ask female detainees to remove their bras.

The indifference expressed by both Officers (Amanda) MacFadden and (Janet) Allaire to their obligation as police officers to abide by the legal constraints surrounding strip searches is very concerning, Deluzio wrote.

And the apparent willingness of both officers, and possibly other police officers at Quinte West OPP detachment, to continue with a practice of removing at least every underwire bra worn by female detainees, knowing that this practice, when implemented automatically and without exception towards every female detainee, is illegal, is an egregious abuse of police power.

Strip searching is inherently humiliating and degrading, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in a landmark case 15 years ago, and should only be done when there are reasonable grounds to do so, such as looking for weapons or evidence related to the arrest.

Yet police officers across the province have continued to conduct what judges have deemed to be illegal strip searches, where there were no grounds to have detainees remove their clothes. The illegal searches have resulted in lawsuits against police and criminal cases being tossed.

The situation became so bad that the Office of the Independent Police Review Director announced last July that it was launching a province-wide, systemic review into police strip search practices. The review is ongoing.

Ive had enough, Gerry McNeilly, the independent police director, told the Star last year. There is no regard being given to the rules.

Judsons lawyer, Pieter Kort, said police cannot argue that the law isnt clear around strip searches given the judicial condemnation of police conduct in the past, and again in Deluzios ruling.

The police can no longer take the position that they were unaware of what the law was, he told the Star. Theres no uncertainty now. It cannot be said that theres any question with what the law is with respect to strip searches.

A spokesperson for the Ontario Provincial Police said the force accepts Deluzios ruling and is reviewing it, but that the officers would not be commenting.

Aside from the general training all police officers receive at the Ontario Police College, the OPPs procedures on searches of arrested individuals are also covered regularly in training sessions at the Ontario Provincial Police Academy, said OPP Staff Sgt. Carolle Dionne.

While I cant anticipate the results of the OIPRD review, the OPP will certainly take into account the findings and take the necessary steps to remedy any identified issue(s), she said.

In a sworn statement filed in court, Judson said she was told she had to remove her bra for safety reasons, and said she felt extremely uncomfortable.

Having to be in that state in front of strangers was intensely embarrassing, she said. Having no control over being made to remove personal items or where or how to remove them as a 35-year-old woman was degrading and humiliating.

Officer Amanda MacFadden testified that she has female inmates remove their bras for their safety and ours, and said that in the past shes found objects in underwire bras including bear mace and crack cocaine.

She also testified that she was unaware at the time of her encounter with Judson that asking a woman to remove her bra is a strip search. She said she has since been told by a senior officer that the removal is indeed a strip search, but MacFadden also said she has not changed her practice.

She says that she was taught that the removal of an underwire bra is a normal part of searching someone in police custody and so she still does this, Deluzio wrote. She believes that anyone wearing an underwire bra poses a danger to police.

After removing her bra, Judson entered a room to give breath samples with a white blanket wrapped around her chest area, as shown on video that was presented in court. The readings on the breath samples were 150 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood, nearly double the legal limit, according to the ruling.

The breath tech officer, Janet Allaire, testified that she knew Judson wasnt wearing a bra because she expects that every female prisoner she deals with has removed her bra.

She said she had been trained to have female detainees remove their bras, and was unaware until this case that the removal constituted a strip search.

Officer Allaire said she had not changed her practice, Deluzio wrote. She said she had not been asked to change her practice and she said she is not aware of any new training at the detachment dealing with the searching of female prisoners.

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ALGONQUIN PARKTucked into a jet-black track suit, his neck comfortably swathed in a thick fluffy towel, Paul Walde surveyed the black waters of Canoe Lake early Saturday morning with a look of mild concern.

Its a little windier than I would like, he fretted, observing the choppy ripples rushing onshore from a brisk north wind. A jagged array of grey and black clouds, the leftovers of an overnight thunderstorm that had left most of the region in a blackout, hung heavily overhead.

Walde shrugged. Well, the waters fine  warmer than youd think, he said, and strode briskly off to the nearby beach to stretch.

Not 15 minutes later, Walde, clad in a black triathlon singlet, his head snugged into a black bathing cap, would enter the root beer-coloured water with a goal in mind: To swim its entire length, all the way to the memorial cairn to Tom Thomson at its distant northern tip.

That the beloved painter had died on this very day, drowned in this very lake, 100 years earlier, was of course the point. It had to be today, said Walde, who, at 49, is wiry and boyish. An overnight spate of lighting and a deluge of rain gave pause, but no thought of cancellation.

We were going out there, no matter what.

Waldes regalia indicated as much: His suit, bathing cap, a banner and the nautical flags of an accompanying flotilla of canoes were all festooned with a logo: The Tom Thomson Centennial Swim, slick and bright-blue on a background of black.

On the beach, a troupe of synchronized swimmers, each of them in matching caps and suits with the insignia emblazoned on them, entered the water first. As a canoe-bound brass band began a mournful dirge, the troupe arranged itself in a circle, rotating slowly counter-clockwise. At just before 7 a.m., Walde, goggles in place, slipped into the lake, slicing through the troupe with great ceremony, and began his long front crawl to the other end.

To understand just what Walde was up to, it helps to understand where hes coming from. An artist with a long history of performance, Walde, now a professor at the University of Victoria, has mounted several site-specific projects in recent years, most of them around environmental concerns.

For Alaska Variations, from 2015, he arranged a dance performance, an array of simultaneously boiling kettles and a ski pole outfitted with a record-player needle as different ways of interacting with the surfaces of frozen lakes. In 2013, for his Requiem for a Glacier, Walde trekked a makeshift orchestra of several dozen musicians up to the Farnham Glacier in British Columbia to perform a mournful piece regarding its inevitable demise from global warming.

At Canoe Lake, the symbolism is more loaded, at least culturally. Thomson, a close associate of the Group of Seven, perhaps Canadas most-loved artists, died before the group could be formed. But he remains perhaps its most revered, a status that has made his work both sacrosanct and, in the eyes of many, a symbol of mass-market Canadiana kitsch.

Its really Tom Thomson mania up here, said a toweled-off Walde, post-swim, noting the array of Thomson memorabilia opportunistically displayed at the Portage Store, a large-scale outfitter at the foot of Canoe Lake. (The store had gone so far as to introduce a new series of canoes, painted Tom Thomson green and adorned with his name, for the centennial).

Theres an industry around him  Roots even had a clothing line based on him a few years ago  so were doing that in our own little way. We wanted to dress it up like a sporting event, and brand it.

While he makes clear the swim is not mere homage  its Centennial, not

Memorial, partly for that reason  hes careful not to position it as a satirical project, either. When he was growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, that was art, period, Walde said, referring to Thomson and the Group. After living in New York in the mid-1990s, he came back to northern Ontario and struggled to conceive how a contemporary artist there could interact with the overpowering presence of the past.

In 1997, he made a work called Index 1036  the number assigned to the alleged skull of Thomson, exhumed when rumours of his drowning death being the result of foul play prompted further investigation  that allied the painter with more avant-garde artists whose lives had mysteriously ended in water: Arthur Cravan, a Dadaist forebear, whose sailboat never reached Mexico, as planned; or Bas Jan Ader, an early conceptual art icon, whose boat was found, unmanned, four months after he embarked on a solo crossing of the North Atlantic.

When I was a younger artist, Thomson and the Group were something to react against, he said. And there is an element of dark humour to doing a swim on the anniversary of his drowning, for sure. But he is my favourite of that gang  anyone who cares about painting can appreciate his sketches. The fact that he could make sense of this landscape, work in this landscape, and then have it consume him  that was compelling to me.

Halfway up the lake, the wind stiffened as Walde fought his way into the narrows, between an island and Camp Wapameo. The synchro troupe splashed back into the water from a waiting boat, and formed its circle again. Walde swam in and stopped in the middle, the troupe this time circling clockwise around him as he disappeared under the choppy surface.

Here, a moment of silence was observed, before Walde resurfaced and began the final leg of his quest (Walde had entered the water in 2017, he later explained, had swum back to 1917, and then, as the troupe reset the clock, swam back to the present).

But just outside the narrows, the past seemed not quite ready to let him go just yet. Walde veered west, off course, the cairn growing further, not closer, with each stroke. Startled, Walde flipped over on his back and course-corrected, turning sharply towards the point and the end of his journey.

Pulling himself slowly from the water, he climbed the steep stones up the cairn, where a memorial plaque to Thomson had been installed. Breathing sharply, water dripping from his body, he put a hand on the rough mound of stones and closed his eyes.

I didnt mean to veer that way, but we were really getting thrown around in there, he said. But where I ended up  thats right where Toms body was found. And thats where I got lost.

Thomson had achieved a certain mastery over his environment, but only on canvas, and in the end, there was no mistaking where the balance of power lay.

Landscape painting is about beauty, Walde said. But the landscape is dangerous. It doesnt care if you live or die. That was the very limit of what I could do. For me, to be in the water where he died  that was powerful.

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There is a long list of plans that Brenda Murdoch has made for her future, but first she needs to find a home.

I would like a place to live, that I could sustain, so that I can get my hip replaced, recover, go back to school, my volunteer work, feel productive and, you know, just have a life, she says.

Murdoch, 53, has stayed for more than seven months at a coed shelter in Mississauga run by the Salvation Army. She relies on the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) because of severe rheumatoid arthritis.

She is on a wait-list for subsidized housing and has applied for a rent supplement, through a new program for people who have experienced more than one episode of homelessness.

But Murdoch, who does not want to go to a group home, doesnt have a lot of options. In the regions tight rental market, for a woman with a physical disability and low income, who is not old enough to access seniors services, there are very few places to go.

The average stay at a Mississauga emergency shelter for a single person is about five days, its about four in Brampton, according to Peel Region staff. Families average about 20 days.

Recently, Murdoch was told to leave for a few days after she broke shelter rules, but shes been in the emergency system for close to a year.

Leslie Moreau, manager of human services for Peel, says every effort has been made to help Murdoch find housing, but she has rejected several options and cannot stay indefinitely.

Usually something comes through. I hope that is what happens. Theyve got her on all the right lists. They have got the right agencies involved to support her, says Moreau, who had Murdochs permission to speak about her case.

Murdoch was back on the streets over the Canada Day long weekend. She had been drinking, was told to go to the hospital and when she came back was discharged, she told the Star. For about three days, she says she was on the street, at one point sitting on her walker outside a bar. She also tried to get a room at a hotel but couldnt because she didnt have a credit card. She ended up taking a taxi back to the shelter, late Tuesday night.

Her removal is being reviewed. Moreau says nobody is turned out without first being presented with options of other places to go and appropriate shelter would be found for anybody who called the shelter or any Peel Region emergency housing lines.

Complicating Murdochs shelter stay and longer-term housing search is arthritis.

Kids called me rigor mortis case, she says, describing her childhood with the debilitating illness.

Murdoch has her own room at the shelter, with an accessible bathroom.

She needs a walker, devices to help her dress, a bath seat and uses a stack of pillows to support her while she sleeps. She wants to stay in Brampton, near her doctors, support workers, friends and accessible transit.

I dont need a group home. I can cook for myself. I can do things for myself. I just need a reasonably priced place to stay . . . I am 53 years old, for heavens sake. I am not mentally deficient. I am not an old person.

Canadas National Housing Strategy will include targeted supports for people with disabilities, though no one has said what precisely it will mean for people like Murdoch.

In Peel, a one-bedroom apartment costs about $1,100 and just 1.3 per cent were vacant in 2016, according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Murdoch, who receives $1,139 each month while renting, says she was evicted from her last place in November 2015, because her ODSP barely covered rent and she fell behind.

She also lived in a group home where she says her bed was a curtained-off portion of the living room and at one point moved in with a man who she says abused her. She has even slept in a cemetery.

Just here and there, sleeping in the graveyard, the hospital, that stupid group home. I hooked up with this frigging idiot guy who beat me up and stole my money. Got to go to court for that still, she says, letting out a long sigh.

Just beside any old tombstone, says Murdoch, when asked where she would sleep in the cemetery.

The next stop was a family shelter, then into the sole accessible room in the Mississauga shelter, which she says she waited a year to get.

The Peel mens shelter has two accessible beds, and the family shelter has two units.

Moreau says if those spots are full, workers call across the GTA and find people suitable places to stay.

During the early months of Murdochs stay in the shelter, the focus was on getting her healthy and then facilitating access to support services including housing, Moreau says.

Private listings have not worked out because either the landlord or Murdoch says they werent the right fit, largely because of her mobility issues.

They applied to a Brampton seniors residence with rent-geared-to-income units. Murdoch says she would have gone, but she isnt old enough. She also declined to visit a private group facility in Brampton. Murdoch says there were stairs.

She has twice been given a deadline to leave.

Unless she is blatantly refusing to move forward, we are not going to discharge her to the street. We want to work with her, but we need her engaged, Moreau says, explaining the deadline is more of a tool and not a promise to remove somebody.

Most of Peel Region shelters  including those for men, youth and families  are overflowing, or have run out of regular beds. In those cases they use cots and sometimes hotels for families.

The coed shelter where Murdoch stays has 119 beds. In June, it was 85 per cent full.

The region is three years into a Housing and Homelessness Plan and is working to address barriers to housing, including accessibility. It is trying to cut shelter times by shifting to a housing-first model of care.

Now it is one-on-one case management to get you out of a shelter as quickly as you can into safe permanent housing in the community and then wrap supports around you, says Moreau.

York University and the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness are expected to release recommendations on Peel services by fall, she says.

We know we need to do things differently, says Moreau. We are hoping that the research will tell us a little bit about how to make that shift.

Murdoch says she wants to work and go back to school.

Im not disposable. I am languishing. I have lots to offer, but I cant do it from here.

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BALTIMOREA three-week-old baby giraffe has been placed in intensive care at a Maryland zoo after a sudden change in its bloodwork.

The calf, Julius, has been struggling since he was born June 15 at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. He received a plasma transfusion from a giraffe in Ohio a few days after he was born.

In a statement Saturday, the zoo said the changes in Julius bloodwork are a serious concern for the giraffe care and veterinary teams. He is receiving hour-by-hour care, and efforts are continuing to feed him by bottle.

Julius was six feet tall (1.83 metres) and 143 pounds (65 kilograms) at the time of his birth, but initial tests showed the newborn had insufficient antibodies to protect him from disease.

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President Donald Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton before agreeing to meet with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, according to three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.

The meeting was also attended by his campaign chairman at the time, Paul Manafort, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Manafort and Kushner recently disclosed the meeting, though not its content, in confidential government documents described to The New York Times.

The Times reported the existence of the meeting on Saturday. But in subsequent interviews, the advisers and others revealed the motivation behind it.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump.

The meeting  at Trump Tower on June 9, 2016, two weeks after Trump clinched the Republican nomination  points to the central question in federal investigations of the Kremlins meddling in the presidential election: whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians. The accounts of the meeting represent the first public indication that at least some in the campaign were willing to accept Russian help.

While Trump has been dogged by revelations of undisclosed meetings between his associates and the Russians, the episode at Trump Tower is the first such confirmed private meeting involving his inner circle during the campaign  as well as the first one known to have included his eldest son. It came at an inflection point in the campaign, when Trump Jr., who served as an adviser and a surrogate, was ascendant and Manafort was consolidating power.

It is unclear whether the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, produced the promised compromising information about Clinton. But the people interviewed by The Times about the meeting said the expectation was that she would do so.

When he was first asked about the meeting on Saturday, Trump Jr. said only that it was primarily about adoptions and mentioned nothing about Clinton.

Read more:

Kremlin-linked lawyer met Trumps inner circle during campaign

Trump tweets that U.S. should move forward with Russia

But on Sunday, presented with The Times findings, he offered a new account. In a statement, he said he had met with the Russian lawyer at the request of an acquaintance from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which his father took to Moscow. After pleasantries were exchanged, he said, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Mrs. Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.

He said she then turned the conversation to adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law that blacklists suspected Russian human rights abusers. The law so enraged President Vladimir Putin that he retaliated by halting U.S. adoptions of Russian children.

It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting, Trump Jr. said.

Two people briefed on the meeting said the intermediary was Rob Goldstone, a former British tabloid journalist and the president of a company called Oui 2 Entertainment who has worked with the Miss Universe pageant. He did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the presidents lawyer, said Sunday that the president was not aware of and did not attend the meeting.

Lawyers and spokesmen for Kushner and Manafort did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In his statement, Trump Jr. said he asked Manafort and Kushner to attend, but did not tell them what the meeting was about.

Political campaigns collect opposition research from many quarters but rarely from sources linked to foreign governments.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian hackers and propagandists worked to tip the election toward Donald Trump, in part by stealing and then providing to WikiLeaks internal Democratic Party and Clinton campaign emails that were embarrassing to Clinton.

A special prosecutor and congressional committees are investigating the Trump campaigns possible collusion with the Russians. Trump has disputed that.

Trump has also equivocated on whether the Russians were solely responsible for the hacking. On Sunday, two days after his first meeting as president with Putin, Trump said in a Twitter post: I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. Ive already given my opinion .....  He also tweeted that they had discussed forming an impenetrable Cybersecurity unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded ...

On Sunday morning on Fox News, the White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, described the Trump Tower meeting as a big nothing burger.

Talking about issues of foreign policy, issues related to our place in the world, issues important to the American people is not unusual, he said.

But Rep. Adam B. Schiff of California, the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, one of the panels investigating Russian election interference, said he wanted to question everyone that was at that meeting.

Theres no reason for this Russian government advocate to be meeting with Paul Manafort or with Mr. Kushner or the presidents son if it wasnt about the campaign and Russia policy, Schiff said after the initial Times report.

Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer invited to the Trump Tower meeting, is best known for mounting a multipronged attack against the Magnitsky Act.

The adoption impasse is a frequently used talking point for opponents of the Magnitsky Act. Veselnitskayas campaign against the law has also included attempts to discredit the man after whom it was named, Sergei L. Magnitsky, a lawyer and auditor who died in mysterious circumstances in a Russian prison in 2009 after exposing one of the biggest corruption scandals during Putins rule.

Veselnitskayas clients include state-owned businesses and a senior government officials son, whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting. Her activities and associations had previously drawn the attention of the FBI, according to a former senior law enforcement official.

Veselnitskaya said in a statement Saturday that nothing at all about the presidential campaign was discussed. She recalled that after about 10 minutes, either Kushner or Manafort walked out.

She said she had never acted on behalf of the Russian government and never discussed any of these matters with any representative of the Russian government.

The fact of the Trump Tower meeting was disclosed to government officials in recent days, when Kushner, who is also a senior White House aide, filed a revised version of a form required to obtain a security clearance.

The Times reported in April that he had failed to disclose any foreign contacts, including meetings with the Russian ambassador to the United States and the head of a Russian state bank. Failure to report such contacts can result in a loss of access to classified information and even, if information is knowingly falsified or concealed, in imprisonment.

Kushners advisers said at the time that the omissions were an error, and that he had immediately notified the FBI that he would be revising the filing.

In a statement Saturday, Kushners lawyer, Jamie Gorelick, said: He has since submitted this information, including that during the campaign and transition, he had over 100 calls or meetings with representatives of more than 20 countries, most of which were during transition. Mr. Kushner has submitted additional updates and included, out of an abundance of caution, this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law Donald Trump Jr. As Mr. Kushner has consistently stated, he is eager to co-operate and share what he knows.

Manafort, the former campaign chairman, also recently disclosed the meeting, and Trump Jr.s role in organizing it, to congressional investigators who had questions about his foreign contacts, according to people familiar with the events. Neither Manafort nor Kushner was required to disclose the content of the meeting.

A spokesman for Manafort declined to comment.

Since the president took office, Trump Jr. and his brother Eric have assumed day-to-day control of their fathers real estate empire. Because he does not serve in the administration and does not have a security clearance, Trump Jr. was not required to disclose his foreign contacts. Federal and congressional investigators have not publicly asked for any records that would require his disclosure of Russian contacts.

Veselnitskaya is a formidable operator with a history of pushing the Kremlins agenda. Most notable is her campaign against the Magnitsky Act, which provoked a Cold War-style, tit-for-tat dispute with the Kremlin when President Barack Obama signed it into law in 2012.

Under the law, some 44 Russian citizens have been put on a list that allows the United States to seize their U.S. assets and deny them visas. The United States asserts that many of them are connected to the fraud exposed by Magnitsky, who after being jailed for more than a year was found dead in his cell. A Russian human rights panel found that he had been assaulted. To critics of Putin, Magnitsky, in death, became a symbol of corruption and brutality in the Russian state.

An infuriated Putin has called the law an outrageous act, and, in addition to banning U.S. adoptions, he compiled what became known as an anti-Magnitsky blacklist of U.S. citizens.

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BEIJINGThe United States has apologized for mistakenly describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as the leader of Taiwan, China said Monday. Chinese scholars said the mistake shows a lack of competence in the White House that is not conducive to healthy U.S.-China relations.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China asked the United States for an explanation of the mistake, and the U.S. said it was a technical error. Washington apologized and corrected the error, Geng said at a daily news briefing.

In a statement issued Saturday about a meeting in Germany between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump, the White House press office described Xi as president of the Republic of China, the formal name for Taiwan. Communist China, led by Xi, is called the Peoples Republic of China.

The issue is particularly sensitive because Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of its territory.

Read more:

Trump says he will honour one China policy in phone call with Xi

Trump expresses frustration with China over its support for North Korea

Ivanka Trump causes stir as she sits in for father at G20

It is basic knowledge for those working in diplomacy, yet this isolated incident shows how incompetent the White House staff are, how casual they are, and how poorly co-ordinated they are, said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at China Renmin University. It will only make the Chinese people look down upon the American government for it to make such a low-level mistake.

The gaffe has gone largely unreported in China because the local media have no motivation to mock Trump, Shi said.

Wang Dong, an associate professor in the school of international studies at elite Peking University, said he believes the error was not intentional but still reveals a lack of capacity in Trumps foreign policy team while key positions remain unfilled.

It shows the deficiency in the professionalism on the part of the White House staff in terms of diplomacy, Wang said. The mistake itself may not affect China-U.S. relations, but the White House should draw a lesson from it to improve its work flow. Its a politically sensitive mistake that should not have occurred.

The mistake occurred in the introduction to the statement and was not in the actual text. By Monday, the White House had altered the statement to read simply President Xi of China.

During a 2006 state visit to Washington by then-Chinese President Hu Jintao, a White House announcer said the national anthem of the Republic of China would be played, instead of the Peoples Republic of China. The correct anthem was used.

Other actions by Trump toward Taiwan have drawn Beijings ire.

Upending long-standing diplomatic protocol, Trump accepted a congratulatory phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in December and questioned the wisdom of the one-China policy under which Washington maintains only unofficial relations with Taiwan. Then last month, to Beijings indignation, his administration approved a $1.8 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which separated from mainland China in 1949 during a civil war.

Almost six months into office, Trump has yet to fill thousands of government positions. His White House staff in particular has been faulted for poor organization.

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Iraq on Monday declared total victory over Daesh in Mosul, retaking full control of the countrys second-largest city three years after it was seized by extremists bent on building a global caliphate.

This great feast day crowned the victories of the fighters and the Iraqis for the past three years, said Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, flanked by his senior military leadership at a small base in western Mosul on the edge of the Old City. Iraqi forces had backed the last pockets of Islamic State militants against the banks of the Tigris River.

Al-Abadi alluded to the brutality of the battle for Mosul  Iraqs longest yet in the fight against Daesh  saying the triumph had been achieved by the blood of our martyrs.

The nearly nine-month campaign, which was backed by airstrikes from the U.S.-led coalition, left thousands dead, entire neighbourhoods in ruins and nearly 900,000 displaced from their homes.

Shortly after al-Abadis speech, the coalition congratulated him on the victory but noted that parts of the Old City still must be back-cleared of explosive devices and possible Daesh fighters in hiding. ISIS, ISIL and Daesh are alternative acronyms for the Islamic State group.

Read more:

Members of the Iraqi federal police forces celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on Monday after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city from Daesh group fighters.







Iraqi forces say Daesh militants using children as shields

Iraqi PM declares victory in Mosul, a major blow to Daesh

Daesh militants send female suicide bombers as Mosul fight nears end

Shortly after al-Abadis speech, the coalition congratulated him on the victory against a brutal and evil enemy, according to a statement.

Earlier in the day, airstrikes pounded the last Daesh-held territory on the western edge of the Tigris, Humvees rushed the wounded to field hospitals and soldiers hurriedly filled bags with hand grenades to ferry to the front.

Iraqi troops had slowly pushed through the narrow alleyways of the Old City during the past week, punching holes through walls and demolishing houses to carve supply routes and fighting positions in a district where many of the buildings date back centuries.

For days, the remaining few hundred militants held area measuring less than a square kilometre, and Iraqi commanders described victory as imminent.

Al-Abadi also visited Mosul on Sunday, congratulating the troops on recent gains but stopping short of declaring an outright victory as clashes continued.

The drawn-out endgame in Iraqs fight for Mosul highlighted the resilience of the extremists and the continued reliance of Iraqi forces on air support to retake territory.

Iraqi commanders said gains slowed to a crawl in recent days as Daesh fighters used their families  including women and children  as human shields. As the battle space constricted, the coalition began approving airstrikes, dropping bombs of 200 pounds or more on Daesh targets within 50 metres of friendly forces.

Plumes of smoke Monday grew larger than the strip of territory under Daesh control.

Over the campaign, the Iraqi special forces who largely led the assault have faced casualty rates of 40 per cent, according to a report in May from the office of the U.S. secretary of defence. Iraqs army, federal police and mostly Shiite government-sanctioned militia forces also suffered significant losses.

As the Iraqi army celebrated imminent victory on Sunday, Muhammad Abdul Abbas, a 20-year-old solider, said he lost 15 close friends fighting for Mosul.

Honestly, all this death and all this destruction, I dont believe it was worth it, he said.

Reports of civilian casualties also rose as Iraqi forces punched into Mosuls western half in February. Residents fleeing the fighting reported that entire families sheltering in the basements of their homes were killed by airstrikes targeting small teams of Daesh fighters.

Thousands of civilians were estimated to have been killed in the fight for Mosul, according to Ninevehs provincial council. That did not include those still believed buried under collapsed buildings.

More than 897,000 people were displaced, and the UN said there was no end in sight to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq despite the conclusion of the fighting.

The UN said thousands of Mosul residents will probably not be able to return to the city because of extensive damage caused during the conflict.

The infrastructure in western Mosul, where the fighting was fiercest, has been decimated. Iraqs civil defence rescue teams  a branch of the Interior Ministry  said about 65 per cent of the buildings in the Old City were severely damaged or destroyed. In western neighbourhoods like Zanjili, destruction was estimated to be 70 per cent of all houses, buildings and infrastructure.

Mosul fell to Daesh militants within a matter of days in June 2014, starting a political and security crisis not seen in the country since the 2003 toppling of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The territorial gains by the extremists led to the ouster of Iraqs top leaders, dramatically shifted the balance of power among its security forces, empowered Iranian-backed fighters who are now sanctioned by the central government, and brought U.S. ground troops back onto Iraqi soil for the first time since 2011.

The road to retake Mosul has taken the government, its security forces and the coalition more than three years of training troops to replace the tens of thousands of Iraqi forces who dissolved in the face of the 2014 IS advance.

That summer, Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, appeared at Mosuls al-Nuri Mosque and declared a caliphate on territory it seized in Iraq and Syria.

Last month, as Iraqi troops closed in on the Old City, the militants destroyed the al-Nuri Mosque and its famous leaning minaret to deny the forces a symbolic triumph.

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The Liberal government wants the story to go away.

Conservative parliamentarians, past and present, want to keep the news cycle going.

The lawyers have gone silent.

And social media has gone into hyper drive.

The saga of Omar Khadr, and all the political baggage his case drags with it, has been going on long enough that Canada has had four different prime ministers: Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau. July 27th will mark the 15-year anniversary of the firefight in Afghanistan during which Khadr, at the age of 15, was shot and captured and U.S. Delta Force soldier Sgt. First Class Christopher Speer was fatally wounded.

Read more: Opposition to Omar Khadrs settlement is puzzling and cynical: Paradkar

But last weeks news of a $10.5-million settlement and the Canadian governments apology sparked unprecedented debate across the country.

Some questions remain unanswered. Many of the purported facts fueling arguments either in support of the settlement or against it have been wrong.

Heres what we know and what we dont:

Khadrs status in Canada: Khadr was born in Canada on Sept. 19, 1986, at Scarboroughs Centenary Hospital. Both his parents were Canadian citizens. His mother was born in Egypt to Palestinian parents and moved to Mississauga as a teenager. Khadrs father grew up in Cairo and moved to Ottawa to attend university.

Liberal MP Ken Hardie tweeted last week: (T)he U.S. was invading his country. He was pressed into service at 15, improperly treated medically and legally; Canada was complicit. Khadr was brought by his parents to Afghanistan and Pakistan at the age of eight, but is not Afghan. Hardie later issued a correction.

The Charter rights of Canadians do not extend to foreign countries; citizens must comply with the laws of the country where they travel.

However, the main claim in Khadrs $20-million civil suit is that Canadian officials violated his rights when they interrogated him in Guantanamo in 2003 and 2004, knowing he was a minor, without legal representation and had been subjected to torture.

A unanimous Supreme Court ruling in 2010 said they had.

Details of the firefight: The claim in Khadrs civil suit is narrow: Canadian officials had breached his rights as a citizen. That means details of the firefight and what may or may not have happened in Afghanistan 15 years ago are not at issue.

However, this has been one of the political talking points. Khadr confessed to murdering Christopher Speer, a medic who rushed to his aid, tweeted Jason Kenney, leader of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta.

That is incorrect according to testimony from the American soldiers who were there.

I just remember being dumbstruck that there was someone being alive in there, a Delta Force soldier told the Star during an interview for the CBC documentary Guantanamos Child. After all that bombing, after all the ordinance we dropped in there, somebody was still alive.

As the soldiers cleared the compound, their weapons were drawn. They did not expect any survivors.

A Pentagon report written after the firefight interviewing the soldier who shot Khadr, identified only as OC-1, raises the possibility that someone else was alive in the compound when the grenade that ultimately killed Speer was thrown. He heard moaning coming from the back of the compound. The dust rose up from the ground and began to clear. He then saw a man facing him lying on his right side, the report states. The man had an AK-47 on the ground beside him and the man was moving. OC-1 fired one round striking the man in the head and the movement ceased. Dust was again stirred by this rifle shot. When the dust rose, he saw a second man sitting up facing away from him leaning against the brush. This man, later identified as Khadr, was moving . . . . OC-1 fired two rounds both of which struck Khadr in the back.

Randy Watt, the commander who wrote that report after the action, later revised it to state that only one person was alive when the grenade was thrown. In an interview, he attributed the confusion to the fog of battle. He changed the report, he said, because he thought Khadr had been killed due to the severity of his injuries.

The report, and testimony from Watt and OC-1, would have been key evidence at Khadrs Guantanamo trial, which was halted when the Pentagon offered him a plea deal.

A condition of the deal was that Khadr confess to killing Speer, which he did during an emotional 2010 hearing at Guantanamo where Speers widow Tabitha was present. Once released, Khadr did not deny throwing the grenade as his lawyers have insisted.

He said he simply does not know and hopes he didnt.

Speer as a medic: Speer was a decorated soldier and the medic on his elite Delta Force team. According to fellow soldiers, weeks before his death, he saved the lives of two wounded Afghan children lying in a minefield. His wife, Tabitha, told me he wanted to be a doctor and joining the military would pay for his education and provide him with basic medical training.

Medics (unarmed civilians) have always been considered protected persons in conflict. Since the drafting of the Geneva Conventions, killing a medic is punishable as a war crime. But that is not what the Pentagon considered Speer. And it was not what Khadr was prosecuted for.

Khadr was charged under the Military Commissions Act, drafted by the U.S. after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which introduced an offence called murder in violation of the laws of war. Despite the deaths of thousands of U.S. service members in Iraq and Afghanistan, Khadr remains the only captive charged with killing a soldier.

His conviction is under appeal in Washington, D.C. There have been eight Guantanamo convictions and the D.C courts have so far overturned four.

Utah wrongful death suit: On June 8, a Toronto lawyer for Speers family and the family of retired Sgt. Layne Morris, who lost sight in one of his eyes during the 2002 firefight, filed an application to the Ontario Superior Court to enforce a $134-million Utah wrongful death claim against Khadr. It was a default claim, which means Khadr did not offer a defence. He was still in custody when the case was heard.

The claim does not mention the Canadian government; it is between Khadr and the plaintiffs. However, the application also asks that, if required, the court order Khadrs assets frozen.

Neither Khadr, nor his lawyers, were served notice of the application when it was filed.

On June 22, lawyers for Khadr and Canadas Department of Justice concluded their court mediation and reached a deal: the government would apologize and compensation would be $10.5 million. But the government did not immediately issue the funds, nor announce the deal.

The evening of July 3, media reported the deal. Sources say the settlement money was given to Khadr and his lawyers July 5.

David Winer, who represents Speer and Morris, told a court July 7 that he did not reach Khadrs lawyer Nathan Whitling by email until Thursday, after earlier attempts to contact Khadrs lawyers by fax failed.

The case continues in a Toronto court July 13.

Settlement amount: In 2007, Canadian Maher Arar was given $10.5 million in compensation, plus legal fees. Then-prime minister Stephen Harper formally apologized to Arar for the actions of Canadian officials, which contributed to his detention and torture in Syria.

The Khadr and Arar cases are very different, but some lawyers argue the precedent of the settlement amount is significant for Khadrs case and his lawyers would not settle for less.

Speaking from Germany this weekend, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would not confirm the amount, but defended the settlement, saying the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects all Canadians, even when its uncomfortable.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale noted that the government had spent nearly $5 million in legal fees unsuccessfully fighting three Khadr cases all the way to the Supreme Court and this cost to taxpayers would continue with virtually no chance of success, and the possibility of an even larger payout.

Conservative MP and lawyer Erin OToole, among others, has argued that a payout was not inevitable and government lawyers should have continued to fight the lawsuit.

Treason: There were calls last week to retroactively charge Khadr, now 30, with treason or other crimes punishable in Canada.

In 2008, Ottawa law students, under the supervision of Professor Craig Forcese, wrote a 153-page report given to a Senate Committee on Human Rights outlining the law. They later testified before a House of Commons committee.

The report concluded: There is good reason to believe that Omar could be prosecuted under Canadian law. Repatriation, therefore, is not tantamount to impunity.

Had Canada demanded Khadrs repatriation after his capture, rather than deferring to the U.S., there was a greater possibility he could have been successfully prosecuted here.

Now that is likely impossible due to protections against double jeopardy and the fact that Canadas courts have denounced the illegality of Guantanamo.

Michelle Shephard is the author of a 2008 book on Omar Khadrs case and co-directed and produced the Emmy-nominated documentary Guantanamos Child, which premiered at TIFF in 2015. Follow her on Twitter @shephardm.

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LONDONBritish Prime Minister Theresa May is urging the opposition to help shore up her minority government as it leads the U.K. out of the European Union.

The appeal comes nearly a year after May took office, and just over a month after she suffered a setback from voters in a snap election.

May plans to use a speech on Tuesday to urge the opposition to help hone policy, saying the governments ideas can be clarified and improved through debate and discussion. Extracts of the speech were released in advance by Mays Downing St. office.

May became British leader on July 13, 2016 through a Conservative Party leadership contest after predecessor David Cameron resigned when voters decided, against his advice, to exit the EU. She called an early election for June 8 in an attempt to bolster her majority and strengthen her authority during EU exit talks.

The gamble backfired when voters stripped the Conservatives of their majority in Parliament and boosted the number of seats held by the left-of-centre Labour Party.

The result means May must rely on deal-making and compromises to pass legislation, and is struggling to persuade her party that she is not a lame duck.

Read more:

No EU families living in U.K. will be split up by Brexit, May says

Theresa May strikes deal with Northern Ireland party to back minority government

It has also emboldened opponents of Brexit, who hope to make the government take a more conciliatory line in divorce talks with the EU.

The election setback has led the government to abandon many of the pledges May campaigned on, including plans to reform secondary education and make seniors pay more for their long-term care.

Instead, the government says it will devote its energy to trying to pass the laws needed to pave the way for Brexit  due to take place in March 2019.

Now, May is seeking to re-boot her premiership, harking back to a promise on her first day in office to forge a bold new positive role for ourselves in the world and ... make Britain a country that works not for a privileged few, but for every one of us.

Acknowledging that the election result was not what I wanted, May on Tuesday will urge opposition parties to contribute, not just criticize.

We may not agree on everything, but through debate and discussion  the hallmarks of our parliamentary democracy  ideas can be clarified and improved and a better way forward found, she plans to say.

Mays most senior cabinet minister, Damian Green, said Monday that the speech was an appeal for a grown-up way of doing politics.

And despite rumours of Conservative plots to oust May, Green told Sky News that the prime minister is determined to carry on to lead the party and the country for many years to come.

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GENEVAThe UNs envoy for Syria on Monday opened a new round of indirect talks, the seventh so far, between Syrian government representatives and opposition leaders to try to wind down the battered countrys civil war.

The start of the talks in Geneva coincided with the first full day of a cease-fire for southern Syria that was brokered last week by the United States, Russia and Jordan.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group on Monday reported fighting in the Sweida province, near the boundaries of the cease-fire zone.

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However, opposition activist Ahmad al-Masalmeh said it was quiet in the city of Daraa, which has seen fierce clashes and which is located at the heart of the cease-fire zone.

The agreed-on cease-fire covers three war-torn provinces in southern Syria. Its the first tangible outcome following months of strategy and diplomacy between the new Trump administration and Russian President Vladimir Putins Moscow.

The Geneva talks are expected to last through the week. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura declined to comment on his expectations but was due to hold a news conference later in the day.

The negotiations are indirect, with de Mistura shuttling between the warring sides. The UN envoy was first to meet with representatives from Syrian President Bashar Assads government, before a meeting later with opposition representatives.

The UN-led diplomatic efforts seek partly to ensure humanitarian aid deliveries to Syria and plan for the day after the war is over.

The Syrian opposition is determined to achieve a political transition in Damascus, while Assads government insists the talks should prioritize the war on terror. Deputy Special Envoy Ramzy Ramzy said in Damascus on Saturday the talks would address both matters in parallel.

Assads government has refused to entertain talk of his departure. He inherited power from his father, the late Hafez Assad, in 2000 and has held on despite the devastating civil war. Half of the countrys population has been displaced, and some 400,000 people have been killed in the violence since 2011.

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Should Torontos Ryerson University change its name out of respect for Indigenous people? The Ryerson Student Union says yes (although there are some hints it may be changing its mind). So does the schools Indigenous Students Association. Other students are said to be split.

The specific debate is very modern. Governments and institutions are sensitive these days to charges that they have been casually indifferent to offences committed against First Nations, Inuit and Metis.

That sensitivity has been heightened by the publication in 2015 of the federal governments Truth and Reconciliation Commission report. It reveals, in encyclopedic detail, the wrongs inflicted on Indigenous families by the now defunct residential school system.

So it should come as no surprise that the practice of honoring people even remotely connected with the implementation of that system including 19th century educator Egerton Ryerson -- should come under attack.

But the Ryerson controversy also raises more general questions about the nature of history. How should we remember the past? Should we judge complicated historical figures against the moral standards of the modern world? Should we judge them at all? Or should we content ourselves by trying to understand why they did what they did?

Egerton Ryerson was one such complicated figure. He is canonized today as the founder of Ontarios universal public school system. But he was also a difficult man whose views were always firmly held (even when they contradicted themselves) and who was routinely, and not always unfairly, accused of hypocrisy.

His motives were in part Christian. He was a devout Methodist minister. But, as historian Alison Prentice has pointed out, Ryerson and other school promoters were also most practical.

A universal, compulsory school system, they figured, would reduce crime by keeping lower-class urchins off the streets.

It would also allow the state to inculcate in these urchins sober middle-class values like neatness and punctuality that might allow them to work productively in Ontarios burgeoning capitalist economy.

But Ryersons concerns also included the education of Indigenous children. As the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report points out, by the 1840s education reformers  and some First Nations chiefs  were looking for a way to better prepare Indigenous children for a changing world.

Ryersons proposed solution, which he outlined in an 1847 letter, was to set up what he called industrial or manual schools aimed at teaching native children how to become farm labourers.

Its worth noting, as the commission report points out, that Ryerson was not alone in this. His ally and fellow Methodist Kahkewaquonaby, a chief of the Credit River Mississaugas, also argued for such a scheme, saying that if it were to succeed, Indigenous children would have to be separated from their parents.

The commission report describes Kahkewaquonaby, also known as Peter Jones, as a hard-working advocate of the interests of First Nations who was trying to figure out a way for Indigenous people to become economically independent.

However, the solution that he and Ryerson supported eventually led to the travesty of the residential school system.

In short, they were wrong. Should Ryerson be airbrushed from history as a result?

Ryerson Universitys solution to date has been to openly acknowledge both sides of his legacy  the good and the bad. That seems reasonable to me. Im reluctant to rewrite history. Had I been alive in 1916, I would have opposed the decision, taken in a fit of wartime patriotism, to rename the Ontario city of Berlin as Kitchener.

But the decision on whether to rebrand Ryerson University is not mine. It is ultimately the Ontario governments. And the government will do, presumably, whatever delivers the least political grief.

Thomas Walkom appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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With the welcome news of the $10-million apology for the travesties committed against Omar Khadr, a decade after the Canadian government apologized and awarded a similar sum to Maher Arar for his tragic ordeal, we know that Canada doesnt always get it right. Now is the time for Canada to seek justice in the case of Hassan Diab.

Both of us were involved in the Canadian and Ottawa Jewish community in 2008 when French authorities accused Diab of having been involved in a 1980 terrorist attack on a Paris synagogue, a heinous act that killed four and injured scores more.

As Diabs ordeal hit public consciousness, one of us (Mira Sucharov) was a columnist for Ottawas Jewish newspaper and later wrote for the Canadian Jewish News, and was (and remains) a professor at Carleton University where Diab taught. The other (Bernie Farber) was CEO of the Canadian Jewish Congress.

At the time, neither of us questioned Canadas decision to extradite Diab to France. In fact, a spokesperson for Farbers organization had said that CJC was very pleased that law enforcement authorities were never giving up in the fight against terrorism, noting that the decision brings comfort to the victims of terrorism as well.

Nine years later, we realize we were wrong in not speaking out.

Casting a Canadian citizen out of the country to languish, without trial, in a foreign prison may help Canada adhere to the Extradition Act. And it may bring comfort to some, as the CJC spokesperson suggested. But we suggest that this comfort is misplaced. Most importantly, such a decision brings justice to no one.

The evidence against Diab is shaky at best. It appeared to rest on handwriting analyses that experts had discredited. The French authorities had tried to include secret intelligence from unidentified sources  evidence that Canadian authorities threw out. There is evidence that Diab was in Lebanon, not Paris, on the day of the attack. Fingerprints at the scene of the crime dont seem to match those of Diab.

Robert Maranger, the Ontario Superior Court judge who agreed to the extradition, even admitted that the prospects of conviction in the context of a fair trial seem unlikely.

Nine years later, with absolutely no movement in sight, it is clear that Hassan Diab is not receiving justice by Canadian standards. This must change.

It is time for Canadian authorities to insist that France take proper judicial action or send him home. By forcing Diab into legal purgatory, Canada is seriously undermining its commitment to due process  one of the bedrock responsibilities of a democratic society to its citizens.

Some of you may be reading about this case for the first time. Others may have received requests to sign petitions. Some of you may have signed them; others may have deleted the email, feeling burdened by the details of an extradition case surrounding a citizens alleged involvement in a crime that occurred decades ago.

Neither of us is a trained lawyer. One of us is a social worker and community relations organizer; the other is a political scientist. But it doesnt take an expert in criminal law to know when a government is falling down on its contract to its citizens. Both of us well understand the impact of false accusations on communities in any multicultural society, something all Canadians can intuitively grasp.

In the case of Hassan Diab, we have now concluded that it was all too easy to unquestioningly accept the decision to leave it in the hands of France, a fellow democracy. But a decade later, justice has not been served. Now we must get this right.

Doing so will help ensure that our country avoids living by the ugly rules of innuendo, unproven assumptions and discredited evidence  and instead protects the core values of democracy, including a robust adherence to the principles of justice.

Bernie M. Farber is a long-time human rights advocate and Executive Director of the Mosaic Institute.

Mira Sucharov is Associate Professor of Political Science at Carleton University in Ottawa.

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Ms.

Its just two letters with a dot, but it shook the world. Sheila Michaels, the American woman who popularized Ms. as a replacement for Miss and Mrs., has died at 78. What a life she had.

Ms. had been around since 1901 when a Springfield, Mass. newspaper called The Sunday Republican recommended it as a handy transplant from the South. Sounds good, saves time.

But Michaels noticed it on an address label of a Marxist newsletter sent to her roommate in the early 1960s. And a timid eight-year crusade, as she called it, had begun. Around 1969, Michaels mentioned it on a local New York radio show. Gloria Steinem was looking for a name for her upcoming feminist magazine, and in 1971, Ms. introduced itself to the wider world.

All this information comes from a 2016 interview by the New York Times in preparation for Michaels death. Banked obituaries are good things, and I credit the newspaper, despite it not having used Ms. until 1986.

I dont remember life before Ms. I call baby girls Miss and strongly object to Mrs., which has only been conferred on me by German hotel desk clerks and, strangely, Bell Mobile. It upsets me to be referred to by my husbands surname.

In olden times, couples were often referred to as, say, the Fred Smiths. He was Fred Smith, and she was Margaret Johnson, and suddenly she was Margaret Smith and then she vanished into coupledom. It seems nightmarish now.

This was my view of marriage, as a crevasse, a turned back, a shutdown. I read Anton Chekhovs short stories as a child, there being nothing else to do up north  I wasnt allowed to snowshoe alone  and my view of marriage came from lines like this in The Name-Day Party.

For Gods sake! Olga Mihailovna cried again. Pyotr, understand, understand!

Damnation take those visitors! muttered Pyotr Dmitrich, getting up. You ought not to have gone to the island today! he cried. What an idiot I was not to prevent you! Oh, my God! ... Make haste and fetch the doctor, or the midwife! Has Vasily gone? Send someone else. Send your husband!

Pyotr, buy yourself hounds, she moaned.

It was only years later that I realized what was going on. Olga and Pyotr were fighting over money  she had more of it than he did which he resented  he had retaliated by cheating on her and she, finding out, had gone into labour on the very day she celebrated her husbands given name according to the Orthodox calendar.

This is why you shouldnt let your children inhale adult literature. What was labour? I just assumed this was standard behaviour. Men tormented wives who pleaded for understanding, the wives learned a dull indifference to life and then they were chloroformed.

And it was all about names. Her mothers surname goes unmentioned but Michaels was given multiple surnames: Michaels (her mothers husband), London (her birth father), Kessler (stepfather), Michaels (Kesslers request after she became a prominent anti-segregationist) Shiki y Michaels (husband) and then presumably Michaels (post-divorce).

I developed an allergy to the word husband, although I am cheerfully married (to a partner/boyfriend/mister) and never changed my surname (father). Thanks to feminism, I call myself Ms. and buy myself hounds.

Ms. protects you from men like the talk-show host I met recently, whose face lit up when he learned I had children. YOU have children? he said. I had achieved legitimacy in his eyes and he was clearly greatly relieved.

This is what life was like before Ms. You were a Miss until you met a Pyotr and moved inside the magic circle of Mrs. status that marriage conferred. Then you gave birth after labour and dumped Pyotr for Vasily and left for Moscow where you died beneath the wheels of a train.

Surnames are as tangled as ever. Many women now change their names when they marry, wanting to share their childrens surname, another fretful thing. It matters not. Even if Ivanka were a Kushner, shed still be a Trump.

To me, Miss is silly, Mrs. is creepy and Ms. is normal. But to each her own. The key is choice.

I didn't belong to my father, Michaels once said, and I didnt want to belong to a husband, someone who could tell me what to do. The whole idea came to me in a couple of hours. Tops.

And with that, Ms. Michaels, take a bow.

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For Canadas 5,500 legacy refugee claimants, uncertainty about the future has long been a fact of their lives. The majority of them filed applications to stay in Canada in either 2011 or 2012, and have been in limbo ever since  with no assurance they will be allowed to stay in Canada.

Despite some efforts by the federal board that hears applications to address the backlog, the problem of application delays is likely to get worse before it gets better, since new claims keep pouring in.

How bad could it get? A recent government analysis concluded that, left unaddressed, the backlog could eventually result in a wait-time of 11 years for a hearing on a refugee claim.

Clearly, Ottawa cant allow that to happen. That means the federal government should work swiftly to clear the backlog  starting with a practical approach to the legacy claims that takes into account the many years applicants have been living as law-abiding residents of Canada.

The problem began in December 2012, when the Harper government changed the rules. It required new refugee claims to be heard within 60 days, and left existing claims on the backburner.

Canadas Immigration and Refugee Board allocated $3 million to address the backlog of legacy claims this past spring. It plans to schedule hearings starting in September, with the goal of hearing all 5,500 cases within two years.

Action on the legacy claims is welcome, but the two-year timeline is hardly the immediate response claimants are hoping for. As the Stars immigration reporter Nicholas Keung wrote last week, many of them say they should be granted amnesty by Ottawa, which would mean immediate permanent residency status. This position is also taken by the Canadian Council for Refugees and the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers.

Amnesty is not an unreasonable suggestion with respect to the legacy claimants, most of whom have already made lives in Canada. And given the enormous pressure currently on the Immigration and Refugee Board, this course of action could provide some much-needed relief.

But it would not be a sustainable solution. Although granting widespread amnesty may be able to sweep away much of the existing backlog, it would not fix the root of the IRBs problem, which is that it simply does not have enough capacity to deal with the volume of claims it faces.

The federal government needs to equip the board with additional resources so it can deal with the legacy cases in an expedited way.

That seems to be the course of action the IRB itself favours. Keung reported in February that the board intends to hold short hearings for those cases deemed straightforward to speed up the process.

Despite the $3-million investment and sound approach to the backlog, the chair of the IRB, Mario Dion, told CBC News that the board is still struggling to close the gap. It needs more help with resources, since there is a limit to how much you can stretch one persons time.

The first step Ottawa should take to this end is to fill vacant Governor in Council appointments, which include  but are not limited to  vacant positions on the IRB. A government website shows that 42 IRB positions are currently vacant, up from 32 vacant or expired positions as reported by CBC News in late March.

The opposition has accused the federal government of failing to appoint people to all kinds of Governor in Council roles  which range from full-time government agency jobs to seats on tribunals and boards  in a timely way. In the case of the IRB, the impact of the delay is keenly felt by those waiting to have their cases heard.

Whats more, the longer Ottawa delays action on this front, the worse the problem will likely become.

A new backlog of more than 37,000 claims is expected to be in place as of the end of this year, due in large part to the surge in refugees crossing the land border from the United States. This makes it all the more critical for the government to act now rather than later.

It was an omission by the Harper government that left the legacy refugee claimants behind. Its now up to the Trudeau government, which enjoyed a positive public response to its approach to the Syrian refugee crisis, to do better by them. Not to do so would be both unjust and cast a shadow over the future of Canadas refugee claims process.

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Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY) - Get Free Report should be even more terrified of Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Free Report .

On Monday, July 10, Recode reported that Amazon is quietly posting job notices and hiring IT professionals for its own in-home electronics repair army, to rival Best Buy's Geek Squad. The service has already been rolled out to seven markets.

"Today's news reflects what we know: Consumers love technology but frequently need help getting the most out of it," a Best Buy spokesman said in an email to TheStreet. "We are excited about the range of initiatives we have previously announced that do just that and feel uniquely positioned to serve consumers by offering products, services and support wherever the customer wants it, including in one of our 1,000 stores, on BestBuy.com and in homes millions of times a year."

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To be sure, Amazon's test service currently is only being used to help customers set up a "smart home," which means certain utilities like heating and lighting can be controlled by an app. Best Buy's Geek Squad offers a wide range of services including smart home installation, appliance repairs and wearable technology support.

Still, if Amazon decides to expand its service, Best Buy should be wary, not only because the e-commerce behemoth essentially crushes every competitor it faces, spanning retail to tech, but because the Geek Squad, judging by how many customer complaints it's racked up in the last few months alone, has some serious glitches to work out. And it shows in the business' sales results.

For its most recent quarter, Best Buy's same-store sales for its services segment, which includes Geek Squad, were up a tepid 4.2%, compared to the year ago period when they plunged 10.7%. According to Best Buy's annual report, its services business is comprised of consultation, design, delivery, installation, set-up, protection plans, repair, technical support and educational classes.

TheStreet sifted through Geek Squad's reviews on ConsumerAffairs. The service had a one-star rating on the site and nearly all of the reviews were negative. Best Buy's spokesman declined to comment on the reviews.

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Delta Air Lines (DAL) - Get Free Report would resume flights to India and the Middle East if the U.S. were to successfully restrain the growth of the Middle East carriers, says CEO Ed Bastian.

"When we win this fight, we're going to go back to India," Bastian said during a 15-minute movie intended to explain Delta's involvement in the conflict to employees and posted recently on its website.

"We're going to go back to be able to fly back to the Middle East," Bastian said. "We're going to be able to add jobs, lots of jobs. We are going to be able to add new longhaul airplanes to support that growth. And that's just the start."

In February 2016, Delta ended its Atlanta-Dubai flight, saying it could not compete with subsidized service to multiple U.S. hubs by Mideast carriers. In May, Qatar Airways began Doha-Atlanta service.

As for India, Delta ended Amsterdam-Mumbai service in March 2015. Today, United is the only U.S. carrier serving India, with flights from Newark to Mumbai and New Delhi.

A study commissioned by Delta, American and United found that the governments of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have provided more than $50 billion in subsidies to Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, violating the Open Skies agreements that enable flights between the two countries and the U.S.

In the movie, for the first time, a leader of the coalition opposing the Mideast three's rapid expansion lays out the case that intrusions by the Mideast carriers have dramatically weakened Europe's carriers.

"Fifteen years ago, the Europeans were some of the strongest airlines on the globe," Bastian said. "AirFrance, KLM, Lufthansa - they've all been harmed massively." Today the Gulf carriers fly more than 100 daily flights from their hubs into Europe.

Meanwhile, Australia's Qantas has been turned into a "feeder" for Emirates, said an unidentified voice on the movie.

By contrast, some major countries including Canada have resisted the Middle East carriers' intrusions.

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The Mideast carriers, based in countries that combined are the size of South Carolina, have more than 500 widebody orders, more than twice the combined orders from Chinese and U.S. airlines.

"Where are those wide bodies going to go?" Bastian asked. "There's only three markets that can sustain them.

"I guarantee you that the Chinese are not going to let them in," he said. "The Japanese will definitely not let them in. In our market, if we don't wake up, we are going to wind up being overrun by them."

Among the experts appearing in the movie are Charlene Barshefsky, former U.S. trade representative, who said, "the scope of the {trade} violation here simply takes one's breath away:"

Jim Burnley, former U.S. transportation secretary, who said the U.S. has aviation "trade agreements with over 120 countries and we've got real problems with {just} two of them," and Doug Parker, CEO of American Airlines Group (AAL) - Get Free Report , said "This is about American jobs and our ability to keep American jobs if we don't do something about this as a country."

Delta spokeswoman Elizabeth Wolf said the movie "is part of Delta's ongoing efforts to urge government officials in Washington to level the playing field for U.S. airlines and enforce Open Skies agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

"Earlier this year, Delta launched an internal campaign to further raise awareness of this issue among Delta employees and encourage them to ask the U.S. government to take action," Wolf said. "This movie is part of that campaign."

The movie was first shown to employees in Atlanta, then shared internally and then made available on Delta's website last week, she said.

Delta's shares were down 0.9% to $54.96 early Monday afternoon.

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Editor's Pick: This article was originally published on July 6, 2017.

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This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.
Hackers are targeting nuclear power plants, according to a joint Department of Homeland Security and FBI report obtained by the New York Times.

The hackers have only been able to access the companies' administrative networks so far, but the networks that control the nuclear facilities are not connected to the internet.

"There is no indication of a threat to public safety, as any potential impact appears to be limited to administrative and business networks," the DHS and FBI said in a their statement.

What's Hot On TheStreet

The biggest deal-maker around strikes again: Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a division of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc., (BRK.A) - Get Free Report (BRK.B) - Get Free Report , confirmed Friday that it will purchase Oncor Electric Delivery Co. LLC in a deal that values the bankrupt unit's equity at $11.25 billion. "Oncor is an excellent fit for Berkshire Hathaway, and we are pleased to make another long-term investment in Texas - when we invest in Texas, we invest big!", Buffett said in a statement. "Oncor is a great company with similar values and outstanding assets."

Clearly, Buffett is still bullish on America's future. TheStreet takes a look at the billionaire's biggest bets on America.

Who cares, Elon: Tesla (TSLA) - Get Free Reportagreed to build the world's largest lithium-ion battery park in South Australia on Friday, signing off on a deal to finish the installation within 100 days or give it away for free. Failure to deliver the project on time would cost his company about $50 million, said CEO Elon Musk, though neither the state government nor Tesla released details of the contract.

Meanwhile, Tesla's stock is in a bear market. The company's highly anticipated first Model 3 electric cars will begin production on Friday.

Qualcomm battle with Apple gets even nastier: Qualcomm (QCOM) - Get Free Report added a couple of unexpected wrinkles into its legal salvo with Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report , TheStreet's tech columnit Eric Jhonsa says. One of these wrinkles aims to neutralize some of the legal arguments Apple, as well as certain regulators, have been making against Qualcomm. The other, says Jhonsa, aims to both lower the odds of a political intervention in Apple's favor, as well as boost Qualcomm's near-term chip sales at Intel Corp.'s (INTC) - Get Free Report expense.

TheStreet's founder and Actions Alerts PLUS charitable trust portfolio manager Jim Cramer makes some great points on Apple here.

Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL? Learn more now.

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Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday that he expects the Trump administration to complete tax reform by the end of the year, despite the president's healthcare reform bill stalling in the Senate.

"We're absolutely committed to getting tax reform done this year," Mnuchin told George Stephanopoulos on ABC on Sunday. "It's critical for economic growth. We need to get back to 3% or better GDP."

The plan, unveiled in April by Mnuchin and National Economic Council director Cary Cohn, would cut the number of income tax brackets to three from seven, with rates of 10%, 25% and 35%. Corporate taxes would fall to 15% from 35% and most tax deductions would be eliminated. Mnuchin and Cohn's plan also calls for a "one-time tax" on corporate cash held overseas.

Mnuchin claimed at the time that the reform would "pay for itself with growth and with ... reduction of different deductions and closing loopholes," but would not say whether the plan is revenue-neutral.

While Axios reported recently that Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon, the White House's most prominent populist voice, advocated to raise taxes on the rich to 40% or higher, Mnuchin said that was "not on the table" and "another example of a false leak that's been reported."

Trump has made healthcare reform his top priority, but his bill has stalled in the Senate, with top Republicans including John McCain predicting the bill will be scrapped. The White House has also made little progress on its much-touted "$1 trillion infrastructure plan."

What's Hot On TheStreet

Tesla's Model 3 is born: Tesla (TSLA) - Get Free Report CEO Elon Musk tweeted photos of the first Model 3 ever produced, which appears to be black, in the evening on Saturday. The car is going straight to Musk's garage. "Ira Ehrenpreis had rights to 1st car as he was 1st to place a full deposit, but gave those rights to me as my 46th bday present. Tks Ira!," Musk said on Twitter.

Musk has said that production should ramp up quickly with 100 Model 3s produced in August, followed by 1,500 produced in September and up to 20,000 produced per month starting this December.

These people: So, who exactly are the people approving the outrageous compensation packages for Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report CEO Tim Cook and Netflix Inc.'s (NFLX) - Get Free Report top dog Reed Hastings? BoardEx, the relationship mapping service of TheStreet Inc., examined the directors who hold this power. The biggest takeaway: some of these people are on the boards for way too long.

Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL and FB? Learn more now.

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Zero new Tesla (TSLA) - Get Free Report Model S or Model X cars were registered in Hong Kong during April and only five were registered in May following the city's decision to get rid of a tax break for electric vehicles, Business Insider reported.

Tesla sales surged earlier in the year, with almost 3,000 new cars registered in March. The end of the tax break was announced in February and increased the cost of Tesla cars by nearly 100%, the company said.

Tesla contends it doesn't depend on tax incentives to stay afloat. "When people love something, they buy it," a spokesperson said.

Tesla stock traded up 0.6% on Monday morning.

What's Hot On TheStreet

Tesla's Model 3 is born: Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted photos of the first Model 3 ever produced, which appears to be black, in the evening on Saturday. The car is going straight to Musk's garage. "Ira Ehrenpreis had rights to 1st car as he was 1st to place a full deposit, but gave those rights to me as my 46th bday present. Tks Ira!," Musk said on Twitter.

Musk has said that production should ramp up quickly with 100 Model 3s produced in August, followed by 1,500 produced in September and up to 20,000 produced per month starting this December.

These people: So, who exactly are the people approving the outrageous compensation packages for Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report CEO Tim Cook and Netflix Inc.'s (NFLX) - Get Free Report top dog Reed Hastings? BoardEx, the relationship mapping service of TheStreet Inc., examined the directors who hold this power. The biggest takeaway: some of these people are on the boards for way too long.

Amazon Prime Day is here: Amazon's (AMZN) - Get Free Report Prime Day will kick off on July 10 at 9 p.m. ET and run through July 12 at 3 a.m. ET, with new deals being offered every five minutes. People who aren't Prime members already can sign up for a membership on or before July 11 to take part in the big sales event. TheStreet has full coverage here.

Amazon's inaugural Prime Day in 2015 was created to celebrate the company's 20th birthday and led to more new Prime subscribers than any other day in the company's history, Amazon said. Amazon did not divulge Prime membership signups for its second Prime Day in 2016, but did note that overall sales jumped 60% from 2015.

Not yet on this super IPO: The public listing of Saudi Aramco, possibly the largest IPO in history, looked very good on paper. After decades of reliance on a single, volatile commodity, Saudi Arabia would raise hundreds of billions of dollars to modernize its economy, while using the opportunity to improve its stature on the world stage. But, there are now a host of things that could derail this reported $2 trillion IPO, TheStreet reports.

Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser reportedly said at the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul on Monday the IPO could take place in the second half of 2018.

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Shares of Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) - Get Free Report have been struggling this summer, tumbling from $170 down to about $145. But that doesn't mean investors are backing away. On Friday, shares rallied 2.3% to close the week at $146.76.

Shares were having a positive day on Monday, too, rising 4.7% to $153.69.

Needham analyst Rajvindra Gill raised his price target to $200 from $130, a whopping 53% increase. Of course, given that his price target implies nearly 40% upside, Gill has a buy rating on the stock.

It also helps that Jefferies raised its price target on Nvidia to $180 from $140 Monday morning as well.

Gill explained that because of its partnership with Toyota Motors (TM) - Get Free Report , Nvidia is set to rake in a boatload of cash. The automaker is making an aggressive push into autonomous driving, something it needs advanced GPUs and chips to do. Nvidia's Xavier platform, an A.I.-based supercomputer, will likely be at the center of Toyota's self-driving efforts. By working with Toyota, Nvidia could generate an additional $1.7 billion in revenue over the next two years, Gill reasoned.

Equally dividing the $1.7 billion over eight quarters lands us with $212 million per quarter in autonomous revenue.

Admittedly, this isn't the most accurate way to calculate Nvidia's potential, because the revenue will likely start off lower and scale higher over that two-year trajectory. But consider the fact that last quarter Nvidia reported record auto revenues of $140 million. It's the smallest division in its lineup, and grew "just" 20% year-over-year, mainly dwarfed by its gaming and datacenter revenues, which grew 50% and 189% year over year, respectively.

And while the quarterly sum for its Toyota deal is not accurately dispersed, it shows just how much of an impact the automaker can have. For instance, if next year's fiscal first quarter generates just $140 million in revenue from Toyota -- about halfway through Gill's estimated timeline -- Nvidia's year-over-year growth will be north of 100% and that's not including growth from any other customer.

If Toyota's revenue estimate comes to fruition, it's easy to see why Gill believes the stock can climb to $200.

Nvidia is like Intel was in 1993, TheStreet's Jim Cramer, manager of the Action Alerts PLUS charitable trust portfolio, said later on Monday in a CNBC segment. That is the year Intel released its Pentium processor.

But everything comes with a price. While Nvidia has earnings, "it is the most expensive semiconductor company in the market," Cramer explained. But it's proved tough for investors to avoid Nvidia despite its valuation, simply because of how well it's doing.

What's Hot On TheStreet

Tesla's Model 3 is born: Tesla (TSLA) - Get Free Report CEO Elon Musk tweeted photos of the first Model 3 ever produced, which appears to be black, in the evening on Saturday. The car is going straight to Musk's garage. "Ira Ehrenpreis had rights to 1st car as he was 1st to place a full deposit, but gave those rights to me as my 46th bday present. Tks Ira!," Musk said on Twitter.

Musk has said that production should ramp up quickly with 100 Model 3s produced in August, followed by 1,500 produced in September and up to 20,000 produced per month starting this December.

These people: So, who exactly are the people approving the outrageous compensation packages for Apple (AAPL) - Get Free Report CEO Tim Cook and Netflix Inc.'s (NFLX) - Get Free Report top dog Reed Hastings? BoardEx, the relationship mapping service of TheStreet Inc., examined the directors who hold this power. The biggest takeaway: some of these people are on the boards for way too long.

Amazon Prime Day is here: Amazon's (AMZN) - Get Free Report Prime Day will kick off on July 10 at 9 p.m. ET and run through July 12 at 3 a.m. ET, with new deals being offered every five minutes. People who aren't Prime members already can sign up for a membership on or before July 11 to take part in the big sales event. TheStreet has full coverage here.

Amazon's inaugural Prime Day in 2015 was created to celebrate the company's 20th birthday and led to more new Prime subscribers than any other day in the company's history, Amazon said. Amazon did not divulge Prime membership signups for its second Prime Day in 2016, but did note that overall sales jumped 60% from 2015.

Not yet on this super IPO: The public listing of Saudi Aramco, possibly the largest IPO in history, looked very good on paper. After decades of reliance on a single, volatile commodity, Saudi Arabia would raise hundreds of billions of dollars to modernize its economy, while using the opportunity to improve its stature on the world stage. But, there are now a host of things that could derail this reported $2 trillion IPO, TheStreet reports.

Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser reportedly said at the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul on Monday the IPO could take place in the second half of 2018.

Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL and FB? Learn more now.

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This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author had no positions in the stocks mentioned.
As Congress returns to work this week, Wall Street will be looking for signals on tax reform, even though the issue won't be front and center.

The White House and Republican lawmakers have consistently maintained that they plan to enact tax legislation this year. The ongoing debate over healthcare and impending battles over the debt ceiling and government funding stand to complicate the matter, but GOP leaders insist they can get it done.

"We're absolutely committed to getting tax reform this year," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told George Stephanopoulos on ABC on Sunday. "I think it's critical for economic growth."

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) made a similar pledge last week. "Tax reform will get done in 2017 not just to create jobs [and] spur economic growth, but to put U.S. businesses at a competitive scale globally," he said in a Friday tweet.

Mnuchin said the White House is having meetings "multiple times every week" with House and Senate leadership as well as business leaders and think tanks to craft a plan. He said the administration hopes to have a "full-blown release" of their tax plan at the beginning of September, when Congress returns from its August recess, in hopes of getting it to a vote and passed before the end of the year.

The former Goldman Sachs executive is one of six figures hammering out a plan to revamp the tax code, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal last week. The group, which some aides have informally dubbed "The Big Six," is comprised of Ryan, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Mnuchin and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn.

Ryan and Brady put forth a tax plan of their own as part of their A Better Way initiative rolled out in 2016. That plan includes the controversial border-adjustment tax to raise revenue, which is unlikely to make it into final legislation.

Mnuchin and Cohn in April unveiled in broad strokes the Trump administration's priorities for tax reform. The one-page set of principles included slashing the corporate tax rate to 15% from 35% and reducing the individual tax code to three brackets of 10%, 25% and 35% rates.

Axios reported recently that Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, has advocated raising taxes on the rich to the 40% range. Mnuchin on Sunday shot down the report, characterizing it "another example of a false leak" to the media. "I think it's very clear kind of what we have proposed out there that the administration has put out," he said.

The Treasury Secretary declined to weigh in on whether the tax plan would be revenue neutral. Republicans plan to pass tax legislation through a budget reconciliation, which requires only a simple majority but can't increase the deficit over 10 years.

"That's one of the things that's under negotiations that we're discussing right now with leadership," he said.

To be sure, tax reform is hardly the only thing on lawmakers' plates right now, or even the most important one. Senate Republicans are still trying to strike a deal on healthcare reform, and the matter will be front and center as they go back to work this week.

"I think we'd like to get healthcare done," Mnuchin said on Sunday. "If we don't get this passed then the president has said he will go to the next plan."

Lawmakers will also need to strike a deal on the debt ceiling by the early fall and reach an agreement on the budget in the last few months of the year.

"There's a train wreck coming," Bill Hoagland, a senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington and a former Republican staff director for the Senate Budget Committee, told Bloomberg. "I don't see a tax bill in 2017 at all. Not at all."
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. (VRX) continued its turnaround Monday, July 10, announcing that it had agreed to pay down $811 million of its senior secured term loans using net proceeds from its divestiture of cancer treatment maker Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC.

The sale of Dendreon to Chinese conglomerate Sanpower Group Co. Ltd. for $819.9 million in cash was first announced on Jan. 9 and completed June 29.

With the loan repayment, the company's total debt load was reduced to $27.69 billion.

The stock finished Monday's trading session at $16.66, up 2.7%.

Laval, Quebec-based Valeant said Monday that all mandatory amortization has been paid through 2019. Since the close of the first quarter of 2016, the company has cut debt by more than $4.3 billion. The company reiterated that it expects to pay down $5 billion of debt from divestiture proceeds and free cash flow within 18 months of August 2016.

Valeant, which built a debt load of more than $30 billion to fund acquisitions in recent years, in March issued $1.25 billion and $2 billion of senior secured notes due 2022 and 2024, respectively, and persuaded bondholders to tender $1.1 billion of senior notes 2018. The move greatly reduced the amount of debt maturing prior to 2020.

Valeant's divestitures this year include the sale of its CeraVe, AcneFree and AMBI skincare brands to French cosmetics company L'Oreal for $1.3 billion in cash in a deal announced in January and completed in March.

In June, Valeant agreed to sell its iNova Pharmaceuticals business to a company owned by funds managed by Pacific Equity Partners and Carlyle Group LP (CG) - Get Free Report for $930 million. The transaction is expected to be completed within the second half of the year.

Worried about how to finance your golden years? Register here to watch a webinar in which TheStreet's Jim Cramer talks with Ken Fisher, founder of Fisher Investments, about the market trends shaping retirement planning today.
McEwen Mining Inc. engages in the exploration, development, production, and sale of gold and silver. It also explores for copper deposits. The company owns 100% interests in the El Gallo and Fenix projects located in Mexico; and the Black Fox Mine and Stock Mill, Grey Fox, and Froome and Tamarack properties in Canada. It also owns interests in the Fuller, Davidson-Tisdale, Buffalo Ankerite, and Paymaster exploration properties located in Canada; and a 49% interest in the San Jose mine located in Argentina. In addition, the company owns 100% interests in the Gold Bar and Tonkin properties located in Eureka County, Nevada; and interests in the Los Azules copper project located in the cordilleran region in the province of San Juan, Argentina. The company was formerly known as US Gold Corporation and changed its name to McEwen Mining Inc. in January 2012. McEwen Mining Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
DS Smith Plc provides packaging solutions, paper products, and recycling services worldwide. The company offers transit and transport, consumer, retail and shelf ready, online and e-retail, industrial, hazardous, multi-material, cushioning, and electrostatic discharge packaging products, as well as wrap arounds, trays, and bag-in-boxes; displays and promotional packaging products; corrugated pallets; Sheetfeeding products; packaging machine systems; and Sizzlepak, a stuffing material made of paper, folded in a zigzag shape, and cut into narrow strips, as well as provides outdoor advertising services. It also provides various recycling and waste management services, including total waste management, paper and cardboard recycling, confidential shredding, and coffee cups and plastics recycling, as well as equipment for the retail, manufacturing, print and publishing, paper mills, automotive, and public sectors. In addition, the company offers recycled corrugated case materials, specialty papers, and kraft liners, as well as related technical and supply chain services. It provides its packaging solutions for the food and drink, consumer goods, industrial, e-commerce and e-retail, and converter industries. The company was formerly known as David S. Smith (Holdings) PLC and changed its name to DS Smith Plc in 2001. DS Smith Plc was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
Chevron Corporation, through a network of subsidiaries, engages in integrated energy and chemicals operations worldwide. The company is the 7th largest integrated oil company worldwide, the 2nd largest in the US, and has been in operation since 1879. Chevron was part of the original Standard Oil Company and is one of the 34 successor companies that were formed when it was broken up. Today, the company brings in roughly $160 billion in annual revenues and is the last remaining oil and gas component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Originally called Standard Oil Of California the company grew quickly via mergers and acquisitions. It was hailed as one of the Seven Sisters to dominate the US and global production throughout the mid-20th century and became even bigger in 1985 when it merged with Gulf Oil. The merger with Gulf Oil resulted in the rebranding from Standard Oil Of California to Chevron (a brand used by the company outside its California jurisdiction) and then ChevronTexaco Corporation in 2005 when that merger took place. The company rebranded again in 2005 to what we know today as Chevron Corporation.

Chevron Corporation is now based in San Ramone, California, and has operations in 180 countries. The company employs more than 42,500 people who operate 5 refineries and 8,000+ Texaco, Chevron, and Standard Oil service stations in the US alone. The company's Exploration and Drilling operations produced a record 3.1 million barrels per day and its US refineries process more than 1 million barrels per day. At the end of 2021, the company has more than 11.3 billion barrels of proven oil and liquid-equivalent reserves and boasted a 112% reserve replacement rate.

The company operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment explores new reserves, develops known reserves, produces petroleum and gas products as needed, transports, processes, pipes, stores, and markets petroleum worldwide. The Downstream segment refines and markets the full line of petroleum-based products including but not limited to fuels such as gas, diesel, and aviation fuel, as well as lubricants, petrochemicals, and plastics. The company transports products via pipeline, rail, marine vessels, and truck.

Chevron recognizes the need to lower the worlds carbon output and is working toward that end. The companys strategy is two-pronged and includes reducing its own carbon output while investing in green and lower-carbon technologies. The companys goal is to invest $10 billion or more into lower carbon energy sources and technologies by 2028.

Chevron is a Dividend Aristocrat. The company has been paying a dividend since 1989 and it has raised it every year since its inception.






Tom's Guide is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us.
Omans National Programme for Enhancing Economic Diversification (Tanfeedh) is advocating the use of coal-fired captive power capacity to support the development of new cement plants in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Duqm, said a report.



The use of coal as a potential fuel resource in power generation is being actively studied by various government and public sector stakeholders as part of a wider effort to move the sector away from a predominant reliance on natural gas, added the Oman Daily Observer report.



The exercise also aims to achieve a more diversified energy base to support the sultanates long-term economic development, it said.



Tanfeedhs initiative for expanding domestic cement production seeks to offset the nations dependence on cements for a hefty 54 per cent of its requirements. It proposes the establishment of at least three new cement plants in the Duqm SEZ.



The initiative calls for setting up two cement plants at the SEZ each of a capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum, added the report.



Cement consumption, according to the National Programme, has soared from 2.7 million tonnes in 2006 to 9 million tonnes in 2015.



While local producers Oman Cement and Raysut Cement accounts for 44 per cent of domestic demand, the rest comes from the UAE, it said.
- The late Nkaissery was eulogised as a social butterfly who would not hesitate to help someone

- He also enjoyed his drink and often paid for patrons' bills at the Bomas of Kenya lounge

- A friend of Nkaissery's also revealed the late minister did not enjoy the trappings of power after being appointed by President Uhuru

As condolence messages continue being sent to the family of the late Retired Major General Joseph Nkaissery, much about him continues to be revealed.

His family, friends and colleagues hail the fallen soldier as a strong man with firm leadership, and friendly to all no matter their political affiliations.

The late Nkaissery passed away on Saturday, July 8, after collapsing while headed to his bedroom at his Karen home. He was rushed to the Karen Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

READ ALSO: Joho's rival Suleiman Shahbal receives a major boost ahead of the August polls

The late Joseph Nkaissery's public appearance was at the national prayer service at Uhuru Park on Friday, July 7. Source: Facebook, Uhuru Kenyatta.

READ ALSO: Revered political analyst takes issue with new Security CS Fred Matiangi, asks him to take it slow

According to friends of the deceased who spoke to the Daily Nation, the late Nkaissery was a bonafide social butterfly who enjoyed mingling with people at his favourite hang out spot; the Bomas of Kenya lounge.

He would talk to everyone, share personal challenges as well as debate the current affairs among other things. He cared for the needy and would not hesitate to offer help, said one friend as quoted in the Daily Nation on Monday, July 10.

Apparently, his favourite alcohol brand was Tusker and he would down either two or three with friends whenever he visited the lounge.

READ ALSO: Photos of the swanky Karen home where the late Joseph Nkaissery lived with his wife

Part of the Bomas Lounge was cordoned off as police retraced the late Joseph Nkaissery's last steps. Source: Daily Nation.

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He would sit at the public counter, order drinks and even offer to pay for other patrons. But things changed once he stopped being the Kajiado Central member of parliament following his appointment at the Interior CS, added the friend.

As CS, he could no longer mingle with the patrons at the lounge Before he could even enter the joint, his advance team had to arrive first, scope out the place and identify a waiter or waitress who would serve him.

His driver, personal assistant and bodyguard would arrive before him- like they did on the day he died- and examined the place. As CS, he would only come and say jambo to us at the public lounge then proceed to a private lounge because his lifestyle had changed,

READ ALSO: We shall make sure that Uhuru beats Raila like Kibaki did in 2007- Martha Karua

It turns out the tough talking, stern Interior cabinet secretary was a soft man with a love for people. Source: Daily Nation.

READ ALSO: Uhuru Kenyatta attacks an important arm of the government,accuses it of sleeping with the enemy

We noticed he didnt like the trappings of a cabinet secretary because he liked mingling with people freely, concluded the friend.

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

What if President Uhuru does not win on August 8? Details below:

Source: TUKO.co.ke
On a quiet Sunday in Guyana, the Camp Street prison facility, was alight with flames that could be seen from miles following a prison riot.
The United States is interested in international cooperation in tackling cyber threats.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told this to reporters after a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"This is a challenge, obviously, for us globally, so Russia is not the only nation that we're going to have to begin to develop some way of how we as an international community are going to deal with what has emerged as an ever more complex issue. And I think the election interference really shows how complicated the use of these types of tools are becoming. We have to find a way to begin to address that, and it's not going to be only about Russia. It's going to be about an international engagement as well," he said.

As reported, Tillerson is on a visit to Ukraine to implement the agreements reached by the presidents of Ukraine and the United States.

In Kyiv, Poroshenko received Tillerson to discuss the strengthening of strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States and continue coordinating efforts to counter Russian aggression against Ukraine.

The sides also spoke about the implementation of the agreements reached during the visit by the head of the Ukrainian state to the United States on June 20-21.

Tillerson, during his visit to Kyiv, is accompanied by newly appointed U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker.

op
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he did not discuss the issue of sanctions with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

He wrote this on his Twitter page.

"Sanctions were not discussed at my meeting with President Putin. Nothing will be done until the Ukrainian & Syrian problems are solved!" Trump said.

He also added that he had discussed with the Russian president the creation of a cybersecurity unit to prevent potential hacker interference in the election and "many other negative things."
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that a legislative decision by Ukraine to secure its course for NATO membership as a priority in foreign policy does not mean that the country will immediately apply for membership of the alliance.

He said this at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Kyiv on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The head of state recalled that Ukraine had recently passed a law outlining accession to NATO as one of the key factors in Ukraine's foreign policy.

"This does not mean that we will immediately submit an application for membership. Absolutely no! This means that we need to build a real program of reforms, a program of our cooperation, and intensify our efforts so as to achieve the necessary standards," Poroshenko said.

He noted that Ukraine needed the assistance and cooperation of partners from the alliance to achieve the necessary standards.

At the same time, he recalled that only the NATO member states could either support or oppose the accession of a new state to the alliance.

op
CARACAS, 7 July 2017  UNICEF reiterates its concern for the safety and emotional wellbeing of children and adolescents in Venezuela participating in social protests that have in some cases turned violence.



According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, children and adolescents have the right to participate and express their opinions on issues that affect them. The State, local communities and families have a shared responsibility to protect children and safeguard their rights through the promotion of tolerance, respect and peaceful conflict resolution.



UNICEF urges the leaders, conveners and participants in public demonstrations to make these events peaceful and, together with families, guide children and adolescents to avoid exposure to dangerous situations. UNICEF also calls on the national child protection system to redouble its efforts to effectively ensure the protection of children and the dissemination of childrens rights among all actors involved in the demonstrations.



UNICEF reiterates its readiness to strengthen, within the framework of the agreed country programme, its cooperation to ensure the protection of children and adolescents.



###
A year ago today, Monday, Kem Ley, a prominent political commentator and frequent government critic was shot dead in broad daylight in a Phnom Penh gas station as he was enjoying his morning coffee.

His alleged killer was detained minutes later apparently making his escape, but ensuing court proceedings against Oeut Ang, who infamously gave his name as Choub Somlab in court, which means Meet Kill in Khmer, have done little to assuage concerns that the murder was a politically motivated assassination.

Ang claimed the killing was over a $3,000 debt, but evidence of contacts between Ang and officials from the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party and the military, the limited mandate of the court hearings, and the release of security camera footage from the morning of the shooting have fueled allegations that there were deeper forces at work. Ang was sentenced to life in prison for the killing.

Long Touch, one of many Ley supporters who came to visit their icons grave site ahead of the anniversary of his death, compared the killing with the Khmer Rouges political executions. In the future, there should be no more shooting and dissidents should not be arrested and put in jail, he said.

Ley was a regular feature of pro-opposition and independent talk radio stations, where he often made comments critical of the government that reached rural parts of the country which the CPP considers its traditional base of support. He had also written a series of satirical short stories poking fun at what he saw as the absurdist power politics he had witnessed take hold in his homeland.



Leys mother, Phok Se, 77, said she still felt regret, every hour and every minute as she kept watch over her sons grave.

Kem Rithisith, Leys brother who has campaigned for an independent inquiry into the killing, said justice had yet to be served.

If we look at the justice issue, we dont get it at all. The trial was not a serious trial. We see that people around the world want to see justice, while our judicial system just brought [Ang] to stand trial, he said.

If we analyze the testimony of the killer, justice has not come.

Bou Rachana, Leys widow, fled the country in the aftermath of the killing with her five children. She told VOA Khmer that she did not believe that Ang was the killer of her husband.

Frankly speaking, I havent received justice at all and I dont acknowledge the man who was sentenced to life in prison because I dont think he was the killer, she said. I also dont believe he was killed over a $3,000 debt.

As we are all aware, the people know that the courts in Cambodia dont provide justice to the victims and innocent people, she added.

Leys killing garnered international media coverage, with Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera uncovering evidence that Ang had been recruited by military officials just weeks prior to the killing.

Major rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for further investigation of the case.

Gen. Khieu Sopheak, interior ministry spokesman, claimed the authorities had investigated all leads in the case.

Let them say whatever they want to say, but we already collected evidence and everything else for the case and sent it to court, he said. The court charged him [Ang] and sentenced him and the court confirmed the investigation of the case is ongoing.

Ly Sophanna, a court spokesman, could not be reached for comment.
Austria has barred the Turkish economy minister from entering the country to attend a rally marking the anniversary of the failed coup attempt in Turkey last year

A spokesman for the Austrian Foreign Ministry confirmed in statement Monday the decision of Foreign Minster Sebastian Kurz, saying the event was "very big" and that the public appearance of Turkey's Nihat Zeybekci could "danger public order and security in Austria".

Austria has strongly criticized Turkey's security crackdown that followed the failed coup, and has repeatedly called for suspending Turkey's EU accession talks.

The Austrian decision followed a Netherlands government statement that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes was not welcome in the country. Turkes had intended to participate in a Friday ceremony organized by Turkish community to commemorate the anniversary of the coup attempt.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also was not allowed to speak to Turks in Germany last week, where he attended the G20 leaders' summit in Hamburg.

More than 50,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been detained, pending trial, and about 150,000 suspended or dismissed following the July 15 coup attempt, over allegations of connections with the U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for the coup.
A Bahrain court sentenced rights campaigner Nabeel Rajab to two years in jail on Monday, supporters said, for allegedly making "false or malicious" statements about Bahraini authorities.

Authorities at Bahrain's information affairs office could not immediately be reached for comment. Bahrain has repeatedly denied systematic rights abuses.

The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) said Rajab had been unable to attend the trial, having been at an interior ministry hospital since his health deteriorated in April. He was detained a year ago.

Pro-democracy leader

This outrageous sentence against someone speaking the truth exhibits the brutality of the Bahraini government and its heinous crimes and that of its kangaroo court, said Sayed Al-Wadaei, director of advocacy at BIRD.

In a January 2015 media interview cited by the prosecution, according to al-Wadaei, Rajab had said Bahrain's jails housed political prisoners who were subject to torture.

Rajab was a leading figure in a 2011 pro-democracy uprising which Bahrain crushed with the help of fellow Gulf Arab countries.

He was arrested in June last year after tweets from his account suggested that security forces had tortured detainees in a Bahraini prison and during a military campaign in Yemen.

'Blatant injustice

Amnesty International called Rajab's imprisonment a flagrant violation of human rights, and an alarming sign that the Bahraini authorities will go to any length to silence criticism.

Human Rights First called the ruling blatant injustice designed to serve political interests.

Rajab criticized U.S. President Donald Trump in a New York Times column in May for selling arms to his country and to Saudi Arabia, citing their human rights records.

Rajab face further charges

Trump's White House has green-lighted a $5 billion military sale to Bahrain held up by the administration of his predecessor Barrack Obama last year over human rights concerns. The island state is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

The Sunni-ruled kingdom, most of whose population is Shi'ite, says it faces a threat from neighboring Shi'ite theocracy Iran.

It accuses the Islamic Republic of radicalizing and arming some members of its majority Shi'ite population in an effort to bring about the downfall of the ruling Al Khalifa family.

Tehran denies any meddling in Bahrain. Rajab faces further charges related to an article he published in the New York Times last year and tweets from his

account critical of the intervention in the Yemen war by a Saudi-led coalition.
The battle to retake the Syrian city of Raqqa from the Islamic State terror group is a fight increasingly without front lines. The U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have breached the old city and control about a quarter of the terror group's de facto capital, say American officials, but holding what has already been seized is proving a struggle.

Disputes between the SDF and some Free Syrian Army militias who have started to participate in the battle isn't helping the advance, but the biggest obstacle remains the determined defense of IS fighters, who are using similar urban warfare tactics seen the past nine months in the terror group's fight to delay the retaking of Mosul by Iraqi security forces.

A month into the Raqqa assault, improvised explosive devices, sniper fire and the use of an elaborate network of tunnels to mount ambushes  as well as exploiting civilians as human shields are all being deployed by the militants. IS militants have also been using drones to drop explosives on SDF militiamen.

A watchdog rights organization says in the assault's first month it has documented 650 deaths  224 of them civilians.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based group that relies on a network of activists for its reporting, 311 IS fighters, including a handful of commanders, and 106 fighters of the American-backed "Euphrates Wrath" forces have died so far.

"In addition, airstrikes left hundreds of civilians injured, with various degrees of severity, some of whom had their limbs amputated, some were left with permanent disabilities and some are still in a critical condition, which means that the death toll is still likely to rise," the observatory says.

Long battle ahead

Despite being only a tenth the size of Mosul, U.S. officials say they expect the house-to-house fighting to last several weeks. Estimates on how many militants remain in the city range from between 2,000 to 3,000. Most of them are thought to be from eastern Syria or foreign fighters drawn mainly from North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.

According to local activists some Raqqa-born IS fighters have defected and are providing intelligence to the SDF. Hassan Hassan, an analyst at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, a Washington-based think tank, and co-author of the book "ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror," says local fighters have proven less than committed in the battle.

"The Islamic State will likely have to rely on the city's still likely large population of foreign fighters as well as a new generation of young fighters brainwashed by the group's ideology who typically fight viciously to the end," Hassan argues in the current issue of CTC Sentinel, a publication of the West Point military academy.

Despite the participation of experienced, battle-hardened Kurdish fighters, private security advisers say the SDF doesn't have the same capabilities and training as the elite Iraqi units who have been confronting IS militants in Mosul since August. "They are spread much thinner," one European security adviser told VOA. "They are also not as well equipped and lack the armor the Iraqis have been able to use," he added. Keeping the advance going, and trying to pin the militants into smaller and smaller pockets, is proving grueling, he said.

Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived in Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, to declare his security forces had wrested the wrecked city from the Islamic State, despite some continued fighting in at least one west Mosul neighborhood. Some U.S. officials are reckoning IS fighters may be able to hold out in Raqqa for up to three months.

In a bid to disrupt the SDF momentum, IS is now more regularly using suicide bombers driving reinforced vehicles packed with explosives  although not to the same degree as seen in the battle for Mosul. Last week, one suicide bomber managed to destroy a forward HQ used by the SDF.

Civilian casualties

Tens of thousands of refugees have fled, braving mines and savage IS sniper fire. Local activists estimate the number of civilians remaining in the city at about 60,000. They fault the international coalition for failing to have prepared for the handling of large numbers of displaced families. Civilians have been gathering in nearby camps lacking basic amenities such as healthcare, clean drinking water, and food," says the activist network Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently.

The group has accused the attacking forces of using a scorched-earth strategy, utilizing indiscriminate aerial bombardment in order to force militants to withdrew. U.S. officials admit there have been civilian deaths but say they are doing all they can to minimize casualties among non-combatants.
The most senior Vatican cleric to be implicated in the Roman Catholic Church child abuse scandal returned to Australia on Monday to stand trial in his home state on multiple charges of sexual assault from years ago.



Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis' top financial adviser, avoided waiting media when he arrived at Sydney Airport on a flight from Singapore.



Australia's senior Catholic had declined to comment to media who questioned him in Singapore at the weekend as he made his way home from Rome.



The 76-year-old cleric is due to appear in a court in the Victoria state capital Melbourne on July 26 on what Victoria Police described as multiple counts of "historical sexual assault offenses''  meaning offenses that generally occurred some time ago. There is no statute of limitations on such crimes in Australia. Police said there were multiple complainants, but have released no other details.



When police announced the charges last month, Pell vowed to fight the allegations, saying: "The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me.''



Pell has taken a leave of absence as Vatican finance czar to return to Australia to clear his name and has said he intends to return to the Vatican to continue his work as a prefect of the church's economy ministry.



The pope thanked Pell for his "honest'' work and collaboration, and said he would wait for Australian justice to run its course before making a judgment himself.



For years, Pell has faced allegations that he mishandled cases of clergy abuse as archbishop of Melbourne and, later, Sydney. But more recently, Pell himself became the focus of a clergy sex abuse investigation, with Victoria detectives flying to the Vatican to interview him last year.



It is unclear what the criminal charges against Pell involve, but two men, now in their 40s, have said that Pell touched them inappropriately at a swimming pool in the late 1970s, when Pell was a senior priest in Melbourne.
Mexico's Roman Catholic Church said in an editorial that Mexicans can't feel safe anywhere, as homicides rise throughout the country.

The statement Sunday by the Mexican Council of Bishops came on the same day that the bodies of two men and a woman were left at the entrance to a once-quiet, exclusive beach resort.

This is not a single corner of this country where Mexicans can feel safe and live in peace, The bishops' council wrote in an editorial.

Prosecutors in the state of Baja California Sur reported three bodies left in a car in the resort of Cabo San Lucas. All three apparently had bullet wounds.

The twin resorts of Los Cabos have been hit by a wave of grisly slayings in recent months.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz said Sunday they had identified the bodies of three women aged 17, 19 and 26, who had been missing since May 1. The bodies were found in a clandestine burial pit in the Veracruz township of Atzacan.

And in the southern state of Guerrero, the state security spokesman said three prison guards faced charges in a prison fight last week between rival gangs in which 28 inmates were killed. Spokesman Roberto Alvarez said the guards were being charged with ``direct participation'' in the killings.

In May, Mexico recorded its highest monthly murder total in at least 20 years. In 2011, the previous worst year, homicides were concentrated in states like Chihuahua, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas.
A giant Chinese red flag flutters on a pole where an American flag used to fly at a steel mill in this dusty industrial Serbian town. The company logos of U.S. Steel are faded on the huge chimneys stacks, replaced by those of a Chinese company.

When U.S. Steel sold its loss-making smelter in Serbia to the government for the symbolic sum of $1 in 2012, few here thought the ailing communist-era factory would ever be revived. Then came along a state-owned Chinese company.

Hebei Iron & Steel's 46 million-euro ($52 million) purchase of the Steelworks Smederevo last year is part of China's broader effort to project influence and gain an access point to the European market as other traditional powers, particularly the U.S. under President Donald Trump, retreat from the world stage.

The dynamic was laid bare at a world summit over the weekend, where Trump showed little interest in promoting free trade and was at odds with other countries on issues like climate change. China, meanwhile, was keen to promote itself as a champion of commerce and openness - even though in practice it falls far short of being one.

The Serbian plant is economically irrelevant in the short term to China, which abounds with steel production at home. But the deal saved 5,200 local jobs and gained Serbia's political favor.

"It seems to me that everything China has been doing in the past several years in the field of its investments abroad also has a political background and connotation," said Mijat Lakicevic, a Serbian political and economy analyst.

"China doesn't really need the Serbian plant that produces practically nothing compared to the steel production in China," he said. "So, I would describe this as placing a foot in the doorway in order to enter the market and the area where Russia and America are already present."

The longer-term strategy for China is to open markets for its businesses as its home economy slows. The most high-profile effort in this direction is the ambitious $900 billion Belt and Road project, often referred to as the New Silk Road - a transport and trade corridor running from China to Germany, via Greek ports, the Balkans and Central Europe.

Annual investment by Chinese companies in Europe reached an all-time high of $18 billion in 2014, with annual inflows averaging $10 billion over the past four years, according to the Rhodium Group, a China investment monitor.

Beijing is encouraging its industries to diversify abroad in hopes of reducing China's reliance on exports and its domestic market. That has also led to a string of acquisitions in chemicals, tourism, insurance, banking and other industries.

Steel producers have an extra incentive because Beijing is trying to shrink its bloated state-dominated industry at home. China's production glut has led to a flood of low-priced exports, which has depressed global markets and cost jobs in the U.S. and Europe, raising political tensions. As China negotiates the issue with the U.S. and EU, its acquisition of the Serbian plant gets it some rare good headlines in which it is credited with saving, not destroying, jobs.

Chinese companies are also starting to make inroads into Eastern European construction and engineering markets, including plans to build a $2 billion high-speed rail line from the Serbian capital, Belgrade, to Budapest in neighboring Hungary.

And while the EU remains the Western Balkans' largest trading partner, local governments have sometimes looked with favor to countries like China that are willing to invest large amounts without raising concerns about the region's patchy record on human rights or media freedoms.

"Serbia has an important role in China's global Belt and Road project and we want to capitalize on all its potential," Serbian Construction Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said. "This project cannot be realized without developed infrastructure in the countries where it passes."

She said that China has so far loaned some 5.5 billion euros ($6.3 billion) in Serbia for the construction of bridges, highways and railroads that it plans to use as transport routes for its goods into the heart of Europe.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has often been criticized by Western European leaders as being authoritarian, has often expressed his admiration for the economic achievements of countries like China. He wants to make Hungary the main hub for Chinese business and investments in Central and Eastern Europe.

"The old model for globalization has become obsolete," Orban said in May in Beijing while taking part in a Belt and Road conference. "The engine room of the global economy is no longer in the West, but in the East."

In Smederevo, the town of some 100,000 people where thousands make a living from the steel plant, there was praise for China.

Though salaries are about 25 percent below what they were under the U.S. company - roughly 750 euros ($855) compared with 1,000 euros ($1,140), mayor Jasna Avramovic said it was important that the jobs had returned in the first place.

"It's been one year since the Chinese came to our town and a calmer atmosphere is visible," Avramovic said. "There is no more uncertainty over what will happen with the plant. The salaries come on time."
China said it received an apology from U.S. officials after Beijing protested a White House statement that incorrectly identified President Xi Jinping as leader of the Republic of China, instead of the People's Republic of China.

Republic of China is the official name of Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province awaiting reunification.

"The U.S. side has expressed that they are sorry for this technical error and they have made a correction," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said of the misidentification during a regular news briefing Monday.

VOA asked White House officials to confirm the exchange, but there was no immediate response.

The White House made the error in an official readout of a meeting between President Donald Trump and Xi during the G-20 summit last week in Hamburg, Germany.

Ties between China and the U.S. have suffered because of the American relationship with Taiwan, particularly after President Trump spoke on the phone with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in a break from protocol shortly after his election to the White House.

The United States acknowledges Beijing's official position that Taiwan is part of China, but Washington is also one of the democratic island's most powerful supporters.



The U.S. government recently approved $1.42 billion in arms sales to the island.
The hospital treating Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo says he is too ill to travel overseas for treatment, saying the Nobel Prize Laureate is in critical condition.

The hospital said Liu's blood pressure is falling and he has an increasingly swollen stomach and partial intestinal obstruction and other complications. Liu was recently moved to the First Hospital of China Medical University in Shenyang from jail after he was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer.

In 2009, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for inciting subversion of state power, after helping write a petition known as Charter 08 that called for political reforms in China.

Since news of his terminal illness surfaced and he was released on medical parole under tight security, calls for his treatment abroad have been building.

On Sunday, two foreign doctors who met with Liu said he could be moved abroad safely for treatment and that he wanted to go to either Germany or the United States.

The doctors added any move needs to happen soon. But it appears likely China will not budge.

Monday, China's Foreign Ministry continued to ask other countries respect its sovereignty and said speaking out about Liu's treatment overseas is interference in its internal affairs.

Family's communication blocked

Rights groups say Liu's wife, Liu Xia and his relatives have been allowed to be with him, but are not allowed to communicate with the outside world.

The Hong Kong-based Information Center of Human Rights and Democracy reports Liu's elder brother Liu Xiaoguang and his wife recently visited the hospital to check on the ailing dissident's condition. But for days, the police have kept the couple under tight watch, and they have not been able to reach out to others. The couple was also pressured to sign a statement endorsing the opinion of Chinese doctors that it is unsafe to move Liu abroad, the group said.

China also appears to be trying to use the internet to forward its narrative. Recently there have been postings on YouTube that include video footage only authorities in China could have.

One clip includes video of interviews with Liu talking about his treatment, and meeting with his wife Liu Xia. There are also shots apparently of him exercising in prison taken from surveillance cameras.

Sunday, a user by the name of China Anti-Evil Cult posted a short 31 second video clip of a meeting between foreign doctors and Chinese medical experts. In the clip a Chinese doctor asks, Is there any treatment that you can do that we cannot?

After the question is asked, however, there is an obvious splice in the clip and then a German doctor responds by saying, "I don't think we can do better than you in Germany. But I can speak for Germany. I don't think we can do better medically than you do, you do very well."

Video released by the Chinese government showing foreign doctors at Liu's bedside:

But in a statement Sunday, the position doctors took was in sharp contrast with the message of the video. Joseph M. Herman of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Markus Buechler of the University of Heidelberg said, While a degree of risk always exists in the movement of any patient, both physicians believe Mr. Liu can be safely transported with appropriate medical evacuation care and support."

Germany protests

Another video was circulated online of the doctors around Liu Xiaobo's hospital bed, triggering a protest from the German embassy in Beijing.

The German embassy called it a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality. It said Dr. Buechler had protested having video and audio recordings made of his visit with Liu. "It seems that security organs are steering the process, not medical experts," the embassy said. "This behavior undermines the trust in the authorities dealing with Mr. Liu's case, which is vital to ensure maximum success of his medical treatment."

Authorities have strengthened security around the hospital, including a neighboring hotel.

Monday, VOA discovered a hand-written memo on the hotel's front desk and note to the hotel's staff that said, "Effective immediately, no one including reporters shall be given rooms facing the hospital or on a high floor. Only rooms on a low floor or in the opposite direction are available.

During the past few days, a VOA Mandarin service reporter and his news assistant trying to reach family members in Shenyang have been harassed, questioned and followed by unidentified men.

On Saturday a group of men who claimed to be hospital security guards surrounded them as they were trying to shoot video of the hospital's exterior. The men said they were not allowed to shoot video, and they were enforcing the law, but did not provide any identification.

The men grabbed the VOA journalists' arms and tried to drag and push them away. The VOA correspondent was hit repeatedly on his arm, receiving a bruise on his wrist. The news assistant's arm was also bruised as they were pushed and dragged around. The men also tried to take their cell phones and camera. In the shuffle, the camera and a pair of headphones were damaged.

This report from Shenyang and Beijing originated on VOA Mandarin. VOA reporter Hai Yan in Washington and journalist Joyce Huang contributed additional material.
The president of Democratic Republic of Congo's electoral commission said on Sunday that a vote to replace President Joseph Kabila will probably not be possible this year, violating a deal that let Kabila stay on past the end of his mandate.

Kabila's refusal to step down at the end of his second elected term in December sparked protests that killed dozens of people. The opposition quickly denounced commission president Corneille Nangaa's announcement on Sunday as a declaration of "war."

"The parameters at our disposal give us, more or less, reason to think that, in December, it will probably not be possible to stick to that date," Nangaa said in an interview on France's TV5Monde, referring to the year-end deadline.

Under the accord struck on Dec. 31 between Kabila's representatives and opposition leaders, Kabila, in power since 2001, is also barred from trying to change the constitution to stand for a third term.

However, Kabila has said only the electoral commission can schedule the vote once it finishes enrolling millions of voters.

In an interview last month with German newspaper Der Spiegel, he also said that he had "promised nothing" in the December deal.

In response to Nangaa's comments, opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi wrote on Twitter that the commission president "had declared war on the Congolese people" and promised a full response by the country's main opposition bloc on Monday.
The plight of displaced communities in Myanmars western Rakhine State and the impact of the displacement on children has led to calls, in a new film, to boost education as a vital step to end divisions between Buddhist and Muslim communities.

The documentary film, Sittwe, was released this month in Thailand after being banned by Myanmar censors at its original debut at a human rights film festival in Yangon.

Buddhists and Muslims affected by violence

Directed by American filmmaker Jeanne Hallacy, the film focuses on challenges faced by two 16-year-old teenagers  a Buddhist boy and a Muslim girl  who live in internally displaced camps in Rakhine state. Both their homes were torched during inter-communal violence in 2012.

That violence led to over 100,000 people forced into camps, where many, especially from the Muslim community, remain today. Muslims are prevented from returning to their former homes in Sittwe.

Hallacy says the film hopes to end tensions that remain between the Buddhist and Muslim communities.

The film was intended to try to create a small window of discourse among youth who are living in this conflict area, Hallacy told VOA.

We went out of our way to make sure that we were also including Buddhist youth in it, that it wasn't just Rohingya Muslims, because Buddhist kids have also been affected, she said. The goal, she says is to try and create this dialogue through the film.

The violence of 2012 devastated local communities, leading 140,000 to flee their homes into displacement camps. Others fled by boat to other parts of South East Asia seeking refuge.

Muslim youth confined to camps

The Muslim Rohingya people remain in government-controlled camps. They are not permitted to leave, even for education, and rely on informal schools within the camps.

In 2016 further bloodshed erupted after nine police officers were killed in Rakhine State by a group of Rohingya militants.

In response the Myanmar army carried out a massive crackdown, with dozens of Muslim Rohingya killed and injured, with security forces accused of human rights abuses. Thousands of Rohingya fled to neighboring Bangladesh.

Film focuses on two young people

The film followed the lives of a Buddhist boy, Aung Khan Myint, and a Muslim Rohingya girl, Phyu Phyu Than, against the background of increasing social divides.

Phyu Phyu Than hopes to become a teacher. But having completed the eighth grade at the camp school she is prevented from furthering her education at high school. Like all those living there, she is prevented from leaving.

My ambition is to be a teacher. If Muslim students were educated maybe we wouldn't have to suffer as much, she says.

What I want say to Rakhine [Buddhist] girls my age is you are a human being and I am a human being. Why are you and I living so differently? she says.

Aung Khan Myint, hopes to become a doctor and assist vulnerable children and communities. He says the community is weary of the conflict.

Everyone is tired of the conflict. Our country is struggling. We need the majority of people to come together and support each other to live together. I want to live this way, he says

Education may be the key

A senior Buddhist abbot, Sayadaw Bedanda Thiveinna, who blames the conflict on increasing economic stress, says a new generation of educated youth is needed to achieve long term reconciliation.

In order to develop character people need to be educated regardless of age or gender. Then they can become aware of conflict and learn how to build peace, the abbot says.

The film was supported by the Myanmar-based non-governmental organization, Smile Education and Development Foundation, whose executive director Myo Win says he hopes to draw the international communitys attention to the plight of education in Rakhine State.

Hallacy hopes Myanmar authorities will also be spurred to end, what she terms, the apartheid impact upon education for Rohingya Muslim children.

Pessimistic outlook

But progress towards community reconciliation is slow, if at all. Sai Kyaw Khiang, the cameraman for the project, says both sides living in the camps face economic and social hardships. The United Nations has been highly critical of the camps conditions, especially for the Rohingya community.

New York-based Human Rights Watch is pessimistic over the human rights situation in Rakhine State with deputy Asia director, Phil Robertson, calling the situation bleak.

Cameraman Sai Kyaw sees divisions sown by vitriol from both communities.

Its in the dark. I dont see hope is coming. You have to stop a lot of problems there with the government. They  both sides  are what we call brainwashed  both sides of the community  thats the gap, he told VOA.

Late in July the U.N.s special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, is to make an official visit to Myanmar, including to Rakhine State.

The U.N.s Human Rights Council had proposed a fact finding mission on rights in Myanmar, a moved opposed by the central government of Myanmar.
Severe food crises are growing in Kenya and Somalia, as the Horn of Africa continues to receive below-normal rainfall, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network.

The hunger-tracking group says 2.9 million people in Kenya and 3.2 million in Somalia are experiencing Phase 3 or higher on the network's five-tier warning scale, with Phase 3 being the crisis stage and Phase 5 being a full-fledged famine.

The numbers represent a jump of 800,000 in Kenya and 300,000 in Somalia since FEWS NET's last estimates, released in June.

The need is urgent

Peter Thomas, FEWS NET decision support advisor, says Phase 3 indicates that households are in need of urgent humanitarian aid.

This means that households are unable to meet their basic food needs for survival and facing gaps in their basic food needs, he told VOA's Horn of Africa Service.

Thomas says the new estimates were compiled just after the March to May rainy season, which FEWS NET said was very poor across southern Somalia and northern Kenya. Some parts of Kenya received just 25 percent of the normal rainfall.

The rain was more plentiful across nearby Ethiopia, except in the south, where drought conditions continue and millions across the Somali and Oromia regions remain in need of assistance.

Somalia a concern

Aid agencies like the U.N. World Food Program have helped many Horn residents hold off starvation. But Thomas warns that in Somalia, the situation could change. In the past, militant group al-Shabab has periodically banned aid agencies from helping people in towns under the group's control.

In the worst case scenario, if the humanitarian assistance is cut off and access to humanitarian need by local communities are restricted, famine could be possible, he said.

The last declared famine in Somalia, in 2011, killed an estimated 260,000 people.

On Saturday, the Trump administration announced more than $630 million in aid to Somalia and three other countries where conflict has led to or contributed to widespread hunger: South Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen.
A panel appointed by Pakistan's Supreme Court to look into the financial wealth and overseas assets of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children has recommended that a corruption case be brought against the family.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team, or JIT, Monday presented the court with a detailed report which said, There exists significant gap/disparity amongst the known and declared sources of income and wealth accumulated by Sharif, his two sons, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz, and daughter, Maryam Nawaz.

The JIT, which included experts from civilian and military intelligence agencies, summoned and questioned Sharif and his children about their family assets and contacted governments abroad before finalizing the report.

Failure on the part of all respondents to produce the requisite information confirming known sources of income is prima facie tantamount not being able to justify assets and the means of income, the JIT concluded in its findings, which followed the two-month investigation.

Although it will be for the Supreme Court to take further legal action based on the findings, legal experts see the JIT report as a major political blow to Sharif, who has consistently denied charges of wrongdoing. The findings prompted calls from political opponents and media commentators for the prime minister to immediately resign.

He has been declared a criminal of this country so what morality does he have to sit in the prime minister's seat anymore, Imran Khan, leader of the countrys main opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, told reporters shortly after the JIT report was released.

Khans party has been leading the legal battles against Prime Minister Sharif. Khan alleges that Sharif received kickbacks and commissions while he was prime minister of Pakistan twice in the 1990's and siphoned off the money to offshore accounts.

Several federal ministers at a hurriedly arranged news conference, however, condemned the report as a bundle of lies and contradictions. They vowed to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

The probe against Sharif and his family dates back to April 2016, when the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation of a global financial industry that enabled politicians, business people, criminals and others around the world to hide their ill-gotten gains or provide tax havens through offshore companies.

The leaked financial documents, known as the Panama Papers, listed Sharifs two sons and daughter as holders of offshore accounts.




The current, seventh round of U.N.-mediated peace talks aimed at ending the long-running conflict in Syria has opened with a sense of cautious optimism that things might be moving in the right direction.

U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura says he does not expect a breakthrough in the negotiations, but he says there is a higher potential than has been seen in the past for progress to be made in ending a war he calls the most complex conflict of our time.

He says some of the optimism comes from the fact the cease-fire agreement in southwest Syria, worked out by the United States, Russia, and Jordan, is broadly holding.

"I feel that when two superpowers, Russian Federation, which is an ally of President (Bashar al-) Assad and the United States of America agree fundamentally at that level in trying to make that cease-fire work, there is a strong chance that that will take place," said de Mistura.

Only sporadic violence has occurred since the truce went into force at midday Sunday. De Mistura says he believes this de-escalation of the conflict in Syria will contribute to the peace talks in Geneva and to cease-fire negotiations in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

"But, will also contribute to reassure the Syrian people that while we are talking, and it may take longer as you know, the negotiations, the people are not going to die because of bombs or any type of massive military activity," said de Mistura.

The United Nations reports the Syrian war, which has entered its seventh year, has killed about 400,000 people, displaced more than six million within the country and prompted nearly five million to flee as refugees to neighboring countries.
At least seven Hindu pilgrims were fatally shot by suspected militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Monday.

The victims were among nearly 50 people traveling on an annual pilgrimage when their vehicle was attacked by what local police suspect were separatists fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place in the Anantnag district.

Security precautions, police numbers and internet restrictions were increased in Kashmir over the weekend in an effort to foil protests planned for the anniversary of the death of a local militant leader, Burhan Wani. His killing in 2016 by armed forces pulled the Himalayan region into a fresh spiral of violence after several years of relative peace.

Kashmir has been restive since widespread and violent street protests erupted after Wani's killing.

India blames Pakistan-based militant groups for stoking the unrest in Kashmir. Pakistan denies the allegation.
A call by the Israeli ambassador to Hungary for an end to the billboard campaign against George Soros wasn't meant to "delegitimize" criticism of the Hungarian-American billionaire, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

The ministry's statement was in response to a Facebook post by Ambassador Yossi Amrani, who said the Hungarian government's billboards not only evoke "sad memories, but also sow hatred and fear."

The ministry said the "sole purpose" of the ambassador's statement was to express Israel's rejections of anti-Semitism and support "Jewish communities everywhere in confronting this hatred."

"In no way was the statement meant to delegitimize criticism of George Soros, who continuously undermines Israel's democratically elected governments by funding organizations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself," the ministry said.

Soros, a liberal philanthropist who survived the Holocaust, supports groups that Israel's hawkish government views as unfairly harsh toward the Jewish state or favoring Palestinian viewpoints.

The ads, part of a campaign underscoring the government's anti-migration policies, show a smiling Soros, who is a supporter of migrants, along with the caption "Let's not let Soros have the last laugh."

They have been criticized for playing into anti-Semitic stereotypes, which has been denied by the Hungarian government.

Soros has become an increasing target of government criticism before the April 2018 election in Hungary.

Parliament recently passed legal amendments which could force the Budapest-based Central European University, founded by Soros in 1991, to leave the country or close. Stricter rules also have been adopted for civic groups, which get more than around $26,600 from abroad. Some of them, including advocates of asylum-seekers, are supported by Soros' Open Society Foundations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Hungary next week.
Israeli and Palestinian officials have signed a rare agreement to provide additional electricity to Palestinian residents of the northern West Bank.

Under Monday's deal, Israel's national electric company will sell an additional 60 megawatts of electricity to the power-starved Jenin area, with an option to more than double the supply. The electricity will be distributed through a Palestinian-operated substation.



The Palestinians are building a total of four substations, with backing from the European Investment Bank.



Israel's energy minister, Yuval Steinitz, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and other top officials attended a ceremony near Jenin.



Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, who heads Cogat, the Israeli defense body for Palestinian civilian affairs, said such agreements are "significant components of stability."



Hamdallah called the project an "impressive accomplishment."
Kenya's chief justice warned President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday not to undermine public confidence in the judiciary, in an unusually sharp exchange between the two men less than a month before national elections are due.

Kenyatta had earlier responded to a court victory for the opposition against Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) by cautioning against any use of the court process to delay the elections.

"They are taking us for fools," he told an election rally in the western county of Baringo, referring to the judiciary.

"I want to tell those in courts, we have respected you. But do not think respect is cowardice. And we will not allow our opponents to use the courts and to intimidate the IEBC, thinking they will win using the back door."

Chief Justice David Maraga released a statement a few hours later, saying: "When political leaders cast aspersions on the administration of justice based on a misinterpretation of my statements, it has the potential to impair public confidence in our courts, and this concerns me a great deal."

Memories are still fresh in Kenya of the violent clashes that killed more than 1,200 people following a disputed election in 2007. Some fear a repeat following the Aug. 8 polls in which Kenyatta is seeking a second and final five-year term.

Kenyans are also due to choose legislators and local representatives for the first time since 2013, when the elections passed peacefully after the opposition challenged the results in court.

The opposition has already brought a flurry of cases against the electoral commission, including the one settled on Friday when the high court ruled that contract to print ballot papers for the presidential poll had not been awarded transparently.

Kenyatta's chief rival is veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, the head of the National Super Alliance, who was also the opposition candidate in both 2007 and 2013.

A spokesman for Odinga said he had been hospitalized on Sunday with a suspected case of mild food poisoning.
The Kremlin says it is unaware of a 2016 meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump's senior staff and a Russian attorney who promised to provide damaging information about Trump's challenger, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the lawyer who met with the Trump team, Natalia Veselnitskaya, is not known to senior Russian government officials. He dismissed inquirires about her, saying Russian authorities "cannot keep track" of all Russian lawyers and their contacts overseas.

Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said Sunday that he, Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort and President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met with the Russian lawyer in New York in June 2016, shortly after Trump had clinched the Republican presidential nomination.

'No meaningful information' emerged

Veselnitskaya had said she would share information that could hurt Clinton's campaign. Trump's son failed to include that detail when he originally acknowledged meeting with the Russian lawyer, but he acknowledged the political overtone to the meeting in a clarifying statement on Sunday.

However, Trump Jr. said, "No details or supporting information was provided or even offered" during the brief conversation with Veselnitskaya, and "it quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."

The younger Trump on Monday defended his meeting with the Russian lawyer, saying it "went nowhere," but that he "had to listen." White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, "Don Jr. did not collude with anyone to influence the election."

Separate media reports late Monday said Trump's son has retained legal counsel to represent him in connection with the Veselnitskaya incident.

Music publicist arranged talks

Trump's son has said his father was unaware of the meeting at Trump Tower, the campaign team's headquarters last year. The president's lawyer also has said Trump himself had no knowledge of the Russian lawyer's contact with Manafort, Kushner and Trump Jr. at the time.

The get-together was arranged by music publicist Rob Goldstone on behalf of a Moscow client, Azerbaijani singer-songwriter Emin Agalarov, who knew the future president through his 2013 promotion of the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow.

The New York Times first disclosed the Russian lawyer's meeting with the Trump team. Trump's son told the newspaper on Saturday that the talks with Veselnitskaya were about Moscow's ban on allowing American couples to adopt Russian children. On Sunday, however, after The Times contacted him again, the younger Trump revised his comments to make clear that the Russian lawyer had promised she had damaging information about Clinton.

The meeting with Veselnitskaya is believed to be the first known contact between senior Trump campaign officials and Russian interests in the midst of Trump's run for the White House that culminated with his victory over Clinton in November.

Veselnitskaya tried to lift sanctions

Veselnitskaya is known for her attempts to undercut the sanctions against Russian human-rights abusers, U.S. media reports said. Her clients reportedly include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.

President Trump is facing investigations about Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential campaign and possible collusion between his campaign and Russian officials. The U.S. intelligence community says Russian President Vladimir Putin directed a campaign to discredit the U.S. election, damage Clinton and help Trump win, a claim he rejected in a meeting with Trump last Friday at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

Numerous congressional investigations are underway and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is conducting a probe of the Trump campaign links with Russia and whether Trump possibly obstructed justice when he fired James Comey, the FBI director who was heading the Russia investigation before Mueller took over.

Trump has called the Russia investigations a "witch hunt" and an excuse by Democrats to account for Clinton's loss. He has repeatedly denied having links to Russia.
A second month of fighting between government troops and Muslim rebels in a southern Philippine city is turning to a search for a man sought by Manila as well as the United States for his leadership in terrorism over the past 20 years.

Philippine troops believe Isnilon Totoni Hapilon may be hiding in the largely demolished city of Marawi. Troops attacked Marawi May 23 because they feared Hapilons historically violent Abu Sayyaf group was forming links with another rebel organization there.

Hapilon thought to be in Marawi area

The assumption of our ground commanders based on the lack of confirmation regarding his escape or flight from the area of Marawi is that he is still in the area, Philippine armed forces spokesperson Restituto Padilla said Friday, as quoted by the presidential office website. Our operations are focused on the possible area where he is believed to be still in hiding.

Hapilon's death or capture would end the direct influence of a man who has helped lead Abu Sayyaf, a group known for kidnapping foreign tourists and beheading some, since 1997. He was recently trying to extend his influence to other Muslim anti-government insurgents in the Philippines to earn respect from Islamic State, some believe.

Early on, Hapilon had been deputy head and member of a consultative leadership council for Abu Sayyaf, which operates from Sulu Sea islands in the largely Muslim Philippine south, the policy nonprofit Counter Extremism Project says.

U.S. wants Hapilon

After Abu Sayyaf kidnapped 20 tourists from a resort in 2001 and beheaded an American, the United States indicted Hapilon in absentia.

The U.S. is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information that helps capture or convict the 51-year-old man the FBI describes as slim and 5 feet 6 inches tall, with possible travel access to Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. He graduated from engineering school from the University of the Philippines, the FBI says, though Philippine media quote the university saying Hapilons name isn't on their books.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has offered the equivalent of $344,000 for the neutralization of Hapilon, media outlets in the country said in June.

A legend

Hes a legend for his exploits in kidnapping high-profile tourists and as a result hes got lots of money, and money has bought him a lot of guns and followers said Eduardo Araral, Mindanao native and an associate professor at the National University of Singapores public policy school.

Hapilon, now the leader of one Abu Sayyaf faction, eventually moved to the nearby Philippine province of Lanao del Sur to establish an Islamic State caliphate in a larger area, the nonprofit says.

Three years ago Hapilon pledged allegiance to Islamic State, it says, and last year the terrorist group based in Iraq and Syria endorsed him as its emir in Southeast Asia.

Establish ties with other Muslim groups

By May Hapilon had reached Marawi, a predominantly Muslim city of 200,000 people, to establish ties with 4-year-old militant organization the Maute Group, government officials have said in explaining why they started the battle. The fighting has killed 353 terrorists and 87 from the government, Padilla said Friday.

The wanted man had sought ties with the Maute Group to extend Abu Sayyaf influence and win favor with ISIS and possibly more clout in the global terrorist network, said Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Philippine advocacy organization Institute for Political and Electoral Reform.

Marawi is actually the first coordinated operation that they have and its more propaganda than anything else, Casiple said. At this point in time they're trying to convince ISIS they can really represent all of Southeast Asia. Because of his Abu Sayyaf background he already has contacts with the Al-Qaida network in Southeast Asia.

Thousands have died

If Hapilon were captured or killed in Marawi, Abu Sayyaf could regroup after a period of splintering, Araral said. Another 19 Muslim rebel groups also operate around the Sulu Sea and Philippine island of Mindanao, where related violence has left about 120,000 people dead since the 1960s.

Ethnic Moro followers of Islam who reached Mindanao centuries ago resent the Catholic Philippine majority for what they see as unequal rights to resources in the chronically impoverished south. Their anger hatched some of the rebel groups.

The way that the Marawi impasse can escalate is if the other groups in the other areas start to move, said Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, a University of the Philippines political science professor. The survivors, they will recruit somehow. Those who are still out there will be recruiting, but in what form under whose new leaders? Isnilon Hapilon, were not sure where he is.
At least nine people were killed and 25 others injured when a tourist bus flipped on its side and plunged off a cliff in Peru Sunday night, authorities said.

Peru's Ministry of Health said in a statement on its website that the accident happened about 2 kilometers from the presidential palace in Lima. The bus had likely been traveling at excessive speed, the ministry said

The double-decker bus, carrying about 50 passengers, including children, was driving on San Cristobal hill to give the tourists a panoramic view of the city.

Authorities are working to confirm the identity of the victims, but media reports say at least two children were among the dead.

At least two foreign nationals, a Canadian and a Chilean, are thought to be among the injured.

Bus and other vehicle accidents in the South American country are commonplace due to its mountainous terrain.
Egyptian police say they have killed six suspected members of the so-called Islamic State (IS) in a shootout.

Security forces were carrying out a raid Monday on the militants' apartment hideout when the gunfight broke out. All six suspected militants were killed.

The abandoned apartment in the southern Egyptian town of Dairut, was being used as "an organizational base and to prepare to carry out a series of terrorist operations within the southern provinces," the interior ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page.

Police say they found a bomb, five automatic weapons and ammunition. They also found IS propaganda material "containing the concepts and slogans of the group," the Interior Ministry said.

Hundreds of police and military personnel have been killed by Islamist violence since the 2013, the year a military coup ousted the country's first democratically elected leader, President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood party.

The frequency of such attacks has increased in recent months, especially against Egypt's minority Coptic Christian community.

On Friday, 23 Egyptian soldiers were killed by two suicide car bombs in northern Sinai, one of the largest attacks on Egyptian security forces in years.
Relatives of two of the three U.S. military trainers shot dead at the gate of a Jordanian air base last year have described the pain of their loss to a military court trying the alleged killer.



The family members attended a court hearing in Jordan's capital Monday and will remain until the verdict, expected next week.



A Jordanian soldier charged with murder in the shootings faces life in prison if convicted.



The soldier, who allegedly opened deadly fire on U.S. troops at the gate, has pleaded "not guilty." The judge has said he has no ties to terrorist groups.



The defense attorney said his client fired because he feared the base was under attack The prosecutor said the defendant acted with intent, having fired dozens of rounds over several minutes.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Kuwait, in an effort to help resolve the impasse over the blockade of Qatar by its Persian Gulf neighbors

Tillerson is also due to visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week.

Tillerson met Monday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after a visit Sunday to Ukraine. Before leaving Turkey for Kuwait, senior communications adviser R.C. Hammond said the purpose of Tillerson's trip to several Gulf countries this week is to explore where a possible resolution can be found.

Hammond said Tillerson is traveling at the invitation of the Emir of Kuwait, and his first stop is Kuwait City. Hammond said it is not new that President Donald Trump had asked the secretary of state to find a resolution to the Qatar crisis, and that the role of the U.S. is to keep people talking to each other.

Hammond said the president has been very clear that his No. 1 goal is to have all Arab nations do more to stop the financing of terrorism. After his first trip abroad to Saudi Arabia, Trump accused Qatar of supporting terrorism at the highest levels. Qatar has denied this.

Last month, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and others severed diplomatic ties and instituted a land, air and sea blockade of Qatar.

The Saudi-led group has given Doha a list of 13 demands, which includes calls for Qatar to downgrade its relations with Iran and close the Qatari-state-funded al-Jazeera news network. Qatar has said it is willing to negotiate, but will not give up its sovereignty.

Before leaving Turkey for Kuwait, Tillerson said he believed he and Erdogan were making progress in rebuilding trust, and stressed the importance of the U.S.-Turkish relationship.
Thousands of unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children risk exploitation, trafficking, abuse and violence because European asylum countries have failed to protect them, according to three leading humanitarian organizations.

To remedy this situation, the United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR), the U.N. Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and International Rescue Committee (IRC) have devised a Roadmap for Action to protect vulnerable children arriving and staying in Europe.

While the total number of arrivals to Europe has decreased, the situation of unaccompanied and separated children remains an emergency, said Diane Goodman, deputy director of the UNHCRs Europe bureau.

It is wrong to assume that children are safe as soon as they reach Europe. They are not. In fact, many children experience violence, abuse and exploitation while in Europe and Europe is failing these extremely vulnerable children, she said.

Goodman noted that the youngsters often were detained upon arrival in Europe, with many placed with adults in large centers. Others were living in squats, train stations or on the streets.

Without safe and appropriate care, we will never be able to establish trust or find a solution in the childs best interests, she said.

UNICEF has said the underlying causes that prompted children and their families to make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea remain, as millions of people are still affected by the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Launched Monday, the Roadmap was developed in consultation with 100 practitioners, including guardians, psychologists, social workers and lawyers, as well as authorities from several European countries and the European Union.

Annalisa Brusati, the IRCs child protection senior technical adviser, noted that refugee and migrant children who testified about their experiences, fears and hopes and dreams also provided valuable input to the development of the Roadmap.

For example, she said a 14-year-old Algerian boy told aid workers that all children my age are not feeling safe. They are forced to go into war and they are all dying."

We deserve a normal childhood like other children in the world, he said.

Additionally, there was the 17-year old Afghan boy who described how unprotected he and other children felt during their perilous journey, concluding that, We were forced to trust the smugglers.

Commenting on the testimonials, Brusati said, The childrens experience also shows a way forward by letting us know what currently works and what needs to be scaled up and replicated.

"The way forward that IRC, UNHCR and UNICEF are presenting today completes this roadmap and lays out our seven clear recommendations to improve the current response offered to these children, ensuring they are protected and supported in a coordinated and effective manner, she said.

The Roadmap highlights the need to identify children, register them through child-friendly procedures and build a relationship of trust with them as early as possible. Another key recommendation is to ensure that a well-trained guardian takes immediate responsibility for the child.

This is a really important part because every child needs to feel safe as soon as possible, David Mcloughlin, UNICEFs deputy director for Europe and Central Asia, told VOA.

They need someone who is responsible that can be trusted as a guardian, he said.

Data show that since July 2015, more than 130,000 unaccompanied and separated children have arrived in Europe. The United Nations reports more than 5,000 children traveled to Greece, Italy, Bulgaria and Spain during the first quarter of this year and that nearly 70 percent of them were by themselves.

In March, UNICEF welcomed a decision by Italy's parliament to pass a law aimed at supporting and protecting the record number of foreign unaccompanied and separated children who arrived in that country. Nearly 26,000 did so in 2016, with the numbers expected to climb this year.

The aid agencies report that most unaccompanied children arriving in Europe were boys between the ages of 15 and 17. The majority who made it to Greece in the first three months of 2017 were from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Iraq.

They reported that 94 percent of the 3,714 children who arrived in Italy were unaccompanied or separated. Most originated from Guinea, Gambia, Ivory Coast and Bangladesh.

Lucio Melandri, UNICEF migration coordinator, observed that these youngsters encountered violence throughout their journey; but, those who were particularly vulnerable, he noted, were the children who were overlooked in the national systems.

Falling through the cracks means that they are becoming almost invisible. So, they are then relying on smuggling, criminal organizations.

And, you know that frequently, this kind of path could lead to human trafficking, could lead to prostitution of children, could lead to even worse cases of abuse and exploitation, he said. We need institutions to prevent all of this happening, to prevent violence.
For a farmer in Brazil's Amazon, Manoel Freire Camurca was doing pretty well for himself until a local power broker burned down his house and took the surrounding fields he had poured his life into.

Camurca's eviction eight months ago happened as officials were finalizing his claim to 500 hectares of land in southwestern Amazonas state where he had spent nearly three decades growing corn, sugar and beans.

"I lost everything," 61-year-old Camurca told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, wiping away tears. "I went into town and when I came back everything was burned and destroyed."

Half a dozen other small farmers in his village suffered the same fate after a large rancher said he was the rightful owner of the land.

Camurca's story highlights an increasingly violent environment in parts of rural Brazil which government officials say is fueled by unclear property title deeds, local corruption and a system where competing state agencies work on land regularization.

'Death in the Countryside'

At least 36 people died in land conflicts in the first five months of this year, according to the Brazil-based Pastoral Land Commission watchdog.

One government official said 2017 had so far been the most violent year for land fights this century.

"Land conflicts in the Amazon have gotten worse," said Ronaldo Santos, an official with the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA), a government body responsible for managing and demarcating rural land.

"Big farm operators have the power to dispense injustice," Santos told the Thomson Reuters Foundation following a public meeting with hundreds of angry farmers embroiled in land conflicts in Amazonas in northwestern Brazil. "We have assassinations and death in the countryside."

Conflicting Titles

Recent violence has led officials from different government agencies and privately owned land registration agents known as cartorios to trade blame over who is responsible for the conflicts.

Across Brazil, land must be registered by cartorios. They maintain property records and transfer deeds in specific regions. There is no single, centralized system for checking who owns what nationwide.

Inherited from Portuguese colonialists, the cartorio system is confusing and widely abused by wealthy land owners, government officials told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

They said unclear property ownership makes it easier for large ranchers to displace small farmers like Camurca.

"The cartorios hold the biggest responsibility for legalizing grilagem [land grabs]," said Miguel Emile, a senior official with Terra Legal, a government program for regularizing small farmers' land titles in the Amazon.

There are an estimated 5 million landless families in Brazil, according to a 2016 Canadian study. Government officials say they are working to speed-up property allocations for the rural poor who often live on land they do not formally own.

But even lands demarcated and distributed by government officials from INCRA and Terra Legal must be registered at private cartorios to be fully legal, Emile said.

Small farmers often cannot afford cartorio services, he said, and the system itself faces widespread abuse.

Wealthy ranchers can bribe cartorios to register someone else's land, Emile told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

A common scam involves elites legally buying a small piece of property and then having a cartorio register a far larger surrounding area in their name, he said.

As a result of this type of fraud in Para, a neighboring Amazon state, four times more land has been privately registered than the state's total area, said Jeremy Campbell, an expert on land rights in Brazil at Roger Williams University in the United States.

Trading Blame

Cartorios, however, say they are not responsible for most of the problem, blaming government agencies for weak Amazon property rights and the resulting violence.

"Grilagem is not done by cartorios," said one cartorio in Amazonas who spoke on condition of anonymity.

His office, which is responsible for maintaining local land records, is full of yellowed, time-worn books of property deeds, along with some digitized documents.

Corruption in government agencies, including INCRA, is a major driver of land scams, the cartorio said, as property owners can bribe officials to hand them swaths of state land.

The government is moving to geocode new property registrations so the land is digitally registered through satellite maps but this process has been slow, he added.

Proving Ownership

Forced evictions in Camurca's village of Bom Lugar in Boca do Acre municipality exemplify the problems with Brazil's rural property system.

INCRA had provided Camurca with a certification of possession, known locally as a "posse title." But the farmer said he couldn't register this as a formal title with a cartorio as the process of property demarcation had not been finalized.

This meant that despite a government agency granting Camurca rights to the land where he had lived since 1988 he still did not formally own it.

The rancher who Camurca says was behind the burning of his house could not be reached for comment.

The federal prosecutor for Amazonas state said he was investigating house burnings and displacement across Boca do Acre.

Amazonas senior security official, Sergio Fontes, said the violence affecting Camurca and thousands of others across Brazil's largest state was due to poor management by officials.

"INCRA should resolve the farmers' disputes with ranchers before distributing lands, otherwise all these problems happen," Fontes told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "[Officials] have to take responsibility for who was placed there."

Travel support for this story was provided by the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ).
African and Arab election experts are in Kenya this week meeting with Somalia's electoral commission to help the country prepare to move to one person, one vote elections in 2020.

The year 2004 marked the beginning of the end to more than two decades of civil war and anarchy in Somalia. Members of Somalia's interim parliament gathered in Nairobi to vote for a new president. They met in Kenya because Mogadishu was still too dangerous.

Somalia has since held three polls. But regular Somalis are yet to cast any ballots. The country has relied on a clan-based formula in which the lawmakers were selected by the clan elders, and then the legislators elect the president.

Last year, Somali political leaders agreed to scrap the clan-based formula in favor of a one person, one vote system. Somalias electoral body, the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC), hopes to make the change for the next elections in 2020.

Experts from the Organization of Arab Electoral Management Bodies and from around the continent gathered in Nairobi this week to advise the Electoral Commission.

This [meeting] is an important step amongst others to assist NIEC with some of the experience that in turn can use as its developing its procedures and a very important step along the path to universal multi-party democratic elections, says Electoral advisor Gerald Mitchell, director of the United Nations Electoral Support Group.

The experts agree one of the first steps to take is to register political parties.

Idris Aminu Kasimu, who works with the Nigerias Independent National Electoral Commission, said, If you do not start with democracy within political parties, you have a challenge in the democracy within the country because democracy within the political parties, candidates who want to contest elections will emerge democratically and will emerge by choice of majority members of the political party, because the credibility of the general elections actually starts from the credibility of political parties and how candidates emerge.

Credibility is something that critics say Somalias last two polls have lacked. The 2017 elections were marred by allegations of vote buying and irregularities, and some of the races had to be redone.

Security may be another obstacle to one person, one vote elections in 2020.

The government of Somalia, with the help of African Union troops, has retaken territory from al-Shabab, but the militant group continues to carry out attacks. Many Somalis doubt whether they can have a chance to vote.

Halima Ismail Ibrahim, the chairperson of the Somali National Independent Electoral Commission, said, "I know many Somalis are asking each other with the current crisis, how can one-man, one-vote be achieved? But we believe if we work hard on it, it can work. We also believe, as the electoral commission, we are ready and we know we can handle such an election. It is important we start working on this process as early as possible.

The conference ends Wednesday.
A suspected suicide blast in southwestern Pakistan Monday killed a district police chief along with his security guard and a civilian passerby.

The Pakistani Taliban swiftly claimed responsibly for the attack in the town of Chaman near the Afghan border, saying the bomber was one of its members.

The slain police chief, Sajid Khan Mohmand, was traveling to his office and a traffic jam had slowed his vehicle on a busy narrow road when a suicide bomber riding a motorbike struck it, said eyewitnesses.

Authorities have retrieved body parts of the suspected attacker from the site but have not yet made a final determination on the nature of the attack.

An investigation is underway but most probably it was a suicide attack, said area assistant commissioner Kashif Bukhari. He confirmed that police personnel and passers-by were also among at least a dozen people wounded in the attack.

The violence came hours after a roadside improvised explosive device hit a security convoy in northwestern semi-autonomous Kurram tribal district, killing at least two paramilitary soldiers.

The Pakistani Taliban also took credit for plotting that attack, and claimed it killed seven security personnel, though the militants often issue inflated casualty tolls.

Kurram is also located on the Afghan border and has often suffered militant attacks.

A twin bombing of a crowded market place last month in Parachinar, the central town of Kurram, killed more than 70 people and wounded scores of others. The victims were mostly members of the minority Shiite Muslim community.

A bomb explosion in January and a suicide car bombing in March in the city claimed lives of at least 50 people, mostly Shiites.

Militant violence has spiked in Pakistan in recent months despite official claims of dismantling bases of the Pakistani Taliban and killing thousands of its militants.

Pakistani authorities allege terrorists fleeing security operations have taken refuge in volatile border regions of Afghanistan and orchestrate the violence from there, charges the neighboring country rejects.
A cease-fire in Syria brokered by the United States and Russia held through Sunday, ahead of a new round of U.N.-sponsored peace talks to finally bring an end to the six-year civil war.

Monitors reported no fighting in the three southern provinces covered by the truce, as of nightfall Sunday.

U.S. President Donald Trump was pleased.

"Syrian ceasefire seems to be holding. Many lives can be saved...good," Trump tweeted. "Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia."

U.S., Russian, and Jordanian diplomats put together the cease-fire on the sidelines of last week's G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

While no one from the Syrian government or its opposition was involved in the cease-fire talks, a Syrian official told Reuters that Damascus welcomes any step that could "pave the way to a peaceful solution."

A statement from opponents of Syria's Bashar al-Assad regime noted those groups were wary about what they called "secret meetings and understandings between Russia, Jordan, and America for the south of Syria, separate from the north."

Both opposition and Syrian representatives will be at the new U.N. peace talks Monday in Geneva.

Previous cease-fires have fallen apart quickly, and earlier peace talks broke up with little progress toward a permanent truce.

Hopwever, the deputy United Nations envoy for Syria, Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi, said the new cease-fire created a "suitable atmosphere" for Monday's meetings.


A Syrian war monitor said Monday a cease-fire covering three provinces in the southern part of the country was largely holding with a few reports of violence, while the Syrian government and rebels prepared to open the latest round of U.N.-brokered peace talks aimed at ending the six-year conflict.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported scattered cease-fire violations in Daraa and Quneitra provinces. The halt in fighting brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan also includes Sweida province.

U.S., Russian, and Jordanian diplomats put together the cease-fire on the sidelines of last week's G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

While neither the Syrian government nor the opposition were involved in the cease-fire talks, a Syrian official told Reuters that President Bashar Al-Assad's government welcomes any step that could "pave the way to a peaceful solution."

A statement from opponents of Assad noted the groups were wary about what they called "secret meetings and understandings between Russia, Jordan, and America for the south of Syria, separate from the north."

Both opposition and Syrian representatives are taking part in the U.N. peace talks Monday in Geneva.

Previous cease-fires have fallen apart quickly, and earlier rounds of U.N.-led peace talks broke up with little progress toward a permanent truce.

However, the deputy United Nations envoy for Syria, Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi, said the new cease-fire created a "suitable atmosphere" for Monday's meetings.

And the lead U.N. envoy, Staffan de Mistura, told reporters last week that he sees "movement" with "real engagement" and pointed to the change in dynamics from the situation that existed in the past few years when efforts to even convene peace talks got nowhere.
The strained U.S. relations with Turkey are beginning to improve, but will require much more work, according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

"I think we are working very hard to rebuild that level of trust that is the basis for any relationship," Tillerson said, speaking Monday with the staff and families of the U.S. Mission in Istanbul.

"It is important for so many reasons, which is why we must put the relationship on the mend, re-establish it on the proper basis and strengthen it going forward," he said, citing the war in Syria as one of the issues on which the two countries have made progress, but must continue to work on together.

Tillerson spoke a day after commemorating the one-year anniversary of the failed coup in Turkey, praising the courage of the Turkish people in defending democracy but failing to mention the widespread government crackdown that has followed.

Tillerson also thanked the staff members for their work during challenging times between the two countries.

"I appreciate what you're doing for us here.I know it can be, from time to time, a challenging post," he said.

Speaking Sunday at an oil conference in Istanbul, Tillerson said the United States sees Turkey as a partner in its push for greater energy security in the region, and "looks forward to engaging with Turkey on projects that will increase global energy security."

More than 240 people, many of them civilians, died the night of the failed coup, which was marked by pitched battles in Ankara between branches of the police and army.

Since last July, in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's post coup crackdown, more than 100,000 people have been fired or suspended from their jobs in Turkey's civil and private sectors, and the government has jailed more than 40,000 others on a variety of charges, alleging they were involved in anti-government activities.Many of the prisoners have not yet been brought to court to answer the accusations against them; many also have complained of abuse and ill-treatment during the time in custody.
Hours after returning from his second presidential foray abroad, Donald Trump and his representatives were out in force Sunday, calling the trip an outstanding success. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, told a television interviewer on Fox News Sunday the president was a star at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

Trump led the charge, firing off a series of Twitter posts highlighting several accomplishments, including a cease-fire in Syria that will save lives, and noting that he held firm on sanctions against Russia during his talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Sanctions were not discussed at my meeting with President Putin, he wrote. Nothing will be done until the Ukrainian & Syrian problems are solved!

Earlier, Trump posted a statement from former Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole, who said the president's speech in Poland was one for the ages, and added: Americans should be proud of the strong leadership being restored.

Trump: 'I strongly pressed Putin'

In two other Sunday tweets, Trump pushed back at critics who say he was not tough enough in confronting Putin on Russias election interference:

I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it.

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded.

Opposition Democrats ridiculed the idea of working with Russia to prevent election meddling. In a TV appearance (CNNs State of the Union), Congressman Adam Schiff, the senior Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, said a cybersecurity partnership with Moscow would be dangerously naive.

If that's our best election defense, we might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow, Schiff said.

Skeptics in Trump's own party

Several senators from Trumps own Republican Party also dismissed the concept of a Moscow-Washington cybersecurity partnership. Senator Lindsey Graham on NBC's Meet the Press said it was "not the dumbest idea I've ever heard, but it's pretty close.

By the end of the day on Sunday, Trump had backtracked on his push for the cybersecurity unit, tweeting that he did not think it could happen.

"The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn't mean I think it can happen. It can't," Trump said on Twitter. He then noted that an agreement with Russia for a ceasefire in Syria "can & did" happen.

Overseas reaction to Trumps performance in Europe was mixed, but much of it was scathing. Australian journalist Chris Ullman, in commentary broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, said Trump had managed to isolate his nation, confuse and alienate his allies and to diminish America. Uhlmann said Trump had demonstrated "no desire and no capacity to lead the world.

Other Trump critics on both sides of the Atlantic have voiced similar concerns, questioning whether actions such as pulling the United States out of the Paris climate accord have damaged Americas reputation as the leader of the free world.

Joshua Walker, a fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States who was in Germany during last week's summit, told VOA he sees in Trump worrying signs that could portend a decline in Americas standing.

US losing free-world leadership?

Walker argued one individual leader cannot erase 70 years of post-World War Two history. Its too early to say America is no longer the leader of the free world, because theres no alternative, he said, but also noted the rise of China, the skilled diplomacy of Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel in reaching agreement among G-20 leaders and the just completed Japan-EU trade deal all suggest a new era is dawning.

The fact that [the G-20 was] able to reach a deal in an age in which the United States may not be able to dictate its own economic edicts anymore tells you that theres something going on in the international environment, Walker said. And while the United States continues to be the leader of the free world. Its not taken for granted at this point. Other countries, such as Japan and Germany, are showing leadership on the international stage.

Daniel Hamilton, a professor at the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation, said Merkel, not Trump, was the star of the summit, winning international plaudits for insisting on a joint communique despite U.S. refusal to join the other 19 members in calling climate change irreversible.

"Unfortunately - and I deplore this - the United States of America left the climate agreement, or rather announced their intention of doing this," Merkel said in a clear rebuke to Trump as she closed the summit.

She hit it out of the park, and showed she could bring people together, Hamilton told VOA.

Praise for Warsaw speech

Other observers say Trumps biggest success on this trip may not have been at the summit, but in a widely hailed speech he delivered in Poland a day earlier.

Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation, called the Warsaw speech a significant defense of sovereignty and Western civilization.

These are big themes for some of the emerging powers in Europe; Poland and Hungary, for instance, Gardiner said. Trump had a message a lot of Europeans support, but that has been buried within the European Union. This speech is a game-changer, and there will be lot of attention paid to that for years to come.


U.S. President Donald Trump pointedly pushed the Republican-controlled Congress Monday to overhaul the U.S. health care law championed by former President Barack Obama before it leaves on its annual August vacation, but lawmakers have not agreed on how to repeal and replace it.

"I cannot imagine that Congress would dare to leave Washington without a beautiful new HealthCare bill fully approved and ready to go!" Trump said in a Twitter comment.

He said that before he became president he listened to Republican calls to dump Obama's law, commonly known as Obamacare. "Now they finally have their chance!" he said.

But divisions remain among Republican lawmakers about the details of any replacement package, leaving the repeal effort in doubt as national surveys show little support for the Republican proposals.

The majority Republican caucus in the Senate is meeting Tuesday to try to reach a consensus. Some senators want to eliminate as much as possible of Obama's signature law, while others are looking to preserve popular parts of it, including insurance funding for poorer Americans.

On Monday afternoon, more than 80 demonstrators were arrested in the Capitol while protesting Republican efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare. The protesters split into small groups and scattered throughout the House and Senate office buildings targeting specific lawmakers, some of whom are seen as swing votes. Capital police say they responded to 13 locations in the Capitol and warned the protesters to stop their "unlawful demonstration activities," before arresting those who did not.

Republicans have campaigned for seven years to overturn the 2010 law, approved then without a single Republican vote. But even with Republicans controlling the White House and both houses of Congress, the party's lawmakers have so far been unable to agree on how to change it.

On Sunday, one key lawmaker, Senator John McCain, cast doubt on the Republican prosopals, telling CBS, "My view is that it's probably going to be dead."

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told Fox News on Sunday, "The president expects them to get this done. The president expects the Senate to fulfill the promises it made to the American people."

The House of Representatives narrowly approved a proposal in May. Trump initially cheered the passage of that bill at a White House rally, but since has called it "mean" and lobbied the Senate to approve an overhaul with "heart." Key Trump administration officials have been lobbying lawmakers who have been holding out against the revamp.

Republicans have a 52-48 majority in the Senate, giving them little room for dissenters to oppose the overhaul, since all Democrats say they will vote against it. If the vote ends in a 50-50 tie, Vice President Mike Pence is set to cast the deciding vote in favor.

But several Republican lawmakers have increasingly voiced doubts about their party's proposals, with some worried it could cut health care insurance for millions of people, especially narrowing coverage under the government's health care program for poorer Americans known as Medicaid. Others are worried that the proposed overhaul could curb health insurance coverage for patients with pre-existing medical conditions.

One independent assessment of the Senate plan, by the Congressional Budget Office, said 22 million people would lose insurance to help pay their medical bills during the next decade, compared to coverage under Obamacare. The CBO is assessing several other Republican proposals to determine how they might affect the number of people covered and how much they would have to pay for insurance in the coming years.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last week that if his party is unable to pass repeal legislation, then Republicans would have to join Democrats in revamping Obamacare to shore up faltering insurance coverage in some states, a bipartisan effort they so far have been unwilling to undertake. Some arch-conservative lawmakers favor repealing the whole law, without immediately adopting a replacement plan.

No vote on the Republican effort is expected this week, but could occur next week as Congress moves toward the August recess.
The eldest son of U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer shortly after his father clinched the Republican nomination, hoping to get information helpful to the campaign.

Donald Trump Jr. confirmed in a statement that he met with a Russian lawyer who had ties to the Kremlin, and that he agreed to the meeting in June 2016 after being told she had information that could damage Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

During the meeting with the Russian attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya, "no details or supporting information was provided or even offered,'' Trump Jr. said. "It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.''

Trump's son said his father was unaware of the meeting.

The White House sought to downplay the contact between Donald Trump Jr. and the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, following a report by The New York Times Saturday that first disclosed the meeting. Also present on that occasion in Trump Tower, the president's headquarters in New York City, were Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and future senior White House adviser, and Paul Manafort, then the chairman of the Trump political campaign.

When the president's son was first asked about his talks with Veselnitskaya, The Times said, he did not mention anything about political information that reputedly could damage Hillary Clinton. On Sunday, however, he revised his statement to confirm it was expected that the Russian attorney would provide damaging information.

"While President Trump has been dogged by revelations of undisclosed meetings between his associates and the Russians, the episode at Trump Tower is the first such confirmed private meeting involving his inner circle during the campaign," The New York Times said, "as well as the first one known to have included his eldest son."

The newspaper said its information came from "three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.

Veselnitskaya is known for her attempts to undercut the sanctions against Russian human-rights abusers, U.S. media reports said. Her clients reportedly include state-owned businesses and the son of a senior government official whose company was under investigation in the United States at the time of the meeting.

A special prosecutor, appointed by the Department for Justice, and several congressional committees are currently conducting separate investigations into whether there was any collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin over alleged Russian hacking attempting to influence the result of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Trump has repeatedly denied having links to Russia, while Moscow says it was not behind any hacks.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday it was increasingly important that neighboring Iraq remain a unified country and said a planned Kurdish referendum on independence should not go ahead.

Authorities in Kurdish northern Iraq have announced an independence referendum on Sept. 25, and the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government told Reuters last week there could be no turning back on the bid for an independent Kurdish state.

"The importance of Iraq's territorial integrity is increasing by the day," Erdogan told a petroleum conference in Istanbul. "They should refrain from unilateral steps, such as an independence referendum".
As expected, both sides are blaming the other for the collapse of the latest Cyprus peace talks which diplomats saw as the best chance yet to reunify the divided island.

Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said Monday that Turkey's insistence on keeping Turkish forces deployed in the northern part of the island caused the talks to break down. He said Cyprus must be truly independent and sovereign, free from "dependence on third countries."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says it was the "negative attitude" of the Greek Cypriots, saying the Turkish north brought a "constructive approach" to the talks. He also warned companies planning to search for oil and gas in the Mediterranean off Cyprus that they risk "losing a friend like Turkey" if they go ahead with their plans.

Oil and gas exploration off Cyprus is one of the major issues holding up a peace deal. Turkey insists that any energy finds belong to both sides of the island.

The internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot south says it has sovereignty over the waters and the right to exploit it.

Cyprus has been split between a Greek Cypriot south and Turkish Cypriot north since 1974. Turkish troops invaded in response to a coup in Nicosia aimed at unifying the island with Greece.

Only Turkey recognizes a separate leadership in the north while the Greek side enjoys the benefits of European Union membership and global recognition.

Turkish Cypriots insist the Turkish forces stay on the island for what they say would be their protection. The Greek side wants them gone, believing the soldiers to be unnecessary and a provocation.
Police in the U.S. state of Texas have rescued 12 migrants from a sweltering box truck and charged three people with human smuggling.

The rented truck had been parked for hours at a Houston strip mall, until passersby heard people  10 men, one woman and a teenaged girl  who were locked inside banging on the truck's walls and crying for help.

Temperatures were above 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Farenheit, inside the vehicle. Police who rescued the group said they were exhausted and soaked in sweat, but would recover.

"Thirty more minutes and this could have been a dozen homicide cases," said Harris County First Assistant District Attorney Tom Berg. "The quick action of the Houston police is commendable."

All the migrants are believed to have come from Latin America, and could be deported once they regain their health. They are in custody, awaiting action by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

The three people charged with human trafficking in the case face criminal charges punishable by up to 20 years in prison. They are each being held on $300,000 bond.
Ukraine will begin discussions on a membership action plan with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced Monday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg after a NATO-Ukraine Commission session in Kyiv, Poroshenko said at the moment Ukraine does not meet NATO accession criteria, but it has a three-year plan through 2020 and knows what is to be done.

The road map for Ukraines membership in NATO mean meeting targets on political, economic and defense reforms, with national plans submitted annually to measure progress.



"Ukraine has clearly defined its political future and future in the sphere of security," Poroshenko told reporters.

Stoltenberg said NATO would continue to support Ukraine on its path to closer relations with the alliance and assist the country in pursuing reforms and meeting NATO standards.

NATO rules also say aspiring members must "settle their international disputes by peaceful means," which means Ukraine would have to resolve the Donbass conflict with insurgent pro-Russian forces that has cost more than 10,000 lives since April 2014.

Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of supporting pro-Russian separatists in the country's restive east and smuggling weapons and troops to back them up, charges that Russia denies.

"Russia has maintained its aggressive actions against Ukraine, but NATO and NATO allies stand by Ukraine, Stoltenberg said in his opening remarks of the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting.

"NATO allies do not and will not recognize Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea," he also said.

Stoltenbergs visit to Kyiv came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made his first visit to the city and urged Moscow to take the "first step" to ease the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.
A remote Iranian desert city, Ice Age-era caves in Germany and a stone wharf in Brazil built for arriving African slave ships are three new additions to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites.

The World Heritage Committee spent a week meeting in Krakow, Poland, to consider 34 significant historical and cultural sites to add to the list.

This year's selections include the Iranian city of Yazd, which UNESCO describes as a "living testimony to the use of limited resources for survival in the desert."

The city has managed to avoid so-called modernization that destroyed many similar Iranian towns, and has preserved its traditional homes, bazaars, mosques and synagogues.

Another site UNESCO added to the list is in the Swabian Jura in southern Germany, one of the areas in Europe where humans first arrived more than 40,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age. They settled in caves, first discovered in the 1860s, and where they created some of the oldest known figurative art.

The U.N. cultural organization said the ancient musical instruments and prehistoric carved figures of animals and humans found in the caves help shed light on the origins of human artistic development

UNESCO also placed the Valongo Wharf in central Rio de Janeiro on the World Heritage List. The stone wharves were built in the early 1800s for slave ships sailing from Africa to Brazil. UNESCO called the wharves "the most important physical trace of the arrival of African slaves on the American continent."

UNESCO added the World Heritage designation to more than 22 sites during its weeklong meeting in Poland, including choices that were controversial.

They include the Hoh Xil area in the China's Qinghai province, a traditionally Tibetan area. By designating this a World Heritage site, the International Camnpaign for Tibet, an advocacy group critical of China's administration there, said UNESCO endorses the forced relocation of Tibetan nomads by Chinese authorities.

China has promised to preserve the traditions and cultural heritage of the Tibetan region.

UNESCO also designated the Old City and Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron as a Palestinian World Heritage Site, angering Israel.

The city is split between Israeli and Palestinian control with the Old City and tomb in the Israeli sector. The tomb is sacred to Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Israel accuses UNESCO of trying to hide Jewish ties to Hebron, while Palestinians contend Israel is seeking to undermine their history.


The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Monday aimed at helping Colombian rebels return to civilian life after a peace deal halted 52 years of guerrilla warfare. The conflict has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced more than 7 million.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC), founded in 1964 as an armed wing of the Communist Party, began laying down its weapons on June 27. The concession was part of a historic peace agreement reached by the rebels and the Colombian government. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos received the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring about the deal.

The resolution establishes the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, which will begin once the current U.N. mission to oversee the cease-fire and disarmament process expires September 17. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has 45 days to make recommendations on the scope of the new mission.

Britain drafted the new U.N. resolution, recognizing that as 10,000 rebels begin new lives as civilians, the peace process is entering a challenging new phase.

"Experience from our own history in Northern Ireland has taught us that the hardest part remains ahead," British diplomat Stephen Hickey told the Security Council. "A sustainable and lasting peace will depend on the FARC's successful reincorporation into civilian life."

Many members of FARC remain vulnerable, camped out in the same tents and hammocks they lived in during the war. U.N. envoy Jean Arnault told the council last week that some FARC members are dealing with a "deep sense of uncertainty" about their physical safety after being stripped of their weapons.

FARC draws its strongest support from the country's rural regions. Speaking at the U.N. on Monday, Colombian Foreign Minister Angela Holguin stressed the importance of bringing economic and civic prosperity to the countryside, calling it "our main challenge."

"The development of political participation, greater equity and better justice will be fundamental to become the country that we want to be," she said.

As part of the peace deal, thousands of jailed rebels will be released and given amnesty and the FARC will be permitted to establish a political party. Farmers in FARC-controlled areas, longtime cocaine-producing regions, will be given incentives to switch to other crops.

France has pledged $930 million in aid and loans to the Colombian government to ease the region's transition from conflict.

"Now the goal is to win and entrench a lasting peace," France's U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre told the U.N. Security Council. "And for that, the international community, the U.N., must continue to be at the side of Colombia."
In a signal of deepening military cooperation between India, the United States and Japan, the three countries have deployed some of their largest warships and submarines in the Indian Ocean for an annual naval exercise that is conducted with an eye on China.

The naval drills have expanded in the last two years amid growing concerns over Chinese maritime assertiveness not just in South China Sea, but also in the Indian Ocean.

The Malabar exercises are the most visible symbol of New Delhis strengthening security ties with the United States, which were reaffirmed last month by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Exercise expands

This years weeklong maneuvers on the high seas, which began Monday, involve more than 15 warships, including the US nuclear powered aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, India's aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, and Japans largest warship, the JS Izumo.

The focus this year is on anti-submarine warfare.

The exercise has grown in scope and complexity to address the variety of threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific, according to a US embassy statement.

In recent months, the Indian Navy has recorded an unusual surge in the number of Chinese naval vessels in the Indian Ocean and tracked at least seven Chinese submarines entering the region since December 2013 according to military observers. They believe this could be muscle flexing by Beijing.

We understand that there are about 13 vessels of different kind, whether for anti-piracy or for surveillance, are currently in the Indian Ocean, says Vijay Sakhuja, Director of the National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi. So it certainly is like the Chinese navy is in your backyard and it is a matter of concern.

Chinese funding and assistance for building ports in Pakistan and Sri Lanka has added to Indian concerns about the forays by Chinese ships.

Beijing wary

Beijing on its part remains suspicious of the trilateral naval engagement, particularly after it expanded to include Japan since 2015, believing that it is an effort to contain its influence.

Ahead of the Malabar exercises this year, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that while China had no objection to normal cooperation between countries, We hope that this kind of relationship and cooperation will not be directed against third country and that it will be conducive to the regional peace and security."

Sakhuja says the three countries are developing a coordinated approach, to not contain, not even counter, just to be around in the Indian Ocean to just watch how the Chinese navy would be unfolding itself in the coming years.

During Prime Minister Modis visit to Washington last month, Trump called their security partnership incredibly important and both countries pledged to expand maritime security cooperation. India has also come increasingly close to Japan in the last two years  during a visit to Tokyo in May. Indian Defense Minister Arun Jaitley said that India is looking to strengthen military cooperation with Japan.

But New Delhi turned down a request by Australia to join the trilateral exercise.

The ships of the three nations streamed into the high seas as a tense standoff between India and China showed no signs of easing in the high Himalaya mountains.

Soldiers from the two countries have been confronting each other since last month, when Indian soldiers obstructed a Chinese road-building project in a plateau disputed between China and Bhutan, a close ally of India. China has repeatedly called on India to withdraw its troops, but so far both sides have refused to back down.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is in Singapore for medical treatment, in his third such visit this year, a newspaper reported on Sunday.

Africa's oldest ruler at 93, Mugabe was last in Singapore in May for what his spokesman George Charamba said then was treatment for eye problems.

The Standard said he had left again for Singapore on Friday for more medical treatment. Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Chris Mushohwe told the newspaper Mugabe was in Singapore but declined to confirm the reason for the visit.

The ruling ZANU-PF party said on Saturday it had cancelled a youth rally scheduled for July 14 due to be attended by the president because he would be out of the country.

Charamba and Mushohwe did not respond to calls and messages to their phones for comment.

Despite growing concerns about his health, Mugabe has taken more than ten trips abroad this year and wants to seek another five-year term in office in 2018.

He has ruled the southern African nation since independence from Britain in 1980.

The government has denied he falls asleep in meetings, saying in response to television footage appearing to show him doing so that he is resting his eyes.

Mugabe has racked up more than 200,000 air miles since the start of 2016. He spent $53 million on foreign trips last year, more than double the initial budget of $23 million, according to government data.

(Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; editing by John Stonestreet)
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) says the government has provided $7,5 million for the purchase of Biometric Voter Registration kits for the registration of voters ahead of the crucial 2018 general elections.

ZEC chairperson, Rita Makarau, told VOA Studio 7 that part of the money has been handed over to Laxton Group of China, which recently won a tender to supply voter registration kits.

Makarau noted that they have so far disbursed $3,5 million to Laxton and the remainder is expected to be released when the kits are delivered.

She said ZEC is expected to complete the voter registration exercise within a short time with the initial stage starting with the training of so-called master trainers, who are expected to train others in using the biometric machines.

Training will start simultaneously in all provinces where there will be voter registration centers, said Makarau.

She assured skeptical opposition parties that the exercise will be transparent and is set to be conducted smoothly.

ZEC is expected to register 7 million voters ahead of the local government, parliamentary, senatorial and presidential elections.

The United Nations Development Program, which was expected to provide the money for the voter registration exercise, is now set to conduct a voter education program in Zimbabwe.
The Defense Department is paying an additional $5.57 billion to expand the U.S. militarys arsenal of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters by 74. (Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images)

The Defense Department has announced that it is paying $5.57 billion to expand the U.S. militarys arsenal of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters by 74 planes.

The contract action is seen as an early stamp of progress for the next lot of planes, which the Defense Department Joint Program Office and Bethesda-based defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin are negotiating. Joint Program Office spokesman Joe DellaVedova said that the round of planes is set to include 50 planes sold to foreign governments, bringing the total to 141 planes in this sales lot.

We appreciate the actions taken by the JPO to ensure delivery of F-35s to our warfighter customers, Lockheed Martin said in a statement.

What remains to be determined is the unit cost of the plane. Price disputes have derailed the program in the past, such as when the F-35 Joint Program Office unilaterally imposed its own pricing for the ninth lot of planes after more than a year of negotiations.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is designed to be the next-generation fighter jet that will replace the F-16 as the most advanced air asset of the United States and its allies. It can take off and land vertically and can carry munitions inside the body of the plane. Its $400,000-a-pop helmet has an augmented reality display that gives the pilot a view through the bottom of the plane.

It is also the single most expensive military program in the history of the Pentagon, accounting for about a quarter of Lockheed Martins annual revenue and considered critical to its status as a top-tier defense contractor. A spate of program delays and ballooning development costs have made the plane that ate the Pentagon into something of a poster child for bureaucratic waste, drawing criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike.

Then President-elect Donald Trump joined that debate before he was sworn into office, suggesting in a tweet that the plane should be replaced with Boeings cheaper F-18 Super Hornet. The Pentagon subsequently ordered a review to weigh the two planes competing advantages.

The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin subsequently agreed to sell the 10th lot of 90 planes at about $85 million per plane, a price that was roughly in line with what the Pentagon had planned before Trump took office. A Joint Program Office statement said the unit price for lot 11 is expected to be less than that.

Advocates of the program described the new contract order as a sign that the program is moving past its history of delays and false starts. Industry experts have generally credited the Trump administration with speeding along negotiations.

The program certainly seems to be moving faster than it did during the Obama years, said Loren Thompson, a defense consultant with the Lexington Institute, which receives funding from defense firms, including Lockheed Martin.


Allen Ginsbergs classic poem Howl gets a Trump-era retelling at the Capital Fringe Festival. (Michiel Hendryckx/ )

The Capital Fringe Festival is the citys great open forum, a Rorschach blot of uncurated acts from around the city and the world. The ink stain so far looks like an elephant and a donkey waltzing in Shakespeares beard  or is that supposed to be the presidents hair?

Politics. Classics. Plays, dances, comics, experiments  the festivals adventures are uncurated, so happy hunting and buyer beware. You check into the headquarters, the Logan Fringe Arts Space on Florida Avenue NE, an amiable hive of music with bars and food inside and on the patio. Or you swing to one of the festivals many venues around the city (though most stages are smartly clustered around Fringe HQ and its nearby partners, the Atlas Performing Arts Center and Gallaudet University). With roughly 100 events this month, the approaches are vast, but a political pattern appears to emerge.

This, according to Post writers interpreting the variety of the opening weekend, is the shape of things so far:

Howl: In the Time of Trump

In October 1977, the New York Times asked Allen Ginsberg a simple question: What do you like best about your own poetry? His answer: Cranky music, the vowelic melodiousness, adjusted toward speech syncopation. Assonance, long mellow mouthings of assonance.

Thats a good description, too, of Howl: In the Time of Trump, a one-man show featuring Robert Michael Oliver. Over an hour, Oliver performs Ginsbergs iconic poem like a Southern street preacher, running his voice up and down the luscious lines.

Though Trump is in the title, Oliver lets the poem do the talking and allows his audience to draw their own conclusions. Im still not sure why I was given a hand puppet halfway through, or a glass of water; and I could have done without the devilish-looking mask that appears at one point, with a familiar-looking pompadour. But the show is a fitting tribute to Howl, which began its life out loud, as a reading at a San Francisco gallery.

Its a fitting protest, too, against Americas crueler, colder impulses. Thats as relevant today as it was in 1955 when Howl was first presented.

 Amanda Erickson

July 21, 22 and 23 at Shopkeepers, 1231 Florida Ave. NE.

Nevertheless, She Persisted: Stories of Connection in a Disconnected Society

Playwright Lauren Hanna didnt so much write as curate, with permission, reactions to the 2016 presidential election from the outpouring of posts in assorted spontaneous online safe spaces that emerged in Novembers aftermath.

Organized chronologically, the often-personal passages begin with hopeful, even assured feelings during early campaigning, turning to worries and election-night shock. Fear, horror and numbness make way for sharp questioning, defiance and even a glimmer of hope. Though it borrows its title from Senate leaders attempt to silence Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Nevertheless, She Persisted never actually refers to it.

The chosen prose, though often heartfelt, is not the stuff of readings. But thats just how this is presented: Four women on chairs rise to read from a bulging script. And thats it for stagecraft. There werent even any programs or handbills crediting those who helped create it. Crowdsourcing, it turns out, is not the best on detail.

 Roger Catlin

July 15, 19 and 22 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE.



Acrobatics and silks in "MacBheatha" at the Capital Fringe Festival. (Bruce Wiljanen)

MacBheatha

In Shakespeares tragedy, the murder-bound Macbeth does not ask himself, Is this an aerial silk which I see before me/The dangle toward my hand? But you might almost think his question ran along those lines when you watch MacBheatha, an overly ambitious muddle of a production featuring acrobatics with rippling textiles.

This Cirque du Soleil touch arguably helps evoke the magic depicted in Macbeth, the conceptual springboard for this show. But MacBheatha also deconstructs the Bards text with reference to so many notions, and with so little clarity or refinement, that the overall effect is one of clutter and murk.

One does have to admire the sheer audacity of director/producer Alana Wiljanen and her collaborators. They have concocted an hour-long aerial-silk-entrammeled production, which alludes to the real 11th-century Scottish king who was the model for Shakespeares Macbeth; to King James and other real 17th-century figures who were caught up in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 (an event that has been seen as an influence on Macbeth); and to Platos theory of the soul.

The acting is shaky. The acrobatics are basic (Jenell Biggs, Lauren Olinger and Zoe Walpole, who channel witches, chiefly do the honors  I think). On a lone positive note, the white aerial silks nicely evoke, at various points, flames, instruments of torture and the boundary between the real and supernatural realms.

 Celia Wren

July 15 and 22 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE.

Clyde Ensslin, writer-performer of Thomas Jefferson Hoochie-Coochie Man. (Deborah Jaffe)

Thomas Jefferson Hoochie-Coochie Man

Call it the Hamilton effect. Take a Founding Father, add a dose of irreverence, and youve got a hit, right?

That seems to have been the idea behind Clyde Ensslins Capital Fringe debut, Thomas Jefferson Hoochie-Coochie Man. The one-man show imagines Jefferson as the womanizer of Willie Dixons blues standard. Ensslin, as Professor Clinton, tells the story of Jefferson and Sally Hemings, a slave with whom Jefferson fathered several children. Like Jefferson, Professor Clinton tells us, hes a former president, a Southerner and has been in the hound house himself.

Its a dubious comparison: There are significant differences, ethical and historical, between Clintons tryst with a White House intern and the horrific system of chattel slavery. Ensslins commentary consists mostly of chronicling previous, more interesting attempts to tell the story of Jefferson, Hemings and their children. Youre better off reading Annette Gordon-Reeds excellent book The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family. No Bill impersonation, but a better history and a better story, too.

 Maia Silber

July 13, 15, 18 and 22 at The Pursuit Wine Bar, 1421 H St. NE



Abortion Road Trip. (Yannick Godts)

Abortion Road Trip

Abortion Road Trip is a rare thing: Its a zippy, feel-good comedy that has managed to attract protesters before every performance.

Rachel Lynetts play, presented by the emerging D.C. troupe Theatre Prometheus, follows Lexa (the charismatic Lauren Patton) and her sister Minnie (a caustic, charming Dominique Brown) on their taxi ride from Texas to New Mexico. The 25-year-old Lexa is unhappily pregnant, so she has paid Driver (a warm, winning Renae Erichsen-Teal) $1,200 to take her over the border to terminate.

The trio banters, bickers and gets heavy (Lexas term for talking about anything real). And though most of the show takes place in the car, a series of flashbacks reveals a more complicated story, one that includes sexual assault, substance abuse, betrayal and, yes, love.

That description makes the show sound like an after-school special where very important lessons are learned. But Abortion Road Trip is a blast. Its serious but also very funny, with relatable characters and (mostly) believable complications. And while the show is unashamedly in favor of abortion rights (Quinn, the shows sole antiabortion character, is definitely the villain), it doesnt shy away from abortions nuances and messy complications.

Thats thanks in large part to the shows cast, who infuse their characters with warmth and empathy.

As the antiabortion activists yelling You suck, and Youre amoral into a megaphone remind us, those qualities are often in short supply when it comes to this issue.

 Amanda Erickson

July 15, 18, 20 and 23 at the Logan Fringe Arts Space, 1358 Florida Ave. NE.

The 2017 Capital Fringe Festival, through July 30. Fringe tickets $17, plus one-time purchase of a $7 Fringe button. Available online at www.capitalfringe.org, 866-811-4111 and at Fringe venues.
EDITORS NOTE: An earlier version of this story quoted James C. Foley Jr., an attorney for an official with a Vermont bonding agency, as saying that his client was initially called to appear before a grand jury but that prosecutors later agreed that documents alone would be sufficient. Foley clarified late Monday, however, that the grand jury subpoena required only that documents be turned over. The story has been updated.



Jane Sanders, wife of Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), stands by her husband after a rally in 2015 during his presidential campaign. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

A federal investigation of a land deal led by Jane Sanders, the wife and political adviser of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), has accelerated in recent months  with prosecutors hauling off more than a dozen boxes of records from the Vermont college she once ran and calling a state official to provide evidence for a grand jury, according to interviews and documents.

Half a dozen people said in interviews in recent days that they had been contacted by the FBI or federal prosecutors, and former college trustees told The Washington Post that attorneys for Jane Sanders had interviewed them to learn what potential witnesses might tell the government.

The investigation centers on the 2010 land purchase that relocated Burlington College to a new campus on more than 32 acres along Lake Champlain. While lining up a $6.7 million loan and additional financing, Jane Sanders told college trustees and lenders that the college had commitments for millions of dollars in donations that could be used to repay the loan, according to former trustees and state officials.

Trustees said they later discovered that many of the donors had not agreed to the amounts or the timing of the donations listed on documents Jane Sanders provided to a state bonding agency and a bank. That led to her resignation in 2011 amid complaints from some trustees that she had provided inaccurate information, former college officials said.

The land deal, the officials said, became a financial albatross for the 160-student school, contributing to its closure last year.

[Read documents related to the Sanders investigation.]

The questions from government investigators, as described by those who were interviewed or received subpoenas for documents, suggest that the inquiry is focused on Jane Sanders and alleged bank fraud, and not on her husband. But the inquiry could nonetheless create a political liability for the senator, who was a candidate for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination and is the progressive movements most popular leader.

Jeff Weaver, a spokesman for the couple, denied wrongdoing late last week. Weaver told The Post that Jane Sanders hired a D.C. law firm this spring because she and her husband fear that President Trumps Justice Department could use the investigation as a way to derail a potential 2020 challenger.

While the Obama administration was in office, I dont think anyone thought that these baseless allegations warranted hiring a lawyer, Weaver said. But with Trump and [Attorney General] Jeff Sessions at the helm, thats a very different situation.

The investigation began in early 2016 after Brady Toensing, a lawyer who was the state chairman for Trumps presidential campaign, wrote to the U.S. attorney and federal bank regulators, alleging potential bank fraud. FBI agents conducted interviews last year, but the probe was not publicly confirmed until this April, when the local news outlet VTDigger.org reported that a federal prosecutor had asked that records from the college be preserved.

Last week, an attorney for the Vermont Educational and Health Buildings Financing Agency, which helped the college get financing, gave The Post a copy of an April subpoena ordering its executive director to turn over documents related to the loan. The subpoena is the first public confirmation that prosecutors have collected evidence to present to a grand jury.

Paul J. Van de Graaf, chief of the criminal division in the U.S. attorneys office in Vermont, cited an ongoing investigation in declining to comment on the case or on the claim that it is politically motivated. The Justice Department also declined to comment.

The crisis

Burlington College grew out of gatherings in its founders living room in the 1970s, drawing Vietnam War veterans and nontraditional students. Former administrators lauded the schools small size and the opportunity for students to design their academic plans.

Jane Sanders became the colleges president in 2004, with the promise of boosting its profile and its fundraising. By 2010, Sanders was pushing the school to move from its storefront campus to waterfront property that belonged to the local Roman Catholic diocese.

The move would cost the college $10 million.

A rendering of the proposed Burlington College campus. (City of Burlington)

Sanders told trustees that the college could afford it, former trustees said. She projected a surge in enrollment in the coming year and presented financial documents showing $2.6 million in confirmed donations, two former trustees said. The donors were identified only by their initials  presumably to protect their anonymity, former trustees said.

The board decided to pursue the land purchase in May 2010. The board made the decision based on the information Jane provided, said Adam Dantzscher, chairman of the board at the time.

The college soon received a $6.7 million loan with the help of the Vermont Educational and Health Buildings Financing Agency, which issues tax-exempt bonds for schools and hospitals.

In addition to providing the donation spreadsheets to the agency, Sanders signed a document saying that the college expects to receive pledged amounts of about $2.27 million, records show.

My gut was, this is biting off more than you can chew, said Charly Dickerson, one of two board members who voted no after hearing a presentation from Sanders. Their balance sheet was not all that strong.



Two members of a Vermont bonding agency voted against the Burlington College plan.

Peoples United Bank bought the bond, meaning the bank became the lender. The college promised to pay the remaining $3.65 million to cover the entire $10 million purchase from the diocese over 10 years.

The donations were critical. An independent consultant warned in a report to the state bonding agency that the colleges ability to repay its loans from Peoples United and the diocese depends on its ability to raise sufficient capital through its capital campaign. An undated report from the college touted a firm commitment of $1 million and a verbal commitment of $1 million more.

But only months after the college closed on the property purchase, trustees sensed problems.

Things did not add up, Dantzscher said. The donations were not coming in.

Trustee David V. Dunn said the college collected only about $125,000 through the summer of 2011. The trustees asked other college administrators to get in touch with donors, he said.

What they were finding was different than what was represented, he said. Multiple donors were saying they had never committed to those amounts.



A Burlington College report describes a firm commitment of $1 million, money that never materialized.

One of the listed donations, for example, was a $1 million gift from Corinne Bove Maietta, a member of a well-known Burlington family. In fact, trustees learned, the $1 million had been intended as a bequest upon her death.

Maiettas accountant, Richard Moss, confirmed the bequest and said his client went on to donate $50,000 to $100,000, a gift that was to be subtracted from the bequest. Moss said FBI agents contacted him in February or March for help in locating Maietta.

Maietta did not return a message from The Post.

By October 2011, the trustees asked Sanders to resign, in part because of the fundraising flap.

Sanders touted major accomplishments in her October 2011 report to college trustees, such as providing financial aid to students, expanding academic offerings and improving accreditation. We have come a long way over the past seven years, and we should be proud of what we have achieved, she wrote.

The aftermath

Four months after Toensing wrote the letter last year urging the U.S. attorneys office to investigate, the college closed under financial distress, and the bank foreclosed on the property. It is unclear whether the bank lost money. Peoples United spokeswoman Cynthia Belak declined to discuss the deal, saying that as a matter of policy, we do not comment on matters related to our clients.

The diocese said in a statement that it was satisfied with a settlement it reached with the college on repayment of the $3.65 million loan: In addition to the more than $540,000 in principal payments made on the loan, the college agreed to give the diocese $1.05 million in cash and a $1 million investment in a company it did not identify.

Dantzscher, the former college trustee who was among the donors on the list, said he considers himself a victim of financial mismanagement at the college.

I would say everybody is a victim, he said. The community, the students, the employees, the board of directors. Everybody gets hurt.

Dantzscher said he was contacted by law enforcement officials, but he declined to reveal details of the conversation. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, three other people familiar with the colleges financing said they were contacted by federal authorities.

Weaver, Sanderss spokesman, said Jane Sanders was not at fault.

Are there now going to be detractors who now want to blame Jane Sanders for all the failures that happened after she left? he said. Frankly, Id be surprised if there werent.

Weaver suggested that Bernie Sanders has been targeted by the GOP because hes a popular politician who could challenge Trump for the presidency in three years. Weaver said the allegation is right out of the Benghazi playbook.

But it is particularly nasty even for them  going after a political opponents spouse, he said.

Weaver said that neither Jane Sanders nor Bernie Sanders had been contacted by law enforcement officials.

Still, Jane Sanders hired a Burlington attorney and a D.C. law firm this spring, amid signs that federal prosecutors were escalating their inquiry. VTDigger.org and Politico Magazine last month reported that Jane Sanders had retained counsel.

The Vermont Agency of Education took possession of the colleges business records after the schools closure to ensure that graduates could still access their academic records. Federal prosecutors visited the state offices in April and carried out 20 to 30 boxes of the schools business files, said Molly Bachman, general counsel for the education agency.

Also in April, the Vermont Educational and Health Buildings Financing Agency received a subpoena for records related to the land deal and all fundraising efforts, pledges and donations, according to a copy of the subpoena The Post obtained through a public records request. It is titled grand jury investigation and directs the bonding agency to contact a special agent with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., a banking regulator. The FDIC sometimes helps federal prosecutors in investigations that involve banking.



A subpoena issued to the Vermont Educational and Health Buildings Financing Agency.

In response to the subpoena, Executive Director Robert Giroux turned over 900 pages of documents, agency lawyer James C. Foley Jr. said.

In recent weeks, lawyers for Sanders have called at least three former trustees trying to learn more about the investigation, those people said. Two said they were contacted by lawyers with a Burlington firm.

I didnt provide any answers, Dantzscher said.

Dunn, who resigned from the board in 2011, did cooperate. He said he was contacted by phone twice  most recently in the last days of June  by Jennifer Windom, a partner at the D.C. firm Robbins Russell, which represented I. Lewis Scooter Libby, who was chief of staff to Vice President Richard B. Cheney and was prosecuted in connection with the Valerie Plame leak scandal.

She said her firm was representing Jane, and she was trying to get background on the issue so she can help Jane, he said.

Dunn said that although Sanderss fundraising figures were inaccurate, he thinks she had good intentions.

For me, personally, I dont believe she had malicious intent. I dont think it rose to that level, he said. Jane had an agenda that she wanted what was best for the college, and she stretched it beyond its capabilities.
Journalists swarm Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) after Republicans released a draft of their health care bill last month. (Michael Reynolds/European Pressphoto Agency)

Dont take that victory lap just yet, Mr. President.

At first glance, a new report from Pew Research looks devastating for President Trumps favorite punching bag, the nations news media. One might think that the message Trump has been hammering home is really getting through. After all, Pews polling clearly shows that a big chunk of the American public buys his message that the press is a negative force in our society.

Dishonest, scum, you pick the Trumpian insult.

Republicans, by a startling 8 to 1, are more or less with him on that.

As Rick Edmonds of the Poynter Institute observed Monday: Their negative assessment comes perilously close to President Trumps formulation earlier this year that national news media should be considered an enemy of the people. 

But heres the catch: Those numbers, according to Pew, havent changed over the past year, since the businessman-turned-Republican nominee for president was leading boisterous crowds in CNN sucks chants at his campaign rallies or tweeting in all caps about fake news.

The negative assessments, bad as they are, are simply holding steady.

But among some segments of the public, the media is actually looking better than ever.

Just who are these crazed iconoclasts?

1) College graduates. (Positive view of the media up 23 percent since 2015.)

2) Those with some college education. (Up 6 percent.)

3) People older than 50 (Up 26 percent.)

Thats not a bad crowd to be popular with. And the spiking subscriptions at major newspapers, including The Washington Post, seem to tell the same story, as do major donations to organizations that support and defend journalism.

Pew identifies seven categories of respondents  with many, but certainly not all, coming from left of center politically  who, more than in the past, think the news media is a positive force in society.

Democrats views of the effect of the national news media have grown more positive over the past year, while Republicans remain overwhelmingly negative, the report said. Clearly, for some people, the diligent (sometimes groundbreaking) journalism of the past months is appreciated.

Its notable, too, that those who have a dim view of the role of the press in society dont think too fondly of another stalwart American institution: colleges and universities. That number has changed dramatically in just two years: In 2015, 37 percent of Republicans thought higher education was a negative force in society; now, a majority  58 percent  think so.

Dont get me wrong. As a true believer in the crucial role of the press in America, Im deeply worried by what this report shows. And its completely believable.

It backs up what I know from my own conversations and reading, my own email inbox and the reader comments I see on stories: The nations partisan divide is ugly and getting worse, and the ability of the independent press to communicate with  and be believed by  the whole country may well be weakening.

Amy Mitchell, Pews director of journalism research, said the growing partisan divide in attitudes about the news media mirrors a Pew study done earlier this year in which Democrats showed a growing appreciation of the presss watchdog role; but appreciation for that role plummeted among Republicans.

If journalism is to do its job fully, and as the founders intended, it cant speak primarily to one side of the political aisle.

I dont have the answers to that problem, though Im planning to explore them in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, its important to acknowledge what this report doesnt show: That Trumps traitorous-media-scum message is moving the needle as he intends.

And that  although in a grasping-at-straws way  is good news.

For more by Margaret Sullivan visit wapo.st/sullivan.


Jason Kander lost a Missouri Senate race last fall, but still, wherever he goes, Democrats ask if he will run for president some day. (Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

Jason Kander doesnt feel like a loser.

He doesnt feel much like a millennial either, whatever that means.

But having lost his bid to represent Missouri in the United States Senate at the age of 35 last year, he is, technically, both of those things. And so, on a recent Wednesday evening, one of the oldest, losing-est millennials in American politics headed to the annual gathering of the High School Democrats of America to speak about, what else, the future of their party.

We are, believe it or not, in the same generation, Kander, now 36, told the group of about 100 17-year-olds seated in a George Washington University auditorium. Its our generation that will have to fix all this stuff.

He might seem like an odd person to deliver this message, considering that voters decided against sending him to Washington to be the fixer of things. But Kander still has a lot to offer  and Democrats arent in a position to turn away young talent.

The Army veteran and former Missouri secretary of state rose to national prominence thanks to a quirky campaign ad in which he assembled a rifle blindfolded; he went on to outperform Hillary Clinton by 16 percentage points in his state, winning over about 200,000 voters who also pulled the lever for Donald Trump. But in the end, he came up just short against the Republican incumbent, Sen. Roy Blunt.

Kander wasted no time turning a loss into a win. He started a nonprofit aimed at fighting voter suppression, giving him a campaign-like infrastructure to raise money for Democratic candidates and speak at events throughout the country. In the past six months he has been to Iowa and New Hampshire twice and attended events in Colorado, Arizona and Tennessee, to name a few. He has even visited Wisconsin as many times as Clinton did during the presidential campaign (once).

So when Kander speaks in front of groups such as this, they dont ask what gives him the right to lecture anyone about the path forward. Instead, people say things like this:

Im wondering, a young woman from New York broached during his Q&A segment, if you will ever run for president.

Kander seemed unfazed by the question or the applause it generated. It is always very flattering when people ask that, he replied. Im just really focused on making sure we still hold elections. And then maybe one day Ill be in one.

Democrats are desperate for something, for someone, to get excited about  and these days, some of their most thrilling figures are losers. None more so than Jason Kander.

In 1996, the author Michael Lewis spent 10 months following the presidential candidates he knew would never win, for a book he titled Trail Fever. He wanted to call it Losers, he wrote later, but the publisher said no.

Never mind that the losers, and their passions, told you a great deal more about American political life in 1996 than the winners with their pollsters, he wrote in an afterword. It was the losers, he contended, who took real risks, who shaped debates  and from whom the focus-grouped weenies who actually won stole their best ideas.

Today, with their party out of power in the White House and Congress, some Democrats are chanting Bernie would have won about Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), who lost. Others are looking to Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D), now best known as the also-rans in the race for Democratic National Committee chair, as leaders of the future.

Im biased, but I think that you can accomplish more with a transformative loss than with 100 mundane victories, said Tom Perriello, the young liberal who maintained such hero status after losing the central Virginia congressional seat he held for one term that he was hailed as a game-changer when he entered the 2017 Democratic gubernatorial primary (which he lost).

Hows that?



Pete Buttigieg, center, is among the young Democrats who have managed to gain stature in the face of recent losses. (Erik S. Lesser/European Pressphoto Agency)

You can accomplish more with a transformative loss than with 100 mundane victories, said Tom Perriello, who recently lost the Virginia Democratic gubernatorial primary. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post)

Well, said P.G. Sittenfeld, a 32-year old councilman from Cincinnati who last year lost the Democratic Senate primary in Ohio, even a losing campaign can show theres a hunger for fresh voices.

[Beto ORourke is a Mexico-loving liberal in Texas. Can he really beat Ted Cruz?]

Sittenfeld didnt become a senator, but his voice mail is full of Democrats urging him to run for the House of Representatives. Perriello didnt get to become governor, but hes stumping for the Democratic nominee, Ralph Northam, and he takes pride in helping the state party lurch leftward.

The party is yearning to figure out its next-generation leaders, said Brian Fallon, who was Hillary Clintons campaign spokesman. Theres a void, and people are hungry to figure out who could potentially fill it.

And Kander has raised his profile so much since the election that many have been wondering whether he might be better off than had he won.

I dont know about that, said Abe Rakov, Kanders former campaign manager and longtime political guru. But from his personal perspective, he is happier than Ive ever seen him. Hes fighting the battles he wants to every day and doesnt have to do some of the things hed have to had he won.

In 2016, Kander was widely considered the best Democratic recruit running for Senate. He had the look: young and fit, a guy comfortable in a skinny tie or fatigues. He had the life story: Married to his high school sweetheart, he had joined the military after 9/11, served in Afghanistan and came home to enter politics, eventually becoming the first millennial to hold statewide office in the country.

And perhaps most impressive for a politician, he kind of seemed like a normal guy.

Thats a compliment reserved only for politicians, Kander said, eating sliders at a Foggy Bottom TGI Fridays recently. You never hear someone say: You know what I love about my accountant? Hes just a normal guy. Thats how low the bar is for people in politics.

But to a lot of folks in the Democratic Party, theres nothing normal about his charisma.



Kander on the campaign trail in St. Louis in November. Some Democrats have compared his appeal to that of Barack Obama. (Jim Salter/AP)

Despite his loss, Kander has been welcomed as a Democratic hero throughout the country; seen here paying a supportive visit to Georgia congressional candidate Jon Ossoff (who also lost). (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

There is a reflectiveness, a coolness, a reasonable approach to talking about politics that he shares with President Obama, said Tommy Vietor, a former spokesman for the Obama White House. And bear in mind: Obama did lose his first race for federal office, too, said Dan Pfeiffer, another veteran of the 44th presidents communications shop.

[Jon Tester could teach Democrats a lot about rural America  if he can keep his Senate seat]

The night Kander lost, he stood in front of a ballroom of supporters in a neatly pressed suit to offer a concession speech he hadnt bothered to prepare beforehand. He urged young people not to give up on politics, that it would personally offend him if they did.

Youve got to pick yourself up, he said. Thats what Im going to do.

Shortly thereafter, Trump began proclaiming, without a shred of evidence, that millions had voted illegally to rob him of a popular-vote victory  and Kander found his new mission.

Thats the biggest lie a sitting president has ever told, he says now.

Kander saw potential for genuine harm in this groundless boast: Republicans, he feared, could use this bogus claim to usher in efforts to make it more difficult for some people to vote, such as stringent photo-ID requirements. He wanted to be the guy to keep that from happening.

So he created Let America Vote, an organization dedicated to ousting Republicans he considered to be on the wrong side of the issue. So far, the group has raised nearly $2 million and has more than 50,000 people nationwide signed up to volunteer.

Its a platform that has kept Kander in the public eye, especially now that Trump has moved forward with establishing the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Tasked with proving the presidents claims of voter fraud, Kris Kobach, commission vice chairman and Kansas secretary of state, recently asked all 50 states and the District of Columbia to provide him with all of their voter data  a request that many have pushed back against.

Hes like a bizarro me, Kander said of his neighbor-state political colleague. One of us is working for good, and the other is Kris Kobach.

Meanwhile, Kander has a contract to talk politics on CNN and has developed a knack for jousting with far-right-wing bloviators on Twitter. He speaks to Democratic groups about progressive values and what it took to almost win in a red state being a progressive (Voters are okay with you believing something they dont believe, as long as they think you genuinely believe it, and you believe it because you care about them.), and tries to remind a despondent party that maybe there are still some reasons for optimism.

Or, if you will, hope.



Youve got to pick yourself up, said Kander in his concession speech in November; he went on to form an organization to battle what he sees as Republican voter-suppression efforts. (Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

Before speaking to the High School Democrats, Kander made a surprise appearance at a rally against the Republicans health-care bill, held outside the Capitol. Police tape kept him, and protesters, away from the building where he might have been casting a vote to save Obamacare, had things broken differently for him in November.

Yet in this crowd, it was as if he had won that race and was on his way to something bigger. Mobs of young activists hounded him for photos.

Can I take a snap with you? asked Jessica Blum, 23.

Can I take a snap, too? asked Meghan Mahoney, also 23.

Kander moved on, to join the hosts of the popular liberal podcast Pod Save America as they did a broadcast from the scene, and the young activists walked away, uploading their photos to social media.

Its just really refreshing to see someone like Jason out here, Blum said. Hes hope at a moment when there isnt any hope.

If he runs for something again, Im moving there to help him, Mahoney said. Wherever it is. I dont care. Im there.

Dave Weigel contributed to this report.
THE District

5 hospitalized after Ride On bus crash

Five people were hospitalized with minor injuries Sunday morning after a Montgomery County Ride On bus crashed into a utility pole near the D.C.-Maryland line, officials said.

Authorities said the crash occurred shortly before 8 a.m. on the D.C. side of Western Avenue in Northwest Washington. A photo showed the mangled front end of the bus resting against a utility pole outside Chevy Chase Circle. The bus was on the left side of the road, facing southwest.

A D.C. police spokeswoman said the bus and another car collided before the bus crashed into a Pepco utility pole in the 5700 block of Western Avenue NW.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Daniel Ogren said the bus driver lost control or stopped abruptly before the bus slammed into the pole.

Ogren said the people taken to the hospital suffered bumps, bruises and other minor injuries. Six to 10 people were aboard the bus at the time of the crash, Ogren said.

 Faiz Siddiqui

Southeast house fire found to be arson

A blaze that engulfed a house early Sunday in Southeast Washington was found to be arson, the D.C. fire department said.

One firefighter suffered a minor injury at the site of the fire in the 3900 block of Wheeler Road SE, the department said.

The house where the fire broke out was heavily damaged, officials said. The outside of an adjacent property was also damaged.

 Martin Weil

Maryland

One dead, one hurt in shooting near Suitland

One victim died and a second was wounded Sunday night in a shooting incident in Prince Georges County, police said.

The gunfire was reported about 7:30 p.m. in the 4600 block of Silver Hill Road, near the Census Bureau in the Suitland area of the county.

The circumstances of the shooting were not known immediately.

 Martin Weil

Infant dies after being found in a vehicle

A 4-month-old girl died Sunday in Montgomery County after being found unresponsive in a vehicle in a parking lot.

Police gave no cause of death, pending an autopsy.

Authorities were called to the parking lot in the 400 block of Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg about 10:30 a.m. after an infant was reported not breathing, the police said.

The girl was taken to a hospital, where she died, police said. She was identified as Brooklyn Ruth Irby. Her address was not given.
Representatives of D.C. business organizations on Monday argued against proposed limits on political donations by companies that do business with the District, saying widespread suspicions that contractors have undue influence at city hall are unwarranted.

Their view  voiced in a hearing before the D.C. Councils judiciary committee  is at odds with that of most District residents. It may also strike some as odd in a city whose political life has been visited with clocklike regularity by campaign-finance scandals involving wealthy contractors (or, in one case, FBI agents posing as wealthy contractors).

A Washington Post poll last month showed that District residents remain suspicious of elected officials dealings with campaign contributors. By a margin of 48 percent to 31 percent, they rated Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) negatively on her efforts to curb the influence of wealthy political donors.

[Bowser not doing enough to combat influence of wealthy donors at city hall, poll finds]

Nevertheless, opponents of the pay-to-play regulations being mulled by city lawmakers relied on an argument long favored by critics of campaign-finance laws: That proven instances of elected officials making decisions based on campaign donations are rare, if not nonexistent.

Show me one case of where theres been true pay-to-play, said D.C. Chamber of Commerce President Vincent B. Orange, who resigned from the council last year under pressure because conflict-of-interest allegations arose after he accepted the chamber job while chairing the council committee that regulates businesses.

To continue harping on this issue where it does not, in fact, exist, and to lose out on all the good things that are being said about the District of Columbia, and its continued prosperity and growth for our citizens, is a missed opportunity, Orange said in an interview.

He was not at the hearing but Erika Wadlington, the chambers director of public policy and programs, represented the organization and testified against the legislation.

Roderic L. Woodson, a District lawyer who sits on the board of the D.C. Building Industry Association and chairs its political action committee, said he thought public concerns about corruption would persist regardless of any new campaign-finance restrictions adopted by the council.

I dont think the perception is going to be dispelled by all this legislative hand-wringing, said Woodson, who said he testified at the hearing as a private citizen and not on behalf of the Building Industry Association or any other groups. Weve had a perception of corruption in this city as long as weve had home rule.

He added, I deal with all of these council members. Ive never known a single one who could be bought for a contribution.

Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), chairman of the judiciary committee, said he remained convinced that pay-to-play regulations are needed, despite the opposition.

I thought it was odd that memories are so short. But it was an interesting line, he said after the hearing. We had three members of this very council just a few years ago that were all either censured, reprimanded or arrested due to the confluence of money and contracts.

Former council member Jim Graham, who died last month, was reprimanded by his colleagues in 2013 for allegedly intervening in a land deal on behalf of a political donor. The same year, former council member and four-term mayor Marion Barry Jr. was censured by the council and fined $13,600 for accepting illegal gifts from contractors, and council member Michael A. Brown pleaded guilty to taking bribes from federal investigators posing as businessmen seeking government contracts.

More recently, Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) released a report last month that highlighted what Cheh said were unusual interventions by city officials in the contracting process on behalf of a political donor to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D). Bowser rejected the reports findings.

Allen said he plans to take elements from several of the bills before his committee and advance them as a single piece of legislation after the council returns from its summer recess in September.

One bill, drafted by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine (D), would ban companies from bidding on District contracts for two years after they had donated to the campaigns of elected officials who could decide or influence the awarding of the contracts.

A separate bill introduced by council members Vincent Gray (D-Ward 7) and Trayon White (D-Ward 8) would also limit political contributions from executives of companies that do business with the District, as well as their relatives.

Gray, a former one-term mayor, was himself at the center of a scandal that involved the Districts most notorious contractor: Jeffrey E. Thompson, who funded an illegal $653,000 shadow campaign to elect Gray in 2010. Thompson and some of Grays associates pleaded guilty, but Gray denied wrongdoing and was never charged.
Leave us alone! Thats the message city leaders and their progressive allies brought to Congress on Monday as part of an annual news conference to decry what they see as lawmakers meddling in D.C. business.

Mayor Muriel E. Bowser and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the citys nonvoting representative, both Democrats, are fighting efforts to block District laws that govern legal marijuana, firearms, assisted-suicide, abortion for low-income women and sewer-clogging disposable wipes.

City supporters say they are accustomed to assaults from Congress, but the stakes are higher than ever with President Trump in office. Before he was elected, the city relied on President Barack Obama as a backstop against laws limiting the citys powers of self-determination.

I expect the president to sign whatever comes before him, Norton said. Have we discussed this with Donald Trump? That must be a rhetorical question. We like in the Congress to ride below the horizon. The president hasnt paid a lot of attention to the District of Columbia and we hope that he wont.

Under Trumps budget proposal, released in May, the District would be barred from spending its own tax dollars to implement its assisted-suicide law, known as Death With Dignity.

We were disappointed that he chose to comment on the Death With Dignity bill and future conversations with the White House will emphasize that he doesnt need to get involved on that conversation, Bowser said.

The mayors December meeting at Trump Tower with the then-president elect was only an introductory meeting and she has no plans to meet with him again.

Late last year, Bowser signed legislation to make the nations capital the seventh jurisdiction where it is legal for doctors to prescribe fatal medication to terminally ill residents.

[To wipe or not to wipe? Some in Congress eye D.C.s flushability law.]

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who recently resigned from Congress, introduced a measure to block the bill, but it never made it to a vote on the House floor. As the influential chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Chaffetz relished needling the District over a host of issues.

Another frequent District antagonist, Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), has said he will try to block the assisted-suicide bill through the appropriations process, as well as a bill intended to prevent wet wipes from causing backups on the citys sewer system. Harris sits on the House Appropriations Committee.

A subcommittee with jurisdiction over the District will meet Thursday to discuss its budget bill.

Its chairman, Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.), declined to comment on Nortons news conference. He has said he hopes the full House can pass a governmentwide spending bill before the August recess  a goal Congress has not achieved in years. Including Monday, the House is in session for 13 full and partial days before taking a break.

Norton and Bowser were joined Monday by supporters who said they hope to leverage constituencies within the city and around the country to fight what they see as congressional overreach.

Part of what is helping to protect D.C. is the fact that [Death With Dignity is] authorized in six other jurisdictions, said Kim Callinan, chief program officer at the national group, Compassion & Choices. If Congress infringes on D.C.s right, they could do the same thing to their right.
President Trump, right and Vice President Mike Pence with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos at a school choice event at the White House in May. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Step by step, the Trump administration is walking back policies and rules in higher education that its predecessor said were needed to protect students who rely on federal funding to pursue a degree.

Supporters say the Education Department under President Trump is restoring balance after overreach during the Obama administration led to punitive regulations and aggressive policing that threatened the stability of schools and student loan companies. But consumer advocates say they fear Trump is unraveling years of work to ensure borrowers are placed ahead of profits.

Through the first half of the year, the department led by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has withdrawn, delayed or announced plans to revamp more than a half dozen Obama-era measures involving federal student aid.

The U.S. Department of Educations illegal refusal to implement these protections means that more students will continue to drown in debt, while taxpayers foot the bill, said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D).

[Trump administrations delay of rule to regulate career-training programs sparks protest]

What started as a slow chipping away of Obama administration directives has turned into full-fledged overhaul of regulations.

In March, the department announced schools would be given more time to appeal poor reviews under what is known as the gainful employment rule, which threatens to withhold student aid from vocational programs whose graduates consistently end up with more debt than they can repay.

By June 14, the department announced an effort to rewrite the rule entirely. Weeks later, DeVos said schools would be given another year to comply with certain provisions and tell students how their programs are performing.

The secretarys priority is to put students needs first, and the department is committed to doing just that, said department spokeswoman Liz Hill. Every step taken to reduce regulatory burdens or to enter a negotiated rulemaking process is done with the best interests of students in mind.

[Betsy DeVos delays 2 Obama-era rules designed to protect students from predatory for-profit colleges]

Another much-debated rule is borrower defense to repayment, which erases federal loans for students whose colleges used illegal or deceptive tactics to get them to borrow money to attend. On the books since the 1990s, the rule was revised last year to speed up and simplify the claims process and shift more of the cost of discharging loans onto schools.

Before those changes could take effect July 1, DeVos suspended them last month and said she would convene a committee to reconsider the matter. That led Healey and 18 other Democratic state attorneys general to file a lawsuit Thursday seeking to prevent any delay of the updated borrower-defense rule.

[Attorneys general sue DeVos over delay of rule to protect students from predatory colleges]

DeVos said her action will have no impact on tens of thousands of pending claims, but some borrowers say the process has already ground to a halt.

In early January, Jessica Madison received a notice from the department approving the forgiveness of $19,000 she amassed in debt for a paralegal program at Everest College in Clearwater, Fla., a for-profit school that was operated by now-defunct Corinthian Colleges. The notice, reviewed by The Washington Post, said the debt would be discharged within 60 to 120 days, but it was not.

Instead, Madison said the government has been garnishing her paycheck to recoup the debt. She said she has struggled to repay the money since leaving Everest in 2009 because it took her nearly three years to land a full-time job.

[Feds found widespread fraud at Corinthian Colleges. Why are students still paying the price?]

I wasnt able to have power for weeks because my checks couldnt cover the bills, Madison said. This has put me in a deep hole that is taking long to crawl out of.

Hill declined to discuss Madisons case. But the department spokeswoman said too many students . . . have gotten caught up in a convoluted and confusing process set up by the previous administration.

It is our aim to make sure students are protected from predatory practices, taxpayers are protected and universities and colleges have clear, fair and balanced rules to follow, she added.

Hill said the department has discharged debt for nearly half of the 16,453 approved claims it inherited from the Obama administration. About 64,000 remaining applications for relief, some three years old, are still under review.

Consumer attorney Toby Merrill said the tedious process of approving individual claims is exactly why the Obama administration included automatic loan discharges for groups of defrauded students.

[New federal rules could make it easier to have student loans forgiven]

For-profit colleges contend that the Obama administrations initiatives were designed to cripple their schools. DeVos has voiced sympathy with these complaints, calling the gainful-employment rule overly burdensome and confusing for schools.

But advocates of the rule say it protects students from shoddy programs and high loan-default rates. Ninety-eight percent of the programs that failed to meet the standards outlined in the rule are offered by for-profit colleges.

Rewriting the gainful-employment and borrower-defense rules is part of a broader effort at the department to reduce regulation.

DeVos said last month that a regulatory reform task force is scrutinizing over 150 rules and more than 1,700 pieces of policy guidance. Many could be targeted for repeal or modification.

If you had to summarize the actions that weve seen so far from the Department of Education, its an effort to reduce the federal footprint, said Terry W. Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education.

The council, which represents college and university presidents, had been skeptical during the Obama administration of what it viewed as a trend toward federal micromanagement of schools.

The task force is co-chaired by Robert S. Eitel, a former attorney at for-profit college operator Bridgepoint Education, who is now senior counsel to DeVos. Critics say the task force is failing to account for the views of students.

At no point are they asking for the input of student loan borrowers or people enrolled in college, said Alexis Goldstein, senior policy analyst at the progressive Americans for Financial Reform. The common theme here is enriching a certain number of private actors at the expense of protections for borrowers.

[DeVos dials back consumer protections for student loan borrowers]

Goldstein cited DeVoss withdrawal of three Obama-era memos designed to strengthen consumer protections for student loan borrowers. One required the department to consider a loan servicers record, including consumer complaints and state investigations, before awarding a contract.

It was a straightforward memo, Goldstein said. Getting rid of it just paves the way for student loan companies that have committed abuses against borrowers to continue on.

Department spokeswoman Hill said the directives contained shifting deadlines, changing requirements and even regulations that contradicted themselves. She said the department retained all of the meaningful borrower protections in its amended service contract.

[Betsy DeVos hits hard reset on student loan servicing contracts]

But the revised contract stripped out a requirement that the company have specialists on hand to aid people in delinquency, a feature meant to stem loan defaults.

DeVos frames the changes she has made as necessary reforms to complex policies. Not only does she want to recast Obama-era regulations, she also has suggested that Congress should consider scrapping the Higher Education Act of 1965 and starting over.

It doesnt make a lot of sense to simply amend a 50-year-old law, DeVos said in June to the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. Adding to a half-century patchwork will not lead to meaningful reform. Real change is needed.

There are no signs that Congress will act on that recommendation. But it seems clear that the administration is seeking to shift the federal role in higher education. Whats not clear is the end goal. For all of the measures that have been repealed, the department has been short on the specifics of replacements.

The early moves seem to be responsive to industry pet peeves, said Rohit Chopra, the former student loan ombudsman at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Its just not clear to me whats the vision.
One of the most unusual courses in high school these days is TOK, the initialism for Theory of Knowledge, part of the International Baccalaureate program. Most Americans have never heard of it.

It is a course on critical thinking and how we know what we claim to know. It demands a lot of writing and thus, by the standard teenager definition, is not easy. But most of the IB teachers I have encountered, and many of their students, call it special and deep, a distinctive element of a program now offered in nearly 900 U.S. high schools.

Jeremy Noonan felt that way when he was a science teacher in Douglas County, Ga. He taught Theory of Knowledge for four years, with increasingly good results.

But his is a story of TOK going wrong, something I had not encountered before. When many students began to complain that it was too difficult, Noonan said his principal asked him to make it easier. Noonan said he learned later this was so that enrollment in IB  a major selling point for the school  would not decline.

Douglas County school officials declined to comment on Noonans account.

IBs own data show that only 0.5 percent of students get a failing TOK grade. Grades on the TOK and IBs unusual 4,000-word extended essay earn a maximum 3 points toward an IB diploma, while each of the six required subject grades earn up to 7 points.

Spencer Caro, a former student who said Noonans TOK was the the highlight of my IB experience, noted that students only need a D in TOK to qualify for the IB diploma, and consequently many dont try very hard.

Even a sophisticated course such as TOK can be damaged if a school does not guard against softening demands. Noonan said he did not expect TOK to take much time outside of class compared with the main IB courses, but to get an A in the course, students had to be making progress and perform at an excellent level.

It took time to establish that mind-set. Noonan said many of his first TOK students were in a state of revolt against the IB program. They thought they didnt need it to get into a regional public college with low admission standards. But as they began to see how intriguing TOK was, attitudes improved and essay scores rose above global averages. Parents regularly told me that they saw their children maturing into adult thinkers before their eyes, Noonan said. Alumni described the advantages they had in college due to being able to argue well and think from different points of view.

When he resisted diluting the course, Noonan said, he was reassigned in 2015 to non-IB science courses. His replacement in Theory of Knowledge, according to Noonan, had no IB teaching experience. Noonan said some students told him that TOK had become the course where you go to catch up on work from your other classes.

Noonan had assigned several graded essays each year. He said the new teacher assigned none. Noonan said his principal told him that at a regional meeting of IB principals, it was agreed that TOK should be easy and not treated as a serious course.

That was not what Dina Dreyfus, inspector general of philosophy in the French governments education department, had in mind when she introduced the TOK idea to the original plans for IB. The courses were formulated by European and American teachers at the International School of Geneva in the 1960s and 1970s.

Dreyfus, married at the time to legendary anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss, was a tough educator who fought for her idea. Such enlightened stubbornness is necessary when defending courses as complex and interesting as TOK.

I remember how the eyes of Bernadette Bernie Glaze, a stalwart of the early years of TOK classes in Fairfax County, would light up at the journals her students were writing and the connections they were making with the intellectual roots of civilization. Glaze died much too young, in 2008 at age 62, but there are still plenty of teachers like her enshrining TOK in student memories. Turning it into a Mickey Mouse course is not the best way to teach our kids how to understand the world.
THE DISTRICT

Police arrest 80

protesting health bill

U.S. Capitol Police arrested at least 80 people Thursday who were demonstrating against the proposed Republican health-care bill.

In a statement, police officials said they responded to 13 locations in office buildings throughout the Capitol complex beginning about 2 p.m.

Twitter feeds filled with videos and images of demonstrators who were cuffed and flanked by police as some yelled through the hallways in protest of the bill.

After officers arrived at the numerous scenes, they warned the demonstrators to cease and desist with their unlawful demonstration activities, the statement said. Those who refused to cease and desist were placed under arrest.

Police said the arrested were charged with Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding.

 Clarence Williams

MARYLAND

Two men killed in shooting are identified

Two Maryland men who were fatally shot Sunday in Prince Georges County have been identified, police said.

About 7:20 p.m., officers responded to the 4600 block of Silver Hill Road for the report of a double shooting, Prince Georges County police said.

They found 22-year-old Courtney Simms of Temple Hills and 23-year-old Anthony Douglas of Marlow Heights shot in an alley between two businesses, police said.

Simms was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. Douglas was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Police urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at 301-772-4925.

 Justin Wm. Moyer

VIRGINIA

Police: Drunk driver

kills brother in crash

A drunk driver killed his brother in a car accident in Old Town on Saturday, Alexandria police said.

Jose Wuilver Urbina-Vasquez, 24, of Silver Spring, Md., was killed when his brother, 27-year-old Simon Pedro Urbina-Vasquez, lost control of his car southbound on South Henry Street about 3:10 a.m. Saturday, police said.

Jose Wuilver Urbina-Vasquez died on the scene, near Duke Street. Another passenger, identified only as a 24-year-old Fairfax County resident, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

No other cars were involved in the accident. Simon Pedro Urbina-Vasquez, who lives in Fairfax County, suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment, police said. He has been charged with DUI-related vehicular manslaughter.
Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said last week that he is against gas drilling off Marylands coast, and as President Trumps administration considers seismic testing to search for energy reserves, state officials are asking the federal government to more closely study its impact.

The Trump administration last month sought permission under federal wildlife protection laws to use loud air guns to collect data on potential sites for offshore oil and gas production.

Im not in favor of offshore drilling, Hogan told reporters Thursday, adding that there are many hurdles before it could come close to reality.

He had not previously taken a public stance on offshore drilling, which had been shelved under President Barack Obama. Hogan has sometimes declined to weigh in on Trump policies.

Mark Belton, Hogans secretary of Natural Resources, sent a request to federal wildlife officials asking for a review of how seismic testing could harm whales, dolphins and turtles, commercial fisheries and recreational activity.

Five energy companies had asked for permission to perform the seismic tests, which involve firing intense blasts of compressed air.

Public comments on the permit applications were set to be due Thursday, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last week extended the deadline to July 21.

Belton told NOAA officials the states concerns include potential impacts to the commercial and recreational fisheries, and the health and welfare of marine mammals and wildlife. Maryland municipalities such as Ocean City and Berlin have also expressed their objections through local resolutions against seismic testing that show cause for further consultation and review.

Domestic energy exploration looked to have a fresh start when Trump signed an executive order in April directing Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to review a five-year plan Obama had signed in the final weeks of his administration. That plan blocked new oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic, from Virginia to South Carolina, and in the Arctic.

Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) has said he would challenge Trumps executive order if he deemed it necessary.
A second Potomac River bridge connecting Montgomery County and Northern Virginia  an idea that has been studied and debated since the 1950s  is again drawing both interest and criticism, as elected officials and transportation planners search for ways to ease the regions notoriously heavy traffic.

Next week the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, the body that helps set transportation priorities for the metropolitan area, will consider listing the bridge project for further analysis.

This is my number one for the region, said Loudoun County Supervisor Ron Meyer (R), a member of the regional planning board. He served on a task force that winnowed more than 80 potential road and transit projects down to 10 for the full board to consider at its July 19 meeting.

The idea of a river crossing north of the perpetually clogged American Legion bridge has long interested businesses, planners and many road-weary commuters.

But the projected multibillion dollar cost, competing priorities and some studies showing that it would only make traffic worse have left the proposal stuck on the drawing board.

Support for the bridge has historically been stronger among Northern Virginia officials and businesses. That divide appears to be as wide as ever.

Montgomery Council President Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda), said Monday that the project would seriously damage the countys 90,000 acre agricultural reserve. Marylands transportation dollars, he added, would be better spent widening Interstate 270 and the Legion bridge.

We need to fix what is broken, not fantasize about a bridge that will never happen, Berliner said at his weekly news conference.

Berliner said he will sponsor a resolution at Tuesdays council meeting condemning the project. In my judgment this is a zombie bridge, and we need to put a stake in this.

Meyer, citing recent polling by pro-bridge groups in Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland, said he thinks there is a disconnect on the issue between Montgomerys political class and people who commute across the Potomac.

What I would tell Roger Berliner is, Go knock on 100 doors today and ask the people you represent whether we need a river crossing,  Meyer said.

One long-outspoken supporter of the bridge is Gaithersburg-based developer Robert E. Buchanan, who chairs the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, created by the county to more effectively attract and retain business.

Buchanan, who also heads the 2030 Group, a coalition of business leaders favoring the bridge, called the project a game changer . . . Its been high on our agenda for a long time.

Rockville Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton, chairman of the regional planning board, cautioned that inclusion of the bridge on the priority list by no means places it closer to reality.

We are not saying any of [the projects] are sure bets, she said. What we are saying is that at this point in time it warrants taking a deeper look into whether any of them would help with the congestion problems.

Representatives for Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) did not respond to inquiries Monday.

Virginia officials have emphasized that because the Potomac River is on the Maryland side of the border, that state would have to take most of the initiative in building a bridge  and, along with the federal government, shoulder most of the expense.

I dont fund bridges that arent in our state, McAuliffe told Bethesda Beat last year at a business forum. It doesnt touch our border. Thats your simple answer. I take responsibility for bridges in Virginia.

Hogan, appearing at the same forum, said he didnt accept the premise that the project has broad support. I wouldnt agree . . . that everyone agrees it needs to happen.

The governor, who will appear in Gaithersburg on Tuesday for an unrelated transportation announcement, added that the state was working on improving its existing bridges.

Two weeks after the forum, Hogan announced a plan to spend about $230 million to improve I-270 between Bethesda and Frederick, Md. But the plan includes no additional lanes on the highway, and local Democrats call the initiative inadequate.
Senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security are floating a proposal that would require foreign students to reapply for permission to stay in the United States every year, a controversial move that would create new costs and paperwork for thousands of visa holders from China, India and other nations, according to two federal officials with direct knowledge of the discussions.

Officials caution that the plan is in the preliminary stages and would require regulatory changes that could take a minimum of 18 months. The plan may also require agreement from the State Department, which issues visas. The officials say the proposal seeks to enhance national security by more closely monitoring the students.

The discussions are emerging at a time when foreign student enrollment has reached a historic high in the United States and is injecting billions of dollars into the economy, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE), a New York nonprofit group.

[Surge in foreign students may be crowding Americans out of elite colleges]

It also comes as the Trump administration is working to tighten screening for foreign visitors and implement a travel ban on certain citizens from six Muslim-majority countries.

DHS spokesman David Lapan declined to comment on the specifics of the discussions Friday but confirmed that the international student program is one of many under review.

DHS is exploring a variety of measures that would ensure that our immigration programs  including programs for international students studying in the United States  operate in a manner that promotes the national interest, enhances national security and public safety and ensures the integrity of our immigration system, he said.

Foreign students make up 5 percent of the 20 million students attending colleges and universities across the United States. Universities are increasingly courting such students because they add diversity and boost school coffers by paying full tuition. Foreign students added more than $35 billion to the U.S. economy in 2015, according to IIE.

Some DHS officials have raised concerns that student visas are too open-ended. An estimated 2.8 percent of the more than 1.4 million student and exchange visa holders overstayed their visas last year, more than double the national average for visitors, according to a DHS report.

Though the State Department issues student visas, DHSs Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency plays a key role in overseeing them through its Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

That program coordinates with colleges and universities so that school administrators vouch for the foreign students attending their schools. Students are charged a one-time fee of about $200 for that program, but under the changes being discussed, such fees would be charged every year, according to officials familiar with the conversations.

Officials are also considering attaching definitive end dates to students study programs that would require them to reapply for permission to stay in the United States if they move from one program to another, such as from undergraduate to graduate school.

Or, if foreign students do not graduate on time, they might have to apply to extend their study program.

Under current federal regulations, foreign students immigration status in the United States is valid as long as they are enrolled in school and follow the rules. Students can transfer from one educational institution to another and many stay in this country for years without having to reapply for permission.

Officials expect the proposal under discussion could generate stiff resistance among university officials because it could cost schools dearly.

The changes could lead to fewer foreign students coming to the United States and greater administrative costs for the schools to keep their students paperwork up to date, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Jill Welch, deputy executive director for public policy for NAFSA: Association of International Educators, called requiring foreign students to reapply each year for permission to be here duplicative and unnecessary.

Generations of foreign policy leaders agree that international students are an asset to our nation, not a threat, Welch said. We urge the Department of Homeland Security to consult carefully with stakeholders like NAFSA who have worked for decades to protect our security and increase our economic prosperity before making any rash decisions that can have potentially irreversible consequences.

Pedro Ribeiro, a spokesman for the Association of American Universities who is a former deputy assistant secretary of homeland security in the Obama administration and a former assistant ICE director, called the policy both a policy and logistical nightmare. The DHS and the State Department simply dont have enough counselor and immigration personnel to properly administer a change to the visa program like the one proposed, Ribeiro said. It would also have a tremendous chilling effect on students who would have to spend more time doing paperwork than studying.

As of May, Asian students accounted for 77 percent of international students this year, according to a recent ICE report.

China has 362,368 students in the United States this year, the most of any country, according to ICE. India, which has one of the fastest-growing populations of citizens on student visas in the United States, has 206,698.

South Korea ranks third (71,204 students), and Saudi Arabia is fourth, though its enrollment dropped 19 percent this year to 55,806 students.

California has the highest number of foreign students, more than 200,000, followed by New York and Texas, according to ICE. Other states with significant numbers include Massachusetts and Illinois. New York University has the largest number of foreign students, followed by the University of Southern California.

In Maryland, foreign student enrollment rose 10 percent among bachelors-degree candidates this year.

Nearly half of foreign students  and 84 percent of those from India  are studying science, technology engineering or mathematics.

Susan Svrluga contributed to this report.
A drunk driver killed his brother in a car accident in Old Town on Saturday, Alexandria police said.

Jose Wuilver Urbina-Vasquez, 24, of Silver Spring, Md., was killed when his brother, 27-year-old Simon Pedro Urbina-Vasquez, lost control of his car driving southbound on South Henry Street at about 3:11 a.m. on Saturday.

Simon Pedro Urbina-Vasquez, 27, has been charged with DUI-related manslaughter after a single-vehicle crash July 8. 2017. The victim has been identified as Jose Wuilver Urbina-Vasquez, 24, of Silver Spring, MD. (N/A/Alexandria Police Department)

Jose Wuilver Urbina-Vasquez died on the scene of the accident, near Duke Street. Another passenger, identified only as a 24-year-old Fairfax County resident, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

No other cars were involved in the accident. Simon Pedro Urbina-Vasquez, who lives in Fairfax County, suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment, police said. He has been charged with DUI-related vehicular manslaughter and is being held in Alexandria jail without bond.
A Maryland man was fatally shot Saturday in Prince Georges County, police said.

At about 5:15 a.m., officers responded to the 5700 block of Cypress Creek Drive in Chillum for the report of a shooting, police said. They found 37-year-old Anthony Russell of Oxon Hill outside suffering from gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at 301-772-4925.
Then president-elect Donald Trump meets with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach in November. Kobach is now vice chairman of Trumps voting commission. (Mike Segar/Reuters)

President Trumps voting commission on Monday asked states and the District to hold off submitting the sweeping voter data the panel had requested until a federal judge in Washington decides whether the White House has done enough to protect Americans privacy.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a watchdog group, has asked U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to block the commissions data request, arguing that the panel had not conducted the full privacy impact statement required by federal law for new government electronic data-collection systems.

Separately Monday, two civil liberties groups filed lawsuits to prevent the commission from holding its first scheduled meeting next week, alleging that the panel had been working in secret and in violation of government regulations on public transparency.

The two new lawsuits add to the potential roadblocks faced by the commission, whose request for voting information from more than 150 million registered voters has drawn bipartisan criticism across the states as an assault on privacy and states rights and a stealth attempt at voter suppression.

[Trumps voting commission asked states to hand over election data. Some are pushing back.]

At least 44 states have indicated that they wont provide all of their voter data, with some saying they would provide nothing and others turning over what they could under state laws.

Vice President Pences office said last week that 20 states have agreed to share at least some data and 16 more are reviewing the request.

In asking the states to hold back on sending information, the White House also said it would delete the information already sent in by Arkansas, the only state so far to comply.

Government lawyers also said in a court filing that the White House was scrapping plans to use a Pentagon-operated website to accept the data and had designed a new system inside the White House to take the submissions.

The redesign came four days before the July 14 deadline the commission set for the states.

Government lawyers have defended the commissions effort, saying that it is a presidential advisory panel, not a federal agency subject to the privacy requirements; that it is requesting data that is already publicly available; and that it would de-identify or make anonymous sensitive information before releasing documents.

[Why almost every state is partially or fully rebuffing Trumps election commission]

In a 4 p.m. filing Monday to Kollar-Kotelly, Justice Department officials said the federal officer responsible for administering the commission, Andrew Kossack, had emailed states at 9:40 a.m. Monday asking that they not submit any data until this Court rules.

The filing also said that the White House information technology director was repurposing an existing internal White House system that regularly accepts sensitive personal information to be ready to accept records by 6 p.m. Monday, instead of using the Defense Department site. The commission initially designated the Army site to take in records, which White House personnel had planned to then download to their own computer system.

Trumps May 11 executive order creating the commission stated that it would be funded and staffed through the General Services Administration, which like the Army is a federal agency subject to privacy requirements. But last week in court, the commission said it would not being using the GSA but planned to use a Pentagon system as a bridge to what would be the ultimate repository for the data at the White House.

In a statement Monday, EPIC President and Executive Director Marc Rotenberg declared the White House shifts a measure of victory: Clearly the Commission should have not asked the states to turn over sensitive voter record information. The program was ill conceived and poorly executed. We expect the Commission will simply announce that it has no intention, going forward, to ask the states for their voter records.

EPIC in its suit alleged that the creation of a secret database stored in the White House of national voter registration information posed staggering privacy implications and lacked legal authorization.

[Trump voter commission to store data on White House computers under Pence staff direction]

EPIC argued that the effort would expose every registered voter to risks  including military families whose home addresses would be revealed, people whose partial Social Security numbers are used as passwords for commercial services and people with past felony convictions.

Trump formed the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity on May 11 after repeatedly suggesting that millions of illegal voters cost him the popular vote against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton last fall.

Studies and state officials of both parties have found no evidence of widespread voting fraud.

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), vice chairman of the Trump panel and a leading conservative voice on concerns about voter fraud, sent a June 28 letter to the states requesting that they turn over publicly-available voter roll data by July 14, including names; addresses; dates of birth; party registrations; partial Social Security numbers; and voting, military, felony and overseas histories, among other data.

Also Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed separate lawsuits asking the same judge, Kollar-Kotelly, a 1997 Clinton appointee, to find the voting panel in violation of government transparency laws. The public interest group Public Citizen also sued the Army to block any data-sharing from its website on privacy grounds.

Both civil liberties groups asked the court to bar the commissions July 19 meeting until it releases all public records since its creation in May and until it allows for in-person public attendance. Next weeks meeting is set to be live-streamed over the Internet. The commission members acknowledged holding a meeting by phone June 28, media reports show.

The commission held its first meeting without notice or making it open to the public. This process is cloaked in secrecy, raising serious concerns about its credibility and intent. What are they trying to hide? said Theresa Lee, a staff attorney with the ACLUs Voting Rights Project.

This case seeks to ensure public accountability and transparency in what could be one of the most consequential federal advisory committees ever, wrote Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the lawyers committee, and John A. Freedman, partner at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, for their legal team. Scores of voters already have canceled their voter registrations because of the White House data request, they assert.

The groups alleged that Congress mandated that federal advisory committees follow rigorous open-meetings and records laws to ensure that members not seek to advance their own agendas through their federal work. The executive order creating the commission stated that the GSA would meet federal advisory committee requirements, if they applied.

The lawyers committee alleged that Kobach sought to promote his gubernatorial candidacy.

Trump has championed the commissions work as a way to strengthen up voting procedures by identifying vulnerabilities . . . that could lead to improper voter registrations and improper voting.

Trump on July 1 criticized states for refusing to give information to the very distinguished VOTER FRAUD PANEL. What are they trying to hide?
Two men died in a shooting incident Sunday on Marylands Eastern Shore. An off duty state trooper fired at one of the men, but it has not been determined if he had any role in the mans death. (iStock) (iStock/iStock)

Two men were killed in a shooting incident on the Eastern Shore early Sunday and an off duty state trooper fired at one of them, but it was not known whether he caused the mans death, the state police said.

The incident occurred about 2 a.m. at a 24-hour restaurant in Salisbury, where the trooper was working as a security officer, police said.

The two men who were killed were identified as Michael T. Ward, Jr., 27, and Jaquan M. Griffin, 21, both of Salisbury. Salisbury is about 30 miles west of the beach resort of Ocean City, and more than 100 miles by car from Washington.

According to a state police account the trooper heard shots and went out to a parking lot. There, police said, he saw Ward firing a handgun. After the trooper engaged him, according to police, Ward turned in the troopers direction. He walked toward the trooper while firing at him, the police said.

The trooper then fired at Ward, the police said.

Within moments, the police said, Griffin staggered into the restaurant from the parking lot. He collapsed on the floor, and friends drove him to a hospital.

Police said they thought that Griffin had been shot by Ward. They also thought that Griffin may have returned fire and hit Ward.

It is unknown at this time whether Ward was fatally wounded by the trooper or Griffin, the state police said in their statement.

They said a semiautomatic pistol was found next to Ward. A second semiautomatic pistol was found in the parking lot in the area where they thought Griffin had been, the police said.

They said the trooper was not injured. Nor, they said, was a second trooper, who was also working as a security officer at the restaurant.

Police said they had no indication that anyone else at the parking lot was injured. But they said many of them left before they could be interviewed.
Two Maryland men were fatally shot Sunday in Prince Georges County, police said.

At about 7:20 p.m., officers responded to the 4600 block of Silver Hill Road for the report of a double shooting, Prince Georges County police said. They found 22-year-old Courtney Simms of Temple Hills and 23-year-old Anthony Douglas of Marlow Heights shot in an alley between two businesses, police said.

Simms was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. Douglas was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Police asked that anyone with information about the shooting contact them at 301-772-4925.
U.S. Capitol police arrested at least 80 people Thursday who were demonstrating Thursday against the proposed Republican health care bill.

In a statement, police officials said they responded to 13 locations in office buildings on both sides of Congress beginning about 2 p.m.

Twitter feeds filled with videos and images of demonstrators who were cuffed and flanked by police as some yelled through the hallways in protest of the bill.

After officers arrived at the numerous scenes, they warned the demonstrators to cease and desist with their unlawful demonstration activities, the statement said. Those who refused to cease and desist were placed under arrest.

Police said the arrested were charged with Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding. 

Officers arrested 10 men and 11 women at House Office Buildings, while 22 men and 37 women were arrested on the Senate side.

Officials did not identify which Congressional offices had been targeted.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) visits with Corinne Kunkel, left, and her son Dylan, 5, after a meeting about health care. (Antonio Olivo/The Washington Post)

With the Republican health-care bill facing an uncertain fate, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on Monday addressed the potential effects of the legislation on children with complex medical conditions who rely on Medicaid  an effort to shame GOP members of Congress into compromise.

Its important that we share stories about what Medicaid really does, Kaine said before convening a roundtable discussion with parents of children with disabilities and health-care providers on Northern Virginia Community Colleges Medical Education campus. For many, Medicaid is about enabling them to live more independently, enabling them to be more successful in school.

Emphasizing the value of Medicaid  and criticizing the Republican alternative  could also help boost Democratic prospects in upcoming statewide elections.

The event was one in a string of appearances by Democrats across the country in recent weeks as they seek to rally opposition to Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with legislation that, among other things, would phase out extra funds provided by the federal government as an incentive to expand eligibility for Medicaid.

The Republican Better Care Reconciliation Act would also wipe out the system of open-

ended entitlements under Medicaid by putting the program on a budget.

In Virginia, Kaine has campaigned against the bill through public meetings that underscored the potential effects on seniors, children in public schools, foster children and others among an estimated 1 million Virginians who rely on Medicaid.

His office said that more than 11,000 people have called during the past three weeks to urge the 2016 vice-presidential candidate to fight harder to defeat the Republican health-care plan.

More broadly, a recent Quinnipiac University poll pegged President Trumps approval rating in Virginia at 40 percent and found that nearly 6 in 10 Virginians disapproved of the House Republicans health-care bill.

That may reflect a larger backlash against Republicans in the state that could help Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) beat Republican Ed Gillespie in Novembers gubernatorial election, political analysts said.

Gillespie, aware of the moderate views in his state, has avoided taking a firm stance on the health-care plan, arguing that he is focused on state policies as a gubernatorial candidate and would match state policies to whatever the federal policy is.

Quentin Kidd, director of Christopher Newport Universitys Wason Center for Public Policy, said Northam and his supporters will nonetheless try to link Gillespie to the health-care plan as much as possible.

They want voters to think about this issue in the context of a national referendum on Trump and Republicans, Kidd said. If that offensive could take hold at the gubernatorial level, it would be natural that it would also roll down to the state house levels.

In addition to governor, lieutenant governor and state attorney general, all 100 House of Delegates seats are up for grabs in November.

At Mondays roundtable, the parents and pediatricians there said they were more concerned about how the health-care bill would affect their ability to provide care to children dealing with an array of health problems.

Though Republican senators returned from their holiday break seeming deeply divided over several aspects of the legislation, the roundtable participants said they arent convinced that the bill is doomed.

It should be dead, but I dont think we can say that it is, Kaine warned.

To the participants in the roundtable discussion, that means tens of thousands of dollars per year in Medicaid support is still on the line.

Several said the federal subsidy has helped pay for feeding tubes, wheelchairs, surgeries and in-home nurses  aid for people with disabilities that is already in short supply in Virginia, with more than 11,000 people on a state waiting list for Medicaid vouchers.

These costs are going to be so high, said Corinne Kunkel, whose son Dylan, 5, was born with a condition known as spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress and receives a Medicaid waiver to help pay for a ventilator.

Its not like were asking for handouts, added Jennifer Reese, whose daughter Cailyn, 9, was born with a genetic seizure disorder. Reese receives help from Medicaid for the girls care, including diapers that run $350 per box.

This is all stuff we need, said Reese, a director at the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, an advocacy group for people with disabilities. If we didnt have Medicaid we definitely wouldnt still own our house and I probably wouldnt have been able to keep working.

Dr. Samuel Bartle, an assistant professor at the Childrens Hospital of Richmond at VCU, predicted that more families without insurance will turn to emergency rooms as a primary source of care.

Ive seen them come in at 2 a.m., where they come in and say: I cant get an appointment because no one will take me,  he said. We end up having to hospitalize them just to provide a certain service.

Having Medicaid cut is going to put a bigger strain.

Nodding his head, Kaine said those dark scenarios have mostly been absent from discussion on Capitol Hill because the Republican leadership in the Senate crafted the legislation largely behind closed doors.

Weve had no hearings, said Kaine, who sits on the Senates Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Were ready to talk and to try to find the improvements, but were being given no opportunity to.

Over time, that will prove to be politically damaging for Republicans at both the national level and in Virginia, he predicted.

When you have a guy running for governor like Ralph Northam, who has spent his life as a pediatrician, youre going to hear an awful lot about health care in this governors race, he said. And that is on peoples minds.
Ohio

One killed, 8 injured at gender reveal party

A 22-year-old woman was found dead at the scene of a home invasion near Cincinnati where two gunmen opened fire, wounding eight people, including three children and a pregnant woman who had revealed the gender of her fetus at a party Saturday night.

Colerain Township Police Chief Mark Denney said at a news conference Sunday that none of the eight people wounded appeared to have life-threatening injuries, including the children, ages 8, 6 and 2.

The 22-year-old has been identified as Autum Garrett, of Huntington, Ind.

Denney said the two gunmen who fled on foot havent been identified or arrested. He wouldnt discuss details of the investigation.

The pregnant woman has told WXIX-TV that she had a miscarriage after being shot in the leg.

The gunmen opened fire with handguns in the living room of the house where friends and family members had gathered for a party where the pregnant woman announced that she was expecting a boy, Denney said.

There were no indications of a forced entry by the gunmen, who entered the house through the front door, Denney said. He said the motive is unclear..

 Associated Press

Florida

Man arrested in 2004 sexual battery case

Authorities say a 2004 Florida sexual battery case involving a disabled woman has been solved with the arrest of a suspect just before he was to board a plane to Haiti.

The Sun Sentinel reports that a judge denied bail Sunday for Pascal Estime, 55. Investigators arrested Estime a day earlier at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

He is charged with two counts of sexual battery on a mentally disabled person in connection with the assault of a Boynton Beach woman 13 years ago. Authorities said that the assault led to a pregnancy that was terminated, and that the fetus was preserved for DNA evidence.

The inquiry was renewed in 2016, leading investigators to Estime, whose DNA matched that of the fetus.

 Associated Press

Postal Service honors Thoreaus 200th birthday: Henry David Thoreau is being honored on the 200th anniversary of his birth. The U.S. Postal Service says it plans to hold a dedication for the recently released stamp of the 19th-century American philosopher and naturalist Wednesday at his birthplace in Concord, Mass. Concord Postmaster Ray White and officials from the Thoreau Farm will highlight Thoreaus personal example of simple living, his criticism of materialism and the timeless questions he raises about the place of the individual in society. Thoreau is the writer of the memoir Walden and the essay Civil Disobedience.

Officers seek bear that bit campers head: Wildlife officers are searching for a black bear that attacked a Colorado camp staffer and bit him on the head as he slept outdoors near campers. Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said the 19-year-old woke up about 4 a.m. Sunday to a crunching sound with his head inside the bears mouth . She said the teenager punched and hit it and other staffers at Glacier View Ranch 48 miles northwest of Denver yelled and swatted at the bear, which ran away. The staffer was treated briefly at a hospital.

 From news services
The controversial practice has been standard in many teaching hospitals for decades, its safety and ethics largely unquestioned and its existence unknown to those most affected: people undergoing surgery.

But over the past two years, the issue of overlapping surgery  in which a doctor operates on two patients in different rooms during the same time period  has ignited an impassioned debate in the medical community, attracted scrutiny by the powerful U.S. Senate Finance committee that oversees Medicare and Medicaid, and prompted some hospitals, including the University of Virginias, to circumscribe the practice.

Known as running two rooms  or double-booked, simultaneous or concurrent surgery  the practice occurs in teaching hospitals where senior attending surgeons delegate trainees  usually residents or fellows  to perform parts of one surgery while the attending surgeon works on a second patient in another operating room. Sometimes senior surgeons arent even in the OR, but are seeing patients elsewhere.

The decision about whether to allow the practice is left to hospitals, which are primarily responsible for policing it. Medicare billing rules permit it as long as the attending surgeon is present during the critical portion of each operation  and that portion is defined by the surgeon. And while it occurs in many specialties, double-booking is believed to be most common in orthopedics, cardiac surgery and neurosurgery.

The issue was catapulted into public consciousness in October 2015 by an exhaustive investigation of concurrent surgery at Harvards famed Massachusetts General Hospital by the Boston Globe. The validity of the story has been vehemently disputed by hospital officials who defend their care as safe and appropriate; the article detailed concerns by some doctors and other hospital staff about complications  including one patient who was paralyzed and two who died  possibly linked to double-booking over a 10-year period. It described patients waiting under anesthesia for prolonged periods and surgeons who could not be located, leaving residents or fellows to perform surgeries without supervision.

Patients who signed standard consent forms said they were not told their surgeries were double-booked; some said they would never have agreed had they known. The practice has also figured prominently in cases in South Florida, Nashville and most recently, Seattle.

Critics of the practice, who include some surgeons and patient safety advocates, say that double-booking adds unnecessary risk, erodes trust and primarily enriches specialists. Surgery, they say, is not piecework and cannot be scheduled like trains: Unexpected complications are not uncommon.

All patients deserve the sole and undivided attention of the surgeon, and that trumps all other considerations, said Michael Mulholland, chair of surgery at the University of Michigan Health System, which halted double-booking a decade ago. Surgeons may leave the room when a patients incision is being closed, Mulholland said. A computerized system records the doctors entry and exit.

It doesnt do any good to check out your surgeon if theyre not even going to be in the room, said Lisa McGiffert, director of Consumers Unions Safe Patient Project. We all know about the dangers of multitasking. This adds a layer of danger if you have the most expert person coming in and out.

Indiana orthopedic surgeon James Rickert regards double-booking as a form of bait-and-switch. The only reason it has continued is that patients are asleep, said Rickert, president of the Society for Patient-Centered Orthopedics.

Having a fellow so you can run two rooms helps augment your income, he added. You can bill for six procedures: You do three and the fellow does three. The critical portion of the operation required by Medicare and designated by the surgeon can mean running in and checking two screws for 10 seconds.

Defenders of the practice, which has been the subject of a handful of studies with mixed results, say it can be done safely and allows more patients to receive care.

Its extremely important for us to make sure [all surgeries are] done with the highest quality, said Peter Dunn, Mass Generals executive medical director of perioperative administration. Officials at his hospital, Dunn said in a recent interview, have never traced back a quality issue to concurrent surgery, which involves a minority of procedures. Mass General complies with all applicable guidelines and regulations, Dunn said. The hospital now explicitly requires doctors to inform patients if an operation will overlap as part of the consent process, which may occur just before the start of surgery.

In January, a Boston jury found that a Mass General spine surgeon who failed to inform a 45-year-old financial analyst that he was running two rooms was not responsible for the patients subsequent quadriplegia.

Divided attention

No one knows how many of the nations 4,900 hospitals that receive Medicare payments  about 1,000 of which are teaching hospitals  allow the practice, the Senate Finance Committee noted in a recent report. The committee called on hospitals to adopt stronger policies and consent forms that go beyond opaque boilerplate statements that grant broad permission without specifying who is doing what. And the report noted that concurrent surgery may also occur in outpatient surgery centers and non-teaching hospitals and that it can involve patients who are not covered by Medicare.

The practice surprised some primary-care doctors and a veteran medical ethicist.

I certainly knew that for many procedures, residents might be involved, said Arthur Caplan, a professor of bioethics at NYU School of Medicine. (NYU Langone Medical Center does not permit concurrent surgery.) But I was a little taken aback that the attending surgeon was not in the room.

Proponents say that overlapping operations can improve efficiency and better utilize a surgeons valuable time.

Much of surgery is team-based, said David Hoyt, executive director of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), which last year issued guidelines governing concurrent surgery. Largely similar to Medicare rules, the guidelines state that surgeons should inform patients of overlapping operations.

Robert Cima, a colorectal surgeon and medical director of surgical outcomes research at the Mayo Clinic, agrees. Overlapping surgery has been used safely since Mayos inception more than 100 years ago, he said. A recent study he co-authored found that 11,000 overlapping operations at Mayo did not have a higher death rate than non-overlapping surgeries.

Allowing qualified junior doctors to perform parts of an operation, Cima said, is vital in training the next generation of surgeons. Determining what portion of an operation is critical should be left to the individual surgeon, he said, not proscribed by Medicare or insurers, because it can vary from patient to patient.

But L.D. Britt, a past president of the ACS and chairman of surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, says that efficiency has little to do with concurrency. Unless youre closing, that surgeon should be there, he said. Most [surgeons] are doing it for lifestyle.

Indianas Rickert and Britt say they are troubled by what they regard as a double standard: Very few surgeons would consent to the practice for themselves or a relative. This happens to the Medicaid patient, Rickert said, not the partners wife.

He advocates that Medicare and insurers define the critical portion requiring the presence of an attending surgeon as being everything between the making of an incision and the start of its closure, a task frequently performed by residents. The critical components should not depend on whether the surgeon has opera tickets that night.

Ghost surgery?

Some surgeons say they are troubled by the resemblance of double-booking to a practice known as ghost surgery, in which patients learn, usually after something goes wrong, that someone other than the surgeon they hired performed their operation.

In April, a Seattle jury awarded an anesthesiologist and her husband $8.5 million for botched abdominal surgery that disfigured his penis. After his operation, the couple discovered that a crucial part of the procedure was performed by a fellow, not the senior surgeon to whom he had explicitly granted consent.

I always prided myself in telling patients I would be there from the moment they went to sleep to the moment they woke up, said Stanley Shapshay, a head and neck surgeon in Albany, N.Y., who co-authored a 2016 editorial opposing simultaneous surgery.

Many things can go wrong during noncritical portions of an operation, particularly if a resident or fellow is unsupervised, said Shapshay, a professor of otolaryngology at Albany Medical College. A major artery or nerve can be cut accidentally, he said. By the time the surgeon [arrives, the damage] has already been done.

Trainees, Shapshay observed, vary. Some are very good, some are okay and some need more experience.

His view was reinforced by his experience at a hospital in the Southeast several years ago. A senior surgeon he was visiting left in the middle of an operation, after telling a family that surgery had gone well. While he and Shapshay were having coffee, the surgeon received an urgent page and had to rush back to the OR to deal with a serious breathing problem. The family was later told only that an unexpected event had occurred, not that the attending had been out of the room.

That illustrated to me very clearly that you dont leave the OR until the patient has left the OR, Shapshay said.

Adequate informed consent is essential, said Robin Diamond, senior vice president for patient safety and risk management at the Doctors Company, a California-based malpractice insurer that has begun tracking malpractice claims related to overlapping surgery. She expects such lawsuits will increase.

I think it can be done safely and has been safe in many cases, said Diamond, who has degrees in nursing and law. But surgeons who plan to run two rooms should obtain explicit consent from patients at least a week ahead of surgery, she said, not the day before or the day of, as is common, to allow time to reconsider.

Its a basic patient right to know who is doing their operation, Diamond said.

Patients dont seem enamored of overlapping surgery. A recent study based on an online survey by Harvard researchers found that fewer than 4 percent of 1,454 people had heard of concurrent surgery and that only 31 percent supported the practice; 95 percent said it should be disclosed in advance.

A surprising result

After the fallout at Mass General, officials at U-Va. decided it was time to largely eliminate concurrent surgery in all specialties; the practice had been most common in orthopedics.

In return for an end to simultaneous surgeries, U-Va. executive vice president for health affairs Richard Shannon said, hospital executives agreed that orthopedic surgeons would not be disadvantaged. Part of the process involved overhauling the way surgeries were scheduled.

It was an important wake-up call, Shannon said of the controversy. We wanted to redesign our system to eliminate the risk as part of a larger patient-safety push.

Eliminating most concurrent procedures, Shannon said, actually resulted in an increase of 560 surgeries in 2016 over 2015, using the same number of operating rooms. Concurrency was masking an efficiency problem, said Shannon, who plans to publish the results of U-Vas efforts. There was a lot of waste.

This debunks the urban legend that overlapping surgery is more efficient, he said. Like many things in health care, if you apply a rigorous disciplined approach, you may get an answer you didnt expect.

Rickert and others advise patients who want to avoid overlap to ask detailed questions well in advance and to put their request in writing and on the consent form.

If you say, I want only you to do the surgery, doctors will typically do it, Rickert said. They want the business.

He also recommends asking, Are you going to be in the room the entire time during my surgery? and then repeating that statement in front of the OR nurses the day of surgery. If the doctors not willing to say yes, vote with your feet.

If a surgeon says he or she will be present or immediately available, a patient should ask what that means. It may mean that the surgeon is somewhere on a sprawling hospital campus, but not in  or even near  your operating room.

 Kaiser Health News

Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit health news service whose stories appear in news outlets nationwide, is an editorially independent part of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
A firefighter drinks water in front of a burning house near Oroville, Calif., on Sunday. The first major wildfires after the end of California's five-year drought raged across the state as it was gripped by a record-breaking heatwave. (Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images)

Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western United States and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground.

In California, two major wildfires have sent nearly 8,000 people fleeing to safety.

About 4,000 people evacuated and 7,400 others were told to prepare to leave their homes as fire swept through grassy foothills in the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles north of Sacramento, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Sunday.

The fire burned nearly eight square miles, destroyed at least 10 structures and damaged critical infrastructure, leading Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency to provide assistance to local authorities.

Fire department spokeswoman Mary Ann Aldrich said more homes were destroyed overnight. An inspection team is trying to determine the extent of the damage.

The area burning was about 10 miles south of Oroville, where spillways in the nations tallest dam began crumbling from heavy rain this winter and led to temporary evacuation orders for 200,000 residents downstream.

In Southern California, at least 3,500 people evacuated as two fires exploded in size at separate ends of Santa Barbara County and a third one threatened homes near a town in San Luis Obispo County.

One of the fires grew to 12 square miles, traversing a mountain range and heading south toward coastal Goleta.

There was minimal containment and flames shut down State Route 154, which is expected to remain closed for days. At least 20 structures burned, but officials didnt say whether they were homes.

Sarah Gustafson, who moved from Washington to California seven months ago, was out running errands when she saw the pillar of smoke rising near her home. She rushed to retrieve her six cats and then spent the night at a Red Cross shelter.

It was terrifying, she told the Los Angeles Times. The sky was orange and black. You could see flames up on the ridge.

About 90 children and 50 counselors were stuck Saturday at the Circle V Ranch in Santa Barbara and had to take shelter until they could be safely evacuated. Buildings have burned, but officials were not yet sure whether they were homes.

Crews also used aircraft to attack another blaze about 50 miles north that exploded in size to 37 square miles. About 200 rural homes east of Santa Maria were evacuated when the fire broke out Saturday and was fed by dry gusts.

Some of the firefighters working to contain that blaze were sent to nearby San Luis Obispo County when a fire broke out Sunday and threatened numerous structures near the town of Santa Margarita. Officials said the fire burned at least 200 acres.

In British Columbia, firefighters were contending with more than 200 wildfires that had destroyed dozens of buildings, including several homes and two airport hangars. The three biggest fires, which ranged in size from five to eight square miles, forced thousands of people to flee.

We are just, in many ways, at the beginning of the worst part of the fire season, and we watch the weather, we watch the wind, and we pray for rain, Christy Clark, the provinces outgoing premier, told reporters in Kamloops.

Rob Schweizer, manager of the Kamloops Fire Centre, said it had been an unprecedented 24 hours.

We probably havent seen this sort of activity that involves so many residences and people in the history of the province of B.C., he said.
Romes Trevi Fountain gets a scrubbing as part of routine maintenance. The 18th-century fountain, one of the citys best-known attractions, reopened two years ago after undergoing a 17-month restoration. Legend holds that tossing a coin into the Baroque fountain will ensure a return visit to Rome. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

BAHRAIN

Top activist sentenced to two years in prison

One of Bahrains most prominent activists was sentenced Monday to two years in prison in a verdict that rights groups say is the latest in a years-long crackdown on dissent in which opposition groups have been disbanded and activists jailed or forced into exile.

Nabeel Rajab was sentenced on charges related to TV interviews he gave in which prosecutors said he disseminated rumors and false news relating to the situation inside Bahrain in a way that undermines the prestige of the state, according to rights groups.

Rajabs case drew particular attention because he was a leading figure in the island nations 2011 Arab Spring protests, when tens of thousands of Bahrainis, who are majority-Shiite, took to the streets to demand a greater say in government from the Sunni monarchy.

Rajab has been imprisoned since June 2016, with nine months of that in solitary confinement, according to rights groups.

The State Department has expressed concern over Rajabs arrest and curbs on freedom of expression in Bahrain, a close U.S. ally that hosts the Navys 5th Fleet.

Rajab faces another trial and up to 15 years in prison on charges related to tweets about alleged torture in Bahraini prisons.

 Associated Press

PAKISTAN

Graft probe of Sharif finds wealth disparity

An official investigation of corruption allegations against Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family has found a significant disparity between their declared wealth and known sources of income.

Sharif, who has denied allegations of abusing his authority to enrich himself, has been under pressure since documents leaked in 2016 from a Panama-based firm disclosed that his family had offshore accounts.

Sharif and members of his family have appeared before a team appointed by the Supreme Court to investigate their offshore companies. Sharif has faced corruption allegations since coming to power in 2013.

There exists a significant disparity between the wealth declared by the respondents and the means through which the respondents had generated income from known or declared sources, the report said, according to a partial copy released to reporters.

At one point, the report refers to the irregular movement of cash gifts and loans from companies based in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Britain to Sharif, his son and companies linked to them.

A minister from Sharifs party dismissed the report, saying its findings were unsubstantiated.

 Associated Press

New round of Syria talks begins: A new round of indirect talks between Syrian government representatives and opposition leaders has gotten underway, the seventh such effort to end the six-year-old conflict. The United Nations special envoy for the talks, Staffan de Mistura, said that he expects some incremental developments, not breakthroughs. The start of the talks in Geneva coincided with the first full day of a cease-fire in southern Syria brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan.

Israel, Palestinians reach electricity deal for West Bank: Israeli and Palestinian officials have signed a rare agreement to provide additional electricity to Palestinian residents of the northern West Bank. Under the deal, Israels national electric company will sell an additional 60 megawatts of electricity to the Jenin area, with an option to more than double the supply.

Bones found near wreckage of U.S. bomber in Croatia: Divers have located human bones near the wreckage of a U.S. bomber that crashed in the Adriatic Sea in Croatia in 1944. The discovery was made last week at the site where the Tulsamerican crashed, according to Croatias state TV. Three members of the 10-man crew were killed in the crash. The wreckage itself was found in 2010. Tomo Medved, who heads Croatias ministry for war veterans, said the United States is still looking for about 200 Americans who perished in Croatia during World War II.

Gunmen kill 7 Hindu pilgrims in Indian Kashmir: Gunmen sprayed bullets on a bus bringing Hindu pilgrims back from a cave shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing at least seven and wounding 14, police said. Police blamed the attack on Muslim militants battling Indian rule in the disputed Himalayan territory, claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan. The shooting occurred on the main highway linking Indian-controlled Kashmir with the rest of India.

 From news services
CHINA

Ill dissident can travel, foreign doctors say

Two foreign specialists who visited Liu Xiaobo said Sunday that the cancer-stricken Nobel Peace Prize laureate can safely travel abroad for treatment, apparently contradicting Chinese experts who say a medical evacuation would be unsafe for Chinas best-known political prisoner.

The American and German doctors, who saw Liu on Saturday, issued a joint statement saying that their home institutions have agreed to accept Liu but that any evacuation would have to take place as quickly as possible.

Liu was diagnosed in May with late-stage liver cancer while serving an 11-year sentence for inciting subversion by advocating political changes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, the year after he was convicted.

The differing opinions about the feasibility of Lius travel could further complicate the tug of war over the 61-year-old. His family and supporters have asked for Liu to be released and allowed to receive treatment abroad.

Meanwhile, the government has maintained that Liu is receiving the best treatment at the First Hospital of China Medical University in the northern city of Shenyang.

After international criticism, China allowed Markus W. Buchler of Heidelberg University and Joseph Herman of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas to visit Liu.

Buchler and Herman on Sunday acknowledged the quality of care Liu has received in Shenyang. But they said that Liu expressed a desire to leave China and that they judged that he can be safely transported.

 Associated Press

GAZA STRIP

Abbas meets Sissi amid shake-up concerns

The Egyptian and Palestinian leaders met Sunday in Cairo amid signs of a rapprochement between Cairo and the Islamist militant group Hamas that could shake up the political landscape of the Gaza Strip and sideline the Palestinian Authority president.

Officials close to Mahmoud Abbas, a Fatah member who runs the West Bank, said the Palestinian leader met with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi to seek clarification on what appears to be an emerging power-sharing agreement between Gazas Hamas rulers and an exiled Abbas rival, former Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan.

Under the deal  parts of which have been confirmed by other parties involved  Hamas would retain control over Gazas security, while Dahlan would eventually return to Gaza and handle its foreign relations.

Dahlan was a key Fatah figure behind the Fatah-Hamas clashes that erupted after Hamass win in parliamentary elections in 2006, which eventually led to the violent takeover of Gaza by the group.

Dahlan and Hamas have been bitter enemies, but their interests began to align in recent months. His desire to return from exile and succeed Abbas has coincided with Hamass growing desperation as Abbas has been applying greater financial pressure on Gaza.

Egypt has long accused Hamas of supporting Islamist militants fighting its security forces in the Sinai Peninsula. Also, Egypt has for a decade joined Israel in a blockade of Gaza.

However, relations between Egypt and Hamas appear to have recently thawed.

 Associated Press

Jordan, Kuwait carriers lift laptop ban on U.S. flights: The national airline carriers of Jordan and Kuwait said passengers will again be allowed to carry personal electronics, including laptops, on U.S.-bound flights, ending a ban imposed in March. The United States had issued the ban over concerns that extremists could hide bombs inside laptops. Royal Jordanian said it has implemented enhanced security measures in line with U.S. requirements, and Kuwait Airlines said the decision to lift the ban came after U.S. officials inspected its security measures.

Clashes erupt near Libyan capital: Heavy clashes erupted between rival factions east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, according to a witness and local reports. The clashes broke out when an armed group opposed to the U.N.-backed unity government in Tripoli tried to approach the capital and was confronted by government-aligned forces, the witness said. The two sides clashed near the town of Garabulli, about 30 miles east of Tripoli.

Pakistan summons Indian diplomat after Kashmir gunfire: Pakistan summoned Indias deputy high commissioner in Islamabad to protest the killing of five civilians by unprovoked Indian fire across the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region. In a separate goodwill gesture, Pakistan released 78 Indian fishermen held last year for illegal fishing in its territorial waters.

 From news services
When President Trump spoke of the need to defend Western civilization in Poland last week, many saw an effort by him and some of his top White House advisers to redefine the mission of American foreign policy away from building relationships and spreading democratic principles, to a more protective stance drawing sharp lines between the United States and those perceived as threats.

One emerging flash point in that struggle is the internal administration debate over which part of the government should be in charge of deciding who gets into the United States.

Ever since the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1952, that mission has been charged to the State Department. Thousands of diplomats not only stamp passports and issue visas, but also craft policy and make recommendations about who gets to visit, work and seek refuge in the United States. That tradition has now come into question.

A document crafted by senior White House advisers, first reported by CNN, includes proposals to move the State Departments Bureau of Consular Affairs and Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration over to the Department of Homeland Security. White House policy adviser Stephen Miller, who helped craft the document, has reportedly been pushing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to get tougher on immigration, vetting and refugee policy at the State Department.

One White House official cautioned that these proposals resulted from a brainstorming session focused on improving efficiencies across government and were far from being approved. Another White House official told me that if Tillerson doesnt go along with changes that Miller and others in the White House are pushing the State Department to implement internally, the plan to strip Foggy Bottom of its role supervising these functions could gain traction.

Although the State Departments internal reorganization plans are still under review, spokeswoman Heather Nauert told me that Tillerson believes the two bureaus should remain where they are and he views consular and refugee work as essential to the Departments mission to secure our borders and protect the American people.

State stands to lose not only the 12,000-plus personnel billets associated with the work but also the more than $3 billion annually that consular fees bring in.

Tillersons position runs counter to the Listening Report he commissioned to review the State Departments organizational structure, which actually recommended handing over all consular functions to DHS. The report, compiled by the private firm Insigniam, claimed such a move would elevate security at our borders and remove a source of dissatisfaction and frustration.

Tillerson also disagrees on this issue with his own nominee to become the head of consular affairs, Carl Risch, who once argued before Congress that visa issuance should be moved to DHS, testifying it is a law-enforcement process and has nothing to do with diplomacy.

Leading Democrats in Congress side with Tillerson and are prepared to fight the White House if it pursues the change. I firmly believe the State Department should remain the face of America to the world and the entry point for foreigners traveling here, for consular activities and refugee resettlement, said Benjamin L. Cardin (Md.), ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Refugee resettlement is not an immigration program but, rather, a humanitarian program and a diplomatic tool, Cardin said. He called the White House proposal disastrous.

Cardins House counterpart, Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), said that placing these tasks in the hands of law enforcement suggests that we view non-Americans as suspicious and maybe even a threat. The Republican leaders of both Foreign Relations committees declined to state a position on the proposal.

(The Washington Post)

Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) said theres no evidence that shifting these functions from the State Department to DHS would make the American people safer or the visa process more efficient. DHS already plays a role in vetting visa applicants. Coons also pointed indirectly back to those in the White House who have been pushing anti-immigration policies. The proposal appears rooted in a nativist opposition to the idea of legal immigration to the United States, Coons said.

That nativist strain in the White House is represented by Miller, who was the principal author of Trumps travel ban, which targeted six Muslim-majority countries, as well as of Trumps speech last week in Poland, which cast the mission of U.S. foreign policy as one based on threats, not relationships.

The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive, Trump said. Do we have enough respect for our citizens to protect our borders? Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it?

Viewing immigration and refugee programs through that lens alone is the opposite of courage. Only through a humane, non-discriminatory approach, led by diplomats and integrated with the rest of American foreign policy, can the United States achieve long-term stability abroad and security at home.

Read more from Josh Rogins archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
U.S. Soldiers with Task Force Iron maneuver an M-777 howitzer, so it can be towed into position at Bost Airfield, Afghanistan, June 10. (Sgt. Justin Updegraff/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Senators just returning from Afghanistan are calling for a strategy for the country [Visiting senators call for boost in Afghanistan, news, July 5]. Our strategy is for the commander to mobilize sufficient manpower, contractors, equipment and cash to keep the country from completely crumbling until it can be passed on to the next general and appropriate medals, promotions and commendations received.

It may not be a winning strategy, but it is not a losing strategy, and that is the main point for continuing American involvement in an endless future.

Alfred P. Van Huyck, Round Hill

Regarding the July 5 news article on a boost in Afghanistan:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said, America is the strongest nation on earth, but we are not winning. It is true that we are not winning wars. The last war we won was World War II. I participated in that war and am glad that we were victorious. But I believe that all wars are senseless because both sides lose valuable human beings and treasure. With the development of weapons of mass destruction and suicidal terrorists, wars between nations have become not only unfeasible but also unthinkable.

And I agree with Mr. McCain that the United States needs a new strategy to win. But a new strategy will not guarantee success. Competition between humans has been going on for millions of years. But too many cooks can really screw things up. We elect a president to represent the entire nation. He should be the one to devise a new strategy.

Thomas Carcaterra, Silver Spring
Randall D. Eliason teaches white-collar criminal law at George Washington University Law School. He blogs at Sidebarsblog.com.

The news about Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer is a significant development in the investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian nationals.

Of course, a single meeting, by itself, is not a crime. Much more remains to be learned, including what was actually said during this and other meetings and whether any agreements were made. But prosecutors in the office of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III are no doubt extremely interested in what happened that day in June 2016 at Trump Tower.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

The presidents son said he agreed to meet the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, after being told she was offering damaging information about presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. The presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and campaign chairman at the time, Paul Manafort, also attended the meeting, which took place shortly after Trump clinched the Republican nomination.

Collusion is usually defined as a secret agreement to do something improper. In the criminal-law world, we call that conspiracy. If unlawful collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian nationals did take place, criminal conspiracy would be one of the most likely charges.

A conspiracy is a partnership in crime. The federal conspiracy statute prohibits conspiracies to defraud the United States, which includes conspiracies to impede the lawful functions of the federal government  such as administering a presidential election.

Conspiracy also prohibits agreements to commit another federal crime. This would include an agreement to violate the laws against hacking into someone elses computer, or to violate federal election laws.

Conspiracies, by their nature, take place in secret. To break through that secrecy, prosecutors often rely on circumstantial evidence. The classic trial lawyers metaphor is that each such piece of evidence is a brick. No single event standing alone may prove the case. But when assembled together, those individual bricks may build a wall  a big, beautiful wall  that excludes any reasonable doubt about what happened.

Thats why this latest news is a big deal. The meeting helps establish a few critical facts. The first is simply that contacts between Russians and campaign officials did take place. If you are seeking to prove a criminal partnership, evidence that the alleged partners had private meetings establishes the opportunity to reach an agreement.

Of course, there already was evidence of other meetings between Russian officials and members of the Trump campaign. The crucial new detail about this meeting is that campaign members now admit it took place after they were told that Veselnitskaya was offering compromising information about Clinton.

This fact is significant regardless of what happened at the meeting. Proving a defendants state of mind is key in any criminal case. This meeting provides critical evidence about the state of mind of Trump representatives: They were willing to hear what a Russian individual had to offer about their opponent.

The first line of defense against a conspiracy allegation typically would be: Thats ridiculous  Id never agree to meet with someone from Russia under those circumstances. That line of defense appears to be gone. Members of the Trump campaign didnt call the FBI to report a Russian nationals offer to dish dirt about the former U.S. secretary of state  they took the meeting.

A prosecutor investigating a potential conspiracy also would be intrigued by the way information about meetings between Russians and the Trump campaign has been trickling out. Over the past few months, several members of the Trump team have admitted to meetings and conversations with Russian officials after initially denying that any such contacts took place. In just the past few days, Trump Jr. and administration officials have offered differing accounts of the meeting with Veselnitskaya.

Lies or conflicting explanations can be important circumstantial evidence of criminal intent. They may indicate that the truth is something more nefarious that someone does not want to be discovered.

Its true that innocent people can make mistakes or forget about meetings. But its also true that guilty people often lie and seek to cover up their actions.

Prosecutors in the special counsels office have powerful investigative tools at their disposal. Through the grand jury they can compel testimony under oath from the key actors. Through granting immunity or reaching plea agreements they may obtain the cooperation of individuals involved in any criminal wrongdoing. They undoubtedly know much more about this meeting than has so far been revealed in the press.

A great deal of investigating remains to be done. But in the context of everything else that has been learned over the past few months, the news about this meeting is far from the nothing burger described by White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus. We know now that Trump campaign officials were, at the very least, willing to entertain the idea of accepting help from Russian nationals in a U.S. presidential election.

Thats far from proof of a criminal conspiracy. But for prosecutors trying to build that wall of circumstantial evidence, it provides a pretty solid foundation.
President Trump has performed a service of sorts to our debate over how the United States views itself and its role in the world. He has reminded the democratic left and the democratic right  note the small d  that they share more common ground than they often realize about the importance of democracy, the gifts of modernity, and the value of pluralism.

Trump has done this by articulating, fitfully and inconsistently, a dark worldview rooted in nationalism, authoritarianism, discomfort with ethnic and religious differences, and a skepticism about the modern project. He did this again during a European visit that was disconcerting both for what Trump said and for the isolation of the United States within the very West whose cause the president claims to champion.

His lack of constancy makes it difficult to judge exactly what he believes. We commonly describe his contradictions as the product of administration power struggles between Stephen K. Bannon and Stephen Miller, the populist nationalists, and Jim Mattis and H.R. McMaster, the representatives of a more conventional approach to foreign policy.

On the days when Trump pledges allegiance to NATO and our allies, we see Defense Secretary Mattis and national security adviser McMaster as winning. When Trump veers off this course by dissing allies and going rhetorically apocalyptic, we declare senior White House aides Bannon and Miller triumphant.

Optimists about Trump insist that the grown-ups, as Mattis and McMaster are often somewhat obnoxiously described by old foreign policy hands, will eventually limit the damage the president can cause us. The last several days should push them toward reappraising their hopefulness.

(Meg Kelly/The Washington Post)

Trumps European trip, including his meeting with Vladimir Putin, was always going to be a high-wire act, given the presidents unpredictability and his allergy to briefing books. For Trump, everything is personal, which means hes subject to being easily played. Foreign leaders know that flattering him is the way to his heart - the Chinese and Saudis seemed to have understood this well  and that his deepest commitments appear to be to his business interests.

But to the extent that Trump does have a gut instinct about the world, it seems closer to Bannons. The presidents spontaneous outbursts, his Twitter revelations, and his reactions to individual foreign leaders point Bannons way.

Trump has spoken with far greater affection for Putin, Saudi princes and the right-wing nationalists now in power in Poland than for democratic pluralists such as Germanys Angela Merkel and Frances Emmanuel Macron. At the Group of 20 summit, in fact, both Merkel and Macron sounded more like post-World War II American presidents than Trump did.

And the ambiguity about what Trump said during his two-hour meeting with Putin about Russian meddling in the 2016 election (the administration denied that Trump had accepted Putins denials, as Russia claimed, but its own account of what Trump actually did tell him was hardly reassuring) only underscored the presidents reluctance to confront the Russian leader on anything. Trump gave Putin exactly what he wanted was the headline on a commentary in the New York Times by Russian writer and dissident Masha Gessen. It was hard to deny its truth.

In his speech in Poland on Thursday, Trump did commit himself to the Western alliance, but in an otherwise gloomy, backward-looking and Manichaean address.

The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive, Trump said. Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it? If we fail to defend what our ancestors passed down to us, Trump warned, it will never, ever exist again.

To which one might respond: Yikes! Trumps words were remarkably similar to Bannons pronouncements in a speech to a traditionalist Catholic group in Rome in 2014. Bannon spoke of a Judeo-Christian West that finds itself in a crisis and confronts a new barbarity that will completely eradicate everything that weve been bequeathed over the last 2,000, 2,500 years.

1 of 45 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See President Trump in Europe for the G-20 economic summit View Photos The president made his way to Germany for the meeting of world leaders after a stop in Poland. Caption The president made his way to Germany for the meeting of world leaders after a stop in Poland. July 8, 2017 President Trump waves as he and first lady Melania Trump arrive at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after the G-20 economic summit. Evan Vucci/AP Wait 1 second to continue.

This dire view should remind the democratic left and the democratic right that while they have disagreed on many aspects of American foreign policy over the past two decades, they share some deep allegiances. These include a largely positive assessment of what the modern world has achieved; a hopeful vision of what could lie before us; a commitment to democratic norms as the basis of our thinking about the kind of world we seek; and a belief that ethnic pluralism and religious pluralism are to be celebrated, not feared.

They also see alliances with fellow democracies as serving us better than pacts with autocratic regimes that cynically tout their devotion to traditional values as cover for old-fashioned repression and expansionism.

Democrats have many incentives for opposing Trump. But its Republicans who have the power that comes from controlling Congress. Their willingness to stand up to a president of their own party could determine the future of democracy and pluralism. He is, alas, a man whose commitment to these values we have reason to doubt, and his European jaunt did nothing to calm those fears.

Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Confusing civility with comity is a grave mistake in human or international relations. Yes, the Group of 20 summit issued a common communique after the leaders meeting. Some see this as an indication that some normality is being restored in international relations between the United States and other countries. The truth is that at no previous G-20 did the possibility occur to anyone that a common statement might not be agreed to by all participants.

Rather than considering agreement on a communique as an achievement, it is more honest and accurate to see its content as a confirmation of the breakdown of international order that many have feared since Donald Trumps election. And the presidents behavior in and around the summit was unsettling to U.S. allies and confirmed the fears of those who believe that his conduct is currently the greatest threat to American national security.

The existence of the G-20 as an annual forum arose out of a common belief of major nations in a global community with common interests in peace, mutual security, prosperity and economic integration, and the containment of global threats, even as there was competition among nations in the security and economic realms. The idea that the United States should lead in the development of international community has been a central tenet of American foreign policy since the end of World War II. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the aspiration to international community has been an aspiration to global community.

Trumps rhetoric has rejected the concept of global community and expressed a strong belief that the United States should seek better deals rather than stronger institutions and systems. It has become clear that Trumps actions will match his rhetoric. The United States is now isolated globally on the question of how to deal with the grave long-run security threat of climate change. It has forced the G-20 to back way off of commitments to reject protectionism. And in part because of U.S. attitudes, the G-20 was mute on international migration at a time when refugee issues are more serious than at any moment in the past 50 years.

All of this is troubling enough. The elephant in the room, however, is the presidents character and likely behavior in the difficult times that come during any presidential term. Biographer Robert Caro has observed that power may or may not corrupt but it always reveals. Trump has yet to experience a period of economic difficulty or international economic crisis. He has not yet had to make a major military decision in a time of crisis. Yet his behavior has been, to put it mildly, erratic.

(Meg Kelly/The Washington Post)

The president chose hours before meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to cast doubt on judgments of the U.S. intelligence community regarding Russias interference in the 2016 election. On the brink of the most important set of international meetings of his presidency so far, he put forward the absurd idea that a main G-20 discussion item involved Hillary Clintons campaign chairman John Podesta, in the process making demonstrably false assertions about Podestas role.

It is rare for heads of government to step away from the table during major summits. When this is necessary, their place is normally taken by foreign ministers or other very senior government officials. There is no precedent for a head of governments adult child taking a seat, as was the case when Ivanka Trump took her fathers place at the G-20 on Saturday. There is no precedent for good reason. It was insulting to the others present and sent a signal of disempowerment regarding senior government officials.

The presidents pre-G-20 speech in Poland expressed the sentiment that the primary question of our time was the will of the West to survive. Such a sentiment is inevitably alienating to the vast majority of humanity that does not live in what the president considers to be the West. Manichaean rhetoric from presidents is rarely wise. George W. Bushs reference to an axis of evil is generally regarded as a serious error, not because the regimes he referenced were not evil but because his rhetoric drew our adversaries together. Invoking the idea of the West against the rest, as President Trump did, is a graver misstep.

A corporate chief executive whose public behavior was as erratic as Trumps would already have been replaced. The standard for democratically elected officials is appropriately different. But one cannot look at the past months and rule out the possibility of even more aberrant behavior in the future. The presidents Cabinet and his political allies in Congress should never forget that the oaths they swore were not to the defense of the president but to the defense of the Constitution.
President Trumps foreign policy, such as it is, rests on a massive and apparently indestructible contradiction. Trump wants the United States to remain the essential nation, the best embodiment of Western ideals of freedom and democracy, while at the same time deliberately alienating many of our traditional allies, whose support the United States desperately needs. American leadership becomes difficult, if not impossible.

It is hard to straddle this contradiction, because it reflects a basic misunderstanding of the American greatness that Trump so avidly pursues. To Trump, this greatness is mainly measured in economic terms: the number of added jobs; the trajectory of wages; the rate of economic growth. It is a nostalgic and unrealistic yearning for the economic dominance the United States enjoyed in the 1950s and 1960s.

The truth is that American greatness then and later was never about dollars and cents alone. Prosperity was a means to an end, not an end in itself. The greater objective was to promote democracy and mixed economies, with power divided between the market and government. To advance this vision, the United States advocated open trade and provided a military umbrella. The latter created a geopolitical shield against instability.

Trump sees the costs of these programs as showing that past U.S. leaders were willing to sacrifice the interests of ordinary Americans to meaningless global cooperation. U.S. officials negotiated horrible trade deals; American workers lost their jobs to imports; our putative allies didnt pick up their fair share of military spending. These allies were rivals, not partners.

Although there was some truth to these complaints, they were (and are) fundamentally misleading. The notion that Americans simply abandoned their own interests for Japans, Germanys or South Koreas  to select a few obvious countries  is counterfactual. Americans thought, correctly, that their embrace of a generous approach to the world exemplified enlightened self-interest. Our economic and political interests were served by a prosperous and increasingly democratic global system.

As grand strategy, the post-World War II American conception of the world order largely succeeded. The global economy grew richer. A wealthier Europe established stable democracies. The Soviet Union collapsed. America benefited from all of this. There was no World War III. The memory of World War II, coming so soon after World War I, discredited the U.S. isolationism of the interwar period. This backlash was the incubator of postwar U.S. foreign policy.

Now theres a new era. What role can the United States play? Often, Trump seems of two minds. Last week in Europe, he warned of the dangers of a nuclear-armed North Korea and pledged to remain faithful to Americas ideals of freedom and liberty. But as Trump has surely discovered, running an outward-looking, internationalist foreign policy is hard when your domestic policy is nationalist and inward-looking. Abroad, the balancing act has backfired.

A recent Pew Research Center poll of 40,448 respondents in 37 countries finds a big drop in favorable views of the United States. At the end of Barack Obamas presidency, 64 percent of foreign respondents viewed the United States favorably; now thats 49 percent. Respondents were asked whether they had confidence that the U.S. president would do the right thing in world affairs. In Germany, only 11 percent thought Trump would; Obamas rating had been 86 percent. In Mexico, 5 percent backed Trump, down from Obamas 49 percent. Only in Russia and Israel did Trump outscore Obama.

As a result, its harder for Trump to lead internationally. Foreign leaders can more easily oppose him without suffering adverse domestic political consequences. He has made it even harder by antagonizing other countries by withdrawing from the Paris agreement on climate change. There was no need; all the pacts goals are voluntary.

Of course, if your policies aim mainly to increase exports and jobs, none of this matters. But here, too, Trumps approach may fail. He quit the Trans- Pacific Partnership  a trade agreement with 11 other Pacific Rim nations; many economists consider this a blunder, because Asian economies are among the fastest-growing. And last week, Europe and Japan announced theyre negotiating a trade agreement that covers 40 percent of world trade and excludes the United States. Being outside these agreements would weaken U.S. exports. Further, the European Union warns it might retaliate against the United States if Trump restricts Europes steel exports.

What were witnessing is extraordinary: a voluntary surrender of power and influence. Trump may believe that trade and environmental issues can be kept separate from geopolitical matters, such as North Koreas nuclear program. On the contrary, history suggests that trade and geopolitics go hand in hand. To deal with North Korea, Trump needs allies to make economic sanctions tougher or to support military action. He has precious few because he has been so careless in abdicating responsibility for the global trading system.

Read more from Robert Samuelsons archive.
Former president Barack Obama waves at the audience after delivering his speech during the Fourth Congress of the Indonesian Diasporas in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 1. (Achmad Ibrahim/AP)

Former president Barack Obama will formally reenter the political fray this week less than six months after leaving office, headlining a fundraiser for a group that could prove critical to the Democratic Partys rebuilding efforts.

Obamas appearance Thursday before a few dozen people at a closed-door event in the District on behalf of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) highlights the balance he is trying to strike as his party seeks to regain its footing at both the state and national levels. Obama does not want to cast a long shadow, in the words of Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, but he remains a central figure for a party that has yet to settle on a single strategy to combat President Trump.

Perez said in an interview Sunday that while some Democrats have urged Obama recently, Youve got to get out front on issue X or issue Y, the former president wants instead to build the bench for the party. Democrats suffered a greater loss of power during Obamas tenure than under any other two-term president since World War II.

Because tomorrows president is todays state senator. And he knows that very personally, said Perez, referring to Obamas experience as a state senator in Illinois. When you lose 900 state legislative seats, those are people who could have been the next governors and senators and Cabinet positions, and that is something that hes very committed to.

The NDRCs executive director, Kelly Ward, would not say how much the fundraiser is expected to bring in. But she said Obama still has such a microphone to help convince donors to invest in state-level races and help in shining a light on a phenomenon that influences the outcome of elections year after year.

That bully pulpit still very much rests with him, Ward said.

The NDRC aims to influence how state and federal legislative districts are drawn and hopes to create a centralized, strategic hub for a comprehensive redistricting strategy, she said. The groups chairman, former U.S. attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also are scheduled to appear.

[Obama, once a party outsider, seeks to restore some of Democrats strength]

Corry Bliss, the Congressional Leadership Fund executive director whose super PAC is affiliated with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), said in an interview that Democrats efforts to regain ground will be hampered by the fact that people in the middle think they are out of touch with the problems of ordinary Americans.

Its a brand that is beholden to Nancy Pelosi and liberal, Left Coast elitism, Bliss said. The Democrats couldnt find real America with Nancy Pelosis chauffeur and a map.

Bliss added that the GOP already has multiple groups working on redistricting, and I am confident they will be well funded and well run.

1 of 57 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What the Obamas have been doing since they left the White House View Photos Take a look at the family as they begin their post-presidency lives. Caption A look at how the former president and his family are spending their time. Dec. 12, 2019 Former first lady Michelle Obama and actress Julia Roberts embrace at the end of an Obama Foundation event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ahmad Yusni/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Wait 1 second to continue.

In his final news conference as president in January, Obama said that he would wade into the national political debate only at certain moments where I think our core values may be at stake, including voter suppression. Since then, he has issued statements on some of the Republicans highest-profile assaults on his legacy, including Trumps executive actions to curb immigration and exit the Paris climate agreement, and congressional Republicans efforts to unravel the Affordable Care Act through legislation crafted behind the scenes and without Democrats input.

The fundraiser is a more targeted political act, focused on the upcoming legislative apportionment that will establish the electoral playing field for the next decade.

The process of drawing districts differs by state: some have independent commissions, while most are drawn by state legislators and subject to approval by governors. But even with those variations, the 2017 and 2018 cycle will feature 38 gubernatorial races and 322 state senate races with four-year terms. Perez described it as a 12- or 13-year cycle, because whoever wins is going to control redistricting in a very real way.

In a statement, Obamas spokesman Kevin Lewis said the former president wants to support the committees efforts to address unfair gerrymandering practices that leave too many American voters feeling voiceless in the electoral process.

Restoring fairness to our democracy by advocating for fairer, more inclusive district maps around the country is a priority for President Obama, Lewis said.

One senior Obama adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk frankly, said the former president will be supporting efforts that tackle the inequities of our current political system, although he would only weigh in publicly on political questions sparingly.

While still nascent, the new tax-exempt group represents the partys most ambitious effort yet to try to erase the steep disadvantage it faces on the state and federal level due to the maps put in place after the 2010 Census. A recent analysis by New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice found that lines drawn in battleground states to aid one party over another  a process known as gerrymandering  provides the GOP with a durable advantage of at least 16 House seats.

The GOPs massive electoral gains in 2010, bolstered by a roughly $30 million effort by party donors, has continued to benefit the party in subsequent elections.

In 2011, when state legislators and governors were drawing districts in many states, Republicans have 22 states in which they held the governors mansion and both legislative chambers, while Democrats controlled 11. The situation has grown even bleaker for Democrats, since they have just six such trifectas now to the GOPs 25.

[These 3 maps show how dominant Republicans are in America after 2016]

But Democrats now see cause for optimism, in part because of several recent legal victories. In May the Supreme Court struck down two North Carolina congressional districts as unconstitutional, finding that lawmakers used race as the dominant factor when crafting their lines. The court has made similar rulings regarding Alabama and Virginia, and has agreed to take up a case regarding gerrymandering in the coming year.

And a federal judges panel in Texas, which found that lawmakers had intentionally discriminated against minority voters in crafting state and U.S. House seats in 2011, has scheduled a trial that will start Monday, which could lead to new maps for these districts in 2018.

Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said in an interview that if the justices side with the Democrats in upcoming cases involving Wisconsin and Texas, for example, it will certainly change the way legislatures go about drawing lines.

But he added that the sea wall Republicans have created through state and federal legislative maps has proved durable, and preserves state legislative districts that will make it more difficult to win state legislative seats in the next couple of years.

Even though it is seven years later, that sea wall is still up, and that means Democrats are still fighting uphill, Levitt said.

For that reason, Democrats will strongly focus on critical gubernatorial races in the next couple of years, including in Virginia, New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Holder already has spoken at an event on behalf of the Democratic nominee in the Virginia governors race, Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, and the NDRC is working with multiple state legislative candidates there. It is also weighing whether to back redistricting reform ballot initiatives in Ohio or elsewhere.

In those states where gubernatorial approval is required for a redistricting plan, the race for governor is the largest prize in the competition to ensure ones party does not get completely punished in the redistricting process, said Stanford Law School professor Nathaniel Persily, who has served as a special master or court-appointed expert in New York, Connecticut, Maryland and Georgia to draw nonpartisan redistricting plans.
Donald Trump Jr., the presidents son, said in a statement Sunday that a Russian lawyer with whom he met in June 2016 claimed she could provide potentially damaging information about his fathers likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

He said he had agreed to the meeting at Trump Tower in New York because he was offered information that would be helpful to the campaign of his father, then the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

At the meeting, which also included the candidates son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, the Russian lawyer opened by saying she knew about Russians funding the Democratic National Committee and Clinton, the statement said.

Trump Jr. said that her comments during the meeting were vague, ambiguous and made no sense and that she then changed the subject to discuss a prohibition that the Russian government placed on the adoption of Russian children as retaliation for sanctions imposed by Congress in 2012.

Donald Jr. said that his father knew nothing of the meeting or these events and that the campaign had no further contact with the woman after the 20- to 30-minute session.

View Graphic Team Trumps ties to Russian interests

The presidents son did not disclose the discussion when the meeting was first made public by the New York Times on Saturday and did so only on Sunday as the Times prepared to report that he had been offered information on Clinton at the session.

The revelations about the meeting come as federal prosecutors and congressional investigators explore whether the Trump campaign coordinated and encouraged Russian efforts to intervene in the election to hurt Clinton and elect Trump. Hackers began leaking emails stolen from the Democratic Party in July 2016, and U.S. intelligence agencies have said the effort was orchestrated by Russia to help elect Trump.

The meeting suggests that some Trump aides were in the market to collect negative information that could be used against Clinton  at the same time that U.S. government officials have concluded Russians were collecting such data.

Trump officials have vigorously denied they colluded with Russia in any way.

In his statement, Trump Jr. said he did not know the lawyers name, Natalia Veselnitskaya, before attending the meeting at the request of an acquaintance. He said that after pleasantries were exchanged, the lawyer told him that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton.

No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information, he said, saying he concluded that claims of helpful information for the campaign had been a pretext for setting up the meeting.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Trumps attorney, said Trump was unaware of the meeting and did not attend it.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Neither Manafort nor his spokesman responded to requests for comment Sunday evening. Attorneys for Kushner also did not respond to requests for comment Sunday. On Saturday, a Kushner attorney, Jamie Gorelick, said her client had previously revised required disclosure forms to note multiple meetings with foreign nationals, including the session in June with Veselnitskaya. As Mr. Kushner has consistently stated, he is eager to cooperate and share what he knows, Gorelick said.

In his statement, Trump Jr. said he was approached about the meeting by an acquaintance he knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

He did not name the acquaintance, but in an interview Sunday, Rob Goldstone, a music publicist who is friendly with Trump Jr., told The Washington Post that he had arranged the meeting at the request of a Russian client and had attended it along with Veselnitskaya.

Goldstone has been active with the Miss Universe pageant and works as a manager for Emin Agalarov, a Russian pop star whose father is a wealthy Moscow developer who sponsored the pageant in the Russian capital in 2013.

Goldstone would not name the client. He said Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss ways that Trump could be helpful about the Russian governments adoption issue should he be elected president.

Once she presented what she had to say, it was like, Can you keep an eye on it? Should [Trump] be in power, maybe thats a conversation that he may have in the future?  Goldstone said.

In the Sunday interview, Goldstone did not describe the conversation about Clinton or indicate that he had told Trump Jr. that he could provide information helpful to the campaign. He did not respond to a second request for comment late Sunday. Likewise, a spokeswoman for Donald Trump Jr. did not respond when asked whether Goldstone was the acquaintance to whom the presidents son was referring.

His role in the meeting has not been previously reported.

Veselnitskayas client roll includes individuals and companies close to the Kremlin. She has for the past several years been a leading advocate around the world to fight Magnitsky Acts, sanctions intended to rebuke Russia for human rights abuses. The acts are named for Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died under mysterious circumstances in a Moscow prison in 2009 after exposing a corruption scandal.

She did not respond to requests for comment from The Post but told the Times in a statement that she had never acted on behalf of the Russian government and that the meeting included no discussion of the presidential campaign.

The meeting occurred during a period of intense focus on the Magnitsky sanctions. Four days after the Trump Tower session June 9, Veselnitskaya was in Washington attending a House Foreign Relations Committee hearing that discussed sanctions and other aspects of U.S.-Russia relations.

That evening, a film critical of the Magnitsky sanctions  and the story behind them  showed at the Newseum. On June 15, Veselnitskaya was featured on the Sputnik News website criticizing the sanctions and its leading advocate, William Browder, a financier working in Moscow who was barred from returning to Russia a decade ago amid concerns about corruption of the sort exposed by Magnitsky, the lawyer and auditor he had hired.

Browder led the lobbying for the Magnitsky Acts passage in 2012, a vote that infuriated Putin, leading the Russian leader to retaliate by halting American adoption of Russian children. The adoption issue is frequently used as a talking point by opponents of the Magnitsky Act, Browder said.
Donald Trump Jr., the eldest of the presidents five children, played a familiar role on his fathers behalf last July, vociferously dismissing as disgusting and phony any suggestion that the Russians were attempting to aid his fathers presidential campaign.

The month before that CNN interview, however, Trump Jr. himself had convened a meeting in Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer who promised to provide damaging information about Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton.

Trump Jr.s new acknowledgment that the meeting occurred and his shifting explanations of what it entailed have thrust him into the spotlight of the biggest controversy surrounding his fathers presidency: investigations of possible collusion during last years election between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The centrality of his role was underscored Monday afternoon with word that Trump Jr., 39, had retained a criminal defense lawyer, New York-based Alan S. Futerfas, whose past clients have included embattled politicians, computer hackers and alleged organized-crime associates.

The stakes grew higher still with a New York Times report Monday night that Trump Jr. was informed in an email that the promised material was part of a Russian government effort to aid his fathers candidacy.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Unlike his sister Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner  both of whom have top White House jobs  Trump Jr. chose to stay behind in Manhattan after the election, taking control with his brother Eric Trump of the presidents business interests. He has been a relatively infrequent visitor to Washington, appearing only at select events, including the nomination of Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to the Supreme Court and the White House Easter Egg Roll.

[Trump Jr.s meeting with Russian lawyer said to have been set up by family with Kremlin ties]

But that has hardly diminished Trump Jr.s fierce loyalty and outspoken advocacy for his fathers political interests. On talk radio and Twitter, he has become omnipresent  taking on Democrats, the media and anyone else perceived to be standing in his fathers way, often in terms at least as provocative as those of the president himself.

He can say basically what everyones thinking but may feel constrained about saying because of their official positions, said one adviser to President Trump who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk more freely.

Over the weekend, as the president took flak for briefly turning over his chair at the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg to Ivanka Trump, Trump Jr. took aim at critics of his father and his sister.

She is VERY smart & eloquent. You can belittle her all you want w your snark, but we all know 1 on 1 she way out of your league, Trump Jr. said on Twitter in response to Republican consultant Ana Navarro, who had mocked his sisters time in the chair.

Trump Jr. took to Twitter several times again Monday in his own defense.

Donald Trump Jr. arrives at Trump Tower in New York City on Jan. 18. (Stephanie Keith/Reuters)

He started the day on a sarcastic note, responding to the news, first reported by the New York Times, that he had arranged a meeting with a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin claiming to have dirt on Clinton.

Obviously Im the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent, Trump Jr. wrote, adding, Went nowhere but had to listen.

Later, he sought to rebut the notion that his explanation for the meeting had changed.

Trump Jr. initially said Saturday that the meeting was about an adoption program that the Kremlin had cut off in retaliation for a U.S. law that targeted Russian human rights abusers. But in a statement Sunday, Trump Jr. said an acquaintance asked him to meet with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya because she claimed to have information about Clinton.

No inconsistency in statements, meeting ended up being primarily about adoptions, Trump Jr. said. In response to further Qs I simply provided more details.

[The Fix: Trump Jr. contradicted previous White House denials of Russian contacts]

Still later Monday, he responded to a report that the Senate Intelligence Committee wants to interview him, tweeting, Happy to work with the committee to pass on what I know.

Trump Jr. grew up in Trump Tower and graduated from his fathers alma mater, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, before rising through the ranks of the Trump Organization. He appeared as a boardroom adviser on The Apprentice, his fathers hit reality show on NBC.

Trump Jr. was introduced to his wife, Vanessa Haydon, by his father, and the couple were married at Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla.

But he has also carved out an identity independent of his father. Growing up, he spent summers hunting with his grandfather in what was then Czechoslovakia. He remains an avid hunter, as comfortable in the halls of a National Rifle Association convention as with the Manhattanites with whom his father surrounded himself in business.

During the campaign, Trump Jr. was frequently dispatched to gun-loving and flag-waving areas in red states, while Ivanka Trump was sent to woo suburbanites.

Barry Bennett, a Republican operative who advised Donald Trump during the general election campaign, said his eldest child was particularly effective because he wasnt worried about what his fathers campaign would mean to him or his brand.

Trump Jr.s speech at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland provided a breakout moment of sorts as he praised his fathers unrelenting determination and prompted speculation about a career ahead for him in politics  a notion he played down.

Besides political commentary, Trump Jr.s Twitter feed has also featured windows into other aspects of his life. In February, he relayed that his wife had dragged him to the movie Fifty Shades Darker and he noted that he was the only guy in an otherwise packed theater.

Its two hours of my life Ill never get back, Trump Jr. wrote.

[Inside Trumps financial ties to Russia and his unusual flattery of Putin]

His fathers campaign was Trump Jr.s first real foray into politics, and an adviser to President Trump on Monday characterized the meeting on June 9, 2016, with the Russian lawyer as a rookie mistake.

Its something that someone whos never been around politics, particularly at the presidential level, might do but the rest of us would not, said the adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to more candidly discuss the episode.

The meeting was also attended by Kushner and the campaigns chairman at the time, Paul Manafort. The adviser said it was particularly unwise to expose Manafort to a meeting with someone whom Trump Jr. claims not to have known.

Another Trump adviser described Trump Jr.s actions as well-meaning but naive.

You have to remember, the campaign was very unsophisticated at that point, said the second adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk more candidly. It wasnt that surprising that someone would be able to get a meeting. There wasnt the kind of vetting going on that should have been.

The meeting was the latest involving Russians that Trump associates initially failed to disclose. It also stood out because of the involvement of key players in the presidents inner circle.

As an executive in his fathers company, Trump Jr. was active in pursuing Trump Organization business prospects in Russia. He traveled to Moscow along with Ivanka Trump in 2006 and also helped pitch Trump-branded real estate to Russians.

Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets, Trump Jr. told a real estate conference in 2008, according to a trade publication. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.

In the speech, he said he had traveled to Russia half a dozen times in the previous 18 months.

In October 2016, just weeks before his fathers election, Trump Jr. delivered a paid speech in Paris to a group whose leaders are close to Russia.

[Analysis: Trump Jr. digs himself deeper]

The speech was in front of the Center of Political and Foreign Affairs, an advocacy group founded by a French businessman and his partner who are known in France to work closely with Russian business interests.

The partner, Randa Kassis, told the Wall Street Journal in November that shortly after the election, she traveled to Moscow and held the dinner with Trump Jr. and an official in the Russian foreign ministry.

A spokeswoman for the presidents son has previously responded to questions about the event by noting that Trump Jr. has been giving paid speeches for over a decade, discussing a range of topics.

In an interview with the New York Times in March, Trump Jr. denied participating in any campaign-related meetings with Russian nationals.

Did I meet with people that were Russian? Im sure, Im sure I did, he said. But none that were set up. None that I can think of at the moment. And certainly none that I was representing the campaign in any way, shape or form.

Trump Jr.s responses to news reports of recent days about his meeting with Veselnitskaya were notable for his protection of those around him.

By Sunday, Trump Jr. was acknowledging the meeting with Veselnitskaya  but also said that his father knew nothing about it and that he had asked Kushner and Manafort to attend without telling them what it was about.

In a tweetstorm of his own on Monday morning, President Trump went on the attack against a range of targets  from Chelsea Clinton to former FBI director James B. Comey  but made no mention of his sons plight.

On Saturday, as the story was still evolving, Trump Jr. showed some of the combativeness he has often exhibited on Twitter.

I love being attacked by pundits who somehow make a living in politics but havent been right about anything in 2 years, he wrote. So out of touch!

Tom Hamburger contributed to this report.
Senate Democrats have identified potential new allies in their effort to scuttle the current health-care proposal: Republican governors, particularly those who helped expand Medicaid in their states under the Affordable Care Act.

Sen. Thomas R. Carper (Del.), who is leading the effort with the support of fellow Democrats, called a couple dozen senators and governors from both parties over the recess, he said in an interview, to say this is a good time for us to hit the pause button in the Senate, and step back and have some good heart-to-heart conversations about how to revise the 2010 law.

Carper said the fact that the National Governors Association is holding its summer meeting in Providence, R.I., later this week could give governors a chance to weigh in on the debate.

The development shows Democrats moving beyond rhetorical calls for bipartisanship to insert themselves into a legislative process that Republicans have dominated. It also reflects continuing divisions within the GOP, with Republican governors emerging as potential allies for Democrats and others who oppose the current GOP proposal.

Those divisions remained clear Monday, when Senate leaders said they hope to release yet another draft of their health-care legislation this week even as senators and White House officials continued to disagree publicly about what approach to take.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

The governors can play a critical role in helping us get to where we need to be, Carper said.

Several GOP governors, especially those who have taken advantage of the generous federal funding under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to expand Medicaid coverage to able-bodied adults, have raised concerns about the Senates plan not only to cut $772 billion from Medicaid over the next decade but to make even deeper reductions after that through a revised spending formula. Those governors include Doug Ducey of Arizona, John Kasich of Ohio and Brian Sandoval of Nevada.

Three top administration officials  Vice President Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and White House budget director Mick Mulvaney  are scheduled to attend the National Governors Association meeting. So is Sandoval, the first Republican governor to embrace Medicaid expansion under the ACA.

Meanwhile, a small group of centrist Republicans and Democrats have met occasionally in Washington to see whether they can find common ground  although that goal has proven elusive, given the ideological divide on health care.

Still, the ongoing conversations among a handful of senators suggest that some lawmakers are seeking a new path forward should the current bill collapse. A few rank-and-file Republicans have suggested that their party should negotiate with the minority, although White House officials rejected that idea outright on Monday.

There are some short-term measures that the two parties could agree on, which would be primarily aimed at shoring up existing private insurance markets. That could include continuing to provide $7 billion this year in federal subsidies that help lower-income people afford their out-of-pocket costs.

Congress, in my view, could pass that immediately and it would make a big difference, Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.), the ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee, said in an interview Monday. Because the number one thing private insurance plans and everyone on [the exchanges] want is certainty.

The administration regularly touts problems with the federal health exchange rather than proposing new ways to support it. On Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the number of insurers submitting applications to offer plans on the ACA market next year dropped by 38 percent, to 141.

This is further proof that the Affordable Care Act is failing, CMS Administrator Seema Verma said.

Republicans continued to show discord over how to fix it, however.

Both Pence and White House legislative affairs director Marc Short said Monday that senators should repeal the health-care law outright if they cannot agree on how to change it. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Tex.), meanwhile, said his party will release a new draft of its proposal this week, and then well vote on it next week.

That announcement came as lawmakers returned from their week-long recess, with many still raising questions about the leaderships plan to abolish federal penalties for not having insurance while making deep cuts to the Medicaid program, and providing billions in tax cuts to insurers and wealthier Americans. In a sign of how activists have mobilized on the issue, police arrested 80 health-care protesters at 13 locations across Capitol Hill on Monday.

For some Republican senators, the recess and the stories they heard back home affected the way they approached the issue upon returning.

One in three, almost, receive coverage through our version of Medicaid, said Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.). And so there was concern about that. He said people also worried about coverage on the exchanges being unaffordable.

Said Sen. Deb Fischer (Neb.): I traveled the state in this last week and had roundtables and we discussed health care and economic issues.

Republican senators also faced new heat in their home states Monday, when Save My Care began a new round of TV ads pressuring Sens. Dean Heller (Nev.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine) and Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.) to vote against the bill. The Heller ad included footage of him forcefully coming out against the measure at a news conference last month. The group said it is spending more than $1 million on the new campaign.

Capito, who met Monday with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and half a dozen of his top deputies, said leaders are looking at how to treat Medicaid funding and are working on finding that sweet spot that gets them at least 50 yes votes needed to pass a replacement.

Short acknowledged that the GOP plan remains unpopular with Americans, arguing that liberal groups have been more organized in their messaging on health care than Republicans have. He said President Trump will continue to be very active in this debate, possibly traveling to the home states of key senators to urge them to vote yes.

Short said the White House remains confident that the Senate will pass a bill before its August recess, and were not going to be in a position of failure. But if Republicans fall short of the 50 votes, with Pence casting the tiebreaking vote, Short said lawmakers should just repeal the existing law.

Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.) was one of several GOP leaders to say Monday that they do not think it is possible to get 50 GOP senators to vote for a repeal-only bill.

But Pence embraced repeal as a back-up strategy in an interview Monday with radio host Rush Limbaugh, questioning those in his party who have suggested that we ought to reach out and do a bipartisan bill. That description could include McConnell, who has said he would have to reach out to Democrats to shore up the insurance markets if Republicans are unable to pass their own bill.

Pence continued: The president has made it very clear: We believe that if they cant pass this carefully crafted repeal-and-replace bill [where] we do those two things simultaneously, we ought to just repeal only and have enough time built into that legislation to craft replacement legislation in a way thats orderly and allows states to adjust to different changes to Medicaid in a maybe three-year or four-year window.

Pences endorsement of an outright repeal of the ACA, along with an amendment that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) has crafted that would allow insurers to sell minimalist health plans on the ACA insurance market, could further fracture a divided GOP. At least three GOP senators  Cruz, Rand Paul (Ky.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.)  have endorsed this approach, but they remain in the minority in their caucus.

I think it picks up conservative votes and loses other votes, said Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) of Cruzs proposal to change which plans are offered on the ACA market.

Speaking of a repeal-only bill, Blunt said: I dont think it could work at all. Blunt, who joined Pence on a horseback ride in Rock Creek Park on Saturday, said the two talked about how difficult it is to get people together on anything that impacts every family as much as health care does.

Senate leaders also have serious concerns that the Cruz amendment might violate Senate budget rules that the health-care measure must meet to pass with 51 votes rather than the 60 votes needed for most other legislation.

Congressional Democrats have repeatedly asked Trump to work with them to fix  not repeal  the ACA. Before the recess, moderate Democrats led by Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.) tried to introduce a few proposed fixes before the recess, but Republicans rejected them. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) also called for an all-senators meeting to discuss the subject and later for Trump to meet at the Blair House with members of both parties to craft a bipartisan plan. Both requests were ignored.

Its time to move on from the failing, Republican-only approach and start over, Schumer said in a Senate floor speech Monday.

Some liberal Democrats are now pushing for a single-payer, government-run system that would widen the divide between the parties.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) plans to introduce a single-payer bill soon that will be similar to the one he ran on during his 2016 presidential campaign, and Republicans have already challenged vulnerable Democrats to say whether theyll stand with him. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), who is up for reelection next year, told reporters in Wisconsin that shed probably back single-payer.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Monday that Sanderss supporters are putting a lot of pressure on Democrats, making it more difficult to negotiate.

I dont believe were going to be able to repeal Obamacare with Democrats, Rubio said. They may be willing to replace it after its gone.

Kelsey Snell, Philip Rucker and David Weigel contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
Near the southern tip of Africa, 8,000 miles from Pyongyang, this capital city is an unlikely testament to North Korean industry.

Theres the futuristic national history museum, the sleek presidential palace, the sprawling defense headquarters and the shadowy munitions factory. They were built  or are still being constructed  by North Korea, for a profit.

For years, North Korea has used African nations like this one as financial lifelines, building infrastructure and selling weapons and other military equipment as sanctions mounted against its authoritarian regime. Although China is by far North Koreas largest trading partner, the smaller African revenue streams have helped support the impoverished Hermit Kingdom, even as its leaders develop an ambitious nuclear weapons program in defiance of the international community.

Those ambitions led last week to the launch of the countrys first intercontinental ballistic missile. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson subsequently warned that any nation with military or economic ties to North Korea is aiding and abetting a dangerous regime, and the Trump administration threatened a cutoff in trade with countries that were doing business with the pariah nation.

But Namibian officials describe a different North Korea  a longtime ally, a partner in development and an affordable contractor. Since the 1960s, when North Korea began providing support for African nations during their independence struggles with European colonial powers, the regime has fostered political ties on the continent that have turned into commercial relationships.

Senegalese students arrive at the controversial African Renaissance Monument for a ceremony welcoming a group of Haitian students to Dakar, Senegal. (Rebecca Blackwell/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Weve relied on them for help to develop our infrastructure, and their work has been unparalleled, said Frans Kapofi, Namibias minister of presidential affairs.

Across Africa, such relationships have been common.

A United Nations investigation this year described North Korean military radio equipment headed to Eritrea, automatic weapons arriving in Congo and military trainers landing in Angola and Uganda.

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea is flouting sanctions through trade in prohibited goods, with evasion techniques that are increasing in scale, scope and sophistication, the report said. It went on to describe how the country also uses its construction companies that are active in Africa to build arms-related, military and security facilities.

North Koreas commercial relationships are only one sign of the surprisingly close ties many African leaders have with the secretive, highly repressive Asian country.

Yoweri Museveni, Ugandas longtime president, said he learned basic Korean from Kim Il Sung, the former leader of North Korea and grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un, during various visits to that country. Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe sent two rhinos to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, as a show of solidarity in the 1980s (both died shortly after arriving). In Maputo, Mozambiques capital, a street named Avenida Kim Il Sung runs through the heart of downtown. In Namibias national museum, a black-and-white picture of a North Korean soldier leading a group of local soldiers hangs in the foyer.

Our world outlook was determined by who was on our side during the most crucial time of our struggle, and North Korea was there for us, said Tuliameni Kalomoh, a senior adviser in the Namibian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the countrys former ambassador to Washington.

A picture shows a statue of Mozambique's first president, Samora Moises Machel, in Maputo in 2014. (ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images)

In recent years, African countries have struggled to maintain their ties to North Korea without alienating the United States, the largest aid donor on the continent, or publicly violating U.N. sanctions aimed at curbing the countrys nuclear-weapons program. In measures going back a decade, the United Nations has barred countries from contracting with North Korea for military training or services or arms manufacturing.

Pyongyangs ties to Africa allow it to show it still has friends abroad and benefit from their political support. They also represent a source of revenue, new entry points into the international financial system, and a haven in which to base North Korean representatives and front companies, said Andrea Berger, a North Korea expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

The Namibian government has spent about $100 million on North Korean projects since 2002, according to officials here  a sum that goes a long way in an Asian nation where per capita income is about $1,000 per year. But in comparison, China imports about $3 billion in North Korean goods per year.

Last year, the United Nations said that Namibia had violated U.N. sanctions by maintaining its commercial ties to North Korea.

Among other activities, Namibia had contracted with a North Korean company called Mansudae Overseas Projects to construct a munitions factory as well as a new military academy. A company with links to Mansudae, called the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (known as KOMID) also worked on the munitions factory, according to the U.N. report. The Treasury Department last year called KOMID North Koreas primary arms dealer and sanctioned two North Korean officials based in Windhoek. The department also sanctioned Mansudae, calling it one of a number of companies that sent workers abroad in part to earn money for the government or ruling party.

After being accused of violating sanctions, Namibian officials pledged to cut commercial ties with North Korea, which is formally known as the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, or DPRK. The Namibian government said in a statement in 2016 that it remains committed to the implementation of all U.N. sanctions resolutions, but added that the warm diplomatic relations with the DPRK will be maintained.

Over a year later, it appears that North Korean guest workers are still laboring on Namibias new Ministry of Defense, a large concrete building just outside of Windhoeks city center, according to several residents who live nearby.

We see them every day or two, said one resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he didnt want to be seen as criticizing the government. They never left.

In interviews, government officials said they were hoping to complete the current projects before expelling the workers  even though allowing the North Korean contractors to linger would probably be a violation of U.N. sanctions if they are still affiliated with KOMID.

We are definitely towards the end of phasing them out, said Kapofi, who added that he could not confirm the presence of the guest workers at the defense ministry.

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, recently warned that the United States might cut off trade with countries that were violating U.N. sanctions by doing business with North Korea.

Namibia did $469 million of trade with the United States in 2013, according to the most recent figures released by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The U.S. government also contributes to Namibian health-care initiatives, particularly related to HIV/AIDS.

As a part of our maximum pressure campaign, we are committed to ensuring that DPRKs arms-related exports, assistance, training, and support activities are terminated, including in Africa, said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, in response to a question about Namibias ties with North Korea.

Other African countries were also supposed to end their economic and military relationships with North Korea after the U.N. sanctions were imposed. But it remains unclear whether some have done so.

U.N. member states are obliged to issue reports describing their efforts to enforce sanctions. But the U.N. panel of experts report in 2016 noted an extremely high number of non-reporting and late-reporting States and the poor quality and lack of detail of the reports received.

Some African nations have appeared to distance themselves from North Korea. After photos appeared showing North Korean military trainers wearing Ugandan military uniforms last year, Ugandas foreign minister, Sam Kutesa, said on state television, We are disengaging the cooperation we are having with North Korea, as a result of U.N. sanctions.

Even if North Koreas commercial ties to Africa do eventually fade, relics of the engagement will endure.

In Dakar, Senegals capital, a soaring, North Korea-built statue  larger than the Statue of Liberty  rises from a hilltop, depicting a man holding a baby in one arm and embracing a woman with the other. When the statue was unveiled, it angered many people in the Muslim-majority nation, as the woman was scarcely clad. Other North Korean statues, mostly of African revolutionary leaders, were sold to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Benin and Congo. U.N. sanctions introduced in 2016 barred countries from buying any more such statues.

One of the biggest projects is the war memorial outside of Windhoek, where a towering bronze statue of an unknown soldier carrying a rifle stands in front of a slim obelisk. On a recent sunny afternoon, there were no visitors at the park, and one guard slept on the steps.

But from the top of the monument, the view was clear: the city and the rolling hills in the distance, and in the foreground a North Korean-built military base.

Paul Schemm in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, contributed to this report.

Read more

After nuclear test, a new push to stop North Korea from sending workers abroad

A new frontier for diamond mining: The ocean.

The growing horror in a city where 500 children were kidnapped by Boko Haram

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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Kuwait on Monday night to help defuse a feud between Qatar and other Arab nations that the United States worries is hampering the fight against the Islamic State and bolstering Irans standing.

After weeks of phone calls and meetings with Arab diplomats in Washington, urging them to set aside unreasonable demands and negotiate, Tillerson has thrown himself into the role of mediator in his first foray into shuttle diplomacy. Over the next three days he will shuttle between Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. He will return every night to Kuwait, a neutral country whose leader has attempted to help resolve the crisis.

We are trying to solve an issue that concerns not just us but the entire world, Kuwaiti Emir Sabah Ahmed al-Sabah said before meeting with Tillerson after his arrival.

[The crisis over Qatar highlights Trumps foreign policy confusion]

(The Washington Post)

The dispute erupted a month ago when Saudi Arabia and three other Arab countries broke off diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. military base in the region. The Arab allies have imposed a blockade by land, air and sea on Qatar. Iran has stepped in, allowing its tiny, oil-rich neighbor to use Iranian airspace.

On the surface, at least, the dispute centers on allegations that Qatar has provided support for terrorism, a charge Qatar denies. U.S. officials have made clear that they are concerned about terrorists getting support from several countries in the region, including those whose governments have imposed the trade and diplomatic embargo on Qatar. At a time when Islamic State fighters are being routed from Syria and Iraq, the Trump administration wants to keep up a unified front against terrorism instead of pointing fingers.

Its a two-way street, R.C. Hammond, a senior adviser to Tillerson, said in a briefing to reporters during a stop in Istanbul, where Tillerson picked up an award from the oil industry and met with the Turkish president. There are no clean hands here.

The regional squabble is at an impasse after Qatar rejected a list of 13 demands made by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

[No end in sight to Arab crisis as Qatar rejects demands amid blockade]

State Department officials have done little to hide their irritation and cautioned that Tillersons trip is unlikely to lead to a breakthrough. They predict weeks and probably months of work ahead and have warned that the situation could grow more tense before a solution is found.

The purpose of the trip is to explore the art of the possible, of where a resolution can be found, Hammond said. Were looking for areas of common ground.

U.S. officials are concerned that the dispute is diverting attention from efforts to choke off the funding networks used by radical groups such as the Islamic State and to present a united front against Iran. President Trump visited Saudi Arabia in May on his first overseas trip, and administration advisers closely watch reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency for the first sign that Iran is failing to live up to its commitments in the nuclear deal it reached with world powers in 2015.

The president has been very clear that his number one goal is to have all Arab nations to do more on the financing of terrorism, Hammond said. That was the reason that they helped organize the Riyadh summit, and the objectives of that summit are still the priorities of the United States. So the secretary of state is being dispatched to find a resolution because we need to get back to what we were doing in Riyadh.

The Arab Islamic American Summit was held in the Saudi capital in May and included Trump and leaders from across the Muslim world.

[The Persian Gulf crisis over Qatar, explained]

Though Trump has been vocal in supporting Saudi Arabia in its accusations against Qatar, Tillerson has said some of the demands made of Qatar would be impossible to meet. He has suggested that they are motivated by more than just concern about terrorism.

For example, the countries allied against Qatar have insisted that it shut down Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based television network often critical of other Arab regimes, as well as a Turkish military base there. Saudi Arabia and its allies consider Al Jazeera a vehicle for extremists, an allegation the network has denied.

Other demands of Qatar include severing ties with Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and downgrading its relations with Iran. Saudi Arabia is Irans main rival for regional influence.

Tillersons visit follows trips to the region by other international diplomats, including the foreign ministers of Britain and Germany, and diplomats from the United Nations. Mark Sedwill, the British national security adviser, accompanied Tillerson to some of his meetings with Kuwaiti officials.

Part of the delicate balance Tillerson must take into calculation involves the U.S. military presence in the region. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet. Qatars al-Udeid Air Base, a sprawling complex where 11,000 Americans work, is the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. And Turkey, which supports Qatar in the dispute, has recently expressed unease at hosting U.S. and NATO troops at Incirlik Air Base, from which the international coalition working to oust the Islamic State has flown missions.

Read more

Qatari capital brims with fear, uncertainty and resilience as Arab crisis intensifies

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/07/2017 (1951 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Its just a cutting board, but its a precious souvenir to Cheryl Pelletiers family: it was handcrafted by a president.

Pelletier was a 30-year-old single mom with two kids when former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, helped build Habitat for Humanity homes in the North End in 1993.

He did this area of the kitchen, Pelletier said as she sat at her kitchen table recently and recalled the project in which her own home was constructed.

He and his wife put the sink in, she said. He even said to me I had a piece cut out for a cutting board. I made you a cutting board because youll need one for your kitchen.

I still have that cutting board, and I do use it.

CP The Associated Press files Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalyn, will be in Winnipeg this week to work on a homebuilding project at the former site of the St. James police station on Lyle Street. The were first in Winnipeg in July 1993 to build Habitat for Humanity homes on Jarvis Street in the North End.

Pelletier had a seven-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter when the soft-spoken peanut farmer from Plains, Ga., worked on her home as part of the 10th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project build for Habitat for Humanity on that day in mid-July. The build involved 18 homes on two new bays  Habitat Place and Giiwe Cove  just off Jarvis Avenue.

Carter was president from 1977 to 1981. After being defeated by Ronald Reagan, Carter and his wife started volunteering with Habitat and created the Carter Work Project to officially volunteer every year for a week. Winnipeg was the couples first Habitat build outside of the United States. Since then, the Carters have participated in builds in other countries, including Mexico, South Korea, India, the Philippines and Haiti.

This week, the couple will be back in Winnipeg. The former president is 92 and his wife is 89.

At last count, their project has built, renovated and repaired 3,944 homes in 14 countries.

The 34th Carter Work Project this week in Winnipeg and Edmonton will get it past the 4,000 home mark after 150 affordable homes are built. Twenty-one will be in Winnipeg, including 15 at the site of the former St. James police station on Lyle Street. Brandon and Portage la Prairie will get two homes each.

Only a select club of homeowners in the world can say a former U.S. president helped build their home, but Pelletier remembers Carter and his wife as just two more workers with the crew.

He said Hi. I spoke to him and his wife for a bit, but after that, they said they were here to do a job, and they did it. We talked for a few minutes and that was it.

What do you say to a former president?

Pelletier still has vivid memories of getting her own hands dirty while helping to build her three-bedroom home, including when she went up on the roof to nail down shingles.

Going up on the roof wasnt bad, it was coming down, she said.

When I was up there I said, You better call the fire department. But when I was down, I was OK.

Id never go up today. I hired a company when I needed new shingles.

Under the program, Pelletier provided 500 hours of sweat equity and got interest-free mortgage payments for 18 years. She said it changed her life. She said shed still be renting a home.

I worked in a beverage room, both as a bartender and server, and I never would have been able to save up for a down payment, especially not now. House prices have gone up so much. Even this house is probably worth twice what it was originally worth.

Pelletier said her two children, who are adults now, went to schools near their new house.

They both graduated from high school. Thats really all I wanted. I wanted both of them to graduate.

Pelletier estimates that out of the18 houses on the two bays, only about five Habitat homeowners still live there.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Cheryl Pelletier sits at her kitchen table with a board signed by Jimmy Carter and the crew that worked on her Habitat for Humanity house 24 years ago.

In addition to a photo of the work crew and a toolbox, she has a short plank of wood with the signatures of the crew, including Carter and his wife who signed with love Rosalynn Carter.

Every homeowner got a toolbox with all the tools they needed, Pelletier said. Ive since replaced all the tools  many went missing  but I still have the tool box.

Pelletier does have some advice for the soon-to-be-house-owners in St. James.

I hope they enjoy their houses, but look after them, she said. A lot of the expense will be keeping them up.

Would Pelletier like to see the Carters again?

It would be nice to see him again, but it has been so long, she said, noting next year will be the 25th anniversary of when she moved in.

He probably doesnt remember me.

Pelletier laughs: Thats OK because you can see my son is sitting in Carters lap (in the photo of the crew who built her house). My son doesnt remember him, either.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The group photo of the crew that built Cheryl Pelletier's home on Habitat Place in the North End in 1993.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/07/2017 (1951 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For the first time in its 101-year history, the Winkler Police Service is hiring female police officers.

Two Manitoba women, Kendra Derksen of Winkler and Megan Fallis of Warren, will join the force in December. Winkler police Chief Rick Hiebert considers the addition of female officers long overdue.

He said the force has been actively searching for female officers for the past 15 years. While some women applied, they either didnt pass the written exam, physical test, or interview stage, Hiebert said.

He didnt know the number of females applicants, but said it wasnt many.

In the most recent hiring process, Winkler had more than 40 applications and a handful were females. The force hired three candidates: Derksen and Fallis and one man.

The Altona Police Service, which has never had a woman as one of its eight officers, has also had few female applicants. The only woman on the team is Ev Kehler, a special constable who was sworn in by the city but doesnt carry a gun or Taser. She does administrative duties and basic police work.

Even with Winklers addition of two female officers, the rate of women in rural police forces (excluding RCMP) falls short of Winnipegs, which is still low. Women make up about 13 per cent of the municipal police services in Rivers, St. Anne, Morden, Winkler and Altona.

In Winnipeg, 228 women serve on a force of 1,438, about 16 per cent.

Derksen and Fallis arent slated to begin field work right away. They start recruit training at the Saskatchewan Police College in Regina July 31. After 4/12 months, they will return to Winkler for field training before theyll be scheduled for regular shiftwork.

The two women say they arent concerned about being the only females in a male-dominated station. Instead, they say theyre excited to be making history.

They have met some of their future colleagues and both say they expect to settle right in.

Hiebert speculated itll be easier for two women to work at the station together than one by herself.

Neither the women nor Hiebert have any theories about why fewer women get into policing.

Derksen said she has always been interested in police work.

About two and a half years ago, I started doing some fitness training to prepare for when they were going to be hiring. Ive lived here all my life so its a nice way to give back to the community,

Fallis, a social worker, explored policing because she felt something was missing in her job.

Im an active person, so having a more active job, plus not exactly knowing what Im walking into each day, was really appealing to me, she said.

stefanie.lasuik@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.

The Trump administrations on-again, off-again Muslim travel ban is partly on again.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday improvised a policy of its own that is supposed to keep America safe from terrorists until October, when the court will hear arguments about the merits of the travel ban.

Three of the nine justices thought poorly of the courts improvised solution. They predicted a flood of litigation involving would-be visitors from the six countries covered by the governments revised executive order. Those who can show a bona fide relationship with a person or an entity in the U.S. can still enter the country but those who cannot are excluded.

Evan Vucci / The Associated Press Files U.S. President Donald Trump

The grey area may prove to be very large. In the courts examples, someone with a wife or a mother-in-law in the U.S. should be admitted. Uncles? Grandchildren? Second cousins? Half-brothers? Someone else will have to figure that out. The courts point is that non-residents of the United States have no constitutional right to enter the country. Americans, and American companies and schools, have rights to bring their relatives  or their employees or their registered students  into the country and those rights should be respected.

The point of this whole exercise affecting people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen was to give the U.S. government a 90-day freeze on admissions so they could investigate conditions in those countries and work out a set of rules that would keep the terrorists out. Iran shows intense hostility to the U.S. The other five governments do not control large parts of their countries. They cannot help the U.S. sort the terrorists from the others.

A 90-day investigation seems unlikely to solve this problem. The Trump administration has been in office five months and has not solved it. When the matter is argued before the Supreme Court in October, the present administration will have had nine months to work on it. If they cannot solve it in nine months, it may be hard to show that another three months would bring a solution. As conditions change in the countries subject to the ban, the investigation will have to continue.

The experience of Britain, France, Germany and Belgium suggests that a certain number of potential terrorists are already living in the countries they may eventually attack. A 90-day travel ban or even a perpetual ban starting now will not keep Americans safe from those threats.

Canadians from the banned countries may be wise to hunker down until this blows over. The present administration, which will run the country for another three and a half years, has convinced itself that visitors from selected Muslim countries are the source of the terrorist threat. The Supreme Court is willing to listen to an argument along those lines.

U.S. President Donald Trump himself announced this week that his administration had achieved a great victory when the Supreme Court allowed his travel ban to take effect in part. As long as he feels that way, he may be prepared to move on from that great victory and turn to other things. His political adversaries are eager to prove that it wasnt a victory, but it scarcely matters what they think. As long as he thinks he has won, the problem may be solving itself.
Aviva plc provides various insurance, retirement, investment, and savings products in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and internationally. The company offers life insurance, long-term health and accident insurance, savings, pension, and annuity products, as well as pension fund business and lifetime mortgage products. It also provides insurance cover to individuals, small and medium-sized businesses for risks associated with motor vehicles and medical expenses, as well as property and liability, such as employers' and professional indemnity liabilities. In addition, the company provides investment management services for institutional pension fund mandates; and manages various retail investment products, including investment funds, unit trusts, open-ended investment companies, and individual savings accounts for third-party financial institutions, pension funds, public sector organizations, investment professionals, and private investors. It markets its products through a network of insurance brokers, as well as MyAviva platform. The company was formerly known as CGNU plc and changed its name to Aviva plc in July 2002. Aviva plc was founded in 1696 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
The following companies are subsidiares of Quanta Services: (De) Lazy Q Ranch LLC, 1 Diamond LLC, 1Diamond AS, 618232 Alberta Ltd., 8246408 Canada Inc., Advanced Electric Systems, Advanced Electric Systems LLC, Advanced Utility Testing & Maintenance LLC, Alexander Publications LLC, Allteck GP Ltd., Allteck Limited Partnership, Apprenticeship Programs Inc., Arby Construction, Arcanum Chemicals LLC, Arnett & Burgess Oil Field Construction Limited, Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners (Rockies) LLC, Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners Ltd., B&N Clearing and Environmental LLC, Banister Pipelines Constructors Corp., Banister Pipelines Constructors GP Ltd., Banister Pipelines Limited Partnership, Brent Woodward Inc., Brink Constructors Inc., Brink Constructors Inc. 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Ltda., R. R. Cassidy Inc., RMS Holdings LLC, RMS Holdings LLC (Delaware), RMS Welding Systems, RMS Welding Systems LLC, Ranger Directional, Realtime Engineers Inc., Realtime Utility Engineers Inc., Redes Andinas de Comunicaciones S.R.L., Riggin & Diggin Line Construction, Rms Welding LLC, Rms Welding Systems LLC, Road Bore Corporation, Ryan Company Inc. The, Ryan Company Inc. of Massachusetts, Ryan Company Inc.(The), Seaward, Seaward Corp, Seaward Corporation, Service EC (DE) Inc., Service Electric Company (DE), Service Electric Company Inc., Service Electric Company of Delaware, Servicios Par Electric S. de R.L. de C.V., Servicios de Infraestructura del Peru S.A.C., Southwest Trenching Company Inc., Specialty Tank Services L.P., Specialty Tank Services LP, Specialty Tank Services Limited Partnership, Specialty Tank Services Limited Partnership, Specialty Tank Services Ltd., Specialty Tank Services Ltd. (LP), Specialty Tank Services Ltd. L.P., Specialty Tank Services Ltd. 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Taylor Inc., West Coast Communications, Winco Helicopters, Winco Inc., Winco Inc. an Oregon Based Corporation, Winco Powerline Services, Winco Powerline Services Inc., Winco Powerline Services Inc., Winco Services Inc., World Fiber Inc., and mmit Line Construction Inc..

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The following companies are subsidiares of Textron: AAI Corporation, AAI Services Corporation, ALSTOM Gears, Able Aerospace, Able Aerospace Services Inc., Able Engineering & Component Services, Aeronautical Accessories LLC, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC, Arctic Cat, Arctic Cat ACE Holding GmbH, Arctic Cat France SARL, Arctic Cat GmbH, Arctic Cat Inc., Arctic Cat Production LLC, Arctic Cat Production Support LLC, Arctic Cat Sales Inc., Arctic Cat Shared Services LLC, Arctic Cat UK Ltd., Arkansas Aerospace Inc., Avco Corporation, Aviation Service servis letal doo Ljubljana, Aylesbury Automation, B/K Navigational Equipment sro, BELL TEXTRON ASIA (PTE.) LTD., Beech Aircraft Corporation, Beech Holdings, Beechcraft Defense Support Holding LLC, Beechcraft Domestic Service Company, Beechcraft Germany GmbH, Beechcraft International Holding LLC, Beechcraft International Service Company, Beechcraft New Zealand, Bell Textron Canada International Inc., Bell Textron Canada Limited/Limitee, Bell Textron Co. Ltd, Bell Textron Inc., Bell Textron Korea Inc., Bell Textron LLC, Bell Textron Miami Inc., Bell Textron Prague a.s., Bell Textron Rhode Island Inc., Bell Textron Services Inc., Bell Textron Supply Center BV, Bell Textron Technical Services Inc., Benzlers, Brazaco Mapri Industrias, Burkland, Cessna Aircraft Company, Cessna Citation European Service Center SAS (99.9%; 1 share  Textron France SAS), Cessna Dusseldorf Citation Service Center GmbH, Cessna Finance Corporation, Cessna Finance Export Corporation, Cessna Mexico S de RL de CV, Cessna Spanish Citation Service Center SLU, Cessna Zurich Citation Service Center GmbH, Citation Parts Distribution International Inc., Cushman Inc., Datacom Technologies, David Brown Group, Doncaster Citation Service Centre Limited, E-Z-GO Canada Limited, Energy Manufacturing, Flexalloy, HBC LLC, Hawker Beech de Mexico S de RL de CV, Hawker Beechcraft Argentina SA , Howe & Howe Inc., Howe and Howe Technologies, Industrial Technology Inc., InteSys Technologies, International Product Support Inc., KSB Annecy SAS, Kautex (Changchun) Plastics Technology Co. 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KG, Kautex Textron Iberica SL, Kautex Textron Management Services Company de Puebla S. de RL de CV, Kautex Textron Portugal  Produtos Plasticos Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kautex Textron de Mexico S de RL de CV, Kautex Textron do Brasil Ltda., Kautex of Georgia Inc., Kaywood Products Corp., Klauke, LCI Corporation International, LLC Textron RUS, Maag, McCord Corporation, Mechtronix, Medical Numerics Inc., Midland Industrial Plastics, MillenWorks, MillenWorks Themed Technologies, MotorFist LLC, OPINICUS Simulation and Training Services LLC, OmniQuip International, Opinicus, Optical Boring Co., Opto-Electronics, Opto-Electronics Inc., Overwatch Systems, PEINER Umformtechnik, Pipistrel, Pirelli Tyres - General Rubber Goods (GRG) division, Premiair Aviation Maintenance Pty Ltd, Progressive Electronics, Ransomes, Ransomes Inc., Ransomes Investment LLC, Ransomes Jacobsen France SAS, Ransomes Jacobsen Limited, Ransomes Limited, Ransomes Pensions Trustee Company Limited, Replacement Part Solutions LLC, Response Technologies LLC, Rotor Blades Limited, Sukosim Verbindungselemente, TRU Simulation & Training Spain SL, TRU Simulation + Training Inc., TRU Simulation + Training LLC, TekGPS Engineering Srl, Textron Airland LLC, Textron Atlantic LLC, Textron Aviation Australia Pty. 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Ltd., Textron Finance Holding Company, Textron Financial Corporation, Textron Financial Corporation Receivables Trust 2002-CP-2, Textron Fluid and Power Inc., Textron France Holding SAS, Textron France SAS, Textron Global Services Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment UK Limited, Textron IPMP Inc., Textron India Private Limited , Textron Innovations Inc., Textron International Inc., Textron International Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Limited, Textron Management Services Inc., Textron Motors GmbH, Textron Motors North America Inc., Textron Outdoor Power Equipment Inc., Textron Realty Corporation, Textron Shared Service Centre (Canada) Inc., Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., Textron Sweden AB, Textron Systems Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Canada Inc., Textron Systems Corporation, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK (Holdings) Limited, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK Limited, Textron Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Textron UK Pension Trustee Limited, Textron Verwaltungs-GmbH, Turbine Engine Components Textron (Newington Operations) Inc., United Industrial Corporation, Westminster Insurance Company, Williams Machine & Tool, and Zhenjiang Bell Textron Aviation Services Limited.

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Lockheed Martin Corporation, a security and aerospace company, engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, and Space. The Aeronautics segment offers combat and air mobility aircraft, unmanned air vehicles, and related technologies. The Missiles and Fire Control segment provides air and missile defense systems; tactical missiles and air-to-ground precision strike weapon systems; logistics; fire control systems; mission operations support, readiness, engineering support, and integration services; manned and unmanned ground vehicles; and energy management solutions. The Rotary and Mission Systems segment offers military and commercial helicopters, surface ships, sea and land-based missile defense systems, radar systems, sea and air-based mission and combat systems, command and control mission solutions, cyber solutions, and simulation and training solutions. The Space segment offers satellites; space transportation systems; strategic, advanced strike, and defensive missile systems; and classified systems and services in support of national security systems. This segment also provides network-enabled situational awareness and integrates space and ground-based systems to help its customers gather, analyze, and securely distribute critical intelligence data. It serves primarily serves the U.S. government, as well as foreign military sales contracted through the U.S. government. Lockheed Martin Corporation was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer that provides clothing, accessories, and personal care products under the American Eagle and Aerie brands. The company provides jeans, and specialty apparel and accessories for women and men; and intimates, apparel, activewear, and swim collections, as well as personal care products for women. It also offers graphic tees and other clothing products under the Tailgate brand name; and menswear products under the Todd Snyder New York brand name. As of January 29, 2022, the company operated 880 American Eagle stores, 244 Aerie brand stand-alone stores, and five Todd Snyder stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong. It also ships to 81 countries through its Websites; and offers its merchandise at 260 locations operated by licensees in 28 countries, as well as provides products through its Websites ae.com, aerie.com, and toddsnyder.com. American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
WINONA, Minn.  Minnesota State College Southeast has a new associate dean of enrollment and student services.

Jonathan Eichten was recently named to the position and has, for the past few weeks, been acclimating both to Southeast and to Winona, he said.

Eichten, who had been the vice president of student affairs at St. Cloud Technical and Community College, is taking over many of the responsibilities held by the retiring Nate Emerson, Southeasts vice president of student affairs.

Eichten is also tasked with managing Southeasts student enrollment, which has dropped in recent years and is just now beginning to level off. To increase enrollment, he said, the school must reach both traditional and nontraditional students.
Everest Re Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, and internationally. The company operates through Reinsurance Operations and Insurance Operations segments. The Reinsurance Operations segment writes property and casualty reinsurance; and specialty lines of business through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies in the United States, Bermuda, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Insurance Operations segment writes property and casualty insurance directly, as well as through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents in Bermuda, Canada, Europe, South America, Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The company also provides treaty and facultative reinsurance products; admitted and non-admitted insurance products; and property and casualty reinsurance and insurance coverages, including marine, aviation, surety, errors and omissions liability, directors' and officers' liability, medical malpractice, mortgage reinsurance, other specialty lines, accident and health, and workers' compensation products. In addition, it offers commercial property and casualty insurance products through wholesale and retail brokers, surplus lines brokers, and program administrators. Everest Re Group, Ltd. was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Papua New Guineas two-week election period from June 24 to July 8 has been beset by allegations of vote rigging, roll tampering, bribery, corruption and interference with ballot boxes. Voting in the capital, Port Moresby, was delayed for several days after election officials went on strike over pay.

To suppress unrest, the government mobilised 10,600 police and armed services personnel, purportedly to guarantee an orderly election process. Australia, the countrys former colonial ruler, provided training for police and more than 30,000 election workers, and Australian Defence Force planes and helicopters were involved in delivering election material to regional hubs.

The turmoil is an expression of the explosive social tensions produced by the austerity policies imposed by the government of Prime Minister Peter ONeill over the past two years.

Budget cuts to health care and other social programs, following a collapse in state revenues due to the decline in global commodity prices, have worsened the already terrible levels of poverty and deprivation faced by most of the population.

Save the Children researchers revealed last month that almost half the countrys children suffer from under-nutrition, caused by insufficient food intake or disease, which is producing high rates of cognitive and physical impairment, including stunted growth.

ONeills government appears to have tried to cling to power by blatant fraud.

The names of thousands of voters, including former prime ministers Rabbie Namilu and Mekere Morauta, a leading opposition candidate, were missing from the electoral roll. Morauta told Radio New Zealand the election was the most chaotic election in PNGs history and bluntly claimed the chaos was organised by ONeills party, the Peoples National Congress (PNC).

Because PNC is likely to be wiped out in a very clean election, Morauta said, its in ONeills interest to create chaos and then use that chaos to return as many PNC candidates as possible.

Writing for the Asia Pacific NZ Report web site, opposition MP and Oro provincial governor Gary Juffa asserted that ONeill was using the election to prepare the establishment of a dictatorship. He claimed that ONeill already had his own police unit escorting him in private jets, and a special army guard of 40, while he controlled the media, the public service and possibly the judiciary.

According to Juffa, up to half of eligible voters in the Popondetta Urban electorate were turned away because the roll did not have their names, even though many had tried to update their details.

Juffa warned that by the end of the election, many people would have concluded that democracy was hardly a reality everywhere in Papua New Guinea. Devoid of any progressive alternative, however, Juffa blamed ordinary people, declaring that like lemmings and sheep, we are led to that reality with little resistance at all.

In fact, there has been an upsurge in struggles by students and workers over inequality, corruption and the social crisis over the past 12 months. But these protests have been led to a dead-end by the trade unions and opposition parties.

Thousands of students boycotted classes for almost two months in 2016, demanding ONeill step down to answer fraud allegations. At least 23 students were injured when armed police fired on them during a demonstration.

Last week, two students at the University of Technology (Unitech) in Lae were arrested for burning ballot papers in protest over being unable to vote. Unitech was given only 1,100 ballot papers for a voting population of more than 5,000. At the University in Goroka over 4,000 people were unable to cast ballots.

At the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby, only 1,200 ballot papers out of 5,000 were delivered and there were numerous complaints about names missing on the rolls. A former Student Representative Council member, Gerald Tulu Manu-Peni, told Radio NZ the exclusion of so many students could be linked to the protest actions last year.

Corruption and favouritism are endemic. The Port Moresby district election manager and his assistant were arrested when reportedly caught in possession of $US57,000 in cash and a document signed by an unnamed candidate. Further arrests occurred after officials were found smuggling ballot papers out of the election office.

In ONeills electorate, polling was temporarily deferred after a group of candidates served a protest notice with the election manager. They cited an inadequate common roll and politically-appointed presiding officers.

Several confrontations with authorities have erupted. In Hela province, where armed troops are guarding the giant ExxonMobil gas project from local protesters, a group of candidates and supporters attempted to destroy ballot boxes stored at the police station. According to police, the group with high-powered guns exchanged fire with security forces.

In another incident, Port Moresby candidates demanded the removal of police chief Ben Turi after officers fired shots near a crowd outside a polling booth. Turi defended the police action, declaring it was required to rid the area of street vendors and unnecessary people who had been congregating near the counting arena. Radio Australia reported that police used heavy handed tactics, including assaults and intimidation, to force candidates and polling officials from the area.

In an effort to defuse tensions, Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato promised a taskforce to investigate the roll failures once the polling was over. Many who have been denied their right to vote denounced his announcement, however.

Critics used social media to condemn the polling chaos, and called for the election to be officially declared a failure. Gamato said the threshold for this had not been reached. For that to occur, he declared, would require evidence of gross violence and that a majority of people were prevented from voting.

Former New Zealand governor-general Sir Anand Satyanand, who is leading a Commonwealth Observer Group, also issued a statement that it was too early to say the election failed.

Once the votes are tallied, horse-trading, alliance-gathering and influence-peddling will ensue among the competing elites. Whatever coalition is formed, it will likely include some of the current opposition formations.

None of the opposition parties that contested the election advanced any alternative to the governments austerity measures or its protection of the interests of the transnational companies that dominate the countrys economy. Instead, they primarily attacked ONeill over alleged mismanagement, signaling their intention of imposing deeper budget cuts if they took office.

Like its predecessor, the incoming government will carry out the dictates of the international banks and corporations. It will intensify both the attack on the living standards of working class and rural masses, and the police repression of opposition and unrest.
A joyous occasion became a bloodbath in Ohio this weekend when cops say two men opened fire on an expectant mom's gender reveal party.

The horror unfolded Saturday when Colerain Township Police say the shooters fired handguns in the living room of the home, where the baby's gender was to be revealed.

Watch: Dad Killed During Shooting At 6-Year-Old's Kindergarten Graduation Party

Instead, Colerain Township Police Chief Mark Denney said at a news conference Sunday that one woman was killed and eight people were injured, including three children ages 2, 6 and 8.

The fatally shot woman has been identified as 22-year-old Autumn Garrett of Indiana.

None of the three children or five other wounded appeared to have life-threatening injuries, he said.

However, the pregnant woman told WKRC-TV she lost her baby after being shot in the leg.

"I did talk to the officer that was the first one on the scene and he just said it was horrific," police spokesman James Love said. "He said it was something that was unimaginable, and when he started for calling for help, he said, 'what do I say? I need ambulances, I need people to help me out here.'"

Read: Cop Charged For Shooting Therapist Who Was Consoling Man with Autism In Street

Police are still in search of two suspects, who they believe entered the home at random while wearing black before opening fire.

Investigators from nearby Cincinnati are now aiding in the investigation and police say witnesses have been cooperative.

Watch: 5-Year-Old Accidentally Shot To Death By 8-Year-Old Brother

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Tom Holland and Jacob Batalon in Spider-Man: Homecoming (Photo: Sony Pictures)

Warning: This post contains spoilers for key scenes and plot points of Spider-Man: Homecoming.

If youre a Marvel Comics fan, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a veritable gold mine of Easter eggs from the wall-crawlers 55-year-and-counting career of catching thieves just like flies. At the same time, its equally rich with homages to popular teen movies from the 80s and 90s. Even before the film went into production, Marvel Studios chief, Kevin Feige, made a point of describing it as a John Hughes movie, directly name-checking the writer and director responsible for so many of that eras high school classics.

In separate interviews with Yahoo Movies, star Tom Holland explained that director Jon Watts gave the young cast a must-watch list of classic movies to watch before shooting began, while Homecoming co-writer John Francis Daley elaborated on the Spidey-Hughes connection. What John Hughes was best at was finding the funny in the relatable and to keep Peter as a truly normal, grounded, relatable person I think is really set him apart from all the other versions of Spider-Man that people have seen. Homecomings cinematic influences do extend beyond Hughes, though. Heres a list of 10 teen favorites that are overtly, or subtly, referenced by Spider-Man and his amazing friends.

Matthew Broderick in Ferris Buellers Day Off (Photo: Everett Collection)

Ferris Buellers Day Off (1986)

This one is kind of a gimme; while in hot pursuit of the Vultures henchmen, poor Peter Parker (Tom Holland) has to forego his usual web-slinging action due to the fact that hes in that dreaded low-rise territory known as suburbia. Crashing through backyard after backyard, he passes a pool party where Matthew Brodericks own climactic backyard chase from Ferris Buellers Day Off is playing out on a TV screen. Great movie, Peter calls out as he continues on to the next yard. (Wonder if he considers Ferris Bueller to be as ancient a film as The Empire Strikes Back?) That scene is a perfect example of our challenge to take Spider-Man out of a world where hes comfortable, director Watts told Yahoo Movies. If you put him in the suburbs where theres nothing tall to swing from, what does he do? It was a great opportunity to put him in an awkward situation.

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Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club (Photo: Universal/courtesy Everett Collection)

The Breakfast Club (1985)

At a press conference in June, Zendaya revealed that Ally Sheedys proto-Goth girl, Allison Reynolds, is a direct ancestor of her Homecoming character, Michelle M.J. Jones. And the two do have a lot in common, including a quiet manner that masks a caustic wit, as well as a flair for epic side-eye and eye-rolls. In fact, Michelle is glimpsed sitting in detention alongside Peter  the Anthony Michael Hall of her school  in one memorable Homecoming scene, despite the fact that shes not even supposed to be there. Speaking with the press, Zendaya made it clear that she hopes modern teens take away the same lesson from Michelle that their parents learned from Allison, namely that: Its OK to be weird. If you make things awkward and uncomfortable, thats cool. I love that Michelles outspoken and says what everyones thinking, but she just doesnt care.

William Zabka and Ralph Macchio in The Karate Kid (Photo: Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection)

The Karate Kid (1984)

He may not pledge allegiance to Cobra Kai, but Flash Thompson (Tony Revolori) is totally the Johnny Lawrence to Peters Daniel LaRusso. Whether calling him Penis Parker (itself an indirect shout-out to another 80s classic, E.T.) or engaging in some decidedly unsportsmanlike trash talk during Academic Decathlon training sessions, Flash is always eager to humiliate his rival on the most public stage possible. But Peter, like LaRusso before him, scores the final knockout, hijacking Flashs car and leaving him by the side of the road with his homecoming date. Revolori, who previously played the hero of Wes Andersons acclaimed 2014 film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, has said that he enjoyed breaking bad in Homecoming, especially since the movie doesnt make an issue about his race. The fact that theres not a single line of exposition to explain why I look the way I look. Im just in the movie. Its not about being a certain race, and I think thats the kind of diversity we need in Hollywood right now.





Cant Hardly Wait (1998)

If only Peter had re-watched this nostalgic 90s favorite before heading over to Liz Allans shindig, he would have realized that a high school house party is the absolute worst place to try and impress the girl youve been crushing on for years. Sure enough, his plan to swing in and make a big splash as Spider-Man is thwarted by an unplanned side mission involving the Shocker. Cant Hardly Waits Preston (Ethan Embry) is similarly unable to persuade his dream girl, Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt), of his affection due to a series of increasingly crazy circumstances. According to Daley, an early version of the storyline involved Peter hosting the party instead of Liz, but is similarly prevented from joining the festivities in costume. All the cool kids from school burst into his bedroom while hes gone and just start going through all his st, like all the toys he still kept. Adds Daleys co-writer, Jonathan Goldstein: Thats very Hughes-ian, like the characters Anthony Michael Hall used to play. The kid whos too old to still be doing this stuff.

Anthony Michael Hall, Kelly LeBrock, Ilan Mitchell-Smith in Weird Science (Photo: Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)

Weird Science (1985)

We should probably be glad that geek buddies Peter and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are only applying their serious science and tech skills to making web fluid and hacking Tony Stark-designed super-suits. Otherwise, they might go and do something really weirdlike building a cyber-girlfriend who steps out of the computer and into reality. Heres another fun connection between Weird Science and Homecoming: Robert Downey Jr. is a big ol spoilsport in both. Back in 85, he dropped a red Icee on dorks Gary and Wyatt, and 32 years later, he drops a bomb on Peter by taking away the teens Spider-Man suit after his Staten Island Ferry mishap.

Jon Cryer and Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink (Photo: Paramount / Courtesy: Everett Collection)

Pretty in Pink (1986)

High school law eschews the designated dork from taking the pretty girl to the big school dance. But Hughes went and upset the natural order of things by having Duckie (Jon Cryer) swoop in and rescue his best friend and longtime crush object, Andie (Molly Ringwald) from being stood up at the prom by status-conscious Blane (Andrew McCarthy). Truthfully, it was a bridge too far for audiences at the time, who demanded that the ending be reshot with the pretty girls and the popular guy walking off into a happily ever after. For a brief moment, though, Duckie got to be the hero who gets the girl, a geek dream that Peter gets to live out when he asks the significantly more popular Liz to the homecoming dance and she says yes. For better or for worse, he ultimately loses the girl to her villainous dad rather than a petty prepster.

Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future (Photo: Universal/courtesy Everett Collection)

Back to the Future (1985)

No sooner has he gotten to Hill Valley Highs Enchantment Under the Sea dance than Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) has to ditch his date  and future Mom  Lorraine (Lea Thompson) in order to take care of some pressing time travel business. Peter isnt able to bust a move at his schools homecoming soiree either, regretfully abandoning Liz on the dance floor in order to thwart her Vulture fathers plot to raid Tony Starks airborne storage locker. At least Marty gets to invent rock and roll during his time brief time at the Hill Valley dance; Peter has to bail before he can show off how he can out-Rihanna Rihanna.

Jennifer Connelly and Frank Whaley skate the night away in Career Opportunities (Photo: Universal Pictures)

Career Opportunities (1991)

Peter Parker isnt the only nerd lucky enough to spend a night locked in a facility with Jennifer Connelly. This John Hughes-scripted comedy traps awkward outcast Jim (Frank Whaley) and knockout Josie (Connelly) in a Target store after closing time, where they have to contend with their wildly different backgrounds, as well as a pair of bungling burglars. Midway through Homecoming, Spider-Mans attempt to foil a Vulture robbery lands him in deep storage inside the U.S. Department of Damage Control, with only his suit lady, a.k.a. his in-suit A.I. K.A.R.E.N. (voiced by the Beautiful Mind Oscar winner), for company. Well leave it to you to decide whether Target for the Damage Control storage locker has better toys.





Pee-wees Big Adventure (1985)

Not a teen movie, you say? Perhaps thats true, but Tim Burtons feature filmmaking debut is nevertheless an 80s classic for young kids and teenagers alike. Besides, it cant be accidental that Spider-Mans first big victory in Homecoming involves stopping a bicycle thief. And he doesnt even have to leave Queens to do it! Poor Pee-wee Herman has to travel all the way to Texas to recover his beloved two-wheeled ride. Heres an eye-popping face-off we want to see in the Homecoming sequel: Spider-Man vs. Large Marge.

Watch: Tom Holland Wants His Peter Parker to Be This Generations Marty McFly:



Get more Spider-Man scoop from Yahoo Movies:
An influx of men from the steppe of Central Asia may have swept into India around 3,500 years ago and transformed the population.

The same mysterious people  ancient livestock herders called the Yamnaya who rode wheeled chariots and spoke a proto-Indo-European language  also moved across Europe more than 1,000 years earlier. Somehow, they left their genetic signature with most European men, but not women, earlier studies suggest.

The new data confirm a long-held but controversial theory that Sanskrit, the ancient language of Northern India, emerged from an earlier language spoken by an influx of people from Central Asia during the Bronze Age. [24 Amazing Archaeological Discoveries]

"People have been debating the arrival of the Indo-European languages in India for hundreds of years," said study co-author Martin Richards, an archaeogeneticist at the University of Huddersfield in England. "There's been a very long-running debate about whether the Indo-European languages were brought from migrations from outside, which is what most linguists would accept, or if they evolved indigenously."

Aryan invasion theory

From the earliest days of colonial rule in India, linguists like William Jones and Jakob Grimm (who co-edited "Grimm's Fairy Tales") noticed that Sanskrit shared many similarities with languages as disparate as French, English, Farsi (or Persian) and Russian. Linguists eventually arrived at the conclusion that all these languages derived from a common ancestral language, which they dubbed Indo-European.

But while North Indian languages are predominantly Indo-European, South Indian languages mostly belong to the Dravidian language family. To explain this, scholars proposed the so-called Aryan invasion theory  that a group of people from outside India swept in and brought a proto-Sanskrit language to northern India. (The name "Aryans" came from a Sanskrit word for "noble" or "honorable.") In the early 1900s, British archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler proposed that these Aryan people may have conquered, and caused the collapse of, the mysterious Indus Valley Civilization that flourished in what is now India and Pakistan.

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The Aryan migration theory eventually became controversial because it was used to justify claims of superiority for different Indian subgroups; was claimed as the basis for the caste system; and in a bastardized form, was incorporated into Nazi ideology that the Aryans were the "master race."

What's more, earlier genetic data did not seem to corroborate the notion of a dramatic Aryan influx into India during the Bronze Age, according to a 2003 study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Complex migration patterns

But past genetic analyses were based on either DNA from mitochondria, which is passed from mothers to daughters, or from genetic mutations found in nuclear DNA, which are inherited from both parents but can be difficult to date.

In the current study, which was reported in March in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology, Richards and colleagues analyzed modern genetic data from mitochondrial DNA, Y-chromosome DNA  which is passed only from father to son  and nuclear DNA. By tying all these pieces of data together, the team was able to tie patterns of migration to specific points in time.

The team found evidence that people began colonizing India more than 50,000 years ago and that there were multiple waves of migration into India from the northwest over the last 20,000 years, including waves of people from Anatolia, the Caucasus and Iran between 9,000 and 5,000 years ago.

But evidence for one migration was particularly striking: The genetic makeup of the Y chromosome dramatically shifted about 4,000 to 3,800 years ago, the study found. About 17.5 percent of Indian men carry a Y-chromosome subtype, or haplogroup, known as R1, with the haplogroup more dominant in men in the north compared to the south of India.

This new finding points to an ancient group of people who inhabited the grassland between the Caspian and Black seas from about 5,000 to 2,300 years ago, known broadly as the Yamnaya people. The Yamnaya (and its later subgroup, the Andronovo culture) typically buried their dead in pit graves, drove wheeled horse chariots, herded livestock and spoke an early precursor Indo-European language. About 5,000 years ago, people from this culture almost completely transformed the genetic landscape of Europe, a 2015 Science study suggests.

The genetic signature of the Yamnaya people shows up strongly in the male lineage, but hardly at all in the female lineage, the study found.

One possibility is that a group of horse-riding warriors swept across India, murdered the men and raped or took local women as wives, but not all explanations are that martial, Richards said. For instance, it's possible that whole family units from the Yamnaya migrated to India, but that the men were either able to acquire (or started out with) higher status than local males and thus sired more children with local women, Richards said.

"It's very easy for Y-chromosome composition to change very quickly," Richards told Live Science. "Just because individual men can have a lot more children than women can."

The shift wasn't as dramatic as the genetic transformation of Europe; while up to 90 percent of European men from some countries carry a version of R1, only a minority of men from the Indian subcontinent do, Richards said.

"It's not like a complete wipeout by any means," Richards said.

Remaining questions

The study has a limitation: Because the very hot conditions in India don't preserve DNA well, the group lacks ancient DNA to prove that ancient migrants to the region carried the R1 haplogroup, said James Mallory, an archaeologist at Queen's University Belfast in Ireland, who was not involved in the study.

"They're trying to read the history of a people through its modern DNA," Mallory told Live Science. In the past, similarly well-grounded theories have been disproven once people sampled ancient skeletal remains, Mallory added.

The other problem is that there is very little archaeological evidence for a dramatic cultural transformation in India at that time, he added. The Andronovo left behind distinctive artifacts and evidence of their culture in other places, such as their pit burials and unique pottery.

But in India, "We do not really find evidence for these particular cultures," Mallory said.

On the other hand, population studies of the Irish have revealed almost 90 percent of men carry an R1 haplogroup, and yet there's also very little archaeological evidence of a cultural transformation consistent with huge population turnover, he added. So it may simply be that genetics are revealing a lost history of people in the area.

"The genetics are continually giving archaeologists surprises," Mallory said.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Jezebel

Its been nearly two decades since actress and former Scientologist, Leah Remini, has been looking for Shelly Miscavige, the missing wife (and First Lady) of the Church of Scientologys de facto leader, David Miscavige. Shes dedicated entire episodes of her A&E series to her investigation, mentioned it innumerable times in the press, and even confronted church officials with questions at Tom Cruises 2006 wedding to Katie Holmes. Now, via viral thread on Twitter, Remini has detailed a new devel
An Australian reporter has delivered a scathing analysis of Donald Trumps performance at the G20 summit.

Chris Uhlmann, political editor of the government-funded Australian Broadcast Corporation, argued the US President was isolated and friendless at the international summit and has no desire and no capacity to lead the world.

During the searing takedown, which was delivered on the ABCs political program Insiders and rapidly went viral, he claimed his disastrous foreign policy had pressed fast-forward on the decline of the United States.

Speaking on Sunday from the G20 conference in Hamburg, Mr Uhlmann said President Trump was the biggest threat to the values of the West.

He was an uneasy, lonely, awkward figure at this gathering and you got the strong sense that some of the leaders are trying to find the best way to work around him, the journalist said in the two-minute clip.

Where was the G20 statement condemning North Korea which would have put pressure on China and Russia? Other leaders expected it, they were prepared to back it, but it never came.

Mr Uhlmann said Mr Trump was fixated with burnishing his celebrity and had diminished his own nation to the benefit of Russia and China.

"We learned that Donald Trump has pressed fast-forward on the decline of the United States as a global leader. He managed to isolate his nation, to confuse and alienate his allies and to diminish America," he said.

Its the unscripted Trump thats real: a man who barks out bile in 140 characters, who wastes his precious days as President at war with the Wests institutions like the judiciary, independent government agencies, and the free press.

The reporter added: Mr Trump is a man who craves power because it burnishes his celebrity. To be constantly talking and talked about is all that really matters ... and there is no value placed on the meaning of words, so what is said one day can be discarded the next.

Before joining ABC in 1998, Mr Uhlmann was a seminarian, security guard, and a journalist with The Canberra Times.
Baghdad (AFP) - Discreet in his youth and invisible as the world's most wanted man, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi rose through the ranks quietly and patiently to become global jihad's undisputed supremo.

The reclusive jihadist chief made his only known public appearance as "caliph" at Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul, where on Sunday Iraq declared victory over Baghdadi's Islamic State group after a gruelling battle.

That appearance made the mosque a symbol of IS rule, and the jihadists did not allow it to be captured intact, blowing it and its famed leaning minaret up in June as Iraqi forces closed in.

The 46-year-old Iraqi-born leader of the IS, nicknamed "The Ghost", has not been seen in public since his 2014 visit to the mosque, and the fortunes of his "caliphate" have since made a drastic turn for the worse.

The world's most-wanted man has been rumoured wounded or killed a number of times in the past, and while he was said to have left Mosul earlier this year , his whereabouts were never confirmed.

- Introvert -

His low profile -- a perfect antithesis to Osama bin Laden -- is partly what Baghdadi, who has a $25-million US bounty on his head, has owed his rise as well as his survival to.

The man who in 2014 became the overlord of a jihadist state ruling over millions of inhabitants was born Ibrahim Awad al-Badri to a modest family in Samarra, north of Baghdad.

Baghdadi's high school results were too modest to undertake a law degree and his eyesight too bad to join the army so he moved to the capital to study Islam, settling in the neighbourhood of Tobchi.

After US-led forces invaded Iraq in 2003, he founded his own insurgent outfit.

It never carried out major attacks, however, and by the time he was arrested in February 2004 and detained at the Camp Bucca facility, he was still very much a second or third-tier jihadist.

- Strategist -

The US prison in southern Iraq, which was later dubbed "the University of Jihad", was where he started showing signs of the leader he is now.

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He was released at the end of 2004 for lack of evidence. Iraqi security services arrested him twice subsequently, in 2007 and 2012, but let him go because they did not know who he was.

In 2005, he pledged allegiance to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the brutal leader of one of IS's many previous incarnations.

Zarqawi was killed in 2006 and Baghdadi took over from his successor, who was also eliminated, in 2010.

He revived the fortunes of Iraq's struggling Al-Qaeda affiliate, the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), turning it into the independent IS group, expanding into Syria in 2013 and then launching its sweeping offensive in Iraq in 2014.

Baghdadi grew up in a family divided between a religious clan and another of officers loyal to Saddam Hussein's secular Baath party.

- Rapist -

Years later, his masterstroke as a jihadist leader was arguably to incorporate the ex-Baathists his predecessors had either fought or ignored into his organisation.

It gave his leadership the military legitimacy he personally lacked and formed a solid backbone for the future IS group, whose extremist religious propaganda was combined with formidable guerrilla efficiency.

Uncharismatic and an average orator, Baghdadi was described by his repudiated ex-wife Saja al-Dulaimi, who now lives in Lebanon, as a "normal family man" who was good with children.

Baghdadi is thought to have had three wives, Asma al-Kubaysi, Isra al-Qaysi -- from Iraq and Syria -- and another, more recent, from the Gulf.

He has also been accused of having repeatedly raped girls and women he kept as sex slaves, including a pre-teen Yazidi girl and the US aid worker Kayla Mueller who was subsequently killed.
Pretty much every day, a dairy farmer makes a written or mental list of jobs that need to be done. At 5 a.m, the list seems somewhat plausible, but by 9 a.m., several unplanned problems have thrown the 5 a.m. plan out the window. Thats the context for these situations and comments Ive seen and heard over the years.

Farmers pretty much universally hide from new salesmen, especially the ones with some new kind of foo-foo dust that will make our farm more profitable. My father-in-law taught me to examine the salesmans hand when I shake it. Dont trust anyone without dirt under their finger nails, he said.

Our manure hauler was giving out nice vice-grip pliers as Christmas gifts. One of his farmers took the vice-grip, examined it carefully, said thank you and then shook his head and threw the pliers in the trash barrel. The hauler asked, Why did you do that? The farmer replied, We just lose them anyway. (He did fish the new pliers out of the barrel though, after he got a rise out of his hauler.)

Finding dependable labor on the farm is a struggle for some farmers. A friend of mine has come to this conclusion: A poor hired man that shows up for work is better than a good one that doesnt.

I heard the co-op route driver was delivering some steel farm gates, and the farmer asked him to lay the gates on the ground so he could drive on them with the tractor. The driver looked confused, and the farmer added,  so they match the rest of the gates on our farm. (Skid steer damage to gates is all too common.)

Years ago, an older dairyman who spent too much time at the local tap was asked at the bar if he didnt need to get home to do chores. His reply: Not a very good cow who cant hold her milk for 24 hours.

Getting the fieldwork done is always a spring priority. That includes working up to and around wet spots in the field that are too wet to work. Farmers take pride in their ability to work the ground up to the quagmire without getting stuck. Inevitably, I pushed my luck too far one spring and got the tractor stuck. So, I was going to need another tractor and driver to help me pull out mine. My wife, well-versed in farmer logic, told me shed help me  in the morning. It was end of the day, and she advised, If nobody can see it from the road, lets pull it out tomorrow.

My dad had a very simple and relatively accurate formula for estimating the cost of machinery parts. Think of the most a part could possibly cost, double it and multiply that by 10.

Long hours, trying to hurry, not being careful  all are excuses we use for breaking things on the farm. A wise old farmer once told me, If youve never broke anything, youve never done anything.

A dairy farmer client of mine had moved to Wisconsin from Texas. He had just received a citation for hauling his neighbors bull calves to the sales barn without a livestock haulers license. He felt he had been wrongly fined, and in his Texas drawl, It sez in the Baah-ble, when yer neighbor is stuck up to his a in mud, yer sposed to hep him out. I missed that verse in Bible school.

That same farmer, when he heard I was leaving veterinary practice to start our dairy, teased me when I went out to his farm to examine a sick cow. He said, I dont know if I want no vet to examine my cow whos so awful dumb he wans to milk his own cows!

On the surface, a lot of these comments might just seem like humor, and they are humorous at least, to us old farmers  but the more you think about them, the more wisdom you can find in them.
Beijing (AFP) - China said Monday the United States apologised after Beijing officially protested a White House statement that mistakenly described Xi Jinping as the president of the "Republic of China".

Xi is president of the People's Republic of China, while the Republic of China is the official name for Taiwan, which Beijing claims as a breakaway province awaiting reunification.

The error was made in an official readout of US President Trump's remarks before a bilateral meeting with Xi during last weekend's G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

It recalled Trump's initial wavering on the "One China" policy, which underpins relations between Washington and Beijing by acknowledging there is only one China and Taiwan is part of it.

Ties were also initially stymied by a protocol-busting phone call between the Beijing-sceptic president Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Trump following his election victory.

Then last month, the US administration further provoked the ire of Beijing when it approved $1.3 billion worth of arms sales to the self-ruling island.

America remains Taiwan's most powerful ally despite having no official relations with Taipei for decades.

"The US side has expressed that they are sorry for this technical error and they have made a correction," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said of the gaffe during a regular press briefing.

Tensions over Taiwan mark yet another drawback for Sino-US relations, which have turned tense as Trump has stepped up pressure on the Asian powerhouse to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme.

In the last month, Washington has angered Beijing by imposing sanctions on a Chinese bank accused of laundering North Korean cash, voicing concern about freedom in semi-autonomous Hong Kong and sailing close to a disputed island in the South China Sea.

But Xi's title was not Washington's only flub last week: a separate news release called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "President Abe of Japan."
Becky Turneys son Triston Green passed away two years ago. After the teenager died, 20-year-old Jacob Kilby received Tristons donated heart. In a move that brings tears to our eyes just thinking about it, Beckys husband Kelly planned a way for Triston to be at his mothers wedding. Jacob was a surprise guest at the ceremony, and of course with him came Tristons heart.

Her wedding day included the very best surprise.

(Photo: Facebook/ Love Adventured )

Her son couldnt be here for the wedding day but Beckys groom Kelly Turney, surprised her by flying Jacob up to Alaska to stand in as a groomsmen, carrying Tristons heart, photographer Amber Lanphier shared on the Facebook page of her business, Love Adventured LLC. Kelly stopped the ceremony to introduce Jacob to Becky for the first time.

When she saw Jacob, Lanphier captured the priceless look on Beckys face. It was shock, immense joy, excitement  I squealed like a little girl, Becky told Yahoo Style. I jumped up and down.

Green had decided on his own to be an organ donor when he was 14 and got his drivers permit, Becky explained. When we got the news that he wasnt going to make it, right away I requested to speak to a doctor about organ donation, she said. It was not until we met with the donation team that they came in with a copy of his donor paperwork and they said he had already signed. We honored that decision. It comforts you to know that your child can save lives through death. Its something that youre just proud. My child just became five other peoples hero.

When Kilby passed away in Nevada, Kilby had been in a hospital in California for 45 days awaiting a heart transplant. He had received one previously as a child, but at 18, that heart began to fail him, due to a complication called cardiac allograft vasculopathy. He spent a year and a half on the transplant waiting list.

Theres not a day that goes by that I dont think about the gift that I have and respect the gift that I have, Kilby told Yahoo.

After he received his new heart, it was Kilbys aunt who first began to correspond with the Turneys, but then the couple reached out to him on Facebook. They got along well enough that when Kelly came up with the idea to surprise Becky, Kilby agreed. He arrived a few days before the wedding. Once I figured out how good of a guy Kelly was, and he wasnt some weirdo in Alaska, we bonded and clicked, he said. This is actually the first wedding Ive been to, so that was cool. I doubt any wedding will top this one.

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Someone thought to bring along a stethoscope for the occasion, through which Becky got to listen to her sons heart beating in Kilbys chest.

Everyone was so moved by this and I had to share this amazing story, Lanphier wrote. I had the pleasure of hearing Jacob share his gratitude and plans for a heart healthy life to Tristons sister before the ceremony. I am so blown away by his story and his amazing outlook on life. You couldnt ask for a better recipient to receive such a gift.

Becky had arranged her own ways of including Triston in her ceremony. One photo Lanphier posted shows two small portraits of her son attached to her bouquet. Another shows a sign placed on a seat for the ceremony that reads: Im in heaven for your wedding so what shall I do? Ill come down to Earth to spend it with you. So save me a seat, just one empty chair. You may not see me but I will be there.

The post has gone viral since Saturday. (It has 203,000 likes, 76,000 shares, and 8,300 comments as of this writing.)

Triston would have loved this, Becky told Yahoo. He loved being the center of attention. He was always the life of the party, outgoing and adventurous and generous and cocky and arrogant, but he was the guardian. He was the protector of all of his friends. He lived every minute of his life like it was his last. He probably lived more in his 19 years than anyone does in their entire lifetime.

She said it really did feel like her son was there with Kilby, and she encourages other donor and recipient families to connect with each other too.

Jacob. hands down the best gift  most amazing surprise ever!! she wrote in her own Facebook post after the wedding. Thank you for caring for Tristons heart. Thank you for being here! Thank you thank you thank you!

Last year, another wedding gained international attention when a heart transplant recipient walked the daughter of his donor down the aisle. According to DonateLife.net, there are currently 118,000 people waiting for organ transplants, and 8,000 people die in the U.S. each year because they have not received transplants in time. (Just 54 percent of Americans are organ donors.) You dont need to go to the DMV to register to be a donor, just sign up here.

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Notorious mother Casey Anthony had no recollection of her daughters death, according to one of her defense attorneys. The now infamous 31-year-old blacked out the death of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee, Cheney Mason told LawNewz in an interview Friday.

I believe that Caseys mind, in some dimension, I guess the common word would say, snapped, Mason said in response to a question by host Jesse Weber about Anthonys comments that she didnt know what happened. She didnt go crazy by any means  but blackout, completely a blackout  of what went on and what happened.

Anthony said March interview with the Associated Press that she still didn't know what happened to Caylee.

I didn't know at the time, she said. I'm still not even certain as I stand here today sure about what happened.

Read: Casey Anthonys Murder Trial Timeline

Mason, who defended Anthony alongside lawyer Jose Baez, said he didnt think she understood her daughter was gone until she was actually on trial for her murder.

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Photo: Getty Images

Casey, as we established with an expert witness at the end of the trial, grieved and comprehended differently than anyone else what happened, Mason told LawNewz. She went into what I call Casey World. She shut it out.

He said Anthony only fully understood what had occurred while listening to the grief counselor who testified at her trial.

She just snapped when that testimony came out, I was sitting next to her and I dont remember whether I had my arm on her shoulder or was just holding her hand while that testimony was going on, but she started shaking and shivering and she cried, he said. All the time Ive known her and all the times Ive seen her, I had never seen this. It was clear to me  my personal opinion  that it was the first time she consciously was actually aware that her daughter had died.

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Anthony was accused of killing 2-year-old Caylee in 2011. She was subsequently acquitted of first-degree murder and dubbed by the public the most hated mom in America. Some people close to the trial expressed their doubts about Anthonys innocence.

There was a possibility that she may have utilized [chloroform] to keep the baby quiet, Judge Belvin Perry Jr., who presided over the case, said in March. And just used too much of it, and the baby died.

A private investigator also said in 2016 that Baez admitted Anthony had killed her daughter. Mason, however, urged the public not to believe any theories about the babys death.

Lets not assume that Casey knew anything and therefore tried to hide it and therefore was lying to try to hide it, etc, he said. Thats too many assumptions.

He also cited the seemingly good relationship Anthony had with her daughter before her death.

[Casey was] close to, bonded to and loved that child, said Mason. The child who was perfectly healthy, perfectly clean dressed, well nourished, no instance of any prior injury, no abuse whatsoever, thats the truth.

Read: Casey Anthony Documentary Skewered On Social Media

Anthony has, for her part, appeared intermittently in the public eye since being found not guilty. In the same Associated Press interview, Anthony said she wasnt bothered by the publics perception of her.

I dont give a shit what anyone thinks about me, I never will, she said. Im okay with myself, I sleep pretty good at night.

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Photo: Getty Images

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Ms Clinton frequently appeared with her mother during the 2016 campaign: Getty

Chelsea Clinton has dismissed Donald Trumps defence of his controversial decision to have his daughter sit in for him at G20 meeting by suggesting Hillary Clinton might have done the same.

The President triggered fresh outcry after images emerged of Ivanka Trump sitting at a G20 meeting in Hamburg. The photograph - tweeted and then deleted by Russian official Svetlana Lukash - showed Mr Trumps eldest daughter seated beside British Prime Minister Theresa May and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mr Trump has said there was nothing wrong with his daughter briefly replaching him, and cited a comment by German Chancellor Angela Merkel who said it was not an issue because its very well known that she works at the White House.

Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not. https://t.co/4ODjWZUp0c  Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) July 10, 2017

On Monday morning, Mr Trump tweeted: If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!

Ms Clinton, 37, who was a regular presence during her mothers presidential campaign last year, quickly responded to Mr Trumps comments.

Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me, she wrote on Twitter. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not.

The meeting that Mr Trumps daughter briefly sat in for him, was a closed-door session on African development.

Her presence there sparked incredulity and anger, with many people commenting on social media that Mr Trump was behaving like a dictator.

Thomas Bernes, a fellow at Ontarios Centre for International Governance and a former IMF official, told The Independent the decision by Mr Trump suggested to other world leaders a lack of seriousness and commitment.

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[The countries] will not be looking to the US for leadership - they will be looking to Trudeau, Macron and Merkel, he said.

Why the hell is Ivanka Trump sitting in for daddy at G20 meetings?! What are her qualifications? Who voted for her?  Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) July 8, 2017

Mr Trump claimed the arrangement was very standard. Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, also defended Ms Trump, saying the Presidents daughter had previously sat in on meetings with her and Mr Trump, especially those relating to women and business, Reuters said.

Lawrence Summers, a former World Bank official and economic adviser under former Democratic president Barack Obama, said was rare for government heads to leave during major summits.



He said if they did so, that foreign ministers or other very senior government officials would usually step it.

There is no precedent for a head of governments adult child taking a seat, he wrote in the Washington Post. There is no precedent for good reason. It was insulting to the others present and sent a signal of disempowerment regarding senior government officials.
The woman holds a baby in her arms, but in her right hand carries the detonator to her bomb

At first sight the picture appears to show a mother cradling her young child as she flees an Islamic State-held area of Mosul.

But a closer look reveals she is holding a trigger, which she will pull seconds later.

Woman holding detonator in Mosul blows herself up along with a small child moments after the picture was taken. Credit: Al-Mawsleya TV

An Iraqi TV station captured the moment before a suspected female Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) suicide bomber blew herself - and the baby - up near Iraqi troops.

She had apparently tried to detonate an explosives vest hidden under her hijab as she passed the soldiers, but it failed to go off until she had walked some distance away, a cameraman for al-Mawsleya TV said.

A picture shows a general view of the damage in the old city of MosulCredit: AFP

She was killed along with her child, while two soldiers and several civilians were injured.

The station had been filming the battle between Iraqi troops and Isil fighters and did not realise what they had caught on camera until they reviewed their footage later.

Isil is cornered in a tiny square of the historic Old City, which the army said could be liberated by the end of the day.

Credit: AFP

"We are seeing now the last metres and then final victory will be announced," a host of Iraqi state TV said on Saturday, citing the channel's correspondents embedded with security forces battling in Isils redoubt in the Old City, by the Tigris river. "It's a matter of hours," she said.

The jihadists have used everything in their arsenal to fend off the troops in the final throes of the nine month-long offensive.

Isils use of female suicide bombers in battle, while not new, is exceedingly rare and demonstrates the groups desperation.

More than 20 female suicide bombers hiding among civilians are believed to have detonated explosives in the last two weeks.

Credit: EPA

One general claimed they were even using their own children as human shields.

The women are fighting with their children right beside them, Lieutenant General Sami al-Aridi said. Its making us hesitant to use air strikes, to advance. If it werent for this we could be finished in just a few hours.

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Preventing the attacks has proved difficult. Iraqs socially conservative culture means soldiers do not ask women to lift up their clothes to check for explosives as they do men.

An Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) member drinks as he sits amid the rubble in the old city of Mosul Credit: AFP

Isil's so-called "jihadist brides" typically stay at home and look after the children, but experts say women are becoming more active, wishing to also take part in jihad on a par with men.

During a recent visit to Mosul, civilians told the Telegraph that the women Isil members were as brutal as the men.

I was more afraid of the women fighters than the men, they were like wild animals, said Umm Omar.

She said women in Isil served as hisba, or morality, officers and would ensure females living in the so-called caliphate adhered to the jihadists strict dress code. She claimed many were whipped for minor infractions.

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By David Stanway CHANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - Global sewage and water treatment firms are eyeing opportunities in an unsavory place: a growing pile of waste in China, the world's most populous nation. The country has been for years battling contamination from fertilizer run-offs, heavy metals and untreated sewage. A survey in 2015 showed nearly two thirds of China's underground water and a third of its surface water was unfit for human contact. To reverse this, China has pledged to lay 126,000 kilometers of new sewage pipes by 2020, enough to circle the globe three times, and raise urban wastewater treatment by 50 million cubic meters a day, equal to 20,000 Olympic-size pools. This has opened the floodgates to sewage specialists, like Israel's Emefcy , RWL Water - controlled by Ron Lauder from Estee Lauder and France's Veolia , who want to grab a share of the market with China's annual environmental spend estimated at 3 trillion yuan ($441 billion) over the next five years. "Right now the problem of wastewater from agriculture and the countryside is very serious and wastewater treatment work is a weak link," said Tong Weidong, vice-chairman of the legal work commission of China's parliament. Recently, there were reports of villages dumping sewage into the reservoir of the Three Gorges Dam, the world's biggest power station spanning the Yangtze River in central Hubei province. But change is afoot, Tong said. Local officials will be forced to improve sewage capacity under new legislation that make them directly responsible for water quality. Cities need to hike treatment rates to 95 percent by 2020 from 92 percent in 2015, while rural regions in central and western China need to reach 50 percent. "The market is massive," said Wong-Jin Yong, China CEO for Emefcy, which estimates the potential market opportunity in Beijing and nearby provinces at over $1 billion. Foreign players have been in China for a while, such as Veolia that has water projects across the country, but the focus on a large-scale clean-up has gained impetus recently. China's latest five-year plan released in 2016 emphasizes tackling pollution, while in an action plan published in 2015 the government vowed to improve water quality nationwide by 2030, pledging to spend billions of dollars. Local authorities, meanwhile, have struggled to fund their plans, opening the door for more private sector involvement. FIRMS RUSH IN Emefcy plans to put eight small-scale sewage treatment units into operation in China by the end of this year and is currently building a local factory. It has installed a mobile plant around the size of a van at a school in southern Changzhou and runs another at a sewage works in Wuxi. Emefcy says its small-scale units can treat 20,000 liters a day, take two months to install and have significantly lower energy costs, making them ideal for the rural market. RWL Water venture is set to merge with Emefcy in July to "accelerate penetration" in China's rural wastewater sector. They will be competing with local players such as state-run Beijing Enterprises Water Group and China Water Investment, and others like Beijing Sound Environment <0967.HK> and Kangda International <6136.HK>. Stricter environmental standards are drawing in companies of all sizes, but big state-owned firms still dominate major projects, said Xue Xiaohu, general manager at Jiangsu Greenway that sells water treatment technology to the textiles industry. China has promised to give environmentally friendly projects a leg up by providing banks more incentives to lend and encouraging green financing. Offshore players have the added hurdle of navigating local rules and typically also need to team up with local partners. "There are challenges in dealing with local governments and that's why our partners kick in," said Yong from Emefcy, which has a number of Chinese partners including Zhejiang Provincial Energy Group and Jiangsu Jinzi. "Technology is our core skill and we will focus on that." ($1 = 6.7990 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Additional reporting by SHANGHAI newsroom, writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
The Islamic State stands on the brink of a twin defeat. Mosul, the largest city under its control, has almost entirely fallen from its grasp, and Kurdish-led forces are advancing into its de facto capital of Raqqa. Now, as the saying goes, comes the hard part. The Islamic States territorial setbacks have introduced new questions about the basic future of the Middle East. Foreign Policy has assembled a group of policymakers and regional experts to answer them.

The United States Cant Retreat From the Middle East  Elliott Abrams

The War After the War  Robert Malley

The Islamic State Will Survive  Cole Bunzel

Syrias Kurds Gamble on Washingtons Staying Power  Noah Bonsey

Syrias Festering Wounds Will Spark a Jihadi Renaissance  Amr al-Azm

Iraqs Power Struggles Are Just Beginning  Renad Mansour

Iraqi forces pose for a picture with an upside down Islamic State flag in Mosul on July 8. (Photo credit: AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)

The United States Cant Retreat From the Middle East

By Elliott Abrams

The defeat of the Islamic State as a state will leave two serious questions facing the United States. The first is: Who will fill the spaces from which the jihadi group is driven? There is a clear effort by the new Iran-Hezbollah-Shiite militia-Russia coalition to reply: We will.

That is an answer the United States should reject. Such a development would cement an anti-American coalition in place, threaten Jordan and Israel, and leave Iran the dominant power in much of the region. To reject this challenge verbally would be a joke, however; it must be resisted on the ground, through the use of force by a coalition that must be built and led by the United States.

The conflict in Syria has destroyed any possibility of an easy formula for putting that country back together, but in the medium term, one can envision a discussion with Russia of how our interests and theirs can be accommodated while bringing the violence down to a level that allows many refugees to return home. But that discussion will achieve nothing unless American power first gains Russian respect and the Russians come to realize that compromise is necessary.

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Even in the best-case scenario, with the Islamic State defeated and losing its control over a state, it may continue to exist as a terrorist group  and in any event al Qaeda and other jihadi groups will not disappear. So the second question is: How do we proceed against Sunni jihadis who continue to plot against the United States? It should be clear that Shiite domination of the region will help fuel these Sunni groups and assist in their recruiting at home and in distant Sunni lands. And the perception of American acquiescence or complicity in that domination will help make the United States a larger target.

All of this leads to an unwelcome conclusion  unwelcome surely in the White House and to many Americans. The defeat of the Islamic State will not end our involvement in Middle East conflicts and may in fact lead it to increase. There will be no repeat of the Iraq wars, with vast American armies on the ground, but there will need to be a long continuation of the sort of commitment we see today: perhaps 5,000 troops in Iraq, 1,000 in Syria, 1,000 to 2,000 in Jordan, and many more in the 6th Fleet and in bases in the region from which we can exert power.

As long as Iran tries to dominate the entire region and Sunni jihadi groups target the United States, the defeat of the Islamic State changes  but does not diminish  Americas stake in Middle East power politics.

Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. His new book, Realism and Democracy: American Foreign Policy After the Arab Spring, will be published in September.

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a panel at the G20 summit on July 8, 2017 in Hamburg. (Photo credit: UKAS MICHAEL/ Pool/Getty Images)

The War After the War

By Robert Malley

For most of the United States allies in the Middle East, the war against the Islamic State never was the primary concern. Even as Western nations decreed this struggle a universal priority, these nations largely humored Washington, echoed its alarm, joined its international coalition  and looked the other way. Almost from the start, their gaze was fixed on the wars after the war against the Islamic State.

For Turkey, what mattered was the fight against Kurds, and for Kurds a self-determination struggle; for Saudi Arabia and Iran, their regional contest took priority; within the Sunni Arab world, competition between the more Islamist (Qatar and Turkey) and the less so (Egypt and the United Arab Emirates) was viewed as existential; among Iraqis, a sectarian and ethnic race for post-conflict spoils had pride of place. The counter-Islamic State campaign always served as an imperfect cover for regional conflicts and contradictions. With the Islamic State increasingly in the rearview mirror, these will be laid bare.

When the dust settles, Washington will confront a Middle East struggling with familiar demons. It will also face its own familiar dilemma: How deeply should it get involved? Allies will plead for it to leap into the fray. They know Washingtons current predilections and will cater to them, dressing up raw power plays in more appealing garb. President Donald Trumps administration is preoccupied with countering terrorism, combating Iran, and  no less important  doing whatever former President Barack Obama did not. Thats how Americas allies will frame their respective pursuits.

There is evidence already. Saudi Arabia and the UAE presented their war in Yemen as pushback against Tehran and their attempt to bring Qatar to heel as an anti-Iranian and anti-terrorist gambit. Syrias Kurds, fearful of being jettisoned by Washington once their utility in the anti-Islamic State fight is exhausted, champion themselves as long-term bulwarks against Iranian influence and Turkish-inspired Islamism  while Ankara paints those same Kurds with a broad terrorist brush. Egypt masquerades its indiscriminate intolerance of all Islamists as a holy battle against terrorism.

All assert that the particular brand of U.S. activism they crave contrasts with Obamas alleged passivity, which they bemoan. They know their target audience. They play to it.

The Trump administration will be tempted to take sides and take the plunge, but it would be a losing bet. The optimal way to secure U.S. interests in a post-Islamic State world is not to join or intensify conflicts over which it has little ultimate say and that would unleash the very chaos and sectarianism from which the terrorist group was born and on which it thrives. It is to de-escalate proxy wars, broker a Saudi-Qatari deal, press for an end to the Yemen war, stick to a measured stance toward political Islam, and lower tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran  indeed, for that matter, between the United States and Iran.

That is not what Americas regional allies want. But if they truly yearn for leadership, better to lead them where the United States believes they should go than where, stubbornly and recklessly, they already are headed.

Robert Malley is the vice president for policy at the International Crisis Group and served in former President Barack Obamas administration as special assistant to the president, senior adviser to the president for the Counter-ISIL Campaign, and White House coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf region.

Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri in 2001. (Photo credit: STEPHANE RUET/Sygma via Getty Images)

The Islamic State Will Survive

By Cole Bunzel

How are the Islamic States territorial losses going to affect the landscape of transnational Sunni jihadism? Many suggest it could usher in a radical transformation: Perhaps the damage to the Islamic States brand will be so severe that al Qaeda reasserts itself as the uncontested leader of the jihadi movement, or perhaps the two groups set aside their differences and seek a rapprochement for the sake of keeping the flame of jihad alive.

These predictions  of an al Qaeda triumph or a jihadi merger  have been made repeatedly over the past year in light of the Islamic States seemingly terminal decline. Yet neither of them has begun to pan out  and there are reasons for remaining skeptical of both.

The first of these predictions relies on the assumption that al Qaeda is strong, resilient, and guided by a prudent strategy of winning over populations and subverting local conflicts to its own ends. But how accurate is this picture, really? To be sure, al Qaeda still exerts some control over a network of affiliates from North Africa to India. But it recently lost its strongest and most successful affiliate of all, Syrias Nusra Front (known now as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham), which was seen as the epitome of this hearts-and-minds strategy.

When the Nusra Front cut ties with the mother organization back in July 2016, to many it seemed a ruse. But later it emerged that al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was not consulted and did not approve of what happened. This followed al Qaedas loss, only two years earlier, of its former affiliate in Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq, which went on to rebrand itself and declare the caliphate. None of this speaks to a brilliant long-term strategy.

And then there are al Qaedas apparently declining terrorist capabilities. Zawahiri continues to insist in his numerous pronouncements that attacking the West remains his top priority. But when was the last time al Qaeda pulled off a major attack in the West or even something on the scale of the attacks in Manchester or on London Bridge? It has been years. The Islamic State remains far more capable in this regard.

The idea of a jihadi reconciliation is even more difficult to fathom than that of an al Qaeda triumph. The level of mutual animosity between the Islamic State and al Qaeda cannot be overstated. These groups and their respective followers revile each other. Al Qaeda loyalists describe Islamic State partisans as extremists, Kharijites, and takfiris; the Islamic State, in turn, has dubbed al Qaeda devotees as the Jews of jihad and loyalists of the Sufi leader of the heretical Taliban. This split is simply unbridgeable. It may appear to be of recent vintage but is in fact rooted in theological and strategic differences in the jihadi world that go back decades.

Jihadism, in short, will remain divided. The Islamic State, which has been around in one form or another since 2006, will almost certainly survive. So will al Qaeda. Neither will swallow the other, and neither will make amends.

Cole Bunzel is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University and the author of From Paper State to Caliphate: The Ideology of the Islamic State.

U.S. forces accompanied by People's Protection Unit (YPG) fighters drive near the northern Syrian village of Darbasiyah on April 28. (Photo credit: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Syrias Kurds Gamble on Washingtons Staying Power

By Noah Bonsey

As an American visitor in northern Syria, you get the question all the time: Will the United States eventually abandon its Kurdish friends? The answer may hinge on how President Donald Trumps administration weighs four competing priorities: minimizing open-ended commitments abroad, repairing its strained alliance with Turkey, protecting against jihadi resurgence, and countering Iranian influence.

The U.S.-led campaign against the Islamic State relies on an unlikely partner in Syria: the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), a military formation with close ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an insurgent group at war with NATO ally Turkey. The YPG dominates the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, rules much of northern Syria, and is an indispensable partner against the Islamic State.

For the YPG, the importance of U.S. support extends far beyond the fight against jihadis. The presence of Americans deters major attacks by the powerful Turkish army and protects against pro-regime forces with which the YPG competes for territory. Should the United States withdraw from Syria, these could pose existential threats. The YPG is betting that Washington will ultimately extend its protection via political and military guarantees, which would help secure the substantial degree of autonomy established in areas under its control and which it promotes as a model for a future federal arrangement in Syria.

This risky gamble has persuaded the YPG to prove its utility to the United States by fighting in Raqqa and potentially beyond, progressively farther away from its Kurdish popular base. Yet, paradoxically, defeating the Islamic State in Syria would enable the United States to consider reducing its role there, leaving the YPG dangerously exposed. That option may appeal to a Trump administration keen to limit expenditure and avoid further damage to its alliance with Turkey.

Much will depend on whether the United States is prepared to extend its role past the defeat of the Islamic State in an effort to prevent jihadi resurgence. As the Islamic States predecessor, al Qaeda in Iraq, demonstrated so dramatically, radicals can rebound quickly if fundamental threats to stability are left unaddressed. Limiting that danger in Syria would require continued U.S. engagement focused on averting escalation between Turkey and the YPG and on promoting sustainable governance in areas the latter liberates from the Islamic State. For its part, the YPG could improve its appeal as a partner in stabilization by implementing necessary changes to its governance model.

Iran is another factor that could spur sustained cooperation. The YPG depends on transportation links controlled by Tehrans proxies and Damascus and would likely gravitate closer toward that axis (and Russia) if the United States withdraws support. But the YPG also views growing Iranian power in northern Syria as a threat and seeks to limit the Syrian regimes footprint there. If Washington aims to maintain leverage in Syria vis-a-vis Tehran while avoiding direct confrontation, it may see value in continuing its investment in the YPG.

Noah Bonsey is the senior analyst for Syria at the International Crisis Group, an independent conflict prevention organization.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) soldiers take aim at an Islamic State sniper on the western edge of Raqqa, Syria, on June 12. (Photo credit: ALICE MARTINS for The Washington Post/Getty Images)

Syrias Festering Wounds Will Spark a Jihadi Renaissance

By Amr al-Azm

As the Islamic State loses ground, the United States and Iranian-aligned forces in Syria are likely to turn their guns on what they perceive as the gravest threat remaining  each other.

The U.S.-backed, Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have steadily driven the jihadi group back in Raqqa, and previous examples indicate that the Kurds will allow the regime and its state institutions to gradually return to the city and begin providing basic services. The SDF would in turn provide the necessary security for the area. This partial handover of the city to the regime, however, is a temporary marriage of convenience.

The next critical phase will be the recapture of the strategically important city of Deir Ezzor, the last remaining major urban center under Islamic State control in Syria. The Syrian regime and its allies have been positioning themselves to move against the city and recapture it from the Islamic State, which would also bring the regime very close to the Iraqi border  an important objective of Iran, its principal ally.

This however is unlikely to sit well with the U.S. administration, which is now seeking to actively minimize Irans influence. The United States, however, has few options at its disposal. The elimination of the Islamic State from eastern Syria can only be achieved with the recapture of Deir Ezzor, and the SDF are unlikely to be willing to move against the city while the U.S.-allied Free Syrian Army factions in southern Syria are too weak to launch such a major offensive  leaving the regime and its allies as the only viable option. Furthermore, the Iranians have rightly assumed that the United States will not engage in a full confrontation with the regimes forces over this matter.

Therefore, in the immediate aftermath of the Islamic States defeat in eastern Syria, the emerging winners will be the Syrian regime and its Iranian ally. The ongoing arrangement with the Kurds in cities like Raqqa and Manbij is temporary at best and will eventually break down, causing continued instability and uncertainty in the region.

While it is unlikely that the Islamic State will have any operational capability in Syria in the immediate aftermath of the current campaign, the ongoing challenges of partition and regional dynamics ensure that festering ethnic and sectarian tensions will continue to fuel extremism, eventually allowing the next reincarnated version of the Islamic State to re-emerge in both Syria and Iraq.

Amr al-Azm is a history professor at Ohios Shawnee State University and a member of the Syrian opposition.

The view from the gate of the destroyed Al-Nuri mosque in Mosul, Iraq on June 30. (Photo credit: AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)

Iraqs Power Struggles Are Just Beginning

By Renad Mansour

To many Iraqis, the destruction of Mosuls iconic al-Hadba minaret this month symbolized the defeat in Iraq of the so-called Islamic State. It was under this minaret, in al-Nuri Mosque, that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had declared his caliphate  and now it has been destroyed by the jihadi organization in the face of the Iraqi security forces advance. Yet the shape of this defeat, and the likely trajectory of a post-Islamic State Iraq, remains unclear.

Although its stint in state-building has ended, the Islamic State will continue to exist. A restructured organization that does not control territory represents new challenges. Militarily, the group is resorting to guerrilla warfare, including attacks against civilians in densely populated areas of Iraq. Unlike in the past, it also has plenty of resources and has shifted to mafia-esque tactics, laundering its massive cash reserves through seemingly legitimate businesses including currency exchanges and pharmaceuticals. Until recently, that also included exchanging Iraqi dinars for U.S. dollars via the Central Bank of Iraqs currency auctions.

Underlying conflicts among Iraqs many political forces will also come to the fore as the common cause of defeating the Islamic State recedes. Simmering disputes over land in northern Iraq are set to flare up: The leadership of Iraqi Kurdistan, Shiite Arab and Turkmen paramilitary groups affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), local political leaders, Sunni Arab tribal fighters, and regional actors will compete for greater influence in critical hotspots such as Kirkuk, northern Nineveh, and the Iraqi-Syrian border area.

In Baghdad, an intra-Shiite power struggle among Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and Shiite populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is also set to burst out into the open. U.S. and Iranian policies are at odds here: Tehran will work to empower its trusted allies, including Maliki and senior PMF leaders such as Hadi al-Ameri, Qais Khazali, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Meanwhile, Washington is focusing on strengthening Abadis hand. Importantly, the Abadi-Maliki-Sadr contest is fueled by an increasingly aggrieved population that now believes corruption, not sectarianism, is the root cause of the Islamic State.

For Iraq to navigate these challenges, it must strengthen local and federal state institutions to combat the power of violent nonstate actors and reach a new understanding of local power-sharing. Only then can the state address the root causes for the rise of the Islamic State and work to translate the current military victories into long-term political settlements  and ensure that Iraq is not destined for another round of conflict.

Renad Mansour is a fellow at Chatham House, and the author of the recent paper Iraq After the Fall of ISIS: The Struggle for the State.

Top photo credit: FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images
Doha (AFP) - More than a month since the start of the diplomatic crisis gripping the Gulf, hopes of a swift resolution seem as remote as a summer downpour in the desert.

Both sides -- the group of Saudi-led allies against Qatar -- seem as entrenched in their positions as ever and as unlikely to find a face-saving solution for all as at any time since the conflict erupted on June 5.

"I think that this crisis has a way to go still," said Kristian Ulrichsen, a Gulf analyst with the Baker Institute at the US-based Rice University.

He is not alone.

A weary US State Department this week signalled its belief that the row -- which has seen Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt sever ties with Qatar over claims it supports Islamist extremists -- will rumble on, at best, for some time.

"We believe that this could potentially drag on for weeks. It could drag on for months," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on July 6.

The first days of July had offered a tiny, hopeful glimpse of a resolution as the region awaited Qatar's response to the list of 13 onerous demands placed on Doha by the Saudi-led bloc.

But a defiant Qatar, which denies the charges of supporting extremism, then called the demands -- such as closing broadcaster Al-Jazeera and the Turkish military base in Doha -- "unrealistic".

In return, Saudi and its allies threatened further sanctions, while Qatar hit back, labelling the four Arab states "siege countries".

"There will be no lifting of the sanctions any time soon, I can't see that happening," said Andreas Krieg of the Defence Studies Department at King's College London.

The crisis seems to be in deadlock.

- Long, drawn-out row -

"It appears that Saudi Arabia and the UAE underestimated Qatar's ability to very quickly bring on board major regional powers such as Turkey and Iran," Christopher Davidson, an expert on Middle East politics at Britain's Durham University, told AFP.

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"In this context, pushing forward with any form of cross-border intervention seems unlikely, with instead a long drawn out slow-bleed of Qatar's economy probably being the preferred Saudi-UAE strategy."

So what happens next?

On the diplomatic front, the push is coming from the West with the visit of British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson to the region this weekend, followed by the scheduled arrival of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in regional mediator Kuwait on July 10.

In Nauert's statement she also warned the conflict "could possibly even intensify".

This could manifest itself in two ways.

On the sanctions front, attention appears to be turning to regional political organisations and, more tentatively, trade.

There has been much speculation that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain will seek to push Qatar out of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council either through suspension or expulsion.

Reports in the Saudi media have suggested this could be the next step in Qatar's isolation though it is unclear if there would be enough votes to carry this through.

Krieg speculated that Saudi Arabia instead might manoeuvre to penalise Qatar through its membership of the Arab League.

On trade there has been suggestions that Saudi Arabia and the UAE may present international companies with a choice of doing business with them or Qatar, not both.

That though is far from a risk-free strategy, Ulrichsen said.

"Such a move may rebound on Riyadh and Abu Dhabi if it calls into question the vulnerability of commercial decisions to political interference," he said.

Krieg added that such a move could ultimately backfire on Saudi Arabia's own attempts to restructure its economy, in any post-oil world.

It is also unlikely that international companies would cave in to such orders.

Following a decision on July 4 by Qatar Petroleum to expand gas production by 30 percent, using joint ventures with international businesses, companies were reportedly already forming an orderly queue for contracts.

One Saudi-based commentator, Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, though insisted recently that Qatar will "fold" but make concessions beyond the "spotlight".

It is unclear, however, what those might be.

"There are no apparent areas of concession. This looks like it will go down to the wire," said Davidson.
(BOISE, Idaho)  Police are searching nationwide on Wednesday for the owner of an Idaho farmhouse where the badly decomposing bodies of three slain women were discovered earlier this week.

Canyon County Sheriffs Chief Deputy Marv Dashiell says 60-year-old Gerald Michael Mike Bullinger, formerly of Utah, is considered a person of interest in the murders discovered Monday and has been charged with failing to report the deaths. He was last seen in Ogden, Utah about 10 days ago.

We would consider him armed and dangerous at this time, Dashiell said Wednesday morning. If someone does come into contact with him or observe him, we request that they contact local law enforcement immediately.

Bullinger, a pilot, had just purchased the home last month with his wife, 57-year-old Cheryl Baker. The couple was in the process of moving to Idaho from Utah when one of Bullingers relatives called police to ask for a welfare check, saying the family hadnt been heard from for a few days.

The sheriffs deputy responding to the home noticed signs that something was amiss and so began looking around the tiny farmhouse and wooded lot, Dashiell said. Thats when the deputy discovered a gruesome scene: A shed on the property held three badly decomposed bodies, each laying side-by-side and hidden under some sort of covering. Several dead birds and dogs  likely family pets  were also found on the property, and other living animals including a snake, rat and some rabbits were removed during the subsequent investigation.

At first, investigators couldnt determine the gender of the bodies or what killed them, but autopsies completed Tuesday revealed that the three women had each been shot once. The women ranged in age from mid-teens to late 50s, and their ages and statures matched the description of people thought to have been living at the home. Dashiell said investigators are working with family members to try to positively identify the bodies using DNA or other forensics.

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The women had been dead for one to two weeks before their remains were found, Dashiell said.

Police are actively seeking Bullinger, Dashiell said, and believe he may be driving a white 2007 Ford Focus with Utah license plates numbered 129UMP. He is about 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighs an estimated 240 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes.

Bakers brother, Byron Baker, told the Idaho Statesman newspaper that the couple was still in the process of moving from Utah to their new home in Caldwell when family members became concerned because they hadnt heard from them. Byron Baker said he thought the couple lived alone, and was unsure who anyone else at the home might be.

I just dont know what to believe, he told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday. There are four people involved here. Three bodies and someone who covered the bodies.

He also described a strange text his sister had sent to a close friend in Utah around June 11, which read: Take care of my dogs. I dont know if Im coming back.

Cheryl Baker had just retired from her job as an art teacher at GreenWood Charter School in Harrisville, Utah, and Bullinger was a pilot with Classic Aviations Service in Utah before taking on contract work in Idaho.

Neighbors of the Caldwell home reported hearing a gunshot or other noises about 10 days ago, but gunshots arent uncommon in the rural area, where many avid hunters and target shooters live.

One neighbor, Cindy Morrison, said she heard a loud scream early one morning sometime around June 6 to June 10, but wasnt sure at the time whether it was an animal or a woman who made the noise. She didnt hear anything else, and opted not to call police.
The fact that a dead crow found in a backyard in the town of Onalaska tested positive for the West Nile virus is cause for seasonal concern but not alarm, according to the Coulee Regions insect guru.

We have to really understand its something we have here every year, said Dave Geske, vector control manager for La Crosse County and 12 area counties.

The dead crow, discovered June 19 and the test results for which were revealed Monday, was the first discovered since annual surveillance began May 1, Geske said Monday, acknowledging that some were found last year, too, as is normal.

Local and state officials chronicle reports of dead birds to monitor West Nile virus, which is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can be fatal to humans, but few mosquitoes carry the virus in the first place, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

The type of mosquito that probably infected the crow has more bloodlust for birds than humans, and mosquitoes that prefer humans usually dont stray into the tree canopies where an infected bird might hang around, Geske said.

The virus, which is widespread in Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and western Asia, first appeared in the United States  in the New York City area  in 1999, with the first human cases reported in Wisconsin in 2002, according to the Wisconsin Division of Public Health.

About 80 percent of the people infected with the virus never experience symptoms, while the remaining 20 percent might have a relatively mild illness, with symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pains, skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes and increased sensitivity to light.

Less than 1 percent  about 1 out of 150 people  become seriously ill, with symptoms including a sudden high fever, stiff neck, extremely weak muscles, tremors, convulsions and disorientation, according to the state agencies.

The discovery of the dead bird made La Crosse the 20th county in the Badger State to report the presence of West Nile this summer, according to state statistics. The total tally of 26 cases includes 25 in birds and one in a pool of water. No cases have been found in Buffalo, Jackson, Monroe, Trempealeau or Vernon counties, according to the state.

La Crosse County Health Director Jennifer Rombalski echoed Geskes concern, noting that people should be aware of West Nile virus and take some simple steps to protect themselves against mosquito bites. The best way to avoid the disease is to reduce exposure to and eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

The County Health Department has provided surveillance and treatment of mosquito breeding grounds for more than 30 years. The program focuses largely on prevention of mosquito-transmitted diseases such as West Nile virus and La Crosse encephalitis, but it also helps enhance nuisance control efforts, Geske said.

As for personal protection, Geske advised the usual measures of lighter-colored clothing and repellent, with lighter amounts of DEET if repellent including that chemical is used, he said.

Along with the usual measures of making sure that you dont have old tires or containers around the yard where standing water can provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes, Geske advised draining ditches of standing water where possible.
Several of President Donald Trumps close associates met with a Russian lawyer last summer, including his son, Donald Trump Jr., and son-in-law and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner.

The New York Times first reported the meeting on July 8, citing confidential records described to the paper. According to the Times, Trump Jr., Kushner, and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort met with a lawyer the paper identified as Natalia Veselnitskaya. According to the Times, Veselnitskaya represents several state-owned Russian businesses and a son of a senior government official whose business was under investigation in the U.S. at the time of the meeting.

The Times notes that this is the first time a meeting between Trumps closest associates and a Russian national has been reported to have taken place during the campaign.

Trump Jr. said in a statement to TIME that an acquaintance asked him to attend the meeting, but did not tell him who he would be meeting with, and that the meeting was primarily about the Russian adoption program in the United States.

Putin banned American families from adopting Russian children in 2012. The ban was part of the countrys response to the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, which allows the U.S. to sanctions Russian officials who are believed to have violated human rights. Veselnitskaya is an opponent of the Magnitsky, the Times reports.

It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared [Kushner] and Paul [Manafort] to stop by, Trump Jr. said in a statement. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at that time and there was no follow up.

Kushners lawyer told TIME he briefly attended the meeting at the request of Donald Trump Jr. Although the Times reported in April that Kushner initially did not disclose contacts with foreign officials in his security clearance forms, his lawyer explained that was a premature error was rectified one day later, and that this meeting was disclosed.

Mr. Kushner has submitted additional updates and included, out of an abundance of caution, this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law, Donald Trump Jr. As Mr. Kushner has consistently stated, he is eager to cooperate and share what he knows, his lawyer said in a statement.

Veselnitskaya told the Times the meeting was primarily about the adoption issue. Nothing at all was discussed about the presidential campaign, she told the paper.
If the hypothetical/theoretical/potential/evident relationship between the Russian government and the campaign of President Donald Trump is a puzzle, it's one in which just a few of the 1,000 pieces are delivered a week or so at a time.

Some people think the whole puzzle is already clear. Others think the puzzle will never be finished, or that we're putting it together wrong. But whatever your belief about Trump's Russia connection, the pieces of the puzzle do continue to surface, and the latest pieces involve the president's oldest son.

SEE ALSO: Ivanka Trump, who 'tries to stay out of politics,' sat in for her dad at a G20 session

Donald Trump Jr., according to The New York Times, met with a Russian lawyer on June 9, 2016, at Trump Tower, after the lawyer promised "damaging information" on his dad's rival, Hillary Clinton. When first presented with news of the meeting, Trump Jr. said he  along with then-campaign manager Paul Manafort and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner  only discussed an adoption program. Presented with evidence that the adoption program wasn't the only thing discussed, Trump Jr. had other things to say.

Obviously I'm the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent... went nowhere but had to listen. https://t.co/ccUjL1KDEa  Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 10, 2017

No inconsistency in statements, meeting ended up being primarily about adoptions. In response to further Q's I simply provided more details. https://t.co/FdT1D4hfhz  Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 10, 2017

In that first tweet, Trump Jr. appears to acknowledge that the campaign was willing to collude with Russians, though not necessarily the Russian government, and he also told the Times he took the meeting because he was told that the lawyer "might have information helpful to the campaign."

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This meeting encapsulates the tension running throughout this Trump-Russia saga. The Russian lawyer wasn't an official emissary of the Kremlin, but a cursory vetting would have revealed the potential issues. So was the Trump team trying to collude, or are they just bumblingly incompetent?

And, also, just to note it, the meeting happened on June 9, and if we take a leap back in time some 13 months, we find some interesting things.

Spotted: Reince Priebus walking into Trump Tower  Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) June 9, 2016

Priebus is the White House chief of staff and, while meetings at Trump Tower between members of the campaign were common in 2016, anything on June 9 is now worth noting.

How long did it take your staff of 823 people to think that upand where are your 33,000 emails that you deleted? https://t.co/gECLNtQizQ  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2016

Alright then. This tweet is no smoking collusion gun, but it's worth noting that Trump tweeted about Clinton's emails on the day his oldest son attended a meeting wherein he was promised "damaging information" on Clinton.

And what about the Trump Jr. friend who set up the meeting? Wonder what he's like.

Rob Goldstone, the Donald Trump Jr. acquaintance who brokered the meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer, the day after the 2016 US election: pic.twitter.com/20bMLUvDiH  Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) July 9, 2017

This seems a little on-the-nose.

Trump Jr. associate Rob Goldstone was in Moscow less than 2 weeks before the June 9 meeting at Trump Tower, then went back for most of July: pic.twitter.com/GxLRiDwK9I  Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) July 10, 2017

Heh. Wonder he was doing in Moscow before he set up a meeting between a Russian lawyer and the Trump campaign.

Just some more pieces for you puzzle-lovers.
Donald Trump has said his daughters prominent role at a G20 meeting of world leaders was very standard, in response to criticism of the move.

Apparently referring to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Trump claimed Angela M agreed it was normal for Ivanka Trump to fill in for her father at the meeting.

The US President argued that if Hillary Clintons daughter Chelsea had filled in for her mother at the G20, she would not have come under such heavy fire.

According to a photograph of the G20 event, Ms Trump accompanied her father to a session at the Hamburg summit and later sat in his seat next to Ms Merkel, Theresa May and other world leaders. She did not say anything, however, according to reports.

A White House official later told US television network CNN: Ivanka was sitting in the back and then briefly joined the main table when the President had to step out.

Ms Trump serves as an unpaid adviser to the President in the White House and handles issues such as paid family leave and womens empowerment.

The US President said on Twitter on Monday: When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!

He later tweeted: If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!

When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother,as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

Ms Clinton, 37, who was a regular presence during her mothers presidential campaign last year, quickly responded to Mr Trumps comments.

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Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me, she wrote on Twitter. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not.

After the meeting, Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters told MSNBC Ms Trumps presence at the meeting does not make good sense.

Here you have the President of the United States at the G20, representing us as the leader of the free world, and so hes going to play politics and give his daughter a chance to have a place in the sun and to be seen at a very important meeting that she knows nothing about, she said.

Zerlina Maxwell, a former director of media for Ms Clintons presidential campaign, told MSNBC: Its completely inappropriate. What qualifications and experience does Ivanka Trump have in her background that should put her at the table with world leaders like Theresa May and Vladimir Putin?

She added that the incident was evidence of inherent corruption in Mr Trumps administration.

Although it is commonplace for leaders to be replaced in meetings by officials when they have other commitments, it is unusual for their places to be taken by family members.

But Ms Merkel played down the significance of the move, telling a news conference: The delegations themselves decide, should the President not be present for a meeting, who will then take over and sit in the chair.
Donald Trump latest approval rating and impeachment odds

The US Government shutdown - now the longest in history - is causing Donald Trump's presidential approval ratings to slide to their lowest level since April last year, according to the Telegraph's poll tracker.

The tracker, which takes an average of the last eight polls, put Mr Trump's approval rating at 41 per cent, while 56 per cent disapprove of the way the President is doing his job.

Despite the recent slide, the President's approval ratings have remained relatively stable during the past year.

The period since Donald Trump's election has been packed with controversy and intrigue but, underneath it all, few people seem to have really changed their minds about America's 45th President.

Video: Federal Workers Speak Out About Financial Toll of Shutdown

For more news videos visit Yahoo View.

His approval rating quickly slumped in the chaotic days after assuming office, with Trump achieving a majority disapproval rating in a record of just eight days. A year in, he is far less popular than previous presidents at this stage of a presidency - but overall approval has generally remained above 40 per cent.

At the 100-day milestone, Gallup daily polling showed that just 40 per cent of Americans approved of the way Trump is handling his new job  compared to 55 per cent that disapprove.

Historically, it has usually taken American presidents hundreds of days before they reach a majority disapproval rating.

This has been the case for the last five presidents  with Bill Clinton lasting a record 573 days before more than 50 per cent of Americans disapproved of his presidency.

But Donald Trump smashed this record after surging into the White House on a wave of anti-establishment anger.

It took just eight days for him to gain a majority disapproval rating, according to Gallup, with 51 per cent of Americans saying they disapproved of the President on January 28, 2016.

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Trump has faced persistent allegations over Russian connections, fired the head of the FBI, launched tirades against the media, failed to push through healthcare reform and has faced talk of impeachment.

However, while there has been an overall drop in public opinion, the President's approval ratings have remained relatively stable since July, even an uptick following his handling of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville and Hurricane Irma.

Watch: How Donald Trump could be removed from office

What are the latest impeachment odds for Trump?

As it stands impeachment is still unlikely because it would require a majority in the House of Representatives to go to trial and a two-thirds majority in the Senate to make it happen.

Although the House is now under Democrat control, the Senate remains in Republican hands, meaning that Trump's party would have to abandon him for him to be kicked out of office.

However, the bookmakers aren't ruling out impeachment with the latest odds from Ladbrokes showing that there is a chance Trump will fail to make it to the end of his first term in office.

Their latest odds are as follows:

Impeachment by House of Reps this year: 7/4

To serve full first term: 2/5

The Telegraph's poll tracker takes an average of the last eight polls in order to take a full picture of the broad movements in the polling environment and not put too much weight on individual polls. Polls used are nationally representative with adequate sample sizes.
Despite criticism of his first G20 summit, the US president tweeted video of pictures with family and world leaders set to choral version of his catchphrase

Donald Trumps trip to Hamburg for the G20 saw Trump frozen out by many of his international partners while he continued to baffle observers with his eagerness to give Russia the benefit of the doubt on election hacking.

The Guardian said the US president seemed so out of step with the rest of the world that it was a case of the G1 versus the G19. The New York Times said the trip had chiefly been welcome respite from the forever wars in Washington. And the Washington Post said the visit proved Trump was still an unpredictable force on the world stage and an outlier among longtime American partners.

But for Trump himself it was clear that the only way to truly sum up his second foreign trip was with a two-minute web video soundtracked by a choir belting out his campaign slogan over triumphant martial brass.

Make America great again/ Make America great again / Lift the torch of freedom/ All across the land, the song begins, as pictures of Trump greeting Angela Merkel, Justin Trudeau, Narendra Modi and other world leaders fly past in a style familiar to anyone who has used Apples iMovie. There is room for plenty of shots of his wife and daughter (who helped make the summit great herself), and even a couple near the end of his controversial meeting with Russias Vladimir Putin.

MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/NVDVRrWLs4  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

Its not the first song to turn Trumps catchphrase  adapted from Ronald Reagan  into a stirring anthem. Delegates at last years Republican convention in Cleveland were treated to a rousing country-rock anthem on the same theme. But although this choral version is less catchy, the almost Germanic sound of this song is at least appropriate to the summits location. And perhaps to the message of cultural nationalism he expounded in Poland.
President Donald Trump travels from New Jersey to Washington: Carolyn Kaster/AP

Donald Trump has slammed former FBI director James Comey after reports that some of his leaked private memos on conversations with the US President contained classified material.

In an early morning tweet, the US leader said: James Comey leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media. That is so illegal!

His social media outburst came after some US news outlets reported that the ex-FBI chief may have broken the intelligence agencys rules by leaking classified material.

Mr Comey has previously said he considered the memos to be personal documents and shared them with a lawyer to be leaked to the press in the hope this would increase pressure to get a special prosecutor to investigate alleged collusion between Mr Trumps campaign team and Russia.

Mr Comey had been carrying out his own investigation when he was abruptly fired.

The US leader said he was not leading the bureau effectively. He also cited Mr Comey's poor handling of the the investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server.

But multiple FBI insiders claimed Mr Comey was fired because of his refusal to end his investigation and Mr Trump later admitted "this Russia thing" had played a role in his sacking.

Mr Comey later leaked some of his memos recounting his interaction with Mr Trump after the US President incorrectly suggested in a tweet he may have taped his conversations with Mr Comey.

James Comey leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION to the media. That is so illegal!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2017

Mr Trump turned his attention to Mr Comey again a day after it was revealed that his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and former campaign manager Paul Manafort, reportedly met with a Russia lawyer with ties to the Kremlin during the election campaign, after being promised damaging information about Ms Clinton.

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The revelations from three White House advisers briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it were uncovered by the The New York Times.

It was more bad news for the embattled US leader who had been criticised in some quarters for his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Hamburg.

Referring to the meeting with Mr Putin, Lindsey Graham, a Republican Senator from South Carolina, told NBC's Meet the Press that the US President was "hurting his ability to govern this nation by forgiving and forgetting and empowering".

But, in another tweet Mr Trump said: "Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia.

Massive deflection campaign this morning from the WH, lots of talk about Obama/Comey, to hide lies Trump told about meetings with Russians.  Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) July 10, 2017

Social media users turned to Twitter to point out that Mr Trumps tweets about Mr Comey were a distraction from the revelations about his sons meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign.

Seth Abramson, a freelance journalist and professor at the University of New Hampshire, tweeted: Massive deflection campaign this morning from the WH, lots of talks about Obama/Comey to hide lies Trump told about meetings with Russians.

He added: The only thing America needs to hear from Trump today is not BS about Obama or Comey but an explanation of what he knew and when he knew it.

Another user tweeted: Does anyone really believe its a coincidence that a new Russia story broke the same day its revealed that Comey leaked classified info?

Even Mr Trump's supporters were also quick to point out the timing of both stories.

Boston for Trump tweeted: Hmm. a #fake hit piece on @DonaldTrumpJr comes out at the same time that the #Comey memos are classified. Comey leaks and lies.
President Donald Trump unleashed a series of tweets about his two-hour-long July 7 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Sunday claiming the latter vehemently denied any efforts by his country to interfere in the U.S. election, and that the two want to work together on a cyber security initiative to prevent any future election hacking.

The President said he strongly pressed the Russian leader twice about election hacking, but declined to definitively say, at least in his tweets, if he accepted this denial. You know my opinion, he wrote on Twitter.

I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

...We negotiated a ceasefire in parts of Syria which will save lives. Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

...and safe. Questions were asked about why the CIA & FBI had to ask the DNC 13 times for their SERVER, and were rejected, still don't....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

...have it. Fake News said 17 intel agencies when actually 4 (had to apologize). Why did Obama do NOTHING when he had info before election?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

The day before Trump met with Putin, he acknowledged the possibility of Russian interference in the election, but said other countries could have been responsible as well.

I think it was Russia, and it could have been other people in other countries, he said in Warsaw, Poland, on July 6.

But this opinion is a divergence from U.S. intelligence agencies, which released a report on January 6 maintaining that Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election, and had a clear preference for Trump.

Theres not anybody that thinks that Russia didnt meddle in the elections, Nikki Haley, Trumps U.N. Ambassador, said on Face the Nation Sunday. And I think we all are very clear on that. And I think were going to see what Congress does and I think the president will continue to work on this going forward, but yes, I dont think this is over.

Trumps Chief of Staff Reince Priebus however, said on Fox News Sunday that Trump absolutely did not believe Putins denial. His answer to this question many times is they [Russia] probably meddled in the election, he said. The one thing he also says, which drives the media crazy but its an absolute fact, is others have as well.
The people of Eritrea have long said their capital Asmara is like no other city in Africa, and on Saturday the UN agreed, designating it a World Heritage site.

The proclamation ends a long-running quest by Eritrean authorities to have the city's unique architecture, which includes an art-deco bowling alley with coloured glass windows and a petrol station built to resemble a soaring aeroplane, recognised by the UN cultural body, UNESCO.

It's also a rare example of positive world recognition for the Horn of Africa nation that is a major source of migrants fleeing across the Mediterranean to Europe due to the country's repressive policies.

"The city's recognition as a heritage site of outstanding universal value fills us with tremendous pride and joy, but also with a profound sense of responsibility and duty," said Hanna Simon, Eritrea's permanent delegate to UNESCO.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the World Heritage Committee in the Polish city of Krakow.

A former Italian colony, most of the futuristic designs of the Eritrean capital date back to the rule of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini from 1936 to 1941.

Architects whose designs were unwelcome in conservative European cities found a place in Asmara at a time when about half of the city's population was Italian and the city was known as 'Piccola Roma', or "Little Rome".

While the modernist architecture of other Eritrean cities was destroyed during a decades-long war of liberation from Ethiopia, Asmara's survived and was declared a national monument by the government in 2001, which refers to it as Africa's "City of Dream" (sic).

But efforts to restore the marble facades and Roman-style pillars of the city's theatres and cinemas have been hampered by a shortage of money and local expertise, city authorities say.
By Toni Clarke (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will ask a panel of advisors to focus on the safety of Novartis AG's experimental gene therapy drug when it meets to review the product on Wednesday. The keenly anticipated preliminary review of the leukemia treatment, posted on the FDA's website on Monday, comes two days ahead of the advisory panel meeting, which will discuss the drug and vote on whether the benefits exceed the risks. If approved, the drug, tisagenlecleucel, would be the first gene therapy to be approved in the United States. The FDA is not obliged to follow the recommendations of its advisors but typically does so. The panel's decision could have significant implications not only for Novartis but for companies making similar drugs, including Kite Pharma Inc. Juno Therapeutics Inc and bluebird bio Inc. The drugs use a new technology known as CAR-T, or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, which harnesses the body's own immune cells to recognize and attack malignant cells. If approved they are expected to cost up to $500,000 and generate billions of dollars for their developers. Success would also help advance a cancer-fighting technique that scientists have been trying to perfect for decades. Novartis is applying for approval in the first instance to treat B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common type of childhood cancer in the United States. A clinical trial showed that 83 percent of patients who had relapsed or failed chemotherapy achieved complete or partial remission three months post infusion. Patients with ALL who fail chemotherapy typically have only a 16 to 30 percent chance of survival. The FDA said it is not asking the panel to focus on whether the drug works, as it successfully met the main goal of the clinical trial. The panel will be asked only to focus on the short-term and long-term safety risks. About half the patients experienced a serious complication known as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) which occurs when the body's immune system goes into overdrive. Doctors were able to manage the condition and it caused no patient deaths. The FDA also raised concerns that the drug may cause secondary malignancies to occur and said long-term safety monitoring may be needed to address this concern. Novartis is also testing its drug in diffuse large b-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as is Kite. Part of the competitive landscape will include which company is best able to manufacture its drugs efficiently and reliably. (Reporting by Toni Clarke in Washington; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
Mahatma Gandhi once said "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." But the midseason finale of Fear the Walking Dead proved that it only leaves like, half the world blind. Peace through diplomacy actually seemed within reach at the beginning of the finale. Jake hoped that the sharing of resources would allow Walker's tribe to thrive where they are and leave the ranch to Jeremiah and his people. Part of Jake's parley required a volunteer from each side to remain as a sign of good faith. Alicia insisted on staying with Walker. Unfortunately, Madison through a huge fit and went with Troy and the militia to "rescue" Alicia. To no one's surprise, lives were lost and a full on war was declared. Ofelia is back. Apparently she is romantically involved with Walker. She also managed to poison the ranch's militia with some anthrax. This led to zombies and more death. Ultimately the only way Walker's hate could be satiated was for Jeremiah to die and for the ranch people to share some of their resources. So Madison asked Jeremiah to kill himself. When he refused Nick shot him in the head. Madison gave Walker Jeremiah's head and it appears that the founder's blood was enough to bring peace. At least for now.
Mr Trump has been criticised for how he has handled the issue of 2016 election meddling

A former US spy says that Donald Trump is being trolled by Vladimir Putin on the topic of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

After the first face to face meeting between the two world leaders in Hamburg at the G20 summit this week, Mr Trump insisted that he had pressed Mr Putin on the issue. The Russian president, meanwhile, fell back on an old line: Show me the proof.

Mr Putin has an information dominance over Donald Trump. Donald Trump does not live in an area where he even believes his intelligence agencies  he disparages them, Malcolm Nance, a retired US Navy cryptologist, said on MSNBC.

The Russian president may have his critics, Mr Nance said, but his use of his intelligence agencies is much more advanced than Mr Trumps.

Its the ultimate trolling for Vladimir Putin to say ok give us the evidence, like all the evidence, you know? Let us know where we failed in our collection activities and where we succeeded in our successful propaganda warfare against you, Mr Nance said.

Mr Trump has received plenty of criticism for his perceived handling of questions related to meddling in the 2016 election. The President has vocally questioned US intelligence agencies on the issue, which contend that Russian sources were involved in the hackings. And, Mr Trump has publicly stated that he thinks investigations into the hacking are bogus, and politically charged to damage his presidency.

Mr Putin has challenged US intelligence sources as well, arguing that any evidence linking the Kremlin to the 2016 election meddling could have been fabricated or altered to be deceiving.

Just after Mr Trump returned from his trip abroad in Europe, the Presidents former campaign manager stepped up to say that Mr Putins denial of involvement meant that the story is over.

Now the President has taken this issue directly to the president of Russia and raised it, Corey Lewandowski said on Fox News. So, now I think the issue is officially dead.
OSLO (Reuters) - Four men were shot and injured at a nightclub in Oslo around midnight on Sunday, police said in a press release, adding that one suspect has been arrested. The Blue nightclub, where the shooting took place, is in an old industrial building in the eastern part of the city. The incident wasn't thought by police to be terror related. "The reason for the incident appears to be that the perpetrator was asked to leave the bar," the police said. The victims were taken to hospital and did not have serious injuries, according to Grete Metlid, police inspector. Police said the suspect was aged mid-20s and they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident. (Reporting By Ole Petter Skonnord; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
German and US doctors visited China's cancer-stricken Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo on Saturday, the hospital where he is receiving treatment said in a statement.

"After listening to a detailed medical history of the patient and receiving a report on his diagnosis and treatment, the medical experts examined the patient in the sickroom," according to an update on the website of First Hospital of China Medical University, in the northeastern city of Shenyang.

"The American and German specialists have fully endorsed the treatment program and measures by the group of national experts" it said.

China has faced international pressure to let Liu travel abroad for treatment since he was transferred from prison to the Shenyang hospital after he was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer more than a month ago.

Liu was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2009 for "subversion" after calling for democratic reform. At the Nobel ceremony in Oslo in 2010, he was represented by an empty chair.
Beijing (AFP) - Chinese doctors treating ailing Nobel Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo warned US and German medical experts he is too sick to travel abroad for care, the hospital looking after him said in a statement Saturday.

The foreign doctors visited Liu, China's most prominent democracy advocate, at the hospital in the northeastern city of Shenyang following international pressure for China to let him go abroad or allow him to choose his own treatment.

Beijing has come under fire from human rights groups over its treatment of the activist and for waiting until he became terminally sick to release him from prison more than a month ago.

But the hospital said the experts concurred that Liu has been afforded top medical care from renowned doctors.

The First Hospital of China Medical University said Liu, 61, was visited by American oncology expert Joseph Herman from the MD Anderson Cancer Center and German doctor Marcus Buchler from Heidelberg University.

The doctors, who were invited by the hospital at Liu's family's request, found that Liu had excess abdominal fluid and was in serious condition, the hospital said on its website.

They suggested that Liu undergo an MRI to evaluate his liver condition and decide if he should undergo radiotherapy or another type of intervention.

Asked by the foreign experts about the possibility of sending Liu for treatment abroad, Chinese doctors replied "the process of transferring the patient is unsafe".

"We have no better method" of treating Liu, it quoted the international experts as saying in response to a question about whether the laureate would receive more effective treatment overseas.

"The American and German specialists have fully endorsed the treatment programme and measures by the group of national experts," it said.

If his liver function improves, doctors could consider immunotherapy, but for now Liu will continue supportive therapy to alleviate the pain and "elevate his quality of life," the hospital added.

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Pictures posted on the hospital's web site showed the two experts examining Liu, who is in a hospital bed and appears emaciated and weak.

In a separate statement, the hospital said that he is having "difficulty eating," but continues to receive "nutritional support, pain reduction and general supportive treatment".

A spokeswoman from the US Embassy declined a request for comment.

- 'Chinese government's responsibility' -

Patrick Poon, a China researcher from Amnesty International, said Beijing had never wanted to grant Liu's wish to travel overseas for treatment.

"It's entirely the Chinese government's responsibility if the Nobel laureate eventually passes away without fulfilling his wish to leave China," he said.

The doctors' visit comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Hamburg, Germany, for a G20 summit ending Saturday.

The United Nations human rights office demanded Friday that the UN be given access to Liu, but as world leaders met with their Chinese counterpart in Germany, they remained largely silent on laureate's fate.

"Beijing's horrific intransigence in this case requires all possible international pressure to create some peace and freedom for Liu Xiaobo and (his wife) Liu Xia," said Human Rights Watch's China director, Sophie Richardson.

"Beijing won't give that away for free."

- 'Subversion' -

Liu was arrested in 2008 after co-writing Charter 08, a bold petition that called for the protection of basic human rights and reform of China's one-party Communist system.

He was later sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2009 for "subversion" after calling for democratic reform. At the Nobel ceremony in Oslo in 2010, he was represented by an empty chair.

He is also known for his efforts to help negotiate the safe exit from Beijing's Tiananmen Square of thousands of student demonstrators on the night of June 3-4, 1989 when the military violently suppressed the protests.

A group of his friends fear he is near death and they issued an open letter earlier this week calling on the Chinese government to give them access to their ailing friend on "humanitarian" grounds.

A friend of Liu's, who asked to remain anonymous due to the case's sensitivity, told AFP that both his younger and older brothers are set to visit him in hospital for the first time this weekend.

But "Liu's friends are still not able to meet him," Poon said, which "speaks a lot about the restrictions Liu and his family face".
Hamburg (AFP) - Raging street battles that marred Germany's G20 summit have sparked a political fight over how Hamburg could descend into "mob rule" and why Chancellor Angela Merkel chose a hotbed of leftist militancy as the venue.

Germany's top-selling Bild daily was withering in its condemnation of the chaos that saw far-left and anarchist radicals torch rows of cars, loot shops and hurl rocks and bottles from burning barricades at riot police.

"One should use with caution the words 'failure of the state'. Sadly, it applies in Hamburg," the newspaper thundered Saturday, slamming the summit as a "debacle".

"Of course the police did all it could. But the street belonged to the mob. The feeling of general security that the state must guarantee has ceased to exist in Hamburg over the last 48 hours."

The harsh criticism came as 20,000 police in the city where Merkel was born kept watch on tens of thousands of demonstrators against the meeting where she hosted US President Donald Trump, Russia's Vladimir Putin and other world leaders.

Just behind the tightly-secured G20 summit venue, charred road barricades, trashed shops and stones, debris and shattered glass bore testimony to an anarchic night, when police commandoes with semi-automatic weapons detained militants who hurled rocks from rooftops.

"The terrible message of Hamburg is: When the mob wants to rule, it will," said Bild.

- 'Destruction across city' -

One police union blamed Merkel and Hamburg mayor Olaf Scholz for allowing the chaos, which left over 200 police and as yet unknown numbers of protesters injured, and for choosing the city in the first place.

"The politicians carry the sole responsibility for the many injured police officers and the destruction across the city," the union's Hamburg chairman Jan Reinecke told news weekly Der Spiegel.

Criticism also came from Merkel's conservative camp, with Bavarian CSU politician Hans-Peter Uhl charging that "the G20 summit should never have been held in a city of millions like Hamburg. Security is way too difficult to control there."

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Merkel's government had long argued that it chose the northern port city, which dubs itself Germany's cosmopolitan "Gateway to the world", because it symbolised G20 core values from open trade to an internationalist outlook.

Rather than choose a remote rural location, as has been the norm in recent years, G20 leaders would show they are not a power elite that hides away from the people.

Some also saw the G20 summit, years in the planning, as a dress-rehearsal as Hamburg bid for the 2024 Olympics -- an effort the people of Hamburg later torpedoed in a referendum.

Finally, there was the question of logistics, officials explained: no countryside retreat, island or cruise ship is big enough to host a mega-event with over 10,000 delegates.

After the G20 ended Saturday, Merkel pledged speedy and unbureaucratic compensation to victims of the "unrestrained brutality" of rioters.

She defended the choice of venue, saying that London and Cannes had also managed to host G20s, which needed to be held in large cities "because of the hotel capacity alone".

- 'Worst fears come true' -

Signs of looming trouble appeared late last year as stickers and posters went up on walls that vowed to "Smash G20" and promised a "Welcome to Hell" -- the title of the first protest last Thursday that quickly deteriorated into street clashes.

They point to Hamburg's dual identity, both a wealthy and leafy port city and a decades-old hotbed of leftist activists home to famous former squats like the Hafenstrasse and Rote Flora.

Some 30 separate anti-G20 rallies have ranged from peaceful marches and street parties with thumping techno beats to non-violent road blockades and boat protests -- to the ugliest violence that flared after nightfall.

The protest coalition BlockG20, which holds G20 leaders responsible for ills from war and poverty to climate change, hailed it all "a victory", having delayed delegations and trapped US First Lady Melania Trump in a lakeside residence for hours.

They also accused police of excessive violence, with spokesman Christian Blank saying "police beat us, attacked us with pepper spray and water cannon, but despite the violence of state power, we did not give up".

"The streets belong to the protesters, not the summit," declared the coalition's Jana Schneider.

Spiegel Online judged that Merkel, who faces elections on September 24, "must realise that it is mostly pictures of burning cars and black-clad radicals that will be remembered from the G20 summit".

"Many had warned against hosting such a huge event in a major city with a left-wing radical scene. Now the worst fears have come true -- and a dark shadow has been cast over the summit shortly before the national election."
By Joseph Nasr and Thomas Escritt HAMBURG (Reuters) - Hundreds of hooded anti-capitalist militants scuffled with German police on the fringes of a largely peaceful march on Saturday against a G20 summit of global leaders in Hamburg, after two days of violent clashes which marred the G20 summit. In the late evening, after leaders had left Hamburg, police turned on water cannon to disperse remaining protestors, many drunk, who started throwing bottles and other objects. Emergency services said they were treating injured people but gave no numbers. Tensions had been high all day after riots on Friday night when radicals looted shops, torched cars and hurled objects. The city centre was in lock down with luxury shops along the main streets barricaded up and many protected by security guards. More than 50,000 people gathered for a "G20 - not welcome" demonstration in the port city in the afternoon. At one point a group of about 120 people, some masked, kicked police and attacked them with flagpoles before running away. Chancellor Angela Merkel, facing an election in September, had sought to underscore her commitment to free speech by holding the summit in central Hamburg, a trading hub with a long tradition of leftist radicalism. Images of smoke rising over parts of the city, burning cars, wrecked shops and streets awash with debris have, however, raised questions about her strategy, and police reinforcements from across Germany had to be dispatched to help. Merkel, who met police and security force after the summit to thank them, condemned the violence but also said the majority were peaceful and legitimate protesters. "I condemn in the strongest terms the extreme violence and unbridled brutality that police were repeatedly confronted with," she said at the end of a summit which exposed differences with the United States on climate change. "There is no justification for plundering, arson and brutal attacks on the lives of police officers ... anyone who acts in this way .. places himself outside our democratic community." The head of Hamburg police earlier expressed shock at the "wave of destructive anger", rioting and arson since Thursday. However, on Saturday mostly young protestors, some holding balloons, others pushing prams, wanted to keep the demonstration peaceful as hip-hop and Turkish music blasted out of speakers. "The message is G20 - never again and certainly not in Hamburg," Oskar Zach, 16, told Reuters. "We aim to remain peaceful. We want to show we can demonstrate without violence." ATTAC coordinator Thomas Eberhardt-Koester said the movement wanted to "bring our criticism of the G20 and our alternatives for fair global policies onto the streets". In the last three days, more than 200 police officers have been injured. Some 143 people have been arrested and 122 taken into custody. On Friday night, special armed police were deployed with assault rifles after militants, described as the Black Bloc because of their trademark black hoods and masks, hurled objects, including paving slabs, and set barricades alight. Ministers decried the violent protestors and said they would face the full force of the law. "These are not demonstrators, they are criminals," said Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere. But some other politicians criticized the choice of venue. "We should ask whether the state, with its monopoly of the right to uphold security and order, was well advised to choose Hamburg," Hans-Peter Uhl, a senior member of Bavaria's CSU conservatives, sister party of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) told Handelsblatt business daily. Merkel defended her choice of Hamburg, saying similar summits had been held in big cities such as London and it was unacceptable to say some places were ruled out as venues. Hamburg residents, who Merkel said would receive compensation for damage, were also angry at the destruction. "Merkel underestimated the protests. The least she can do now is come visit (the district of) Sternschanze and see the damage for herself," said Kai Mertens, a 50-year-old programmer. (Additional reporting by Francesco Canepa and Reuters Television; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Jon Boyle and Alistair Bell)




A high school sophomore scored an interview with Secretary of Defense James Mattis for his school newspaper after the Washington Post published a photo that inadvertently revealed the retired Marines cell phone number.

In May, the Post ran a photo of President Trump and his bodyguard, who was seen toting a sticky note with Mattis name and cell phone number jotted down. Teddy Fischer, a rising junior at Mercer Island High School in Mercer Island, Wash., called the number and recognized Mattis voice on the outgoing message. He didnt leave a voicemail but later texted Mattis to request an interview on foreign policy. The secretary of defense returned Fischers phone call and agreed to be interviewed for the Mercer Island High School Islander.

This whole thing is just a miracle after miracle, Fischer told King 5, an NBC affiliate based in Seattle, of connecting with Mattis.

The interview, now nestled on the Islander homepage alongside articles on the senior sleepover and the study body elections, touched topics such as the quagmire in the Middle East and the role of the military in conjunction with diplomacy. But Mattis, known to be a voracious reader and a student of history, also repeatedly exalted formal education. Mattis cited education, as well as economic opportunities, as the most effective way to combat dangerous ideologies around the world.

The secretary of defense also lamented coarsened American political rhetoric, saying, I get very, very concerned when I hear people start characterizing their opponents as stupid. I still understand that because politics is a little rough and tumble at times, but I dont buy it and when they start calling each other either crazy or evil.

Mattis left the Islander with advice for graduating seniors.

Go out of your way, he said. Not everyone has to join the military, its not for everyone. For one thing its scary as all get out at times, but whether it be the Peace Corp or the Marine Corps, whether it be serving on your local school board when youre still not even 30-years-old, by running for office and trying to get a good education for the kids in your community, just try to put others first and it will pay back in so many ways that youd be a lot happier in life.

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So just look for ways to help others all the way along, Teddy, and youll never go far wrong if youre always looking to do that. You wont get all caught up in your own problems if youre out helping others overcome theirs.

Despite his scoop, Fischer told King 5 he didnt know if he would pursue journalism after high school. Still, he said he learned something: It never hurts to ask anybody anything.

Even if they seem like theyre a distant figure, even if they seem like a powerful figure. Theres a human side to politics and people are much more approachable than you think.

Read more from Yahoo News:
India on Saturday imposed a widespread curfew, cut off all internet services and deployed thousands of troops in Kashmir as the volatile Himalayan region marked the anniversary of a hugely popular rebel leader's death.

Residents of Indian-administered Kashmir said the restrictions on movement were some of the strictest they had seen, with some villagers told they would be shot if they left their homes.

The disputed region has seen an explosion of protests against Indian rule since government forces shot and killed Burhan Wani a year ago.

The death of the dashing 23-year-old, who had built up a big following on social media, sparked an outpouring of grief and anger that spilled into the streets and led to months of clashes with security forces.

Nearly 100 people died in the months that followed and many more sustained serious eye injuries from the pellet guns used by government forces to quell the protests.

Separatist leaders -- most of whom have been either confined to their homes or jailed -- have called for a week of protests from Saturday to mark Wani's death.

As the anniversary approached, thousands of soldiers spread out across the Kashmir Valley, one of the most heavily militarised places on earth.

All roads leading to Wani's home town of Tral in south Kashmir were blocked and authorities seized thousands of motorbikes to prevent people travelling between villages in the area.

"I have never seen restrictions of this magnitude before," said one local resident who asked not to be named.

Both mobile and broadband internet services have been suspended across the Valley since Thursday night on police orders.

Kashmir, divided between India and Pakistan since 1947, is one of the most heavily militarised spots on earth with a long history of conflict.

The mountainous region is home to dozens of armed groups fighting for independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan.

But since Wani's death, civilians have played an increasingly active role in the rebellion against Indian rule.

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In parts of south Kashmir -- the epicentre of the renewed insurgency -- villagers began intervening in anti-militant raids, throwing stones at government forces to create a distraction and give the rebels a chance to flee.

"It is a direct confrontation now," said Kashmiri historian Sidiq Wahid.

"Public anger and defiance has reached levels never seen in Kashmir before."
Photo credit: Flickr / Bob Jagendorf

From Popular Mechanics

A South Carolina inmate used wire cutters that were likely dropped from a drone as part of an elaborate escape plan that also included cellphones smuggled into prison, guns and at least $47,000 in cash, authorities said Friday after his capture.

Jimmy Causey's second escape from maximum security prisons in South Carolina lasted more than two days before a tip led Texas Rangers to a motel room in Austin where he was found sleeping around 4 a.m. Friday, South Carolina state police said.

Prison officials are now investigating how Causey's escape on Tuesday from Lieber Correctional Institution went unnoticed for six hours, South Carolina Corrections Director Bryan Stirling said.

It was Causey's second escape from maximum security prisons in South Carolina since being sentenced to life in prison 13 years ago for holding a lawyer at gunpoint in his Columbia home. Authorities have said Causey didn't feel the defense attorney did enough to keep Causey out of prison in the early 1990s.

The first time, Causey and another inmate hid in a garbage truck leaving prison and were arrested three days later after a woman delivering pizza to a motel called police because she thought they looked suspicious.

The second time, Causey had a well-thought out plan, coordinating his escape with a smuggled cellphone and cutting through four fences with wire cutters, likely dropped to him in the prison yard from a drone, Stirling said.

Like the first time, Causey, 46, fooled guards by putting a dummy in his bed. He escaped around 8 p.m. on July 4, but prison officials didn't realize he was gone until 2 a.m. the next day, Stirling said.

Stirling wouldn't talk specifically about whether guards did anything wrong that night, but did say "sometimes the staff just has to follow policies and procedures."

Investigators are trying to figure out how Causey got all of that cash. He had four cellphones with him and an ID card, State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel said.

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"Everyone who assisted him -we intend on bringing them to justice as well," Keel said.

The motel room where Causey was arrested is about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) west of the South Carolina prison where he escaped.

Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Charleston.

Following his first capture, Causey was held in South Carolina's most secure, super-max facility in Columbia, but he was eventually returned to the system's general population.

Stirling wouldn't give details about where Causey would be held this time, except to say it will be "a high, high security unit."

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Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi arrived in Mosul on July 9 to congratulate the armed forces and Iraqi people on  victory over Islamic State (IS), according to his Twitter account.

Iraqi forces had reached the Tigris riverside and had almost fully recaptured Mosul from IS, Al Jazeera said on July 9.

About 100 IS fighters had been reported to be trapped in a sliver of the Old City along the Tigris. Many Islamic State fighters vowed to fight to the death, Reuters reported on July 8, noting that, without Mosul, IS in Iraq would control mainly rural, desert areas west and south of the city . Credit: Command of Anti-Terrorism Forces via Storyful
MOSUL, Iraq  Proclaiming victory over the Islamic State in Mosul, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi went to the city Sunday and Monday to congratulate Iraqi forces for their battle victories and accomplishing their mission in West Mosul, calling them heroic. He described Mosul as liberated, and his presence was meant to invoke a sense of freedom, a declaration that Mosul was rid of the violent occupation.

While he was congratulating the Federal Police outside Mosuls Old City on Sunday, inside it, there was an airstrike around 100 meters away near the site of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri. The mosque, where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the rise of an ISIS caliphate in 2014, was blown up nearly two weeks ago.

The aircraft could be heard overhead. Suddenly there was a swish sound in the sky, and then a loud bang. Plumes of smoke rose over the Old City neighborhood and evaporated into the air.

The Iraqi Special Forces and counter terrorism battalions fought ISIS every day for nine months, battling snipers, suicide bombers and mortar attacks. They say a few may still be hiding in the heavily damaged city.

On the front line, one commander who did not give his name sat on a bed listening to his men over a radio. They called out their positions, and then when they killed an ISIS fighter, theyd say, Victory is ours. But the joyous moment was gone when another soldier reported one their own was shot dead.

Another airstrike hits the Old City neighborhood in Mosul. (Ash Gallagher for Yahoo News)

At another corner of the Old Citys narrow streets, ISIS snipers exchanged fire with Iraqi forces. A soldier injured in the chest and leg was rushed on a stretcher to an ambulance. Journalists were asked not to photograph him; soldiers make efforts not to show any weakness.

The Iraqi forces have been fighting hard to recapture Mosul in an offensive that began last October. They started on the eastern side of the city and took that section in 100 days. Retaking the densely populated western part with its narrow streets has been slower.

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Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, was an ISIS stronghold. The city has a rich history dating back to the beginnings of recorded civilization, the site of struggles among empires and religions.

In June 2014, a suicide bomber struck in the city, followed the next day by convoys of ISIS fighters who drove out the Iraqi government forces and imposed their strict rule on the population of some 3 million. Curfews were enforced; members of opposing forces trapped in the city were hanged; oil refineries were confiscated. Many civilians fled.

Sunni and Shia branches of Islam have long been in conflict, which played out in violent clashes in Iraq in 2006. ISIS grew out of the Sunni branch. Under its rule, Shia Muslims and members of other religions who did not convert risked imprisonment or even death.



The operation to retake Mosul has been a success, but it has come at a heavy price of destruction and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians, especially from West Mosul. At the start of the operation, Iraqi government forces encouraged civilians to stay in their homes, to raise white flags or to even help fight ISIS. But as the violence increased and ISIS resorted to tactics such as suicide and car bombings, the government switched its approach and created safe corridors to get as many people out as possible. Among the houses that had been bombed into rubble, the booby traps and IEDs in the streets, civilians trying to escape risked being shot by snipers if they were seen.

And amid growing concern that ISIS may have left behind sleeper cells or disguised its fighters among the innocent civilians, Iraqi troops have had to impose more rigorous screening of the massive waves of displaced people on the move in and out of Mosul.

A Iraqi forces soldier stands outside the remains of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri, blown up weeks ago. (Ash Gallagher for Yahoo News)

Soldiers told Yahoo News that some of the civilians escaping were turning in their own family members  pointing to brothers, husbands, children or cousins as fighters for ISIS.

Near the base that hosts one of Iraqs counterterrorism units, a flood of displaced people came around a small hill that leads to the Old City. People fleeing from the fight, mostly women and children, made their way toward security forces, who questioned them and checked them for hidden explosives.

Two women approached with toddlers who had light-colored eyes and whose pale skin didnt match their mothers complexion. They looked eastern European, and the Iraqi soldiers demanded to know who their mothers really were. They women said they were. The soldiers asked about the identity of the fathers. The women didnt answer. Since they appeared to be unarmed, the Iraqi soldiers let them pass. But they made comments about Iraqi children getting lighter and sneered about ISIS having brought in foreign fighters  likely from Russia or former Soviet Union countries that have a majority Muslim population.

The men who came down the hill stripped to the waist to show they did not have bombs strapped to their chests.

Most of the displaced only had the clothes on their backs and showed signs of dehydration and malnutrition. Their faces were filled with both relief and fear. One woman cried her children were dying of hunger and that God would get revenge on ISIS for what they did to her family.

Displaced people fleeing Mosul are questioned and checked with hidden explosives by Iraqi security forces. (Ash Gallagher for Yahoo News)

-

But on a day when Prime Minister Abadi was seeking to encourage his people, his declaration of victory after the long battle provided some hope and relief. After his praise of the Federal Police, celebrations broke out in the streets, children danced with Iraqi flags, women created hijabs from Iraqi flags out of pride and soldiers in armored vehicles took selfies with their friends.

For the Special Forces, the fight against ISIS in Iraqi is not over, and certainly, Mosul will not be totally safe again for a long time. ISIS has not been eradicated. It still has a strong hold in cities like Tal Afar, Hawija, and there have been incidents of violence in the province of Kirkuk.

The soldiers will have to fight again another day. There are still ISIS fighters in Tal Afar, Hawija and other places in Iraq. But they have pushed hard in the battle against a determined enemy who used civilians as human shields.

For those who survived the long occupation, it will be years before they are able to say the fight is over. They now face steep challenges in rebuilding their homes, or finding work in a shattered economy, or living with their faith and hoping to preserve the memory of the prosperous city they once called home.

_____

Ash Gallagher is a journalist covering the Mideast for Yahoo News.

Read more from Yahoo News:
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

Pictures of the Iraqi soldiers celebrating their defeat of Isis in Mosul marked a milestone in the fight against the Islamist group but it was also a victory for Barack Obama's strategy in the region, a senior Pentagon official has said.

While the Iraqi armed forces staged an exhausting nine-month siege around the city of Mosul, the US-led air campaign in Iraq and Syria initiated by the former president appears to have proved successful in weakening Isis forces.

The US and its allies, including but not limited to the UK, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey, also provided continual training and advised proxy local forces without sending their own troops into action.

Pentagon officials told the AFP news agency that the outcome in Mosul was clear and that the Iraqi military had become a battle-hardened army which eventually prevailed.

One senior US military official who was deployed to Iraq from 2015 said the "training worked".

"It has enabled the Iraqis to take back their country," he said.

In 2014, when Isis invaded Iraq, security forces in the country were weak and seemed unable to cope with the Isis threat.

Before the coalition came in to provide training, an officer speaking to the AFP said Iraqi troops would often run without a fight, abandoning US-provided weaponry "surprising even Isis".

"We needed an army that could fight conventionally," the officer said.

Last week, Donald Trump reportedly rejected the US military's plan for tackling Isis because it was too similar to Barack Obama's. Reports said the White House had asked officials to come up with new proposals in order to show Mr Trump's different approach to his predecessor.

This came as Iraqi forces were confident they were driving out Isis from its Mosul stronghold and opposition forces also surrounded an Isis bastion in the city of Raqqa in Syria.

Fifty Isis leaders are reported to have been killed by US special forces since Mr Trump took office in January, fewer than the 80 assassinated in the last six months of Mr Obama's presidency.

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In 2014, public opinion, influenced by the 2003 Iraq invasion, was against the US sending combat troops into Iraq or Syria.

Instead, Mr Obama ordered advisors to train local forces in a strategy known in the Pentagon as "by, with and through".

Coalition advisers were sent to Iraq to train the military on conventional warfare including fighting in small units, setting up defences and breeching minefields.

By the end of 2015, Iraqi forces began striking back at Isis with Shia militiamen and Iraqi government forces recapturing the city of Ramadi in December.

As of July this year, the US-led coalition had trained about 106,000 Iraqi security forces, including 40,000 Iraqi troops, 15,000 police, 6,000 border guards, 21,000 Kurdish peshmerga, 14,000 from the elite Counter Terrorism Service and another 9,500 "tribal mobilisation forces", according to the AFP.

The nine-month siege to recapture Mosul started in October last year and Brian McKeon, a senior Pentagon policy official, said the Obama strategy worked but not as quickly as had been hoped.

In recent months, air strikes against Isis have increased from an average of 440 a month in the second half of 2016 to just under 800 a month now.

The strategy rolled out by Mr Obama has so far seen few changes under the Trump administration although the US President repeatedly said he would publish a new comprehensive plan for defeating Isis.

During his campaign, he said he had an "absolute way of defeating Isis" but never gave further details.

In 2015, he said there was "a method for defeating them quickly and effectively and having total victory". In September last year, he had a different approach and said he planned to give his top generals 30 days to come up with a proposal for "soundly and quickly defeating Isis".

As the US shies away from full-deployments of troops on the ground, the strategy carried out in Iraq could become increasingly important for the US.

Reports suggest Mr Trump delayed revealing his plan to tackle Isis in order to ensure they were different enough from Mr Obama's.

So far, changes to the strategy have included delegating responsibility for authorising air strikes and special forces mission whereas Mr Obama had been directly involved in signing off operations. Mr Trump has also ramped up operations against Isis and its affiliates in Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia.

Similar tactics to the ones set-out in Iraq under the Obama administration were already being employed in Syria, where coalition officials have trained a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces to fight against Isis.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel has backtracked after calling on Hungary to halt a poster campaign targeting George Soros, saying it stands against anti-Semitism but that criticism of the US billionaire is also legitimate.

On Saturday, Israel's ambassador in Budapest Yossi Amrani issued a statement criticising the poster campaign that Jewish leaders say stoked anti-Semitism.

The posters show a large picture of the Hungarian-born Jewish emigre laughing, alongside the text: "Let's not leave Soros the last laugh", a reference to government claims that the 86-year-old wants to force Hungary to allow in migrants.

The campaign is the fourth media blitz by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government this year against Brussels or Soros for their alleged attacks on Hungary's hardline anti-immigration stance.

Since the latest posters appeared on billboards and at public spaces last week, several incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti daubed on them have been reported.

"It's our moral responsibility to raise a voice and call on the relevant authorities to exert their power and put an end to this cycle," Amrani said in a statement.

"I call on those involved in the current billboard campaign and those responsible for it to reconsider the consequences.

"At the moment, beyond political criticism of a certain person, the campaign not only evokes sad memories but also sows hatred and fear."

But late Sunday -- reportedly at the request of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office -- Israel's foreign ministry issued a separate "clarification".

Israel's right-wing accuses Soros of backing human rights groups critical of the government.

Netanyahu, who heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in his country's history, is also to visit Hungary on July 18, the first such trip by an Israeli premier since the EU member's transition from communism in 1989.

"Israel deplores any expression of anti-Semitism in any country and stands with Jewish communities everywhere in confronting this hatred," the foreign ministry statement said.

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"This was the sole purpose of the statement issued by Israel's ambassador to Hungary.

"In no way was the statement meant to delegitimise criticism of George Soros, who continuously undermines Israel's democratically elected governments by funding organisations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself."

Soros's Open Society Foundations had not immediately responded to a request for comment.
Ofer Military Prison (Territoires palestiniens) (AFP) - Prominent Palestinian activist Issa Amro went on trial in an Israeli military court Sunday on accusations of inciting violence, charges rights groups call a bid to silence him.

The trial began at the Ofer military court in the occupied West Bank, but was adjourned until October 22 after two witnesses testified.

Amro is the founder of Youth Against Settlements, a campaign group in the city of Hebron in the West Bank.

In June 2016, he was charged with 18 counts, some dating back to 2010, according to Amnesty International.

Speaking to reporters outside the court, the 37-year-old called the trial a "joke" and said he had no trust that Israel's military justice system would treat him fairly.

His lawyer Gaby Lasky told reporters the "Israeli military cannot stop non-violent demonstrations with weapons, so they're doing it through criminalisation of ... freedom of speech and freedom of demonstration."

An Israeli military spokesman has said evidence would be presented that Amro had "taken part in riots, attacks on soldiers, calls to violence, and prevented security forces from doing their work".

Two soldiers took the stand on Sunday and testified about a demonstration on February 26, 2016.

Amro and Fareed Al Atrash, another activist, are said to have "incited violence" in that demonstration.

"I think we proved it wasn't an illegal demonstration and it was not a violent demonstration, and incitement is not carrying slogans" critical of Israel's occupation, Lasky told reporters.

Amnesty International has said the charges against Amro do not "stand up to any scrutiny."

"If he is convicted, we will consider Issa Amro a prisoner of conscience," Amnesty's Magdalena Mughrabi said previously.
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in southern Japan has risen to 15, a government official said Saturday, as rescuers continued work to evacuate isolated survivors.

Raging rivers overflowing with water and mud have devastated swathes of Kyushu -- the southernmost of Japan's four main islands -- after heavy rainfall, sweeping away roads and houses and destroying schools.

Thousands of rescuers have been fighting through thick mud and battling rain to search for missing and stranded people, with more than 500 believed to still be cut off, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters early Saturday that the death toll "rose to 15" and 16 people were still missing.

Local governments announced Friday that a total of eight people have died.

"The region is expected to see a localised heavy rain today," Suga said, advising local residents to gather information from the governments and media.

Separately, three women were found dead at the sea facing Saga prefecture, near the hard-hit Fukuoka prefecture city of Asakura, NHK said, adding that they were likely the victims of the heavy rain.

Deep mud and soaked ground on steep hillsides as well as knocked-out bridges have hampered rescue work.

TV footage has shown rescuers strapping people to cables to be lifted up to helicopters and ferried to safety in evacuation shelters.

Broken trees, their bark stripped away, littered the scenic and verdant landscape like broken matchsticks as thick clouds hovered over green mountains.

Aerial TV footage on Friday showed desperate residents of one isolated area using uprooted trees to spell out "SOS" for rescuers to see.

Fallen trees smashed into houses in Asakura, which saw more than 50 centimetres (almost 20 inches) of rain in a 12-hour period to Wednesday night.

"My parents are still trapped with 16 other people in the Kurogawa area and I have absolutely no information about the situation there," Asakura resident Kayoko Ishibashi told AFP Friday, referring to a district in the city.

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"So I can only wait here in the hope that they will be rescued by helicopter," she added. "It's the same for everyone here."

The government has dispatched some 12,000 police, military, firefighters and coast guard personnel for rescue operations.

Japan's Imperial Household Agency said that out of consideration for the disaster-hit region, Emperor Akihito's eldest granddaughter Princess Mako and her fiance decided to postpone Saturday's scheduled formal announcement of their engagement.
This man claims to have been reprimanded at work for wearing makeup. (Photo: Spotted Portsmouth/Facebook)

A few of the usual reasons for being reprimanded at work include showing up late everyday, repeatedly dropping the ball on assignments, or violating a dress code. But for one man in Portsmouth, England, a full face of makeup allegedly landed him in hot water with his manager, and he isnt at all happy about it. In fact, hes called it out on social media as discrimination.

The Spotted Portsmouth, a Facebook group that shares anonymous story submissions, shared a post from the young man in question, who shared a photo of himself but no name or details about where he works. His clearly frustrated story began with an explanation that there is not a makeup policy at his job, and comment about how many women coworkers wear more makeup than he does.

Ive been working here for about 8/9months and Ive never been reprimanded on my make-up before, he noted. Actually quite the opposite some mangers have supported me and complimented my make-up. However recently weve had to go under new management. Earlier on in the week I came to work as my fabulous self and was told to take off my make-up. I was quite shocked After I refused, Im getting told to tone it down? He added, I felt this was discriminatory?

*ATTENTION* Posted for a follower:Before I explain my frustrations, you need to bear in mind that There isn't any Posted by Spotted Portsmouth on Monday, July 10, 2017

While a post from a man emboldened enough to stand up for his desire to wear a full face of makeup at work may have been unheard of even five years ago, the rise of male cosmetics stars including James Charles, Jeffree Star and Manny Gutierrez has certainly changed the beauty landscape. And people have gotten the memo, as, in less than 24 hours, the anonymous post has already picked up more than 500 comments and lots of traction from supporters labeling this shared experience as discrimination and unfair.

As one person noted, They cannot enforce this without either implementing a no makeup rule for all employees, or leaving themselves open to an employment tribunal for discrimination. You carry on being your fabulous self! Another chimed, Utterly fail to understand how anyone can have a problem with this.

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Others couldnt get enough of how great the unidentified man looked writing supporting comments such as, You look wonderful! Your makeup is on point and should be celebrated and you look fresh faced and fabulous.

While the identification of the person behind the story could not be verified, it raises an interesting point, as have other situations over the years. Is such discrimination even legal? That depends on the companys policy details. According to the U.S.-based non-profit Workplace Fairness, employers can regulate clothing, piercings, tattoos, makeup, nails, hair, and more  but points out that these dress codes are not legal if they are discriminatory, especially when an unfair burden is put on one gender.

Cases like the one called out in England have made headlines over the years  including one that began in 2014, when transgender teen Capri (nee Chase) Culpepper was forced to remove makeup before taking a DMV photo; it resulted in a federal sexual discrimination lawsuit that Culpepper wound up winning, and which forced the DMV to change it policy regarding makeup wearing, making it acceptable regardless of gender.

Years before that, a young Ohio boy was banned from school for wearing makeup, with justice not exactly being served in that situation.

Will the sexual discrimination saga continue against men and young boys wearing makeup in public places? If so, at what cost and why?

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.




Kellye Pummills deceased daughter, Marissa Pummill, was able to walk down the aisle in spirit this summer as Troy Westover, who was saved by Marissas liver, walked his daughter down the aisle.

Pummill, who attended the Idaho wedding on June 16, said it was bittersweet to watch the moment.

Read: Judge Gives a Kidney to Her Best Friend, Who's Also a Judge

Marissa will never be able to walk down the aisle but she was obviously there in spirit through Troy, Pummill told InsideEdition.com.

Westover, 43, was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2014 and doctors told him he had two days to two weeks to live.

He went from healthy one day to not being coherent the next day. I broke down and cried and we called all of our family together, Karen Westover, Troy Westovers wife, told InsideEdition.com.

Westover was then put on the donors list.

Marissa took her own life less than two weeks later and her organs were donated to Westover and five other individuals.

When he got his transplant, the doctors told us it was from a 21-year-old female. It wasnt until we got a card from Kellye two months after transplant that we found out more about Marissa, Karen Westover told InsideEdition.com. A year after that we found each other and started having contact with one another.

Westover's own brother had taken his own life so she knew what it was to live through it.

When Troy Westovers daughter, Kiasa VanCleave, 20, began inviting people to her wedding, she knew she wanted to personally invite Pummill.

Pummill, who lives in Arizona, flew to Idaho, where she was finally able to meet the family her daughter had helped.

It was beautiful," Pummill said. "Everyone welcomed me in like they had known me forever. They felt like family and I fit in immediately."

VanCleave made sure that Marissas memory was honored on her big day. She had a charm with a picture of Marissa attached to her bouquet, which she gave to Pummill on a necklace after the wedding.

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Read: Boy Who Spent 99 Days in ICU Waiting for Heart Transplant Meets Donor's Family

Marissas dog was also present at the wedding, clad in a little tuxedo.

Knowing that Marissa had given the gift that she did, Kellye was on the front row with all the family. She immediately felt like family to us, Westover said. It was amazing to see all of that happen and have Kellye there. It meant the world to us.

Watch: 92-Year-Old Grandma Wows Guests as Flower Girl in Wedding With Decorated Walker

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Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaks to a journalist in Moscow, November 2016. (Photo: Yury Martyanov/Kommersant Photo via AP)

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya reportedly lured Donald Trump Jr. and other members of his fathers presidential campaign team to a meeting at Trump Tower last June with the promise of providing compromising information on Hillary Clinton.

Veselnitskaya has denied any affiliation with the Russian government. A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters Monday that the lawyers name wasnt even known in the Kremlin. So who is this latest player now at the center of the ever-changing accounts of ties between the Trump campaign and Russia?

According to an affidavit she submitted to U.S. District court in Manhattan last year on an unrelated matter, Veselnitskaya has been practicing law in Russia since she graduated from the Moscow State Legal Academy with a degree in jurisprudence in 1998.

For three years following graduation, Veselnitskaya said, she worked in the Moscow Prosecutors Office, overseeing the legality of statutes that were adopted by legislators of Moscow Oblast, before forming her own private law offices in 2003.

Among my clients are large state-owned private corporations, as well as clients from the real estate and banking sectors, read the affidavit. I represent victims in many criminal cases involving economic crimes.

Included on her roster of more high-profile clients is Denis Katsyv, the son of state-owned Russian Railways vice president Petr Katsyv, and himself the owner of a Cyprus-based investment firm called Prevezon Holdings.

At the time of her fateful meeting at Trump Tower with Donald Trump Jr.; Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner; and Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, Veselnitskaya was a member of Katsyvs legal team defending Prevezon against charges of money laundering brought by then-Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. The complaint alleged a scheme by Russian politicians and New York real estate figures to conceal as much as $230 million.

Bharara was fired by President Trump in March. In May, days before the Prevezon trial was set to begin, the U.S. agreed to settle the case with the company in exchange for a civil forfeiture of $5.9 million.

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This settlement is nothing short of a victory for Prevezon, Faith Gay, an attorney for the company, told Bloomberg at the time. Its almost an apology by the government.

Donald Trump Jr. campaigns for his father, then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, in Gilbert, Ariz., just before the 2016 election. (Photo: Matt York/AP)

While defending Katsyv, Veselnitskaya had a run-in with immigration officials. In the affidavit mentioned above, Veselnitskaya said she had been denied a visa to enter the U.S. for her work on the Prevezon case but ultimately received a parole letter temporarily permitting her to enter the country.

Veselnitskaya claimed she was harassed by the U.S. government, detained for two hours and strip-searched by security officers at Londons Heathrow Airport while traveling back to the U.S. following a brief trip to the U.K. in November 2015.

I should not be subjected to such humiliation when I have been promised entry into the United States to defend against the scandalous accusations in this lawsuit on behalf of my clients, she stated in the January 2016 affidavit, which she said had been translated for her as she does not read or write in English. She argued that she should be able to remain in the country for the duration of the Prevezon case.

According to the New York Times story, however, the FBI had been keeping an eye on Veselnitskaya, who has been a leader in Russias efforts to overturn the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 law that created a blacklist of Russian officials suspected of human rights abuses, who are not permitted to enter the United States or use its banks.

Veselnitskaya was reportedly instrumental in creating the Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation (HRAGIF), a Delaware-based lobbying organization led by Rinat Akhmetshin, a former Soviet officer-turned-D.C. lobbyist who has been accused of working for Russias military intelligence agency, GRU.

In addition to repealing the Magnitsky Act  named for Russian whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, who died mysteriously in prison after exposing the massive tax fraud and corruption scheme that was at the center of the U.S. case against Prevezon  HRAGIFs objectives include presenting a more favorable (to the Kremlin) account of Magnitskys death and opposing passage of additional measures in the U.S. Congress aimed at Russian corruption.

Veselnitskaya was allegedly involved in orchestrating U.S. screenings of an anti-Magnitsky film in June 2016, the same month she reportedly sought a meeting with then-presidential candidate Donald Trumps oldest son.

Though Putin has been a vocal opponent of the Magnitsky Act since it was first considered in Congress, the Kremlin has denied any connection to Veselnitskaya, insisting that it was not even aware of her name.

Veselnitskaya did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Yahoo News, but she told the New York Times in a statement that she had never acted on behalf of the Russian government. She also denied discussing anything related to the presidential campaign during her meeting at Trump Tower  contradicting Trump Jr.s own account of the meeting.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Kiev (AFP) - NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg pledged support for Ukraine during a visit to Kiev on Monday, as the ex-Soviet republic battles a bloody insurgency by pro-Russian separatists in the east.

More than 10,000 people have been killed since a Russian-backed rebellion against the pro-EU government in Kiev erupted in April 2014.

Ukraine and the West accuse Moscow of smuggling weapons and troops across the porous border in support of the separatists, a charge has repeatedly denied.

"Russia has maintained its aggressive actions against Ukraine, but NATO and NATO allies stand by Ukraine and stand on your side," Stoltenberg said at the NATO-Ukraine Commission session in Kiev.

"Russia must withdraw its thousands of soldiers from Ukraine and stop supporting the militants," he added during a press conference with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine and Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 have driven ties between Moscow and the West to their lowest point since the Cold War.

"We are also here to demonstrate NATO's solidarity with Ukraine and our firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of your country," Stoltenberg said.

"NATO allies do not and will not recognise Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea."

The NATO chief's trip came a day after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a maiden visit to Kiev and urged Moscow to take the "first step" to ease the conflict in Ukraine's east.

The US and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Russia, although Moscow has denied backing the rebels.

- Path to membership? -

Ukraine sees NATO accession as a way to bolster its defences against former master Moscow.

In June, Ukraine's parliament voted to back attempts by the nation to seek membership of the 29-member bloc.

It approved legal amendments enshrining membership in NATO as a foreign policy priority.

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But the Kremlin has long been angered by NATO expansion into what Moscow views as its sphere of influence in the former Soviet region.

"It (Ukraine's rapprochement with NATO) will not contribute to the strengthening of stability and security on the European continent," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Moreover, Kiev has yet to officially apply to start the lengthy and politically challenging process of joining the US-led alliance.

Poroshenko explained that embattled Ukraine was eager to join the bloc, but painful political and economic reforms need to be implemented before the country was ready to lay out its claims on membership.

"We are determined to reforms... to meet the membership criteria," Poroshenko told journalists.

"NATO will continue to support Ukraine on the path towards closer relationships with NATO," Stoltenberg added.
(SEOUL, South Korea)  North Korean state media have sharply criticized a recent practice bombing run by two U.S. B-1B bombers on the Korean peninsula, calling it a dangerous move raising the risk of nuclear war.

A commentary Sunday in the ruling partys Rodong Sinmun newspaper accused the U.S. of reckless military provocations and said the danger of nuclear war is reaching an extreme pitch. The commentary was reported on in English by the state Korean Central News Agency.

Two U.S. Air Force bombers released inert weapons Friday on a training range in South Korea. South Korean F-15 and U.S. F-16 fighter jets joined them in the drill. The bombers also flew with Japanese F-2 fighter jets over the East China Sea on their way back to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.

The 10-hour mission came three days after North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile on Fourth of July, Americas Independence Day. President Donald Trump and the leaders of South Korea and Japan, meeting during the G-20 summit in Germany, issued a joint statement condemning the launch.

U.S. military officials described the bomber mission as a defensive show of force and unity that demonstrated the ironclad U.S. commitment to our allies.
Mr Cruz says he's fine with repealing Obamacare now and figuring out a replacement later: Getty Images / Chip Somodevilla

A man who was one one of the staunchest critics of Donald Trump on the 2016 campaign trail says that he agrees with the President that Congress should repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement plan if needed.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz made the statement on ABCs This Week with George Stephanopoulos, during a busy morning for the Republican who hit several Sunday programmes to talk about health care policy.

If we can't get this done right now, I agree with the President, Mr Cruz, who has emerged as one of the leading negotiators during the Republican effort to repeal and replace Obama care, said. Then let's honour the promise on repeal and spend more time to get it done.

Republican efforts in the Senate to repeal and replace Obamacare seem to have become increasingly imperilled after the party spent seven years decrying the signature health bill pushed for and passed by former President Barack Obama. Mr Cruzs comments came just a day before Congress is set to reconvene with their sites on cobbling together a deal  but Republican senators appear to be increasingly wary of the potential impact that proposed replacement bills could have on rural America.

There have been at least 10 Republican defectors to the plan, after North Dakota Senator John Hoeven signalled last week that he couldnt support the current version of the bill.

Senators with large rural populations have expressed concern that hospitals  which often are major sources of jobs in those types of communities  would be negatively impacted by the healthcare bill.

The seemingly imminent collapse of the Republican healthcare repeal and replace bill has led Senate Majority Leader to signal that he may be open to working with Democrats on short-term measures to stabilise insurance markets that Republicans contend are on the verge of collapse.
Istanbul (AFP) - Oil and gas will remain central to the world's supply of energy for decades to come, the chief executive of giant producer Saudi Aramco said Monday, urging market players to ensure energy security by bolstering faltering investment.

Oil major bosses and energy ministers are meeting at the World Petroleum Congress in Istanbul, with the outlook clouded by the low price of crude oil, currently trading at around 45 dollars a barrel compared with a peak of over 145 dollars in 2008.

This has driven down investment to record lows, while oil majors are also grappling with the new importance of unconventional sources like shale and renewables.

The decision announced last week by Volvo to phase out production of petrol-only cars from 2019 in favour of electric has also sent ripples of concern around the industry.

The chief of the Saudi Arabian energy giant, Amin Nasser, said that there is "widespread agreement" that even as the world moves to greater use of renewables over fossil fuels, "petroleum will continue to be the heart of the energy mix."

He said that while "expectations for alternatives are through the roof," history shows that energy transitions to different sources tend to be "long and complex processes".

"The renewables still have major challenges, they do not compete with oil. It takes a long time for new fuels to seize market share," he said, noting that electric cars would also still need time to take off.

With the global economy forecast to grow sharply as populations increase, he said it is a "mistaken assumption that alternatives will be rapidly deployed".

"Rising demand for all sources of energy -- with oil and gas at the heart of the mix -- will be the reality for decades to come," he said.

- 'Shying away from investment' -

But he warned that the tens of billions of dollars lost in deferred and cancelled investment since the current spate of low oil prices began risked harming consumers in the long-run.

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"Financial investors are shying away from making much-needed investment," Nasser said, warning that without higher investment levels "energy transition and energy security may be fatally compromised."

"New discoveries are also on a major downward trend," Nasser added, urging industry players to create a "compelling narrative" for increased investment.

The downturn has blown a major hole in the budgets of key OPEC and non-OPEC producers, reliant on robust oil prices for healthy finances.

Nasser confirmed that to counter the sliding investment trend, Saudi Aramco plans to invest some $300 billion in the coming years and was also looking at diversifying its own business.

"The continuing market volatility is a powerful reminder that we must transform our own business model," he said.

Nasser said that by 2030 Saudi Arabia should be "nothing less than a powerhouse" for solar power and Aramco would play a full part in this.

The chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell, Ben van Beurden, said the sector faced a huge challenge in the years to come, needing to meet "higher energy demands for a growing population" while also reducing greenhouse emissions in line with the Paris Agreement on combating climate change.

He hailed the fact there have already been "huge advances" in the field of renewables, with costs predicted to fall further for wind and solar energy.
Police tape is shown around a house. Authorities are still investigating a shooting in Colerain Township, Ohio that injured eight: Scott Olson/Getty Images

A 911 recording reveals the chaos and terror in a Ohio familys home during a Saturday night shooting that reportedly killed two  including a mothers unborn foetus.

Authorities say a Cincinnati family was hosting a party for the 21-year-old expectant mother when two men dressed in hoodies barged into the house and opened fire.

It was one after the other, like they went in there and they unloaded as many bullets as they possibly could and then ran off," a neighbour told local news station WLWT News 5.

The pregnant woman's cousin, 24-year-old Autum Garrett, was killed in the shooting. Eight others were injured, including three children ages 11, 8, and 2, a Colerain Township Police spokesman told The Independent.

A 911 call obtained by WCPO Cincinnati begins a with a woman wailing indiscriminately, as others scream in the background.

A man takes the phone and tells the dispatcher: "There's a whole lot of people here shot  We were all in here watching TV; They just ran in and started shooting everybody."

Later, he tells the dispatcher he has been shot too.

"Why would somebody come do this?" he asks.

Another call came from a woman who said she was a neighbour.

Some lady just banged on my door. Shes been shot, she told the dispatcher.

Asked for the age of the woman, she responded: What does it matter? People are dying.

A friend who had been at the party earlier told WLWT that she returned after hearing the gun shots, which she thought were fireworks. She entered the house to find a young boy lying on the floor, bleeding and crying. She wrapped him in her shirt and applied pressure as she waited for authorities to arrive.

We're now at the scene of the shooting. The crime scene tape is down and investigators are moving in and around the home on Capstan. @WCPO pic.twitter.com/vO51hIWC6z  Kristen Swilley (@KristenSwilley) July 9, 2017

The children are being treated at Cincinnati Children's Medical Centre. Five adult victims are also being treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Centre. All are expected to live, though one is in serious condition, a police spokesman said.

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Family members told multiple media outlets that the pregnant woman was shot in the leg, and that her foetus did not survive. Police have not confirmed this report. According to the family, the mother had planned to reveal the gender of her foetus at the party.

Police currently do not have suspects in the shooting.

I would like nothing more in my position to be able to stand up here and tell the community they have absolutely nothing to worry about, Colerain Township Police Chief Mark Denney said at a press conference on Sunday, but Im not going to provide statements or information thats false just to make people feel better.
A revolution is about to take off here in Wisconsin, a revolution of common people against a political system fundamentally compromised by the fact it is now legal for aristocrats to bribe politicians and judges as long as they call it something else.

Working people everywhere, in the cities and in the country, are beginning to realize that we have more in common with each other than with those who control our elections and determine our laws.

Imagine a candidate for governor committed to outlawing legalized bribery and politicized redistricting, a candidate who would refuse any campaign donation over $200, a commoner like us who would refuse to live in the governors mansion or to accept a salary that is more than what the average Wisconsin worker makes.

Imagine a candidate you could trust to close Gov. Scott Walkers unnecessary loopholes for the rich and to use those billions to serve the common good, say by funding K-16 public education and BadgerCare for all.

Imagine a candidate who would finally legalize and tax marijuana, and who would use those revenues to rebuild our states crumbling infrastructure.

Imagine a candidate whos spent most of his adult life exposing corruption in Wisconsin politics, whos written a book that is an eloquent tour de force on the history of Wisconsin politics and how to right whats gone wrong.

Imagine a candidate who can be trusted to serve our common interests and not the interests of the oligarchy.

Imagine Mike McCabe for governor.
President Bill Clinton made a surprise appearance on Spike TV's roast of Alec Baldwin -- One Night Only: Alec Baldwin. Most of the night was filled with Alec's family, friends, and co-stars taking shots at the legendary actor. Although, it was inevitable that Donald Trump would be roasted too, especially when President Clinton took the stage. President Clinton started by saying that his appearance was a surprise, but he wasn't sure if Alec would be that excited about it. "Tonight he's stuck with a boring former president trapped in the reality-based world," Clinton said, "I wouldn't know an alternative fact if it hit me in the face." The 42nd President of the United States then talked about how Alec ran for student body president while attending George Washington University. Clinton joked that Alec took the "then-classic path from politics into soap operas," adding, "And now that we know it works the other way around, you need to think about running again. You'll probably win the next time." President Clinton wasn't the only one making Trump jokes, Robert De Niro was impressed by Baldwin's Trump impression. De Niro said, "Since the presidential campaign, Alec's career has gone through the roof. Finding new fame playing an old, sad, embittered, volatile, crazy man. He also does a great Trump impression."
A Federal Court of Appeal in Philadelphia on Thursday ruled police can be filmed while they are carrying out their duties in public, according to a press release issued by the American Civil Liberties Union. While the decision is not the first of its kind, it is a significant landmark as it is now legal in a majority of the states in the U.S. to film the police on First Amendment grounds.

The courts ruling came after hearing the case of Rick Fields who was arrested in 2013 when he recorded Philadelphia police breaking up a party and the detention of Amanda Geraci who was kept in custody by the citys police while observing and photographing an anti-fracking protest outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center in 2012.

Read: Can The President Block Twitter Users From Following Him? First Amendment Suggests He Cannot

This judgment overturned the verdict of a previous federal trial court which said that there was no constitutional right to video record police when the act of recording is unaccompanied by challenge or criticism of the police conduct. The court did not decide back then whether there would be such a right if the challenge or criticism were present, says a 2016 Washington Post report about the verdict.

The three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit also acknowledged that the First Amendment right was established by five other appeals courts in cases similar to Fields and Geracis. According to the Washington Post, the decision makes it clear that the First Amendment right to record the police is clearly established in the Third Circuit.

While it is indeed legal under the First Amendment to photograph, film or record police officers going about their duties in public, the court also concluded that plaintiffs engaged in conduct only (the act of making a recording) as opposed to expressive conduct (using the recording to criticize the police or otherwise comment on officers actions) do not face criminal penalties.

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Another setback to such civil rights suits is that law enforcement agents are protected by the qualified immunity doctrine, meaning that they cannot be sued for acting in a manner they reasonably believed to be lawful.

The First, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuit courts that have addressed this issue over the years have held that there is a First Amendment right to record police activity in public.

Watch: Video Captures Police Officers Rescuing Dogs From 167-Degree Car

According to a 2015 report in NPR, eyewitnesses can film police activity as long as you do not cause interference to the polices duty of law enforcement. While it is not clear what actions can be called interference, the gray area includes determining at what distance the eyewitnesses should stand with their cameras so as to not get in the way of police.

The matter has taken a center stage as an increasing number of video clips of police encounters with unarmed black men and women have begun to circulate rapidly on social media. The initiation of the Black Lives Matter movement can also be attributed to this increasing role of technology in law enforcement by the police.

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A new survey from the Pew Research Center finds that a majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (58 percent) now think that colleges and universities are having a negative impact on the United States. Thats up from 45 percent last year.

For comparison, most Democrats and Democratic leaners (72 percent) think that institutions of higher learning are having a positive effect on the country, which is consistent with poll results from recent years.

Republican positions on colleges and universities changed drastically over a relatively short period.

Less than two years ago, in September 2015, 54 percent of Republicans thought colleges and universities were having a positive impact on the U.S. Only 37 percent thought otherwise. Last year, Republicans were split on the impact of these schools (43 percent positive versus 45 percent negative).

This is the first time a majority of Republicans expressed disapproval of higher education since the Pew Research Center started asking this question in 2010.

Between 2015 and 2017, Republicans with positive views of higher educations impact on the nation dropped 18 percentage points, from 54 to 36 percent. The drop affected most demographic and ideological groups within the Republican Party. There was little change in opinion based on the level of educational achievement.

Demonstrators protest a visit by Corey Lewandowski, President Trumps former campaign manager, at the University of Chicago on Feb. 15. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Large majorities of Democrats, on the other hand, viewed the impact of colleges on the U.S. positively, though there was a slightly higher percentage among those with more education.

It should come as no surprise to anyone reading contemporary conservative literature that Republican voters have issues with the current state of higher education. Attacks on free speech, political bias among professors and demonstrations seeking to cancel invitations to speakers with unpopular views have all become talking points among conservative pundits. Among the right, safe spaces, trigger warnings and micro-aggressions have become shorthand for thin-skinned liberal students who cannot handle opposing points of view.

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The official 2016 Republican Party Platform outlines several of the GOPs objections to American higher education. It says the excellence of the current university system is undermined by a deeply entrenched ideological bias.

According to the platform, trustees at state schools have a responsibility to taxpayers to ensure that their investment is not abused for political indoctrination.

We call on state officials to preserve our public colleges, universities, and trade schools as places of learning and the exchange of ideas, not zones of intellectual intolerance or safe zones, as if college students need protection from the free exchange of ideas, it reads. A students First Amendment rights do not end at the schoolhouse gates. Colleges, universities, and trade schools must not infringe on their freedom of speech and association in the name of political correctness.

The Republican platform also condemns the unsustainable trajectory of rising tuition costs. Citing the crisis of student debt and college graduate underemployment, the platform calls on public policymakers to acknowledge that other options  such as technical institutions and online schools  may be preferable to traditional universities for some students.

A demonstration on Jan. 20 at the University of Washington, where far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos was giving a speech. (Photo: Ted S. Warren/AP)

The GOP opposes the federal governments role in providing student loans and argues that this contributes to the problem of high prices.

For contrast, the official 2016 Democratic Party Platform does not mention political bias on college campuses and claims that a postsecondary degree is increasingly required for jobs that pay middle-class wages. Just like the Republicans, the Democrats express frustration with exorbitant tuition prices, but they offer different solutions.

The Democratic platform calls on schools to hold the line on costs while the federal government makes bold new investments. It also outlines its intentions to provide student debt relief, support universities that traditionally serve minority communities and crack down on predatory for-profit schools.

Robert L. Shibley, the executive director of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), said Americans traditionally see universities as bastions of free speech and that schools are conspicuously failing to live up to this ideal, which is leading to a loss of confidence in those institutions.

I think its because we saw that rash of incidents with conservative and libertarian speakers in the spring, it makes sense that people with those views or close to them would be quicker to lose confidence in whether or not colleges are serving their function and helping the country, Shibley told Yahoo News.

In March, students at Middlebury College in Vermont successfully shut down a speech by controversial author Charles Murray. The University of California, Berkeley, canceled speeches by conservative firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos in February and right-wing pundit Ann Coulter in April following protests. The violent demonstrations against Yiannopoulos caused $100,000 in damage to the campus, catching national media attention.

University of California, Berkeley, police on Feb. 1 guarding the building where Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos was to speak. (Photo: Ben Margot/AP)

Shibley said FIRE defends First Amendment rights on college campuses, which include free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association and freedom of expression.

Certainly weve been watching this growth recently in violent reactions to speakers coming on campuses, he said. And in some cases, like in Evergreen State, weve been concerned to see this growth in violent or intolerant reactions to people who dissent from the campus mainstream.

Its not just conservatives who take issue with the trend of silencing dissenting voices on college campuses.

In September 2015, then-President Barack Obama criticized liberals who maybe even agree with me on a bunch of issues but are not willing to listen to conservative voices. Ive heard of some college campuses where they dont want to have a guest speaker who is too conservative. Or they dont want to read a book if it has language that is offensive to African-Americans. Or somehow sends a demeaning signal towards women, Obama said at a town hall in Des Moines, Iowa.

At the end of that school year, in May 2016, Obama rebuked students from the graduating class of Rutgers University in New Jersey for having successfully pressured former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to drop her scheduled commencement address at the schools graduation two years earlier.

I dont think its a secret that I disagree with many of the policies of Dr. Rice and the previous administration. But the notion that this community or this country would be better served by not hearing a former secretary of state or not hearing what she had to say  I believe thats misguided, Obama told the graduates.

For the most recent survey, the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank in Washington, D.C., polled 2,504 adults from June 8 to June 18. All participants were at least 18 years old. They came from all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Among the surveys other findings were that Democrats are more likely to have positive views of labor unions while Republicans are more likely to have positive views of churches and banks.

Democrats were mixed on the impact of the news media on the country (44 percent positive to 46 percent negative). Republicans have consistently shown a negative opinion of the news media, and this year was no different, 85 percent negative to 10 percent positive.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Beirut (AFP) - Syrian government forces launched an attack on rebels in a southern province on Monday despite a ceasefire, but state media said the assault was against the Islamic State group.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the assault in Sweida province began in the morning, almost 24 hours into an internationally brokered ceasefire.

"The regime started an attack on the area northeast of Sweida city, backed by air strikes," the monitor said, reporting clashes between government troops and rebel fighters on the ground.

One of the targeted groups, the Ahmad al-Abdo Army, said "fierce fighting" was ongoing.

Regime forces "launched a big attack today, with huge columns of armoured vehicles and with Syrian air cover," said Firas al-Munjed, the group's communication head.

Both he and the Observatory said regime forces had captured a string of hilltops and villages along the border between the provinces of Sweida and Rural Damascus.

But Syrian state media named those same positions as territory that government forces had captured from IS.

"Our forces and allies captured several areas, villages, hilltops and commanding positions in the eastern countryside of Sweida after eliminating large numbers of IS terrorists," said the official SANA news agency.

The clashes come as a ceasefire for southern Syria negotiated by the United States, Russia and Jordan entered its second day.

So far, the deal announced Friday has brought quiet to most of the three provinces covered: Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida.

But in addition to the Sweida clashes, there have been other limited violations according to the Observatory, including regime shelling and exchanges of fire with rebels in Daraa.

In Quneitra province, there were also reports of sporadic machinegun fire from both sides, though there were no casualties in any of the incidents, the monitor said.

Sunday's ceasefire went into effect just ahead of new peace talks in Geneva.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
Maria Gonzalez almost lost faith in the American Dream she was chasing when she moved to the U.S. with her husband about a year and a half ago.

She spoke very little English, didn't understand the culture and at 40 years old, felt that she had lost track of a successful career path in information technology that she had built in her home country of Venezuela.

"I came here and started from zero," she says. "But the U.S. is a country for opportunity, and people that want to come here don't need to feel afraid because this country still has doors open for anybody that wants to grow here."

With the help of language courses and career workshops through the Welcoming Center for New Pensylvanians, Gonzalez landed the first job she interviewed for. And last week, she got a raise -- particularly good news for her mother and brother back in Venezuela, whom she supports with her salary.

The support that Gonzalez received, from cultural integration to stable work opportunities, are key to successful immigration.

The World Bank estimates that the world's nearly 250 million international migrants -- at least three for every 100 people -- sent $582 billion home to relatives in 2015.

Those funds are often lifelines for the family members receiving them; remittances power as much as 10 percent of the economy in home countries like the Philippines and Guatemala and nearly 20 percent in El Salvador and Jamaica.

The economic case for immigration is a strong one. A recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine that weighed the costs and benefits found that immigration is a strong positive influence on long-term economic growth in the U.S.

And the public largely supports it, too. In a recent international poll, nearly 60 percent of global respondents said that their country should be more open to immigration. More than 40 percent agree that immigration is the most important issue for our world to solve, beating out other global concerns such as gender inequality.

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But the rise of nationalist and protectionist movements put the future of immigration in question. The U.K.'s vote last year to leave the European Union will remove the country from the organization's open borders. Support for Germany's Angela Merkel dropped after she pledged to keep the country's borders open to migrants.

President Donald Trump's travel ban and plans to build a wall on the U.S.- Mexico border seem to rebut the promise the Statue of Liberty symbolizes since the late 19th century to protect the tired, poor and huddled masses.

Despite hosting the most migrants in the world and serving as the source of the largest remittances, the U.S. ranks No. 7 in the U.S. News ranking of the Best Countries to Be an Immigrant.

Sweden, a strong social welfare state that has long been considered a haven for migrants, ranks No. 1. Canada is No. 2, while Switzerland, Australia and Germany round out the top five.

To determine the Best Countries to Be an Immigrant, U.S. News assessed international perceptions of a country, as well as immigration policy and economic data.

More than 21,000 people from all regions of the world participated in the Best Countries survey, in which they assessed how closely they associated 80 countries with specific characteristics. Four of these -- "economically stable," "good job market," "income equality" and "is a place I would live" -- were included in the Best Countries to Be an Immigrant ranking.

Countries also were scored in relation to others on the share of migrants in their population; the amount of remittances the migrants they host sent home; and graded on a United Nations assessment of integration measures provided for immigrants, such as language training and transfers of job certifications, and the rationale behind current integration policies.

Scores for these eight factors on a 100-point scale were averaged together for an overall score.

The U.K. is one of six countries ranked -- along with Saudi Arabia and Myanmar -- that has immigration policies in place purely to protect the interests of nationals, according to the U.N. analysis. A score of zero in this factor brought the U.K. and its otherwise strong economy down to No. 17 in the ranking.

National policy doesn't always align with public priorities, though. More than half of survey respondents from the U.K. agreed that their country should be more open to immigration. Despite ranks in the bottom half, more than 80 percent of survey respondents in Egypt and 90 percent in Colombia said the same.

India and Pakistan, two of the most prominent source countries for migrants, rank in the bottom 10. Kenya ranks last.

See the full list of the Best Countries to Be an Immigrant here.

Deidre McPhillips is a data reporter at U.S. News. You can find her on Twitter or email her at dmcphillips@usnews.com.
President Trump floated on Sunday morning the idea of creating a cybersecurity unit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but he backtracked later that day after receiving harsh criticism.

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded.. Trump tweeted Sunday.

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

The idea was received with outrage from many lawmakers, including Republicans, who pointed out that, according to American intelligence agencies, Russia was behind the cyberattacks on Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee, part of its effort to influence the election for Trump.

Its not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but its pretty close, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on NBCs Meet the Press Sunday. Graham called Trumps meeting with Putin pretty disastrous, and said that the president has a blind spot when it comes to Russia.



This obviously should not happen& obviously will not happen, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., tweeted about the unit.

Later Sunday morning, the administration was still defending the proposal. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, speaking on the ABC talk show This Week, called floating the idea with Putin a significant accomplishment.

Later that day Trump walked back the idea, saying that such a unit cant happen, while calling attention to an agreement about a ceasefire in Syria, which can&did happen.

In a meeting with Trump at the G-20 summit last week, Putin vehemently denied the claims of Russian interference, Trump tweeted.

Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP, Getty

On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Trump and Putin had not committed to any particular cybersecurity effort but noted that the two leaders are prepared to work on the issue.

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U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Sunday on CNN that we cant trust Russia, and we wont ever trust Russia, but noted that the U.S. needs to get together with Russia to work on cybersecurity.

We need to tell them what we think should happen, shouldnt happen, and if we talk to them about it, hopefully we can cut this out and get them to stop, Haley said.

Trump appears ready to work with the Kremlin, tweeting, Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!

Read more from Yahoo News:
President Trump suggested Sunday that, after pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin twice about the possibility of Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election during their meeting at the G20, which Putin vehemently denied, it was time for the United States to move forward with Russia, possibly working together on a cyber security initiative to combat election hacking.

But members of Trumps own party are not so enamored with that idea.

...We negotiated a ceasefire in parts of Syria which will save lives. Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

Its not the dumbest idea Ive ever heard, but its pretty close, Sen. Lindsey Graham said on NBCs Meet the Press when asked by Chuck Todd about the cyber security unit. They [Russia] did try to attack our election system, they were successful in many ways, and the more you do this the more people are suspicious about you and Russia.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio analogized on Twitter that asking Putin to work on a cyber security unit was akin to partnering with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on chemical weapons, which he has been accused of using, but has repeatedly denied.

And Arizona Senator John McCain jokingly suggested that Putin would be a perfect partner in this initiative, since he instrumented the hacking. I am sure that Vladimir Putin could be of enormous assistance in that effort, he said on Face the Nation.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who said on ABCs This Week with George Stephanopoulos that the cyber security unit is a significant accomplishment for the President, declined to answer directly when asked if Trump accepted Putins denial of election interference. But Trumps Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus, said on Fox News Sunday that the President absolutely did not believe Putins denial.

Yes, he believes that Russia probably committed all of these acts that weve been told of, but he also believes that other countries also participated in this, Priebus said.
London (AFP) - Britain's Defence Minister Michael Fallon praised Iraq on Sunday for defeating the Islamic State group in Mosul but warned that more has to be done to combat the jihadists.

Earlier on Sunday Iraq announced victory against IS in the northern city, the country's second largest, from where the group declared a self-styled caliphate three years ago.

Battles have raged for months, leaving thousands dead and wounded, while nearly a million people have fled.

"I congratulate Prime Minister (Haider) Abadi, and the Iraqi forces who have been fighting on the ground with great bravery and care against a brutal opponent," Fallon said in a statement.

"Daesh has total disregard for innocent civilian life and we should welcome their defeat in a city that was ground zero for their so-called caliphate," he added, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

As part of Britain's involvement in the US-led coalition against the jihadist group, Fallon said British forces had struck 750 targets in the battle for Mosul.

But "there is still more to do" around the city and in the broader region, Fallon said.

"This barbaric group remains dug in west of the Euphrates and clearing operations in and around Mosul will be needed because of the threat from improvised explosive devices," he added.

As the Iraqi prime minister visited troops in Mosul on Sunday, gunfire and explosions were still audible.

IS holds territory elsewhere in Iraq and in Syria, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are battling to oust the jihadist group from its stronghold Raqa.

The coalition against IS launched military operations in the two countries in mid-2014, while Iraqi forces launched their campaign to recapture Mosul in October.
By Jonathan Landay and Matthias Williams KIEV (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Sunday Russia must make the first move to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, during a first official visit to Kiev that President Petro Poroshenko called a powerful signal of U.S. support. Tillerson said Washington's primary goal was the restoration of Ukrainian territorial sovereignty, in comments that will cheer Kiev and show ties are warmer than many in Ukraine dared hope after U.S. President Donald Trump took office. Ukraine has counted on U.S. support against Russia since a pro-Western government took power following street protests in 2014 that ousted a Kremlin-backed president. But some of Trump's comments during the election campaign last year, from appearing to recognize Crimea as part of Russia to contemplating an end to U.S. sanctions, stoked fears in Kiev that Trump would mend ties with Moscow at Ukraine's expense. Such fears appear to have eased, for the moment. Trump has not cut a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin behind Ukraine's back over the future of Crimea and Donbass, nor have sanctions on Russia been lifted. "I've been very clear in my discussions with Russian leadership, on more than one occasion, that it is necessary for Russia to take the first steps to de-escalate the situation in the east part of Ukraine, in particular by respecting the ceasefire," Tillerson said. Relations between Ukraine and Russia went into freefall after Moscow's annexation of Crimea and the subsequent outbreak of a pro-Russian insurgency in the eastern Donbass region that has killed more than 10,000 people. "We're extremely satisfied with the level of cooperation with our American partners," Poroshenko said during Sunday's talks with Tillerson. Speaking to reporters later, Poroshenko said: "In today's visit we see a powerful signal of U.S. support in our common fight for democratic values, for freedom and democracy." NO BIG RESET A Group of 20 summit in Hamburg on Friday and Saturday was a qualified success for Russia. Putin had his first face-to-face encounter with Trump and avoided confrontation with other leaders about his country's conduct. Putin said the meeting laid the groundwork for some improvement in U.S.-Russian ties. But the summit did not produce progress on the issue that vexes Russia most: there is no sign that Trump wants to, or even could, lift U.S. sanctions that are hurting the Russian economy. "I think overall things are in a better place for Ukraine vis-a-vis the U.S.," said Fabrice Pothier, senior associate at Rasmussen Global, a consultancy founded by the former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who advises Poroshenko. That's compared to six months ago "when there was a clear state of flux on whether Trump wanted to go for an early, big reset with Putin," Pothier said. Instead, Poroshenko met Trump in June before Putin did, and, according to the Ukrainian side, was able to convey effectively Ukraine's plight in their 35-minute talk. Ukraine also flaunted two defense agreements it expects to be signed in the coming months and welcomed as a friendly face the Trump administration's appointment of Kurt Volker as a special representative to the Minsk peace process. A career diplomat, Volker is a former aide to Republican Senator John McCain, a Russia hawk who wants the United States to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, a move the previous administration under Barack Obama shied away from. CALM NERVES "People in general felt very frustrated, very nervous about that (Trump's candidacy) and what could happen," Olexiy Haran, a political science professor at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, said. The election of a Republican-controlled Congress, in which senior members from both parties advocate greater support for Ukraine against Russia, helped calm nerves, he said. "Personal relations were established," Haran said of Poroshenko's June 20 meeting with Trump. "This means that Ukraine is not isolated." At the same time, the United States has imposed new sanctions on Russia, depriving Putin and the Russian economy of an investment boost ahead of the presidential election in March 2018, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Crimea takeover. Investigations into alleged Russian interference in the election that got Trump into power will also make it harder for Trump to give Putin concessions, even if he wants to. Ahead of the G20 summit, Trump called on Russia to stop destabilizing Ukraine, a charge that chimes with Kiev's view of the conflict but one that Moscow rejects. "Trump boxed himself into a corner on Russia," Pothier said. "Even if he really wanted to do a reset, he just, because of all the actions he took, all the statements he made during the campaign and since he has been elected president, has greatly constrained his room for maneuver with Russia." Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul summed up the jitters many in Kiev felt in November when he predicted Ukraine would be the "biggest loser" from a Trump victory. A senior Western diplomat said the precise direction of Trump's policy on Ukraine remained uncertain because of the president's lack of constancy and a lack of clarity about Volker's role. "The Ukrainians are in a situation much like many other countries where they feel there's a thought through American policy .. but they are still wondering what will happen," he said, on condition of anonymity. The Ukrainians will also want reassurance that what Tillerson called the "positive chemistry" between Trump and Putin does not bode ill for Kiev. On Sunday, Trump on Twitter hailed a U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire that came into effect in parts of Syria, saying: "Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!" (Additional reporting by Natalia Zinets in Kiev and Christian Lowe in Moscow; writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
To be great, a president must communicate effectively. Our greatest leaders like Lincoln, FDR, JFK, Reagan and Obama all commanded a keen mastery of English rhetoric. Ironically, a president with such extensive experience in front of television cameras fails to muster the same communicative prowess or respect for thoughtful discourse. His disdain for an adversarial press is case-in-point.

Undoubtedly, this is no ordinary presidency. And while his unorthodox communicative style persuaded enough Americans that he could break through the sound and fury of Washington politics-as-usual, it may prove to be ultimate downfall.

White House policy now comes from Twitter. Half-baked ideas flow freely, leaving his staff to fill in the blanks. And while late-night comedians have never had more material, Trumps latest round of tweets attacking Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough de-legitimized his own authority as well as tarnished the office he holds.

A nuclear North Korea, a languishing Republican health-care bill, and the threat of further Russian intervention in our midterm elections might persuade a different president to log off of Twitter and reassure the American people that he is working to protect us and our interests. Sometimes, true strength lies in the punches we choose not to throw. Instead, he takes the bait every time to deliver a pithy schoolyard taunt.

President Trump won the presidency through using Twitter, but he diminishes it by the same means. Ask yourself this: Would Lincoln have delivered the Gettysburg Address 140 characters at a time?
Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela hit its 100th day of anti-government protests Sunday, amid uncertainty over whether the release from prison a day earlier of prominent political prisoner Leopoldo Lopez might open the way to negotiations to defuse the profound crisis gripping the country.

Lopez was placed under house arrest immediately after his surprise release from a military prison. Still, the gesture -- the most visible sign of conciliation since protests erupted April 1 -- triggered speculation over the prospect of talks between the opposition and the embattled leftist government of Nicolas Maduro.

Three months of destructive street protests have left at least 91 dead. On Sunday demonstrations continued as 2,000 people marched in eastern Caracas, wearing T-shirts with Lopez's face and carrying banners that read: "One hundred days and I continue to rebel against tyranny."

Meanwhile, thousands of government supporters marched in the city center.

Maduro on Facebook voiced support for his controversial plans to form an assembly tasked with rewriting the constitution, which he said had "the hope to build a solid peace among all."

Voting for members of the assembly -- which the opposition has rejected as Maduro's bid to maintain power -- is scheduled for July 30.

Lopez's release was welcomed -- sometimes with calls on Caracas to do more -- by several other Latin American countries, Spain and the United States.

Lopez, leader of the Voluntad Popular (Popular Will) party and a leading symbol of anti-Maduro resistance, emerged after his release from prison looking fit and happy -- though wearing an ankle bracelet to allow authorities to monitor his movements, his family said.

"I maintain my firm opposition to this regime," Lopez said in a statement read by a leader of his party. "I reiterate my commitment to fighting until Venezuela's freedom is won."

President Maduro, in televised remarks Saturday, called for a message of "peace and rectification" from Lopez.

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- Opposition credits protests -

Lopez's wife, Lilian Tintori, underscored that no deal was negotiated for her husband's release.

"You don't cut a deal on freedom, on human rights, on dignity. Never," Tintori said.

"It was a unilateral decision by the Nicolas Maduro government."

She said Lopez suffered cruel treatment and serious stomach troubles, having shed six kilos (13 pounds).

Analysts said it seemed significant the government had agreed to release a man it once termed "a monster," while Lopez had accepted house arrest after insisting he would leave prison only with full freedom and once all opposition members were free.

One analyst, Luis Vicente Leon, said the government hoped to lower tensions in the face of a serious risk of destabilization, while the moderate opposition wanted to avoid "suicide in a lose-lose situation."

While negotiations now appear possible, he added, they would require concessions sure to be unpopular with extremists on either side. "No one voluntarily offers to sacrifice their head," he said.

- Release called 'humanitarian' -

Lopez -- a 46-year-old Harvard-educated politician and former mayor of a Caracas municipality -- was imprisoned for more than three-and-a-half years for allegedly inciting violence by calling for anti-government protests.

His release has been a key demand of Venezuela's opposition and the international community, amid an intensifying political confrontation aimed at forcing the unpopular Maduro to hold early elections.

The Supreme Court said it had ordered Lopez's move to house arrest for health reasons, calling it a "humanitarian measure."

In Madrid, Javier Cremades, Lopez's Spanish lawyer, underscored that "all of Leopoldo Lopez's civil and political rights must still be restored" and all political prisoners must be freed.

Foro Penal, an NGO, puts the number of political prisoners at 433. The government insists they are in jail for acts of violence.

The US State Department called Lopez's release "a significant step in the right direction," but said more such steps are needed as the crisis deepens.

On Wednesday, pro-government militants wielding sticks and pipes stormed the opposition-held National Assembly and beat lawmakers, injuring at least five.

Maduro condemned the violence and said he had ordered an investigation.

In T-shirts emblazoned with Lopez's face, marcher Maria Esther Pinto, 46, called his release "a step forward for his family and all of us who are seeking (political) change."

"His release will help keep us in the street demanding freedom for all the political prisoners," she said, marching alongside her daughters.

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By Alexandra Ulmer CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has sought to ease protests and global censure by granting house arrest to opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez but he risks both energizing the opposition and alienating part of his socialist base. After three months of often violent street demonstrations demanding early elections and freedom for activists, the pro-government Supreme Court let Venezuela's most famous jailed politician return to his Caracas home after three years. Lopez, 46, a U.S.-educated economist and leader of the Popular Will party, is beloved by some in the opposition who admire his hardline stance and see him as a future president. But he is loathed by many in the ruling Socialist Party who deem him an elitist coup-monger intent on overthrowing them. The government has framed the release, partly brokered by former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, as evidence that dialogue, not conflict, is the way forward. Maduro quickly urged Lopez to rein in protests he says are seeking a coup amid a blistering economic crisis. But the decision could be an unhappy middle ground that further isolates Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader narrowly elected to replace late leader Hugo Chavez in 2013, without bringing him tangible benefits. Greeting the decision with fireworks and tears of joy at Lopez's home, opposition supporters vowed to stick to the streets until all their demands are met. "This is like a burst of oxygen after so many years of fighting," said student Angel Ybirma, 28, who called his mother when he heard the news before draping himself in a Venezuelan flag and hopping on a motorbike to celebrate at the Lopez home. "This shows the government is scared, that it's under a lot of international pressure, and that we're going to emerge from this soon. We have to keep going with more passion," he said, adding that Lopez deserves full freedom. Lopez, jailed on charges of inciting violence during similar protests in 2014, himself urged Venezuelans to keep up the grueling and often violent street action that has led to nearly 100 deaths, hundreds of arrests, and thousands of injuries. The opposition is also holding an unofficial plebiscite next Sunday to ask Venezuelans what they think of Maduro's controversial plan to rewrite the constitution and whether they instead want an early vote to remove him. Also cheered by some signs of dissent within government and the armed forces, Maduro's foes are unlikely to soon sit down for public talks with the government. A dialogue mediated by Zapatero last year collapsed with little to show for it, and many in the opposition see him as a sellout who bought Maduro more time. Still, the Lopez decision and the revived role of international mediators could carve out a potential roadmap for future negotiations. SOME 'CHAVISTAS' UNHAPPY The concession to Lopez, the scion of a wealthy family, could also deepen some fissures within "Chavismo", previously united under the charismatic and domineering Chavez. For years, officials have derided Lopez as a murderer and instigator of violence responsible for dozens of deaths during the 2014 protests, so his sudden release for alleged health reasons is sitting badly with some "Chavistas." "Today we awoke to a decision that fills us with indignation," said former Prisons Minister and prominent Socialist Party official Iris Varela, clad in a T-shirt emblazoned with a stylized image of Chavez's eyes. She added that the decision highlights separation of powers in Venezuela and that she would accept it, but there were further rumblings on social media from other Chavez supporters who think Maduro is betraying the late leader's legacy. Some questioned the Supreme Court's stated reason for granting Lopez house arrest given he seemed healthy and fit when he saluted supporters, while others warned it would not halt protests and said it was an insult to the 2014 victims. To be sure, there are still many unanswered questions surrounding Lopez's release from jail, including how the move was negotiated and whether other releases could follow. But in any case, the decision to let him go home is not a game-changer for the opposition. Maduro retains a firm grip over institutions, including the crucial Supreme Court, and is pushing ahead with a new constitutional assembly with powers to rewrite the charter and supersede institutions. The opposition warns the July 30 vote is a sham poll designed to consolidate his powers as a "dictator". They hope their own plebiscite next Sunday will further de-legitimize Maduro, although the process will be purely symbolic. The historically fragmented coalition will also have to adjust to the return of Lopez, seen by some in the opposition as hot-headed and domineering. He and fellow opposition leader Henrique Capriles, a sports-loving lawyer who advocates more moderate tactics, have clashed over strategy and leadership in the past and could jostle for a future presidential ticket. The terms of Lopez's house arrest have not been made public, so it is unclear to what extent he will be able to participate in future strategizing within the opposition. But the coalition is united in its street strategy and both men are banned from holding office, likely lessening tensions. "This is not the moment for individual rivalries. The big responsibility right now is to find a path forward for the country, so I wouldn't worry about divisions," said political consultant Armando Briquet, a former campaign manager of two-time opposition presidential candidate Capriles. (Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and James Dalgleish)
WASHINGTON  At the White House briefing on Monday, principal deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders faced questions from reporters about a meeting last year between a Russian lawyer with government connections; Donald Trumps son, Donald Junior; Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner; and his campaign manager at the time, Paul Manafort. By Donald Juniors account, the lawyer offered to provide damaging information about Trumps Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

Sanders defended the meeting as routine campaign activity.

The only thing I see inappropriate about the meeting was the people that leaked information on the meeting, Sanders said.

Trumps presidency has been haunted by questions about his relationship with Russia. Intelligence officials have blamed the Kremlin for a hacking effort that leaked information from Clintons campaign in an effort to boost Trump, but the president has questioned whether Russia was really behind the release of emails from Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Trump has also strongly denied that he or anyone on his team conspired with the Russians.

Some members of Trumps team did have contact with Russian officials before the president took office. However, the meeting with the lawyer is the first confirmed instance of Trumps advisers indicating they were open to receiving election aid from Russian sources.

In the briefing on Monday, Sanders argued it is normal for political campaigns and reporters to be open to receiving potentially useful information from a wide variety of sources.

Look, Ive been on several campaigns and people call offering information as I know many of you receive similar calls of people offering information, Sanders said. Don Junior took a very short meeting from which there was absolutely no follow-up.

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Yury Martyanov/Kommersant Photo via AP, Carolyn Kaster/AP, Matt York/AP, Matt Rourke/AP)

The encounter between Trumps inner circle and the lawyer was first revealed by the New York Times last weekend. According to the Times, the meeting took place at Trumps Manhattan skyscraper on June 9, 2016, shortly after he secured the Republican nomination. The participants were Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian attorney who has represented state-owned companies and the daughter of a senior government official, Donald Junior, Kushner, and Manafort. The three were among Trumps closest advisers during his White House bid. In a follow-up published a day later, the Times reported that Veselnitskaya suggested she had information that could have hurt Clintons campaign, citing as its source three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.

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Donald Junior gave the Times a statement saying Veselnitskaya claimed she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Mrs. Clinton. However, Donald Junior said she simply made vague comments and offered no details or supporting information before turning the conversation to another issue. Donald Junior said Veselnitskaya focused on the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 U.S. law that blacklists alleged human rights abusers. Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the law by stopping Americans from adopting Russian children.

It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting, Donald Junior told the Times.

In a statement to the Times, Veselnitskaya denied the group discussed campaign matters and said she never acted on behalf of the Russian government.

At the briefing, Sanders said she doesnt know of any other meetings Donald Junior had with Russians. The chief White House correspondent for CBS News, Major Garrett, noted Trump and his allies have repeatedly denied there were any connections between his campaign team and Russia. Garrett asked Sanders how the news of the meeting with Veselnitskaya can be squared with this long history of blanket denials. Sanders responded by denying there was any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders answers questions during a press briefing at the White House on July 10, 2017. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

I think the point that weve tried to make every single time  and will continue to make  is that there was simply no collusion that they keep trying to create that there was, Sanders said.

Kushner is the only one of the participants who has taken an official position in the White House. As a senior adviser to the president, Kushner underwent a security clearance check. During this process, Kushner initially did not disclose meetings with Veselnitskaya, Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak, or the head of a Russian bank. Failure to disclose foreign contacts during a security clearance check is a crime and can result in access to classified information being restricted.

Yahoo News asked Sanders if the White House was concerned Kushner initially failed to disclose his meeting with Veselnitskaya and whether the multiple undisclosed contacts with Russians raised questions about his competence or honesty. Sanders stressed that the meetings were disclosed in Kushners updated paperwork. After Kushners meetings with Kislyak and the banker were revealed, his advisers described the omissions as a mistake and said Kushner had notified the F.B.I. and would be revising the documents. Sanders claimed the White House wasnt worried about the omissions, since Kushners original clearance check was just an incomplete form.

All of his foreign contacts were listed in the updated version, not in the original, Sanders said of Kushner.

Read more from Yahoo News:
In the audio-only White House briefing on Monday, White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was pressed by reporters on the revelation that Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, now a White House senior adviser, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort met with a Russian lawyer in June 2016. Sanders defended the meeting, saying, The only thing I see inappropriate about the meeting was the people that leaked the information on the meeting after it was voluntarily disclosed. She was also pressed on lack of disclosure from Kushner on his contacts with Russians.
Daniel Lizardo,Victor Velasquez Firefighters Daniel Lizardo, right, and Victor Velasquez walk in front of a fire-ravaged home July 12, 2017, in San Jose, Calif. Relief was arriving after a rough stretch of wildfires all around the U.S. West, with firefighters slowly surrounding once-fierce blazes and evacuees starting to stream back home. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Nearly all evacuation orders have been called off for three major fires across California as dozens of wildfires throughout the West were coming under control.

A fire near the Northern California town of Oroville, which drove 4,000 people from their homes was 70 percent contained late Wednesday, allowing all residents there to return. Many of the same people had been forced to flee this spring from the possibility of major flooding from a damaged dam spillway. The blaze, which broke out Friday, has destroyed 41 homes and damaged three.

To the south in Santa Barbara County, nearly all of the 3,500 people driven from homes by two large wildfires were able to return. A 45-square-mile (115-square-kilometer) fire was 70 percent contained, allowing for all evacuations to be canceled. A few dozen homes remained under evacuation orders for the second fire in the area, burning near Lake Cachuma.

Crews were making similar progress against dozens of wildfires across the U.S. West. (AP)

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U.S. President Donald Trump waves as walks on the South Lawn of the White House upon his return to Washington, U.S., from the G20 Summit in Hamburg, July 8, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas (Reuters)

By Valerie Volcovici and Yasmeen Abutaleb

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he and Russia's president had discussed forming a cyber security unit, an idea harshly criticized by Republicans who said Moscow could not be trusted after its alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

Tweeting after his first meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Friday, Trump said now was the time to work constructively with Moscow, pointing to a ceasefire deal in southwest Syria that came into effect on Sunday.

"Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe," he said following their talks at a summit of the Group of 20 nations in Hamburg, Germany.

Republican Senators Lindsey Graham, an influential South Carolina Republican who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Marco Rubio of Florida, who opposed Trump for their party's presidential nomination, blasted the idea.

"It's not the dumbest idea I have ever heard but it's pretty close," Graham told NBC's "Meet the Press" program, saying that Trump's apparent willingness to "forgive and forget" stiffened his resolve to pass legislation imposing sanctions on Russia.

Rubio, on Twitter, said: "While reality & pragmatism requires that we engage Vladimir Putin, he will never be a trusted ally or a reliable constructive partner.

"Partnering with Putin on a 'Cyber Security Unit' is akin to partnering with (Syrian President Bashar al) Assad on a 'Chemical Weapons Unit'," he added.

Trump argued for rapprochement with Moscow in his campaign but has been unable to deliver because his administration has been dogged by investigations into the allegations of Russian interference in the election and ties with his campaign.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the matter, including whether there may have been any collusion on the part of Trump campaign officials, as are congressional committees including both the House and Senate intelligence panels.

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Those probes are focused almost exclusively on Moscows actions, lawmakers and intelligence officials say, and no evidence has surfaced publicly implicating other countries despite Trump's suggestion that others could have been involved.

Moscow has denied any interference, and Trump says his campaign did not collude with Russia.

"I dont think we can expect the Russians to be any kind of a credible partner in some kind of cyber security unit,"

Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN's "State of the Union" program.

"If thats our best election defense. We might as well just mail our ballot boxes to Moscow," Schiff added.

Separately, U.S. government officials said that a recent hack into business systems of U.S. nuclear power and other energy companies was carried out by Russian government hackers, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

The newspaper said government officials and U.S. industry officials confirmed this was the first time Russian hackers were known to have breached U.S. nuclear power company networks.

Trump said he had raised allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election with Putin.

"I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I've already given my opinion....."

He added: "We negotiated a ceasefire in parts of Syria which will save lives. Now it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia!"

The United States, Russia and Jordan reached a ceasefire and "de-escalation agreement" for southwestern Syria on Friday, as Trump's administration made its first attempt at peacemaking in the country's six-year-old civil war.

The ceasefire was holding hours after it took effect on Sunday, a monitor and two rebel officials said.

In another tweet, Trump said that "sanctions were not discussed at my meeting with President Putin. Nothing will be done until the Ukrainian & Syrian problems are solved!"

The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia for its 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Trump appeared to contradict his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who told reporters Trump had told Putin that U.S. lawmakers were pushing for additional sanctions against Russia.

The U.S. Senate has passed legislation which would put into law sanctions, including on mining and other industries, previously established via former President Barack Obama's executive orders. The bill must pass the House of Representatives before it could go to the White House for Trump's signature.

"He's not willing to do anything about it, so it makes me more committed than ever to get sanctions on President Trump's desk punishing Putin," Republican Graham said of Trump.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.

(Writing by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by James Dalgleish)
Police detained six suspects for questioning Monday morning as part of investigations into corruption surrounding the procurement of submarines from German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp.

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The suspects are alleged to have committed a series of crimes surrounding the deal, including bribery and money laundering.

The Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court extended their remands by three days.

Bennett (L) and Lapid (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

One of the six suspects alleged to be involved with the scandal is considered a close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been revealed to be

One of the six suspects, who was alleged to be involved with the scandal, has been reveleaed to be businessman Miki Ganora close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a representative of ThyssenKrupp in Israel.

After the scandal broke, the German newspaper Handelsblatt revealed that Ganor is expected to pocket between 10 million and 30 million euros in the submarine deal.

Another suspect has been identified as Avriel Bar-Yosef, who served as head of the deputy director of the National Security Council.

Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

Netanyahu himself did not comment on the case at the opening of the Likud faction's meeting.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett responded to the investigation's developments by voicing his support of Netanyahu. "I have no doubt that the prime minister acted in accordance to the law. I give him my full backing and am convinced, based on what I know at the moment, that his conduct was exemplary."

Shimron (L) and Netanyahu (Photos: Emil Salman, Yaron Brenner)

Yesh Atid Leader and MK Yair Lapid, however, presented a much more accusatory tone during a party meeting. "This isn't just a corruption case, this harms the country's security. Money from the defense budget, belonging to our soldiers and children left Israel, entered bank accounts in Germany and Cyprus that no one knew about, and returned to the pockets of some of the closest people to the prime minister.

"The investigation is underway and a lot is still unknown, but what we do know, and no one even bothers denying, it the shady submarine deal," added Lapid, before saying, "The government's corruption is eating away at our national strength."

Police issued a statement Monday morning, saying, "As part of a joint investigation between the Israel Police, the Tax Authority and the Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition Authority, six suspects were detained for questioning on suspicion of bribery, fraud, money laundering and other tax offenses related to all matters concerning the procurement of defense equipment.

"At the time of the events in question, some of the suspects involved were civil servants, while others were involved in the private sector. The investigation is being conducted by Lahav 433's National Financial Investigations Unit under the supervision of the State Attorney."
The Labor party is to open some 80 voting stations across the country for its second primaries round on Monday at 11:00, where its 52,505 registered voters will be able to decide who will be the party's next leader. The two candidates to come out victorious from the first voting round are MK and former Labor leader Amir Peretz and former environmental protection minister Avi Gabbay. Voting is to end at 21:00, with results expected to be announced by 21:45.

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Registered Labor members can cast their vote in any station, regardless of their address. The party has set up a helpline to assist in the voting process, whose number is: 03-7283618. The voting itself is to be conducted anonymously through an electronic system the Labor Headquarters assures is protected against cyber attacks or hacking attempts.

Peretz (L) and Gabbay call potential voters (Photos: Shaul Golan, Motti Kmichi)

Gabbay's camp includes MK and former Labor leader Shelly Yachimovich, as well as MKs Stav Shaffir, Eitan Cabel and Michal Biran.

Photo: Gadi Kablo

Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg

Gabbay, who resigned as minister of Environmentral protection and transferred to the Labor party following Avigdor Lieberman's appointment to defense minister, called on voters "to actualize their democratic right and determine what path our party will go down, be it to the opposition or to be the ruling part." He added that "we need to create a reality in which young couples won't be afraid to start their life in Israel, in which grandmothers and grandfathers won't be scared their grandkids will move to Berlin. We're on a national mission to return the Labor party to power."

L to R: Peretz, Bar and Shmuli at Peretz's headquarters (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Less than a mile a away, MKs Itzik Shmuli, Yehiel Bar and Nachman Shai made the rounds and called upon Labor voters to choose Peretz. "We really hope that the voter turnout will be high, and that all our supporters will come out and vote," said Peretz, who has been pushing the angle that he is the candidate who will finally defeat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Our main focus now is in areas (of the countryed) where I've had difficulties in the past. I have no doubt that I could beat Netanyahu, as I have done in the past."





Peretz (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Peretz repeatedly stated he believes he will win, and stated that if this indeed happens, he will submit a bill the next day, requesting to dismiss the Knesset and go to elections. Following this, he is looking forward to telling Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu, "We thank you, go in peace, let us fix all the great damage that needs fixing. We have a lot of work to do, and among other things we need to move the country toward social justice and important political moves needed to secure the state's future as a Jewish and democratic state."





Yachomivich (L) and Gabbay (Photo: Shaul Golan)

the two contenders faced off at Ynet's studio earlier. Gabbay called Peretz "an old-time politician, who leads through slogans," accusing him of handing out jobs during his stint as minister of environmental protection.

Peretz, on the other hand, said that Gabbay "can't tell the difference between a manager and a leader." reponding to gabbay's claim that he represents something new, Peretz said, "New is what you want when you're looking to buy a new microwave."

During the first round of voting, Peretz came out ahead with 32.7 percent of the votes and Gabbay second with 27 percent. The party's present leader, Isaac Herzog, came in third with 16.8 percent.
Q: Can weather fan the flames of revolution?

A: July was the month of revolution in both America and France in the late 18th century as we declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776, and the French Revolution began with the assault on the Bastille in Paris on July 14, 1789. It is interesting to examine the extent to which weather may have influenced the passions that led to these seismic events.

The author of our Declaration, Thomas Jefferson, was such an avid weather observer that he brought his instruments with him from Monticello to Philadelphia that summer. He recorded a mild day on July 4 with a high temperature of 76 degrees. Phineas Pemberton, a prominent citizen, independently recorded the same high temperature  nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit below normal. Pemberton also noted a wind shift from northerly to southwesterly with a falling pressure as often accompanies passage of a surface high-pressure system. Thus, the great revolutionary act in America was birthed in benevolent weather conditions.

Not so for the French Revolution. The summer of 1788 had been exceptionally dry across the country and led to widespread crop failure. The hot, dry summer was followed by an unusually cold winter that made keeping warm more expensive. Food shortages brought on by the prior summers drought intensified in the spring of 1789 and left the populace, already frustrated with the opulence of Versailles, in a heightened state of agitation. Recent analysis by scholars at the London School of Economics has suggested that these conditions were a proximate cause to the civil unrest that led a mob of Parisians to storm the Bastille and, effectively, ignite the French Revolution.
State prison officials have less than two weeks to drastically cut their use of solitary confinement and pepper spray for teen inmates, a federal judge has ordered.

Judge James Peterson on Monday laid out a number of changes to longtime practices at Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls that have been scrutinized in a number of federal lawsuits brought by inmates after a two-year investigation by state and federal authorities reviewing allegations of abuse at the prison.

By July 21, teen inmates at the Irma prison may not be held in solitary confinement for longer than seven days  a sharp decrease from the states current practice of sometimes keeping teen inmates in isolation for longer than two months.

And staff members are barred from using pepper spray unless inmates present a threat to others.

Petersons order is the latest action in a lawsuit filed in federal court against the state Department of Corrections over its use of isolation, restraints and pepper spray to manage behavior of its youngest inmates. The lawsuit was filed by nine current and former inmates of the youth prison in Irma who are being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin and the Juvenile Law Center.

The scope of changes Peterson ordered on Monday matches blistering criticism of state prison officials he leveled during a hearing on the matter in June. Peterson noted then that inmates at the youth prison are subjected to the most severe and damaging type of solitary confinement that is used in the American penal system.

Ted Kaczynski has less restrictive confinement than the youth at Lincoln Hills, Peterson said at a June 24 hearing, referring to the domestic terrorist known as the Unabomber, currently held in a supermax prison in Colorado.

Peterson also ordered Lincoln Hills staff by July 21 to cease keeping offenders in solitary confinement when they arrive at the prison while they await evaluation unless they pose an immediate and substantial risk of harming others. By Aug. 14, inmates there may no longer be kept in isolation unless they hurt or try to hurt others.

If prison staff determine new inmates must be placed in isolation, the staff must within four hours conduct a review of the situation to determine whether the inmates pose a long-term risk.

During a two-day hearing in June, plaintiff expert witnesses testified that some teen inmates kept in solitary confinement at Lincoln Hills would go longer than 24 hours before being let out of their cells.

Peterson ordered on Monday that inmates in isolation must be out of their cells for at least 30 hours per week for educational and therapeutic activities and to eat meals unless the inmates pose a safety risk. But no matter what, the inmates must be out of their cell for two hours per day, Peterson ordered.

By July 21, prison staff may use pepper spray on inmates only when they are causing physical harm to others or to prevent a youth from causing bodily harm to another. DOC officials must review their use of pepper spray and by Oct. 31 present the court a plan to further reduce or eliminate the use of pepper spray.

During the June court hearing, plaintiff attorneys showed two videos of inmates being pepper sprayed by Lincoln Hills guards for disobeying orders.

Peterson also ordered that prison staff must stop restraining inmates without evaluating the need to do so first.

Tristan Cook, spokesman for DOC, said in a statement that the department was still reviewing the judges order to determine appropriate next steps.

Our primary commitment is to maintain a safe and secure environment where youth in DOC custody can thrive, Cook said. We have made widespread changes at Copper Lake School/Lincoln Hills School because we believe that providing quality education, mental health services and programming are integral to our work in preparing youth in DOC custody for success in the community.

He did not answer whether more staff would be sent to the prison to carry out the orders.

Brian Gustke, director of security at the prison, testified at the June hearing that staffing issues and turnover had contributed to a confusing working environment at the prison.

Mondays order was in response to a request made by plaintiffs that Peterson order DOC staff to immediately stop use of the practices under scrutiny altogether. The lawsuit continues in federal court.

Meanwhile, federal investigators continue to review evidence and interviews obtained in late 2015 after allegations of inmate abuse surfaced.

In December 2015, dozens of state investigators began interviewing staff and inmates about the conditions there over a number of allegations including child abuse, second-degree sexual assault and misconduct in public office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation now oversees the investigation.

Nearly all DOC officials overseeing juvenile corrections  including former Secretary Ed Wall  have either resigned or been fired in that time.

Secretary Jon Litscher has since he was hired in 2016 made a number of changes to staffing and practices at the prison, but Peterson said in June he would order changes because he did not believe significant reforms were under way.
UW Health and UnityPoint Health-Meriter, which have long collaborated on some services but became more competitive in recent years  leading to lawsuits and duplicate clinics  are now partners.

The Madison health care organizations have formed a joint operating agreement, giving them a shared financial bottom line, and merged their insurance plans.

The moves, announced a year ago after several years of infighting, became official July 1 after being cleared by regulators. The organizations notified staff and the media Monday that the deals were done.

Patients who previously went to UW Hospital for pneumonia, kidney or skin infections, surgeries to remove appendixes or gall bladders, and similar routine care might now end up at Meriter, which has much more capacity.

Signs at Meriter will now say UnityPoint Health-Meriter, Partner of UW Health. UWs Unity Health Insurance and Meriters Physicians Plus, which are merging along with La Crosse-based Gundersen Health Plan, eventually will be known as Quartz, a brand popping up on billboards around Madison.

The moves will free up space at UW Hospital for complex patients, avert the need to add beds there, make better use of Meriters space, give Meriter continued access to UWs specialty care and prepare both organizations for insurance payments increasingly based on the quality instead of the volume of care, administrators said.

Our partnership with Meriter allows us to directly admit the patients for which its most appropriate to Meriter and relieve some of the capacity at the University Hospital, said Dr. Alan Kaplan, CEO of UW Health.

UW needs capacity, and Meriter has capacity, said Arthur Nizza, president and CEO of Meriter. Together, were looking at a network that takes care of the birth of babies all the way to transplants, and just about everything in between.

The joint operating agreement for clinical care stops short of a merger, as assets are not being purchased. But sharing a budget removes financial pressures to unnecessarily keep or transfer patients at one hospital or the other, the administrators said.

In the past year, UW Hospital has been 87 percent full  problematic because some capacity must be reserved for emergencies  and frequently had to turn away complex patients from around Wisconsin and northern Illinois, Kaplan said.

Meriter has been only about 50 percent occupied, Nizza said. The sharing of hospital beds will prevent UW Health from spending $100 million or more to add beds, Kaplan said.

While the joining of forces removes some competition from the Madison health care market, the arrangement was cleared by the Federal Trade Commission and the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.

The partnership wont increase costs, administrators say, because the Madison market depends mostly on local insurers, not national plans, and two rivals remain: Dean Health Plan  which, along with St. Marys Hospital, is part of St. Louis-based SSM Health  and Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin.

Were going to have to be price-competitive with Dean and Group Health Cooperative, Kaplan said.

SSM is a significant, competitive and corrective force in this market, Nizza said.

Unity, Physicians Plus and Gundersen had a total of about 240,000 members in Wisconsin at the beginning of this year, compared to 273,000 members for Dean and 67,000 for Group Health, according to the insurance commissioners office.

UW Health and Meriter have long shared services such as dialysis, sleep care, infertility care, mother-baby care and the Madison Surgery Center.

But after previous talk of a joint operating agreement broke down in 2011, the systems started competing more. Meriter expanded its doctor group, recruiting some doctors from UW Health. Physicians Plus steered patients from UW Hospital to Meriter for some services.

Physicians Plus sued UW-Madisons doctor group, and the doctor group sued Meriter. When Meriter Health Services became part of Iowa-based UnityPoint Health in 2014, UW Health sued, saying the name UnityPoint Health-Meriter was too close to that of Unity Health Plans.

With the cases now resolved and the organizations under new leadership, administrators say the systems will work together to provide patients better access to care, with less discord and duplication of services.

We want to work together as partners, instead of all the noise and confusion, Nizza said.

It might take a while for some aspects of the integration to unfold. About 35 specialty doctors at Meriter will join UW Health, but for some the transition might not happen right away, Nizza said. Other staff might be asked to change employers as services switch facilities, Kaplan said.

Doctors accustomed to sending patients to one hospital or the other will be instructed on which facility is best for which type of care. Theres a little retraining to do, of old habits, Kaplan said.

Patients will be able to go to the hospital of their choice, as long as their choice is medically appropriate. Were not going to take patient preference and put them in the wrong place for care, Kaplan said.

In 2011, at the height of their feud, UW Health and Meriter built clinics across the street from one another in Monona and Windsor. Whether all four clinics will remain is unclear.

Nizza said the organizations will study what those communities need. At least part, if not a lot, of what drove the placement of those clinics was simply the competition, he said.
The Vernon County Sheriffs Office reports two unrelated motorcycle accidents Saturday, both on Hwy. 33.

The first accident happened at about 12:20 p.m., approximately 1.5 miles east of Taylor Valley Road in the town of Whitestown.

The accident happened when a motorcycle being driven by Noah Kellogg, 18, of Tama, Iowa, was traveling west. The driver failed to negotiate a curve, crossed the east-bound lane of traffic, went under a guard rail and came to rest in the ditch on the south side of the road.

A passenger on the motorcycle, Sydney Vilez, 19, of Marshalltown, Iowa, was not injured in the crash. Both the driver and passenger were wearing helmets. Kellogg received an arm injury was transported to Vernon Memorial Hospital by Ontario Ambulance.

The Ontario Police Department, Ontario Fire Department and Ontario Ambulance Services assisted at the scene.

The second accident happened at about 5:05 p.m. near Vet Road in the town of Forest.

Daniel R. Heiser, 58, of Chicago, Illinois, was traveling west and lost control of his motorcycle while negotiating a curve. Heiser got too far off of the shoulder and the motorcycle continued down the ditch line, coming to rest when it struck a culvert. Heiser was thrown from the motorcycle.

Heiser was wearing a full helmet and was transported by Hillsboro EMS to St. Josephs Hospital in Hillsboro with non-life threatening injuries.

Both accidents remain under investigation by the Sheriffs Office.
It is often asserted that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 proved that HWA was right and he really did see the future.

This of course is nonsense. Herbert W. Armstrong said that Christ would return within twenty years in his book Mystery of the Ages. (PCG has since deleted those words so someone in there knows HWA spoke nonsense.) How convenient for them to forget this.

Also Herbert W. Armstrong never said the Soviet Union would collapse. He thought it would survive intact until a few years after Christ's return. It shows how biased some many in the COGs are that they never seem to notice this. This inconvenient truth is just tossed into the memory hole.

It is true that HWA said that some Eastern European states would break away from Moscow's orbit and join the European Empire he said would arise at any moment. But he never talked of the Soviet Union collapsing. He did not teach that. Also he portrayed the rise of the European Empire to be far quicker then what has actually happened. In Mystery of the Ages Christ was supposed to return by 2005 at the most.

So assertions that the fall of the Berlin Wall somehow prove that HWA was right is just complete nonsense spread by people who, for whatever reason, are still in denial that HWA was a false prophet who merely talked out of his own "human reasoning".
Chinas sole operating aircraft carrier arrived on its first port call to Hong Kong on Friday as part of efforts to stir patriotism amid commemorations of the citys handover from British to Chinese rule 20 years ago.

The Liaoning steamed into port with its escort of two guided missile destroyers and a missile frigate, dropping anchor at a naval base across from the skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island. Authorities are distributing 2,000 tickets for visits to the ships, limited to Hong Kong permanent residents.

In keeping with the high security accompanying last weeks formal anniversary of the July 1, 1997, handover, the area surrounding the naval base has been made a no-fly zone from Friday through tomorrow. The order bars all aircraft apart from official ones, along with drones, model aircraft, kites and balloons, the paper said.

The handover celebrations were highlighted by the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who inspected troops of the Peoples Liberation Armys Hong Kong garrison and delivered a hard-line speech aimed at pro-democracy activists in the territory.

Increasingly riven by political divisions, Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule under the one country, two systems framework that allowed it to keep its own freedoms and institutions for 50 years. However, many see Beijing as tightening its grip on the thriving financial center by stonewalling calls for democratic reforms and expanding its control over the media.

Chinese authorities are turning to events such as the Liaonings visit in hopes of stirring pride in Chinas accomplishments and identification with the Communist government in Beijing.

As the ships pulled in, they were welcomed with gongs, lion dancers, flag-waving greeters and plumes of spray from fire boats. Rear Adm. Ding Yi, commander of the Liaoning battle group, said the visit would showcase Chinas progress in developing its navy.

Our navy group is here in Hong Kong to take part in celebrations, and this will enable our Hong Kong compatriots to enhance their understanding of the development of our military, Ding said after stepping off the Yinchuan, a destroyer.

Addressing the gathering, newly inaugurated Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam thanked Beijing for allowing the carriers visit, according to the South China Morning Post.

This will greatly enhance Hong Kong citizens understanding and recognition of the country, the newspaper quoted her as saying.

Commissioned in 2012, the Liaoning was built from an unfinished carrier purchased from Ukraine. It carries Chinese J-15 fighter jets along with helicopters and was undergoing exercises at sea before arriving in Hong Kong.

Chinas second aircraft carrier is being produced domestically based on the Liaoning and is undergoing final preparations before its commissioning. MDT/AP
There are several conditions that can affect cat vision. Allergens, degenerative diseases and infections can cause eye pain and vision loss. If your pet is at risk of or suffering from cat eye problems, its important to know the signs and symptoms and be prepared to treat them accordingly.

Warning signs of feline vision problems

Good cat eye care starts with an examination. At a routine exam, your veterinarian will look at your cats eyes. During this exam, the doctor will look for signs of cat eye infections (conjunctivitis), cat glaucoma and cataracts. As a cat owner, you should regularly check your cats eyes for any abnormalities.

To keep your cats eyes healthy and her vision at its peak, follow a program of regular eye exams, learn the warning signs of eye trouble and treat problems quickly and thoroughly.

Warning signs of cat eye trouble:

Squinting

Redness

Third eyelid visible

Discharge from the eye

6 tips for preventing cat vision loss

Glaucoma exam: During your cats annual veterinary examination, the doctor can look for the signs of glaucoma and cataracts.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in cats. Pressure builds up in the eyeball and causes distorted vision. Glaucoma can be treated in its early stages.

Cataract exam: Cataracts are characterized by a cloudiness in the retina. More common in dogs than cats, cataracts can be corrected by surgery we do at RVC.

Dry eye care: Some cats suffer from a condition known as Keratoconjunctivitis or dry eye. This can cause irritation and swelling of the eyelids and may, if untreated, result in ulceration of the eye. Eye drops will relieve this condition and keep your cat more comfortable.

Conjunctivitis: This is a common cat eye problem with a number of causes. There may be an eyelid abnormality such as an ingrown eyelash or it can be caused by exposure to wind, chemicals and dust. A simple procedure can fix the eyelid problem. If the cause is environmental, limit or reduce your cats exposure to irritants by relocating her living quarters, keeping dust and allergens at a minimum and providing adequate shelter for outdoor cats. Gently wash your cats face daily to remove discharge and debris.

Keep your cat indoors: Cat fights can result in injuries to your cat, and a corneal scratch is a possibility. Infection or scarring can cause vision abnormalities.

Healthy weight: Diabetes and kidney disease, often the result of an unhealthy weight, can cause hypertension in cats. Symptoms include bloodshot eyes and pupil dilation problems. A healthy, low-sodium diet and regular veterinary care is recommended. By Dr Ruan Du Toit Bester

Hope this info Helps

Till next week

Dr Ruan Bester

Ask the Vet: Royal Veterinary Centre

Tel: +853 28501099, +853 28523678

Emergency: +853 62662268

Email: royalveterinary@gmail.com
Two foreign specialists who visited Liu Xiaobo said yesterday that the cancer-stricken Nobel Peace Prize laureate would be able to safely travel abroad for treatment, apparently contradicting statements by Chinese experts who say a medical evacuation would be unsafe.

The American and German doctors, who saw Liu on Saturday, issued a joint statement saying that their home institutions  the University of Heidelberg and the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas  have agreed to accept Liu, but that any evacuation would have to take place as quickly as possible.

Liu, Chinas most prominent political dissident, was diagnosed in May with late-stage liver cancer while serving an 11-year sentence for inciting subversion by advocating sweeping political reforms that would end Chinas one-party rule.

The differing opinions about the feasibility of Liu traveling could further complicate the tug-of-war over the 61-year-old activist. For weeks, family and supporters have asked for Liu to be fully released and allowed to receive treatment abroad, arguing that authorities are keeping him in China only out of political considerations.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has maintained that Liu is receiving the best treatment possible at the First Hospital of China Medical University in the northern city of Shenyang. Chinese state media have labeled Liu a convicted criminal, and the government has warned other countries to stay out of Chinas internal affairs.

Following international criticism, China allowed the two foreign experts, Dr. Markus W. Buchler of Heidelberg University and Dr. Joseph Herman of the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas, to visit Liu.

Buchler and Herman said in their statement yesterday that they acknowledged the quality of care Liu has received in Shenyang. But they said that Liu expressed a desire to leave China, and that they judged that he can be safely transported with appropriate medical evacuation care and support.

Already accused of letting an imprisoned Nobel laureate fall terminally ill on its watch, Chinas government faces a public relations disaster whether Liu stays in the country or goes abroad. By deeming Liu physically able to travel, the two foreign experts effectively eliminated a key reason the government has put forward to justify why Liu cannot leave, said Hu Jia, a Chinese dissident.

There are no technical obstacles to his leaving, if only the Communist Party is willing to open the cage, Hu said, adding that Beijing is afraid of letting its most potent opposition symbol go abroad as long as he is able to speak to the media.

As long as he can still talk, the global media will report and transmit his message to the world, he said. Every sound he utters will be recorded as a force for changing China.

Shang Baojun, a former lawyer for Liu who remains close to the family, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Liu was coherent enough during the visit with the foreign doctors to say that he wanted to go abroad for treatment, preferably to Germany, although the U.S. would also be fine. At times, Liu was lucid enough to communicate in English, Shang said.

The hospital itself released a brief online statement late Saturday that quoted an unnamed Chinese expert as saying that it would be unsafe for Liu to travel abroad. The hospital has previously said that Lius liver function is deteriorating, and that blood clots are forming in his left leg and could potentially travel to the brain or the lungs, leading to death. Gerry Shih, AP
Things might have been a little awkward when Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw each other on the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting in Germany.

Far from the plush leaders events in Hamburg, China and India are facing the resurgence of a decades-long dispute over a remote area of the Himalayas. The interruption of summits by such tensions is a regular event, but both sides are now invoking memories of a 1962 border war in which Maoist China defeated newly-independent India.

While the latest flareup is likely to be resolved diplomatically, it adds to an increasingly fraught relationship between the nuclear powers as they jostle for influence in South Asia. Indias fast-growing economy is fueling its ambitions and ties to the west, while Beijing is asserting territorial claims in the East China Sea, South China Sea and remote Himalayan passes.

Xi and Modi addressed an informal meeting on Friday of leaders of the BRICS  Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa  nations, which was held alongside the G-20 summit. There were no plans for a direct sit down.

Both leaders told the BRICS gathering that member countries needed to remain committed to an open global economy and fighting climate change. They did not mention the acrimonious border conflict.

It has to be seen as part of a larger pattern, where they are becoming assertive, and theyre getting into this habit of enforcing their claims that are contested, and sometimes imagined, disregarding the views of others, said Ashok Kantha, a former Indian ambassador to China and head of the Institute for Chinese Studies in New Delhi.

The Peoples Daily, a Communist Party newspaper, posted a comment on social media platform Weibo during the BRICS meeting, warning India, borderline is the bottomline! The post received almost 290,000 supportive comments.

The countries disagree over who started the most recent skirmish and what happens next, with both sides declining to back down.

Some China observers say Indian troops crossed the border  around the time Modi met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, and ahead of the G-20  to remind the world that India is able to contain Chinese ambitions. In China, its particularly sensitive because it comes before China hosts a major BRICS summit in September that was personally endorsed by Xi.

Both China and India are rising powers, but apparently Chinas development is faster and it has greater global influence, said Zhou Gang, a former Chinese ambassador to India. India is not comfortable with that. They are jealous, Zhou said. When the Indian government wants to stir up its nationalism, China becomes the easiest target.

New Delhi is wary of Beijings infrastructure projects in Pakistan and other neighboring countries. At the same time, Beijing is seeking to build its clout through its Belt and Road trade initiative and believes Indias resistance reflects a fear of Chinas rise.

Stand-offs between India and China have occurred in the past, including when Xi visited New Delhi in 2014. In recent years, both sides have sought to build roads and other infrastructure leading up to their shared border.

The current dispute is at a three- way junction between Bhutan, Chinas Tibet and Indias Sikkim. Bhutans Foreign Ministry said a Chinese road-building party crossed into its territory on June 16. India later said Bhutanese troops attempted to dissuade the Peoples Liberation Army-escorted construction team. After that failed, Indian personnel in the region approached and urged them to desist from changing the status quo.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Indian troops crossed into China, breaching historical conventions and violating international law.

It is the Indian side who takes protecting Bhutan as an excuse to justify its boundary-crossing and entry into China, he said in a briefing on Thursday.

Indias Defense Minister Arun Jaitley, alluding to Indias painful loss more than half-a-century ago, said the India of today is different. Army chief Bipin Rawat visited the area, and earlier in June just before the stand-off  said his forces could cope with a multi front war against China and Pakistan, according to a Times of India report.

For its part, Chinas state-owned Global Times said in an editorial the Chinese look down on Indias military and India will suffer greater losses than in 1962 if it incites military conflicts.

In remarks to the Press Trust of India, Chinas current ambassador to India said the situation was grave and Indias troops must pull out before there are any talks. The ambassador did not rule out a war. There has been talk of that option, he was quoted as saying.

The trouble is, this stand off is really one where the Chinese have said they will clearly not back down, said Alka Acharya, an international relations professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. In earlier standoffs, they were looking for a face saving device, where they can go back to the status quo.

The risk is the border tensions become further entrenched in the bigger tussle for influence.

It reflects a broader deterioration in the relationship, and reflects some sort of a concern that India is taking a more aggressive stance, said Harsh Pant, a professor of international relations at Kings College London. India is the only major power that is standing up to China on multiple levels. Iain Marlow, Keith Zhai, Bloomberg
Wrapping up his second European tour, President Donald Trump searched for consensus with Asian allies Saturday on how to counter the menace of North Korea after its test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Something has to be done about it, Trump said as he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a separate meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump said the two were tackling the problem and menace of North Korea.

The White House said after the meeting with Abe that the U.S. was prepared to use the full range of capabilities in defense of Japan. Trump and Abe committed, the White House said, to redoubling their efforts to bring all nations together to show North Korea that there are consequences for its threatening and unlawful actions.

The Trump administration has tried to press Beijing to rein in North Korea, a major trading partner of China, and halt Kim Jong Uns development of nuclear weapons before they can threaten U.S. territory. Trump has voiced his frustration in recent days that China hasnt done more, suggesting he may take steps of his own.

But during his meeting, Trump told Xi, I appreciate the things that you have done relative to the very substantial problem that we all face in North Korea.

Xi said during the meeting that sensitive issues remain in the China-U.S. relationship and more work needed to be done. But he said he had built with Trump a close contact.

Trumps extensive slate of meetings with Abe, Xi, British Prime Minister Theresa May and others came on the final day of the annual Group of 20 summit, which has been marked by violent demonstrations by anti-globalization activists. Trump also had a brief, unscheduled meeting with Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the situation in Syria.

Abe, speaking through a translator, noted that the security situation in the Asia Pacific region has become increasingly severe due to North Koreas push to develop its ballistic missile and nuclear program. Abe said he wanted to demonstrate the robust partnership as well as the bonds between Japan and the U.S. on the issue.

North Koreas successful test launch of an ICBM was a milestone in its long- term effort to build a missile that could carry a nuclear warhead to attack the United States.

The issue was a frequent topic of discussion at the summit, and the White House said earlier that the U.S., South Korea and Japan were pressing for additional measures against North Korea to demonstrate the serious consequences for its latest provocations.

The three nations have been calling for early adoption of a new U.N. Security Council resolution and additional sanctions to demonstrate to Pyongyang the consequences of its actions.

Bringing China on board is a key part of the plan. The administration wants China to fully enforce international sanctions intended to starve Pyongyang of revenue for its nuclear and missile programs. But Trump has been dissatisfied with Chinas response.

Earlier in the week, he vented on Twitter that trade between China and North Korea had grown nearly 40 percent at the start of 2017. So much for China working with us  but we had to give it a try!

Trump officials said later that the president hadnt given up on the relationship.

Trade was also a key part of the discussions. The Trump administration is investigating the possibility of putting new barriers on steel imports based on national security considerations, a move that could target China, which has flooded international markets with cheap steel exports.

Many things have happened that have led to trade imbalances and were going to turn that around, Trump said during the meeting with Xi. Trump said he wanted a new arrangement that is equitable and reciprocal.

Meeting with May, the British leader, Trump pointed to their special relationship, and said the two countries were working on a trade agreement.

May was the first foreign leader to visit Trump at the White House and he told her he would soon be going to London once details were worked out. Independent trade negotiations between the two countries are a possibility as Britain exits the European Union  a move Trump has supported.

Earlier, Trump said Saturday he had a tremendous meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, his first comments on the talks with the Russian leader. Trump raised the issue of Russias meddling in the 2016 elections and discussed plans for a cease-fire agreement in Syria.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday that Trump and Putin had a robust and lengthy discussion about Russian election interference but Putin denied any involvement.

Putin, in a news conference Saturday, offered his version of events and said he thought Trump believed his in-person denials of Russian meddling. White House officials traveling aboard Air Force One did not dispute that account.

Tillerson, who took part in the meeting, said Trump had been rightly focused on how do we move forward from something that may be an intractable disagreement at this point?

In Washington, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi criticized Trump and called his response to the Russian threat nonsensical and absurdly inadequate. In a written statement, she said reports of Trumps meeting with the Russian leader leave the American people asking why the President continues to fawn over Putin instead of standing up for the integrity of Americas democracy.

Trump also joined a womens entrepreneurial finance event, a project spearheaded by his daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump. He lauded his daughters efforts to help female entrepreneurs, joking that if she werent my daughter, it would be so much easier for her.

Trump returned to Washington on Saturday evening after the conclusion of the annual G-20 meetings. He wont be stateside for long: The president is scheduled to return to Europe next week to attend Bastille Day celebrations in Paris. AP
The death toll from heavy rain and flooding in southern Japan this week has risen to 15, officials said Saturday, as rescue workers reached isolated villages where at least 14 others are missing and feared dead.

Heavy rain warnings are still in place for parts of the southern island of Kyushu on Saturday, days after Typhoon Nanmadol swept across Japan, triggering floods and mudslides that wrecked hundreds of homes, roads and rice terraces.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said 12,000 troops, firefighters and other rescuers continued searching for the missing, clearing debris off roads and delivering fresh water and food supplies for the displaced at a school gymnasium. They have reached most of the previously inaccessible villages, Suga said.

Nearly 1,000 residents were rescued over the past two days, but dozens are still believed to be stranded. The operation has been slowed by mudflows and floodwaters as the rain continued.

In the hardest- hit Asakura city in Fukuoka, the bodies of a woman, her daughter and a grandson were found late Friday on the first floor of their house that was crushed by a mudslide, Japans public broadcaster NHK said.

Footage showed inundated rice fields and collapsed homes. Roads and bridges were damaged, covered with broken trees washed down from the mountainside. Hundreds of people in remote villages were being airlifted by military helicopters while soldiers waded through floodwater carrying elderly people on their backs.

Japans royal family postponed the formal announcement of Princess Makos engagement to a college classmate Saturday out of consideration for the suffering of people in the affected areas, palace officials said. A new date has yet to be decided.

Japans Meteorological Agency said Fukuoka and Oita experienced unprecedented amounts of rain. AP
Sales turnover of a few thousand patacas to some MOP2.5 million is a staggering revenue shift for a local enterprise in just two years with its partnership with Sands China.

In just two years time, Chon Wa Catering Equipment Supply Co. Ltd has seen a boost in its sales revenue with Sands China, as the gaming operator has been keen on purchasing from local suppliers.

Established in Macau several years ago to provide engineering and design for kitchen equipment, the local enterprise only began to supply heavy-duty kitchenware, catering utensils and equipment to local clients in 2015.

With the support of Sands China, this Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) has successfully entered the market, with the gaming operator contributing to nearly 30 percent of its overall revenue.

Anthony Yip, director of Business of Chon Wa Catering Equipment Supply noted that the firm only started with three staff and has increased to its current 12 due to this sudden boost to its business.

I would like to send my thank you to Sands China because they gave us very good support since starting our business, [giving] us a chance to make offers and orders, Yip remarked.

According to him, the first deal with the gaming operator was only a few thousand patacas, yet this has grown massively with the support of Sands China.

The first deal was a few thousand. There are many brands that we did not know but [based on Sands Chinas] inquiries, the brands we wholesale now have increased, Yip added.

The local SME is currently the sole agent in Macau of many kitchenware brands and a distributor of some 100 well-known brands.

The entrepreneur sees this as an advantage as the enterprise can present a wider range of products and brands to other gaming operators.

The entrepreneur mentioned that at the beginning of the business, they did not have many brands to offer to clients.

In the beginning, I would say that there were zero brands we were offering but after two years of effort and good relationships with suppliers, some brands granted us a license to be a sole agent or distributor, he noted.

Given the aim of the business to offer high quality products to the local market, the company introduced its business to the procurement team of Sands China hoping to establish good relationships with the gaming operator.

Yip mentioned that the business with Sands China has has continuously grown from moment to moment.

Currently, the local enterprise is expecting to see its revenue with the gaming operator double by the end of the year as it continues to expand its product range.

With the opening of The Parisian Macao in September 2016, the director acknowledged that its contracts with Sands China have contributed to significant growth in its sales volume in 2016.

We did a lot of business with The Parisian Macao. We sold a lot of products, the director confirmed.

With the continuous partnership with Sands China, Chon Wa has strengthened its credibility with local restaurants, hotels and gaming operators, paving the way for further business prospects.

The enterprise is also benefiting from Sands Chinas commitment to purchase goods and commodities from local suppliers to further support its procurement base and SME growth.

Thus with this commitment, Sands China offers more business opportunities to local SMEs, micro-enterprises, young entrepreneurs, and Made-in-Macao enterprises.

Sands Chinas Local Small, Medium and Micro Suppliers Support Program  a scheme in line with the MSARs initiative to buy local  has been providing local enterprises with greater prospects to remain successful in the market.

As Sands China views its suppliers as its strategic partners, the entrepreneur noted that the gaming operators procurement team have also been assisting them in sourcing quality products to add to its wide range of product and brand selections.

The procurement team [has assisted] in [rejuvenating our range of] quality products and [the] content of [our] products. Thats why we are going to set up our new show room and demo kitchen, he explained.

In this way, we have more chance to introduce our new products, including to Sands Chinas procurement department, the director added.

Chon Wa provides before- and after-sales service to aid its clients in choosing the right machine with advice for equipment customization.

The supplier also values after-sales maintenance services to reach high standards in quality heavy-duty kitchenware.

Yip noted that the company is still developing its business and looking for ways to grow. Adding that Sands China has contributed to nearly 30 percent of the suppliers overall revenue receipts, Yip remarked that the firm will further depend on the continued support of Sands China and its local customers.

I dont think there is problem for us in [terms of] financing [the growth] but the main thing left to us to do is to [further] develop our business and make it grow, but of course this depends on the support [of our customers], said the director.

We will continue to work with consistency and integrity to win their trust, the director pledged.

Currently the company is seeking reliable new foreign brands to fit the Macau market.

According to Yip, the group will also focus on acquiring cleaning equipment to supply to its local clients to improve their food hygiene standards.

I think its a trend and maybe theres a potential market opportunity. That is why we are going to deal with a cleaning machine supplier whose factory is situated in Europe, the entrepreneur noted.

Yip also shared that there are some plans to participate in the Macao International trade and Investment Fair (MIF) held annually at The Venetian Macao in October, to showcase the groups new products.

The entrepreneur stressed that projects such as acquiring and supplying high-end catering equipment and heavy-duty equipment were all due to the support of its local clients, particularly Sands China.

They [Sands China] have given us a lot of time  and made offers to us, and in this period of time, we learned and gained much. That is why we want to express our gratitude to them for giving us a lot of support, Yip voiced.

If, at the moment, we are successful, this is coming from the support of Sands China, the entrepreneur acknowledged.

This article is sponsored by Sands China Ltd.
An environmental watchdog group says its investigation has found that a little-known town in southern China is a major hub for ivory smuggling by organized criminal gangs.

The Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Investigation Agency said in a report last week that it uncovered a network of ivory trafficking syndicates operating out of Shuidong in Guangdong province, near Hong Kong.

The group says its investigators worked undercover posing as buyers to win the trust of a smuggling group and tracked one of its shipments from Mozambique.

Syndicate members told the EIA theirs was just one of 10 to 20 ivory trafficking groups operating out of Shuidong, the group said.

They claimed that 80 percent of all poached ivory smuggled from Africa to Chinapasses through the town  a startling figure thats impossible to corroborate.

China has taken steps to curb the demand for ivory that wildlife groups say fuels the mass slaughter of tens of thousands of elephants in Africa every year. It started shutting down ivory carving factories in March and is planning to ban all domestic retail sales by the end of the year. Hong Kong, a major transshipment hub for illicit wildlife trading, is preparing to ban local ivory sales by 2021.

The EIA said Beijing needs to follow up its policies with enforcement, though its decision to close down its domestic ivory market was admirable.

What EIA discovered in Shuidong, however, clearly shows transnational criminal networks are operating with near-total impunity, said Mary Rice, the groups executive director. It is vital that enforcement agencies in Africa and China put these criminals out of business immediately.

The group said it shared its findings with the relevant enforcement authorities. Local government officials said they werent aware of the report while police in Maoming city, which includes Shuidong, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The EIA investigators encountered the Shuidong syndicate members last year in Mozambique, which has become more popular with Chinese smugglers after neighboring Tanzania cracked down. Shuidong emerged as an ivory trading hub thanks to its role as a center for the sea cucumber trade, the report said. As Chinagrew wealthier over the past few decades, Shuidong traders fanned out to Africa to feed growing demand for the delicacy. They were well placed to move into the illegal ivory trade when demand in China soared starting in the late 1990s.

The EIAs report said three Shuidong syndicate members revealed details and methods about their operation to smuggle more than 2 metric tons of ivory from Mozambiques Pemba port to Shuidong by sea via Busan, South Korea.

They bribed customs officials and shipping agents along every step of the shipments journey, it said.

The EIA said the syndicate has now moved on to Nigeria because yellow ivory from forest elephants native to West and Central Africa was becoming more profitable than white ivory from East Africas savannah elephants. By Kelvin Chan, Hong Kong, AP
President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday he will likely extend 60 days of martial law he imposed in the southern Philippines to deal with a deadly siege of a city by militants allied with the Islamic State group because the situation remains critical.

Duterte said he would only lift martial rule, which is to expire in about two weeks, if the military and police tell him the danger posed by the militants has abated. The Supreme Court upheld his martial law declaration last week in a legal boost to the military offensive he ordered to quell the Marawi city siege.

Duterte has said the offensive is winding down and could end soon in Marawi, which was attacked by hundreds of gunmen waving IS-style black flags on May 23. But scores of gunmen are still holding hostages and continuing to fight in four areas of the lakeside city, a bastion of the Islamic faith in the south.

Asked if he plans to lift martial law this month, Duterte said he consulted the military and police and was told the situation remains critical. He said he would rely on their advice because they are the ones keeping this republic healthy and alive.

If they say there is no more danger and everything is OK, then that is the time that we will lift martial law, Duterte said.

Carrying an assault rifle and wearing a military camouflage uniform, Duterte attempted but failed to fly to Marawi to visit troops Friday due to bad weather. It was his second aborted trip to the predominantly Islamic city, large areas of which resemble a smoldering war zone amid intense fighting and military airstrikes.

I should show my face there, Duterte said, adding he wants to visit during the fighting to demonstrate his desire to protect the republic.

Security officials hope the crisis will end before Duterte delivers his annual state of the nation address on July 24, but Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has said he will let commanders set the pace of the battle to avoid adding pressure that could endanger troops.

More than 350 militants, 87 soldiers and police and 39 civilians have been killed in 46 days of fighting, alarming Southeast Asian and Western governments, which fear that the Islamic State groups rule in Syria and Iraq, now collapsing, may have galvanized Asian militants into attempting to create their own so-called Islamic caliphate.

The United States and Australia have deployed surveillance planes to Marawi to help Filipino troops locate the remaining militants holed up in buildings and houses.

Nearly 400,000 residents have abandoned Marawi and outlying towns in Lanao del Sur province, about 800 kilometers southeast of Manila. AP
A former United Nations diplomat testified that he got more than USD1 million from a Chinese developer who was seeking backing for a UN conference center that he hoped to build in Macau.

The developer, billionaire

Ng Lap Seng, is on trial charged with conspiracy and bribery in the biggest UN corruption scandal since the oil-for-food program in the early 2000s. Hes accused of funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to former UN General Assembly President John Ashe and other officials.

Francis Lorenzo, 50, one of the UN diplomats who took the bribes, told jurors in Manhattan last week that Ng hoped to build a permanent home for an annual UN conference on economic cooperation among developing countries. Lorenzo, the former Deputy Ambassador to the UN from the Dominican Republic, said the scheme ran for five years beginning in 2010. He referred to the developer as N.G. in his testimony.

Why did you do what N.G. was asking you to do? Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Zolkind asked Lorenzo. Because I was getting paid, the former ambassador answered.

Ngs lawyer, Tai Park, told the jury in his opening statement that the payments werent bribes. Instead, Ngs intention was to support the project, which he saw as a public-private partnership between himself and the UN.

Ngs plan was to build the center for free to boost the value of a related complex of apartments, offices, a casino and hotel he also planned to develop. Ng and others involved were arrested before the center was built, Lorenzo testified.

The UN officials used their positions to advance Ngs efforts to win formal support for the conference center development, including issuing a contract and agreement letters naming Ngs company as the exclusive developer, he told jurors.

Six people were originally charged, including Ashe, who died in a weightlifting accident last year. In addition to serving as president of the general assembly, Ashe was the ambassador to the UN from Antigua and Barbuda.

The remaining defendants have pleaded guilty, with some agreeing to cooperate with the prosecution. Lorenzo told jurors hes cooperating with the hope he will get a reduced sentence.

Lorenzo was accused of funneling some of the bribe money to Ashe. In his guilty plea, he admitted that he helped get a $200,000 payment into a foreign bank account belonging to Ashe, saying the purpose was to influence John Ashe to the benefit of Ng Lap Seng and others. Bloomberg
As Americans celebrated the Fourth of July with rockets glaring red, so too did Kim Jong-uns regime in North Korea.

On Tuesday, North Korea test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that experts believe could reach Hawaii or Alaska, putting American cities at risk for the first time. The test stood as a clear threat to the United States, and U.S. officials vowed a strong reaction.

Despite the increased nuclear threat, commodity markets didnt react. Crude oil and gold typically rally in times of trouble, but both markets dropped this week. Oil slid beneath $44 per barrel on Friday, while gold dropped to $1207 per ounce, the lowest price in almost four months.

Commodities muted response likely signals a strong belief that the U.S. response will be diplomatic or economic, rather than a military operation. Global leaders are meeting this weekend in Germany for the G-20 summit, where North Korea will certainly be a pressing topic.

Soy soars to new high

Soybean prices exploded to a three-month high this week, nearing $10 per bushel on Friday morning. The market already had momentum from a U.S. Department of Agriculture report showing that fewer soybean acres were planted this spring than previously thought, and weather forecasts helped boost prices further.

Hot and dry weather over the next two weeks could hurt the growing bean crop, which has led analysts to expect this years crop yields to be nearly 8 percent lower than last years record-breaking 52.1 bushels per acre.

Despite these bullish-sounding factors, this years U.S. crop could still be one of the largest on record, while South America is harvesting a large crop itself. Meanwhile, Chinese demand has shown signs of slowing down, all of which could eventually sink the soy market.

Fearing a pullback, many farmers are taking advantage of the current rally by using put option contracts, which lock in a price floor but allow for upside profit potential if the market keeps rallying.

Alongside the soybean rally, wheat prices continued exploding this week, touching new multiyear highs on drought concerns.
BURLEY  Idaho Power stocked Milner Reservoir with more than 20,000 channel catfish June 28, with two twists this year  bigger fish and a chance for anglers to win cash.

The annual fish release is a requirement under Idaho Powers federal license to operate its Snake River hydroelectric plant at Milner Dam.

Most years, the fish released into Milner range from 8 to 12 inches, the utility said. But this years load had fish up to 18 inches, and some tagged fish are worth $50. Anglers who catch a tagged fish may report it at 1-866-258-0338 or tag.idaho.gov.

The cash rewards are part of a study by Idaho Power and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to track how many anglers fish for and catch channel cats in the reservoir.

The catfish  raised by Fish Breeders of Idaho in Hagerman  were released at two locations: the Lex Kunau Park boat ramp near the Highway 27 Bridge in Burley, and the North Freedom Park boat ramp near the Highway 30 Bridge in Heyburn.

There is boat access to the reservoir at both stocking points, as well as via the Bureau of Land Management access near Milner Dam on the south side of the reservoir, an Idaho Power release said. Bank access is limited because of private land.
TWIN FALLS  City Manager Travis Rothweiler plans to present his 2018 budget proposal to the City Council on Monday.

Rothweilers proposed net budget, or the total budget minus transfers between funds, is for $66.2 million, an almost 9 percent increase over this years $60.96 million. It asks for an increase in property tax collections of 3 percent plus the value of new construction, the legal maximum, but does not take any of the citys foregone balance, or money the city could have collected in past years when it raised taxes less than 3 percent but didnt.

However, Rothweiler writes in a summary of his proposal that the average property tax on a median-value home could actually drop by almost $12 a year. Because the citys value will be higher in 2018, the proposed property tax rate can be lower and still collect more overall  Rothweiler is proposing $7.51 per $1,000 in assessed value, compared to $8.03 this year. How this affects an individual property is going to depend on its assessed value.

It recommends a 2.5 percent increase in water rates, a 5 percent increase in sewer rates and a 2.4 percent hike in sanitation fees. These last three, respectively, would work out to an increase to the average customer of $11.52 a year for water, $15.60 for sewer and $4.92 for garbage. When utilities and taxes are taken together, Rothweiler expects the average homeowner to be paying $20.29 a year more in 2018 for city services.

The budget recommends adding a few new positions  a paralegal and a deputy prosecuting attorney, plus some part-time janitors, adding up to 1.86 full-time employees, to tend to the newly expanded airport and what will be the citys expanded facilities when the new City Hall and Public Safety Complex open. It recommends adjusting the citys salary table upwards 5 percent, plus 3.5 percent merit-based raises. The cost of health insurance is expected to go up almost 8 percent.

The City Council will now spend the next couple of months discussing the proposal, making its own adjustments and listening to public comment before passing a budget. The public hearing and final adoption of the budget are expected on Aug. 28.

Among other agenda items, the Council is also scheduled to hear an update on the progress of the Main Avenue Redevelopment Project.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. in the City Council chambers, 305 Third Ave. East. The agenda and related materials are available online via the citys website, tfid.org.
HANSEN  Some knew the city had canceled its traditional Fourth of July fireworks show. Others found out Tuesday evening when they arrived at Rolling Hills Park with blankets and lounge chairs.

For years, Hansen had put on an impressive aerial display that drew a large crowd to the park  and many of those came from out of town.

We would get a lot of people who didnt want to fight the crowds to watch the fireworks in Twin, Hansen City Councilman Tony Bohrn said Thursday.

Now the city is faced with finding a way to return fireworks to the towns future Fourth of July celebrations.

When people think of the Fourth, they think of fireworks, Mayor Israel Boekweg said Friday.

Traditionally, the town has held its Hansen Day celebration on July 4 and concluded the celebration with its popular fireworks show. But last year the City Council changed things up by splitting the celebration into two events. The Fourth of July was celebrated with fireworks, and Hansen Day  with a parade, food, games, music and more fireworks  was celebrated nearly two weeks later.

City Councilwoman Eileen Turner, who was in charge of last years Hansen Day, said splitting up the traditional celebration also split the citys fireworks funds. Instead of its usual display, the town got two less-than-impressive displays.

People were disappointed, she said.

So earlier this year, someone at a city council meeting suggested recombining the money and delegating it all for Hansen Day  which the council did, Boekweg said Friday. The mayor said he now realizes it was a vocal minority who had spoken out.

Poor communication

Councilwoman Linda Medleys was the only vote against eliminating fireworks on the Fourth.

Bohrn said he didnt agree with taking away the Fourth of July fireworks, but he supported Turners idea to put the focus on Hansen Day. The money for fireworks could be raised other ways.

If all the people who shot off illegal fireworks in Hansen chipped in, the town could have both, he joked. They apparently have a bigger budget than we do.

But the problem isnt a lack of funding, Boekweg said.

The city has money, he said. But we need people to tell us how they want to spend it.

Few residents attend City Council meetings, said Tom Sanders, owner of T-and-T Cafe. And what happens there is very poorly communicated to residents.

Boekweg agreed and says he is trying to change that.

Residents  many of whom have complained to the mayor  will get a chance to weigh in on the fireworks issue during Monday evenings Council meeting. The mayor anticipates a large crowd, so he has moved the meeting to the Hansen Community Center.

The town of fewer than 1,000 has changed in the past few years, said Boekweg, a 34-year-old newcomer from Utah.

Many think of Hansen as a town of older folks, he said. But the average age is 35.

Boekweg has now turned to Facebook to exchange information. Few comments appear on the citys website, compared with its Facebook page, Hansen News and Info, he said.

The Hansen Husky Booster Club will run the Hansen Day celebration on Saturday, volunteer Kari Nelson said.

I just want the best for the community no matter what day its on, Nelson said.

The mayor agrees.

I really picture Hansen as a gem in the rough. Im trying to get people involved to come up with better solutions, he said. Were a community and were all in this together.

When people think of the Fourth, they think of fireworks. Hansen Mayor Israel Boekweg
BRUNEAU  Bruneau Dunes State Park is closed because of a 40,000-acre wildfire that started Sunday afternoon.

The Loveridge Fire, eight miles southeast of Bruneau on Bureau of Land Management land is burning grass and brush and is being driven northwest by the wind. There are no time estimates for when it would be contained or controlled.

Buildings in the area are threatened, and the Owyhee County Sheriff's Office has ordered evacuations. Use of Highway 78 is also being restricted. As of Monday morning, nine engines, four supervisory crews, two dozers and two water tenders were responding to the Loveridge Fire, and additional resources had been ordered. The fire's cause has not yet been determined.

The Antelope Fire, five miles south of Shoshone, was caused by lightning Sunday afternoon and is burning 2,000 acres of grass and brush. The BLM expects to have it contained by 8 p.m. Monday and controlled by 8 p.m. Tuesday. No buildings are threatened.

High winds and hot temperatures have caused extreme fire behavior, and a red flag warning is in effect for Monday for gusty winds and low relative humidity.